[00:00:01]
[I. Call to Order and Appointment of Temporary Chair]
MY NAME IS IKA NORMAN.I'M A SUPERVISOR OF COMMUNITY CARE SERVICES WITH THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT.
THE TIME IS NOW 1201 ON OCTOBER 19TH AND THE SENIOR AFFAIRS COMMISSION IS NOW IN SESSION.
THE COMMISSION DOES NOT HAVE A CHAIR OR A VICE CHAIR, THEREFORE, A TEMPORARY CHAIR MUST BE SELECTED IN ORDER FOR THE MEETING TO PROCEED.
THE FOLLOWING IS ADVISED AND GUIDANCE FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
PURSUANT TO THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT AND CHAPTER EIGHT OF THE DALLAS CITY CODE, A MEETING OF STATE GOVERNMENTAL BODY OR A GOVERNMENTAL BODY THAT EXTENDS INTO THREE OR MORE COUNTIES MAY BE HELD BY VIDEO CONFERENCE CALL ONLY IF THE MEMBER OF THE GOVERNMENTAL BODY RECITING OVER THE MEETING IS PHYSICALLY PRESENT AT ONE LOCATION OF THE MEETING THAT IS OPEN TO PROPER.
DURING THE OPEN PORTION OF THE MEETING, THE CHAIR
IN THE ABSENCE OF THE CHAIR, THE VICE CHAIR SHALL EXERCISE THE POWERS OF THE CHAIR.
IF NO CHAIR OR VICE CHAIR IS AVAILABLE, THE BOARD MAY APPOINT A TEMPORARY CHAIR.
THE FIRST ADJOURNMENT PUTS AN END TO THIS APPOINTMENT.
IS THERE A MOTION FOR TEMPORARY CHAIR? I MOVE THAT, UH, ROBERT FRIEDMAN SERVICE TEMPORARY CHAIR TODAY.
SO COMMISSIONER CART HAS MADE THE MOTION AND COMMISSIONER, UH, ROBERTS HAS, UH, SECONDED.
[II. Advisory Board Member & City Staff Roll Call]
TERMS OF THE ROLL CALL, WE HAVE A SMALL GROUP HERE AT CITY HALL.DAVID TYSON IS ON THE VIRTUAL CALL, AS WELL AS LISA KELLY.
ALRIGHT, ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC SPEAKERS? THERE ARE NONE.
[IV. Approval of Minutes of September 14, 2026, SAC Meeting ]
ITEM IS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.HOPEFULLY EVERYONE HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK THROUGH THE MINUTES.
ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS OR I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES, SO MOVE SECOND.
[V. Approval of SAC 2027 Meeting Schedule]
ITEM IS OUR 2027 MEETING SCHEDULE, WHICH WERE SENT OUT IN THE MATERIALS, UH, LA LATE LAST WEEK.HOPEFULLY EVERYONE HAD A CHANCE TO TAKE A LOOK THROUGH THOSE.
I LOOKED THROUGH AND IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S CONSISTENT WITH THE THIRD MONDAY OF EVERY MONTH, EXCEPT IN THOSE MONTHS WHERE THAT FALLS ON A NATIONAL HOLIDAY.
SO JANUARY 25TH AND FEBRUARY 22ND DUE TO THE NATIONAL HOLIDAYS.
AND THEN DECEMBER 13TH, I BELIEVE WE ALWAYS GO A WEEK EARLIER BECAUSE OF HOW THAT RUNS INTO THE, THE HOLIDAYS.
BUT OTHERWISE, UH, AND WE HAVE NO MEETING IN JULY, BUT OTHERWISE THAT FOLLOWS OUR STANDARD, UH, SCHEDULE.
SO ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS ON THE SCHEDULE FOR OUR MEETINGS NEXT YEAR? IF NONE, CAN I HAVE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF THE 2027 MEETING SCHEDULE? SO MOVE SECOND.
[VI. Briefing: Code Compliance Services Overview]
I KNOW SEVERAL OF US HAVE BEEN, UH, ASKING ABOUT IS A BRIEFING ON CODE COMPLIANCES AND SERVICES OVERVIEW.AND NICOLE MYERS IS HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT THAT.
SO I'LL ASK NICOLE, BUT COME UP.
GOOD AFTERNOON, DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS OF THE SENIOR FAIR SUFFICIENT.
UM, AND THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU GUYS TODAY.
SO I'M HERE TODAY TO GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF FOLKS CLIENT SERVICES, AND WE'LL HAVE A BRIEF MOMENT AT THE END FOR ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
IF THERE'S ANYTHING YOU ASK ME THAT I DON'T HAVE THE INFORMATION FOR, I WILL DEFINITELY GET THAT INFORMATION, UH, BACK TO YOU SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL
SO OUR OVERVIEW IS BLENDED CONSISTS OF A DEPARTMENTAL OVERVIEW.
SO WE'LL GO OVER THE DIFFERENT SEGMENTS OF CO COMPLIANCE.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT, UH, OUR AUTHORITY, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PROPERTY, WHAT OWNER'S RESPONSIBILITIES ARE.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT OUR PROCESS FLOW AND I'LL SEE, I'LL GIVE YOU GUYS SOME EXAMPLES OF WHAT OUR NOTICES OF VIOLATIONS LOOK LIKE AND WHAT OUR PROCESS IS.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT WHAT OUR AUTHORITY IS, AND THEN WE'LL END OFF
[00:05:01]
WITH SOME HELPFUL RESOURCES AND QA NEXT SLIDE.SO THE GOAL CODE COMPLIANCE IS TO ENSURE THE HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE OF THE DALLAS RESIDENT.
AND WE DO THAT THROUGH ENFORCEMENT OF SEVERAL CITY ORDINANCES.
THESE ORDINANCES MIGHT BE PERTAINING TO PROPERTY MAINTENANCE, ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, HOUSING CONDITIONS, UH, ZONING, LAND USE, OR ANY OTHER PUBLIC NUISANCES THAT IS WITHIN OUR CITY CODE.
UH, WE RECEIVE THESE COMPLAINTS IN THROUGH SERVICE REQUESTS THROUGH 3 1 1 THROUGH THE 3 1 1 APP.
WE ALSO HAVE CODE OFFICERS WHO ARE PROACTIVELY IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND THEY'RE, THEY ARE ALSO, UH, PUTTING IN CODE COMPLAINTS SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THOSE ADDRESSED.
OUR GOAL AT THE END OF THE DAY IS VOLUNTARY CLIENTS, AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT SOME WAYS THAT CODE SEEK TO GAIN THAT VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE AS WELL.
SO THIS IS NOT AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST OF OUR DIVISIONS OF CODE, BUT THESE ARE KIND OF THE MAJOR DIVISIONS THAT WE HAVE.
SO WE HAVE OUR GENERAL CODE OFFICERS, WE HAVE OUR SPECIALTY UNITS, CONSUMER HEALTH AND NUISANCE ABATEMENT.
AND WE'LL GET INTO IT AND WE'LL GO THROUGH THOSE EACH ONE BY ONE.
SO STARTING OFF WITH GENERAL CODE, OUR GENERAL CODE DIVISION IS DIVIDED INTO 7, 7, 7 DISTINCT CODE DISTRICTS THAT AS YOU SEE THEM LISTED HERE, AND ALSO A COMMUNITY PROSECUTION TEAM, WHICH IS GOING TO HANDLE OUR ESCALATED, UH, COMPLAINTS.
BUT WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET VOLUNTARY COMPLAINTS.
OUR SPECIALTY UNITS CONSIST OF OUR MULTI-FAMILY, SINGLE FAMILY, OUR BOARDING HOMES, CONSUMER PROTECTION, AND OUR NIGHTTIME ENTERTAINMENT.
Y'ALL KNOW, SO OUR MULTIFAMILY AND SINGLE FAMILY DIVISION.
SO WHAT THEY DO IS THEY CONDUCT RATED INSPECTIONS ON OUR MULTIFAMILY OPERATORS.
THEY ALSO RESPOND TO RESIDENT COMPLAINTS.
SO TENANTS CAN PUT IN COMPLAINTS THROUGH 3 1 1 THROUGH THE 3 1 1 APP OR CONTACT THE OFFICE IF THE CONDITIONS IN THEIR APARTMENTS DID NOT MEET ORIGINAL PROPERTY STAND.
UH, THIS DIVISION IS ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR CONDUCTING POOL, APARTMENT POOL INSPECTIONS AND ENFORCING PROPERTY REGISTRATIONS FOR BOTH MULTI-FAMILY AND SINGLE-FAMILY.
OUR BOARDING HOMES DIVISION IS RESPONSIBLE FOR LICENSING AND INSPECTING BOARDING HOME FACILITIES IN ACCORDANCE WITH CHAPTER EIGHT A OF THE DALLAS CITY CODE.
THESE INDIVI, THESE OFFICERS AND CASEWORKERS ARE ALSO THERE TO DO RESIDENT ASSESSMENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE RESIDENTS OF THOSE BOARDING HOMES ARE BEING TREATED, UH, FAIRLY AND ALSO TO IDENTIFY ANY ILLEGAL BOARDING HOMES AND TAKE THE APPROPRIATE ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS AGAINST THOSE ILLEGAL HOMES.
SO YOU MIGHT BE ASKING YOURSELF, WHAT IS A LEGALLY OPERATING BOARDING HOME? SO LET'S GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO, A LEGALLY OPERATING BOARDING HOME IS GONNA FURNISH, UM, IN ONE OR MORE BUILDINGS LARGE, THREE OR MORE PERSONS UNRELATED TO THE OWNER BY LOVE OR BY MARRIAGE.
THEY'RE ALSO GOING TO PROVIDE CERTAIN SERVICES TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS, AND THAT MIGHT INCLUDE COMMUNITY MEALS, LIGHTHOUSE WORK, UH, MEAL PREPARATION, TRANSPORTATION, GETTING THEM TO AND FROM THE GROCERY STORE TO DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENTS, GROCERY SHOPPING, MONEY, MONEY MANAGEMENT, LAUNDRY SERVICES, OR ASSISTANCE WITH SELF, UH, ADMINISTERED MEDICATION.
UM, THE BOARDING HOME FACILITIES SHALL NOT DO ANY TYPE OF PERSONAL CARE.
SO THEY SHOULD NOT BE FEEDING, BATHING, GIVING INJECTIONS, THINGS AS SUCH TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
SO THE PURPOSE OF THAT DIVISION OF BOARDING HOMES DIVISION IS TO ENSURE THAT RESIDENTS LIVE IN SAFE AND SANITARY AND DECENT HOUSING.
ALSO, THEY'RE THERE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE RESIDENTS OF THOSE FACILITIES ARE NOT BEING ABUSED, NOT BEING NEGLECTED, AND THE OWNERS ARE NOT EXPLOITING THOSE INDIVIDUALS FINANCIALLY AS WELL.
AND SO OUR CITY STAFF, UM, GIVES THE ABILITY TO IDENTIFY AND APPROPRIATE ANY KIND OF RESOURCES THOSE RESIDENTS MIGHT NEED.
AND IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE A RECORD OF ALL OF OUR BOARDING HOMES IN CASE THERE IS SOME SORT OF NATURAL DISASTER OR SOME SORT OF EMERGENCY NEED TO BE ABLE TO, UM, NOTIFY OR KNOW WHERE THOSE INDIVIDUALS ARE IN CASE THEY NEED ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE.
THE WAY WE FIND OUT ABOUT BOARDING HOMES IS EITHER THROUGH THE OPERATOR, HOPEFULLY WHAT WE WANT IS FOR A PERSON WHO WANTS TO STARTING WORK A BOARDING HOME TO CONTACT OUR OFFICE AND GO THROUGH THE PROPER CHANNELS FOR LICENSING.
WE DO ALSO GET EVERYONE ONE, UM, INFORMATION AND WE GET INFORMATION THROUGH OUR WEBSITE AND TO OUR COMMUNITY OFFICES ABOUT POTENTIAL BORDER HOMES THAT MIGHT BE IN NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND AT THAT POINT, WE WOULD DISPATCH OUR OFFICERS OUT TO DO AN INVESTIGATION ON THAT.
WE ALSO HAVE WORKING RELATIONSHIPS WITH SEVERAL ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF DALLAS IN ORDER TO FIND OUT ABOUT THOSE BOARDING HOMES AND PROVIDE RESOURCES TO THOSE RESIDENTS.
[00:10:03]
NEXT FIVE PLEASE.THE NEXT YEAR WE'LL TALK ABOUT IS OUR CONSUMER PROTECTION.
OUR CONSUMER PROTECTION UNIT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR INSPECTING AND PROVIDING LICENSING FOR THESE, UM, DIFFERENT BUSINESSES THAT YOU SEE HERE.
WE DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE LIST, BUT YOU CAN SEE THE LIST HERE AS THE BUSINESSES THAT THIS PARTICULAR, UH, THIS PARTICULAR UNIT IS GOING TO BOTH LICENSE AND INSPECT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE RUNNING WITHIN THE CITY CODE.
OUR NIGHTTIME ENTERTAINMENT TEAM IS OUR SPECIALTY TEAM, AND THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR LOOKING AT AND DOING INSPECTIONS AT OUR NIGHTTIME BUSINESSES SUCH AS PUBS, CLUBS, AND RESTAURANTS.
UM, GENERALLY THEY WORK IN THE DEAN LUM AREA,
THESE PARTICULAR OFFICERS, UM, WORK THIRD SECTOR SUNDAY.
THEY START AT 5:00 PM AND THEY WORK UNTIL 4:00 AM AND THEY WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH DPD AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE OFFICERS ARE OPERATING SAME THING.
AND GENERALLY WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR ARE NUISANCES THAT YOU WOULD GENERALLY, UH, AT THOSE TYPE OF ESTABLISHMENTS.
SO THAT MIGHT BE THINGS LIKE NOISE THEY'RE OPERATING OUTSIDE OF WHAT THEIR CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY SAYS THEY'RE ALLOWED TO DO, THE WAY THEY'RE ACTUALLY USING THEIR LAND OR OPERATING THEIR BUSINESS ZONING AND ALSO, UM, ILLEGAL THAT THEY.
OUR CONSUMER HEALTH DIVISION IS WHAT WE LIKE TO THINK ABOUT AS OUR HEALTH INSPECTORS.
WE DO CALL THEM, THEY ARE LICENSED SANITARIANS AND THEY'RE THERE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS WHERE WE DINE AND PURCHASE OUR FOOD ARE SAFE AND FOLLOWING ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES.
SO THEY ARE, UM, INSPECTING FOOD, FOOD SERVICE ESTABLISHMENTS.
THEY ALSO DO MOSQUITO SURVEILLANCE AND ABATEMENT, AND THEY INSPECT COMMERCIAL SWIMMING POOLS AND SPA ESTABLISHMENTS.
AND SO WITH CONSUMER HEALTH, IF YOU THINK ABOUT OUR FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS, THESE WILL BE OUR RESTAURANTS.
IT'LL ALSO BE YOUR GROCERY STORES OR OTHER PLACES WHERE YOU MIGHT ACTUALLY, UH, PURCHASE FOOD, EITHER PREPARED OR FOOD PACKAGED.
THEY ALSO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR TEMPORARY FOOD ESTABLISHMENT.
SO WE JUST HAVE BIG ONES THAT JUST ENDED THE STATE FAIR.
IF YOU GUYS WENT OUT TO THE STATE FAIR, YOU MAY HAVE SEEN SOME OF OUR SANITARIUMS OUT THERE MAKING SURE THAT THE FOOD THAT YOU WERE BEING SERVED, THE SAFE, SORT OF THE PROPER TEMPERATURES, EVERYONE WAS WASHING THEIR HANDS AND DOING THE THINGS THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO DO TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU GUYS DON'T GET SICK AS YOU'RE ENJOYING THE FAIR.
AND SO YOU THINK ABOUT THE FESTIVALS AND OTHER TYPES OF, UM, KIND OF OPEN AIR THINGS THAT WE MIGHT HAVE OR EVENTS WE MAY HAVE.
YOUR CONSUMER HEALTH TEAM IS GONNA BE INSPECTING OF FOOD TO THOSE LOCATIONS.
THEY ALSO WORK WITH FOODBORNE BONUSES, SO COMPLAINT BASED.
SO IF SOMEONE GOES TO A RESTAURANT, FEELS LIKE THEY GOT SICK FROM EATING AT THAT RESTAURANT, OUR CONSUMER HEALTH TEAM IS GOING TO GO OUT AND INVESTIGATE THOSE CASES OF PORTAL.
THIS TEAM IS ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR A MOSQUITO SURVEILLANCE AND ABATEMENT.
SO THEY DO GO OUT AND THEY WILL ACTUALLY TRACK MOSQUITOES TEST THOSE MOSQUITOES FOR WEST NILE OR OTHER, UM, TYPES OF DISEASES THOSE MOSQUITOES MIGHT HOLD OR MAYBE CARRYING ALSO.
UM, THEY'RE, THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MOSQUITO SPRAY THAT YOU MAY HAVE SEEN IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS AS WELL.
THEY DO COMMERCIAL POOL INSPECTIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE, UH, POOLS ARE MAINTAINED, THAT THEY'RE THE PROPER PITCH LEVELS AND THEY HAVE ALL THE SAFETY REQUIREMENTS.
AND THIS DIVISION ALSO OFFERS FOOD TRAININGS FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO WANT TO BE, UH, OPEN RESTAURANTS OR FOR MANAGERS OF COOPERATIONS AS WELL.
SO OUR NEXT TEAM IS OUR NUISANCE ABATEMENT TEAM.
IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN OUT IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND YOU'VE SEEN THE BIG TRUCKS WITH THE CLAWS PICKING UP ALL THE TRASH, AND IT DOESN'T SAY SANITATION, IT SAYS CO COMPLIANCE SERVICES.
THAT IS OUR NUISANCE ABATEMENT TEAM.
WE LIKE TO CALL THEM THE MUSCLE CODE.
AND SO WHAT THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR DOING IS TO ABATE PROPERTIES WHEN WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO GAIN VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE.
THEY CAN ABATE EVERYTHING AND WE WILL TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY ARE ALLOWED TO DO.
SO THAT TEAM IS BROKEN DOWN INTO DIFFERENT DIVISIONS.
THEY HAVE OUR REMOTE CLEAN TEAM, AND SO OUR REMOTE
YOU GO OUT AND YOU SEE THAT THERE'S JUST WEEDS GROWING OUT OR ABOUT THE GRASS IS REALLY HIGH, THEN WE'LL ACTUALLY GO OUT AND CUT THAT GRASS BACK.
THEY ALSO HANDLE VE VEGETATION.
SO THAT'S GOING TO BE TREES, BUSHES, THINGS THAT ARE PROJECTING INTO, UM, THE RIGHT OF WAYS.
THEY'LL GO AND ABATE THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
THIS PARTICULAR TEAM ALSO DOES LIGHT CLEANUP.
SO IF YOU SEE LIKE A BATHED LADDER, YOU SEE A PROPERTY AND THERE'S PAPER AND DIFFERENT TYPES OF TRASH.
THE SCENE WILL ACTUALLY GO OUT AND CLEAN THAT UP FOR US.
OUR HEAVY CLEAN TEAM, THEY'RE GONNA GO OUT WITH THE BIG TRUCKS AND THEY'RE GONNA BREW THE HEAVY DEBRIS.
MIGHT BE TREES, IT MIGHT BE, UH, COUCHES.
THINK ABOUT ANYTHING THAT A PERSON COULDN'T BE ABLE TO PICK UP WITH THEIR HANDS AND PUT IT INTO A GARBAGE CAN OR PUT INTO A TRASH BAG.
THAT TEAM IS GONNA GO OUT AND HANDLE THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
OUR GRAFFITI TEAM IS GOING TO UPDATE GRAFFITI, JUST AS THEY SAID.
SO IF YOU'VE EVER PASSED BY A BUILDING AND YOU SEE SOME PAINT THAT KIND OF ALMOST MATCHES AND
[00:15:01]
YOU CAN TELL THERE WAS SOME GRAFFITI THERE.OUR TEAM WAS, IS LIKELY THE ONES THAT WENT OUT AND PAINTED THAT OVER.
WE DO OUR BEST TO MATCH, BUT YOU KNOW, WE'RE WORKING ON OUR, OUR LIBERTY OF RESOURCES AND THEN OUR CLOSURE TEAM IS GOING TO CLOSE UP ANY THEY OPEN AND BANKING STRUCTURE.
SO WE KNOW THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT, UM, ANY CHILDREN GOING INTO THOSE OPEN AND BANKING STRUCTURES OR ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES HAPPENING INSIDE OF THOSE OPEN AND BANKING STRUCTURE.
SO THEY WON, WILL GO ON BOARD THOSE STRUCTURES UP.
WE ALSO HAVE A PROACTIVE ILLEGAL DUMPING TEAM WHO ARE PATROLLING THE CITY FOR ILLEGAL DUMPING HOTSPOT AND EVADING THOSE HOTPOT WHEN THEY SEE IT.
AND THEN WE HAVE OUR CAMERA TEAM.
AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THEY DO.
THEY PLACE THOSE CAMERAS, THEY ALSO REVIEW, PUT IT FROM THOSE CAMERAS IN THOSE ILLEGAL DUMPING SPOTS.
SO HERE'S A LIST OF THE ITEMS THAT OUR NEW ABATEMENT TEAM IS ALLOWED TO ABATE.
AND WE'VE DISCUSSED MOST OF THESE.
SO GRASS, HIGH WEEDS, VEGETATION, LITTER FOR FEEDING OPEN AND BAKING STRUCTURES AND DISCARDED STYLES.
THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT THAT TEAM CANNOT DO.
UH, WE DON'T GO OUT AND PAINT STRUCTURES, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT DOING THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, BUT THESE ARE WHAT WE CAN DO IF WE'RE NOT ABLE TO GET THAT VOLUNTARY ADVICE.
OKAY? SO THAT IS NOT AN EXHAUST LIST OF ALL OF OUR DIVISIONS.
THESE ARE KIND OF THE BIG ONES.
WE HAVE OTHER DIVISIONS WITHIN, UM, OUR DEPARTMENT AS WELL.
BUT THESE ARE THE ONES THAT YOU'RE GOING TO INTERACT WITH MOST OFTEN.
SO NOW WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT OUR PROCESS FLOW AND HOW DOES IT LOOK, UH, WHEN WE GET THOSE COMPLAINTS IN.
SO WE RECEIVE COMPLAINTS SEVERAL DIFFERENT WAYS AS WE'VE DISCUSSED.
WE MAY GET THEM IN THROUGH THE 3 1 1 APP.
WE GET THEM IN FROM PHONE CALLS THE RESIDENT, HAVE RESIDENTS HAVE MADE THROUGH 3 1 1.
AND ALSO THROUGH OUR OWN PROACTIVE INVESTIGATION, YOUR CODE OFFICERS THAT ARE OUT THERE IN YOUR DISTRICTS, IF THEY SEE SOMETHING, THEY WILL PICK UP THOSE CASES.
SO JUST TO GIVE YOU GUYS KIND OF A FRAME OF REFERENCE, IN 2025, UM, CCS RECEIVED ONE THOU, UH, 132,000, OVER 132,000 SERVICE REQUEST.
SO WE ARE OUT THERE, WE ARE BUSY AND WE ARE TRYING TO GET THESE IN BECAUSE AS FIRE AS POSSIBLE, OUR TOP FIVE VIOLATIONS WERE LITTER, HIGH WHEAT VEGETATION, BULKY TRASH AND ACCESSORY OUTSIDE STORAGE, WHICH, YOU KNOW, THAT'S YOUR NEIGHBOR HAVING A COUCH OUT THE FRONT YARD OR HAVING THINGS STORED OUTSIDE THAT AREN'T TYPICALLY MEANT TO BE STORED OUTSIDE.
SO OUR GOAL IN CODE COMPLIANCE IS VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE.
WE WANT PEOPLE TO MAINTAIN THEIR PROPERTIES AND THAT'S REALLY OUR GOAL.
AND WE DO THAT UM, THROUGH SEVERAL DIFFERENT WAYS.
ONE OF THE MAIN WAYS WE DO THAT IS TO EDUCATE OUR PROPERTY OWNERS.
AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT SOME DIFFERENT WAYS THAT OUR CO COMPLIANCE TEAM GOES OUT TO EDUCATE THOSE PROPERTY OWNERS.
BUT WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND HOW THEIR PROPERTIES ARE MAINTAINED.
I ALWAYS, UH, TELL PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, I'M FROM DALLAS, I'VE LIVED IN DALLAS MY ENTIRE LIFE, AND WHEN I BOUGHT MY FIRST HOME IN DALLAS, NO ONE GAVE ME A BOOK AND SAID, HEY, HERE ARE ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU CAN AND CANNOT DO WITH YOUR PROPERTY.
AND IN CODE COMPLIANCE, WE ARE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES ARE.
AS A HOMEOWNER, WE ALSO WANNA PROVIDE INDIVIDUALS TIME TO CORRECT THEIR VIOLATIONS.
YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE KNOW HOW TO KEEP THEIR PROPERTIES IN COMPLIANCE AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE TIME TO CORRECT THOSE VIOLATIONS.
VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE IS ALWAYS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
AND THEN WE CONDUCT THOSE FOLLOW UP INSPECTIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE PROPERTIES ARE BROUGHT INTO COMPLIANCE AND REMAINING COMPLIANCE.
WE LIKE TO THINK ABOUT CITATIONS AS A, AS A, AS A LAST DITCH THING THAT WE HAVE TO DO.
YOU KNOW, WE CAN AVOID WRITING A PERSONAL CITATION OR ABATING A PROPERTY AND THEN HAVING TO THEN, UM, WE THAT PROPERTY, WE WANNA GIVE THAT PERSON AN OPPORTUNITY TO CORRECT IT BEFORE WE GO OUT AND DO THOSE MEASURES.
IN MOST CASES, WE ARE REQUIRED TO GIVE INDIVIDUALS DUE PROCESS, MEANING THAT DEPENDING ON THE VIOLATION WE DO HAVE TO GIVE US PROPERTY OWNERS TIME TO COLLECT THOSE VIOLATIONS.
SO SOMETIMES WHEN WE'RE THINKING ABOUT CODE COMPLIANCE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT ON A DISPATCH SYSTEM LIKE LEASE.
IF WE GET A NOTIFICATION THAT THERE IS SOME, UM, SOMETHING HAPPENING, THERE'S SOME TRASH OUT ON THE VACANT LOT, WE DO HAVE TO GIVE THAT PROPERTY OWNER, IN MOST CASES, TIME TO CORRECT THOSE VIOLATIONS.
SO WE MAY NOT SEE IT TURNED AROUND THE VERY NEXT DAY, BUT ONCE WE GET THOSE COMPLAINTS IN, WE ARE GOING TO SEE THOSE THROUGH TO THE END AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT HOW THAT PROCESS LOOKS.
SO THE TYPES OF PROPERTIES THAT WE ARE ALLOWED, OR THE CITY CODE SAYS THAT WE ARE ALLOWED TO, UM, HAVE AUTHORITY OVER, AND THIS IS GOING TO BE OVER PRIVATE PROPERTY.
AND SO WE THINK ABOUT PRIVATE PROPERTY, THAT'S GONNA BE PROPERTY OWNED BY AN INDIVIDUAL, A BUSINESS OR SOME PRIVATE ENTITY.
SO THAT MIGHT BE A RESIDENTIAL HOME, APARTMENT COMPLEXES, COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES, VACANT LOT.
THOSE ARE WHAT WE'RE CONSIDERING TO BE PRIVATE PROPERTY.
IT IS ALL, IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT AS A PROPERTY OWNER, THERE IS CERTAIN PORTIONS THAT EXTEND
[00:20:01]
INTO THE PUBLIC PROPERTY THAT THE PROPERTY OWNER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR.SO FOR INSTANCE, PROPERTY OWNER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SIDEWALK IN FRONT OF THEIR PROPERTY.
THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PARKWAY IN FRONT OF THEIR PROPERTY.
THEY'RE REALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT PROPERTY UP TO THE CURB.
IF YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE AND IN THE, IN THE BACK OF THE HOUSE, THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PROPERTY UP TO THE MIDDLE OF THE ALLEY.
SO ALL OF THAT IS GONNA BE THE HOMEOWNER'S RESPONSIBILITY.
PUBLIC PROPERTY IS WHAT CODE COMPLIANCE IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR.
THERE ARE OTHER DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE THINGS, BUT IT WOULD NOT BE CODE COMPLIANCE.
SO, SO, SO PUBLIC PROPERTY, WE THINK SLACK, OUR PARKS, THE LIBRARIES, THE PROPERTIES AROUND THE RECREATION CENTERS, THE RIGHT OF WAYS, THE UNDERPASSES, UM, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING THAT'S ON ANYTHING THAT'S UNDER THE BRIDGE, THOSE THINGS ARE CONSIDERED PUBLIC PROPERTY AND NOT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF CO COMPLIANCE.
WE HAVE OTHER DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE GONNA BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THOSE PROVISIONS.
SOME OTHER THINGS THAT CODE COMPLIANCE IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR IS ENFORCING HOA RULES.
SO OUR RULES ARE LIKELY MORE LENIENT THAN AN HOA AND HOA MAY HAVE STRICTER RULES OR A NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MAY HAVE STRICTER RULES.
CO COMPLIANCE IS GOING TO ENFORCE THE DALLAS CITY CODE, NOT NECESSARILY OF THE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION OR THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
WE'RE ALSO NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR RESOLVING CIVIL COMPLAINTS.
SO THERE IS A COMPLAINT BETWEEN A SHARED FENCE OR YOUR TREE IS DROPPING APPLES ON MY SIDE OF THE, ON MY SIDE OF THE FENCE.
THAT'S NOT A CODE COMPLIANCE ISSUE.
THAT'S GONNA BE A CIVIL DEBATE BETWEEN THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
IF YOU'RE NOT SURE YOU CAN ASK THIS, WE'D BE HAPPY TO TELL YOU WHAT ISN'T.
IT IS NOT OUR RESPONSIBILITY, BUT JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE KNEW.
WE ALSO NOT THERE TO RESOLVE ANY KIND OF RENT OR MONEY COMPLAINTS BETWEEN TENANTS AND, UH, PROPERTY OWNERS EITHER.
AND WE CANNOT FORCIBLY REMOVE INDIVIDUALS FROM HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS.
WE DO WORK WITH, UH, MANY DEPARTMENTS IN ORDER TO HELP THOSE INDIVIDUALS RELOCATE AND, AND GAIN SERVICES.
BUT WE ARE THERE AFTER THOSE INDIVIDUALS HAVE, UH, MOVED ON TO ACTUALLY CLEAN AND ATE THOSE PROPERTIES.
SO A FEW OTHER THINGS THAT WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO DO OR WE CANNOT DO IS WE CAN'T FORCE SOMEONE TO RESOLVE THEIR CODE.
WE CAN COMPEL THEM, WE CAN LEVY CONSEQUENCES, BUT WE HAVE TO GIVE THEM THAT DUE PROCESS AND GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO CORRECT IT.
AND THEN WE HAVE TO ESCALATE IT.
WE'RE NOT ABLE TO GAIN THAT VOLUNTEERING COMPLIANCE.
UM, WE CAN'T AND WE CAN'T HAVE PEOPLE DO THINGS.
WHAT'S OUTSIDE OF THE CITY? LIKE I SAID BEFORE, WE ENFORCE THE DALLAS CITY CODE AND THE STIPULATIONS THEREIN.
AND WE ALSO CANNOT ENTER A, UH, LEGALLY ENTER A PRIVATE PROPERTY WITHOUT EITHER THAT OWNER'S CONSENT OR WE HAVE TO GET A WARRANT RAN BY.
AND I SAY ALL OF THAT TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, WE GO INTO OBEY THESE PROPERTIES, WE GO IN TO DO OUR INVESTIGATIONS, BUT THERE IS A CERTAIN, WE HAVE TO DO IT WITHIN CERTAIN BOUNDARIES.
AND SO IT MIGHT TAKE US LONGER OR WE MAY HAVE A PROCESS THAT WE HAVE TO FOLLOW.
SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WAS CLEAR.
SO LET'S TALK ABOUT OUR PROCESS.
THEY SHOW YOU THE PROCESS FOR MOST OF OUR VIOLATIONS.
THIS, AGAIN, IT'S NOT EXHAUSTIVE OF ALL OF OUR VIOLATIONS, BUT FOREMOST.
SO WE'LL RECEIVE IN A SERVICE REQUEST EITHER THROUGH 3 1 1 THROUGH THE APP OR THE CODE OFFICER PROACTIVELY PUTTING IN THE COMPLAINT.
AND THEN OUR CODE OFFICER WILL GO OUT AND DO AN INITIAL INSPECTION.
THAT INITIAL INSPECTION IS THE CODE OFFICER'S FIRST TOUCH OF THE PROSECUTION, WHICH IS THE FIRST TIME THEY MAY BE LAYING EYES.
IF THE CODE OFFICER GOES OUT AND THE VIOLATION IS GONE, EITHER IT WAS NEVER THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE OR THE PERSON HAS ALREADY EVA IT, THEY'VE ALREADY REMOVED THE VIOLATION, WE CLOSE THE CASE.
WE'LL SEND THE, UM, THE PERSON WHO PUT IN THE, THE NOTICE OR PUT IN THE, UH, COMPLAINT NOTIFICATION THAT THE CASE HAS BEEN CLOSED.
NOW, IF THE CALL OFFICER GOES OUT AND THEY CONFIRM THAT THERE IS A VIOLATION, HE THEN ISSUED THE INDIVIDUAL, IN MOST CASES A NOTICE.
NOW, IF THE PERSON HAS BEEN NOTICED BEFORE FOR CERTAIN THINGS, HE MAY BE ABLE TO MOVE STRAIGHT INTO THE ENFORCEMENT ARM OF IT, BUT IN MOST CASES HE WILL GIVE THEM A NOTICE OF VIOLATION.
AND I'M GONNA SHOW YOU ALL WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IN A MOMENT.
THAT NOTICE OF VIOLATION WILL TELL THAT INDIVIDUAL WHAT THEY NEED TO CORRECT ON THEIR PROPERTY, HOW TO CORRECT THE, UH, ISSUE THEY'RE HAVING ON THEIR PROPERTY, AND THE DATE BY WHICH THEY NEED TO HAVE THAT ISSUE CORRECTED.
THE CODE OFFICER IS GOING TO RETURN, UM, NO SOONER THAN THAT DATE THAT IS LISTED ON THAT NOTICE OF VIOLATION FOR REINSPECTION.
AND, BUT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IN THAT REINSPECTION IS THAT THE PROPERTY HAS BEEN ABATED, THAT THE INDIVIDUAL HAS CORRECTED WHATEVER THE CO VIOLATION, UH, WE HAVE IDENTIFIED ON THEIR PROPERTY.
IF THEY HAVE COMPLIED, AGAIN, WE CLOSE OUR CASE, WE SEND A NOTIFICATION OUT TO THE COMPLAINANT, AND THAT CASE SLOWS.
IF THAT INDIVIDUAL HAS NOT, UM, AT THAT
[00:25:01]
POINT EVADED THAT VIOLATION, THE CODE OFFICER HAS A COUPLE OF CHOICES.IF NOW WE WILL DO OUR BEST TO MAKE CONTACT WITH THAT RESIDENT.
WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT SOME WAYS WE, WE ATTEMPT TO DO THAT.
BUT IF WE'RE NOT ABLE TO MAKE CONTACT WITH THAT RESIDENT, IF NO OTHER, UH, PROVISIONS HAVE BEEN MADE, AT THAT POINT, THE CODE OFFICER ISSUE A CITATION AND REFER THE VIOLATION OVER TO OUR MRS. ABATEMENT TEAM FOR ABATEMENT.
SO AS WE DISCUSSED ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE, THE THE TYPES OF VIOLATIONS THAT WE CAN ABATE AT THAT POINT, WE WOULD SEND THAT TEAM IN IN ORDER TO, UM, ABATE WHATEVER THAT VIOLATION IS.
AND THEN AFTER THAT, ONCE THIS ABATE, WE BOTH CLOSE THAT CASE.
SO THE NEXT FEW SLIDES ARE GONNA SHOW US EXAMPLES OF OUR NOTICES OF VIOLATIONS.
SO NOTICE OF VIOLATION WILL BE, UH, WILL BE MAILED TO THE PROPERTY OWNER.
IT'LL ALSO BE POSTED ON, UH, THE ACTUAL PROPERTY AS WELL.
AND SO IT'LL HAVE THE ACTUAL PROPERTY OWNER'S NAME AND IT WILL HAVE THE ADDRESS OF THE PROPERTY AND THE MAILING ADDRESS FOR THE PROPERTY OWNER.
'CAUSE WE KNOW SOMETIMES PROPERTY OWNERS DON'T ACTUALLY LIVE AT THOSE PROPERTY ADDRESSES.
SO WE MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE MAILING IT TO WHERE THE PERSON'S, UH, ADDRESS WHERE IS, IT'LL HAVE THE CASE NUMBER, WHICH SAYS SERVICE REQUEST NUMBER.
AND YOU'LL NOTICE HERE IN THE BOX, IT'LL TELL THEM EXACTLY WHAT THE VIOLATION IS.
IT'LL TELL THEM, UH, WHAT THEY NEED TO DO IN ORDER TO ABATE THE VIOLATION.
AND THAT RESULT BY DATE IS TELLING THEM WHAT DATE.
BY THAT THE VIOLATION NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED.
SO NOTICE THE VIOLATION GOES ON TO GIVE SOME DEFINITIONS.
SO THESE ARE, THIS ISN'T NECESSARILY WHAT THE PERSON HAD AS A VIOLATION ON THEIR PROPERTY, BUT IT'S JUST GIVEN US SOME DEFINITIONS OF SOME, UH, COMMON CODE COMPLAINTS THAT WE PROCEED.
AND SLIDE 31 GOES ON WITH THAT.
AND I DIDN'T CAPTURE THIS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE VI OF, OF THE, OF THE ACTUAL NOTICE OF VIOLATION.
BUT ALSO AT THE BOTTOM OF THAT, NOTICE OF VIOLATION WILL BE THE CODE OFFICER'S NAME ISSUED THE VIOLATION AS WELL AS THEIR PHONE NUMBER.
THAT'S PROBABLY THE SECOND MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT'LL BE ON THAT VIOLATION BECAUSE WE ALWAYS ENCOURAGE AN INDIVIDUAL IF THEY RECEIVE THAT NOTICE OF VIOLATION, IF THEY HAVE A QUESTION OR IF THEY NEED SOME ADDITIONAL TIME OR THEY NEED THE CODE OFFICER TO WORK WITH THEM, THEY CAN CALL THEIR CODE OFFICER, LET THEM KNOW WHAT THE SITUATION IS AND WORK IT THROUGH WITH THAT CODE OFFICER.
THE CODE OFFICER DOES HAVE DISCRETION FOR THOSE THINGS.
UM, I WANNA MAKE IT CLEAR THAT, AND WE'RE OUT THERE AND WE'RE LOOKING AT THE PROPERTY OWNER.
WE'RE LOOKING UP THE PROPERTY OWNER.
WE GET THE PERSON'S NAME AND WE GET THEIR ADDRESS.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THAT INDIVIDUAL.
WE DON'T KNOW IF THAT INDIVIDUAL IS DISABLED.
WE DON'T KNOW IF THAT INDIVIDUAL IS A SENIOR.
WE DON'T KNOW IF THAT INDIVIDUAL'S HAVING, UH, MOBILITY CHALLENGES.
WE DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
SO THAT'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT THAT IF THAT IS A CONCERN THAT'S HAPPENING, THAT WE CON THAT YOU CONTACT THAT CODE OFFICER OR CONTACT THE CODE OFFICE, LET THEM KNOW WHAT THE SITUATION IS AND SEE WHAT WE CAN WORK OUT.
WE'RE ALWAYS WILLING TO WORK WITH THE RESIDENT WHO WANTS TO KEEP THEIR PROPERTY.
SO THIS IS JUST A NOTE THAT OUR CODE OFFICERS DO NOT TAKE MONEY IN THE FIELD.
WE MAKE SURE THAT ON OUR NOTICE OF VIOLATION, THAT IT STATES THAT AS WELL, THAT OUR CODE OFFICERS SHOULD NOT BE TAKING ANY MONEY.
THEY SHOULD NOT BE ASKING FOR ANY MONEY OUT IN THE FIELD.
ALL THAT'S GONNA GO THROUGH DIFFERENT CHANNELS.
AND IF THAT DOES HAPPEN, WE DO INCLUDE THIS NUMBER FOR THE FRAUD, FRAUD, WASTE, AND ABUSE.
INTEGRITY IS VERY IMPORTANT TO US, AND WE ENCOURAGE ANYTIME IF THAT HAPPENS, THAT THAT IS NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
AND SO FINALLY, WE'LL TALK ABOUT HOW WE CONTINUE TO CONNECT, COMMUNICATE, AND COLLABORATE, HOW WE CAN WORK WITH CO COMPLIANCE, HOW YOU CAN WORK WITH US AND WHAT WE'RE DOING IN ORDER TO HELP BETTER EDUCATE THE RISK.
SO WE HELP RESIDENTS DOWNLOAD THE FREE ONE APP.
WE WILL HELP THEM IN CODE COMPLAINTS IF THEY NEED TO.
UH, WE HAVE A TEAM CALLED OUR TARGETED COMMUNITY, UH, PROGRAMS. AND THEIR JOB IS TO GO OUT AND MAKE SURE THAT OUR RESIDENTS HAVE THE INFORMATION THAT THEY NEED.
YOU MAY SEE THEM OUT AT LIBRARIES, YOU MIGHT SEE THEM AT COMMUNITY EVENT.
THEY'RE MORE THAN HAPPY TO HELP WITH ANY TECHNICAL ISSUES THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE OR ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
WE HELP STAFF, WE HELP RESIDENTS ROUTE THINGS TO THE PROPER DEPARTMENT.
UH, PEOPLE THINK CODE DOES EVERYTHING.
YOU KNOW, I LOVE OUR OKAY, BUT SOMETIMES THINGS AREN'T CODE RELATED, BUT WE DO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE GET THE INFORMATION THAT THEY NEED.
SO YOU CAN ALWAYS ASK US AND WE CAN DIRECT YOU TO THE RIGHT PLACE.
WE ALSO HELP PEOPLE ACCURATELY FILL OUT THOSE SERVICE REQUESTS, MAKING SURE THE ADDRESS IS CORRECT BECAUSE ANYTIME THERE'S SOMETHING THE MATTER WITH THE REQUEST, THAT MIGHT DELAY THE PROCESS OF US ACTUALLY GETTING IT CORRECTED.
WE ALSO ENCOURAGE OUR RESIDENTS TO VISIT OUR WEBSITES, TO GO TO OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PAGE TO KEEP YOURSELF ABREAST OF THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY.
[00:30:01]
WE ALSO HAVE A LOT OF IMPORTANT BULLETINS.WE HAVE WEATHER ISSUES AND WE HAVE SERVICE DELAYS, ALL THAT.
YOU CAN FIND THAT ON OUR WEBSITE OR YOU CAN FIND THAT ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES SO YOU'RE NOT FOLLOWING.
SOME OTHER WAYS THAT WE SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY AND MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY IS THAT WE PROMOTE OUR COMMUNITY CLEAN.
SO IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW, CO COMPLIANCE HAS A COMMUNITY AND TOOL PROGRAM.
SO FOR ORGANIZATIONS THAT WANT TO CLEAN UP THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS, SO THEY DON'T HAVE THE TOOLS, THEY DON'T HAVE THE LAWNMOWERS, THE WE EATERS THAT THEY NEED GARBAGE BAGS, LITTER PICKERS, THEY CAN CONTACT OUR DEPARTMENT AND WE CAN SUPPLY THOSE THINGS TO THEM FREE OF CHARGE.
AND WE ALSO POST TRASH OFF EVENTS.
AND SO HOPEFULLY ALL OF YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN TO ONE OF OUR TRASH OFF EVENTS BEFORE THEY ARE KEEPING BACK UP.
BUT THAT ALLOWS RESIDENTS TO DROP OFF THEIR BULKY TRASH OUTSIDE OF THEIR BULK TRASH PICKUP.
THEY CAN ALSO DROP OFF THINGS THAT GENERALLY AREN'T PICKED UP WITH BULKY TRASH.
SO TIRES, BATTERIES, OIL PAINT, ANTIFREEZE, WHICH YOU CANNOT PUT OUT FOR YOUR BOGEY TRASH.
THOSE EVENTS ALLOW RESIDENTS TO DISCARD THOSE THINGS.
WE WANNA PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES BECAUSE WE KNOW SOME OF YOU MAY LIVE FAR FROM THE LANDFILL OR MAY NOT HAVE THE TYPE OF VEHICLE THAT YOU CAN TAKE TO THE LANDFILL.
SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU GUYS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, DISCARD THOSE ITEMS IF YOU NEED TO.
AND ALSO DISCOURAGES ILLEGAL DUMPING BECAUSE WE'RE PROVIDING A WAY FOR PEOPLE TO DISCARD OF THOSE ITEMS. WE HELP OUR, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT OUR RESIDENTS MAINTAIN THEIR PROPERTIES.
AND WE DO THAT BY HOSTING RESIDENT CODE ACADEMIES WHERE OUR RESIDENTS CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW TO KEEP THEIR PROPERTIES IN COMPLIANCE OR RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO THEM.
AND ALSO WE HAVE VISITORS FROM OTHER DEPARTMENTS THAT WILL COME OUT AND HELP THEM.
SO WE'LL USUALLY HAVE WATER 3 1 1, SOMEONE FROM SANITATION TO COME OUT AND TALK TO THEM ABOUT HOW THEY CAN MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE MAINTAINING THEIR PROPERTIES, THEY GETTING THE MOST OUT OF THEIR SERVICE.
AS I STATED BEFORE, WE DO THOSE SEASONAL REMINDERS ON OUR WEBSITE AND ALSO ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES.
AND WE ENCOURAGE OUR STAFF, OR I'M SORRY, WE ENCOURAGE OUR RESIDENTS TO, UM, TAKE PRIDE IN OWNERSHIP IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS, HAVE THOSE COMMUNITY CLEANUPS, AND WE HELP THEM WITH THOSE RESOURCES AS WELL LAST WEEK.
SO OUR GOAL IS TO COLLABORATE WITH THE RESIDENTS.
OUR GOAL IS TO COLLABORATE WITH OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS, YOUR CITY COUNCIL IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE TIES STAY MAINTAINED AND THAT EVERY PERSON WHO LIVES, WORKS AND PLACE IN THE CITY OF DALLAS HAS A CLEAN, SAFE ENVIRONMENT PLACEMENT.
AND WITH THAT, THAT IS THE CONCLUSION OF MY PRESENTATION PACKET QUESTION.
IS THIS, UM, UH, COMMISSIONER
IN TERMS OF ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU GUYS DO, UM, HAVE YOU FACED BUDGET CUTBACKS THAT'S GONNA MITIGATE SOME OF THESE THINGS? SO WE HAVE, WE HAVE NOT BEEN IMMUNE TO THE BUDGET CUTBACKS, BUT WE DO WORK WITH WHAT WE HAVE.
THANKFULLY, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO KICK BACK UP OUR COMMUNITY TRASH OFFS.
THOSE HAVE BEEN PLACED ON HOLD FOR A WHILE, BUT WE HAVE NOW GOT THE FUNDING FOR THAT.
SO WE'RE GONNA SEE THOSE GO BACK IN ALWAYS SAYING CODE.
UM, SO THE GOOD THING ABOUT IT'S THAT WE HAVE THESE PROGRAMS RUNNING PRETTY EFFICIENTLY.
SO EVEN WITH THE BUDGET CUTBACKS, EVEN IF WE HAVE TO SCALE BACK, WE HAVEN'T HAD TO ELIMINATE ANY OF THE PROGRAMS. AND I, I DEFINITELY CONSIDER THAT ADVANTAGE.
SO YOU MENTIONED SIDEWALKS, SO SOME CLARIFICATION.
SO, UM, IF A SIDEWALK IS BROKEN UP, IS THAT THE HOMEOWNER OR IS THAT THE CITY? MY INFORMATION WAS THAT IT'S THE CITY.
YOU'VE GOTTA GET ON A LONG LIST.
IS THERE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THAT AND TRASH ON THE SIDEWALK? SO THE SIDEWALK IS THE PROPERTY OWNER'S RESPONSIBILITY.
UH, THE LONG LIST ARE USED ARE PROBABLY TALKING ABOUT IS THE SIDEWALK PROGRAM WHERE THE CITY WILL GO 50 50.
I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT THAT PROGRAM DOESN'T LIVE WITHIN CODE, BUT THAT MIGHT BE THE LIST THAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT.
UH, AND THEN, UM, THE LAST ONE ABOUT HOARDING HOUSES.
SO, UM, UH, WHEN THERE ARE SENIORS OR, UM, WE ARE SEEING A LOT OF THESE PLACES THAT WILL HAVE A COMMUNITY TAKE CARE OF PEOPLE WITH, UH, THE ONSET OF DEMENTIA.
UM, SO IS IT LEGAL FOR THOSE PLACES TO OPERATE AS BOARDING HOUSES AND THEN HIRE SOMEONE WHO WAS LICENSED TO COME IN AND GIVE THEM MEDICATION OR, OR HELP OR, THAT CANNOT HAPPEN IN THOSE FACILITIES.
SO A LEGALLY OPERATING BOARDING HOME DOES NOT PROVIDE PERSONAL CARE SERVICES.
EVEN IF THE FAMILY THAT HAD THIS BOARDING, THAT PERSON PAYS FOR AN OUTSIDE PERSON TO DO IT.
I'LL GET CLARIFICATION, BUT TO MY KNOW, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, NO.
THAT THE BOARD ILLEGALLY OPERATING BOARD FUNCTION NOT BE FADING PEOPLE FEEDING PEOPLE, GIVING THEM INJECTION ST STANDS AND SUCH.
BUT I WILL GET CLARIFICATION TO GET BACK.
[00:35:01]
UM, JUST JOE, REAL QUICK ON THE BOARDING HOUSES, UH, ABOUT HOW MANY ARE THERE IN DALLAS? DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA? I DON'T, UM, BUT I, AND I CAN GET BACK TO YOU.AND, AND, AND ARE THEY, I MEAN, I KEEP THINKING THERE'S A LOT OF MIDDLE EAST DALLAS, BUT I MEAN, WHICH IS FINE.
LET ME ASK YOU, HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHEN TO INITIATE, UH, A VIOLATION VERSUS A COMPLAINT? A, A COMPLAINT.
SO WE CONSIDER THOSE TO BE ONE AND THE SAME IF WE SAY VIOLATION OF COMPLAINT.
SO WHEN WE SAY A COMPLAINT, THAT'S SOMEONE OR US GOING OUT AND SAYING, HEY, THERE'S POTENTIALLY A CODE VIOLATION HERE.
ONCE A LICENSED CODE OFFICER HAS PUT THEIR EYES ON IT AND DETERMINED THAT IT'S IN VIOLATION OF THE DALLAS CITY, WELL, HOW DO YOU PRIORITIZE? SO THE PRIORITIZATION ONLY REALLY HAPPENS IF IT IS A, LIKE A LIGHT HAZARD.
OTHER THAN THAT WE HAVE WHAT ARE CALLED, UM, ESTIMATED RESPONSE TIMES.
AND SO WE HAVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME TO ACTUALLY GO OUT AND ADDRESS THOSE VIOLATIONS.
NOW, WE MIGHT, THERE ARE CERTAIN VIOLATIONS THAT REQUIRE A FASTER RESPONSE TIME THAN OTHERS, SUCH AS, UH, BULKY TRASH.
SO BULKY TRASH HAS A FASTER RESPONSE TIME.
AN OPEN AND VACANT STRUCTURE HAS A FASTER RESPONSE TIME.
AND SO, UH, THAT'S KIND OF HOW WE'RE PRIORITIZED BY WHAT OUR EDUCATOR RESPONSE TIME IS.
WELL, I MEAN, AND MS. MYERS AND I HAVE TALKED BECAUSE WE HAVE, WE'VE HAD A REAL PROBLEM ON MY STREET AND WITH MY NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR.
UM, I MEAN, WHEN I WAS LISTENING VERY CAREFULLY WHEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW YOU WORK WITH THE OWNER, ET CETERA, AND AS YOU KNOW, MY NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR HAD, WHO HAS SINCE HAD KNEE SURGERY, UH, HAD SOMEONE CLEAN HER BACKYARD.
I MEAN, IT WAS, IT WAS JUST THE WINTER PIECE AND STUFF.
SHE DIDN'T HAVE TRASH, YOU KNOW, LIKE GUY NEXT DOOR.
UM, AND SHE HAD THESE BIG BAGS.
THEY WERE SECURE, THEY WERE ALL WRAPPED.
I MEAN, THEY WERE NEATLY PLACED OUT THE FRONT.
I REMEMBER THINKING IT'S A LITTLE EARLY, BUT THE PEOPLE DOWN THE STREET FROM ME ARE ALWAYS PUTTING, THEY'RE BOTH TRASH OUT EARLY.
AND, UM, AND THEN OF COURSE THE, THE HOUSE NEXT DOOR TO HER, THEY WORK ON CARS, SO THEY'RE PARKING.
SO I THOUGHT THEY'LL NEVER EVEN SEE IT ANYWAY.
WELL, OF COURSE I WAS WRONG, WAS WRONG.
SHE GOT SHE THE CODE AND, AND THE CODE INSPECTOR WENT DOWN, BUT APPARENTLY WENT DOWN THE WHOLE STREET.
I MEAN, MY WHOLE STREET IN AND OUT VIOLATIONS.
AND WAS SHE, MY NEIGHBOR WAS GIVEN 24 HOURS.
SHE DIDN'T EVEN SEE THE VIOLATION TILL THE NEXT MORNING.
'CAUSE SHE DIDN'T GO WORKPLACE.
AND, UH, BY THE NEXT DAY SHE HAD A $225 FINE.
AND THE WOMAN DOWN THE STREET WHO HAD A TREE FALL AND HAD HAD HER TREE CUT UP AND PUT OUT THE PARKWAY, WHICH IT WOULD SEEM OBVIOUS TO ME WHAT HAD HAPPENED, WHO HAD A TREE FALL, AND SHE PAID A $350 FINE.
NOW SHE'S A YOUNGER WOMAN AND SHE HAS A GOOD JOB.
AND MY NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR'S, AN OLDER WOMAN WHO HAS A GOOD JOB.
BUT THIS IS NOT THE CASE FOR MANY OF THE OTHER PEOPLE ON MY STREET.
AND SO, UH, MS. MYERS AND I TALKED, AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE, OR THE ORDINANCE REQUIRE THAT BULK TRASH BE REMOVED WITHIN 24 HOURS.
SO PREVIOUSLY OUR ORDINANCE ALLOWED US TO WRITE A CITATION IMMEDIATELY OF NOVO TRASH.
WE STARTED WITH 24 HOURS AS A COURTESY, BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WANTED TO GIVE PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY, BUT REALLY OUR ORDINANCE ALLOWS US TO IMMEDIATELY WRITE A CITATION.
AND, AND SO, I MEAN, AS YOU KNOW, I AM VERY OPPOSED TO THIS.
AND YOU GO THROUGH HERE AND YOU TALK ABOUT WORKING WITH PEOPLE AND TRYING TO HELP PEOPLE AND YADA YADA.
AND I'M NOT BEING CRITICAL FOR SURE.
AND I KNOW MY NEIGHBOR DID CALL THE INSPECTOR, AND THE INSPECTOR WAS, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WAS MAYBE THE NEXT DAY SHE GOT THE, THE CITATION, THE VINE CAME ON FRIDAY.
I MEAN, SHE DIDN'T EVEN GET, SHE COULD HAVE HAD THE WEEKEND AND THEN IT WAS THE NEXT WEEK THAT WE WERE ALLOWED TO SET UP TRASH OUT.
UM, I JUST, I JUST SEE THIS AS A SERIOUS PROBLEM.
AND NOW WITH THESE CAMERAS ON THE, THE, I MEAN, I KNOW I SAW WHAT WAS IN THE PAPER, UH, THAT THE HUGE MAJORITY OF THE NOTICES WERE IN THE LOWER INCOME PARTS OF THE COMMUNITY.
I DID SEE JUST A BIT, THERE WAS A, A, A PRESENTATION AT QUALITY OF LIFE COMMITTEE THIS MORNING.
I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT IT TILL IT WAS PARTLY OVER, BUT, UH, AND ESPECIALLY ABOUT THE CAMERAS.
BUT I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT HOW THESE RULES IMPACT PEOPLE.
[00:40:01]
TO THE DAYS OF THE PUBLIC CONVENTION IN DALLAS AND ABSOLUTE TERROR THROUGH MY NEIGHBORHOOD.AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME OUTTA THAT WHOLE EXPERIENCE WAS THE PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE PROGRAM, WHICH YOU'VE PROBABLY NEVER HEARD OF.
IT WAS HEADED BY A WOMAN WHO WORKED FOR THE CITY AND THEY DID ALL THIS STUFF.
YOU KNOW, THEY REALLY DID WONDERFUL THINGS FOR SENIORS.
UM, BUT SO WHAT, WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO US THEN, MS. MYERS, AS TO WHAT WE SHOULD, IF I MAY BE THE ONLY ONE THAT HAS A PROBLEM WITH THIS ORDINANCE THAT I, AND I'M GONNA ADD THAT SINCE THAT TIME, THOSE SAME PEOPLE DOWN STREET PUT THEIR BULK TRASH OUT.
NOW I NOTICED IT DIDN'T LAST THE WHOLE MONTH.
SO MAYBE SOMEBODY CAME BY, UM, UM, LAST WEEK, THERE'S A HOUSE NOW THAT IS VACANT.
I MEAN, THE WHOLE, THE WHOLE, I MEAN, IT WENT ON TO THE NEXT, I MEAN, THE AMOUNT OF TRASH THAT WAS PUT OUT WAS HUMONGOUS.
I NEVER GOT AROUND TO CALLING ABOUT IT.
AND NOW, UM, IT'S TIME FOR US TO PUT OUT, WELL, TODAY'S IT'S STARTS, YOU KNOW, SO IT WAS LIKE, BY THE TIME I COULD HAVE REPORTED IT WAS, WE WERE ALLOWED TO SET IT OUT.
BUT, BUT WHAT DO YOU SUGGEST WE DO ABOUT THIS? BECAUSE I, I, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT HOW THIS IS IMPACTING PEOPLE ACROSS OUR CITY.
MY NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR CAN AFFORD A $225 FINE.
OKAY? SO, YOU KNOW, WE SKIP, YOU KNOW, YOU GO, YOU GO BEFORE I GOT ONE AND I WENT TO COURSE YOU GOTTA TAKE OFF WORK.
AND AGAIN, THIS WOMAN AT THIS TIME WAS ON A CANE.
SHE WAS ABSOLUTELY MISERABLE BECAUSE SHE NEEDED KNEE SURGERY.
AND NOW SHE HAS JUST FINALLY GOTTEN OVER HER KNEE SURGERY.
UM, THE INSPECTOR DID TELL ME SHE SAW HER.
SHE, MY MY NEIGHBOR PULLS INTO THE BACK OF THE HOUSE AND CALLED OUT TO HER.
AND MY, AND MY NEIGHBOR DIDN'T RESPOND.
WELL, I KNOW MY NEIGHBOR DIDN'T HEAR HER.
AND I TOLD HER, I MEAN, YOU ALL CAN TELL MY NEIGHBOR SHE NEEDS SOMETHING BETTER.
HEAR YOU NEED 50 SOMETHING DOLLAR HEARING.
LET, LET ME TAKE IT UP A LEVEL.
'CAUSE I THINK WHAT WE'RE REALLY ASKING, AND I I DON'T WANNA SPEAK ON BEHALF OF ALL THE COMMISSIONERS, BUT THERE ARE 220,000 PEOPLE OVER THE AGE OF 60 IN CITY OF DALLAS.
15% OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS LIVE BELOW THE FEDERAL POVERTY LINE.
20% OF THOSE HAVE TWO OR MORE DISABILITIES.
AND 25% OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS LIVE BY THEMSELVES.
AND MANY OF THEM ARE HOMEOWNERS.
AND SO WHAT I WAS HOPEFUL AND AND LOOKING FOR IN THIS GREAT PRESENTATION THAT YOU PROVIDED ARE, WHAT ARE THE ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE AND RESOURCES THAT YOU PROVIDE TO SENIORS WHO, TO KAREN POINT, MAY NOT BE CAPABLE OF MOVING THAT BULK TRASH THAT MAYBE A VENDOR LEFT ON THEIR CURB UNBEKNOWNST TO THEM,
I CAN'T DO THAT MYSELF AND MAYBE I CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY SOMEONE TO TAKE THAT TREE BACK OFF THE CURB.
SO MY QUESTION WAS, WHAT ARE THE RESOURCES THAT WHEN A SENIOR, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THAT'S WHO WE ARE REPRESENTING, SAYS TO ONE OF THE INSPECTORS, I CAN'T DO THIS.
UM, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T ADDRESS THIS.
WHAT RESOURCES EXIST? DO YOU HAVE A BOOKLET OR A PAMPHLET OR A LIST OF, HERE ARE THE 25 DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS THAT YOU CAN CALL TO HELP YOU ADDRESS THIS, THIS VIOLATION? SO FOR CODE COMPLIANCE, WE ACTUALLY WORK CLOSELY WITH THE OFFICE OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT.
AND I KNOW THAT, I THINK SOMEONE FROM HERE, THERE, THERE'S A WEBSITE, I CAN'T REMEMBER THE NAME OF IT.
IS IT FIND HELP OR HELP FINDER FIND HELP FIND HELP.ORG? IS THAT IT? SO FIND HELP.ORG.
AND SO THAT WEBSITE IS, IS VERY HELPFUL.
IT'S IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES THAT PEOPLE CAN UTILIZE.
WE DON'T HAVE THINGS WITHIN CODE COMPLIANCE BECAUSE WE, HONESTLY, WE ARE THE ENFORCEMENT ARM.
NOW WE'RE THERE TO EDUCATE, BUT WE'RE THE ENFORCEMENT ARM.
SO WE LEAN ON HOUSING IN ORDER TO SUPPORT THOSE SERVICES.
BUT TO BE HONEST, THE BEST THING THAT YOU CAN DO WITH US, FOR US TO WORK WITH OUR SENIORS IS TO COMMUNICATE WITH US.
THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO IN-HOUSE TO HELP.
THERE ARE RESOURCES THAT WE CAN BE ABLE TO DO THE LEGWORK FOR YOU.
BUT WE HAVE TO KNOW, UM, AS I STATED EARLIER, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT A PROPERTY, YOU DON'T KNOW WHO LIVES THERE.
YOU KNOW YOUR NAME, YOU KNOW YOUR ADDRESS, WE DON'T KNOW YOUR DATE OF BIRTH, WE DON'T HAVE YOUR PHONE NUMBER, WE DON'T HAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS.
AND SO WHEN YOU GET THAT NOTICE OF VIOLATION CON OR COURTESY NOTICE OR WHATEVER IT IS, OR EVEN IF YOU'RE CONCERNED, OH, MY NEPHEW PUT THE TRASH OUT A DAY TOO EARLY, LET ME CALL THE CODE OFFICE AND LET THEM KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
THAT'S THE MOST HELPFUL FOR US.
AND THAT'S HOW WE CAN REALLY CONNECT YOU WITH
[00:45:01]
ANY RESOURCES OR HELP, WHATEVER IT IS THAT YOU NEED.UM, IF YOUR CODE OFFICER, BECAUSE OUR CODE OFFICERS WORK DIFFERENT, SO YOU MAY CATCH THEM ON, YOU KNOW, WHERE THERE'S THREE DAYS ARE ABOUT TO BE OFF.
YOU CAN CALL THE CODE OFFICE DIRECTLY.
YOU CAN ALSO CALL OUR HEADQUARTERS IN CANTON.
YOU CAN COME TO OUR HEADQUARTERS IN CANTON IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEE OUR, OUR LOVELY FACES.
AND WE ALSO HAVE A GENERAL EMAIL BOX, UH, THAT YOU CAN SEND AN EMAIL TO IN ORDER TO EXPRESS WHATEVER CONCERNS THAT WE HAVE.
SO THE BEST THING YOU CAN DO IS COMMUNICATE WITH US AND THEN LET US ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS WORK OUT US SOMETHING WITH YOU.
I, I THINK ONE THING THAT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANNA SPEAK ON BEHALF OF ALL THE COMMISSIONERS, THE AWARENESS OF ALL OF THESE SERVICES AMONG OUR RESIDENTS IS PATHETICALLY LOW.
AND YOU KNOW, I, I'VE BEEN READING THIS, YOU POST THE VIOLATION, YOU KNOW, JUST AN IDEA.
POST A LIST OF RESOURCES THAT IF YOU NEED HELP ADDRESSING THIS, THERE ARE 25 ORGANIZATIONS THAT CAN HELP YOU.
BUT JUST AGAIN, A LIST OF RESOURCES THAT THOSE 15% THAT LIVE BELOW THE POVERTY LINE, THE 20% THAT HAVE TWO OR MORE DISABILITIES, OR THE 25% THAT LIVE ALONE AND MAY NOT BE PHYSICALLY CAPABLE OF ADDRESSING THOSE VIOLATIONS ARE FINANCIALLY CAPABLE, CAN AT LEAST UNDERSTAND WHAT RESOURCES EXIST.
I WILL DEFINITELY TAKE THAT INFORMATION BACK.
THE ONE THING WE DID POST, WHICH IT'S, IT'S NOT OPERATIONAL NOW, BUT AT THE BOTTOM OF OUR NOTICE, THIS IS A VIOLATION.
WE DID INCLUDE INFORMATION FOR THE DALLAS TOMORROW FUND.
UM, SO WHEN IT WAS UP AND RUNNING, WE MADE SURE THAT RESIDENTS GET CONNECTED.
THAT, BUT YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE ARE WITH THAT.
BUT THAT IS GREAT RECOMMENDATION.
I WOULD TAKE SECOND, UH, COMMISSIONER, I, I, I THINK THIS IS RIGHT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, ROBERT, BUT I FEEL THAT 3 1 1 IN OUR AREA GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND.
I MEAN, THEY HAVE BEEN VERY HELPFUL WITH OUR SENIORS, BUT WE'VE ALSO HAD OUR HOME ASSOCIATION INVOLVED.
AND I TOOK A SENIOR DOWN TO THE SOUTHWEST STATION WHERE THEY WERE VERY KIND AND SENIOR, EXPLAINED EVERYTHING.
I BLAME NO INFORMATION ON OUR COUNCIL.
I BLAME THAT THEY DON'T CONSIDER THE SENIORS OF DALLAS.
YOU CAN BLAME ALL OUR CITY, YOU KNOW, WORKERS YOU WANT, BUT UNLESS THEY GET WORD FROM COUNCIL THAT THERE'S A CHANGE AND WE NEED TO GIVE THESE RESOURCES, I GIVE RESOURCES TO MY SENIORS EVERY DAY PRACTICALLY.
AND IT'S NOT JUST IN OAK CLIFF, IT'S IN WEST DALLAS, IT'S IN EAST DALLAS, PLEASANT GROVE.
'CAUSE WHEREVER I AM, OH, I KNOW ABOUT THIS, LET ME TELL YOU, YOU KNOW, BUT WE CAN'T COVER EVERYTHING.
BUT I DO BLAME THE COUNCIL AND I TALK TO MY COUNCIL PERSON AT LEAST THREE TIMES A MONTH.
AND I KNOW HE PROBABLY SAYS, I DON'T, NO, WHAT HEADACHE IS SHE GONNA GIMME NOW? BUT HE WANTS TO KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING.
AND IF WE DON'T SHARE THIS WITH OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS, THEY WILL NEVER KNOW.
AND WE CANNOT BLAME THE CITY WORKERS.
NO, AND THAT'S NOT THE INTENT AT ALL.
I MORE THE MORE RESOURCES WE CAN PROVIDE TO SENIORS DIRECTLY.
AND AS I UNDERSTAND NOW, MORE THAN EVER HAVING COME ON THE COMMISSION, THE WEBSITES ARE GREAT, BUT A LOT OF SENIORS WON'T NECESS NECESSARILY GO TO THE WEB TO BOOK.
WELL, SENIOR SERVICES HELPS A WHOLE LOT.
AND THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT WE DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THEY'RE ON SPEN PROGRAM AND JUST THESE NATURAL CONNECTIONS WHERE IF YOU'RE GONNA POST THIS VIOLATION, POST A LIST OF RESOURCES.
YES, I WOULD DEFINITELY TAKE THAT BACK.
AND ANOTHER THING I, I DO WANNA MENTION IF I COULD MM-HMM
IS THAT, AND EACH OF THE CODE DISTRICTS, YOU HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL, UH, WHO WORKS WITHIN CODE COMPLIANCE CALLED YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD CODE REPRESENTATIVE.
SO HOPEFULLY YOU ALL KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD CODE REPRESENTATIVE, BUT THAT PERSON IS THERE TO CONNECT THE COMMUNITY WITH.
SO IF YOU DON'T KNOW YOUR NCRI RECOMMEND THAT YOU GET THEIR CELL PHONE NUMBER AND THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO REACH OUT TO THEM.
I KNOW THAT IN SOME OF THE AREAS YOU CAN SEE THEM OUT OF THE REC CENTERS, THEY'RE HELPING THE SENIORS OUT OF THE REC CENTERS, OUR PROGRAM TABLES AT LIBRARIES.
IF INDIVIDUALS WANNA COME TALK TO US OR THEY NEED HELP WITH ANYTHING, AND LIKE I STATED WITH OUR, UH, WITH OUR, OUR HEADQUARTERS ON CANTON OR ANY OF OUR PAPER CODE OFFICES, FIRST, WE CAN TAKE THAT CODE VIOLATION OR THAT NOTICE OF VIOLATION IN WITH THEM AND SAY, HELP ME UNDERSTAND THAT.
AND THAT OFFICER ASSISTANT OR THAT CODE OFFICER THAT'S IN THAT AREA, NO ASSIST.
UM, I HAVE TWO, WELL, THREE WE JUST SAID ABOUT THE CODE OFFICERS.
THEY COME TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
I'M IN, UH, SOUTH, SOUTHEAST SOUTH COME TO OUR, OUR, UM, EVENTS.
SO THEY'RE VERY ACTIVE, YOU KNOW, AND I WANT YOU TO ME FOR THE INFORMATION THAT YOU SENT, BUT THE TWO QUESTIONS I HAVE, ONE IS I LIVE ON A CORNER IS LIKE INVITATION TO
[00:50:01]
I HAVEN'T DUMPED IT, JUST CALL AND LET THEM KNOW THAT SOMEONE HAS DUMPED THIS.BUT THEN IT'S MY RESPONSIBILITY TO MOVE IT.
SO IN ILLEGAL DUMPING, IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PROPERTY OWNER.
AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S VERY UNFORTUNATE THAT IT HAPPENS SPECIAL FOR PROPERTY OWNERS LIKE YOURSELF WHO MAY LIVE IN A CUL-DE-SAC OR SOMEWHERE WHERE YOU'RE ON A CORNER AND IT MAKES IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO DUMP.
OR YOUR HOUSING IS SOMEWHAT OBSCURE AND PEOPLE LIKE TO DUMP IN THOSE AREAS.
WE DO HAVE AN ILLEGAL DUMPING HOTLINE.
I RECOMMEND THAT YOU, IF YOU SEE THAT ILLEGAL DUMPING IN YOUR PARTICULAR AREA, YOU CALL THAT HOTLINE.
AND THEN THEY CAN GIVE YOU, AGAIN, SOME RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE.
IT MIGHT BE PUTTING A CAMERA UP, IT MIGHT BE PUTTING UP A, UH, PUTTING UP A SIGN THAT SAYS NO ILLEGAL DUMPING OR DOING OTHER THINGS TO ASSIST.
BUT I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT IF THAT DOES HAPPEN ON YOUR PROPERTY, THAT YOU CALL THAT A LEGAL DUMP HOTLINE, TALK TO THE CODE OFFICER ON THAT HOTLINE.
TELL THEM WHAT THE ISSUE IS AND, AND LET THEM WORK WITH YOU WITH WHATEVER WAS DUMPED ON YOUR PROPERTY.
UM, IT'S BEEN A WEEK AGO, SOMEONE, UH, AT MY CHURCH FIRST, UM, BROUGHT SOMEONE, UM, THAT WAS, UH, UNHOUSED IN A REAL BED, A REAL STANDUP BED OFF THE GROUND BED WITH A MATTRESS AND COVERS AND EVERYTHING.
AND THIS PERSON WAS IN OUR PARKING LOT.
SO IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY 'CAUSE IT'S ON THE TRAIN PARK.
THEN SOMEBODY MUST HAVE SAID SOMETHING TO HER, 'CAUSE THE NEXT DAY SHE WAS ON THE SIDEWALK, BUT THIS IS A WHOLE BIG WOODEN BED.
SO SOMEBODY HAD TO BLANKET AT THE BRING, SO IF IT'S ON THE, UM, SIDEWALK
SO THE SIDEWALK IS THE PROPERTY OWNER'S RESPONSIBILITY.
BUT AGAIN, I WILL TELL YOU THAT IN THAT INSTANCE, I WOULD CALL THAT CODE OFFICER, SORRY.
CALL, CALL THAT CODE OFFICER, LET THEM KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
LET THEM KNOW THAT YOU'RE WORKING ON GETTING THAT PERSON, UH, MOVED AND THEN HELP LET US SEND SOME RESOURCES OUT TO THAT INDIVIDUAL, HOPEFULLY TO OFFER THEM SHELTER OR A BETTER SITUATION THAN HAVING THEIR, THEIR BED ON THE SIDEWALK.
BUT WE'RE JUST TRYING TO SEE WHO RESPONSIBILITY IS TO, UH, BECAUSE I KNOW IF WE CALL, UM, OUR CALLING OR SOMEONE TO COME, IF THEY DON'T WANNA GO, THEY DON'T HAVE TO.
BUT THE SIDEWALK IS THE PROPERTY OWNER'S RESPONSIBILITY.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER? UH, COMMISSIONER MITCHELL? YEAH, CAN YOU GUYS HEAR ME? YES.
DID YOU SAY TYSON OR MITCHELL? WELL, MITCHELL HAS A HAND UP, BUT OH, OKAY.
YEAH, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S MORE OF A, MORE OF A COMMENT.
THIS, THIS CONVERSATION HAS GONE ON QUITE, QUITE SOME TIME, SOME, SO IT'S CLEARLY, IT, IT'S IMPORTANT, YOU KNOW, IT, IT REMINDS ME OF MY CONCERN WITH, UH, WITH POLICING AND THE RESPONSE TIME.
AND, AND IT APPEARS THAT SENIORS, UH, ARE NOT GETTING WHAT WE NEED IN THIS AREA AS WELL AS IN, IN POLICING IN TERMS OF RESPONSE TIME.
SO I, HOW, UM, UH, I, I DON'T THINK THE COUNCIL AS OF NOW HAS, HAS HURT OUR CRY.
SO WE'VE, WE'VE GOTTA TAKE SOME STEPS, UH, TO MAKE SURE THIS HAPPENS.
UM, AND, AND, AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT MY, MY, MY THOUGHTS ARE.
AND WITH THE BUDGET CUTS, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE USING THE BUDGET CUTS, IT'S EXCUSES NOW.
SO, UM, THE, THE, THE BOTTOM LINE IS IT'S NOT HAPPENING.
UM, AND WE NEED TO SEE, UH, HOW WE CAN EFFECTIVELY DO THAT.
AND, AND I AGREE THAT WE CERTAINLY DO NEED TO, TO REACH OUT TO OUR COUNCIL PERSONS, UM, AND, AND, AND SEE IF WE CAN GET A BETTER RESPONSE.
COMMISSIONER AND I, I CAN'T SEE.
COMMISSIONER MITCHELL HAD A COMMISSIONER, MITCHELL AND THEN DIAZ AFTER HER.
UH, MY QUESTIONS ARE DIRECTLY RELATED TO CODE COMPLIANCE.
UH, ONE WOULD BE, UM, THAT, UH, PERSONS ARE NOW GOING AROUND EARLY TO SEE IF THERE ARE SPRINKLERS THAT ARE ON.
UH, WE RECEIVED THE CITATION FOR A SOAKER THAT WAS ON AT 4:30 AM I HAD TO GO DOWN IN ORDER TO PAY IT.
THERE WAS THE PERSON THAT WAS IN FRONT OF ME, UH, THAT THEIRS WAS COMPLETELY, THEIR, THEIR CITATION AS WELL AS THE, UH, AMOUNT TO BE PAID WAS REMOVED BECAUSE THEY HAD REQUESTED ASSISTANCE.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I WAS NOT AWARE OF,
[00:55:01]
AND THIS IS JUST PIG PIGGYBACKING ON WHAT SOMEONE ELSE SAID, POSSIBLY ROBERT, THAT WE ARE NOT AWARE OF ALL OF THE RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO US AS SENIORS.UH, WHEN IT COMES TO A PARTICULAR VIOLATION RELATED, AS IT TURNED OUT, UH, IT WAS DROPPED ANYWAY, UH, BECAUSE THE, UH, WATER SOURCE THAT WAS ON WAS ONE THAT WAS, WAS, WAS LEGAL FOR THAT PARTICULAR TIME.
SO THAT'S JUST REINFORCING, UH, WHAT AGAIN, I THINK IT WAS ROBERT SAID ABOUT OUR BEING AWARE OF ALL THE RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE, UH, TO US AS SENIORS.
THEN THE SECOND, UH, UM, ITEM WOULD BE, UH, REGARDING REPORTING, UH, AN ISSUE.
UH, YOU INDICATE THAT YOU WANT FEEDBACK, BUT THE ONLY FEEDBACK THAT I GENERALLY RECEIVE IS THAT IT HAS BEEN CLOSED.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS.
I DON'T KNOW WHETHER I NEED TO CALL AGAIN ABOUT IT, UH, WHETHER IT'S SOMETHING THAT CANNOT BE DONE.
UH, SO WHAT, HOW, HOW CAN WE GET ACTUAL FEEDBACK ONCE WE, UH, SUBMIT A 3 1 1 COMPLAINT REQUEST, WHATEVER YOU MAY WANT TO CALL IT, AND SEE WHAT THE ACTUAL RESULT IS? THAT IS A WONDERFUL QUESTION.
SO WHEN YOU'RE GETTING THAT NOTIFICATION THAT YOUR CASE IS CLOSED, COUPLE THINGS MIGHT HAPPEN.
A CASE MIGHT BE CLOSED BECAUSE WHEN THE CODE OFFICER WENT OUT, THERE WASN'T A VIOLATION.
IT ALSO MIGHT BE CLOSED BECAUSE THE CODE OFFICER HAS REFERRED THAT CASE OVER TO ANOTHER DEPARTMENT, OR WE REFERRED IT OVER TO OUR NUISANCE ABATEMENT TEAM TO ACTUALLY REMOVE THE VIOLATION.
SO WHEN YOU GET THAT NOTIFICATION THAT THE CLAIM CASE IS CLOSED, THAT MIGHT NOT MEAN THE ENFORCEMENT.
UH, I ALWAYS RECOMMEND THAT IF YOU'RE GONNA PUT IN A CASE OR CODE COMPLAINT THAT YOU LEAVE YOUR PHONE NUMBER, OUR CODE OFFICER ARE REQUIRED TO ATTEMPT TO MAKE CONTACT WITH YOU.
AND SO THAT WAY WE CAN TELL YOU VERBALLY WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE CASE.
YOU'LL HAVE OUR PHONE NUMBER, AND THEN WE CAN ENGAGE THAT WAY.
IF YOUR CASE IS CLOSED AND YOU'RE NOT SURE WHY, YOU CAN CALL 3 1 1.
THEY HAVE ACCESS TO OUR NOTES.
UM, YOU CAN ALSO, IF YOU'RE PUTTING YOUR CASE IN, I RECOMMEND THAT YOU ACTUALLY CREATE A PROFILE ON DALLAS 3 1 1, SO THAT YOU CAN TRACK IT MORE ACCURATELY.
'CAUSE YOU MAY JUST BE GETTING TEXT MESSAGES, BUT IF YOU ACTUALLY MAKE THAT PROFILE, YOU CAN SEE ANY EXTERNAL NOTES THAT THE CODE OFFICER HAS PUT IN.
THAT'S THE WAY TO KEEP UP WITH THE CASE.
UM, IF YOU DON'T WANNA DO ANY OF THOSE, YOU CAN ALWAYS CALL EITHER YOUR LOCAL OFFICE OR THE OFFICE HEADING ORDERS AT CANTON.
WE HAVE ACCESS TO ALL THE NOTES AND WE CAN TELL YOU WHAT'S GOING ON, WHY IT WAS CLOSED, AND WHAT THE NEXT STEPS ARE.
I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR RESPONSE AND THOSE ACTIONS HAVE ALL BEEN TAKEN, BUT WITH NO RESOLVE.
BUT AGAIN, THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR RESPONSE.
AND I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT IF YOU DON'T GET YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED AND YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE CALLING AND YOU'RE NOT GETTING ANY, YOU'RE NOT GETTING WHAT YOU NEED, CALL OUR MAIN OFFICE AND YOU CAN ALWAYS ASK FOR A MANAGER OR A SUPERVISOR THERE, AND WE CAN GIVE YOU, UH, SOME CLOSER SERVICE IF YOU NEED IT.
I DON'T EVER WANT YOU GUYS TO FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE TO GO WITH YOUR QUESTIONS UNRESOLVED.
AND SO WE LEAD OFF WITH CUSTOMER SERVICE.
AND IF, IF THERE'S EVER YOU FEEL LIKE THERE IS A FAILURE OF THAT, PLEASE CONTINUE TO CALL TO CONTACT US, TO EMAIL US, BECAUSE OUR GOAL IS TO RESOLVE THOSE ISSUES.
WE HAVE HUNDREDS OF CODE OFFICERS.
WE ARE A FAIRLY LARGE DEPARTMENT.
WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, OVER 400 PEOPLE IN OUR DEPARTMENT.
SO YES, THINGS SOMETIMES GET LOST IN THE SHUFFLE, BUT NEVER FEEL LIKE YOU, UH, ARE HELPLESS AND DON'T FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT BEING RESPONSIVE.
DON'T HESITATE TO ESCALATE IT.
THANK I, WE HAVE TIME FOR ONE MORE COMMENT QUESTION.
COMMISSIONER DIAZ HAD AN ONLINE COMMISSIONER.
HOW ABOUT NOW? NOW WE CAN HEAR YOU.
UM, BRIAN DIAZ HERE, REPRESENTATIVE OF, UH, CITY COUNCIL, DISTRICT EIGHT.
UM, I AGREE WITH A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT WERE SAID, INCLUDING WHAT WAS JUST MENTIONED, UM, BY COMMISSIONER MITCHELL.
UM, I PERSONALLY HAD AN EXPERIENCE THAT WENT AROUND TWO TO THREE YEARS.
UH, COMMISSIONER DELGADO CAN ATTEST TO THIS 'CAUSE SHE SUPPORTED ME THROUGHOUT A LOT OF THAT.
UM, WE HAD UNHOUSED LIVING IN A PRIVATE PROPERTY, SO IT WAS A BIG TANGLED MESS.
UM, AND SO I WAS ABLE TO EXPERIENCE FIRSTHAND WHAT IT MEANS TO CALL, WHAT IT MEANS TO REPORT A CASE, WHAT IT MEANS FOR A CASE TO BE CLOSED, BUT NOT TO BE RESOLVED, YOU KNOW, PHYSICALLY.
LIKE I NEED THE PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED FOR.
UM, BUT IN THE END, IT DID GET SOLVED.
SO I WANT IT TO BE, I WANT IT TO BE NICE.
YOU KNOW, I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO, BECAUSE IT DOES HELP THE COMMUNITIES.
UM, AND LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE IS SAYING, LIKE, I GUESS WE JUST WISH IT WOULD BE A LITTLE BIT MORE STRAIGHTFORWARD OR A LITTLE BIT MORE EASE OF ACCESS.
UM, SO MY QUESTION TO YOU IS LIKE, WHAT ARE THE ISSUES THAT ARE AFFECTING, UM, YOU KNOW, THE POPULATION THAT WE'RE
[01:00:01]
REPRESENTING HERE, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, THE, THE SENIORS OF DALLAS.LIKE, WHAT ARE YOU SEEING THAT THE SENIORS OF DALLAS ARE COMING INTO YOUR OFFICE WITH MORE OFTEN? LIKE, WHAT ARE THOSE PROBLEMS LOOK LIKE AND WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP THEM? SO I THINK THE SUPPORT IS PROBABLY THE BIGGEST THING.
UM, HONESTLY, I, I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY.
I, I, I DON'T WANNA SPEAK TO WHAT THE ISSUES ARE.
YOU KNOW, I'M NOT IN THE DIVISION THAT'S WORKING THAT FRONT DESK.
I DO SEE OUR SENIORS COMING TO THE OFFICE, AND MOST OF THE TIME IT'S BECAUSE THEY HAVE QUESTIONS.
YOU KNOW, THEY MIGHT GET THAT NOTICE OF VIOLATION AND THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THE LEGAL EASE OF IT, OR THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THESE CODE COMPLIANCE ISSUES ARE.
AND SO I DO SEE THEM COMING TO OUR OFFICE WITH THEIR CITATIONS OR WITH THEIR NOTICES OF VIOLATION IN ORDER TO GET THOSE QUESTIONS ANSWERED.
AGAIN, THE BEST THING I FEEL LIKE THEY CAN DO IS TO CONNECT WITH WE, AGAIN, WE HIRED A PERSON SPECIFICALLY FOR THAT AREA IN ORDER TO HELP ANYONE WHO NEEDS THOSE RESOURCES.
SO, CONNECTING WITH THOSE OFFICES, ALSO, CONNECTING WITH THAT NEIGHBORHOOD CODE REPRESENTATIVE TO GET THOSE QUESTIONS ANSWERED IS THE BEST THING THAT THEY CAN DO.
UM, WITH OUR SENIORS, WE DO TRY TO PROVIDE RESOURCES WHEN WE CAN.
WE DO TRY TO HELP THEM WORK WITH OUR SENIORS AS MUCH AS WE CAN, BUT WE CAN ONLY WORK TO THE EXTENT THAT WE KNOW.
SO THE MORE THAT WE HAVE THIS CONVERSATIONS, THE MORE THAT YOU INVITE US TO COME HERE, TALK TO YOU GUYS, TALK TO YOU GUYS ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING, AND FOR US TO LISTEN TO YOU AND SEE WHAT IT IS THAT YOU NEED FROM US.
I'VE GOT SOME GREAT NOTES THAT I'M GONNA TAKE BACK TO MY LEADERSHIP TEAM.
SOME OF THESE THINGS I HAVEN'T HEARD BEFORE.
AND SO I'M VERY GRATEFUL THAT YOU GUYS SHARED THAT INFORMATION WITH ME.
AND PLEASE DON'T EVER HESITATE TO CONTACT US.
REACH OUT TO US IF YOU FEEL LIKE THERE'S A GAP.
AND ALSO, DON'T FORGET TO REACH OUT TO, I I DON'T MIND A PHONE CALL ANYTIME REGARDING ANY, ANY OF MY NEIGHBORS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, RIGHT? BECAUSE THEY'RE VERY OPEN, THE NEIGHBORS, THANK GOODNESS THEY DON'T LIKE TO BE CRITICIZED.
AND SO HELPING YOUR NEIGHBORS IS ALSO REALLY IMPORTANT.
I WILL SAY THIS, BECAUSE OF PRIVACY ISSUES.
YOU KNOW, IF A PERSON HAS A VIOLATION, WE CAN'T DISCUSS THAT WITH ANYONE OTHER THAN THE PROPERTY OWNER.
HOWEVER, IF LIKE MS. KAREN, YOU SAID, YOU SEE THAT YOUR NEIGHBOR'S TRASH IS OUT, IF WE CAN, YOU KNOW, WE CAN HELP THAT INDIVIDUAL TALK TO THAT PERSON, HELP THEM UNDERSTAND THEY'RE ABOUT THE TRASH CALENDAR OR HELP THEM WITH THAT, THAT WOULD BE MOST HELPFUL FOR US.
AND THEN LETTING US KNOW WHAT THE ISSUE IS SO THAT WE CAN ALSO, UH, WORK WITH THAT PERSON, GIVE THEM MORE TIME, PROVIDE RESOURCES OR WHATEVER IT IS THAT WE NEED.
ONE LAST QUESTION AND THEN WE'LL MOVE ON.
I, I'M JUST GONNA SAY THAT MY PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED AND THIS 24 HOUR OR NOT COURTESY IS NOT WORKING.
UH, I ALSO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH YOU ALL INITIATING THESE KINDS OF VIOLATION WITHOUT A COMPLAINT.
I, THERE'S SO MANY COMPLAINTS OUT THERE.
I LIVED WITH A DRUG HOUSE FOR A YEAR THAT NO ONE LIVED IN IT, IT WAS RETAIL, AND I'M THE ONE THAT GOT IT CLOSED DOWN.
IT WASN'T WITH CODE, IT WAS BARELY WAS THE POLICE.
SO, UH, I WOULD LIKE YOU ALL TO COME BACK.
I WOULD LIKE US TO HAVE MAYBE A QUARTERLY REPORT I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU IN THE MEANTIME TO RESEARCH THESE VIOLATIONS AND THEIR IMPACT ON SENIORS.
WHAT, AND ESPECIALLY NOW WITH THESE CAMERAS GOING AROUND.
I, I MEAN, I, I JUST THINK AS A, AS A COMMISSION, THIS IS ONE OF OUR SERIOUS THINGS THAT I'VE BEEN THROUGH THIS SINCE I'VE BEEN IN BACK IN DALLAS.
IT'S NICE SINCE I MOVED IN MY HOUSE IN 79.
THIS IS CODE IS A TWO-EDGED SWORD.
AND, UH, WE NEED IT TO WORK FOR US, NOT AGAINST US.
[VII. Staff Report/Briefing: Updates & Priorities]
TO THE NEXT ITEM.CHRISTINE SILVA, THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR THE OFFICE OF HOUSING NEEDS COMMUNITY.
UM, FIRST OFF, I WANNA INTRODUCE MYSELF.
I'M THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR THE OFFICE OF POLICY, COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT.
UM, I HAVE MET SOME OF YOU ALL, BUT I THINK SOME OF YOU ALL AT MIGHT BE NEW, UM, OR MAYBE FACES ARE NEW.
UM, BUT, UH, FIRST OFF, WANTED TO, UH, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND ADVOCACY.
UM, EVEN JUST, YOU KNOW, SITTING HERE AND LISTENING TO THE CONVERSATION, I'LL STILL TAKE NOTES ABOUT, UM, HOW WE COULD BETTER COORDINATE COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY RESOURCES.
UM, SO I DO WANNA FIRST, UM, GIVE LIKE A LITTLE BIT OF A HISTORY, RIGHT? IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE IT'S BEEN THAT LONG AGO, BUT ABOUT A YEAR AGO, THE CITY OF DALLAS MERGED FOUR DEPARTMENTS INTO ONE, UM, THAT INCLUDED OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION, UH, THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY CARE, THE OFFICE OF HOUSING, AND DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING, NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT, AND OFFICE OF HOMELESS SOLUTIONS.
SO THESE WERE ORIGINALLY FOUR DIFFERENT OFFICES.
THEY WERE MERGED INTO ONE FOR THE FIRST TIME
[01:05:01]
FFY 25 AND 26.SO THIS PAST FISCAL YEAR WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT THESE FOUR DEPARTMENTS, WE WERE ALL WORKED TOGETHER.
UM, AND WE HAD PREVIOUSLY WORKED REALLY CLOSELY, UH, I SAY WE, BECAUSE I PREVIOUSLY WORKED WITH THE OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION, WORKED REALLY CLOSELY WITH
SO THE SYNERGY WAS ALREADY THERE.
THE FORMALIZATION MADE IT BETTER.
WE WERE ABLE TO NOT ONLY STRENGTHEN THE WORK THAT WE DO, UM, INTERNALLY, BUT I THINK IT ALSO HELPED US BE ABLE TO BRING SOME NEW CONNECTIONS, UM, IN TERMS OF THE TECHNOLOGY THAT WE ALREADY HAD.
UH, HOW, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY PARTNERS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ALL HAD AND HOW COULD WE BE, UH, FOCUSING ON NEW, UH, WAYS TO WORK TOGETHER.
SO, UM, IT WAS A REALLY, I THINK, EXCITING FIRST YEAR.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, BUDGET HIT.
UM, I DID WANNA RECOGNIZE THAT YOU ALL, UH, DID YOUR DUE DILIGENCE IN REVIEWING, UM, WHAT YOUR PRIORITIES WERE AND, AND, AND YOUR ADVOCACY.
AND I, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR THAT.
'CAUSE THAT WAS ACTUALLY SOMETHING THAT WAS, WE WERE ABLE TO, UH, PUBLISH THE FIRST WEEK OF AUGUST BEFORE COUNCIL CAME BACK TO, UH, BUDGET.
AND SO I THINK, UM, I THINK THAT KIND OF COMMUNICATION ADVICE THAT YOU ALL GIVE IS PART OF YOUR ROLE AS AN ADVISORY COMMISSION.
UM, I, I KNOW THAT ALSO OUR DEPARTMENT, UM, IS MANAGING SIX OTHER COMMISSIONS BESIDES SENIOR AFFAIRS COMMISSION.
UM, EACH OF THESE COMMISSIONS HAVE THEIR, UH, SPECIALTY POPULATION.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE OUR VETERANS AFFAIRS COMMISSION.
WE HAVE OUR COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES, WE HAVE OUR YOUTH COMMISSION.
UM, WE HAVE OUR, UM, MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AS PART OF OUR MERGER, WE SEEING, OKAY, WE HAVE ALL THESE DIFFERENT AMAZING REPRESENTATIVES OF, OF OUR COMMUNITY.
HOW COULD WE BE WORKING BETTER TOGETHER AS PARTNERS? AND SO, UM, THAT'S KIND OF BEEN SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO BE MORE INTENTIONAL ABOUT.
WE, UH, HAD A CONVENING WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM EACH OF THE COMMISSIONS.
I BELIEVE WE HAD, UH, TWO FROM THE SENIOR AFFAIRS COMMISSION.
UM, AND I THINK THAT WAS KIND OF THE FIRST TIME WHERE WE HAD COMMISSIONERS MEET EACH OTHER.
AND, UM, I MIGHT JUST BE MY PERSPECTIVE, BUT I THINK I GOT REALLY EXCITED AND INSPIRED OUT OF THAT MEETING JUST BECAUSE OF THE WAY THAT WHEN I SEE PEOPLE MAKING CONNECTIONS AND, AND SOMETIMES THE PROBLEMS SEEM UNIQUE TO OUR COMMUNITY, BUT WE REALIZE THERE'S A LOT OF SIMILARITIES.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE HAS BEEN SOME CHANGES STRUCTURALLY WITHIN OUR OFFICE OF HOUSING, COMMUNITY DEPARTMENT, OFFICE OF HOUSING COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT.
SO, UM, THERE ARE SOME STRUCTURAL CHANGES, BUT THE COMMITMENT REMAINS THE SAME.
UM, WE HEARD TOO LOUD AND PRAYER CLEAR ABOUT, UH, ADVOCACY FOR MAINTAINING SERVICES.
UM, AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ARE PERMITTED TO DO THIS, THIS WOULD HERE WITH A GROUP ABOVE THE BUDGET.
UM,
UM, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE WANT TO SEE HOW CAN WE BE MORE COMPREHENSIVE WITH THE WAY THAT WE OPERATE.
AGAIN, ELIMINATING SOME OF THOSE SILOS.
UM, AND ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE ARE DOING THAT IS, UM, LIKE WORKING WITH PARTNERS AND SEEING HOW CAN WE BETTER SUPPORT RESIDENTS? BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME AREAS WHERE WE KNOW THERE IS A NEED, BUT THE CITY OF DALLAS HAS OUR LIMITATIONS.
UM, AND SO, UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'M, I'M DEFINITELY LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ALL ON.
HOW CAN WE, UM, MAKE IT EASIER TO PARTNER WITH THE CITY TO, TO BETTER SUPPORT RESIDENTS.
UH, THE OTHER THING THAT I DID WANNA ALSO GIVE YOU A HEADS UP ON, I KNOW THIS HAS BEEN PENDING, BUT THE SENIOR SERVICES STRATEGIC PLAN, THE LAST, UH, MAY, WE PROVIDED A PRESENTATION TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE ARTS COMMITTEE.
ONE OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS THERE REQUESTED THAT WE GO TO A FULL COUNCIL BRIEFING.
SO WITH A LOT OF THINGS HAPPENING, UM, WE HAVE FINALLY BEEN ABLE TO, I THINK, PUT IT ON THE SCHEDULE FOR DECEMBER 4TH.
UM, SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'LL BE SURE TO LET YOU ALL KNOW ABOUT.
BUT BASICALLY THAT WILL BE A BRIEFING FOR THE FULL CITY COUNCIL WHERE WE WILL COVER ALL THE WORK THAT WENT INTO GATHERING INPUTS, UM, WORKING WITH YOU ALL, UM, ESTABLISHING PRIORITIES AND WHAT IT REALLY MEANS FOR OUR DEPARTMENT TO HAVE A STRATEGIC PLAN.
IT DOESN'T, WELL, MY GOAL IS THAT IT'S NOT JUST A DOCUMENT THAT LIVES ON A SHELF AND COLLECT STEPS, BUT IT'S RATHER SOMETHING THAT COMMUNICATES THE PRIORITIES THAT WE WORK WITH AND LEGITIMIZES THE PARTNERSHIPS AND, AND THE EFFORTS THAT WE PUT, UH, MOVING FORWARD.
[01:10:01]
WHAT I REALLY WANTED TO, UH, SHARE WITH YOU ALL.I HAVE MY BUSINESS CARD SO YOU GUYS CAN ALL HAVE ACCESS TO MY CONTACT INFORMATION.
UM, BUT YEAH, I JUST WANNA LET YOU KNOW THAT OEC IS HERE TO SUPPORT AND WORK WITH YOU ALL.
LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS NEXT CUSTODIAN.
IF IT, IT WOULD BE WONDERFUL IF WE COULD HAVE, UH, I MEAN, I REMEMBER WHEN THIS HAPPENED AND EVERYBODY, THE FOUR GROUPS WERE JOINED, I WAS NEVER QUITE CLEAR.
AND THAT COULD JUST BE ME WHO WERE THE GROUPS THAT WERE PUT TOGETHER.
SO IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR US TO KNOW WHAT ALL THOSE DIVISIONS ARE OUR OFFICE.
WE WERE ALSO FIGURING OUT WHAT WE WERE
AND, UH, AND YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN A PROCESS, BUT I THINK, AND WE'RE STILL, YOU KNOW, WORKING ON HOW CAN WE STRENGTHEN THESE CONNECTIONS.
UM, SO YEAH, I, I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO COME BACK AND PROBABLY WE CAN DO THIS WITH ALL CURRENT CONDITIONS, JUST LIKE, HEY, NEW FISCAL YEAR.
THIS IS KIND OF WHAT OUR PLAN IS FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR, HOW YOU CAN BE INVOLVED.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? UM, I WAS JUST LOOKING, 'CAUSE I WAS GONNA PUT ON MY CALENDAR, BUT DECEMBER 4TH IS FRIDAY.
IT MAY HAVE BEEN, YEAH, LET ME JUST MAKE SURE I GET THAT CALENDAR DATE RIGHT, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME CHANGES OKAY.
UM, BUT WE'LL BE SURE TO SEND YOU A CALENDAR.
THIS WAS LIKE, THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WE JUST PUT IT IN THE FORECAST, RIGHT? SO IT STILL HAS TO GO THROUGH SOME LEVELS OF APPROVAL, I GUESS.
BUT, UH, I'M TRYING TO GET THAT INFORMATION TO YOU.
A LOT OF US WORKED ON THAT, SO WE WOULD REALLY, YEAH.
I THINK I REALLY AM PLEASED BECAUSE ONE OF MY QUESTIONS LATER WAS, ARE WE EVER GONNA WRITE? YEAH.
QUESTIONS ON THE SCREEN? I DON'T SEE ANY COMMISSIONER MITCHELL DOESN'T HAVE.
AND, UH, ROBERT, IS THIS THE COMMITTEE ONE OF THEM ANYWAY, THAT WE DON'T HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE ON AT THIS TIME? AND WERE YOU ABLE TO CHECK ON THAT? NO, NO, WE DIDN'T MANUAL.
THAT'S WHY I WAS ASKING WHO WE ALL ARE.
THERE'S A LITTLE INSTITUTION, RIGHT? I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T HEAR YOU, ROBERT.
NO, I'M, ARE YOU ASKING IF WE HAD A REPRESENTATIVE ON THE JOINT COMMISSIONER COMMITTEE? NO, THERE WAS A COMMITTEE, UH, UH, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, ON HOUSING FROM THE CONFERENCE THAT WE ATTENDED LAST WEEK THAT WE DID NOT HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE ON.
AND IS A YOUNG LADY ABLE TO RESPOND TO THAT? I'M NOT SURE.
WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO WAS, WAS THIS THE, UM, I KNOW THAT WHEN WE WERE, UH, WHEN OUR LEADERSHIP WAS MEETING WITH ALL OF THE COMMISSIONS ORIGINALLY WE WANTED TO MEET WITH ALL OF THE CHAIRS OF THE COMMISSION.
DOES NOT CURRENTLY HAVE AN APPOINTED CHAIR.
SO I RECALL THAT THERE WAS A VOTE, UH, TO IDENTIFY SOMEONE WHO WAS A REPRESENTATIVE WOULD BE A REPRESENTATIVE.
AND THEN, AND THAT WAS KIND OF LIKE A, A MEASURE.
MARION WILLIAMS IS OUR REPRESENTATIVE.
THIS IS AN IMPORTANT COMMITTEE.
AND I WOULD THINK THAT WE WOULD PUSH FOR HAVING SOMEONE REPRESENTING THE, REPRESENTING SENIORS ON THIS COMMITTEE.
AND IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE WE'VE HAD SOMEONE TO REPRESENT US.
I, I, THE LAST MEETING THAT WE HAD IN THE EVENING, I WAS THERE.
SO WE DID HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE, VERNA MS. MS. DANIELS WAS OUR REPRESENTATIVE.
MR. WILLIAMS. I MEAN, MS. WILLIAMS. AND I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WE WERE BUILDING AND, AND I SHOWED UP AND COFFEE WOULD CONTINUE TO SHOW UP.
I THOUGHT IT WAS AN AMAZING MEETING.
IT WAS, IT WAS REALLY, UH, YEAH, I THINK IT WAS FIRST, IT WAS REALLY THE FIRST TIME WE HAD DONE SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
WE WEREN'T SURE REALLY WHAT TO EXPECT.
AND, UM, BUT, UH, YEAH, MAYBE I'M BEING MISUNDERSTOOD.
MAYBE I'M BEING MISUNDERSTOOD.
I'M NOT SPEAKING REGARDING WHO ATTENDED OR WHO DID NOT ATTEND.
DO WE HAVE AN OFFICIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR THAT COMMITTEE? IS, IS WHAT, THAT WAS MY ORIGINAL QUESTION.
MARY WILLIAMS WAS OUR OFFICIAL REPRESENTATIVE.
EVEN THAT WE DON'T HAVE A CHAIR.
YEAH, I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS HAD THE OFFICIAL VOTE.
[01:15:01]
YES.ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? WELL, I'LL LEAVE WITH JUST ONE COMMENT, UM, REGARDING THE UPCOMING BRIEFING TO THE ENTIRE COUNCIL.
I THINK IT'LL BE REALLY IMPORTANT TO SHARE ALONG WITH THE STRATEGIC PLAN THAT ONE OF THE KEY, UH, INDIVIDUALS THAT WE ALL ASSUME WOULD BE REPRESENTING AND ADMINISTERING THE EXECUTION OF THAT PROGRAM WAS, IS NO LONGER WITH THE CITY.
AND SO YOU CAN HAVE A STRATEGIC PLAN, BUT IF THERE'S NO RESOURCE TO ACTUALLY EXECUTE AGAINST THAT STRATEGIC PLAN, YOU KNOW, HOW HOW VALUABLE IS THAT? AND SO, UM, I THINK THAT THAT FACT SHOULD NOT BE LOST IN THE DISCUSSION THAT MAYBE A GREAT STRATEGIC PLAN, BUT THE RESOURCES TO ACTUALLY EXECUTE AGAINST THAT OR ONE OF THE KEY RESOURCES IS NO LONGER.
YEAH, I, I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND, UM, TO THAT.
'CAUSE THAT WAS WHAT, HERE WE SIT NOW, RIGHT? UM, IS THIS A POINTLESS EXERCISE WHEN WE DO SOMETHING AND THEN WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN? OR FIGURING OUT WHO, WHO WILL BE THE INDIVIDUAL OR INDIVIDUALS WHO WILL BE THE POINT PERSON FOR ACTUALLY EXECUTING AGAINST? YEAH.
SO, UM, SO RIGHT NOW, IN TERMS OF EXECUTING AND IMPLEMENTING WORK, MIKA AND I ARE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE, WILL BE LEADING THAT WORK.
SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR ANY CONCERNS, YOU ARE MORE THAN WELCOME TO REACH OUT TO ME AND OR MIKA.
AND, UM, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU MEAN BY LIKE, I THINK OUR, OUR QUESTION WILL BE AND WHAT LIKE FRACTION OF YOUR TIME
GIVEN EVERYTHING ELSE, IF YOU COMBINE FOUR ORGANIZATIONS TOGETHER OVER THE PAST YEAR AND NOW GONE THROUGH A REDUCTION IN FORCE YEAH.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE HOW, HOW IT ACTUALLY BE EXECUTED.
AND I THINK HONESTLY FOR ME, THAT'S EVEN MORE OF A REASON WHY I HAVE STRATEGIC PLAN.
BECAUSE YES, IT HELPS ME UNDERSTAND, OKAY, AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS WORK, WHAT REALLY IS IMPORTANT? YEAH.
UH, WHAT DO WE NEED TO BE PRIORITIZING? AND ALSO, I HOPE THAT IT PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO COMMUNICATE WHERE WE HAVE GAPS, HONESTLY.
BECAUSE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE REALITY IS OUR, OUR RESOURCES ARE FINITE.
AND, UM, AND SO WHAT, WHAT CAN THE CITY COVER? WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT WE CAN BRING IN PARTNERS TO SUPPORT WITH WHAT ARE STILL SOME THINGS THAT WE MAY KNOW WE NEED TO BE, HAVE RESOURCES FOR? SO, UM, I APPRECIATE YOU ALL AND, AND YOU KNOW, I, I APPRECIATE THAT THOSE QUESTIONS.
AND, UM, UH, I DO ALSO FORGOT TO MENTION, I THINK THERE WAS ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS, I CAN'T REMEMBER WHICH ONE WHO SUPPORTED OUR YOUTH COMMISSION OR AT WEST VALLEY.
AND, UM, AND SIGNING UP PEOPLE TO VOTE.
I THINK TO ME, WHEN I HEARD THAT, I WAS LIKE, OH, THAT'S EXACTLY KIND CASE WE WANTED DO
UM, I TOLD HER SHE CAME, WE HAD PIZZA FOR HER AND SOME OF THE OTHER KIDS AT OUR HOUSE.
THAT'S AWESOME WITH THESE KIDS THAT THEY ARE TAKING THE TIME TO DO THIS.
AND WHICH IS WHY THAT WAS WHAT, UM, MADE ME WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT WHO ELSE IS INVOLVED THE OPPORTUNITY FOR US RIGHT.
UM, SO YEAH, SHE WAS, SHE STAYED ALL DAY AT THE WEST DALLAS MULTIPURPOSE CENTER.
PATRICIA WAS NICE ENOUGH TO GO MAKE SURE THAT SHE SAID A LOAD.
THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THEM.
AND, AND I THINK THOSE ARE EXAMPLES OF LIKE, RELATIONSHIPS.
THEY DIDN'T NEED ENOUGH PIZZA.
[VIII. Staff Report/Briefing: Age-Friendly Senior Services: Programs and Outreach]
AGENDA ITEM ISIKA NORMAN, SUPERVISOR, COMMUNITY CARE SERVICES.
AND I DON'T USUALLY TAKE THE PODIUM, BUT LET'S, LET'S DO IT THIS WAY.
SO, UH, HERE TO PROVIDE JUST A MONTHLY UPDATE AND KIND OF THE END OF THE YEAR UPDATE TO OUR SENIOR SERVICES, UM, BOTH OUR HEALTHLINE AS WELL AS OUR OUTREACH AND THEN CONTRACTS.
FIRST I WANTED TO START BY, UM, SAYING THANK YOU TO ALL THE COMMISSIONERS AND THE SENIOR AFFAIRS COMMISSION AT LARGE FOR HELPING US WITH THE AGING AND HOUSING SUMMIT.
THE LAST THURSDAY, NO, ACTUALLY TWO WEEKS AGO, TIME WAS
UM, OCTOBER 8TH, WE MET AT THE DALLAS COLLEGE WEST CENTER.
AND WE HAD, UH, CLOSE TO, UH, 80
[01:20:01]
ATTENDEES, 25 PARTNERS, UH, GREAT LINE OF SPEAKERS.AND AGAIN, ALL THIS WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED WITHOUT SUPPORT FROM, UH, THIS MISSION FROM OUR DEPARTMENT.
COMMISSIONER DELGADO, STEVENS, UH, FRIEDMAN, UH, MITCHELL, IF SHE'S STILL ONLINE, UM, FOR BEING THERE.
UH, AND AGAIN, I I WANNA KIND OF PIGGYBACK ON WHAT, UM, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR SILVA JUST SPOKE ON, ON OUR DEPARTMENT, BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE OVER THE COURSE OF YEAR WITH THE NEW DEPARTMENT, THE COLLABORATION WITH DIFFERENT DIVISIONS AND TEAMS HAVE REALLY COME TOGETHER.
UH, AND AGAIN, FOR THIS EVENT, UM, IT WAS ALL HANDS ON DECK.
EVERYBODY WAS WILLING TO HAVE IT.
EVERYBODY WAS THERE TO ASK, IS THERE ANYTHING I CAN DO TO SUPPORT? AND WE HAD A GREAT LINEUP OF VOLUNTEERS.
UM, SELENA MAKES ONE OF THEM HERE, THIS AUDIENCE TODAY.
SO IT WOULD NOT HAPPEN WITHOUT FIND EFFORTS.
UM, AND AGAIN, WE RECEIVED, UH, A GREAT DEAL OF POSITIVE FEEDBACK AND ARE VERY, VERY HAPPY FOR THE EVENT AND HOW IT, HOW IT WENT.
UM, WE ALSO HAD THE GREAT PRIVILEGE OF ATTENDING OUR DALLAS AREA DERMATOLOGICAL SOCIETY FALL FORM.
WE HAD A, A COMPLIMENTARY TABLE THIS YEAR.
UM, AND, UH, AGAIN, GREAT LINE OF SPEAKERS.
UM, GREAT CONTACTS, A WONDERFUL EVENT.
THAT EVENT THAT WE'VE, UH, NOW TAKEN PART FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
I'LL JUST MENTION OUR, UM, OUTREACH THIS WEDNESDAY AT THE SIMONE'S YMCA.
WE ARE JUST OFFERING A SHORT FRAUD AND SCAN PRESENTATION IN DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT FROM 12 TO ONE.
AND THIS IS AN OPEN COMMUNITY EVENT.
SO, UM, WE'RE VERY HAPPY WITH OUR CONNECTIONS WITH YMCA.
WE HAVEN'T REALLY HAD MANY EVENTS AT THEIR LOCATIONS IN, IN SOME YEARS.
SO WE ARE KIND OF REBUILDING THOSE CONNECTIONS TO THEIR OLDER ADULT COMMUNITIES.
AND THEN WE'LL CERTAINLY CONTINUE WITH OUR, UH, PRE-EXISTING PARTNERSHIP AND EVENTS.
UM, I THINK CODE MENTIONED KIND OF SCALING BACK SOMETIMES, BUT, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WE MAKE GREAT EFFORT OF MAKING THOSE EVENTS AND THOSE PARTNERS, UH, PARTNERSHIPS CONTINUE AS, AS THEY'VE CONTINUE BEEN FOR, UM, TALKING ABOUT A LITTLE BIT OF OUR HELPLINE.
SO WE HAVE TOTAL OF 1,662 CONTACTS WITH UNIQUE IN OLDER ADULTS CONTACTING WITHIN THE CITY OF DALLAS.
UH, AND THAT WAS A 15% INCREASE FROM LAST YEAR, UM, IN SEPTEMBER.
ARLENE CALLS CONTINUED TO BE FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, MAJORITY UTILITY, SOME RENTAL AND MORTGAGE, AND THEN ALSO HOME REPAIRS.
UM, AGAIN, I HAVE TO SAY WITH THE VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA, AS THEY HAD THEIR APPLICATIONS OPEN TILL LAST FRIDAY, THEY WERE A GREAT PARTNER AND VERY ACCOMMODATING TO SOME OF OUR OLDER ADULTS WHO NEEDED SPECIAL ASSISTANCE WITH GETTING THOSE APPLICATIONS IN.
UM, AND THEN, UM, I THINK THAT'S PRETTY MUCH ALL NOTES THAT I HAVE FOR THE DAY.
UM, WITH OUR ADVANCEMENT PROGRAM, THE CONTRACT RUNS TILL END OF THE YEAR AND THOSE, THEY CONTINUE TO, UH, TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES, UM, AS EXPECTED AND, AND BE CONTINUE SUPPORTING OUR ASSISTED LIVING AND NURSING HOMES ACROSS DALLAS.
SO, UM, I DON'T HAVE ANY, ANYTHING PARTICULAR REGARDING THEIR, THEIR NUMBERS THIS POINT, BUT HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE.
YES, I DID, DID THIS, DID THE NEW BUDGET INCLUDE CONTINUING THAT PROGRAM? OUR, OUR PART THAT PROGRAM OMBUDSMAN? YES.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? AND THE VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA? I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT I DROVE SOME FAMILIES OUT TO RED BIRD'S OFFICE.
BUT ONCE I KNEW WHERE IT WAS, I COULD GIVE ANYBODY A MAP FROM NOW ON.
BUT I DID SEND A SUGGESTION TO MY COUNCIL PERSON'S OFFICE IF THEY MIGHT RECONSIDER DOING IT IN EACH DISTRICT AT A REC CENTER OR A CHURCH, WHATEVER, BECAUSE THAT WAS A NIGHTMARE, TAKING THEM OFF WAY TO REDFORD.
I GO TO RED BIRD BECAUSE I GO TO UT SOUTHWESTERN AND I DIDN'T EVEN REALIZE THERE WAS A BURLINGTON STORE THERE.
I THOUGHT, WHERE DID THIS COME? I NEVER WENT TO THE BACK OF THE BUILDING, YOU KNOW, BUT, UM, I FOUND IT AND I WAS VERY PROUD OF MYSELF.
[01:25:01]
YEAH.IS THE APPROPRIATE TIME OR NOT? BUT, UH, I HEARD SOMETHING ABOUT THE BUDGET AND SO I WANTED CLARIFICATION ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE MADE.
UH, WERE THEY RECEIVED, UH, HAVE THEY BEEN APPROVED? AND DO WE HAVE A COPY OF IT? UM, AND, AND, AND, AND SECONDLY, UH, I BROUGHT THIS UP THE LAST SESSION.
UH, WHERE ARE WE WITH THE SELECTION OF A PERMANENT CHAIR? SO, UM, THE BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS ARE AVAILABLE ON ONLINE, ON A SENIOR AFFAIRS COMMISSION WEBSITE.
I'M HAPPY TO SHARE THE LINK WITH ALL COMMISSIONERS AFTER THIS MEETING.
UH, AND IT WAS, UH, THROUGH OUR CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, IT WAS SHARED WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND REGARDING THE OKAY.
THE CHAIR AND THE VICE CHAIR QUESTION.
SO THAT'LL BE FOR THE MAYOR TO DETERMINE AND APPOINT THE, FOR THE COUNCIL TO APPROVE.
HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN? I, I, I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT I BROUGHT IT UP A COUPLE OF TIMES NOW, BUT WE, WE AREN'T GETTING WHERE IT'S HAP IF IT'S HAPPENING OR NOT, OR I'VE, I'VE EVEN ASKED MY, UH, CITY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE.
HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN SINCE WE'VE HAD A CHAIR? I DO.
AND UNFORTUNATELY WE DON'T HAVE A TIMELINE, SO IT REALLY IS UP TO THE, THE PAYER TO, TO MAKE THE APPOINTMENT.
NO, I WAS ASKING HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN? IT'S BEEN A YEAR SINCE WE'VE HAD A CHAIR.
SO DAVID, IF I MAY, UH, UM, CAN YOU SORT OF GIVE US A SENSE OF THE PROCESS PROCESS? I'M ASSUMING THE MAYOR KNOWS.
DOES HE KNOW? HOW DO WE KNOW IF HE KNOWS IS HOW DO WE FIGURE THAT OUT? SO, UH, REGARDING THE, WE DON'T REALLY WEIGH IN ON THE, THE APPOINTMENTS OF, OF MEMBERS OR THE CHAIR.
SO THAT'LL BE, UH, YOU CAN CERTAINLY CONTACT YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER OR YOU CAN CONTACT THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE DIRECTLY.
UM, WE DON'T WEIGH IN ON THE ANY APPOINTMENTS.
I I, I, I DIDN'T WANNA MAKE YOU UNCOMFORTABLE, I WAS JUST ASKING PROCESS, YOU KNOW? RIGHT.
SO NOW GOTTA WEIGH IN, GUYS UP.
I, I DID NOTIFY MY COUNCIL PERSON AND SHE RESPONDED, UH, UH, SHE RESPONDED SAYING SHE HAS, UH, BEEN IN TOUCH WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND, UH, I NOTIFIED HER A SECOND TIME, UH, AFTER WE HAD OUR MEETING, UH, LAST MONTH.
SO MAYBE WE CAN ALL DO IT, DAVID, AND MAYBE THAT WOULD BE ADD A LITTLE PRESSURE.
I THINK IT'S, YEAH, I THINK IT'S ADVANTAGEOUS FOR EACH OF US AS COUNCIL MEMBER.
UH, UH, UH, THE COMMISSIONER EARLIER MADE THE COMMENT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS, I MEAN, THEY APPOINTED US TO, TO, TO THESE ROLES.
AND, AND, AND I FEEL LIKE WE'RE REALLY WORKING HAND IN A, YOU KNOW, SOMEWHAT, WE'RE NOT ABLE TO DO OUR FULL JOB, UH, WITH SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED THAT WE HAVE, HAVE NO CONTROL OVER.
AND CERTAINLY THE STAFF HAS NO CONTROL OVER, YOU KNOW, WITH THE, THE MAJOR SLASH AND THE SLASHES TO THE BUDGET FOR, FOR THE, FOR THIS PARTIC PARTICULAR YEAR.
BUT IT, IT, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE APPOINTMENT OF A CHAIR, UH, CERTAINLY SHOULD BE RELATIVELY SIMPLE TO DO.
YOU WOULD THINK SO, BUT I, AGAIN, EVERYONE TO CONTACT THEIR COUNCIL MEMBERS.
ARE WE THE ONLY COMMITTEE THAT DOESN'T HAVE A BOARD PERSON CHAIR OR THERE ARE OTHERS? THERE ARE OTHERS.
BUT REACH OUT TO YOUR COUNCILPERSON.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AMERICA.
THE NEXT, WE HAVE TWO MORE DISCUSSION ITEMS. ONE IS THE 2026 SENIOR AFFAIRS COMMISSION ANNUAL REPORT.
AND FOR THOSE THAT ARE NEW TO THE COMMISSION OR HAVEN'T BEEN ON A COMMISSION BEFORE, UM, EACH ARE ALL ACCESSIBLE, YOU CAN LOOK AT EACH ONE OF THE ANNUAL REPORTS FOR EVERY COMMISSION ONLINE TO GET AN IDEA OF WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE, THE LINK TO THE SENIOR AFFAIRS COMMISSION.
ANNUAL REPORTS ARE THERE, I THINK FOR THE LAST FOUR OR FIVE YEARS.
AND SO THE WAY THAT WE'VE TRADITIONALLY MANAGED THIS IS THERE'S A LEAD PERSON WHO ESSENTIALLY DEVELOPS THE STRUCTURE OF THE REPORT IN CONJUNCTION WITH A FEW OTHER COMMISSION, UH, COMMISSIONERS THAT VOLUNTEERED TO ASSIST.
THEY'RE TYPICALLY, WE, WE HAVEN'T NECESSARILY CALLED IT A SUBCOMMITTEE BECAUSE IT'S NOT A SUBCOMMITTEE THAT MEETS NECESSARILY THAT REQUIRE THEN ALL THE MEETING NOTICES, ET CETERA.
[01:30:01]
ME FOR INTERRUPTING DICK.I MEAN, ROBIN, THIS IS IMPORTANT.
IT WAS A SUBCOMMITTEE OR AN AD HOC COMMITTEE.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, WE HAD FIVE MEMBERS, I BELIEVE.
AND BECAUSE IT WAS AN OFFICIAL COMMITTEE, ONLY TWO PEOPLE COULD TALK TO EACH OTHER AT THE SAME TIME.
WE HAD TO HAVE A, AND STAFF HAD TO ARRANGE FOR US TO HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING IN THIS ROOM BECAUSE, UH, WE COULDN'T HAVE A FORUM.
SO IF MAKING A COMMITTEE, MY SUGGESTION IS THAT IT BE A COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE, SO THAT AT LEAST A FEW PEOPLE CAN, MORE THAN TWO PEOPLE CAN TALK TO EACH OTHER.
I THINK KAREN AND I, YOU DID IT.
WE DID IT LAST TIME, RIGHT? YEAH, YEAH.
WE DID IT RIGHT WITHOUT GETTING INTO TROUBLE.
NOT THAT WE DIDN'T, BUT THERE'S CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS IF IT'S GOING TO BE A SUBCOMMITTEE.
UM, I THINK WHAT, WHAT I WAS DESCRIBING THOUGH IS WE TYPICALLY HAVE NOT CALLED IT A SUBCOMMITTEE, AND THEREFORE THEN THE ONE-ON-ONE CONVERSATION OCCUR, AND TYPICALLY BETWEEN THE LEAD, WHEN, WHEN I DID THIS AS AN EXAMPLE, THERE WERE THREE OTHER COMMISSIONERS WHO I HAVE REACHED OUT INDIVIDUALLY FOR, FOR, UM, INPUT AND ALSO COLLECTIVELY IN VARIOUS OF OUR FORMAL MEETINGS, UM, WHERE IT WAS PART OF THE AGENDA.
AND SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR HERE ARE VOLUNTEERS WHO WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE IN DEVELOPING, UM, THE ANNUAL REPORT FOR 2026.
AND SO WHAT I DO AT THIS POINT IS CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS WHO WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE THIS YEAR.
AND, AND FIRST OF ALL, I THINK WE NEED A LEAD, UM, WHO WOULD ESSENTIALLY TAKE THE REINS WORKING WITH A FEW OF THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS TO PROVIDE INPUT, UM, AND THEN DEVELOP THE, THE ACTUAL DOCUMENT.
DAVID, YOUR HAND IS RAISED ASLEEP.
NO, IT'S
AND IT JUST, AND IT, IT WAS, IT, WE, WE DID DO IT SUCCESSFULLY, UM, WITHOUT GOING INTO SOME TYPE OF ACTUAL, YOU KNOW, UH, VIOLATION OF THE, UM, OPEN MEETINGS, OPEN MEETINGS ACT.
SO I, I'M CERTAINLY GOOD WITH THAT.
I, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO BE A PART OF A COMMITTEE, UH, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAD A COMMITTEE
ARE THERE ANY OTHERS? WHEN DOES THIS START? IT WOULD START EFFECTIVELY, I'M WORKING THE POLL.
THIS WOULD START, UM, AND HI, WILL, THIS IS VERNA I'LL.
UM, BUT JUST TO DESCRIBE THE TIMING, UM, TO YOUR POINT, TERRA IS WE, WE
[IX. Discussion Item: 2026 Senior Affairs Commission Annual Report]
HAVE IT ON OUR, UH, AGENDA AND THAT'S THE NEXT ITEM WE WOULD DISCUSS THE DRAFT NEXT MONTH.SO THAT'S FAST, RIGHT? BUT DISCUSS REALLY MORE, A MORE FINALIZED DRAFT IN DECEMBER, BECAUSE THEN WE HAVE TO APPROVE THE ANNUAL REPORT IN OUR JANUARY MEETING, BECAUSE THESE ARE DUE BY FEBRUARY 1ST.
SO IT'S A, YOU KNOW, ROUGH TIME OF YEAR FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH A LOT OF OTHER ACTIVITIES AND PRIORITIES ARE THERE.
SO, UH, AS MENTIONED, UH, WE'VE HAD PREVIOUSLY HAD PERHAPS LIKE AN EXTENDED MEETING IF YOU WANT TO, AS A COMMISSION AS A WHOLE, NEED TO DISCUSS THE ANNUAL, UH, REPORTS WITHOUT THE ADD-ON COMMITTEES.
UH, THERE'S AN OPTION OF EXTENDING OUR REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING FOR THIS PURPOSE.
UM, ALSO AS YOU'VE MENTIONED, SO PERHAPS THERE'S A MEMBER WHO WILL COMPILE AND THEN AS A COMMISSION TOTAL WE'LL COME WITH THE, THE FOCUS POINTS AND THE AREAS THAT
[01:35:01]
WANT TO BE HIGHLIGHTED AT THE ANNUAL REPORT.UM, MARCO, WHAT, UH, IF I REMEMBER, THERE IS A RUBRIC FOR THAT REPORT.
THERE WERE THINGS THAT YOU HAD TO HAVE IN THE YES.
AND THERE'S ALSO LIKE A WORD TEMPLATE THAT CAN BE WORKED ON.
AND, AND IN, IN LOOKING THROUGH OTHER COMMISSION SCAN REPORTS, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY DIFFERENT COMMISSIONS THERE ARE, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT FIVE OF THEM, THEY ALL FOLLOW THE FORMAT, BUT ALL VERY DIFFERENT AS WELL.
AND SO I THINK THAT THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY, OUR, THE SENIOR AFFAIRS COMMISSION AND REPORT HAS TYPICALLY BEEN VERY VOLUMINOUS.
UM, AND SO I THINK THERE, AND WE TRIED TO CUT IT BACK.
WE WORKED REALLY HARD AT TRYING TO CUT IT LAST YEAR.
AND IN THE END, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE MOTHER ME, IT'S STILL GONE, WHICH IS PART OF THE PROBLEM.
AND I THINK TOO, ONE OF THE ELEMENTS THAT WE'VE DEFENDED VERY MUCH ARE, AND, AND ACTUALLY ACTIVELY SOUGHT TO INCLUDE IN OURS, ALL OF THE DEMOGRAPHIC DATA THAT HELP US, I THINK, SOLIDIFY AND MAKE A POINT OF THE NEED FOR SUPPORT FOR SENIORS.
I'M NOT SURE
YES, WE WOULD, WE CAN CERTAINLY LOOK INTO GETTING THE UPDATED DATA OR ALSO FOR YOUR VIEWS IN AUSTIN.
YOU KNOW, WE HAD, WE HAD, OF COURSE, I THINK AS YOU MAYBE SAYING, WE DID HAVE SUPPORT FROM STAFF IN ASSIMILATING.
THE INFORMATION THAT WE USED IN THE MOST RECENT RE REPORT, UH, I DUNNO WHERE WE STAND WITH THE AVAILABILITY OF STAFF TO HELP US MOVING FORWARD.
SO THE STAFF IS OF COURSE, UM, HERE TO HELP WITH THE, WITH THE DOCUMENT, MAKING SURE THAT IT, UM, FOLLOWS THE FORMAT THAT'S REQUIRED.
MAKING ANY SUGGESTIONS OR, OR ANY, ANY ASSISTANCE THAT WE CAN OFFER.
THE AUDITORS, IF WE DO ANY, WELL WHO IS THERE? IS THERE A DIRECT PERSON THAT WILL BE ABLE TO DIRECT THOSE EFFORTS TO OKAY.
WE SHOULD HAVE AN EXTENDED MEETING MEETING IF WE'RE GOING TO WORK ON SOMETHING.
I DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR TO, TO THINK THAT JUST A FEW OH, YOU GIVE YOUR TIME, RIGHT? I MEAN, I KNOW I'M BUSY, BUT I CAN MANAGE IF WE COULD TAKE AN EXTENDED MEETING.
YOU KNOW, IF, IF THAT'S ALL RIGHT TO DO, I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GREAT IDEA IF EVERYONE'S IN AGREEMENT, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR THAT WE JUST SIT HERE AND GO, OH NO, DON'T PICK ME.
MAYBE AT THAT EXTENDED MEETING THERE ARE LIKE SIX ITEMS OR SEVEN ITEMS OR HOWEVER MANY THERE ARE.
MAYBE PERHAPS WE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT REASONABLY AT THAT NEXT EXTENDED MEETING WHO CAN WORK ON PULLING SOME OF IT TOGETHER AS INDIVIDUALS SO THAT IF ONE DOESN'T FALL ON ONE PERSON, UM, AND NOT ON THIS, A GREATLY REDUCED STAFF.
I HAVE TO ADMIT, I HAD TO GO IN FRONT OF, UH, CITY COUNCIL LAST MONTH BECAUSE THEY WERE GONNA CLOSE OUR POOL AND WE PULLED NUMBERS OF THE NUMBERS OF SENIORS THAT ARE NOW GOING TO BE IN DALLAS AT THE END OF MY PRESENTATION.
AND I SAID, AND BY THE WAY, WE'RE GONNA HAVE OVER 68% OF THE POPULATION WILL BE SENIORS.
SO WE MIGHT SEE A WHOLE NEW COUNCIL NEXT YEAR, HOPEFULLY.
YOU KNOW, BUT THAT WAS JUST, YOU KNOW, IT'S BETTER TO THROW NUMBERS UP AND, AND GIVE THAT INFORMATION, I THINK.
BETWEEN NOW AND NEXT MEETING, UM, SO FAR WE HAVE DAVID AND VERNA VOLUNTEERING TO BE PART, UM, THE, THE BIG PIECE, BECAUSE I'VE DONE THIS BEFORE, IS THE ACTUAL PERSON WHO PULLS THAT TOGETHER, DO WE HAVE NOT, DO WE NOT HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME? SO IF WE DO AN EXTENDED MEETING NEXT MONTH AND EACH OF US PULLS A PIECE OF IT BY LOOKING AT TAKING A GOOD LOOK AT LAST YEAR'S, QUARTER OF THE LAST TWO YEARS REPORTS AND SEEING WHAT'S REASONABLE AND WHAT WE NEED TO DO, WE MAYBE, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW, KAREN AND I DID IT LAST YEAR.
RIGHT NOW I AM SO OVERWHELMED FOR NOVEMBER, I CAN'T EVEN THINK ABOUT.
[01:40:01]
FOR A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS.WELL THEN WHY DON'T WE ADD SOME TIME TO NEXT MONTH'S MEETING? EVERYONE WILL NEED TO COME PREPARED HAVING READ LAST YEAR'S.
AND THE REPORT WITH THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR WHAT WE NEED TO INCLUDE.
I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO NECESSARILY REINVENT THE WHEEL BECAUSE AS WE ALL KNOW, IF LAST YEAR WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT THE STRATEGIC PLAN AND WHEN THAT WAS GOING TO BE REVIEWED, APPROVED, RIGHT.
THAT WILL LIKELY GO INTO OUR 2026 ANNUAL REPORT AS AN OPEN ITEM.
AND SOMETHING THAT WE HOPE IS, IS, UH, ACTED UPON 2027.
YOU JUST UPDATE THE FOLLOWING MISSION THAT RIGHT.
AND WE NEED TO UPDATE THE DEMOGRAPHIC DATA, BUT CAN YOU SEND US ALL A LINK MM-HMM
TO THAT? SO, OH, WE NEED, WE NEED, WE NEED AT LEAST TWO ITEMS IN, IN MY OPINION, OF COURSE.
ONE, WE NEED THE MOST, WE NEED THE MOST RECENT, UH, STRATEGIC DOCUMENT.
I DON'T, AS I INDICATED, I I DON'T HAVE IT.
UH, I'D LIKE TO GET THAT IN ITS OFFICIAL FORMAT.
AND, UH, THE MOST RECENT, UM, DOCUMENT FROM, UH, WELL, I GUESS THE 20 WHAT 2025 DOCUMENT WOULD THAT BE SENT TO EACH OF US? SO WE ALL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW IT AND BE PREPARED AS YOU'VE INDICATED FOR NEXT PLAN.
AND THEN WE'LL HAVE THE DISCUSSION NEXT MONTH.
AND IF AS MANY OF US COULD BE HERE IN PERSON, THAT WOULD BE WONDERFUL.
SO HOW LONG, HOW LONG WILL YOU WANNA EXTEND THE MEETING? WELL, THIS ONE, SO WE'LL HAVE THAT ON THE AGENDA.
AND AS FAR AS OUR NEXT MONTH, WE HAVE THE NORTH TEXAS FOOD BANK SCHEDULED TO PRESENT AND THE SHARED DISH.
MAYBE WE'LL WANNA DEFER ONE OF THOSE IF THAT'S POSSIBLE.
AND ADD THE 2026 ANNUAL PLAN AND MAYBE EXTEND TO AT LEAST, YOU KNOW, A HALF HOUR, TWO 30 YOU THINK? YEP.
DOES THAT, THE OPTION IS, SO WE HAVE CONFERRED WITH BOTH THESE, UH, AGENCIES.
UH, SO THERE'S AN OPTION OF MAYBE REDUCING THEIR PRESENTATION TIMES.
I THINK WE NEED TO NEVER HAPPENS, REMOVE ALL THE OTHER ITEMS FROM THAT BASE.
AND THAT'LL, YOU KNOW, YOU NEED EXTEND BY A HALF HOUR.
AND THEN, UH, YOU, WE'LL JUST, IT'LL BE REALLY IMPORTANT THAT EVERYONE COMES PREPARED WITH THEIR COMMENTS HAVING READ OVER THE DOCUMENTS THAT DAVID JUST MENTIONED.
[X. Discussion Item: Senior Affairs Commission Agenda Forecasting]
GO ON TO THE NEXT ITEM, WHICH IS APPROPRIATE.UH, AND THIS WAS BROUGHT UP IN OUR LAST MEETING, RIGHT, WHERE WE ASKED FOR AN AGENDA ITEM TO TALK ABOUT AGENDA ITEMS. AND SO, UM, THIS IS OUR OPPORTUNITY.
AND
SO AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE, THE SHARED, UM, FORECAST FOR NOW, WE'VE ONLY DONE IT FOR JUNE PURPOSE.
UH, YOU CAN SEE SOME ITEMS THAT WE'VE ALREADY ENTERED THERE THAT WE BELIEVE SHOULD ON THE AGENDA.
UH, THE NOVEMBER WAS SOMETHING WE HAD ALREADY, UH, SCHEDULED AS WELL.
AS WE'VE DISCUSSED, THIS IS SOMETHING OUR DEPARTMENT IS ASKING TO, UH, THE DECEMBER ITEM FOR THE, UH, ACCESSIBILITY AND COMPLIANCE PRESENTATION.
SOMETHING OUR DEPARTMENT IS, IS DOING, UM, THE BOARD WITH ALL THE COMMISSIONS THAT WE COORDINATE.
UH, SO THESE ARE ITEMS THAT WE'VE KIND OF ENTERED ON THE, UH, AGENDA PLAN ALREADY.
BUT WE WELCOME AT THIS POINT ANY, UH, ANY REQUESTS.
AND THEN WE CAN, UH, ONCE WE START CONTACTING THESE, UH, AGENCIES, DEPARTMENTS, WE CAN START PUTTING THEM OR, OR FINALIZING THEM FOR THAT ON.
SO PREVIOUSLY WHEN, WHEN I, WHEN I HAD SOMETHING THAT I WANTED TO BE ON THE AGENDA, I WENT TO THE CHAIRPERSON SO THAT IT WAS REALLY KIND OF A SIMPLE, UH, PROCESS TO, TO GET THAT DONE.
SO, SO NOW, UH, UNTIL THAT IS, IS A IS DONE, WHAT WOULD YOU SUGGEST? DO WE GO DIRECTLY TO YOU OR HOW WOULD WE GO ABOUT HAVING SOMETHING ADDED TO THE AGENDA OR PLACED ON THE AGENDA? THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
IN TODAY'S MEETING, THAT IS A, A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, WITHIN THE COMMISSION TO DISCUSS THE ITEMS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN THE NEXT, UM, SIX MONTHS.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE, UH, WE HAVE BEEN, WITHOUT, WITHOUT THE PERMANENT CHAIR, WE HAVE BEEN KIND OF PLANNING THESE AGENDAS WITH THE NOTES THAT WE'VE GATHERED FROM EACH COMMISSION MEETING, UM, THROUGHOUT THE MONTHS.
BUT THIS, UH, ITEM WAS ADDED JUST SO THAT EVERY
[01:45:01]
COMMISSIONER HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THE ITEMS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN THE FUTURE MEETINGS.UM, AND WE CAN START PUTTING THEM DOWN FOR, FOR OUR PLAN.
SO, SO IF I CAN, YOU KNOW, I NOTICE LIKE NEXT MONTH THAT, UM, WE HAD NORTH TEXAS FOOD BANK, RIGHT? AND SHARED DISH, UM, UH, AND ALL OF THE LATEST REPORTS THAT HAVE BEEN COMING OUT, WE KNOW THAT THE FOOD DESERT SITUATION IS REALLY A PROBLEM IN OUR CITY AND IT AFFECTS AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF SENIORS.
UM, SO THE WHOLE, HOW WOULD WE FIGURE OUT, UH, WHAT I WAS ASKING MYSELF WHEN I WAS READING ALL OF THIS STUFF, HOW DO WE FIGURE OUT WHAT THE NUMBER OF SENIORS AFFECTED IN FOOD DESERTS, RIGHT? HOW DO SENIORS GET FOOD? UM, UH, WHAT DO WE KNOW? HOW DO WE FIGURE THAT OUT? IS THAT QUESTIONS WE SHOULD ASK? NORTH TEXAS FOOD BANK SHARE DISH? I KNOW VNA DOES SOME STUFF, BUT, UM, THE FOOD DESERT ISSUE FOR OUR COMMUNITY IS A REAL ISSUE.
DON'T YOU THINK WE SHOULD JUST DO EACH DISTRICT, EACH ONE OF US REPLY BY SAYING WHAT WE KNOW IS HAPPENING IN OUR DISTRICT? THAT'S A FABULOUS, THAT'S A FABULOUS IDEA.
I MEAN, I KNOW WHEN PEOPLE CALL ME, I KNOW WHERE TO SEND THEM, RIGHT? SO THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.
WE HAVE TO SHARE INFORMATION BECAUSE IF OURS CLOSES, CAN THEY GO TO WEST DALLAS? RIGHT.
AND HOPEFULLY THEY CAN RIGHT? INSTEAD OF JUST LEAVING IT ON ONE PERSON.
I THINK TO FIGURE OUT THE FOOD DESERT ISSUES AND WHAT'S GOING ON IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND I THINK THAT'S A GOOD ITEM FOR INCLUSION IN OUR ANNUAL REPORT AND OUR OBJECTIVES FOR 2027.
AND I THINK THAT'S BID IN EACH ONE OF OUR ANNUAL REPORTS.
BUT I THINK AS WE GET MORE INFORMATION, THE ARTICLE THAT CAME OUT WAS VERY FASCINATING TO SHOW THE CONCENTRATION OF GROCERY STORES WITH FRESH FOOD VERSUS I THOUGHT THE ARTICLE POINTED OUT, OR IT'S A VARIANT.
IT'S AN UNFORTUNATE, BUT I THINK IT'S A GOOD DEFINITION.
THEY DON'T CALL 'EM FOOD DESERTS.
THEY CALL 'EM FOOD SWAMPS BECAUSE THE AVAILABILITY OF THE FOOD THAT IS THERE, PREPACKAGED CAN'T, NOT HEALTHY FOOD.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER SUGGESTIONS FOR AGENDA ITEMS? YES, KAREN? YES.
WELL, UH, EVEN BEFORE WE JUST FOUND OUT THAT THE PLAN'S BEING PRESENTED TO COUNCIL, I THINK EACH MONTH WE SHOULD HAVE ONE ITEM FROM THE STRATEGIC PLAN TO DISCUSS.
I MEAN, IF WE'RE GONNA WORK ON THAT AND MAKE IT WORK, OR WE CAN, IF WE DECIDE MAYBE AFTER THE COUNCIL APPROVED, WE PICK THREE ITEMS WE WANT TO EXPLORE THIS YEAR.
I MEAN, BUT WE SPEND A LOT OF MONEY AND A LOT OF TIME AND WE'VE GOT A STRATEGIC PLAN AND I'M ASSUMING COUNCIL WILL APPROVE IT.
AND EVEN IF THEY DON'T, WE CAN STILL DO SOME OF THE THINGS ON THAT.
SO THAT'S ONE OF MY SUGGESTIONS.
SO YOU'RE SUGGESTING, UH, ESSENTIALLY A COMMISSION FORUM THAT THAT WOULD BE AN AGENDA ITEM WHERE WE DISCUSS AMONGST OURSELVES? YES.
AND MAYBE JUST TAKE, YOU KNOW, LIKE THE FIRST ITEM, I MEAN, MAYBE THE FIRST DISCUSSION IS TO PICK WHICH ITEMS DO WE WANNA EXPLORE THIS YEAR, REALLY SET OUR PRIORITIES AND, AND MAYBE THREE IS ENOUGH.
BUT YOU KNOW, I MEAN WE, WE'VE GOT THIS PLAN AND THERE ARE THINGS ON THERE THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US DO.
SO, BUT I THINK EACH COM, EACH COMMISSION MEETING SHOULD INCLUDE SINCE WE'RE NOT BUSY A SECTION FOR DISCUSSING THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
I THINK YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT BECAUSE WE ALL HAVE SO MUCH KNOWLEDGE AND WE DON'T ALWAYS SHARE.
SO I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.
AND ANOTHER THING I WOULD LIKE AND MI KNOWS IS I WOULD LIKE YOUR WATER DEPARTMENT AND THE IMPACT THAT THIS NEW FEE AND THIS NEW PAYMENT STRUCTURE IS HAVING ON SENIOR, IF THEY EVEN KNOW IT.
AND, UH, I, I'M JUST VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT NOW.
I REALLY WANNA COMPLIMENT IKA OR WHOMEVER WE'RE HANDING OUT THE INFORMATION.
I'M GONNA GET THIS COPIED AND SENT TO MY, TO MY LIBRARY, MY REC CENTERS.
UM, OBVIOUSLY WE STILL NEED FOLLOW UP ON CODE ENFORCEMENT AND NOT NEXT MONTH, BUT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE AFTER THE FIRST OF THE YEAR.
AND, AND I REALLY DO APPRECIATE THE REPORT THAT, UH, UH, CHRISTINA GAVE US TODAY.
AND, AND MAYBE EVERY OTHER MONTH OR HOWEVER, I THINK IT'S REALLY WELL, I LIKE KNOWING ABOUT THE HOUSING, WHAT'S GOING ON WITH HOUSING.
UH, I'D LOVE TO HEAR HOW ALL OF THIS, UH, THESE VOL THIS, UH, APPLICATION PROCESS TURNED OUT.
[01:50:01]
SUGGESTIONS FOR THE AGENDA.YOU KNOW, I WOULD, IIII WOULD LOVE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT WATER, WATER SITUATION AS, AS WELL.
WE GOT AN $800 WATER BILL THIS PAST MONTH AND I'M JUST TRYING, I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT, HOW MUCH, WHY DO WE USE THAT MUCH WATER? I CAN'T, I CAN'T IMAGINE IT, BUT I DON'T MEAN TO BE SARCASTIC ABOUT IT, BUT IT IS 800 BUCKS, YOU KNOW? UH, YEAH.
AS WE TALK ABOUT THE STRATEGIC PLAN, UH, WE SPENT AN OFFER AWFUL, UH, A LOT OF TIME IN PUTTING THAT STRATEGIC PLAN TOGETHER.
AND, AND AS A PART OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN, WE SPECIFICALLY HAD PRIORITIES.
SO THOSE PRIORITIES ARE THE AREAS WE NEED TO HAVE ON THE AGENDA SO WE CAN REVIEW.
AND OF COURSE, THE ONE, ONE OF THOSE THAT, UM, IS ON THERE IS WE GAVE THE, UH, POLICE DEPARTMENT A 90 DAY TIME SPAN TO EXPLORE HOW TO, UM, REDUCE, UM, RESPONSE TIME AND TO COME BACK, UH, EITHER TO US OR COME BACK TO THE COUNCIL AND TELL US HOW THEY'RE DOING.
I'D LOVE TO KNOW WHERE THAT, WHERE THAT, WHERE THAT IS.
SO IF THE BUDGET WAS APPROVED IN OCTOBER, THEN YOU KNOW THAT 90 DAYS IS, IS ALREADY WORKED, THAT THAT 90 DAY PROCESS IS ALREADY ENFORCED.
SO, UM, AT SOME POINT, BUT, UH, AS YOU'VE ALL HAVE INDICATED, UH, THE PRIORITIES FROM THE STRATEGIC PLAN ARE THE ONES THAT SHOULD TAKE PRECEDENT.
IF I CAN, UH, ASK A CLARIFYING QUESTION AS, AS YOU ARE REQUESTING, UH, THE STRATEGIC PLAN, UM, ITEMS TO WORK ON IN EACH MEETINGS, ARE THESE ITEMS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO START ALREADY, UH, NOVEMBER, DECEMBER OR PERHAPS AFTER THE ANNUAL REPORT IS, IS CONCLUDED? I THINK IT WOULD MAKE SENSE.
UH, YOU'RE GONNA FORWARD THE STRATEGIC PLAN ALONG WITH LAST YEAR'S ANNUAL REPORT TO EVERYONE.
EVERYBODY CAN REFRESH THEMSELVES ON WHAT BOTH SAID.
AND THEN, UM, IT PROBABLY MAKES SENSE FOR THE NOVEMBER OR DECEMBER MEETING TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT WHICH THREE OF THOSE STRATEGIC PLAN ELEMENTS DO WE WANT ON FUTURE AGENDAS MOVING FORWARD INTO 2027.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE TO EVERYBODY? IT, IT, IT MAKES SENSE, BUT I THINK WE ALSO SHOULD HAVE A TARGET TIMEFRAME.
AND SO I, I WOULD SAY, UH, LET'S MAKE, I WOULD WANT TO AT LEAST HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY IN JANUARY TO UH, UH, TACKLE THE, WHICH, WHICHEVER, UH, WHICHEVER OF THE STRATEGIC PRIORITIES WE WANNA LOOK AT THAT, UH, A SPECIFIC, UH, PRIORITY BE ON THE JANUARY AGENDA.
ESPECIALLY SINCE THIS ISN'T OFFICIAL YET.
AND SO IT HASN'T BEEN APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL.
AND SO I THINK THAT TIMING MAKES SENSE.
WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL KNOW WHAT WE THINK NEEDS TO BE DISCUSSED, BUT PROBABLY WAITING UNTIL JANUARY ONCE IT HAS BEEN APPROVED MAKES SENSE THAT, OKAY.
[XII. Announcements from SAC Commissioners]
TO MAKE A MOTION TO, I HAVE ONE LITTLE ANSWER.UH, I'VE SEEING THINGS ONLINE, PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, IT'S OPEN ENROLLMENT IN MEDICARE AND THE AREA AGENCY ON AGING DOES HAVE A TEAM OF BENEFIT COUNSELORS THAT CAN HELP PEOPLE WITH CHOOSING A PLAN AND HOW TO ENROLL.
THEY CAN EITHER COME TO A COMMUNITY MEETING OR THEY CAN MEET INDIVIDUALLY OR THEY CAN DO IT OVER THE PHONE.
SO IF ANYBODY NEEDS THIS INFORMATION, LET ME HAVE, THAT'S IT.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? SO