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[Commission on Disabilities on August 25, 2026.]
IS TUESDAY, AUGUST 25TH, 2026, AND THE CURRENT TIME IS 2:02 PM QUORUM HAS BEEN MET, AND I NOW CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.BEFORE WE GET STARTED, I WOULD LIKE TO GO OVER A FEW HOUSEKEEPING ITEMS THAT I USUALLY GO THROUGH FIRST, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE JOINING US ONLINE, WE ASK THAT YOU KEEP YOUR CAMERAS ON AT ALL TIMES IN ORDER FOR US TO COUNT YOU PRESENT.
SECOND, IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR IF YOU WISH TO MAKE A COMMENT, PLEASE SAY YOUR NAME AND RESPECTIVE DISTRICT IN ORDER TO AVOID CONFUSION.
AND LASTLY, WE UNDERSTAND THAT COMMISSIONERS HAVE MANY CONCERNS THEY WOULD LIKE TO SHARE.
KINDLY BE ADVISED THAT WE HEAR YOU, BUT REQUEST THAT YOU KEEP YOUR COMMENTS AS BRIEF AND CONCISE AS POSSIBLE.
THIS IS AN ORDER TO GIVE OTHERS IN THE ROOM THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK QUESTIONS AND VOICE CONCERNS.
ITEM NUMBER TWO ON THE AGENDA IS ROLL CALL.
WHEN YOUR NAME AND DISTRICT ARE CALLED, PLEASE SAY PRESENT, STARTING WITH COMMISSIONER SELENA GLASSCOCK.
UH, COMMISSIONER CARRIE PARKS.
COMMISSIONER LAURA LEE GUNN, DISTRICT 10 PRESENT.
UH, COMMISSIONER STEVEN HUSKA, DISTRICT 13, NOT PRESENT.
AND THIS IS CHAIRMAN JOHN CAL CONLEY, MAYOR APPOINTEE.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK EACH ONE OF YOU FOR DEDICATING YOUR TIME TO THE COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES.
AND ITS DEF AND ITS EFFORTS, YOUR PERSPECTIVES ARE ALWAYS VALUED.
I WOULD NOW LIKE TO DO ROLL CALL FOR CITY STAFF WHO ARE SUPPORTING THE COMMISSION, STARTING WITH CHRISTOPHER GRAVES, HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICER.
PRESENT WE HAVE GARY COPELAND, A DA COMPLIANCE MANAGER.
UH, AND BRIANNA WOODINGTON, A DA COORDINATOR, PRESENT.
I THANK EACH ONE OF YOU AS WELL FOR SUPPORTING THE COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES.
WE COULD NOT DO OUR WORK WITHOUT YOUR HELP.
ITEM NUMBER THREE IS PUBLIC COMMENTS.
I UNDERSTAND WE HAVE MS. MARY WITHERSPOON WHO WOULD LIKE TO SHARE A FEW WORDS.
MS. WITHERSPOON, THE FLOOR IS NOW YOURS.
YOU MAY COME UP TO THE PODIUM.
YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO PROVIDE YOUR TESTIMONY.
I HAVE, I PUSH TO SPEAK TO HOPEFULLY HEAR ME.
I'M A BLIND LOW VISION INDIVIDUAL, AND I WANNA SHARE WITH THIS COMMISSION THAT SEPTEMBER 14TH THROUGH THE 18TH IS DISABILITY VOTING RIGHTS WEEK.
I WANNA TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW IT CAME ABOUT AND SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT ARE HAPPENING FOR DISABILITY VOTING RIGHTS WEEK.
THERE WAS A TEXAN BY THE NAME OF BOB KAFKA, WHO SPENT 40 YEARS AS A DISABILITY RIGHTS ADVOCATE.
IF YOU NEEDED TO HAVE SOMEBODY ADVOCATE FOR YOU, HE WAS GOING TO BE THERE IN HIS WHEELCHAIR AND HE WAS GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
AFTER SEVERAL YEARS OF BEING AN ADVOCATE FOR INDIVIDUAL ISSUES, HE REALIZED THAT ACTUALLY DIS PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES COULD USE THEIR VOTING POWER TO IMPACT DECISIONS THAT WERE MADE AT CITY ELECTIONS, STATE ELECTIONS, AND FEDERAL ELECTIONS.
AND HE CREATED WHAT WAS CALLED REV UP, WHICH IS REGISTER, EDUCATE, VOTE, USE YOUR POWER.
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WAS SO SUCCESSFUL THAT THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES WENT TO BOB AND SAID, HOW CAN WE MAKE THIS NATIONWIDE? AND SO THEN REV UP BECAME REV UP TEXAS.AND NOW THERE ARE 25 DIFFERENT REV UP COALITIONS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.
AND THE DIFFERENCE THAT THIS MADE WAS THAT THE RUTGERS UNIVERSITY AND THE US ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION DID A STUDY, AND THEY FOUND THAT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO WERE DISABLED, WHO VOTED INCREASED OVER 5% BETWEEN THE 2016 ELECTION AND THE 2022 ELECTION, OR THE 2020 ELECTION, I SHOULD SAY.
THEY ALSO FOUND THAT IN 2022, DURING A MIDTERM ELECTION, WHILE THERE WAS 31 MILLION PEOPLE WHO WERE DISABLED ELIGIBLE TO VOTE, JUST A LITTLE OVER HALF DID.
THE PROJECTION WAS THAT IN 2024, THERE WOULD BE UP TO 40 MILLION PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES WHO WERE ELIGIBLE TO VOTE.
14% OF THE PEOPLE WHO DID VOTE REPORTED THAT THEY HAD DIFFICULTIES.
SO ORGANIZATIONS LIKE REV UP HAVE THE VOTING PLAN, WHICH IS SPECIFICALLY A GUIDE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES OF THINGS TO CONSIDER FOR VOTING MAIL-IN BALLOTS, WHETHER IT'S VOTING ON SITE, VOTING, CURBSIDE, ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU NEED TO CONSIDER.
THERE ARE GROUPS LIKE DISABILITY, RIGHTS OF TEXAS THAT HAVE THE ACCESSIBLE ACCOMMODATIONS FORM THAT YOU MIGHT NEED.
YOU CAN GO TO THEIR WEBSITE, FILL OUT THIS E FORM THAT SAYS, HERE ARE 14 DIFFERENT A DA, UM, COMPLIANT REQUESTS THAT YOU CAN MAKE AT A VOTING SITE.
WHICH ONES DO YOU NEED? AND BASED UPON HOW YOU FILL OUT THAT FORM, IT PRINTS OUT A LETTER THAT SAYS, DEAR POLL WORKER, BASED UPON MY A DA ACCOMMODATIONS FOR MY DISABILITY, THIS IS WHAT I NEED TO VOTE.
YOU CAN HAND IT TO THE POLL WORKER.
I USED IT IN MAY AND FOUND THAT IT MADE MY VOTING PROCESS A LOT SMOOTHER.
THERE'S ALSO ALL THE TOOLS THAT YOU CAN REQUEST, UM, BETWEEN THOSE TWO ORGANIZATIONS OR EVEN A A PD ITSELF.
AND THAT'S WHY THEY CREATED VOTING DISABILITY RIGHTS.
UM, EXCUSE ME, MS. WITHERSPOON.
I HOPE THE COMMISSION COULD ADVERTISE TO YOUR GROUPS THAT THESE ACCOMMODATIONS EXIST AND THAT WE PARTICIPATE IN VOTING RIGHT WEEK, NEXT YEAR, AND THE YEAR AFTER, THE SAME WAY THAT AUSTIN HOUSTON AND RIO GRANDE VALLEY HAVE BEEN DOING FOR YEARS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH MS. WITHERSPOON, FOR HIGHLIGHTING THE IMPORTANCE OF MAKING OUR VOICES HEARD.
UM, THIS IS ACTUALLY AN ANNOUNCEMENT THAT I WILL BE MAKING AT THE END OF OUR MEETING, AND WE KNOW HOW IMPORTANT VOTING RIGHTS ARE, ESPECIALLY FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, AS IT IS THE CORNERSTONE OF A REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY.
AND WHAT YOU JUST SHARED WITH US IS VERY RELEVANT, GIVEN THAT WE HAVE AN ELECTION COMING UP IN NOVEMBER.
SO THE MORE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ARE AWARE OF THEIR FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS TO VOTE, THE STRONGER WE CAN BE IN DRIVING THE CHANGE THAT EVERYONE NEEDS.
NEXT SEGMENT IN OUR AGENDA ARE VOTING ITEMS. ITEM NUMBER FOUR IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM OUR JUNE 18TH, 2026 COMMISSION MEETING, WHICH WAS NOT A REGULAR MEETING, IT WAS A SPECIAL CALL MEETING.
ARE THERE ANY EDITS? UM, DOES, DO ANY COMMISSIONERS WISH TO MAKE EDITS TO THE JUNE 18TH, 2026 MINUTES? I WILL START WITH COMMISSIONER GLASSCOCK, DISTRICT ONE.
UM, IS COMMISSIONER WICKS PRESENT? COMMISSIONER COLLIER DISTRICT FOUR? NO.
UM, COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL, DISTRICT FIVE? I HAVE NOTED.
COMMISSIONER PARKS IS NOT HERE.
COMMISSIONER WHITE DISTRICT NINE.
COMMISSIONER GUNN, DISTRICT 10, NO EVIDENCE.
AND, AND THIS IS CHAIRMAN CAL CONLEY.
I ALSO HAVE NO EDITS AT THIS TIME.
ANY, ANY LAST WORD OF DISCUSSION BEFORE A MOTION IS ENTERTAINED.
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SECOND.ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE JUNE 18TH, 2026 MEETING MINUTES WITH NO EDITS.
PLEASE DO SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
SEEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM, THE MOTION CARRIES.
ITEM NUMBER FIVE ON THE AGENDA IS THE APPROVAL OF OUR REGULAR COMMISSION MEETING, WHICH WAS SCHEDULED ON JUNE 23RD, 2026.
ARE THERE ANY COMMISSIONERS WHO WISH TO MAKE EDITS TO THESE MINUTES? I WILL START AGAIN WITH COMMISSIONER GLASS HAWK, DISTRICT ONE.
COMMISSIONER COLLIER, DISTRICT FOUR.
COMMISSIONER WHITE DISTRICT NINE.
COMMISSIONER GUNN, DISTRICT 10.
AND THIS IS CHAIRMAN KYLE CONLEY.
I WISH TO ALSO MAKE NO EDITS AT THIS TIME.
ANY FINAL WORD OF DISCUSSION BEFORE A MOTION IS ENTERTAINED? A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE JUNE 23RD, 2026 COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES MEETING MINUTES.
PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING A AYE AYE.
ALL OPPOSED, SEEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM, THE MOTION CARRIES FORWARD.
ITEM NUMBER SIX ON THE AGENDA IS TO VOTE TO APPOINT UP TO THREE COMMISSION REPRESENTATIVES TO DELIVER THE COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES BRIEFING TO THE YOUTH COMMISSION ON OCTOBER 26TH, 2026 AT 6:00 PM THE BRIEFING WILL OUTLINE THE OBJECTIVES OF THE COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES, HIGHLIGHT CURRENT PROJECTS AND SHARE WAYS THE YOUTH COMMISSION CAN ENGAGE WITH ITS EFFORTS.
THIS IS AN, AN EFFORT THAT WAS BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION, UM, JUST VERY RECENTLY.
AND I THINK IT WOULD BE A VERY GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMISSIONERS TO GET INVOLVED, YOU KNOW, SHARE WITH THE YOUTH COMMISSION ON ANY, UM, ANY ITEMS THAT MIGHT INTEREST THEM.
SO THE, SO THE, I AM NOW OPENING THE FLOOR FOR DISCUSSION, AND COMMISSIONERS ARE WELCOME TO SHARE THEIR POINTS.
I THINK IT'S INTERACT WITH THE U SORRY, DID I CUT? GO AHEAD.
I, I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THE DATE ONE MORE TIME.
IT'S GOING TO BE ON OCTOBER 26TH, WHICH IS A MONDAY.
THIS IS COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL FROM DISTRICT FIVE.
I WAS JUST SAYING, I THINK IT'S A AWESOME OPPORTUNITY TO COLLABORATE WITH YOU.
UH, I THINK OFTENTIMES WHEN WE HAVE DONE THESE OTHER KIND OF CROSS COMMUNICATIONS WITH CLINICIANS, UH, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOLKS, UH, WITH DISABILITIES.
BUT I THINK FOR YOUTH, OFTENTIMES ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S LOOKED OVER FOR THEM IS THAT MANY OF THEM ARE PROVIDING CARE, UH, TO DISABLED RELATIVES.
UM, AND BEEN ABLE TO TALK TO 'EM ABOUT THAT AND HOW THAT SOMETIMES ALL FAMILY INSTABILITY WOULD BE A GREAT TOPIC TO ENGAGE WITH SOME OF THE YOUTH IN DALLAS.
THIS IS A VERY VALID POINT, COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL.
AND WE DO APPRECIATE YOU SHARING WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY.
YOU AND YOU'RE SO RIGHT, THAT, ESPECIALLY COLLEGE STUDENTS, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO ARE TRANSITIONING FROM HIGH SCHOOL, UM, CAN REALLY BENEFIT FROM BEING CONNECTED TO DISABILITY RELATED SERVICES AND, UM, CONNECT WITH, UH, OUR BODY WHO ALSO ADVISES IN THESE EFFORTS.
GOTTA BE OPEN TO SERVING, BY THE WAY.
PARDON? THIS IS COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL FROM DISTRICT FIVE.
I'D BE OPEN TO SERVING ON THAT EVENING.
UM, YOU'D BE HAPPY TO JOIN THAT EVENING.
ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS WHO MAY SHOW INTEREST IN THIS? THIS IS COMMISSIONER COLLIER, DISTRICT FOUR.
IT LOOKS LIKE WE ACTUALLY DON'T HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE, UM, IN MY DISTRICT, SO I'M ALSO HAPPY TO, UH, TO PRESS
SO, FROM WHAT I'M HEARING, COMMISSIONER COLLIER, ARE YOU INTERESTED IN SERVING AS A REPRESENTATIVE OR ARE YOU WANTING SOMEONE
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FROM YOUR DISTRICT? NO, I, I'M INTERESTED.I'M JUST SAYING, I DON'T, WE DON'T HAVE A, A CURRENT MEMBER ON THE YOUTH COMMISSION FROM MY DISTRICT, BUT I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO SERVE.
YOUR, YOUR MICROPHONE IS BREAKING UP A LITTLE BIT, SO WE HAVE A REALLY HARD TIME HEARING WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP, COMMISSIONER.
ANY OTHER WORD OF DISCUSSION? OKAY.
SO IT SEEMS LIKE BASED ON OUR CONVERSATION, THIS CURRENT DISCUSSION, COMMISSIONERS ROCKWELL AND COLLIER ARE INTERESTED IN SERVING AS REPRESENTATIVES TO PROVIDE A BRIEFING.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS WHO ARE INTERESTED AT THIS TIME? THIS IS COMMISSIONER DOUT, DISTRICT 10.
YOU'D BE HAPPY TO HELP AS WELL? YES.
SORRY, THIS IS COMMISSIONER GUNN.
SO AT THIS POINT, IT SEEMS LIKE WE HAVE UP TO THREE COMMISSIONERS, COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL, COMMISSIONER COLLIER, AND COMMISSIONER GUNN, WHO EXPRESSED AN INTEREST IN SERVING.
UM, COMMISSIONERS DEMAN, DISTRICT 11 AND COMMISSIONER DISTRICT THREE.
UH, YOU HAVE JOINED, HAS JOINED US.
WE WELCOME YOU BOTH, AND SO GLAD YOU'RE HERE AT THIS TIME.
GIVEN THAT THREE COMMISSIONERS HAVE EXPRESSED AN INTEREST, I WILL NOW CALL FOR A VOTE.
PLEASE SAY YES IF YOU ARE IN FAVOR, AND NO, IF YOU ARE IN OPPOSITION, I WILL START WITH COMMISSIONER GLASCOCK, DISTRICT ONE.
COMMISSIONER WICKS, DISTRICT THREE, CIRCLE BACK PLEASE.
UM, COMMISSIONER WICKS, WE CANNOT HEAR YOU BEING THAT I JUST GOT ON.
WOULD YOU PLEASE REPEAT WHAT THE MOTION IS THAT WE ARE VOTING ON? OKAY.
SO JUST TO, UM, JUST TO GIVE YOU SOME CONTEXT, COMMISSIONER WICKS, WHAT WE'RE MOTIONING FOR RIGHT NOW IS TO HAVE THREE COMMISSION COMMISSIONERS, UH, PRESENT AT THE YOUTH COMMISSION MEETING ON OCTOBER 26TH TO REPRESENT THE COMMISSION.
THAT'S THE ITEM WE'RE VOTING FOR.
AND SO FAR, THREE COMMISSIONERS EXPRESSED AN INTEREST.
I'M IN FAVOR, COLL GUNN AND ROCKWELL.
COMMISSIONER COLLIER, DISTRICT FOUR.
COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL, DISTRICT FIVE? YES, I'M IN FAVOR.
AND COMMISSIONER GUNN, DISTRICT 10? YES.
GIVEN THAT THE MAJORITY HAS ALREADY SPOKEN, ARE THERE ANY FINAL WORDS OF DISCUSSION BEFORE THIS ITEM IS, IS VOTED ON ANY LAST WORD OF DISCUSSION? I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ITEM.
ALL IN FAVOR OF HAVING COMMISSIONERS ROCKWELL COLLIER AND GUNN ATTEND THE YOUTH COMMISSION MEETING.
TO REPRESENT THE COMMISSION, PLEASE SAY AYE OR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
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AYE.ALL OPPOSED, SEEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM, THE MOTION CARRIES.
OUR NEXT SEGMENT ON THE AGENDA IS BRIEFING ITEMS. ITEM NUMBER SEVEN IS THE CHAIRMAN'S REPORT, WHICH I WILL PROVIDE.
NOW, ON JUNE 15TH, THE CITY OF DALLAS OFFICIALLY HELD ITS FIRST DISABILITY PRIDE FLAG RAISING CEREMONY.
THIS WAS AN INITIATIVE THAT DID NOT HAPPEN OVERNIGHT.
IT IS A RESULT OF STEADY ADVOCACY LASTING MONTHS, IN FACT, YEARS.
IT TOOK A COUPLE YEARS TO GET THIS THROUGH, BUT WE FINALLY MADE IT.
IT WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR DISABILITY RIGHTS ADVOCATES, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, STAFF FROM THE OFFICE OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT AND COMMUNITY LEADERS AND ALLIES TO COME TOGETHER AND STAND IN SOLIDARITY ON THIS VERY SPECIAL DAY AND MONTH.
AS WE RECOGNIZED THE LIVED EXPERIENCES OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, WE ARE DEEPLY GRATEFUL TO COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR APPROVING TO RAISE THE DISABILITY PRIDE FLAG.
NOT ONLY IN 2026, IT HAS BECOME AN ANNUAL TRADITION, AND STARTING IN 2027 AND ON AND BEYOND, THE FLAG WILL BE RAISED DURING THE WHOLE MONTH OF JULY.
WE ARE GRATEFUL TO THE CITY OF DALLAS FOR LISTENING TO US AND FOR RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF ACCESSIBILITY AND INCLUSION AS THEY ARE ESSENTIAL IN ENHANCING THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF ALL RESIDENTS.
I ESPECIALLY WANT TO EXPRESS MY SINCEREST DEPRECIATION TO COMMISSIONERS, WIX, COLLIER, AND ROCKWELL FOR ADVOCATING AND BEING WITH US THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE PROCESS.
THE COMMISSION WAS HONORED TO HAVE ADVOCATED FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF THIS RECOMMENDATION TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND REACH APPROVAL ON AUGUST 15TH, I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF ATTENDING THE FIRST ANNUAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMUNITY AFFAIR, COMMUNITY FAIR, HOSTED BY HUMAN RIGHTS DALLAS, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARY.
IT WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY NOT ONLY TO NETWORK WITH ORGANIZATIONS WHO DO HUMAN RIGHTS WORK ACROSS DALLAS, BUT ALSO A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO SHARE WITH MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE ABOUT THE COMMISSION, OUR OBJECTIVES AND THE WORK THAT WE DO TO ADVANCE ACCESSIBILITY IN OUR CITY.
MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE DEFINITELY SHOWED INTEREST AND THEY WANTED TO KNOW WAYS THEY COULD GET INVOLVED WITH THE COMMISSION, WHICH REALLY MAKES A DIFFERENCE.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE HOPE HUMAN RIGHTS DALLAS WILL CONTINUE TO DO EVERY YEAR AS THE MORE OPPORTUNITIES WE HAVE IN MAKING OUR VOICES HEARD THE STRONGER DALLAS CAN BECOME.
THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT FOR THIS MONTH.
I WILL NOW TURN IT OVER TO COMMISSIONERS WHO MAY WISH TO SHARE REPORTS OF THEIR OWN.
IF YOU WISH NOT TO PROVIDE A REPORT AT THIS TIME, YOU MAY INDICATE SO WHEN YOUR NAME AND DISTRICT ARE CALLED, I WILL START NOW WITH COMMISSIONER DISTRICT GLASSCOCK FROM DISTRICT ONE.
IF YOU WISH TO SHARE A REPORT, YOU MAY DO SO.
COMMISSIONER WICKS, DISTRICT THREE.
IN TERMS OF MY ADVOCACY, YES, I DID, UM, PARTICIPATE WITH, UH, CONNECTING WITH OUR CITY COUNCIL PEOPLE AND PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY REGARDING THE RAISING OF THE FLAG.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, I ALSO MADE A STATEMENT BEFORE THE DARK, UH, THE DART BOARD AT THEIR MEETING IN THE PREVIOUS MONTH.
AND I DID BRING TO THEIR ATTENTION THE IMPORTANCE OF SUPPORTING THOSE OF US WHO ARE, UH, USING THE PARATRANSIT SYSTEM, UH, IN ADVOCATING FOR OUR USE OF, UH, USE OF AND HAVING ACCESS TO, UH, THE 12 CITIES THAT ARE A PART OF THE, THE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM THAT IS SUPPORTED BY DART.
AND SO I DID SPEAK TO THAT, AND THEN ALSO I SHARED WITH THEM THE COLORS OF THE FLAG AND THE REPRESENTATION AND MEANING OF EACH COLOR.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, I HAVE ALSO, UM, PREPARED AND IT IS DISPLAYED CURRENTLY ON FACEBOOK, AN ADVOCACY PIECE ON THE RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES OF THE DISABLED IN ORDER TO ACCESS
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THE BALLOT IN THE MIDTERM ELECTIONS.AND SO I DID PREPARE A FLYER THAT TALKED ABOUT THE DEADLINES, UH, REGARDING THE STATE OF TEXAS IN TERMS OF EARLY VOTING AND THE ACCESS TO CURBSIDE VOTING.
AND JUST IN CASE ANY RIGHTS HAVE BEEN VIOLATED, THERE ARE ELECTION PROTECTION PHONE NUMBERS ALSO PROVIDED ON THAT FLYER.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER WICKS FOR SHARING YOUR REPORT.
NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER COLLIER, DISTRICT FOUR.
UM, SO OF COURSE I ATTENDED THE, UH, THE FLAG RAISING, WHICH WAS FANTASTIC.
WANTED TO CONGRATULATE THIS COMMISSION ON THE ADVOCACY THAT LED TO THAT MOMENT.
UM, ALSO, I WANTED TO POINT IT OUT SO THAT MY, MY COMMISSIONER, I MEAN, I'M SORRY, MY COUNCILMAN HELD A BUDGET MEETING AND SOME REALLY INTERESTING QUESTIONS WERE ASKED ABOUT CITY HALL AND THE FUTURE OF CITY HALL AND SPECIFICALLY, UM, CONCERNING THIS COMMISSION.
UM, WHAT THE PLAN WAS, RIGHT? WHETHER WE STAY IN CITY HALL FOR A DA IMPROVEMENTS AND REALLY ANIMATIONS OR, UM, WHAT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF, I GUESS DESIGNED INTO A NEW SPACE.
UM, AND SO ONE THING THAT I TALKED TO MY COUNCILMAN ABOUT AFTER THAT BUDGET MEETING WAS JUST KEEPING THIS AT THE FOREFRONT, RIGHT? WHETHER WE STAY IN THE, THE CURRENT BUILDING OR THEY DECIDE TO MOVE ELSEWHERE, UM, ENSURING THAT THIS CONVERSATION IS, IS HAD AND THAT MEMBERS OF OUR DISTRICT, UM, IN MY, YOU KNOW, MY CASE DISTRICT FOR OUR PRESENT, UM, FOR THOSE CONVERSATIONS WHEN IT COMES TO, UM, A DA DESIGN INNOVATIONS AND ALLOWANCES.
UM, AND SO JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE STAYING ON TOP OF THAT CONVERSATION, UM, WITH OUR, OUR SPECIFIC COUNCILMEN, UM, AND ALSO OUR CITY MANAGER.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER FOR SHARING THIS INFORMATION.
NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL, DISTRICT FIVE FOR REPORT.
UH, FOR MY REPORT, I HAVE A FEW UPDATES, UM, ON PLEASANT GROVE, AND THEN ALSO FOR OUR FELLOW COMMISSIONERS THAT LIVES SOUTH OF I 30.
UM, THERE'S A JUST OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH A COMMUNITY PARTNER HERE.
UM, I'VE BEEN IN CONVERSATION WITH THE NOT FORGOTTEN FIRST INC.
A NONPROFIT SERVING INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES AND THEIR FAMILIES THROUGH ADVOCACY, RESOURCE CONNECTION, PATHWAYS TO EMPLOYMENT AND INDEPENDENCE.
THEY'RE PLANNING THEIR NEXT POPUP, WHICH IS CALLED OPERATION NO ONE FORGOTTEN, UH, HERE IN DALLAS ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5TH FROM 10:00 AM TO 2:00 PM AND THEY ARE CURRENTLY LOOKING FOR A LOCATION SOUTH OF I 30.
UH, IT'S MODELED ON A SUCCESSFUL EVENT.
THEY HELD INTO SOTO EARLIER THIS YEAR, CONNECTING FAMILIES TO RESOURCES ACROSS HOUSING, EMPLOYMENT, HEALTHCARE, AND TRANSPORTATION, ALONGSIDE TANGIBLE SUPPORT LIKE FOOD AND SCHOOL SUPPLIES.
I CONNECTED THEM WITH, UH, THE CITY STAFF AND THANK YOU TO MR. GRAVES, WHO HAS GENEROUSLY OFFERED TO HELP IDENTIFY A VENUE.
AND I WANTED TO PUBLICLY THANK HIM AND HIS TEAM FOR THAT.
UM, AND GIVEN HOW CLOSELY THIS ALIGNS WITH OUR OBJECTIVES FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR, UM, AROUND CIVIC INCLUSION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, I'M HOPEFUL THAT THE FULL COMMISSION WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO FORMALLY DISCUSS AND CONSIDER THIS OPPORTUNITY.
UH, FOR MANY OF US THAT ARE SITTING SOUTH I 30, UM, I THINK THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO PARTNER WITH A GREAT ORGANIZATION, UH, AND TO BE ABLE TO ENGAGE WITH OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS FOR THIS.
UH, SHE'S DONE THIS IN A FEW PLACES, FRISCO, DESOTO, UH, AND NOW SHE'S COMING TO DALLAS, AND I THINK IT'LL BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY THERE.
I ALSO WANNA POINT OUT THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE, WORLD CUP JUST ENDED IN JULY, AND WE SPENT SOME TIME WITH DART AND OUR RIDE ALONG.
AND I THINK THERE'S A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO COME BACK AND REVIEW SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT HAPPENED, UH, PARTICULARLY WITH ACCESSIBILITY, UH, DURING THAT RIDERSHIP FOR THE WORLD CUP, UH, JUST TO HAVE A FOLLOW-UP DISCUSSION OR A FOLLOW-UP REPORT FROM DART ON THAT.
UM, AND JUST KIND OF CLOSING THE LOOP ON THOSE ACTIVITIES, GIVEN THAT THE WORLD CUP RECENTLY JUST PASSED.
AND THEN MY LAST SUMMIT HERE IS THAT, UM, I SPOKE WITH, UM, I GOT TO VISIT CAPEL BECAUSE THEY HAD THEIR A DA MANAGER IN CAPEL WAS HOSTING A DISABILITY RESOURCE FAIR.
AND THE, HER COMMISSIONERS AND THE COMMISSIONERS IN DESOTO HAVE TALKED ABOUT COORDINATING MORE COMMUNITY RESOURCE EVENTS ACROSS THE COUNTY OF DALLAS.
AND SO I THINK THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY THERE FOR US TO PARTNER WITH THEM AS WELL.
AND SO I BRING THAT TO THE STAFF AS WELL AS THE REST OF THE COMMISSIONERS AND THINKING ABOUT CROSS CITY COLLABORATION AND COUNTYWIDE COLLABORATION.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL FOR YOUR REPORT, AND WE ALSO APPRECIATE YOU FOR HIGHLIGHTING THE IMPORTANCE.
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OH, ACTUALLY, BEFORE I COMMENT, I DO WANNA RECOGNIZE CHRIS GRAVES, OUR HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICER WHO WANTS TO PROVIDE COMMENT.I, I JUST WANTED TO FOLLOW UP ON COMMISSIONER, UH, ROCKWELL AND THE, UH, DART RIDE ALONG.
AS IT HAPPENED, DART DID PROVIDE US SOME INFORMATION ABOUT IMPROVEMENTS THAT THEY HAD MADE IN RESPONSE TO COMMISSION'S FEEDBACK.
I BELIEVE THERE WERE FOUR ITEMS THAT THEY DISCUSSED.
AND SO ACTUALLY, UH, WE HAD USED THAT AS PART OF AN INTERNAL MEMO THAT WE PROVIDED TO OUR DIRECTOR.
SO AFTER THIS MEETING, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND SHARE WITH THE COMMISSION THE, THE WAYS THAT, UH, DART, UH, USE THE COMMISSION FEEDBACK TO, TO, TO MAKE SOME ACCESSIBILITY IMPROVEMENTS IN ADVANCE OF THE WORLD CUP.
MR. GRAVES, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING THAT.
WE DEFINITELY LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING MORE ABOUT THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT DART HAS MADE AS A RESULT OF THE RIDE ALONG THAT WE PARTICIPATED IN, WHICH WAS A DISTINCT PRIVILEGE.
AND COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL, WE ONCE AGAIN APPRECIATE YOU FOR YOUR REPORT AND ALSO FOR HIGHLIGHTING THE IMPORTANCE OF CONNECTING RESIDENTS WITH DISABILITY RELATED RESOURCES.
UM, THE COMMISSION ALWAYS SUPPORTS ORGANIZATIONS THAT, THAT SERVE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
AND, UM, WE ARE EXCITED TO SHARE THAT ON OUR, AT OUR SEPTEMBER MEETING.
UM, A MEMBER OF THE NON FORGOTTEN FIRST WILL BE PROVIDING A BRIEFING TO THE COMMISSION SO THAT WE HAVE CONTEXT AND INFORMATION ABOUT THE WORK THAT THEY'RE PROVIDING.
AND THAT COULD THEN LEAD US TO HOW WE CAN SUPPORT THEM, UM, AS THEY MOVE FORWARD AND ON PLANNING THIS RESOURCE EVENT.
NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER WHITE DISTRICT NINE FOR A REPORT.
SHE JUST SENT A NOTE SAYING TO PUT HER BACK IN AS A PANELIST.
COMMISSIONER WHITE, COMMISSIONER GUM DISTRICT 10.
NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER GUM, DISTRICT 10.
UM, YES, AND THIS IS KIND OF THE PERFECT TIME GOING OFF OF COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL'S, UM, REPORT IN REGARDS TO COLLABORATION.
I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY A FEW WEEKS AGO TO GO VISIT THE RISE SCHOOL, UM, WHICH IS A PART OF ONE OF THE YMCAS HERE IN THE DALLAS AREA.
UM, AND FOR THOSE WHO AREN'T FAMILIAR, THE RISE SCHOOL IS A SCHOOL FOR CHILDREN UP TO SIX YEARS OLD.
UM, FOR THOSE WITH CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES AND ALSO A MIX OF CHILDREN WHO DON'T HAVE DISABILITIES, KIND OF A SPLIT CLASSROOM, UM, BUT SERVES A LARGER, GREATER, GREATER AREA OF DALLAS.
UM, THE SCHOOL WAS PHENOMENAL.
I I KIND OF WENT JUST TO DISCUSS IF THERE WAS ANYTHING, NOT CITY PER SE, BUT COMMUNITY PER SE, UM, THAT WE COULD HELP THEM OUT WITH.
AND ONE OF THE CONCERNS THAT THEY HAD AND THAT THEY EXPRESSED WAS THAT MANY OF THEIR CHILDREN WHO GRADUATE, UH, FROM THE RISE SCHOOLS, DON'T REALLY HAVE THE BEST RESOURCES AFTERWARDS TO CONNECT THEM INTO A ALMOST INTERMEDIATE PROGRAM PER SE, UNTIL THEY FIND FULL-TIME EMPLOYMENT OR, UM, DO A DIFFERENT ROUTE.
SO I, I JUST ASK MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS, IF Y'ALL KNOW OF ANY SUPPORT EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS THAT IS SOMEWHAT SIMILAR TO THE RISE AND SERVES, UM, THE DALLAS AREA.
AND AS FOR CHILDREN PAST THE AGES OF SIX, UH, PLEASE REACH OUT TO ME AND, UH, I'D LOVE TO HEAR SOME OF Y'ALL'S THOUGHTS ALONG WITH EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES.
I KNOW THERE'S HUGS, CAFE BID, AND BOWS.
THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT ONES IN THE CITY AND EVEN OUTSIDE OF THE CITY.
UM, THAT'S WHY I'M REACHING OUT TO Y'ALL FOR Y'ALL'S SUPPORT SO I CAN KIND OF GET THEM SOMETHING REPORT ALMOST LIKE, UH, SO THEY CAN KIND OF HAVE OPTIONS AT LEAST, WHETHER IT'S EMPLOYMENT OR EDUCATIONAL OR PROGRAMS, JUST TO BE ABLE TO SEND THEM SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO, LIKE I SAID, IF Y'ALL WOULD BE ABLE TO, UH, BOUNCE IDEAS OFF OF EACH OTHER, UM, AND REACH OUT TO ME, IT WOULD BE MUCH APPRECIATED.
AND I KNOW THE SCHOOL WOULD APPRECIATE IT AS WELL.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER GUN FOR SHARING THIS IMPORTANT INFORMATION.
AND, UM, THE COMMISSION IS HERE AND WE'RE ALWAYS HAPPY TO HELP IN ANY WAY THE SCHOOL MAY NEED US.
AND SO, UM, WE'RE ALWAYS HERE.
SO JUST, YOU KNOW, LET US KNOW, UH, OF HOW ELSE WE CAN ASSIST.
NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER DEMAN, DISTRICT 11.
UM, I'M, I'M SORRY I COULDN'T, UH, CONNECT EARLIER.
I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO BE PART OF THE, UH, COMMISSION FOR, UM,
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WHERE YOU HAD THE THREE COMMISSIONERS.I'D LIKE TO VOLUNTEER AS WELL.
UM, THE ONLY OTHER THING I HAVE TO SAY IS I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH OUR, UH, REP, UM, COUNSELOR TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE NEW AREA THAT'S BEING BUILT BY THE MAVERICKS AND, AND WHAT, YOU KNOW, WE COULD DO FOR THE DISABILITIES, UM, WITH THE DISABILITY COUNCILS THERE AND REPRESENTATION FOR THE CITY AND FOR THE, UH, COMMUNITY.
SO I'M TRYING TO GET MORE INFORMATION FROM THERE, THE ACTUAL BLUEPRINTS OF WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER DEMAN FOR SHARING THIS REPORT.
OKAY, SO THIS, THIS CONCLUDES THE, THE FIRST ITEM OF OUR BRIEFING SEGMENT, WHICH WERE COMMISSIONER REPORTS.
UM, OUR NEXT BRIEFING ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS FROM THE OFFICE OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT.
IN FACT, LEMME GO TO THAT RIGHT NOW, KATHLEEN.
COULD I TAKE A MESSAGE? EXCUSE ME.
MS. TELL MR. BEVERLY IF YOU COULD MUTE.
UM, YES, WE DO APOLOGIZE FOR THAT LITTLE BRIEF INTERRUPTION THERE, BUT OUR NEXT BRIEFING ITEM IS FROM THE OFFICE OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT.
OHCE DALLAS IS HOME HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL.
TODAY WE WE'RE VERY PLEASED TO HAVE FARRAH ALI, MANAGEMENT ANALYST, OFFICE OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT.
AND ALONG WITH THAT, WE HAVE MR. JAMES ARMSTRONG, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF A TEAM.
THIS BRIEFING CONCERNS THE O'S DALLAS' HOME FRAMEWORK, A CITYWIDE HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS FRAMEWORK FOCUSED ON STABILITY, OPPORTUNITY, AND LONG-TERM COMMUNITY OUTCOMES THAT SUPPORT COORDINATION ACROSS HOUSING, HOMELESSNESS RESPONSE, HOMELESSNESS RESPONSE, COMMUNITY SERVICES, AND NEIGHBORHOOD INVESTMENT STRATEGIES.
WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO NOW WELCOME BOTH OF THEM TO THE PODIUM TO GIVE THEIR PRESENTATION.
UM, AND THANK YOU ALL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT DALLAS'S HOME.
I'M THE MANAGEMENT ANALYST FOR THE OFFICE OF HOUSING COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT.
SO TODAY'S PRESENTATION INTRODUCES THE PROPOSED FRAMEWORK FOR COORDINATING HOUSING DEVELOPMENT, HOUSING PRESERVATION, HOMELESSNESS RESPONSE, COMMUNITY SERVICES, FAIR HOUSING INFRASTRUCTURE, AND RESIDENT ENGAGEMENT.
WE ARE NOT HERE SIMPLY TO PRESENT A COMPLETED POLICY.
WE ARE ASKING THE COMMISSION TO IDENTIFY WHERE THE FRAMEWORK NEEDS STRONGER, MORE EXPLICIT DISABILITY RELATED REQUIREMENTS BEFORE IMPLEMENTATION DECISIONS, PERFORMANCE MEASURES AND FUNDING PRIORITIES ARE FINALIZED FOR THIS DISCUSSION.
ACCESSIBILITY INCLUDES MORE THAN PHYSICAL ENTRY INTO A UNIT.
IT INCLUDES THE ABILITY TO LOCATE APPROPRIATE HOUSING, COMPLETE AN APPLICATION, REQUEST AN ACCOMMODATION, USE THE HOME SAFELY, REACH TRANSPORTATION AND SERVICES, AND RECEIVE INFORMATION, EXCUSE ME, IN A USABLE FORMAT.
ARE WE PRESENTING, UM, ONE MOMENT IF I COULD.
PARDON? IF I COULD, UH, AND PARDON ME FOR THE INTERRUPTION.
I DO REQUEST THAT FOR THOSE OF YOU, FOR IF YOU ARE GOING THROUGH THE SLIDES IN THE INTEREST OF ACCESSIBILITY AND TRANSPARENCY, IF YOU CAN PLEASE STAY NEXT SLIDE WHEN YOU'RE MOVING ALONG, THAT WOULD HELP US FOLLOW ALONG MUCH EASIER.
WE'RE JUST PUSHING THROUGH A TECHNICAL ISSUE REAL QUICK.
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UM, MS. S, YOU MAY CONTINUE.CAN WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE? THANK YOU SO MUCH.
SO BEFORE THE OFFICE OF HOUSING COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT WAS CREATED, HOUSING DEVELOPMENT, HOMELESSNESS SERVICES, COMMUNITY SERVICES, AND FAIR HOUSING WERE ADMINISTERED THROUGH SEPARATE OFFICES, RESIDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.
THAT FRAGMENTATION COULD MEAN NAVIGATING SEVERAL PROGRAMS AND DEPARTMENTS TO ADDRESS WHAT IS ACTUALLY ONE HOUSING PROBLEM.
A RESIDENT MAY NEED A USABLE UNIT, A MODIFICATION TO AN EXISTING HOME RENTAL ASSISTANCE AND ACCOMMODATION IN A PROGRAM AND AN ACCESSIBLE ROUTE TO TRANSPORTATION.
DALLAS'S HOME GIVES THE CITY AN OPPORTUNITY TO ORGANIZE THESE RESPONSIBILITIES AROUND THE RESIDENT INSTEAD OF EXPECTING THE RESIDENT TO NAVIGATE THE ORGANIZATION.
THE FRAMEWORK SHOULD ESTABLISH WHICH DEPARTMENT OWNS EACH RESPONSIBILITY, HOW A RESIDENT MOVES BETWEEN PROGRAMS WITHOUT STARTING OVER, HOW DISABILITY RELATED NEEDS ARE DOCUMENTED AND REFERRED.
HOW ACCOMMODATION AND ACCESSIBILITY ISSUES ARE ACCESS ARE ESCALATED, WHAT OUTCOMES THE CITY WILL MEASURE.
THE MERGER ALONE DOES NOT RESOLVE THOSE ISSUES.
THE POLICY IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, FUNDING DECISIONS AND ACCOUNTABILITY STRUCTURE MUST DO THAT.
THERE MAY BE A BIT OF A DELAY.
THERE'S NETWORK ISSUES CURRENTLY.
SO IN THIS SLIDE YOU CAN SEE A DEPICTION, A VISUAL OF DRIVERS OF OPPORTUNITY ALONG WITH DALLAS'S HOME.
YOU SEE, THE ROOF IS THE OVERARCHING FRAMEWORK OF DRIVERS OF OPPORTUNITY, WHICH WAS PASSED IN DECEMBER, UM, 2025 BY CITY COUNCIL.
AND THE WALLS ARE THE STRATEGIC OR THE WALLS ARE DALLAS'S HOME.
UM, SO THE DRIVER'S OF OPPORTUNITY DESCRIBED THE CONDITIONS RESIDENTS NEED TO PARTICIPATE FULLY IN THE COMMUNITY, INCLUDING EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION, HEALTH, SAFETY, TRANSPORTATION, ECONOMIC STABILITY, AND ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITY.
DALLAS' HOME APPLIES THOSE PRINCIPLES TO HOUSING FOR RESIDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.
HOUSING, LOCATION AND USABILITY CAN DETERMINE WHETHER EMPLOYMENT, HEALTHCARE, EDUCATION, AND COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION ARE REALISTICALLY AVAILABLE.
A UNIT MAY BE TECHNICALLY AFFORDABLE BUT STILL NOT BE USABLE.
IF THE ENTRANCE, BATHROOM, KITCHEN, OR COMMON AREAS ARE INACCESSIBLE, THE RESIDENT CANNOT REACH A TRANSIT STOP.
THE APPLICATION OR PROGRAM INFORMATION IS UNUSABLE, NECESSARY SUPPORTIVE SERVICES ARE UNAVAILABLE, AND A REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION OR MODIFICATION IS DELAYED OR DENIED.
THE FRAMEWORK, THEREFORE MUST MEASURE WHETHER HOUSING IS USABLE AND CONNECTED, NOT ONLY WHETHER A UNIT WAS PRODUCED.
SO THIS SLIDE PRESENTS SEVEN PILLARS.
DISABILITY ACCESS CROSSES EVERY PILLAR, NOT ONLY FAIR HOUSING SYSTEMS AND INFRASTRUCTURE ALIGNMENT.
SO WE HAVE CITYWIDE PRESERVATION OR CITYWIDE PRODUCTION, CITYWIDE PRESERVATION, DATA-DRIVEN NEIGHBORHOOD INVESTMENTS, HOUSING STABILITY, AND COMMUNITY SERVICES, FAIR HOUSING SYSTEMS, INFRASTRUCTURE, ALIGNMENT, COLLABORATION, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
SO FOR CITYWIDE PRODUCTION, FOR NEW HOUSING, THE COMMISSIONER'S PERSPECTIVE SHOULD INFORM HOW THE CITY ADDRESSES ACCESSIBLE, INVISIBLE HOUSING, GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION, AFFORDABILITY, PROXIMITY TO SERVICES, AND THE NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH MOBILITY, SENSORY, INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT, DEVELOPMENTAL, AND OTHER DISABILITIES.
THE CITY MUST DISTINGUISH BETWEEN UNITS THAT MEET AN APPLICABLE MINIMUM DESIGN REQUIREMENT.
UNITS WITH MOBILITY ACCESSIBLE FEATURES, UNITS WITH FEATURES FOR RESIDENTS WITH HEARING ORVIS, VISUAL DISABILITIES, AND ET CETERA.
UM, WE SHOULD AVOID USING ANY SINGLE PHRASE, INCLUDING A DA ACCESSIBLE TO DESCRIBE ALL TYPES OF HOUSING.
DIFFERENT REQUIREMENTS APPLY UNDER FAIR HOUSING ACT, SECTION 5 0 4, FUNDING AGREEMENTS AND LOCAL CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS.
CITYWIDE PRESERVATION, PRESERVATION MUST INCLUDE ACCESSIBILITY MODIFICATIONS AND NOT ONLY THE PHYSICAL PRESERVATION OF THE STRUCTURE.
SO, RELEVANT NEEDS HERE INCLUDE RAMPS, WIDEN DOORS, ACCESSIBLE BATHROOMS, SAFER FLOORING, HANDRAILS, LIGHTING, COMMUNICATION FEATURES, AND OTHER MODIFICATIONS THAT ALLOW
[00:45:01]
RESIDENTS TO REMAIN SAFELY HOUSED.THE CITY'S REPAIR PROGRAM INFORMATION RECOGNIZED RECOGNIZES ACCESSIBILITY MODIFICATIONS AS AN IBLE TYPE OF WORK, BUT THE IMPLEMENTATION QUESTIONS REMAIN IMPORTANT.
FUNDING AVAILABILITY, ELIGIBILITY WAIT TIMES, CONTRACTOR CAPACITY PRIORITIZATION, AND WHETHER THE COMPLETED MODIFICATION MEETS THE RESIDENTS NEED.
FOR DATA-DRIVEN NEIGHBORHOOD INVESTMENT, THE CITY NEEDS DATA THAT IDENTIFIES DISABILITY RELATED HOUSING GAPS WITHOUT COMPROMISING INDIVIDUAL PRIVACY.
THAT MAY INCLUDE ACCESSIBLE UNIT AVAILABILITY BY GEOGRAPHY, REQUESTS FOR ACCESSIBILITY MODIFICATIONS, PROGRAM WAIT TIMES AND UNMET REQUESTS, PROXIMITY TO TRANSPORTATION, HEALTHCARE AND SERVICES, FAIR HOUSING COMPLAINTS AND ACCOMMODATION ISSUES, AND ACCESSIBLE SHELTER IN SUPPORTIVE HOUSING CAPACITY.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT OHCE SHOULD NOT REPRESENT GENERAL AFFORDABLE UNIT COUNTS AS ACCESSIBLE UNIT COUNTS.
THOSE ARE DIFFERENT MEASUREMENTS FOR HOUSING STABILITY AND COMMUNITY SERVICES.
THAT INCLUDES THE ABILITY TO REQUEST AND RECEIVE REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS, OBTAIN HOME MODIFICATIONS, NAVIGATE BENEFITS, AVOID UNNECESSARY DISPLACEMENT, AND CONNECT TO SUPPORTIVE SERVICES.
IT ALSO INCLUDES ACCESSIBLE HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION, SHELTER, OUTREACH, REHOUSING, AND PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
A PROGRAM IS NOT FULLY ACCESSIBLE SIMPLY BECAUSE IT ACCEPTS APPLICATIONS FROM PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
FOR FAIR HOUSING SYSTEMS DISABILITIES ARE PROTECTED CHARACTERISTIC UNDER THE FAIR HOUSING ACT.
FAIR HOUSING WORK INCLUDES DISCRIMINATION COMPLAINTS, REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS, REASONABLE MODIFICATIONS, ACCESSIBLE COMMUNICATION, EQUAL ACCESS TO HOUSING RELATED PROGRAMS. THE PILLAR SHOULD ALSO EXAMINE WHETHER CITY FORMS, NOTICES, WEBSITES, PUBLIC MEETINGS, APPLICATION PROCESSES AND GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES ARE ACCESSIBLE FOR INFRASTRUCTURE ALIGNMENT.
SIDEWALKS, CURB RAMPS, STREET CROSSINGS, TRANSIT CONNECTIONS, UTILITIES AND PUBLIC FACILITIES AFFECT WEATHER HOUSING.
IS GE GENUINELY USABLE? DALLAS' HOME DOES NOT REPLACE THE CITY'S A DA TRANSITION PLAN.
THE TRANSITION PLAN COVERS A DA REQUIRED IMPROVEMENTS.
HOUSING PLANNING SHOULD COORDINATE WITH THAT WORK TO IDENTIFY WHERE HOUSING INVESTMENTS AND ACCESSIBILITY IMPROVEMENTS ALIGN.
AND FOR OUR FINAL PILLAR, COLLABORATION, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, RESIDENTS WITH DISABILITIES MUST BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE DIRECTLY IN POLICY AND PROGRAM DESIGN THAT REQUIRES ACCESSIBLE DOCUMENTS, ACCESSIBLE ELECTRONIC CONTENT, ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE METHODS, EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION, ACCOMMODATIONS FOR PUBLIC MEETINGS, AND ENOUGH TIME FOR RESIDENTS AND DISABILITY ORGANIZATIONS TO REVIEW PROPOSALS.
SO WHERE YOUR VOLUNTEER SERVICE CONNECTS, THIS SLIDE SHOWS FAIR HOUSING SYSTEMS AND INFRASTRUCTURE ALIGNMENT AS THE COMMISSION'S STRONGEST INITIAL CONNECTIONS.
THAT IS FOR PRESENTATION PURPOSES ONLY, NOT A LIMITATION.
YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES AND EXPERTISE ALSO DIRECTLY RELATE TO CITYWIDE PRODUCTION.
WHETHER NEW HOUSING EXPANDS USABLE CHOICES, CITYWIDE PRESERVATION, WHETHER RESIDENTS CAN MODIFY AND REMAIN IN EXISTING HOMES, HOUSING STABILITY AND COMMUNITY SERVICES, WHETHER PROGRAMS, SHELTERS SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AND APPLICATION PROCESSES ARE ACCESSIBLE, DATA-DRIVEN NEIGHBORHOOD INVESTMENT, WHETHER DISABILITY RELATED HOUSING NEEDS ARE VISIBLE IN THE DATA COLLABORATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
WHETHER RESIDENTS WITH DISABILITIES CAN PARTICIPATE MEANINGFULLY, YOUR ROLE IS, IS ADVISORY.
YOU ARE NOT BEING ASKED TO ADMINISTER HOUSING PROGRAMS OR CERTIFY LEGAL COMPLIANCE.
WE ARE ASKING YOU TO INSTEAD IDENTIFY BARRIERS, RECOMMEND POLICY PRIORITIES, REVIEW PROPOSED MEASURES, AND HELP OHCE TEST WHETHER IMPLEMENTATION WILL WORK FOR RESIDENTS WITH DIFFERENT DISABILITIES.
SO WHAT DALLAS' HOME MEANS FOR RESIDENTS, WE WANT EACH PILLAR TO TRANSLATE INTO AN OUTCOME RESIDENTS CAN EXPERIENCE AND THE CITY CAN MEASURE EXAMPLES INCLUDE MORE ACCESSIBLE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING CHOICES ACROSS DALLAS, MORE RESIDENTS RECEIVING NECESSARY HOME MODIFICATIONS, SHORTER AND MORE TRANSPARENT APPLICATION AND ACCOMMODATION PROCESSES, FEWER RESIDENTS DISPLACED BECAUSE A HOME OR PROGRAM CANNOT MEET DISABILITY RELATED NEEDS.
BETTER COORDINATION BETWEEN HOUSING LOCATIONS, TRANSPORTATION ACCESS AND SERVICES, ACCESSIBLE SHELTERS AND REHOUSING OPTIONS, HOUSING INFORMATION AVAILABLE AND USING USABLE FORMATS, CLEAR COMPLAINT, APPEAL AND ESCALATION PROCESSES.
ACTUAL COMMITMENTS REQUIRE AN IMPLEMENTATION PLAN WITH A BASELINE RESPONSIBLE DEPARTMENT, TARGET REPORTING PERIOD AND DATA SOURCE.
SO COLLABORATION DRIVES THE PILLARS INTO ACTION.
OHCE CANNOT INDEPENDENTLY REPAIR SIDEWALKS, OPERATE TRANSIT, ENFORCE BUILDING REQUIREMENTS OR CONTROL, PRIVATELY OWNED, SITE OWNED PROPERTIES.
RESPONSIBILITIES DEPEND ON THE ISSUE.
OHCE LEADS OR COORDINATES HOUSING POLICY FUNDED HOUSING PROGRAMS, FAIR HOUSING FUNCTIONS, COMMUNITY SERVICES AND HELP HOMELESSNESS RELATED WORK, TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS OVERSEAS CITY INFRASTRUCTURE.
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SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, ADMINISTER CONSTRUCTION AND PERMITTING REQUIREMENTS.PROPERTY OWNERS AND PROVIDERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR REQUIREMENTS TIED TO THEIR PROPERTIES AND PUBLIC AND NONPROFIT PARTNERS PROVIDE SERVICES, MODIFICATIONS, ADVOCACY AND SUPPORTS.
O C'S ROLE IS TO PREVENT THESE RESPONSIBILITIES FROM REMAINING DISCONNECTED THROUGH REFERRALS, COORDINATED PLANNING, ESCALATION PATHWAYS, APPROPRIATE DATA SHARING, AND CLEAR IDENTIFICATION OF RESPONSIBLE ENTITIES.
AND SO HERE WE GET INTO OUR DISCUSSION, FEEDBACK, AND NEXT STEPS.
WE ASK FOR YOUR SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS ON WHAT DISABILITY RELATED REQUIREMENTS SHOULD BE WRITTEN DIRECTLY INTO THE FRAMEWORK, WHAT THE CITY SHOULD MEASURE SEPARATELY FROM GENERAL HOUSING NUMBERS, WHAT INFORMATION YOU NEED TO EVALUATE PROGRESS, WHERE RESIDENTS FACE THE GREATEST BARRIERS, FINDING HOUSING, MODIFYING HOUSING, TRANSPORTATION ACCESS, PROGRAM ACCESS, SHELTER ACCESS, COORDINATION OR ACCOMMODATIONS.
WHICH DECISIONS SHOULD RETURN TO YOU BEFORE REVIEW, BEFORE IMPLEMENTATION, AND WHERE COORDINATION WITH OTHER BOARDS, DEPARTMENTS, AND DISABILITY LED ORGANIZATIONS IS NEEDED.
STAFF WILL DOCUMENT ALL RECOMMENDATIONS, IDENTIFY WHICH BELONGING POLICY VERSUS IMPLEMENTATION, ASSIGN DEPARTMENTAL LEADS AND REPORT BACK ON HOW YOUR FEEDBACK IS ADDRESSED.
SO HERE WE HAVE OUR DALLAS' HOME SURVEY.
THE SURVEY IS ONE METHOD OF PARTICIPATION, BUT IT CANNOT BE THE ONLY METHOD.
THE CITY SHOULD ENSURE THE SURVEY AND SUPPORTING INFORMATION ARE AVAILABLE AND ACCESSIBLE ELECTRONIC AND DOCUMENT FORMATS AND ALLOW ALTERNATIVES FOR RESIDENTS WHO CANNOT USE A QR CODE OR ONLINE PLATFORM.
WE ALSO WANT FEEDBACK FROM PEOPLE WITH DIFFERENT DISABILITY EXPERIENCES, NOT ONLY MOBILITY IMPAIRMENTS AND FROM RESIDENTS WHO FACE OVERLAPPING BARRIERS RELATED TO INCOME, AGE, RACE, LANGUAGE, HOMELESSNESS OR CAREGIVING.
YOU CAN SCAN THIS QR CODE TO TAKE THE SURVEY.
WE ALSO HAVE AN ACCESSIBLE, UM, FORMAT, UH, PRINTED VERSION OF THAT AS WELL.
SO IN CLOSING, WE WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR SERVICE AND FOR HOLDING THE CITY ACCOUNTABLE FOR MEANINGFUL ACCESSIBILITY.
DALLAS'S HOME SHOULD NOT TREAT DISABILITY AS AN ISSUE ADDED AFTER HOUSING DECISIONS ARE MADE.
DISABILITY ACCESS SHOULD BE INTEGRATED INTO HOW HOUSING IS PLANNED, FUNDED, DESIGNED, PRESERVED, OPERATED, MEASURED, AND CONNECTED TO THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY.
WE WELCOME DIRECT RECOMMENDATIONS, INCLUDING WHERE THE FRAMEWORK IS TOO GENERAL ASSIGNS RESPONSIBILITY, UNCLEARLY OR DOES NOT INCLUDE A STRONG ENOUGH MEASURE OF SUCCESS.
THANK YOU MS. ALI, FOR THIS INFORMATIVE PRESENTATION.
AND WE DO APPRECIATE OOH HCS ONGOING COMMITMENT TO ACCESSIBILITY AND DISABILITY INCLUSION, ESPECIALLY THE DALLAS' HOME FRAMEWORK, I BELIEVE IS A VERY USEFUL TOOL IN MEASURING HOW FAR WE HAVE COME.
THE ONLY QUESTION I HAVE IS, AS NEW HOUSING DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS BEGIN TO DEVELOP AND INVESTMENT STRATEGIES COME ABOUT, HOW DO YOU GUYS PLAN ON INCORPORATING ACCESSIBILITY INTO THESE, THESE ISSUES? I HAVE DEPUTY DIRECTOR JAMES ARMSTRONG HERE TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
JAMES ARMSTRONG, DEPUTY DIRECTOR IN THE HOUSE, IN THE OFFICE OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT.
THANK YOU CHAIR FOR THAT, THAT QUESTION.
I, I WILL SAY THAT THERE ARE ALREADY ESTABLISHED STANDARDS, UM, FOR EVERY DEVELOPMENT.
UM, AND THAT IS TYPICALLY DONE AT THE, UH, PERMITTING, UH, PROCESS.
AND SO I WILL SAY ADDITIONALLY, OUR PROJECTS, THEY DO GO THROUGH, UM, ESPECIALLY OUR, UM, MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.
THEY GO THROUGH, UH, FAIR HOUSING ASSESSMENT TO ASSURE THAT THE PROJECTS ALIGN AND ARE NOT FURTHERING, CONTRIBUTING TO, UM, UH, THE, UH, LACK OF ACCESS FOR, UH, ATTAINABLE HOUSING.
UH, BUT WHAT THIS DALLAS' HOME PRESENTS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK, UM, FOR THIS COMMISSION TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK IF THERE ARE OTHER AVENUES, WHICH YOU ALL FEEL THAT, UM, THERE SHOULD BE, EXCUSE ME, A DA, UH, ASSESSMENT, UH, DONE.
[00:55:01]
AND IF IT MAKES SENSE, DOESN'T NECESSARILY DELAY, OR, UH, CREATE EXTRA LEVELS, LAYERS OF BUREAUCRACY IN THE PROCESS, WE WANT TO HEAVILY CONSIDER THAT, UM, TO ASSURE THAT IT, IT'S MEETING ALL THE MARKS.THANK YOU MR. ARMSTRONG, FOR THAT ANSWER.
UM, I WOULD NOW LIKE TO OPEN THE FLOOR FOR COMMISSIONERS WHO MAY HAVE QUESTIONS FOR YOU GUYS.
SO I WILL START NOW WITH COMMISSIONER GLASSCOCK, DISTRICT ONE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, YOU HAD MENTIONED, UM, TRANSIT.
YOU LOOK AT TRANSIT, LIKE IF IT'S ACCESSIBLE OR IF IT'S AVAILABLE.
UM, I'M CURIOUS, IS THAT DONE ON FOOT OR IS THAT SOMETHING DONE WITH A MILE LIKE, YOU KNOW, CERTAIN MILES FROM THE NEW RESIDENCE, OR IS EXISTING RESIDENCES? SO, UH, WE, WHEN WE LOOK AT TRANSIT, UM, WE LOOK AT IT FROM A BROADER PERSPECTIVE.
UH, WHEN WE'RE DECIDING TO INVEST FUNDING IN PARTICULAR PROJECTS, UH, ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS WE ASK IS, IS THIS PROJECT, UH, WHAT WE CALL, UM, NEAR A-A-A-A-T-O-D, WHICH IS TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT, RIGHT? UM, AND SO OBVIOUSLY THOSE PROJECTS, UH, UH, TAKE PRIORITY, UH, BECAUSE WE WANT TO APPROACH OUR INVESTMENTS FROM A, A MORE HOLISTIC PERSPECTIVE, RIGHT? WE WANT TO CHECK A LOT OF THE BAR, UH, UH, BOXES WITH ONE PARTICULAR INVESTMENT.
SO IF WE COULD FIND A, A, A DEVELOPMENT THAT BRINGS LEVELS OF AFFORDABILITY, THAT HAS THE A DA COMPLIANCE, UM, THAT IS NEAR A LIGHT RAIL OR, UH, WHERE TRANSITED READILY AVAILABLE, THOSE ARE THE PROJECTS WE WANT TO INVEST IN.
DO YOU HAVE MORE QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONER GLASSCOCK? I DID HAVE A QUESTION.
SO IF MODIFICATIONS ARE BEING MADE, UM, THEY PUT IN A REQUEST, UM, I'M CURIOUS, WHAT IS THE WAIT TIME? WHAT IS THE APPROPRIATE WAIT TIME BEFORE THEY WOULD NEED TO LOOK OUTSIDE OR GO FURTHER THAN THAT IF THEY'RE, UM, REQUESTING SOMETHING TO BE MODIFIED IN THEIR HOUSING UNIT FOR THEIR DISABILITY? UM, SO, UH, I, I'M NOT CLEAR ON THE QUESTION OR WHERE, WHAT IT'S REFERENCING, WHAT, WHAT MARKET'S REFERENCING, BUT, UH, AS STATED, A LOT OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE INVEST IN HAVE, UH, FEDERAL, WE USE FEDERAL DOLLARS.
AND A, AS YOU MAY BE AWARE, WHEN YOU USE FEDERAL DOLLARS, THERE ARE ALREADY SIGNIFICANTLY HIGH FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR A DA ACCESSIBILITY.
UM, TYPICALLY WE DON'T KNOW WHO THE, UH, END USER IS WHEN WE INVEST IN THESE MULTI-FAMILY DEVELOPMENTS.
BUT IF YOU'RE REFERENCING THE HOME REPAIR PROGRAM, WHICH I THINK YOU MAY BE REFERENCING, UM, THEN, UH, THAT IS REALLY DONE AT THE INTAKE PROCESS.
UM, SO AS YOU MAY BE AWARE, WE HAVE CONTRACTED AND PARTNERED WITH VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA TO RUN OUR HOME REPAIR PROGRAM.
IT'S A $13 MILLION PARTNERSHIP AND VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA, UH, IS THE ENTITY THAT WOULD HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH THE HOMEOWNER, UM, AND DO THE BEST THAT THEY CAN TO, UH, BE AMENABLE AND TO ADJUST, UH, BASED UPON THE MEANS OF THAT HOMEOWNER.
ANY MORE QUESTIONS FOR THE PRESENTERS COMMISSIONER BEFORE I MOVE TO THE NEXT ONE? THAT'S ALL.
NEXT, WE'LL MOVE TO COMMISSIONER GLASSCOCK FOR ANY QUESTION, OR EXCUSE ME, COMMISSIONER WIX FOR ANY FROM DISTRICT THREE FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
AND, UM, UH, HELLO TO YOU, MR. ARMSTRONG.
I AM LOOKING AT YOUR, UH, HOME COMMUNITY SURVEY ONLINE CURRENTLY AS WE SPEAK.
AND I DO HAVE ONE CONCERN REGARDING QUESTION NUMBER THREE, WHERE IT SAYS, WHICH HOUSING ISSUES ARE MOST IMPORTANT TO YOU? AND YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO ONLY SELECT THREE, BUT I FEEL THAT THE PERSON TAKING THE SURVEY SHOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SELECT AS MANY AS THEY DEEM NECESSARY, UH, TO BRING BEFORE YOU AS, AS CONCERNS.
UM, I DON'T THINK THAT THEY SHOULD BE LIMITED, UM, ON THOSE RESPONSES.
AND SO I WOULD MAKE THAT ADJUSTMENT BECAUSE THEY COULD POSSIBLY SAY THAT ALL OF THESE AREAS,
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HOUSING PRESERVATION, HOMEOWNER OPPORTUNITIES, RENTING HO, UH, RENTING HOUSES, HOMELESSNESS, HOME QUALITY, TRANSPORTATION ACCESS, AND PUBLIC SAFETY, THEY MAY AGREE THAT ALL OF THESE, UM, INCLUDING ACCESS TO SERVICES, ALL OF THESE ARE IMPORTANT.AND SO FOR US TO ONLY BE LIMITED TO THREE, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT THAT BE OPENED UP.
THAT MIGHT BE A INTERNAL DISCUSSION THAT YOU HAVE WITH THE PEOPLE THAT DESIGNED THE SURVEY.
AND THEN ALSO ON QUESTION NUMBER FOUR, WHERE IT IDENTIFIES LOCATIONS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE COMMENTS ON REGARDING STREET ADDRESSES, UM, INTERSECTIONS, NEIGHBORHOODS, AND LANDMARKS, ET CETERA.
I BELIEVE SOME OF THIS INFORMATION MAY ALREADY BE READY, READILY AVAILABLE, UH, BY USING THE CITY STAFF IN OUR COUNCILMEN AND COUNCIL WOMEN'S OFFICES, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THEY DO HAVE SUBCOMMITTEES, UM, RE UH, REGARDING HOUSING.
AND SO SOME OF THAT DATA AND INFORMATION AND COMMENTS MAY HAVE ALREADY BEEN, UH, DISSEMINATED AMONGST THOSE SUBGROUPS.
SO, UH, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT THAT ALSO BE LOOKED AT.
AND THEN, UM, I UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, WHY YOU WANT CERTAIN LOCATIONS TO BE IDENTIFIED.
BUT AGAIN, I THINK THOSE SUBCOMMITTEES WITHIN THE, THE, THE, UH, COUNCIL DISTRICTS WILL PROVIDE SOME OF THAT INFORMATION.
AND, UH, IN TERMS OF THE PROGRAMS THAT HAVE BEEN ROLLED OUT IN TERMS OF HOW HOUSING IMPROVEMENT, WHICH I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH, UM, I, I DO BELIEVE THAT WHEN YOU ARE ROLLING OUT THESE PROGRAMS THAT THE, THE DISABILITY COMMISSION IS A AFTERTHOUGHT IN TERMS OF PLANNING.
UH, WE HEAR THE PRESENTATIONS AND THEN YOU COME TO THE COMMISSIONERS AFTER THE FACT.
AND THEN ALSO, I BELIEVE THAT SOME OF THE VENDORS, THE PEOPLE THAT WORK FOR THE VENDORS AND THE CONTRACTORS, MAY NOT ACTUALLY BE, UH, FULLY, UH, INFORMED IN TERMS OF WHAT AN A DA RESIDENT WOULD NEED IN TERMS OF REQUIREMENTS FOR THEIR HOUSING.
WHEN THEY START TALKING ABOUT, EXCUSE THE NOISE, IF YOU HEAR ANYTHING, WHAT THEY, UH, WHAT THEY NEED IN TERMS OF A DA ACCESSIBILITY AND THE REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE NEEDED.
EACH ONE OF US THAT SERVE ON THIS A DA COMMISSION HAVE DIFFERENT NEEDS, AND WE HAVE DIFFERENT DISABILITIES WHICH NEED TO BE ADDRESSED SPECIFICALLY IN DIFFERENT WAYS.
AND SO, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO JUST STRONGLY SUGGEST THAT SOME TYPE OF DAY WORKSHOP OR, UH, A RETREAT BE DONE WITH THE DISABILITIES COMMISSION AND THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE VENDORS OR THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE PROGRAMS, UH, I CAN TELL YOU FIRSTHAND THAT I'VE HAD TO EXPLAIN SOME THINGS IN TERMS OF HOUSING AND THEN WHEN A PERSON IS DISPLACED FROM THEIR HOME, THE TYPES OF ACCOMMODATIONS THAT NEED TO BE, UH, CONSIDERED FOR SOMEBODY WHO IS WHEELCHAIR BOUND VERSUS SOMEBODY WHO IS, UH, ABLE TO WALK THOSE TYPES OF ISSUES.
SO I'M GONNA STOP RIGHT THERE, BUT AGAIN, I, I, I HOPE AND PRAY THAT THE, THE CITY STAFF WILL CONSIDER THAT, UH, THE MEMBERS OF THIS COMMISSION NEEDS TO BE ON THE FRONT END AND NOT THE BACK.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR COMMENTS, DR.
AND, UH, I WANT TO APPRECIATE YOUR ADVOCACY.
UH, A LOT OF THINGS THAT YOU'VE BROUGHT UP THROUGH THE PROCESS, UM, FOR OUR HOME REPAIR PROGRAM, WE BEGAN TO, UM, INSTITUTE, UH, AND INCORPORATE INTO THE PROCESS.
SO, UH, THOSE THINGS WOULD, WOULD PROBABLY HAVE NOT BEEN CONSIDERED, IF NOT FOR YOUR ADVOCACY.
UM, I WANNA ADDRESS THE COMMENT AROUND, UH, THE DISABILITY COMMISSION BEING AN AFTERTHOUGHT.
UH, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I DON'T TAKE LIGHTLY.
AND SO, UM, OUR STAFF INTERNALLY WILL BEGIN TO THINK ABOUT, UH, JUST THAT PROCESS FOR ENGAGEMENT.
[01:05:03]
OKAY, MY APOLOGIES.UM, SO I WILL SAY IN REGARDS TO OUR HOME REPAIR PROGRAM, UH, THAT PROGRAM HAS NOT OFFICIALLY ROLLED OUT YET.
UM, THERE ARE SOME CASES THAT WERE PART OF OUR PREVIOUS PROGRAM THAT ARE STILL BEING, UH, WORKED, BUT, UH, WE'RE BRINGING DALLAS' HOME, UH, NOW BECAUSE, UH, A LOT OF OUR PROGRAMS HAVE YET TO, UH, BE OPERATIONAL IN, IN TERMS OF PUBLIC FACING.
AND SO NOW'S THE TIME TO PROVIDE THAT FEEDBACK.
UM, AND WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO COORDINATE, UH, A MEETING WITH OUR THIRD PARTY HOME REPAIR OPERATOR AND THIS COMMISSION, OR A SUBSET OF THIS COMMISSION IF, UM, IF IT'S REQUESTED BY, BY THE COMMISSIONERS AND THE CHAIR.
UM, COMMISSIONER WICKS, ARE THOSE ALL THE COMMENTS YOU HAVE OR DO YOU HAVE MORE QUESTIONS? UH, SIR, CHAIR, AS I WAS JUST LISTENING TO, UM, THANK YOU MR. ARMSTRONG FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
UM, I, AS I WAS LISTENING TO HIM SAYING THAT THERE'S A ROLLOUT, UH, COMING UP FOR THIS UPCOMING INITIATIVE, I WOULD STRONGLY ENCOURAGE US, UH, SURCH CHAIR TO HAVE SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THIS COMMISSION INVOLVED WITHIN THE, UH, THE COMMENTS THAT NEED TO COME FORWARD.
UM, BEING, BEING THAT I AM IN THE PROCESS OF DEALING WITH SOME OF THESE ISSUES, UH, I'M GONNA SAY THAT WE'RE GONNA NEED, UH, EYES ON THE PROJECT, WE'RE GONNA NEED HANDS ON DECK.
AND I FEEL THAT OUR, UH, OUR COMMISSION CAN BE VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN STREAMLINING THOSE, UH, CONCERNS THAT THOSE OF US THAT HAVE A DA ACCOMMODATIONS THAT WE NEED.
BECAUSE I STILL TRULY DO NOT BELIEVE, AND THAT, THAT I SAY THIS IN LOVE, IN ALL HONESTY AND BEING TRANSPARENT, I STILL TRULY DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THE CITY OF DALLAS, IN TERMS OF STAFF AND VENDORS UNDERSTAND THE LEGALITIES REGARDING A DA ACCOMMODATIONS.
AND WHEN WE ASK FOR THESE ACCOMMODATIONS TO BE AFFORDED, IT IS NOT, UH, UH, UH, A BURGER KING HAVE IT YOUR WAY, SO TO SPEAK.
IT IS VERY NECESSARY THAT THEY HEAR US UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE SAYING AND DO THEIR BEST.
NOW, IF YOU'RE GONNA BE IN THIS A DA SPACE, BE ABOUT ACCOMMODATIONS AND NOT JUST IN LIP SERVICE, BUT WE NEED TO SEE IT IN THE TANGIBILITY OF THE PROJECTS THAT ARE BEING BROUGHT FORTH.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, YOU WILL HEAR FROM ME AND I WILL SHARE WITH YOU, UH, SIR CHAIR AND THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION, HOW WE GO FORWARD IN TERMS OF HOUSING IMPROVEMENTS AND HOW THEY, HOW, HOW WE ARE ADDRESSED AS A SUBPOPULATION WITHIN THE CITY.
I THINK THAT MORE TIME AND MORE EFFORT NEEDS TO BE GIVEN.
AND OF COURSE, THIS, THIS, UH, MEETING IS NOT GOING TO EVEN BE ENOUGH TIME TO REALLY FLESH OUT THE CONCERNS RELATED TO THOSE OF US THAT HAVE DISABILITIES AND HOW WE ARE, UH, HANDLED WITHIN THE CITY WHEN WE HAVE THESE TYPES OF PROJECTS.
SO, UM, SUR CHAIR, AT SOME POINT, UH, WE, WE NEED TO, AS A COMMISSION, UH, PUT OUR LIST TOGETHER IN TERMS OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE DONE AND, AND HOW WE, UH, ADVOCATE GOING FORWARD IN THIS SPACE.
BUT I DO APPRECIATE YOU, MR. ARMSTRONG, AND I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE BEEN OPEN TO HEARING MY CONCERNS.
AND SO, UH, AS WE CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER, I BELIEVE THAT THE COMMISSION WILL DO THE WORK THAT'S NEEDED TO BE DONE TO HELP THE CITY BECOME BETTER IN THIS AREA.
UM, CH CHAIR, IF YOU DON'T MIND, IF I RESPOND TO THAT, UM, I, I WOULD, YES, YOU MAY.
I WOULD ASK THAT, UH, WE POTENTIALLY LOOK AT BRINGING VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA AT THE NEXT COMMISSION MEETING, UM, TO, UH, HAVE A DIALOGUE ON THEIR PROCESS AND TO GET FEEDBACK.
UM, I, I WILL ALSO SAY THAT ONE OF THE BENEFITS OF THE OFFICE OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT IS THAT WE HAVE, UH, OUR CITY'S HUMAN RIGHT OFFICERS SITTING IN OUR OFFICE.
AND SO WE DEFINITELY WANT TO BE A SHINING EXAMPLE TO OTHER DEPARTMENTS ON WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO IMPLEMENT AND CONSIDER THE INPUT, UM, OF, UH, THIS COMMISSION.
AND SO, UH, JUST KNOW THAT, THAT AS WE CONTINUE TO INTEGRATE
[01:10:01]
AS AN OFFICE, WE ARE ONLY ON MONTH EIGHT OF THE INTEGRATION.UM, WE WILL CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR WAYS TO, UH, ASSURE THAT OUR HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICER IS INVOLVED IN THESE PROGRAM ROLLOUTS AND PROVIDING OPPORTUNITY FOR, FOR FEEDBACK.
THANK YOU, MR. ARMSTRONG, FOR ACKNOWLEDGING THE CONCERNS THAT WERE SHARED BEFORE YOU, AND WE WOULD CERTAINLY WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO, AND IN FACT, WE WOULD BE VERY DELIGHTED IF VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA CAME TO OUR SEPTEMBER MEETING AND WE COULD DISCUSS FURTHER ON THESE ISSUES.
ANYTHING ELSE? COMMISSIONER WICKS, BEFORE I MOVE ON TO THE NEXT COMMISSIONER? NO, SIR.
CHAIR, THANK YOU FOR THE TIME, UH, THAT YOU ALLOWED ME TO, UH, EXPRESS MYSELF IN, IN, IN TERMS OF THIS ISSUE.
BUT I, I'M VERY, UM, ENCOURAGED BY THE COMMENTS MADE BY MR. ARMSTRONG.
NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER COLLIER, DISTRICT FOUR FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? UH, THANK YOU, SIR.
UH, YEAH, MR. ARMSTRONG ACTUALLY JUST KIND OF PIGGYBACKING ON, UH, DR.
WICK, UM, DO YOU ALL HAVE, UM, KIND OF PLAN REVIEW MEETING FOR THESE, UM, THESE DEVELOPMENTS THAT YOU DO? UM, IS THERE KIND OF A, OF A REVIEW CYCLE OF SORTS, JUST INTERESTED IN, YOU KNOW, HOW WE CAN ENGAGE AS A COMMISSION? THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT QUESTION.
COMMISSIONER COLLIER, I, I, I WILL SAY THAT, UH, WHEN DEVELOPERS COME TO THE OFFICE OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT, UM, THEY'RE COMING SEEKING SOME TYPE OF INCENTIVE.
AND THAT INCENTIVE APPLICATION IS A ROLLING APPLICATION.
SO WE GET APPLICATIONS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR FOR VARIOUS DIFFERENT TYPES OF PROJECTS.
SOMETIMES MULTIFAMILY, SOMETIMES SINGLE FAMILY.
UM, IT'S SORT OF A MIXED BAG, BUT IT IS MM-HMM
UH, ACCEPTED ON A ROLLING BASIS.
UM, AND, UH, UM, DEPENDING ON THE FUNDING SOURCE, UH, WOULD TRIGGER CERTAIN, UM, TYPES OF REVIEW.
UM, IF IT'S FEDERAL DOLLARS, AS I SAID BEFORE, UH, IT GOES THROUGH A FAIR HOUSING.
IF IT'S A LITECH PROPERTY OR 9% OR 4%, UH, LOW INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDIT, IT'S GONNA HAVE TO RECEIVE SOME TYPE OF FAIR HOUSING REVIEW.
SO, UM, I, AGAIN, MORE THAN HAPPY TO ALSO, UH, PROVIDE, UM, WHAT THAT PROCESS LOOKS LIKE, UM, AT ONE OF YOUR UPCOMING COMMISSIONS.
NOT TRYING TO STACK YOUR AGENDA, BUT SOUNDS LIKE WE HAVE A LOT TO DISCUSS.
UM, BUT MORE THAN HAPPY TO, TO PROVIDE WHAT THAT PROCESS LOOKS LIKE AND, AND WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT PROJECTS THAT TRIGGER, UM, THAT SORT OF A DA ASSESSMENT.
UM, JUST, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENT TOUCH POINTS WHERE, YOU KNOW, MEMBERS ARE OF OUR COMMISSION COULD POTENTIALLY COME IN, UM, YOU KNOW, MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS, PUSH FOR FURTHER INNOVATION OUTSIDE OF KIND OF THE STANDARD STATUS QUO, RIGHT? UM, A DA REGULATIONS.
SO, UM, YEAH, IF YOU COULD PROVIDE ANY INSIGHT TO THAT, THAT WOULD BE FANTASTIC.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER COLLIER, FOR SHARING THESE VALUABLE POINTS.
NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL, DISTRICT FIVE FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS TO THE PRESENTERS MR. ARMSTRONG IN THE HOUSE? THOUGHT THAT'S WHAT YOU WERE GONNA SAY EARLIER.
UM, THANK YOU GUYS FOR COMING.
I APPRECIATE THIS DIALOGUE, UH, IN ADVANCE OF SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES.
I THINK WE RECOGNIZE THAT YOU ALL ARE EIGHT MONTHS INTO A TRANSITION.
UM, WE ALSO STILL HAVE HIGH EXPECTATIONS OF YOU.
I SENT A FEW QUESTIONS IN ADVANCE, UM, BUT I THINK WHAT'S PROBABLY MOST PERTINENT TO ME ARE THESE FEW THAT I'LL START WITH, WHICH IS ABOUT BUDGET.
GIVEN THAT WE ARE IN THE BUDGET CYCLE, I THINK MANY OF THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE MENTIONED ATTENDING THEIR BUDGET TOWN HALLS.
I, I DON'T EXACTLY UNDERSTAND HOW WE'RE FUNDING SOME OF THESE ACTIVITIES OR IF, WE'LL, WE FUNDED THESE ACTIVITIES IN THE SAME MANNER WE DID IN THE PAST.
SO IF YOU COULD SHARE SOMETHING ON THAT, THEN I HAVE SOME, TWO MORE QUESTIONS.
UM, FOR THAT, FOR THAT QUESTION, I WILL SAY THAT THERE ARE SOME POSITIONS THAT ARE GENERAL FUNDED.
UM, I BELIEVE OUR HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICER POSITION IS GENERAL, UH, FUNDED.
UM, A NUMBER OF OTHER DIFFERENT COORDINATOR POSITIONS, UM, ARE GENERAL FUNDED.
UH, THE POSITIONS THAT ARE GRANT FUNDED, UM, WERE ESSENTIALLY UNTOUCHED DURING THIS BUDGET, UM, UH, UH, PREPARATION.
AND SO, UM, THE OFFICE, WE HAVE A MIX.
UH, SOME OF OUR STAFF IS FUNDED THROUGH THE GENERAL FUND, OTHERS THROUGH, UH, GRANT.
[01:15:04]
AND THEN FOR THIS TYPE OF FEEDBACK YOU'RE ASKING FOR, I THINK WE WANT TO BE HOLISTIC IN OUR RECOMMENDATIONS AND ADVICE WE PROVIDE TO YOU.I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE STRUGGLE WITH OFTENTIMES IS THAT WE KIND OF GET THE PRESENTATION, BUT NOT THE DETAILS BEHIND THE PROCESSES THAT ARE IN PLACE.
UM, AS WE THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, POINTS TO INTERVENE OR MAYBE HAVE MORE INTENTIONAL DIALOGUE WITH DEVELOPERS, WE REALLY SEE THIS IN A PERMITTING PROCESS, BUT THERE'S NO COMMISSION OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT'S BUILDING AN INSPECTION THAT'S GONNA DO THAT.
AND THEN WHEN THEY BUILD THE BUILDING AND WE GO TO IT AND THERE'S, IT'S NOT A DA ACCESSIBLE, THAT'S WHEN WE COME BACK.
SO I THINK WE, WHAT WOULD BE HELPFUL, AT LEAST WITH ME PERSONALLY, IS BEEN ABLE TO GET MORE INFORMATION, MORE DETAIL ABOUT THE EXISTING PROCESSES SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON WHERE WE THINK SOME OF THESE SHORTFALLS ARE.
UM, YOU KNOW, VOA IS NOT THE ONLY VENDOR THAT YOU'RE WORKING WITH.
I THINK WE'RE GETTING THIS, YOU KNOW, CAN PICK AND CHOOSE, BUT I, I THINK WE DO WANNA BE HOLISTIC ABOUT PERFORMANCE OF THESE VENDORS AND WHERE THESE GAPS EXIST BETWEEN US, THE COMMUNITY AND YOU ALL WHO ARE ADMINISTERING, UH, THESE EFFORTS.
UH, YOU KNOW, AS MUCH AS WE CAN, UM, AND NOT TO BE DISRUPTIVE IN THE PROCESS, RIGHT? 'CAUSE WE WANNA MAKE SURE HE IS STREAMLINED.
'CAUSE ONE OF THE OTHER ISSUES IN TERMS OF THOSE HIGH EXPECTATIONS WE HAVE IS THE TIMELINESS IN WHICH SERVICES ARE BEING DELIVERED.
AND SO WE DON'T WANT TO HOLD UP DEVELOPMENT, AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE STREAMLINE THE PROCESS WHILE MAKING SURE THE NEEDS ARE BEING MET AND THERE'S A COST OF QUALITY.
RIGHT? ALL IN MY COMMENTS THERE.
THANK, THANK YOU FOR THOSE COMMENTS.
UM, AGAIN, A A, AS I SAID BEFORE, MOST OF THE TIME WE, UH, DEFER TO THE FEDERAL A DA REGULATIONS.
NOW, IF THIS BODY BELIEVES THAT THE FEDERAL REGULATIONS ARE INSUFFICIENT OR LIGHT, AND YOU ALL WOULD LIKE TO COMPILE A LIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS, I'M NOT SURE IF THIS BODY HAS SORT OF A, UH, ACTION PLAN ON WHAT YOU'D LIKE TO SEE OR PREFERENCES ON WHAT YOU'D LIKE TO SEE FOR DEVELOPMENT.
UH, I'M NOT SURE IF THAT EXISTS OR IF YOU ALL HAVE HAD THAT TYPE OF, UH, WORK PLAN OR LIST OF, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS.
ALL OF THAT CAN BE CONSIDERED.
AND, UH, AS I SAID BEFORE, WE'RE MORE THAN HAPPY TO PRESENT THE, OUR DEVELOPMENT PROCESS TO THIS, UH, COMMISSION AND GET INPUT ON WHERE YOU ALL DE UH, IT'S, UH, COULD POTENTIALLY BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE, UM, FEEDBACK.
CHAIRMAN, MAY I QUICKLY RESPOND? UM, YES.
COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL, IF YOU CAN BE AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE, BECAUSE I HAVE TWO OTHER COMMISSIONERS I HAVE TO GET THROUGH, AND SOME OF 'EM HAVE TO JUMP OFF RIGHT AT THREE 30.
AGAIN, WE DON'T WANNA BE, UH, ONEROUS IN THIS EFFORT, BUT GETTING VISIBILITY INTO IT WILL HELP US PROVIDE THE BEST FEEDBACK, IS WHAT WE'RE GETTING AT.
AND JUST UNDERSTANDING THAT, YOU KNOW, FOR INSTANCE, I'VE BEEN HERE FOR EIGHT MONTHS ON THIS COMMISSION.
I DON'T THINK THE PLAN EXISTS, BUT WE WOULD LIKE TO CREATE ONE TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S DELIVERING THE OUTCOMES THAT WE EXPECT.
NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER WHITE FROM DISTRICT NINE FOR ANY COMMENTS.
THANK YOU FOR THE VERY VALUABLE AND INFORMATIVE, UH, PRESENTATION.
I HAVE, UH, NO COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS BECAUSE DR.
WICKS COVERED ALL OF THEM FOR ME.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER WHITE.
NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER GUNN, DISTRICT 10.
UM, I DO HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS, BUT BEFORE I ASK THEM, I'LL KIND OF JUST PIGGYBACK OFF OF COMMISSIONER ROCKWALL BEFORE I FORGET.
UM, IN REGARDS TO APPLICABLE STANDARDS, OF COURSE, WE'RE ALL AWARE OF THE A DA, UM, IN REGARDS TO WHAT COULD BE MORE APPLICABLE FOR FRAMEWORK AND, UM, IMPLEMENTATION, THE TEXAS ACCESSIBILITY STANDARDS.
UM, I'M AN URBAN PLANNER BY TRADE, BUT I'M ALSO A REGISTERED ACCESSIBILITY SPECIALIST.
SO I DO THIS FULL-TIME FOR A LIVING REGULATORY COMPLIANCE.
UM, BUT IN REGARDS TO THE A DA, THE A DA IS VERY BROAD, UH, IN A LOT OF ASPECTS FOR ACCESSIBILITY, COMPLIANCE, AND THERE IS A LOT OF AREAS THAT IT ACTUALLY JUST DOES NOT EVEN COVER.
THE TEXAS ACCESSIBILITY STANDARDS, WHICH WAS IMPLEMENTED IN 2012, WAS LITERALLY BUILT AND CREATED TO BRIDGE THAT GAP AND TO BE EVEN MORE SPECIFIC WITH STANDARDS AND AREAS THAT THE A DA WAS BEING TOO BROAD IN.
SO I WOULD HIGHLY SUGGEST GOING OFF OF, OF COURSE, A DA, WHICH IS TA'S FRAMEWORK,
[01:20:01]
BUT, UM, REALLY LOOKING INTO THE TEXAS ACCESSIBILITY STANDARDS FOR Y'ALL'S STANDARDS.AND THEN THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER REGULATORY FRAMEWORKS THAT STILL BRIDGE THAT GAP WHERE AMERICA IS STILL LACKING.
FOR EXAMPLE, UNIVERSAL DESIGN CANADA HAS REALLY SPECIFIC A DA OR NOT A DA ACCESSIBILITY STANDARDS IN SOME AREAS.
BUT, UM, I WOULD DEFINITELY GO TOWARDS TEXAS ACCESSIBILITY STANDARDS AS Y'ALL'S FRAMEWORK.
YOU WILL FIND THE MOST SPECIFIC CLAUSES AND, UM, APPLICABLE THINGS WITH Y'ALL'S PROCESS IN GENERAL.
UM, BUT BESIDES THAT, I KIND OF WANTED TO JUST ASK ABOUT WHEN Y'ALL PLAN ON ROLLING ALL OF THIS OUT, WHEN Y'ALL'S COMPLETION DATE IS, AND THEN SEPARATELY, DO Y'ALL HAVE A MEMO PUT TOGETHER OR SOMETHING THAT PER SE I COULD REVIEW LINE BY LINE AND MARK UP FOR THE AREAS AND OTHER COMMISSIONERS COULD MARK UP FOR THE AREAS THAT THEY THINK COULD BE IMPROVED.
THANK YOU FOR, FOR YOUR, YOUR, YOUR COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS.
UM, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU ALREADY HAVE A SUBCOMMITTEE CHAIR ON THIS PROPOSED ADDITIONAL STANDARDS FOR DEVELOPMENT.
UM, AND SO, UH, AND, UH, LET, LET ME SAY THIS PART OF DALLAS' HOME A AS SOMEONE WHO SERVED ON BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, UH, FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS FOR 10 PLUS YEARS, UM, PART OF DALLAS' HOME IS REALLY THINKING ABOUT HOW DO WE ACTIVATE OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AS NOT JUST BOARDS WITH THEIR OWN SEPARATE AGENDAS, BUT HOW DO WE INTEGRATE THEM INTO THE WORK? SO NOW THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ARE NOT JUST GROUPS THAT GET TOGETHER AND RUBBER STAMP THINGS AND HEAR A COUPLE PRESENTATIONS AND MOVE ON, BUT YOU ALL ARE OUR ADVISORY GROUP, ADVISORY BODY.
SO THE, THE, THE DIALOGUE THAT WE'RE HAVING RIGHT NOW ALIGNS WITH, WITH DALLAS'S HOME.
UM, IF THERE ARE ANY ADDITIONAL STANDARDS THAT YOU ALL FEEL, UH, COULD BE APPLIED TO OUR DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS, WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD OFFER THOSE UP.
UM, FOR CONSIDERATION, UH, TO YOUR, YOUR QUESTION REGARDING A MEMO, ARE YOU SPECIFICALLY ASKING FOR A DEVELOPMENT PROJECT OR A DEVELOPMENT PROCESS, OR NOT REALLY? THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS OR PROJECT, UH, I GUESS MORE OF A TECHNICAL MEMO.
WHAT, WHAT DO Y'ALL HAVE DRAFTED THAT HAS ALL THIS LANGUAGE IN IT? WHERE'S ALL THIS LANGUAGE EXISTING THAT'LL EVENTUALLY BE IMPLEMENTED? ARE YOU REFERENCING THE DALLAS' HOME? YES.
SO, UM, WE CAN PROVIDE A, A MEMO.
I BELIEVE THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN PROVIDED TO THE HOUSING AND HOMELESS.
UH, COMMITTEE ALSO, WE JUST PRESENTED YESTERDAY.
UM, BEFORE THE HOUSING AND HOMELESS COMMITTEE, AND I'M SURE WE'LL BE PRESENTING NEXT MONTH AND UNTIL THE POLICY IS PASSED.
SO THIS IS A POLICY THAT IS IN PROGRESS.
SO NOW IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK, WHICH IS WHY WE'RE WE'RE BRINGING IT TO YOU.
YEAH, I, I JUST AM, MY MORE CONCERN IS, I KNOW PEOPLE HAVE IDEAS, BUT SOMETIMES IT'S EASIER TO PHYSICALLY, I'M GONNA APOLOGIZE FOR INTERRUPTING YOU, BUT COMMISSIONER GUNN, IF YOU CAN PLEASE START WRAPPING UP WITH YOUR COMMENTS, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE AN SOME, WE DO HAVE ANOTHER COMMISSIONER, UM, THAT WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH.
AND THEN THE ANNOUNCEMENTS BEFORE ADJOURNMENT.
MY, MY LAST KIND OF THING IS, UM, I KNOW SOME PEOPLE HAVE IDEAS, BUT IT'S ALSO SOMETIMES EASIER WHEN WE'RE ABLE TO READ SOMETHING AND, UM, HAVE AN IDEA RIGHT OFF THE BAT WHERE WE COULD SQUEEZE IN SOMETHING, WHETHER IT'S A REQUIREMENT OR JUST A THOUGHT.
SO THAT'S WHY I JUST WAS INQUIRING ABOUT IF Y'ALL HAD A PACKET READY OR WHAT MATERIAL WAS AVAILABLE.
SO, BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, COMMISSIONER DEMAN DISTRICT 11.
UM, IF YOU CAN PLEASE TURN YOUR VIDEO ON.
THAT WAY WE KNOW YOU'RE PRESENT AND YOU CAN ASK YOUR QUESTIONS.
I I, I'M NOT ABLE TO TURN MY VIDEO ON RIGHT NOW, BUT I WILL GO THROUGH A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
NUMBER ONE, YOU TALKED ABOUT, YOU TALKED ABOUT THE, UH, HOMELESS.
HOW ARE YOU COLLECTING THAT DATA, NUMBER ONE.
NUMBER TWO IS I AM A BOARD CERTIFIED, UH, PHYSICIAN IN REHAB, AND I AGREE WITH, UH, DR.
WICKS THAT THE, UM, ASSESSMENT ON YOUR SURVEY IS LACKING.
AND NUMBER, MY LAST QUESTION IS, IS YOUR VENDORS
I'M SO SORRY FOR THE INTERRUPTION, BUT COMMISSIONER DEMAN, UM, BECAUSE YOUR VIDEO IS NOT ON, EVEN THOUGH YOU HAVE QUESTIONS TO ASK, WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO COUNT YOU PRESENT DUE TO SOME RULES THAT WE HAVE TO FOLLOW.
AND IN ORDER FOR QUORUM TO EXIST, YOU DO HAVE YOUR, YOU DO NEED TO HAVE YOUR VIDEO ON, EVEN THOUGH YOU HAVE QUESTIONS THERE.
SO, SO MY QUESTIONS ARE, NUMBER ONE, HOW ARE YOU COLLECTING THE DATA FOR
[01:25:01]
HOW, HOW YOU'RE GATHERING THE HOMELESS INFORMATION, BECAUSE THAT'S SOUNDS IMPOSSIBLE.NUMBER TWO IS, IS HOW ARE YOU COLLECTING THE, THE DATA FROM THE VENDORS? ARE THEY, WERE THEY NO BID CONTRACTORS LIKE THEY DID WITH DART? THAT DIDN'T WORK.
NUMBER TWO, THREE IS, UH, I AM A BOARD CERTIFIED PHYSICIAN, RETIRED, AND, UH, DR.
WICKS HAD AN ABSOLUTE CORRECT ABOUT THAT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR, FOR YOUR COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS.
I WILL START WITH NUMBER THREE.
UM, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT'S AN EASY FIX.
UM, OUR STAFF WILL INTERNALLY DISCUSS AND, AND MAKE ADJUSTMENTS BASED UPON THE FEEDBACK THAT WE RECEIVED.
UM, OUR HOMELESS DATA IS COLLECTED THROUGH A SYSTEM CALLED HMIS.
IT IS A SYSTEM THAT THE MAJORITY OF, UH, PRACTITIONERS WHO RECEIVE CITY FUNDING RECEIVE, I MEAN, UH, USE TO, TO OPERATE AND DO INTAKE.
UM, AND SO IT IS A, UM, SYSTEM THAT AGAIN TALKS TO, UM, EACH PROVIDER.
SO IF AN INDIVIDUAL GOES TO THE BRIDGE ONE DAY AND THE AUSTIN STREET SHELTER, THE NEXT, UM, THEIR, THEIR EXPERIENCE OR THEIR TIME AT THE BRIDGE IS WITHIN THE SYSTEM WITH THE HMIS SYSTEM.
UM, WE RELY ON THE, UH, LEAD AGENCY OF, UH, OUR LOCAL CONTINUUM OF CARE HOUSING FORWARD TO PROVIDE US WITH THAT DATA.
IN ADDITION TO ALL OF OUR CONTRACTS, OUR CONTRACTS THAT DEAL WITH HOMELESS SERVICES, WE HAVE, UM, QUARTERLY REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.
IF YOU RECEIVE FUNDING FROM THE CITY, UM, TO PROVIDE A SERVICE, UH, WE'RE GONNA REQUIRE THAT YOU PROVIDE, UH, SPECIFIC PERFORMANCE METRICS INCLUDING HMIS DATA.
UM, THE SECOND QUESTION, I, UH, IT ESCAPES ME.
AND SO IF YOU DON'T MIND REPEATING THAT, THAT ASK ABOUT VENDORS.
THE VENDORS IS HOW DID YOU OBTAIN THESE VENDORS AND WERE THEY ONLY, UM, NO BID VENDORS? UM, SO THE ONLY NO BID, WHAT, WHAT WE CALL A SOLE SOURCE, UH, IS THE NO BID VENDOR.
UH, THAT IS A DECISION THAT'S MADE BY THE OFFICE OF PROCUREMENT SERVICES AND THE BAR IS PRETTY HIGH IN ORDER FOR A VENDOR TO, UH, BE AWARDED THE SOLE SOURCE.
UM, HOUSING FORWARD, WHICH IS OUR LOCAL CONTINUAL CARE IS A SOLE SOURCE IN SOME CASES, BUT IN MOST CASES IT IS A COMPETITIVE BID.
SO WE HAVE, UH, SO THERE'S MORE THAN ONE VENDOR BIDDING IT DEPENDING ON WHAT SERVICE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
IF IT IS YEAH, I, I, I, I'VE SEEN HOW WE'VE SEEN HOW DART DID THAT, SO THAT DIDN'T WORK REALLY WELL ABOUT CITY.
SO LET, LET'S MOVE ON TO THE LAST QUESTION, WHICH I'VE ALREADY ADDRESSED.
UM, IF THAT IS ALL THE QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS FROM COMMISSIONER SO FAR, I DO WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS AGAIN FOR COMING, YOU KNOW, DEVOTING YOUR TIME TO GIVE US THIS INFORMATIVE PRESENTATION.
AND WE CERTAINLY LOOK FORWARD TO COLLABORATING WITH YOU IN THE FUTURE.
OUR LAST ITEM FOR ADJOURNMENT IS ANNOUNCEMENTS.
SO ON THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 14TH THROUGH 18TH, AS YOU HEARD IT IS DISABILITY VOTING RIGHTS WEEK LED ANNUALLY.
THIS IS A NATIONAL NON-PARTISAN EFFORT.
IT IS ORGANIZED BY THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES TO PROMOTE ACCESSIBLE ELECTIONS SO THAT EVERY VOICE CAN BE HEARD.
AND THIS IS REALLY CRITICAL, UH, GIVEN THAT NOVEMBER WE WILL BE HAVING AN ELECTION.
UM, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ARE AWARE OF THEIR RIGHTS AND THE RESOURCES THAT ARE THERE THAT CAN HELP THEM DO SO.
AND THE LAST THING I WANNA SAY IS FROM SEPTEMBER 10TH THROUGH THE 18TH IS WELCOMING WEEK HERE IN DALLAS.
THIS IS A TIME WHERE WE HONOR THE LIVED EXPERIENCE OF PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THIS CITY.
INITIALLY, IT WAS DESIGNED FOR PEOPLE COME TO AMERICA, SO IMMIGRANTS AND REFUGEES.
IT, IT'S TO, UM, CELEBRATE THEIR LIVED EXPERIENCE AND HELP THEM GET SETTLED AND AS WELL AS TRANSITION TO EMPLOYMENT AND OTHER SERVICES.
BUT THE CITY OF DALLAS IS TRYING TO BROADEN THAT A LITTLE BIT AND INCLUDE DISABILITY AND OTHER GROUPS OF PEOPLE.
MORE INFORMATION WILL BE SHARED BY THE CITY STAFF AS TIME GETS CLOSER.
[01:30:02]
THOSE ARE MY ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR NOW.I WILL TURN THE FLOOR TO COMMISSIONERS WHO MAY WANT TO ANNOUNCE, STARTING WITH COMMISSIONER GLASSCOCK DISTRICT ONE.
I WANT TO JUST LET THE COMMISSION KNOW OR REMIND THEM THAT WE DO HAVE THE EMPLOYABILITY, DALLAS CAREER EXPO AND JOB FAIR.
UM, I HAD JOINED JUST AFTER AT FAIR LAST YEAR, BUT I DO PLAN TO ATTEND AND I ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO ATTEND SO THAT PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES CAN KNOW THAT THE COMMISSION IS OUT HERE.
AND, UM, YEAH, WE'RE HERE TO HELP 'EM.
IT IS GONNA BE AT GILLEY'S TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20TH AT 10:00 AM TO 1:00 PM THANK YOU COMMISSIONER FOR THAT ANNOUNCEMENT.
NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER WICK, DISTRICT THREE.
CHAIR, I'LL BE, UM, AT THE AFRICAN AMERICAN LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE, UH, POLICIES WORKSHOP AT PAUL QUINN, SEPTEMBER THE 12TH AND 13TH, UH, IS BEING COORDINATED BY MR. MAURICE WEST.
AND, UM, SEVERAL PUBLIC OFFICIALS, UH, FROM, I'M GONNA SAY SENATORIAL DISTRICT, CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 23, UH, WILL BE IN, UH, WILL BE AT THAT EVENT.
AND SO I WILL BE ATTENDING THAT IN THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER AND CONTINUING MY ADVOCACY FOR AN ENCOURAGEMENT OF MY RESIDENTS IN DISTRICT THREE, TWO, WATCH US AS WE DELIBERATE THESE IMPORTANT ISSUES.
CHAIR? YES, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER WICKS FOR SHARING THAT.
NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL, DISTRICT FIVE.
I JUST WANTED TO REITERATE THE COMMENTS MADE BY COMMISSIONER GLASSCOCK ABOUT THE EMPLOYEE BELIEF THERE.
I DO PLAN TO ATTEND THAT AS WELL.
I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE PRESENT THERE.
ALSO, JUST REITERATING MY EARLIER COMMENT ABOUT THE DECEMBER 5TH, THE FOUR OF THOSE COMMISSIONERS THAT ARE SOUTH OF I 30.
UM, NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER WHITE DISTRICT NINE FOR ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS.
AND LAST, UM, COMMISSIONER GUNN, DISTRICT 10.
NOT REALLY ANNOUNCEMENTS, BUT JUST ONCE AGAIN REMINDING, UH, MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS, IF YOU DO HAVE PROGRAMS, UH, IN YOUR, THE BACK OF YOUR MIND OR EMPLOYEE OPPORTUNITIES THAT SUPPORT THOSE WITH DISABILITIES, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO SEND THEM OVER AS THE RISE SCHOOL IS IN DESPERATE NEED OF SOME MORE IDEAS.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, COMMISSIONER DEICHMANN DISTRICT 11 FOR ANY CLOSING ANNOUNCEMENTS? NOTHING TO, UM, OKAY.
UM, NOTHING, ANY FINAL WORD OF DISCUSSION BEFORE ADJOURNMENT? ANY LAST WORD OF DISCUSSION BEFORE ADJOURNMENT? A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
ALL IN FAVOR OF ADJOURNING THIS MEETING PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
A OPPOSED, THE TIME IS NOW 3:36 PM AND THIS MEETING HAS ADJOURNED.