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WE'LL BEGIN THE ROLL CALL NOW FOR COMMUNITY HEALTH AND EQUITY MEETING.
COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN HERE.
WE HAVE A CORY MADAM CHAIRMAN.
WELCOME TO OUR FEBRUARY 17TH MEETING OF THE COMMUNITY HEALTH AND EQUITY COMMITTEE.
UM, BEFORE WE, UH, MOVE INTO, UH, THE FIRST ITEM, JUST WANTED TO LET YOU GUYS KNOW, DR.
BRIDGER WON'T BE HERE WITH US TODAY, BUT CARLOS RES WILL WILL BE HERE, SO HOPEFULLY HE'S ON HIS WAY.
AND, UM, ALSO, UH, FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS OR ANYONE WHO'S INTERESTED, UH, THE QUESTIONS THAT REQUIRED FOLLOW UP FROM OUR LAST COMMITTEE MEETING ARE AVAILABLE ON THE COUNTER, ALONG WITH, UH, WITH ANSWERS.
IF THERE'S STILL ANY CONCERNS OR QUESTIONS YOU HAVE, JUST, UH, LET US KNOW AT THE END OF THE MEETING.
UH, THANK YOU, AMANDA, FOR PROVIDING THOSE.
[1. 20-1990 Approval of the Minutes for the January 23, 2020 Community Health and Equity Committee Meeting.]
WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM ONE, APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FOR THE JANUARY 23RD, 2020 COMMUNITY HEALTH, UH, AND EQUITY COMMITTEE MEETING.I HAVE A CHANGE ON THE PAGE FOUR OF FIVE.
IT INCORRECTLY LISTS ME AS CHAIRMAN, AND SO IF WE COULD JUST FIX THAT, THAT'S IT.
YOU WOULDN'T NOTICE THAT YOU BECAME CHAIR.
AND ONCE THAT'S, UH, CHANGED, I MOVED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
UH, NANCY, DID YOU CATCH THAT? OKAY.
UM, MOTION TO APPROVE WITH SAID CHANGE.
UM, ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? NOPE.
[2. 20-1960 A briefing on the implementation of priority policy recommendations received from the SA2020 Commission on Education, San Antonio Youth Commission, and the Higher Education Student Advisory Board. [Colleen M. Bridger, MPH, PhD, Assistant City Manager; Melody Woosley, Director, Human Services]]
MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER TWO, BRIEFING ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PRIORITY POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS RECEIVED FROM THE SA 2020 COMMISSION ON EDUCATION, YOUTH COMMISSION AND HIGHER EDUCATION, UH, STUDENT ADVISORY BOARD.GOOD MORNING, AND GOOD MORNING.
SO, UH, THIS ITEM DOES PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE STATUS OF RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THREE EDUCATION RELATED BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THAT ARE MANAGED BY THE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
AND SO, LAST YEAR, D H S WORKED WITH THE SA 2020 COMMISSION ON EDUCATION, THE SAN ANTONIO YOUTH COMMISSION AND THE HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENT ADVISORY BOARD TO IDENTIFY THEIR PRIORITY AREAS AND DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS.
LAST AUGUST, THE THREE COMMISSIONS PROVIDED A BRIEFING ON THEIR WORK AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE COMMUNITY HEALTH AND EQUITY COMMITTEE.
ADDITIONALLY, THE HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENT ADVISORY BOARD EXPRESSED THAT THERE ARE SOME CHALLENGES IN FILLING BOARD SEATS, AND THEY SPOKE ON BEHALF OF THE THREE COMMISSIONS REGARDING POTENTIAL RESTRUCTURING OR CONSOLIDATION OF COMMISSIONS.
UM, AT THE END OF THE PRESENTATION, CHECK REQUESTED THAT STAFF WORK WITH THE COMMISSIONS TO DEVELOP IMPLEMENTATION PLANS AND RETURN WITH AN UPDATE.
AND SO I'M HERE TODAY TO PROVIDE THAT UPDATE.
AS A QUICK REMINDER, THE SA 2020 COMMISSION ON EDUCATION WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2013.
THERE ARE 11 SEATS APPOINTED ONE EACH BY MAYOR AND COUNCIL, AND 10 OF THOSE SEATS ARE CURRENTLY FILLED.
THE HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENT ADVISORY BOARD WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2018.
IT ALSO HAS 11 SEATS APPOINTED BY MAYOR AND COUNCIL, UM, FROM CANDIDATES THAT ARE NOMINATED BY A COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY.
THE BOARD HAS NOT HAD MORE THAN FIVE COMMISSION MEMBERS SINCE ITS INCEPTION.
SAN ANTONIO YOUTH COMMISSION WAS ESTABLISHED 28 YEARS AGO TO BRING THE YOUTH VOICE TO MAJOR COMMUNITY ISSUES THAT IMPACT YOUTH SUCCESS.
22 MEMBERS ARE APPOINTED TO EACH BY MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE SEVEN SEATS FILLED, BUT THERE ARE NINE RECOMMENDATIONS SOMEWHERE IN THE PROCESS.
AND SO THE, UM, THIS CHART SHOWS THIS, UH, REALLY THAT THERE'S SOME OVERLAP BETWEEN THE COMMISSIONS, BUT NOT NECESSARILY DUPLICATION.
THEY HAVE VERY BROAD, UH, CHARGES FROM CITY COUNCIL AND THE ORDINANCES THAT CREATED THEM.
AND SO THERE, THERE REALLY IS ENOUGH WORK TO KEEP THEM ALL BUSY.
AND THIS FIRST ITEM WILL BE AN UPDATE ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE SA 2020 COMMISSION ON EDUCATION.
IN 2018, THE COMMISSION REVIEWED THE SIX EDUCATIONAL GOALS OF THE SA 2020 VISION AND ANALYZED CITY INVESTMENTS IN EDUCATION.
AND PARTICULARLY AS THEY RELATED TO YOUTH AND CHILDREN, THEY IDENTIFIED COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS AS THEIR HIGH PRIORITY AND A HIGH NEED.
IN ORDER TO DEVELOP SAN ANTONIO'S FUTURE WORKFORCE, THEY DECIDED TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE CITY'S INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS, WHICH
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ARE FUNDED AT ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS ANNUALLY TO IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES FOR GREATER IMPACT.THE COMMISSION REVIEWED FOUR CITY OPERATED OR FUNDED PROGRAMS, THE AMBASSADOR COLLEGE INTERNSHIP, THE HUMAN RESOURCES SUMMER WORKS PROGRAM, SUMMER YOUTH, AND ALSO THE FAMILY SERVICES ASSOCIATION, AND HOVAN SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAMS, WHICH ARE FUNDED BY THE CITY.
FROM THEIR REVIEW, THE COMMISSION DEVELOPED FOR PRIMARY POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, FOR CONSIDERATION.
AND AS IT CONSIDERS FUNDING INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS IN THE NEXT BUDGET.
THEIR FIRST PRIORITY RECOMMENDATION IS TO ADDRESS E EQUITY AND GAPS IN SERVICE.
ADDRESSING EQUITY IS A HIGH PRIORITY FOR THE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT, AND WITH THE HELP OF THE COMMISSION, WE CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR WAYS TO REACH DEEPER INTO THE COMMUNITY, TO ENGAGE MORE MINORITY AND LOW INCOME STUDENTS AND EMPLOYERS THROUGH INTENSIVE RECRUITMENT AND ADVERTISEMENT TO COLLEGE OFFICES AND TARGETED AREAS.
OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, WE HAVE INCREASED THE NUMBER OF INTERNS THAT ARE COMING FROM UNDERSERVED DISTRICTS, BUT WE STILL HAVE FEWER APPLICATIONS FROM THOSE DISTRICTS THAN WE DO FROM HIGHER INCOME COUNCIL DISTRICTS.
AND SO THE COMMISSION IDENTIFIED THAT, UM, TRANSPORTATION IS ALSO A MAJOR ISSUE AND A BARRIER FOR LOW-INCOME STUDENTS.
AND SO THAT'S ONE AREA THAT WE ARE EXPLORING AND HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW CAN WE HELP, UH, RELIEVE SOME OF THOSE, THOSE CONCERNS.
AND WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH THE OFFICE OF EQUITY HUMAN RESOURCES, AND THE DISABILITY ACCESS OFFICE TO ENSURE THAT STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES HAVE ACCESS TO INTERNSHIPS.
WE ARE RESERVING, UM, AS A PILOT PROJECT 10 AMBASSADOR SLOTS FOR THIS SUMMER.
WE ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS INITIATIVE, AND WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF IDENTIFYING PLACEMENTS IN THE CITY ORGANIZATION, UM, TO ENSURE THAT STUDENTS WITH DIFFERING ABILITIES HAVE ACCESS TO, TO THIS REALLY VERY VALUABLE CAREER EXPLORATION OPPORTUNITY.
WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS, ALAMO IS HELPING US IDENTIFY, UH, FUNDING FOR EQUIPMENT THAT MAY BE NEEDED IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE A GOOD EXPERIENCE.
FOR EXAMPLE, UM, IS SOMEONE WHO'S HEARING IMPAIRED MAY NEED SPECIAL EQUIPMENT, UM, TO BE ABLE TO BE ON THE PHONE OR, OR DO THEIR JOB.
UM, AND WE ARE ALSO WORKING WITH ALAMO COMMUNITY COLLEGES TO IDENTIFY THE STUDENTS THAT WILL PARTICIPATE BEGINNING WITH THIS PILOT WILL ALLOW US TO GET A FEEL FOR AND EVALUATE PARTICIPANT AND EMPLOYER, UM, FEEDBACK AND THEIR EXPERIENCE BEFORE REQUESTING THAT OTHER INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS PARTICIPATE.
THE NEXT RECOMMENDATION IS FOR PROGRAM STAFF AND DIRECT SUPERVISORS TO BE, TO TAKE A TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE APPROACH TO IDENTIFY BARRIERS AND PROVIDE ACCESS TO RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS PRIOR TO DISMISSING THEM FROM A PROGRAM.
ALTHOUGH INFREQUENT, WE HAVE HAD INSTANCES OF EMPLOYERS REQUESTING TERMINATION OF AN INTERN AT THEIR SITE DUE TO ATTENDANCE OR BEHAVIORAL ISSUES.
LAST YEAR, AN INTERN STOPPED ATTENDING WORK REGULARLY, AND THE EMPLOYER CONTACTED US TO REMOVE THE INTERN FROM THE PROGRAM.
WHEN WE CONTACTED THE INTERN TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON, SHE, UH, WE DISCOVERED THAT SHE HAD BEEN EVICTED FROM HER APARTMENT AND WAS HOMELESS SINCE SHE WAS COUCH SURFING AND RELYING ON PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION TO GET HER TO WORK.
SHE WAS HAVING TROUBLE MAKING IT THERE.
UM, SOME DAYS, NOT AT ALL, SOME DAYS LATE.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, THIS IS REALLY, WE WANNA DO THIS TRAUMA-INFORMED, UM, PROJECT IN ORDER THAT PEOPLE CAN MAYBE BETTER UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT THE STUDENTS ARE FACING.
WE ALSO, EVERY YEAR, HAVE A NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT DON'T PASS THE DRUG TEST.
AND SO WE WANNA ALSO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH THEM.
THEY, THEY WON'T BE IN THE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM, BUT WE WANNA BE ABLE TO WORK WITH THEM BEYOND JUST SAYING, SORRY, YOU, YOU CAN'T BE IN THE PROGRAM.
AND SO WE HAVE A, UH, WE ARE WORKING WITH THE SUMMER INTERNSHIP COLLABORATIVE, UH, WHICH INCLUDES THE CITY HUMAN RESOURCES AND D H S AS WELL AS SA WORKS, BEXAR COUNTY AND FAMILY SERVICE ASSOCIATION IN HOVAN.
UM, AND WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE EMPLOYERS TO BE TRAINED AS WELL.
THERE IS AN EMPLOYER TRAINING SCHEDULED FOR JUNE AND A WEBINAR THAT WILL BE DEVELOPED ALONG WITH RESOURCES TO SUPPORT EMPLOYERS AND IMPROVE THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE.
THE FINAL RECOMMENDATION REGARDING INTERNSHIPS CREATES A PRE AND POST INTERNSHIP SURVEY.
TO ASSESS THE IMPACT OF THE INTERN'S EXPERIENCE AND TO IDENTIFY AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT, WE WILL IMPLEMENT THE PRETO, THE PRETEST PRE-POST SURVEY PROCESS FOR SUMMER 2020 INTERNS.
AND THIS WILL HELP US ENSURE THAT WE, UM, UNDERSTAND THEIR EXPERIENCE FROM THE BEGINNING TO THE END.
AND WE CAN ALSO MEASURE THE IMPACT OF THE PROGRAM, THIS THE EIGHT WEEKS THAT THEY SPEND IN THEIR, UM, CAREER PLACEMENT, UM, AND GET THAT FEEDBACK FROM BOTH THE STUDENTS AND THE EMPLOYERS WILL HELP US MAKE, UH, DECISIONS FOR THE NEXT YEAR.
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THAT WE ARE, UM, ALSO PROPOSING A, UH, WEBSITE, A COMMON WEBSITE THAT WOULD BE SHARED AND COMPREHENSIVE FOR ALL OF THE PROGRAMS. THIS WAS A RECOMMENDATION OF THE SA 2020 COMMISSION, AND, AND WE REALLY DO LIKE THIS RECOMMENDATION.WE'VE BEEN TALKING TO I T S D ABOUT HOW, HOW THAT WOULD BE IMPLEMENTED.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE IS A COST, IT COULD BE UP TO 60 TO A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
AND SO WE'LL BE LOOKING AT THAT AS A POTENTIAL IT BUDGET IMPROVEMENT, BUT ALSO WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS ON THEIR INTEREST IN FUNDING IT.
AND SO, UM, IN AUGUST, THE YOUTH COMMISSION BRIEFED YOU ALL ON A NUMBER OF RECOMMENDATIONS SUPPORTING VOTER ENGAGEMENT, TEEN MENTAL HEALTH, AND A SERIES OF TOWN HALLS TO PROVIDE YOUTH INPUT ON COMM KEY COMMUNITY ISSUES, SUCH AS GUN VIOLENCE.
AND WE ARE GOING TO WORK WITH THE METRO HEALTH DEPARTMENT, UM, TO ENSURE THAT THROUGH THEIR GUN VIOLENCE PROGRAM, BOTH THE YOUTH COMMISSION AND THE HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENT ADVISORY BOARD ARE PART OF THOSE DISCUSSIONS AND PART OF THE FOCUS GROUPS.
AND SO THE COMMISSION IS RECOMMENDING THEY COLLABORATE WITH CITY COUNCIL OFFICES AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO EDUCATE TEENS IN THE IMPORTANCE OF VOTING.
TO THIS END COMMISSION MEMBERS HAVE DEVELOPED A PLAN TO PROVIDE VOTER ENGAGEMENT INFORMATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND AT FIESTA EVENTS AND HIGH SCHOOLS.
THIS WILL BE AHEAD OF THE MAY, 2020 ELECTIONS.
A YOUTH VOTER ENGAGEMENT CHALLENGE WOULD BE ROLLED OUT FOR THE NOVEMBER, 2020, UH, PRESIDENTIAL AND OTHER ELECTIONS TO MOBILIZE YOUNG VOTERS, SPECIFICALLY HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS OF VOTING AGE, TO USE THE CIVIC TOOLS AT THEIR DISPOSAL TO EFFECT CHANGE.
OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS, THE COMMISSION HAS PUT TOGETHER A VERY WELL THOUGHT OUT PLAN THAT INCLUDES A VOTER TOOLKIT, MEDIA AND SCHOOL ENGAGEMENT.
AND WE WILL PROVIDE YOU THAT FINAL DOCUMENT AS SOON AS THEY, AS SOON AS THEY HAVE IT READY, PROBABLY IN THE NEXT WEEK OR TWO.
THE SAN ANTONIO YOUTH COMMISSION MEMBERS HAVE COMMENTED THAT THEY ALSO, UM, REALLY CAN NEVER ATTEND CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS DUE TO THEM BEING SCHEDULED DURING THE TIMES THEY'RE IN SCHOOL AND TOWN HALLS OFTEN CONFLICT WITH, UM, OUT OF SCHOOL ACTIVITIES.
MEMBERS WOULD LIKE TO WORK WITH SCHOOLS, UM, AND POST CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS, POTENTIALLY AND TOWN HALLS AT THE SCHOOLS, MAYBE EVEN DURING SCHOOL HOURS, ON TOPICS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO YOUTH AND SCHOOLS SO THEY CAN PARTICIPATE AND GET KNOWLEDGEABLE ON POLICY DISCUSSIONS THAT WILL IMPACT THEIR LIVES.
ONE OF THESE POLICY AREAS IS MENTAL HEALTH.
THE COMMISSION MEMBERS, UM, ARE PLANNING TO MEET WITH A GROUP OF STUDENTS FROM SOUTH SAN HIGH SCHOOL WHO HAVE CREATED A MOBILE CLINIC, UM, WITH A LOT OF, UH, FOCUS ON MENTAL HEALTH TO HELP THE COMMUNITY AND STUDENTS AND YOUTH AND THE AREA, UM, IDENTIFY AND TREAT MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL ISSUES.
THE COMMISSION RECOMMENDS THAT THEY LEARN FROM THEM AND THEN IMPLEMENT SOMETHING COMMUNITY-WIDE.
AND WE ANTICIPATE THAT MEETING WILL OCCUR BY APRIL.
BUT THE COMMISSION IS FOCUSED RIGHT NOW ON THE VOTER CHALLENGE EFFORT.
AND, UM, THIS, THESE PROGRAMS, THE BOTH THE TOWN HALL AND THE, UH, MOBILE HEALTH CLINIC WOULD, WOULD PROBABLY ROLL OUT FOR THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.
AND SO THE HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENT ADVISORY BOARD, AS I MENTIONED SINCE INCEPTION OF THE BOARD, IN 2018, ONLY FIVE SEATS HAVE BEEN FILLED.
AND UNTIL RECENTLY, ONLY FOUR WERE FILLED.
FOR THE FIRST TWO YEARS, HUMAN SERVICES HAS WORKED WITH COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES TO OBTAIN NOMINATIONS, BUT THE PROCESS HAS BEEN SLOW AND INEFFECTIVE IN SOME CASES, AND THE BOARD IS RECOMMENDING, AND D H SS AGREES THAT THE PROCESS SHOULD BE STREAMLINED.
SO WE'RE WORKING WITH THE BOARD.
WE'LL WORK WITH THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE AND COLLEGES TO BRING A RECOMMENDATION FORWARD, UM, AND NEW BYLAWS TO CITY COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION IN MAY.
IN AUGUST, THE HIGHER EDUCATION ADVISORY SUPPORT BOARD ALSO SPOKE ON BEHALF OF ALL THREE COMMISSIONS ABOUT POTENTIALLY RESTRUCTURING, STRUCTURING OR CONSOLIDATING THE COMMISSIONS TO IMPROVE PARTICIPATION AND REDUCE OVERLAP.
UH, D H S PROVIDED A FACILITATOR TO ASSIST THEM WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE 2020 PLANS, THEIR 2020 PLANS TO DISCUSS, UM, OVERLAP BETWEEN THE BODIES AND POSSIBLE BENEFITS OF CONSOLIDATION.
BASED ON THESE DISCUSSIONS, ALL THREE OF THE COMMISSIONS IDENTIFIED THE BENEFITS OF REMAINING SEPARATE BODIES, AND THEY DO NOT RECOMMEND CONSOLIDATION.
BUT OF COURSE, IF CONSOLIDATION IS SOMETHING THAT COUNCIL IS INTERESTED IN, THEY WOULD, THEY WOULD BE HAPPY TO, TO, UM, RESTRUCTURE THAT WAY.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THEY FELT LIKE THERE ARE NUMEROUS TOPICS THAT THEY CAN WORK, WORK WITH, WORK ON WITHOUT OVERLAPPING WITH EACH OTHER OR DUPLICATING.
AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, THEY WOULD KEEP BOTH YOUTH COMMISSIONS, UM, TO ENSURE THAT THEIR VOICES
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ARE HEARD.UH, WITH, IN CITY POLICY DISCUSSIONS, FOR EXAMPLE, THE HIGHER EDUCATION ADVISORY BOARD IS INTERESTED IN WORKING ON IMPROVING ENROLLMENT, RETENTION, AND COMPLETION FOR NON-TRADITIONAL STUDENTS, SUCH AS MILITARY PERSONNEL TRANSITIONING OUT OF THE SERVICE.
AND TO ENSURE MAXIMUM PARTICIPATION AND DEFINE THEIR ROLES, THE COMMISSIONS ARE PROPOSING UPDATES TO THEIR BYLAWS AND THEIR STRUCTURE.
SO THE HIGHER EDUCATION ADVISORY BOARD, AGAIN, IS PROPOSING, UM, THAT WE STREAMLINE THE APPOINTMENT PROCESS FOR THEIR, THEIR SEATS.
UM, THE YOUTH COMMISSION IS PROMO PROPOSING TO UPDATE THEIR MISSIONS AND GOALS SINCE THEY'RE 28 YEARS OLD, TO IMPROVE PARTICIPATION AND ALSO TO SERVE, UM, UH, AS TO PROVIDE GREATER POLICY ADVICE TO MAYOR AND COUNCIL ON ISSUES FACING YOUTH IN THE CITY.
AND THE SA 2020 COMMISSION ON EDUCATION IS PROPOSING TO CHANGE THEIR NAME, UM, AND TO UPDATE THEIR FOCUS.
AND SO, AS NEXT STEPS IN MARCH, STAFF WILL REVIEW THIS BRIEFING WITH THE COMMISSIONS AND RELAY ANY INPUT YOU HAVE BACK TO THEM.
UM, MARCH THROUGH MAY, WE'LL CONTINUE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS SUPPORTING THE VOTER ENGAGEMENT PLAN, IMPLEMENTING INTERNSHIP IMPROVEMENTS, AND WORKING WITH THE COMMISSIONS IN THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
ON UPDATING BYLAWS FOR EACH COMMISSION IN APRIL, WE WOULD PROVIDE AN UPDATE TO CHECK ON IMPLEMENTATION OF RECOMMENDATIONS AND SPECIFIC PROPOSED CHANGES FOR CONSIDERATION BY THE FULL CITY COUNCIL IN MAY.
AND THAT'S, UH, THE END OF MY PRESENTATION.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
UH, WE'LL START WITH COUNCILWOMAN.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE TRULY LOOKING AT IN DISTRICT TWO WAS BRINGING A YOUTH SUMMER PROGRAM THAT WOULD TRULY, UM, HELP OUR YOUTH UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT IS CITY COUNCIL AND WHAT IS A MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT, AND WHAT DO THEY DO FOR THEIR DISTRICTS.
UM, SO WE'RE LOOKING TO, TO TRULY WORK WITH THE COMMISSIONS THAT ARE ALREADY IN PLACE TO SEE HOW WE CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS WE WANT TO LOOK AT WAS HOW DO WE BRING ABOUT A YOUTH CITY COUNCIL? UM, IF THERE'S A WAY THAT WE COULD LOOK AT FOR EACH OF THE DISTRICTS, HAVING A YOUTH CITY COUNCIL MEMBER THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO HELP OUR DISTRICT OFFICES WITHIN THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS, UM, EVEN IF THEY'RE A APPOINTED PROTEUM COUNCIL MEMBER, SOMETHING, UM, LIKE THAT TO WHERE THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO SPEAK ON THEIR EDUCATIONAL LEVELS FOR THE CITY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE.
UM, IF THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN LOOK AT.
UM, I KNOW HAVING A CITY COUNCIL DAY WAS SOMETHING WE WERE LOOKING AT AS WELL, AND HOW THEY COULD HOST FROM THEIR PERSPECTIVES, UM, A CITY COUNCIL MEETING HERE IN THE CHAMBERS TO WHERE THEY CAN VOICE TO US AS CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, WHAT THE YOUTH OF OUR DISTRICTS WOULD LIKE TO SEE, UM, COME TO FRUITION.
UM, ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS I WAS WONDERING IF WE COULD OFFER MORE PART-TIME, UM, INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS TO OUR COLLEGE STUDENTS.
UM, RIGHT NOW ON STAFF, WE HAVE TWO PART-TIME, UM, INTERNS.
ONE'S A SENIOR AT TEXAS A AND M.
THE OTHER ONE IS A FRESHMAN AT U I W.
BUT IT GIVES THEM AN UNDERSTANDING, NOT JUST FROM A SUMMER PERSPECTIVE, BUT FROM A THREE DAY OUT OF THE WEEK PERSPECTIVE, EXACTLY WHAT WE DO HERE.
AND THEN TO HEAR WHAT THE STUDENTS ARE ASKING FOR FROM US AS COUNCIL MEMBERS MAKES IT, UM, REALLY, UH, EFFICIENT AS WELL.
AND THEN YOU TOUCHED ON ONE OF THE SUBJECTS WHEN IT COMES TO, UM, YOUTH THAT ARE, THAT ARE IN HOMELESS PROGRAMS SUCH AS HAVEN FOR HOPE MM-HMM.
WE'LL, WE'LL FOLLOW UP ON THIS,
AND THEN THE LAST THING IS, HOW AND WHAT MATERIALS ARE WE GETTING HERE IN OUR CITY COUNCIL OFFICES THAT WE CAN PUSH OUT TO THE COMMUNITY THROUGH, UM, OUR YOUTH CENTERS, SUCH AS THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB.
SO THOSE ARE JUST SOME OF THE THINGS I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR ABOUT.
WE'LL, WE'LL FOLLOW UP ON YOUR OTHER SUGGESTIONS, AND WE'LL GET MATERIALS OUT TO YOU TO PUSH THOSE.
AND WE DO WORK WITH THE, UM, COLLEGE OFFICES AS WELL AS HIGH SCHOOLS TO RECRUIT.
WE'LL GET INFORMATION THAT YOU CAN ALSO PUSH OUT.
AND THEN THE LAST THING, WHEN IT COMES TO, UM,
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THE, THE VOTING, IS THERE A MOCK VOTING? I KNOW A LOT OF THEM THAT ARE NOT OF 18 YEARS OF AGE, THEY STILL WANNA KNOW EXACTLY HOW THE VOTING SYSTEM OPERATES.IS THERE A WAY THAT WE CAN SET UP MAYBE MOCK VOTING SYMPOSIUMS TO WHERE WE GIVE THEM A BALLOT TO SHOW THEM WHAT EACH CANDIDATE STANDS FOR? HOW DOES THE BALLOT LOOK? WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO GO INTO, UH, A VOTING BOOTH? UM, SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE FOR THEM TO UNDERSTAND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO BE VOTERS.
UM, TO WHERE THEY KNOW ONCE THEY HIT THAT MARK, THEY EXACTLY KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT.
WE'LL ASK THE YOUTH COMMISSION TO MAKE THAT RECOMMENDATION MAY BE INCLUDED IN THEIR PLAN.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I'M, I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT SOME OF THESE THINGS, AND I, I WANTED TO, UM, SAY THANK YOU FOR INCLUDING THE STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.
AND SO I THINK THAT THAT IS A GREAT MOVE.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT EQUITY, WE HAVE A LOT OF STUDENTS THAT HAVE, UM, A DISABILITY THAT MAY FEEL LIKE THEY'RE NOT A PART OF IT.
SO I'M VERY THANKFUL TO YOU, UM, TO HAVE SUCH A GREAT FOCUS ON THAT, AND THAT WE'RE SAVING 10 SPOTS IS JUST VERY COOL IN MY BOOK.
UM, ALSO, THANK YOU FOR YOUR, UM, YOUR CONSIDERATION AND INCREASING THE ACCESS TO TRANSPORTATION.
SO I KNOW A LOT OF STUDENTS IN, IN MY DISTRICT IN PARTICULAR, UM, THEIR PARENTS WORK TWO JOBS AND CAN'T GET THEM THERE.
SOMETIMES THEY'RE EXPECTED TO BE, UM, THE, THE BABYSITTERS, OR THEY MIGHT BE THE ELDEST SIBLING.
AND SO THEY GIVE UP A LOT ALREADY.
SO THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING THAT.
UM, I HAVE A QUESTION ON THE, ON, ON THE COMMISSIONS, ON THE COMMISSION IN PARTICULAR, THE HIGHER EDUCATION ADVISORY BOARD.
DO WE HAVE A DESIGNATED SPOT FOR ONE REPRESENTATIVE FROM EACH COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY IN SAN ANTONIO? WE DID.
IT WAS SET UP SO THAT THERE ARE ACTUALLY 11 COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND, UM, WE ASSIGNED ONE TO EACH COUNCIL MEMBER, AND WE'RE WORKING WITH THE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES TO GET AT LEAST THREE NOMINATIONS FROM EACH.
THAT'S REALLY WHERE THE, THE SLOWNESS HAS OCCURRED.
UM, NOT BEING ABLE TO GET THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND THEN THE, THE COUNCIL MEMBER SELECTS FROM THAT GROUP OF THREE ONCE YOU GET THEM TO A POINT.
AND SO, UM, WE'VE JUST, IT'S A LOT OF PROCESS AND WE'VE RUN INTO SOME, UM, HICCUPS, OBVIOUSLY.
AND SO WE'RE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, SOME WAYS THAT WE, WE DON'T, WE, WE LIKE THE IDEA OF GETTING NOMINATIONS FROM THE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES, BUT IT MAY BE THAT, THAT ASKING THE COUNCIL OFFICES TO, TO TAKE APPLICATIONS IN THE CITY CLERK TO TAKE APPLICATIONS, AND THEN THE COUNCIL OFFICE SELECTING MIGHT BE LIKE WE DO WITH A LOT OF OUR OTHER BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, MIGHT BE THE, UM, BETTER WAY TO GET THOSE SEATS FILLED.
SO WHAT, UM, WHAT OFFICES DO YOU WORK WITH AT A UNIVERSITY? SO IF I WAS A UNIVERSITY STUDENT WHO'S GONNA BE REACHING OUT TO ASK ME IF I WANTED TO PARTICIPATE.
AND SO WE WENT THROUGH THE PRESIDENT'S OFFICE TO GET A CONTACT FOR EACH UNIVERSITY.
AND SO I THINK IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT FOR EACH SCHOOL, UM, IF WE'RE WORKING WITH, YOU KNOW, THE DEAN OF STUDENTS OR WHICH, WHICH OFFICE WE'RE WORKING WITH.
SO, BUT WE CAN LET YOU KNOW FOR SURE.
I, I'D LOVE TO KNOW WHERE I MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP IN MY AREA IN PARTICULAR.
UM, ARE THERE ANY MEMBERS OF ANY OF THE COMMISSIONS HERE TODAY, BY ANY CHANCE? CHANCE? UH, NO.
I DON'T THINK ANY OF 'EM WERE ABLE TO COME.
UM, AND THEN, AND, UH, I, I KNOW I BRIEFLY ATTENDED ONE OF THE, UM, SESSIONS, UH, I GUESS A FEW WEEKS AGO, UH, PITCHING THE GIRLS EMPOWERMENT SUMMIT MM-HMM.
AND SO THEY SEEM VERY ENGAGED.
AND, UH, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT YOU ALL ARE, ARE DOING A GREAT JOB.
UM, I'M HAPPY THAT YOU ALL ARE LOOKING ALSO AT THE TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE.
SO THE STORY THAT YOU TOLD ABOUT THE YOUNG PERSON WHO, UM, WAS HOMELESS AND EVICTED, I THINK THOSE ARE THINGS THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE, ARE DEALING WITH THAT, UM, MIGHT NOT KNOW WHERE TO TURN TO FOR RESOURCES.
AND SO I'M GLAD THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING THAT.
I'M ESPECIALLY INTERESTED IN THE FOLKS THAT WERE TURNED AWAY AND, AND YOU MENTIONED, UM, IN PARTICULAR BECAUSE THEY, UH, FAILED THEIR DRUG TEST.
AND SO INSTEAD OF JUST SAYING NO TO THEM, LETTING THEM KNOW THAT THERE'S HELP AVAILABLE, THOSE WRAPAROUND RESOURCES.
SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT AS WELL.
UH, AND THEN THE SOUTH SAN TEEN INITIATIVE MODEL FOR, UM, SO, UH, I'M, I'M VERY PROUD OF THE SOUTH SAN STUDENTS.
UM, CAN YOU DO ME A FAVOR ALSO AND DEFINE, ACCORDING TO OUR, AND, AND I COULDN'T FIND IT NECESSARILY, BUT YOUTH COMMISSION, LIKE, CAN YOU DEFINE YOUTH FOR ME? IN, IN THIS PARTICULAR ANOTHER? SO FOR, FOR THE YOUTH COMMISSION, IT'S HIGH SCHOOL.
UM, SO IT ENDS WHEN THEY GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL, AND THEN OF COURSE, THE HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENT ADVISORY BOARD WOULD PICK UP IN COLLEGE.
UM, WE HAVE HAD DISCUSSIONS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE MISSING, UM, A POPULATION LIKE NEXT LEVEL MM-HMM.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, DO WE WANNA LOOK AT MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS TO INVOLVE THAT POPULATION AS WELL? GOOD.
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I'M ASKING, OR THAT I WASN'T PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN THAT IS, UM, MY DISSERTATION FOCUSED ON YOUNG ALUMNI MM-HMM.AND SO THE DEFINITION IN DIFFERENT, UH, BY DIFFERENT EXPERTS VARIED.
RIGHT? SO FIVE TO 10 YEARS AFTER GRADUATION FOR COLLEGE, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
AND SO, UM, I THINK THAT THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT, THAT WE SHOULD CONSIDER LOOKING AT.
LIKE, WHAT, WHAT WE DEFINE, LIKE WHEN DO WE, UH, KIND OF SAY, OKAY, THEY'RE NO, NO LONGER CONSIDERED YOUTH.
'CAUSE I THINK WE MIGHT BE MISSING OUT ON A LOT OF IDEAS OF FOLKS THAT ARE WANTING TO STAY AND, AND HELP AND IMPROVE OUR CITY.
SO, UM, BUT I'D BE HAPPY TO, UH, CONNECT WITH YOU ALL A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT.
BUT THOSE ARE ALL MY QUESTIONS.
UM, MELODY, I THINK THIS IS GREAT.
UH, I'LL START WITH THE SMALLER DETAILS.
UH, THE YOUTH COMMISSION ROSTER ON OUR SA.GOV WEBSITE MM-HMM.
AND SO IF THE CLERK COULD FIX THAT, THAT'D BE GREAT.
UM, ARE WE TRACKING ANY OF THESE YOUNG FOLKS AFTER THEY LEAVE? UH, OUR COMMISSION, WE DON'T ACTUALLY.
UM, WE HAVE SOME YOUTH COMMISSION THAT ARE NOW IN HIGHER ED.
WE HAVE SOME YOUTH COMMISSION MEMBERS THAT HAVE NOW MOVED TO THE HIGHER ED BOARD, AND SO WE WOULD BE ABLE TO TRACK THEM THAT WAY.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO WITH THE AMBASSADOR INTERNSHIP PROGRAM IS TRACK THE STUDENTS AS THEY LEAVE THE PROGRAMS. WE SHOULD PROBABLY INCLUDE OUR YOUTH COMMISSION AS WELL.
AND THERE'S A BENEFIT IN THAT, RIGHT.
ONE IS KNOWING, UM, I MEAN, IT'D BE BE GOOD FOR US TO KNOW WHERE THEY END UP.
AND THAT WAY WE CAN SEE WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE HELPING THEM, UH, PROPEL THEM, YOU KNOW, ONTO THESE NEXT LEVELS OF THEIR SUCCESS.
AND TWO, UM, EVEN IF THEY LEAVE TOWN, THERE'S AN ADVANTAGE TO REMINDING THEM EVERY FEW YEARS THAT WE LOVE 'EM, AND THAT IF THEY EVER DO COME BACK, THAT THERE'S A, THERE'S A GREAT PLACE FOR THEM HERE.
I MEAN, AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHO KNOWS, MAYBE THEY'LL BE THE NEXT BILL GATES OR THE NEXT ROBERTO TREVINO.
AND, UH, WE WANNA BRING BACK THAT BIG BRAIN BACK TO SAN ANTONIO.
UM, THE, THE OTHER THING IS, IS DURING THEIR TIME ON THIS YOUTH COMMISSION, ARE WE JUST GIVING THEM PRESENTATIONS AND ASKING FOR THEIR OPINION? OR ARE WE TRAINING THEM AND INCULCATING IN THEM LEADERSHIP SKILLS AND DEVELOPING THEM OUT? NO, I, YOU KNOW, WE, WE DO A NUMBER OF DEVELOPMENT OP PROVIDE A NUMBER OF DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES.
WE, WE DO DO THOSE PRESENTATIONS, BUT WE, UM, LIKE I SAID, WE'VE BROUGHT IN A FACILITATOR TO WORK WITH THEM ON WHAT THEY WANNA WORK ON.
UM, THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO, YOU KNOW, THIS VOTER REGISTRATION PLAN IS A GREAT EXAMPLE.
AND SO THEY, THEY WENT OUT, THEY TALKED TO PEOPLE, THEY RESEARCHED THAT.
AND SO THERE, THERE'S A NUMBER OF EXPERIENCES THAT THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO HAVE RATHER THAN JUST SITTING AND, AND WATCHING PRESENTATIONS.
UM, SO YOU, YOU MENTIONED EARLIER THAT YOU'RE GONNA BE FOCUSING ON THE NEXT LEVEL POPULATION.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? OH, THAT'S, THAT'S, OUR PROGRAM FOR DISCONNECTED YOUTH IS CALLED NEXT LEVEL.
AND THAT, IN THAT CASE, YOUTH ARE DEFINED AS 16 TO 24.
BUT THEY WOULD NOT FALL INTO A CATEGORY THAT WOULD, UM, ALLOW THEM TO SERVE ON THE YOUTH COMMISSION OR THE HIGHER EDUCATION, UH, STUDENT COMMISSION BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT IN COLLEGE AND THEY'RE NOT IN HIGH SCHOOL.
AND SO THEY WERE NOT GETTING THAT VOICE, UM, THROUGH THESE BOARDS.
THAT YOUTH VOICE WELL IN, IN TRYING TO, UM, GET THESE DISCONNECTED SAN ANTONIANS MORE CONNECTED.
AND REALLY DRILLING DOWN ON TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IT IS THAT IMPACTS THEIR LIVES AND HEARING FROM THEM AND LISTENING TO THEIR SUGGESTIONS AND TAKING THOSE INTO ACCOUNT WHEN WE COME OUT AND DO POLICY.
I, I WILL TELL YOU, I'M, I'M WORRIED ABOUT THAT FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF SORT OF THE, UH, SOME OF THE THINGS I'VE BEEN HEARING FROM CITY COUNCIL.
I MEAN, THE FIRST THING YOU'LL RUN UP AGAINST IS THAT IF YOU CREATE A COMMISSION, APPARENTLY THERE'S A MAJOR DISTINCTION WITHOUT A DIFFERENCE ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN COMMISSION AND COUNCIL.
I GOT A MEMO THIS WEEKEND THAT, UH, WAXES REPOD ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN COUNCILS AND COMMISSIONS.
I RECOMMEND ALL OF YOU READ IT.
UM, THE, UH, THE OTHER, THE OTHER PROBLEM YOU'RE GONNA GET, UM, IS THAT IF YOU DO INCLUDE, YOU KNOW, UH, WAS IT 18 TO 24 YEAR OLDS, SOMEONE'S GONNA COMPLAIN THAT 25 YEAR OLDS THROUGH INFINITY AREN'T REPRESENTED, AND THEREFORE IT'S NOT GONNA BE A MEANINGFUL BOARD.
UM, AND THEN THE THIRD THING YOU'RE GONNA GET IS AN ARGUMENT THAT IF THESE YOUNG PEOPLE REALLY DO WANT TO ENGAGE, THEY SHOULD, SHOULD JUST SERVE ON OTHER COMMISSIONS.
AND THAT OUR LISTENING TO THEM MM-HMM.
UM, ANYWAY, THAT'S SOME OF THE BRILLIANT THINKING THAT'S GOING ON AT CITY COUNCIL, SO YOU'RE GONNA RUN UP AGAINST THAT.
UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME, AND I, I APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.
[00:30:01]
ELLI, COUNCIL NIA, UH, THANK YOU CHAIR, UH, MELLY, JUST THANK YOU FOR, FOR YOUR HARD WORK.UM, UH, YOU KNOW, AS, AS, JUST TO KIND OF PICK UP WHERE MY COLLEAGUE WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT, UH, YOU KNOW, I, I DO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR INCLUDING THE NEXT LEVEL, AND I THINK IT'S, UH, IT'S AN AMAZING PROGRAM AND YEAH, I MEAN, I THINK THERE'S GONNA BE PEOPLE AND I, I, I WANNA SAY IT'S, IT'S NOT IN THIS COUNCIL, SO I WANNA THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR, FOR REALLY, UH, BEING TRULY PROACTIVE AND, AND, UH, TRULY, UH, THINKING, UH, PROGRESSIVELY ABOUT HOW WE ENGAGE OUR COMMUNITY, HOW WE ENGAGE OUR VOICES.
UH, AND SO I'M GLAD TO HEAR THE ENGAGEMENT OF THE NEXT LEVEL PROGRAM.
UH, YOU KNOW, THIS IS, UH, TRULY A MEANINGFUL THING FOR PEOPLE WHO WOULD OTHERWISE BE COMPLETELY DISCONNECTED.
SO, UM, I ENCOURAGE MOST, MOST OF MY COLLEAGUES OR ALL MY COLLEAGUES TO GO TO, UH, THE NEXT LEVEL, UH, PROGRAM OVER AT THE FRANK GARRETT CENTER AND SEE HOW IT'S WORKING.
IT'S, UH, IT'S, IT'S REALLY, I THINK IT'S QUITE AMAZING.
WHAT, WHAT'S THE CAPACITY RIGHT NOW AT NEXT LEVEL? 600? AND WE'RE GETTING CLOSE.
AND, UH, SO IT'S TRULY, TRULY, UM, DOING A, HAVING A MAJOR IMPACT.
AND I THINK IT'S ALSO HELPING TO KIND OF SHED SOME LIGHT ON, ON CONVERSATIONS THAT MAYBE WE NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT OR HAVE HAD REGARDING POPULATION THAT, THAT FEELS COMPLETELY DISCONNECTED.
UH, TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE NEXT LEVEL AND YOUTH COMMISSION.
WELL, NEXT LEVEL REALLY, LIKE I SAID, IS SERVING YOUTH WHO ARE NOT IN SCHOOL, WHO ARE NOT WORKING, UM, HAVE BEEN DISCONNECTED FROM REALLY, UM, MOST SYSTEMS FOR SOME TIME.
UM, WE HAVE DISCOVERED THAT IN, IN A LOT OF CASES, WE, UM, OVERESTIMATED THE PLACE THAT THEY WOULD COME, COME TO US IN.
UM, YOU KNOW, FOR A WHILE WE WERE SEEING AN AVERAGE OF FIFTH TO SIXTH GRADE READING LEVEL, WHICH IS A HUGE CHALLENGE.
YOU'RE NOT GONNA GET YOUR G E D VERY QUICKLY IF, IF THAT'S WHERE YOU START.
AND SO WE'VE RETOOLED, UM, AND WE CONTINUE TO RETOOL AS WE SEE MORE AND MORE CLIENTS.
UM, BUT WE ALSO HAVE SOME THAT ARE READY TO GO INTO COLLEGE.
AND WE'RE WORKING WITH ALAMO COLLEGES ON, UM, EXTENDING THE, THE PROMISE OR SOME SORT OF A TUITION, UM, SCHOLARSHIP TO THOSE STUDENTS.
UM, THEY ARE ALL 16 TO 24, AND WE PROVIDE, YOU KNOW, LONG GOODWILL IS PROVIDING EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT, UM, COUNSELING AND PLACEMENT.
AND WE ALSO HAVE COMMUNITIES AND SCHOOLS THAT'S HELPING WORK THROUGH THE MORE BEHAVIORAL SOCIAL NEEDS THAT THE STUDENTS HAVE.
I THINK THE A G C ASSOCIATION OF GENERAL CONTRACTORS ALSO MM-HMM.
WE'RE WORKING ON, YOU KNOW, HOW CAN WE CREATE, UM, INTERNSHIP OR APPRENTICESHIP TYPE PROGRAMS FOR STUDENTS WHO DON'T HAVE THEIR G E D YET.
UM, WORKING WITH THE CONTRACTORS ON WHAT THEY, WHAT THEY CAN DO WITHOUT THAT, UM, SO THAT THEY CAN EARN MONEY WHILE THEY'RE TRYING TO GET THROUGH THEIR EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS.
SO WHEN, WHEN IT GETS TO, UH, ONE OF THE KEY POINTS IN, IN YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS IS TO UPDATE THE MISSION AND GOALS OF THE SAN ANTONIO YOUTH COMMISSION.
H HOW, HOW WILL WILL ALL THESE VOICES SORT OF HELP SORT OF SHAPE THIS NEW MISSION AND GOALS? WELL, THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE WORKING ON.
SO THAT'S, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE NOT, IT'S NOT BAKED YET, BUT, UM, WE'RE KIND OF PUTTING EVERYTHING TOGETHER THAT WE'VE, WE'VE THOUGHT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHICH IS THE DISCONNECTED YOUTH, YOUTH THAT AREN'T NECESSARILY, UM, SELECTED IN, YOU KNOW, NORMALLY FOR PROGRAMS LIKE THIS, AND HOW DO WE REACH THEM.
ALSO, MAKING SURE THAT THE YOUTH COMMISSION IS REFLECTIVE, UM, OF DIVERSITY OF THE COMMUNITY.
UM, SO ALL OF THOSE THINGS WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW DO WE DO THAT? AND THAT'S WHAT WE'LL BRING BACK TO YOU IN, IN APRIL OR MAY FOR CONSIDERATION.
AND IT'LL BE INCLUDED IN THE BYLAWS.
BUT, UH, RIGHT NOW WE HAVEN'T QUITE FIGURED IT ALL OUT YET.
I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT REPORT.
AND, UM, ALSO, I THINK YOU MENTIONED SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE YOUTH THAT, UH, MAY ALSO BE L G B T Q AND MM-HMM.
UH, THINGS, UH, VERY, VERY DIFFERENTLY FROM, FROM MANY.
SO, UH, THANK YOU AGAIN, A BIG SHOUT OUT TO MY YOUTH COMMISSIONER, DEVIN MOORE, WHO JUST SHOT ME AN EMAIL, INVITED ME TO ONE OF THEIR EVENTS.
SO, UH, GREAT WORK, DEVIN, AND THANK YOU, MELODY.
UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UH, WHEN WE HEARD FROM THE COMMISSIONS IN AUGUST, UH, I WAS REALLY INSPIRED AND MOTIVATED, UH, WITH THE IDEAS THAT THEY BROUGHT FORWARD AND ALL THE WORK THEY HAD DONE.
[00:35:01]
FROM THE YOUTH COMMISSIONERS DIRECTLY, UH, I WANTED TO ASK, UM, NUMBER ONE, THEY, THEY HAD BROUGHT UP A VOTER CHALLENGE MM-HMM.UM, YOU SAID THAT THERE'D BE SOME KIND OF REPORT, OR, OR I JUST, I WANNA KNOW HOW, WHEN DOES IT KICK OFF? HOW DO WE GET INVOLVED AS COUNCIL MEMBERS? SO THE, THEIR EFFORTS WILL KICK OFF REALLY IN APRIL.
THEY'RE LOOKING AT HOW CAN, UH, BEING AT FIESTA EVENTS TO TALK ABOUT VOTER ENGAGEMENT.
OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, IT'S TOO LATE FOR VOTER, VOTER REGISTRATION FOR MAY, BUT THEY CAN ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO VOTE AND START THE PROCESS.
IT'S NOT, I THINK, THINK REGISTRATION OR MAYBE FOR EARLY, EARLY VOTING FOR MARCH 3RD.
SO, BUT BY APRIL, I'M NOT SURE PEOPLE WILL STILL BE ABLE TO REGISTER, BUT IF THEY CAN, THEY'LL TALK TO THEM ABOUT THAT.
UM, AND THEN THEY'LL REALLY BE RAMPING UP THE CHALLENGE PIECE FOR THE NOVEMBER ELECTION.
SO THEY'RE LOOKING AT HOW DO THEY, UM, WORK WITH CITY COUNCIL OFFICES TO DO A VOTER CHALLENGE? HOW DO THEY WORK WITH THE SCHOOLS? 'CAUSE THEY WANNA MAKE SURE THEY CAPTURE THOSE STUDENTS THAT ARE, UM, WILL BE ELIGIBLE, ELIGIBLE TO VOTE IN THE NOVEMBER ELECTION.
UM, AND THE PLAN THAT THEY'RE WORKING ON.
WE'LL, WE'LL HAVE COPIES OF THAT TO YOU IN THE NEXT WEEK TO TWO WEEKS.
SO SHOULD WE JUST REACH OUT TO OUR COMMISSIONERS DIRECTLY? 'CAUSE THE PRESENTATION SAYS CREATE CHALLENGE IN EACH COUNCIL DISTRICT.
AND THAT'S, THAT WAS PART OF THEIR STRATEGY THAT THEY TALKED ABOUT LAST SUMMER.
SO THAT JUST SOUNDS DIFFERENT FROM GOING TO LIKE A FIESTA IT, RIGHT.
I'M SORRY IF I'M NOT BEING CLEAR.
SO THE, THE FIESTA, THOSE ARE REALLY EFFORTS THAT THEY CAN, THEY CAN DO PRETTY QUICKLY AND THEY'LL DO THEM MM-HMM.
UH, THE VOTER CHALLENGE THEY'RE LOOKING AT, THEY FEEL LIKE WON'T REALLY KICK OFF UNTIL LATER IN THE, AND MAYBE THEY'LL WORK ON IT OVER THE SUMMER.
THEY DON'T MEET OVER THE SUMMER, BUT THEY'LL GET WITH EACH, EACH OF THEIR, UM, DISTRICT OFFICES TO WORK ON WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
SO I, MORE INFORMATION TO COME.
UM, GOING BACK TO THE ESSAY 2020 COMMISSION ON A EDUCATION, UH, AND THE DISCUSSION ABOUT AMBASSADORS AND EXPANDING THE RECRUITMENT, COULD YOU TALK ABOUT SOME SPECIFIC STRATEGIES TO, TO EXPAND RECRUITMENT? AND LET ME, UM, I'LL TELL YOU HOW I'M LOOKING AT THIS.
YOU, YOU MENTIONED THAT WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE GET PEOPLE FROM, UH, DIVERSE INCOME, UH, GEOGRAPHIC AREAS.
BUT YOU, YOU TALKED ABOUT IT BY DISTRICT.
I REALLY HOPE THAT'S NOT THE ONLY WAY WE'RE LOOKING AT IT, BECAUSE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF OUR DISTRICTS HAS, YOU KNOW, POVERTY AND HAS AFFLUENCE.
RIGHT? SO JUST, UH, JUST SAYING IT'S FROM ONE DISTRICT OR ANOTHER, WE DON'T KNOW THAT THAT ALONE IS GOING TO, TO REALLY CREATE THE DIVERSITY THAT WE WANT IN BACKGROUND.
SO, COULD YOU SPEAK SPECIFICALLY ABOUT YOUR RECRUITMENT STRATEGIES? SO WE WORK CLOSELY WITH THE COLLEGE OFFICES AS WELL.
AND SO EVERY COLLEGE OFFICE HAS A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN GO AND LOOK FOR INTERNSHIPS AND JOBS.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE EVEN HAVE COLLEGE OFFICES FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY CONTACT US EVERY YEAR.
THEY WANNA POST THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE INTERNSHIP FOR THEIR STUDENTS THAT ARE COMING BACK TO SAN ANTONIO.
UM, WE'VE WORKED CLOSELY TO, IN ORDER TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE DIVERSITY AND INCOME, WE'VE WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM AND THE, AND THE LOCAL COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES FOR THE STUDENTS THAT, UM, HAVE STAYED IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE TRACK IT BY COUNCIL DISTRICT AND WE LOOK AT APPLICATIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE GETTING APPLICATIONS FROM ALL OVER THE COMMUNITY.
UM, BUT WE ARE WORKING BEYOND THE DISTRICT BOUNDARIES ON, ON RECRUITING STUDENTS.
AND WE DO THAT THROUGH, LIKE I SAID, UM, THROUGH THE EMPLOYERS THAT HAVE HOSTED INTERNS BEFORE.
THEY'RE, EXCUSE ME, THEY'RE PUSHING THE INFORMATION OUT.
THE YOUTH COMMISSION, THE HIGHER EDUCATION.
WE WORK WITH THOSE COMMISSIONS TO PUSH IT OUT.
SO THERE REALLY ARE A NUMBER OF AVENUES THAT DON'T INVOLVE DISTRICT BOUNDARIES.
SO I UNDERSTAND YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE HOSTING, YOU'RE HOLDING 10 SPOTS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.
BUT, BUT IN TERMS OF THE OUTREACH AND THE GAPS THAT YOU WANT TO ADDRESS, DO YOU HAVE TARGETS FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, BEFORE WE BEGIN HIRING, I, I UNDERSTAND THAT SOME EMPLOYERS DO THIS, RIGHT? THEY SAY, I'M GONNA MAKE SURE I HAVE X AMOUNT WOMEN, X AMOUNT MEN, OR YOU COULD SAY, WE'RE GONNA HAVE X AMOUNT FROM THIS AREA OR THIS AREA.
LIKE, WHAT ARE, WHAT ARE YOUR TARGETS? SO WE HAVE, WHAT WE'VE DONE IS LOOKED AT, BECAUSE THE PROGRAM IS NOT INCOME BASED AND WE WANT TO PROVIDE STUDENTS FROM ALL OVER THE COMMUNITY, WE'VE LOOKED AT, WE HAVE 200 SLOTS, AND, AND WE'D LIKE, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IT'S PRETTY EVEN ACROSS COUNCIL DISTRICTS AND HOW MANY, HOW MANY STUDENTS ARE PARTICIPATING.
BUT THE PRIORITY, UM, ENROLLMENT IS STUDENTS WHO ARE FIRST GENERATION COLLEGE, OR STUDENTS WHO HAVE THE, UM, SAN ANTONIO EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP SCHOLARSHIP AND STUDENTS WHOSE,
[00:40:01]
UM, YOU KNOW, WELL, I THINK I SAID FIRST GENERATION COLLEGE.AND, AND SO THEY, THEY ACTUALLY GET HIGHER PRIORITY AS WE GO THROUGH THE LIST.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE MAKE SURE THEY'RE SERVED AND THEN WE GO BACK AND, AND, UM, RANK THE REST OF THE APPLICATIONS.
WE USE A PANEL TO LOOK AT THE APPLICATIONS, UM, STAFF FROM PARKS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HAS PARTICIPATED BEFORE.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TRYING TO GET AN, YOU KNOW, A DIVERSE POOL.
UM, SO, SO THERE'S NO TARGETS THOUGH? NO, WE DON'T SET TARGETS.
NOT EVEN IN ADVANCE OF LIKE, WE WANNA GET THIS MANY APPLICATIONS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
THE GENERAL TARGET IS THAT IT REFLECTS THE COMMUNITY THAT THE, THE POOL OF APPLICANTS REFLECT THE COMMUNITY.
AND WE DO COLLECT DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION AND, AND WE LOOK AT THAT AND REPORT ON THAT.
UM, BUT WE, WE HAVEN'T SET SPECIFIC TARGETS.
[3. 20-1920 A briefing by the consultant HomeBase on the development of a Homeless Community Plan. [Colleen M. Bridger, MPH, PhD, Assistant City Manager; Melody Woosley, Director, Human Services]]
UH, WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO ITEM THREE, UM, A BRIEFING BY THE CONSULTANT HOME BASE ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF A HOMELESS COMMUNITY PLAN.AND I THINK MEL WILL BE KICKING THAT ONE OFF TOO.
I AM GONNA KICK THAT OFF, BUT I'M NOT GOING TO PRESENT.
UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU SOME INFORMATION ABOUT ALICIA, UM, LEMAR.
LEMAR LEMAR, UM, WHO IS A POLICY ANALYST WITH HOME BASE.
AND SO, UM, AS YOU KNOW, THE STRATEGIC PLAN FUNDING WAS APPROVED IN OCTOBER.
AND HOME BASE HAS BEEN WORKING ALL OVER THIS COMMUNITY SINCE THAT OCCURRED.
THEY'VE PROBABLY SPOKEN WITH FOUR TO 500 DIFFERENT PEOPLE THROUGH, UM, STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS, COMMUNITY MEETINGS, UM, IT'S INTERVIEWS WITH, UH, CLIENTS, UM, JUST THE WHOLE GAMUT AND HAVE REALLY, UH, THEY'VE BEEN OUT ON SITE VISITS WITH S A P D AND OUR CLINICIAN.
THEY'VE, THEY'VE JUST BEEN ALL OVER THE PLACE.
AND SO THEY'VE REALLY FORMED SOME, UM, HIGH LEVEL RECOMMENDATIONS THEY WANNA TALK TO YOU TODAY ABOUT.
AND ALICIA WILL BE FACILITATING A DISCUSSION WITH YOU ALSO SO THAT, UM, WE HAVE YOUR INPUT INTO THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING THAT WILL COME OUT OF THAT PLAN.
SO I WILL TURN IT OVER TO ALICIA.
AND DID THEY GO OVER THE, JUST NEXT.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME TODAY.
UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE WONDERFUL INTRODUCTION.
UM, AND AS, AS MEL WAS SAYING, UM, I'M HERE TODAY TO GIVE YOU A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF, OF THE CURRENT PROGRESS WE'VE MADE ON THE HOMELESS STRATEGIC PLAN.
UM, I WANNA DISCUSS THE TRENDS AND INSIGHTS THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED FROM THE STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS THAT WE'VE HAD SO FAR.
AND THEN I WANT TO GATHER YOUR INPUT AND FEEDBACK ON WHAT WE'VE FOUND AND WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN TERMS OF THIS HOMELESS STRATEGIC PLAN.
SO, AS MELODY HAD SAID, UH, WE HAVE ATTENDED AND FACILITATED ABOUT 70 MEETINGS SO FAR.
UM, THAT'S BEEN IN-PERSON MEETINGS, LARGE STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS, UM, INTERVIEWS, CALLS, UM, AND WE ESTIMATE WE'VE MET WITH ABOUT 500 STAKEHOLDERS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
UM, THAT INCLUDES PERSONS WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE, UM, THROUGH FOCUS GROUPS.
UH, WE HAVE A PERSON WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE ON THE STEERING COMMITTEE.
UM, AND WE'VE ALSO HAD, UM, WE'VE HAD NEIGHBORHOOD FORUMS WHERE WE'VE HAD, UM, PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITY COME, INCLUDING PEOPLE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE.
WE'VE HAD NUMEROUS HOMELESS SERVICE PROVIDERS MEET WITH US IN LARGER STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS AS WELL AS, UH, ONE-ON-ONE.
WE'VE HAD, WE'VE MET WITH SARAH, THE SOUTH ALAMO REGIONAL ALLIANCE FOR THE HOMELESS, UM, MULTIPLE CITY DEPARTMENTS, UH, BUSINESSES, REALLY.
UM, THERE'S, THERE'S A LIST THERE, BUT IT'S BEEN REALLY EXTENSIVE AND EVERYONE HAS BEEN SO ENGAGED AND SO EXCITED TO TALK TO US, UM, PARTNERS OUTSIDE THE HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM, LIKE THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM HOSPITALS.
IT'S BEEN REALLY ROBUST AND, UM, WE'VE GAINED A LOT OF GREAT INSIGHTS FROM THOSE MEETINGS.
AND SO WHEN WE'VE TALKED TO STAKEHOLDERS, WE WANTED TO KNOW, UM, HOW THE HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM IN SAN ANTONIO IS WORKING.
AND SO WE'VE ASKED ABOUT STRENGTHS AS WELL AS AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT.
AND I REALLY THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO START WITH THE STRENGTHS BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT THAT IS HAPPENING IN SAN ANTONIO THAT'S REALLY GREAT.
UM, AND THAT WE HEARD COMING THROUGH THESE MEETINGS, INCLUDING A CAN-DO ATTITUDE AND SPIRIT OF INNOVATION.
UM, WE'VE HEARD ABOUT NUMEROUS PILOTS THAT HAVE BEEN STARTED.
UM, THERE'S A HOMELESS OUTREACH CLINICIAN THAT WAS PILOTED IN DISTRICT 10.
UM, WE'VE ALSO JUST HEARD OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE IDENTIFIED A NEED AND THEN CREATED A PROGRAM TO FILL IT, LIKE THE SS A P D HOPE ID RECOVERY PROGRAM, AND SACRED.ORG.
WE'VE HEARD OVER AND OVER AGAIN THAT SAN ANTONIO HAS A CULTURE OF COMPASSION AND EMPATHY.
WE'VE NOT ONLY HEARD THAT, WE'VE SEEN THAT WE FEEL THAT PEOPLE WANT TO HAVE A CHANGE AND THEY WANNA HELP PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
UH, WE'VE SEEN SIGNIFICANT SHORT AND LONG-TERM DECREASES
[00:45:01]
IN HOMELESSNESS.UM, SO FROM 2018 TO 19, WE SAW A 6% DECREASE IN VETERAN HOMELESSNESS, 20% DECREASE IN CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS, 40% IN YOUTH HOMELESSNESS.
AND THEN SINCE 2011, THERE'S BEEN AN OVERALL 11% DECREASE.
UM, SO THERE IS ABSOLUTELY WORK TO DO, BUT JUST TAKING THE TIME TO RECOGNIZE THOSE ACHIEVEMENTS.
UM, STRONG PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS.
SO WE SEE, UM, THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE COMING TOGETHER TO SUPPORT MODELS SUCH AS HAVEN FOR HOPE, WHICH IS SUCH AN INNOVATIVE MODEL AND PROVIDES A REALLY TRANSFORMATIONAL EXPERIENCE FOR PEOPLE THAT WE DON'T SEE IN A LOT OF COMMUNITIES.
UH, THERE'S A STRONG, WELL ESTABLISHED NETWORK OF HOMELESS SERVICE PROVIDERS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, AND WE SEE THEM COMMITTED TO COLLABORATION AND COORDINATION WITH EACH OTHER, AND THEY'RE REALLY COMING TOGETHER AT THE TABLE FOR THIS PROCESS.
WE'RE ALSO SEEING INCREASING ENGAGEMENT FROM OUTSIDE THE HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM.
AS I MENTIONED, UH, JUVENILE JUSTICE, CRIMINAL JUSTICE HOSPITALS, THEY'VE ALL BEEN COMING TOGETHER FOR THIS PROCESS.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE SEEN A COMPASSIONATE ROLE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT IN THE CITY.
UM, ONCE AGAIN, THE HOPE TEAM HAS BEEN REALLY ACTIVE IN HELPING CONNECT INDIVIDUALS TO THEIR IDS.
WE'VE HEARD POSITIVE EXPERIENCES FROM CONSUMERS OF, UM, S A P D OFFICERS, CONNECTING THEM WITH OUTREACH AND REALLY HELPING THEM TO START THEIR JOURNEY TOWARDS HOUSING AND SERVICES.
UM, AND WITH THAT, THERE'S BEEN A STRENGTH-BASED PERSON-CENTERED APPROACH TO OUTREACH IN SAN ANTONIO.
UM, DIFFERENT TYPES OF OUTREACH AND IN DIFFERENT PLACES, BUT THAT, UM, CONSUMERS OVERWHELMINGLY APPRECIATE WHAT OUTREACH IS PROVIDING TO THEM.
AND THEN AN ETHOS OF CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT.
THAT'S WHY WE ARE HERE IS THAT YO SAN ANTONIO EVEN WHERE THINGS ARE GOING WELL, YOU WANNA DO BETTER AND YOU WANNA KEEP IMPROVING YOUR SYSTEMS. AND SO WE'VE SEEN THAT IN A LOT OF OUR, UM, INTERVIEWS THAT PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW HOW THEY CAN HELP AND HOW THEY CAN TAKE THINGS TO THE NEXT LEVEL.
AND SO THEN I WANTED TO DELVE INTO THE AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED BY STAKEHOLDERS.
AND WE'VE KIND OF GROUPED THEM INTO THEMES, UM, BECAUSE WE HEARD A LOT OF THINGS COMING UP OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
AND THE FIRST BEING, UM, THE NEED FOR A MORE ROBUST CONTINUUM OF HOUSING AND SERVICES, REALLY GOING FROM THE FRONT END, UM, PREVENTION AND EMERGENCY SHELTER ALL THE WAY THROUGH TO PERMANENT AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UM, AND WHEN CONSUMERS AND STAKEHOLDERS ARE TALKING TO US ABOUT THIS, THEY REALLY WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UH, THAT THE HOUSING AND SERVICE OPTIONS REFLECT LOCAL REALITIES AND THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WORKING WITHIN THE CONSTRAINTS OF, YOU KNOW, A TIGHT HOUSING MARKET AND RISING RENTS, AND THAT THE SOLUTIONS WE COME UP WITH ARE REALISTIC TO HELP GET PEOPLE INTO HOUSING AND SERVICES.
UM, WE'VE ALSO HEARD, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE BIGGEST THEMES FROM ALL OF OUR STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS HAS BEEN, UM, CONCERNS WITH THE INCREASE IN UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS.
UM, THE VISIBILITY OF UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS.
AND THAT COMES DOWN TO, UM, EXPERIENCES OF PEOPLE IN THE STREET, IN THE DOWNTOWN DISTRICT ENCAMPMENTS AND ALSO VEHICULAR HOMELESSNESS.
AND WE ARE HEARING CONCERNS ABOUT, UM, EXPERIENCES OF MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES ON THE STREET, UM, YOU KNOW, ENCAMPMENTS THAT ARE CLEARED, AND THEN PEOPLE REEN CAMP BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE ELSE TO GO.
UM, WE ARE ALSO HEARING SAFETY CONCERNS, UM, FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS, AS WELL AS FOR TOURISTS AND NEIGHBORS, AND PEOPLE WHO, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE BEING IMPACTED BY UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS AND THEY'RE NOT SURE EXACTLY HOW THEY CAN HELP.
UM, WE ALSO HEARD A NEED FOR MORE, UM, CLINICAL OUTREACH TO THE UNSHELTERED POPULATION SO THAT WHEN WE'RE ENGAGING WITH THEM, WHEN THEY DO WANT TO ENGAGE WITH SERVICES, THAT WE'RE ABLE TO HELP THEM AND WE'RE ALSO ABLE TO NAVIGATE THEM THROUGH THE SYSTEM.
'CAUSE IT CAN BE REALLY HARD TO ACCESS BOTH HOUSING AND MENTAL HEALTH AND, YOU KNOW, ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT SOMEONE MAY NEED TO GET THEMSELVES INTO A MORE STABLE PLACE.
UH, THE THIRD THEME THAT WE HEARD WAS AN INCREASE IN COORDINATION AND COMMUNICATION.
UM, AND WE HEARD ABOUT THIS AT ALL LEVELS, THAT THERE WAS A DESIRE FOR THIS AT THE COMMUNITY LEVEL WITH THE PUBLIC AND, UM, AMONG STAKEHOLDERS AT THE PROVIDER LEVEL SO THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, SAY OUTREACH PROVIDERS OR HOMELESS PROVIDERS CAN COMMUNICATE BETTER WITH EACH OTHER.
SO BRINGING TOGETHER HOUSING, HOMELESSNESS, HEALTH, MENTAL HEALTH.
UM, WE DID HEAR FROM STAKEHOLDERS THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE WERE, THERE WAS THIS WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE AMONG DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS AND DIFFERENT PEOPLE KNEW ABOUT DIFFERENT RESOURCES, BUT THE KNOWLEDGE WASN'T ALWAYS SHARED.
SO BEING ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S KIND OF THIS CROSS INFORMATION SHARING BETWEEN, UM, BETWEEN PEOPLE AND FROM, FROM STAKEHOLDERS AND FROM PROVIDERS DOWN TO THE PUBLIC AND DOWN TO NEIGHBORS, SO THEY KNOW HOW TO HELP WITH THIS.
UM, WE ALSO HEARD A DESIRE AMONG HOMELESS SERVICE PROVIDERS, INCLUDING THE FAITH-BASED ORGAN COMMUNITY, UM, THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE COORDINATION SO THAT THERE'S NOT DUPLICATION OF SERVICES.
UM, AND THAT WE CAN IMPROVE CROSS AGENCY REFERRALS SO THAT WHEN SOMEONE DOES GET SOMEONE WHO IS HOMELESS, THEY KNOW WHERE TO REFER THEM AND WHERE
[00:50:01]
THERE IS OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT PERSON AND THAT IT'S SUITED TO THEIR NEEDS.UM, WITHIN THIS, WE'VE ALSO HEARD A DESIRE FOR MORE TRAININGS, UM, TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE, MENTAL HEALTH TRAINING, UM, CONFLICT, UH, RESOLUTION AND DEESCALATION.
UM, AND WE'VE ALSO HEARD A DESIRE FOR SUPPORT FOR BUSINESSES SO THAT THEY CAN BE ABLE TO HELP PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, WHO THEY INTERACT WITH IN THEIR DAY-TO-DAY EXPERIENCES.
UM, THE FOURTH THEME, CROSS SYSTEM PARTNERSHIPS.
I'VE ALREADY MENTIONED THIS A COUPLE TIMES, BUT WE HAD REALLY GREAT, WE'VE HAD REALLY GREAT MEETINGS WITH THE FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, AND LOCAL BUSINESS SECTORS.
UM, UNIVERSALLY THEY HAVE SAID THAT THEY WANNA BE MORE INVOLVED IN EFFORTS TO PREVENT AND END HOMELESSNESS IN SAN ANTONIO, BUT THEY JUST, THEY NEED SOME CAPACITY BUILDING, THEY NEED HELP, THEY NEED RESOURCES TO DO THAT.
UM, SO IDENTIFYING THE WAYS THAT WE CAN PROVIDE THEM WITH SUPPORT TO, UM, EFFECT EFFECTIVELY ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS IN THEIR ROLES.
UM, WE HEARD A DESIRE FOR MORE FUNDING FOR HOMELESS AND HOUSING SERVICES, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE GONNA CREATE MORE SERVICES AND SHELTER, UH, THERE WAS, THERE WAS CONCERN THAT WE WOULD NEED MORE FUNDING TO DEVELOP SHELTER, PERMANENT HOUSING, UM, AND ALSO THAT, THAT FUNDING BE FLEXIBLE, UM, SO THAT WE CAN PAY FOR THINGS THAT MIGHT NOT BE FUNDED, SAY, THROUGH FEDERAL FUNDING.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THINGS LIKE PROVIDING ONE-TIME ASSISTANCE SO SOMEONE CAN AVOID HOMELESSNESS, UM, THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE HEARD ABOUT.
AND THEN ALSO CONCERNS OVER WHETHER EXISTING FUNDS ARE BEING UTILIZED TO THE BEST OF THEIR ABILITY.
SO KIND OF GOING BACK TO THAT DEDUPLICATION OF SERVICES, MAKING SURE THAT WHERE WE'RE USING FUNDS IS, IS WHERE THEY COULD BEST BE UTILIZED.
AND THAT WE'RE, UM, WE'RE AWARE OF ALL OF THE RESOURCES THAT ARE OUT THERE.
AND THEN THE FINAL THEME THAT WE HEARD WAS REALLY FOCUSED ON SERVING SUBPOPULATIONS OF PERSONS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE HEARD THE NEED FOR DISTINCT INTERVENTIONS AND STRATEGIES FOR, UM, A NUMBER OF PARTICULAR GROUPS, INCLUDING SENIORS, PERSONS WITH HISTORIES OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE INVOLVEMENT, SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND YOUTH.
UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAD, WE WERE ABLE TO MEET WITH SPECIFIC STAKEHOLDERS AROUND THOSE MEETINGS, UM, AND AROUND THOSE TOPICS, BUT ALSO THESE ARE THEMES THAT CAME UP FROM CONSUMERS WHO TOLD US, YOU KNOW, I HAVE, I HAVE A CRIMINAL RECORD AND IT'S, THERE'S THESE BARRIERS THAT I KEEP FACING.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE HEARD IT BOTH FROM THE HOMELESS PROVIDER SIDE AND FROM THE CONSUMER SIDE, THAT THERE ARE VERY DISTINCT INTERVENTIONS THAT ARE NEEDED FOR DIFFERENT POPULATIONS.
AND SO THESE ARE SOME PRELIMINARY RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, JUST VERY PRELIMINARY BASED ON WHAT WE'VE HEARD FROM THE QUALITATIVE DATA SO FAR.
UM, WE'RE ALSO DOING QUANTITATIVE DATA ANALYSIS, AND WE'RE GONNA BE BUILDING THESE OUT AND PROVIDING MORE RECOMMENDATIONS.
BUT, UM, OUR PRELIMINARY RECOMMENDATIONS ARE INCREASING THE INVESTMENT IN COMMUNITY-BASED HOUSING AND SERVICE OPTIONS.
UM, SO WE'VE HEARD THERE ARE A LOT OF PROVIDERS AND AGENCIES THAT WANT TO HAVE MORE, YOU KNOW, THEY WANNA CREATE MORE PROGRAMS, THEY WANNA BE MORE INVOLVED.
SO HELPING BUILD THEIR CAPACITY AND HELP CONNECT THEM TO FUNDING, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S ALREADY OUT THERE AND THEY HAVEN'T APPLIED, OR, YOU KNOW, PROVIDING OPTIONS FOR LOANS.
REALLY BUILDING ON THAT DESIRE HERE TO DO SOMETHING BECAUSE THERE IS A REALLY STRONG DESIRE TO BUILD MORE AND TO CREATE MORE.
UM, SO AS I MENTIONED, THERE WAS A PILOT FOR A HOMELESS CLINICIAN, UM, OUTREACH POSITION, AND THAT WAS UNIVERSALLY WELL RECEIVED.
UM, THE HOMELESS OUTREACH CLINICIAN HAS DONE A GREAT JOB OF REACHING PEOPLE, EXPERIENCING UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS, WHO ARE OFTEN DIFFICULT TO ENGAGE, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, MAY BE RESISTANT TO TAKING SERVICES AT FIRST.
SO THIS PILOT, THEY ALSO WORK WITH SS A P D, THEY'VE HAD REALLY GREAT SUCCESS.
AND SO WE RECOMMEND EXPANDING THAT PILOT AND CONTINUING TO BUILD UPON THE POSITIVE ENCOUNTERS THAT PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS HAVE HAD WITH, WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AND WITH, UM, WITH OUTREACH PROVIDERS.
WE ALSO RECOMMEND CONDUCTING AN ANALYSIS OF FREQUENT USERS OF PUBLIC RESOURCES.
SO THESE WOULD BE, UM, HOSPITALS, UH, CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, ANY KIND OF PUBLIC SYSTEMS, UM, SEEING WHO IS KIND OF HITTING THOSE SYSTEMS THE MOST.
AND THEN REALLY TRYING TO HELP THEM NAVIGATE THOSE SYSTEMS AND TRYING TO CONNECT THEM TO MORE PERMANENT SOLUTIONS.
SO WE DON'T SEE, WE DON'T SEE THEM REENGAGING WITH THE HOSPITAL OVER AND OVER AGAIN THAT WE CAN PROVIDE THEM WITH MORE STABLE CONNECTIONS.
UM, AND SO THAT WAS START OUT WITH SOMETHING LIKE SYSTEMS NAVIGATION AND THEN, UM, YOU KNOW, KIND OF PROGRESSIVELY ENGAGING PEOPLE THAT IF THAT DOESN'T WORK, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT HOUSING INTERVENTIONS.
UM, AND THEN DEVELOPING DETAILED PRIORITIZATION POLICIES AND INTERVENTIONS FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS.
UM, WE KNOW THAT UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST CONCERNS IN SAN ANTONIO RIGHT NOW.
UM, SO MAKING SURE THAT THERE ARE SOME SET ASIDE UNITS FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS, BUT ALSO THAT WE'RE REALLY UTILIZING OUTREACH TO BUILD THE STRENGTHS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE, UM, RESIDING ON THE STREETS OR IN ENCAMPMENTS AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE IN A GOOD PLACE WHEN THEY DO ACCESS HOUSING AND SERVICES SO THAT THEY CAN BE, UM, STRONG AND SUSTAINABLE IN THOSE HOUSING
[00:55:01]
INTERVENTIONS.SO, AND AS IT SAYS HERE, THE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE DRAFT ONLY.
UM, THE FINAL REPORT WILL BE ISSUED IN APRIL.
AND SO IN TERMS OF OUR NEXT STEPS, UM, FROM NOW THROUGH MARCH, WE'RE GONNA BE CONTINUING OUR ANALYSIS, BOTH QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE MORE MEETINGS.
I HAVE A COUPLE MORE MEETINGS TODAY.
UM, WE'RE GONNA KEEP GETTING, WE HAVE, WE'VE RECEIVED EMAILS FROM CITIZENS.
UM, WE'RE GONNA KEEP COLLECTING ALL OF THAT INFORMATION AND MAKING SURE IT'S REFLECTED IN THE PLAN.
UM, WE'RE ALSO GONNA BE LOOKING AT BEST PRACTICES, SYSTEM MAPPING, UM, AND OTHER THINGS THAT REALLY IMPACT HOW THE HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM IS WORKING.
UM, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO IDENTIFY, DEFINE, AND REFINE OUR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ACTION AND CREATE A MARKETING PLAN FOR THIS AS WELL AS THE FIVE TO 10 YEAR HOMELESS STRATEGIC PLAN.
AND WE'RE GONNA HELP BUILD SUPPORT FOR THE HOMELESS STRATEGIC PLAN AMONG CROSS SYSTEMS PARTNERS.
ON APRIL 8TH, WE'LL BE PRESENTING THE HOMELESS STRATEGIC PLAN TO CITY COUNCIL, AND THEN FROM APRIL TO SEPTEMBER WE'LL BE PROVIDING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ON IMPLEMENTING THE HOMELESS STRATEGIC PLAN.
SO WITH THAT, I AM HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.
AND I ALSO WANTED TO OPEN THIS UP FOR DISCUSSION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHETHER OR NOT THESE FINDINGS RESONATE WITH YOU.
UM, IF THE TOPICS THAT I MENTIONED SOUND RIGHT, OR IF WE THINK THAT WE'RE MISSING SOMETHING.
UM, AND IF THERE'S ANY ADDITIONAL INPUT YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THE, THE HOMELESS STRATEGIC PLAN.
UH, I THINK WE SPOKE ON THE PHONE WHEN WE DID OUR INTERVIEW, RIGHT? YES.
I SAW SOME OF MY RECOMMENDATIONS IN HERE OR COMMENTS, SO THANKS.
WE'LL START WITH COUNCILWOMAN ROCHE GARCIA.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION TODAY.
FIRST ON THE FIVE TO 10 YEAR PLAN THAT WE'RE PUTTING TOGETHER.
WELL, FIRST OF ALL, IT, I KEEP SEEING IT AS A HOMELESS COMMUNITY PLAN.
IS IT HOMELESSNESS REDUCTION? LIKE, I, I GUESS I, I'M LOOKING FOR A LITTLE BIT MORE MEAT ON WHAT YOU'RE RECOMMENDING THE GOALS SPECIFICALLY TO ADDRESS, OR IS THAT WHAT YOU'LL BE DEVELOPING AFTER YOU GET SOME FURTHER INPUT OR HELP ME UNDERSTAND THE TIMELINE AS TO GOALS? YEAH.
SO THE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE GOING TO BE FOCUSED ON HOW WE CAN REDUCE HOMELESSNESS IN SAN ANTONIO.
UM, AND NOT JUST REDUCE IT, BUT ALSO LIKE HOW WE CAN CREATE A BETTER HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM.
SO IMPROVING COORDINATION, COMMUNICATION, UM, YOU KNOW, ALL THESE DIFFERENT AREAS THAT CAN, THAT WORK TOWARDS THE GOAL OF REDUCING HOMELESSNESS.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT THE KIND OF ALSO DEAL WITH THE PERIPHERY OF HOW WE MAKE THE SYSTEM WORK AS BEST AS IT CAN.
UM, AND SO THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS WILL BE FINAL IN OUR APRIL 8TH VERSION THAT WE PRESENT TO CITY COUNCIL.
UM, I SEE SOME MISSING STAKEHOLDERS AND THEY MIGHT BE IN THERE, SO JUST HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHERE, WHERE THEY ARE.
SO LIKE, FOR INSTANCE, THE CURRENT HOMELESS, HOMELESS POPULATION, UM, I, I GUESS, ARE THEY INCLUDED IN THE LIVED EXPERIENCE PORTION? YES.
SO, AND, UH, SO WE'RE ACTIVELY GOING AND, AND TALKING TO THESE FOLKS.
I'M, I'M ASSUMING THAT PART OF IT WAS DURING THE, UM, UH, POINT IN TIME COUNT THAT YOU PROBABLY TALKED TO SOME OF THESE FOLKS.
SO WE ACTUALLY DID, UM, WE'VE DONE MULTIPLE FOCUS GROUPS.
UM, WE DID A FOCUS GROUP WITH PEOPLE, UM, IN HAVEN FOR HOPE IN THE COURTYARD, UM, FOR PEOPLE ON THE CAMPUS SIDE.
AND THEN WE DID A FOCUS GROUP FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS.
UM, WE'VE ALSO INVITED PEOPLE, UM, WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE TO ANY OF THE OPEN COMMUNITY MEETINGS.
UM, SO THE COMMUNITY FORUMS. AND THEN, UM, WE'VE HAD ONE-ON-ONE INTERACTIONS WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE EITHER CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS ARE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED HOMELESSNESS.
UM, SO THOSE HAVE BEEN PHONE CALLS AND MEETINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO HAVE.
AND WITHIN THOSE SETS, UM, ARE YOU ALSO TALKING TO LIKE FAMILIES VERSUS INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS ON THEIR OWN? SO WE'VE BEEN, WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET AS MANY STAKEHOLDER GROUPS AS POSSIBLE.
SO PEOPLE WITH LIVE OUR, UM, EXPERIENCES OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, UM, AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE HISTORIES.
UH, WE'VE HAD A COUPLE FAMILIES, BUT THAT'S BEEN A HARDER POPULATION TO ENGAGE.
SO THAT IS DEFINITELY AN AREA WE ARE STILL WORKING ON FOR THE FINAL VERSION OF THE PLAN.
BECAUSE I KEEP HEARING THAT THE AMOUNT OF FAMILIES THAT ARE BECOMING HOMELESS ARE INCREASING, AND SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S ADDRESSED.
UM, ANOTHER POPULATION OR SUB POP THAT I, I ALSO HEAR ABOUT, AND THIS MIGHT BE BECAUSE OF MY WORK, UM, COLLEGE HOMELESSNESS.
AND SO, UH, SOME OF THEM MIGHT BE COVERED UNDER THE VEHICULAR, UH, HOMELESSNESS BECAUSE A LOT OF KIDS STAY IN THEIR VEHICLES, ET CETERA.
I, I, I KNOW I'VE HEARD A LOT, SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH THE COLLEGES TO, UM, ADDRESS THAT OR, OR TO KIND OF HAVE A SUBPOPULATION OF THAT AS WELL.
AND WE ACTUALLY, WE'VE BEEN WORKING, UM, REALLY CLOSELY.
UM, SAN ANTONIO IS THE RECIPIENT OF A YOUTH HOMELESSNESS DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM, UM, WHICH IS AMAZING.
THAT'S A FANTASTIC ACHIEVEMENT.
UM, AND SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH THEM TO FIGURE OUT THE STRATEGIES FOR YOUTH EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, AS WELL AS THAT DISTINCT POPULATION OF STUDENTS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
UM, SO WE'RE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THEM TO MAKE SURE WE ALIGN OUR GOALS.
[01:00:01]
IN ANOTHER SUBPOPULATION THAT I DIDN'T, UH, I, I SEE IT REFERENCED, BUT PARTICULARLY STAKEHOLDERS THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH, I'M ASSUMING WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH THE VA.AND I THINK THAT WE, ARE WE MEETING WITH THE VA THIS TIME ARE, I THINK WE, WE HAVE PLANS TO MEET WITH THE VA IN PARTICULAR.
UM, AND WE HAVE HAD SOME CONSUMERS WITH VETERAN EXPERIENCE.
UM, BUT MEETING WITH THE VA IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS STILL ON OUR LIST.
UM, AND WE'VE HEARD THAT QUITE A FEW TIMES THROUGH AS A PREVENTION TACTIC.
UM, BUT THAT, THAT CAN BE APPLIED ANYWHERE IN THE SYSTEM.
UM, REALLY PREVENTION AND DIVERSION IN TERMS OF, UM, IDENTIFYING PEOPLE'S EXISTING RESOURCES.
SO EVEN IF THEY'VE BEEN ON THE STREET FOR A LITTLE WHILE, UM, REALLY TARGETING OUTREACH TO HELPING THEM FIND WHAT THEY CAN LEVERAGE.
UM, BUT YES, FAMILY, UM, ENGAGEMENT, REUNIFICATION, FAMILY FINDING ARE ALL THINGS THAT WE'VE HEARD COME UP QUITE A FEW TIMES.
THE OTHER ITEM IS, UM, I KNOW FUNDING IS GOING TO BE CRITICAL.
SO HAVE YOU IDENTIFIED ANY CITIES THAT ARE OFFERING, UH, HOMELESS, HOMELESS SERVICES OR EVEN HOUSING WHO'S DOING A GREAT JOB? AND WILL THOSE BE PRESENTED IN APRIL? YES.
SO WE'LL BE, UM, WE'LL BE PROVIDING SOME, UM, I DON'T WANNA SAY COMPARISONS, BUT WE'LL BE PULLING BEST PRACTICES FROM OTHER COMMUNITIES WHILE ALSO RECOGNIZING THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S LOCAL DIFFERENCES IN REALITIES TO SAN ANTONIO.
SO WE'LL PROVIDE SOME EXAMPLES OF WHAT OTHER COMMUNITIES ARE DOING, UM, AND THEN HOW WE CAN ADAPT THOSE TO SAN ANTONIO'S DISTINCT, UM, DISTINCT EXPERIENCES.
AND MY FINAL QUESTION IS ON THE MARKETING PLAN THAT WE ARE CREATING, UM, WHAT'S THE VISION FOR IT? OR BLESS YOU MAYBE, OR WHAT ARE SOME OF THE GRASSROOTS EFFORTS THAT ARE GONNA BE DEPLOYED AND WHO'S OUR TARGET AUDIENCE FOR THE MARKETING PLAN? NO, THAT'S AN EXCELLENT QUESTION.
THE MARKETING PLAN IS REALLY TARGETED TOWARDS, UM, THE COMMUNITY, UM, NEIGHBORS BUSINESSES.
UM, IT'S GOING TO BE LESS IN THE WEEDS AND LESS OF THE, UM, NITTY GRITTY OF THE HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM AND MORE OF, YOU KNOW, HOW CAN, HOW CAN YOU HELP WHAT IS GOING ON? WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE CURRENT HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM? UM, AND IT'S JUST GONNA BE A LITTLE BIT HIGHER LEVEL.
UM, BUT IT'LL TOUCH BACK TO THE FULL PLAN SO THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED CAN DELVE INTO THAT.
BUT JUST A STEP UP SO THAT PEOPLE WHO AREN'T FAMILIAR WITH ALL OF THE TERMINOLOGY AND ALL OF THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING,
UM, WE HAD A HOMELESSNESS FORUM DISCUSSION IN DISTRICT FOUR, AND YOU ALL REFERENCED IT.
UM, ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT WE HEARD DURING THIS SESSION IS WE HEARD EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING GREAT, AND, AND THAT TOOK UP MOST OF THE TIME.
UM, AND SO I, I JUST WANNA BE CAREFUL TO LEARN FROM THAT, THAT IN, IN WHATEVER WE PUT TOGETHER THE PLAN, YES, WE HAVE GREAT PEOPLE DOING GREAT THINGS, BUT WE DON'T USE TOO MUCH OF, OF WHAT WE'RE DOING.
AND FOCUS ON, UH, MAYBE OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AND, AND THANK YOU FOR DIVING INTO THE WEEDS, AS YOU SAY, TO GET, UM, WHAT WE CAN DO BETTER.
UM, COUNCILWOMAN ROCHA GARCIA TOUCHED ON A LOT OF THE, THE QUESTIONS THAT I DID HAVE WHEN IT COMES TO THE COLLEGE STUDENTS AND, AND HOMELESSNESS AND ALSO THE VA POPULATION.
UM, MORE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE ARE, HAVE YOU DONE AN INVENTORY OF VACANT PROPERTIES SUCH AS APARTMENTS OR HOTELS THAT COULD BE USED TOWARDS, UH, REHABILITATION FOR, UM, HOUSING? YEAH, SO THAT IS ONE OF OUR MORE, UH, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S QUANTITATIVE, BUT THAT'S ONE OF OUR MORE LIKE, RESEARCH INTENSIVE THINGS THAT WE'RE GONNA BE WORKING ON BETWEEN NOW AND THE FINAL PLAN.
AND THEN WHEN IT COMES TO, UM, HELPING THOSE THAT ARE HOMELESS WITH INCOME, UH, SUFFICIENCIES, SUCH AS REACHING OUT TO SOCIAL SECURITY, THE VA DISABILITY, UM, HAVE THOSE BEEN IMPLEMENTED INTO THE STRATEGIC PLAN? UM, SO THAT IS DEFINITELY FEEDBACK THAT WE'VE GOTTEN, PARTICULARLY FROM CONSUMERS WITH LIVED EXPERIENCES THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE MISSING THAT CONNECTION EITHER TO EMPLOYMENT OR, UM, INCOME RESOURCES.
AND SO WE ARE LOOKING INTO WAYS THAT WE CAN SUPPORT THAT WE'VE HEARD, UM, FROM SOME PROVIDERS, THINGS THAT ARE ALREADY EXISTING THAT MIGHT BE ABLE TO BE MAXIMIZED BETTER.
UM, AND THEN THERE ARE ALSO SOME THINGS SUCH AS A SOAR THAT WE CAN, WE CAN LOOK INTO, AND WE HAVE SOME, SOME PROVIDERS WHO HAVE TALKED TO US ABOUT HOW WE CAN BETTER IMPLEMENT THAT.
SO WE DO HAVE SOME IDEAS WE NEED TO DIG A LITTLE BIT FURTHER INTO THE WEEDS OF HOW WE CAN IMPLEMENT THEM IN A REAL WAY.
SO BEYOND JUST RECOMMENDING THEM, LIKE WHAT WE'LL LOOK LIKE TO GET THEM ON THE GROUND HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND THEN WHEN IT COMES TO, I KNOW WITH MEDICAL RECORDS, WE HAVE THE ELECTRONIC MEDICAL SYSTEM THAT KIND OF SPEAKS INTO, UH, THE HOSPITALS AND PROVIDERS.
[01:05:01]
DATABASE THAT WILL BE CREATED THAT CAN DO THE SAME TO KEEP A TRACK OF THOSE THAT ARE COMING THROUGH THE HOMELESS PROGRAMS AND WHERE THEY START, UM, WHERE THEY'VE ENDED UP, IF THEY'RE COMING BACK THROUGH THE SYSTEM THAT CAN KIND OF TALK TO EACH AGENCY OR EACH PROVIDER? YEAH, SO IN THE HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM, WE DO HAVE, UM, H M I SS, WHICH SERVES THAT FUNCTION NOW, BUT WE ARE DEFINITELY LOOKING AT WAYS THAT WE CAN, UM, IMPROVE THE WAY THAT H M I S INTERACTS WITH, LIKE YOU SAID, THE HOSPITALS AND WITH THE JU UM, THE JUSTICE SYSTEM, SO THAT AS PEOPLE ARE TOUCHING DIFFERENT SYSTEMS, WE'RE GETTING THOSE REFLECTED.AND WE DON'T HAVE, UH, WE'RE TRYING TO ALSO DEDUPLICATE EFFORTS ONCE AGAIN SO THAT, UM, PEOPLE'S RECORDS AREN'T JUST EXISTING IN FIVE DIFFERENT PLACES.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE COORDINATED ENTRY IN SAN ANTONIO, WHICH HELPS TO, UM, IT HELPS TO STREAMLINE GETTING PEOPLE YOU CAN SEE WHEN PEOPLE ARE ENTERING AND HELP CONNECT THEM TO PRIORITIZE THEM FOR SERVICES AND CONNECT THEM TO RESOURCES QUICKER.
SO WE DO HAVE THOSE, AND NOW IT'S ABOUT KIND OF MAXIMIZING THOSE AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE AS EFFICIENT AS POSSIBLE.
AND I KNOW THAT, UM, THE TEXAS VETERANS COMMISSION, UM, WE'RE DOING A LOT OF FUNDING THROUGH THE SAM SHELTER AND, AND THROUGH, UH, DIFFERENT MINISTRIES.
AND THEN THERE WAS A, A TAKING AWAY OF THAT, THAT FUNDING FOR THOSE THAT WERE LOOKING TO FACE EVICTIONS OR BEHIND ON RENT, UM, HAD WE INVESTIGATED WHERE THE FUNDING THAT WE USED TO GET HAS GONE.
AND THEN WHAT ARE WE DOING TO GET THAT FUNDING BACK INTO THE SYSTEM? WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT.
AND THEN LAST AND FINALLY, WHEN IT COMES TO, ONCE WE HAVE A PERSON THAT WE'RE PUTTING INTO A, A, A HOUSING SITUATION, ARE WE PARTNERING WITH ANY OTHER FURNITURE COMPANIES TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE BEDDING AND, AND THINGS SUFFICIENT, ESPECIALLY FOR FAMILIES THAT HAVE SMALLER CHILDREN? YEAH, SO THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
AND THAT'S, UM, WHEN I TALKED ABOUT THE FLEXIBLE FUNDING, THAT'S A LOT OF WHAT WE'RE HEARING IS THAT PEOPLE NEED SUPPORT FOR FURNITURE AND THINGS LIKE CHILDCARE.
UM, THESE THINGS THAT AREN'T OFTEN COVERED BY THE HOMELESS FUNDS THAT WE HAVE.
UM, WE'RE EVEN SEEING THAT GAP FILLED THE MOST IS USUALLY THROUGH FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS.
UM, SO WE'RE WORKING REALLY CLOSELY WITH, WE, WE REALLY WANNA BRING FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS MORE INTO THE FOLD OF THE HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM 'CAUSE THEY ARE FILLING SO MANY OF THESE GAPS.
UM, BUT ALSO TRYING TO PARTNER WITH MORE, UM, BUSINESSES AND PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS AND NONPROFITS TO FILL THAT ROLE TOO IS AN ABSOLUTELY AN OPPORTUNITY.
SO YES, AND WE'RE LOOKING AT THE FAITH-BASED.
AND THEN ARE, DO WE HAVE GRANT WRITERS THAT ARE A PART OF THE, THE STAKEHOLDERS THAT CAN ASSIST US WITH GETTING THE FEDERAL FUNDING? UM, OR ANY KIND OF OTHER GRANT FUNDING TO PUSH TOWARDS THE INITIATIVE? UM, I THINK THAT WOULD BE SARAH, RIGHT? THAT, UM, THE SOUTH ALAMO REGIONAL ALLIANCE FOR HOMELESS, LIKE THEY WOULD BE FILLING THAT ROLE.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
AND IT'S, UH, SO IT'S A WELCOME THE DISCUSSION AND, UH, LOOK FORWARD TO, TO WORKING WITH YOU AND SEEING THE FINAL, UM, RECOMMENDATIONS.
BUT THERE'S A COUPLE THINGS THAT, THAT I DIDN'T SEE.
UM, NUMBER ONE, IN YOUR EXPERIENCE, WHAT IS THE LIKELIHOOD OF, OF RENTERS VERSUS HOMEOWNERS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS? UM, HAVE YOU, HAVE YOU LOOKED AT THAT? UM, NATIONWIDE, WE SEE RENTERS EXPERIENCE IT AT A MUCH HIGHER RATE, DIGGING INTO WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IN SAN ANTONIO AS PART OF OUR QUANTITATIVE DATA ANALYSIS THAT MY, UM, MY COLLEAGUE COLIN IS DOING RIGHT NOW.
UM, BUT USUALLY THE CHALLENGE IS THAT WITH RENTERS, ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE AN EVICTION ON YOUR, IT BECOMES MUCH HARDER TO GET ANY KIND OF, YOU KNOW, IT, IT CAN ALSO MESS UP YOUR CREDIT.
SO ONCE SOMETHING GOES BAD WITH ONE RENTAL EXPERIENCE, IT JUST KIND OF SPIRALS INTO HAVING NEGATIVE EXPERIENCES FOR THE REST OF YOUR RENTAL CAREER.
UM, BUT IN TERMS OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, WE WILL BE DIGGING INTO THAT THROUGH OUR QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS.
AND THAT'LL BE PART OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS? YES.
I, I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE HAVING A, A TIMELY DISCUSSION ABOUT RENTERS RIGHT NOW, AND I I THINK THAT'LL HELP OUR DISCUSSION MOVE ALONG.
UM, ALSO WHAT I THINK IS, IS ALSO YOU, YOU, YOU HAVE A COMMUNICATION STRATEGY.
UH, RIGHT NOW WE'RE EXPERIENCING, UH, SORT OF A LOT OF HOTSPOTS, ESPECIALLY ALONG THE I 10 CORRIDOR.
AND, UH, I HAVE A COUPLE OF NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE EXPERIENCING, UH, SORT OF THE BRUNT OF HOMELESSNESS AND, AND MAYBE SOME TRANSIENT GOING THROUGH THAT AREA.
[01:10:02]
WHAT, WHAT I THINK WE, WHAT I'D LIKE TO HEAR IS HOW THE STRATEGIC PLAN IS GONNA HELP TO COMMUNICATE THE VALUE OF, OF A MORE HOLISTIC, COMPASSIONATE APPROACH VERSUS A, A MORE HEAVY HANDED APPROACH TO, TO HOMELESSNESS.UM, YOU KNOW, I JUST, UH, SENT AN EMAIL A LITTLE WHILE AGO ABOUT CREATING A CLEANUP PLAN, BUT BEING MINDFUL THAT, THAT WE KNOW THERE'S CERTAINLY A LOT OF PERSONAL PROPERTY RIGHTS, AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT SIMPLY THROWING AWAY THINGS JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE UNSIGHTLY, BECAUSE THERE, THERE MAY BE IDS AND, AND, AND CERTAIN, UH, YOU KNOW, VERY IMPORTANT, UH, THINGS THAT, UH, THAT, THAT PEOPLE NEED.
UH, SO WE WANNA BE VERY, VERY MINDFUL OF THAT.
TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT, ABOUT HOW, HOW WILL YOU COMMUNICATE THIS TO OUR RESIDENTS? BECAUSE I, I THINK THIS IS KIND OF SOMETHING THAT WE ALSO NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND THE RESIDENTS IN THESE AREAS OR, OR KIND OF UNDERSTANDING WHAT THIS PLAN IS ABOUT AND, AND THE VALUE OF IT.
AND, UM, MY COLLEAGUE PATRICK, I KNOW IN, UM, SOME OF THE COMMUNITY FORUMS HAS TALKED ABOUT HOW ACROSS THE NATION WE'VE SEEN THAT EFFORTS TO CRIMINALIZE AND PENALIZE HOMELESSNESS, UH, JUST REALLY DON'T WORK.
UM, WE DON'T, WE SEE IF YOU TRY AND PUT PEOPLE IN JAIL OR YOU TRY AND, UM, JUST TAKE THEIR PROPERTY, THE RESULT IS JUST THAT THEY BECOME MORE UNTETHERED AND THEY BECOME, YOU KNOW, THEY END UP EXPERIENCING EVEN MORE SEVERE CYCLES OF HOMELESSNESS AND IT BECOMES CHRONIC.
UM, SO WE DEFINITELY PLAN ON, AND AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE'VE HEARD, YOU KNOW, OVERWHELMINGLY THAT PEOPLE DO WANT A COMPASSIONATE APPROACH, AND THAT WHEN YOU INVEST IN PROVIDING PEOPLE WITH OUTREACH AND SERVICES AND HOUSING, THAT THAT'S WHAT HELPS SOLVE HOMELESSNESS, NOT, UM, YOU KNOW, PUTTING PEOPLE IN JAIL OR CRIMINALIZING THEM.
UH, SO WE DO PLAN ON REALLY MAKING THAT DISTINCTION, THAT THE, AND THAT IT SAVES MONEY.
I MEAN, I KNOW THAT'S NOT THE ARGUMENT THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT ALWAYS, UM, THE MOST COMPASSIONATE ARGUMENT, BUT I THINK THAT THAT WORKS FOR SOME PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT WHEN WE ARE INVESTING IN THINGS LIKE SHELTER AND HOUSING AND SERVICES, UM, IT ENDS UP HAVING A NET BENEFIT FOR, FOR THE ENTIRE PUBLIC.
UM, SO WE CAN PROVIDE INFORMATION ON KIND OF THOSE NATIONAL TRENDS THAT WE'VE SEEN WHERE INVESTING MORE IN HOUSING AND SERVICES RESULTS IN LOWER PUBLIC COST AND INCREASES IN MOVING PEOPLE OUT OF UNSHELTERED SITUATIONS AND INTO STABLE HOUSING.
YEAH, I, I HOPE TO HAVE IN PARTY RECOMMENDATIONS THAT, YOU KNOW, SOME LANGUAGE THAT HELPS TO COMMUNICATE THAT TO, TO OUR RESIDENTS, ESPECIALLY IN, IN SOME OF THESE HOTSPOTS.
YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, WE HEAR A LOT IS JUST THE FRUSTRATION THAT, UH, CERTAIN AREAS THAT, THAT SEE A LOT OF TRANSIENTS, A LOT OF HOMELESS, UH, WITH REGARDS TO SIMPLE THINGS LIKE TRASH.
UH, BUT THEN OF COURSE IT SPILLS OVER AND, AND IT, AND IT, UH, THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE REQUESTING SORT OF, UH, MORE OF A, AN ENFORCEMENT OR A KIND OF, AS YOU POINTED OUT, UH, AN APPROACH THAT, THAT ASKS THE CITY TO ARREST THE PROBLEM AWAY.
AND I, I CERTAINLY, I'M, I'M AGAINST THAT, UH, BUT I, I THINK MOST OF OUR COMMUNITY, UH, IS REALLY, UH, SOMEWHAT, UH, NOT AS PRIVY TO SORT OF THE, THIS SORT OF HOLISTIC APPROACH AND, AND WHY IT WORKS AND, UH, WHY IT'S MUCH BETTER, AS YOU POINTED OUT.
IT'S CERTAINLY, WE, WE WANT A COMPASSIONATE APPROACH, BUT IT'S ALSO, UH, SAVING THE CITY MONEY.
SO EVEN IF THAT'S AN ARGUMENT, IT'S, IT HELPS TO, TO HAVE THAT INFORMATION THAT WE CAN DISTRIBUTE TO OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR NEIGHBORHOODS TO HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHY THE CITY IS CHOOSING THIS ROUTE VERSUS A MORE HEAVY HANDED ONE.
NO, I REALLY APPRECIATE THOSE COMMENTS.
AND I THINK THAT AS WE'RE DEVELOPING THAT MARKETING PLAN, REALLY MAKING SURE WE'RE DOING SO, UM, WITH NEIGHBORHOOD OR COMMUNITY FEEDBACK AND MAKING SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, IT MAKES SENSE FROM, FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF SOMEONE WHO'S NOT IN THE WEEDS WITH THIS ISSUE ALL THE TIME.
AND THAT PRESENTS THESE TOPICS FROM, FROM A COMPASSIONATE POINT OF VIEW.
UM, I REALLY APPRECIATE THOSE COMMENTS, AND WE WILL BE TAKING THAT INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN WE DO THE MARKETING PLAN.
AND LASTLY, UH, WE, WE JUST, UM, PASSED, UH, THE, THE, UM, THE APPROVAL TO, TO PURCHASE A, A, A PORTABLE SHOWER UNIT.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I, THE, THE, THE BENEFIT OF THIS PORTABLE SHOWER UNIT IS IT'S, IT'S OWNED BY THE CITY COUNCIL.
SO WE'RE GONNA BE, UH, WORKING TO TRY TO DISTRIBUTE THAT IN, UH, IN DIFFERENT DISTRICTS.
AND I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO, TO ALSO INCLUDE THAT IN YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS OF HOW WE COULD DEPLOY THAT, HOW EACH COUNCIL MEMBER CAN MAYBE LOOK AT, UM, A, A VERY CAREFUL LOOK AT AND HOW THIS PORTABLE SHOWER CAN, CAN, CAN BE UTILIZED AND HOW, HOW WE CAN MAYBE
[01:15:01]
PURCHASE MORE IN THE FUTURE.UH, 'CAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT THIS IS ONE OF THOSE HELPFUL RESOURCES, UM, INCREDIBLE RESOURCES THAT, THAT WE CAN HAVE AS A CITY.
YEAH, NO, AND JUST TO, JUST TO REINFORCE THAT ONE THING THAT WE DID HEAR FROM CONSUMERS WAS OVER AND OVER AGAIN, BASIC NEEDS, INCLUDING SHOWERS, UM, AND HAVING, UM, SUCH A VALUE OF HAVING THE RESOURCES BROUGHT TO THEM AND NOT HAVING TO GO, YOU KNOW, IF, IF THEY'RE NOT RESIDING DOWNTOWN, NOT HAVING TO GO DOWNTOWN TO ACCESS RESOURCES IS SO VALUABLE TO THE PEOPLE THAT WE'VE, UM, THE CONSUMERS WE'VE TALKED WITH.
SO I THINK THAT DEFINITELY FIGURING OUT HOW TO BEST MAXIMIZE THOSE MOBILE RESOURCES THAT YOU HAVE RIGHT NOW, THE SHOWER.
BUT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE MULTIPLE SHOWERS OR MULTIPLE TYPES OF MOBILE RESOURCES, UM, THAT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING WE CAN LOOK INTO AND PROVIDE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS ON.
WELL, PLEASE TAKE A LOOK AT IT.
WE'RE GETTING, LIKE I SAID, IT'S THIS, THIS ONE'S A, A THREE PER, UH, UH, A THREE STALL SHOWER UNIT.
UM, I THINK WE CAN, WE CAN TRY TO FIND A WAY TO, TO, UH, EXPAND THAT OR AUGMENT THE PROGRAM, AND WE'D, WE'D LOVE TO HEAR YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
YOU'RE NEVER GONNA HAVE ENOUGH POWERPOINT SLIDES TO LIST ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS.
AND, UH, AND, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, AND WHICH IS WHY I'M GONNA PILE ON
UH, I, I DO THINK IT'S, IT'S WORTH MENTIONING THAT EVERY SINGLE TIME WE HAVE HOMELESSNESS IS THE DISCUSSION TOPIC AT THIS COMMITTEE MEETING OR AT, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR B SESSIONS, THERE'S ALWAYS MEDIA HERE, RIGHT? AND I'M NOT SURE THAT WAITING UNTIL WE'VE DEVELOPED A MARKETING PLAN TO ROPE THEM IN, UM, IS, IS THE MAXIMUM, UH, OF, OF MAXIMUM EFFICIENCY, RIGHT? AND MAYBE THERE'S A WAY TO HELP THEM START, UM, UNDERSTANDING THE STORIES, UM, TODAY, RIGHT? BECAUSE USUALLY WHAT YOU'LL SEE IS, HEY, HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT, UM, YOU KNOW, WAS CLEARED UP, RIGHT? OR A HOMELESS PERSON WAS ARRESTED, OR, HEY, CHECK OUT ALL THE NEEDLES THAT WE FOUND AT A PANHANDLING, YOU KNOW, HOTSPOT.
BUT THERE'S SO MUCH MORE TO TELL.
UM, AND I DO KNOW THAT THE REPORTER WHO'S WITH US TODAY IS, IS VERY CONSCIENTIOUS ABOUT THAT AND VERY EAGER TO TELL THOSE STORIES.
AND SO, UM, ANYWAY, SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT.
RIGHT? THE OTHER, THE OTHER ONE I WOULD TELL YOU IS WHEN YOU SAY REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND CORRECTIONS AND JUDICIAL SYSTEM, I, I WOULD URGE YOU TO SPEAK, YOU KNOW, REALLY FIGURE OUT A WAY TO GET WITH, UH, FAMILY LAW ATTORNEYS HERE IN TOWN BECAUSE THEY TOUCH THIS ISSUE SO OFTEN AND IN A WAY THAT ISN'T, YOU KNOW, CRIMINAL LAW RELATED, RIGHT? UM, AND THEY'VE GOT RESOURCES AND SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTISE THAT YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO, UH, TAP INTO.
UM, SPEAKING OF SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTISE, WE DO HAVE OUR INNOVATION DEPARTMENT HERE IN TOWN, UH, IN, IN, UH, IN-HOUSE.
AND THOSE ARE SOME REALLY FASCINATING PEOPLE WHO LOOK AT OLD PROBLEMS AND COME UP WITH SOME REALLY, UH, AGGRESSIVE AND, AND, UM, INTERESTING SOLUTIONS.
AND I'D, I'D BE CURIOUS TO SEE WHAT THEY SAY, RIGHT? UM, YOU KNOW, THE, UM, THEY JUST LOOK AT IT FROM A DIFFERENT ANGLE AND THROUGH A DIFFERENT LENS, AND THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO LEND SOME SUPPORT AND OR NOT.
BUT AT THE VERY LEAST, YOU KNOW, YOU'LL, YOU'LL GET TO MEET SOME REALLY SMART FOLKS WHO YOU CAN RECRUIT.
UH, THE OTHER ONE, CARLOS, IS OUR I G R EFFORTS.
UM, YOU KNOW, GOING FORWARD SHOULD PROBABLY, UH, INCLUDE A DISCUSSION, YOU KNOW, WITH WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE LEAVING ALL OF OUR GRANTS, UH, APPROPRIATIONS ON THE TABLE, RIGHT? I MEAN, IF THERE'S ANY ON THE TABLE THAT WE MIGHT BE LEAVING, BECAUSE YOU KNOW, WHAT COUNCILMAN ANDREWS JUST SAID WAS, WAS A HUNDRED PERCENT, UM, ON THE MONEY.
AND THEN LASTLY, OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, UM, I THINK HAS A ROLE TO PLAY HERE, RIGHT? 'CAUSE YOU DID SOMETHING FASCINATING, UH, RECENTLY, AND THAT WAS BRING US A TOP SECRET DEAL, UH, THAT, UM, INVOLVED A DISCUSSION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, IN EXCHANGE FOR INCENTIVES, THERE HAD TO BE SOME HOME, YOU KNOW, HIRING FROM HAVEN FOR HOPE GRADUATES OR WHATEVER WE CALL THEM.
UM, I THOUGHT THAT WAS BRILLIANT.
AND THE MORE WE DO THAT, AND I MEAN, I KNOW THEY WERE NOT GONNA MAKE A MAJOR DENT IN THE NUMBERS, BUT WE MAKE A MAJOR DENT IN THEIR UNIVERSE, RIGHT.
AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TOO, BECAUSE I THINK THAT ALSO SENDS THE MESSAGE, UM, COMMUNITY-WIDE.
SO I, I I WILL TELL YOU, UM, THERE'S A PHENOMENON THAT HAPPENS ON THE NORTH SIDE OF TOWN, AND I, I THINK YOU'VE EXPERIENCED IT, COUNCILMAN, AND THAT IS PANHANDLING IS SYNONYMOUS UP THERE WITH, WITH HOMELESSNESS.
AND WE ALL KNOW THAT PANHANDLING AND HOMELESSNESS ARE NOT SYNONYMS. UH, BUT THERE IS A PERCEPTION UP THERE THAT IT IS, I COULD SPEND A LOT OF MY TIME DEBATING THEM AND TRYING TO DISABUSE THEM OF THAT PERCEPTION, BUT I DON'T, INSTEAD I'VE, I'VE TAPPED INTO THAT ENERGY, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, RECRUITED THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE ANGRY ABOUT PANHANDLING NEAR THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS TO DIRECT THEM TO, YOU KNOW, DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, RIGHT? UM, AND THAT RESONATES WITH THEM.
YOU KNOW, THE, THE DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT IS, LET'S SUPPORT HAVEN FOR HOPE.
LET'S SUPPORT GOODWILL INDUSTRIES.
LET'S SUPPORT, YOU KNOW, YOUR BATTERED WOMEN'S SHELTER.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, MAYBE AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE WE CAN HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, UH, HOW TO TAP INTO THAT.
[01:20:01]
I HAVE SEEN THAT THERE IS AN APPETITE TO, TO REALLY TACKLE THAT PROBLEM.RIGHT? UM, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO THAT OTHER THAN, YOU KNOW, ASK YOU GUYS AS PART OF THE MARKETING EFFORT TO, UH, INCLUDE THAT IN THERE.
UM, BECAUSE I THINK THAT THERE'S THAT ENERGY OVER THERE.
AND I, I, I'M GONNA END MY COMMENTS BY READING YOU, UM, TWO COMMENTS THAT WERE POSTED BY CONSTITUENTS OF MINE, UM, ON NEXTDOOR, UH, IN REACTION TO A 9% TAX CREDIT, UH, DEVELOPMENT, UM, ALONG WITH ALL THE COMMENTS THAT YOU GET ABOUT TRAFFIC, UH, AND, YOU KNOW, NOT ENOUGH NOTICE TO THE NEIGHBORS.
HERE'S, HERE'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE FEEL, BUT THEY JUST ARE TOO EMBARRASSED TO SAY IT OUT LOUD.
AND, YOU KNOW, IN POLITE COMPANY COMMENT NUMBER ONE IS, UM, YOU'RE RIGHT.
POOR PEOPLE ARE OF A DIFFERENT CLASS OF HUMAN BEINGS.
BRINGING POOR PEOPLE IN IS LIKE INVITING MORE VIOLENCE AND SHOOTING, SEND THEM FAR AWAY FROM HERE.
UM, ANOTHER ONE OF MY CONSTITUENTS SAID, POOR PEOPLE ARE THE MAIN CONTRIBUTORS TO CRIME.
IF YOU'RE POOR, THEN THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH YOU.
NO USE IN GIVING THEM A CHANCE.
IT'S STABLE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WHY PULL THOSE PEOPLE OUTTA POVERTY IF THEY CAN'T PULL THEMSELVES OUT BY THEIR BOOTSTRAPS? UM, THAT'S THE HEADWIND, RIGHT? YEAH.
UM, WHENEVER WE CR CREATED THIS PROGRAM, HOW MANY SHOWERS IN THAT TRAILER, THREE SHOWERS, PEOPLE FLIPPED OUT, UH, AND SAID, I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU'RE DOING THIS.
THIS IS NOT GONNA SOLVE HOMELESSNESS.
OF COURSE IT'S NOT GONNA SOLVE HOMELESSNESS, BUT IT'S PART OF IT, RIGHT? RIGHT.
UM, AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF ENERGY OUT THERE TO RESIST WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE, WHICH IS JUST BE COMPASSIONATE.
AND, UM, IT, I, IT NEVER CEASES TO AMAZE ME HOW HORRIBLE SOME HUMAN BEINGS CAN BE, UH, WITH REGARDS TO OTHER HUMAN BEINGS.
UM, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THESE ARE BADGES OF HONOR, RIGHT? UM, AND WHEN I READ THESE, I KNOW THAT WE'RE DOING THE RIGHT THING.
AND, UM, EVERY TIME I READ ONE OF THESE, IT EMBOLDENS ME TO DO MORE.
AND ONCE AGAIN, UM, I THINK REALLY MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE BUILDING THAT INTO OUR MARKETING PLAN.
AND ALSO WE, WE HOPE THAT AS WE'RE DOING THIS PROCESS AND AS MEDIA ATTENDS, UH, THE DIFFERENT SESSIONS AND THE COMMUNITY FORUMS, THAT, UM, WE ARE CHANGING THE NARRATIVE AROUND HOMELESSNESS AS WE GO.
THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY ABOUT THAT COMPASSIONATE RESPONSE.
WE HAVE, UH, ONE FOLLOW UP FROM COUNCILWOMAN, ANDREW SULLIVAN.
UM, CHAIR, I WANTED TO ASK YOU ABOUT PROPERTY TAX DISPLACEMENT, IF THAT HAS BEEN LOOKED AT, UM, IN RELATION TO THOSE THAT ARE, ARE BECOMING HOMELESS DUE TO, UM, NOT BEING ABLE TO AFFORD THEIR PROPERTY TAX.
AND THEN ALSO, UM, HOMELESSNESS AND DRUG REHABILITATION OR INPATIENT SERVICES, UM, IF THAT HAS BEEN INCLUDED IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
SO WE HAVE DEFINITELY HEARD COMMUNITY FEEDBACK ABOUT, UM, SUBSTANCE USE TREATMENT.
UM, THE PROPERTY TAX DISPLACEMENT HAS NOT COME UP YET, BUT IT HAS NOW.
SO
UM, AND WE, WE HAVE HEARD THAT THERE IS A REALLY STRONG NEED FOR, UM, MORE RESOURCES, MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE, UM, OUR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH IN GENERAL FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
AND WE ARE REALLY LOOKING INTO WAYS THAT WE CAN DO THAT WHILE, ONCE AGAIN, MEETING PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT MOBILE OPTIONS, ONCE AGAIN, HAVING THE MOBILE CLINICIAN, UM, CAN HELP WITH SOME OF THAT.
SO WE HAVE TO LOOK AT IT FROM, FROM A VERY COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH.
AND, UM, ALSO FOR EVERYONE ON THE, ON THE COUNCIL, IF YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS, LIKE, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO EMAIL US DIRECTLY, ANYTIME WE'RE HAPPY FOR ANY AND ALL IDEAS.
UM, 'CAUSE I DO WANNA FOLLOW UP ON THE PROPERTY TAX DISPLACEMENT CONVERSATION.
UM, THIS IS, UH, IT'S AN EXPANSIVE TOPIC.
UM, IT, IT COVERS SO MANY PARTS OF A PERSON'S LIFE AND OUR COMMUNITY.
SO, UH, I THINK YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD A LOT OF FEEDBACK AND MAYBE YOUR, YOUR SCOPE IS CREEPING, UH, EXPONENTIALLY AS YOU HEAR US TALKING.
UH, BUT WE, WE ARE, I WOULD SAY ALL THESE COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE VERY HAPPY TO HAVE YOU WORKING ON THIS TOPIC AND THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING IT IN A COMPREHENSIVE WAY.
UM, WHAT I, WHAT I HAVEN'T SEEN YET, AND UH, PERHAPS I MISSED IT, IS YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT, UM, THE RESPONSE TO HOMELESSNESS.
THAT THAT IS ONE OF, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'LL BE WORKING ON AS WELL, OR YOUR GOALS OVERALL, ALONG WITH, UH, PREVENT, UH, REDUCING HOMELESSNESS.
SO, UH, WILL THERE BE IN YOUR REPORT, UM, KIND OF A LIST OF, OR AN ASSESSMENT OF THE CONTRIBUTORS TO HOMELESSNESS?
[01:25:01]
YES.UM, I, I AM JUST SHAKING MY HEAD 'CAUSE I WAS WORKING ON THAT ON THE PLANE HERE,
UM, BUT YES, PART OF OUR QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS, UM, AND THEN SOME QUALITATIVE, BUT WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT THINGS LIKE, YOU KNOW, AFFORDABILITY, AGING OF THE POPULATION, UM, EXISTING HOUSING STOCK AS, UM, I THINK ANOTHER COUNCILMAN MEMBER, UM, MENTIONED THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIKE RENTERS AND HOMEOWNERS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
WE REALLY WANNA DIG INTO ALL OF THOSE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS, POVERTY, UM, EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT LEVELS, AND GIVE A KIND OF, UM, GIVE A WIDE VIEW OF, YOU KNOW, HOMELESSNESS IS OFTEN, IT'S OFTEN A SYMPTOM OF OTHER THINGS.
SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE IT'S IN THAT PROPER CONTEXT.
SO WHEN YOU, UM, WHAT I IMAGINE IS THAT WE'VE GOT THIS LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS, AND THEN IT'LL BE UP TO THE COUNCIL TO DECIDE HOW MUCH WE WANNA INVEST IN EACH OF THOSE, OR YOU'LL GIVE US A RECOMMENDATION, RIGHT? ABOUT WHICH ARE THE PRIORITIES, PERHAPS.
YEAH, SO I THINK IT'S GONNA, IT'S GONNA BE ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE, UM, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THOSE ARE GONNA CREEP INTO THE RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO YOU'LL, OKAY, MENTAL HEALTH AS A CONTRIBUTOR OR SUBSTANCE USE AS A CONTRIBUTOR.
THERE WILL ALSO BE RECOMMENDATIONS AROUND HOW CAN WE START ADDRESSING THOSE.
UM, YOU KNOW, BUT THEN THERE MIGHT BE SOME THAT, THERE MIGHT BE SOME THAT NEED PRIORITIZED.
AND, UM, I, GOING BACK TO THE STAKEHOLDERS, UH, CONVERSATION, UH, I HAD A CONSTITUENT COME TALK TO ME, AND, AND THIS ALLUDES TO THE PROPERTY TAX DISPLACEMENT, AND HE OWNED SOME HOMES IN THE WEST SIDE.
HE LIVED, UM, OUT IN THE SUBURBS, BUT OWNED SOME HOMES IN THE WEST SIDE THAT HE RENTED OUT TO FOLKS OF LIMITED MEANS.
AND, UH, BUT EVERY YEAR AS HIS PROPERTY TAXES WENT UP, AND WE KNOW THAT'S ALL, NOT ALL DUE TO THE CITY, IT'S, IT'S OTHER ISSUES TOO.
UM, HE, HE RAISED THOSE RENTS, UH, TO, TO COVER, COVER HIS COSTS, BUT THERE WAS, UH, THERE WAS NO WAY THOSE RENTERS WERE GOING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE UP THE DIFFERENCE.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T HAVE A SOLUTION FOR HIM.
UM, BUT, UM, I JUST WANNA ADD THAT ANECDOTE ONTO WHAT THE COUNCILWOMAN WAS SAYING.
SO EVEN IF IT'S NOT THE HOMEOWNER, UM, THOSE WHO ARE PROVIDING, UM, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, YOU KNOW, UNSUBSIDIZED AT THIS POINT MAY NOT BE ABLE TO CONTINUE DOING THAT FOR FOREVER, OR AT LEAST IN THIS, UH, IN WHAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING RIGHT NOW WITH OUR RISING PROPERTY VALUES.
SO AT, WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU INTERVIEWED, YOU SAID, UH, THE HOUSING INDUSTRY IS HERE, BUT WHAT ABOUT, UH, FOLKS WHO MAY NOT BE BIG CORPORATIONS, BUT JUST ARE, YOU KNOW, OUR LANDLORDS? YEAH.
SO WE HAD A SMALL AMOUNT TURN OUT TO STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS, BUT, UM, THAT IS DEFINITELY AN AREA WE COULD REACH OUT TO MORE.
AND IF YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO WOULD BE INTERESTED IN TALKING OR WILLING TO SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES, WE WOULD LOVE TO MAKE A CONNECTION WITH THEM.
UM, BECAUSE I THINK, UH, ULTIMATELY WHEN IT COMES TO HOUSING PEOPLE AFFORDABLY, THAT'S, THAT'S ONE OF THE BIG, UH, SOLUTIONS WE'RE GONNA NEED TO, TO LOOK AT.
AND, UM, FOR THE COUNCILMAN COUNCILMAN TINO DIDN'T MENTION THIS, BUT HE GAVE US ALL A COPY OF EVICTED FOR, FOR CHRISTMAS.
YOU GAVE US HOMEWORK FOR
AND IF YOU, IF YOU HAVEN'T READ IT, I IMAGINE MY COLLEAGUES ALREADY HAVE, I'M SURE SHE ALREADY HAS.
UM, I, NO, I STRONGLY RECOMMEND IT.
IT REALLY, IT'S MOVING AND IT TALKS ABOUT ALL THOSE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT SNOWBALL LIKE YOU, LIKE YOU MENTIONED.
UM, AND THEN, UH, JUST LASTLY BEFORE WE CLOSE OUT, UM, COUNCILMAN BELI AND I WILL FOREVER BE LINKED BECAUSE OF A, UM, AFFORDABLE HOUSING TAX CREDIT, UH, PROJECT THAT CAME TO COUNCIL, UH, DURING OUR FIRST FEW MONTHS ON, ON COUNCIL.
AND THERE WERE COMMENTS OF THE SAME, UH, OF THE SAME STYLE AT, AT THE TIME.
AND IT, UM, ON SOCIAL MEDIA, IT'S, IT'S A LITTLE BIT EASIER TO SAY THOSE THINGS, BUT, BUT WE DO SEE THEM SNOWBALL IN PARTS OF, OF OUR DISTRICT.
AND, UM, WHAT I WOULD ASK, AND, UH, THIS MAY NOT BE UP UP TO YOU, BUT TO CITY MANAGEMENT, AND WHEN THE, UH, CHIEF HOUSING OFFICER FINALLY GETS HIRED, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS A STRONG MARKETING AND EDUCATION CAMPAIGN AROUND WHY AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS, IS NEEDED, UH, ONE THAT, UH, DISPELS THE MYTHS.
ONE THAT MAKES, UH, TENANTS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING A HUMAN.
AND RIGHT NOW, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE THE, THE CAPACITY TO DO TO, TO DO THAT, BUT I, THAT'S THE HELP THAT WE NEED.
WE CAN GO OUT MEETING BY MEETING, BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET TO EVERY SINGLE PERSON ON NEXTDOOR THAT'S, THAT'S ANGRY.
BUT WE NEED A, A PERVASIVE, UH, CAMPAIGN THAT TALKS ABOUT HOW, UM, IT'S, IT'S A REAL NEED FOR REAL HUMAN BEINGS.
[01:30:01]
UM, WE GIVE YOU THAT MESSAGE TO CARRY ON, AND I THINK IT'LL BE UP TO US TO ALSO SHARE THAT WITH, UH, WITH THE CITY MANAGER AND OUR LIAISONS.UM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR, UH, YOUR PRESENTATION, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO, TO THE QUANTITATIVE STUFF TOO.
[4. 20-1976 A briefing by the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District on the progress made on the Status of Women Report. [Colleen Bridger, MPH, PhD, Assistant City Manager; Dawn Emerick, EdD, Director, Health]]
AND OUR LAST ITEM, UH, FOR TODAY, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE, UH, STATUS OF WOMEN REPORT AND THE PROGRESS MADE SINCE THE REPORT WAS ISSUED.HI, I AM JENNY HIXSON AND I AM, UH, THE VIOLENCE PREVENTION MANAGER AT METRO HEALTH.
AND SO I'M GONNA BE PROVIDING YOU WITH A FEW UPDATES ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN, UH, REPORT.
SO, AS YOU KNOW, THE STATUS OF WOMEN REPORT WAS RELEASED IN MAY OF 2019.
AND IN THESE BROAD CATE FOUR CATEGORIES OF HEALTH AND WELLBEING, ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY, POLITICAL PARTICIPATION, AND VIOLENCE AND SAFETY, THERE WERE 13 DIFFERENT DIMENSIONS THAT WERE LOOKED AT.
SO TODAY, WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS JUST PRESENT SOME VERY HIGH LEVEL HIGHLIGHTS OF PROGRESS THAT'S BEEN MADE, UM, IN SOME OF THESE VARIOUS ARENAS.
UM, AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION LATER ABOUT HOW THIS IS, UM, EVOLVING OVER THE REST OF THE YEAR.
SO IN HEALTH AND WELLBEING, SOME REALLY HIGH LEVEL FINDINGS WERE THAT INFANT MORTALITY WAS, IS HIGHER IN SAN ANTONIO, IN BEXAR COUNTY THAN IT IS IN TRAVIS, DALLAS OR HARRIS COUNTY.
UM, THIS IS THE SAME ALSO FOR MATERNAL MORTALITY AND FOR INFANTS THAT WERE BORN THAT ARE LOW BIRTH WEIGHT, THERE ARE ALSO MAJOR RACIAL DISPARITIES AND MORTALITY FROM HEART DISEASE, LIVER DISEASE, UM, AND STROKE.
AND WE ALSO KNOW THAT WOMEN IN THE HIGHEST INCOME QUARTILE HAVE A LIFE EXPECTANCY THAT'S MORE THAN FIVE TIMES WOMEN IN THE BOTTOM INCOME QUARTILE, MEANING THAT, UM, INCOME IS DETERMINING LIFE EXPECTANCY TO SOME DEGREE.
SO WHAT HAS BEEN DONE ABOUT SOME OF THESE THINGS IN THE LAST, UH, FEW MONTHS? SO IN HEALTH AND WELLBEING, UM, HEALTHY START, WHICH IS A LONGSTANDING PROGRAM IN METRO HEALTH, IT ACTUALLY IS JUST CELEBRATING ITS 20TH YEAR.
THE FIRST IS THE HEALTHY FAMILIES NETWORK STRATEGIC PLAN, WHICH WAS DEVELOPED, UM, LOOKING AT WHAT'S CALLED THE PERINATAL PERIODS OF RISK APPROACH, WHERE THEY LOOKED AT SORT OF WHAT ARE THE DRIVERS OF INFANT MORTALITY IN OUR AREA, AND THEN IDENTIFIED WHAT WAS A PLAN THAT COULD BE DEVELOPED TO ADDRESS THOSE DRIVERS.
SO THE FOUR AREAS THAT THEY'VE IDENTIFIED TO WORK ON ARE UNINTENDED PREGNANCY, LATE ENTRY INTO PRENATAL CARE, UM, DISPARITIES IN INFANT HEALTH DURING THE DISPARITIES IN HEALTH, DURING THE INFANT RISK PERIOD, WHICH MEANS THE PERIOD, UM, RIGHT AFTER AN INFANT IS BORN.
AND PERINATAL SUBSTANCE ABUSE, BECAUSE WE HAVE A HIGH RATE OF INFANTS THAT ARE BORN WITH NEONATAL ABSTINENCE SYNDROME.
UM, SO THIS IS GONNA CONTRIBUTE TO HOPEFULLY REDUCING THAT DISPARITY IN INFANT MORTALITY.
THEY HAVE ALSO INITIATED THE HEALTHY START DADS PROGRAM, WHICH IS A PROGRAM THAT'S SPECIFICALLY POINTING, SUPPORTING DAD'S INVOLVEMENT IN PARENTING AND CHILD RAISING.
AND THAT'S A REALLY POSITIVE STEP TO SUPPORT SOCIAL SUPPORT FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MOVING TOWARDS GENDER PARITY AND CAREGIVING WITHIN FAMILIES.
ALSO WITHIN HEALTH AND WELLBEING, THE SOUTH TEXAS TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE CONSORTIUM, UM, WHICH Y'ALL HAVE HEARD A LOT ABOUT, 'CAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT WORK HAPPENING THERE, UM, HAS HAD TWO NEW INITIATIVES.
THE INSTITUTE FOR TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE, AS Y'ALL HAVE HEARD, HAS BEEN DEVELOPED OR IS IN THE PROCESS AND TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE CERTIFYING ENTITY HAS MOVED FORWARD.
BUT THOSE TWO THINGS ARE GONNA BE MOVING FORWARD.
WE WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THIS BECAUSE, AS YOU KNOW, REDUCING TRAUMA AND IMPROVING THE TRAUMA-INFORMED RESPONSE IN OUR COMMUNITY HAS A LONG-TERM IMPACT ON IMPROVING MORTALITY, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THOSE ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EVENTS AND THE OVERALL EXPERIENCE OF TRAUMA CONTRIBUTES TO A LOT OF DIFFERENT HEALTH OUTCOMES, UM, AND CAN IMPROVE OUR OVERALL, UM, WELLBEING OF WOMEN IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE ALSO KNOW THAT CONCENTRATED POVERTY, VIOLENCE, AND A LACK OF ACCESS TO CARE, UM, ARE COMPOUNDED WHEN OUR SYSTEM RESPONSES AREN'T CAPABLE OF TAKING THOSE INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN DEVELOPING, UM, HOW THEY'RE GOING TO RESPOND TO, UM, PATIENTS OR TO CONSUMERS.
SO, ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY, UM, WOMEN REPRESENT 47% OF THE SAN ANTONIO WORKFORCE, UM, AT ANY GIVEN EDUCATION LEVEL ARE MEDIAN EARNINGS.
UH, THE MEDIAN EARNINGS OF MEN ARE HIGHER THAN THE EARNINGS OF WOMEN.
UM, WOMEN ARE MORE LIKELY, UH, THAN MEN TO BE EMPLOYED, ARE TO BE UNEMPLOYED.
UM, AND WE'RE ALSO MORE LIKELY THAN MEN TO BE LIVING IN POVERTY.
WOMEN ALSO EXPERIENCE SIGNIFICANT DISPARITIES, UM, BY RACE AND ETHNICITY AND A HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUT PERCENTAGE, MEDIAN EARNINGS AND HOME OWNERSHIP.
SO WHAT'S BEING DONE ABOUT THESE, UM, THE WOMEN BUSINESS ENTERPRISE, UM, HAS BEEN EXPANDED.
E D D WILL BE APPLYING SUBCONTRACTING GOALS SPECIFICALLY FOR WOMEN OWNED BUSINESSES, UM, AND TO, UM, SUPPORT ADDITIONAL CONTRACTS TO INCREASE THE UTILIZATION OF WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES ON CITY CONTRACTS.
[01:35:01]
UM, E D D HAS ALSO INCREASED THE TARGET GOAL OF LOANS MADE TO WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES FROM 30 TO 40%.SO HOW IS THIS GONNA SUPPORT IMPROVING THE STATUS OF WOMEN? WOMEN ONLY OWN 30% OF THE BUSINESSES IN SAN ANTONIO.
INCREASING THESE OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTNER WITH THE CITY, UH, FOR WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES WILL SUPPORT THE GROWTH OF THOSE TYPES OF ENTERPRISES.
YOU ALSO HAVE HEARD A LOT OF THE STATUS OF POVERTY REPORT, BUT JUST TO HIGHLIGHT HOW THIS INTERSECTS THE STATUS OF WOMEN, UM, IT HIGHLIGHTS THE DISPROPORTIONATE NUMBER OF WOMEN WHO ARE LIVING IN POVERTY IN SAN ANTONIO, AND IT ALSO RECOMMENDS APPROACHES THAT PROMOTE EQUITY, UM, AND STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF SPECIFICALLY SINGLE MOTHERS WHO ARE HIGHLY, UM, OR WHO ARE LIVING IN POVERTY IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, THIS WILL ALSO ADDRESS SOME OF THE GENDER DISPARITIES THAT POVERTY INFLUENCES AND ALL OF THE OTHER FACTORS THAT WE KNOW IMPACT THE STATUS OF WOMEN.
WE ALSO WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THE HUMAN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES CONSOLIDATED FUNDING PROCESS.
UM, THE F Y 2021 AND F Y 2022 R F P IS GOING TO REQUEST INFORMATION FROM THE NONPROFITS WHO ARE GOING TO BE APPLYING TO RECEIVE FUNDS REGARDING GENDER PAY PARITY AND GENDER AWARENESS TRAINING POLICIES.
SO THIS IS A REALLY GREAT WAY TO PUSH OUT TO THE COMMUNITY SOME OF THESE POSITIVE POLICIES AND, UM, AWARENESS IN THE PROCESS OF PARTNERING WITH THE CITY.
THE R F P IS ALSO GOING TO PRIORITIZE SERVICES FOR WOMEN OF COLOR AND THE NEW DELEGATE AGENCY R F P.
SO THIS PROVIDES INCREASED INCENTIVES FOR THOSE DELEGATE AGENCIES TO EXAMINE AND IMPROVE THEIR PARITY, EVEN IF THEY MAYBE HAVEN'T LOOKED AT THIS BEFORE.
THIS GIVES THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO SIT DOWN AND LOOK AT THESE THINGS IN THEIR PROCESS.
UM, IT INCREASES THE AVAILABILITY OF SERVICES FOR WOMEN OF COLOR AVAILABLE THROUGH OUR DELEGATE AGENCIES.
SO, FOR POLITICAL REPRESENTATION, 44% OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS ACROSS THE 81 SAN ANTONIO BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS WERE WOMEN.
UM, 30% OF OUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AT THE TIME OF THEIR REPORT WERE WOMEN.
UM, Y'ALL ARE AWARE THIS HAS CHANGED.
UH,
UM, 73% OF D H S COMMITTEE POSITIONS ARE HELD BY WOMEN.
UM, D H S HAS EXPANDED SUPPORT FOR PARTICIPATION IN A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT WAYS, INCLUDING PROVIDING CHILDCARE AND TRAVEL SUPPORT, WHICH ARE GREAT STRATEGIES TO THINK ABOUT AND EXPANDING ACROSS OTHER COMMITTEES, UM, BECAUSE THESE ARE WAYS THAT WE CAN ENSURE A FULL PARITY AND ACCESS FOR ALL WOMEN.
UM, SO THESE INCREASED REPRESENTATION, UM, LIKE I SAID, DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACT.
UM, IT, IT ALLOWS, UM, REPRESENTATION ESPECIALLY ON COMMITTEES WHERE WOMEN ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED BY THE TOPICS, AND IT PROVIDES A MODEL FOR EXPANSION FOR OTHER BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
UM, AS WE ALSO HAVE DISCUSSED EXTENSIVELY, THE NUMBER OF WOMEN MURDERED BY MALE INTIMATE PARTNERS TRIPLED.
UM, BETWEEN 2012 AND 2017, SAN ANTONIO ALSO CONSISTENTLY HAD THE HIGHER RATE OF RAPE, UM, COMPARED TO TEXAS OVERALL, AND THE HIGHEST RATE OF RAPE WHEN COMPARED TO AUSTIN, DALLAS, AND HOUSTON.
UM, AND THE OVERALL HOMICIDE RATE OF WOMEN IN BEXAR COUNTY DOUBLED BETWEEN 2012 AND 2017.
SO, IN RESPONSE TO THE STATUS OF WOMEN REPORTS, UM, THE CITY DEVELOPED THE COMPREHENSIVE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, UH, PREVENTION PLAN, WHICH INCLUDED AMONG, UH, THE INITIATIVES, UH, PARTNERING WITH THE COLLABORATIVE COMMISSION ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE TO ENSURE THAT THE OVERALL COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THAT SEVERAL OF THE INITIATIVES IDENTIFIED IN THAT PLAN WERE SELECTED AND ARE IN THE PROCESS OF BEING IMPLEMENTED.
THE LOVE IS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PREVENTION, UM, COMMUNICATIONS CAMPAIGN, UM, AND EXPANDING TO GOOD FOR VIOLENCE, SCHOOL-BASED VIOLENCE PREVENTION PROGRAMMING.
UM, THIS, THESE PROGRAMS COLLECTIVELY DIRECTLY IMPACT, UH, THE HIGH RATE OF WOMEN MURDERED BY MALE TO PARTNERS AND COMBINE, UM, PREVENTION, UM, OF LONG-TERM OUTCOMES WITH AN IMMEDIATE RESPONSE.
WE ALSO HAVE EXPANDED ACCESS TO TRAUMA-INFORMED TEACHING COHORT THROUGH D H S, WHICH WAS BRIEFLY TALKED ABOUT EARLIER.
THE HEAD START DECISION DIVISION FORMED A MULTI-DISTRICT COHORT THAT INCLUDES CLASSROOM TEACHERS, PARAPROFESSIONALS, ALL OF THE FOLKS THAT MIGHT ENCOUNTER KIDS IN A SCHOOL, UM, AND PROVIDED THEM WITH DEVELOPING AN UNDERSTANDING OF TRAUMA AND ITS IMPACT ON CHILDREN'S LEARNING AND THEIR DEVELOPMENT.
90% OF THE COHORT MEMBERS ARE, UH, WORKING IN HEADSTART ARE WOMEN.
AND THIS WILL IMPROVE THE RESPONSIVE TEACHERS AND THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY IN GENERAL TO STUDENTS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING VIOLENCE AND TRAUMA, AND DEVELOPS A CULTURE OF LEARNING AND UNDERSTANDING ABOUT THE CYCLE OF A VIOLENCE ABUSE AND HOW THIS CAN INFLUENCE TRAUMA AND BEHAVIOR.
WE ALSO ARE WORKING ON THE D FIVE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PILOT PROJECT, WHICH IS A PILOT PROJECT IN AN APARTMENT COMPLEX IN DISTRICT FIVE WITH A HIGH NUMBER OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE RELATED CALLS.
UM, THIS IS TRYING TO ADDRESS THE ROOT CAUSES OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE BY EXPANDING THE AVAILABILITY OF RESOURCES TO TARGET THOSE ROOT CAUSES.
AND IT IDENTIFIES A POSSIBLE MODEL FOR FUTURE INTERVENTION IN THOSE HOTSPOTS THAT WE HAVE AROUND OUR COMMUNITY.
IT ALSO DEVELOPS PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND COMMUNITY AGENCIES THAT WILL BE PART OF OUR LONGER TERM RESPONSE, AND IT HELPS US SORT OF TRY ON A SMALL SCALE HOW WE COULD DEVELOP SOME OF THOSE INTERVENTION RESPONSES IN A TARGETED AREA.
AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR YOU.
[01:40:02]
OKAY, DR.I WANTED TO, UM, PROVIDE A, A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF WHAT'S HAPPENING.
SO, UM, THIS IS THE FIRST PRESENTATION OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT HAVE RESULTED FROM THE PUBLICATION OF THE STATUS OF WOMEN REPORT.
UH, THE NEXT ONE WILL BE IN MARCH AT THE, UM, E W D C MEETING.
UM, AND ALEX WILL BE PRESENTING THAT WE ARE ALSO, UH, DEVELOPING, UH, FOR MARCH 1ST AN INSERT THAT CAN GO INTO THE ALREADY PUBLISHED STATUS OF WOMEN REPORT THAT SUMMARIZES AND SYNTHESIZES, UM, THE PRESENTATION THAT YOU JUST HEARD, SO THAT WE'LL RERUN, UM, HARD COPIES OF THE STATUS OF WOMEN REPORT AND THOSE INSERTS.
AND SO THEN, UM, ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO CAN HAND OUT HERE'S THE DATA, IT'S LESS THAN A YEAR OLD, UM, SINCE WE, YOU KNOW, COMPILED IT.
AND THEN HERE'S WHAT THE CITY HAS DONE IN RESPONSE TO THAT REPORT, ALL IN ONE PACKET.
UH, JENNY, WE HAVE, UH, COMMENTS FROM JUST ABOUT EVERYONE.
SO COUNCILMAN TREVINO, WE'LL START WITH YOU.
AND I'M GONNA GO BACK TO SORT OF THE EVICTION RATES.
UH, RECENT STUDIES FROM THE EVICTION LAB AND RESEARCHER MATTHEW DESMOND HAVE FOUND THAT BLACK AND LATINO WOMEN WITH LOW INCOMES WERE EVICTED AT ALARMINGLY HIGHER RATES THAN OTHER RACIAL GROUPS DUE TO FACTORS SUCH AS HAVING CHILDREN, LOW WAGES, AND LANDLORD TENANT GENDER DYNAMICS.
THE SUBORDINATION OF WOMEN IMPOSED BY MEN CENTERED HOUSING MODELS PRODUCES EVICTIONS AND IS REINFORCED AND STRUCTURED BY INSTANCES OF SOCIAL AND STRUCTURAL VIOLENCE.
WOMEN'S EX WOMEN'S EXPERIENCES OF EVICTIONS WERE ASSOCIATED WITH INCREASED VULNERABILITIES TO PHYSICAL AND SEXUAL HARM, DRUG RELATED RISKS AND CYCLES OF EVICTION.
RESEARCH SUGGESTS THAT AT LEAST TWO YEARS AFTER THE EVICTION, MOTHERS STILL EXPERIENCED SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER RATES OF MATERIAL HARDSHIP AND DEPRESSION THAN PEERS.
DO YOU AGREE WITH THAT? UM, WELL, I DON'T KNOW SPECIFICALLY WHAT THE RECOMMENDATION IS, BUT I THINK IN TERMS OF WHAT I KNOW FROM THE WORK WE'RE DOING ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, WE KNOW THAT WHEN WE SPOKE TO HAVEN FOR HOPE ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE SEEING, THEY SAID THAT ABOUT HALF OF THE FAMILIES THEY SEE, UM, ARE DUE TO EVICTION AND HALF ARE DUE TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
AND MANY OF THE FAMILIES THAT ARE DUE TO EVICTION ARE ALSO WOMEN WHO MAY HAVE BEEN, UM, PREVENTED FROM HAVING FULL ACCESS TO ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES BECAUSE OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, BECAUSE OF, SO IN MY MIND, ALL OF THESE ISSUES ARE KIND OF VERY TIED TOGETHER, UM, AS YOU'RE SPEAKING ABOUT, UM, EVICTION.
SO I GUESS I WOULD ASK THAT MAYBE WE CAN LOOK, START LOOKING AT SOME OF THESE EVICTION AND DISPLACEMENT STATISTICS FOR, ESPECIALLY FOR SINGLE MOTHERS AND WOMEN WHO HAVE BEEN EVICTED OVER THE LAST SEVEN YEARS.
UM, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I WON'T EVEN ASK 'CAUSE I JUST THINK, I THINK WE ALL AGREE THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT SINGLE MOTHERS AND WOMEN, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO RENT, COULD USE MORE REPRESENTATION, UH, WHICH IS WHY I'M PUSHING FOR A RENTER'S COMMISSION.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK AT THE HEART OF THIS, YOU KNOW, I ALSO WANT YOU TO LOOK AT WHO ARE SOME OF THESE, UH, SINGLE MOMS, SINGLE MOTHERS, WOMEN WHO ARE FACING EVICTIONS THAT FEEL FORCED TO GO BACK TO A BAD SITUATION.
I MEAN, I THINK IT'S PRETTY CLEAR YEAH.
THAT, THAT, THAT HAPPENS TOO OFTEN.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION, AND THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.
UM, WHEN IT COMES TO THE STATUS OF WOMEN IN SAN ANTONIO, I KNOW A LOT OF WORK HAS, HAS GONE INTO IT, AND THERE'S STILL A LOT OF WORK THAT, THAT WE HAVE TO DO TO BRING UP, UH, THE LEVELS THAT WE NEED TO SEE WITHIN THE WOMEN OF SAN ANTONIO.
UM, SOME OF THE QUESTIONS I, I, I GUESS I HAVE WHEN IT COMES TO, UM, MENTAL HEALTH, POSTPARTUM HEALTH MM-HMM.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S BEEN A CORRELATED STUDY RELATED TO POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION IN SAN ANTONIO SPECIFICALLY.
OUR HEALTHY START PROGRAM HAS EXPANDED, UM, THE PROGRAMMING THAT THEY'RE DOING AROUND POSTNATAL DEPRESSION OR, UM, POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION, UM, THROUGH, IT'S CALLED, AND I CAN GET THE, I CAN GET THE ACTUAL LINK OF THE CURRICULUM SENT TO YOU IF YOU'D LIKE TO, BUT IT'S A CURRICULUM THAT STARTS BEFORE, DURING THAT, UM, PRENATAL PERIOD
[01:45:01]
WHERE THEY TALK WITH, UH, THE EXPECTANT PARENTS ABOUT SOCIAL SUPPORT, ABOUT DEVELOPING ALL THE THINGS THAT THEY MIGHT NEED TO HAVE IN PLACE SO THAT IF THEY ARE EXPERIENCING MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES AFTER THE BIRTH OF A BABY, THAT THEY ALREADY HAVE ALL OF THOSE RESOURCES LINED UP.SO THAT'S A PROGRAM THAT HEALTHY START IS EXPANDING RIGHT NOW.
I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S ACTUALLY BEING IMPLEMENTED RIGHT NOW, BUT I KNOW IT'S BEING IMPLEMENTED ANY DAY NOW.
UM, BUT THEY ARE DEFINITELY LOOKING AT THAT AND WE ARE LOOKING AT, UM, ALSO HOW THE INTERSECTION OF GUN VIOLENCE AND SUICIDE ARE, UM, HOW THOSE ARE OVERLAPPING BE.
DO YOU KNOW THAT THE MAJORITY OF GUN DEATHS IN OUR COMMUNITY ARE DUE TO SUICIDE? UM, WE HAVEN'T LOOKED SPECIFICALLY AT WOMEN OR IF IT'S IN THE POSTPARTUM PERIOD, BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY LOOK AT THAT.
AND THEN, UM, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE HEALTH INITIATIVES, ARE WE DOING MORE FOCUS DRIVEN HEALTH FAIRS, UH, SPECIFICALLY FOR WOMEN? I KNOW THAT WE DO THE, UM, THE BABY SHOWER COMMUNITY, BABY SHOWER, BUT ARE WE LOOKING SPECIFICALLY AT MORE FOCUS DRIVEN HEALTH FAIRS FOR WOMEN? UM, I DON'T THINK THAT I KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT.
I MEAN, I THINK MOST OF OUR HEALTH FAIRS ARE LOCATED GEOGRAPHICALLY BY WHERE THE AREAS THAT WE HAVE CONSISTENTLY THE HIGHEST NEED IN THOSE 10 ZIP CODES, THAT OVER AND OVERALL, UM, COME UP AS AREAS THAT ARE THE HIGHEST NEED.
UM, WHEN IT COMES TO, UH, FAMILY SEPARATION, ARE WE LOOKING AT THE STATUS OF POVERTY AND, UM, HOW IT INTERACTS WITH, UH, CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES OR FAMILY DI UH, DISPLACEMENT AND, AND DISCOURSE? I'M THE, UH, I'M THE STATUS OF POVERTY, UH, POINT FOR THE CITY, AND PER, WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT INFORMATION, IT'S, UM, IT'S REALLY CHALLENGING TO GET STATE INFORMATION ON SOME OF THESE.
AND, UM, THOSE SERVICES ARE ALL PROVIDED BY THE STATE.
HOWEVER, THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES HAS PROBABLY THE BEST RELATIONSHIP OF ANY CITY DEPARTMENT, UM, WITH THOSE STATE OFFICES.
AND SO WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING PERIPHERALLY ON THAT.
AND THEN MY LAST QUESTION WOULD BE, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO, UH, RENT AND THE DISPARITY OF HOW MUCH A SINGLE MOTHER WITH CHILDREN, UM, IS PAYING IN REFERENCE TO RENT COMPARED TO A SINGLE, UH, MALE AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, IF THERE'S ANY, UM, DISPARITY IN THAT, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IF, IF THAT CAN BE STUDIED AS WELL.
BUT THOSE ARE JUST SOME OF THE, THE THINGS I WOULD LIKE TO SEE.
UM, AND, AND THOSE ARE MY QUESTIONS, MADAM CHAIR.
VERY THOUGHTFUL, UH, SUGGESTIONS.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, I, I WANTED TO POINT OUT, YOU HAD SOMETHING IN THERE THAT I THINK IS CRITICAL, AND SO COACHES AS A SOURCE FOR INFORMATION DISTRIBUTION, I THINK THAT COACHES, UM, SPECIFICALLY MALE COACHES, ESPECIALLY IN THE HIGH SCHOOL, MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL, THEY, UM, ARE THE MALE FIGURE FOR A LOT OF OUR STUDENTS.
AND SO I, I'D LIKE TO ENCOURAGE A LITTLE BIT MORE, UM, UH, I GUESS FOCUS ON THAT AS WELL.
I KNOW IT, IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE WORKING WITH EDGEWOOD AND, UH, S A I S D.
UM, I AM A 100% BELIEVER IN COACHES.
AND, UM, ANYWAY, SO I JUST WANTED TO, TO VOICE MY OPINION IN SUPPORT OF SOME ADDITIONAL OR, OR INCREASING THAT, UH, THAT RESPONSIBILITY.
I KNOW THAT THEY TAKE ON ALREADY, EVEN AS, AS AN ADDED PART OF THEIR JOB, ALSO IN SCHOOL TARGETED, UM, THE SCHOOL-BASED VIOLENCE CAMPAIGN THAT YOU ALL HAVE.
WHAT, WHAT KIND OF AN APPEAL DO YOU HAVE ON THAT? UM, AND, AND LET ME EXPLAIN.
SO WHEN WE WERE LITTLE, WE HAD THESE FEAR APPEALS, UM, ABOUT BRUSHING OUR TEETH OR ABOUT OUR BRAINS ON DRUGS, AND SO, UM, OR ABOUT, UH, DRUNK DRIVING.
AND SO I'M WONDERING WHAT KIND OF APPEAL WAS RECOMMENDED FOR THAT CAMPAIGN.
AND I, I APPRECIATE THAT BECAUSE I KNOW, UM, I'M SURE YOU HAD THE SAME EXPERIENCE IN GRAD SCHOOL WHEN YOU'RE IN PUBLIC HEALTH AND THEY'RE LIKE, GUESS WHAT? THOSE DIDN'T WORK.
UM, SO WE'RE DEFINITELY NOT TAKING A FEAR-BASED APPROACH WITH THIS TOO.
GOOD FOR VIOLENCE IS A SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING CURRICULUM.
IT STARTS IN SIXTH GRADE, AND IT'S REALLY TARGETING ALL OF THOSE SORT OF SKILLS OF SELF-REGULATION, UM, THAT HELP KIDS KIND OF STEP BACK WHEN THEY'RE IN A MOMENT WHERE THEY COULD MAKE A DECISION THAT COULD GO EITHER WAY AND BE AWARE OF SORT OF THEIR OWN EMOTIONAL REGULATION AND HOW THEY CAN KIND OF STEP AWAY FROM A SITUATION AND DIFFUSE.
SO IT HAS BENEFITS ACROSS MULTIPLE TYPES OF VIOLENCE.
UM, AND IT ALSO COMPLIMENTS THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING AROUND THE TRIPLE P PARENTING PROGRAM, WHICH IS IN THE SAME FRAMEWORK OF IDENTIFYING SELF-REGULATION AND HOW DO YOU SORT OF SUPPORT DEVELOPING THOSE SKILLS IN THE FAMILY, IN THE CHILD, UM, AND IN ALL OF THE PLACES THAT KIDS MIGHT NEED THESE SKILLS.
AND THEN, AND THEN WE'LL BE WORKING WITH OUR MEDIA PARTNERS JUST LIKE WE HAVE FOR THE VIS CAMPAIGN, WHICH IS EVERYWHERE.
I THINK THAT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE A, A GREAT JOB.
UM, I ALSO WANNA MENTION THAT, UM, WHEN WE'RE IN DC I, I GOT AN INVITE FROM, UH, THE, UH, EMBASSY OF BELGIUM.
AND THE REASON THAT I GOT THE INVITE TO DISCUSS WITH THEM
[01:50:01]
WAS BECAUSE I WANT, I HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS FOR THEM WHEN THEY WERE IN TOWN, UM, AND MY QUESTIONS WERE ALL ABOUT INCREASING WOMEN'S PARTICIPATION.AND FROM 2011 TO 2017, BELGIUM HAS LED THE PARTICIPATION OF WOMEN IN, IN GOVERNMENT AND IN OTHER AREAS, UM, MORE THAN ANY OTHER NATION.
AND SO, UM, INTERESTINGLY, I, I GOT REALLY GOOD FEEDBACK, UM, AND THEY GAVE ME A BOOK, UH, AND IT WAS WRITTEN BY A FORMER DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER OF BELGIUM.
AND SO HE HAD GROWN UP WITH A STRONG, UH, FEMALE, UH, WELL WITH A MOM.
AND THEN HIS WIFE IS A STRONG FEMALE.
AND SO, UM, HE DISCUSSES A ROAD PLAN.
HE SPELLS OUT PRETTY MUCH A PLAN ON INCREASING WOMEN PARTICIPATION.
AND SO, UM, HIS BOOK IS TITLED WHY FEMINISM EMPOWERS MEN TOO.
AND SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T LEAVE, UH, THE MEN OUT IN, IN THE EQUATION.
AND SO I'M ALL ABOUT PRO UH, PRO WOMEN AND, YOU KNOW, ALL ABOUT CHAMPIONING WOMEN'S EFFORTS.
UM, BUT I ALSO WANT TO, UH, MAYBE INCLUDE OUR MALE COLLEAGUES.
I MENTIONED TO COUNCILMAN T ALREADY.
AND SO HE'S GONNA HAVE HOMEWORK AS SOON AS I GET THAT BOOK AS WELL.
UM, AND THEN MY, UH, SO I'LL, I'LL MAKE SURE TO, TO MAKE THAT ACCESSIBLE TO YOU ALL BECAUSE I LEARNED A LOT FROM READING THAT.
AND AGAIN, FROM THE MALE PERSPECTIVE WAS BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN.
IT'S A SHORT READS ABOUT THREE HOURS OR SO.
UM, AND THEN MY FINAL QUESTION IS, WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH IS IN MARCH.
I KNOW WE HAVE THE GIRLS EMPOWERMENT SUMMIT, WHICH THANK YOU TO ALL MY COLLEAGUES FOR, UH, SUPPORTING THAT.
WHAT ARE WE DOING FOR EDUCATORS? HAVE WE DISTRIBUTED COPIES OF PERHAPS OUR, UM, OUR REPORT? DID, DID EVERYBODY HAVE ACCESS TO IT? OR WHAT ARE WE DOING TO KIND OF BUILD INTO WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH COMING UP? I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'RE DOING ANYTHING YET, BUT THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.
UM, AND I KNOW WE'RE USING THE FRAMEWORK OF REGION 20 TO PUSH OUT MATERIALS ABOUT, UM, TEEN DATING VIOLENCE.
SO THEY'RE FORWARDING THAT OUT TO ALL OF THE SCHOOLS, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET THAT INFORMATION AND THEY CAN SORT OF SHARE THAT INFORMATION THROUGH THEIR NETWORK.
SO, I MEAN, WE CAN EXPLORE OPPORTUNITIES TO, TO, TO LOOK AT HOW WE CAN GET THAT INFORMATION OUT.
AND THEN WE DO HAVE THE GIRLS EMPOWERMENT SUMMIT COMING UP MM-HMM.
AND SO I KNOW YOUR, YOUR DEPARTMENTS HAVE BEEN, OUR DEPARTMENTS HAVE BEEN HEAVILY INVOLVED IN THAT.
BUT JUST ANY OTHER BIT OF INFORMATION, MAYBE LOOKING AT THE AGENDA AND IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT WE'RE MISSING, WE DO HAVE A COMPONENT ABOUT DATING VIOLENCE IN THERE.
UM, AND WE, WE HAVE SEVERAL THINGS THAT I, I THINK ADDRESS, BODY IMAGE, ET CETERA.
BUT ANYTHING THAT MAYBE FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, IF YOU CAN MAYBE HELP US TAKE A LOOK AT, SEE IF WE'VE MISSED ANYTHING, OR MAYBE WE COULD, UM, PIGGYBACK WITH SOME OF THE ITEMS ALREADY.
I GREATLY APPRECIATE THE HELP, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.
UM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, JENNY.
UH, WE'VE HAD A GREAT DISCUSSION.
I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF QUICK QUESTIONS.
UM, ON SLIDE SEVEN, UH, REGARDING THE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, UH, I THINK IT'S GREAT THAT THERE'S GONNA BE SUBCONTRACTING GOALS SPECIFICALLY FOR WOMEN OWNED BUSINESSES.
UH, WHAT I'D LIKE TO ASK THE, THE TEAM IS CURRENTLY WHEN WE SEE, UM, BIDS FOR CONTRACT AND WE CAN PAIR THEM, AND THEN THERE'S A LINE, UH, SWIM BEE, UM, AT THE BOTTOM AND YOU EITHER HAVE 10 OR YOU HAVE ZERO.
UM, WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO, UH, UM, TO FIND OUT, I GUESS TO BREAK IT UP, WHETHER THEY ARE, UM, I'M NOT ASKING YOU TO BREAK UP THE POINT SYSTEM.
I KNOW THAT'S, THAT'S A WHOLE OTHER, UH, ISSUE, BUT, UH, WHETHER WE'RE GETTING A MINORITY OWNED BUSINESS, WHETHER WE'RE GETTING A WOMEN OWNED BUSINESS, UM, YEAH.
DO YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT THAT? SURE.
AND ACTUALLY, I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY.
WE ACTUALLY DO ALREADY SET WOMEN BUSINESS ENTERPRISE GOALS ON A LOT OF OUR SOLICITATIONS.
BUT WE HAVE NOT TRADITIONALLY DONE IT ON CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS OR WHAT WE CONSIDER OTHER SERVICES.
SO NON-PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, THINKING JANITORIAL OR LANDSCAPING.
WE HAVE NOT TRADITIONALLY APPLIED SPECIFIC WOMEN BUSINESS ENTERPRISE GOALS, UM, SUBCONTRACTING GOALS LIKE YOUR REFERENCE, BUT WE CAN, AND THAT'S, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE GONNA BE MOVING FORWARD WITH NOW.
SO, UM, YOU'RE GOING TO, CAN, CAN YOU SAY THAT? JUST SAY THAT AGAIN.
I THINK FIRST TO YOUR QUESTION OF WHETHER WE CAN APPLY SPECIFIC GOALS.
UM, WE CAN SPECIFICALLY SAY SMALL BUSINESSES.
WE CAN ALSO SAY SMALL BUSINESSES THAT ARE ALSO MINORITY OWNED.
WE CAN ALSO SAY SMALL BUSINESSES THAT ARE WOMEN OWNED.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE PLAN TO DO MORE OF.
WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE MORE SUBCONTRACTING OR ACTUALLY REQUIRE MORE SUBCONTRACTING ON CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS AND ON THESE NON-PROFESSIONAL OR OTHER SERVICES CONTRACTS.
AND THEN WHEN IT COMES TO THE ACTUAL CONTRACTING, UM, WHEN THERE'S A, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE EVALUATING, UH, PROPOSALS RIGHT NOW, DO YOU HAVE, UM, WE'LL SEE, YOU KNOW, SWIM BEE AND IT'LL SAY 10 OR ZERO, BUT WE DON'T ALWAYS SEE WHAT IT
[01:55:01]
IS.SO I THINK IT'S JUST A LITTLE BIT OF, UH, CLARIFICATION FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS, IF YOU COULD.
AND THEN COULD YOU TELL ME ABOUT THESE LOANS? I WASN'T AWARE, FAMILIAR WITH THIS PROGRAM? SO WE PARTNER WITH LIFT FUND FOR A LOAN BUY DOWN PROGRAM.
UM, SO THIS MAKES, UH, LENDING, THIS MAKES CAPITAL A LOT MORE ACCESSIBLE TO ENTREPRENEURS THAT CAN'T GO THROUGH TRADITIONAL LENDING.
UM, SO LIFT FUND, THEY, THEY TEND TO, BECAUSE OF THE POPULATION THAT THEY'RE SERVING, UM, THE INTEREST RATES CAN BE SIGNIFICANT.
UM, SO WE'RE PARTNERING WITH LIFTFUND TO BUY DOWN THAT INTEREST RATE SO THAT THESE ENTREPRENEURS CAN ACCESS THAT CAPITAL.
AND THIS YEAR WE'RE GONNA BE FOCUSING, WE'RE ASKING THEM TO FOCUS MORE OF THOSE RESOURCES ON WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES.
AND WHEN IS THAT, WHEN IS THAT GONNA GO UP EVEN HIGHER? WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA KEEP PUSHING THEM EVERY YEAR.
I THINK THIS PAST YEAR WE'VE BEEN UP UP 10%.
WE'RE, WE'LL JUST KEEP, KEEP KIND OF UPPING THAT NUMBER.
ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, ALEX AND THANK YOU JENNY AND DR.
UH, THAT'S THE LAST ITEM AND WE ARE ADJOURNED.