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COUNCIL MEMBER VILLA GRAND HERE.
[Approval of Minutes ]
BUSINESS IS TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM OUR FEBRUARY 3RD MEETING.UM, WE WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION NOW IF YOU'VE REVIEWED THEM.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY YES OR AYE.
[Briefing and Possible Action on the following items ]
WE HAVE A BRIEFING ON READY TO WORK.MIKE CHAIR, CAN WE GET YOUR MIC? THANK YOU.
COUNCIL MEMBER, PELEZ COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, I'M HAPPY TO BE IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY TO UPDATE YOU ON OUR READY TO WORK INITIATIVE AND PROVIDE SOME PERTINENT INFORMATION ON SOME OF OUR PARTICIPANTS.
THAT WAS AN AWESOME PIECE ON NEIL ON KSAT.
ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF AGO, UM, NEIL ENROLLED AND READY TO WORK THROUGH THE WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS ALAMO CONSORTIUM AND WAS SERVICE BY THE SAN ANTONIO FOOD BANK.
AND HE ENROLLED IN A FORKLIFT CERTIFICATION TRAINING PROGRAM OFFERED BY THE FOOD BANK AND IS NOW EMPLOYED AFTER WORKING IN FAST FOOD FOR MOST OF HIS, UM, LIFE AT H E B, MAKING 20 BUCKS AN HOUR.
AND, UH, HE IS EXTREMELY PROUD OF HIS ACCOMPLISHMENT.
HIS GRANDMOTHER ACTUALLY TOLD HIM ABOUT THE PROGRAM, WHICH IS HOW HE GOT IN.
AND, UM, HIS QUOTE, IF YOU WANT MORE OF A CAREER FOCUS, HE DEFINITELY RECOMMENDS, UH, THE READY TO WORK INITIATIVE BECAUSE IT'S BETTER THAN JUST WORKING IN A DEAD END JOB.
SO WE'RE SUPER PROUD OF THE LIVES AND FAMILIES THAT ARE BEING IMPACTED ARE REALLY AT THESE VERY EARLY STAGES OF THE READY TO WORK PROGRAM.
SO, OUR PROGRESS TO DATE, UM, THIS IS ASS OF YESTERDAY, FEBRUARY 27TH, OVER 4,071.
APPLICANTS INTERVIEWED BY OUR PARTNERS.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT I DID THERE, BUT THERE WE GO.
SOME OF OUR PHENOMENAL PARTNERS ARE HERE WITH US TODAY.
UH, MOLLY BIGLAW FROM PROJECT QUEST, WE GOT DR.
FLORES FROM ALAMO COLLEGES, ALONG WITH XAVIER
UM, WHERE IS KELLY? I DON'T SEE OUR OTHER TWO.
UM, BUT PHENOMENAL PARTNERS THAT ARE HELPING TO GET THIS WORK DONE TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR COMMUNITY, UM, RECEIVED THE BENEFIT FROM THE RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH THIS PROGRAM.
OKAY, WELL, LET ME GET MINE NOTE.
WELL, AUDIBLE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AUDIENCE Y'ALL CAN'T SEE, BUT THEY CAN.
UH, 2000 SEVEN HUNDRED AND NINETY THREE EIGHTY THREE CONFIRMED ELIGIBLE TO DATE, UM, WHICH IS ABOUT A 69%, NEARLY 70% CONVERSION RATE, 1,436 ALREADY ENROLLED IN APPROVED TRAINING PROGRAMS ALIGNED TO OUR TARGET OCCUPATIONS.
200 SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THEIR TRAINING THUS FAR AND MATRICULATING TOWARDS GETTING THAT QUALITY JOB WHERE 60 PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY GOTTEN QUALIFYING JOBS IN OUR COMMUNITY WITH A MEDIAN STARTING WAGE OF $18 AND 6 CENTS PER HOUR.
A NON-DOLLAR AND 94 CENT HOURLY WAGE INCREASE BEFORE THEY CAME INTO THE PROGRAM.
WITH OVER 52 EMPLOYERS IN OUR COMMUNITY ALREADY REAPING THE BENEFITS OF HIRING TALENT OUT OF THE PROGRAM.
UM, WE'RE EXTREMELY EXCITED ABOUT THE TRAJECTORY THAT THE PROGRAM IS GOING.
JANUARY WAS OUR HIGHEST ENROLLMENT MONTH FOR OUR PARTNERS.
SO THEY'RE BEGINNING TO GAIN, DEVELOP, UM, PROCESSES THAT HAVE ALLOWED 'EM TO PICK UP MOMENTUM TO ENSURE THAT THE PROGRAM MEETS THE PEOPLES AND THE WELLS OUR EMPLOYER NEEDS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, WE HAVE 20 PLUS INTAKE AND CASE MANAGEMENT PARTNERS THAT ARE WORKING TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY DIRECTLY.
50 PLUS APPROVED TRAINING PROVIDERS WITH OVER 280 PLUS PLEDGED EMPLOYERS.
UM, THE CITY MANAGER'S BEEN DIRECTLY ENGAGED AND INVOLVED FROM THE VERY START OF THIS PROGRAM.
UH, THAT'S THE LEVEL OF IMPORTANCE THAT THIS IS FOR, UH, HIM AND HIS STAFF IS TO ENSURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS PROGRAM HAS A STRONG FOUNDATION.
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THAT.WE'VE GOT BI-MONTHLY ADVISORY BOARD MEETINGS MADE UP, PRIMARILY OF EMPLOYERS IN OUR COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS QUARTERLY MEETINGS WITH COPS METRO, WITH OUR READY TO WORK BOARD LEADERSHIP TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE LOCKED STEP AND MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION BASED UPON THE, SOME OF THE GRASSROOTS INFORMATION THEY'RE RECEIVING.
11 ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS MAY GET MADE UP PRIMARILY OF EMPLOYERS THAT HAVE HAD 21 ADVISORY BOARD MEETINGS TO DATE, 18 COMMITTEE AND OUTREACH SUBCOMMITTEES TO DATE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE TARGETING, UM, THE PEOPLE IN THE PROPER WAY.
AND 13 EMPLOYER ENGAGEMENT SUBCOMMITTEE MEETINGS TO ENSURE THAT THE VOICE OF THE EMPLOYER IS HEARD AND STEERING THE DIRECTION OF THE PROGRAM.
INTENTIONAL GRASSROOTS MARKETING EFFORTS, AGAIN, TO MAKE SURE THE PEOPLE WHO NEED THE PROGRAM THE MOST HEAR ABOUT IT AND HAVE A PAINLESS AND SEAMLESS WAY OF GETTING IN.
COMMUNITY CHAMPIONS THAT ARE HELPING TO SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT THE PROGRAM TO PEOPLE THAT ARE ALREADY ENGAGED AND THEY TRUST WITHIN OUR ORGANIZATIONS.
AND OF COURSE OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS.
WE'VE GOT A LOT OF INITIATIVES WITHIN THE CITY, THROUGH OUR HOUSING DEPARTMENT, THROUGH DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES, THROUGH PRE-K FOR SA TO ENSURE THAT THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE ALREADY RECEIVING BENEFIT FROM THE CITY HEAR ABOUT, KNOW ABOUT THE PROGRAM AND ABLE TO PARTICIPATE ELIGIBILITY UPDATES.
SO YOU ALL GOT A MEMO A FEW WEEKS BACK AROUND THE ELIGIBILITY CHANGE, ALLOWING INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN COLLEGE OR POST-SECONDARY COURSES TO PARTICIPATE.
AND ALSO THE POVERTY LEVEL INCREASED, UH, DUE TO INCREASED COST OF LIVING, UM, ARE NOW, UH, THRESHOLDS FOR INDIVIDUALS AROUND $36,000.
AND FOR FAMILY OF FOUR $75,000, WHICH WIDENS THAT NET A BIT FOR POTENTIAL PARTICIPANTS WITHIN THE PROGRAM.
SO OUR MARKETING ARM, CREATIVE NAIN, UM, HAS COME UP WITH THIS TAGLINE TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT READY TO WORK IS A WAY TO HELP YOU TO LEARN, EARN, AND SUCCEED.
AND I AM NOT GOING TO ATTEMPT THE SPANISH, UH, TRANSLATION BECAUSE I'M NOT VERY GOOD AT THAT.
BUT, UM, ALEX, IF YOU WANT TO GIVE THAT ONE A SHOT FOR ME, IT'D BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.
YOU KEEP PUTTING ME ON THE SPOT LIKE THIS.
I'M GONNA LEARN THAT AT SOME POINT IN TIME.
BUT, UM, RIGHT NOW I'M GONNA DEFER TO MORE OF OUR NATIVE SPEAKERS.
I DON'T WANT TO BUTCHER IT UP TOO BAD.
SO OUR CITY COUNCIL DISTRICTS, YOU CAN SEE HERE FROM THIS MAP, UM, THAT WE'VE HAD BROAD DISTRIBUTION OF PARTICIPANTS.
UM, YOU, YOU SEE A LITTLE BIT OF HEAVIER PARTICIPATION RATES FROM OUR APPLICANTS INTERVIEWED, UM, IN D TWO, D FOUR, D FIVE, D SIX, UM, BUT ALL OF OUR AREAS ARE REPRESENTED AS FAR AS PARTICIPANTS WITHIN THE PROGRAM THUS FAR.
UM, IT'S STILL VERY EARLY AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO PENETRATE, YOU KNOW, EACH OF OUR COUNCIL DISTRICTS 'CAUSE THERE'S A NEED, UM, FOR THIS PROGRAM ALL ACROSS THE CITY.
OUR DEMOGRAPHICS CONTINUING THE TREND OF TRAIN FOR JOBS, 65% FEMALE, UH, 65% HISPANIC.
THAT HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, A TREND THAT WE'VE SEEN OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS IMPLEMENTING, UH, THESE WORKFORCE INITIATIVES THROUGHOUT THE CITY AGE AT INTAKE, UH, AT THE COMPLETION OF THAT INTAKE INTERVIEW.
WE GOT THAT RANGE THERE, 15 TO 19.
SO IT WAS, UH, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BIT, UM, MISLEADING, BUT WE DID HAVE SOME 15 YEAR OLDS APPLY.
WE HAD TO TELL 'EM, IT'S NOT TIME YET, YOU GOTTA WAIT A LITTLE BIT BEFORE YOU CAN PARTICIPATE.
UM, BUT 3% FELL IN THAT, UM, AGE RANGE.
20 TO 29 AND 30 TO 39 ARE OUR LARGEST SUBSECTIONS WITH 66 UH, PERCENT OF THE PEOPLE FALLING IN THAT RANGE.
WHY IS THAT A GOOD THING? WELL, THINK ABOUT HOW LONG YOU'RE GONNA WORK AND GENERATE, UM, INCOME FOR YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY AND THE ECONOMIC IMPACT THAT HAVE IN OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE OF THE LONG, UH, WORK SPAN THAT THOSE INDIVIDUALS WILL HAVE ONCE THEY FINISH THEIR TRAINING PROGRAMS. BUT WE ALSO HAVE SOME INDIVIDUALS THAT IN THAT 60 PLUS RANGE, 3% OF THE POPULATION, UM, IN THAT 60 PLUS RANGE HAVE DECIDED TO PARTICIPATE IN READY TO WORK.
SO SOME OF OUR DEMOGRAPHICS OVER 251 INTAKE INTERVIEWS COMPLETED INDIVIDUALS WITH SELF-DISCLOSE DISCLOSED DISABILITIES, 179 MILITARY INVOLVED, WHICH WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT LATER, 362 WITH PREVIOUS JUSTICE SYSTEM INVOLVEMENT, UH, WHICH IS WHY WE HAVE SUCH GREAT PARTNERS, SUCH AS EASY EXP FUNCTIONS AND CHRYSALIS MINISTRIES, HELPING TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE A, A PLAN AND A TRACK, UH, TO GET INTO THAT GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT PLACE ONCE THEY FINISH THEIR TRAINING PROGRAMS. AND 94 FOSTER SYSTEM INVOLVED INDIVIDUALS.
THE MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME FOR APPLICANTS INTERVIEWED IS ONLY $19,200 THAT, UH, DATA POINT TELLS US WE'RE HITTING THE MOST NEEDY PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY WITH THIS PROGRAM READY TO WORK ENROLLMENTS.
OVERWHELMINGLY, 85% OF OUR APPLICANTS ARE PURSUING CERTIFICATION TRAINING PROGRAMS, UH, 12% ASSOCIATE DEGREES AND 3% BACHELOR'S DEGREES, STILL VERY EARLY.
UM, BUT WE ANTICIPATE WITH THE RECENT ELIGIBILITY SHIFT,
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ALLOWING CURRENTLY ENROLLED INDIVIDUALS TO PARTICIPATE, THAT THOSE ASSOCIATE DEGREE NUMBERS AND BACHELOR'S DEGREE NUMBERS WILL BEGIN TO INCREASE TOWARDS OUR INITIAL PROJECTION OF A 60 40 SPLIT.SO RIGHT NOW, UH, WE'RE SEEING IT SKEWED HEAVILY TOWARDS CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS FOR INDIVIDUALS WANTING TO GET IN, GET TRAINED AND GET A BETTER JOB RIGHT AWAY.
SO READY RANK ENROLLMENTS ACROSS OUR PRIORITY INDUSTRY SECTORS, HEALTHCARE, UM, LEADING THE WAY JUST AS IT DID IN TRAIN FOR JOBS WITH 44% OF OUR PARTICIPANTS CHOOSING A HEALTHCARE CAREER PATHWAY.
BUT IT AND CYBERSECURITY, WE ARE VERY PLEASANTLY, UM, SURPRISED TO SEE THAT NUMBER INCREASING SO QUICKLY WITH 21%, UH, CHOOSING THAT FIELD.
WE KNOW THERE'S A PLETHORA OF OPPORTUNITIES THAT EXIST IN THE IT AND CYBERSECURITY SPACE.
THERE'S A NEED TO CROSS ALL INDUSTRY SECTORS, WHETHER YOU'RE WORKING AT A HOSPITAL OR WORKING AT A TRUE IT COMPANY, THERE'S A NEED FOR IT.
PERSONNEL, TRANSPORTATION AND LOGISTICS.
WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHICH OCCUPATIONS THEY'RE CHOOSING, BUT C D L TRUCK DRIVERS GOT OUT OF THE GATE LIKE GANGBUSTERS AND WE SAW SOME VERY GOOD POSITIVE RETURNS ON THOSE ENROLLMENTS.
THE SKILLED TRADES, UM, THERE'S SO MUCH ROAD WORK HAPPENING ACROSS THE CITY WITH THE SHIP PASSING.
THERE'S SO MUCH RESTORATION WORK AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING CONSTRUCTION BEING DONE.
WE NEED THOSE SKILLS TRADES PEOPLE IN THE WORKFORCE TO BE ABLE TO GET THAT WORK DONE.
UM, EDUCATION, WE KNOW THE STRUGGLES THAT OUR SCHOOLS ARE HAVING AND OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE HAVING ATTRACTING TEACHERS.
SO WE'RE STARTING TO SEE SOME TRACTION THERE IN THAT AREA AS WELL.
SO, POPULAR TRAINING PROVIDERS, A C D LEADING THE WAY WITH ST.
UM, FOLLOWED VERY CLOSELY WITH US CAREER INSTITUTES.
THEY HAVE LOTS OF SHORT TERM TRAINING PROGRAMS IN HEALTHCARE AND FINANCIAL SERVICES.
ADULT ACDS CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAM WITH TWO WITH 1 0 8.
UH, UT S A 170 U I W, UM, A HUNDRED PLUS A C I LEARNING TEXAS TECH CODING DOJO.
UH, THEY'RE ONE OF THOSE CODING BOOTCAMP PROGRAMS THAT, UH, HISTORICALLY HAVE PRODUCED GREAT OUTCOMES.
TYPICALLY A 2020 $5,000 TRAINING PROGRAM.
THEY REDUCE THEIR COSTS TO $5,000 TO FIT WITHIN OUR TRAINING CAPS TO ENSURE THAT INDIVIDUALS WERE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT WITHOUT HAVING TO INCUR SIGNIFICANT DEBT TO GET ON THAT IT TRACK.
OUR DIGITIZED TRAINING CATALOG IS COMING VERY SOON.
WE'RE GETTING AWAY FROM THAT LARGE P D F DOCUMENT.
UM, OUR TEAM IS WORKING DILIGENTLY TO GET THAT RELEASED HERE WITHIN THE NEXT WEEK OR SO.
UM, THEY'RE GUIDED A DEMO SITE ALREADY UP AND RUNNING THAT OUR PARTNERS ARE VETTING AND LOOKING FOR ERRORS AND ISSUES WITHIN, UM, BEFORE IT'S RELEASED TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
BUT YOU CAN SEE WHAT AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT IT'LL LOOK LIKE.
IT LIST THE PROGRAM PERTINENT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROGRAM, THE TYPE OF TRAINING, WHO THE PROVIDER IS, WHAT IT COSTS, AND WHAT OCCUPATION THAT TRAINING PROGRAM LEADS TO.
AGAIN, HEAVY TRACTOR TRAILER AND TRUCK DRIVERS EATING AWAY RIGHT NOW WITH 28, UH, SIX HEAD COOKS AND CHEFS.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UM, WE'RE PROVIDING, UH, MEANINGFUL OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDIVIDUALS PURSUING CAREERS WITH OUR LOCAL RESTAURANTS AND HOTELS AND HOSPITALS THAT NEED THAT OCCUPATION.
LOGISTICIANS AT FOUR AND MEDICAL ASSISTANCE, UH, AND, UH, INDUSTRIAL MAC MACHINERY AND MECHANICS.
RUNNING OUT THE TOP FIVE PIPELINE EXAMPLE, YOU GUYS CAN SEE A PRINTOUT.
WE WANTED TO TRY TO BLOW THIS UP EVEN BIGGER, BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE BIG ENOUGH PAPER, BUT WE'LL WORK ON THAT FOR NEXT TIME SO YOU GUYS CAN SEE, UM, JUST KIND OF HOW CLUSTERS OF INDIVIDUALS AS THEY COMPLETE THEIR TRAINING PROGRAMS, WHAT THAT TIMING LOOKS LIKE.
UM, WE'RE TAKING THIS INFORMATION AND WORKING THROUGH OUR EMPLOYER ENGAGEMENT TEAM TO WORK WITH OUR EMPLOYERS AS WELL AS OUR CASE MANAGEMENT BUSINESS SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
SO THEY KNOW ACROSS, READY TO WORK WIDE WHEN PARTICIPANTS ARE EXITING THEIR TRAINING PROGRAM.
SO AS THEY'RE DEVELOPING THEIR HIRING CYCLES, THEY'LL KNOW, OKAY, IF I'M LOOKING FOR A MEDICAL ASSISTANT COMING OUT OR READY TO WORK, I KNOW THERE'S A LARGE CLUSTER OF 'EM THAT ARE GONNA BE FINISHING A MONTH AND A HALF FROM NOW.
SO LEMME MAKE SURE I'VE GOT ACCESS TO THOSE, ACCESS TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS AND BEGIN TO RECRUIT THEM INTO MY COMPANY.
AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION TO OUR PLEDGED EMPLOYERS IN A TIMELY MANNER SO THEY CAN GET ACCESS TO FILL THOSE CRITICAL VACANCIES.
SO, COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE, THIS IS ONE OF THE GREAT PIECES OF THIS READY TO WORK INITIATIVE.
WE'VE GOT A LOT OF SMART PEOPLE, A LOT OF GREAT ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR WORK IN THE AREA OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SUCH AS JOBS FOR THE FUTURE.
UM, THIS PROGRAM IS FUNDED THROUGH A GRANT FROM MERIDIAN, UH, BLUE MERIDIAN PARTNERS THAT UP PARTNERSHIP HAS, UH, BLESSED THE PROGRAM WITH.
UH, THANKFULLY THEY SAW THE VALUE IN THE WORK THAT WE WERE DOING AND SAID THEY WILL COMMIT $200,000 A YEAR TO KEEP J F F SUPPORTING, PROVIDING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO OUR PARTNERS AND, UH, AND DEVELOPING A TRUE COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE.
GETTING THEM TO SEE, UH, WHAT EACH INDIVIDUAL AGENCY IS DOING GREAT, WHAT AREAS WE NEED TO IMPROVE ON.
AND THEN SHARING THOSE BEST PRACTICES WITH THEIR INPUT TO ENSURE THAT THE PROGRAM HITS ITS TARGETS.
UM, SO THEY STARTED IN JULY, AUGUST TIMEFRAME WITH THE KICKOFF, UM, IN OCTOBER.
THAT A SECOND, UH, SESSION, FOCUSING ON THE FRONT END OF THE PIPELINE, THAT INTAKE AND ENROLLMENT PROCESS TO TRY TO FIND SOME EFFICIENCIES.
AND WE'RE ALREADY SEEING BENEFITS OF THAT.
AND NOW THEY'RE REALLY FOCUSED ON THE BACK END OF THE PIPELINE.
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STRATEGIES.UM, AS OUR CASE MANAGEMENT AGENCIES ARE WORKING TOWARDS, MAKING SURE THOSE PEOPLE ARE PLACED IN THOSE HIGH QUALITY JOBS.
HOW DO THEY ENGAGE WITH THE EMPLOYERS? HOW DO THEY WORK BETTER TOGETHER TO ENSURE THAT THOSE OUTCOMES ARE ACHIEVED? AND THEN COMING UP IN MAY, OUR FOURTH COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE SESSIONS, AGAIN, FOCUS ON EMPLOYER ENGAGEMENT.
'CAUSE WE KNOW THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THIS PROGRAM, IS MAKING SURE PEOPLE GET PLACED IN HIGH QUALITY JOBS.
SOME OF THE PILLARS THAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT AND THEY'RE FOCUSED ON AND THEY'VE AGREED UPON AS, UM, A COLLABORATIVE THAT THEY'RE GONNA TREAT THE EMPLOYER, LIKE THE END CUSTOMER, UH, CREATE EQUITABLE SYSTEMS FOR ALL OF OUR CASE MANAGEMENT AGENCIES TO ACCESS EMPLOYERS AND WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR AND WHAT THEY NEED.
WORKING WITH EMPLOYERS TO PREPARE PARTICIPANTS FOR THE JOBS SPECIFICALLY THAT THEY HAVE.
UH, WE WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SA WORKS, DOING THOSE EMPLOYER COLLABORATIVES COMING IN AND TALKING ABOUT CERTAIN TOPICS LIKE HOW DO YOU ENGAGE WITH PREVIOUS JUSTICE SYSTEM INVOLVED PERSONNEL OR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES THAT ARE SELF-DISCLOSED, WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING THE RIGHT, UM, ACCESS TO THAT TALENT, TO THOSE EMPLOYERS, AND INFORMING THE PROCESS THROUGH EMPLOYER FEEDBACK, THE EMPLOYER STEER THE SHIP.
THAT'S WHY EMPLOYER ENGAGEMENT SUBCOMMITTEE AND OUR ADVISORY BOARD ARE SO IMPORTANT.
INCREASING ADAPTATION OF WORK, THE ADAPTATION OF USING THE WORK IN TEXAS.COM PLATFORM TO CONNECT OUR PARTICIPANTS WHO ARE EXITING TO JOBS IN THE COMMUNITY.
STANDARDIZED COMMUNICATION TEMPLATES FROM OUR EMPLOYERS WITH EVERYONE REACHING OUT TO 'EM IN DIFFERENT WAYS, ONGOING CONNECTIONS WITH EMPLOYERS THROUGH PROMPTS AND OUR PARTICIPANTS AND STREAMLINE JOB FAIRS WORKING TOGETHER INSTEAD OF EACH AGENCY POPPING UP ITS OWN JOB FAIR, THE CITY POPPING UP ITS JOB FAIRS, FINDING OUT HOW WE CAN COMBINE OUR FORCES TO PULL IN MORE PARTICIPANTS AND MORE EMPLOYERS AND DO IT BIGGER.
AND THEN OF COURSE, EMPLOYER ENGAGEMENT TOOLKIT THAT WILL BE DISTRIBUTING TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS BEING DEVELOPED WITH INPUT FROM THESE PARTNERS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE.
MILITARY CITY U S A SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THIS POLL.
HE AND I MET WHEN I FIRST GOT HERE, AND HE TALKED ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF HONORING OUR VETERANS ON OUR TRANSITION, UH, ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE MEMBERS AS WELL AS THEIR SPOUSES AND FAMILY MEMBERS.
SO WE'RE AT A POINT IN TIME NOW WHERE WE'RE READY TO LEAN IN AND REALLY LIVE UP TO OUR MANTRA OF BEING MILITARY CITY U S A.
WE SPOKE TO OUR ADVISORY BOARD ABOUT THIS CONCEPT, AND THEY WERE IN COMPLETE SUPPORT OF ASSISTING OUR TRANSITIONING ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE MEMBERS, OUR MILITARY SPOUSES, INDEPENDENTS WHO ARE 18 PLUS OUR RESERVISTS AND NATIONAL GUARD MEMBERS, ACTIVE AND INACTIVE, OUR VETERANS, INCLUDING DISABLED VETERANS, AS WELL AS SPOUSES AND DEPENDENTS OF THOSE VETS WHO ARE 18 PLUS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE READY TO WORK PROGRAM, EVEN THOUGH, UM, THEY MAY NOT FALL WITHIN OUR TYPICAL ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA SUCH AS LIVING OUTSIDE OF BEXAR COUNTY.
UM, ONE CAVEAT THAT WE WANT TO ATTACH TO THAT IS THAT THEY'RE SEEKING EMPLOYMENT WITHIN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, BUT WE KNOW THAT WE WANNA HONOR OUR VETS, HONOR OUR MILITARY, UH, PERSONNEL, AND ENSURE, UM, THAT WE ARE SHOWING THEM, SHOWING THEM OUR APPRECIATION FOR THEM, PUTTING THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE FOR OUR FREEDOM READY TO WORK PAID INTERNSHIP PILOT.
SO IT'S ANOTHER EXCITING PROGRAM THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO IMPLEMENT.
WE'VE ALREADY GOT FIVE EMPLOYERS THAT HAVE COMMITTED TO PURSUING THIS PAY IT FORWARD INTERNSHIP PROGRAM.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE KNOW IS THAT AS AN INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS BEEN WORKING, UM, LET'S SAY FRONT END RETAIL AS A CASHIER, UM, FOR THE MAJORITY OF THEIR ADULT CAREER, HAVE GONE THROUGH A CAREER IN EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAM IN, IN AN AREA SUCH AS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY OR CYBERSECURITY.
UM, THEY DON'T HAVE VERY MUCH EXPERIENCE OR NO EXPERIENCE IN THAT NEW CAREER FIELD, OR THEY'VE GOTTEN THAT CERTIFICATION FOR.
SO A WAY TO KIND OF PROMOTE EMPLOYERS GOING OUTSIDE THEIR TYPICAL HIRING PRACTICES.
UM, WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS WE'RE GOING TO FUND THAT INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE, OR I LIKE TO CALL IT AN EXTENDED INTERVIEW, UH, FOR ABOUT $5,000 PER INTERN.
AND THAT THOSE INTERNSHIPS WILL VARY BETWEEN EIGHT AND 12 WINGS AND LENGTH.
AND, UH, WE WILL ADMINISTER THAT PROGRAM.
WE WILL MATCH THOSE PARTICIPANTS WHO WILL FINISH THEIR EDUCATION AND TRAINING TO EMPLOYERS WHO WILL HOST AND PROVIDE A MEANINGFUL INTERNSHIP LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR THAT PARTICIPANT WORKING THROUGH A STAFFING AGENCY WHO HELP US OUT HANDLING SOME OF THE TIME KEEPING AND PAYROLL SERVICES THAT NEED TO BE DONE.
AND THEN IF THAT EMPLOYER, HERE'S THE COOL PART, CONVERTS THAT INTERN INTO A FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE AND THEY'RE ALL TELLING US THEY NEED TALENT.
SO IF WE'RE DOING OUR JOB RIGHT, WE'RE PREPPING 'EM, GIVING 'EM THE SOFT SKILLS, GIVING 'EM THE HARD SKILLS THAT THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THAT JOB, THEY'RE GONNA CONVERT.
IF THAT EMPLOYER HAS THE NEED, THEN THEY'LL PAY IT FORWARD AND THEN REIMBURSE THE CITY FOR THE COST OF THAT PAID INTERNSHIP SO WE CAN PUT ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL THROUGH THAT SAME EXPERIENCE.
SO IT'S A, IT'S A UNIQUE WAY, UM, TO HELP OUR PARTICIPANTS TO GET THEIR FOOT IN THE DOOR AND AT THE SAME TIME ALLOW THE EMPLOYERS TO KIND OF GET USED TO MAYBE HIRING FROM A TALENT POOL THAT THEY HAVEN'T TYPICALLY DIPPED INTO.
SO IT'S A WIN-WIN ON BOTH SIDES, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO FACILITATE THAT ENGAGEMENT OF OUR PARTICIPANTS THROUGH THE EMPLOYERS.
WE THINK IT'S GONNA HAVE A GREAT IMPACT ON ENSURING OUR PEOPLE GET PLACED, UM, BECAUSE WE KNOW SOMETIMES THE EMPLOYER WILL LIST ENTRY LEVEL POSITIONS AND HAVE TOO OR THREE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE FOR ENTRY LEVEL JOBS.
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SO WE WANNA TRY TO HELP OUR PARTICIPANTS TO OVERCOME THAT BARRIER BY GETTING THEIR FOOT IN THE DOOR THROUGH THIS PAY IT FORWARD INTERNSHIP PROGRAM POINT OF LIGHT.SO JOHN, UM, WE WITHHELD HIS LAST NAME, BUT HE'S A CITY EMPLOYEE WHO WORKS FOR THE CITY.
WE WITHHELD HIS LAST NAME BECAUSE WE PUT HIS AGE UP HERE AND I, WE THOUGHT THAT THAT PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE KOSHER.
BUT HE'S, UH, 62 YEARS OLD, SUPPORTED BY PROJECT QUEST, PREVIOUSLY WORKED AT GOODWILL EARNING 1435 AN HOUR.
HE COMPLETED THE GOODWILL CAREERS ACADEMY COMMERCIALS, DRIVER'S LICENSE TRAINING PROGRAM, AND HE WORKS FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND ARE SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT NOW EARNING TWO TO 1 59 AN HOUR.
SO THESE ARE THE TYPE OF SUCCESS STORIES THAT WE WANT TO ENSURE CONTINUE TO HAPPEN THROUGH THIS PROGRAM.
AND THE CITY IS LEANING IN AND DOING IT PART.
OUR HR DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN PHENOMENAL, UM, IN TRYING TO MAKE IT AN EASY PROCESS TO PULL READY TO WORK PARTICIPANTS AND HONOR THE PLEDGE THE CITY MADE TO GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO FEEL THE VACANCIES THAT WE HAVE HERE.
THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, COUNCILWOMAN, UH, VIA GROUND, ANY QUESTIONS? UH, NO, MIKE, THANK YOU FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
I THINK, UH, WHAT I REALLY WANNA DO IS UNPACK AND MAYBE MEET OFFLINE ABOUT HOW I CAN BE MORE HELPFUL IN GETTING, UM, GETTING THOSE MOMS AND THOSE SINGLE MOMS THAT ARE MAYBE A LITTLE RESISTANT, BUT WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE UNDEREMPLOYED, UM, TO KIND OF TAKE THAT CHANCE AND DO THAT.
THE OTHER THING I WANNA LOOK INTO IS, I LOVE THAT EVERYTHING'S ONLINE, BUT REALLY TRYING TO FIND A WAY FOR DISTRICT THREE IN PARTICULAR, BUT THE SOUTHERN SECTOR IN GENERAL, TO SEE IF DIGITAL AND THAT AFFORDABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY IS A HINDRANCE TO WHAT'S GOING ON.
SO, UM, NO, I JUST, I, I'M, I'M GLAD WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS.
I WANNA SEE THOSE NUMBERS AND, AND I'M GLAD THAT PEOPLE WANNA DO THE, THE, UM, THE TRUCK DRIVING AND, AND ALL THAT STUFF.
BUT I DO WANNA KIND OF ADDRESS THAT MORE CAREER.
IF I'M GONNA OWN MY HOUSE BY THIS, WHAT SORT OF CAREER PATH DO I NEED TO START TO TAKE? WHERE DO I NEED TO LOOK FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, A JOB, KIND OF LIKE THE EXAMPLE YOU JUST GAVE, GAVE, GAVE TO US ABOUT THE, THE EMPLOYEE THAT'S NOW WORKING FOR THE CITY IS, HEY, IF I GET INTO THE CITY NOW AND WHAT, WHERE CAN I BE IN FIVE YEARS? WHERE CAN I BE IN 10 YEARS IF I GET INTO ANOTHER EMPLOYER, IF I GET IN WITH A HOTELIER, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT WANNA TRAVEL, WHAT DO I NEED TO GET INTO TO MOVE AROUND AND STUFF? SO I, I, I'M, THANK YOU.
BUT I WANNA TALK OFF FLYING TO MAKE SURE WE CAN WORK ON THAT DISTRICT THREE NUMBER AND MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE, ARE, UM, WE'RE ADDRESSING THE BARRIERS THAT ARE KEEPING THEM FROM APPLYING.
UM, MIKE, I, I APPRECIATE BEING ABLE TO SEE THIS, UM, MONTHS UNTIL TRAINING COMPLETION PIPELINE, UM, FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE IN, UH, IN THE MEDICAL FIELD.
AND I SAW THAT WE HAD, UH, MIKE FLORIDA'S HERE FROM, UM, UH, FROM THE, THE ALAMO COLLEGES.
AND, UH, I ACTUALLY HAD THE PLEASURE OF TOURING THEIR, THEIR NURSING SCHOOL AT SAC AND WAS REALLY IMPRESSED.
AND I KNOW THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO INCREASE CAPACITY.
I THINK THIS IS GOOD, GOOD, UH, ALIGNMENT HERE BETWEEN US AND OUR COMMUNITY COLLEGES.
UM, I DID, UH, SIT THROUGH A, A PRESENTATION YESTERDAY AT CPS ENERGY'S BOARD MEETING, UH, WHERE THEY HAD DONE SOME OUTSIDE EXPERT EVALUATIONS, UH, AND GOT SOME RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND I DON'T THINK THE PEOPLE, THE, THE ENTITIES THAT WERE EVALUATING THEM HAD ANY KNOWLEDGE NECESSARILY OF SA READY TO WORK.
BUT ONE OF THEIR, OF, UM, ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS WAS TO PARTNER WITH, UH, IF, I MEAN, THIS WAS IN PASSING, I DON'T HAVE A COPY, A WRITTEN COPY OF IT, BUT I BELIEVE THEY HAD, UH, TO WORK WITH, UH, A WORKFORCE TRAINING ORGANIZATION.
AND SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ARE WORKING DIRECTLY WITH 'EM OR NOT, BUT I HOPE SO.
AND MAYBE, MAYBE THERE'LL BE A RENEWED INTEREST ON THEIR END TO SEE HOW ELSE THEY CAN WORK WITH YOU.
SO I WANNA ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO THAT.
I THINK THAT'S HAPPENING BECAUSE, UH, THAT SOCIAL PAY, SOCIAL FINANCE PAY IT FORWARD INTERNSHIP, ONE OF THE FIVE AGENCIES THAT HAS LEANED IN AS AN EARLY ADOPTER C P SS.
WELL, YOU KNOW, WE'LL HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK, DO A DEEPER DIVE ON THESE RECOMMENDATIONS AND SEE IF MAYBE THERE'S MORE THAT CAN BE DONE THERE.
THANK YOU, MIKE, FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I'M REALLY PLEASED TO HEAR THAT ROUGHLY 362, UH, JUSTICE INVOLVED INDIVIDUALS, UM, HAVE BEEN CONNECTED TO THE PROGRAM.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, THIS IS A HUGE PRIORITY FOR ME AND MY DISTRICT IS ENSURING THAT FOLKS ARE CONNECTED TO SERVICES AND TRAINING AND OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, GET CONNECTED TO A, A WELL-PAYING JOB.
UM, WITH THAT, UH, AND I MAY HAVE ASKED THIS ALREADY AT A PREVIOUS BRIEFING, BUT I, I ASKED BECAUSE I WAS MEETING WITH A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER WHO WAS SHARING THAT HE GETS CONNECTED TO HIS LABOR POOL BY GOING TO, UM, THE
[00:25:01]
PROBATION OFFICE.THEY ALLOW HIM TO SET UP A TABLE AND THEN HE SHARES HIS INFORMATION, AND THEN HE'LL HAVE A POOL OF ABOUT 20 FOLKS, UM, APPLY, AND THEN HE'LL CONNECT THEM TO TRANSPORTATION TO GET TO THE JOB INTERVIEW.
UM, DO WE KNOW IF OUR, UH, MARKETING TEAM IS GOING OUT TO THESE, UH, PROBATION OFFICES TO CONNECT FOLKS TO POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITY? THAT IS A GREAT SUGGESTION.
UM, I WAS ON A PANEL ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF AGO, PUT ON BY THE KONKOWSKI FOUNDATION.
AND, UM, THERE WAS A PROBATION, IT WAS ABOUT REENTERING CITIZENS OR JUSTICE INVOLVED INDIVIDUALS.
AND A, UH, INDIVIDUAL THAT WORKED IN THE BEAR COUNTY PROBATION OFFICE, UH, CAME UP TO ME AFTERWARDS AND GAVE ME HER CARD.
AND SINCE OUR TEAM HAS MET WITH THEM, THEY SAID THEY'VE GOT ABOUT 25,000 PEOPLE THAT THEY HAVE ACCESS TO.
SO WE ARE DISTRIBUTING THE READY TO WORK INFORMATION TO THAT NETWORK OF INDIVIDUALS DIRECTLY MM-HMM.
AND WE'RE WORKING ON A PLAN TO GET IN FRONT OF THOSE PROBATION OFFICERS SO THAT THEY CAN INDIVIDUALLY PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION TO POTENTIAL READY TO WORK PARTICIPANTS.
BUT THOSE EVENTS THAT THEY'RE, THAT THEY'RE HAVING, WE'RE ABSOLUTELY, UM, IN LINE AND AGREE THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE THERE AND PRESENT AND DISTRIBUTING THAT INFORMATION.
AND THAT, UH, THAT'S REALLY GOOD TO HEAR, AND THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING THE PROJECTED TRAINING COMPLETION DATE.
UM, WHEN REVIEWING IT, ONE OF MY NOTES WAS WHAT DOES FOLLOW UP LOOK LIKE? BUT YOU ALREADY SHARED THAT.
UM, IT'S TO CONNECT, UM, THE EMPLOYERS WITH THIS INFORMATION TO GO OUT AND, UH, START INTERACTING WITH THOSE, UH, POTENTIAL EMPLOYEES.
SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR ADDRESSING THAT QUESTION.
UM, AND THANKS FOR THE CLARIFICATION ON THE PILOT PROGRAM, BECAUSE ONE OF MY QUESTIONS WAS RIGHT, UM, JUST O OVERALL THAT IT, THIS IS A CITY FUNDED PROJECT AND ALLOWING FOLKS OUTSIDE OF THE COUNTY TO ACCESS IT.
I UNDERSTAND RIGHT, THAT RIGHT NOW THERE'S ONLY ROUGHLY 60 JOB PLACEMENTS, WHICH IS LIKE ABOUT 1.5% MM-HMM.
UM, SO I UNDERSTAND NEEDING TO EXPAND THE POOL TO INCREASE, UH, JOB PLACEMENTS AND PARTICIPATION.
UM, BUT A CONCERN WAS RIGHT, ENSURING THAT WE'RE PROVIDING THAT QUALITY AND OPPORTUNITY TO EXISTING SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS, UM, EVERYONE'S DESERVING OF IT, UM, BUT, UH, JUST THAT IT'S A CITY TAX RIGHT.
UM, BUT THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT AS WELL.
UM, AND THOSE ARE ALL MY COMMENTS, AND THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM, AND THANK YOU CHAIR.
UM, MIKE, JUST SOME OBSERVATIONS.
ONE, THERE IS A, I THINK IT'S GREAT THAT YOU'RE WORKING WITH THE PROBATION OFFICERS AND GETTING THEM INVOLVED IS KEY.
UM, THERE IS, HOWEVER ANOTHER, UH, STEP TO A CRIMINAL JUSTICE CASE, AND THAT IS THE PRETRIAL CASE.
AND SO SOMEBODY GETS ARRESTED, THEY GET BAIL, AND THEY GET ASSIGNED A PRETRIAL, UM, OFFICER THAT, UH, IS THERE TO MONITOR THEM AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE, THEY GOT A JOB THAT THEY'RE, UH, KEEPING UP WITH ALL THEIR MEETINGS BEFORE THEY EVEN PLEA OUT AND GET PROBATION.
SO THEN THEY PLEA OUT, AND THEN THEY'RE ASSIGNED A PROBATION OFFICER.
THOSE PRETRIAL SERVICES ARE RUN BY, UH, THE BEXAR COUNTY COURT ADMINISTRATOR.
I, I'LL GET YOU, IT'S A GENTLEMAN NAMED, UH, LOZITO.
HE'S THE DIRECTOR OF THIS, BUT THEY'VE GOT LIKE 72 PEOPLE WHO WORK FOR THEM, OKAY.
WHO ARE EVERY DAY INTERFACING WITH THE FOLKS AWAITING TRIAL, RIGHT.
OR AWAITING THEIR PLEA BARGAIN.
AND THOSE PEOPLE, UM, ARE SOMETIMES IN LIMBO, RIGHT? AND THEY, THEY NEED TO GET A JOB, RIGHT? UH, THEY KNOW THEY NEED TO GET A JOB, AND THEY'RE OUT THERE DESPERATELY LOOKING FOR A JOB.
BUT WHEN THEY'RE ASKED ON, UH, THEIR APPLICATIONS, YOU KNOW, HAVE YOU BEEN CHARGED WITH, THEY SAY YES.
AND THEN THEY HAVE TO ACTUALLY EXPLAIN, I'M CURRENTLY ON BOND AWAITING, YOU KNOW, ADJUDICATION OF MY CLAIM, RIGHT? AND SO I DO THINK THOSE 72 PEOPLE OUT THERE AT PRETRIAL SERVICES COULD ALSO BE ALLIES IN, IN, UM, YOU KNOW, PLACING SOME OF THESE FOLKS BECAUSE YOU, YOU ACTUALLY HAVE A BETTER CHANCE OF GETTING A, A MORE REASONABLE, UH, PROBATION, UH, OR PLEA BARGAIN IF YOU'RE EMPLOYED, RIGHT? YES, SIR.
UM, AND SO, UH, IF WE CAN HELP THEM BE EMPLOYED BY THE TIME THEY SHOW UP TO THE JUDGE FOR THE FIRST TIME, UM, I THINK WE'RE, WE'D BE DOING THE RIGHT THING.
AND SO, UM, I'LL, I'LL, I'LL PUT YOU IN TOUCH WITH THEM.
AND SIR, I THINK YOU'RE DOING GREAT WORK, MAN.
THIS IS A PRESENTATION THAT, THAT WE, UM, THAT I THINK ALL OF US VALUE, SO THANK YOU.
UNLESS THERE'S ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM, UH, WHICH IS A BRIEFING ON THE SMALL BUSINESS NOISE MITIGATION GRANT PROGRAM.
GOOD AFTERNOON CHAIR COMMITTEE MEMBERS, UM, ANNA BRADSHAW, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND TODAY WANTED TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON A COLLABORATION WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON WITH DEVELOPMENT SERVICES TO IMPLEMENT THIS GRANT PROGRAM, UM, TOWARDS IMPROVING THE, THE NOISE MITIGATION IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO, AS A MATTER OF BACKGROUND, SO THERE HAS BEEN AN ONGOING NOISE ORDINANCE TASK FORCE LED, LED BY MIKE SHANNON AND HIS TEAM AT DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
UM, THEY IMPLEMENTED A PILOT BEGINNING IN, UH, OCTOBER, 2021 AND CONCLUDING IN APRIL OF LAST YEAR.
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NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS, AND WHILE THE MAJORITY OF THOSE COMPLAINTS WERE FOR RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES, IT WAS NOTED THAT BUSINESSES WERE DISPROPORTIONATELY MORE LIKELY TO BE RE REPEAT OFFENDERS, UM, AND THAT THOSE CITATIONS THAT WERE ISSUED WEREN'T NECESSARILY, UM, AN A DE AN EFFECTIVE DETERRENT, NOR DID THEY HASTEN COMPLIANCE OF THE, OF THE BUSINESSES INVOLVED.SO, MIKE'S TEAM ENGAGED, UH, MUSIC CITIES TO COMPLETE A REPORT, UM, AND IT LOOKED AT A NUMBER OF ISSUES INCLUDING, UH, CHANGES TO PERMITTING, CHANGES TO ZONING, UM, WANTING TO BRING TOGETHER THE, THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND THE BUSINESSES, AND, AND REALLY DEVELOPING A COMPREHENSIVE, UH, APPROACH.
AND THE FINAL REPORT WAS PRODUCED IN, IN AUGUST OF LAST YEAR.
UM, AROUND THE SAME TIME YOU'LL RECALL, THE FUNDING WAS ADDED IN THE BUDGET TO CREATE THIS PROGRAM, UM, $150,000 ADDED IN THE F Y 2023 BUDGET FOR, FOR A PILOT PROGRAM TO SOMEHOW, AGAIN, BRIDGE THAT GAP.
BECAUSE WE KNEW MANY OF THE BUSINESS CASE, UH, BUSINESSES IN THIS CASE, WANTED TO BE GOOD NEIGHBORS.
THEY WANTED TO COLLABORATE WITH THE NEIGHBORHOODS, BUT THERE MAY BE A GAP THAT WAS PREVENTING THEM.
UM, SO WE'VE, WE'VE WORKED WITH MIKE AND HIS TEAM, AND I ALSO WANNA RECOGNIZE DANIEL HICKS FROM OUR TEAM TO PUT TOGETHER A PILOT PROGRAM THAT WE, WE REALLY ARE VIEWING THIS AS A PILOT.
WE, WE'VE ENGAGED WITH SOME BUSINESSES, AND THEY, WE SEE AN OPPORTUNITY HERE, UM, TO, TO HELP THE BUSINESSES, AGAIN, BE GOOD STEWARDS, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, HELP BRIDGE THE CAPITAL GAP THAT WE KNOW EXISTS IN OUR SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY, THAT ACCESS TO CAPITAL, UM, VERY SPECIFIC, UM, TO ADDRESS THESE CHALLENGES, BUT PROBABLY ALSO HELP THE BUSINESSES ON, ON THE, UM, ON THE OTHER SIDE OF IT TOO, WE DID PRESENT THIS TO SBAC IN FEBRUARY.
UM, AND OVERWHELMINGLY THEY WERE SUPPORTIVE OF, OF THE PROPOSAL AND MOVING FORWARD WITH THE ACTUAL PILOT PROGRAM.
SO WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING IS A GRANT TO BE ADMINISTERED BY OUR DEPARTMENT, AND THROUGH THIS GRANT, WE WOULD, THE, THE CITY WOULD COVER 75% OF PROGRAM ASSOCIATED FEES.
SO WHETHER THEY BE CONSULTING, WE ARE ENCOURAGING THAT THEY WORK WITH A, A SOUND CONSULTANT TO IDENTIFY THE BUSINESSES.
UM, WHAT TYPES OF, UH, SOLUTIONS COULD BE IMPLEMENTED WITH A MAXIMUM GRANT AWARD OF $7,500? UM, IT IS A, UM, LIKE I SAID, A MATCH WOULD BE, BE REQUIRED OF UP TO 25% OF THE FUNDING.
UM, AND THEY MUST BE A SMALL BUSINESS YOU'LL SEE IN THERE, UM, WITH A MAXIMUM REVENUE OF $9 MILLION.
SO, UM, WHILE THERE'S SOME SUBTLE DIFFERENCES WHEN YOU GET INTO INDUSTRY CODES, TYPICALLY THE REVENUE THRESHOLD FOR A SMALL BUSINESS IN THE RESTAURANT ENTERTAINMENT AREA IS AROUND NINE, EIGHT TO 10 MILLION.
UM, THEY CAN'T HAVE ANY OUTSTANDING VIOLATIONS.
UM, THEY HAVE TO BE A FOOD OR BEVERAGE ESTABLISHMENT, UM, AND BE AT THEIR CURRENT LOCATION FOR 12 MONTHS.
AGAIN, WANTING TO PRIORITIZE THOSE BUSINESSES THAT ARE OUT THERE AND MAYBE HAVING SOME OF THESE CHALLENGES WITH GETTING THEIR, THEIR SOUND UP, UP TO CODE.
UM, AND PART OF THE PROCESS, THEY WOULD SUBMIT A, A NARRATIVE ON HOW THE IMPROVEMENTS THEY WERE PROPOSING AND, AND WISHING TO HAVE FUNDED WOULD ADDRESS THE NUISANCE NOISE ALONG WITH A QUOTE FOR ALL OF THAT WORK.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WHILE, WHILE ON THE SURFACE, IT MAY NOT SEEM THAT FUNDING NEW SPEAKERS FOR AN ESTABLISHMENT WOULD MAKE SENSE, IN SOME CASES, UM, NEWER SPEAKERS OR DIFFERENT TYPE OF SPEAKERS COULD POTENTIALLY ACTUALLY HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON, ON THE SOUND THEY'RE PRODUCING.
SO AGAIN, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WOULD BE, UH, COVERED THROUGH THIS, UM, AGAIN, DIRECTIONAL SPEAKERS, UM, THE TECHNOLOGY TO MEASURE YOUR SOUND SO THAT THEY COULD, UM, SELF, YOU KNOW, SELF-CHECK WHAT, WHAT SOUND IS BEING PRODUCED, UM, VARIOUS SOUND GRABBING, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S, UH, CA UH, PANELS OR CURTAINS, UM, BASS TRAPS, DIFFERENT THINGS.
AGAIN, REALLY ENCOURAGING TO WORK WITH THE SOUND CONSULTANTS.
WE ARE, WE'RE DEFINITELY NOT SOUND, UH, EXPERTS IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, BUT, UM, ALSO LETTING THEM, GIVING SOME FLEXIBILITY FOR THE IMPROVEMENTS TO BE MADE.
SO IN TERMS OF, OF A PROCESS, SO AGAIN, WE ARE LOOKING TO, UM, MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS PILOT BECAUSE WE KNOW THE NEED IS THERE, UM, WITH AN APPLICATION PROCESS OPENING TOWARDS THE END OF MARCH AND BEING OPEN THROUGH APRIL.
UM, AND THEN WITH THAT EVALUATION HAPPENING IN, IN APRIL, GOING INTO MAY AND GETTING THE FUNDS OUT THERE, UM, AGAIN, IT'S, IT'S A RELATIVELY SMALL PILOT.
WE ANTICIPATE HELPING AROUND 20 BUSINESSES, DEPENDING ON, ON HOW MUCH FUNDING IS REQUESTED.
SO HAVING ALL THOSE FUNDS DISPERSED IN APRIL, I'M SORRY, UM, BY MAY, UM, IN TERMS OF SCORING CRITERIA, BECAUSE, UH, WE, WE ANTICIPATE POTENTIALLY WE COULD HAVE MORE THAN OUR, OUR TOTAL FUNDS.
SO WE DO WANNA CREATE A PROCESS TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE, ARE PRIORITIZING THOSE AREAS THAT WE'VE HEARD OF GREATEST NEED.
SO PRIORITIZING THOSE, THOSE SMALLER OF, OF THE ESTABLISHMENTS, WE'RE GIVING THEM MORE POINTS.
UM, THOSE ALSO LOCATED CLOSE CLOSEST TO A RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY BECAUSE WE NOTICE, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THAT'S WHERE THERE MAY BE A, UM,
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A POTENTIAL CHALLENGE, UM, THOSE THAT HAVE OUTDOOR AREAS, BECAUSE AGAIN, THE, THE PROXIMITY TO THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND IT BEING OUTDOOR COULD PRODUCE CHALLENGES.UM, HAVING AMPLIFIED SOUND AND THEN LOOKING AT THE EQUITY ATLAS SCORES, JUST FOCUS ON THOSE AREAS.
AGAIN, UNDERSTANDING THAT WE HAVE ACCESS TO CAPITAL GAPS WITH OUR SMALL BUSINESSES AND PRIORITIZING THOSE AREAS, UM, WITH THE HIGHEST EQUITY SCORES.
SO IN TERMS OF TIMELINE, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, WE ARE ARE WORKING WITH MIKE'S TEAM, UM, AFTER THIS TO, TO DO THAT OUTREACH AND MARKETING.
WE ARE REALLY BEING HYPER-FOCUSED WITH, WITH THE TARGETING AND MAKING SURE THAT THAT MIKE'S CODE OFFICERS HAVE THE INFORMATION AVAILABLE IF THEY ARE GOING OUT TO, YOU KNOW, RESPOND TO A COMPLAINT.
ALSO WORKING WITH SS A P D TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE THE INFORMATION AS WELL TO PROVIDE, UM, AND DOING SOME GENERAL OUTREACH, WORKING WITH OUR PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS AND OTHER INDUSTRY GROUPS WHERE, YOU KNOW, THESE, UH, BUSINESS OWNERS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GAIN THE INFORMATION, UM, HAVING THAT APPLICATION PERIOD OPEN.
UM, AND, AND LIKE I SAID, AS A PILOT, WE REALLY DO WANNA MEASURE THE IMPACT AND THE SUCCESS OF THE PROGRAM AND BE ABLE TO REPORT BACK TO, UH, THE COMMITTEE COME AUGUST.
UM, SO THAT'S A VERY BRIEF PRESENTATION.
UM, TEAM IS HERE AS WELL AS FOLKS FROM, UM, DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
GRANT, ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? NO, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
AND THEN THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES WHO SUPPORTED THIS, UH, BUDGET AMENDMENT ASK.
UM, I THINK THIS IS, UM, GONNA BE REALLY USEFUL IN, UM, DEVELOPING GOODWILL IN THE COMMUNITY AND SHOWING A PATH FORWARD AND HOW WE CAN MAKE SOME PROGRESS ON THE, THIS ISSUE.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, THE FEEDBACK I'VE HEARD FROM, UM, LIVE MUSIC AND NIGHTCLUB OWNERS IS THAT, UH, THEY DON'T DISAGREE WITH THAT.
THEY SHOULD HAVE SOME SKIN IN THE GAME.
SO HAVING TO HAVE A, A, UH, 25% MATCH, OR THEM PROVIDING 25% OF THE COST, UM, THAT IS, IS SOMETHING THAT, THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT I'VE HEARD SUPPORT FOR.
UM, BUT I'VE ALSO HEARD THAT THE AMOUNT OF FUNDS THAT THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO SPEND IS PROBABLY GONNA BE SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER.
UM, AND SO I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK THAT WE SHOULD ON, ON THE LOW END, MAKE IT AT LEAST 15,000 AVAILABLE.
AND IF WE'RE LOOKING AT 150,000, IF WE, IF WE DISTRIBUTE 150,000, THEN WE COULD HELP 10 NIGHTCLUBS POTENTIALLY, RIGHT? AND BY DOING THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S, THAT GIVES US, I MEAN, WE COULD KIND OF SEE THIS AS A PILOT PROJECT IN A WAY.
UM, I'D RATHER HELP 10 NIGHTCLUBS BE SUCCESSFUL IN THIS THAN HAVE 20 HAVE, YOU KNOW, LESS SUBSTANTIAL RESULTS.
AND, AND SO, UH, IS, IS THIS JUST A, AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO GIVE FEEDBACK OR ARE WE, IS THIS FOR ACTION AS WELL RIGHT NOW? SO THIS IS WHAT I, IS A BRIEFING, BUT I THINK WE CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND THAT FEEDBACK.
AND WE HAD RUN BY A NUMBER OF THE MEMBERS OF THE TASK FORCE, THE, THAT WERE BUSINESS OWNERS, THE $7,500 MAX, AND HEARD SIMILAR FEEDBACK, AND WE'RE TRYING TO BALANCE, WANTING TO HAVE ENOUGH DATA TO MEASURE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROGRAM WITH WANTING TO PROVIDE MEANINGFUL, UM, ASSISTANCE.
SO IT WAS TRYING TO FIND A BALANCE.
WELL, I MEAN, MY STRONG RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE THAT WE WOULD DOUBLE THAT TO 15,000.
UM, THE OTHER ISSUE THAT I WAS LOOKING AT IS, UH, THE AWARDEES ARE ENCOURAGED TO HIRE A PROFESSIONAL CONSULTANT.
AND, AND SO, UH, I AM CONCERNED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS ENCOURAGED, YOU KNOW, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, WHEN I, WHEN I WAS ELECTED TO OFFICE, THE NOISE MITIGATION TASK FORCE WAS ALREADY OPERATING.
AND WHAT I SAW WAS, UM, CONSTITUENTS WHO DIDN'T HAVE EXPERTISE IN HOW SOUND TRAVELS, UH, UPSET THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS, THAT THE, THAT THE VENUES NEARBY THEM WERE VERY LOUD AND THEY WEREN'T GETTING GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP.
THEN YOU HAD BAR OWNERS WHO DIDN'T NECESSARILY HAVE EXPERTISE IN HOW SOUND TRAVELS, WHO WERE, YOU KNOW, UPSET, UH, WITH THESE, THESE RESIDENTS WHO, UM, THEY THEY WERE IN CONFLICT WITH.
AND WHAT I FELT STRONGLY THAT WE NEEDED WAS SOMEBODY WITH SOUND EXPERTISE THERE AS PART OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
AND I, I STILL FEEL LIKE THAT, I MEAN, I THINK THAT THAT'S KEY TO, TO SUCCESS.
AND SO I, I, I HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT MAKING THAT, UH, ENCOURAGED, BUT OPTIONAL.
SO JUST TO CLARIFY, YOU'RE SUGGESTING THAT IT WOULD BE REQUIRED FOR THEM THAT THAT WOULD BE, YEAH.
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WOULD OFFER MORE MONEY, BUT THAT IT WOULD BE REQUIRED THAT THEY CONTRACT WITH SOMEBODY WITH SOUND EXPERTISE SO THAT WE, WE ARE MORE SUCCESSFUL IN, IN THE MODIFICATIONS THAT THEY MAKE TO THEIR VENUE.THOSE ARE MY QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS.
THANK YOU, CHAIR, AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AS WELL AS, UH, TO MY COLLEAGUE FOR ADVOCATING FOR THIS PILOT PROGRAM DURING THE, THE BUDGET SESSION.
UH, I THINK IT'S A GREAT EXAMPLE HOW, UH, IF WE PROVIDE RESOURCES TO HELP FOLKS COME IN COMPLIANCE, RIGHT? THAT WILL, UH, HOPEFULLY BE SUCCESSFUL.
UM, LOOKING AT THE 7,500 AND, AND LISTENING TO THE REQUEST FOR 15, UM, I'M, I'M WOULD LIKE TO SUPPORT, BUT I'M A BIT HESITANT IN THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD ONLY BE LIKE, SUPPORT FOR ONE BUSINESS PER DISTRICT.
AND MY HOPE WOULD BE THAT IT WOULD BE AT LEAST TWO DISTRICT.
AND I UNDERSTAND LIKE THERE'S VERY LITTLE FUNDING.
UM, BUT, UH, I, I WANNA BE SURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE, UM, ASSISTANCE TO SMALL BUSINESSES WHO, UM, MAY NOT NECESSARILY KNOW HOW TO GET CONNECTED WITH THE CITY TO APPLY, RIGHT? BECAUSE I ALREADY KNOW THE PEOPLE WHO ARE GONNA APPLY FOR THIS, RIGHT? AND THEY'RE PEOPLE WHO LIKELY HAVE RESOURCES, UM, TO BUY THE THINGS THEIR OWN.
UM, SO LIKE, I JUST WANNA BE SURE THAT, UM, THERE'S OPPORTUNITY.
UM, AND IF THERE'S TWO OPPORTUNITIES FOR TWO GRANTS PER DISTRICT, UM, THAT MAY ALLOW FOR ONE OF THE TWO, UH, FOR A, A BUSINESS TO WHO, WHO REALLY NEEDS ASSISTANCE.
UM, BUT WITH THAT, UH, I'M LOOKING AT THE POINT SYSTEM, RIGHT? AND I'M THINKING OF A SMALL BUSINESS THAT WE APPROVED THE REZONING LAST YEAR, AND IT'S A GENUINE MICRO BUSINESS, UH, WOMEN WHO ARE, UM, PLANNING TOGETHER TO, IT'S ESSENTIALLY LIKE OUT OF THEIR POCKET, RIGHT? LIKE THEY DON'T HAVE ANY INVESTORS.
UM, SO IT'S BEEN TAKING THEM A WHILE TO GET THE BUSINESS OPEN, RIGHT? I DON'T WANNA SAY GOING 'CAUSE THEY'RE WORKING ON IT.
UM, WOULD THEY GET THE MAX POINTS BECAUSE THEY CURRENTLY DON'T HAVE REVENUE? UH, OR WOULD THEY NOT QUALIFY? UM, BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT AN OPEN BUSINESS YET.
SO ONE OF THE, THE FIRST CRITERIA, UM, ON, ON SLIDE FIVE WAS THAT THEY, UM, NEEDED TO HAVE BEEN AT THEIR CURRENT LOCATION FOR AT LEAST 12 MONTHS.
SO IN THIS SITUATION, THEY, THAT BUSINESS WOULDN'T QUALIFY MM-HMM.
UM, BUT SHOULD YOU, SHOULD THE PROGRAM CONTINUE, THEN, YOU KNOW, THERE MAY BE OPPORTUNITIES IN THE FUTURE.
'CAUSE THEY'VE BEEN AT THE LOCATION FOR OVER A YEAR, BUT THEY NEED TO BE IN BUSINESS FOR, FOR THE THAT DURATION.
UM, AGAIN, RIGHT, I KNOW BUSINESSES THAT, UH, DON'T HAVE LOUD MUSIC BUT CAN REALLY BENEFIT FROM THIS 'CAUSE IT'S JUST LIKE SO LOUD AND IT'S ECHO.
BUT, UM, THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR THE WORK, UH, THAT Y'ALL BEEN DOING ON THIS PILOT.
SO, UH, I I WOULD RATHER SEE TWO BUSINESSES PER DISTRICT THAN $15,000 PER BUSINESS.
THE OTHER THING THAT I DON'T SEE ADDRESSED HERE, UH, THAT WE, WE MAY NEED TO HAVE A CONVERSATION EITHER IN THIS COMMITTEE OR CHECK IS PART OF THIS IS PEOPLE MOVED IN TO ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICTS WITHIN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO DURING THE PANDEMIC WHEN EVERYTHING WAS CLOSED DOWN.
NOW THEY'RE REALIZING THEY LIVE IN ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICTS AND THERE'S THIS, THIS NOISE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT WHAT'S AN ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT HERE WITHIN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
IF YOU MOVE IN HERE, YOUR EXPECTATION SHOULD BE THAT THERE IS GOING TO BE A TRAFFIC JAMS OR, UM, IT'S LIKE SOMEBODY MOVING INTO DOWNTOWN AND SAYING, OH, I DIDN'T EXPECT FOR FIREWORKS TO HAPPEN.
UH, AND I THINK WE NEED TO, TO START IDENTIFYING OUR ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICTS.
I THINK EVERYBODY IN THEIR COUNCIL DISTRICT HAS THAT, BUT WE WANT, WE WANNA SEE SUCCESSFUL.
WE WANNA SEE PEOPLE SUCCESSFUL.
I THINK ABOUT AQUEDUCTS OVER ON THE SOUTH SIDE THAT ARE IN THE HEART OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD NEAR STINSON THAT MAY NEED HELP WITH THAT.
BUT I, I FEEL LIKE THIS TYPE OF REWARD IS A GOOD AMOUNT.
AND THEN PART OF IT IS ADJUSTING THEIR HOURS AND COMMUNICATING WITH THEIR NEIGHBORS.
UM, SO I THINK WE NEED TO, TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION ALSO.
THAT'S WHY I'D LIKE TO SEE THIS PILOT PROGRAM GROW AND THEN SEE HOW WE CAN IN THE NEXT BUDGET MAKE KIND OF, UM, VARIATIONS IF WE FIND IT.
UH, I THINK ABOUT, UH, DISTRICT EIGHT NEAR THE UNIVERSITY, THERE'S SOME ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICTS.
THOSE MAY NEED A LITTLE MORE HELP FINANCIALLY OR THEY MAY NEED A LITTLE LESS HELP.
BUT TO, TO TRY AND FIGURE THAT THERE AND LET PEOPLE KNOW, HEY, YOU MOVED INTO AN AREA THAT IS, IS AN ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT.
'CAUSE THE UNIVERSITY'S RIGHT DOWN THE STREET AND IDENTIFYING THOSE.
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THANK YOU.UM, SO WHEN I LOOK, ALSO, I APPRECIATE YOU ALL BRINGING UP THE SCORING CRITERIA.
UM, AND I GUESS ONE OF MY QUESTIONS IS I SEE HOST PERFORMERS WITH AMPLIFIED SOUND, AND I WANTED TO TO, TO CLARIFY, WOULD YOU CONSIDER A DJ A PERFORMER? I'M SEEING HEAD NODDING YES.
AND THEN, UH, I SEE HOST PERFORMER OR THE, UH, PRESENCE OF OUTDOOR ENTERTAINMENT AREA.
AND WHILE I WOULD AGREE THAT HAVING AN OUTDOOR ENTERTAINMENT AREA IS THERE'S MORE LIKE, INCREASES THE LIKELIHOOD THAT THERE'LL BE NOISE COMPLAINTS, WE STILL HAVE PLENTY OF NOISE COMPLAINTS FROM VERY LOUD VENUES THAT ARE, ARE INDOORS.
SO I DON'T KNOW THAT I WOULD SUPPORT THAT HAVING THAT CRITERIA THERE.
I DON'T KNOW THAT, THAT ONE OR, OR IT'S SUCH A STRONG PREFERENCE ON THAT, ON AN OF POINTS IN THAT CATEGORY.
SO, UM, JUST A, A COUPLE OF THOUGHTS BACK WHEN I WAS A STUDENT AND WE WOULD ALL GO TO ST.
MARY'S, FOR EXAMPLE, THE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE PLACES WHERE THE MUSIC WAS LOUD, THAT WAS FUN, RIGHT? AND LOUD UNTIL TWO IN THE MORNING.
BUT LOUD TODAY IS A TOTALLY DIFFERENT FLAVOR OF LOUD, RIGHT? EVER SINCE THE ADVENT OF DUBSTEP OR WHATEVER,
I MEAN, BASE NOW TRAVELS, YOU KNOW, OMNIDIRECTIONALLY FOR A MILE AWAY SOMETIMES, RIGHT? YOU CAN ACTUALLY HEAR THE THUMP FURTHER AWAY THAN YOU USED TO BE ABLE TO.
UM, AND SO I, I, I DON'T, I DON'T ENVY THE JOB OF CODE ENFORCEMENT HAVING TO FIGURE OUT, YOU KNOW, WHERE YOU KNOW WHO'S IN COMPLIANCE AND WHO ISN'T.
IT'S JUST, IT'S GOTTEN HARDER.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, COUNCILWOMAN VIA GRAND IS RIGHT.
YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE, UM, FOR THE LAWYERS IN THE ROOM, A LOT OF PEOPLE MOVED TO THE NUISANCE.
DO YOU REMEMBER THAT? THEY USED TO TEACH US THAT, RIGHT? YOU MOVED TO THE NUISANCE AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THEN YOU CAN'T COMPLAIN ABOUT THE NUISANCE ONCE YOU MOVE NEXT TO IT, RIGHT? AND, UM, I REMEMBER IN, IN OUR, IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, UM, UP IN THE NORTH SIDE, WE HAVE A NEIGHBORHOOD CALLED COLLEGE PARK, AND PEOPLE ARE SO UPSET THAT IN COLLEGE PARK, THEY'RE STARTING TO SEE A LOT OF COLLEGE KIDS RENTING HOMES THERE.
AND YOU'RE LIKE, IT'S CALLED COLLEGE PARK.
WHAT'D YOU THINK WAS GONNA HAPPEN? RIGHT? BUT THEY WERE THERE FOR A DECADE BEFORE U T S A GREW, RIGHT? UM, AND IT'S, UH, I, I DON'T KNOW WHO'S NEW TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND WHO'S NOT, RIGHT? BUT THAT'S, THAT'S A, THAT'S A POWERFUL POINT, RIGHT? WE NEED TO ALSO MAKE SURE THAT WE, THAT PEOPLE KNOW THAT THEY'RE MOVING TO A PLACE WHERE THEY MIGHT, YOU KNOW, THEY MIGHT HEAR THAT KIND OF NOISE.
BUT ANYWAY, UM, THAT'S MY LONG WAY OF TELLING YOU I DON'T ENVY YOUR JOB, BUT I THINK YOU'RE DOING A GOOD ONE.
UH, SO THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION AND THIS WAS JUST A BRIEFING, RIGHT? OKAY.
UM, NUMBER FOUR IS OUR FACADE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM AND OUTDOOR SPACES PROGRAM.
ALL RIGHT, SECOND HALF OF THE DOUBLE HEADER.
UM, SO THIS PRESENTATION IS AN UPDATE ON THE ONGOING, UM, DEVELOPMENT OF THE FACADE IMPROVEMENT AND OUTDOOR SPACES PROGRAMS. SO, AS YOU'LL RECALL, UM, LAST MONTH, BRENDA PRE, OR ACTUALLY NO, EARLIER THIS MONTH, BRENDA PRESENTED ON THE CRITERIA FOR THE, THE CORRIDOR SELECTION.
AND SO, UM, THESE THREE PROGRAMS, UH, COMPRISE THE, THE PLACEMAKING PORTION OF THE ARPA SMALL BUSINESS IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, WHICH, WHICH TOTALED FIVE AND A QUARTER MILLION.
UM, AND SO THESE TWO PROGRAMS, WHICH WILL BE PRESENTING CRITERIA ON TODAY, UM, TOTAL, UM, $4.25 MILLION OF THAT.
UM, AND YOU'LL SEE ON HERE, UM, ONE THING WE DID WANNA INCLUDE IN UPDATE IS, WHILE INITIALLY IN THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, THESE PROGRAMS WERE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES ONLY, WE RECOGNIZE THE THE POTENTIAL THAT, YOU KNOW, HELPING NONPROFITS ON SOME OF THESE IDENTIFIED CORRIDORS MAKE FACADE IMPROVEMENTS.
IT ADDS TO THE OVERALL, UM, KIND OF VISUAL OF, OF THE CORRIDOR.
SO WE HAVE, UM, ALLOCATED $300,000 OF THE 3 MILLION FOR, UH, IN THE FACADE IMPROVEMENT GRANTS FOR NONPROFITS.
AND SO ALL NONPROFITS APPLYING WOULD BE, UM, COMPETING FOR THAT BUCKET OF FUNDING.
BUT, UM, AGAIN, RECOGNIZING THAT THE POTENTIAL THERE, WE DID WANNA MAKE THAT ADJUSTMENT.
SO AS A MATTER OF BACKGROUND, SO, UM, THIS IS NOT THE CITY'S FIRST, UH, FORAY, FORAY INTO FACADE IMPROVEMENT.
SO WE HAD OPERATION FACELIFT, UM, WHICH RAN FROM 1998 TO 2018.
IT WAS ACTUALLY FUNDED BY FEDERAL DOLLARS,
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UM, FROM HUD.AND SO YOU CAN SEE HERE, A TOTAL OF 95 PROJECTS WERE FUNDED, UM, AT $1.9 MILLION.
AND SO IT HAD A, A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT, BUT FOR VARIOUS REASONS, WHICH, WHICH WE'VE LEARNED ABOUT, UM, THE FUNDING ENDED AND, AND AS DID THE PROGRAM.
AND CURRENTLY, UH, WE FUND SAGE THROUGH AN AGREEMENT AT, UM, TO DO STOREFRONT GRANTS SPECIFIC TO THEIR SERVICE AREA.
AND SO, AGAIN, UM, THEY HAVE FUNDED 150 GRANTS AT $1.3 MILLION.
SO WE KNOW THE NEED EXISTS FOR FACADE IMPROVEMENT.
UM, AND ARPA PRESENTED THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THOSE INVESTMENTS, UM, IN IMPROVING BUILDING FACADES AS FAR AS OUTDOOR SPACES.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING WE SAW, UM, ACROSS THE INDUSTRY DURING C O V I D, WHERE CITIES WERE MAKING INVESTMENTS AND, AND HELPING BUSINESS EXPAND THEIR OUTDOOR FOOTPRINT.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE THE BENEFIT OF HAVING AMAZING WEATHER.
I FEEL LIKE WE'RE IN THE MID, TODAY'S A GREAT PATIO DAY WHERE, WHERE FOLKS WANT TO BE OUTSIDE.
IT'S A GREAT DRAW FOR BUSINESSES HERE TO MAKE THAT SPACE AVAILABLE.
UM, AND SO WHILE PEOPLE WENT OUTSIDE DURING COVID, THERE'S CERTAINLY NOT GOING BACK IN.
AND SO THIS PROGRAM WOULD HELP BUSINESSES TO EXPAND THEIR OUTDOOR SPACE, UM, TO NOT ONLY HELP, YOU KNOW, INCREASE THEIR REVENUE RECOVERING FROM THE PANDEMIC, BUT BUILD FUTURE RES UH, RESILIENCY GOING FORWARD.
SO IN TERMS OF THE, THE, THE FACADE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, SO THIS WOULD BE GEOGRAPHICALLY TARGETED, UM, WHILE AGAIN, THE SAGES PROGRAM TARGETS THEIR SERVICE AREA, OPERATION FACELIFT WAS A LITTLE BIT BROADER.
THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO FOCUS GEOGRAPHICALLY TO REALLY CATALYZE THE, THE, THE INVESTMENTS HAPPENING IN THE AREAS AND COUPLED POTENTIALLY WITH THE MAIN STREET CORRIDOR PILOT, UH, BEING ABLE TO LEVERAGE THESE PROGRAMS GOING FORWARD.
AND SO YOU'LL SEE THE BUSINESSES WILL HAVE NEEDED TO HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED AND IN, IN THEIR LOCATION AS OF JANUARY 1ST, 2021, THE GRANTS WILL RANGE FROM 5,000 TO $50,000.
UH, TYPICALLY THESE FACADE IMPROVEMENTS ARE LARGER.
IT'S IT'S WINDOW REPLACEMENT, IT'S PACING, UH, UH, PAINTING, IT'S MASONRY, DIFFERENT LARGER INVESTMENTS LIKE THAT.
UM, AS I MENTIONED, THE SET ASIDE FOR, FOR THE NON-PROFITS AND, AND THE ADDED BONUS OF THIS, ONE OF THE THINGS WE LEARNED FROM THE OPERATION FACELIFT WAS REALLY HAVING THAT INTENTIONAL COORDINATION BETWEEN CITY DEPARTMENTS.
UM, SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING SERVICES, DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, UM, AND A HISTORIC PRESERVATION TO UNDERSTAND THE REVIEW PROCESS FOR THESE WHERE POTENTIALLY THINGS CAN GET HELD UP, UM, AND WORKING TO EXPEDITE THAT GOING FORWARD WITH THIS PROGRAM, AS WELL AS LEVERAGING OUR SMALL BUSINESS FEE WAIVERS PROGRAM.
SO THERE IS A PORTION OF THE CITYWIDE FEE WAIVERS PROGRAM ALLOCATED FOR SMALL BUSINESS.
AND SO WITH THIS, WE'D BE RECOMMENDING TO SET ASIDE A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS OF THAT TO GO TOWARDS OFFSETTING FEES FOR PARTICIPANTS IN THIS PROGRAM.
SO IN TERMS OF ELIGIBILITY, AGAIN, WITH THAT GEOGRAPHIC FOCUS, YOU'LL SEE, UM, A NUMBER OF AREAS IDENTIFIED AS BEING PRIORITY.
AND SO PRIORITY CORRIDORS, UM, WAS ONE WE WANT TO HIGHLIGHT, UM, AS SAY TOMORROW BUILDS OUT THEIR PLANS.
UM, AND THE IMPORTANT PIECE OF THIS IS THAT THROUGH THE ESSAY TOMORROW PLANNING PROCESS, THE, THE PLANNING TEAM HAS GONE OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY.
THEY'VE, LIKE, THEY'VE LISTENED TO WHERE, YOU KNOW, THEY, THE COMMUNITY FEELS THERE'S OPPORTUNITY AND IT'S BUILT IN.
SO AGAIN, THIS IS TAKING THOSE PLANS AND PUTTING THEM INTO ACTION, WHICH IS REALLY SOMETHING THAT WAS, UM, A HALLMARK OF OUR STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK WAS, WAS OPERATIONALIZING THESE PRIOR PLANS THAT HAD EXISTED.
UM, AND SO THE OTHER THING I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT IS THAT ANOTHER ELIGIBLE AREA WOULD BE THOSE AREAS WITHIN HUNDRED FEET OF A CITY INITIATED CONSTRUCTION ZONE.
SO, UM, WE KNOW THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THEM AND CONSTRUCTION GRANTS, UM, WRAP UP TODAY, THE APPLICATION PERIOD, I'D BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T SAY THAT, BUT WANTING TO HELP THOSE BUSINESS OWNERS THAT HAVE BEEN IMPACTED, RECOGNIZING THAT THESE CONSTRUCTION TIMES ARE OFTEN A TIME WHERE THEY CAN MAKE THOSE, THOSE IMPROVEMENTS TO THEIR PHYSICAL STRUCTURE.
UM, AND, UH, LEVERAGE THE OPPORTUNITY OF, OF HAVING THAT REDUCED FOOT TR UH, FOOT TRAFFIC.
SO AGAIN, ELIGIBLE COST YOU'LL SEE LISTED THERE.
UM, AND THEN THE TYPICAL, UM, EXCLUSIONS INCLUDING GAMBLING AND GAMING LIQUOR STORES, UH, TOBACCO SHOPS, UM, AND GOVERNMENT OWNED BUILDINGS.
UH, WE ALSO LOOKED AT THIS INTENTIONALLY WITH EQUITY IN MIND AND, AND WANTING TO FOCUS THE FUNDS WHERE THE NEED WAS THE GREATEST.
AND SO ONE WAY IS THROUGH THE COST SHARING WITH THOSE AREAS IN THE LOWER, UM, EQUITY SCORES BEING ELIGIBLE FOR UP TO 75% OF THEIR TOTAL COST, WHEREAS THOSE IN HIGHER EQUITY SCORES BEING ELIGIBLE FOR UP TO 90% OF THEIR COST.
UM, THE OTHER THING WE, WE RECOGNIZE IS, IS THAT HOW THE FUNDING IS DISTRIBUTED TO, UM, SHOULD ALSO RECOGNIZE THE AREAS OF GREATEST NEED.
SO PARTICULAR WITH 50% OF THE TOTAL, AGAIN, NEARLY $3 MILLION, UM, BEING ALLOCATED TOWARDS THOSE AREAS WITH THE HIGHEST EQUITY SCORES.
UM, AS I MENTIONED IN THE LAST PRESENTATION, WE ALSO KNOW ACCESS TO CAPITAL, THERE'S A GAP THERE.
AND SO THIS WOULD PROVIDE SOME FUNDING UPFRONT, UM, BECAUSE WE KNOW DEPOSITS HAVE TO BE MADE, SUPPLIES NEED
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TO BE PURCHASED, CONTRACTORS NEED TO BE BROUGHT ON BOARD.SO WE WANNA MAKE THAT FUNDING AVAILABLE, UM, AT THE BEGINNING, BUT ALSO THROUGHOUT, UM, BASED ON HITTING MILESTONES WITH AN ADDITIONAL 50% BEING PAID AT 75% COMPLETION, AND THEN THE REMAINING 25% UPON COMPLETION OF THE PROJECT.
UM, SO WHEREAS OUTDOOR, UH, FACADE IMPROVEMENT GRANTS WERE MORE TARGETED TO GEOGRAPHY, UM, OUTDOOR SPACES, WE KNOW THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES ACROSS THE CITY AND OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A SMALLER POT OF MONEY, SO WE WANNA HAVE, UH, THAT WIDESPREAD IMPACT.
UM, SO YOU'LL SEE SOME CRITERIA THE SAME INCLUDING THE, THE DATA BEING ESTABLISHED.
UM, THE MAXIMUM COST BEING UP TO $10,000 TO TWO TO $10,000.
THESE TEND TO BE SMALLER SCALE IMPROVEMENTS, THINK PERGOLAS FURNITURE, UM, SOMETIMES IT CAN BE, UM, EVEN TECHNOLOGY AS WITH ASSOCIATED WITH BEING ABLE TO TAKE ORDERS FROM OUTSIDE.
SO SMALLER LEVEL INVESTMENTS HAPPENING, AGAIN, WORKING ON THAT COORDINATION BETWEEN CITY DEPARTMENTS, UM, AND SOMETHING THAT WE LOOK TO ADMINISTER IN-HOUSE.
UM, IN TERMS OF ELIGIBILITY, AGAIN, THEY NEED TO BE, UM, WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS, UM, SOME OF THE ELIGIBLE COSTS.
SO DESIGN, AGAIN, THE MATERIALS, UM, HEATING, COOLING SYSTEMS, MISTING TYPE SYSTEMS, UM, OUTDOOR LIGHTING, UM, AND THOSE TECHNOLOGY IMPROVEMENTS I, I SPOKE ABOUT.
AND AGAIN, THE SAME EXCLUSIONS AS THE PRIOR PROGRAM.
SO AGAIN, THE PROGRAM, THIS PROGRAM AS WELL WAS DEVELOPED WITH EQUITY IN MIND.
YOU'LL SEE THE SAME, UM, PROJECT COST SHARES, UH, TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION 90% BEING COVERED BY, UH, IN THOSE AREAS WITH THE, THE GREATEST EQUITY SCORES.
UM, AND AGAIN, HAVING THOSE FUNDING ALLOCATIONS SPLIT BY, BY EQUITY SCORE AS WELL.
UM, AND THIS ONE ALSO PROVIDES THAT CAPITAL UPFRONT, AGAIN, BECAUSE YOU NEED TO ORDER MATERIALS AND, AND MAKE DEPOSITS AND SUCH.
SO IN TERMS OF, OF OUTCOMES, WHAT DO WE WANNA ACHIEVE HERE? UM, THIS, THIS TIES TO THE GOAL FROM THE, THE, OUR ARPA IMPLEMENTATION PLAN OF REALLY STRENGTHENING THAT CONNECTION BETWEEN PEOPLE IN THE PLACES THEY SHARE.
UH, PLACEMAKING WAS A PRIORITY IN THE, UM, IN OUR STRATEGIC, UH, FRAMEWORK.
AND SO THIS IS REALLY THE, THE NEXUS OF, OF THOSE TWO THINGS.
AND SO WHAT WE'LL BE MEASURING IS, IS REVENUE.
YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WE WANT THEIR BOTTOM LINES TO IMPROVE, UH, THE TYPICAL JOBS CREATED AND RETAINED, BUT ALSO THAT, THAT FEELING, AND IT'S A LITTLE BIT HARDER TO CAPTURE, BUT, YOU KNOW, DO OWNERS FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE IN THE APPEARANCE OF, OF THEIR SPACE.
UM, I KNOW SAGE HAS DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB OF REPORTING, YOU KNOW, THE, THE OWNER TESTIMONIALS FROM DOING THE FACADE IMPROVEMENTS.
DO CUSTOMERS FEEL MORE CONFIDENT IN AREAS THAT HAVE BETTER LIGHTING OR, UM, YOU KNOW, AN ENHANCED OUTDOOR EXPERIENCE.
SO WE WANNA BE ABLE TO CAPTURE THAT THROUGH THE PROGRAM AS WELL.
UM, AGAIN, THESE FUNDS ARE, ARE AVAILABLE AND, AND APPROVED IN OUR ARPA IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.
UM, WE'LL LOOK TO, TO, UH, ROLL OUT THESE PROGRAMS WITH ROBUST MARKETING AND OUTREACH.
UM, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT OUR TRADITIONAL CHANNELS, WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS, UM, BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS.
UM, THIS IS ONE WHERE WE WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT THEY'RE ELIGIBLE AND TO TAKE ADVANTAGE AND APPLY FOR THE PROGRAM IN TERMS OF, OF TIMELINES.
SO WE'RE LOOKING TO FINALIZE THE CRITERIA AND ALL OF THE, THE BEHIND THE SCENES THINGS TO BE ABLE TO OPEN THE APPLICATION IN APRIL, OR I'M SORRY, RATHER IN MAY.
UM, AND THEN MAKE THOSE SELECTIONS AND GET THE DOLLARS OUT.
SO WE ARE GONNA DO AN INITIAL, UM, KINDA PUSH TO GET IT OUT, BUT IF THERE ARE FUNDS THAT REMAIN, WE'LL LOOK TO HAVE A ROLLING APPLICATION GOING FORWARD UNTIL ALL OF THE FUNDS ARE EXHAUSTED, AND THAT INCLUDES THE PRESENTATION.
UM, COUNCILMAN VILLAGRAM, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THIS ONE? UH, SO CAN YOU BRING UP THE CALENDAR AGAIN FOR, UM, THE PROGRAM? SO ON OUTREACH AND AND MARKETING BETWEEN THAT APRIL, ARE YOU GOING TO KIND OF HELP THEM IF, IF THEY CAN LEVERAGE OTHER PARTNERS IN THE COMMUNITY, OTHER CHAMBERS, UH, YOU'LL GO THROUGH THAT WHOLE PROCESS WITH THEM? YES.
AND WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING A, A ROAD SHOW ON THIS.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, REALLY GOING OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY TALKING ABOUT IT, AND AGAIN, WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS AND CONNECTING THEM WITH TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IF THEY NEED HELP APPLYING.
UH, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE DO THAT.
'CAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION OUT THERE COMING AS WE START THE BOND PROJECTS IN TERMS OF THE, UM, HERE WE COME, THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND I JUST THINK IF, IF THE RIGHT PROJECT CAN GET ORGANIZED, IT, IT MIGHT BE ABLE TO WORK IN CONJUNCTION.
SO IF THEY, IF WE ARE DOING THAT FACELIFT WHILE A A ROAD IS CLOSED, IT MIGHT WORK WELL.
YEAH, THIS TIES INTO THE CONSTRUCTION MITIGATION AND AS WE ROLL OUT THEN AND MEET WITH THE BUSINESS OWNERS.
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UM, I JUST WANT TO EXPRESS SUPPORT FOR THIS PROGRAM.I'VE TALKED TO, UM, SEVERAL BUSINESS OWNERS IN DISTRICT ONE WHO HAVE ACTUALLY EXPRESSED, UH, A LOT OF INTEREST IN FACADE IMPROVEMENTS.
AND, UM, I'VE ALSO, UH, YOU KNOW, I RECENTLY WAS, UH, GOT TO ATTEND THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS HERE LOCALLY, WHERE THEY WERE LOOKING AT HOW CAN THEY IMPROVE A CERTAIN PROJECT.
AND SO I'M HOPEFUL THAT THIS WILL BE ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THAT.
UM, I'M REALLY PLEASED WITH THIS, UH, THE, THE PER POST CHANGES, RIGHT? TO INCLUDE NONPROFITS.
UH, I KNOW IN DISTRICT FIVE, UH, WE HAD MET WITH, UH, JEN ALA AND I BELIEVE ALEX, TO DISCUSS, UM, POTENTIAL FACADE IMPROVEMENTS FOR, UM, V F W POSTS, RIGHT? AND I THINK AS MILITARY CITY U SS A RIGHT, ENSURING THAT WE CAN PROVIDE THAT SUPPORT TO OUR V F W POSTS AND FOR OUR VETERANS, UH, IS REALLY I IMPORTANT.
SO REALLY GRATEFUL THAT YOU ALL ARE NOW EXPANDING TO NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.
UM, AND WHAT COMES TO MIND RIGHT, IS, UM, THE QUINTANA NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH IS, I BORDER WITH DISTRICT FOUR, AND WE SHARED THAT COMMUNITY AND THERE HAVE BEEN SUB SUB AREA PLANS.
UM, AND THERE'S JUST, UH, AN ORGANIC PLANNING PROCESS THAT'S TAKING PLACE THERE WHERE THE ACTUAL BUSINESSES ARE PLANNING, UM, WHAT THEY WANNA SEE THERE, RATHER THAN LIKE, TOP DOWN AND LIKE A NON, LIKE, NON-PROFIT COMING TO THEM.
UM, SO JUST REALLY PLEASED TO SEE THAT AND PLEASED THAT THEY DO HAVE A SUB AREA PLAN AND THEY MAY QUALIFY TO RECEIVE SOME OF THESE GRANTS.
UH, AND I ALSO WANTED TO SAY SAGE IS AMAZING.
I WISH WE COULD HAVE A SAGE FOR THE CITY, UM,
BUT, UH, THANK YOU AND FOR ALL YOUR TEAM DOES.
SO MY, MY ONLY CONCERN, AND YOU MAY HAVE ALREADY HAVE, HAVE THIS COVERED OR NOT, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, WHENEVER HAILSTORMS HIT AND WINDSTORMS HIT, IT DOES DAMAGES TO FACADES, NOT JUST ROOFS, RIGHT? SO TO WHAT EXTENT ARE WE SCRUBBING FOR, UH, CANDIDATES WHOSE, UH, INSURANCE COMPANY OUGHT TO BE PAYING FOR THE UPGRADE TO THE FACADE AS OPPOSED TO US, RIGHT? AND WHAT, WHAT QUESTIONS ARE YOU ASKING ON THE FRONT END, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT ABSORBING STATE FARM OR ALL STATE'S RESPONSIBILITIES? WE HONESTLY HADN'T CONTEMPLATED THAT, BUT I THINK THAT'S A GOOD POINT.
AND IT'S SOMETHING WE CAN GO BACK AND LOOK AND SEE HOW OTHER PROGRAMS MIGHT IN INCORPORATE THAT TYPE OF LANGUAGE.
AND, AND I, AND I MEAN, THE POINT IS PRETTY SIMPLE, RIGHT? I MEAN, IF IT'S MONEY THAT WE COULD SPEND ON SOMEBODY ELSE, RIGHT? RIGHT.
THAT, UM, INSTEAD OF US LETTING ALLSTATE AND, YOU KNOW, NATIONWIDE OFF THE HOOK.
BUT THE OTHER POINT IS, IS ONCE WE DO THIS WORK, ARE WE, UM, I THINK IT'S ALSO A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO REMIND PEOPLE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE IMPORTANCE OF INSURANCE GOING FORWARD.
'CAUSE HERE WE ARE INVESTING MONEY, UM, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, MEGA STORM HAPPENS NEXT WEEK AND TURNS OUT THERE'S NO INSURANCE TO PROTECT THE WORK THAT, YOU KNOW, WENT INTO, UH, ENHANCING THIS PROPERTY.
AND SO IS THERE A, UM, I I THINK THAT THIS IS A REALLY NICE OPPORTUNITY TO TOUCH SOME OF THESE FOLKS WHO JUST MAY NOT HAVE THE FINANCIAL LITERACY TO REALLY UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE AND THE DIFFERENT FLAVORS OF INSURANCE POLICIES, RIGHT? SO THERE ARE INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS, UM, THAT WE'VE WORKED ON WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AS THIS WORK IS GOING ON JUST TO, UH, TO PROTECT THE CITY.
I DON'T, I WOULD NEED TO CLARIFY IF IT INCLUDES ONGOING AFTERWARDS, BUT IT'S ALSO OUR INTENTION AS, AS WE ARE ENGAGING THESE BUSINESSES, WE'RE CONNECTING THEM TO OTHER RESOURCES SO THAT THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE AWARE OF THE INVESTMENTS BEING MADE AND HOW TO PROTECT IT GOING FORWARD.
SO, UM, WE CAN DEFINITELY CHECK ON INSURANCE IF, IF WE CAN REQUIRE IT AFTERWARDS AND IF NOT, JUST HOW TO EDUCATE THEM.
IT'S NOT EVEN SO MUCH A REQUIREMENT, RIGHT? IT'S JUST A, THEY DON'T, MOST OF THE PEOPLE THAT I'VE, I, I'VE FOUND, UH, YOU KNOW, WHO ARE VULNERABLE AND JUST TRYING TO SURVIVE AND, UH, YOU KNOW, DON'T, DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND THE, THE POWER OF THEIR INSURANCE POLICY, AND YET THEY'RE STILL OBLIGATED TO CARRY IT BY THEIR LANDLORD, RIGHT? UM, OR THEIR MORTGAGE REQUIRES 'EM TO CARRY IT, AND THEY, THEY DON'T KNOW WHY AND THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO ACTIVATE IT ONCE IT'S TIME.
AND YET, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO ARE MORE AFFLUENT, THEY KNOW EXACTLY WHY THEY HAVE A POLICY AND THEY KNOW HOW TO ACTIVATE IT, RIGHT? AND, UM, AND IT JUST, YOU KNOW, ONE, ONE GOOD STORM LEAVES VULNERABLE PEOPLE, VULNERABLE PEOPLE, PEOPLE EVEN MORE VULNERABLE, RIGHT? SO, ANYWAY, MAY MAYBE SOMETHING TO, I'LL KEEP IT, I'LL ASK YOU THE NEXT TIME THAT WE TALK ABOUT THIS.
I'M JUST THINKING THAT MAYBE IN THE APPLICATION PROCESS, WHAT WE COULD DO IS ASK IF THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE BEING CONSIDERED WERE A RESULT OF SOMETHING THAT, UM, COULD BE COVERED THROUGH INSURANCE.
'CAUSE THEY MAY NOT EVEN KNOW, TO YOUR POINT, THEY, THEY, THEY MAY BE REQUIRED BY THEIR LANDLORD TO COVER IT OR TO HAVE THIS COVERAGE, BUT MAY NOT EVEN KNOW THAT THAT'S A RESOURCE TO THEM.
SO I THINK EVEN JUST ASKING THEM MIGHT PROVIDE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO EDUCATE THEM THAT THEY HAVE THAT RESOURCE AVAILABLE AS WELL.
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BRINGING UP THE REAR.WE GOT THE SECOND STAGE COMPANY GRANT PROGRAM AND SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH AND SMALL BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER MATCHING GRANT PROGRAM.
UM, GOOD AFTERNOON COUNCIL AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
I'M A SENIOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST WITH OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
UH, TODAY I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF PROVIDING SOME OF THOSE PROGRAM UPDATES FOR OUR OUT OF OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE FUND.
UM, WE'LL BEGIN WITH SOME BRIEF BACKGROUND.
UM, SO OUT OF OUR LOCAL CHAPTER THREE 80 GOVERNMENT CODE, WE'RE ALLOWED TO ADMINISTER LOAN AND GRANT PROGRAMS, UH, TO STIMULATE THAT COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY WITHIN SAN ANTONIO.
UH, AS A PART OF THIS, WE'VE APPROPRIATED, UM, FUNDING FROM THE CITY'S FEDERAL, UH, FEDERAL FUND BUDGET, UH, IN ORDER TO ESTABLISH AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE FUND, ALSO REFERRED TO AS E D I F.
UM, AS A PART OF THESE PROGRAMS, UH, ASSISTANCE FOR E D I F, UH, INCLUDE THOSE IN WHICH CREATE SCALE OR, UH, INCREASES IN OUTCOMES FOR COMMERCIALIZATION, UM, AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES, PRODUCTS OR SERVICES AS A PART OF OUR CITY'S TARGETED INDUSTRIES.
UM, RECENTLY WE ALSO HAD OUR, UH, NEWLY ADOPTED CHAPTER THREE 80 GUIDELINES, UH, PASS IN, UH, THAT WERE ADOPTED IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR.
UM, AS A PART OF THOSE GUIDELINES, WE HAVE THE EXISTING STRATEGIC INDUSTRY PER JOB GRANT, WHICH PRIORITIZES THOSE HIGH WAGE JOB GROWTH CREATION.
UH, ADDITIONALLY TODAY, WE'LL, UH, I'LL BE TOUCHING ON, UH, TWO ADDITIONAL PROPOSED GRANT PROGRAMS TO ADDRESS FINANCING GAPS WITHIN OUR, UH, LOCAL GROWTH COMPANIES, UH, ONE OF WHICH IS THE SECOND STAGE COMPANY GRANT, AND NEXT IS THE S B I R S T T R MATCHING GRANT.
UM, AS MOST OF YOU KNOW, SECOND STAGE COMPANIES PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN OUR LOCAL ECONOMIC, UM, ECOSYSTEM.
UM, THEY PROVIDE A LOT OF, UH, OUR WORKFORCE, OUR CURRENT WORKFORCE, AND ESTABLISH A REALLY GREAT CULTURE WITHIN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, UH, TO ENCOURAGE AND, UH, PROMPT CONTINUED GROWTH FOR THESE BUSINESSES IN EVERY LEVEL OF THEIR, UM, UH, OF THEIR BUSINESS.
UH, WE PROPOSE THE SECOND STAGE COMPANY GRANT COMPANIES MUST MEET THE EDWARD LOWE FOUNDATION DEFINITION OF A SECOND STAGE COMPANY.
THIS MEANS THAT THEY MUST BE A FOR-PROFIT, PRIVATELY OWNED BUSINESS, GENERATE ONE TO $50 MILLION IN ANNUAL REVENUE, UH, EMPLOYED BETWEEN 10 TO 99 EMPLOYEES.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, WE ASK THAT THESE BUSINESSES BE EXPORT ORIENTED.
UM, AND ALSO WE ENCOURAGE THAT THESE BUSINESSES ALSO HAVE THOSE DELIBERATE AND INVESTMENTS TO GROW LOCALLY AND REGIONALLY.
UM, THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE AS SECOND STAGE BUSINESSES ARE COMING TO THAT CERTAIN PLATEAU AFTER, YOU KNOW, ACHIEVING SUCCESS, UM, OVER THAT SURVIVAL STAGE, UM, THEY HAVE THAT KIND OF CONSIDERATION PERIOD TO GO, DO WE WANT TO EXPAND? DO WE WANT TO GO FURTHER? ARE WE COMFORTABLE WHERE WE'RE AT? AND SO WE'RE LOOKING INTENTIONALLY AT THOSE BUSINESSES THAT WANT TO GO TO THAT NEXT LEVEL.
UM, FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS GRANT PROGRAM, UM, THEY ARE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE A MAXIMUM OF $50,000 PER COMPANY, UH, BASED ON THE COMPANY'S NEEDS AND, UH, LEVERAGE RESOURCES.
SO WE'RE ALSO LOOKING TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY SUPPLEMENTAL, UH, FINANCIAL INSTITUTION, UH, OR, UH, OTHER ADDITIONAL ASSETS THAT THE, THE COMPANY CAN LEVERAGE FOR THAT NEXT ADDITIONAL, UH, GROWTH STEP.
ADDITIONALLY, THE PROGRAM, THE TOTAL PROGRAM AWARDS WILL BE CAPPED AT $500,000.
UM, AND THE COMPANY MUST ALSO COMMIT TO PAYING, UH, FULL-TIME POSITIONS, A MINIMUM OF, UH, OF $17 AND 50 CENTS PER HOUR.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, PARTICIPATING IN WORKERS' COMPENSATION AND PROVIDING HEALTHCARE, UH, BENEFITS PACKAGES FOR ALL FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES.
WE ALSO ASK THAT THESE, UM, AWARD RECIPIENTS COMMIT TO COMPLIANCE REPORTING FOR THREE YEAR PERIOD.
UM, SO WE CAN ASSUME THAT SURVEY RESPONSE PERIOD, UM, TO ADDRESS THE DATA GAPS WITHIN SECOND STAGE COMPANIES, AND ALSO SEE THE SECOND, UH, THE, UH, SUCCESSES OF THIS PROGRAM AND MEASURE, UM, THIS PILOT PROGRAM AS IT CONTINUES.
NOW, UH, FOR OUR GROWTH STRATEGY CRITERIA, WE ALSO ASK THAT THE BUSINESSES WHO ARE APPLYING ALSO, UM, ALSO, UM, EXCUSE ME, UH, ADDITIONALLY PROVIDE A GROWTH STRAT GROWTH STRATEGY, UM, PLAN.
THIS PLAN WILL OUTLINE THAT, YOU KNOW, NEXT LEVEL OF INVESTMENT THAT THEY'RE WISHING TO TAKE WITH THEIR COMPANY.
UM, SO THIS CAN BE IN INCREASED IN MARKET DEVELOPMENT, UM, IMPROVING THEIR MARKET, UM, OR PRODUCT MIX.
UM, LOOKING INTO NEW ENTRY INTO TO EXPANDING MARKETS, UM, A PORTFOLIO DIVERSIFICATION, UH, FOR A LOT OF BUSINESSES, A LOT OF SECOND STAGE BUSINESSES, IT COULD JUST BE ANOTHER EMPLOYEE EMPLOYEE, AN ADDITIONAL, UH, PIECE OF EQUIPMENT.
SO WE'RE LOOKING FOR THOSE OUTLINED IN THEIR WRITTEN GROWTH STRATEGY.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, WE ALSO REQUEST THAT THEY OFFER THEIR FINANCIAL GOALS BROKEN DOWN BY QUARTER AND YEAR, UM, A MARKETING PLAN, IF THAT IS APPLICABLE TO THAT GROWTH STRATEGY.
AND, UM, ANY, UH, BREAKDOWNS OF THE COMPANY STAFFING NEEDS AND CURRENT RESPONSIBILITIES SO THAT WE CAN SEE THAT SORT OF TRAJECTORY OF WHERE THIS, UM, THREE YEAR BUSINESS GROWTH PLAN, UH, FOR THE SECOND STAGE COMPANY IS, UH, YOU KNOW, LOOKING FORWARD TO IN THE FUTURE.
NOW, AS A PART OF THE EVALUATION PROCESS, UM, THESE GRANTS
[01:10:01]
ARE GOING TO BE ON A FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE, UH, BASIS.UM, ONCE THE APPLICATION OPENS, UH, THESE, UH, GRANT APPLICANTS MUST MEET ALL MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, BE HEADQUARTERED IN SAN ANTONIO, UM, BE AN EXPERT ORIENTED BUSINESS, AND ALSO DEMONSTRATE GROWTH IN REVENUE AND EMPLOY AND OR EMPLOYMENT IN AT LEAST TWO OF THE PAST FIVE YEARS.
UM, THIS IS CONTINGENT ON THE FLEXIBILITY.
GIVEN RECENT EVENTS WITH COVID TO 19, WE WANNA ENSURE THAT, UM, THERE'S AS MANY, UH, AN OPPORTUNITY FOR BUSINESSES WHO ARE RECENTLY IMPACTED TO ALSO APPLY FOR THIS GRANT PROGRAM.
ADDITIONALLY, UM, THESE GRANT LEVELS WILL BE, OR THESE GRANT, UH, APPLICANTS WILL BE REVIEWED BY STAFF.
UM, THESE REC THESE, UH, THESE GRANT PRO, UH, THESE GRANT RECOMMENDATIONS WILL THEN BE BUNDLED RECOMMENDATIONS WILL THEN BE TAKEN TO CITY COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION, UH, FOR ULTIMATE APPROVAL.
UH, NOW EXCITINGLY, AS WE JUST TOUCHED ON THE SECOND STAGE, BUSINESSES WHO HAVE OVERCOME THAT, UH, OBSTACLE OF, OF GETTING PAST THE SURVIVAL STAGE, WE NOW LOOK INTO OUR S B I R S T T R GRANT PROGRAM, WHICH IS FOR THOSE LOCAL R AND D INTENSIVE STARTUP COMPANIES, UM, THAT ARE IN THAT SORT OF SURVIVAL STAGE AT THE, AT THE MOMENT.
SO WE'RE LOOKING TO, UM, THE COMPETITIVE FEDERAL GRANTS PROGRAM FOR SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH AND THE SMALL BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER PROGRAMS. THESE ARE SOME OF THE LARGEST COMPETITOR COMPETITIVE, UH, GRANT FUNDS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES, UM, THAT ARE OFFERED IN THE US NOW, UH, FOR SOME DELINEATION HERE FOR SS B I R.
THESE ARE FOR-PROFIT, UH, SMALL BUSINESSES THAT CAN APPLY.
S T T R UM, PROGRAM REQUIRES THAT THE, UH, THE SMALL BUSINESS PARTNER WITH A NON RE NON-PROFIT RESEARCH PARTNER, SO ANOTHER RESEARCH INSTITUTION, UM, TO HELP WITH THAT WORK COMMITMENT.
NOW, AS A PART OF THE FEDERAL GRANTS PROGRAM, ELIGIBLE COMPANIES ARE THOSE THAT EMPLOY LESS THAN 500 AND ARE HEADQUARTERED IN THE US.
AGAIN, THESE ARE THOSE COMPANIES THAT ARE R AND D INTENSIVE, UM, HAVE THAT REAL, UH, COMMERCIAL VIABILITY AND, UM, CAN CREATE THOSE SORT OF SCALER OUTCOMES THAT WE ADDRESS WITH THE CHAPTER THREE 80 GUIDELINES.
ADDITIONALLY, UM, THESE ARE VERY, LIKE I MENTIONED, UH, SOME OF THE LARGEST SOURCES OF, OF GRANT FUNDING FOR SMALL BUSINESSES, ABOUT 4 BILLION ANNUALLY IN GRANTS.
UM, SO A REALLY ROBUST, UH, COMPETITIVE GRANT PROGRAM THAT WE'RE BASING OUR MATCHING GRANT PROGRAM OFF OF NOW TO EVALUATE SOME OF THE LOCAL ECONOMIC IMPACTS.
THIS IS INCREDIBLY SIGNIFICANT FOR SAN ANTONIO.
IT'S A, A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO HELP ASSIST THOSE EARLY STAGE COMPANIES, WHICH HAVE THAT HIGH POTENTIAL FOR GROWTH.
AND THAT, UH, VERY, UM, EXCITING AMOUNT OF NEW TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION THAT CAN BE, UH, THAT CAN SPUR INTO NEW MARKETS.
AND, UH, NEW EXPORT ORIENTED EXPANSION WITHIN SAN ANTONIO.
A LOT OF THESE COMPANIES WHO ARE EVALUATED AND AWARDED S B I R AND S T T R GRANTS, UM, CAN THEN USE THAT AS A, UH, A MARKET, UM, AS MARKETING FOR, UH, EVENTUAL VENTURE CAPITAL OR OTHER ANGEL INVESTMENT.
UM, SO THIS, UH, S B I R AND S T T R FEDERAL GRANT PROGRAM IS, IS INCREDIBLY, UH, IS INCREDIBLY SIGNIFICANT IN HOW IT EVALUATES THESE, UM, THESE PROPOSALS.
ADDITIONALLY, UM, THERE'S A FEDERAL IMPACT SCORE, WHICH WEIGHS THE SORT OF TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY OF THESE PROGRAMS AND THEIR, AND THESE SMALL BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL AS THEIR, UH, ABILITY TO KIND OF ACHIEVE THAT COMMERCIALIZATION COM COMPONENT.
UM, SO THEY'RE EVALUATED BOTH ON THAT TECHNOL, UH, TECHNOLOGICAL POTENTIAL AS WELL AS, UH, HOW WELL THEY CAN ACTUALLY PRODUCE THAT SORT OF COMMERCIAL PRODUCT OR SERVICE.
UH, I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT HERE SOME OF THE SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS, UM, UH, IN THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS FROM SAN ANTONIO WHO RECEIVED, UM, S B I R AND S T T R FEDERAL GRANT AWARDS.
UM, UP THERE YOU CAN SEE KNIGHT AEROSPACE, ALL OF SENSE, ELEPHANT MEDICAL, UH, STEM BIO SYSTEMS. THESE ARE ALL INCREDIBLE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE SMALL BUSINESSES HERE IN SAN ANTONIO WHO HAVE, UH, PARTICIPATED IN THE PROGRAM AND ARE, UM, GOING, UH, THROUGHOUT THE MULTI-PHASE STEPS OF THE FEDERAL GRANTS PROGRAMS. UM, SO A PART OF OUR MATCHING S B I R S T T R GRANT, UH, PROGRAM WILL REQUIRE AGAIN, THAT, UH, THAT, UH, AWARD OF A PHASE ONE OR A PHASE TWO FEDERAL GRANT AWARD FROM THE S B I R AND S T T R FEDERAL AGENCY.
ADDITIONALLY, WE ASK THAT THESE, UH, COMPANIES BE HEADQUARTERED IN SAN ANTONIO.
THEY ALSO MUST BE A FOR-PROFIT, UM, SMALL BUSINESS WITH 40 EMPLOYEES OR LESS.
AND AGAIN, UH, THEY ALSO WANT TO, WE ALSO WANT THEM TO AGREE TO MAINTAIN HEADQUARTERS IN SAN ANTONIO FOR THAT DURATION OF THE S B I R AND S T T R GRANT TO SORT OF ENCOURAGE THAT CONTINUED, UM, UH, COOPERATION WITH OUR LOCAL RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS AS WELL.
UH, FOR THE MATCHING GRANT PROGRAM, THEY'LL BE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE UP TO $50,000, UH, FOR PHASE ONE, UH, S B I R AND S T T R AWARDS.
AND FOR PHASE TWO, THEY'LL BE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE UP TO $75,000.
UM, AGAIN, UH, FOR THOSE, UH, PHASE ONE MATCHING GRANT RECIPIENTS, WE ASK
[01:15:01]
THAT THEY AGREED TO APPLY FOR A PHASE TWO, SO WE CAN SEE THAT CONTINUED GROWTH IN THEIR INITIAL PROPOSAL.UM, ADDITIONALLY, WE KNOW THAT, UH, THESE S B I R AND S T T R GRANTS CAN BE QUITE ROBUST AND, UH, UH, COMPREHENSIVE IN WHAT THEY ASK THE SMALL BUSINESS TO ACCOMPLISH, UH, AS PART OF THEIR APPLICATION.
SO, TO SPUR THE SUCCESS RATES OF SAN ANTONIO APPLICANTS FOR THAT PHASE ONE AWARD, UM, WE ASKED, WE PROPOSE A $2,000 PER SAN ANTONIO BASED APPLICANT, UH, GRANT PROGRAM, UH, TO ASSIST THOSE SAN ANTONIO COMPANIES WHO ARE APPLYING, UH, FOR THAT INITIAL PHASE ONE AWARD.
UM, THESE, THESE GRANTS CAN BE USED, UM, FOR THOSE INITIAL STARTUP COSTS FOR, UH, THAT INCORPORATE THEIR APPLICATION PROCESS.
SO THINGS LIKE TRAVELING TO MEET WITH AGENCIES, UH, ADDITIONAL PROJECT DATA OR CONSULTING SERVICES.
UM, ALL OF THESE ARE, UH, ARE GOING TO BE ACCEPTABLE USES, USES FOR THOSE GRANTS.
UM, AND SO WE HOPE THAT WITH THIS PHASE ZERO, UH, AWARD WE'RE ENCOURAGING AND SPURRING ADDITIONAL, UM, SAN ANTONIO AWARD APPLICANTS INTO THE FEDERAL GRANTS PROGRAM.
UH, ADDITIONALLY, ADDITIONALLY SPURRING THAT SORT OF, UH, R AND D INTENSIVE, UM, LOCAL INVESTMENT WITHIN OUR STARTUPS IN SAN ANTONIO.
SO FOR SOME TIMELINE, UH, HERE, BUT WE DID MEET WITH THE SMALL BUSINESS ADV ADVISORY COMMISSION IN FEBRUARY, UH, ON VALENTINE'S DAY, ACTUALLY.
AND WE HAD SOME REALLY INCREDIBLE DISCUSSIONS THERE AND, UH, GOT A LOT OF POSITIVE, POSITIVE FEEDBACK.
UH, SO FOLLOWING TODAY'S DISCUSSION, WE'LL BE MEETING IN EARLY MARCH, UH, WITH CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO, UH, DELIVER BRIEFINGS.
UH, AND THEN FOLLOWING THAT, WE WILL TAKE, UH, OUR MARKETING AND OUTREACH PLANS ON, UH, GO LIVE.
BASICALLY APRIL 3RD APPLICATION PERIOD WILL OPEN JUNE 1ST.
UM, AND THEN FOLLOWING THAT, UH, MONTH APPLICATION OPEN PERIOD WILL BE, UH, STAFF WILL REVIEW APPLICATIONS AND WE WILL BUNDLE THE, BUNDLE, THOSE ROPE RECOMMENDATIONS AND, UH, UH, TAKE THEM WITH US TO E W C IN AUGUST, UH, FOR ANOTHER CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERATION IN SEPTEMBER FOR ULTIMATE APPROVAL OF THE GRANT AWARDEES.
UM, SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR YOU TODAY.
ALL I HAVE FOR YOU TODAY, I'M WELCOME TO ANY FEEDBACK AND QUESTIONS.
UM, COUNCILMAN VILLA, GRANT, ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? UM, BACK, BACK TO THE SECOND STAGE COMPANY GRANTS.
UM, ARE WE GOING, 'CAUSE THIS IS, UM, ARE WE GONNA ASK THEM FOR LIKE, EXAMPLES OF MAYBE LIKE, OH, I WAS, I, I, I TRIED FOR THIS, BUT I WAS TOLD, YOU KNOW, UH, I NEEDED X, Y, AND Z IN, IN THE GRANT PROCESS OR KIND OF TESTIMONIALS.
UM, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE, UH, SECOND STAGE COMPANY? YEAH, THE SECOND STAGE, UH, COMPANY GRANT? YEAH.
SO WE'RE LOOKING FOR, UM, I THINK MOST SECOND STAGE COMPANIES WHO ARE AT THAT, UH, GROWTH LEVEL WILL HAVE, THEY KNOW WHAT THEY NEED, RIGHT? AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING THOSE NEEDS.
SO IF IT LOOKS LIKE FOR THEM, AGAIN, A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT, UH, WE WOULD JUST LIKE TO SEE THAT OUTLINED, MAYBE A RECEIPT OF WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE, OR AN EXPENSE REPORT OF WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE, AS WELL AS THEIR ESTIMATED SORT OF RETURNS FROM THAT INVESTMENT.
UH, ADDITIONALLY IT COULD BE EXPANDING A CURRENT, YOU KNOW, DEPARTMENT, RIGHT? LIKE YOU'RE DEALING WITH, UM, EXPANDING NEW TURNOVER, NEW TRAINING.
UM, SO AS THEY'RE ENTERING THOSE NEW STAGES OF, OF GROWTH, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE COUPLING THAT WITHIN AN INVESTMENT THAT THAT'S GEARED TO THAT GROWTH.
'CAUSE I, I KNOW THERE'S A PUSH, UH, AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL TO MAKE SURE CITIES, COUNTIES, PUBLIC ENTITIES ARE HIRING LOCALLY.
AND, UM, JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, THAT WE HAVE TESTIMONIALS OF LIKE, OH, I, I TRIED TO GET, YEAH, I PUT IN A BID AT BROOKS, BUT THIS WAS WHAT THEY, WHAT WAS TOLD, AND IF I HAD X, Y AND Z, I COULD HAVE, I PROBABLY COULD HAVE GOTTEN IT.
SO JUST, JUST WANNA MAKE SURE ON THAT.
AND THEN, UM, THE COMPETITIVE, COMPETITIVE, UH, RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, THO THOSE EXAMPLES ARE GREAT, THE KNIGHT AEROSPACE AND, AND, UH, ALL THE ONES THAT YOU GAVE.
AND SO THIS IS WHERE WE'LL BE KIND OF LOOKING FOR FOR SOME SIMILAR TO THAT.
UM, YEAH, SO THESE ARE SOME OF, UH, THE EXISTING AWARDED COMPANIES.
AGAIN, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, LOCAL STARTUPS WHO ARE, YOU KNOW, OPERATING OUT OF THEIR APARTMENT.
IT COULD JUST BE AN INDIVIDUAL WHO, WHO IS USING THEIR MOM'S MONEY TO, UH, TO FIGURE OUT HOW BEST TO GET TO ACHIEVE A FEDERAL GRANT PROPOSAL.
SO WE'RE LOOKING FOR THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES WHO ARE AT THAT VERY EARLY STAGE OF GENERATION.
UM, SO THIS IS LOOKING FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, THOSE THAT DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE THAT SEED CAPITAL, UH, TO GET TO THEM, GET THEM, UH, GEARED FOR THE NEXT STAGE OF, UH, BUSINESS.
AND, AND HOW WILL WE, HOW WILL THE,
[01:20:01]
THE TIMELINE IS, SO OUTREACH AND MARKETING IS FROM APRIL TO JUNE, UH, CORRECT.SO, UH, BEGINNING APRIL 3RD WILL BE, UH, POSTING THE APPLICATION OP, UH, APPLICATION, UH, DETAILS AS WELL AS ELIGIBILITY DETAILS TO THE A D E D D WEBSITE.
UH, WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING WITH I T S D ON HOW BEST TO, TO GO ABOUT THE APPLICATION PROCESS, BUT, UH, THOSE MARKETING DETAILS WILL BE, UH, DISTRIBUTED AS OF APRIL 3RD, UM, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE DISTRIBUTING TO PARTNERS AND, UM, OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.
AND, UH, I, I THINK THIS IS ENOUGH TIME, BUT I'M GONNA BRING IT UP.
WE CHANGED THE WEBSITE AT THE CITY, AND IT HAS, IT HAS NOT BEEN, I WAS USED TO SOMETHING AND I JUST THINK WE NEED TO PUT IT OUT THERE THAT THE WEBSITE HAS CHANGED BECAUSE PEOPLE MIGHT BE GOING AND LOOKING LIKE THEY USED TO LOOK LIKE I DID, AND THEN FIND OUT.
SO I, I'M GLAD YOU'RE GIVING ENOUGH TIME BECAUSE WHENEVER YOU CHANGE A WEBSITE ON ANYONE, IT, UH, IT BECOMES, UM, I CAN'T FIND IT, SO THANK NO, YOU, I'M, I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT.
AND LET'S JUST MAKE SURE THAT WHEN Y'ALL PUT THE NOTICE OUT IN WHATEVER EMAILS, LET THEM KNOW THAT THE WEBSITE HAS CHANGED.
UH, THANK YOU, SARAH, FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UH, I, I GUESS, CAN YOU DESCRIBE TO ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THE MARKETING LOOKS LIKE, RIGHT? I'M THINKING ABOUT SOME OF OUR PARTNERS LIKE BROOKS AND THE PORT, RIGHT? WHAT KIND OF, UH, COMMUNICATION, UH, WHAT, WHAT DOES THE COMMUNICATION LOOK LIKE? IS IT, UH, WE'RE SENDING MAILERS, WE'RE, WE'RE SENDING PAMPHLETS TO THEM TO SHOWCASE? WHAT DOES THAT OUTREACH AND MARKETING LOOK LIKE? OH, CORRECT.
SO IT'S GOING TO BE, UM, FOLLOWING A SIMILAR FASHION TO OUR RECENT COVID AND CONSTRUCTION IMPACT GRANTS.
UH, AS FAR AS MARKETING GOES WITH OUR FLYERS, MAKING SURE THAT, UM, WE'RE ENGAGING ALL OF THOSE, UH, BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS AND PARTNERS, UM, THAT WE SEE COULD HAVE A POTENTIAL FIT FOR THESE PROGRAMS. ADDITIONALLY, WE'VE ALSO DISCUSSED OPTIONS FOR, UM, WORK SESSIONS OR, UM, COMMITTED, UH, UH, UH, SESSIONS WITH BUSINESSES TO KIND OF, UH, DELIVER SOME INFORMATION AND BACKGROUND ON THESE PROGRAMS AS WELL.
SO THAT'S ALSO, UH, BEING DISCUSSED AS A POTENTIAL FOR MARKETING.
AND THE MINIMUM WAGE OF, UH, ROUGHLY $17, UH, TO QUALIFY FOR THE GRANT.
AND WOULD THAT BE 17 ACROSS THE BOARD OR WITHIN A SPECIFIC, UM, JOB DESCRIPTION WITHIN THE, THE STARTUP? UH, SO AS FAR AS THE SECOND STAGE COMPANY GRANT ELIGIBILITY GOES, WE'VE OUTLINED IT CURRENTLY AS THE, UH, FULL-TIME POSITIONS.
UM, SO THOSE THAT MEET THAT THRESHOLD.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I SAW ON, UM, FOR THE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS IS THAT IT HAS TO BE AN EXPORT ORIENTED BUSINESS.
CAN YOU, CAN YOU DEFINE THAT FOR ME? YEAH, YEAH.
SO IT'S THOSE BUSINESSES THAT PROVIDE, UH, SORT OF PRODUCTS OR SERVICES, UH, BEYOND THAT LOCAL LEVEL.
SO REGIONAL, NATIONALLY, EVEN GLOBALLY.
UH, WE'RE LOOKING FOR THOSE MULTIPLIER EFFECTS WHEN IT COMES TO BUSINESSES THAT HAVE A POTENTIAL OUTREACH, UH, ENGAGING, UH, TRADE AND ECONOMIES OUTSIDE OF SAN ANTONIO.
UH, SO THIS CAN LOOK FOR LIKE BUSINESSES WHO HAVE, AGAIN, THAT CAPACITY TO EXPORT OR, UH, TO HAVE BEYOND THE LOCAL SERVICES OR LOCAL GOODS.
UM, SO LIKE A BAR, UH, THAT'S BEEN AROUND FOR 20, 30 YEARS, LET'S SAY.
WE'VE GOT LOTS OF THOSE DOWNTOWN, IF THEY HAVE A, UM, SO I GUESS I COULD SEE YEAH, NO, NO.
UNLESS PEOPLE ARE DRIVING IN AND NO, JUST KIDDING.
SO BARS, UH, RETAIL, MOST RETAIL ESTABLISHMENTS, RESTAURANTS TEND TO NOT BE EXPORT FOCUSED.
UM, SO WE'RE TALKING MORE, YOU KNOW, IT COULD BE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES IF THEY, THEY'RE A VERY SPECIALIZED SKILL AND BRING IN, UM, YOU KNOW, RESOURCES FROM ABOVE, BUT FROM OUTSIDE THE AREA.
BUT A LOT OF TIMES YOU'RE PROBABLY LOOKING AT THOSE DISTRIBUTION, UM, MANUFACTURERS WHO TEND TO SELL THEIR PRODUCT OUTSIDE THE, THE LOCAL ECONOMY.
SO I, I PROMISE YOU I WON'T APPLY.
UH, BUT I, I CAN ALREADY THINK OF FOUR OR FIVE DIFFERENT LAW FIRMS THAT WOULD SAY, OH, I DO THAT.
RIGHT? I'VE GOT A SPECIAL HYPER NICHE PRACTICE AND I OFFER THE PRACTICE TO PRETTY MUCH EVERYBODY AND ANYBODY IN THE UNITED STATES.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN AROUND FOR, UM, UMPTEEN YEARS.
IS THAT, WOULD THEY QUALIFY? VERY HIGHLY LIKELY NOT.
WHY? WELL, WE, SO WE WOULD REALLY LOOK AT IT TO UNDERSTAND, AND AGAIN, THAT'S WHY THAT WRITTEN PLAN IS SO IMPORTANT, UM, SO THAT WE REALLY GET THE CHANCE TO EVALUATE.
UM, AND THEN WE'RE ALSO ASKING FOR FINANCIALS, FOR EXAMPLE.
SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO, TO DIG INTO A LOT OF THAT.
AND AS WE DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE, WE'LL BE ABLE TO DETERMINE THAT THEY'RE REALLY PROVIDING LOCAL SERVICES.
ONE OR TWO CLIENTS DOESN'T MAKE, YOU KNOW, IF THEY'RE, THEY HAVE CLIENTS THAT RETIRED TO ANOTHER COMMUNITY,
[01:25:01]
UM, THAT STILL DOESN'T COUNT.SO, SO THE REASON I'M ASKING THESE QUESTIONS IS 'CAUSE I, I IMAGINE THAT YOU'RE GONNA GET A LOT OF CREATIVE PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO ARE GONNA TRY TO SHOEHORN THEIR WAY INTO THESE QUALIFICATIONS.
UM, AND WHO DOES THAT INITIAL VETTING TO, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY PASS THAT SMELL TEST BEFORE, YOU KNOW, THEY ACTUALLY GET FURTHER ON THE PROCESS TO WHERE PEOPLE REALLY ARE GONNA DIVE DOWN INTO THEIR APPLICATION.
SO THAT WAS PART OF THE, THE WORKSHOPS AND THE TRAINING THAT WE WERE PLANNING ON DOING.
UM, BUT THIS IS ALL REALLY HELPFUL FOR US AS WE CONTINUE TO FINALIZE THE CRITERIA IN THE APPLICATION.
IT HAS US THINKING THROUGH, AGAIN, MAKING SURE AS WE WORK WITH THE TEAMS THAT WE'RE VERY EXPLICIT ON THE TYPES OF QUESTIONS WE'RE ASKING, SO THAT WE'RE GETTING THAT INFORMATION.
AND THEN CAN ALSO, AS WE'RE DOING THOSE WORKSHOPS AND THE OUTREACH, WE CAN MAKE SURE WE'RE SHARING WITH OUR PARTNERS AND BE VERY CLEAR ON THOSE EXPECTATIONS.
THANK YOU LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, UNLESS THERE'S ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR STAFF, THAT BRINGS US TO THE END OF ANOTHER MEETING.
UH, THANKS TO EVERYBODY AND HAVE A TERRIFIC WEEK.