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WE'RE GONNA GET STARTED IN A MINUTE.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US, EVERYONE.
WELCOME TO, UH, THE FIRST MEETING OF THE YEAR FOR THE PLANNING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE.
WE'LL START WITH ROLL CALL MS. UH, MADAM CLERK COUNCIL.
MEMBER VRAN IS HERE, VIRTUALLY.
COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO HERE, COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL.
COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE CHAIR ROCHA GARCIA HERE, CHAIR, WE HAVE A QUORUM.
THANK YOU EVERYONE AGAIN FOR BEING HERE.
WE'LL START OFF WITH THE APPROVAL OF
[Approval of Minutes ]
THE MINUTES FOR THE MEETING FROM DECEMBER THE 12TH, 2022 AT, THERE'S A MOTION TO APPROVE.CAN I GET A SECOND? SECOND? OKAY, LET'S TAKE A VOTE.
NONE OPPOSED? NO, NONE ABSTAIN.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER TWO, WHICH IS, OH, WAIT, PUBLIC
[Public Comment ]
COMMENT.I'M SORRY, I FORGOT ABOUT PUBLIC COMMENT.
SO, THERE'S ONE PERSON, UH, TO SPEAK.
CHASON HAS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER SEVEN.
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT WITH PLATING U SS A INTERNATIONAL INC.
UH, WE HAVE ACTUALLY TWO ITEMS, UH, FOR CONSIDERATION FOR RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT FOR THE 2023 9% HOUSING TAX CREDIT PROGRAM.
ONE IS IN DR, UH, GARCIA ROCHA'S, DISTRICT
UM, AND THEN IT'S A BEAUTIFUL AREA.
WE ACTUALLY HAD A CHANCE TO GO VISIT IT THIS MORNING, AND IT, THE NEED WOULD BE GREAT IN THAT AREA AS WELL.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE A SITE IN THE LA ANDRA AREA OFF OF BABCOCK ROAD.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY, UH, THAT SITE DOES NOT SCORE UNDER THE CITY'S HOUSING POLICY TO MEET THE MAXIMUM 75 POINTS.
BUT AGAIN, IT'S ANOTHER AREA THAT'S GROWING THAT IS IN DESPERATE NEED OF WORKFORCE HOUSING.
AND WE'RE ASKING FOR, UH, COUNCIL CONSIDERATION TO ACTUALLY GO AHEAD AND STILL RECOMMEND IT FOR A RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT.
UM, GIVEN THAT IT'S JUST THREE POINTS SHORT OF THIS MAXIMUM 75 POINTS FOR, UH, A RECOMMENDATION FOR THE RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT, UM, THE AREA, AGAIN, IT'S GROWING.
THERE'S JOBS AND PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THAT AREA AND NEED A PLACE TO LIVE, THAT THEY'RE NOT COMMUTING GREAT DISTANCES TO GET TO WORK.
UH, SO WE HUMBLY REQUEST THAT YOU CONSIDER A RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT FOR THAT ONE AS WELL.
[Briefing and Possible Action on ]
ITEM NUMBER TWO, WHICH IS BRIEFING AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON CODE ENFORCEMENT TEAMS AND UNITS, AS WELL AS DATA AND PERFORMANCE METRICS.AND THAT'LL BE PRESENTED BY MIKE SHANNON.
MIKE SHANNON, THE FLOOR IS YOURS.
ALRIGHT, UH, THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN.
UM, AND GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.
UH, AGAIN, I'M MIKE SHANNON, DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, AND YES, WE'RE GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT CODE ENFORCEMENT TODAY.
SO, SO, UH, AS, UH, MANY OF YOU ALL KNOW, UH, CODE ENFORCEMENT IS A, UH, IS A DIVISION IN, UH, DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
SO I'M GONNA JUST GIVE YOU A LITTLE OVERVIEW OF OUR WHOLE DEPARTMENT.
WE ARE JUST UNDER 500, UH, TEAM MEMBERS IN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
AND THE, UH, THE, THE GOOD THING ABOUT DEVELOPMENT SERVICES IS ACTUALLY WE, WE DEAL WITH DEVELOPMENT AND THE MAINTENANCE OF DEVELOPED OR DEVELOPED PROPERTY, UM, REALLY FROM START TO FINISH AND OVER THE LIFE OF THAT PROPERTY.
SO, UH, WE, WE START WITH LAND DEVELOPMENT WHERE, UH, PEOPLE WILL ZONE THEIR PROPERTY.
YOU ALL HEAR ZONING CASES EVERY OTHER WEEK.
SO YOU UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, THAT THEIR PROPERTIES NEED TO BE PROPERLY ZONED.
UH, SO WE HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, ABOUT A, ABOUT A THIRD OF OUR TEAM MEMBERS WORKING ON THAT.
SO IF SOMEONE'S GONNA BUILD A NEW HOME, A NEW, UH, HIGH RISE, A NEW WALMART, A NEW CONVENIENCE STORE, UH, ANYTHING LIKE THAT, THEY COME IN FOR PLAN REVIEWS.
SO THE ARCHITECTS AND ENGINEERS, UM, UH, SUBMIT THEIR DRAWINGS TO US, MAKE SURE THEY MEET THE APPLICABLE SAFETY CODES, AND THEN WE ISSUE THEM PERMITS TO GO BUILD IT.
UH, I WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS, UH, THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TEAM THAT WE ALL, UH, THAT YOU ALL CREATED, UM, UH, JUST OVER A YEAR AND A HALF AGO IS IN OUR PLAN REVIEW, UH, SECTION.
I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT IN DETAIL LATER, UH, IN THE PRESENTATION.
UH, THEN WE HAND IT OVER TO OUR INSPECTION TEAM.
SO WE HAVE OVER HALF OF OUR 499, UH, TEAM MEMBERS.
THEY'RE OUT IN THE FIELD, SO THEY'RE BUILDING INSPECTORS, ELECTRICAL INSPECTORS, UH, MECHANICAL SIGN INSPECTORS, ET CETERA, AS WELL AS, UM, OUR CODE O CODE OFFICERS.
SO, UH, WE INSPECT PROPERTIES TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE BUILT SAFE.
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OF OCCUPANCIES, AND THEN OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT TEAM, WHICH IS, UH, JUST UNDER 150, UH, TEAM MEMBERS.WE ACTUALLY WORK TO ENSURE THAT PROPERTIES ARE MAINTAINED IN A SAFE MANNER, UH, WHETHER THEY HAVE STRUCTURES ON THEM OR THEY'RE VACANT PROPERTIES.
SO I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT AS WELL.
SO THAT'S JUST OUR DEPARTMENT AS AN OVERVIEW, AGAIN, BEFORE IT'S DEVELOPED AS IT'S BEING DEVELOPED.
AND THEN THE MAINTENANCE OF IT, UH, REALLY FALLS UNDER DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, UH, WITH THAT.
SO WE'RE HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT CODE ENFORCEMENT.
SO 146 TEAM MEMBERS IN CODE ENFORCEMENT.
AS I MENTIONED, IT'S PART OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
WE'RE BROKEN UP INTO WHAT WE CALL GENERAL FIELD UNITS, RIGHT? WE HAVE 10 OF THOSE, AND THAT'S ABOUT TWO THIRD OF OUR STAFF.
TWO THIRD OF OUR CODE CODE OFFICERS ARE ASSIGNED TO AREAS.
THEY COVER CALLS THAT COME IN AND THEN PROACTIVELY GO OUT AND LOOK FOR CODE VIOLATIONS, UH, TO WORK TO CORRECT THEM.
SO EACH OF THEM ARE ASSIGNED AN AREA.
YOU ALL WORK WITH THEM, YOUR TEAM MEMBERS WORK WITH THEM THAT ARE ASSIGNED IN YOUR AREAS.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE THOSE 10 FIELD UNITS.
NOW, UH, AS YOU KNOW, THE, THE 10 FIELD UNITS ARE NOT ASSIGNED INDIVIDUALLY TO EACH COUNCIL DISTRICT.
SO WE DON'T HAVE ONE SPECIFICALLY FOR DISTRICT ONE, TWO, AND, AND SO FORTH.
WHAT WE DO, WE HAVE A BALANCED TEAM APPROACH SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A TEAM OF ABOUT EIGHT OR NINE, UH, TEAM MEMBERS WITH A SUPERVISOR FOR A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF AREA SO THAT THEY COULD GET TO CALLS QUICKER, AND THEY'RE NOT STRETCHED TOO FAR.
UM, THEN WE GET INTO OUR, WHAT WE CALL OUR SPECIAL TEAMS, OR AT LEAST WHAT I CALL 'EM SPECIAL.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE ASSIGNED TO A SPECIFIC ROLE IN CODE ENFORCEMENT.
UH, WE ALSO, ONE OF THEM IS THE GRAFFITI ABATEMENT.
AS YOU KNOW, UH, LIKE EDDIE, BIG CITY, WE HAVE A LOT OF GRAFFITI HERE, UH, THAT OCCURS.
UH, IT'S NOT UNCOMMON FOR ANY, ANY BIG CITY TO HAVE THAT.
SO WE HAVE 19 TEAM MEMBERS THAT ALL THEY DO EACH AND EVERY DAY IS GO CLEAN UP GRAFFITI.
THEY'RE POWER WASHING, PAINTING OVER, AND THAT'S ON PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE.
UM, AS WELL AS WORKING WITH PRIVATE, UH, UH, HOMEOWNERS OR PRIVATE BUSINESS OWNERS TO HELP THEM ABATE GRAFFITI, UH, ON THEIR PROPERTY.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE SOMETHING, AND I'LL GO OVER THIS.
WE CALL IT LICENSING, PERMITTING AND ZONING.
A ZONING VIOLATION OR A POTENTIAL ZONING VIOLATION IS A LITTLE MORE CHALLENGING THAN MAYBE JUST GOING OUT AND ISSUING A NOTICE OF VIOLATION FOR, UH, MAYBE YOUR, YOUR TALL WEEDS, HIGH GRASS, OR EVEN A JUNK VEHICLE OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT.
UH, WE HAVE SOME LICENSING PROGRAMS. I'LL GO OVER THAT.
WE ALSO HAVE A NEIGHBORHOOD ENHANCEMENT TEAM OF A FEW OFFICERS THAT ACTUALLY THEIR JOB IS TO ACTUALLY PROACTIVELY GO OUT TO DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS, UM, AND LOOK AT, HEY, HOW CAN WE MAKE A, A QUICK IMPACT TO HELP OUT THE AREA OFFICERS, EDUCATE A LOT, DO SOME PROACTIVE, UH, NOTICES, UH, EDUCATION, AND IF SO, VIOLATIONS.
UH, AND THAT'S WHAT WE WORK WITH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND SOME OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS IN THOSE TO DO SOME OF THOSE, WE CALL 'EM SWEEPS.
I THINK I MENTIONED SOME OF THOSE AT OUR BUDGET MEETING THIS PAST YEAR.
AND THEN LASTLY, WE ALSO OVERSEE CODE ENFORCEMENT WORKS CLOSELY WITH THE BUILDING STANDARDS BOARD.
SO WE JUST ADOPTED THE UPDATED SAN ANTONIO PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE.
WE WORKED WITH THE BUILDING STANDARDS BOARD AND SOME COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO DO THAT, BUT THEY HEAR CASES WHERE PEOPLE HAVE NOT YET COME INTO COMPLIANCE.
SOMETIMES IT'S A SAN ANTONIO PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE VIOLATION.
A LOT OF THEIR WORK HAS TO DO WITH DANGEROUS STRUCTURES.
UM, AND WE WORK, UH, WITH THAT BUILDING STANDARDS BOARD REGULARLY.
SO, LET'S, UH, JUST, I THINK YOU ALL HAVE SEEN THIS.
THIS, OH, THIS PICTURE IS TAKEN FROM A FLYER THAT WE HAND OUT AT NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, ORGANIZATION, UH, MEETINGS.
UH, BUT HERE'S OUR TOP VIOLATIONS AND THINGS LIKE OVERGROWN GRASS, TALL WEEDS.
WE GET A LOT OF CALLS FOR THAT, ESPECIALLY IN THE SPRINGTIME.
UH, AS WE MOVE INTO THE SUMMER.
AS SOON AS WE START GETTING SOME, UH, SOME RAIN AND SOME HEAT, WE KNOW A LOT OF THE TALL WEEDS, HIGH GRASS, ESPECIALLY ON VACANT PROPERTIES AS WELL.
SO WE GET A LOT OF CALLS THERE.
THAT'S VERY, UH, COMMON, EITHER CALL THAT WE GET THROUGH THREE ONE ONE OR A PROACTIVE CALL THAT OUR CO, UH, CODE OFFICER ADDRESS, UH, BEFORE THOSE CALLS COME IN.
UH, SOME PEOPLE DON'T LIKE THAT BECAUSE, UH, WE'RE CALLING THEIR VEHICLE JUNK.
IT'S ACTUALLY INOPERABLE VEHICLES.
THAT'S THE STATE AND LOCAL STATUTE.
UH, YOU CAN'T HAVE THOSE IN YOUR DRIVEWAY, UH, INOPERABLE.
YOU HAVE TO MOVE THEM, PUT 'EM IN YOUR GARAGE, CLOSE 'EM SO YOU CAN'T SEE 'EM, OR BEHIND A SOLID SCREEN FENCE.
OR EVENTUALLY THE CITY MAY HAVE TO TOW IT AND, UH, DESTROY THE, THE VEHICLE.
UH, THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN TOO OFTEN BECAUSE MOST OF THE TIME PEOPLE WILL FIGURE OUT A WAY TO, TO FIX THE VEHICLE OR MOVE IT.
UH, BUT WE DO SEE A LOT OF THAT, UM, IN THE CITY, UH, ITEMS STORED OUTSIDE THAT, THAT, THAT SHOULDN'T BE.
UM, THAT'S ANOTHER, UH, UH, VIOLATION THAT WE SEE, UH, WHETHER IT BE, UH, AUTO PARTS.
SO WE HAVE UNPLUGGED APPLIANCES AND FURNITURE, ET CETERA.
UH, THAT'S A COMMON ONE THAT, UH, WE'LL SEE ON SOME PROPERTIES.
UH, WE, WE DEAL WITH THIS QUITE A BIT.
SO FRONT YARD PARKING IS WHEN PEOPLE ARE PARKING THEIR VEHICLES, NOT IN A DRIVEWAY THAT IS EITHER PAVED OR GRAVEL THROUGH OUR SPECS.
UH, SO WE DO SEE A LOT OF THAT.
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A, UH, WARNING.ONE WARNING, UH, IF WE SEE IT AGAIN, WE WILL ISSUE, ACTUALLY, IT'S LIKE A PARKING TICKET.
UM, AND, UH, WE TRY TO GET COMPLIANCE THERE.
UH, AND THEN, UH, TRASH, DEBR DEBRIS, UH, BRUSH OUTSIDE THAT SHOULDN'T BE THERE.
THERE'S A PICTURE OF KIND OF AN EXTREME CASE, BUT WE SEE AND GET A LOT OF CALLS FOR THAT.
IF, IF PEOPLE HAVE, UH, UNKEPT, UH, PROPERTIES, UH, THAT, THAT CAN BE SEEN FROM THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY.
SO, JUST SOME OF THE COMMON ONES, THERE'S A LOT MORE, BUT WE JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT SOME THAT WE TYPICALLY SEE.
AND WE, AND WE TALK TO A LOT OF GROUPS ABOUT, UH, YOU KNOW, TRY TO KEEP THEIR PROPERTIES UP AND MAINTAINED.
SO I WANTED TO MOVE ON TO OUR SPECIAL UNIT.
SO THERE'S KIND OF GENERAL CODE.
UH, WE GET CALLS THROUGH 3 1 1.
UM, ABOUT A THIRD, UH, ABOUT A THIRD OF OUR CALLS ARE, ARE REACTIVE.
ABOUT TWO THIRDS ARE ARE PROACTIVE.
UH, BUT THEN WE HAVE A FEW PROGRAMS THAT THE CITY CODE HAS ESTABLISHED RULES AND REGULATIONS AND, AND SOME LICENSING OR SPECIAL PERMITS THAT CODE ENFORCEMENT ALSO OVERSEES.
THINGS LIKE OUR BOARDING HOME PROGRAMS. SOME OF YOU MAY REMEMBER 10 YEARS AGO, WE HAD A, UH, TRAGEDY IN A BOARDING HOME, UH, THAT WAS DEREGULATED BY THE STATE.
THE CITIES CHOSE TO ACTUALLY CREATE AN ORDINANCE AND PUT SOME SAFETY REGULATIONS ON BOARDING HOMES.
IT'S A UNIQUE, UH, TYPE OF, UH, CONGREGATE CARE FACILITY OR CARE FACILITY WHERE THERE'S SOME CARE TO PEOPLE THAT NEED IT.
AND, UH, WE HAVE A LICENSING PROGRAM AND A, A INSPECTION PROGRAM, UH, REGISTRATION PROGRAM FOR THAT MOBILE LIVING PARKS AS WELL.
UH, THE MOBILE LIVING PARKS HAVE TO HAVE A SPECIAL, UH, LICENSE AND REGISTRATION AND PROACTIVE INSPECTIONS THAT'S HANDLED THROUGH OUR, UH, CODE ENFORCEMENT TEAMS. UH, JUST, IT WAS, I THINK IT WAS LAST MONTH OR MAYBE THE MONTH PRIOR, WE DID A PRESENTATION FOR YOU ON OUR, UH, METAL RECYCLERS USE AUTO PARTS RECYCLERS, UH, PROGRAM.
UH, SO I WON'T GO THROUGH TOO MUCH OF THAT AGAIN.
WE DO HAVE SOME RULES ON THOSE DONATION CONTAINERS AND, AND, AND SCRAP TIRE, UH, FACILITIES AS WELL.
SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE SOME, UH, UH, INSPECTIONS OF THOSE.
AND, AND SOME PERMITS FOR EVEN THOSE DONATION CONTAINERS WHERE PEOPLE WILL, UH, DROP OFF.
UH, SOME OF THEM ARE IN, UH, SOME, UH, SHOPPING CENTERS.
THEY'LL DROP OFF CLOTHES OR DONATIONS IN THOSE.
THERE'S SOME RULES AND REQUIREMENTS TO KEEP THOSE TIDY, UH, AND, UH, AND SAFE.
UH, THE LAST TWO HERE, AGAIN, SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
UH, YOU'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
WE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSION OVER, UH, SOME OF THAT WITH THE, UH, B D C AMENDMENTS THAT JUST GOT PASSED BACK IN NOVEMBER.
BUT WE DO HAVE, UH, A CODE OFFICER DEDICATED NOW TO THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL ENFORCEMENT.
WE'VE ACTUALLY JUST MADE SOME CHANGES, UH, TO HOW WE, UH, WORK TOGETHER WITH OUR PERMITTING AND ENFORCEMENT TEAM MEMBERS ALL WITHIN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, UH, AS WELL AS WITH FINANCE ON SOME HOT COMPLIANCE, UH, THE TAX COMPLIANCE ELEMENT.
UH, THERE IS A A C C R THAT, UH, MAY BE CONSIDERED IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, I'M SURE, TO TALK ABOUT OUR SHORT-TERM RENTAL ORDINANCE THAT WAS PASSED, UH, JUST A FEW YEARS BACK, UH, 2018, I BELIEVE.
AND THEN LASTLY, WE TALK ABOUT ZONING.
AGAIN, WE GET SOME ZONING VIOLATION CALLS.
YOU KNOW, THE TYPICAL, UH, HEY, I THINK SOMEONE'S RUNNING A BUSINESS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
OR THEY'RE RUNNING AN INDUSTRIAL FACILITY ON WHAT SHOULD BE A LIGHT COMMERCIAL OR, AND THERE'S A LOT OF VARIATIONS TO THAT.
SO WE HAVE SOME TEAM MEMBERS, UH, THAT WORK THROUGH THOSE CASES, WHICH CAN BE FAIRLY TRICKY.
SO, UH, I WANNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, MAYBE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ENHANCEMENT TEAM.
THIS IS KIND OF OUR PROACTIVE TEAM.
THEY REALLY DON'T TAKE A LOT OF 3 1 1 CALLS.
WE ASK THEM TO GO TO DIFFERENT AREAS AND EITHER WORK ON OUR CODE SWEEPS FROM A NEIGHBORHOOD TO NEIGHBORHOOD OR COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR.
UH, WE, UH, JUST RECENTLY, RIGHT, WE ADDED TWO, UH, APARTMENT INSPECTORS, OUR CODE OFFICERS.
WE DID THAT THROUGH THE BUDGET.
UM, AND THEN ALSO THE PROACTIVE APARTMENT INSPECTION PROGRAM.
REMEMBER WE GAVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THAT IN DECEMBER.
WE'RE PLANNING TO COME BACK IN FEBRUARY WITH, UH, WORKING THROUGH THAT STAKEHOLDER GROUP, UH, WITH A POSSIBLE ORDINANCE.
WE HAVE ANOTHER MEETING WITH THAT GROUP, UH, TONIGHT.
UM, AND THEN WE ALSO, UH, CODE ENFORCEMENT PLAYS A ROLE WITH THE CITY'S DART TEAM, DANGEROUS ASSESSMENT RESPONSE TEAM.
YOU ALL, I THINK, HAVE HEARD THIS.
UH, YOU MAY HAVE HAD SOME IN YOUR, IN YOUR DISTRICTS, BUT, UH, WE WORK WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
THERE'S A MULTI, UH, MULTI MULTI-DEPARTMENT, UH, REALLY TEAM TASK FORCE, SS A P D, ANIMAL CARE CODE ENFORCEMENT, FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND OTHERS.
UH, FOR THOSE PROPERTIES THAT HAVE A VERY LONG HISTORY OF CRIMINAL AND OR NUISANCE VIOLATIONS, UH, WE WORK, UH, TO REALLY, UH, DO INSPECTIONS FOR THAT AND WORK TO BRING THEM EITHER SHUT THOSE PROPERTIES DOWN OR BRING THEM INTO COMPLIANCE USING SOME SECTIONS OF OUR STATE LAW, UH, THROUGH THE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
SO THAT'S AN IMPORTANT PART OF WHAT WE DO.
SO, UH, THIS SLIDE HERE IS JUST, WE DO MEASURE LIKE EVERYTHING, UH, AT DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, PROBABLY EVERY, UH, DEPARTMENT IN THE CITY.
WE'RE REQUIRED TO MEASURE OUR PERFORMANCE, TRACK OUR PERFORMANCE, UH, TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE ADEQUATE RESOURCES AND IN DELIVERING THE SERVICES IN THE MANNER THAT, UH, WE'RE ASKED TO DO THAT.
SO THIS IS FAIRLY SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU SEE AT OUR BUDGET PRESENTATION, UH, EACH AND EVERY YEAR.
UH, BUT IN CODE ENFORCEMENT, WE REALLY WANT TO DO TWO THINGS.
UH, UH, THREE THINGS ACTUALLY.
UH, WE WANT TO ACTUALLY GET OUT THERE AND RESPOND TO 3 1 1 CALLS QUICKLY.
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UH, WE HAVE TIER ONE AND TIER TWO.UH, SOME ARE A LITTLE BIT MORE IMPORTANT THAN, THAN OTHERS, BUT WE HAVE TIER ONE AND TIER TWO.
SO SOME WE WANT TO GET OUT WITHIN TWO DAYS OF THAT CALL, OTHERS WITHIN THREE DAYS TO MAKE THE INITIAL INSPECTION.
SO WE TRACK THAT AND WE'RE, WE HIT THAT LAST YEAR, AND WE'RE EVEN EXCEEDING THAT PERFORMANCE MEASURE.
UH, THE TEAM IS DOING A GREAT JOB RESPONDING TO THOSE CALLS QUICKLY.
THE SECOND THING, UH, WE DO IS WE TRACK OUR PROACTIVITY.
SO 10 YEARS AGO IN 2012, I REMEMBER, UH, WE DIDN'T TRACK OUR PROACTIVITY.
MOST OF OUR CALLS WERE REACTIVE CALLS.
80% OF OUR, OF OUR CASELOAD WERE CALLS COMING IN.
AND AT THAT TIME, THE COUNCIL LEADERSHIP IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS SAID, HEY, WE REALLY WANT CODE TO BE MORE PROACTIVE.
CAN YOU MEASURE THAT? CAN, CAN YOU AT LEAST MAKE IT MORE THAN 50% OR 60%? SO WE PUT SOME PERFORMANCE MEASURES IN THERE, AND WE CHALLENGE AND REQUIRE OUR CODE OFFICERS TO NOT ONLY RESPOND TO CALLS, BUT BE LOOKING FOR, UH, CODE VIOLATIONS THAT NEED TO GET ADDRESSED.
WE WANNA BE TWO THIRDS OR MORE PROACTIVE.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THE PANDEMIC, WE, WE DIPPED WELL BELOW THAT FOR A LOT OF REASONS.
WE TALKED ABOUT THAT AT SOME OF MY BUDGET MEETINGS OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS.
I'M HAPPY TO REPORT, THOUGH, THIS YEAR, FIRST QUARTER WE'RE ALREADY ABOVE OR AT, OR ABOVE OUR GOAL OF 66%.
SO THAT'S A GOOD PART OF THE, UH, UH, PERFORMANCE THERE.
AND THEN LASTLY, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS COMPLIANCE.
WE REALLY JUST WANT COMPLIANCE QUICKLY.
UH, WE DEFINE QUICKLY AS 45 DAYS.
THAT'S BECAUSE WE HAVE SOME LEGAL STEPS.
WE HAVE NOTICES OF VIOLATIONS THAT WE HAVE TO WORK THROUGH.
WE HAVE TO GIVE A PROPERTY OWNER ABOUT 10 DAYS, UH, OF NOTICE.
IF THEY DON'T, WE, WE, WE THEN HAVE TO TAKE THEM, UH, TO MAYBE, UH, THE, THE CIVIL COURT, WHICH, YOU KNOW, GETTING IN LINE FOR THAT.
AND THEN WE MAY HAVE TO ABATE IT IF THEY DON'T DO IT AT THE END.
SO WE TRY TO GET 90% OF THE, UH, THAT'S OUR TARGET, 90%, UH, COMPLIANCE, UH, WITHIN 45 DAYS FOR MOST OF OUR CASES.
UM, AND, UH, LAST YEAR WE DID NOT HIT THAT 76%.
WE'VE MADE SOME PROGRESS ALREADY, UH, THIS YEAR IN QUARTER ONE.
BUT WE'RE REALLY WORKING HARD TO GET FASTER COMPLIANCE.
'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT OUR NEIGHBORHOODS WANT.
THEY WANT THE ISSUES RESOLVED.
THEY ACTUALLY DON'T REALLY CARE HOW YOU DO IT.
AND, AND, AND THAT'S WHAT WE DO AS WELL.
UH, I DO PUT SOME, UH, UH, METRICS HERE ON OUR GRAFFITI, UH, TEAM MEMBERS AS WELL.
UH, WE WANT TO GET OUT TO GRAFFITI SITES, UM, AS QUICK AS WE CAN.
WE'RE ACTUALLY AT ONE DAY THERE.
AND WE HAVE A GOAL, UH, WE CALL 'EM GR GRAFFITI SITES.
SO IF WE PAINT OVER A GRAFFITI SITE AND, AND ABATE THAT GRAFFITI OR POWER WASH IT OR CLEAN IT UP, OR WHATEVER WE DO, THAT'S A GRAFFITI SITE.
OUR TARGET IS ABOUT 50,000 A YEAR.
LAST YEAR, WE WERE JUST UNDER THAT THROUGH DUE TO SOME VACANCIES, BUT THIS YEAR WE'RE ALREADY ON TRACK, UH, TO, UH, MEET OR EXCEED THAT THROUGH QUARTER ONE.
SO LASTLY, I, UM, I THINK I WANNA TALK ABOUT THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TEAM.
SO THIS IS THE ONE, UH, YOU REMEMBER THIS, UH, FROM ABOUT A, A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO.
WE PITCHED THIS AS PART OF WHAT WE NEEDED TO, WHAT WE WANTED TO DO, WHAT WE WANTED TO DO AT DEVELOPMENT SERVICES TO HELP, UH, WHICH IS OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS IN THE CITY.
SO WHAT WE DECIDED TO DO WAS CREATE A TEAM OF SIX PEOPLE, UH, INSPECTORS AND PLANS EXAMINERS THAT ACTUALLY WE FILTER OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS TOO.
AND WHAT THAT DID, THE IDEA WAS WE WANT TO BE, WE WANTED SOME TEAM MEMBERS THAT WERE EXPERTS ON HOUSING ISSUES, BIG AND SMALL.
WHETHER IT'S A, A BRAND NEW APARTMENT COMPLEX THAT'S GETTING TAX CREDITS FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT YOU ALL THIS COMMITTEE HEARS A LOT OF.
OR IT'S SOMEONE WHO REALLY NEEDS TO REPAIR THEIR HOME AND THEY'RE GOING THROUGH MAYBE THE CITY PROGRAM OR JUST KNOW THEY NEED TO, TO, TO REPAIR THEIR HOME AND GET A SMALL PERMIT.
UH, THEY NEED SOME EXTRA HANDHOLDING, UH, WITH, WITH SOMEONE THAT CAN THEN WALK THEM THROUGH PERMITTING AND INSPECTION PROCESS WITH THEIR CONTRACTOR.
WE'VE ALREADY, UH, HAD OVER 9,000 INSPECTIONS ON THOSE TYPE OF PROJECTS.
WE'VE REVIEWED 1600 PLUS PLANS IN JUST OVER A YEAR.
UH, WE'VE WORKED ON 1500 INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS.
UH, AND THEN WE, WE KIND OF, WE TRACK WHAT WE CALL AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS THAT ARE BEING TOUCHED BY THIS TEAM.
AND THE EXCITING PART IS, THIS IS REALLY JUST OUR FIRST YEAR.
UH, THE GREAT PART OF THIS TEAM IS HAVING, YOU KNOW, PERMIT INSPECTION CODE EXPERTS AT THE TABLE WITH N H S D WHEN THEY'RE WORKING WITH HOMEOWNERS OR PROPERTY OWNERS ON THESE BIG OR SMALL PROJECTS.
'CAUSE WE REALLY WANNA FACILITATE THEM THROUGH, UH, AS QUICK AS WE CAN.
WE'RE GETTING, UH, SOME GOOD FEEDBACK, BUT WE'LL KEEP WORKING ON THIS 'CAUSE THIS IS A CRITICAL, UH, PART OF OUR, WHAT WE DO.
NOW, LASTLY, I I, I SHOULD JUST MENTION THE PROACTIVE DEPARTMENT INSPECTIONS.
THIS IS JUST A REPEAT OF WHAT I SAID EARLIER.
UH, WE HAVE SOME UPCOMING MEETINGS WITH THAT STAKEHOLDER GROUP, UH, TONIGHT, UH, NEXT WEEK.
AND I THINK THE FOLLOWING, 'CAUSE WE ARE REALLY WORKING HARD TO GET TO THE FEBRUARY MEETING, UH, WITH A PROPOSAL FOR YOU.
UM, UH, AND SO I DON'T HAVE TO SAY TOO MUCH ABOUT THAT.
SO THAT'S QUICKLY CODE ENFORCEMENT IN KIND OF A 10 OR 12 MINUTE NUTSHELL.
I KNOW WE'VE TALKED INDIVIDUALLY ABOUT SOME PROGRAMS, UH, OVER THE, YOU KNOW, PAST, UH, COUPLE YEARS WORKING WITH THIS COMMITTEE.
UH, BUT I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, UH, THAT
[00:20:01]
YOU HAVE.SHANNON AND I ASKED FOR THIS PRESENTATION TO COME BECAUSE I KNOW ALL OF OUR OFFICES WORK WITH CODE.
UM, BUT ALSO BECAUSE I, I THINK THAT SOMETIMES OUR RESIDENTS DON'T KNOW WHO'S OUT THERE, RIGHT? WHAT YOUR TEAM IS DOING, AND CONGRATULATIONS ON 499 TEAM MEMBERS.
I'M GONNA MAKE A PITCH FOR YOUR 500TH TO BE AN INNOVATION, RIGHT? SO THAT WE COULD STAY ON TOP OF INNOVATIVE THINGS, MAYBE THAT, THAT WE COULD BE DOING AS A COMMUNITY.
UM, I KNOW COUNCILWOMAN VRAN ALWAYS TALKS ABOUT HOW HER NEIGHBORHOODS ASK FOR MORE CODE ACTIVITY.
AND THEN I KNOW COUNCILMAN CASTILLO HAS CHAMPIONED, UH, THE FACT THAT WE NEED MAKE SURE THAT OUR VULNERABLE NEIGHBORHOODS ARE NOT DIS APPROPRIATE OR DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED.
RIGHT? SO YOU MENTIONED THIS A WHILE AGO.
UM, SOME PEOPLE CALL JUNK CARS.
THAT'S BECAUSE THEY CAN AFFORD BETTER CARS, RIGHT? AND SO, UM, SO IT'S UNFAIR.
AND SO THANK YOU FOR, FOR, UH, ACKNOWLEDGING THAT AND, AND TRYING TO WORK ON THE, THE WORDS THAT WE USE AND THE MESSAGING THAT'S IMPORTANT.
THE WAY THAT WE COMMUNICATE TO OUR FOLKS WHO ARE, ARE MORE VULNERABLE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
CODE AND SAFETY ARE DEFINITELY TWO OF THE, THE CONCERNS THAT COME UP TIME AND TIME AGAIN.
SOMETIMES, UH, PEOPLE ARE DISABLED WHO ARE IN THESE PROPERTIES AND EITHER THEY DON'T HAVE THE MONEY OR THEY DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY RIGHT, TO FIX THESE ISSUES.
SO WHEN THEY DO, UM, TRY TO COME UP, A LOT OF OUR NEIGHBORS IN DISTRICT FOUR HELP ONE ANOTHER OUT.
SO, UM, THEY LEND A HELPING HAND.
BUT THEN ALSO, UH, IT'S, IT'S IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER THAT THEY ARE ALSO LIVING IN POVERTY SOMETIMES, RIGHT? SO THE, THE HELP IS NOT, UM, AS EXTENSIVE.
SO I, I, UM, I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR MAYBE SOME THOUGHTS, UM, ABOUT WHAT YOU HAVE OF MAYBE HAVING SOME SORT OF A FUND, UM, THAT MIGHT HELP PEOPLE WHO ARE IN VULNERABLE SITUATIONS WITHIN CODE TO BE HELPED WITH THESE VIOLATIONS.
SO THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS.
UH, ONE THING THAT WE ALREADY HAVE ON THE BOOKS, IT'S A RELATIVELY SMALL FUND.
WE CALL IT THE CODE COMPLIANCE FUND.
UH, WE ACTUALLY CREATED THAT BACK, I THINK IT WAS 13 OR 14 20 13, 20 14 WHEN WE CREATED THE CIVIL, UH, THE CIVIL, UH, CITATION PROCESS CALLED THE ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING OFFICER.
SO THAT'S $15,000 THAT WE ACTUALLY IDENTIFY CODE OFFICERS IDENTIFY, YOU KNOW, THIS IS, THIS IS SOMEONE THAT HAS A CODE VIOLATION.
AND IF THEY, IF THEY HAD THE MONEY, THEY WOULD CLEARLY DO IT.
BUT THERE'S A, THERE'S A CHALLENGE, UH, FINANCIALLY, PHYSICALLY, WHATEVER IT MAY BE.
WE ACTUALLY WALK THEM TO THE, THE CODE WAS WRITTEN THAT WE WALK THEM TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING JUDGE, AND WE TELL THE JUDGE, HEY, THERE'S A VIOLATION HERE.
UH, BUT WE, WE, WE RECOMMEND, OR WE THINK THIS PERSON IS, FITS THIS CATEGORY THAT THEY'RE ELIGIBLE FOR THE CODE COMPLIANCE FUND.
AND THEN, THEN ONCE THE JUDGE SAYS THAT, THEN WE WORK WITH THEM TO GET THE PLUMBING REPAIR ON THE SEWER OR THE ROOF REPAIR, OR WHATEVER IT IS.
AND WE SPENT, YOU KNOW, THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.
YOU KNOW, WE, WE EAT THAT MONEY UP EVERY YEAR, THAT $15,000.
SO IT, IT, IT DOESN'T GO THAT LONG OF A WAY.
SO THAT'S A, A $15,000 BUDGET FOR ANNUAL, ANNUAL, I'M SORRY, IT'S A $15,000 BUDGET.
AND THAT MONEY ACTUALLY COMES FROM PEOPLE THAT PAY A FINE IN COURT.
$20 OF THAT ADMINISTRATIVE FINE BUILDS THAT COMPLIANCE FUND.
SO THE IDEA WAS THIS FUND WAS CREATED BY PROBABLY THE PEOPLE THAT COULD DO IT.
SO WE COULD HELP PEOPLE THAT WANT TO CORRECT THEIR VIOLATION OR THEIR HOUSING ISSUE OR WHAT HAVE YOU.
AND WE'VE, LIKE I SAID, WE'VE WORKED ON SOME STRUCTURAL REPAIRS, SOME SEWER ISSUES.
AND, YOU KNOW, TO GET YOUR SEWER LINE FIXED, THAT'S GONNA BE 1500, $2,500.
A LOT OF TIMES ROOF REPAIRS CAN BE FOUR OR $5,000.
SO WE HAVE THIS FUND THAT WE USE EACH YEAR TO HELP A HANDFUL OF FOLKS.
OKAY? SO THAT'S ONE SUCCESS STORY, EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THAT WE'RE HELPING.
THE OTHER THING THIS YEAR IS CERTAINLY THE INCREASE ON OWNER-OCCUPIED REHAB PROGRAMS AND THOSE TYPE OF FUNDING WORKING CLOSELY WITH N H S T.
SO THAT'S THE OTHER AVENUE WHERE WE IDENTIFY THAT.
UM, AND THEN WE TRY TO GET THEM IN AND WE GET SOME PRIORITY I, I GUESS, UH, STATUS, IF YOU WILL.
'CAUSE N H S D WANTS TO KNOW WHO HAS, WHO HAS SOME CODE VIOLATIONS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED, UH, YOU KNOW, WHERE ARE THEY WEIGHTED IN THE APPLICATION PROCESS FOR THOSE PROGRAMS. AND THEN LASTLY, WE'RE STILL WORKING WITH THE DEMO DIVERSION PROGRAM, CERTAINLY, UH, WITH MARK CARMONA AND, AND THE GROUP ON SOME OF THOSE THAT REALLY, THOSE HOUSES, UH, NEED A LOT OF WORK.
UH, BUT WE HAVE SOME, WE HAVE SOME CODE CASES THAT HAVE BEEN PUT ON HOLD OR REALLY DIVERTED TO THE DEMO DIVERSION.
A COUPLE OF THEM ARE UNDERWAY SO THEY CAN GET THE FULL REPAIR TO KEEP PEOPLE IN THE HOME.
SO THOSE ARE A COUPLE EXAMPLES.
BUT AS I THINK WE MENTIONED AT THE BUDGET, AND I'VE SAID IT BEFORE, THERE'S A, THERE'S A BIG NEED AND CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, THE, THE MORE FUNDS, THE, THE BETTER.
UH, BUT IDENTIFYING PEOPLE THAT NEED THAT HELP AND GETTING THEM TO THOSE RESOURCES IS A, IS A BIG PART OF WHAT WE DO.
SO, UM, SO I DEFINITELY THINK THAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY
[00:25:01]
FOR US TO CONSIDER TO INCREASE THAT FUND, RIGHT? MM-HMM.AND, UH, WE HAVE AN AGING POPULATION IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND SO IN MY DISTRICT, ONE THIRD OF MY RESIDENTS ARE IN THE 55 PLUS CATEGORY.
AND SO I'M ALWAYS VERY AWARE OF, OF THE NEEDS.
UM, I'M SURE IT'S THE SAME FOR, FROM MY COLLEAGUES, RIGHT? AND SO, UM, I'D LOVE TO MAYBE TAKE THIS UP AT THE, AT THE NEXT BUDGET ROUND, RIGHT? LIKE, HOW COULD WE INCREASE THAT BUDGET? 'CAUSE I NEED KNOW YOUR TEAM WOULD LOVE TO HELP MORE PEOPLE.
YOU, SO THEN, SO THEN IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY DO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF DISCRETION, YOUR CODE COMPLIANCE OFFICERS TO, UM, IDENTIFY IF THERE'S SOMEONE VULNERABLE.
DO THEY GIVE THEM EXTRA TIME IF THEY CAN'T HELP THEM PAY? YEAH, SO IT'S VERY COMMON.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE METRICS.
AND I DIDN'T GO THROUGH EVERYTHING, BUT IF WE, IF, IF WE HAVE SOMEONE THAT NEEDS SOME MORE TIME, UM, AN EXTRA WEEK, AN EXTRA WEEKEND, WE CERTAINLY, THE CODE OFFICER HAS THAT DISCRETION AND DIRECTION TO DO.
SO IF, IF THERE'S A REAL ISSUE THERE.
WE ALSO HAVE THINGS LIKE OUR TOOL SHED WHERE PEOPLE CAN, YOU KNOW, WE CAN SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW, IF YOU NEED SOME EQUIPMENT, WHETHER IT BE A LAWNMOWER, WE WEED, WEED, WHACKER,
THEY CAN, THEY CAN GET OUT FOR FREE FOR THE WEEKEND.
SO IT, IT'S DEFINITELY A JOB OF A CODE OFFICER TO, TO KIND OF BE THERE, LISTEN, AND IF THERE'S AN ISSUE, TRY TO HELP AND FIND A WAY TO HELP.
NOW DOES IT ALWAYS WORK? ABSOLUTELY NOT.
I WON'T, I WON'T STAND HERE AND SAY THAT BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME, THERE ARE SOME CHALLENGING ISSUES WITH A LOT OF NEED.
UH, BUT THAT IS PART OF OUR JOB.
UM, AND THAT SOUNDS SIMILAR TO THE PROGRAM WITH OPERATION REBUILD, WHERE YOU CAN BORROW SOME OF THE TOOLS MM-HMM.
UM, AND THEN MY, MY FINAL QUESTION FOR NOW, THEN I'LL MOVE ON TO MY COLLEAGUES.
I KNOW IT FEELS LIKE WE ARE ALWAYS, UM, NOT THAT WE'RE MISSING, BUT I, I THINK THAT WE'VE HAD A FEW TURNOVER, I GUESS IS THE RIGHT WORD.
AND OUR DISTRICT WITH CODE OFFICERS.
AND SO, UM, HOW DO YOU, HOW ARE YOU PREPPING FOR THAT SO THAT WE DON'T KINDA HAVE THAT, THAT TURNOVER? LIKE WHAT CAN, WHAT DO YOU PROACTIVELY DO TO KEEP YOUR EMPLOYEES HAPPY? WELL, UH, I MEAN, KEEPING THEM HAPPY IS, IS PROBABLY LIKE ALL OF US IN THIS CITY OR ANYBODY WITH A BUSINESS.
UM, WE CERTAINLY WANT TO HAVE COMPETITIVE WAGES.
WE WANNA HAVE GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES.
WE HAVE EXTRA CERTIFICATION PAY AVAILABLE.
WE EVEN HAVE SOME PROGRAMS WHERE AN OFFICER CAN PROMOTE THEMSELVES TO A SENIOR CODE OFFICER, WHERE IT'S, THEY DON'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR AN OPENING.
SO WE, WE'VE DONE A LOT TO TRY TO DO THAT.
BUT CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, OUR VACANCY RATE, LIKE THE CITY, I THINK YOU'VE HEARD THE CITY MANAGER TALK ABOUT THIS OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS, IS IT'S HIGHER THAN WE WANT IT, RIGHT? I MEAN, WE DON'T ONLY HAVE ANY VACANCIES, BUT I MEAN, THE NORM USED TO BE SIX OR 7%, AND WE WERE AT, CLEARLY AT 13 OR 14 IN OUR DEPARTMENT, WE'RE DOWN TO JUST UNDER 11%, CLOSER TO 10% NOW.
UH, SO WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE DEFINITELY DOING THAT.
BUT, BUT RIGHT NOW, UH, IN THE PAST YEAR OR TWO, WE'VE HIRED A, A, UH, PROBABLY THE MOST NEW CODE OFFICERS WE'VE HAD IN MY TENURE WITH CODE FOR THE PAST DECADE.
AND THERE, THERE'S A LOT OF BENEFIT TO THAT TOO.
UM, BUT, BUT WE'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO BALANCE, UH, AND NOT HAVE TOO MANY VACANCIES, UH, WITHIN ONE TEAM OR UNIT.
UH, BECAUSE ANY TEAM CAN FILL IN TEMPORARILY FOR, FOR MAYBE ONE VACANCY.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT FOR TWO, BUT IF WE HAVE THREE OR FOUR, THEN, THEN THAT WON'T WORK.
WE WON'T BE ABLE TO SERVE THAT WHOLE, THAT WHOLE AREA.
SO WE'RE CONSTANTLY MOVING PEOPLE AROUND.
BUT WE ARE TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE THAT CODE ENFORCEMENT IS A, IS A GOOD, GOOD WAY TO COME INTO THE CITY AND THEN GROW WITHIN THE CITY AS WELL.
WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, DANNY DANNY'S HERE, ONE OF OUR, UH, SUCCESS STORIES.
HE'S COME UP THE LADDER THROUGH CODE ENFORCEMENT, ONE OF OUR, UH, ONE OF OUR LEAD MANAGERS.
SO, UH, DANNY, I JUST CALLED YOU OUT.
YOU HAD A CHANCE TO WORK WITH DANNY, YET? YOU PROBABLY SAY THE SAME.
YEAH, NO, UM, I WAS ASKING, BECAUSE I'VE HEARD OF, UH, CASES WHERE SOME OF OUR CODE OFFICERS ARE MOVING TO AUSTIN OR GOING TO WORK FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN MM-HMM.
AND I WOULDN'T WANNA SAY THAT THEY'RE BEING POACHED, BUT, SO I JUST KIND OF MAKE SURE THAT, THAT WE STAY ON TOP OF THAT.
UM, WE'LL START WITH MY COLLEAGUES.
COUNCILMAN SANDOVAL, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? CAN I GO BACK? YES.
UH, AND ACTUALLY BEFORE I FORGET, CAN WE GO COUNCILWOMAN VRAN, BECAUSE I, I WILL FORGET 'CAUSE SHE'S VIRTUAL.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, COUNCIL? YES.
YEAH, I JUST HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS.
UM, MIKE, THE CITATION PROGRAM, UM, I KNOW SOMETIMES WE GET UPDATES AT THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETINGS.
WHAT ABOUT CERTAIN HOMES? HOMES? IS THERE A DASHBOARD OR A WAY RESIDENTS CAN KIND OF SEE WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE PROJECT, UH, THAT THEY, THEY SEE HAS THE OVERGROWN GRASS OR THE, THE STALLED VEHICLES OR THE FRONT YARD PARKING? SO, SO YES, THERE'S A COUPLE OF WAYS TO DO THAT.
[00:30:01]
SO OUR CODE CASES ARE, ARE, THOSE ARE ONLINE THROUGH OUR OPENGOV.SO IT'S, IF YOU WANT THE INFORMATION, YOU CAN CERTAINLY GET IT.
UM, AND, AND IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, THERE IS IT, UH, IT'S A BIG, IT'S A BIG POWERFUL SPREADSHEET.
SO YOU GOTTA KIND OF KNOW WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.
WHAT MOST OF OUR CUSTOMERS, UH, THROUGH NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS AND SUCH, UH, THEY'LL WORK DIRECTLY WITH THAT, THAT CODE OFFICER OR THE CODE SUPERVISOR TO GET THOSE UPDATES AT THOSE MONTHLY MEETINGS.
I FORGOT TO MENTION, YOU KNOW, GOING TO NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS IS A CRITICAL PART, RIGHT? WE WE'RE, WE GO, UH, LAST YEAR WE WENT TO OVER 300, 3, 3 7.
I THINK WE TRACKED, UM, IT USED TO BE A LITTLE BIT OVER 400, BUT PRE PANDEMIC.
BUT, UM, I THINK EVERYBODY'S KIND OF GETTING BACK TO THE BACK TO NORMAL WITH MEETING AND STUFF.
BUT THOSE ARE THE UPDATES THAT WE'LL PROVIDE ON, MAYBE NOT JUST EVERY CASE WE WORKED ON IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT, BUT THE ONES THAT ARE EITHER THE REPEATS OR THE HIGHER PROFILE, UH, AND, AND THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD PRESIDENT OR THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, CODE EN FA, CO CODE ENFORCEMENT, UH, PERSON THAT THEY'VE ASSIGNED, UH, THEY'LL GET THOSE UPDATES AND DISTRIBUTE 'EM THERE.
BUT, UH, WE DON'T SPECIFICALLY HAVE, I GUESS, WHAT I WOULD CALL A DASHBOARD.
UH, BUT I'D BE HAPPY TO KIND OF LOOK AT THAT WITH YOU OR ANY OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO SEE IF THERE'S A BETTER WAY TO, TO GET THAT INFORMATION OUT.
'CAUSE MY, WHAT I'M CONSTANTLY HEARING ABOUT AND WHAT I, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, UH, A TARGETED EFFORT IN OUR CAMPAIGN ON IS THAT, IS THOSE FRONT YARD PARKING VEHICLES.
BECAUSE WHAT I DON'T THINK PEOPLE QUITE UNDERSTAND IS ONE, THE DANGER, UM, THAT IT CAUSES IF SOMEBODY JUST ACCIDENTALLY DOESN'T HIT REVERSE AND, AND, AND HITS DRIVE AND HITS THE HOME, THE OTHER IS THE DAMAGE IT POSSIBLY DOES TO THE, TO THE YARD AND ANY PIPES OR THINGS THAT THAT CAR IS SITTING ON.
SO I WOULD RE AND OF COURSE, IT BOTHERS MY NEIGHBORS, SO I'D REALLY LIKE TO SEE US, UM, REALLY TARGET THE FRONT YARD PARKING VIOLATION, UM, TO KIND OF GET IT OUT OF THOSE TOP, GET IT OUT OF THAT TOP VIOLATORS.
I KNOW IT'S GONNA BE HARD, BUT IF WE COULD, IF WE COULD DO A CAMPAIGN AND KIND OF MAKE PEOPLE AWARE OF, OF YES.
DO, DO YOUR NEIGHBORS FIND IT UNSIGHTLY? YES.
BUT THERE'S OTHER RISKS THERE THAT, THAT, UM, THAT WE, WE WANT THEM TO AVOID FROM THAT.
UM, THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE IS THE, UM, THE AIRBNB NOW NEIGHBORS, JUST IF THEY THINK THERE'S AN AIRBNB THAT'S, THAT'S FUNCTIONING, THAT ISN'T REGISTERED, THEY JUST CALL 3 1 1 AND MAKE THAT REPORT.
UH, WE HAVE WORKED WITH CERTAINLY 3 1 1 PAUL AND HER GROUP.
UH, THEY HAVE A, THEY HAVE A CODE FOR A POSSIBLE SHORT-TERM RENTAL VIOLATION.
AND IT COULD BE A NUMBER OF THINGS.
THEY, THEY'RE OPERATING WITHOUT A PERMIT, THEY'RE OPERATING OUTSIDE THEIR PERMIT, UH, OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
UH, AND THAT WILL START THE PROCESS.
IT WILL COME TO MY SHORT-TERM RENTAL TEAM, WHICH INCLUDES STAFF, UH, WHICH WE, YOU ALL ADDED, UH, YOU ALL APPROVED ADDING A COUPLE STAFF MEMBERS TO THAT, THIS BUDGET, AS WELL AS THE CODE OFFICER DEDICATED TO SHORT-TERM RENTAL CASES.
SO THEY WILL, THEY WILL THEN LOOK AT THAT AND BRING THAT INTO COMPLIANCE.
UH, THEY'LL EITHER GET PERMITTED, THEY'LL SHUT DOWN, WE'LL TAKE 'EM TO COURT, UH, ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.
WE'LL KEEP WORKING AT IT TO, TO MAKE SURE THEY COMPLY.
BUT THAT 3 1 1 IS THE BEST WAY TO CALL.
I, UH, I THINK THAT'S IT FOR ME.
JUST THAT WE KEEP ON WORKING TOGETHER, UH, TO, TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES.
AND, UH, THANK YOU, MIKE FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UH, THE, THE CODE TEAM, UH, THAT I INHERITED THROUGH REDISTRICTING IS AMAZING.
REALLY GRATEFUL FOR REGGIE AND HIS TEAM, UH, BEING OUT THERE.
UH, YOU QUICKLY MENTIONED SOME METRICS WHEN IT CAME TO PROACTIVE AND REACTIVE CITATIONS.
CAN YOU REMIND ME OF WHAT THOSE NUMBERS WERE? SO THE PROACTIVE AND REACTIVE, UH, THOSE ARE THE CASES.
SO LET'S, LET'S, LET'S, THEY'RE JUST, WE STARTED THE CASE, WE GOT A CALL, UH, THE REACTIVE CASES.
SO WE, WE DID ABOUT 105,000 CASES LAST YEAR.
UH, ABOUT A THIRD OF THOSE, UH, JUST UNDER A THIRD OF THOSE, I THINK WE WERE 55%.
UH, SO MAYBE 40, 45% OF THOSE WERE REACTIVE.
3 1 1 CALLS THAT CAME IN FOR ALL TYPES OF VIOLATIONS.
WE WILL GO OUT, WE WILL INVESTIGATE.
SOME OF THEM ARE NOT VIOLATIONS.
MAYBE A, MAYBE A, A NEIGHBOR OR SOMEONE THOUGHT IT WAS, IT'S REALLY NOT A CODE VIOLATION.
UH, SO THE CASE WILL BE CLOSED, BUT WE'LL WORK ON THOSE THAT AREN'T THE PROACTIVE ARE THE OTHER ONES WHERE THE CODE OFFICER IS DRIVING AROUND FROM CASE TO CASE THAT MAYBE GET CALLED IN, BUT THEY'RE ALSO PATROLLING THEIR AREA, THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO THEY'RE LOOKING FOR VIOLATIONS.
AND THAT WAS, UH, ABOUT, UH, 55% OF THEM WERE PROACTIVE LAST YEAR.
UH, SO THAT'S HOW WE WOULD START THE CASE.
AND THEN WE WOULD GIVE LIKE A NOTICE OF VIOLATION TO THE PROPERTY OWNER.
UH, IF IT'S A VACANT PROPERTY, WE WILL NOTE, WE'LL MAIL THEM SOMETHING.
[00:35:01]
IT'S A HOME OR BUSINESS, UH, WE'LL EITHER GIVE THEM, UH, EITHER KNOCK ON THEIR DOOR, GIVE IT TO 'EM, OR, UH, PUT IT ON THEIR DOOR FOR 'EM.AND WOULD YOU ALL HAVE A PERCENTAGE OF RESIDENT INITIATED, UH, VIOLATIONS VERSUS, UH, CODE OFFICER INITIATED VIOLATIONS? METRICS? SO THE PERCE, YOU, YOU YEAH, THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE, SO IF YOU TAKE THE FIRST, UH, THE FIRST QUARTER OF THIS YEAR, SO THE LAST THREE MONTHS, 66% OF OUR CALLS, OR 66% OF OUR CASES WERE CODE OFFICER DRIVEN.
MEANING NO ONE CALLED, IT WASN'T A THREE ONE ONE CALL THAT CAME IN, WE WEREN'T RESPONDING.
WE WERE JUST OUT THERE PATROLLING.
AND THE 34% WERE 3 1 1 CALLS, RIGHT.
OR THREE ONE ONE, EITHER THROUGH THE CALL OR THE APP OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
I, I GUESS I'M, I'M LOOKING FOR SOLUTIONS ON HOW WE CAN FLIP THAT, RIGHT? SO THAT WAY WE'RE ADDRESSING THE CONSTITUENT NEEDS AND CALLS AND CONCERNS MM-HMM.
UH, HAVE YOU ALL EXPLORED WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE OR POTENTIALLY FLIPPING IT TO WHERE WE ADDRESS MORE RESIDENT CALLS? SURE.
UM, WELL, I THINK THIS IS A CONVERSATION.
I DON'T THINK WE'RE, IT'S NOT THAT WE'RE NOT GETTING TO THE RESIDENT CALLS, RIGHT? THAT I, I THINK WE'VE STAFFED UP TO BE ABLE TO, TO GET TO THOSE AS WELL AS PROACTIVE.
BUT I THINK THAT'S A CONVERSATION THAT, THAT WE CAN LOOK AT AND HAVE, AND MAYBE WE CAN SIT DOWN AND TALK WITH YOU ABOUT SOME OF YOUR IDEAS.
BUT REMEMBER, 10 YEARS AGO, WE WERE, ABOUT 80% OF OUR CALLS WERE, WERE REACTIVE AND ONLY 20%.
AND AT THAT TIME, THE CITY LEADERSHIP AND THE COMMUNITY THROUGH NEIGHBORHOODS WERE SAYING, WE WANT MORE PROACTIVE BEFORE WE HAVE TO CALL.
WE WANT YOU OUT THERE LOOKING FOR STUFF BEFORE.
SO WE, WE ACTUALLY STARTED PUTTING THOSE MEASURES.
WE SAID, WELL, LET'S BE 50% PROACTIVE.
AT LEAST WE, WE ACTUALLY STARTED HITTING THAT AND EXCEEDING IT.
AND THEN WE CHALLENGED OURSELVES AND, AND CREATED A NEW BUDGET METRIC.
UH, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YEAR IT WAS, MAYBE 2017 OR 2018, UH, WE MOVED IT UP TO, TO TWO THIRDS.
BUT IF, IF WE WANT TO, IF WE WANNA MODIFY THAT A LITTLE BIT, FOR SOME REASON, WE, WE CAN LOOK AT THAT.
BUT THAT WOULD BE CHANGING UP OUR KIND OF PERFORMANCE METRICS.
METRICS USED IN EMPLOYEE EVALUATIONS ARE, YES, THEY ARE.
UH, SO THE MORE VIOLATIONS, THE PROMOTION, OR CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND HOW THAT WORKS? NO, WE RESPONSE TIME PROACTIVITY, RIGHT? SO RESPONSE TIME IS GETTING OUT TO THE ONES THAT ARE CALLED IN 3 1 1.
YOU HAVE TO GET OUT THERE QUICKLY AND YOU HAVE TO BE LOOKING FOR CODE VIOLATIONS IN YOUR AREA.
RIGHT? SO ARE THERE CODE VIOLATIONS? AND THEN THE LAST ONE IS COMPLIANCE RATE.
AND ARE YOU WORKING TO GET 'EM COMPLIED WITH QUICKLY? I'M SORRY.
AND IS THE RUBRIC EQUAL, RIGHT? IS IT LIKE FIVE POINTS EACH OR IS THERE A HIGHER PERCENTAGE GIVEN ON EACH, UH, EVALUATION COMPONENT? I THINK IT'S EQUAL.
I, I DON'T, I DON'T THINK ONE IS WEIGHTED DIFFERENT THAN THE OTHER.
YEAH, IF YOU CAN SHARE THAT WITH MY OFFICE, I'D BE GREAT FOR THAT.
I'LL BE HAPPY TO WALK YOU THROUGH THAT.
I, I ACTUALLY HAD QUESTIONS ALONG THE SAME LINES.
UM, UH, SO I, I THINK IT'S FAIR IF A NEW COUNCIL DECIDES TO TAKE A DIFFERENT DIRECTION, I GUESS THAT'S STILL IN THE REALM OF POSSIBILITIES, RIGHT? FOR, FOR PROACTIVE VERSUS REACTIVE.
WHAT I, WHAT I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND IS HOW DO YOU DEVELOP YOUR PROACTIVE PLAN FOR CODE COMPLIANCE? IN OTHER WORDS, ARE THERE CERTAIN TYPES OF VIOLATIONS THAT YOU PRIORITIZE OR ARE THERE CERTAIN AREAS THAT YOU PRIORITIZE? BECAUSE I THINK, UM, IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE OUR, OUR RESIDENTS THAT CALL IN VIOLATIONS, UM, THEY FEEL LIKE IT DOESN'T HAPPEN FAST ENOUGH, RIGHT? OR THERE MIGHT NOT BE ENOUGH CODE OFFICERS, SO MM-HMM.
SO I, I JUST WONDER HOW YOU SPLIT THAT.
'CAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, MORE WORK, UH, TO DO.
WELL, I, I THINK, UH, THE, THE WAY WE SET THE PARAMETERS IS, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WE'VE BEEN GIVEN THIS KIND OF CHARGE TO BE MORE PROACTIVE THAN REACTIVE, WHICH I, I THINK, I THINK WE CAN UNDERSTAND THAT WHETHER WE AGREE WITH IT STILL OR NOT, WE CAN HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.
UH, BUT A CODE OFFICER NEEDS TO KNOW, THEY GET A LIST OF CALLS THAT CAME IN YESTERDAY OR OVER THE WEEKEND.
THEY KNOW OUR JOB IS TO RESPOND QUICKLY TO SEE IF IT, IS IT A VIOLATION OR NOT.
IF IT IS, IF, DO WE WORK TO GET COMPLIANCE AND GO THROUGH THAT AT THE SAME TIME? WE DON'T WANT THEM GOING FROM THIS STREET THEN GOING FROM THREE STREETS OVER AND PASSING A VIOLATION THAT'S CLEARLY ON, IT'S RIGHT THERE, IT'S RIGHT NEXT DOOR.
SO THAT'S THE IDEA OF BEING PROACTIVE AS WELL.
BECAUSE MAYBE SOMEONE CALLED ON, I'M PICKING ON YOU BECAUSE
BUT THERE'S TWO VIOLATIONS THERE.
WE SHOULD GET, WE SHOULD GET BOTH OF THOSE ON OUR LIST WORK TO GET THEM INTO COMPLIANCE.
SO THAT'S HOW THE CODE OFFICER REALLY SETS THEIR DAY OR SETS THEIR TYPICAL
[00:40:01]
WORK, BUT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR THAT.AND THEN WE JUST MEASURE HOW MANY WERE CALLED IN, DID YOU GET TO TODAY? DID YOU GET TO 'EM ON TIME? MEANING, MEANING OUR TIMELINESS.
AND ARE YOU ALSO OUT THERE LOOKING FOR OTHER CODE VIOLATIONS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED? AND IF SO, UH, ARE WE ADDRESSING THEM? AND WE ALSO HAVE QUALITY CONTROL CHECKS BY THE SUPERVISORS.
'CAUSE WE DON'T WANT, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT NO ONE'S IDENTIFYING A CODE VIOLATION.
SO WE HAVE TO VERIFY THAT AS WELL, SO WE HAVE A PROCEDURE THERE.
BUT THAT'S, I HOPE THAT ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION.
UM, MY, THIS IS NOT SO MUCH A QUESTION AS, AS A COMMENT, UH, ABOUT THE, WHAT DID YOU SAY, $15,000 THAT ARE SET ASIDE TO ASSIST, UH, RESIDENTS WITH CODE VIOLATIONS.
I THINK EVERYONE CAN, CAN, UH, AGREE THAT THAT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, A DROP IN THE BUCKET FOR, FOR THE TYPES OF REPAIRS.
IT'S A, IT IS A VERY SMALL FUND.
IT'S ONE TOOL THAT WAS CREATED WITH QUOTE UNQUOTE, I'M GONNA CALL IT FINE MONEY, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
UH, BUT WE HAVE, WE HAVE THOSE OTHER PROGRAMS THAT, AND I'M POINTING TO N H SS D THAT WE'VE EXPANDED THIS PAST YEAR WITH MORE DOLLARS AND ET CETERA.
SO THOSE ARE UTILIZED AS WELL.
UM, SO IT'S NOT A CRITICISM, BUT IT DOES SEEM LIKE WE, UH, IT REALLY, IT'S NOT
BUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT CERTAIN PARTS OF THE CITY OR CERTAIN CONTINUAL TYPES OF VIOLATIONS, WHEN YOU SAY WE HAVE AN AGING POPULATION, WHAT, I MEAN, IT'S A 1.4 MILLION, UH, POPULATION CITY.
LIKE, I, I, I JUST THINK WE NEED SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT MORE STRATEGIC.
I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IT IS, HOW TO, HOW TO SOLVE IT.
CAN, CAN I JUST HAVE, OH, SORRY LORI, GO AHEAD.
CAN WE HAVE VERONICA GARCIA COME UP TO THE PODIUM AND EXPLAIN WHAT N H SS IS DOING? 'CAUSE WE HAVE THE SHOTGUN PILOT PROGRAM GOING ON THAT COUNCILMAN CAST CASTILLO LED.
WE HAVE OUR MINOR REPAIR PROGRAM THAT HAS MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN IT.
AND THEN WE HAVE OUR OWNER OCCUPIED REHAB AND THEY WORK WITH D S D FOR ON SOME OF THESE PROJECTS.
SO THAT 15,000 IS PROBABLY THE SMALLEST TOOL THEY HAVE BECAUSE THE NEEDS ARE SO LARGE AND THEY END UP GOING OVER TO N H S D.
SO VERONICA, WHY DON'T YOU GIVE A HIGH LEVEL BRIEFING? ABSOLUTELY.
SO WE HAVE ABOUT 2320 $4 MILLION THIS YEAR THROUGH OUR OWNER OCCUPIED AND MINOR RE REPAIR PROGRAMS. AND WE DO WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH D S D TO REFER CLIENTS TO OUR PROGRAM.
UM, SO ANYONE WITH THOSE TYPES OF ISSUES, UH, LIKE WHAT MIKE'S REFERENCING, IT IS, IT IS A VERY SMALL BUDGET, BUT THAT'S ANYONE WHO I WOULD IMAGINE MAYBE HAS, UM, TRASH ON SITE THAT NEEDS TO BE HAULED AWAY OR NEEDS HELP CUTTING THEIR GRASS.
OUR PROGRAM CAN REALLY HELP WITH THOSE MORE HOME REPAIRS.
AND WE'RE CONSTANTLY, UM, GOING BACK AND FORTH WITH REFERRALS.
AS COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO MENTIONED.
UM, AND LORI MENTIONED THERE ARE SOME HOMEOWNERS THAT, UH, REQUIRE MORE THAN JUST A NEW ROOF.
AND THEIR HOMES ARE IN A VERY SEVERE STATE OF, UH, OF NEED.
YOU KNOW, MANY OF THEM ARE ABOUT TO BE, UH, DEMOED.
AND WE'VE WORKED MUCH MORE CLOSELY WITH D S D OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS THROUGH THE OPERATION REBUILD PROGRAM TO, UM, IDENTIFY THOSE HOMEOWNERS WORK WITH, UH, WITH THE D S D TEAM AND THE BUILDING STANDARDS BOARD TO GIVE THOSE HOMEOWNERS MORE TIME AND SEE HOW WE CAN GET THEM THROUGH THE PROGRAM.
WHAT OTHER RESOURCES? UM, SO THERE IS, THERE IS MORE WORK HAPPENING, UM, BEYOND THAT SMALL FUND.
UM, BUT IT IS TAKE A VERY COORDINATED APPROACH TO REALLY ADDRESS, ADDRESS THE NEED THAT'S OUT THERE.
UM, AND THEN AS LORI MENTIONED, WE ALSO HAVE THE SHOTGUN PILOT PROGRAM, UM, WHICH IS FOCUSING MORE ON, ON NEW CONSTRUCTION REHAB TO GETTING THOSE HOMES TO INDIVIDUALS.
BUT REALLY THE, THE REPAIRS ARE THROUGH THAT $23 MILLION.
YOU, COUNCILMAN SANDOVAL? UH, COUNCILMAN KIRCH.
I JUST WANTED TO CHECK ON A FEW THINGS ON, ON A REPORT THAT YOU GAVE US.
UH, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT CODE COMPLIANCE, BUT YOU SAID THAT WITHIN YOUR DEPARTMENT YOU'VE GOT ABOUT 500 MEMBERS.
AND ARE YOU SAYING THAT THERE'S ABOUT A 10 OR 11% VACANCY WITHIN THAT, SO THAT IT COULD BE FIVE 50 WOULD BE THE MORE APPROPRIATE NUMBER IF YOU FILLED EVERYTHING? NO, THE, THE 4 99 IS THE APPROVED AUTHORIZED PO POSITION.
SO WE RIGHT NOW HAVE, UH, JUST CLOSE TO 50 VACANCIES TOTAL, I THINK.
AND WHERE ARE MOST OF THOSE VACANCIES? THEY'RE REALLY SCATTERED ABOUT.
UM, I, I, I WOULD SAY THERE'S A PRETTY EVEN DISTRIBUTION OF THAT, UH, UH, THROUGH IT.
I DON'T HAVE THE LIST IN FRONT OF ME, BUT WE LOOK AT IT ABOUT EVERY OTHER WEEK AND IT FLUCTUATES, BUT IT'S SCATTERED ABOUT ALL OF MY DIVISIONS.
I DON'T HAVE A, I DON'T HAVE ONE TEAM OR ONE DIVISION THAT IS, YOU KNOW, DOWN TO 20 OR 30%, UH, OF, UH, OF POSITIONS.
SO YOU'VE GOT 146 TEAM MEMBERS DEDICATED TOWARDS CODE ENFORCEMENT.
[00:45:01]
ARE DEDICATED TOWARDS, UH, BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION, UH, ENFORCEMENT? YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT LIKE THE TRADE INSPECTIONS AND STUFF LIKE THAT? YEAH.SO MY BUILDING INSPECTORS, MECHANICAL, ELECTRICAL, PLUMBING INSPECTORS, UH, ABOUT 90.
I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT NUMBER IN FRONT OF ME, BUT THAT'S ABOUT 90.
NOW, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT 146 TEAM MEMBERS, DOES THAT INCLUDE OTHER NUMBERS THAT YOU'VE MENTIONED HERE? LIKE SPECIAL UNITS, UH, TWO APARTMENT INSPECTORS, SIX AFFORDABLE HOUSING INSPECTORS, TWO MORE S T R INSPECTORS.
ARE THEY ALL WITHIN THIS 1 46? SOME OF THEM, THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS NOT, THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS NOT IN THE 1 46.
THOSE SIX ARE, LIKE I SAID, IN THAT PLAN REVIEW DIVISION.
UH, THEY WORK CLOSELY WITH SOME OF OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
ANYTHING THAT TOUCHES AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WHETHER IT'S A CODE REPAIR OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
DO THEY WORK UNDER YOU THOUGH? THEY DO, YES.
UM, YOU KNOW, WITH THIS MANY MEMBERS, AND I SEE YOU HAVE 10 FIELD TEAMS, YOU SAID? YES.
MADE UP OF EIGHT OR NINE OR 10 MEMBERS OF EACH FIELD TEAM MM-HMM.
UH, WHY CAN'T WE HAVE ONE LIAISON FOR EVERY COUNCIL DISTRICT THAT WE CAN MAINTAIN REGULAR CONTACT WITH TO HELP US FOLLOW UP ON A LOT OF THESE THINGS? SURE.
WELL, SO ABOUT A DECADE AGO WE USED TO HAVE, UH, A KIND OF A TEAM FOR EVERY DISTRICT.
UH, WHAT THAT LED TO, WHAT WE FOUND WAS SOME DISTRICTS NEEDED A FEW MORE OFFICERS.
THEY WERE MAYBE 14 OR 15, UH, TEAM LARGE AND OTHERS WERE FIVE OR SIX JUST ON THE BASE OF THE CALLS WE WERE GETTING AND RIGHT SIZING IT.
AND IT CAUSED SOME CHALLENGES FOR ONE TEAM TO OVERSEE 14 OR 15 PEOPLE WHILE ANOTHER ONE WAS DOING SIX.
SO WE WENT THROUGH AN EXERCISE BACK THEN AND SAID, YOU KNOW, REALLY IT WORKS BEST IF THERE'S ABOUT AN EIGHT OR NINE PERSON PER EACH SUPERVISOR.
UH, WE WORKED EVEN WITH S A P D AT THE TIME, UH, THAT WAS KIND OF SOME OF THEIR STRUCTURE, BEST PRACTICE OF SUPERVISOR MANAGEMENT.
SO WE, WE TRANSITIONED TO THAT AND WE WERE ABLE TO GET TO THINGS QUICKER.
BUT IF THERE'S, IF THERE'S A WAY FOR US TO LOOK AT COORDINATING WITH EACH DISTRICT A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
I MEAN, EACH DISTRICT, UH, YOU ALL HAVE A MANAGER OR ME, I MEAN, OF COURSE, BUT YOU HAVE A MANAGER AND A SUPERVISOR THAT'S REALLY IN YOUR, IN YOUR DISTRICT.
MOST OF THE TIME, THAT'S YOUR PERSON.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE'VE SET UP.
BUT IF YOU, IF YOU'D LIKE US TO LOOK AT A SINGLE POINT, A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, IF, IF YOU'RE HAVING SOME CHALLENGES THERE, WE CAN SIT DOWN AND DO THAT.
WELL, IF YOU'RE SAYING THAT, AND I'LL JUST USE MY DISTRICT FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S A MANAGER AND A SUPERVISOR WHO PROBABLY WORKS IN OR AROUND MY AREA PRETTY REGULARLY.
I'D JUST BE GLAD TO HAVE THAT, THOSE PEOPLE'S NAMES.
SO I KNOW THAT THERE'RE MORE UNDERSTANDING OF CONDITIONS IN, IN MY, MY DISTRICT THAN, UH, JUST ANY OTHER CODE OFFICER.
THAT MIGHT BE RESPONSIVE TO A CALL.
AND I'D LIKE TO COME BACK WITH SOME MORE TIME.
UM, WITH THE SPECIAL UNITS, CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHAT THE COMMUNICATION IS LIKE WITHIN EACH UNIT? HOW ARE THEY SHARING INFORMATION? IF IT'S, UM, A, A ZONING ISSUE, BUT THEN THERE'S ALSO ISSUES ABOUT OUTSIDE PLACEMENT.
WHAT DOES THAT COMMUNICATION LOOK LIKE WITH OFFICERS? SO, I MEAN, THERE IS, UH, THERE IS COLLABORATION.
SO IT COULD BE ONE PROPERTY THAT HAS MULTIPLE ISSUES MM-HMM.
UH, SO WE WILL HAVE, CERTAINLY IF THE CASE IS HANDED, IF IT'S A ZONING CASE FOR EXAMPLE, UH, THAT HAS SOME OTHERS, WE MAY HAVE, YOU KNOW, ONE OFFICER WORKING ON A COUPLE OF THE ISSUES WHILE THE OTHER ZONING.
'CAUSE WE'VE TRAINED SOME, SOME OF OUR CODE OFFICERS TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A ZONING EXPERT.
AS, YOU KNOW, ZONING CAN BE A LITTLE, A LITTLE TRICKY.
THERE'S 50 OR 60 ZONING CATEGORIES AND THEY'RE ALL NUANCED, PRETTY GOOD.
UH, BUT WE HAVE COORDINATION OF OFFICER TO OFFICER AND ALSO SUPERVISOR TO SUPERVISOR, UH, TO DO THAT.
SO, UH, THERE'S, THERE'S CONTINUAL COMMUNICATION.
NOW SOMETHING LIKE, UM, MAYBE A BOARDING HOME OR A MOBILE LIVING PARK THAT'S USUALLY HANDLED BY THAT CODE OFFICER, THEY'LL DO EVERYTHING ON THERE, UH, ON, ON THAT PROPERTY.
UH, UH, AND THEY WON'T, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF HANDOFF NEEDED FOR THOSE.
AND IS THAT INFORMATION SHARED ON A DATABASE THAT EACH CODE OFFICER CAN ACCESS TO REVIEW? UM RIGHT.
I'M THINKING OF A, A NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETING WHERE THERE'S CODE AND OUTSIDE PLACEMENT, UH, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, CODE IS OUTSIDE, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, PATROLLING RIGHT.
UM, AND THEN WE ONLY HAVE ONE COME TO A NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETING AND IT'S DIFFERENT INFORMATION THAN THE OTHER THAT'S BEING COMMUNICATED.
SURE, I SEE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
UM, I, I'D HAVE TO LET, LET ME GET WITH A TEAM ON THAT.
I KNOW THAT HAPPENS SOMETIMES WITH OUR DP CASES AS WELL.
LEMME LET ME LOOK AT THAT AND SEE IF THERE'S, UH, WHAT WE HAVE AND IF THERE'S A, IF THERE'S A WAY TO IMPROVE THAT.
AND IF THERE'S A SOFTWARE THAT WE NEED TO ADVOCATE FOR SURE.
LET KNOW, I'M HAPPY TO DO THAT.
UM, AND I ALSO WANTED TO, UM, EXPRESS
[00:50:01]
MY SUPPORT AS WELL.I THINK WE DO NEED TO LOOK AT INCREASING THAT $1,500 FUND.
UM, I WANNA THANK CODE FOR USING SOME OF THAT IN DISTRICT FIVE FOR CUTTING SOME TREES.
BUT CUTTING TREES COULD EAT UP THE WHOLE, UH, FUND.
SO POTENTIALLY LOOKING AT, UM, HOW THE GENERAL FUND COULD SUPPORT THAT BUCKET.
WE'LL GO TO COUNCILMAN COURAGES.
UM, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, UH, CODE COMPLIANCE AND THE CODE OFFICERS OUT THERE, UH, WHO WORKS NOISE COMPLAINTS.
IS IT EVERY CODE OFFICER? NO CODE OFFICERS DO NOISE COMPLAINTS.
NOW IT IS, UH, S A P D, IF YOU REMEMBER, UH, A YEAR OR SO AGO, WE DID A PILOT PROGRAM THAT WAS AUTHORIZED THROUGH THE BUDGET TO HAVE CODE OFFICERS WORK A FEW NIGHTS.
WE WORKED WITH A TASK FORCE AND, UH, BUT THEN IT WENT BACK TO S A P D FOR ENFORCEMENT.
SO CODE OFFICERS REALLY AREN'T, UH, THEY WEREN'T BEFORE THAT, NOR ARE THEY AFTER THAT.
NOW WE DON'T HAVE ANYBODY WORKING THOSE NIGHT CALLS OR ANYTHING.
WELL, WHAT WAS THE RESULTS OF THE PILOT PROJECT? DID THEY, WERE THEY EFFECTIVE? DID THEY MANAGE TO TRACK AND, AND REPORT? WERE THE POLICE ABLE TO FOLLOW UP? UM, I DON'T REMEMBER HEARING WHAT CAME OUT OF THAT PILOT PROJECT.
WELL, THAT TASK FORCE AND THAT WHOLE PROJECT HASN'T REALLY FINISHED YET.
UM, THERE WAS SOME PROS AND CAUSE OF THE DATA, WE COULD CERTAINLY WALK YOU THROUGH THAT.
UH, THE CODE OFFICERS, WE, WE WENT TO ABOUT JUST UNDER 3000, UH, CALLS OVER SIX MONTH SPAN.
UM, IT RESULTED IN CITATIONS TO BUSINESSES.
UH, AT THE TIME, MAYBE ABOUT 150 OR 200 CITATIONS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
BUT, UH, THERE WERE SOME GOOD THINGS AND THINGS THAT DIDN'T WORK OUT THAT WELL.
AND, AND THAT, THAT NOISE TASK FORCE WAS GIVEN THAT DATA.
UM, AT THIS POINT, THERE'S, THERE'S KIND OF A RECOMMENDATION AND INSIDE THAT TASK FORCE THAT THERE'S NO, UH, CONSENSUS.
SO THERE'S NO, UH, PROPOSAL RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE ACTUALLY WORKING ON USING SOME OF THE MONEY THAT WAS APPROVED IN, UM, IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, UH, FOR GIVING SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS SOME, SOME MONEY TO MITIGATE SOME SOUND IMPACT ISSUES NEXT TO NEIGHBORHOODS.
BUT, UH, THAT, THAT HASN'T BEEN COMPLETED.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME TO, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, PD IS THE RESPONSE FOR RIGHT.
MADAM CHAIR, I'D LIKE TO SEE THIS COME BEFORE THIS COMMITTEE AS ANOTHER ISSUE TO LOOK AT INDIVIDUALLY.
AND, UH, THERE ARE, UM, BOARDING HOMES YOU TALKED ABOUT THAT ARE INSPECTED.
UH, WHAT ARE THE CATEGORIES OF BOARDING HOMES? WELL, BOARDING HOME IS ITSELF IS A VERY, UH, DISTINCT CATEGORY OF CARE FACILITIES.
UH, THINK OF LIKE ASSISTED LIVING HOMES, NURSING FACILITIES.
THOSE ARE REGULATED BY THE STATE.
WE HAVE NO AUTHORITY TO DO THAT.
THERE WAS, WHEN, WHEN BOARDING HOMES, WHICH ARE GIVEN SOME BASIC CARE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE FUNDAMENTALLY ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES, MEANING TO GET OUT OF IT IN AN EMERGENCY, BUT THEY NEED BASIC CARE SERVICES.
UM, THERE'S ONLY 10 OF THEM IN THE CITY.
UH, THEY'RE, THEY'RE LIKE, IT'S LIKE A GROUP HOME IN, IN HERE FOR THREE OR MORE INDIVIDUALS.
UH, SO THERE'S 10 OF THOSE LICENSED IN THE CITY.
WHEN WE DID THIS 10 YEARS AGO, THERE WAS MAYBE ABOUT A HUNDRED OR SO IS WHAT WE THOUGHT.
UM, BUT WHEN THE COUNCIL ADOPTED, UH, THE PERMITTING AND SAFETY PROGRAMS AFTER THE, AFTER THE TRAGEDY WITH THE FIRE, DEATH, UH, DEATHS, UM, WE KNOW MANY OF THEM, UH, EITHER MOVED DOWN TO TWO PEOPLE OR THEY MOVED UP TO MAYBE A STATE FACILITY OR SOME EVEN MOVED, UH, OUTTA THE CITY.
BUT THEY DO BASIC CARE, UH, HELP WITH, UH, FEEDING, UH, MAKING SURE THEY GET THEIR MEDICATIONS.
THEY DON'T PHYSICALLY GIVE THEM, BUT THEY HELP THEM LAY THEM OUT.
A FEW OTHERS, I'LL WANT TO ASK MORE ABOUT THAT IN A MINUTE.
UH, COULD YOU REMIND ME, SORRY, COULD YOU REMIND ME ABOUT THE WEEKEND HOURS? WE, I THINK ONE BUDGET YEAR WE HAD, UM, SET ASIDE MONEY FOR WEEKEND OR EVENING HOURS.
AND H HOW IS THAT GOING? YEAH, WE WEEKEND, WE HAVE, WE, WE HAVE A SATURDAY, A CREW THAT WORKS TYPICALLY SATURDAYS, UM, IT'S, UH, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, UH, ABOUT 15, OR IT'S ABOUT 15 OR SO, 15 CODE OFFICERS ABOUT, ABOUT PLUS OR MINUS 15 CODE OFFICERS.
THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE, WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A BUNCH OF STAFF THAT WORK, UH, BANDIT SIGN CLEANUP ON, ON ON SATURDAYS AS WELL.
SO THAT'S JUST PICKING UP TRASH BANDIT SIGNS, UH, 'CAUSE THAT CAN BE UP TO 20 PEOPLE WORKING ON, ON THAT WEEKEND.
BUT, UH, ABOUT 15 CODE OFFICERS WORKING SATURDAYS, THE TYPICAL EIGHT TO FIVE, YOU KNOW, IT MIGHT BE 7 45 TO FOUR 30, OR IT MIGHT BE EIGHT 30 TO FIVE 30, WHATEVER THEY HAVE FLEXED.
UM, AND THEN THE REST OF THE WEEKEND IS COVERED FOR EMERGENCY ON-CALL STUFF.
AND SO WHAT, WHAT ARE YOUR FI, WHAT ARE YOU FINDING ON THOSE SATURDAYS? ARE THERE MORE CALLS THAN YOU WOULD HAVE ON A MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY? OR? NO, IT'S BECAUSE PEOPLE MAY NOT.
NO, IT'S NOT AS, IT'S NOT AS MANY CALLS.
UM, WHEN WE, WHEN WE ADDED SOME
[00:55:01]
STAFF TO THAT SATURDAY CREW AND A BUDGET A FEW YEARS AGO, THAT'S, I THINK WHAT YOU'RE REFERENCING.WE DID, AND I KNOW, UH, COUNCILWOMAN HAD MENTIONED FRONT YARD PARKING, GARAGE SALES, ILLEGAL, UH, THOSE TYPE OF THINGS.
THE CONSTRUCTION WORK WITHOUT PERMITS, THE KIND OF THE WEEKEND WARRIOR, UM, UH, KIND OF CONCEPT.
WE HAVE ADDED SOME TEAMS, REMEMBER SOMETHING CALLED THE STRIKE TEAM.
UH, STRIKE TEAM IS NOT IN CODE ENFORCEMENT.
THEY'RE ACTUALLY IN THE OTHER DIVISION, PART OF THAT 4, 9, 9.
BUT LOOKING, SOME OF THOSE OFFICERS, UH, INSPECTORS WORK ON THE WEEKENDS AS WELL.
BUT, UH, SO REALLY FRONT YARD PARKING, GARAGE SALES, UH, WORK WITHOUT PERMITS ARE PROBABLY THE THREE, UH, MOST CALLS, UH, THAT WE GET OR SEE ON THE WEEKENDS.
BUT WE, WE WILL GET A VARIETY OF EVERYTHING AS WELL.
I JUST WANTED TO ELABORATE ONE MORE ON, ON THOSE GROUP HOMES.
SO OUR, OUR HOMES WHERE YOU HAVE, FOR EXAMPLE, SIX OR EIGHT PEOPLE LIVING TOGETHER BECAUSE THEY'RE RECOVERING FROM ALCOHOL ADDICTION OR DRUG ADDICTION, OR MAYBE THERE'S A GROUP HOME FOR PEOPLE WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES WHERE SIX OR EIGHT OR 10 PEOPLE OR LIVING TOGETHER OR OTHER TYPES OF GROUP HOMES, DO YOU NOT DO ANYTHING WITH THEM? IS IT ONLY THE ONES THAT HAVE MEDICAL CONCERNS? WELL, SO, UM, I'LL START WITH THE FIRST ONE.
'CAUSE I KNOW THAT ANSWER VERY WELL, WHICH IS LIKE THE, WE CALL 'EM THE SOBER HOMES, I THINK, UH, DRUG OR ALCOHOLISM, THOSE TYPE OF THINGS THAT THEY, THEY, THEY'RE JUST PEOPLE THAT HAVE RENTED IT.
UH, THERE'S NO, UH, THERE'S NO CARE, THERE'S NO CARETAKER OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
UH, WE ARE NOT ALLOWED BY THE US SUPREME COURT TO TREAT THEM ANY DIFFERENT THAN THE HOUSE THAT YOU, I MAY LIVE IN.
UH, THERE'S NO REGULATION, EXTRA REGULATION, UH, THEY'RE ZONED, THEY CAN, THEY CAN BE ZONED IN A RESIDENTIAL HOME SETTING.
UM, BUT THE SOBER HOMES, THERE'S NO ADDITIONAL REGULATION WHATSOEVER.
UM, SO THE, THE, THE HOMES THAT WE DO HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO REGULATE, UH, REALLY ARE THOSE, UH, UH, THE BOARDING HOMES ARE ELDERLY AND OR DISABLED.
INDIVIDUALS, THREE OR MORE THAT, THAT PROVIDE BASIC CARE.
SO IF YOU HAD TO, IF THEY NEEDED ASSISTANCE BATHING OR ACTUALLY BEING PHYSICALLY FED FOOD OR SOME OTHERS BEDRIDDEN OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, THAT IS NOT A BOARDING HOME.
YOU'RE GETTING INTO SOME SORT OF ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY OR EVEN A NURSING HOME.
THOSE LEVELS, THEY HAVE EXTRA REGULATIONS BY THE STATE.
THEY DO GET A FIRE INSPECTION, UH, BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ANNUALLY AS PART OF THEIR STATE LICENSE.
BUT, UM, AND THAT'S A BROAD OVERVIEW.
I THINK THERE'S A FEW MORE NUANCES THERE, BUT HOPEFULLY THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.
THANK YOU, UM, MIKE, FOR THE PRESENTATION TAKE, THANK YOU TO ALL MY COLLEAGUES AND COUNCILMAN WILL MAKE SURE THAT WE ADD THAT, UH, THAT REQUEST.
SO, UM, I WAS THINKING THE SAME THING.
SO, SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING IT UP.
UM, I WANTED TO ASK MY, UH, MY COLLEAGUES, I WAS WAITING UNTIL WE HAD, UH, UH, ALL OF US HERE, UH, TO SEE IF WE COULD GO OUT OF ORDER AND TAKE UP THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS, BECAUSE WE HAVE SOME PEOPLE HERE WITH THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS, IF THAT'S OKAY.
SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE UP CONSENT.
AGENDA ITEMS. DO WE TAKE 'EM ALL UP AT ONCE? FIVE, SIX, AND SEVEN.
AND IS THERE A PRESENTATION? NO PRESENTATION TODAY.
HAS EVERYONE HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW? UH, FIVE, SIX, AND SEVEN.
CAN I GET A MOTION FOR, UM, APPROVAL? AND THEN WE'LL START WITH DISCUSSION.
I'LL MOVE THE APPROVAL OF ITEMS FIVE, SIX, AND SEVEN, RESOLUTIONS OF NO OBJECTION OR RESOLUTIONS OF SUPPORT FOR THESE MULTIFAMILY PROJECTS.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THE TABLE.
ALL IN FAVOR? OH, WAIT, ANY DISCUSSION? OKAY.
LOOKS LIKE NOBODY'S AGAINST OR ABSTAINING.
AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE, UH, FOR, FOR JOINING US THIS MORNING.
UM, WE WILL RESUME WITH ITEM NUMBER THREE, WHICH IS BRIEFING AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE CITY'S HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
SORRY, ON THAT OTHER ITEM, UH, IT WAS THE CONSENT ITEMS FIVE, SIX, AND SEVEN.
AND VERONICA, ONE OF THE VERONICAS, ANOTHER VERONICA, VERONICA GONZALEZ.
I'LL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.
GOOD MORNING, CHAIR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M VERONICA GONZALEZ, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR WITH NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
I LOOK FORWARD TO BRIEFING YOU TODAY ON THE HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
OVER THE YEARS, THE EAP APPROVED OVER 206 MILLION IN ASSISTANCE TO NEARLY 66,000 HOUSEHOLDS BEFORE CLOSING IN MARCH, 2022.
AS YOU ALL KNOW, WHILE EAP WAS INTENDED AS A TEMPORARY PROGRAM, N H S D LAUNCHED THE NEW HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, OR HAP IN MAY, 2022 TO KEEP FUTURE HOUSING STABILITY SERVICES
[01:00:01]
IN PLACE FOR LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS.IN THIS SLIDE, YOU HAVE AN OVERVIEW OF THE HAP BUDGET.
UNDER HAP, A TOTAL BUDGET OF APPROXIMATELY 13.6 MILLION IN FUNDING IS AVAILABLE FOR RENTAL ASSISTANCE, RELOCATION, AND EVICTION INTERVENTION FOR LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS FACING HOUSING INSTABILITY.
THE BUDGET IS MADE UP WITH VARIOUS FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL FUNDING SOURCES.
APPROXIMATELY 10.1 MILLION IS ESTIMATED FOR RENTAL ASSISTANCE, INCLUDING 3.4 MILLION IN GENERAL FUND FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023 IN PARTNERSHIP WITH BEXAR COUNTY AND INFUSION RECENTLY OF 2.25 MILLION WILL ALSO BE UTILIZED TO FUND ANY HAP APPLICATIONS, UM, RE REQUIRING RENTAL UTILITY ASSISTANCE.
WE ARE AWAITING NOTIFICATION FROM THE TREASURY ON ADDITIONAL ERROR REALLOCATIONS, AND WILL SUBMIT AN ADDITIONAL REQUEST BY NEXT MONTH FOR AN ADDIT FOR ROUND THREE REALLOCATION.
MEANING THIS PROGRAM IS A MODEL FOR OTHERS.
AND EVERY TIME THAT WE ARE REQUESTING A REALLOCATION FROM THE TREASURY, WE GET MORE FUNDING WHEN MANY OTHER, WHEN MANY OTHER COMMUNITIES MAY NOT.
ADDITIONALLY, WE RECENTLY RECEIVED NOTICE FROM T D H C A OF A NEW REALLOCATION, TOTALING 466,000 THAT WILL FURTHER SUPPORT THE RELOCATION AND RIGHTS TO COUNCIL INITIATIVE.
THIS FUNDING WILL REQUIRE CITY COUNCIL ACTION IN MARCH.
HOUSING STABILITY SERVICES REMAIN A HIGH PRIORITY, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO LEVERAGE THESE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES.
THE HAP, BASED ON THE RISK MITIGATION POLICY, TAKES FUNDING, TAKES FUNDING, MAKES FUNDING AVAILABLE TO ASSIST LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS AT OR BELOW 80% A M I.
THERE ARE TWO SEPARATE COMPONENTS TO HAP IT'S RENTAL AND RELOCATION ASSISTANCE.
HERE ON THIS SLIDE IS AN OVERVIEW OF THE RENTAL ASSISTANCE.
FAMILIES EXPERIENCING EMERGENCY SITUATIONS DUE DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY TO COVID TO 19 MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR UP TO THREE MONTHS OF ASSISTANCE WITH 3,500 MAX IN RENT, AND 1500 MAX IN UTILITIES, INCLUDING INTERNET.
AND JUST AS A SIDE NOTE, FOR ANY HOMEOWNERS, WE REFER THEM TO THE TEXAS HOMEOWNER FUND, WHICH PROVIDES HOMEOWNERS WITH FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO HELP WITH MORTGAGE DELINQUENCIES, DEFAULTS FOR CLOSURES, ET CETERA.
I WANT TO ADD HERE THAT WHILE RENTAL ASSISTANCE IS CRITICAL, WE KNOW THAT SOMETIMES PE PEOPLE DON'T GO DIRECTLY TO THE CITY FOR HELP.
THEY'LL GO TO THEIR CHURCH OR A COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATION TO GET HOUSING OR NON HOUSING ASSISTANCE.
WE ALSO KNOW THERE'S A DIGITAL DIVIDE, SO WE MAKE SURE TO WORK WITH VARIOUS PARTNERS, INCLUDING HOMELESS CONNECTIONS HOTLINE, D H SS BENEFIT NAVIGATORS ENDEAVORS, CATHOLIC CHARITIES CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES, HAVEN FOR HOPE, AND MANY OTHER COMMUNITY-BASED PROVIDERS TO HELP HIGH RISK, HIGH NEED FAMILIES CONNECT TO SUPPORTIVE RESOURCES AND SERVICES.
WE ALSO WORK WITH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO GET THE WORD OUT ABOUT RENTAL ASSISTANCE.
IN WAY OF BACKGROUND, THE FIRST RENTAL ASSISTANCE APPLICATION PERIOD OPENED MAY 1ST THROUGH JUNE 10TH, AND WE PROCESS NEARLY 10,000 APPLICATIONS.
HAP HAS APPROVED OVER 15.5 MILLION IN FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO MORE THAN 6,000 HOUSEHOLDS.
N H S D TEMPORARILY REOPENED THE HAP APPLICATION PERIOD FOR RENTAL ASSISTANCE FROM OCTOBER SEVEN THROUGH THE 17TH AND RECEIVED OVER 4,000 APPLICATIONS.
THE CITY FULLY FUNDED ALL ELIGIBLE ELIGIBLE APPLICATIONS IN THIS PIPELINE, AND AWARDED OVER 2.5 MILLION IN FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, INCLUDING UTILITIES.
THE PROGRAM IS TRULY INVESTING IN OUR COMMUNITY'S MOST VULNERABLE HOUSEHOLDS.
THE AVERAGE A M I IS BELOW 30% AND 71% OF APPLICANTS IDENTIFY AS FAMILY HOUSEHOLDS.
BEFORE I MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE, I WANNA FOLLOW UP ON THE COMMITTEE'S REQUEST FOR AN ESTIMATE OF HOW MANY FAMILIES RETURN TO APPLY MORE THAN ONCE.
APPROXIMATELY 40% OF THE RENTAL ASSISTANCE APPLICANT POOL ARE REPEAT APPLICANTS OF THIS 40%, A SIGNIFICANT MAJORITY NOTED THEIR REASON FOR ASSISTANCE WAS DUE TO HARDSHIPS.
SO WE WORK CLOSELY WITH WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS TO CONNECT OVER 600 FAMILIES WITH READY TO WORK PROGRAM INFORMATION AND RESOURCES.
THIS SLIDE PROVIDES AN OVERVIEW BY DISTRICT OF AVERAGE ASSISTANCE UNDER HALF.
THE AVERAGE IS APPROXIMATELY 2,500 IN FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PER HOUSEHOLD.
I ALSO INCLUDED THIS ADDITIONAL SLIDE THAT MAY NOT BE IN YOUR DECK, BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE TO FOLLOW UP ON THE COMMITTEE'S REQUEST TO VIEW A BREAK BREAKDOWN OF TOTAL ASSISTANCE BY CITY COUNCIL, DIS CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT, WHICH IS VERY INFORMATIVE TO OUR OUTREACH CAMPAIGN.
THIS, UH, THIS DATA INCLUDES BOTH THE JUNE, MAY, JUNE, AND OCTOBER APPLICATION PERIODS UNDER HAP WITH P C D C SUPPORT.
WE ARE PLANNING TO CONTINUE GROWING THESE TOTALS BY REOPENING THE RENTAL APPLICATION PERIOD NEXT MONTH, AND FOCUSING A LOT OF OUR OUTREACH IN DISTRICTS, INCLUDING DISTRICT FIVE, UH, WHERE WE SAW 6.9% OF A TOTAL APPLICANTS, UM, BASED ON THE TOTAL.
SO WE'LL MAKE A, A CONCERTED EFFORT FOR ANYWHERE WE SEE A LOW PERCENTAGE OF APPLICANTS
[01:05:01]
CURRENTLY, HA HAS 5.6 MILLION IN AVAILABLE FUNDING FOR DIRECT WELFARE.N H S D RECOMMENDS REOPENING THE APPLICATION PERIOD FROM FEBRUARY 1ST THROUGH THE 16TH, AND ANTICIPATE RECEIVING OVER 5,005 5,500 APPLICATIONS.
STAFF WILL COORDINATE OUTREACH AND COMMUNICATIONS CAMPAIGN TO INCLUDE SPANISH LANGUAGE MATERIALS USING THE DATA WE HAVE.
AND AS ALWAYS, HOUSEHOLDS FACING EVICTION ARE PRIORITIZED FOR ASSISTANCE.
AS I MENTIONED, FAMILIES WITH ACTIVE EVICTION FILINGS ARE A TOP PRIORITY.
THE EVICTION INTERVENTION PROGRAM IS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH BEXAR COUNTY, JP COURTS AND LEGAL AID PROVIDERS TO PREVENT EVICTION.
A TEAM OF CITY STAFF ATTENDS EVERY EVICTION HI EVERY EVICTION HEARING TO PROVIDE TRAINING AND GUIDANCE TO LOW INCOME FAMILIES.
THIS IS MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, EIGHT TO 5:00 PM SERVICES INCLUDE HOUSING NAVIGATORS AND EVERY EVICTION HEARING TO PROVIDE TRAINING AND GUIDANCE TO LOW-INCOME FAMILIES.
THEY ARE PRESENT EVERY DAY TO OFFER THOSE HOUSING STABILITY SERVICES TO VULNERABLE HOMES.
THE TEAM PERFORMS ONGOING PHONE OUTREACH TO ALL PARTIES ON THE EVICTION FILING LIST.
THAT'S ALMOST 500 EVICTIONS THAT ARE FILED WEEKLY.
AND WE CONTACT EACH OF THOSE, BOTH PARTIES TO PROVIDE MEDIATION AND MAIL OUT A PACKET OF RESOURCES THAT THAT INCLUDES A LEGAL AID TOOLKIT, AS WELL AS OTHER, UH, COURT FORMS AND HELPFUL INFORMATION.
THE TEAM ALSO ATTENDS COMMUNITY OUTREACH EVENTS TO ENSURE POSITIVE OUTCOME FOR FAMILIES AND PROVIDES APPLICATION SUPPORT AND REFERRALS TO COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS AND PARTNERS, MANY WHICH I NAMED PREVIOUSLY.
IN ADDITION TO FUNDING FROM T D H C A, I ALSO WANNA, UH, MENTION THAT THE CITY LEVERAGED FUNDING RECENTLY FROM A HUD EVICTION PROTECTION GRANT PROGRAM TO CONTINUE TO EXPAND RIGHT TO COUNSEL SERVICES.
THIS INCLUDES THE CONTINUATION OF FREE LEGAL AID SERVICES FROM ATTORNEYS AND PARALEGALS, AS WELL AS COUNSELORS ON THE ON THE SPOT MEDIATION.
LEGAL ADVICE FOR FAMILIES, AS WELL AS MONTHLY KNOW YOUR TRAININGS AIMED AT EMPOWERING RESIDENTS.
THE RELOCATION ASSISTANCE PORTAL HAS REMAINED OPEN AND ACTIVE FOR ELIGIBLE RESIDENTS AT RISK OF EXPERIENCING HOUSING INSTABILITY OR HOMELESSNESS.
RELOCATION ASSISTANCE SERVICE INCLUDES TEMPORARY LODGING, SECURITY AND PET DEPOSITS, APPLICATION FEES, AND REASONABLE MOVING EXPENSES.
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE UP TO 3000 OR 7,000 FOR MOBILE PARK RESIDENTS.
HOUSEHOLDS WITH OLDER ADULTS OR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES ARE ALSO ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE AN ADDITIONAL 500 FAMILIES ALSO RECEIVE, UH, BENEFIT NAVIGATION AND REFERRALS.
I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THAT WE RECEIVE APPROXIMATELY 25 RELOCATION APPLICATIONS EVERY DAY.
AND OUR GOAL IS TO PROCESS THOSE APPLICATIONS IN 48 HOURS.
UM, TO DATE, WE HAVE CLEARED ALL PENDING APPLICATIONS IN THE PIPELINE.
THAT MEANS WE HAVE ZERO WAITING IN LINE, WHICH IS GREAT NEWS, AND WE'VE APPROVED 731 FAMILIES FOR RELOCATION, MANY WHO ARE WAITING TO ACTUALLY FIND AN AFFORDABLE UNIT TO MOVE INTO.
UM, SO WE MAKE SURE THOSE FAMILIES HAVE ACCESS TO OUR NEW BENEFITS NAVIGATOR, WHO HELPS HOUSEHOLDS FACING CHALLENGES LOCATE AN AFFORDABLE UNIT FOR THEM WHILE HAP IS JUST ONE OF, SORRY.
I THINK I WAS IN THE WRONG ONE.
WHILE HAP IS JUST ONE OF SAN ANTONIO'S HOUSING STABILITY PROGRAMS, D H S LEADS RAPID REHOUSING ASSISTANCE TO QUICKLY RETURN PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS TO PERMANENT HOUSING WITH APPROXIMATELY 4.7 MILLION IN FUNDING FROM THE CITY.
SARAH AND STATE SOURCES RAPID REHOUSING SUPPORTS HOUSEHOLDS WITH 12 TO 24 MONTHS OF RENTAL ASSISTANCE.
THEY CAN PAY FOR VARIOUS MOVING COSTS AND PROVIDE SUPPORTIVE CASE MANAGEMENT TO ENSURE LONG-TERM HOUSING STABILITY FOR FAMILIES EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS WHO ARE OFTEN IN AN EMERGENCY SHELTER OR IN SHELTERED FAMILIES ARE PRIORITIZED THROUGH THE HOMELESS CON, THE HOMELINK COORDINATED ENTRY SYSTEM BASED ON VULNERABILITY.
THAT BRINGS ME TO THE END OF MY PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, VERONICA, AND REALLY HAPPY OF THE WORK THAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM DO.
I THINK THAT YOU ALL, UH, ARE PROBABLY ONE OF THE FAVORITE DEPARTMENTS WHEN, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO MY RESIDENTS, RIGHT? SO THEY'RE ALWAYS SENDING, UM, JUST SO, UH, MESSAGES OF THANKS AND JUST, UM, THANK YOU FOR, FOR ALWAYS COMING IN AND SAVING THE DAY.
UM, I KNOW THAT WE, I MEAN, I THINK IT'S EXCITING THAT WE HAVE ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO EXPEND ON, ON THIS.
AND SO I'M EXCITED FOR IT TO OPEN BACK UP FEBRUARY 1ST BECAUSE I KNOW MY CONSTITUENT SERVICES DIRECTOR, JOHANNI, UM, Y'ALL ARE HER BEST FRIEND.
AND SO SHE, UH, IS VERY IN TUNE WITH THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
AND SO I CAN'T WAIT FOR HER TO, OH, I'M SURE SHE'S LISTENING RIGHT NOW.
I'M SURE SHE'S JUMPING UP AND DOWN AND CRYING.
UM, THIS IS ONE OF, I THINK, THE MOST CRITICAL PROGRAMS TO THE CITY BECAUSE OF THE ASSISTANCE THAT IT PROVIDES.
AND, UH, YOU MENTIONED THAT THE PROGRAM, UM, THAT THERE'S PEOPLE THAT COME BACK AND AND APPLY MULTIPLE TIMES.
YOU SAID 40% OF THEM ARE REPEAT.
UM, IS THERE, HAVE WE SEEN A LOT OF THEM TRYING TO GET ASSISTANCE MORE THAN ONCE A YEAR THOUGH? UH, OR IS IT JUST THEIR REPEAT EVERY,
[01:10:01]
EVERY OTHER, YOU KNOW, EVERY CONSECUTIVE YEAR? YEAH.WE HAD OUR FIRST APPLICATION PERIOD, IF YOU RECALL, IN MAY FROM MAY 1ST THROUGH JUNE 10TH, 2022.
AND AT THAT POINT, BECAUSE WE WERE TRANSITIONING FROM EAP TO HAP, WE ALLOWED ANYONE, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY HAD APPLIED WITHIN A 12 MONTH PERIOD TO REAPPLY THE OCTOBER PERIOD, WHICH WAS OUR SECOND HALF, UM, OPENING, WE MADE SURE TO ENFORCE YOU CAN ONLY APPLY ONCE PER 12 MONTH PERIOD.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE MONITORING.
AND WHEN WE REOPEN IN FEBRUARY WITH YOUR SUPPORT, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE MONITORING IT.
BUT IT WAS VERY INFORMATIVE TO US.
I WANNA THANK, UM, ACTUALLY COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE.
HE HAD US LOOK INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE CLOSELY.
AND RIGHT AWAY WE GOT ON THE PHONE WITH WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS, UM, TO CONNECT THEM TO VER TO OUR CITY PARTNER.
AND SO WE REALLY EXCITED WE MADE THAT CONNECTION.
AND FROM NOW ON, WE'RE GONNA KEEP SENDING WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS, UH, MATERIALS.
AND THANK YOU COUNCILMAN COURAGE FOR, FOR, FOR WORKING WITH THEM ON THAT.
UM, I HAVE A QUESTION, VERONICA, ON THE AVERAGE, UH, 29.2 A M I, CAN YOU REMIND US WHAT THAT TRANSLATES TO IN DOLLARS? I THINK THAT, THAT SOME OF OUR, OUR RESIDENTS, WHEN WE SPEAK IN PERCENTAGES.
UM, I MEAN, A GOOD EXAMPLE IS A, A FAMILY OF THREE, MAKING 22,400.
AND THEN HAVE WE BEEN ASSISTING FAMILIES THAT ARE ALSO RECEIVING HOUSING VOUCHERS? THAT'S SOMETHING OUR, OUR, UM, SYSTEM DOESN'T TRACK, BUT I COULD TALK TO OUR SOFTWARE VENDOR AND SEE IF THAT'S SOMETHING ADDITIONAL WE CAN ADD.
AND THEN I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE NEW BENEFITS NAVIGATOR.
SO IS THERE JUST ONE, WE JUST HIRED THE FIRST ONE AND A SECOND SET IS, UM, UNDER INTERVIEW, SO WE'LL, WE'LL HAVE TWO.
IT'S ALL FUNDED THROUGH GRANTS.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO, TO MOVE THE ITEM.
I'LL START WITH COUNCILMAN COURAGE THIS TIME.
UM, WHAT ARE THE PERCENT OF APPLICATIONS THAT ARE ACTUALLY GRANTED ASSISTANCE? I KNOW WE HAVE THOUSANDS OF APPLICANTS, BUT ONLY A CERTAIN NUMBER.
DO YOU HAVE A PERCENT OF HOW MANY ARE ACTUALLY GRANTED ASSISTANCE? YES.
OUT OF ALL THE APPLICATIONS, I WANNA SAY, UM, EVERY APPLICATION PERIOD HAS HAD ITS OWN PERSONALITY.
SO THE FIRST ONES THROUGH, UH, JUNE THROUGH, SORRY, MAY THROUGH JUNE, WE HAD OVER 56% APPROVAL RATING BECAUSE WE ALLOWED A LOT OF REPEAT, I CALL 'EM REPEAT CUSTOMERS.
SO WE HAD A VERY HIGH PERCENTAGE OF APPROVAL.
WE ASSUME WE HAVE THAT WE'D HAVE THAT HIGH PERCENTAGE OF APPROVAL AGAIN IN THE SECOND PERIOD.
BUT IF YOU RECALL, WE WEREN'T DOING, UH, ALLOWING REPEAT CUSTOMERS IF THEY HAD ALREADY APPLIED WITHIN A 12 MONTH PERIOD.
SO OUR APPROVAL RATING WENT DOWN BELOW 25%.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, THIS OCTOBER PERIOD, WE RECEIVED 4,000 APPLICATIONS.
A LITTLE LESS THAN 1000 WERE APPROVED IN 2.5 MILLION IN AWARDS.
AND THAT'S ONLY BECAUSE THESE ARE BRAND NEW FAMILIES THAT HAVE NEVER PARTICIPATED.
UM, SO THAT WAS INTERESTING TO SEE.
AND A, A BIG PORTION OF THE, OF THE APPLICANTS WHO WERE REJECTED BECAUSE THEY HAD RETURNED THE, I MEAN, HUGE MAJORITY NOTED WORK RELATED ISSUES MM-HMM.
UM, SO WHEN WE ASK OURSELVES WHY ARE THEY RETURNING IT, AND IT'S, UH, I MEAN, THEY'RE SELF ATTESTING TO IT'S WORK RELATED ISSUES.
THEY MENTION, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING FROM, I'VE LOST MY JOB.
I WAS, I HAD A CHILD WHO WAS SICK.
SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT WE CONNECT 'EM TO THE RIGHT RESOURCES.
I REALIZE IT'S PROBABLY A LOT OF WORK, BUT I'M WONDERING IF WE CAN'T FOLLOW UP WITH THOSE WHO ARE REJECTED, OR I SHOULD SHOULDN'T SAY REJECTED, BUT THOSE WHO DON'T RECEIVE THE ASSISTANCE TO FIND OUT WHAT ARE THEY DOING FOR THEMSELVES.
HOW HAVE THEY BEEN ABLE TO GO AHEAD AND FIND ANY KIND OF, UH, YOU KNOW, HOMES OR, OR RESIDENTS FOR THEMSELVES.
LIKE I SAID, I KNOW IT'S A LOT OF WORK, BUT IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO, I THINK, UNDERSTAND, UH, ARE WE SEEING A GOOD PERCENTAGE OF THEM ADD TO THE HOMELESS AND BE HOMELESS FOR THREE MONTHS OR SIX MONTHS OR WHATEVER? OR ARE THEY MANAGING TO MAYBE MOVE IN WITH RELATIVES OR SOMETHING? I HATE TO THINK ALL THOSE PEOPLE SIMPLY BECOME HOMELESS, BUT WE DON'T KNOW.
WHAT'S BEEN GREAT ABOUT THIS PROGRAM IS WE HAVE THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF EMAILS, AND WE, WE STORE ALL OF THOSE.
SO, UM, WE CAN DEFINITELY REACH OUT TO ANY APPLICANTS WHO DID NOT RECEIVE AN AWARD THIS PERIOD.
BUT THE GREAT NEWS IS, IF WE REOPEN, WE WANNA STAY IN TOUCH WITH THEM BECAUSE, UH, THEY CAN REAPPLY ONCE THEY'RE ELIGIBLE.
UH, I'D ALSO LIKE TO KNOW HOW MANY OF THE, UM, THE PROPERTY OWNERS THAT WE, UH, DEAL WITH WHEN IT GOES TO COURT.
UH, HOW MANY OF THEM AGREE TO HALT THE EVICTION AND WORK WITH OUR TEAM AND THE TENANT TO ALLOW THEM TO STAY? AND HOW MANY SAY NO, WE'RE JUST GONNA GO THROUGH WITH IT.
SO, UM, A LOT OF OUR COMMUNICATION WITH THE LANDLORDS HAPPENS WHEN WE REACH OUT TO THOSE 500 FILINGS.
OF COURSE, THEY'RE THE ONES THAT DO THE FILINGS.
OUR NUMBER ONE GOAL IS TO MEDIATE BETWEEN THE TENANT AND THE LANDLORD.
BUT WE HAVE A LOW, LATELY WHEN, UM, RENTAL ASSISTANCE WAS PAUSED, THEY TEND
[01:15:01]
TO NOT REALLY COOPERATE WITH US.IT'S SORT OF THE CARROT WE CAN DANGLE AND, AND THEY'RE WILLING TO WORK WITH US WHEN THERE'S A FINANCIAL INCENTIVE.
UM, BUT WITH REOPENING, OUR NUMBERS MIGHT INCREASE IN TERMS OF THEIR COOPERATION WITH US.
I WILL NOTE THAT'S THE EVICTION SIDE.
ON THE RENTAL ASSISTANCE SIDE, I WAS, UH, UH, I, I LOOKED AT THE DATA AND LANDLORDS WHO DO NOT WANNA PARTICIPATE, THUS CREATING A REJECTED REJECTION STATUS WAS ACTUALLY VERY LOW.
UM, WE THOUGHT IT WAS MAYBE MORE LANDLORDS NOT ACCEPTING PAYMENT, BUT IT WAS ACTUALLY VERY LOW IN COMPARISON TO THE WORK RELATED ISSUES OR MEDICAL REASONS.
UH, I WOULD HOPE THAT WE WOULD WORK WITH, UH, LIKE SAN ANTONIO APARTMENT ASSOCIATION TO KEEP THEM INFORMED OF WHAT WE FIND WHEN IT COMES TO PROPERTY OWNERS, APARTMENT OWNERS WHO SAY, NO, I DON'T WANNA WORK WITH YOU, AND I JUST WANNA EVICT THE PEOPLE IN HOPES THAT THEY UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE TALKING RIGHT NOW ABOUT BAD ACTORS IN THE AREA OF APARTMENT OWNERS.
SO I WONDER IF WE CAN KIND OF MERGE THESE THINGS TOGETHER WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THOSE.
UH, COUNCILMAN CASTILLO? MM-HMM.
THANK YOU, VERONICA, FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UH, EARLIER THIS WEEK, I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND THE EDGEWOOD I S D SCHOOL BOARD MEETING.
AND IT WAS, UH, TO RAISE CONCERN AND PRIORITY FOR A COMMUNITY SERVICE CENTER THAT MAY BE, UM, IT'S STRUGGLING, RIGHT? THEY'RE WIPED CLEAN AND THEY'RE LOOKING FOR DONATIONS.
AND IT'S LED BY EDGEWOOD ISDS POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND THEY USE THAT HUB PRIMARILY TO ASSIST, UH, STUDENTS WHO ARE HOMELESS OR ARE IN SHELTERS.
AND I KNOW, UH, THE CHAIR HAS CITED THIS BEFORE THE INCREASE OF, UH, UNHOUSED STUDENTS AND YOUTH.
AND IT WAS VERY ALARMING TO HEAR FROM THE DETECTIVE THAT, YOU KNOW, HE'S LIKE, I KNOW PEOPLE SAY WE'RE OUTTA COVID.
HE'S LIKE, BUT WE'RE SEEING A SPIKE OF STUDENTS WHO DON'T HAVE A HOME.
AND, UH, I WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR THE WORK THAT YOU ALL DO.
RIGHT? BUT WE KNOW THE WORK, IT, IT DOESN'T STOP.
IT'S JUST, UM, WE SAY WE'RE OUTTA THE PANDEMIC, BUT WE'RE STILL STILL IN IT.
UM, AND JUST KNOWING THAT, UH, I, I REQUESTED THOSE NUMBERS AND I'LL SHARE WITH THEM, UH, WITH YOU ALL WHEN I RECEIVE THEM.
AND WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT HARLANDALE AND S E I S D AS WELL.
UM, AND THAT'S VERY CONCERNING.
UM, I DON'T KNOW, UH, IF WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO POTENTIALLY ALLOCATE POINTS TO HOUSEHOLDS WITH, WITH FAMILIES.
'CAUSE I UNDERSTAND WE'RE AT ZERO RIGHT NOW, UM, BUT THERE'S STILL FAMILIES WHO HAVE HAD TO BE TURNED AWAY.
RIGHT? AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS THE, THE PROGRAM FOR THE, THE HOMELESS RESOURCE GUIDE, RIGHT, THAT WE REFER FOLKS TO, MANY OF THOSE PARTNERS HAVE SHARED WITH OUR OFFICE THAT THEY'RE OUT OF FUNDS.
SO WHAT DOES THAT COMMUNICATION LOOK LIKE WHEN REACHING OUT TO THEM, UM, TO SEE IF THEY'RE FINANCIALLY STABLE? I BELIEVE IT WAS KATIE BELLA WHO RESPONDED, WE HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT WE DON'T HAVE THE FUNDS NECESSARY TO ASSIST THESE FAMILIES.
AND THIS WAS LIKE TWO WEEKS AGO THAT SHE SHARED THAT WITH ME.
AND THAT WAS VERY ALARMING, THAT WE'VE HAD TO TURN AWAY 600 FAMILIES, UM, WHO THERE, THERE WAS NO RESOURCES WITH OUR PARTNERS AVAILABLE TO ASSIST THEM.
SO WHAT DOES THAT COMMUNICATION LOOK LIKE? AND CHECKING IN TO SEE IF THEY HAVE THE RESOURCES TO CONTINUE TO OPERATE.
AND I'D LIKE TO SPEAK UP ON THAT ONE.
SO WHAT KATIE WAS REFERRING TO IS THAT THERE WERE 631 PEOPLE WHO CALLED, THAT WANTED ASSISTANCE, AND THEY WERE CLASSIFIED AS, UM, HOMELESS PREVENTION.
BUT THESE INDIVIDUALS WERE LOOKING FOR RENTAL ASSISTANCE TO, YOU KNOW, EVICTION ASSISTANCE.
AND SO A LOT OF THEM WILL GET HELPED WITH THIS ADDITIONAL 6 MILLION.
SO WE ARE GONNA BE CALLING EACH OF THEM TO LET THEM KNOW THAT THAT MONEY IS AVAILABLE.
WE ALSO HAVE RAPID REHOUSING DOLLARS MM-HMM.
AND OFTENTIMES SOME OF THESE FAMILIES ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR RAPID REHOUSING BECAUSE THEY HAVE AN EVICTION ON THE RECORD MM-HMM.
AND SO WE ARE GONNA BE FOLLOWING UP WITH THEM TO SEE WHAT WE CAN BE DOING.
BUT THAT, THAT WAS JUST DUMPED IN A CATEGORY MM-HMM.
AND SO NOW WITH THE HAP REOPENING, WE ARE GOING TO CONTACT ALL OF THEM, MAKE SURE THEY'RE AWARE OF IT, AND WE'LL DIG A LITTLE BIT DEEPER.
UM, BUT THIS GIVES US THAT OPPORTUNITY.
UM, AND MARK CARMONA, I THINK SENT AN EMAIL OUT OF THAT AS WELL.
BUT WE HAVE, WE DO HAVE OTHER RESOURCES, UM, WHY CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS WEREN'T DIRECTED TO THOSE RESOURCES.
WE'RE DIGGING INTO THAT AS WELL.
THAT THAT'S HELPFUL TO, TO KNOW.
AND WITH THE RELOCATION ASSISTANCE FUND, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY NEED TO DEMONSTRATE A LEASE THAT THEY'RE NOW MOVING INTO A PLACE.
BUT MANY OF THE FAMILIES THAT ARE COMING TO OUR FIELD OFFICE DON'T HAVE THE, THE FUNDING TO, UH, PUT DOWN A DEPOSIT SO THEY DON'T QUALIFY FOR THAT.
IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO AMEND THAT, UM, TO ALLOW THOSE FAMILIES WHO DON'T HAVE THE FUNDS TO, UM, PUT A DEPOSIT, TO HAVE A LEASE TO PRESENT FOR RELOCATION ASSISTANCE, TO QUALIFY FOR RE RELOCATION ASSISTANCE? IT DEPENDS ON WHETHER OR NOT THE RELOCATION PROGRAM IS FUNDED FEDERALLY.
UM, OR THROUGH OUR, OUR BOND FUNDING OR GENERAL FUND.
[01:20:01]
THAT AND WE'LL GET BACK TO YOU.AND THIS IS HELPFUL TO KNOW, RIGHT? LIKE WHEN WE HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT GRANT FUNDED PROGRAMMING, IT HAS A LOT OF RED TAPE.
AND I THINK WHEN WE HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE 2024 BUDGET, HOW WE CAN FUND FROM THE GENERAL FUND SO THEY'RE MORE ACCESSIBLE TO THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY.
AND I KEEP PUTTING MY GLASSES ON AND I SEE PEOPLE IN THE CROWD.
I'M LIKE, OH, PATRICK CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
BUT I DO WANNA ADD THAT ANOTHER ISSUE THAT WE HAVE IS WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PUBLIC HOUSING OR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, I'D SAY PUBLIC, BUT WE NEED MORE, 30% OR HOUSING THAT'S, UM, CATERED TOWARDS THEIR INCOME.
SO WE, WE ARE FOCUSING ON THE 50% A M I OR BELOW, AND WE HAVE A LOT OF GREAT PARTNERS IN THE CROWD WHO ARE DOING THAT.
THE MORE WE GET OF THAT, THE MORE WE'RE ABLE TO HELP SOME OF THESE FAMILIES AS WELL.
AND SO, THIS PAST BOUND RUN BOND RUN, THERE WAS A LOT OF OUR PARTNERS, I SEE N R P HERE, I KNOW THAT, UM, OPPORTUNITY HOME.
THEY ALL HAD A LOT OF HOUSING WITH DEEP AFFORDABILITY.
AND THAT'S GONNA HELP THIS ISSUE AS WELL.
AND I, I JUST WANTED TO QUICKLY JUMP IN BEFORE I FORGET.
UM, SO THIS, UH, COMMITTEE, THE PLAN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE IS GOING TO BE OVERSEEING THE BOND, UH, THE HOUSING BOND PORTION.
RIGHT? SO EVEN THOUGH THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN SOME, UM, I, I GUESS CONFUSION, THIS IS A COMMITTEE, UH, WHERE THE RECOMMENDATIONS WILL COME THROUGH HERE.
UM, AND SO WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO, TO DO JUST WHAT YOU SAID, COUNCILMAN, UM, IS JUST, JUST MAKE SOME ADDITIONAL, SORRY, GO AHEAD, LORI.
I THINK THERE WAS SOME CONFUSION AT THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE, UM, WHERE WE MENTIONED THAT THE HOUSING COMMISSION, UM, WILL BE DOING THIS.
THE HOUSING COMMISSION'S ROLE IS THE SAME ROLE AS THE OTHER PROPS HAVE WHEN THEY'RE REPORTING TO THE STREETS, BRIDGES AND SIDEWALKS COMMITTEE.
THAT IS A CITIZENS' ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
AND SO THE HOUSING COMMISSION IS THE CITIZENS' ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR THE HOUSING PROPOSITION.
BUT WE WILL CONTINUE TO TAKE HOUSING BOND ITEMS TO THIS COMMITTEE.
WE DID A BRIEFING IN DECEMBER ON THE HOUSING BOND BEFORE IT WENT TO COUNCIL.
UM, SOMETIMES OUR HOUSING BOND HAS TO GO TO AUDIT AND ACCOUNTABILITY, AND WE'LL COMBINE IT INTO A B SESSION INSTEAD OF TAKING IT TO TWO SEPARATE COMMITTEES.
BUT P C D C IS THE COUNCIL COMMITTEE WITH OVERSIGHT OF THE HOUSING BOND.
THE HOUSING COMMISSION IS THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
SO I, I HOPE THAT STRAIGHTENED IT, STRAIGHTENED IT OUT FOR EVERYONE.
BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE WE HAVE NOT CHANGED THAT.
THE HOUSING COMMISSION'S ROLE IS THAT CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
SO GET YOUR IDEAS ON THE PARKING LOT
UM, AND THEN ALSO, JUST REALLY QUICKLY, UM, I'VE BEEN HOSTING A ROUND TABLE, UM, TRY TO EVERY OTHER MONTH.
AND TODAY I'M HOSTING A ROUND TABLE OF, UM, UH, COORDINATORS IN, IN THE SYSTEM, IN THE, UM, HOMELESSNESS, UH, PREVENTION SYSTEM AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND BUSINESS PARTNERS.
UM, AND IN THAT PARTNERSHIP IS COMMUNITIES AND SCHOOLS.
AND SO WITH THAT, WE HAVE TASKED, UH, JESSICA WEAVER, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITIES AND SCHOOLS TO REALLY DIG INTO HOW TO IDENTIFY, HELP IDENTIFY THOSE FAMILIES THAT ARE ON THE VERGE OF EVICTION, UM, THROUGH A SUBCOMMITTEE THAT, THAT SHE'S GONNA BE LEADING.
UM, AN OPPORTUNITY HOME HAS BEEN A GREAT PARTNER AS WELL FOR MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES, UM, TO KNOW, UH, WE HAD 93 FAMILIES, UH, OVERFLOW FAMILIES AT SAM MINISTRIES, UH, THROUGH THE ROUND TABLE, WE WERE ABLE TO, UM, CONVINCE OPPORTUNITY HOME TO, UH, BUDGET SOME VOUCHERS PRIORITY FOR FAMILIES THAT THAT HAD CHILDREN, KINDA LIKE COUNCILMAN CASTILLO WAS TALKING ABOUT.
AND WE WERE ABLE TO ASSIST, I BELIEVE IT WAS 37 FAMILIES.
I COULD BE INCORRECT ABOUT THAT, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO GET THEM, UM, PLACED AND, AND, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, HAD HOME.
AND SO WE STILL HAVE SOME MORE WORK TO DO, OBVIOUSLY, BUT BABY STEPS, RIGHT.
SO, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.
UM, COUNCILMAN SANDOVAL, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
AND, UH, I CAN'T THANK YOUR DEPARTMENT ENOUGH FOR ALL OF THE HELP TO OUR RESIDENTS, UH, THROUGH EAB HAP AND OF COURSE, MOST RECENTLY, UM, AT THE ONE, YOU KNOW, THE APARTMENT COMPLEX THAT WE HAD ISSUES WITH THAT SHALL REMAIN NAMELESS FOR NOW.
UM, I DO HAVE, UH, A FEW QUESTIONS.
UM, OH, FIRST LET ME CONGRATULATE YOU ON GETTING THE APPLICATION REVIEW PERIOD DOWN TO 48 HOURS.
THAT'S A TREMENDOUS, UH, IMPROVEMENT AND, AND VERY HELPFUL TO, TO APPLICANTS.
UM, REMIND ME, UH, THE NEW FUNDS THAT ARE GOING FORWARD, UM, WE'RE APPROVING THOSE TODAY, RIGHT? DO, DO WE NEED A MOTION ON THAT? MM-HMM.
UM, ARE THOSE STILL CONNECTED TO COVID? DOES THE HARDSHIP? SO WHICH RESPONSE? UM MM-HMM.
SO WE'RE TALKING ERA ONE, ERA TWO, YES.
UM, EVEN THE T D H C A GRANTS, THOSE COME THROUGH ERA TWO.
SO THERE'S STILL A C OVID 19 HARDSHIP, BUT THEY MAY, THEY STATE VERY CLEARLY, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY.
SO YOU DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO HAVE COVID,
[01:25:01]
BUT YOU MAY HAVE LOST YOUR JOB BECAUSE OF BUSINESS CLOSED DUE TO LOW PATRONAGE.UM, AND WE ALL KNOW WHAT THAT WAS ABOUT.
OR YOUR CAR BROKE DOWN AND IT HAPPENED DURING THE PANDEMIC OR RECENTLY.
I, UH, MOST OF MY QUESTIONS ARE ABOUT, UH, EVICTIONS.
UM, I DO HAVE ONE QUICK QUESTION ON, UM, YOU KNOW, THE 30% WHAT YOU, WHAT, UM, LORI WAS SAYING IS WE REALLY NEED THAT TYPE OF HOUSING OUT THERE, UH, IF WE WANNA HELP THESE PEOPLE WITH THE, WITH THE FUNDS THAT WE HAVE AND WITH THE VOUCHERS.
SO, UM, I, I KNOW, UM, I'VE DISCUSSED THIS WITH LORI IN THE PAST, THAT WE REALLY, UH, WHAT, WHAT I FEAR IS THAT WE LOSE OUR CURRENT INVENTORY OF NATURALLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING, OR EVEN 30%, UH, OUT THERE.
UM, IS IT POSSIBLE TO COMMISSION A STUDY LIKE AN AN EMISSION, AN EMISSION INVENTORY, AN INVENTORY OF, UH, 30% HOUSING OUT THERE RIGHT NOW SO THAT WE CAN TRACK, UH, WHATEVER'S NATURALLY OCCURRING, NOT JUST WHAT WE'RE HELPING TO PRODUCE, UM, BUT TO BE AWARE OF WHAT MIGHT BE GOING BY THE WAYSIDE? WE MIGHT ALREADY HAVE THAT INFORMATION, WE'LL NEED TO CHECK, BUT I DO WANNA MENTION THAT IN THE LAST BOND ROUND WE DID, UM, WE HAD A LOT OF PRESERVATION PROJECTS RECEIVE FUNDING TO PRESERVE THAT AFFORDABLE AFFORDABILITY.
AND WE CAN RESEND YOU THAT INFORMATION THAT THAT ALL WAS APPROVED IN DECEMBER 15TH, BUT I WOULD SAY IT WAS HALF AND HALF IN TERMS OF PRESERVATION AND NEW PRODUCTION.
I, I THINK THAT'S ABSOLUTELY IMPORTANT.
ONE OF THE KEY THINGS THAT WE, THAT WE NEED IS TO INVEST IN THAT PRESERVATION.
AND I'VE BEEN, UM, YOU KNOW, SAYING THAT FOR, FOR A WHILE.
I, UM, BUT I DO THINK IT'S ALSO HELPFUL JUST TO KNOW, UM, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE PRESERVE 50% OR WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, HOWEVER MANY UNITS, BUT WE DON'T KNOW HOW MANY WE'VE LOST.
SO I, I, ANYWAY, I WOULD POSE THAT AS A, LIKE YOU SAID, YOU MIGHT HAVE THAT ALREADY, RIGHT? YEAH, WELL, WE, WE MIGHT HAVE, I'M GONNA HAVE IAN SPEAK TO THAT, BUT I ALSO WANNA MENTION ON THE HOUSING BOND, THERE IS A CATEGORY SPECIFIC TO PRESERVATION.
AND SO IT'S SEPARATE FROM NEW PRODUCTION, IAN? YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S CORRECT.
UM, 40 MILLION, SO THAT'S THE SECOND LARGEST CATEGORY IN THE BOND FOR RENTAL PRESERVATION.
WHEN WE DID THE SHIP, UM, WE HAD OUR, OUR CONSULTANT, UM, LOOK SPECIFICALLY WHEN WE WERE SETTING OUR, OUR SHIP TARGETS, UM, TO DO AN ANALYSIS BASED ON, UH, CENSUS DATA THAT WAS AVAILABLE ON WHAT ARE THE UNITS THAT ARE AVAILABLE AT, AT VARIOUS AMIS AND WHAT IS THE POPULATION THAT EARNS THAT INCOME AND WHAT'S THAT MISMATCH.
AND THAT'S KIND OF HOW WE WERE ABLE TO SET OUR TARGETS OUT.
SO WE HAVE SOME OF THOSE NUMBERS WE CAN PROBABLY PULL BACK UP FOR YOU.
OF COURSE, THOSE THINGS CHANGE OVER TIME AND THAT STUDY WAS DONE A LITTLE WHILE AGO.
UM, AND THEN THE OTHER THING I WILL SAY IS ONE OF THE SHIP STRATEGIES IS A HOUSING PRESERVATION DATABASE.
UM, SO WE KNOW, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHICH ARE, AND I KNOW YOU TALKED ABOUT NATURALLY OCCURRING AS WELL, BUT AT LEAST THOSE THAT ARE FEDERALLY FUNDED OR HAVE SOME SUBSIDY THAT ARE ABOUT TO EXPIRE, UM, CREATING A DATABASE.
AND SOME OF THOSE WE ALREADY KNOW, UM, JUST BASED ON BEING ABLE TO LOOK AT SOME OF THOSE EXISTING DATABASES ON WHEN THEY'RE SET TO EXPIRE.
UM, SO THERE'S SOME PUBLIC SOURCES THERE.
SO WE DO HAVE AN IDEA, UM, AND WE ARE WORKING ON SOME STRATEGIES TO MAKE SURE WE PRIORITIZE THOSE.
CAN I FINISH JUST THAT? YEAH, GO AHEAD.
I THINK EVERYTHING YOU'RE DOING IS GREAT.
I'M STILL JUST WORRIED THAT WE DON'T TRACK HOW MANY ARE OUT THERE, AND IN TWO YEARS WE CAN'T COME BACK AND SAY THERE'S THIS MANY OR THAT MANY.
SO I'LL, I'LL JUST, I, I THINK EVERYTHING YOU'RE DOING IS FANTASTIC.
I JUST WOULD RECOMMEND HAVING THAT ONE ADDITIONAL THING.
THANK YOU COUNCILMAN SANDOVAL.
UM, WE WILL MOVE ON TO COUNCILMAN VRAN AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK TO COUNCILMAN SANDOVAL AND THEN TO COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
THANK YOU VERONICA, FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
UH, THIS PROGRAM WAS, IS VERY HELPFUL FOR THE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT THREE, AND I WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS, UH, GOING OUT TO THE SENIOR CENTERS, GETTING THE MESSAGE OUT THROUGH MY DISTRICTS THROUGH DIFFERENT FORMS. SO TALK TO ME ABOUT FEBRUARY, FEBRUARY, WHAT'S GONNA BE THE OUTREACH PROCESS FOR THAT? SO WE START OUR OUTREACH OF COURSE, WITH NOTIFYING ALL OF OUR CHIEF OF STAFF TO CITY COUNCIL THROUGH CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT ONE THROUGH 10.
WE ALSO LET BEXAR COUNTY, AND THEN WE START REACHING OUT TO A VAR, A VARIETY OF COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS.
THAT'S, I'LL JUST NAME A FEW COPS, METRO, TEXAS, HOUSER, SAGE TOP, AND AS WELL AS LOCAL CHARITIES LIKE ST.
VINCENT AND DEPAUL, SAM MINISTRIES.
BUT THOSE ARE ALL THE COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS WE WORK WITH BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT SOMETIMES, UM, THEY'RE A TRUSTED SOURCE FOR A LOT OF OUR RESIDENTS.
AND SO WE PROVIDE THEM THE FLYER, THE INFORMATION, WE START DOING EMAIL OUTREACH, AND THEN OF COURSE WE BRING FLYERS TO ANY OF, UH, ANY OF OUR OUTREACH EVENTS.
UM, AND INFORMATION IS BOTH IN SPANISH AND ENGLISH.
AND WE UPDATE OUR WEBSITE, UM, SO THAT FOLKS KNOW WHERE TO GO AND WHERE TO APPLY.
[01:30:01]
UH, KEY THIS TIME, UH, AND I KNOW YOU DO IT EVERY TIME AROUND, AND WE DON'T HAVE THE DATA, BUT I THINK WHEN WE TALK ABOUT EMERGENCY HOUSING AND CRISIS AND THE STUDENTS IS, THERE'S QUITE A FEW PEOPLE, WOMEN IN PARTICULAR TRYING TO LEAVE, UH, ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIPS.CHILDREN ARE TEENS TRYING TO LEAVE HOMES WHERE THEY'RE NOT WELCOME.
SO I DON'T KNOW THAT WE CAN, IF WE CAN TRACK THAT INFORMATION, OR WE CAN CONTINUE TO MAKE THAT A PRIORITY IN TERMS OF GETTING ASSISTANCE TO THOSE WHO ARE, ARE TRYING TO, TO MOVE SOMEWHERE TO BE SAFE, INCLUDING OUR SENIORS WHO MAY BE STUCK IN A SITUATION THAT ISN'T, ISN'T HELP HELPFUL OR HELP HEALTHY FOR THEM.
SO IS THERE ANY WAY WE CAN TRACK TRACK WHO'S, WHO'S NOT JUST, UH, EMERGENCY, BUT WHO'S FACING VIOLENCE? UH, WE DO MAKE SURE IN ALL OUR APPLICATION PROCESS THAT THAT IS A, UM, A CATEGORY THAT CAN BE TICKED OFF.
AND WE, ONCE IT, WE IDENTIFY THAT IT'S PRIORITIZED IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE WE'RE NOT, WE'RE DEFINITELY, N HSE IS NOT THE EXPERTS IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
SO WE HAND IT OFF TO A, AN ORGANIZATION THAT CAN CONTACT THE APPLICANT OR THE FAMILY.
AND, AND JUST TO, UH, KIND OF MAKE SURE THAT AS WE GIVE, GET OUT TO THE AGENCIES THAT WE UNDERSTAND THAT PEOPLE ARE IN CRISIS AND SOMETIMES IT'S THE THREAT OF VIOLENCE, AND THAT THEY LET THEM KNOW THAT THAT'S, THAT'S SOME INFORMATION WE KIND OF NEED IN THIS WHOLE PROCESS.
BECAUSE I THINK, AGAIN, IF WE LOOK AT SOMEONE THAT KEEPS ON THAT, THAT 40% THAT KEEPS COMING BACK, IT COULD BE BECAUSE THEY'RE IN A SITUATION THAT'S NOT SAFE, THAT THEY'RE NOT WILLING TO ACKNOWLEDGE IS NOT SAFE.
SO, UM, YEAH, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT WE, WE CONTINUE TO, TO, UH, UNPACK THOSE QUESTIONS AND SEE WHY THAT 40% KEEPS COMING BACK TO US.
UM, I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS, ABOUT THIS.
I THINK YOU GUYS ARE DOING A GOOD JOB.
I THINK, UM, AS WE LOOK AT EVICTIONS WITH, WITH RENTAL PRICES GOING UP, WE'RE GONNA SEE THAT.
SO I, I'D JUST LIKE TO GET MORE UPDATES ON, ON IF WE'RE HAVING TO, IF THE EVICTION IS OCCURRING, BECAUSE RENTS KEEP GOING UP.
AND YOU GUYS WERE ALL AT THE GREEN LINE NORTH OPENING ON, UM, ON LAST FRIDAY.
SO WE KNOW IN THE STORY AND THE TESTIMONIAL WE HAD THAT SHE WENT FROM 800 TO LIKE 1000 IN A MATTER OF MONTHS.
AND, AND I'M AFRAID A LOT OF OUR SENIORS AND RESIDENTS ARE FACING THAT.
SO, UH, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING MORE UPDATES.
AND, UH, WE'LL CONTINUE WITH COUNCILMAN SANDOVAL AND THEN COUNCILMAN KIRCH.
UH, REALLY QUICKLY WITH THE EVICTIONS, UM, DO WE HAVE A, ARE THERE MORE EVICTIONS IN SAN ANTONIO VERSUS THE COUNTY? IS THAT ANY DATA THAT SOMEONE COULD SEND ME? WE, WE OBVIOUSLY PARTNER WITH THE JP COURTS.
I THINK WE CAN LOOK INTO THAT.
UM, AND THEN WHEN IT COMES TO, UM, RIGHT TO COUNSEL, DO WE HAVE SUFFICIENT STAFFING AT THE, AT THE JP COURTS, OR WOULD WE BE HELPED BY ADDITIONAL STAFFING THERE? WE CAN ALWAYS USE ADDITIONAL STAFFING.
AND DO WE HAVE ANY STATS ON THE OUTCOMES OF THE RIGHT TO COUNSEL PROGRAM IN TERMS OF HOW MANY CASES, UH, WERE, UH, IN FAVOR OF THE TENANT VERSUS THE LANDLORD? WE DO TRACK APPEALS AND DISMISSALS.
I CAN GET THAT TO YOUR OFFICE.
AND, UM, I, I MEAN, MY, MY CONCLUSION, I, I'M ASSUMING IT MEANS A LOT OF PEOPLE GET TO STAY IN THEIR HOME BECAUSE WE'RE, BECAUSE WE'RE THERE.
WE AIM FOR A POSITIVE OUTCOME, AND THE COMBINATION OF HOUSING NAVIGATORS AND EXPERIENCE LEGAL AID PROVIDERS AVAILABLE DURING PROBABLY THE MOST CHALLENGING TIME FOR A FAMILY HAS HAD A VERY, UH, SUCCESSFUL OUTCOME IN TERMS OF THE AMOUNT OF DISMISSALS AND RESETS THAT WE'RE ABLE TO, UH, PROVIDE THE FAMILY.
YOU GUYS SHOULD MAKE LOTS OF HAY OUT OF THAT BY, YOU KNOW, GETTING IT OUT TO, TO THE MEDIA IN STORIES.
I THINK THAT'S, I MEAN, AND YOU SHOULD ALSO BE HELPING PEOPLE
I THINK THAT'S JUST, THOSE ARE ALL WONDERFUL STORIES.
UM, AND THEN I, I DO WORRY ABOUT THE FAMILIES THAT GET THE NOTICE TO VACATE.
UH, I KNOW THAT OUR, OUR INFORMATION IS ON THERE, BUT THAT THEY MAY STILL END UP, THAT THEY MAY NEVER GO THROUGH THE EVICTION FILING PROCESS BECAUSE THEY JUST LEAVE.
UM, IS THAT ALS ANYTHING THAT WE TRACK? LIKE HOW, YEAH, SO TYPICALLY, UM, ONCE THE EVICTION
[01:35:01]
FILING STARTS, THAT'S THE MECHANISM IN WHICH THE FAMILY HAS TO GO THROUGH.UM, I, I WOULD CALL AN INVOLUNTARY DISPLACEMENT, RIGHT? BECAUSE THEY'RE, THEY'RE HAVING TO GO THROUGH THE LEGAL SYSTEM.
SO OUR NUMBER ONE GOAL IS TO CONTACT THAT FAMILY AND TELL THEM, SHOW UP.
YOU NEED TO SHOW UP, UM, BECAUSE WE CAN HELP YOU APPEAL AND BUY YOU MORE TIME.
UM, SO EVERY CALL WE MAKE, THAT'S 500, UH, IN ADDITION TO MAIL OUT PACKETS A WEEK, WE'RE MAKING THAT CONTACT WITH THAT FAMILY.
AND WE ALSO ASK THEM QUESTIONS, YOU KNOW, DID YOU RECEIVE YOUR, YOUR NOTICE OF TENANT'S RIGHTS? A LOT OF THEM SAY THEY DON'T REMEMBER.
UM, SO WE MAKE SURE TO FOLLOW UP WITH THEM ON, ON, YOU KNOW, JUST SIMPLE DOCUMENTATION LIKE THAT.
THOSE ARE THE FAMILIES THAT CONTACT, WE CONTACT THEM.
HOW DO YOU GET THEIR INFO THROUGH EVICTION FILINGS? OH, THROUGH THE, OKAY.
SO, UM, ONLY ANYONE THAT'S THROUGH AN EVICTION FILING IS THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE TELLING ME ABOUT.
AND THAT'S THE BEST WAY FOR US TO UNDER TO REC, SORRY, ACKNOWLEDGE WHO IS ACTUALLY GOING THROUGH THIS.
UM, ANOTHER OPTION IS LIKE WHAT HAPPENED, UM, IN A RECENT SITUATION WHERE WE WENT TO AN EVICTION HOTSPOT YEAH.
AND WE PROACTIVELY WENT OUT THERE TO HELP, YOU KNOW, OVER 36 FAMILIES AND HELP, UH, RELOCATE NINE OF THOSE.
I GUESS THE, THE POINT I'M MAKING IS PEOPLE, THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE BECOMING HOMELESS BEFORE THEY EVER GET TO THE EVICTION FILING PROCESS BECAUSE THEY, THEY SEE A NOTICE TO VACATE OR WHATEVER THE REASON IS, AND THEY LEAVE WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT THEIR RIGHTS ARE.
AND I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE DOING EVERYTHING YOU CAN TO LET PEOPLE KNOW WHAT THEIR RIGHTS ARE.
I WAS JUST WONDERING IS, IS THERE ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO WORK WITH LANDLORDS TO KIND OF GIVE US A HEADS UP OF, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY NOTICES TO VACATE OR ARE GOING UP? IT'S JUST A QUESTION TO POSE.
VERONICA IS A NOTICE TO VACATE WHAT YOU'RE, YOU, ONCE YOU GET TO SEE THE NOTICE TO VACATE, IS THAT PART OF THE EVICTION FILING PROCESS? OR YOU DON'T DO IT UNTIL THEY ACTUALLY GET THE EVICTION? NO, UM, WE ARE, WE DON'T TRACK WHETHER THEY RECEIVE A NOTICE TO VACATE BECAUSE IT'S NOT RECORDED.
THE ONLY THING THAT'S RECORDED THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY SEE IS THE EVICTION FILINGS LIST.
CAN IAN, WHY DON'T YOU COME UP AND EXPLAIN THE, WHAT YOU ALL ARE DOING? YEAH, THAT'S CORRECT.
UM, SO THE NOTICE TO VACATE, THERE'S NO TRACKING OF THAT, BUT IT IS THE FIRST STEP BEFORE THEY RECEIVE AN EVICTION NOTICE.
UM, THE NOTICE OF TENANT'S RIGHTS.
UM, AND WE DID TRAININGS WITH THE APARTMENT ASSOCIATION AND SEVERAL PARTNERS ON THE NOTICE OF TENANT'S RIGHTS.
UM, THEY SHOULD BE PROVIDING INFORMATION AND RESOURCES TO THEIR TENANTS WHEN THEY ISSUE THAT NOTICE TO VACATE.
AND WHAT VERONICA WAS SAYING IS THAT WHEN WE REACH OUT TO THEM, WE ASK THEM, DID YOU RECEIVE YOUR NOTICE TO VACATE, UM, TO, I MEAN, YOUR NOTICE OF TENANT'S RIGHTS WHEN YOU RECEIVED YOUR NOTICE TO VACATE? UM, SO, YOU KNOW, IN SOME WAYS WE, WE DON'T KNOW UNTIL THEY REACH THIS, THE POINT IN WHICH THEY'RE ON A LIST TO BE ABLE TO CONTACT THEM MM-HMM.
ARE THERE THINGS THAT WE CAN PRESENT TO THIS COMMITTEE ABOUT HOW WE CAN BE MORE PROACTIVE? 'CAUSE YOU MENTIONED GOING OUT TO THE HOTSPOTS.
UM, WE DO TRAINING WITH TRALA, WITH SABOR, BUT WHY DON'T WE PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION? 'CAUSE WE DO A LOT OF IT, BUT MAYBE AT A NEXT MEETING OR THROUGH A MEMO, WE CAN PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION.
AND THANK YOU COUNCILMAN SANDOVAL.
UM, COUNCILMAN CASTILLO AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND I ARE WORKING ON, UH, A BILL OF RIGHTS FOR TENANTS.
AND SO, UM, I'M GONNA BE MEETING WITH THE SEA ATTORNEY'S OFFICE THIS AFTERNOON FOR SOME ADDITIONAL HELP.
BUT COUNCILMAN, THAT WAS A GREAT POINT.
MAYBE WE COULD ALSO INCORPORATE, UH, UM, HELP FROM THE LANDLORDS AND SEE WHERE THEY CAN BE MORE HELPFUL BEING PROACTIVE RIGHT.
SO THAT WE CAN, WE CAN PREVENT IT, UM, UPSTREAM.
SO, UM, BUT I JUST WANT TO, UM, LET YOU KNOW THAT, THAT WE'RE, WE'RE ALSO WORKING ON THAT ON, ON, UM, ON TRACK WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO BE ON TRACK WITH THAT.
BUT I'LL GO TO COUNCILMAN COURAGE AND THEN TO COUNCILMAN CASTILLO.
UM, I AM WONDERING, DOES OUR DEPARTMENT, OR ARE THERE OTHER AGENCIES THAT WE WORK WITH THAT MEET REGULARLY OR CONFER REGULARLY TO SHARE, UH, UNITS THAT MAY BE AVAILABLE FOR EITHER RAPID REHOUSING OR RELOCATION ASSISTANCE? IN OTHER WORDS, DO WE KNOW THERE'S 37 UNITS AVAILABLE TODAY, OR THERE'S 150 AVAILABLE AROUND THE CITY THAT PEOPLE CAN MOVE INTO? UH, I, I HAD A, A COUPLE OF INSTANCES IN MY OFFICE WHERE PEOPLE HAVE COME FORWARD.
OUR STAFF REACHED OUT TO SOME OF THE ORGANIZATIONS TO SAY, THESE PEOPLE NEED HOUSING, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING? AND THEY WERE SAID, WELL, NO, WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING RIGHT NOW.
SO IS THERE SOME WAY OF TRACKING THE AVAILABILITY OF EMERGENCY HOUSING OR REHAB HOUSING, THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, I'LL LET D H D H S SPEAK TO RAPID REHOUSING, BUT, UM, ATUL WE HAD MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY IS THE, UM, HOUSING BASE.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HOPE TO LAUNCH THIS YEAR AND WE'LL,
[01:40:01]
WE MENTIONED LAST TIME AT P C D C THAT WE WOULD PROVIDE TRAINING TO OUR COMMUNITY-BASED PARTNERS AS WELL AS, UM, ANYONE IN YOUR STAFF.BUT THAT WOULD BE A TOOL WHERE FOLKS CAN FIND SOMETHING THAT MEETS THEIR NEEDS.
SO WE DON'T KNOW ANY OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT KEEP TRACK OF THAT EITHER THEN, HUH? WE DON'T KNOW OF ANY, BUT WE DO WORK VERY CLOSELY, ESPECIALLY WITH OUR PARTNERS WHO WE FUND.
UM, YOU KNOW, SPECIFICALLY OUR NONPROFIT PARTNERS, WE REACH OUT TO THEM IF WE'RE TRYING TO RELOCATE A FAMILY AND THEY'RE HAVING A REALLY HARD TIME FINDING A UNIT IN A SPECIFIC LOCATION.
LET'S SAY THEY DON'T HAVE A CAR OR THEY NEED TO BE NEAR A DAYCARE.
UM, AS VERONICA SAID, HOUSING BASE EVENTUALLY WILL TRY AND BE AN ONLINE PLATFORM THAT WILL EVENTUALLY SHOW EVEN LIVE AVAILABILITY, HOPEFULLY IN THE FUTURE.
UM, BUT AT LEAST IT'S GONNA BE A STARTING POINT FOR FAMILIES TO BE ABLE TO REACH OUT TO, OR HOUSING NA NAVIGATORS TO BE ABLE TO REACH OUT TO, OR YOU CAN FILTER BY THOSE CRITERIA.
UM, BUT WE DO COORDINATE WITH OUR PARTNERS WHO WE FUND, UM, ESPECIALLY IF WE'RE LOOKING FOR A SPECIFIC LOCATION, UM, OR A SPECIFIC AREA OR A SPECIFIC PRICE POINT.
SO THIS NEW PROJECT THEN WILL, UH, ALLOW US TO BE ABLE TO OPEN UP A DATABASE AND FIND WHAT'S AVAILABLE IN CERTAIN AREAS THAT MEET CRITERIA.
EVENTUALLY IT'LL SHOW LIKE REAL TIME AVAILABILITY, UM, BUT WHEN IT LAUNCHES, IT'LL AT LEAST SHOW US YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEARCH, UM, COMPLEXES AND UNITS BY LOCATION, UM, BY ACCESS TO TRANSPORTATION, BY PROXIMITY TO OTHER GOODS AND SERVICES.
SO IT'LL AT LEAST BE ABLE TO DO THAT AS A STARTING POINT, LIKE I SAID, FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE ABLE TO ACCESS AND UTILIZE THAT, OR HOUSING NAVIGATOR THAT'S HELPING SOMEBODY THAT MAY NOT BE ABLE TO, UM, YOU KNOW, USE A DIGITAL TOOL LIKE THAT.
HOW WILL WE GET PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS TO BUY IN TO LET US KNOW? SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE WORKING ON.
UM, WE'LL CONTINUALLY WORK WITH THE APARTMENT ASSOCIATION TO TRY TO EXPAND THAT, BUT IMMEDIATELY WE'RE GONNA WORK WITH OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROVIDERS, UM, TO ENTER THAT, THAT IN, ALONG WITH OUR, UH, STRATEGIC HOUSING IMPLEMENTATION PARTNERS.
THANK YOU, IAN, FOR THAT RESPONSE.
LAST WEEK, I MENTIONED DURING A B SESSION THAT THERE IS A PRESIDENTIAL PLAN, UH, TO, AND HOMELESSNESS.
AND SO THERE'S, THERE'S MEASURES.
UNFORTUNATELY, THERE'S NO FUNDING BEHIND IT JUST YET.
UM, BUT ONE OF THE ITEMS ON THERE IS ELECTRONIC TRACKING SYSTEMS THAT TALK TO EACH OTHER THAT INCLUDE THIS TYPE OF WORK, RIGHT? SO, UM, I, I WOULD HOPE THAT I G R MIGHT HELP US WITH, UM, MAKING THIS A PRIORITY, ESPECIALLY AS WE GO ADVOCATE, UH, SO LIKE ESSAY TO DC'S COMING UP, RIGHT? SO I KNOW ANY ONE OF US ON THE COMMITTEE WOULD BE HAPPY TO GO IN AND, AND BE AN ADVOCATE FOR THE FUNDS THAT WE NEED TO GET THAT TECHNOLOGY.
UM, AND I'M, I'M JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT BEING FUNDED, BUT I JUST WANTED TO, TO REMIND US THAT THAT'S KIND OF WHAT, WHAT I, I I WOULD ENCOURAGE US TO ALL PUSH FOR ON THIS COMMITTEE, RIGHT? LIKE ANY ADVOCACY TRIPS THAT WE TAKE, UM, THAT WE KIND OF PUSH FOR THAT.
BUT, UH, WE'LL GO OVER TO COUNCILMAN, UM, CASTANO, THANK YOU CHAIR.
AND I JUST WANTED TO REITERATE THE THANKS, UM, FOR THE WORK OF YOU AND YOUR TEAM, RIGHT? YOU ALL ARE TASKED WITH SO MUCH, RIGHT? WE ARE THE WEALTHIEST NATION NATION IN THE COUNTRY.
UM, YET WE HAVE AN INCREASING HOMELESS POPULATION.
THE MIDDLE CLASS IS SHRINKING, AND YOUR, UH, SMALL AND MIGHTY TEAM IS TASKED WITH TACKLING ALL THESE PIECES.
RIGHT? AND THEN TO THE COUNCILMAN'S POINT, RIGHT? WE HAVE THESE INITIATIVES, BUT THERE'S NO FUNDING BEHIND THEM.
UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR ALL THAT WORK YOU'RE DOING.
UM, BUT I ALSO WANTED TO REQUEST WITH, UH, THE TOTAL ASSISTANCE BY COUNCIL DISTRICT, IS IT POSSIBLE FOR EACH COUNCIL MEMBER, AT LEAST FOR DISTRICT FIVE, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW MANY FAMILIES THAT ASSISTED, UH, I DID THE MATH AND IT'S LIKE 332, BUT IF YOU KNOW ONE FAMILY RECEIVED MORE, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, UH, HOW MANY FAMILIES TOTAL IN DISTRICT FIVE, AND AS WELL AS WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THOSE WERE REPEAT APPLICANTS.
UM, AND, AND TO COUNCILMAN CURTIS'S POINT, RIGHT? I KNOW WE HAVE THE HOUSING NAVIGATORS, THE CASE MANAGERS AND HOUSING COUNSELORS, BUT CAN ONE OF THEM TAKE A MORE PROMINENT ROLE, UH, WITH CASE MANAGEMENT OF CONNECTING THE CONSTITUENT TO RESOURCES? I KNOW WE'RE DOING THAT WITH READY TO WORK.
UM, BUT I'M THINKING OF, UH, MARK CARMONA WITH THE DEMOLITION MITIGATION PILOT PROGRAM.
HE PULLED IN A SOCIAL WORKER WHO WORKS WITH THE ENTIRE FAMILY, UH, TO CONNECT THEM TO EVERY RESOURCE, RIGHT? HOW CAN WE RECALIBRATE ONE OF THESE, UM, CASE MANAGERS OR HOUSING COUNSELORS TO, TO PLAY THAT ROLE WHERE IT'S MORE HANDS-ON CASE MANAGEMENT WITH EVERY PERSON IN THE FAMILY, UM, TO GET CONNECTED TO, UH, IF IT'S, UH, MEDICAID OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE, UM, TO TAKE ON THAT MORE PROMINENT ROLE, DO YOU THINK WE HAVE OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT.
AND, UH, WHAT WOULD IT TAKE, UM, FOR CITY COUNCIL TO INITIATE TO HELP US GET THERE? SURE.
WELL, WELL, I WOULD ADD THANKS TO YOUR SUPPORT.
UM, WE DID GET A BUDGET ALLOCATION TO IMPROVE OUR STAFFING CAPACITY.
SO A LOT OF OUR TEMP STAFF HAS ACTUALLY TURNED INTO FULL-TIME STAFF.
UM, SO WE'VE GROWN OUR TEAM TO FULL-TIME POSITIONS ALONG WITH, UM, SOME GRANT FUNDED POSITIONS.
SO IT'S BIGGER THAN IT'S EVER BEEN, WHICH
[01:45:01]
IS WONDERFUL NEWS.CAN COUNCILMAN CASTILLO BROUGHT UP A REALLY GOOD POINT, AND I THINK THAT, UM, IN OUR ADVOCACY EFFORTS TO FUND THIS PLAN THAT IS UNFUNDED, THAT HAS SOME REALLY GOOD IDEAS, MAYBE THAT'S ANOTHER PITCH THAT WE COULD MAKE, RIGHT? AND SO, SPECIFICALLY, MAYBE GOING BACK TO THE FACT THAT THERE'S 7,148 KIDS WHO DO NOT HAVE A HOME, RIGHT? UM, HOW DO WE WORK WITH ORGANIZATIONS LIKE MAYBE COMMUNITIES AND SCHOOLS OR OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE ALREADY IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, UH, TO KIND OF HELP US, RIGHT? AND SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH US.
SO, UM, IT, IT, MAYBE WE COULD COME UP WITH A PILOT PROGRAM THAT WE COULD, UH, PITCH, RIGHT? AND SEE IF WE COULD GET IT FUNDED, GRANT FUNDED, UM, BUT JUST, YOU KNOW, JUST AS WE HAVE THE CONVERSATION, JUST A LOT OF WORK TO DO, BUT A LOT OF GREAT WORK THAT YOU ALL HAVE ALREADY DONE.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HELPING OUR FAMILIES AND, AND ALL OF THE CITY.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU, VERONICA, AND YOUR TEAM.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER FOUR, WHICH IS ALSO JUST A BRIEFING.
UH, ITEM NUMBER FOUR IS BRIEFING AND POSSIBLE ACTION RELATED TO THE 2023 PROPERTY TAX HELP CAMPAIGN.
AND THIS WILL BE PRESENTED BY THE OTHER VERONICA.
THANK YOU CHAIR COUNCIL MEMBERS OF VERONICA GARCIA, THE DIRECTOR FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
TODAY I WILL PROVIDE A BRIEFING ON THE PROPERTY TAX HELP CAMPAIGN.
THIS IS A NEW EFFORT OUR TEAM IS DOING THIS YEAR.
IT WAS ADOPTED IN THE 2023 BUDGET, $250,000 FOR AN EDUCATION CAMPAIGN TO HELP EMPOWER OUR RESIDENTS WITH RESOURCES AND INFORMATION TO COMBAT RISING PROPERTY TAXES.
IN LAST YEAR'S BUDGET SURVEY, THIS WAS ONE OF THE NUMBER ONE CONCERNS OF RESIDENTS WAS RISING PROPERTY TAXES.
SO WE ARE EXCITED TO START THIS INITIATIVE.
WE'VE WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH, UM, SOME OF OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO GET THIS OFF THE GROUND.
AND WE'VE SPOKEN WITH, UH, MANY OF YOUR OFFICES WHO HAVE SUCCESSFULLY HELD PROPERTY TAX PROTESTS, UM, INFO SESSIONS IN YOUR DISTRICTS.
AND SO WE'VE TAKEN SOME OF THOSE BEST PRACTICES AND WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO BRINGING THAT EFFORT, UM, CITYWIDE THIS YEAR.
SO THE CAMPAIGN WILL FOCUS ON TWO THINGS.
FIRST, UH, AND FOREMOST, HELPING RESIDENTS APPLY FOR HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONS AND ANY OTHER EXEMPTIONS THEY MAY QUALIFY FOR.
UM, THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE ONCE AN INDIVIDUAL HOUSEHOLD HAS THAT EXEMPTION, THEY CONTINUE TO, UH, BENEFIT FROM REDUCED PROPERTY TAX BILL YEAR OVER YEAR.
SO IT'S GET IT ONCE AND THEN IT APPLIES AS LONG AS YOU STAY IN THE HOME.
UM, THIS ALSO BECAME MORE VALUABLE THIS YEAR BECAUSE, UH, MAYOR AND COUNCIL LAST YEAR APPROVED AN INCREASE TO THE HOME SET EXEMPTION.
SO NOW IT'S 10% OF THE HOMES ASSESSED VALUE.
UM, IN ADDITION, THE EXEMPTIONS FOR, UM, DISABLED INDIVIDUALS AND PEOPLE AGED 65 AND UP WERE ALSO INCREASED THIS YEAR.
SO, UH, WE REALLY WANNA MAKE A STRONG EFFORT TO MAKE SURE INDIVIDUALS KNOW THAT THESE ARE OUT THERE IF THEY QUALIFY FOR THEM, AND ACTUALLY PROVIDING DIRECT SERVICE TO HELP THEM FILE FOR THESE EXEMPTIONS.
UM, ON THAT NOTE, WE ARE ALSO GONNA PROVIDE EDUCATION SESSIONS TO INDIVIDUALS SO THAT THEY'RE AWARE OF THE PROPERTY TAX PROTEST PROCESS.
SO THIS WILL BE DONE THROUGH, UH, AT LEAST 14 IN-PERSON SESSIONS STARTING NEXT MONTH.
THERE'LL BE AT LEAST ONE IN EVERY COUNCIL DISTRICT, AND WE'RE WORKING WITH THE COUNCIL OFFICES TO FIND THE BEST LOCATIONS FOR THOSE 'CAUSE WE RECOGNIZE EACH AREA IS DIFFERENT, HAS DIFFERENT NEEDS.
WE'LL ALSO, UM, CONDUCT, UH, FOUR MORE SESSIONS FOCUSED ON HELPING PEOPLE FILE FOR THOSE EXEMPTIONS FROM JUNE THROUGH SEPTEMBER.
UH, EACH SESSION WILL HAVE BOTH A S L AND SPANISH INTERPRETATION ON SITE, AND WE'LL HAVE OTHER EDUCATION RESOURCES AND CITY SERVICES AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE TO LEARN ABOUT.
WE'LL BE CONDUCTING THESE SESSIONS WITH THE HELP OF EXPERTS, TRUSTED LEGAL PROVIDERS.
THESE ARE LOCAL COMMUNITY-BASED EXPERTS IN SAN ANTONIO.
THE FIRST ONE IS SAN ANTONIO LEGAL SERVICES ASSOCIATION.
THEY ARE AFFILIATED WITH THE SAN ANTONIO BAR ASSOCIATION, AND THEY UTILIZE, UH, VOLUNTEER ATTORNEYS TO HELP CONDUCT THESE EXEMPTION CLINICS.
OUR OTHER PARTNER IS THE TEXAS RIO GRANDE LEGAL AID.
THEY ARE ALL ALSO REGULARLY LEAD EXEMPTION CLINICS AROUND THE CITY, AND THEY REALLY FOCUS ON HELPING OUR VULNERABLE RESIDENTS IN AREAS OF THE HIGHEST NEED.
UH, T R L A ALSO REGULARLY PARTNERS WITH ST.
MARY'S LAW STUDENTS AND OTHER VOLUNTEER REALTORS TO HELP, UH, PERFORM THEIR SERVICES.
SO, AS I MENTIONED, UM, THE SESSIONS WILL BE TWOFOLD.
FIRST, WE WILL FOCUS ON PROVIDING DIRECT ASSISTANCE ONSITE TO HELP, UH, RESIDENTS FILE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONS OR OTHER EXEMPTIONS.
IT'S KIND OF ONE FORM ALL IN EVERYTHING YOU MAY QUALIFY FOR.
THESE WILL BE DONE ON SITE, ON A FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE BASIS.
UM, AND IF WE ARE KIND OF FULL THAT DAY, WE CAN ALSO PROVIDE PHONE REFERRALS TO INDIVIDUALS SO THEY CAN MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TO GET HELP LATER OR HELP ON THE PHONE LATER.
UH, THESE SERVICES WILL BE, UH, TARGETED TO LOW INCOME HOME HOMEOWNERS AND INDIVIDUALS AGED 65 OR OLDER, MAKING SURE THEY CAN GET
[01:50:01]
THAT OLDER ADULT EXEMPTION.UH, WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH BEXAR COUNTY.
THEY HAVE A LIST, IT'S LIKE 90,000 PEOPLE ON THIS LIST OF PEOPLE WHO ARE HOMEOWNERS AND DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE A HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION.
SO WE'LL BE UTILIZING THAT LIST, KIND OF PRIORITIZE SEVERAL PEOPLE ON IT, BUT REALLY FOCUSING ON THESE CATEGORIES TO MAKE SURE OUR SERVICES MEET, UM, THOSE AT THE GREATEST NEED.
WE ALSO WILL, UM, BE HAVING ONSITE THE SESSIONS, WHICH WILL FOCUS ON HOW THE PROPERTY PROTEST PROCESS WORKS, UH, WHY YOU WOULD WANNA PROTEST YOUR TAXES, HOW YOU COULD GO ABOUT DOING IT ON YOUR OWN.
AND AGAIN, REMINDING PEOPLE WHAT ALL THE DIFFERENT EXEMPTIONS ARE AND HOW THEY CAN APPLY FOR THEM.
THIS SAME INFORMATION WILL BE AVAILABLE ON OUR DEDICATED WEBSITE.
SO IF SOMEONE CANNOT ATTEND ONE OF OUR SESSIONS IN PERSON, UM, THEY COULD STILL GET THE SAME INFORMATION ONLINE.
FURTHERMORE, AT OUR SESSIONS, WE WILL HAVE OTHER RESOURCES AVAILABLE.
REALLY WANNA FOCUS ON PARTNERSHIP AND TEAMWORK AT THESE SESSIONS.
WE KNOW THAT THERE'S, THIS IS A, THIS IS A GREAT NEED IN OUR CITY.
IT'S, IT'S GONNA BE DEFINITELY IN HIGH DEMAND, SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE, UH, WHILE WE MAKE SURE OUR RESIDENTS KNOW ABOUT THIS, THEY CAN COME AND THEY CAN GET OTHER SERVICES AS WELL.
SO WE'LL HAVE ONE OF OUR HOUSING NAVIGATORS ON SITE OF VERONICA GONZALEZ.
TALKED A LOT ABOUT THE EVICTION PREVENTION SERVICES WE OFFER.
SO WE'LL HAVE THAT AVAILABLE ON SITE, UM, FOR ANYONE WHO MAY NEED IT.
AND FREQUENTLY WHEN WE HAVE THESE SESSIONS, PEOPLE JUST HAVE OTHER CITY QUESTIONS AND TO HELP OUR TEAM FOCUS ON, UH, PROVIDING THE PROPERTY TAX INFORMATION, WE'LL HAVE A SEPARATE STAFF PERSON THERE HELPING THEM WITH ANY OF THE OTHER TYPES OF QUESTIONS THEY MAY HAVE.
WE'VE ALSO SPOKEN WITH, UH, BEXAR COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT, AND THEY'VE AGREED TO BE AT MOST, IF NOT ALL OF THESE SESSIONS.
SO THEY'LL BE THERE TO HELP PROVIDE MORE DETAILED INFORMATION ON, UH, HOW YOU PAY YOUR TAXES, THE PAYMENT PLANS THAT ARE AVAILABLE, AND OTHER JUST APPRAISAL OR COUNTY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS.
UH, WE ALSO, AND THEY'LL BE THERE KIND OF AT THEIR OWN SEPARATE TABLE, SO SOMEBODY CAN GO, UM, SPEAK TO THEM DIRECTLY.
THEY ALSO ARE A INTAKE CENTER FOR THE TEXAS HOMEOWNER ASSISTANCE FUND.
SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE, SINCE WE ARE TARGETING HOMEOWNERS, THAT THEY'RE AWARE THAT THIS IS ANOTHER FINANCIAL RESOURCE AVAILABLE TO THEM THROUGH THE STATE.
SIMILAR TO OUR EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES HELP TO SOMEONE BEHIND ON RENT.
THE TEXAS HOMEOWNER ASSISTANCE FUND PROVIDES MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE.
UH, SO IF YOU'RE BEHIND ON YOUR MORTGAGE, IF YOU'RE ABOUT TO BE FORECLOSED ON, YOU CAN GET HELP FROM THAT STATE FUND.
IT ALSO PROVIDES HELP WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE BEHIND ON PROPERTY TAXES AND CAN HELP GET THEM ALL CAUGHT UP.
SO WE REALLY WANNA MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE AWARE THAT THAT'S A RESOURCE OUT THERE AND REALLY HELP THEM STAY IN THEIR HOMES.
AND THEN, UM, WE'LL ALSO HAVE INFORMATION ON THE VITA, UH, WHICH IS FREE INCOME TAX PREPARATION SERVICES.
WE'VE COORDINATED WITH D H SS ON THAT, SO PEOPLE WILL ARE COMING FOR PROPERTY TAX INFORMATION, BUT THEY'LL BE ABLE TO GET INFORMATION ON HOW WE THE CITY CAN HELP THEM, UH, MAKE SURE THEY FILE THEIR INCOME TAXES FOR FREE.
SO, UH, WHILE WE ARE DOING THIS CITYWIDE EFFORT, WE WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE ARE MANY OTHER PARTNERS WHO ARE DOING THIS WORK TOO.
SO BEAR COUNTY, UM, THEY DO THEIR OWN SESSIONS AND THEY HAVE SOME INFORMATION ONLINE, SO WE'LL MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE AWARE OF THOSE.
WE ALSO KNOW THAT THERE ARE OTHER, UH, BOTH FOR-PROFIT AND NON-PROFIT ENTITIES THAT PROVIDE SIMILAR SERVICES.
SO OUR CAMPAIGN IS FOCUSED ON HOW YOU CAN PROTEST YOUR OWN PROPERTY TAXES, BUT THAT MAY NOT BE THE ROUTE FOR EVERYONE.
IT CAN BE A LITTLE BIT COMPLEX.
YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO, UM, YOU KNOW, GET INFORMATION ON HOME VALUES IN YOUR AREA, CAPTURE PHOTOS.
SO IF SOMEONE CANNOT DO THAT ON THEIR OWN, WE'LL BE SURE THAT THEY'RE AWARE THAT THERE ARE OTHER ENTITIES THAT CAN HELP THEM WITH THAT.
UM, BUT WE'LL BE SHOWING THEM HOW THEY CAN DO IT ON THEIR OWN FOR FREE.
AND THEN WE WILL ALSO, UM, JUST MAKE SURE, AGAIN, THAT THESE SESSIONS HAVE A BROAD OUTREACH AND THAT THEY'RE EASILY ACCESSIBLE FOR PEOPLE TO ATTEND.
SO ON THAT OUTREACH NOTE, WE'LL BE ADVERTISING THIS IN THE, UM, SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS NEWS.
LA REZA, ANOTHER LOCAL PUBLICATIONS.
UM, ONE THING THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT IS THAT WE MAKE SURE OUR LOCAL MEDIA IS AWARE.
WE'LL DO A PRESS RELEASE AND DO SOME MEDIA PITCHES.
UH, WHEN WE DID OUR HOME REHAB APPLICATION PROCESS, WE DID A LOT OF OUTREACH FOR THAT TOO.
AND MOST PEOPLE WHO CAME SAID THEY HEARD ABOUT IT ON THE NEWS OR THEY HEARD ABOUT IT THROUGH A FAMILY MEMBER.
SO WE'RE GONNA MAKE SURE, UM, THE NEWS IS AWARE OF OUR EFFORTS AND WE'RE ALSO GONNA HAVE THE INFORMATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
THAT'S WHERE WE, UM, CAN REACH THE FAMILY MEMBERS THAT WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE HOMEOWNERS, THEY MAY SEE OUR INFORMATION AND GO, OH, I GOTTA MAKE SURE I TAKE MY RELATIVE TO THIS SESSION IN OUR, IN OUR AREA.
AND THEN LASTLY, WE'LL BE DOING, UM, DIRECT MAILERS.
SO POSTCARDS AND DOOR HANGERS.
AGAIN, TARGETING OVER 30,000 HOUSEHOLDS THAT DO NOT CURRENTLY HAVE A HOME SET EXEMPTION.
AND REALLY TARGETING, UM, THOSE IN THE LOW INCOME OR HIGH EQUITY AREAS.
SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THE LOCATIONS FOR OUR SESSIONS, AGAIN, WE'RE FINALIZING WHAT THAT CALENDAR LOOKS LIKE WORKING WITH THE COUNCIL OFFICES.
UM, 'CAUSE I KNOW MANY OF YOU HELD YOUR OWN AND SOME OF YOU MAY WANNA ATTEND.
UM, SO WE'LL BE LOOKING AT COMMUNITY CENTERS, SENIOR
[01:55:01]
CENTERS, LIBRARIES, MAYBE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, UM, MAKING SURE THAT THEY ARE AREAS THAT HAVE SUFFICIENT SPACE TO HOST THESE SESSIONS THAT WE HAVE WIFI.AND OF COURSE WE'LL INCLUDE SOME SESSIONS THAT ARE AVAILABLE ON EVENINGS AND WEEKENDS.
AND THERE WAS ALSO AN ASK THAT WE HOLD AT LEAST ONE OF THE 14 SESSIONS IN SPANISH.
SO WE'VE TALKED TO OUR PROVIDERS ABOUT HOW WE CAN DO THAT AS WELL.
SO AFTER TODAY'S PRESENTATION, UH, WE WILL BE DOING OUR, UH, EARLY MARKETING.
SO WE'LL GET OUR, SAVE THE DATES AND OUR DOOR HANGERS OUT THERE, UM, THAT LATER THIS MONTH.
AND THEN WE'LL START HAVING OUR FIRST SESSIONS IN EARLY FEBRUARY.
AND AGAIN, THEY'LL BE FOCUSED ON THE PROPERTY PROTESTS AND DIRECT ASSISTANCE FOR HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONS.
UM, THAT HELPS US MEET THE TAX PROTEST DEADLINE OF MAY 15TH.
BUT EVEN AFTER MAY, WE'LL HAVE A FEW MORE CLINICS.
UM, AGAIN, HELPING PEOPLE GET THEIR HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION, THAT'S IMPORTANT 'CAUSE IT'S NOT TOO LATE.
EVEN IF YOU FILE YOUR HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION AND GET IT LATER, YOU CAN STILL GET THAT RETROACTIVE REFUND UP TO TWO YEARS.
SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE OUR COMMUNITY KNOWS ABOUT THAT AS WELL, SO WE CAN STILL HELP THEM.
SO THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
I KNOW WE SPOKE WITH ALMOST EVERY PERSON HERE ABOUT THE SESSIONS.
MANY OF YOU GAVE US A LOT OF FEEDBACK ON HOW THAT HELPED AND WE'VE TRIED TO INCORPORATE A LOT OF THAT INTO OUR PLANT.
UM, VERONICA, I'M, I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS NEW CAMPAIGN.
I WAS REALLY EXCITED WHEN YOU SAID WE WILL HAVE A SPANISH ONLY ONE.
MAYBE WE COULD PARTNER WITH UNIVISION 'CAUSE THEY'RE REALLY GOOD AT, UM, FACEBOOK LIVE.
AND TELEMUNDO ALSO, UH, DOES A GREAT JOB.
UM, SO MAYBE WE CAN PARTNER WITH ONE OF THEM, OR BOTH OF THEM BECAUSE WE HAVE A, A LARGE SPANISH SPEAKING AUDIENCE.
UM, I KNOW MOST OF US, UH, UH, ADVOCATED FOR THIS, AND I THINK IT WAS COUNCILMAN SANDOVAL THAT BROUGHT UP ORIGINALLY THE IDEA.
SO, SO THANK YOU COUNCILMAN FOR, FOR THE CAMPAIGN.
ANYTHING MARKETING RELATED? I'M, I'M BEHIND.
SO
UM, I, I LIKE THAT WE'RE GONNA BE FOCUSED ON, UH, HAVING SOMETHING IN EVERY DISTRICT THAT'S DEFINITELY IMPORTANT.
WHEN I HAD, UM, MY TAX TOWN HALL LAST YEAR, THE CHIEF APPRAIS, BOTH OF THEM, THE CHIEF APPRAISER, UM, AND THE TAX ASSESSOR COLLECTOR, UH, WERE THERE.
UM, BUT IT WAS INTERESTING BECAUSE THE CHIEF APPRAISER SAID THAT IT WAS THE FIRST TIME HE HAD BEEN INVITED TO THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF THE CITY.
UM, AND WHEN I FIRST GOT TO COUNCIL, I, I MET WITH HIM AND HE SAID THAT HE HADN'T BEEN REQUESTED, LIKE NO COUNCIL MEMBER HAD REQUESTED TO MEET WITH HIM.
SO THEY CAME IN WITH TONS OF BOXES.
UM, YOU ALL PROBABLY ARE AWARE I'M ON B C A D, UH, AND WE'RE GONNA BE HAVING TO SELECT A NEW CHIEF APPRAISER THIS YEAR BECAUSE HE'S RETIRING.
AND SO I'M GONNA BE ATTENDING A CONFERENCE COMING UP IN FEBRUARY.
AND THERE'S SOME REALLY COOL SEMINARS.
SO I'LL SHARE ANY INFORMATION THAT I GET, UH, FROM THERE.
UH, VERONICA WITH YOU ALL AS WELL.
UM, ARE BOTH THE APPRAISAL, UH, OR THE APPRAISER AND THE TAX COLLECTOR, OR TAX TESTER COLLECTOR GONNA BE AT ANY OF THESE MEETINGS? WILL THEY BE INVITED TO THE BIGGER ONES? WHAT DO YOU THINK, UH, YOU'RE GONNA DO THERE? YEAH, WE'VE ALREADY INVITED, UH, THE TAX COLLECTOR'S OFFICE AND THEY'VE SAID THEY CAN PROBABLY BE AT, ONCE THEY GET THE FINAL SCHEDULE, WE'LL TRY AND BE AS MANY AS THEY CAN.
UM, AND WE'LL BE DOING THE SAME OUTREACH TO THE APPRAISER'S OFFICE.
THE MAIN JOB IS TO HIRE AN APPRAISER, RIGHT? WE HAVE VERY LIMITED, UM, CONTROL OVER WHAT WE CAN AND CAN'T DO ACCORDING TO THE CODE.
AND IT'S HUGE AND IT'S VERY SMALL PRINT.
UM, BUT, UM, I AM HOPING THAT WE ARE ABLE TO, TO WORK WITH THEM.
WE RECENTLY CREATED A COMMUNICATIONS TEAM, UH, OVER THERE OF THE, UH, FOLKS WHO REPRESENT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IS ACCESSIBILITY.
AND ON THE WEBSITE, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I ASKED FOR SPECIFICALLY WAS IF WE COULD HAVE A LIST OF ALL OF THE ENTITIES THAT ARE PROVIDING SOME, SOME SERVICE.
I WAS TOLD, UM, THAT IF THEY HAD ANY SORT OF, OF A CHARGE THAT THEY COULDN'T DO IT.
BUT I WAS WONDERING IF, FOR US, IF WE DO HAVE ACCESS TO LIST ALL OF THEM, RIGHT? LIKE FREE AND PAID.
UM, SO, BUT IF WE LIST ALL OF THEM THAT WE KNOW, UH, I THINK IT'S CRITICAL.
SO FOR INSTANCE, YOU DIDN'T MENTION MY CITY, MY HOME, UM, BUT I, I, UH, YOU ALL WORK WITH THEM OR I KNOW THAT, THAT WE REGULARLY WORK WITH 'EM IN MY OFFICE.
WE, WE CONSTANTLY REFER INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE LOOKING FOR A PLACE.
UM, TO THEIR, TO, TO THEIR GROUP, AND YEAH, WE WORK WITH THEM.
AND THEY, THEY WOULD DEFINITELY BE ON, ON A LIST.
SO I JUST, UH, TRYING TO TO BE PROACTIVE, RIGHT? YES.
THERE'S PEOPLE WHO CAN AFFORD IT AND JUST DON'T KNOW HOW TO, AND SO I'M SURE THAT THEY WOULD, WOULD LOVE TO LEARN, BUT MM-HMM.
I'LL START OFF WITH COUNCILMAN SANDOVAL SINCE IT WAS, UH, HER THAT CHAMPIONED THE IDEA.
COUNCILMAN WHEN, UH, I WAS, I, I HAD THE PLEASURE MEETING WITH VERONICA AND SHE WAS, UH, VERY, UH, SHE HUMORED ME A LOT WHEN I TOLD HER ABOUT OUR EXPERIENCES HOSTING, UH, HOSTING WORKSHOPS.
SO I, I DO HOPE THAT WAS, UH, THAT WAS HELPFUL.
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AND WE ARE STILL LOOKING FOR THAT CONTACT, UH, INFORMATION.SO DON'T GIVE UP YET ON, ON THAT PERSON.
UM, BUT, UH, NO, I'M GLAD TO SEE THIS.
I, I DID, UH, SUGGEST THAT WE HAVE AT LEAST ONE WORKSHOP IN ALL SPANISH LANGUAGE.
'CAUSE I, I TRIED TO DO ONE, UH, WITH, UH, INTERPRETATION LAST YEAR, AND I, I JUST DON'T THINK IT'S AS EASY OR AS SMOOTH.
UH, I HOPE THAT AS WE WORK TO PUT THESE TOGETHER, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE TWO GROUPS THAT I THINK WE HAVE A LOT OF CONFIDENCE IN AND SALSA AND T R L A, THAT, UM, WE HAVE COORDINATION IN THEIR PRESENTATIONS THAT WE DON'T HAVE ONE GROUP SAY SOMETHING THAT THE OTHER GROUP MIGHT NOT BE SAYING.
AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE I SAT IN ON A T R A, UH, PRESENTATION ON THIS SUBJECT ABOUT A YEAR AGO, AND I WALKED AWAY REALLY DISAPPOINTED BECAUSE IT DIDN'T SOUND LIKE THEY REALLY WERE WELL PREPARED, UH, PARTICULARLY TO TAKE VARIOUS QUESTIONS.
AND I, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S A COMMON UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT ARE THE BIG POINTS THAT WE WANNA MAKE, UH, AND MAYBE, YOU KNOW, JUST, UH, KNOW THAT THERE'LL BE, UH, GOOD INFORMATION THAT'LL BE EASY FOR EVERYBODY TO ABSORB AND RESPOND TO.
UH, AND, AND THAT MEANS MAYBE HAVING BOTH ORGANIZATIONS IDENTIFY WHO'S GONNA DO THIS FOR THEM AND BE CONSISTENT AND NOT JUST HAVE DIFFERENT PEOPLE AT DIFFERENT TIMES, THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO JUST ASK US TO, TO CONTINUE TO MONITOR THAT.
WE'LL BE DOING A, A DRY RUN WITH BOTH ENTITIES BEFORE WE GO THROUGH THE PUBLIC.
WE'LL GO TO COUNCILWOMAN
WE HOSTED ONE, UH, LAST YEAR AND I WAS A LITTLE, UH, AND, AND THE MEDIA PUT IT OUT THERE, AND WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM OUTSIDE DISTRICT THREE COME.
SO I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT WE'RE GONNA BE MORE CONCERTED ON OUR EFFORTS SO WE CAN ADDRESS THESE ISSUES.
THE OTHER, UM, SUGGESTION I HAVE IS MAYBE WE HAVE, UM, FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS BECAUSE I DID ALSO HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT HAD MULTIPLE HOMES.
THESE AREN'T DEVELOPERS, BUT THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT BOUGHT, UH, THAT HAVE THEIR HOMESTEAD AND THEN HAVE A HOME THAT'S LIKE THEIR INVESTMENT PROPERTY.
AND MAYBE IF WE CAN ANSWER THOUGH THEIR QUESTIONS BEFORE THEY COME ABOUT WHERE THEY SHOULD GO AND WHAT OUR TARGET IS FOR, FOR OUR WORKSHOP IN GETTING PEOPLE, UH, THEIR HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION, THAT'LL HELP, UH, MAKE SURE THAT THE RIGHT PEOPLE, THAT THE, THAT THE, THE HOMEOWNERS ARE THERE, UH, AT THAT CROWD.
AND, AND THE OTHER IS TO HELP WITH THE SMALL BUSINESSES TOO, THAT WE PUT THAT INFORMATION OUT THERE ABOUT WHERE THEY SHOULD GO, UH, AND, AND HOW THEY NEED TO TALK TO THE TAX ASSESSOR COLLECTOR, AND THAT THIS IS FOR OUR HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION.
REALLY EXCITED FOR, UH, THE OUTREACH EFFORTS FOR THE POSTCARDS THAT ARE GOING TO GO OUT.
AND THE DOOR HANGERS, ARE THEY GOING TO BE IN SPECIFIC CONCENTRATED AREAS WHERE THERE'S A HIGH CONCENTRATION OF FOLKS WITHOUT THE EXEMPTIONS? YES.
SO WE'RE GOING TO USE SPECIFICALLY THE, THE LIST OF INDIVIDUALS THAT DON'T HAVE ONE.
SO WE'LL BE LOOKING AT HOW WE, UH, REDUCE THAT DOWN AND FOCUS ON THE ONES THAT ARE IN THE HIGH EQUITY AREAS AND PERHAPS THE LOWER HOME VALUES.
'CAUSE THAT WOULD, UM, MAYBE INDICATE THAT THEY MAY NO NEED NO HELP.
AND AS WE COORDINATE OUR EVENTS, I WOULD HOPE TO FOCUS, UH, IN AN AREA WITH A HIGH CONCENTRATION, UH, THAT LACKS THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION OR WHATEVER THE EXEMPTION MAY BE.
BUT, UH, LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.
THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO.
AND, AND THANK YOU AGAIN, VERONICA, TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO A LOT OF GREAT INFORMATION COMING UP THAT BRINGS US TO, UM, THE END OF OUR AGENDA.
SO, UM, THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE TODAY.