[00:00:05]
WHOEVER'S GOT THEIR MIC ON, PLEASE, I'LL ASK THOSE TWO.
COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN.
COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY HERE AND CHAIR TREVINO HERE.
AND BEFORE WE GET STARTED, UH, I'D LIKE, LIKE FOR THIS COMMITTEE AND, AND THE GROUP TO PLEASE INDULGE ME, UM, AS WE BEGIN OUR MEETING TODAY.
LET'S REFLECT ON THE EVENTS THAT TRANSPIRED IN WASHINGTON DC YESTERDAY.
WE HAVE ALL MADE A CHOICE TO SERVE AND WE'RE ALL FORTUNATE TO HAVE BEEN ELECTED BY THE PEOPLE TO SERVE THE PEOPLE OF SAN ANTONIO.
WE SERVE EVERYONE IN OUR COMMUNITY WITHOUT REGARD TO WHETHER OR NOT THEY AGREE WITH US OR WE AGREE WITH THEM.
WE SERVE THEM AND THE PUBLIC GOOD AND WE ARE FAITHFULLY HERE FOR THEM EACH AND EVERY DAY.
WE MUST NEVER LET SMALL DIFFERENCES BECOME INSURMOUNTABLE OBSTACLES TO PUBLIC SERVICE.
THIS COMMITTEE IN PARTICULAR PROVIDES A DIRECT CONNECTION TO THE NEIGHBORHOODS THEY MAKE UP OUR CITY NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERSHIP IS THE FIRST BUILDING BLOCK OF OUR GOVERNMENT.
IT IS A PRIVILEGE TO FACILITATE THE VOICES OF THE PEOPLE OF SAN ANTONIO.
AND RESPECTFULLY AND RESPECTFUL PUBLIC INPUT IS IN INTEGRAL TO OUR DEMOCRATIC PRO PROCESS, A PROCESS THAT IS ALIVE AND WELL HERE IN OUR CITY AND ONE WE WILL WITNESS IN THIS MEETING.
THANK YOU ALL FOR INDULGING ME FOR A FEW MOMENTS AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
[1 21-1000 Approval of the meeting minutes from the December 7, 2020 Culture and Neighborhood Services Committee Meeting.]
I THINK WE CAN BEGIN WITH, UH, APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.I MOVE THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.
SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.
[Public Comment]
OKAY, SO, UH, NOW WE'LL MOVE TO, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT.UH, FOR THE RECORD, WE'VE PULLED ITEM TWO.
UH, IT HAS BEEN POSTPONED AND THE COMMITTEE WILL TAKE IT UP IN FEBRUARY.
SO ITEMS THAT WERE LISTED UNDER THAT WILL, WILL NOW, CAN NOW BE READ INTO THE RECORD.
MAY I, MAY I START CHAIR? YES, PLEASE.
OUR FIRST PUBLIC COMMUNIST FROM HEAVEN BUSTOS.
SHE STATES I OPPOSE TO NON-I IMPORTANCE OUR SECOND PUBLIC COMMUNIST FROM JOHN DOKEY.
AS PRESIDENT OF THE K W A, I HAVE RECEIVED TREMENDOUS HELP FROM COUNCILMAN TREVINO'S OFFICE AND STAFF ON A WIDE VARIETY OF ISSUES AND CHALLENGES, INCLUDING NEIGHBORHOOD QUALITY ISSUES.
MANY THANKS IN TWO AND A HALF YEARS IN MY POSITION I NEVER HEARD FROM AND DIDN'T EVEN KNOW EXISTED.
A NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT TEAM.
SO ABSENT ANY DEMONSTRATION OF COORDINATED ACTIVITY OF SUCH A GROUP, I THINK IT WHOLLY APPROPRIATE AND MOST TIMELY WITH THE CURRENT DOWNTOWN EXPANSION PRESSURES THAT THE CITY'S FACING TO CREATE A NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT TEAM.
ENGAGE US PLEASE, MS. MS KANO.
I I BELIEVE THAT'S FOR, THAT WOULD GO UNDER ITEM THREE MAYBE.
UM, ALL OF THESE COMMENTS ARE, UH, JUST, UH, APPEARING IN THE ORDER THAT THEY WERE SUBMITTED.
UM, WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO, UH, START WITH, UH, I ITEM TWO COMMENTS? YOU KNOW WHAT, ACTUALLY IT'LL BE, IT'S ACTUALLY, WE MOVED IT TO THE NEXT ITEM.
SO WHY DON'T YOU JUST GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD? 'CAUSE I, I THINK IT'LL, I THINK IT'LL WORK ITSELF OUT.
THE NEXT COMMENT IS FROM CATHERINE AUGH.
UH, I BELIEVE ANY COMMITTEE OF THIS TYPE SHOULD BE A SUBCOMMITTEE UNDER HOUSING COMMISSION.
I URGE THAT IT INCLUDE RENTERS AND RENTAL HOUSING PROVIDERS ON FORMATION OF THIS SUBCOMMITTEE.
A RENTAL HOUSING SUBCOMMITTEE WILL ENSURE A FAIR AND BALLOTS PERSPECTIVE.
A BALANCED SUBCOMMITTEE CAN PROVIDE THE EDUCATION THROUGH DIALOGUE, COOPERATION AND UNDERSTANDING FROM BOTH SIDES, PREVENT DISCRIMINATION, DISPLACEMENT, AND ENSURE THAT RENTERS ARE TREATED FAIRLY.
I URGE THIS COMMITTEE AND CITY COUNCIL TO SUPPORT A SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE HOUSING COMMISSION AND INCLUDE BOTH RENTERS AND RENTAL HOUSING PROVIDERS.
NEXT COMMON IS FROM ALAN ROSS.
THE, THE PURPOSE OF A COMMISSION OR COMMITTEE IS TO CREATE A DIALOGUE BETWEEN ALL STAKEHOLDERS.
A RENTER'S ONLY COMMISSION WOULD UNDOUBTEDLY SHUT DOWN THE NECESSARY DIALOGUE TO CREATE A REAL CHANGE.
[00:05:01]
ANY DE UH, ANY DEMOCRATIC PROCESS ALLOWS FOR REPRESENTATIVES FROM BOTH SIDES OF AN ISSUE TO STATE THEIR POSITION AND WORK TOWARDS SOLUTIONS THAT TRULY HAS EVERYONE'S BEST INTEREST IN MIND.I URGE THE COMMITTEE AND CITY COUNCIL TO SUPPORT THE CREATION OF A SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE HOUSING COMMISSION TO INCLUDE BOTH RENTERS AND RENTAL HOUSING PROVIDERS TO COLLABORATE ON RENTING HOUSING ISSUES.
THE NEXT COMMON IS FROM CELINE WILLIAMS. WE HAVE SEEN WHAT ONE-SIDED THINKING HAS DONE TO TEAR DOWN COMMUNITIES AND DIVIDE US EVEN MORE.
THE RISK OF DEVELOPING A MOB MENTALITY TO TAKE ACTIONS THAT ARE IRRATIONAL AND OVERZEALOUS IS DANGEROUS.
AS EVIDENCE IN OUR CAPITAL YESTERDAY, WE MUST COME TOGETHER TO MAKE EDUCATED, RATIONAL DECISIONS THAT DON'T LEAD TO UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES.
I SUPPORT THE CREATION OF A DIVERSE SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE HOUSING COMMISSION THAT INCLUDES BOTH RENTERS, HOMEOWNERS AND RENTAL HOUSING PROVIDERS, OPERATORS TO WORK TOGETHER ON RENTAL HOUSING ISSUES TO ENSURE A FAIR AND BALANCED PERSPECTIVE.
THE NEXT COMMENT IS FROM PATRICIA GARCIA.
I SUPPORT THE CREATION OF A RENTER'S COMMISSION IF IT WILL INVOLVE ACTUAL RENTERS IN THE COMMUNITY.
AS STATED IN OTHER COMMENTS, RENT AND WAGES IN THIS CITY ARE NOT COMPATIBLE.
THE NEXT COMMENT IS FROM CHRISTINA GUZMAN.
IT IS WIDE FOR BOTH PARTIES TO BE INVOLVED AND HAVE A VOICE SO THAT PARENT DECISIONS CAN BE MADE.
THE NEXT COMMENT IS FROM TERRY TERRY CASTILLO.
I SUPPORT THE, THE CREATION OF A STANDALONE RENTERS COMMISSION COMPRISED ENTIRELY OF RENTERS.
AS SAN ANTONIO RENTS INCREASE AND WAGES REMAIN STAGNANT, IT IS IMPERATIVE.
RENTERS HAVE A COMMISSION TO CREATE AND DISCUSS RECOMMENDATIONS TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF RENTERS AS WE LOOK TOWARDS BECOMING A MORE EQUITABLE CITY.
THE NEXT COMMENT IS FROM KELLY RIO.
OPTION ONE ALLOWS FOR ALL STAKEHOLDERS TO BE PRESENT, FINDING THE BEST OPTIONS FOR BOTH RENTERS AND PROPERTY OWNERS AS BOTH PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL WELLBEING OF THE COMMUNITY.
THE NEXT COMMENT IS FROM JEAN FULLER.
I DO NOT OPPOSE A RENTER'S COMMISSION AS LONG AS IT CONSISTS OF REPRESENTATION FROM ALL PARTIES INVOLVED, RENTERS, LANDLORDS, MANAGERS, AREA, COMMUNITY, SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTS, AND AREA BUSINESS OWNERS.
ALL OF THOSE ENTITIES ARE IMPACTED ONLY BY HEARING OPINIONS AND, UH, VOICES OF ALL CONCERNS.
CAN THE COMMITTEE MAKE WISE AND LONG-TERM RELIABLE DECISIONS WHEN YOU HAVE ONLY ONE VOICE SUCH AS RENTERS ONLY, LANDLORDS ONLY BUSINESS OWNERS ONLY, YOU ONLY OPEN THE DOOR FOR ONE-SIDED DECISIONS THAT ASSUREDLY WELCOME AND CREATE CONFLICT, ANGER, SELF-INTEREST, INEFFECTIVE DECISION MAKING, AND GOVERNANCE.
THE NEXT COMMENT IS FROM JENNIFER MORALE.
I'M OPPOSED TO THE CREATION OF A STANDALONE RENTERS COMMISSION.
THE SAN ANTONIO RENTAL HOUSING MARKET AND WHAT IT OFFERS TO RENTERS REQUIRES DIVERSE GROUP TO BRING ALL SIDES TO THE TABLE TO WORK ON SOLUTIONS THAT ARE FAIR AND EQUITABLE.
THIS WILL STRENGTHEN RENTAL HOUSING POLICIES WITHIN THE HOUSING SYSTEM.
I FEEL THAT IT ONLY MAKES SENSE FOR ANY COMMITTEE OF THIS TYPE TO REPORT TO THE HOUSING COMMISSION.
IT SHOULD BE A SUBCOMMITTEE UNDER THE HOUSING COMMISSION.
I URGE THE RECOMMENDATION TO INCLUDE A BALANCE OF RENTERS AND RENTAL HOUSING PROVIDERS IN THE SUBCOMMITTEE.
THE NEXT COMMENT IS FROM DEBBIE TRICH.
WE DO SEE THE VALUE OF AN ALL-INCLUSIVE COMMITTEE AND NOT A STANDALONE RENTERS COMMISSION.
AS WE AT ALPHA BARNES ARE AT THE FOREFRONT OF SUPPORTABLE HOU AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN SAN ANTONIO AS THE 16TH LARGEST MANAGER OF AFFORDABLE PROPERTIES IN THE COUNTRY.
THIS COMMITTEE COULD BE A COMMITTEE THAT FALLS UNDER THE HOUSING COMMISSION AND IS FOCUSED AND CREATED WITH A DIVERSE GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS THAT BRING ALL PARTIES TO THE TABLE FOR SOLUTIONS.
WE FEEL ALL VOICES NEED TO BE HEARD SO THAT WE CAN ALL COME UP WITH REALISTIC SOLUTIONS TO HELP PREVENTING COMMUNITY.
THE NEXT COMMON IS FROM MARCO UNA.
I STRONGLY SUPPORT THE CREATION OF AN INDEPENDENT COMMISSION FOR RENT ISSUES.
IT SHOULD BE FILLED ONLY WITH RENTERS.
ACCORDING TO A JANUARY, 2020 TEXAS TRIBUNE ARTICLE, RENTS IN SAN ANTONIO HAVE RISEN BY 16.5% BETWEEN 2008 AND 2018, BUT WAGES HAVE REMAINED STAGNANT FOR THAT SAME PERIOD.
ALL RENTERS IN THE CITY NEED HELP NOW AND AN INDEPENDENT COMMISSION MADE UP ONLY OF RENTERS CAN BEGIN TO HELP THE NEXT COLUMNIST FROM ALEX
I AM IN SUPPORT OF CREATING AN INDEPENDENT COMMISSION COMPRISED ENTIRELY OF RENTERS BECAUSE OF UNEQUAL POWER DYNAMICS.
IT IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH THAT RENTERS CAN BE ON THE SAME COMMISSION AS LANDLORDS, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE EVENTS OF 2020 THAT ARE STILL ONGOING.
IT IS IMPORTANT THAT RENTERS HAVE A SPACE OF THEIR OWN TO ADVOCATE FOR THEIR NEEDS AND IT'S IMPORTANT FOR SAN ANTONIO AS A WHOLE THAT RENTER'S NEEDS ARE MET.
THE NEXT COMMENT IS FROM NAME MAINES.
THERE IS NO ONE MORE INTERESTED IN ISSUES REGARDING TENANTS THAN LANDLORDS.
THEY ARE AFFECTED AS DIRECTLY AS THE TENANT AND ALL MATTERS CONCERNING RENTAL TENANCY.
EXCLUDING INPUT FROM RENTAL HOUSING PROVIDERS WILL NOT PROVIDE THE DIALOGUE NOR LEAD TO REAL SOLUTIONS AND WILL RESULT IN FLAWED CITY POLICIES.
THE BALANCED SUBCOMMITTEE CAN PROVIDE THE MUCH NEEDED
[00:10:01]
EDUCATION THROUGH DIALOGUE, COOPERATION AND UNDERSTANDING FROM BOTH SIDES PREVENT DISCRIMINATION, DISPLACEMENT, AND ENSURE THAT RENTERS ARE TREATED FAIRLY.THE NEXT COMMENT IS FROM GARY GREEN.
I'M OPPOSED TO OPTION TWO AND I BELIEVE THAT ANY COMMITTEE OF THIS TYPE ONLY MAKES SENSE TO REPORT TO THE HOUSING COMMISSION.
THUS, IT SHOULD BE A SUBCOMMITTEE UNDER THE HOUSING COMMISSION.
I URGE THE RECOMMENDATION TO INCLUDE RENTERS AND RENTAL HOUSING PROVIDERS WHEN DECIDING ON THE FORMATION OF THIS COMMITTEE.
EXCLUDING INPUT FROM RENTAL HOUSING PROVIDERS WILL NOT BENEFIT THE DIALOGUE NOR LEAD TO REAL SOLUTIONS AND WILL RESULT IN FLAWED CITY POLICIES.
THE NEXT COMMON IS FROM BENJAMIN
WE NEED TO PUSH FOR RENTERS ONLY COMMISSION.
RENTERS NEED A SPACE THAT FOCUSES ON THEM NOT SERVE AS AN AFTERTHOUGHT ON EXISTING BOARDS.
THIS IS NOT SAYING THAT EITHER ONE OR THE OTHER, ALL THE RECOMMENDATIONS WE HAVE HEARD.
MORE TENANT VOICES ON EXISTING BOARDS, A RENTER'S COMMISSION, ET CETERA, NEED TO COEXIST TOGETHER.
WHAT NEEDS TO BE THE FOCAL POINT WHERE ALL THE OTHERS DO NOT WORK UNLESS THE NUCLEUS IS ESTABLISHED CONCERNS A REN RESIDENT ONLY RENTERS COMMISSION.
I HOPE THAT SAN ANTONIO CAN BE A CITY THAT PROUDLY AND UNANIMOUSLY VOTES TO GO AHEAD WITH THE RENTERS ONLY COMMISSION.
THE NEXT COMMENT IS FROM AXEL ANDERSON.
I AM IN SUPPORT OF CREATING AN INDEPENDENT COMMISSION FROM PRIZED ENTIRELY OF RENTERS.
THE NEXT COMMENT IS FROM NATE RODRIGUEZ.
WHEN THE CITY FIRST CREATED THE RISK MITIGATION FUND, THEY FORCED TENANTS TO APPLY FOR ASSISTANCE BUT REQUIRED LAND.
SO MANY LANDLORDS, INCLUDING MY OWN, REFUSED TO ACCEPT THE FREE MONEY INSTEAD CHOOSING TO EVICT THEIR TENANTS.
IT WASN'T ABOUT RENT FOR THEM, IT WAS ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE.
LUCKILY, I WAS ABLE TO GET ASSISTANCE BUT TO THINK THAT THERE ARE OTHER APARTMENT COMPLEXES LIKE BRANDON OAKS APARTMENTS GRANTED THE DOMINION, NO APARTMENTS FILING EVICTIONS ILLEGALLY.
JUDITH BEGA, I SUPPORT THE CREATION OF A STANDALONE RENTERS COMMISSION COMPRISED ENTIRELY OF RENTERS.
RENTERS DESERVE TO REPRESENT THEIR BEST WITHOUT FEAR OF RETALIATION AND INCOMPETENCE.
A CITY THAT PURPORTS TO VALUE EQUITY AND COMPASSION CANNOT CONTINUE TO CENTER THE NEEDS OF THE MOST VULNERABLE AND NAME ONLY, WHILE TRULY FAVORING MONEY AND POWERFUL INTERESTS AGAIN AND AGAIN IN THEIR REACTIONS AND THEIR POLICY DECISIONS.
THE NEXT COMMONEST FROM JORDAN GOWAY, I AM VEHEMENTLY OPPOSED TO OPPOSITION TO OPTION TWO, THE CREATION OF A STANDALONE RENTERS COMMISSION.
THIS WOULD BE A REDUNDANT COMMISSION WITH THE CURRENT HOUSING COMMISSION ADVISORY BOARD OF WHICH ONE THIRD OF ITS MEMBERS ARE RENTERS.
MORE COMMISS COMMITTEES DO NOT EQUATE TO BETTER GOVERNANCE, BUT IN FACT INHIBIT ACTION.
THE NEXT COMMENT IS FROM SARAH ZIMMERMAN.
RENTERS DESERVE TO BE REPRESENTED BY REPRESENTATIVES, BY MEMBERS OF OUR OWN COMMUNITY.
I SUPPORT THE CREATION OF A STANDALONE COMMISSION COMPRISED ENTIRELY OF RENTERS PROPERTY INVESTMENT ORGANIZATIONS LIKE SABRE, S A A A R E C S A AND A R M P M S A M A C MEAN TO STAFF THIS COMMISSION WITH INDIVIDUALS SYMPATHETIC TO THEIR CONCERNS.
A COMMISSION COMPRISED ONLY OF RENT OF TENANTS WOULD BE ABLE TO FULLY VOICE CONCERNS WITHOUT FEAR RETALIATION.
TO BUILD AN EQUITABLE COMMUNITY, WE MUST ACKNOWLEDGE THE POWER DYNAMIC BETWEEN RENTS AND LANDLORDS AND CREATE SPACES THAT ACTIVELY WORK TO MAKE MARGINALIZED VOICES HEARD.
THE NEXT COMMENT IS FROM MARLON DAVIS.
I SUPPORT THE CREATION OF A STANDALONE COMMISSION COMPRISED ENTIRELY OF RENTERS.
TENANTS WERE UNDER SUPER, WERE UNDERREPRESENTED, WERE UNDERREPRESENTED, AND THE SOLUTIONS PROPOSED BY THE MAYOR'S HOUSING POLICY, TASK FORCE AND C'S MOST RECENT POVERTY REPORT INDICATES THAT 91% OF RENTERS ARE COST BURDEN.
THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE IF WE ARE TO GIVE TENANTS OF FIGHTING CHANCE AGAINST PENDING MASS EVICTIONS.
A STANDALONE COMMISSION COMPRISED SOLELY OF RENTERS IS THE FIRST STEP.
MARLENE HAWKINS, GOVERNMENT HILL ASSOCIATION COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION.
I SUPPORT A COMMISSION MADE UP OF BOTH RENTERS AND LANDLORDS, NOT PROPERTY MANAGERS WHO WOULD ABLE TO, WOULD BE ABLE TO BRING PROPOSALS TO THE COUNCIL.
ONE PROPOSAL MIGHT BE THAT ALL RENTALS ARE DONE WITH WRITTEN LEASE.
THIS PROTECTS BOTH THE TENANT AND THE LANDLORD IN GOVERNMENT HILL.
WHEN SEVEN TENANTS WERE FORCED OUT, WE COULD NOT GET THEM MANY CITY ASSISTANCE BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE WRITTEN LEASES.
THESE TENANTS HAD GREAT DIFFICULTY IN FINDING RENTALS.
THEY COULD AFFORD EDUCATION OF THE RIGHTS RESPONSIBILITIES OF TENANTS AND THE LANDLORDS IS A MUST.
THE NEXT COMMENT IS FROM ANNA RAMS. BALANCE AND DIVERSITY WILL ALWAYS BE A GREAT COMBINATION FOR GROWTH.
HAVING A MIXED COMMISSION WITH LANDLORDS AND RENTERS WILL ENSURE ALL VOICES ARE HEARD AND ALL PARTIES WIN.
THE NEXT COMMON IS FROM KAREN MUNOZ.
[00:15:01]
A STANDALONE COMMISSION THROUGH CHRIST ENTIRELY OF RENTERS.THE NEXT COMMON IS FROM REAL CURTIS I SUPPORTIVE OPTION THREE.
WHEN IT COMES TO SOMETHING AS VITALLY IMPORTANT AS HOUSING THAT WILL AFFECT ALL OF SAN ANTONIO, WE NEED TO HAVE ALL PARTIES AND EXPERTS AT THE TABLE SO THAT WE CAN FIND THE WIN-WIN FOR EVERYONE.
FINDING A BALANCE FOR ALL PARTIES IS WHAT WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE SAN ANTONIO A GREAT PLACE AND CONTINUANCE GROWTH.
THE NEXT COMMENT IS FROM MASON ESIA.
I SUPPORT THE CREATION OF A STANDALONE COMMISSION COMPRISED ENTIRELY OF RENTERS PROPERTY INVESTMENT ORGANIZATIONS LIKE SABER SS A A A R E C S A AND N A R P M S A M A C MEAN.
TO STACK THIS COMMISSION WITH INDIVIDUAL SYMPATHETIC TO THEIR CONCERNS.
ONLY A COMMISSION COMPRISED SLOWLY OF TENANTS WILL BE ABLE TO FULLY VOICE THEIR CONCERNS WITHOUT FEAR OF RETALIATION.
THIS COMMISSION WILL HELP RENTERS TO HAVE MORE SANE DECISIONS THAT AFFECT THE VAST MAJORITY OF SAN ANTONIANS.
THE NEXT COMMUNIST FROM BRENT BIGLAN, I SUPPORT THE CREATION OF A STANDALONE COMMISSION COMPRISED ENTIRELY OF RENTERS.
THE NEXT COMMENT IS FROM EDWARD GOMAN.
I SUPPORT THE CREATION OF A STANDALONE COMMISSION COMPRISED ENTIRELY OF RENTERS.
THE NEXT COMMENT IS FROM HECTOR RODRIGUEZ.
I SUPPORT THE COMMISSION OF A STANDALONE COMMISSION.
THE CREATION OF A STANDALONE COMMISSION COMPRISED ENTIRELY OF RENTERS PROPERTY INVESTMENT ORGANIZATIONS LIKE SABRE, S A A A OR R E C S A AND N A R P M S A M A C MEAN.
TO STACK THIS COMMISSION WITH INDIVIDUALS SYMPATHETIC TO THEIR CONCERNS.
ONLY A COMMISSION CAN PRICE SOLELY OF TENANTS WILL BE ABLE TO FULLY VOICE THEIR CONCERNS WITHOUT THE FEAR OF RETALIATION.
THE NEXT COMMENT IS FROM MARTY HUTCHINSON.
EDUCATION IS BENEFICIAL TO THE GROWTH OF SAN ANTONIO.
THE BEST WAY TO EDUCATE IS TO HAVE EQUAL PARTICIPATION FOR BOTH SIDES, TENANT AND LANDLORD, PROPERTY MANAGERS, AND INVESTORS.
BY UTILIZING BOTH SIDES OF THE ISSUES, EACH SIDE WILL IMPROVE THE KNOWLEDGE FOR THE TOTAL BENEFIT OF OUR GREAT CITY.
TO MENTION, A FEW OF THE BENEFITS WILL INCLUDE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND PROPERTY RIGHTS.
THE NEXT COMMENT IS FROM JAN SBA.
THIS IS AN INTEREST AMONG TENANTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS TO HAVE A FAIR AND EQUAL COMMISSION TO SEE THAT EVERYONE HAS A VOICE.
IT REQUIRES ALL STAKERS TO HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE.
THE NEXT COMMENT IS FROM KATIE ROSS.
I BELIEVE THE TENANTS NEED A VOICE.
I BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE TRUE AFFORDABLE HOUSING ISSUES IN OUR CITY.
I BELIEVE A ONE-SIDED COMMITTEE OR SUBCOMMITTEE OF ANY SORT WILL ONLY FURTHER CREATE DIVIDE AND ULTIMATELY THUS AFFORDABLE HOUSING IF LANDLORDS DON'T HAVE A CHANCE TO BE HEARD.
ULTIMATELY YOU WILL FIND LANDLORDS SELLING AND LESS INVENTORY, THUS DRIVING PRICES UP AND CREATING ADDITIONAL ISSUES AND NOT SOLVING PROBLEMS. YOU CAN'T LOOK AT ANY ISSUE WITH ONE SIDE ONLY AND EXPECT NOT TO BE CAUGHT MISSING.
IMPORTANT FACTS FROM THE OTHER PARTY.
PLEASE CONSIDER A BALANCED VOICE FOR ALL HOUSING PARTICIPANTS.
THE NEXT COMMENT IS FROM GINA KRAMER.
MY NAME IS GINA KRAMER AND I'M A RESIDENT OF D ONE.
THERE EXISTS A STARK IMBALANCE OF POWER BETWEEN LANDLORDS AND RENTERS.
THEREFORE, I SUPPORT THE CREATION OF A STANDALONE COMMISSION COMPRISED ENTIRELY OF RENTERS.
LANDLORDS SHOULD NOT BE EXEMPT FROM ACCOUNTABILITY AND TENANTS DESERVE TO HAVE THEIR VOICES HEARD ABOUT ISSUES THAT MOST IMPACT THEM.
ONLY A COMMISSION COMPRISE SOLELY OF TENANTS WILL BE ABLE TO FULLY VOICE THEIR CONCERNS WITHOUT THE FEAR OF RETALIATION.
THE NEXT COMMENT IS FROM MARK JOSEPH LEON.
I SUPPORT THE CREATION OF A STANDALONE COMMISSION COMPRISE SOLELY ENTIRELY OF RENTERS PROPERTY INVESTMENT ORGANIZATIONS LIKE SABER, S A A A R E C S A, AND N A R P M SS A M A C MADE TO STAFF THIS COMMISSION WITH INDIVIDUAL SYMPATHETIC TO THEIR CONCERNS.
ONLY A COMMISSION COMPRISE SOLELY OF TENANTS WILL BE ABLE TO FULLY VOICE THEIR CONCERNS WITHOUT THE FEAR OF RETALIATION.
THE NEXT COMMON IS FROM AMAD SALAZAR.
I SUPPORT HIS STANDALONE COMMISSION MADE ENTIRELY OF TENANTS.
CURRENTLY, THERE IS NO SUCH ORGANIZATION FOR THE 46% OF TENANTS IN SAN ANTONIO.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE THIS COMMISSION TO INCLUDE HOUSELESS INDIVIDUALS AS THEY ARE OFTEN OVERLOOKED AND CAN LIKELY SPEAK TO TENANT ISSUES THAT LED TO WHERE THEY ARE TODAY.
IT IS DESPERATELY NEEDED AS THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY ILLEGALLY FILED EVICTIONS AT MANY APARTMENT COMPLEX IN THE CITY DURING A PANDEMIC.
THIS COMMISSION WOULD ALLOW RENTERS TO BE HEARD WITHOUT FEAR OF RETALIATION.
THE NEXT CONGRESS FROM BRITTANY SHARP, I SUPPORT THE CREATION OF A STANDALONE COMMISSION FROM PRICE ENTIRELY OF RENTERS.
RENTERS DESERVE AND SHOULD HAVE THE SAME PROTECTIONS AND RIGHTS AFFORDED TO LANDLORDS.
IN THE MIDST OF A PANDEMIC, WE ARE SEEING RECORD EVICTIONS.
THIS IS INHUMANE AND ONLY SERVES TO MAXIMIZE PROFITS FOR THE LANDLORDS.
A RENTER'S COMMISSION MADE UP ENTIRELY OF RENTERS WILL HELP CUT EVICTIONS AS WELL AS MAKE SAN ANTONIO A SAFER PLACE TO LIVE FOR RENTERS.
[00:20:01]
THE NEXT COMMENT IS FROM ANNE FERGUSON.I SUPPORT THE CREATION OF A STANDALONE COMMISSION COMPRISED ENTIRELY OF RENTERS.
AS SAN ANTONIO MOVES FORWARD IN MEETING THE MAYOR'S HOUSING POLICY, TASK FORCE GOALS AND INCREASING THE AMOUNT OF RENTAL UNITS, SAN ANTONIO'S GROWING POPULATION CALLS FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A RENTER'S COMMISSION COMPRISED OF RENTERS.
THE NEXT COMMENT IS FROM JALEN MCKEY RODRIGUEZ.
I SUPPORT THE COMM, THE CREATION OF A STANDALONE COMMISSION COMPRISED ENTIRELY OF RENTERS.
RENTERS DESERVE THE SAME PROTECTIONS AND RIGHTS AFFORDED TO LANDLORDS TO HAVE A VOICE WITHOUT FEAR OF WHAT HAPPENS WHEN IT'S USED.
THE NEXT COLUMN IS FROM CHRISTOPHER OCHOA.
THERE NEEDS TO BE A COMMISSION COMPRISED ENTIRELY OF RENTERS.
PROPERTY COMPANIES AND OWNERS ARE NOT CONCERNED WITH TENANT'S WELLBEING AND ARE MOST CONCERNED WITH PROFITS.
THERE'S ROUGHLY 49,000 VACANT STRUCTURES IN SAN ANTONIO.
THESE COMPLEXES HAVE BEEN ILLEGALLY FILING EVICTIONS DURING A PANDEMIC.
BRANDON OAKS APARTMENTS, SOTO SPRINGS APARTMENTS, STRATTON PARK, THE BLAT BIDDERS HILLTOP AT CHANO APARTMENTS.
GRANTED THE DOMINION, THE VILLAGE OF HAMPTON COVE, MAXWELL TOWN HALLS PARK, WEST APARTMENTS, NO APARTMENTS, PARLIAMENT BEND APARTMENTS, DIAMOND RIDGE AND OAK TERRACE APARTMENTS.
THE NEXT COMMUNIST FROM TALIA TRAVIS.
I SUPPORT THE CREATION OF A STANDALONE COMMISSION COMPRISED ENTIRELY OF RENTERS.
THE NEXT COMMENT IS FROM PHYLLIS NEWMAN.
AT PAST MEETINGS CONCERNING THE DEVELOPMENT OF RENTERS COMMISSION, I VOICED MY OPPOSITIONAL REASONS TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF A RENTER'S COMMISSION.
OPPOSITION REMARKS RECEIVED HAVE BEEN FAR GREATER THAN THE SUPPORT COMMENTS.
AT ONE MEETING, COUNCILMAN INSISTED ON ASKING HOW, HOW COMMISSIONS NEEDED TO BE STRUCTURED INSTEAD OF DISCUSSING THE NEED FOR DEVELOPING THIS.
FINALLY, UNDER FRUSTRATION, VINNO BLATANTLY STATED THAT THERE IS GOING TO BE A RANCHER'S COMMISSION COUNCIL IS INTENT ON REGULATING ALL LANDLORDS BECAUSE OF A FEW BAD LANDLORDS AND OR JUST CARRYING OUT HIS PERSONAL AGENDA.
THE NEXT COMMENT IS FROM CYNTHIA SPIELMAN.
I'M A LANDLORD OF SEVERAL PROPERTIES AND I HAVE NOTHING TO FEAR FROM TENANTS LEARNING THEIR RIGHTS.
I APPLAUD THE CITY FOR TAKING THE IN FOR TAKING THE INITIATIVE IN THIS DIFFICULT TIME.
PART OF THE MOVEMENT TO HELP TENANTS IS TO ALSO HELP SMALL LANDLORDS LED US TO MEET OUR OBLIGATIONS IN MORTGAGE PAYMENTS, INSURANCE REPAIR, RISING TAXES, ET CETERA.
AS A PROPERTY OWNER, I HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF MY RIGHTS, WHICH ARE CONSIDERABLE LARGE APARTMENT INVESTMENT FIRM.
LANDLORDS HAVE ATTORNEYS AND THE APARTMENT ASSOCIATION.
I'D RATHER WORK WITH TENANTS THAN SET MYSELF UP AGAINST THEM.
THE NEXT COMMON IS FROM DEIDRE HEINRICH.
I SUPPORT THE CREATION OF A STANDALONE COMMISSION FOR PRICE ENTIRELY OF RENTERS.
LANDLORDS IN TEXAS HAVE AN IMBALANCE OF POWER IN BOTH LANDLORD TENANT LAW IN WHICH TEXAS IS CONSIDERED ONE OF THE MOST PRO LANDLORD STATES IN THE COUNTRY AND IN HOUSING POLICY WHERE THEY HOLD THE RESOURCES AND INFLUENCE TO AFFECT POLICY.
TENANTS ARE AT A DISTINCT DISADVANTAGE IN ALL ASPECTS OF THE RELATIONSHIP.
A COMMISSION MUST BE COMPRISED OF RENTS IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT DECISIONS ARE MADE USING MEANINGFUL AND SUBSTANTIAL INPUT FROM RENTERS, NOT TOKEN INPUT ON THE PANEL CONTROLLED BY LANDLORDS.
THE NEXT COMMENT IS FROM HORTON MILES.
I SUPPORT THE CREATION OF A STANDALONE COMMISSION COMPRISE ENTIRELY OF RENTERS.
LANDLORDS AND DEVELOPERS ARE READY.
WID AND OUTSIZE INFLUENCE OVER HOUSING POLICY, WHICH THEY HAVE USED TO SHORE UP THEIR OWN ADVANTAGES AT THE COST OF THE COMMON GOOD, WHERE THE ECONOMIC INTERESTS OF LANDLORDS CONFLICT WITH THE HUMANITY OF RENTERS.
THEY CONSISTENTLY CHOOSE PROFIT OVER PEOPLE AS SHOWN BY THEIR CHOICES TO ILLEGALLY FILE EVICTIONS DURING THE PANDEMIC AND REFUSING TO ACCEPT MONEY FROM THE RISK MITIGATION FUND PREFERRING TO EVICT AND SEEK HIGHER RENTS.
EQUITY AND ETHICS REQUIRE A TENANT ON THE COMMISSION.
THE NEXT COMMON IS FROM ARIEL ALVAREZ.
I SUPPORT THE CREATION OF A STANDALONE COMMISSION COMPRISED SOLELY ENTIRELY OF RENTERS PROPERTY INVESTMENT ORGANIZATIONS LIKE SABRE, S A A A, BREA, AND N I, RRP, M S A M A C MEAN TO STACK THIS COMMISSION WITH INDIVIDUAL SYMPATHETIC TO THEIR CONCERNS.
ONLY A COMMISSION COMPRISED SOLELY OF TENANTS WILL BE ABLE TO FULLY VOICE THEIR CONCERNS WITHOUT FEAR OF RETALIATION.
THE NEXT COMMENT IS FROM LEXI GARCIA.
I SUPPORT THE CREATION OF A STANDALONE COMMISSION THROUGH PRICE ENTIRELY OF RENTERS.
AS SAN ANTONIO MOVES FORWARD IN MEETING THE MAYOR'S HOUSING POLICY TASK FOR GOALS AND INCREASING THE AMOUNT OF RENTAL UNITS, SAN ANTONIO'S GROWING POPULATION CALLS FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A RENTER'S COMMISSION COMPRISED OF RENTERS.
THE NEXT COMMENT IS FROM PAUL WISE, I SUPPORT THE CREATION OF A STANDALONE COMMISSION MADE UP OF ONLY RENTERS TO GIVE POWER AND PROTECTION FROM PEOPLE WHO ONLY CARE ABOUT MAKING MONEY.
THE NEXT COMMENT IS FROM ABIGAIL SIMA.
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A STANDALONE COMMISSION COMPRISED ENTIRELY OF RENTERS PROPERTY INVESTMENT ORGANIZATIONS LIKE SABER, SS A A A RESA, N A R P M, SS A M A C MAINTENANCE ACT COMMISSION WITH INDIVIDUALS SYMPATHETIC TO THEIR CONCERNS.ONLY A COMMISSION COMPRISED SOLELY OF TENANTS WILL BE ABLE TO FULLY VOICE THEIR CONCERNS WITHOUT THE FEAR OF RETALIATION.
THE NEXT COMMUNIST FROM LACEY HENDRIX.
ALL SIDES OF RENTER LANDLORD RELATIONSHIP NEED TO BE REPRESENTED EQUALLY ON THIS COMMISSION, WHICH SHOULD BE A SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE HOUSING COMMISSION AND NOT A STANDALONE COMMISSION.
THE NEXT COMMUNIST CARINO CAR.
MY NAME IS GAR AND I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT TWO.
IN 2020, WE SAW TOO MANY FAILURES OF COUNCIL TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT INPUT FROM DIRECTLY IMPACTED PEOPLE.
THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 597,100 RANCHERS LIVING IN SAN ANTONIO.
THEIR VOICES MUST BE CENTERED IN CITIES', DECISIONS ON HOUSING, AFFORDABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY.
RENTERS SHOULD ALSO ENJOY THE SAME RIGHTS AND PROTECTIONS SUCH AS LANDLORDS AND HOMEOWNERS WHEN IT COMES TO RENT INCREASE OR EVICTIONS.
I SUPPORT THE CREATION OF THIS COMMISSION SO THAT DIRECTLY IMPACTED PEOPLE CAN BE PART OF THE POLICY MAKING SOLUTIONS.
THE NEXT COMMENT IS FROM KYLE HENDRICKS.
I DO BELIEVE THAT RENTERS VOICES NEED TO BE AMPLIFIED SO THAT THEIR STRUGGLES AND REG AND CONCERNS CAN BE ADDRESSED, BUT I DO NOT BELIEVE THE FORMATION OF A NEW RENTERS COMMISSION IS THE BEST WAY FORWARD.
UNLESS THERE IS EVEN REPRESENTATION, I WOULD THINK IT WILL TAKE AN EVEN NUMBER OF TENANTS, LANDLORDS, AND OR HOUSING PROFESSIONALS TO COME UP WITH THESE COMPLEX SOLUTIONS AND I'M IN FAVOR OF THE RECOGNITION PUT FORWARD BY SABRE, N A R P M, SS A A A AND REX.
TOGETHER WE CAN DO GREAT THINGS AND TRY TO CREATE A MODEL THAT OTHER CITIES CAN FOLLOW.
THE NEXT COMMENT IS FROM SUSAN RICHARDSON.
OF APPROXIMATELY 3,600 TOTAL RESPONDENTS TO A DIGITAL SURVEY, LESS THAN HALF APPROXIMATELY 1,700 WERE RENTERS IN SAN ANTONIO.
FOREX HOMEOWNERS AND
I DO BELIEVE MORE SPECIFIC INFORMATION IS NEEDED FROM THE SURVEY RESULTS BEFORE A DECISION THAT ACCURATELY REFLECTS NEEDS ONCE OF THE CITIZENRY CAN BE MADE.
THE NEXT COMMENT IS FROM EVELYN EDWARDS.
I FAVOR THE RECOMMENDATION PUT FORWARD BY S A A A SABRE RETA AND N A R P M S A M A C, WHICH IS A VERY INCLUSIVE AND REPRESENTATIVE OF ALL PARTIES ASSOCIATED WITH FULL RENTAL PROCESS.
THIS GIVES AN EQUAL RATIO OF RANCHERS TO LANDLORDS, PROPERTY MANAGERS, OWNERS WITH THE INDEPENDENT ATTORNEY REPRESENTATION TO BOTH SIDES, WHICH WILL DELIVER BALANCE AND OBJECTIVITY TO THE ISSUES AND POLICIES.
THE NEXT COMMENT IS FROM COURTNEY ROSEN.
I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT A DIVERSITY OF VOICES FROM LANDLORD TO RENTER TO PROPERTY MANAGER AND INCLUSIVE OF A RANGE OF SOCIOECONOMIC LEVELS, GENDERS, RACIAL IDENTIFICATIONS, ET CETERA, IS ESSENTIAL TO MAKE BALANCED POLICIES TO BEST IMPROVE BUT NOT TOTALLY DISRUPT THE COMPLEX DYNAMICS OF THE RENTAL HOUSING MARKET.
THE NEXT COMMENT IS FROM ADAM MCCORD.
INSTEAD OF CREATING AN ENTIRELY NEW COMMISSION, THE CITY SHOULD FOCUS ITS EFFORTS ON BOLSTERING THE WHOLE HOUSING COMMISSION AS A PUBLIC OVERSIGHT BOARD AND MAKING THIS BODY MORE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE HOUSING POPULATION FOR BOTH RENTERS AND HOMEOWNERS.
ADDING MORE RENT REPRESENTATION ON THE HOUSING COMMISSION WILL ENSURE A FAIR AND BALANCED PERSPECTIVE AS IT RELATES TO THE COORDINATED HOUSING SYSTEM IN SAN ANTONIO.
THIS SURVEY HAD OVER 3,600 RESPONSES AND NEARLY SEVEN 70% OF RESPONDENTS PREFERRED A MIX OF RENTERS, PROPERTY OWNERS AND PROPERTY MANAGERS.
THE NEXT COLUMNIST FROM NEIL BRESNAHAN, I HAD THE DISTINCT PLEASURE TO BE PART OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERSHIP ACADEMY IN 2019.
AS A VOLUNTEER H O A BOARD MEMBER IN SAN ANTONIO, I FOUND THIS PROGRAM TO BE INCREDIBLY EDUCATIONAL WITH SERVICES AND RESOURCES FROM THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
ADDITIONALLY, THE NETWORK OF OTHER LIKE-MINDED VOLUNTEERS HELPED ME NOT TO HAVE TO RECREATE THE WHEEL WITH INNOVATIVE AND CREATIVE IDEAS.
WITH MY HOAS LIMITED RESOURCES, I CAN'T STATE ENOUGH HOW COMMITTED THE TEAM WAS TO EMPOWERING SANTON TO TAKE BACK TO THEIR COMMUNITIES AN INSPIRED APPROACH TO WHAT BEING NEIGHBORS AND LEADERS REALLY NEEDS.
JORDAN GOEY THE AGENDA DISCUSSIONS THAT ESTABL OF GOALS FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT UNIT, WHICH ALSO INCLUDE HOSTING CITYWIDE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT CLASSES, ENGAGEMENT CLASSES THROUGH NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERSHIP ACADEMY GRADUATING 80 RESIDENTS ANNUALLY.
THE NHS D'S WEBSITE LANDING PAGE FOR THE ACADEMY DESCRIBES THE ACADEMY AS BEING DESIGNED TO EQUIP RESIDENTS WITH THE KNOWLEDGE NETWORK AND SKILLS TO BE EFFECTIVE NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS.
AS A 2019 GRADUATE OF THE ACADEMY,
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I WILL SAY THAT THE ACADEMY FAILED TO EQUIP THE PARTICIPANTS WITH ANY OF THE AFOREMENTIONED AND IT SHOULD BE REEVALUATED IN ITS ENTIRETY.THE NEXT COMMENT IS FROM MARLENE HAWKINS, GOVERNMENT HEAL COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION.
WE HAD POSITIVE INTERACTIONS WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT TEAM.
BARBARA HAS SPOKEN TO GOVERNMENT HILL RESIDENTS THREE TIMES IN THE YEAR AND A HALF PRIOR AND THREE TIMES IN THE YEAR AND A HALF PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC.
I HAVE MET WITH BARBARA AND HER TEAM AT THE FLORES STREET OFFICE.
THE ENGAGE WAS, THE EXCHANGE WAS PRODUCTIVE.
I PROVIDED THE DEPARTMENT WITH DEPARTMENT WITH INFORMATION ABOUT HOW OTHER CITIES HAVE SET UP THE REGISTRY.
USING AUSTIN AS AN EXAMPLE, THE CITY USES THE REGISTRY AS A COMMUNICATION TOOL ALLOWING ALL NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS TO REGISTER.
BARBARA MADE TWO REPORTS TO THIS COMMITTEE.
THE NEXT COMMENT IS FROM CHRISTINA WRIGHT, ALTA VISA NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION COUNCIL DISTRICT ONE SECOND YEAR PRESIDENT AND SEVEN YEAR BOARD MEMBER ARE VOLUNTEER FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
NEVER HAD CONTACT FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT UNIT AND NOT AWARE THESE POSITIONS EXISTED.
NEVER HAS THE N E U BEEN SUGGESTED AS A RESOURCE.
N H S D COMMENTED IN THE COMMUNITY INPUT SESSIONS REGARDING THE REGISTRY THAT THEY FUNCTION AS A DATABASE MANAGEMENT INTEREST IN RESOURCES LIKE WORKSHOPS ONLY FOR THE FUTURE, ASKING FOR INTERVAL REVIEW OF N E U POSITIONS, BUDGET AND WAY AHEAD, UH, NAS AND ORGANIZATIONS AS ASSETS CREATE INTERFACE WITH N E U AND AD.
LOOK AT N L A AS A WASTE NEIGHBORHOOD IS MISSING FROM NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
THE NEXT COMMENT IS FROM PATTY GIBBONS.
WE ARE VOLUNTARY IN NATURE AND ANYONE SERVING AS A PRESIDENT OF NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION IS A PRETTY DARK COMMITTED PERSON.
THE NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT UNIT CAN WORK ON KEEPING THE REGISTRY UP TO DATE, GIVE MORE TOOLS TO PRESIDENTS FOR OUTREACH, LEAVE NEIGHBORHOODS IN THEIR HANDS.
THE IDEA OF INTRODUCING THE POSSIBILITY OF DUAL ASSOCIATIONS WITHIN THE SAME BOUNDARY CREATES THE VERY PROBLEM IN WHICH THREE OR FOUR NEIGHBORHOODS ARE HAVING DIVISION GIVE A LARGER FEE OF NOTICE ON ZONING CASES, SO ASSOCIATIONS ARE IN THEM.
200 FEET WON'T INCLUDE A NEIGHBORHOOD IF IT'S A RETAIL WITHIN A PARKING LOT.
THE NEXT COMMENT IS FROM STEVEN TY.
SHALL I, SHALL I CONTINUE, SIR? YES.
UH, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU, YOU'VE MOVED ON TO THE BRIEFING ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT UNIT, SO, UH, LET'S, LET'S CONTINUE TO READ THOSE.
UH, THE NEXT IS A LETTER FROM CHRISTINA WRIGHT, PRESIDENT OF THE ALTA VISTA NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
GOOD EVENING CULTURE, NEIGHBORHOOD AND SERVICES COMMITTEE, CHAIR AND COUNCIL.
I HAVE SUBMITTED ANY ECOM FOR TOMORROW'S MEETING.
REFERENCE AGENDA ITEM 27 4 9 6 BRIEFING ON NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT UNIT.
ALSO PROVIDED BELOW THE EMAIL DUE THE DUE TO THE TRUNCATED NATURE OF THE COMMENT, I'M PROVIDING THE FULL LENGTH COPY HERE FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
I AM THE PRESIDENT OF THE ALTA NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION IN COUNCIL DISTRICT ONE.
THIS IS MY SECOND YEAR AS PRESIDENT AND I HAVE BEEN AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE BOARD OR AS A VOLUNTEER FOR THE ASSOCIATION FOR SEVEN YEARS.
WE NEVER HAD CONTACT FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT TEAM AND WE'RE NOT AWARE THAT THESE POSSESSIONS THAT THESE POSITIONS EXISTED.
IT IS PERPLEXING THAT IN ALL OF MY REQUESTS FOR HELP THAT ONCE HAD THE N E U BEEN SUGGESTED AS A RESOURCE.
N H S D REITERATED IN THE COMMUNITY INPUT SESSIONS REGARDING THE REGISTRY THAT THE ONLY FUNCTION THEY SERVE IS AS A DATABASE MANAGEMENT.
THEY REQUESTED KNOWING WHETHER WE WOULD BE INTERESTED IN ADDITIONAL RESOURCES, MOSTLY EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS IN THE FUTURE.
THE TWO FUNCTIONS ON THE N H S D WEB CITY WEBSITE NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT PAGE ARE THE REGISTRY AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERSHIP ACADEMY.
COMMENTS I HAVE HEARD REGARDING THE N L A IS THAT IT IS MOSTLY A HOW TO FOR CALLING.
STATE DEPARTMENTS ARE USING THREE 11, UH, 3 1 1, BUT ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT UNIT SPECIFICALLY, THERE IS NO MENTION, THERE ARE NO POINTS OF CONTACT NOR ANY CON INFORMATION THAT TELLS ME THERE ARE SERVICES FOR THE THAT'S AVAILABLE.
THERE ARE NO SERVICES AVAILABLE.
FURTHER JOB DESCRIPTION FOR THESE POSITIONS, NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT SHOULD BE A PRIMARY DUTY ON THE N H S D HOMEPAGE.
THERE ARE A FEW PROGRAMS LISTED LIKE THE HOME REPAIR AND MEDIATION AND THE DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE.
THESE, HOWEVER, HOUSING SERVICES THAT INDIVIDUALS APPLY FOR.
IF I WERE TO RESTATE THE ENTIRETY OF THEIR PROBLEM, THEN IT WOULD BE THAT NEIGHBORHOOD IS MISSING FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND IN HOUSING AND SERVICES DEPARTMENT, THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, THE BOARDS, AND THE MANY VOLUNTEERS SHOULD BE SEEN AS ASSETS.
WE ARE THE EYES AND EARS IN THE GROUND.
WE CAN TELL YOU EXACTLY WHAT IS NOT WORKING, WHERE THE MONEY IS BEING WASTED, WHAT THE COMMUNITY NEEDS ARE, ET CETERA.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE ADVANCE CULTURE AND COMMUNITY WHERE THIS MIGHT BE THE POINT THAT THE CONVERSATION IS
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DIRECTED TO THE DISTRICTS.THIS IS WHERE I WOULD SAY THAT THE N E U COULD BE UTILIZED AS AND WHERE THE NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT SERVICES ARE NEEDED.
THEY COULD OPERATE AS AN INTERFACE BETWEEN THE NAS AND THE ORGS AND THE CULTURE NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES COMMITTEE AND ULTIMATELY CITY COUNCIL OR REPHRASE THAT TO SAY SHOULD HAVE BEEN OPERATING AS AN INTERFACE.
A N V A A A V AND A IS REQUESTING THAT THE COMMITTEE REVIEW THE POSITIONS ON THE BUDGET.
SHOULD THE NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT UNIT REMAIN IN PLACE, THEN I HOPE THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INPUT.
THERE IS A LOT OF INTEREST IN WHAT BENEFITS COULD COME OUT OF THIS BEING CORRECTED.
THERE IS SERIOUS CONCERN FOR WHAT APPEARS TO BE A WASTE OF CITY DOLLARS IF NOT CORRECTED, BUT TRULY THIS IS COMING FROM THE HEART AND THE BELIEF THAT WE'RE STRONGER TOGETHER.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION TO THIS CONCERN.
CHRISTINA WRIGHT, PRESIDENT, ALTA VISTA NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION ASSOCIATION.
THE NEXT LETTER IS FROM VEMA PENA, PRESIDENT WESTWOOD SQUARE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, WEST SIDE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION COALITION.
AS PRESIDENT OF THE WESTWOOD SQUARE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION IN DISTRICT FIVE, I DID APPLY AND ATTEND THE FIRST LEADERSHIP ACADEMY CLASS OF 2019.
WHILE I'M GLAD THEY OFFERED THE CLASS, IT DIDN'T MEET MY EXPECTATIONS.
THE NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT TEAM HAS NOT SERVED THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS COMMUNITY FOR WHAT IT WAS INTENDED FOR.
AS DESCRIBED IN THE ORIGINAL JOB DESCRIPTION, I'M REQUESTING FOR THIS COMMITTEE TO THOROUGHLY INVESTIGATE AND AUDIT THE FUNDS BEFORE ANY ACTIONS TAKEN.
YOU CANNOT CONTINUE TO FULLY SUPPORT THE NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT TEAM UNTIL THE COMMITTEE HAS ALL THE INFORMATION TO PURSUE ON WHAT THE NEXT STEP WILL BE.
ON THE FUTURE OF THIS TEAM, TAXPAYERS MONEY SHOULD NEVER BE WASTED ON SOMETHING THAT IS NOT BEING PROVIDED.
COUNCIL MEMBER TRINO, PLEASE READ IT TO THE RECORD.
THE NEXT IS A COMMENT FROM PANCHO VALEZ.
DEAR MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBER TRI COUNCILMAN TREVINO.
I'M A SENIOR CITIZEN LIVING DOWNTOWN IN A BUILDING OWNED BY SAHA.
I COMMUNICATE WITH YOU TODAY AS I AM URGING YOU TO SUPPORT THE CREATION OF RENTERS COMMISSION.
TENANTS HAVE VERY LITTLE POWER IN SAN ANTONIO AND THE COMMISSION WOULD BE A POSITIVE STEP TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE.
SINCERELY YOURS, FRANK PONCHO VALEZ, SAN ANTONIO TENANTS UNION COALITION FOR TENANT JUSTICE.
THE NEXT IS A LETTER FROM A TIER ONE NEIGHBORHOOD COALITION.
GOOD AFTERNOON COUNCIL MEMBERS.
WE OFTEN HEAR FROM CITY STAFF, PARTICULARLY IN PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT, PARDON ME, AND SOMETIMES FROM ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT NEIGHBORHOODS ARE THE PROBLEM, BUT WE BELIEVE THAT NEIGHBORHOODS ARE THE ANSWER.
THE PLACE WHERE WE LIVE IS THE HEART OF OUR COMMUNITIES.
LOYALTY AND IDENTITY ARE WHAT ROOT US IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND WHY WE WORK SO HARD FOR THEIR BETTERMENT.
OUR NEIGHBORHOODS ARE THE PLACES THAT SUPPORT ELDERS, LOCAL SCHOOL CHILDREN, AND THOSE WHO ARE VULNERABLE TO OUR RISING PROPERTY TAXES.
NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS DISSEMINATE CITY INFORMATION ON A WHITE VARIETY OF PRO PROGRAMS, INCLUDING THOSE THAT ADDRESS HOUSING AND FOOD INSECURITY.
WE ACT AS A CONDUIT BETWEEN CITY STAFF, ELECTED OFFICIALS AND RESIDENTS.
THIS TOGETHER HAS BEEN A NEIGHBORHOOD MANTRA THROUGHOUT 2020 AND WE FOUND WAYS TO MAKE THAT SENTIMENT BUILT.
NEIGHBORHOODS ARE THE PLACE WHERE PEOPLE LIVE, WORK, PARTICULARLY NOW WORSHIP AND LEARN.
WE BELIEVE THE CITY SHOULD MAKE SUPPORTING AND NURTURING SAN ANTONIO'S NEIGHBORHOODS A PRIORITY.
AS WITH EARLY EDUCATION, IT BEHOOVES US AS A CITY TO INVEST IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
WE HAVE LEARNED THAT INVESTMENT IN EARLY EDUCATION RESULTS AND THE BETTER FUTURE FOR OUR STUDENTS.
WE BELIEVE THAT INVESTMENT IN NEIGHBORHOODS WOULD ALSO PROVIDE A BETTER FUTURE FOR SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS.
IN TIER ONE NEIGHBORHOOD COALITION'S EARLY DAYS, WE LOBBIED THEN MAYOR IVY TAYLOR AND CITY MANAGER CHERYL SCULLEY FOR A NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSION IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THE DISENFRANCHISEMENT THAT NEIGHBORHOODS WERE FEELING.
UNDER THE PRESSURE OF THE SA TOMORROW PLAN IMPLEMENTATION, WE ASKED FOR AN ADDITIONAL FOUR YEARS CITY STAFF POSITIONS THAT WILL LOOK AT A PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT WITHIN A NEIGHBORHOOD LENS AND ACT AS AN AND ACT AS AN OMBUDSMAN OR LIAISONS BETWEEN THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND THE CITY AND STAFF AND DEPARTMENTS.
THE LETTER OF REQUESTS, WHICH WAS SUBMITTED DURING A MEETING WITH TAYLOR AND SCULLEY WAS SIGNED BY THE REPRESENTATIVES FROM 18 NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS AND TWO COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS REPRESENTING COUNCIL DISTRICTS.
ALTHOUGH WE DID NOT SUCCEED IN GETTING THE NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSION, CITY MANAGER, SCULLY DID CREATE FOUR NEW POSITIONS WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD'S HOUSING AND SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
DURING THE AUGUST 10TH, 2017, A SESSION PRESENTATION OF THE PROPOSED F Y 2018 BUDGET CITY MANAGER SCULLY INTRODUCED THE FOUR NEW NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT TEAM POSITIONS WITH A BUDGET OF $255,000.
TIER ONE WAS PLEASED BY THIS ANNOUNCEMENT
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AND PROUD OF THE ACHIEVEMENT THAT WE FELT WOULD HELP NEIGHBORHOODS GAIN AN EVEN MORE FOOTING, IMPROVED RELATIONS BETWEEN THE CITY'S PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENTS AND NEIGHBORHOODS OVERALL, AND PROVIDE A VITAL RESOURCE TO NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS.REGRETED THAT THE CITY WAS MAKING A MONETARY COMMITMENT TO NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT, CAPACITY BUILDING, AND ACCESS TO AN ADVOCATE WITHIN THE CITY STRUCTURE.
IMPROVED WORKING PARTNERSHIP WOULD LEAD TO LESS CONTROVERSY, LESS STAFF TIME SPENT ON CITY AND CITIZEN DISCONTENT AT COMMISSIONS AND COUNCIL MEETINGS AND A BETTER OUTCOME FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED.
WE NEED THE PROMISE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT TEAM TO BE HONORED BY THE CITY.
TIER ONE NEIGHBORHOOD COALITION.
THE NEXT IS A LETTER FROM JOAN BROOKS, MANKEY PARK DISTRICT TWO.
I LIVE IN MANKEY PARK NEIGHBORHOOD IN DISTRICT TWO.
I WAS INVOLVED WITH THE ABUSE OF ESSAY TOMORROW COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AS IT WAS BEING FORMULATED AND IMPLEMENTED AND I WAS VERY PLEASED WITH THE CITY WHEN IT COMMITTED TO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS BY ASSIGNING NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT OFFICERS.
I HAVE HAD NO CONTACT WITH THE ENGAGEMENT NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT TEAM.
I DO NOT KNOW WHO MANKEY PARK'S ENGAGEMENT OFFICER IS.
IT WOULD'VE BEEN VERY HELPFUL FOR US TO HAVE HAD KNOWLEDGE OF THIS PERSON DURING OUR EFFORTS TO BLOCK COMMERCIALIZATION OF PROPERTY ON DAVIS COURT IN NOVEMBER DECEMBER, 2020 TIMEFRAME.
I DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW OUR TAX DOLLARS THAT ARE PAYING THE SALARIES OF THE ENGAGEMENT TEAM AND THE ADMINISTRATOR WHOSE ONLY RESPONSIBILITY UNTIL RECENTLY WAS TO OVERSEE THIS TEAM HAVE BEEN USED OR WHAT HAVE THESE ENGAGEMENT OFFICERS BEEN DOING BEFORE COVID 19? OUR COMMUNITY NEIGHBORHOOD WANTS TO CHANGE IN THE FUTURE AND FOR THE CITY TO VILLAGE'S COMMITMENT TO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, IT IS IMPERATIVE THIS TEAM COMMITS TO WORKING WITH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
JOAN BROOKS MANKEY PARK DISTRICT TWO.
THE NEXT IS A LETTER FROM THE MONTE VISTA TERRACE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
DEAR COUNCIL MEMBERS, AS PRESIDENT OF THE MONTE MONTE VISTA NEIGHBORHOOD TERRORIST NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCI ASSOCIATION, AND A MEMBER OF THE TIER ONE STEERING COMMITTEE, I WAS SHOCKED TO DISCOVER THAT IN 2017, MONEY WAS INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET AND JOBS WERE POSTED COMPLETE WITH JOB DESCRIPTIONS FOR NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES ENGAGEMENT OFFICERS TO BE ASSIGNED TO VARIOUS NEIGHBORHOODS THAT THEY WOULD SERVE AS LIAISONS TO ASSIST OUR COMMUNITY LEADERS AND COMMUNITIES NOT CONCERNS WITHIN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
I WAS ANGRY WHEN IT CAME TO LIGHT THAT THIS DEPARTMENT WAS NEVER FULLY FORMED, NOR ARE THESE POSITIONS FILLED.
I HAD NO CLUE THAT SUCH A DEPARTMENT HAD BEEN INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET.
WE HAVE NEVER HAD AN ENGAGEMENT OF A NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT OFFICER.
THE FACT THAT THERE WERE JOB POSTINGS COMPLETE WITH JOB DESCRIPTIONS POSTED AND NEVER FILLED AS TRULY UNBELIEVABLE, I CAN SAY THAT THE DEPARTMENT WOULD HAVE BEEN MOST HELPFUL TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WHEN WE FILED AN APPEAL AGAINST AN INCOMPATIBLE DEVELOPMENT THAT HAD BEEN PERMITTED IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT WAS AND IS BEYOND SOCIALLY UNJUST, LEAVING IT TO REGULAR CITIZENS TO NAVIGATE THE U D C AND TO SOLELY DEFEND OURSELVES AGAINST OUT OUT-OF-TOWN DEVELOPERS ALONG WITH THEIR LAND USE ATTORNEYS AND A WELL-HEELED TEAM AND VAST POOLS OF MONEY.
AS WE ARE TOLD, IT IS A CONFLICT OF INTEREST FOR CITY STAFF OR THE COUNCIL STAFF TO HELP US IN SUCH MATTERS.
YES, THIS DEPARTMENT WOULD'VE BEEN EXTREMELY HELPFUL.
THIS DEPARTMENT WOULD NOT ONLY HELP WITH INCOMPATIBLE DEVELOPMENT ISSUES, THE BENEFITS OF IT'S SUCH A DEPARTMENT ENRICHMENT IT WOULD BRING TO OUR CITY AND OUR COMMUNITIES ARE VAST AND ENGAGED.
CITIZENRY IS A HEALTHY COMMUNITY.
AS I HAVE COME TO LEARN AS A NEIGHBORHOOD LEADER, THE MORE MY NEIGHBORS UNDERSTOOD ZONING U D C AND THE CITY CODE IS EASIER, THE EASIER IT IS TO COMMUNICATE WITH THEM OVER ALL ISSUES THAT ARISE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND OUR CITY.
IN ITS ENTIRETY, ENGAGEMENT IS A GOOD THING AND ENGAGEMENT OFFICERS WOULD'VE BEEN AND WILL BE GOOD FOR OUR CITY, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE RAPID CHANGES WE ARE EXPERIENCING, IT WILL BE A WIN-WIN.
I STRONGLY URGE COUNSEL TO FILL THESE POSITIONS AND HAVE THIS DEPARTMENT FULLY FORMED.
I AM EXTREMELY CONCERNED OVER WHERE THESE ALLOCATED MONIES WENT AFTER ALL THIS TAXPAYERS MONEY, OUR MONEY, AND IT WAS A DEPARTMENT OF POSITIONS THAT WERE STRONGLY FOUGHT FOR BY OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
IN CLOSING, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS DEPARTMENT FULLY CREATED AND THESE POSITIONS FILLED BY QUALIFIED, KNOWLEDGEABLE PERSONS.
IT SHOULD BE DONE AS TO WHERE THE MONEY WENT AND WHERE IT CURRENTLY IS.
I THINK WE DESERVE AN EXPLANATION.
MARY JOHNSON MONTE VISTA NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
THE IS A LETTER FROM FRIDA KUSHNER.
DEAR COMMITTEE MEMBERS, MY NAME IS FRIDA FRED FREDERICA KUSHNER.
I LIVE IN TOBA HILL COUNCIL DISTRICT ONE.
I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATION FOR MANY YEARS AND ALSO WITH THE TIER ONE NEIGHBORHOOD COALITION, TIER ONE WORK WITH THE CITY TO CREATE AN OFFICE WHICH WOULD BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN THE VARIOUS CITY DEPARTMENTS AND THE NEIGHBORHOODS, WHICH MUST DEAL WITH THEM.
I WAS CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC WHEN THE NEIGHBORHOOD IN INTELLIGENCE SERVICES DEPARTMENT WAS CREATED AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT TEAM WAS ADDED.
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WE ALL WAITED TO BE ENGAGED.EVENTUALLY, WE WERE ASKED TO GIVE AN OPINION ON REGISTRATION OF NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS WITH THE CITY.
THAT IS THE ONLY ENGAGEMENT THAT I AM AWARE OF.
WHO ARE THE NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT OFFICERS AND WHAT ARE THEY BE DOING ALL THIS TIME? WE ALL STRUGGLE TO UNDERSTAND THE CITY ORDINANCES, U D C, THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS AND THEIR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES.
WE NEED HELP TO MAKE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS MORE RESPONSIVE TO THEIR MEMBERS.
WE WANT TO WORK WITH THE CITY, BUT IT'S DIFFICULT.
IT SEEMS A WASTE TO HAVE A NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT TEAM THAT DOESN'T ACTIVELY ENGAGE WITH THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
PERHAPS IT'S REVIEWED BY THE CULTURE.
NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES COUNCIL COMMITTEE WILL HELP PUT THINGS BACK ON TRACK.
MY NEIGHBORHOOD CERTAINLY NEEDS A COMMITTED AND ACTIVE LIAISON WITH THE CITY GOVERNMENT.
THE NEXT IS THE LETTER FROM STEVE RESIDENT OF GOVERNMENT.
HILL EQUITY IS SET TO BE A CORNERSTONE OF SOME OF SAN ANTONIO'S BIGGEST INITIATIVE SUCH AS SA TOMORROW AND ESTATE CLIMATE READY.
IF WE DON'T LOOK FOR INEQUITY AND ALLITY PROCESSES, THINGS WILL NOT IMPROVE AS THEY SHOULD.
ENGAGEMENT IS ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO FIGHT INEQUITY.
THOSE WHO HAVE SUFFERED INEQUITY ARE RIGHTFULLY ARE OFTEN RIGHTFULLY UNTRUSTING.
NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, GROUPS OF NEIGHBORS AND INDIVIDUAL NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTS SUFFER WITH INEQUITY.
WEBSITE INFORMATION, EMAILS, AND ROBERTS RULES OF ORDER MEETINGS IS NOT ENGAGEMENT.
REACHING OUT BY PHONE AND IN PERSON WHEN IT IS SAFE AGAIN, IS ENGAGED WITH THAT CAN SHOW PEOPLE THAT THE CITY CAN HELP THEM.
HAVEN FOR HOPE IS A MODEL PROGRAM NATIONWIDE.
HOMELESS PEOPLE WILL SURELY HAVE SUFFERED.
INEQUITY SAFE IS THE CITY PROGRAM.
WE CAN LOOK AT WHO IS MY SAFE OFFICER WITH S A P D.
IT IS MARY MORALES WHO IS MY ENGAGEMENT NEIGHBOR, WHO IS MY NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT OFFICER.
LET'S LOOK AT THE APPROACH FOR THESE TWO PROGRAMS. SAFE APPROACH IS TO ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN DAY-TO-DAY INTERACTION WITH RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES AND ACT AS LIAISONS WITH OTHER CITY AGENCIES.
HAVEN FOR HOPE APPROACH IS PERSON-CENTERED AND THE GOAL IS TO MEET INDIVIDUALS WHERE THEY ARE AND SUPPORT THEM.
LET'S REMEMBER THAT THE REAL VALUE IN NEIGHBORHOODS IS THE PEOPLE, NOT THE BUILDINGS.
LET'S LEARN AND IMPROVE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT.
LET'S GIVE THE NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT TEAM THE RESOURCES AND FOCUS DIRECTION THAT THEY NEED.
THE NEXT IS A LETTER FROM KEYSTONE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE KEYSTONE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, I CAN TELL YOU THAT KEYSTONE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION BOARD HAS NO IDEA THAT THERE WAS NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT OFFICERS THAT WERE TO LIAISON AND HELP CAPACITY BUILDING OF OUR ASSOCIATION.
THE JOB DESCRIPTION SAYS THESE OFFICERS ARE TO MEET WITH US, PROMOTE PROGRAMS, ATTEND NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS, HELP ON COMMUNITY-BASED PROBLEM SOLVING, AND ENCOURAGE CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT.
OUR BOARD HAS STRUGGLED EVEN PRIOR TO COVID TO INCREASE OUR ATTENDANCE AND HOW TO REACH OUT TO MANY OF THESE RESIDENTS AND NO TIME HAVE WE HAD A NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGING OFFICER ATTEND OUR MEETINGS, AND I HAVE BEEN ON THE BOARD FOR FOUR YEARS AND PRESIDENT FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS FOR THE BREAKDOWN WHERE THE BREAKDOWN IN COMMUNICATION OCCURRED.
I CAN SAY IT'S NOT ENCUMBERED ON THE COMMUNITY TO FIND OUT ABOUT RESOURCES AS THESE POSITIONS ARE SUPPOSED TO REACH OUT TO US WITH THE BUDGET OVER OF OVER $220,000.
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT EXACTLY THE PERFORMANCE MEASURES ARE USED BY COUNCIL TO KNOW IF THERE IS SUCCESS IN THE SERVICES RENDERED BY THIS DEPARTMENT.
HAS THERE BEEN ANY METRICS TO SHOW THE OUTREACH TO THE COMMUNITY? FOR THIS REASON, I SUPPORT THE IDEA AND CONCEPT THAT THERE SHOULD BE A NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSION AS THESE APPOINTEES WOULD ASK FOR THESE PERFORMANCE MEASURES TO GAUGE OUTREACH SUCCESS.
ALSO, THIS WOULD ENSURE THAT INPUT OF THE COMMUNITY IS OPEN AND TRANSPARENT TO THE CITY.
AS THE PAST CHAIR OF CULTURAL ARTS AND AS A PAST MEMBER OF THE ZONING COMMISSION, THE OVERSIGHT IS CRUCIAL AND CRITICAL TO KNOWING AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT NEIGHBORHOOD NEEDS, WHAT NEIGHBORHOODS NEED, AND WHAT THE STAFF IS ACTUALLY DOING.
OVERSIGHT BY COUNCIL HAS NOT WORKED TO THIS POINT.
I ASK YOU TO STRONGLY CONSIDER A NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSION AS THE WORLD WE, AS WE KNOW IT HAS CHANGED.
THE PANDEMIC HAS SHOWN THAT COMMUNICATION AT ALL LEVELS IS NEEDED TO ENSURE THE SAFETY AND VITALITY AND RESILIENCE OF NEIGHBORHOODS.
DURING THIS PAST YEAR, WE HAVE NOT MET AS AN ASSOCIATION AND THIS ISOLATION HAS LEFT THE QUESTION, HOW CAN A BOARD BE MORE EFFECTIVE? HAD THE NEIGHBORHOOD DEPARTMENT BEEN CONNECTED? THEY COULD HAVE PROVIDED A LOT OF STRUCTURE AND POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVES TO COMMUNICATING.
THESE STAFF ARE PAID TO THINK ABOUT AND CREATE WAYS TO COLLABORATE AND COMMUNICATE.
WE CITIZEN GROUPS ARE VOLUNTEERS AND HAVING A DEPARTMENT SHOULD BRING US MORE BENEFITS THAN WE ARE EXPERIENCING NOW.
I HOPE THAT YOU CAN GET THIS RESOLVED AND WORKING BETTER AND CONSIDER COMMISSION MADE UP OF SAN ANTONIO NEIGHBORHOODS SINCERELY, GRACE ROSE GONZALEZ, PRESIDENT KEYSTONE ASSOCIATION, OUR LAST LETTERS FROM BEACON HILL AREA NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
DEAR CULTURE, NEIGHBORHOOD COMMITTEE MEMBERS BEACON HILL AREA NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION WILL WELCOME THE SUPPORT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT TEAM, PARTICULARLY TO HELP WITH RESOURCES FOR OUR MOST VULNERABLE RESIDENTS.
THE ORIGINAL JOB DESCRIPTION STATES THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT OFFICER WOULD PROVIDE GUIDANCE AND ASSISTANCE IN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS WITH COMPLEX SOCIOECONOMIC PROBLEMS.
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ORGANIZE AND PROVIDE LEADERSHIP TO CITIZEN GROUPS AND COMMITTEES, ATTEND CITIZEN AND NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS TO, UH, PRESENT AND OBTAIN INFORMATION ON NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENT EFFORTS, COMMUNITY-BASED PROBLEM SOLVING AND ENCOURAGE CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT, PROMOTE PROGRAM ACTIVITIES BY DESIGNING FLYERS, BROCHURES, PRESS RELEASES AND OTHER MATERIALS IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH FOR DISTRIBUTION.MEET CUSTOMER NEEDS EFFICIENTLY, ACCURATELY AND WITHIN PROGRAM GUIDELINES WHO COORDINATE WITH CITY DEPARTMENTS TO IDENTIFY AND DEVELOP NEIGHBORHOOD PROGRAMS, ASSIST WITH VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS, CITY DEPARTMENTS WITH COMMUNICATING PROGRESS AND DELAYS TO POLICIES AND PROJECTS IN THE COMMUNITY.
BEACON HILL WOULD BENEFIT FROM THIS KIND OF SUPPORT OUR RESIDENTS FACE.
CHALLENGES OF FOOD INSECURITY, DANGER OF DISPLACEMENT AND HOUSING INSECURITY, INCOMPATIBLE DEVELOPMENT, AS WELL AS HEALTH, AS WELL AS HEALTH ISSUES.
IN THIS TIME OF COVID, WE ARE ASKING NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING SERVICES DEPARTMENT TO HONOR THE COMMITMENT TO NEIGHBORHOODS BY USING THE NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT TEAM AS THEY WERE INTENDED.
RESPECTFULLY, CYNTHIA SPIELMAN, PRESIDENT, BEACON HILL NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
THOSE ARE THE PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THE RECORD, SIR.
I THINK YOU DESERVE A LITTLE BIT OF A WATER BREAK,
[3 20-7496 Briefing on the Neighborhood Engagement Unit. [Lori Houston, Assistant City Manager; Verónica R. Soto, Director, Neighborhood and Housing Services]]
I THINK WE'LL GO ON TO, UH, THE, THE, UH, BRIEFING ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT UNIT.UH, MS. SOTO, UM, FIRST OF ALL, I JUST WANT TO THANK, UM, ALL THE STAFF THAT'S BEEN WORKING ON THIS.
I DO WANT TO THANK ALL THE RESIDENTS THAT TOOK TIME TO PROVIDE THEIR THOUGHTS.
UH, I DO UNDERSTAND THAT THE E-COM FEATURE CREATED SOME CONFUSION, SO WE ARE ESPECIALLY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR PATIENTS.
UH, THERE THERE IS A, A NECESSARY UPDATE TO BE GIVEN ON, ON THE CONCERNS THAT SOME OF THE, THE NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE BROUGHT FORTH AND BASED ON SOME OF THE COMMENTS, UH, THAT THERE ARE NEIGHBORHOODS WHO FEEL THE NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT UNIT COULD BE SO MUCH MORE.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING, UH, ABOUT THIS.
UH, IS IS THERE GONNA BE A PRESENTATION, UH, ABOUT, UH, THIS BRIEFING AND, UH, AND THEREFORE WE CAN, WE CAN, UH, ASK QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE? YES, COUNCILMAN.
UM, THIS, THIS IS LORI HOUSTON AND I'M GONNA INTRODUCE THIS ITEM.
SO ITEM NUMBER THREE IS A BRIEFING ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT UNIT AND THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS SINCE 2018, AND AN OVERVIEW OF THE FEEDBACK WE RECEIVED FROM THE SURVEY AND FOCUS GROUPS STAFF FACILITATED IN DECEMBER BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW OUR COMMUNITY USES THE NEIGHBORHOOD REGISTRY AND HOW WE CAN BETTER COMMUNICATE AND ENGAGE WITH THE RESIDENTS.
IF YOU RECALL, WE FIRST PRESENTED THE INITIATIVE TO REVIEW THE NEIGHBORHOOD REGISTRY IN FEBRUARY OF 2020 AFTER WE RECEIVED QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS AND STAKEHOLDERS ABOUT THE REGISTRY'S PURPOSE.
AND WE ALSO RECEIVED FEEDBACK FROM SEVERAL NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS ABOUT HOW WE COMMUNICATE AND ENGAGE NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS.
SO THE NEIGHBORHOOD REGISTRY IS PRIMARILY A COMMUNICATIONS TOOL AND IT PROVIDES STAFF AND INVENTORY OF NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, HOAS, AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS SO THAT THEY CAN SHARE THE INFORMATION WITH THE APPROPRIATE GROUPS AND CONNECT THEM TO SERVICES.
WE HAVE ALMOST FOUR 50 ORGANIZATIONS ON THE INVENTORY.
WE'RE ABOUT TO START OUR COMMUNITY INPUT SESSION TO HELP US UNDERSTAND HOW PEOPLE USE THE REGISTRY AND REALLY WHAT THEY WANTED US TO DO TO HELP BETTER COMMUNICATE WITH THEM WHEN THE PANDEMIC HIT.
AND SO UNFORTUNATELY WHEN THE PANDEMIC HIT, WE HAD TO REDIRECT THE ENTIRE ENGAGEMENT TEAM, WHICH INCLUDES FOUR INDIVIDUALS.
THEY WERE HIRED IN 2018 AND THOSE POSITIONS ARE FULL BILL, BUT THOSE FOUR INDIVIDUALS WERE REDIRECTED TO HELP ADMINISTER THE EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AND STAND UP THE CALL CENTERS AND RESOURCE CENTERS AT THE LIBRARY.
BUT WE DID STREAMLINE THAT PROCESS AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT TEAM WENT BACK TO THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES AND REINITIATED THEIR EFFORT, AND THEY STARTED THAT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS AND WE CAME BACK TO THIS COMMITTEE IN NOVEMBER OF 2020 SAYING THAT WE WOULD REINITIATE THAT PROCESS, HAVE MORE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
AND SO PART OF TODAY'S PRESENTATION STAFF IS GOING TO PRESENT WHAT THEY HEARD DURING THE SURVEY AND FOCUS GROUPS AND ALSO PRESENT SOME OF THE CONCEPTS THEY DEVELOPED, UM, OR THE CONCEPTS THAT THEY'VE IDENTIFIED AND HEARD, UM, THAT SOME OF THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WOULD LIKE.
BUT WE WEREN'T INTENDING TO PRESENT THESE CONCEPTS UNTIL FEBRUARY BECAUSE WE WANTED TO GET MORE ENGAGEMENT, UM, AND MORE FEEDBACK FROM THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
BUT WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO TODAY IS WE'LL PRESENT THE CONCEPTS AS WELL, AND THEN WE WILL GO BACK TO THE COMMUNITY, GET THEIR FEEDBACK ON 'EM, AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK TO THIS GROUP IN APRIL WITH WE'LL REFINE CONCEPTS AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO IMPROVE OUR ENGAGEMENT.
BUT THIS PROCESS WAS UNDERWAY AND THEN IT WAS HALTED BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC AND
[00:55:01]
WE REINITIATED IN DECEMBER.AND LORI, UH, TO BE CLEAR, THIS IS A BRIEFING ON THE ENGAGEMENT UNIT AND NOT AN ACTION ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD REGISTRY, IS THAT CORRECT? CORRECT.
THIS IS A BRIEFING ON THE ENGAGEMENT UNIT, BUT THE PRIMARY TOOL, THE ENGAGEMENT UNIT USES TO ENGAGE THE NEIGHBORHOODS IS THAT REGISTRY.
AND I MENTIONED FOUR 50 ASSOCIATIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS ARE ON IT.
WHEN WE WERE GOING THROUGH WITHOUT REVIEW, WE TALKED TO THE ORGANIZATIONS ABOUT HOW WE CAN BETTER ENGAGE.
SO THAT WILL INCLUDE PART OF THOSE, THAT FEEDBACK.
SO I'D LIKE TO HAND IT OVER TO VERONICA SOTO, WHO IS OUR DIRECTOR OF NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING SERVICES.
UH, SO WE GO TO SLIDE NUMBER TWO.
UM, LET ME PROVIDE YOU IN THAT SLIDE, UM, SOME BACKGROUND ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT TEAM THAT WE HAVE.
UM, IN LISTENING TO THAT COMMENT, IT SEEMS, UM, SOME FOLKS MAY NOT, UH, BE AWARE THAT THIS TEAM WAS CREATED BACK IN FISCAL YEAR 2018.
MS. SO MS. SOTO, UH, UH, I'M, I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT, BUT I'M GETTING NOTICE HERE THAT THERE'S, THERE'S, UH, UH, MANY PEOPLE ON THE LINE, UH, FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR ITEM, AND SOMEHOW WE HAVE, WE HAVE NOT, UH, WE'VE NOT INCORPORATED THAT.
SO CAN THE CLERK PLEASE ADDRESS THAT, MAKE SURE THAT WE, WE DO, UH, ALLOW FOR, UH, THOSE FOLKS WHO ARE ON THE LINE WAITING TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM.
UM, WE WILL COORDINATE, UH, WITH, UH, OUR TEAM, UH, CARLOS, TRACY, AND AMANDA TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE IN THE QUEUE AND READY TO SPEAK.
AMANDA, CAN YOU PROVIDE US WITH AN UPDATE PLEASE? ALSO, UH, CARLOS, WILL YOU PLEASE LET US KNOW NOTHING, CHRIS, READY TO, UM, IF, IF THE COM, IF THE COMMITTEE IS READY FOR FOR THEM, THEY'RE READY TO, UM, YES, PLEASE.
WE, WE, WE NEED TO, WE NEED TO KEEP, UH, WE HAD THE, THE MS. CONNELL MUTE READ SOME OF THE, THE WRITTEN STATEMENTS, BUT WE HAVE THESE FOLKS, UH, I BELIEVE IT'S 13 PEOPLE WHO ARE WAITING.
UM, THE FIRST CALLER WILL BE COSIMA COLVIN.
ARE YOU ON THE LINE? MS. COLVIN, PLEASE REPLY IF YOU CAN HEAR US.
MS. COLVIN, YOU CAN PROCEED CHAIR.
WE'LL TRY THE NEXT SPEAKER AND COME BACK.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS ROSE HILL.
ARE YOU ON THE LINE PLEASE? CARLOS? DO WE HAVE, UM, SPEAKERS IN THE WAITING ROOM? YES, WE DO HAVE ROSIE ON THE LINE.
MS. HILL, YOU'RE, YOU'RE AVAILABLE TO SPEAK.
UH, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, MA'AM.
WE CAN HEAR YOUR AUDIO JUST FINE.
UH, GOOD AFTERNOON COMMISSIONERS.
UH, MY NAME IS ROSE KILL AND I'M PRESIDENT OF GOVERNMENT HILL ALLIANCE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND ALSO REPRESENT THE D TWO PRESIDENTS, WHICH OF 31 NEIGHBORS IN DISTRICT TWO TODAY.
I'M A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED IN THE ITEM THAT WAS PRESENTED ON THE AGENDA BECAUSE NOT ALL THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS ACROSS SAN ANTONIO WERE AWARE OF OF THIS.
ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS THAT I THINK THAT WE'RE LACKING, AND I'VE BEEN HEARING FROM A LOT OF PRESIDENTS TODAY LISTENING TO EVERYBODY, IS THE OBJECT IS THAT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD REGISTRATION POLICY THAT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA TODAY IS VERY DISAPPOINTING BECAUSE THAT'S THE MAIN THING.
IT'S BEEN AN EYESORE IN MANY OF OUR, UH, BACK DOORS SINCE 2018.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING AND IT HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED.
WHY? WHEN I SEE THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT POSITION COMING UP RANGE FROM 54 TO $71,000, I FEEL THAT'S A WASTE OF TAXPAYER'S MONEY.
FIRST OF ALL, WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE ASSOCIATIONS.
WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING, HOW TO RESOLVE THAT ISSUE FIRST.
HAVING MORE THAN ONE ASSOCIATION AND NOT RESOLVING THAT ISSUE IS GONNA CREATE CONFUSION AND DIVISION.
AND I CAN SEE IT BY LISTENING TODAY.
THERE'S A LOT OF THAT GOING ON.
SO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS WE HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER.
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MODEL OF WHAT THESE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT TODAY.I WANNA ASK THE QUESTION TO THE CITY, WHY DID IT TAKE US, THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION TO PROVIDE TRAINING INFORMATION, UH, OUR OWN MONEY OF OUR OWN POCKETS TO DO THE EXACT SAME THING THAT'S BEING ADDRESSED TODAY? WE NEED TO HAVE, WE NEED TO HAVE, UH, COMMUN EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION.
WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER AND NOT WORK AGAINST EACH OTHER, AND NOT JUST DISTRICT TWO, BUT ALL ACROSS, UH, ACROSS THE DISTRICTS.
WE ALL NEED TO BE, UH, BE PROVIDING INFORMATION BECAUSE WHO BETTER THAN THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD? YOU CAN'T WRITE POLICY, PROCEDURE IF YOU DON'T LIVE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND, AND GIVE IT, ALLOW US THE OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE YOU THAT INPUT AND THAT GOLDEN TOOL THAT YOU NEED IN ORDER TO MAKE AN EFFECTIVE POLICY THAT'S GONNA WORK.
BUT PUTTING SOMEBODY IN THERE WITHOUT THEM NOT KNOWING WHAT'S GOING ON IS WHERE WE STARTED BACK IN 2018.
WE'RE JUST GONNA BE GOING BACKWARDS INSTEAD OF FORWARD.
WE NEED RESOURCE, WE NEED RESOURCE TOOLS, WE NEED RESOURCE TOOLS, AND WE NEED TRAINING.
OUR NEXT CALLER WILL BE MIA AND MS. MIA IS ON THE LINE.
MIA, WE'LL COME BACK THE NEXT, THE NEXT UH, SPEAKER WILL BE KAYLA MIRANDA.
KAYLA MIRANDA, CAN YOU HEAR US? PLEASE MAKE SURE YOUR AUDIO IS ON AND YOU'RE NOT ON MUTE.
KAYLA MIRANDA? UH, YES, I CAN HEAR YOU.
I'LL LET YOU KNOW WHEN YOUR TIME IS UP.
UM, I HAD ACTUALLY SIGNED UP TO SPEAK FOR THE RENTER COMMISSION ITEM THAT WAS PULLED, BUT IF I'M ALLOWED TO SPEAK, I, I'D LIKE TO STILL SPEAK.
UM, I AM ALSO A HEALTH JUSTICE, UH, ADVOCATE IN SAN ANTONIO AND ON THE WEST SIDE.
IT, WE SEE EVERYDAY PEOPLE THAT STRUGGLE AS RENTERS AND AS LOW INCOME INDIVIDUALS AND IN THE, UH, HIGHEST IMPACTED AREA OF COVID AND WHERE THESE CENTRAL WORKERS ARE AND A RENTERS COMMISSION IS NEEDED.
SO, AND NOT JUST A RENTERS COMMISSION, BUT A RENTERS COMMISSION OF 100% RENTERS, YOU WOULD HAVE A COMMISSION ON WOMEN AND ASK FOR MEN TO BE PART OF IT.
YOU WOULDN'T HAVE A COMMISSION ON PEOPLE OF COLOR AND ASK A CAUCASIAN OF INDIVIDUALS TO JOIN.
SO YOU CAN'T ASK LANDLORDS AND REAL ESTATE AGENTS TO BE A PART OF A COMMISSIONER, A COMMISSION THAT IS SUPPOSED TO GIVE A VOICE TO RENTERS.
BY DOING SO, YOU'RE TELLING US THAT OUR VOICES DON'T MATTER UNLESS WE HAVE OUR LANDLORD'S COUNTERPART.
WE NEED A COMMISSION THAT IS STANDALONE, THAT IS A PLACE FOR RENTERS TO GO TO, THAT THEY FEEL SAFE SPEAKING, WHERE THEY CAN VOICE THEIR OPINIONS, THEIR CONCERNS, AND IT'S ACTUALLY HEARD.
I DO AGREE THAT ALL THE OTHER COMMISSIONS NEED TO INCLUDE RENTERS AS WELL, BUT IT'S NOT AN OPTION, UH, A SOLE OPTION.
WE NEED A RENTER'S PERMISSION, AND WE NEED IT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
OUR NEXT, OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE BRENDA DAVILA.
BRENDA, ARE YOU ON THE LINE? BRENDA DAVILA? WE'LL COME BACK.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS RICH ACOSTA.
MR. ACOSTA, CAN YOU HEAR US? PLEASE? MAKE SURE YOU'RE NOT ON MUTE.
HELLO, OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS LACEY HENDRICKS.
LACEY, ARE YOU ON THE CALL? PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU'RE NOT ON MUTE.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS MARTY HUTCHISON.
MR. HUTCHINSON, ARE YOU ON THE CALL? PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU'RE NOT ON MUTE.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS BRETT FINLEY.
[01:05:04]
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KATIE MEA.MS. MEA, ARE YOU ON THE CALL? PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU'RE NOT ON MUTE.
CARLOS, WHO DO WE HAVE IN THE WAITING ROOM, PLEASE? SO WE HAVE, UM, AARON ARJO, UM, BENJI GARCIA, KAYLEE MIRANDA, MARY JOHNSON, MARGARET LEADS, MATT GARCIA, MAUREEN, UM, PATTY, PATTY SSON IS, I'M GUESSING IS THE SAME PERSON.
UM, AND THEN ROSE HILL WHO ALREADY SPOKE, AND THEN TERRY CASTILLO.
WE'LL PROCEED WITH THE NEXT CALL.
MR. VAHE, CAN YOU HEAR US? YEAH.
AM I ALLOWED TO SPEAK THROUGH HERE? YES, PLEASE PROCEED.
YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES AND I'LL INFORM YOU WHEN YOUR TIME IS UP.
SO, UM, I SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THE NOW POSTPONED RECORDS COMMISSION.
UM, ITEM DON'T, THE REASON WHY, UH, I'M HERE TO SPEAK TODAY IS THAT I BELIEVE THAT A RE, UH, A TENANTS ONLY RECORDS COMMISSION HAS TO EXIST.
UM, MOST IMPORTANTLY, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY, UM, SUCH A INITIATIVE IS DEEMED AS A SUCH A NEGATIVE SOLUTION.
UM, THIS COULD BE A NOT NOVEL SOLUTION THAT SEATTLE HAS ALSO PUT FORTH WHEN IT DOES HONESTLY GIVE RENTERS THE RIGHT EXPLICIT CONCERNS IN A FREE AND HONEST MATTER.
UM, LIKE, YOU KNOW, WITH OTHER DIFFERENT COMMISSIONS THAT EXIST RIGHT NOW, UH, RENTERS ARE LUMPED IN, WHEREAS 50% OF THE POPULATION OF
IT'S IRONIC THAT A COMMISSION DOESN'T ALREADY EXIST TO SUPPORT THEIR VOICES AND THEIR, UH, SPECIFIC SITUATIONS.
NOW, OBVIOUSLY, MOSTLY THE OPPOSITION LANDLORDS AND OTHER PARTIES ALWAYS EXPRESS THAT THERE ARE ALREADY TOO MANY COMMISSIONS OR THAT THIS SHOULDN'T BE ADDED MORE TO THE EXHAUSTIVE WORK.
BUT AS WE KNOW NOW, I MEAN, STARTING 22 1, I I I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THIS IS, UH, UH, UH, JUSTIFIABLE EXCUSE AS TO WHY WE SHOULDN'T BE GIVING RENTERS VOICES.
I THINK SOMEBODY WHO, WHO WE'VE SPOKEN TO, CYNTHIA SPIELMAN OF
I DON'T FEEL LIKE A THIRD OF OUR PROPERTY RIGHTS OR OF OUR PROPERTY RIGHTS, WHICH OTHERS HAVE STATED AS ONE REASON WHY THE COMMISSION SHOULDN'T GO FORWARD, EXTENDS TO THE HUMAN BEING, LIVING, LIVING ON THE PROPERTY THEY OWN.
WHY SHOULD THEY BE IN CONFLICT WITH EACH OTHER? WHEN RENTERS FEEL EMPOWERED, THEY WILL BE A GREATER PART OF THE COMMUNITY.
THE MYTH THAT RENTERS DON'T WANT TO BE PART OF THE COMMUNITY HAS LY BEEN PROVEN TO BE ALIVE.
I, I, I GUESS MY QUESTION IS TO SAN ANTONIO, AND HOPEFULLY REFLECTING ON THIS YEAR AND LOOKING FORWARD TO 2021, WHY WOULDN'T YOU WANT TO PUT PUSH FORWARD A NOVEL SOLUTION SO THAT RENTERS CAN HONESTLY HAVE A VOICE IN SITUATIONS AND ISSUES THAT THEY THEMSELVES, YOU KNOW, NEED TO EXPRESS IN A SEPARATE COMMISSION? UM, THAT'S THE EXTENT OF MY COMMENT FOR TODAY.
OUR NEXT, UH, CALLER IS AARON ARGUE GUO.
MR. ARGUELLO, CAN YOU HEAR US? PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU'RE NOT ON MUTE.
OUR NEXT CALLER, WE'LL COME BACK TO YOU, MR. ARGUE.
MS. SANCHEZ, ARE YOU ON THE CALL? YES.
I ALSO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THE FIRST ISSUE, WHICH I GUESS I DIDN'T GET TO SPEAK ON IT, AND I DON'T KNOW WHEN I'LL HAVE ANOTHER CHANCE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE, ABOUT THE RENTERS COMMISSION.
SO DO I JUST NOT FORFEIT THAT UP? NO, PLEASE PROCEED.
WE'LL, UH, CHAIR HAS AGREED TO HEAR YOUR COMMENTS ON THE ITEM.
WELL, MY COMMENT WAS, UH, MY NAME IS GARCIA SANCHEZ AND I'M THE DIRECTOR OF JUSTICE CENTER CITYWIDE CULTURAL ARTS AND SOCIAL JUSTICE ORGANIZATION THAT IS 34 YEARS OLD.
IN JANUARY OF 2020, ALMOST A YEAR AGO, I CAME BEFORE THE COUNCIL, ALONG WITH SEVERAL OTHER FOLKS TO SUPPORT THE CREATION OF COMMISSION.
THEN BEFORE THE WIFE THREATENING COVID PANDEMIC INVADED OUR CITY, NATION OF THE WORLD AND SAN ANTONIO, WERE STRUGGLING WITH THE EVICTION OF THOUSANDS OF INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES FROM THEIR HOMES.
WE BELIEVE THAT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR TENANTS TO MAKE DECISIONS FOR TENANTS TO TAKE A HOUSING POLICY AND TO PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS, CLARIFY, RIGHT.
A COMPASSIONATE SAN ANTONIO ENSURE SAFE AND AFFORDABLE
[01:10:01]
HOUSING FOR RENTAL, AS WELL AS FOR OTHERS, A YEAR HAS PASSED AND WE HAVEN'T MOVED FORWARD ON CREATING THIS COMMISSION.THE REAL ESTATE INDUSTRY HAS PUSHED HARD, LOUD, AGGRESSIVELY, AND HATEFULLY.
OUR NEXT CALL WILL BE MS. MARGARET LEADS.
MS. LE, ARE YOU ON THE CALL? ON THE CALL, PLEASE? PROBLEM IS THIS, RENTER COMMISSION IS NOT EXCLUSIVELY A RENTER COMMISSION.
RACE AND CLASS WILL PLAY A MAJOR POWERFUL ROLE IN THESE MEETINGS.
THERE WILL BE NO EQUITY EITHER RENTER COMMISSION THAT EMPOWERS RENTERS, THAT ALLOWS THEM TO SPEAK THEIR WITHOUT OR MADE TO IGNORANT AND STUPID.
AND IF WE NEED TO ADD AN ADDITIONAL VOICE, ADD HOMELESS FOLKS TO THIS COMMISSION AS HOUSE AS, AS THOUSANDS OF WORKING CLASS AND WORKING POOR FAMILIES IN SAN ANTONIO LIVE UNDER THE CONSTANT THREAT OF HOMELESSNESS AND THE STRUGGLES OF THE HOMELESS.
I DIDN'T GET TO SPEAK ON THE, OUR NEXT CALLER WILL BE MARGARET LEEDS.
MS. LEEDS, ARE YOU THERE? PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU'RE NOT ON MUTE.
YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES, MS. LEEDS, WE'LL GO TO OUR NEXT CALLER, UH, PATTY GIBBONS.
MS. GIBBONS, ARE YOU ON THE CALL? PLEASE, PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU'RE NOT ON MUTE.
LASTLY, WE HAVE MARY JOHNSON THAT WAS PRESENT IN THE WAITING ROOM.
MS. JOHNSON, CAN YOU HEAR US? MS. KANO, I BELIEVE YOU, YOU READ MS. JOHNSON'S STATEMENT TOO.
UM, YES, I, I DID GET COUNSEL.
I ALSO SPOKE ABOUT WANTING TO SPEAK ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT.
UM, LET'S, LET'S LET THE CLERK SORT OF ORGANIZE THIS A LITTLE BIT SO WE CAN GET IT WRAPPED UP AND WE'LL GET YOUR COMMENTS ON NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT.
UH, MS. MS. SANCHEZ, YOU'RE GETTING A LOT OF FEEDBACK.
YOU'LL NEED TO TURN OFF, UH, YOUR COMPUTER, THAT ALL THAT EXTRA AUDIO, UH, CHAIR, I THINK THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE DROPPED OFF THE CALL WHEN THEY THOUGHT THAT ITEM TWO WAS NOT WHEN THEY, WHEN THEY WERE INFORMED THAT ITEM TWO WAS NOT GOING TO PROCEED.
SO I THINK THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW.
UM, CARLOS, CAN YOU PLEASE LET US KNOW IF ANYONE ELSE IS IN THE WAITING ROOM?
CAN YOU REPEAT WHAT YOU SAID? CAN YOU PLEASE LET US KNOW WHO ELSE IS IN THE WAITING ROOM? WE'VE CALLED ON.
EVERYONE THAT YOU SAID WAS IN THE WAITING ROOM.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE DON'T MISS ANYONE.
SO RIGHT NOW, HERE ON MY, ON WEBEX, I SEE, UM, MARGARET DE, WHO'S ON THE LINE.
UH, I THINK SHE'S READY TO SPEAK.
UM, KAYLA, MIRANDA, MAUREEN, PATTY GIVENS, AND THEN TERRY CASTILLO.
LET'S, LET'S START WITH MAREN LEADS ON THE RADIO AND MARY JOHNSON.
UM, MARY LEADS, ARE YOU THERE? PLEASE? CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES.
MS. LEEDS, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU.
CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? UM, THERE PLEASE.
I SIGNED UP TO SPEAK AS MEMBER OF THE TIER ONE NEIGHBORHOOD COALITION STEERING COMMITTEE.
I WANTED I'M PLEASE C PROCEED.
I THINK I SEEM TO BE GOING THROUGH MY COMPUTER.
SHOULD I TURN OFF MY PHONE? I, I SIGNED UP TO SPEAK AS A MEMBER OF THE PROCEED.
I SIGNED UP TO SPEAK AS A MEMBER OF THE TIER ONE NEIGHBORHOOD COALITION.
READ THE TIER ONE NEIGHBORHOOD MESSAGE.
[01:15:02]
OUR DISTRICT ONE COUNCIL HAS BEEN ACCESSIBLE AND WITH ISSUES OUR REFLECTING ON MY PAST THREE YEARS AS A MEMBER OF THE KING WILLIAM ASSOCIATION BOARD AND ARCHITECTURAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AND NOW AS PRESIDENT OF THE KING ASSOCIATION.I'M JUST REFLECTING ON THE LEARNING FIRM, SERVING AS A REPRESENTATIVE FOR, FOR MY NEIGHBORHOOD WITH HDRC AND WITH ZONING ISSUES.
IT WOULD'VE BEEN VERY HELPFUL TO HAVE THE NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT OFFICER HELPING US WITH SOME OF THESE ISSUES.
TIER ONE NEIGHBORHOOD HAS BEEN, UH, A RESOURCE FOR LEARNING.
CARLOS, LET'S GO TO OUR NEXT CALLER THAT WE HAVE.
UM, DID YOU SAY, UH, WHO IS OUR NEXT CALLER? KAYLA MIRANDA.
KAYLA, MIRANDA, MS. GUNN, I THINK YOU, I THINK YOU HAD, YOU HAD ALREADY CALLED ON HER AND MS. YES.
BUT THEY WERE SAYING SHE WAS IN THE WAITING ROOM AGAIN.
SO I'M TRYING TO GET EVERYONE, CARLOS, WHO'S IN THE WAITING ROOM RIGHT NOW.
IT SEEMS LIKE KAYLEE MIRANDA IS ON THE LINE AND SHE WAS, UM, JUST SPEAKING.
UM, SO SHE'S STILL ON THE LINE.
UH, MARY JOHNSON IS ON THE LINE.
ARE THEY HAVING TROUBLE HEARING US WHEN WE CALL THEIR NAMES THERE? A LOT OF THEM.
I HEAR SOMEBODY, UM, I BELIEVE IS SCALING AROUND DOWN THE LINE.
WHO IS SPEAKING PLEASE? IT'S DT COLE.
I'LL LET YOU KNOW WHEN UH, YOUR TIME IS UP.
I'M HOME HOMEOWNER, RESIDENT OF GOVERNMENT HILL AND OUR YEAR LONG STRUGGLES TO KEEP OUR CORNER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD FROM FLIPPING TO INTENSE COMMERCIAL.
WE EXPERIENCE LITTLE TO NO HELPFUL ENGAGEMENT FROM THE CITY.
AFTER FOUR REZONING CASES, EIGHT PROPERTIES COVERING OVER TWO BLOCKS FOR REZONED FROM RESIDENTIAL TO COMMERCIAL.
WE HAD TO EDUCATE OURSELVES ON THE PROCESS FROM OUR POINT OF VIEW, AS THE MOST IMPACTED 200 FOOT NEIGHBORS, CITY EMPLOYEES INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS, WERE MORE ENGAGED IN HELPING AND FACILITATING THE APPLICANTS AND DEVELOPERS THAN THE NEIGHBORS AND RESIDENT HOMEOWNERS.
AT EVERY TURN, 10 AFFORDABLE HOMES WILL BE LOST ON THESE FORMALLY RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES.
ALL BUT ONE WAS LIVED IN SEVEN MONTHS AGO, ONLY TWO OF 10 ARE LIVED IN NOW AND MOST WILL BE DEMOLISHED WITHIN THE YEAR.
I'M NOT HERE TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE OUTCOME OF THE ZONING CASES.
ZONING IS AN ISSUE THAT YOUR DISTRICT OFFICE SHOULD BE THE MOST CAPABLE OF HELPING NEIGHBORS WITH, SINCE YOUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBER HAS THE MOST INFLUENCE AND DECIDES ON WHO, WHETHER ON WHETHER A REZONING WILL BE APPROVED.
HOWEVER, THERE WERE MANY OTHER THINGS THAT ENGAGEMENT WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES DEPARTMENT COULD HAVE BEEN MOST HELPFUL WITH.
WAS THERE ANY ENGAGEMENT FROM THE CITY TO HELP FIGHT THE LOSS OF AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING? NO.
WAS THERE ANY ENGAGEMENT FROM THE CITY TO HELP DISPLACE RENTERS GET THROUGH THE RED TAPE TO GET HELP FROM THE CITY? NO.
WAS THERE ANY ENGAGEMENT FROM THE CITY TO ENCOURAGE AND RE THE REGISTERED NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION TO BE INCLUSIVE OF ALL NEIGHBORS? NO.
WAS THERE ANY ENGAGEMENT FROM THE CITY WITH ASSISTANCE WHEN THERE WAS UNETHICAL BEHAVIOR? NO.
WAS THERE ANY ENGAGEMENT FROM THE CITY ON RECOMMENDING WHERE TO GET HELP WITH NEIGHBORHOOD ACTIVISM? NO.
WE HAD TO SHOUT FROM THE MOUNTAINTOPS TO GET ANYONE TO LISTEN TO COMPROMISE.
WHERE'S THE ENGAGEMENT THAT BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER TO FIND COMMON GROUND? WE FELT NOT ONLY OPPOSED BY THE APPLICANT, BUT WE'RE OPPOSED BY A CITY OBSTACLE FORCE THAT FAVORS DEVELOPERS, COMMISSION MEMBERS WHO ARE NOT CITY EMPLOYEES WERE MORE ENGAGED AND HELPFUL THAN THE CITY NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT SHOULD NOT BE A CUSTOMER SERVICE PHONE CENTER.
IT SHOULD BE CITY EMPLOYEES RESPONDING WITH INFORMATION AND GUIDANCE AS WE EXHAUSTED COUNTLESS AVENUES.
THERE WERE LITTLE TO NO OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR HOMEOWNER CITIZEN GROUP.
THE SYSTEM FAILED US AND OUR NEIGHBORS, BOTH HOMEOWNERS AND RENTERS.
IN EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD, ALL VOICES SHOULD BE HEARD EQUITABLY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS TERRY CASTILLO.
[01:20:01]
MS. CASTILLO, CAN YOU HEAR US? PLEASE? YOU'LL BE THE NEXT SPEAKER.I, UM, SPEAKER JUST STATED, I'M AGAIN, TERRY CASTILLO, A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT FIVE AND AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE HISTORIC WEST SIDE RESIDENCE ASSOCIATION, AS WELL AS A MEMBER OF THE TIER ONE COALITION STEERING COMMITTEE.
OUR ASSOCIATION ENGAGES IN MANY COMPLEX NEIGHBORHOOD ISSUES AND IS OFTEN IN CONVERSATION WITH CITY DEPARTMENTS REGARDING NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENTS, ISSUES, AS WELL AS QUESTIONS ON CITY PROJECTS AND POLICIES.
FOR AS FREQUENT AS WE REACH OUT TO CITY DEPARTMENTS, WE HAVE NOT BEEN WELL BEEN INTRODUCED AND CONNECTED TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT OFFICER, NOR HAVE THEY BEEN INVITED TO MEETINGS.
THE DUTIES THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT OFFICER HAS BEEN TASKED TO FULFILL, SUCH AS PROVIDING GUIDANCE AND ASSISTING THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS WITH COMPLEX SOCIOECONOMIC PROGRAMS WOULD BE VERY VALUABLE TO OUR ASSOCIATION AND THE BETTERMENT OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS.
UM, IF THE NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT OFFICERS ENGAGED WITH COMMUNITY, OFTEN DISTRICT BY COMMUNITY MEMBERS REACH OUT TO NEIGHBORING COUNCIL MEMBERS WITH QUESTIONS AND ASSISTANCE REQUESTS THAT SHOULD BE DIRECTED NOT ONLY TO OUR COUNCIL MEMBER, BUT TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT OFFICER.
WE ASK THAT IF THESE POSITIONS DO EXIST AND THAT, THAT IF THESE POSITIONS DO EXIST, THAT THE COUNCIL ENSURES THAT THEY ARE APPROPRIATE, APPROPRIATELY ADMINISTERED, AND THAT ARE PUBLIC FUNDS ARE BEING USED APPROPRIATELY.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO SAY THAT I SUPPORT THE CREATION OF A STANDALONE RENTERS COMMISSION COMPOSED ENTIRELY OF RENTERS.
AND AS SAN ANTONIO RENTS INCREASE AND WAGES REMAIN STAGNANT.
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT RENTERS HAVE A COMMISSION TO CREATE AND DISCUSS RECOMMENDATIONS TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF THEIR, UH, UH, OF RENTERS AS WE MOVE TOWARDS BECOMING A MORE EQUITABLE CITY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CYNTHIA SPIELMAN.
WE'LL CALL ON OTHERS THAT ARE STILL IN THE WAITING ROOM THAT WE MAY HAVE CALLED ON BEFORE.
CARLOS, WHO DO WE HAVE REMAINING PLEASE AND HAVE NOT SPOKEN.
GUO, CAN YOU HEAR US PLEASE? MR. ARGUE? GUO.
MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE NOT ON MUTE.
HE MAY NEED HIS, UH, MIC UNMUTED BY THE HOST, PLEASE UNMUTE.
MR. AO, THANK YOU FOR GETTING ON THE LINE.
I'M A DISTRICT OWNER RESIDENT, A RENTER AND ADVOCACY ORGANIZER WITH MO TEXAS.
WANTED TO ADVOCATE IN FAVOR OF THE CREATION OF A STANDALONE, UH, COMMISSION COMPRISED ENTIRELY OF RENTERS.
BEFORE THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC ON AN AVERAGE DAY, 47 FAMILIES WERE EVICTED FROM THEIR HOMES AND COURT RECORDS SHOW THAT YEARLY AROUND 1% OF EVICTION CASES ARE DECIDED IN FAVOR OF THE TENANT.
AND IN SPITE OF THE EXISTENCE OF ROUGHLY 49,000 VACANT STRUCTURES IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, THERE IS A HOUSING AND EVICTION CRISIS WITH A MUCH LARGER ONE POTENTIALLY LOOMING JUST AROUND THE QUARTER.
UH, AND RENTERS NEED TO BE CENTERED IN THESE CONVERSATIONS.
EVEN NOW, THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS REPORTS AND COMPLEXES ILLEGALLY FILING EVICTIONS DURING A PANDEMIC.
AND HOW CAN WE EXPECT OUR POPULATION TO SAFELY QUARANTINE IF THEY HAVE NO SAFE SPACE TO QUARANTINE IN? UM, THERE ARE MORE THAN HALF A MILLION RENTERS CURRENTLY LIVING IN SAN ANTONIO AND THE CITY.
UH, OUR POPULATION IS OF COURSE, STILL RAPIDLY GROWING.
UM, SO A STANDALONE RENTERS COMMISSION COULD ALLOW RENTERS WITH RELEVANT AND DIVERSE EXPERIENCES, A CHANCE TO HAVE A VOICE AND THE DECISIONS THAT WOULD DIRECTLY AFFECT THEM.
UH, DECISIONS SUCH AS RIGHT TO COUNSEL AND PROTECTIONS AGAINST FURTHER RENTS INCREASES.
UM, SO IT'S TIME TO PUT PEOPLE OVER PROFIT AND WORK WITH DIRECTLY IMPACTED COMMUNITIES TO FIND SOLUTIONS THAT CAN REDUCE HARMFUL EVICTIONS, UM, WHICH IS THE CREATION OF A STANDALONE COMMISSION, UH, COMPRISED ENTIRELY OF RENTERS.
WHO'S OUR NEXT PERSON IN THE WAITING ROOM? UH, CARLOS.
SHE SEEMS SHE, UM, SHE'S STILL ON THE LINE.
UM, LET'S, LET'S HEAR FROM HER AGAIN.
UH, SHE DID SPEAK, BUT WE HAVE HER AUDIO AND I THINK SHE WAS CUT OFF.
MS. MS. SANCHEZ, CAN YOU HEAR US? CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES.
AS THE DIRECTOR OF THE ESPERANZA AND THE MEMBER OF THE HISTORIC WEST SIDE RESIDENCE ASSOCIATION AND THE WEST SIDE PRESERVATION ALLIANCE, I'VE HAD MORE MEETINGS WITH
[01:25:01]
VERONICA SOTO, LAURIE HOUSTON, MICHAEL SHANNON, SHANNON MILLER, AND OTHER DIRECTORS OF THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS THAT AFFECT OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.NONE OF THE STAFF EVEN MENTIONS THE NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT UNIT OR SUGGESTS THAT WE WORK WITH THEM WHEN WE RUN INTO TROUBLE.
I CAN'T TELL YOU THE NAME OF THE STAFF PERSON WHO SHOULD BE WORKING WITH US IN DISTRICTS ONE OR FIVE, OR ANY PART OF THE CITY.
WE ARE VERY ENGAGED AND HAVE STRUGGLED WITH THE CITY DEALING WITH THE CODE COMPLIANCE OFFICERS, WITH THE BUILDING STANDARDS BOARD, WITH THE ZONING COMMISSION AND PRESERVATION OF OUR SMALL CS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE ARE SEEING OUR NEIGHBORHOODS GET GENTRIFIED.
BOTH THOSE AND OUR FOLKS DISPLACED AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS GET DEMONIZED BY DEVELOPERS.
IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME, JUST READ THE SAN ANTONIO REPORT AND THE SA HERRON TO SEE HOW SAHA HAS COME AFTER THE ESPERANZA AND THE HISTORIC WEST RESIDENCE ASSOCIATION.
WE STRUGGLE ALL THE TIME TRYING TO KEEP OUR FOLKS IN THEIR HOMES TO STOP DEMOLITIONS OF THE EXISTING HOMES WE HAVE, ESPECIALLY UNDER THIS PANDEMIC AND THE NEED FOR HOUSING.
WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WAYS TO FIND FUNDS TO KEEP PEOPLE IN THEIR HOMES WHEN THEIR FOUNDATION IS BAD OR THE ROOFS ARE LEAKING.
AND THIS PROCESS THAT HAS BEEN GOING ON UNDER COVID IS HARMFUL BECAUSE OUR COMMUNITY OF DISTRICT FIVE AND ONE, THEY'RE POOR.
WE DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THE INTERNET.
THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO COME TO MEETINGS LIKE THIS OR ANY OF THE ONES THAT THE CITY HAD DURING THE FALL BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE INTERNET CONNECTIONS AND WE CAN'T FILL OUT SURVEYS OR ATTEND THESE MEETINGS.
SO THE IDEA OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT PROJECT IS A GREAT IDEA, BUT IT HASN'T WORKED WELL AT ALL.
AND UNDER COVID, WE'RE MISSING A LOT OF VOICES.
SO I WOULD BE REALLY, UH, CONCERNED TO ACCEPT THE SURVEY'S RESULTS AND A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON IN THE CITY.
CARLOS, WHO IS NEXT IN OUR WAITING ROOM, PLEASE.
Y'ALL CAN HEAR ME? YES, MA'AM.
YOU GUYS, I'M SORRY I DIDN'T GET A PLEASE CONTINUE.
YOU ALL CAN HEAR ME FINE, RIGHT? UM, YES.
I'M A HOUSING JUSTICE ADVOCATE AND TRAINED COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGIST, UM, PRACTICE IN PARTICIPATORY POLICY MAKING PROCESSES, SPECIFICALLY IN RISK MITIGATION POLICY.
AND, UM, WHAT THAT REALLY FOCUSES ON IS BALANCING POWER DYNAMICS IN THESE SPACES.
I WANTED TO BACK UP AND AFFIRM THE VOICES OF EVERYONE HERE WHO SPOKE ON NOT FEELING REPRESENTED IN N H S D STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, AND THOSE WHO ARE FOR A 100% ONLY RENTERS COMMISSION AS THE ONLY EQUITABLE AND DEMOCRATIC OPTION.
UM, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE WHILE CREATING THE FRAMEWORK FOR RISK MITIGATION POLICY, WHICH TURNED INTO EACS, I'VE WORKED INSIDE N H SS D AND KNOW THAT THEY DO NOT KNOW HOW TO GROUND POLICY AND COMMUNITIES MOST IMPACTED.
UM, I ALSO FEAR IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OFFICER IS NOT GONNA BE OVERSEEN EITHER, BUT RATHER APPROPRIATED AS A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
UH, FOR THE REST OF MY TIME, I'M GONNA READ FROM AN EMAIL, UM, THAT I SENT EVERYBODY, ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS ON THIS COMMITTEE THIS MORNING, UM, ABOUT N H S D MISMANAGES, 3 MILLION, 3 MILLION EAP FUNDS.
UM, YESTERDAY, THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH SUBGROUP INSIDE THE HOUSING COMMISSION WAS PRESENTED WITH EAP DATA FROM A SURVEY CREATED WITHIN THAT GROUP.
UM, WE WERE DOING PARTICIPATORY WORK TO INFORM THE EAP FUND DISTRIBUTION.
UM, THIS PROCESS THAT WE CREATED BACK IN EARLY 2019 UNDER FORMER N H S C LEADERSHIP WAS THE ONLY REASON THE RISK MITIGATION POLICY WAS PREPARED.
POLICY WAS PREPARED TO BECOME E H ONCE COVID HIT.
IT'S FREQUENTLY AND HAS BEEN SINCE BEFORE EHA TOUTED BY COSA AS THE BEST RENTAL RELIEF PROGRAM IN THE COUNTRY.
THAT PROGRAM WOULD HAVE DIED WITHIN MONTHS IF R M P STAKEHOLDERS DIDN'T RECOGNIZE ITS VALUE AND OVERSEE IT AS A SPACE TO GET DEMOCRATIC BECAUSE OF R AND P STAKEHOLDER PERSISTENCE, CSO SAVED THOUSANDS OF SAN ANTONIO FROM LOSING THEIR HOMES THROUGH THIS PANDEMIC.
QUICKLY, WE HAD THAT FRAMEWORK READY.
THE GOAL OF THE R AND P STAKEHOLDER GROUP WAS TO MOST EFFICIENTLY AND EQUITABLY REDISTRIBUTE TAXPAYER MONEY BACK INTO OUR COMMUNITIES BY GOING TO THE PEOPLE USING THE PROGRAM FOR BEST PROCESSES.
THAT'S PARTICIPATORY DEMOCRACY.
IT ADDITIONALLY ALLOWED N H S D STAFF TO HAVE A DIRECT LINE OF COMMUNICATION TO THOSE VOICES THAT NEEDED TO BE HEARD MOST.
THAT'S PARTICIPATORY DEMOCRACY.
YESTERDAY AFTER REVIEWING THE DATA FROM THE EAF SURVEY, N H S E WAS QUESTIONED WHETHER THE $3 MILLION TRANSFER TO HOUSING DEVELOPMENT WAS INFORMED BY THE COMMUNITY FEEDBACK AND
[01:30:01]
DATA BEING PRESENTED.BECAUSE THE DATA OVERWHELMINGLY REVEALED A NEED TO KEEP THAT MONEY INSIDE OF EAF.
UM, I WAS TOLD THAT THAT QUESTION HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE SURVEY AND THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO TELL ME WHO MADE THE CHOICE TO MOVE THAT $3 MILLION.
UM, I I'M ASKING AS SOMEBODY WHO HAS OVERSEEN R M P ANY HAVE SINCE BEFORE IT WAS CREATED, WHILE IT WAS BEING CREATED IN THE MAYOR'S HOUSING POLICY TAX FORCE, THERE IS SO MUCH MORE EFFICIENT WAYS TO SPEND 3 MILLION TAXPAYER DOLLARS MOST EFFECTIVELY FULLY FUNDING FAIR HOUSING STAFF WHO HAS THE MOST DIRECT CONTACT TO THE CITY FOR PEOPLE IN NEED OF HOUSING SECURITY.
THAT'LL ALSO MAKE SURE LANDLORDS AND TENANTS RECEIVE THEIR FUNDS MORE PROMPTLY AS WELL AS CREATE A RESOURCE OF HOUSING NAVIGATORS.
THANK YOU MS. LINDO, YOUR TIME.
CARLOS, DO WE HAVE ANYONE ELSE IN THE WAITING ROOM, PLEASE? ARE THOSE ALL OUR SPEAKERS ON STANDBY? WE HAVE MARY JOHNSON.
MS. JOHNSON, WILL YOU PLEASE PROCEED? YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
SOME OF MY COMMENTS MIGHT BE REDUNDANT HERE, BUT YOU'RE GONNA HAVE THIS MEETING HAS BEEN, I DON'T THINK THAT'S NECESSARILY A BAD THING.
UM, THIS HAS BEEN REALLY DIFFICULT TO FOLLOW.
SO I'M SPEAKING TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT OFFICER AND A LOT OF THE FORMATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THESE ENGAGEMENT OFFICERS ACTUALLY FULFILLING WHAT THEIR JOB DESCRIPTIONS ARE WOULD ADDRESS A LOT OF THE ISSUES THAT ROSEFIELD BROUGHT UP.
SO AS PRESIDENT OF THE MONTE VISTA TERRACE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND A MEMBER OF THE TIER ONE STEERING COMMITTEE, I WAS SHOCKED TO DISCOVER THAT IN 2017, MONEY WAS INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET AND JOBS WAS POSTED COMPLETE WITH JOB DESCRIPTIONS FOR A NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND A TEAM OF NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT OFFICERS TO BE ASSIGNED TO VARIOUS NEIGHBORHOODS AND THAT THEY WOULD SERVE AS LIAISONS TO ASSIST OUR COMMUNITY LEADERS AND COMMUNITIES IN ALL CONCERNS WITHIN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
I HAD NO CLUE THAT SUCH A DEPARTMENT AND TEAM HAD BEEN INCLUDED IN A BUDGET.
WE HAVE NEVER HAD AN ENGAGEMENT NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT OFFICER.
SUCH A TEAM WOULD'VE BEEN MOST HELPFUL TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
THREE YEARS AGO, WE FILED AN APPEAL AGAINST AN INCOMPATIBLE DEVELOPMENT THAT HAD BEEN PERMITTED IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE WERE TOLD THAT CITY STAFF COULD NOT OFFER GUIDANCE NOR THE COUNCIL OFFICE BECAUSE IT WOULD'VE BEEN A CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
IT WAS AND IS BEYOND SOCIALLY UNJUST, LEAVING IT TO REGULAR CITIZENS TO NAVIGATE THE U D C AND TO SOLELY DEFEND OURSELVES AGAINST OUT OF TOWN DEVELOPERS ALONG WITH THEIR
A A NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT OFFICER WOULD'VE BEEN EXTREMELY HELPFUL.
THIS TEAM WOULD NOT ONLY HELP WITH INCOMPATIBLE DEVELOPMENT ISSUES, ISSUES THE BENEFIT SUCH A DEPARTMENT AND THE ENRICHMENT IT WOULD BRING TO OUR CITY.
COMMUNITIES ARE VAST AND ENGAGED.
CITIZENRY IS A HEALTHY COMMUNITY.
AS I'VE COME TO LEARN AS A NEIGHBORHOOD LEADER, THE MORE MY NEIGHBORHOOD NEIGHBORS UNDERSTAND ZONING U D C AND CITY CODE, THE EASIER IT'S COMMUNICATE WITH THEM OVER ALL ISSUES THAT ARISE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND OUR CITY IN ITS ENTIRETY, ENGAGEMENT IS A GOOD THING AND ENGAGEMENT OFFICERS WILL BE GOOD FOR OUR CITY, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE RAPID CHANGE OF WE ARE EXPERIENCING IT WILL BE A WIN-WIN.
I UNDERSTAND THAT N H S D IS CURRENTLY FACING SERIOUS HOUSING ISSUES, BUT THIS DEPARTMENT AND THESE POSITIONS WAS SPECIFICALLY FUNDED FOR NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT, WHICH WE ARE DESPERATELY IN NEED OF.
ANYONE ELSE IN OUR WAITING ROOM? CARLOS? THAT IS IT.
AND, UM, I APOLOGIZE MS. SOTO FOR THE INTERRUPTION, BUT, UH, I THINK WE CAN PICK UP WHERE WE LEFT OFF AND, UH, CONTINUE WITH THE PRESENTATION.
AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK ALL THOSE THAT HAVE, UH, PARTICIPATED TODAY.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE, UH, THE HONORABLE MRS UH, MARIA VEDOVA WATCHING ON, UH, SO IT'S, IT'S REALLY GREAT TO HAVE THIS MUCH ENGAGEMENT.
UM, SO WE WERE ON SLIDE TWO AND I WAS MENTIONING BACKGROUND INFORMATION ABOUT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT TEAM.
SO THIS WAS CREATED BACK IN 2018 WHERE FOUR NEW POSITIONS WERE ADDED TO THE BUDGET, TO THE CITY STAFFING TABLE TO HAVE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT TEAM
[01:35:01]
COMPRISED OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT ADMINISTRATOR AND THREE NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT OFFICERS.THE POSITIONS WERE, UH, CREATED IN 18 AND HIRED AT THAT TIME.
THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF THE DIVISION, UM, AND THIS TEAM WAS TO STRENGTHEN RELATIONSHIPS AND COMMUNICATION WITH NEIGHBORHOODS, PROVIDE TRAINING AND RESOURCES, AND HELP NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS BUILD THEIR, UH, ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY.
SO IF WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, I WANNA TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THIS, UM, TEAM WITHIN NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES SINCE 2018.
UM, SO THE NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT TEAM TOOK OVER THE CITY'S NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERSHIP ACADEMY.
WE STARTED TO DOUBLE THE NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS WHO WENT THROUGH THAT PROGRAM.
AND BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC, EVEN THOUGH WE STARTED IN 2020 WITH AN IN-PERSON CLASS JANUARY OF, UH, LAST YEAR, UM, WE HAD TO TURN IT VIRTUAL, UH, AFTER A WHILE.
AND SO DESPITE THE PANDEMIC AND DESPITE HAVING TO REDIRECT SEVERAL STAFF FROM NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT TO HELP US WITH, UH, C OVID 19 RESPONSE THROUGH OUR EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, WE STILL MANAGED TO HAVE THE PROGRAM FINISH AND GRADUATED 80 LEADERS IN SEPTEMBER OF 2020.
SINCE, UM, TWENTY EIGHTEEN, A HUNDRED SEVENTY FIVE NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THE EXPANDED NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERSHIP ACADEMY EXPANDED BECAUSE WE DOUBLED WHAT THE CITY USED TO, UM, GRADUATE BEFORE.
AND SINCE THEN, UH, WE HAVE INVITED OVER A HUNDRED, UH, 850 RESIDENTS TO APPLY FOR THE ACADEMY AND HAVE USED, UH, MANY SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS TO GET FOLKS TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT.
UM, SINCE 2018, WE HAVE INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY THE NUMBER OF NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS THAT ARE PART OF OUR REGISTRY, AND WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT.
SO IN 2018, WE HAD 277 ASSOCIATIONS.
NOW WE HAVE OVER 400 THAT ARE PART OF THE REGISTRY.
WE ALSO HAVE 44 COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE PART OF THAT REGISTRY.
AGAIN, UM, WE DO HAVE SYMPOSIUMS THAT ARE HOSTED BY OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT TEAM, AND WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL, UM, HOMEOWNER ASSOCIATIONS SYMPOSIUMS HELD IN 19 WITH OVER 150 PARTICIPANTS.
WE'VE DONE THAT WITH VARIOUS COUNCIL DISTRICTS.
COUNCILMAN COURAGE, I KNOW YOU HAVE HELPED US HOST SOME IN YOUR DISTRICT.
FOR EXAMPLE, SINCE 2018, THIS GROUP HAS ATTENDED OVER 250 COMMUNITY EVENTS.
THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETING.
WE HOSTED A NEIGHBORHOOD SUMMIT BACK IN 2019, UH, IN 2020 BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC.
AGAIN, WE COULD NOT HOST THE SUMMIT, UH, BUT WE DID STILL PARTICIPATE IN NEIGHBORHOOD DAY WITH ANOTHER, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, NEIGHBORHOOD FOCUSED GROUP SO THAT WE COULD STILL CONTINUE TO SHARE INFORMATION.
I BELIEVE WHAT I SHARED LAST JUNE WAS ABOUT THE COVID 19 EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
ONE OF THE THINGS OUR DEPARTMENT HAS HAD TO DO IN 2020 WAS PANDEMIC RESPONSE.
IT IS A BIG FOCUS FOR THE CITY.
OUR COVID 19 EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM CONTINUES TO BE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS THAT OUR DEPARTMENT IN THE CITY PROVIDES FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
AND AT SOME POINT, 99% OF NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, AND HOUSING SERVICES STAFF ACROSS ALL THE DIVISIONS, ALL THE UNITS, ALL THE TEAMS HAD TO WORK IN HELPING.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAD TO REDIRECT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT OFFICE AS MS. LAURIE HOUSTON MENTIONED TO HELP WITH THE COVID, UM, RESPONSE.
AND THEY BECAME, UH, PART OF A TEAM THAT HELPED TO REVIEW APPLICATIONS, GET THE WORD OUT ON THE EAP PROGRAM.
UM, AND SOME OF THEM ENDED UP DOING REVIEW AND PROCESSING OF APPLICATIONS BECAUSE WE NEEDED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ADDRESSED THAT PANDEMIC RESPONSE THAT WE KEPT PEOPLE HAVE.
UM, MATTER OF FACT, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT ADMINISTRATOR, UH, ADMINISTRATOR BARBARA BECAME FOR THE LAST SIX MONTHS, ONE OF THE STAFF LEADERS IN THE EFFORT.
SHE CONTINUES TO BE ENGAGED IN THAT.
UM, AND WE HAD TO REDEPLOY STAFF ACROSS THE ORGANIZATION AND CERTAINLY IN OUR DEPARTMENT, WE HAD TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HELPED THE PEOPLE WHO APPLIED.
UM, YOU MAY RECALL THAT WHEN THE PROGRAM WAS LAUNCHED BACK IN APRIL, THE DAY WENT TO COUNCIL AND THE DAY AFTER WE HAD A THOUSAND APPLICATIONS COME IN.
AND SO WE HAD TO REDIRECT ALL OUR STAFF, UM, AND HAD REDEPLOYED STAFF FROM OTHER DEPARTMENTS HELP US TO MEET THE NEED IN OUR COMMUNITY.
MANY OF US HAD WONDERFUL PLANS IN 2020, BUT THE PANDEMIC, UM, DIDN'T LET US FULFILL SOME OF THOSE PLANS.
SO THIS HAPPENED WITH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT TEAM.
[01:40:01]
THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO WERE ON HOLD AS WE REDIRECTED THEM TO ASSIST WITH THE COVID 19 EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.AND I ENDED UP WITH NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT OFFICERS HAVING TO DO REVIEW OF APPLICATIONS, PROCESSING OF APPLICATIONS, HELPING TO DO FLYERS AND NEWSLETTERS.
AND I CONTINUED TO BE GRATEFUL FOR THEM AND EVERYONE ELSE IN THE H S E WHO HAS STEPPED UP TO DO OTHER DUTIES AND OTHER JOBS TO ENSURE THAT WE RESPOND TO THE PANDEMIC SO THAT WE CAN RECOVER AS A COMMUNITY, EVEN AS WE CONTINUE TO DELIVER OUR BASIC OPERATIONS.
SO I'LL GO ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE AND TALK ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND LEADERSHIP ACADEMY.
UM, AGAIN, I MENTIONED THAT ONCE THE NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT TEAM WAS FORMED WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT, WE TOOK OVER THE N L A AND WE DOUBLED THE NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS, UM, WITH THE GOAL OF HAVING 80 GRADUATES.
SO AGAIN, IT'S A SIX MONTH PROGRAM DESIGNED TO EQUIP RESIDENTS WITH KNOWLEDGE, NETWORK OPPORTUNITIES AND SKILLS TO BE EFFECTIVE NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS.
THEY LEARNED, UM, HOW CITY BUDGET WORKS.
THEY HEAR FROM THE CITY MANAGER.
THEY LEARNED ABOUT PLANNING AND ZONING CASES DIRECTLY FROM THE DEPARTMENTS THAT DO THAT SO THAT THEY CAN, AS NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS BE MORE INFORMED ABOUT HOW THEY CAN HELP THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.
THIS GROUP IN THE NEXT SLIDE ALSO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR OUTREACH.
SO AGAIN, 2020 HAS BEEN AN EXTRAORDINARY YEAR.
LIKE THIS YEAR CONTINUES TO BE.
SO ON THE NEXT SLIDE WE TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE OUTREACH.
UM, AND WE DIDN'T DO AS MANY EVENTS.
UM, AGAIN, WE REDIRECTED STAFF, BUT WE STILL HAD SOME VIRTUAL EVENTS THAT HAD TO BE PICKED UP.
BUT OVER THE SPRING AND SUMMER, UM, ALL THE REDIRECTED STAFF WAS NOT ABLE TO DO THE USUAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS THAT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT TEAM PARTICIPATED.
BUT SINCE 2018, WE HAVE HAD THIS TEAM PARTICIPATING OVER 250 EVENTS.
WHAT YOU SEE IS A PICTURE WHEN WE WERE WORKING ON THE MAYOR'S HOUSING POLICY TASK FORCE, AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT TEAM HELPED US WITH ALL OF THAT EFFORT.
AND DESPITE THE PANDEMIC, WE STILL ATTENDED 22 COMMUNITY EVENTS.
SOME OF THEM HAVE HAD TO BE VIRTUAL.
PART OF THE WORK THAT THIS TEAM DOES IS IN THE NEXT SLIDE, WHICH FOCUSES ON EDUCATION.
SO AGAIN, WE DELIVER WORKSHOPS AND PRESENTATIONS, BUT BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC AND BECAUSE OF THE REDIRECTION OF STAFF, WE DID NOT DO WORKSHOPS IN, UH, FISCAL YEAR 2020.
SO CIVIC ENGAGEMENT IS NOTED ON THE NEXT SLIDE.
AND PART OF THIS IS THROUGH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD SUMMIT.
SO AGAIN, WE HAVE HOSTED A NEIGHBORHOOD SUMMIT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE BOEING CENTER.
UM, WE HAD A LOT OF PARTICIPATION IN THE FIRST ONE THAT WE HOSTED AND WE HAD TO CANCEL IT LAST YEAR.
BUT DESPITE THAT, WE STILL PARTICIPATED IN A VIRTUAL EVENT WHERE WE TALKED, UM, WITH THE BOARDING CENTER, UH, ABOUT NEIGHBORHOOD DAY AND WE MENTIONED THE WORK THE CITY WAS DOING ON RESPONSE.
SO THE STAFF TEAM ON THE NEXT SLIDE IS SUPPOSED TO BE RESOURCE NAVIGATORS.
THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE, UH, SERVING AS A LIAISON AND CONNECTING NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION LEADERS WITH THE RIGHT PERSONS WITHIN THE CITY WHO CAN HELP THEM ADDRESS THE QUESTIONS THEY HAVE.
IT'S SUPPOSED TO SERVE TO NAVIGATE THE CITY GOVERNMENT AND THEY HAVE, UM, DONE A LOT OF WORK IN THAT AREA.
AND, AND THE MAIN WORK LATELY, UM, NOW THAT WE HAVE PICKED UP SOME OF THIS WORK, HAS BEEN TO LOOK AT THE REGISTRY AND SEE HOW WE CAN IMPROVE THAT AND HAVE GOOD CONTACT INFORMATION FOR THE 400 PLUS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS THERE.
SO LET ME PUT THAT IN THE NEXT SLIDE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD REGISTRATION REGISTRY.
SO THE NEIGHBORHOOD REGISTRY IS A COMMUNICATION TOOL THAT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD EN ENGAGEMENT TEAM IS RESPONSIBLE FOR.
AND, UM, ONCE AGAIN, WHEN WE STARTED THE YEAR, UH, WE VISITED WITH THIS COUNCIL COMMITTEE BEFORE THE PANDEMIC TO TALK ABOUT THE WORK WE WERE GONNA DO, NOT JUST ON THE REGISTRY, BUT WITH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS TO NOT ONLY GET FEEDBACK ON THAT REGISTRY, BUT ALSO ABOUT HOW WE COULD IMPROVE HOW WE DO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT, UM, NAVIGATION, HOW WE COMMUNICATE WITH THE COMMITTEE.
AND SO, UM, WE HAD ALL OF THIS PLANNED, BUT 2020 HAS BEEN AN EXTRAORDINARY YEAR.
AND SO WE COULDN'T DO MANY OF THE MEETINGS THAT WE HAD, BUT THIS COMMITTEE WAS BRIEFED ON THE PLAN OF ALL THE MEETINGS WE WERE GONNA HAVE WITH, UM, BODIES THAT USED THE REGISTRY.
THE, UM, MEETINGS WERE PLANNED WITH COMMITTEE ASSOCIATIONS AND ALL OF THOSE HAVE TO BE PUT, PUT ON PAUSE.
UM, BUT WE DID PRESENT TO YOU BACK IN FEBRUARY WHAT, UH, BACKGROUND HISTORY, UM, AND INTENT OF THE REGISTRATION POLICY IS.
WE PRESENTED TO YOU A VERY DETAILED
[01:45:01]
OUTREACH EFFORT.UM, AND WE TOLD YOU WE WERE GONNA LISTEN TO THE COMMUNITY AND GET INPUT ON HOW TO IMPROVE THE POLICY AND HOW TO IMPROVE OUR ENGAGEMENT THROUGH THIS UNIT.
SO LET ME GO ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
AGAIN, THE NEIGHBORHOOD REGISTRIES, THE COMMUNICATION TOOL.
AND SO WE HAD TO PUT OUR EFFORTS ON HOLD BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC AND BECAUSE WE REDIRECTED STAFF, WE PICKED UP THE WORK AND CAME BACK AND BRIEFED YOU THAT WE WERE GONNA PICK UP THAT WORK.
UM, SO WE CAME BACK AND HAD THE MEETINGS.
WE WERE UNABLE TO HOLD BACK IN MARCH WITH THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT, THE SONY COMMISSION, THE PLANNING COMMISSION THIS PAST NOVEMBER.
AND WE ASKED THEM HOW THEY USED THE REGISTRY AND THOUGHTS ON IMPROVING COMMUNICATION.
WE DID HOST COMMUNITY INPUT SESSIONS.
THEY HAD TO BE VIRTUAL, BUT THIS WAS TO ASK NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS, UM, WHAT ARE THE ISSUES THEY SAW, NOT JUST WITH THE REGISTRY, BUT HOW COULD WE IMPROVE COMMUNICATION METHODS, WHAT THEY PREFERRED, WHAT RESOURCES THEY WANTED THE CITY TO PROVIDE.
SO WE DID HAVE THOSE SESSIONS WITH OVER 164 COMMUNITY PARTICIPANTS IN DECEMBER, UM, PARTICIPATING IN THOSE DECEMBER 1ST, SECOND AND THIRD.
AND IN CONJUNCTION WITH THAT, WE DID A SURVEY, IT WAS RELEASED LAST DECEMBER AND WE HAD 197 RESPONSES ALL ABOUT NOT JUST THE REGISTRY, BUT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COMMUNICATION.
AND SO JUST A QUICK SUMMARY OF THE SURVEY RESULTS, THEY JUST CLOSED.
SO THESE ARE HIGH LEVEL, UM, SUMMARIES ON THE NEXT SLIDE FROM THE SURVEY.
NOT JUST THE, UH, COMMUNITY INPUT SESSIONS HELP VIRTUALLY, BUT THE SURVEYS HELPING US INFORM WHAT WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT OR CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT TODAY.
SO WE DID HAVE A LOT OF PARTICIPATION, A LOT FROM COUNCIL DISTRICT TWO, A LOT FROM COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN.
UM, 90% OF THE PEOPLE WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE SURVEY ARE REGISTERED IN THE REGISTRY.
SO THEY HAVE AN INTEREST IN THAT.
WE ASK THEM ABOUT HOW THEY USE INFORMATION AND WHAT METHODS THEY PREFER TO GET INFORMATION.
UM, MANY OF THEM ARE VERY HAPPY WITH HOW COUNCIL OFFICES EMAIL INFORMATION AND WERE AMONG THE TOP, UH, PREFERENCES FOR GETTING INFORMATION.
SO THOSE OF YOU WITH NEWSLETTERS, THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE SURVEY ENJOY GETTING THAT INFORMATION FROM Y'ALL.
90% OF RESPONDENTS INDICATED THEY WOULD SIGN UP FOR AN EMAIL NOTIFICATION SYSTEM THAT PROVIDES INFORMATION RELATED TO PROJECTS AND ZONING CASES HAPPENING IN AN AREA.
SO THERE'S AN INTEREST IN VERY TARGETED AREA SPECIFIC INFORMATION.
AND SO THAT'S A BIG FINDING FOR US.
UM, A LOT OF THE RESPONDENTS FELT THAT THEY WERE HEARD AT PLANNING COMMISSION, ZONING, COMMISSION, ET CETERA.
UM, BUT SOME DID NOT FEEL THAT THEIR VOICE WAS HEARD.
SO WE ASKED THEM TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK, UH, ABOUT CASES.
AND MANY OF THE PARTICIPANTS TOLD US THAT THEY DO, UH, WORK WITH THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
SOME OF THEM END UP TALKING TO COUNCIL MEMBERS ABOUT THESE CASES.
AND 20% OF THE RESPONDENTS SIGN UP TO SPEAK AT THESE MEETINGS WHEN THERE ARE DEVELOPMENTS, ZONING CASES, ET CETERA, THAT IMPACT THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND OF COURSE, THEY DID SAY COMMUNICATION COULD BE IMPROVED, MORE TIMELY COMMUNICATION.
UM, HAVING TO RELY ON THE STORE IS NOT ALWAYS THE BEST.
AND SO THERE WAS AN EMPHASIS THAT SONY AND DEVELOPMENT NOTICES COULD BE MORE TIMELY.
AND AGAIN, UM, WE DID ASK ABOUT THE OVERLAP QUESTION AND 67% OF THOSE THAT PARTICIPATED IN THE SURVEY FELT THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT ONLY ONE ORGANIZATION REPRESENT ONE GEOGRAPHIC AREA.
THAT HAS BEEN A QUESTION WE HAVE BEEN, UH, ASKING FEEDBACK ON FOR A WHILE.
SO HERE'S SOME PRELIMINARY RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND THESE ARE HIGH LEVEL PRELIMINARY ON THE NEXT SLIDE.
UM, BECAUSE IT IS PART OF WHAT WE TOLD YOU WE WOULD DO BACK IN FEBRUARY.
WE REITERATED THAT BACK IN NOVEMBER WHEN WE SAID WE'RE GOING BACK TO OUR BASIC OPERATIONS, UM, AFTER HAVING TO REDIRECT STAFF.
BUT HERE'S SOME OF THE INFORMATION THAT AFTER THE SURVEY AND THE INPUT SESSIONS WE'RE SAYING, THERE ARE PRELIMINARY RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE ISSUE OF THE OVERLAPPING BOUNDARY.
UM, WE ARE STILL, UH, TALKING ABOUT THAT AND BASED ON THE FEEDBACK AND THE SURVEY, UH, THAT OVERLAPPING BOUNDARY ISSUES SHOULD REMAIN UNCHANGED.
THIS IS PRELIMINARY BECAUSE WE'RE STILL GONNA GO BACK OUT TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS AND RUN ALL OF THESE PRELIMINARY RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, BY THEM.
AND SO HERE'S, YOU KNOW, HIGH LEVEL, SO YOU GET TO SEE WHAT WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO SOLICIT INPUT AND FEEDBACK ON OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.
UM, SO THAT'S ONE OF THE BIG THINGS THAT IS PART OF WHAT WE HEARD.
SO WE ALSO, UH, HEARD A LOT ABOUT THE NEED TO CONTINUE TO EDUCATE ASSOCIATIONS ABOUT THE PURPOSE OF THE REGISTRY
[01:50:01]
AND THE PROCESS TO REGISTER, UH, AND THE OPTION TO REGISTER AS A COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT THAN A NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.UM, A LOT OF COMMUNICATION ABOUT NEEDING TO ENHANCE OUR COMMUNICATION.
AND SO THAT'S GONNA BE ONE OF THE AREAS THAT WE GO BACK AND ASK, UM, THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN ASSOCIATIONS, HOW DO WE ENHANCE THIS? HOW DO WE DO IT BETTER? HOW DO WE FIT THE NEEDS THAT THEY HAVE? UM, AND SOME OF THEM DO NEED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND WORKSHOPS.
UM, THERE ARE TOPICS THAT THEY WANNA HEAR MORE DETAILS ABOUT HAVING TO DO WITH DEVELOPMENT, WITH PLANNING WITH SONY CONFLICT RESOLUTION AS WELL.
UM, WE HAVE PARTNERED IN THE PAST WITH D S D TO RUN, UM, SONY 1 0 1, UH, SESSIONS.
AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO THAT BECAUSE THERE CONTINUES TO BE A NEED FOR THOSE KIND OF SESSIONS.
SO THESE ARE PRELIMINARY RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE'LL TAKE BACK OUT TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO HERE'S ADDITIONAL IN THE NEXT SLIDE.
PRELIMINARY CONCEPTS THAT WE WANT TO HEAR FROM ASSOCIATIONS ABOUT, UM, WITH REGARDS TO COMMUNICATION.
WE KNOW OUR GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND I T SS D IS WORKING ON A RESIDENT CONNECT SYSTEM.
AND THIS IS, UH, AN OPTIONAL KIND OF SIGNUP, UH, INFORMATION THAT CAN BE TARGETED FOR GEOGRAPHIC AREA AND HAVE ENHANCED COMMUNICATION AND NOTIFICATION.
AND IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU'RE IN A REGISTRY OR NOT, ANY INDIVIDUAL CAN SIGN UP.
AND SO WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO WORK WITH G P A TO SEE IF WE CAN MAKE THIS RESIDENT CONNECT SYSTEM ONE OF THE TOOLS BY WHICH WE IMPROVE OUR COMMUNICATION.
WE HEARD THAT WE SHOULD TALK MORE TO RESIDENTS AND PRECEDENTS OF NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE GONNA CONSIDER AND ASK FOR FEEDBACK ON IS SHOULD WE HAVE PRECEDENT, POWER HOUR, MONTHLY MEETINGS WITH THE PRESIDENTS OF NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS AND HOMEOWNER ASSOCIATIONS AS WELL AS COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS.
THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GONNA ADD TO COMMUNITY.
UM, WE SHOULD HAVE MEETINGS WITH NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS ON A QUARTERLY BASIS.
SO THESE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS WE'RE GONNA SAY WITH THIS WORK.
WOULD THIS HELP US, UM, IMPROVE THE COMMUNICATION? UM, SOME ASSOCIATIONS IN THE SURVEY AND THE FILLING INFORMATION SAID THAT SOME ASSOCIATIONS NEED TO BE MENTORED BY MORE SEASONED, UH, ASSOCIATIONS.
WE HAVE ASSOCIATIONS THAT HAVE HAD VERY LONG, UM, LIFESPANS, IF YOU WILL, AND SOME NEW ONES THAT GO THROUGH CYCLES.
AND THE NEWER ONES OR NEW LEADERS COULD USE MENTORS FROM OTHER ASSOCIATIONS.
UM, THERE CONTINUE TO BE, UH, ISSUES AROUND DEVELOPMENT.
AND SO A RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL ROUND TABLE IS ONE OF THE THINGS WE WANNA SEE.
THEY WOULD, IF THEY WOULD LIKE AND WE COULD TRY AND HOST, UM, A STAKEHOLDER GROUP, A SMALL GROUP OF NEIGHBORHOOD AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION LEADERS COULD TELL US, UH, HOW WE COULD CONTINUE TO IMPROVE ENGAGEMENT AND PROVIDE US FEEDBACK AND FEED A NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY.
AND WE KNOW EVERY DISTRICT AND EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION IS DIFFERENT.
SO WE WOULD DO DISTRICT SPECIFIC INPUT BECAUSE AGAIN, EVERY ASSOCIATION IS DIFFERENT.
YOU ALL KNOW YOUR DISTRICTS ARE VERY DIFFERENT AS WELL, AND YOU HAVE VERY NEEDS.
SO THIS IS WHAT WE WANT TO VISIT WITH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS ABOUT.
SO ON MY LAST SLIDE, UH, I TALK ABOUT OUR NEXT STEPS.
UM, YOU GOT HIGH LEVEL SURVEY RESULTS, PREMI PRELIMINARY CONCEPTS FOR ABOUT HOW WE CAN IMPROVE OUR ENGAGEMENT AND SOME HIGH LEVEL PRELIMINARY RECOMMENDATION.
BUT WE WANNA HEAR FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, ESPECIALLY ALL THOSE PEOPLE WHO TOOK THE TIME TO SEND LETTERS THIS WEEK WHO TOOK THE TIME TO TALK TO YOU TODAY.
SO WE WANNA PRESENT THEM THE SURVEY RESULTS AND THE TAKEAWAYS FROM THE COMMUNITY INPUT SESSION.
WE WANNA PRESENT THEM THESE PRELIMINARY CONCEPTS THAT YOU HAVE SEEN AND GET FEEDBACK AND HAVE DISCUSSION AROUND THEM.
AND IF WE NEED TO DO ADDITIONAL SURVEYS TO IDENTIFY THE SPECIFIC TRAINING NEEDS AND RESOURCES THAT THESE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS AND NEIGHBORHOODS NEED, THEN WE WILL DO THAT AS WELL SO THAT WE CAN CRAFT AND TAILOR THOSE TRAINING PROGRAMS APPROPRIATELY.
AND SO WE WANNA TAKE JANUARY, FEBRUARY, AND MARCH TO DO THIS ADDITIONAL WORK AND RETURN TO YOU IN APRIL AND PRESENT OUR RECOMMENDED STRATEGIES INFORMED BY THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
AND AT THAT POINT WE CAN ALSO COME BACK AND TELL YOU IF THERE'S ADDITIONAL REGISTRY, UM, NEIGHBORHOOD REGISTRY ISSUES THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS.
AGAIN, PRELIMINARY RECOMMENDATION IS TO NOT, UH, CHANGE THE OVERLAPPING ISSUE AT THE MOMENT, BUT THERE COULD BE OTHER THINGS, UM, THAT ALL THIS INPUT OVER THE NEXT THREE MONTHS IS GONNA FEED US THAT WE WOULD BRING BACK TO YOU.
AND THAT IS THE END OF MY PRESENTATION.
UM, OKAY, WE'LL GO TO, UH, COUNCIL COMMENT AND I THINK, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE HAD
[01:55:01]
YOUR HAND RAISED FIRST.UM, LET ME GO AHEAD AND ASK, UH, VETO, UH, A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
UM, I UNDERSTAND, UH, THAT WE HAVE THREE PEOPLE ASSIGNED, UH, AS ENGAGEMENT OFFICERS.
IS THAT CORRECT? AND A SUPERVISOR? YES, SIR.
BUT THEY HAVE PRIMARILY BEEN TEMPORARILY REASSIGNED OVER THE LAST ALMOST YEAR OR AT LEAST NINE OR 10 MONTHS.
UH, BECAUSE, UH, WE'VE BEEN HELPING PEOPLE WHO NEED, UH, HELP STAYING IN THEIR HOMES.
UM, HOW EASY DO YOU THINK IT'S REALLY GONNA BE WITH OUR CURRENT SITUATION TO TRANSFER THOSE PEOPLE BACK INTO A, A MORE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT ROLE? WELL, WE STARTED DOING THAT ALREADY BACK IN NOVEMBER WHEN WE, UH, VISITED WITH YOU ALL TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE'RE PICKING UP THE WORK.
SO THEY HAVE ALREADY TRANSITIONED BACK.
UM, THE ONLY ONE WHO, UH, CONTINUES TO HELP, UM, IS OUR ADMINISTRATOR AGAIN.
UM, SHE HAS BECOME A LEADER WITHIN OUR EAP GROUP 'CAUSE WE NEED GOOD SUPERVISORS, UM, OVER THAT WORK.
UM, BUT WE CAN FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN FREE HER UP.
UM, IT DOES IMPACT EHA, UM, BECAUSE SHE HAS PROVIDED GREAT LEADERSHIP THERE.
UM, BUT WE HAD ALREADY GONE BACK TO OUR BASIC OPERATIONS SINCE NOVEMBER WHEN WE CAME TO YOU AND, AND TOLD YOU WE WERE PICKING UP THE WORK THAT WE COULD NOT COMPLETE, UM, IN MARCH.
YOU KNOW, AND I'M SURE THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS WOULD AGREE WITH ME.
OUR OFFICES REALLY ARE THE, UH, THE FIRST POINT OF CONTACT FOR PROBABLY 70 TO 80% IF NOT MORE OF ALL THE QUESTIONS, UH, REGARDING NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES AND, AND HOUSING.
I KNOW MY OFFICE IS, WE GET THOSE CALLS ALL THE TIME.
AND WHAT WE DO THEN IS TAKE THAT INFORMATION, GIVE THE ADVICE THAT WE KNOW, THE FACTUAL INFORMATION WE KNOW THAT EXISTS NOW, BUT MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, WE CALL YOUR OFFICE.
AND DO YOU HAVE THOSE ENGAGEMENT OFFICERS BROKEN DOWN TO SERVE CERTAIN COUNCIL DISTRICTS? IF OUR COUNCIL STAFF CALL YOU CALL YOUR OFFICE.
WELL, WE DIDN'T IN 2020, BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY LOOK AT ASSIGNING FOLKS TO DIFFERENT DISTRICTS.
WE HAD DONE THAT IN THE PAST, BUT AGAIN, 2020 WAS A VERY DIFFERENT YEAR THAN IN THE PAST.
AND COUNCILMAN YEAH, THIS IS, OH SORRY, COUNCILMAN CUR.
I WANTED TO ADD THAT THAT WAS ONE OF THE REASONS, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE TOOK A, A PAUSE TO DO SOME STATE STAKEHOLDER INPUT, REALLY KIND OF UNDERSTAND WHAT TYPE OF COMMUNICATION THEY WANT, UNDERSTAND THE REGISTRY.
AND SO AS WE COME BACK TO YOU ALL THE RECOMMENDATIONS, ONE OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS COULD BE TO CLEARLY ALIGN WHICH ENGAGEMENT OFFICER IS WITH WHICH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS.
BUT ALSO I THANK YOU FOR BRINGING OUT THE, THE COUNCIL OFFICE, ROBERT TIMES THE FIRST STOP BEFORE THEY GET TO THE CITY.
WE WANNA DO INDIVIDUAL STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS WITH EACH COUNCIL OFFICE DURING THIS NEXT THREE MONTHS TO REALLY UNDERSTAND FROM YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS WHAT THEY WANT FROM US AS WELL.
AND WE'D ASK THAT YOU'LL BE A PART OF THAT WITH US BECAUSE IT'S A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN YOUR OFFICE AND CITY STAFF.
AND, AND THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I'M LEADING TO.
I KNOW FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN WE DEAL WITH SAWS AND WE DEAL WITH C P S, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A LIAISON WHO DEALS WITH OUR OFFICE TO HELP US WITH, UH, ISSUES THAT OUR CONSTITUENTS HAVE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I THINK THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT THE ENGAGEMENT OFFICERS WHO WORK WITH WITH YOUR OFFICE PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE ASSIGNMENTS, UH, FOR
THEY'LL WORK TOGETHER ON PUTTING TOGETHER SPECIAL PROGRAMS, TRAININGS, THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT THEY'LL, THEY'LL HAVE AVAILABLE AND THEY'LL WORK WITH ANYBODY.
BUT I THINK AS FAR AS, UM, TRYING TO HELP OUR, OUR LOCAL NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS UNDERSTAND THAT IF YOU CONTACT THE COUNCILMAN'S OFFICE, YOU'RE GONNA GET ANSWERS PRETTY QUICKLY.
OR WE CAN PLUG THEM INTO THE RIGHT PERSON PRETTY QUICKLY TO GET AN ANSWER THEY NEED.
OR WE CAN GET IN TOUCH WITH SOMEBODY IN YOUR OFFICE WHO CAN GET THAT INFORMATION.
AND IT IS PROBABLY A LOT EASIER THAN SOMEBODY JUST CALLING YOU AND TRYING TO EXPLAIN A PROBLEM.
UH, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE GETTING IT FROM HUNDREDS OF HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATIONS ALL OVER THE STATE.
SO, YOU KNOW, I I JUST WANNA PROMOTE THAT.
'CAUSE I REALLY BELIEVE THAT'S, THAT'S THE RESPONSIBILITY OF, OF OUR COUNCIL OFFICES AND THAT'S HOW WE OPERATE.
AND I'M SURE THE OTHER COUNCIL DISTRICTS DO THE SAME.
[02:00:01]
NOT TO SAY THAT ANY ORGANIZATION CAN'T CALL VERONICA SOTO DIRECT OR CALL THAT DEPARTMENT DIRECT, BUT IT'S PROBABLY MORE EXPEDITIOUS TO CONTACT US BECAUSE WE'RE SO FAMILIAR WITH THE COMMUNITIES.WE CAN PROBABLY ANSWER A LOT OF THEIR QUESTIONS BEFORE UH, WE EVEN GET THERE.
OR WE'RE NOT GONNA SAY WE'RE, WE'RE NOT GONNA NOT ANSWER A PHONE OR SAY, I'VE GOTTA GET BACK TO YOU LATER AND TAKE A WEEK TO GET BACK BECAUSE YOUR OFFICE IS OVERWHELMED WITH OTHER THINGS.
SO ANYWAY, I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT ONE THING YOU SAID YOU WERE GOING TO DO IS REACH BACK OUT TO GROUPS, UH, FOR THEIR INPUT.
AND I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WHEN YOU SAY THAT, ARE YOU ONLY GONNA REACH OUT TO THE GROUPS THAT ARE REGISTERED OR ARE YOU REACH OUT TO GROUPS EVEN IF THEY'RE IN CONFLICT WITH ANOTHER REGISTERED GROUP? 'CAUSE THEY SAY WE REPRESENT PEOPLE IN PART OF THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
I WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYBODY HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE INPUT INTO THIS NEW PROCESS OR THE PROCESS THAT EXISTS AS WELL AS THE NEW SYSTEM THAT I T S D, UH, IS, IS STARTING TO SET UP.
SO I WANNA MAKE SURE NO ONE GETS LEFT OUT, EVEN IF IT'S AN INDIVIDUAL BECAUSE, UH, COMMUNICATION IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT WE CAN IMMEDIATELY PROVIDE TO PEOPLE WHO ARE LOOKING FOR ANSWERS.
AND I THINK HAVING ANYBODY BE ABLE TO GET THE INFORMATION THEY NEED IS THE MOST IMPORTANT WAY TO START.
UM, BUT LIKE I SAID, I SURE WOULD ENCOURAGE ANYBODY TO, YOU KNOW, CONTACT OUR OFFICE TO BEGIN WITH.
THOSE WERE THE IMMEDIATE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS I HAD ON THAT.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER GERRAN.
AND THANK YOU EVERYONE WHO SPOKE TODAY.
UM, AND FOR MAKING YOUR VOICE HEARD, I HAVE TO READ INTO THE RECORD THOUGH, UM, ONE OF MY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION PRESIDENTS, SHE DID SEND AN EMAIL A LETTER TO ME AND I WANTED TO MAKE SURE TO SHARE 'CAUSE IT ALSO EXPRESSES SOME OF THE, UM, UM, ITEMS THAT SHE WOULD LIKE TO SEE.
MANY OF YOU ALL GOT THIS EMAIL TOO, BUT I WANTED TO ENTER IT FOR THE RECORD.
UH, SHE SAYS, SINCE THE CREATION OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT TEAM, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION WAS CONTACTED BY EMAIL THREE TIMES TO REMIND US TO UPDATE OUR REGISTRATION.
AND OUR NEIGHBORHOOD OFFICER MARIO GUTIERREZ, ATTENDED TWO MEETINGS, ONE ON JANUARY 8TH, 2019, AND A SECOND MEETING ON FEBRUARY 29TH, 2020.
THE IDEA OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT TEAM IS A GOOD IDEA IF THE TEAM REACHES OUT CONSISTENTLY TO INFORM NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS AND HOAS OF RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, MRS. UH, TERRY, A IVANEZ ARTIST AND EDUCATOR PRESIDENT OF THE MISSION, SAN JOSE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
UH, AND SHE ALSO WANTED TO ADD THAT THE BEST NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT RESOURCE HAS BEEN OUR COUNCIL ASSISTANT, OUR COUNCIL AIDE, SPECIFICALLY
IT IS THROUGH HIS EFFORTS THAT WE GET THE INFORMATION ON DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS, RESOURCES AND DEPARTMENTS THAT CAN HELP SOLVE PROBLEMS OR GET INFORMATION TO ASSESS, ASSIST WITH PROJECTS.
I WANTED TO SHARE THAT PORTION AS WELL BECAUSE, UM, AS TO COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGES, UM, APPOINT OUR COUNCIL AIDE.
I KNOW MY COUNCIL AIDE HAS, UH, EACH ONE HAS ONE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
THE MOST THAT THEY WILL HAVE IS TWO BECAUSE OF THE VOLUME OF WORK THAT, UM, COMES WITH EACH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
SO I THINK THE CONSISTENCY IS, AS IT WAS MENTIONED IN THE LETTER, IS ABSOLUTELY KEY.
I THINK, UM, JUST WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO CONTINUE TO, I WAS, UH, CROSS-POLLINATE, I GUESS FROM NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS IN ONE PART OF TOWN WITH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS IN ANOTHER PART OF TOWN TO LEARN BEST PRACTICES.
SO A NEIGHBORHOOD SUMMIT IS A PHENOMENAL IDEA.
UM, I'D REALLY LOVE TO SEE GETTING, UM, THE BOUND NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER THAT FORMER, UH, COMMISSIONER TOMMY ATKINSON WAS A PART OF, TO JUST GET THEM ENGAGED AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE PART OF A, THE STAKEHOLDER GROUP AND GETTING INPUT FROM THEM.
COUNCILOR
AND THANK YOU TO MY FELLOW COLLEAGUES FOR YOUR, UM, INPUT.
UM, I KNOW DISTRICT TWO HAS BEEN VERY VOCAL WHEN IT COMES TO NEIGHBORHOOD REGISTRY AND HOW IT LOOKS.
[02:05:01]
THAT IS BECAUSE OF ALL OF THE DISCOURSE AND ALL OF THE DIVISION THAT WE'VE HAD BECAUSE OF EVERYONE WANTING TO BE A NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.UM, WHEN THIS PROCESS FIRST CAME TO ME, UM, ME AS A NEW ELECTED, UM, DISTRICT TWO COUNCIL MEMBER, MY FIRST THOUGHT PROCESS WAS WHY AREN'T WE FOLLOWING JUST THE BASIC HOMEOWNER ASSOCIATION MODEL? UM, AND, AND JUST ALLEVIATING THIS WHOLE PROCESS, UM, AS A FORM OF RESOLVE.
BUT AS WE LEARNED AND WE STARTED TO RESEARCH WHO WE KNOW THAT IT'S NOT JUST THE REGISTRY, IT'S REALLY ABOUT PEOPLE WANTING THE COMMUNICATION AND ONE HAS TO BE EDUCATED ON HOW TO GET THE RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED.
SO HAVING THE NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT, UH, DEPARTMENT, I THINK IS THE BEST WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT EDUCATION IS BROUGHT TO OUR COMMUNITY.
WHEN A COMMUNITY IS EMPOWERED, THEN THEY CAN ADVOCATE FOR THEMSELVES.
AND THAT IS THE THING THAT WE HAVE TO DO WITHIN THIS WHOLE PLATFORM IS PUT, ENFORCE THE MISSION OF EMPOWERMENT.
THAT IS THE ONE THING I REALLY WANT TO SEE HAPPEN.
UM, WHETHER IT'S EMPOWERING THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION PRESIDENTS OR WHETHER IT'S JUST EMPOWERING A CONSTITUENT THAT HAS A QUESTION.
IF WE ARE EMPOWERING OUR COMMUNITIES, THEN WE ARE STRENGTHENING HOW WE ARE DOING BUSINESS AS A CITY.
AND ONE THING THAT IT KEEPS COMING TO, TO, TO MIND AS I'M LISTENING TO HOW PEOPLE ARE SPEAKING AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED IN 2018, WE ARE WHERE WE ARE NOW IN 2021 IN THE MIDST OF STILL A WORLDWIDE PANDEMIC.
SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE TO DO THINGS THAT WE HAVE NEVER DONE BEFORE IN ORDER FOR SOMETHING TO HAPPEN THAT HAS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE.
AND THIS IS THE FIRST STEP WITH MAKING SURE THAT THE ENGAGEMENT IS DONE EQUITABLY ACROSS THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HOW WE START THE PROCESS WORKING WITH I T S D TO MAKING SURE THAT ANYONE THAT WANTS ANY FORM OF COMMUNICATION IS PROVIDED THAT COMMUNICATION, AND THEN MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE EDUCATING EACH AND EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION WITH THE EMPOWERMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE THE RESOURCES TO PRODUCE THE NECESSARY ADVOCATING THEY NEED TO DO WITHIN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND THEN DEFINITELY HAVING THAT ROUND TABLE WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS, WITH THOSE WHO ARE DOING DEVELOPMENT, WHETHER IT'S RESIDENTIAL OR COMMERCIAL, THAT IS DESPERATELY NEEDED.
AND THE REASON WHY I SAY THAT IS BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT EVEN IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
IF THERE IS NOT A CASE OF REZONING OR A REQUEST FOR ZONING, THEN DEVELOPMENT CAN HAPPEN WHEREVER THAT ZONING IS ALREADY IN PLACE.
AND THAT LEAVES US AS A COUNCIL OFFICE AND LEAVES OTHER STAFF VERY VULNERABLE TO NOT HAVING THE ANSWERS THAT WE NEED FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS WHEN THINGS ARE BEING PUT UP.
AND WE HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING WHAT EXACTLY IS GOING THERE BECAUSE WE ARE NOT COMMUNICATED TO WHO IT IS DURING THE DEVELOPING.
WHEN THE DEVELOPING IS HAPPENING, WHAT IS THE SCOPE OF THE DEVELOPMENT? THOSE THINGS ARE THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT CHANGING AS WELL WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT COMMUNICATING WITH OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE COME FORWARD.
I AWAIT TO HEAR WHAT THE NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE TO SAY, WHAT OUR CONSTITUENTS HAVE TO SAY AS WE ARE GOING FORWARD, BUT WE MUST DO OUR MISSION OF MAKING SURE THAT EDUCATION AND EMPOWERING OUR CONSTITUENTS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT AND VALUABLE PART OF THIS PROCESS.
UM, COUNCILMAN ANDREW SULLIVAN.
UM, I GUESS, UH, WELL, I GUESS THAT THAT ROUNDS OFF THE QUESTIONS FOR THIS ITEM.
LET ME JUST, UM, LET ME JUST CLOSE OFF BY SAYING THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT TOPIC.
AS YOU CAN SEE, SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE COMMENTED, I AGREE WITH COUNCIL ENCOURAGED, AND WE, WE REALLY DO TAKE IN A LITTLE, A LOT OF CALLS AND WE HAVE TO BE INCREDIBLY ORGANIZED IN TERMS OF, UH, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING A LOT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD NEEDS.
UM, AND OF COURSE, IT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST REASONS I REALLY APPRECIATE HAVING THIS COMMITTEE TO HELP ADDRESS, UH, ISSUES LIKE THIS ONE TODAY.
UH, THE, I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION, AND IT WAS, IT WAS, UH, UH, A CON THROUGH A CON, UH, TEXT CONVERSATION WITH SIMA.
UH, SO, YOU KNOW, I DO WANT TO, UH, ADDRESS HER CONCERN, WHICH IS, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT ALLOWS FOR THE CITY TO, TO REACH OUT AND, AND KNOW WHERE TO REACH OUT WHEN IT COMES TO NEIGHBORHOODS.
BUT THE, THE QUESTION IS REALLY SURROUNDING, UH, IS THIS A TWO-WAY STREET? UH, YOU KNOW, ARE WE GONNA BE ABLE TO PROVIDE, UH, THE NEIGHBORHOODS THE ABILITY TO FEEL COMFORTABLE THAT THEY HAVE THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE, AVAILABLE TO UNDERSTAND ZONING, PLANNING, THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS AND WHO TO CONTACT SO THAT,
[02:10:01]
YOU KNOW, THEY CAN, THEY CAN, UH, THEY CAN UNDERSTAND, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE ISSUES THAT, THAT ARE COMING BEFORE US EVERY SINGLE DAY.AND SO IT, IT'S, IT'S HAVING THAT KIND OF ENGAGEMENT THAT I THINK, UH, THE NEIGHBORHOODS ARE ASKING ABOUT TODAY.
CAN CAN SOMEONE ANSWER THAT? THAT'S ABSOLUTELY PART OF OUR STRATEGY, COUNCILMAN.
SO YOU'LL SEE THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF ONE WAY COMMUNICATION.
WE'RE PUSHING STUFF OUT, LIKE NEWSLETTERS, E-BLASTS, BUT ALSO WE'RE PROPOSING THESE ROUND TABLES TO THESE STAKEHOLDER GROUPS TO REALLY HAVE THAT DISCUSSION AND TO HAVE THAT CONDUIT.
THE NEIGHBORHOODS CAN, CAN TALK TO US ABOUT CONCERNS OR BRING TO US, HEY, WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A WORKSHOP ON ZONING ISSUES, OR WE'D LIKE TO TALK TO SOME ZONING COMMISSION MEMBERS TO UNDERSTAND HOW THEY REVIEW THESE CASES.
SO THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF THINGS WE WANNA DO.
MAKE SURE WE'RE GIVING THEM INFORMATION AND THE RESOURCES THEY NEED.
AND YOU KNOW, LIKE I, LIKE I WAS TOLD A LONG TIME AGO WHEN WE, WHEN WE DID THE, UH, SPANISH TRANSLATION, C C R, UH, IT'S NOT ABOUT TRANSLATING WORDS.
IT'S ABOUT TRANSLATING MEANING AND UNDERSTANDING.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT, UH, NEIGHBORHOODS ARE ARE LOOKING FOR, SO THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE CAN ALL BE ON THE SAME PAGE AS WE MOVE THE CITY FORWARD.
[4 20-7429 Consideration of a recommendation for Substantial Amendment #2 to the FY 2021 HUD Action Plan and Budget to program $10,249,127 in second round CDBG CARES Act funding and reprogram $4,325,000 in CDBG funds. [Lori Houston, Assistant City Manager; Verónica R. Soto, Director, Neighborhood and Housing Services]]
UM, I DO WANT TO HEAR THE LAST ITEM, AND IF IT'S OKAY WITH MY COLLEAGUES, UH, WE CAN, WE CAN TRY TO GO THROUGH THIS QUICKLY.UH, I DO WANT TO HAVE THIS DISCUSSION.
UH, AND, UH, HOPEFULLY WE CAN GO AHEAD AND, AND, UH, JUMP INTO THE PRESENTATION AND THEN WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL GO INTO, UH, QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UH, ARE THERE, I GUESS THE FIRST QUESTION I DO HAVE TO ASK ARE, ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS REGARDING THIS PARTICULAR ITEM, MS. CONNELL? WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY, SIR.
LET'S GO RIGHT INTO, UH, THE PRESENTATION.
SO THIS LAST ITEM PROGRAMS THE $10.2 MILLION IN CT CARE ACT FUNDING THAT ALLOWS THE CITY TO INCREASE THE FUNDING FOR THE EAP, CONTINUE TO STAFF OUR EFFORTS IN THE EVICTION COURTS.
AND THE HOUSING COUNSELING CENTER PROVIDES TEMPORARY HOUSING HOMELESS, AND THEN WILL REPLENISH THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING BUDGETS.
WE CAN PROVIDE GAP FUNDING FOR THOSE DEVELOPMENTS SUCH AS SINGLE FAMILY DEVELOPMENT AND MULTI-FAMILY DEVELOPMENT.
IF YOU RECALL, THE CITY REIVE, ALL THE C D B G FUNDING, IT WAS ABOUT $4.8 MILLION.
IT WAS EARMARKED FOR GAP FUNDING TO THE EAP.
AND SO WE ARE USING SOME OF THIS MONEY TO REPLENISH THAT BUDGET.
AS SOMEONE MENTIONED EARLIER, 90% OF RENTERS ARE COST PER, AND PART OF THIS IS BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH AFFORDABLE HOUSING, SO THEY MIGHT BE SPENDING MORE MONEY THAN THEY CAN AFFORD TO DELIVER THEIR HOUSING.
SO THERE'S A BALANCING ACT, AND WE WANNA CONTINUE TO PRODUCE MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS.
SO I'M GONNA ASK ANNA BRADSHAW TO KICK US OFF WITH THIS.
AND THEN EDWARD GONZAL WILL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE EAP AND SUCCESS, AND WE'LL CONCLUDE WITH IAN BE WHO WILL TALK ABOUT THE PICTURE REPORTS.
SO, ANNA, GOOD AFTERNOON, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANKS FOR HAVING ME HERE TODAY TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS.
UM, JUST TO SET THE STAGE, UM, BACK IN, IN AUGUST, THE COUNCIL APPROVED A $22.4 MILLION BUDGET FOR OUR HUD ACTION PLAN, UM, INCLUDING $13.3 MILLION, UH, IN C D B G FUNDING.
UM, SHORTLY THEREAFTER IN, IN SEPTEMBER, WE, WE APPROVED THE, THE COUNCIL APPROVED THE FIRST, UH, AMENDMENT TO THAT, WHICH, AS LORI MENTIONED, ALLOCATED THE $4.8 MILLION IN, UM, IN FROM GAP FINANCING INTO, UM, THE EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
SO YOU SEE THE BUDGET AS IT WAS A ADOPTED THERE.
UM, SO AROUND THE SAME TIME IN SEPTEMBER, WE RECEIVED A, A NOTIFICATION FROM HUD OF AN ADDITIONAL ALLOTMENT OF, UM, $10.2 MILLION IN C D B G THAT WAS, UH, CREATED VIA THE CARES ACT.
SO IT, IT GAVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO REEVALUATE HOW WE COULD, UH, REALLOCATE ALL OF OUR C D B G FUNDING TO CONTINUE TO ADDRESS THE, THE, UH, NEEDS CREATED BY THE PANDEMIC, AS WELL AS TO PLAN FOR OUR FUTURE HOUSING RESPONSE.
SO, UM, THE AMENDMENTS PRESENTED TODAY, UM, ARE, ARE THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM STAFF? NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO, UM, HERE'S A, A VERY HIGH LEVEL SUMMARY OF, OF ALLOCATING THE $10.2 MILLION, UM, IN C D B G.
SO $4.6 MILLION OF THAT WOULD BE GOING TO CONTINUE TO FUND OUR EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
UM, AS LORI MENTIONED, UH, 3 MILLION OF IT WOULD GO TO GAP FINANCING FOR BOTH RENTAL HOUSING, UM, AND HOME OWNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT.
UM, AN ADDITIONAL $900,000 FOR OWNER OCCUPIED REHAB, UM, FUNDING FOR, UH, $900,000 FOR TEMPORARY SHELTER FOR THE HOMELESS.
UM, WE HAVE BEEN FUNDING THIS THROUGH OTHER FUNDING SOURCES, SO THIS IS JUST AN AUGMENTATION TO THAT TEMPORARY, UH, SHELTER
[02:15:01]
FOR THE HOMELESS FUNDING, UH, $425,000 FOR MINOR HOME REPAIR, UM, $159,000 FOR EVICTION INTERVENTION.AGAIN, THIS IS ANOTHER ITEM THAT WE HAVE BEEN FUNDING WITH OUR C R F DOLLARS, BUT AS WE'VE EXHAUSTED THOSE, UH, THIS FUNDING PROVIDES THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE THOSE SERVICES AND $189,000 FOR HOUSING COUNSELING AND FORECLOSURE PREVENTION.
AND THAT'S ANOTHER, THAT'S ANOTHER ITEM THAT WE WERE, UH, FUNDING WITH C R F DOLLARS THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO TRANSITION TO USE THESE C D B G DOLLARS.
SO WITH THOSE CHANGES AS PROPOSED, WANNA GIVE YOU A, A HIGH LEVEL OF, OF THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAMS THAT ARE IMPACTED WITH THIS ADDITIONAL C D B G.
SO YOU'LL SEE THAT THE BUDGET AS IT IS TODAY, UH, FOR C D B G WITHIN EAP IS THE 5.8 UM, MILLION DOLLARS.
WITH THIS AMENDMENT WE'RE PROPOSING, IT WOULD BRING THE TOTAL C D B G ALLOCATION GOING TOWARDS EAP TO $10.5 MILLION.
UH, AND THEN YOU'LL SEE THE, UH, ADJUSTED BUDGETS WE'RE PROPOSING FOR THE OWNER OCCUPIED REHAB AND MINOR REPAIR, AS WELL AS THE GAP FINANCING.
AND THEN INTRODUCING THOSE THREE OTHER ITEMS THAT, AGAIN, WE'LL BE TRANSITIONING FROM OTHER FUNDING SOURCES, MOST NOTABLY C R F, WHICH, WHICH WE HAVE UTILIZED.
AND SO JUST TO FOCUS A LITTLE ON, ON EAP, THE IMPACT TO IT.
SO WITH THIS ADDITIONAL $4.6 MILLION THAT'S BEING PROPOSED, THAT WILL BRING THE TOTAL ALLOCATION FOR PHASE THREE OF EAP TO 29, I'M SORRY, $28.9 MILLION.
AND IF YOU'RE LOOKING ACROSS ALL PHASES SINCE APRIL OF LAST YEAR, THE TOTAL, UH, INVESTMENT BEING $81.4 MILLION, AND YOU'LL SEE THE VARIOUS FUNDING, UM, AMOUNTS BELOW.
AND THAT CONSTITUTES ALL FUNDING SOURCES, UH, FROM OUR C R S ALLOCATION TO THE C D B G COMMITMENT, UM, FUNDING FROM THE TOURS, THE HOUSING TRUST, UH, UM, AS WELL AS GENERAL FUND DOLLARS.
I'LL WRAP UP MY, UH, MY PORTION OF THE PRESENTATION WITH WHAT, WHAT'S THE IMPACT OF, OF THESE PROPOSED CHANGES.
SO WITH THE ADDITIONAL $4.6 MILLION, UH, WE ESTIMATE IN, UH, SUPPORTING AN ADDITIONAL 1800 FAMILIES, UM, IN ADDITION TO CONTINUING THE, UM, HOUSING COUNSELING AS WELL AS THE STAFF SUPPORT FOR EVICTION COURTS FOR AN ADDITIONAL 18 MONTHS, UM, AS WELL AS FUNDING THE TEMPORARY SHELTER FOR THE HOMELESS FOR AN ADDITIONAL 18 MONTHS.
AND AGAIN, WE'LL, WE'LL COUPLE THAT FUNDING WITH OTHER GRANT FUNDING, UM, TO EXTEND THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT WE ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT TEMPORARY SHELTER.
IN ADDITION TO THE $3 MILLION FOR, FOR GAP FINANCING, UM, INCREASING THE NUMBER OF HOUSES THAT WE'RE ABLE TO, UH, REPAIR THROUGH THE MINOR REPAIR PROGRAM FROM, UM, 40 TO 53 WITH THE ADDITIONAL 13 HOUSES, AS WELL AS INCREASING THAT FUNDING FOR THE OWNER OCCUPIED REHAB FOR AN ADDITIONAL SEVEN HOUSES, BRINGING US TO A TOTAL OF 67 FOR THE YEAR.
UH, SO THAT CONCLUDES MY PORTION, AND I'LL HAND IT OFF TO EDWARD TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE.
UH, COMMITTEE MEMBER, COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU.
SO I WANNA SPEND SOME, A BRIEF AMOUNT OF TIME, UH, DISCUSSING REALLY THE STATE OF THE HOMELESS AND HOUSING ASSISTANCE FUNDS, UH, PRIMARILY OUR EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE FUNDS THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR RENTERS AND, UH, MORTGAGE HOLDERS.
SO, AS ANNA MENTIONED, WE, WITH THIS ACTION, WE WILL BE INCREASING OUR, UH, EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FUNDS FROM 76, UH, $0.6 MILLION TO $81.4 MILLION.
NOW, THAT PROGRAM, AS YOU'RE AWARE, UH, IT, IT, IT IT'S ELIGIBLE.
WE ARE ELIGIBLE TO PROVIDE RENTAL ASSISTANCE, MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE, UH, PAY FOR C P S UTILITIES, UH, AS WELL AS SA UTILITIES.
AND THEN, UH, ELIGIBLE, UH, RESIDENTS ARE ALSO, UM, WE ALSO COUPLED THAT WITH, UH, DIRECT CASH ASSISTANCE IN AMOUNTS OF 150 TO $500.
NOW, I, I DID WANNA ALSO, UH, IN ADDITION TO THE
SO THIS PROGRAM IS CALLED THE TEXAS EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
WE DID, UH, PROVIDE A BRIEFING AT OUR LAST, UH, COMMITTEE MEETING ON THIS PROGRAM.
UH, WE WANTED JUST TO, TO REMIND YOU THAT WE DO STILL HAVE THIS FUNDING AVAILABLE, BUT WE ARE GOING TO BE ACCEPTING THIS FUNDING THIS MONTH.
UH, AND THIS FUNDING IS FOR $3.2 MILLION.
THIS IS, COMES FROM THE TEXAS HOUSING, UH, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, UH, AS PART OF THE STATE.
AND IT'S FOR RENTAL ASSISTANCE.
NOW, THIS ASSISTANCE DOES NOT INCLUDE MORTGAGE, SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT FROM OUR EAP PROGRAM.
[02:20:01]
ONE OF THE MAIN DIFFERENCES THAT I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT IS THAT THIS ASSISTANCE IS REALLY GOES TO PROVIDE, UH, ADDITIONAL SUPPORT IN TERMS OF MONTHS.SO WE CAN PROVIDE UP TO SIX MONTHS OF RENTAL ASSISTANCE FOR INDIVIDUALS THAT, UH, THAT, THAT ARE APPLYING FOR RENT.
UH, THAT INCLUDES UP TO SIX MONTHS OF, UH, OF A COMBINED FIVE MONTHS IN ARREARS AND, OR ONE CURRENT MONTH.
SO IT CAN BE ONE CURRENT MONTH, UH, A FUTURE MONTH AND, AND OR FOUR MONTHS IN THE ARREARS.
SO ANY COMBINATION OF ARREAR AND CURRENT OR FUTURE MONTHS, UP TO SIX MONTHS.
UH, IN ADDITION TO THE TEXAS EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, UH, THE STATE ALSO AWARDED US $960,000 FOR OUR TEXAS DIVERSION PROGRAM.
NOW, THAT PROGRAM IS BEING, UH, IS VERY SPECIFIC AS WELL.
SO THAT PROGRAM IS BEING UTILIZED FOR CLIENTS THAT WE'RE SEEING IN OUR COURTS.
SO IAN'S TEAM, UH, AND OUR COURTS TEAM THAT ARE CURRENTLY HELPING AND ASSISTING INDIVIDUALS THROUGH THEIR EVICTION, PRO EVICTION COURT PROCESS ARE UTILIZING THESE FUNDS TO SETTLE WITH LANDLORDS.
UH, AT THIS POINT, IN ADDITION TO, TO THOSE FUNDS, UH, WE ARE PLANNING AND COORDINATING WITH THE COUNTY TO ADMINISTER THE TEXAS, UH, EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM THAT THE COUNTY HAS BEEN AWARDED THROUGH THE STATE AGENCY.
UH, THERE'S A TOTAL OF $717,000 THAT HAVE BEEN AWARDED FOR, UH, RESIDENTS THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF THE CITY LIMIT.
BUT WITHIN THIS, UH, COUNTY GRANT, NOW, THOSE, THOSE RESIDENTS WOULD, WE WOULD PRIORITIZE RESIDENTS THAT WE ARE ALREADY GETTING, UH, APPLICATIONS FOR.
AND THIS WOULD, UH, THIS WOULD HELP US GET THOSE, THOSE FUNDS TO THOSE RESIDENTS THAT ARE APPLYING ALREADY TO OUR PROGRAM.
NOW, I WILL MENTION THAT THE COUNTY DOES NOT HAVE A CURRENT PROGRAM AT THIS POINT.
SO THEIR, UH, TRAM PROGRAM ENDED AT THE END OF DECEMBER.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE, UH, IS MUCH NEEDED FOR, FOR, FOR THE COUNTY RESIDENTS AS WELL.
NOW, THE COUNTIES ALSO, IN ADDITION TO THE STATE FUNDING, THEY'RE ALSO ADDING AN ADDITIONAL $1.5 MILLION OF THE GENERAL FUND, UH, TO HELP SUPPORT THIS PROGRAM.
SO, UH, IN TOTAL BE 2.2 MILLION FOR COUNTY.
SO, UH, AS A AS, AS A WRAP UP THIS SLIDE, I'D LIKE TO KIND, UH, SHOW THAT THERE IS TOTAL, TOTAL OF $87.8 MILLION FOR HOUSING SYSTEMS THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO US.
NOW, THERE ARE ADDITIONAL, UH, UH, I WOULD ANTICIPATE THERE WILL BE ADDITIONAL FUNDING FROM THE, FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT COMING.
UH, BUT AT THIS POINT, THIS IS WHAT WE KNOW.
UH, IN ADDITION TO THAT, UH, WE, I, I DO WANNA MENTION THAT THE FUNDING THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE WILL GET US THROUGH MARCH.
I KNOW THAT QUESTION COMES UP, UH, OFTEN, YOU KNOW, OF THE AVAILABLE FUNDING.
HOW, HOW FAR WOULD THAT LET, UH, YOU KNOW, LET US GO IN THAT THIS FUNDING THAT WE HAVE, WE HAVE AVAILABLE FUNDS THAT WE ANTICIPATE THIS TO BE EXHAUSTIVELY MARCH.
SO, AS PART OF THE, UH, EAP ASSISTANCE, I'D LIKE TO KIND OF GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE'RE AT.
WE, WE HAVE, UH, PROVIDED A, A TOTAL OF $66 MILLION IN ASSISTANCE.
UH, THE MAJORITY OF THE, THAT FUND HAS GONE TO RENTAL MORTGAGE, UH, WITH 85% OF THE 53.2 MILLION GOING INTO RENTAL ASSISTANCE.
UH, WE HAVE BEEN, UH, CLOSE TO $5 MILLION WITH ELECTRIC, UH, ASSISTANCE, 800,000 IN ASSISTANCE, 200,000 IN INTERNET ASSISTANCE, AND AN ADDITIONAL $6.8 MILLION IN DIRECT ASSISTANCE.
THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO IAN BEEZ, AND HE'S GONNA GIVE YOU A BRIEF, UH, OVERVIEW ON WHAT, ON THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE IN THE COURTS, AS WELL AS, UH, SOME EVICTION NUMBERS COMING ON.
UH, GOOD AFTERNOON COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UM, I'M GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THE OUTCOMES THAT WE'VE HAD AT THE EVICTION COURT THROUGH OUR EFFORTS THAT YOU'RE VERY FAMILIAR WITH.
UH, BUT BEFORE I DO THAT, I WANT TO QUICKLY GO OVER NOW THAT WE'VE FINISHED 2020 AND LOOK AT WHAT DATA WE HAVE FOR HOW 2020 COMPARED TO 2019.
UH, THIS CHART RIGHT HERE IS, IS FILLED WITH DATA FROM THE BEXAR COUNTY, JP COURTS.
UH, AND THIS LOOKS AT THE EVICTION FILING SINCE WE'RE COMPARING 19 TO 20.
UH, IT ALSO HAS SOME OF THE MAJOR POLICY, UM, THAT WAS IMPLEMENTED IN 2020.
WE HAVE THE CARESS ACT PASSAGE.
UH, WE HAVE THE COURTS WHEN THEY STOPPED HEARING EVICTIONS.
WE HAVE THE COURTS WHEN THEY REOPENED.
UM, WE HAVE THE FILINGS, UM, THAT WERE ALLOWED UNDER THE CARES, UH, PROTECTED PROPERTIES.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE C D C MORATORIUM.
AND SO YOU CAN SEE THAT OVERALL 2020 HAD A MUCH LOWER, UH, RATE OF FILING THAN 2019.
AGAIN, THERE WAS A COMBINATION OF SOME OF THOSE FEDERAL POLICIES AS WELL AS THE COURTS, UH, CLOSING DOWN FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
OVERALL, THEY'RE DOWN APPROXIMATELY 55%, AND YOU CAN SEE TOWARDS THE END, UH, OF THE YEAR.
SO, UH, AS, AS WE'RE APPROACHING THIS
[02:25:01]
NEW YEAR RIGHT NOW, UH, THOSE FILINGS ARE BEGINNING TO TICK UP, AND WE, WE ESTIMATE, AND WE PREDICT THAT THOSE WILL CONTINUE, UH, CONTINUE TO RISE AS FILINGS ARE ALLOWED.UH, LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE EVICTION HEARING OUTCOMES.
SO THIS IS WHAT'S ACTUALLY TAKING PLACE AT THE COURTS AFTER EVICTIONS ARE FILED AND CASES ARE HEARD.
UH, THIS CHART IS FAMILIAR TO YOU ALL.
YOU HAVE SEEN IT, UH, SEVERAL TIMES, BUT IT SHOWS THE STATUS OF EACH PRECINCT.
UH, AS OF RIGHT NOW, EACH PRECINCT IS HEARING ALL HEARINGS EXCEPT FOR PRECINCT TWO, WHICH IS ON A REDUCED HEARING SCHEDULE.
UH, ABOUT 50% OF THE CASES HAVE BEEN, UH, RESET OR DISMISSED WITH DEFAULT JUDGMENTS ABOUT 35%, AND THE JUDGMENTS FOR PLAINTIFFS ABOUT 17%.
UM, THE COURTS THAT ARE HEARING CASES ARE ACCEPTING THOSE DECLARATIONS.
WE'VE TALKED PREVIOUSLY WITH YOU ABOUT ALL OUR EFFORTS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THE WORD OUT ABOUT THE C D C MORATORIUM, THAT WE MAKE DECLARATIONS AVAILABLE, EASILY ACCESSIBLE AND IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGE.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, CITY STAFF ARE STILL AVAILABLE AT COURTS WITH DECLARATIONS AVAILABLE AND ASSISTANCE.
SO THERE'S BEEN, UH, A LOT OF POLICY CHANGES OVER THE LAST MONTH AND, AND JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY, UM, WE PUT ALL THIS TOGETHER.
SO, SO EVERYBODY KIND OF HAS ONE LOOK AT EVERYTHING THAT HAS CHANGED WITH REGARDS TO EVICTIONS, UH, FUNDING, UH, MORTGAGES.
SO, UM, THE NEW C OVID 19 RELIEF PACKAGE WAS SIGNED ON DECEMBER 27TH.
UH, THE EVICTION MORATORIUM THEN WAS EXTENDED THROUGH JANUARY THROUGH THE END OF JANUARY.
UH, CONGRESS DID SEND ADDITIONAL RELIEF, 25 BILLION IN RENTAL ASSISTANCE TO STATES, AND 1.9 BILLION IS, UH, ESTIMATED FOR TEXAS FEDERALLY BACKED MORTGAGES THROUGH THE F H S A ARE UNDER FORECLOSURE MORATORIUM THROUGH JANUARY AND THE F H A U S D A AND VA THROUGH FEBRUARY.
UH, OTHER SUPPORT THERE WAS THE DIRECT STIMULUS, UM, THAT WAS SENT OUT, UM, FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO WILL EARN LESS THAN $75,000 IN 2019.
OF COURSE, DIFFERENT IF YOU FILED JOINTLY, AND ADDITIONAL $300 WAS ALLOWED FOR WEEKLY PAYMENTS TO UNEMPLOYED HOUSEHOLDS.
UH, SO HAVE AN EXTENSION ON THE C R F SPENDING DEADLINES UNTIL DECEMBER 31ST, 2021.
SO WE DO, UH, AS OF RIGHT NOW, THE C D C MORATORIUM IS SET TO, UH, END ON FEBRUARY 1ST.
AND THE CASES THAT HAVE BEEN RESET THROUGH THAT MORATORIUM, BECAUSE REMEMBER, THE MORATORIUM DID STILL ALLOW FOR FILINGS.
UH, IT JUST RESETS THOSE CASES TILL AFTER THAT MORATORIUM ENDS.
AND, AND WHAT WE'RE DOING, AGAIN THROUGH THAT TIME PERIOD IS MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN GET ASSISTANCE TO THOSE FAMILIES TO TRY AND GET THOSE HOUSEHOLDS CASES, UM, DISMISSED AFTER THE MORATORIUM, UH, COUNSEL DID PASS THE NOTICE OF TENANT'S RIGHTS, UM, WHICH AGAIN, IS LIVES BEYOND THIS EMERGENCY DECLARATION PERIOD.
UH, AND SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE RESOURCE THROUGH THOSE NOTICE OF TENANT'S RIGHTS TO RESIDENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN GET ASSISTANCE, UH, BE IT LEGAL AID, UM, OR, OR CASH ASSISTANCE.
WE WILL CONDUCT OUTREACH AND ATTEND HEARINGS, CONTINUE TO BE PRESENT AT EVERY PRECINCT COURT, UH, AND HAVE, UH, SERVICES AVAILABLE TO HELP FAMILIES.
AND THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO INCLUDE CITY AND COUNTY PRO, UH, PROGRAM INFORMATION IN THE CITATIONS THAT ARE ISSUED TO FAMILIES WHO RECEIVE NOTICE TO VACATE OR EVICTION.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO DO.
UM, THAT CONCLUDES THE, THE PRESENTATION, MYSELF, EDWARD, LORI, ANA, VETO, WE'RE ALL AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
THANK, THANK YOU, UH, TO STAFF.
SO, UM, I, UH, I'M GONNA ASK FOR SOME CLARIFICATION BECAUSE, UH, IT APPEARS THAT, UH, THAT SOME OF THE, THIS PRESENTATION IS NOT IN LINE WITH, UH, WHAT WAS POSTED IN THE AGENDA.
I IS DID SOMETHING CHANGE BETWEEN NOW AND MONDAY? NO, NO, COUNCILMAN.
UM, SO WHAT WAS POSTED, AND ANNA CAN CLARIFY THIS BE TO, TO BETTER SUMMARIZE WHAT WE'RE DOING.
WE HAD POSTED THAT WE WERE ALLOCATING $9 MILLION TO THE EAP FROM THAT CHAIRS ACT FUNDING, BUT WE WERE REPLENISHING THE GAP FUNDING.
SO WE WERE REMOVING THE $3 MILLION THAT WAS PROPOSED FROM THE C D P G FUNDING THAT WAS IN THE INITIAL BUDGET.
SO IT'S POSTED DIFFERENTLY, BUT WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THIS COUNCIL, THIS BODY UNDERSTOOD WHAT ACTUALLY IS BEING DONE.
SO IT'S, IT'S REPLENISHING THE BUDGET.
SO YOU'RE ADDING THE 9 MILLION, AND THEN YOU'RE TAKING THE CG FUNDING THAT WAS INITIALLY PROPOSED FOR GAP FUNDING AND ADDING IT SOME OF THE BACKEND FOR GAP FUNDING IT.
OKAY, WELL, IF, IF I LOOK AT THE SUMMARY, IT SAYS HERE, REPROGRAM FISCAL YEAR 2021, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT GRANT ENTITLEMENT FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF 4,325,000 FROM THE COVID 19 EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM TO THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES, 2 MILLION FOR AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING DEVELOPMENT,
[02:30:02]
B UH, 1 MILLION FOR AFFORDABLE HOME OWNERSHIP HOUSING DEVELOPMENT, C 900,000 FOR HOME, UH, FOR OWNER OCCUPIED REHABILITATION FOR OLDER HOUSING AND D 425,004 MINOR REVIEW PROGRAM.SO THAT'S
SO, UM, BECAUSE THEY ARE TWO DIFFERENT ALLOCATIONS OF C D B G AND THEY HAVE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT, UM, UM, PARAMETERS, UH, WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO, UM, BEST UTILIZE EACH FUNDING SOURCE.
SO AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE NET IMPACT TO EAP IS AN INCREASE OF $4.6 MILLION.
WE ACCOMPLISH THIS BY, BY ADJUSTING SOME OF THE OTHER FUNDING SOURCES, WHICH ALLOWS US TO REALLOCATE INTO THE GAP FINANCING INTO THE OWNER OCCUPIED REHAB.
UM, SO IT, IT, IT, IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT WE DO BEHIND THE SCENES, BUT AGAIN, THE NET POSITIVE IMPACT TO EAP IS $4.6 MILLION.
SO WE'RE ADDING 4.6 MILLION NOT TAKING AWAY, UH, THE, THE, UH, 2 MILLION, 1,900,400 25,000.
IS THAT CORRECT? SO, CORRECT THAT WE ARE ADDING A NET OF $4.6 MILLION IN C D B G FUNDING TO EAP.
UH, WELL SLIDE FOUR THAT ANNA PRESENTED ON THE PRESENTATION.
I, SO I GUESS PART OF THE CONFUSION IS IN A, AND, AND YOU CAN, YOU'VE HEARD THIS COUNCIL SAY THIS BEFORE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE REQUEST, WE REQUEST DATA WITH ENOUGH TIME FOR US TO, TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND IT.
AND THEN, AND THEN THE PRESENTATION, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I SEE IT.
SO, YOU KNOW, I, I'M GONNA SAY IT AGAIN.
AND I, I THINK, I DON'T KNOW IF COUNCILMAN BARRY'S ON, UH, HE WOULD AGREE AND CERTAINLY ALL MY COLLEAGUES, BUT YOU, WHEN, IF YOU'RE GONNA MAKE SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES TO THE WAY YOU PRESENT THE DATA, IT YOU, YOU REALLY GOTTA GIVE US ENOUGH TIME TO UNDERSTAND WHAT, WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO HERE, BECAUSE, UH, I, I DO THINK THAT THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
UH, VETO YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING? UH, YES.
UM, COUNCILMAN, WE ASKED ANNA TO PRESENT THIS BECAUSE THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT THIS IS, UH, PRESENTED TO CITY COUNCIL AT THE VERY LAST CITY COUNCIL MEETING IN 2020.
ANNA HAD ALREADY PRESENTED THIS AS PART OF THE RESPONSE AND RECOVERY PLAN.
AND I, I BELIEVE SHE MENTIONED AT THAT POINT THAT IT WAS GONNA COME TO THIS COUNCIL COMMITTEE SINCE YOU'RE THE, THE ONE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE HOUSING PILLAR, AND THAT THERE WOULD BE SUBSEQUENT COUNCIL ACTION.
SO I THINK IT WAS, UM, I FORGET THE DATE, BUT THE VERY LAST COUNCIL MEETING, ANNA GAVE A HIGH LEVEL SUMMARY OF ALL OF THIS.
THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT, UH, SHE HAS PRESENTED THIS AND MENTIONED THAT IT WAS GONNA COME TO THIS COUNCIL COMMITTEE AND THEN SUBSEQUENT COUNCIL ACTUALLY.
AND, AND, BUT WITH, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT THAT THIS INFO WAS NOT PRESENTED, I THAT, I MEAN, I THINK THAT THIS IS KIND OF WHAT WE'RE, WE'RE GETTING AT.
I, YOU KNOW, WE, WE'VE GOT TO BE VERY, VERY, UM, TRANSPARENT HERE, UH, ESPECIALLY AS, AS THERE'S JUST A LOT OF PEOPLE LOOKING AT THIS.
UM, YOU KNOW, YOU, MY, MY ISSUE IS, IS, IS THAT WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO, UH, SUBSTANTIALLY, UH, HELP THE EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
I, UH, I'VE GOT ISSUES WITH, WITH THE WAY WE'RE, UH, DISTRIBUTING SOME OF THESE, THESE DOLLARS.
AND IF WE'RE MOVING THINGS AROUND, WE, WE NEED TO BE CRYSTAL CLEAR ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING.
AND, AND, AND I'M NOT JUST NOT SURE WHY POSTING LANGUAGE IS DIFFERENT FROM, FROM WHAT'S BEING PRESENTED.
SO, UM, I I'M GONNA JUST, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND STOP THERE AND, AND, AND, AND HAVE MY COLLEAGUES MAYBE MAKE A FEW COMMENTS AND I'LL COME BACK WITH, WITH SOME MORE COMMENTS.
'CAUSE I, I DO HAVE SOME, JUST SOME BASIC, UH, I THINK, UH, DIRECTION THAT I, I'D LIKE FOR US TO, UH, ADHERE TO AND, AND, AND MOVE FORWARD WITH WITH SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
UH, I GUESS I, I'LL, I'LL START AGAIN WITH COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
UH, CHAIR, MY BIGGEST, UH, MY BIGGEST QUESTION RIGHT NOW IS ON THE, UH, THE GAP FINANCING TO HELP, UM, FUTURE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UM, YOU KNOW, REALLOCATING THREE, $3 MILLION.
AND TO MY WAY OF THINKING, THAT COULD BE A THOUSAND FAMILIES RENT THAT WE PAY, AS OPPOSED TO BUILDING 300 OR 500 UNITS TWO YEARS FROM NOW.
[02:35:01]
I THINK THAT MONEY IS MORE VALUABLE TODAY TO INDIVIDUALS WHO TWO MONTHS FROM NOW WITH ALL OF THE EVICTION, UH, RESTRAINTS REMOVED, ARE GONNA BE FACING GREATER EVICTION.AND I, I BELIEVE I HEARD THAT WE'VE GOT ENOUGH MONEY TO LAST THROUGH MARCH.
WELL, I'D LIKE TO HELP A THOUSAND MORE FAMILIES BY HAVING MISSED $3 MILLION COMMITTED TOWARD THE EHAB PROGRAM.
AND WE'LL LOOK INTO FUTURE FOR DEVELOPING MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
'CAUSE THAT'S GONNA TAKE A YEAR OR TWO OR LONGER.
UH, AND YOU ALSO HAVE THE HOUSING TRUST, AND YOU'VE GOT SAHA AND, UH, OTHER FEDERAL PROGRAMS COMING DOWN THE LINE.
NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS, THEY CAN PROVIDE FUNDING AND THE STATE, UH, YOU KNOW, TAX ABATEMENT PROGRAMS, THEY PROVIDE THE FUNDING FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
I DON'T THINK IT'S BEST USE OF THAT $3 MILLION RIGHT NOW.
SO I WOULD PREFER IT BE PUT INTO EAP.
NOW IF WE FIND WE GET SOME ADDITIONAL FEDERAL MONEY OVER THE NEXT 4, 6, 8 WEEKS, AND WE WANNA GO AHEAD AND SAY, OKAY, WE PROBABLY COULD REALLOCATE THAT 'CAUSE WE'VE GOT ANOTHER $5 MILLION OR SOMETHING, UH, TO HELP PEOPLE FOR THE NEXT MONTH OR TWO.
YOU KNOW, I'D BE WILLING TO RECONSIDER THAT.
BUT THAT'S, THAT'S MY STAND ON ON THIS.
AND, AND I CONCUR WITH YOU CHAIR.
I CERTAINLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS, UH, MORE AHEAD OF TIME.
I MEAN, THE ACTUAL BREAKDOWN THAT WE'RE GONNA EXAMINE, UH, AT A MEETING.
AND TOO OFTEN WE GET A PRESENTATION IF THE NIGHT BEFORE WE'RE LUCKY.
BUT OFTENTIMES IT'S, I GET AN EMAIL DURING THE MEETING, HERE'S THE PRESENTATION FOR TODAY.
SO ANYWAY, THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS.
THANK, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER.
LORI, DID YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING? I DID.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, FIRST COUNCILMAN TINO, UM, THE MEMO AND THE PRESENTATION, THE PRESENTATION DOES REFLECT THE MEMO WITH ONE CHANGE, AND THAT AS WE WERE SHOWING THE NET THAT WAS ADDED TO THE EAP VERSUS SHOWING THAT THE $9 MILLION COMING IN AND THE 4.3 COMING OUT TO SUPPORT THOSE OTHER ACTIVITIES.
BUT YOU CAN SEE THE ITEMS THAT YOU PRESENTED AND READ OFF IN THAT MEMO.
IT'S CLEARLY ON THAT SLIDE WHERE WE SHOW WE'RE SPENDING 900,000 ON TEMPORARY HOUSING, THE 4 25 ON MI REPAIR, THE 900,000 ON OWNER OCCUPIED REHAB, AND THEN WE HAVE THE 1 MILLION FOR GAP FINANCING FOR HOME OWNERSHIP, AND 2 MILLION FOR RENTAL.
THE DIFFERENCE IS WE WERE ONLY SHOWING THE NET WHEN IT CAME TO THE, TO THE EAP.
SO, BUT POSTING LANGUAGE REQUIRED BECAUSE WE HAD TO POST IT TO THE CDG FUNDING, AND WE HAVE TO POST THAT IN THE PAPER AS WELL.
BUT YES, THE, THE PRESENTATION, IT DOES REFLECT THE MEMO WITH THAT ONE CAVEAT AND COUNCILMAN COURAGE, I DO WANNA ADDRESS, UM, YOUR CONCERN ABOUT GAP FUNDING.
THAT'S, YOU KNOW, GREAT FEEDBACK.
UM, WE DO PROVIDE GAP FUNDING MOST, MOST TYPICALLY FOR ALL THOSE 9% TAX CREDITS.
AND THOSE 4% TAX CREDITS THAT COME FORWARD.
IT'S, YOU KNOW, YOU HEAR COUNCILMAN RENU AND OTHERS CONSTANTLY TALK ABOUT LAYERING FUNDING.
AND YOU HAVE TO PROVIDE THOSE LAYERED RESOURCES FOR THAT GAP FUNDING.
SO WE ARE GOING THROUGH THAT 9% TAX CREDIT ROUND RIGHT NOW, AND MOST LIKELY THOSE PROJECTS ARE GOING TO NEED GAP FUNDING FUNDING TO HAPPEN.
AND SO THE, THE TRADE OFF IS WE DON'T DO ANY AFFORDABLE HOUSING THIS YEAR, WHICH, WHAT I SAID EARLIER WAS 90% OF RENTERS, UM, ARE COST BURDEN.
AND WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, AFFORDABLE HOUSING SUPPLY, WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND SO WE NEED TO CONTINUE BUILDING THAT SO PEOPLE CAN AFFORD THE HOMES FOR LIVING.
'CAUSE OFTENTIMES SOMEONE'S LIVING IN, UH, AN APARTMENT AND THEY'RE SPENDING 30% MORE THAN WHAT THEY SHOULD BE SPENDING.
UM, WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS, UH, RENTERS SHOULD SPEND ABOUT 30% OF THEIR INCOME ON HOUSING.
PEOPLE ARE SPENDING MORE THAN THAT BECAUSE THERE'S NOT ENOUGH AFFORDABLE HOUSING PRICE, UM, FOR THEM TO AFFORDED.
AND SO IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE, UM, AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
BUT THE TRADE-OFF IS WE DON'T DO AFFORDABLE HOUSING THIS YEAR.
UH, THANK YOU LORI, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER VERAN.
UH, SO I, I THINK I WANNA START WITH, UM, YES, I, I DO REMEMBER SEEING THIS AT THE LAST, UM, PRESENTATION, AND I WAS ACTUALLY ON SLIDE 30 WHERE YOU HAVE THE ADDITIONAL C D B G FUNDING AND THAT FULL RECOMMENDATIONS TO BE PRESENTED AT CULTURAL NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES COMMITTEE IN JANUARY.
UM, I WILL SAY YOU HA YOU, BECAUSE I REMEMBER WE HAD THIS CONVERSATION.
'CAUSE THE QUESTION WAS THEN IF WE, IF WITH THIS MONEY, WE'LL BE ABLE TO GO FURTHER DOWN AND WHAT
[02:40:01]
WE SAID, WE, WHAT YOU TOLD US AT THAT MEETING WAS IT COULD GO UNTIL FEBRUARY.BUT NOW WITH THIS ADDITIONAL STATE MONEY, YOU'RE SAYING WE CAN GO UNTIL MARCH, CORRECT? CORRECT.
EDWARD, DON'T YOU? IS THAT CORRECT, EDWARD? YEAH, SO WITH OUR EAP MONEY, WE WILL, UH, AND WE WILL GO TO FEBRUARY, AND THEN WITH THE ADDITIONAL STATE MONEY THAT GETS US TO MARCH.
SO YES, THAT'S WHERE THAT TOTAL FUNDS
AND THEN WE ALSO WANNA ADD THE, THE MONEY THAT'S IN THE, THE SECOND ROUND OF CARE FUNDING THAT COULD PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL FOUR TO $6 MILLION.
IT'S NOT ACCOUNTED FOR, UM, FOR THE EAP.
AND THEN, UM, THE, THE, UM, EIGHT POINT, SO ON THAT PRESENTATION IN, IN DECEMBER, IT SAYS 10.2 MILLION, AND THEN SA SAP RECOMMENDS 4.6, AND THEN YOU HAD OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS OF TWO MILLION ONE MILLION NINE HUNDRED THOUSAND AND FOUR HUNDRED TWENTY FIVE.
SO THAT, AND THAT ONLY ADDED UP TO 8.9 MILLION.
SO THE OTHERS THAT YOU DIDN'T HAVE NECESSARILY ON THAT WAS THE TEMPORARY SHELTER FOR HOMELESS.
IS THAT RIGHT? IS ARE, ARE THOSE THE NEW ONES? TEMPORARY SHELTER FOR HOMELESS EVICTION INTERVENTION? YES.
I, I SEE THE ASTERISK, BUT I ALSO DIDN'T SEE RENTAL HOUSING GAP FUNDING IN THE ORIGINAL BUDGET PRESENTATION THAT YOU GAVE US.
COUNCILMAN IN THE, IN THE PRESENTATION FROM, UH, DECEMBER 17TH, UM, I HAD INCLUDED THE $4.6 MILLION FOR EAP AS WELL AS THE 2 MILLION, WELL, THE 3 MILLION COMBINED FOR THE GAP FINANCING, UM, 900,000 FOR THE OWNER OCCUPIED REHAB AND THE 425,000 FOR OWNER.
UM, I'M SORRY, FOR MINOR HOME REPAIRS.
SO THE OTHER ITEMS ARE, UM, THE EVICTION, THE, UH, TEMPORARY HOUSING.
BECAUSE ON THE ORIGINAL IT DIDN'T SAY GAP.
SO THAT'S WHERE MY DISCONNECT WAS.
FURTHER RECOMMENDATIONS HERE FOR, UM, TEMPORARY SHELTER FOR HOMELESS EVICTION INTERVENTION AND THE COUNSELING IS, IS, UH, VERY CRITICAL.
AND, UM, I, I APPRECIATE THAT.
AND I ALSO THINK, BECAUSE I AM SO OPTIMISTIC NOW OF SEEING SOMETHING HAPPENING VERY QUICKLY AT A FEDERAL LEVEL, THAT'S WHY I AM, UM, OKAY WITH MOVING FORWARD WITH YOUR PRESENTA, WITH YOUR, UM, OPTION WITH WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING RIGHT NOW.
BECAUSE YES, WE STILL NEED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND, UH, WITH THAT GAP FINANCING.
AND BECAUSE, UM, I'M JUST VERY OPTIMISTIC NOW WHEN IT COMES TO THE FEDERAL AREA AND 'CAUSE WE NEED TO MOVE VERY QUICKLY.
SO, UH, WITH THAT, I MEAN, I WANNA MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE STAFF RECOMMENDATION.
COUNCIL MEMBER ARAN, WE HAVE A MOTION NO SECOND, SO WE WILL NOT BE VOTING ON THAT.
UM, OKAY, SO LET ME, LET ME JUST GO BACK.
NUMBER ONE, I, I DO REMEMBER THIS AND YOU KNOW, THE IDEA WAS TO MOVE THESE RESOURCES TO EAP.
UM, YOU KNOW, HERE'S SOME STATS.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE OVER 9,500 EVICTIONS FILED FOR 2020 IN THIS PANDEMIC YEAR.
UM, WHAT I'M REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT IS WE TALK ABOUT HOW FAR THIS MONEY'S GONNA GO, BUT WE, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE NEVER SAY IS THAT WE'VE MADE THESE RESTRICTIONS FOR PEOPLE TO ONLY ACCESS UP TO THREE MONTHS, UH, UH, OR NOW, I'M SORRY, TWO MONTHS BECAUSE WE'RE, WE'RE ASKING FOR THREE, TWO MONTHS, UH, OF ASSISTANCE.
AND THEN THEY GET COME DOWN TO 500.
I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY CALLS I'VE RECEIVED IN THIS OFFICE.
COUNCILOR CURRY POINTED OUT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE GET A LOT OF CALLS FOR, FOR ISSUES, UH, FOR ALL KINDS OF ISSUES.
AND ONE OF, SOME OF THE MOST HEARTBREAKING CALLS ARE THOSE THAT PEOPLE THAT ARE BEING TOLD THEY NO LONGER QUALIFY FOR MORE ASSISTANCE.
YOU WANNA KNOW WHY THIS, THIS MONEY IS BEING STRETCHED OUT.
I THINK THAT'S PART OF THE REASON.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WE, WE'VE GOT TO, WE'VE GOT TO TAKE A, A, A, A HARD LOOK AT OURSELVES.
IN FACT, I'M GONNA MAKE A REQUEST THAT STAFF COME BACK TO THIS COMMITTEE WITH RECOMMENDATIONS OR, OR, OR, OR WAYS FOR US TO RE RE REVERT THE
[02:45:01]
EAP DISBURSEMENTS BACK IN LINE WITH WHAT WE ORIGINALLY HAD UNDER THE RISK MITIGATION POLICY.YOU KNOW, THIS PANDEMIC HAS LASTED A LONG TIME AND, AND PEOPLE ARE IN NEED.
UH, THERE IS A REAL, A, A, A HUGE, A HUGE NEED.
AND WE HAVEN'T EVEN REALLY SEEN THAT BECAUSE OF THE WAY, UH, THE, THE EVICTION MORATORIUM HAS BEEN EXTENDED.
AND, UH, IN FACT, WE KNOW THAT, UM, THAT THE, UH, THE SUPREME COURT HAS, HAS ALSO EXTENDED THAT SOMEWHAT.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN THE MONEY'S NOT GONNA BE OWED.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THAT, THAT THESE THINGS AREN'T GONNA BE FILED OR HAPPENED.
SO, I I, I JUST, AGAIN, I DON'T SUPPORT MOVING ANY MONEY OUT OF EAP WHATSOEVER.
UM, I, I UNDERSTAND, AND YOU KNOW, I, I THINK I SAID IT AT OUR LAST, AT THE LAST MEETING THAT WE HAD IN THIS, I, I, I AGREE WITH THE ASSERTION THAT YOU HAVE LORI, ABOUT WE'VE GOTTA BUILD MORE HOUSING, YOU KNOW, BUT WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO EVEN MAKE A TENT IN THAT, UH, IN TERMS OF THE NEED THAT'S OUT THERE TODAY WHEN IT COMES TO THIS EMERGENCY.
SO, UH, YES, WE'VE GOTTA BUILD MORE HOUSING, BUT FIRST WE'VE GOTTA TAKE CARE OF THIS EMERGENCY.
AND, AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING SINCE MARCH WITH YOU, UH, AND MY COLLEAGUES TO, TO FIND, CONTINUE TO FIND MORE MONEY FOR THE EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM TO INCREASE DIRECT CASH ASSISTANCE TO, TO UNDERSTAND THAT PEOPLE NEED HELP WITH THE UTILITIES.
AND, AND, AND WHAT I CAN SAY IS THAT IT, YOU KNOW, I I I, FROM THE CALLS THAT WE HAVE, FROM THE DATA THAT WE HAVE, IT'S, IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT'S ENOUGH.
AND, UH, I AM HOPEFUL TOO, THAT WE'RE GONNA GET SOME RELIEF FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, BUT WE CANNOT BE WAITING FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO DO OUR WORK.
WE HAVE IT RIGHT HERE IN FRONT OF US, AND WE CAN HELP PEOPLE.
AND SO, UH, AGAIN, I THINK THAT, THAT THIS, THIS JUST DOES NOT MAKE ANY SENSE TO ME RIGHT NOW.
UH, THE EVICTION LAWS, UH, IN, IN TEXAS ALLOWS, ALLOWS PEOPLE, UH, TO, TO BE EVICTED EVEN IF THEY OWE LESS THAN A HUNDRED DOLLARS, EVEN $50.
AND, AND I JUST, WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF WINTER RIGHT NOW.
I CAN'T WHOLEHEARTEDLY, UH, SUPPORT THIS IDEA THAT REMOVES ANY MONEY FROM EHAP.
IN FACT, I, WE'VE GOTTA FIND MONEY TO ADD ANTI EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE AND ALLOW US TO REVERT BACK TO, UH, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO HAVE ALREADY EXTENDED THE, OR HAVE UTILIZED THEIR, THE THREE MONTH ALLOTMENT.
SO AGAIN, I WILL ASK THAT THIS STAFF COME BACK TO THIS COMMITTEE, UH, WITH SOME OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS.
UH, AGAIN, I THINK THAT THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE I AM ON THIS.
AND, UM, AGAIN, THE, OH, COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
YOU WANNA SAY A FEW WORDS? YOU'RE ON MUTE.
YEAH, I, I JUST WANNA CONCUR WITH WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
I DON'T KNOW THAT IT WOULD TAKE, UH, A MOTION, UH, OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT RIGHT NOW.
I THINK, UH, WE'RE NOT TAKING ANY FORMAL ACTION ON THIS, SO WE WOULD NOT EXPECT ANY OF THOSE TRANSFERS OF FUNDS TO, TO GO INTO ACTION UNTIL THIS COMMITTEE MAKES THE RECOMMENDATION OR, OR THE COUNCIL DOES.
UM, BUT I'M, I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT.
WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE MAY NOT ALL HAVE 100% AGREEMENT, BUT I, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO DO MORE TO HELP PEOPLE IN, KEEP PEOPLE IN THEIR HOMES INSTEAD OF TRYING TO BUILD HOMES FOR TWO YEARS FROM NOW.
UH, THIS IS WHERE THE CRISIS IS.
AND I THINK THAT'S THE QUESTION, UH, TO STAFF.
DO, DO, UH, WITHOUT, WITHOUT A, A MOTION, UH, WHERE DO WE STAND? WE WILL, I'LL HAVE TO LOOK INTO IT BECAUSE WE ARE REALLOCATING THE CD PG FUNDING AT NEXT WEEK'S COUNCIL AGENDA.
AND SO WE'LL GET BACK TO THIS COUNCIL COMMITTEE, UM, EITHER THROUGH EMAIL, UM, OR, OR WE'LL CONTACT YOU SEPARATELY.
BUT LET ME CHECK TO SEE WHAT WE CAN MAKE, OKAY.
UM, I, I HAVE, I HAVE ANOTHER COMMENT CHAIR.
UM, SO WITHOUT THE ACTION OR ANY ACTION TODAY, OR TAKING IT OFF THE AGENDA, THEN WE WILL NOT HAVE ANY ACTION TO MOVE THIS MONEY.
THEREFORE, THERE WILL BE NO 4.6 MILLION ADDITIONAL INTO THE EAP, IS THAT CORRECT? UH, ANNA, LAURIE, AS OF RIGHT NOW, THE ITEM IS PROCEEDING TO CITY COUNCIL AND IT'S ON THE AGENDA FOR NEXT THURSDAY AND AS 'CAUSE AS IS.
[02:50:01]
AND, UH, OKAY, GO AHEAD.BUT, SO LIKE, LIKE I SAID, WE NEED TO GO BACK TO SEE WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE BECAUSE WE HAVE POSTING LANGUAGE AND REQUIREMENTS MM-HMM.
AND SO MY, ANNA, WERE YOU GONNA SAY SOMETHING? I WAS SAY, UH, COUNCILMAN.
SO YES, PART OF THE ACTION WAS, UM, ACCEPTING AND APPROPRIATING THE $10.2 MILLION.
AND SO INCLUDED WITH THAT IS ALLOCATING TOWARDS EEF.
WE COULD NOT, WE COULD NOT MOVE FORWARD WITH UTILIZING THAT FUNDING WITHOUT COUNCIL APPROVAL, RIGHT? SO, UM, WELL THIS CAN MOVE FORWARD TO, TO FULL COUNCIL AGENDA, BUT WITHOUT A RECOMMENDATION FROM THIS FULL COUNCIL, UH, FOR THE, FROM THIS COMMITTEE, I GUESS IT WOULD JUST BE UP FOR DISCUSSION TO MOVE THAT.
UM, AND SO I THINK, AND ALL OF US KNOW, 'CAUSE WE'VE ALL BEEN LIVING THIS, UH, VERY WELL, AND MANY OF THE STAFF HAVE BEEN LIVING THIS, UM, MUCH MORE, UH, IN, IN THE, UM, NUTS AND BOLTS THAN WE HAVE.
UM, BECAUSE OF, OF ALL OF THE WORK THAT'S BEEN GOING ON, AND WE KNOW THAT THIS IS REAL, ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS ARE IMPACTED.
WE ARE ALL HEARING THIS, WE'RE ALL TRYING TO DO THE WORK THAT WE NEED TO, AND WE KNOW, AND THAT IS WHY WE'VE ALREADY INVESTED MORE THAN $70 MILLION OR $75 MILLION UP TO THIS POINT.
AND WE WANT TO GO BE BEYOND, WE WANNA GO BEYOND THAT AND GO TO 81 MILLION AND EVEN BEYOND THAT, UM, AND BE STRATEGIC AND BE INTENTIONAL.
IF WE ARE LOOKING AT, UH, TO YOUR POINT CHAIR THAT YOU WANT TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE, UM, TO THE, UH, EAP RESTRICTIONS, ET CETERA, THAT'S A POLICY CONVERSATION THAT WE'LL HAVE TO HAVE WITH ALL OF FULL COUNSEL.
I, I WOULD FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE WITH THAT TO HAVE ALL OF THE FULL COUNSEL, BECAUSE THAT IS A SPECIFIC POLICY CHANGE THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO MAKE.
AND, AND, AND I AGREE, AND THAT'S, I THINK EXACTLY WHAT I SAID.
I WANT STAFF TO COME BACK TO US, UH, WITH THAT POLICY SO THAT WE CAN ALL VOTE ON IT AND WE CAN SEE WHERE WE ALL STAND.
LEMME JUST SAY THIS, THIS COUNT, THIS COMMITTEE IS NOT A RUBBER STAMP, AND SO I DON'T SEE HOW WE'RE MOVING THIS PARTICULAR ITEM FORWARD WITHOUT A, A MOTION OR A SECOND, UH, THAT HAS BEEN APPROVED TO MOVE AS IS.
SO IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEN I SIMPLY WILL, I WILL MOTION TODAY TO RETAIN THE 3 MILLION IN THE HALF INSTEAD OF SETTING ASIDE FOR DEVELOPMENT AND APPROVE THE REST OF THE RECOGNITION AS IS, UH, YOU KNOW, IF, IF, IF, IF THAT'S HOW WE'RE GOING TO, UH, BE MOVING PROJECT FORWARD.
ALRIGHT, WE'LL TAKE UP THE MOTION.
UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
UH, THOSE AGAINST, WELL THEN I HAVE JANE.
WE HAVE AN ABIA AND SANDRA SULLIVAN.
SO CLARK, HOW DOES THAT WORK? THAT'S A TWO ONE ABSTENTION.
UM, WE HAVE AN ABSTENTION, WE HAVE ONE MAY, WE HAVE TWO EYES AND, UM, ONE ABSTENTION.
DO WE HAVE THE ATTORNEYS MOTION FAILED OR IF NOT, THEN CALL IT AGAIN.
THE ATTORNEY COUNCILMAN TREVINO.
CAN YOU CALL IT AGAIN AND GIVE ME A SECOND PLEASE.
OKAY, SO WE HAVE, UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
SO WE'RE AT A STANDSTILL HERE.
WE DON'T HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE.
WE DON'T HAVE A MOTION TO CHANGE.
UH, I'M, I'M REALLY JUST MADE MOVING THIS TO COUNCIL WITHOUT, UH, AN AGREEMENT ON THIS COMMITTEE.
UH, I'LL ASK STAFF TO PLEASE, UH, LET US KNOW WHERE WE, WHERE WE STAND ON THIS.
I GUESS WE'LL HAVE THE BROADER DISCUSSION WITH THE COUNCIL CHAIR.
YEAH, I WOULD JUST REQUEST THAT WE GET THE WORDING THAT, UH, STAFF IS GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH, UH,
[02:55:01]
WELL IN ADVANCE OF THE NEXT MEETING.WELL, WE KEEP MAKING THAT REQUEST.
ALRIGHT, WITH THAT WE ARE ADJOURNED.