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>> KAUR: ALL RIGHT. GOOD AFTER. THE TIME IS NOW 2:08 P.M.
AND WE'RE GOING TO CALL OUR PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING TO ORDER.
MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL?
>> MA'AM, WE HAVE A QUORUM. >> KAUR: GREAT. THE FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM JUNE 16TH, 2026 MEETING MEETING.
ANY COMMENTS OR CHANGES THAT NEED TO BE MADE TO THE MINUTES? MOTION AND A SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? NO ABSTENTIONS. MOTION CARRIES.
SECOND ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS A BRIEFING AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON CITY COUNCIL ACTION REQUEST THE LOVIN CCR CCR, LOOKING OUT FOR OUR VULNERABLE IMPACTED NEIGHBORS. WE KNOW WE HAVE A LOT OF STAKEHOLDERS HERE SO WE'LL GET TO PUBLIC COMMENT IN A SECOND AND THEN HEAR THE PRESENTATION.
FOLKS THAT ARE HERE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT WILL HAVE THREE MINUTE TO SPEAK.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS DR. JENNIFER MATA MATA. I AM HERE TO PRESENT ON THE LOOKING OUT FOR VULNERABLE IMPACTED NEIGHBORS OR THE LOVIN CCR. IT WAS ASSIGNED TO MY DEPARTMENT, THE COMPLIANCE OPPORTUNITY AND ACCESS DEPARTMENT.
THE LOVIN CCR WAS SUBMITTED BY COUNCILMAN JALEN MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ ON APRIL 29 APRIL 29TH, 2026. THE CCR REQUEST SEEKS TO PROTECT TRANSGENDER, NON- NON-BINARY AND INTERSEX SAN ANTONIANS FROM SERVICES. THE REQUEST INCLUDES EXPLORING PROGRAMS TO ALLOW FOR BOTH SELF-SELECTED NAME AND SELF-SELECTED GENDER OPTIONS AND ENSUREING RESIDENTS CAN OBTAIN ACCURATE FORMS OF ID.
ALSO ENSUREING CITY PERSONNEL PROTECT PERSONAL HEALTH INFORMATION OR PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION OF TRANSGENDER, NON-BINARY OR INTERSEX INDIVIDUALS SEEKING HEALTHCARE OR ACCESS TO PUBLIC FACILITYIES AND SERVICES.
LASTLY, IT ENCOURAGES THE ADDITION OF MORE SINGLE USER RESTROOMS AND CHANGE FACILITYIES IN CITY-OWNED AND PRIVATELY OWNED BUILDINGS AND SPACES, WHICH BENEFITS ALL PEOPLE BY CREATING ADDITIONAL SPACES WHERE PEOPLE CAN USE FACILITYIES PRIVATELY AND SAFELY IN ADDITION TO ENSUREING THAT CITY POLICY REFLECTS THAT EVERY PERSON IS ABLE TO ACCESS PUBLIC FACILITYIES. THE CCR WAS ASSIGNED TO COA AND WE WILL NEED TO INCLUDE COORDINATION WITH DEPARTMENTS THAT OVERSEE SPECIFIC ITEMS IN THE REQUEST. THESE INCLUDE DHS, ME TOW HEALTH AND OTHERS. THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED REFERRAL TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE. PRIVACY AND PROTECTION OF PERSONAL HEALTH DATA.
METRO HEALTH PROTECTS ALL PROTECTED HEALTH INFORMATION OR PHI IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE HEALTH INSURANCE PORT PORTABILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 1996 OR HIPAA, AND THE HIGH-TECH ACT. ADDITIONAL PROTECTIONS INCLUDE AD4.67 EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY ANTI- ANTI-HARASSMENT AFFIRMS THE CITY'S COMMENCEMENT TO FOSTER A WORK ENVIRONMENT FREE FROM EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION HARASSMENT AND SEXUAL HARASSMENT, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO GENDER IDENTITY AND GENDER HARASSMENT -- GENDER PREFERENCE HARASSMENT.
REFUSAL TO DO SO MAY BE CONSIDERED A VITAL OF CITY'S AD.
WHEN AN EMPLOYEE'S CHOSEN NAMES DEFERS FROM THEIR GIVEN NAME, THE CITY WILL MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO KEEP FORMER NAMES CONFIDENTIAL. AD7.12 DATA GOVERNANCE ESTABLISHES A COMPREHENSIVE FRAMEWORK FOR MANAGING, SECURING, CLASSIFYING AND SHARING DATA ACROSS ALL CITY OPERATIONS. THIS DIRECTIVE SETS CLEAR STANDARDS TO ENSURE THE QUALITY, INTEGRITY, USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY OF CITY DATA WHILE EMPHASIZING PROTECTION OF INDIVIDUAL PRIVACY.
AD7.12 ALSO PROVIDES STRUCTUREED PROTECTIONS FOR PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION OR PII, AND SENSITIVE PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION OR SPII, INCLUDING MEDICAL. THESE DATA TYPES ARE CLASSIFIED AND CONFIDENTIAL DATA AND KEPT UNDER STATE LAWS SUCH AS HIPAA, HIGH-TECH AND THE TEXAS MEDICAL PRIVACY ACT. THE DIRECTIVES STRICTLY PROHIBITS THE RELEASE OF SPI SPII, INCLUDING MEDICAL INFORMATION, UNDER THE TEXAS PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT.
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BY MINIMIZING THE COLLECTION OF DATA REQUIRING COMPLIANCE WITH PRIVACY REGULATIONS, A '.12 ENSURES THAT SENSITIVE PERSONNEL AND MEDICAL INFORMATION IS PROTECTED THROUGHOUT CITY OPERATIONS.FACILITY AND RESTROOM ACCESS ACCESS. THE NDO ENSURES EQUAL ACCESS TO ALL CITY BUILDINGS AND SPACES, JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT THAT WE DO HAVE THE STANDING NDO. IN ANTICIPATION OF THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE LEGISLATION, SB8, THE CITY COORDINATED EFFORTS ACROSS DEPARTMENTS, INCLUDING COMPLIANCE OPPORTUNITY ACCESS, BUILDING AND EQUIPMENT SERVICES, HUMAN RESOURCES, CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, COMMUNICATIONS AND ENGAGEMENT AND INFORMATION AND TECHNOLOGY SERVICE, KEY ACTIONS INCLUDE POSTING STANDARDIZED NOTICES ABOUT THE CITY'S COMPLIANCE WITH STATE LAW AND SB 8 WEB PAGE AND AN INVENTORY OF SINGLE USER RESTROOMS. QR CODE STICKERS CAN A LIST OF SINGLE USE RESTROOMS SINGLE USER BATHROOMS ACROSS CITY PROPERTY. FUTURE WORK IN THIS AREA COULD INCLUDE THE INVENTORY OF RESTROOM FACILITYIES IN CITY LEASED BUILDINGS OR PRIVATELY OWNED BUILDINGS WHO RECEIVE CITY FUNDING. IN ADDITION, THE INVENTORY MAY NEED TO BE REVIEWED TO DETERMINE RESTROOM FACILITY FACILITIES THAT ARE RESTRICT RESTRICTED TO STAFF USE AND PUBLIC USE. IT IS ALSO RECOMMENDED THAT THE CITY CONSIDER PRIORITIZING SINGLE USER RESTROOMS. THIS INCLUDES THE CITY FORMULAIZE THE ONGOING EXPANSION OF SINGLE USER RESTROOMS ACROSS CITY FACILITYIES TO ENSURE THAT ALL PEOPLE CAN ACCESS RESTROOMS PRIVATELY AND SAFELY. THE ACTION RECOMMENDED INCLUDES ADDING SINGLE USER RESTROOMS TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF FUTURE CITY FACILITYIES AND MAJOR ENKNOW ENKNOWVATIONS IN FUTURE BOND PROJECTS AND MAJOR RENOVATIONS OF CITY FACILITY FACILITIES INCLUDED IN THE CAPITAL BUDGET.
THANK YOU, AND I AM AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS. >> KAUR: THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND START WITH PUBLIC COMMENT.
YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK, AND IF YOU'RE JOINING IN A GROUP, JUST LET US KNOW SO WE CAN MAKE SURE WE GET YOU UP AT THE SAME TIME. FIRST UP WE HAVE SOPHIA SEPULVEDA WITH EQUALITY TEXAS. AND AFTER THAT WILL BE DREW
NORRIS. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
MY NAME IS SOPHIA, PRONOUNS SHE/HERS. I'M A DISTRICT 1 RESIDENT AND A 30-PLUS YEAR RESIDENT OF THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY OF QUALITY, AND HIGH PRESSURE TO SUPPORT AND URGE YOU TO VOTE IN SUPPORT OF THE LOVIN CCR.
PROTECTING OUR COMMUNITIES BOTH IMMIGRANT AND TRANS MATTERS.
SO THIS ORDINANCE IS AN IMPORTANT STEP TO PROTECTING THE PRIVACY OF OUR COMMUNITIES BOTH MEDICALLY AND AS A RESIDENT OF SAN SAN ANTONIO.
DURING THE LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION WE SAW THE ATTACK OF MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES COMMUN FULL THROTTLE, BOTH HAS MADE OUR STATE HAS TILE FOR US. A SMALL COMMUNITY THAT CONTINUES TO PUT INTO THE ECONOMY THROUGH OUR WORK, BUSINESSES AND TAXES.
WE ARE [INDISCERNIBLE] THE ATTORNEY GENERAL DEMANDING MEDICAL RECORDS FROM OTHER STATES AND THOSE STATES FIGHTING BACK THROUGH HIPAA, WHICH CLEARLY STATES THAT MY RECORDS SHOULD BE PRIVATE. MY DOCUMENTS, WHETHER MEDICAL OR NOT, SHOULD BE PRIVATE UNLESS I SPECIFICALLY GIVE PERMISSION TO GIVE THEM.
THIS ORDINANCE WILL ENSURE JUST THAT, THAT OUR INFORMATION WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO REMAINS PRIVATE. WHEN IT COMES TO SINGLE USE RESTROOMS, I REALLY THINK IT'S IDIOTIC TO CONTINUE TALKING ABOUT THIS, YET HERE WE ARE THANKS TO S HOT BUTTON 8. I HAVE PEEED IN WOMEN'S RESTROOMS SINCE MY TRANSITION AND EVEN BEFORE THAT. MY FEMININITY WAS ALWAYS OUTWARD AND MY FACE HAS NEVER CHANGED, NEVER HAD ANY SURGERIES ON MY FACE.
SO EVERY TIME THAT I TRIED TO GO TO A MEN'S BATHROOM, MEN ALWAYS TOLD ME THIS IS NOT YOUR BATHROOM, GO TO THE OTHER BATHROOM. SO I WAS ALWAYS TOLD TO GO INTO THE WRONG RESTROOM WHEN I TRIED GOING TO THE MALE SPACE.
I HAVE NEVER HAD AN ISSUE UNTIL POLITICIANS MADE IT AN ISSUE.
LET'S MAKE THIS CLEAR. I'M GOING TO THE RESTROOM TO PEE AND WASH MY HANDS, NOTHING ELSE. OUR PUBLIC BUILDINGS WILL NEED A SINGLE USE RESTROOM FOR OUR SAFETY. WE DO HAVE BODILY FUNCTIONS LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE AND THIS ORDINANCE WILL ENSURE THAT WE GET TO PEE IN PEACE AND WITHOUT FEAR.
WE ARE NOT HERE TO TAKE FROM YOU, JUST HERE BECAUSE WHEN WE HELP THE MOST
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MARGINALIZED, ALL OF US BENEFIT. MAYA ANGLO SAID IF IT'S TRUE THAT A CHAIN IS ONLY AS STRONG AS ITS WEAKEST LINK, ISN'T IT ALSO TRUE A SOCIETY IS ONLY AS HEALTHY AS ITS SICKEST CITIZEN? AND ONLY AS WEALTHY HAS ITS MOST [INDISCERNIBLE] OR WEAK AS THE MOST VULNERABLE. LET'S NOT CONTINUE TO BUILD OUR COMMUNITY ON A WEAK FOUNDATION. LET'S STRENGTHEN IT BY A FOUNDATION THAT IS UPLIFTING THE MOST VULNERABLE. I URGE YOU TO VOTE YES ON THE LOVIN CCR AND MOVE FORWARD WITH INCLUSIVE CITY WE ALL HELPED CREATE.THANK YOU. >> KAUR: THANK YOU. SOPHIA.
DREW NORRIS. AND NEXT UP WILL BE DOMINIQUE HUERTA.
>> I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 10 NAMED DREW NORRIS.
I ASKED THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE TO PASS THIS ORDINANCE.
I'VE BEEN QUESTIONED BEFORE WHEN USING THE WOMEN'S BATHROOM.
I BENEFIT FROM BROADENED ACCESS TO SINGLE USE BATHROOMS IN PUBLIC AND
PRIVATE SPACES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. >> KAUR: THANK YOU.
DOMINIQUE. AND THEN NEXT UP WILL BE RACHEL OR RAQUEL.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMITTEE MEMBERS. MY NAME IS DOMINIQUE HUERTA AND I AM HERE REPRESENTING MYSELF AND THE ACU OF TEXAS TO SUPPORT THE LOOKING OUT FOR VULNERABLE NEIGHBORS LOVIN PROPOSAL. ONE THINGS THAT IT CALLS FOR IS THE ADOPTION OF GENDER NEUTRAL RESTROOMS IN CITY AND PUBLIC BUILDINGS IN OPPOSITION TO SB-7. FORCING US TO USE MULTI- MULTI-STALL RESTROOMS IN GOVERNMENT RESTROOMSS THE ODDS THAT THEY WILL FEEL COMFORTABLE ENTERING THE BUILDINGS IN THE FIRST PLACE EVEN WHEN THEY NEED HELP. CREATING MORE SINGLE USER RESTROOMS IN THESE BUILDINGS NOT ONLY GIVES TRANSGENDER VISITORS A SAFER PLACE TO USE THE FACILITYIES BUT OFFERS THE SAME COMFORT AND SAFETY TO SYS GENDER PEOPLE WHO DIFFER IN WAYS THAN WHAT IS CONSIDERED USUAL. IT'S SHAMEFUL THAT THIS ISSUE HAS BECOME SO MUCH DIRE AND THIS IS AN IMPORTANT WAY FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO TO ALLOW TRANSGENDER PEOPLE SAFETY, ACCESSIBILITY AND PRIVACY WHILE FOLLOWING THE LAW. THE RIGHT TO PRIVACY IS ONE OF THE MAIN GOALS OF THE LOVIN PROPOSAL. AS SO MANY LAWS PASSED BY THE LEGISLATURE AND ACTIONS TAKEN BY STATE LEADERSHIP HAVE ERODED THE RIGHT FOR TRANSGENDER, NON-BINARY AND GENDER NON-CONFORMING TEXANS TEXANS, IN ADDITION TO OFFERING PRIVACY THROUGH SINGLE STALL RESTROOMS, LOVIN CALLS FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO TO RIGOROUSLY ENFORCE RULES AND LAWS AROUND DISCRIMINATION, HARASSMENT AND GENDER POLICING. AND UNLAWFUL INVASION OF PRIVACY IN GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS. THIS WILL HELP PRESERVE THE RIGHT TO PRIVACY FOR ALL VISITORS, INCLUDING MEN WHO MAY WEAR ROBES FOR RELIGIOUS REASONS AND OTHERS.
IT'S ALSO CALLS FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO TO PROTECT THE IDENTITY OF TRANSGENDER, NON-BINARY OR INTERSEX PEOPLE SEEKING HEALTHCARE OR ACCESS TO PUBLIC FACILITYIES BY REDACTING INFORMATION THAT MIGHT BE USED TO HARM THEM WHILE THEY LAWFULLY ACCESS THESE SERVICES. NO ONE SHOULD FEEL AS THOUGH THEY CANNOT ACCESS PUBLIC SERVICES BECAUSE THEIR IDENTITIES OR MEDICAL INFORMATION MAY BE GIVE TONE THOSE WHO WOULD HARM THEM. THAT IS NO LONGER A PUBLIC SERVICE, BUT PRIVILEGE SERVICE, AND TEXANS DESERVE BETTER. THANK YOU.
>> I'M RACHEL AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT 7. I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT EVERYONE SHOULD FEEL SAFE ACCESSING CITY FACILITYIES AND SERVICES.
I RIGLY SEE THE CONSEQUENCES THAT OCCUR WHEN RESIDENTS PUT OFF SEEKING HEALTHCARE WHETHER WORRIED ABOUT PRIVACY, DISCRIMINATION OR JUST AREN'T AWARE THAT SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE TO SOMEONE LIKE THEM, THESE DELAYS CAN CAUSE TREATABLE PROBLEMS TO SPIRAL INTO CRISIS THAT ARE MUCH HARDER TO MANAGE.
I THINK THE SAME PATTERN APPLIES TO MANY CITY SERVICES.
THE EARLIER WE REACH OUT FOR HELP, THE EASY EASIER IT IS TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.
WE NEED EVERYONE TO FEEL ENCOURAGED TO ENTER CITY FACILITYIES WITHOUT WAITING UNTIL THEIR CIGARETTE. THAT'S WHY I'M -- THEY'RE DESPERATE.
THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING YOU TO MOVE THIS ORDINANCE FORWARD TO PROTECT THE PRIVACY AND SAFETY OF ALL SAN ANTONIANS. WHEN WE MAKE IT CLEAR THAT OUR MOST VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES ARE WELCOME, EVERYONE KNOWS THAT THEY'RE WELCOME.
>> KAUR: THANK YOU. KATE SANCHEZ. AND KATE, YOU WILL BE FOLLOWED BY LEO CASTILLO, FORMER COUNCILMEMBER LEO CASTILLO.
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>> HEY FRIENDS. MY NAME IS KATE SANCHEZ. I'M HERE REPRESENTING PLAN PLANNED PARENT HOOD SOUTH TEXAS, I'M THE SENIOR MANAGER OF ORGANIZING AND ADVOCACY. I LIVE IN DISTRICT 2 AND I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR THE LOVIN CCR. SO THE CCR ASKS FOR A FEW VERY SIMPLE THINGS.
ACCESS TO SAFE BATHROOMS AND THE RIGHT TO PRIVACY. APPARENTLY IN 2026 WE DO HAVE TO ASK FOR THESE THINGS THINGS. SO WE ARE ASKING FOR THESE THINGS. WHY ARE WE ASKING FOR THESE THINGS? BECAUSE RIGHT NOW SAFE WRATH ROOMS AND PRIVACY HAVE BEEN TAKEN AWAY FROM SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING VIOLENCE. IN OUR CITY THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE INSTANCES OF TRANS PEOPLE BEING ASSAULTED OR MURDERED FOR JUST EXISTING. REST IN PEACE TO [INDISCERNIBLE], AMONG OTHERS. IN ADDITION, PARENTS, SOME OF THEM U.S. CITIZENS, ARE BEING DETAINED AND TAKEN AWAY BY ICE, LEAVING THEIR CHILDREN BEHIND.
SO WHAT CAN WE DO TO PROTECT SAN ANTONIANS? WE KEEP IT SIMPLE AND WE RESPONSIBLY RESPOND TO THE VIOLENCE THAT WE'RE SEEING. RIGHT NOW DATA SHOWS THAT THE SAFEST BATHROOMS ARE SINGLE USER RESTROOMS WITH THE ABILITY TO LOCK A DOOR AND REDUCE VERBAL AND PHYSICAL HARASSMENT. RIGHT NOW POLICIES AROUND DATA REDACTION AND KEEPING PERSONAL HEALTH INFORMATION TO THOSE AUTHORIZED TO ACCESS IT WITHIN CITY PERSONNEL USE EVIDENCE-BASED WAYS TO PROTECT PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO PRIVACY. LOVIN IS THE SOLUTION WITHOUT THE POLITICS.
THIS IS NOT POLITICAL, THIS IS ABOUT SAFETY, THIS IS ABOUT DIGNITY.
COMMUNITIES ARE EXPERIENCING VIOLENCE AT A RATE THAT IS EVER-INCREASING AND/OR STATE SANCTIONED. AS OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS WE HOPE TO SEE YOU STEP UP AND PROVIDE THE TYPE OF LEADERSHIP THAT THE VULNERABLE SAN ANTONIANS NEED RIGHT NOW BECAUSE I PROMISE YOU WE ARE PAYING ATTENTION.
AND WHEN IT COMES TO PUBLIC SAFETY, LOVIN IS THE LEFT THAT WE CAN DO.
AND I URGE YOUR SUPPORT. THANK YOU. >> KAUR: THANK YOU.
COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO? >> [LAUGHTER]. OKAY. HE'S OKAY, HE'S OKAY.
ALL RIGHT. LINDSAY ANDREWS. LINDSAY ANDREWS.
NICO BONNER. >> HI, I'M TRACY BRADLEY. I LIVE IN DISTRICT 8, AND I'M A MEMBER OF THE LBGTQ COMMUNITY. I'M ALSO A REGISTERED NURSE, RETIRED. AND I WOULD LIKE TO TALK TODAY ABOUT PRIVACY ISSUES THAT I THINK HASN'T GOT A LOT OF ATTENTION. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO HAVE ISSUES THAT ARE HEALTH RELATED.
I HAVE A GROWN DAUGHTER WHO HAS RECENTLY BEEN DIAGNOSEED WITH CELIAC DISEASE.
IN ADDITION TO THIS, THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE IBS, CROHN'S DISEASE, THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO RELY ON APPLIANCES LIKE I WILL'S OSTOMYIES AND COLOSTOMY BAGS, NOT TO MENTION THE PEOPLE WHO REQUIRE ASSISTANCE JUST TO GO TO THE BATHROOM.
AND THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO WOULD APPRECIATE HAVING A LITTLE ADDITIONAL PRIVACY, YOU KNOW, TO DO SOMETHING THAT PROBABLY A LOT OF US DON'T REALLY THINK ABOUT MUCH. SO I JUST THINK THAT THIS IS A WAY TO PEOPLE'S PRIVACY THAT WE COULD ADVANCE EASILY EASILY. AND YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN CONSIDER. AND THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO
SAY. THANK YOU. >> KAUR: THANK YOU.
NICO BONNER. AND THEN LAST UP WILL BE ANA ANANDA THOMAS.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS NICO BONNER. I'M A NATIVE TEXAN AND A PROUD CITIZEN OF SAN ANTONIO SAN ANTONIO, DISTRICT 1. AS A SUPPORTER OF THE LOVIN CCR I WANT TO ENSURE THAT WE ALL RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS MOMENT AND THE OPPORTUNITY STANDING IN FRONT OF US. OPPORTUNITY IS NOT JUST A CONCEPT, IT'S A SPECIFIC MOMENT IN TIME WHEN WE CHOOSE WHETHER OR NOT TO ACT FOR THE COMMON GOOD. WE ARE ALL HUMAN. AND WITH THAT SHARED HUMAN HUMANITY COMES AN EXPECTATION OF DECENCY, SAFETY, PROTECTION AND ACCESS. YET RIGHT NOW STANDARD MULTI-STALL FACILITYIES CAN BECOME FLASH POINTS FOR CONFLICT, HARASSMENT AND SAFETY CONCERNS.
NOT ONLY FOR OUR TRANSGENDER TRANSGENDER, INTERSECTION AND GENDER NON-CONFORMING NEIGHBORS, BUT FOR PARENTS WITH YOUNG CHILDREN, THE ELDERS REQUIRING CARE, INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES AND ABLE-BODYIED NEIGHBORS WHO SIMPLY VALUE
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PERSONAL PRIVACY. PUBLIC SAFETY IS NOT JUST ABOUT EMERGENCY RESPONSE.IT'S ABOUT THE -- IT'S ABOUT THE PROACTIVE ENVIRONMENT WE BUILD IN OUR CITY FACILITYIES FACILITIES. WHEN A RESIDENT WALKS INTO A MUNICIPAL BUILDING, A LIBRARY OR A PARK, THEIR PHYSICAL SECURITY AND PERSONAL PRIVACY MUST BE GUARANTEED. A PUBLIC RESTROOM IS NOT A LUXURY.
PRIVACY IS NOT A PRIVILEGE. THERE ARE BASIC FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN NEEDS.
THIS ORDINANCE IS NOT A BURDEN. IT'S AN EXTRAORDINARY OPPORTUNITY. IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THIS COMMITTEE TO STRENGTHEN MUNICIPAL SAFETY, REDUCE FRICTION IN PUBLIC SPACES AND STAND DIRECTLY BESIDE THE FULL DIVERSITY OF THE POPULATION YOU WERE ELECTED TO SERVE AND PROTECT.
I URGE YOU TO VOTE YES ON LOVIN CCR. THANK YOU.
>> KAUR: THANK YOU. ANANDA THOMAS. >> GOOD AFTERNOON.
MY NAME IS ANANDA THOMAS. I SERVE AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF ACT FOR SA, SAN SAN ANTONIO'S CRIMINAL JUSTICE ORGANIZATION COMMITTED TO ACCOUNTABLE AND TRANSPARENT PUBLIC SAFETY FOR EVERY FOR EVERY MEMBER OF OUR COMMUNITY. I'M HERE TODAY IN SUPPORT OF THE LOVIN ORDINANCE BECAUSE SAFETY IN SAN ANTONIO MEANS MORE THAN FIRE, POLICE AND EMS. REAL SAFETY MEANS EVERY RESIDENT CAN ACCESS HEALTHCARE, PUBLIC FACILITY FACILITIES AND ESSENTIAL SERVICES WITHOUT FEAR. AT ACT FOR SA WE ORGANIZE ALONGSIDE PEOPLE HARMED BY A SYSTEM THAT OFTEN EXPOSES THEIR PERSONAL INFORMATION AND USES IT AGAINST THEM. FAMILIES WHO HAVE LOST LOVED ONES TO POLICE VIOLENCE, PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, UNDOCUMENTED NEIGHBORS, TRANS AND NON- NON-BINARY COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND SURVIVORS OF VIOLENCE AND THEY'VE ALL TOLD US THE SAME THING, THEY DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN A CITY WHERE TALKING INTO A CITY FACILITY TO USE THE BATHROOM CAN LEAD TO HARASSMENT OR VIOLENCE. THEY DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN A CITY WHERE THEY FEAR THEIR IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION WILL BE DOCUMENTED AND USED AGAINST THEM DOWN THE ROAD SIMPLY FOR LIVING IN THEIR FULL AUTHENTIC TRUTH.
WHEN SOMEONE'S IMMIGRATION STATUS, GENDER IDENTITY, HIV STATUS OR HOME ADDRESS BECOMES VISIBLE TO THE WRONG PERSON, THAT EXPOSURE CAN LEAD TO DEPORTATION, HARASSMENT, FAMILY SEPARATION, EVICTION OR VIOLENCE.
THESE ARE DOCUMENTED OUTCOMES FOR OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS LIVING WITH THIS EVERYDAY.
ASSISTANCE. A PERSON HELPING AN ELDERLY PARENT.
A PERSON WITH A DISABILITY OR A TRANS NEIGHBOR NOT WANTING HARASSMENT.
ALL DESERVE THE DIGNITY OF A PRIVATE SPACE. THIS IS BASIC INFRASTRUCTURE FOR A CITY THAT CLAIMS TO VALUE EVERY RESIDENT. WE KNOW THE DATA, COMMUNITIES WITH STRONG NON- NON-DISCRIMINATION PROTECTIONS EXPERIENCE BETTER ECONOMIC OUTCOMES, BETTER HEALTH OUTCOMES AND STRONGER PUBLIC SAFETY.
THE LOVIN ORDINANCE IS NOT ABOUT CARVING OUT SPECIAL TREATMENT FOR ONE GROUP, IT'S ABOUT BUILDING A CITY WHERE PRIVACY, SAFETY, DIGNITY AND ACCESS ARE PROTECTED FOR EVERYONE. WE AT ACT FOR SA REFUSE TO ACCEPT A SAN ANTONIO WHERE VULNERABLE NEIGHBORS MUST RISK THEIR SAFETY TO USE A PUBLIC RESTROOM OR EVEN CHECKOUT A LIBRARY BOOK. WE REFUSE TO ACCEPT A CITY WHERE PEOPLE CANNOT FEEL SAFE TO BE WHO THEY TRULY ARE NO MATTER THEIR GENDER IDENTITY OR SEXUAL ORIENTATION. I'M ASKING THE COMMITTEE TO SUPPORT THE LOVIN ORDINANCE AND MOVE IT OUT OF COMMITTEE TODAY. WHEN WE MAKE SAN ANTONIO SAFER FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE MOST VULNERABLE, WE MAKE SAN SAN ANTONIO SAFER FOR EVERYONE. PRIVACY, SAFETY AND DIGNITY SHOULD NOT DEPENDENT ON WHO YOU ARE. THEY SHOULD BE SOMETHING THAT EVERY SAN ANTONIAN CAN COUNT ON. DO THESE REASONS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE LOVIN ORDINANCE
MOVING OUT OF COMMITTEE TODAY, AND THANK YOU. >> KAUR: THANK YOU.
DID EVERYONE THAT WANTED TO SPEAK ON ITEM 2 GET A CHANCE TO SPEAK? OKAY. I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ AS THE SIGNATORY ON THIS OR THE CREATOR OF THIS CCR.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO CAME OUT TO SPEAK. THIS IS A PACKED HOUSE AND A LOT OF GREAT ITEMS SO THANK YOU FOR MAKING TIME TODAY. I'LL START OFF BY SAYING THIS IS A VERY MUNDANE ISSUE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IF WE TAKE IT ON ITS FACE AND IT'S BASICALLY REAFFIRMING OUR PRIVACY AND SAFETY ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTIVES AND ENSUREING THAT EVERYONE HAS ACCESS TO A RESTROOM, ESPECIALLY AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN NEW BOND PROJECTS AND RENOVATIONS TO FACILITY FACILITIES, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT ANY FACILITY THAT PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO THAT THEY ALSO HAVE ACCESS TO A RESTROOM.
AND THIS WOULD NOT BE -- I WAS HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES ABOUT WHAT IS THIS ALL GOING TO COST AT THE END OF DA THE DAY IF WE'RE ADDING NEW RESTROOMS, AND THIS WOULD NOT BE A DISCUSSION WE WOULD BE HAVING IF NOT FOR THE UNNECESSARY TARGETING AND ATTACKS ON OUR TRANS AND NON-BINARY COMMUNITY.
AND IT'S BASED OFF OF THIS IDEA THAT IT IS UNSAFE TO BE IN THE RESTROOM WITH A TRANS
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PERSON, WHICH WE KNOW IS UNTRUE, AS TRANS MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY ARE FOUR TIMES MORE LIKELY TO BE VICTIMS OF VIOLENT CRIME THAN ANY OF THEIR COUNTERPARTS AND THAT THEY'RE ALSO MORE LIKELY TO BE VICTIMS OF PROPERTY CRIME AS WELL AS OTHERS.AND SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT STARTED THIS SCARE, WHAT PROMPTED ALL OF THESE CRAZY PEOPLE TO TAKE ON THE JOB AS POTTY POLICE AND TO DO THEIR TRANS INVESTIGATIONS OUTSIDE OF RESTROOMS WITH VIDEO CAMERAS, IT'S THIS UNNECESSARY DOG PILEING THAT OUR STATE AND FEDERAL LAWMAKERS ARE TAKING PART IN AND REALLY LEADING THE CHARGE ON. SO TODAY I'LL ABSOLUTELY SUPPORT THIS MOVING FORWARD.
I WOULD ASK THAT STAFF BRIEF ALL OF OUR COUNCIL COLLEAGUES INDIVIDUALLY AND THEN WE MOVE IT TO AN A SESSION DIRECTLY BECAUSE AGAIN, THIS IS REALLY MUNDANE, SIMPLE THINGS THAT WE SHOULD BE DOING AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, ESPECIALLY AS WE BEGIN TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE BOND AND JUST IN JUST A COUPLE DAYS. I'LL MAKE THAT MOTION AT THE END, BUT AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY WHO CAME OUT TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT, EVERYONE WHO HAS BEEN PLAYING AN INSTRUMENT OR ROLE BEHIND THE SCENES, PARTICULARLY COUNCILMEMBER LEO CASTILLO, WE ALL KNOW WHO ORIGINALLY AUTHORED THIS AND THEN I CAME BACK AND SO NOW I FILED IT. [LAUGHTER]. AS WELL AS ALL THE ORGANIZATIONS, ACLU, PLANNED PARENTHOOD, THRIVE. I'M GOING TO MISS SOME ORGANIZATIONS. THERE WERE A TON OF HANDS ON THIS.
I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO US DOING THE SIMPLEST, RIGHTEST THING TODAY.
THANK YOU. >> KAUR: THANKS, COUNCILMEMBER.
COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK? >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, CHAIR. WE HAVE A REALLY ROBUST AGENDA TODAY SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP WITH THESE ITEMS AND THANK YOU, DR. MATA, FOR THE PRESENTATION. AND COUNCILMAN MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ AND LEO FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. I REALLY VALUED THE ROUNDTABLE THAT YOU HOSTED CONSIDERATION REQUEST. SO LOOKING FORWARD TO SUPPORTING THIS ORDINANCE, WOULD ECHO THE URGENCY OF MOVING THIS ALONG, ESPECIALLY AS WE MOVE INTO BOND CONVERSATIONS AND HOW THIS CAN INFORM WHAT PROPOSED BOND PROJECTS SHOULD INCLUDE. SO SUPPORTIVE OF THIS ITEM, WANTED TO ALSO THANK THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, SOPHIA, ALWAYS FOR ADVOCATE ADVOCATING WHETHER IT'S HOUSING, HEALTHCARE AND INCLUSION, JUST THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, AS WELL AS TO ALL THE MEMBERS THAT GAVE COMMENT TODAY. I LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING
THIS ITEM. THANK YOU. >> KAUR: MARC,
COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE? >> WHYTE: GOOD TIMING. THANKS, CHAIR.
I GOT SOME QUESTIONS. THE BACKUP DOCUMENTS HERE, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS FOR YOU, MARIA OR WHO, BUT THE BACKUP DOCUMENTS, I WANT TO BE CLEAR WHAT EXACTLY ARE WE
VOTING ON TODAY? >> THE ACTION THAT'S RECOMMENDED IS THE CONSTRUCTION OF FUTURE CITY FACILITYIES FACILITYIES AND MAJOR RENO RENOTATIONS TO ADD A SINGLE USER RESTROOM IN ALL OF OUR BOND PROJECTS OR ANY MAJOR RENOVATIONS AT CITY FACILITY FACILITIES THAT'S INCLUDED IN THE CAPITAL BUDGET.
>> WHYTE: ARE WE ONLY TALKING ABOUT CITY FACILITY FACILITIES HERE?
>> WE ARE, COUNCILMEMBER. >> WHYTE: BECAUSE THE BACKUP DOCUMENTS ARE REALLY CONFUSING BECAUSE THEY TALK ABOUT A MUCH, MUCH BROADER SCOPE, INCLUDING PRIVATE -- IT TALKS ABOUT PRIVATE BUSINESSES THAT RECEIVE CITY FUNDING.
>> CAN YOU CLARIFY WHICH PICKUP DOCUMENTS YOU'RE DISCUSSING?
>> WHYTE: I DON'T KNOW, BUT I LOOKED AT THEM LITERALLY -- WITHIN THE LAST
HOUR. I DON'T -- >> THE LIST THAT I HAD SEEN WAS THE LIST OF ALL OF THE FACILITYIES THAT INCLUDES THE ADDRESSES FOR WHICH FACILITY
FACILITIES HAVE SINGLE USER USER -- >> WHYTE: IT TALKS ABOUT PRIVATE BUSINESSES THAT MAY RECEIVE CITY FUNDING THROUGH BOND PROJECTS, THAT THOSE WOULD BE SUBJECT TO, I GUESS WHATEVER WE'RE GOING TO DO HERE IN TERMS OF REQUIRING
THEM TO HAVE A SINGLE USER RESTROOM. >> COUNCILMAN, IF I MAY, SO I THINK YOU'RE REFERRING TO THE ACTUAL CCR THAT WAS FILED.
>> WHYTE: NO, IT WAS IN THE BACKUP DOCUMENTS. >> YES, WE ATTACHED THAT TO THE DOCUMENTATION FOR THIS ITEM. THE LANGUAGE THAT YOU ARE READING IS FROM THAT INITIAL CCR. THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS FOR CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERATION OF CITY FACILITYIES ONLY.
>> WHYTE: ALL RIGHT. SO CITY FACILITYIES ONLY. AND THOSE THAT ARE DONE
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THROUGH BOND PROJECTS? >> MAJOR CAPITAL PROJECTS. THE IDEA IS THAT WHEN THERE IS A RENOVATION THAT'S OCCURRING THAT WE WOULD CORRECT FIT IT.
>> THAT IS CORRECT. SO FOR EXAMPLE, CITY HALL WHEN WE DID THE MAJOR RENOVATION OF THIS BUILDING WE INCORPORATED SINGLE USER RESTROOMS AS PART OF THE RENOVATION IT SO THAT WOULD BE SIMILAR IF WE RENOVATEED A SIMILAR FACILITY TO THE EXTENT WE DID CITY HALL WE WOULD INCORPORATE SINGLE-SEX RESTROOMS.
>> WHYTE: HAS ANYBODY RUN THE NUMBERS ON WHAT THE PROPOSED ADDITIONAL COST IS
HERE? >> WE HAVE NOT, COUNCILMAN. AS WE BEGIN THE DISCUSSIONS OF THE BOND PROGRAM ON WEDNESDAY, WE HAVE HAVE NOT FINALIZED THOSE PROJECTS.
SO AS THAT WORK PROGRESSES IN TERMS OF SELECTION OF PROJECTS, WE WILL INCORPORATE THE ESTIMATES RELATED TO ANY CITY FACILITY FACILITIES THAT ARE PART OF THE BOND PROGRAM. RIGHT NOW IN OUR CAPITAL BUDGET WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING IS ANY FUTURE RENOVATIONS OR RETRO FITS OF CITY FACILITY FACILITIES THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED AS PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS. SO THIS WOULDN'T ADD ANY ADDITIONAL COST TO THE CURRENT PROPOSED FISCAL '27 BUDGET.
>> WHYTE: RIGHT, BUT IT'S GOING TO ADD COSTS TO ADDITIONAL PROPOSED PROJECTS DOWN THE LINE. RIGHT? IT HAS TO.
>> POTENTIALLY THAT COULD BE TRUE, BUT IN SOME CASES THE CONFIGURATION OF THE RESTROOMS COULD ACCOMMODATE WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. THERE MAY BE A MINIMAL COST, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT DEPENDS ON THE FACILITY THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
>> WHYTE: WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? >> THAT MEANS IF THERE IS SPACE FOR A RESTROOM, ADDING A WALL AND HAVING A SEPARATE DOOR TO THAT SPACE, THERE IS SOME INCREMENTAL COST, BUT NOT NECESSARILY A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN THE CAPITAL OUT LAY THAT'S HAPPENING, RIGHT? AS YOU BUILD RESTROOMS, WE ALWAYS -- IN THE PAST WE'VE BEEN BUILDING TWO. IF WE WERE TO BUILD THREE AND HAVE ONE STALL IN IT, IT'S NOT AN ASTRONOMICAL, EXPO NOPE SHALL INCREASE IS WHAT I'M SAYING. -- EXPONENTIAL INCREASE IS WHAT I'M SAYING.
>> WHYTE: I AM WORRIED BY THE PATH THAT THIS SETS US ON.
AND I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, THE BACKUP DOCUMENTS THAT TALK ABOUT A MUCH BROADER SCOPE IS HONESTLY WHAT CONCERNS ME BECAUSE WHEN THE DAY COMES THAT WE ARE TELLING PRIVATE BUSINESSES THAT THEY WON'T GET CITY FUNDING UNLESS THEY SPEND ADDITIONAL DOLLARS TO ADD RESTROOMS TO THEIR FACILITY FACILITIES, I THINK THAT WOULD BE A BAD DAY. AND, YOU KNOW, THIS CCR I'M NOT GOING TO -- I'M NOT GOING TO OPINE ON WHAT THE MOTIVES WERE FOR THE CCR IN THE FIRST PLACE. I BELIEVE THAT EVERY HUMAN BEING SHOULD FEEL COMFORTABLE USING THE RESTROOM, BUT THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS TO ME THAT THE INTENT AND WHERE I THINK SOME FOLKS WANT THIS TO LEAD IS EVIDENCED IN THOSE BACKUP DOCUMENTS. AND WE TAKE THIS STEP TODAY AND THEN SIX MONTHS FROM NOW OR A YEAR FROM NOW WE'RE VOTING ON MAKING THIS A REQUIREMENT FOR PRIVATE BUSINESSES. AND I DON'T WANT TO SEE THAT
THAT. THANKS, CHAIR. >> KAUR: SO THANK YOU --
WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO FIRST OR WOULD YOU LIKE -- >>
>> KAUR: GO AHEAD COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU. AND I'LL -- HMM, YOU MISSED A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT I SAID DURING MY FIRST ROUND OF COMMENTS, BUT ONE THING I'LL SAY IS THAT IF YOUR PRIMARY CONCERN OR IF ANYONE'S PRIMARY CONCERN IS WHAT IS THIS GOING TO COST AND ARE WE IMPOSING THIS ON PRIVATE BUSINESSES AND HOW DARE WE HAVE REQUIREMENTS OF THOSE WHO ARE GETTING TAXPAYER DOLLARS, THAT'S HE --
[00:35:06]
THERE'S A GOOD PRIVATE ENTITIES, BUT I'M NOT GOING TO HOLD THEM TO THE SAME STANDARD THAT WE HOLD OURSELVES TO. IF EVERY RESIDENT HAS TO FOLLOW A CITY ORDINANCE WHEN THEY'RE DOING THEIR RENOVATION ON THEIR OWN PROPERTY, WHY WOULD WE NOT REQUIRE THAT THOSE WHO ARE RECEIVING TAXPAYER DOLLARS IN THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS THOUSANDS, MILLIONS, TENS OF MILLIONS, WHY WOULD WE NOT REQUIRE THAT THEY DO WHAT WE ASK OF THEM? THAT THEY MAKE THEIR RESTROOMS ACCESSIBLE TO THOSE THAT ARE ASKING. AND BEYOND THAT IT'S -- THIS IS AGAIN AND WHAT MANY OF US SAID, THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT IS VERY MUNDANE. IS NOT SEXY, NOT ANYTHING THAT ANY OF US WANTED TO DO NOW OR FIVE YEARS FROM NOW, BUT BECAUSE THE STATE AS MADE THIS AN ISSUE WHERE THERE WAS NONE, THERE WERE NOT TRANS PEOPLE POSTED UP IN RESTROOMS ASSAULTING PEOPLE, THAT WAS NOT HAPPENING.WHAT WAS HAPPENING AND WHAT CONTINUES TO HAPPEN IS TRANS PEOPLE BEING ASSAULTED IN RESTROOMS FOR EXISTING.
VIOLENCE FOR EXISTING AND TRYING TO USE THE RESTROOM. THAT IS WHAT EXISTS RIGHT NOW AND THAT IS WHAT WE ARE SOLVEING FOR. SO THAT'S WHY THIS IS HERE AND THAT'S WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT. AND SO THE COST OF A FEW THOUSAND HERE IN EXCHANGE FOR A MILLION DOLLARS IN CITY FUNDING I THINK WE CAN MAKE THAT -- I THINK WE CAN MAKE THAT WORK. SO EVEN THOUGH THIS IS NOT CALLING FOR THAT RIGHT NOW AND THAT'S NOT WHAT STAFF IS RECOMMENDING, WE SHOULD
ABSOLUTELY GET THERE IN A YEAR OR SO. >> KAUR: THANKS, COUNCILMEMBER. I'LL JUST SAY THAT THE PURPLE LINING OF THE SITUATION HERE BECAUSE WE HAVE A HEAVY AGENDA, I BELIEVE THIS WILL GO TO CITY COUNCIL AND WILL PASS AS IT'S CURRENTLY STATED. I WISH WE COULD BE DOING MORE ALREADY. I KNOW THE ID COMPONENT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS REALLY CRITICAL AS A PART OF THIS ORDINANCE, BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE AT THE SAME TIME THAT WE ARE KEEPING EVERYONE SAFE AND NOT CREATING ADDITIONAL EYES ON FOLKS THAT WE DON'T NECESSARILY WANT FROM THE STATE. SO I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE AT LEAST DOING THIS, ESPECIALLY AS WE HEAD INTO A BOND PROGRAM BECAUSE THAT MEANS WE'LL BE ABLE TO SEE SOME OF THIS IMPACT IMMEDIATELY. ONE THING THAT I'D LIKE TO ADD, DR. MATA, WHEN YOU GUYS BRING THIS TO A SESSION, IS GOAL THAT SAYS HOW QUICKLY WE'RE TRACKING TOWARDS 100% OF ALL CITY FACILITYIES HAVING AT LEAST A SINGLE-SEX RESTROOMS, SO WHAT PERCENTAGE ARE WE AT RIGHT NOW AND MAYBE WE COULD SEE THAT PROGRESS AFTER THIS CAPITAL PROJECT YEAR, I GUESS, FOR FISCAL YEAR 27, AND THEN FOR OUR BOND PROGRAM IN '27. GO AHEAD, JOHN.
>> ABSOLUTELY CAN WORK ON A TRACKER CAN DR. MATA'S TEAM. I WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT THIS IS FUTURE LOOKING. SO THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN DESIGNED NOW AND THE THINGS THAT ARE UNDER CONSTRUCTION NOW ARE IN PROGRESS, RIGHT? SO I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S A CHANCE FOR ALTERING THOSE. I JUST WANT TO BE REALLY CLEAR THAT IF PASSED, ONCE
PASSED THE THINGS WE'RE WORKING ON IN THE FUTURE. >> KAUR: YEAH, I'LL GIVE YOU THE EXAMPLE OF KENWOOD COMMUNITY CENTER. I KNOW THEY ADDED A FAMILY ROOM AND IT WAS AN INCREMENTAL COST BECAUSE THAT WAS THE FEEDBACK WE GOT FROM THE ADVISORY GROUP BUT A FAMILY ROOM IS A SINGLE-SEX RESTROOMS.
>> SURE. >> KAUR: WE'RE IN CONSTRUCTION ON THAT ALREADY ALREADY, BUT WE DID ADD THAT FOR KENWOOD. THAT WOULD COUNT.
AS I LOOK AT THE LIST, THE ONE OTHER REQUEST, THE BACKUP DOCUMENT THAT I WAS LOOKING AT WAS ALL THE CITY FACILITY LISTS. IT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE COULD SAY WHERE IN THE FACILITY THAT IT HAS THAT SINGLE-SEX RESTROOMS. RIGHT NOW IT JUST HAS THE ADDRESS, BUT IF WE COULD SAY ENTRYWAY OR FIRST FLOOR IF IT'S A MULTI-FLOOR BUILDING, THAT WAY IT'S REALLY CLEAR FOR FOLKS.
OKAY. THOSE WERE MY ONLY REALLY BIG COMMENTS ON THIS.
I WANTED TO LIKE REALLY QUICKLY SAY THAT WE APPRECIATE YOUR ADVOCACY AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT SOMETIMES IT FEELS ANNOYING TO HAVE TO ADVOCATE FOR SOMETHING SO SMALL, BUT THE FACT THAT YOU ALL SHOWED UP AND HAD THIS ORDINANCE DRAFTED WITH COUNCILMEMBER AND MOVED IT FORWARD IS AWESOME. I ALSO HAD JUST A QUICK -- JUST A QUICK STORY. I HAD A YOUNG KID WHO HAD SEEN OUR SIGNS CHANGE, SO WE HAD -- I COMMEND CITY STAFF ON HOW THEY DID SB 8 IN OUR BUILDINGS BECAUSE I THINK IT WAS DONE VERY STRATEGICALLY, NOT TO SAY ANY MORE THAN THAT, AND IN SOME OF OUR OTHER CITY FACILITYIES THE SIGNS LOOKED DIFFERENT BECAUSE THEY WERE DELAYING AS BIOLOGICAL. WE HAD A YOUNG KID SEE THAT AND REPORT THAT TO US AND WE WERE ABLE TO CHANGE THAT. SO AT THE END OF THE DAY I WANT TO SAY THAT ADVOCACY MATTERS AND
GO AHEAD, COUNCILMEMBER. >> WHYTE: SO JUST TO BE CLEAR, BECAUSE THERE WAS A LOT IN THAT CCR, BUT TODAY WE ARE VOTING HERE ON WHAT ACTION IS RECOMMENDED --
>> KAUR: CAN YOU BRING UP SLIDE 6 FOR US, PLEASE? ITS SLIDE THAT SAYS ACTION
[00:40:03]
RECOMMENDED. >> WHYTE: THIS IS TO MOVE IT TO WHAT.
>> KAUR: I'LL TAKE A MOTION. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU. SO I MOVE TO FORWARD THIS RECOMMENDS TO AN A SESSION WITH STAFF PROVIDING INDIVIDUAL BRIEFINGS TO ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS.
>> KAUR: GREAT. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
I BELIEVE WE'VE ALREADY HAD ENOUGH DISCUSSION SO WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A VOTE.
>> WHYTE: NAY. >> KAUR: WE DON'T HAVE ANY ABSTENTIONS SO MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] OKAY. WE'RE GOING TO GO ON TO ITEM NUMBER 3, AND I HOPE THAT THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE HERE WILL STAY BECAUSE THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT CONVERSATION TOO AND IT'S AN UPDATE ON OUR -- FROM THE COMMITTEE ON DIVERSION CENTER THAT COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO HAS BEEN SPEAR READING.
WE'LL HAND IT OVER TO -- TO MARIA. >> MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE, I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND INTRODUCE THIS ITEM AND THEN JUST GIVE A QUICK UPDATE ON THE WORK THAT WE HAVE DONE SINCE THE CCR WAS APPROVED, SO WE CAN GO TO THE FIRST SLIDE. SO THIS CCR WAS SUBMITTED BY COUNCILMEMBER TERI CASTILLO IN OCTOBER OF '25. WE TOOK IT TO GOVERNANCE IN DECEMBER OF '25 AND THEN BROUGHT IT TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE IN JANUARY FOR DISCUSSION.
AFTER THAT DISCUSSION WE PRESENTED IT AT A COUNCIL B SESSION WHERE THE DISCUSSION WITH THE FULL CITY COUNCIL WAS SUPPORTED FOR THE CREATION OF AN AD HOC COMMITTEE CO-CHAIRED BY THE C THE CITY AND THE COUNTY TO DISCUSS THE POTENTIAL POSSIBILITY OF A DIVERSION CENTER AND THE OPTIONS ON HOW WE COULD POTENTIALLY ADD ONE TO SAN ANTONIO. SO SINCE ON THE NEXT SLIDE, THE AD HOC COMMITTEE THAT AGAIN IS CO-CHAIRED BY COUNCILMEMBER TERI CASTILLO AND BEXAR COUNTY COMMISSIONER JUSTIN RODRIGUEZ HAS MET SEVERAL TIMES, THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS INCLUDED OUR STINT SIDE WE HAVE THE ME TOW HEALTH DEPARTMENT, HOMELESS AND STRATEGY AND MUNICIPAL COURT COURT.
ON BEXAR COUNTY WE HAD THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY, THE PROGRAM, THE PROBATION OFFICE AND PUBLIC HEALTH. WE ALSO HAVE STAKEHOLDERS OUTSIDE THE COUNTY AND THE CITY THAT INCLUDE OUR CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES, WHICH OUR MENTAL HEALTH AUTHORITY FOR BEXAR COUNTY, THE ALAMO AREA COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS, UNIVERSITY HEALTH, AND CENTRO. THE COMMITTEE HAD DEVELOPED A ROADMAP TO BEGIN OUR DISCUSSIONS ON THE POSSIBILITY OF A DIVERSION CENTER. THE CITY FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES PRIOR TO THE CCR HAD STARTED WORK ABOUT DISCUSSIONS ABOUT HAVING A VISIBILITY STUDY AND THE CITY IS PROPOSING IN THAT PROCESS. WE ARE SUPPORTING THE PROGRAM FINANCIALLY IN IN AND THE ACTUAL STUDY HAS STARTED STARTED, AND THEY HAVE AN UPDATE TODAY FOR THE COMMITTEE. SO THE FACES THAT YOU SEE ON THIS SLIDE IS LOOKING AND DEFINING THE CENTRAL MISSION OF THE AD HOC COMMITTEE, HOW WE ARE LOOKING AT THE LANDSCAPE WITHIN OUR CITY AND COUNTY GOVERNMENT IN TERMS OF THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE. THERE ARE SEVERAL PROGRAMS JAIL, AND WE HAVE DISCUSSED THAT. WE ARE ALSO IDENTIFYING GAPS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR BOTH THE CITY AND THE COUNTY TO COLLABORATE.
SO ON THE FOLLOWING SLIDE YOU CAN SEE THE TIMES WE HAVE MET SO FAR, WE HAVE MET FOUR TIMES. WE ALSO THROUGH THE LEADERSHIP OF COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO, WE HAVE VISITED OTHER FACILITYIES IN TEXAS AND OUR OWN FACILITYIES HERE IN SAN ANTONIO. SO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO TODAY IS WE HAVE OUR CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES ON THE FOLLOWING SLIDE, WHO IS GOING TO BE PROVIDING A PRESENTATION THAT IS GOING TO FOCUS ON A PILOT PROGRAM TO BEGIN THE DIVERSION PROGRAM. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE DISCUSSED AT THE TASK FORCE IN THE AD HOC COMMITTEE IS THE BENEFIT OF THE WORK THAT CACS IS CONDUCTING IN TERMS OF THAT VISIBILITY STUDY FOR A PERMANENT FACILITY.
BUT GIVEN THE NEED AND THE OPPORTUNITY WE HAVE TODAY, C CHCS HAS TAKEN THE LEAD TO DEVELOP A PILOT PROGRAM THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE BRIEFED ON TODAY.
[00:45:06]
WE HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THE AD HOC COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER A SIX-MONTH PILOT PROGRAM, AND THAT -- THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM, THIS PILOT PROGRAM, IS FUNDED BY THE CITY, THE COUNTY AND UNIVERSITY HEALTH. THOSE ARE DISCUSSIONS THAT WE HAVE HAD. WHAT WE ARE RECOMMENDING TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE IS THAT WE MOVE THIS PILOT PROGRAM AND THE FUNDING ASSOCIATED WITH THIS REQUEST REQUEST, WHICH IS ABOUT $625,000, FROM THE CITY FOR A TOTAL OF SIX MONTHS AND IN CONVERSATION WITH COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO, WE CAN FUND THIS FROM THE WESTSIDE TIRZ, SO THERE'S NO ADDITIONAL COST TO OUR GENERAL FUND.SO THAT IS A CONSIDERATION FOR TODAY, SO WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO NEXT IS MS. JALE MS. JALENE BURLY FROM HEALTHCARE SERVICES WILL PROVIDE A PRESENTATION AND THEN THE ACTION WILL BE TO FORWARD THIS TO OUR FULL COUNCIL AS SOME OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BUDGET WORK SESSION THAT IS SCHEDULED FOR NEXT WEEK.
TOMORROW WE HAVE A BRIEFING TO THE COUNCIL ABOUT OUR DIFFERENT TIRZ, AND YOU'LL SEE THIS ITEM AS POTENTIAL ACTION FOR COUNCIL TO CONSIDER ON SEPTEMBER THE TENTH. SO WITH THAT I'LL TURN IT OVER TO JO LYNN FOR THE PRESENTATION AND AFTER THAT PRESENTATION BOTH JO LYNN AND I WILL BOTH BE AVAILABLE
TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. >> THANK YOU, MARIA. GOOD AFTERNOON.
IF YOU WOULD FLIP TO THE CENTER PRESENTATION. THANK YOU.
SO I ASKED THAT THIS SINGLE PAPER BE PASSED OUT BECAUSE SLIDE 19 IS AN EYE CHART AND SO I'M SHARING IT JUST TO SHOW YOU THE -- ILLUSTRATE THE METRICS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FOR OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS FOR THE PILOT.
SO WHEN WE WERE BEFORE YOU IN JANUARY THIS YEAR, WE DISCUSSED THE PLANS FOR THE CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES TO BEGIN WORK WITH A FEASIBILITY STUDY AND A PLAN FOR A TREATMENT CENTER THAT WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE ELIGIBLE FOR DIVERSION FROM OUR JAIL. WE REPORTED THAT THERE HAD BEEN A LACK OF DIVERSIONS FROM THE BEXAR COUNTY JAIL POST AN EVALUATION OF THE OPERATION AT OUR JAIL INTAKE CENTER. THERE WAS A MOVE TO STREAMLINE THESE OPERATIONS AND SINCE THAT TIME INDIVIDUALS HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO BE DIVERTED AFTER ARREST AND PROCESSING AT OUR JAIL INTAKE CENTER. AT THAT TIME WE ALSO REFERENCED -- YOU CAN ADVANCE. WE ALSO REFERENCED SEVERAL STUDIES THAT HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED, ONE THAT WAS SPONSORED BY BEXAR COUNTY.
IT WAS THE EVALUATION OF OUR JAIL INTAKE ANNEX, AS WELL AS A STUDY COMMISSIONED BY UNIVERSITY HEALTH, AND THERE WERE SEVERAL FINDINGS IN THAT STUDY.
ONE WAS TO IMPROVE THE HEALTHY FACILITYIES AT OUR JAIL.
THE SECOND WAS TO CREATE A DIVERSION CENTER, A TREATMENT CENTER FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE ELIGIBLE FOR DIVERSION FROM THE JAIL, AND FINALLY, A PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL FOR OUR GENERAL POPULATION HERE IN BEXAR COUNTY.
SO THE LANDSCAPE SINCE THEN HAS CHANGED. WE HAVE EXPERIENCED THE CLOSURE OF 330 BEDS AT OUR LAUREL RIDGE HOSPITAL, WHICH CHCS CONTRACTED 22 OF THOSE BEDS FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE UNFUNDED. I APOLOGIZE THAT JAIL DEATHS ARE IN RID. THERE WAS NO EMPHASIS THERE, IT'S JUST A MISTAKE, BUT WE ARE MONITORING THOSE DEATHS THAT HAVE OCCURRED AT THE JAIL AND WE'RE LOOKING AT THE PROFILES OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS AND WE DO BELIEVE THAT THERE WERE OPPORTUNITIES FOR MANY OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS TO BE DIVERTED FROM JAIL AND INTO TREATMENT. SO WE WANT TO THANK YOU BECAUSE THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO HAS BEEN A PARTNER WITH THIS WORK GROUP IN LOOKING AT THE FEASIBILITY FOR A TREATMENT CENTER, AND SO THAT DIVERSION CENTER PLANNING IS UNDERWAY, SO THIS AFTERNOON I'M GOING TO SHARE WITH YOU THE STATUS OF THE WORK GROUP AND HOW WE ARE WORKING IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE AD HOC COMMITTEE. AND THEN PRESENT THE PROPOSAL FOR A PILOT. SO FIRST I'LL GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THE WORK PLAN.
SO WE HIRED THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT HOUSTON, THEIR SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, THEY ARE OUR CONSULTANT WORKING ON THIS PROJECT. WE DESIGNED A SIX-MEETING PLAN FOR THIS WORK GROUP. WE ARE ENSUREING THAT WE ARE IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE OVERALL WORK THAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE CITY- CITY-COUNTY AD HOC COMMITTEE AS THEY ARE LOOKING AT ALL OPPORTUNITIES FOR DIVERSION. WE ARE CURRENTLY HALFWAY THROUGH THE PLANNING PROCESS PROCESS. WE ARE CURRENTLY CONDUCTING STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS. WE'VE HAD A TREMENDOUS RESPONSE TO ALL OF THE
[00:50:05]
INDIVIDUALS DESIRING TO BE INTERVIEWED TO GATHER FEEDBACK ON THE POTENTIAL FOR THIS TREATMENT CENTER, AND I WOULD SAY THE OVER OVERRIDING RESPONSES, THERE ARE THOSE WHO HAVE INDICATED THAT THERE IS A NEED AND THERE IS SUPPORT FOR IT, AND IF THERE'S ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO BE INTERVIEWED OR PROVIDE THAT FEEDBACK AS SOON AS STILL TIME TO DO SO. WE ESTIMATE THAT WE WILL BE COMPLETED WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN EARLY 2027, SO AROUND THE JANUARY, BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.SO THE CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES IS THE CONVENEER FOR THIS GROUP.
CAN I USE THIS? OKAY. SO WE ARE THE CONVENEER FOR THE WORK GROUP AND AS I MENTIONED WE DO WORK TO STAY IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE WORK THAT THE AD HOC CITY-COUNTY COMMITTEE IS TAKING ON. THE WORK GROUP INCLUDES PARTICIPATION BY THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, THE DEPARTMENTS LISTED BY BEXAR COUNTY, UNIVERSITY HEALTH, UT HEALTH AT HOUSTON, OUR STRAC AND CENTRAL SAN ANTONIO.
THE PARTICIPATION OF STRAC IS VERY INTERESTING AND I'LL EXPLAIN LATER WHY.
SO I WANTED TO GIVE YOU A SYNOPSIS OF THE WORK GROUP. SO WE HAVE MET THREE TIMES.
IN OUR FIRST MEETING WE ESTABLISHED GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR THIS PLANNED DEVELOPMENT. WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF HAVING A TREATMENT CENTER. THE GAPS IN OUR CURRENT SERVICES.
WE TALKED ABOUT THE ELIGIBILITY AND TARGET POPULATION, THE MEDICAL COMPLEXITY OF THIS POPULATION, HOW WE WOULD NAVIGATE THOSE INDIVIDUALS THROUGH THE SYSTEM, THE COMMUNITY AND POLITICAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR OPERATING A TREATMENT CENTER SUCH AS THIS AS WELL AS INFRASTRUCTURE REQUIRED FOR THIS EFFORT. IN OUR SECOND MEETING WE TALKED ABOUT THE TYPES OF ARREST DATA, THE VOLUME OF ARREST, THE KINDS OF OFFENSES THAT WE WERE SEEING SEEING, THE HIGHEST FREQUENCY OFFENSES. WE REVIEWED OUR FRAMEWORKS FOR MANAGING THIS POPULATION POPULATION, SO WE LOOKED AT THE FINANCIAL INTERCEPT MODEL. WE ALSO LOOKED AT OUR CURRENT NAVIGATION LAW ENFORCEMENT SYSTEM THAT IS MANAGED BY STRAC. SO WE TOOK A LOOK AT THE BOOKING TIMELINES OF INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE ARRESTED AND WAITING TO BE MAGISTRATE MAGISTRATED. WE LOOKED AT THAT ENTIRE PROCESS.
WE LOOKED AT THE FRAGMENTATION OF OUR ENTIRE SYSTEMS. WE ALSO LOOKED AT WHO IS SCREENING, HOW THOSE INDIVIDUALS ARE SCREENED, ALL OF THE WORKFLOWS, WHO IS ACCOUNTABLE FOR ALL OF THE PROCESSES AS WELL AS SOUGHT THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE INVOLVEMENT. IN OUR THIRD MEETING WE BEGAN TO COLLECT ALL OF THE DATA NECESSARY TO HELP US AND INFORM US IN THE PERMANENT PLAN. AND SO JUST LAST WEEK WE REVIEWED ALL OF THE LEGISLATION THAT COULD POSSIBLY BE A BARRIER WE LOOKED AT CRIMINAL HISTORY RESEARCH, TRYING TO UNDERSTAND RECIDIVISM RATES WITH THE INDIVIDUALS. WE TALKED ABOUT THE THEMES THAT WE WERE SEEING IN OUR STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEW PROCESS. AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THERE SEEMS TO BE OVERWHELM OVERWHELMING SUPPORT TO SUPPORT A TREATMENT CENTER LIKE THIS. SO NOW WE'RE BEGINNING, WE DID LOOK AT SOME OPERATIONAL WORKFLOWS AT OUR CURRENT [INDISCERNIBLE]. WE TALKED ABOUT A PRE-ARREST PILOT AND I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU DETAILS ON THAT. TRANSPORTATION FOR THESE INDIVIDUALS AND JUST THE WHOLE CONTINUITY OF CARE. SO COMING UP NEXT IN OUR FOURTH MEETING WE'LL GIVE OURSELVES MORE TIME. WE'VE BEEN MEETING ABOUT ONCE A MONTH. WE'RE GOING TO EXPAND THIS NEXT TIME FRAME TO ABOUT SIX WEEKS BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE WE BEGIN TO ANALYZE ALL OF THE DATA, THE STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS INTERVIEWS TO ARRIVE AT SOME ORIGINAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THIS TREATMENT CENTER. AND WE WANT TO BEGIN TO DEFINE THE CLINICAL WRAP WRAPAROUND SERVICE ARRAY, LOOK AT THE STAFFING MODEL FOR THE FACILITYIES.
WE THINK BY THAT TIME WE MAY ARRIVE AT AN ACTUAL SIZE OR NUMBER OF BEDS FOR A PERMANENT FACILITY, UNDERSTANDING THAT WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES THAT PRE- PRE-ARREST, WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES DURING THE INTAKE PROCESS, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE CAPTURE ANY OTHER OPPORTUNITY WE HAVE IN THE COMMUNITY TO DIVERT A PERSON AND GET THEM INTO TREATMENT AT THE RIGHT TIME, AT THE RIGHT FACILITY.
AND THAT'S THE POSSIBILITY OF COMING BACK TOGETHER IN A MID SEPTEMBER TIME FRAME.
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AND THEN WE HAVE OUR FIFTH AND SIXTH MEETINGS, LOOKING AT THE AFTER CARE PROCESS AND THE COMMUNITY RESOURCES THAT WILL NEED TO BE AVAILABLE FOR THIS POPULATION. WOMEN CERTAINLY NEED TO NAVIGATE THESE INDIVIDUALS TO ALL OF THE SERVICES THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.AND FINALLY IN OUR FINAL MEETING WE'LL BE DETERMINING ESTIMATED COSTS, THE SCOPE FOR THIS FACILITY OR FOR THE ENTIRE CONTINUUM OF CARE, BOTH THE TREATMENT INITIALLY FOR DIVERTED INDIVIDUALS, THE AFTER CARE AND THEN THEIR NAVIGATION WITH SOCIAL SERVICES IS TO GET THEM ON THEIR WAY. SO THAT WE THINK WILL CULMINATE BY THE END OF THE CALENDAR YEAR AND WE'LL BE IN A POSITION TO SHARE THIS PLAN AT THE BEGINNING OF 2027. SO I'M GOING TO SHARE WITH YOU SOME OF THE DATA WE BEGAN TO COLLECT. SO WHEN WE WERE AT OUR SECOND AD HOC MEETING, I SHARED WITH THE AD HOC COMMITTEE JUST PULLING THE BEXAR COUNTY INFORMATION FROM THE JAIL FROM JANUARY AT THAT TIME THROUGH MAY.
AND WE COULD SEE IT WAS VERY HIGH LEVEL. IT WAS ANYBODY IN THE JAIL CURRENTLY IN THOSE MONTHS WITH A SCREENED MENTAL HEALTH DIAGNOSIS OR SUBSTANCE USE DIAGNOSIS AND HAVING VIOLATED A LOW LEVEL CRIMINAL TRESPASS OFFENSE.
YOU CAN SEE THE NUMBERS FOR JANUARY THROUGH MAY. SO FROM THAT WE ARRIVED THAT THERE ARE ABOUT 56% OF THOSE ARRESTED FROM THAT TIME FRAME, 56% OF THEM WITH A LOW LEVEL CRIMINAL TRESPASSING CHARGE HAD A MENTAL HEALTH NEED.
IT AVERAGED ABOUT 78 INDIVIDUALS PER MONTH. SO WE BEGAN TO SEE THAT THERE ARE -- THERE IS JUSTIFICATION FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO DIVERT INDIVIDUALS OUT OF THE JAIL, WHICH WOULD AID IN REDUCING LAW ENFORCEMENT TIME WITH THE INDIVIDUALS AS WELL AS REDUCING SOME OF THE OVER OVERCROWDING THAT WE EXPERIENCE IN OUR JAIL. THIS INFORMATION WAS PROVIDED BY SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT. IT IS THEIR MISDEMEANOR ARRESTS FOR 2025.
AND I WOULD JUST CALL YOUR ATTENTION IN THE FIRST AREA JUST CRIMINAL TRESPASS ALONE ALONE, WE HAD 1700 ARRESTS IN THIS FIRST SAMPLE OF INDIVIDUALS.
FOR TABLE 1. AND TABLE 2, THOSE WITH A MENTAL HEALTH FLAG, THAT NUMBER WAS 612 FOR CRIMINAL TRESPASSING. IN TABLE NUMBER 3 FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE FLAGGED AS UNSHELTERED WITH CRIMINAL TRESPASS VIOLATION, 805.
AND THEN IN TABLE 4 WE'RE ILLUSTRATING THOSE WITH A MENTAL HEALTH AND/OR UN UNSHELTERED FLAG, CRIMINAL TRESPASSING AT 1120. SO YOU CAN SEE WE ARE CERTAINLY HAVE A NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS WHO FALL INTO THIS ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA THAT WE ARE PROPOSING AS WE GO FORWARD. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE ARREST TO BOOKING TIME FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS IN TABLE 1 FOR CRIMINAL TRESPASS ALONE, ARRESTED, NO WARRANT CHARGE, IS ABOUT EIGHT HOURS TO BE BE -- THE TIME FROM ARREST TO BOOKING. AND THEN IF YOU LOOK AT TABLE 2 CRIMINAL TRESPASS AGAIN, ARREST, NO WARRANT, IT'S A LITTLE OVER 12 HOURS TO BE PROCESSED TIME FROM ARREST TO BOOKING. SO THOSE SLIDES SHOW THAT FOR THE THREE OFFENSES CURRENTLY IT TAKES ABOUT EIGHT HOURS FOR BEXAR COUNTY SHERIFFS AND ABOUT 12 HOURS FOR SAPD TO GO FROM ARREST TO BOOKING AT OUR JAIL INTAKE CENTER.
THAT'S ABOUT EIGHT TO 12 HOURS THAT AN INDIVIDUAL WHILE GOING THROUGH THAT BOOKING PROCESS CAN RISK WORSENING THEIR MENTAL HEALTH AND/OR SUBSTANCE USE AND WILL DECOMPENSATE -- CAN DECOMPENSATE AND PRESENT HEALTH CHALLENGES.
WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING TO DO WOULD ALLOW THIS PERSON TO GET INTO TREATMENT MUCH EARLIER AND GET THEM INTO TREATMENT AT THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME.
AND SO WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING WOULD BE A PILOT TO PRACTICE SOME OF THAT SO IT COULD BETTER INFORM OUR ULTIMATE RECOMMENDATION FOR A PERMANENT TREATMENT CENTER.
WE BELIEVE THIS WOULD ALSO AID IN THE RETURN TO SERVICE TIME FOR SA POLICE.
THEY HAVE SHARED WITH US IT'S ABOUT A 15-MINUTE TARGET TO GET THEM BACK INTO SERVICE. WE HAVE VERY GOOD SUCCESS WITH THE SOBERING CENTER THAT WE OPERATE AT 601 FRIO. IT'S A CENTER FOR PUBLIC INTOXICATION.
LAW ENFORCEMENT BRINGS AN INDIVIDUAL THERE AND BETWEEN FIVE AND 10 MINUTES WE TAKE
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DEMOGRAPHICS AND THOSE INDIVIDUALS ARE EXCHANGED AND THEY ARE LEFT WITH US.LAW ENFORCEMENT CAN THEN RETURN TO SERVICE. SO I'M GOING TO MOVE NOW AND TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PILOT.
WE TALKED AT LENGTH ABOUT AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A GRANT TO HELP FUND THIS WHILE WE AGREED NOT TO PURSUE THAT GRANT, WE DID WANT TO LOOK FOR OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO INVESTIGATE AND DETERMINE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA AND TRY A PILOT BECAUSE WHILE WE HAVE VISITED OTHER FACILITY FACILITIES IN HARRIS COUNTY, WE'RE PLANNING ANOTHER VISIT IN SEPTEMBER TO THE DALLAS-FORT WORTH AREA. THERE'S NOTHING LIKE TRYING SOMETHING, PILOTING IT SO IT CAN BE FOCUSED FOR THIS COMMUNITY.
WHILE THERE ARE MANY SIMILARITYIES IN THE POPULATION, WE'RE DIFFERENT, SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE PROPOSING A PLAN THAT WORKS FOR THIS COMMUNITY AND WORKS WITH THIS COMMUNITY, AND SO WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT WE TEST THIS PILOT FOR SIX MONTHS. WE TEST THE INTERCEPT MODEL. WE'RE TARGETING AT ITS EARLY OPPORTUNITY FOR PRE-ARREST. WE ARE PROPOSING A SPECIFIC GEOGRAPHIC AREA FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE THE CENTRAL AND DOWNTOWN SUBSTATIONS WITH SAPD. AND WE ARE LOOKING AT TWO VERY LOW LEVEL SERVICES NONRESIDENTIAL CRIMINAL TRESPASSING AND NONRESIDENTIAL THEFT.
WE'RE PROPOSING THE PILOT BE HELD AT 711 EAST JOSEPHINE STREET.
THIS FACILITY IS LOCATED IN DISTRICT 2. WE CURRENTLY OPERATE IT AS A CRISIS RESPITE CENTER. WE CURRENTLY OPERATE 16 BEDS THERE.
THE SMART TEAM IS HOUSED OUT OF THIS FACILITY AS WELL AS OTHER FUNCTIONS FOR CHCS.
YEARS AGO IT FUNCTIONED AS OUR CHILDREN'S OUTPATIENT CLINIC, BUT WE HAVE MOVED THAT IN YEARS PAST. SO THIS IS CURRENTLY A CRISIS RESPITE CENTER.
INDIVIDUALS STAY WITH US ON AN AVERAGE OF SEVEN DAYS. IT'S A STEP-DOWN FACILITY.
MANY HOSPITALS REFER INDIVIDUALS THERE. WE DO HAVE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE REFERRED FROM OUR 601 FRIO LOCATION, WHICH IS OUR PSYCHIATRIC EMERGENCY CENTER CENTER. SO IT IS A FACILITY THAT IS IN USE WITH A VERY SIMILAR
PURPOSE. >> AND SO WE HAVE AN AVAILABLE WING, AND WE'RE RECOMMENDING THAT 15 BEDS BE DEDICATED FOR THIS PILOT.
AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THE PILOT FOCUS AREA WOULD BE OUR CENTRAL AND DOWNTOWN POLICE SUBSTATION RESPONSE AREA.
THE ELIGIBLE OFFENSE GLEED UPON BY -- BY -- THE DIVERSION ACTION WOULD BE A PREARREST AND COORDINATION, SO WHEN LAW ENFORCEMENT ENGAGES AN INDIVIDUAL THAT HAS VIE LVIOLATED THESE TWO OFFENSES, HE OR SHE WOULD CONTACT MED COM, WE HAVE CLINICIANS LOCATED AT MED COM, THEY WOULD GO THROUGH A SCREENING PROCESS WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE INDIVIDUALS AND THE GOAL WOULD BE TO HAVE VOLUNTARILY ADMISSION TO THE TREATMENT CENTER AT JOSEPHINE RECOVERY CENTER. THE AVERAGE LENGTH OF STAY AT MOST OF THE DIVERSION CENTERS STARTS OUT AT 14 DAYS, AND WE ARE -- WE ARE HOLDING WITH THAT STANDARD. WE DO KNOW THROUGH EXPERIENCE THOSE STAYS ARE SHORTER. AND WE DO -- WE ARE PROPOSING AN AFTER-CARE GOAL OF UP TO 90 DAYS FOR THESE INDIVIDUALS. WE WERE ASK BY THE AD HOC COMMITTEE TO RECOMMEND A GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE FOR THIS PILOT AND THIS GOAL WOULD BE THIS GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE WOULD THEN TRANSITION WITH THE PERMANENT PLAN AS WELL. SO AS I MENTIONED, STRAC WAS AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF THIS PILOT. WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT THIS PROGRAM BE TREATED AS AN ADDITIONAL TOOL IN OUR CRISIS CARE CONTINUUM.
AND THAT STRAC WOULD BE THE CONVENER. WE HAVE PROVEN RESULTS WITH THEM AS A COLLECTIVE IMPACT EFFORT, PULLING HEALTH PROFESSIONALS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT PROFESSIONALS AND FUNDERS TOGETHER, WORKING TO SECURE OUR CRISIS CONTINUUM. WE CAN PIVOT VERY QUICKLY AND MAKE PROCESS CHANGES WHEN WE FIND SOMETHING IS NOT WORKINGS, AS WE ORIGINALLY ANTICIPATED, AND SO WE THINK THIS WILL BE VERY SUCCESSFUL.
LAW ENFORCEMENT WORKS A LOT THROUGH MED COM TODAY THROUGH LAW ENFORCEMENT
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NAVIGATION, AND WE THINK WITH THE USE OF CLINICIANS, WE CAN ASSIST LAW ENFORCEMENT IN DETERMINING WHETHER AN INDIVIDUAL SHOULD BE ARRESTED OR IF THIS INDIVIDUAL IS ELIGIBLE FOR TREATMENT AND NOT PUT ALL OF THAT ONUS ON LAW ENFORCEMENT. WE HAVE PROVEN CONSENSUS WITH THE DEVELOPMENT ON SHARED GOALS AS WE WORK THROUGH OUR CRISIS CONTINUUM, WE ARE RECOMMENDING STRAC BE THE CONVENER AND THE GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE WOULD INCLUDE THE REPRESENTATIVES THAT YOU SEE ON THIS SLIDE. SO I WANT TO UPDATE THIS SLIDE BECAUSE WE SHARED THIS INFORMATION WITH CITY STAFF ON FRIDAY AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH STRAC, BECAUSE WE HAD A LAST-MINUTE REQUEST OF STRAC TO BE THE CONVENER. AND SO THE AVERAGE BED DAY RATE IS NOT 682, IT'S 699. AND THE MONTHLY OPERATIONAL COST, HAVING STRAC AS A CONVENER IS $319,185, SO THAT SIX-MONTH COST IS 1.9 MILLION, AND 1/3 OF THAT IS $638,370. THE ANNUAL COST FOR THIS CURRENT LOCATION WOULD BE $3.8 MILLION, BUT WE ARE NOT RECOMMENDING A 12-MONTH OPERATION. WE ARE RECOMMENDING SIX MONTHS AT THIS TIME.SO THE ITEM THAT I HANDED OUT IS A COPY OF THE METRICS, SO WE HAVE GONE OVER WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AND OUR PARTNERS AT AD HOC, IN FACT, THE METRICS THAT WOULD BE COLLECTED BY STRAC FOR THESE INDIVIDUALS THAT WE OR ENGAGING FOR DIVERSION TO TREATMENT. THERE WILL BE -- IN AUDIO] -- THOSE AT THE GOVERNING TABLE WILL DETERMINE WHAT OUTCOME MEASURES WE WANT TO TRACK AND HOW WE WANT TO REPORT THE RESULTS OF THIS PROGRAM. SO, AGAIN, WE ARE RECOMMENDING STRAC AT THE CONVENER FOR THIS NEW PROGRAM. WE DO HAVE AN OUTREACH PLAN. I DID NOT WANT TO GET OUT AHEAD OF THE COUNCIL OR DISTRICT TWO. THIS FACILITY IS LOCATED OFF JOSEPHINE STREET AT 7-ELEVEN, BUT WE DO HAVE AN OUTREACH PLAN THAT WOULD MEET WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS, LET THE NEIGHBORS KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON. WE'RE NOT PROPOSING LAW ENFORCEMENT WOULD BE WITH SIRENS ON AND BLAZING TO THE FACILITY. THEY VISIT THE FACILITY EVERY DAY TODAY. AS I MENTIONED, OUR SMART TEAM OPERATES OUT OF THAT FACILITY. THE SMART TEAM IS THE TEAM OF EMS, CLINICIANS AND BEXAR COUNTY. IT'S MUCH LIKE YOUR CORE TEAM, BUT IT HAS BEXAR COUNTY LAW ENFORCEMENT ATTACHED TO IT.
AND WE HAVE INDIVIDUALS THAT LIVE THERE ALL THE TIME, BUT WE DO WANT TO REACH OUT TO THE RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES OF THE AREA TO MAKE THEM AWARE OF WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING AND WE ARE READY TO INITIATE THAT PLAN ONCE WE GET YOUR FEEDBACK. ACE MENTIONED, THERE ARE -- AS I MENTIONED, THERE ARE SOME ONE-TIME IMPROVEMENTS WE NEED TO MAKE AT THE FACILITY. CHCS IS PURSUING PHILANTHROPIC FUNDING FOR THE ONE-TIME IMPROVEMENTS SO WE'RE NOT ASKING OTHERS TO PARTICIPATE IN THOSE ONE-TIME FUNDINGS, AND WE THINK WE CAN IMPLEMENT THE CHANGES, BECAUSE IT WILL BE 24/7. IT WILL BE A SECURE FACILITY, WE WILL HAVE STAFF THERE 24/7, MUCH LIKE WE DO TODAY. AND WE THINK WE CAN COMPLETE THAT WORK BY THE END OF THE CALENDAR YEAR AND BE READY TO ACCEPT CLIENTS IN EARLY 2027. SO WE ARE ASKING TO GO TO THE FULL COUNCIL AND SECURE FUNDING FOR THIS PILOT, AND I WILL STOP THERE AND ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. >> KAUR: THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
WE DO HAVE ONE PERSON SIGNED UP TO SPEAK AND THAT'S ALEX [INAUDIBLE].
>> HI. GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M ALEX SESSA, AN ASSOCIATED PROFESSOR AT UT HEALTH HOUSTON AND THE CONTRACT PROFESSOR FOR THE FEASIBILITY STUDY. WANTED TO MAKE SOME BRIEF POINTS IN SUPPORT OF THE PILOT PROGRAM. FIRST AS MENTIONEDDED, AS PART OF THE FEASIBILITY STUDY, WE'VE BEEN TALKING WITH A LARGE AMOUNT OF STAKEHOLDERRERS IN THE CITY. I'VE CONDUCTED 35 INTERVIEWS IN THE LAST MONTH. IT'S BEEN A LONG MONTH, ALL THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE
[01:10:01]
SUPPORTIVE OF HAVING THE DIVERSION CENTER HERE IN BEXAR COUNTY.AND THEY REALLY EMPHASIZE THE NEED TO START ON THIS AND START TRYING IT AND TESTING IT TO SEE HOW IT WOULD WORK. SECOND PART, AS WE HEARD FROM THE PRESENTATION, AD HOC COMMITTEE, COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO AND COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ AS THE COCHAIR HELD A MEETING AND HAS MADE GREAT PROGRESS TOWARD UNDERSTANDING HOW A DIVERSION CENTER CAN OPERATE AND WHOM IT CAN SERVE. I FEEL LIKE THERE HAS BEEN FRAMEWORK THAT JUST IS GETTING READY TO BE PUT INTO TEST TO SEE HOW THE ACTUAL OPERATIONS WORK. FINAL POINT I WANT TO MAKE IS THAT AS PART OF MY STUDY, NOT ONLY HAVE WE VISITED NUMEROUS DIVERSION CENTERS THROUGHOUT THE STATE, BUT I'VE TALKED WITH THE DIRECTORS OF ALL OTHER DIVERSION CENTERS OF THE STATE, THAT INCLUDES IN HARRIS COUNTY, TARRANT COUNTY, DALLAS COUNTY AND TRAVIS COUNTY THAT'S CURRENTLY PILOTING THEIR PROGRAM.
IMPORTANT, YOU'LL NEVER REALLY UNDERSTAND HOW YOUR DIVERSION CENTER WORKS AND THE BEST PRACTICES UNTIL YOU START PILOTING IT.
THEY ALL RECOMMEND MOVING TOWARD A PILOT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE -- WELL, PLAN A BIT, BUT MOVE TO THE PILOT AND UNDERSTAND YOUR OPERATIONS, DON'T WASTE TIME, BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN YOU REALLY LEARN HOW YOUR DIVERSION CENTER WORKS AND HOW YOU HAV HAVE TO TAILOR IT FOR YOUR SPECIFIC COMMUNITY AND THEIR NEEDS. I WANTED TO BRING FORTH THAT MESSAGE THAT THE OTHER DIVERSION CENTERS IN TEXAS HAVE LEARNED FROM THEIR PRACTICES FROM OPERATING FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND GIVE THAT ADVICE TO BEXAR COUNTY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. >> KAUR: THANK YOU, ALEX.
AND CAN YOU JUST REALLY QUICKLY CLARIFY IF THEY ALSO RECOMMENDED SIX MONTHS? OR DID THEY GIVE -- THE OTHER DIVERSION CENTERS
GIVE YOU ANY TIMELINE RECOMMENDATIONS? >> NO OTHER DIVERSION CENTERS GAVE A CLEAR TIMELINE RECOMMENDATION. FOR INSTANCE, IN HARRIS COUNTY, THEY STOOD UP THEIR DIVERSION CENTER QUITE QUICKLY, SO THEY HAD A PRETTY SHORT PILOT PERIOD. THEY'RE WORKING UNDER A QUICK PERIOD OF TIME. I THINK THAT EACH -- EACH -- IN MY EXPERIENCE, TALKING TO THEM, EACH CITY IS UNIQUE IN TERMS OF THEIR LEVEL OF FUNDING, THEIR OVERALL RESOURCES, AND SO EACH COMMUNITY NEEDS TO DO
WHAT WORKS FOR THEM. >> KAUR: GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT ON THIS. AND I ALSO WANT TO ENTER INTO THE RECORD A LETTER OF SUPPORT FROM COMMISSIONER GRANT MOODY, PRECINCT 3, I'LL READ A QUICK SENTENCE HE HAS IN THE LETTER FOR THE FOLKS HERE LETTER] WE NEED BETTER . HE SHOUTS OUT COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO AND COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ AS WELL.
I ALSO HAD A VERBAL SUPPORT FROM JORDAN GALVE THAT'S REPRESENTING STRAC AS THEY ALSO DEMONSTRATED SUPPORT FOR THIS MOVING FORWARD.
I'M GOING TO HAND IT OVER TO COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO TO GIVE HER COMMENTS.
>> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU, MARIA AND ANGELA FOR THE PRESENTATION. I ALSO WANTED TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE TO MARIA VARGAS WHO'S BEEN HELP FACILITATE THESE CONVERSATIONS AND HER EXPERTISE FOR INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE.
I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE TO THE WORKING GROUP, SO CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES FOR BEING THAT CONVENER AND ENGAGING A WEALTH OF EXPERTS IN TERMS OF WHERE IS THEIR OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITY AND BEXAR COUNTY TO MOVE FORWARD AND OF COURSE THE AD HOC COMMITTEE AS WELL. IT'S A VERY ROBUST GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS, BUT I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT TRISH DEBERRY FOR BEING VERY INVOLVED AND ENGAGED PRIOR TO THIS WORK TALKING ABOUT THE NEED TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO CARE AND HOW WE CAN INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF PSYCHIATRIC BEDS AND JUST THE NEED TO CONNECT RESIDENTS TO MUCH-NEEDED SERVICES THAT ARE LIMITED.
SO I WANTED TO EXPRESS MY THANKS TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THE AD HOC AND WORKING GROUP COMMUNITY MEMBERS. I KNOW MANY OF THE FOLKS IN THE ROOM ARE WELL AWARE THAT BEXAR COUNTY IS ONE OF THE REMAINING MAJOR COUNTIES THAT DOES NOT HAVE SOME TYPE OF DIVERSION CENTER AND/OR ACCESS TO CARE, AND WHILE BEXAR COUNTY AND THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO DO HAVE FORMS OF JAIL DIVERSION SUCH AS SPECIALTY COURTS, AS WELL AS COMMUNITY COURTS, WE DO NOT HAVE A PREARREST DIVERSION PROGRAM.
SO WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE IS THAT PREARREST APPROACH, ENSURING THAT BEFORE AN INDIVIDUAL IN NEED HITS A MAGISTRATION PROCESS, WHETHER THAT'S WITH THE CITY AND/OR COUNTY, IS DIVERTED BASED OFF OF THE CRITERIA THAT WAS LAID OUT TODAY AND AGREED UPON BY THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY, THE BCSOS AND, OF COURSE, SAPD WOULD POTENTIALLY BE DIVERTED AND CONNECTED TO ACCESS TO CARE. I THINK AS DR. TESSTA MENTIONED WHAT'S UNIQUE ABOUT WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED TODAY IS IT'S TAILORED FOR BEXAR COUNTY AND THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. THERE IS NO COPY SL /PASTE APPROACH BECAUSE WE EACH HAVE OUR OWN POPULATION AND COMMUNITY
[01:15:01]
ASSETS. I'M GRATEFUL AT THE AD HOC COMMITTEE, DR. POTTER WITH BE WELL PRESENTED JUST A WEALTH OF RESOURCES THAT EXIST THROUGHOUT BEXAR COUNTY AND HOW THERE'S FURTHER OPPORTUNITY BEYOND PREARREST DIVERSION TO MUCH-NEEDED CARE, BUT I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T HIGHLIGHT THE ROLE OF OUR PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICIAL SO GRATEFUL FOR THE CHIEFS IN CONVENING WITH THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO DISCUSS WHAT IS THE EXPECTATION OF OUR PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICIALS WITH MOVING FORWARD IN THIS DISCUSSION AND THIS DIRECTION.THERE IS -- AS THE COMMISSIONER LAID OUT WITHIN HIS LETTER, THERE'S JUST SO MUCH OF A NEED FOR US TO EXPLORE ALL FORMS OF DIVERSION AND PREARREST REFLECTION FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS, RIGHT? WE KNOW REHABILITATING INDIVIDUALS HAVE COST SAVINGS IN TERMS OF HOW MUCH IT COST IN TERMS OF INCART INCARCERATING AN INDIVIDUAL, IT'S GOOD FOR THE INDIVIDUAL AND THERE'S COST-SAVINGS CHTS WE KNOW EVERY CITY OF SAN ANTONIO RESIDENT IS A BEXAR COUNTY RESIDENT AND LAST NUMBERS I SAW, I'M GRATEFUL THAT WE'RE NOT SEEING AS MANY INMATES HOUSED AT KERR AND BERNET COUNTY BUT THERE ARE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH US HAVING TO SEND E INMATES ELSEWHERE. WE'RE ALL EXPERIENCING A DEFICIT AND THIS HAS MORE RETURN IN THE LONG RUN, RIGHT? BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PAY FOR SERVICES DOWN THE ROAD OR BY NOW CONNECTING FOLKS TO MUCH-NEEDED REHABILITATION.
SO EAGER TO SEE THE DEVELOPMENT OF WHAT A LONG-TERM PLAN LOOKS LIKE, GRATEFUL FOR THE RECOMMENDATION OF CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES AND WITH THEIR PILOT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE, WHAT IT'S GOING TO ADDRESS.
I'M HOPEFUL AS THESE THINGS EVOLVE, WE CAN EXPLORE -- AUDIO] -- LIMITED FOR NO TRESPASSING FOR COMMERCIAL PROPERTY.
WITHIN DISTRICT FIVE AND NEAR THE CENTRAL SUBSTATION, FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE -- WE HAVE VACANT LOTS THAT ARE RESIDENTIAL, RIGHT? SO I WANT TO ENSURE THAT THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT MAY HAVE THE PLEASE CALLED ON THEM HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PREARREST DEFLECTION AS WELL.
I UNDERSTAND IT'S -- WHAT'S CURRENTLY PROPOSED WAS AGREED UPON, BUT I'M HOPEFUL AS IT EVOLVES THAT THERE'S OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND IT TO PROVIDE MORE OPPORTUNITY FOR FOLKS TO RECEIVE MUCH-NEEDED CARE.
THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS FOR NOW. GRATEFUL THAT CITY STAFF HAS IDENTIFIED THE WEST SIDE TIRZ, I'M SUPPORTIVE -- AND I'M SUPPORTIVE OF USING THE WEST SIDE TIRZ TO SUPPORT THE PILOT BUT I'M HOPEFUL THAT OUR COUNTY PARTNERS AND UNIVERSITY HEALTH WILL JUMP ON BOARD WITH
FUNDING THE PILOT AS WELL. THANK YOU. >> KAUR: THANK YOU,
COUNCILWOMAN. COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE? >> WHYTE: THANKS, CHAIR.
AGAIN, BY JUST THANKING COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO FOR HER LEADERSHIP ON THIS.
I THINK THAT THIS IS -- IT'S GOING TO BE REALLY GOOD FOR THE COMMUNITY.
IF WE DO IT PROPERLY, AND SHE SPEARHEADED THIS FROM THE GET-GO, AND I THINK THIS IS REALLY, REALLY GOOD WORK ON BEHALF OF YOU AND YOUR OFFICE, AND SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. QUICK QUESTIONS.
ONE, THE FUNDING THE COUNCILWOMAN MENTIONED, THIS IS WEST SIDE TIRZ
FUNDING. >> VILLAGOMEZ: THAT IS CORRECT, COUNCILMAN.
TOMORROW, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THAT ON THE BRIEFING THAT WE HAVE TO THE COUNCIL ON ALL THE DIFFERENT CITY-INITIATED TIRZ, AND YOU WILL ALSO SEE IN THAT PRESENTATION THAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING COUNCIL ACTION ON THIS
FUNDING ON SEPTEMBER 10TH. >> WHYTE: OKAY.
GREAT. YEAH, I THINK -- I THINK THIS IS GOOD USE OF THOSE TIRZ DOLLARS AND ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE HAVE THESE TIRZ.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. DEFINITION OF SUCCESS HERE, HAVE WE SET OUT, LIKE, WHAT ARE THE METRICS WE'RE LOOKING AT IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, AFTER THIS PILOT PROGRAM IS PUT INTO PLACE FOR SIX MONTHS OR SO, WHETHER IT'S WORKED, WHETHER IT'S IMPROVED PUBLIC SAFETY, WHETHER IT'S REDUCED THE BURDEN ON SAPD AND THE JAIL? HOW ARE WE GOING TO
MEASURE ALL THAT? >> ONCE THAT GOVERNANCE -- IF THAT IS APPROVED, THE GOVERNANCE GROUP WILL SIT DOWN AND DETERMINE WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE USING THE METRICS THAT ARE BEFORE YOU WHEN WE ENGAGE THOSE INDIVIDUALS, BUT WE DID NOT WANT TO GET OUT AHEAD OF ALL OF THE PARTIES THAT ARE BEING PROPOSED TO BE A PART OF THAT GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE.
>> WHYTE: OKAY. AND I DO WANT TO NOTE THAT, BECAUSE I THINK -- I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT. LET'S JUST NOT GO INTO
THIS AND GET SIX MONTHS DOWN THE ROAD -- >> WE CERTAINLY AGREE
WITH THAT. >> WHYTE: LET'S GET SOME METRICS IN PLACE TO SEE IF THIS IS WORKING. I GUESS IF THE PILOT ENDS UP BEING EXTENDED, DO YOU THINK WE WOULD HAVE --
CORRECT, COUNCILMAN. >> WHYTE: OKAY. SO WE'RE NOT COMMITTING TO ANYTHING RIGHT NOW, BUT WE'LL LOOK AT IT THEN.
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>> VILLAGOMEZ: YES. >> WHYTE: NEXT THING, AND IT'S ON ONE OF THE SLIDES, THE FOLKS -- THE CRITERIA FOR ENTERING THIS PROGRAM.
>> FOR THE PILOT? >> WHYTE: FOR THE PILOT, ON 15, NONRESIDENTIAL CRIMINAL TRESPASSING AND NONRESIDENTIAL THEFT UNDER $100?
>> YES. >> WHYTE: THAT'S IT. >> CORRECT.
>> WHYTE: BECAUSE I KNOW ONE OF THE SLIDES UP THERE DEALT WITH DRUGS,
BUT THAT'S NOT IN THE PILOT? >> THAT'S CORRECT.
>> WHYTE: GOT IT. >> SECOND QUESTION THERE, WHAT ABOUT PEOPLE THAT REPEATEDLY COMMIT, YOU KNOW, A CRIME, WHETHER IT'S CRIMINAL TRESPASSING OR CONTINUALLY HAVE THEFT OFFENSES UNDER $100?
>> SO YOU WILL NOTICE ON THE METRICS, WE'RE CAPTURING -- IT'S ON THE RIGHT SIDE, WE'RE CAPTURING WHETHER INDIVIDUALS ARE TWO TIMES OR THREE TIMES, SO WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN TO EVALUATE THAT DATA SO WE CAN DETERMINE WHAT IS THE -- WHAT ARE THE AFTER CONSEQUENCES OF GOING THROUGH -- OF CYCLING THROUGH THE PROCESS. OUR INTENTION IS THAT WE WILL WORK WITH THOSE INDIVIDUALS AND MOTIVATE THEM TO STAY IN TREATMENT. WE DO EXPECT RELAPSE, BECAUSE THAT'S A PART OF THIS POPULATION, BUT WE ARE TRACKING THAT DATA SO THAT WE CAN GET AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE AND THEN DETERMINE WHAT THOSE --
WHAT THOSE CONSEQUENCES ARE. >> WHYTE: BUT DURING THE PILOT, YOU COULD COMMIT SIX THEFTS UNDER $100 AND GET SENT TO DIVERSION
EVERY TIME. >> YOU CAN HAVE SIX ENGAGEMENTS WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT, BRING YOU TO THE TREATMENT CENTER, YOU COULD WALK OUT AND WE'RE
GOING TO -- YES. >> WHYTE: WHO ULTIMATELY DETERMINES WHETHER THE
PERSON IS ELIGIBLE? >> SO LAW ENFORCEMENT WOULD CONTACT MED COM.
THERE WILL BE A SCREENING PROTOCOL THAT'S AGREED UPON, AND SO THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER WILL WORK WITH THE CLINICIANS AT MED COM AND THEY WILL ASSESS AND SAY, YES, THIS INDIVIDUAL IS ELIGIBLE FROM A MENTAL HEALTH AND/OR SUBSTANCE USE STANDPOINT. OBVIOUSLY LAW ENFORCEMENT WILL DETERMINE WHETHER THEY HAVE VIOLATED THE OFFENSE, AND JOINTLY, THEY WILL -- THE GOAL WOULD BE FOR THAT PERSON TO VOLUNTARILY GO TO TREATMENT. IF NOT, THEY WOULD GO TO JAIL.
>> WHYTE: SO OFFICER STOPS SOMEBODY ON THE STREET.
>> OFFICER RESPONDS TO A CALL. >> WHYTE: COMMITTING A
THEFT. >> CRIMINAL TRESPASSING. >> WHYTE: CALLS MED COM
WHILE THEY'RE DETAINING THE PERSON. >> CORRECT.
>> WHYTE: THEY TALK IT OUT, AND THEN THE OFFICER SAYS THEY COMMITTED THE OFFENSE, MED COM SAYS YES OR NO, AND THAT'S HOW IT PROCEEDS?
>> MED COM SAYS -- OR ASSISTS THE OFFICER IN SCREENING FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ISSUES. ONLY THE OFFICER CAN
DETERMINE THE OFFENSE. >> WHYTE: RIGHT. >> AND THEY USE MED COM TODAY FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT --
>> I WANTED TO CLARIFY SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS. YEAH, THAT IS A CALL THAT THE OFFICER HAS TO MAKE. THEY WILL DETERMINE IF THAT INDIVIDUAL HAS COMMITTED THE OFFENSE THAT'S ELIGIBLE WITHIN THE CENTRAL AND THE DOWNTOWN SERVICE AREA. THAT IS A VOLUNTEER PROGRAM, SO THE INDIVIDUAL HAS TO AGREE TO PARTICIPATE. THE OFFICER WILL THEN -- WE'RE GOING TO WORK ON THE TRAINING TO GIVE THEM THAT OPTION TO GO TO THE DIVERSION CENTER, AND AT THAT POINT OF THE -- IF THAT'S WHAT THE INDIVIDUAL WANTS DO, THE OFFICER WILL THEN CALL MED COM AND GO THROUGH THE PROCESS TO MAKE SURE THEY MEET THE OTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE DIVERSION CENTER THAT THAT PERSON'S ELIGIBLE. WE'VE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSION WITH THE DA'S OFFICE ABOUT THOSE REPEAT OFFENDERS THAT.'S SOMETHING WE OR GOING TO LOOK AT, THAT'S GOING TO HELP INFORM HOW WE BUILD THIS PILOT -- OR THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THIS PILOT.
AND SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT WITH REGARDS TO OUR FOLKS THAT ARE GOING TO BE IN AND OUT OF THAT F FACILITY, BUT THERE MAY BE SOME OF THAT INITIALLY AT THE BEGINNING BECAUSE WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WORKS, WHAT THAT IS, WE KNOW IT'S NOT A GET OUT OF JAIL FREE CHARGE, IT'S A CHARGE WE CAN POTENTIALLY FOLLOW UP LATER WITH THE
DISTRICT ATTORNEY. >> WHYTE: THANK YOU, CHIEF. THOSE ARE THE ISSUES THAT I THINK REALLY NEED TO BE FLESHED OUT IN THE PILOT, BUT, AGAIN, COUNCILWOMAN, THIS IS GREAT WORK. AND HAPPY THAT WE'RE
GOING TO -- I'M HAPPY TO SUPPORT IT TODAY. >> KAUR: THANKS, COUNCILMEMBER. I THINK THEY'S WHY THEY'RE RECOMMENDING A PILOT. COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ?
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU, AND SHOUTOUT TO COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO AND COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ AND ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS.
MECHANISM JUST A LITTLE BIT, BUT ULTIMATELY WILL BE SUPPORTING WHATEVER WE COME UP TO. SO THE CENTER IS PROPOSED TO BE LOCATED IN
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GOVERNMENT HILL; HOWEVER, THE BORDER OF THE DOWNTOWN SUBSTATION STOPS JUST BEFORE GOVERNMENT HILL DIGNOWITY HILL AND DENVER HEIGHTS, WHICH I THINK WOULD BE STRATEGIC CHOICES FOR A PILOT PROGRAM LIKE THIS, AND SO FOR THE PILOT, IT WOULD SAY THE FOCUS AREAS ARE DOWNTOWN AND CENTRAL SUBSTATIONS. SO DOES THAT MEAN THAT ONLY INDIVIDUALS IN THOSEAREAS WILL BE TRANSPORTED TO THE DIVERSION CENTER? >> SO I CAN LOOK -- YES.
YES. AND WE CHOSE THAT AREA --
>> THAT'S THE AREA WE CHOSE BECAUSE THAT'S THE HIGHEST INCIDENCE OF THOSE PARTICULAR CATEGORIES, OF THE TWO CATEGORIES, AND WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT PARTICULAR AREA. IT'S CLOSE, IT'S CONVENIENT, AND IT ALLOWS US TO KIND OF MAKE RATIONALE DECISIONS TO MOVE FORWARD. [INAUDIBLE] COST ANALYSIS TO WHAT IT MIGHT MEAN TO INCLUDE INDIVIDUALS ZONED -- SUCH AS -- I DON'T KNOW IF SAFE ZONES RIGHT NOW IS AN APPROPRIATE EXAMPLE, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE SAFE SUBSTATION MAP ZONES 3 AND 4 WOULD INCLUDE THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS.
DO WE KNOW WHAT IT MIGHT COST TO ADD IN INDIVIDUAL GROUPS THERE -- INDIVIDUAL ZONES LIKE THAT VERSUS THE ENTIRE SUBSTATION?
>> NO, WE DON'T. AND I THINK -- I GUESS JUST BECAUSE OF THE SORT OF THE SPACE LIMITATIONS THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR NOW, I THINK WE'VE GOT ENOUGH OF A CLIENTELE POTENTIALLY THAT WILL HELP US TO EITHER -- IF WE NEED TO EXPAND BECAUSE WE'RE NOT ABLE TO GET -- REACH ENOUGH FOLKS THAT ARE FILLING THE BEDS OVER THE SPACE OVER THERE, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING POTENTIALLY WE CAN LOOK AT AND KIND OF EXPAND MAYBE EITHER ZONES OR EVEN PARTICULAR OTHER SUBSTATIONS AND SECTIONSES OF SUBSTATIONS
EVEN. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: OKAY. I WANT TO BE AS HELPFUL AS POSSIBLE. SO GOVERNMENT HILL -- I'LL GIVE AN EXAMPLE.
SO [INDISCERNIBLE] VILLAGE WAS PROPOSED TO BE IN DISTRICT TWO IS A DISTRICT TWO FACILITY DOING FANTASTIC WORK WITH OUR UNHOUSED COMMUNITY AND GETTING FOLK OFF THE STREET INTO HOUSING, GETTING THE RESOURCES THEY NEED. A BIG CHALLENGE WHEN IT WAS FIRST PROPOSED AND WHAT I THINK SOME OF THE HESITANCY IN SUPPORTING FACILITIES LIKE THAT AND FACILITIES LIKE THIS IS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO PUT THIS FACILITY IN OUR SIDE OF TOWN OR IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT THEN IT'S NOT GOING TO HELP THE PEOPLE -- IT'S NOT GOING TO HELP ADDRESS ANY OF THE ISSUES ON OUR SIDE OF TOWN. AND SO THIS, I WORRY IS A CLEAR EXAMPLE OF THAT, AND WHAT I WOULD WONDER IS IF -- I'LL MOVE OVER TO FUNDING.
SO I'M GOING TO PROPOSE AN IDEA. SO THIS FACILITY DOES NOT SIT IN THE WEST SIDE TIRZ OR IN ANY TIRZ. IT'S ACTUALLY THE IMMEDIATE PROPERTY RIGHT OUTSIDE OF THE MIDTOWN TIRZ, AND IT'S JUST ABOVE THE INNER CITY TIRZ. AND A LARGE FOCUS OF THE SERVICE AREAS FALL WITHIN MIDTOWN, HOUSTON AND HEMISFAIR TIRZ ZONES. I'M WONDERING WHAT FACTORS LED TO FUNDING IT OUT OF THE WEST SIDE TIRZ SPECIFICALLY NOTING THAT
WEST SIDE IS MAYBE NOT AS HEALTHY A FUND? >> CASTILLO: I APPRECIATE THAT, AND I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER AS WE EXPAND THE PROGRAM HOW WE CAN ACCOMMODATE MORE. THE ARGUMENT JUSTIFICATION FOR THE WEST SIDE TIRZ WAS THE TARGETED AREA ARE WITHIN THE WEST SIDE FOOTPRINT, SO WHERE THE PILOT WOULD AGAIN, IT'S ECONOMIC INVESTMENT, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, RIGHT, FITS THE CALL FOR TIRZ BY CONNECTING INDIVIDUALS WITHIN THE WEST SIDE TIRZ FOOTPRINT OR THE DOWNTOWN AND CENTRAL FOOTPRINT, WHICH IS WITHIN THE WEST SIDE TIRZ TO ACCESS TO CARE.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: SO I AM UNDERSTANDING -- THANK YOU.
I AM UNDERSTANDING THAT IT'S PROBABLY ENOUGH PEOPLE WITHIN THESE TWO SUBSTATION SURFACE AREAS THAT YOU WOULDN'T NEED TO EXPAND IT -- AUDIO] -- OR TO EXTENDING SOME OF THE TIRZ IN LESS THAN TWO WEEKS, AND I'M WONDERING IF WE COMMIT INNER CITY TIRZ FUNDS, POTENTIALLY SOME OTHER TIRZ FUNDS TO EXTEND THE ZONE AND THE TIMELINE AND MAYBE SPLIT SOME OF THOSE RESOURCES A LITTLE MORE EQUITABLY SO IT DOESN'T ALL HAVE TO FALL ON THE WEST SIDE TIRZ. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO IN EXCHANGE FOR INCLUDING THOSE TWO ZONES, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE A GOVERNMENT HILL NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WOULD HOUSE THE FACILITY. COUNCILMAN, AND YOUR QUESTION IS TO DO THAT FOR PURPOSES OF THE PILOT PROGRAM.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: UH-HUH. >> JILLIAN, I DEFER TO YOU IN TERMS OF CAPACITY
AND -- >> CHIEF SALAME, IT'S UNKNOWN BECAUSE IT'S A PILOT. WE'RE NOT IN THE BUSINESS OF TURNING CLIENTS AWAY.
WE'RE GOING TO FIND A WAY -- IF SAPD ENCOUNTERS THEM IN THAT ZONE WE'RE GOING TO FIND A WAY. I DON'T HAVE ANY IDEA OF THE VOLUME.
I'LL HAVE TO WORK WITH SAPD TO SEE WHAT THEIR ARREST DATA LOOKS LIKE, BUT WE'VE GOT 16 BEDS ON ONE WING AND 15 BEDS ON THE OTHER.
WE'RE GOING TO FIND A WAY. >> KAUR: COUNCILMAN
[01:30:03]
[INDISCERNIBLE] CAN I PROPOSE SOMETHING? WOULD YOU ALL BE OPEN TO COMING BACK IN THREE MONTHS AND GIVING US LIKE A PROGRESS UPDATE AND THEN WE COULD -- YOU KNOW, WE DETERMINE IF WE NEEDED TO MAKE ANYCHANGES AT THAT POINT? >> VILLAGOMEZ: SURE. AND I WOULD SAY IF -- HYPOTHETICALLY, IF THIS IS FUNDED BY THE OTHER TWO PARTNERS THAT WERE REQUESTING FUNDING FROM, CHCS AND STRAC ARE READY TO START THE PROGRAM JANUARY 1, SO WE HAVE SOME TIME TO DO FURTHER STUDY IF WE NEEDED TO, SO, YES, WE COULD COME BACK THREE MONTHS, ROUGHLY, WOULD BE MAYBE NOVEMBER BEFORE WE STARTED THE PILOT PROGRAM, UNLESS THE DESIRE OF THE COMMITTEE IS THAT WE COME AFTER WE START THE PILOT PROGRAM, BUT EITHER WAY, WE'RE HAPPY TO COME BACK WITH -- FOR FURTHER
DISCUSSION. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: SO THE PILOT IS SUPPOSED TO START JANUARY OF NEXT YEAR, OR NOVEMBER OF THIS YEAR?
>> VILLAGOMEZ: THAT IS A TENTATIVE DATE BASED ON CHCS, YEAH.
>> [INDISCERNIBLE] IMPROVEMENTS AT THE FACILITY TO GET READY TO RECEIVE THESE CLIENTS, SO WE'RE ESTIMATING AROUND JANUARY WE'LL BE READY TO
RECEIVE CLIENTS. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: SO THEN, YES, IT WOULD BE NICE IF WE RECEIVE AN UPDATE AND I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN -- AND I CAN -- I THINK WE HAVE THE MEANS WITHIN THE INNER CITY TIRZ TO PROVIDE SOME SUPPORT, EVEN IF IT'S A DISPROPORTIONATE -- WE COULD -- I WOULDN'T MIND SPLITTING THE COST 50/50 IF THE WEST SIDE TIRZ IS PAYING THAT PORTION AND PAYING JUST AS MUCH OR PAYING ENOUGH TO WHERE THE BURDEN DOESN'T SO HEAVILY PLACE ON THE WEST SIDE TIRZ AND THEN WE
JUST INCLUDE THOSE TWO ZONES, IF THAT MAKES -- >> WE'LL BE HAPPY TO LOOK AT IT. I THINK EVERYBODY'S JUST NERVOUS ABOUT BEING SUCCESSFUL WITH THIS PILOT, BUT WE'LL LOOK AT IT.
WE'LL FIGURE IT OUT. >> KAUR: AND I THINK WHAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL IN THAT DISCUSSION, IS ON THAT SLIDE, I THINK, LIKE 9 AND 10, TO HELP OUT -- HELP UNDERSTAND WHAT THE SAMPLE SIZE IS FOR THE CENTRAL AND DOWNTOWN SUBSTATIONS, PLUS THE ZONES, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? THINKING SPECIFICALLY WITH THESE TWO ZONES THAT ARE -- THAT I'M PROPOSING THAT WE ADD THAT INCLUDES THE HAYS STREET BRIDGE, INCLUDES SALVATION ARMY, [INDISCERNIBLE] MURPHY PARK UNDER THE HIGHWAYS, I THINK IT MAKES SENSE.
AND SO -- >> WE HEAR YOU. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: AND SO I'D LIKE TO -- I FEEL LIKE I WOULD NOT BE DOING MY DUTY TO NOT DO EVERYTHING TO TRY TO -- ESPECIALLY IF WE'RE GOING TO MAKE IT MORE POPULAR AND MORE OKAY FOR THE FOLK WHO WOULD BE LIVING IMMEDIATELY AROUND THIS
FACILITY. >> KAUR: IS THAT ALL? >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: YEAH.
>> KAUR: THANK YOU. AND SORRY, DIDN'T MEAN TO INTERRUPT YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU, FOR ALL THE WHOLE TEAM FOR YOUR WORK HERE.
I'M GOING TO START WITH SLIDES 9 AND 10. I JUST THINK THIS IS SO INTERESTING. YOU GUYS KNOW I LOVE LOOKING AT NUMBERS, BUT ON SLIDE 9 WITH THE DATA -- GUYS DECIDE -- OBVIOUSLY THERE'S 5 THAT WE LOOKED AT.
ARE THESE FIVE WHAT OTHER DIVERSION CENTERS ACTUALLY USE FOR THEIR BASIS OR HOW DID THIS -- THESE FIVE GET TO THE SHORT LIST?
>> I'LL TALK ABOUT OTHER DIVERSION CENTERS, AND THEN I'LL LET CHIEF SALAME ADDRESS THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA THAT WAS AGREED UPON FOR THE PILOT. WE'RE SEEING A VARIETY OF CHARGES OR OFFENSES THAT ARE ELIGIBLE FOR DIVERSION, AND WE'RE SEEING A VARIETY OF METHODS ON WHAT TO DO WITH THEM IF THEY LEAVE. SO WHETHER THE CHARGE REAPPLIES OR IT DOESN'T, THEY ALL OPERATE DIFFERENTLY.
BUT WE WANTED -- ONE, WE WANTED TO BE SUCCESSFUL, WE WANTED TO BE VERY STRAIGHTFORWARD AND SIMPLE WITH THE PILOT SO WE COULD EDUCATE OUR COMMUNITY, EDUCATE LAW ENFORCEMENT, MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE SUCCESSFUL WITH THE PILOT BEFORE WE CAME OUT WITH A PERMANENT RECOMMENDATION.
SO WE WERE LOOKING AT JUST THE VOLUME OF LOW-LEVEL OFFENSES IN THE JAIL, AND IT'S PRETTY SIGNIFICANT, AVERAGING JUST FROM JANUARY TO MAY, 78 A MONTH CRIMINAL TRESPASSING WITH MENTAL HEALTH.
>> KAUR: YEAH. >> AND SO WHEN -- AND I'LL LET CHIEF SALAME ADDRESS WHEN HE MET WITH THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, BEXAR COUNTY AND SAPD, THEY CAME UP WITH THOSE TWO FOR THIS PILOT.
>> KAUR: DR. TESSA WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING AS WELL?
>> I ANALYZED THESE DATA, JUST IN CASE YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THEM.
JUST TO ADD SOME CLARIFICATION, THIS WAS IN SOME OF OUR INITIAL DISCUSSINS WHEN WE WERE TRYING TO IDENTIFY WHICH CASES COULD BE ELIGIBLE, AND SO WHAT WAS PROVIDED HERE, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE FIRST NUMBER, THE 31,130 UP IN THE TOP CORNER, THAT'S ALL MISDEMEANOR ARREST WHERE THERE'S NO ASSOCIATED FELONY WITH IT. SO SOMEBODY WAS ARRESTED BY SAPD PO WITH NO FELONY CHARGES ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
STARTED WITH THAT, STARTED TO LOOK AT KIND OF SOME OF THE TOP OFFENSES THAT FELL, LIKE, WITHIN THOSE CATEGORIES TO LOOK AT SOME OF THE --
[01:35:04]
YOU KNOW, AREAS THAT WE WANT TO TARGET WHERE WE MOST COMMONLY SEE THAT, AND KIND OF THROUGH AN IT ITLANDED WITH THIS TOP FIVE FOR CONSIDERATION. AND THE CHIEF CAN TALK ABOUT THROUGH CONVERSATIONS WITH BCSO AND THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, KIND OF FURTHER NARROWED THAT DOWN TO SOME OFFENSESTHAT FALL IN HERE. >> JALEN JUS JILLIAN JUST SAID THEY WERE LOOKING AT THE
PREARREST MODE FOR ALL OF THOSE CASES AS WELL. >> WE WERE LOOKING AT THE MOST LOW-LEVEL, NONVIOLENT OFFENSES THAT WE COULD TRY.
>> KAUR: COULD TRY. >> COULD TRY. AND SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT LIST, YOU KNOW, THE ONE THAT STANDS OUT IS THE CRIMINAL TRESPASS.
OBVIOUSLY, THAT'S THE ASSUMPTION THAT WE ALL HAD, THE DATA HAS PROVEN THAT TO BE CORRECT THAT. IS A CLASS B MISDEMEANOR.
AND SO THE INDIVIDUALS THAT WE'RE SEEING THAT WERE BEING ARRESTED AND THAT WERE LANGUISHING IN THE JAIL, THE MAJORITY OF THOSE FOLKS WERE FOR CRIMINAL TRESPASS. AND THEY HAD LOW-LEVEL -- THEY HAD BONDS SH THEY
JUST DIDN'T -- >> KAUR: RIGHT, AND A LOT OF THESE -- ONE OUT OF
EVERY FIVE IS OUR UNHOUSED POPULATIONS. >> CORRECT.
>> KAUR: WHAT IS DRUG PARAPHERNALIA? >> THAT'S ANYBODY THAT'S POSSESSING ANYTHING THAT COULD BE USED TO INGEST ILLEGAL DRUGS.
THAT COULD BE LIKE A NEEDLE TO SHOOT UP, A PIPE TO SMOKE.
>> KAUR: OH, I SEE. >> THAT'S TYPICALLY A CLASS C MISDEMEANOR BUT WE'RE GIVING YOU KIND OF THE UNIVERSE, THAT'S SOMETHING THE OFFICER WOULD CITE FOR, POTENTIALLY ARREST FOR, BUT THEY WOULD NOT LEAVE THE CITY FACILITY, THEY WOULD GO FOR A CLASS C AT THE CITY FACILITY.
>> KAUR: AND IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, THIS IS THE ONE THAT IS, OH, MY GOODNESS, HALF OF THESE ARRESTS ARE NOT ACTUALLY TURNING OUT ANY WARRANT CHARGES, AND SO I MEAN, LIKE THIS ABSOLUTELY -- I THINK THIS IS THE ENTIRE CASE FOR THE DIVERSION CENTER RIGHT HERE IN TERMS OF WARRANT CHARGES AND THEN HOURS BEING SPENT, SO LIKE THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT OUR 60/40 RATIO, THINK ABOUT HOW MANY HOURS WE OR GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET BACK IN POLICE TIME FOR FOLKS -- TO BE ABLE TO GO BACK ON PATROL. I'M JUST -- THIS IS NOT -- I'D LOVE TO BETTER UNDERSTAND, CHIEF, AT A DIFFERENT TIME WHY THE MEDIAN HOURS IS SO DIFFERENT FOR BCSO VERSUS SAPD, BUT I KNOW THAT'S A DIFFERENT CONVERSATION
AND I WON'T -- >> TOTE THALLY DIFFERENT CONVERSATION.
>> KAUR: WE CAN HAVE THAT A LITTLE BIT LATER. ANYWAYS, I WANTED TO -- I HAD ONE LAST QUESTION, SORRY. HOW MANY BEDS ARE YOU GUYS RETROFITTING FOR OR FITTING WITH -- 50? AND 50 FOR 14 DAYS IS --
>> 15. ONE, FIVE. >> KAUR: ONE FIVE.
SO WE REALLY DON'T HAVE A LOT OF CAPACITY FOR EXPANDING.
I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT. OKAY. BASED ON SPACE
LIMITATIONS, I'M ASSUMING. >> THE PERMANENT PLAN WILL DETERMINE HOW LARGE A FACILITY NEEDS TO BE FOR THIS COMMUNITY, BUT RIGHT NOW WE HAD A WING AVAILABLE AND WE CAN ACCOMMODATE 15 AND STILL BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE ALL GENDERS AND OCCUPANCY IN THAT WING.
>> KAUR: OKAY. ALL RIGHT. WELL, HERE WE GO.
COUNCILWOMAN, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION? >> VILLAGOMEZ: YES, SO OUR PLAN IS TO BEGIN THAT BRIEFING TOMORROW, BECAUSE WE ALREADY INCLUDED THAT AS PART OF THE TIRZ CONVERSATION AND THEN ON -- AND JESSE,
HELP ME, I THINK IT'S SEPTEMBER 8 OR 9? >> OKAY.
I'M SORRY, THE EIGHTH. >> VILLAGOMEZ: THE EIGHTH, CHIEF SALAME PRESENTS ITS BUDGET, WE ARE GOING TO BRIEF THE ENTIRE COUNCIL AT THAT MEETING. THE ACTUAL ACTION FOR THE COUNCIL ON THE FUNDING IS SEPTEMBER 10TH, SO YOU CAN MAKE YOUR MOTION TO CONSIDER THIS ON THE SEPTEMBER 10TH A SESSION TO SUPPORT THE FUNDING FOR THE PILOT PROGRAM.
>> CASTILLO -- I GOT IT. COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE FUNDING FOR THIS ON SEPTEMBER 10TH A SESSION AGENDA, COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE SECONDED. OKAY. JALEN, DID YOU HAVE
THE BUSINESSES AND RESIDENTS. >> KAUR: WITH THIS APPROVAL, YOU DO HAVE THAT. ONE THING, CHIEF SALAME CAN YOU INCLUDE EVEN IF HALF OF THOSE 15 FOLKS ARE FROM SAPD WHICH IS ACTUALLY PROBABLY MORE, BECAUSE YOU GUYS HAVE MORE OF THOSE, MAYBE THREE-FOURTHS OF THEM COME FROM SAPD, HOW MANY HOURS OF TIME YOU ALL
[01:40:03]
WILL SAVE EVEN JUST FOR THE PILOT, FOR 15 FOLKS THAT ARE CONSTANTLY --DOES THAT MAKE SENSE WHAT I'M ASKING? >> VILLAGOMEZ: YES, MA'AM, AND WE'LL WORK WITH CHIEF SALAME. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S GOING TO BE SAVINGS OF OFFICER TIME BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE WOULD BE TAKING THOSE INDIVIDUALS TO THE DIVERSION CENTER INSTEAD OF THE DETENTION CENTER, SO -- BUT WE WILL EVALUATE THAT, IF THERE'S ANY OPPORTUNITY THERE.
>> KAUR: OKAY. JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE GOT THAT.
ALL RIGHT. WE'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS, SO LET'S SAY ALL IN FAVOR.
(AYES.) (. >> KAUR: ANY OPPOSED? OKAY. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT CAME. WE'RE GOING TO REALLY BRIEFLY GIVE YOU A REAL HIGH-LEVEL OVERVIEW ON THE UPDATE FOR THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE WITH THE ELDER ABUSE AND INTERPERSONAL SUBCOMMITTEE.
MARIA'S GOING TO DO THAT. THERE'S A PRINTOUT ON THE SIDE OVER THERE IF ANYBODY WANTS A COPY OF WHAT IT IS, BUT WE GAVE THIS MEMO AS AN UPDATE TO MAYOR AND COUNCIL, AND SO WE'RE JUST SHARING THAT PUBLICLY AND THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 5.
>> VILLAGOMEZ: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN. AND I WON'T SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON THIS, JUST TO TELL YOU THAT THE WORK CONTINUES TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE DOING WHAT WE CAN TO INFORM OUR SENIOR POPULATION OF THE SERVICES THAT ARE PROVIDED TO THE CITY TO PREVENT ABUSE ON THE INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE SUBCOMMITTEE, WE ARE WORKING WITH SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO HAVE A CURRICULUM THIS FALL SEMESTER AND WE'RE HAPPY TO MAYBE INCLUDE A PRESENTATION AT THE NEXT PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE SO WE WON'T SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON THE DETAILS, BUT THE MEMO PROVIDES A GOOD SUMMARY OF THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN COMPLETED AS DIRECTED BY THE
SUBCOMMITTEES OF THIS PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE. >> KAUR: THANK YOU, MARIA. I'M EXCITED TO SEE THE PILOT FOR THE STUDENT'S CURRICULUM THAT THE INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE SUBCOMMITTEE IS DOING THIS FALL, SO THANK YOU TO DHS FOR YOUR WORK ON THAT.
GREAT. WE'RE GOING TO GO TO ITEM NUMBER 5 WHICH IS THE SAPD GRAFFITI ORDINANCE. COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ HAD BROUGHT THIS TO E MANY, I DIDN'T THINK TH WAS A HUGE NEED TO -- I DO THINK SAPD HAS DONE A GREAT JOB OF WHAT THEIR OFFICERS THINKS MIGHT BE OCCURRING, I ALSO KNOW THAT FOLKS ARE CALLING IN ON THEMSELVES TO RILE UP SAPD OFFICERS, SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE A ROBUST -- OR HAVE A CONVERSATION HERE TO CLEAR UP ANY MISCOMMUNICATION THAT IS ACTUALLY OCCURRING AND JUST CLEAR UP WHERE SAPD OFFICERS STAND.
I WILL ALSO SAY -- WITH RESPECT TO CHALK. AND SO THE GOAL HERE IS NOT TO CHANGE OUR APPROACH TO GRAFFITI ENFORCEMENT, IT'S ABOUT MAKING SURE THE ORDINANCE IS CLEAR, PRACTICAL AND ALIGN WITH WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.
SO JUST I'LL COVER FIVE THINGS TODAY. THE LEGAL DEFINITIONS UNDER THE STATE LAW IN OUR CITY ORDINANCE, WHAT QUALIFIES AS A GRAFFITI IMPLEMENT UNDER THE CURRENT ORDINANCE, THIRD, WHAT OUR ENFORCEMENT DATA IS TELLING US AND FOURTH, SOME CONSIDERATIONS. AND FINALLY, THE CLARIFICATION WE'RE RECOMMENDING. SO AT THE STATE LEVEL, THE TEXAS PENAL CODE DEFINES GRAFFITI AND IDENTIFIES SPECIFIC IMPLEMENTS INCLUDING THINGS LIKE PAINT, INDELIBLE MARKERS AND ENGRAVING. OUR CITY ORDINANCE GOES A LITTLE FURTHER, IT DEFINES GRAFFITI AND IMPLEMENTS MORE BROADLY THAN IT DOES IN THE PENAL CODE AND THE ORDINANCE ALSO ESTABLISHES THAT GRAFFITI IS UNAUTHORIZED AND REFERRED BACK TO THE PENAL CODE FOR THE APPLICABLE PE PENNALTY AND LASTLY IT POSSESSES UNLAWFUL -- GOING TO TRY TO ADDRESS TODAY ISN'T WHETHER GRAFFITI SHOULD BE ENFORCED. IT ABSOLUTELY SHOULD, AND IT WILL CONTINUE TO BE ENFORCED. THE QUESTION IS WHETHER THE CURRENT DEFINITION OF A GRAFFITI IMPLEMENT IS BROADER THAN IT NEEDS TO BE, PARTICULARLY WHEN IT COMES TO CHALK. SO LOOKING AT GRAFFITI IMPLEMENTS, THE CURRENT ORDINANCE DEFINES A GRAFFITI IMPLEMENT TO INCLUDE AIRRA SOL PAINT, FELT TIP MARKERS, PAINT STICKS, ETCHING TOOLS AND ADHESIVE MATERIALS.
SOLID FORM OF PAINT, CHALK, WAX EPOXY. BECAUSE CHALK FALLS WITHIN THAT DEFINITION IT COULD POTENTIALLY BE TREATED AS A GRAFFITI
[01:45:02]
IMPLEMENT. THIS CREATES A DISTINCTION THAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO ADDRESS. WE WANT OUR OFFICERS FOCUS ON INTENTIONAL DAMAGING AND PERMANENT GRAFFITI, WE DON'T WANT THEM SPENDING THEIR RESOURCES TREATING AN ORDINARY PIECE OF SIDEWALK CHALK THE SAME WAY WE WOULD AS A MARKER, A PAINT OR ETCHING TOOL.SO WE LOOKED AT WHAT THIS ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE IN PRACTICE.
SO FROM 2024 TO 2026, YEAR TO DATE, SAPD RECORDED 147 CLASS C OFFENSES RELATED TO GRAFFITI THAT WERE UNDER THE GRAFFITI STATUTE.
OF THOSE, 136 INVOLVE GRAFFITI UNDER THE PENAL CODE, WHILE ONLY 12 INVOLVED POSSESSION OF GRAFFITI IMPLEMENTS UNDER THE CITY ORDINANCE.
SO POSSESSION CASES ARE RELATIVELY UNCOMMON. AND THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT TELLS US THAT THIS ISN'T A MAJOR ENFORCEMENT TOOL THAT WE'RE TAKING AWAY FROM OFFICERS. WE'RE SIMPLY TALKING ABOUT CLARIFYING A PROVISION THAT IS USED RELATIVELY INFREQUENTLY.
YOU CAN SEE THAT ENFORCEMENT IS NOT EVENLY DISTRIBUTED ACROSS THE CITY. THE LARGEST NUMBER OF REPORTED CASES ARE OCCURRING IN DISTRICTZ 1 AND 5. SO WE ALSO LOOKED AT WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THESE CITATIONS ARE ISSUED. AND SINCE 2024, 22% OF THE GRAFFITI-RELATED CLASS C CITATIONS RESULTED IN A CONVICTION. THE REMAINING CASES RESULTED IN OTHER OUTCOMES, DEFERRAL, DISMISSALS OR DIVERSION. SO, AGAIN, I THINK THIS JUST REINFORCES THE POINT THAT WE SHOULD BE THOUGHTFUL ABOUT WHERE WE'RE DIRECTING OUR ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS AND MAKE SURE THAT THE ORDINANCE IS ACCOMPLISHING WHAT WE ACTUALLY INTEND IT TO.
ENFORCEMENT FOR UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF GRAFFITI IMPLEMENTS IS RELATIVELY INFREQUENT AND THE CONVICTION RATE IS LOW. SO SECOND, WE BELIEVE REMOVING CHALK GIVES OUR OFFICERS A MORE PRACTICAL ENFORCEMENT TOOL AND ALLOWS THEM TO FOCUS ON THE GRAFFITI THAT CAUSES THE GREATEST DAMAGE FROM PROPERTY AND THIRD REMOVING CHALK FROM THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION DOES NOT MEAN THAT EVERY SITUATION INVOLVING CHALK IS AUTOMATICALLY BEYOND POLICE ENFORCEMENT. IF IT CREATES A LEGITIMATE PUBLIC SAFETY THE PENAL CODE PROVIDES OTHER AVE AVENUES DEPENDING ON THE CIRCUMSTANCES. AND, AGAIN, THIS IS JUST REALLY ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN GRAFFITI THAT CAUSES DAMAGE AND SOMETHING THAT CAN BE WASHED AWAY. SO HERE'S A -- BASED ON THAT REVIEW AND DISCUSSION WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S O OFFICE, WE'RE RECOMMENDING A CLARIFICATION OF THE ORDINANCE.
DEFINITION OF GRAFFITI AND MODIFY THE D DEFINITION OF A PAINT STICK SO THE SUBSTANCE MUST LEAVE A VISIBLE AND INDELIBLE MARK WHEN APPLIED THAT GIVES US A CLEAR DISTINCTION BETWEEN PERMANENT PAINT VERSUS ORDINARY CHALK THAT IS DESIGNED TO BE DEMOCRAT TEMPORARY AND REMOVABLE. THIS SO IN SIMPLE TERMS, WE'RE JUST CLARIFYING THE ORDINANCE SO THAT OUR ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS ARE FOCUSED ON GRAFFITI THAT ACTUALLY DAMAGES PROPERTY. AND SO, AGAIN, THIS -- WE BELIEVE THIS CLARIFICATION THAT WE'RE PRESENTERING HERE TODAY WILL MAKE THE ORDINANCE MORE PRACTICAL, GIVES OUR OFFICERS CLEARER GUIDANCE AND ALLOWS US TO FOCUS OUR RESOURCES ON THE TYPES OF GRAFFITI THAT CREATES REAL PROPERTY DAMAGE AND QUALITY OF LIFE CONCERNS.
THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION. I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
>> KAUR: THANKS, CHIEF. JUST A REALLY QUICK CLARIFICATION.
THE SLIDE 5 IS TOTAL GLA. GRGRAFFITI.
THIS IS NOT CHALK GRAFFITI. >> CORRECT, THAT'S D
TOTAL GRAFFITI CASES. >> KAUR: GOT IT. AND THERE'S NO -- WE DON'T HAVE A WAY TO LOOK AT CHALK GRAFFITI CASES, RIGHT?
>> NO, MA'AM, NOT SPECIFICALLY. >> KAUR: OKAY.
LET'S GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT AND THEN WE'LL MOVE AROUND TO COUNCIL
DISCUSSION. PEDRO RUIZ? >> HELLO.
CITY COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS DISCUSSION THAT CHALK ART IS NOT A CRIME. MY NAME IS PEDRO RUIZ AND I'M WITH PROJECT [INDISCERNIBLE] AND WE PROVIDE MUTUAL AID AT 3523 CROSS POINT EVERY TUESDAY FOR THE PAST 12 WEEKS, AND SOMETIMES WE DRAW ON THE SIDEWALKS WITH CHALK ART AND BRING MESSAGES OF HOPE TO MAKE IMMIGRANTS GREAT IN AMERICA. ICE SHOULD NOT CRIMINALIZE US AS AN ORGANIZATION OR ANY ORGANIZATIONS FOR DRAWING
[01:50:02]
ON PUBLIC SIDEWALKS. NO HUMAN BEING IS ILLEGAL.IMMIGRANTS MAKE AMERICA GREAT AND I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW BEFORE I SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, I JUST WANT TO LET Y'ALL KNOW THAT I ALSO PARTICIPATE AT CHALK IT UP EVERY OCTOBER DOWNTOWN, SO NOBODY'S CRIMINALIZED THERE, AND EVERYBODY DRAWS ON THE SIDEWALK AND ARTISTS, A LOT OF PEOPLE COMING AROUND SAN ANTONIO FOR THAT EVENT.
AND FOR THE LAST YEAR, THERE WAS ABOUT FOUR PEOPLE THAT DIED AT WOODLAWN LAKE, THERE WAS ONE THIS WEEKEND, SO WHAT I DO IS I USED BARBECUE -- IT'S IN A WAY KIND OF LIKE CHALK ART BUT YOU USE THE BARBECUE BRICKETTES, SO I TAKE PICTURES OF MY 'EM MOW GEES AFTER I CREATED THEM SO IT'S IN A WAY KIND OF LIKE CHALK ART, BUT WITH THE RAIN, IT'S GOING TO GO AWAY. I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW I SUPPORT ART, CHALK ART, AND IT'S NOT A CRIME PT . THANK YOU.
>> HELLO, I'VE SPOKE AT CITY COUNCIL ABOUT THIS 24 TIMES.
THOSE POSSESSION OF GRAFFITI IMPLEMENT TS CHARGES, I'M PRETTY SURE THOSE ARE ALL ME. BECAUSE WHENEVER THEY WRITE THESE CITATIONS, SOMETIMES THEY WRITE 21-281, WHICH IS GRAFFITI, BUT THEY KNOW THAT, LIKE THAT WON'T STICK BECAUSE IN LEON VALLEY, THEY WROTE THAT FOR ME AS WELL, AND I WAS ARRESTED FOR A FEW MINUTES AND I WON A SETTLEMENT AND ALL OF LOCAL NEWS, KSAT KENS, SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS, SAN ANTONIO CURRENT, SA REPORT, SEVERAL OF THEM COVERED IT IN THE NEWS, THEY THREW LEON VALLEY UNDER THE BUS. AND LEON VALLEY SAID, HEY, WE'RE SORRY. THE POLICE CHIEF OP POLL GUISED, THE CITY MANAGER APOLOGIZED, THEY REALIZED THIS IS NOT A GOOD USE OF OUR MONEY, THIS IS BAD FOR HOW OUR POLICE OFFICERS ARE JUDGED. JUST THIS YEAR, I'VE HAD OVER 30 MILLION VIEWS MAKING SALAH ENFORCEMENT SAN ANTONIO LAW ENFORCEMENT LOOK REALLY, REALLY BAD. SAPD GOT BLAMED FOR A LOT OF IT, AND, YOU KNOW, I HAVE AN ISSUE WITH SOME OF THE OFFICERS, BUT SAPD HAS NOT WRITTEN ME ONE OF THESE CITATIONS IN -- I THINK THE LAST TIME THEY WROTE ME A CITATION FOR CHALK, IT WAS IN 2024. IT'S BEEN SAN ANTONIO PARK POLICE WHO WROTE ME THESE CITATIONS. AND SAN ANTONIO PARK POLICE, I THINK THEY'RE DOING THIS BECAUSE MAYBE Y'ALL TOLD THEM TO? I DON'T KNOW. MY POSSESSION OF SIDEWALK CHALK IN A PUBLIC PARK IS A VERY STRANGE TICKET TO GET. LIKE SAPD SEES IT, NO ISSUE. I'VE DONE HUNDREDS OF ART PIECES THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE CITY, MOST OF THE TIME I'M NOT MESSED WITH.
SAPD, LIKE I'VE SAID, HAS NOT BEEN MESSING WITH ME FOR SO LONG.
SAN ANTONIO PARK POLICE, THERE WAS A SHOOTING OVER THERE AT THE BASKETBALL COURT IN HEMISFAIR PARK. I WENT THERE YESTERDAY AND I DID THE PACES FROM THE BASKETBALL COURT TO THE SAN ANTONIO PARK POLICE HEADQUARTERS, IT IS 21 PACES. 60 FEET. THERE WAS A SHOOTING 60 FEET FROM PARK POLICE HEADQUARTERS. THERE'S BEEN MULTIPLE SHOOTINGS OVER THERE. THEY CAN'T STOP THE SHOOTINGS, BUT SEND THREE AND FOUR POLICE OFFICERS AT ME AT ONCE. MULTIPLE TIMES THERE'S BEEN LIKE TWO SERGEANTS AND TWO OFFICERS. AND THIS IS SO WEIRD TO ME, BECAUSE I'M LIKE -- I'M NOT A BIG DUDE, I'M A TINY GUY.
OH, I NEED TO COVER THE MOST IMPORTANT THING. THE ORDINANCE AS IT'S WRITTEN IS PERFECTLY FINE. IT DOES MENTION CHALK WITHIN A DEVICE. AND I'VE BROWCT IN AN EXAMPLE OF THAT.
THIS IS A CHALK MARKER. IF I WERE TO MARK ON CONCRETE OR ON ANY POROUS SURFACE IN HERE WITH THIS CHALK MARKER, IT WOULD LEAVE A MARK THAT WOULD BREAK TEXAS PENAL CODE 2808, AND THEN THERE'S ALSO THE THING THAT -- EVEN IF Y'ALL WERE TO MAKE SIDEWALK CHALK ILLEGAL, I DON'T -- LIKE, GO OVER THE TEXAS PENAL CODE, THAT ARE MORE STRICT THAN THAT.
AND THAT'S A PRETTY NEW THING, IT JUST CAME OUT IN 2023.
[01:55:03]
I DON'T KNOW IF I'M UNDERSTANDING IT RIGHT OR NOT.BUT IN 2024, I WAS PUT IN JAIL FOR 20 HOURS OVER SIDEWALK CHALK, AND I WAS ARRESTED IN CATTLEMAN SQUARE, THAT'S THE DISTRICT FIVE ONE UP THERE. AND I IF ANY OF Y'ALL HAVE BEEN TO CATTLEMAN SQUARE, THERE'S HUMAN FECES ALL OVER THE PLACE, THERE'S PROPERTY OWNERS, THE RICH BUILDING I THINK IS OWNED BY DAVID AD L MAN IS HIS NAME, HE'S ON THE BOARD FOR CENTRO SAN ANTONIO. THERE ARE POOP STAINS GOING DOWN THIS MAN'S HOUSE. THERE'S A PORTAPOTTY IN THAT AREA THAT'S RIGHT BY A CONVENIENCE STORE. THE PORTAPOTTY DOESN'T HAVE A ROOF. SO THE PERSON CAN PLEASURE THEMSELVES IN THERE OR THE PERSON CAN BE USING THE RESTROOM IN THERE AND PEEK OVER -- I'VE ALREADY SAID EVERYTHING. SO MUCH.
THANK YOU FOR THE TIME SPENT. >> KAUR: THANK YOU.
MICHAEL PACHECO. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND COMMITTEE CHAIR. DEPUTY CITY MANAGER AND THE CHIEF.
MY NAME'S MIKE PACHECO AND I'M THE GENERAL MANAGER FOR CENTRO SAN ANTONIO. AND THE AMBASSADORS, RIGHT? THETHE CLEANING AMBASSADORS DOWNTOWN. I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE OF THIS ITEM. BEING SUPPORTIVE AND NOT BEING SUPPORTIVE OF THIS BECAUSE OF THE OBSTACLES WE HAVE -- THAT WE RUN ACROSS IN DISTRICT ONE DOWNTOWN, PART OF DISTRICT FIVE. BUT I WROTE DOWN SOME THINGS THAT MAYBE CAN CLARIFY OUR STANCE THAT COULD BE HELPFUL.
WE SUPPORT PUBLIC ART AND CREATIVE EXPRESSION. BUT BEFORE THE CITY APPROVES UNRESTRICTED SIDEWALK CHALK, COUNCIL NEEDS TO CONSIDER THE SANITATION, MAINTENANCE, ACCESSIBILITY, PUBLIC SAFETY AND FINANCIAL CONSEQUENCES, ESPECIALLY IN DOWNTOWN SAN ANTONIO CENTRO PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT. OR MAYBE WE SHOULD RESTRICT THE PID FROM HAVING CHALK ART. WE HAVE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE, VISITORS DOWNTOWN, THAT ARE WALKING AND, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S JUST REALLY BUSY TIMES FOR US. THE DOWNTOWN REALITY IS CENTRO PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT AMBASSADORS PRESSURE WASH AND DISINFECT DOWNTOWN SIDEWALKS FIVE DAYS A WEEK, CLEANED 32,000,008 [INDISCERNIBLE] OF SIDEWALK YEAR TO DATE FOR FISCAL YEAR '26. THEY ARE HEAVILY USED PUBLIC WALKING SPACES WHERE OUR CENTRO AMBASSADORS ENCOUNTER FOOD, WASTE, TRASH, BODY FLEW E IDS, ANIMAL WASTE AND UNSANITARY MATERIAL. ADDING CHALK CREATES ANOTHER MAINTENANCE ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
I ASKED THE [INDISCERNIBLE] WHAT QUALIFIES PUBLIC ART, AND THEN HOW DO WE ADDRESS HATE SPEECH, WHEN IT'S WRITTEN ON PUBLIC SIDEWALKS. WHO REMOVES THE CHALK AND WHEN? THERE'S GOT TO BE A TIMELINE, ONCE IT'S ON THERE, IS IT ON THERE FOREVER? THERE'S ALSO CONCERNS THAT WHEN IT RAINS, THE CHALK GOES INTO THE STORM DRAINS. WE RECAPTURE OUR WATER TO PREVENT ANYTHING FROM GOING -- INCLUDING BIRD FECAL MATTER.
WHEN DOWNTOWN, THE CLEANING CONTRACTOR, US, WHEN ARE WE EXPECTED TO REMOVE IT ONCE IT'S ON THE GROUND AND, AGAIN, THE TIME FRAME? OUR TEAM IS ON A SCHEDULE AND CANNOT STOP TO DETERMINE -- I DON'T WANT THEM TO STOP TO DETERMINE IF THEY NEED TO GO AROUND THE CHALK.
THEY'RE INSTRUCTED TO FOLLOW THE SCHEDULE. AND SO WE'RE DISINFECTING AS MUCH AS WE CAN. IF YOU -- MY FIRST FIGURES OF 32 MILLION SQUARE FEET, THAT'S ALL DISINFECTED, IT HAS TO BE.
HOW WILL THE ADA RAMPS, TACTICAL WARNING SERVICES, CROSSWALK APPROACHES, PEDESTRIAN SAFETY BE PROTECTED? WILL BUS STOPS BE EXCLUDED? WILL COUNCIL DESIGNATE AREAS RATHER THAN UNRESTRICTED CHALKING DOWNTOWN? COUNCIL SHOULD CONSIDER CHALK DOESN'T STAY ON THE SIDEWALKS, RIGHT? THOUSANDS OF PEDESTRIANS WALK ACROSS THE SIDEWALKS EVERY DAY. CHALK CAN BE TRACKED ON THE SHOES FROM THE BUSINESSES, RESTAURANTS, HOTEL OFFICES, CREATING CLEANING PROBLEMS FOR PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS. BUSINESS OWNERS THAT SAY, HEY, YOUR SIDEWALK CHALK IS TRACKED INTO MY BUILDING, WHO'S GOING TO CLEAN IT? WHO PAYS FOR THAT? I HAD MORE, BUT --
[02:00:01]
THANKS. SUBMIT THEM, YOU CANKE TO- SUBMIT YOUR COMMENTS IFYOU'D LIKE. >> OKAY. >> KAUR: THANK YOU.
ALL RIGHT. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND START OFF DISCUSSION.
AND CLARIFYING -- IF WE MOVE THIS TO AN A SESSION, WHEN DOES THIS GO INTO EFFECT? 10 DAYS OR SO AFTER THE SESSION?
>> VILLAGOMEZ: LIZ SAYS YES. >> KAUR: SORRY.
AND THAT'S THE ACTION THAT WE'LL BE CONSIDERING TODAY, RIGHT?
>> VILLAGOMEZ: YES, TO MOVE IT TO AN A SESSION. >> KAUR: OKAY.
AND -- ENFORCING FOR THE RIGHT REASONS. AND AT THE SAME TIME, I WANT TO MAKE IT VERY CLEAR THAT WE SHOULD BE TREATING ALL OF OUR OFFICERS WITH THE SAME RESPECT WE WANT THEM TO TREAT US WITH.
AND SO MUTUAL RESPECT IS REALLY IMPORTANT WHEN WE'RE WALKING INTO OFFICE BUILDINGS AND YELLING AND SCREAMING IN PEOPLE'S FACES, IT DOESN'T MAKE ANYBODY WANT TO WORK TOGETHER IN A COLLABORATIVE WAY, SO JUST WANT TO REITERATE THAT WE SHOULD BE TREATING EVERYONE WITH MUTUAL RESPECT AND ALSO HOPEFULLY THIS WILL ALLOW EVERYBODY TO KNOW THAT CIRCLES AND ET CETERA ARE OKAY, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, AGAIN, I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE KNOW THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO TOLERATE ANY KIND OF HATE SPEECH WRITTEN IN CHALK. AND SO THAT IS ALL STILL GOING TO BE OF FENCIBLE, BUT AT LEAST WE WILL MAKE CRYSTAL CLEAR THAT IF IT'S SIDEWALK CHALK THAT CAN BE WASHED OFF, THAT IT WITH BE ACCEPTABLE AND THEY WILL NOT BE ARRESTED
SOLELY ON THE FACT FOR DOING SIDEWALK CHALK. >> LET ME MAKE A POINT OF CLARIFICATION. SO AS IT RELATES TO THE GRAFFITI ORDINANCE IN THE DEFINITION, THAT'S THE PROPOSAL THAT WE'RE CHANGING. THERE IS A SITUATION -- THERE ARE CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE SIDEWALK CHALK CAN BE CONSIDERED A VIOLATION, IT CAN BE CRIMINAL MISCHIEF FOR THE OWNER, SO THAT WOULD BE A SUBSTANTIAL INCONVENIENCE TO THE OWNER. SO THERE MAY NOT BE A MONETARY AMOUNT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S SET IN THE STATUTE, BUT FOR SOMEBODY, LIKE THE GENTLEMAN WAS DESCRIBING, THE INCONVENIENCE AND HAVING TO GO OUT THERE AND CLEAN IT UP, COULD RESULT IN A CITATION AND/OR AN ARREST POTENTIALLY FOR SIDEWALK CHALK.
>> KAUR: BUT THAT WOULD BE ON PRIVATE PROPERTY, NOT ON CITY RIGHT OF
WAY. >> THAT WOULD BE ON PROPERTY THAT BELONGS TO AN OWNER OR A SITUATION WHERE SOMEBODY HAS THE AUTHORITY TO ACT ON
BEHALF OF THE OWNER. >> KAUR: RIGHT. SO NOT ON CITY RIGHT OF
WAY. >> NOT TYPICALLY ON CITY RIGHT OF WAY UNLESS THERE'S A -- UNLESS THERE'S SOMEBODY FROM THE CITY WITH MAYBE PUBLIC WORKS OR SOMETHING SAYING, HEY, THIS SHOULD NOT BE HERE, TO THE EXAMPLE MAYBE IT'S SOMETHING THAT IT'S NOT BUTTERFLIES AND RAINBOWS
BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S OFFENSIVE. >> KAUR: OKAY.
I THINK THAT'S ALL OF THE QUESTIONS I HAVE. COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE?
>> WHYTE: THANKS, CHAIR. YEAH, THAT WAS REALLY MY QUESTION HERE, IS SOMEBODY TAKES CHALK AND DRAWS A PORNOGRAPHIC PICTURE OR SOMETHING ON A
SIDEWALK, WHAT HAPPENS? >> THAT'S UTTERLY DISORDERLY CONDUCT LIKE AN OFFENSIVE GESTURE OR DISPLAY, THAT'S A VIOLATION IF SOMEBODY SEES IT AND COMPLAINS ABOUT IT OR AN OFFICER COMES UP ON IT. FOR SURE DISORDERLY CONDUCT.
>> WHYTE: AND CURSE WORDS, TOO? >> NOT NECESSARILY CURSE WORDS. IT REALLY JUST DEPENDS ON THE -- YOU KNOW, CURSE WORDS AT THE PARK WHERE KIDS ARE PLAYING, POTENTIALLY, YES.
>> WHYTE: YEAH. SO IF IT'S NEXT TO A PARK AND IT SAYS, YOU KNOW, SOME CURSE WORD AND SOME SORT OF SAYING OR WHATEVER IT IS, THAT
COULD STILL BE A VIOLATION OF SOMETHING? >> YEAH, POTENTIALLY, EITHER DISORDERLY CONDUCT OR POTENTIALLY CRIMINAL MISCHIEF, DEPENDING ON
THE IMPLEMENT AND HOW IT'S DISPLAYED. >> WHYTE: AND WHAT IF IT'S NOT CLOSE TO A PARK WHERE KIDS PLAY, IT'S JUST ON A RANDOM SIDEWALK
IN DOWNTOWN SAN ANTONIO? >> IF THERE'S A COMPLAINT ABOUT IT AND SOMEBODY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT -- IF IT'S IN FRONT OF SOMEBODY'S STORE OR SOMEBODY'S SHOP, POTENTIALLY THEY'RE THE COMPLAINANT, BUT IF IT'S A RANDOM SIDEWALK OR -- ACROSS SAN ANTONIO AND SOMEBODY WROTE IT AND WE DON'T KNOW WHO WROTE IT, THERE'S NOT MUCH -- WE CAN TAKE A REPORT, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S POTENTIALLY A VIOLATION OF ANYTHING.
>> WHYTE: I'M LOOKING AT THE RECOMMENDED ORDINANCE CLARIFICATION ON SLIDE 8, RIGHT? THAT'S ALL WE'RE LOOKING AT VOTING ON -- AUDIO] -- YOU KNOW, THE GRAFFITI PORTION UP TOP, THERE'S NOT REALLY ANY MAJOR CHANGE THERE, I DON'T THINK, RIGHT? IT'S DOWN -- IT'S DOWN BELOW, RIGHT? CHALK'S ELIMINATED AND IT SAYS THAT THESE DEVICES THAT ARE BEING PROHIBITED, THEY HAVE TO BE DEVICES THAT LEAVE AN
[02:05:02]
INDELIBLE MARK, RIGHT? MEANING IT CAN'T BE -- CAN'T BE WASHED AWAY?>> CORRECT. >> WHYTE: SO I GUESS -- I GUESS MY QUESTION IS JUST WHAT -- WHAT CHANGES HERE? NO, I -- YEAH.
>> GOING TO HAPPEN ALL OF A SUDDEN CHALK OR ANYTHING THAT'S NOT PERMANENT CAN BE USED TO SAY A BUNCH OF THINGS ON OUR STREETS AND SIDEWALKS AND PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE DON'T WANT UP THERE FOR PEOPLE TO SEE, BECAUSE, I MEAN, HOW -- IS ALL OF A SUDDEN THIS GOING TO BECOME A WIDE -- EVEN MORE WIDESPREAD THAN IT IS TODAY AND WE'RE GOING TO BE USING CITY RESOURCES TO GET OUT THERE AND HAVE TO CLEAN IT UP EVERYWHERE, OR ARE WE EVEN GOING TO USE THOSE RESOURCES TO CLEAN IT UP? I MEAN, WHO MAKES THE DETERMINATION WHAT WE WASH OFF AND WHAT WE
DON'T? >> SO -- >> KAUR: I -- NO, AND I CAN SAY, WE CAN BRING IT BACK TO MAYBE A -- IF IT IS -- IF WE SEE AN UPTICK IN THIS, WE CAN BRING IT BACK TO A PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE AND ACTUALLY ADDRESS IT. THERE'S NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE DOING
SIDEWALK CHALK AND SO. >> WHYTE: BUT IT MAY BE BECAUSE THERE'S AN
ORDINANCE AGAINST IT. >> KAUR: I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S THE CASE.
>> WHYTE: I'M JUST SAYING, DON'T WE THINK WE MIGHT NEED FURTHER CONSIDERATION ON SOME OF THESE ISSUES THAT CENTRO RAISED AND THAT I'M RAISING NOW? I MEAN, AGAIN, WHAT GETS WASHED OFF AND WHAT
DOESN'T? >> GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCILMEMBER.
SEVITA RYE WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, I WAS JUST REMINDING CHIEF SALAME RIGHT NOW, THE ISSUE BEFORE YOU IS THE POSSESSION OF CHALK.
BUT AS FAR AS MARKINGS THAT ARE MADE, EITHER VIA CHALK OR PERMANENT MARKER, CODE ENFORCEMENT THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF ARTICLE 10 UNDER CHAPTER 21 HAS THE AUTHORITY TO ABATE GRAFFITI ON PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PROPERTY.
>> WHYTE: OKAY. SO NOTHING -- AND I APPRECIATE THAT.
SO JUST SO WE'RE CLEAR, NOTHING THAT WE WOULD DO BY CHANGING THIS ORDINANCE WOULD CHANGE OUR POLICIES WITH RESPECT TO WHAT WE'RE ABATING?
SO ALL THAT WE'RE DOING HERE IS MAKING IT -- IT'S A VIOLATION NOW OF THE ORDINANCE TO POSSESS CHALK IF IT'S -- IF IT'S -- OR HOW -- HOW
WOULD YOU EXPLAIN IT? >> WE'RE JUST MAKING IT NO LONGER ILLEGAL TO POSSESS CHALK, AND -- ON A SURFACE, IT'S NOT AN INDELIBLE MARKING.
SO UNDER THE GRAFFITI ORDINANCE, WE HAVE -- THERE ARE OTHER MECHANISMS TO ENFORCE AN OFFENSIVE DISPLAY, THERE'S OTHER STATUTES, THERE'S OTHER CODES THAT FIT THAT. THIS IS WAY TOO BROAD.
AND SO THE ISSUES WE WERE HAVING IS IT WAS PROVIDING UNCLEAR DIRECTION TO THE OFFICERS. AND SO THEY WERE ISSUING CITATIONS UNDER GRAFFITI AND THOSE CITATIONS WERE GETTING DISMISSED BECAUSE THEY DON'T MEET THE LETTER OF THE LAW AS IT RELATES TO THE STATE STATUTE. SO IT WAS TOO BROAD, THE CODE WAS TOO BROAD.
AND SO BY CHANGING THIS, WE ALIGN IT MORE TO WHAT THE STATE'S STATUTE IS.
>> WHYTE: LET ME ASK YOU THIS: BEFORE DOING THIS, IF THERE WAS A CHALK SMILY FACE ON A SIDEWALK, WOULD THAT BE SOMETHING WE WOULD ABATE?
>> I GUESS IF SOMEBODY COMPLAINED ABOUT IT AND WANTED IT OFF, WE WOULD SEND CODE OUT THERE TO REMOVE IT, POTENTIALLY, YES.
>> WHYTE: AND AFTER THIS ORDINANCE, IF WE CHANGE IT, IF THERE'S A CHALK
SMILY FACE ON IT, ARE WE GOING TO ABATE IT. >> IF SOMEBODY CALLS AND
TELLS CODE TO GO CLEAN IT UP, YES. >> WHYTE: OKAY.
SO EITHER WAY, IF SOMEBODY CALLS, IT'S GOING AWAY, REGARDLESS OF
WHAT THE PICTURE OR WORDS ARE. >> YES.
>> WHYTE: YOU DON'T LIKE MY QUESTIONS? >> KAUR: GREAT
[02:10:02]
QUESTIONS. JUST CHECKING IN. >> WHYTE: YOU'RE READY TO GO? THAT'S ALL I HAVE, COUNCILMEMBER.
>> KAUR: THANKS, COUNCILMEMBER. COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO?
>> CASTILLO: THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. I APPRECIATE IN TERMS OF THE CONSIDERATION THAT YOU ALL HAVE HIGHLIGHTED THAT THERE ARE AVENUES IN WHICH WE DO SEE HATE SPEECH IN CHALK, THAT THERE ARE METHODS OF ACCOUNTABILITY. I KNOW IN DISTRICT FIVE WE HAVE HAD EXAMPLES OF HATE SPEECH WITH GRAFFITI WITH SPRAY PAINT, NOT CHALK SPECIFICALLY, BUT A CONCERN I DID HAVE WAS DOES THIS MEAN FOLKS ARE GOING TO NOW USE POTENTIALLY USE CHALK TO PUT HATE SPEECH. AND UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS IN WHICH FOLKS CAN REPORT IT, RIGHT, IF SOMEONE CALLED IN UNSEEN PHOTOS, I WOULD JUST GO AND DUMP WATER, IT'S NOT THAT HARD OF A SOLUTION, BUT, AGAIN, GOING BACK TO THE POINT, GRATEFUL TO THE POINT Y'ALL ARE TAKING CONSIDERATION OF HOW TO HOLD INDIVIDUALS ACCOUNTABLE IF NECESSARY. I DID A QUICK SCAN OF JOSHUA'S INSTAGRAM, SO GRATEFUL THAT YOU'RE FOCUSED ON THE RIGHT THINGS IN TERMS OF ACCOUNTABILITY IN OUR COMMUNITY. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I'M SUPPORTIVE OF, AND JUST WANTED TO THANK THE CHAIR FOR AGENDIZING THIS
ITEM. THANK YOU. >> KAUR: THANKS.
COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ? >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: YES, THANK YOU. AND I WAS FULLY PREPARED TO NOT SAY ANY COMMENTS AND JUST MOVE THIS FORWARD, BUT NOW THERE'S A CONFLICT THAT I WANT TO RAISE AND I THINK IT SPEAKS TO THE BIGGER ISSUE.
SO I AM A FAN OF ACTIVISM, PERFORMANCE ART, WHATEVER SOMEONE HAS TO DO TO MAKE THEIR POINT. AND SOMETIMES THAT'S UPSETTING TO FOLK. AND WHEN I HEARD CENTRO COME UP AND SAY THAT THE INCONVENIENCE IS THAT PEOPLE ARE WALKING -- YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAVE TO WALK THROUGH SIDEWALKS AND THEY MIGHT WALK INTO A BUSINESS WITH SIDEWALK RESIDUE ON THEIR FEET, I'M JUST NOT -- THAT DOESN'T RESONATE WITH ME, NOR DOES, YOU KNOW, WHERE -- WE HAVE TO GO OUT AND WASH THESE -- THIS ART. IT FEELS LIKE A CONFLICT BETWEEN JOSHUA AND CENTRO, AND THERE'S A -- THIS REALLY IS NOT -- EVERYBODY IS DEALING WITH, IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS HAPPENING IN ISOLATION AND IT IS ALMOST ENTIRELY BETWEEN CENTRO AND JOSHUA.
AND SO I GUESS WHAT'S FRUSTRATING TO ME IS THAT -- AUDIO] -- CHALK ART, CAN Y'ALL COME WASH THIS OFF? OR THAT CENTRO, RECEIVING PUBLIC FUNDS, IS ALSO -- IS WASHING IT THEMSELVES. AND I'VE SEEN VIDEOS AS WELL, DID A QUICK SCAN OF LEAKEY 360 ON INSTAGRAM, RIGHT, AND YOU SEE HIM CIRCLING BLOOD WITH CHALK, YOU SEE HIM CIRCLING HUMAN EXCREMENT.
HE'S DOING THAT, AND SAYING, HEY, IT'S BEEN THIS LONG SINCE THIS HAS BEEN CLEANED UP, I'M DOING THIS, AND NOW IT'S BEING CLEANED UP BY CENTRO. AND SOME OF THAT COULD BE EXAGGERATED.
IT MIGHT NOT B I HAVE NOTHING BUT -- I HAVE NOTHING BUT WHAT'S BEEN SHOWN TO ME AND WHAT'S BEEN SHARED AND IT ALSO DOES SOUND LIKE CENTRO IS CALLING VERY FREQUENTLY ABOUT THIS WITH THIS ONE PERSON, AND I'D RATHER Y'ALL JUST -- I DON'T KNOW, SOMEBODY'S GOT TO GROW UP.
BECAUSE THERE'S NO REASON TO BE OFFENDED BY CIRCLES, BY BUTTERFLIES, EVEN IF YOU GET INTO POLITICAL MESSAGING, AND I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS FIRST CIRCLING A CCR ON THIS ISSUE, AND IT DOES MENTION -- EXCEPT FOR IN INSTANCES OF HATE SPEECH, WHICH WOULD ALREADY COMES WITH ITS OWN MECHANISMS OF ACCOUNTABILITY, I STILL HAD PEOPLE ASKING -- I COULDN'T GET SIGNATURES BECAUSE FOLK WERE ASKING, OH, WHAT IF SOMEONE WRITES IN CHALK FREE PALESTINE. I'M LIKE, THAT'S NOT HATE SPEECH.
WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO IS STIFLE POLITICAL EXPRESSION WHICH I THINK PIVOTS AWAY FROM THE TRUE INTENT OF THAT LAW, AND OF ANY OF THIS.
AND SO THAT'S THE REAL RUB I HAVE RIGHT NOW. I DON'T KNOW THAT THIS SOLVES IT, BUT I MEAN, I DO THINK IT'S AN ISSUE OF LANGUAGE THAT NEEDS TO BE CLARIFIED AND ADDRESSED, AND SO I WANT TO MOVE IT FORWARD IDEALLY TO A SESSION AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO SOLVE THE BIGGER ISSUE AND THE BIGGER CONFLICT AT HAND, AND IT'S REALLY FRUSTRATING TO ME THAT PUBLIC RESOURCES ARE BEING USED IN THIS WAY.
AND IT'S -- LIKE IT'S JUST -- THIS IS REALLY, REALLY SILLY IN THE SAME WAY THAT WE HAVE TO PUT ORDINANCES FORTH TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE HAS ACCESS TO A RESTROOM. LIKE I FIND THIS EXTREMELY SILLY AND FRUSTRATING. I'M SORRY YOU HAVE TO SPEND YOUR TIME ON IT.
I'M SORRY THAT THIS IS -- LIKE THIS HAS ALMOST BECOME WHAT IT IS, BUT
[02:15:01]
SOMEBODY'S GOT TO -- SOMEONE'S GOT TO RESOLVE IT.ALL THAT SAID, I MOVE TO SEND THIS TO SEPTEMBER 10TH A
CAN DO THAT. >> KAUR: OKAY. THANK YOU, ALL.
I WILL JUST COMMENT THAT I WANT TO EXTEND -- I THINK CENTRO DOES A REALLY GREAT JOB DOWNTOWN, I HAVE TALKED TO MANY OF YOUR AMBASSADORS AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE AMBASSADORS.
I THINK THEY'RE ALWAYS SO KIND AND SMILING AND READY TO HELP WHOMEVER, AND SO I'M NOT GOING TO SIT UP HERE AND MAKE ACCUSATIONS FOR ANYONE, BUT ALL I WILL SAY IS THAT THE VIDEO THAT I SAW LAST THAT WAS SENT TO ME WAS A DPS OFFICER. AND NO ONE IN THIS ROOM CAN CONTROL ANYBODY IN DPS -- UNLESS -- I MEAN, MAYBE SOMEBODY, JUST KIDDING.
SO I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THAT, LIKE, I KNOW THAT OUR COMMUNITY WANTS TO WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT DOWNTOWN IS A SAFE PLACE FOR ALL AND INCLUSIVE FOR ALL. AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, I'LL JUST MENTION AGAIN AS COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE CLARIFIED SEVERAL TIMES THAT IF SOMEONE COMES AND SAYS WE WANT THIS CHALK CLEANED UP, IT WILL GET CLEANED UP, JUST LIKE COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO MENTIONED ABOUT THE GRAFFITI, IF SOMEONE PUTS SOMETHING THAT WANTS TO GET ABATED, IT GETS CLEANED UP QUICKLY.
CHALK WILL WORK WITH ALL OF OUR DOWNTOWN PARTNERS TO DO THE SAME.
BARRING OTHER DISCUSSION, ALL DISCUSSIONS HAVE BEEN HAD, LET'S TAKE A VOTE.
ALL IN FAVOR. (AYES.) >> KAUR: ANY OPPOSED? THANK YOU, CHIEF. AT 4:24 P.M., WE WILL CONCLUDE THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.