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DO A ROLL CALL, PLEASE.COUNCIL MEMBER MICKEY RODRIGUEZ.
[Approval of Minutes ]
A MOTION TO APPROVE THE JANUARY 19TH, 2022 COMMITTEE MINUTES.WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
[Briefing and Possible Action on ]
UH, WE HAVE A REQUEST TO HEAR ITEM THREE FIRST, SO WE'LL GO STRAIGHT INTO THAT.THE DECONSTRUCTION ITEM WITH O H P.
UH, I'M SHANNON MILLER, THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION, AND I'M HERE WITH STEPHANIE PHILLIPS.
WE ALSO HAVE COREY EDWARDS, WHO'S OUR DEPUTY HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER, AND THE THREE OF US HAVE BEEN WORKING, UM, ON THE DECONSTRUCTION INITIATIVE SINCE 2018.
UM, STEPH HAS BEEN SERVING AS THE PROJECT MANAGER AND REALLY HELPED TO KIND OF SHEPHERD THIS ALONG AND LEARNED A LOT ABOUT DECONSTRUCTION SINCE COREY AND I FIRST ASKED HER TO TAKE THIS ON A FEW YEARS AGO.
SO, UM, SHE WILL START THE PRESENTATION AND WALK THROUGH SOME OF THE BACKGROUND AND HOW WE GOT TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
AND THEN I WILL COME BACK AND, UM, FINISH OUT WITH WHERE WE STAND ON THE PROGRAM AND THE DRAFT ORDINANCE.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, AS SHANNON MENTIONED, I'M STEPHANIE PHILLIPS.
REALLY EXCITED TO BE HERE TODAY.
UM, WE DID HAVE THE BEST ANIMATION EVER TO SHOW YOU, BUT IT'S NOT WORKING TODAY.
SO WE WILL SEND THE LINK TO YOUR OFFICE.
THIS ESSENTIALLY EXPLAINS THE DIFF DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DECONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION.
UM, SO WE'LL SHARE THAT WITH YOU IN JUST A BIT.
UM, I WANNA HONE IN ON THIS ANALOGY, WHICH IS ILLUSTRATED IN THE VIDEO, BUT IT REALLY IS KIND OF THE CORNERSTONE OF OUR DECONSTRUCTION PROGRAM.
UM, UH, A STRUCTURE MAY HAVE REACHED THE END OF ITS LIFE, BUT ITS PARTS AND PIECES COULD HELP EXTEND THE LIVES OF DOZENS OF OTHER HISTORIC STRUCTURES.
AND THIS REALLY ILLUSTRATES, UM, THE CONNECTION BETWEEN DECONSTRUCTION AND THE CONCEPT OF A CIRCULAR ECONOMY, WHICH IS AN ECONOMIC SYSTEM THAT AIMS TO TAKE MATERIALS AWAY FROM THE END OF THE WASTE STREAM AND REDIRECT IT BACK TO THE BEGINNING SO WE CAN REUSE THE MATERIALS THAT ALREADY EXIST IN OUR COMMUNITIES INSTEAD OF THROWING THEM AWAY.
SO THIS IS REALLY A KEY ECONOMIC DRIVER, UM, FOR OUR INITIATIVE.
AND THIS IS A PHYSICAL ILLUSTRATION OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY.
SO BOTH OF THESE PHOTOS WERE TAKEN IN SAN ANTONIO.
THE IMAGE OF DEMOLITION, UM, USED TO BE A 1920S RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURE ON THE NEAR EAST SIDE.
AND THEN THE EXAMPLE OF DECONSTRUCTION WAS A FORMER BUILDING THAT USED TO BE RIGHT NEXT TO ECO CENTRO.
UM, IT WAS A TWO STORY, UH, ALMOST 4,000 SQUARE FOOT STRUCTURE.
AND THE DECONSTRUCTION CONTRACTORS THAT PERFORMED THE WORK ACTUALLY SHARED, UH, STATISTICS WITH US AFTER THE END OF THE PROJECT.
AND THEY WERE ABLE TO DIVERT 90% OF MATERIALS FROM THE LANDFILL.
UM, AND YOU SEE IN THAT IMAGE, UH, THERE IS HARDWOOD FLOORING BEING TAKEN OUT.
SOME OF THAT WE LEARNED WAS ACTUALLY REDIRECTED JUST AROUND THE CORNER, UM, TO ANOTHER HOUSE IN THE TOBAN HILL HISTORIC DISTRICT THAT WAS BEING RESTORED.
AND TO US, THAT IS THE PERFECT ILLUSTRATION OF WHAT WE MEAN BY A CIRCULAR ECONOMY.
TAKING MATERIALS FROM BUILDINGS THAT DO HAVE TO COME DOWN AND REDIRECTING THEM BACK INTO THE REPAIR OF OTHER STRUCTURES, UM, AT A NEIGHBORHOOD MICRO LEVEL, WHICH IS REALLY EXCITING.
AND HERE'S AN OVERVIEW OF OUR PROGRAM PRIORITIES.
UH, BIG PICTURE, WE'RE AIMING TO CONNECT THIS INITIATIVE WITH THE SUPPORT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING REPAIR AND PRODUCTION, AS WELL AS INCREASE COMMUNITY ACCESS TO MORE AFFORDABLE MATERIALS.
INCREASE OUR LOCAL POOL OF TRADESPEOPLE.
UM, WE KNOW THAT CONSTRUCTION, UH, TRADES ARE IN HIGH DEMAND IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE ABSOLUTELY SEE DECONSTRUCTION, UM, AS PART OF THOSE TRADITIONAL TRADES.
AGAIN, WE WANNA DEVELOP A LOCAL CIRCULAR ECONOMY, STARTING WITH BUILDING MATERIALS.
WE ABSOLUTELY SEE THIS INITIATIVE AS KIND OF LAYING THE FOUNDATION FOR CIRCULAR POLICIES THAT MAY BE EXPANDED INTO OTHER MATERIALS IN SAN ANTONIO.
SO TALKING ABOUT FASHION, ELECTRONICS, FOOD WASTE, HOW CAN SAN ANTONIO BE A LEADER IN TEXAS AND REALLY THE NATION FOR, UM, REUSING OUR MATERIALS THAT ARE IN OUR COMMUNITIES INSTEAD OF THROWING THEM AWAY.
AND THEN FINALLY GROW OUR LOCAL INDUSTRIES IN SALVAGE UPCYCLING AND VALUE ADDED MANUFACTURING SECTORS.
UM, WHAT WE MEAN BY VALUE ADDED MANUFACTURING IS TAKING MATERIALS AND REDIRECTING THEM TO
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A NEW USE, FOR EXAMPLE, MAKING FURNITURE OUT OF A NEW PRODUCTS OR, UM, WE HAD A GREAT SUGGESTION RECENTLY WHERE WE TAKE SOME LUMBER THAT ARE COMING OUT OF DECONSTRUCTED BUILDINGS AND USING THEM TO CONSTRUCT, UH, WHEELCHAIR RAMPS FOR SENIORS THAT WISH TO AGE IN PLACE IN THEIR HOUSES.SO IT'S REALLY EXCITING ALL OF THE POSSIBILITIES THAT WE CAN UNLOCK SIMPLY BY USING THE MATERIALS THAT ARE COMING OUT OF BUILDINGS ALREADY.
AND OF COURSE, ALL OF THOSE PROGRAM PRIORITIES THAT WE JUST DISCUSSED ALIGN WITH LARGER COMMUNITY OR CITY PLANS.
UH, PROBABLY OUR MOST PROMINENT IS THE CAP, UH, DECONSTRUCTION IS AGL
AND THEN ANOTHER KEY STUDY IS THE CITY'S OPPORTUNITY AT RISK STUDY, WHICH WAS PUBLISHED IN 2019 AND MOST RECENTLY HAS BEEN USED TO, UM, CONTRIBUTE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SHIP.
SO THIS STUDY LOOKED AT THE ROLE THAT SAN ANTONIO'S OLDER BUILDINGS PLAY IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND THIS STUDY REVEALED THAT OUR OLDER HOUSING STOCK DISPROPORTIONATELY PROVIDES AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BUT IT ALSO DISPROPORTIONATELY, UM, IS SUSCEPTIBLE TO DEMOLITION.
RIGHT? UH, AND WE KNOW THAT PERHAPS NOT SURPRISINGLY, DEFERRED MAINTENANCE CONTRIBUTES TO ACCELERATED DETERIORATION OF BUILDING MATERIAL.
SO THIS IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF HOW WE'RE AIMING TO TAKE BUILDING PRODUCTS OUTTA BUILDINGS THAT ARE COMING DOWN, USE THEM FOR REPAIR OF OTHER HOUSES TO HOPEFULLY PREVENT DEMOLITION IN THE LONG RUN IN THE FIRST PLACE.
AND THE STUDY ALSO SHOWED US THE CONNECTION BETWEEN AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UM, IN OUR MOST VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES.
SO THESE GRAPHS ILLUSTRATE THAT NOT ONLY DOES AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR OLDER HOUSING STOCK PROVIDE, PROVIDE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BUT IT IS DISPROPORTIONATELY PROVIDING HOUSING FOR OUR HISPANIC POPULATION AS WELL AS OUR LOWER INCOME POPULATIONS.
AND THEN WHEN YOU LOOK AT A MAP OF WHERE THE DEMOLITIONS HAVE OCCURRED IN THE PAST DECADE, THIS IS REALLY CRITICAL WHEN WE APPLY A PUBLIC HEALTH AND EQUITY LENS TO THIS DISCUSSION.
UM, BECAUSE DEMOLITION IS EFFECTIVELY A FORM OF AIR POLLUTION, RIGHT? UM, THE C D C AND THE E P A HAVE PUBLISHED STUDIES THAT SHOW THAT DEMOLITION PRODUCES LEAD AND ASBESTOS CONTAINING DUST, WHICH CAN TRAVEL UP TO 400 TO 600 FEET FROM THE ORIGINAL SOURCE OF THAT DEMOLITION.
SO THAT SETTLES ON OUR HOUSES, ON OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, ON OUR, UM, LANDSCAPES AND ULTIMATELY PERMEATES INTO OUR GROUNDWATER.
AND AGAIN, FROM A PUBLIC HEALTH CONSIDERATION, THIS IS REALLY CRITICALLY LOCALLY BECAUSE BEXAR COUNTY HAS A HIGHER HOSPITALIZATION RATE FOR PEOPLE WITH ASTHMA COMPARED TO TEXAS OVERALL.
UM, AND THOSE EFFECTS FOR THOSE THAT HAVE LUNG ISSUES AND BREATHING PROBLEMS ARE ONLY EXACERBATED BY OUR OZONE ACTION DAYS, WHICH WE KNOW ARE ALSO ON THE RISE IN SAN ANTONIO.
UM, SO ALL OF THIS IS INTERCONNECTED AND WE AIM TO, UM, FACILITATE DECONSTRUCTION, WHICH MINIMIZES THOSE AIR POLLUTION ISSUES BECAUSE WE'RE REMOVING BUILDINGS BY HAND INSTEAD OF BY MACHINES.
AND, UM, COVID DEFINITELY HAD AN IMPACT ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR, UH, ORDINANCE, WHICH SHANNON WILL TALK ABOUT IN JUST A MINUTE.
BUT WE USED THE OPPORTUNITY OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS TO CONTINUE THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR PROGRAM.
AND MOST NOTABLY, WE WERE ABLE TO PUBLISH THE CITY'S FIRST EVER DECONSTRUCTION STRATEGIC PLAN, WHICH WAS PUBLISHED JUST A YEAR AGO.
AND WE COMMISSIONED THIS PLAN, UM, WHICH WAS FUNDED BY A SOLID WASTE GRANT FROM ACOG AND THE TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY TO ANSWER A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WERE COMING UP IN EARLIER DISCUSSIONS WITH OUR ADVISORY COMMITTEE, WITH COUNCIL COMMITTEES, LIKE HOW MUCH CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION WASTE ARE WE ACTUALLY THROWING AWAY IN SAN ANTONIO? WHAT IS THE VALUE OF THOSE MATERIALS? UM, WHAT IS THE COST OF NOT CHANGING OUR EXISTING POLICIES AND NOT PURSUING DECONSTRUCTION? UM, SO THAT IS ALL ANSWERED IN THIS REALLY AMAZING DOCUMENT.
UM, AND SOME OF THE STATISTICS THAT WE PULLED OUT INCLUDE, UM, ON AVERAGE WE HAVE BEEN LANDFILLING ONE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF SALVAGEABLE MATERIALS THAT COULD HAVE OTHERWISE BEEN REDIRECTED BACK IN OUR COMMUNITIES ANNUALLY.
SO THERE IS ABSOLUTELY ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY JUST BY REDIRECTING THOSE MATERIALS.
AND I DO REALLY EXCITEDLY WANNA SHARE THAT THIS STUDY WAS ISSUED A REUSE INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR AWARD AT, UH, THE NATIONAL DECONSTRUCTION CONFERENCE LAST YEAR.
AND I MENTIONED THAT BECAUSE THIS STUDY HAS ACTUALLY BEEN USED BY OTHER COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO JUMPSTART THEIR OWN DECONSTRUCTION POLICY DISCUSSIONS, UH, MOST NOTABLY, WE WERE INFORMED THAT THIS STUDY WAS THE ABSOLUTE CATALYST IN THE, UM, MAYOR OF PITTSBURGH ISSUING AN, AN EXECUTIVE ORDER FOR A DECONSTRUCTION PROGRAM TO BE ESTABLISHED THERE.
UM, AND THIS IS, I MENTION THIS BECAUSE IT IS NOT A STRETCH OF THE IMAGINATION TO SAY THAT SAN ANTONIO IS IN THE POSITION TO BE A NATIONAL LEADER IN DEVELOPING A DECONSTRUCTION POLICY AND PROGRAM THAT IS EQUITY FOCUSED, HOUSING DRIVEN, UM, AND CLIMATE ACTION DRIVEN AS WELL.
SO I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO SHANNON AGAIN TO TALK ABOUT WHERE WE ARE IN OUR PROGRAM TODAY.
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SO, UM, BEFORE COVID HIT, WE WERE ALMOST READY TO BRING THE DRAFT ORDINANCE TO COUNCIL AT THAT TIME.
AND OF COURSE, UM, YOU KNOW, GOT A LITTLE BIT DELAYED, BUT, UM, THE ORDINANCE AS IT SIT STANDS TODAY IS VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT IT WAS, UM, IN 2020.
AND WE ALSO JUST MET ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO WITH OUR DECONSTRUCTION ADVISORY TASK FORCE, AGAIN, TO SORT OF REFRESH EVERYONE'S MEMORY, REMIND THEM WHAT OUR RECOMMENDATIONS ARE, AND WE'RE STILL IN A PEER.
WE GAVE THEM A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO PROVIDE SOME FEEDBACK BACK TO US.
SO IT'S POSSIBLE THAT, UM, THE DRAFT ORDINANCE WILL STILL CHANGE SLIGHTLY BASED ON THAT FEEDBACK.
BUT RIGHT NOW WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING IS TWO PHASES.
UM, THE FIRST PHASE WOULD BE, UH, RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES, 19, 20 OR EARLIER.
AND THEN THE SECOND PHASE WOULD BE, UH, RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES 1945 OR EARLIER.
SO THE FIRST PHASE WOULD BE ABOUT 50 TO 90 DEMOLITIONS A YEAR, AND THEN IT WOULD BE A LITTLE OVER AROUND DOUBLE THAT IN THE SECOND YEAR BASED ON, UM, PAST, UH, DEMOLITION DATA THAT WE'VE ASSESSED.
AND SO THE REASON FOR THE PHASING IS REALLY TO NOT OVERWHELM OUR DECONSTRUCTION CONTRACTORS AND THE MARKET FOR THE MATERIALS.
SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BEING THOUGHTFUL ABOUT HOW TO RAMP UP OUR CAPACITY FOR THESE MATERIALS.
UM, ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE ARE WORKING ON AS PART OF OUR, UM, OVERALL INITIATIVE IS THE CONCEPT OF A MATERIALS INNOVATION CENTER.
AND IT'S REALLY, UH, THE IDEA OF, OF KIND OF THE LAST THOUGHT BEFORE THE LANDFILL.
AND IT WOULD BE A PLACE WHERE MATERIALS COULD COME AND THEY COULD BE EITHER REUSED IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS OR MAYBE REIMAGINED BY PEOPLE DOING RESEARCH ON DIFFERENT TYPES OF MATERIAL INNOVATION.
UM, WE DO NOT SEE IT AT ALL AS COMPETITION FOR, UM, BUSINESSES THAT ARE IN THE EXISTING MARKET.
UM, LIKE THERE ARE EXAMPLES IN OTHER COMMUNITIES LIKE HOUSTON, FOR EXAMPLE, WHERE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE MATERIAL THAT HABITAT ISN'T ABLE TO MOVE IN THEIR STORES.
AND SO WOULDN'T IT BE A COMPETITION? IT WOULD BE KIND OF A PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM.
AND SO IF WE, IF WE RECEIVE MATERIALS THAT THEY WANT OR NEED, THEN POTENTIALLY, YOU KNOW, THEY WOULD BE ONE OF OUR, UM, ORGANIZATIONS THAT COULD GET MATERIAL FROM THE INNOVATION CENTER AND VICE VERSA, IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE UNABLE TO SELL, THEY COULD BRING IT TO THE MATERIAL INNOVATION CENTER.
SO WE REALLY SEE IT AS A PARTNERSHIP WITH, UM, THOSE EXISTING ORGANIZATIONS AND POTENTIALLY A WAY, UM, TO INCUBATE NEW BUSINESSES IN THIS SPACE.
JENNY HAY IN OUR OFFICE PARTICIPATED IN THE OFFICE OF INNOVATIONS, UM, INNOVATION ACADEMY THIS LAST YEAR.
AND THIS MATERIAL INNOVATION CENTER CONCEPT WAS HER PROJECT.
AND SO SHE REALLY HELPED US TO THINK ABOUT, UM, WHAT RESULTS MIGHT BE IF WE WERE TO DEVELOP A PROGRAM LIKE THIS.
AND YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THOSE ON THE SCREEN.
UM, BUT OBVIOUSLY WE'RE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, AMOUNT OF WASTE DIVERSION.
WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, UM, PRE-DISASTER MITIGATION AND, AND, AND JUST OVERALL, LIKE REALLY THINKING ABOUT THE IMPACT THAT WE COULD HAVE ON THE COST OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING IF WE CAN PUT MATERIAL AT, AT NO COST BACK INTO THOSE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS.
AND THAT GOES BACK TO THE CONCEPT THAT STEPH MENTIONED AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE, THE ORGAN ORGAN DONOR WHERE WE'RE EXTENDING THE LIFE OF, OF OTHER HISTORIC PROPERTIES.
UM, YOU CAN SEE A FEW OF THE, UH, PERFORMANCE INDICATORS ON THE SCREEN.
UM, AGAIN, WASTE THE DIVERTED FROM THE LANDFILL, UM, NUMBER OF CUSTOMERS TAKING MATERIALS, THE COST OF MATERIALS THAT WE'RE ABLE TO PUT INTO TO OTHER AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS ARE JUST A FEW OF THE EXAMPLES.
AND THEN THE PROGRAM COMPONENTS, JUST TO KIND OF SUMMARIZE AGAIN, WE WILL BE, WE'LL BE COMING FORWARD IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS WITH THE ACTUAL, UM, ORDINANCE FOR HOPEFUL ADOPTION BY CITY COUNCIL.
AND THEN WE ALSO ARE PROPOSING TO AMEND THE CITY ORDERED DEMOLITIONS CONTRACT SO THAT, UM, CITY DEMOLITIONS WOULD ALSO BE REQUIRED TO DECONSTRUCT RATHER THAN PUTTING THAT MATERIAL INTO THE LANDFILL.
AND THEN, UM, LOOKING AT OTHER WAYS TO SUPPORT THE MATERIAL INNOVATION CENTER.
UM, ALL OF YOU, I THINK, KNOW THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING OVER THE YEARS ON THE CONCEPT OF A DIGITAL, UH, MATERIALS EXCHANGE TOOL.
WE, WE LIKE TO REFER TO IT AS A MATERIALS DATING APP, UM, BUT WE'RE CONTINUING TO EXPLORE THOSE CONCEPTS WITH I T S D AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS BECAUSE THERE ARE, THERE'S SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS OUT THERE THAT HELP TO, UM, MATCH MATERIAL WITH PEOPLE THAT NEED THEM.
AND SO WE WILL BE CONTINUING TO WORK ON THAT FRONT AS WELL.
AND I THINK WITH THAT, WE ARE READY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.
THANK YOU STEPHANIE, UM, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION TODAY.
I'LL GO AHEAD AND BEGIN WITH, UH, COUNCIL QUESTIONS.
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BIRAN, UH, OH, SORRY.FIRST WE NEED TO CHECK IF THERE ARE ANY, UH, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO WISH TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.
WE DID HAVE SOMEONE, UH, SIGN IN ONLINE, BUT I DON'T THINK THEY MADE IT SO GOING ONCE, GOING TWICE.
UH, SO THE FIRST QUESTION I HAVE IS, DO WE HAVE THE BREAKDOWN IN COST OF WHAT IT COST US CITY-WISE TO DEMOLISH AND THEN WHAT IT'LL COST DECONSTRUCTION WISE? UM, YES.
THERE, THERE ARE A LOT OF FACTORS, BUT, UM, BUT IF, IF IT'S A SMALL, LIKE KIND OF TYPICAL HISTORIC, UM, SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL HOME, IT'S AROUND 1200 TO $2,000 EXTRA.
AND SO, OF COURSE, THE BENE THE, THE IDEA IS THAT AS, AS THE MARKETPLACE DEVELOPS FURTHER, UM, THAT THOSE, THOSE MATERIALS, OF COURSE HAVE VALUE.
AND SO WHETHER IT'S THROUGH A DONATION OR YOU, OR THAT SOMEONE SELLS THE MATERIALS, THAT THE, THE COST DIFFERENTIAL WOULD, WOULD BE MADE UP BY THE VALUE OF THE MATERIALS THAT ARE GAINED.
AND THESE ARE PRIMARILY HOMES THAT HAVE BEEN ABANDONED AND PEOPLE WANT TO BUY, PURCHASE THEM AND MAYBE DO DEVELOPMENT THERE.
THIS ISN'T ANY HOME THAT PEOPLE ARE CURRENTLY LIVING IN, IS IT? WELL, PROBABLY NOT.
OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAVE DIFFERENT MOTIVATIONS FOR WANTING TO DEMOLISH A PROPERTY.
BUT, BUT BASICALLY IT WOULD BE, IT WOULD BE A SITUATION WHERE SOMEONE WAS AL ALREADY PLANNING TO REMOVE THE PROPERTY FOR WHATEVER REASON.
AND OFTEN THAT IS FOR DEVELOPMENT OR NEW CONSTRUCTION.
AND INSTEAD OF REMOVING IT, UM, MECHANICALLY WITH A BULLDOZER, IT WOULD BE TAKEN DOWN PIECE BY PIECE AND DECONSTRUCTED.
UM, 'CAUSE THE ONLY OTHER WE DO, WE HAVE A BREAKDOWN OR STATS OF WHEN WE, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THESE 1920S AND 1945 HOMES, DO WE HAVE A, AND I, I SAW THE MAP WHERE IT SHOWED WHERE THEY ARE, BUT DO WE KNOW WHO ACTUALLY OWNS THOSE HOMES? UM, IF IT'S, UM, FAMILIES WHO ARE STILL TRYING TO PROBATE A WILL, IF ITS SOMEONE WHO MOVED IN WITH THEIR, THEIR DAUGHTER, BUT LEFT THE HOME THERE, DO, DO WE HAVE ANY OF THOSE STATS? BECAUSE I KNOW IN DISTRICT THREE, THESE ARE LEGACY FAMILY HOMES SURE.
I DON'T KNOW THAT I COULD CONFIDENTLY ANSWER THAT QUESTION RIGHT NOW, BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'D BE HAPPY TO TRY TO, TO SEE WHAT WE CAN KIND OF DECIPHER FROM THE DATE OF PAST DEMOLITIONS.
I, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO, TO KIND OF GET THAT INFORMATION AND SEE, UH, THIS ISN'T ANYTHING NEW FOR MY PART OF TOWN.
WE'VE, IT HAS NEVER BEEN FORMALIZED LIKE IT IS WITH THE CITY, BUT THIS IS SOMETHING WHERE BUILDERS IN OUR SIDE OF TOWN GO IN AND THEY JUST TELL EACH OTHER, TAKE WHATEVER YOU WANT BEFORE THEY DEMOLISH.
UM, BUT I DO HAVE, I, I WOULD LIKE TO GET SOME OF THAT INFORMATION.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER, OH, YES.
THANK YOU STEPHANIE AND SHANNON FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I, I THINK WHETHER IT FITS TREASURE IN THE WALLS, OPPORTUNITY AT RISK OR UT AUSTIN STUDY, I, I THINK WHAT THE OFFICE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION HAS PUT FORWARD FOR THE CITY TO, UM, POTENTIALLY IMPLEMENT IS MUCH NEEDED.
I, I THINK GIVEN THE, THE HEALTH DISPARITIES WITHIN SAN ANTONIO, THE HIGH PERCENTAGE OF DEMOLITIONS AND HOW THEY'RE IMPACTING OUR MOST VULNERABLE, UH, I, I THINK WE DO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY, AS STEPHANIE MENTIONED, TO LEAD IN THE NATION BY MITIGATING THE DISPLACEMENT, CREATING A CIRCULAR ECONOMY TO WHERE IT WOULD EVENTUALLY DRIVE DOWN THE COST FOR HOMEOWNER REHAB, UM, AND, UM, MINOR REHAB PROGRAMMING.
SO, UM, I, I KNOW WITH TREASURERS AND THE WALLS, I BELIEVE IT'S RECOMMENDED TO POTENTIALLY, UM, ALIGN WITH THE READY TO WORKFORCE IN INITIATIVE.
AND TOMORROW WE'RE BEING BRIEFED ON THAT.
UM, HAS O H P HAD A CONVERSATION, UM, ABOUT ALIGNING PROGRAMMING WITH THE READY TO WORK INITIATIVE? YES.
ACTUALLY, IT'S A, IT IS A WONDERFUL QUESTION.
'CAUSE I DON'T KNOW THAT WE TALKED ENOUGH ABOUT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ASPECT OF THIS, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, A RELATED INITIATIVE THAT WE HAVE IN O H P IS THE LIVING HERITAGE TRADES ACADEMY.
AND THAT IS REALLY FOCUSED ON ALL TYPES OF, OF TRADITIONAL TRADE TRADES.
EDUCATION AND DECONSTRUCTION IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THAT.
UM, WE'VE TALKED TO SEVERAL, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO BUILD SOMETHING IS TO TAKE SOMETHING APART, AND YOU REALLY SEE HOW IT WENT TOGETHER AND YOU APPRECIATE THE MATERIAL.
AND, AND SO, UM, IT'S A, IT'S A BIG PART OF THE CONVERSATION.
AND WHAT WE ENVISION IS THAT THE MATERIAL INNOVATION CENTER WOULD ALSO BE
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A LEARNING LABORATORY OPPORTUNITY FOR, UM, TRADES EDUCATION.AND SO WE HAVE BEEN HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH THE, UH, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT READY TO WORK ABOUT OUR CLASSES.
UM, TO DATE, WE'VE HAD ABOUT 40, UH, PEOPLE GO THROUGH THE INNOVATION ACADE, I MEAN, I'M SORRY, NOT INNOVATION ACADEMY, BUT TRADES ACADEMY AND, UM, AND ACTUALLY HAVE PAID APPRENTICES IN THE FIELD.
AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE WORKING TO, TO, TO BUILD, UM, WITH THE READY TO WORK INITIATIVE.
I THINK THAT'S GREAT NEWS, AND I THINK IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY THAT, UH, I DON'T THINK THAT WE SHOULD MISS AS A CITY.
UM, I, I THINK, UM, AGAIN, RIGHT, GOING BACK TO THE HEALTH ENVIRONMENTS, THE IMPACT THAT WE'RE SEEING ON OUR MOST AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AFFORDABLE HOUSING STOCK, UM, AND THE IMPACTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT THAT WE'RE SEEING, UM, IT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT I THINK, UH, WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO PUSH FORWARD.
UM, BUT WITH THIS PROJECT TIMELINE, DO WE KNOW IF ANY U D C AMENDMENTS NEED TO BE MADE IN ORDER FOR, UM, FOLKS TO REUSE MATERIAL? UM, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH, UM, DEVELOPMENT SERVICES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PREPARED TO ADDRESS ANY OF THOSE ISSUES.
IF, IF THERE ARE LANGUAGE CHANGES THAT NEED TO BE MADE, THEY'LL BE IN, THEY'LL, THEY'LL BE OUTSIDE OF THE U D C AND WE'RE CONFIDENT THAT THE U D C DOESN'T PRESENT ANY OBSTACLES, BUT WE'LL BE WORKING WITH THEM TO MAKE ANY NECESSARY UPDATES TO OTHER PARTS OF CITY CODE.
UH, RECENTLY WE WERE ALSO BRAVED ON THE CITY POTENTIALLY PURCHASING A RECYCLING SPACE.
UM, DO Y'ALL HAVE PLACES IN MIND WHERE Y'ALL ENVISION HOUSING THIS MATERIAL THAT WOULD BE REUSED? UM, SO ONE OF THE, THE, WE'VE BEEN HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH PORT SA AND IT'S, I MEAN, WE'RE STILL KIND OF IN PLANNING STAGES WITH THEM, BUT I, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE BUNGALOW COLONY AT PORT SA, WHICH IS A REALLY CHARMING LITTLE COLLECTION OF BUNGALOWS.
AND SO WE SEE IT AS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY BOTH TO HOUSE, UM, LIKE A TOOL LIBRARY WHERE COMMUNITY MEMBERS COULD COME AND BORROW TOOLS AND, UM, AND ALSO HAVE DROP OFF FOR MATERIALS, UM, AS WE GET THIS RAMPED UP.
AND THEN, UM, ALSO A LEARNING LAB FOR THE TRADES ACADEMY, BECAUSE THE BUNGALOWS ARE A PERFECT KIND OF CLASSROOM FOR PEOPLE TO LEARN HOW TO WORK ON THOSE HOUSES.
UM, ALSO, JUST AS A REMINDER, YOU KNOW, WE SUBMITTED AN APPLICATION, WE CAME TO COUNCIL AT THE END OF LAST CALENDAR YEAR, UM, REGARDING THE ACOG GRANT MM-HMM.
AND SO, UM, IF, IF WE'RE AWARDED THOSE FUNDS, THAT MONEY WOULD GO TOWARD BUYING TOOLS AND, AND, UM, FINISH OUT MATERIALS FOR THE MATERIAL INNOVATION SPACE.
AND RECENTLY THE CITY ADOPTED THE DEMOLITION MITIGATION PILOT PROGRAM.
DO YOU SEE OPPORTUNITY FOR THESE, FOR THIS ORDINANCE TO RUN PARALLEL WITH THE DEMOLITION MITIGATION PILOT PROGRAM? YES, ABSOLUTELY.
WE'VE, WE'VE BEEN IN CLOSE CONVERSATION WITH, UH, MARK CARMONA ABOUT THE CONNECTION MM-HMM.
UM, I'M, I'M SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
I KNOW THAT PROGRAMS LIKE THESE ARE, UM, SOMETHING THAT I'VE HEARD PRIMARILY, LIKE MOST OF THE WOMEN OF THE FULL COUNCIL, INCLUDING OUR CHAIRWOMAN SHOW, SUPPORTIVE.
AND SO THESE ARE THINGS THAT EXCITE ME ABOUT BEING ON CITY COUNCIL, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THEIR LEADERSHIP.
I AM VERY MUCH INTERESTED IN US LEADING THE WAY IN DECONSTRUCTION POLICY, AND I'M GLAD TO HEAR YOU SAY THAT, AND I THINK WE'RE ON THE WAY THERE.
AND WHILE I WANT US TO MOVE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, I APPRECIATE YOU TEMPERING MY EXPECTATIONS AND EXPLAINING THE PHASES AND WHAT THE TIMELINE LOOKS LIKE, UM, AND WHAT OUR RESTRAINTS ARE.
I AM WONDERING WHAT ARE THE LIMITATIONS TO DECONSTRUCTION ITSELF? SO, IS DECONSTRUCTION SOMETHING WE CAN GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE ALWAYS DECONSTRUCT? OR IS THERE EVER A POINT, UM, ASIDE FROM COST THAT SOMEONE MIGHT SAY WE HAVE TO DEMOLISH? YEAH, I MEAN, I OBVIOUSLY, THERE, THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE CONCERNED ABOUT IF WE, IF WE GOT TO A, TO A PLACE WHERE WE REQUIRED DECONSTRUCTION ALL OF THE TIME.
AND IT IS A LOT, A LOT TO DO WITH COST.
UM, YOU KNOW, AS BUILDING SCALE UP AND AS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, I MEAN, ONE OF THE BENEFITS OF STARTING WITH, WITH 1920 AND THE 1945 IS THAT WE FEEL CONFIDENT IN THE QUALITY OF THAT MATERIAL.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OLD GROWTH WOOD FOR THE MOST, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE HIGH QUALITY MATERIALS, AND SOMETIMES AS YOU GET INTO LATER BUILDINGS, THEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH MATERIALS THAT ARE HARDER TO, TO REUSE OR MAYBE NOT AS HIGH QUALITY.
AND SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT HARDER SELL FOR SOME PEOPLE TO SEE THE VALUE, WHICH IS ANOTHER REASON WHY WE REALLY FEEL LIKE A PHASED APPROACH MAKES SENSE, BECAUSE WE CAN SORT OF WIN PEOPLE OVER ALONG THE WAY UNTIL WE GET TO A POINT WHERE WE'RE ABLE TO DECONSTRUCT, UM, MORE BUILDINGS.
AND, AND REALLY AT THAT POINT IT'S, IT'S ABOUT, UH, WASTE DIVERSION
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AND CIRCULAR, YOU KNOW, JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE, UM, TRYING TO DIVERT AS MUCH WASTE FROM THE LANDFILL AS POSSIBLE.UM, MY LAST QUESTION IS JUST CLARIFICATION.
SO FOR THE, UM, THE STUDENT PROGRAM, IS THAT FOR COLLEGE OR HIGH SCHOOL? UM, WE'VE ACTUALLY DONE PROGRAMS WITH ALL DIFFERENT AGES.
UM, A LOT OF THE FUNDING THAT WE HAVE THAT OUR PARTNERS HAVE BROUGHT TO THE TABLE SO FAR FOR THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT IS THAT KIND OF 18 TO 24 RANGE.
UM, BUT THE IDEA IS THAT IT WOULD BE OPEN TO BOTH PEOPLE WHO ARE LIKE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF HIGH SCHOOL AGE TRYING TO DECIDE WHAT TO DO INSTEAD OF COLLEGE, MAYBE ALL THE WAY UP TO, UM, PEOPLE, FOR EXAMPLE, WHO ARE TRANSITIONING OUT OF THE MILITARY AND THINKING ABOUT A NEW CAREER SPACE.
SO THE IDEA IS REALLY THAT IT WOULD BE OPEN TO ALL DIFFERENT, UM, AGE, AGE RANGES AND DEMOGRAPHICS.
UH, I KNOW THAT THERE HAD BEEN THE DISCUSSION ABOUT COMPETING WITH EXISTING, UH, VENDORS IN THIS PARTICULAR MARKET.
UM, ARE EXISTING VENDORS, UH, IN THIS AREA PART OF THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS IN SOME WAY? COULD YOU EXPLAIN HOW? SURE.
SO SEVERAL OF THE PEOPLE, LIKE BOTH OPERATORS OF REUSE STORES AND THEN DEMOLITION CONTRACTORS AND PEOPLE LIKE HABITAT HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THE DECONSTRUCTION ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR THE, FOR THE PAST THREE PLUS YEARS.
AND SO, UM, WE'VE BEEN ENGAGING WITH THEM.
AND THEN IN DECEMBER, WHEN THE QUESTION CAME UP AGAIN, JUST THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT KIND OF CONCERN ABOUT, UH, COMPETITION, WE, WE REACHED BACK OUT AND WE'VE MET SPECIFICALLY WITH GOODWILL AND HABITAT AND TO REALLY CLARIFY WHAT THEIR, UM, CONCERNS ARE, IF ANY, AND WHERE THEY WOULD LIKE TO FIT INTO THE PROCESS.
AND SO I THINK WE HAVE A REALLY GOOD UNDERSTANDING.
UM, GOODWILL IS NOT IN THE BUSINESS OF SELLING REUSED BUILDING MATERIAL.
SO THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT REALLY INTERESTED IN THAT SIDE OF IT.
OBVIOUSLY HABITAT IS, BUT THEY ALSO CAN GET EASILY OVERWHELMED.
LIKE THEY ONLY NEED STUFF THAT THEY KNOW A CONTRACTOR'S GONNA COME AND BUY.
SO WE, IT WOULD REALLY BE A PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITY WHERE, UM, WE WOULDN'T BE TAKING THE MATERIAL THAT HABITAT WANTS.
WE WOULD BE, UM, KIND OF THE LAST STOP FOR THE MATERIAL THAT THEY CAN'T MOVE OUT OF THEIR STORES.
THAT'S, THAT'S JUST WHAT I WANTED TO CONFIRM.
AND I, UM, I THINK YOU RAISE A GOOD POINT ABOUT NOT OVERWHELMING THE, THE MARKET OR THE CONTRACTORS MM-HMM.
COULD YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THAT MIGHT, UH, WORK OUT? LIKE HOW MANY CONTRACTORS DO YOU SEE, UH, ABLE TO DO THIS BY THE TIME WE GET TO ADOPTION AND, UH, VERSUS HOW MANY PERMITS THERE MIGHT BE AT THAT TIME? SURE.
SO WE HAVE, UM, WE'VE BEEN DOING, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE KNEW WE NEEDED TO BE PREPARED FOR BEFORE AN ORDINANCE WAS ADOPTED WAS, IS TRAINING FOR DECONSTRUCTION CONTRACTORS.
AND SO WE STARTED WITH, UH, DECONSTRUCTION CERTIFICATION TRAINING FOR EXISTING CONTRACTORS, SO PEOPLE WHO ARE ALREADY LICENSED CONTRACTORS, AND WE HAVE AROUND 10, MAYBE 12, SOMEWHERE AROUND IN THERE THAT ARE, THAT ARE ALREADY CERTIFIED.
AND, UM, AND THEN AS THE ORDINANCE BUILDS AND THE PROGRAM DEVELOPS, WE WOULD ALSO BE DOING A LONGER TRAINING FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT CURRENTLY CERTIFIED CONTRACTORS.
SO OBVIOUSLY THEY HAVE MORE TO LEARN, SO THEY'D NEED TO COME UP TO SPEED.
SO THAT'S, UM, MORE THAN JUST A FEW DAYS WORTH OF OF TRAINING, BUT THAT'S ALSO, UM, PART OF WHAT'S PLANNED FOR THE FUTURE.
AND SO THE CON THE, THE ORDINANCE WOULD REQUIRE THAT A DECON, A CERTIFIED DECONSTRUCTION CONTRACTOR IS INVOLVED IN THE DECONSTRUCTION.
AND SO AGAIN, THEY'RE AROUND 10 OR SO CURRENTLY, AND WE ANTICIPATE THAT NUMBER TO, TO CONTINUE TO GROW.
I ALSO MIGHT ADD, JUST 'CAUSE YOU ALL MIGHT BE INTERESTED TO KNOW, WE'VE KIND OF HAD UNSOLICITED CONVERSATIONS WITH SOME, WITH A DEMO, ONE OF THE MAJOR DEMOLITION CONTRACTORS IN SAN ANTONIO, AND THEY'RE INTERESTED IN DOING DECONSTRUCTION JUST BECAUSE THEY FEEL LIKE IT'S, IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO, AND THEY FEEL LIKE THERE'S A MARKET FOR THE MATERIALS.
SO IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE ARE JUST CREATING, LIKE THEY'RE, WE'RE REALLY HEARING FROM PEOPLE IN THE MARKETPLACE THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S VALUABLE.
UM, IN TERMS OF, UH, I GUESS WHO WOULD BE ENFORCING THAT THE DECONSTRUCTION IS DONE APPROPRIATELY, SO IT WOULD BE ADMINISTERED BY THE OFFICE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION THROUGH THE PERMITTING PROCESS.
SO WE WOULD BE DEVELOPING, UM, YOU KNOW, KIND OF REPORTING STRUCTURE THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO USE.
WE ENVISION DOING A LOT OF IT, UH, VIRTUALLY SO THAT WE'RE NOT HOLDING UP PROJECTS.
YOU KNOW, WE COULD DO CONSULTATIONS WITH PEOPLE OVER FACETIME OR, YOU KNOW, WHATEV WHATEVER, IT IT SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THAT.
AND SO, UH, THEY WOULD JUST HAVE TO BE, THEY'D HAVE TO DOCUMENT TO US WHAT THEY'RE ABLE TO SALVAGE.
AND OF COURSE THE ORDINANCE, UH, ALLOWS FOR EXCEPTIONS FOR THINGS LIKE TERMITE DAMAGE OR, YOU KNOW, OTHER, OTHER TYPES OF MAYBE SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, HAD BEEN BURNED BY A FIRE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
[00:30:01]
THE ORDINANCE DOES ANTICIPATE EXCEPTIONS FOR MATERIAL THAT ISN'T IN, IN THE RIGHT CONDITION TO REUSE.OH, THAT WAS GONNA BE MY NEXT QUESTION.
SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR, FOR ANSWERING THAT.
UM, AND THEN, UH, LAST QUESTION IS, UH, YOU TWO SPOKE ABOUT THE HEALTH IMPACTS OF, UH, A STANDARD DEMOLITION, AND, UM, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT TO OUR ATTENTION, BUT IT DOES CONCERN ME ABOUT, YOU KNOW, POST 1960 HOUSES OR WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN BETWEEN NOW AND WHEN WE FINALLY GET TO, UM, THIS ORDINANCE.
UM, HAVE THERE BEEN ANY DISCUSSIONS WITH, UH, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT OR, OR D S D ABOUT ABATING THAT SOMEHOW? UM, SO, SO METRO HEALTH AND D S D HAVE BOTH BEEN INVOLVED IN THE DECONSTRUCTION ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
SO I THINK IT, IT DEFINITELY IS A, IS AN ONGOING CONVERSATION TO THINK ABOUT, UM, HOW ELSE WE SHOULD BE MITIGATING THAT COMMUNITY RISK.
BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE AN ANSWER FOR YOU AT THIS POINT.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD, STEPH? I THINK, I MEAN, SHANNON'S RIGHT IN THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS, BUT THERE'S PROBABLY MORE THAT THE CITY ITSELF COULD BE DOING.
TEXAS OVERALL IS ONE OF THE STATES IN THE NATION THAT DOESN'T HAVE A LOT OF DEMOLITION OVERSIGHT, ESPECIALLY FOR RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS.
SO THERE IS NO REQUIREMENT TO REMEDIATE BEFORE YOU DEMOLISH.
UM, AND MORE OTHER STATES LIKE PORT, UH, PORTLAND AND OREGON, THEY HAVE STATE LEGISLATION THAT ENABLES CITIES TO IMPLEMENT PROGRESSIVE, UM, LEAD ABATEMENT STRATEGIES THAT EFFECTIVELY REQUIRE DECONSTRUCTION IF THERE IS ANY PRESENCE OF A TOXIC MATERIAL.
UM, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE MIGHT WANT TO AIM TO BUILD UP TO, BECAUSE THAT REALLY HELPS MITIGATE THE HEALTH DISPARITIES THAT WE SEE WITH DEMOLITION.
BUT AT PRESENT, WE'RE WORKING WITH THE EXISTING STRUCTURES IN CITY CODE BECAUSE THAT FALLS UNDER CITY CODE, OR, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW THE ANSWER, BUT DO WE HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO REGULATE THAT, OR IS, DOES THAT LIE ONLY WITH THE STATE? WE'D HAVE TO CHECK.
OH, I SEE ATTORNEYS HERE,
COULD WE POSE THAT AS A QUESTION FOR, FOR FOLLOW UP, MR. MCCAREY? THANK YOU.
UH, WE'LL MOVE ON TO, UH, ITEM NUMBER TWO, WHICH IS, UH, LET'S SEE, I THINK THE OFFICIAL TITLE SAYS YES, PLEASE.
ITEM TWO IS A BRIEFING REGARDING THE EVENTS GRANTS AND PROJECT GRANTS FOR INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS PROGRAMS. THANK YOU, MS. JONES.
I'M THE INTERIM DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ARTS AND CULTURE, AND I AM HERE TO TALK ABOUT A REALLY EXCITING TOPIC, OUR TWO NEW GRANT PROGRAMS, OUR EVENTS, GRANTS, AND OUR INDIVIDUAL ARTIST GRANTS THAT ARE THE PROJECT GRANTS FOR INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS.
BEFORE I GET INTO THE PRESENTATION, I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DID NOT, UH, GIVE A CALL OUT TO OUR TEAM WHO HAS BEEN WORKING HARD ON THESE PROGRAMS. I HAVE DIANA, HI, UH, HIDALGO HERE.
SHE'S OUR ASSISTANT, INTERIM ASSISTANT DIRECTOR.
WE ALSO HAVE KAREN LUGO ON THE TEAM.
UH, WE HAVE VICTORIA GARCIA, AND WE ALSO HAVE AMANDA VO.
SO THEY'RE WORKING ON ALL OF THESE GRANT PROGRAMS. TODAY WE'RE GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT 83 GRANTS THAT THEY MANAGE ON TOP OF OTHER GRANTS.
SO THEY'RE A VERY BUSY TEAM, A TINY AND MIGHTY TEAM.
OKAY, SO OUR CORE GRANTS PROGRAM, UM, IT WAS THE EVENTS AND PROJECT GRANTS ARE NEW PROGRAMS FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF ARTS AND CULTURE, AS I MENTIONED.
AND THEY ARE PART OF THE CORE GRANTS FUNDING GUIDELINES ADOPTED BY CITY COUNCIL IN FISCAL YEAR 2021, WHICH WAS IN DECEMBER, 2020 WHEN THEY WERE APPROVED.
AND THEY'RE FOR IMPLEMENTATION THIS FISCAL YEAR, FISCAL YEAR 2022.
UM, BEFORE I GET INTO EACH GRANT PROGRAM, I DO WANNA HIGHLIGHT ONE OF OUR EVENT GRANTS, UM, WINNERS, UH, HERE OUR GRANTEES, THEY'RE SEEN HERE ON THE SLIDE.
UH, IT IS THE SAN ANTONIO PERSIAN CULTURAL SOCIETY, AND THEY'RE AN EVENTS GRANT RECIPIENT WHO WILL BE PRESENTING THEIR AUTUMN FESTIVAL WITH THE SUPPORT OF THIS GRANT.
SO, GETTING INTO THE EVENTS GRANT AND THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR THE EVENTS GRANT, THE, THE FULL GOAL OF THE EVENTS GRANT IS TO SUPPORT EXTRAORDINARY PRESENTATIONS AND PERFORMANCES OF DIVERSE ARTISTIC EXPRESSIONS, AS WELL AS THE MULTIPLE MULTICULTURAL TRADITIONS OF SAN ANTONIO.
THIS PROGRAM IS OPEN TO ANY SAN ANTONIO NONPROFIT.
UM, THEY ARE PRESENTING COMMUNITY EVENTS AND THE AWARDS ARE UP TO 20%
[00:35:02]
OF THE EVENT THAT THEY ARE PRESENTING AND PRODUCING WITH THE MAX AWARD IN THE CAP AT $20,000.THIS IS A THREE YEAR FUNDING CYCLE.
UM, SO ALL OF THE GRANT RECIPIENTS THAT WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT TODAY WILL BE RECEIVING THIS FUNDING FOR THREE YEARS.
AND THESE ARE COMPETITIVELY SCORED.
UH, WE FOCUS ON EQUITY AS WE DO WITH ALL OF OUR POLICIES.
SO PREFERENCE POINTS WERE INCLUDED IN THE EVALUATION PROCESS FOR EVENTS THAT PROMOTE OR SUPPORT RACIAL AND ETHNIC COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, WOMEN, LGBTQIA PLUS VETERANS, AND THEN ALSO EVENTS THAT ARE HELD IN CENSUS TRACKS THAT HAVE BEEN HISTORICALLY DISADVANTAGED AND IN NON, UH, TRADITIONAL LOCATIONS.
SO THE EVENTS GRANT, HOW WE GOT THE WORD OUT, I DO WANNA, UH, FOCUS ON THAT, IS THAT WE ACTUALLY SENT DIRECT MAIL FLYERS TO ALL NONPROFITS IN SAN ANTONIO TO LET THEM KNOW ABOUT THIS NEW EVENT, UH, GRANT PROGRAM.
WE ALSO HELD AN APPLICATION WORKSHOP AND INCLUDED THE, THE EVENT GRANT IN OUR, UH, MARKETING AND ADVERTISING EFFORTS, WHICH WE DO ALSO A LOT, UH, UH, OUR MARKETING AND ADVERTISING EFFORTS TO, UH, EQUITABLE MARKETING IN THOSE CENSUS TRACKS.
SO, 23 APPLICATIONS, UH, DID RECEIVE, UH, WE DID RECEIVE THAT THROUGH THE REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS PROCESS, AND THEY WERE EVALUATED AND SCORED BY PANELISTS.
ALL OF THE APPLICANTS, UH, WERE RECOMMENDED FOR FUNDING, AND THE SAN ANTONIO ARTS COMMISSION AND ITS ARTS FUNDING COMMITTEE APPROVED THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS BECAUSE ALL APPLICANTS ALSO SCORED ABOVE THE MINIMUM, WHICH WAS FANTASTIC TO SEE THESE GREAT PRESENTATIONS COMING TO FRUITION.
AND SO, AS A RESULT, 23 EVENTS THROUGHOUT SAN ANTONIO WILL BE SUPPORTED WITH A TOTAL OF $101,415 ALL THROUGHOUT SAN ANTONIO, INCLUDING THE KENNY D DAN DANCE THEATER'S DANCE FESTIVAL, UH, WHICH CELEBRATES ALL FORMS OF DANCE AND REALLY ENCOURAGES CREATIVITY THROUGH THE CHOREOGRAPHY OF THE DANCE PERFORMANCES PRESENTED AT THIS FESTIVAL.
AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED, IT'S 23 CO, UH, ARTS AND CULTURE COMMUNITY EVENTS.
THEY'RE GONNA BE HAPPENING, UH, THROUGHOUT THE CALENDAR YEAR.
SO THEIR CONTRACTS ARE JANUARY TO DECEMBER AND THEY RANGE FROM CULTURAL FESTIVALS, DANCE FESTIVALS, CHORAL PRESENTATIONS, EVEN A COMMUNITY FASHION SHOW.
THE LOCATIONS, EACH OF THE EVENTS ARE WORKING TO SOLIDIFY THEIR DATES AND LOCATIONS AT THIS TIME, UH, KNOWING THAT THEY HAVE THE SUPPORT WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF ARTS AND CULTURE.
AND WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM IF THEY EVER HAVE ANY HICCUP TO, UH, FIND A LOCATION FOR THEIR EVENT.
UM, AND THESE EVENTS INCLUDE THE JAPA, UH, JAPAN AMERICAN SOCIETY OF SAN ANTONIO'S, AKI MASORI CULTURAL FESTIVAL, AND ALSO THE SAN ANTONIO SWING DANCE SOCIETIES', DIA DELOS HOPPERS DANCE EVENT.
SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED, UH, ABOUT THESE CULTURAL PRESENTATIONS.
AND, UH, IN FRONT OF YOU, YOU ACTUALLY HAVE A LIST OF ALL OF THE GRANT WINNERS, ALL OF THE 23, INCLUDING WHICH COUNCIL DISTRICTS THE ORGANIZATION IS LOCATED IN, AND ALSO WHICH COUNCIL DISTRICT THEY'RE LOOKING TO PRESENT THEIR EVENT.
UM, AND, UH, WE WILL BE SENDING OUT THIS INFORMATION TO YOU IN A SOFT COPY WITH LINKS TO, UH, THEIR WEBSITES AND ALSO SOME MORE DETAILS.
AGAIN, JUST THREE MORE EVENTS THAT ARE, ARE PART OF THIS PROGRAM.
WE HAVE THE HERITAGE FESTIVALS OF SAN ANTONIO, THE ESSAY FOLK DANCE FESTIVAL TARGETING THE END OF MARCH AT OUR LADY OF THE LAKE UNIVERSITY.
WE HAVE THE VOICES, DE LA LUNA, THE ALAMO CITY, BILINGUAL YOUTH AND ADULT POETRY FESTIVAL, UH, LOOKING AT APRIL FOR THAT, ESPECIALLY TYING TO NATIONAL POETRY MONTH AND THE NEW SAN ANTONIO WITH DIWALI HAPPENING NOVEMBER 5TH, 2022 AT HEMISPHERE.
MOVING ON TO THE INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS PROJECT GRANTS, UH, THIS, UH, GOAL OF THIS PROGRAM IS TO SUPPORT ARTISTS WORKING ACROSS THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO IN THE PRODUCTION OF NEW ORIGINAL AND HIGH QUALITY ART, UH, AND ALSO FOR PRESENTATION TO THE COMMUNITY IN SAN ANTONIO.
SO THESE ARE $5,000 GRANTS FOR THE CREATION AND DISPLAY OF THESE NEW ARTWORKS.
AND THERE ARE MAIN PROJECT CATEGORIES OF LITERARY ARTS, MEDIA ARTS, MULTIDISCIPLINARY PERFORMING ARTS, AND VISUAL ARTS.
AGAIN, THERE WAS A REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS, AND IT WAS A COMPETITIVE PROCESS SCORED BY PANELISTS THAT WERE CATEGORIZED, UH, BY THEIR EXPERTISE IN EACH OF THE PROJECT CATEGORIES.
AND, UH, THIS, THIS GRANT FUNDING AND RECOMMENDATIONS WAS APLU APPROVED BY THE SAN ANTONIO ARTS COMMISSION AND THE ARTS FUNDING COMMITTEE.
AND AGAIN, UH, COMMITTED TO EQUITY WITH THE BONUS PREFERENCE POINTS FOR INDI FOR ARTISTS WHO IDENTIFIED, UH,
[00:40:01]
IN THE CATEGORIES OF RACIAL AND ETHNIC COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, WOMEN, LGBTQIA PLUS VETERANS, AND THEN ALSO IF THEY ARE LIVING OR HAVE THEIR STUDIO IN THOSE CENSUS TRACKED AREAS.UH, SOME OF THESE ARTISTS I LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT, UM, BECAUSE THERE'S MANY OF THEM AS YOU'LL SEE, UM, IS BO RODRIGUEZ.
HE'S A MUSICIAN THAT'S BEEN IN SAN ANTONIO, UH, WORKING AS A MUSICIAN FOR A, A LONG TIME, AND HE'S GONNA BE RECORDING AN ALBUM AT STONE CREEK STUDIOS.
AND HE'S GOING, UH, WHEN HE'S DONE WITH THAT ALBUM, PRESENTING IT AS AN ALBUM RELEASE, UH, EVENT AND PERFORMANCE FOR SAN THE SAN ANTONIO COMMUNITY.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE, UH, TAMARA AE AND SHE'S A PERFORMANCE ARTIST.
SHE'S GONNA BE DOING THREE FLAMENCO PERFORMANCES ALL ACROSS SAN ANTONIO WITH HER GRANT, AND IT'S GONNA BE DOCUMENTED WITH FILM.
SHE'S GONNA BE CREATING THREE FOOT TALL PUPPETS.
UH, AND IT'S THIS, UH, SHE'S GONNA BE DOING A FILMED PERFORMANCE WITH THESE PUPPETS, AND IT'S GOING TO BE EXPLORING, UH, A PEEK INTO THE WORLD OF STRUGGLING WORKING CLASS FOLKS IN SAN ANTONIO.
WE RECEIVED 83 APPLICATIONS FOR THIS INDIVIDUAL ARTIST GRANT PROGRAM.
UM, AND WE HAD THE WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY OF APPROVING 30 OF THEM IN THE FIRST ROUND, AND THEN WE WERE ABLE TO APPROVE 30 IN A SECOND ROUND.
SO WE HAVE 60 TOTAL ARTISTS THAT ARE BEING, UH, FUNDED THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, EACH GETTING $5,000 FOR THE CREATION OF NEW WORKS.
THEIR PROJECTS NEED TO BE COMPLETED AND DISPLAYED BY MARCH, 2023.
AND THEY ARE VARYING IN DISCIPLINES, AND THEY'RE GONNA BE PRESENTED ALL OVER SAN ANTONIO.
UM, THESE, THERE'S THREE THEATRICAL PERFORMANCES, POETRY, READINGS, DANCE PERFORMANCES, MUSIC PERFORMANCES.
IT'S GONNA BE A FANTASTIC, UH, TIME HERE IN THE NEXT YEAR.
AND WE HAVE NOAH PETERSON, HE'S ONE OF THE WINNERS.
HE IS GOING TO BE COMPOSING SOME NEW WORKS THAT ARE GONNA BE EXPLORING HIS TIME HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, AND ALSO NEW TRENDS, UH, IN HIS, UH, LINE OF WORK AS A MUSICIAN.
HE'S A, UH, VERY NOTORIOUS FOR BEING A LOOPER.
SO HE'S LIKE A ONE MAN ACT WHERE HE'S RECORDING MANY DIFFERENT BEATS AND, UH, SOUNDS WITH HIS SAXOPHONE AND RECORDING THEM AND LOOPING THEM LIVE.
SO IT'S LIKE YOU HAVE AN ENTIRE, UH, YOU KNOW, BAND RIGHT THERE IN FRONT OF YOU, BUT IT'S JUST ONE PERSON.
SO, JUST A FEW OTHER EXAMPLES OF OUR EXCITING INDIVIDUAL ARTIST GRANT WINNERS.
SHE'S GONNA BE CREATING A COLLECTION OF SPOKEN WORD POETRY, WHICH WILL BECOME THE MANUSCRIPT FOR HER THIRD BOOK.
SO, UH, THAT'S REALLY EXCITING TO BE SUPPORTING THAT.
HE'S GONNA BE WORKING ON A DOCUMENTARY FILM PROJECT ALONGSIDE K R T U THAT EXPLORES JAZZ MUSIC THROUGH SAN ANTONIO.
AND THEN JANELLE ESPARZA, SHE'S GONNA BE CREATING SIX HANDWOVEN TAPESTRIES, WHICH ARE GOING TO BE INFLUENCED BY TRAVELS AROUND THE SOUTH TEXAS AREA.
AND THOSE TAPE TAPESTRIES ARE GONNA REPRESENT, UH, BOTH EARTHLY AND BODILY EXPERIENCES WITHIN A LANDSCAPE.
SO IN THE TAPESTRY, SEEDS, GRASSES, BARK, WOODS ARE GONNA BE INCORPORATED IN THESE WONDERFUL TAPESTRIES.
FINALLY, THE MARKETING OF ALL OF THESE PROGRAMS. UM, WE ARE GOING TO BE, UM, PROMOTING THIS IN A NUMBER OF WAYS.
SO WE HAVE OUR SAN ANTONIO ARTIST REGISTRY.
IT'S LOCATED ON OUR WEBSITE@SANANTONIO.GOV SLASH ARTS.
AS A PART OF THE INDIVIDUAL ARTIST GRANT PROGRAM, THE ARTIST WHO APPLIED HAD TO, UH, CREATE A PROFILE IN THIS ARTIST REGISTRY.
WE HAVE OVER 300 ARTISTS WITH COMPLETE, UM, BIOGRAPHIES, UH, PHOTOS, VIDEOS OF THEIR WORKS.
UH, THIS REGISTRY IS BEING PROMOTED THROUGH OUR MARKETING EFFORTS, UH, INCLUDING, UH, PARTNERSHIPS WITH VISIT SAN ANTONIO, UM, TO GET THIS ARTIST REGISTRY IN FRONT OF MEETINGS AND CONVENTIONS FOR THE HIRING OF ARTISTS FOR INCOMING MEETINGS.
UM, WE HAVE OUR ONLINE EVENTS CALENDAR, WHICH AGAIN, WE PROMOTE THROUGH ALL OF OUR MARKETING EFFORTS, INCLUDING OUR NEWSLETTER AND SOCIAL MEDIA, ALL OF THE EVENTS THAT ARE BEING PRESENTED BY BOTH THE INDIVIDUAL ARTIST AND THESE EVENT GRANT WINNERS WILL BE PROMOTED IN THAT A IN THAT AVENUE.
WE ALSO HAVE A NEWSLETTER WITH 5,000 SUBSCRIBERS.
SO THEY WILL BE RECEIVING THIS INFORMATION AS IT COMES OUT ABOUT THESE UPCOMING EVENTS.
AND AGAIN, OUR SOCIAL MEDIA, WE'RE GONNA BE DOING SPECIFIC HIGHLIGHTS OF ALL OF THE INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS AND THEIR PIECES OF WORK THAT THEY'RE CREATING.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN PACKAGE UP TO, TO, UH, PROVIDE TO COUNCIL FOR EACH OF THE ARTISTS IN THEIR DISTRICTS.
AND THEN WE'RE ALSO GOING TO BE, UH, DOING CROSS PROMOTION.
SO ANY AVENUE WHERE THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY, IF THERE'S A VENUE THAT THEY'RE USING, WE'RE GONNA BE WORKING WITH THAT VENUE TO AGAIN, HELP JUST ELEVATE THE MESSAGE OF THESE EVENTS AND INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS.
AND THEN FINALLY, WE HAVE A GREAT SEVEN QUESTION SERIES.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE STARTED IN COLLABORATION
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WITH THE GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS, UH, T V S A TEAM.THEY'VE BEEN FANTASTIC ON THIS SERIES.
UH, IT'S SEVEN RANDOM QUESTIONS WITH THESE INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS TO JUST GET TO KNOW THEM MORE.
WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE FOOD? WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE SPOT TO GO IN SAN ANTONIO? WHAT OTHER ARTISTS DO YOU FOLLOW? SO IT'S REALLY GETTING AN INSIDE LOOK OF THE FANTASTIC ARTIST COMMUNITY THAT WE HAVE HERE IN OUR CITY.
AND WITH THAT, UM, I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THESE GRANT PROGRAMS. UH, THANK YOU, CRYSTAL.
NOW, THESE ARE, UH, GRANTS THAT DO NOT HAVE TO GO TO COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL BECAUSE OF THE FINANCIAL AMOUNT.
SO THE, THE, THE GRANT GUIDELINES WERE APPROVED BY COUNCIL IN DECEMBER 20, UM, 2020, AND THEN THEY ARE INCLUDED IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO'S BUDGET.
SO OUR DEPARTMENT BUDGET, BUT EACH OF THEM DO GO TO THE ARTS FUNDING COMMITTEE AND THE ARTS COMMISSION FOR APPROVAL FOR RECOMMENDED RECOMMENDATIONS.
WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR, UH, SHARING THOSE WITH US.
I LOOK FORWARD TO HELPING, UH, PROMOTE SOME OF THESE, UH, SOME OF THESE EVENTS THROUGH, THROUGH OUR CHANNELS AS WELL.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM OUR COMMENTS FROM THE COUNCIL MEMBERS? OH, COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO.
THANK YOU CHAIR, AND THANK YOU CRYSTAL FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, I'M SURE MANY OF YOU ALL KNOW I TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN THE ACTIVE ARTS COMMUNITY THAT DISTRICT FIVE HAS, AND I TAKE GREAT PRIDE WHEN THEY COME TO CITIZENS TO BE HEARD, TO ADVOCATE, TO ENSURE THAT THE ARTS IS FAIRLY FUNDED, FAIRLY REPRESENTED, AND ENSURING THAT IF, UM, THERE IS A SHORTFALL DUE TO COVID, THAT THEY, UM, SEE THAT FUND BE REPLENISHED.
UM, SO GIVEN THAT, I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SEE THAT OVER 10 DISTRICT FIVE ARTISTS RECEIVED, UM, THESE, SOME OF THESE, UH, PROJECT GRANTS, AND I AM PLEASED THAT Y'ALL ALSO REQUEST THEIR INSTAGRAMS
UM, BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, UM, I REACHED OUT TO SEVERAL ARTS ORGANIZATIONS AND ARTISTS IN DISTRICT FIVE IN PREPARATION, UH, FOR THIS BRIEFING.
AND, UH, MANY OF 'EM, UH, PRAISE THIS FRAMEWORK THAT YOU ALL HAVE CREATED.
AND THEIR HOPE IS THAT MOVING FORWARD WITH THE COVID FUNDS THAT HAVE BEEN SHIFTED, UM, TO THE, TO COUNCIL COMMITTEE NOW, IS THAT THIS SAME FRAMEWORK, UM, THAT YOU ALL HAVE PUT FORWARD IS USED TO FILTER THROUGH THOSE APPLICATIONS FOR ARTIST GRANTS.
UM, HAVE YOU ALL HAD CONVERSATION ABOUT POTENTIALLY USING THIS FRAMEWORK TO FILTER THROUGH, UM, THE APPLICATIONS FOR THE ARPA FUNDING? YEAH, WE HAD, UH, MANY CONVERSATIONS, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, IN PREPARATION FOR THIS FUNDING.
SO, UM, THERE'S A FEW FUNDING FRAMEWORKS, INCLUDING THE SA CARES FOR ART, UH, FUNDING FRAMEWORK THAT WE USED IN THE LAST FEDERAL RELIEF FUNDING ROUND.
UH, AND THAT DID PROVIDE INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS UP TO $5,000 FOR LOSSES THEY INCURRED BECAUSE OF COVID RELATED, UM, UH, EXPERIENCES.
SO, UM, WE HAVE BEEN, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THAT PARTICULAR FUNDING FRAMEWORK, THE SA CARES FOR ART FRAMEWORK BECAUSE WE'VE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY AND WE'VE BEEN TOUCHING BASE WITH THEM QUITE OFTEN, THAT IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WORKED QUITE WELL TO GET THE FUNDING TO THEM IMMEDIATELY, WHERE THEY HAVE THOSE IMMEDIATE NEEDS.
UM, IF, IF THE COUNCIL COMMITTEE WILL BE GOING TO COUNCIL COMMITTEE, IF THERE IS A CALL FOR DOING MORE PROJECTS OR PROVIDING IMMEDIATE RELIEF TO ARTISTS, THAT WOULD BE A CONVERSATION, UH, THAT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING WITH THIS COUNCIL COMMITTEE TO TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU'D LIKE TO SEE.
UM, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE READY AND PREPARED TO DO FRAMEWORK FOR, UH, WHERE WHATEVER THE END GOAL IS REALLY, BUT WE'VE BEEN REALLY FOCUSED ON THAT SA CARES FOR ART FRAMEWORK.
BUT I DON'T HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR WORK ON THIS.
UH, JUST TO DOUBLE CHECK, I, I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS SIGNED UP, BUT COUNCILMAN MCKEE RODRIGUEZ, A SCREEN SHOW, SEVEN SPEAKERS SIGNED UP.
WE'RE NOT MISSING ANYBODY, ARE WE? NO,
UM, SO I AM A HUGE FAN OF THE ARTS, AND I LOVE THE TALENT OF PEOPLE IN ALL OF ITS FORMS. AND SO I'M EXCITED TO SEE, UM, THESE PROGRAMS INITIATE AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THEIR GROWTH.
UM, I'M EAGER TO SEE BOTH THE GROWTH, THE, UM, THE GRANT AMOUNTS INCREASE AND THE NUMBER OF RECIPIENTS INCREASE, AND I KNOW THAT'LL COME WITH TIME.
UM, I'LL ALSO STATE HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE THE EFFORTS THAT YOUR DEPARTMENT GOES TO, TO, UM, MARKET OUR ARTISTS AND CONNECT THEM WITH FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, MY FIRST SET OF COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS ARE BASED ON MY INITIAL REACTION TO THE EVENTS, GRANTS RECIPIENTS.
SO, UM, I APPRECIATE THE BONUS POINTS GIVEN TO PEOPLE OF COLOR AND ETHNIC MINORITIES.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'D LIKE FOR THE DEPARTMENT TO PONDER, AND I'LL HAVE A REQUEST AT THE END OF THIS, IS THAT IN
[00:50:01]
A MAJORITY MINORITY CITY, I'VE NOTICED, AND MANY MEMBERS OF MY COMMUNITY HAVE NOTICED THAT THE BLACK COMMUNITY IS STILL UNDERREPRESENTED.AND I FEEL IMMENSE PRIDE IN BEING BLACK IN SAN ANTONIO AND IN EVERYDAY LEARNING SOMETHING NEW ABOUT BLACK AND AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY, SPECIFICALLY IN SAN ANTONIO.
IT IS SO RICH AND THERE'S SO MUCH TO KNOW, AND I WORRY THAT ALTHOUGH THESE STORIES ARE BEING TOLD, THEY MAY NOT BE RECEIVING, UM, TRULY EQUITABLE SUPPORT.
AND SO I'D LIKE TO SEE OUTREACH AND MARKETING AIMED SPECIFICALLY AT UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS, INCLUDING THE BLACK COMMUNITY.
AND I WOULD ALSO BE INTERESTED IN A BLACK SPECIFIC CATEGORY SO THAT A BLACK ARTIST OR A BLACK APPLICANT WOULD RECEIVE PEOPLE OF COLOR.
THE BONUS POINTS FOR THAT AND THE BLACK POINTS, ARE THESE TWO THINGS, SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO? YEAH, I, I, I WOULD REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO TALKING TO YOU ABOUT HOW TO REACH, UM, THE COMMUNITY AS WELL, BECAUSE, UM, YOU KNOW, REALLY IDENTIFYING THOSE NONPROFITS, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THESE EVENTS, GRANTS THAT ARE IN THE AREA, BECAUSE, UM, SOMETIMES A, A FLYER MAY NOT BE ENOUGH.
IT'S THAT ONE-ON-ONE, UH, WORK THAT WE CAN DO.
SO, UH, WE'RE PREPARED TO DO THAT ONE-ON-ONE WORK.
WE'VE ACTUALLY BEEN DOING THAT WITH THE INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS TO WORK WITH THEM ONE-ON-ONE.
UM, SO I'M EXCITED TO, TO EXPAND THAT OUTREACH BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE A, AN ABSOLUTE WONDERFUL, UM, THING TO ACHIEVE FOR OUR DEPARTMENT.
I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR, UM, RECEPTIVENESS TO THAT.
UM, I ALSO WANT TO ADD THAT IN FIRST GLANCE OF THE, UM, I KNOW I KEEP SAYING FIRST GLANCE, UM, THE INDIVIDUAL ARTIST GRANTS, I THINK IT'S ABOUT SIX OF THEM ARE FROM DISTRICT TWO OUT OF THE 60.
I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T DO TOO, TOO MUCH, BUT, UM, YES, THANK YOU.
UM, I THINK WHEN WE TALK ABOUT EQUITY AND THIS EQUITY IS SOMETHING THAT'S CRITICAL TO THE ENTIRE, THE CITY'S WORK AND ITS ENTIRETY, INCLUDING THE ARTS DEPARTMENT, I THINK ABOUT, UM, ESPECIALLY COMING FROM BEING AN EDUCATOR, I THINK ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY GAP THAT EXISTS IN, IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF TOWN.
AND SO, ALTHOUGH WE HAVE ONE 10TH OF THE GRANTS, I DON'T NECESSARILY THINK THAT'S EQUITABLE.
AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO, AND THIS COMES BACK TO, UH, WORK WITH MY OFFICE AND YOU AND I WOULD LOVE TO COLLABORATE AND CONNECT YOU WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT ARTISTS, GROUPS AND WHATNOT, AND DISTRICT TWO.
I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ON THAT.
AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.
I THINK THIS IS REALLY AN AMAZING PROGRAM AND I'M SO EXCITED TO SEE IT COME TO FRUITION.
COUNCILMAN MCKEE RODRIGUEZ, UH, SINCE WE HAVE NICK DOMINGUEZ, WHICH IS OUR D E I OFFICE THAT'S ALSO HEADING THE OFFICE OF EQUITY, THEY CAN PROBABLY RALLY TOGETHER AND Y'ALL CAN HAVE THAT MEETING AND THEY COULD HELP YOU WITH THAT.
MIGHT EVEN DEVELOP A TOOL FOR THAT AS WELL.
WELL, I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE, BUT WELCOME TO THE NEW ROLE, CRYSTAL.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, FOR THE PRESENTATION AND, AND GREAT WORK.
UM, OUR THIRD ITEM FOR DISCUSSION TODAY IS A BRIEFING BY THE DISABILITY ACCESS OFFICE, UH, TO PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF PURPOSE, ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND PARTNERSHIPS WITH CITY DEPARTMENTS, THE DISABILITY ACCESS ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS.
AND I UNDERSTAND YOU'LL ALSO BE SHARING THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE DISABILITY ACCESS ADVISORY COMMITTEE WITH US TODAY.
UH, MY NAME IS NICK DOMINGUEZ AND I'M THE INTERIM DIRECTOR OF THE, UH, DIVERSITY EQUITY AND INCLUSION DEPARTMENT HERE AT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, UH, WITH MANY PROGRAMS, UH, THAT HAVE BEEN PRESENTED HERE THIS MORNING, I'VE BEEN LISTENING TO D E I CROSSES THROUGH MANY OF THEM, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING, UH, WITH ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS, UH, IN, IN ALL OF THOSE, THOSE PROGRAMS. BUT THIS MORNING, UH, WE HAVE, UH, DEBBIE SHARVIN, WHO'S OUR ACCESS COMPLIANCE MANAGER.
SHE'S PART OF THE DISABILITY ACCESS OFFICE WITHIN THE, UH, D E I DEPARTMENT, AND SHE'LL BE PRESENTING.
SO BEFORE I KIND OF REALLY STARTED INTO OUR PROJECTS, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY REALLY UNDERSTANDS WHO WE ARE AS THE DISABILITY ACCESS OFFICE.
SO OUR MISSION REALLY IS TO ENSURE THAT ANYONE, REGARDLESS OF ABILITY, CAN FULLY ENGAGE IN COMMUNITY LIFE, PARTICULARLY WITH OUR CITY SERVICES, PROGRAMS AND FACILITIES.
WE REALLY HAVE THREE CORE SERVICES.
OUR FUNCTION, WE START WITH COMPLIANCE.
WE START WITH HOW WE MEET, THAT WE START WITH HOW WE CAN IMPROVE COMPLIANCE.
WE WORK TOWARDS MEET PROMOTING MEANINGFUL USE, HOW WE CAN ACTUALLY IMPLEMENT ALL OF THOSE PIECES INTO OUR DEPARTMENT PROCESSES, PROGRAMS, POLICIES, AND THEN HOW WE MOVE TO ADVANCING
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EQUITY FOR INDIVIDUALS LIVING WITH DISABILITIES.AND SO IN COMPLIANCE, WE DO SERVE AS THE CITY'S A D A AND 5 0 4 COORDINATOR.
WE HANDLE GRIEVANCE AND COMPLAINT RESOLUTIONS.
WE, UH, MONITOR DEPARTMENT TRANSITION PLANS.
AND AS WE MOVE TO PROMOTING MEANINGFUL USE, WE REALLY ARE DOING KIND OF THE HARD WORK.
SO THIS IS OUR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE THAT WE PROVIDE, OUR TRAININGS, OUR EDUCATION MATERIALS, ALL OF THE DESIGN AND PROGRAM REVIEWS THAT WE, UH, COLLABORATE WITH DEPARTMENTS ON.
AND THIS IS ALL OF OUR POLICIES AND BEST PRACTICES THAT WE WORK WITH DEPARTMENTS ON.
WHEN WE MOVE TO ADVANCING EQUITY, THIS IS REALLY HOW WE INCORPORATE THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT INTO WHAT WE DO AS THE CITY.
SO WE REALLY LOOK AT HOW WE CAN PARTNER WITH AGENCIES ON DIFFERENT INITIATIVES.
WE LOOK AT HOW, UM, THE DISABILITY ACCESS ADVISORY COMMITTEE CAN REALLY BE ENGAGED IN WHAT THE CITY DOES.
AND SO, AT A GLANCE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT OUR OFFICE IS THAT WE WERE ACTUALLY ESTABLISHED IN 1978, LONG BEFORE THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT, UH, CAME INTO EXISTENCE.
SO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO REALLY HAS ALWAYS BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF IMPROVING, UH, EQUITY FOR INDIVIDUALS LIVING WITH DISABILITIES.
WE ARE A NEW MEMBER TO THE D E I DEPARTMENT.
UM, WE WERE WITH THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, BUT, UM, WE'RE VERY EXCITED THAT WE'RE GONNA BE HOUSED IN THIS NEW DEPARTMENT AND HAVING A MUCH CLOSER RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR, OUR PARTNER, UH, OFFICES.
UM, WE ARE A SMALL AND MIGHTY TEAM OF FOUR PEOPLE, UM, BUT WE FEEL LIKE WE, WE ARE ABLE TO KIND OF GO AND, AND TO THE DISTANCE AND REALLY DO A LOT OF WORK FOR COMMUNITY, UM, TO THE UP.
YOU CAN ALSO SEE SOME OF OUR PERFORMANCE MEASURES.
ONE OF THE THINGS I DO WANNA HIGHLIGHT IS OUR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.
UM, ANYONE WHO CALLS OUR OFFICE OR CONTACTS OUR OFFICE, REGARDLESS OF WHO THEY ARE OR WHERE THEY ARE, UM, WE CAN PROVIDE GUIDANCE, UM, REFERRALS, UM, ACCESSIBILITY, STANDARD INFORMATION, SO ANYTHING KIND OF RELATED WILL PROVIDE, PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO THAT PERSON.
AND SO WE REGULARLY GET CALLS FROM OUTSIDE THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO BECAUSE, UH, THEY CAN FIND US AND THEY KNOW AND TRUST OUR, OUR, OUR GUIDANCE.
SO ONE OF THE TOPICS THAT OUR OFFICE REGULARLY FOCUSES ON IS PEDESTRIAN ACCESS, WHICH OF COURSE OUR MAIN PARTNERS ARE GONNA BE THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, AND VIA.
SO SOME OF THE WORK THAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING, UH, LATELY IS WE HAVE PROVIDED SOME U D C AMENDMENT UPDATES, UM, THAT WE'VE VETTED THROUGH, UM, OUR ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON, UM, WHICH INCLUDES BASICALLY, UH, INCLUDING PRO AG, WHICH IS A, A PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY, ACCESSIBILITY GUIDELINES THAT'S NOT YET ADOPTED FOR CITY AND AND STATES.
BUT WE SEE AS A BEST PRACTICE THAT WE'D LIKE TO INCORPORATE.
UM, WE ARE WORKING ON SOME STAFF TRAINING AND EDUCATION MATERIALS, AND WE ARE INCORPORATING HOW WE CAN, UM, UTILIZE, UH, OUR D MEMBERS IN SOME LIVED EXPERIENCE, UM, UH, EDUCATION AND TRAININGS, UH, PARTICULARLY ON SITE.
AND SO WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE, UM, WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR DAC ON HOW WE CAN INCORPORATE ONSITE ASSESSMENTS AND HOW THEY ACTUALLY UTILIZE THE PEDESTRIAN FACILITIES AND HOW, UH, AND MOVING AROUND, UM, THROUGHOUT OUR CITY.
AND THEN WE ARE ALSO OUR BIGGEST PROJECT THAT WE'RE WORKING ON, UM, WITH PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, UM, RIGHT NOW IS THE UPDATE TO THE 2009 SIDEWALK TRANSITION PLAN.
WE'RE CURRENTLY AT THE TAIL END OF, UH, DOING A G I S FIELD ASSESSMENT REVIEW OF DATA, UM, TO WHERE WE'RE HOPING THAT WE CAN FINISH ALL OF THAT AND HAVE INITIAL DATA SETS RELEASABLE IN EARLY MARCH UM, WHICH WILL BREAK DOWN, UM, INFORMATION ON CURB RAMPS, AUDIBLE PEDESTRIAN SIGNALS AND SIDEWALKS.
UM, AND THEN WE'LL START, ONCE THAT IS COMPLETED, WE'LL START OUR INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, UH, MEETINGS WHERE, UH, OUR D COMMITTEE IS GONNA BE VERY, UM, INTEGRAL INTO THAT, AS WELL AS DEVELOPING SOME FOCUS GROUPS, UM, BASED ON TYPES OF DISABILITY WITH OUR LOCAL PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS, UM, WITH PARKS, RECREATION, AND TRAILS.
UM, WE REALLY OBVIOUSLY HIGHLIGHT OUR WORK WITH OUR PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT, BUT I DO WANNA INCLUDE OUR DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES AND OUR LIBRARIES IN THIS.
THEY HAVE A LOT OF RECREATIONAL PROGRAMS, UH, AVAILABLE TO THE COMMUNITY, SO WE DO WORK WITH THEM ON DIFFERENT, UM, TRAINING PROGRAMS, EDUCATION MATERIALS, AND SOME OF THE DAC RECOMMENDATIONS RECENTLY, UM, SPECIFICALLY TO THE PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN ABOUT HOW WE PRESENT ACCESSIBILITY INFORMATION ON WEBPAGE.
AND SO WE ARE WORKING WITH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT ON THAT.
AND THEN WE ARE ALSO, UM, WORKING WITH, UM, THEM ON HOW WE DEVELOP A PLANNING PRO PROGRAM ON HOW WE UPDATE THE FACILITY FIELD ASSESSMENTS, WHICH IS THE FIRST STEP IN UPDATING A DEPARTMENT, UH, TRANSITION PLAN.
SO WE ALSO ARE FOCUSED, OBVIOUSLY VERY CLOSELY ALONG WITH EVERYONE ELSE IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, HOW WE FOCUS ON DIGITAL ACCESS.
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SO OUR MAIN PARTNERS REALLY HAVE BEEN, OBVIOUSLY THE I T S D DEPARTMENT,AND SO WE'VE WORKED WITH, UM, THEM WITH THE CORE, UH, C OVID 19 PORTAL, THE VACCINE REGISTRATION PORTAL ON ENSURING ACCESSIBILITY BASED ON, UH, UH, GUIDELINES.
UM, WE HAVE A NEW PROCESS, UH, WHICH WE'RE CALLING A DIGITAL DESIGN PLAN REVIEW, WHICH IS WHEN DEPARTMENTS ARE, UM, ABOUT READY TO DO A CONTRACT WITH A THIRD PARTY VENDOR TO ENSURE THAT THEY'RE MEETING A DIFFERENT, UH, ACCESSIBILITY GUIDELINES.
UM, AND THEN WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THEM ON WHAT WE'RE CALLING THE DIGITAL FRONT DOOR USER TESTING AND RESEARCH, WHICH THAT IS REALLY WHERE OUR DAC ADVISORY COMMITTEE COMES IN, UM, TO WHERE BASICALLY WE GO, HEY, WE'VE GOT THIS TEST SITE, CAN YOU HELP US TEST THIS? AND SO OUR MEMBERS ACTUALLY, UH, JOIN US WITH THAT.
THEN OUR LAST, UH, KIND OF BIG TOPIC THAT WE REALLY, UH, FOCUS ON ON A REGULAR BASIS IS COMMUNITY PREPAREDNESS.
WERE OBVIOUSLY METRO HEALTH AND THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ARE, ARE OUR LARGEST PARTNERS.
SO WE'VE PLAYED A, A LARGE ROLE IN HOW, UH, THE CITY HAS RESPONDED TO C OVID 19 AND THE RESPONSE TO RECOVERY, THE VACCINE DISTRIBUTION PROCESS.
UM, WE PARTICIPATE AND WORK WITH EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ON WRITING ACCESSIBLE, UH, THE AHAZ COMMUNITY ALERTS, WHICH IS THE ACCESSIBLE ALERT ESSAY, UH, EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM, WHICH IS ACCESSIBLE TO PEOPLE WHO ARE DEAF, UH, BLIND AND DEAFBLIND.
UM, WE ALSO HELP THEM, UH, RECRUIT MEMBERS FOR LIVED EXPERIENCES, AND WE'RE PARTNERING WITH THEM ON THE UPCOMING DISABILITY INCLUSION PROJECT, WHICH IS WHERE THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IS REVIEWING THE EMERGENCY PLANS.
AND WE'LL HAVE A GAP ANALYSIS REPORT, UH, PROVIDED BY THEIR CONTRACTOR.
UM, OUR DAC IS GOING TO BE RECEIVING THAT PRESENTATION, UM, THIS MONTH, AND SO WE'RE GONNA BE WORKING WITH THEM ON HOW WE'RE INCORPORATING THOSE MEMBERS AND THAT PROCESS IN, UH, THAT TEAM INTO THIS PROCESS.
AND ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS OUR OFFICE DID DURING COVID, I WAS ACTUALLY COMPLETE A COMMUNITY SURVEY ON GATHERING THE EXPERIENCES OF PEOPLE LIVING WITH, UH, DISABILITIES WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE, UM, A REPORT OF WHAT ARE SOME OF THE TOPICS AND SOME OF THE EXPERIENCES THAT THAT COMMUNITY, UM, UH, AND THE CHALLENGES AND THE BARRIERS.
SO WE IDENTIFIED SOME, AND FROM THAT, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH A DISABILITY SA AND THE SAN ANTONIO AREA FOUNDATION ON CREATING A PANEL OF COMMUNITY RESILIENCY SERIES.
FIRST, UH, FIRST TOPIC HAS BEEN HOUSING, UM, WHERE WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM.
UH, WE HAD A SERIES OF, UH, FIVE PANEL PRESENTATIONS WHERE WE WERE IDENTIFYING AND REMOVING BARRIERS TO ACCESSIBLE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND SO WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO NOW COMPLETE THAT SERIES, AND WE'VE NOW BEEN ABLE TO KIND OF GATHER THOSE THEMES INTO EDUCATION, LEGISLATION AND POLICY AND ADVOCACY.
AND WE'RE NOW MOVING TOWARDS, UH, COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE OR COLLECTIVE IMPACT GROUP, UM, AND WORK GROUPS ON THOSE, ON THOSE ITEMS. AND SO THAT PRETTY MUCH IS AN OVERVIEW OF SOME OF THE PROJECTS AND HOW WE INCORPORATE, UM, UH, DAC AND SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THEY'VE DONE, UH, ARE SHARED WITH OUR OFFICES.
AND SO IT'S TIME FOR ANY QUESTIONS IF ANYBODY HAS ANY.
UM, I WAS, UH, LOOKING AT SOME NOTES FROM THE LAST TIME WE TALKED ABOUT THIS TOPIC AT COMMITTEE MM-HMM.
IN 2021, WE HAD MR. JOSE MARTINEZ MM-HMM.
UM, UH, AND IT LOOKS LIKE YOU GUYS ARE MAKING PROGRESS ON THESE.
SO SOME OF THOSE WERE, ARE PEOPLE LIVING WITH DISABILITIES INCLUDED IN THE PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION OF STRATEGIC PLANS AND SERVICES? SO I THINK THE LAST COUPLE OF ITEMS YOU MENTIONED ARE THERE, UM, AND DO WE HAVE TARGETED GOALS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES? I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'VE SEEN THOSE YET, OR IF, OR IF YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON THAT? I, I THINK THOSE ARE BASED ON THE PROGRAMS THEMSELVES, AND I THINK, SO I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO SOME, UH, MORE IMPROVEMENT ON.
I KNOW THAT WE'LL OBVIOUSLY HAVE SOME GOALS AS IT RELATES TO TRANSITION PLANS AND WITH THE DISABILITY INCLUSION PROJECT WITH EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
UM, BUT I THINK THAT'S SOME PLACES WHERE WE STILL NEED TO DO SOME WORK IN ALL OF THE PROGRAMS AND ALL OF THE PROJECTS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THE CITY.
AND THEN I WAS WONDERING IF YOU COULD, UM, ON, WALK ME THROUGH SLIDE FOUR, YOU HAVE SOME PERFORMANCE MEASURES, BUT I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY ALL MEAN.
SO FOR US, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IS REALLY, LIKE I HAD SAID BEFORE, UM, THAT IS WHERE ANYBODY CALLS US AND ASKS A QUESTION RELATED TO DISABILITY ACCESSIBILITY LEGISLATION, AND WE PROVIDE
[01:05:01]
GUIDANCE AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.IT COULD BE ANYTHING FROM, UH, CONTRACTOR CALLING AND ASKING US HOW WIDE DOES THE DOOR HAVE TO BE, OR WHERE DOES THE GRAB BAR HAVE TO BE? OR IT COULD BE A COMMUNITY MEMBER SAYING, YOU KNOW WHAT? MY MOM IS COMING HOME FROM THE HOSPITAL.
I NEED TO INSTALL A WHEELCHAIR RAMP.
WHAT ARE SOME RESOURCES IN TOWN? AND SO WE PROVIDE THAT TYPE OF REFERRAL AND RESOURCE INFORMATION TO THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
UM, OUR DESIGN PLAN REVIEWS, WE ARE ACTUALLY VERY HEAVILY INVOLVED IN, IN ANY KIND OF C CITY BUILT OR CITY FUNDED, UH, PROGRAM OR INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO WE REVIEW, UH, THE PLANS THAT GO THROUGH CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, UM, AND THE HORIZONTAL AND THE, UH, VERTICAL TEAM.
SO IN CITY TOWER, CITY HALL, COMMERCE STREET PROJECTS GET DONE.
WE REVIEW PARKS AND RECREATION FACILITIES.
SO WE ACTUALLY LOOK AT DIFFERENT DESIGN ASPECTS IN THAT AND PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, ACCOMMODATION, AUXILIARY AIDS AND SERVICES REQUESTS.
THAT COULD BE ANYTHING FROM, I AM A PERSON ASKING US TO PROVIDE AN A S L INTERPRETER, A BRAILLE TRANSLATED DOCUMENTS.
UM, I NEED A WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE VAN FOR A CERTAIN PROGRAM.
AND SO WE WORK AND COORDINATE WITH DEPARTMENTS ON PROVIDING THOSE, UM, ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES.
UM, DOCUMENTS TO ACCESSIBLE FORMATS MEANS THAT WE HAVE, UM, AN, UH, A REQUEST OR A NEED FROM A DEPARTMENT TO TRANSLATE THE POWERPOINT INTO AN ACCESSIBLE DOCUMENT SO PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND CAN ACCESS IT THROUGH SCREEN READERS.
SO WE KIND OF DOUBLE CHECK DEPARTMENT DOCUMENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, WE OBVIOUSLY HANDLE GRIEVANCES, SO GRIEVANCES PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY.
UM, AND FACILITIES AND TITLE THREE, THOSE ARE KIND OF OUR COMPLAINT PROCESS WHERE WE SEPARATE OUT WHAT'S CONSIDERED A FORMAL GRIEVANCE AND WHAT MIGHT BE MORE INFORMAL THROUGH 3 1 1 OR THROUGH A DIRECT CALL TO OUR OFFICE OR THROUGH SOME OTHER CHANNEL THAT MAY COME IN.
UM, AND THEN, UM, TITLE THREE, JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, IS THE PRIVATE BUSINESS SECTOR.
UM, SO WE SEPARATE IT INTO TITLE TWO, WHICH IS WHAT'S GOVERNED UNDER THE E D A FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.
TITLE THREE IS PRIVATE BUSINESS, AND SO WE SEPARATE OUT THOSE FOR US.
AND THEN OBVIOUSLY TRAINING AND PRESENTATIONS, THOSE ARE STAFF, UH, STAFF TRAININGS, UM, PRESENTATIONS, COMMUNITY PRESENTATIONS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
ASK SOME CLARIFYING QUESTIONS.
SO THE DESIGN PLAN REVIEWS ARE FOR CITY FUNDED AND CITY OWNED PROJECTS? YES.
AND SO THOSE ARE OUR ONES THAT ARE GONNA BE MANAGED BY THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, ONE OF THE DEPARTMENTS SOMEWHERE.
WE ALSO DO DO SOME DESIGN PLAN REVIEWS WITH D S D, UM, UH, RELATED TO SIDEWALKS AS WELL AS, UM, MDPS AND, UH, PS LIKE I MANUFACTURED, I CAN'T EVEN REMEMBER WHAT IT STANDS FOR, BUT THE M U DPS.
UH, SO, SO FOR INSTANCE, UM, YOU KNOW, ON OUR BOND PACKAGE WE HAVE A NUMBER OF PROJECTS THAT AREN'T NECESSARILY OWNED BY THE CITY, BUT THE CITY CONTRIBUTES TO THE FUNDING.
DO YOU HAVE TO DO ANY REVIEW OF THAT? IS THAT SO IF IT'S PART OF THE BOND PROJECT, WE REVIEW EVERY BOND PROJECT.
SO IF IT'S GONNA BE MANAGED BY THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT TEAM, WE'LL BE A PART OF THAT.
AND, AND THEN, UM, SORRY, YOU SAID TITLE THREE WAS PRIVATE BUSINESS, BUT, BUT WHAT DO YOU DO WITH PRIVATE BUSINESS? SO BASICALLY WHAT HAPPENS IS A LOT OF TIMES WE'LL GET A COMPLAINT.
A A A, A RESIDENT WILL CALL US AND SAY, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, X RESTAURANT DENIED ACCESS TO MY SERVICE ANIMAL AND MYSELF.
AND SO, UM, WE TAKE THE INFORMATION AND THEN WE REACH OUT TO THAT BUSINESS AND WE RESPOND WITH, UM, A KIND OF AN EDUCATION LETTER, UM, AND INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT THEIR ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES ARE AS A SERVICE PROVIDER IN TOWN OF PUBLIC ACCOMMODATION AND, AND ALLOW THEM TO ASK US ANY KIND OF TECHNICAL GUIDANCE OR QUESTIONS AND, AND THEN WE'LL KIND OF HELP DEVELOP SOME OF THAT STUFF DEPENDING ON WHETHER OR NOT THAT BUSINESS WORKS WITH US, WORKS WITH US, UM, ON A FURTHER BASIS.
SO WOULD YOU SAY THAT YOU'RE ENFORCING THE A D A LAW? SO WE'RE DO NOT HAVE JURISDICTION TO NECESSARILY ENFORCE THE A D A IN PRIVATE BUSINESS THAT REALLY IS A DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ROLE.
UM, AND SO, BUT, SO WE ARE MORE OF AN EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY AND, AND, UH, AND THAT'S WHAT WE USUALLY DO WITH THEM.
AND SO WE TRY TO PROVIDE A MORE COLLABORATIVE PROCESS WITH THE PRIVATE BUSINESS, UM, AND, AND PROVIDE THEM INFORMATION ON EXACTLY WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN AND, AND PROVIDE THEM OUR RECOMMENDATIONS OF WHAT THEY CAN DO TO IMPROVE ACCESS FOR INDIVIDUALS.
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NUMBER WITH YOU, BUT SAY OF THOSE 33 IN A GIVEN YEAR, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THOSE ARE RESOLVED POSITIVELY FOR THE USER? I DON'T KNOW THAT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.I WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO, TO DOUBLE CHECK.
UM, BUT IT'S RARE THAT WE GET A SECOND PHONE CALL FROM THE PERSON WHO ORIGINALLY CALLED US.
IF, UM, THAT'D BE INTERESTING, UH, CAN FOR US TO KNOW OVER THE PAST, UH, FEW YEARS.
AND THEN, UM, LASTLY, WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO GET, UM, SOME WRITTEN GUIDANCE ON YOUR GRIEVANCE, UH, PROCESS OR POLICY? MM-HMM.
AND, UM, WE DON'T ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, WE'LL REFER THEM TO PUBLIC WORKS, BUT WE DON'T, AL WE'RE JUST NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE PROCESS.
UM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND, UM, THANK YOU.
I SEE WE HAVE COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO WITH QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU CHAIR, AND THANK YOU DEBORAH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I SEE IT MENTIONS, UH, U D C AMENDMENTS WITHIN THE PEDESTRIAN ACCESS.
UM, DEPARTMENTS LIKE THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT AND THE OFFICE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFTEN OFFER RECOMMENDATIONS ON U D C OR PROPOSED U D C AMENDMENTS.
UM, DOES THE DISABILITY ACCESS OFFICE ALSO PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS ON PROPOSED U D C AMENDMENTS? UM, WE DO, IF WE FEEL THAT IT HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH DISABILITY ACCESS OR ADAS.
SO WE WILL, UH, TAKE, BE TAKING A LOOK AT ALL OF THE U D C AMENDMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN TURNED IN TO SEE IF WE NEED TO PROVIDE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION OR, OR PROVIDE A, A DIFFERENT OPINION.
UM, BUT DO YOU SEE THERE BEING OPPORTUNITY POTENTIALLY WORKING WITH N H S D, UM, TO HELP WORK IN LANGUAGE THAT IF A UNIT OR PROPOSED UNIT IS ACCESSIBLE, THAT IT SHOULD, UH, REQUIRE SOME ADDITIONAL POINTS? SO CREATING A SYSTEM THAT IF IT IS AN ACCESSIBLE PROJECT, THAT IT WOULD GET A POINT.
THAT HASN'T BEEN A CONVERSATION WE'VE HAD WITH NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING YET, BUT WE'RE DEFINITELY OPEN TO HAVING THAT CONVERSATION.
UM, WE'RE ACTUALLY RIGHT NOW BUILDING, UM, PROCESSES FOR THE R F P PROCESS, ASSUMING, UM, HOUSING BOND AND, AND, AND THOSE, UH, TYPES OF UNIVERSAL DESIGN COMPONENTS, UM, WITH SHIP AND THE BOND GO FORWARD.
UM, SO WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM ON THOSE TYPE OF MATERIALS RIGHT NOW, SO WE'LL ADD THIS TO OUR LIST.
AND, AND SPEAKING ON THE BOND, AND WE TOUCHED ON IT OR THE CHAIR TOUCHED ON IT A BIT, UM, ONE OF THE GUIDELINES THAT THE COMMITTEE PUT FORWARD IS THAT IT WOULD BE A HUNDRED PERCENT UNIVERSAL UNIVERSAL DESIGN STANDARDS MM-HMM.
UM, BUT IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT ORDINANCE WAS CREATED IN 20 2002, UM, AND A LOT OF NEW INFORMATION HAS COME OUT SINCE THEN.
HAVE THERE BEEN ANY SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES THAT WE SHOULD BE KEEPING IN MIND IF WE'RE USING, UH, THE UNIVERSAL STANDARDS? SO YOU HAVE READ THE COMMUNITY'S MIND
SO WE HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN, UH, IN CONTACT WITH SEVERAL COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS OVER THE LAST SIX MONTHS OR SO ABOUT DEVELOPING AN UPDATE TO THAT, UH, ORDINANCE.
UM, AND SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY, UM, WITH LISC AND DISABILITY S A, THE AREA FOUNDATION AS WELL AS A I A OR THE AMERICAN ART INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS, UH, CHAPTER IN SAN ANTONIO.
UM, ON, ON HOW WE CAN DO THAT.
AND WE'RE ALSO IN CONVERSATION WITH MARK CARMONA AND NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING ON THAT PROCESS AS WELL.
SO I, RIGHT NOW WE'RE JUST NOW DEVELOPING KIND OF A TIMELINE AND A WORK PLAN ON WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE MM-HMM.
UM, RECENTLY WE JUST HAD THE P F C RETREAT AND WE HAD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT ACCESSIBLE HOUSING IS MM-HMM.
SO I THINK THAT'S ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY THAT WE CAN BE SHARING WITH COMMUNITY TO, TO COME IN AND GIVE RECOMMENDATIONS ON WHERE WE SHOULD BE SPENDING OUR MONEY MM-HMM.
UM, YOU GUYS ARE, UH, I SHARE THE DAES WITH VERY BRILLIANT PEOPLE AND THEY ASKED A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS THAT, UH, THAT I THOUGHT OF AND THAT I WISH I HAD THOUGHT OF.
UM, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOUR OFFICE DOES AND, UM, I REALLY DON'T HAVE TOO MANY QUESTIONS.
I THINK FOR SLIDE FOUR, WHAT I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN BECAUSE MM-HMM.
UM, I IMAGINE THEY EACH HAVE VARYING LEVELS OF DIFFICULTY OR MOVING PARTS OR TIME REQUIRED.
AND SO WHAT I'D BE INTERESTED IN SEEING IS, UM, MEASURES OVER TIME.
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HAS BEEN AND, YOU KNOW, MAYBE EVEN 2020 TO 2021 COULD HAVE BEEN A UNIQUE YEAR.WHAT HAVE WE SEEN CHANGE OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS? AND SO I THINK JUST IF IT'S POSSIBLE TO GET US THESE MEASURES FOR PREVIOUS YEARS, WE CAN DO THAT AS WELL.
BEFORE, UH, WE WRAP UP, I JUST, UM, WANTING TO, TO KNOW IF WE COULD, UM, COORDINATE A, A FOLLOW UP.
SO WE KNOW THAT, UM, THE DISABILITY ACCESS ADVISORY COMMITTEE'S REALLY AC ACCESS ACTIVE.
UM, MELANIE KAIN IS ON THERE AND SHE'S OUR, SHE'S OUR APPOINTEE.
SHE CAME AND SHE FOUND ME, I THINK WITHIN TWO MONTHS OF ME BEING IN OFFICE AND WAS LIKE, I WANNA BE YOUR APPOINTEE TO THIS.
MELANIE IS VERY ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, SO, UM, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THEY DID HAVE A SET OF RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, RECENTLY PUT FORWARD, OR MAYBE IT WAS FOR THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, BUT IF WE COULD TALK PERHAPS OFFLINE AND SEE MM-HMM.
AND I WOULD LOVE TO INVITE THEM BACK.
I DON'T IS SHE THE CHAIR NOW OR IS IT STILL MR. MARTINEZ? IT IS STILL MR. MARTINEZ.
UH, THEY DECIDED TO GO AHEAD AND, UH, KEEP THEM THE SAME DUE TO THE KIND OF THE WEIRD COVID YEARS.
MAYBE IF WE CAN, UH, COORDINATE A TIME WHEN THEY CAN ALSO COME BACK AND GIVE US A REVIEW OF WHAT THEY'VE DONE AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT QUESTIONS OR DEMANDS
UM, THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO, UH, TO MENTION IS, SO IF I GO TO THE, UM, TO THE DACS WEBSITE, YOUR NAME ISN'T ON THERE, IT TELLS ME ROSIE ANTHONY, CHRISTIE NEFFY, AND OF COURSE, UM, PAUL BARRY.
UH, BUT
AND SO WHEN YOU GO TO THE D A O HOMEPAGE, YOU'LL FIND OUR INFORMATION AND THEN YOU END UP IN THE DAX WORLD.
BUT WE'RE STILL KIND OF RIGHT NOW HOUSED ON THE PUBLIC WORKS WEBPAGES AND WE HAVEN'T NECESSARILY BEEN COMPLETELY MOVED OVER TO THE D E I WEBPAGES, BUT WE'RE STARTING, IT'S A PROCESS
BECAUSE I NOTICED THE MEETING DATES HAVEN'T BEEN UPDATED EITHER.
WE JUST WANT, WANT IT TO BE EASY TO PARTICIPATE.
THEY'RE STILL ON THE THIRD, UH, THE SECOND MONDAY OF EVERY MONTH.
SO, AND ARE THEY MEETING REMOTELY STILL? NO.
UH, WITH THE GOVERNOR'S ORDERS FROM LAST SEPTEMBER, THEY DO NEED TO MEET IN PERSON.
SO CURRENTLY OUR LOCATION IS AT THE CARVER LIBRARY.
UM, SO OUR NEXT MEETING IS GONNA BE FEBRUARY 14TH AT 3:00 PM NOW, UM, SORRY, SLIGHT ADDITIONAL QUESTION ON THIS.
IS THAT BECAUSE, UM, THEY ARE SUBJECT TO OPEN MEETING YES.
ACT PER THE GOVERNOR? OR IS THAT WHEN WE CREATED THE COMMITTEE, WE SAID IT WOULD BE SUBJECT TO ALL OPEN MEETING REQUIREMENTS AS FAR AS I UNDERSTAND.
AND, UM, IS THAT BECAUSE IT IS A C A CITY COMMITTEE THAT IT REQUIRES TO FOLLOW THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT AND SO THEN WE HAVE TO MEET IN PERSON VERSUS REMOTE.
I THINK DEBBIE'S TRYING TO TELL ME SOMETHING, BUT I CAN'T READ LIPS.
I WAS GONNA ASK IF MADAM CHAIR, EVERYONE, IF THE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE COULD GIVE US INPUT.
ALL OF THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ARE SUBJECT TO THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT.
SO WE HAVE TO FOLLOW THE SAME REQUIREMENTS.
AND, AND AGAIN, THAT'S BECAUSE OF THE GOVERNOR, NOT BECAUSE OF, BECAUSE OF THE WAY HAVE WE HAD CREATED THEM, THE WAY WHO CREATED THEM.
THE CITY CREATED THEM TO BE A SUB COMMITTEES OF COUNCIL.
SO YOU'VE GOT YOUR COUNCIL, YOU'VE GOT YOUR COMMITTEES, AND THEN YOU'VE GOT YOUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
SO THE STRUCTURE IS THEY'RE REALLY PART OF GOVERNANCE OF COUNCIL.
ANY FINAL QUESTIONS BEFORE WE WRAP UP? OKAY.
UM, OUR MEETING IS ADJOURNED AND OUR NEXT MEETING DATE IS, OH, COMING UP THE 24TH.