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>> MAYOR JONES: GOOD AFTERNOON. THE TIME IS NOW 2:02 P.M.
ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1ST, 2026, AND THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO B SESSION IS NOW CALLED TO ORDER, MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL ROLL.
>> CLERK: THANKS, MADAM CLERK TO. DAY WE'VE GOT TWO ITEMS ON A TOPIC THAT I KNOW IS TOP OF MIND OF MANY, WE HAVE A BRIEFING ON THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING FUNDING PIECE AND THEN WE'LL GO INTO A SOURCE OF INCOME PROTECTIONS FOR VETERANS AND I'LL SAVE MY COMMENTS FOR THE LATTER TOPIC RIGHT BEFORE THAT
PRESENTATION. ERIK, OVER TO YOU. >> WALSH: THANK YOU, MAYOR. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
TWO ITEMS TODAY, THE PRIMARY ITEM IS A POSTSOLICITATION ON OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING GAP FUNDING AND COMMUNITY LAND TRUST.
YOU'LL RECALL WE WENT THROUGH A B SESSION ON THE PRESOLICITATION SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, JUST AS A REMINDER OF THE $150 MILLION THAT THE VOTERS APPROVED IN 2022, APPROXIMATELY 129.5 MILLION HAS BEEN COMMITTED TO PRODUCE OR PRESERVE MORE THAN 5,000 UNITS OVER MULTIPLE FUNDING ROUNDS. AND SO VERONICA WILL WALK THROUGH THE POSTSOLICITATION. YOU'LL RECALL THAT YOU ALL HAD A PRETTY ROBUST CONVERSATION IN THE PRESOLICITATION, SO I THINK VERONICA WILL GO THROUGH THOSE ASPECTS OF IT AS SHE GOES THROUGH THE PRESENTATION.
THE SECOND ITEM, THE MAJOR JUST MENTIONED IT IT WAS AN ITEM THAT THE MAYOR HAD ASKED US TO BRING FORWARD ON THE SOURCE OF INCOME PROTECTIONS FOR VETERANS IN SAN ANTONIO. SO THAT WILL BE THE SECOND ITEM. MAYOR, VERONICA HAS THESE TWO PRESENTATIONS TOGETHER, THAT WAY WE'LL JUST GO THROUGH THE WHOLE PRESENTATION AND THEN
TURN IT OVER TO YOU ALL FOR COMMENTS. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, ERIK. VERONICA GARCIA. TODAY'S ITEM IS A POSTSOLICITATION BRIEFING ON OUR ANNUAL REQUEST FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS. TODAY'S BRIEFING INCLUDES NEARLY $21 MILLION OF AWARDS FOR EIGHT PROJECTS WHICH WERE SELECTED THROUGH A COMPETITIVE PROCUREMENT PROCESS. WE WILL BE CREATING AND REHABBING AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING AS WELL AS CREATING NEW AFFORDABLE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES TO OWN. THE AWARDS INCLUDE FUNDING FROM BOTH OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING BOND AS WELL AS FEDERAL CDBG AND HOME FUNDS.
TOGETHER THESE PROJECTS WILL HELP US MEET OUR SHIP HOUSING GOALS AND ENSURE THE COMMUNITY HAS QUALITY HOUSING OPTIONS WITH MEANINGFUL SUPPORTIVE SERVICES THAT HELP PEOPLE STAY HOUSED. SO THE FIRST SOLICITATION, I WILL GO OVER WAS THE GAP FUNDING, WHICH WAS MADE AVAILABLE FOR CREATING OR PRESERVING RENTAL HOUSING AS WELL AS BUILDING NEW HOMES TO OWN. WE PRIORITIZED FAMILY-SIZED UNITS WITH DEEP AFFORDABILITY WITHIN THE URBAN CORE AND ALONG THE GREEN OR SILVER LINE OR FREQUENT TRANSIT LINES. THE BOND FUNDS AND FEDERAL FUNDS WERE MADE AVAILABLE CREATING A STREAMLINE APPLICATION PROCESS THAT'S IN ALIGNMENT WITH OUR ADOPTED HUD PLAN, OUR STRATEGIC HOUSING IMPLEMENTATION PLAN AS WELL AS OUR HOUSING BOND PARAMETERS. THE RFPS WERE ALL RELEASED IN DECEMBER OF 2025, AND A TOTAL OF APPROXIMATELY $18.8 MILLION HAS BEEN MADE AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT THESE SOLICITATIONS. CITY STAFF INCORPORATED CITY COUNCIL'S FEEDBACK FROM THE PRESOLICITATION BRIEFING INTO THE RFP PROCESS THAT WAS HELD LAST NOVEMBER. THIS INCLUDED PRIORITIZING DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE LOCATED NEAR FREQUENT TRANSIT AND PROVIDING AN EXTRA PRIORITY FOR DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE LOCATED WITHIN A QUARTER MILE OF THE ADVANCED RAPID TRANSIT LINE, MEANING THE GREEN OR THE SILVER LINE, FREQUENT BUS SERVICE LINE, MEANING IT'S WITHIN EVERY 15 OR 30 MINUTES AND WITHIN VIA LINK ZONES.
AS REQUESTED DURING THE LAST B SESSION, WE ALSO PILOTED AS AN EXERCISE A PARALLEL SCORING FRAMEWORK TO REALLY EVALUATE THE AFFORDABILITY OF EACH PROPOSAL. FOR THIS EXERCISE, WE PRESCRIBED POINTS FOR THE NUMBER AND OVERALL PROPORTION OF UNITS THAT WERE SET ASIDE FOR FAMILIES BELOW 30% OF THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME.
THE PILOT SCORING WAS FOR REVIEW ONLY, AND THE FINAL AWARD RECOMMENDATIONS ARE EXACTLY IN ALIGN WITH THE PILOT SCORING
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RECOMMENDATIONS. FOR THE FUNDING IN A TOTAL OF 14.7 MILLION WAS MADE AVAILABLE FOR RENTAL HOUSING SOLICITATION, INCLUDING 10 MILLION FROM THE HOUSING BOND AND ABOUT 4.7 MILLION FROM FEDERAL FUNDS IN HOME AND CDBG. TODAY WE ARE RECOMMENDING TO AWARD UP TO $14.4 MILLION FOR FOUR PROJECTS N THE HOME OWNERSHIP CATEGORY WE ONLY HAVE $4.2 MILLION OF FEDERAL DOLLARS AVAILABLE, WE RECEIVED TWO PROPOSAL AND ARE RECOMMENDING FUNDING FOR BOTH OF THOSE AWARDS SO IN TOTAL WE ARE SEEKING TO AWARD $18.5 MILLION FOR SIX HOUSING DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS. SO THE RENTAL HOUSING SOLICITATION, WE CONTINUE TO PRIORITIZE DEEPLY AFFORDABLE UNITS AND REQUIRE THAT EVERY PROJECT THAT WAS APPLYING FOR FUNDING INCLUDED AT LEAST 15% OF THE UNITS FOR FAMILIES EARNING 30% OF THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME OR BELOW.SO IN SAN ANTONIO, THAT'S A FAMILY OF THREE MAKING LESS THAN $26,000 A YEAR. IN ADDITION TO PRIORITIZING HOUSING NEAR TRANSIT, WE ALSO PRIORITIZED ADDING HOUSING WITHIN THE URBAN CORE. ADDITIONALLY, WE DID COMPLETE DISPLACEMENT IMPACT ASSESSMENT FOR ALL NEW RENTAL HOUSING PROJECTS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE NEEDS OF THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY, AND I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT ALL OF THE RECOMMENDED PROJECTS, NONE OF THEM WILL RESULT IN ANY PERMANENT DISPLACEMENT FOR RESIDENTS.
THE SCORING COMMITTEE IS MADE UP OF REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES, HISTORIC PRESERVATION, THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, THE DEPARTMENT OF COMPLIANCE OPPORTUNITY ACCESS AS WELL AS DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
WE ALSO PARTNERED WITH VIA TO HELP EVALUATE THE PROPOSALS AS RELATED TO THE TRANSIT. WE INCLUDED MEMBERS OF OUR CITIZEN HOUSING BOND COMMITTEE, AS WELL AS THE HOUSING COMMISSION IN AN ADVISORY CAPACITY.
THE SCORING COMMITTEE LOOKED AT OUR CRITERIA WITH THE MOST NUMBER OF POINTS GOING TO HOW AFFORDABLE THE PROJECT WAS BEING PROPOSED, SO THE MORE DEEPLY AFFORDABLE UNITS, THE MORE POINTS THE PROJECT RECEIVED. WE ALSO LOOKED AT WHAT TYPE OF HOUSING WAS BEING BUILT, WHERE IT WAS GOING TO BE LOCATED AND HOW THEY WERE LEVERAGING THEIR CITY ASK. SO WE LOOKED AT EVERYTHING FROM WHAT OTHER TYPES OF FUNDING PROJECTS WERE REQUESTING, HOW MUCH CITY FUNDING THEY WERE REQUESTING, ESPECIALLY IN RELATION TO THOSE DEEPLY AFFORDABLE UNITS. WE ALSO EVALUATED PROJECTS WITH TRANSIT IN MIND, AGAIN, PRIORITY POINTS, THE CLOSER YOU WERE TO FREQUENT TRANSIT, AND THEN WE ALSO CONSIDERED DEVELOPMENT EXPERIENCE AND NONPROFIT PARTNERSHIPS DID RECEIVE ADDITIONAL POINTS. WE ALSO WERE CLOSELY LOOKING AT EACH PROPOSAL AND WHAT SERVICES THEY WERE PROVIDING TO RESIDENTS WITH THE FOCUS ON HOW THEY WERE HELPING THEM MAINTAIN THAT HOUSING STABILITY. LASTLY, FOR THIS FUNDING ROUND, WE DID NOT PROVIDE ANY SMALL BUSINESS OR LOCAL PREFERENCE POINTS. THIS WAS WAIVED DUE TO THE INCLUSION OF FEDERAL DOLLARS. THIS IS THE SCORING MATRIX FOR OUR RENTAL REHAB. WE DID GET FOUR PROJECTS AND THE TOP SCORING PROJECT IS RECOMMENDED FOR AN AWARD.
THAT IS 111 WEST TRAVIS IS A RENTAL REHAB PROJECT.
HISTORIC MULTIFAMILY LOCATED IN DOWNTOWN SAN ANTONIO ALONG THE SILVER LINE. THE SAN ANTONIO HOUSING TRUST PUBLIC FACILITY CORPORATION ACQUIRED THIS PROPERTY JUST THIS PAST SUMMER, AND WE ARE PROPOSING AN AWARD OF $4.5 MILLION FROM THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING BOND FOR THE PRESERVATION OF 63 AFFORDABLE UNITS, INCLUDING 13 UNITS THAT ARE AFFORDABLE FOR FAMILIES AT 30% AM IMPRISMI OR BELOW. THIS PROJECT IS INCLUDING ONSITE SERVICES FOR THE RESIDENTS WHO LIVE THERE. THE HOUSING TRUST HAS A PRETTY EXTENSIVE RELOCATION PLAN FOR THE RESIDENTS.
THEY WILL BE ADDING IN A SECOND ELEVATOR TO GREATLY INCREASE THE ACCESSIBILITY FOR THE RESIDENTS, AND SO THAT WILL REQUIRE A TEMPORARY RELOCATION AND THE HOUSING TRUST WILL BE COVERING MOVING EXPENSES AND HELPING THEM VERY CLOSELY RELOCATE, AND EVERYONE HAS THE OPTION TO COME BACK ONCE THE RENOVATIONS ARE COMPLETE.
IN ADDITION, WE WILL BE CONSIDERING UP TO $1.7 MILLION OF FORGIVING AN EXISTING CDBG LOAN THAT DATES BACK TO 1995. THAT LOAN FORGIVENESS WILL BE AN ITEM THAT COMES TO COUNCIL, UP TO THE FULL FORGIVENESS AMOUNT AS A SEPARATE ITEM FOR THIS POTENTIAL AWARD.
IN THE NEW RENTAL PRODUCTION CATEGORY, WE RECEIVED A TOTAL OF SEVEN PROPOSALS, TWO PROPOSALS WITHDREW FROM THE PROCESS.
THIS SCORING MATRIX SHOWS THE FOUR WERE SELECTED FOR INTERVIEWS BY THE EVALUATION COMMITTEE, AND ONE PROPOSAL WAS DISQUALIFIED AFTER THE INTERVIEW PROCESS. WE ARE RECOMMENDING THE TOP THREE PROPOSALS FOR FUNDING AWARDS. THE FIRST RECOMMENDED PROJECT IS JUDY AT VIDA, ALSO A SAN ANTONIO HOUSING TRUST PROJECT. THIS ONE IS LOCATED IN DISTRICT FOUR NEAR TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY. THEY ARE RECOMMENDING -- THE DEVELOPMENT WILL CREATE 68 SUPPORTIVE HOUSING UNITS THAT ARE
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AIMED AT SERVING YOUTH EXPERIENCING OR AT RISK OF HOMELESSNESS.THIS ALSO INCLUDES YOUTH TRANSITIONING OUT OF FOSTER CARE.
WE ARE RECOMMENDING AN AWARD OF $5.6 MILLION, WHICH COMES FROM THE HOUSING BOND, CDBG AS WELL AS HOME FUNDING. THE 68 UNIT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING PROJECT WILL BE COMPETING FOR THE 9% LOW INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDIT AWARDS WHICH WILL FIND OUT IF THAT IS AWARDED LATER THIS SUMMER.
THEY ARE THE TOP SCORING PROJECT, SO WE FEEL VERY CONFIDENT THAT THIS PROJECT WILL BE SEEN TO FRUITION. THEY ARE COMMITTED TO THE UNIVERSAL DESIGN LEVEL FOUR WHICH IS THE HIGHEST ACCESSIBILITY STANDARD AND THE WRAPAROUND SERVICES FOR THE YOUTH WHO WILL LIVE IN THE HOUSING INCLUDES CASE MANAGEMENT, MENTAL HEALTH SER SERVICES, FINANCIAL LITERACY, LIFE COACHING SKILLS ALL PROVIDED BY SAMMINISTRIES, AND THE PROJECT DOES INCLUDE 14 UNITS AT 14% OF THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME. THE SECOND PROJECT IS THE AURORA MLK IN COUNCIL DISTRICT TWO. THIS IS LOCATED NEAR ST. PHILLIP'S COLLEGE, IT IS AN NRP DEVELOPMENT. WE ARE RECOMMENDING AN AWARD OF $1.75 MILLION IN A CDBG LOAN FOR CREATION OF 288 AFFORDABLE UNITS, INCLUDING 44 UNITS DEEPLY AFFORDABLE FOR FAMILIES AT 30% AMI OR BELOW. 94% OF THE HOMES ARE FAMILY-SIZED UNITS, THIS IS LOCATED IN THE URBAN CORE NEAR FREQUENT TRANSIT. IT'S ABOUT A MILE FROM THE SILVER LINE, BUT IT'S DIRECTLY A BUS STOP ON A LINE THAT HAS VERY FREQUENT SERVICE.
THE SERVICES INCLUDE YOUTH ACTIVITIES AFTER SCHOOL, A FOOD PANTRY AS WELL AS FREE TRANSPORTATION TO MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS, ALL PROVIDED BY A NONPROFIT PARTNER. THAT PROJECT WAS ALSO GOING TO APPLY FOR 4% LOW INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDITS AND THEY WILL FIND OUT IF THAT'S AWARDED LATER THIS YEAR. THE HERITAGE ESTATES AT MEDINA IS THE THIRD RECOMMENDED PROJECT. THIS IS ALSO IN DISTRICT FOUR LOCATED NEAR PORT SAN ANTONIO. THIS PROJECT, WE ARE RECOMMENDING A $2.5 MILLION AWARD FROM THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING BOND FOR THE CREATION OF 86 UNITS FOR OLDER ADULTS WITH THE FOCUS ON SERVING VETERANS. THIS PROJECT WAS AWARDED 9% LOW INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDITS LAST YEAR, SO THE AWARD OF HOUSING BOND FUNDS HELPS CLOSE THE GAP, SHOULD CLOSE THIS SUMMER AND BEGIN CONSTRUCTION SOON AFTER THAT. 13 UNITS ARE FOR FAMILIES AT 30% OF THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME OR BELOW. YOU CAN SEE THE SERVICES OFFERED ON SITE REALLY TARGET THE OLDER ADULTS LIVING IN THE HOUSING, SUCH AS HEALTH AND WELLNESS, FINANCIAL LITERACY AND OTHER NUTRITION SEMINARS.
THIS IS THE SUMMARY OF THE RENTAL HOUSING, SO A TOTAL OF FOUR PROJECTS ARE BEING RECOMMENDED, TOTALING 14.4 MILLION. IN TOTAL, WE WILL BE CREATING AND PRESERVING 505 RENTAL HOMES, INCLUDING 156 DEEPLY AFFORDABLE UNITS AND OVER 350 FAMILY-SIZED UNITS FOR THE COMMUNITY.
IN THE HOME OWNERSHIP PRODUCTION CATEGORY, WE INCLUDED FEDERAL FUNDS OF CDBG AND HOME, WE OFFICIALLY HAD TOTAL FUNDING OF JUST OVER $2 MILLION BUT WE WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY PROGRAM SAVINGS MAKING THE TOTAL AMOUNT AVAILABLE OF $4.2 MILLION. WE ALSO COMPLETED DISPLACEMENT IMPACT ASSESSMENTS FOR THESE NEW HOUSING COMMUNITIES TO REALLY UNDERSTAND ANY VULNERABILITIES OF THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY.
THE SCORING CRITERIA IS THE SAME THAT WE UTILIZED FOR RENTAL HOUSING WITH THE MOST POINTS GOING FOR AFFORDABILITY. WE ALSO, AGAIN, LOOKED AT LEVERAGED FUNDS, IF ANY NONPROFIT PARTNERS WERE WORKING, THE DEVELOPMENT EXPERIENCES FOR THE TEAMS AND, AGAIN, A FOCUS ON PROJECT READINESS.
THE SCORING COMMITTEE INCLUDED CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, HOMELESS SERVICES AND STRATEGY DEPARTMENT, HISTORIC PRESERVATION, NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES, CAPITAL DELIVERY, COMPLIANCE OPPORTUNITY ACCESS AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, AND, AGAIN, VIA HELPED US REVIEW THE PROJECT LOCATIONS IN RELATION TO TRANSIT. ADDITIONALLY, WE HAD A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE HOUSING COMMISSION SUBCOMMITTEE IN AN ADVISORY ROLE. WE RECEIVED A TOTAL OF TWO HOME OWNERSHIP PROPOSALS FOR CONSIDERATION AND BOTH OF THEM ARE RECOMMENDED FOR AN AWARD. I'LL START WITH RANCHO VERANO, IT'S THE BRAND-NEW SUBDIVISION FOR HABITAT FOR HUMANITY IN COUNCIL DISTRICT FOUR.
WE ARE PROPOSING A RECOMMENDED AWARD OF FOUR-POINT -- TOTALING $4 MILLION FROM CDBG AND HOME FUNDS TO SUPPORT 47 NEW HOME OWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, HABITAT ANTICIPATES SELLING THE HOMES FOR ABOUT $160,000, AND THEY DO OFFER A ZERO% INTEREST MORTGAGE TO EVERY SINGLE HOME BUYER,
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AS WELL AS EXTENSIVE SUPPORT PREPURCHASE AS WELL AS POSTPURCHASE.THE SECOND PROPOSAL RECOMMENDED IS THE CASITAS AFFORDABLE HOMES WHICH IS PROPOSED BY OUR CASAS IN COUNCIL DISTRICT FIVE.
THIS IS AN INNOVATIVE MISSING MIDDLE INFILL PROJECT.
WE'RE RECOMMENDING $225,000 IN FEDERAL FUNDS TO SUPPORT FOUR UNITS.
EACH HOME WILL BE TWO BEDROOMS, ONE BATHROOM, AND ONE LOT IS LARGE ENOUGH TO SUPPORT A SECOND ADU IN THE BACK, AND ALL OF THE HOMES THAT ARE BEING SOLD WILL BE FOR FAMILIES EARNING BELOW 80% OF THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME WHICH IS LESS THAN $70,000 A YEAR FOR A FAMILY OF THREE.
IN TOTAL, THESE PROJECTS WILL ADD 51 NEW HOME OWNERSHIP -- AFFORDABLE HOME OWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
WE ARE RECOMMENDING A TOTAL OF $4.2 MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDING TO SUPPORT THE PRODUCTION OF THESE HOMES. THE OTHER ITEM THAT WE ARE DOING A POSTSOLICITATION BRIEFING ON IS FOR THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST FUNDING. COMMUNITY LAND TRUSTS ARE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS WHICH OWN THE LAND, USUALLY ON BEHALF OF COMMUNITY AND INSURE LONG-TERM AFFORDABILITY. ADVANCING COMMUNITY LAND TRUSTS IS A STRATEGY WITHIN OUR STRATEGIC HOUSING IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.
LAST FALL WE RELEASED THE SOLICITATION MAKING $1.5 MILLION AVAILABLE FROM OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING BOND. IN EXCHANGE FOR FUNDING, ORGANIZATIONS MUST DEMONSTRATE LASTING AFFORDABILITY FOR UP TO 99 YEARS, AND THIS SOLICITATION IS IN ALIGNMENT AND -- WITH OUR CLT DESIGNATION POLICY AND ANYONE RECOMMENDED FOR AN AWARD WILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE CITY'S DESIGNATION PROCESS. THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS WAS RELEASED IN OCTOBER OF 2025. THE SCORING COMMITTEE INCLUDED INTERNAL CITY STAFF AS WELL AS EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE HOUSING COMMISSION AND A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE HOUSING BOND COMMITTEE. THE COMMITTEE EVALUATED EACH PROJECT ON UNIQUE SCORING CRITERIA THAT REFLECTS THE UNIQUE NATURE OF A CLT.
WE LOOKED AT THE GOVERNANCE, SO WHAT IS THE MAKEUP OF THE CLT'S BOARD, HOW ARE THEY ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY, HOW DOES THEIR MISSION AND MODEL ALIGN WITH LONG-TERM AFFORDABILITY FOR THE RESIDENTS THAT THEY ARE PLANNING TO SERVE, WHAT -- THAT ARE BEING RECOMMENDED, SO WHO SPECIFICALLY ARE THEY TARGETING, WHAT SERVICES ARE THEY OFFERING POTENTIAL RENTERS OR HOME BUYERS. WHAT OTHER FUNDS ARE THEY LEVERAGING IN ADDITION TO HOUSING BOND FUNDS, AND WHAT -- WHERE IS THE LOCATIONS OF HOMES THAT ARE BEING PROPOSED. THE LOCAL PREFERENCE POINTS AND VETERAN-OWNED SMALL-BUSINESS PREFERENCE POINTS BOTH APPLIED IN THIS FUNDING ROUND.
SO WE RECEIVED A TOTAL OF THREE PROPOSALS FOR THE CLT CATEGORY, AND THE SCORING COMMITTEE IS RECOMMENDING THE TWO PROJECTS FOR AWARD AND ASK THAT WE LOOK AT WAYS TO FUND THE TOP TWO. WE DID IDENTIFY ADDITIONAL FUNDS IN THE HOUSING BOND FROM THE HOME OWNERSHIP REHAB BUCKET, WHICH IS FUNDING THE CURRENT SOLICITATION, AND WE DO HAVE ENOUGH TO FUND THE TOP TWO. SO THE FIRST ONE RECOMMENDED FOR AN AWARD IS A SILK ROLLED CULL TRA LINGUACLT, THIS IS PROPOSAL $1.5 MILLION FROM THE HOUSING BOND TO SUPPORT 10 HOME OWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES.
THE CULTURAL LINGUA CLT IS LOOKING TO SERVE DISTRICTS 1, 7 AND 8 REALLY TARGETING HOME OWNERSHIP IN THE NORTHWEST.
THE PROPOSAL INCLUDES WORKING WITH PREAPPROVED BUYERS TO IDENTIFY HOMES IN ONE OF SIX TARGETED NEIGHBORHOODS. THE CLT WILL ACQUIRE THE HOME, USE BOND FUNDS TO HELP MAKE REPAIRS, INCLUDING CODE OR ACCESSIBILITY IMPROVEMENTS AND THEN THEY WILL BE SOLD TO THE NEW HOME BUYERS AND THE CLT WILL HAVE THE 99-YEAR GROUND LEASE AND THE HOME BUYER WILL BE PURCHASING THE ACTUAL STRUCTURE. SO, AGAIN, ENSURING THAT LONG-TERM AFFORDABILITY FOR HOME BUYERS. THEY AGREED TO PURCHASE HOMES WITHIN HALF A MILE FROM VIA TRANSIT. THEY OFFER FINANCIAL COUNSELING, EDUCATION AND POSTPURCHASE SUPPORT. THE SECOND PROPOSAL RECOMMENDED FOR AN AWARD IS THE ESPERANZA CLT, THEY REQUESTED $681,400, AGAIN THIS WOULD ALL COME FROM THE HOUSING BEYOND. A VERY UNIQUE MODEL, THEY ALREADY HAVE 10 HOMES OR 10 PROPERTIES, AND THEY WILL BE USING BOND FUNDS TO REPAIR THEIR EXISTING INVENTORY OF SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES WHICH WILL THEN BE RENTED TO FAMILIES BELOW 30% OF THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME ON THE
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HISTORIC WEST SIDE. THESE HOMES ARE ALL WITHIN HALF A MILE OF FREQUENT TRANSIT OR EVEN THE FUTURE SILVER LINE. AND THEY DO OFFER EXTENSIVE EDUCATIONAL SERVICES INCLUDING HELPING RENTERS -- SERVICES ON MAYBE HELPING THEM BECOME FUTURE HOME BUYERS.SO IN SUMMARY, WE ARE RECOMMENDING AN AWARD OF UP TO $2.2 MILLION FROM THE HOUSING BOND TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY LAND TRUSTS, INCLUDING 20 AFFORDABLE SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES. SO THAT CONCLUDES THE POSTSOLICITATION BRIEFING FOR GAP FUNDING AWARDS. AS MENTIONED, WE DO HAVE TWO ITEMS FOR TODAY, AND THE SECOND ONE IS LOOKING AT A DISCUSSION ON THE VETERANS SOURCE OF INCOME PROTECTIONS. WE DO HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM OPPORTUNITY HOME, AS WAS THE BEXAR COUNTY -- QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. SOURCE OF INCOME PROTECTIONS INSURE QUALIFIED RENTERS DO NOT GET TURNED AWAY FROM HOUSING SOLELY ON THE BASES OF THEIR SOURCE OF INCOME, SUCH AS A HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER.
THE HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER PROGRAM IS THE LARGEST RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IN THE COUNTRY. THIS IS FUNDED BY HUD, SO IT'S A FEDERAL PROGRAM, AND IT'S ADMINISTERED LOCALLY BY OUR PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITIES.
THIS PROGRAM HELPS HOUSEHOLDS WITH LOW INCOMES FIND DECENT, STABLE HOUSING ON THE PRIVATE MARKET. THIS IS A VOLUNTARY PROGRAM, CURRENTLY THERE IS NO STATE OR NATIONAL REQUIREMENT FOR LANDLORDS TO ACCEPT VOUCHERS, EXCEPT IN CERTAIN INCENTIVIZED PROPERTIES, WHICH I'LL GO INTO. THE VOUCHER HELPS A FAMILY PAY NO MORE THAN 30% OF THEIR INCOME TOWARDS RENT, AND THEN THE FEDERAL STIPEND COVERS THE REMAINING INCOME, WHICH IS PAID DIRECTLY TO EACH LANDLORD. THERE IS ALSO A SPECIAL VOUCHER SPECIFICALLY FOR VETERANS WHICH IS THE VETERANS AFFAIRS SUPPORTIVE HOUSING -- OR REFERRED TO AS A VASH VOUCHER. THIS PROGRAM SERVES VETERANS WHO HAVE BEEN HOMELESS OR AT HIGH RISK OF HOMELESSNESS AND PROVIDES THEM WITH NOT JUST A VOUCHER, BUT ALSO ONGOING CASE MANAGER SUPPORT TO REALLY HELP FIND HOUSING AND STAY HOUSED.
THE STATE OF TEXAS IS CLEAR ON WHAT CITIES CAN AND CANNOT DO REGARDING SOURCE OF INCOME. THE LEGISLATION PREEMPTS CITIES FROM ADOPTING SOURCE OF INCOME PROTECTIONS THAT APPLY TO ALL RENTERS IN ALL PROPERTIES. HOWEVER, IT DOES ALLOW FOR PROTECTIONS IN CITY INCENTIVIZED PROPERTIES OR FOR VETERANS CITYWIDE.
THIS IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT SOURCE OF INCOME PROTECTIONS DO NOT MANDATE THAT RENTERS WITH A VOUCHER MUST P ACCEPTED.
INSTEAD IT REALLY INSURES THAT THE VOUCHER CANNOT BE THE REASON FOR A RENTER BEING DENIED HOUSING IF THEY ARE OTHERWISE QUALIFIED.
THEY STILL HAVE TO MEET ANY KIND OF LEASING CRITERIA, SUCH AS CREDIT REQUIREMENTS OR COVERING THE RENT WITH A VOUCHER, SO ALL OTHER REQUIREMENTS WILL STILL APPLY. THIS WOULD SIMPLY MANDATE THAT THE VOUCHER CANNOT BE THE REASON THE VETERAN IS DENIED THE HOUSING. IN SAN ANTONIO, WE'VE ALREADY TAKEN STEPS TO INSURE RENTERS HAVE ACCESS TO HOUSING, REGARDLESS OF THEIR LAWFUL SOURCE OF INCOME. THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED OUR HOUSING VOUCHER INCENTIVE POLICY, WHICH WAS AN ORDINANCE PASSED IN JUNE OF 2021 THAT INSURES THE SOURCE OF INCOME PROTECTION FOR VOUCHER HOLDERS, IF THEY ARE LOOKING TO LIVE IN A CITY-INCENTIVIZED PROPERTY. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, ALL OF THE HOUSING COMMUNITIES THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER THAT ARE PROPOSED TO RECEIVE FEDERAL AWARDS OR CITY AWARD DOLLARS, THOSE WOULD BE REQUIRED TO ACCEPT VOUCHERS UNDER OUR EXISTING ORDINANCE. THE SAN ANTONIO HOUSING TRUST FUNDED PROPERTIES AND OTHER FEDERALLY FUNDED PROPERTIES SUCH AS TAX CREDIT PROPERTIES ALSO CANNOT DENY HOUSING TO OTHERWISE QUALIFIED RENTERS SOLELY ON THE BASIS OF THEIR SOURCE OF INCOME. FURTHER, OUR NONDISCRIMINATION -- FROM DISCRIMINATION BASED ON THEIR RACE, COLOR, RELIGION, SEX, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, GENDER IDENTITY, DISABILITY, FAMILIAL STATUS, NATIONAL ORIGIN, AGE OR VETERAN STATUS, AND I WILL POINT OUT THAT BOTH AGE AND VETERAN STATUS ARE UNIQUE FOR SAN ANTONIO. THIS DISCUSSION HAS BEEN ONGOING SINCE THE HOUSING VOUCHER INCENTIVE POLICY WAS PASSED IN 2021.
WE'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS ON POTENTIAL SOURCE OF INCOME PROTECTIONS, WHAT MORE CAN BE DONE TO HELP MAKE IT EASIER FOR BOTH RENTERS AND LANDLORDS WHO WANT TO UTILIZE HOUSING VOUCHERS. WE HAD A DISCUSSION AT PCDC ON THIS TOPIC BACK IN APRIL OF 2024. AT THE TIME, PCDC REQUESTED THAT WE HAVE THE SAME DISCUSSION WITH THE HOUSING COMMISSION.
WE THEN WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH THE WORKING GROUP TO DISCUSS HOW WE CAN WORK CLOSELY WITH LANDLORDS AND ALL OF OUR OTHER PARTNERS IN THIS SPACE TO REMOVE BARRIERS TO THE VOUCHER PROGRAM OVERALL.
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THE REACH WORKING GROUP DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS, WHICH I WILL GO OVER ON THE NEXT SLIDE, THOSE WERE ALL SHARED WITH THE HOUSING COMMISSION AND MOST RECENTLY WITH PCDC IN APRIL OF 2025. SO OUR DEPARTMENT'S MISSION IS QUITE SIMPLE. WE WANT TO ENSURE EVERYONE IN SAN ANTONIO HAS ACCESS TO SAFE, STABLE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING.AS PART OF OUR BROADER WORK TO EXPAND HOUSING ACCESS FOR EVERYONE, WE PARTNERED WITH CLOSE TO HOME TO CONVENE A WORKING GROUP AT PCDC'S REQUEST WHERE WE LOOKED AT HOW WE CAN INSURE BROADER UTE SAIKS OF HOUSING VOUCH -- UTILIZATION OF HOUSING VOUCHERS. WE HEARD COMMON CONCERNS SUCH AS THERE ARE LENGTHY INSPECTION PROCESSES, THERE ARE LONG WAIT TIMES TO RECEIVE FIRST PAYMENTS. ISSUES WITH HOW THOSE PAYMENTS ARRIVE, COMMON CONCERN WAS THAT THE VOUCHER RENT MAXIMUMS ARE NOT ALWAYS COMPETITIVE ACROSS THE CITY, AND OVERALL CONCERNS ABOUT THE ADMINISTRATIVE BURDENS OF THE VOUCHER PROGRAM AND EXTRA PAPERWORK, ESPECIALLY WHEN COMPARED TO JUST RENTING ON THE PRIVATE MARKET. THE WORKING GROUP INCLUDED PROPERTY MANAGERS AND OWNERS, BOTH OF OUR HOUSING AUTHORITIES PARTICIPATED AND WE HAD SUPPORT FROM VETERAN ADVOCATES AS WELL AS STAFF.
ALL RECOMMENDATIONS WERE SHARED, AGAIN, WITH HOUSING COMMISSION AS WELL AS PCDC IN 2024. AND THE WORKING GROUP CONTINUES TO MEET ON A QUARTERLY BASIS. THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS WITH THE HELP OF ALL OF THIS ONGOING ROBUST STAKEHOLDER PARTICIPATION, WE HAVE SEEN SOME POSITIVE OUTCOMES OF THE REACH INITIATIVE.
WE'VE NOTED FASTER INSPECTION TIMES FROM THE HOUSING AUTHORITIES, THEY'VE NOTED THAT PAYMENTS HAVE ALSO BEEN ISSUED DOWN FROM 30 TO 60 DAYS TO AS QUICK AS 17 DAYS. WE ARE ALSO -- THEY ARE WORKING TO TEST AN APP THAT WILL PROVIDE BETTER, FASTER INFORMATION ON WHAT IS THE STATUS OF INSPECTIONS AND WHERE YOU'RE AT IN THE PROCESS. WE ALSO WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THE SAN ANTONIO BOARD OF REALTORS AND THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF RENTAL PROPERTY MANAGERS WERE GREAT PARTNERS IN HELPING US JUST INSURE THAT RENTERS HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHICH PROPERTIES TODAY ACCEPT VOUCHERS.
SO TODAY NOW THE MULTIPLE LISTING SERVICE, MLS, NOW INDICATES IF PROPERTIES ACCEPT VOUCHERS, WHICH CREATED A LOT MORE AVAILABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY OF WHICH PROPERTIES MAKING THEM EASIER TO FIND.
THE HOUSING AUTHORITIES ALSO WERE ABLE TO ADDRESS A COMMON CONCERN WITH HOW THE PAYMENTS WERE MADE, SO INSTEAD OF NOW BEING BUNDLED IN ONE LUMP SUM PAYMENT, NOW YOU CAN SEE IF THEY'RE TIED TO INDIVIDUAL UNITS, WHICH REALLY HELP STREAMLINE THE ACCOUNTING ON THE LANDLORD PROPERTY OWNER'S SIDE. WE REALLY WANTED TO OUTLINE WHO IS IMPACTED BY SOURCE OF INCOME PROTECTIONS FOR VETERANS.
AGAIN, THIS WOULD BE FOR THAT VERY SPECIFIC CLASS.
IN SAN ANTONIO, THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 90,500 VETERANS, THIS IS ACCORDING TO 2024 CENSUS DATA. OF THOSE, WE ESTIMATE APPROXIMATELY 1140 HAVE SECTION 8 HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHERS AND ABOUT A LITTLE OVER 800 HOLD THE VASH VOUCHERS. COMBINED, WE HAVE A LITTLE OVER 100 VETERANS WITH EITHER TYPE OF VOUCHER WHO ARE CURRENTLY SEEKING HOUSING. THIS COULD BE BECAUSE THEY ARE NEW TO THE VOUCHER PROGRAM OR IT COULD BE BECAUSE THEY'RE MOVING OR IT COULD BE BECAUSE OF OTHER REASONS. I'LL NOTE AGAIN THAT SINCE VASH HAS CASE MANAGEMENT, THEY DO HAVE SEVERAL SET-ASIDE UNITS THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY DESIGNATED PROPERTIES THAT WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR CASE MANAGERS, AND THEY DO TEND TO HAVE FASTER LEASEUP TIMES THAN THE GENERAL HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER PROGRAM. THAT IS WHY WE WORK SO CLOSELY WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS TO REALLY TRY AND REMOVE BARRIERS FOR ALL VOUCHER HOLDERS OVER THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF.
SO AS MENTIONED, WE DO CONTINUE TO MEET ON A QUARTERLY BASIS WITH OUR REACH WORKING GROUP, REALLY FOCUSING ON WHAT OTHER BARRIERS ARE OUT THERE AND HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO STREAMLINE THE PROCESS AND ENCOURAGING BROADER ACCEPTANCE OF HOUSING VOUCHERS FOR ALL POPULATIONS. TODAY'S DISCUSSION, WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO SEEK YOUR FEEDBACK ON THIS ISSUE, CONSIDERATION, AGAIN, OF A POTENTIAL ORDINANCE OR DO WE CONTINUE TO HAVE DISCUSSIONS AT THE PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE. SOME THINGS TO CONSIDER WOULD BE THAT HOUSING PROVIDERS, AGAIN, WOULD BE PROHIBITED TO REFUSING TO LEASE OR RENTER TO A VETERAN SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY HAVE A VOUCHER AND WE WANT YOUR FEEDBACK ON VARIOUS CONSIDERATIONS SUCH AS WHAT WOULD BE THE APPLICABILITY OF THIS EFFORT AND POTENTIAL ENFORCEMENT.
TODAY, WE DO RELY ON -- WITH OUR HOUSING VOUCHER INCENTIVE POLICY THAT EXISTS NOW, WE DO RELY ON COMPLAINTS WHICH COME TO OUR OFFICE OR GO THROUGH 3-1-1 FOR INVESTIGATION. SO THANK YOU. I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR DISCUSSION. AGAIN, LOOKING FOR FEEDBACK FROM ALL OF YOU
ON THIS TOPIC. >> MAYOR JONES: OKAY. THANK YOU, VERONICA.
[00:30:05]
NOBODY HAS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. OH, NOT IN THE SYSTEM.OKAY. IF YOU'D RAISE YOUR HANDS IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS TOPIC, AND THEN I'LL CALL ON YOU. FIRST, AGAIN, VERONICA -- I'M NOT SURE -- OH, YOU'RE MIND THE THING. THANK YOU, AGAIN, REALLY APPRECIATED THE INFORMATION AND FRANKLY HOW RIGOROUS AND HOW TRANSPARENT THE PROCESS IS SO EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS KIND OF WHERE THEY FAIRED AS WE ALSO TRIED TO INCENTIVIZE FOLKS TO REALLY ENSURE THAT THESE ARE AS CLOSE TO OTHER SERVICES THAT PEOPLE REALLY NEED, FOR EXAMPLE, LIKE PUBLIC TRANSIT. ON THE VETERAN SOURCE OF INCOME PROTECTIONS, I THINK THIS IS, AS MENTIONED, THIS HAS BEEN A DISCUSSION THAT HAS BEEN LONG GOING, BEFORE THIS BODY, DIFFERENT ITERATIONS, AND SO AS I WAS LOOKING AT THIS SLIDE DECK, EVEN IN YOUR SLIDE DECK IN 2024, IT'S VERY SIMILAR, ALMOST THE EXACT SAME SLIDE DECK.
AND SO WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE SIZE OF OUR VETERAN POPULATION HERE AS WELL AS THE PROGRESS MADE IN OTHER COMMUNITIES, FOR EXAMPLE, FORT WORTH.
FORT WORTH ALREADY PASSED THIS ORDINANCE -- WITH A $500 FEE ASSOCIATED WITH IT. AS A VETERAN SERVING ON THIS BODY AND UNDERSTANDING JUST HOW SIGNIFICANT VETERAN HOMELESSNESS IS IN OUR COMMUNITY, I VISITED SAMMINISTRIES, THE HOTEL, THE HILTON THERE, AND SPOKE WITH THOSE FOLKS. AND 25% OF THOSE FOLKS ARE VETERANS THAT UTILIZE THOSE SERVICES, SO AS MUCH AS WE CAN POSSIBLY DO TO HELP PEOPLE QUICKLY GET THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND THEN UTILIZE A VOUCHER IN AN AREA WHERE THEY NEED IT. AND I THINK -- AS I WAS LOOKING THROUGH THE SLIDES, AND FRANKLY, THINKING ABOUT THIS DISCUSSION LAST NIGHT, I THINK WHAT'S A LITTLE BIT ABSENT FROM THIS DISCUSSION IS UNDERSTANDING THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT HOUSING AND ITS PROXIMITY TO THE HEALTHCARE THAT VETERANS REQUIRE AND NEED, RIGHT? AND SO NOT UNLIKE OTHER CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE IN OUR COMMUNITY, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS LOOK AT A MAP AND SEE THE DISPARITY, RIGHT? SO THERE ARE 14VA FACILITIES IN THE CITY OR SURROUNDING AREA. I DON'T INCLUDE KERRVILLE, I DON'T INCLUDE VICTORIA, BUT IT'S 14. THERE'S ONLY ONE HOSPITAL. IT'S AUDIE MURPHY. EVEN THAT NEW FACILITY OFF 151 IS NOT A HOSPITAL, THAT'S JUST A CLINIC, RIGHT? SO 14 FACILITIES, ONE HOSPITAL. AND OF THOSE REMAINING 13 CLINICS, ONLY THREE OF THEM ARE SOUTH OF 90. RIGHT? SO THE SAME DISPARITIES THAT WE SEE IN HEALTHCARE AT LARGE, THE SAME DISPARITIES WE EVEN SEE IN LIBRARIES, RIGHT, THAT 90 LINE, IS CERTAINLY ALSO A DIVIDING LINE HERE WHEN IT COMES TO ACCESS TO HOUSING THAT OUR VETERANS NEED. SO THE -- TO LAY FLAT IN CASE IT'S ALSO HELPFUL TO SHAPE PEOPLE'S -- MY COLLEAGUES' QUESTIONS ON THIS, CAN YOU GIVE US A SENSE OF THE NUMBER OF RENTAL UNITS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND THE
PERCENTAGE OF THOSE THAT TAKE VOUCHERS? >> GARCIA: I BELIEVE WE DO HAVE THAT DATA, MAYOR. OKAY. GO AHEAD.
>> HI, COUNCIL. THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 760,000 RENTAL UNITS IN SAN ANTONIO. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT PROPORTION OF THOSE ACCEPT VOUCHERS, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT AS OF LAST MONTH ON THE MULTIPLE LISTING SERVICE WHERE SOME RENTAL HOUSING PROVIDERS WILL POST THAT THEY HAVE A RENTAL AVAILABLE, ABOUT 300 OF THOSE ADVERTISED THAT THEY DO ACCEPT VOUCHERS, AND THAT'S OUT OF 3,000, APPROXIMATELY.
>> MAYOR JONES: OKAY. SO VERY SMALL AMOUNT. AND THE ASSUMPTION, AS WELL, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE THE DISTRIBUTION OF VA FACILITIES AS EVENLY DISTRIBUTED, ALLOWING FOR AN ADDITIONAL STEP, WHICH I THINK IS WHAT THE STATE HAD IN MIND WHEN THEY DID THIS, ALLOWING FOR AN ADDITIONAL STEP THAT GIVES PEOPLE FLEXIBILITY AND AGENCY AS TO WHERE THEY TAKE THESE VOUCHERS, ALLOWS FOR MORE FOLKS TO UTILIZE THESE NEAR AUDI MURPHY OR NEAR SOME OF THE OTHER CLUSTERS WHERE THESE FACILITIES ARE.
THE L VAST MAJORITY ARE ON THE NORTH SIDE. COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN STEPPED OUT. OKAY. WHO ELSE IS -- HAS ANYONE ELSE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE ORDER WAS.
OKAY. SO WE'LL GO WITH COUNCILWOMAN SPEARS,
[00:35:06]
WHYTE AND THEN MUNGIA. >> SPEARS: THANKS, MAYOR.
THERE'S A LOT TO COVER HERE. I'M GOING TO ASK FIRST ABILITY THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUSTS. ARE -- HOW IS THIS DIFFERENT FROM A CONTRACT FOR DEED? I MEAN, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU PAY OFF YOUR HOME, CAN YOU DEED THIS DOWN TO FAMILY MEMBERS OR --
>> GARCIA: SO THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST WILL OWN THE LAND IN PERPETUITY. THE HOMEOWNER'S BUYING THE STRUCTURE.
IF THEY WANT TO SELL IT, USUALLY THEY'LL HAVE TO DO SO ACCORDING TO THE DEED WITH THE NONPROFIT THAT COULD OFFER RESTRICTIONS AND USUALLY DO, MEANING THE SALES PRICE CANNOT EXCEED MORE THAN 10% OF WHAT YOU BOUGHT IT. THOSE ARE SOME EXAMPLES. AND THEN THEY WILL HAVE ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS IF YOU DID WANT TO PASS IT ON TO A FAMILY MEMBER.
THEY DO OWN THE STRUCTURE SO THEY HAVE ALL THE PROPERTY RIGHTS THAT GO
WITH THAT AS WELL. >> SPEARS: OKAY. >> GARCIA: AND THAT'S IN
THE HOME OWNERSHIP EXAMPLE. >> SPEARS: RIGHT.
YEAH. OKAY. I HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS ON THE VASH. SO IN THINKING ABOUT THIS, I HAVE THE SAME CONCERNS THAT THE MAYOR DOES. THIS GIVES ME A LOT OF HEARTACHE, BECAUSE I REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE OUR VETERANS ARE TAKEN CARE OF IN MILITARY CITY USA, AND IN OUR EFFORTS TO TRY TO ATTRACT MORE HEALTHCARE FACILITIES AND BETTER HEALTHCARE FOR OUR VETERANS AND JUST IN GENERAL FOR THE COMMUNITY, WE DO NEED TO CONSIDER HOW WE SERVE OUR VULNERABLE VETERANS. AND SO I'M INTERESTED IN FINDING WAYS WE CAN INCENTIVIZE. I DON'T KNOW IF A PUNITIVE APPROACH TO LANDLORD WILLINGNESS WILL BE THE MOST EFFECTIVE, BUT IF THERE IS SOME WAYS TO INCENTIVIZE PARTICIPATION, I'D LIKE TO EXPLORE THOSE AREAS.
AND WHAT'S THE AVERAGE TIMELINE RIGHT NOW FOR LANDLORDS TO RECEIVE
REIMBURSEMENT ON A VOUCHER? >> GARCIA: SURE.
IT WAS 30 TO 60 DAYS PRIOR TO THE EFFORTS OF OUR WORKING GROUP, AND NOW WITH THE HOUSING AUTHORITY'S ASSISTANCE, THEY'VE GOT THAT DOWN TO
ABOUT 17 DAYS IN SOME CASES. >> SPEARS: 17 DAYS.
>> GARCIA: SO TWO WEEKS, APPROXIMATELY. THAT'S AN AVERAGE.
AND THAT'S WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT ALL COMPLETED PAPERWORK HAS BEEN SUBMITTED BY THE POTENTIAL RENTER AS WELL AS THE LANDLORD, THEY PASSED ALL INSPECTIONS. AND COUNCILWOMAN, FOR YOUR OTHER QUESTION ABOUT INCENTIVES, COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO DID SUBMIT A CCR THAT ASKED US TO LOOK AT POTENTIAL INCENTIVES FOR LANDLORDS TO VOLUNTARILY ACCEPT VOUCHERS.
THAT HAS GONE TO GOVERNANCE AND WE'LL BE HAVING THAT DISCUSSION AT
PCDC IN THE COMING MONTHS. >> SPEARS: THAT'S GOOD TO HEAR. CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT VALOR HILL.
ARE WE SEEING A BENEFIT INTO CLUSTERING THE VOUCHERS INTO AREAS?
>> GARCIA: YES, VERY MUCH SO. VALOR HILL IS A GREAT MODEL. THEY DO HAVE SPACE, THEY TARGETED VETERANS TO LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY, THEY HAVE ON-SITE SPACE FOR THE VA TO HAVE AN OFFICE AND, YOU KNOW, HAVE THOSE SESSIONS WITH VETERANS, DELIVER THOSE SERVICES DIRECTLY. AND THEY HAVE ANOTHER PARTNER THAT IS A NONPROFIT PARTNER THAT'S ON SITE ALSO PROVIDING SERVICES.
SO IT'S -- WE'VE HEARD NOTHING BUT POSITIVE THINGS ABOUT HAVING THAT COLOCATION OF SERVICES, SO INSTEAD OF A VA CASE MANAGER HAVING TO TRAVEL ALL ACROSS THE CITY TO MULTIPLE PROPERTIES, THEY CAN SERVE MULTIPLE CLIENTS ALL IN ONE LOCATION WITH THE SPACE ON SITE TO PROVIDE THOSE
SERVICES DEDICATED. >> SPEARS: OKAY. >> GARCIA: AND I RECOGNIZE -- I THINK RYAN WILSON IS HERE FROM FRANKLIN.
THEY'RE THE ONES WHO ACTUALLY PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES, IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS. BALDWIN. OH.
>> SPEARS: SO THEN, TOO, ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT, WHAT'S THE PROCESS
AND TIMELINE IF YOU WANT TO USE A VOUCHER? >> GARCIA: IF YOU WANT TO USE A VOUCHER, YOU HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, FIND A PROPERTY.
FOR VETERANS, THEY HAVE CASE MANAGERS, THE VASH VOUCHERS COME WITH CASE MANAGEMENT, SO THEY HAVE LOTS OF RELATIONSHIPS WITH PROPERTIES THAT ALREADY KNOW THE PROGRAM AND THERE'S REALLY FAST LEASE RATES FOR T THAT. FOR A VETERAN THAT DOES NOT HAVE CASE MANAGERS DEDICATED, THEY HAVE TO IDENTIFY A PROPERTY ON THEIR OWN.
AND IF THE PROPERTY IS NOT ALREADY IN THE SECTION 8 PROGRAM, THEY WOULD FIRST HAVE TO GO THROUGH AN INSPECTION PROCESS.
THAT CAN TAKE -- AS FAST AS 24 HOURS, BUT IT COULD TAKE LONGER THAN HOURS FOR THE INSPECTION. THEY'D WAIT TO SEE IF THEY PASSED IT.
IF THEY DID NOT, THEY'D HAVE TO MAKE THOSE REPAIRS, GET IT
[00:40:04]
REINSPECTED, FIND OUT TO BE PASSED. THAT WOULD KIND OF BE THEPROCESS. >> SPEARS: OKAY. OKAY.
WELL, I AM VERY INTERESTED IN HOW WE CAN REALLY INCENTIVIZE THIS FOR OUR VETERANS. I'M... I FEEL A LOT OF ANXIETY ABOUT THIS BECAUSE WE ARE MILITARY CITY USA AND WE'VE GOT TO FIND A SOLUTION HERE.
AND I WANT TO WORK CLOSELY WITH YOU AND ANY PARTNERS THAT WE CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT WE REMEDY THIS SITUATION. AND I ECHO WHAT THE MAYOR'S SAYING ABOUT AVAILABILITY OF HEALTHCARE, SO THANK YOU
FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: VERONICA, IN CASE IT'S HELPFUL TO ANYONE ELSE, I KNOW THERE'S THE CCR THAT'S MAKING ITS WAY. IN 2024, WHEN THIS WAS ORIGINALLY ALSO RAISED, IT SOUNDED LIKE YOU ALSO WERE ALSO LOOKING AT RELAUNCHING A PROGRAM, $500 TO INCENTIVIZE FOLKS TAKING A VOUCHER. DID THAT NOT RELAUNCH? AND HOW WOULD THAT BE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT IS PROPOSED IN THE CCR?
>> GARCIA: SURE. THAT PROGRAM BECAUSE ACTUALLY ADMINISTERED BY OPPORTUNITY HOME SAN ANTONIO, THEY RAN OUT OF FUNDING FOR THAT PROGRAM. THEY DID NOT IDENTIFY ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO RELAUNCH IT. I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO'S CCR, BUT THAT COULD BE A POTENTIAL FUTURE ITEM, BUT IT WAS NOT THE CITY'S. AND WE DO HAVE STEPHANIE RODRIGUEZ HERE WITH OPPORTUNITY HOME AND HAPPY TO TURN TO HER TO SPEAK ABOUT THE PROGRAM.
>> HI, GOOD AFTERNOON. I WAS GOING TO TRY TO TELL HER, SO FOR THE INCENTIVE, WE DID DO THAT AS A PART OF OUR PROCESS DURING AN INITIAL YEAR.
NOW, WE DID HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO APPLY FOR ADDITIONAL ADMINISTRATIVE FEES SPECIFICALLY FOR OUR VASH PROGRAM THIS YEAR, BEXAR COUNTY DID AS WELL. WE BOTH DID APPLY FOR THOSE ADDITIONAL ADMINISTRATIVE FEES THAT WOULD BE USED TOWARDS INCENTIVE, AND WE WOULD PAY IT OUT TO THOSE LANDLORDS IF THEY LEASE UP WITH A VETERAN.
WE'RE WAITING TO SEE IF WE HAVE BEEN AWARDED THOSE ADDITIONAL FEES.
AND IF SO, WE WOULD UTILIZE IT. >> MAYOR JONES: TO SUMMARIZE, YOU HAD IT, RAN OUT OF MONEY AND THIS IS AN ADDITIONAL WAY TO
USE IT. >> 2025, WE APPLIED, THEN WE HAD GOTTEN AWARDED, WE DID IT JUST SPECIFIC LILG FOR VASH, AND WE WERE DOING INCENTIVE FEES IN 2025 UNTIL WE RAN OUT OF THAT ADMINISTRATIVE FEE, AND NOW WE'VE APPLIED AGAIN THIS YEAR IN ORDER TO GET IT, AND WE'RE HOPING THAT WE WILL GET
AWARDED AS WELL. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU FOR THAT.
COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN? >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU. THANK YOU, VERONICA, FOR THE PRESENTATION. I WANT TO START WITH ITEM NUMBER ONE, THE POSTSOLICITATION HIGH-PROFILE BRIEFING ON THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT GAP FUNDING. I'M PLEASED WITH THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN DOING. I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CASITA, WHEN WE LOOKED AT IT, DID WE LOOK AT UNIVERSAL DESIGN FOR THESE -- FOR THE CASITA
PROGRAM? >> GARCIA: SURE, SO WHAT OUR CASAS IS PARTICIPATING I CAN HAVE THE TEAM LOOK AT THAT. THEIR CASITAS ARE SMALL BECAUSE THEY ARE DOING INFILL HOUSING ON VERY SMALL LOTS, SO EACH ONE IS ABOUT 800 SQUARE FEET. SO THEY'RE -- BUT THEY
ARE NEW CONSTRUCTION. >> VIAGRAN: SO WHAT I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE, AND I KNOW WE HAVE -- AND MY TEAM'S GOING TO BE WORKING ON THIS, TOO, AS WE MOVE FORWARD AND WE LOOK AT OUR CASITA PROGRAM AND WHAT WE OFFER AT THE CITY, THAT WE LOOK AT ACCOMMODATING FOR THOSE WHO -- AUDIO] -- TOO EXPENSIVE TO DO RAMPS ON, AND IF WE -- IF WE CREATED A CASITA IN THE BACK THAT WAS AVAILABLE -- OR UNIVERSAL DESIGN LEVEL SO SOMEONE IN A WHEELCHAIR OR -- COULD BE THERE. SO I REALLY WANT TO LOOK
AT THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD. >> GARCIA: OKAY.
>> VIAGRAN: AND I THINK IN THE NEXT ITERATION OF ANY HOUSING BOND, THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT, ESPECIALLY AS WE TALK ABOUT INFILL HOUSING.
I'M REMINDED -- YOU KNOW, AND THIS IS PERSONAL EXPERIENCE FROM MY MOTHER'S HOUSE, FROM MY HOUSE, OF -- IF SOMETHING CAUSED SOMEBODY TO BE IN A WHEELCHAIR, WHICH HAPPENED WITH MY DAD, WE HAD -- AND IT WAS FUNNY, HE HAD VETERAN -- HE WAS A VETERAN, SO HE HAD BENEFITS, ABLE TO GET A RAMP, ABLE TO GET SOMETHING TO TAKE HIM UP AND DOWNSTAIRS, BUT THAT'S NOT ALWAYS THE CASE, SO I REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD. COMMUNITY LAND TRUST FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, I THINK WE NEED TO DO MORE RESEARCH IN DIGGING ON
[00:45:05]
PCDC AND WITH THE HOUSING TRUST AS WE TALK ABOUT THAT AND WHERE WE MOVE FORWARD IN KEEPING THE AFFORDABILITY AVAILABLE FOR HOMES AND FOR LEGACY HOMES AND FOR THOSE THAT ARE INHERITED BY PEOPLE. AND WE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS IN D.C. REGARDING THAT WITH OUR -- AUDIO] -- MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT. BUT OTHER THAN THAT, I TRULY BELIEVE THAT IF WE GET OUR HOUSING STOCK AVAILABLE FOR -- AT ALL SORTS OF LEVELS, THAT WE WILL SEE OTHER THINGS ALIGN, SO THANK YOU FORTHAT. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU. >> VIAGRAN: ON ITEM BRIEFING 2, I THINK WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A LOT OF THINGS HERE, AND SO I WANT TO -- I WANT TO FIRST -- I WANT TO ADDRESS THE FACT THAT OUR VETERANS HAVE SERVED, THEY'VE SERVED BRAVELY, AND WE DO NEED TO TAKE CARE OF THEM WHEN THEY COME HOME. YOU CAN SIT DOWN NOW, VERONICA. THIS IS GOING TO GO ON. BUT WHAT I HEAR US TALKING ABOUT IS HOMELESSNESS, HEALTHCARE, WHICH WE HAVEN'T IS MENTAL HEALTH AND THE SUICIDE RATE AMONG VETERANS, AND THEN WE GET TO WHAT VERONICA AND THE REST OF THE TEAM ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR AND WHAT WE'RE DISCUSSING RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS HOUSING AND THE VOUCHER SYSTEM.
SO DOES THE CITY NEED TO TAKE A LONG, HARD LOOK AT HOW WE TAKE CARE OF OUR VETERANS AND WHAT WE DO ABOUT THE 9,000 PLUS VETERANS THAT ARE IN SAN ANTONIO AND FIGURING OUT WHO -- WHERE THEY ARE AND WHO THEY ARE? BECAUSE THAT'S -- THAT'S KOREA, THAT'S VIETNAM, THAT'S THE AFGHANISTAN, IRAQ. THAT'S A LOT OF WARS. AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE CALLED MILITARY CITY USA, NOT BECAUSE OF THE BASES, BUT I THINK BECAUSE OF THE PEOPLE. SO I DO WANT TO SEE WHY -- WHY OUR HOMELESS VETERANS ARE THERE AND WHY THEY CAN'T GET THE HELP.
THE HEALTHCARE, I HAVE TWO VETERANS THAT SIT ON MY STAFF, AND THEY CAN GO ON AND ON ABOUT THE -- WHAT THEY NEED FROM THE VA.
AND IT'S A LOT. AND THE MISSED APPOINTMENTS, THE LAST-MINUTE APPOINTMENTS, SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE PROBABLY SHOULD LOOK AT AT OUR FEDERAL LEGISLATION AS WE GO UP AND WE TALK CONVERSATIONS THERE. THE MENTAL HEALTH, THE SUICIDE RATE, I HAVE BEEN -- PEOPLE HAVE TALKED TO ME ABOUT THAT A LOT, AND I HAVE LOTS OF GROUPS THAT ARE WORKING THAT, SO EVEN IF WE PUT THEM AT HOME -- IN HOMES OR IN APARTMENTS, WE'RE STILL THINKING ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE LOSE SO MANY VETERANS TO SUICIDE DAILY. AND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO THERE. WHEN IT COMES TO THE HOUSING, AND I SEE THIS, AND I WAS ON PCDC WHEN THIS FIRST CAME THROUGH, IS THAT WE HAVE 40 SEARCHING FOR HOUSING WITH VASH VOUCHERS. I HAVE 87 THAT ARE SEARCHING FOR HOUSING WITH THE HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHERS.
WHAT I NEED IS WHO THESE PEOPLE ARE AND WHAT DISTRICTS THEY ARE IN, BECAUSE WITHIN DISTRICT THREE, WE WORK WITH OPERATION TRIAGE, WE WORK WITH HOUSING TO GET THESE VETERANS INTO THEIR HOUSING.
SO I THINK PART OF IT IS US AS COUNCILMEMBERS NEED TO LOOK AT WHAT WE'RE DOING TO HELP THEM GET INTO THAT. SO THAT IS WHAT I NEED.
I NEED THE NAMES. AND THAT'S WHAT I SAID A YEAR AGO WHEN THIS CAME UP BEFORE. I SAID WHO ARE THESE INDIVIDUALS? WHAT DISTRICTS ARE THEY IN? HOW CAN WE HELP THEM? BECAUSE IF THEY HAVE A FAMILY HOME THAT THEY COULD LIVE IN, I HAVE A GROUP THAT'S READY TO REBUILD THEIR HOME. I DID NOT GET A RESPONSE FROM THE GROUPS THAT ARE SAYING, HEY, WE'RE WORKING WITH THESE VETERANS. SO THOSE GROUPS THAT ARE WORKING WITH VETERANS THAT HAVE THE 40, THAT HAVE THE 87, PLEASE LET US KNOW WHAT DISTRICTS THEY IN, BECAUSE BEFORE I DO AN INCOME VOTE ON THAT, THIS NEEDS TO GO BACK TO PCDC AND I THINK EACH COUNCILMEMBER NEEDS TO KIND OF PUT OUT THERE WHAT WE'RE DOING IN OUR DISTRICT FOR HOUSING. BECAUSE WHAT I DON'T WANT IS TO CARVE OUT SOMETHING SPECIFIC FOR VETERANS, AND THEN MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR OTHER GROUPS THAT USE VASH VOUCHERS ALSO.
AND THAT'S WHAT I'M HEARING, IS THAT OF THESE 40 THAT ARE SEARCHING FOR HOUSING WITH THE VASH VOUCHERS, WHY ARE THEY STILL SEARCHING FOR HOUSING? THAT'S WHAT I NEED TO KNOW.
WHAT DISTRICTS ARE THEY IN? DO THEY NEED TO BE NEAR THE HOSPITAL? IF THAT'S IT, WE CAN -- WE CAN ALLEVIATE THAT.
[00:50:03]
I NEED TRUE, REAL NUMBERS OF WHO IS GETTING REJECTED BECAUSE OF -- BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE DISCRIMINATING AND SAYING, "I'M NOT TAKING VOUCHERS." BECAUSE MY CONCERN IS -- BECAUSE I HAVE LOTS -- I'VE GOT SINGLE MOMS THAT ARE GOING TO USE VOUCHERS, I'VE GOT PEOPLE WORKING, YOING, YOU KNOW VARIED PART-TIME JOBS WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT ARE GOING TO USE VOUCHERS, AND I DON'T WANT PEOPLE -- US JUST CARVING IT OUT FOR A SPECIFIC GROUP, IF WE NEED TO GO WIDER ON HOW WE PROTECT PEOPLE THAT USE VOUCHERS FOR A SOURCE OF INCOME IF WE DO HAVE A PROBLEM WHERE SOME OF OUR APARTMENTS, MULTIFAMILY AND SOME OF OUR HOUSING RENTERS ARE NOT TAKING VASH VOUCHERS. YES, I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING HERE, THERE ARE A LOT OF ISSUES WE HAVE TO DO WITH VETERANS, BUT I NEED MORE SPECIFICS. AND THIS IS WHY I THINK IT NEEDS TO GO BACK TO PCDC, YOU NEED TO WORK WITH RICHARD AND HIS GROUP AND GET THE EXACT -- WHERE THESE PEOPLE ARE, WHAT DISTRICTS THEY ARE, WHY THESE 40 ARE NOT IN HOUSING. AND OF THE 87 THAT NEED HOUSING CHOICE, CAN I GET THEM IN SOME OF THESE NONPROFITS THAT ARE BUILDING FOR VETERANS. SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY THERE.AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THE WORK. I THINK IF WE SOLVE OUR HOUSING ISSUE, WE'RE GOING TO SOLVE QUITE A FEW ISSUES FOR THE CITY
OF SAN ANTONIO. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. A POINT OF CLARIFICATION, IT'S ONLY VETERANS THAT CAN USE THE VASH VOUCHERS. I KNOW THERE'S A GROUP HERE THAT HAS BEEN REALLY WORKING HARD ON THIS ISSUE FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ACTUALLY DRAFTED THE RESOLUTION, WHICH, AGAIN, MIRRORS, WHAT IS DONE IN FORT WORTH.
SO I'M GOING TO ASK AMERICAN GI FORUM, IF THERE'S A REPRESENTATIVE THAT WOULD LIKE TO COME UP AND PROVIDE SOME INFORMATION FROM YOUR OWN PERSPECTIVE ABOUT WHY CERTAINLY WHAT THE COUNCILWOMAN JUST DESCRIBED IN TERMS OF ADDITIONAL FIDELITY, I THINK THAT'S HELPFUL, BUT IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK AS TO WHY THE PROTECTIONS ON SOURCE OF INCOME ARE IMPORTANT, EVEN ABSENT THAT INFORMATION, GIVEN THE GREAT NEED IN OUR COMMUNITY. WOULD WELCOME HEARING THAT.
THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. MY NAME EASE PETER BROWN, I'M THE BEXAR COUNTY COMMANDER FOR THE AMERICAN GI FORUM.
IT'S KIND OF ALARMING OF WHAT Y'ALL ARE SAYING BECAUSE MOST OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT GOING TO REPORT THIS TO Y'ALL IS BECAUSE THEY'RE GRUNTS. THEY'RE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT -- IF YOU GIVE ME SOMEWHERE TO LIVE, I LIVED IN THE BARRACKS, I LIVED IN THE DIRT.
WE'RE GRUNTS, WE'RE NOT GOING TO COMPLAIN ABOUT IT.
WE'RE JUST GOING TO HIDE FOR A MINUTE AND JUST SAY EVERYTHING'S OKAY.
WE'RE GOING TO ADAPT AND OVERCOME. THAT'S WHY YOU'RE PROBABLY NOT GOING TO SEE THE NAMES. AND IF YOU DO GET THE NAMES, IT'S BA US THEY HAD ENOUGH CONFIDENCE TO COME UP AND SAY THEY DIDN'T HAVE A PROBLEM. THIS IS WHERE IT BECOMES THE LINE OF SAYING THERE IS PEOPLE OUT THERE DISCRIMINATING, BECAUSE I HAVE A COUPLE THAT ARE IN MY FORUM, AND IT'S HARD TO FIND -- THEY LIVE OUTSIDE OF SAN ANTONIO BECAUSE THEY CAN'T FIND NOTHING IN SAN ANTONIO. AND THIS IS WHERE IT BECOMES SO SIMPLE FOR ORDINANCE TO HELP GO FROM THE 300, JUST THE 300 APARTMENT COMPLEXES, TO MULTIPLE, OVER 3,000 COMPLEXES.
OR GOING FROM, LIKE, THREE HOUSES TO MAYBE 15 HOUSES.
THAT'S ALL IT IS, JUST AN ORDINANCE TO HELP GET US INTO THE -- GET THOSE PEOPLE OFF THE STREETS, GIVE THEM A HAND UP. WE'RE NOT GOING TO COME TO Y'ALL IN REALMLESS OF THE WHOLE GROUP BECAUSE THAT'S -- WE'RE VERY PRIDEFUL, WE OR VERY PRIDEFUL. EVERYBODY KNOWS, ANYBODY THAT'S A VET, THEY'RE VERY PRIDEFUL. THEY STAND ON THEIR 2 FEET AND THEY'RE NOT GOING TO TRY TO BACK DOWN AS MUCH.
BUT WHEN WE GET PUT IN THE DIRT -- DIRT IS THAT. AND ALL WE'RE ASKING IS FOR THIS ORDINANCE TO HELP.
I'M BEGGING, I'LL BEG ON MY KNEES TO GET THIS ORDINANCE PASSED, BECAUSE IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT'S SO SIMPLE THAT DALLAS FORT WORTH DID.
IT COULD BE SOMETHING THAT'S SO SIMPLE, WE'RE MILITARY CITY USA, Y'ALL COULD PASS IT. LOOK AT IT AS A PERSON WHO IS A GRUNT, WHO IS A SERGEANT, WHO WAS ONE OF THE LOWER LISTED, THAT'S NOT GOING TO COME ZERO TO Y'ALL, I HAVE THE CONFIDENCE, KNOWING I HAVE TRAUMATIC INJURY, STUTTERING PROBLEMS, IT'S HARD TO COME UP HERE AND SAY THAT I HAVE THESE PROBLEMS AND TO SPEAK TO Y'ALL, BUT SOMEONE HAS TO DO IT.
IF NOT ME, THEN WHO? BUT THAT'S WHY I'M HERE. IF Y'ALL -- THE NUMBERS HAVE BEEN PROVIDED. I KNOW THERE'S PEOPLE OUT THERE -- AND MAYBE IT WOULD BE SMALLER NUMBERS IN CERTAIN AREAS, BUT IT'S STILL ONE OR TWO PEOPLE, THE BARRIER THAT YOU PUT IN FRONT OF IT, YOU COULD TAKE AWAY THAT BARRIER. AND YOU COULD TAKE AWAY THAT ONE BARRIER THAT MAY -- IF HE DOESN'T HAVE A HOUSE OR HE DOESN'T HAVE A PLACE TO LIVE, HE'S NOT GOING TO SHOW UP AT THE VH HIMSELF. PLEASE JUST THINK ABOUT THAT. IT'S JUST ONE BARRIER THAT YOU'RE HELPING GET
[00:55:01]
VETS OFF THE STREETS. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: CYNTHIA,
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING IN. >> YES, I WOULD.
WE HAVE PROVIDED THOSE NUMBERS IN VARIOUS MOMENTS TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU. I KNOW THAT IF I DIDN'T MEET WITH YOU, THE COMMANDER MET WITH YOU ALL AND SOMEONE ELSE FROM THE GROUP HAS MET.
SO THE NUMBERS HAVE BEEN PROVIDED MANY TIMES OVER, AND IF WE NEED TO, WE'LL DO IT AGAIN. THE NUMBERS DON'T LIE. THE TRUTH IS WE STILL HAVE TOO MANY VETERANS OUT ON THE STREET, AND THEY'RE NOT ACCEPTED IN CERTAIN AREAS. THEY'RE LIMITED RIGHT NOW TO BASICALLY THREE AREAS IN THE COMMUNITY. WHILE WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE A SECTION 8 VOUCHER ACCEPTED ANYWHERE ELSE, COUNCILWOMAN, I UNDERSTAND THAT ONE, BUT IN THIS REGARD, WE'RE LOOKING AT VETERANS. THEY GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR US, THEY'VE SUFFERED INJURIES, PTSD, PHYSICAL AND OTHERWISE, AND THEY DESERVE THAT KIND OF -- A LITTLE BIT OF TREATMENT, BETTER THAN -- I'M JUST GOING TO SAY, BETTER THAN SOME OF THE REST OF US, BECAUSE I'M NOT A VETERAN, BUT I RECOGNIZE THE FACT THAT THEY'VE GIVEN OF THEMSELVES FOR ALL OF US. I THINK THAT IF WE CAN AT LEAST DO THAT FOR THEM, ALLOW THEM TO FIND A PLACE TO LIVE WHERE IT'S COMFORTABLE FOR THEM AND THEY'RE ACCESSING THE BUS LINES, THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, ET CETERA, SHOPPING, WHATEVER THEY NEED TO DO, ASIDE EVEN FROM THE HOSPITAL ITSELF. IF THERE'S A CLINIC, GREAT.
IF WE CAN GET THEM THERE AND THEY'RE ON THOSE LINES WHERE THEY HAVE TRANSPORTATION, WHERE THEY HAVE A WAY TO LIVE LIKE THE REST OF US DO, I THINK THAT'S NOT A LOT TO ASK FOR. I THINK YOU NEED TO DIG DEEP AND THINK ABOUT AND CONSIDER THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN GIVEN UP FOR US AND CONSIDER THAT THIS WOULD BE A POSITIVE MOVE FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. WE LOVE TO TOUT THAT WE'RE MILITARY USA, SO
LET'S ACTUALLY LIVE IT. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING THAT PERSPECTIVE. AS SOMEBODY -- I MEAN, AGAIN, I GET MY OWN CARE AT AUDI AUDIE MURPHY, IF YOU'RE 10 MINUTES, 15 MINUTES, THEY WILL CANCEL YOUR APPOINTMENT, AND YOU WON'T GET ANOTHER APPOINTMENT FOR 60 DAYS, 30 DAYS, SO THIS IDEA CLOSE TO WHERE THE VA CLINIC IS AND WHERE THEY GET HEALTHCARE IS SO IMPORTANT. I GOT IN MY CAR AND DROVE AWAY, BUT SOME FOLKS THEN HAVE TO GET BACK ON THE BUS, WAIT AN HOUR, ET CETERA, ET CETERA, WHICH IS VERY CHALLENGING AND UNFORTUNATELY LEADS EXACTLY TO THE CIRCUMSTANCES FRANKLY THAT MY BROTHER IN ARMS MENTION THAT PEOPLE GET VERY DESPERATE AND TAKE DESPERATE ACTIONS. THIS IS SOMETHING WE CAN DO TO HELP OURSELVES, HELP OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR VETERANS.
COUNCILMAN WHYTE? >> WHYTE: THANKS, MAYOR. VERONICA, THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION. STARTING WITH THE FIRST PRESENTATION, I DEFINITELY SUPPORT A HEALTHY HOUSING MARKET, BUT, AGAIN, WANT TO STRESS THAT WE NEED BOTH MARKET RATE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
A THRIVING CITY REQUIRES A FULL SPECTRUM OF HOUSING, AND MARKET RATE DEVELOPMENT IS, AS WE KNOW, IS WHAT DRIVES ECONOMIC GROWTH AND OUR TAX BASE HERE IN THE CITY. WHILE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, OF COURSE, ENSURES THAT WORKING FAMILIES, SENIORS AND OUR MOST M VULNERABLE AREN'T LEFT BEHIND. BUT WE CANNOT HAVE ONE WITHOUT THE OTHER, AND I'M COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING BOTH.
I WANT TO TAKE A MINUTE HERE AS WELL TO TALK ABOUT TOD BRIEFLY.
AND I JOINED COUNCILMEMBER'S KAUR AND CASTILLO IN THAT TODCCR THAT WE FILED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO TO CREATE TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT AROUND OUR ART CORRIDORS. I WAS REALLY HONEST AT THE TIME AND I STILL TODAY HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT WHETHER THIS INVESTMENT THAT WE'RE MAKING IN THESE VIA RAPID TRANSIT LINES IS ACTUALLY A SMART INVESTMENT. I REALLY DO. BUT WHAT I SAID BACK THEN REMAINS TRUE TODAY: IF WE'RE GOING TO DO IT, AND OBVIOUSLY THE COMMITMENT HAS ALREADY BEEN MADE TO DO IT, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GIVE THESE ART LINES THE BEST CHANCE TO ACTUALLY BE SUCCESSFUL.
THESE PROJECTS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT TODAY, I GUESS, ARE ALL GOING TO BE UP AND DOWN THAT GREEN LINE, RIGHT, WITHIN -- OR AT LEAST MANY OF THEM,
WITHIN A HALF MILE OR A QUARTER MILE? >>
>> WHYTE: YES, THE SILVER LINE. YEP, YEP.
SO, YOU KNOW, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THE GAP FUNDING AND CLT PROJECTS BEFORE US TODAY, BEING THAT THAT IS -- THAT IS THE CASE, I'M PROUD THAT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS INVESTMENT IN THESE LINES, BOTH THE GREEN AND THE SILVER, HAVE THE BEST POSSIBLE CHANCE TO WORK. I CERTAINLY THINK THERE'S A BIGGER CONVERSATION TO BE HAD HERE ABOUT WHAT THE CITY'S ROLE IN HOUSING REALLY SHOULD BE
[01:00:05]
MOVING FORWARD, BUT THE DOLLARS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY ARE BOND DOLLARS, RIGHT, THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN APPROVED BY THE VOTERS.>> GARCIA: YES, AS WELL AS SOME FEDERAL HOME AND CDBG DOLLARS.
>> WHYTE: YES. SO, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I WILL ASK JUST ONE QUESTION ON THIS, ARE THERE ANY PLANS FOR ADDITIONAL MARKET RATE DEVELOPMENTS UP AND DOWN THESE TWO LINES?
>> GARCIA: SURE. SO WE ARE -- WE DO HAVE HOUSING BOND DOLLARS SET ASIDE FOR STRATEGIC LAND ACQUISITION. WE'RE WORKING WITH THE HOUSING TRUST WHERE WE WOULD BE ACQUIRING LAND. THE HOUSING BUILDS MUST HAVE AFFORDABILITY BECAUSE WE'RE USING AFFORDABLE HOUSING BONDS BUT THEY COULD BE MIXED INCOME AND INCLUDE SOME MARKET RATES AS WELL.
WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK WITH ANY DEVELOPERS PROPOSING HOUSING COMMUNITIES TO SEE HOW WE CAN PARTNER TOGETHER. SOMETIMES THEY JUST NEED
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO MAKE THE PROJECT WORK. >> WHYTE: SURE.
AND MAYOR, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, BUT IF YOU LOOK AROUND THE COUNTRY, THE AREAS WHERE THIS TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT HAS ACTUALLY WORKED ARE AREAS WHERE THERE IS MIXED HOUSING UP AND DOWN THESE LINES. SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE US, AS WE MOVE FORWARD, TO REMEMBER THAT, THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE A MIX OF BOTH AFFORDABLE AND MARKET RATE HOUSING TO MAKE THESE TOD PROJECTS SUCCESSFUL.
ON TO THE VETERANS AND THE VOUCHERS, MAKING SURE THAT EVERY SINGLE VETERAN IN OUR COMMUNITY HAS A PLACE TO LIVE IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
I MEAN, IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING THAT THAT -- THAT I KNOW IS A TOP PRIORITY FOR THIS CITY COUNCIL AND WE NEED TO DO EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS A REALITY. MY UNDERSTANDING OF, YOU KNOW, THESE VOUCHER PROGRAMS, THOUGH, ARE THAT THERE ARE -- THERE'S BEEN PROBLEMS WITH THEM, RIGHT? WE HAVE INSPECTION PROCESS FAILURES, WE'VE HAD PAYMENT DELAYS AND RELIABILITY ISSUES. THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT ADMINISTRATIVE BURDEN A LOT OF TIMES WITH THIS. AND WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED REALLY IS REQUIRING PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS TO PARTICIPATE IN A FEDERAL SUBSIDY PROGRAM, REGARDLESS OF THEIR EXPERIENCE, YOU KNOW, WITH THAT PROGRAM'S ADMINISTRATION.
AT LEAST, THAT'S THE WAY THAT I SEE IT. I WANT US TO HAVE A PROGRAM IN PLACE THAT IS -- YOU KNOW, I WANT THIS TO BE EFFECTIVE FOR THE VETERANS. I MEAN, EVERYTHING THAT WAS SAID EARLIER, I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH. AND I THINK THAT COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO AND HER CCR REALLY AIMS TO FIX A LOT OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'VE SEEN WITH THIS PROGRAM AND HOW IT'S ADMINISTERED. AND, AGAIN, I WANT IT TO WORK, BUT I THINK AS WE SIT HERE TODAY, WE'RE NOT QUITE YET IN A POSITION TO MOVE IT FORWARD. AND I AGREE WITH COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN, I THOUGHT THAT WAS A VERY BALANCED STATEMENT THAT SHE MADE, AND I THINK THAT SENDING IT BACK TO THE COMMITTEE -- WHO'S CHAIR OF THAT? YOU, EDWARD? COUNCILMAN MUNGIA, I THINK SENDING IT BACK TO YOUR COMMITTEE TO LOOK AT IT AGAIN AND REFINE IT IS PROBABLY THE PR PRUDENT WAY TO MOVE FORWARD HERE. LET ME ASK YOU THIS, VERONICA: THESE FOLKS THAT ARE GETTING TURNED AWAY, RIGHT, A LOT OF THEM THERE'S REASONS THAT MAYBE HAVEN'T BEEN DISCUSSED TODAY AS TO WHY
THEY'RE BEING TURNED AWAY; IS THAT RIGHT? >> GARCIA: SURE.
IF AN ORDINANCE WAS PASSED, IT WOULD ONLY PROTECT THE VOUCHER AS THE REASON FOR BEING TURNED AWAY. OTHER REASONS, A VETERAN MAY NOT BE ABLE TO BE HOUSED COULD BE THEY DON'T MEET THE OTHER LEASING CRITERIA FOR THE PROPERTY, MAYBE THERE'S A BACKGROUND CHECK, CREDIT RATING, A PREVIOUS EVICTION, WE'VE SEEN THAT AS WELL.
>> WHYTE: YEAH. SO, LOOK, AGAIN, WE MUST SUPPORT OUR VETERANS.
IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO SUPPORT THEM FOR THEIR COMMITMENT THAT THEY'VE SHOWN TO OUR COMMUNITY, TO OUR COUNTRY. WE NEED TO DO IT.
I WANT TO DO IT. I THINK WE WILL DO IT, BUT I DO THINK IN ORDER TO GET IT RIGHT, WE SHOULD JUST TAKE A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME HERE, WE SHOULD LET COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO'S CCR RUN THROUGH THE PROCESS A BIT. WE SHOULD LET COUNCILMAN MUNGIA'S COMMITTEE TAKE A LOOK AT THIS ONE MORE TIME, COME BACK TO US, AND THEN GET IT DONE.
THANKS, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: VERONICA, THE COUNCILMAN PHRASED THIS AS -- I DON'T WANT TO PUT WORDS IN YOUR MOUTH, BUT WHAT I HEARD IS IT'S MAKING IT SOUND LIKE WE'RE FORCING PEOPLE TO DO THIS, TO TAKE THE
[01:05:06]
VOUCHERS, AND WE'RE NOT. IF YOU WANT TO READ THAT SENTENCE AGAIN SO THAT VERONICA CAN CLEARLY ARTICULATE WHAT IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING, BECAUSE NO ONE IS FORCING SOMEBODY TO TAKE IT. YOU'RE JUST SAYING -- NO ONE'S FORCING ANYBODY TO DO ANYTHING. VERONICA, IF I'VEMISSPOKEEN, PLEASE CORRECT ME. >> GARCIA: SURE.
IF A LANDLORD WANTED TO DENY SOMEONE, FOR EXAMPLE, I HAVE A VOUCHER, CAN I PAY MY RENT THAT WAY. THE LANDLORD SAID, OH, NO, I DON'T PARTICIPATE IN THE VOUCHER PROGRAM. THAT COULD NOT BE THE REASON FOR TURNING THEM AWAY. SO THEY WOULD -- THEY WOULD BE -- THEY'D GET A PHONE CALL FROM US IF WE GOT A COMPLAINT, AND WE WOULD PROVIDE SOME TRAINING AND LET THEM KNOW THOO THAT WOULD BE A
NEW REQUIREMENT IF THIS WERE PASSED. >> WHYTE: JUST A
DIFFERENT WAY OF SAYING IT, I THINK. >> MAYOR JONES: SO I MEAN, BUT TO THE POINT, RIGHT, THERE'S CLEARLY GOING TO HAVE TO BE AN
EDUCATION COMPONENT. >> GARCIA: YES, ABSOLUTELY.
>> MAYOR JONES: -- -- BECAUSE NO ONE'S FORCING ANYBODY TO DO ANYTHING, JUST BEING VERY CLEAR ABOUT THOSE THINGS THAT ARE ALLOWED TO BE CONSIDERED WHEN SAYING NO TO SOMEBODY. OKAY.
COUNCILMAN MONE MUNGIA. >> MUNGIA: THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU, VERONICA, FOR A REALLY GOOD PRESENTATION TODAY. I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE THINGS FROM THE FIRST PRESENTATION. JUDY VITA IS A GREAT PROJECT, I'M GLAD TO SEE THEY'RE BEING AWARDED SOME FUNDS. THE 111 WEST TRAVIS, WHICH IS IN D1, I WON'T STEAL HER THUNDER, I KNOW THE TENANT'S UNION HAS BEEN VERY ACTIVE IN THAT. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE THERE DON'T GET DISPLACED IN A REALLY PRIME, DOWNTOWN PROPERTY. OBVIOUSLY HABITAT'S BEEN DOING GREAT THINGS IN D4. I'M GLAD TO SEE THE FIRST PHASE OF THIS BEING FUNDED. I THINK THEY'RE THE ONLY FOLKS THAT ARE REALLY DOING SINGLE FAMILY HOMES AT THIS INCOME LEVEL IN THE CITY, WHICH IS REALLY GREAT, SO I'M GLAD THEY'RE CONTINUING TO INVEST IN D4.
AND THE HERITAGE ESTATES AT MEDINA, WHICH IS GREAT, THEY FOCUS ON VETERANS, WHICH I THINK IS A REALLY GOOD TIE TO THE NEXT TOPIC.
AND SO I KNOW I WANT TO GIVE PETER AND CYNTHIA A SHOUTOUT, I'VE BEEN MEETING WITH THEM FOR A LONG TIME NOW. I KNOW THEY'VE BEEN MEETING WITH EVERYBODY HERE AND THEY HAVE A GREAT PROGRAM THERE AND A GREAT IDEA. I DO THINK THIS AS A STAND-ALONE -- THERE HAS TO BE SOME OTHER ADDITIONAL COMPONENT TO THIS ORDINANCE TO MAKE IT MORE IT DOESN'T MATTER THAT THAT VOUCHER WAS BETTER.
IF EVEN ONE PERSON HAS A VOUCHER THAT CAN'T FIND HOUSING, THAT'S A REAL PROBLEM IN SAN ANTONIO. IF YOU GO TO THE TROUBLE TO GET A VOUCHER, WHICH WE KNOW IS A HARD PROCESS AND HARD PROCESS TO KEEP A VOUCHER, YOU SHOULD HAVE A HOUSING UNIT HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, A GOOD ONE. SO, I LIKE WHAT WE RECENTLY SAW COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO'S CCR, THAT'S A GOOD APPROACH TO GET MORE PEOPLE TO JOIN THE VOUCHER PROGRAM, TO ACCEPT THESE VOUCHERS. I THINK THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES TO LOOK AT LEASE CHANGES WITH DEALS THAT WE'RE A PART OF, WITH HOUSING AND TRUST OR ANY OF THESE BOND FUNDING PROGRAMS. LIKE YOU SAID EARLIER, IF THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, JUST AS IMPACTED FOLKS APPLYING AND THAT'S THE REASON THEY'RE BEING TURNED DOWN, WE NEED TO CHANGE OUR OWN LEASES TO SAY IF YOU'RE A VETERAN AND YOU HAVE THESE TYPES OF ISSUES IN YOUR BACKGROUND, THAT DOESN'T MATTER TO US.
YOU'RE STILL GOING TO BE AFFECTED. THAT'S A STRUCTURAL WAY TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE CAN GET INTO HOUSING WITH A BARRIER THAT IS NOT ALLEVIATED IN THE PRIVATE MARKET. THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO LOOK AT.
I THINK WE SHOULD PASS THIS WITH SOMETHING ELSE AND I THINK, TO COUNCILMAN WHYTE'S POINT, THERE ARE PEOPLE CONFUSED ABOUT WHAT THIS MEANS.
THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT CALLED AND SAID DOES THIS MEAN I, AS A PRIVATE RENTER WHO RENTS A SECOND HOME OUT, ARE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE A VOUCHER? I THINK PEOPLE NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE ACTUAL RULES WILL BE.
WHAT HAPPENED THE LAST TIME WAS THAT IT WAS A MUCH BROADER APPROACH TO THE PROBLEM, WHICH WAS NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE TAKING VOUCHERS, SO WE CAN KIND OF INCENTIVIZE THAT PART. WHICH IS NOT QUITE WHAT THEY WERE LOOKING FOR.
THIS IS MORE WHAT THEIR REQUEST IS. I THINK WE SHOULD TAKE IT BACK TO THE COMMITTEE AS EARLY AS NEXT MONTH WITH COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO'S CCR.
THAT WAY IT COULD BE A COUPLED APPROACH. WE HAVE AN ORDINANCE, WHICH IS GREAT, BUT WE ALSO HAVE AN ACTUAL PROGRAM NOW TO INCENTIVIZE PEOPLE TO TAKE THIS AND PERHAPS WE CAN IDENTIFY POLICIES TO CHANGE FOR THE UPCOMING BOND CYCLE OR FOR HOUSING TRUST TO ALLOW PEOPLE THAT HAVE OTHER ISSUES, WHETHER IT'S A BACKGROUND THING OR WHATEVER THAT IS, TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE THE HOUSING THAT THEY CAN GET. SO I THINK THERE'S A LARGER APPROACH TO GET TO THE
[01:10:01]
SOLUTION, WHICH INCLUDES THIS ORDINANCE. I JUST THINK WE NEED A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO ADD THOSE OTHER COMPONENTS TO IT, COUPLED WITH THIS TO PASS TOGETHER. MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS, LIKE THE APARTMENT ASSOCIATION, ARE AWARE OF THE REQUIREMENTS AND SEE IF THEIR PARTNERS CAN ADD TO THIS ALSO AND SEE THAT THESE 40 VETERANS LOOKING FOR A HOME HAVE A PLACE TO LIVE.THAT WOULD BE MY INPUT THAT WE COULD TALK ABOUT AS EARLY AS NEXT MONTH AND MAKE SURE THAT PETER AND SI CYNTHIA ARE AT THE TABLE. WE NEED THE ORDINANCE TO
PASS BUT ALSO ADDING SOME THINGS TO COUPLE THAT. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMAN
MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATIONS. I GUESS I'LL START OFF WITH THE HOUSING -- THE POST-SOLICITATION BRIEFING. I THINK IF I WERE -- WELL, I GUESS ONE, CAN WE GO TO SLIDE 15? SO I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH MY QUESTIONS AND THOUGHTS AS A DISTRICT 2 CONSTITUENT. AND ONE, I HAVE SEEN A NUMBER OF -- THESE SOLICITATIONS HAVE HAPPENED OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND PROJECTS FALL THROUGH AND WE HAVE TO REISSUE SOLICITATIONS.
DO WE HAVE ANY INDICATION THAT THESE PROJECTS WILL SUCCEED OR IS THERE A LIKELIHOOD? WHAT ROLE DOES THAT PLAY IN HOW MUCH WE RECOMMEND THEIR
FUNDING? >> SURE. IT'S VERY HIGHLY CONSIDERED IN THE LAST TWO OR THREE SCORING ROUNDS BECAUSE WE HAD SOME EARLIER ONES FALL OFF. SO WE WANTED TO NOTE, NOT JUST DID THEY APPLY FOR TAX CREDITS, WHAT'S THE LIKELIHOOD OF THEM RECEIVING IT.
HERITAGE ESTATES HAS THEIR 9%. AURORA IS 4% SO VERY LIKELY TO BE FUNDED. THE WEST TRAVIS IS IN THE SPECIAL SET ASIDE CATEGORY BECAUSE IT'S A REHAB. JUDY AT VIDA IS THE TOP-SCORING APPLICANT.
HIGH LIKELIHOOD OF AWARD AND THE AWARDS ARE BASED ON HOW MUCH EACH DEVELOPER
SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED . >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: WELL, THAT'S GOOD NEWS.
I GUESS THAT GOES INTO THE SECOND QUESTION THAT I WOULD THINK OF, DISTRICT 2 CONSTITUENTS. A FEW TIMES PRIOR, YOU KNOW, I HAVE SEEN THE BRIEFINGS HAPPEN AND NO DISTRICT 2 PROJECTS ARE RECOMMENDED. LOOK AT THIS, I SEE WHY, THAT'S 188 UNITS. THAT'S MORE THAN ALL OTHER UNITS COMBINED, EVEN INCLUDING SOME OF THE REHAB AND WHATNOT AND THE OTHER ONES.
SO I WOULD SAY THAT'S GOOD NEWS. I WOULD THEN WONDER WHY IS THE FUNDING AMOUNT LOWER FOR THE 288 UNITS DESPITE CREATING MORE AFFORDABILITY THAN ALL OF THE OTHER UNITS COMBINED? AND MY UNDERSTANDING, BASED ON WHAT YOU JUST SAID, IS THEY PROBABLY ONLY ASKED FOR A SMALL AMOUNT OF MONEY.
>> THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT. THAT HAPPENS. IF YOU LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THAT PROJECT, IT'S MUCH LARGER SO DENSE PROJECT. THIS ONE IS LAYERING THE 4% TAX CREDIT.
SO THAT HELPS FUND IT AS WELL. SO IT'S JUST REALLY BASED ON
HOW MUCH FUNDING THAT THEY HAVE REQUESTED. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: AWESOME. I APPRECIATE THAT ANSWER. WOULD YOU MIND GOING TO SLIDE 9 FOR ME? I THEN AM THINKING ABOUT THE CALLS THAT I HAVE GOTTEN TO MY OFFICE AND I THINK OF WHEATLEY -- THE SENIOR LIVING COMPLEX.
I BELIEVE THAT'S WHAT THAT IS, THE SECOND PLACED PROJECT.
>> YES. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: I WORRY THAT -- ARE THERE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENTS? BECAUSE WE GET A LOT OF CALLS ABOUT THAT COMPLEX AND I WORRY -- IF I WAS LOOKING AT THIS I WOULD SAY, OH, THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY, $4.5 MILLION. WHY CAN'T IT BE SPLIT BETWEEN THOSE TOP TWO PROJECTS? CAN YOU WALK ME THROUGH WHAT
WERE THE CONSIDERATIONS WITH WHEATLEY? >> SURE.
WHEN WE WENT TO PRE-SOLICITATION BRIEFING, WE NOTED THERE WOULD BE UP TO $5 MILLION AVAILABLE FOR REHAB PROJECTS. AND THE TOP AWARD FOR 111 WEST TRAVIS, THE AWARD IS $4.5 MILLION. THE REMAINDER DOES GO TO RENTAL PRODUCTION BECAUSE THE NEXT HALF MILLION WOULD NOT BE ENOUGH TO FULLY FUND WHEATLEY SENIOR. WE LOOKED AT WHAT WE HAD DONE IN THE PRE-SOLICITATION BRIEFING. WHEATLEY SENIOR, THE FEEDBACK WAS THEY DID NOT SUBMIT A NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR THE PROPERTY SO THAT MADE IT A LITTLE DIFFICULT.
YOU CAN SEE THE SCORING REFLECTS THAT. TO REALLY UNDERSTAND THE FUNDING REQUESTED, WOULD THAT BE ENOUGH TO FULLY REHAB THE NEEDS OF THAT PARTICULAR HOUSING COMMUNITY. AND SOME OF THE REQUESTS FOR THAT FUNDING WERE FOCUSED MORE ON RECAPITALIZATION OF DEBT, PAYING DOWN INSURANCE COSTS. AGAIN, WITHOUT THAT NEEDS ASSESSMENT SUBMITTED, THERE WERE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT KIND OF WOULD THAT BE ENOUGH.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: SO I WOULD HOPE ANY LEADERSHIP WITH WHEATLEY IS WATCHING
[01:15:02]
THIS RIGHT NOW AND YOU'RE HEARING THAT IN ORDER TO BE COMPETITIVE IN THE FUTURE YOU WILL NEED TO DO A NEEDS ASSESSMENT. I FIND THAT QUITE DISAPPOINTING. I'LL MOVE TO THE NEXT ITEM. THANK YOU.A TON ON THIS ONE. WITH REGARDS TO THE SOURCE OF INCOME PROTECTION, I'M A LITTLE BIT CONFUSED -- I'M NOT CONFUSED ON THE DISAGREEMENT HERE.
BUT WHAT I'M UNDERSTANDING IS RIGHT NOW WE HAVE PROTECTIONS IN PLACE FOR ALL VOUCHER HOLDERS IN CITY-INCENTIVIZED, HOUSING TRUST FUNDED, AND FEDERALLY-FUNDED PROPERTIES. THAT IS A PROTECTION THAT EXISTS.
WHAT THIS ITEM REQUEST WOULD BE PROTECTIONS FOR ALL PROPERTIES WITHIN CITY LIMITS FOR VETERANS AS A PROTECTED CLASS. AND SO IF YOU GO TO SLIDE 9
ON THAT PRESENTATION -- >> NEXT PRESENTATION. SO IF I'M LOOKING AT THIS, I'M SEEING PROPOSED APPLICABILITY, START WITH LARGE PROPERTIES EXEMPTING THE SMALLER PORTFOLIOS.
THE CONCERN THAT IF I HAVE A ONE UNIT THAT I'M RENTING OR THREE TO FIVE UNITS, WE PROBABLY WOULDN'T INCORPORATE THOSE. WE PROBABLY WOULDN'T EVEN INCORPORATE -- I DON'T WANT TO GUESS A NUMBER RIGHT NOW. NONE OF THE SMALL PORTFOLIOS. WE WOULD START WITH LARGE PROPERTIES.
I THINK THAT MAKES SENSE. AND THE WE CAN DO BOTH. AND IF WE WERE TO ADOPT SOMETHING LIKE THIS, IT DOESN'T STOP US FROM STILL MOVING FORWARD WITH THE COUNCILWOMAN'S CCR.
AND I THINK WE SHOULD DO THAT. I JUST -- WHY WOULDN'T WE WANT TO ROLL THIS OUT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE? I'M CONFUSED THERE.
WE CAN STILL DO THE CARROTS. NOTHING STOPS US. ALL WE'RE DISCUSSING RIGHT NOW IS DELAYING THIS PIECE. AND SO I AM OF THE OPINION THAT WE SHOULD MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS. WE SHOULD, AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, ADOPT A POLICY WITH THIS EXACT PROPOSED PROTECTION. AND CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE CCR AS IT'S SCHEDULED. THAT'S MY THOUGHTS.
THAT'S MY FEEDBACK. WOULD LOVE SOME CLARITY FROM MY COLLEAGUES IF THEY'RE OPPOSED. I'M JUST NOT THERE. THANK YOU.
>> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMAN MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ, AS YOU LAID IT OUT IS HOW I SEE IT AS WELL. THIS CAN MOVE SEPARATELY AND I THINK BASED ON HOW MANY YEARS THE VETERAN GROUPS HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR THIS AND THE IMMEDIACY OF THE IMPACT, IT DOES NOT NEED TO WAIT FOR ANYTHING ELSE, FRANKLY.
COUNCILWOMAN GAVITO. >> GAVITO: THANK YOU, VERONICA FOR THE PRESENTATIONS. I'LL START WITH THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING ONE FIRST. DEFINITELY APPRECIATE THE RENTAL PRODUCTION AND REHAB PROJECTS IN THAT THEY ARE A DIVERSE MIX APPEALING TO FAMILIES, VETERANS, AND FOSTER YOUTH. HOW LONG ARE THE REPAYMENT TERMS ON THE LOAN AND WHAT
HAPPENS TO THAT MONEY WHEN IT IS REPAID TO US? >> IAN BENAVIDES, DEPUTY DIRECTOR. THE PAYMENT TERMS VARY BY PROJECT.
IT DEPENDS WHERE WE ARE IN THE LIST OF OTHER LOANS THAT THE PROJECT MAY HAVE.
SOMETIMES THERE'S A LOT. SOMETIMES THERE'S A FEW SO IT DEPENDS ON THAT ORDER.
IT CAN TAKE ANYWHERE FROM 10 TO 25 YEARS TO GET REPAID BACK FULLY.
WHEN WE DO RECOVER THOSE FUNDS, WE TAKE THOSE IN AS PROGRAM INCOME AND THEY ARE
USUALLY REALLOCATED TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAMS. >> GAVITO: PERFECT.
THAT'S WHY I WAS CHECKING IF WE KEEP IT IN THE POT. THAT'S PERFECT.
I'M GRATEFUL TO THE HOUSING TRUST THAT 111 WEST TRAVIS REMAINS AFFORDABLE.
I HAVE SPOKEN OFTEN ABOUT MAKING SURE WE NEED TO KEEP OUR HOUSING UP TO PAR, SO I'M DEFINITELY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS INVESTMENT. THE JUDY AT VIDA SOUNDS SUPER EXCITING . MANY PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN OUR COMMUNITY WERE ONCE VULNERABLE YOUTH. DISTRICT 7 IS PROUD TO HAVE THE THROUGH PROJECT BE IN DISTRICT 7. WE TALK A LOT AND ALL THE TIME. I KNOW COUNCILWOMAN CABELLO HAVRDA IS HERE AND WE HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT CARING FOR OUR FOSTER YOUTH. OFTEN, WHEN I'M TALKING TO RESIDENTS ABOUT HOMELESS, SOMETIMES PEOPLE ARE ANGRY ABOUT OUR HOMELESS SITUATION AND THAT KIND OF STUFF. WHEN YOU TAKE A STEP BACK AND TALK ABOUT THE PATH A FOSTER CARE KID HAS TAKEN, YOU KNOW, AND THEY'RE JUST FOCUSING ON SURVIVING.
[01:20:03]
AND THEN WHEN THEY QUOTE, UNQUOTE GRADUATE FROM THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM AT 18, THEN THEY HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO GET A JOB, GET AN I.D. AND ALL THAT STUFF.THEY'RE NOT FOCUSED ON THRIVING. OFTENTIMES MANY OF THEM DO END UP HOMELESS OR VULNERABLE YOUTH. THAT'S WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT WE AS A COMMUNITY WRAP OUR ARMS AROUND THEM AND TAKE CARE OF THEM SO THAT WAY WE CAN PREVENT A HOMELESS TRAJECTORY FROM THEM GOING FORWARD.
I THINK STUFF LIKE -- PROJECTS LIKE JUDY AT VIDA AND ALSO, TOO, I THINK IT'S CLOSE TO COLLEGE. YEAH. IT'S RIGHT NEXT TO A COLLEGE TOO SO I THINK ALL OF THAT IS EXTREMELY THOUGHTFUL. I WANT TO GIVE Y'ALL KUDOS FOR THAT APPROACH. I THINK IT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE NEED TO SEE MORE OF.
THAT ALSO APPLIES TO THE AURORA MLK NEAR ST. PHILIPS COLLEGE, SO KUDOS ON THAT.
I DID WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO COUNCILWOMAN KAUR ON PUSHING THE MISSING MIDDLE PROJECTS TOO. THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST RFP, IT'S EXCITING TO SEE THIS COME TO LIFE. WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH NADIA -- I'M NOT SURE IF SHE IS HERE TODAY. BUT I KNOW THE SILK ROAD ALL AROUND ON THAT FIRST PRESENTATION. THE SECOND ITEM, YOU KNOW, I DEFINITELY AGREE WITH THE SENTIMENT OF MY COLLEAGUES. WE ABSOLUTELY NEED TO ENSURE THAT OUR VETERANS ARE PROTECTED. I DO HAVE COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO'S CCR -- I SHARE THE SENTIMENT OF SEVERAL OF MY COLLEAGUES.
LET'S MAKE SURE WE DO THIS RIGHT. I THINK THAT COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO'S CCR IS THOUGHTFUL AND I'M CURIOUS WHY IT IS COMING UP RIGHT NOW AT B SESSION. I REMEMBER DISCUSSING THIS IN THE LAST ADMINISTRATION.
SO I'M NOT SURE WHY IT DIDN'T GO TO PCDC BEFORE. I DON'T KNOW.
I HOPE I'M NOT STEPPING IN AN ANT PILE. BUT I DO THINK IF IT GOES TO COMMITTEE AND PCDC HASHES IT OUT AND MAKES SURE WE HAVE A THOUGHTFUL APPROACH AND THEN COME UP WITH A WORKABLE SOLUTION. AS COUNCILMAN WHYTE SAID, LET'S GET IT RIGHT. THOSE ARE ALL MY COMMENTS ON THAT.
THANKS. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO.
>> CASTILLO: THANK YOU. THANK YOU, VERONICA FOR THE PRESENTATION.
ALWAYS GRATEFUL FOR THE LEADERSHIP OF THE NHSC TEAM WITH FACILITATING THE DISBURSEMENT OF THE HOUSING BOND DOLLARS. THIS SHOWS US THE IMPACT THAT CAN BE MADE WITH THE 2027 HOUSING BOND. HOPEFULLY HIGHER THAN $150 MILLION. I BELIEVE IT DEMONSTRATES THE ROLE AND IMPACT OF THE SAN ANTONIO HOUSING TRUST, AS MENTIONED IN THE PRESENTATION.
THE HOUSING TRUST PROVIDES ADDITIONAL TENANT PROTECTIONS AS WELL AS INCREASES ACCESSIBILITY WITHIN EACH UNIT, IF IT GOES THROUGH THE SAN ANTONIO HOUSING TRUST. FOR EXAMPLE, NHSD AND THE TRI-CHAIRS CAME UP WITH SEVERAL SOLUTIONS IN TERMS OF HOW TO ADDRESS NEEDS WITH VETERANS, PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, AND FOLKS IN THE LGBT COMMUNITY. MUCH OF THAT IS WHAT THE SAN ANTONIO HOUSING TRUST HAS ADOPTED AND IT HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPORTANCE OF CONTINUING TO PARTNER -- GREATER IMPACT, MEETING THE NEEDS PROPOSED AND THE HOUSING TRUST IS DOING THAT . I APPRECIATE PETE AND MY COLLEAGUES WHO SERVED ON THE SAN ANTONIO HOUSING TRUST FOR STRETCHING THOSE DOLLARS AND MAKING A GREAT IMPACT.
IN TERMS OF THE PROJECT, GRATEFUL TO SEE THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST WITH THE SILK ROAD AND ESPERANZA LAND TRUST WITH DISTRICT 5. THIS IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO COME UP AS WE ENTER BUDGET CONVERSATIONS, IS A CONCERN WITH VACANT LOTS AND STRUCTURES. I BELIEVE THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST IS A MODEL OF HOW TO ADDRESS THOSE NEW PROPERTIES AND LOTS AND ADDRESS PUBLIC SAFETY WHILE ALSO HOUSING INDIVIDUALS. VERY IMPACTFUL PROJECTS THAT WE SEE RIGHT IN FRONT OF US.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, OF COURSE I WANTED TO COMMEND DR. KAUR AND THE HOUSING TRUST FOR THE WEST TRAVIS PROPERTY. GRATEFUL TO SEE THIS IS A PROJECT THAT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED TO BE SUPPORTED WITH THE 2022 HOUSING BOND DOLLARS. IN ADDITION TO THAT, I ECHO MY COLLEAGUES' SENTIMENT IN TERMS OF HAVING THE CONVERSATION AT PCDC COUPLED WITH THE COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUEST. THE CCR THAT I PROPOSED COINED COSA VOUCHERS WAS BORN OUT OF A CONVERSATION THAT THE SAN ANTONIO BOARD OF REALTORS HAD AND CO-CREATED WITH THE SAN ANTONIO APARTMENT ASSOCIATION.
WHAT WE LEARNED FROM LANDLORDS, BOTH MULTIFAMILY AND SMALL MOM AND POP LANDLORDS, IT'S NOT THAT THEY DO NOT WANT TO ACCEPT VOUCHERS, THERE'S BARRIERS
[01:25:03]
IN TERMS OF PAYMENT WITH THOSE. IT'S LIKE A TWO TO THREE MONTH DELAY WHEN THEY RECEIVE THAT PAYMENT. AND THEN SOMETIMES -- I KNOW THESE ISSUES HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED. THERE WERE SOME ISSUES IN WHICH AN ORGANIZATION WAS APPROVING AN APPLICANT. HOWEVER, THEY DIDN'T REALLY QUALIFY SO THE LANDLORD WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR REIMBURSING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.THE COSA VOUCHER CCR WILL HELP ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE ISSUES BY POTENTIALLY UPFRONTING THOSE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH ACCEPTING VOUCHERS.
AGAIN, GRATEFUL FOR MARTIN AND RYAN OF SABER AND THE APARTMENT ASSOCIATION FOR CO-AUTHORING THIS CCR . I BELIEVE IT WAS SOMEONE FROM THE MILITARY COMMITTEE OF SABER WHO WAS A VETERAN AND A MULTIFAMILY LANDLORD. SHE SHARED IT'S NOT THAT WE DON'T WANT TO ACCEPT VOUCHERS, THIS IS JUST THE EXAMPLE I RAN INTO, AND I WAS OUT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS BECAUSE SOMEONE WAS ACCEPTED INTO THE PROGRAM THAT SHOULDN'T HAVE AND THEY HAD TO FRONT THOSE COSTS. WE WANT TO BE SURE THAT FOLKS ARE RECEIVING PAYMENT FOR THEIR RENT AND OF COURSE FOLKS AREN'T BEING PUSHED OUT BECAUSE OF A HICCUP WITHIN PAPERWORK. WHAT'S IMPORTANT ABOUT COMING UP WITH THE FUND IS POTENTIALLY, IF THERE'S A CONCERN FROM LANDLORDS, WHETHER IT'S A LARGE MULTIFAMILY OR A SMALL MOM AND POP, THAT THEY'RE GOING TO GET A CALL FROM THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO FOR NOT FOLLOWING THE ORDINANCE, IS FOLKS MAY CONVERT THEIR SHORT-TERM RENTALS INTO AIRBNBS AND NOW YOU'RE MOVING THAT UNIT OFF THE MARKET. I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE AVOID THAT BECAUSE WE NEED MORE LONG-TERM RENTALS THAT ARE GOING TO ACCEPT VOUCHERS AND SECTION 8 AND SECTION 18 VOUCHERS AND NOT BE SHORT-TERM RENTALS IN TERMS OF AIRBNBS. I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE MAY POTENTIALLY EXPERIENCE IF WE DON'T WORK TOWARDS WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS TO INCENTIVIZE IN ADDRESSING THAT NEED. FURTHER, THE COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUEST DID CITE THE OPPORTUNITY HOME MODEL AS A MODEL FOR US TO LEARN FROM BUT WHAT WE ALSO LEARNED IS THERE WERE VOUCHERS UNUSED. MEANING THE LANDLORD IS NOT ACCEPTING VOUCHERS SO HOW CAN WE GET THEM TO PARTICIPATE WITHIN THE PROGRAM. THOSE ARE ALL MY COMMENTS. THANK YOU.
>> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMAN GALVAN. >> GALVAN: THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU, VERONICA FOR THE PRESENTATIONS.
ON ITEM ONE, JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO HSD AND THE HOUSING TRUST AND ALL THE WORK YOU DO. ALSO WANT TO THANK FOLKS IN THE CLT AS WELL.
VERY GRATEFUL TO WORK WITH YOU ALL PREVIOUSLY AS A STAFF MEMBER AS WELL AS A COUNCIL MEMBER. I THINK I SAW RENEE WITH ESPERANZA CLT AS WELL AS NADIA. REALLY EXCITING STUFF GOING ON THERE.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE PRESENTATION ON THAT ONE. NO QUESTIONS THERE.
ON THE SOURCE OF INCOME CONVERSATION, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THE ORDINANCE OVERALL AND MOVING FORWARD WITH IT. I FEEL COMFORTABLE GOING TO PCDC.
ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I HAD WITH IT WAS I WANTED TO KNOW HOW MANY UNITS WOULD BE AFFECTED IF IMPLEMENTED AND DO WE HAVE THAT BROKEN DOWN BY THE LARGER COMPLEXES VERSUS THE SMALLER ONES? I KNOW THE SMALLER ONES WON'T BE AFFECTED.
>> WE CAN TRY AND QUICKLY SORT THE DATA LARGE VERSUS SMALL OR WE CAN FOLLOW UP AS
WELL. >> GALVAN: THAT WORKS. THAT'S HELPFUL.
I JUST WANTED TO UNDERSTAND THE AMOUNT OF UNITS IMPACTED AND WHAT WOULD BE AVAILABLE.
OF COURSE TO A LOT OF FOLKS' COMMENTS HERE, TALKING ABOUT WAYS THAT WE CAN GET SMALLER PORTFOLIOS ON BOARD IN THE FUTURE IS CRUCIAL AS WELL. WITH THE ENTIRE VOUCHER PROGRAM HERE LOCALLY BUT ACROSS THE NATION, THERE'S ALWAYS HICCUPS TO GET FOLKS ON BOARD. I'M GRATEFUL TO SEE THE WORK DOWN THROUGH REACH AND OF COURSE WITH COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO'S CCR, GETTING TO THAT BETTER SPOT WHERE WE CAN GET FOLKS TO PLUG INTO THE PROGRAM AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE AND PREVENT THESE HICCUPS FROM GOING ON. THE OTHER QUESTION I HAD ON IT WAS -- MAY BE FOR OPPORTUNITY HOME. WHAT COORDINATION DOES OPPORTUNITY HOME OR EVEN THE CASE MANAGERS, WHAT COORDINATION DO THEY HAVE WITH DHS HERE LOCALLY WITH US OR AACOG TO HELP PROVIDE WRAPAROUND SUPPORT? I ASK THAT, AS WE'RE LOOKING AT MODELS TO PROVIDE HOUSING AND ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO CONNECT WITH THE VOUCHER PROGRAM TO MAKE SURE THERE'S STILL WRAPAROUND SERVICES AVAILABLE.
THAT'S MY THOUGHT. YEAH, COME ON UP. >> SO FOR OUR ORGANIZATION, WE DO NORMALLY TRY TO WORK DIRECTLY WITH OUR VA PARTNER AND WE TRY TO MAKE SURE THERE'S OTHER RESOURCES. I DON'T KNOW IF WE CONTACT DHS.
I THINK THE VA CONTACTS DHS. WE CONTACT CENTER HEALTH SERVICES OR OTHER SERVICES
[01:30:02]
IF THE VA CASE MANAGER MAY NOT BE ABLE TO. BUT WE TRY TO WORK WITH THE FAMILY'S OTHER RESOURCES. IF THE VETERAN SAID THEY WOULD RATHER US CONTACT THEIR FAMILY RATHER THAN AN AGENCY, WE TRY TO WORK THAT WAY TO OFFER AN ALTERNATIVE.THE VA WILL GIVE THEM CASE MANAGEMENT FOR THEIR HEALTHCARE PLAN AND
SERVICES. >> GALVAN: I WANTED TO SEE IF OPPORTUNITY WAS PROVIDING THAT CONNECTION, WHETHER IT WAS THROUGH FAMILY, ET CETERA.
I THINK IT'S CRITICAL, AS WE'RE LOOKING AT THE SCATTERED MODEL TO MAKE SURE THAT VETERANS HAVE ACCESS TO HOUSING ACROSS THE CITY, MAKING SURE THERE'S THAT WRAPAROUND SUPPORT, NOT ONLY FOR THEM AND THEIR PERSONAL NEEDS BUT TO MAKE SURE WHEREVER THEY ARE AT IS NOT ISOLATED FROM THOSE SERVICES.
>> NORMALLY FOR THE VASH PROGRAM IT IS SPECIFIC THAT THE DESIGNATED SERVICE PROVIDER IS THE VA AND THE VIRVA WOULD SAY WE ARE WORKING WITH THIS GROUP.
WE DO TRY TO GROUP. MAINLY BECAUSE THEY HAVE MORE OF THAT CASE MANAGEMENT
EXPERIENCE AND WE HAVE MORE OF THE CONTRACT EXPERIENCE. >> GALVAN: I THINK THOSE ARE ALL OF MY COMPONENTS. I THINK THIS IS A VERY MUCH NEEDED ORDINANCE TO GO THROUGH. I THINK IT'S A GREAT COMPLEMENT TO THES TASK FORCE RECOMMENDATIONS WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER IN PCDC AS WELL.
WAYS WE CAN PROVIDE DIRECT HOUSING FOR VETERANS AND OTHER POPULATIONS IN OUR CITY THAT DEFINITELY NEED SPECIFIC KIND OF DIFFERENT HOUSING.
IT CAN BE HELPFUL FOR THEIR NEEDS. THOSE ARE ALL MY COMMENTS
THERE. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: I WANT TO PICK UP ON A POINT YOU JUST MADE. ENSURING THAT VETERANS ARE NOT ISOLATED FROM THE SERVICES THEY NEED. THAT'S EXACTLY THE INTENT OF THE ORDINANCE. RIGHT? SO BECAUSE IN CERTAIN AREAS -- THERE'S ONLY A HANDFUL OF FOLKS THAT TAKE THE VOUCHERS.
ONCE THOSE ARE FILLED UP YOU HAVE TO LIVE FURTHER AWAY. THE INTENT OF THE ORDINANCE IS TO ADDRESS EXACTLY WHAT YOU JUST DESCRIBED. YEAH.
COUNCILWOMAN MEZA GONZALEZ. >> GONZALEZ: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATIONS. JUST QUICKLY, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON ITEM 1 BUT JUST WANTED TO SUPPORT, YOU KNOW, THIS STRATEGIC APPROACH THAT WE'RE DOING TO EXPAND OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES.
I THINK THE GAP FUNDING, INVESTING IN THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST MODELS ARE ALL IMPORTANT. DISTRICT 8 IS HOME NOW TO ONE OF THE CLTS WITH CULTURAL LINGO AND DOING A LOT OF WORK ESPECIALLY ON THE HOME OWNERSHIP SIDE OF THINGS . WE WANT EVERYONE HOUSED BUT THE FOLKS WHO CAN GET INTO THAT OWNERSHIP IS SO IMPORTANT FOR GENERATIONAL WEALTH SO NO QUESTIONS THERE. ON ITEM 2, JUST HEARD FROM OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS, SO SUPPORTING MOVING THIS TO PCDC. DISTRICT 8, WE ARE HOME TO VALOR HILL, WHICH IS A HOUSING TRUST PROPERTY. THAT IS AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMPLEX THAT'S VETERAN FOCUSED AND HAS SUPPORTED SERVICES IN THERE.
I THINK THAT'S A MODEL THAT I WOULD RECOMMEND ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES TO TAKE A TOUR OF VALOR HILL. IT'S SUCH A GREAT EXAMPLE. THEY DO ACCEPT VASH, AS FAR AS I KNOW, AND I'M SURE HAVE OPENINGS. WANT TO MAKE SURE WE FILL THEM. THAT'S WHAT WE REALLY NEED TO DO.
I KNOW THE HOUSING TRUST IS HERE. I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANYTHING TO TALK ABOUT WITH VALOR HILL BUT IT'S A GREAT MODEL THAT I RECOMMEND MY COLLEAGUES GO CHECK OUT AND SEE HOW WE CAN BRING THOSE TO YOUR DISTRICT.
ESPECIALLY BECAUSE DISTRICT 8 IS ALSO HOME TO THE VA HOSPITAL.
WE'RE LOOKING AT EXPANDING THAT. BECAUSE THOSE SERVICES ARE NEEDED. DO WE HAVE DENIAL RATE AS FAR AS OUR VASH VOUCHERHOLDERS? DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT DENIAL RATE IS?
>> HI, COUNCILWOMAN. THANK YOU SO MUCH. JUSTINA TATE, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER. WE DON'T HAVE THE DENIAL RATE BUT 90% OF VASH VOUCHER HOLDERS FIND HOUSING WITHIN 90 DAYS OF RECEIVING THAT VOUCHER.
>> GONZALEZ: THAT'S HELPFUL. OTHER CITIES, I THINK WE MENTIONED FORT WORTH, ARE CONSIDERED A CITY WITH A HIGH VOUCHER DENIAL RATE, IN GENERAL. ARE WE ONE OF THOSE CITIES AS WELL? I GUESS, WHERE DO WE FALL AS FAR AS VOUCHER DENIAL RATE? DOES ANYBODY KNOW THAT?
>> APPROVAL RATE -- HUD CALLS IT A SUCCESS RATE. AND SO I KNOW FOR OUR
[01:35:05]
ORGANIZATION, IT'S ABOUT 68% FOR A REGULAR VOUCHER. SO A REGULAR VOUCHER HOLDER -- IT'S NORMALLY 68% WILL FIND A UNIT AND LEASE UP.AND IF THEY'RE NOT LEASED UP, IT COULD BE MULTIPLE REASONS.
LIKE IT MIGHT BE THEIR CREDIT, LEASE HISTORY, MULTIPLE DIFFERENT THINGS.
FOR THE VASH, IT IS THAT HIGHER 90% SUCCESS RATE AND IT'S USUALLY THAT CASE MANAGEMENT THAT'S A PART OF IT. AVERAGING OTHER CITIES, IT DEPENDS ON THE CITY AND THEIR PAYMENT STANDARDS RELATED TO THE MARKET.
IT'S A HARDER QUESTION IN THE SENSE IF THE MARKET ACCEPTS A VOUCHER RATHER
THAN HOW MUCH THE VOUCHERS ARE FOR THAT AREA. >> GONZALEZ: OKAY.
>> WE ARE ABOUT AVERAGE FOR OTHER CITIES IN THE SENSE OF WHAT WE ARE, BASED ON OUR PAYMENT STANDARD IN REFERENCE TO THE MARKET, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
>> GONZALEZ: THAT'S HELPFUL. THANK YOU.
THOSE WERE ALL MY QUESTIONS. JUST AGAIN THANK YOU TO THE REACH COMMITTEE THAT WORKED ON THIS. WE JUST HAD THIS CONVERSATION IN PCDC, SO THE SPECIAL SUPPLY TASK FORCE. WE HAVE ALL KIND OF HAD OUR HANDS ON THIS AT SOME POINT BUT I LOOK FORWARD TO THE ORDINANCE THAT COMES OUT OF PCDC, WHILE INCLUDING COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO'S CCR. SO THAT'S ALL MY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU.
>> MAYOR JONES: JUSTINA, THANKS FOR SHARING THE STAT IN TERMS OF HOW QUICKLY PEOPLE ARE PLACED, ONCE THEY USE THE VASH VOUCHER. THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY REFLECT WHERE THAT VETERAN MAMAYBE ULTIMATELY WANTED TO LIVE AND IN PROXIMITY TO THE VA CLINIC, WHICH IS THE INTENT OF THE ORDINANCE. COUNCILWOMAN KAUR.
THANK YOU. >> KAUR: THANK YOU, MAYOR. SORRY, COUNCILWOMAN, I WILL NOT INTERRUPT YOUR COMMENTS NEXT TIME, COUNCILWOMAN MEZA GONZALEZ.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, VERONICA, FOR THIS PRESENTATION. I WANT TO ECHO SOME OF MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES' COMMENTS ON THE HOUSING BOND BEING REALLY -- SHOWING A LOT OF SUCCESS IN TERMS OF HOW MUCH HOUSING WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PUT INTO THE MARKET.
AND TO COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO'S POINT, I HOPE THAT WE CAN USE WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED FROM THIS HOUSING BOND TO EVEN RAMP UP MORE ON THE SECOND ONE TO BE MORE STRATEGIC AND MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE SEEN FROM OUR FIRST HOUSING BOND WE LEARN FROM. AND SO THAT BEING SAID, I THINK SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN MADE SHOW US SOME LESSONS THAT WE'VE HAD FROM THIS FIRST HOUSING BOND. I'M REALLY EXCITED FOR YOU GUYS TO TAKE ALL OF WHAT WE'VE LEARNED THROUGH ALL OF THE SOLICITATIONS AND SYNTHESIZE THAT AND BE ABLE TO SHARE THAT BACK WITH US. I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE ASKED FOR THAT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL IS A LIST OF ALL THE AWARDS WE HAVE MADE OUT OF THE HOUSING BOND, THE UNIT BREAKDOWN, THE UNIT, SIMILAR TO WHAT WE SEE IN THE CHART FOR THE BOND, AND HOW MUCH GAP FUNDING WE'RE PROVIDING IN COMPARISON TO THE TOTAL PROJECT COST. THE PERCENTAGE OF GAP FUNDING .
I KNOW WE CAN'T, ITEM FOR ITEM SAY A 30% AMI UNIT SHOULD BE AWARDED THIS MUCH.
I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR US TO BETTER UNDERSTAND. I HAVE COME TO LEARN IT IS A CHALLENGE OF WHAT IS COMING TO YOU AND HOW MUCH MONEY YOU HAVE.
SO A LOT OF TIMES IF PROJECTS ARE NOT COMING OUR WAY, WE CANNOT INCENTIVIZE MORE PROJECTS. SO I THINK WE HAVE TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE STRATEGIC WITH ALL OF OUR PARTNERS IN THINKING ABOUT HOW DO WE CREATE A MARKET IN WHICH WE ARE SHOWING THE OPPORTUNITY SO WE GET MORE INVESTMENT. AND OFTENTIMES I THINK WHEN WE HEAR AND TALK TO FOLKS THAT INCREASING COSTS OF CONSTRUCTION, HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO GET FEDERAL FUNDING RIGHT NOW FOR OUR HOUSING PROGRAMS AND HOW VOLATILE THE FEDERAL MARKET IS RIGHT NOW. IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT TO SHOW PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY. SO I THINK WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT ALL OF THE DOLLARS WE'VE GIVEN IN THIS FIRST HOUSING BOND AND REALLY SHOWCASE THAT TO SHOW, OKAY, IF YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT INVESTING IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN SAN ANTONIO, GO BUILD FIVE -- BRING US FIVE MORE PROJECTS AND WE'LL FIGURE OUT A WAY TO FUND IT.
THAT'S JUST MY OVERALL THINKING ABOUT US BEING ON THIS POTENTIAL LAST SOLICITATION OF THE HOUSING BOND OF HOW WE CAN MAKE SURE WE LEARN FROM IT.
ON THAT VEIN, TO COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ'S POINT, I BROUGHT THIS UP IN OUR CONVERSATION AND I AM SO PROUD OF 111 WEST TRAVIS.
I FINALLY GOT THE NAME RIGHT. I ALWAYS FORGET THE STREET ADDRESS. BUT I'M SO PROUD OF THAT PROJECT BECAUSE THAT TRULY -- IT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT BUILDING TO HAVE GONE TO THE MARKET AND POTENTIALLY COMPLETELY REHABBED TO BE FULL MARKET-RATE HOUSING.
THAT PROJECT IS SO EXPENSIVE. IF YOU LOOK AT THE TOTAL COST OF IT, IT IS GETTING A 9% LIHTC, 5% IN THE HOUSING BOND, WE'RE FORGIVING SOME LOANS. IT'S JUST AN EXPENSIVE PROJECT AND IT'S STILL IMPORTANT. I DON'T THINK I'M SAYING EVERYTHING HAS TO BE DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR BUT I THINK WE DO HAVE TO FIGURE OUT OUR PRIORITIES TO MAKE SURE THAT
[01:40:01]
EVEN THOUGH THIS PROJECT MEANS SO MUCH TO THE COMMUNITY, HOW MANY OF THOSE ARE WE GOING TO DO AND HOW MANY DO WE MAKE SURE THAT WE STILL ADDRESS THE EAST SIDE WHEATLEY HEIGHTS PROJECT THAT WE COULD PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF EXTRA HELP TO.WE HAVE TO THINK STRATEGICALLY ABOUT THE VALUE OF SOME OF THESE PROJECTS AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE DOUBLING DOWN ON THE ONES THAT WE KNOW ARE GOING TO BE GAME CHANGERS FOR OUR COMMUNITY BUT NOT BEING FRIVOLOUS.
IT'S HARD. FIVE OF US SIT ON THE HOUSING TRUST BOARD.
I'M THE VICE PRESIDENT. I HAVE A FIDUCIARY DUTY TO THAT.
WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE DEFENDING OUR FUNDING IN A COMPETITIVE MARKETPLACE BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO BE SEEN AS THE ONE WHO UNFAVORABLY GIVES DOLLARS TO OUR OWN ENTITY BECAUSE IT'S NOT GOING TO CREATE MORE INVESTMENT.
WE NEED PEOPLE COMING IN AND MORE PROJECTS AT THE SAME TIME.
THE LAST THING I'LL SAY ON 111 WEST TRAVIS IS WE HAVE FOUND AN AMAZING PARTNER AND A PROPERTY MANAGEMENT GROUP LOCALLY THATLE I DIDN'T REALIZE WAS FOR-PROFIT YESTERDAY. WE WERE HAVING THIS ROBUST CONVERSATION AT PCDC WITH THE OPPORTUNITY HOME AND WE TALK ABOUT WHO WE PARTNER WITH AND HOW IMPORTANT THAT WORK IS. SO WE HAVE RYAN HERE, WHO VERONICA MENTIONED FROM FRANKLIN DEVELOPMENT. THEY ARE MANAGING VALOR HILL, WHICH ACTUALLY HAS 30 SPACES OPEN RIGHT NOW TO ACCEPT VETERANS. WE HAVE 111 WEST TRAVIS.
LITERALLY HE WAS ABLE TO TELL ME YESTERDAY EVERY SINGLE MEMBER OF THAT APARTMENT COMPLEX AND WHAT THEY HAVE BEEN DOING IN THE LOBBY TO ENGAGE THEM AND HOW THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SUPPORT THEM. WHICH LAST FALL I WAS GETTING CALLS ON A FRIDAY SAYING THAT THE ELEVATOR WAS BROKEN AND WE NEED YOU IMMEDIATELY TO PROVIDE FOOD BECAUSE THERE'S NOTHING HAPPENING THERE.
IT JUST GOES TO SHOW YOU WHEN YOU HAVE A REALLY GOOD PROPERTY MANAGEMENT PARTNER THAT TRULY CARES ABOUT OUR RESIDENTS, THAT SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE, IT'S THE PEOPLE. SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU, GUYS FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO AND HOPE WE CONTINUE TO PARTNER TOGETHER ON A LOT MORE. AND ON VALOR HILL, ON PETE'S TEAM, THAT PROPERTY REALLY WAS THE BRAIN CHILD OF TOM ROTH, WHO WAS ON HIS TEAM. I DON'T THINK HE'S IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY BUT -- HE'S WATCHING, I'M SURE. AND THAT PROJECT CAME TOGETHER FROM AN IDEA, WHICH HAS REALLY BEEN CRITICAL FOR OUR VETERANS IN TERMS OF HOW THEY'RE ABLE TO ACCESS. I WAS TOLD SOMEONE FROM 111 WEST TRAVIS DID GET MOVED OVER TO VALOR HILL AND THEY'RE LOVING IT AND THAT'S GOING TO BE THEIR PERMANENT HOME BECAUSE OF THE ACCESSIBILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT IT CREATES.
OKAY. SO THE LAST THING -- I THINK THAT'S THE LAST THING I'LL SAY ON THE HOUSING BOND EXCEPT FOR ANOTHER SHOUT OUT.
I KNOW NADIA IS HERE. WHEN THE CCR WAS PUT FORWARD FOUR YEARS AGO, MAYBE, IT SHOWS HOW A PROCESS CAN EVOLVE. AND THEN THE HOUSING TRUST PROVIDED FUNDING. WE DIDN'T HAVE ANYBODY WHO WAS A LOCAL NONPROFIT THAT WAS, YES, WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GO OUT AND DO THIS COMMUNITY LAND TRUST.
WHEN I FIRST HEARD CULTURAL LINGUA, THEY WANT TO BE THE ENTITY THAT DOES THIS? DON'T THEY PROVIDE LANGUAGE SUPPORT FOR FOLKS? THE HOUSING TRUST INVESTED INTO THEM AND NOW WITH STRATEGIC PLANNING, DEVELOPMENT OF THE SILK ROAD CORRIDOR OPENING, WE SEE THEM BEING ABLE TO GET FUNDING AND BUILD THESE HOMES. I HOPE YOU GET ALL TEN OF THOSE PROJECTS DONE NEXT YEAR AND YOU CAN COME BACK TO US AND SHOW US WHERE THEY'RE ALL LOCATED.
HOPEFULLY THEY'RE ALL IN DISTRICT 1 BUT WHEREVER THEY'RE LOCATED, REALLY EXCITED FOR THE WORK YOU'RE DOING AND LOVE SEEING THAT COME FULL CIRCLE.
THE LAST THING I'LL SAY ON THE SOURCE OF INCOME WORK, YOU KNOW, I'M A NERD.
I DIDN'T MEAN TO OVERSTEP OR SAY. BUT OUR USAGE IS AMONGST THE HIGHEST IN THE STATE OF TEXAS. DALLAS AND FORT WORTH WAS IN THE HIGH 60S AND IT'S BECAUSE THEIR COSTS OF RENTALS ARE SO HIGH AND FOLKS AREN'T GETTING THE REPAYMENT FOR WHAT THEY NEED SO IT CREATES A MARKET THAT DOESN'T ALLOW FOLKS TO ACCEPT IT. THAT IS ONE CHALLENGE, FOR SURE. I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT OUR VETERANS FIND HOUSING AND MAKE SURE THEY FIND HOUSING IN A STABLE PLACE.
I AM SUPPORTIVE OF COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO'S CCR AND WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS COME TO PCDC SO WE CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT IT. AGAIN, THIS IS SUPER IMPORTANT AND I THINK WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT EXACTLY WHO ARE THE FOLKS THAT ARE NOT ACCEPTING THEM AND WHY. AND IF WE COULD DO A FOCUS GROUP WITH THOSE FOLKS, DO A FOCUS GROUP WITH THE FOLKS WHO ARE THE GRUNTS, AS HE SAID, AND TRY TO SEE IF THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO TALK TO OUR STAFF AND CAN BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT IS THE BARRIER. CAN WE GET YOU GUYS IN VALOR HILL TOMORROW BECAUSE I KNOW
[01:45:02]
THEY WILL ACCEPT IT. WE LOVE TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHO AND WHAT IS SAYING NO BECAUSE I'M PRETTY SURE A VETERAN IS NOT GOING TO WANT TO LIVE IN MY CASITA BUT MAYBE . WHERE DO THEY WANT TO LIVE AND WHAT IS THAT BARRIER THAT IS NOT BEING OVERCOME? I'M FULLY SUPPORTIVE OF IT GOING TO PCDC IN COMBINATION WITH COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO'S CCR AS WELL. THAT'S ALL I HAVE.THANKS, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE ANYONE HAS SIGNED UP FOR THE SECOND ROUND. HAS ANYONE SIGNED UP FOR THE SECOND ROUND? NO? OKAY. ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO PROVIDE COMMENTS ON THIS? GREAT. THANKS AGAIN, VERONICA AND TEAM FOR BOTH PRESENTATIONS. REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK AND THE EXPLANATION FOR HOW THOSE PROPERTIES WERE GRADED AND DETERMINED TO BE THE BEST FIT FOR WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR. THANKS. ON THE SECOND ONE, THE VETERAN SOURCE OF INCOME PROTECTION. ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I DID IN MY FIRST 30 DAYS IS GO TO AUDI MURPHY. I SEE JUAN WAS WITH ME AND A COUPLE OF FOLKS FROM MY TEAM THERE. AGAIN, I GET MY OWN CARE AT AUDI MURPHY BUT I WANTED TO ENGAGE WITH FOLKS AS THE MAYOR.
I WAS SURPRISED TO FIND, IN SITTING DOWN WITH DR. FLYNN, THAT I WAS THE FIRST SITTING MAYOR TO EVER VISIT THE VA IN MILITARY CITY, USA. AND THAT I THINK ILLUMINATES SOME OF THE MAYBE -- I'LL JUST SAY BLIND SPOTS WE HAVE WHEN IT COMES TO JUST HOW IMPORTANT, ONE, THOSE FACILITIES ARE, BUT ALSO THE REAL PRACTICAL CHALLENGES PEOPLE HAVE WITH ACCESSING THAT VERY IMPORTANT CARE OF WHICH HOUSING IS A KEY PART.
SO I KNOW I'VE TALKED TO SOME OF YOU ABOUT VISITING THE VA IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY. I'M GLAD TO GO AGAIN AND MEET WITH DR. FLYNN AND HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THOSE CHALLENGES FOR YOU ALL, SO YOU SEE IT FIRSTHAND.
I THINK SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED HERE, AT THE END OF THE DAY, NONE OF THOSE ARE THE FAULT OF THE VETERAN.
THEY'RE NOT. THE FACT THAT IT TAKES LONG TO DO CERTAIN THINGS, THAT'S NOT THE VETERAN'S FAULT. ALL THIS ORDINANCE DOES IS GIVE THEM MORE AGENCY IN TERMS OF WHERE THEY HAVE AN OPTION TO LIVE. WE HAVE ALREADY HEARD THE STATS IN TERMS OF ENTIRELY TOO FEW PLACES TAKE VOUCHERS.
ONCE THOSE ARE ALL FILLED UP NEAR AUDI OR NEAR SOME OF THOSE OTHER CLINICS, YEAH THEY MIGHT FIND A PLACE BUT IT MIGHT NOT BE EXACTLY WHERE THEY WANT TO LIVE.
AS SOMEBODY WHO HAS TAKEN THE OATH, SUPPORT AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION, IF WE CAN HELP FOLKS GET INTO HOUSING THAT MEETS THEIR NEEDS AND ENSURES THEIR MEDICAL NEEDS ARE BEST CARED FOR AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, IT'S NOT CLEAR WHY WE WOULD, IN ANY WAY, DELAY THAT. I'M VERY PROUD OF THE SPECIAL HOUSING SUPPLY TASK FORCE. YOU KNOW, AS A REMINDER, TASKED PCDC TO WORK ON THAT.
AGAIN, THE VETERANS ARE JUST ONE OF A HANDFUL OF COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE TRADITIONALLY HAD A VERY HARD TIME ACCESSING AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE.
LGBT YOUTH AND SENIORS AS WELL. IT SOUNDS LIKE THE SENTIMENT IS THIS GOES TO PCDC. I THINK THE GRUNTS HAVE BEEN VERY CLEAR IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY WANT. THEY HAVE PUT IT ON PAPER. IT'S THE ORDINANCE THEY DRAFTED AND SENT TO US AND IT'S BEEN CLEARED BY LEGAL. I DO, YOU KNOW, AGAIN RESPECTING THE SENTIMENT OF THE COUNCIL THOUGH IN ENSURING EVERYBODY IS COMFORTABLE WITH A WAY FORWARD. FIND FOR IT TO MOVE TO PCDC.
IT SHOULD NOT -- WOULD WELCOME UNDERSTANDING ANY DELAYS.
IF THERE'S DELAYS IN COUPLING IT WITH SOMETHING, AGAIN, AS MENTIONED, THESE THINGS DON'T HAVE TO BE COUPLED. ONE CAN MOVE FORWARD AND HELP VETERANS IMMEDIATELY, WHICH IS WHAT THEY ARE ASKING FOR.
WHAT THEY HAVE BEEN BEGGING FOR FOR TWO YEARS. OKAY.
ON THAT NOTE, I'M ALSO HOSTING THIS EVENING, A VETERAN SOCIAL FROM 6:30 TO 8:00. ALL ARE WELCOME AT THE VFW POST 76.
THANKS AGAIN TO THOSE THAT PRESENTED. ERIK, DID YOU HAVE ANY FINAL COMMENTS YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE? THANKS SO MUCH.
THE TIME IS NOW 3:52. THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.