[00:00:20]
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. WELCOME TO OUR CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL SESSION. TIME IS 1:07 P.M. ON JUNE 13, 2024.
WE'LL CALL OUR MEETING TO ORDER. MADAME CLERK, CAN YOU READ THE ROLL?
[ ITEMS ]
>> CLERK: SIR, WE HAVE A QUORUM. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT. GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. WE HAVE THREE ITEMS TODAY.
REALLY TWO DISCUSSIONS THOUGH, I BELIEVE. WE'LL TAKE ITEMS 1 AND 2 TOGETHER AND THEN WE'LL HAVE A SEPARATE CONVERSATION FOR ITEM 3, WHICH IS THE HOUSING RFP. ERIK, LET ME TURN IT OVER TO YOU TO GET US STARTED.
>> WALSH: THANK YOU, MAYOR. SO SAWS HAS TWO ITEMS THAT THEY'LL BE BRIEFING YOU ON THIS AFTERNOON. THE FIRST IS THE WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN, WHICH THEY UPDATE EVERY FIVE YEARS TO PROJECT WATER SUPPLIES.
AND THEN THE SECOND ITEM IS PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE DROUGHT AND CONSERVATION RULES TO IMPROVE CONSERVATION. OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, CURRENT DROUGHT RULES DID NOT ACHIEVE THE WATER SAVINGS ANTICIPATED BY THE WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN SO SAWS HAS REVISITED THEM AND IS PROPOSING A NUMBER OF CHANGES INTENDED TO CURB HIGH-WATER USER'S CONSUMPTION DURING THE DROUGHTS. NO ACTION IS NEEDED BY THE COUNCIL ON THE WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN PART OF THE BRIEFING. BUT THE DROUGHT ORDINANCE CHANGES THAT THEY'LL BE TALKING TO YOU ABOUT THIS AFTERNOON WILL COME TO COUNCIL -- ARE SCHEDULED TO COME TO COUNCIL NEXT WEEK, JUNE 20TH.
AFTER HEARING AND INCORPORATING ANY COMMENTS AND FEEDBACK FROM THE COUNCIL TODAY. SO, WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO ROBERT.
I THINK HE'S GOT TWO STAFFERS WHO WILL BE DOING THE PRESENTATIONS.
SO DONOVAN WILL KICK IT OFF. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. MAKE SURE I AM WHERE I AM.
MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, CITY MANAGER. I AM DONOVAN BURTON AND I'M GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN THAT WE GO THROUGH EVERY SO OFTEN. THIS IS REALLY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ALL POINTING IN THE SAME DIRECTION IN TERMS OF MEETING OUR FUTURE WATER NEEDS.
SO THAT'S WHAT THIS IS. I'LL GO THROUGH SOME OF THIS AND OBVIOUSLY WE'LL HAVE QUESTIONS AT ANY POINT. SO I ALWAYS LIKE TO START OFF WITH SAWS DOES SOME AMAZING THINGS. YOU HAVE A LOT TO BE PROUD OF WITH YOUR WATER UTILITY.
WE HAVE A LOT OF THINGS TO TOUR. WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO COME FROM ALL OVER TO SEE THE NEAT THINGS WE HAVE IN SAN ANTONIO.
OBVIOUSLY I THINK YOU HAVE HEARD MOST OF THESE BUT THE LARGEST AQUIFER STORAGE RECOVERY, THE GROUNDWATER BASED AR SYSTEM, OUR STATE-OF-THE-ART BRACKISH DESALINATION PROJECT. WE HAVE SOME OF THE BEST CONSERVATION PROGRAMS AROUND, AND OUR DIRECT RECYCLED WATER SYSTEM. ALL OF THOSE ARE GREAT TOURS. THE DIRECT RECYCLED SUPPORTS THE RIVER WALK AS WELL.
THAT WOULDN'T BE WHAT IT IS TODAY WITHOUT OUR DIRECT RECYCLE.
WHAT WE DO IS CRITICAL TO SAN ANTONIO AND YOU HAVE A LOT TO BE PROUD OF.
WE DO IT THROUGH A LOT OF THE WORK THAT OUR EMPLOYEES HAVE.
WE ALSO GET A LOT OF AWARDS THAT SHOW SOME OF THE SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT THAT WE DO OF OUR UTILITY. AND SO WE EVEN RECEIVED THE LEADING UTILITIES OF THE WORLD THAT MR. PUENTE HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN. LOTS TO BE PROUD OF BUT ALL OF THAT GOES TO THE NEED FOR --S BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT PLAN FOR AND EXECUTE WHAT IT IS THAT WE DO AT SAWS. SO OUR WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN, WHAT THIS IS A GUIDING DOCUMENT, AS I MENTIONED, TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ALL POINTING IN THE SAME DIRECTION FOR FUTURE WATER, TO MEET OUR FUTURE WATER NEEDS.
WE GENERALLY DO THIS ONCE EVERY FIVE YEARS OR SO. THIS YEAR WE WERE ABLE TO USE THE LESSONS OF THE ONGOING DROUGHT. I'LL MENTION THAT LATER AS WELL. SO THE LAST ONE WAS IN 2017. THIS ONE OBVIOUSLY WE'LL BE ROLLING OUT A DRAFT OF THAT HERE. THAT TAKES THE POPULATION PROJECTIONS, THE WATER DEMANDS, THE CONSERVATION PROGRAMS, AND OUR WATER SUPPLIES. BOTH HOW OUR CURRENT WATER SUPPLIES ARE WORKING AND HOW WE THINK THE FUTURE WATER SUPPLIES WILL WORK. WE PUT THOSE TOGETHER, MODEL IT, AND MAKE SURE WE HAVE ENOUGH WATER ON HAND. I DON'T HAVE TO TELL YOU ALL
[00:05:01]
WE ARE IN ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING REGIONS IN THE NATION.5 MILLION NEIGHBORS AND THAT'S GROWING. WE ARE A VERY REGIONAL ENTITY. WHAT WE DO IN SAN ANTONIO IS NOT A SAN ANTONIO THING, IT IMPACTS THE ENTIRE REGION, ALL THE WAY NORTH TO CENTRAL TEXAS AND ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE COAST AND BEYOND. AS LONG AS WE HAVE ENOUGH WATER SUPPLIES, THAT IS IMPORTANT, NOT ONLY TO THE REGION BUT THE WHOLE STATE. WE HAVE TO FACTOR IN THE POPULATION GROWTH OF THE REGION BUT AS WELL OUR OWN POPULATION GROWTH.
SO IN SAWS, AGAIN, YOU'VE SEEN WE'RE THE FASTEST-GROWING CITY.
WE'RE PLANNING FOR 617,000 MORE PEOPLE BY 2040. OVER 1.5 MILLION BY 2075.
THE BLUE LINE REPRESENTS THE 2017 WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN. THAT'S HOW WE WERE PLANNING FOR, USING THE CITY'S FIGURES, THE CITY'S POPULATION FIGURES.
WE'VE OBVIOUSLY EXPERIENCED EVEN MORE THAN WE EXPECTED IN 2017 AND SO WE ARE PLANNING FOR THAT. THE RED LINE REPRESENTS WHAT IS GOING TO BE IN THIS NEW WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN. AGAIN, OVER 2 MILLION PEOPLE --R 3 MILLION PEOPLE BY THE END OF THE PLANNING PERIOD. WHAT THE PLAN DOES IS WE HAVE TO PLAN FOR THE POLITICAL, LEGAL, AND REGULATORY ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH DEVELOPING WATER SUPPLIES. I MENTIONED SOME OF THE REGIONAL BODIES.
THERE ARE STATE AND FEDERAL. WE HAVE A LOT OF BOSSES AT SAWS.
ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AND SO BUT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE TAKE INTO ACCOUNT POLITICAL ISSUES THAT ARE OUT THERE AND HOW THOSE BLEED INTO THE REGULATORY ISSUES. ALL OF OUR WATER SUPPLIES ARE HIGHLY REGULATED AND SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE REGULATIONS ARE PUT INTO, PLUGGED INTO WHAT WE THINK IS GOING TO BE AN AVAILABLE SUPPLY AT ANY GIVEN TIME OVER THE NEXT 50 YEARS. WE ALSO HAVE TO PLAN FOR EXTREMES.
SO EXTREME CLIMATE CONDITIONS. WE DON'T PLAN FOR NORMAL TIMES. WE DON'T PLAN FOR NORMAL GROWTH OR NORMAL WATER SUPPLIES ALWAYS BEING THERE. WE PLAN FOR THE DROUGHTS OF RECORD.
WE PLAN FOR FLOODS. WE PLAN FOR WINTER STORM URI-TYPE EVENTS.
WE HAVE MODELED A LOT OF EVENTS BUT SPECIFICALLY OUR WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN IS BASED OFF OF A DROUGHT, A DROUGHT OF RECORD AND MAKING SURE THAT OUR SUPPLIES ARE GOING TO BE THERE AND THAT THEY ARE RESILIENT. WE HAVE CERTAINLY SEEN THAT OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS. OUR AVERAGE RAINFALL IN SAN ANTONIO IS SOMEWHERE AROUND 32 INCHES. THE LOWEST WAS 1917 AND WE ALMOST GOT THAT RECORD AGAIN IN 2022. 2023 WASN'T A WHOLE LOT BETTER AND IT WAS ONE OF THE HOTTEST SUMMERS ON RECORD. SO WE CERTAINLY EXPERIENCED THESE EXTREME CONDITIONS AND WE PLAN FOR THEM. ALL OF THOSE ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO OUR PROCESS.
WE PLAN FOR THE HYBRID DROUGHT OF RECORD. WE PLAN FOR A NINE-YEAR DROUGHT OF RECORD. THAT IS BASICALLY THE DURATION OF THE 1950S DROUGHT OF RECORD. WE ARE, IN FACT, TRACKING ALONG THAT DROUGHT OF RECORD RIGHT NOW, AS WE SPEAK. THAT DROUGHT OF RECORD IS VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING NOW. THE STATE PLANS FOR SIX A YEAR.
WE GO ABOVE AND BEYOND BUT WE'VE ALSO ADDED IN, LAYERED IN THE INTENSITY OF THE DROUGHT FROM 2011 TO 2014, WHICH IS THE MOST RECENT DROUGHT, OTHER THAN THE ONGOING DROUGHT THAT WE HAVE NOW. WE WERE ABLE TO LEARN A WHOLE LOT OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS AND INCORPORATE THE ONGOING DROUGHT LESSONS INTO OUR CURRENT PLANNING. WE ALSO HAVE TO PLAN FOR SUPPLY DISRUPTIONS.
THESE ARE TWO PICTURES OF TWO ACTUAL EVENTS WHERE WE LOST ALMOST 25% OF OUR TOTAL PRODUCTION AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT AND WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO TURN VALVES AND BE READY AND MAKE SURE THAT OUR CUSTOMERS HAVE WATER AND THEY DON'T EXPERIENCE ANY IMPACT TO THEIR SERVICE DELIVERY. THAT'S AN AMAZING FEAT AND SOMETHING THAT MANY OTHER COMPANIES CAN'T DO. WE DO THAT BUT IT TAKES A LOT OF PLANNING. CONSERVATION, I'LL LEAVE MOST OF THIS TO KAREN.
KAREN GUZ WILL SPEAK ABOUT CONSERVATION BUT THE CONSERVATION IS OUR FIRST NEW SOURCE WE LOOK AT. IT IS VERY CRITICAL FOR US TO DO.
IT IS ABSOLUTELY THE TWO-HEADED SIDE OF THE WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN.
WE HAVE OUR SUPPLIES BUT WE ALSO HAVE THE MANAGEMENT SIDE, WHICH IS THE DEMAND.
WE HAVE A GREAT RECORD OF 50% DECREASE OVER THE PAST SEVERAL DECADES.
IN THIS PLAN WE ARE MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE ABOUT A 10% REDUCTION THROUGH ALL THE DROUGHT STAGES TO OUR GPCD, OUR GALLONS PER CAPITA PER DAY, BASICALLY THE USE OF WATER. I THINK WE'RE PLANNING TO GET AROUND 87 GPCD OUT THROUGH THE PLANNING PERIOD. THAT'S WAY BELOW WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE IS IN THE STATE AND SO WE HAVE A HIGH EXPECTATION OF OURSELVES BUT WE CAN ACCOMPLISH IT BUT IT'S VERY CRITICAL THAT WE DO THE THINGS THAT OBVIOUSLY THAT KAREN GUZ WILL TALK
[00:10:02]
ABOUT NEXT. IN THIS PLAN WE'VE ALSO ADDED IN THE STRATEGIC ENERGY MANAGEMENT. ALL OF OUR SUPPLIES USE A LOT OF ENERGY, PARTICULARLY DESALINATION AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS. SO WE PUT TOGETHER A STRATEGIC ENERGY MANAGEMENT PLAN THAT OUR BOARD, OBVIOUSLY THE MAYOR'S BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS. AND WE BRING IN THAT NEXUS, THE ENERGY WATER NEXUS TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR ENERGY PLAN IS MATCHING WHAT OUR FUTURE WATER PLANS ARE GOING TO BE. THOSE PLANS, OUR ENERGY MANAGEMENT PLANS, SUPPORT THE CITIES, CLIMATE ACTION PLAN, BUT IT SUPPORTS THE CPS ENERGY'S DEMAND REDUCTIONS AS WELL . WE'RE ALL WORKING TOGETHER TO MEET OUR CUSTOMERS' EXPECTATIONS. IN TERMS OF SUPPLIES, WE HAVE 13 DIFFERENT WATER PROJECTS FROM SEVEN DIFFERENT SOURCES. YOU'LL SEE THAT OUR SUPPLIES ARE THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE REGION, HARKENING BACK TO THE POPULATION GROWTH.OUR SUPPLIES GO OUT INTO SEVERAL DIFFERENT COUNTIES AS FAR AWAY AS 140 MILES.
THE MOST RECENT VISTA RIDGE PROJECT. WE HAVE TO BRING ALL OF THOSE SOURCES INTO SAN ANTONIO AND DISTRIBUTE THEM THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY BUT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE PLANNING TO ENSURE THE INFRASTRUCTURE GETS THE WATER TO WHERE WE NEED IT TO BE. VISTA RIDGE WAS THE MAIN PROJECT THAT WE WERE PLANNING FOR IN 2017, THE MAIN NEW WATER PROJECT.
THAT HAS BEEN A GREAT SUCCESS. THE VISTA RIDGE PROJECT HAS BEEN. IT IS A LONG-TERM SUPPLY AND SOME OF YOU WILL REMEMBER IT'S A P3, PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP. THAT PROJECT TRANSFERS UNPRECEDENTED RISK ON TO THE PRIVATE SECTOR BUT BRINGS US A LONG-TERM SUPPLY AT A FIXED RATE FOR THE NEXT 50 YEARS, NEXT 60 YEARS, ACTUALLY.
30 YEARS IT'S PAID OFF AND THEN WE CONTINUE THE WATER FOR AN ADDITIONAL 30.
THAT PROJECT HAS DELIVERED ALL THE WATER IT WAS EXPECTED TO OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS AND IT IS WORKING WELL. THE OTHER ONE, AND MANY OF YOU MAY HAVE BEEN HERE, BUT OUR H2OAKS CENTER. WE THINK IT'S ONE OF THE ONLY ONES IN THE COUNTRY WITH THREE MAJOR WATER SOURCES ON ONE SITE.
THIS HOUSES OUR AQUIFER STORAGE AND RECOVERY, OUR DESALINATION PLANT, AND OUR LOCAL CARRIZO, NATIVE CARRIZO GROUNDWATER IN THAT AREA.
AND THE REASON I BRING THIS UP, OBVIOUSLY IT'S ONE THAT EVERYBODY LIKES TO GO TO.
WE HAVE TOURS THERE ALL THE TIME FROM PEOPLE EVERYWHERE, BUT THIS SITE WILL BE A MAJOR POINT OF OUR FUTURE GROWTH IN WATER SUPPLIES. SO WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR PLANNED PROJECTS, OUR PLANNED WATER PROJECTS OVER THE NEXT 50-YEAR HORIZON -- AGAIN, WHAT'S WHAT THE WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN DOES. GENERALLY HOW WE'RE GOING TO MEET THOSE IS BY LAYERING ON THAT DROUGHT OF RECORD AND OUR SUPPLIES AND WE'RE ABLE TO TIME WHEN THE NEXT PROJECT WILL BE BROUGHT ON. AND SO IN THE NEAR TERM, OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS, I'LL SAY, YOU'LL SEE THAT WE'LL FOCUS A LOT ON CONSERVATION.
AGAIN, NEXT PRESENTATION WILL TALK ABOUT THAT. REDUCTION OF WATER LOSS, LEAKY PIPES, AGING INFRASTRUCTURE, THAT SORT OF THING.
THE EXPANSION OF OUR LOCAL CARRIZO NATIVE GROUNDWATER AT THE H2OAKS PLANT.
AND THE ASR TREATMENT WILL GIVE US ADDITIONAL FLEXIBILITY WITH OUR AQUIFER STORAGE AND RECOVERY PROJECT. THOSE TWO PROJECTS WORK IN TANDEM. AND THEN WE HAVE SOME EXISTING CONTRACTS THAT ARE OUT THERE THAT WE THINK CAN BE OPTIMIZED. WE MAY BE ABLE TO GET MORE FROM CERTAIN ONES, LESS FROM OTHERS AND SO BY OPTIMIZING THOSE CONTRACTS WE'RE BETTER ABLE TO PLAN FOR THOSE SUPPLIES. AGAIN, IF YOU LOOK IN THE MID-TERM AND LONG-TERM, YOU'LL SEE CONSERVATION AND REDUCTION TO WATER LOSS WILL BE A CONSTANT. THAT WILL ALWAYS BE THERE BUT THAT HELPS US SAVE WATER AND HELPS US STAVE OFF WHATEVER THAT NEXT WATER PROJECT IS.
AND THEN IN TERMS OF SUPPLIES, WE WILL BRING ON BRACKISH DESALINATION PHASES 2 AND 3 IN THE MIDTERM AND WE'LL ALSO LOOK AT REGIONAL PROJECTS.
THERE ARE A LOT OF REGIONAL PROJECTS BEING DEVELOPED AND THERE MAY BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO PARTICIPATE IN THOSE. AND SO WE ARE CONSTANTLY LOOKING AT THOSE. WE HAVE SOME OF THEM UNDER OBSERVATION NOW AND DISCUSSIONS. AND THEN, AGAIN, IN THE LONG TERM WILL BE CONSERVATION AND REDUCTION OF WATER LOSS. FURTHER EXPANSION OF BRACKISH DESALINATION.
WE LIVE IN ONE OF THE AREAS OF THE MOST PRODUCTIVE BRACKISH DESALINATION IN THE STATE. WE DON'T NEED TO GO TO THE COAST.
WE HAVE IT RIGHT UNDER OUR FEET AND THAT'S ABLE TO BE EXPANDED.
IN FACT, OUR DESALINATION PLANT IS ALREADY PLUMBED TO BRING ON PHASES 2 AND 3 SO WE ARE READY FOR THE FUTURE WITH ALL OF THESE PROJECTS IN PLACE.
DOING ALL THAT, OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE TO FOCUS ON WATER EQUITY.
WE HAVE A LOT OF MARGINALIZED, VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES OUT THERE AND WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR RATE STRUCTURE, OUR PROGRAMS ARE SO THAT WE ARE NOT OUTSPENDING A LOT OF WHAT OUR CUSTOMERS ARE ABLE TO DO.
[00:15:03]
AND SO WE HAVE A LOT OF PROGRAMS FOR THOSE. AGAIN, I HARKEN BACK TO CONSERVATION. THE BETTER YOU CAN DO AT CONSERVING WATER, THE LONGER YOU CAN STAVE OFF SOME OF THE BIGGER WATER PROJECTS, WHICH REDUCES COSTS IN THE END. SO WE HAVE A VERY BIG FOCUS ON WATER EQUITY AND THIS IS A CRITICAL PIECE. AGAIN, A SNAPSHOT IN TERMS OF WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN.WHAT YOU'LL SEE IS PLANNING FOR A POPULATION OF 3.5 MILLION OVER THE 50-YEAR HORIZON. WE'LL HAVE A CONSERVATION GOAL OF 87 GALLONS PER CAPITA PER DAY FROM CONSERVATION SIDE, FROM THE DEMAND SIDE.
NEW TECHNOLOGIES WILL HELP US GET THERE. WE ARE IMPLEMENTING A LOT OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES IN EVERYTHING WE DO. THIS IS A CONSTANT ABOUT EVERY TYPE OF BUSINESS. AND IN TERMS OF DIVERSE WATER SUPPLIES WE WILL BRING ON SEVERAL NEW WATER SUPPLIES. AGAIN, I HIGHLIGHT THE BRACKISH DESALINATION THAT WE HAVE UNDER OUR FEET. REDUCTION OF WATER LOSS AND RESILIENCE, BACK TO THE SLIDES OF MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE WATER THERE EVEN AT THE WORST OF WORST TIMES AND EVEN IN INSTANTANEOUS LOSSES.
WE HAVE A LOT OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. OUR DRAFT PLAN WILL ROLL OUT OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS. WE HAVE HAD AN ONGOING CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS AND WE'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF COMMUNITY INPUT.
A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE FOCUSED OBVIOUSLY ON CONSERVATION, THE CLIMATE CONDITIONS, BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY WE'RE DOING A GREAT JOB, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO HEAR. AND, AGAIN, VISTA RIDGE IS SOMETHING THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE LIKE TO COMMENT ON. THAT WAS A FANTASTIC PROJECT THAT WAS ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS. NEXT STEP WE WILL HAVE CONTINUOUS PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD OVER THE NEXT 30 TO 45 DAYS. AND THEN THIS WILL GO TO OUR SAWS BOARD FOR APPROVAL, PROBABLY IN EARLY FALL. THAT'S MY PRESENTATION.
I'LL CERTAINLY ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: LET'S ROLL INTO THE DROUGHT MANAGEMENT PLAN AND THEN WE'LL TAKE QUESTIONS FOR
SAWS ALL TOGETHER. KAREN, THE FLOOR IS YOURS. >> GOOD AFTERNOON.
SO THIS PRESENTATION NICELY FOLLOWS DONOVAN'S IN THAT YOU HEARD DONOVAN SPEAK TO THAT IN SAN ANTONIO WE LOOK AT A NINE-YEAR DROUGHT PERIOD.
ONE OF THE CRITICAL QUESTIONS WE ASK IS HOW MUCH WATER DO WE HAVE DURING THAT DROUGHT PERIOD AND HOW MUCH WILL WE USE? IF WE DIDN'T HAVE DROUGHT PERIODS WE WOULDN'T HAVE WATER CHALLENGES IN SAN ANTONIO.
BUT WHEN WE ARE IN DROUGHT PERIODS WE LOSE SIGNIFICANT ACCESS TO THE EDWARDS AQUIFER, WHICH IS STILL 60% OF THE WATER WE SUPPLY TO OUR COMMUNITY.
SO MAKING A MODEST CUTBACK IN HOW MUCH WATER WE USE DURING DROUGHT PERIODS IS ONE OF THE WAYS WE GET THROUGH DROUGHTS IN A COST-EFFECTIVE MANNER.
AND THE REASON I'M TALKING TO YOU TODAY IS THAT THE PAST TWO YEARS SPECIFICALLY OF THE FIVE-YEAR DROUGHT CYCLE WE'RE IN TODAY HAVE REALLY CHALLENGED OUR DROUGHT PLAN. WE DID NOT SEE THE SAVINGS THAT WE HAVE SEEN IN PREVIOUS DROUGHTS FROM THE ONCE A WEEK WATERING RULES THAT WE PUT IN PLACE.
SO WE HAVE DONE A LOT OF ANALYSIS TO ASK WHY, WHAT'S HAPPENING.
I WANT TO LEAD WITH THE GOOD NEWS. THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT WHEN WE LOOK ACROSS THE BOARD TO THE 2 MILLION PEOPLE WE SERVE ACROSS SAN ANTONIO, WE BELIEVE THAT 90% OF OUR CUSTOMERS ARE FUNDAMENTALLY WATERING ONCE A WEEK AND KEEPING THEIR WATER USE PRETTY LOW. LAST SUMMER THE AVERAGE SINGLE-FAMILY CUSTOMER WAS UNDER 8,000 GALLONS A MONTH, WHICH IS REMARKABLE.
HOWEVER, WE WEREN'T SAVING THE WATER WE EXPECTED SO WE'RE LOOKING FOR SOLUTIONS TO THAT AND THAT'S WHAT I'M GOING TO PROPOSE TO YOU. FUNDAMENTALLY MOST OF IT IS ABOUT GETTING SAVINGS FROM ABOUT 10% MORE OF THE COMMUNITY.
AS I SAID, MOST PEOPLE ARE DOING WHAT WE ASK THEM TO DO AND WE'RE TRYING, IN THESE CHANGES, TO NOT INCONVENIENCE THOSE FOLKS FURTHER.
WE ALSO ARE LOOKING HARD AT OUR GROWTH. WE ADDED ABOUT 10,000 HOMES TO THE SAWS SYSTEM LAST YEAR, MORE, REALLY. MOST OF THEM CAME WITH IRRIGATION SYSTEMS. IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT THOSE BE IMPLEMENTED WELL WHEN THEY GET ADDED BECAUSE THEY USE QUITE A BIT OF WATER DURING DROUGHT.
NOW BEFORE I TALK ABOUT THE SPECIFICS OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH, I WANT TO TOUCH ON THE DROUGHT WE'RE IN AND HOW REMARKABLE IT IS.
THIS DROUGHT THAT WE'RE IN TODAY IS THE HARDEST ONE THAT SAWS HAS WEATHER SINCE IT WAS CREATED. AND SO IT'S KIND OF REMARKABLE TO ME THAT THIS IS NOT A CRISIS IN OUR COMMUNITY. YES, WE HAVE A SENSE OF URGENCY ABOUT IT BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THIS FORECAST OF HOW LOW WE'RE EXPECTING THE AQUIFER TO GO, THE BLUE IS WHERE WE ARE SO FAR. THE RED IS BASED ON THE WEATHER. WHAT ARE WE EXPECTING TO SEE? WE'RE IN EDWARDS AQUIFER STAGE 4 LEVELS RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS ODD FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR. IT'S LOWER THAN THE SAME TIME LAST YEAR BUT THE
[00:20:01]
CONCERNING PART IS THAT WE ARE EXPECTING TO SEE THE AQUIFER DROP TO -- EDWARDS AQUIFER AUTHORITY STAGE 5 LEVELS FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS THIS SUMMER.THAT HAS NOT HAPPENED SINCE 1990 AND IT HAS ONLY HAPPENED FOUR TIMES SINCE RECORDS HAVE BEEN KEPT. THAT MEANS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A PRETTY BIG PERMIT CUTBACK. OVER 36%. AND FOR PERSPECTIVE, THAT'S ALMOST 100,000 ACRE FEET, LIKE TWO VISTA RIDGE PROJECTS.
SO THAT'S A LOT OF LOSS OF PERMIT AND ALL WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH IS A 10% REDUCTION ACROSS THE BOARD. THAT'S ONLY NECESSARY BECAUSE OF ALL THAT DIVERSIFICATION THAT DONOVAN TALKED ABOUT BUT IT STILL MATTERS.
SO HERE ARE THE FIVE RULE CHANGES THAT WE ARE LOOKING TO IMPLEMENT IN ORDER TO GET THE SAVINGS FROM THE FUNDAMENTAL ONCE A WEEK RULES.
THE FIRST THING I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT IS HOW WE ENFORCE, CHANGING THAT FROM A CRIMINAL PROCESS TO A MORE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS THAT WOULD BE MORE EQUITABLE ACROSS ALL SAWS CUSTOMERS. I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT WHAT STAGE 3 IS, WHAT'S ON THE BOOKS TODAY AND WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING IT BE INSTEAD. I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING CALLED DRIP IRRIGATION AND THAT WE'D LIKE REASONABLE BOUNDARIES ON HOW THAT'S OPERATED. I MENTIONED IRRIGATION SYSTEMS AND MAKING SURE THEY'RE PUT IN EFFICIENTLY. AND THE LAST TOPIC IS ADJUSTING THE WATERING TIMES THAT PEOPLE FOLLOW WHEN THEY'RE IN DROUGHT. TO START WITH THIS TOPIC OF GETTING IMPROVED COMPLIANCE. WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE FOLLOWING THE RULES BUT WE ALSO HAVE PEOPLE WHO INTERESTINGLY, BY MATTER OF WHERE THEY LIVE AS A SAWS CUSTOMER, ARE NOT CURRENTLY SUBJECT TO ANY VIOLATION IF THEY DON'T FOLLOW THE RULES.
I HAVE PUT UP A MAP TO REMIND YOU WHERE WE SERVE SAWS CUSTOMERS WHO LIVE IN SEPARATELY INCORPORATED CITIES. THEY CAN'T GET A CITY OF SAN ANTONIO CITATION. SO WE HERE ON SOCIAL MEDIA HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT.
I DON'T HAVE TO FOLLOW THE RULES. I LIVE IN THIS CITY.
WE NEED EVERYBODY ON BOARD DURING DROUGHTS. EVEN IF THEY'RE OUTSIDE THE ETJ OR ANOTHER CITY WE SERVE. THE WAY WE WOULD TAKE CARE OF THIS IS CHANGING OUR MECHANISM TO A NON-COMPLIANCE CHARGE INSTEAD OF A MUNICIPAL CITATION. TWO OTHER THINGS WE COULD FIX AT THE SAME TIME, WE HAVE ALSO SEEN THAT ALTHOUGH MOST PEOPLE, THEY GET A VIOLATION, THEY NEVER DO IT AGAIN, THE ONES WHO REPEAT USE A LOT OF WATER.
AND THE CURRENT $137 CHARGE THAT'S OVER AND OVER AGAIN IS NOT INFLUENCING THEM.
WE ALSO HAVE SEEN THAT VERY LARGE COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES THAT VIOLATE DO NOT SEEM TO BE REDUCING THEIR WATER USE FROM THE $137 CITATION. SO OUR CHARGE PROPOSAL WE THINK WILL IMPACT THAT. AND WE CAN SO THE CHANGE IS TWO-PART.
ONE IS IN ADDITION TO CODIFYING THE RULES WHERE THEY ARE TODAY IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO ORDINANCE, WE HAVE ALSO ASKED THE SAWS BOARD TO ALSO PUT THEM INTO THE UTILITY SERVICE REGULATIONS. THESE TWO THINGS SHOULD MIRROR EACH OTHER WHEN IT COMES TO DROUGHT RULES. IF SOMEBODY LIVES IN A SEPARATE CITY OR OUTSIDE THE ETJ, IT MAKES IT CLEAR YES, AS FAR AS THE CONSEQUENCE, OUR OPTION IS TO HAVE NON-COMPLIANCE CHARGES. ONE-TIME NON-COMPLIANCE CHARGES. SO YOU WATER ON THE WRONG DAY, INSTEAD OF BEING A MUNICIPAL CITATION, THERE WOULD NOW BE A CHARGE PLACED ON THE BILL.
THERE WILL STILL BE DUE PROCESS. RIGHT NOW IF SOMEBODY GETS A VIOLATION CHARGE, THEY CAN HAVE YOUR DAY IN COURT, SO TO SPEAK.
KIND OF A PAIN TO COME DOWN TO COURT TO DISPUTE IT, BUT YOU HAVE THAT RIGHT.
THE NEW PROCESS WE THINK WILL BE MORE STREAMLINED AND VERY FAIR.
WE WANT PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO CALL US AND SAY I GOT MY VIOLATION NOTICE.
CALL US, WE'LL SHOW YOU THE PHOTOS, TALK TO YOU ABOUT IT, DISCUSS IT WITH YOU.
IF YOU ARE STILL NOT SATISFIED, THERE SHOULD BE AN INDEPENDENT COMMITTEE OF NON-SAWS EMPLOYEES YOU CAN ABSOLUTE IT TO. THAT WILL BE -- DISPUTE IT TO. IT WILL BE STREAMLINED, QUICK, NO MORE HAVING TO GO DOWN TO COURT, BUT STILL AN INDEPENDENT BODY TO MAKE SURE WE'RE BEING FAIR AND CONSISTENT. WHAT ARE THESE CHARGES? SO THESE, AGAIN, ARE CHARGES IF YOU WATER ON THE WRONG DAY OR THE WRONG TIME. SO WE'VE ANALYZED THE COSTS OF DOING ENFORCEMENT AT SAWS AND COME UP WITH THESE CHARGES.
THERE'S TWO COLUMNS HERE. THE ONE ON THE LEFT IS FOR MOST PROPERTIES.
THIS IS FOR HOMEOWNERS AND SMALL COMMERCIAL. THE FIRST CHARGE, FIRST TIME OF A VIOLATION IS 137, THE SAME AS TODAY. HOWEVER, THE SECOND CHARGE GOES UP TO 225 AND THE THIRD TO 500. KEEPING TO NOTE IS FOR SINGLE-FAMILY CUSTOMERS WHEN THIS BECOMES AN ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS AT SAWS, ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS WE CAN DO IS SAY THIS IS YOUR FIRST TIME.
IF YOU TAKE A ONE-HOUR CLASS ONHOUSTON TO HELP YOU PREVENT PROBLEMS IN THE
[00:25:02]
FUTURE, WE'LL WAIVE IT. WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT AS A POSSIBILITY, GETTING READY FOR IT. THE SECOND COLUMN IS FOR LARGE PROPERTIES.SPECIFICALLY PROPERTIES THAT WE HAVE, ABOUT 1200 OF THEM, THAT USE OVER A MILLION GALLONS A YEAR JUST FOR LANDSCAPE IRRIGATION. I'M TALKING ABOUT PRETTY LARGE CAMPUSES, USUALLY, OR VERY LARGE HOAS THAT HAVE A LOT OF COMMON AREA.
THOSE PROPERTIES WILL START AT 500 FOR THEIR FIRST CHARGE, THEN GO TO 625, THEN 1250. WE THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE IMPACTFUL FOR GETTING THEIR AATTENTION. HOPEFULLY THEY NEVER GO PAST GETTING THE FIRST CHARGE.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE GET INTO DROUGHTS LIKE TODAY. I MENTIONED WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A PERMIT CUT OF CLOSE TO 100,000-ACRE FEET. THAT'S HUGE.
FRANKLY, IF THAT KEEPS CONTINUING, IT IS LIKELY WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO GO TO SOME FURTHER LEVEL OF DROUGHT. SOMETHING BEYOND STAGE 2.
STAGE 3 WOULD SPECIFY EVERY CUSTOMER IS LIMITED TO USING HOSE IRRIGATION ONLY TWO TIMES A MONTH. THAT'S HARSH. PLANTS CAN SURVIVE IT AND IT'S AN OKAY THING TO DO, BUT WE THINK WE SHOULD HAVE SOMETHING BEFORE THAT, ESPECIALLY GIVEN SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY DONE WHAT WE ASKED THEM.
THE ALTERNATIVE IS JUST OUR HIGHEST USERS. THE PEOPLE WHO USE MORE WATER THAN 95% OF OTHERS. ASKING THEM TO MAKE A CUT BACK INSTEAD OF CHANGING SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE. SO THE NEW PROPOSED STAGE 3 WOULD GET SAVINGS FROM THE TOP 5% USERS. FOR RESIDENTIAL, THAT MEANS THAT IN THE SUMMER MONTHS, WHAT WE FIND IS IF YOU USE 20,000 GALLONS, YOU ARE PROBABLY USING MORE THAN 95% OF OTHER CUSTOMERS. THAT WOULD BE THE THRESHOLD FOR SINGLE-FAMILY.
IT WOULD TRIGGER AUTOMATICALLY WITH THE EDWARDS DROPS TO STAGE 3 BECAUSE IT ONLY IMPACTS HIGH USE. WE WOULD MOVE THAT TWICE A MONTH RULE, PUSH IT TO STAGE 4. MAKE STAGE 4 AN OPTIONAL EMERGENCY STAGE SO IT TRIGGERS IF WE'RE NOT GETTING ENOUGH SAVINGS IN STAGE 3. OF COURSE WE HAVE HELP FOR HIGH-USE CUSTOMERS.
WE HAVE AVOID THIS SURCHARGE. AND THE KEY IS THAT IF WE HAVE THIS HAPPEN AND WE GET A MODEST CHANGE FROM THOSE TOP USERS, IT'S A LOT OF WATER.
WHEN WE ADD UP ALL THE WATER USED ABOVE THE THRESHOLDS IT'S 3 BILLION GALLONS A YEAR. IF WE CAN GET BACK SOME OF THAT WATER FROM A HIGH-USE SURCHARGE, IT COULD HELP PREVENT HAVING TO GO TO DEEPER RESTRICTIONS.
I PUT UP FOR PERSPECTIVE, HOW FEW CUSTOMERS USE OVER 20,000 GALLONS A MONTH.
IT'S ACROSS THE BOARD ABOUT 5%. IT CHANGES MONTH BY MONTH AND CERTAINLY BY PART OF THE CITY. AND EVEN IN PARTS OF THE CITY WHERE YOU SEE A LITTLE BIT HIGHER PERCENTAGES OF CUSTOMERS WHO SOMETIMES HIT 20,000 A MONTH, IT IS GENERALLY ONLY IN THE MONTHS OF JULY, AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER. SO THOSE ARE THE MONTHS WE REALLY ARE HOPING TO GET PEOPLE TO NOT STOP WATERING BUT REIN IT IN A LITTLE BIT. AFTER ALWAYS WE CAME UP WITH A RATE OF $10.37 PER THOUSAND GALLONS. SO THIS IS THE AMOUNT FOR ALL USE OVER 20,000 SPECIFICALLY ONLY WHEN WE'RE IN STAGE 3.
NOW, FOR PERSPECTIVE, A CUSTOMER WHO IS USING 20,000 GAY PAYING ABOUT A $300, 200 TO $300 WATER BILL. IF THEY USE 10,000 GALLONS OVER, THEY ARE GOING TO NOW PAY ANOTHER APPROXIMATELY $103 ON TOP OF THEIR REGULAR WATER BILL.
SO WE HOPE THAT'S ENOUGH TO GET THEIR ATTENTION. YOU'LL NOTICE ON THIS TABLE THAT THERE IS A SURCHARGE EXISTING FOR STAGE 4 IF WE WERE TO GO TO THAT EMERGENCY STAGE THAT HAS NEVER BEEN IMPLEMENTED, A SURCHARGE AT A LOWER LEVEL.
OUR GOAL IS AVOID THAT. I'VE PUT REMINDERS THAT AT 20,000 GALLONS, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OUTDOOR USE. FAMILY INDOOR USE IS CLOSER TO 5,000 GALLONS A MONTH.
AND FOR COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS, WE HAVE TO DO THIS DIFFERENTLY.
WE HANDLE COMMERCIAL MEANS EVERYTHING FROM A WHATABURGER THAN A LESS THAN A QUARTER ACRE LOT TO THE UTSA CAMPUS THAT'S 300 ACRES.
WE CANNOT HAVE ONE FLESH HOLD FOR EVERY COMMERCIAL PROPERTY.
[00:30:06]
WE ANALYZED FOR HOW MUCH WATER IS USED BY METER SIZE AND CAME UP WITH A THRESHOLD FOR EACH METER SIZE. ON THAT 5/8-INCH THAT MIGHT BE STARBUCKS FOR RESTAURANT, IT GOES UP FROM THERE. I MENTIONED DRIP IRRIGATION. DRIP IRRIGATION IS A TECHNOLOGY THAT'S BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME BUT IT'S BECOME POPULAR.THIS IS A MASS IRRIGATION SYSTEM THAT WAS INSTALLED LAST SUMMER UNDER GRASS AND IS USING A LOT OF WATER. THEY WERE WATERING MANY DAYS A WEEK WITH THIS AND THIS KIND OF DRIP APPLIES WATER QUITE QUICKLY. WE ARE SEEING THIS REALLY EXPANDING PARTLY BECAUSE DRIP IRRIGATION IS LARGELY UNREGULATED DURING DROUGHT.
I'VE GOT A PICTURE COMPARING AND CONTRASTING A DRIP TARGET FOCUSED GOOD ON A TREE IN A PARKING LOT VERSUS A MASSIVE SYSTEM WITH IT FLOWING DOWN THE STREET.
WE'RE TRYING TO ENCOURAGE WHAT'S ON THE LEFT, DISCOURAGE THAT OVERUSE THAT YOU SEE ON THE RIGHT. WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING AFTER MUCH COMPROMISE AND COMMUNITY DISCUSSION IS THAT DURING STAGE 1 DRIP WOULD BE NOW ALLOWED TO BE RUN THREE DAYS A WEEK. DURING STAGEES 2 AND 3, TWO DAYS A WEEK, STAGE 4, ONE DAY A WEEK. IT HAS MORE FLEXIBILITY THAN SPRAY BUT IS NOT COMPLETELY UNREGULATED ANYMORE. NOW, ANOTHER KEY THING I MENTIONED IS IRRIGATION SYSTEMS ON NEW PROPERTIES. TEXAS INTERESTINGLY HAS SOME OF THE BEST IRRIGATION STANDARDS IN THE COUNTRY. I WOULD ARGUE THE BEST IRRIGATION LICENSING PROGRAM IN THE COUNTRY AS WELL, BUT WE DON'T GET THE BENEFIT IN SAN ANTONIO IF WE'RE NOT INSPECTING THE SYSTEMS TO MAKE SURE THE STANDARDS ARE FOLLOWED.
WE ARE PROPOSING THAT SAWS DO THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE LOOKED AT THE WATER SAVINGS POTENTIAL AND WE CAN SAVE WATER AT HALF THE COST OF OUR NEW SUPPLIES IF WE A THE THIS ON. WE ALSO THINK WE CAN REDUCE THE NUMBER OF VIOLATIONS AT NEW PROPERTIES. 27% OF THE VIOLATIONS IN 2023 WERE AT NEW BUILDER ACCOUNTS. A LOT OF IT FROM WHAT YOU SEE OF WATER FLOWING DOWN THE STREET. I'VE HAD QUESTIONS [INAUDIBLE] SAVES WATER SO I'LL SHOW YOU A FEW DATA POINTS. THIS IS A SLIDE TO ILLUSTRATE THE PATTERN IS NEW HOMES IN SAN ANTONIO USE MORE WATER THAN OLDER ONES THAT HAVE BEEN THERE A LONG TIME. THE WARMER COLORS ON THE TOP ARE THE NEWEST HOMES. THE COOLER COLORS THAT USE LESS WATER ARE OLDER HOMES.
NEWER HOMES ARE MUCH MORE LIKELY TO COME WITH AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER SYSTEMS. THIS IS AN ILLUSTRATION OF A COMPARISON OF TWO NEIGHBORHOODS.
ONE WITH IRRIGATION THAT WAS CLOSELY MONITORED DURING INSTALLATION, ONE NOT.
YOU CAN SEE THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WAS CIBOLO CANYONS USED QUITE A BIT LESS WATER TEN YEARS LATER THAN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WAS NOT REGULATED.
OUR POINT BEING IF WE PHASE IN IMPROVEMENTS FOR NEW IRRIGATION, WE THINK WE'LL SAVE A LOT OF WATER. WE'RE LOOKING AT STARTING THIS IN JANUARY 2025, SO IF YOU VOTE FAVORABLY ON THIS NEXT WEEK, THE BUILDERS WILL HAVE SIX MONTHS TO BE READY FOR US TO BE DOING PLAN REVIEW STARTING IN JANUARY. SO WE'VE TALKED TO THEM ABOUT THIS EXTENSIVELY. IT'S NOT A NEW RULE, THEY ALREADY HAVE TO DO PLANS.
WHAT WILL BE NEW IS TURNING IT IN AND HAVE SOMEONE LOOK AT IT.
A YEAR FROM THEN WE'LL ALSO DO AN OPERATIONS INSPECTION IN THE FIELD.
WE THINK THIS GIVES BUILDERS AND DEVELOPERS A LOT OF TIME TO BE READY AND FOR US TO BE EFFECTIVE IN SAVING THAT WATER. THE LAST CHANGE IS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT UPDATING THE WATERING HOURS. ONE REASON IS PEOPLE HAVE ASKED THAT THERE BE MORE WATERING HOURS EARLY IN THE MORNING, BUT REALLY THE BIGGEST ISSUE IS THAT WE'VE ALL HEARD ABOUT THE ENERGY CRUNCH IN THE EARLY EVENING HOURS IN THE SUMMER, THAT WE HAVE A CHANCE OF ROLLING BROWNOUTS BECAUSE FROM 6:00 TO 9:00 WE HAVE AN ENERGY CRUNCH WITH ERCOT. WE'RE ASKED TO SHIFT DEMAND AWAY FROM EARLY EVENING. FRANKLY THAT'S HARD IF THE WATER HOURS STAY 7:00 TO 11 IN THE EVENING. THE NEW PROPOSED PLANS ARE 5:00 TO 10:00 IN THE MORNING AND 9:00 TO MIDNIGHT IN THE EVENING. THAT SHIFTS ENERGY USE AWAY FROM THAT CRITICAL TIME. WE DID TALK TO CPS AND THEY SAID YES, THIS WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL. IF YOU HAVE CONSTITUENTS WHO SAY 9:00 TO MIDNIGHT IS INCONVENIENT BECAUSE THEY DO NOT HAVE AN IRRIGATION SYSTEM, HECK HAND WATER AT ANY TIME AND IF THEY WANT TO DO HOSE-END SPRINKLING EARLIER, WE HAVE A VARIANCE FOR THAT. WE'VE BEEN OUT IN THE COMMUNITY A LOT IN THE LAST YEAR. WE'VE HAD OVER 85 PRESENTATIONS.
[00:35:03]
WE HAVE A SPECIALTY WEBSITE. 100 PEOPLE HAVE VISITED THAT WEBSITE AND TAKEN OUR SURVEY AND GIVEN US A LOT OF FEEDBACK. PEOPLE ARE IN FAVOR OF THE PROPOSALS. IT DID GUIDE US TO COMPROMISE POSITION LIKE VARIANCE FOR VEGETABLE GARDENS AND ALSO A COMPROMISE ON THE DRIP IRRIGATION. SO OUR REQUEST IS THAT NEXT WEEK WE COME BACK AND ASK FOR ADOPTION OF THE ORDINANCE UPDATE AND APPROVAL OF THE ONE-TIME CHARGES FOR COMPLIANCE AND THE SURCHARGES FOR STAGE 3. AND AT THIS TIME DONOVAN ANDI WOULD TAKE ANY QUESTIONS. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, KAREN AND DONOVAN, FOR THE PRESENTATIONS. A LOT TO CHEW ON HERE.
LET'S GET RIGHT TO OUR COUNCIL DISCUSSION. WE'LL START WITH
COUNCILMEMBER CABELLO HAVRDA. >> HAVRDA: THANKS, MAYOR.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATIONS. YOU MENTIONED WE'RE ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING CITIES IN THE COUNTRY AND FAR WEST SAN ANTONIO IS ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING AREAS AND ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING CITIES SO WE FEEL IT EVERY DAY OUT IN DISTRICT 6. AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE HAVE A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT OUT THERE AND ONE OF THE ATTRACTIONS IS VERY RELIABLE POWER AND WATER SO WE'RE THANKFUL FOR THAT. WE HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS COME UP IN COMMUNITY MEETINGS ABOUT HOW SECURE OUR WATER SUPPLY IS, SO I THINK THAT'S REALLY HELPFUL TO HEAR THE PRESENTATION TODAY. AND I THINK THE BEST NEWS IS THE DIVERSIFICATION OF OUR WATER SUPPLY. I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT. WELL, NOT REALLY ABOUT DIVERSIFICATION, BUT I AM CURIOUS ABOUT, I GUESS IT WAS SLIDE 16. YOU MENTIONED THAT WE'RE KIND OF THE CHANGES AND THE PLANS IN PLACE FOR FUTURE GROWTH.
CAN YOU EXPAND ON THAT A LITTLE BIT? >> SO THE PLAN, SO WHAT WE DO IS WE TAKE THE POPULATION GROWTH THAT WE EXPECT, WE TAKE OUR SUPPLIES, WHAT WE EXPECT WILL BE DURING THAT TIME PERIOD, HOW MUCH WE'LL HAVE ON HAND, HOW DROUGHT WILL IMPACT THAT AND LAYER ON WHAT WE THINK THE DEMAND WILL BE.
WHEN WE PUT THAT INTO THE MODEL, WE SEE WHETHER OR NOT WE HAVE ENOUGH SUPPLIES TO MEET OUR NEEDS AND OBVIOUSLY WE DO AND THAT HELPS US TIME WHAT OUR NEXT PROJECT WOULD BE AND WHEN WE MIGHT NEED THAT. SO WE THINK -- THE SLIDES --
I'M SORRY, THE -- >> HAVRDA: IT WAS 16 IS WHAT I WAS LOOKING AT.
>> OR THIS ONE 17? >> HAVRDA: THAT ONE. YOU MENTIONED --
>> YEAH, SO OUR -- LET ME START AND GO BACKWARDS HERE. IN SLIDE 17, THESE ARE WHEN WE WILL TIME BRINGING ON OF NEW PROJECTS. AND SO YOU'LL SEE PARTICULARLY IN THE MIDTERM AND LONG-TERM. IN THE NEAR-TERM AS WALL -- AS WELL, THE DESAL, ALL OF THOSE WILL BE DONE ON THIS SITE.
MOST OF THOSE WILL BE DONE ON THIS SITE WHICH ALREADY HOUSES THOSE PROJECTS.
THOSE PROJECTS ARE ALREADY BEGUN AND ALREADY READY TO GO.
WE NEED TO BE PLUMBED, BUT ALL WILL BE DONE AT THE H20 CENTER.
BUT THOSE ARE HOW THOSE TWO SLIDES RELATE. >> HAVRDA: OKAY, THANK YOU. WHAT ABOUT REPLACING INFRASTRUCTURE? WHAT'S THE PLAN FOR REPLACING THE AGING INFRASTRUCTURE?
>> WE HAVE A LOT OF THAT. WE HAVE AN ONGOING PROGRAM OF REPLACING DIFFERENT WATER MAINS. WE HAVE AN ASSET MANAGEMENT TEAM THAT LOOKS AT CONDITION OF ALL OF OUR MAINS ACROSS OUR CITY. WE PRIORITIZE THOSE AND WE LOOK AT THEM IN TERMS OF WATER LOSS AND WHAT ARE THE PRIORITIES OF THOSE.
SOME OF THEM WE DO, OBVIOUSLY A LOT WE DO BASED OFF PRIORITY, HOW WE PRIORITIZE FOR WATER LOSS PERSPECTIVE, WATER MAIN REPLACEMENT.
ALSO IN TERMS OF GOVERNMENTAL PROGRAMS. WE WORK WITH THE CITY WHEN DOING A PROJECT, WE GET IN AS WELL AND CHANGE OUT SOME OF THOSE MAINS.
WE'VE GOT A PROGRAM OF MAIN REPLACEMENTS THAT WE DO. I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY ELSE WANTS TO SAY ANYTHING. A LOT OF MONEY GOING INTO THE BUDGET THIS YEAR
PARTICULARLY FOCUSING ON THAT. >> HAVRDA: OKAY.
THANKS. >> IN THE BACKUP SLIDES, WE BRING THOSE UP -- THE VERY FIRST SLIDE OF THE BACKUP. OBVIOUSLY WATER LOSS AND THESE BREAKS THAT YOU SEE ARE VERY OBVIOUS TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS. THEY CALL IN.
OFTENTIMES WE CAN'T GET TO THEM, EMBARRASSINGLY WEEKS AT A TIME.
IN THE LAST TWO YEARS WE'VE HAD OVER 100 POSITIONS. FROM BOOTS ON THE GROUND,
[00:40:03]
EQUIPMENT OPERATORS, FIELD COORDINATORS, ALL THESE DIFFERENT ENTITIES NEEDED TO ACTUALLY GO IN THERE AND FIX THE LINES OR REPLACE THE LINES.EVEN, FOR EXAMPLE, ALL OF THESE REQUIRE 20 TO 25 VEHICLES.
THE EQUIPMENT OPERATORS REQUIRE THESE COMBO TRUCKS. SO IT'S QUITE A BIG OF AN INVESTMENT IN THE -- RECENTLY. OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS WE'VE BEEN AVERAGING ABOUT $68 MILLION PER YEAR FOR THESE LINE REPLACEMENTS.
OUR BUDGET FOR THIS YEAR INCREASED BY 46%, SO WE'RE TAKING IT VERY SERIOUSLY.
IF YOU LOOK INTO THE FUTURE, WE'RE CURRENTLY DRAFTING OUR 2025 BUDGET AND YOU'LL SEE ALMOST DOUBLING OF THAT EXPENDITURE. OF COURSE AFTER THAT THE FORECAST, WE GO THROUGH PUBLIC UTILITY OFFICE AND OUR OWN BOARD TO KIND OF DECIDE EXACTLY HOW MUCH TO SPEND. IT'S ALL DEPENDENT WHAT THE SITUATIONS ARE, BUT WE DO HAVE THE FORECAST THAT CONTINUE TO SPEND A LOT OF
MONEY THERE ALSO. >> HAVRDA: DO WE HAVE A PRETTY ACCURATE MAPPING
WHERE ALL THE INFRASTRUCTURE LIES? >> YES AND NO.
WE KNOW WHERE THEY ARE AT, BUT THINGS CHANGE OVER TIME. EITHER NEW LINES GET PUT IN, THE STREET RESTORATION COMES IN AND THINGS CHANGE, BUT OVERALL YES, WE DO HAVE GOOD MAPPING OF IT. BUT WE DO TELL THE CONTRACTORS, WE DO TELL PEOPLE THAT RELY ON THEM WHETHER THEY ARE CONTRACTORS, VERIZON, AT&T, THOSE KINDS OF CONTRACTORS ALSO TO NOT JUST RELY WHAT IS ON PAPER.
IT'S A GUIDE. THEY ACTUALLY HAVE TO BE VERY DILIGENT ABOUT WHAT
THEY DO. >> HAVRDA: OKAY. THANK YOU.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE CAN'T CONTROL, BUT WE CAN'T CONTROL USE.
I THINK YOU ALL ARE DOING A GOOD JOB OF THAT. I APPRECIATE IT.
I APPRECIATE THE PLAN. IT REQUIRES NEAR CONSTANT COMMUNICATION WITH SAN ANTONIANS. NOT JUST SAN ANTONIANS, AROUND US TOO, RIGHT? AND THAT CULTURE OF CONSERVATION WHICH I THINK IS PRETTY STRONG IN OUR CITY AND INNOVATION BUT WE CAN ALWAYS DO BETTER. I APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS MOVING FORWARD. I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.
I DO AT ANOTHER POINT WANT TO TALK ABOUT RATE STRUCTURE.
I THINK ONE OF YOUR SLIDES WAS ABOUT RATE STRUCTURE. I WOULD LIKE TO TALK MORE
ABOUT THAT. THANKS, MAYOR PRO TEM. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER CABELLO HAVRDA. COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO.
>> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU, DONOVAN AND ERIN FOR THE PRESENTATIONS, AS WELL AS TO YOUR TEAM. I'VE SEEN THEM OUT MAKING THE ROUNDS ENSURING OUR CONSTITUENTS ARE BROUGHT UP TO SPEED ON WHAT'S PROPOSED AND DISCUSSED HERE TODAY. ALSO THANK YOU ALL FOR CONTINUING TO DEMONSTRATE LEADERSHIP WITH OUR WATER CONSERVATION EFFORTS AS WELL AS IN REGARDS TO THE EQUITABLE RATE STRUCTURE THAT YOU ALL HAVE IMPLEMENTED AND CONTINUE TO SUPPORT. DURING THE BRIEFING YOU ALL ANSWERED MANY OF MY QUESTIONS. BUT I DID WANT TO REVISIT ONE.
WITH THE NON-COMPLIANCE CHARGES, WOULD THAT BE APPLIED TO THAT MONTH'S BILL? IF A RESIDENT OR COMMERCIAL RESIDENT IS FOUND OUT OF COMPLIANCE, WILL THAT CHARGE BE APPLIED TO THAT MONTH'S BILL OR THE FOLLOWING BILL?
>> WE DON'T HAVE A SUPER SIMPLE ANSWER BECAUSE WE HAVE A DELAY PERIOD BEFORE IT'S PUT ON THE BILL. BECAUSE PEOPLE NEED AN OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND.
IMAGINE SOMEONE GETS A VIOLATION NOTICES, IT'S GOING TO TELL THEM THEY HAVE 21 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THE NOTICE TO CALL US BACK, TELL US I THINK IT WAS AN ERROR, I DON'T UNDERSTAND OR I WANT TO TAKE THE CLASS TO AVOID THAT CHARGE.
SO IF THEY DON'T RESPOND, CHOOSE NOT TO, 21 DAYS AFTER THAT VIOLATION NOTICE WE'LL PUT IT TO GO ON THEIR NEXT AVAILABLE BILL. WE WANT THEM TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO AVOID IT IF THEY WANT TO TAKE THAT CLASS.
>> CASTILLO: I THINK THAT'S A GREAT PRACTICE TO ALLOW FOLKS AN OPPORTUNITY, THOSE 21 DAYS TO SHARE IF THEY MAY HAVE A LEAK OR IF IT'S AN ERROR SO THEY CAN WORK TOWARDS COMPLIANCE. ULTIMATELY PLEASED TO SEE DISTRICT 5 RESIDENTS DO
CONSERVE THEIR WATER. >> THEY DO. >> CASTILLO: AND WE HAVE THE LOWEST USE IN OUR COMMUNITY. PRETTY SURE IT'S SMALLER LOTS. THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM DO.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO. COUNCILMEMBER ALDERETE
GAVITO. >> GAVITO: THANK YOU FOR THESE PRESENTATIONS.
IT'S EXTREMELY HELPFUL. FIRST THE WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN, THANK YOU, DONOVAN, FOR THAT PRESENTATION. I THINK I MENTIONED BEFORE, BUT WE WERE AT TEXAS [INAUDIBLE] NOT LONG AGO AND THE FOCUS WAS ON WATER. I KNOW SAWS AND SAN ANTONIO ARE THE ENVY OF MANY CITIES ACROSS TEXAS ON HOW WE'RE PREPARING SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MAKING ALL OF US PROUD. I DID HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. WITH THE WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN, OBVIOUSLY ALL OF US
[00:45:02]
ARE SEEING THE CRISIS THAT'S HAPPENING IN MEXICO CITY AND I KNOW THAT Y'ALL ARE TAKING ALL OF THAT INTO CONSIDERATION. SO I DID WANT TO DRILL IN ON THAT. DOES SAWS WORK WITH LANDOWNERS TO ENSURE THAT FUTURE DEVELOPMENT DOESN'T HINDER THE REPLENISHMENT OF EDWARDS AQUIFER OR HOW DOESSAWS WORK WITH THOSE DEVELOPERS? >> WE DO.
WE DO A WHOLE LOT, FOCUS A HOLE LOT ON THE EDWARDS AQUIFER.
FOR THE LONGEST TIME WAS OUR SOLE SOURCE AND WE'VE BEEN FOCUSED ON WATER QUALITY AND QUANTITY. HAS A LOT OF SCARS FROM THE LEGISLATIVE DAYS OF WORKING ON LEGISLATIVE ISSUES WITH THAT. SO IN TERMS OF MANAGEMENT, WE HAVE A WATER QUALITY ORDINANCE THAT DEALS WITH PRIMARILY WATER QUALITY THAT MAKES SURE THAT WHEN WE BUILD IN A CERTAIN AREA, THERE'S CERTAIN AMOUNTS OF IMPERVIOUS COVER, THEY ARE AWAY FROM SENSITIVE FEATURES AND BUFFER ZONES AND ALL SORTS OF THINGS THAT MAKE SURE WE MANAGE THAT. AS WELL THROUGH THE CITY YOU GUYS HAVE A PROGRAM THAT WE SUPPORT FULLY. THE EDWARDS AQUIFER PROTECTION PLAN WHERE YOU PURCHASE LANDS TO AVOID OR PUT IN A CONSERVATION EASEMENT IF THOSE AREAS TO AVOID DEVELOPMENT. THAT'S A PARTNERSHIP WITH THOSE PARTICULAR LANDOWNERS. WE HAVE A WHOLE LOT THERE. WE ALSO HAVE A HABITAT CONSERVATION PLAN. THAT'S A REGIONAL PLAN WITH OUR REGIONAL NEIGHBORS.
THE EDWARDS AQUIFER IS A SHARED AQUIFER AND WE'VE DEVELOPED A LONG-TERM PLAN TO MANAGE NOT ONLY THE QUANTITY BEING DONE BUT THE SPRING FLOW QUALITY TO MAKE
SURE THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ARE PROTECTED. >> GAVITO: AND THAT ANSWERS MY SECOND QUESTION. I WAS CURIOUS OF THE CITY'S LAND USE PLAN EXTENDS TO THE EDWARDS AQUIFER ZONE AND HOW WE ACCOUNT FOR THE HOUSING AND GROWTH IN THAT AREA, BUT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE DOING REGIONAL PLANNING FOR THAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.
I DID ALSO WANT TO PIGGYBACK ON THE WATER MAIN BREAKS AND LEAKS THAT WE SEE A LOT OF IN DISTRICT 7. LAST SUMMER THERE WAS A HUGE ONE AND WILSON WAS FLOODED FOR BLOCKS. WHEN I'M LOOKING AT THE WATER LEAKS MAP, A MAJORITY ARE PRIORITY 3 AND THAT TAKES A ONE TO TWO-WEEK TIME FRAME TO FIX.
I KNOW YOU JUST TALKED ABOUT THE FUTURE INVESTMENTS SO I WAS CURIOUS WITH THAT ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT, ARE WE LOOKING TO SEE A SHORTER RESPONSE TIMES THAT WE CAN GET TO THESE LEAKS IN MAYBE DAYS INSTEAD OF WEEKS? OR WHAT'S THE ULTIMATE GOAL
OF THAT ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT? >> THE SHORT ANSWER IS YES.
WE'RE PUTTING IN NEW CREWS, WE WILL PUT IN NEW CREWS OVER THE NEXT MAIN BREAK PERIOD. THAT WILL ABSOLUTELY INCREASE RESPONSE TIME.
ALSO THE CREWS AS WE ADD TO THEM INTO FUTURE YEARS, THAT WILL INCREASE THE RESPONSE TIME. BUT ALSO WE TALKED ABOUT THE MAIN REPLACEMENT.
THE MORE MAINS YOU CAN REPLACE, THE MORE BREAKS THAT YOU CAN AVOID.
ULTIMATELY WE WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE BREAKS EVENTUALLY AND THAT'S SOME OF THE ONGOING DROUGHTS, WHENEVER THEY HAVE DROUGHTS WE HAVE BREAKS.
THOSE WILL CONTINUE, BUT I THINK THE RESPONSE TIME WILL IMPROVE.
>> I DO WANT TO ADD THAT EVEN A BREAK SUCH AS YOU MENTIONED IN YOUR DISTRICT, IF IT'S A 24-INCH BREAK, WHEN WE GET TO IT, IT WILL GET FIXED WITHIN HOURS.
THE WAIT TIME, THE RESPONSE TIME IS WHAT KILLS US. IT'S WHAT YOU NOTICE, IT'S WHAT YOUR CONSTITUENTS NOTICE. SO ALREADY THIS SUMMER WE'RE CHANGING OUR WORKING HOURS. IN OTHER WORDS, THESE BREAKS TEND TO HAPPEN DURING DROUGHT, TEND TO HAPPEN DURING THE SUMMERTIME AND SO WE'RE CHANGING HOURS, HIRING NEW WORKERS. AS A MATTER OF FACT, SOME OF OUR EMPLOYEES ARE BEGGING FOR TIME OFF ON FATHER'S DAY, THIS COMING FATHER'S DAY.
SO WE'RE WORKING AROUND THAT MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH EMPLOYEES TO ADDRESS THOSE THINGS. IT'S ALL ABOUT RESPONSE TIMES.
THESE ADDED EXPENDITURES WILL CUT THAT TIME. >> GAVITO: THAT'S GOOD TO KNOW. WHAT ARE WE DOING TO BE PROACTIVE?
>> WE HAVE AN ASSET MANAGEMENT PLAN. WE ARE CATEGORIZING ALL THE MATERIAL THE PIPE IS MADE UP. WE ARE HIRING OUTSIDE INDEPENDENT ENGINEERS THAT ASSESS THE LINES, DIFFERENT INNOVATIVE WAYS TO FIND OUT WHERE THE WEAK SPOTS ARE. GETTING ALL TYPES OF DATA COMING IN THAT TELL US IF THERE'S A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF BREAKS IN A CERTAIN NEIGHBORHOOD, A CERTAIN LINE THAT IT DOES US NO GOOD TO REPAIR THERE BECAUSE IN THE WEAK SPOT GOES A FEW YARDS DOWN IS TO GO AHEAD AND REPLACE THAT. YOU SEE THE NUMBERS THAT I JUST SNOWED -- SHOWED YOU ARE NOT JUST ADDED CREWS FOR REPAIRS, BUT ALSO FOR LINE
[00:50:02]
CHANGING OUT. AND MORE MONEY TO OUTSIDE CONTRACTORS ALSO.>> GAVITO: OKAY. THAT'S EXTREMELY HELPFUL. THANK YOU.
ON THE WATER CONSERVATION PRESENTATION, I DID HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS ON THAT.
LET'S SEE. ARE A MAJORITY OF VIOLATORS SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL OR
COMMERCIAL? >> IT'S ABOUT PROPORTIONAL TO THE NUMBER OF CUSTOMERS THAT WE HAVE IN EACH CATEGORY. SO IF YOU JUST ASKED ME THE NUMBER, IT'S WE HAVE ALMOST 600,000 SINGLE-FAMILY CUSTOMERS AND WE HAVE MANY FEWER COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS. SO THE RATIO OF HOW MANY VIOLATORS THERE ARE IS SIMILAR TO HOW MANY CUSTOMERS WE HAVE IN EACH CATEGORY, IF THAT MAKES
SENSE. >> GAVITO: INTERESTING. 10% OF RESIDENTIAL THEN.
>> IT'S ABOUT 10% OF COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS AND 10% OF RESIDENTIAL.
>> GAVITO: EVEN THOUGH THOSE NUMBERS ARE DRASTICALLY DIFFERENT.
GOT IT. I NOTICE ON SLIDE 16, YOU MENTION 27% OF THE IRRIGATION VIOLATIONS IN 2023 WERE FOUND TO BE NEW HOME BUILDER PROPERTIES.
>> YEAH. >> GAVITO: WHAT ARE WE DOING TO DEDICATE TIME TO ADDRESS THAT? THAT JUST SEEMS LIKE A HUGE --
>> IT'S HUGE. IT'S ONLY GONE DOWN TO 24% YEAR TO DATE I'M SORRY TO SAY, IT'S BEEN A MINOR INCREASE. I DO BELIEVE AS WE START MEETING WITH THE BUILDERS ABOUT THEIR IRRIGATION PLAN AND GETTING THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO THEM ON SITE, WE WILL HOPEFULLY CONVINCE THEM NOT TO DO WHAT YOU ARE SEEING IN THE PICTURE. SOME OF THAT IS BECAUSE THE IRRIGATION SYSTEM IS SO BAD THEY HAVE TO OVERAPPLY TO GET IT WHERE THEY NEEDED AND OTHER TIMES THEY ARE SIMPLY RUNNING IT TOO LONG. AS WE HAVE MORE BOTS ON THE GROUND WITH -- BOOTS ON THE
GROUND, WE HOPE TO CONVINCE THEM NOD TO DO THAT. >> GAVITO: HOW OFTEN DO
SAWS INSPECTORS GO OUT TO THE NEW SITES? >> WE DON'T NOW.
WE DO THINK THAT WILL HELP MITIGATE IT. IN THE MEANTIME, WE ARE SPENDING A LOT OF TIME TALKING TO THESE BUILDERS. THEY CAN GET A VARIANCE TO ESTABLISH THE NEW LANDSCAPE. NOT TELLING THEM THEY CAN'T BUILD A HOUSE AND PUT THE GRASS IN, BUT LOOK, YOU ARE GETTING THIS FIVE-WEEK VARIANCE, JUST FOLLOW IT AND
DON'T HAVE WATER FLOWING DOWN THE STREET. >> GAVITO: THAT MAKES SENSE. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK SAWS.
YOU CAME OUT TO THE JEFFERSON NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING ASSOCIATION AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU TO TALK TO THEM ABOUT THESE CHANGES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER ALDERETE GAVITO. COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE.
>> WHYTE: THANKS, MAYOR. THANKS FOR ALL YOUR WORK ON THIS.
THANK YOU FOR THE BRIEFING THE OTHER DAY. YOU'LL HAVE DONE A LOT OF WORK HERE AND WE APPRECIATE IT. QUICKLY, AND I APOLOGIZE IF IT WAS MENTIONED EARLIER, THESE IRRIGATION INSPECTIONS, SO WE'VE GOT THE PERSONNEL TO BE ABLE TO DO THESE AND DO THEM TIMELY SO THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO
HOLD UP THESE PROJECTS? >> GREAT QUESTION. WE HAVE AN AUTHORIZATION TO HIRE AN ADDITIONAL THREE STAFF THIS YEAR JUST FOR THE PLAN REVIEW.
WE'VE ALREADY GOT SOME STAFF QUALIFIED TO BE WORKING ON THIS JANUARY 1, BUT WE WILL BE HIRING MORE PEOPLE. REMEMBER, THE FIRST YEAR WE'RE ASKING TO SEE THE PLANS. YES, WE CAN DO THAT PRETTY EFFICIENTLY WITH A SMALL NUMBER OF PEOPLE. WHEN WE GET TO YEAR 2 AND WE'RE LOOKING AT ALSO DOING OPERATIONS INSPECTIONS, WE ARE HIRING AN ADDITIONAL SIX.
WE'RE LOOKING AT NINE FULL-TIME STAFF DEDICATED TO THIS PROCESS TO ENSURE THAT
WE CAN KEEP UP AND KEEP IT GOING IN A TIMELY MANNER. >> WHYTE: OKAY.
NINE PEOPLE, IT'S A BIG CITY. THERE'S CONSTRUCTION GOING ON, NEW DEVELOPMENTS EVERYWHERE YOU LOOK. MY CONCERN IS JUST I CAN HEAR THE -- CAN HEAR THE CALLS ALREADY THAT THESE BUILDERS CAN'T PROCEED BECAUSE NOBODY IS COMING OUT AND GIVING THEM THE ALL OKAY.
BUT YOU ALL ARE CONFIDENT IT'S GOING TO BE ABLE TO DONE IN A TIMELY WAY.
>> AND I WANT TO REASSURE YOU IN NO WAY IS THIS HOLDING UP THE CONSTRUCTION OR COMPLETION OF THE HOUSE. IRRIGATION IS ONE OF THE LAST THINGS TO HAPPEN.
THEY CAN'T BUILD THE HOUSE WITHOUT WATER. NOTHING ABOUT THIS STOPS COMPLETION OF THE HOUSE SINCE IT'S ABOUT THE LAST THING DONE.
THEY JUST HAVE TO GET US THE PLAN, TAKES US VERY LITTLE TIME TO LOOK AT IT.
THE SITE VISIT IS ABOUT 30 MINUTES. WE CAN DO SEVERAL DOWN THE
STREET AT ONCE. >> WHYTE: GOT IT. REALLY MY FINAL QUESTION BECAUSE I THINK THIS WAS A PRETTY THOROUGH PRESENTATION AND I UNDERSTAND IT ALL,
[00:55:06]
THESE RESTRICTIONS. THE SURCHARGE -- FIRST OF ALL, HOW IS THE SURCHARGE$10.37, HOW IS THAT ARRIVED AT? >> GREAT QUESTION.
WE DID A LOT OF ANALYSIS TO LOOK AT THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH BEING IN A SEVERE DROUGHT. IF WE'RE PRODUCING A HUGE AMOUNT OF WATER FROM ALTERNATIVE SUPPLIES AND HAVING TO MANAGE THE SYSTEM DIFFERENTLY, WHAT ARE THE COSTS? WE USE MORE ENERGY, MORE CHEMICALS, MORE STAFF TIME WORKING OVERTIME. THEN WE LOOK AT THAT 3 BILLION GALLONS USED ABOVE THE FLESH HOLD AND ALLOCATE IT OUT AND THAT'S HOW WE COME UP WITH THE $10.37.
IT'S PRETTY CAREFUL WITH A CONSULTANT RATE CASE TO COME UP WITH THAT RATE.
>> WHYTE: WOULD YOU SAY THAT ALL OF THESE RESTRICTIONS THAT YOU'VE LAID OUT ARE THE LEAST RESTRICTIVE MEASURES THAT CAN BE TAKEN IN ORDER TO
ACHIEVE THE RESULTS Y'ALL ARE LOOKING FOR? >> YES, AND I APPRECIATE YOU PUTTING IT THAT WAY. IF WE THINGS ALONE AND GO WITH CURRENT STAGE 3, WE WOULD BE IMPOSING TWICE A MONTH WATERING ON EVERY PERSON IN SAN ANTONIO.
IF WE DO THIS NEW STAGE 3 HIGH-USE SURCHARGE, WE'RE NOT CHANGING THE RULES FOR ANYBODY. IT'S STILL ONCE A WEEK, BUT WE ARE ASKING PEOPLE WHO ARE HIGH USERS TO CUT BACK. WE THINK THAT'S LESS OWNER US.
>> WHYTE: THANK YOU. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: COUNCILMEMBER KAUR.
>> KAUR: THANK YOU FOR THIS PRESENTATION. WHEN I WAS CAMPAIGNING LAST YEAR, I HAD SO MANY FOLKS TELL ME WE'RE IN A CRISIS AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT WE HAVE A WATER MITIGATION PLAN THAT WE'RE WORKING TO CONSERVE AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
I'LL START WITH YOU. JUST A QUICK QUESTION AROUND, WE TALKED YESTERDAY WHEN YOU BRIEFED ME ABOUT THE XERISCAPING PROGRAM, WHICH IS ANOTHER PROGRAM ASIDE FROM WHAT WE'RE BEING BRIEFED ON TODAY, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE OUTCOMES OF THAT PROGRAM IN TERMS OF HOW IT'S PERFORMING, HOW MANY FOLKS IN DISTRICT 1 HAVE ALREADY TAKEN ADVANTAGE JUST SO WE CAN SEE SOME DATA. I WANTED TO FOLLOW UP AND MAKE THAT REQUEST. JUST ONE MORE QUESTION THAT I HAD IS ARE THERE PROGRAMS LIKE THIS MORNING WE SUPPORTED OR WE APPROVED THE REHABRAMA PROGRAM.
IS THERE SOMETHING SIMILAR OUTSIDE OF XERISCAPING? >> ONE OF THE AUDIO] THAT'S OUR OLDEST CONSERVATION PROGRAM. IF FIRST ONE PUT IN PLACE OVER 20 YEARS AGO. FOR HOUSEHOLDS AT 125% OF POVERTY, WE REPAIR THEIR LEAKS FOR FREE. THIS IS CRITICAL FOR PEOPLE STRUGGLING TO REMAIN IN THEIR HOME AND KEEPS THEM FROM GETTING INTO THE CYCLE OF A HIGH BILL AND SAVES WATER. THIS IS UNWITH OF THE MOST INNOVATIVE INNINGS APPROVED
BY SAWS WE'RE VERY PROUD OF. >> KAUR: I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE DATA ON THAT FOR
DISTRICT 1. >> IT KEEPS GROWING. WE WOULD LOVE TO GO OVER
THAT WITH YOU. >> KAUR: YOU WONDERFUL. THANK YOU.
ONE ADDITIONAL QUESTION. AROUND THE -- WELL, I LOST MY THOUGHT.
FOR HOW FAR WE'RE GETTING INTO STAGE 3, 4, HAVE WE EVER DIPPED INTO STAGE 4
FROM AN ENVIRONMENT PERSPECTIVE? >> THE STAGES ARE CONFUSING BECAUSE I TALK ABOUT THE EDWARDS AQUIFER LEVELS VERSUS CITY OF SAN ANTONIO STAGES. WE'VE NEVER IMPOSED A CITY OF SAN ANTONIO STAGE 3 OR 4.
THE AQUIFER HAS DROPPED TO STAGE 4, LIKE LAST SUMMER, THE EDWARDS AQUIFER LEVEL WAS STAGE 4. IT HASN'T HIT STAGE 5 SINCE 1990.
IT WOULD BE NEW FOR US TO IMPOSE STAGE 3 RULES AND THAT'S PARTLY WHY WE WANT TO
MAKE THEM LESS ONEROUS. >> KAUR: THANK YOU. THANK YOU, DONOVAN, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. ARE THERE ANY THINGS HOLDING US BACK FROM OTHER
DESALINATION SOURCES? >> NO, WE LIVE -- AS I MENTIONED, ONE OF THE MOST PRODUCTIVE BRACKISH DESALINATION AREAS IN THE STATE.
WE ARE ABSOLUTELY IN A GOOD SPOT. WE HAVE WORKED WITH THE LEGISLATURE. I THINK THERE ARE SOME LEGISLATIVE RULES THAT MIGHT BE ABLE TO BE REFINED, BUT THEY DID PUT IN A PRETTY GOOD REGULATORY STRUCTURE.
I THINK THERE ARE MORE THAT CAN HAPPEN, BUT THE GEOLOGY IS THERE, THE -- OBVIOUSLY IT WILL COST MONEY. DESALINATION COSTS MONEY. POWER IS A BIG ISSUE.
[01:00:05]
DESALINATION IS A BIG POWER USER. AND SO ABSOLUTELY ANYTHING THAT HAPPENS ON THE POWER SIDE, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A VERY SOLID RESILIENT POWER SUPPLY IN PLACE TO BE ABLE TO RUN THOSE.AND SO NOTHING IMPEDING US, BUT OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE CHALLENGES AND THINGS YOU
NEED TO WATCH OUT FOR. >> KAUR: UNDERSTOOD. THANK YOU.
THERE'S MORE OPPORTUNITY IF WE WERE TO NEED IT. >> ABSOLUTELY.
>> KAUR: THANK YOU SO MUCH. COUNCILMEMBER PELÁEZ, DID YOU SEE THAT CHART WITH YOU AND COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE'S USAGEES, FRIENDLY COMPETITION. I HEARD COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO IS IN THE LEAD.
CHALLENGE YOU ALL. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER KAUR.
COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU, MAYOR. YES, IT LOOKS LIKE ABOUT 42.2% OF THE WASTE IS IN -- IS IN THE NORTH SIDE. I WANT TO SPEND MOST OF MY FOCUS ON I THINK THE DRIP IRRIGATION SYSTEM AND SORT OF THAT CONFLICT THAT WAS THERE.
BECAUSE I'M MORE SUPPORTIVE OF THE ONE DAY A WEEK PROPOSAL THAT YOU ALL HAD INITIALLY HAD. DO WE KNOW WHAT THE DIFFERENCE IN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT IS WITH THE THREE DAYS A WEEK VERSUS THE ONE DAY -- DO WE HAVE OUTCOMES
EXPECTED THERE? >> WE WILL SAVE LESS WATER IF PEOPLE CONTINUE TO RUN TWO DAYS A WEEK IN STAGES 2 AND 3 RATHER THAN 1. WE HAVE ALWAYS RECOMMENDED ONE DAY A WEEK WATERING. WHETHER WE'RE IN DROUGHT, WHETHER IT'S SPRAY OR DRIP, SAWS HAS ALREADY SAID WATER ONCE A WEEK FAIRLY DEEPLY WHETHER BY DRIP OR SPRAY.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO EDUCATE PEOPLE ON IT. WE THINK THIS IS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION ON DRIP IRRIGATION, BUT RECOGNIZE CHANGE IS HARD AND PEOPLE, WE'RE USED TO RUNNING THAT DRIP PRETTY OFTEN AND BRING IT BACK INTO SOME
BOUNDARIES. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: FOR SURE.
AND I THINK BEFORE THIS COMES BACK TO US FOR AN OFFICIAL VOTE, I WOULD LIKE MY COLLEAGUES TO CONSIDER THAT ONE DAY, YOU KNOW, THE ONE DAY RESTRICTION.
ONE OF THE CHALLENGES I FEEL AND WHERE SOME OF THE CONFLICT IS THE DISCONNECT BETWEEN THE VERY LARGE DEVELOPERS IN OUR CITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE COMMUNITY AND THEIR IMPACTS ON CLIMATE. AND SO I'M WONDERING, I GUESS THE BIGGER CHALLENGE IS BIG SUBDIVISIONS WITH GRASS YARDS WHERE PUTTING DOWN ACRES OF ST. AUGUSTINE GRASS AND HAS TO BE WATERED CONSTANTLY FOR THE FIRST HOWEVER MANY YEARS AFTER IT'S PUT DOWN. THIS IS PROBABLY A BIGGER CONVERSATION, BUT DO WE KNOW OF ANY HO AS THAT PROHIBIT XERISCAPE?
>> THEY REALLY CAN'T. THEY CAN'T DENY SOMEONE ABILITY TO HAVE WATER SAVING LANDSCAPE. ST. AUGUSTINE HASN'T BEEN ALLOWED SINCE 2006.
IT HAS TO BE DROUGHT-TOLERANT GRASS IN SAN ANTONIO.
YOU CAN BUY IT PRIVATELY, BUT A DEVELOPER HAS TO PUT DOWN A DROUGHT-TOLERANT
GRASS, USUALLY ZOYSIA OR BERMUDA. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: I THINK WE MAY HAVE SOME RULE VIOLATORS THAT MAYBE WE COULD --
>> LET ME KNOW WHERE THAT IS. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: WE'LL CHAT. BUT I THINK -- THANK YOU ALL FOR Y'ALL'S WORK AND WATER CRISIS AND I WOULD LIKE MY COLLEAGUES TO CONSIDER THE ONE TIME A WEEK RESTRICTION WHEN THIS COMES BACK TO US IN ABOUT A WEEK. THANK YOU.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THESE ITEMS? I DID WANT TO JUST COMPLIMENT YOU, KAREN, FOR THE WORK ON THIS. I KNOW IT'S BEEN AT THE BOARD A NUMBER OF TIMES. I THINK IT'S A GREAT COMPROMISE WHERE WE ARE TODAY, WHICH I DO WANT TO THANK NOT ONLY THE CHAMBER COMMUNITIES BUT ALL THE HOAS THAT HAVE SPOKEN OUT AND HELPED US CRAFT A GOOD SOLUTION.
I'M VERY HAPPY THAT WE'RE MOVING TO A PHASE WHERE THE EEA DROUGHT STAGE WILL ALSO TRIGGER WHAT WE DO HERE AT SAWS. THERE IS STILL KIND OF A DISIN ANSWER WHERE WE ARE IN TERMS OF OUR OWN WATER BEHAVIORS AND THE REST OF THE EDWARDS AQUIFER AUTHORITY COMMUNITY IS. SO I'M GLAD WE'RE RECTIFYING THAT. I DO THINK THAT WE NEED TO EMPHASIZE EDUCATION, AND THIS IS PROBABLY WHERE COUNCIL CAN BE HELPFUL WITH, EDUCATION ABOUT HOW DRIP IRRIGATION SYSTEMS ARE USED. FOR THOSE WHO WEREN'T PAYING ATTENTION TO THE ORIGINAL DISCUSSION ABOUT THE ORIGINAL DRAFT DROUGHT MANAGEMENT PLAN, IT HAD MORE STRICT REGULATION OF DRIP IRRIGATION SYSTEMS BECAUSE WHAT KAREN'S RESEARCH HAS
[01:05:01]
FOUND IS THAT PEOPLE DON'T KNOW HOW TO USE THEIR DRIP IRRIGATION SYSTEMS AND THEY THINK BECAUSE IT'S UNDERGROUND THEY CAN CONTINUE TO USE IT AS LONG AS THEY WANT AND WE'RE WINDING UP WHERE A LOT OF UNNECESSARY WATER USE EVEN WITH THE DRIP IRRIGATION SYSTEMS. AS WE'RE ALLOWING FOLKS TO USE DRIP IRRIGATION SYSTEMS A LITTLE MORE OFTEN THAN SPRAY USE, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE USING IT THE RIGHT WAY. SO I HOPE WE ARE INVESTING TIME AND ENERGY INTO EDUCATING FOLKS ABOUT DRIP IRRIGATION SYSTEMS AS WE ROLL OUT THIS DROUGHT MANAGEMENT PLAN. ALL OF THAT SAID, I DO AGREE WITH SOME OF THE COMMENTS UP HERE. WE'RE IN A GOOD SITUATION WITH SAWS AND I THINK THE LEADERSHIP OF SAWS PAST AND PRESENT DESERVE A LOT OF CREDIT FOR BRINGING US TO A POINT WHERE WE REALLY DON'T HAVE TO BE OVERLY CONCERNED ABOUT OUR WATER PICTURE AS WE MOVE THROUGH A DROUGHT OR AS WE MOVE INTO THE PHASE OF GROWTH THAT WE'RE IN, BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE FOOLISH FOR US TO REST ON OUR LAURELS. I WOULD ASK DONOVAN IF YOU COULD COME UP HERE.I WOULD LIKE TO PUT UP A COUPLE OF SLY. THE BEST TIME -- SLIDES.
THE BEST TIME PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE IS WHETHER WE'RE ON SOLID GROUND LIKE TODAY.
COULD YOU PUT UP SLIDE 12? I HOPE AND WOULD ASK WHAT IS YOUR PLANNING HORIZON FOR THE 87GCPD AND HOW IS THAT IMPACTING PROJECTIONS ON ADDITIONAL WATER SUPPLIES THAT SAWS WILL HAVE TO BRING ON IN THOSE MID AND LONG-RAIN TERMS?
>> YEAH, IT IS CRITICAL. THE 87 NUMBER IS OVER THAT 50-YEAR HORIZON, SO OUR WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN IS OVER 50 YEARS, THROUGH 2075. YOU WILL SEE A CONTINUED DECREASE IN OUR GALLONS PER CAPITA PER DAY OVER TIME. OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE GOING TO BE SOME UP AND SOME DOWN DEPENDING ON THE YEAR, BUT THE TREND IS ALWAYS DOWN.
WE'VE HAD THAT SUCCESS. THERE'S A LOT MORE THAT WE CAN DO.
THERE'S A LOT MORE, OBVIOUSLY KAREN BROUGHT THIS FORWARD TODAY, BUT THERE ARE OTHER THINGS THAT WE CAN DO. THAT 87 NUMBER IS SOMETHING THAT WE WILL ACHIEVE BY 2075, BUT A GRADUAL DECREASE ALL THE WAY THROUGH THERE. JUST SPECIFICALLY AGAIN OUR WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN FOCUSES ON WHAT HAPPENS DURING THE WORST DROUGHT OF RECORD, THAT HYBRID DROUGHT OF RECORD. IN THAT IS WHERE YOU SEE THAT 10% DECREASE AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE STAGES. VERY PARTICULARLY WE'RE GOING TO SEE A 10% REDUCTION WITHIN A DROUGHT OF RECORD AND THAT'S HOW IT'S GOING TO GET THERE. ABOVE AND BEYOND THAT, EVEN IN NORMAL TIMES CONSERVATION
IS IMPORTANT AND CRITICAL. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THAT'S WHERE I WAS GOING.
AND NOTHING WORKS LINEARLY OBVIOUSLY, BUT COUNT ME AS SLIGHTLY PESSIMISTIC ABOUT THAT NUMBER JUST GIVEN THE FACT WE'VE SEEN MOST OF OUR PROGRESS SINCE THE '80S AND EARLY '90S. BUT IF YOU LOOK AT WHERE WE HAVE BEEN SINCE, SAY, MID 2000S, WE'RE STILL HOVERING AROUND THE SAME SPOT.
WE REALLY HAVEN'T MOVED ALL THAT MUCH AND THAT'S IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE REPLACEMENT OF FAUCETS AND HIGH-EFFICIENCY SYSTEMS. CORRECT ME IF I AM WRONG,
KAREN, BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE YOU ARE ABOUT TO. >> I'M GOING TO POINT OUT THAT EVEN THOUGH WE WERE UNHAPPY TO HAVE OUR GPC GO UP TO 21 IN 2022 DURING DROUGHT, LOOK BACK TO 2011. IT WAS 149 IN THAT DROUGHT. SO YEAH, WENT UP THE LAST TWO YEARS HIGHER THAN WE WANTED TO. WHEN WE HAD A NORMAL RAIN YEAR IT WAS 111. THE RATE OF DROP DOES SLOW OVER TIME.
WE DON'T WANT IT TO BE TOO STEEP, BUT WE ARE GOING DOWN.
IN OUR LAST DROUGHT WE WERE 149 AND NOW WE ARE 122. THAT'S PROGRESS.
WE WANT TO DO BETTER. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: YEAH. >> BUT OUR COMMUNITY SHOULD
FEEL GOOD ABOUT THE PROGRESS WE'VE MADE. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: NO DOUBT AND THAT'S NOT WHAT I WAS SUGGESTING THAT WE SHOULDN'T FEEL GOOD ABOUT THE PROGRESS WE'VE MADE. BUT WHAT I'M SUGGESTING IS A LOT OF THE ONUS WILL BE ON US IS WHAT JALEN SUGGESTED, WE HAVE TO DRILL DOWN AND WHAT WE EXPECT FROM NEW DEVELOPMENT. SO THIS IS -- THIS IS A DISCUSSION ABOUT DROUGHT MANAGEMENT AND THIS IS THE CITY COUNCIL'S DOMAIN. WE HAVE TO ADEW POINT THIS POLICY INTO OUR OWN CITY CODE. I WOULD SUGGEST IT NEEDS TO BE A BROADER CONVERSATION ABOUT DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS IN THE CITY AS RELATES TO THINGS LIKE SPRAY IRRIGATION SYSTEMS THAT ARE ON NEW DEVELOPMENT.
I'M GLAD TO KNOW ST. AUGUSTINE IS PROHIBITED, EVEN THOUGH -- FOR NEW DEVELOPMENT, EVEN THOUGH DEVELOPERS CAN DO IT ON THEIR OWN OR PROPERTY OWNERS CAN, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO BE LOOKING MORE CLOSELY AT IRRIGATION POLICY AND
PLANNING IN GENERAL. ROBERT. >> THANK YOU.
[01:10:02]
IF YOU WILL PUT THAT SLIDE BACK UP. WHAT I WANT TO EMPHASIZE, THAT PROGRESSION FROM ROUGHLY 1990S TO ABOUT 2003, A LOT OF THAT WASINDOOR CONSERVATION EFFORTS. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: RIGHT. >> AND WE HAVE JUST RECENTLY --E OUTDOOR. THAT'S WHERE THE HUGE AMOUNT OF SAVINGS ARE.
BUT ADDED WITH THAT IS THE IDEAS THAT WE HAVE ON WHAT WATER CONSERVATION IS.
THEY ARE SO ENGRAINED WHAT WE DO AT SAWS, WE ARE PROBABLY ONE OF THE FEW LEADERS, NOW A VICE PRESIDENT AS KAREN IS NOW, THAT'S HOW MUCH IMPORTANCE WE PUT ON THIS. THIS IS NOT JUST A WATER SAVING GRAPH THAT YOU SEE THERE. EVERY TEN YEARS OR SO IF WE HAD NOT DONE THAT, WE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE GOTTEN ANOTHER VISTA RIDGE PROJECT. EVERY 15 OR 20 OR SO, IF WE HAD NOT DONE THAT, WE WOULD HAVE HAD TO BUILD A NEW WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT.
INSTEAD WE CLOSED ONE DOWN. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: AND AGAIN, IT'S TREMENDOUS WORK BY THE COMMUNITY AND BY THE ORGANIZATION TO GET US AT THAT LEVEL.
THAT'S MY POINT IS THAT WE'VE HAD GREAT SUCCESS INSIDE THE HOME.
I THINK WE HAVE NOT BEEN AS FOCUSED ON IRRIGATION POLICY AND DEVELOPMENT POLICY AS WE SHOULD. ESPECIALLY WITH THE GROWTH THAT'S HAPPENING AND THE LAND BEING DEVELOPED AS IT IS, IF ANYBODY WANTS TO LOOK AT THE SCARY POPULATION PROJECTIONS IN THE REST OF THE STATE OF TEXAS, THIS IS A TEXAS CONVERSATION, IT'S NOT JUST A SAN ANTONIO CONVERSATION. ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE FACT THAT INCREASINGLY IN OUR NEW WATER PORTFOLIO, IT'S REGIONAL PROJECTS.
SO WE'RE PULLING WATER IN FROM OTHER PLACES THAT MAY BE DEVELOPED AS WELL SO THERE'S INHERENT RISK OF THAT WATER NOT BEING THERE WHEN WE NEED IT.
WE NEED FOLKS TO BE SERIOUS ABOUT CONSERVATION AND US AGAIN TAKING ON THE OWNERSHIP OF THE DEVELOPMENT POLICY WE HAVE AT THE CITY. SO ON THAT NOTE, DONOVAN, IF I COULD -- THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CHILDREN AND ROBERT. IF YOU COULD GO TO SLIDE 17.
-- KAREN AND ROBERT. >> TO ADD TO THAT CONVERSATION, AS PART OF OUR CONSERVATION IS OUR RECYCLED SYSTEM. WE'RE GOING TO EXPAND THAT OVER TIME. THAT WILL REDUCE WATER USAGE AS WELL.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: GREAT. WHAT DO YOU MEAN -- SO ON SLIDE -- EXCUSE ME, ON THE MIDDLE AND RIGHT-HAND COLUMNS, YOU HAVE REGIONAL PROJECTS.
ARE YOU ALL ALREADY KIND OF CONCEPTUALIZING WHAT THOSE ARE AND WHERE THEY WILL BE
FROM? >> YEAH, SO, FOR EXAMPLE, WE RIGHT NOW GET WATER IN GBRA.
GBRA, GUADALUPE RIVER AUTHORITY, WE PULL WATER FROM CANYON LAKE.
THEY HAVE ANOTHER BIGGER PROJECT. THEY HAVE APPROACHED US, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT HOW DO WE CONTINUE RECEIVING WATER FROM YOU WHETHER FROM CANYON LAKE OR ANOTHER SOURCE. WE'VE ALSO HAD LOTS OF PEOPLE, PEOPLE COME TO US ALL THE TIME WITH THE CONVERSATION OF I'VE GOT THE BEST WATER PROJECT IN THE WORLD, JUST SIGN HERE. SOMETIMES THEY ARE GOOD PROJECTS, SOMETIMES LESS SO.
SO WE WILL ANNUAL LIES THOSE. I -- ANALYZE THOSE.
I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE DEVELOPING PROJECTS WITHIN THE REGION THAT DO COME TO US AND WE WILL EXPLORE THOSE. SPECIFICALLY THIS MEANS WE WILL CONSIDER IT, BUT OUR NEEDS WILL BE MET WITH THE DESAL PROJECTS.
SO PROJECTLY, I'LL GIVE YOU A EXAMPLE, BRACKISH REDALE HANSON NATION PHASES 2 AND 3. IF THERE'S ANOTHER PROJECT THAT MAKES MORE SENSE, CHEAPER, WORKS BETTER, PERHAPS WE COULD MOVE OFF STAGE 3 UNTIL LATER.
THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS WE WILL EXPLORE REGIONAL PROJECTS.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: OKAY. AND THEN ON THE DESAL, HOW IS PHASE 1 PERFORMING?
>> PERFORMING WELL. WE'VE OBVIOUSLY HAD SOME HICCUPS THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS. IT WAS BROUGHT ONLINE IN 2017.
THIS WAS AN AREA THAT THE GEOLOGY, NOBODY KNEW, NOBODY WAS PUMPING FROM THAT AREA.
WE'VE HAD TO SPACE OUR WELLS INTO DIFFERENT LOCATIONS. WE'VE PUT DIFFERENT TYPES OF PUMPS AND CHANGED SOME OF THOSE. SO WE ARE GETTING BACK TO BASICALLY WHAT WE'LL CALL FULL PRODUCTION OF THE DESAL PLANT.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: AND WHAT IS THE ACRE FEET WE EXPECT FROM THAT PROJECT?
>> ACTUALLY WE GOT BACK UP TO 10MGD, SO ABOUT 11,000-ACRE FEET AND WE'LL PUT IN SOME MORE FILTERS IN IT AND WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET TO 13,000 AT SOME POINT.
[01:15:04]
BUT WE IN THE WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN, WE HAVE TO PLAN FOR A SUSTAINED AMOUNT.AND FOR THAT IN THIS PLAN WE PLAN FOR A 10 MILLION GALLONS A DAY,
WHICH IS ABOUT 11,000-ACRE FEET FOR PHASE 1. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: LASTLY, IT SAYS UP THERE ASR EXPANSION. WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?
>> THAT WILL MEAN A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT THINGS. RIGHT NOW WE WILL ADD A TREATMENT PLANT OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS, WE'RE GOING TO START THE DESIGN OF IT NEXT YEAR. THAT WILL ALLOW US TO UTILIZE MORE OF OUR AQUIFER STORAGE AND RECOVERY. RIGHT NOW THE PLANT IS KIND OF LIMITED, WE HAVE THREE DIFFERENT WATER SOURCES. AS THE WATER MOVES THROUGH THOSE SOURCES, WE HAVE A LIMITED AMOUNT WE CAN TREAT. THAT LIMITS WHAT WE CAN DISTRIBUTE INTO OUR SYSTEM.
BY EXPANDING THE AVAILABLE TREATMENT OF THE ASR, WE'RE ABLE TO USE MORE OF IT
DURING A DROUGHT TIME. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: HAVE WE USED IT ALREADY?
>> YES, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE DO THIS EVERY FIVE YEARS. OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS WE'VE HELD OFF BECAUSE WE HAVE RUN THE ASR IN MAX RUN OVER THE PAST REALLY TWO YEARS IN THE SUMMERTIMES TO MAKE SURE IT CAN DO EVERYTHING THAT WE BELIEVE IT COULD AND IT HAS RUN BEAUTIFULLY WELL OVER THE LAST TWO SUMMERS. WE HAVE RUN IT TO ITS MAX
CAPACITY. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: HAVE WE FILLED IT BACK UP?
IS IT AT CAPACITY NOW? >> IT'S AT 1 # 5,000-ACRE FEET TODAY.
WE CAN HOLD 200,000 -- 155,000. AFTER WE GET OUT OF THIS DROUGHT WE WILL START RECHARGING IT BACK AND IT WILL EVENTUALLY GET BACK UP
TO THE 200,000 LEVEL AND POTENTIALLY BEYOND THAT. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: GREAT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DONOVAN. GREAT WORK, EVERYBODY.
I JUST -- I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE INNOVATION AT SAWS. WE ARE IN A SOLID POSITION.
I JUST THINK WE HAVE TO BE MINDFUL OF THE FACT THAT THAT'S NOT THE CASE WITH OUR NEIGHBORS AND INCREASINGLY WE ARE GOING TO BE DEPENDENT ON OUR NEIGHBORS FOR WATER SECURITY AS WE MOVE FORWARD. AS MUCH AS WE CAN DO AT THE CITY COUNCIL TO ALIGN OUR DEVELOPMENT POLICY WITH THE NEEDS FOR CONSERVATION, I THINK THE TIME TO DO THAT IS ABSOLUTELY NOW. SO THANKS EVERYBODY FOR BEING HERE.
GREAT WORK AND WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO PASSAGE OF THE DROUGHT MANAGEMENT POLICY I BELIEVE NEXT WEEK, ERIK, IT'S ON THE AGENDA. ALL RIGHT.
BACK TO YOU FOR ITEM 3. >> WALSH: SO OUR SECOND ITEM TODAY, NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES WILL BE BRIEFING YOU ON THE LATEST SOLICITATION PROCESS FOR ADDITIONAL HOUSING BOND PROJECTS. THIS IS A POST-SOLICITATION BRIEFING ON MAY 7TH, JUST FOR CONTEXT FOR EVERYBODY, VOTERS APPROVED $150 MILLION IN MAY OF 2022 FOR OUR FIRST EVER HOUSING BOND ALLOCATION.
AND AS WE PRESENTED TO YOU IN FEBRUARY THIS YEAR, WE HAVE MORE THAN 2,000 HOMES IN THE DEVELOPMENT PIPELINE AND 1600 HOMES UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
AND SO THAT'S 40% OF OUR HOUSING BOND-FUNDED HOMES THAT HAVE DOPE AFFORDABILITY IN ALIGNMENT WITH -- DEEP AFFORDABILITY. TODAY'S POST-SOLICITATION PRESENTATION WE'LL UPDATE YOU ON THREE OF OUR LATEST REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS.
OUR RENTAL HOUSING PRODUCTION AND ACQUISITION, OUR RENTAL HOUSING ACQUISITION REHAB AND PRESERVATION, AND OUR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING. VERONICA WILL WALK YOU THROUGH THE POST-SOLICITATION, BUT THE PROJECTS THAT YOU'LL SEE PRESENTED TO YOU TODAY REPRESENT 729 ADDITIONAL HOUSING UNITS INTO OUR PIPELINE AND AN ADDITIONAL 81 UNITS OF PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING. SO WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO VERONICA. THIS ALSO IS TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED FOR NEXT WEEK'S
COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION. THANK YOU. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, VERONICA GARCIA, DIRECTOR FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES DEPARTMENT. TODAY'S BRIEFING IS A POST-SOLICITATION BRIEFING.
>> OUR RECOMMENDED HOUSING BOND PROJECTS. THE VOTERS APPROVED THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING BOND IN 2022 IN THE TOTAL OF $150 MILLION.
THE FUND IS SPREAD ACROSS FIVE BUCKETS. THE FIRST IS FOR OUR HOME REHAB PROGRAM, THE SECOND IS TO IMPROVE EXISTING AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING, THE THIRD IS BUILD NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
OUR LAST CATEGORY, 5 MILLION SET ASIDE TO BUILD NEW SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES AT AN AFFORDABLE RATE. THE FUNDING THAT WE'VE DISTRIBUTED TO DATE TOTALS
[01:20:07]
ALMOST $110 MILLION. THAT DOES INCLUDE ABOUT $42 MILLION SPECIFICALLY FOR OUR HOME REHAB PROGRAMS AND THAT IS EXPECTED TO SPEND THROUGH THE END OF THE BOND SO THAT'S FISCAL YEAR 2027. ALL OF THE FUNDING THAT WE'VE COMMITTED TO DATE THAT HAS FACILITATED JUST OVER 4,000 UNITS, AND TODAY'S ITEM INCLUDES A BRIEFING ON $17 MILLION OF ADDITIONAL AWARDS. IF THOSE AWARDS ARE APPROVED NEXT WEEK, THEN WE WILL HAVE STILL $23 MILLION AVAILABLE. THOSE FUNDS CAN BE SPENT, YOU CAN SEE 13 MILLION IS STILL REMAINING IN THE RENTAL REHAB BUCKET AND THE REMAINING FUNDS CAN ALL GO TOWARDS CONTINUING TO IMPLEMENT OUR SHIP STRATEGIES AND THAT CAN INCLUDE EVERYTHING FROM LAND BANKERRING PROGRAMS, COMMUNITY LAND TRUSTS, HELPING ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS AND THAT ADDITIONAL AWARDS WOULD COME BACK TO CITY COUNCIL FOR FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS.IN ADDITION TO THESE HOUSING BOND FUNDS THAT ARE SHOWN HERE, WE'VE ALREADY LEVERAGED OUR FEDERAL FUNDING SO WE'VE HAD MORE FUNDS AVAILABLE TO HELP INCENTIVIZE PROJECTS THAT HAVE MORE DEEPLY AFFORDABLE UNITS.
REGARDING THE FUNDS WE'VE AWARDED, $62 MILLION APPROVED BY COUNCIL DIRECTLY TO PROJECTS SPECIFICALLY THROUGH COMPETITIVE SOLICITATIONS.
SPECIFICALLY MULTI-FAMILY PROJECTS AND NEW SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES.
OF THAT WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF PROGRESS TO DATE AND CURRENTLY MORE THAN 2,000 HOMES ARE IN THE PIPELINE AND MORE THAN 1500 HOMES ARE UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
WHEN WE HIGHLIGHT THE PROGRESS OF THE HOUSING BOND, WE'RE REALLY TALKING ABOUT THE NUMBER OF HOMES THEY ARE CREATING AND USE TECHNICAL TERMS LIKE THE HOMES ARE SPECIFICALLY FOR FAMILIES AT A CERTAIN MEDIAN INCOME LEVEL OR AMI.
WE WANT TO REALLY TALK ABOUT AS PART OF OUR PUBLIC INFORMATION CAMPAIGN, WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS MORE INFORMATION ON THESE TECHNICAL TERMS. THIS SHOWS DIFFERENT SAMPLE FAMILIES AT DIFFERENT AMI LEVELS. SPECIFICALLY FOR THE HOUSING BOND, WE'RE TARGETING FAMILIES AT 30% OF THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME WHICH IS WHAT OUR STRATEGIC PLAN SAYS IS THE MOST NEEDED HOUSING IN SAN ANTONIO. SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HOUSING FOR 30% AMI, IT'S FOR FAMILIES MAKING LESS THAN $24,000 A YEAR OR A PERSON MAKING LESS THAN $11.50 AN HOUR. WHAT YOU WILL ALSO NOTICE IS ALL OF THEM HAVE THREE PERSONS. THAT'S BECAUSE THE AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD SIZE IN SAN ANTONIO IS THREE PERSONS AND WE LOOK AT THE INCOME FOR EVERYBODY IN THE HOUSE, EVERYTHING FROM CHILDREN TO ONE OR TWO WORKING ADULTS AND INCLUDING OLDER ADULTS. SO ANYONE WHO IS RECEIVING ANY KIND OF INCOME, ALL THAT GETS CALCULATED INTO THEIR HOUSEHOLD INCOME AND WE USE THAT TO LOOK AT WHETHER OR NOT YOU QUALIFY FOR THE HOUSING WE'RE BUILDING. IS BIG TAKE-AWAY FROM THIS SLIDE IS FAMILIES IN SAN ANTONIO ALL LOOK VERY DIFFERENTLY, SO WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT OUR HOUSING INVESTMENTS ARE EVEN SENT I HAVEIZING HOUSING AT LOTS OF AFFORDABILITY LEVELS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY. SPEAKING OF AMI FOR THE CURRENT PROJECTS THAT YOU'VE ALREADY APPROVED, WE ARE USING THE HOUSING LINE TO GO UP TO 50% AMI FOR RENTAL HOUSING. LOOKING AT THE PROJECTS THAT INCLUDING DEEPER AFFORDABILITY LEVELS AND ALSO INCLUDE PUBLIC HOUSING OR INCOME-BASED HOUSING. 39% OF THE HOUSING BOND FUNDS WE'VE AWARDED ARE FOR HOMES THAT HAVE DEEPER AFFORDABILITY LEVELS INCLUDING JUST OVER 1,000 UNITS AT THE 30% AMI LEVEL. SO TODAY'S BRIEFING IS ON THREE SEPARATE SOLICITATIONS WE'VE ISSUED ACROSS NEW RENTAL HOUSING, REHAB OF OUR EXISTING RENTAL HOUSING, AND CREATE OF PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING. WE MADE AVAILABLE PROJECTLY $35 MILLION AVAILABLE BETWEEN BOND FUNDS AND FEDERAL FUNDS.
AND WE WANTED TO ENSURE THAT WE -- AS WE VOLT EVALUATING -- LOOKING FOR PROJECTS LOCATED NEAR PUBLIC TRANSIT. LOOKING AT THE DEVELOPMENT TEAMS AND EVALUATING THEM BASED ON THEIR EXPERIENCE WITH CODE CITATIONS AND LOOKING TO PROMOTE THOSE IN GOOD STANDING WITH THE CITY. AND WE WERE ALSO CONTINUING TO ENCOURAGE PROJECTS LEVERAGING FUNDING OUTSIDE OF THE CITY LIKE OUR LOW-INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDITS WHICH ARE AWARDED BY THE STATE.
ALL OF THE RFPS WERE RELEASED ON MARCH 1 AND AVAILABLE FOR AT LEAST 45 DAYS. IN SUMMARY, WE HAD 35 MILLION AVAILABLE AND WE ARE RECOMMENDING AWARDS TODAY OF JUST OVER 21.5 MILLION FOR FOUR
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DIFFERENT PROJECTS ACROSS THOSE THREE DIFFERENT FUNDING CATEGORIES.IF ALL OF THE AWARDS ARE APPROVED, WE WILL BE INCENTIVIZING JUST OVER -- SO 729 UNITS, BECAUSE 200 OF THOSE WERE PREVIOUSLY COUNTED.
I WILL NOTE ALSO THAT ON THIS SLIDE YOU CAN SEE THAT THE FUNDS THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE ARE IN LARGE PART MEET THEIR DEADLINE SO THEY EITHER DID NOT GET THE OTHER FUNDING SOURCES THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE, THEY DIDN'T MEET PROJECT DEADLINES. WE HAD NUMEROUS PROJECTS TOTALING OVER $22 MILLION IN RECAPTURED FUNDS THAT WERE MADE AVAILABLE THROUGH THIS PARTICULAR SOLICITATION ROUND. ALL OF OUR PROJECTS HAVE AFFORDABILITY COVENANTS OF 40 YEARS. SO IN THE FIRST CATEGORY OF NEW RENTAL HOUSING, WE HAVE ISSUED THE SOLICITATION FOR JUST OVER -- FOR $6.5 MILLION. THIS INCLUDES 2 MILLION IN BONDS AND 4.5 MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDS. THE SCORING COMMITTEE WAS COMPRISED OF CITY STAFF MEMBERS AS WELL AS EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS. AND I WANT TO GIVE A LOT OF THANKS TO EMELIA AND PETER, THEY ARE MEMBERS OF OUR CITIZEN HOUSING BOND COMMITTEE. THE SCORING COMMITTEE EVALUATED THE PROJECTS ON THE CRITERIA ADOPTED BY COUNCIL IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE COMMITTEE.
THEY WERE LOOKING FOR WHO THE PROJECTS WERE BEING BUILT FOR WITH THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF POINTS AWARRED BASED ON A PROJECT AFFORDABILITY.
FOR THIS ROUND WE WERE ALSO REQUIRING THAT EVERY PROJECT THAT SUBMITTED HAVE AT LEAST 10% OF THE UNITS BE FOR FAMILIES AVAILABLE AT THAT 30% AREA MEDIAN INCOME OR BELOW. EVERY PROJECT WE RECEIVED MET THAT CRITERIA.
WE ARE ALSO LOOKING FOR PROJECTS THAT HAD MEANINGFUL RESIDENT SERVICES, PROJECTS THAT WERE LEVERAGING SOURCES OUTSIDE OF THE CITY'S BOND FUNDS AND HOW MUCH LEVERAGING THEY WERE DOING AND WHETHER OR NOT THAT FINANCING WAS PROPOSED OR ACTUALLY SECURED. AND WE WERE REALLY LOOKING AT PROJECTS THAT WERE SHOVEL READY BECAUSE WE WANT THESE FUNDS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
LASTLY, THE COMMITTEE CONSIDERED THE LOCATION OF PROJECTS, SO IF THEY WERE IN A REGIONAL CENTER OR LOCATED NEAR PUBLIC TRANSIT AND WHAT SUSTAINABILITY AUDIO] PROJECT OVER AND ABOVE WHAT THE CODE REQUIRES.
IN THIS PARTICULAR CATEGORY, ALL PROJECTS THAT SUBMITTED ALSO WENT THROUGH A DISPLACEMENT IMPACT ASSESSMENT WHERE WE EVALUATED THE PROPOSALS AND LOOKED AT THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND COMMUNITIES SURROUNDING EACH PROJECT TO SEE WHAT VULNERABILITY FACTORS AND THAT WAS SHARED WITH THE COMMITTEE PRIOR TO ANY FUNDING DECISIONS MADE. WE RECEIVED A TOTAL OF SEVEN PROPOSALS IN THIS CATEGORY, SO IT WAS VERY COMPETITIVE AND WE DID HAVE LIMITED FUNDS AVAILABLE, AND WE ARE RECOMMENDING THE TOP SCORING PROJECT PALLADIUM SAN ANTONIO FOR AWARD.
FOR THE PROJECTS THAT WERE NOT SUCCESSFUL, WE WILL BE DOING DEBRIEFINGS WITH THE RESPONDENTS AND THERE WILL BE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY IN THE FALL FOR PROJECTS TO SUBMIT BECAUSE WE WILL HAVE NEW FEDERAL FUNDS THAT WILL BECOME AVAILABLE SO THOSE WILL BE OUT FOR A SOLICITATION IN THE FALL, SO EXPECT ANOTHER FUNDING ROUND. THE TOP PROJECT WAS PALLADIUM SAN ANTONIO IN DISTRICT 4. THIS PROJECT IS A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SAN ANTONIO HOUSING TRUST AND IT DOES LEVERAGE LOW-INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDITS. IN TOTAL THIS IS A 288-UNIT MULTI-FAMILY COMPLEX AND IT HAD 15% OF ALL OF THE UNITS ARE SET ASIDE FOR FAMILIES AT 30% OF THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME OR BELOW. THIS PROJECT HAS SUBMITTED IN THE PAST AND THIS ROUND THEY INCREASED THE AFFORDABILITY AND THOSE AT 30% AND BELOW AND THEY WERE THE TOP SCORING PROJECT. THEY ALSO HAVE ONE, TWO AND HE THREE BEDROOM UNITS, LOTS OF SERVICES AVAILABLE FOR RESIDENTS LIVING IN THE PROJECT.
THIS IS DEFINITELY SHOVEL ROAD AND IS EXPECTED TO BREAK GROUND THIS SUMMER WITH COMPLETION SEPTEMBER 2026. ONE MORE THING ON THIS PROJECT WILL I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT. THIS IS LOCATED NEAR PEARSALL PARK AND WE'LL BE WORKING WITH THE DEVELOPMENT TEAM TO SEE HOW THEY CAN CREATE A BETTER CONNECTION FOR RESIDENTS TO THE PARK. THAT COULD BE A PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY AND WE'LL ALSO BE WORKING WITH THE DEVELOPER AND VIA TO SEE HOW THE PROJECT CAN HAVE THE BEST CONNECTION TO THE VIA TRANSIT THAT IS NEARBY.
IN THE RENTAL REHABILITATION CATEGORY, WE HAD JUST OVER $18 MILLION AVAILABLE AND WE
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AGAIN HAD A SCORING COMMITTEE COMPOSED OF INTERNAL CITY STAFF AND STAKE HOLDS. MANY THINGS TO AMY AND RICH WHO SERVED ON THE PANEL FROM THE CITIZENS BOND COMMITTEE. THE SCORING COMMITTEE LOOKED AT VARIOUS FACTORS AND, AGAIN, AFFORDABILITY WAS THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF POINTS POSSIBLE.PROJECTS THAT LEVERAGED OTHER FUNDING AND DEMONSTRATED PROJECT READINESS ALSO GOT PRIORITY CONSIDERING. THE COMMITTEE LOOKED VERY CLOSELY AT WHAT IMPROVEMENTS PROPOSALS WE'RE LOOKING AT, IF THEY WERE LOOKING AT JUST A PARTIAL REHAB OR LOOKING AT FULL REHAB OF THE ENTIRE PROJECT, THAT WENT INTO CONSIDERATION. AND DEVELOPMENT TEAMS WERE IN GOOD STANDING WITH THE CITY AND SINCE THIS PARTICULAR FUNDING DID NOT INCLUDE FEDERAL FUNDS, WE HAVE INCLUDED SOME SMALL BUSINESS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADVOCACY PREFERENCE POINTS, LOCAL PREFERENCE PROGRAM POINTS AND VETERAN-OWNED PREFERENCE POINTS. WE RECEIVED A TOTAL OF FOUR PROPOSALS IN THIS PARTICULAR ROUND AND THE COMMITTEE IS ONLY RECOMMENDING FUNDING TO THE TOP SCORING PROPOSAL.
ONCE AGAIN, WE WILL DO DEBRIEFINGS WITH THE NON-SUCCESSFUL RESPONDENTS SO THEY CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO UPDATE THEIR PROPOSAL AND THEY COULD COME BACK IN THE FUTURE AND RESUBMIT. SO THE TOP SCORING PROPOSAL RECOMMENDED FOR AWARD IS PRESERVE AT THE PORT FOR $5.5 MILLION.
THIS PROJECT IS ANOTHER PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SAN ANTONIO HOUSING TRUST PUBLIC FACILITIES CORPORATION AND THEY ARE UTILIZING HISTORIC TAX CREDITS. IN TOTAL, THE APARTMENTS WILL BE 360 UNITS WITH 36 SET ASIDE AT 30% AM MI OR BELOW. THIS ORDER TO BUY DOWN MORE UNITS AT THAT 30%. SO THAT IS THE WAY THAT WE ARE GETTING 36 UNITS AT 30% AMI IS THROUGH THE HOUSING [INAUDIBLE].
IT'S A GREAT EXAMPLE OF TAKING A PROJECT THAT IS ACTUALLY ALREADY UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND WILL OPEN IN AUGUST THIS SUMMER AND TAKING PROJECT THAT WILL BE IMMEDIATELY COME ONLINE IN THE COMMUNITY AVAILABLE AND ENSURING THERE'S EVEN MORE UNITS AVAILABLE FOR FAMILIES AT THAT LOWER INCOME LEVEL. THIS PROJECT IS IN THE PORT SAN ANTONIO REGIONAL CENTER AND IT DOES INCLUDE SOME PARTNERSHIPS WITH READY TO WORK AND THE SAN ANTONIO MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY TO BRING MORE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND SKIM DEVELOPMENT ONSITE FOR THE RESIDENTS.
-- SKILL DEVELOPMENT. THE FINAL CATEGORY WAS PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING. PSH SERVES PEOPLE WHO EXPERIENCE CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS. TO HELP PEOPLE EXPERIENCING CORRECT ME IF I AM WRONGIC HOMELESSNESS LIVE WITH CARE AND STABILITY. THAT WAS A KEY WE WERE LOOKING FOR. WE WANTED TO ENSURE THAT THE HOUSING THAT IS MADE AVAILABLE TO RESIDENTS IS WITHOUT A DESIGNATED LENGTH OF STAY SO THEY CAN STAY AS LONG AS THEY CONTINUE TO NEED THE SUPPORT, AND RESIDENTS WHO ARE REFERRED TO THESE HOUSING PROJECTS DO GO THROUGH OUR COORDINATED ENTRY SYSTEM WHICH IS DONE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CLOSE TO HOME. THE SHIP OUTLINES THE NEED FOR 1,000 PSH UNITS IN OUR COMMUNITY OVER THE NEXT TEN YEARS AND PROJECTS THAT APPLIED IN THIS FUNDING CATEGORY WILL HELP US TOWARDS MEETING THOSE GOALS.
THIS IS THE SCORING MATRIX THAT WE USED AND WE, AGAIN, HAD A SCORING COMMITTEE COMPRISED OF INTERNAL CITY STAFF AS WELL AS EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS, SO MANY THINGS TO KAYLA, MIRANDA FOR SERVING ON THE PANEL. THIS PROJECT FUNDING ROUND HAD THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF POINTS AND THE LARGEST PRIORITY LOOKING FOR PROJECTS THAT HAD THE LARGEST NUMBER OF UNITS SET ASIDE FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS WITH A DISABLING CONDITION.
SO THAT WAS UP TO 30 POINTS FOR PROJECTS THAT MET THOSE PARAMETERS.
WE ALSO WANTED TO ENSURE THAT THIS -- SINCE THERE WERE NO FEDERAL FUNDS AVAILABLE IN THIS ROUND, WE WERE ENSURING THAT WE HAD SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT POINTS, THE LOCAL PREFERENCE AND VETERAN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS POINTS ALSO APPLIED IN THIS ROUND. I'LL ALSO NOTE WE HAD A PARTNERSHIP WITH OPPORTUNITY HOME SAN ANTONIO AND WE HAD SOMEONE SERVING ON THE PANEL IN AN ADVISORY CANS IT BECAUSE WE ARE CONTINUING TO WORK WITH THEM AND THE DEVELOPMENT TEAMS THAT SUBMITTED TO SEE IF HOUSING VOUCHERS CAN BE MADE AVAILABLE FOR THE PROJECT, WHICH HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE IN THE PAST FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO COME INTO PSH UNITS, HOW
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ARE THEY GOING TO ENSURE THAT THE DEVELOPMENT TEAM WITH HELP CONTINUE TO KEEP THEM HOUSED INDEFINITELY IF THAT'S WHAT THEY NEED AND HOUSING VOUCHERS ARE A KEY TO THAT SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH OPPORTUNITY HOME TO MAKE THOSE PROJECT VOUCHERS AVAILABLE TO PROJECTS THAT SUBMITTED IN THIS ROUND.SO THOSE DISCUSSIONS ARE HAPPENING. WE HAD TWO PROJECTS THAT SUBMITTED PROPOSALS AND BOTH ARE RECOMMENDED FOR FUNDING AWARDS.
THE FIRST RECOMMENDATION IS TOWN TWIN VILLAGE. THEY ARRIVED SPORE PHASE 3.
IT IS IN COUNCIL DISTRICT 2 AND RECOMMENDED FOR AWARD OF JUST OVER $6.4 MILLION.
IN PHASE 3 THEY WILL BE BUILDING A MULTI-FAMILY APARTMENT COMPLEX INCLUDING 80 NEW PSH UNITS, NEW UNITS THAT WILL BE PART OF OUR FUTURE PSH COUNT.
THE PROJECT INCLUDES PARTNERSHIPS WITH -- THAT GO BEYOND THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, THE HOUSING TRUST IS A PARTNER, BEXAR COUNTY HAS PROVIDED SOME PARTNERSHIP. IT HAS HUD FUNDS TO HELP WITH THE ONGOING SUPPORT SERVICES. SO IT'S A REALLY BIG PROJECT IN TOTAL OF 200 PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AND DONE THROUGH MANY COMMUNITY PARTNERS WORKING TOGETHER AND THE CITY IS SPECIFICALLY HELPING FUND ROUND 3. IN ADDITION TO THE HOUSING UNITS WHICH ARE ALREADY TINY HOMES AND RVS, THIS WILL BE A MULTI-FAMILY DEVELOPMENT, SO A DIFFERENT TYPE OF HOUSING THAT'S NOT CURRENTLY AVAILABLE FOR THE PROJECT. AND THEY WILL CONTINUE TO OFFER CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES FOR THE RESIDENTS INCLUDING DAILY MEALS, MEDICAL, DENTAL AND MENTAL HEALTH CARE AS WELL AS ADDITIONAL SUPPORT BASED ON THE INDIVIDUAL.
THIS PROJECT PHASE 3 WILL BE DONE DECEMBER 2025. THE NEXT PROJECT AND FINAL PROJECT RECOMMENDED FOR A FUNDING AWARD IS THE COMMONS AT ASAKE I CAN'T TRAILS LOCATED IN DISTRICT 3. 3.26 MILLION BUT COULD GO UP TO 5.5 BECAUSE THEY HAVE APPLIED FOR OTHER GRANTS. IF THERE'S ANY REASON THEY DON'T NEED FULL FUNDING, THE REMAINING CAN GO TO COMMONS AT ASAKIA TRAILS. THEY CAME FROM SOME ADDITIONAL GAP FINANCING TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE ENOUGH TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT.
THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT ALSO HAS BEEN SUPPORTED BY BEXAR COUNTY AND IS ALSO A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SAN ANTONIO HOUSING TRUST PFC.
IN TOTAL THIS PROJECT IS 201 PSH UNITS INCLUDING STUDIO AND ONE-BEDROOM APARTMENTS WITH ON-SITE SERVICES INCLUDING MEDICAL, DENTAL, MENTAL HEALTH CARE, EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT AND ALL THAT IS BASED ON INDIVIDUALIZEED NEEDS.
IS THIS FUNDING WILL HELP THEM MEET FUNDING DEADLINE AND EXPECTED TO BE FINISHED JUNE 2026. OH, AND SAMM MINISTRIES ARE ALSO A PARTNER IN THE PROJECT. IN SUMMARY, SHOULD CITY COUNCIL APPROVE THE FUNDING AWARDS THAT ARE RECOMMENDED AND THOSE ARE ON NEXT WEEK'S AGENDA, WE WILL HAVE AWARDED FUNDING TO 24 ACTIVE PROJECTS THAT WILL PRODUCE OR PRESERVE 4,344 UNITS OF WHICH 1,630 HAVE DEEP AFFORDABILITY IN LINE WITH THE BOND PARAMETERS.
THIS INCLUDES NEARLY 1200 UNITS FOR FAMILIES AT 30% OF THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME OR BELOW AND A TOTAL OF 322 PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING UNITS YOU'RE.
THIS SLIDE SHOWS OUR DATA. THE NUMBER OF AFFORDABLE HOMES, OUR CITY INVESTMENTS GOING INTO HOUSING. BUT IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO SHOW HOW AND WHO ARE HOUSING INVESTMENTS ARE ASSISTING AND HOW THAT ASSISTANCE IS IMPACTING YOUR QUALITY OF LIFE. I INVITE YOU TO MEET MOSES. HE IS A RESIDENT AT TOWN TWIN VILLAGE, BUILT WITH THE SUPPORT OF HOUSING FUND, FEDERAL FUNDS AND OTHER PARTNERSHIPS. WITH THE SUPPORT OF TWO CASEWORKERS AT HAVEN FOR HOPE, HIS STORY TRULY SHOWS THE OVERALL IMPACT OF OUR HOUSING INVESTMENTS.
SO NEXT UP AFTER TODAY'S B SESSION, WE WILL GO TO A SEX NEXT WEEK FOR CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERATION OF THE PROPOSED FUNDING AWARDS. HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, VERONICA, AND
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TO ALL OF OUR NHSD TEAM AS WELL AS ALL THE HOUSING PARTNERS IN THE SAN ANTONIO COMMUNITY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL OF YOUR CONTINUED GREAT WORK.AND THANK YOU ALSO, VERONICA, FOR PUTTING A SLIDE UP FOR ONE OF THE RESIDENTS AT TOWN TWIN VILLAGE. IF ANYBODY HAS NOT BEEN THERE, THEY SHOULD GO BECAUSE IT WILL MAKE YOU FEEL VERY GOOD ABOUT LIVING IN SAN ANTONIO. BECAUSE REALLY AGAIN, AND I JUST HAVE A FEW COMMENTS.
TWO YEARS AGO WE ASKED RESIDENTS TO SUPPORT A BOLD VISION FOR THE COMMUNITY IN THE FORM OF A $150 MILLION HOUSING BOND THAT REPRESENTED THE SINGLE LARGEST INVESTMENT IN OUR CITY'S HISTORY DEDICATED EXCLUSIVELY FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO PROTECT AND PROMOTE NEIGHBORHOODS, ENABLE FAMILIES TO AGE IN PLACE AND CREATING OPTIONS FOR NEIGHBORS EXPERIENCING HOMELESS AND PRODUCE NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO GIVE MORE OPTIONS TO OUR RESIDENTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY. TWO YEARS AGO WE WERE IN A VERY DIFFERENT SITUATION WHERE OUR RESIDENTS WERE FEELING THE BRUNT OF RISING HOUSING COSTS WHILE THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY DEALT WITH RISING INTEREST RATES, CONSTRUCTION COSTS AND INSURANCE COSTS. OBVIOUSLY THOSE CONDITIONS HAVEN'T CHANGED IN OUR ENVIRONMENT, BUT WE ARE PROACTIVELY WORKING TOWARDS SOLUTIONS. NOW IN YEAR 2 OF BOND IMPLEMENTATION, I CAN CONFIDENT ASAY THE BOND HAS BEEN ABLE TO DELIVER ON THE PROMISES, CREATING A PATH FORWARD FOR DEVELOPMENTS FACING SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES AND RESULTED IN OVER 1,000 NEW AFFORDABLE UNITS THAT BROKE GROUND LAST YEAR ALONE.
MEANWHILE OUR HOME REPAIR PROGRAM CONTINUES TO EVEN ABLE TO HOMEOWNERS ACROSS THE CITY WITH CRITICAL LIFE AND SAFETY REPAIRS THAT THEY MAY CONTINUE LIVING AND AGING IN PLACE. AS OF APRIL, THE BOND IS CONTINUING AND CURRENTLY SUPPORTING 21 ACTIVE PROJECTS THAT TOTAL OVER 3500 UNITS WITH OVER ONE-THIRD OF THE TOTAL UNITS BEING DEEPLY AFFORDABLE AT 50% AMI OR BELOW AND THAT REPRESENTS $40,000 OR LOWER FOR A FAMILY OF THREE. THIS REPRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE THAT UNDERSCORES THE IMPORTANCE YET OFTEN UNSEEN FORCE OF A COORDINATED HOUSING SYSTEM. BY ALIGNING OUR LIMITED RESOURCES AND TEAMS THROUGH BOND AND FEDERAL FUNDING SOURCES IN COORDINATION WITH OUR VARIOUS HOUSING PARTNERS, TODAY'S RECOMMENDATION WILL CONTINUE OUR PROGRESS TOWARDS CHANCING IS SHIP AND CREATING A SYSTEM WHERE EVERYONE CAN CALL HOME, OUR VISION, REGARDLESS OF THEIR CIRCUMSTANCE. NONE OF WOULD HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE IF NOT FOR THE COORDINATED APPROACH. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK COUNCIL COLLEAGUES AND OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING HOUSING PARTNERS IN THE COMMUNITY FOR MAKING AFFORDABLE HOUSING MORE ACCESSIBLE TO THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS CITYWIDE. I ALSO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY FOR SUPPORTING THEIR NEIGHBORS BECAUSE NONE OF THIS WORK HAS BEEN WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF NEIGHBORS COMING OUT TO VOTE, BETTER OPTIONS. GREAT WORK, EVERYBODY.
VERONICA, THAT'S A FANTASTIC UPDATE ON THE MILESTONE OF PROGRESS.
LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING THESE ON THE A SESSION FOR FINAL APPROVAL AND GETTING TO WORK ON THOSE HOUSING UNITS. WITH THAT LET'S CONTINUE DISCUSSION. WE'LL START WITH COUNCILMEMBER
MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. I ALSO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR STAFF FOR INCLUDING WHO LIVES IN THE HOUSING. WE THIS DISCUSSION IN TERMS OF AMI AND PFCS BECAUSE IT'S MORE CONVENIENT TO USE SHORTHAND, BUT RISK LOSING SIGHT OF WHY IT MATTERS. CAN YOU REPEAT ON SLIDE 19, REEXPLAIN WHAT YOU MENTIONED
ABOUT FUND MOVEMENT. >> TOWN TWIN VILLAGES RECOMMENDED FOR AWARD UP TO $6.4 MILLION. THEY'VE APPLIED FOR OTHER GRANTS.
SO IF THEY GET OTHER GRANTS AND DON'T NEED THE FULL 6.4 MILLION, THE OTHER HAD A HIGHER ASK AND THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO USE SOME OF THAT FUNDING.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: PERFECT. I KNOW ERIK KNOWS THIS IS COMING, BUT CAN YOU TELL US WHERE WE'RE AT IN TERMS OF PHASE 1 AND PHASE 2?
>> YES, WE DID HAVE ALL OF THOSE AWARDS, THERE WERE SOME PROJECTS THAT WERE NOT ABLE TO MEET THEIR FUNDING DEADLINES. THOSE PROJECTS HAD THE FUNDING RECAPTURED. I THINK IT WAS A TOTAL OF FIVE PROJECTS.
THAT'S WHAT REALLY MADE THIS FUNDING ROUND POSSIBLE IS HAVING THOSE NEW FUNDS -- OR THOSE FUNDS BECOME AGAIN AVAILABLE. SO WE ARE CONTINUING TO WORK WITH THE DEVELOPMENT TEAMS FOR ANY PROJECTS THAT ARE BEHIND SCHEDULE BUT MAKING
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PROGRESS, GIVE THEM EXTENDED TIME LINES. BUT IF WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THEM AND THEY DO NOT MEET THE NEW DEADLINES THAT HAVE BEEN SET, WE WOULD HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT RECAPTURING FUNDS POSSIBLY AND THEN COMING BACK TO CITYCOUNCIL AND RECOMMENDING A FUTURE SOLICITATION. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: WE'RE ABLE TO DO THIS PHASE BECAUSE OF THE FIVE PROJECTS THAT RECAPTURED FUNDS.
ABOUT HOW MANY OTHER PROJECTS IS IT LOOKING LIKE WE MAY HAVE SOMETHING
SIMILAR HAPPEN? >> WE HAD A PROJECT, LEGACY SENIOR HOMES, THAT NEEDED ADDITIONAL FUNDING AND COUNCIL APPROVED THAT A MONTH AGO.
THAT WILL GET THEM TO BREAK GROUND THIS SUMMER. AND THEN WE HAVE ABOUT SIX PROJECTS THAT HAVE DELAYED TIME LINES AND WE'RE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THOSE DEVELOPMENT TEAMS TO GET THEM BACK ON TRACK AND SEE HOW WE CAN SUPPORT.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO SORT OF I GUESS WHERE I'M AT IN TERMS OF FRUSTRATION LEVELS AND WHATNOT.
I WANT TO STATE THAT I FEEL LIKE WE WENT REALLY FAST IN TRYING TO ISSUE THESE RFPS AND GETTING HOUSING STOCK AVAILABLE QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
WHAT I SAID WAS ONE OF THE CHALLENGES IS THERE'S -- THERE WEREN'T A LOT OF SUBMISSIONS IN DISTRICT 2 AND THAT'S BECAUSE AT THE TIME FOLK WERE NOT CONSIDERING THE POSSIBILITY OF CREATING THESE KINDS OF DEVELOPMENTS.
IF WE HAD GIVEN A LITTLE MORE TIME TO DESIGN AND GET SHOVEL-READY PROJECTS MAYBE WE COULD GET THEM. WE WERE TO QUICK TO AWARD THESE DOLLARS SO THAT WE COULD GET THE PROJECTS GOING AND SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS STILL ARE NOT HAPPENING.
AND SO WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED IS WE COULD HAVE HAD MORE PROJECTS IN DISTRICT 2 AND OTHER AREAS OF TOWN THAT, YOU KNOW, STILL HAVE GAPS IN TERMS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING. FOR FUTURE PROCESSES LIKE THIS AND EVEN AS WE LOOK AT FUTURE PHASES OF THIS SPECIFIC BOND, I WANT US TO BE MINDFUL THAT MAYBE WE DON'T HAVE TO ASK FOR PROJECTS THAT ARE IMMEDIATELY READY RIGHT NOW.
WE SAY WE'RE GOING TO GIVE A THREE-MONTH WINDOW, TRY TO GET AS MUCH AS YOU CAN DONE, THEN WE'RE GOING TO ISSUE THE RFP. THANK YOU FOR THAT AGAIN AND SUPER EXCITED TO SUPPORT THIS. AND AGAIN, THE MAYOR ALREADY MENTIONED TOWN TWIN VILLAGE IS A BEAUTIFUL PROJECT. TO DEVELOPERS EVERYWHERE, WE NEED MORE THROUGHOUT OF CITY AND THAT PROJECT IS MAKING A BIG DIFFERENCE AND I'M EXCITED TO SEE PHASE 3 AND WE'LL SEE HOW MANY PHASES THEY CAN GET THROUGH.
THANK YOU. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ. COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE. >> WHYTE: THANKS.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS SUCH A --E OBVIOUSLY NEED IT ALL OVER THE CITY AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT WORK BEING DONE. I'LL JUST ECHO AS WELL ABOUT TOWN TWIN VILLAGES.
COUNCILWOMAN ALDERETE GAVITO AND I VISITED THERE I THINK IN THE FALL OF LAST YEAR.
IT'S AMAZING THAT'SING ABOUT ON OUT THERE. -- WHAT'S GOING ON OUT THERE. WE JUST TOOK THE COOL KIDS ON OUR TRIP.
NEXT TIME. ANYWAY, THANK YOU FOR THE WORK, FOR THE PRESENTATION
AND I'M GLAD WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS IN THIS AREA. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE. COUNCILMEMBER ALDERETE GAVITO.
>> GAVITO: THANK YOU, MAYOR. YES, AS COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE SAID, WE VISITED TOWN TWIN VILLAGE, IT'S REMARKABLE. PRIMARILY I WANTED TO THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM'S WORK. THIS IS PHENOMENAL AND REALLY GREAT PROGRESS.
IT'S SO IMPORTANT FOR US TO SHOW RESIDENTS WHERE THEIR BOND DOLLARS ARE BEING PUT TO USE TO CHANGE PEOPLE'S LIVES. I DID HAVE ONE QUICK QUESTION. AT TOWN TWIN VILLAGE THERE WERE RESIDENTS MOVING IN WHILE DEVELOPMENT WAS STILL OCCURRING WHICH WE THOUGHT WAS GREAT BECAUSE IT GETS
MORE PEOPLE OFF THE STREET. IS THAT STANDARD PRACTICE? >> YES, SINCE PHASE 1 WAS FUNDED DIFFERENTLY, RECEIVED TIRZ AWAR, A LOT OF RESIDENTS WERE BECAUSE OF PREVIOUS FUNDING. THE PIECES OPENING UP AND COMING ON LINE RIGHT NOW, THERE WAS A SECOND PHASE AND SO THIS THIRD PHASE WILL TAKE ABOUT ANOTHER YEAR
BEFORE THAT COMES ONLINE. >> GAVITO: OKAY. SOUNDS GOOD.
I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THESE PROJECTS AND THANK YOU SOAR FOR ALL YOUR WORK.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO.
>> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, MAYOR, THANK YOU VERONICA AND TEAM FOR THE PRESENTATION AND Y'ALL'S CONTINUING TO WORK AROUND THE 2022 BOND.
OF COURSE I'M EXCITED TO SEE THE PRESERVE AT THE PORT IS A PROJECT SELECTED.
[01:50:04]
IT'S A VERY INTERESTING GROWING PART OF THE DISTRICT RIGHT NEXT TO PORT SAN ANTONIO. SO GRATEFUL TO SEE THERE'S GOING TO BE AFFORDABLE HOUSING WITHIN THAT AREA. I WAS REMINDED THAT IN 2018 THE HOUSING POLICY FRAMEWORK IDENTIFIED WE NEEDED MORE PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AND FAST FORWARD THIS STRATEGIC PLAN IN 20121 IDENTIFIED WE NEEDED MORE PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING. LOOKING AT HALFWAY THROUGH 2024 RIGHT BEFORE THE BOND THAT WE HAD ONLY CONSTRUCTED 83 UNITS OF PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, SO I'M PLEASED TO SEE WE'RE MAKING STRIDES. MY TEAM AND I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH THE DIRECTOR OF HOUSING OF AUSTIN AS WELL AS THEIR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR TO LEARN ABOUT HOW THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACCELERATE THE DEVELOPMENT OF MORE PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.BEYOND DOLLARS WE SHOULD EXPLORE HOW WE CAN UNLOCK AFFORDABILITY WHERE WE NEED IT THE MOST. BECAUSE WHILE I'M HOPEFUL FOR THE NEXT BOND, WE CAN'T AFFORD TO WAIT UNTIL 2027 TO CONSTRUCT HOUSING THAT'S VERY MUCH NEEDED.
I WANTED TO THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR YOUR WORK AND ALL THAT YOU DO.
THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> THANK YOU. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK
YOU, COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO. COUNCILMEMBER KAUR. >> KAUR: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
AND THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR WORK AND THE BRIEFING EARLIER THIS WEEK OR LAST WEEK, DAYS ARE RUNNING TOGETHER. I THINK THIS WORK IS REALLY IMPORTANT, ECHOING COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO COMMENTS ABOUT HOW WE CAN DO MORE. WHEN YOU ARE DOING GREAT WORK, YOU OFTEN GET PUSHED TO DO EVEN GREATER WORK. I THINK THE COMMENTS YOU HEARD UP HERE IS WE ALL WANT TO SEE MORE OF THOSE PROJECTS OCCUR. ALL OF US ON THIS SIDE OF THE DAIS GET TO SIT ON THE HOUSING TRUST BOARD AND GET TO HEAR MOST OF THE PRESENTATIONS SO WE'RE WE'D LOVE TO SEE MORE, AS THE GREEN LINE COMES ON WE'D LOVE TO SEE MORE FOR PROJECTS. I WILL SAY IT EVERY CHANCE I GET, UP AND DOWN SAN PEDRO SO WE'RE FOCUSED ON TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT AND MAKING SURE WE HAVE AFFORDABILITY AT EVERY LEVEL.
ALSO THINKING ABOUT HOW WE CAN CONTINUE TO PUSH FOR MORE AFFORDABILITY DOWNTOWN AS WELL I THINK WOULD BE REALLY GREAT. THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU'RE DOING AND CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THE NEXT PROJECTS THAT COME UP.
THANKS, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER KAUR.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON ITEM 3? ALL RIGHT.
IF THERE'S NONE, THANK YOU, EVERYBODY. GREAT PRESENTATION.
KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK. IT'S 259 -- ACTUALLY, 3:00 ACCORDING TO CHURCH, ON THE 13TH OF JUNE, 2024 AND WE ARE ADJOURNED. THANKS, EVERYBODY.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.