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ALL RIGHT. GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. AND WELCOME TO THE PLANNING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING FOR JANUARY THE 23RD. AND IT'S 10:00 A.M., AND WE HAVE A QUORUM, I
THINK, BUT ROLL CALL, PLEASE. >> CLERK:
MA'AM, WE HAVE A QUORUM. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU. WE'LL START OFF WITH ITEM NUMBER ONE, WHICH IS THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM OUR DECEMBER 11, 2023, PLANNING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING, AND YOU ALL SHOULD HAVE HAD THEM IN YOUR PACKAGE, AND I'D LOVE TO ENTERTAIN A
MOTION TO APPROVE. >> COURAGE: I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE.
>> CASTILLO: SECOND. >> GARCIA: THERE'S A MEXICO AND A FAVOR.
ALL IN FAVOR, PLEETION SAY AYE (AYE. >> GARCIA: MOTION CARRIES. NEXT ITEM IS PUBLIC COMMENT.
WE HAVE SIX PEOPLE REGISTERED TO SPEAK. WE'LL START OFF WITH
KATHLEEN TRENCHARD. >> I'M KATHLEEN TRENCHARD, 105 NORTH JOES SAN ANTONIO 17, TOBIN DRIVE, I REALLY ENJOY BEING IN THIS BEAUTIFUL BUILDING THAT'S BEEN RESTORED AND LANDSCAPED AND MAINTAINED AND IT'S JUST A PLEASURE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND THANK YOU FOR TURNING ON THE LIGHTS AT NIGHT WITH THE UKRAINIAN COLORS.
THAT'S SHOWED LEADERSHIP AND SENSITIVITY. I WAS VERY PLEASED TO SEE THAT. ANYWAY, I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO.
AND I'M SORRY, OUT FRONT MEDIA AND URBAN ACTIVATION INSTITUTE, BUT I DON'T THINK SAN ANTONIO NEEDS DIGITAL SIGNAGE TO PROMOTE OUR ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICTS. WE ALREADY HAVE DIGITAL KIOSKS DOWNTOWN AND IN THE PARKS, AND THOSE WERE SNUCK IN IN A DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT.
I KNOW YOU'RE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THOSE, BUT THEY ARE A DISTRACTION. SO ARE WE GOING, ONCE AGAIN, TO PIMP OUR CIVIC COMMUNITIES TO ACCOMMODATE ANOTHER DIGITAL EYE SORE? OUR DOWNTOWN IS A MESS RIGHT NOW, AND THIS IS THE LAST THING WE NEED.
LET US CONCENTRATE, RATHER, ON MAKING OUR VISITORS AND RESIDENTS EXPERIENCE THE HISTORIC, CHARMING TREASURE THAT WE ALREADY ARE.
AND ONE LAST NOTE, WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE DARK SKIES INITIATIVE? IT SEEMS THAT RIGHT NOW WE NEED IT MORE THAN EVER.
SO THANK YOU TO YOUR TIME AND YOUR SERVICE, I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE
THIS MORNING. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, MRS. TRENCHARD.
BIANCA MALDONADO. AND I BELIEVE I WAS TOLD BARBARA WITTE HOW WELL WILL BE YIELDING HER TIME TO YOU. IS THAT STILL TRUE IN.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. MY NAME IS BIANCA MALDONADO, I LIVE AT 457 CLUB DRIVE. ITEM NUMBER TWO, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, COUNCILMEMBERS. THE REASON I'M HERE TODAY IS THAT IN THE PRESENTATION YOU'LL HEAR THAT THIS ITEM IS -- AND I WANTED TO EXPAND UPON THE -- RECOMMEND FOR US TO TAKE UP THAT ITEM BECAUSE OF THE COMPLEXITIES OF IT, AND THEY MENTIONED OBVIOUSLY THE LEGALITIES BEHIND AN AGREEMENT THAT WOULD HAPPEN WITH AN INDIVIDUAL WHO WANTED TO INSTALL A DIGITAL BILLBOARD DOWNTOWN AND PROVIDE REVENUE BACK TO THE CITY.
THE OTHER BIG CAVEAT THAT WAS NOT MENTIONED WERE THE CONCERNS THAT WE HAD REGARDING THAT DIGITAL SIGNS AND BILLBOARDS ARE CURRENTLY EXPLICITLY BANNED WITHIN HISTORIC DISTRICTS, LANDMARKS AND IN THE AREA OF PROTECTION THAT ARE DOWNTOWN. I WILL TELL YOU THE RENDERING THAT WE HAD HAD A DIGITAL BILLBOARD ON THE CONVENTION CENTER FRONTING MARKET STREET AND THEN ALSO FRONTING THE INTERSTATE. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS NOT ADDRESSED IN THE PRESENTATION, IT'S NOT MENTIONED IN THE STAFF'S MEMO IS TXDOT. SO WHEN YOU HAVE AN OFF-PREMISE SIGN THAT'S VISIBLE FROM A FEDERALLY FUNDED INFRASTRUCTURE LIKE A HIGHWAY, A TXDOT PERMIT WOULD BE NEEDED. AND ESSENTIALLY WHAT WE WERE SHOWN WAS A RENDERING -- IT'S NOT POSSIBLE. TXDOT WOULD HAVE NEVER ISSUED A PERMIT FOR THAT. SO I CAUTIOUSLY GIVE MY COMMENTS AS FAR AS THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH. IT IS MONUMENTAL BECAUSE IT SEEKS TO OVERRIDE THE PROTECTIONS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN OUR DOWNTOWN AREA.
AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING ON DOWNTOWN, OF COURSE THEY PROPOSE DOWNTOWN BECAUSE THEY'RE LOOKING FOR VOLUME OF PEDESTRIANS AND VOLUME OF VEHICLES TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THESE DIGITAL INTERFACING WITH THE PUBLIC. AND WHEN YOU ALSO THINK ABOUT VEHICLES COMING IN AND OUT OF DOWNTOWN, OUR DOWNTOWN IS SURROUNDED BY HIGHWAYS ON ALL FOUR SIDES. AND SO YOU HAVE A LIMITED REACH, IF YOU HAVE AN OFF-PREMISE SIGN VISIBLE FROM ONE OF THOSE FEDERALLY FUNDED INFRASTRUCTURES. I THINK THAT'S THE CRITICAL ELEMENT.
IF YOU ALSO LOOK AT THE COMMITMENT THAT THE CITY MADE WHEN THEY
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ESTABLISHED THE WORLD HERITAGE OVERLAY, WHEN WE APPLIED TO BE A UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE AND RECEIVED THAT, THE CITY REALLY BUILT UPON THE HISTORIC DISTRICTS THAT THEY HAVE WITH THE PROTECTIONS OF THE RIO, THE PROTECTIONS OF THE LANDMARKS THAT WE HAVE DOWNTOWN, AND ALSO SEVERAL HISTORIC DISTRICTS THAT ARE WITHIN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.AND SO WHEN THIS PRESENTATION WAS MADE -- DIGITAL BILLBOARDS INSIDE THE CONVENTION CENTER EVALUATED, JUST AS WE HAVE AT THE AIRPORT. WHY WEREN'T OTHER OPTIONS LOOKED AT HIGH TRAFFIC AREAS? I JUST -- WHEN I TAKE A STEP BACK AND I LOOK AT THE DUE DILIGENCE THAT WAS DONE FOR DIGITAL BILLBOARD CONVERSIONS WHERE WE HAD A TAKEDOWN COMPONENT THAT OCCURRED ACROSS OUR CITY OVER NOW OUR THIRD PILOT PROGRAM, THIS ONE GAVE US EXTREME PAUSE BECAUSE YOU'RE ADDING -- YOU'RE ADDING OFF-PREMISE BILLBOARDS IN AN AREA WHERE THEY HAVE BEEN BANNED AND THERE HAS BEEN AN INTENT FOR THE ORDINANCE TO REMOVE THE NUMBER OF OFF-PREMISE BILLBOARDS. 750,000 TO A MILLION DOLLARS IN POTENTIAL REVENUE TO GO TO ARTS, THAT'S THE CARROT.
BUT THE STICK IS THE LOSS OF PRESERVATION, THE LOSS OF OUR HISTORIC CULTURE.
IF YOU LOOKED IN THE MEMO, WHO ARE THEY COMPARING US TO? HOLLYWOOD, DENVER AND ATLANTA. NONE OF THOSE CITIES ARE AS OLD AS OUR CITY. NONE OF THOSE CITIES HAVE THE STORY OF ARCHITECTURAL HISTORY AND CULTURE THAT WE SHARE. I LOOK AT THAL MORKS AND YOU LOOK AT ALL THE THINGS THAT WERE DONE AROUND THE ALAMO AND ITS PROTECTION. ARE WE SEEKING TO UNDO THAT? BECAUSE IN THEIR PROPOSAL, THESE COULD ALSO GO IN PARKS.
AND OUR MOST PRECIOUS SMALL GREENSPACES THAT WE HAVE DOWNTOWN ARE OF CONCERN. AND MOST OF OUR LANDMARKS ARE ALSO DOWNTOWN.
IF YOU DECIDE THAT THIS SHOULD MOVE FORWARD FOR PUBLIC INPUT, I WOULD ASK THAT YOU CONSIDER SUBMITTING THIS TO THE OFFICE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION MAINTAINS THE HISTORIC DISTRICT COALITION, THAT THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THIS. THAT THE CITY'S PARKS AND REC BOARD REVIEW THIS, THAT SCENIC SAN ANTONIO BE ENGAGED.
THAT THE CONSERVATION SOCIETY BE ENGAGED, THAT TXDOT BE ENGAGED, THAT THE HISTORIC DESIGN AND REVIEW COMMISSION BE BRIEFED AND PRESENTED ON THIS. AND THAT ALSO -- THAT THERE'S SEVERAL PUBLIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR THIS, BECAUSE IT IS MONUMENTAL.
IT ISN'T JUST SEEKING ONE CHANGE IN THE SIGNAGE CODE, IT IS A DOMINO EFFECT IMPACTING MULTIPLE AREAS IN THE UDC, SO I THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERATION OF MY COMMENTS AND THANK YOU. HAVE A GOOD DAY.
>> GARCIA: THANK YOU, BIANCA. JEMMA KENNEDY.
WILL BE FOLLOWED BY EDWARD JACOBS. >> THANK YOU, MY NAME IS JEMMA KENNEDY, 509 RIVER ROAD. OF COURSE, I'M TALKING ABOUT 2. I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN THE ARTS HEAVILY SINCE I'VE MOVED TO SAN ANTONIO, IN 1976. I'VE BEEN ON A NUMBER OF DANCE, VISUAL ART BOARDS AND MUSIC BOARDS. AND, YOU KNOW, SUPPORTING THE ARTS AND THE CITY. I KNOW HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO SUPPORT THE ARTS.
BUT THIS IS NOT THE WAY TO DO IT. BY CREATING A NEW OUTDOOR MEDIA PLATFORM OVERLAY, WHICH NOT REALLY CLEARLY DESCRIBED, AND I'VE BEEN LOOKING IT UP AND WHAT THEY'VE DONE IN OTHER CITIES.
THIS APPROACH CREATED BY COMMITTEE FOR PURELY ECONOMIC PURPOSES WILL CHANGE THE FACE OF OUR HISTORIC DISTRICT, AND ALTERING IT WITH DIGITAL SIGNS. AND A MAJOR CHANGE AS BIANCA STATED IN OUR SIGN ORDINANCE. THIS ORDINANCE WILL NOT CHANGE -- HELP US CREATE ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICTS. IT WILL NOT MAKE DOWNTOWN WELCOMING. IT WILL NOT MAKE THE CHARACTER OF THIS HISTORIC CITY A FORWARD-LOOKING PLACE TO BE.
I HATE TO SAY THIS, BUT IT'S A TACKY WAY TO APPROACH DOWNTOWN WITH DIGITAL, YOU KNOW, SIGNAGE. WE'RE NOT LAS VEGAS, WE'RE NOT NEW YORK. AND THEN I WOULD LIKE YOU TO GO LOOK UP WHAT THEY DID IN DENVER WITH THE THEATER ARTS. AND ONCE YOU GET THROUGH THE SIGNAGE, YOU CAN SORT OF SEE THE THEATER THING.
SO THE THINGS THAT THEY HAVE RECOMMENDED. A NEW OUTDOOR MEDIUM PLATFORM, I DON'T SEE THIS HAPPENING HERE. OUT FRONT MEDIA, URBAN ACTIVATION INSTITUTE, WHAT THEY DID WITH THE OTHER THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN RECOMMENDED, I WOULDN'T WANT TO BE THERE.
IF YOU CAN SEE THROUGH THE SIGNS. WE NEED AN APPROACH TO EXEXPAND ART IN THE CITY, SHOWCASE THE WONDERFUL ART WE ALREADY HAVE DOWNTOWN. WE HAVE A PHENOMENAL AMOUNT OF ART.
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THE PROBLEM IS HOW DO WE CONNECT IT? HOW DO OTHER PEOPLE SEE THIS AS YOU'RE WALKING THROUGH THE DOWNTOWN AREA? WE DO NEED MORE MONEY FOR THE ARTS. THIS PROPOSAL, AS BIANCA SAID, NEEDS MORE DISCUSSION. I MEAN, IT CAME ALMOST LIKE IT'S JUST READY TO BRING TO COUNCIL. I THINK IT'S FAR FROM THAT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. GARCIA TB>> GARCIA: THANK YOU, JEMMA. DAVID EDWARDS.
>> I'M SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF ITEM 2 ON THE AGENDA.
I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THIS PLATFORM BRINGS THAT I THINK HASN'T BEEN MENTIONED BEFORE IS THE PROMOTION OF THE ARTS THAT THIS DOES.
ALL OF THE DESIGNS WOULD BE UNIQUE TO SAN ANTONIO.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN DONE IN A NUMBER OF THE LEADING CITIES, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO MENTION THE INDIVIDUAL CHARACTER THIS WILL HAVE IN REFLECTING YOUR GREAT CITY. SO WE'RE IN SUPPORT OF
ITEM 2. >> GARCIA: DAVID IRLICK.
>> I'VE BEEN HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THIS CONCEPT IN SAN ANTONIO FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS NOW, AND I THINK A LOT OF THE COMMENTS TODAY ARE VERY RELEVANT. I ALSO RUN THE DENVER DISTRICT, AND I HELPED FORM THE ATLANTA DISTRICT. AND I GUESS IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, I'M ABSOLUTELY AVAILABLE AS A RESOURCE, BUT THE ONE THING I'D SAY SPECIFICALLY, AGAIN, HAVING RUN THE DISTRICT FOR 12 YEARS IN DENVER, IS THAT THE ART IMPACT IS SIGNIFICANT AND IS REAL.
SO IN DENVER, FOR EXAMPLE, WE JUST FINISHED A $600,000 PERMANENT DIGITAL PROJECTION INSTALLATION HIGHLIGHTING SOME OF OUR ARCHITECTURE THAT WE'RE VERY PROUD OF. EACH CITY THAT WAS MENTIONED HAS THEIR OWN HISTORY, AND ATLANTA IS A VERY PROUD CITY IN CONNECTION WITH THEIR CIVIL RIGHTS HISTORY, AND I'D BE HAPPY TO GIVE YOU CONTACTS IN ALL THE CITIES THAT I'VE WORKED IN, ATLANTA, DENVER, MARYLAND, AND LET THEM TELL YOU IF THEY FEEL IT'S BEEN IMPACTFUL IN TERMS OF ART AND IN TERMS OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND OTHER BENEFITS.
SO, YOU KNOW, IN CONCLUSION, REALLY JUST OFFERING MYSELF UP AS A RESOURCE AND OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS OF CONVERSATIONS, SAN ANTONIO HAS REALLY DONE A LOT OF INITIAL DUE DILIGENCE.
IT'S BEEN A VERY CONSIDERED APPROACH, A LOT OF GOOD, TOUGH QUESTIONS, AND I JUST HOPE THAT PROCESS CONTINUES AND HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE. THANK YOU.
>> GARCIA: THANK YOU, SO MUCH TO ALL OF OUR FOLKS WHO CAME FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. WE WILL TAKE UP THE CONSENT AGENDA NOW, BECAUSE I THINK WE HAVE SOME FOLKS THAT CAN PROBABLY STEP OUT AFTER WE TAKE THE CONSENT AGENDA UP. SO MY COLLEAGUES SHOULD HAVING A GENERAL DA ITEMS 5 AND 6, SO IF YOU ALL -- IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, WE CAN TAKE THEM NOW, OR IF NOT, IF I CAN ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE. THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE (. >> GARCIA: MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. .
WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER TWO WHICH IS BRIEFING AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON PRO POSSER L TO CREATE PRESENTED BY MIKE SHANNON.
MIKE, THE FLOOR IS YOURS. >> SHANNON: THANK YOU CHAIRWOMAN AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS. I'M GOING TO TALK TO YOU TODAY ABOUT WHAT WE'RE REFERRING TO AS URBAN ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICTS, AND WE MIGHT NEED TO RETHINK THAT NAME A LITTLE BIT AND I'LL TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHY. SO JUST A QUICK OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE, A COUPLE YEARS AGO NOW CITY STAFF, MYSELF, MY TEAM AT DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, SOME OF OUR PUBLIC ARTS DEPARTMENT AND THROUGHOUT THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS OUR OFFICE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION, WE WERE APPROACHED BY UP FRONT MEDIA, URBAN ACTIVATION INSTITUTE, SOME OF THE MEMBERS SPOKE HERE, ABOUT A PROPOSAL TO CREATE THESE URBAN ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICTS. SOME OTHER CITIES ARE DOING IT, AND WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT THAT. IT WAS ACTUALLY PRESENTED BECAUSE IT'S ABSOLUTELY A SIGN COMPONENT TO THIS. WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT. BUT IT WAS PRESENTED THROUGH LAST YEAR'S 2023 SIGN CODE UPDATE PROCESS, THAT WAS CHAPTER 28. THE COMMITTEE FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS CHOSE NOT TO SUPPORT THAT. I PRESENTED THAT ABOUT A YEAR AGO. I THINK IT WAS MARCH OR APRIL I WAS HERE, GIVING YOU THAT UPDATE. I HAD TOLD YOU AT THAT TIME THAT THERE WAS THIS CONCEPT THAT WASN'T REALLY JUST A SIGN CODE ISSUE, IT WAS MORE OF A POLICY DECISION BY COUNCIL. SO IT WAS NOT PART OF THE SIGN CODE UPDATE THAT WAS PASSED BY FULL COUNCIL THAT WENT INTO EFFECT, BUT IT WAS SOMETHING THAT YOU ASKED ME TO BRING BACK, AT LEAST TALK TO THE GROUP SOME MORE AND BRING BACK SOME MORE INFORMATION ON IT. SO THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE'RE DOING TODAY. AND SO LET'S -- WHAT IS THIS URBAN ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT? NOW, I WANT TO STEP BACK, WE HAVE SOMETHING CALLED AN ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT ALREADY IN OUR CODE.
THAT'S A ZONING DISTRICT. THAT IS NOT WHAT THIS IS, SO IT WAS A QUESTION THAT CAME UP ACTUALLY JUST YESTERDAY FROM SOMEONE
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THAT SAID, YOU KNOW, IS THAT REALLY THE ZONING DISTRICT THAT WE ALREADY HAVE? I SAID NO, IT'S REALLY DIFFERENT.SO WE MAY WANT TO CALL THIS A DIFFERENT NAME. BUT THE ZONING DISTRICT THAT WE HAVE, THE ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT THAT WE HAVE ALREADY IN THE CODE IS FOR THEME PARKS, RIGHT? IT'S FOR SEAWORLD, FIESTA TEXAS, MORGAN'S WONDERLAND, THOSE ATTRACTIONS F YOU WILL, THAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY. THERE'S ONLY FIVE OF THEM IN THE CITY. THIS IS NOT THAT. THIS IS CREATING AN AREA OR A LOCATION OR CERTAIN LOCATIONS THAT WOULD ALLOW THE INSTALLATION OF ENHANCED DIGITAL DISPLAYS ON BUILDINGS AND STRUCTURES FOR ARTS AND ADVERTISEMENTS. SO IT'S KIND OF A UNIQUE ISSUE, BUT REALLY IT'S ABOUT THESE DIGITAL, ENHANCED DIGITAL DISPLAYINGS AND MEDIA.
SO THAT BEING SAID, IT'S ALREADY BEEN MENTIONED, THERE'S BEEN A FEW CITIES AND OTHERS THAT ARE UNDER WAY, BUT WE JUST CHOSE SOME THAT ARE PROBABLY THE ONES THAT HAVE BEEN EITHER ALREADY IN EXISTENCE FOR OVER A DECADE LIKE DENVER, WEST HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA, CERTAINLY AT LAN TAXER AND YOU'RE RIGHT, THOSE ARE CERTAINLY NOT SAN ANTONIO, BUT THEY'VE DEVELOPED THIS PROGRAM OR A TYPE OF IT ALL A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
BUT WHAT THEY HAVE IS THEY HAVE SOME REVENUE SHARE TO THE DISTRICT AND/OR THE CITY, TIME-SHARE ON THE DIGITAL MEDIA, AND WHAT THIS ONE IS ABOUT IS REALLY THAT IT'S NOT A COST PHYSICAL DOLLARS COST TO THE CITY, IT IS PRIVATELY FUNDED. SO IT WOULDN'T BE SOMETHING THE CITY WOULD BUDGET. NOW, WE CAN JUST, YOU KNOW, DESCRIBE WHAT COST MEANS, BUT JUST FROM A DOLLARS AND CENTS, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT THE OTHERS ARE DOING. SO HERE'S SOME EXAMPLES. CLEARLY IT HAS SOME DIGITAL DISPLAYS, BUT THIS ISN'T JUST WHAT WE WOULD CONSIDER A DIGITAL BILLBOARD THAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY ALREADY. WE HAVE DIGITAL BILLBOARDS ALONG THE HIGHWAYS. THE CITY COUNCIL HAS APPROVED THOSE -- MORE TO THAT IN SMALL BITE-SIZED SAMPLES. BUT HERE'S SOME EXAMPLES THAT WE'LL SEE, AND THEY CAN TAKE A VARIETY OF FORMS, PROJECTIONS ON BUILDINGS, THE STRUCTURE ITSELF COULD BE ARTISTIC AND APPROVED THROUGH AN ARTS FORM, ET CETERA. SO HERE'S JUST SOME EXAMPLES, JUST TO KIND OF GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT THIS COULD LOOK LIKE. NOW, LIKE ANY NEW POLICY OR PROGRAM, THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME PROS AND CONS, SOME BENEFITS AND CHALLENGES. SO LET'S JUST TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE BENEFITS THESE PROGRAMS, YOU KNOW, ANNOUNCE IN OTHER CITIES.
SO THINKING LIKE ACTIVATION OF SPACES, IF WE WANT TO ACTIVATE, BRING PEOPLE TO AN AREA, THAT'S ONE OF THE BENEFITS THAT THESE HAVE. REVENUE SHARING IS CERTAINLY ONE OF THEM.
IT WAS MENTIONED IN SOME OF THE COMMENTS, BUT PART OF THIS WOULD BE A REVENUE SHARE TO THE CITY. THE CITY COULD USE THAT FOR REALLY ANYTHING THEY WANTED. THE OTHER CITIES, AND IT'S COMMONLY REFERRED THAT THEY WOULD USE THAT FOR ARTS FUNDING, DUE TO THE CHALLENGES OF OVERALL ARTS FUNDING, PROBABLY NOT JUST IN OUR CITY BUT EVERYWHERE, BUT THE CITY COULD DECIDE. IF WE DIDN'T WANT IT TO BE ARTS, IT COULD BE SOMETHING ELSE IF THAT'S WHAT YOU DECIDED.
THERE ARE ESTIMATED BASE ON OTHER CITIES, SIX OR SEVEN FIGURES PER YEAR.
I WOULD MANL THAT'S BASED ON THE NUMBER OF DIGITAL ART INSTALLATIONS, DIGITAL DISPLAY INSTALLATIONS, BUT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. NOW, SOME OTHER BENEFITS, CERTAINLY TIME ON DIGITAL MEDIA, THE CITY WOULD REQUIRE CERTAIN TYPES OF MESSAGING AND/OR DIGITAL ART TO BE SHOWN ON THOSE DIGITAL DISPLAYS. THE SIGN ELEMENTS, AGAIN, ARE -- THEY GO THROUGH AN ART REVIEW PROCESS, ARTISTIC REVIEW PROCESS BY A COMMITTEE THAT'S DEVELOPED. SO I THINK WE SAW SOME OF THE OTHER SCREENS PRIOR, IT'S NOT JUST THE TRADITIONAL JUST THE PLAIN BOX CABINET, RECTANGLE THAT WE SEE ON THE HIGHWAYS.
NO OFFENSE TO ANY OF MY OUTDOOR DIGITAL MEDIA COMPANIES, BUT THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. WE WOULD HAVE -- THE CITY WOULD HAVE CONTROL OVER DESIGN AND SOME CONTENT THROUGH CONTRACTS.
NOW, WE ALWAYS HAVE TO BE CAREFUL WITH SIGNAGE, RIGHT? WE CAN'T CONTROL CONTENT. THAT'S A FIRST AMENDMENT, RIGHT, TYPE OF THING; HOWEVER, THROUGH CONTRACTS WITH THESE COMPANIES THAT VOLUNTARILY DO THIS, THERE IS SOME CONTROL THAT CAN BE BUILT IN IF WE DON'T WANT CERTAIN TYPES OF ADVERTISEMENT ON THERE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. AND THEN THERE IS ALSO THINGS LIKE SAFETY ISSUES WITH ADDITIONAL LIGHTING.
SO IF YOU HAVE A DARK AREA OR A DARK LOCATION, THEN THIS COULD BRING SOME LIGHTING TO IT. AND THEN THERE WOULD ALSO BE SOME OPERATING STANDARDS THAT WE WOULD CONTROL, THINGS LIKE BRIGHTNESS AND TIME TO BE A STILL MESSAGE AS OPPOSED TO LIKE A MOVIE SCREEN WITH MOTION, YOU KNOW, KIND OF LIKE DIGITAL MOTION. NOW, THERE'S DEFINITELY SOME CHALLENGES, ABSOLUTELY. YOU HEARD SOME OF THEM.
FIRST ONE I PUT UP THERE WAS COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR DIGITAL MEDIA.
WHENEVER WE TALK ABOUT DIGITAL MEDIA, DIGITAL SIGNAGE, WE HEAR ABOUT THE CHALLENGES THAT -- THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE, SOME PEOPLE THAT DO NOT WANT ANY MORE. THEY DON'T LIKE WHAT WE HAVE, THEY DON'T WANT ANY MORE, THEY WANT TO PROTECT CERTAIN AREAS. SO CERTAINLY COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR DIGITAL MEDIA IS SOMETHING THAT'S ALWAYS DISCUSSED AND SOMETHING WE'RE -- WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE A LONG CONVERSATION
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ABOUT. ALSO WHAT AREAS AND/OR WHAT BUILDINGS WOULD THIS BE APPROPRIATE? THAT'S REALLY FOR US TO DECIDE AS A CITY IF WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS. CERTAINLY ENFORCEMENT AND REGULATION, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE ALWAYS ALWAYS HAVE WHEN WE CREATE A SET OF RULES OR PROGRAMS, HOW ARE WE GOING TO ENFORCE OR REGULATE TO MAKE SURE THAT ANYBODY WORKING WITH THIS -- OR HAS ONE OF THESE FOLLOWS THOSE RULES, AND ABSOLUTELY IT'S THE LAST ON THE LIST, BUT CERTAINLY NOT THE LEAST IMPORTANT BY ANY STRETCH IS REALLY THE PROTECTION OF CERTAIN COMMUNITY AREAS AND ASSETS. SOME OF THEM WERE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT, RIO, RIVERWALK, WHAT ABOUT HISTORIC DISTRICTS? REALLY, WHERE SHOULD WE NOT HAVE AND CONTINUE TO NOT HAVE ANY DIGITAL CONSENT. SO THAT'S A DISCUSSION THAT WE CERTAINLY THINK ABSOLUTELY HAS TO HAPPEN. NOW, JUST TO KIND OF SUMMARIZE A LITTLE BIT, THE PROGRAM WOULD ABSOLUTELY REQUIRE CHANGES TO THE CITY'S SIGN CODE. BECAUSE THIS -- THE ALLOWANCE WOULD BE TO ALLOW ADDITIONAL DIGITAL OFF-PREMISE ADVERTISING.THAT'S SOMETHING THE CODE SAYS YOU CAN'T DO THAT UNLESS IT'S BEEN PRESCRIBED BY A CERTAIN ORDINANCE. SOMETHING WE'VE DONE OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, JUST A COUPLE OF TIMES, HOWEVER, Y YOU'D HAVE TO HAVE A CHANGE TO THE SIGN CODE. WE WOULD CREATE SOME SORT OF ORDINANCE FOR ONE OR MORE OF THESE AREAS OR DISTRICT.
EVEN ALSO THIS COMMITTEE, OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE CITY STAFF. HOWEVER, WE WANT TO PRESCRIBE IT, WE WOULD CREATE THAT, AND THEN, AGAIN, I JUST PUT UP, AGAIN, SOME OF THEIR -- OTHER THINGS I THINK I'VE ALREADY SAID THAT. MINIMUM TIME ALLOTTED FOR PUBLIC MESSAGING, AND THEN A KEY THING, WE BELIEVE THIS WOULD BE OPEN TO PUBLIC AND PRIVATE BUILDINGS. SO IF WE THE CITY WANTED TO USE A FACILITY OF OUR OWN TO DO THIS AND/OR ALLOW IT FOR PRIVATE BUILDINGS, IF THEY SO CHOOSE, TO GO THROUGH A PROCESS TO GET THIS.
SO THAT'S HOW WE WOULD THINK IT WOULD BE DONE. SO MY RECOMMENDATION IS NOT -- THIS IS NOT A FULLY BAKED ITEM. CERTAINLY A LOT OF DISCUSSION WOULD HAVE TO HAPPEN, NOT ONLY JUST WITH CITY STAFF, KIND OF SOME OF THE OPERATORS THAT WOULD DO THIS, BUT REALLY IT'S THE COMMUNITY. I THINK WE NEED TO SPEND THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS HAVING COMMUNITY MEETING, DISCUSSION. I THINK THERE WAS A LIST OF STAKEHOLDERS THAT BIANCA HAD MENTIONED, THAT'S ABSOLUTELY THE LIST OF STAKEHOLDERS AND PROBABLY SOME MORE THAT WE NEED TO INVITE AND HAVE REALLY DETAILED CONVERSATIONS. SO I THINK WE NEED TO GET THAT FEEDBACK FROM OUR COMMUNITY. WHAT WOULD THIS LOOK LIKE, WHAT COULD IT LOOK LIKE, WHAT SHOULD IT NOT LOOK LIKE, AND THEN WE WOULD BRING BACK IN A FEW MONTHS TO THIS GROUP NOT ONLY THE RESULTS OF THOSE COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS AND THE FEEDBACK, BUT WE WOULD PRESENT THAT.
AND IF SO, WHAT A FULL ORDINANCE COULD LOOK LIKE, AND MAYBE PROPOSED LOCATIONS FOR A PILOT PROGRAM. WE ARE CERTAINLY NOT RECOMMENDING THAT WE WOULD SAY, HEY, HERE'S 20 AREAS OR 30 AREAS THAT THIS COULD BE THE WAY TO GO. IT'S PROBABLY SOMETHING LIKE IF WE WANTED TO DO SOMETHING, HOW WOULD YOU PILOT THAT, IF THAT'S THE WILL OF COUNCIL. SO THAT'S REALLY MY RECOMMENDATION, IS THAT WE JUST CONTINUE AND HAVE SOME SERIOUS CONVERSATIONS WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND STAKEHOLDERS, AND WITH THAT, I'LL JUST SAY THANK YOU. AND I'LL BE ABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
>> GARCIA: THANK YOU, MIKE. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING YOUR WORK WITH DSD ON EXPLORING THE IDEA, AND IF MY COLLEAGUES RECALL, WE KIND OF TALKED ABOUT THIS DURING OUR 2023 SIGN CODE UPDATE PROCESS, BUT IT WAS A LITTLE OUT OF OUR SCOPE, SO WE KIND OF NEEDED SOME ADDITIONAL TIME. AND I TEND TO AGREE WITH SOME OF THE SPEAKERS, RIGHT. AND SAN ANTONIO IS SPECIAL, SAN ANTONIO IS NOT NEW YORK CITY WITH ALL OF THE FLOODING OF THE LIGHTS, ALTHOUGH I'M IN ADVERTISING, I TEACH THAT FOR A LIVING, I'D SAY THAT SAN ANTONIO HAS SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT SPECIAL.
AND SO I DO THINK THAT IT'S WORTH LOOKING INTO IT WITH VARIOUS STAKEHOLDERS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE RESPECT THE CONTEXT OF OUR HISTORICAL DOWNTOWN. AND SO I APPRECIATE THAT YOU ARE OFFERING ANOTHER THREE MONTHS TO SEE IF WE CAN COME TO AN AGREEMENT AND WORK WITH SOME ADDITIONAL STAKEHOLDERS, I THINK SOME OF THE STAKEHOLDERS THAT WERE BROUGHT UP TODAY INCLUDING OHP WOULD BE CRITICAL IN THIS ASPECT.
I THINK THAT WE -- WE DEFINITELY HAVE MAINTAINED SOME REGULATIONS FOR THE NEW DEVELOPMENT OF THOSE ELECTRONIC BILLBOARDS THAT WE HAD TALKED ABOUT ACROSS THE CITY WITH SUPPORT OF OUR RESIDENTS. I THINK THAT A PLANNED ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT WITH APPROPRIATE DESIGN AND ARTISTIC LENS COULD BE A GOOD ADDITION TO OUR CITY, BUT I DO THINK THAT WE NEED TO REMAIN IN CONTROL.
SO ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAD FOR YOU, MIKE WAS SPECIFICALLY IF THE CITY DOESN'T TAKE CONTROL OF THIS, COULD AN ENTITY LIKE CENTRO DO SOMETHING? I KNOW THERE'S STILL PERMITTING PROCESSES, BUT COULD AN ENTITY LIKE CENTRO TAKE OVER SOMETHING LIKE THIS?
>> SHANNON: WELL, CERTAINLY THEY COULD; HOWEVER, WE WOULD STILL NEED TO CHANGE THE SIGN CODE TO ALLOW OFF-PREMISE DIGITAL ADVERTISING IN SOME WAY, SHAPE OR FORM. SO I CAN'T IMAGINE THE CITY WOULDN'T HAVE SOME
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CONTROL OF THAT. BUT AFTER THAT FACT, IT COULD BE ANOTHER ORGANIZATION, IT COULD BE, YOU KNOW, THROUGH SOME AGREEMENT ORSOMETHING, YEAH. >> GARCIA: SURE. AND SO WITH THE PILOT PROGRAM -- AND I APPRECIATE THAT YOU'RE THINKING OF A PILOT PROGRAM -- COULD WE ALSO BE LOOKING AT STIPULATIONS WHERE MAYBE THE SIGNAGE IS ONLY ON AT CERTAIN TIMES, ET CETERA?
AND SO WE WOULD HAVE CONTROL OVER THAT? >> SHANNON: I THINK THAT'S ALL IN PLAY, YES. I THINK IT'S ALL -- YOU KNOW, THROUGH THE KOFER CONVERSATIONS, THROUGH THESE CONTRACTS, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT YOU DO. YOU ESSENTIALLY GO THROUGH A PROCESS AND WHOEVER'S SELECTED, THEN THAT ENTITY THAT BUILDS IT PER THE APPROVED DESIGN SPECS, AND THEN WE WOULD HAVE CONTROL OVER, I GUESS, THINGS LIKE TIME
OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU. AND THEN I KNOW YOU ALREADY MENTIONED THAT THE CITY WOULD RECEIVE SOME REVENUE FROM THE PROJECT. AND WE MENTIONED THAT IT WOULD GO TO THE ARTS.
I DO THINK THAT SOME OF IT -- WE'RE PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, WE'RE ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT HOUSING, I THINK THAT MAYBE WE COULD CARVE OUT SOME SORT OF ASSISTANCE FOR DSD VIOLATIONS, RIGHT, OR FOR ANOTHER VIOLATION THING AS WELL. I GET IT, I GUESS IT DEPENDS ON HOW MUCH. IT'S ALWAYS A BIT OF THE POT, BUT WE CAN DISCUSS THAT LATER. AND THEN ALSO SOME OF THE GROUPS THAT YOU ARE PROPOSING TO MEET WITH, I KNOW THAT YOU'VE SAID THAT YOU WOULD MEET WITH THEM PUBLICLY, BUT WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO MEET WITH THEM INDIVIDUALLY? I FEEL LIKE SOME OF THE GROUPS MIGHT NOT SAY AS MUCH WHEN THEY'RE IN A GROUP SETTING, AND I'D PREFER FOR YOU TO MEET INDIVIDUALLY WITH THEM.
>> SHANNON: YEAH, NO, ABSOLUTELY. WE WANT ANY AND ALL FEEDBACK, HOWEVER THEY'RE COMFORTABLE, CERTAINLY WE'VE DONE BOTH BEFORE WHEN WE'VE DEVELOPED PROGRAMS LIKE THIS SO WE CAN GET ALL THE INFORMATION TO YOU AT
THE END. >> GARCIA: OKAY. WONDERFUL.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, MIKE, AND I'LL OPEN IT UP TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR MY COMMENTS. I'LL START WITH COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
>> COURAGE: THANK YOU. I PROBABLY HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS RATHER THAN COMMENTS, BUT ONE QUESTION I DO HAVE, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT ADJUSTING THE SIGN ORDINANCE, AND YOU'RE USING THE TERM "OFF-PREMISE." MY UNDERSTANDING AND WHAT I'VE BEEN PRESENTED SHOWS THAT REALLY THIS KIND OF ART PROJECT IS ON A BUILDING OR A STRUCTURE.
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NOVEMBER AND
OFF-PREMISE AND SOMETHING LIKE THAT. >> SHANNON: OFF-PREMISE ADVERTISING IS WHEREVER THAT STRUCTURE IS, THAT SIGN, IT'S ADVERTISING
SOMETHING THAT'S NOT ON THAT PROPERTY. >> COURAGE: OKAY.
>> SHANNON: IF I'M A MCDONALD'S AND I WANT TO ADVERTISE, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING ELSE THAT'S NOT ON MY PROPERTY, SO THAT'S THE OFF-PREMISE.
SO THAT'S WHY THE DIGITAL BILLBOARDS THAT YOU SEE ON THE HIGHWAY, THEY'RE NEVER ADVERTISING SOMETHING THAT'S RIGHT THERE, THEY'RE
ADVERTISING SOMETHING ELSE. >> COURAGE: GOOD POINT.
I APPRECIATE THAT. IT WAS MENTIONED THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO CONTROL THE TIME. AND I WOULD PRESUME THAT FROM WHAT YOU'VE HEARD, THESE SIGNS WOULD BE ON DAYTIME AND NIGHTTIME WITH MAYBE SOME RESTRICTIONS THAT WE PUT IN. IN OTHER WORDS, PROBABLY WOULDN'T MAKE SENSE TO HAVE IT ON AT 4:00 IN THE MORNING, ON THE OTHER HAND, IT COULD BE ON FROM 6:00 A.M. UNTIL, YOU KNOW, MIDNIGHT OR SOMETHING. THOSE ARE SOME OF THE DISCUSSIONS WE WOULD HAVE
GOING FORWARD IF WE DID THIS. >> SHANNON: YEAH.
AND I THINK WE'LL DO SOME MORE RESEARCH ON WHAT THE OTHER CITIES ARE DOING, BUT I THINK, AGAIN, THAT'S ALL WITHIN OUR CONTROL.
I WOULD IMAGINE THE MORE LIMITS YOU PUT ON IT, IT MAY -- SOME PEOPLE MAY NOT WANT TO DO IT VOLUNTARILY, BUT I THINK THOSE ARE REASONABLE THINGS TO CONSIDER -- I THINK WE HAVE SOME RESOURCES HERE THAT CAN HELP US WITH THAT, BUT...
I THINK THAT'S ALL WITHIN OUR PURVIEW. >> COURAGE: WELL, THAT BRINGS UP ANOTHER QUESTION I HAVE. HAS ANYONE GONE TO SEE EITHER DENVER OR AUSTIN OR WHATEVER OTHER CREATIONS THERE ARE OUT
THERE? >> SHANNON: NONE OF MY TEAM AT DEVELOPMENT SERVICES HAS TAKEN A ROAD TRIP TO DENVER, ATLANTA, WEST HOLLYWOOD.
WE'VE DONE RESEARCH USING THE INTERNET, CERTAINLY GOOGLE MAPS, THAT TYPE OF THING. WE HAVE A GENERAL IDEA, CERTAINLY I THINK WE -- YOU KNOW, WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE. I'LL CERTAINLY TALK TO ROD ABOUT GETTING APPROVAL TO GO TO DENVER.
>> COURAGE: HAVE WE TALKED TO ANY CITY OFFICIALS OVER THERE TO
GET THEIR INPUT ON WHAT THEY SEE FROM THIS. >> SHANNON: YES.
I BELIEVE EARLY ON I SPOKE TO SOMEONE IN DENVER.
I'D HAVE TO PULL UP MY NOTES, BUT THIS STARTED ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO, BECAUSE I WANTED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT WAS. AND THEY DESCRIBED FOR ME FROM THE CITY'S PERSPECTIVE HOW IT WENT THROUGH AND HOW IT CAME TO PASS, HOW THEY SET IT UP. AND I CONFIRMED THE REVENUE SHARING COMPONENT AND ALL THAT STUFF, BUT IT WAS PUTE CONVERSATION
JUST TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT. >> COURAGE: OKAY.
WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT THE LIGHTING AND MAYBE THE LEVELS OF LIGHTING.
I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE, AND A LOT OF US DO, THAT WE DON'T WANT TO GO AHEAD AND TURN ANY PART OF SAN ANTONIO INTO TIME SQUARE.
[00:30:02]
>> SHANNON: ABSOLUTELY. >> COURAGE: BUT WE COULD ADJUST LIGHTING AT CERTAIN TIMES OF THE DAY OR THINGS LIKE THAT, OR NOT LET IT BE TOO
EXCESSIVE, SO... >> SHANNON: YEAH, I THINK LIGHT LEVELS ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF THIS. CERTAINLY DIGITAL MEDIA IS GOING TO HAVE SOME LIGHTING THAT.'S ONE OF THE BENEFITS IN CERTAIN AREAS WHERE THERE'S A LOOK OF LIGHTING, BUT YOU CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT THAT'S OVERBRIGHT, SO CERTAINLY YOU WOULD CREATE SOME BRIGHTNESS LEVEL LIMITS AND ENFORCEMENT OF THAT. MY UNDERSTANDING IS IN TALKING WITH SOME OF THE -- ONE OF THE GENTLEMEN THAT SPOKE, THE OPERATORS WANT TO BE IN COMPLIANCE, SO THEY'RE VERY EASY TO STAY IN COMPLIANCE, OR IF SOMETHING GOES AWRY, IT'S A SIMPLE PHONE CALL AND IT'S ADJUSTED. AND THAT ACTUALLY CAN BE WRITTEN INTO THE CONTRACT, THAT SAYS IF YOU DON'T COMPLY WITHIN AN HOUR OR 30 MINUTES OR AN HOUR OF GETTING THAT NOTIFICATION FROM THE CITY, THEN YOU COULD LOSE YOUR PERMIT TO HAVE THAT, OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT.
>> COURAGE: NOW, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT WE PROTECT A LOT OF THE HERITAGE OF THE CITY, SO WE WOULDN'T WANT TO PUT ANYTHING AROUND THE ALAMO, FOR EXAMPLE, TO TAKE AWAY FROM THAT.
AND, OF COURSE, BUILDING A BIG MUSEUM THERE, I'M SURE THE STATE WOULD HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT THAT AS WELL. YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT TO PREVENT THE VIEWSHED FROM BEING ENJOYED FROM EVERYBODY AROUND THE CITY, SO THOSE ARE SOME ELEMENTS THAT WOULD BE IN CONSIDERATION, RIGHT?
>> SHANNON: ABSOLUTELY. I THINK THAT PROTECTION OF CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE, OF VIEWSHED, HISTORIC, WORLD HERITAGE, THOSE TYPE OF THINGS IS ABSOLUTELY GOING TO BE PART OF THAT CONVERSATION.
AND NEEDS TO BE. >> COURAGE: OKAY. I HAVE A FEW OTHER QUESTIONS. I'LL COME BACK. THANK YOU.
MARS MARS >> GARCIA: COUNCILMAN CASTILLO?
>> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, MIKE. I WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING A CONCERN I HAD REGARDING -- UNDERSTANDING OF SAN ANTONIO'S ZONING CODE IS WE WOULDN'T BE ALLOWED TO [INDISCERNIBLE] AND I WOULDN'T BE SUPPORTIVE OF ANY INITIATIVE THAT WOULD RESTRICT US FROM PRODUCING HOUSING. I'M LOOKING AT THE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION AND HEARING THE DISCUSSION THAT'S TAKING PLACE. I DO THINK THREE TO FOUR MONTHS IS ADEQUATE TO GATHER THAT FEEDBACK ON WHAT IT CAN LOOK LIKE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
ONE OF MY CONCERNS THAT'S ALSO BEEN ADDRESSED IN THE PRESENTATION IS HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO SCALE THE BRIGHTNESS UP OR DOWN, BECAUSE I'M SUPPORTIVE OF HAVING SOME OF THESE STRUCTURES AS WAYS TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY CONCERNS IN POCKETS OF THE URBAN CORE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, RIGHT, IF IT'S OVERWHELMING, IT COULD IMPACT SMALL BUSINESSES, WHATEVER VIBE THEY HAVE GOING ON, SO I'M SUPPORTIVE OF STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> GARCIA: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO. COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN.
>> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU, MIKE. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. A THREE TO FOUR MONTHS IS ADEQUATE TIME.
I FEEL LIKE IT'S A LITTLE LONGER. I FEEL LIKE THIS IS COMING WHETHER WE WANT IT OR NOT. I'VE TRAVELED OVERSEAS AND LOCALLY, AND EVERYBODY TENDS TO HAVE A DIGITAL ARTS DISTRICT, EVEN MEMPHIS, CITIES THAT ARE SMALLER THAN US, TEND TO HAVE THAT.
AND THE FEEL AND THE CHARACTER OF THE CITY DOESN'T NECESSARILY CHANGE IF IT IS DONE RIGHT AND WE HAVE THE CONVERSATION.
SO I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE GOING TO GO OUT TO THE COMMUNITY AND HAVE THE CONVERSATIONS. AND I UNDERSTAND THE CONCERN FOR DOWNTOWN AND, OF COURSE, DISTRICT THREE HAS THE WORLD HERITAGE, WHICH, YOU KNOW, WOULDN'T BE AVAILABLE FOR THIS, BUT DISTRICT THREE, AGAIN, GEOGRAPHICALLY IS THE LARGEST AREA IN SAN ANTONIO THAT HAS OTHER MAYBE CITY CENTERS THAT COULD BE USING THIS. AND I THINK ABOUT PORT ALSO, AND THEY HAVE RIGHT NOW THE SIGN. SO THAT'S THE OTHER THING, I'M LIKE WHY HAVEN'T WE CHANGED THE CODE? BECAUSE PORT IS DOING IT, OVER AT THE BLACK ROCK, THEY HAVE THAT HUGE SCREEN. I WAS -- IF THIS COULD HELP US GIVE OPPORTUNITY TO OTHER CITY CENTERS, AND AS WE GROW SOUTH AND THE COUNTY COMES TO HAVE THIS ALREADY SET ASIDE IN TERMS OF THIS IS OUR EXPECTATIONS, THIS IS WHAT WE'VE DONE. AND IF YOU'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD IN KIND OF THIS URBAN DIGITAL DISTRICT, THIS IS WHAT OUR EXPECTATION IS FOR THE BRIGHTNESS, FOR THE TYPE OF ADVERTISING, FOR WHAT WE EXPECT TO KIND OF GIVE OUR PUBLIC SAFETY MESSAGES THERE. SO I'M GLAD WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION. I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE GOING TO CONVERSE WITH THAT. AND I KNOW THE COMPANY THAT'S PRESENTING IS IN ATLANTA, DENVER AND WEST HOLLYWOOD, BUT NAME A CITY, AND I COULD PROBABLY -- AND IT'S NORMALLY NEAR THE DOMES OR THE -- WE WERE IN
[00:35:02]
ATLANTA, SO THAT'S WHERE WE KIND OF SAW THAT. IT'S NORMALLY NEAR THAT, BUT THERE'S ALSO JUST DIFFERENT DISTRICTS WHERE THIS IS HAPPENING.AND I DO BELIEVE THAT IT CAN ADDRESS, ONE, OUR PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUES.
BUT SECOND, THE FACT THAT WE ARE TRYING TO ELEVATE THE ARTS COMMUNITY HERE IN SAN ANTONIO AND WE NEED TO START GETTING CREATIVE ON HOW WE DO THAT. AND GOING INTO CRUZ ORTIZ'S STUDIO IS GREAT, BUT IF WE COULD PUT HIS WORK DIGITALLY OUT THERE, THAT WOULD BE EVEN BETTER. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING THE CONVERSATIONS AND HOPE WE CAN REACH SOME CONSENSUS AND ADDRESS THE CONCERNS THAT THIS MIGHT BE IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICTS, BUT I DON'T -- I DON'T THINK IT
WILL BE. THANK YOU. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU,
COUNCILWOMAN. COUNCILMAN COURAGE? >> COURAGE: THANK YOU, CHAIR. ONE THING I WANT TO MAKE SURE OF, AND THAT IS THAT WE'RE NOT LOOKING TO DEVELOP -- TO BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT WHERE THESE AREAS MIGHT BE SELECTED.
I THINK THAT THERE'S TWO ORGANIZATIONS THAT NEED TO BE INVOLVED IN THAT.
ONE IS THE ART COMMISSION AND THE OTHER IS THE GROUP THAT HAS BEEN LOOKING AT LIGHTING FOR THE CITY OVER TIME, THE GROUP THAT DIDN'T MAKE A RECOMMENDATION, BUT I THINK SHOULD STILL BE INVOLVED IN LOOKING AT WHERE IS AN APPROPRIATE PLACE TO DO THIS. I'LL GIVE YOU ANOTHER EXAMPLE, YOU MIGHT WANT TO PUT -- OR THE PROJECT MIGHT WANT TO PUT SOME LIGHTING ON A BIG GARAGE, BUT IF THAT GARAGE IS FACING A HOTEL THAT HAS 50 ROOMS FACING THAT LIGHTING ALL NIGHT LONG, THAT HOTEL MIGHT WANT TO SAY, HEY, I DON'T WANT THAT, BECAUSE MY -- YOU KNOW, PEOPLE STAYING THERE ARE GOING TO BE VERY UPSET WITH FLASHING LIGHTS AT 1:00 OR 2:00 IN THE MORNING, ET CETERA. SO I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE A LOT OF CONSIDERATION AS TO WHERE AND WHEN AND HOW WE DEVELOP THESE LOCATIONS, BUT PARTICULARLY NOT IN RESIDENTIAL AREAS. I THINK ANOTHER THING WE NEED TO LOOK AT AND COME TO AN UNDERSTANDING WITH HOW THIS IS DEVELOPED IS WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THESE PROJECTIONS ARE GOING TO BE ART AND WHAT PERCENTAGE ARE GOING TO BE ADS. IT'S EASY TO SAY IT'S GOING TO BE ART AND ADS, BUT IF IT'S 20% ART AND 80% ADS E ADS THEN I DON'T THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IF WE'RE GOING TO CREATE AN ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT OR ANY OTHER TYPE OF DISTRICT TO SHOW OFF PUBLIC ART OR PRIVATE ART LIKE THAT. SO I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE CONCERNED -- CONCERN. I'VE HAD SOME PEOPLE SAY, WELL, WE DON'T WANT TO GO UP AND MESS UP THE HISTORY OF SAN ANTONIO BY BRINGING THIS IN.
BUT WHAT CAME TO MY MIND IS SAN FERNANDO CATHEDRAL.
YEARS AGO NO ONE WOULD HAVE STOOD FOR PROJECTIONS ON SAN FERNANDO CATHEDRAL. AND TODAY, THEY'RE THERE ALL THE TIME.
SO I THINK WE STILL HAVE ROOM FOR LOOKING AT THIS.
THE LAST THING I WANT TO REITERATE IS THE SAFETY ISSUE.
DOWNTOWN ON COMMERCE STREET AND DE LA ROSA AND MARKET, IF YOU GO DOWN THERE AFTER SUNRISE, THEY'RE VERY DARK, PEOPLE DON'T FEEL SAFE.
IF WE CAN LIGHT UP SOME OF THESE AREAS, I THINK WE'LL JUST PROMOTE MORE USAGE OF THOSE DOWNTOWN LOCATIONS, MAYBE BRING MORE BUSINESSES THERE.
SO THANK YOU. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN.
ALL RIGHT. MIKE, SO IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAVE A PLAN, RIGHT, TO GO FORWARD AND DO SOME MORE RESEARCH AND STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS FOR THE NEXT THREE TO FOUR MONTHS. SO DO WE NEED THAT IN AN OFFICIAL MOTION? NO? OKAY.
GOOD. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> SHANNON: ALL RIGHT.
>> GARCIA: THANK YOU, COMMITTEE FOR YOUR FEEDBACK.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER THREE WHICH IS BRIEFING AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE STRATEGIC HOUSING IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, THE SHIP.
SO THAT WILL BE PRESENTED BY OUR CHIEF HOUSING OFFICER MARK HARMONO.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS MARK CARMONA. WE'LL COVER A QUICK SHIP RECAP, UPDATE YOU ON A FEW KEY ITEMS, SOME LEGISLATIVE ITEMS THAT
ARE M COG UP. VERONICA. >> GARCGARCIA WILL COVER PART OF THIS, AN UPDATE ON THE HOUSING BOND AND OUR KEY STRATEGIES. WE'LL THEN TURN IT OVER TO OUR COLLEAGUES AT OPPORTUNITY HOME TO COVER THE EXISTING NEED IN SAN ANTONIO, WHO OPPORTUNITY HOMES SERVES AS WELL AS THEIR CURRENT PORTFOLIO AND DEVELOPMENT PIPELINE AND BRINGING IT HOME WILL BE PETE ALANIZ WHO WILL CLOSE US UP WITH SOME UPDATES FROM THE SAN ANTONIO HOUSING TRUST, WHICH IS GOING TO INCLUDE UPDATES ON FUNDING APPLICATIONS, THEIR PIPELINE AND SOME OF THE NEXT STEPS FOR THE TRUST. AS YOU KNOW, THE SHIP IS OUR SHARED VISION FOR HOUSING AFFORDABILITY IN SAN ANTONIO.
IT'S OUR FIVE GOALS THAT REALLY HAVE BEEN DRIVING EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON IN THE SHIP AND BRINGING ALIGNMENT AROUND.
OF COURSE, YOU ALL ADOPTED IT IN DECEMBER OF '21.
[00:40:05]
IT DEFINES AFFORDABILITY IN OUR LOCAL CONTEXT. IT SETS NEW PRESERVATION AND PRODUCTION GOALS, IT LAYS OUT A 10-YEAR FUNDING PLAN, AND IT INCLUDES 36 STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS HOUSING AFFORDABILITY, HOLISTICALLY AND ACKNOWLEDGING THAT STABLE HOUSING IS MORE THAN JUST BUILDING AND PRESERVING HOMES. YOUR ADOPTION OF THIS WAS THE FIRST STEP IN A LONG PATH. REMEMBER, THIS IS A 10-YEAR PLAN. NEW PROGRAMS AND POLICIES WILL NEED TO BE DEVELOPED OVER THE NEXT EIGHT AND A HALF YEARS. THE LAST GOAL IN OUR VISION IS ENSURING ACCOUNTABILITY TO THE PUBLIC, AND WE HAVE AN ANNUAL SHIP EVENT IN WHICH WE DO THAT. OUR EVENT'S GOING TO BE HAPPENING THIS SATURDAY, THE 27TH, FROM 10:00 A.M. TO 2:00 P.M. AT SAM HOUSTON HIGH SCHOOL. IT WILL INCLUDE COUNCILMAN JALENMCKEE. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: , MAYOR NIRENBERG, OUR SHIP PARTNERS AND MANY ORE TH PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS. .
ON THE COORDINATION SIDE, I WANT TO FOCUS ON THREE AREAS.
FIRST IS THE SAN ANTONIO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT.
WE HAD AN INITIAL MEETING WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT. THIS INITIAL MEETING EXPLORED SOME OPTIONS FOR SAISD TO REDEVELOP OR UTILIZE SOME OF THE CAMPUSES BEING CLOSED FOR HOUSING FOR THEIR TEACHERS, STAFF AND FAMILIES. AS YOU ALL KNOW, THEY'VE SEEN A DECLINE IN ENROLLMENT DUE TO DECREASING BIRTH RATES, BUT ALSO TO LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THOSE AREAS. THE DISTRICT WOULD LIKE TO CONSIDER A WIDE ARRAY OF HOUSING OPTIONS THAT COULD MEET THE NEEDS OF THEIR STAFF. THEY'RE INTERESTED IN ITEMS LIKE COMMUNITY -- COMMUNITY PROCESS RIGHT NOW TO DETERMINE USAGE, BUT WILL GET BACK WITH US ON NEXT STEPS IN TERMS OF WHAT POTENTIAL CAMPUSES THAT WE CAN LOOK AT.
THE NEXT ITEM IS RELATED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION THRIVING COMMUNITIES. AS YOU KNOW, IT'S FOCUS DZ ON THE VIA EAST/WEST ART CORRIDOR. IT'S A PARTNERSHIP WITH VIA, THE CITY, LISC AND BEXAR COUNTY. THIS IS TO HELP US DRAW DOWN ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT AND BY PROVIDING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. I THINK THIS PROGRAM ALIGNS WELL WITH MUCH OF WHAT WAS OUTLINED YESTERDAY IN GOVERNANCE ON OUR TODCCR AND THE HOUSING COMMISSION -- HOUSING COMMISSION TECHNICAL WORK GROUP THAT WAS ESTABLISHED BY THE MAYOR. WE HAD OUR FIRST NATIONAL COHORT MEETING IN NOVEMBER. WE HAD -- WE HEARD FROM ALL OF THE DEPARTMENT AGENCIES TO INCLUDE THE SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORTATION. THERE IS A FOCUS ON CAPACITY BUILDING TO DRAW DOWN THESE FEDERAL FUNDS FOR TOD AND HOW TO ACCESS IT.
FINALLY WE HAD A MEETING WITH JUDGE SAKAI IN NOVEMBER WITH OUR HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM. WHO IT IT IS, HOW DO THEY WORK AND NEED FOR FUTURE WORK. THE COUNTY PLANS TO ADD SOME OUTREACH STAFF TO HELP WITH THEIR HOMELESS RESPONSE AND INCORPORATED CITIES. WE ARE WORKING WITH THEM TO COUSE OUR ESTABLISHED TRAINING PROTOCOL TO ENSURE ALIGNMENT AND COLLABORATION.
THE COUNTY IS FUNDING AS YOU CAN SEE 670,000 TO THE OSO APARTMENTS, 193 FOR HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION TO SAM, AND THEY APPROVED -- AND AS A FRAMEWORK 9.1 MILLION FOR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, HOWEVER 3.9 MILLION OF THAT HAS BEEN DEFERRED UNTIL THEY DO CONTINUED COMMUNITY OUTREACH FOR THE ASAY KIA TRAILS PROJECT FOR SAM. IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS I THINK A NUMBER OF YOU ALL WILL BE THERE, WE WILL BE GOING TO SA TO D.C., THE NIFT THROUGH THE EIGHTH. I'M -- THE FIFTH THROUGH THE EIGHTH. WE ARE BUILDING A BALANCED PUBLIC/PRIVATE AGENDA. WE HAVE ANOTHER -- OTHER NONPROFIT LEADERSHIP IN ATTENDANCE THAT INCLUDES OPPORTUNITY HOME, THE HOUSING TRUST, OUR COC CLOSE TO HOME, SAMMINISTRIES AND LISC. AS OPPOSED TO MEETING WITH OUR BEXAR COUNTY DELEGATION AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, THE FOCUS THIS YEAR WILL BE FOCUSED ON MEETING WITH LEGISLATORS THAT ARE SPONSORING PIECES OF LEGISLATION THAT WE REALLY WANT TO IMPACT AND THEIR STAFFS THAT ARE DRIVING THE NATIONAL HOUSING AGENDA. SO SOME OF THE MAJOR ITEMS INCLUDE EXPANDING AVAILABILITY OF HOUSING TAX CREDIT TO INCLUDE RENTER AND WORKFORCE HOUSING. INCREASE SUPPORT FOR HOME CDBG AND ESG FUNDING, AGAIN, FOCUSED ON SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FOR OLDER ADULTS AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, RENTER SUPPORTIVE SERVICES, INCLUDING EVICTION PREVENTION RESOURCES AND EXPANDED TAX CREDIT FOR CLIMATE RESILIENT HOMES. A LOT OF THESE AGENDA ITEMS ALIGN WITH OUR CITY PROGRAMS, OUR FUNDING ALLOCATION, LIKE THE HOUSING BOND, AND OUR STRATEGIES. WE INVITE COUNCILMEMBERS ATTENDING SA TO DC TO JOIN OUR HOUSING COHORT. AT THIS TIME I'LL TURN IT OVER TO VERONICA.
>> GARCIA: , THE DIRECTOR OF NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING AND SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
[00:45:05]
THANK YOU. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, MARK.
I'M VERONICA, I OVERSEE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES DEPARTMENT, AND I'LL FIRST START WITH AN OVERVIEW OF SOME OF THE COMMUNITY METRICS THAT WE ARE TRACKING. THIS INFORMATION IS INCLUDED IN RESPONSE TO A PREVIOUS GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE MEETING THAT WE HAD, AND IN RESPONSE TO A CCR FILED BY COUNCILWOMAN ROCHA GARCIA.
WE'RE ASKED TO PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION ON WHAT COMMUNITY METRICS AND ECONOMIC INDICATORS WE ARE TRACKING, BUT REALLY DEMONSTRATE HOW WE ARE STILL IN A HOUSING CRISIS, AND JUST AS IMPORTANTLY, WHAT MEASURES WE ARE TAKING TO HELP REDUCE THE BURDEN FOR FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITY. SO THE FIRST SET OF METRICS THAT WE ARE TRACKING ARE FOCUSED ON THE INCOMES OF FAMILIES IN SAN ANTONIO AND THE COST BURDEN THAT THEY'RE EXPERIENCING. AND YOU CAN SEE THAT WHILE MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME HAS INCREASED 18% OVER THE PAST FOUR YEARS, MEDIAN HOME PRICES HAVE INCREASED ALMOST 40%. SO IT'S CLEAR THAT RISING WAGES ARE NOT KEEPING UP WITH THE INCREASED HOUSING COSTS IN OUR COMMUNITY. SOMETHING NEW THAT OUR DEPARTMENT DOES NOT TRACK BUT THE CITY LOOKS AT IS POVERTY STATUS. YOU CAN SEE THAT HAS GONE DOWN ABOUT 5% OVER THE SAME TIME PERIOD, BUT, AGAIN, WE DO RECOGNIZE THAT FAMILIES CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE HOUSING INSECURITY, AND WHAT WE'VE DONE SPECIFICALLY IN REGARD TO HOME PRICES IS WE HAVE INCREASED OUR CITY DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE MAXIMUMS. JUST TWO YEARS AGO, THEY WERE 10 TO $15,000 DEPENDING ON THE PROGRAM.
AND NOW WE'VE INCREASED THAT MAXIMUM TO $30,000. AND WE'VE DONE THAT BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THESE RISING HOUSING PRICES ARE MAKING HOME OWNERSHIP HARDER AND HARDER FOR FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND MANY OF THEM RELY ON OUR DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE -- AUDIO] -- CITY COUNCILMEMBERS IN THE PAST YEARS HAVE ALSO MADE EFFORTS TO HELP EXISTING HOMEOWNERS BY RAZEEING THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION TO THE STATE MAXIMUM OF 20%. ADDITIONAL INCOME AND COST BURDEN METRICS WE ARE TRACKING, WE LOOK AT THE MEDIAN RENT, WHICH HAS GONE UP 9% SINCE 2019. AND WE CONTINUE TO SEE THE PERCENTAGE OF COST BURDEN RENTERS AND COST BURDEN HOMEOWNERS HAS ALSO GONE UP. YOU CAN SEE FOR RENTER, IT HAS INCREASED MORE THAN IT HAS FOR HOMEOWNERS. SO WHAT WE HAVE DONE AS A CITY IS CONTINUE TO UTILIZE OUR FUNDING INCLUDING OUR FEDERAL FUNDING THAT RECEIVE AND OUR LOCAL HOUSING BOND DOLLARS TO FOCUS ON CREATING NEW HOUSING AND PRESERVING THE EXISTING AFFORDABLE HOUSING WE HAVE WITH THE FOCUS ON HELPING FAMILIES THAT ARE AT THOSE LOWER AREA MEDIAN INCOMES. SO WE ALSO TRACK SEVERAL METRICS RELATED TO HOMELESSNESS AND EVICTIONS. AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THE EVICTION FILINGS IN OUR CITY HAVE GONE UP 7% SINCE PREPANDEMIC LEVELS. BUT ON A POSITIVE NOTE, E VICK CHEUN JUDGMENTS HAVE NOT GONE UP AT THE SAME -- AT THE SAME RATE AS FILINGS.
WE DO THINK THAT COULD BE ATTRIBUTED TO SOME OF OUR EFFORTS TO HELP MITIGATE FAMILIES WHO ARE EXPERIENCING EVICTION, AND THAT INCLUDES CONTINUING TO PROVIDE FREE LEGAL AID TO RENTER WHOSE ARE FACING EVICTION. WE CONTINUE TO HAVE FULL-TIME STAFF AT EVERY SINGLE JUSTICE OF THE PEACE EVICTION COURT, AND THESE FULL-TIME STAFF HELP PROVIDE RESOURCES TO BOTH PROPERTY MANAGERS AND TENANTS AND HELP THEM NAVIGATE WHAT IS OUT THERE TO HELP THEM. WE ALSO CONTINUE TO HAVE RELOCATION ASSISTANCE FOR ANYONE WHO DOES -- IS IN AN EVICTION STATUS AND NEEDS TO FIND NEW HOUSING TO HELP MITIGATE THE HARMS OF EVICTION.
WE ALSO CONTINUE TO LOOK AT METRICS THAT TRACK THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS. AND THAT HAS BEEN -- IT'S GONE UP A LITTLE BIT, BUT RELATIVELY STEADY OVER THE PAST YEARS, THAT'S ON TREND. AND THE POSITIVE NOTE IS THAT THE PEOPLE EXPERIENCING UNSHELLERED HOMELESSNESS HAS REALLY GONE DOWN 13%.
SO AS A CITY, WE CONTINUE TO FUND PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, WHICH PROVIDES MORE HOUSING OPTIONS FOR INDIVIDUALS FOR EXPERIENCING CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS WITH THE ON SITE SUPPORTIVE SERVICES TO HELP THEM STAY HOUSED AND WE CONTINUE TO HAVE ONGOING COORDINATION WITH OUR HOMELESS SERVICE PROVIDERS. LASTLY, HERE ARE SOME OF THE JOB AND LABOR METRICS THAT WE TRACK, AND YOU CAN SEE WHILE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE HAS GONE UP SINCE 2019 AND IT HAS NOT RETURNED TO PREPANDEMIC LEVELS, IT HAS GONE DOWN 48% SINCE 2020. SO WE ARE SEEING A NEGATIVE TREND SINCE 2020, SINCE THE PANDEMIC.
AND ON A POSITIVE NOTE, THE EMPLOYMENT RATE HAS ALSO BEEN INCREASING.
SO WE CONTINUE TO PARTNER AND HAVE THE READY TO WORK PROGRAM, WHICH REALLY HELPS INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE UNEMPLOYED OR UNDEREMPLOYED AND GET THE SKILLS THEY NEED TO GET INTO THOSE HIGH-DEMAND JOBS AND REALLY CONNECTING THE LOCAL EMPLOYERS WHO ARE SEEKING THE SKILLS WITH
[00:50:03]
INDIVIDUAL IN THE COMMUNITY WHO ARE INTERESTED IN ADVANCING THEIR EFFORTS AND INCREASING THEIR WAGES. SO IT'S A BIT OF A BROAD LOOK AT WHERE WE ARE CITYWIDE WITH VARIOUS METRICS.I REALLY WANTED TO KIND OF CHANGE GEARS AND FOCUS ON WHAT IS OUR TEAM DOING TO HELP CONTINUE TO MAKE STRATEGIES -- CONTINUE TO MAKE PROGRESS IN ALL OF OUR SHIP STRATEGIES. SO YOU CAN SEE THAT OUR 10-YEAR GOAL FOR HOUSING, NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING PRODUCTION AND PRESERVATION IS 28,000 AFFORDABLE HOMES. WE ARE AT 37% PROGRESS TOWARDS THAT 10-YEAR GOAL TWO YEARS INTO OUR EFFORTS, WHICH IS VERY STRONG EFFORT.
WE CAN SEE THAT THE HOME OWNERSHIP IS AT ABOUT 21% TOWARDS THOSE 10-YEAR GOALS. WE ARE MAKING THE MOST PROGRESS IN CREATING NEW -- AND PRESERVING RENTAL PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE.
AND THEN WE ARE ALSO 37% OF THE WAY TOWARDS OUR 1,000-UNIT GOAL FOR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING. SO THIS IS A VERY HIGH-LEVEL OVERVIEW OF WHERE WE ARE TOWARDS THESE GOALS, AND IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN LEARNING, GETTING MORE DETAILED BREAKDOWN FOR AS HOW MANY UNITS ARE AT THE 0 TO 30% AMI, AND I'LL TELL YOU THAT'S ABOUT 2300 HOMES, ALL THAT KIND OF DETAIL DATA, AS WELL AS WHERE ALL OF THESE PROJECTS ARE LOCATED, WHAT IS OUR LEVEL OF INVESTMENT, ALL THAT IS FOUND ON OUR ONLINE SHIP DASHBOARD, AND THAT IS AT SANANTONIO.GOV/SHIP.
AND WE ARE ALSO PRINTING AN ANNUAL REPORT THAT SHOWS THE PROGRESS OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS. THAT IS ALSO ON OUR WEBSITE NOW, THE TWO-YEAR ANNUAL REPORT, AND WE HAVE HARD COPIES THAT ARE BEING DISTRIBUTED IN THE COMMUNITY AT OUR SHIP EVENT ON SATURDAY. SO AS MENTIONED, OUR SHIP IS A LIVING DOCUMENT, AND IT REALLY FOCUSES ON 36 DIFFERENT STRATEGIES THAT HELP US MEET THE COMMUNITY'S CURRENT NEEDS.
AND WE DO TRACK NOT JUST WHERE WE'RE AT TOWARDS OUR UNIT GOAL, BUT ALSO WHERE WE'RE AT IN PROGRESS ON EACH OF THESE 36 STRATEGIES.
AND YOU CAN SEE AT A HIGH LEVEL, 80% OF THE STRATEGIES ARE ACTIVELY BEING WORKED ON. WE DO HAVE TWO STRATEGIES THAT ARE PLANNED OUT FOR FUTURE YEARS. SO I'LL FOCUS ON AN UPDATE ON SOME OF THESE KEY STRATEGIES. YOU CAN SEE MORE DETAILS ON THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING. AND THE FIRST ONE I'LL HIGHLIGHT IS THE SHIP STRATEGY WHICH ASKS US TO REDUCE THE TAX BURDEN ON SINGLE FAMILY HOMEOWNERS. THIS WAS A STRATEGY THAT IF YOU LOOK AT OUR SHIP DOCUMENT, WE WERE NOT REALLY PLANNING TO WORK ON THIS UNTIL NEXT YEAR, BUT THANKS TO MAYOR AND COUNCIL APPROVING A BUDGET IMPROVEMENT LAST YEAR, WE'RE ALREADY A YEAR INTO THIS EFFORT. WE STARTED WITH OUR PROPERTY TAX HELP CAMPAIGN WHICH IS A COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE COUNTY. WE HAD NUMEROUS SESSIONS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY PROVIDING INFORMATION TO INDIVIDUALS ON HOW THEY COULD PROTEST THEIR PROPERTY TAXES AND HELP WITH LEGAL VOLUNTEERS TO HELP THEM ACTUALLY FILE FOR HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONS ON SITE. THIS EFFORT WAS PRETTY SUCCESSFUL FOR OUR FIRST YEAR, WE HELPED OVER 1900 HOUSEHOLDS THAT WERE SERVED IN PERSON THROUGH THESE ON SITE SESSIONS. AND WE ALSO HELPED ALMOST 500 FAMILIES FILE NEW EXEMPTIONS ON SITE AND 390 NOTICES OF PROTESTS WERE ALSO FILED ON SITE, DIRECTLY WITH THE COUNTY AT THAT TIME.
SO THIS COLLECTIVE EFFORT -- WE WANT TO BUILD ON THE MOMENTUM FROM THE FIRST YEAR, AND DO EVEN MORE WITH THIS YEAR'S CAMPAIGN.
SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE THE IN-PERSON SESSIONS, THOSE KICK OFF ON FEBRUARY 24TH. WE WILL, AGAIN, HAVE A SESSION, AT LEAST ONE SESSION IN EVERY COUNCIL DISTRICT. WE WILL ALSO HAVE TWO VIRTUAL SESSIONS, WHICH IS THE REQUEST FROM LAST YEAR.
AND WE WERE ALSO ASKED, WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT INDIVIDUALS WHO CAN'T MAKE IT TO THE SESSION? AND SOMETIMES THESE SESSIONS ARE VERY POPULAR. WE'VE HAD 250 FAMILIES OR MORE, AND THAT MEANS THAT THEY CAN BE WAITING AN HOUR OR LONGER TO SPEAK TO A LEGAL VOLUNTEER TO GET HELP WITH FILING. AND FOR SOME INDIVIDUALS, THAT KIND OF A WAIT IS JUST NOT POSSIBLE. SO THIS YEAR -- WHICH WAS ASKED LAST YEAR, WE WERE CONTRACTING WITH MAUC, WILE BE HOSTING SATELLITE OFFICES YEAR ROUND SO WE'LL HAVE OFFICE HOURS THAT CAN HELP PEOPLE FILE THOSE EXEMPTIONS AND GET THOSE QUESTIONS ANSWERED. THEIR OFFICE HOURS WILL INCLUDE TIME OUTSIDE REGULAR BUSINESS HOURS, NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS AVAILABLE WHERE THEY CAN HELP E PEOPLE. WE'LL ALSO BE LAUNCHING AN ANIMATED VIDEO SERIES THIS YEAR WITH MORE DETAILS ON HOW YOU CAN PROTEST THE PROPERTY VALUES. SO ANOTHER SHIP STRATEGY IS TO FOCUS ON IMPLEMENTING A PUBLIC INFORMATION CAMPAIGN, AND THIS YEAR'S -- WE GOT AN IMPROVEMENT FROM CITY COUNCIL OF $100,000 TO REALLY BUILD ON THE MOMENTUM OF OUR TENANTS RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES CAMPAIGN. SO THIS YEAR WE WILL HAVE -- CONTINUE TO HAVE MONTHLY RENTER SESSIONS, KNOW YOUR RIGHTS SESSIONS. THOSE WILL START IN APRIL WITH FAIR HOUSING MONTH, AND EVERY MONTH THERE WILL BE LIVE SESSIONS SO PEOPLE CAN UNDERSTAND
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THEIR RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES. WE WILL ALSO START HAVING QUARTERLY SESSIONS GEARED SPECIFICALLY FOR PROPERTY OWNERS AND MANAGERS, AND WE WILL HAVE A SHORT VIDEO SERIES THAT WILL HELP HIGHLIGHT RENTERS RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES, IT WILL BE AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH, SPANISH AND ASL, AND THE VERY FIRST VIDEO IN THE SERIES WILL DEBUT THIS SATURDAY AT OUR SHIP EVENT. ONE ADDITIONAL, THIS NEXT SLIDE, REALLY COVERS THREE DIFFERENT SHIP STRATEGIES WHICH ASKED US TO FOCUS ON ESTABLISHING A LAND BANKING PROGRAM TO HELP LEVERAGE OUR EXISTING VACANT BUILDING PROGRAM, ALL WITH THE GOAL OF PROVIDING MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND THEN, OF COURSE, WHAT EFFORT WHAT EFFORT CAN WE DO TO ESTABLISH A COMMUNITY LAND TRUST. SO IN RESPONSE TO THE LANDBANCING STRATEGIES WE HAVE, WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING WITH A LOT OF SUPPORT WITH COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO IN DISTRICT FIVE, WE'RE WORKING TO HOW CAN WE ESTABLISH THE FRAMEWORK THAT WOULD ALIGN OUR EXISTING TOOLS AND RESOURCES AND PARTNERS TO REALLY CONTINUE TO MAKE PROGRESS ON THE LANDBANCING STRATEGY. SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT IN TWO DIFFERENT WAYS. FIRST, WE ARE COORDINATING WITH THE COUNTY TO IDENTIFY VACANT AND SURPLUS PROPERTIES THAT CAN BE REDEVELOPED INTO SINGLE FAMILY AFFORDABLE HOUSING. AND AND SECOND WE'RE CONTINUING TO COORDINATE WITH THE HOUSING TRUST ON HOW WE CAN IDENTIFY LAND FOR FUTURE LARGER MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENTS AND THE CRITERIA FOR IDENTIFYING THESE PROJECTS WILL, OF COURSE, BE DONE IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT WORK THAT'S BEING DONE.IN REGARD TO COMMUNITY LAND TRUST, OUR PARTNER, SAN ANTONIO HOUSING TRUST, IS REALLY TAKING THE LEAD ON THAT, AND PETE WILL TALK MORE ABOUT THAT IN HIS SECTION. THE KEY THING I WANTED TO MENTION IS THAT ALL OF THEIR WORK TO REALLY HELP PARTNER WITH NONPROFITS IN THE COMMUNITY TO ESTABLISH COMMUNITY LAND TRUSTS WILL REQUIRE COUNCIL ACTION AT A LATER DATE, SO WE'LL BE BRINGING THOSE ITEMS TO YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION IN THE SPRING. ANOTHER SHIP STRATEGY IS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER I OF ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND THIS EFFORT REALLY KICKSTARTED THIS SUMMER WITH OUR ADU DESIGN COMPETITION. THIS WAS DONE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ABLE CITY AND AARP THROUGH A SMALL GRANT WE RECEIVED, AND WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE A CALL FOR DESIGN COMPETITION ENTRIES, AND WE RECEIVED -- WE HAD OVER 230 PARTICIPANTS. EVERYTHING FROM KINDERGARTENERS ALL THE WAY UP TO OLDER ADULTS, EVERY AGE LEVEL. THERE WERE A TOTAL OF SEVEN WINNERS ACROSS DIFFERENT CATEGORIES, WE'LL HIGHLIGHT TWO.
ALL HONORED AT A CEREMONY THIS PAST NOVEMBER. WHAT IT DID WAS BUILD EXCITEMENT, IMAGINING WHO WOULD LIVE THERE, WHAT THEY CAN BE USED FOR, WHAT WOULD THEY LOOK LIKE, HOW WOULD THEY BLEND INTO NEIGHBORHOODS. TO REALLY ENSURE THAT WE WERE GETTING MORE PEOPLE JUST TALKING ABOUT THE SUBJECT. AND OUR WORK AS A CITY STAFF HAS BEEN TO REALLY BUILD ON THIS MOMENTUM AND FOCUS ON THOSE NEXT STEPS WHICH REALLY HELP CREATE, GET TO THE NEXT STEP, WHICH IS HOW DO WE GET MORE PEOPLE TO CONSTRUCT THEM AND HOW DO WE REMOVE THE BARRIERS THAT ARE PREVENTING PEOPLE FROM BUILDING THESE ADUS.
SO OUR NEXT STEPS WILL BE TO DO A SOLICITATION, CALL FOR DESIGNS TO HAVE PERMIT-READY PLANS, WHICH WILL BE REVIEWED BY OUR DSD DEPARTMENT AND MAKE THOSE AVAILABLE PUBLICLY ON OUR WEBSITE. WE ARE ALSO WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS AND SEEING WHAT OTHER RESOURCES INCENTIVES CAN WE PULL TOGETHER, FINANCING OPTIONS AND HOW DO WE PUT ALL THIS TOGETHER IN AN EDUCATION CAMPAIGN AND MAKE IT EASILY AVAILABLE SO PEOPLE CAN NAVIGATE HOW THEY CAN BUILD -- MORE EASILY BUILD AN ADU IN THEIR OWN BACKYARD.
ANOTHER SHIP STRATEGY IS TO CREATE A HOUSING ONE-STOP SHOP THAT WILL PROVIDE A SINGLE POINT OF ACCESS FOR HOUSING-RELATED SERVICES, INCLUDING ONLINE ACCESS TO THESE SERVICES. SO FOR THIS EFFORT, WE ARE PARTNERING WITH SAN ANTONIO COMMUNITY RESOURCE DIRECTORY SACRED. THEY ALREADY HAVE AN EXISTING SUCCESSFUL MENTAL HEALTH PORTAL, AND WE'RE PARTNERING WITH THEM TO CREATE A SEPARATE HOUSING PORTAL, WHICH WOULD BE FOCUSED ON HELPING PEOPLE COLLECT AND PROVIDE ALL HOUSING-RELATED SERVICES ALL IN ONE PLACE, AND IT WOULD FIRST GO THROUGH KIND OF A QUESTIONNAIRE TO HELP REALLY -- NOT JUST GIVE YOU A LIST OF ALL THE DIFFERENCE RESOURCES, BUT WHICH ONE ARE YOU -- WITH OUR PARTNERS. WE'LL HAVE A MORE DETAILED BRIEFING FOR YOU NEXT MONTH AND HOPE TO MOVE TOWARDS A PUBLIC LAUNCH O THE TOOL THIS SPRING. SO MANY OF THESE PROGRESS THAT WE'RE MAKING TOWARDS OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNIT GOALS IS DUE IN LARGE THANKS TO THE PASSAGE OF THE HOUSING BOND. AND WE WERE ABLE TO AWARD FUNDING TO OVER 20 DIFFERENT PROJECTS OVER THREE DIFFERENT ROUNDS,
[01:00:03]
IN TOTAL $81 MILLION HAS BEEN AWARDS AND 10 OF THOSE PROJECTS ARE ALREADY UNDER CONSTRUCTION, REPRESENTING OVER 1500 HOMES UNDER CONSTRUCTION. WE JUST CELEBRATED THAT MILESTONE LAST MONTH. THE REMAINING PROJECTS WE CONSIDER THEM, THEY'RE IN OUR PIPELINE. SO 2800 HOME, AND WE ARE WORKING VERY CLOSELY TO TRACK -- HOUSING BUCKET THAT WILL BE RELEASED THIS SPRING IN AN RFP, AND AS MENTIONED, WE STILL HAVE 13 PROJECTS THAT ARE IN VARIOUS STAGES OF THE PLANNING, DEVELOPMENT PROCESS. OUR GOAL ALL ALONG WITH THE HOUSING BOND HAS BEEN TO GET THIS FUNDING OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE SO THAT THEY CAN BUILD THE HOMES, START CONSTRUCTION AND WE REALLY FOCUS ON AWARDING FUNDING TO SHOVEL-READY PROJECTS.SO FOR THE PROJECT THAT HAVE NOT STARTED CONSTRUCTION, WE'LL BE GOING THROUGH EACH OF THEM IN DETAIL, GETTING MORE INFORMATION FROM EACH OF THOSE PARTNERS LIKE WE'VE BEEN DOING, SEEING WHERE ARE THEY AT IN THE TIMELINE, WHAT IS THEIR PLAN TO MOVE IT TOWARDS CONSTRUCTION AND SO THE AMOUNT OF FUNDING WE'LL HAVE AVAILABLE FOR THIS SPRING FUNDING ROUND WILL LIKELY BE MORE THAN 10 MILLION BASED ON THOSE CONVERSATIONS WE'RE HAVING. WE'RE PRESENTING THAT TO A B SESSION AT THE END OF FEBRUARY, AND OUR TEAM WILL DO INDIVIDUAL BRIEFINGS WITH EACH OF YOU BEFORE THAT SO YOU KNOW EXACTLY HOW MUCH WE'LL HAVE AVAILABLE IN THIS SPRING ROUND. ANOTHER PROGRAM THAT OUR TEAM IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ADMINISTERING IS OUR RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
AND I KNOW I WAS KIND OF LOOKING AT HOW MUCH FUNDING WE'VE ADMINISTERED TO DATE, AND THAT'S OVER $240 MILLION HAS BEEN ADMINISTERED THROUGH THE RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM ALONE SINCE 2020.
FOR THIS PARTICULAR YEAR, WE HAVE ALMOST 10 MILLION AVAILABLE, SO YOU CAN SEE THE AMOUNT WE'VE HAD AVAILABLE FOR THIS PROGRAM HAS REALLY DECREASED EVERY SINGLE YEAR BECAUSE THE FEDERAL FUNDS THAT WE'VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING REAWARDED TIME AND TIME AGAIN ARE JUST NOT AVAILABLE ANYMORE. SO OUR LAST OPENING FOR RENTAL ASSISTANCE WAS IN MID OCTOBER. IT WAS OPEN FOR ABOUT A WEEK.
WE GOT OVER 4400 APPLICATIONS IN THAT WEEK, AND WE EXPECT TO AWARD FUNDING TO ABOUT 1200 FAMILIES, TOTAL OF 4.3 MILLION.
YOU CAN SEE WE STILL HAVE 5 MILLION LEFT, AND OVER HALF OF THAT IS THE VERY LAST OF OUR FEDERAL EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE FUNDING.
AND THE REMAINING IS THE GENERAL FUND. SO WE KEEP OPENING THE PORTAL, IT'S OPEN FOR A SHORTER AND SHORTER AMOUNT OF TIME EVERY TIME BECAUSE OF THE DWINDLING FUNDS. AND SO OUR TEAM IS REALLY FOCUSED ON HOW DO WE DO THIS BETTER, HOW DO WE TAKE THE LIMITED RENTAL ASSISTANCE FUNDS THAT WE HAVE, HOW DO WE FIND THE FAMILY WHOSE ARE STILL TECHNICALLY ELIGIBLE FOR THE ASSISTANCE, BECAUSE YOU CAN ONLY GET IT ONCE A YEAR, AND HOW DO WE GET THAT TO THEM FASTER? SO WE WILL FOCUS ON INITIATING A NEW INTAKE PROCESS THIS -- STARTING NEXT MONTH THAT WILL BE DONE IN CLOSE COORDINATION WITH DHS AND OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
THIS IS VERY MUCH IN LINE WITH THE LISC SAN ANTONIO REPORTS ON HOW DO WE HAVE MORE SYSTEMS-WIDE LOOK AT OUR EVICTION PREVENTION EFFORTS.
AND ONE RECOMMENDATION FROM THAT REPORT WAS TAKING SOME OF OUR EXISTING FINANCIAL RESOURCES AND BETTER PRIORITIZING AND TARGETING THOSE TO OUR MOST IN NEED. SO THIS WILL DO JUST THAT. WE'LL BE WORKING WITH DHS.
SO INSTEAD OF OPENING THE ONLINE PORTAL TO EVERYONE, WE WILL INSTEAD DIRECT FAMILIES TO CALL THE HOMELESS CONNECTIONS HOTLINE, GO THROUGH THE PRE-SCREENING PROCESS TO DETERMINE WHAT RESOURCES THEY ARE, IN FACT, ELIGIBLE FOR, AND FOR FAMILIES WHO DO NEED RENTAL ASSISTANCE AND MEET THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA, THEY WILL BE DIRECTED AND ASSISTED WITH APPLYING ONLINE FOR THAT. THIS DOES MANY THINGS.
IT HELPS PRIORITIZE OUR LIMITED FUNDS THAT WE HAVE REMAINING TO VULNERABLE RESIDENTS THAT ARE ELIGIBLE AND IN NEED OF THIS SERVICE, IT HELPS EXPEDITE THE APPLICATION PROCESSING TIME BY USING THIS PRE-SCREENING METHOD, AND IT WILL HELP PROVIDE MORE EFFECTIVE USE OF OUR LIMITED FUNDING.
BASED ON OUR CURRENT POLICY BECAUSE YOU CAN SEE MORE THAN HALF OF THE FUNDS ARE STILL TIED TO THE EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE FUNDING.
WE DO HOPE THAT THIS BETTER STREAMLINES AND TARGETS THE REMAINING FUNDS THAT WE HAVE FOR RENTAL ASSISTANCE, AND WE'LL BE SURE TO SEND INFORMATION TO EVERY SINGLE COUNCIL OFFICE ON WHEN THIS NEW PROCESS STARTS IN FEBRUARY WITH THE REMINDER THAT EVERYONE WILL START GOING THROUGH THAT HOMELESS CONNECTION HOTLINE. SO IN SUMMARY, I HOPE I'VE SHOWN THAT WE ARE MAKING A LOT OF PROGRESS IN MULTIPLE SHIP STRATEGIESMENT YOU MAY HAVE QUESTIONS AND WANT MORE.
I HOPE YOU DO ON SOME OF THIS, AND I INVITE EACH AND EVERY PERSON TO JOIN US FOR OUR ANNUAL SHIP EVENT AT SAM HOUSTON HIGH SCHOOL THIS SATURDAY FROM 10:00 A.M. TO 2:00 P.M. AS MARK MENTIONED, WE'LL HAVE SEVERAL SPECIAL GUEST TS, INCLUDING HUD DEPUTY SECRETARY WHO WILL BE HELPING US
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RECOGNIZE THE 10-YEAR COMPLETION OF THE EAST SIDE PROMISE ZONE.THE REASON I'M HIGHLIGHTING THAT IS BECAUSE THE EAST SIDE PROMISE ZONE WAS IT'S OWN 10-YEAR INITIATIVE TO HELP ENCOURAGE ECONOMIC ACTIVITY ON THE EAST SIDE'S 22 SQUARE MILES AND TO HELP INCREASE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND WHILE THAT 10-YEAR EFFORT IS ENDING, OUR 10-YEAR EFFORT FOR THE SHIP AND FOCUSING ON ALL OF THOSE SAME IS WORK THAT CONTINUES TO GO ON. WE REALLY WANT THE COMMUNITY TO SEE THE PROGRESS WE'VE MADE ON ONE INITIATIVE AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK ON ALL OF THOSE EFFORTS EVEN IF THE PROMISE ZONE DESIGNATION IS DONE.
THE EVENT WILL FEATURE A RESOURCE FAIR AND SEVERAL EXHIBITS, ONE OF WHICH WILL FEATURE FIVE DETAILED STORIES OF FAMILIES WHO HAVE GONE THROUGH OUR PROGRAMS. WE HAVE WONDERFUL INFORMATION AND DISPLAYS ON THOSE FAMILIES, THEIR EXPERIENCE AND HOW THESE CITY PROGRAMS AND SERVICES HAVE REALLY HELPED IMPROVE THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE TO HELP FIND THAT HOUSING STABILITY. SO THANK YOU.
I WILL NOW TURN IT OVER TO ED HINOJOSA FROM OPPORTUNITY HOME
SAN ANTONIO WITH HIS UPDATE. >> GOOD MORNING.
SO I HAVE A FEW SLIDES TO UPDATE THE LAST INFORMATION THAT WE PRESENTED A FEW MONTHS AGO. AS OF TODAY, WE HAVE THE NEED IN SAN ANTONIO IS SHOWING -- I THINK THESE ARE OLD SLIDES, ACTUALLY. AS OF TODAY, WE HAVE 110,000 FAMILIES ON OUR WAITLIST, AND THESE ARE UNIQUE FAMILIES. SO WE CURRENTLY HAVE 11% OF THE RENTAL MARKET THAT IS IN OUR MANAGEMENT THROUGH PUBLIC HOUSING, WHICH IS 6,000 UNITS, 4,000 IN BEACON COMMUNITIES, WHICH IS OUR NONPROFIT ENTITY THAT WE USE TO PROVIDE LESS THAN MARKET RATE HOUSING.
AND THEN WE HAVE ANOTHER 8,000 UNITS AND PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH, MOSTLY THIRD-PARTY DEVELOPERS. AND THOSE ARE SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE CITY. AS YOU CAN SEE, WE HAVE NONPROFIT UNITS AND PUBLIC HOUSING UNITS SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
LIKEWISE, OUR VOUCHERS ARE ALSO MOSTLY LOCATED ON THE WEST SIDE AND EAST SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO, ALSO THE SOUTH SIDE. WE HAVE LESS RESIDENTS ON THE NORTH SIDE THAN WE DO IN OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY.
THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE INDIVIDUALS THAT WE'RE SERVING, WE HAVE MOSTLY FAMILIES AND ELDERLY INDIVIDUALS. 50% OF OUR HOUSEHOLDS ARE ELDERLY DISABLED. THE OTHER ROUGHLY 50% ARE FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN.
YOU SEE ON THIS SLIDE, 46% OF THE HOUSEHOLDS HAVE CHILDREN, 94% ARE A HEAD OF HOUSEHOLD OF ONE INDIVIDUAL, 2.5 AVERAGE FAMILY SIZE, WHICH I THINK TRACKS THE CITY AS WELL. THE AVERAGE INCOME FOR OUR RESIDENTS IS $11,000 A YEAR. SO $11,000 A YEAR IS FAR BELOW THE 30% AMI LEVEL, WHICH ROUGHLY RUNS ABOUT THE MID 20S, MAYBE LOW TO MID 20S, DEPENDING ON FAMILY SIZE. SO OUR RESIDENTS TYPICALLY ARE MUCH LOWER THAN THAT. WE HAVE 52% WITH FIXED INCOME AND 32% HAVE EARNED INCOME. AS FAR AS DEVELOPMENT, WE CURRENTLY HAVE NINE PROJECTS THAT ARE UNDER CONSTRUCTION TOTALING 2000 UNITS, AND THOSE ARE ACROSS THE AMIS. WE'RE HEAVILY FOCUSED ON 30% AND BELOW, SO IN THAT TOTAL, THERE'S ABOUT 400 UNITS THAT ARE 30% AND BELOW. TOTAL CONSTRUCTION COST 469 MILLION.
WE ALSO HAVE IN OUR PIPELINE ANOTHER 1700 UNITS THAT ARE BOARD APPROVED AND DEVELOPER TRANSACTIONS WE'RE WORKING ON CURRENTLY WITH ANOTHER 156 UNITS. SO WE HAVE A PIPELINE THAT'S GOING TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE WORKING AFTER THE 2000 -- WE'LL BE CONTINUING WORKING ON
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AFTER THE 2000 UNITS ARE COMPLETE. AND WITH THAT, I'LL TURNIT OVER TO PEDRO ALANIZ. >> THANK YOU, ED. ONCE AGAIN, MY NAME IS PETE ALANIZ, I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE SAN ANTONIO HOUSING TRUST. I KNOW WHAT I'M ABOUT TO PRESENT IS A LITTLE BIT OF A REVIEW, BECAUSE MANY OF YOU SERVE ON MY BOARD, BUT HOPEFULLY THE FOLKS WATCHING WILL GET SOME BENEFIT OUT OF THIS PRESENTATION.
SO JUST WHERE WE'RE AT, WE'RE CURRENTLY AT 12,000 HOMES THAT ARE BUILT OR IN CONSTRUCTION.
AND WE HAVE ABOUT 3500 PROJECTS OR UNITS, HOMES, IN OUR PIPELINE.
THE LAST TIME WE PROVIDED AN UPDATE TO THIS COMMITTEE, JUST SOME HAVE SOME FEW THINGS TO SHARE, WE'RE GOING TO BE RECOMMENDING THAT DISABILITY SAN ANTONIO GET A BELOW-MARKET LEASE FOR OUR OFFICE SPACE, AND I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHERE WE'VE MOVED TO SINCE WE'VE LAST REPORTED OUT TO THIS COMMITTEE, BUT HAPPY TO SEE THAT DISABILITY SAN ANTONIO AND HOUSING TRUST WILL BE ABLE TO WORK ON SOMETHING TOGETHER. WE HAVE ABOUT 3.38 MILLION THAT WE'VE ACQUIRED. THE VITA PROPERTY, 20 ACRES OVER IN THE VITA DEVELOPMENT, PHASE TWO ALONG ZARZAMORA IN DISTRICT FOUR.
I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT OF DETAILS WITH REGARD TO THAT SITE IN A MOMENT.
WE HAVE AWARDED $300,000 TO THE MEXICAN-AMERICAN UNIT COUNCIL FOR THEIR LAND TRUST. $750,000 FOR THE MISSION TRAILS COMMUNITY CO-OP, 240,000 IN A ONE-YEAR EXTENDED LINED OF CREDIT FOR OUR CASAS RESIDENT COUNCIL TO CONTINUE WITH SOME CONSTRUCTION LOAN COUNSELING TO KEEP BUILDING SINGLE FAMILY UNITS OVER ON THE WEST SIDE.
WE PROVIDED A SPONSORSHIP FOR FUTURE BIPOC DEVELOPERS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO. FINALLY WE'VE HAD SOME GREAT COORDINATION WITH SA READY TO WORK AND IN THE CITY'S TEAM. WE HAVE OUR APARTMENT COMMUNITIES, OUR FUTURE APARTMENT COMMUNITIES WHO WILL BE REQUIRED TO COORDINATE WITH SA READY TO WORK AND WE WENT BACK AND SPOKE WITH A NUMBER OF OUR EXISTING APARTMENT COMMUNITIES WHO ARE NOW COORDINATING WITH THAT PROGRAM AND PROVIDING SERVICES AT MANY OF OUR SITES.
AND THE GOOD NEWS IS, THAT HAS ACTUALLY SPREAD TO OTHER NONHOUSING TRUST AFFILIATED COMMUNITIES WHERE APARTMENT PROPERTY MANAGERS SAW THIS AS A GREAT BEN R BENEFIT FOR THEIR RESIDENTS. SO IT HAS SPREAD BEYOND WHAT SAN ANTONIO HOUSING TRUST IS SPECIFICALLY DOING.
THIS IS OUR PREDEVELOPMENT PIPELINE. I REALLY WANTED TO GIVE YOU A SENSE OF HOW MANY UNITS WHICH ARE TALKING ABOUT.
WHEN WE SAY WE'RE IN PREDEVELOPMENT, IT MEANS THESE ARE CONCEPTUAL PROJECTS THAT HAVE APPROACHED US AND DESIGNATED A CERTAIN TYPE OF FINANCING STRUCTURE TO BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD. AND SO HERE'S A LIST FOR Y'ALL TO SEE. WE HAVE ABOUT 3500 IN THAT PIPELINE.
THERE ARE SOME VERY LARGE HEAD WINDS COMING THIS YEAR IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO TRY TO CLOSE THESE PROJECTS. WE CONTINUE TO SEE HIGH INTEREST RATE ENVIRONMENTS AND THE AVAILABILITY OF CAP TALT TO JUST COME INTO THESE PROJECTS. WE'RE SEEING STILL CONTINUED ELEVATED CONSTRUCTION COSTS. LOW INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDIT EQUITY PRICING, WHICH IS ONE OF THE BIG GRANT DOLLARS THAT COMES INTO THESE DEALS, ARE THE LOWEST IN TERMS OF PRICING IN ABOUT SIX YEARS. SO WE'RE GETTING LESS MONEY FROM TAX CREDIT EQUITY TO COME INTO THESE DEALS. SO THAT ALTOGETHER WITH THE LACK OF AVAILABLE SOFT FUNDS TO FILL LARGER GAPS, IS GOING TO BE AN INCREDIBLE CHALLENGE MOVING FORWARD OVER THE NEXT YEAR OR SO.
SO JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU ALL A HEAD'S UP THAT WE'RE SEEING SOME PRETTY STRONG HEAD WINDS TO GETTING A LOT WE DO WANT TO UPDATE THIS COMMITTEE REGARDING THE VITA DEVELOPMENT. THISSIST GOING TO BE THE FIRSTS DISABILITY FORWARD HOUSING PROJECT IN SAN ANTONIO.
WE'RE LOOKING AT -- IT'S LOCATED, AS I SAID BEFORE, IN A GREAT LOCATION WHERE NOT ONLY ARE WE SEEING THE EXPANSION OF TEXAS~A&M, THERE'S A NEW HOSPITAL BEING BUILT IN THE AREA AS WELL AS JUST SAW RECENTLY THE ANNOUNCEMNT OF VERY LARGE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MANUFACTURING SITE JUST ABOUT TWO MILES TO THE SOUTH ALONG ZARZAMORA. THIS BODIES WELL TO THE -- BODES WELL FOR THE HOUSING COMMUNITY. THE GOALS WE HAVE FOR THIS 20-ACRE DEVELOPMENT, NUMBER ONE, IT'S GOING TO BE FULLY OWNED BY THE SAN ANTONIO HOUSING TRUST.
THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE SOMETHING WE'RE TYPICALLY IN A PARTNERSHIP WITH, THAT'S NOT WHAT WE ARE CONCEPTUALIZING FOR THIS DEVELOPMENT.
AND WE WANT TO ENSURE PERMANENT AFFORDABILITY. WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO
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CONTROL THIS SITE AND MAKE SURE HOUSING IS NOT THE COMMODITY FOR THIS PARTICULAR DEVELOPMENT. THIS IS OWN IN PERPETUITY-TYPE DEVELOPMENT.WE ARE COMMITTED TO BUILDING 25% OF THE HOMES AT THIS SITE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION OUT AT FULLY ACCESSIBLE UNITS. ONE IN SEVEN SAN ANTONIOANCE HAS A FORM OF DISABILITY AND THERE'S A BIG DEFICIT WITH RESPECT TO THE NUMBER OF ACCESSIBLE UNITS FULLY BUILT OUT. WE ARE COMMITTED TO UTILIZING PROPOSED DESIGN STANDARDS WHICH OUR BOARD WILL BE SEEING THE NEXT COUPLE MONTHS. WE ARE COMMITTED TO MULTI-GENERATIONAL HOUSING SERVING BOTH OLDER ADULTS AND FAMILIES. WE WANT TO PROMOTE DENSITY WHILE CREATING A GREAT SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND A REALLY FANTASTIC INTERACTIVE PUBLIC REALM. WE WANT TO EMPHASIZE BOTH PASS IT AFTER ACTIVE SUSTAINABILITY OPTIONS AT THE SITE AS WELL AS UTILIZE INNOVATIVE BUILDING TYPES AND LANDMARK PROJECT FOR WHAT WE WANT TO SEE IN OUR COMMUNITIES MOVING FORWARD.
SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS AND HOPE TO BRING MORE DETAILS BACK TO OUR BOARD HERE IN THE NEXT COMING MONTHS, BUT IT IS A VERY EXCITING DEVELOPMENT.
MOVING FORWARD, OF COURSE WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO PRESENT THOSE OPTIONS ON VITA. WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO SEEK STRATEGIC LAND ACQUISITION OPPORTUNITIES ACROSS SAN ANTONIO FOCUSING ON THESE TRANSIT-ORIENTED CORRIDORS AND ALSO POSSIBLY WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW WE CAN DO SOME HOUSING FOR TEACHERS AND FOLKS WHO ARE AT THOSE INCOME LEVELS TO ENSURE THAT WE CAN SUPPORT, YOU KNOW, OUR SCHOOLS HERE LOCALLY.
WE ARE GOING TO SEEK ADDITIONAL PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES TO BUILD THAT PSH PIPELINE MOVING FORWARD. WE ARE COORDINATING WITH THE CITY ON LEGISLATIVE SOLUTIONS BOTH AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL, SO I'M GLAD MANY OF YOU WILL BE JOINING US IN DC HERE IN EARLY FEBRUARY TO TALK WITH OUR CONGRESSIONAL POLICYMAKERS REGARDING HOW THEIR DECISIONS IMPACT SAN ANTONIO. WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO BUILD OUT OUR OPERATIONAL CAPACITY AS AN ORGANIZATION. WE HAD A GREAT HIRE RECENTLY.
WE BROUGHT SOMEONE IN WHO USED TO WORK WITH ABLE CITY, OUR LOCAL DESIGN TEAM, WHO IS WORKING AS OUR DEVELOPMENT MANAGER IN LOOKING HOW WE CAN FIND DESIGN SOLUTIONS FOR OUR DEVELOPMENTS MOVING FORWARD. WE ARE GOING TO PROMOTE OPPORTUNITIES WITH MISSION AND FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS.
WE HAVE SEVERAL THAT WE'RE SPEAKING TO NOW. AND WE'RE GOING TO FINALIZE OUR MULTI-FAMILY INCLUSIVE DESIGN STANDARDS AND WORK TO CLOSE THOSE DEVELOPMENTS WHICH ARE IN THE PIPELINE. WE HAVE A LOT TO DO. WE HAVE RELOCATED FROM OUR BLANCO HOUSE INTO NEW OFFICE SPACE AT 8200 IH10 WEST. AND ON FRIDAY WE HAVE AN OPEN HOUSE FOLLOWED BY A BOARD MEETING SO WE'RE EXCITED TO HOST YOU ALL THERE AT OUR NEW OFFICES. WE ALSO WANT TO WELCOME COUNCILWOMAN DISTRICT 1 SUKH KAUR TO OUR BOARD AND THANK COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE FOR HIS SERVICE TO OUR BOARD OVER THE LAST NUMBER OF YEARS. THAT'S MY REPORT AND I'LL GO AHEAD AND GIVE IT BACK TO VERONICA OR MARK. THANK YOU.
>> GARCIA: I THINK THAT'S IT FOR NOW. LORI, DID YOU WANT TO ADD
ANYTHING IN WRAPPING UP? >> I JUST WANT TO ADD I'M REALLY PROUD OF THE HOUSING SYSTEM AND OUR PARTNERSHIP. WE'VE DONE QUITE A BIT OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS AND WE CONTINUE TO WORK TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS A COORDINATED HOUSING SYSTEM.
I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT WE ARE WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS ON A HOUSING 90 FAMILIES IN 90 DAYS, AND OVER THE PAST COUPLE MONTHS WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH OPPORTUNITY HOME ON STREAMLINING THE VOUCHER SYSTEM.
AS WE USE QUITE A BIT OF VOUCHERS ALREADY TO HELP HOUSE THOSE FAMILIES.
SO A LOT OF OUR WORK HAS PROVED TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE
SUCCESSFUL WITH THESE INDIVIDUAL PARTNERSHIPS. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU SO MUCH, LORI. MARK AND VERONICA AND ED AND PETE, I'VE JUST BEEN SMILING THE WHOLE TIME, RIGHT? AND SO I FIGURED THIS WOULD TAKE AT LEAST 45 MINUTES, WE ONLY TOOK 47 SO WE'RE NOT FAR OFF. BUT IT'S A BIG SHIP, RIGHT? WE HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE HELPING LEAD IT AND I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU AGAIN FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART. I THINK SAN ANTONIO IS GETTING NOTICED DEFINITELY ACROSS THE UNITED STATES. I WAS SERVING ON A COMMITTEE FOR THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES AND IT WAS SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE OF WHAT WE WERE DOING WITH ALL OF THE HOUSING HERE IN SAN ANTONIO. AND THE HIGHLIGHT FOR THE
[01:20:01]
EAST SIDE PROMISE ZONE, I THINK IT'S SO AWESOME BECAUSE I REMEMBER WHEN I WORKED FOR THE CITY TEN YEARS-PLUS AGO, WE WERE WORKING ON ALL OF THAT.SO TO BE ABLE TO SAY, WELL, IT'S A DECADE LATER AND IT'S COMING TO A CLOSE, BUT LOOK AT ALL THESE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES. MAYBE ONE DAY YOU ALL WILL BE ON COUNCIL TOO AND GET TO SEE WHAT THE SHIP DID. MARK CARMONA, I WAS LOOKING FOR YOU TO SAY NO WAY, BUT I WAS TRYING. I LOVED THE SLIDE ON THE TEN-YEAR PROGRESS, VERONICA, IT JUST MAKES ME HAPPY AND THE WAY YOU HAD THAT, IT'S PERFECT. WE NEED TO US WHY IT MORE SO WE CAN SHOWCASE WHAT'S IN APPROXIMATE PRODUCTION AND WHAT'S OUT THERE. ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO IS HIGHLIGHT, THAT FIRST DISABILITY FORWARD HOUSING IN SAN ANTONIO THAT WE'RE DOING, THAT HAPPENS TO BE IN D4 SO I'M REALLY PROUD OF IT, BUT JANE PASIONI, ONE OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS, IS LEADING A COMMITTEE AND I IT WAS A 13-PEOPLE COMMITTEE AND ALL OF THEM HAVE A TYPE OF DISABILITY. AND ONE OF THEM IS A CARETAKER OF SOMEONE WITH A DISABILITY. SO THEY ARE THE ONES THAT ARE LEADING THIS. THEY ARE LITERALLY GOING IN AND SAYING THIS IS WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AND I JUST WANTED TO THANK PETE FOR THAT OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH THE INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE LIVED EXPERIENCES AS WELL AS TO MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUE COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO BECAUSE I THINK SHE'S DONE PHENOMENAL WORK AND ALSO GETTING NOTICED IN THE SPACE SHE IS CREATING FOR HOUSING OPPORTUNITY.
THANK YOU ALL. I'M LOOKING FOR MORE COMING FROM THE SHIP.
I HAVE A FEW JUST QUESTIONS. WE'RE DOING GOOD WORK ON THE LAND BANKING, THE LAND TRUST, THAT'S NEXT. ADU, ACCESSIBILITY, I LOVE THAT THE AD UCONN TEST HAD LIKE A -- U CONTEST HAD A SENIOR SO WE COULD SEE IT FROM DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES.
I WANT TO SAY LIKE LORI SAID IT'S A PARTNERSHIP. NHSD AND THE HOUSING TRUST OPPORTUNITY HOME, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, THE ACTIVE AND INVOLVED NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS THAT HAVE KIND OF BEEN HELPING US. IT TAKES AN ENTIRE COMMUNITY TO MOVE THAT NEEDLE. AND IMPORTANTLY TO CREATE THAT INCLUSIVE SPACE, AND I FEEL THAT THE SHIP DOES THAT. I WANT TO DISCUSS THE RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. IN THE LAST APPLICATION ROUND IN OCTOBER WE WERE ONLY ABLE TO ASSIST 29% OF THE FAMILIES THAT ALIED. I THINK IT'S -- APPLIED.
I THINK IT'S MOSTLY DUE TO FUNDING, VERONICA, BUT HOW MANY OOPS WERE DISQUALIFIED
FOR SOMETHING OTHER THAN -- >> MOST OF THEM ARE BECAUSE THEY DON'T MEET THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA. THAT MEANS THEY COULD HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED ASSISTANCE IN THE PAST YEAR. SOME OF THEM ARE DUE TO NOT GETTING US THE DOCUMENTS WE NEED DESPITE REPEATED REQUESTS, EVEN REACHING OUT TO THE LANDLORD TO GET THAT INFORMATION. VERY FEW ARE OVER INCOME, BUT THERE IS A HANDFUL.
MOST IS BECAUSE THEY'VE EITHER MET THEIR MAX ASSISTANCE AND I SHOULD CLARIFY WHAT THAT MEANS. THEY CAN'T RECEIVE MORE THAN 18 MONTHS TOTAL OF ASSISTANCE. YOU MAY HAVE GOTTEN IT A YEAR AT THE BEGINNING AND A YEAR WENT BACK AND YOU GOT HELP AGAIN. YOU CAN'T HAVE MORE THAN 18 MONTHS OF RENTAL ASSISTANCE SINCE 2020 WITH THOSE FUNDS. IT'S A VARIETY OF REASONS, BUT WHAT I THINK IS A PATTERN WE'VE SEEN AND WHY WE'RE PROPOSING A CHANGE TO THE INTAKE PROCESS IS EVERY TIME WE OPEN WE HAVE FEWER FUNDS THAN WE DID THE TIME BEFORE. AND THEN WHEN WE'RE FINISHED PROCESSING, WE HAVE A HIGHER DENIAL RATE. AND WHEN WE GO THROUGH WHY ARE THEY DENIED, SAME REASONS, NON-RESPONSIVE, DON'T MEET ELIGIBILITY. YOU DO SEE THAT APPROVED RATE GO DOWN AND IT TAKES US A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME TO GET TO THOSE APPROVALS BECAUSE THERE'S NO PRE-SCREENING. SO WE OPEN IT, IT'S ONLY OPEN FOR FIVE DAYS, SIX DAYS, AND EVERYONE JUST APPLIES BECAUSE WHY NOT? CHANCE YOU ARE ELIGIBLE. THIS NEW PROCESS WILL HELP US DO A BETTER JOB OF PRE-SCREENING. IF YOU ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR RENTAL ASSISTANCE, YOU DO NOT NEED TO WAIT TWO WEEKS, 30 DAYS TO HEAR THAT. THAT CASEWORKER CAN SAY YOU DON'T QUALIFY FOR THIS, BUT MAYBE THERE'S A CHURCH YOU CAN APPLY FOR OR OTHER ROUTES, RELOCATION ASSISTANCE. BETTER HELP DIRECT THEM TO A RESOURCE THEY CAN ACTUALLY USE VERSUS RIGHT NOW WE'RE TAKING THEM ALL OFTEN GO
THROUGH FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU,
[01:25:02]
VERONICA VERONICA GARCIA VERONICA VERONICA.I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE STRESS THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY FAMILIES THAT NEEDED ASSISTANCE SINCE OCTOBER, THEY ARE IN THAT PIPELINE, IF YOU WILL.
THROUGH NHSD AND DHS, I APPRECIATE YOU MENTIONED YOU ALL ARE WORKING TOGETHER DURING YOUR PRESENTATION, IS THERE ANY THOUGHT OF CONSOLIDATING WHAT THE TWO DEPARTMENTS ARE DOING INTO LIKE ONE AREA WHERE THAT WAY THERE'S -- HELP ME
UNDERSTAND THAT THOUGHT PROCESS. >> YEAH, WE DO HAVE A LOT OF COORDINATION AND ALTHOUGH WE'RE NOT COMPLETELY CONSOLIDATED, I THINK OUR EFFORTS ARE WELL COORDINATED. EVEN WITH DHS AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WE KNOW YOU HAVE THE HOMELESS CONNECTION HOTLINE, YOU HAVE DIVERSION FUNDS, SOME PEOPLE THAT'S THE BETTER ROUTE INSTEAD OF APPLYING FOR RENTAL ASSISTANCE. SO WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM ON THE INQUIRIES THEY GET.
THEY DO SAY RENTAL ASSISTANCE IS ONE OF THE IF NOT THE TOP INQUIRY.
AND PART OF THE STRESS IS ONCE THAT PORTAL IS CLOSED, EVEN IF THEY HAVE AN IMMEDIATE NEED FOR RENTAL ASSISTANCE AND QUALIFY, TOO BAD, IT'S CLOSED, WAIT UNTIL IT OPENS AGAIN. THIS WILL HELP US LEAVE THE PORTAL OPEN LONGER FOR ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS AND HOPEFULLY SPACE OUT THE WAY WE METER THE RENTAL ASSISTANCE OVER A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME. SO IT CONTINUES TO BE AN OPTION FOR THOSE THAT ARE ELIGIBLE. SO WHEN WE'RE TALKING TO DHS ABOUT USING THE HOMELESS HOTLINE, HOW CAN WE MAKE SURE THAT'S SUCCESSFUL, THEY DID EXPRESS A NEED FOR STAFFING. WHEN THEY HAVE LOTS OF STAFF AND THEY ARE GREAT AND TAKING HUNDREDS OF CALLS A DAY.
SO WE'LL BE USING SOME OF OUR RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROCESSORS TO SUPPORT THEIR TEAM. EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE TWO DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, IT'S ALL COORDINATED IN THAT WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER. FOR THE RESIDENT, HOPEFULLY THEY DON'T REALLY CARE WHICH CITY DEPARTMENT IS DOING, THEY JUST WANT TO KNOW THEY
ARE TALKING TO SOMEONE WHO IS KNOWLEDGEABLE. >> GARCIA: I APPRECIATE YOU ARE UNDERSTAND THAT. HOW MANY STAFFERS DO WE HAVE RIGHT NOW FOR THE HOTLINE?
>> FIVE AND FOR OUR RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROCESSORS IT'S ABOUT 20.
>> GARCIA: OKAY. SO THEN THEY WILL GET AN INCREASE.
I WANT TO REMIND MY COLLEAGUES THIS IS VIRTUALLY THE ONLY RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IN SAN ANTONIO AND SOME NON-PROFITS DO OFFER THEIR OWN, BUT THEY RUN OUT OF FUNDS VERY QUICKLY. THIS TIES INDETECTIVELY TO HOMELESSNESS AND HOW WE CAN PREVENT PEOPLE AND FAMILIES FROM SEEKING TEMPORARY HOUSING AND STAYING IN THEIR HOMES N2022 I VISITED HAVEN FOR HOPE AND THERE WAS AN OVERVIEW OF ABOUT 90 FAMILIES, I WANT TO PUBLIC LUCKILY THANK EDDIE AND HIS TEAM BECAUSE THEY HELPED HOUSE LIKE 67 OF THOSE FAMILIES. LIKE WITHIN MONTHS BECAUSE THEY OFFERED THOSE VOUCHERS. I HAVE IF YOU WOULD CONFIDENCE THAT YOU WILL DO THE 90 FAMILIES IN 90 DAYS BECAUSE IF THAT HAPPENED OVER A PERIOD OF A FEW MONTHS, I KNOW YOU ALL WILL BE ABLE TO HELP. I'M ALSO HAPPY TO SEE THAT MARK CARMONA AND THE NRP ARE WORKING TOGETHER, WILL BE ON THAT AGENDA FOR SA TO DC ADVOCATING FOR RENTER SUPPORT AND EVICTION PREVENTION.
I'M HOPING WE'LL GET MORE MONEY FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, HOWEVER I'M HAPPY WE DO OUR PART LOCALLY. THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS. I'LL START OFF WITH COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO.
>> CASTILLO: I'M GOING TO TRY AND KEEP MY COMMENTS SHORT, BUT I WANTED TO START OUT WITH THANKS TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
YOU ALL HAVE TAKEN ON SO MUCH AND THERE'S SO MUCH MORE TO TACKLE SO THANK YOU TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM AND ALL THE FOLKS WHO GAVE PRESENTATIONS.
AND DR. ROCHA GARCIA WHO MAKES SURE EVERY MEETING IS PRODUCTIVE AND WE'RE GETTING SO MUCH DONE. AS WELL AS MY COLLEAGUES THAT HAVE THAT SAME LEADERSHIP TO MOVE THINGS FORWARD AND WE ARE PRODUCING WHAT WE COMMITTED TO.
I ALWAYS REFER TO THE STRATEGIC HOUSING IMPLEMENTATION DASHBOARD.
THAT DASHBOARD IS SO HELPFUL. I'VE BEEN SITTING ON PANELS AND I'M ABLE TO CRITERIA THE DATA THEN AND THERE. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO CITE.
I WANTED ALSO TO THANK RACHEL AND ALLISON FROM OUR DISTRICT 5 TEAM WHO HELPED NAVIGATE OUR CONSTITUENTSLY CALLS AND VERONICA, THANK YOU.
I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SEE MANY OF THESE MOVING PIECES AND WANTED TO COMMEND JUDGE HUGE ROLE OF MOVING HOURSING FORWARD, THE COUNTY AS A WHOLE ENSURING WE'RE WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP TO GET THINGS MOVING ALONG. I DID WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT AND VIA PROCESS. I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO
[01:30:07]
REVIEW THEIR THRIVING COMMUNITIES FEDERAL GRANT APPLICATION, AND WITHIN THE APPLICATION IT'S FOCUS PRIMARILY IN DISTRICT 5 AND THEY HIGHLIGHT THE HARDSHIP, THE AMI, THE HIGH PROFIT RATE. AND THEN WHAT I SEE IS A PROJECT BEING PROPOSED THAT DOESN'T DO ANYTHING TO HELP ALLEVIATE THOSE CONCERNS.WHEN WE LOOK AT CASE STUDIES, THEY OFTEN PERPETUATE THAT HARDSHIP.
WHETHER AS A CITY WE'RE SUPPORTING ANY FEDERAL GRANT APPLICATIONS THROUGH A LETTER OF SUPPORT, WHAT TYPE OF ASSURANCE ARE WE GETTING FROM THESE ENTITIES THAT THEY ARE GOING TO MOVE PROJECTS FORWARD THAT ARE IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE STRATEGIC
HOUSING IMPLEMENTATION PLAN? >> I CAN SPEAK TO THE THRIVING COMMUNITIES APPLICATION, COUNCILMEMBER. SO IN THAT PARTICULAR INSTANCE, I WAS THE ONE THAT REALLY TOOK THAT IDEA TO VIA BECAUSE OF TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT AND BECAUSE OF THE NEED FOR HOUSING AFFORDABILITY ALONG THAT TRANSIT LINE WAS LOOKING MORE FOR A MORE HOLISTIC LOOK AT HOW -- IT WASN'T JUST WAS SOMETHING MORE BROADER. ALSO THE FACT THAT IT IDENTIFIED ADDITIONAL DOLLARS, FEDERAL DOLLARS THAT WE COULD BRING DOWN FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
A LOT OF THIS WAS CONFIRM FOR ME WHEN I WAS AT THE NATIONAL COHORT MEETING AND I SAW THE FEDERAL AGENCIES WORKING TOGETHER THAT INCLUDED HOUSING AND INCLUDED HEALTH AND INCLUDED ALL THESE OTHER ENTITIES. SO IN TERMS OF THEIR COMMITMENT, REALLY THE THRIVING COMMUNITIES PROJECT IS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S NECESSARILY A PROJECTOR AS MUCH AS TEACHING -- PROJECT THAT COMES OUT OF IT AS WELL AS TEACHING HOW TO USE THOSE FUNDS.
>> CASTILLO: AS A PARTNER, THE SHIP AS WELL, THEY ARE COMMITTED TO POLICIES AND PRACTICES AND NOT JUST WITHIN THE DOCUMENT. I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU AS WELL AND GIVEN THE RECENT PUBLIC SAFETY PLAN WITH THE COUNTY AND CITY THERE'S AN EFFORT TO HELP REDUCE RECIDIVISM. I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE ON A PANEL ON HOMELESS AND A COUPLE OF FOLKS SAID IT'S NOT JUST THE PRODUCTION OF 30% MI, IT'S ALSO ENSURING INDIVIDUALS WITH CRIMINAL RECORDS HAVE ACCESS TO HOUSING WHERE THEIR ONLY OPTION ISN'T HAVEN FOR HOPE.
WHILE YOU ALL ARE AT SA TO DC AND WANT US TO THINK ABOUT HOW CAN WE HELP
ALLEVIATE THAT GAP. THANK YOU. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO. THE TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT, YESTERDAY WE DISCUSSED IT AT GOVERNANCE SO IT'S GOING TO BE GOING TO OUR FULL -- FOR A FULL B SESSION. AND SO I THINK THAT IT WOULD BE -- IF WE HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS IT WOULD BE PERFECT TO TRY TO BRING IT BACK TO PCDC.
COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AND THE UPDATE. THANK YOU FOR JUST COORDINATING AND WORKING TOGETHER, AND LORI, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP WITH THIS TEAM.
WHEN WE PASSED THE HOUSING BOND, THERE WERE HIGH EXPECTATIONS AND I'M VERY PLEASED WITH THE DIRECTION WE'RE GOING. AND SO MY COMMENTS ARE REALLY LIKE HERE'S WHAT MORE WE CAN DO. SO AND MARK HAS -- I'VE TALKED WITH MARK ABOUT THIS TOO. WHAT I WOULD REALLY LOVE TO SEE IS IF THERE IS ANY WAY WE CAN QUANTIFY, ESPECIALLY IN OUR AREAS LIKE THE SOUTHERN SECTOR, WHAT MOTELS ARE REALLY OPERATING AS LOW BARRIER SHELTERS TO TRY AND UNDERSTAND WHAT WE REALLY HAVE IN AN AREA IN A DISTRICT.
I THINK ABOUT ROOSEVELT, I THINK ABOUT PRESA, ALONG DISTRICT 3.
THE OTHER IS AS WE TALK TO THE PEOPLE DURING -- AND THIS IS KIND OF DIFFERENT DENTS SO I'M GLAD YOU ARE COORDINATING TOGETHER, BUT AS WE TALK TO THEM ABOUT PROTESTING THEIR TAXES, WE CONTINUE TO TALK TO THEM TO LOOK AT THEIR FINANCES TO FIND OUT WHAT THEIR PERSONAL WORTH, WEALTH IS AND HOW THEY ARE -- HOW THEY CAN POSSIBLY USE THEIR HOME TO MAKE MORE MONEY IF IT'S BY HAVING A KIND OF RENTAL UNIT OR AN AFFORDABLE RENTAL UNIT. OR WHAT THEY NEED TO DO IN TERMS OF LOOK TO THE FUTURE. I HAVE A LARGE SENIOR COMMUNITY IN DISTRICT 3 THAT IS LIVING ON A FIXED INCOME THAT IS REALLY BURDENED BY THE CONTINUOUS PROPERTY TAX
[01:35:06]
INCREASES. AND YOU SEE A LOT OF THEM AT THEIR, OUT THERE.SOME OF THEM ARE GOING BACK TO WORK, AND I THINK THAT'S PART OF TRYING TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THEM ABOUT WHAT THEY ACTUALLY HAVE, HOW THEY CAN BUDGET BETTER AND GET THEM INTO THE RESOURCES. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT. BUT I REALLY DO THINK THAT WE REALLY NEED TO -- I HAVE QUITE A FEW AND I WANT TO THANK OPPORTUNITY HOMES FOR BEING HERE BECAUSE THEY DO WORK IN MY -- IN MY DISTRICT AND PROVIDE HOUSING TO SENIORS AND TO THOSE THAT ARE SITTING IN 30% AND LOWER.
BUT I THEN DO HAVE SOME PEOPLE OPERATING APARTMENTS THAT ARE PROVIDING HOUSING, BUT THERE'S NO ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THEM AND THERE'S NO OPPORTUNITY ■TO KIND OF MOVE THEM INTO MAYBE AN OPPORTUNITY HOME OR TO BETTER HOUSING.
OR THEY DON'T HAVE A READY TO WORK, IF THEY ARE NOT WORKING WITH THE SAN ANTONIO HOUSING TRUST, THEY DON'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN ABOUT WHAT READY TO WORK IS DOING. SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE START IDENTIFYING WHO IS OPERATING IN THE OTHER PARTS OF THE TOWN AS AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR -- AND MAKING SURE WE GET THEM PLANTED AND IDENTIFY THAT. I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN DO THAT THROUGH THAT THROUGH A STUDY, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT MOVING FORWARD ESPECIALLY BEFORE THE NEXT BOND BECAUSE I THINK WE'VE SEEN SUCH SUCCESS HERE, AND THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE HAVE THOUGHTFUL DEVELOPMENT IN AREAS.
AND AGAIN, THE SUCCESS THAT BOTH THE SAN ANTONIO HOUSING TRUST AND THE -- WITH THE MOBILE HOME PARK ON MISSION ROAD WAS JUST SUCH A SUCCESS.
AND MORE CREATIVITY LIKE THAT IN TERMS OF TO KEEP AFFORDABLE HOUSING, TO KEEP PEOPLE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. I THINK WE JUST NEED TO BE A LITTLE CREATIVE.
AND I THANK MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUE FOR ASKING FOR THAT METRICS THING.
THAT WAS A LOT OF INFORMATION AND A LOT TO UNPACK, BUT I REALLY
APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN. COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE. >> COURAGE: THANK YOU.
I WANT TO THANK ALL THE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN WORKING TOGETHER COLLABORATING FOR HOUSING. IT OBVIOUSLY IS A VERY, VERY KEY ISSUE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HOMELESSNESS OR WHEN WE TALK ABOUT FAMILY LIFE. YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE A SAFE PLACE. YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE A HOME TO BE IN.
AND IT'S BEEN A STRUGGLE IN THIS CITY. I'VE BEEN DOING SOME RESEARCH AND I THINK THAT MOST OF YOU WHO LIVED HERE FOR SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF TIME WOULD AGREE THAT 25, 30 YEARS AGO WE HAD MAYBE 200, 250,000 PEOPLE IN THIS CITY WHO WERE LIVING IN POVERTY AND WERE STRUGGLING FOR HOUSING AND PAY THEIR UTILITY BILLS. AND HERE WE ARE 25, 30 YEARS LATER AND WE'RE STILL FACING THOSE SAME PROBLEMS. AND WE DON'T SEEM TO REALLY HAVE MOVED THE NEEDLE VERY FAR IN ALL THAT PERIOD OF TIME. AND I THINK THAT HOUSING FIRST IS A KEY ISSUE, BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE NEED TO HAVE MORE EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT. THEY NEED TO HAVE MORE MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT.
THERE NEED TO BE HIGHER PAYING JOBS AND MORE JOBS AVAILABLE TO HELP PEOPLE BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO LIVE OUTSIDE OF THE 30% AMI RANGE AT 50% OR 100%.
SO YOUR PART IN GOING TO WASHINGTON IS KEY IN THAT WHOLE PUZZLE OF PIECES WE NEED TO BRING TOGETHER TO HELP LIFT PEOPLE UP OR LET THEM LIFT THEMSELVES UP IN THIS COMMUNITY. I'M GOING TO BE GOING AND WORKING WITH MILITARY CONTINGENT SO I WON'T BE WITH YOU BUT MY HEART WILL BE WITH YOU.
I HOPE WE FIND SOME OTHER KEY THINGS THAT WE CAN DO IN SAN ANTONIO THAT CAN HELP US HELP EVEN MORE PEOPLE GAIN AN AFFORDABLE PLACE TO LIVE IN THE CITY.
THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU DO. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE. I THINK THAT'S IT. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE UPDATE. I THINK THAT IT'S GOOD TO HAVE AN UPDATE EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE. THANK YOU TO THE COMMITTEE ALSO FOR POWERING THROUGH, EVERYBODY PRESENTING, BUT WE NEEDED TO DO THIS. I WANT TO MOVE ON TO ITEM 4, WHICH IS OUR FINAL ITEM FOR TODAY. IT'S A BRIEFING AND POSSIBLE ACTION RELATED TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING SINGLE-FAMILY AND MULTI-FAMILY GAP
PRESENTATIONS PRESENTED BY VERONICA GONZALES. >> GOOD MORNING.
I'M THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
I'M VERY EXCITED TO SHARE WITH YOU OUR POST-SOLICITATION BRIEFING FOR PARTNERING WITH OTHER ENTITIES TO BUILD NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN OUR
[01:40:04]
COMMUNITY. I'M JOINED TODAY BY OUR DIRECTOR VERONICA GARCIA AND CONTRACTS MANAGER WILLIAM TAYLOR. WE ARE ALSO JOINED BY AT LEAST ONE REPRESENTATIVE FROM ALL FOUR HOUSING PROJECTS TO HELP ANSWER QUESTIONS. HOUSING AFFORDABILITY WAS ONE OF THE TOP ITEMS IN OUR COMMUNITY BUDGET SURVEY AND WE WORK WITH OTHER DEVELOPERS TO BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND INCREASE THE HOUSING STOCK IN SAN ANTONIO.THE POST-SOLICITATION ITEM DOES JUST THAT BY RECOMMENDING FOUR HUD-FUNDED PROJECTS TOTALING PRESENT OVER $59 MILLION IN TOTAL INVESTMENT IN HOUSING. EACH OF THE PROJECTS HAVE DEEPLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS TO HELP SERVE THE MOST VULNERABLE IN OUR COMMUNITIES WHICH IS DIRECTLY IN LINE WITH THE HOUSING PARAMETER AND FRAMEWORK PRIORITIES RECOMMENDED BY THE HOUSING COMMUNITY, BOND COMMITTEE AND APPROVED BY COUNCIL. EVERY YEAR SAN ANTONIO RECEIVES ENTITLEMENT FUNDS FROM HUD AND WE UTILIZE THOSE FUNDS TO PROVIDE DECENT, SAFE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN OUR COMMUNITY. TODAY'S ITEM IS IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE 2024 ANNUAL ACTION PLAN THAT COUNCILMEMBERS APPROVED LAST FALL AND WE ARE UTILIZING SPECIFICALLY HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP FUNDS AND OUR CDBG BLOCK GRANTS TO PROVIDE GAP FINANCING FOR PROFIT AND NON-PROFIT. TO SERVE FAMILIES UP TO 80% OF AREA MEDIAN INCOME IN ALIGNMENT WITH OUR SHIP, WE ALSO SERVE HOUSEHOLDS UP TO 60% OF AREA MEDIAN INCOME WITH A PRIORITY FOR PROJECTS THAT SERVE FAMILIES UP TO 30% AMI OR BELOW. FOR OUR HUD-FUNDED SOLICITATIONS, WE RELEASE TWO RESPECTS AND NEW SINGLE-FAMILY HOMEOWNERSHIP. THE RFP WAS RELEASED ON OCTOBER 6 AND CLOSED ON NOVEMBER 20TH. IN TOTAL, SEVEN RESPONSES WERE RECEIVED AND ALL SEVEN WERE REVIEWED AND EVALUATED. WE ARE RECOMMENDING FOUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS TO BE SELECTED WITH AN ESTIMATED VALUE OF $7,024,532. I WILL NOTE THAT ANY REMAINING FEDERAL FUNDS AVAILABLE FROM THIS ROUND ALONG WITH ANY IDENTIFIED PROGRAM INCOME OR SAVINGS WILL BE RELEASED IN A FUTURE FUNDING ROUND AS SOON AS THIS SPRING.
LASTLY FOR BOTH RFPS, THE TERM OF EACH CONTRACT WILL BE BASED ON ACTUAL DEVELOPMENT SCHEDULE. THIS IS THE SCORING MATRIX THAT WAS USED TO EVALUATE RENTAL AND FOR SALE PROJECTS. AT 30 POINTS, THE LARGEST CRITERIA FOR RESPONDENTS DID THE AFFORDABILITY OF THE PROJECT.
EVERY PROJECT WE ARE LOOKING AT WE ARE ANALYZING HOW MUCH DEEP AFFORDABILITY IS IN THE PROJECT AND PRIORITIZING FUNDING AWARDS FOR PROJECTS THAT HAVE UNITS FOR FAMILIES AT 30% AMI FOR RENTAL AND FOR DEVELOPMENT EXPERIENCE IS WORTH 15 POINTS AND ENSURES DEVELOPERS HAVE PRIOR SUCCESS IN BUILDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
PROJECT GAP, READINESS, 15 POINTS. THIS ENSURES THE LIMITED FUNDS WILL RESULT IN PROJECTS FINANCIALLY VIABLE. WE LOOK FOR PROJECTS THAT ARE SHOVEL READY AND LEVERAGING OUR FUNDING SOURCES.
NEXT PROJECTS CAN EARN UP TO 120 POINTS FOR COMMITMENT TO --R COMMITMENT AND AMENITIES AND RESIDENT SERVICES OFFERED ON SITE. EACH NEW CONSTRUCTION PROJECT ALSO COMPLETED A DISPLACEMENT IMPACT ASSESSMENT SO WE CAN ANALYZE THE COMMUNITY SURROUNDING EACH PROJECT. THAT WILL ENSURE PROJECTS DO NOT RESULT IN DISPLACEMENT AND RESIDENTS OF THE FUTURE HOUSING PROJECTS HAVE RESOURCES THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL. PROJECTS THAT ARE OWNED BY NON-PROFIT ENTITY OR PARTNERING WITH ONE OF OUR NON-PROFIT ENTITIES COULD BE AWARDED UP TO TEN POINTS. I'LL NOTE THAT ALL PROPOSALS WERE EVALUATED FOR VETERAN OWNED SMALL BUSINESS PREFERENCE POINTS BUT NEITHER RECEIVED THE POINTS.
FEDERAL REGULATIONS DO NOT ALLOW US TO APPLY LOCAL PREFERENCE TO OUR SOLICITATIONS. THEREFORE SBEDA AND THE LOCAL PREFERENCE PROGRAM DO NOT APPLY TO THESE HUD-FUNDED RFPS. OUR SCORING PANEL INCLUDED REPRESENTATIVES FROM OUR CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, NHSD, THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY AND VIA TRANSIT ALSO HELPED SCORE WHILE LOOKING AT WHERE PROJECTS ARE BEING PROPOSED.
OUR ENTIRE PANEL WAS SUPPORTED BY MANY ADVISOY MEMBERS, CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT AND UNDERWRITERS TO HELP ANSWER DETAILED QUESTIONS THEY MAY HAVE. FOR THE RENTAL HOUSING RFP, THIS WAS A VERY COMPETITIVE ROUND. EVERY SINGLE PROJECT THAT WAS SUBMITTED HAD TO HAVE AT LEAST 10% OF THE UNITS AVAILABLE FOR FAMILIES AT 30% OF THE AREA MEDIAN
[01:45:01]
INCOME OR BELOW. THAT'S A FAMILY MAKING LESS THAN 23,000 A YEAR.10% OF THE WHOLE PROJECT HAD TO SERVE THOSE FAMILIES. FIVE TOTAL RESPONSES WERE RECEIVED UNDER THE RENTAL HOUSING RFP REQUEST -- SORRY, REQUESTING 14.5 MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDING. THE COMMITTEE SELECTED TWO PROJECTS FOR COUNCIL CONSIDERATION. THE SCORING MATRIX THAT YOU SEE HERE REFLECTS FINALIZED SCORE RECOMMENDATIONS BY THE PANEL FOR ALL FIVE RENTAL HOUSING PROPOSALS. THE TOP TWO HIGHEST SCORING PROPOSALS FOR VILLAGE AT PERRIN~BEITEL AND RAINBOW LOFTS WERE RECOMMENDED FOR FUNDING BY THE PANEL.
WE CAN CONFIDENCELY SAY THE RECOMMENDED PROJECTS BOTH HAVE ON SITE RESIDENCE SERVICES AVAILABLE FOR THEMSELVES THAT LIVE THERE, OFFER HIGH QUALITY RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITIES WITH MODERN AMENITIES, THEY ARE SOLVE READY PROJECTS.
ONE IS READY TO START AS SOON AS MARCH 1ST IF FUNDING IS APPROVED.
EACH PROJECT ALSO HAS A NON-PROFIT PARTNER AND THEY ARE LEVERAGING FUNDS MAKING SURE OUR DOLLAR IS GOING FURTHER IN THE COMMUNITY. WHILE THIS ROUND WAS COMPETITIVE, OUR TEAM WILL BE MEETING AND DOING DEBRIEFINGS WITH ALL RESPONDENTS NOT MENTIONED. WE WILL HAVE FEDERAL FUNDS AVAILABLE SO THAT CAN BE USED IN THE FUTURE FOR CONSTRUCTION OR REHAB OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING SO WE'LL ENCOURAGE THESE PROJECTS TO POTENTIALLY COME BACK AND APPLY FOR FUTURE FUNDING ROUNDS AS EARLY AS THIS SPRING. FOR RENTAL HOUSING DEVELOPMENT, WE WERE LOOKING FOR PROJECTS THAT HAD AT LEAST 10% OF THE UNITS SET ASIDE FOR FAMILIES AT 30% AMI. THIS SHOWS THE TWO RECOMMENDED RENTAL HOUSING DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS AND WE WILL GO INTO DETAIL FOR EACH OF THESE PROJECTS. BOTH PROJECTS IN TOTAL ARE REPRESENTING 151 NEW CONSTRUCTION UNITS. 139 WHICH WILL BE RESTRICTED TO 60% AMI OR BELOW INCLUDING 24 DEEPLY AFFORDABLE UNITS. THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE FUNDING RECOMMENDATION FOR EACH PROJECT TOTALING 3.34 MILLION.
THE FIRST PROJECT I WILL HIGHLIGHT WHICH IS RECOMMENDED FOR AWARD IS VILLAGE AT PERRIN~BEITEL. THIS IS CREATING A MIXED INCOME COMMUNITY WITH DEEPLY AFFORDABLE AND MARKET RATE UNITS PLANNED. LOCATED AT 2611 NORTHEAST LOOP 410 WITHIN DISTRICT 10 AND BEING DEVELOPED BY ALL AFFORDABLE HOUSING SERVICES.
THIS IS ONE OF OUR CHOKED DOUGH PARTNERS. THIS -- CHDO PARTNERS.
THEY DID RECEIVE A PRIOR FUNDING COMMITMENT, APPROXIMATELY 3 MILLION BETWEEN HOME FUNDS AND TIRZ, HOWEVER THIS PROJECT HAS ENCOUNTERED SIGNIFICANT IN AUDIO] LAPSE. TO MAKE SURE IT'S ABLE TO CLOSE AS EARLY AS MARCH.
WE ARE RECOMMENDING $600,000. IT INCLUDES 18 UNITS LEASE TO DO TENANTS EARNING NO MORE THAN 30% OF THE AMI IS THAT WILL PROVIDE A FAMILY WITH AN OPTION TO LIVE IN A THREE-BEDROOM FLOOR PAN PLAN.
THIS IS THE LARGEST PERCENTAGE OF AMI UNITS OF ALL THE RESPONDENTS WE RECEIVED. THEY WILL HAVE A WIDE RANGE OF AMENITIES ON SITE INCLUDING A FOOD PANTRY AS WELL AS AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM, SERVING RESIDENT YOUTH AS WELL AS A NEIGHBORING COMMUNITY. THE PROJECT WILL ALSO HAVE SEVERAL SUSTAINABILITY IMPROVEMENTS ENERGY ENERGY EFFICIENT APPLIANCES, LIGHTINGS AND UPGRADES. THIS PROJECT IS READY TO CLOSE AS EARLY AS MARCH IF FUNDING IS APPROVED. THE NEXT PROJECT RECOMMENDED IS RAINBOW LOFTS LOCATED IN DISTRICT 9. THIS IS PROPOSED BY THE NRP GROUP WITH NON-PROFIT PARTNER COMMUNITY HOUSING RESOURCES. AND RECOMMENDED FOR AWARD OF $2.7 MILLION. THIS IS ALSO 9% TAX CREDIT PROJECT WITH 59 AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS FOR FAMILIES. THIS PROPOSED THREE-STORY DEVELOPMENT WILL BE 100% AFFORDABLE AND TARGETED TO FAMILIES BY PROVIDING MULTI-BEDROOM FLOOR PLANS WHICH ARE GREATLY NEEDED IN OUR COMMUNITY. PROPOSED RENT FOR A FAMILY AT 30% AMI IS PROPOSED AS LOW AS $557 FOR A THREE-BEDROOM FLOOR PLAN.
THE PROJECT WILL ALSO HAVE SEVERAL SUSTAINABILITY IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDING ENERGY EFFICIENT APPLIANCES AND LONG-LASTING MATERIALS. THEY WILL HAVE A WIDE RANGE OF AMENITIES AND RESIDENT SERVICES GEARED TOWARDS FAMILIES INCLUDING AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS THAT INCLUDE HOMEWORK HELP AND A SAFE PLACE FOR KIDS TO RELAX UNTIL PARENTS COME HOME FROM WORK. THEY WILL ALSO PROVIDE AN ON-SITE FOOD PANTRY, HEALTH AND WELLNESS SCREENINGS. THIS PROJECT IS READY TO
[01:50:03]
CLOSE AS EARLY AS SUMMER IF FUNDING IS APPROVED. OUR SECOND RFP WAS FOR THE NEW HOMEOWNERSHIP PROJECTS. ALL HOMES PROPOSED FOR DEVELOPMENT HAD TO COME FOR FAMILIES AT 80% OF THE AMI OR BELOW. THAT'S A FAMILY MAKING ABOUT $60,000 A YEAR. NOT A LOT OF DEVELOPERS CAN HELP CREATE THIS PRODUCT AT THESE PRICE POINTS SO WE'RE HAPPY THAT WE RECEIVED TWO PROPOSALS REQUESTING 3.6 MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDING. WE WERE LOOKING FOR THE SALES PRICE OF THE HOME AND WHAT SUSTAINABILITY FEATURES WILL THE HOME HAVE BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT NOT JUST THE UP FRONT COSTS OF PURCHASING THE HOME WAS AFFORDABLE BUT WHAT WOULD BE THE LONG-TERM COSTS OF OWNING THE HOME.THIS IS THE SCORING MATRIX THAT WE HAVE FOR ALL TWO HOMEOWNERSHIP PROJECTS THAT INCLUDED HABITAT FOR HUMANITY AND OUR CASAS RESIDENTIAL COUNCIL.
THESE ARE DEVELOPMENTERS THAT HAVE BUILT PROJECTS IN OUR CITY BEFORE AND HAVE PROVEN TO BE CONSISTENT PRODUCERS. ALL THE PROJECTS ARE NON-PROFITS LEVERAGING OTHER PRIVATE RESOURCES. THE COMMITTEE LIKED BOTH PROJECTS AND THEY ARE BOTH RECOMMENDED FOR COUNCIL CONSIDERATION.
THE FIRST PROJECT I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT IS CHANDLER ROAD, $3.4 MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDS. THIS IS A HABITAT FOR HUMANITY SUBDIVISION PRPOSED IN DISTRICT 3. THEY ARE PROPOSING 36 NEW HOMES FOR SCALE EXCLUSIVELY TO BUYERERS AT 80% AMI OR BELOW WITH THREE AND FOUR-BEDROOM FLOOR PLANS GEARED TOWARDS FAMILIES. THE SALES PROPERTY TAX STARTS AT $146,000.
HABITAT FINANCES THEIR OWN HOMES, CONSIST TO GO THE AFFORDABILITY OF ITS HOMES.
OUR FINAL PROJECT RECOMMENDED FOR $274,000 IN FEDERAL FUNDS IS A PROJECT CREEK AFFORDABLE HOMES IN DISTRICT 5. THIS IS A DEVELOPMENT ON CHIHUAHUA STREET. THREE MORE HOMES WITH AN ESTIMATED SALES PRICE OF $95,000 WILL BE SUPPORTED WITH THIS FUNDING. I'LL ALSO HIGHLIGHT THAT PROJECT BUILDS ON THE SUCCESS OF OTHER RECENT PROJECTS IN THE SAME NEIGHBORHOOD. ADDITIONALLY PRODUCTION LEVEL HAS BEEN INCREASING AND THE PROPOSED TWO-BEDROOM UNIT CAN SERVE ONE AND TWO-PERSON HOUSEHOLDS WHO ARE ONLY PRICED OUT OF LARGER PRODUCT WITH LARGER HOUSEHOLDS IN MIND.
THIS PROJECT IS READY TO CLOSE AS EARLY AS SUMMER IF FUNDING IS APPROVED.
IN SUMMARY, THE PRONGS RECOMMENDED TODAY REPRESENT $7 MILLION OF HUD FUNDING.
COMBINED THEY REPRESENT 190 UNITS ACROSS ALL FOUR PROJECTS WITH 178 UNITS AT 80% AMI OR BELOW, BRINGING 24 UNITS AT 30% AMI, THE HOUSING MOST NEEDED IN OUR COMMUNITY AND 39 NEW HOMEOWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR FAMILIES WHO HAVE A HARD TIME FINDING THIS TYPE OF HOUSING IN OUR MARKET TODAY. IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE ALL FOUR PROJECTS CONDUCTED A DISPLACEMENT IMPACT ASSESSMENT AND ALL HAD LOW STATUS S A RESTRICTIVE COVENANT WILL SECURE THE CITY'S INVESTMENT.
AFTER TODAY'S PCDC BRIEFING, WE PLAN TO BRIEF THE HOUSING COMMISSION TOMORROW MORNING AND WE WILL GO TO COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION OF THESE AWARDS ON FEBRUARY 1ST.
AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION. THANK YOU.
>> GARCIA: THANK YOU SO MUCH, VERONICA. AND THANK YOU FOR REVIEWING THE SUBMISSIONS TO ALL THE FOLKS WHO WERE ON THE COMMITTEE.
I'M GLAD THAT YOU ALL ARE CONSIDERING PROJECTS IN EVERY PART OF THE CITY.
THAT'S NICE TO SEE. I'M GLAD THAT WE CONTINUE TO INVEST IN GAP FINANCING BECAUSE WE NEED TO GET FAMILIES IN HOMES AND THAT'S WHAT I KEEP HEARING.
SO I DO WANT TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE NATALIE GRIFFITH IS HERE FROM HABITAT AND SHE IS GOING TO BE RETIRING AFER 30 YEARS OF SERVICE.
FOR ALL THE HARD WORK THAT YOU DO. WE'LL MISS SEEING YOUR FACE AT THE COMMITTEE. MIKE WILL STILL BE AROUND SO HE HAS BIG SHOES TO FILL, BUT WE WANT TO SAY HOW INCREDIBLE YOUR WORK HAS BEEN AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY FAMILIES YOU'VE PROVIDED HOMES FOR BUT I'M SURE IT'S AN INCREDIBLE IMPACT YOU'VE HAD ON THE SAN ANTONIO COMMUNITY. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK, NATALIE. [APPLAUSE] AND THEN I ALSO WANTED TO AGAIN THANK OUR A PLUS STUDENT, COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO AND HER TEAM AND JUSTIN RENTERIA. IT'S THE AFFORDABILITY EXIT. WE HAVE SEVERAL IN OUR DISTRICT SO SOMETHING TO CONSIDER FOR NEXT TIME. THAT'S ALWAYS TOP OF MIND.
LOOKING FORWARD TO SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR THAT.
[01:55:03]
I'LL START OFF WITH COUNCIL COLLEAGUE VIAGRAN. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. I'M REALLY EXCITED TO MOVE THESE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS FORWARD, ESPECIALLY THE ONE IN DISTRICT 3 FOR HABITAT FOR HUMANITY. I CANNOT WAIT TO HEAR THOSE 36 STORIES BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE LIFE CHANGING BECAUSE YOU ALL HAVE BROUGHT HOMEOWNERS BEFORE THAT HAVE TOLD THAT. SO I'M VERY EXCITED AND LOOKING FORWARD TO MAKING SURE THAT WE GET THIS DONE BETWEEN 2025 AND JUNE 2027. THANK YOU.
I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE. OR MOVE FORWARD. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU.
THERE'S A MOTION AND SECOND ON THE FLOOR. COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE.
>> COURAGE: YES, THANK YOU. I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROJECT THAT'S GOING FORWARD IN MY DISTRICT. I THINK EVERY DISTRICT NEEDS AFFORDABLE HOUSING. AND I'VE BEEN AN ADVOCATE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN DISTRICT 9 BECAUSE I WANT PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO LIVE NEAR WHERE THEY WORK.
FOR TOO LONG WE'VE SEEN PEOPLE TRAVEL ALL OVER THIS CITY TRYING TO GO FROM ONE PART OF TOWN TO ANOTHER BECAUSE THAT OTHER PART OF TOWN DIDN'T HAVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING. WE'VE HAD THREE OR FOUR PROJECTS AND THERE'S STILL ONE OR TWO MORE IN THE PIPELINE FOR DISTRICT 9 SINCE I'VE BEEN A COUNCIL.
I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT AND I'M SUPPORTIVE OF ALL THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS WE'RE BUILDING EVERYWHERE IN THE CITY. THANK YOU.
>> GARCIA: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE. COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO.
>> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, CHAIR. I JUST WANTED TO THANK ALL THE FOLKS WHO WILL BE RECEIVING FUNDING FOR THEIR PROJECTS.
THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN.
THAT BRINGS US -- THAT WAS THE FINAL ITEM. WE'LL TAKE A VOTE.
ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY AYE. IT LOOKS LIKE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
THANK YOU AGAIN EVERYBODY. WE ARE CONCLUDED AT 11:56 A.M., WE ARE ADJOURNED.
THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.