[00:00:51]
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT. GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. WELCOME TO OUR CITY COUNCIL B SESSION.
THE TIME IS 2:10 P.M. ON MARCH 26, 2025. MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU READ THE ROLE. WE'LL CALL OUR MEETING TO ORDER.
>> CLERK: RIGHT. WELCOME, EVERYBODY. WE HAVE TWO ITEMS ON OUR
AGENDA TODAY, SO OVER TO YOU, ERIK. >> WALSH: GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. SO OUR FIRST ITEM IS A REPORT FROM MELODY AND OUR DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES ON OUR 2024 HOMELESS ANNUAL REPORT.
THIS WAS A REPORT THAT COUNCILMAN WHYTE AND OTHERS DISCUSSED TOWARDS THE END OF BUDGET ADOPTION LAST YEAR. WE HAVE IT WAS THE FIRST TIME WE'VE PUT TOGETHER THIS ANNUAL REPORT WE DISTRIBUTED TO YOU ALL IN JANUARY THAT REALLY LOOKS AT IT COMPREHENSIVELY IN TERMS OF OUR OVERALL REVENUE AND ALLOCATION OF FUNDS AND OUTCOMES AND MEASURES TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS. TO MELODY'S GOING TO WALK THROUGH THE PRESENTATION AND GOING TO DO AN OVERVIEW AND WE JUST -- WE THINK THIS IS A GOOD PRACTICE THAT WE'LL BE DOING GOING FORWARD, IN THAT THIS CONTINUES TO BE A HIGH PRIORITY FOR THE COUNCIL AND THE PUBLIC, AND A BEST PRACTICE TO BE ABLE TO ENCAPSULATE AND COMMUNICATE -- ATTEMPT TO COMMUNICATE WHAT WE ARE DOING IN TERMS OF ACTIVITY AND HOW WE'RE SPENDING DOLLARS.
MELODY? >> WOOSLEY: GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. I'M PLEASE TO PRESENT OUR FIRST EVER HOMELESS REPORT, AND THE FISCAL YEAR 2024 HOMELESS RESPONSE ANNUAL SPENDING REPORT WAS DEVELOPED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES IN RESPONSE TO A REQUEST FROM COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE. IT WAS RELEASED TO THE CITY COUNCIL ON JANUARY THE TENTH, AND THE REPORT INCLUDES HOW OUR COORDINATED HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM IS STRUCTURED AND GOVERNED.
IT TALKS ABOUT HOW OUR COMMUNITY COMPARES TO OTHER CITIES AND TO THE NATION AS A WHOLE WITH RESPECT TO HOMELESSNESS. WE'LL TALK ABOUT HOW MUCH MONEY THE CITY HAS BUDGETED AND SPENT ON HOMELESSNESS IN FISCAL YEAR 2024, AND MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS ACHIEVED THROUGH THOSE INVESTMENTS. AND THEN IT ENDS WITH A SUMMARY OF WHAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025. OUR RESPONSE SYSTEM IS HIGHLY COORDINATED WITH THE CITY ORGANIZATION AND ACROSS FUNDERS AND SERVICES. ALTHOUGH I'M THE ONE STANDING AT THE PODIUM TODAY, MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS AND RESOURCES ACROSS THE CITY ORGANIZATION SUPPORT THIS WORK. THE CITY AND HUMAN SERVICES PLAYS A ROLE IN THE BEXAR COUNTY HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM.
WE WORK WITH CITY COUNCIL TO SET POLICY, POLICE, FIRE, SOLID WASTE, CODE AND HUMAN SERVICES TO NAME A FEW, WORK TOGETHER TO ADDRESS COMMUNITY HEALTH AND SAFETY CHALLENGES THAT SOMETIMES COME WITH HOMELESSNESS.
CITY STAFF MEET WITH PROVIDERS, FUNDERS AND STAKEHOLDERS OFTEN TO ENSURE COORDINATION AND FACILITATION ACROSS THE SYSTEM.
AND WE ARE GOOD STEWARDS OF THE CITY'S -- BOTH DIRECT SERVICES AND CONTRACTING WITH NONPROFIT AGENCIES.
WE WORK IN TIGHT COORDINATION WITH CLOSE TO HOME, THE LEAD HOMELESSNESS AGENCY FOR BEXAR COUNTY. CLOSE TO HOME COORDINATES FEDERAL HUD INVESTMENTS OF $18 MILLION, ANNUAL POINT IN TIME COUNT, THE HOME LINK HOUSING PRIORITIZATION SYSTEM, AND SYSTEM DATA REPORTING. AND WE COORDINATE WITH MAJOR COMMUNITY FUNDERS, INCLUDING CLOSE TO HOME, BEXAR COUNTY, UNITED WAY AND TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF
[00:05:05]
HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, AND THIS REPRESENTS A LARGE PORTION OF THE GOVERNMENTAL DOLLARS THAT ARE COMING INTO THE SYSTEM, AS WELL AS PRIVATE. SO HUMAN SERVICES PLAYS THE LEAD ROLE ON HOMELESSNESS WITHIN THE CITY, PROVIDING PLANNING, COORDINATION AND MANAGEMENT OF FUNDS. WE MANAGE CONTRACTS FROM FIVE FUNDING SOURCES TO 15 NONPROFIT AGENCIES WHO HELP EXTEND OUR REACH.HUMAN SERVICES PROVIDES THE DIRECT SERVICES INCLUDING THE COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS HOTLINE, HOMELESS STREET OUTREACH, ENCAMPMENT RESPONSE, HOMELESS RHETT VAN AND VETERAN AND YOUTH COORDINATION AND, OF COURSE, DATA REPORTING AND COMMUNICATION. AND, COUNCIL, WITH THE NEW RESOURCES THAT WERE ADDED BY YOU IN FISCAL YEAR 2023, THE DATA AND COMMUNICATION'S TEAMS WERE KEY AND REALLY ESSENTIAL TO ASSEMBLING THIS ANNUAL REPORT. SO THIS CHART SUMMARIZES THE CONTINUUM OF INVENTORY OF SHELTER AND HOUSING PROVIDED TO MEET MOST PEOPLE'S UNIQUE NEEDS. MOST LOW-BARRIER CAPACITIES AT THE HAVEN FOR HOPE COURTYARD WITH 180 LOWER BARRIER CONGREGATE BEDS, HAVEN FOR HOPE, SALVATION ARMY AND ON-CAMPUS PARTNERS MAKE UP THE MAJORITY OF THE OTHER EMERGENCY SHELTER BEDS IN THE COMMUNITY.
SINCE FISCAL YEAR 2022, THROUGH THE LEADERSHIP OF NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING AND SERVICES DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE INCREASED THE NUMBER OF SITE-BASED PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING UNITS FROM ZERO TO 124. WITH 366 MORE IN THE PIPELINE. AND THIS IS PROVIDING A LONG-TERM SUPPORTIVE OPTION FOR THE LONGEST TERM HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS.
NHSD, THROUGH THE SHIP AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING PARTNERS CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON CREATING A HOUSING ECOSYSTEM THAT IS ACCESSIBLE AND AFFORDABLE TO PEOPLE WITH VERY LOW INCOMES, WHICH INCLUDES DEEPLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING. THIS STRATEGY BOTH PREVENTS HOMELESSNESS AND HELPS MOVE PEOPLE FROM SHELTER TO HOUSING. WHILE WE DEPEND ON NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND PARTNERS TO ADD UNITS THAT WILL ACCOMMODATE THOSE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, THE HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM ALSO DEPENDS ON FEDERAL HUD HOUSING ASSISTANCE GRANTS, VOUCHER PROGRAMS AND CONNECTION TO SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICAID AS WELL AS VA BENEFITS TO KEEP THE SYSTEM FLOWING.
ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE WHO HAVE THE MOST BARRIERS TO HOUSING.
SO THE HOMELESS POINT IN TIME COUNT IS NOT A PERFECT TOOL, AS IT ONLY GIVES A ONE-NIGHT'S SNAPSHOT OF A FLUID AND DYNAMIC SYSTEM, BUT IT PROVIDES VALUABLE COMPARABLE DATAS TO OTHER CITIES AND TO OURSELVES YEAR OVER YEAR. THIS CHART SHOWS SAN ANTONIO'S TOTAL SHELTERED AND UNSHELTERED COUNTS FROM 2015 TO 2024.
IN JANUARY OF 2024, 3,372 PEOPLE WERE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN BEXAR COUNTY WITH THE MAJORITY 2484 SHELTERED COMPARED TO THE 888 PEOPLE LIVING UNSHELTERED. THE TOTAL COUNT REPRESENTS AN OVERALL% OF SIX% OVER 2023. WHEN ACCOUNTING FOR POPULATION GROWTH ACROSS BEXAR COUNTY YOU CAN SEE THE PER CAPITA OF HOMELESSNESS HAS REMAINED RELATIVELY LEVEL. SO THAT PER CAPITA NUMBER IS IMPORTANT. THIS CHART SHOWS THE PER CAPITA CHANGE IN HOMELESSNESS OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS IN THE FIVE LARGEST TEXAS CITIES.
NATIONALLY, THE PER CAPITA RATE INCREASED NEARLY 11%.
SAN ANTONIO HAS STAYED RELATIVELY FLAT WITH JUST A .4% INCREASE SINCE 2015. AUSTIN, DALLAS AND FORT WORTH, PER CAPITA RATES, HAVE INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY. OVER THE SAME PERIOD, HOUSTON SAW A 35% DECREASE IN THEIR PER CAPITA RATE OF HOMELESSNESS. AND THIS IS IN LARGE PART DUE TO STRATEGIC REBUILDING EFFORTS FROM HURRICANE HARVEY AND RITA TO INCREASE PSH AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING STOCK, BECOMING A HUD DESIGNATED PRIORITY CITY, WHICH BROUGHT ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, AS WELL AS THEIR USE OF PANDEMIC FUNDING FOR HOUSING ASSISTANCE.
THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO REDUCE HOMELESSNESS FROM ALMOST 6,000 IN 2011 TO 3200 IN 2024. SO A FEW OTHER TAKEAWAYS FROM THE ANNUAL REPORT
[00:10:04]
STAND OUT REGARDING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SAN ANTONIO'S SYSTEM COMPARED TO NATIONAL DATA. OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS, OUR INCREASE IN THE HOMELESS POPULATION HAS BEEN LESS THAN HALF THE INCREASE OF THE NATIONAL HOMELESS POPULATION. OUR UNSHELTERED COUNT HAS DECLINED BY 25% OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, OPPOSITE THE NATIONAL TREND, WHICH SHOWS A 30% INCREASE IN HOMELESSNESS. OF THE TOTAL HOMELESS POPULATION IN SAN ANTONIO, WE ESTIMATE 14% ARE CHRONICALLY HOMELESS. ALSO LOWER THAN THE NATIONAL RATE OF 20%.FAMILY HOMELESSNESS DID GO UP FROM 2023 TO 2024, BUT AT A THIRD OF THE NATIONAL INCREASE OF 40%. AND WE ATTRIBUTE THESE RESULTS TO IMPROVED COORDINATION, INCREASED FEDERAL CONTINUUM OF CARE FUNDING, ROBUST SHELTER SYSTEM WITH COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES, AND OUR FOCUS ON THE MOST VULNERABLE HOMELESS RESIDENTS. AND SO TO EMPHASIZE, AGAIN, THAT POINT ABOUT OUR UNSHELTERED POPULATION, WE HAVE DONE A GOOD JOB OF GETTING PEOPLE INDOORS. ALL HAVEN FOR HOPE CLIENTS, EVEN THOSE IN THE SOUTH CAMPUS OR THE COURTYARD, SLEEP INDOORS AND HAVE FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW, ALONG WITH SHELTER PROVIDERS AT SAMMINISTRIES, SALVATION ARMY, FAMILY VIOLENCE PREVENTION SERVICES AND OTHERS, WE HAVE GREATLY REDUCED THE PROPORTION OF HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE LIVING ON THE STREETS OR IN ENCAMPMENTS, AND WE CONTINUE TO EMPHASIZE THAT REDUCING UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS IS A SYSTEM PRIORITY.
SO YOU'VE SEEN THIS SLIDE BEFORE, THE HOMELESS ANNUAL REPORT ALSO INCLUDES THE DATA WE BEGAN PUBLISHING ONLINE IN APRIL OF 2024.
EACH MONTH, WE UPDATE THE DASHBOARD WITH SYSTEM DATA, AND THIS SLIDE IS A SNAPSHOT OF THOSE FISCAL YEAR 2024 RESULTS. OVER 4500 PEOPLE MOVED FROM THE STREET TO SHELTER, OR SHELTER TO HOUSING.
ALMOST 3,000 PEOPLE WERE NEW TO HOMELESSNESS OR RETURNED TO HOMELESSNESS, AND OVERALL, THE NET NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS MOVING TO A BETTER LIVING SITUATION IN FISCAL YEAR '24 WAS 1627. AND SO THIS METHOD OF SHOWING THE FLOW PROVIDES A PICTURE OF THE CONTINUOUS MOVEMENT OF INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES THROUGH THE SYSTEM. THE REPORT SUMMARIZES THE CITY'S HOMELESSNESS, BUDGET AND EXPENDITURES. THE ADOPTED BUDGET INCLUDED 32.3 MILLION TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS, ABOUT HALF FROM THE GENERAL FUND AND HALF FROM FEDERAL GRANTS. 12MILLION OF THOSE GRANTS ARE FROM COVID GRANTS. 28.8MILLION WAS EXPENDED DURING THE FISCAL YEAR.
THE UNEXPENDED BALANCES OF 3.5 MILLION ARE PRIMARILY FROM MULTIYEAR FEDERAL GRANTS, AND WE'RE ABLE TO ROLL THOSE DOLLARS FORWARD SO THAT THE NONPROFITS CAN CONTINUE THEIR WORK. INDIRECT COST TOTAL ABOUT 20 MILLION, AND INCLUDE POLICE AND FIRE ESTIMATES OF THEIR RESPONSE COSTS TO PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS. THE REPORT ALSO BREAKS DOWN THE CITY'S $32 MILLION INVESTMENT BY THE KEY RECOMMENDATIONS OF OUR HOMELESS STRATEGIC PLAN. THE LARGEST PART OF OUR INVESTMENT SUPPORTS CONNECTING UNSHELTERED POPULATION TO HOUSING.
THIS INCLUDES OUR INVESTMENTS IN HAVEN FOR HOPE AND SAMMINISTRIES THAT OFFER A BRIDGE TO HOUSING BY PROVIDING COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES SUCH AS CASE MANAGEMENT, HOUSING NAVIGATION AND BENEFITS CONNECTION, ID RECOVERY, AMONG OTHERS. THE REPORT DETAILS EVERY HUMAN SERVICES FUNDED PROGRAM UNDER EACH STRATEGY, BUT INSTEAD OF GOING THROUGH EACH, I'LL JUST TOUCH ON A FEW OF THE HIGHLIGHTS FROM MISS FISCAL YEAR '24.
SO FIRST IS THE TWO-YEAR ARPA INVESTMENT WITH SAMMINISTRIES FOR LOW-BARRIER NONCONGRE GATT SHELTER MOVING FROM 45 ROOMS TO 180 ROOMS TO SERVE MORE CHRONICALLY HOMELESS PEOPLE. IN FISCAL YEAR '24, THE SHELTER SERVED 340 INDIVIDUALS WITH 107, OR ABOUT 32% HAVING POSITIVE EXITS. THAT RATE HAS INCREASED SINCE THEN TO 45% IN FISCAL YEAR '24 TO DATE. WE LAUNCHED CENTRALIZED SHELTER COORDINATION WITH HAVEN TO CREATE AN EFFICIENT SYSTEM FOR OUTREACH WORKERS TO GET CLIENTS INTO SHELTER BEDS. WE QUICKLY CONNECTED 500
[00:15:02]
PEOPLE OFF THE STREETS LAST YEAR INTO THE BEST AVAILABLE SHELTER BED, AND WE ARE ON PACE TO DO THAT AGAIN. IN APRIL, WE LAUNCHED THE RESPONSE SYSTEM DASHBOARD SHOWN ON THAT SLIDE 10, AS WELL AS OTHERS THAT HIGHLIGHT THE RESULTS OF DHS'S DIRECT PROGRAMS. AND OUR ENCAMPMENT RESPONSE EXPANDED IN FISCAL YEAR '24 WITH NEW BUDGET AND OPERATIONAL IMPROVEMENTS, WE WERE ABLE TO COORDINATE 1300 EVENTS, PROVIDING OUTREACH AND RESTORING PUBLIC PARK, DRAINAGE AREAS, BRIDGES AND LINEAR CREEKS ACROSS THE COMMUNITY, REMOVING ALMOST 2,000 TONS OF DEBRIS. 95% OF THOSE REPORTED SITES WERE ABATED WITHIN TWO WEEKS. AND SO THIS SLIDE HIGHLIGHTS HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEMWIDE ACCOMPLISHMENTS. AND THESE ARE ACHIEVED THROUGH KEY PARTNERSHIPS. SO WHEN I SAY "WE," I MEAN DHS AND OUR PARTNERS. WE IMPLEMENTED A STAFF TRAINING FRAMEWORK AND TRACKING SYSTEM DEVELOPED BY ASKING OUR STAFF HOW DO YOU WANT TO BE TRAINED? WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO YOU? WE CONTINUE DEVELOPMENT OF SUPPORTIVE HOUSING THROUGH THE 2022 AFFORDABLE HOUSING BOND PROGRAM, AND WITH NHSD LEADING THIS WORK AND ACCOMPLISHING ABOUT HALF OF THE SHIP'S 10-YEAR GOAL OF 1,000 PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING UNITS, THE GENTLEMAN THAT'S PICTURED IN THE SECOND PICTURE IS JASON CARDENAS WHO WAS CONNECTED TO SUPPORTIVE HOUSING THROUGH SAMMINISTRIES. IN HIS OWN WORDS, JASON DESCRIBED HIS EXPERIENCE MOVING FROM HOMELESSNESS TO BEING HOUSED, STATING I REALLY DID BELIEVE THIS PROGRAM IS GREAT FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO CHANGE.MY TWO CASE WORKERS, KATIE AND DONNA, WERE VERY GOOD AND PATIENT WITH ME, AND I AM FOREVER GRATEFUL. IN MAY OF LAST YEAR, WITH CLOSE TO HOME, WE LAUNCHED A SMALL-SCALED NURSING PILOT.
IN FIVE MONTHS, THREE CLIENTS WERE CONNECTED TO 24-HOUR SKILLED NURSING WHILE THEY COMPLETED THEIR BENEFITS ENROLLMENT.
NOT A LARGE NUMBER, BUT -- CLIENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY. THE PICTURE SHOWS A MEMORIAL ON HOUSTON STREET FOR PAUL HOLMES, WHO WAS WELL KNOWN AND LOVED BY THE DOWNTOWN COMMUNITY. PAUL HAD BEEN UNWILLING TO ENGAGE IN SERVICES FOR YEARS, BUT HE DID FINALLY ACCEPT NURSING CARE AT THE END OF HIS LIFE. HE DIED IN A COMFORTABLE PLACE, WHICH ALSO BROUGHT COMFORT TO THE OUTREACH STAFF WHO CARED FOR HIM AND LOVED HIM.
LAST WINTER, WE ENGAGED IN A 90 FAMILIES IN 90 DAYS CHALLENGE.
BORNE OUT OF SOME FRUSTRATION WITH THE HOUSING PROCESSES WE WERE WORKING IN, WE INTENTIONALLY FOCUSED RESOURCES ON FAMILIES AT THE HAVEN FOR HOPE SHELTER IN ORDER TO IMPROVE THEIR CAPACITY, REDUCE THE NUMBER OF FAMILIES THAT WERE STAYING IN EMERGENCY SHELTER. WE HOUSED 95 FAMILIES IN 95 DAYS AND IMPROVED PROCESSES AND VOUCHER COORDINATION, AND THOSE IMPROVEMENTS HAVE CONTINUED. AND SO WE'VE GROWN OUR COMMUNITY COURT PROGRAMS. THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S CONVICTION INTEGRITY UNIT ASSESSES AND ENROLLS UNHOUSED PEOPLE WITH MISDEMEANOR CHARGES.
THIS IS A PARTNERSHIP BOTH AT THE COUNT TILL LEVEL WITH JUDGE VARRA AND AT THE MUNICIPAL COURT LEVEL, THANKS TO JUDGE OBLEDO'S PARTNERSHIP. DHS HELPS ASSESS AND CONNECT PARTICIPANTS WITH SERVICE PROVIDERS. THE PROGRAM HAS HOUSED 24 PEOPLE AND DEFERRED THEIR CHARGES. 36 MORE WERE ENROLLED IN THE PROGRAM BY THE END OF FISCAL YEAR 2024. PICTURED HERE IS JOHN SMITH.
HE PRESENTED TO MUNICIPAL COURT LOOKING FOR RELIEF FROM A TRESPASSING CHARGE AND A CHARGE IN THE COUNTY COURTS AS WELL. HE ENROLLED AND -- IN THE COMMUNITY COURT PROGRAM, WAS CONNECTED TO SOCIAL SECURITY AND VA BENEFITS AND WAS ABLE TO MOVE INTO SENIOR HOUSING. HE THEN GRADUATED FROM THE PROGRAM IN SEPTEMBER OF 2023, AND I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT MR. SMITH IS EMPLOYED WITH AARP AND HE'S PLACED WITH HUMAN SERVICES AT THE CLON DIKE BLACK COMMUNITY CENTER, WHICH IS ALSO THE HUB OF OUR HOMELESS SERVICES DIVISION. HE STILL WORKS THERE TODAY AND HE IS STILL HOUSED. THE HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM HAS ALSO BEGUN DEVELOPING MEDICAL RESPITE AND STREET PSYCHIATRIC CARE OPTIONS FOR UNSHELTERED INDIVIDUALS, CORE A ZONE SAN ANTONIO RECEIVED ASSISTANCE FROM THE HOUSING TRUST TO HELP BEGIN DEVELOPING SPACE ON
[00:20:04]
THE NEAR WEST SIDE TO HOUSING MEDICAL CARE RESPITE PARTNERSHIP.THIS SERVES PEOPLE LIVING ON THE STREETS WITH SERIOUS MEDICAL ISSUES THAT PREVENT THEM FROM TAKING CARE OF THEMSELVES, AND CHRISTIAN ASSISTANCE MINISTRY HAS TAKEN THE LEAD ON CREATING A SYSTEM OF STREET PSYCHIATRIC CARE FOR CLIENTS WITH SEVERE MENTAL ILLNESS WHOSE NEEDS CANNOT BE MET BY EXISTING SERVICES. AND SO OUR REPORT CONCLUDES BY LOOKING FORWARD TO -- OR FORWARD INTO FISCAL YEAR 2025.
CLOSE TO HOME FACILITATED A PROCESS TO IDENTIFY THE HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEMS PRIORITIES FOR 2025. THESE INCLUDE PREVENTION AND REDUCED INFLOW AT THE TOP OF THE LIST. EXPANDING HOUSING OPTIONS, STRENGTHENING YOUTH SERVICES, IMPROVING ACCESS TO SERVICES FOR SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, AS WELL AS IMPROVING ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE.
BEHIND EACH OF THESE OBJECTIVES, CLOSE TO HOME HAS DEVELOPED CONCRETE STEPS AND WORK GROUPS OF HOMELESS RESPONSE PROVIDERS TO EXECUTE THESE STRATEGIES. AND THEN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES STRATEGIC PRIORITIES, BESIDES CREATING OUR FIRST ANNUAL HOMELESS REPORT, DHS PRIORITIES FOR 2025 INCLUDE REBRANDING THE HOMELESS CONNECTIONS HOTLINE AND BENEFITS NAVIGATORS TO THE COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS HOTLINE, EXPANDING OUR PREVENTION WORK.
CONTINUING TO SUPPORT NHSD'S WORK TO EXPAND PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING UNITS, RESPONDING TO 1300 ENCAMPMENTS WITHIN TWO WEEKS OF REPORT, WHILE INCREASING THE NUMBER OF RESPECTS ACCEPTING SERVICES.
MAXIMIZING OPIOID TREATMENT PROGRAMS FOR UNSHELTERED CLIENTS.
WE ARISH TH ARE ISSUING AN RFP TO IDENTIFY PROVIDERS THAT CAN HELP FOLKS ON THE STREET ACCESS TREATMENT ON THE PATH TO RECOVERY AND EVENTUALLY HOUSING STABILITY. I LONG FORWARD TO ISSUING THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 ANNUAL HOMELESS REPORT NEXT YEAR WITH UPDATES ON ALL OF THESE PRIORITIES. AND SO THAT DOES CONCLUDE MY PRESENTATION, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT THE REPORT.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, VERY MUCH, MELODY, AND I APPRECIATE THIS UPDATE. I THINK IT IS A GOOD STEP IN TERMS OF OUR TRANSPARENCY OF EFFORTS. I FIRST JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM AND HUMAN SERVICES, MELODY, ALONG WITH THE ENTIRE HOMELESS SERVICES ECOSYSTEM. I KNOW A NUMBER OF OUR PARTNERS ARE HERE.
IT'S REALLY, REALLY DIFFICULT WORK, BUT IT TAKES EVERYBODY LEANING IN AND ALIGNED ON THE EFFORTS, AND I KNOW THAT JUST ABOUT EVERYBODY IN OUR COMMUNITY HAS OPINIONS ABOUT WHAT YOU DO AND THOUGHTS ABOUT HOW YOU COULD DO IT BETTER, BUT THIS IS A REPORT THAT, TO ME, UNDERLINES SOME REAL SUCCESS IN THE COLLECTIVE WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING OVER A NUMBER OF YEARS. IT'S INTERESTING ALSO IN COMPARISON TO SOME OF OUR PEER CITIES, NOT JUST IN TEXAS, BUT ELSEWHERE IN TERMS OF WHAT THE ENVIRONMENT IS LIKE. THE THINGS THAT STAND OUT TO ME MOST CLEARLY, YOU ADDRESSED THIS, MELODY, IS THE PERCENTAGE OF OUR HOMELESS POPULATION.
AND FOR MOST FOLKS, HOMELESS -- THE HOMELESS POPULATION, THERE'S NO NUANCE. YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST HOMELESSNESS, PERIOD.
BUT IT DOES REQUIRE A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A DETAILED CONVERSATION IN TERMS OF CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS AND FAMILY HOMELESSNESS AND THE CHALLENGES THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE HOMELESS POPULATION.
BUT WHAT STANDS OUT TO ME, MELODY, IS WHAT YOU UNDERLINED, WHICH IS THAT STRATEGICALLY AND SUCCESSFULLY WE HAVE BROUGHT THE NUMBER OF UNSHELTERED HOMELESS DOWN IN OUR COMMUNITY OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS THROUGH STRATEGIC OUTREACH, THE KIND OF WORK THAT THE COUNCIL OFFICES ARE DOING IN CONCERT WITH DHS, BUT ALSO IDENTIFYING GAPS WITHIN OUR HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM, P PRIMARILY THE LACK OF PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING UNITS AND LOW-BARRIER SHELTER.
SO IT'S NO SURPRISE TO ME THAT ON THAT GRAPH, YOU CAN SEE WE HAVE DECREASED THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE OUT ON THE STREET WITHOUT SHELTER AT THE SAME TIME WE'VE INCREASED THE NUMBER OF UNITS THROUGH OUR SHIP, FOCUSED ON PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AND THE AVAILABILITY OF LOW-BARRIER SHELTERS. SO GOOD JOB TO EVERYBODY, AND THAT INCLUDES THE POLICYMAKERS AROUND THE TABLE FOR PRIORITIZING THOSE AREAS OF SERVICE.
SO WITH THAT, I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU, AGAIN, THANK YOU.
IT'S IMPORTANT EFFORT. IT NEVER ENDS. IT IS ENCOURAGING TO SEE THAT DESPITE THE HEAD WINDS IN OUR ECONOMY AND THE CHALLENGES OBVIOUSLY TO FAMILIES AND KEEPING EMPLOYMENT AND KEEPING COST OF LIVING UNDER
[00:25:03]
CONTROL, WHICH IS INCREASINGLY TOUGH, THAT THE RATE OF HOMELESSNESS IN OUR COMMUNITY PER 100,000 PEOPLE HAS ALSO -- IT'S NOT GOTTEN BETTER, BUT IT'S NOT GOTTEN WORSE, AS IT HAS IN MOST OTHER CITIES IN THE COUNTRY. I AM WEARY OF ALSO NOT JUST DWELLING ON THE POSITIVE. WE DO HAVE TO KNOW THAT THIS IS A WORK-IN-PROGRESS. WE WILL NEVER BE SATISFIED UNTIL WE GET EVERYBODY OFF THE STREET AND BACK ON THEIR FEET, WHICH IS GOING TO BE A FOREVER EFFORT, BUT IT'S WORTH IT BECAUSE THE COST OF NOT DOING THIS WORK ARE FAR GREATER IN OUR COMMUNITY AND TO ALL THOSE FAMILIES THAT WE SERVE. SO WITH THAT, LET'S GET INTO CONVERSATION WITH OUR COUNCIL. LET'S START WITH COUNCILMEMBERMCKEE-RODRIGUEZ. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
I'M LOOKING AT -- SO THERE'S TWO NUMBERS THAT ARE STANDING OUT TO ME AT THE MOMENT, AND THEY LEAD ME ON A SERIES OF QUESTIONS, SO I'M LOOKING AT SLIDE 6 AT THE MOMENT, AND THE 888 UNSHELTERED, WHICH SHOWS AS A DOWNWARD TURN, WHICH IS GOOD. AND I'M LOOKING AT SLIDE 10 AND THE 650 PEOPLE WHO RETURNED TO HOMELESSNESS, AND I'M WONDERING, YOU KNOW, DO WE HAVE -- WHY IS THAT? WHAT ARE WE -- DO WE -- HOW MUCH DATA DO WE COLLECT ON WHY THEY RETURNED AND WHAT IS -- WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? IS THERE A -- WHAT I WONDER IS, ESPECIALLY WITH THE 888 THAT ARE UNHOUSED OR UNSHELTERED AT THE POINT IN TIME COUNT AND THE 650 WHO RETURNED TO HOMELESSNESS, IS THERE A -- WHERE IS THE GAP? WHAT ARE THEIR CHALLENGES, WHAT IS THE ROOT OF THAT THAT WE COULD ADDRESS AND WHAT DO YOU THINK WE DO TO DO
THAT? >> WOOSLEY: I THINK THOSE ARE NEWLY HOMELESS AND RETURNING TO HOMELESS -- WELL, THOSE RETURNING TO HOMELESS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME THINGS THAT ARE NEWLY HOMELESS, SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S PRIMARILY ECONOMIC, THEY'VE LOST THEIR JOB, THEY DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO PAY THEIR RENT ANY LONGER. YOU KNOW, THERE'S A WHOLE HOST OF ISSUES, AND THEY DO REQUEST THAT INFORMATION WHEN PEOPLE GO INTO THE SYSTEM.
SO THAT IS DATA THAT WE CAN RUN, BUT IT -- YOU KNOW, IT CAN BE SUBSTANCE ABUSE, IT CAN BE MENTAL HEALTH, BUT, YOU KNOW, THE BIGGEST REASON PEOPLE
BECOME HOMELESS IS DUE TO ECONOMIC FACTORS. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: UH-HUH.
AND THEN -- I GUESS TWO -- TWO POINTS FOR DATA I'D BE INTERESTED IN KNOWING IF WE HAVE IT, AND I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IF THERE'S SOME SORT OF REPORT OR SOMETHING, WHAT DATA DO WE COLLECT THAT COULD TELL US WHY PEOPLE IN SAN ANTONIO END UP HOMELESS, AND I HEAR ECONOMIC, HARDSHIP, THAT COULD MEAN SO MANY THINGS. AND I'M WONDERING, YOU KNOW, WHAT -- WHAT PERCENTAGE ARE VETERANS WITH CHRONIC MENTAL DISORDERS, WHAT ARE TEENS WHO ARE KICKED OUT OF THEIR HOME AT ONE POINT AND NEVER REGAINED THEIR FOOTING INTO ADULTHOOD, NEVER GOT JOBS, HOW MANY ARE FOLK WHO WERE UNABLE TO RECEIVE RENTAL ASSISTANCE? YOU KNOW, THE ARRAY. AND THEN SIMPLER DEMOGRAPHIC DATA.
>> WOOSLEY: THE TWO PRIMARY SOURCES OF DATA WILL BE THE HOMELESS MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM, SO WHEN PEOPLE GO IN THROUGH INTAKE, THROUGH A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT PROVIDERS, IT'S THE SAME FORM, IT'S THE SAME DATA THAT'S COLLECTED FOR THEM TO HAVE AN ENTRY IN HMIS.
SO THAT WILL HAVE THE QUESTION OF WHY -- WHAT THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES ARE.
AND THEN THE POINT IN TIME COUNT ALSO PROVIDES A SURVEY TAKEN ON THE NIGHT OF THE COUNT, FROM PEOPLE THAT ARE WILLING TO GO THROUGH THE SURVEY WITH THE VOLUNTEERS, AND ONE OF THE QUESTIONS IS WHY -- YOU KNOW, HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN HOMELESS, WHY ARE YOU HOMELESS? WHAT EVENTS LED --
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: I GUESS WHAT I'D BE INTERESTED IN A PRESENTATION LIKE THIS, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S GOOD TO KNOW WHERE WE'RE AT AND THE NUMBERS AND THESE KIND OF NUMBERS AND WHAT SUCCESS WE'RE SEEING WITH OUR PROGRAMS, WHAT I THINK OUR ROLE IS AS A BODY IS TO PROBLEM SOLVE AND TO SET NEW POLICY AND TO IDENTIFY GAPS, AND SO I THINK THE REASON I ASK THAT QUESTION, BECAUSE I KNOW WE HAVE ANSWERS, I KNOW THAT THERE'S A NUMBER OF AGENCIES DOING WORK, INCLUDING DHS. I WONDER WHO IS RIGHT NOW RESPONSIBLE FOR ANALYSIS OF THAT DATA TO MAKE THOSE KINDS OF RECOMMENDATIONS AND HOW DO WE GET THAT -- YOU KNOW, THAT REPORT?
>> WOOSLEY: SURE. SO HAVEN FOR HOPE OWNS THE HMIS SYSTEM, THAT WORKS CLOSELY WITH CLOSE TO HOME TO PULL THE REPORTS AND REPORT THE DATA TO HUD, TO THE COMMUNITY, TO US SO THAT WE CAN CREATE THE
[00:30:05]
DASHBOARD. WE DON'T GO -- WE DON'T HAVE ACCESS INTO THE SYSTEM TO PULL THAT DATA, SO WE WORK WITH THOSE TWO TEAMS TO PULL THAT TOGETHER. AND IT'S A -- IT'S A SIMPLE REQUEST PROCESS, REALLY. SO IF THERE'S A PARTICULAR QUESTION, WECAN WORK WITH HMIS TO ANSWER IT. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THAT WOULD BE EXCELLENT, AND THEN I WOULD ALSO WONDER, DOES THAT SYSTEM ALLOW FOR -- THERE'S A BIGGER QUESTION I HAVE, WHICH IS HOW LONG DO WE KEEP UP WITH SOMEONE FROM THE MOMENT THAT WE IDENTIFY THAT THEY'RE UNHOUSED AND IN NEED OF WHATEVER SERVICES UNTIL AND BEYOND THEIR PLACEMENT IN SHELTER AND HOUSING? AND I'M WONDERING, IS THERE ANY DATA THAT WE COLLECT THAT SAYS, HEY, THIS PERSON WAS SOMEONE THAT WE WORKED WITH, AND WE LOST TOUCH WITH THEM FOR X REASON, THEY IDENTIFIED TO US THAT THEY DIDN'T TRUST THE PERSON THAT WE SENT OUT TO WORK WITH THEM, THEY
SAID BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH. >> WOOSLEY: RIGHT.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES THERE? >> WOOSLEY: I THINK IT DEPENDS ON THE PROVIDER. IF THEY'RE HOMELESS AND ACCESSING SERVICES AND THEY'RE IN THE HMIS SERVICE, WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
ONCE THEY MOVE INTO PERMANENT HOUSING, DIFFERENT PROVIDERS HAVE DIFFERENT AMOUNTS OF TIMES THAT THEY FOLLOW THEM.
>> RIGHT. SO IF YOU -- IF SOMEONE RETURNS TO THE STREET AND ACCESSES SERVICES, THEN THEY'RE IMMEDIATELY BACK BEING TRACKED BY THE HMIS
SYSTEM. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: I GET WHAT I'M HOPING TO GET AT. THIS IS ALL VERY HIGH LEVEL, I THINK IT'S GOOD INFORMATION TO HAVE, I THINK IT TELLS US A STORY OF SAN ANTONIO, A STORY OF HOW WE'RE -- YOU KNOW, HOW WE'RE RESPONDING TO HOMELESSNESS AND HOW IN SOME INSTANCES WE'RE TRYING TO RUN IT AND SUCCEEDING IN DOING SO, I WONDER, YOU KNOW, IF OUR GOAL IS FOR NO ONE IN SAN ANTONIO TO BE WITHOUT SHELTER, WHETHER THAT'S PERMANENT OR TEMPORARY, WHAT -- WHAT DO WE DO THAT TELLS US THAT WE'RE -- WHEN WILL WE GET THERE? WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO TO GET THERE? AND I THINK THAT'S IN THE FOLLOW-UP DISCUSSION OR IN A -- I WOULD LOVE TO GET ACCESS TO SOME OF THOSE TOOLS YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT AND I'D LOVE TO SPEND SOME TIME BRAINSTORMING ABOUT THAT.
THERE HAS TO BE TWEAKS, THERE HAS TO BE SOME CHANGES, THERE HAS TO BE GAPS IN WHAT WE'RE DOING AND THERE HAS TO BE OPPORTUNITY, AND SO I'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THOSE, BECAUSE IT'S STILL -- EVEN THOUGH, YOU KNOW, WE HAD MORE FOLKS SHELTERED THIS YEAR THAN IN PREVIOUS YEARS, WE STILL ARE SEEING MORE PEOPLE WHO ARE HOMELESS AT THE TIME OF OUR POINT IN TIME COUNT. AND SO WHETHER THEY'RE IN A GROUP -- IN A GROUP AT HAVEN FOR HOPE OR THEY'RE AT A PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT, I THINK IT'S ALL -- OR NOT THAT, SORRY.
NOT THE PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING. A SHELTER, I THINK -- I DON'T KNOW. I WANTED TO FEEL MORE YAY, BUT -- YOU KNOW, THIS IS A VERY BIG ISSUE, AND I THINK OUR COMMUNITY WANTS TO KNOW THAT WE'RE WORKING TO SOLVE IT AND WE'RE NOT PATTING OURSELVES ON THE BACK, AND I THINK TOO EASILY, THIS PRESENTATION COULD FEEL LIKE, MAN, WE'RE DOING GOOD, WE HAVE LESS PEOPLE ON THE STREET ON THIS SPECIFIC DAY, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT -- WE KNOW WE HAVE A SYSTEM IN PLACE THAT'S STRONG, THAT'S DOING SOMETHING, THAT IS ACCOMPLISHING GOALS, BUT IS IT ACCOMPLISHING THE GOAL THAT WE HAVE TO ERADICATE HOMELESSNESS? AND I KNOW THAT'S A BIG ONE, BECAUSE NO CITY IN THE COUNTRY HAS MANAGED TO DO THAT, BUT HOW DO WE GET AS CLOSE TO THAT AS POSSIBLE? AND I DON'T KNOW THAT THIS -- I DON'T KNOW THAT THESE -- THIS IS HELPING ME AT THE HOAME MOMENT, BUT I KNOW WE HAVE THE INFORMATION AND I KNOW THERE'S A COMMITMENT, AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN HAVE A MORE POLICY-ORIENTED CONVERSATION OVER THE NEXT HOWEVER LONG.
THANK YOU. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ. COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE? >> COURAGE: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I APPRECIATE THE REPORT THAT WE HAVE AND THE WORK THAT WENT INTO IT. WE'VE GOT 1.5 MILLION RESIDENTS IN SAN ANTONIO, AND FROM WHAT WE SAW, WE'VE GOT TWO-TENTHS OF 1% WHO ARE HOMELESS, BASICALLY, BUT THAT'S STILL AN INCREASE. WE'VE GOT 3300 PEOPLE THAT WE IDENTIFIED AS BEING HOMELESS. NOW, SOME OF THEM ARE SHELTERED, BUT SHELTER ISN'T ALWAYS PERMANENT. PEOPLE GO IN AND OUT OF BEING SHELTERED AT SOME TIME OR ANOTHER. HAVE WE -- IN YOUR -- IN YOUR LIST OF PARTNERS, HAVE WE GOT SOME NEW PARTNERS WHO'VE GOTTEN INVOLVED OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS THAT ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE?
[00:35:04]
>> WOOSLEY: IN THE AREA -- THE NURSING -- SKILLED NURSING HOME, WE HAVE A NURSING PARTNER THAT'S BEEN VERY HELPFUL.
WE'VE, I THINK, FOCUSED ON ALSO ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES HAS ALWAYS BEEN PART OF THE GROUP, BUT THEY'RE NOW MORE INVOLVED.
>> COURAGE: OKAY. >> WOOSLEY: THOSE COME TO MIND, BUT, YES.
>> COURAGE: MANY OF THEM HAVE BEEN THE SAME PARTNERS OVER THE YEARS?
>> WOOSLEY: ABSOLUTELY. >> COURAGE: OKAY. YOU HAVE A LIST OF STRATEGIC PRIORITIES ON SLIDE 16. HOW MANY OF THOSE ARE NEW STRATEGIC PRIORITIES? SO WE'RE REALLY DOING ALL THESE THINGS NOW, AREN'T
WE? >> WOOSLEY: WELL, TO SOME EXTENT, YES.
I THINK THEY'RE CALLED OUT AS STRATEGIC PRIORITIES.
THERE'S A COUPLE OF THEM FOR THE FIRST TIME, AND ONE IS THE -- WE'VE TALKED ABOUT PREVENTION, BUT WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT IT IN TERMS OF REDUCING INFLOW, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, PREVENTING NEW AND MAKING SURE PEOPLE WHO LEAVE THE HOMELESS SYSTEM STAY HOUSED, SO THERE ARE EFFORTS THERE. IMPROVING ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE SERVICES IS CALLED OUT AND HAS NOT BEEN NECESSARILY LISTED AS A PRIORITY BEFORE.
AND SO THOSE PARTNERSHIPS WITH HOSPITALS AND THE -- YOU KNOW, PARTICULARLY THROUGH STRAC AND THE MENTAL HEALTH COMMITTEE ARE PAYING MORE ATTENTION
TO THE IMPACT OF HOMELESS PEOPLE ON THEIR SYSTEMS. >> COURAGE: OKAY.
IS IT FAIR TO SAY THAT IF WE HAVE MORE HOMELESS OUTREACH WORKERS, WE
COULD BE A LITTLE MORE EFFECTIVE OR EFFICIENT? >> WOOSLEY: I WOULDN'T SAY THAT, ACTUALLY, BECAUSE THE MORE IMPORTANT PART IS HAVING
ENOUGH HOUSING UNITS OR ENOUGH -- >> COURAGE: RIGHT.
THAT'S NUMBER TWO ON MY LIST. >> WOOSLEY: TRANSITIONAL SHELTER TO BE ABLE TO GET THEM OFF THE STREET AND INTO A PATH TO HOUSING
STABILITY. >> COURAGE: SO WE NEED MORE HOUSING UNITS.
>> WOOSLEY: HOUSING UNITS AND SUBSIDIES. >> COURAGE: DO WE NEED MORE MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS TO DEAL WITH THIS?
>> WOOSLEY: YES. >> COURAGE: DO WE NEED MORE ALCOHOL TREATMENT
BEDS. >> WOOSLEY: YES. >> COURAGE: DO WE NEED
MORE DRUG REHABILITATION BEDS? >> WOOSLEY: AGAIN, YES.
>> COURAGE: DO WE NEED MORE JUST MENTAL HEALTH PSYCHIATRIC BEDS?
>> WOOSLEY: YES. >> COURAGE: DO WE NEED MORE FINANCIAL
RESOURCES? >> WOOSLEY: TO HOUSE PEOPLE AND SUBSIDIZE
THEIR RENTAL ASSISTANT. >> COURAGE: FOUR ALL THESE THINGS WE TALKED
ABOUT. >> WOOSLEY: YEAH. >> COURAGE: THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS WE NEED MUCH MORE OF TO ATTACK AND ELIMINATE OR REDUCE DRASTICALLY HOMELESSNESS, BUT IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS OR HOUSING UNITS OR MENTAL HEALTH BEDS OR TREATMENT BEDS FOR ALCOHOL OR DRUGS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MORE FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO DO ALL THAT, OR ATTRACTING MORE PROFESSIONALS IN THE MENTAL HEALTH FIELD TO BE HERE, ET CETERA. AND, YOU KNOW, I CONTEND THAT THE CHALLENGE IS GOING TO BE EVEN GREATER FROM WHAT WE'RE HEARING COMING OUT OF WASHINGTON AND MAYBE EVEN AUSTIN ABOUT THE KIND OF FEDERAL SUPPORT THAT ALL OF THESE HAVE HAD IN THE PAST, THAT WE MAY BE FACING A REDUCTION OF. SO, YOU KNOW, I LIKE THE REPORT AND I LIKE THE WAY IT LAYS THINGS OUT, BUT THE FACT IS, WE STILL HAVE MORE IN NUMBER HOMELESS PEOPLE AND NOT ENOUGH RESOURCES TO MEET THOSE NEEDS.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE SOLUTION IS, BUT I THINK WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS NO OTHER CITY IN THE COUNTRY HAS ANY MORE SOLUTIONS, PROBABLY, THAN WE HAVE.
AND IF WE EVER HEAR OF ANY, I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO BRING IT TO COUNCIL FOR US TO KNOW MORE ABOUT IT. I JUST WANT TO END BY SAYING YESTERDAY I WENT BY A DRAINAGE CULVERT AND IT WAS RIGHT NEXT TO THE POST OFFICE ON HENDERSON PASS IN MY DISTRICT. AND YOU WOULD NOT BELIEVE THE GARBAGE AND THE TRASH AND THE JUNK THAT FLEW OUT OF THE CULVERT INTO THE CHANNEL, BUT ALSO LOOKING INTO THAT CULVERT, 10 FEET OR MORE, IT WAS PACKED WITH STUFF THAT HOMELESS PEOPLE HAVE BEEN LIVING ON IN THAT DRAINAGE CULVERT. NOW WE HAD THE RAIN JUST THE OTHER DAY, IT WASHED A LOT OF THAT STUFF OUT. BUT THERE'S SO MUCH THERE, I CAN'T IMAGINE HOW PEOPLE ARE LIVING LIKE THAT IN DRAINAGE DITCHES AND CULVERTS AND EVERYWHERE IN THIS CITY. AND, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE -- ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE MENTIONED BEFORE THAT I WANT TO FINISH WITH IS, TO A CERTAIN EXTENT, WE ARE NOT DOING ENOUGH TO REDUCE THE ABILITY FOR THE HOMELESS
[00:40:04]
PEOPLE TO SUSTAIN THEMSELVES OUTSIDE. WE ALLOW THEM TO WALK AROUND THE CITY STREETS WITH SHOPPING CARTS FULL OF JUNK AND GARBAGE THEY'VE PICKED UP EVERYWHERE TO TAKE OUT INTO THE WOODS OR TO TAKE OUT INTO THE DRAINAGE AREAS TO MAKE THEIRE ENCAMPMENTS AND TO LIVE THERE, AND I UNDERSTAND PSYCHOLOGICALLY THEY WANT TO BE ALONE, THEY DON'T WANT SERVICES. BUT I THINK IF WE DON'T DO MORE TO DISSUADE THEM FROM LIVING LIKE THAT, FOR EXAMPLE, BANNING USING SHOPPING CARTS ON CITY SIDEWALKS AND CITY STREETS MORE THAN 1,000 FEET FROM THE STORE OR, YOU KNOW, MORE THAN A BUS STOP AWAY, THEN WE'RE GOING TO SEE THAT KIND OF PERPETUAL LIVING OUT THERE THAT'S REALLY A HEALTH AND SAFETY HAZARD TO THEM, TO THE CITY, AND ISN'T, I THINK, HELPING US RESOLVE ENOUGH OF THE HOMELESS SITUATION. SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT OBSERVATION FROM SOMETHING IN MY OWN DISTRICT THAT I WAS JUST LOOKING AT YESTERDAY.AND ALL OF THESE OTHER CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE FACING THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO FIND WAYS OF DEALING WITH. THANK YOU, MAYOR.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE.
COUNCILMEMBER CABELLO HAVRDA? >> HAVRDA: THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION, MELODY, AND ALL THE WORK THAT EVERYONE'S DONE. AND I THINK THESE ARE REALLY IMPORTANT STATISTICS AND THEY'RE HELPFUL.
I'M STRUCK BY A COUPLE OF THINGS, THOUGH. I THINK IT'S SLIDE 8, YOU GO -- YOU TALK ABOUT THE -- IS THAT THE -- I'M SORRY, THE OBJECTIVES.
OBJECTIVE 1 IS TO PREVENT HOMELESSNESS, RIGHT? >> WOOSLEY: RIGHT.
>> HAVRDA: I DON'T KNOW WHAT SLIDE THAT IS. >> WOOSLEY: IT IS --
>> HAVRDA: MAYBE 16. AND THEN 17, YOU HAVE STRATEGIC PRIORITIES THAT START WITH CREATING AN ANNUAL REPORT ON THE CITY'S HOMELESS RESPONSE EFFORTS. ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE IMPORTANT.
I THINK SIMILAR TO WHAT COUNCILMAN MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ WAS SAYING, I JUST FEEL LIKE WE'RE PUTTING OUT THE FIRE, BUT WE'RE NOT SPENDING A LOT OF TIME ON FIGURING OUT HOW THE FIRE STARTED AND STOPPING IT BEFORE IT STARTS. SO YOU SAID ECONOMIC FACTORS, THERE'S MENTAL HEALTH, SUBSTANCE ABUSE. YOU KNOW, I TALK A LOT ABOUT KIDS THAT ARE AGING OUT OF THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM. ARE WE GATHERING REAL
DATA ON THAT? , THE DRIVERS? >> WOOSLEY: SO, YOU KNOW, IN BLENDING OUR HOMELESS HOTLINES AND BENEFITS NAVIGATORS, THAT GIVES US A BETTER RESOURCE TO COLLECT THAT KIND OF INFORMATION, BECAUSE WE'RE LOOKING -- WE'RE GOING MORE UPSTREAM.
TO PEOPLE WHO ARE IN CRISIS, BUT ARE NOT YET ABOUT TO BE EVICTED OR ENTERING HOMELESSNESS. IT LETS US ADDRESS THEIR ISSUES BEFORE IT BECOMES A WORST CRISIS. SO IN THAT SENSE, YES, WE DO HEAR FROM YOUTH, WE HAVE A CASE WORKER THAT IS SPECIFICALLY FOCUSED ON YOUTH.
AND SO IF A CALL COMES IN, THAT'S -- THAT CASE WORKER RECEIVES THE CALL, AND THEN WE WORK WITH THEM. SO THERE ARE -- WE DO HAVE WAYS OF TRACKING SOME OF THOSE CALLS AND UNDERSTANDING THE DEMAND
FOR SERVICES FROM POPULATIONS. >> HAVRDA: OKAY.
SO I JUST DON'T SEE THAT ANYWHERE HERE. WE START RIGHT WITH HOW DO WE SOLVE THE PROBLEM? NOT HOW WE PREVENT IT. SO I GUESS THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING. DO WE HAVE PROGRAMMING OR A POLICY ON FIGURING OUT HOW TO PREVENT IT? AND IF NOT, I GUESS THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO
DISCUSS AS A COUNCIL. >> WOOSLEY: RIGHT. >> HAVRDA: YOU KNOW, I KNOW WE HAVE THAT ARRANGEMENT WITH UTSA. I MEAN, JUST -- LIKE YOU MENTIONED, THE NUMBER OF FAMILIES THAT ARE ABOUT TO BE EVICTED, ON THE PRECIPICE OF HOMELESSNESS FOR WHATEVER REASON, NOT JUST FAMILIES, BUT INDIVIDUALS, KIDS AGING OUT OF THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM THAT DON'T HAVE HOUSING, AND I'M ALSO -- I MEAN, I'M KIND OF STRUCK THAT WE DON'T HAVE -- IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE WE HAVE REAL SOLID DATA ON THE CAUSES OF THE PROBLEMS, BUT WE'RE SPENDING MONEY ON SOLUTIONS.
AND I'M NOT SAYING THE SOLUTIONS AREN'T WORKING, BECAUSE THESE NUMBERS SEEM TO BE GOING DOWN, I GUESS, THE -- YOU KNOW, BUT I JUST FEEL LIKE WE COULD BE MORE INFORMED GOING INTO THOSE SOLUTIONS.
THE REASON I THINK I WANT TO TALK ABOUT SLIDE 8 IS I DO APPRECIATE WE'RE DOING BETTER THAN THE REST OF THE COUNTRY, BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE'RE DOING GOOD, DOING GREAT, RIGHT? I THINK WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT THE POLICIES AND THE CAUSES, AND THEN GETTING TO THE SOLUTIONS
[00:45:01]
AND PREVENTIONS. TO BE VERY CLEAR, NOT TO INTERRUPT THIS WORK.JUST KIND OF ADDING TO IT. ALSO IF WE'RE LOOKING AT ZERO-BASED BUDGETING GOING INTO THE FUTURE, LOOKING AT THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE FOLLOWING THAT POLICY THAT ARE HELPING ALONG, FIGURE OUT THE ROOT CAUSES, FIGURING OUT THE SOLUTIONS, AND MAKING SURE WE'RE SEEKING THEM OUT AND PARTNERING WITH THOSE -- THOSE NONPROFITS AND ORGANIZATIONS OUT THERE THAT ARE GOING TO HELP US FURTHER OUR
POLICY PRIORITIES. >> WOOSLEY: RIGHT. I WOULD JUST ADD THAT -- SO THE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT AS A WHOLE -- UPSTREAM WORK THAT YOU TALK ABOUT, WE HAVE YOUTH PROGRAMS AND WE WORK WITH FOSTER STUDENTS -- OR STUDENTS AGING OUT OF THE FOSTER SYSTEM, WE WORK WITH SENIORS, MANY OF WHOM ARE VERY, VERY LOW INCOME, AND EVEN HOMELESS, AND SO WE -- WE HAVE THOSE RESOURCES AND WE ALSO CONTRACT WITH A NUMBER OF DELEGATE AGENCIES THAT PROVIDE THOSE RESOURCES.
SO WE CAN TAKE A HARDER LOOK AT HOW WE CAN SHOW THAT.
>> HAVRDA: YEAH. YEAH, I AGREE, AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT HERE WITH THE BUDGETING CHANGES COMING UP.
BUT THE OTHER THING IS, I WONDER IF THIS IS JUST MAYBE THE WRONG PRESENTATION FOR THIS -- OR MAYBE ASK FOR A DIFFERENT PRESENTATION ABOUT THAT AND ABOUT HMIS. I DON'T KNOW A LOT ABOUT IT, HOW IT WORKS ANYWAY, AND HOW THE DATA'S BEING GATHERED AND I DON'T KNOW IF MY COLLEAGUES WOULD AGREE, BUT I THINK I'D LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING LIKE YOU SAID, UPSTREAM. I KNOW THAT IT'S A REALLY -- IT'S A PERSISTENT, IT'S AN URGENT, IT'S A MISUNDERSTOOD CHALLENGE THAT WE FACE AS A CITY, AND I HEAR, YOU KNOW, NO CITY HAS SOLVED IT, BUT I THINK WE HAVE TO -- YOU KNOW, CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT, RIGHT? SO I THINK -- I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SEE SOMETHING MORE ABOUT HOW WE'RE PREVENTING. THANKS.
>> HOUSTON: I WANT TO ADD, WE ABSOLUTELY KNOW WHY PEOPLE ARE ENTERING THE HOMELESS SYSTEM. WE KNOW THAT FROM OUR HMIS DATA.
IT'S ADDICTION, IT'S MENTAL HEALTH, IT'S LOSS OF INCOME.
THOSE ARE THE THREE BIG ONES. AND SO WE HAVE STRATEGIES THAT WE'VE BUILT AROUND THOSE THINGS, READY TO WORK, THAT'S A STRATEGY.
IT IS, BECAUSE YOU'RE INCREASING INCOME. THE EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, SOMEONE WHO IS LIVING PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK, A CHILD BRAKES THEIR ARM, THEY SPEND $1,000, THEY CAN'T PAY THEIR RENT, THAT'S WHAT THAT PROGRAM IS FOR. WE CAN CREATE A MATRIX THAT SHOWS YOU WHY PEOPLE ARE ENTERING INTO HOMELESSNESS AND THE CITY STRATEGIES WE HAVE. BUT I WANTED TO INTERRUPT, WE ABSOLUTELY KNOW WHY THE PEOPLE IN SAN ANTONIO ARE HOMELESS, THOSE ARE THE THREE BIG THINGS AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS A VERY BIG ONE AS WELL.
>> HAVRDA: YEAH. >> HOUSTON: SO WE HAVE THAT AND WE CAN DO A
STRATEGY -- >> HAVRDA: I THINK WE ALL KNOW THAT, I'M JUST ASKING -- I'VE NEVER SEEN ANY PRESENTATION ABOUT DATA ON THAT AND HOW YOU'RE GETTING TO THESE SOLUTIONS FROM THAT DATA.
AND ALSO, WE'RE THE POLICYMAKERS. MAYBE THERE'S OTHER THINGS THAT WE'VE HEARD ABOUT IN OTHER CITIES THAT WE'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE. THAT'S THE PRESENTATION THAT I THINK I WOULD JUST REQUEST, LIKE THE FIRST PART OF THIS PROCESS. IT SOUNDS LIKE TO ME LIKE WE'RE SEEING THE SECOND PART OF THE PROCESS, BUT NOT THE FIRST.
>> HOUSTON: YES. >> HAVRDA: THANK YOU. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER CABELLO HAVRDA. COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN?
>> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU. MELODY, I THINK YOU'VE BEEN DOING A GREAT JOB.
I THINK WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT CHANGING POVERTY IN THIS CITY, I'M CONFUSED BY -- I THINK WE'VE HAD THE DATA, BUT, OF COURSE, I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF SITTING ON CHECC FOR THESE YEARS, SO YOU PRESENT PRETTY REGULARLY ON THIS. THIS IS JUST -- AND I JUST WANT TO ADDRESS, BECAUSE I COULD GO -- WE COULD GO DEEP DIVE INTO THE CAUSES OF THIS PROBLEM, BUT I WANT TO STICK WITH WHAT WE ASKED YOU TO PRESENT TODAY, BECAUSE OF, YOU KNOW, SOME COUNCILMEMBERS ASSUMPTIONS THAT WE WERE NOT SPENDING CORRECTLY AND OUR DELEGATE AGENCIES WEREN'T SPENDING CORRECTLY. THE ONE THING I WANT TO SAY IS ONE THING I HAVE SEEN IS THE HOMELESS OUTREACH TEAM HAS BEEN DILIGENT, WORKING IN THE DRAINAGE CHANNELS, PLEASANTON ROAD, COMMERCIAL, FOR MOW SAN ANTONIO AND HUTCHINS AROUND MY AREA TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE DANGERS, THAT THEY'RE GETTING THE HELP.
WHWHILE I WOULD LOVE TO SEE MORE CASE WORKERS AS COUNCILMAN COURAGE HAD MENTIONED, THE ISSUE IS, WE DON'T HAVE THE PLACES TO SEND THEM.
SO I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY IN HOUSING WHOSE MADE THOSE EFFORTS -- INTO A PROGRAM AND THAT WE CAN'T KEEP THEM THERE.
THAT'S THE OTHER THING. I GET A LOT OF COMPLAINTS THAT I THINK WE NEED TO DO A LOT OF EDUCATION PIECES ON IS WHEN WE SEND THEM TO THE HOSPITAL FOR
[00:50:05]
SERVICES TO GET BACK ON THEIR MEDS, THE MINUTE THEY FEEL OKAY, THEY CAN CHECK THEMSELVES OUT, AND WE'RE BACK ON THEIR CYCLE.AND IT DOES TAKE A FAMILY EFFORT, WHICH I THINK IS ONE OF THOSE UPSTREAM ISSUES THAT WAS -- THAT COUNCILMAN CABELLO HAVRDA WAS ASKING FOR, BUT HOW DO WE -- HOW DO WE DO THAT AND ADDRESS THAT WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT? AND HOW DO WE BRING OUR SCHOOLS IN TO BE PART OF THAT CONVERSATION ALSO? AND, YOU KNOW, SUPPORTING OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS, MAKING SURE THEY UNDERSTAND THE RESOURCES WE HAVE AVAILABLE, THE COUNTY HAS AVAILABLE.
YOU , YOU KNOW, I THINK IS IMPORTANT, BUT IN TERMS OF THE OUTREACH THAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING AND WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN WORKING ON NOW, I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT .4%, I THINK KEY IS MAKING SURE WE HAVE THAT INVENTORY.
AND DO WE HAVE -- DO WE HAVE THE -- AND I KNOW THINGS HAVE SLOWED DOWN BECAUSE WE SIT ON THE SAN ANTONIO HOUSING TRUST, YOU KNOW, I'M ASKING FOR REGULAR REPORTS ON INVENTORY OF HOUSING IN MY AREA.
DO -- CAN WE PERIODICALLY GET THAT IN TERMS OF THE INVENTORY? AND I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY FROM HOUSING IS HERE, IF THE HOUSING INVENTORY IS STILL ON TRACK OR IF WE'RE SEEING A SLOW DOWN TO WHERE IF WE HAVE FAMILIES IN CRISIS, WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO MAKE THAT? DO WE HAVE THAT -- IS ANYBODY FROM HOUSING HERE? LORI, I DON'T -- AND LORI, IF YOU COULD GET THEM TO -- OH, THERE'S
VERONICA. >> HELLO, YES. WE CAN PROVIDE AN INVENTORY OF WHICH ONE'S ALREADY COMPLETED, WHICH ONES HAVE ACTUALLY STARTED CONSTRUCTION AND ANY OF THE PIPELINE PROJECTS, WE REGULARLY SCRUB THAT AND
NOTE WHICH ONES ARE NO LONGER ABLE TO CONTINUE. >> VIAGRAN: WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A B SESSION, IF WE CAN JUST SEND THAT OUT AS MAYBE A ONE-PAGER TO THE COUNCILMEMBERS SO THAT THEY KNOW WHERE WE ARE IN TERMS OF THAT INVENTORY STOCK, SO THAT THEY CAN -- AND I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO TELL ME
IT'S ON THE DASHBOARD. BUT. >> WE HAVE IT ON THE
DASHBOARD. >> VIAGRAN: I SEE YOU COMING UP AND GOING, IT'S ON THE DASHBOARD. I KNOW IT'S ON THE DASHBOARD. BUT I THINK FOR OUR COUNCILMEMBERS IS REALLY -- IF YOU HAVEN'T CHECKED OUT THE DASHBOARDS, HERE'S THE NUMBER. YOU SHOULD GO IN THERE AND DO YOUR DEEP DIVE ON THE DASHBOARD. I HAVE STAFF COMMITTED ON DOING THE DEEP DIVES ON THE DASHBOARD AND I KNOW SOME OF MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES HAVE BECAUSE WE LIVE WITH THIS EVERY DAY.
BECAUSE WE KNOW IF THE PERSON SITTING ON SOUTHWEST MILITARY DRIVE SAYS HE WANTS TO GO INTO A SHELTER AND WE DON'T HAVE A SPOT FOR HIM, WE DON'T HAVE A BED FOR HIM OR IT'S A FAMILY THAT WE GET CALLS FROM FROM A CHURCH THAT'S ABOUT TO GET EVICTED AND WE DON'T HAVE THAT RESIDENCE FOR THEM, THERE'S A CHANCE THAT THEY CAN STAY -- THEY CAN GET IN THAT -- ON THE STREETS AND IT'S REALLY HARD TO GET THEM BACK OFF.
SO I THINK THAT THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT -- YOU KNOW, AS WE LOOK AT ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE, AND THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE ONE FIX, BECAUSE IF WE HAD ONE FIX, THEN WE WOULD HAVE BEEN PRESENTED TO IT, I THINK, YEARS AGO AT NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES, BUT THERE ISN'T ONE FIX.
AND SO, MELODY, I GUESS MY QUESTION TO YOU RIGHT NOW IS WHAT CAN WE AS COUNCILMEMBERS CONTINUE TO DO, AND I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE AND I'M SURE I'M GOING TO HEAR FROM CLOSE TO HOME AND SOME OF MY OTHER ADVOCATES.
I AM TRYING TO EXPLAIN TO MY RESPECTS THAT IF THEY WHO THE RIGHT PERSON TO CALL IS. IF IT'S THIS SITUATION -- IF THERE'S A CRIMINAL ELEMENT, THAT'S WHEN YOU CALL THE POLICE. IF IT'S NOT, THIS IS WHEN YOU CALL 3-1-1. IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE WE CAN DO OTHER THAN THAT TO HELP WITH THIS, TO MAKE SURE WHEN WE DO POINT OF COUNT OR POINT OF TIME COUNT, WE CAN DO BETTER AND WE CAN KEEP PEOPLE -- PREVENT PEOPLE FROM
GETTING ON THE STREETS? >> WOOSLEY: I THINK IT'S EXACTLY WHAT YOU MENTIONED AS FAR AS HELPING TO ENSURE THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS -- UNDERSTANDS THE ISSUE, IS EDUCATED ABOUT HOW TO WORK WITH HOMELESS PEOPLE -- OR WHAT THEY CAN DO TO HELP. ALSO WE'VE DONE A NUMBER OF NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETINGS THAT I'VE GOTTEN GOOD FEEDBACK ON, SO CONTINUING TO HOST THOSE TYPES OF ACTIVITIES SO THAT WE CAN GET CONNECTED TO THE COMMUNITY IS VERY HELPFUL.
>> VIAGRAN: YEAH. THANK YOU. AND I DON'T -- WITH THE TRENDS THAT ARE HAPPENING AND, YOU KNOW, MEETING WITH PEOPLE AND TALKING TO PEOPLE, THE GENERATIONAL POVERTY THAT THIS CITY CONTINUES TO STRUGGLE WITH, THE GENERATIONAL ACCEPTANCE OF ABUSE IN RELATIONSHIPS
[00:55:03]
THAT THIS NATION AND SO MANY WOMEN TEND TO STRUGGLE WITH IS THERE IS NOT GOING TO BE AN EASY ANSWER. AND WE CAN POINT FOR THE REASONS THAT WE HAVE A 20% POVERTY LEVEL AND THE MAJORITY OF THAT IS WOMEN. AND SO WE KNOW THE CAUSES, HOW WE ADDRESS THEM IS -- AS A CITY, IS MAKING SURE WE HAVE THE RESOURCES AND WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THOSE DELEGATE AGENCIES THAT CONTINUE TO SERVICE THAT. SO I THINK FOR ME AT LEAST MOVING FORWARD, IS WE LOOK INTO THIS NEXT BUDGET SESSION, IS REALLY ASKING THE QUESTIONS OF IF WE KNOW THE POVERTY RATE IS 20% AND WE KNOW THAT IS A MAJORITY OF WOMEN HEAD OF HOUSEHOLDS, WHAT ARE THESE AGENCIES DOING TO HELP THEM? SO THAT WILL ALWAYS BE MY QUESTION AS WE MOVE FORWARD, AND I JUST BAPTIST TWANT TO THANK YOU FOR THIS PRESENTATION, AND I THINK THAT -- THERE ISN'T GOING TO BE A DOLLAR AMOUNT THAT IS GOING TO FIX THIS, BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU STOP GIVING DOLLARS TO THIS CAUSE, BECAUSE THIS GOES -- THIS DOES GO BACK GENERATIONS. RIGHT NOW I FEEL LIKE WE'RE GIVING ENOUGH TO KEEP US AT THAT .4%, WE SHOULD PROBABLY LOOK AT GIVING MORE, BUT, AGAIN, WHERE DO WE -- WHERE DO WE PUT THOSE DOLLARS IN HELPING THIS COMMUNITY? SO I PUT PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, BUT THAT'S JUST ME. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.THANKS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN. ERIK?
>> WALSH: YEAH, I KNOW ALL THE COUNCILMEMBERS HAVEN'T SPOKEN, BUT REALLY GREAT FEEDBACK AND I THINK -- I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT, I THINK COUNCILWOMAN HAL HAVRDA SAID IT. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'VE DONE AN ANNUAL REPORT. GENERALLY THE COUNCIL HAS SEEN THESE TYPES OF REPORTING AS PART OF THE ANNUAL BUDGET, AND I WANT TO REMIND THE COUNCIL THE REASONS WHY I THINK THIS IS IMPORTANT, NUMBER ONE, IT'S ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY AND WHAT ARE WE DOING WITH THE DOLLARS THAT ARE ALLOCATED EITHER WITH OUR LOCAL FUNDING OR STATE OR FEDERAL FUNDS.
ALSO IT'S A GOOD REMINDER FOR ME THAT I WANTED TO PUT ON THE COUNCIL'S RADAR SCREEN IS WHEN WE DID THE BUDGET SURVEY SEVERAL YEARS AGO, A LOT OF THE FEEDBACK WE GOT FROM THE PUBLIC WAS, YOU'RE NOT REALLY COMMUNICATING WHAT YOU'RE DOING. SO WHAT ARE WE DOING AND THE ROYAL "WE" WITH OUR AGENCIES, IS IT OUTCOME-BASED? I MEAN, IF WE -- IF WE -- IF WE ARE -- IF THE COUNCIL IS APPROVING THE ALLOCATION OF -- IN OUR BUDGET FOR OUTREACH WORKERS OR THE CREWS TO CLEAN UP, ARE WE TURNING AROUND WITHIN OUR COMMITTED TIME FRAME ON ENCAMPMENT, AND ARE WE DOING THE NECESSARY OUTREACH AND HOW ARE WE MEASURING AGAINST THAT. I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF VALUE IN THAT, AND ARE WE SEEING RESULTS? AND I THINK THAT, LIKE MELISSA -- LIKE COUNCILWOMAN HAVRDA SAID, IT BETTER POSITIONS YOU ALL FOR THE CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE -- THAT ARE BEYOND JUST AN ANNUAL REPORT ON HOMELESSNESS.
IT'S THOSE POLICY LEVEL CONVERSATIONS, AND TO BE FRANK, THE FINANCIAL CONVERSATIONS, THE FISCAL CONVERSATIONS YOU ALL WILL HAVE, BECAUSE THERE ARE -- THERE ARE THINGS WE DO BOTH TACTICALLY AND STRATEGICALLY, THE EMERGENCY HOUSING FUNDING THAT WE HAVE THAT HELPS THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT LORI DESCRIBED, IS IMPORTANT TO THE ISSUE. BUT SO ARE THE BIG THINGS YOU ALL ARE DOING IN TERMS OF HOUSING AND FUTURE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT FUTURE HOUSING BOND ALLOCATIONS, AND HOW FAST WE'RE PUTTING THOSE INTO PRODUCTION IN ORDER TO SOLVE THOSE ISSUES. AND SO I -- I THINK -- I THINK THIS HAS BEEN A REALLY GOOD EFFORT -- A REALLY GREAT EFFORT FOR US INTERNALLY, AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN CONTINUE TO BUILD UPON IT.
BUT LIKE COUNCILWOMAN HAVRDA -- I'M NOT GOING TO DO THAT, NOT WHEN I'M ON TV, COUNCILWOMAN. THAT IT IS -- IT BETTER POSITIONS YOU ALL TO HAVE THAT. AND OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S A LOT MORE INFORMATION -- YOU GUYS ARE TALKING ABOUT, WELL, HOW ARE THEY GETTING IN THERE? THAT'S A CONVERSATION WE'VE TALKED ABOUT INTERNALLY, BECAUSE ON THE DASHBOARD, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE 4500 THAT HAVE COME IN AND 2,000 THAT HAVE COME BACK OUT, SO WE'RE NET AHEAD OVER 1600 IN TERMS OF HOUSING.
AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, OKAY, THAT BOX RIGHT THERE WITH THE 2,000, HOW DO WE -- HOW DO WE STIFLE THAT? WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO TO ADDRESS? SO THIS IS A GREAT CONVERSATION, AND I THINK IT WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD ITSELF AS WE GET TO OUR GOAL-SETTING SESSION AND OUR FUTURE CONVERSATIONS AROUND FUNDING.
THANKS, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, ERIK.
[01:00:03]
COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE? >> WHYTE: THANKSGIVING, MAYOR.
I THANK YOU FOR THE REPORT, AND THANK YOU TO ERIK, HE SAID WE WOULD DO THIS WHEN I REQUESTED IT AT THE -- CLOSE TO TEND THE END OF LAST YEAR, AND HERE IT IS. SO I APPRECIATE THE FOLLOW THROUGH ON THAT BY CITY STAFF. LISTEN, I CAME IN TO THIS B SESSION TODAY KIND OF -- KIND OF AMPED UP ABOUT THIS BECAUSE I WAS -- I WAS AFRAID WHAT I WAS GOING TO HEAR IS A LOT OF PATTING OURSELVES ON THE BACK AND THINGS ARE GOING GREAT. AND I MEAN, WE'VE GOT TO BE -- WE'VE GOT TO STOP DOING THAT AS A CITY COUNCIL, TRYING TO PAINTS A ROSY PICTURE OF SOMETHING THAT IS NOT ROSY. I MEAN, WE'VE GOT TO BE CLEAR, THIS -- WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING IS NOT WORKING.
IT'S NOT. WE HAVE THIS PLAN HERE, RIGHT, THIS FIVE-YEAR PLAN, SAN ANTONIO TOGETHER TO END HOMELESSNESS STRATEGIC PLAN SUMMARY AND CALL TO ACTION, RIGHT? THIS WAS A FIVE-YEAR PLAN PUT INTO PLACE ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO. RIGHT? SO WE'VE GOT A YEAR LEFT AND THEN HERE WE ARE WITH A YEAR TO GO AND WE GET THE -- AND WE GET THIS REPORT NOW. AND THERE'S NO WAY -- I MEAN, DESPITE -- I MEAN, THERE'S SOME GREAT FACTS AND FIGURES IN HERE, THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD INFORMATION, I APPRECIATE IT.
IT IS INFORMATIVE, BUT YOU CAN'T OBJECTIVELY LOOK AT WHAT'S IN THIS REPORT AND THEN GO BACK AND LOOK AT WHAT OUR STRATEGIC PLAN WAS FOUR YEARS AGO AND SAY THAT THINGS ARE WORKING. IT'S NOT, AND IT'S DISINGENUOUS TO DO THAT. I WAS JUST READING AN ARTICLE EARLIER, YOU KNOW, SAN ANTONIO NOW WE HAVE SURPASSED -- WHO WAS IT? WE'VE SURPASSED THE DALLAS AND FORT WORTH, HOUSTON AND -- NO, WE'VE SURPASSED AUSTIN, HOUSTON AND FORT WORTH NOW, WE'RE SECOND IN THE STATE IN THE AMOUNT OF HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS THAT WE HAVE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND SO WHAT I THINK WE HAVE TO DO WITH ANY OF THESE CONVERSATIONS, RIGHT, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT POLICY, IS THE FIRST THING WE'VE GOT DO IS DEFINE SUCCESS, RIGHT? WHAT IS SUCCESS FOR US IN OUR HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM? AND TO ME, SUCCESS IS NOT MOVING SOMEBODY OFF THE STREET INTO A LOW-BARRIER SHELTER PAID FOR WITH COVID MONEY AND SAYING WE'RE GOOD, LIKE WE'VE DONE IT. WE NOW HAVE ONE LESS UNSHELTERED PERSON. THAT CANNOT BE THE DEFINITION OF SUCCESS FOR US, RIGHT? SUCCESS SHOULD BE FOR ALL ABLE-BODIED INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE SOMETHING AS -- I THINK LORI MENTIONED SOME OF THE REASONS WHY PEOPLE BECOME HOMELESS, AND I'M SYMPATHETIC TO ALL OF THAT.
HOW CAN WE TAKE THAT PERSON, GET THEM OFF THE STREETS AND THEN GET THEM BACK INTO SOCIETY WHERE THEY'RE A SELF-SUSTAINING MEMBER OF OUR COMMUNITY? THAT SHOULD BE WHAT WE STRIVE TO DO THROUGH OUR HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM. AND I DON'T KNOW, AND I COULD HAVE MISSED IT, AND I'M HAPPY TO BE POINTED IN THAT DIRECTION, BUT -- BUT IN THIS REPORT HERE, I DON'T KNOW -- I DON'T KNOW IF I SAW ANY OF THOSE FIGURES.
DO WE HAVE FIGURES OF HOW MANY PEOPLE ENTER THE SYSTEM, GO TO LOW-BARRIER, GO TO HAVEN FOR HOPE, AND THEN END UP, YOU KNOW, COMING BACK
OUT IN THE COMMUNITY? SO. >> WOOSLEY: WE DO.
>> WHYTE: SO THAT'S ONE. NUMBER TWO IS PICKING UP WHERE ERIK LEFT OFF, IT'S THE FINANCIAL SIDE OF THIS, RIGHT? WE SPENT AS A CITY -- I MEAN, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT, OVER $50 MILLION DIRECTLY AND INDIRECTLY ON THIS HOMELESS ISSUE IN THE LAST -- YOU KNOW, IN THE LAST YEAR.
AND THAT -- AND IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S, WHAT, $14 MILLION FROM OUR GENERAL FUND DIRECTLY, AND THEN ANOTHER $16 MILLION FROM OUR GENERAL FUND INDIRECTLY. WE'VE GOT A LOT OF NEEDS AND A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO DO AS A CITY. AND SO ARE WE MAKING AS BIG AN IMPACT AS WE CAN ON OUR CITIZENS DAY-TO-DAY LIFE BY SPENDING MILLIONS AND
[01:05:01]
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON THIS ISSUE LIKE WE HAVE BEEN AND GETTING THE RESULTS THAT WE HAVE? I MEAN -- AND I LEAVE THAT AS AN OPEN-ENDED QUESTION, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS OF COUNCILMAN MCKEE.>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: , COUNCILWOMAN CABELLO HAVRDA AND COUNCILMAN COURAGE, BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE WE ARE ALL THINKING HERE ALONG THE SAME LINES. WHAT EXACTLY ARE WE DOING HERE? IT'S NOT ADDRESSING THE REAL PROBLEM, WHICH IS PEOPLE BECOMING HOMELESS IN THE FIRST PLACE, AND THEN TO PIGGYBACK AGAIN ON WHAT ERIK SAID, WHERE DO WE WANT TO GO COMING UP WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HOW TO SPEND OUR MONEY? BECAUSE CORRECT ME IF I'M BUT THE LOW-BARRIER SHELTER WAS PAID FOR WITH ARPA MONEY,
RIGHT? AND THAT MONEY'S OUT. >> WALSH: YES, SIR.
THAT'S TRUE. LATER ON THIS YEAR, IN THE FALL.
>> WHYTE: SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DECIDE RIGHT UP FRONT IF WE WANT TO CONTINUE WITH LOW-BARRIER SHELTER, IS THAT TRUE? THERE'S A CONVERSATION THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE STARTING, I GUESS, IN MAY. BUT AGAIN, I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING IN THIS REPORT AND I AM HAPPY THAT WE HAVE LESS FOLKS UNSHELTERED BUT THAT IS NOT THE DEFINITION OF SUCCESS, TAKING SOMEBODY OFF THE STREET AND THEN PUTTING THEM ON THE CITY DOLLAR, YOU KNOW, FOR HOWEVER LONG SHOULD NOT BE WHAT OUR DEFINITION OF SUCCESS IS.
AND FRANKLY I THINK -- I DON'T KNOW. MAYBE WE SHOULD THINK ABOUT A CITIZENS ASSEMBLY WHERE WE GET SOME HELP FROM THE OUTSIDE, TALK TO RELEVANT PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY AND THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT OUR CITIZENS WANT TO SEE HERE IN TERMS OF HOW WE ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM. A COUPLE OF QUICK QUESTIONS. MOST RECENTLY THE CLOSE TO HOME WEBSITE, THE MOST RECENT REPORT WE HAVE ON IT IS FROM IF SECOND QUARTER OF 2023.
IS THERE A REASON THERE'S NOT MORE UP TO DATE INFORMATION THERE?
>> WOOSLEY: THEIR STATE OF HOMELESSNESS REPORT, WHICH WAS FROM MAY OF 2024 IS ON THAT WEBSITE. IF NOT, WE CAN FIND THE LINK AND SEND IT TO YOU.
AND THEN OUR DASHBOARD THAT WE LAUNCHED IN MAY HAS THE DATA FROM THE ENTIRE SYSTEM.
SO WE WORK WITH THE HMIS SYSTEM TO PULL THE DATA IN AND REPORT ON WHAT THE ENTIRE SYSTEM IS
DOING. >> WHYTE: OKAY. >> WOOSLEY: THAT WAS SLIDE
10, I THINK. >> WHYTE: IN THE FIVE-YEAR -- I GUESS ON PAGE 10, THE METRICS OF SUCCESS IN THIS FIVE-YEAR PLAN, IT'S GOT OUTCOME MEASURES THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT.
DO WE HAVE ANY DATA TO SHOW US IF WE HAVE MET THESE GOALS? >> WOOSLEY: YEAH, WE'LL GO BACK AND -- THANK YOU. THAT HELPS. YEAH.
WE CAN TRACK IT THIS WAY AND SHOW YOU THE NUMBERS. >> WHYTE: YEAH.
OKAY. AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, I WAS HOPING WOULD BE IN HERE. AGAIN, LIKE WE PUT THESE PLANS INTO PLACE AND THEN NOW WE NEED TO LOOK BACK AND SEE IF WE'RE ACCOMPLISHING THE GOALS THAT WE SET FOR OURSELVES.
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S NOT, OF COURSE, JUST WITH THIS ISSUE BUT SO OFTEN WE PUT THESE PLANS INTO PLACE, WE GIVE MONEY TO THESE GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS AND ALL SORTS OF THINGS AND WE'VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO DETERMINE HOW WE'RE SPENDING OUR MONEY IS ACTUALLY WORKING, BECAUSE WE ARE NOT DOING OUR CITIZENS A SERVICE IF WE KEEP PUTTING MONEY INTO THINGS AND WE'RE NOT GETTING THE RESULTS. BECAUSE WHEN THAT HAPPENS, WE CREATE DISTRUST IN THE COMMUNITY. THEY GET ANGRY AND WHAT WE NEED TO DO IN THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES IS TAKE THAT MONEY AND THEN REALLOCATE IT TO SOMEWHERE ELSEWHERE WE KNOW WE CAN, AGAIN, MOST POSITIVELY DIRECTLY IMPACT OUR CITIZENS' DAY-TO-DAY LIVES.
THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANTED TO ADDRESS ANY OF THAT, MELODY OR KEEP MOVING?
>> WOOSLEY: I THINK I WOULD JUST GO BACK REAL QUICK TO THE POINT IN TIME COUNT.
IT IS TRUE THAT IF YOU LOOK AT ONLY POINT IN TIME COUNT COMPARED TO OTHER TEXAS CITIES,
[01:10:01]
WE ARE THE SECOND HIGHEST HOMELESS COUNT OVERALL. WE ARE ALSO THE SECOND-HIGHEST NUMBER POPULATION-WISE. SO WE'RE THE SECOND LARGEST CITY.WE HAVE THE SECOND-HIGHEST HOMELESS COUNT BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THAT PER CAPITA DATA, WHICH CALCULATES IN, FACTORS IN POPULATION GROWTH, WE ARE MUCH LOWER THAN THE OTHER TEXAS
CITIES. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU.
COUNCILMEMBER ROCHA GARCIA. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND THANK YOU TO MEL AND TO THE ENTIRE TEAM FOR ALL OF THE WORK THAT YOU DO. OUR HOMELESS COORDINATOR DOES AN INCREDIBLE JOB SO I WANT TO GIVE HIM A SHOUT OUT THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS. SO HE'S A GREAT EMPLOYEE. JUST FYI.
ON PAGE 4, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE DIRECT SERVICES AND ONE OF THE THEM IS HOMELESSNESS VETERAN COORDINATION. AND I'M JUST WANTING TO CONFIRM.
WE DO ENROLL PEOPLE IN THE FREE VA HEALTHCARE SYSTEM AND THE VA BENEFITS CLAIM AS PART OF THE
SERVICES? >> WOOSLEY: YES. WE HAVE A VETERAN HOMELESS COORDINATOR. HE CHAIRS THE CLOSE TO HOME VETERAN WORK GROUP AND HE WORKS WITH PEOPLE ALL DAY LONG ON THE CONNECTING THEM TO THOSE SERVICES AND BENEFITS.
>> GARCIA: WONDERFUL. AND, MEL, THE COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS HOTLINE, IS THAT ONLY DURING EXTREME WEATHER OR IS IT A 24/7 LINE? REMIND ME ABOUT THAT ONE AND
HOW DOW WE MARKET IT? >> WOOSLEY: IT'S ONLY 24/7 DURING EXTREME WEATHER BUT IT'S OPERATING MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. WE ARE WORKING ON EXTENDING THE HOURS OUT A LITTLE BIT, NOW THAT WE'VE JOINED THESE TWO TEAMS. WE HAVE A LITTLE MORE CAPACITY. SO IT'S AVAILABLE TO THE ENTIRE
COMMUNITY. >> GARCIA: GOT IT. AND HOW DO WE MARKET IT?
>> WOOSLEY: WE HAVE SOCIAL MEDIA. WE ADVERTISE IT WITH OUR PROVIDERS. EVERY LOCATION WE CAN, WE'RE ANNOUNCING IT.
IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA TO WORK WITH YOU ALL TO ADVERTISE THAT IN YOUR NEWSLETTERS AND YOUR
CORRESPONDENCE AS WELL. >> GARCIA: YES, PLEASE. I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT.
>> WOOSLEY: I CAN GET YOU SORT OF A COMMUNICATIONS PLAN ON THAT.
>> GARCIA: WONDERFUL. THANK YOU. AND THEN ON PAGE 8 -- AND IT'S THE SECOND BULLET POINT. WITH THE DECREASE OF 25%. I HAVE TROUBLE UNDERSTANDING THE DROP BECAUSE OF THE VISIBILITY, RIGHT? AND I OFTEN SAY THAT FOR OUR RESIDENTS, PERCEPTION BECOMES THEIR REALITY. AND SO AS I GO BACK AND TALK TO PEOPLE, EVEN IF I TELL THEM THAT WE HAVE A DROP, THEY'LL SAY, OH, BUT WE HAVE THREE NEW HOMELESSNESS ENCAMPMENTS RIGHT DOWN THE ROAD. I'M WONDERING IF YOU COULD HELP
ME BREAK THAT STATISTIC DOWN A LITTLE BIT MORE. >> WOOSLEY: I THINK A BIG PART OF IT IS SINCE COVID -- WELL, THERE WERE MORE UNSHELTERED RIGHT AS COVID WAS STARTING BECAUSE THE SHELTERS COULDN'T HANDLE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE.
COULDN'T SOCIALLY DISTANCE AND SO INTAKE WAS CLOSED. IT BECAME MORE VISIBLE WITH TENTS GOING UP. WE REALLY DID NOT HAVE THAT BEFORE COVID.
SO THE TENTS MAKE THINGS MORE VISIBLE, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY'RE PINK AND GREEN.
THAT'S PART OF IT. AS WELL AS THE NUMBER OF ENCAMPMENTS HAS INCREASED AND SO I THINK THERE'S MORE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THE ENCAMPMENTS RATHER THAN ON THEIR OWN.
BUT WE'VE LOOKED AT IT NOW -- I THINK WE DIDN'T DO AN UNSHELTERED COUNT IN 2021 BUT
SINCE THEN THAT NUMBER HAS GONE DOWN. >> GARCIA: ON PAGE 10, THE 650 INDIVIDUALS WHO RETURNED, WHAT ARE THE WRAPAROUND SERVICES THAT WE ARE PROVIDING
TO REDUCE THAT NUMBER? >> WOOSLEY: THAT ALSO DEPENDS SOMETIMES ON THE PROVIDER.
IF YOU HAVE BEEN IN A HAVEN FOR HOPE SHELTER AND YOU HAVE BEEN ON THE CAMPUS SIDE ENGAGING IN CASE MANAGEMENT AND A NUMBER OF OTHER SERVICES, THEN WHEN YOU MOVE INTO HOUSING, THAT WILL CONTINUE FOR MAYBE UP TO SIX MONTHS TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE ARE MAINTAINING THEIR HOUSING.
IF THEY GO OVER TO THE TERRACES, THEY CAN STILL ACCESS THOSE CAMPUS SERVICES, TO SOME EXTENT. SO THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS THAT AGENCIES ARE ENSURING THAT HOUSING IS MAINTAINED. AND I KNOW HAVEN FOR HOPE HAS A VERY HIGH RATE OF THEIR CLIENTS
[01:15:04]
MAINTAINING HOUSING OVER SIX MONTHS OR A YEAR. >> GARCIA: REMIND ME WHAT
HAPPENED WITH THE MOBILE SHOWERING UNIT. >> WOOSLEY: SO WE DID A MINI RFP TO ASSESS INTEREST IN THE COMMUNITY. AND WE'RE AWARDING IT -- OR
TURNING IT OVER TO CATHOLIC CHARITIES. >> GARCIA: GOT IT.
AND I FEEL LIKE SOME PEOPLE COULD BENEFIT DEFINITELY FROM THAT.
THERE WAS THE COMMENT MADE ABOUT SHOPPING CARTS EARLIER. I THOUGHT THAT THERE WAS SOME SORT OF -- I THOUGHT IT WAS AN ORDINANCE LIKE MANY YEARS AGO WHERE IF THERE WAS SOME SHOPPING CARTS AND THEY BELONGED TO X SUPERMARKET THAT SUPERMARKET WAS GOING TO BE CHARGED FOR HAVING THEM BE ON THEIR PROPERTY. DID I JUST MAKE THAT UP OR
DREAM THAT OR SOMETHING? >> WOOSLEY: NO, THERE'S BEEN DISCUSSION ON THAT BUT I DON'T
THINK AN ORDINANCE PASSED BUT WE'LL SEARCH AND MAKE SURE. >> GARCIA: I'M TALKING ABOUT YEARS AGO. I KNOW THAT HANDY ANDY USED TO PAY A FORMER RESIDENT OF MINE TO COLLECT THE SHOPPING CARTS BECAUSE THEY WOULD BE FINED BY THE CITY.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS JUST -- AND THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING. >> WALSH: IT WAS A LONG TIME AGO. I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS THE CCR EQUIVALENT BACK THEN BUT IT WAS A POLICY ISSUE THAT SEVERAL COUNCIL MEMBERS BROUGHT UP ABOUT AN ORDINANCE.
BUT I DON'T THINK IT WAS -- I DON'T THINK IT MATERIALIZED INTO A FIVE-SIGNATURE MEMO.
>> GARCIA: I WOULD CAUTION US WITH THAT BECAUSE TWO THINGS: ONE, THERE'S PEOPLE, FAMILIES, THAT ARE HOMELESS NOW AND THEY'RE LITERALLY CARRYING FAMILY HEIRLOOMS IN THERE OR PICTURES BECAUSE THEY LOST THEIR HOME. WHERE MOST OF US ARE ONE JOB AWAY FROM BEING HOMELESS. AND SO LET'S HAVE SOME EMPATHY THERE.
BUT THEN ALSO PEOPLE ARE USING THOSE SHOPPING CARTS TO COLLECT CANS AND SELL THEM TO RECYCLERS. AND SO, AGAIN, WE'VE GOT TO BE SENSITIVE TO THAT BUT THAT'S WHY I WAS ASKING AND MAYBE THAT'S WHY IT WASN'T USED ANYMORE.
BUT I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT ELSE WE CAN DO FOR THAT.
I KNOW THERE'S SOME THAT HAVE THE PERIMETER SETUPS. >> WALSH: I THINK THAT WAS PART OF THE CONVERSATION AND THEN THE PERIMETER LOCKS SO YOU COULDN'T ROLL THEM OFF PROPERTY. BUT WE CAN GO BACK BUT IT WAS SOMETIME AGO.
>> GARCIA: YOU COULD JUST LIFT IT AT THAT POINT BUT WHAT ELSE ARE WE DOING? SO, ANYWAY, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO -- I FEEL LIKE THE CONVERSATION REALLY DOES NEED TO CONTINUE ON SHOWCASING HOW HOUSING AND ACCESS TO WORK IS CRITICAL IN MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE CAN AFFORD A PLACE TO LIVE. BUT I DO WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THE HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM AND THE DASHBOARD. YOU CAN FIND A LOT OF REALLY GOOD INFORMATION IN THERE ABOUT HOW MANY PEOPLE USE PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AND RAPID REHOUSING. THERE'S A REALLY NICE BREAKDOWN IN THERE.
THERE'S ALSO THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE EMERGENCY SHELTER VERSUS THE TRANSITIONAL HOUSING, ET CETERA. AND I DON'T THINK THAT WE DO ENOUGH TO PROMOTE THAT.
SO ANYTHING ELSE WE CAN DO TO REFER PEOPLE TO SEE WHAT THE CITY IS DOING -- I KNOW THERE'S MULTIPLE LAYERS OF IT -- BUT I THINK WE SHOULD PROBABLY SHARE THAT AS WELL.
THOSE ARE ALL MY COMMENTS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, MAYOR.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER ROCHA GARCIA.
COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
THANK YOU, MELODY FOR THE PRESENTATION. ONE PROGRAM THAT I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT -- AND IT'S MENTIONED IN THE PRESENTATION -- IS THE COMMUNITY COURTS INITIATIVE WITH HAVEN FOR HOPE. MY TEAM WORKS CLOSELY WITH OUR CONSTITUENTS EXPERIENCING HOUSING INSECURITY OR A NEED TO IMPROVE THEIR HOME. CONNECTED US TO MATTHEW HOWARD AT THE COUNTY TO LEARN ABOUT THE PROGRAM AND WE ATTENDED THE GRADUATION OVER AT HAVEN FOR HOPE AND GOT TO MEET SOME OF THE PARTICIPANTS WHO, IN THEIR GRADUATING SPEECHES, SHARED WHAT THEIR EXPERIENCE HAD BEEN LIKE AND HOW MUCH GOING THROUGH THAT PROGRAM IMPACTED THEIR LIVES. AND THEY WERE DRESSED IN THEIR SUNDAY BEST.
REALLY EXCITED TO GET THEIR CERTIFICATE TO MEET THE JUDGE AND TO JUST SHARE THEIR STORY ON HOW PARTICIPATING -- HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM HAS IMPROVED THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE ALREADY. JUST GRATEFUL FOR THAT PROGRAM.
I BELIEVE IF THERE'S ANY WAY THAT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO CAN SUPPORT THAT PROGRAM, THERE IS VALUE THERE. IN TERMS OF THE DATA THAT'S BEING PRESENTED WITH HARRIS COUNTY, IN PARTICULAR, THEY DO HAVE THIS REALLY GREAT INITIATIVE.
[01:20:04]
WE CALL IT THE JAIL DIVERSION PROGRAM BUT I HAVE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO TOUR THAT AND MEET WITH THE BOARD MEMBERS TO TALK ABOUT THAT MODEL AND THE IMPACT THAT IT HAS.IT IS WITH VERY STRONG COORDINATION BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE COUNTY, PARTICULARLY THE SHERIFF AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. WHAT THEY FOUND WAS THAT A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF FOLKS WITHIN THEIR COUNTY JAIL WERE UNHOUSED INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE VIOLATING A NO TRESPASSING AFFIDAVIT, CLOGGING UP THE SYSTEM. WHAT THIS PROGRAM DID WAS CONNECT THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO QUALIFY TO SERVICES TO REHABILITATE, WHETHER IT'S GETTING ACCESS TO MEDICATIONS THAT THEY MAY NEED, AS WELL AS DETOX THAT THEY MAY NEED FOR THAT AFTER CARE. THEY FOUND THIS PROGRAM TO BE VERY SUCCESSFUL.
I KNOW YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH IT BECAUSE YOU HAVE GONE TO HARRIS COUNTY TO LEARN FROM THEM.
IT SERVES AS A REHABILITATION CENTER AND RECOVERY CENTER, ALSO AS A DORMITORY SO THESE INDIVIDUALS HAVE ACCESS TO A DORM. AND WHILE THEY GET CONNECTED AND APPLY FOR A VOUCHER, AND THE INVESTMENT THEY MADE WITH THEIR COVID MONEY IN HOUSING, THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CONNECT FOLKS TO SERVICES. WHAT THEY HAVE FOUND IS THAT FOLKS ARE LIKELY TO REOFFEND WHEN PARTICIPATING IN THIS PROGRAM.
SOMETHING THAT WE'RE NOT DOING IN SAN ANTONIO OR BEXAR COUNTY BUT I BELIEVE IF WE MADE THAT INVESTMENT AND COORDINATED WITH THE COUNTY WE WOULD SEE THE DRASTIC DECREASE THAT HARRIS COUNTY HAS SEEN IN TERMS OF HOMELESSNESS. ONE AREA OF CONCERN OF COURSE IS IN TERMS OF THE CLOSE TO HOME AND THE POINT IN TIME COUNT DATA.
THEY HAVE HIGHLIGHTED THAT WE'RE SEEING THE INCREASE IN YOUTH THAT ARE UNHOUSED AND OF COURSE THE AGING POPULATION EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS. I BELIEVE THIS IS WHERE WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO COORDINATE WITH OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS. I WAS PLEASED TO HEAR THAT YOU MENTIONED THAT CPS IS NOW MORE INVOLVED THAN THEY WERE BEFORE BECAUSE THESE ARE SOME OF OUR CONSTITUENTS HAVE COME TO OUR OFFICE AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO CONNECT THEM AND OF COURSE I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF HEARTBURN IN TERMS OF THE CONSTITUENTS THAT WE HAVE ASSISTED WITH, THE PROCESS HAS NOT WORKED. I HAVE TO REACH OUT TO COUNCILMAN PELAEZ, WHOSE MOTHER IS THE CEO OF A SHELTER TO GET SOME OF OUR FAMILIES CONNECTED TO SERVICES.
THAT SHOULDN'T BE THE PROCESS. FOLKS SHOULD BE ABLE TO CALL THAT PAMPHLET AND GET CONNECTED TO SERVICES. WE HAVE TOO MANY STORIES IN DISTRICT 5 WHERE WE HAVE CONNECTED A MOTHER FLEEING A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOUSEHOLD WHO WAS TURNED AWAY FROM HAVEN.
I HAVE PERSONALLY CALLED AN UBER FOR A SINGLE FATHER WITH HIS CHILD FOR HAVEN FOR HOPE AND THEY WERE TURNED AWAY. LUCKILY BECAUSE I'M THE COUNCIL MEMBER AND WAS ABLE TO CALL PATRICK AND WE WERE ABLE TO GET THINGS DONE BUT THAT'S NOT THE SITUATION FOR THE MAJORITY OF FOLKS ON THE STREETS AND THAT SHOULDN'T BE THE CASE. THE PROCESS SHOULD WORK.
THINGS SHOULD BE STREAMLINED AND FOLKS SHOULD NOT BE TURNED AWAY FROM A SHELTER.
THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE ON ENDING HOMELESSNESS DESCRIBES A LOW-BARRIER EMERGENCY SHELTER AS AN IMMEDIATE AND EASY ACCESS TO SHELTER BY LOWERING BARRIERS TO ENTRY AND STAYING OPEN 24/7, ELIMINATE SOBRIETY, INCOME REQUIREMENTS, AND OTHER POLICIES THAT MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO ENTER SHELTER. ARE THERE ANY SHELTERS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN THE CITY OF
SAN ANTONIO THAT MEET THIS DEFINITION? >> WOOSLEY: THE SAM LOW
BARRIER IS THE CLOSEST BUT NOT COMPLETELY. >> CASTILLO: IN TERMS OF THINGS I BELIEVE WE NEED TO INVEST IN AND STRENGTHEN IS ENSURING WE ARE MEETING THAT DEFINITION, SO WE'RE CONNECTING MORE INDIVIDUALS TO SERVICES. I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE WORK THAT SAM'S DOES BUT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO INVESTOR IN THEM. WHEN WE LOOK AT THE 2023 AND 2024 CITY BUDGET SURVEY THAT HIGHLIGHTED HOUSING AS WELL AS ENCAMPMENTS AS TOP PRIORITIES MEANS THAT WE ARE INVESTING WHERE THE RESIDENTS OF SAN ANTONIO WANT US TO INVEST IN, WHICH INCLUDES DHS OUTREACH SERVICES AND EVERYTHING BEING PRESENTED TODAY.
I WOULDN'T SAY WE SHOULD PAT OURSELVES ON THE BACK BUT I BELIEVE THIS IS WHAT THE RESIDENTS ARE ASKING US FOR. PLENTY OF GAPS AND AREAS FOR US TO STRENGTHEN IN TERMS OF COORDINATION WITH THE COUNTY, ENSURING WE ARE MEETING THAT DEFINITION OF LOW BARRIER EMERGENCY SHELTER CONNECTING MORE FOLKS TO SERVICES. IN TERMS OF THE HMIS SYSTEM, THAT IS A SYSTEM THAT IS VERY VALUABLE. I KNOW NOT EVERYONE IN THE CITY SIDE HAS ACCESS TO THAT DASHBOARD BUT WHEN MY TEAM, MY CONSTITUENT SERVICES TEAM, IS MANAGING CASES, SOMETIMES WE TURN EVERY STONE AND IF WE HAD ACCESS TO THAT DASHBOARD TO KNOW WHERE FOLKS MAY HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED SERVICES, THAT WOULD SAVE US SO MUCH TIME WITH THE SPECIFIC CASE. SO HAVING ACCESS TO THAT INFORMATION I THINK CAN HELP US MANAGE CASES BETTER AND GET THE CONSTITUENT TO THE RESOLUTION THAT THEY DESERVE SOONER THAN LATER. IN TERMS OF THE OUTREACH WORKERS, ARE THEY STILL
[01:25:02]
CURRENTLY PROVIDING I.D. RECOVERY AND HEALTHCARE ENROLLMENT SERVICES?>> WOOSLEY: THEY ARE HELPING GET PEOPLE CONNECTED TO THOSE. THEY DON'T NECESSARILY DO THE I.D. RECOVERY THEMSELVES BUT THEY KNOW PEOPLE.
THEY DO IT SOMETIMES AT CLAUDE BLACK. >> CASTILLO: THEY ARE
CURRENTLY CONNECTING FOLKS TO THE I.D. RECOVERY? >> WOOSLEY: YES.
AND CLOSE TO HOME HAS LAUNCHED AN INITIATIVE. THEY ARE USING FUNDING THEY HAVE GOTTEN THROUGH A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT CAMPAIGNS TO PAY FOR THE I.D. RECOVERY COST.
>> CASTILLO: AND LAST WEEK THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES OUTREACH WORKERS GAVE A PRESENTATION AT THE ROOSEVELT NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND THAT PRESENTATION WAS VERY VALUABLE. RESIDENTS JUST SHARED THAT SOME OF THEM WERE ALREADY FAMILIAR WITH THE PROCESS BUT SOME DIDN'T KNOW THE AMOUNT OF DETAIL AND WORK THAT THE OUTREACH WORKERS CONDUCT AND THEY DID A GREAT JOB OF TELLING THE STORY OF UNHOUSED INDIVIDUALS AND THE NUANCES. EVERYONE HAS A DIFFERENT STORY, EXPERIENCE, OR ISSUE.
I THINK THERE WOULD BE VALUE IN OUR CITY'S FRONT-FACING DEPARTMENTS AND FRONT FACING, THOSE ATTENDING NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, TO RECEIVE THAT PRESENTATION, BECAUSE IT WAS VERY INFORMATIVE AND IMPACTFUL AND I KNOW THE RESIDENTS WERE GRATEFUL THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO GO OUT AND GIVE THAT PRESENTATION. LASTLY, I THINK IN GENERAL WITH PRIORITIES IN TERMS TO REALLY CHIP AWAY AT THIS ISSUE, OTHER THAN WHAT I HAVE ALREADY LAID OUT, IS TO CONTINUE TO INVEST IN SOCIAL AND PUBLIC HOUSING. WE KNOW THAT THE MAJORITY OF PUBLIC HOUSING TENANTS ARE CHILDREN. THE DATA IS SHOWING US WE ARE SEEING AN INCREASE IN UNHOUSED CHILDREN. I THINK THE SOLUTIONS ARE THERE BUT IN TERMS OF BUDGET PRIORITIES WE REALLY NEED TO INFUSE THE DOLLARS WHERE WE ARE GOING TO SEE THE GREATEST IMPACT. I THINK, ERIK, THAT GOES TO THE URGENCY OF US DISCUSSING A HOUSING BOND SOONER THAN LATER SO THAT WAY WE CAN MAKE A GREATER IMPACT. LASTLY, IN TERMS OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SAN ANTONIO'S SYSTEM, I'M GOING TO HIGHLIGHT WITH THE CAM PROGRAM. I MENTIONED THIS WHEN THIS CAME TO PCDC, PROVIDING THE PSYCHIATRIC EVALUATION AND MEDICATION MANAGEMENT FOR UNSHELTERS. DURING MY FIRST BUDGET ON COUNCIL I PROPOSED A BUDGET AMENDMENT TO HIRE A PSYCHIATRIC. GRATEFUL TO SEE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS BEING IMPLEMENTED AND FOLKS DO HAVE ACCESS TO.
THOSE ARE ALL MY COMMENTS. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK
YOU, COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO. COUNCILMEMBER KAUR. >> KAUR: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
THANK YOU, MELODY FOR THIS PRESENTATION. REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
I'VE REALLY BEEN ENJOYING SOME OF THE CONVERSATION I HEARD AND I THINK THERE ARE POINTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE THAT I AGREE WITH AND I'M GOING TO REITERATE SOME OF THEM AND ADD WHAT WE HAVE SEEN IN DISTRICT 1. FIRST ON THE DATA AND DASHBOARDS.
YOU GUYS KNOW I'M A SUPER BIG DATA NERD AND SO I THINK SOME OF THE CHALLENGES, ONE, IS THAT I'M GLAD THAT IT IS NOW TWO BUDGET CYCLES AGO WE SET OUR FIRST TARGET FOR WHAT OUR NUMBER WAS. BUT I THINK THE CHALLENGE IS WE DON'T KNOW ANYTHING BUT A NUMBER. AND PEOPLE ARE MORE THAN NUMBERS.
BUT IT'S SO HARD TO LOOK AT THAT DASHBOARD AND GET AN ACTUAL UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT'S HAPPENING. I THINK WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO LOOK AT HISTORICAL DATA, BE ABLE TO SEE TRENDS OVER TIME. DO WE CAPTURE WHERE FOLKS ARE COMING FROM OR LIKE WHAT LEVEL OF DETAIL DO WE HAVE ON THAT? THE RUMORS THAT WE HAVE HEARD WHERE PEOPLE ARE BEING DROPPED
INTO OUR CITY. >> WOOSLEY: WE DO TRACK WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM AND HAVEN FOR HOPE, THE LARGEST SHELTER, HAS A RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT SO THEY DO FOLLOW UP ON THAT.
>> KAUR: SO WE COULD LOOK AT ALL OF THE FOLKS THAT WE'VE SHELTERED AND THE ONES THAT ARE
NOT SHELTERED AND SEE WHERE THEY'RE FROM? >> WOOSLEY: YES -- WELL, WE CAN SHOW YOU THE PEOPLE THAT ARE SHELTERED WHERE THEY'RE FROM.
WE DON'T ALWAYS KNOW WHERE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE UNSHELTERED -- IT'S SELF-REPORTED.
IT'S NOT VERIFIED. SO WE CAN TELL YOU THAT. >> KAUR: THAT'S BASICALLY THE INFORMATION THE STREET OUTREACH TEAM IS GATHERING WHEN THEY'RE DOING THE INTAKE.
>> WOOSLEY: YES. >> HOUSTON: THIS IS REALLY THE FIRST YEAR.
THIS IS KIND OF THE BASELINE AND SO MOVING FORWARD YOU'LL BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THAT HISTORICAL DATA. SO WE'RE BUILDING THAT. SO THIS SYSTEM THAT WE'VE CREATED IN THE DASHBOARD IS ALL FED THROUGH HMIS. WHERE PREVIOUS SYSTEMS WE HAVE HAD TO GET NUMBERS FROM DIFFERENT AGENCIES BUT NOW IT'S JUST ALL AUTOMATIC.
>> KAUR: EVEN WITH THE MIGRANT DASHBOARD, WHEN WE EVOLVED IT, WE WERE ABLE TO DO DATE TO DATE AND TO TRY TO SEE WHAT TRENDS WERE OCCURRING. I THINK THAT FUNCTIONALITY NEEDS TO BE ADDED TO THIS. RIGHT NOW IT'S JUST A SNAPSHOT.
IN ADDITION, THE YEAR TO DATE IS SUPER DECEIVING SO I THINK WE SHOULD JUST TAKE THAT OUT.
WE'RE TALKING FISCAL YEAR AND THAT'S NOT WHAT WHEN YOU SEE THAT WHAT YOU THINK.
SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT CONFUSING. I WOULD JUST MAYBE REMOVE THAT TAG. BUT THE OTHER THING THAT'S BEEN KIND OF MENTIONED ON HMIS -- AND COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ STARTED WITH THIS.
[01:30:01]
I DON'T KNOW WHY WE WOULDN'T HAVE ACCESS TO THAT DATA. ARE WE NOT -- WHY DO WE NOTHAVE ACCESS TO IT? >> WOOSLEY: THE ACCESS IS LIMITED TO THE PEOPLE THAT USE IT. THERE'S SOME LEVEL OF INFORMATION WE CAN LOOK AT BUT IT'S LOCKED DOWN. IT'S GOT A LOT OF PERSONAL INFORMATION IN IT.
>> KAUR: CAN'T WE SIGN AN NDA. >> WOOSLEY: SOCIAL NUMBERS.
>> KAUR: I FEEL LIKE WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET ACCESS TO THIS DATA.
>> WOOSLEY: WE'LL TALK TO THEM BUT IT DOES HAVE A LOT OF PERSONAL INFORMATION AND HIPAA
PROTECTED. >> KAUR: THE CITY SHOULD BE ABLE TO RUN REPORTS ON THIS WITHOUT HAVING TO GO THROUGH HAVEN FOR HOPE. I JUST THINK THAT'S -- I DON'T KNOW. I THINK THAT'S RIDICULOUS. LIKE, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THE PEOPLE IN OUR CITY THAT ARE RECEIVING SERVICES. A LOT OF THEM OUR TEAM ACTUALLY INTERFACES WITH. IF YOU'RE INPUTTING INFORMATION, TO ME IT MAKES ALL THE SENSE IN THE WORLD THAT YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO EXPORT DATA FROM IT.
WE CAN SET UP THE RIGHT SECURITIES BUT THAT'S SOMETHING, IF WE COULD AT LEAST GET ACCESS TO PEOPLE'S PROFILES FROM OUR CSR TEAM, THAT WOULD BE GREAT BUT I CAN'T IMAGINE WE COULD GET THAT. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO ADDRESS THAT.
AND THAT WAY WE CAN UNDERSTAND -- THE MORE WE CAN DING INTO DATA -- WE TALK ABOUT THIS FOR A LOT OF OUR PROGRAMS. WE TALK ABOUT THIS FOR READY TO WORK TOO WHEN THIS CAME UP. IF WE CAN LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENING TO THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE LEAVING, THE PEOPLE BECOMING SHELTERED TO UNSHELTERED, WE CAN DO A BETTER ANALYSIS. THIS GOES BACK TO COUNCILMEMBER CABELLO HAVRDA'S POINT.
FOR US TO RESPOND AND SAY WE'RE DOING SOMETHING DIFFERENTLY, WE'RE LOOKING AND MAKING STRATEGIC DECISIONS, WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING. AND I THINK THAT'S A PART OF THE QUESTION IS WHAT IS TRULY HAPPENING FOR FOLKS AND HOW DO WE ADDRESS THOSE STRATEGIES BASED ON THE INFORMATION WE HAVE BEEN RECEIVING. BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN EXECUTING THIS WORK FOR A WHILE NOW AND IT'S MADE PROGRESS. WE'RE NOT SAYING WE HAVEN'T BUT WE JUST THINK WE NEED TO DOUBLE DOWN. ON THAT NOTE, THERE'S A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS AND THAT'S THE CONNECTION BETWEEN DRAINAGE AND ENCAMPMENTS.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE ONE ENCAMPMENT DASHBOARD THAT YOU HAVE, ALSO ADDITIONAL REQUEST.
WE WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO SEE, FOR THE CLEANUPS, WHICH ONES ARE REOCCURRING VERSUS WHICH ONES ARE NEW. BECAUSE WE GET A LOT OF CALLS ABOUT THAT AND IT'S EASY FOR US TO LOOK AT THAT AND BE ABLE TO ASSESS IT. BUT ALSO WHAT IS OUR POLICY AROUND DRAINAGE DITCHES FOR ENCAMPMENTS, PARTICULARLY WHEN THEY'RE RIGHT BEHIND A SET OF HOMES. SO I KNOW COUNCILWOMAN ALDERETE GAVITO DIDN'T HEAR BUT HER OFFICE AND I WORKED TOGETHER TO DO THIS AT BOTH OF OUR DISTRICTS .
IT'S A REOCCURRING SITE. YESTERDAY I GOT A CALL FROM THE PERSON ACROSS THE STREET SAYING WE STILL HAVE ISSUES ON OUR SIDE OF THE STREET. I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE A CITYWIDE THOUGHT, PLAN ABOUT HOW WE'RE ADDRESSING OUR DRAINAGE DITCHES AND WHAT DO WE DO WITH THEM ONCE THEY ARE CREATED. ARE THEY ACTIVATED AS PARKS? ARE THEY USED FOR A DIFFERENT PURPOSE SO THEY'RE NOT JUST SITTING BASINS WHERE FOLKS CAN BUILD CAMPS. AND THEN HAVING THE COUNCIL OFFICES TO HAVE TO ADDRESS WITH NEIGHBORS OR SOLUTIONS LIKE FENCING. IN ADDITION, I THINK WE JUST NEED TO DOUBLE DOWN ON THE HOUSING CONVERSATION. I WANT TO ECHO WHAT COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO SAID ABOUT MAKING SURE WE HAVE A PLAN FOR THIS LOW-BARRIER SHELTER. I DO THINK IT'S BEEN HELPFUL THAT WE HAVE THAT SPACE FOR FOLKS TO GO TO. I WANT TO MAKE SURE IT STAYS LOW-BARRIER AND THAT WE'RE ABLE TO CONTINUE FUNDING IT BECAUSE WE CAN TRY TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS ALL DAY LONG WITH OUR UNHOUSED FOLKS BUT IF WE DON'T HAVE ANYWHERE FOR THEM TO GO, THERE'S NOTHING FOR THEM TO DO. THAT WAS THE ONE THING, EVERY TIME THEY DO THE COUNT, THAT'S THE WORST WHEN SOMEONE'S LIKE I'M ON THE WAITING LIST FOR HOUSING.
HEARING THAT IS TRULY THE BIGGEST PROBLEM, I THINK. MAKING SURE WE'RE GETTING MORE CREATIVE WITH OUR HOUSING SOLUTIONS. APPRECIATE YOUR AND NHSC'S LEADERSHIP. DOUBLING DOWN ON MAJOR/MINOR HOME REHAB.
AND TRYING TO SEE IF WE CAN GET MORE VOUCHERS BUT I THINK THAT IS SPECIFICALLY VERY HELPFUL.
AND THEN EVERYTHING TIED TO THIS IS ALSO LIKE READY TO WORK, WORKFORCE PROGRAMMING, AND HOW DO WE GET PEOPLE JOBS. MAKING SURE WE'RE CONTINUING THAT WORK TOO IS REALLY IMPORTANT. I'LL END BY SAYING THANK YOU. WE HAD A TENANT AT ROBERT E.
LEE THAT WAS GOING TO BE EVICTED AND YOU AND THE REST OF THE TEAM AND FOLKS OVER AT SAM CAME TOGETHER TO HELP HIM GET SHELTER IMMEDIATELY. IT WAS A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT IT
[01:35:04]
TOOK TIME AND ENERGY TO HELP ONE PERSON BUT THAT ONE PERSON NOW HAS A PLACE TO STAY.APPRECIATIVE OF THAT AND I WANT THAT PROCESS TO BE ABLE TO WORK FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE.
FIGURING OUT HOW WE REPLICATE THAT IS THE TRICKY PART. I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK
YOU. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER KAUR.
COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
I GUESS I'LL JUST REITERATE I THINK THE SAME QUESTION I HAD, WHICH WAS WE ARE GIVING SO MUCH MONEY TO HAVEN FOR HOPE AND I WORRY THERE WILL BE A CHALLENGE IN THE FUTURE IF SOMETHING HAPPENS AND WE DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THE DATA THAT THIS SORT OF NETWORK RELIES ON.
WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO GET THAT. WHETHER IT'S THEY GIVE REPORTS THAT LEAVE OUT CERTAIN -- I DON'T KNOW. SOMETHING HAS TO HAPPEN.
SOMETHING CAN HAPPEN. I THINK THAT'S A BIG AREA FOR OPPORTUNITY.
AND I KNOW YOU HEARD IT. SECOND TO THAT, FOR YOU ALL AND FOR THE STAFF WHO ARE WATCHING, I DO KNOW THIS IS A VERY CHALLENGING AND DIFFICULT ISSUE.
THAT DOESN'T GO ABOVE ANYBODY'S HEAD. WE ALL UNDERSTAND IT AND THE WORK THAT ESPECIALLY OUR OUTREACH WORKERS AND PEOPLE WHO ARE DOING WORK ON THE GROUND, IT'S VERY EMOTIONALLY BURDENSOME WORK AND I KNOW IT'S TAXING AND IT FEELS LIKE IT'S NEVER ENDING AND PRESENTATIONS LIKE THIS WHERE WE SEE THE ISSUE IS NOT GOING AWAY.
I KNOW THAT CAN BE DEMORALIZING AND I WANT TO CONVEY EVEN THOUGH IT DOESN'T ALWAYS FEEL LIKE IT, I'M GRATEFUL. I KNOW MY COLLEAGUES ARE GRATEFUL, MY DISTRICT, AND OUR COMMUNITY AT LARGE IS GRATEFUL FOR THE WORK THAT ALL OF THESE FOLKS ARE DOING AND SO I DO WANT TO CONVEY THAT. I DO ALSO WANT TO ADDRESS A COUPLE OF THINGS I HEARD.
IN A FEW YEARS WE ARE GOING TO REACH A BILLION DOLLARS IN THE POLICE BUDGET ANNUALLY, RESPONDING TO CRIME. AND A SLIM FRACTION OF THAT WE WILL BE SPENDING ON PREVENTING CRIME. OUR REACTION DOLLARS ARE MUCH BIGGER THAN OUR PREVENTION DOLLARS SO IT MAKES SENSE WE'LL NEED TO SPEND MONEY ON RESPONDING TO THE CRISIS ON HOMELESSNESS THAT EXISTS WHILE WE'RE TRYING TO PREVENT MORE PEOPLE FROM BECOMING HOMELESS.
WHAT MANY OF US ARE SAYING TODAY IS WE NEED THE DATA AND DISCUSSIONS NECESSARY TO GUIDE OUR INVESTMENT STRATEGICALLY AND IF THERE'S -- IF HOMELESSNESS CONTINUES TO BE NUMBER ONE OR NUMBER TWO FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS, THEN I THINK IT'S MORE IMPORTANT THAT WE ACT LIKE IT. HOW DO WE REPRIORITIZE DELEGATE AGENCY FUNDS TO ADDRESS THE ROOT CAUSE OF HOMELESSNESS AND CRIME AND THESE BIG ISSUES THAT WE HAVE? HOW DO WE TARGET ISSUES IN METRO HEALTH OR NHSD TO MORE STRATEGICALLY MATCH WHAT WE KNOW TO BE TRUE BASED ON THE DATA. WHAT INVESTMENTS DO WE MAKE NOW TO PREPARE US FOR THE FUTURE? IF WE ARE THINKING ABOUT THE 2027 BOND, IS ANYBODY ACQUIRING LAND RIGHT NOW? IS ANYBODY SECURING FUNDING FOR DESIGNS OF PROJECTS SO THAT WE HAVE SHOVEL-READY PROJECTS COME AT THE NEXT AFFORDABLE HOUSING BOND.
IS SOMEONE ACTIVELY IDENTIFYING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING OR LOW-BARRIER SHELTERS. IS SOMEBODY DOING THAT SO WE'RE READY WHEN THE TIME COMES.
THAT IS WHERE I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE DISCUSSION GO AND ANY FOLLOW-UPS.
I'M GOING TO PIVOT AGAIN BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT FURTHER PROOF PEOPLE NEED THAT YOU CAN TAKE EVERYTHING FROM SOMEONE AND THEY WILL MAKE IF YOU LOOK AT THE ENCAMPMENTS THAT ARE SWEPT AWAY AND THEN POP RIGHT BACK UP AGAIN.
THERE ARE VERY RESILIENT PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT ARE GOING TO MAKE THE MEANS AND SO I UNDERSTAND THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE FRUSTRATED WITH THE ENCAMPMENTS THAT EXIST, THE TRASH, THE SHOPPING CARTS. THE FOLKS WHO PANHANDLE WITH SIGNS AT INTERSECTIONS, ALL OF IT. UNDERSTAND IT. IT'S FRUSTRATING.
BUT THESE ARE ALL SYMPTOMS OF A MUCH LARGER PROBLEM AND YOU DON'T CURE A FEVER BY BREAKING THE THERMOMETER. AND SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO SOLVE HOMELESSNESS BY MAKING IT ILLEGAL TO CARRY SHOPPING CARTS. WE'RE NOT GOING TO STOP PEOPLE FROM NEEDING MONEY JUST BY MAKING UGLY SIGNS AND DISPLAYING THEM THAT SAY YOU CAN SAY NO TO PANHANDLERS. IT'S GOING TO MAKE SOME PEOPLE FEEL GOOD BECAUSE IT FEELS LIKE THEY WERE HEARD AND IT FEELS LIKE, OH, THAT TRASH IS GONE, UNTIL IT POPS UP TWO DAYS FROM NOW. BUT UNLESS WE'RE ADDRESSING THE REAL PROBLEM AND DOING SO COMPASSIONATELY, LIKE I KNOW WE ALL CAN, WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET TO WHERE WE NEED TO GO AND I THINK WE CONTINUE TO FEED THE BEAST THAT IS, YOU KNOW, A VERY UGLY SENTIMENT THAT EXISTS RIGHT NOW ABOUT OUR NEIGHBORS WHO ARE WITHOUT SHELTER. WE SHOULD NOT BE -- BECAUSE
[01:40:10]
SOMEONE IS DIRT. SOMEONE NEEDS MONEY. OR I'M TERRIFIED FOR MY LIFE.IF YOU CAN'T GIVE A DOLLAR, DON'T GIVE A DOLLAR. I HAVE NEVER BEEN ATTACKED BY A PANHANDLER WHO I DIDN'T GIVE MONEY TO. THERE ARE SOME DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS WE NEED TO HAVE AS A COMMUNITY AND WITH OUR CONSTITUENTS BECAUSE THESE THINGS, THESE UGLY, UGLY THINGS WHERE WE'RE TAKING AND HURTING PEOPLE WHO ARE ALREADY HURT AND WITHOUT, WE CANNOT KEEP DOING THAT AND THINK THAT'S A SOLUTION.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ.
COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE. >> WHYTE: YEAH, I AGREE WITH A LOT OF THAT BUT THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF PEOPLE HURTING THAT AREN'T NECESSARILY HOMELESS. AND A LOT OF NEEDS THEY HAVE AS WELL. AND, YOU KNOW, YOU MENTIONED IF IT'S GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE A TOP PRIORITY FOR OUR CITIZENS, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE DID THAT SURVEY THE OTHER YEAR, YOU KNOW, HOMELESSNESS WAS AT THE TOP OF THE LIST. BUT I THINK WE ALL SAID BACK THEN, YOU KNOW, HOMELESSNESS IS VERY GENERAL. WHAT IS IT THAT OUR RESIDENTS WERE REALLY SAYING TO US? THAT THEY WANT US TO ADDRESS THE HOMELESS PROBLEM OR THEY WANT US TO CLEAN UP THE HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS? BECAUSE WHEN -- LISTEN, EVERYBODY WANTS TO SOLVE HOMELESSNESS BUT I WOULD ARGUE TO YOU THAT HOMELESSNESS WAS AT THE TOP OF THAT SURVEY BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE SAYING THEY WANTED THESE HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS CLEANED UP. IT'S SOMETHING THAT I HEAR ABOUT AT ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY MEETINGS. SECONDLY ON THE LOW-BARRIER SHELTER, IT SOUNDS LIKE WE HAVE SOME SUPPORT FOR CONTINUING THE LOW-BARRIER SHELTER. I MEAN, LISTEN.
THIS IS ABSOLUTELY A DEBATE THAT WE NEED TO HAVE COMING UP WITH THE BUDGET BECAUSE THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY AND I DON'T HEAR FROM MY RESIDENTS A DESIRE TO CONTINUE TO PUT FOLKS IN HOTELS DOWNTOWN. SO I THINK THAT IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO DISCUSS AS TO WHETHER THIS COUNCIL WANTS TO PUT ITS MONEY THERE OR PUT ITS MONEY ELSEWHERE. AND THE FINAL THING I'LL SAY, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT THIS 6.8% INCREASE IN OUR HOMELESS POPULATION OVER THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF OR WHATEVER IT IS. LOOKING AT WHY THAT IS IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING WE SHOULD DO. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I KNOW COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT IS THE HOMELESS FOLKS THAT ARE BEING BROUGHT TO OUR CITY FROM OTHER CITIES. AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I FIRST HEARD ABOUT SHORTLY AFTER I WAS ELECTED. I KNOW THERE'S THIS BEXAR COUNTY AGREEMENT WITH ONE OF OUR SURROUNDING CITIES TO BRING SOME HOMELESS FOLKS HERE TO SAN ANTONIO.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT'S DRIVING UP THE NUMBER? SHOULD WE BE FOOTING THE ENTIRE BILL FOR THIS? DO WE NEED TO GET ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM BEXAR COUNTY OR MAYBE, AGAIN, START TALKING WITH THESE SURROUNDING JURISDICTIONS ABOUT WHAT THEY TOO CAN CONTRIBUTE IN TERMS OF RESOURCES TO OUR HOMELESS RESPONSE.
THANKS. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE.
>> COURAGE: THANK YOU. MELODY, MAYBE YOU CAN TELL ME BETWEEN YOUR DEPARTMENT AND NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING SERVICES DEPARTMENT, HOW MANY PEOPLE SINCE THE PANDEMIC HAVE WE KEPT FROM BECOMING HOMELESS BY PAYING THEIR RENT SO THAT THEY CAN STAY HOUSED?
>> WOOSLEY: I DON'T HAVE THAT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD BUT I THINK WE CAN PROBABLY WORK
TOGETHER AND GET YOU THAT NUMBER. >> COURAGE: IS IT FAIR TO SAY
THOUSANDS? >> WOOSLEY: JUST SIMPLY THROUGH THE RENTAL ASSISTANCE
PROGRAM. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THE RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
DURING COVID ALONE SUPPORTED 55,000 HOUSEHOLDS. >> COURAGE: MY POINT IS -- AND WE CONTINUED DOING THAT THROUGH GENERAL FUND DOLLARS AND OTHER FEDERAL DOLLARS WE GET. WE HAVE LITERALLY HELPED TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE TO NOT BECOME HOMELESS. SO I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE ADDRESSING AS MUCH AS WE CAN THE HOMELESS ISSUE. WHY AREN'T WE DOING ALL THE GREAT THINGS THAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING TO FIGHT HOMELESSNESS? I MEAN, WHY AREN'T WE?
>> WOOSLEY: WE DO A LOT OF THEM. WE ARE PARTNERS WITH OTHER CITIES. WE TALK TO THEM. WE FOLLOW THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE
[01:45:03]
INFORMATION THAT COMES OUT. SO WE DO LEARN FROM OTHER CITIES.>> COURAGE: YEAH, BUT WHY AREN'T WE USING THEIR SOLUTIONS?
>> HOUSTON: WE ARE ACTUALLY A LEADER IN SOME OF THESE SOLUTIONS.
THREE EXAMPLES. WE CREATED A NURSING HOME PILOT LAST YEAR FUNDED BY FIRST DAY.
THEY GAVE US AND OTHER CITIES ARE CALLING US TO SEE HOW WE DO THIS. COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO TALKED ABOUT CAMS PROGRAM. THAT WAS ANOTHER EFFORT. THE SYSTEM, WE BROUGHT THE DONOR TO THE PROGRAM. CAM HIRED PSYCHIATRIC NURSES. THEY ARE GOING OUT ON THE STREET AND THEY ARE GIVING MEDICATION TO THOSE HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS THAT NEED IT.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE. WE ALSO WORKED WITH CORAZON MINISTRIES.
WE WENT AND FOUND A DONOR, BROUGHT THEM TO CORAZON. WE HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THIS INDIRECT FUNDING YOU HAVE TALKED ABOUT, COUNCILMAN WHYTE, WHERE THE HOMELESS ARE CALLING 9-1-1 FOR THEIR MEDICAL NEEDS. NOW WHAT HAVE WE DONE? WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH FIRST DAY. THEY DONATED TO US A MOBILE MEDICAL UNIT THAT'S A BUS --
>> COURAGE: YOU'RE GETTING AWAY FROM MY QUESTION. WHAT ARE WE GETTING FROM THE OTHER CITIES? THEY'RE SOLVING THE PROBLEM, AREN'T THEY?
>> HOUSTON: THEY ARE NOT SOLVING THE PROBLEM. >> COURAGE: THAT'S THE POINT THAT I WANT TO MAKE. NO ONE ACROSS THE TABLE HERE HAS COME UP WITH A SOLUTION TONIGHT. WE'VE COMPLAINED ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING.
WE'RE CHALLENGING THAT WE NEED TO DO MORE OR WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING ELSE BUT NO OTHER CITY IN THE COUNTRY HAS COME UP WITH A SOLUTION. SO FOR US TO THINK THAT WE WILL, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE SHOULDN'T CONTINUE DOING WHAT WE'RE DOING.
AND WE CAN'T DO MORE OF WHAT WE'RE DOING. BUT IT DOESN'T -- BUT THERE AREN'T SOLUTIONS TO HOMELESSNESS THAT WE ARE NOT TRYING OR WE ARE NOT LOOKING FOR OR THAT WE'RE NOT INCORPORATING INTO THIS CITY. AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF US TO RECOGNIZE THAT. IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND THAT.
BUT ALSO IT DOESN'T MEAN WE STOP LOOKING AND TRYING TO DO MORE.
A SUGGESTION I HAVE IS THAT HAVE WE EVER CONSIDERED TRYING TO CONTACT RELATIVES OF HOMELESS PEOPLE IN THIS CITY AND ASK THEM TO COME AND MEET WITH THE HOMELESS AND CONVINCE THEM TO TRY AND COME IN FOR HELP. ARE WE DOING THAT?
>> HOUSTON: THAT IS THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY. WE WANT TO REUNITE THE HOMELESS
WITH THEIR FAMILIES. >> COURAGE: GOOD. WELL, HOPEFULLY THAT HELPS.
AND I HADN'T HEARD ABOUT THAT SO I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT. I WANT TO JUST FINISH BY SAYING ABOUT THE CARTS. YOU KNOW, INO RESPECT PEOPLE WHO WANT TO GO OUT AND COLLECT ALUMINUM CANS, PEOPLE WHO WANT TO TAKE THEIR GROCERIES HOME WHO DON'T LIVE RIGHT NEXT DOOR, THINGS LIKE THAT. BUT IF WE MAKE IT EASY OR ALLOW IT TO CONTINUE TO BE EASY FOR
PEOPLE TO BE HOMELESS -- >> IT'S VERY EASY. YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING. YOU JUST SLEEP OUT ON THE STREETS. YOU GO TALK TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE OUT THERE.
IT'S EASIER FOR THEM TO LIVE THE WAY THEY'RE LIVING THAN TO GET THE HELP THEY NEED.
>> COURAGE: IT'S A MATTER OF BEING WILLING TO ACCEPT HELP TO HELP YOURSELF.
THAT'S PSYCHOLOGICAL HELP, ADDICTIVE HELP, THAT'S MONETARY HELP.
AND GIVING PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COLLECT TRASH FROM EVERYWHERE THEY CAN FIND IT AND LIVE WITH IT IS JUST ALLOWING THEM TO CONTINUE TO LIVE AS EASILY AS THEY CHOOSE TO LIVE. AND I'M NOT SAYING ANYONE SHOULD LIVE LIKE THAT.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE. COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO.
>> CASTILLO: I JUST WANTED TO END WITH ONE PORTION OF THE HOMELESS RESPONSE ANNUAL REPORT, AND THAT'S ON PAGE 25 ON PREVENTION AND DIVERSION, WHICH EMPHASIZES THAT HOMELESSNESS IS SIGNIFICANTLY MORE COST-EFFECTIVE IN INTERVENTION THAN RESPONDING TO THE NEEDS ONCE AN INDIVIDUAL OR FAMILY BECOMES HOMELESS. I THINK THAT'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT, AS WE CONTINUE TO HAVE THESE BUDGET CONVERSATIONS, THAT WE MUST CONTINUE TO HOME GET TO REMAIN IN THAT HOME THROUGH THE MINOR/MAJOR HOME REHAB PROGRAM, OPERATION REBUILD, AS WELL AS INVESTING IN RENTAL AND UTILITY ASSISTANCE.
IT'S MENTIONED IN THE REPORT BUT SOMETIMES WE RUN INTO WHERE WE'RE OUT OF FUNDS.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO IS INVESTING ENOUGH FUNDS IN WHICH WE'RE NOT RUNNING OUT OF THOSE DOLLARS WHEN A FAMILY IS IN THE PROCESS OF EVICTION AND/OR
[01:50:04]
RELOCATION. JUST WANTED TO END WITH THAT NOTE ON THE PREVENTION AND DIVERSION AND THAT'S WHERE WE SHOULD BE INVESTING OUR DOLLARS.THAT'S IT. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? I AGREE WHOLEHEARTEDLY.
ONE OF THE GREAT INNOVATIONS THAT HAS HAPPENED IN OUR HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM OVER THE LAST PROBABLY SEVEN YEARS IS THE ALIGNMENT WITH HOUSING STRATEGY.
YOU'LL GET NO ARGUMENT FROM ME. WE DO NEED TO HAVE RESOURCES FROM OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT AREN'T AS AGGRESSIVE IN SOLVING THIS ISSUE AS WE ARE.
BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS IT IS FAR DIFFERENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE AREAS THAT WORK AND AREAS THAT WE NEED TO IMPROVE THAN IT IS TO PAT OURSELVES ON THE BACK.
THAT'S NOT WHAT THIS IS ABOUT. THIS IS ABOUT ACKNOWLEDGING PROGRESS WHERE WE'RE FINDING IT, FIGURING OUT WAYS WE CAN IMPROVE IT, AND THEN ADDRESSING THE THINGS THAT WE'RE NOT CURRENTLY DOING. I THINK COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO NAMED A FEW PROGRAMS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN OTHER CITIES THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO ADOPT HERE.
WHOLEHEARTEDLY SUPPORT THAT. BUT I THINK IT IS ALSO USEFUL TO TALK UPSTREAM.
FRANKLY, I APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS OF COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ.
IT SOUNDS A LOT LIKE OUR PUBLIC SAFETY CONVERSATIONS. WE DON'T SOLVE CRIME -- OR WE DON'T PREVENT CRIME WITH OUR POLICE BUDGET. WE RESPOND TO IT.
IT'S THE INVESTMENTS WE MAKE IN OUR COMMUNITY, WHETHER IT'S EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT OR INVESTMENT IN INFRASTRUCTURE AND NEIGHBORHOOD PRESERVATION THAT WILL ULTIMATELY PREVENT CRIMES IN OTHER, YOU KNOW, SOCIAL ILLS FROM OCCURRING IN THE FIRST PLACE. IT'S THE SAME THING WITH THIS. AND I'M REMINDED OF THE FACT THAT RIGHT BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, BEFORE EVERYBODY BASICALLY WAS IN NON-CONGREGANT SHELTER, THE NIX HOSPITAL DOWNTOWN SHUT DOWN. WE HAD ANOTHER MENTAL HEALTH FACILITY SHUT DOWN PRIVATELY OWNED ON THE SOUTHSIDE. THOSE ARE HEADWINDS, IN ADDITION TO ALL THE ECONOMIC CHALLENGES THAT FAMILIES ARE FACING NOW, THAT SAN ANTONIO HAS TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DEAL WITH. AND WHEN I LOOK AT THIS REPORT, I'M SEEING A GOOD RESPONSE SYSTEM BECAUSE WE'VE IDENTIFIED GAPS, LOW-BARRIER SHELTER BEING ONE OF THEM. WE DO NEED TO FIND MORE PERMANENT WAYS THAT WE CAN PROVIDE THAT SORT OF FACILITY BECAUSE THERE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE HEADWINDS AND PEOPLE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO NEED LOW-BARRIER SHELTER. BUT WE ALSO NEED TO INVEST IN THOSE THINGS THAT WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT FAMILIES BEFORE THEY GET TO THAT POINT.
SO ALL TOLD, AGAIN, FOR THE FOLKS THAT ARE HERE LISTENING THAT ARE PART OF THIS RESPONSE SYSTEM, THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO. WE ACKNOWLEDGE IT.
IT IS WORKING, EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE WORKING UNDER SOME VERY CHALLENGING CONDITIONS, MANY OF THEM EXTERNAL TO OUR CITY, THAT WE'RE GETTING MORE ADEPT AT ADDRESSING AND HANDLING HERE.
WITH THAT, THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO END UP. >> WALSH: MAYOR, SECOND ITEM -- THANK YOU, MELODY AND THE TEAM. OUR SECOND ITEM, COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN REQUESTED WHEN THE COUNCIL APPROVED THE CHANGES TO OUR SBEDA ORDINANCE IN DECEMBER, AN UPDATE BY MARCH ON IMPLEMENTATION. SO ANA HAS A VERY SHORT PRESENTATION TO LAY OUT THE TWO-PHASED APPROACH WE HAVE TO IMPLEMENT THE CHANGES WITH THE FINAL CHANGE GOING INTO EFFECT JULY 1 OF THIS SUMMER. A BIG PART OF WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM ANA IS ALL THE OUTREACH AND COMMUNICATION THAT THE DEPARTMENT HAS ALREADY BEGUN. AND THAT WILL CONTINUE AS WE MOVE TOWARDS IMPLEMENTATION.
SO THIS IS A REAL QUICK PRESENTATION. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. ANA BRADSHAW, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. ERIK SHARED THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PRESENTATION BUT WE'LL PROCEED WITH JUST A FEW ADDITIONAL BITS OF INFORMATION.
FIRST I WANTED TO THANK ROY, WHO IS THE CHAIR OF OUR SBEDA COMMITTEE.
ROY AND THE ENTIRE COMMITTEE HAS BEEN A GREAT ASSISTANCE GOING BACK TO WHEN WE STARTED WITH THE DISPARITY STUDY IN 2021 AND LOOKING FORWARD TO CONTINUING WORKING WITH THEM.
WE ARE PROCEEDING WITH THE TWO-PHASE IMPLEMENTATION WITH THE FIRST TAKING EFFECT THIS WEEK. AND REALLY FOCUSING IN BETWEEN NOW AND JULY 1ST ON THOSE ITEMS THAT IMPACT SMALL BUSINESS ELIGIBILITY FOR THE SBEDA PROGRAM AND THOSE TOOLS THAT ARE AVAILABLE. YOU'LL SEE THOSE BUCKETS. THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES GOING INTO EFFECT, AS WELL AS THOSE ELIGIBILITY TOOL CHANGES THAT WERE ADOPTED BY COUNCIL.
AND THE TOOLS THAT STAFF ARE ABLE TO RECOMMEND AND PLACE ON THE SOLICITATIONS TO PROVIDE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES TO OUR LOCAL SMALL, MINORITY, WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES TO BE
[01:55:03]
ABLE TO COMPETE FOR OUR CITY CONTRACTS. SPEND A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME FOCUSING ON THE OUTREACH AND COMMUNICATION STRATEGY. FIRST AND FOREMOST WE WANT TO BE TARGETED WITH OUR LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES. WE KNOW THEY WEAR MANY HATS SO PROVIDING THEM THE INFORMATION THAT IS MOST RELEVANT TO THEM IN A WAY THAT IS ACCESSIBLE AS WELL AS PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES TO COME ASK US QUESTIONS IS OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.SO WE'VE ALREADY STARTED THE PROCESS OF IDENTIFYING THOSE BUSINESSES WHO WILL BE SPECIFICALLY IMPACTED BY THOSE CHANGES, TO OUR TOOLS AND ELIGIBILITY AND HAVE STARTED GETTING LETTERS INTO THE MAIL. SO THEY WILL BE STARTING TO RECEIVE THOSE OVER THE COMING WEEKS. AND REALLY POINTING TO THEM TO OPPORTUNITIES TO ASK QUESTIONS AND HAVE THAT DIALOGUE WITH THE TEAM AS WE PROCEED WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION.
SO YOU'LL SEE WE HAVE SCHEDULED A NUMBER OF VIRTUAL INFORMATION SESSIONS AND WE'LL BE FOLLOWING UP WITH IN-PERSON SESSIONS TO BE HELD IN THE MONTH OF MAY. WE REALLY WANT TO ENCOURAGE THOSE VENDORS WHO CURRENTLY DO BUSINESS WITH THE CITY BUT ALSO THOSE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN DOING BUSINESS WITH THE CITY TO ATTEND. TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SBEDA PROGRAM IN GENERAL BUT ALSO THOSE CHANGES TO THE PROGRAM THAT WILL BE IMPACTING THEM COME JULY 1. WE'RE ALSO REACHING OUT TO STAKEHOLDERS.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF STAKEHOLDER GROUPS INCLUDING SMALL BUSINESS ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS, TRADE ORGANIZATIONS, AND OUR CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE WHO HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE AS INFORMED AS OUR VENDORS. THEY OFTEN SERVE AS THAT CONDUIT TO THE VENDOR THEMSELVES SO WE HAVE REACHED OUT TO ALL OF THOSE STAKEHOLDER AGENCIES AND ARE IN THE PROCESS OF SCHEDULING TIME TO MEET WITH THEM AND THEIR MEMBERSHIP OR OTHER ASSOCIATED GROUPS TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. AND FINALLY, REPORTING.
THAT WAS ANOTHER AREA WHERE WE REALLY SOUGHT TO AUGMENT THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.
AND AS WE'VE BEEN SHARING WITH EACH OF YOUR OFFICES, WE HAVE ROLLED OUT OUR UPDATED ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE DASHBOARD. AND IT IS A REPOSITORY FOR LOTS OF OUR SBEDA DATA, INCLUDING MONTHLY UTILIZATION REPORTS. OUR ANNUAL REPORT, WHICH HAPPY TO SHARE IN 2024 WE MET ALL OF OUR SBEDA GOALS. AND A NEW REPORT THAT WE HAVE COMMITTED TO PROVIDING, WHICH IS A BIANNUAL RESPONSE ANALYSIS. TO SERVE AS THAT EARLY INDICATOR, ARE WE SEEING CHANGES IN SMALL BUSINESSES PARTICIPATING IN JUST THE BID PROCESS AND HOW WE CAN CONTINUE TO ADAPT AND EDUCATE ALONG THE WAY.
SO HERE'S JUST A QUICK SAMPLE. ALSO A LINK TO ACCESS THE REPORT THAT IS A LOT MORE DYNAMIC THAN JUST THIS SCREENSHOT. THIS IS OUR 2025 YEAR TO DATE REPORT THAT SHOWS OUR PROGRESS TOWARDS THE GOALS. IT IS ALSO, IF YOU'LL SEE ON THE LEFT SIDE, ABLE TO BE SLICED AND DICED BY INDUSTRY CATEGORY.
SO IF THERE'S A PARTICULAR AREA OF INTEREST, THAT DATA CAN BE ACCESSED.
ALSO AT THE PRIME AND SUBCONTRACTOR LEVEL. WE KNOW LOTS OF OUR OPPORTUNITIES ARE ACCESSED THROUGH SUBCONTRACTING AND WE'RE VERY COMMITTED TO THAT AND WANT TO MAKE THAT DATA AVAILABLE AS WELL. THIS WILL BE UPDATED ON A MONTHLY BASIS. THAT CONCLUDES MY VERY BRIEF PRESENTATION.
HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU, ANA. NO QUESTIONS FROM ME. WE'LL GO RIGHT INTO DISCUSSION. COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE OKAY. COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN.
>> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU, THANK YOU, ANA FOR A THAT PRESENTATION.
ONE REQUEST THAT WE GET THE INFORMATION, WHETHER IT'S IN DIGITAL FORM OR ANY ADVERTISEMENTS YOU HAVE FOR THE VIRTUAL SESSION SO WE CAN PUT THEM OUT TO OUR RESIDENTS.
THE OTHER IS HAVE WE HEARD ANYTHING FORMAL FROM THE CHAMBERS REGARDING LETTERS OR KIND OF QUESTIONS REGARDING THAT PERSONAL NET WORTH? BECAUSE THAT'S ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I KNOW KEEP ON COMING UP WHEN I RUN INTO PEOPLE IS THEY'RE LIKE THAT'S GOING TO BE DIFFICULT OR THAT'S GOING TO BE HARD. AND THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE IS ARE MORE PEOPLE GETTING THAT SMALL BUSINESS DESIGNATION? ARE WE STILL WORKING WITH THE GROUP THAT DOES THAT? BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WAS SUPPLY SA'S PUSH.
>> WITH SUPPLY SA, WHICH IS THE NEW NAME OF THE SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS REGIONAL CERTIFICATION AGENCY, WE CONTINUE TO WORK CLOSELY WITH THEM. WE HAVE MADE A NUMBER OF IMPROVEMENTS WORKING WITH THE OTHER PUBLIC AGENCIES. THEY ARE WORKING THROUGH THEIR BACKLOG. THEIR NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MELANIE MCCOY, HAS REALLY IMPLEMENTED A PROCESS TO STREAMLINE THEM. THERE IS A BIT OF A DELAY BUT THEY ARE ON THEIR WAY TO CATCHING UP ON THOSE CERTIFICATIONS AND WE'LL WORK
[02:00:03]
CLOSELY. AS WE WORK THROUGH OUR IMPLEMENTATION, WE ARE SOLIDIFYING THAT PROCESS, HOW IT WILL LOOK FOR OUR VENDORS. AS PART OF THE OUTREACH SESSIONS, WE'LL BE PROVIDING INFORMATION ON WHAT WILL BE REQUIRED AS WE IMPLEMENT THATPIECE. >> VIAGRAN: THAT'S THE ONLY OTHER UPDATE I WANTED BEFORE WE PUSHED THIS FORWARD BECAUSE I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE AS COUNCIL MEMBERS WERE ABLE TO GET THAT OUT TO OUR COMMUNITIES THROUGH OUR NEWSLETTERS OR OUR VARIOUS SOURCES OF COMMUNICATION WITH OUR SMALL BUSINESSES AND OUR RESIDENTS. SO, THANK YOU.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN. ERIK.
>> WALSH: ONE OTHER THING AS IT RELATES PUBLIC ENTITIES COMMITTED TO WAS TO HAVE CEOS BE ON THE BOARD.
SO I'M ON THE BOARD OF SUPPLY SA. AND I'VE AGREED TO BE THE CHAIR OF SUPPLY SA FOR THE FIRST YEAR. AND LEO GOMEZ IS THE VICE CHAIR. AND BUT WE'RE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO GET ORGANIZED AND MOVE ALONG THAT PROCESS. I THINK IT WAS CRITICAL FOR THE FACT THAT THE CITY DOES THE MOST IN TERMS OF THIS AREA AND HAD BEEN A MAJOR PART OF THE EFFORT THAT I AGREED TO BE THE CHAIR OF THAT EFFORT. AND ALL THE PUBLIC ENTITIES ARE CONTINUING TO BE INVOLVED. ALL OF THE CEOS AND GENERAL MANAGERS ARE ON THE BOARD WITH
ME SO I THINK WE HAVE A LOT OF BUY-IN FROM PUBLIC ENTITIES. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU, ERIK.
I THINK ONE OF THE REASONS I WAS OKAY WITH MOVING TOWARDS THE AMENDMENTS FOR SBEDA WAS BECAUSE SUPPLY SA AND THE OTHER GOVERNMENT ENTITIES HAD SEEN OUR MODEL AND SAID THEY WOULD GOING TO WORK TOWARDS THAT, AT THE REQUEST OF SOME OF OUR FEDERAL LEADERS.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT DOESN'T GET SLOWED DOWN. THANK YOU.
>> WALSH: IF IT DOES SLOW DOWN, I'LL REPORT THAT TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN. COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE.
>> WHYTE: THANKS. DON'T HAVE MUCH ON THIS. WAS PLEASED THAT WE MADE THE AMENDMENTS TO THE SBEDA ORDINANCE THAT WE DID AT THE END OF LAST YEAR.
THERE WAS A LOT OF GREAT WORK ON THAT. REALLY, I JUST WANT TO THANK OUR DISTRICT 10 REPRESENTATIVE, ROY, HERE IN THE FRONT ROW. NOBODY WAS MORE DILIGENT AND WORKED HARDER DURING THAT PROCESS TO MAKE THE RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING THE ORDINANCE CHANGES. SO, THANK YOU TO ROY. THANKS, MAYOR.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON ITEM 2? OKAY. HEARING NONE, WE ARE GOING TO MOVE TO AN EXECUTIVE SESSION. A BRIEF ONE. SO THE TIME IS 4:12 P.M. ON MARCH 26, 2025. THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO WILL NOW MEET IN EXECUTIVE SESSION TO CONSULT WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.071 AND TO DELIBERATE OR DISCUSS THE FOLLOWING ITEMS. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATIONS PURSUANT TO SECTION 551.087. PURCHASE, EXCHANGE, LEASE OR VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY PURSUANT TO SECTION 551.072. LEGAL ISSUES RELATED TO LITIGATION INVOLVING THE CITY, EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, AND COLLECTIVE BARGAINING ALL
PURSUANT TO SECTION >> MAYOR PRO TEM: THE TIME IS NOW FIVE THEREFORE P.M. ON MARCH 6, 2025, THE CITY COUNCIL WILL NOW RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION. NO OFFICIAL ACTION WAS TAKEN IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. THE TIM
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.