[Call to Order]
[00:00:02]
ZARIN GRACEY: GOOD MORNING.THE TIME IS 9:16 IN THE MORNING, AND WE WILL CALL THE QUALITY OF LIFE ARTS AND CULTURE COMMITTEE MEETING TO ORDER.
THE FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS APPROVAL
[MINUTES]
OF THE MINUTES FROM THE SEPTEMBER 14, 2026 MEETING, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? MOTION HAS BEEN MADE.NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS ITEM BRIEFING.
[BRIEFING AND ACTION ITEMS]
ITEM A IS UPDATE ON THE SANITATION AND CODE COMPLIANCE AI CAMERA SYSTEMS. AND WE HAVE OUR DIRECTOR OF CODE COMPLIANCE CHRIS CHRISTIAN HERE.CHRIS CHRISTIAN: GOOD MORNING, CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
TODAY, I HAVE WITH ME ASSISTANT DIRECTOR JEREMY REED AND ASSISTANT DIRECTOR CHRISTYLLA MILES.
AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE THIS UPDATE AND TO TALK ABOUT THIS PROGRAM AND ITS ROLLOUT.
OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO HELP ENSURE DALLAS NEIGHBORHOODS ARE SAFE AND HEALTHY AND MAINTAIN IN A MANNER THAT PROTECTS THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF THE PEOPLE WHO CALL THEM HOME.
THAT RESPONSIBILITY EXTENDS TO EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD, NO MATTER THE INCOME, LOCATION, OR CIRCUMSTANCE.
EVERY DAY, OUR RESIDENTS CONTACT THE CITY ABOUT ILLEGAL DUMPING, OVERGROWN PROPERTIES, UNSAFE STRUCTURES, GRAFFITI, AND OTHER CONDITIONS AFFECTING THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.
THEY ARE NOT NEW RESPONSIBILITIES OF OUR DEPARTMENT.
WHAT IS NEW IS OUR ABILITY TO IDENTIFY SOME OF THESE CONDITIONS EARLIER, USING TECHNOLOGY THAT SUPPLEMENTS THE WORK OUR EMPLOYEES ALREADY PERFORM.
I ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT THE INTRODUCTION OF THIS TECHNOLOGY HAS GENERATED QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS.
QUESTIONS, PARTICULARLY, ABOUT PRIVACY, FAIRNESS, AND HOW THE INFORMATION IS USED.
THOSE ARE LEGITIMATE QUESTIONS.
AND WE WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THEM.
TODAY, WE WANT TO EXPLAIN WHY THIS PROGRAM WAS DEVELOPED, HOW IT OPERATES, WHAT SAFEGUARDS ARE IN PLACE.
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, HOW IT CAN HELP US DELIVER BETTER SERVICES TO DALLAS RESIDENTS.
OUR OBJECTIVE IS NOT TO USE TECHNOLOGY TO ISSUE MORE CITATIONS.
OUR OBJECTIVE IS TO IDENTIFY MEANINGFUL NEIGHBORHOOD CONDITIONS EARLIER, HELP RESIDENTS ACHIEVE COMPLIANCE, AND IMPROVE CONDITIONS THROUGHOUT OUR CITY.
BACK ONE, BACK ONE, BACK TWO PLEASE.
WE'VE ORGANIZED TODAY'S PRESENTATION AROUND THESE FIVE KEY AREAS-- THE PROGRAM'S PURPOSE, HOW THE TECHNOLOGY OPERATES AND ITS SAFEGUARDS, THE CONDITIONS THAT IDENTIFIES, HOW STAFF DETERMINE THE APPROPRIATE RESPONSE, AND OUR INITIAL RESULTS AND NEXT STEPS.
BEFORE DISCUSSING THE TECHNOLOGY ITSELF, I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THIS INITIATIVE SUPPORTS THE LONG-STANDING MISSION OF CODE COMPLIANCE.
IT DOES NOT CREATE NEW PROPERTY MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS OR CHANGE OUR ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITY.
IT PROVIDES ANOTHER WAY TO IDENTIFY CONDITIONS, WE ARE ALREADY RESPONSIBLE FOR ADDRESSING.
CITY DETECT USES COMPUTER VISION TECHNOLOGY TO IDENTIFY POTENTIAL EXTERIOR PROPERTY AND RIGHT-OF-WAY CONDITIONS, VISIBLE DURING ROUTINE CITY OPERATIONS.
THE DISTINCTION I WANT EVERYONE TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT AN OBSERVATION IS NOT A CONFIRMED CODE VIOLATION.
THE TECHNOLOGY IDENTIFIES SOMETHING THAT MAY WARRANT ATTENTION.
A TRAINED CITY EMPLOYEE REVIEWS THAT INFORMATION AND DETERMINES WHETHER ANYTHING FURTHER IS NECESSARY.
THAT HUMAN DECISION-MAKING IS A FUNDAMENTAL PART OF HOW THIS PROGRAM OPERATES.
THIS SLIDE ADDRESSES SEVERAL IMPORTANT QUESTIONS RAISED PUBLICLY.
WHAT DOES THIS TECHNOLOGY DO, AND WHAT IT DOES NOT DO? THIS TECHNOLOGY HELPS US IDENTIFY POTENTIAL CONDITIONS AND PRIORITIZE STAFF ATTENTION.
IT SUPPLEMENTS OUR EXISTING 311 SERVICE REQUEST AND TRADITIONAL INSPECTION PROCESSES.
WHAT IT DOES NOT DO IS EQUALLY IMPORTANT.
IT DOES NOT INDEPENDENTLY DETERMINE THAT A VIOLATION EXISTS.
IT DOES NOT REPLACE THE JUDGMENT OF OUR CODE OFFICERS OR TRACK INDIVIDUALS.
IT DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY INITIATE FORMAL ENFORCEMENT BASED SOLELY ON A COMPUTER-GENERATED OBSERVATION.
THERE ARE THREE PRIMARY BENEFITS WE'RE WORKING TOWARD.
THE FIRST IS BROADER NEIGHBORHOOD AWARENESS, NOT EVERY RESIDENT HAS THE TIME, ABILITY, OR DESIRE TO REPORT EVERY CONDITION THEY ENCOUNTER.
SECOND, EARLIER IDENTIFICATION, WE WANT TO RECOGNIZE MEANINGFUL CONCERNS BEFORE THEY BECOME SERIOUS, EXPENSIVE, OR DISRUPTIVE TO SURROUNDING PROPERTIES.
THIRD, BETTER USE OF CITY RESOURCES.
[00:05:01]
BY HELPING STAFF IDENTIFY WHERE ATTENTION MAY BE WARRANTED, WE CAN FOCUS OUR EMPLOYEES ON EDUCATION, INSPECTIONS, AND VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE AND RESOLUTION.WE ARE CONTINUING TO MEASURE THESE BENEFITS AS THE PROGRAM MATURES, RATHER THAN ASSUMING THAT TECHNOLOGY ALONE GUARANTEES THEM.
THE CAMERAS ARE MOUNTED ON 50 SANITATION BRUSH COLLECTION VEHICLES THAT ALREADY TRAVEL THROUGH DALLAS NEIGHBORHOODS, PROVIDING ROUTINE CITY SERVICES.
WE ARE NOT CREATING SEPARATE CODE COMPLIANCE SURVEILLANCE ROUTES OR DISPATCHING VEHICLES, SPECIFICALLY, TO SEARCH NEIGHBORHOODS FOR VIOLATIONS.
THE TECHNOLOGY OPERATES ALONG EXISTING SANITATION ROUTES THROUGHOUT DALLAS.
THIS PROVIDES A BROADER SOURCE OF OBSERVATIONS RATHER THAN RELYING EXCLUSIVELY ON WHERE COMPLAINTS ORIGINATE OR WHERE INSPECTORS HAVE HISTORICALLY BEEN ASSIGNED.
OUR OBJECTIVE IS CONSISTENT CITY-WIDE AWARENESS AND EQUITABLE APPLICATION OF OUR EXISTING CODE STANDARDS.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE QUESTIONS AROUND THE PRIVACY AND THE SAFEGUARDS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE.
PRIVACY AND RESPONSIBLE USE ARE IMPORTANT TO US.
I WANT TO ADDRESS THOSE PROTECTIONS DIRECTLY.
THIS SYSTEM ACCESS IS LIMITED TO AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL WITH AN OPERATIONAL NEED.
THE TECHNOLOGY IS DESIGNED TO ASSESS EXTERIOR PROPERTY RIGHT-OF-WAY CONDITIONS, NOT IDENTIFY OR MONITOR RESIDENTS.
FACES AND LICENSE PLATES ARE BLURRED WITHIN THE SYSTEM, AND THERE IS NO FUNCTIONALITY TO SEARCH FOR AN INDIVIDUAL BY FACE OR LICENSE PLATE.
IMAGES ARE RETAINED FOR 12 MONTHS UNDER THE APPLICABLE RETENTION REQUIREMENTS.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, STAFF REVIEW IS A REQUIRED STEP BEFORE ANY CODE COMPLIANCE ACTION.
THE TECHNOLOGY CANNOT INDEPENDENTLY ISSUE A CITATION OR DETERMINE THAT ENFORCEMENT IS WARRANTED.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT MAINTAINING PUBLIC TRUST REQUIRES CONTINUED OVERSIGHT, NOT SIMPLY INSTALLING TECHNOLOGY.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO EVALUATE THE SAFEGUARDS AND HOW THE SYSTEM IS USED.
NOW, THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED HOW THE TECHNOLOGY OPERATES, I WANT TO SHOW YOU THE TYPES OF NEIGHBORHOOD CONDITIONS, IT IS DESIGNED TO IDENTIFY.
THESE ARE THE SAME KINDS OF HEALTH AND SAFETY AND PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CONCERNS THAT CODE COMPLIANCE HAS ADDRESSED FOR MANY YEARS.
AN UNSECURED STRUCTURE CAN PRESENT SAFETY RISKS, OVERGROWN VEGETATION CAN CONTRIBUTE TO PEST ACTIVITY, AND UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, FIRE HAZARDS.
ILLEGAL DUMPING AFFECTS NEIGHBORHOOD APPEARANCE AND CAN CREATE ADDITIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY CONCERNS.
THESE ARE ALSO THE KINDS OF ISSUES RESIDENTS REGULARLY REPORT TO 311.
THE PROGRAM GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO IDENTIFY POTENTIAL CONCERNS, BUT STAFF STILL DETERMINE WHETHER THE CONDITION IS SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH TO WARRANT FURTHER ATTENTION.
NOT EVERY OBSERVATION REQUIRES A NOTICE, INSPECTION, OR ENFORCEMENT ACTION.
THE TECHNOLOGY ALSO IDENTIFIES POTENTIAL RIGHT-OF-WAY CONCERNS, INCLUDING GRAFFITI, DISCARDED TIRES, LITTER, ILLEGAL DUMPING, AND ABANDONED SHOPPING CARTS.
THIS IS PARTICULARLY VALUABLE BECAUSE THESE CONDITIONS CAN AFFECT AN ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD, EVEN WHEN THEY ARE NOT ASSOCIATED WITH A SPECIFIC PROPERTY OWNERS MAINTENANCE RESPONSIBILITIES.
OUR GOAL IS TO CONNECT VALIDATED OBSERVATIONS WITH THE APPROPRIATE CITY SERVICE, INCLUDING OUR NUISANCE ABATEMENT OPERATIONS AND OTHER RESPONSIBLE DEPARTMENTS.
ULTIMATELY, IDENTIFYING A CONDITION ONLY HAS VALUE WHEN PAIRED WITH THE APPROPRIATE CITY RESPONSE.
THIS NEXT SECTION IS PERHAPS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THE PRESENTATION, BECAUSE IT EXPLAINS WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENS AFTER THE TECHNOLOGY IDENTIFIES A POTENTIAL CONCERN.
I WANT TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO THE MIDDLE OF THIS PROCESS-- STAFF REVIEW AND VALIDATION.
EVERY COMPUTER VISION OBSERVATION MUST BE REVIEWED BEFORE CODE COMPLIANCE DETERMINES AN APPROPRIATE ACTION.
THERE ARE SEVERAL POSSIBLE OUTCOMES.
STAFF MAY DETERMINE THAT NO ACTION IS NEEDED.
THEY MAY PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL COURTESY COMMUNICATION, INITIATED TRADITIONAL FIELD INSPECTION WHEN WARRANTED, OR REFER AN ELIGIBLE CONDITION FOR DIRECT CITY SERVICE OR NUISANCE ABATEMENT.
THE PROCESS IS NOT DESIGNED TO TURN EVERY OBSERVATION INTO AN ENFORCEMENT CASE.
OUR EMPLOYEES DETERMINE THE APPROPRIATE RESPONSE BASED ON THE CONDITION, AVAILABLE INFORMATION, AND EXISTING CITY PROCEDURES.
THAT DISTINCTION IS CENTRAL TO OUR APPROACH.
NOT EVERY OBSERVATION IS A VIOLATION, AND NOT EVERY CONCERN REQUIRES ENFORCEMENT.
ONE OF THE MOST MEANINGFUL ELEMENTS OF THIS PROGRAM IS OUR ABILITY TO ENGAGE RESIDENTS THROUGH EDUCATION BEFORE FORMAL ENFORCEMENT BECOMES NECESSARY.
[00:10:03]
HISTORICALLY, WHEN AN INSPECTOR CONFIRMED A VIOLATION, THE FIRST WRITTEN COMMUNICATION FROM CODE COMPLIANCE WOULD BE A FORMAL NOTICE OF VIOLATION.WITH THIS PROGRAM, WHEN APPROPRIATE, WE CAN, INSTEAD, PROVIDE A COURTESY NOTICE, A FRIENDLY REMINDER THAT MAKES THE RESIDENT AWARE OF A POTENTIAL CONCERN AND GIVES THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS IT VOLUNTARILY.
A COURTESY NOTICE IS NOT A CITATION.
IT DOES NOT ESTABLISH A FORMAL ENFORCEMENT CASE.
BY ITSELF, IT DOES NOT IMPOSE A FORMAL COMPLIANCE DEADLINE.
WE WANT RESIDENTS TO VIEW CODE COMPLIANCE AS A RESOURCE THAT HELPS THEM UNDERSTAND AND RESOLVE CONCERNS, AND NOT SIMPLY AN AGENCY THAT ISSUES CITATIONS.
THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT A RESIDENT MAY SEE RECEIVE AS A COURTESY NOTICE.
NOW, I WILL SAY WE ARE CONTINUING TO REFINE THIS NOTICE.
WE WANTED TO SOFTEN THE LANGUAGE IN THIS NOTICE.
WE'RE ADDING A QR CODE TO CONNECT RESIDENTS TO HOUSING AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT RESOURCES.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT PROPERTY OWNERS, PARTICULARLY, SENIORS OR RESIDENTS FACING FINANCIAL HARDSHIP, MAY NEED ASSISTANCE ADDRESSING PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CONCERNS.
WE WILL ALSO PROVIDE MULTIPLE CODE COMPLIANCE CONTACTS VERSUS JUST THE REVIEWER INFORMATION, AS WE DID RECEIVE FEEDBACK THAT SOMETIMES IT WAS CHALLENGING TO GET IN TOUCH WITH THE REVIEWER.
AND SO WE WANT TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL CONTEXT IN ORDER THAT OUR RESIDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO REACH US WHEN THEY DO HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE COURTESY NOTICE OR WHAT IS BEING ASKED OR EXPECTED OF THEM.
OUR GOAL IS NOT SIMPLY TO IDENTIFY A PROBLEM.
WHERE RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE, WE WANT TO HELP RESIDENTS UNDERSTAND WHAT ASSISTANCE THEY MAY BE ABLE TO ACCESS.
WE HAVE RECEIVED INDIVIDUAL CALLS ABOUT COURTESY NOTICES AND HAVE WORKED THROUGH THOSE CONCERNS THROUGH OUR NORMAL CUSTOMER SERVICE PROCESS.
FROM DETECTION TO ACTION, HERE'S WHAT WE HOPE TO ACHIEVE WITH OUR COURTESY NOTICES.
HERE IS AN EXAMPLE OF EXPOSED WOOD, A PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CONCERN THAT WAS IDENTIFIED AND SUBSEQUENTLY CORRECTED.
AN EXAMPLE OF A TARP ROOF, THIS DEMONSTRATES HOW AN EXTERIOR CONDITION CAN BE BROUGHT TO THE OWNER'S ATTENTION AND ADDRESSED.
ILLEGAL DUMPING, HERE'S THE RESULT OF A REMOVAL OF ILLEGALLY DUMPED MATERIAL AND AN IMPROVEMENT TO THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF A DAMAGED ROOF.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE OUTCOME WE'RE SEEKING.
AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE BEFORE PHOTO, THE ROOF IS COLLAPSING.
THERE SEEM TO BE A LOT OF MOTOR VEHICLES SPRAWLED ACROSS THE PROPERTY, SOME LITTER.
FOLLOWING COURTESY NOTICE, THE EXAMPLE TO THE RIGHT IS THE CONDITION OF THE PROPERTY, THAT IS ABSOLUTELY THE OUTCOME THAT WE'RE SEEKING, TO MAKE A PROPERTY OWNER AWARE OF A CONDITION THAT COULD BE CONCERNING AND A DETRIMENT TO THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY.
AND THEN TO HAVE THAT CONDITION BE RESOLVED VOLUNTARILY WITHOUT FORMAL ENFORCEMENT, IF POSSIBLE.
WHEN A POTENTIAL CONDITION WARRANTS FURTHER INVESTIGATION, IT ENTERS OUR TRADITIONAL CODE COMPLIANCE PROCESS.
STAFF REVIEW THE OBSERVATION AND WHEN APPROPRIATE, A SERVICE REQUEST IS GENERATED AND ASSIGNED TO AN INSPECTOR, THE INSPECTOR CONDUCTS FIELD VERIFICATION DETERMINES WHETHER A VIOLATION ACTUALLY EXISTS.
IF CONFIRMED, THE SAME ESTABLISHED NOTICE COMPLIANCE AND FOLLOW-UP PROCEDURES APPLY.
THE TECHNOLOGY DOES NOT CHANGE OUR LEGAL AUTHORITY OR ELIMINATE THE REQUIREMENT FOR AN APPROPRIATE INSPECTION.
IT SIMPLY PROVIDES ANOTHER WAY TO IDENTIFY CONDITIONS THAT MAY DESERVE OUR ATTENTION.
HERE'S EXAMPLES OF CASES THAT ACTUALLY ENTERED INTO OUR TRADITIONAL ENFORCEMENT PROCESS.
SO WE HAVE A BEFORE PHOTO OF A HIGH GRASS AND WEEDS VIOLATION THAT WAS SUBSEQUENTLY INSPECTED BY AN INSPECTOR.
YOU CAN SEE OUR NOTICE PLACARD THERE ON THE PROPERTY.
SO A FORMAL NOTICE OF VIOLATION WAS ISSUED TO THE PROPERTY OWNER.
THEY WERE PROVIDED A DUE PROCESS TIMELINE TO COMPLY THAT VIOLATION, AND THAT VIOLATION WAS SUBSEQUENTLY CORRECTED, AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE PHOTO TO THE RIGHT.
HERE'S ANOTHER EXAMPLE DEMONSTRATING THE TYPE OF VISIBLE NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE'RE WORKING TO ACHIEVE.
NOT EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERN REQUIRES TRADITIONAL PROPERTY ENFORCEMENT PROCESS.
SOME CONDITIONS CAN BE REFERRED DIRECTLY TO OUR NUISANCE ABATEMENT DIVISION FOR ABATEMENT, EVALUATION AND SERVICE, CONSISTENT WITH CITY AUTHORITY
[00:15:02]
AND PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS.FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN ELIGIBLE GRAFFITI IS IDENTIFIED, OUR TEAM CAN COORDINATE WITH THE PROPERTY OWNER AND WITH THE APPROPRIATE CONSENT, REMOVE IT AT NO CHARGE.
THIS IS AN IMPORTANT BENEFIT OF THE PROGRAM BECAUSE IT ALLOWS US TO CONNECT CERTAIN OBSERVATIONS WITH DIRECT NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENTS.
HERE, BEFORE AND AFTER PHOTOS OF GRAFFITI THAT WAS DETECTED.
SUBSEQUENTLY, WE RECEIVED CONSENT FROM THE PROPERTY OWNER AND ABATED THOSE VIOLATIONS.
ANOTHER SET OF PHOTOS OF THE SAME.
THIS SLIDE DEPICTS TIRES THAT WERE IDENTIFIED THROUGH OUR SYSTEM THAT WERE SUBSEQUENTLY ABATED BY OUR NUISANCE ABATEMENT TEAM.
WE HAVE A SCRAP TIRE REMOVAL TEAM IN OUR DEPARTMENT.
WHEN THESE TIRES ARE IDENTIFIED, ILLEGALLY DUMPED, THEY CAN BECOME MOSQUITO BREEDING GROUNDS WHEN THEY COLLECT WATER.
THIS EXAMPLE SHOWS HOW WE CAN IDENTIFY A CONDITION AND USE OUR OWN TEAMS TO ABATE IT AND IMPROVE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
I WANT TO ALSO RECOGNIZE OUR BROADER PARTNERSHIP WITH SANITATION SERVICES.
BEYOND CODE COMPLIANCE, THE INFORMATION COLLECTED DURING ROUTINE BRUSH AND BULK WASTE COLLECTION MAY HELP SANITATION BETTER UNDERSTAND CUSTOMER PARTICIPATION, COLLECTION PATTERNS, AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR PROGRAM IMPROVEMENT.
POTENTIAL BENEFITS INCLUDE IMPROVED OPERATIONAL PLANNING, IDENTIFYING OPPORTUNITIES TO MANAGE COSTS, AND EXPLORING GREATER DIVERSION OF VEGETATIVE WASTE FROM THE LANDFILL.
THESE ARE OPPORTUNITIES BEING EVALUATED, NOT OUTCOMES, WE ARE CLAIMING TO HAVE ALREADY ACHIEVED, AND I'M SURE DIRECTOR GILLESPIE WILL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS, SHOULD YOU HAVE QUESTIONS.
DURING FISCAL YEAR '25 AND '26, APPROXIMATELY 68% OF OUR ACTIVITY WAS REACTIVE, WHILE 32% WAS PROACTIVE.
RESIDENT SERVICE REQUESTS WILL CONTINUE TO REMAIN AN ESSENTIAL PART OF OUR OPERATIONS.
WE WANT RESIDENTS TO CONTINUE USING 311 AND COMMUNICATE CONCERNS.
HOWEVER, WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT NOT EVERY CONDITION GETS REPORTED.
RESIDENTS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL A CONCERN BECOMES A SIGNIFICANT NEIGHBORHOOD PROBLEM BEFORE CITY BECOMES AWARE OF IT.
OUR OBJECTIVE IS TO GRADUALLY STRENGTHEN PROACTIVE IDENTIFICATION WHILE MAINTAINING OUR COMMITMENT TO TIMELY RESPONSE TO RESIDENT COMPLAINTS.
THE GOAL IS NOT MORE ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITY.
THE GOAL IS EARLIER ATTENTION, BETTER PRIORITIZATION, AND FEWER UNRESOLVED NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERNS.
THESE TWO MAPS PROVIDE USEFUL CONTEXT.
THE FIRST ILLUSTRATES COMPUTER VISION OBSERVATIONS COLLECTED THROUGH THE PROGRAM.
THE SECOND ILLUSTRATES FISCAL YEAR 2026 CODE COMPLIANCE SERVICE REQUESTS.
WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS THAT MANY OF THE CONDITIONS IDENTIFIED THROUGH THE TECHNOLOGY ARE CONSISTENT WITH CONCERNS RESIDENTS HAVE HISTORICALLY REPORTED TO THE CITY.
WE HAVE HEARD QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER THIS PROGRAM IS INTENDED TO TARGET PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOODS, INCLUDING SOUTHERN DALLAS.
THE SYSTEM OPERATES ALONG ESTABLISHED SANITATION ROUTES ACROSS DALLAS.
IT IS NOT DESIGNED TO SINGLE OUT COMMUNITIES BASED ON INCOME OR DEMOGRAPHICS.
WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT NEIGHBORHOODS EXPERIENCE DIFFERENT CONDITIONS AND SERVICE NEEDS.
OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO APPLY OUR STANDARDS FAIRLY, EVALUATE THE INFORMATION RESPONSIBLY, AND DIRECT ATTENTION WHERE LEGITIMATE NEEDS EXIST.
THESE MAPS REPRESENT DIFFERENT TYPES OF INFORMATION.
COMPUTER VISION OBSERVATIONS ARE NOT CONFIRMED VIOLATIONS, AND THEY SHOULD NOT BE INTERPRETED AS CITATIONS OR ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS.
THIS SLIDE BRINGS US TO OUR INITIAL OPERATIONAL RESULTS.
TO DATE, OUR TEAM HAS REVIEWED 5,318 OBSERVATIONS, ISSUED AROUND 3,000 COURTESY NOTICES, AND CONDUCTED 473 FIELD INSPECTIONS.
WE HAVE ALSO DOCUMENTED 374 VOLUNTARY CORRECTIONS, 34 DIRECT ABATEMENTS, AND 101 FORMAL ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS.
THESE FIGURES REPRESENT DIFFERENT OPERATIONAL ACTIVITIES AND SHOULD NOT BE TREATED AS A SINGLE SEQUENTIAL CONVERSION FUNNEL.
WHAT I WANT THE COMMITTEE TO TAKE AWAY IS THAT OUR PROGRAM PROVIDES SEVERAL WAYS TO ADDRESS CONCERNS, INFORMAL ENFORCEMENT IS ONLY ONE OF THEM.
WE ARE STILL REFINING HOW WE TRACK OUTCOMES AND MEASURE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THIS TECHNOLOGY.
AS THOSE PROCESSES MATURE, WE WILL BE BETTER POSITIONED TO REPORT HOW MANY CONCERNS ARE CORRECTED FOLLOWING COURTESY COMMUNICATION, HOW QUICKLY SERVICES ARE DELIVERED, AND WHAT MEASURABLE IMPROVEMENTS ARE OCCURRING.
OUR MEASURE OF SUCCESS IS NOT THE NUMBER OF CITATIONS GENERATED, IT IS WHETHER WE ARE HELPING PRODUCE CLEANER, SAFER, AND BETTER MAINTAINED DALLAS NEIGHBORHOODS.
AS WE CONTINUE IMPLEMENTATION, OUR PRIORITIES ARE STRAIGHTFORWARD.
[00:20:01]
WE HOPE TO REFINE THE DETECTION ACCURACY, AND STAFF REVIEW PROCESSES WILL STRENGTHEN OUR INTEGRATION WITH EXISTING CITY SYSTEMS. WE'LL DEVELOP MORE COMPREHENSIVE PERFORMANCE MEASURES.AN IMPORTANT AREA OF CONTINUED WORK IS CONNECTING ELIGIBLE RIGHT-OF-WAY OBSERVATIONS WITH THE APPROPRIATE SERVICE RESPONSE, PARTICULARLY, FOR ILLEGAL DUMPING, DISCARDED TIRES, GRAFFITI AND SIMILAR CONDITIONS.
WE ARE ALSO CONTINUING TO IMPROVE RESIDENT COMMUNICATIONS, CLARIFY APPROPRIATE USE PROCEDURES, AND DOCUMENT OUR OPERATIONAL SAFEGUARDS.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS AN EVOLVING PROGRAM.
OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO EVALUATE IT, MAKE NECESSARY ADJUSTMENTS, AND PROVIDE THE COMMITTEE AND PUBLIC WITH TRANSPARENT INFORMATION ABOUT ITS PERFORMANCE.
CHAIR AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS, I WANT TO CLOSE BY RETURNING TO THE REASON WE UNDERTOOK THIS INITIATIVE.
CODE COMPLIANCE EXISTS TO PROTECT THE HEALTH AND SAFETY, AND QUALITY OF LIFE FOR DALLAS RESIDENTS.
EVERY DAY, OUR EMPLOYEES WORK WITH RESIDENTS TO ADDRESS CONDITIONS THAT AFFECT THEIR HOMES, STREETS AND NEIGHBORHOODS.
THAT RESPONSIBILITY HAS NOT CHANGED.
THIS TECHNOLOGY IS SIMPLY ANOTHER TOOL INTENDED TO HELP US FULFILL THAT RESPONSIBILITY MORE EFFECTIVELY.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT INTRODUCING NEW TECHNOLOGY INTO CITY OPERATIONS COMES WITH OBLIGATION TO BE TRANSPARENT, SAFEGUARD RESIDENT INFORMATION, ENSURE FAIR APPLICATION, AND DEMONSTRATE MEASURABLE PUBLIC BENEFIT.
WE TAKE THOSE RESPONSIBILITIES SERIOUSLY.
WE ARE ENCOURAGED BY THE INITIAL EXAMPLES OF NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENT, BUT WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT THE PROGRAM MUST CONTINUE TO EARN PUBLIC CONFIDENCE THROUGH RESPONSIBLE OPERATIONS AND DOCUMENTED RESULTS.
I WANT TO LEAVE YOU WITH THE MESSAGE SHOWN HERE.
TECHNOLOGY IDENTIFIES POTENTIAL CONDITIONS.
NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENT IS THE OUTCOME.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE THIS UPDATE.
MY COLLEAGUES AND I ARE HAPPY TO ADDRESS YOUR QUESTIONS.
ZARIN GRACEY: THANK YOU, MR. CHRISTIAN.
AND I'M GOING TO START TO MY IMMEDIATE RIGHT HERE WITH CHAIR WEST.
I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THIS TO COMMITTEE SO QUICKLY AFTER THE BUDGET.
DIRECTOR, APPRECIATE YOUR QUICK FOLLOW-UP ON MY QUESTIONS THROUGH THIS WHOLE PROCESS AND WELL-PREPARED BRIEFING AS ALWAYS.
I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT, FIRST, LIKE THE RETENTION STUFF, AND THEN WE'LL GET INTO THE NOTICE AND THE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES AND REALLY JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S THE JUSTIFICATION FOR RETAINING THE MATERIALS CAPTURED THE IMAGES FOR 12 MONTHS.
WHERE DO WE COME UP WITH THAT? JEREMY REED: GOOD MORNING.
JEREMY REED, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, CODE COMPLIANCE.
THAT CAME DIRECTLY FROM OUR STATE PARTNERS, WHO I FORGET THE DEPARTMENT NAME FROM THE STATE THAT DIRECTS OUR CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE, WITH WHAT APPLICABLE STATE REQUIREMENTS WE HAVE FOR THOSE RECORDS RETENTION.
THE 12 MONTHS WAS WHAT WE WERE DIRECTED TO SET IT AT.
CHAD WEST: IS THERE ANY LEGAL REQUIREMENT THAT WE KEEP IT AT 12 MONTHS? OR IS THAT DATE MOVABLE? CHRIS CHRISTIAN: CURRENTLY, RIGHT NOW, THE LEGAL REQUIREMENT IS THAT WE RETAIN IT FOR 12 MONTHS.
CHAD WEST: OK IF WE WANTED TO CHANGE THAT, THAT'S AT THE STATE LEVEL? OR IS THAT LOCAL? CHRIS CHRISTIAN: WE WOULD WORK WITH OUR CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE, AND THE ATTORNEYS THAT WORK WITH THEM TO DETERMINE IF WE COULD REDUCE THAT TIMELINE, IF IT CAN CHANGE.
BUT RIGHT NOW, THE CURRENT SETTING IS 12 MONTHS.
FIRST, I THINK THAT I'M GLAD YOU REALIZED THAT THE COURTESY NOTICES NEED SOME TWEAKING.
I'VE TALKED TO A COUPLE RESIDENTS THAT DID GET THEM, AND THEY'RE PRETTY TERRIFYING TO READ, IF YOU'RE GETTING THEM FOR THE FIRST TIME.
I MEAN, IT FEELS LIKE A VIOLATION.
I THINK PER YOUR PRESENTATION, THE COURTESY NOTICES HAVE PROVIDED SOME GOOD RESULTS.
GLAD TO SEE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE PROVIDING SOME TYPES OF RESOURCES IN THERE, AS YOU MENTIONED.
WHAT DO YOU PLAN TO PROVIDE IN THOSE LETTERS? CHRIS CHRISTIAN: YES, SIR.
AND SO TO YOUR POINT, WE DID NOTICE THAT THE INITIAL COURTESY NOTICE COULD HAVE BEEN A LITTLE SCARY TO READ OR TO GET FROM US AS A FIRST LINE OF COMMUNICATION.
SO WE ARE REFINING THE LANGUAGE.
WE DID SOFTEN THE LANGUAGE A LOT.
I HOPE TO HAVE ONE OF THOSE FINAL DRAFTS TODAY TO PUT IN THE PRESENTATION.
IT WAS NOT READY, SO WE HAD TO USE AN OLD ONE IN THE PRESENTATION.
BUT WE DO HAVE THE NEW ONE DRAFTED.
AND IT'S ABOUT TO BE ROLLING OUT HERE SOON.
WE'VE ACTUALLY PAUSED THE ISSUANCE OF COURTESY NOTICES UNTIL THAT FINAL NOTICE IS READY, AND THAT SHOULD BE SOON, AS EARLY AS PROBABLY THE END OF THIS WEEK.
BUT THE CHANGES THAT WE MADE, OTHER THAN JUST THE SOFTER LANGUAGE, WAS ADDING A QR CODE TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT RESOURCE WEB PAGE FOR RESIDENTS TO LOOK INTO HOME ASSISTANCE, HOME REPAIR PROGRAMS, ALL THE DIFFERENT RESOURCES FOR LOW-INCOME FAMILIES
[00:25:04]
AND HOMES THROUGHOUT THE CITY THAT HOUSING AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT ALREADY OFFERS.WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE PROVIDING THAT INFORMATION DIRECTLY TO RESIDENTS AS PART OF OUR COURTESY NOTICE PROCESS, AS WELL AS CONTACT INFORMATION FOR MULTIPLE PEOPLE ON OUR CODE COMPLIANCE TEAM AND STAFF VERSUS JUST THE PERSON THAT REVIEWED THE OBSERVATION.
BECAUSE AT TIMES, OUR OFFICERS COULD BE IN THE FIELD.
THEY COULD BE CONDUCTING OTHER INSPECTIONS, DOING OTHER WORK.
THEY COULD MISS PHONE CALLS, THEY COULD MISS TEXT MESSAGES OR EMAILS.
AND SO WE WANTED TO BE SURE TO ADD A LIST OF CODE COMPLIANCE CONTACTS SO THAT FOLKS COULD DEFINITELY REACH US, IF THEY HAD QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS ABOUT THE NOTICE THAT THEY RECEIVED.
CHAD WEST: THAT REALLY GETS TO THE HEART OF SOME OF MY CONCERNS WITH THIS PROGRAM.
YOU MENTIONED IN YOUR OPENING STATEMENT THAT YOUR OBJECTIVE IS NOT TO USE TECHNOLOGY TO ISSUE MORE CITATIONS.
I'M PARAPHRASING NOW, BUT TO USE TECHNOLOGY TO EDUCATE RESIDENTS ON POTENTIAL VIOLATIONS AND PROVIDE RESOURCES TO HELP THEM BY PUTTING THE QR CODE FOR THE HOUSING SOURCES ON THE PAGE, THAT'S GREAT.
BUT THE PROBLEM IS THERE'S NO RESOURCES THERE THAT PROVIDE FINANCIAL HELP AT THIS POINT.
SO THERE'S THE DALLAS TOMORROW FUND.
I JUST CHECKED WITH THE DIRECTOR.
THERE'S NO FUNDING FOR THE MINOR REPAIRS RIGHT NOW.
THERE'S NO CONTRACT FOR THE MINOR REPAIRS, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND.
ALTHOUGH THEY'RE WORKING ON THAT.
FEEL FREE TO CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THE MAJOR SYSTEMS REPAIRS PROGRAM JUST CLOSED ON FRIDAY.
SO ANY RESIDENTS THAT GET NEW CITATIONS, WHERE CAN THEY GO FOR HELP? THOR ERICKSON: HI.
THOR ERICKSON, DIRECTOR OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT.
YOU ARE CORRECT THAT THE DALLAS TOMORROW FUND IS NOT CURRENTLY OPEN, THAT PROGRAM HAS ALWAYS BEEN A REFERRAL-BASED PROGRAM THAT WE WORK IN CLOSE CONCERT WITH CODE.
WE'RE CURRENTLY CONDUCTING THE CASH ANALYSIS TO UNDERSTAND FROM THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF, HOW MUCH MONEY HAS BEEN RAISED.
SO WE KNOW EXACTLY HOW MANY PEOPLE WE CAN BE SERVING.
THAT FUND GENERATES FUNDS FROM EACH CODE VIOLATION.
IT TYPICALLY EARNS ABOUT $100,000, $150,000 A YEAR, WHICH ALLOWS US TO SERVE ABOUT 10 TO 12 PEOPLE.
AND SO THE HISTORY OF THAT PROGRAM HAS BEEN TO USE THREE TO FOUR YEARS OF FUNDING TO BE ABLE TO OPEN THAT UP FOR REFERRALS, AND THEN HELP PEOPLE WITH CODE VIOLATIONS.
AND WHILE OUR HIP PROGRAM DID CLOSE FOR APPLICATIONS WITH VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA, ANYBODY WHO APPLIED TO THAT PROGRAM WHO MIGHT HAVE A CODE VIOLATION CAN STILL BE SERVED IN THAT MEANS.
IT JUST DOESN'T MEAN THAT ANYBODY HAS A CODE VIOLATION THAT COMES UP, HAS A CURRENT PROGRAM THAT COULD BE A REFERRAL BASIS INTO HOME REPAIR.
SO WE DO TACKLE CODE VIOLATIONS IN THE HOME REPAIR PROGRAM.
CHAD WEST: THE BOTTOM LINE THAT RIGHT NOW IS IF SOMEBODY RECEIVES A CITATION, THEY NEED TO FIX UP THEIR HOUSE, OR THEY'RE GOING TO GET FINED.
THERE'S NOT A CITY RESOURCE AVAILABLE FOR THEM.
THOR ERICKSON: NOT A CITY RESOURCE.
BUT THERE ARE OTHER RESOURCES, DEPENDING ON THE AGE OF THE HOMEOWNER AS WELL AND CURRENT STATUS.
THERE'S REFERRALS THAT WE CAN MAKE.
OUR FINDHELP.ORG PLATFORM COLLECTS RESOURCES FROM ACROSS OUR REGION.
THERE ARE A VARIETY OF NONPROFITS THAT DO OFFER SOME HOME REPAIR SERVICES, DEPENDING ON THE SITUATION.
BUT YOU'RE CORRECT, THERE'S NOT A CITY RESOURCE DEDICATED TO CODE VIOLATIONS OPEN AT THIS TIME.
CHAD WEST: ARE WE AWARE OF THE VIOLATIONS WE'RE GIVING OUT, HOW MANY ARE SINGLE FAMILY HOMEOWNERS? THE LAST DATA I HAD WAS FROM THE SEPTEMBER MEMO, WHERE I'M NOT SURE HOW MANY THERE WERE, BUT THERE WERE QUITE A FEW VIOLATIONS.
CHRIS CHRISTIAN: COUNCIL MEMBER WEST, I DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION HERE WITH ME TODAY.
BUT WHAT I WILL SAY IS THAT FORMAL ENFORCEMENT AND CITATIONS RELATED TO CODE VIOLATIONS REPRESENT LESS THAN 1% OF THE WORK THAT WE ACTUALLY DO, OUR WORK IS ABSOLUTELY, AND MY EXPECTATION OF THIS DEPARTMENT IS ABSOLUTELY TO LEAD WITH A CUSTOMER SERVICE-CENTRIC APPROACH, EDUCATION FIRST, HELPING FOLKS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE CODE VIOLATION IS, WHAT THEY CAN DO TO BRING IT INTO COMPLIANCE.
I UNDERSTAND THERE MAY BE CHALLENGES WITH THE FINANCIAL PIECE AND AN INABILITY TO COME INTO COMPLIANCE AT TIMES, AND THAT'S WHERE WE AS CODE OFFICERS AND CODE DEPARTMENT HAVE SOME DISCRETION AND LATITUDE TO WORK WITH OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO TRY TO ACHIEVE COMPLIANCE, EVEN IF THAT'S IN-HOUSE US OFFERING ABATEMENT SUPPORT ASSISTANCE OR DOORS PROGRAMS THAT HE JUST GOT THROUGH TALKING ABOUT.
BUT AT THE CRUX OF IT ALL IS, IT'S NOT THE CITY'S RESPONSIBILITY TO MAINTAIN PRIVATE PROPERTY.
AND SO IF WE'RE IN A PLACE WHERE WE'RE SAYING WE WANT TO PAUSE CODE COMPLIANCE BECAUSE WE HAVE RESIDENTS THAT HAVE NEEDS AND WE HAVE AN INABILITY TO BRING THEIR PROPERTIES INTO COMPLIANCE, THEN I THINK IT PUTS US IN A VERY DANGEROUS PLACE AS A CITY, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES TO TAKE ON THAT RESPONSIBILITY, AND NEIGHBORHOODS AND QUALITY OF LIFE STILL NEED REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE AND PROPERTY COMPLIANCE.
AND SO WE HAVE TO DO BOTH, WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO DO BOTH.
[00:30:01]
USE DISCRETION, EDUCATION, EMPATHY TO WORK WITH PROPERTY OWNERS.BUT WE ALSO ABSOLUTELY NEED TO ACHIEVE COMPLIANCE.
CHAD WEST: I DON'T DISAGREE WITH YOU, AND I THINK YOUR POINT'S WELL TAKEN.
I THINK THIS IS A BALANCING ACT, AND ON ONE HAND, YOU HAVE EMBRACED AI, YOU'VE EMBRACED TECHNOLOGY.
YOUR REACH IS GREATLY EXPANDED.
AND WE'RE COLLECTING A LOT OF GREAT DATA.
CHRIS CHRISTIAN: AND SO ONE THING-- CHAD WEST: LET ME FINISH, PLEASE.
THE QUESTION IS, WHAT ARE WE USING THAT DATA FOR? RIGHT NOW, YOU GUYS, I'M SURE ARE NOT MISUSING IT.
I BELIEVE YOU HAVE GOOD INTENT.
YOU MIGHT NOT BE OR YOU MIGHT BE PROMOTED AND DOING ANOTHER JOB IN SIX MONTHS, WE MIGHT HAVE A COMPLETELY NEW TEAM.
HOW DO WE HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE, WHEN 68% OF THE CITATIONS HAVE GONE TO AREAS WHERE TRADITIONALLY AFRICAN-AMERICAN IN THE CITY.
AND WE HAVE ROLLED OUT THIS PROGRAM WITHOUT ANY TYPE OF CITY RESOURCES TO HELP THEM? I DON'T BELIEVE WE NEED TO FIX EVERY PROBLEM FOR EVERY RESIDENT.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT, BUT WE'VE ROLLED OUT A PROGRAM THAT IS GREATLY ENHANCING CODES REACH AND NOTHING TO MITIGATE THAT.
SO I GUESS WHAT'S THE CHECK AND BALANCE ON THIS PROGRAM? CHRIS CHRISTIAN: THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION, COUNCIL MEMBER WEST.
I'LL START AND I'LL SEE IF JEREMY WANTS TO CHIME IN AND ASSIST A LITTLE BIT.
BUT I'LL TELL YOU, WE'VE HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT CREATING A TIERED SYSTEM OF THE DETECTION DATA THAT WE'RE RECEIVING.
AND SO YOU HAVE THINGS THAT ARE A HIGH PRIORITY, ABSOLUTE HEALTH AND SAFETY, LIFE HAZARD, IT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
WE'LL CALL THAT TIER ONE, PRIORITY ONE.
THEN WE HAVE TIER TWO, A STANDARD OF, IT'S A NUISANCE.
WE PROBABLY SHOULD ISSUE A COURTESY NOTICE AND SEE IF WE CAN ACHIEVE VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE.
AND THEN WE HAVE A TIER THREE OR A PRIORITY THREE, WHERE THIS IS A MINOR ISSUE, MINOR PEELING PAINT ON THE FRONT FASCIA OF A PROPERTY, IS IT A CODE VIOLATION? YES, IT IS.
IS IT A HEALTH AND SAFETY IMPACT? IS IT A SIGNIFICANT QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUE TO THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY? PROBABLY NOT.
WE PROBABLY SHOULDN'T EVEN BE COMMUNICATING ON THAT.
WE PROBABLY SHOULD MONITOR THAT, SEE IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT GETS WORSE OVER TIME, AND THEN SEE IF WE NEED TO APPROACH IT THROUGH OUR FORMAL PROCESS OR THROUGH ACTUALLY ISSUING A COURTESY NOTICE.
AND SO JEREMY AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THAT.
AND ADDITIONALLY, WE HAVE WRITTEN A POLICY ABOUT THE ACCEPTABLE USE, RETENTION TRAINING REQUIREMENTS FOR THE USE OF THE SYSTEM, HOW THE SYSTEM IS TO BE USED, AND THAT POLICY IS ALSO BEING ROLLED OUT PROBABLY BY THE END OF THE WEEK AS WELL.
AND SO TRAINING, POLICY, AND THEN A TIERED SYSTEM OF HOW WE RESPOND TO THE DATA THAT WE'RE RECEIVING.
CHAD WEST: I'D LOVE TO SEE THAT WHEN THAT'S ROLLED OUT, IF YOU COULD SEND THAT.
CHAD WEST: AND I'LL END ON THIS BECAUSE I KNOW I'VE TAKEN A LOT OF TIME.
I DO LIKE THE NUISANCE ABATEMENT PORTION OF THIS, AND THE GRAFFITI, THE PROACTIVE OUTREACH WHERE THE CITY WILL THEN GO IN AND ABATE THE NUISANCE.
I THINK THAT THE ILLEGAL DUMPING, THAT SEEMS TO BE PRETTY GREAT TOO.
AND THEN I WOULD JUST SAY, ARE WE INSPECTING OUR OWN PROPERTIES? ARE ALL THE MANY CITY-OWNED PROPERTIES THAT ARE AROUND THE CITY GETTING INSPECTED? AND WHERE CAN WE SEE THOSE RESULTS? CHRIS CHRISTIAN: YES, SIR.
SO WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR PROPERTY MAINTENANCE, AT LARGE, THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE CITY.
AND SO WHEN I SAY RESPONSIBLE, I MEAN, RESPONSIBLE FOR IDENTIFYING IT AND ENSURING THAT IT'S BEING RESOLVED OR IT'S GETTING SENT TO THE APPROPRIATE PARTIES.
AND SO FOR CITY OF DALLAS-OWNED PROPERTIES, THE PROPERTY MAINTENANCE RESPONSIBILITY LIES WITH THE OWNING DEPARTMENT.
AND SO WHICHEVER CITY DEPARTMENT OWNS THE PROPERTY, THEY'RE THE DEPARTMENT THAT'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MAINTENANCE AND UPKEEP OF THAT PROPERTY OUTSIDE A SMALL CONTINGENT OF PROPERTIES THAT HOUSING OWNS, THAT CODE COMPLIANCE MAINTAINS ON THEIR BEHALF, AND THEY REIMBURSE US FOR THAT MAINTENANCE.
WE DO, ABSOLUTELY, IDENTIFY PROPERTY CONDITIONS AT CITY OF DALLAS-OWNED PROPERTIES.
WE IDENTIFY THE OWNER OF THAT PROPERTY, JUST LIKE WE DO WITH PRIVATE PROPERTY, AND WE REACH OUT TO THAT DEPARTMENT'S HEAD, LEADERSHIP, MAKE THEM AWARE OF THE CONDITION, TELL THEM THAT IT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
AND WE TYPICALLY FOLLOW IT THROUGH TO RESOLUTION AS WELL.
IF IT'S A NUISANCE ABATEMENT TYPE OF ISSUE, ILLEGAL DUMPING OR TIRES, WE MAY CODE COMPLIANCE GO AHEAD AND GO ADDRESS IT.
EVEN THOUGH WE DON'T OWN PROPERTY OUTSIDE OF THE BUILDINGS THAT WE OFFICE OUT OF, WE WILL GO MAINTAIN IT AND THEN SOME INSTANCES TRY TO SEEK REIMBURSEMENT OR INVOICE THE OWNER AND CITY DEPARTMENT FOR OUR WORK.
ZARIN GRACEY: THANK YOU, CHAIR WEST.
ADAM BAZALDUA: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PRESENTATION, AND, OF COURSE, FOR Y'ALL'S WORK.
A LOT OF THE CONCERNS MR. WEST HAS ALREADY BROUGHT UP.
BUT YOU MENTIONED, I WANT TO ASK SIMILAR QUESTION, BUT ABOUT DISD PROPERTIES.
CHRIS CHRISTIAN: SO THE SAME WE DO IDENTIFY ISSUES WITH THOSE.
[00:35:01]
THE DIFFERENCE IS WITH DISD AND SOME OF OUR OTHER PARTNERS, WE CAN ISSUE A NOTICE OF VIOLATION.WHAT WE'VE TRIED NOT TO DO IS ISSUE CITATIONS.
WE'VE TRIED TO WORK WITH THEM CLOSELY TO GET THOSE ISSUES RESOLVED THROUGH OUR NOTICE, EDUCATION, AND OUTREACH PROCESS, JUST LIKE WE DO WITH PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF DALLAS.
AND TYPICALLY, THAT HAS BEEN EFFECTIVE.
NOW, IF WE SEE A RECURRING ISSUE THAT CONTINUES TO HAPPEN ON A DART PROPERTY OR DISD PROPERTY, THEN WE MAY REQUEST THEY SIT DOWN WITH THE HIGHER LEVEL EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP OF THOSE DEPARTMENTS TO TALK ABOUT WHAT WE'RE SEEING AND WHAT KIND OF RECURRING MAINTENANCE PLANS ARE THEY ABLE TO PUT IN PLACE TO KEEP THOSE PROPERTIES MAINTAINED.
ADAM BAZALDUA: AS MUCH AS I APPRECIATE PROFESSIONAL COURTESY, I THINK THAT IT GOES A LITTLE BIT FAR AND BEYOND WITH WHAT WE ALLOW OTHER TAX ENTITIES TO GET AWAY WITH.
I'D LIKE TO SEE AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST OF MAYBE OVER THE PAST YEAR NOTICES OF VIOLATIONS FOR ANY OF OUR TAX ENTITY PARTNERS, INCLUDING DART AND DISD.
I'D LIKE TO SEE A TIMELINE ASSOCIATED WITH HOW THOSE WERE REMEDIED.
I WILL SAY THAT A LOT OF MY CONCERN, ESPECIALLY WITH JUST AS YOU'VE MENTIONED, AND I'M GLAD YOU DID PUT THAT LITTLE CAVEAT IN, AS YOU MENTIONED, THAT IT'S ALSO WHAT YOU DO WITH THE PRIVATE RESIDENCES.
I BELIEVE THAT THERE'S A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A COURTESY THAT'S GIVEN, AND IT'S ALSO SHOVED UNDER THE RUG TO THE POINT THAT WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT RESIDENTS IN SOUTH DALLAS, SPECIFICALLY, WHO OFTEN FEEL THAT CODE IS HARASSING.
I DON'T NECESSARILY GO THAT DIRECTION.
BUT IT'S HARD TO BREAK THAT PERCEPTION AND HAVE THE OPINION THAT I HAVE ON WHAT CODE IS DOING, WHEN THEY CAN LOOK AROUND THE CORNER OR AROUND THE BLOCK AND SEE THAT DISD NEVER GETS HELD ACCOUNTABLE.
THE PROFESSIONAL COURTESY IS ONE THING, BUT MASKING A LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY FOR PROFESSIONAL COURTESY, TO ME, IS WHAT HAS KEPT A LOT OF BLIGHTED PROPERTIES THROUGHOUT SOUTHERN DALLAS SPECIFICALLY.
AND WE HAVE TO HOLD THESE PARTNERS ACCOUNTABLE.
WE HAVE TO BE ACCOUNTABLE AS WELL, BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU SAID THAT IT'S WITH THE OWNING JURISDICTION, WHATEVER DEPARTMENT OWNS THE LAND, CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, IT'S ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE FOR THERE TO BE ANY LACK OF CONSISTENCY ON HOW THESE PROPERTIES ARE DEALT WITH.
I DON'T CARE WHO THE DEPARTMENT HEAD IS.
I DON'T CARE WHO THE DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT IS, WE SHOULD HAVE A STANDARD IN OUR CITY.
AND WE SHOULD LET THE RESIDENTS KNOW THAT STANDARD IS CONSISTENT ACROSS THE CITY.
THAT'S NOT WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW.
SO I APPLAUD THE WORK THAT YOU ALL DO.
BUT I THINK THAT WHAT IT IS THAT I'M BRINGING UP RIGHT NOW, WHAT CHAIRMAN WEST BROUGHT UP AS WELL, ARE THINGS THAT REALLY PREVENT US FROM BEING ABLE TO HIGHLIGHT THE GOOD WORK THAT YOU ALL DO, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT LEADING BY EXAMPLE.
AND WE'RE NOT WILLING TO LEAD BY EXAMPLE.
WE'RE NOT WILLING TO HOLD OTHER TAX ENTITIES WHO SHOULD BE LEADING BY EXAMPLE ACCOUNTABLE.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE SHOULD BE STARTING BECAUSE IT STARTS FROM THE TOP.
AND SO WE CAN'T CONTINUE TO PUSH THE ONUS ONTO OUR RESIDENTS, AND FOR THEM TO FEEL THAT THERE'S THIS UNDUE BURDEN THAT HAS BEEN PUT ON THEM, IF WE'RE NOT WILLING TO TAKE CARE OF THINGS OURSELVES.
CHRIS CHRISTIAN: POINT NOTED, COUNCIL MEMBER BAZALDUA.
HEARD AND YOU WILL RECEIVE THE INFORMATION THAT YOU REQUESTED.
LAURA CADENA: SO CHRIS, DOES THIS ALSO INCLUDE BUSINESSES OR VACANT PROPERTY AS WELL? CHRIS CHRISTIAN: YES, MA'AM, IT DOES.
LAURA CADENA: BECAUSE I KNOW WE HAVE AN OLD BATCH PLAN IN WEST DALLAS THAT HAS HAD ISSUES, AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S CAUGHT ANYTHING THERE, AND SOME OTHER PROPERTIES THAT HAVE HAD I GUESS, SQUATTERS OR SOME OTHER ISSUES.
AND SO THAT'S WHY I ASK, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WE HAVEN'T HEARD SPECIFICALLY.
CHRIS CHRISTIAN: YES, MA'AM, IT DOES.
AND IF YOU COULD SEND MY OFFICE THE ADDRESS TO THOSE SPECIFIC PROPERTIES, WE'RE HAPPY TO DO A REVIEW OF WHAT THE SYSTEM HAS DETECTED AND JUST EVEN LOOK AT OUR FORMAL CODE NOTES AND SEE IF WE HAVE ANY OPEN CASES, ANYTHING THAT'S PENDING.
AND WE'LL GET YOU AN UPDATE ON THOSE AS WELL.
LAURA CADENA: AND THEN I SEE THAT THE SAMPLE HERE IS IN ENGLISH.
DOES IT ALSO INCLUDE SPANISH AS WELL? CHRIS CHRISTIAN: OUR COURTESY NOTICES? YES, MA'AM.
THEY WILL BE IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH.
LAURA CADENA: AND THE QR CODE, I WOULD ALSO ASK BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF SENIORS IN MY DISTRICT, MAYBE TO INCLUDE AN EMAIL OR PHONE NUMBER AS WELL, BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE HAVE DIFFICULTY WITH TECHNOLOGY.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THE WEBSITE THAT THIS LINKS GOES TO A SPANISH PAGE AS WELL.
CHRIS CHRISTIAN: I DO NOT BELIEVE IT DOES.
IT GOES TO THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT RESOURCE PAGE.
I DO BELIEVE THAT PAGE IS IN ENGLISH, BUT CONCERN'S HEARD.
I WILL TALK TO THOR AND THAT TEAM ABOUT THE PAGE DYNAMIC AND SEE IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY CAN DO IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH, I'M NOT SURE.
AND WE WILL MAKE THOSE ADJUSTMENTS TO OUR NOTICE AS WELL, THE EMAIL, THE PHONE
[00:40:03]
NUMBER, AND THEN THE POTENTIAL SPANISH VERSION AS WELL.LAURA CADENA: I THINK WHAT ALSO MAY BE HELPFUL.
AND I DIDN'T HEAR IT, BUT MAYBE Y'ALL ARE DOING IT BECAUSE I KNOW OUR CODE OFFICERS DO GO TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, BUT MAYBE EVEN TALKING ABOUT THIS, SPECIFICALLY THIS NEW PROGRAM, SO PEOPLE ARE AWARE ABOUT THE NOTIFICATION WHEN Y'ALL DO RESTART, BECAUSE A LOT OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE VERY INVOLVED IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND CAN HELP GET THE WORD OUT AS WELL.
AND IF THERE'S ANY SOCIAL MEDIA OR GRAPHICS THAT OUR OFFICES CAN SHARE, I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL BECAUSE IT CAN GET SCARY TO JUST TO GET THIS NOTIFICATION OUT OF THE BLUE.
CHRIS CHRISTIAN: I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU SAYING THAT.
AND WE APPRECIATE YOU ALL'S PARTNERSHIP IN THIS.
AND I WILL SAY THAT THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE HAS ALREADY ASKED US TO DO THAT.
AND SO THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN INITIATED IN OUR DEPARTMENT.
ALL OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETINGS THAT WE ATTEND, WE ATTEND ABOUT 01,200, 1,400 MEETINGS A YEAR.
AND SO WHEN WE'RE OUT AT THOSE MEETINGS, OUR PLAN IS TO TALK ABOUT THIS PROGRAM, THE USES OF THE TECHNOLOGY, HOW WE USE IT, ABOUT THE COURTESY NOTICES, AND JUST LIKE YOU SAID, TO JUST MAKE PEOPLE MORE COMFORTABLE WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING AND WHY WE'RE DOING IT.
LAURA CADENA: I THINK JUST THAT LITTLE EXTRA STEP ABOUT THIS PIECE WOULD BE GREAT BECAUSE YOU ALL DO A GREAT JOB OF TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE TOP VIOLATIONS THAT WE HAVE.
I KNOW IN MY DISTRICT THEY CALL QUITE FREQUENTLY THEIR LOCAL CODE OFFICERS.
SO I THINK JUST THIS ONE LITTLE EXTRA PIECE WOULD BE SUPER HELPFUL.
AND THEN MY OTHER QUESTION IS JUST, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE HIGHEST TYPES OF VIOLATIONS? MAYBE I MISSED IT.
THOR ERICKSON: IF I MAY REAL QUICK, THE FINDHELP.ORG SITE IS IN ALL LANGUAGES THAT ARE ACCESSIBLE ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE.
SO ANY RESIDENT NEEDING A SPECIFIC LANGUAGE ON OUR HOME PAGE, WHEN THEY'RE ON THERE, THEY CAN SELECT THEIR LANGUAGE.
AND THAT PAGE IS TRANSLATED INTO MULTIPLE LANGUAGES FOR LANGUAGE ACCESS IN THE CITY.
JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE WAS AWARE OF THAT.
AND TO YOUR QUESTION ABOUT THE HIGHEST VIOLATION TYPES, IT MIRRORS WHAT OUR TRADITIONAL CODE DATA HAS ALWAYS TOLD US HOW WEEDS AND LITTER, VEGETATION OBSTRUCTION, ILLEGAL DUMPING, JUNK MOTOR VEHICLES, ACCESSORY OUTSIDE STORAGE, THOSE ARE PRETTY MUCH THE HIGHEST DETECTED VIOLATIONS.
AND THAT'S THE SAME DATA THAT WE'VE HAD ACROSS SEVERAL YEARS OF CODE COMPLIANCE DATA.
LAURA CADENA: THANK YOU SO MUCH.
PAUL RIDLEY: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
I'M INTERESTED IN HOW THIS SYSTEM ACTUALLY WORKS IN PRACTICE.
SO AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THERE ARE TWO MAIN COMPONENTS OF THIS SYSTEM.
ONE IS THE CAMERAS MOUNTED ON THE SANITATION TRUCKS.
THE OTHER IS THE AI, THE COMPUTERS THAT TAKE THE INITIAL REVIEW OF THOSE CAMERA IMAGES.
SO I TAKE IT THAT THE CAMERAS CAPTURE BOTH SIDES OF THE STREET ON THE ROUTE, THAT THE SANITATION TRUCK IS PURSUING, AND THAT'S CONTINUOUS VIDEO FEED.
IS THAT CORRECT? CHRIS CHRISTIAN: IT'S STILL PHOTOS THAT ARE BEING TAKEN.
RAPID SUCCESSION, STILL PHOTOS.
AND THEN THAT IS SOMEHOW TRANSMITTED TO AN AI SYSTEM.
WHERE IS THAT SYSTEM? IS THAT IN YOUR DEPARTMENT? OR IS THAT IN ITS? CHRIS CHRISTIAN: COUNCIL MEMBER RIDLEY, THANK YOU FOR THOSE QUESTIONS.
THE CEO IS HERE, AND MAY I ASK HIM TO COME DOWN AND ADDRESS THAT QUESTION.
HE'S ACTUALLY IN THE AUDIENCE.
GAVIN BAUM-BLAKE: I'M GAVIN BAUM-BLAKE, CEO AND CO-FOUNDER OF CITY DETECT.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
THE ACTUAL AI, I GUESS, WOULD LIVE IN A CLOUD-BASED INSTANCE WITHIN THE UNITED STATES.
PAUL RIDLEY: SO WHAT IS YOUR COMPANY'S ROLE IN THIS PROGRAM? GAVIN BAUM-BLAKE: SO WE'RE ACTUALLY THE VENDOR OF RECORD.
SO WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CAMERAS, AS WELL AS THE AI ITSELF.
CHRIS CHRISTIAN: HOW DOES IT WORK? HOW DOES IT WORK, WHEN THE STILL PHOTOS, AND IT SENDS IT TO THE SYSTEM? GAVIN BAUM-BLAKE: SO THE CAMERAS ARE GOING TO TAKE A PICTURE, AND THEN IT WILL USE COMPUTER VISION, WHICH IS A FORM OF AI, TO ASSESS WHAT HAS BEEN REFLECTED IN THAT ACTUAL IMAGE.
SO IF THAT'S A TIRE THAT'S PRESENT, THAT'S NOT WHERE IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE, IT WILL REFLECT THAT, AND IT WILL SEND THAT IMAGE TO THE PLATFORM WHERE A MEMBER OF STAFF IS ABLE TO REVIEW IT.
PAUL RIDLEY: SO I ASSUME THAT YOU SERVE OTHER COMMUNITIES BESIDES DALLAS WITH YOUR SYSTEM.
IS THAT CORRECT? GAVIN BAUM-BLAKE: YES, SIR.
PAUL RIDLEY: SO HOW DO YOU CONFORM YOUR SYSTEM
[00:45:02]
TO IDENTIFY POTENTIAL CODE VIOLATIONS IN EACH CITY, PARTICULARLY, FOCUSING ON DALLAS, BECAUSE PRESUMABLY, OUR CODE REQUIREMENTS MAY BE DIFFERENT THAN OTHER MUNICIPALITIES? GAVIN BAUM-BLAKE: THANK YOU.AND THAT'S AN IMPORTANT DISTINCTION.
IN THE VAST MAJORITY OF COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, THEY'RE ACTUALLY USING SIMILAR CODE BASES.
SO IF IT'S FASCIA THAT NEEDS PAINT OR IF IT'S A TARP, THAT'S ON THE ROOF OR IT'S OVERGROWN VEGETATION, THERE MIGHT BE SOME ELEMENTS OF VARIABILITY.
BUT FOR THE MOST PART, THEY'RE LARGELY THE SAME FORMS OF CONCERN.
PAUL RIDLEY: THE AI SYSTEM THAT YOU OPERATE FLAGS POTENTIAL CODE VIOLATIONS, WHAT HAPPENS TO THOSE AT THAT POINT? GAVIN BAUM-BLAKE: ONCE AN ISSUE OR A DETECTION IS MADE, IT WILL THEN BE ROUTED TO THE RELEVANT CITY STAFF.
AND AT THAT POINT, THAT CITY STAFF MEMBER WILL GO IN AND MAKE A DETERMINATION, WHETHER IT REQUIRES FURTHER ABATEMENT.
PAUL RIDLEY: SO AT THAT POINT, YOUR COMPANY AND YOUR INVOLVEMENT CEASES ON THOSE PARTICULAR IMAGES, ONCE YOU TRANSMIT THE POTENTIAL CODE VIOLATIONS TO THE MUNICIPALITY.
WE'RE NOT INVOLVED IN THE ACTUAL ENFORCEMENT OPERATION.
PAUL RIDLEY: SO ONCE YOU RECEIVE THOSE POTENTIAL CODE VIOLATION IMAGES, WHO REVIEWS THEM ON YOUR STAFF? CHRIS CHRISTIAN: SO IT'S GOING TO BE LICENSED CODE STAFF IN MY DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE REVIEWERS SET UP IN ALL OF OUR CODE DISTRICTS.
SO MANAGERS, SUPERVISORS, OUR EXECUTIVE TEAM, WE ALL HAVE ACCESS.
WE WOULD GO IN AND LOOK AT THOSE POTENTIAL OBSERVATIONS.
TYPICALLY, WHAT THE SYSTEM PROVIDES US IS AN IMAGE AND WHAT IT BELIEVES TO BE THE CODE ISSUE IN THAT PHOTO.
AND SO WE WOULD LOOK AT THE PHOTO ITSELF, WE WOULD REVIEW THOSE NOTES, AND THEN WE WOULD SEE IF WE SEE THE SAME THING THAT THE AI IS TELLING US THAT IT SAW.
AND IF WE DO, THEN OUR LICENSE CODE STAFF WOULD CHECK A BOX THAT SAY, WE HAVE REVIEWED.
AND WE AGREE WITH WHAT THE SYSTEM HAS PROVIDED US.
AND THEN AT THAT POINT, WE HAVE SEVERAL OPTIONS.
HOW BIG IS THE CONCERN? WHAT TYPE OF CONCERN IS IT? DO WE ISSUE A COURTESY NOTICE? DOES THIS CONCERN REQUIRE ANY ACTION AT ALL OR NO ACTION RIGHT NOW? MAYBE IT'S SOMETHING WE JUST MONITOR THROUGH SUBSEQUENT DETECTIONS TO SEE IF IT'S IMPROVING OR GETTING WORSE.
OR DO WE ACTUALLY CREATE A SERVICE REQUEST AND START OUR TRADITIONAL FORMAL ENFORCEMENT PROCESS? PAUL RIDLEY: SO DO YOU HAVE DEDICATED PERSONNEL THAT DO NOTHING BUT LOOK AT THESE REPORTS FROM THE VENDOR? OR IS IT PEOPLE WHO JUST DO THIS AS AN INCIDENTAL PART OF THEIR NORMAL JOB DUTIES? CHRIS CHRISTIAN: WE DO HAVE A FEW DEDICATED STAFF WHO ARE LOOKING AT THESE OBSERVATIONS AND REVIEWING AND DETERMINING WHAT THE NEXT STEPS ARE FOR THE DATA EVERY DAY.
AND THEN WE DO HAVE SOME THAT REVIEW INCIDENTALLY AS WELL.
PAUL RIDLEY: SO DO THEY UNDERGO ANY SPECIALIZED TRAINING TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES INVOLVED IN THIS AUTOMATED SYSTEM? CHRIS CHRISTIAN: SO THE SPECIALIZED TRAINING WOULD BE THEIR CODE ENFORCEMENT LICENSE TRAINING.
SO THE TEST THAT THEY PASS FOR THE STATE, BECAUSE THEY'RE LOOKING AT APPLICATION OF THE CODE, INTERPRETATIONS OF THE CODE.
AND SO THEY'RE ALREADY TRAINED TO DO THAT.
OUR OFFICERS ARE ALL TRAINED TO DO THAT.
BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ADDING AS SOON AS THIS WEEK IS GOING TO BE TRAINING ON THE WRITTEN POLICY THAT WE'VE JUST CREATED AND WILL BE ISO-ING IN OUR DEPARTMENT FOR THE APPROPRIATE USE AND APPLICATIONS OF THE SOFTWARE.
WE'RE GOING TO BE TRAINING ON THAT.
AND SO THAT WILL BE A REQUIREMENT, AND WE'LL BE OFFERING THAT AS WELL.
PAUL RIDLEY: SO HOW OFTEN DO DOES A REVIEW OF THE REPORT FROM THE VENDOR TURN UP FALSE POSITIVES? CHRIS CHRISTIAN: NOT VERY OFTEN.
IF I HAD TO PUT A PERCENTAGE ON IT, DO YOU KNOW THE PERCENTAGE RIGHT OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD? JEREMY REED: THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION, COUNCIL MEMBER.
BUT LIKE WHAT CHRIS HAS, NOT A HIGH PERCENTAGE, BUT QUITE A BIT.
WHAT CHRIS WAS SAYING WAS THAT OFFICER THEN GETS TO DECIDE, DO I AGREE WITH THAT? IT'S AS SIMPLE AS IT'LL GIVE A LIST OF POTENTIAL VIOLATIONS LIKE IT MAY SAY PEELING PAINT, TIRE IN THE YARD, OVERGROWN WEEDS.
IT'S AS SIMPLE AS CLICKING AN X ON THE OVERGROWN WEEDS AND SAYING, I DON'T REALLY AGREE WITH THAT, I CLICK THE X.
ONE, IT TAKES IT OFF THE LIST OF WHAT IS CAPTURED UNDER THAT PARTICULAR REVIEW, BUT IT ALSO SENDS FEEDBACK INFORMATION BACK INTO THE AI SYSTEM TO HELP IT CONTINUALLY IMPROVE.
[00:50:02]
PAUL RIDLEY: OH, SO IT'S A SYSTEM THAT CONTINUOUSLY LEARNS FROM THE RESPONSES FROM CODE OFFICIALS.JEREMY REED: AS I UNDERSTAND IT, YES.
PAUL RIDLEY: IS THAT CORRECT? GAVIN BAUM-BLAKE: YES, THAT'S CORRECT.
PAUL RIDLEY: SO IF THE CODE OFFICIAL RECEIVES A REPORT WITH A PHOTOGRAPH THAT SAYS, TIRES IN THE FRONT YARD.
AND THE CODE OFFICIAL SEES NONE, THAT'S A FALSE POSITIVE.
AND THEN THAT FEEDBACK GOES BACK TO YOUR SYSTEM, IS THAT CORRECT? GAVIN BAUM-BLAKE: THAT'S CORRECT.
PAUL RIDLEY: SO THAT IT LEARNS TO BE MORE DISCERNING ABOUT IDENTIFYING WASTE TIRES.
PAUL RIDLEY: SO LOOKING AT SLIDE 20 IN THAT FIVE-STEP PROCESS, WHERE DOES THE COURTESY NOTICE GET ISSUED? CHRIS CHRISTIAN: SORRY.
AND SO THE COURTESY NOTICE WOULD BE A SECOND PART OF THE STAFF REVIEW.
SO THE FIRST STEP STAFF REVIEW, IF STAFF DETERMINES THAT THERE IS AN ISSUE, AND WE AGREE WITH IT, AND WE FEEL THAT IT'S APPROPRIATE THAT WE SEND THE RESIDENT A COURTESY NOTIFICATION TO OFFER THEM THIS INFORMATION AND GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO VOLUNTARILY COMPLY THE VIOLATION, IT WOULD HAPPEN AT THAT FIRST STEP.
PAUL RIDLEY: SO THAT HAPPENS BEFORE THE FIELD VERIFICATION? CHRIS CHRISTIAN: YES, SIR.
THE COURTESY NOTICE IS ACTUALLY TO PREVENT A FIELD VERIFICATION, IF POSSIBLE.
PAUL RIDLEY: SO WHAT TRIGGERS THE FIELD VERIFICATION, IF YOU'VE ALREADY SENT OUT THE COURTESY NOTICE? CHRIS CHRISTIAN: THE ISSUE IS SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH.
AND IT'S CONTINUED TO GO UNRESOLVED.
PAUL RIDLEY: SO IF YOU GET SUCCESSIVE IMAGES REPORTED BY THE VENDOR FROM SUBSEQUENT PASSES BY THE SANITATION TRUCK SHOWING THE SAME CONDITION, THAT'S WHAT WOULD TRIGGER A FIELD VERIFICATION.
CHRIS CHRISTIAN: THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS OUTSIDE OF JEREMY'S STAFF JUST SEEING AN ISSUE SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH THAT IT SHOULD MOVE TO FIELD VERIFICATION FROM THE START.
PAUL RIDLEY: SO FOLLOWING THE FIELD VERIFICATION, THE NEXT STEP IS COMPLIANCE PROCESS.
IF THE FIELD INSPECTOR CONFIRMS A VIOLATION, THE NORMAL NOTICE PROCESS APPLIES.
CHRIS CHRISTIAN: THAT IS CORRECT.
PAUL RIDLEY: AND HOW IS THAT DIFFERENT FROM THE COURTESY NOTICE? CHRIS CHRISTIAN: OUR NORMAL NOTICE IS A FORMAL ENFORCEMENT NOTICE OF VIOLATION.
IT TELLS YOU WHAT THE VIOLATION IS.
IT ALSO GIVES YOU A COMPLIANCE TIMELINE THAT, IF NOT MET, COULD LEAD TO A CITATION WHEN WE COME BACK TO REINSPECT, AND THE ISSUE IS NOT RESOLVED.
TYPICALLY, HOW WE MANAGE THAT PROCESS, WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH PROPERTY OWNERS AND THE RESIDENTS.
FOR EXAMPLE, LET'S SAY, IT'S OVERGROWN VEGETATION OR GRASS.
AND WE GO OUT AND WE ISSUE OUR FORMAL NOTICE OF VIOLATION, AND WE GIVE THE PROPERTY OWNER SEVEN DAYS TO CORRECT THAT VIOLATION.
WE WOULD, BASICALLY, SET UP A RE-INSPECTION FOR THAT SEVENTH OR EIGHTH DAY.
AND WE WOULD GO BACK TO SEE IF THE GRASS WAS INDEED CUT AND THE PROPERTY WAS BROUGHT BACK INTO COMPLIANCE.
IF NOT, AT THAT VISIT, OUR OFFICER HAS THE ABILITY TO ISSUE A CITATION.
AND WE CAN REFER IT TO OUR OWN IN-HOUSE NUISANCE ABATEMENT TEAM, WHO COULD THEN GO OUT AND MOW THE GRASS AND LEAN THE PROPERTY FOR THOSE CHARGES.
BUT IF THE PROPERTY OWNER SPOKE TO OUR OFFICER, CALLED, OR SENT AN EMAIL AND SAID, HEY, GOT YOUR NOTICE, I'M OUT OF TOWN.
I'M ACTUALLY GOING TO BE GONE UNTIL ONE DAY AFTER THE COMPLIANCE DATE.
CAN YOU GIVE ME ONE ADDITIONAL WEEK, AND I'LL HAVE THE GRASS CUT? WE WOULD ABSOLUTELY EXTEND THE DEADLINE FOR AN ADDITIONAL WEEK.
ALLOW THEM TO CUT THE GRASS THEMSELVES AND NOT ISSUE A CITATION.
PAUL RIDLEY: SO SLIDE 30 INDICATES THAT YOU HAVE TO DATE ISSUED 2,928 COURTESY NOTICES.
THAT SEEMS LIKE A HUGE INCREASE IN YOUR WORKLOAD.
AND PRESUMABLY, YOU GET A LOT OF PHONE CALLS IN RESPONSE TO THOSE COURTESY NOTICES FROM THE AFFECTED PROPERTY OWNERS.
ARE YOUR SYSTEMS, YOUR PHONE SYSTEMS, YOUR CALL RESPONSE SYSTEMS SUFFICIENT TO FIELD ALL OF THE ADDITIONAL CALLS THAT YOU'RE PRESUMABLY GETTING FROM THIS SYSTEM? CHRIS CHRISTIAN: THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION, COUNCIL MEMBER RIDLEY.
WE HAVEN'T REALLY EXPERIENCED A LARGE INFLUX OF PHONE CALLS RELATED TO THE COURTESY NOTICES.
WE'VE RECEIVED SOME, BUT NOT ANYTHING UNMANAGEABLE WITHIN OUR INTERNAL STAFF AT THIS POINT.
OUR GOAL WITH THE COURTESY NOTICE IS TO CAPTURE WHAT HAS BEEN IN DALLAS, HISTORICALLY, A 80% VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE RATE.
AND SO WE TALKED ABOUT THIS DURING BUDGET AND WHEN WE WERE TRYING TO MOVE THIS PROGRAM ACROSS THE FINISH
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LINE.OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE PROPERTY OWNERS AWARE OF A CONDITION, AND FOR PROPERTY OWNERS TO RESOLVE THAT CONDITION VOLUNTARILY WITHOUT ANY ADDITIONAL COMMUNICATION OR A FIELD INSPECTION FROM CODE COMPLIANCE.
THAT HAPPENS 80% OF THE TIME WITH OUR FORMAL NOTICE PROCESS.
AND SO WHAT WE WERE HOPING IS THAT 80% VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE RATE TRANSLATES INTO THIS COURTESY NOTICE PROGRAM.
SO IF WE ISSUED 3,000 OR LET'S JUST USE AN EASY ROUND NUMBER, IF WE ISSUED 10,000 COURTESY NOTICES IN A MONTH, THEN WE WOULD HOPE AND EXPECT THAT 8,000 OF THOSE COURTESY NOTICES WOULD POTENTIALLY BE RESOLVED VOLUNTARILY BY OUR RESIDENTS WITHOUT ANY ADDITIONAL VISIT OR FOLLOW-UP FROM CODE COMPLIANCE.
NOW, WHAT WE DO KNOW IS POTENTIALLY 20% OF THOSE VIOLATIONS COULD REQUIRE AN ACTUAL FIELD VERIFICATION AND FOLLOW-UP PROCESS FROM CODE.
BUT SHOULD THE CITY NOT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT 80% VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE THAT WE COULD CAPTURE USING THIS TECHNOLOGY, DECISION OF THIS BODY.
PAUL RIDLEY: SO DO YOU KEEP ANY METRICS ON WAIT TIMES FOR YOUR PHONE SYSTEM? HOW LONG CONSTITUENTS HAVE TO WAIT ON THE PHONE BEFORE THEY CAN TALK TO A HUMAN? CHRIS CHRISTIAN: WE DO NOT.
OUR OPERATION IS NOT SET UP LIKE A CALL CENTER.
WE DON'T HAVE THE TRACKING SOFTWARE AND THE THINGS THAT THEY USE TO TIME CALLS, TIME WAIT TIMES.
WE'RE NOT SET UP IN THAT WAY IN CODE COMPLIANCE.
IT'S A TRADITIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE OFFICE.
WHAT ALL OF OUR CODE DISTRICTS HAVE ARE OFFICE ASSISTANTS WHO FILL PHONE CALLS THAT COME INTO THAT OFFICE EVERY DAY, ALL DAY.
THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY DO.
AND WE DO HAVE THAT AT EVERY CODE COMPLIANCE.
PAUL RIDLEY: HAVE YOU HEARD ANY COMPLAINTS FROM PEOPLE WHO SAY THEY HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME GETTING THROUGH TO A HUMAN BEING ON THE PHONE? CHRIS CHRISTIAN: RARE.
BUT SINCE WE DID HEAR THAT AND A COUPLE OF CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAD RELATED TO COURTESY NOTICES, THAT'S WHY WE'RE ADDING ADDITIONAL CONTEXT TO THE COURTESY NOTICES THAT WILL BE GOING OUT IN THE FUTURE.
ZARIN GRACEY: COUNCIL MEMBER ROTH.
YOU'RE THE CAMERA VENDOR AND THE AI VENDOR? GAVIN BAUM-BLAKE: YES, SIR.
WILLIAM ROTH: WHAT'S YOUR COMPANY CALLED? GAVIN BAUM-BLAKE: WE'RE CALLED CITY DETECT.
WILLIAM ROTH: WHAT IS IT? GAVIN BAUM-BLAKE: CITY DETECT.
ARE YOU RELATED AT ALL TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE DOING THE FLOCK CAMERAS FOR US? GAVIN BAUM-BLAKE: WE HAVE NO AFFILIATION.
WE DON'T DO LICENSE PLATE READING.
WE'RE NOT A POLICE COMPANY AT ALL.
WILLIAM ROTH: WHO HAS ACCESS TO THE INFORMATION, ALL THESE PICTURES THAT ARE BEING TAKEN? CHRIS CHRISTIAN: SO FOR US, COUNCIL MEMBER, THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION, WE HAVE ABOUT 32 PEOPLE WHO HAVE ACCESS TO THE SYSTEM RIGHT NOW.
AND THAT'S BOTH CODE COMPLIANCE AND SANITATION.
IT'S OUR ENTIRE EXECUTIVE TEAM AND MANAGERS AND SUPERVISORS FROM ALL OF OUR CODE OFFICES.
AND THEN ON THE SANITATION SIDE, IT'S THE DIRECTOR AND HIS ASSISTANT DIRECTORS.
WILLIAM ROTH: DO ANY THIRD PARTIES OR OUTSIDE ENTITIES OR AGENCIES OR LAW ENFORCEMENT OR ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION? GAVIN BAUM-BLAKE: OUTSIDE OF THIS VENDOR, NO, SIR.
WILLIAM ROTH: DO YOU HAVE RESPONSIBILITY OR REQUIREMENTS TO PROVIDE ANY INFORMATION TO OTHER THIRD PARTIES? GAVIN BAUM-BLAKE: NO, WE DON'T SHARE ANY INFORMATION WITH OUTSIDE AGENCIES, ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
WE AREN'T PERMITTED TO SELL THE DATA, SHARE THE DATA, OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
WILLIAM ROTH: ON THE CAMERAS THAT ARE ON THE TRUCKS, THAT'S JUST ON THE BRUSH AND BULK TRUCKS.
THOSE ARE ONLY GOING ON THE STREETS.
ARE THEY'RE NOT GOING IN THE ALLEYS AT THIS POINT? GAVIN BAUM-BLAKE: THAT'S CORRECT.
GAVIN BAUM-BLAKE: THAT'S CORRECT.
WILLIAM ROTH: WHERE IT SAYS ON 30, WHERE WE'VE GOT THE 5,000 OBSERVATIONS THAT WERE REVIEWED, THERE WAS 5,000 PICTURES THAT YOU LOOKED AT, IS THAT CORRECT? CHRIS CHRISTIAN: THAT'S CORRECT.
THOSE REVIEWS CONSTITUTE AN OFFICER ACTUALLY REVIEWED THE DETECTION AND THE NOTES AND MADE A DETERMINATION IN THE SYSTEM.
WILLIAM ROTH: AND HOW MANY PICTURES ARE DONE IN A PERIOD? WAS THIS A ONE MONTH? IS THIS A TEST CASE? WHAT I'M TRYING TO WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET AT IS WHAT'S THE REAL VOLUME OF STUFF THAT THAT'S REALLY HAPPENING? IT SEEMED TO ME THAT YOU'D HAVE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PICTURES.
HOW DO YOU IDENTIFY WHICH ONES TO REALLY LOOK AT?
[01:00:01]
CHRIS CHRISTIAN: SO THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION, ACTUALLY.AND TO YOUR POINT, THERE HAVE BEEN MILLIONS OF PHOTOS, 30,000, 40,000 OF OBSERVATIONS.
WHAT THIS REPRESENTS IS WHAT WE HAVE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW AND MAKE A DETERMINATION ON.
THE SECOND PART OF YOUR QUESTION IS, HOW DO WE PRIORITIZE THAT? HOW DO WE KNOW WHAT TO LOOK AT, ALL THIS DATA THAT WE'RE GETTING IN? AND THAT'S WHERE THE BLIGHT SCORE CAME IN, THAT HAS NOW BEEN REFINED TO AN IMAGE INDEX.
THAT IS THE TOOL THAT WE USE INTERNALLY TO DETERMINE HOW SOON WE NEED TO PUT EYES ON SOMETHING.
AND SO IMAGE INDEX COMES IN 1, 2, 3, AND 4.
FOUR BEING SOMETHING THAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE MORE CONCERNING AND SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD PUT EYES ON, FAIRLY QUICKLY.
AND THEN IT TEARS DOWN FROM THERE.
SO 4 BEING GREATEST, 3 BEING NEXT GREATEST, 2 BEING LESS, 1 BEING THE MOST LEAST.
AND SO TYPICALLY, WITH THE DATA THAT WE GET, OUR TEAMS WILL START WITH THE 4'S AND THE 3'S.
AND WE WILL LOOK AT OBSERVATIONS THAT HAVE AN IMAGE INDEX OF A 4 OR IMAGE INDEX OF A 3.
AND THEN MAKE A DETERMINATION ABOUT THOSE REVIEWS.
SOME THINGS THAT MAY BE A 2 OR A 1 MAY TAKE LONGER TIME FOR US TO GET TO.
AND OBVIOUSLY, WHEN WE GET TO THOSE THINGS, THEY WILL PROBABLY BE SMALLER ISSUES THAT WE CAN FOLLOW AND MONITOR WITHOUT ANY FORMAL CODE COMPLIANCE ACTION AT ALL.
AND SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, WE FOCUS ON THE 4'S AND 3'S.
WILLIAM ROTH: AND SO DOES THE AI COMPONENT OF YOUR SERVICE HELP-- IS THAT WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT, IS THAT THE SERVICE THAT REALLY PARCELS THIS OUT INTO THOSE DIFFERENT FOUR BUCKETS? IT ALLOWS YOU THEN TO SAY, OK, THESE ARE THE PRIORITY, LESS PRIORITY, NO ACTION.
SO THE SERVICE AND THE TECHNOLOGY THAT YOU'RE PROVIDING IS PROVIDING THAT ELIMINATION PROCESS AS PART OF THAT SERVICE.
HIS TECHNOLOGY INDEXES THE IMAGES FOR US.
WILLIAM ROTH: AND SO WHAT PREVENTS US FROM-- WHAT I'M REAL CONCERNED ABOUT IS THAT THIS BECOMES AN AUTOMATED SYSTEM THAT JUST GETS GENERATED COURTESY NOTICES EVERY TIME, BECAUSE I CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE HOW YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE REVIEWING THIS THING FROM A PHYSICAL STANDPOINT, WHEN THIS IS REALLY UP AND RUNNING AND WORKING.
TO ME, AND AGAIN, MAYBE I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE DOING, BUT YOU'RE GETTING THOUSANDS OF THESE NOTICES, PICTURES THAT WOULD BE IN THE VARIOUS, PROBABLY, ACTIONABLE ITEM, HIGH WEEDS STUFF, THAT'S JUST TYPICAL STUFF.
THAT'S GOING TO COME TO YOU IMMEDIATELY.
YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE LOOKING AT THESE PICTURES, I WOULD THINK.
AND IT JUST SEEMS TO ME THAT THE LOGICAL PROGRESSION ON THIS IS TO SAY, WE GOT TOO MANY PICTURES.
LET'S JUST START SENDING COURTESY NOTICES, IF IT'S IN BUCKET ONE AND BUCKET TWO.
AND I'M REAL CONCERNED ABOUT THE POLICY, THE PROCEDURE, WHERE THIS IS GOING TO GO IN AN ACTUAL OPERATION.
AND AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU CAN ADDRESS THAT NOW, BUT I SEE THIS AS GETTING TO BE, WE GOT A PICTURE.
THE NEXT THING IS WHEN THE PICTURE COMES, THE NOTICE GETS SENT AUTOMATICALLY.
AND THEN WHEN PEOPLE START COMPLAINING, THEN SOMEBODY ANSWERS THE PHONE.
I'M JUST CONCERNED THAT THERE SHOULD BE SOME POLICIES, GUARDRAILS, AND THAT YOU GUYS NEED TO THINK ABOUT HOW YOU'RE GOING TO ADDRESS THAT.
JEREMY REED: THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER.
I WANT TO SPEAK ON THAT REAL QUICK.
AND I THINK MR. BAUM-BLAKE HAS A COMMENT.
AND I WILL SAY THAT THAT WON'T EVER HAPPEN.
IT WILL NEVER BE TO WHERE THE SYSTEM THINKS THERE IS A CONDITION, AND THEN THAT ENDS UP WITH AN ACTION TAKEN.
OUR COMMITMENT IS TO HAVING A HUMAN IN THE LOOP IN LINE WITH THE CITY'S NORMAL AI POLICY.
OUR POLICY IS GOING TO STATE THAT AS WELL.
AND WE ARE NOT GOING TO CHANGE THAT.
ANYTHING THAT THE COMPUTER VISION SOFTWARE CUES US INTO A POTENTIAL CONCERN, THERE WILL ALWAYS BE A HUMAN DECIDING, FIRST, DO I AGREE THAT THAT CONCERN WAS ACTUALLY ACCURATE TO BEGIN WITH? AND THEN DOES THAT POTENTIALLY ACCURATE CONCERN WARRANT ONE OF THE MULTIPLE OPTIONS THAT WE HAVE TO PURSUE IT? WILLIAM ROTH: AND I'D LIKE TO RECOMMEND TO OUR CHAIR THAT WE REVIEW THE PROCESS, REVIEW HOW THIS THING IS WORKING
[01:05:02]
WITHIN A REASONABLE PERIOD OF TIME SO THAT WE CAN SEE WHAT KIND OF ISSUES WE'RE HAVING, WHAT KIND OF COMPLAINTS WE'RE HAVING, WHAT KIND OF EFFECTIVENESS WE'RE HAVING.AND AGAIN, I THINK THIS IS AN INTERESTING IDEA TO HELP YOU ALL GET CODE ENFORCEMENT.
BUT I DON'T WANT IT TO BE USED AS A-- I WANT IT ON THE EGREGIOUS STUFF.
I DON'T WANT THIS TO BECOME A PENALTY-DRIVEN ISSUE THAT BECOMES A BURDEN TO OUR CITIZENS OVER SILLY THINGS.
IF IT'S RAINING, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE TRUCK GOES BY AND YOU HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO CUT THE GRASS, THEY'RE GETTING NOTICES.
OR IF SOMEBODY DOES SOMETHING MINOR, I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO BE BURDENED BY THE CITY BY SENDING OUT MULTIPLE NOTICES TO LOTS OF PEOPLE ON STUFF THAT REALLY IS NOT ACTIONABLE OR NOT SERIOUS.
ANYWAY, GO AHEAD, AND IF YOU WANT TO RESPOND.
CHRIS CHRISTIAN: I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR THOSE COMMENTS, AND LET YOU KNOW THAT WE HEAR YOU.
AND I DON'T DISAGREE WITH YOU.
GAVIN BAUM-BLAKE: AND JUST ONE POINT OF CLARIFICATION TO RESPOND, THANK YOU, ALSO, THOSE ARE VERY THOUGHTFUL QUESTIONS.
AND JUST AS A HIGHLIGHT ON THE ACTUAL TECHNOLOGY ITSELF, WE ARE JUST A SOFTWARE COMPANY.
WE DON'T PURPORT TO BE A CODE ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT.
AND SO PART OF WHAT IS INTERNAL TO OUR COMPANY ETHOS IS MAKING SURE THAT THERE IS A HUMAN IN THE LOOP, BECAUSE THE PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY KNOW THE COMMUNITIES THE BEST ARE THESE CODE COMPLIANCE DEPARTMENTS AND SANITATION.
AND SO THERE IS NO ABILITY FOR A DETECTION TO MOVE FORWARD IN THE PROCESS WITHOUT A HUMAN ACTUALLY MAKING THAT DECISION.
THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE VERY EMPATHETIC, WHO KNOW THESE COMMUNITIES, WHO KNOW THESE RESIDENTS.
AND AS AN INSTITUTION, WE HAVE SET THAT SAFEGUARD.
IT'S NOT ABLE TO ACTUALLY MOVE FORWARD.
IT'S REQUIRED TO ACTUALLY HAVE A REVIEWER WHO PUTS THEIR STAMP ON SOMETHING BEFORE IT MOVES FORWARD IN THE ABATEMENT PROCESS.
WILLIAM ROTH: I APPRECIATE THAT.
THE OTHER THING, THE LAST COMMENT IS THAT AS PART OF OUR REVIEW OF THIS PROCESS, I WOULD LIKE THERE TO BE SOME KIND OF AN AUDIT OF THE TECHNOLOGY, THE ACTUAL PICTURES, BECAUSE I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT INFORMATION IS BEING BLURRED, THAT INFORMATION IS BEING RESTRICTED AND REDACTED.
AND IF IT'S NOT, WE NEED TO GET TO YOU TO FIX YOUR SOFTWARE AND MAKE SURE IT'S WORKING.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHO DOES THAT.
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU CAN DO THAT, BUT IT NEEDS TO BE SOMEBODY, A THIRD-PARTY AUDITOR OR SOMEBODY IN YOUR DEPARTMENT TO REALLY CONFIRM THAT THE PRIVACY ISSUE, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME, IS ADDRESSED PROPERLY.
CHRIS CHRISTIAN: YES, SIR, COUNCIL MEMBER, THANK YOU FOR THOSE COMMENTS.
AND I WILL SAY, DURING OUR REVIEW PROCESS, IF WE SEE AN IMAGE THAT'S NOT BLURRED, THAT SHOULD BE BLURRED, WE IMMEDIATELY SEND THAT OVER TO THE VENDOR AND TALK TO THEM AND GET THAT CORRECTED, AND THEN GET THE DEFAULT ADDRESSED IN THEIR SYSTEM.
AND THEN I KNOW IT'S PROBABLY SOMETHING ELSE YOU WANT TO ADD.
GAVIN BAUM-BLAKE: SO OUR BLURRING TECHNOLOGY, WE BLUR BOTH FACES AS WELL AS LICENSE PLATES.
AND ACTUALLY, WE JUST ROLLED OUT A FURTHER TECHNOLOGY TO BE ABLE TO BLUR AN ENTIRE PERSON.
SO YOU CAN'T EVEN SEE WHAT THEY'RE WEARING OR YOU CAN'T SEE COLOR OR ANYTHING ABOUT THE PERSON.
AND WE HAVE 99% ACCURACY ON THOSE BLURS.
AND THERE IS EASY FUNCTIONALITY WITHIN THE WEB PLATFORM TO BE ABLE TO REPORT IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN MISSED, BECAUSE THAT'S A POSSIBILITY FOR SOMETHING TO FALL WITHIN THAT 1%.
BUT UPON THAT HAPPENING, WE CAN RERUN IT THROUGH THE BLURRING AND CONTINUE THERE.
CARA MENDELSOHN: THANK YOU, WELL, I'M GOING TO START OFF BY SAYING CONGRATULATIONS.
EVERYTHING I'VE SEEN IN THIS PRESENTATION AND WHAT YOU'VE SHARED AND THE ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE SIGNED UP FOR, IT'S WHAT YOU TOLD US YOU WOULD DO.
AND IT SEEMS LIKE THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT'S HAPPENING.
SO IT SOUNDS LIKE A VERY SUCCESSFUL ROLLOUT, ACTUALLY.
THE SECOND THING I WANT TO SAY, I LIKE HOW YOU STARTED OUT WITH SAYING, THIS IS ABOUT PRIVACY, FAIRNESS, AND HOW IT'S USED, THAT THAT'S WHAT THE PRESENTATION WAS.
AND I CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND WHY PEOPLE HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT ALL OF THAT.
AND SO I THINK IT'S REALLY GOOD THAT WE HAVE THIS PRESENTATION, ALTHOUGH ALL OF THOSE THINGS WERE CONSIDERED BEFORE WE PURCHASED THIS SOFTWARE AND IMPLEMENTED IT.
AND I THINK, ACTUALLY, THE IMPLEMENTATION WENT A LITTLE BIT SLOWER THAN EXPECTED BECAUSE OF THOSE ISSUES.
AND SO I LIKE THAT WE HAVE STAFF COMING BACK TO US WITH VERY WELL
[01:10:01]
THOUGHT OUT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES TO GO AHEAD AND IMPLEMENT IT THE WAY IT WAS INTENDED.SO I JUST WANT TO ASK YOU THIS QUESTION.
THE CAMERAS, WOULD YOU SAY THEY'RE IMPARTIAL? CHRIS CHRISTIAN: THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.
I WOULD ABSOLUTELY SAY THAT THE CAMERAS ARE IMPARTIAL.
THEY JUST OBSERVE AND REPORT WHAT THEY OBSERVE.
CARA MENDELSOHN: AND YOU'VE LOADED IN WHAT THE CITY CODE IS.
AND IT'S EVALUATING AN IMAGE BASED ON WHAT OUR OWN CITY CODE IS.
CORRECT? GAVIN BAUM-BLAKE: THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION, COUNCILOR.
SO BASICALLY WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE IDENTIFYING WHETHER OR NOT A SPECIFIC VIOLATION EXISTS.
IN THE VAST MAJORITY OF LOCALITIES, THAT'S GOING TO BE SIMILAR.
SO IF IT'S AN OVERGROWN LAWN, IT WILL BE AN OVERGROWN LAWN.
AND THAT WILL MATCH UP DIRECTLY TO CITY OF DALLAS OR THAT HAS BEEN LINED UP TO CITY OF DALLAS CODE.
CARA MENDELSOHN: AND IT'S THE SAME STANDARDS ACROSS THE CITY.
WE DON'T HAVE DIFFERENT STANDARDS FOR DIFFERENT AREAS.
CHAPTER 27-11 OF THE CITY CODE, MINIMUM PROPERTY STANDARDS APPLIES TO THE ENTIRE CITY.
HAVE YOU CONSIDERED IN THE COURTESY NOTICE LISTING SOME OF THE NONPROFITS THAT PEOPLE MIGHT BE ABLE TO TURN TO FOR HELP? CHRIS CHRISTIAN: WE HAD NOT, BUT NOTED.
WE ARE CONTINUING TO REFINE THAT NOTICE.
AND IF THAT'S SOMETHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE ADDED, THEN WE CAN ABSOLUTELY ADD THAT.
CARA MENDELSOHN: WELL, THE DALLAS AREA AGENCY ON AGING GIVES OUT, I BELIEVE, A $5,000 GRANT TO BE ABLE TO HELP WITH THAT.
REBUILDING TOGETHER, OF WHICH I AM THE FORMER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, DOES IT FOR FREE FOR PEOPLE, IF THEY'RE ACCEPTED.
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY MOSTLY DOES INSIDE THE HOUSE, BUT ALSO WILL DO OUTSIDE THE HOUSE.
CORNERSTONE HAS THEIR SHALOM BUILDERS PROGRAM.
THESE ARE ALL OTHER PLACES BEYOND THE CITY THAT PEOPLE CAN LOOK TOWARDS.
I WILL SAY, I DO NOT THINK IT IS A CITY'S RESPONSIBILITY TO FIX PEOPLE'S CODE VIOLATIONS.
THAT'S PART OF HOME OWNERSHIP IS MAINTAINING YOUR HOME.
AND I LOVE THAT WE HAVE PRESERVATION PROGRAMS. WE NEED TO PRESERVE, ESPECIALLY OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND I THINK WE, FINALLY, GOTTEN THAT PROGRAM WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE BY USING AN OUTSIDE VENDOR.
BUT WE CAN'T FUND THE REMEDIATION OF EVERY CODE VIOLATION.
THAT WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE ON OUR BUDGET.
THERE IS A COMMENT MADE ABOUT THE VOLUME OF NOTICES AND PERHAPS EVEN CITATIONS, YOU'RE GOING TO GIVE.
BUT WOULDN'T YOU SAY THAT A PERSON SITTING AT A COMPUTER CAN VIEW AN IMAGE MUCH FASTER THAN A PERSON WHO'S HAVING TO GO HOUSE TO HOUSE TO HOUSE? CHRIS CHRISTIAN: THAT'S OUR THOUGHTS.
AND THEN ALSO SAVES THE CITY MONEY ON GAS, VEHICLE MAINTENANCE, ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS AS WELL.
SO THAT'S THINGS THAT WE NOTED IN ROLLING OUT THIS PROGRAM.
CARA MENDELSOHN: AND SO THEORETICALLY, YOU WOULD NEED LESS OFFICERS ONE DAY.
I MEAN, THAT WOULD BE THE GOAL IS THAT EVERYBODY WOULD TAKE CARE OF THEIR PROPERTY, AND IT WOULD BE LESS OF A FINANCIAL HIT FOR THE CITY TO EVEN DO CODE COMPLIANCE, BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE JUST GOING TO MAINTAIN THEIR PROPERTY.
CHRIS CHRISTIAN: THAT WOULD BE AN AWESOME GOAL TO HAVE.
I HONESTLY DON'T KNOW IF WE EVER GET THERE, BUT THAT WOULD BE AWESOME TO NOT HAVE A NEED FOR CODE COMPLIANCE BECAUSE EVERYONE IS MAINTAINING THEIR PROPERTIES.
CARA MENDELSOHN: I DON'T WANT TO SAY ANY NEED, BUT THERE ARE ALSO CASES, I'M SURE, WHERE YOU ARE SEEING IMAGES.
AND IT'S ACTUALLY CAUSING CODE COMPLIANCE OFFICERS TO GO OUT TO VIEW IT-- CHRIS CHRISTIAN: THAT IS CORRECT.
CHRIS CHRISTIAN: THAT IS CORRECT.
CARA MENDELSOHN: SO BEFORE WE IMPLEMENTED THIS SOFTWARE, I WILL SAY, THERE WERE A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS AROUND THIS HORSESHOE ABOUT HOW WE NEED MORE CODE COMPLIANCE.
AND I WILL SAY THAT WHEN I LOOK AT THE 311 REPORT, CODE COMPLIANCE, IT'S THE NUMBER ONE THING BESIDES NEW TRASH CANS.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT OUR RESIDENTS CARE ABOUT.
IT IMPACTS PEOPLE'S PROPERTY VALUE, BUT ALSO THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE, AND ALSO SAFETY ISSUES.
I KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF ABANDONED POOLS AND ABANDONED HOUSES WHERE THERE ARE INFESTATIONS, THERE'S SQUATTERS, THERE'S POOLS THAT ARE GREEN AND BLACK THAT ARE CAUSING A MOSQUITO ISSUE, AND SOMETIMES, A SAFETY ISSUE IF CHILDREN ARE GOING IN THERE.
THERE WAS A CASE IN MY DISTRICT WHERE A HOUSE HAD BEEN ABANDONED AND THE CHIMNEY WAS VERY PRECARIOUS, CLEARLY GOING TO FALL DOWN.
AND NEIGHBORS ON EITHER SIDE WERE
[01:15:02]
WORRIED IT WAS GOING TO HIT THEIR HOUSE.THESE ARE REAL THINGS THAT PEOPLE NEED HELP DEALING WITH BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THE LEGAL RIGHT TO ADDRESS THEM.
THE OTHER THING I'LL SAY IS THIS, YOU HAVE DISCRETION.
YOU GAVE THE EXAMPLE THAT YOU COULD GIVE AN EXTRA WEEK FOR SOMEBODY WHO HADN'T MOWED.
BUT IF WE HAVE CODE ISSUES THAT WE DON'T THINK WE SHOULD ENFORCE, THEN WE SHOULD REPEAL THEM.
MR. ROTH WAS JUST SAYING THAT, WELL, I DON'T WANT TO HAVE A NOTICE SENT FOR A SMALL THING.
WELL, THEN WE SHOULDN'T HAVE THAT IN OUR CODE.
IF IT'S IN OUR CODE, WE SHOULD ENFORCE IT.
AND IF IT'S NOT APPROPRIATE TO BE IN THE CODE, LET'S REPEAL IT.
CHRIS CHRISTIAN: SO THAT IS A VERY IMPORTANT COMMENT.
I'M GLAD YOU MADE IT ACTUALLY, BECAUSE WE'RE IN A VERY TOUGH SPOT, ESPECIALLY WITH PROP S AND PROP U THAT BASICALLY SAYS, YOU HAVE TO ENFORCE FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL LAWS WITHIN YOUR JURISDICTION.
THERE'S A MUCH BROADER DISCUSSION AROUND JUST THE CITY CODE AND THE POLICIES THAT ARE IN IT THAT WE'RE CHARGED TO ENFORCE.
IF YOU WANT TO BUILD IN A SPECIFIC TYPE OF DISCRETION OR LATITUDE OR FLEXIBILITY, WE WOULD LOVE AND WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS WITH THIS BODY AND TO REALLY REFINE THE CODE IN A WAY THAT MAKES SENSE TO YOU, AND THAT WE CAN ENFORCE AND MAKE CLEAR TO THE RESIDENTS AS WELL.
AND THAT WOULD MAKE OUR JOB A LOT EASIER.
CARA MENDELSOHN: WELL, I'LL JUST SHARE THIS, THAT THE COMPLAINTS I'VE HEARD FROM PEOPLE WHO'VE GOTTEN A COURTESY NOTICE, MY FIRST QUESTION IS, WELL, DO YOU HAVE A CODE VIOLATION? IS THAT REAL? AND EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM SAID, YEAH.
AND I'M LIKE, OK, SO YOU'RE JUST MAD THAT THEY SENT YOU A LETTER, AND THEY'RE JUST ASKING YOU TO FIX IT.
AND SO IT'S THE SAME THING AS WHEN SOMEBODY WILL SAY, I GOT A PARKING TICKET FOR PARKING HEAD IN WHEN I'M SUPPOSED TO BE ALONG THE CURB WHEN THEY'RE IN LIKE A CUL-DE-SAC.
AND I'M LIKE, OK, BUT DO YOU KNOW YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE ALONG THE CURB? AND SO IF YOU GET A SPEEDING TICKET AND YOU ARE SPEEDING, THAT'S ACTUALLY JUST ENFORCEMENT OF OUR RULES.
IF WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE THE RULE, LET'S REPEAL IT.
BUT PLEASE RECOMMEND TO US ONES THAT YOU THINK ARE NOT NECESSARY.
BE HAPPY TO START HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
CARA MENDELSOHN: WELL, AND PERHAPS IT NEEDS TO BE THAT A CODE OFFICER DOES HAVE ONE WEEK DISCRETION ON HIGH WEEDS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
BUT I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO GET INTO THAT KIND OF GRAY AREA.
MAYBE IT'S JUST THIS IS THE RULE.
AND IF WE DON'T WANT THE RULE, LET'S GET RID OF IT.
BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY, REALLY, BACK TO THE FIRST COMMENT, CONGRATULATIONS.
YOU ROLLED OUT EXACTLY WHAT WE ASKED YOU TO DO.
AND THANK YOU TO EACH ONE ON THIS COMMITTEE.
I WANTED TO SPEND SOME TIME AND GIVE EVERYONE ENOUGH TIME TO SPEAK ON THIS BECAUSE OF THE SENSITIVITY SURROUNDING IT FROM THERE.
AND I ONLY HAVE REALLY A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, AND I DON'T THINK I HEARD.
AND CAN YOU JUST TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THE FINDINGS FROM THE TRUCK, THE IMAGES THAT ARE BEING CAPTURED, HOW DOES IT ALIGN WITH THE 311 SERVICE REQUEST? BECAUSE IN MY MIND, IF THEY ALIGN, IT IS SAYING, THE COMMUNITY ARE SPEAKING OUT ON THE 311 FINDINGS THAT THEY ARE EXPERIENCING IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND IF THE TRUCKS AND THE DATA ARE CAPTURING WHAT THEY ARE CONFIRMING, HOW DOES THAT ALIGN? AND ARE THERE ANY REPORTS OR ARE THERE ANY PLANS TO CREATE OR GENERATE A REPORT TO MR. ROTH'S POINT ABOUT A QUARTERLY REPORT OF SOME SORT TO SHOW THE DATA COMPARISON, TO SHOW THAT THIS IS DOING WHAT THE COMMUNITY IS ASKING FOR? AND IN SOME MOST, MANY OR NO CASE.
CHRIS CHRISTIAN: CHAIR GRACEY, THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION.
THANK YOU FOR ASKING THAT QUESTION, AND, ABSOLUTELY, WE COULD PREPARE A REPORT LIKE THAT FOR THIS BODY, QUARTERLY OR WHATEVER FREQUENCY YOU WANT.
BUT THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT SLIDE 29 DEPICTS.
IT DEPICTS WHAT THE CITY DETECT CAMERA VISION OBSERVATIONS ARE SEEING RIGHT NEXT TO OUR CODE COMPLIANCE SERVICE REQUEST MAP, THAT SHOWS US THE NUMBER OF SERVICE REQUESTS THAT CODE COMPLIANCE IS WORKING IN PARTICULAR AREAS OF THE CITY.
AND SO THE YELLOW, RED, AND ORANGE AREAS OF THE MAP CORRELATE ALMOST EXACTLY WITH WHERE WE'RE SEEING THE MOST 311 SERVICE REQUESTS FOR THESE SAME TYPES OF CONCERNS THAT THE CAMERAS ARE IDENTIFYING.
AND SO IT ABSOLUTELY LINES UP PERFECTLY WITH THE DATA THAT WE'VE HAD ON OUR PUBLIC DASHBOARD SINCE 2023.
THIS DATA IS READILY AVAILABLE.
THERE WAS A DALLAS MORNING NEWS ARTICLE THAT CAME OUT NOT TOO LONG AGO THAT TALKED ABOUT CODE COMPLIANCE CONCERNS, AND ALL OF YOUR COUNCIL DISTRICTS, SOME 50S, AND 60S,
[01:20:02]
OF THOUSANDS.THE NUMBER ONE CODE 311 SERVICE FOR ALL OF YOUR COUNCIL DISTRICTS WAS CODE COMPLIANCE SERVICE REQUESTS.
AND SO THE INFORMATION ABSOLUTELY LINES UP.
AND SO FOR US TO KEEP UP WITH THE DEMAND OF THE REQUESTS AND THE SERVICE REQUESTS THAT ARE COMING IN, THIS TECHNOLOGY ABSOLUTELY HELPS US TO BE MORE PROACTIVE, TO STAY AHEAD AND TO NOT GET BEHIND IN A TIME WHERE WE'RE ACTUALLY LOSING CODE STAFF.
OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS, WE'VE ACTUALLY LOST CODE STAFF, BUT THE DEMAND FOR OUR SERVICES HAS NOT GONE DOWN.
THE DEMAND FOR OUR SERVICES CONTINUES TO STAY THE SAME OR RISE.
AND SO YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO BALANCE THOSE TWO.
AND WE THINK THIS TECHNOLOGY HELPS US A LOT.
AND THANK YOU ALL FOR THE PRESENTATION.
SOME OF THE THINGS I HEARD FROM MY COLLEAGUES, JUST TO REITERATE, I THINK THERE WAS A QUESTION ABOUT THE RETENTION OF THE DATA AND FOR THE RECORDS, THAT'S THE CITY SECRETARY'S ISSUE.
THERE'S ALL TYPES OF REQUIREMENTS, LEGALLY, FROM A RECORDS RETENTION THAT CAN COME THROUGH FINANCE, AS WE TALK ABOUT WHAT THE REQUIREMENTS ARE AND WHY THEY EXIST FROM THERE.
I THINK HAVING PROPER CONTACT INFORMATION ON THE LETTERS TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE CAN ACTUALLY TALK TO A PERSON.
IF THEY ARE SHOOK BY THE LETTERS AND SCARED OR CONCERNED OR WHATEVER THE CASE, BEING ABLE TO TALK TO SOMEBODY IS GOING TO HELP.
AND THEN THE OTHER PIECE I HEARD SEVERAL TIMES WAS INCREASING THE AMOUNT OF INFORMATION FOR RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE, NOT JUST WHAT THE CITY OFFERS, BUT SOMEHOW GETTING WITH, I DON'T KNOW WHO THAT WOULD RUN THROUGH, BUT EXPANDING THE LIST OF RESOURCES, BOTH INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY SO THAT PEOPLE CAN KNOW WHAT IT IS.
AND TO SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES POINTS, THEY CAN STOP LEANING ON THE CITY TO DO CERTAIN THINGS WHEN THEY KNOW THAT THESE OTHER RESOURCES EXIST FROM THERE.
AND THEN WE TALKED ABOUT THE REPORT, RESIDENTIAL HEALTH, THE RESOURCE PAGE ENHANCED, COURTESY LETTER SOFTENED.
OH, AND THEN LEADING BY EXAMPLE, MAKING SURE THAT OUR PROPERTIES ARE IN COMPLIANCE AND AS WELL AS THE PARTNER ENTITIES ARE IN COMPLIANCE.
SO I THINK THOSE ARE ALL THE ITEMS THAT I PICKED UP FOR THE MOST PART, BUT THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS TO OUR ATTENTION.
CHAIR WEST BRINGING THIS FORWARD, SO THAT WE CAN GET SOME CLARITY BEHIND WHAT TYPE OF DATA IS BEING CAPTURED, HOW IT'S BEING USED FROM THERE.
AND SIR, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AS WELL.
WE'RE GOING TO TRANSITION NEXT.
AND I JUST WANT TO DO A LITTLE BIT OF HOUSEKEEPING AS WE TRANSITION.
WE HAVE A FINANCE COMMITTEE AT 11 O'CLOCK.
IT'S A SPECIAL CALL FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING.
SO I'M GOING TO TAKE A RECESS SO THAT CHAIR WEST CAN START, GET THAT MEETING STARTED, AND WE'LL COME BACK AND FINISH UP.
BUT WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THAT RECESS AT 11.
SO WHAT I WANT TO DO IS BRING KATIE UP TO BEGIN, TO START THE PRESENTATION.
AND THEN WE MAY PAUSE TO DO THE RECESS BEFORE WE TAKE QUESTIONS, AND THEN WE'LL KEEP MOVING.
AND WE HAVE KATIE SCHUCK WITH THE DALLAS FILM COMMISSION.
I'VE ASKED HER TO COME JUST FOR AN OVERVIEW.
AS WE TALK ABOUT JUST THE DIFFERENT THEMES THAT EXIST FROM A REVENUE PERSPECTIVE, ARE WE MISSING ANY REVENUE OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN THE FILM COMMISSION? WHAT IS THE FILM COMMISSION DO? AND HOW CAN WE PARTNER? SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU, AND, AGAIN, KEEP IN MIND, WE PRESSED FOR TIME.
BUT THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE THIS MORNING.
ZARIN GRACEY: THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.
I TALK ABOUT THIS ALL DAY LONG, AND I'D BE VERY HAPPY TO ELABORATE ON ANY OF THESE THINGS FURTHER, IF THERE ARE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.
BUT FOR THE SAKE OF TIME, LET'S BLOW THROUGH THIS PRESENTATION, WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
AND WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT ONE.
SO I AM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND FILM COMMISSIONER OF THE DALLAS FILM COMMISSION, WE ARE A DEPARTMENT OF VISIT DALLAS, SO WE ARE CURRENTLY HOUSED UNDER TOURISM.
IT'S AN INTERESTING PLACE FOR A FILM COMMISSION TO LAND, BUT I THINK WE DO A REALLY GOOD JOB WITH THE LEADERSHIP OVER THERE AND ATTRACTING PRODUCTIONS TO OUR WONDERFUL CITY.
WE ARE AN AFCI CERTIFIED FILM COMMISSION, SO WE HAVE ALL THE APPROPRIATE ACCREDITATIONS THAT ARE NEEDED FOR US TO OPERATE LIKE A FILM COMMISSION.
THIS IS A WORLDWIDE TRADE ORGANIZATION THAT GIVES OUT THOSE ACCREDITATIONS.
SO WE'RE COMPLETELY CERTIFIED TO BE DOING THIS WORK.
WE FUNCTION AS A LIAISON BETWEEN FILM PRODUCTION COMPANIES, THE COMMUNITY, AND OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, AND PERMITTING AUTHORITIES.
SO MOSTLY WHAT WE'RE DOING IS EDUCATION TO MAKE SURE THAT FILM COMPANIES ARE UTILIZING EVERY POSSIBLE RESOURCE THAT THEY CAN HERE IN DALLAS.
WE ALSO PROVIDE LOCATION ASSISTANCE AND COORDINATION WITH OUR LOCAL CREW MEMBERS HERE.
SO WE ARE OFFERING A LOT OF CREATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR THESE PRODUCTIONS TO BE ABLE TO FILM WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
CAN WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE?
[01:25:01]
SO WHAT IS IT THAT WE DO? THIS IS A QUESTION THAT WE GET THE MOST, PROBABLY.OUR NUMBER ONE GOAL IS ATTRACTING PRODUCTIONS TO DALLAS.
WE ARE BASICALLY AN EXTENSION OF A MARKETING TEAM AT VISIT DALLAS.
SO WE ARE REALLY TRYING TO ATTRACT AS MUCH OUTSIDE INVESTMENT TO THE CITY WITHIN THE FILM SECTOR.
SO THAT COULD LOOK LIKE PROVIDING DIFFERENT RESOURCES AT MANY DIFFERENT LEVELS.
IT'S OFFERING A LOT OF DIFFERENT VENDOR SERVICES, LOCATIONS, FILM-FRIENDLY CONNECTIONS FOR THESE PRODUCTIONS TO BE ABLE TO UTILIZE WHILE THEY'RE HERE IN DALLAS.
WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE.
WE DO A LOT OF PERMITTING EDUCATION, AND THIS IS MAKING SURE THAT OUR PRODUCTIONS UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PERMITTING PROCESS IS.
WE'RE THE FIRST CALL THAT PRODUCTIONS MAKE, SO WE REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE WELL-EDUCATED, KNOWING WHAT THE PROCESSES ARE, AS THEY COME INTO OUR COMMUNITIES.
I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT HERE TO ABRAHAM BERNAL, WHO IS THE PERMITTING COORDINATOR IN THE ARTS OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE.
HE IS INCREDIBLY WELL-LIKED BY OUR FILM COMMUNITY AND DOES AN EXCEPTIONAL JOB WITH PROVIDING THE SERVICE THAT HE DOES WHILE ISSUING THOSE PERMITS.
WE ALSO ARE HERE TO IDENTIFY FILM-FRIENDLY VENDORS.
THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE TALK ABOUT THE MOST WITH OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
THIS IS A WONDERFUL WAY TO GENERATE PASSIVE INCOME FOR MOST BUSINESSES AND FOR RESIDENTS.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I'D LOVE TO TALK TO THE CITY FURTHER ABOUT MAKING SOME OF OUR CITY ASSETS AVAILABLE TO FILMMAKERS.
IT'S A GREAT WAY FOR US TO GENERATE PASSIVE INCOME, BUT ALSO CREATE CAPITAL CAMPAIGNS FOR BEAUTIFYING SOME OF THESE SPACES.
PRODUCTIONS COME IN, AND THEY DO ALL SORTS OF WORK, LIKE PAINTING, PUTTING IN LANDSCAPING, ALL SORTS OF THINGS THAT THEY MIGHT NEED TO VISUALLY SEE THAT CAN HELP BEAUTIFY SOME OF OUR PROPERTIES.
WE ALSO, OF COURSE, ARE SUPPORTING ALL OF OUR LOCAL FILMMAKERS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE CREATING A SUSTAINABLE INDUSTRY HERE.
WE CAN MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO FILM-FRIENDLY LOCATIONS-- THIS IS EXACTLY THE THING THAT I WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT.
WE BASICALLY PITCH ALL SORTS OF SPACES THAT CAN BECOME CREATIVE SOLUTIONS TO FILM PRODUCTIONS.
SO THINK ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT YOU SEE IN YOUR FAVORITE MOVIE OR TV SHOW.
THOSE SPACES EXIST IN REAL LIFE, SO SOMEBODY HAS TO FIND THOSE PLACES.
SO WE'RE THE ONES THAT ARE GOING OUT THERE AHEAD OF TIME, VETTING SOME OF THESE SPACES AND MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN PITCH THEM TO THE PRODUCTIONS AS THEY COME IN.
SO THEY'RE ABLE TO HAVE MULTIPLE OPTIONS FOR WHICH THEY CAN FILM IN.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, THAT TRANSLATES TO US BY SHOWCASING SOME OF OUR BEST SPOTS IN THE CITY.
AND THAT'S REALLY SOMETHING THAT IS TIED TO THE FILM-INDUCED TOURISM THAT HAPPENS HERE, ATTRACTING VISITORS TO DALLAS.
SO OUR MOST RECENT PROGRAM IS THE SCREEN DALLAS PROGRAM.
IF YOU'RE NOT AWARE, DALLAS HAS BEEN NAMED AN ACADEMY QUALIFIED CITY.
WE'RE ONLY ONE OF SIX CITIES IN THE UNITED STATES THAT ALLOWS FOR COMPLETED FILMS TO SCREEN IN THAT DESTINATION AND THEN GET QUALIFIED FOR A NOMINATION FOR THE ACADEMY AWARDS.
SO THIS PROGRAM CAME OUT OF THAT DESIGNATION.
THAT HAPPENED LATE TWO YEARS AGO.
WE ARE NOW QUALIFYING ONE FEATURE LENGTH DOCUMENTARY FILM FOR THE ACADEMY AWARDS.
ACTUALLY, THIS IS A TPID-FUNDED PROGRAM.
SO THEY'RE UNDERWRITING THE COST OF THIS SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY DO THE QUALIFYING THAT ARE WITHIN COMPLIANCE OF THE ACADEMY GUIDELINES SO THAT WE CAN PROP UP DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKERS HERE.
THEY'RE TYPICALLY THE LEAST SUPPORTED FORMAT FOR ALL FILMMAKERS TO BE IN.
SO WE THOUGHT THIS WAS AN IMPORTANT WAY TO CREATE THIS TYPE OF AWARD.
WORKFORCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT-- CAN WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE? THANK YOU.
I REALLY WANT TO PRESS THIS FACT.
WE ARE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT DISGUISED AS TOURISM.
AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS THAT WHEN WE ATTRACT PRODUCTIONS TO DALLAS, THE NUMBER ONE THING THAT WE'RE TRACKING IS JOBS AND ECONOMIC SPEND.
THESE PRODUCTIONS ARE BASICALLY JUST THINK OF IT LIKE A HOT AIR BALLOON OF MONEY, AND THEY LAND, AND THEY DROP MONEY.
THE ENTIRE WORLD BUILD IS JUST THEM DUMPING FILM DOLLARS INTO LOCAL POCKETS TO CREATE WHAT THEY WANT.
AND THEN THEY PICK IT UP, IT'S ON WHEELS, AND THEY FLY AWAY.
IT'S THE BEST KIND OF INVESTMENT THAT WE COULD POSSIBLY HAVE.
THEY'RE HERE FOR A LIMITED AMOUNT OF TIME.
THEY DO RENT SOME ROOM NIGHTS, BUT THE MAJORITY ARE LOCALS THAT ARE BEING HIRED.
AND THIS IS A VERY HIGH WAGE PAYING, LOW BARRIER OF ENTRY INDUSTRY TO GET INTO.
IT'S ALSO MANY OF THE LARGER SHOWS ARE UNION PROTECTED SHOWS.
SO A LOT OF THOSE WORKERS HAVE UNION HEALTH BENEFITS, FRINGES, HEALTH INSURANCE, ALL OF THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
BUT WE DO HAVE A NUMBER OF NON-UNION PRODUCTIONS THAT HAPPEN.
AND THOSE GIG ECONOMY WORKERS ARE USUALLY
[01:30:04]
UTILIZING OTHER PROGRAMS, LIKE THE CREATIVE CARE TO GET THEIR HEALTH INSURANCE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.ONE OF THE GREATEST STATS THAT WE CAME ACROSS LAST YEAR IS ABOUT SET JETTING, WHICH IS ANOTHER COOL PHRASE THAT WE'RE CALLING FILM-INDUCED TOURISM NOW.
IT'S THAT 53% OF TRAVELERS SAY THAT THEIR DESIRE TO VISIT A DESTINATION IS INCREASED BY WHAT THEY SEE ON TELEVISION.
AND A SHOCKING 80% OF GEN Z AND MILLENNIALS ARE VISITING THOSE DESTINATIONS BASED SOLELY ON WHAT THEY SEE ON SCREEN.
SO WE RECOGNIZE THAT IF DALLAS IS SEEN IN A POSITIVE LIGHT ON SCREEN, THAT WE CAN ATTRACT VISITATION BY JUST BEING RECOGNIZED AS AN INCREDIBLE FILMING DESTINATION.
SO THIS IS TRUE, OF COURSE, THE SHERIDAN UNIVERSE THAT IS FILMING IN OUR BACKYARD ALL THE TIME.
WE'VE SEEN A NUMBER OF VISITORS THAT COME IN BECAUSE OF LANDMAN BEING RECOGNIZED AS THE DFW AREA.
A LOT OF DIFFERENT RESTAURANTS, HOTELS, BARS, PARKS, ATTRACTIONS ARE ALL BEING SOUGHT AFTER BECAUSE THEY WERE SEEN ON SCREEN.
SO IT'S A REALLY NICE EFFECT THAT IT'S HAPPENING THERE.
CAN WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE? OUR THREE WORKFORCE PILLARS ARE, OF COURSE, WORKFORCE.
WE WANT TO SEE AS MANY INDIVIDUALS TRAINED FOR ENTRY LEVEL WORK IN THIS INDUSTRY.
AGAIN, IT'S A VERY HIGH WAGE PAYING JOB, ONCE YOU GET INTO A TIER OF UNION SHIP.
THEY START AT $27.50 AN HOUR IS THE TYPICAL STARTING RANGE FOR THAT.
AND OF COURSE, THE MORE EXPERIENCE YOU HAVE, THE HIGHER YOUR WAGES ARE THERE.
WE ARE ESTABLISHING AN EXPERIENCED LOCAL CREW BASE WITH PATHWAYS INTO THOSE TRADE AND LABOR UNIONS.
WE HAVE INFRASTRUCTURE AS A MAJOR PILLAR FOR US.
WE ARE SEEING A LOT OF BUSINESSES THAT ARE ACTUALLY DEVELOPING SPACES TO BE UTILIZED FOR FILM PRODUCTION.
THEY ARE SPECIFICALLY WITHIN THE FILM SECTOR WHERE THEY ARE RENTING FILM GEAR OR VERY FILM-CENTRIC PRODUCTS.
FILM VENDORS AND SERVICES ARE ALSO GREAT FOR US FOR OFFERING THAT TYPE OF PRODUCTION SUPPORT, THAT WE CAN BASICALLY UPLIFT THIS INDUSTRY.
THE TEXAS MOVING IMAGE INDUSTRY INCENTIVE PROGRAM, WHICH WE ALL CALL TMIIIP FOR SHORT, IS A HUGE DRIVING FACTOR OF BRINGING PRODUCTIONS TO TEXAS.
SO THIS IS A 31% CASH GRANT THAT WAS JUST REVITALIZED.
THIS WAS SB 22 THAT I'M SURE YOU ALL HEARD ABOUT LAST YEAR THAT HAD PASSED.
IT'S COMPLETELY REVAMPED THE PROGRAM AND IS A MAJOR ATTRACTION SELLING POINT FOR US.
THE FEDERAL FILM INCENTIVE, IF THAT IS TO PASS BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR, WOULD BRING A 20% LABOR TAX CREDIT TO THE TABLE, MAKING TEXAS A 61% INCENTIVIZED STATE.
SO THIS WOULD BE HUGE NOT ONLY FOR TEXANS THAT WORK WITHIN THE CREATIVE ECONOMY SECTOR, BUT ALSO FOR US AND JUST ATTRACTING OUTSIDE INVESTMENT BACK TO TEXAS.
THE FRAME FOUNDATION IS THE LAST THING THAT I'D LIKE TO MENTION HERE.
THIS IS A FOUNDATIONAL NONPROFIT THAT WAS JUST FORMULATED EARLIER THIS YEAR THAT IS SPECIFICALLY PRIVATELY FUNDRAISING TO CREATE A LOCAL DALLAS INCENTIVE.
AND WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE IS FOR US TO BE ABLE TO OFFER A REBATE, AN ATTRACTION PIECE AS A REBATE TO MAKE SURE THAT PROJECTS, WHEN THEY COME AND FILM IN DALLAS, ARE ACTUALLY FILMING DALLAS AS DALLAS.
SO THAT MEANS WE'RE DEPICTED ON SCREEN AS DALLAS, WHICH, AGAIN, FITS INTO THAT ATTRACTION STANDPOINT, AND ALSO BASED ON LOCAL CREW HIRES.
THERE'S MORE TO THAT, OF COURSE, AND I'D BE HAPPY TO TALK TO YOU ALL ABOUT THAT NONPROFIT THAT WAS STARTED AT ANOTHER TIME, BECAUSE I KNOW WE'RE SHORT ON TIME TODAY.
THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE SLIDES, BECAUSE IT REALLY SHOWCASES HOW MANY DEPARTMENTS AND PEOPLE ARE HIRED ON A PRODUCTION.
SO I WANT YOU ALL TO THINK WHEN YOU WATCH A TV SERIES OR MOVIE, THE CREDITS AT THE END, ALL OF THOSE NAMES AND THOSE CREDITS REPRESENT A PERSON IN A PAID ROLE ON THAT SET.
USUALLY, WHEN THEY'RE FILMING LOCALLY, THOSE ARE ALMOST ENTIRELY BASED IN THAT DESTINATION.
SO WE WANT THAT CREDIT ROLE TO LOOK ENTIRELY FULL OF DALLASITES.
WE WANT AT LEAST 120 JOBS AT THE END OF EVERY CREDIT ROLE.
SO THESE ARE THE VERY SPECIFIC TRADES AND CRAFTS THAT ARE COVERED, USUALLY, UNDER A PRODUCTION.
AND THIS IS A HIERARCHY SHEET THAT SHOWS HOW THAT WORKFORCE WORKS.
WE ARE WORKING WITH ALL OF THESE FOLKS DAY IN AND DAY OUT, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE WORKING YEAR ROUND AND HAVE A SUSTAINABLE INDUSTRY.
THEY ARE HERE, THEY BUY HOMES HERE.
THEY PAY TAXES, THEY SEND THEIR KIDS TO SCHOOL HERE.
THIS IS ALL A MAJOR INDUSTRY HERE IN DALLAS.
AND I WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO THINK OF IT MORE THAT WAY, AS OPPOSED TO JUST THE FUN MOVIE PEOPLE.
CAN WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE? IT'S $1 BILLION US INDUSTRY.
IT'S ACTUALLY ESTIMATED THAT FILM-INDUCED TOURISM IS GOING TO HIT ABOUT $8 BILLION IN THE US ALONE.
[01:35:03]
SO THIS IS REALLY SOMETHING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT SERIOUSLY ABOUT HOW WE CAN ATTRACT MORE SPECIFICALLY TO DALLAS.A TYPICAL TV SERIES IS INJECTING ABOUT $49 MILLION INTO A LOCAL ECONOMY, SO ABOUT 1,500 PEOPLE WILL BE EMPLOYED DURING THE RUN OF A TV SHOW.
AND IT'S ABOUT $670,000 PER DAY IS WHAT'S BEING DIRECTLY INJECTED INTO THE LOCAL ECONOMY.
OUR VENDORS AND THE BUSINESSES THAT WE USE ARE USUALLY MOM AND POP SHOPS.
THEY'RE EMPLOYING FEWER THAN 10 PEOPLE, AND THEY MAKE UP THE BULK OF WHAT THESE PRODUCTIONS ARE ACTUALLY UTILIZING FOR THEIR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES.
ALL OF THAT TO SAY THAT THERE IS NATIONALLY ABOUT 2.32 MILLION JOBS, AND IT PAYS OUT ABOUT $229 BILLION IN TOTAL WAGES ANNUALLY.
SO THIS IS A BIG, BIG ECONOMIC BOON FOR MOST LOCAL ECONOMIES.
AND WE'D REALLY LIKE TO HAVE MORE HERE.
OF COURSE, ON THE BOTTOM, WE HAVE THE LOCAL NUMBERS FOR TEXAS.
I DO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT FOR EVERY DOLLAR THAT'S PAID IN THE TMIIIP PROGRAM, IT'S A $4.69 ROI.
SOME OTHER STATES WITH OTHER PROGRAMS HAVE SEEN AS HIGH AS $6.30.
SO NOW THAT THE REBATE PROGRAM HAS BEEN COMPLETELY REVAMPED, I EXPECT TO SEE THAT NUMBER GO UP.
WHERE DOES THE MONEY GO? THIS IS JUST A NICE LITTLE VISUAL OF ALL THE DIFFERENT AREAS WHERE PRODUCTIONS ARE SPENDING FILM DOLLARS IN OUR LOCAL ECONOMY.
IT GOES SOMETIMES TO DONATIONS.
THEY'RE EXCELLENT IN BEAUTIFYING AND BETTERING COMMUNITIES.
THEY WILL TYPICALLY PAY TO HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATIONS OR TO NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS THAT ARE WORKING TO DEVELOP A CAPITAL CAMPAIGN.
THEY'RE PAYING FOR THE RIGHT TO BE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND FILMING IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THIS IS, OF COURSE, CITY PERMITTING.
IT'S IN HOTELS, ALL SORTS OF ACCOMMODATIONS THAT GET UTILIZED, LOCAL VENDORS, OF COURSE.
IT'S JUST A NICE LITTLE VISUAL TO SEE WHERE THE MONEY IS BEING SPENT.
HOW MANY VENDORS SUPPORT A SINGLE FILM? THIS AGAIN, IS A NICE LITTLE VISUAL.
IT'S A NICE LITTLE LIST OF ALL THE DIFFERENT VENDORS THAT ARE IN THE AREA.
WE HAVE AN EXCELLENT CREW AND VENDOR DATABASE THAT WE USE TO BASICALLY SHOW PARITY ACROSS ALL OF OUR VENDOR SERVICES.
WE PRETTY MUCH USE THAT AS OUR YELLOW PAGES AND OUR MAJOR GUIDE.
SO WHEN PRODUCTIONS ARE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING, WE CAN DIRECT THEM SPECIFICALLY TO THIS DATABASE.
SO THEY CAN SEE ALL OF THE THINGS THAT FALL UNDER EACH CATEGORY.
AND THEN THEY'RE ABLE TO CALL, REACH OUT, BID OUT THOSE BUSINESSES ON THEIR OWN, AND WE DON'T GET INVOLVED IN ANY MONEY OR ANY CONTRACTS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
BUT WE DEFINITELY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING EVERYBODY AND ANYONE IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT CAN BENEFIT FROM THIS TYPE OF STIMULUS.
DALLAS BY THE NUMBERS IS ANOTHER GREAT SLIDE.
I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT HAVING THIS YEAR'S NUMBERS.
THEY ARE EMBARGOED UNTIL THE VISIT DALLAS ANNUAL MEETING, WHICH I HOPE YOU WILL JOIN US FOR.
AND THEN WE WILL ANNOUNCE OUR '26 NUMBERS.
BUT IN '25 WE BROUGHT IN $133 MILLION INTO THE LOCAL ECONOMY.
PREVIOUSLY, THE COMMISSION WAS NOT DATA TRACKING ECONOMIC SPEND.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I BROUGHT INTO THE ROLE THAT I THOUGHT WAS VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO RECOGNIZE THE IMPACT OF THIS BUSINESS.
SO WE'RE PACING INCREDIBLY WELL FOR THIS YEAR.
SO I CAN'T WAIT TO UNVEIL THAT NUMBER.
BUT WE'LL SEE THE STEADY TICK UP FOR THE NEXT GRAPH THAT I'LL HAVE.
PRODUCTION BUDGETS ARE, OF COURSE, SELF-REPORTED TO US.
WE CREATED A REGISTRATION FORM TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE TRACKING THIS LEVEL OF DATA.
AND ABOUT $124 MILLION WAS CONFIRMED THROUGH THE CITY OF DALLAS FILM PERMITS.
THIS IS, OF COURSE, BECAUSE NOT EVERY PRODUCTION NEEDS A PERMIT.
THEY ARE SOMETIMES SHOOTING ENTIRELY ON PRIVATE PROPERTY.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO CAPTURE THE REMAINDER OF THAT GAP, THAT'S NOT NORMALLY PUT INTO THAT PERMIT INFORMATION.
SO WE CREATED OUR OWN REGISTRATION FORM SO THAT WE COULD CAPTURE THAT DATA.
I THINK THAT MIGHT BE THE LAST SLIDE.
IS THERE ANOTHER ONE? OH, YES, AND HERE WE GO.
LAST YEAR, WE HAD ABOUT 277 PROJECTS THAT SHOT IN DALLAS.
THAT BROUGHT IN OVER 31,000 ROOM NIGHTS.
LAST YEAR, WE HAD 625 PRODUCTION DAYS TRACKED, WHICH IS ALL OF DIFFERENT PRODUCTIONS AND HOW MANY DAYS THEY WERE SHOOTING.
THESE ARE DALLASITES THAT WERE PUT INTO PAID CREW POSITIONS.
THAT'S AN 84% JUMP FROM LAST YEAR.
AGAIN, THIS HAS A LOT TO DO WITH WHAT OUR DATA TRACKING IS LOOKING LIKE NOW.
AND AGAIN, WE'RE PACING TO EXCEED THAT THIS YEAR.
[01:40:01]
I BELIEVE THAT'S THE LAST SLIDE.I APOLOGIZE FOR BREEZING THROUGH THAT, BUT I WANTED TO BE COGNIZANT OF YOUR TIME.
ZARIN GRACEY: KATIE, THANK YOU.
I DO WANT TO JUST SEE, WE HAVE ABOUT FOUR MINUTES.
ARE THERE ANY PRESSING QUESTIONS? I DIDN'T THINK SO.
I THINK CHAIR BAZALDUA HAS ONE QUESTION.
HOW ARE YOU? KATIE SHUCK: VERY WELL, THANK YOU.
ADAM BAZALDUA: THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ENTHUSIASM AND PASSION FOR THE WORK.
THIS IS AN INDUSTRY THAT I BELIEVE WE HAVE REALLY FAILED TO TAP INTO.
THERE'S A HUGE REVENUE-GENERATING OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO BE A CONTENDER WITH BOTH OF OUR COASTS.
AND THERE'S SOME CITIES IN THE COUNTRY THAT ARE DOING A BETTER JOB AT IT THAN WE ARE.
SO I THINK YOU AND YOUR ROLE AND YOUR ENTHUSIASM IS EXACTLY WHAT WE NEED.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE NEED RESOURCES AND FACILITIES TO BE MADE AVAILABLE.
SO I BELIEVE WHAT YOU'VE BROUGHT FORWARD IS GREAT.
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IF WE COULD INVITE YOU BACK WITH A WISH LIST TYPE OF PRESENTATION.
IF WE WERE TO LOOK AT, WHICH WE ARE DOING IN OUR FINANCE COMMITTEE, TO LOOK AT OUR PORTFOLIO AND CERTAIN PROPERTIES THAT WE HAVE, WHAT COULD WE AS A CITY BE MARKETING IN A VERY PROACTIVE AND EFFECTIVE WAY TO TAP INTO THIS INDUSTRY? HOW CAN WE LEVERAGE WHERE WE'RE NOT DOING AS WELL AS ATLANTA OR NEW ORLEANS, TO TRULY DEVOTE SOME RESOURCES TOWARDS BRINGING THIS INDUSTRY TO THE CITY OF DALLAS? AND I KNOW THAT WE HAVE HENSLEY FIELD AS A HUGE POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITY.
WE'VE GOT SPACE AT FAIR PARK THAT COULD EASILY BE MARKETED IN THIS REGARD.
AND SO ASIDE FROM OUR PARTNERS AT SOUTHSIDE AND LEVERAGING THE STUDIO SPACE THAT WE ALREADY KNOW IS THERE, WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO ATTRACT RESIDENT FILM PRODUCTION LIKE OTHER CITIES ARE, BECAUSE WE JUST DON'T HAVE SOUNDSTAGE SPACE THE WAY THAT WE DO.
SO HOW CAN WE GET IT? AND THAT'S WHAT I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU.
AND AGAIN, I WOULD LOVE FOR YOU ALL TO THINK ABOUT YOUR DISTRICTS AND WHAT SORT OF ASSETS THAT YOU ACTUALLY HAVE.
AND WHEN I SAY ASSETS, I MEAN, EVERYTHING, FROM LANDFILLS TO BACK ALLEYWAYS, TO THINGS THAT MIGHT NOT APPEAR TO YOUR EYES AS BEING SOMETHING THAT YOU THINK A FILM PRODUCTION WOULD BE INTERESTED IN.
BUT I ASSURE YOU, THINK OF EVERYTHING THAT YOU SEE ON A SCREEN.
YOU'LL SEE THERE'S THINGS THAT TAKE PLACE IN A TRUE CRIME LEVEL THING WHERE IT'S ALWAYS BACK ALLEYWAYS AND MURDERS AND CEMETERIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
EVERYTHING AND ANYTHING CAN BE TURNED INTO A FILM SET.
NOBODY GETS MORE EXCITED TO SEE A LOADING DOCK THAN I DO, BECAUSE SO MANY SCRIPTED SCENES HAPPEN ON LOADING DOCKS AND SHOWS FOR SOME REASON.
THERE'S A LOT OF INTERESTING PLACES THAT YOU MIGHT NOT THINK WOULD BE AN ASSET.
BUT TRULY, CITY PROPERTY IS A GREAT WAY FOR US TO START MARKETING SOME OF THESE SPACES.
AND THEY COULD BE LOW TO NO COST, ESPECIALLY IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT IT FUNCTIONS REALLY WELL AND DOESN'T REALLY NEED TO BE REVENUE-GENERATING.
BUT WE KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF BUILDINGS AND PROPERTIES THAT DO NEED THAT.
AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE THINK ABOUT.
WE CAN PRICE IT APPROPRIATELY.
PRODUCTIONS WILL PAY FOR ADDITIONAL SECURITY.
THEY WILL PAY, LIKE I SAID, TO BEAUTIFY A SPACE.
MOST EVERYTHING THAT THEY DO IS FOR CAMERA.
IT'S WHETHER IT LOOKS PRETTY OR IT LOOKS UGLY, THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE IT WORK.
AND THEN THEY'RE GOING TO RESTORE IT AT THE END OF THAT.
SO THAT CAN ACTUALLY COME ABOUT GETTING I'VE SEEN PEOPLE GET BRAND NEW CARPETING OR BRAND NEW FLOORING OR NEW WALLPAPER OR ANY NUMBER OF THINGS.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF NEGOTIATING WIGGLE ROOM THERE THAT I'D LOVE FOR YOU GUYS TO ALL THINK ABOUT.
AND I'D BE HAPPY TO TALK TO YOU ALL INDIVIDUALLY FURTHER ABOUT THAT.
ADAM BAZALDUA: THANK YOU SO MUCH.
KATIE SHUCK: THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHERE I WAS GOING WITH THIS PRESENTATION IS HOW CAN WE GET MORE INVOLVED IN THAT, PARTICULARLY WITH THE SITE SELECTORS IN TERMS OF BEING AND HAVING AN OPPORTUNITY TO MARKET OUR DISTRICTS AND THE DIFFERENT ASSETS THAT WE HAVE, WHETHER IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S FOR FUTURE OR NOT.
BUT JUST MAKING SURE THEY EVEN KNOW ABOUT IT, SO THAT THEY CAN CREATE THESE OPPORTUNITIES IN AND AROUND THE AREA AND UNDERSTANDING THOSE ECONOMIC BENEFITS.
SO AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
THANK YOU FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS BEFORE I MOVE ON? I SEE TWO DOWN HERE.
CARA MENDELSOHN: WELL, CHAIR, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS PRESENTATION.
MY CONCERN IS RECESSING FOR THE NEXT MEETING TO BEGIN.
AND I WAS JUST HOPING I COULD GIVE ONE MINUTE OF THE REST OF MY ITEMS JUST TO SAY ONE SENTENCE ABOUT THREE DIFFERENT ITEMS. KATIE SHUCK: OK.
AND I THINK WE HAVE SOME TIME.
THANK YOU, KATIE, AGAIN, FOR YOUR TIME.
FROM THERE, WE DO HAVE, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE QUITE HAVE A QUORUM FOR THE NEXT ONE YET ANYWAY, SO WE'RE GOING TO KEEP PRESSING UNTIL.
AT THIS POINT, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE YOUTH PROGRAM, OR WERE YOU ASKING-- CARA MENDELSOHN: BEFORE YOU DO THE PRESENTATION, IF I CAN JUST SHARE ONE SENTENCE ON THREE DIFFERENT ITEMS, SINCE I HAVE TO LEAVE.
[01:45:01]
SO FOR THE YOUTH PROGRAMS, I'M JUST GOING TO SAY, OVERALL, I THINK THAT THE SCOPE OF WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WAY BEYOND THE ROLE OF THE CITY GOVERNMENT.FOR ITEM D ABOUT LIBRARY SERVICES, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SHARE THAT THE STANDARDIZATION OF HOURS HAS NEGATIVELY IMPACTED DISTRICT 12.
SO WHAT'S EXPECTED IS THAT ALL THE LIBRARIES WOULD BE CLOSED ON SUNDAY.
CURRENTLY, RENNER FRANKFURT LIBRARY IS OPEN ON SUNDAY TO ACCOMMODATE THE RELIGIOUS NEEDS OF THE ORTHODOX COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS THE SEVENTH DAY ADVENT FOLKS.
AND WE WOULD LIKE TO KEEP THAT OPEN ON SUNDAY AND BE CLOSED MONDAY.
AND WHILE I UNDERSTAND THAT THE FLAGSHIP FRETZ PARK IN DISTRICT 11 MAY BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE IT, IT'S TOO FAR FROM DENTON COUNTY TO GET TO FRETZ.
THAT IS AN UNREASONABLE EXPECTATION.
AND THEN LASTLY, I HAVE A QUESTION, AND I WILL GO BACK AND WATCH THE MEETING FOR THE ANSWER FOR THE ARTS ORGANIZATIONS AND ITEM F, IF THE $7.5 MILLION, IF ALL OF THAT IS COMING FROM GENERAL FUND, OR IF S ANY OTHER SOURCE OF FUNDS.
AND SO WHEN YOU GET TO THAT ITEM, IF SOMEBODY COULD JUST ASK THAT QUESTION SO THAT IT WILL BE ON THE RECORD, I CAN GO BACK AND HEAR IT.
CARA MENDELSOHN: THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I'M SORRY I HAVE TO GO FOR CITY BUSINESS.
ZARIN GRACEY: ACTUALLY, YOU SAID IT.
THAT ACTUALLY MAKES IT EVEN BETTER IF WE WANT TO GO AHEAD, IF EVERYONE IS COMFORTABLE WITH THAT, ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS ABOUT ANY ONE OF THESE ITEMS? WE CAN JUST MOVE THROUGH IT THAT WAY.
SO I JUST HAVE A COMMENT ABOUT THE MEMO REGARDING THE LIBRARY.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE ARCADIA BRANCH LIBRARY, AND HOW THOSE TRANSITIONS FOLLOW, JUST SO THAT WE'RE BEING TRANSPARENT WITH THE RESIDENTS IN THAT AREA, IF ANY POTENTIAL CHANGES DO HAPPEN.
AND I HAVE SPOKEN TO DISD ABOUT ALL OF THE LIBRARIES IN D6 AND PARTNERING WITH THEM, ABOUT LETTING PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THE PROGRAMS THERE.
I THINK ARCADIA, WE HAVEN'T BEEN RECEIVING THE WEEKLY UPDATES ABOUT PROGRAMMING THAT THEY HAVE, SO I WOULD LOVE TO GET THAT INFORMATION SO WE CAN GET IT OUT TO OUR RESIDENTS TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE AWARE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING THERE.
[UPCOMING AGENDA ITEMS]
ANYONE ELSE ON ITEMS D, E, F, OR IN THE FORECAST? YES, SIR.WILLIAM ROTH: THIS IS A CLARIFICATION.
MAYBE THEY CAN BRING US THIS INFORMATION.
I WAS CURIOUS IF WE WOULD BE ABLE TO GET ON THE $7.5 MILLION CULTURAL, IF THERE WAS A CHANGE- IN-- WHAT THE CHANGE WAS FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR ALLOCATION FOR THOSE ITEMS. IT SAID IN THE MEMO THAT THERE WAS BASICALLY THE SAME, BUT I WAS JUST WONDERING IF THERE WAS A COMPARATIVE NUMBER THAT WE COULD LOOK AT.
ZARIN GRACEY: YEAH, YOU CAN ASK THE QUESTION.
WE HAVE SOME TIME TO BRING SOMEONE UP TO ANSWER THE QUESTION.
ZARIN GRACEY: [INAUDIBLE] GLEN AYERS: DON'T LOSE THAT.
MARTINE PHILLIPE: CAN'T MISS THAT.
MARTINE PHILIPPE WITH THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE TO ANSWER MISS MENDELSOHN'S QUESTION.
FIRST, YOU ASKED IF THE TOTAL AMOUNT CAME FROM THE GENERAL FUND, AND THE ANSWER IS NO.
THIS IS A SPLIT, A SOURCE OF FUNDS, WE HAVE SOME AWARDS COMING FROM THE GENERAL FUND AND OTHERS FROM THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX REIMBURSEMENTS.
CARA MENDELSOHN: DO A MEMO AND OUTLINE THAT FOR ME? MARTINE PHILLIPE: SURE.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO KNOW THE DOLLAR AMOUNTS ON RECORD NOW? NO PROBLEM.
CARA MENDELSOHN: OH, I'M SORRY.
IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND JUST REISSUING THAT AND ADD THE COLUMN.
CARA MENDELSOHN: WHAT ACCOUNT IT CAME FROM, WHETHER IT WAS HOT OR GENERAL FUND.
AND IF THERE'S A SPLIT, IF ONE IS PARTIALLY FUNDED BY BOTH, THE AMOUNTS FOR THAT, THAT'D BE GREAT.
CARA MENDELSOHN: THANKS SO MUCH.
MARTINE PHILLIPE: AND ALSO, JUST FOR THE RECORD, WHEN THE ALLOCATION AWARDS GO FORWARD TO COUNCIL, THEY'RE NOTED BY FUND.
HISTORICALLY, WE'VE ALWAYS NOTED THE ITEMS BY FUND PER ORGANIZATION FOR YOUR AWARENESS.
ANY QUESTIONS? ANY OTHER ADDITIONAL-- WILLIAM ROTH: THE OTHER QUESTION WAS IS COMPARATIVELY WERE PEOPLE PRETTY MUCH KEPT EVEN? OR WERE THEY WAS THERE SOME DISCREPANCY BETWEEN PREVIOUS YEARS? I WANT TO KNOW WHO GOT CUT.
GLENN AYERS: GLENN AYERS, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR.
FOR THE MOST PART, ORGANIZATIONS AS A PART OF THIS THREE ROUND CYCLE THAT WE'VE SET UP FOR COP HAVE STAYED AT A RELATIVELY SIMILAR LEVEL BASED OFF OF THIS YEAR FOR RETURNING ORGANIZATIONS, DEPENDING ON THEIR COMPLIANCE WITH THE GUIDELINES.
[01:50:01]
IT DEPENDS ON IF THEY SCORED RELATIVELY POORLY, IF YOU WILL.THEY DID GET DOCKED SLIGHT NUMBERS AS A MEANS OF ENCOURAGEMENT TO MAINTAIN THOSE COMPLIANCE MEASURES PER THE GUIDELINES.
THERE WERE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT RECEIVED REDUCTIONS BASED OFF OF THE CAP, THE AMOUNT THAT WE'RE ABLE TO FUND BASED OFF OF THEIR REVENUE AMOUNT.
IS THERE ANOTHER THAT I CATCH? WILLIAM ROTH: I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU JUST SAID.
MARTINE PHILLIPE: STATE YOUR NAME.
AND I'M THE CULTURAL PROGRAMS FUNDING MANAGER.
OUT OF THE 69 ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE'RE PROPOSING TO FUND THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, 65 OF THEM ARE RETURNING.
OF THOSE 65, APPROXIMATELY 12 HAVE DIFFERENT NUMBERS THAN THE YEAR BEFORE.
MOST ORGANIZATIONS, IF THE INTENTION OF THIS PROGRAM IS OPERATIONAL FUNDING THAT STAYS REASONABLY THE SAME ACROSS YEARS, SO THAT PEOPLE CAN PLAN THEIR BUDGETS.
AND SO APPROXIMATELY A DOZEN OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS IN THE POINT SYSTEM THAT WE PUT FORWARD THAT IS MOSTLY ADMIN SCORING SCORED LOWER THAN WE WOULD HOPE.
AND SO WE TOOK 5% REDUCTION OF THEIR AWARD FROM LAST YEAR, AND THEY CAN GET THAT BACK NEXT YEAR IN YEAR THREE, IF THEY SCORE HIGHER AND WILL TELL THEM HOW WITH OUR RUBRIC, AND S RUBRICS ARE PASSED BY CITY COUNCIL EVERY YEAR.
WE ALSO HAD A FEW ORGANIZATIONS THAT GREW A LOT, AND WE HADN'T ACCOUNTED FOR THAT IN OUR RANGE OF AWARDS.
SO THERE ARE TWO ORGANIZATIONS THAT RECEIVE SLIGHT INCREASES OF $5,000 TO $10,000.
BUT, IN GENERAL, NO ONE IS LOSING MORE THAN 5%, AND NO ONE IS GAINING MORE THAN $10,000, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ONE ORGANIZATION, AND THAT IS BIG THOUGHT.
AND THAT IS BECAUSE AS A PERCENTAGE OF REVENUE, THEY WERE AWARDED SIGNIFICANTLY MORE THAN THEIR PEERS.
AND SO WE'VE BROUGHT THAT AWARD DOWN SLIGHTLY TO BE MORE COMPARABLE TO THEIR PEER ORGANIZATIONS, ALTHOUGH THAT ALSO IS NOT DRAMATIC.
THEIR AWARD LAST YEAR WAS $632,000.
AND THEIRS IS NOW GOING TO BE $600,000.
WILLIAM ROTH: IT SHOWS THAT AT&T PERFORMING ARTS WAS A NEW RECEPIENT? JULIA HOSCH: YES, SIR.
THEY WERE NOT PART OF THIS PROGRAM LAST YEAR BECAUSE THEY HAD A DIFFERENT AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS.
THIS YEAR, THAT AGREEMENT HAS ENDED.
AND SO THEY'RE ENTERING INTO THIS NEW AGREEMENT THROUGH THIS PROGRAM BECAUSE THEY ARE ELIGIBLE.
WILLIAM ROTH: AND IS THEIR FUNDING COMPARABLE AS TO LAST YEAR TOO? JULIA HOSCH: THEY WERE NOT PART OF THIS PROGRAM.
LAST YEAR, THEY ARE CONSIDERED A NEW ORGANIZATION, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE DEFINITELY NOT NEW TO DALLAS.
THEY ARE COMING IN AT THE SAME LEVEL THAT WE FUND THE DALLAS SYMPHONY, WHICH ALSO ENTERED THIS PROGRAM AFTER COMPLETING A DIFFERENT AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS.
WILLIAM ROTH: I THINK THESE ARE REALLY VERY VALUABLE ORGANIZATIONS.
I WOULD HATE TO SEE THEIR FUNDING REDUCED IN ANY CAPACITY, IF WE CAN AVOID IT.
AND SO TO THE EXTENT THAT THIS IS A NEW ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THEM, I'M ENCOURAGED BY IT, AND I'M SUPPORTIVE OF IT, BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE JUST NOT MOVING, WE'RE TAKING IT OUT AND PUTTING IT BACK IN A DIFFERENT BUCKET, BUT REDUCING IT, THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO FIND OUT.
I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND WHERE THE MONEY'S COMING FROM, THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.
GLENN AYERS: SO ANY NEW ORGANIZATIONS ARE THE ONES THAT HAVE BEEN ADDED THIS YEAR IS REFERENCED IN THE MEMO, ARE ALL ONES THAT HELP US PROMOTE AND ENCOURAGE CULTURAL TOURISM AS WELL.
AND SO WE'RE ABLE TO USE OUR HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAXES TO DO THAT AND NOT CONTINUE TO GROW THE USAGE OF THE GENERAL FUND INTO THE PROGRAM.
AND SO THAT'S WHY YOU'LL SEE SUCH A SIGNIFICANT SPLIT BETWEEN HOT AND GENERAL FUND AND HOW WE'VE ALLOCATED FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM.
AND SO THOSE NEW ORGANIZATIONS HAVE PROVEN TO US THAT THEY MEET THAT TWO-PRONGED TEST AND QUALIFY FOR HOT.
SO THAT'S HOW WE'RE ABLE TO GROW THE PROGRAM A LITTLE BIT YEAR BY YEAR IN THAT WAY.
DOES THAT HELP ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? WILLIAM ROTH: AND THE $7.5 MILLION IS SIMILAR TO WHAT WAS SPENT LAST YEAR IN AGGREGATE.
PAUL RIDLEY: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
ON THE COP, THE FOUR NEW-- ZARIN GRACEY: WE'RE ON ITEM F.
THE FOUR NEW ORGANIZATIONS THAT WERE ADDED TOTAL UP TO $411,000.
WHERE IS THAT MONEY COMING FROM? IS THAT ALL COMING FROM CUTS TO OTHER GROUPS ON THE LIST? JULIA HOSCH: NO, SIR.
PAUL RIDLEY: WHERE IS THE PIE GROWING? JULIA HOSCH: THE PIE HAS GROWN WITH THE-- BECAUSE ALL OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR-- THOSE PARTICULAR FOUR ARE ALL ELIGIBLE FOR HOT REIMBURSEMENT.
THERE ARE ALSO OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE DIDN'T CHANGE.
BASICALLY, NO, THIS IS NOT A ZERO SUM GAME
[01:55:01]
BECAUSE WE ADDED FOUR MORE, WE HAD TO TAKE AWAY FROM OTHERS.PAUL RIDLEY: SO DID THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF MONEY SOURCED FROM THE GENERAL FUND REMAIN THE SAME AS LAST YEAR, AND THE GROWTH WAS IN THE HOT TAX FUND? GLENN AYERS: NO, IT ACTUALLY SIGNIFICANTLY DECREASED.
WE DID A REALLY BIG PUSH DURING OUR BUDGET DEVELOPMENT PROCESS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE REALLY GOING IN AND SEEING WHICH OF OUR ORGANIZATIONS WERE RESPONDING TO OUR QUESTIONS AROUND CULTURAL TOURISM, TRACKING VISITORS, AND ALL OF THAT, TO WHERE WE INCREASED THE ALLOCATION OF THAT PROGRAM TO HOT AND DECREASE THE BURDEN ON THE GENERAL FUND PORTION.
THOSE THAT ARE GENERAL FUNDED IN THIS PARTICULAR ALLOCATION ARE THE ONES THAT WE WERE NOT ABLE TO JUSTIFY AS HOT REIMBURSABLE.
PAUL RIDLEY: SO HOW DO THEY COMPARE IN NUMBERS THIS YEAR TO LAST YEAR? GLENN AYERS: I WOULD HAVE TO PULL THAT UP FOR YOU.
AND I BELIEVE WE'RE GOING TO DO A FOLLOW-UP TO YOUR QUESTIONS TODAY TO HELP-- PAUL RIDLEY: OK.
PLEASE INCLUDE THAT IN THE MEMO.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON ANY ONE OF THESE ITEMS? VICE CHAIR CADENA.
LAURA CADENA: I JUST HAVE A COMMENT, BECAUSE I SEE THAT TWO OF THE ORGANIZATIONS IN DISTRICT 6 RECEIVED A DECREASE.
SO IF I COULD MAYBE HAVE A FOLLOW-UP AFTERWARDS JUST TO UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT BETTER WHY.
WILLIAM ROTH: ON THE YOUTH PROGRAMS. I WOULD LIKE TO, AT SOME POINT, UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT MORE CLOSELY AS TO WHAT THESE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS ARE.
I'M CONCERNED THAT THIS MAY NOT BE SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD BE SPENDING A LOT OF MONEY ON THE YOUTH PROGRAM.
SO AGAIN, IT'S NOT TO MAKE AN EVALUATION OF TODAY, BUT I'D LIKE TO MAYBE REVIEW THIS BRIEFING AND MAYBE COME BACK WITH AN UPDATE.
ZARIN GRACEY: IN FAIRNESS, THEN LET ME MOVE IT TO THE NEXT AGENDA.
WILLIAM ROTH: THAT WOULD BE BEAUTIFUL.
ZARIN GRACEY: THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR GRACE AND UNDERSTANDING.
AT THIS TIME, IF THERE AREN'T ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, ISSUES, OR CONCERNS, WE'RE GOING TO ADJOURN THE QUALITY OF LIFE ARTS AND CULTURE MEETING AT 11:13 AM.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.