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COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN.
COUNCIL MEMBER GON ROJA GARCIA HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE PRESENT.
[1. Invocation]
TO OUR CITY COUNCIL A SESSION AGENDA.UM, THE TIME IS 9:20 AM AND WE INVITE ALL OF US, UH, HERE PRESENT AS WELL AS PEOPLE THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY TO OBSERVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE AND THE BELLS RINGING AT SAN FERNANDO ALONG AS ALONG WITH THE MISSIONS CO CONCEPTION SAN JUAN AND JOSE.
AND WE HAVE, UH, CHOSEN TO OBSERVE THAT MOMENT OF SILENCE ON BEHALF OF THE FOLKS WHO ARE WORKING VERY HARD TO SAVE LIVES IN OUR COMMUNITY AND AROUND THE WORLD, AND ALSO IN SOLIDARITY WITH THOSE, UH, AND THOSE FAMILY MEMBERS WHO HAVE LOST LOVED ONES, UH, IN THE BATTLE AGAINST THIS INFECTIOUS DISEASE KNOWN AS CORONAVIRUS AT THIS TIME.
UH, CAN I GET OUR AV TEAM TO ROLL THE TRANSLATION TAPE? THANK YOU.
AND, UH, TO GET US STARTED TODAY, I'D LIKE TO CALL ON COUNCIL MEMBER PIAS TO WELCOME OUR INDICATOR.
I'D LIKE TO REINTRODUCE YOU ALL TO A FRIEND OF OURS.
UH, MINISTER TRAVIS ES SERVES THE PEOPLE OF THE OAK HILLS CHURCH AS THEIR LEAD PASTOR, AND HE HAS JUST RECENTLY RECEIVED THIS CALL FOLLOWING HIS FRIEND AND MENTOR MAX LUCADO.
UH, HE AND HIS WIFE ALICIA, HAVE MOVED HERE TO RAISE THEIR FOUR CHILDREN.
HIS PASSION IS TO SEE THE CHURCH BE IN THE HANDS AND FEET OF CHRIST TO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
OAK HILLS IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST CONGREGATIONS THAT WE HAVE IN DISTRICT EIGHT.
UH, MR. EIDS IS ADMIRED BY MANY IN OUR DISTRICT AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN A FRIEND OF DISTRICT EIGHT.
THE TEAM MEMBERS THAT I'VE GOT ON MY STAFF, UH, ADMIRE HIM VERY MUCH, AND HE'S ALWAYS BEEN VERY KIND TO US AND HAS, UH, BEEN A RESOURCE AND DURING THESE DIFFICULT TIMES AND MADE PERFECT SENSE TO CALL ON HIM.
WELCOME, PASTOR EATS HERE WITH YOU.
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OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN.THIS IS THE DAY THAT YOU HAVE MADE AND WE REJOICE IN IT.
WE REJOICE IN IT BECAUSE OF YOUR PRESENCE.
WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENCE.
THOUGH WE ARE APART AND SPREAD OUT IN MANY WAYS, WE ARE NOT ALONE BECAUSE YOU ARE WITH US.
FATHER, YOU PROMISE THROUGH YOUR SON THAT YOU WOULD BE WITH US ALWAYS, EVEN TO THE END OF THE AGE.
AND SO TODAY WE CLAIM THAT PROMISE.
WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENCE.
FATHER, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE LEADERS THAT YOU HAVE CALLED UPON FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS.
THOSE THAT YOU HAVE APPOINTED TO LEAD US THROUGH THIS TIME.
I PRAY THAT YOU WOULD, THAT YOU WOULD GIVE THEM WISDOM, THAT YOU WOULD GIVE THEM DISCERNMENT, THAT YOU WOULD GIVE THEM COMPASSION AND DECISIVENESS.
FATHER, I PRAY THAT YOU WOULD PROTECT THEIR FAMILIES, PROTECT THEIR HOMES, FILL THEIR HOMES WITH JOY AND PEACE.
FATHER, WE'RE MINDFUL TODAY AND IN THE DAYS AHEAD THAT YOU WOULD BE VERY CLOSE TO THOSE, ALL THOSE WHO ARE PERFORMING TO ESSENTIAL SERVICES, WHO ARE ON THE FRONT LINES, PLACING THEMSELF ON THE LINE FOR US, SERVING US.
I PRAY THAT YOU WOULD PROTECT THEM TODAY AND IN THE DAYS AHEAD, THAT YOU WOULD GUARD THEM, THAT YOU WOULD WATCH OVER THEM.
AND FATHER, NOW WE SAY TO YOU, WE TRUST IN YOU AND WE SUBMIT TO YOU, AND WE, WE ASK YOU TO GUIDE OUR PATH.
WE ASK YOU TO MAKE OUR PATH STRAIGHT.
FATHER, THAT AS WE TRUST IN YOU, THAT YOU WOULD HELP US TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS IN THE RIGHT TIME.
WE ASK THIS IN THE NAME OF JESUS.
[2. Pledge of Allegiance]
UNITED STATES OF THANK YOU.UM, ALSO JUST WANNA MENTION AGAIN, UH, THE CITY COUNCIL.
OUR CITY IS DOING OUR BEST TO OBSERVE PHYSICAL DISTANCING.
UH, WHICH IS WHY YOU'RE SEEING FOUR MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL EVERY WEEK ON SCREENS.
UM, SOON ENOUGH THEY'LL BE JOINING US IN PERSON.
SO THE DIOCESE HAS REARRANGED A LITTLE BIT, BUT, UH, WE'RE DOING OUR PART AGAIN TO, UM, EXHIBIT BEST PRACTICES OF SO PHYSICAL DISTANCING.
[3. Approval of Minutes of the City Council Regular Meeting of March 4 - 5, 2020.]
AT THIS TIME, WE ARE GOING TO BEGIN WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES, UH, THE WEEK OF MARCH 4TH AND FIFTH.HEY, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
MINUTES OF MARCH FOUR AND FIVE.
[Consent Agenda]
UM, THE ONLY ITEM WE HAVE FOR, UH, INDIVIDUAL, UH, BRIEFING TODAY IS THE CITY'S RESPONSE, UH, TO C OVID 19.UH, AT THIS POINT I'D LIKE TO ASK MY COLLEAGUES IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER ITEMS I'D LIKE TO PULL FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA.
IF THERE ARE NONE, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THE BALANCE.
ITEM 20, ITEM 20, MAYOR, ITEM 20.
ANY OTHERS? I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
THAT'S ALL ITEMS SAY FOR FOUR AND 20.
UH, WAS THAT A SECOND? COUNCILS MEMBER ELAS? YES.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT ZONE.
WE DO HAVE ONE CITIZEN SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON CONSENT ZONING OR CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS. UH, JACK FINGER, MAYOR NURENBERG, OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS JACK M.
YES, I, UH, WISH TO BRING UP, UH, ONE ITEM ON THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR FOUR YEAR, UH, CONSIDERATION.
YES, IT'S, UH, BASICALLY A RE IT'S A RESOLUTION OF NO OBJECTION FOR MI VISTA.
CENTENNIAL APARTMENTS APPLICATION FOR THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING
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AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS.NON-COMPETITIVE 4% HOUSING TAX CREDITS PROGRAM FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE MI VISTA APARTMENTS 312 UNIT.
AFFORDABLE, AFFORDABLE MULTIFAMILY RENTAL HOUSING DEVELOPMENT LOCATED AT 1226 RA VISTA IN COUNCIL DISTRICT NUMBER SEVEN.
WELL, I'M LOOKING FOR MS. SANDOVAL.
SHE'S NOT IN HER SEAT RIGHT NOW, BUT THAT'S IN HER DISTRICT THERE.
THE, UH, ONE REASON I OBJECT TO THAT IS YOU, MR. VISIO MATTER, IF YOU CAN PUT THAT UP ON THE SCREEN THERE.
THE, THE FIRST PAGE, LET'S SEE.
JUST WHAT I HAVE UNDERLINE THERE, IF YOU WOULD, UH, EMPHASIZE THAT.
YEAH, IF YOU CAN READ IT, IT'S A LITTLE BLEACHED OUT, BUT IT SAYS, UH, THIS IS IN DISTRICT SEVEN.
IT'S AT THE 1220 SIXTH MID VISTA IN COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN, AND IT'S THE, UH, WHAT WE CALL AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING.
WELL, YOU FOLKS CALL IT AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING.
I CALL IT WELFARE HOUSING BECAUSE, UH, BASICALLY THE PEOPLE IN THE, UH, WELFARE CLASS ARE GOING TO BE ALLOWED ONLY BE ALLOWED TO, UH, RESIDE IN IT.
IF YOU WOULD, MR. ER, PUT THE PAGE TO PAGE TWO.
AND NOW ONCE AGAIN, LOOK AT THE WRITING ON THE PAGE THERE TO IT.
WHAT DOES IT SAY THERE? ONCE AGAIN? YES.
LITTLE LITTLE BEACHED OUT THERE.
WHAT DOES IT SAY HERE?
ALL 100, 312 UNITS WILL BE, UH, USED FOR HOUSING FOR THOSE WHO MAKE 60% OR ARE LESS OF THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME, 6% OR LESS.
PLEASE RETURN THE CAMERA TO THE, TO THE MICROPHONE.
THAT'S WHAT WE CALL AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND, UM, LIKE I SAY, THAT'S IN DISTRICT SEVEN EIGHT, THAT'S NEAR CALIBRA AND CALLAHAN AREA, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.
AND, UH, THOSE OF YOU, UH, WHO LIVE IN THAT AREA, YOU MAY WANT TO ASK MS. SANDOVAL WHY YOU'RE ALLOWING.
SO, UH, THE, UM, THANK YOU MR. FINGER, THE, THE PEOPLE TO, TO DO LIVE THERE.
UM, AT THIS TIME, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
UM, I JUST WANNA DOUBLE CHECK, THERE ARE NO COUNCIL MEMBERS IN THE QUEUE FOR COMMENT ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
SO, UH, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE THAT MOTION.
[4. Briefing on the City's response and preparedness on COVID 19]
FOUR.ITEM FOUR IS A BRIEFING ON THE CITY'S RESPONSE AND PREPAREDNESS FOR C OVID 19 MORNING MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
UM, THIS, THIS MORNING WE'LL HAVE, UH, UH, THREE PRESENTATIONS.
WE'LL START OFF WITH, UH, CARLOS CONTRERAS, WHO WILL GIVE THE COUNCIL, UH, AN ENTIRE UPDATE ON THE CARESS ACT AND FEDERAL FUNDING.
WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHERE THE STATE'S AT.
UM, AND THEN SECONDLY, LORI HOUSTON WILL TALK ABOUT, UM, OUR, UH, COVID RESPONSE, PROPOSED RESPONSE FOR, UH, EMERGENCY HOUSING.
UM, THIS ITEM WILL BE FOR BRIEF TODAY, UM, AND BECAUSE OF, OF, UH, NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS UNDER THE CARESS ACT.
TODAY WILL BE A BRIEFING ITEM TO GET SOME INPUT FROM THE COUNCIL AND WHEN IT WILL BE ON COUNCIL'S AGENDA NEXT WEEK FOR ACTION AND APPROVAL.
AND THEN THE THIRD, UH, PRESENTATION THIS MORNING WILL BE AN UPDATE FROM, UH, UH, MARIA VILLA GOMEZ ON, UH, HOW MUCH WE'VE SPENT TO DATE IN THE CURRENT RESPONSE AND WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN TERMS OF, OF, UH, FUNDING FROM THE STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO DATE.
UM, THIS IS AN EVOLVING, UM, UH, ISSUE THAT WE HAVE A PRETTY ROBUST TEAM IN PLACE THAT IS TRACKING ALL EXPENSES.
THAT'S KEY BECAUSE WE WILL, WE WILL, UH, EXPECT TO, UH, GET REIMBURSED, UH, FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
SO, MARIA, WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT AND GIVE THE COUNCIL AN UPDATE.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO CARLOS.
UH, MY PRESENTATION THIS MORNING WILL ADDRESS HOW THE CORONAVIRUS AID RELIEF AND ECONOMIC STABILITY, OR EXCUSE ME, SECURITY ACT, PROVIDES FUNDING TO INDIVIDUALS AND EMPLOYEES TO BUSINESSES, UH, AND OF COURSE TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN THE COMMUNITY.
FOR CONTEXT, I WANTED TO PROVIDE JUST AN, UH, UPDATE
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ON WHERE WE ARE IN TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT, UM, IN OUR COMMUNITY.I MENTIONED A COUPLE WEEKS AGO WHEN I PRESENTED THAT, UM, OUR COMMUNITY, THE ALAMO REGION, HAD SEEN 18,000 CLAIMS FOR UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE IN ONE WEEK.
UH, THOSE NUMBERS HAVE GONE UP DRAMATICALLY.
UH, FOR THE WEEK ENDING APRIL 5TH, THERE WERE 31,000 CLAIMS FILED IN THE ALAMO REGION.
THAT'S A 13 COUNTY REGION SURROUNDING BEXAR COUNTY.
THE WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS, ALAMO PROJECTS THAT BASED ON THE TRENDS THAT WE'VE SEEN SINCE MARCH ONE, THAT OVER A SEVEN WEEK PERIOD, WE ARE LIKELY TO SEE CLOSE TO A HUNDRED THOUSAND CLAIMS IN THE ALAMO REGION.
BEXAR COUNTY, OF COURSE, IS THE LARGEST COUNTY WITHIN THAT REGION.
UH, WE ARE APPROXIMATELY 80% OF THOSE CLAIMS. AND OF COURSE, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO IS THE LARGEST ENTITY WITHIN BEXAR COUNTY.
SO OVER A SEVEN WEEK PERIOD, BEGINNING FROM MARCH 1ST, WE'RE LOOKING AT LIKELY CLOSE TO A HUNDRED THOUSAND UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE CLAIMS, UH, COMPARED TO THE UNITED STATES.
UH, YOU MAY KNOW THAT TODAY WAS REPORTED 5.5 MILLION CLAIMS, OR 5.2 MILLION CLAIMS LAST WEEK.
UH, THAT BRINGS OVER A FOUR WEEK PERIOD IN THE UNITED STATES.
22 MILLION PEOPLE HAVE FILED FOR UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE.
PUT THAT IN CONTEXT, THAT'S THE SAME NUMBER OF JOBS THAT HAVE BEEN CREATED OVER THE LAST NINE YEARS SINCE THE LAST RECESSION.
SO THAT'S THE IMPACT NATIONWIDE.
THAT'S THE IMPACT, UH, LOCALLY.
SO, THOSE, UH, NUMBERS, I THINK YOU'LL SEE REFLECTED UPON, UH, THROUGHOUT THIS PRESENTATION AND, AND LORIS AND MARIAS AS WELL.
IT ALSO, UM, ILLUSTRATES WHY THERE'S ALREADY DISCUSSION AFTER A TWO POINT TRI, $2.2 TRILLION STIMULUS PACKAGE.
WHILE THERE'S ALREADY DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT'S NOT ENOUGH, THERE'LL BE A NEED FOR MUCH MORE THAN THE $2.2 TRILLION.
UH, BEGINNING ON MONDAY OF THIS WEEK, UH, CITIZENS RESIDENTS STARTED RECEIVING, UH, THEIR $1,200 CHECKS.
UH, IT'S, UH, $1,200 PER INDIVIDUAL, UH, RESIDENT INDIVIDUAL, UM, THE UNITED STATES, UH, UP TO $2,400 FOR, UH, MARRIED COUPLES FILING JOINTLY AND ADDITIONAL $500 PER CHILD, MINOR CHILD IN THAT HOUSEHOLD, UP TO A MAXIMUM OF $3,400.
UH, THEY'RE PRIMARILY FOR, THEY CAME OUT FIRST FOR FOLKS THAT, UH, DIRECT, HAVE DIRECT DEPOSIT AND DIRECTLY FILE THEIR TAXES.
UH, THERE ARE ALSO CHECKS BEING SENT OUT OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS TO THE BALANCE OF INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE ENTITLED TO RECEIVE THOSE.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, ON MONDAY, UH, THE FIRST PAYMENT OF THE, UH, PANDEMIC UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE, ADDITIONAL $600 PER WEEK, UH, ADDED TO THE STATE UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE CLAIMS, UH, BEGAN ROLLING OUT ON MONDAY AS WELL.
UM, STATEWIDE, THE TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION PAID OUT $183 MILLION TO 137,000 UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE CLAIMANTS IN THE STATE.
THAT WAS LAST MONDAY, JUST ONE WEEK PRIOR, THEY PAID OUT $40 MILLION.
SO YOU CAN SEE THE, BOTH, THE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF CLAIMANTS AS WELL AS THE IMPACT OF THAT ADDITIONAL $600, UH, IN BENEFIT.
I WANNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, WHAT'S BEEN AVAILABLE TO SMALL BUSINESSES.
UH, THE PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM IS A FORGIVABLE LOAN FOR SMALL BUSINESSES, UM, THAT, OOPS, SORRY, TECHNICAL ISSUE THERE.
UH, FORGIVABLE LOANS OF SMALL BUSINESSES.
UM, TO DATE, THERE'S BEEN $248 BILLION THAT HAVE BEEN LOANED OUT IN THE UNITED STATES.
YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN HERE, WHAT HAS BEEN PROVIDED TO THE STATE OF TEXAS, UM, 21 POINT, ALMOST $22 BILLION IN APPROVED FUNDS, UM, TO ABOUT 88,000 APPLICANTS.
LOCALLY, FROST BANK AND OTHER BANKS LOCALLY HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE GETTING THESE LOANS OUT TO SMALL BUSINESSES THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.
UM, THE PRESIDENT OF FROST BANK INDICATED THAT IN A 10 DAY PERIOD, THEY HAD, THEY PROCESSED MORE LOANS IN THAT SAME PERIOD THAN THEY HAD OVER THE 18 MONTHS PRIOR TO THAT.
SO THAT'S THE IMPACT THAT THAT'S BEEN HAVING HERE, HERE LOCALLY.
UM, THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION PREDICTS THAT BY
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THE END OF THIS WEEK, THEY WILL BE OUT OF THE $350 BILLION THAT HAVE BEEN AUTHORIZED, UH, UNDER THE CARES ACT.SO HENCE THE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT NEEDING TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO THIS VERY POPULAR PROGRAM.
UH, THERE WERE SOME RESTRICTIONS ON WHO COULD APPLY TO THAT FOR THAT.
UH, IT APPLIED TO SMALL BUSINESSES, TO CERTAIN NONPROFITS, TO VETERANS GROUPS.
UM, AND, AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT THE NEXT ROUND, ABOUT POTENTIALLY EXPANDING THE ELIGIBLE NONPROFITS THAT THAT COULD APPLY FOR THAT.
ALSO, ON THE SCREEN IS THE ECONOMIC INJURY DISASTER LOAN PROGRAM, A SMALL BUSINESS LOAN PROGRAM OF $10 BILLION THAT IS APPLICABLE TO ANY NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION, TO SMALL BUSINESSES, GENERALLY TO SMALL BUSINESSES UNDER 500 EMPLOYEES, UH, ALSO TO SUBCONTRACTORS.
IT'S A 30, UH, YEAR UP TO 30 YEARS IN, IN, UH, PAYMENT TERMS WITH A VERY AFFORDABLE, UH, INTEREST RATE.
LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THE COMMUNITY AND THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO CAN EXPECT TO RECEIVE IS ABOUT $340 BILLION.
THAT'S EARMARKED FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, UH, AND FOR THE COMMUNITY OF SAN, UH, LIKE SAN ANTONIO.
UM, THE FUNDS COME THROUGH VARIOUS, UH, FEDERAL AGENCIES, UM, THE ECONOMIC ADJUSTMENT ACT, UH, THE E D A GRANTS AVAILABLE THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE HUD FUNDING FOR HOMELESSNESS, UH, FEMA FUNDING, ET CETERA.
YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT FUNDS COMING AS AID TO STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE, $150 BILLION IN FUNDING FOR STATE AND LOCAL RELIEF.
THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, BASED ON OUR POPULATION, COULD RECEIVE REIMBURSEMENTS UP TO $250 MILLION.
UH, AGAIN, THIS IS FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF EXPENDITURES DIRECTLY RELATED TO RESPONSE OF THE CORONAVIRUS, UH, BEGINNING, AF BEGINNING, UH, AFTER MARCH 1ST THROUGH THE END OF THIS YEAR, THE GUIDELINES ON WHAT EXACTLY IS, UM, RECOVERABLE AS EXPENDITURES IS YET TO BE DETERMINED.
SO WE'RE WORKING WITH, UH, NOT ONLY THE NATIONAL LINCOLN CITIES, BUT OTHER CITIES IN TEXAS, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO HAS THE MOST FLEXIBILITY THAT IT CAN FOR SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT FOR ALL OF THE NON BUDGETED ITEMS THAT WE'VE HAD TO, TO INCUR, UH, TO RESPOND TO THE CORONAVIRUS.
SIMILARLY, THE, UH, BURNS JAG GRANT, UH, WE, UM, HAVE IDENTIFIED THAT, UM, THERE'S A $2.3 MILLION COMING TO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO FOR REIMBURSABLE EXPENSES.
THE SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT IS CURRENTLY WORKING ON THAT APPLICATION, THAT GRANT APPLICATION.
UH, IT, IT COVERS A VARIETY OF THINGS, INCLUDING MEDICAL EQUIPMENT AND PROTECTIVE GEAR, AS WELL AS EMPLOYEE OVERTIME.
RELATED TO THE C OVID 19 RESPONSE, WE REPORTED, UH, EARLIER THIS WEEK THAT, UM, THE F A A ANNOUNCED, UH, 30, CLOSE TO $39 MILLION, UH, WOULD BE COMING TO THE SAN ANTONIO AIRPORT SYSTEM, UH, SS A T AND STINSON BOTH, UH, THIS IS MUCH NEEDED, UH, RELIEF FROM THE SIGNIFICANT DROP IN REVENUE THAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED, UH, AT SS A T FROM THE, UH, AIRLINES.
AND, UH, AND, AND OF COURSE, THE SHUTTING DOWN OF THE ECONOMY.
UH, MARIA REPORTED LAST WEEK THAT WE HAVE JUST TO THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR, APPROXIMATELY $43 MILLION IN LOST REVENUE.
SO, WHILE THIS IS A WELCOME, UM, GRANT FROM THE F A A FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, UM, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO MAKE THAT STRETCH, UH, NOT ONLY FOR THE BALANCE OF THIS YEAR, BUT INTO NEXT YEAR, BECAUSE WE DON'T ANTICIPATE THAT THINGS WILL RAMP UP IMMEDIATELY ON OCTOBER 1ST.
WE REPORTED PREVIOUSLY THAT, UH, THE FIRST ALLOCATION OF C D C D B G FUNDING OF $7.7 MILLION WILL COME TO OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY.
UH, THAT IS THE SUBSTANCE OF THE, OF SOME OF THE DISCUSSION THAT LORI WILL HAVE WITH YOU IN JUST A FEW MINUTES, UH, TALKING ABOUT HOW WE WILL RESPONSIBLY, UH, GET THAT INTO THE COMMUNITY AND WHERE IT'S NEEDED MOST.
PREVIOUSLY, WE ALSO REPORTED ON THE $4.2 MILLION IN HOMELESS ASSISTANCE GRANTS.
UH, I THINK THERE'S AN ITEM COMING NEXT WEEK TO COUNSEL ON THAT, ON THAT AS WELL.
VIA IS EXPECTED TO RECEIVE $93.2 MILLION IN OPERATING AND CAPITAL, UH, UH, EXPENDITURE.
THIS IS A HUNDRED PERCENT, THERE'S NO LOCAL MATCH TO THIS.
SO THIS WILL BE COMING, UH, TWO VIA DIRECTLY, UH, EDUCATION STABILIZATION FUND OF $30 BILLION.
THE FIRST ROUND OF ALLOCATIONS FROM THAT FUND CAME TO THE STATE OF TEXAS.
THERE'S $307 MILLION TO THE STATE, UH, THAT IS IN THE FORM OF AN EMERGENCY BLOCK GRANT.
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GONNA HAVE WIDE, UH, LATITUDE ABOUT HOW THOSE FUNDS WILL BE PROVIDED TO SCHOOLS AND UNIVERSITIES ACROSS THE STATE.UH, IT'LL BE A COMPETITIVE GRANT PROCESS, SO OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR UNIVERSITIES WILL BE LOOKING FOR GUIDANCE FROM THE GOVERNOR ON HOW TO APPLY FOR THOSE.
THE CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL WAS GIVEN $4.3 BILLION IN THE CARESS ACT, OF WHICH, UH, 1.5 BILLION WAS AVAILABLE FOR STATE AND LOCAL, UH, GOVERNMENTS.
THE STATE OF TEXAS GOT ITS FIRST ROUND.
IT'S A PRETTY SMALL AMOUNT, YOU SEE THERE, $18 MILLION STATEWIDE, UH, BUT WAITING FOR GUIDANCE ON, ON WHAT THAT CAN BE UTILIZED FOR.
THERE'LL BE MORE ROUNDS OF THAT FUNDING COMING.
WE TALKED LOUD LAST, UH, TIME ABOUT, UH, THE IMPACT OF THE HOT REVENUES ON OUR ARTS AGENCIES.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THE PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM, THE SMALL BUSINESS LOAN PROGRAM THAT I DISCUSSED EARLIER, UH, THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS RECEIVED $75 MILLION IN FUNDING FOR ARTS AGENCIES THAT HAVE PREVIOUSLY BEEN FUNDED THROUGH THE N E A.
SO THE REQUIREMENTS TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THIS GRANT.
SO YOU WOULD HAVE TO HAVE RECEIVED FUNDING WITHIN THE LAST FOUR YEARS.
WE HAVE 20 ARTS AGENCIES IN SAN ANTONIO THAT HAVE RECEIVED N E A FUNDING.
UH, WE'VE ENCOURAGED ALL OF THE THEM TO APPLY FOR THIS FUNDING.
IT'S A COMPETITIVE GRANT FUNDING.
YOU CAN SEE THERE THAT IT'S, THE GRANT AWARDS ARE BETWEEN 50,200 $50,000.
UH, THE CITY WILL CERTAINLY ENCOURAGE THEM TO APPLY AND DO WHATEVER WE CAN TO ASSIST THEM IN RECEIVING THAT FUNDING.
COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS IS $1.3 BILLION, UH, PROVIDED FOR COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS.
OUR COMMUNITY WILL RECEIVE, UH, 4.6 MILLION.
THERE HAVE BEEN TWO ALLOCATIONS OF SAN ANTONIO BARIO COMPREHENSIVE FAMILY HEALTH CENTER RECEIVED $2 MILLION IN FUNDING AND EL CENTRO.
THAT EL BARRIO RECEIVED $2.6 MILLION IN FUNDING.
SO THESE ARE, UH, NEXT COUPLE OF SLIDES ARE, UM, AREA AREAS THAT WE BELIEVE WE WILL RECEIVE FUNDING, UH, FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND FOR SAN ANTONIO THAT WE'RE STILL TRACKING.
THE GUIDANCE HAS NOT COME OUT YET.
UH, WE HAVE BEEN PROVIDING TO COUNCIL AND WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE TODAY AN UPDATED TRACKER THAT IDENTIFIES ALL OF THESE, UH, FUNDING, UH, OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE'RE TRACKING ON A DAILY BASIS.
AS THE GUIDANCE, UH, BECOMES AVAILABLE, WE'LL CERTAINLY WORK WITH THE, UH, RELEVANT DEPARTMENT AND RELEVANT AGENCY TO, TO, TO SEEK THESE FUNDING.
UH, AGAIN, THE MORE AREAS THAT WE ARE TRACKING THAT WE BELIEVE WILL COME TO SAN ANTONIO.
WE'RE ALSO WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH THE COUNTY AS PART OF, UH, THE, UH, WORK GROUP THAT, UH, COUNCILMAN PALIS IS CO-CHAIRING.
UH, THEY ARE ALSO TRACKING FUNDING THAT'S COMING TO BEXAR COUNTY ON A SEPARATE TRACKER.
WE'RE, UH, WE'VE DIVIDED UP OUR, UH, ITEMS THAT WE'RE TRACKING SO WE CAN BOTH, UH, MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE COVERING EVERYTHING THAT'S AVAILABLE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, SO WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING VERY CLOSELY THROUGH THAT WORK GROUP AND WITH EACH OTHER ON TRACKING WHAT IS AVAILABLE, UH, IN SAN ANTONIO.
SO, YOU'VE HEARD A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT, UM, RELIEF PACKAGE 3.5, UH, AND RELIEF PACKAGE 4.0.
UH, THE 3.5 IS A, UH, EFFORT BY, UH, SENATE REPUBLICANS AND THE ADMINISTRATION TO ADD ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THAT VERY POPULAR PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM.
THEY'RE SEEKING 250 BILLION ADDITIONAL DOLLARS TO, TO REPLENISH THAT FUND.
UH, SENATE AND HOUSE DEMOCRATS HAVE, ARE WELCOMING THAT, BUT ARE ALSO ASKING FOR FUNDING FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, BECAUSE AS I INDICATED PREVIOUSLY, THE STATE AND LOCAL RELIEF FUND IS STRICTLY FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF EXPENDITURES RELATED TO COVID.
IT DOESN'T HELP LOCAL GOVERNMENTS OR STATES WITH LOSS OF REVENUE.
SO THAT'S BEEN THE SORT OF THE HOLDUP.
THEY'RE ALSO ASKING FOR MORE FUNDING FOR HOSPITALS AND FOR PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT AND TESTING.
SO THERE'S SORT OF BEEN AN IMPASSE AT THIS POINT.
THERE'VE BEEN DISCUSSIONS LAST NIGHT LATE INTO IN THE NIGHT BY THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURER WITH DEMOCRATS NEGOTIATING ON AN EFFORT TO TRY TO DO A RELIEF 3.5.
UH, THERE HAS TO BE NEAR UNANIMOUS AGREEMENT FOR THAT TO PASS, BECAUSE AS YOU CAN SEE THERE, CONGRESS IS IN RECESS UNTIL MAY 5TH IN ORDER FOR THEM TO PASS ANYTHING WHILE THEY'RE IN RECESS SUBSTANTIALLY.
ALL OF THE SENATORS AND ALL OF THE HOUSE MEMBERS HAVE TO AGREE TO THAT.
SO THAT'S WHERE WE ARE ON THAT PACKAGE.
THERE'S ALSO LOTS OF DISCUSSION ABOUT RELIEF PACKAGE NUMBER FOUR, UH, WHICH WILL PROVIDE ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE AREAS THAT ARE BEING
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INCLUDED THERE.UH, AGAIN, UM, FUNDING FOR SMALL BUSINESSES, ASSISTANCE TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, POTENTIALLY INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, FUNDING.
AND THEN OF COURSE, AS ERIC HAS TALKED ABOUT IN THE PAST, POTENTIALLY ADDITIONAL EMPLOYMENT INSURANCE FUNDING AND A T INDIVIDUALS.
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE STATE LEVEL.
UH, OF COURSE, GOVERNOR ABBOTT, UH, RENEWED HIS MARCH 13TH DECLARATION OF DISASTER, UH, ON APRIL THE 12TH.
SCHOOLS HAVE CURRENTLY CLOSED UNTIL MAY 4TH.
UM, THERE IS APPARENTLY A SCHEDULED PRESS EVENT BY THE GOVERNOR, EITHER TODAY, TOMORROW, I THINK IT'S TOMORROW, OR JEFF TOMORROW, UH, IN WHICH HE WILL LIKELY TALK ABOUT, UM, HOW THE PROCESS BY WHICH THE SMALL BUSINESSES AND OTHER BUSINESSES WILL BEGIN TO REOPEN.
UH, WE BELIEVE THAT IT'LL BE CONSISTENT WITH THE DISCUSSIONS THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP'S BEEN TALKING ABOUT WITH A PROCESS THAT INCLUDES INDIVIDUALS, UH, LIKELY INCLUDE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS HEALTH PROFESSIONALS THAT, THAT TALK ABOUT A SLOW, UH, REOPENING OF THE, UH, OF THE BUSINESSES IN TEXAS.
UM, WE'LL, OF COURSE, STAY TUNED TO THAT AND, AND, AND, AND REPORT BACK.
THERE'S ALSO LIKELIHOOD THAT SCHOOLS WILL REMAIN CLOSED FOR THE BALANCE OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, LIKELY MAKE THAT AN ANNOUNCEMENT AS WELL.
UM, ONE ITEM THAT COUNCILMAN TRAVINO STUMPED ALL OF US ON, UH, THE LAST TIME WE WERE UP HERE TALKING WAS, UH, THE FOLLOWING THE, UM, MOVEMENT AROUND SECTION, UH, 11.35.
THE TAX CODE, UH, THAT IS A, UH, PROVISION IN A TAX CODE THAT IT WAS, WAS CREATED IN RESPONSE TO HURRICANE HARVEY.
AND IT PROVIDES FOR TAX EXEMPTION RELIEF FOR PROPERTIES THAT HAVE BEEN PHYSICALLY DAMAGED, UH, AS A, AND, AND, AND FOR WHICH THERE HAS BEEN A DISASTER DECLARATION MADE BY THE, MADE BY THE GOVERNOR, UM, SENATOR BENNETT BENOR FROM HOUSTON.
THE HOUSTON AREA ASKED THE ATTORNEY GENERAL WHETHER THAT WAS APPLICABLE IN THE CASE OF AN ECONOMIC DISASTER THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING.
UH, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL RESPONDED THIS WEEK AND INDICATED THAT THIS STATUTE, UH, SPECIFICALLY APPLIES TO PHYSICAL DAMAGE, NOT TO ECONOMIC DAMAGE.
SO THAT PROVISION WILL NOT BE TRIGGERED IN THE CONTEXT OF THIS, UH, DISASTER RELIEF, UM, AREA.
ADDITIONALLY, THE COMPTROLLER HAS, UH, TALKED ABOUT THE IMPACT OF THE, UH, CORONAVIRUS AND THE SLOWDOWN IN THE ECONOMY ON THE STATE BUDGET.
LIKE THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, IT RECEIVES STATE FUND.
IT RECEIVES FUNDING FROM SALES TAX AND INDIRECTLY THROUGH PROPERTY TAX, UH, SIGNIFICANT REVENUES FROM OIL AND GAS REVENUES.
THERE'S SORT OF A DOUBLE DISASTER, UH, FACING THE STATE, BOTH THE, THE IMPACT ON SMALL BUSINESSES AND LARGE BUSINESSES IN THE, IN THE STATE, AS WELL AS THE OIL, UH, BATTLES, THE, THE PRODUCTION BATTLES THAT HAD TAKEN PLACE BETWEEN, UH, COUNTRIES LIKE, UH, OPEC AND, UH, AND OF COURSE RUSSIA AND OTHERS.
UH, SO THAT HAS CAUSED A HUGE IMPACT ON THE STATE COFFERS.
UH, THERE'LL BE, UH, LOTS OF DISCUSSION ABOUT REDUCTIONS IN SPENDING AT THE STATE LEVEL.
HE'S ALREADY ASKED STATE AGENCIES TO CUT SPENDING AND SLOW SPENDING FOR THE BALANCE OF THIS FISCAL YEAR TO PREPARE FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
UM, THE ADMINISTRATION, THE, THE, THE US CENSUS BUREAU HAS EXTENDED THE DEADLINES FOR COLLECTION OF DATA, UM, FROM THE ORIGINAL DEADLINES SCHEDULED JULY 31ST THROUGH, UH, TWO OCTOBER 31ST.
THAT'S GONNA HAVE AN IMPACT ON, UM, THE INFORMATION THAT IS THEN DISSEMINATED TO STATES, UM, APPORTIONMENT INFORMATION AS WELL AS REDISTRICTING INFORMATION.
UM, THE DEADLINE FOR RECEIPT OF THAT INFORMATION AT THE LEGISLATURE WAS, UH, IN APRIL, IT LIKELY WON'T OCCUR.
SO HOW THE LEGISLATURE WILL DEAL WITH CONGRESSIONAL REDISTRICTING NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION IS STILL TO BE DETERMINED.
IT COULD MEAN THAT THERE WILL NEED TO BE A SPECIALLY CALLED SESSION TO DEAL WITH, UH, CONGRESSIONAL REDISTRICTING.
THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION, I THINK LORI'S UP NEXT, UH, TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE WILL RESPONSIBLY ADMINISTER THOSE FUNDS, HU FUNDING.
AND JEFF CO AND I ARE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
MY PORTION OF TODAY'S PRESENTATION IS GONNA PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF A HOUSING ASSISTANCE PRO PROGRAM THAT WE'RE PROPOSING.
UM, FIRST I'M GONNA GO OVER OUR CURRENT AND PROPOSED PROTECTIONS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE FOR TENANTS AND RESIDENTS.
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UM, PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE DEMAND THAT WE'RE SEEING FOR REQUESTS FOR HOUSING ASSISTANCE.ALSO PROVIDE A BRIEFING ON A RISK MITIGATION POLICY THAT WAS ADOPTED BY COUNCIL IN OCTOBER OF 2018, AND THEN PRESENT TO YOU OUR PROPOSED C OVID 19 EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
AND THEN I'LL CONCLUDE WITH THE PROGRAM BUDGET AND STATUS AND NEXT STEPS.
AT THE ONSET OF THE COVID PANDEMIC, WE HAD COUNCILMAN ROBERTO TREVINO AND MAYOR RON NURNBERG IMMEDIATELY REACH OUT TO SAS AND C P SS TO REQUEST THAT THEY PROTECT OUR RESIDENTS BY PROHIBITING OR PLACING A MORATORIUM ON DISCONNECTS TO RESIDENTIAL HOUSING UNITS.
SO A SINGLE FAMILY HOUSE WHO COULD NOT PAY THEIR SAWS OR C P S BILL.
THEY WOULDN'T BE THREATENED BY THE THOUGHT THAT C P S OR SAWS WOULD CUT OFF THAT SERVICE.
SO THAT MORATORIUM IS CURRENTLY IN PLACE PROVIDING A NECESSARY PROTECTION.
WE ALSO HAVE BEXAR COUNTY AND THE TEXAS SUPREME COURT.
THEY ALSO ISSUED A MORATORIUM ON EVICTION HEARINGS, AND THAT MORATORIUM LASTS THROUGH APRIL 30TH.
UM, THE TAX ASSESSOR CANCELED PROPERTY TAX FOR CLOSURES FOR APRIL AND MAY.
UM, AND THEN FANNIE MAE AND FREDDIE MACK, UM, SUSPENDED FOR CLOSURES AND EVICTIONS FOR FEDERALLY BACKED MORTGAGES FOR THE NEXT 60 DAYS.
AND THEN THE CARES ACT THAT WAS RECENTLY ADOPTED BY THE FEDS INCLUDED A PROHIBITION FOR LOW-INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDIT PROJECTS, STATING THAT A LOW-INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDIT PROJECT COULD NOT ISSUE A NOTICE FOR, FOR VAC TO VACATE FOR 120 DAYS, AND THEY WERE PROHIBITED FROM CHARGING TENANTS FEES AND PENALTIES FOR LATE PAYMENT.
IN ADDITION TO THESE PRODUCTIONS PROTECTIONS THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN PLACE, COUNCILMAN ROBERTO TREVINO REQUESTED THAT THE CITY EXPLORE AN ORDINANCE THAT WOULD REQUIRE A LANDLORD TO PROVIDE TENANTS WITH A NOTICE OF PROPOSED EVICTIONS 60 DAYS PRIOR TO PROCEEDING WITH A NOTICE TO VACATE.
SO BASICALLY ADDING AN ADDITIONAL STEP IN THE EVICTION PROCESS.
THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS LOOKING AT THIS.
THIS IS SOMETHING SIMILAR TO WHAT AUSTIN PASSED, AND WE DO HAVE SOME CHALLENGES IN TERMS OF THE AUTHORITY AND ENFORCEMENT, AND OUR CITY ATTORNEY CAN SPEAK TO THAT LATER ON.
UM, WE HAVE IDENTIFIED ANOTHER IDEA THAT COULD INCLUDE A CONTRACTUAL ARRANGEMENT WITH A LANDLORD.
UM, SO BASICALLY, IF A LANDLORD IS GOING TO ACCEPT FUNDING FROM THE CITY TO PAY RENT, THEN THEY HAVE TO AGREE TO AMEND THEIR CONTRACT WITH THEIR TENANT STATING THAT THEY WOULD INITIATE THIS NEXT STEP FOR EVICTION, WHICH WOULD PROVIDE A 60 DAY NOTICE OF PROPOSED EVICTION PRIOR TO THE EVICTION.
WE'RE EXPLORING OTHER IDEAS AS WELL AND CONTINUE TO TALK TO OTHER CITIES TO SEE WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
WE HAVE HAD A MAJOR INCREASE IN OUR REQUEST FOR HOUSING ASSISTANCE PRIOR TO MARCH.
ON AVERAGE, WE WERE GETTING ABOUT 57 INQUIRIES REGARDING OUR RISK MITIGATION FUND A WEEK.
UM, JUST LAST WEEK, WE HAD OVER 5,300 REQUESTS.
UM, IN RESPONSE TO THE INCREASE IN DEMAND, UM, THE CITY HAS INCREASED OUR STAFF FROM EIGHT TO 41.
THAT ADDITIONAL STAFF IS COMING FROM REDEPLOYED, UM, EMPLOYEES WITHIN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO ORGANIZATION.
UM, WE'VE PROCURED SOFTWARE TO HELP US PROCESS THE APPLICATIONS MORE QUICKLY.
UM, AND THAT SOFTWARE WILL ACTUALLY BE LIVE NEXT WEEK.
UM, WE'VE HAD, UM, ADDED AN INQUIRY TO THE APPLICATION PROCESS REGARDING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND FOOD INSECURITY.
AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE DONE ACROSS ALL OF OUR PHONE HOTLINES, ASKING THE INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS CALLED, UM, IF GIVING THEM INFORMATION ABOUT IF THEY ARE SAFE, IF THEY KNOW SOMEBODY WHO'S EXPERIENCING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OR CHILD ABUSE, WHO TO CALL, OR IF THEY CURRENTLY IN DANGER TO SAY A CODE WORD.
AND WE WOULD CALL 9 1 1 IMMEDIATELY.
WE ALSO ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT FOOD INSECURITY SO WE DON'T HAVE TO DEFER THIS PERSON TO ANOTHER PROCESS TO GET IN LINE TO REQUEST THAT ASSISTANCE.
SO WE WANT TO REMOVE BARRIERS.
UM, AND THAT WAS REQUESTED OF US, UM, AT OUR LAST WORK SESSION ON THIS ITEM ON APRIL 7TH.
UM, AND THEN WE'RE ALSO PROVIDING INFORMATION ON UNEMPLOYMENT FILING PROCESS AND THE ADDITIONAL BENEFITS THAT ARE COMING, UM, FROM THE STIMULUS PACKAGE.
IF YOU FILE FOR UNEMPLOYMENT, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THIS ADDITIONAL $600 A WEEK THAT ARE PROVIDED THROUGH A STIMULUS PACKAGE, BECAUSE IF THEY ARE ABLE TO DO THAT, THEN THE CHANCES OF THEM RETURNING TO GET MORE ASSISTANCE FOR RENTAL OR HOUSING, UM, MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE, UM, UH, HAS DECREASED BECAUSE THEY'RE GETTING THIS ADDITIONAL, UM, STIMULUS FUNDING.
SO WE'RE PROVIDING AN INFORMATION ABOUT HOW TO APPLY FOR UNEMPLOYMENT, THE BEST TIMES TO APPLY FOR UNEMPLOYMENT SO THEY CAN MAKE SURE THEIR APPLICATION IS GETTING PROCESSED.
UM, SIMILAR TO OUR RISK MITIGATION FUND REQUESTS, THE OUR UTILITY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
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HAS ALSO REQUEST RE UM, RECEIVED AN INCREASE IN REQUEST.IT'S GONE FROM ABOUT 180 A WEEK TO 726.
AND THAT PROGRAM IS MANAGED THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES.
UM, IT'S FUNDED THROUGH AN ALLOCATION OF C P S CREDITS.
AND, UM, WE HAVE ABOUT, I BELIEVE IT'S ABOUT 700,000 LEFT IN THAT PROGRAM WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET ANOTHER 1.5 MILLION THROUGH A CORPUS THAT WE CONTROL.
UM, I MENTIONED THE RISK MITIGATION FUND POLICY.
SO ALL THOSE REQUESTS FOR ASSISTANCE ARE COMING TO US BECAUSE WE HAVE A RISK MITIGATION FUND POLICY THAT WAS ADOPTED BY CITY COUNCIL IN OCTOBER OF 2018.
THIS POLICY WAS A RECOMMENDATION OF THE MAYOR'S HOUSING, UM, POLICY TASK FORCE, AND IT PROVIDES ASSISTANCE FOR RELOCATION, EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE.
AND THEN MORE RECENTLY, WE ADDED IT TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR THE RIGHT TO COUNCIL PROGRAM.
IT WAS BUDGETED IN THE FISCAL YEAR 2020 BUDGET FOR THIS FUND WITH ABOUT 350,000 LEFT.
AND SO THIS, THIS POLICY HAS BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL.
IT PROVIDES ASSISTANCE TO THOSE THAT ARE MOST VULNERABLE.
BUT AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, WITH THE INCREASE OF 5,300 CALLS A WEEK, WE NEED ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
THE RISK MITIGATION FUNDING POLICY, IF YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, UM, HAS PARAMETERS IN PLACE THAT WERE CREATED THROUGH, UM, THE HOUSING COMMISSION AND A RIS RISK MITIGATION STAKEHOLDER GROUP.
AND ALSO REVIEWED BY ONE OF THE, THE COUNCIL COMMITTEES.
AND IT PROVIDES ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA AND ALLOWANCE CRITERIA.
SO IF AN INDIVIDUAL IS BELOW 80% A M I AND THEY'RE EXPERIENCING A HARDSHIP EITHER DUE TO UNEMPLOYMENT OR REDUCTION IN WAGES, OR MAYBE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY THAT CAME UP, THEN THEY'RE ELIGIBLE FOR ASSISTANCE THROUGH THIS FUND.
THE POLICY PROGRA PROVIDES PARAMETERS ON THE AMOUNT OF THAT ALLOWANCE.
SO IF YOU'RE AT 80% A M I, YOU CAN'T GET MORE THAN 3,500 FOR RENT.
AND IF YOU'RE AT, UM, A HUNDRED PERCENT A M I, IT CAN'T DO MORE THAN 2,600.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE SIMILAR PARAMETERS FOR HOMEOWNERS.
ON AVERAGE, THE MONTHLY DISBURSEMENT IS AROUND A THOUSAND.
IT GOES UP TO 2000 TO 2,500 IF WE'RE DEALING WITH A TENANT THAT HAS A ARREARS.
AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING THEM OUT OF THAT AND BEING ABLE TO PAY FOR, FOR THOSE ARREARS.
UM, THE RISK MITIGATION FUND ALSO OUTLINES HOW YOU CAN SHOW PROOF OF HARDSHIP.
SO PROOF OF HARDSHIP IS, UM, SHOWN BY A TERMINATION LETTER FROM AN EMPLOYER PROOF OF UNEMPLOYMENT, UM, APPLICATION STATUS.
AND WE'D ALSO ACCEPT A LETTER FROM YOUR EMPLOYER SAYING THAT YOUR WAGES HAVE BEEN REDUCED.
BUT ANOTHER WAY TO SHOW A HARDSHIP UNDER THE POLICY WAS IF YOU WERE, YOU WERE FINE AND YOU WERE MAKING 80% A M I, BUT ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE WAS A MEDICAL EMERGENCY AND YOU HAD TO USE YOUR CASH THAT YOU WOULD USE TO PAY FOR YOUR RENT ON MORTGAGE, WE WOULD TAKE THAT PROOF TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT HELPING YOU MAKE YOUR RENT PAYMENT.
UM, SO WE HAD SOME FLEXIBILITY TO REALLY HELP THOSE PEOPLE THAT, YOU KNOW, DON'T HAVE SAVINGS, AND WE JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY COULD STAY ON TRACK WITH THEIR MORTGAGE AND RENTAL PAYMENTS.
NOW, WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING IS TO TAKE THE RISK MITIGATION FUND POLICY AND USE THE SAME CRITERIA AND ELIGIBILITY IN THAT POLICY, BUT CREATE THE C OVID 19 EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
SO IT WOULD BE THE SAME CRITERIA WITH ONE EXCEPTION.
WE WOULD ADD UNDER THE ALLOWABLE USES OF FUNDS, UM, THE ABILITY TO USE THE FUNDING FOR GROCERIES, FUEL, AND EXPENSES RELATED TO INTERNET ACCESS IN DISCUSSION WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS, AND IN DISCUSSIONS WITH THOSE WHO ARE CALLING REQUESTING ASSISTANCE, UM, IN ADDITION TO RENT AND MORGAN AND UTILITY ASSISTANCE, UM, THEY'RE REQUESTING INFORMATION ABOUT FOOD, GAS, AND INTERNET IS SOMETHING THAT WAS BROUGHT UP BY COUNCILMAN GRO AT THE PREVIOUS WORK SESSION ON APRIL 7TH.
WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IF, IF KIDS ARE AT HOME HAVING TO DO THEIR HOMEWORK, THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE ACCESS TO THE INTERNET.
SO WE ARE GOING TO MAKE THAT EXPENSE AND ELIGIBLE EXPENSE UNDER THE C OVID 19 EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
SO THE WAY THE POLICY WOULD WORK IS IF WE, THE CITY, ARE GONNA BE PAYING FOR YOUR RENT, MORTGAGE, UTILITY, OR INTERNET ACCESS, WE WILL WRITE THE, WE WILL MAKE THE CHECKOUT DIRECTLY TO THE LANDLORD, THE FINANCIAL INSTITUTION, THE INTERNET PROVIDER OR UTILITY PROVIDER.
UM, WE, WE MAKE THE PAYMENT DIRECTLY TO THE, THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
NOW, FOR ASSISTANCE WITH GROCERIES AND GAS, WHAT WE'LL BE DOING IS WE'LL BE PARTNERING WITH A HOUSING TRUST, UM, TO HELP US DISPERSE GIFT CARDS OR OTHER DIRECT ASSISTANCE, UM, FOR GROCERIES AND
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GAS.AND SO THE GIFT CARD WOULD NOT EXCEED AN AMOUNT OF $300.
WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT PROVIDING ANOTHER FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, UM, THROUGH A GRANT THAT WE'RE PURSUING.
AND THIS WOULD BE BASED ON THE SIZE OF YOUR FAMILY.
UM, WE WOULD COME BACK TO COUNCIL NEXT WEEK WITH THE PARAMETERS FOR THAT GRANT.
BUT WHAT WE'RE HEARING IS THAT FAMILIES REALLY NEED ASSISTANCE WITH JUST BASIC NEEDS, GROCERIES, TOILETRIES, UM, AS LIKE DIAPERS, MEDICATION, GAS.
AND SO THIS WILL HELP WITH THAT, AND THAT MONEY WILL BE PROVIDED DIRECTLY TO THE RESIDENT.
UM, AND WE ARE PROPOSING A THREE MONTH PROGRAM.
SO THIS PROGRAM WOULD SUNSET ON JULY 31ST, 2020, UNLESS OTHERWISE, UM, AUTHORIZED FOR EXTENSION.
NOW, THE FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM, UM, WE'VE IDENTIFIED $15.8 MILLION.
THAT FUNDING IS BROKEN DOWN ON THESE CHARTS.
WE HAVE $3.5 MILLION THAT'S COMING FROM THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING BUDGET.
SO THIS AFFORDABLE HOUSING BUDGET, WHICH IS APPROVED IN THE FISCAL YEAR 2020 BUDGET INCLUDED 35 MILLION.
WE TOOK ABOUT $3 MILLION FOR THE GENERAL FUND, AND THAT WAS A REDUCTION, UM, THAT WAS TAKEN AS PART OF MARIA VIE GOMEZ.
AND THE COUNCIL, UM, CITY MANAGER'S PRESENTATION ON APRIL 2ND, AND THERE'S AN ADDITIONAL $3.5 MILLION THAT WE ARE REALLOCATING FOR THIS PURPOSE.
UM, AND IT'S IN THE FORM OF C D B G FUNDING AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING FUNDS THAT WERE FUNDED THROUGH THE TURS.
SO THAT'S A TOTAL 3.5 MILLION.
WE HAVE C D B G REPROGRAMMING OF 2.25 MILLION THAT WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THIS BUDGET.
THAT REPROGRAMMING IS SHOWN IN THAT SMALLER CHART, UM, THAT SHOWS THAT 750,000 IS COMING FROM PROGRAM INCOME AND SAVINGS.
THAT ITEM IS ON TODAY'S COUNCIL AGENDA, AND IT'S ITEM NUMBER 20 AND IT'S $750,000.
AND IF APPROVED TODAY, THAT MONEY WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR THIS PROGRAM.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE A PARKS PROGRAM OF ABOUT $272,000, WHICH INCLUDED 64,000 FOR EXTENDED HOURS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROGRAM, AND THEN 208,000 FOR THE ACTUAL PROGRAM.
THAT PROGRAM'S BEEN CANCELED AS A RESULT OF WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE COVID EFFORTS.
AND THEN FINALLY, WE HAVE A PROJECT IN OUR C D B G ACTION PLAN FOR Z'S MORAL ENVIRONMENTAL.
UM, WE HAD ABOUT $2.2 MILLION IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.
UM, WE'RE NOT GOING TO SPEND ALL OF THAT THIS YEAR, SO WE'RE GOING TO TAKE $1.2 MILLION FROM THAT PROJECT, AND WE'LL REPLENISH THAT MONEY IN THE FISCAL YEAR 21 BUDGET.
IT DOES NOT IMPACT THE SCHEDULE FOR THAT PROJECT.
THE PROJECT WILL REMAIN ON SCHEDULE AND ON BUDGET, AND WE'LL JUST REPLENISH THAT MONEY WITH OUR C D B ALLOCATION.
WE HAVE AN ADDITIONAL $2 MILLION COMING FROM THE HOUSING TRUST FOUNDATION AND THE PUBLIC FACILITIES CORPORATION AND FINANCE CORPORATION.
WE'VE ALREADY REQUESTED THE MILLION DOLLARS FROM THE HOUSING TRUST FOUNDATION.
UM, THEY'VE APPROVED $500,000 AND WE'LL APPROVE AN ADDITIONAL $500,000 IN THE NEXT WEEK, COUPLE WEEKS.
AND THEN THE MILLION DOLLAR REQUESTS TO THE PUBLIC FACILITIES CORPORATION, UM, WILL BE CONSIDERED IN THE NEXT COUPLE WEEKS AS WELL.
WE HAVE THE CARES ACT FUNDING THAT CARLOS MENTIONED EARLIER, THAT $7.7 MILLION BE AVAILABLE FOR THIS PROGRAM.
AND THEN OUR RISK MITIGATION FUND BALANCE OF 350,000.
SO THAT'S A $15.8 MILLION BUDGET FOR THE C OVID 19 EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
AND WE ALSO ARE LOOKING FOR PRIVATE DONATIONS.
WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE ASKING HOW THEY CAN HELP.
UM, AND SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE HOUSING TRUST IN THE SAN ANTONIO AREA FOUNDATION TO SOLICIT DONATIONS FOR THIS FUND.
AND SO SMALLER DONATIONS CAN BE MADE ONLINE OR BY TEXTING, HOUSING HELP SA TO 4 1 4 4 4, AND WE'LL SEND OUT INFORMATION ON THIS SO YOU ALL CAN POST ON YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE LARGER DONATIONS THAT CAN BE MADE DIRECTLY TO, UM, THE SAN ANTONIO AREA FOUNDATION, UM, BY EMAILING CVID NINETEEN@SANANTONIOFOUNDATION.ORG.
AND SO WE'LL BE TAKING, UM, AND SOLICITING PRIVATE DONATIONS TO HELP WITH THIS EFFORT.
SO THAT'LL BE AN ADDITION TO THE 15.8 MILLION.
I THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO SHOW YOU WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING, UM, WITH REGARDS TO RENTAL AND HOUSING ASSISTANCE.
UM, AS I MENTIONED, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, WE ARE ALLOCATING $15.8 MILLION TO THIS EFFORT.
AND THAT FUNDING IS COMING FROM C D B G, THE SAN ANTONIO HOUSING TRUST AND THE GENERAL FUND, WHICH IS A SMALL PORTION, THAT GENERAL FUND PORTION IS ONLY ABOUT 350,000.
AND THAT'S FROM THE BALANCE OF THE RISK MITIGATION FUND.
THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UM, HAS PASSED A $15 MILLION FUND.
IT'S CALLED THE EMERGENCY RE RESERVE, I'M SORRY, THE EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND.
IT'S COMING FROM THEIR RESERVES.
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THAT OUR PROGRAM IS DOING, PROVIDING RENTAL AND HOUSING ASSISTANCE, AND THEN DIRECT ASSISTANCE TO RESIDENTS.HOWEVER, INSTEAD OF THEM USING THEIR OWN PROGRAM FOR RENTAL AND HOUSING ASSISTANCE, THEY'RE DISTRIBUTING THEIR FUNDING TO OTHER NONPROFITS TO, TO DISSEMINATE THAT FUNDING FOR THEM.
BUT WE HAVE AN EXISTING PROGRAM THAT WE KNOW, UM, WORKS, AND WE HAVE A PROCESS TO DO THAT.
SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE GONNA BE USING OUR OWN PROGRAM.
THE CITY OF DALLAS WILL CONSIDER A $13.7 MILLION PROGRAM THAT'S FUNDED THROUGH C D B G AND OTHER FUNDING SOURCES THAT'LL BE FOR RENTAL AND UTILITY ASSISTANCE.
UM, THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY, THEY JUST ANNOUNCED THAT THEY'LL BE DOING A SIMILAR PROGRAM.
IT'LL BE FROM THE STIMULUS FUNDING AND THAT IT'LL PROVIDE RENTAL ASSISTANCE, UM, TO THE RESIDENTS OF THE COUNTY.
UM, THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS HAS A $500,000 FUND RIGHT NOW THAT'S GOING TOWARDS RENTAL ASSISTANCE ONLY.
UM, THEIR HOUSING OPPORTUNITY FUND, WHICH IS SIMILAR TO OUR HOUSING TRUST, THEY ALLOCATED $2 MILLION FOR RENTAL ASSISTANCE AND HOUSING ASSISTANCE.
AND THEN THE CITY OF ATLANTA, THEY'RE USING THEIR FUNDING TO HELP WITH, UM, FOOD, UM, FOR CHILDREN AND SENIORS.
AND THEN HOMELESS PREPAREDNESS AND SMALL BUSINESS.
CITY OF PORTLAND HAS A MILLION DOLLAR FUND THAT'S FOR RENT, FOOD, MEDICATION, OR OTHER EXPENSES.
CITY OF SEATTLE, THEY DID A GROCERY VOUCHER FUND, WHICH IS ABOUT $5 MILLION, UM, FOR DIRECT ASSISTANCE TO FAMILY.
THE CITY OF SAN JOSE, UM, THEY DID AN $11 MILLION FUND, AND IT WAS FROM PRIVATE FUNDS, UM, AND DONATIONS THROUGH A, UM, AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UM, GROUP THAT WAS DOING HOUSING DEVELOPMENT.
UM, THEY HAVE EXHAUSTED ALL OF THAT FUNDING.
IN FACT, UM, IN WHAT WE'VE READ, IT WAS, IT WAS GONE IN TWO DAYS.
THEIR REQUESTS ARE SO HIGH AND THEY HAD A CAP OF $4,000.
UM, AND THEN THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS, THEY HAVE A $3 MILLION FUND THROUGH THEIR HOUSING TRUST FUND FOR RENTAL ASSISTANCE.
SO, UM, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, ALONG WITH SEVERAL OTHER CITIES ARE DOING SOMETHING SIMILAR.
UM, AND OURS IS $15.8 MILLION.
OUR NEXT STEPS, UM, IN THE STATUS.
WE HAVE PRESENTED THIS TO THE FOOD INSECURITY AND SHELTER WORKING GROUP, AND HAVE, UM, WORKED WITH A RISK MITIGATION STAKEHOLDER GROUP TO GET THEIR FEEDBACK ON THIS PROPOSAL.
UM, WE HAVE AN ITEM TODAY, ITEM NUMBER 20.
IT'S THE $750,000 FOR THE C D B G PROGRAM, INCOME AND SAVINGS THAT WILL HELP WITH THIS BUDGET.
AND THEN NEXT WEEK, WE HAVE TWO ITEMS RELATED TO THIS PROGRAM.
AND THAT'S GOING TO BE ASKING FOR ADOPTION OF OUR C OVID 19 EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, AND THEN ALLOCATING THE CARESS ACT FUNDING AND THE REPROGRAMING, OR THE REMAINING C D B G FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM.
AND THEN ONCE WE HAVE THAT, WE'LL HAVE THE TOTAL $15.8 MILLION, UM, FOR THE C OVID 19 EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION, AND I'M GOING TO HAND IT OVER TO MARIA.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
UH, MY NAME IS MANGOES, THE PD CITY MANAGER.
THIS MORNING, I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A VERY BRIEF UPDATE ON THE EXPENSES TODAY THAT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO HAS INCURRED RELATED TO THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE OF C OVID 19.
SO WE BEGAN INCURRING EXPENSES IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO SINCE EARLY FEBRUARY THROUGH APRIL THE 12TH.
THE TOTAL NUM, THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF DOLLARS THAT WE HAVE DEDICATED TO THIS EFFORT IS $10.3 MILLION.
PERSONNEL COSTS IS ABOUT 4.4 MILLION OF THAT AMOUNT, AND THAT IS PRIMARILY THE EXPENSES THAT HAVING INCURRED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS ALSO THAT ARE PROVIDING SUPPORT.
UH, BUT THOSE TWO ARE THE PRIMARY DRIVERS.
SO THAT OF THAT COST, THE $5.9 MILLION IN SUPPLIES.
THAT IS A COMBINATION OF EXPENSES TO DATE, AND ALSO OUTSTANDING ORDERS FOR SUPPLIES THAT WE HAVE, UH, PLACED.
UH, SO IN TOTAL $10.3 MILLION.
AS THE CITY MANAGER MENTIONED, WE HAVE A TEAM OF INDIVIDUALS IN DIFFERENT CITY DEPARTMENTS WHO ARE TRACKING ALL THE EXPENSES.
UH, OUR GOAL IS TO ENSURE THAT WE MAXIMIZE THE REIMBURSEMENTS THAT ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AS WELL AS THE STATE.
IN TERMS OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, UH, FEMA IS AN AGENCY THAT WOULD REIMBURSE SOME OF THE EXPENSES RELATED TO THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE.
UH, THEIR METHODOLOGY IS THAT THEY REIMBURSE 75% OF ELIGIBLE EXPENSES, AND THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT HAS TO COME UP WITH 25% OF, OF THAT AMOUNT.
UM, SO WE ARE, AGAIN, TRACKING THIS EXPENSES AND TRYING TO MAXIMIZE THE REIMBURSEMENT FROM FROM FEMA.
UH, ONE THING THAT I WOULD SHARE WITH YOU IS THAT THE $10.3 MILLION IN EXPENSES THAT I SHARE, UH, IN THE PREVIOUS SLIDE, WE HAVE, UH, FUNDED THOSE, UM, DOLLARS FROM
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THE GENERAL FUND WITHIN THE EXISTING APPROPRIATIONS OF OUR GENERAL FUND.WHEN WE BRING TO THE CITY COUNCIL THE MID-YEAR BUDGET ADJUSTMENT, WE WILL BE REQUESTING ACTION FROM YOU TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO OUR BUDGETS TO, UH, RECOGNIZE IT, THE EXPENSES THAT WE HAVE INCURRED, AS WELL AS, UH, PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE CITY COUNCIL, HOW WE ARE GONNA FUND THE 25% OF, UH, THE LOCAL MATCH THAT IS REQUIRED BY FEMA.
AS CARLOS MENTIONED, THERE ARE OTHER GRANTS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS FOR THE REIMBURSEMENT OF THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE.
SO, SO FAR, WE HAVE GOT A NOTIFICATION FROM THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT OF THREE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS IN GRANTS THAT HAVE BEEN AWARDED TO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
AND THIS IS A SPECIFICALLY FOR, UH, OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND HEALTH RELATED ACTIVITIES SUCH AS THE SURVEILLANCE AND CONTACT TRACING INVESTIGATIONS THAT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS CONDUCTING, COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND EDUCATION AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE, UH, AND COORDINATION, AS WELL AS THE COVID HEADLINE THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE IN OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
UH, ALSO, UH, TO MAKE YOU AWARE, WE ARE REVIEWING THE CARES ACT STIMULUS FUNDING THAT WAS APPROVED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO SEE HOW WE CAN UTILIZE AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS FUNDING TO REIMBURSE THE CITY FOR THE EXPENSES THAT WE HAVE INCURRED AND THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO INCUR UNTIL THIS EVENT HAS BEEN COMPLETED.
SO THERE ARE GRANTS SUCH AS THE ASSISTANCE TO FIREFIGHTERS GRANT, UH, THE JACK GRANT FOR POLICE RELATED EXPENSES, AND ALSO THE DISASTER RELIEF FUND.
AS WE CONTINUE TO PROVIDE UPDATES TO THE COUNCIL WILL BRING MORE DETAILED INFORMATION ON OUR PROJECTIONS ON HOW MUCH MONEY WE ANTICIPATE TO SPEND ON THE RESPONSE, AS WELL AS THE, UH, POTENTIAL POSSIBILITIES FOR REIMBURSEMENT AND WHAT WOULD BE THE, THE CITY'S, UM, LOCAL MATCH TO THIS EVENT.
AND MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION, AND, UH, WE ARE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
I WANTED TO ADD, UH, ONE THING, AND, AND LORI MENTIONED IT IN HER PRESENTATION, BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK, UM, IS PART OF THE CONVERSATION.
THERE ARE, THERE ARE SOME OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE THAT WE'RE WORKING TO LEVERAGE POSSIBLE FOUNDA FOUNDATION MONEY TO ADD TO OUR DIRECT ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS. AND, UM, AS THOSE DEVELOP, UM, THOSE CAN BE ADDED TO OUR, TO OUR $15.8 MILLION PROGRAM.
AND IN SOME CASES, UH, I THINK THAT WILL PROVIDE, THAT TYPE OF FUNDING WILL BE MORE DIRECTED TOWARDS THE, THE GAS AND GROCERY TYPE OF, UH, ELEMENT OF THE PROGRAM THAT, THAT LORI DESCRIBED.
I, I REALLY WANT TO THANK THE, UM, UH, LORI AND THE HOUSING TEAM AND, UH, AND, AND COLLEEN AND HUMAN SERVICES, BECAUSE I THINK THE GROUP CAME TOGETHER PRETTY QUICKLY AND CAME UP WITH A, UH, A REALLY A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
WE ARE IN A FORTUNATE POSITION THAT, UM, WE HAD A $35 MILLION HOUSING PROGRAM IN THE BUDGET FROM A VARIETY OF FUNDS, AND, UH, AND WE HAVE PROGRAMS, UH, IN PLACE.
AND, AND WE WERE ABLE TO, UM, READJUST THAT AND PIVOT UTILIZING THOSE PROGRAMS. AND, UH, WE'VE GOT PROCESSES ALREADY IN PLACE.
AND SO I THINK THAT PUTS US IN A FORTUNATE, UH, POSITION TO BE ABLE TO PUSH MONEY OUT ONCE APPROVED BY COUNCIL NEXT WEEK, PUSH MONEY OUT QUICKLY, UH, TO THE FOLKS THAT NEED IT.
AND, UM, MARIA, UH, FOR THE PRESENTATION, LORI, UM, FOR THE PRESENTATION, CARLOS AS WELL.
UH, WE DO HAVE, UM, ONE CITIZEN SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, SO I'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL YOU UP NOW.
JACK FINGER, MAYOR NURNBERG, OTHER MEMBERS OF THE SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS JACK M.
FINGER, YES, MR. MAYOR NURENBERG.
UM, YESTERDAY YOU HELD A PRESS CONFERENCE GIVING EVERYBODY AN UPDATE ON THE, THE CRISIS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR CITY.
AND THE, UH, THE QUESTION WAS POSED ABOUT JUST WHEN WOULD WE KNOW, WHEN WOULD THE CITY KNOW THE, UH, THAT THE CRISIS HAD PASSED AND WE COULD TO RETURN OUR LIVES BACK TO NORMAL? AND I THINK YOUR RESPONSE WAS THAT IT WAS WHEN THE METROPOLITAN HEALTH DISTRICT GAVE US THE QUOTE UNQUOTE PARAMETERS FOR SUCH THINGS.
WELL, I MIGHT REMIND YOU, MR. MAYOR, OTHER, OUR OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS, THAT IT IS NOT THE CITY STAFFERS.
IT IS NOT THE METROPOLITAN HEALTH DISTRICT THAT MAKES THAT DECISION.
IT'S, IT'S NEITHER, UH, CITY MANAGER WALSH.
IT'S NEITHER, UH, UH, DAWN EMRICH, THE HEALTH DIRECTOR, AND IT CERTAINLY IS NOT,
[01:00:01]
UH, DR.UND WU, THE, UH, MEDICAL DIRECTOR FOR THE DEPARTMENT, AND YES, UH, PLANNED PARENTHOOD ABORTIONIST.
UH, IT IS YOU, OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT MAKE THAT DECISION AS WHEN THIS CRISIS IS OVER AND OUR RESTRICTIONS CAN BE LIFTED.
AND OF COURSE, YOU'RE GONNA ASK THE QUESTION, JACK, HOW, HOW DO WE KNOW HOW WE'RE NOT DOCTORS? AND YOU NEED TO, YOU, THE ELECTED OFFICIALS, NEED TO RELY ON THE ADVICE OF THE HEALTH, HEALTH OFFICIALS.
AND I SAID, WELL, MY ANSWER IS, WELL, I'M GLAD YOU ASKED ME THAT QUESTION.
I'M, I HAVE AN ANSWER FOR YOU.
WHAT, WHAT YOU DO IS YOU, UH, YOU TELL OUR CITY MANAGER, ERIC WALSH, THAT, UM, OUR, BECAUSE OUR REVENUE IS, IS SLASHED.
WE DON'T HAVE THE, UH, THE FUNDS TO, TO FUND ALL OUR EMPLOYEES AS MUCH AS WE USED TO ANYMORE.
AND YOU TELL 'EM TO, TO TELL OUR OUR CITY MANAGERS TO START, UH, UH, LAYING PEOPLE OFF.
AND, AND, UH, MR. WALSH WILL THEN, UH, APPROACH ALL THE DEPARTMENTS, ESPECIALLY THE METROPOLITAN HEALTH DISTRICT, AND TO TELL 'EM, TO START TO LAYING OFF ABOUT HALF OF THE, UH, EMPLOYEES, ESPECIALLY THE, THE, THE PAPER PUSHERS AND PAPER SHUFFLER AND, UH, PENCIL PUSHERS.
WE, WE, WE JUST CAN'T AFFORD 'EM ANYMORE.
I GUARANTEE YOU, AT THAT POINT, UH, UH, THE HEALTH DIRECTOR, DAWN EMRICH, AND, AND EVERYONE ELSE IN THAT DEPARTMENT WILL COME RUNNING UP TO YOU WITH THE GLORIOUS, GLORIOUS NEWS THAT THE EPIDEMIC IS OVER WITH.
AND THAT, UH, YOU CAN LIT THE RESTRICTIONS AND, UH, ALLOW PEOPLE TO START, UH, COMING BACK TO WORK AND, UH, UH, BE GIVING US MORE REVENUE AND GIVING US MORE MONEY FOR FOUR OF THE PAPER.
FINALLY, MR. MR. AUDIO VISION, MAN, IF YOU PUT THAT UP THERE, WHAT DOES IT SAY? COURTESY OF THE SAN FAMILY ASSOCIATION.
IT SAYS, SO YOU'RE TELLING ME THAT IF I VIOLATE THE STAY-AT-HOME ORDER, I CAN BE ARRESTED? THANK YOU, MR. YOU'RE LETTING PEOPLE OUT OF JAIL.
ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GOING NOW TO, UH, COUNCIL, UH, DISCUSSIONS.
SO WE'LL START WITH COUNCILMEMBER.
UM, AND THANK YOU, UH, ERIC, UH, LORI, MARIA AND, AND, UH, CARLOS FOR THE UPDATES.
I'LL START OFF, UH, FIRST CARLOS, UH, WITH REGARDS TO THE UPDATE THAT, THAT YOU MENTIONED, UM, YOU KNOW, IT WAS, IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT WE, WE GET THAT RULING BECAUSE I THINK THE, THE FEAR WAS THAT UTILIZING, THAT, THAT PROVISION COULD, COULD REALLY, UH, UH, PUT PROPERTY TAXES OR PROPERTY VALUES IN, IN, IN A TAILSPIN.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.
UM, THIS WOULD'VE PROVIDED A EXEMPTION FOR PROPERTY TAX OWNERS ALL ACROSS THE STATE, AND CERTAINLY HERE.
UM, THAT WAS NOT THE INTENT OF THE LEGISLATION AS WE INDICATED IT WAS IN RESPONSE TO HURRICANE HARVEY.
UM, IT, SO THERE WAS ALWAYS A FEAR THAT THEY COULD DO THAT.
I THINK THE POINT I'M TRYING TO MAKE IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE GOTTA KEEP OUR EYE OUT FOR MORE OF THIS THAT'S HAPPENING.
AND, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, UH, I WOULD ASK, UH, THAT WE MAYBE, UH, SEND ANOTHER REQUEST, UH, TO RESPOND TO THE LETTER.
THE, THE MAYOR AND THE JUDGE, UH, MYSELF AND CHICO SENT REQUESTING THE MAYOR TO ROLL TAXES FOR THIS YEAR FOR PROPERTY VALUATIONS, BECAUSE WE FEEL LIKE THAT IS, THAT IS THE ONLY REAL AVENUE FOR, UH, AT LEAST A STABLE, UH, TAX SYSTEM THIS YEAR FOR PROPERTY VALUES.
SO I, I'LL ASK YOU TO PLEASE FOLLOW UP ON THAT.
WE WILL FOLLOW UP AND THEN JUST KEEP YOUR EYE OUT FOR OTHER, UH, THINGS THAT ARE COMING OUT LIKE THAT AND WORK WITH, UM, UH, CHIEF OF MOSQUITO'S OFFICE TO HELP US STAY UPDATED ON THOSE ISSUES.
UM, SO I'M GONNA GO STRAIGHT TO THE, THE RISK MITIGATION FUND, LORI.
UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK, I THINK WE'VE, WE'VE DONE QUITE A LOT AND I DO APPRECIATE, UH, YOU, YOU TAKING, UH, A LOT OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO TO PROTECT RENTERS.
AND AS YOU KNOW, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR A LONG TIME AND IS ONLY FURTHER EXPOSED THE, THE LACK OF TRUE SOCIAL SAFETY NETS WITH OUR MOST VULNERABLE.
AND IT REALLY STARTS WITH RENTERS.
UH, I WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT PROPERTY TAXES, AND THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO PROTECTIONS FOR, FOR RENTERS WHEN IT COMES TO PROPERTY TAXES.
UH, ASIDE FROM JUST THE FACT THAT THEY CAN'T MAKE RENT.
UH, ONE OF THE ISSUES WITH NOT, WITH NOT ROLLING THE TAXES THIS YEAR WILL BE, THAT CAN MEAN THAT THE EVALUATIONS CAN GO UP AS HIGH AS 35%, UH, ON RENTAL PROPERTIES WITHOUT ANY KIND OF PROTECTIONS.
THERE'S JUST NOTHING THAT STOPS THAT THERE IS FOR THOSE WHO OWN A HOMESTEAD.
AND, AND, AND THAT'S AN IMPORTANT DISTINCTION.
BUT ASIDE FROM THAT, UH, WHAT I WANT TO TALK A LOT
[01:05:01]
ABOUT IS THE RISK MITIGATION PROGRAM ITSELF AND HOW IT FUNCTIONS.YOU MENTIONED THAT THE MONEY'S GOING TO, TO LANDLORDS.
UM, AGAIN, THE PART OF THAT REASONING IS BECAUSE OF THE, WHERE WE'RE GETTING THAT MONEY.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT AGAIN? THE, OUR FUNDED IS PRIMARILY FUNDED, UH, WELL, OUR, OUR FUND RIGHT NOW THAT I'M PROPOSING, THE 15.8 MILLION IS PRIMARILY FUNDED THROUGH C D B G FUNDING.
SO C D B G FUNDING DOES REQUIRE US TO MAKE THAT DIRECT PAYMENT TO THE LANDLORD MORTGAGE, UH, MORTGAGE HOLDER OR UTILITY.
NOW, THE RISK MITIGATION FUND POLICY, THE MILLION DOLLARS THAT WAS GENERAL FUND, HOWEVER, OUR POLICY THAT WAS ADOPTED BY COUNSEL STATED THAT WE WOULD MAKE THOSE PAYMENTS DIRECTLY TO THE LANDLORD, UTILITY PROVIDER OR MORTGAGE PROVIDER.
SO TO SUMMARIZE, THE C D B G FUNDING REQUIRES US TO, TO MAKE PAYMENTS TO LANDLORDS, BUT WITH, WITH REGARDS TO MONEY FROM THE CITY, WE CAN SHAPE THAT POLICY.
SO, YOU KNOW, I, I WANNA MAKE THAT CLEAR, UH, BECAUSE HOW MUCH OF THE MONEY THAT WE'RE GETTING FOR RISK MITIGATION IS FOR FEDERAL FUNDS THAT YOU, AS YOU PROPOSED, UM, AL OVER $12 MILLION OH MILLION DOLLARS OF THE 15.
THE REMAINING 3 MILLION IS HOUSING TRUST FUNDING.
SO WE, AS WE AS A COUNCIL, DETERMINE HOW IT COULD BE DISPERSED.
BUT THE HOUSING TRUST, WE'RE RECOMMENDING THAT THAT BE USED FOR GROCERIES AND FUEL AND RIGHT.
THE REMAINING GENERAL FUND DOLLARS, WE'RE RECOMMENDING THAT WE RESERVE THAT FOR THE CITY, FOR THOSE THAT WOULD NOT QUALIFY UNDER THE C D B G GUIDELINES.
SO, UH, AGAIN, I MEAN, I JUST, IT IS JUST IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT I THINK PEOPLE ARE SEEING IS THAT, THAT, UH, WHEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS NOT RESPONDING TO, UH, THE GAPS THAT WE SEE HERE LOCALLY, UH, WE'RE ESSENTIALLY THE LAST LINE OF DEFENSE AND MEAN WE'RE IT, IF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DOESN'T, DOESN'T, UH, ALLOW US TO, TO UTILIZE THE FUNDS WHERE WE'VE IDENTIFIED GAPS, WE SIMPLY CAN'T DO IT.
YOU'RE SAYING OUR HANDS ARE TIED.
AND I THINK OUR CITY ATTORNEY WOULD AGREE WITH THAT.
WE HAD A CONVERSATION JUST BEFORE THIS.
UM, AND I THINK WE ALL AGREE, STATE LAWS HAVE, HAVE ALSO SORT OF HAVE PROHIBITED US.
BUT, UH, AGAIN, THE RISK MITIGATION FUND IS, IS CRITICAL, ESPECIALLY IN THIS TIME AND IS UTILIZED IN OTHER COMMUNITIES.
THEY'RE ALSO IDENTIFYING THAT THEY HAVE A LOT OF, UH, GAPS AND A LOT OF, UH, FOLKS WHO ARE SIMPLY, SIMPLY FALLING BETWEEN THE CRACKS.
I, AND I THINK THAT THERE IS A FATAL FLAW IN ONLY PROVIDING A MECHANISM THAT, THAT, THAT FUNDS LANDLORDS OR REQUIRES THE ACCEPTANCE OF A LANDLORD, UH, TO ACCEPT THOSE FUNDS AND BE A PART OF THE PROGRAM.
NOW, I DO APPRECIATE THAT YOU'VE ADDED THE, THE COMPONENT THAT WE TALKED ABOUT OF, OF, UH, ADJUSTING THE LEASE SO THAT THERE'S A 60 DAY GRACE PERIOD.
AND, UH, AND SO I, I DO WANT TO CONTINUE TO PURSUE THAT.
I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S A CRITICAL POINT TO MAKE, UH, BECAUSE THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT OF FOLKS WHO WILL, WHO WILL FALL UNDER THAT, THAT ARE NOT PART OF THIS PROGRAM, AND SO THEREFORE, THERE'S NO RECOURSE.
THAT BEING SAID, IF WE AS, AS A, AS A COMMUNITY OR AS A COUNCIL DECIDE TO USE OUR DOLLARS, THEN WE CAN SHAPE IT THE WAY WE THINK IS BEST.
AND I THINK IT'S BEST THAT WE, UH, AUGMENT THE DOLLAR.
SO YOU, YOU'RE CURRENTLY AT 15.
I THINK THAT'S NOT ENOUGH, QUITE FRANKLY.
UH, THE, THE CITY IS GOING THROUGH QUITE A LOT.
THERE'S, UH, MANY, MANY STORIES ABOUT, UH, FOLKS WHO, UH, ARE, ARE ALREADY EXPERIENCING A CRISIS WHEN IT COMES TO RENT.
UM, AND THE RISK MITIGATION FUND, I THINK IS, IS A, A, A GOOD TOOL AND A SOLUTION THAT, THAT CAN HELP US GET US THERE.
AND, AND THEREFORE, I'M, I'M ASKING MY COLLEAGUES TO CONSIDER USING OUR RAINY DAY FUND, WHICH HAS $120 MILLION, UM, TO, TO HELP AUGMENT THE RISK MITIGATION FUND SO THAT WE CAN USE OUR DOLLARS AND SHAPE IT, SHAPE THE RISK MITIGATION FUND THE WAY WE'D LIKE TO SEE IT AS AN EXAMPLE, I'D PREFER TO SEE, UH, AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, INCORPORATE A THIRD PARTY, UH, UH, TO, TO HELP DISTRIBUTE THE FUNDS THAT'S NOT JUST THE LANDLORD.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, WE CAN ASK CATHOLIC CHARITIES, MERCED HOUSING AND SO FORTH, TO HELP REPRESENT THE RENTER IN CASE THE RENTER DOES APPLY, BECAUSE IF THE LANDLORD DOES NOT ACCEPT THE PROGRAM, IT DOESN'T, IT, IT PUTS THE RENTER AT RISK.
AND SO, UH, I'D LIKE TO SEE US, UH, ASK FOR AT LEAST $10 MILLION MORE FROM, FROM THE, THE $120 MILLION THAT WE HAVE, UH, AVAILABLE
[01:10:01]
TO US IN, IN THE, UH, REED DAY FUND.I, I CAN'T THINK OF, OF A, OF A MORE, UH, UH, IMPORTANT TIME TO, TO, UH, MAKE THAT REQUEST.
AGAIN, I WANNA HIGHLIGHT THAT THE PURPOSE OF THE RISK MITIGATION FUND, UH, AS WAS DEVELOPED BEFORE, WAS TO HELP THOSE IN NEED.
AND, AND NOW THAT WE'RE, UH, UTILIZING THIS FUND FOR OUR, OUR ENTIRE CITY AND FOR A SERIOUS CRISIS AT THE HEART, AT THE HEART OF THIS, IS MAKING SURE THAT NOBODY'S FALLING BETWEEN THE CRACKS.
SO THIS IS FOR EVERYBODY, UH, THAT, THAT WE SEE IS GONNA BE VULNERABLE IN OUR CITY, A CITY THAT IS, UH, BEEN SEEN TO, UH, BE ON THE WORST LISTS, UH, OUT THERE.
UH, SO, YOU KNOW, I KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE, THIS IS JUST A BRIEFING, BUT AS WE MOVE FORWARD, I GUESS I, I WOULD JUST ASK MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES TO CONSIDER THAT THE, THAT THERE IS MONEY IN THE RATE EATING FUND THAT'S, THAT'S CASH ON HAND TO HELP TO CONTRIBUTE TO THIS SO THAT WE CAN PROACTIVELY, UH, ADDRESS THIS ISSUE.
WE CAN BUY TIME FOR THE RESIDENTS IN SAN ANTONIO.
IN THE END, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE SIMPLY TRYING TO DO WITH A 60 DAY GRACE PERIOD, OR, OR NOTICE TO CURE, UH, IS IT'S, WE'VE GOT TO HELP OUR COMMUNITY BUY AS MUCH TIME AS POSSIBLE.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THAT IS, UH, THAT IS MY, MY HOPE.
AND, UM, AND I HOPE TO HEAR FROM MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES REGARDING, YOU KNOW, THAT PROPOSAL.
UH, AND I GUESS TALKING ABOUT OUR RESERVES FUND, COUNCILMAN? YES.
THAT'S, SO, UM, I, I, I DON'T KNOW THAT IT WAS EVER CALLED A RAINY DAY FUND.
I THINK IT'S A RESERVE TO, UM, PROTECT OUR BOND RATING AND OUR INTEREST RATES.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF I'M RELUCTANT TO BE SUPPORTIVE OF THAT ACTION.
I WOULD IMAGINE WE WOULD BE IN A VERY DIRE SITUATION AS A CITY IF WE HAD TO DIP INTO THE RESERVES.
I, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION OVER THE YEARS ABOUT OUR RESERVES AND WHY IT'S THE AMOUNT THAT IT IS, AND IT WAS TIED TO, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, BOND RATINGS AND THE REASON FOR KEEPING THOSE THE WAY THEY ARE.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN ELABORATE ON THAT, MARIA? UH, SURE.
COUNCILWOMAN, UM, JUST TO PROVIDE SOME CONTEXT, WE HAVE IN THE GENERAL FUND OUR BUDGETED FINANCIAL RESOURCE, WHICH IS 10% OF OPERATING REVENUES, THAT IS ROUGHLY ABOUT $120 MILLION.
WE ALSO HAVE A TWO, A TWO YEAR RESERVE, UH, FOR, UH, THE GENERAL FUND TO BALANCE THE NEXT YEAR BUDGET.
UM, SO THAT'S 5% OF THE GENERAL FUND, WHICH IS ABOUT 50 TO $60 MILLION ANNUALLY.
UM, SO THOSE TWO COMBINED, UM, IS WHAT YOU ARE REFERENCING, COUNCILWOMAN, WHAT WE, AS ONE OF OUR FINANCIAL POLICIES, TO HAVE A MINIMUM GENERAL FUND ENDING BALANCE OF 15%.
AND THAT IS ONE OF THOSE FINANCIAL POLICIES THAT THE RATING AGENCIES EXPECT US TO ADHERE TO.
AND AGAIN, THE 15 PERCENTAGE IS THE MINIMUM.
THEY EXPECT AN ORGANIZATION OF OUR SIZE TO HAVE LARGER RESERVES.
AND, UH, I KNOW WE WERE RECENTLY OR WE'RE REQUIRED TO HAVE A BALANCE BUDGET, WHICH WE STILL DO, RIGHT? YES, MA'AM.
UM, AND IF WE DID NOT HAVE THOSE RESERVES, UM, WHAT DOES THAT DO TO OUR BALANCE? I, I GUESS I, YOU KNOW, I, I I EQUALLY FEEL THAT WE SHOULD, UH, DO AS MUCH AS WE CAN TO HELP OUR CONSTITUENTS, BUT THE FINANCIAL STABILITY OF THE CITY, UH, I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT TOO.
UH, IF THE CITY IS NOT FINANCIALLY SOUND, WE WOULD NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO SUPPORT, UM, THE OTHER RESIDENTS.
UH, IT WOULD PROBABLY IMPACT PUBLIC SAFETY AND ALSO IMPACT, UH, OUR FIREFIGHTERS AND THE ALL, AND THE, ALL THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING.
SO I, I WOULD VERY CAUTIOUSLY, UH, ERIC, YOU WANNA YEAH, I WAS JUST GONNA ADD THAT, YOU KNOW, AND I TALKED ABOUT THIS A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO AT THE, AT ONE OF OUR BRIEFINGS, THE, THE RESERVE FUND IS ROUGHLY, I MEAN, IF, IF, IF ALL HECK BROKE, BROKE LOOSE, AND, UH, WE WEREN'T WORRIED ABOUT THAT, THAT PORTION OF THE RESERVE TO COVER THE, OUR TWO YEAR BALANCE BUDGET, THE, THE, THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S LIKE OUR LAST LINE OF DEFENSE.
AND, AND I THINK IF THE COUNCIL WANTS TO TALK ABOUT, I THINK THE CONCEPT THAT COUNCILMAN TRAVINO IS TALKING ABOUT IS ALLOCATING MORE MONEY THAT CAN BE, THAT THE COUNCIL CAN SHAPE THE DIRECTION OF, UH, HIS SUGGESTION OF THE RAINY DAY FUND, OR THE RESERVE FUND IS SUCH THAT, UH, I THINK HIS POINT IS MORE MONEY POTENTIALLY.
[01:15:01]
KIND OF SET THE FRAMEWORK.MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE THAT IF THAT'S THE, IF THAT'S THE DIRECTION THAT BEFORE WE GO DIP IT INTO THE RESERVES, THAT WE GO BACK AND WE, WE CUT SPENDING BY $10 MILLION BECAUSE THAT'S THE LAST LINE OF DEFENSE.
AND, AND, AND I WOULDN'T RECOMMEND DOING THAT WHILE WE'RE STILL IN ALL THIS UNCERTAINTY, BUT WE COULD GO BACK AND MAKE FURTHER RECOMMENDATIONS AND CUTS TO FREE UP MONEY TO DO THAT.
UM, I THINK THE KEY TO THIS IS MAKING SURE THAT THERE'S A PROGRAM ELEMENT AND A TIMEFRAME 'CAUSE, 'CAUSE WHILE THIS ALL CAN'T GO ON FOREVER, UH, THESE PROGRAMS CAN'T GO ON FOREVER WITHOUT SOME STRUCTURAL CHANGES.
NOT REALLY WHAT I WANTED TO ASK ABOUT, BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS, UH, IMPORTANT.
UM, I MEAN, REGARDING, UH, PARTICULARLY THIS, UM, EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANT AND, AND THE, UH, BUDGET FOR THAT.
SO I'LL JUST ASK LORI A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, UH, ABOUT YOUR PRESENTATION.
YOU DO SHOW HERE, UM, A VERY SHARP DECLINE IN THE NUMBER OF CALLS IN ONE OF THE SLIDES.
SO IT WAS, UM, RIGHT THERE HAD BEEN 57, THEN IT WENT UP TO 1400.
BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE GRAPH, IT SHOWS THAT IT'S COMING DOWN IN THESE LAST FEW DAYS.
SO IS THAT BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE, UM, FOUND, YOU KNOW, HAVE GOTTEN THE ASSISTANCE THEY NEED OR WHAT, WHY THIS DECLINE HERE LOOKS LIKE APRIL 5TH? UH, MOST LIKELY, THE, THE, THE INCREASE HAD TO DO WITH THE BEGINNING OF THE MONTH.
SO PEOPLE WERE CALLING BECAUSE RENT WAS DUE, AND THEN THEY'VE CALLED AND THEY WEREN'T CALLING BACK.
UM, AND SO THOSE SPIKES ARE TYPICALLY RELATED TO WHEN THEIR PAYMENT IS DUE.
SO, UH, AND WE EXPECT IT TO RAMP UP AGAIN.
SO PEOPLE, UM, THEN, UH, WE'LL JUST KIND OF KEEP THAT IN MIND.
UH, I MEAN, I'M SURE THAT THAT'S ALSO PART OF THE BUDGET CYCLE THAT YOU ALL KEEP IN MIND AS WELL.
UM, REGARDING, UH, SOME OF THE, UM, ASSISTANCE THAT, I GUESS COULD YOU VERY BRIEFLY WALK THROUGH, UM, YOU MENTIONED THAT THERE WOULD BE GIFT CARDS, UH, OR SOME PAYMENTS MADE DIRECTLY TO THE LANDLORDS OR DIRECTLY TO THE UTILITY ASSISTANCE, BUT THERE WAS ALSO THE POTENTIAL FOR A CA OR A GIFT CARD.
SO HOW, WHERE DID THEY GET THEM? AND SO THE GIFT CARD, WE'D PARTNER WITH A NONPROFIT.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE TALKING TO THE HOUSING TRUST TO HELP US WITH THIS.
BUT WHAT WE WOULD DO IS WE WOULD, ANYBODY WHO'S RECEIVING RENTAL OR HOUSING ASSISTANCE THROUGH THE C OVID 19 EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM WOULD AUTOMATICALLY GET A GIFT CARD THAT COULD BE USED FOR GAS OR GROCERIES.
AND IT, THE SIZE OF THE GIFT CARD WOULD BE BASED ON THE SIZE OF THEIR FAMILY.
SO WE'RE RECOMMENDING THAT IT NOT BE MORE THAN $300 PER FAMILY, BUT IT WOULD BE, IT WOULD HAVE, LIKE IF PER FIRST PERSON, IF IT'S ONE FAMILY MEMBER, 150, AND THEN FOR EACH ADDITIONAL FAMILY MEMBER, IT GOES UP 50 AND THEN IT'S CAPPED AT 300.
BUT HOW, WHERE DO THEY PHYSICALLY GET IT? AND SO WHAT THE CITY WILL DO IS WE WOULD EITHER MAIL IT TO THEM DIRECTLY, WE'RE LOOKING AT ELECTRONICALLY SENDING IT TO THEM, OR WE ALSO ARE LOOKING AT PLACES WHERE THEY CAN PICK THEM UP THAT ARE CONVENIENT TO THEM.
AND SO IT DEPENDS ON HOW THEY WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE IT, BUT, AND WE'RE LOOKING AT ELECTRONICALLY MAIL OR A PICKUP.
I'M SURE PEOPLE WOULD WANT THAT IN THEIR HANDS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
SO HOW WERE THOSE AMOUNTS DETERMINED? UM, THAT, UH, SO I, I, I CAN'T FIND THE SLIDE AND I DON'T WANNA WASTE TIME HERE, BUT, UM, SURE.
WHAT, HOW HAS IT DETERMINED THE, THE AMOUNT THAT'S ALLOCATED? SO SOME OF 'EM ARE POPULATION BASED, AS IN THE CASE OF, UM, WELL, FIRST OFF, SOME OF THE FUNDING GOES TO THE STATE.
SOME OF THE ALLOCATION MADE TO THE STATE, UM, THEN WOULD BE ON A GRANT BASIS, POTENTIALLY.
WE'RE WAITING FOR THE GUIDANCE ON THAT.
UH, WITH RESPECT TO THE AIRPORT, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT WAS BASED ON A FORMULA, VERY COMPLICATED FORMULA DEALING WITH IN EMPLOYEMENT IN OUR DEBT SERVICE COMPARED TO THE OTHER AIRPORTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
UM, SOME OF IT IS POPULATION BASED ON THE, IN THE CASE OF THE, UM, STATE AND LOCAL RELIEF FUND.
SO BASED ON OUR POPULATION OF THE STATE OF TEXAS AND THE STATE OF TEXAS POPULATION IN THE NATION THAT DETERMINE HOW MUCH MONEY THAT WAS, THAT $250 MILLION THAT ARE REFERRED TO.
SO IT'S A MIX OF, OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF, UM, CALCULATIONS.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I, 'CAUSE OF COURSE THERE'S WOULD ALWAYS BE THE REQUEST FOR MORE.
SO, UH, I MEAN, AND IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE MATCH.
SO IF THE CITY PUTS IN, UM, 25% AND THE 75% IS FEDERAL, IF WE PUT IN MORE, WOULD THEY BRING IN MORE? IS THAT MOST OF, MOST OF THIS FUNDING DOES NOT REQUIRE A MATCH.
[01:20:01]
I'M NOT CERTAIN ABOUT THAT, WHETHER FEMA WILL OR NOT.25 IS JUST EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH THE RESPONSE.
SO, UH, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT IN EFFECT IS GONNA HAPPEN IS THE CITY'S GONNA FLOAT THE A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THAT EXPENSE AND GET REIMBURSED 75 CENTS ON EVERY DOLLAR.
SO THAT'S A DIFFERENT POT OF MONEY AND DIFFERENT PROGRAM THAN THE PROGRAMS CARLOS IS DESCRIBING? CORRECT.
SO FEMA TYPICALLY HAS A REIMBURSEMENT POLICY LIKE THAT.
UH, SO I THINK THAT'S ALL, UM, IMPORTANT TO KNOW BECAUSE WE, AND SO EVEN REGARDING THE FLOATING OF IT, WE HAVE SUFFICIENT FUNDS TO FLOAT THAT, THAT'S PART OF THE RESERVES, WHAT'S PART OF THE CASH BALANCE OF THE CITY.
UM, AND, AND THAT'S WHY, AS CARLOS MENTIONED, WE'RE WORKING WITH, UM, UH, THE OTHER MAJOR TEXAS CITIES TO, UH, WORK WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY TO GET THAT FUNDING IN TERMS OF RESPONSE, UH, SPENDING TO THE CITY AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
AS MARIA PRESENTED, WE'VE ALREADY RECEIVED THREE AND A HALF MILLION.
WE'VE SPENT ABOUT $10 MILLION SO FAR.
SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A, THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF A DELTA THERE.
THE LONGER THIS GOES ON, I THINK THE FLOW OF FUNDS FROM FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, UH, IS GONNA BE KEY.
AND AS LONG AS IT'S HAPPENING ON A REGULAR BASIS, THEN THE NET FLOAT DOESN'T HAVE TO LAST VERY LONG.
AND I THINK I'M OUT OF TIME HERE, SO IF I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHIME BACK IN, MAYBE I WILL.
UM, I ALSO WANNA THANK MY COLLEAGUES THAT I SEE WEARING THEIR MASKS.
I THINK I SAW COUNCILMAN SANDOVAL AND COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
AND, UM, I DO WANNA SAY THAT OUR RESIDENTS NOTICE, UM, I DID HAVE A POST EARLIER FROM A RESIDENT WHO SAID, OH, LOOK, IT LOOKS LIKE, YOU KNOW, COUNCIL IS, UM, IS WEARING THEIR MASKS.
SO WANTED TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS.
THANK YOU FOR MAKING US LOOK GOOD THERE.
UM, ALSO, MY FIRST QUESTION IS FOR CATALYST AND CATALYST, IT'S IN RELATION TO SLIDE 10.
UM, AND ON THE LOW INCOME HOME ASSISTANCE, I'M SORRY, HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE, IT'S A UTILITY PROGRAM.
IS THAT THE, UM, L EAP PROGRAM THAT'S AVAILABLE TO COUNTY SPECIFICALLY, OR
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, COUNCIL? YES, CORRECT.
IT, WELL, AGAIN, THE GUIDELINES ON THAT ARE YET TO BE DETERMINED.
WE DON'T KNOW WHETHER, BUT THE PURPOSES ARE FOR, UH, UTILITY ASSISTANCE FOR LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS.
THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THE, OF THE FUNDING.
SO, UM, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE CONNECT WITH C P SS ENERGY.
I KNOW I ASKED FOR THIS ON, ON TUESDAY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE CONNECTING WITH OUR, UM, UTILITIES AND, UH, I'M SURE THAT THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET SOME, UM, ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
SO JUST A RE I'M A REMINDER FOR THAT IN THE SPIRIT OF SHARING INFORMATION.
UH, A FEW OF THEM WERE NOT AWARE THAT THIS WAS THERE, AND I KNOW THIS MOVES REALLY QUICKLY, BUT AGAIN, UM, MY PLEA TO PLEASE WORK WITH, UH, OUR COUNTERPARTS.
UM, ALSO, I, UH, JUST LEARNED THAT THIS MORNING THAT THE SS B A IS ALREADY OUT OF MONEY FOR THE PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM.
SO WHAT IS OUR BACKUP PLAN? SO, COUNCILMAN, UH, NOT ONLY IS THE PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM FULLY SUBSCRIBED, SO IS THE ECONOMIC INCOME DISASTER LOAN FUND, THE E D I L UH, FUND, I WAS, AS I WAS PRESENTING, UH, WE WERE GETTING NEWS MEDIA REPORTS THAT THE, THAT'S ALL TAKEN UP.
SO THAT JUST GOES TO THE NEED FOR MORE FUNDING AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
UM, ONLY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CAN ADDRESS THIS, THIS ISSUE.
IT'S SO BIG, UH, AS I INDICATED, 22 MILLION PEOPLE OUT OF WORK.
UH, IT'S SO BIG THAT ONLY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CAN DO THAT.
I THINK THERE'D BE A LOT OF PRESSURE ON CONGRESS NOW TO TRY TO REACH SOME KIND OF AN AGREEMENT TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL FUNDING IN THE SHORT RUN.
AND THEN WHEN THEY COME BACK IN MAY DO A LARGER RELIEF FUND, BUT WE'LL HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE.
I JUST, UM, I, I'M NOT THE TYPE TO SIT AROUND AND WAIT, I, I'M KIND OF LIKE A, LET'S, LET'S GET ON THIS.
AND I KNOW THAT JUST CAME OUT EARLIER AS YOU WERE PRESENTING, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
UM, MY NEXT QUESTION IS FOR LORI.
UH, AND SO LORI, UM, I, I SUBMITTED A C C R WITH THE SUPPORT OF COUNCIL MEMBER TREVINO AND COUNCILMAN, COURAGE, COUNCILMAN VERDA AND COUNCILMAN, UH, ANDREW SULLIVAN ABOUT A MONTH AGO.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I ASKED FOR, AND THEN I KNOW IT OBVIOUSLY HASN'T BEEN HEARD BECAUSE OUR COUNCIL COMMITTEES ARE NOT MEETING.
BUT IF YOU ALL HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO READ OVER THIS, AND IF YOU HAVEN'T, I'D ENCOURAGE YOU TO MAYBE READ OVER IT EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT OFFICIAL.
JUST THERE'S SOME REALLY GOOD IDEAS IN THERE THAT MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES, UM, SUBSCRIBED TO OR SAID.
LET'S, LET'S THINK ABOUT THIS.
ONE OF THEM OBVIOUSLY WAS DOUBLING THE FUNDING OF THE RISK MITIGATION FUND TO PREVENT DISPLACEMENT.
BUT NUMBER TWO, UM, ON THAT AREA WAS EXPANDING ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
[01:25:01]
OF RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS TO INCLUDE HOUSEHOLDS AT OR BELOW 200% FEDERAL POVERTY GUIDELINES AND EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES, UM, SHOULD ALSO BE HANDLED ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS.HAVE YOU ALL GIVEN ANY THOUGHT TO THAT SPECIFICALLY OR ANY CONVERSATION AROUND THAT? YES, AND ACTUALLY, WE, WE DID LOOK AT YOUR MEMO.
WE USED IT AS KIND OF A FRAMEWORK AS WE WERE CREATING AND REVIEWING OUR POLICY.
UM, THE 200% OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY LINE IS AROUND $55,000.
UM, OUR A HUNDRED PERCENT A M I IS 72,000.
THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE ASKING FOR FUNDING THOUGH, ARE UNDER 80% A M I, WHICH IS AROUND THAT $55,000 MARK.
SO WE DIDN'T FEEL THAT WAS NECESSARY TO AMEND THE POLICY BECAUSE WE WERE AL ALREADY IN LINE WITH THAT 200% OF THE POVERTY GUIDELINE.
BUT, UM, BUT WE DID LOOK AT YOUR MEMO.
UM, A LOT OF THE IDEAS AND REVIEW CAME FROM THAT, THAT OUTLINE THAT YOU ALL PROVIDED.
DID YOU, YOU ALSO LOOK AT THE ELIGIBILITY AMOUNT AND MAYBE INCREASING IT, UM, AND EVEN THE SHORTENING OF THE TIME TO REAPPLY FROM, FROM ASSISTANCE FROM THAT SIX MONTH OR FROM THE, UH, 12 MONTHS TO SIX MONTHS? UM, RIGHT NOW, THE POLICY YOU CAN APPLY FOR, UM, UP TO THREE MONTHS.
AND THE PROPOSAL THAT WE HAVE BEFORE YOU IS A THREE MONTH PROPOSAL.
AND, UM, SOMEBODY CAN RECEIVE UP TO THREE MONTHS OF FUNDING IF THEY PROVIDE PROOF OF DEEDED.
AND THEN MY OTHER QUESTION FOR YOU, LAURIE, UM, IN ONE OF THE, I I THINK IN THE PRESENTATION THAT YOU MENTIONED, OR I SAW IT SOMEWHERE, WE'RE USING AN A M I OF 71,000, BUT IF I RECALL CORRECTLY, THE MAYOR'S HOUSING TASK FORCE, UM, USED, UH, A M I OF 49,628.
SO CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND, LIKE WHERE, WHAT THE CHANGES, UM, OR JUST MAYBE EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT MORE SO THAT I CAN UNDERSTAND.
WE'RE FOLLOWING THE FEDERAL A M I GUIDELINES AND THE FED, THE ONES THAT THE FEDERAL, UM, FEDERAL PROGRAMS USE ARE THE AREA MEETING INCOME, WHICH INCLUDES NEW FEL SAN ANTONIO SURROUNDING AREA.
AND SINCE OUR PROGRAM IS MAJORITY C D B FUNDED, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE USING THOSE SAME GUIDELINES.
SO, UM, SO IT'S BECAUSE IT'S TIED INTO SOME FEDERAL DOLLARS, IT SOUNDS.
AND THEN, UH, DO WE HAVE, UH, AND THIS MIGHT BE A QUESTION FOR ERIC.
UM, ERIC, I KNOW I SAW AN ARTICLE, I THINK IT MUST HAVE BEEN YESTERDAY, WHERE IT TALKED ABOUT SAN ANTONIO BEING THE BEST POSITION CITY TO WEATHER, UM, THE, THE NEXT RECESSION OF SOME SORT.
I'M, UM, ALWAYS CAUTIOUS ABOUT BEING TOO OPTIMISTIC.
UM, BUT I'M JUST WONDERING, DID YOU GET DIRECT COMMUNICATION ON THAT? OR, OR HOW, LIKE WHAT'S THE TRUTH TO THAT? OR, OR WHY
WAS THAT, WAS THAT IN THE LOCAL PAPER OR NO, IT WAS PROBABLY, I LIKE
UH, BUT IT WASN'T LOCAL, I THINK.
I, I CAN, I CAN GO BACK AND LOOK.
I MEAN, I, I, I THINK THE CITY, AND I MENTIONED THIS A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, I, I THINK WE'VE REACTED QUICKLY ON THE FINANCIAL FRONT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE POSITIONED.
BUT, UM, I, I WILL, I'LL DIG INTO IT TO SEE IF THERE WAS SOME SORT OF STATEMENT MADE LIKE THAT.
AND THEN I ALSO HAVE, UM, A QUESTION.
I WAS LOOKING TO SEE IF WE HAVE A TIMELINE.
I SAW, UM, ERIC, IN YOUR MEMO YESTERDAY, YOU TALKED ABOUT, UM, THE HOUSING, OR I'M SORRY, NOT THE HALING.
IT WAS, UH, UM, SOME OF THE GROUPS THAT ARE GOING TO BE MEETING VIRTUALLY, SO PLANNING, ET CETERA.
AND I AM JUST WONDERING, WHEN DO WE HAVE A PLAN FOR WHEN WE GO BACK TO MEETINGS, UM, AS, AS SCHEDULED? SO THOSE ARE VIRTUAL.
UM, WHEN, WHEN DO WE GO BACK TO HAVING, OR, OR WHO IS GIVING ANY THOUGHT TO HAVING COMMITTEES, FOR INSTANCE, GO BACK TO MEETING BY VIRTUAL? AND THE REASON THAT I'M ASKING THIS, UM, I'M, I WAS WONDERING HOW YOU MADE THAT RECOMMENDATION ON YOUR PART ON, ON THE STAFF SIDE, UM, BECAUSE I HAVE SEEN, I'VE BEEN DOING RESEARCH, LIKE I SAID, ON OTHER CITIES AND THE CITY OF LAREDO, CITY OF BROWNSVILLE, UH, I MEAN, THERE'S, THERE'S MULTIPLE CITIES IN THE VALLEY THAT ARE MEETING, UH, VIRTUALLY AND, AND CONDUCTING THEIR COMMITTEE, UM, WORK STILL ONLINE.
WHO DID YOU LOOK AT, UH, TO DETERMINE TO GO VIRTUAL AND TO START WITH THE ZONING AND, UM, AND, AND PLANNING, ET CETERA, AND DO IT VIRTUAL? CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT YOUR STUDIES YES, MA'AM.
SO I MEAN, YOU, YOU, THIS ISSUE'S COME UP SEVERAL TIMES AT THE COUNCIL BRIEFINGS.
UM, BUSINESS IS STILL CONTINUING ON THE DEVELOPMENT SIDE.
[01:30:01]
AND, UH, THE ONE STOP HAS ADJUST.THE ONE STOP CENTER HAS ADJUSTED TO, UH, FACILITATE, CONTINUE TO FACILITATE THAT.
UM, AND WE FELT LIKE, UH, THOSE, THE PLANNING COMMISSION, THE ZONING COMMISSION, THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE, UH, CHARTER COMMISSIONS.
AND, UM, AND, AND FELT LIKE WE COULD DO SOME OF THAT, MEETING, SOME OF THOSE MEETINGS ONLINE THROUGH WEBEX'S TO CONTINUE TO FACILITATE THAT CONVERSATION.
UM, BEYOND THAT, I MEAN, I, I THINK THAT WAS MORE A LOOK AT HOW WE'RE DEALING WITH IT INTERNALLY HERE IN THIS CITY, UH, WHERE WE HAVEN'T SEEN A, WE'VE SEEN A DECREASE, BUT IT HASN'T STOPPED MM-HMM.
AND, UH, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE FACILITATING THAT.
UM, SO WE DID NOT CHECK WITH OTHER CITIES.
TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, WE KIND OF DID IT ON OUR OWN.
I, I DIDN'T KNOW IF THERE WAS FEW CITIES THAT I, THAT I WAS MISSING OR SOMETHING, BUT, UM, THANK YOU, MAYOR.
THOSE ARE ALL MY QUESTIONS FOR NOW.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA, COUNCIL MEMBER GRA.
MY FIRST QUESTION WILL BE FOR, UM, THE FED IN THE STATE, UM, ADVOCACY PRESENTATION.
CARLOS, CAN YOU TALK TO US ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING AND THE ADVOCACY THAT WE ARE DOING WITH OUR MILITARY BASES? I BELIEVE THAT GENERAL AYALA SENT A LETTER, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR MILITARY BASES FUNDING DOES NOT GET TOUCHED.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT? SURE.
COUNCILWOMAN, UM, I SPOKE WITH JUAN JUST YESTERDAY, IN FACT, AND HE INDICATES THAT HE IS TALKING DAILY WITH GENERAL LINDEMAN ON THEIR NEEDS, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE IN SYNC WITH THAT.
SO WE TALKED ABOUT THE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE IN LOCKSTEP WITH THEM AS THEY HAVE ISSUES THAT ARISE, THAT THEY, THEY CAN BRING 'EM TO HIM, POPULATE 'EM TO HIM, AND THEN WE'LL, UH, ACT ON OUR END.
SO FAR HE'S NOT RECEIVED, BUT, BUT WE ARE WORKING WITH HIM.
AND IN RESPONSE TO THE P P P AND THE OTHER CARES ACT, UM, INFORMATION, JUST TO GIVE YOU ALL SOME IDEA, AND WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE NEED IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND ABSOLUTELY THERE'S A NEED.
YOU KNOW, ON MONDAY, THE GOVERNOR AND, UH, LYFT FUND MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF 25 MILLION GOLDMAN SACHS PROVIDING 25 MILLION FOR, UM, THE PAYCHECK FOR THAT APPLICATION WENT LIVE ON MONDAY THE 13TH, AND WITHIN THE, AND SO IT WAS FOR 25 MILLION, BUT ALREADY THERE HAS BEEN $68 MILLION IN LOANS THAT HAVE BEEN REQUESTED FOR THE P P P.
AND IN BEAR COUNTY, THE SMALL BUSINESS, THE BEXAR COUNTY DISASTER RELIEF LOAN PROGRAM WITH LYFT FUND, THERE ARE, THERE'S $5 MILLION IS AVAILABLE, AND THEY HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED $40 MILLION IN APPLICATIONS.
SO THE NEED FOR MORE MONEY IN A CARES ACT 3.5 OR 4.0 IS ABSOLUTELY NEEDED FOR OUR SMALL BUSINESSES, FOR OUR NONPROFITS.
AND I WOULD ALSO ARGUE FOR OUR 5 0 1 C SIXES, I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU ALL, SOME, UH, CONTEXT AND, UM, JUST THE NEED THAT IS THERE IN OUR AREA.
LET ME MOVE TO OUR EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE, UH, SLIDES THAT WERE GIVEN.
I DO, I DO WANT TO, UH, MY FIRST QUESTION IS MARIA, OR YES, MARIA, WHEN IS OUR MID-YEAR ADJUSTMENT GOING TO BE PRESENTATION? UM, UH, SO WE ARE GONNA BE PROVIDING THE CITY COUNCIL WITH A REVISED BUDGET CALENDAR.
THE BUDGET CALENDAR THAT WE HAD, UH, RECOMMENDED TO THE CITY COUNCIL BECAUSE OF RESPONSE TO C OVID 19, UM, IS, IS NOT GONNA WORK OUT.
SO WE PROBABLY GONNA SEND SOMETHING, UH, EITHER TODAY OR TOMORROW TO THE COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION.
AND WE ARE PROBABLY ANTICIPATING THAT MID-YEAR BUDGET ADJUSTMENT TO TAKE PLACE IN MAY.
C P S, ENERGY AND SPAS, THE SUSPENDING DISCONNECTIONS
[01:35:01]
UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.UH, DO WE KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY, UM, HAS BEEN, UH, I GUESS NOT COLLECTED BY THOSE TWO UTILITIES RIGHT NOW? NO, WE DON'T.
WE CAN WORK TO TRY TO FIND THAT OUT FOR YOU, COUNCILWOMAN.
I'D LOVE TO GET THAT INFORMATION AS WELL AS, UM, WHAT IS C P S AND SASS PLANNING TO DO AFTER, UM, THEY STOPPED SUSPENDING DISCONNECTIONS? HAVE THEY, THE MAYOR'S THERE, MAYBE HE CAN TALK TO THIS.
HAVE YOU ALL DECIDED ON YOUR POLICY AT C P S AND AT SAS WHETHER OR NOT, UM, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE, YOU'RE GOING TO, YOU KNOW, COLLECT ALL OF THOSE, UM, FEES THAT WERE NEEDED TO BE PAID IN THE PAST? ARE YOU ALL GOING TO DO THAT AT S AND C P S? I'LL TAKE THAT.
SO RIGHT NOW WHAT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED IS THE MORATORIUM ON DISCONNECTIONS AS WELL AS THE SUSPENSION OF LATE FEES FOR BOTH AGENCIES.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, NEW OPTIONS FOR FOLKS, UH, TO DONATE TO AND ALSO UTILIZE THE, UH, EMERGENCY AFFORDABILITY PROGRAMS THAT ARE AVAILABLE.
WHAT I'VE ADVISED, UH, THE, UH, C P S AND AND SAWS BOARD, HOWEVER, IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS TAKES CARE OF, UM, THE IMMEDIATE CRISIS.
BUT JUST AS WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER TREVINO WAS DISCUSSING IN THE HOUSING SITUATION, WHEN THE IMMEDIATE PANDEMIC IS OVER, IT DOESN'T ALL OF A SUDDEN LIFT THE BURDEN THAT HAS BEEN CREATED BY RENTS AND UTILITY BILLS THAT ARE IN ARREARS.
UH, AND WE CAN'T EXPECT OUR COMMUNITY ALL OF A SUDDEN TO BEAR THAT BURDEN ALL AT ONCE.
UH, WHETHER THERE'S SOME SORT OF, UH, ASSISTANCE IN THAT, WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE, HOW IT'S SCALED, UH, NEEDS TO BE DETERMINED.
UH, BUT WE ARE NOT GOING TO PUT OUR, UH, COMMUNITY OUT WITHOUT WATER AND UTILITIES AND, UH, AND ROOF OVER THEIR HEADS.
UH, THAT I CAN TELL YOU FOR SURE.
UM, I GUESS A COUPLE MORE QUESTIONS.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH TIME I HAVE, BUT IF I NEED TO CHIME BACK IN, I WILL.
UM, THESE UTILITY ASSISTANCE CALLS AND THE DOLLARS THAT WE'RE PUTTING OUT, LORI, ARE YOU ALL TRACKING WHERE THESE REQUESTS ARE COMING FROM? YES.
WE, WE, WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION AND WE CAN GET YOU THAT.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE GOOD BECAUSE I, THESE, UH, PEOPLE ARE REQUESTING THIS ASSISTANCE FROM, BECAUSE IT, IT COMES INTO THE CONVERSATION OF WE DON'T WANT TO GO BACK TO, UM, NORMAL FROM LAST TIME.
WE WANT TO GO AND CHANGE AND BECOME SOMETHING THAT'S REVOLUTIONARY AND SOMETHING THAT'S VERY EQUITABLE FOR OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
UM, AND THEN WITH THE, UM, I'D ALSO LIKE TO KNOW THAT INFORMATION WHEN IT COMES TO THE LOW INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDIT PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE, UM, THOSE THAT WERE NEEDING SOME HELP OR ASSISTANCE OR, UM, THE 120 DAY NOTICE, YOU KNOW, WHERE IN OUR PROJECTS THAT'S, THAT'S HAPPENING.
AND, UM, I ALSO, MARIA, THANK YOU.
UM, OH, YEAH, MARIA, I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS.
WHAT ARE THOSE OUTSTANDING SUPPLIES? YES, COUNCILWOMAN.
SO, UH, PRIMARILY WE HAVE ORDER, UM, MASKS, UH, UH, FOR OUR FIRST RESPONDERS AND FOR OUR CITY EMPLOYEES.
AND WE STILL HAVE SOME OF THOSE ORDERS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN RECEIVED.
AND THEN BEFORE YOU TALKED ABOUT SURVEILLANCE AND CONTACT INVESTIGATIONS, COMMUNITY OUTREACH.
DID YOU ALL REDEPLOY STAFF TO THESE AREAS IN PARTICULAR SO WE COULD HAVE MORE PEOPLE DO SURVEILLANCE OR CONTACT INVESTIGATIONS AND THAT COMMUNITY OUTREACH, LIKE PUTTING UP DOOR HANGERS, ET CETERA? DID YOU ALL DO THAT? I'M GONNA DEFER TO DR.
BRIDGER FOR, UM, THAT QUESTION ON REDEPLOYMENT OF EMPLOYEES TO CONTACT TRACING AND, YEAH.
SO THE QUESTION WAS, ARE WE REDEPLOYING STAFF FROM METRO HEALTH? NO.
ARE WE REDEPLOYING STAFF, OTHER DEPARTMENTS TO HELP METRO HEALTH? WE HAVE ACTIVELY WORKED WITH HR, UM, TO REDEPLOY STAFF TO METRO HEALTH TO HELP OUT WITH ANSWERING THE HOTLINE, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, GOING DOOR TO DOOR IN COMMUNITIES TO PUT OUT THE DOOR HANGERS.
SO WE'VE HAD TREMENDOUS LOVE AND SUPPORT FROM OUR OTHER
[01:40:01]
DEPARTMENTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.BUT WHEN IT COMES TO CONTACT INVESTIGATIONS, ARE YOU ALL, UM, I MEAN, THAT'S A LOT OF WORK AFTER THAT DIAGRAM WE SAW, THAT'S A LOT OF WORK THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING.
SO ARE YOU ALL GETTING SOME HELP FROM OTHER DEPARTMENTS? RIGHT NOW WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 30 INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE WORKING ON THE CONTACT TRACING.
UM, WHAT WE HAVE FIGURED OUT IS THAT PUBLIC HEALTH FOLKS DO IT BEST.
AND SO WE HAVE PULLED THE PUBLIC HEALTH EMPLOYEES INTO DOING CONTACT TRACING AND HAVE LEFT SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT THEY WERE DOING FOR OUR EXTENDED FAMILY.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT DR.
EMMERICH MENTIONED SHE WAS WORKING ON IS BRINGING IN SOME PUBLIC HEALTH TRAINED VOLUNTEERS AS THE NUMBER OF POSITIVES CONTINUES TO INCREASE, SO THAT WE HAVE FOLKS WHO ARE STEEPED IN PUBLIC HEALTH PRACTICE, WHO ARE BEING TRAINED IN HOW WE DO CONTACT TRACING AND CAN PROVIDE THAT ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE.
AND THEN FINALLY, I JUST WOULD LIKE TO SAY, UM, JUST TO GIVE MY THOUGHTS AND OBSERVATIONS, I THINK, UH, MAINTAINING OUR, UH, WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE A BALANCED BUDGET HERE AT THE CITY.
AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT LOOKING AT OUR RESERVES, I, I WOULD AGREE WITH WHAT, UM, ERIC WAS REC THE RECOMMENDATION FROM ERIC ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT THAT IS OUR LAST LINE OF DEFENSE.
BECAUSE IF WE START LOOKING INTO THAT, THAT MEANS, AND WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT MAKING CUTS FROM OTHER PROGRAMS, WHAT THAT MAKES, THAT GIVES FEAR FOR ME IS THAT THAT MEANS CUTTING MORE CITY EMPLOYEES AND THAT, AND I KNOW EVERYONE IS SUFFERING RIGHT NOW AND GOING THROUGH SOME HARD TIMES, BUT IF WE CAN MAKE SURE, AND IF OUR CITY EMPLOYEES ARE WORKING, THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO KEEP OUR CITY EMPLOYEES WORKING.
UM, AND I CAN GO ON MORE WITH THAT LATER, BUT I WANT TO ALSO THANK MY DISTRICT THREE TEAM.
AND ALSO THANK MY SAN, THE SAN ANTONIO AREA FOUNDATION FOR ALL OF THEIR WORK.
THOSE ARE ALL OF MY QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW, MAYOR.
COUNCIL MEMBER GRO, COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE.
UH, LORI, LET ME JUST RUN OVER A COUPLE OF THINGS WITH YOU THAT YOU MENTIONED IN YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, YOU SAID THAT THROUGH OUR, UM, RESIDENTIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS THAT WE'VE PUT TOGETHER, WE'RE SAYING THAT IF PEOPLE NEED HELP AND ARE QUALIFIED, UH, WE'RE OFFERING RENTAL ASSISTANCE, UH, MORTGAGE PAYMENT ASSISTANCE, FOOD ASSISTANCE, TRANSPORTATION, AND EVEN TRYING TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO STAY CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET FOR COMMUNICATIONS.
THE, THE ELIGIBILITY IS RENT, MORTGAGE, UTILITY, INTERNET ACCESS, AND FOOD AND GAS.
AND I KNOW YOU SAID THAT WE WERE AVERAGING A THOUSAND DOLLARS, AND I PRESUME THAT'S BASICALLY JUST FOR RENT OR MORTGAGE AT THAT TIME.
'CAUSE WE HADN'T REALLY INITIATED SOME OF THE OTHERS.
UM, IT WAS FOR MORTGAGE, I'M SORRY, RENT OR UTILITIES AT THE TIME.
THERE ARE SOME TENANTS THAT SOMETIMES NEED TWO OR, UM, PAYMENTS.
AND SO IT'S ON AVERAGE FOR A ONE MONTH PAYMENT, IT'S AROUND A THOUSAND.
UM, WE EXPECT THOSE TO STAY AROUND THAT ONCE WE GET INTO THE ONE MONTH REQUEST AS WELL.
EVEN WHEN YOU CONSIDER FOOD AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT THEY MAY NEED.
WELL, FOR THE RENTAL, AND I'M SORRY FOR THE RENTAL ONLY, AND THEN IT'S UP TO $300 FOR FOOD ASSISTANCE.
SO COULD BE ABOUT, FOR SOME OF THE PEOPLE COULD BE $1,300 A MONTH YES.
OR MORE IF THEY'RE GETTING UTILITY PLUS THE INTERNET.
AND THEN YOU'VE GOT, UH, 5,000 PEOPLE WHO'VE APPLIED MORE THAN 5,000.
SO FAR IN WHAT PERIOD OF TIME WAS THAT? UM, LAST WEEK IT WAS INCREASE OF ABOUT 5,300.
THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF DUPLICATIONS OKAY.
UM, SO WE'RE, WE'RE GOING THROUGH THAT PROCESS AS WELL.
UM, AND WE HAVE CONTACTED EVERYBODY BY EMAIL OR BY PHONE.
AND THEN THEY ARE IN THE PROCESS OF FILLING OUT THAT APPLICATION.
WELL, IF, LET'S SAY OUT OF THOSE 9,000 WHO APPLIED, UH, 7,500 WEREN'T DUPLICATES, UH, IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE EVEN WITH THE $15 MILLION WE HAVE IN THERE, WE'RE ONLY GONNA BE ABLE TO HELP PEOPLE OUT FOR ABOUT TWO MONTHS BEFORE WE RUN OUTTA MONEY.
AND THAT'S WHY THE FIRST, WE EXPECT THE FIRST MONTH TO BE HIGH DEMAND BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO EDUCATE PEOPLE ON APPLYING FOR UNEMPLOYMENT, GETTING THAT ADDITIONAL 600.
AND SO WE'LL HAVE A BETTER IDEA NEXT MONTH IF WE NEED ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
THAT KIND OF CLARIFIED IT FOR ME.
[01:45:01]
MAYBE JEFF KNOWS THIS.UH, ARE WE SEEING, UM, THAT INVESTMENT PROPERTY OWNERS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR ANY KIND OF RELIEF UNDER THE FEDERAL CARES ACT? SINCE A LOT OF PEOPLE OWN MAYBE TWO OR THREE RENTAL PROPERTIES, AND TO A GREAT EXTENT, THAT'S A MAJOR PART OF THEIR INCOME.
SO IF BEEN CONSIDERED IN THAT COUNCILMAN, I, I'M NOT AWARE THAT THERE'S ANY EXCLUSION FROM INVESTORS.
I KNOW THAT AGAIN, THE BOTH PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE HELPING BUSINESS ARE NOW FULLY SUBSCRIBED, BUT, UM, THE, THE, THE CAVEATS WERE NOT THE TYPE OF BUSINESS THAT YOU'RE IN, BUT THE SIZE.
SO BUSINESSES UNDER 500 EMPLOYEES, THAT'S, THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF BUSINESSES THAT WERE, UM, ELIGIBLE AND THEN INCLUDED SOLE PROPRIETORS IN SOME CASES, AND INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS.
SO WE CAN CHECK ON THAT, UH, TO SEE IF THAT WAS THE CASE.
OBVIOUSLY, THEY'LL HAVE TO BE A NEW PROGRAM WITH EITHER THE SAME OR DIFFERENT GUIDELINES.
YEAH, IF YOU COULD DOUBLE CHECK ON THAT AND LET ME KNOW.
UH, THERE'S MANY PEOPLE I'VE HEARD FROM WHO REALLY BY OWNING ONE OR TWO OR THREE ADDITIONAL PROPERTIES REALLY SUPPLEMENTING THEIR RETIREMENT OR MAYBE, UH, YOU KNOW, THEY OWN A HALF A DOZEN PROPERTIES AND, AND THAT IS THEIR INCOME, WHAT THEY GET FROM THAT.
AND, UH, MANY OF THEM ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME THING AS A RENTER OR A TENANT NOT ABLE TO PAY THE RENT OR NOT ABLE TO COLLECT THE RENT IN ORDER TO GO AHEAD AND MAKE THEIR MORTGAGE PAYMENTS.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE NEED TO DO MORE TO KEEP PEOPLE IN THE HOMES THEY'RE IN.
BUT I THINK WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO, UH, SHOW WAYS OF HELPING PEOPLE WHO ARE FACING THOSE KINDS OF PROBLEMS WITH NOT BEING ABLE TO COLLECT THE RENTS, UH, TO STILL MAINTAIN THOSE PROPERTIES AND KEEP THEM THROUGH THIS PERIOD OF TIME.
SO WE'LL INVESTIGATE THAT AND REPORT BACK TO YOU.
THOSE ARE THE ONLY QUESTIONS I HAD.
COUNCIL MEMBER S THANK YOU, MAYOR.
UM, CAN Y'ALL HEAR ME OKAY? YES.
UH, SO FIRST OF ALL, I, I WANT TO, UH, THANK, UM, ERIC WALSH AND THE METRO HEALTH TEAM.
UM, YOU GUYS, I, I SEE YOU, ERIC, AND I SEE METRO HEALTH, AND I SEE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THE DEPARTMENTS OUT THERE, UM, WORKING JUST AN INCREDIBLE NUMBER OF HOURS TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, E E EVERYBODY IS DOING WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING AND RESPONDING TO THIS CRISIS, CRISIS WITH A CAPITAL C.
UM, IT'S, UM, LET US NOT FORGET THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, DURING THIS ENTIRE THING, COUNCIL MEMBERS COME TOGETHER, WE DISCUSS, WE DELIBERATE, WE TALK, BUT, UM,
UH, THE HEAVY LIFTING IS BEING DONE BY PEOPLE IN THE FRONT LINES, AS PASTOR EIDS SAID THIS MORNING, PEOPLE WHO ARE PUTTING THEIR LIVES AT RISK TO MAKE SURE, UH, THAT THE REST OF US ARE SAFE.
UM, AND SO I I I, EVERY SINGLE CITY COUNCIL MEETING THAT WE'VE HAD ON, UH, THIS TOPIC, I'VE REITERATED THE FOLLOWING THINGS.
ONE, UM, IS THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT AND OUR JOBS, NOT JUST DURING A CRISIS, BUT AT ALL TIMES.
UH, AND I THINK THE MOST BASIC, YOU KNOW, JOB THAT WE'VE GOT, NUMBER ONE, AND OUR PRIORITY NEEDS TO BE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PREVENT AS MANY FORESEEABLE AND PREVENTABLE DEATHS AS POSSIBLE ON OUR WATCH.
AND THEN NUMBER TWO IS EVERYTHING ELSE, RIGHT? QUALITY OF LIFE, TRAFFIC, PROPERTY TAXES, AIRPORT CONTRACTS, ALAMO, CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, GOLF COURSES, ET CETERA.
ALL OF THOSE THINGS COME SECOND AFTER SAVING LIVES.
I'VE ALSO GOT A, ANOTHER HAT THAT I WEAR, AND THAT IS, UH, THE JOB OF A BUSINESS OWNER EMPLOYER.
MY NUMBER ONE PRIORITY IS TO KEEP MY EMPLOYEES ALIVE SO THAT AFTER THIS PANDEMIC, WE CAN CONTINUE TO PROVIDE MY CLIENTS THE EXCELLENT SERVICES TO WHICH THEY'VE GROWN ACCUSTOMED AND FOR WHICH THEY'RE PAYING.
PRIORITY NUMBER TWO IS EVERYTHING ELSE.
AND THEN I'VE GOT, UH, MY THIRD JOB, WHICH IS THE MOST IMPORTANT JOB, IS THE JOB OF, UH, BEING A PARENT TO MAX AND SOPHIA.
AND, UH, MY TWO KIDS WHO ARE AT HOME.
MAYBE THEY'RE WATCHING, I HOPE THEY'RE, UM, AND YOU KNOW, MY JOB AS A PARENT AND THE JOB OF ANY PARENT IS NUMBER ONE, TO KEEP YOUR KIDS FROM DYING A FORESEEABLE AND PREVENTABLE DEATH.
AND THEN NUMBER TWO IS EVERYTHING ELSE, RIGHT? THAT THEY LEARN HOW TO SAY, PLEASE AND THANK YOU THAT THEY LEARN HOW TO READ, THAT THEY DO WELL IN SCHOOL, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
OKAY? UM, AND SO I, I, I LOVE Y'ALL, EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM.
UH, BUT I GOTTA TELL YOU, I, I LOVE THOSE TWO KIDS MORE THAN ANYBODY ELSE.
[01:50:01]
EVEN YOU, COUNCILMAN TREVINO, I, I, I LOVE MAX AND SOPHIA MORE THAN YOU, AND I'LL, YOU KNOW, I'LL DO ANYTHING FOR THEM.AND SO LEMME TELL YOU WHAT I'VE BEEN DOING FOR THEM.
UM, 14 DAYS BEFORE THE MAYOR'S FIRST EMERGENCY DECLARATION WAS PUT IN PLACE, I LOCKED THEM UP IN OUR HOUSE.
UM, I'VE HAD THE TWO HUMAN BEINGS I LOVE THE MOST, LOCKED UP IN THEIR HOME, NOT ALLOWED TO GO OUTSIDE AWAY FROM THEIR GRANDPARENTS, WHO THEY ADORE AWAY FROM THEIR FRIENDS, THEIR COUSINS, AND THEIR SCHOOLS.
THEIR CONNECTION TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD IS EXCLUSIVELY BY WAY OF A SIX INCH BY 13 INCH FLAT SCREEN IPAD.
UM, MY WIFE HASN'T LEFT HER HOME IN MORE THAN A MONTH, AND SHE WORKS EVERY SINGLE DAY TO MAKE SURE THAT MY KIDS DON'T LOSE THEIR MINDS WHILE, WHILE THEY'RE THERE.
I'VE GOT IT EASY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT THERE'S HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN SAN ANTONIO WHO'VE GOT IT WORSE.
PEOPLE WHO ARE STAYING IN THEIR HOMES WITH THEIR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ABUSERS, PEOPLE WITH ADDICTION PROBLEMS WHO AREN'T GETTING TREATMENT, PEOPLE WHO ARE HOMELESS, YOU KNOW, WHO, UH, DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE TO GO, UH, IF THEY EXPERIENCE, YOU KNOW, THE COVID SYMPTOMS. UM, AND THEN TO SIT HERE THIS MORNING AND THEN EVEN READ ON MY OWN SOCIAL MEDIA PAGE THAT THERE'S PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO SAY, HEY, LOOK, YOU KNOW WHAT? THAT'S REALLY BAD THAT PEOPLE ARE DYING.
WE GET IT, BUT IT'S SO MUCH MORE IMPORTANT THAT WE OPEN THE GOLF COURSES AND THE RESTAURANTS AND THE BARS AND ALL THAT, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE CONSTITUTION SAYS BUSINESS ABOVE ALL OTHER THINGS.
NO, IT DOESN'T, IT DOESN'T SAY THAT.
AND I HEARD ONE OF THE DUMBEST THINGS I'VE HEARD IN A LONG TIME, UM, DEFUNDING METRO HEALTH TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO FINALLY DECLARE THIS THING OVER.
I'LL REMIND ANYBODY WHO HARBORS THAT IDEA THAT THE PEOPLE WHO WORK IN METRO HEALTH HAVE THEIR CHILDREN LOCKED AT HOME TOO AND AREN'T ABLE TO SEE THEIR LOVED ONES AND ARE RISKING THEIR LIVES.
AND WE'VE GOT POLICE OFFICERS AND FIREFIGHTERS WHO MIGHT DIE SOON.
AND I'VE GOT SAN ANTONIANS WHO ARE BEARING THEIR LOVED ONES.
SO, I, I REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT PART OF THE WORD PANDEMIC IS HARD TO UNDERSTAND, OR WHAT PART OF THE PHRASE SAN ANTONIANS ARE DYING EVERY DAY IS NOT SINKING IN RIGHT NOW.
NO MAYOR, NO PRESIDENT, NO GOVERNOR, NO SHOCK JOCK ON THE RADIO WITH E GIBBERISH, NO TALKING HEAD ON TV IS GOING TO WISH THIS OR ORDER THIS PATHOGEN AWAY.
AND I, I'M NOT APOLOGIZING TO ANYBODY EVER THAT THE GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT OR THE DOW OR THE S AND P IS TAKING A HIT WHEN I'VE GOT SAN WHO ARE BEARING THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS.
SO WHEN I HEAR THINGS LIKE THAT, DUMB THINGS LIKE THAT, DUMBER THAN, THAN A BOX OF WET HAIR, UM, I'VE GOT A, I I JUST HAVE TO REJECT IT.
BRIDGER, I'VE GOT A QUESTION FOR YOU.
UM, CAN YOU PLEASE, UH, TALK TO ME ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT IT IS YOU GUYS DO AND WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF YOU AND YOUR TEAM WEREN'T DOING IT? AND WHAT WE'VE DISCOVERED FROM THE STUDIES, UH, THAT WERE PUBLISHED IN THE PAST TWO DAYS, SO I'M GONNA SPEAK, UM, ABOUT WHAT METRO HEALTH IS DOING SINCE, UM, SOME OF THE CRITICISM WAS DIRECTED EXPLICITLY AT METRO HEALTH.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOT A SINGLE METRO HEALTH EMPLOYEE RIGHT NOW WHO'S SITTING AT THEIR DESK PUSHING PAPER.
EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM HAVE BEEN DEPLOYED TO DEAL WITH THIS PANDEMIC.
EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM ARE WORKING ON HOW TO MAKE THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO A SAFER PLACE DURING THIS UNPRECEDENTED DISASTER.
AND SO WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS 12, 15 HOURS A DAY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION TO KEEP THE CITY SAFE.
UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, FOR SOME, THAT INVOLVES LITERALLY GOING OUT INTO THE COMMUNITIES WHERE WE ARE SEEING SOME OF THE HIGHEST RATES OF INFECTION AND GOING DOOR TO DOOR TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHERE THEY CAN GET TESTED, HOW THEY CAN GET TESTED, THE INFORMATION THEY NEED TO PROTECT THEMSELVES.
UM, IT MEANS CHECKING IN WITH THE, YOU KNOW, 800 PLUS INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE BEEN INFECTED WITH C OVID 19 TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE OKAY TO SEE IF THEY NEED ANYTHING TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE STAYING AT HOME, SO THAT THAT DOESN'T POSE THE REST OF THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, THE FACT THAT, THAT THEY HAVE ALL BEEN, UM, WORKING SO HARD ON THIS, UM, MAKES ME, I THINK, PERHAPS A TCH MORE PROTECTIVE OF, UH, WHEN THINGS LIKE THAT ARE SAID ABOUT THEM.
UM, AND, AND MAKES ME WANT TO JUST STAND UP SOMETIMES AND, AND SCREAM THAT, YES, THIS IS A REALLY
[01:55:01]
STRESSFUL SITUATION, BUT METRO HEALTH STAFF ARE DOING INCREDIBLE WORK UNDER INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES, AND I WOULD LIKE TO PUBLICLY RECOGNIZE THEM FOR THAT WORK.MY, UH, I, I HAVE JUST, JUST ONE MORE THING TO ADD AND, UM, AND THEN I'LL, I'LL PASS IT ON.
MAYOR, I, I, I HAD A BUNCH OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THE RENTER ISSUE ISSUE, BUT I'LL ASK THEM SEPARATELY.
UH, BRIDGER, I, I LEARNED YESTERDAY THAT THE VIRUS ITSELF IS REALLY JUST A LITTLE CAPSULE MADE OF SOME SORT OF LIPID, UH, THAT HAS JUST INSIDE OF IT ONLY GENETIC COATING.
AND THAT ALL IT DOES IS SEARCH OUT AND, YOU KNOW, FIND LIVING TISSUE AND ATTACHES ITSELF TO IT, AND THEN JUST STARTS CLONING AND PROPAGATING MORE VIRUS, LITTLE MICROSCOPIC DOTS.
AND THIS THING'S NOT EVEN ALIVE.
IT'S JUST A LITTLE TINY BOMB OF D N A.
IS THAT ABOUT RIGHT? THAT'S A DECENT LAYMAN'S DESCRIPTION.
AND YEAH, AND, AND TRUST ME, I'M, I'M, UH, I'M AN EXPERT IN DECENT LAYMAN, UH, THE, UH,
AND SO THINKING ABOUT THIS THING, IS IT FAIR TO SAY THAT THIS VIRUS IS THE ONE THAT'S DRIVING THE BUS HERE? AND THAT THE EXTENT TO WHICH WE'VE GOT ANY CONTROL, IT REALLY IS OUR ABILITY TO STOP THE SPREAD BY SOCIAL DISTANCING.
AND THERE REALLY ISN'T MUCH MORE WE CAN DO, UH, OTHER THAN BEG PEOPLE TO LISTEN TO EXPERTS AS OPPOSED TO LISTEN TO THE QUACKERY THAT THEY GET ON FACEBOOK SOMETIMES, RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT.
BECAUSE THERE IS NOT A TREATMENT FOR THIS VIRUS.
THE ONLY THING WE CAN DO IS TRY TO PREVENT IT.
SOCIAL DISTANCING, WASHING YOUR HANDS ARE THE TWO BEST WAYS TO DO THAT.
WE APPRECIATED YOUR, UM, EXPERT LAYMAN TERMINOLOGY, COMMENT, COUNCIL MEMBER, YOU COULDN'T HEAR US LAUGH, BUT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO NOTE.
WE'RE GONNA MOVE NOW TO COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREWS SULLIVAN.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU, UM, TO THE MAYOR, TO JUDGE WOLF, TO CHIEF HOOD, DR.
EMRICK, UM, OUR CITY MANAGER AND ALL OF OUR CITY STAFF.
THANK YOU EVERYONE WHO HAS BEEN TRULY ASSISTING US, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO THE RIVER CITY CARE FACILITY.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR DOING ALL OF THE DILIGENT WORK TO GET SOME INFORMATION OUT TO OUR COMMUNITY TO HELP CALM AND EASE THE CONCERNS OF OUR DISTRICT.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.
UM, JEFF, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PROVIDING ME WITH THE INFORMATION ON THE DOOR HANGERS THAT WILL BE GOING OUT SO, UM, THAT WE CAN, CAN MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IS AWARE OF WHAT WE ALL CAN DO TOGETHER.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE KNOW IS THAT WE ARE GOING THROUGH THIS TOGETHER, AND NONE OF US HAVE BEEN HERE BEFORE.
SO WE'RE ALL LEARNING WHAT TO DO, UM, AS WE GO ALONG THIS, THIS JOURNEY.
UM, MY FIRST QUESTION THAT I HAVE IS FOR LORI AND LORI, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING A LOT OF THE ADVICE AND, AND THE INITIATIVES THAT WE'RE DOING WITHIN THE FOOD SECURITY AND SHELTER TASK FORCE, AND PUTTING IT ALL ON PAPER.
UM, IN RELATION TO THE QUESTION THAT DR.
UH, ROCHA GARCIA HAD IN REFERENCE TO THE A M I, UM, ARE WE REALLY NOW LOOKING AT THAT A M I BASED ON THE CURRENT SITUATION THAT A PERSON IS FOUND IN, UM, AND NOT BASED ON WHERE THEY WERE PRIOR TO THIS CRISIS? OKAY, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
COUNCILWOMAN, WE ARE LOOKING AT THEIR CURRENT SITUATION, AND SO THE LIKELIHOOD OF SOMEONE HAVING A HUNDRED PERCENT A M I IF THEY WERE TERMINATED A MONTH BEFORE IS VERY LOW.
HOWEVER, THERE COULD BE SOMEBODY THAT'S A HUNDRED PERCENT A M I THAT MAYBE WAS MAKING SE MAYBE MAKING $85,000 AND NOW THEY'RE MAKING $71,000.
THEY HAD A REDUCTION IN SALARY, AND THEN THEY HAD ANOTHER MEDICAL INCIDENT THAT WOULD REQUIRE THEM TO GET SERVICES.
SO THIS IS KIND OF SOME, LIKE A SAFETY NET TO HELP THEM BE ABLE TO MAKE THEIR PAYMENTS.
AND WHEN IT COMES TO THOSE WHO ARE SELF SELF-EMPLOYED OR CONTRACT WORK, SEASONAL WORK, UM, HOW IS THAT DOCUMENTATION OR, OR HOW ARE THEY INCLUDED INTO THE RISK MITIGATION? UM, THEY CAN SUBMIT TO US A LETTER FOR UNEMPLOYMENT.
[02:00:01]
THEY CAN SUBMIT TO US A LETTER FROM THEIR EMPLOYER, OR THEY CAN SUBMIT TO US THEIR BANK STATEMENTS AND A CERTIFIED LETTER STATING THEIR, THEIR EMPLOYMENT STATUS.SO FOR AN EXAMPLE OF A SELF-EMPLOYED PERSON, THEY CAN SHOW US THEIR BANK STATEMENTS AND THEY CAN ALSO ISSUE A CERTIFIED LETTER STATING THEIR STATUS.
UM, I KNOW THAT WE WERE SPEAKING ON THE FOOD, GAS, AND INTERNET.
WHEN IT COMES TO THOSE THAT, UM, MAYBE NEED MEDICAL SUPPLIES OR MEDICINE BASED ON THIS CRISIS, WOULD THAT BE AN AREA THAT WE CAN INCLUDE UNDER THE, UH, FOOD, GAS, AND INTERNET? SO THE, THE GROCERY GIFT CARD WILL BE ABLE TO BE USED FOR MEDICAL, UM, LIKE MEDICINE AND ASSISTANCE.
UM, WE ARE LOOKING AT USING H E B SINCE THEY HAVE BOTH GAS AND GROCERIES, AND WE CAN KEEP THAT MONEY LOCAL.
UM, SO IF YOU CAN BUY IT AT YOUR H E B, YOU MOST LIKELY WILL BE ABLE TO USE THAT.
HOWEVER, WE'RE LOOKING AT OTHER DIRECT ASSISTANCE AS THE CITY MANAGER MENTIONED, UM, APPLYING FOR ADDITIONAL GRANTS THAT COULD BE DIRECT CASH ASSISTANCE THAT COULD HELP WITH SOME OF THOSE ISSUES.
AND DO WE KNOW IF WE'VE ALREADY UNDER THE, UM, STAFFORD ACT, HAVE WE APPLIED FOR THE EMERGENCY DISASTER MANAGEMENT, UH, CASE MANAGERS THAT CAN COME OUT AND DO FIELD ASSESSMENT TO ASSIST US WITH A LOT OF THE, UH, UH, COVID TRACING AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE? COUNCILMAN? YES, MA'AM.
UH, SO THAT WAS A, AN ISSUE THAT YOU RAISED THE OTHER DAY? UH, AND CHIEF HOOD AND, UH, THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER, DR.
BRIDGER AND I HAVE FOLLOWED UP.
I THINK ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE, UH, SITUATIONS THAT WE ARE DEALING WITH HERE FROM A, FROM A STANDPOINT OF THE ENTIRE COUNTRY IS THAT FEMA DOES NOT HAVE THE RESOURCES RIGHT NOW, UM, TO SEND INDIVIDUALS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.
THEY'RE STRETCHED PRETTY THIN.
THEY'VE USED, THEY'VE UTILIZED THOSE RESOURCES, UH, IN THE PAST WHEN YOU HAVE A HURRICANE OR A FOREST FIRE OR SOME SORT OF LOCALIZED DISASTER.
AND I THINK THE REALITY OF THE SITUATION IS, IS THAT, UH, THO THAT CASE MANAGEMENT IS NEEDED IN EVERY BIG CITY AND SMALL TOWN, UH, FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA, AND WE HAVEN'T SEEN THAT TYPE OF ASSISTANCE.
WE ARE WORKING WITH FEMA PRIMARILY FOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES AND P P E AND IN SOME CASES TESTING MATERIAL.
BUT THAT CASE MANAGEMENT CAPACITY OF FEMA DOESN'T EXIST RIGHT NOW.
AND, UM, LORI, WHEN IT COMES TO THE, UH, HOUSING DELEGATE AGENCIES SUCH AS THE SALVATION ARMY, AMERICAN GI FORUM AND FAMILY ENDEAVORS, HAVE WE CONNECTED WITH THOSE AGENCIES TO SEE WHAT THEIR FUNDING BALANCE IS TO ASSIST US WITH RENTAL ASSISTANCE? YES, WE HAVE BEEN IN CONNECTION WITH SEVERAL OF THOSE AGENCIES.
I CAN GET YOU THAT INFORMATION.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT, UM, PREVIOUSLY I'VE REQUESTED A, UM, A LISTING OF OUR, IF WE COULD GET WITH THE APARTMENT ASSOCIATION OF THOSE VACANT AND EMPTY APARTMENTS THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO USE AS A HOUSING RESOURCE.
HAVE WE, UH, MADE THAT CONTACT YET? WE, WE HAVE, AND WE, I'M REVIEWING THE LIST AND I'LL GET YOU THAT ANSWER TO THIS WEEK.
AND THEN I KNOW THAT WE ARE FACING REALLY A SHORTAGE WITHIN THE, THE FOOD, UH, SECURITIES, UM, HERE WITHIN, UM, THE WORLD RIGHT NOW.
UM, DO WE KNOW IF THE U S D A OR IF THERE'S ANY ACTUAL FEDERAL FUNDING OR FEDERAL GRANTS THAT WILL BE DIRECTLY ALLOCATED TO FOOD SECURITY COUNCILWOMAN COLLEEN HERE? UM, WE ARE WORKING WITH FEMA AND U SS D A AND THE STATE OF TEXAS ON A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT VENUES THAT WE CAN PURSUE TO BRING IN BOTH FOOD AND FUNDING TO PURCHASE FOOD, UM, INTO THE SAN ANTONIO AREA.
SO WE ARE, UM, PURSUING MULTIPLE OPTIONS AND FEEL LIKE WE'RE GONNA START TO SEE SOME OF THESE ITEMS BREAK FREE AND, AND ACTUALLY ARRIVE IN SAN ANTONIO IN THE NEXT WEEK OR SO.
AND THEN MY LAST QUESTION, UM, I KNOW WE ARE DOING THE DASHBOARD AND, AND I THINK, UH, METRO HEALTH AND DR.
EMRICH AND ALL OF THE STAFF THAT ARE REALLY PUTTING THESE NUMBERS TOGETHER, I DID ASK A CITY MANAGER YESTERDAY WHEN I WAS LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS, UM, ONE THING THAT I WAS WONDERING IS IF WE HAVE A BREAKDOWN OF HOW MANY OF THOSE, UM, DEATHS HAVE BEEN AT HOME AND HOW MANY ARE FROM THE NURSING HOMES, AND THEN HOW MANY ARE FROM THE HOSPITALS? DO WE HAVE THAT BREAKDOWN? WE ARE SPECIFICALLY TRACKING, UM, DEATHS THAT WERE RELATED TO
[02:05:01]
THE, UH, SOUTHEAST NURSING FACILITY.UM, OTHER THAN THAT, WE CAN, WE CAN GO BACK AND RE-LOOK AT THE, UM, INFORMATION WE HAVE AND SORT IT LIKE THAT.
THAT WILL TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME THOUGH, BUT WE DO HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
WE JUST HAVE TO COMPILE IT FOR YOU.
UM, THAT WAS MY OTHER LAST CONCERN IS, UM, THOSE WHO MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN TESTED, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THEIR STATUS WAS WHEN IT COMES TO THE C OVID, UM, 19, AND THEN THEIR BODIES BEING TRANSPORTED TO EITHER A MORGUE OR A FUNERAL HOME, AND THEN FINDING OUT IF THERE'S ANY EVENT BEEN ANY SPREAD BASED ON US NOT KNOWING THAT A PERSON WAS COVID POSITIVE.
UM, THOSE ARE ALL THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE.
THANK YOU TO THE DISTRICT TWO STAFF.
UH, THANK YOU TO ALL OF MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE DOING, AND I KNOW THAT WE'LL GET THROUGH THIS TOGETHER.
COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN, COUNCIL MEMBER KEO.
WHILE I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN VALLAY THAT OUR PRIORITY IS SAVING LIVES, THE WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE WITH THAT.
OUR DECISIONS DO NEED TO BE FULLY INFORMED.
SO IN, UH, PARTICULARLY WHILE WE'RE DISCUSSING, UM, DIPPING INTO OUR RESERVE FUNDS.
SO IN THAT SPIRIT, MY QUESTION, UM, I THINK IT'S FOR BEN, POTENTIALLY, UH, WILL WE, WILL USING RESERVE FUNDS, UH, HAVE AN IMPACT ON OUR BOND RATING? AND IF SO, IF, IF IT'S NOT, IF WE KEEP IT UNDER A CERTAIN AMOUNT, WILL THAT MINIMIZE THE IMPACT? THANK YOU.
UH, YOU KNOW, OUR BOND RATINGS ARE OBVIOUSLY IMPORTANT TO US, AND ONE OF THE KEY FACTORS THAT BOND RATING AGENCIES LOOK AT IS OUR LEVEL OF RESERVES.
WHERE YOU COMPARE US TO OTHER HIGHLY RATED, UM, CITIES, AAA CITIES, OUR RESERVES ARE LOWER.
BUT BASED ON OUR POLICIES AND OUR FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO MAINTAIN AAA BOND RATING WITH MOODY'S AND STANDARD PORS.
AND THEN WITH FITCH, UM, I THINK AT THIS POINT, IF WE WERE TO START TO DIP INTO RESERVES, THAT WOULD BE VERY NEGATIVELY VIEWED BY THE RATING AGENCIES THAT WOULD LIKELY LEAD TO ACTION FROM MY PERSPECTIVE.
UM, I SAY THAT BECAUSE AGAIN, OUR RESERVES AREN'T THAT HIGH.
AND THEN TWO, WE ARE HEADED INTO AN UNPRECEDENTED LEVEL OF UNCERTAINTY.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE REST OF THIS FISCAL YEAR LOOKS LIKE.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT NEXT FISCAL YEAR LOOKS LIKE.
WE DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THIS CRISIS WILL LAST OR WHAT THE RECOVERY LOOKS LIKE, BUT THERE WILL CERTAINLY WILL BE SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS.
UM, I'LL JUST CLOSE WITH SAYING THAT I THINK THE BOND RATING IN THE PAST, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT IT IS.
UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT A HIGH BOND RATING'S GONNA LOOK AT, LOOK LIKE IN THE FUTURE.
I MEAN, IT, IT TRIPLE MAY, MAY, MAY NOT BE SOMETHING THAT THAT IS THERE AFTER THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS, BUT HAVING A HIGH BOND RATING IS GONNA BE REALLY IMPORTANT FROM A MARKET PERSPECTIVE.
UM, WE SAW A LOT OF DISRUPTION IN THE MARK FINANCIAL MARKETS OVER THE PAST MONTH OR SO, A LOT OF VOLATILITY.
UM, THERE WAS A PERIOD OF TIME WHERE BONDS WEREN'T EVEN MOVING.
THERE WERE NO, THERE WAS NO MOVEMENT IN BONDS.
SO AS WE MOVE FORWARD, AS PART OF OUR RECOVERY, THIS IS GONNA BE AN IMPORTANT PART FOR US, IS TO MAKE SURE WE'VE GOT STRONG BOND RATING AND THAT WE'VE POSITIONED THE CITY AS MUCH AS WE CAN FOR THAT RECOVERY EFFORT, WHICH WE KNOW WILL BE SIGNIFICANT.
SO DO YOU THINK IF WE KEEP IT TO, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE MINIMAL AMOUNT NECESSARY THAT, I MEAN, WILL THE AMOUNT MAKE A DIFFERENCE? OR IS IT JUST DRAWING FROM THE RESERVE FUNDS THAT WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE? UH, I THINK BOTH COUNCILWOMAN, SO OUR, OUR FINANCIAL POLICIES TO TRY TO MAINTAIN A MINIMUM 15% BALANCE IN THE GENERAL FUND, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S LESS THAN A TWO MONTH RESERVE.
YOU KNOW, ONE OF OUR CHALLENGES IS THAT WE'VE GOT A $1.2 BILLION GENERAL FUND.
WE'VE GOT TWO THIRDS OF THAT THAT, THAT ARE TIED UP IN PUBLIC SAFETY.
SO REALLY YOU'VE GOT A THIRD THAT'S GONNA HAVE TO COMPRESS WITH WHATEVER HAPPENS.
AND I THINK, AS THE CITY MANAGER POINTED OUT, I THINK A GOOD WAY TO LOOK AT RESERVES IS THEY'RE KIND OF YOUR LAST LINE OF DEFENSE.
WE WANT TO ADJUST THE ORGANIZATION SPENDING WISE AS MUCH AS WE CAN TO WHATEVER'S HAPPENING ECONOMICALLY, UM, SO THAT WE CAN BE IN A POSITION TO, 'CAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT COULD HAPPEN NEXT YEAR IF YOU DRAW ON IT, AND WE'RE OFF ON OUR PROJECTION AROUND THE RECOVERY, THERE'S VERY LITTLE ROOM.
WE RUN IT ON A PRETTY THIN MARGIN AT THIS POINT.
IS THERE ANY LIKELIHOOD THAT THE BOND RATING COMPANIES, I THINK THIS MAY BE, UM, I, I MAYBE KNOW THE ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION, BUT THAT THE CRITERIA MIGHT CHANGE JUST GIVEN THE, THE WHAT'S HAPPENING THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY NOW? I THINK THAT'S CERTAINLY A POSSIBILITY.
UM, YOU KNOW WHAT, UM, FEEDBACK I HAVE GOTTEN FROM THEM SO FAR IS THAT THEY KNOW THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ARE BEING OBVIOUSLY IMPACTED SIGNIFICANTLY BY WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE ECONOMY.
UM, THE APPROACH SEEMS TO BE A, WE KNOW YOU'VE BEEN IMPACTED.
WE WANT TO SEE HOW YOU MANAGE AND HOW YOU'RE ABLE TO RECOVER.
SO THEY'LL BE WATCHING THAT CLOSELY.
BUT I THINK TO YOUR POINT, THE METHOD METHODOLOGIES AND CRITERIA COULD CERTAINLY CHANGE.
[02:10:02]
THANK YOU, BEN.ANDY, YOU WANTED TO JUMP IN? UH, YES, MAYOR.
I'D WANTED TO GIVE THE COUNCIL A VERY, VERY QUICK UPDATE ON OUR CONTINUED MONITORING, UH, WHAT'S COMING OUT OF THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE WITH RESPECT TO HIS STAY AT HOME ORDER.
UH, WHEN HE ISSUED IT MARCH 31ST, UH, HE DID, UH, DEVELOP A PROCESS FOR BUSINESSES TO ASK WHETHER THEY ARE DEEMED ESSENTIAL BUSINESSES UNDER HIS ORDER.
WE'VE BEEN MONITORING THAT ON A DAILY BASIS, UH, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT BOTH THE COUNTY AND THE CITIES STAY AT HOME ORDER STAY.
UM, IN COMPLIANCE WITH WHAT THE GOVERNOR WAS SAYING, UM, THAT WEBSITE HASN'T BEEN UPDATED.
UM, THAT ALTHOUGH WE HAVE, UH, RECEIVED SOME INFORMATION, UH, THROUGH OTHER CHANNELS ON SOME OF THE SERVICES, WE DO HAVE ONE ITEM THAT DOES ADDRESS, UH, THE CITY'S DECLARATION.
AND THAT WAS SOME GUIDANCE ISSUED BY THE STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL ON GOLF COURSES.
UH, HE DID SAY THAT GOLF COURSES CAN ALLOW GOLF PLAY, UH, BY THEIR MEMBERS AS LONG AS IT DOESN'T ENTAIL, UH, RENTAL EQUIPMENT.
UH, IN OTHER WORDS, THEY CAN, THEY CAN USE THEIR OWN, UH, CLUBS, THEIR OWN BALLS, UH, IN TERMS OF PLAYING, NO OTHER PERSONNEL SHOULD BE, UH, INVOLVED.
UH, GROUNDSKEEPING OBVIOUSLY CAN GO ON SINCE THAT'S PRESERVATION OF THE, OF THE, OF THE SITE.
AND, UH, TO THE EXTENT THEY HAVE KITCHENS, THEY CAN DO TAKEOUT AND DELIVERY AND COMPLIANCE WITH THE RULES THAT OTHER RESTAURANTS HAVE.
UH, SO WITH, FOR, WITH RESPECT TO THE PRIVATE GOLF COURSES, WE WOULD ADHERE TO WHAT THE GUIDANCE OF WHAT THAT WAS ISSUED BY THE STATE AG.
WITH RESPECT TO THE MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSES, THEY WILL STAY CLOSED.
UM, WE'LL GO NOW TO COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY.
COUPLE OF QUESTIONS HERE FOR YOU.
THE CARES ACT FUNDING RIGHT NOW.
WE HAVE THESE JOINT COMMITTEES BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE COUNTY.
UM, AND YOU LISTED OUT A LOT OF DIFFERENT FUNDING SOURCES FOR THE CITY.
UM, WHICH ONES ARE PRE-APPROVED AMOUNTS VERSUS WHAT WE HAVE TO REQUEST FOR? IS THAT, WAS THAT IDENTIFIED IN THAT LIST? I'M, I DON'T HAVE IT PULLED UP, BUT, UH, WHICH ONES DO WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ON RIGHT, IN ORDER TO GET THAT FUNDING? COUNCILMAN? UH, GREAT QUESTION.
UM, THE GUIDANCE DETERMINES HOW WE RECEIVE THE FUNDING.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH RESPECT TO THE, UM, AIRPORT, IT WAS SORT OF A COMBINATION.
THEY DID A CALCULATION AND DETERMINED THAT WE WERE ENTITLED TO $39 MILLION AND SOME CHANGE.
WE WILL STILL HAVE TO MAKE A, THERE'S A PROCESS WE'LL HAVE TO GO THROUGH WITH THEM, BUT THEY'VE DETERMINED THAT AMOUNT.
THEY'VE, THEY'VE AWARDED THAT TO US WITH RESPECT TO THE STATE AND FEDERAL LOCAL RELIEF FUND, OR STATE AND LOCAL RELIEF FUND.
THAT IS A CERTIFICATION THAT THE MANAGER JUST REGISTERED WITH THE TREASURY TO BE ABLE TO SUBMIT REQUESTS DIRECTLY OR REQUEST FOR REIMBURSEMENT DIRECTLY.
UH, SO, SO WE HAVE AN ALLOTMENT BASED ON OUR POPULATION, AND WE CAN SUBMIT APPROVED EXPENDITURES UP TO THAT ALLOT AMOUNT, UH, TWO $50 MILLION.
UH, IN SOME CASES WE HAVE TO APPLY FOR GRANTS, UM, TO BE ABLE TO, TO RECEIVE FUNDING.
UH, THAT, UH, THE COPS GRANT, FOR EXAMPLE, THE, UH, THAT, THAT MARIA WAS TALKING ABOUT, S A P D, UM, NOT THE COPS GRANT, EXCUSE THE GERMANS JUSTICE GRANT.
UM, THAT IS AN ALLOTMENT AS WELL.
AND WE'LL HAVE TO SHOW EXPENDITURES, UH, FOR THAT.
SO EACH ONE IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
UH, MOST OF THE ONES FOR THE CITY SEEM TO BE A SPECIFIC AMOUNT THAT WE CAN APPLY FOR.
UM, THE N E A GRANT IS AN, IS A COMPETITIVE GRANT THAT'S FOR ARTS AGENCIES.
THEY CAN APPLY FOR THOSE, UH, AND THEY HAVE TO COMPETE WITH OTHERS.
SO THEY, THEY ALL VARY BASED ON THE GUIDANCE PROVIDED BY THE, BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
SO THAT LAST GRANT, THE ARTS, UH, FUNDING, THERE'S NO CITY INTERACTION WITH THAT.
THAT'S UP TO THE INDIVIDUAL ORGANIZATIONS TO APPLY FOR THAT.
THERE ARE SOME CITIES, I BELIEVE, THAT HAVE BECOME, THAT RECEIVED FUNDING DIRECTLY FROM N D A.
I DON'T BELIEVE, LORD, YOU KNOW, I DON'T BELIEVE THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO HAS EVER DONE THAT.
UM, SO OUR INVOLVEMENT SIMPLY IS TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO THE ELIGIBLE 20 ARTS AGENCIES IF THEY WANT TO APPLY AND TRY TO HELP THEM.
THAT'S OUR, THAT'S OUR DIRECTOR INVOLVEMENT.
UM, IF, IF I COULD GET A, THOSE LISTS AND THE ONES THAT WE HAVE TO APPLY FOR SURE, YOU KNOW, FOR REIMBURSEMENT OR WHATEVER, UM, AS I UNDERSTAND IT ON A LOT OF THESE FUNDS, IT'S REALLY WHO COMES TO THE TABLE FIRST, UH, TO GET THE FUNDS.
[02:15:01]
SCHEDULE IS OR THE TIMELINE THAT WE'RE GONNA ACTUALLY BE SUBMITTING THESE, UH, YOU BET REQUESTS SO THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE AWARE WHEN THESE PACKAGES ARE GONNA BE SUBMITTED AND, UM, UH, HOPEFULLY, HOPEFULLY FUNDED.COUNCILMAN, WE HAVE A, UH, THE TRACKER THAT WE PROVIDED TO COUNSEL THAT WE'LL SEND UPDATED TODAY HAS IN THERE, IF YOU READ THROUGH IT, IT INDICATES THE TYPE OF, UH, GUIDANCE THAT WE'VE RECEIVED ON AND WHETHER WE CAN APPLY.
SO THE MANAGERS INDICATED WE WANT TO BE FIRST IN THERE.
'CAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO, WE DON'T WANNA WASTE ANY TIME.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH THE, UH, THE STATE AND LOCAL FUNDING, UH, HE SUBMITTED HIS CERTIFICATION YESTERDAY, THE DEADLINE WAS FRIDAY.
SO IT'S THAT KIND OF URGENCY THAT HE'S EXPECTING US TO TRY TO FOLLOW ALL THROUGHOUT THE, UH, THE ORGANIZATION.
SO WE CERTAINLY AGREE WITH YOU.
WE WANT TO GET IN FIRST BEFORE MONEY RUNS OUT.
UM, ALONG WITH THAT, UM, I HAD A INTERESTING CONVERSATION WITH, UH, UH, FIESTA TEXAS LEADERSHIP, AND ARE THERE ANY FUNDS AVAILABLE IN THE CARES ACT THAT THE THEME PARKS COULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR? MM-HMM.
IN FACT, THE C E O ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE, TO THE FOLKS THAT WORK ON THE GROUND HAVE ALL TAKEN A 25% PAY CUT IN ORDER FOR THEM TO KEEP OPERATING.
SO, UM, HAVE WE SEEN ANYWHERE THAT THEY CAN ENGAGE IN THIS CARESS ACT TO GET REIMBURSED? YEAH.
COUNCILMAN, MAYBE JEFF HAS CAN ADD TO THAT, BUT, UH, THE, THE FUNDING STREAMS THAT WERE MADE AVAILABLE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES ARE AVAILABLE TO ALL OF THE BUSINESSES.
SO IF THEY MET THE BUSINESS QUALIFICATION, THE GUIDELINES, THE NUMBER OF, UH, EMPLOYEES, THEY CERTAINLY COULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT FUNDING WHEN IT WAS AVAILABLE.
THE TOURISM AND THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRIES ARE SEVERELY AFFECTED BY THIS HEALTH AND ECONOMIC, UM, CRISIS THAT WE'RE FACING RIGHT NOW.
AND I SUSPECT THERE'LL BE ADDITIONAL FUNDING THAT FOCUSES ON THAT PARTICULAR INDUSTRY AS THEY LOOK AT THE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE NEXT ROUND OF OF FUNDING.
BECAUSE IT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY OKAY.
UH, LORI, I'VE GOT A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR YOU ON THE, UM, SLIDE.
ON THE SLIDE THAT HAS THE ASSISTANT CALLS.
I NOTICE A BIG DROP OFF WITHIN A DAY OR TWO.
UM, BUT THAT DATA IS LIKE A WEEK OLD.
A LITTLE MORE THAN A WEEK OLD.
WHAT HAVE WE SEEN SINCE THAT LAST DATA POINT? IT WENT BACK UP AGAIN, UM, LAST WEEK TOWARDS THE END OF THE WEEK.
AND SO IT TYPICALLY SLOWS DOWN ON THE WEEKENDS.
UM, BUT AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THE PEAKS WE SEE ARE RIGHT AROUND, UM, WHEN RENT IS DUE AND WHEN BILLS ARE DUE.
BUT IT'S PRETTY, IT SLOWS DOWN DURING THE WEEKENDS AND THEN PICKS UP AGAIN.
AND I'LL GET YOU AN UPDATED SLIDE.
UM, WE HAVE THIS INFORMATION, UM, PROVIDED DAILY, AND I CAN GET THAT TO YOU TODAY.
UM, THIS IS THE TOTAL AMOUNT THAT WE'RE SAYING IS AVAILABLE TO THE EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE BUDGET AT THIS POINT, AND IT'S MADE UP OF, UM, THESE FIVE AREAS.
AND PART OF THAT IS ON SLIDE NUMBER 15.
THE LAST SLIDE, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS SLIDE SHOWS ABOUT WHAT WE'RE PUTTING INTO THE RISK MITIGATION FUND IS A 3.5.
UM, AND THIS COMES OUT OF OUR, THIS IS OUT OF OUR GENERAL FUND OR WHERE, WHERE IS THIS? THE 3.5 IS COMING FROM C E B G AND TURS.
THE, SO THERE ISN'T THE GENERAL FUND REDUCTIONS.
THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT WERE TAKEN ON APRIL 2ND, AND THAT'S THAT 3.2 MILLION.
AND THEN THE 3.5 MILLION IS THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT'S BEING REDIRECTED FROM THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING BUDGET TO THE RISK MITIGATION FUND.
AND THERE'S NO GENERAL FUND MONEY IN THAT 3.5 MILLION.
THE ONLY GENERAL FUND MONEY IN THE OVERALL PROGRAM OF 15.8 IS AT 350,000.
THAT IS THE RISK MITIGATION FUND.
BUT LOOKING AT THIS, UM, ON THAT LAST SLIDE THERE, THERE'S STILL, TAKE FOR EXAMPLE, UNDER ONE ROOF PROGRAM,
[02:20:01]
IT'S A $5 MILLION BUDGET.UM, WE'RE SUSPENDING THE 1.2 MILLION AND THAT'S FOR, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO PUT THAT BACK IN OUR GENERAL FUND.
IS THAT WHAT I UNDERSTAND THAT? YES.
BUT WE'RE NOT PULLING OUT ANYTHING FOR THE RISK MITIGATION, UH, FUND FROM THAT PARTICULAR LINE ITEM.
IT, YOU KNOW, I, I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, OKAY, SOME OF 'EM, WE ARE PULLING MONEY OUT AND SOME OF 'EM WE AREN'T.
UM, HOW DID THAT DECISION PROCESS GET MADE? WE LOOKED AT WHAT PRO, SO FOR, FOR EXAMPLE, THE DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE, WE KNOW THAT MOST LIKELY PEOPLE ARE NOT GONNA BE BUYING ANY MORE HOMES, I MEAN, FOR THE, DURING THIS YEAR.
AND SO WE RE WE TOOK WHATEVER WAS AVAILABLE IN THAT FUND.
UM, WE ALSO TOOK SOME FUNDING FROM OWNER OCCUPIED REHAB AND MINOR REPAIR.
UM, BUT WE THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO KEEP UNDER ONE ROOF, MINOR REPAIR AND OWNER OCCUPIED HAVE SOME FUNDING BECAUSE THOSE PROGRAMS HELP PEOPLE STAY IN THEIR HOMES.
AND SO THAT'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT, LIKE, AS COUNCIL INTRAVENOUS SAYS, YOUR ROOF IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO YOUR HOME.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE PEOPLE CAN STAY IN THEIR HOME.
UM, SO WE'VE GOT THE $15.8 MILLION AVAILABLE FOR THIS RISK MITIGATION.
AND THAT GOES TO, YOU KNOW, WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR CASH RESERVES.
I, I WOULD CAUTION AGAINST GOING INTO OUR CASH RESERVES 'CAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHERE WE'RE GONNA BE AT AT THE END OF THIS MONTH OR AT THE END OF THIS YEAR, FISCAL YEAR, UH, TO BE, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S OVER THE HORIZON.
I WOULD BE VERY, I WOULD BE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT DISHING IT GOING INTO OUR CASH RESERVES WITH THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE'RE SETTING ASIDE NOW.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE, WE NEED TO LEAVE IT AT THIS POINT.
SO, WITH THAT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR.
AND I WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYONE CAN HEAR ME.
UH, SOMEONE, UH, RECOMMENDED TO ME THAT I MODEL TALKING THROUGH MY MASK, UH, SO THAT WE ALL KNOW THAT, UM, YOU CAN ACTUALLY TALK WHILE, WHILE IT'S ON.
UM, AND IF YOU'RE GONNA COME TALK TO ME, PLEASE WEAR, UH, WEAR A FACE COVERING IS, IS MY KIND REQUEST.
UM, I WANNA, UH, START WITH, UM, WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU, UH, TO STAFF AS ALWAYS, FOR AN EXCELLENT PRESENTATION.
UH, VERY THOROUGH AND ALWAYS VERY PREPARED.
UM, I WANT TO HARKEN BACK TO WHAT COUNCILMAN ELIA SAID, NOT ABOUT LOCKING HIS KIDS UP AT HOME, BUT ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE ARE, UH, RE NOT READY TO, TO OPEN BACK UP.
AND THAT THERE IS STILL A VERY MUCH A, A HEALTH RISK.
UM, AND IF ANYTHING, I, I THINK WE, WE NEED TO CONSIDER WHAT, WHAT MORE WE CAN DO.
AND I, I, I'VE SAID THAT BEFORE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF ESSENTIAL WORKERS OUT THERE WHO ARE, ARE, ARE OF COURSE PUTTING THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE, CERTAINLY OUR HEALTHCARE WORKERS AND EVEN, UH, PEOPLE LIKE OUR, OUR BUS DRIVERS, RIGHT? UM, SO, UH, IN FACT, ONE CONSIDERATION THAT I, I KNOW SOME OF THEM HAVE IS CAN PEOPLE WHO COME ON THE BUS PLEASE WEAR A, A FACE COVERING? AND I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD PICK UP, UH, NOT JUST FOR PEOPLE WHO, WHO RIDE THE BUS, BUT FOR ANYONE WHO'S IN A PUBLIC SPACE.
SO I HOPE TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION IN THE, IN THE FUTURE, MAYOR, SO THAT WE CAN PROTECT OUR WORKERS AND, AND THE PUBLIC.
UM, UM, AND, UH, SO LIKE I SAID, IF ANYTHING, MY CONCERN IS THAT WE MAY NOT BE, UH, DOING AS MUCH AS AN ORGANIZATION AS WE CAN TO HELP, UH, TO HELP EVERYONE.
WE'RE CERTAINLY ASKING A LOT OF THE PUBLIC IN THIS, UH, IN THIS TIME AND, AND WITH THIS ORDER.
SO, I, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I PUBLICLY STATED THAT I AM VERY HAPPY TO HEAR THE MAYOR TALK ABOUT, UH, BRINGING TOGETHER, UH, A PANEL OF, OF EXPERTS TO ASSIST AND TO REALLY EXPAND THE BRAIN POWER, UH, THAT IS WORKING ON THIS, ON THIS PROJECT.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR.
I THINK YOU'VE DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB SELECTING, UH, SELECTING THOSE MEMBERS.
AND AS YOU KNOW, UM, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I, I REALLY THOUGHT WAS, WAS NEEDED, UH, UH, AND HAVE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR THE PAST FEW WEEKS FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
SO I'M GLAD TO SEE IT GO FORWARD AND I LOOK FORWARD TO, TO LEARNING FROM WHAT THEY BRING TO, TO THE TABLE.
UM, I AM ALSO, UH, CONCERNED OF ABOUT A FEW THINGS.
UM, NUMBER ONE, UH, WE'VE LOOKED AT THE, THE FATALITIES HERE IN, IN SAN ANTONIO, AND LIKE IN OTHER COMMUNITIES, WE SEE THE DISPARITIES, UH, BASED ON ETHNICITY, HOW, UH, WE'VE GOT A FATALITY RATE OF OVER 10% AMONG THE AFRICAN AMERICAN INDIVIDUALS WHO
[02:25:01]
HAVE TESTED POSITIVE AND AROUND 3% FOR, FOR SOME OF THE OTHERS.AND I, I THINK THAT'S REALLY STRIKING AND IT'S, AGAIN, NOT DIFFERENT FROM WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN OTHER PLACES, BUT WHAT I THINK IT DOES IS BEG THE QUESTION OF HOW DO WE MAKE SURE WE HAVE, UM, EQUITY WHEN, WHEN THIS, NOT JUST NOW, BUT WHEN WE ARE SLIGHTLY OUT OF THIS CRISIS.
I THINK, UM, I LOOK FORWARD TO, TO WHEN THE COMMITTEE WORK PICKS BACK UP AGAIN, UH, TO DISCUSS SOME OF THESE ISSUES AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE VIGILANT AND ABLE TO, TO HELP IN, IN THAT SENSE.
UM, TODAY'S DISCUSSION IS FOCUSED MOSTLY ON, ON THE FINANCIALS.
AND, UH, REALLY WHAT, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, UH, AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE THIS NUMBER TODAY, IS HOW MANY FAMILIES AND HOW MANY PEOPLE CAN WE HELP WITH THE PROPOSAL THAT'S ON THE TABLE TODAY? AND, UH, A FOLLOW UP TO THAT IS, ARE THERE FAMILIES THAT WE KNOW WE WON'T BE ABLE TO HELP OR THAT WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE? AND WHAT'S THAT QUANTIFICATION? SO, UM, BASED ON THE $15.8 MILLION NUMBER, UM, WE THINK THAT WE CAN HELP ABOUT 10,000 FAMILIES.
AND WITH THIS, THIS BUDGET NOW, UM, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE'RE ASKING FOR DONATIONS TO HELP SUPPLEMENT THAT BUDGET TO GET MORE FUNDING, BUT WE FEEL THAT IT'S ABOUT 10,000.
UM, WE HAVE SET, WE HAVE SET ASIDE MONEY TO WHERE WE CAN HELP FAMILIES THAT WOULD NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE C D B G FAM FUNDING.
AND SO IF, UM, YOU DO NOT HAVE, UM, A LEASE AGREEMENT, WE CAN WORK AROUND THAT.
IF YOU DO NOT HAVE, UM, THE FEDERAL IDENTIFICATION THAT IS REQUIRED FOR THE C D B G FUNDING, WE HAVE FUNDING TO ASSIST WITH THAT AS WELL.
AND SO, UM, WE FEEL THAT WE'VE, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO IDENTIFY DIFFERENT FUNDING POTS THAT WE COULD ASSIST OTHERS THAT WOULD NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE C D B G FUNDING.
AND SO 10,000 FAMILIES, AND HOW MANY FAMILIES DO WE THINK ARE AFFECTED RIGHT NOW IN SAN ANTONIO BECAUSE OF THE CRISIS? I'LL HAVE TO LOOK TO GET THAT NUMBER.
UM, I CAN GIVE YOU THE CALL VOLUME THAT, THAT WE HAVE, THAT WE'VE RECEIVED.
UM, BUT, UM, I DON'T HAVE THE ACTUAL NUMBER.
YEAH, I, I THINK, UM, I THINK IT'S PROBABLY MORE THAN 10,000 OBVIOUSLY, WE KNOW.
UM, BUT I, I DO THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD TRY TO, TO GET A GRIP ON.
UM, THANK YOU LORI, FOR, FOR QUANTIFYING THAT.
UM, SO I THINK, UH, I, I SAW THE HEADLINE THAT COUNCILWOMAN ROCHA GARCIA MENTIONED EARLIER, AND, UM, BUT I ALSO REMEMBER THE HEADLINE THAT, UH, WE ARE THE, THE POOREST BIG CITY IN THE US AND THAT WAS BEFORE THE CRISIS.
AND, UM, I'VE HEARD, I'VE HEARD ERIC COOPER SAY THAT, UM, AND THIS IS BEFORE THE CRISIS, THAT PEOPLE WHO SHOWED UP AT THE FOOD BANK WERE PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING OR WHO WERE WORKING, UH, UH, THE WORKING POOR, LITERALLY.
UM, SO, SO THE NEED IS, IS DIRE, I WOULD SAY, IN THE, IN THE POOREST CITY IN, IN THE COUNTRY.
UH, I THINK ALL OF US HAVE PROBABLY READ SOMEWHERE THE FINANCIAL ADVICE THAT, UM, WE SHOULD HAVE THREE TO SIX MONTHS OF SAVINGS PUT AWAY, UH, FOR, FOR CRISES.
AND, UM, IT, THE, THE TRUTH IS, MANY OF THE JOBS IN OUR COMMUNITY, UNFORTUNATELY, DON'T ALLOW FOR, FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, UH, WHICH SHOULD REALLY BE, UM, WHICH IS A NECESSITY, BUT IT MIGHT SEEM LIKE A LUXURY TO SOME OF OUR RESIDENTS.
SO WHEN I SEE THAT IN CONTRAST TO, UM, UH, OUR AAA BOND RATING, IT'S, IT'S REALLY HARD FOR ME TO RECONCILE THOSE TWO.
AND I KNOW WE, WE WANT TO KEEP OUR CITY STRONG, UM, BUT IF WE ARE THE ONE THAT'S BEST POISED TO TAKE THE RECESSION TO, TO, TO HANDLE THE SITUATION, I THINK WE REALLY NEED TO BE FRANK, UH, ON THE DAIS ABOUT WHAT THOSE TRADE-OFFS ARE.
WHAT DOES, UM, YOU KNOW, ONE NOTCH DROP IN BOND RATING DO IN TERMS OF WHAT WE CAN HELP, UH, IN THE COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW? UM, I, I DON'T WANT TO MAKE A, UM, A DECISION BASED ON, UH, WELL, YOU KNOW, WE ASSUME THIS IS GONNA DROP OUR, OUR RATING.
I, I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE A LITTLE BIT MORE OF AN EVALUATION, UH, ON THAT.
UH, AND I'M NOT SURE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE LIMITED TO JUST LOOKING AT THE GENERAL FUND FOR THAT.
UH, I DID ASK, UH, STAFF, UM, WHETHER OR NOT WE CAN USE SOME OF THE, UH, CITY DETERMINED RESTRICTED FUNDS, UH, TO, TO, TO USE.
SO AGAIN, WE, I THINK WHEN WE FIRST CAME ON CA WHEN I FIRST CAME ON COUNCIL, WE HAD A TON OF QUESTIONS ABOUT RESTRICTED FUNDS AND WHY CAN'T WE GET OUR GRUBBY LITTLE HANDS INTO THEM, RIGHT? WHY CAN'T WE USE THEM FOR SOMETHING ELSE? AND THERE WERE A TON OF RESTRICTED FUNDS, AND MARIA WAS EXCELLENT, AND SHE GAVE ME A WHOLE BINDER ABOUT WHAT THEY WERE AND WHY WE COULDN'T USE
[02:30:01]
THEM FOR SOMETHING ELSE.UM, BUT TIMES HAVE CHANGED MARIA, AND, UH, SOME OF THOSE FUNDS ARE RESTRICTED, UH, AS A RESULT OF ORDINANCES THAT ARE PASSED, UH, ON THE COUNCIL.
AND, UH, I KNOW, UM, LEGAL WILL BE LOOKING AT WHETHER OR NOT THAT'S FEASIBLE.
UH, BUT I DO THINK IF, IF IT IS FEASIBLE, IT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT, THAT WE SHOULD, UH, CONSIDER, UH, LOOKING AT BECAUSE, UM, AGAIN, IT'S, IT'S JUST VERY HARD FOR ME TO, TO SIT BACK AND KNOW THAT, THAT, THAT WE MAY HAVE SOME, UH, VERY, SOME HEALTHY RESERVES AND THAT WE NEED SO MUCH MORE IN, IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, AND I JUST, YOU KNOW, I WANTED TO, UM, KIND OF WRAP UP, UH, SOME OF MY COMMENTS FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, UH, SINCE WE'RE NOW ON THE SHOT CLOCK, SO I'LL, I'LL WORK QUICKLY.
UH, PART OF WHAT I WAS, UH, ALSO TRYING TO COMMENT ON WAS NOT JUST THE RISK MITIGATION FUND, BUT, UH, THE, THE IDEA OF THE RIGHT TO CURE POLICY THAT WE WERE INCORPORATED INTO THE, UH, RISK MITIGATION FUND.
I THINK THESE ARE, UH, TWO SEPARATE, UH, POTENTIAL AVENUES THAT WE CAN, THAT WE CAN, UH, WORK TO, UH, TRY TO GET SOME, UH, SOME GOOD POLICY THROUGH TO LESSEN THE IMPACT.
AND I, WE'VE BEEN USING THE TERMINOLOGY FLATTEN THE CURVE, UH, THAT I THINK APPLIES TO JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING.
UH, SO IT'S, IT'S THE IMPACT THAT WE'RE GONNA SEE, UH, IN OUR CITY.
AND SO, UH, YOU KNOW, MY, MY, WHAT MY CONCERNS ARE WITH, WITH, UH, THE WAY WE'RE UTILIZING THE, THE RISK MITIGATION FUND IS THAT IT COULD POTENTIALLY DISCOURAGE LANDLORDS FROM ACCE ACCEPTING THE RISK MITIGATION FUNDS BY ADDING MORE REQUIREMENTS, THEREFORE, THEREBY HARMING VULNERABLE TENANTS.
IT ALSO, AT THIS POINT, IT DOES NOT INCLUDE COMMERCIAL TENANTS LIKE MOM AND POP BUSINESSES, WHICH WE KNOW ARE GONNA BE AFFECTED.
UH, AND WE TALK A LOT ABOUT HOW WE'RE TRYING TO HELP, UH, OUR COMMUNITY, UH, ESPECIALLY OUR SMALL BUSINESSES.
UH, IT WOULD ALSO EXCLUDE PROPERTIES WHICH MIGHT NOT HAVE TENANTS WHO QUALIFY FOR RISK MITIGATION, BUT THOSE WHO TENANTS HAVE STILL HAVE STILL BEEN IMPACTED BY THE PANDEMIC.
FOR EXAMPLE, UH, QUOTE, UH, ONLY 69% OF APARTMENT TENANTS HAVE PAID THEIR MONTHLY RENT BY APRIL 5TH, ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL MULTIFAMILY HOUSING COUNCIL, DOWN FROM 81% THE PREVIOUS MONTH AS OF DECEMBER OF 2019, THERE WERE ONLY 135 UNIQUE PROPERTIES WHO HAVE ACCEPTED RISK MITIGATION FOR RENT.
UH, THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF MULTIFAMILY PROPERTIES ACROSS THE CITY, AND THERE WERE 665 EVICTIONS FILED IN BEXAR COUNTY IN MARCH ALONE.
AND SO, UH, THESE ARE, THESE ARE, UH, OBVIOUSLY, UH, SOME OF THE CONCERNS I THINK THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, WE HAVE REGARDING THE, THE RISK MITIGATION.
BUT, UH, I'LL TELL YOU SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT THE CITY ATTORNEYS ALSO EXPRESS REGARDING THE, UH, ISSUING OF NOTICE OF PROPOSED EVICTION, UH, WITH RESPONSES.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING, SOMETHING LIKE ENFORCEMENT, ENFORCEMENT WILL NOT BE, WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE.
UH, OUR, THE AUSTIN TENANT SURVEY SURVEY SHOWS LANDLORDS ARE FOLLOWING THE ORDINANCE, AUSTIN TENANTS THAT CALL 3 1 1 AND CODE RESPONSES.
UH, THERE ARE CASES, AND, AND THERE ARE CASES, UH, LANDLORDS WHO, UH, ARE NOT FOLLOWING THE LAW, ARE BY, UH, BY NOT GIVING CORRECT NOTICE, WOULD NOT SEE THE EVICTION PROCESS BEGIN UNTIL THEY FOLLOW THE PROCESS CORRECTLY.
AND, AND THEY, AND OF COURSE, THEY STILL HAVE ROUGH PATCHES TO, TO, TO, UH, TO GO WITH REGARD TO ENFORCEMENT.
UH, THE POLICIES, RENT CONTROL, THE POLICY DOES NOT CONTROL INCOMING RENTS OR TENANT'S OBLIGATION TO PAY RENT.
UH, OF COURSE, WE CAN ALSO SEE THAT THIS IS A, THE POTENTIAL FOR A LAWSUIT.
UM, IT'S THE WORST THAT COULD POTENTIALLY HAPPEN, UH, BUT WOULD NOT APPLY RETROACTIVELY TO TENANTS AS STATED, UH, BY, UH, ED GUZMAN.
AND, AND JUDGE WOULD NOT HOLD IT AGAINST TENANTS FOR FOLLOWING THE LAW.
AND OF COURSE, UH, REGARDING THE GOVERNOR AND THE STATE PEELING BACK LOCAL ORDINANCE, UH, IT HAS TO BE DONE VIA SPECIAL SESSION.
AND THE GOVERNOR CANNOT CALL A SESSION TO REPEAL A LAW, ONLY CREATE A LAW.
SO THESE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT I JUST, I HOPE WE CAN ALL DISCUSS AT THE HEART OF THIS IS, IS US REALLY FOCUSING ON ALL THE LAYERS THAT WE CAN, UH, PUT TOGETHER TO, TO HELP THE MOST VULNERABLE IN OUR CITY.
UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S GONNA COME DOWN TO, UM, BEING PROACTIVE IN CREATING, UM, UH, UH, ORDINANCES THAT CAN HELP LESSEN THE IMPACT.
AGAIN, FLATTEN THE CURVE, BUT ALSO PROVIDING RESOURCES AS I STATED, THAT WE AS A COUNCIL, UH, CAN CONTROL THAT.
WE CAN, WE CAN SAY, THIS IS WHO WE WANT TO HELP.
IF, IF $12 MILLION OF OUR $15 MILLION RISK MITIGATION FUND COMES
[02:35:01]
WITH SO MANY STRINGS ATTACHED, THEN WE'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE TYING OUR OWN HANDS.AND I THINK THAT WE NEED TO DO EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN, WHICH IS WHY I DID ASK FOR US TO DIP INTO OUR RESERVE RESERVE FUND.
UM, BUT WE NEED TO DO EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN.
AND THAT MEANS, UH, AS I EXPLAINED ALL THESE LAYERS THAT CAN ACTUALLY HELP PEOPLE IN NEED, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S MANY EXAMPLES OF PEOPLE WHO, WHO GO OUT INTO BUSINESS ON THEIR OWN.
AND THESE ARE THE KIND OF STRUGGLES THAT WE FACE.
IT SOMETIMES YOU RUIN YOUR CREDIT TO STAY ALIVE.
AND, UH, I MEAN, WE'RE, WE'RE A CITY THAT IS, IS TRYING TO DO ITS BEST TO, TO STAY AFLOAT.
I, I ABSOLUTELY, UH, AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN ELIAS.
ERIC, YOU AND YOUR TEAM, UH, ARE GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND.
YOU ARE WORKING COUNTLESS HOURS, TIRELESS TIRELESSLY, AND I DO APPRECIATE THAT.
BUT I THINK WE, WE, WE DO NEED TO, UH, THINK OF IT IN TERMS OF HOW WE WOULD PERSONALLY ATTACK THE PROBLEM.
AND, AND I THINK WE WOULD ALL, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, MAKE THE SAME KIND OF, OF DECISIONS.
LET'S NOT ALSO FORGET THAT THIS IS THE KIND, THIS MONEY CAN BE REIMBURSED, AND WE HAVE THE MECHANISMS AND THE RESOURCES HERE AT THE CITY TO MAKE THAT.
SO, UM, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER.
ALRIGHT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER PALIS.
BRIDGER, IF, IF, IF, UH, IF I CAN BOTHER YOU TO COME BACK UP HERE REAL QUICK.
I, I'M WONDERING IF WE'RE, UH, SPENDING TIME ON OUR, UH, MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES HERE IN THE CITY, AND IF, UH, I, I, I UNDERSTAND THAT EVERYTHING WE'RE DOING IS VIRUS RELATED, BUT SUICIDE, ALCOHOLISM, SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND ALL THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, HAVE TO BE IMPACTED, RIGHT, UH, BY THESE STAY HOME ORDERS.
AND I'M WONDERING, YOU KNOW, ARE WE DOING ANYTHING TO ENHANCE, I DUNNO, ACCESS TO VIDEO CONFERENCE, UH, TELEMEDICINE, TELEMENTAL HEALTH? SO THE SHORT ANSWER IS YES, WE ARE WORKING WITH PROVIDERS TO INCORPORATE TELEMEDICINE FOR PSYCHIATRIC CARE AND OTHER MEDICAL, UM, SERVICES.
UM, SO YES, WE'RE DOING WHAT WE CAN.
THE LONGER ANSWER IS IT CONTINUES TO BE A PROBLEM, UM, WHEN STAFF WERE ASKED TO SUBMIT OUR PRIORITIES FOR EACH OF THE GROUPS, UM, THE GROUP THAT I'M WORKING WITH IS SOCIAL SERVICES, AND WE SUBMITTED DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND MENTAL HEALTH AS TWO OF OUR PRIORITIES.
SO, UM, WE DEFINITELY WANT TO BE WORKING WITH THE, THE MAYOR'S WORK GROUPS ON THOSE TWO ITEMS AND BRAINSTORM WHAT ADDITIONAL, UM, ITEMS AND ACTIVITIES WE CAN UNDERTAKE IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THAT.
SO MY REQUEST IS, AND I'LL, I'LL SEND YOU WHAT I, WHAT I LEARNED TODAY ABOUT DUPAGE COUNTY IN ILLINOIS AND DEKALB, UH, IN GEORGIA AND ATHENS AND GEORGIA.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE KICKING OFF LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH INITIATIVES, UM, THAT, THAT LOOK LIKE, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, MIGHT ACTUALLY HAVE SOME, SOME, SOME, UH, SOME IMPACT, UM, AND MIGHT BE FILLING SOME GAPS.
AND SO, UH, CAN I, CAN I POSE A POINT JUST TO LOOK AT THOSE WHEN, WHEN YOU'VE GOT SOME TIME, AND THEN MAYBE WE CAN TALK ABOUT THOSE OFFLINE? ABSOLUTELY.
AND THEN, UM, I'M, I'M LISTENING CAREFULLY TO, UH, THIS ISSUE OF DIPPING INTO RESERVES AND THEN THE ISSUE OF, UM, UH, THE RENT, YOU KNOW, NOTICE PROVISIONS AND ALL THAT.
AND I'VE, I'VE SPENT SOME TIME WHILE, WHILE I'VE BEEN LISTENING, LOOKING UP, YOU KNOW, CASE LAW AND DIFFERENT, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, CHALLENGES THAT THE STATE HAS MADE ON ORDINANCES THAT, UM, DIP THEIR TOE INTO THE RELATIONSHIP AND, AND, AND PUT THEMSELVES IN THE MIDDLE BETWEEN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE LANDLORD AND A TENANT.
I'M NOT OPTIMISTIC THAT THERE'S ANYTHING OUT THERE THAT REALLY SAYS, YOU KNOW, OR LEAVES MUCH ROOM FOR CITIES TO DO WHAT, WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED AS FAR AS, UM, YOU KNOW, THE ENFORCEMENT SIDE OF IT.
I, I THINK THAT THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES FOR INCENTIVIZING THAT.
'CAUSE THE PROPERTY CODE DOES SAY THAT WE CAN INCENTIVIZE, UM, WE BEING CITIES AND COUNTIES.
UH, BUT YOU KNOW, I I, I KNOW THAT THE, THE ARGUMENT, WELL, THIS IS NOT RENT CONTROL AND THEREFORE IT'S NOT PREEMPTED.
UH, BUT I ALSO, YOU KNOW, KNOW HOW THE SUPREME COURT INTERPRETS THINGS.
AND, UM, I THINK, WE'LL, WE'LL JUST, I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE ON ANOTHER KAMIKAZE MISSION.
SO, UH, I'D, I'D RATHER, UM, LOOK AT INCENTIVIZING, UM, THIS SO THAT LANDLORDS PARTICIPATE.
UM, IT'S NOT PERFECT, BUT IT MIGHT GET US CLOSER TO WHERE WE
[02:40:01]
WANT TO GET.UM, BUT HAPPY TO TALK TO YOU, COUNCILMAN TREVINO.
I, I, I LIKE WHERE YOUR HEART IS AND I, I KNOW WHERE IT IS, AND I, I ADMIRE WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.
UH, ERIC, YOU WANTED TO JUMP IN? YEAH, THANKS, MAYOR.
YOU KNOW, JUST THERE, THERE'S, THERE'S CONVERSATION ABOUT THE RESERVES AND, AND, AND LET ME, LET ME REITERATE SOMETHING I SAID EARLIER.
THE, THE PRIMARY CALCULUS RIGHT NOW, AND THE USE OF RESERVES IS NOT ABOUT MAINTAINING BOND RATING.
I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S AN IMPORTANT ELEMENT.
IT WAS AN IMPORTANT ELEMENT 30 DAYS AGO WHEN WE WERE AT A DIFFERENT TIME.
THE, THE, THE PRIMARY CALCULUS AROUND THE USE OF RE RESERVES, UH, SHOULD BE FOCUSED ON THE FACT THAT IT IS A TWO MONTH OPERATING RESERVE.
IT IS OUR LAST LINE OF DEFENSE.
AND SO I JUST, YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN, THERE'S BEEN SOME CONVERSATION.
RE BOND RATINGS ARE IMPORTANT, AND IF WE DO THE RIGHT THINGS AND WE MANAGE IT CORRECTLY, UH, THEN THE BOND RATINGS WILL, WILL WORK THEMSELVES OUT.
UM, SO IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT MAINTAINING RATINGS.
EVERY CITY AND COUNTY THAT HAS A RATING IS GOING THROUGH THE SAME THING THAT WE ARE RIGHT NOW.
SOME ARE BETTER POSITIONED THAN OTHERS AREN'T.
THE BOND RATING AGENCIES WILL LOOK AT THAT AND EVALUATE THAT UNDER THAT NEW LIGHT.
LIKE YOU PUT, LIKE YOU POINTED OUT, COUNCILWOMAN HARA.
UM, IT IS REALLY OUR LAST LINE OF DEFENSE.
AND IF THERE ARE, THERE WILL BE OTHER THINGS THAT THE COUNCIL WILL WANT TO TALK ABOUT, MAYBE ALLOCATING FUNDS, THERE IS A GREAT DEAL OF NEED IN THE COMMUNITY, THEN, THEN MY RECOMMENDATION IS GONNA BE WE, WE GO BACK AND WE MAKE ADDITIONAL CUTS.
WE HAVE GOTTA MAINTAIN OUR STRUCTURAL BALANCE AS AN ORGANIZATION AND AS A CITY, WE DON'T HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO ISSUE $2 TRILLION STIMULUS PACKAGES.
WE'VE GOTTA MAINTAIN OUR BALANCE, NOT JUST FOR THE NOW, BUT FOR 2021 AND 2022.
AND I JUST WANTED TO REITERATE THAT, UM, AND PUT SOME CLARITY.
IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE, THE BOND RATINGS RIGHT NOW.
UM, CARLOS, YOU, YOU WANTED TO MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT SOME OTHER, UH, GOVERNMENT FUNDING RIGHT NOW, OR? YES, MAYOR.
JUST ONE, ONE THING BEFORE WE END.
UM, I MADE A COMMENT ABOUT THE GOVERNOR HOLDING A PRESS EVENT ON FRIDAY.
UH, I WANTED TO MAKE CLEAR 'CAUSE I GET SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT SOME CONFUSION ABOUT WHAT I MAY HAVE SAID, UM, WANTED MAKE CLEAR THE GOVERNOR HASN'T TELEGRAPHED WHAT HE'S GONNA DO.
HE'S GONNA MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT RELATED TO BUSINESSES AND SCHOOLS.
SO JUST DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO BELIEVE THAT THAT'S ALREADY BEEN DETERMINED WHAT WILL HAPPEN WITH SCHOOLS FOR THE BALANCE OF THE YEAR.
WE'RE SORT OF READING THE TEA LEAVE ABOUT WHAT, WHAT WE THINK MIGHT HAPPEN.
BUT, BUT THE GOVERNOR WILL, WILL MAKE HIS ANNOUNCEMENT ON FRIDAY.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER VIA GRAHAM.
UH, CARLOS, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU.
ARE RISK MITIGATION FUNDS ALL OF THIS MONEY THAT WE'RE REPROGRAMMING AND PUTTING IN? IS THAT ALL GOING TO BE REIMBURSABLE THROUGH THE CARES ACT OR, UH, FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT? COUNCILMAN? I BELIEVE THE FUNDING THAT WE'RE RECEIVING FOR RISK MITIGATION IS MONEY GRANTED TO THE CITY FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
UM, SO I DON'T BELIEVE THAT IT IS A REIMBURSEMENT.
NO, I'M, I'M SAYING IF WE MONEY FROM ONE AREA TO IT FOR THIS C OVID 19 EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, THAT MAY NOT BE THE C D B G MONEY.
IT, IT IS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR REIMBURSEMENT.
THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
COUNCILWOMAN, UNDER THE CURRENT RULES, MANY OF THOSE RULES ARE BEING PROMULGATED RIGHT NOW, BUT AS OF RIGHT NOW, NO.
UM, THAT COULD CHANGE IF, IF, UH, THINGS CHANGE OR FUTURE STIMULUS PACKAGES ARE, ARE ENACTED.
I DIDN'T HEAR EVERYTHING YOU SAID, BUT WHAT I GATHER IS HOPEFULLY THE RULES CHANGE SO WE CAN GET THAT REIMBURSED IN THE FUTURE.
UM, AND ERIC, THANK YOU FOR YOUR, UM, CLARITY AND EXPLAN OF THE OPERATORS COUNCIL MEMBER.
WE'RE HAVING A LITTLE BIT OF CONNECTIVITY ISSUES WITH YOU, SO IF YOU CAN JUST REPEAT THAT LAST QUESTION.
UM, YEAH, IF YOU CAN JUST TRY TO REPEAT THAT LAST QUESTION.
WE'RE HAVING A LITTLE BIT OF LAG IN YOUR CONNECTION.
[02:45:09]
MAYBE YOU CAN WRITE IT ON A NOTE CARD AND HOLD IT UP TO THE SCREEN.YOU KNOW WHAT? LET'S, UM, LET'S TRY TO WORK ON THAT CONNECTION COUNCIL MEMBER AND WE'LL, UM, TRY TO COME BACK IN IF YOU HAVE ONE LAST QUESTION.
UM, WE'LL MOVE OVER NOW TO COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL.
UM, I DID WANT TO, UH, SHARE, UH, A PIECE OF GOOD NEWS THAT I FAILED TO MENTION EARLIER ON IS, UH, YESTERDAY WE WERE ON OUR BUSINESS AND EMPLOYMENT, UH, WORKING GROUP CALL, UH, PHONE CALL, WELL, CONFERENCE, VIDEO, CONFERENCE CALL.
AND WE GOT AN UPDATE THAT, UH, ON SOME PROGRESS THAT THE SAN ANTONIO MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION IS MAKING.
AND I THINK IT'S A REALLY GREAT NEWS.
UM, THEY ARE CONNECTING, UH, MANUFACTURERS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO WITH THOSE WHO ARE IN NEED OF, UH, P P E.
AND THERE WILL BE, UM, IDEALLY A SMALL, AT SOME LEVEL OF HIRING AS A RESULT OF THAT.
SO THEY'VE CREATED A, A FACEBOOK PAGE.
IF YOU ARE, UH, IN THE MEDICAL FIELD AND LOOKING FOR P P E, UH, GO AHEAD AND, AND TAKE A LOOK FOR THAT, TAKE A LOOK FOR, FOR THAT PAGE.
UM, SO I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S GREAT NEWS THAT, UM, UNFORTUNATELY IN A TIME OF NEED, WE WILL, UH, WE WILL BE KIND OF RESHAPING WHAT OUR ECONOMY AND WHAT OUR JOBS LOOK LIKE.
AND THAT'S, UH, REALLY WHAT WE, WHAT WE NEED TO, TO DO.
UM, AND THEN, UH, I JUST WANTED TO FOLLOW UP ON, UH, ON A REQUEST OR AN INQUIRY I'D MADE A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO HERE, AND IT WAS REGARDING, UH, IN-HOME WORKERS AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY ARE, UM, YOU KNOW, TAKING, NOT PUTTING THEIR CLIENTS AT RISK.
UM, SO PERHAPS, UH, ONE THING WE CAN CONSIDER IS, UH, ENSURING THAT THEY ARE, UH, THAT THEY ARE TRAINED, MAYBE REQUIRING, UH, MANDATORY TRAINING OR, OR EVEN FACE COVERINGS, UH, IN THE HOME.
SO I'LL, I'LL JUST PUT THAT OUT THERE AND I LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING A RESPONSE AFTERWARD.
COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREWS SULLIVAN.
UM, I JUST HAVE ONE QUICK QUESTION FOR CARLOS.
AND, UM, IT'S IN RESPONSE TO, UH, COUNCILMAN AYAS IN MENTAL HEALTH.
UM, ARE THERE ANY FEDERAL GRANTS OR ANY FUNDING FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES TO, UH, MOVE TO TELECONFERENCE OR, OR TELECOM HEALTHCARE THAT WE AS A CITY CAN IMPLEMENT WITHIN OUR METRO HEALTH? COUNCILMAN? I THINK THERE WAS SPECIFICALLY SOME FUNDING FOR TELEHEALTH.
UH, AND IF IT'S OKAY WITH YOU, I'LL LOOK FOR THAT AND GET, AND PROVIDE THAT TO YOU AND INVEST OF THE COUNCIL, BUT I BELIEVE THERE WAS SOME FUNDING FOR TELEHEALTH.
SO MAYBE THAT WILL BE AN ELEMENT, UM, IF POSSIBLE WE CAN ADD TO OUR METRO HEALTH SIDE OR, OR SET UP A LINK TO WHERE THOSE THAT ARE, ARE SUFFERING FROM MENTAL HEALTH OR, UH, FAMILIES THAT HAVE CHILDREN THAT ARE GOING THROUGH, UM, A HARD TIME UNDERSTANDING CAN GET SOME OUTREACH THAT THEY DESPERATELY NEED.
COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN.
AND I JUST, UH, WANTED TO, UM, ALSO, I FELT LIKE I NEEDED TO CLARIFY WHEN I MADE MY COMMENTS ABOUT, UM, ABOUT THE BOND RATING.
I, I DID MAKE IT SEEM LIKE I WAS MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THE ACTUAL RATING, WHICH IS NOT THE CASE.
I, I THINK I'M, I FEEL A LITTLE BIT LESS OPTIMISTIC ABOUT, UH, RECOVERY AS PERHAPS SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES.
BUT WE ALSO DO KNOW THAT SOME OF THOSE DEDICATED FUNDS WHERE THE AIRPORT, THE CONVENTION CENTER, UH, D S D AND SOLID WASTE.
AND SO I DON'T KNOW IF, AM I MISSING A DEBT, UH, ENTERPRISE FUND THAT PERHAPS IS STILL GOING STRONG? UH, I KNOW THAT THERE'S THOSE FOUR.
IS THERE ANOTHER COUNCILWOMAN? UH, MOST OF OUR FUNDS HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY C OVID 19.
WE HAD MADE PRESENTATIONS ABOUT THE GENERAL FUND HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX, UH, IN OUR AIRPORT IN ADVANCED TRANSPORTATION DISTRICT.
UH, NEXT WEEK WE ARE GONNA BE MAKING A PRESENTATION ON THE PARKING
[02:50:01]
FUND THAT IS, UM, ALSO BEING IMPACTED, AND THOSE THAT ARE SUPPORTED BY FEES THAT ARE COLLECTED AT MUNICIPAL COURT.SO WE'LL PROVIDE YOU WITH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THOSE, UH, RESTRICTED FUNDS.
SO, UM, IT'S VERY LIKELY THAT THAT, UH, MOST OF OUR FUNDS WILL BE IMPACTED.
YEAH, I, I, I, THOSE WERE THE ONES THAT CAME TO MIND, BUT I DID FORGET ABOUT PARKING, WHICH IS ONE THAT, UM, WE ALWAYS TALKED ABOUT ACCESSING FOR PERHAPS SOME OTHER TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVES.
SO PERHAPS THAT'S NOT AN OPTION FOR US EITHER.
UM, SO WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO THOSE PRESENTATIONS, AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN HAVE IN THERE THE C P SS ENERGY, UH, PORTION THAT I THINK I MENTIONED SOME MONTHS, WEEKS BACK, UM, ABOUT WHERE WE MAY ANTICIPATE THAT GOING AS WELL.
AND SO, I GUESS JUST THE LAST, UM, QUESTION THAT I HAD AND, AND, UM, PERHAPS IT'S A CONVERSATION, UH, THAT WE CAN DISCUSS AS WE ARE GOING TO THE STATE FOR A SERIES OF REQUESTS, UH, AND HOW LIKELY IT IS TO ACCESS THE DARK FIBER THAT I, I MENTIONED I TALKED TO BEN ABOUT, UM, IT WAS A CONVERSATION THAT WE HAD HERE ON THIS DAIS MANY YEARS AGO, UH, ABOUT THE DARK FIBER, OR MAYBE THEY CALLED IT DARK FIBER, MAYBE THEY CALLED IT SOMETHING ELSE.
BUT C P S ENERGY'S ABILITY TO GIVE US ACCESS TO THAT.
WE KNOW THAT CURRENTLY IT'S NOT LEGAL, BUT IS THERE A WAY TO REQUEST OR PUT A LETTER, I KNOW THAT WE HAVE LETTERS TO THE GOVERNOR GOING IN FOR A VARIETY OF REQUESTS.
UM, CAN WE ADD THAT TO THE LIST? I DON'T KNOW IF SOMEBODY HAS TWO MINUTES TO TALK ABOUT IT.
UM, OR IF WE KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT IT, I THINK HERE COMES JEFF, BUT, OR BEN OR SOME, UM, IS THAT AN ADDITIONAL REQUEST WE CAN MAKE TO GIVE US ACCESS? KNOWING NOW GOING FORWARD THAT INTERNET ACCESS, UH, IS, IS GONNA BE A BASIC FUNCTION? SURE.
UH, COUNCILMAN, WHY DON'T WE, UH, WHAT I RECORD IS WE DISCUSS THAT ML WITH OUR OTHER FELLOW CITIES AND SEE IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT ALL WANT TO, UH, GO AND PURSUE.
IT DOESN'T MEAN WE HAVE TO HAVE THEIR PERMISSION TO DO SO, BUT I THINK WE'LL BE IN A BETTER POSITION TO PROPOSE THAT TO THEM FIRST.
FROM A BIG PICTURE STANDPOINT, OUTSIDE OF THIS CRISIS, THE CHALLENGE AND THE REASON WHY IT HASN'T BEEN LEGAL IN THE PAST IS BECAUSE IT'S PERCEIVED AS SORT OF FREE ACCESS THAT'S IN COMPETITION WITH PRIVATE INDUSTRY, PROVIDING THOSE, UM, TELECOMMUNICATIONS RESOURCES.
BUT OBVIOUSLY WE'RE IN A DIFFERENT SITUATION RIGHT NOW.
AND SO IF THE ASK IS FOR US TO ACTIVATE FIBER TO BE ABLE TO BETTER GIVE PEOPLE ACCESS DURING THIS, UH, HEALTH CRISIS, THEN I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE COULD CERTAINLY TALK ABOUT WITH THEM.
COULD WE ADD THAT TO THE LIST OF SURE.
REQUESTS AND ALSO, UH, WE MAY, IT MAY REQUIRE A LITTLE BIT OF A BRIEFING IF MAYBE SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES DON'T REMEMBER IT, IT, I HAD SORT OF FORGOTTEN ABOUT IT MYSELF.
BUT AS WE ARE ADJUSTING AND MAKING, UM, RECOGNIZING WHAT ARE SOME BASIC SERVICES THAT PERHAPS WE COULD PROVIDE, UH, I THINK WE SHOULD ADD THAT TO THE LIST AGAIN.
AND I'LL JUST WRAP UP I, AND ON, ON THAT NOTE.
UH, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT DARK FIBER BEFORE AND, AND IT'S MOSTLY BEEN ABOUT A BENEFIT, BUT IF THIS, UH, CRISIS HAS SHOWED US ANYTHING IS THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE ACCESS TO, UH, BROADBAND IS A UTILITY.
IT'S AN, IT'S AN ABSOLUTE NEED RIGHT UP THERE WITH ELECTRICITY AND WATER.
UM, AND I WOULD ADD THAT, YOU KNOW, UNDER THE GOVERNOR'S EMERGENCY POWERS, HE CAN SUSPEND STATUTES THAT WOULD PREVENT US FROM DOING THAT.
UM, AND THAT OUGHT TO BE DISCUSSED, UH, WITH THE, UH, WITH THE FEDERAL ADVOCACY COMMITTEE AS WELL, UH, BECAUSE THE SAME, UH, CONVERSATION WAS HAPPENING NATIONALLY.
UH, AND REQUESTS CAN BE MADE THROUGH THE F C C TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT ISSUE AS WELL ON AN EMERGENCY BASIS.
I THINK THAT'S AN EXTRAORDINARY IDEA.
LOCALLY, WE ALREADY HAVE AGREEMENTS IN PLACE WITH C P S TO USE PORTIONS OF THE FIBER BUNDLES.
I BELIEVE WE ALREADY LOCKED THAT IN A COUPLE YEARS AGO, RIGHT, BEN? SO, UM, WHETHER THAT'S ALLOWING OTHER PROVIDERS TO ACCESS THAT FIBER, UH, TO EXTEND THE NETWORK OR US DELIVERING SOME SORT OF PUBLIC SERVICE OURSELVES, I THINK THE, THE, THE NEED HAS BEEN, UH, ILLUSTRATED QUITE WELL.
I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR THE, THE GREAT CONVERSATION, THE PRESENTATIONS TODAY.
I THINK THIS ILLUSTRATES, UH, THE BREADTH OF NEED IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UH, THE PUBLIC IS AWARE OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING ON WEBEX ON TUESDAYS AT ONE O'CLOCK.
UM, THEY'RE BROADCAST ON THE WEB AS WELL AS T V SS A, AND IT GETS A LITTLE BIT FURTHER INTO THE DISCUSSIONS WE'RE HAVING TODAY IN TERMS OF THE WORKING ASPECTS OF, OF THESE RELIEF EFFORTS.
AND, AND WE INVITE YOUR, UH, COMMENTS AND PARTICIPATION BY THE END OF THE WEEK WHERE WE WILL HAVE A WEBSITE STOOD UP TO PROVIDE COMMENTS AND FEEDBACK, UH, TO
[02:55:01]
THE WORKING GROUPS AND THE COUNCIL TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING, UH, THE CONCERNS IN A COMPREHENSIVE WAY.UM, SO LEMME JUST MAKE A COUPLE STATEMENTS WITH REGARD TO, UH, HOUSING AND ASSISTANCE, ET CETERA.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER TREVINO, UH, MADE THE OBSERVATION, WHICH I WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AROUND THE COM AROUND THE COUNTRY ARE A CITIZENS' LAST LINE OF DEFENSE.
UM, WHAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND STATE GOVERNMENTS EITHER CANNOT DO OR CHOOSE NOT TO DO, FALLS ON OUR COMMUNITY.
AND WHETHER OR NOT WE WANT TO TURN OUR BACK ON THE NEEDS THAT ARE STILL PRESENT AFTER THESE STIMULUS, UM, YOU KNOW, ARE PULLED DOWN, UH, IS OUR CHOICE HERE.
I DON'T THINK ANY OF US HAVE THE ANSWERS IN HOW WE'RE GONNA FILL THE GAPS OF THESE NEEDS, BUT I CAN TELL YOU OUR APPROACH UP HERE, IF WE'VE LEARNED ANYTHING, IS THAT IT WILL BE PEOPLE FIRST.
UM, AND WE WILL MOVE HEAVEN AND EARTH TO MAKE SURE THAT NO ONE IN OUR COMMUNITY IS LEFT BEHIND, UH, DURING THIS CRISIS.
WHETHER IT'S WITH REGARD TO KEEPING SHELTER OR, OR KEEPING THE WATER RUNNING OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT, UH, IS TO ESSENTIALLY TAKE CARE OF THE STABILITY OF FAMILIES.
UH, WE DON'T HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS, BUT THAT'S WHY THE WORK IS SO INTENSE RIGHT NOW TO GET IT DONE.
I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT ONE THING THOUGH.
UM, PRIOR TO 2017, THE CITY'S HOUSING BUDGET WAS $8 MILLION A YEAR.
WE'VE QUADRUPLED THAT, UH, PRIOR TO THIS CRISIS BECAUSE WE KNEW THAT HOUSING WAS AN URGENT NEED.
UM, IT'S BECAUSE OF THE DILIGENT WORK IN PUTTING PEOPLE FIRST IN THIS COMMUNITY THAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO IDENTIFY SOME IMPORTANT FUNDS TO PROVIDE RELIEF.
IT'S NOT ENOUGH, UH, BUT WE HAVE BEEN DOING SOME IMPORTANT WORK TO PREPARE OURSELVES AND ADDRESSING SOME OF THE MOST ESSENTIAL ASPECTS OF KEEPING LIFE GOING HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
THE SAME IS TRUE ABOUT, UH, HOW WE'RE ADDRESSING SOME OF THE GAPS IN, UH, ESSENTIAL SERVICES.
UH, PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE TRANSPORTATION AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, BUDGET BEING CUT.
UH, IT'S $50 MILLION AS OPPOSED TO 113, SIX YEARS AGO THE BUDGET WAS $36 MILLION A YEAR, ERIC, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO WE'VE DONE AN EXTRAORDINARY JOB FOCUSING ON THE ESSENTIALS, UH, THAT HAS ALLOWED US TO THINK CREATIVELY AND FILL GAPS.
AND WE ARE STILL NOT DONE, NOT EVEN CLOSE, UH, BUT I WANT TO THANK THE WORK OF, UM, OUR CITY STAFF ON IDENTIFYING SOME OF THESE RELIEF EFFORTS AND OUR COUNCIL COLLEAGUES AND COMMISSIONER'S, COURT COLLEAGUES, UH, FOR WORKING WITH 'EM AND WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY TO MAKE SURE THAT NOBODY'S LEFT BEHIND.
UM, WE WILL, UM, HAVE MORE NEXT WEEK.
WE'LL HAVE MORE ON TUESDAY WITH REGARD TO THE WORKING GROUP MEETINGS, BUT I'M, I'M VERY PROUD OF THE APPROACH THAT ALL OF US HAVE TAKEN ON THIS.
UM, ITEM FOUR WAS JUST A BRIEFING.
I DO WE NEED ACTION ON ANY ASPECT OF THIS, ERIC? UH, NO, SIR.
SO WE'LL, UM, WE'LL MOVE ON NOW
[20. Ordinance approving a Minor Amendment to the FY2020 HUD Action Plan and Budget to reprogram up to $750,000.00 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding for the Short Term Emergency Housing Assistance Program to assist vulnerable populations at risk of homelessness due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [Lori Houston, Assistant City Manager; Verónica R. Soto, Director, Neighborhood and Housing Services]]
TO ITEM NUMBER 20, IS AN ORDINANCE APPROVING A MINOR AMENDMENT TO THE FY 2020 HUD ACTION PLAN AND BUDGET TO REPROGRAM UP TO $750,000 IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT, C D B G FUNDING FOR A SHORT-TERM EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM TO ASSIST VULNERABLE POPULATIONS OF AT-RISK HOMELESSNESS DUE TO C OVID 19 PANDEMIC.UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ILLA GRANT.
UH, CAN YOU ALL HEAR ME NOW? PERFECTLY.
UM, I THINK, UH, LORI, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND I THINK WE GOT A LOT OF YOUR PRESENTATION IN THE LAST PRESENTATION DURING THE BRIEFING, BUT I DO JUST WANT TO REITERATE, UM, WHERE THESE DOLLARS AND THE ASSISTANCE GO.
I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A TRACKING AND A BREAKDOWN OF WHERE THAT ASSISTANCE IS GOING.
I ALSO HAVE ONE QUESTION, UM, IS, DOES THE COUNTY ALSO HAVE, UM, HOUSING ASSISTANCE IN PLACE THAT YOU KNOW OF? THE COUNTY IS DEVELOPING A HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
UM, THEY HAVE THEIR OWN, UM, HOUSING AUTHORITY, AND THEY'RE LOOKING AT PUTTING FUNDING FROM THAT HOUSING AUTHORITY, UM, TOWARDS THAT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
AND THEY ALSO RECEIVE C D B G FUNDING IN THE AMOUNT OF 1.4 MILLION THROUGH THE CARES ACT.
UM, SO THEY'RE WORKING ON A PLAN, AND WE'VE DISCUSSED THAT PLAN THROUGH THE FOOD INSECURITY AND SHELTER WORKING GROUP.
AND THEN FINALLY, I THINK I'M JUST GOING TO LEAVE MY, UM, COMMENTS AND, AND FOLLOW UP WITH THE QUESTION THAT I HAD, UH, DURING THE BRIEFING.
UM, MAYOR, I THINK YOU MENTIONED IT RIGHT NOW, WE AS A CITY, WE ARE DOING A
[03:00:01]
LOT TO HELP OUR CITIZENS AT THE, IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.WE'RE MAKING A LOT OF ADJUSTMENTS AND WE KNOW THAT WE ALL WANT TO DO MORE, AND I THINK THAT'S WHY WE ARE REPROGRAMMING THESE DOLLARS.
AND THANK YOU, ERIC, FOR MAKING IT VERY CLEAR, UM, ABOUT OUR OPERATING RESERVES AND CORRECT.
WE ARE NOT FOCUSING ON A BOND RATING.
WE ARE FOCUSING ON OUR OPERATIONS, THE JOBS THAT WE HAVE, THE PEOPLE THAT WE KEEP EMPLOYED WITH, THE CITY, AND THEN WHAT OUR F Y 21 WILL LOOK LIKE.
AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVEN'T EVEN TRULY STARTED DISCUSSING ALL THE PROGRAMS. WE KNOW THAT OUR T C I BUDGET'S GOING TO BE CUT.
WHAT IS OUR LI, WHAT ARE OUR LIBRARIES GOING TO LOOK LIKE? THESE ARE QUESTIONS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ANSWER TO VERY, VERY SOON.
THAT'S WHY IT'S VERY IMPORTANT WITH OUR OPERATING RESERVES TO BE THE LAST LINE OF DEFENSE, ALL THAT TO SAY, BECAUSE WE HAVE THAT FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY TO THE CITY.
ALL THAT TO SAY, I THINK THIS IS ONE STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION WITH THE REPROGRAMMING, LOOKING FORWARD TO OUR P F C CONVERSATION THAT WE WILL BE HAVING.
AND AGAIN, THIS MAY NOT BE THE FIRST TIME WE SEE A REPROGRAMMING OF DOLLARS AND CUTS, UH, BUT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE DOING NOW BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THE NEED IS GREAT AND WE ARE STEPPING UP RIGHT NOW.
UM, THANK YOU MAYOR AND I MOVE TO APPROVE.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM 20.
I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER, UM, ANY ANYONE ELSE IN THE QUEUE, SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE UP THE MOTION.
LEMME SEE THAT VOTE SCREEN THERE.
UM, DO WE HAVE A CITY MANAGER'S
[City Manager's Report]
REPORT? ERIC? UH, YES, SIR.JUST THE REPORT ON A COUPLE OF ITEMS. UM, THE, UH, THE FIRST I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT AND, AND, AND IT WAS INCLUDED IN TODAY'S PRESENTATION, BUT I DID WANT TO HIGHLIGHT AND, AND THANK THE EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE, UM, WHOSE JOBS IT'S NOW BECOME TO, UM, BE PART OF OUR HOTLINE CADRE.
UH, WE HAVE HOTLINES, UM, FOR A NUMBER OF OUR, MORE THAN JUST PUBLIC HEALTH, BUT FOR A NUMBER OF OUR SERVICES, UH, WE'RE RECEIVING THOUSANDS OF CALLS A WEEK.
AND, UH, I WANTED TO THANK THE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE DOING THAT.
WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT ON, ON TUESDAY AND, AND, UM, UM, AT THE, ON THE WEBEX, UM, THEY ARE IN MANY CASES, UM, THE, THE TOUCHPOINT FOR CITIZENS THAT HAVE QUESTIONS OR BUSINESSES THAT HAVE QUESTIONS, UH, BEYOND, UH, WHAT'S ON AVAILABLE ONLINE.
AND, UH, I WANTED TO RECOGNIZE THEM.
AND, AND WHEN I, WHEN I TALK ABOUT THE, THE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE NOW DOING THIS HOTLINE WORK, UM, THAT, THAT DOES INCLUDE OUR 3 1 1 STAFF.
UM, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF FOLKS OF CITY EMPLOYEES THAT ARE DOING THIS BOTH REMOTELY AND AT, UH, AT WORKPLACES.
AND, UM, THEY'RE, THEY'RE DOING A YEOMAN'S JOB, AND I WANTED TO THANK THEM AND RECOGNIZE THEM FOR THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING.
I THINK IT'S CRITICAL, AND I THINK IT'S CRITICAL.
IN LIGHT OF THE CONVERSATION THAT COUNCILWOMAN GONZALEZ JUST BROUGHT UP REGARDING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE.
WE HAVE A LOT OF RESOURCES, INFORMATION ONLINE, UH, BUT SOMETIMES FOLKS DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO GET TO THAT INFORMATION.
SO THOSE PHONE, UH, THOSE PHONE, UM, OPERATIONS ARE CRITICAL FOR, UH, MANY IN OUR, IN OUR, UH, IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THE SECOND ITEM I WANTED TO, UH, SHARE WITH THE COUNCIL, AND WE HAVE NOT DONE THIS TO DATE, UM, BUT WE ARE GONNA START REPORTING THIS PERIODICALLY TO YOU.
I DID WANT TO SHARE WITH THE COUNCIL, YOU'VE SEEN BITS AND PIECES AS WE REPORT, WE HAVE POSITIVE CASES EITHER IN THE POLICE OR FIRE DEPARTMENTS.
I DID WANNA SHARE WITH THE COUNSEL THAT AS OF RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE 13 TOTAL CITY EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE BEEN CONFIRMED POSITIVE WITH C OVID 19, UH, SIX POLICE OFFICERS, THREE FIREFIGHTERS AND FOUR CIVILIANS FOR A TOTAL OF 13.
AND THEN IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES WE HAVE TOTAL THAT ARE IN A QUARANTINE SITUATION OR ISOLATION, UH, SITUATION FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS, EITHER BECAUSE THEY'VE GOT A FAMILY MEMBER OR, OR, UH, THEY TRAVELED.
UM, UH, WE HAVE A TOTAL OF 102 CITY EMPLOYEES THAT ARE IN QUARANTINE OR ISOLATION OR ASKED TO STAY HOME.
UH, SEVEN OF THOSE ARE POLICE OFFICERS, 48 CIVILIANS AND 47, UH, FIREFIGHTERS FOR A TOTAL OF 102.
[03:05:01]
OF YOU KNOW, AND I, I KNOW COUNCILMAN PERRY SPOKE TO CHIEF HOOD LAST NIGHT.UM, THREE OF OUR FIREFIGHTERS, UM, THAT HAVE TESTED POSITIVE ARE ALL FROM THE SAME FIRE STATION.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, CLEANED THAT FIRE STATION TWICE, UH, LA LATE LAST NIGHT.
UH, WE, WE SHUT DOWN THAT STATION.
UM, WE'RE GONNA CLEAN IT A THIRD TIME.
WE'RE TEMPORARILY RELOCATING THOSE ASSETS.
UH, THE, THE, THERE, THERE'S A FIRE TRUCK, FIRE, UH, A FIRE ENGINE, A FIRE TRUCK, AND AN E M S UNIT.
UM, THAT STATION WILL BE DOWN FOR ABOUT 24 HOURS, 48 HOURS.
WE'RE GONNA GO THROUGH A DEEP CLEAN, AND THEN WE'LL RESTAFF THAT, THAT STATION.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'RE, I THINK WE'RE BEING VERY, WE'RE TAKING VERY PRECAUTIONARY STEPS.
UM, I THINK AS WE SEE, UM, UH, WHAT'S HAPPENING THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, UM, THREE FIREFIGHTERS THAT NOT AREN'T NECESSARILY ON THE SAME SHIFT BUT ARE AT THE SAME STATION, INDICATE THAT WE HAVE AN ISSUE.
AND, UH, I'M, UH, I, I, I AGREED WITH CHIEF HOOD LAST NIGHT THAT WE NEEDED TO REACT QUICKLY, UM, AND SEND EVERYBODY HOME UNTIL WE GET OUR FEET UNDERNEATH US.
UM, THAT'S, THAT STATION WILL BE BACK IN, IN SERVICE ONCE WE, ONCE WE GO THROUGH A THIRD DEEP CLEANING OF THAT AREA.
SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO UPDATE YOU PERIODICALLY.
I LOOK AT IT DAILY AS PART OF MY INTERNAL GROUP.
UM, AND IT, IT HAS CHANGED AND WE'RE TRYING TO BE AS PROACTIVE AS POSSIBLE.
I WILL BE SHARING THIS INFORMATION IN MY, UH, ALL EMPLOYEE EMAIL OUT TOMORROW TO ALL THE EMPLOYEES.
UM, AND, UH, APPRECIATE THE UPDATE.
AND ALSO A REMINDER TO US ALL AS WE HAVE, UH, THIS MOMENT OF SILENCE EVERY THURSDAY MORNING, THIS IS TO RECOGNIZE MANY OF THE FOLKS WHO ARE, ARE ON THE FRONT LINES, UH, WHO ARE NOT ABLE TO, UH, STAY HOME.
THEY HAVE TO BE OUT THERE SERVING OUR PUBLIC PARAMEDICS, ET CETERA.
UH, SO PLEASE KEEP THEM IN YOUR THOUGHTS, UH, AND PLEASE PRAY FOR THEM AS WELL.
I WAS, UM, REMINDED THOUGH, ERIC, WHEN YOU MENTIONED SOME OF THIS, THAT WE DO NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, THE, UH, THE PUBLIC HAS A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT'S MEANT BY A QUARANTINE AND AN ISOLATION WHEN YOU MEANT, WHEN YOU SAID THERE WAS 102 CITY EMPLOYEES IN QUARANTINE, THOSE ARE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE NOT TESTED POSITIVE, BUT HAVE COME IN CONTACT PERHAPS WITH SOMEONE WHO HAS POSSIBLY, I MEAN, IT, IT'S, IT, IT COULD BE SOME OF THOSE 102.
REMEMBER, I, I PLACED RESTRICTIONS ON TRAVEL, AND IF THERE WAS TRAVEL, THEN INDIVIDUALS HAD TO ISOLATE.
UM, THERE ARE SOME THAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE EXPOSED.
THERE ARE SOME THAT ARE POTENTIALLY EXPOSED AS A RESULT OF SOME OF OUR POSITIVES.
IT'S A, IT'S KIND OF A COMPLETE BASKET.
IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT THEY ARE, THAT THEY'RE POSITIVE THOUGH, TO YOUR POINT.
UH, ERIC, HAVE WE ASKED ANY OF OUR EMPLOYEES TO WEAR MASKS? UH, YES, SIR.
WE STARTED DISTRIBUTING MASKS LAST WEEK TO, UH, EMPLOYEES, UM, UH, THAT ARE STILL AT WORK, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO.
THAT GUIDANCE THAT WE GAVE, THAT I GAVE THEM LAST, EARLY LAST WEEK, WAS THAT THEY SHOULD BE UTILIZING IT IN AIR IN, IN TIMES WHERE THEY CAN'T ENSURE SOCIAL DISTANCING.
UM, AS YOU'VE PROBABLY SEEN IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY, THAT GUIDANCE IS CONTINUING TO CHANGE AS IT ADJUSTS.
WE WILL DO THE SAME THING AS AN ORGANIZATION.
I, YOU KNOW, I, I REALLY, IT, UH, I WAS WALKING, UH, HERE, UH, DOWN THE STREET, UH, TWO DAYS AGO AND A PUBLIC WORKS TRUCK PULLED UP AT THE TRAFFIC LIGHT, AND THERE WERE TWO INDIVIDUALS IN THE, IN THE VEHICLE.
AND, AND THE INSTRUCTIONS WE'D GIVEN THE EMPLOYEES IS THAT AT LEAST ONE OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS NEEDS TO BE WEARING A MASK WHEN WE'VE GOT TWO INDIVIDUALS IN THE VEHICLE.
AND I LOOKED OVER AT THE TRUCK AND THE DRIVER WAS WEARING THE MASK AND, UH, LIKE HE WAS ASKED TO DO, UM, AND, AND THE PASSENGER WAS NOT.
THAT'S EXACTLY THE GUIDANCE WE GAVE OUR EMPLOYEES.
SO I WAS, I WAS PROUD TO SEE IT FIRSTHAND THAT, UH, THAT IT'S BEING ADHERED TO.
I'D MENTIONED LAST WEEK THAT WE ARE REDEPLOYING SOME OF OUR RISK MANAGEMENT SAFETY FOLKS, UH, TO GO AND LOOK AT ALL OF OUR WORKPLACES TO ENSURE THAT WE'VE GOT SUPPLIES, INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYEES ARE FOLLOWING THE GUIDANCE, AND, UH, AND, AND THEN MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ADHERING TO SOCIAL DISTANCING STANDARDS IN THE WORKPLACE.
DOES THAT INCLUDE OUR PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEES? OUR PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEES ARE UNDER, UH, UH, I THINK I, I WOULD CALL A LITTLE STRICTER GUIDANCE THAT ARE COMING, UH, FROM THE TWO CHIEFS, UH, BECAUSE OF THE SITUATIONS THAT THEY'RE IN AND THE RESPONSES THAT THEY HAVE.
ONE OF THE THING I MIGHT ASK IS WE, WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF ONGOING CONSTRUCTION BUILDING, UH, EMPLOYING CONTRACTORS AND, UH, I NOTICE A LOT OF TIMES THOSE CONTRACTORS, THEY'RE NOT WEARING ANY MASKS AND THEY GROUPED TOGETHER IN THREE OR FOUR OR FIVE PEOPLE.
I JUST SAW IT WORKING ON CITY HALL HERE TODAY.
[03:10:01]
NOT INHIBIT WHAT THEY DO.AND I'M WONDERING IF WE SHOULD EXPRESS OUR CONCERN ABOUT OUR CONTRACTORS HAVING THEIR EMPLOYEES KIND OF ABIDE BY THESE SAME RESTRICTIONS.
YEAH, IT'S A GOOD POINT, COUNCILMAN.
AND I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY A GOOD REMINDER FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND EVERYBODY, AND, AND WE CAN REDOUBLE OUR EFFORTS AND PUSH THAT OUT TODAY.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER VRAN, ERIC, THE, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICERS, THE FIRST RESPONDERS WHO HAVE BEEN SENT HOME, ARE THEY SELF ISOLATING? ARE THEY ISOLATING AWAY FROM THEIR FAMILIES OR ARE THEY QUARANTINED WITH THEIR FAMILIES? UH, THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE, THAT ARE ISOLATED, UM, THEY, THEY MAY HAVE IN, IN SOME CASES QUARANTINE, THEY IN SOME IN QUARANTINE, BUT IN SOME CASES THEY MAY HAVE TRAVELED.
IN SOME CASES THEY MAY HAVE BEEN EXPOSED.
WE DO HAVE ONE, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY, ONE FIRST RESPONDER WHO IS AT ONE OF THE ISOLATION CARE FACILITIES WE TALKED ABOUT ON TUESDAY.
UM, BUT MOST OF THAT NUMBER IS AT HOME.
AND, UH, BUT, BUT THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO UTILIZE THE ISOLATION CARE FACILITIES HAS BEEN MADE.
THEY'RE MAKING THEIR OWN INDIVIDUAL DECISIONS.
UH, BEFORE WE ADJOURN THOUGH, WE DO NOT HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION, WE DO HAVE A VERY IMPORTANT ITEM THAT WAS JUST GIVEN TO ME, AND THAT IS THAT OUR ESTEEMED COUNCIL MEMBER FROM DISTRICT NINE IS HAVING A BIRTHDAY NEXT THURSDAY OR NEXT TUESDAY.
SO, UM, LET'S SING HIM A VERY HAPPY CORONAVIRUS BIRTHDAY.
WHERE'S SOME ENTHUSIASM? HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BIRTHDAY TO YOU MANY MORE.