[00:00:04]
UM, THE TIME IS NOW 2:05 PM ON THIS WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19TH.
GO AHEAD AND CALL OUR CITY COUNCIL B.
UH, MADAM CLERK ROLE COUNCIL MEMBER VINNO HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN.
COUNCIL MEMBER CABELL HAS THAT HERE.
ALRIGHT, UH, WE HAVE TWO ITEMS TODAY, UH, FOR PRESENTATION AND WE'LL GO THROUGH THOSE, UM, CONSECUTIVELY AND THEN GET INTO OUR DISCUSSION AS A REMINDER, UH, PLEASE USE THE HAND RAISE, THE RAISE HAND FUNCTION ON WEBEX TO GET IN THE QUEUE.
UH, LEMME TURN IT OVER TO, UH, CITY MANAGER ERIC WALSH.
UH, SO TWO PRESENTATIONS TODAY.
WE'LL START OFF WITH ALEX LOPEZ AT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND THEN, UH, VETO AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
SO, WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO ALEX TO KICK US OFF.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
UM, AND ALTHOUGH YOU'VE HEARD A LOT FROM ME OVER THE PAST TWO WEEKS, I'D LIKE TO START OFF BY SHARING OUR OVERALL DEPARTMENT PURPOSE, WHICH IS TO FOSTER ECONOMIC GROWTH THROUGH COLLABORATION AND INNOVATION.
AND IN DOING SO, WE PROMOTE EQUITY THROUGH ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY.
OUR DEPARTMENT REMAINS ORGANIZED IN FOUR MAJOR FUNCTIONAL COMPONENTS, SMALL BUSINESS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT, AND INTERNATIONAL ENGAGEMENT.
WHILE THE RESOURCE ALLOCATIONS WITHIN THESE FOUR FUNCTIONS HAVE FLEXED OVER THE PAST YEAR, ALL FOUR REMAIN CRITICAL WITHIN OUR COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PORTFOLIO.
OUR DEPARTMENT, OH, EXCUSE ME.
OUR, UM, OUR BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 21 IS APPROXIMATELY $14.1 MILLION, WHICH REPRESENTS A NET DECREASE OF 1.4 MILLION FROM FISCAL YEAR 20 OF OUR ANNUAL BUDGET.
ONLY ABOUT A THIRD IS ASSOCIATED WITH OPERATIONS OF OUR DEPARTMENT, THOUGH THE REMAINING TWO THIRDS FUND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS, AGREEMENTS WITH PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AGENCIES, THE $1 MILLION DECREASE IN OUR GENERAL FUND IS IN, IN A NET FIGURE.
AND IT'S A, IT CONSISTS OF CITYWIDE REDUCTIONS, INCREASES FROM A MANDATE ASSOCIATED WITH OUR BETA PROGRAM AND THE REORGANIZATION OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS, WHICH I'LL DESCRIBE FURTHER THROUGHOUT THE ORGANIZATION.
UH, THROUGHOUT THE PRESENTATION, I'LL ALSO DESCRIBE THE IMPACT OF THE RECOMMENDED DECREASES TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE FUND AND OUR WORKFORCE DELEGATE AGENCIES.
ON THIS SLIDE, YOU ALSO SEE THE BREAKDOWN OF THE RECOVERY AND RESILIENCY PLAN FUNDING ASSIGNED TO OUR DEPARTMENT FOR THE SMALL BUSINESS PILLAR.
YOU SEE THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF THIS FUNDING IS IN FISCAL YEAR 20, WITH JUST LESS THAN $5 MILLION CARRYING INTO FISCAL YEAR 21 FOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
WE ANTICIPATE APPROXIMATELY $10 MILLION BEING ACTIVATED IN THIS FISCAL YEAR WITH THE VAST MAJORITY CARRYING INTO SEPTEMBER AND THROUGH SEPTEMBER OF 2021.
A YEAR AGO, WE SET OUT THREE SPECIFIC TARGETS WITHIN OUR BUDGET EQUITY TOOL, WHICH I'M HAPPY TO SHARE.
FIRST, WE FORMED A DEPARTMENT EQUITY ACTION TEAM TO COMPLETE OUR EQUITY ASSESSMENT AND OUR TWO YEAR ACTION PLAN.
SECONDLY, WE ADVOCATED TO EMBED EQUITY IN THE SAN ANTONIO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION'S STRATEGIC PLAN.
AND THIRD, WE CREATED THE DIVERSITY ACTION PLAN ANNUAL PROCUREMENT GUIDE TO INTENTIONALLY HELP MINORITY AND WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES BECOME AWARE OF AND PREPARE FOR CONTRACTING OPPORTUNITIES FOR FISCAL YEAR 21.
I'M EXCITED TO INCORPORATE EVEN MORE EQUITY CONCEPTS INTO OUR WORK, BEGINNING WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RECOVERY AND RESILIENCY PLAN, WHERE WE'RE USING THE EQUITY ATLAS TO DRIVE OUR DOOR TO DOOR ENGAGEMENT.
AND WE'RE SETTING ASPIRATIONAL GOALS FOR WORKFORCE TRAINING AND SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT, UM, THAT ARE BASED ON RACE, GENDER, AND INCOME.
WE'RE ALSO U ALSO USING EQUITY CRITERIA IN SCORING GRANT APPLICATIONS FOR MICRO BUSINESSES AND NONPROFITS AND OUTSIDE OF OUR RECOVERY PLAN WORK, WE'RE ALSO INVESTING IN A CONTRACTING DISPARITY STUDY TO PROVIDE A CONTINUED SOLVENT LEGAL PREMISE FOR AN INCLUSIVE MINORITY AND WOMEN BUSINESS ENTERPRISE CONTRACTING PROGRAM.
[00:05:01]
VETA ORDINANCE ACTUALLY REQUIRES, WE ISSUE A SOLICITATION BY THE END OF THIS YEAR, UM, FOR A NEW DISPARITY STUDY.AND THIS IS THE BEST PRACTICE, UM, TO KEEP UPDATED INFORMATION, TO KEEP THE UPDATED DATA THAT SERVES AS THE FOUNDATION FOR THE PROGRAM.
AND THE PRACTICE IS TO DO THIS EVERY FIVE YEARS.
UH, THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 21 BUDGET INCLUDES $800,000 TO CONDUCT THIS STUDY.
AND FOR REFERENCE, UH, THE COST OF OUR LAST STUDY IN 2015 WAS APPROXIMATELY $725,000.
THIS STUDY WILL PROVIDE A COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT OF THE PROGRESS MADE IN CLOSING CONTRACTING DISPARITY GAPS, AND IF THOSE GAPS STILL EXIST FOR THE RIGOROUS APPLICATION OF RACE AND GENDER CONSCIOUS GOALS AND PREFERENCES TO OUR CONTRACTS AND YEAR OVER YEAR.
OUR VETA PROGRAM, UM, CONTINUES TO PROMOTE THE ECONOMIC INCLUSION OF BUSINESSES OWNED BY WOMEN AND PEOPLE OF COLOR THROUGH OUR CONTRACTING OPPORTUNITIES.
WHILE RATES OF MINORITY AND WOMEN BUSINESS ENTERPRISE PARTICIPATION IN THE 40 TO 50% RANGE HAVE BECOME COMMON FOR US.
UM, IN 2012, THAT RATE WAS ONLY 13%.
THE FUNDING FOR THE DISPARITY STUDY IS ACTUALLY AN INVESTMENT BACK INTO OUR C BETA PROGRAM, WHICH JUST LAST YEAR HELPED US REINVEST OVER $220 MILLION BY CONTRACTING WITH MINORITY AND WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES, ALONG WITH AN ADDITIONAL 30 MILLION TO LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES.
AND IT'S EXCITING TO SEE OUR PEERS ALSO RECOGNIZING THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THIS PROGRAM.
UM, LAST YEAR, THE INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL ACTUALLY ACKNOWLEDGED OUR PROGRAM WITH ITS HIGHEST AWARD IN, IN THE CATEGORY OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION, BUT WE ALSO OFFER OTHER SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT PROGRAMS. WE PLAN TO CONTINUE OUR SMALL BUSINESS FEE WAIVER PROGRAM IN FISCAL YEAR 21 WITH A FOCUS ON SOLID CS, UM, WHICH WILL PROVIDE SUBSTANTIAL HELP FOR SMALL BUSINESSES THAT ARE LOOKING TO EXPAND.
WE'LL ALSO CONTINUE OUR NO INTEREST LOAN PROGRAM WITH LIST FUND TO HELP MAKE CAPITAL ACCESSIBLE TO SMALL BUSINESSES THAT CAN'T ACCESS TRADITIONAL BANKING, ALONG WITH LAUNCHES SAY, WHICH CONTINUES TO PROVIDE CRITICAL INFORMATION, RESOURCES, AND SUPPORT AS ENTREPRENEURSHIP MAY ACTUALLY BE THE PATH BACK TO ECONOMIC RECOVERY FOR MANY SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS.
AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PRESENTATION, I REFERENCED THE REORGANIZATION OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS.
THE CITY CURRENTLY PROVIDES OPERATIONAL SUPPORT FOR SOUTH SIDE FIRST WEST SIDE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AND SAGE.
UM, BUT THEIR WORK IS ACTUALLY MANAGED BY DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS.
THESE ORGANIZATIONS FACILITATE SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT IN TRADITIONALLY UNDERSERVED AREAS.
AND IN FISCAL YEAR 21, THIS FUNDING AND THE ASSOCIATED CONTRACTS WILL, WILL TRANSITION TO E D D PROMOTING INCREASED COLLABORATION WITH OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WORK AND AMONG EACH OTHER.
E D D IS ALREADY COLLABORATING AND DIRECTLY MANAGING CONTRACTS WITH THESE ORGANIZATIONS AS PART OF THE RECOVERY AND RESILIENCY PLAN, AS THEY'RE ALL CONDUCTING DOOR-TO-DOOR BUSINESS OUTREACH AND ALSO SERVING AS PHYSICAL HUBS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES NEEDING ACCESS TO RESOURCES.
LAST WEEK YOU RECEIVED A FULL BRIEFING ON OUR RECOVERY AND RESILIENCY PLAN, AND YOU HEARD ABOUT OUR FOCUS ON MICRO BUSINESS GRANTS.
RIGHT NOW, WE'RE ACTIVELY REVIEWING OVER 2,700 GRANT APPLICATIONS RECEIVED AND WE PLAN TO BEGIN FUNDING THOSE GRANTS IN THE COMING WEEKS.
OUR PARTNERS ARE ALSO BEGINNING THEIR DOOR-TO-DOOR OUTREACH THIS WEEK, AND OUR TEAMS ARE WRAPPING UP EFFORTS TO DISTRIBUTE P P E TO LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES.
REMAINING SUPPLIES WILL ACTUALLY BE PROVIDED TO OUR PARTNERS SO THEY CAN MAKE, UM, THESE SUPPLIES ACCESSIBLE TO SMALL BUSINESSES AS THEY CONDUCT THE DOOR TO DOOR OUTREACH.
WE'VE ALSO HEARD A LOT FROM YOU RECENTLY REGARDING WORKFORCE, AND I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT OUR FINAL PARTNER CONTRACT WAS ACTUALLY APPROVED YESTERDAY.
UM, WHILE BUT WHILE WE NEGOTIATED AND EXECUTED THESE CONTRACTS, WE WERE ALSO COLLABORATING WITH OUR PARTNERS ON THE UNIVERSAL INTAKE PROCESS, ALONG WITH CATALOGING AVAILABLE TRAINING COURSES.
WE'RE PREPARING WITH OUR PARTNERS FOR SOFT LAUNCH AS EARLY AS AS NEXT WEEK, UM, WITH A FULL MARKETING CAMPAIGN IN SEPTEMBER.
AND YOU'LL KEEP YOUR OFFICES INFORMED AS ENROLLMENT OPENS AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE UPDATES TO THE ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE TO FISCAL YEAR 21.
SO LAST WEEK, UH, CITY COUNCIL APPROVED A BALLOT INITIATIVE TO SUPPORT CONTINUED INVESTMENT IN WORKFORCE AND EDUCATION BEYOND THE RECOVERY PLAN.
THIS SLIDE, ONCE AGAIN HIGHLIGHTS THE MILESTONES ASSOCIATED WITH THE INITIATIVE SHOULD VOTERS APPROVE IT IN NOVEMBER.
AND OUR BUDGET ALSO INCLUDES FUNDING FOR WORKFORCE DELEGATE AGENCIES.
ALL OF THE AGENCIES WE FUNDED IN FISCAL YEAR 19 AND 20 WILL
[00:10:01]
BE SERVING RESIDENTS THROUGH THEIR RECOVERY AND RESILIENCY PLAN.WE ARE RECOMMENDING ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR CHRYSALIS MINISTRIES GOODWILL AND PROJECT QUEST AS THEY HAVE CAPACITY TO SERVE ADDITIONAL RESIDENTS OUTSIDE OF THEIR REQUIREMENTS THROUGH THEIR RECOVERY PLAN CONTRACTS.
THIS SLIDE SHOWS BOTH THEIR RECOMMENDED FUNDING LEVELS FOR FISCAL YEAR 21, ALONG WITH A FUNDING ASSOCIATED WITH THEIR WORKFORCE PLAN CONTRACTS AND ALSO INCLUDED WITHIN THE DELEGATE AGENCY FUNDING IS SUPPORT FOR ALAMO PROMISE.
OUR FUNDING SPECIFICALLY SUPPORTS LAST DOLLAR SCHOLARSHIPS FOR GRADUATING SENIORS FROM 25 AREA HIGH SCHOOLS.
THE PROGRAM WAS ESTABLISHED LAST YEAR, EXCUSE ME, AND THE FIRST COHORT OF PROMISE SCHOLARS BEGINS ATTENDING CLASSES NEXT WEEK.
THESE STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN SUMMER BRIDGE SUPPORT TO HELP CLOSE GAPS IN THEIR COLLEGE READINESS, AND THEY ALSO PARTICIPATED IN CAREER EXPLORATION CAMPS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND OPTIONS BEFORE THEY ENROLL IN CLASSES.
AND OUR SUPPORT OF APPROXIMATELY $1.1 MILLION IN FISCAL YEAR 21 CONTINUES TO PROVIDE LAST DOLLAR SCHOLARSHIPS THROUGH YEAR TWO OF THE PROGRAM FOR WHICH ALAMO COLLEGES HAS SET A GOAL TO SERVE SEVEN, UH, OVER 7,000 STUDENTS.
WITH SO MUCH FOCUS ON UPSKILLING RETRAINING AND HIGHER EDUCATION, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE ALSO HAVE QUALITY JOBS WITH CAREER PATHWAYS FOR OUR RESIDENTS TO ACCESS AS THEY COMPLETE TRAINING.
OUR TRADITIONAL JOB CREATION AND PRIVATE INRE PRIVATE INVESTMENT PROMOTION STRATEGIES WILL SHIFT A BIT IN FISCAL YEAR 21 WITH A PROPOSED REDUCTION OF 1.6 MILLION IN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE FUND.
FOR REFERENCE, THIS SLIDE SHOWS FUNDING ALLOCATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 20.
OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION RECEIVES $500,000.
WE ALSO PROVIDED TWO CASH GRANTS.
WORKERS AT F G F BAKERY WILL BE ABLE TO ACCESS $500,000 FOR UPSKILL TRAINING, AND NAVISTAR RECEIVED $750,000 FOR UTILITY INFRASTRUCTURE SUPPORT ASSOCIATED WITH THEIR NEW MANUFACTURING FACILITY IN FISCAL YEAR 21.
OUR FOCUS WILL SHIFT AWAY FROM CASH GRANTS WHILE STILL PROVIDING VALUABLE COORDINATION SERVICES, FACILITATING CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR COLLEAGUES IN VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS AND COMPANIES CONSIDERING ESTABLISHING OR EXPANDING OPERATIONS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, WE'RE ALSO SEEING AN INCREASE IN REQUEST FOR SUPPORT TO PURSUE STATE INCENTIVES LIKE THE TEXAS ENTERPRISE ZONE NOMINATIONS, WHICH REQUIRE CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL.
THIS INCENTIVE HAS NO FISCAL IMPACT TO THE CITY, BUT INSTEAD PROVIDES COMPANIES STATE SALES TAX REBATES.
THE TRADITIONAL TOOL THAT WE ALSO STILL HAVE AVAILABLE ARE PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENTS.
HOWEVER, STATE LAW REQUIRES WE UPDATE OUR TAX ABATEMENT POLICY AT LEAST EVERY TWO YEARS.
SO THIS FALL WE'LL CONDUCT A PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROCESS TO DETERMINE RECOMMENDED CHANGES TO OUR CURRENT POLICY.
SOME OF THESE CHANGES CAN INCLUDE, UH, PARTICULAR FISCAL BENEFIT RATIOS, UH, THAT POTENTIAL, UH, PROJECTS WOULD DEMONSTRATE OR, UM, ASSOCIATING OUR SUPPORT TO INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS THAT WILL BENEFIT OUR COMMUNITY IN THE LONG TERM.
RECOMMENDED POLICY CHANGES WILL BE PRESENTED TO THE ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE IN THE FALL, FOLLOWED BY CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERATION IN DECEMBER.
AND THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION REMAINS OUR PRIMARY PARTNER IN EXECUTING THIS WORK.
OUR TRADITIONAL BUSINESS RECRUITMENT, RETENTION AND EXPANSION SERVICES HAVE GROWN TO ALSO INCLUDE CLOSE COLLABORATION WITH LOCAL BUSINESSES TO PROVIDE EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND CAREER PATHWAYS THAT ARE AVAILABLE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION ALSO FOSTERS INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SINCE THEY ABSORBED THE FUNCTIONS OF THE FREE TRADE ALLIANCE IN 2017.
AND OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH E D F IS ONCE AGAIN AT AN IMPORTANT MILESTONE AS WE COLLECTIVELY SHIFT TO FURTHER STRENGTHEN OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH THE ECONOMIC INCLUSION OF MANY BUSINESSES THAT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED THE GROWTH OTHERS SAW IN THE RECENT PAST.
THE COVID PANDEMIC HAS ONLY HIGHLIGHTED THESE DISPARITIES, WHICH IS WHY WE'VE ASKED OUR PARTNERS AT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION TO PROVIDE STRATEGIES FOR HOW THEY WILL FOCUS ON ON INCREASED RACIAL AND ETHNIC AND GENDER DIVERSITY AMONG THEIR LEADERSHIP.
INCREASED SMALL BUSINESS REPRESENTATION AND EQUITY IN THE PARTICIPATION AND REPRESENTATION OF THE INTERESTS OF BUSINESSES OWNED BY WOMEN AND PEOPLE OF COLOR IN SAN ANTONIO.
E D F LEADERS ARE ALREADY IDENTIFYING STRATEGY OPTIONS AND WE PLAN, UM, WE'LL COME BACK TO COUNCIL IN THE COMING MONTHS WITH THOSE STRATEGIES AS WE CONSIDER OUR PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT FOR THE NEXT YEAR.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST, IS OUR INTERNATIONAL ENGAGEMENT WORK.
EARLIER THIS YEAR, WE FINALIZED OUR INTERNATIONAL STRATEGY, WHICH IS A DATA
[00:15:01]
INFORMED APPROACH TO GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT DEVELOPED THROUGH YEARS OF COLLABORATIONS WITH THE BROOKINGS INSTITUTION.THE COVID PANDEMIC HAS REQUIRED AN EVOLUTION TO THE EXECUTION OF THAT STRATEGY AS OUR HYBRID APPROACH NOW INCLUDES SUBSTANTIAL VIRTUAL ENGAGEMENT.
OVER THE PAST COUPLE MONTHS, WE'VE MET VIRTUALLY WITH COMPANIES IN SOUTH KOREA THAT ARE CONSIDERING EXPANSION INTO THE UNITED STATES AND WITH CYBERSECURITY BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS IN CANADA INTERESTED IN COLLABORATION.
AND WE'VE ALSO CONNECTED SMALL BUSINESSES IN SAN ANTONIO THAT ARE CONSIDERING EXPORTING INTO MEXICO.
AND WHILE THE WAY WE CONDUCT WE CONDUCT THIS WORK, UH, SUBSTANTIALLY CHANGED IN THE PAST FIVE MONTHS, WE REMAIN FOCUSED ON THE GLOBAL ENGAGEMENTS AND RELATIONSHIPS THAT FOSTER ECONOMIC GROWTH AND CULTURAL DIPLOMACY.
IN CLOSING, I'VE HIGHLIGHTED HOW OUR WORK REMAINS FOCUSED ON OUR FOUR KEY FUNCTIONS, SMALL BUSINESS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT, AND INTERNATIONAL ENGAGEMENT.
I'VE SHARED A FEW SPECIFIC PROGRAMS AND POLICIES WITHIN EACH OF THESE FUNCTIONS AND MAJOR CHANGES OR PIVOTS WE ANTICIPATE IN FISCAL YEAR 21, THE MOST SUBSTANTIAL WILL BE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SMALL BUSINESS AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES WITHIN OUR RECOVERY AND RESILIENCY PLAN.
I WANNA THANK OUR PASSIONATE AND DEDICATED TEAM THAT HAVE SHIFTED THEIR DAY-TO-DAY WORK, EVEN THEIR REPORTING, THEIR REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS, UM, SO THAT WE CAN BETTER ADDRESS OUR NEW AND EVOLVING ECONOMIC REALITY.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE INTERNATIONAL STAFF THAT HAVE PIVOTED TO SUPPORT VEDA, AND WE'VE GOT INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT TEAMS THAT ARE, UM, MANAGING OUR DOOR-TO-DOOR BUSINESS OUTREACH.
AND, UM, MOST OF YOU HAVE WORKED WITH OUR I R O TEAM TO COORDINATE P P E DISTRIBUTION TO SMALL BUSINESSES.
SO I TRULY APPRECIATE AL SHERRY DOKI AND MICHAEL SINDEN, ALL OUTSTANDING PROFESSIONALS WHO CONTINUE TO DEMONSTRATE DAY IN, DAY AND DAY OUT, UH, THAT WE ARE IN FACT, ONE TEAM.
I GO AHEAD, ERIC, YOU ON THE FLOOR? YEAH.
UH, VETO, UH, VETO UP NEXT WITH NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES.
WE'LL GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE THAT ALSO HAS A DEPARTMENT OVERVIEW FOR NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES.
AND I WANNA START BY THANKING ALL OF OUR STAFF OR CO MY COLLEAGUES IN THE DEPARTMENT WHO CONTINUE TO DELIVER ON OUR MISSION.
UH, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE WE ARE SO FOCUSED ON PROVIDING SAFE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE HAD EVERY DIVISION IN OUR DEPARTMENT FROM THE TWO STAFF IN OUR HOUSING BOND PROGRAM TO THE FOLKS NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT.
ALMOST ALL OF THE GRANTS STAFF, THE HOUSING POLICY TEAM IN THE COORDINATED HOUSING SYSTEM, AND EVEN OUR HOUSING PRODUCTION AND TAX INCREMENT FINANCING STAFF HELP WITH THE PIVOT THAT WE HAVE TO DO THIS YEAR.
AND SO ALL OF THESE DIVISIONS IN SOME WAY OR ANOTHER ENDED UP BEING FAIR HOUSING COUNSELORS OR HOUSING NAVIGATORS OR CASEWORKERS AND EVEN INTAKE STAFF FOR WHAT BECAME ONE OF THE LARGEST PROGRAMS IN OUR DEPARTMENT.
THAT'S THE EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
SO THIS YEAR OUR DEPARTMENT THAT FOCUSES ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING HAS TO PIVOT AND I WANNA SHARE IN THE NEXT SLIDE SOME OF THE WORK THAT WE UNDERTOOK THAT WE ARE UNDERTAKING THIS YEAR THAT WILL CONTINUE INTO FISCAL YEAR 2021.
AGAIN, WE HAD TO SHIFT TO RESPOND TO THE PANDEMIC AND WE REALLOCATED REDIRECTED RESOURCES, STAFF AND FUNDING TO THE COVID 19 EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE.
OVER 12,800 FAMILIES HAVE BEEN HELPED WITH $36.5 MILLION SPENT.
AND THIS NUMBER WE KNOW CHANGES.
THEY E WE HAVE COURT SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES FACING EVICTION AND AN EXPANDED RIGHT TO COUNSEL PROGRAM.
WE ESTABLISHED A COUNSELING COUNSELING RESOURCE CENTER THAT WILL CONTINUE TO UPGRADE INTO THE NEXT YEARS.
AND EVEN AS WE PIVOTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD FAMILIES TAKEN CARE OF AS WE FACED HOUSING AND SECURITY, WE STILL DELIVERED ON OUR MISSION AND OUR BASIC OPERATIONS.
SO WE HAD OVER 6,000 UNITS ADDED TO THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PIPELINE, AND WE TRACK THOSE UNITS AS THEY CLOSE, AS THEY ARE UNDER CONSTRUCTION, AS THEY BECOME AVAILABLE FOR THE COMMUNITY.
OUR TEAM HELPED TO REHAB OVER 410 HOMES.
WE HELPED 93 FAMILIES BECOME FIRST TIME HOME BUYERS WITH DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE,
[00:20:01]
AND WE PROVIDED BOTH FOR-PROFIT AND NON-PROFIT DEVELOPERS WITH GAP FUNDING TO BUILD 283 AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS.TWO OTHER INITIATIVES THAT ARE UNDERWAY THIS YEAR THAT WILL CONTINUE INTO NEXT YEAR, UH, THE FOR EVERYONE HOME ANTI DISPLACEMENT INITIATIVE AND THE STRATEGIC HOUSING IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.
AND I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THOSE.
SO THE NEXT SLIDE HAS THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES.
YOU CAN SEE THAT A MAJORITY OF OUR FUNDING RELIES ON THE GRANTS THAT WE RECEIVE, AND YOU CAN SEE THE COMPARISON BETWEEN OUR CURRENT FISCAL YEAR AND NEXT FISCAL YEAR FOR OUR BUDGET.
YOU CAN SEE THAT WE ARE PROPOSING TO ADD $2 MILLION TO THIS DEPARTMENT BUDGET, AND I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHERE THAT IS GOING.
AND YOU CAN ALSO SEE THE EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM THAT HAS RECEIVED A LOT OF THE CARES ACT FUNDING THIS FISCAL YEAR.
AND AGAIN, THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN WHERE WE HAVE MADE THE BIGGEST PIVOT AS PART OF OUR RESPONSE THAT WE AS A COMMUNITY CAN HELP FAMILIES IN OUR CITY RECOVER.
AND SO I WANNA SPEND A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING BUDGET IN THE NEXT SLIDE THAT SHOWS HOW MUCH OF OUR OVERALL 34.9 DEPARTMENT BUDGET IS DEVOTED TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE 25 MILLION FOR THIS WITH MORE THAN HALF OF THAT COMING FROM OUR GRANT.
AND SO LET ME SHIFT NOW TO TALK ABOUT THE EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
SO THIS SLIDE SHOULD BE FAMILIAR WITH THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE MEMBERS OF THE CULTURAL NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES COMMITTEE.
AND Y'ALL MAY HAVE SEEN IT ALREADY.
THIS IS A DASHBOARD THAT IS ONE WAY IN WHICH WE ARE SHARING INFORMATION ABOUT THIS PROGRAM.
YOU CAN SEE IN REAL TIME HOW MANY APPLICATIONS HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED, HOW MANY HAVE BEEN APPROVED OR DENIED, AND HOW MANY OUR STAFF IS CURRENTLY WORKING ON BOTH IN PROGRESS.
YOU CAN ALSO SEE HOW MUCH MONEY HAS BEEN EXPENDED TO HELP FAMILIES REMAIN HOUSED.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE FUNDING, OVER 85% OF IT IS TO HELP FAMILIES REMAIN IN THEIR HOUSE BY HELPING THEM WITH RENT OR MORTGAGE THAT INSIGNIFICANT.
WE ALSO HAVE UTILITY ASSISTANCE, INCLUDING INTERNET, AND SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN VERY BENEFICIAL TO A LOT OF OUR FAMILIES AS A DIRECT CASH ASSISTANCE COMPONENT.
YOU CAN SEE INFORMATION ABOUT OUR RECOVERY CENTER.
THIS WAS STOOD UP ON JULY ONE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES.
WE KNOW THAT FAMILIES THAT COME AND RECEIVE FAIR HOUSING COUNSELING OR HOUSING OR UTILITY ASSISTANCE COULD ALSO BENEFIT FROM FINANCIAL SECURITY ASSISTANCE.
AND SO THIS PARTNERSHIP HAS HELPED US WORK IN A BETTER WAY WITH ALL THESE DEPARTMENTS AND A LOT OF OTHER COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS.
AND THE NEXT SLIDE TALKS ABOUT THIS ONE STOP CONCEPT.
THE RECOVERY CENTER IS BOTH A VIRTUAL AND A SAFE BASED APPROACH.
LOCATIONS AT THE CENTRAL LIBRARY AT QUAD BLACK AND NEIGHBORHOOD SPACE HELP US HAVE A SOCIAL DISTANCE, FACE-TO-FACE INTERACTION WITH THOSE CLIENTS WHO MIGHT NEED ASSISTANCE.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE OFFERED THE VIRTUAL APPROACH.
WE HAVE FAIR HOUSING LOCATED AT THE CENTRAL LIBRARY, AND THEY, SINCE JULY ONE, HAVE ASSISTED WITH OVER 400 APPOINTMENTS SO THAT FAMILIES CAN RECEIVE ASSISTANCE IF THEY NEED IT.
THIS ONE STOP SHOP CONCEPT IS SOMETHING THAT WAS PART OF THE HOUSING POLICY FRAMEWORK.
IT WAS A STRONG RECOMMENDATION AND IT ALSO BUILDS ON THE RECOMMENDATION FOR HAVING A COORDINATED HOUSING SYSTEM WITH MANY C D DEPARTMENTS OFFERING SERVICES THAT ARE, UH, CROSS-REFERENCED.
WE CROSS-REFERENCE CROSS REFERRED CLIENTS, AND OF COURSE, WE WORK WITH A LOT OF COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND ALL OF THIS IN THE NEXT SLIDE, UM, IS ABOUT MAKING SURE WE SERVE VULNERABLE CLIENTS AND HAVE EQUITY IN WHO WE SERVE AND HOW WE SERVE THEM.
SO LET ME TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE DID IN THIS FISCAL YEAR AND THAT WE HOPE TO BUILD ON NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
SO THE PANDEMIC REALLY FORCED US TO BUILD EVEN STRONGER RELATIONSHIP WITH COMMUNITY ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS SO THAT WE COULD INDEED SERVE UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS.
WE HAD TO BUILD A BRIDGE, WE HAD TO BUILD A TRUST WITH COMMUNITIES THAT WOULD NORMALLY NOT GET OUR SERVICES OR WHO MIGHT HAVE BEEN AFRAID TO REACH OUT FOR THE SERVICES WE WERE OFFERING, ESPECIALLY OUR EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE
[00:25:01]
PROGRAM.SO WE HAVE WORKED WITH A LOT OF ADVOCACY GROUPS TO ENSURE THAT THEY KNEW THAT THEY COULD GET ASSISTANCE, THAT THIS ASSISTANCE WAS AVAILABLE FOR THEM REGARDLESS OF THEIR PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCE.
SO GROUPS LIKE COST METRO, INTERFAITH ALLIANCE, IMMIGRANT ADVOCACY GROUPS, TENANTS RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS, DOMESTIC
WE HAVE COMMITTED OUR FUNDING TO HELP RESIDENTS AT OR BELOW 80% OF THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME.
AND IN MANY INSTANCES, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TARGET DEVELOPMENTS AT EVEN LOWER A M I.
THIS YEAR WE HAD A LOT OF NEW LOW INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDIT UNITS COME IN TO SERVE FAMILIES AT THE 40% A M I LEVEL.
AND OF COURSE, OUR DEPARTMENT STAFF HAS ALL BEEN TRAINED SO THAT WE OPERATIONALIZE EQUITY.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE IT'S PART OF WHO WE ARE AS A DEPARTMENT AND THAT IT'S PART OF OUR D N A.
SO OUR COMMITMENTS ON EQUITY FOR NEXT YEAR IS TO CONTINUE TO BUILD ON THESE RELATIONSHIPS AND CONTINUE TO UTILIZE THE EQUITY MATRIX SO THAT WE IDENTIFY THOSE VULNERABLE RESIDENTS AND TARGET OUR EFFORTS AND OUR SERVICES TO THOSE THAT NEED IT MOST.
ONE OF THE BIG PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE IS THE FOR EVERYONE HOME INITIATIVE.
AND FOR THAT PROGRAM ITS D N A IS REALLY GROUNDED IN EQUITY.
SO LET ME TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE DIVISIONS IN THE WORK PLAN FOR NEXT YEAR, STARTING WITH THE COORDINATED HOUSING SYSTEM.
IN THE NEXT SLIDE, THERE'S A LEAD FOR THE EVERYONE HOME ANTI DISPLACEMENT WORK.
WE HAD TO PAUSE THAT WORK AS WE HAD TO REIMAGINE HOW WE DO PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT WHEN FACE-TO-FACE INPUT SESSIONS COULD NO LONGER BE HELD.
BUT THE WORK CONTINUED AND MY, I'M EXCITED THAT THIS IS GONNA HELP US DEVELOP THE DISPLACEMENT PREVENTION AGENDA.
THIS WORK WAS IMPORTANT BEFORE, AND IN THE FACE OF THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE PANDEMIC, IT IS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT SO THAT WE CANNOT, UM, ADDRESS THE EFFECTS OF HOUSING INSECURITY.
THIS HAS COST, THIS IS RELEVANT AND EVEN MORE IMPORTANT TODAY.
THIS TEAM IS ALSO GOING TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON OUR STRATEGIC HOUSING IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.
AND THIS IS, AGAIN, BUILDING ON THE HOUSING POLICY FRAMEWORK.
AFTER HAVING TWO YEARS WORTH OF INFORMATION FOR THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PIPELINE, WE REALIZED THAT WE NEEDED TO BUILD ON THAT WORK AND RECALIBRATE THE HOUSING TARGETS THAT ARE PART OF THE MAYOR'S HOUSING POLICY TASK FORCE'S WORK.
AND SO THIS IS AN IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY WITH OUR PARTNERS THAT WILL HELP US FIGURE OUT NOT JUST WHAT WE NEED TO DELIVER IF IT'S A NEW UNIT OR ACCESS TO A HOUSING SERVICE, BUT ALSO WHO IS BEST SUITED TO DELIVER THAT.
AND IT'S NOT JUST THOSE THAT PRODUCE OR FACILITATE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT.
SO NOT JUST THE SAN ANTONIO HOUSING TRUST, AND NOT JUST THE SAN ANTONIO HOUSING AUTHORITY, BUT ALSO OTHER HOUSING PROVIDERS AND EVEN THOSE PROVIDERS OR PEOPLE FACING HOMELESSNESS THAT ARE PARTNERING ON THIS EFFORT SO THAT WE REALLY CAN ADDRESS WHAT WE NEED TO PROVIDE WHEN IT COMES TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND OUR STAFF WILL CONTINUE TO TRACK THAT PIPELINE.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, THIS YEAR WE HAD 380 PROJECTS THAT ADDED 6,000 AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS, BUT THOSE UNITS DIDN'T ALL COME ONLINE THIS YEAR.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO TRACK THEM AS THOSE DEVELOPMENTS CLOSED, AS THEY GO UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND THAT THEY BECOME AVAILABLE FOR THE COMMUNITY TO USE.
AND ANY NEW DEVELOPMENTS, ANY NEW REHAB UNITS THAT COME ONLINE WILL TRACK THOSE TWO.
SO THE NEXT SLIDE TALKS ABOUT HOW WE PROPOSE WRISTBAND OUR RISK MITIGATION PLAN.
NOW, THIS IS THE, THE SECOND YEAR THAT WE HAVE HAD THE RISK MITIGATION FUND BE PART OF THE CITY BUDGET.
AND WE STARTED WITH A $1 MILLION ALLOCATION.
THIS BECAME THE FOUNDATION FOR OUR COVID 19 EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
AND NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET PROPOSES TO EXPAND THE FUNDING FROM 1 MILLION TO 5.25 SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO OFFER EMERGENCY HOUSING AND RELOCATION ASSISTANCE.
RELATED TO THAT, OF COURSE, IS CONTINUATION OF THE RIGHT TO COUNSEL PROGRAM AND OUR PARTNERSHIP AT THE COURT THAT ARE, UM, TAKING CLIENTS WHO ARE FACING EVICTION.
SO THE NEXT SLIDE TALKS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW WE'RE ADDRESSING THAT, AND THIS IS ALL FOCUSED ON PREVENTING HOUSING DISPLACEMENT.
AND THERE ARE THREE BUCKETS OF SERVICES UNDER THE EVICTION PREVENTION
[00:30:01]
COURT, A RIGHT TO COUNSEL PROGRAM, WHICH I MENTIONED PROVIDED THROUGH CONTRACTS THAT PROVIDE PRO BONO LEGAL SERVICES TO FAMILIES BASED IN EVICTION AND TRAINING FOR TENANTS SO THAT THEY KNOW THEIR RIGHTS.AND THE T R L A AND THE SAN ANTONIO LEGAL SERVICES ASSOCIATION HAVE CONTRACTS THAT PROVIDE THAT SERVICE SUPPORT.
SUPPORT IS A NEW PARTNERSHIP, NOT JUST WITH THE COUNTY, BUT A LOT OF OTHER PROVIDERS AS WELL, WHO HELP TO ENSURE THAT FAMILIES FACING EVICTION HAVE ACCESS TO EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE AND ALSO RESOURCES SO THAT THEY DO NOT END UP BEING DISPLACED OR HOMELESS.
AND OF COURSE, THIS YEAR, CITY COUNCIL PASSED OUR NOTICE OF TENANTS RIGHTS ORDINANCE.
AND SO OUR TEAM WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE RESOURCES AND INFORMATION TO RESIDENTS FACING EVICTION, AND WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT INFORMATION IS SHARED WITH LANDLORDS SO THAT THEY DO INDEED PROVIDE THE NOTICE TO FAMILIES THAT GO THROUGH THAT NOTICE TO VACATE PROCESS.
THERE ARE TOO MANY SUCCESS STORIES TO SHARE, BUT I'M VERY PROUD THAT SINCE THE COURT STARTED MEETING AGAIN, OUR TEAM HAS HAD A PRESENCE AT THOSE COURTS AND HELP MANY CLIENTS HAVE THEIR CASES DISMISSED OR RESET AS FOLKS TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THE EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM OR SOUGHT LEGAL REPRESENTATION.
AND SO WE WILL CONTINUE THIS PROGRAM INTO THE NEW YEAR.
THE NEXT SLIDE PIVOTS TO TALK ABOUT WHAT ARE OUR BASIC OPERATIONS, WHICH WILL CONTINUE TO BE DELIVERED.
SO OUR DEPARTMENT IS KNOWN FOR HAVING THE HOMEOWNER REHAB PROGRAM AND NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET PROPOSES TO CONTINUE THE OWNER-OCCUPIED REHAB PROGRAM TO SERVE 60 FAMILIES CITYWIDE AND 52 FAMILIES TO BE SERVED AS A MINOR REPAIR PROGRAM.
ALL OF THESE, OF COURSE, USE AN EQUITY APPROACH TO SELECT OUR CLIENTS AN ADDITIONAL HOME OWNERSHIP REHAB PROGRAM.
IN THE NEXT SLIDE IS OUR UNDER ONE ROOF PROGRAM.
THAT PROGRAM WILL CONTINUE AND WE WILL SERVE 225 FAMILIES WITH THE BUDGET OF 2.25 MILLION.
NOW, THIS IS RATHER SIGNIFICANT WHEN YOU CONSIDER THAT THE PROGRAM STARTED WITH ONLY A GOAL OF 10 HOMES AND A BUDGET OF $200,000 IN COUNCIL DISTRICT ONE JUST FOUR YEARS AGO.
AND THEN IT GREW FROM ONE DISTRICT TO TWO DISTRICTS, AND THEN IT GREW THE THIRD YEAR TO SERVE DISTRICT ONE THROUGH FIVE.
SO ONLY FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS HAVE WE HAD THE UNDER ONE ROOF PROGRAM BE A CITYWIDE PROGRAM.
AND SO CITYWIDE OUR RESIDENTS CAN RECEIVE AN ENERGY EFFICIENT ROOF BECAUSE THIS PROGRAM IN JUST FIVE YEARS HAS GROWN SO TREMENDOUSLY.
AND SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO PROVIDING THIS SERVICE ONCE AGAIN FOR 225 FAMILIES CITYWIDE.
THE NEXT SLIDE IS ABOUT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENTS BOND PROGRAM.
SO IN 2017, $20 MILLION WAS APPROVED FOR THE HOUSING BOND PROGRAM.
THE FIRST TIME THAT HOUSING WAS PART OF THE CITY FUND.
WE USED OUR URBAN RENEWAL AGENCY TO DELIVER ON THIS PROGRAM.
WITHIN THE 12 APPROVED NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENT AREAS, CITY COUNCIL HAS APPROVED THREE PROJECTS.
YOU CAN SEE THEM HERE IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF TOWN.
AND COMBINED THESE PROJECTS ARE GONNA CREATE 512 AFFORDABLE AND WORKFORCE HOUSING UNITS IN OUR CITY.
WE WILL MONITOR ALL OF THESE PROJECTS AS THEY CLOSE AND AS THEY GO UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND AS THEY DRAW DOWN THE COMMITTED FUNDS, AS WE HAVE 13.5 MILLION IN CONGRESS.
AND I VERY MUCH LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING THESE PROJECTS COME ONLINE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
AND WE CONTINUE TO LOOK AT OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN THOSE IMPROVEMENT AREAS FOR ADDITIONAL PROJECTS WE CAN DO.
THE NEXT SLIDE IS ABOUT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT WORK.
LIKE MANY, WE HAVE TO RETHINK HOW WE DID OUR PUBLIC MEETINGS AS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS WENT FROM FACE-TO-FACE INTERACTIONS TO VIRTUAL AND ONLINE OFFERINGS.
AND SO THE, THE WORK WILL CONTINUE IN THIS NEW NORMAL WITH ONLINE AND VIRTUAL APPROACHES WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE REGISTER.
NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION WILL OFFER OUR NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERSHIP ACADEMY, AND OF COURSE WE'LL CONTINUE TO HOST WORKSHOPS AND PARTICIPATE IN OTHER COMMUNITY EVENTS.
AND ONE WORK THAT HAD TO BE PAUSED AS FACE-TO-FACE MEETINGS HAD TO BE, UM, PAUSE THIS YEAR IS THE UPDATE OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION REGISTRATION POLICY.
THE NEXT SLIDE IS ABOUT OUR TAX INCREMENT FINANCING UNIT.
WE HAVE 20 ACTIVE TAX INCREMENT
[00:35:01]
INVESTMENT ZONES WITH OVER A HUNDRED ACTIVE PROJECTS.ALL OF THESE PROJECTS WILL DRAW DOWN FUNDS AND WE EXPECT TO PROCESS OVER $14 MILLION IN PAYMENT FOR THOSE ACTIVE PROJECTS.
AND WE DO EXPECT AT LEAST 10 NEW PROJECTS TO COME ONLINE.
AGAIN, THE TIP UNIT HAS HAD TO HAVE OUR BOARD MEETINGS GO A VIRTUAL FORMAT AND THEY'LL CONTINUE TO OPERATE IN THAT MANNER.
AND THE LAST SLIDE ABOUT OUR DIVISION WORK IS ABOUT OUR GRANTS ADMINISTRATION WORK.
I MENTIONED THAT ABOUT HALF OF OUR BUDGET FOR THE DEPARTMENT AND MORE THAN HALF OF OUR BUDGET FOR THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAM COMES THROUGH GRANTS.
AND SO THIS TEAM WILL ENSURE THAT WE CLOSE THAT OUR GRANT, ESPECIALLY THOSE RECEIVED THIS YEAR THROUGH THE CARE STACK THAT WE ADMINISTER THE ANNUAL ACTION PLAN THAT YOU APPROVED LAST WEEK, WHICH REPRESENTS $22.4 MILLION IN FUNDING FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR THAT WE FINALIZED OUR FIVE YEAR CONSOLIDATED PLAN.
WE HAD TO PAUSE THAT AS PUBLIC OUTREACH HAD TO BE RETHOUGHT AND THAT WE MONITOR PROJECTS AND THEY WILL ALSO ISSUE THE REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING CAT FINANCING SO THAT NON-PROFIT AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROVIDERS HAVE ACCESS TO THAT MONEY THAT'S PART OF OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING BUDGET.
SO IN SUMMARY, N H S C WILL CONTINUE TO BE VERY BUSY DELIVERING ON OUR MISSION AND MAKING SURE OUR BASIC OPERATIONS ARE CONTINUING EVEN AS WE HAVE PIVOTED TO ENSURE THAT WE RESPOND TO THE PANDEMIC AND THAT WE AS A COMMUNITY CAN HELP OUR FAMILIES RECOVER MORE QUICKLY.
AND THAT CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH BERO FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, AS WELL AS ALEX, UH, FOR THE E D D PRESENTATION.
UM, EXCELLENT WORK FROM BOTH OF Y'ALL AS WE'VE GONE THROUGH THE LAST FEW MONTHS.
AND AND I DO APPRECIATE, UM, THE COUNCIL, UH, MAKING, UH, EXTRAORDINARY POSSIBLE WITH REGARD TO THE EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND, UH, AND OUR CONTINUED DUE DILIGENCE TO ENSURE THAT THE RESOURCES ARE THERE FOR IT.
UH, AS YOU MAY REMEMBER, UH, WHEN WE STARTED THIS, UH, AND THE PANDEMIC BEGAN, WE SAW THE ECONOMIC CRISIS LOOMING THAT IT WAS OUR PLEDGE TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, WE PROTECTED THOSE WHO WERE MOST VULNERABLE, THAT, UH, WE DIDN'T LEAVE ANY RESIDENTS BEHIND, UH, AS A RESULT OF C OVID 19.
AND THAT'S A, THAT'S A COMMITMENT THAT WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO, UM, MIND ONGOING AS THE CHALLENGES CHANGE AND SOME GET, UH, WORSE AND, AND SOME MAY, UH, ABATE.
I APPRECIATE THE, THE WORK AND THE UPDATE.
UH, LET'S GET RIGHT INTO COUNCIL DISCUSSION.
UM, AGAIN, IF YOU CAN USE THAT RAISE HAND FUNCTION ON YOUR WEBEX.
AND WE'LL START WITH COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREWS SULLIVAN.
WELL, THANK YOU MAYOR, AND THANK YOU ALEX.
THIS IS VERY THOROUGH AND I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT HAS GONE INTO, UH, THE PRESENTATION.
THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE FOR YOU AT THIS TIME LOOKS LOOKING AT THE PROPOSED F Y 2021.
UM, ALEX, IF YOU CAN WALK US THROUGH THE INCREASE IN, UH, THE GENERAL FUND, UM, FOR, FOR THE PERSONNEL.
I WANTED TO, TO SEE HOW WE, OR WHAT ARE WE INCREASING UNDER THAT PARTICULAR PORTION? SO COUNCIL MEMBER, THIS IS ALEX.
UH, THE INCREASE IN THE GENERAL FUND FOR, FOR OUR DEPARTMENT, IT'S REALLY ASSOCIATED WITH SOME REORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE HAPPENING.
UM, WELL, IN PART I MENTIONED, UH, THE, THE FUNDING FOR SAGE AND W D C AND SOUTHSIDE FIRST, UM, THAT IS BEING REALLOCATED TO OUR DEPARTMENT ALONG WITH THE PROPOSED, UM, MANDATE THAT I DESCRIBED, THAT DISPARITY STUDY THAT'S GONNA BE, UM, THAT WE NEED TO COMPLETE IN ORDER TO, TO PROVIDE THAT FOUNDATION FOR THE ABETA PROGRAM THAT REPRESENTS THE INCREASES.
AND THEN UNDER THE ALAMO PROMISE, UM, DO WE KNOW HOW MANY OF THE STUDENTS ACTUALLY, UM, ARE ENROLLED UNDER ALAMO PROMISE AT THIS TIME? I, I, WE WERE JUST ON THE PHONE WITH THEM YESTERDAY.
UM, THEY ARE ACTIVELY STILL ENROLLING STUDENTS RIGHT NOW.
UM, SO THEY TOLD US THEY'D BE ABLE TO GIVE US A FINAL NUMBER BY NEXT WEEK BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN CLASSES ACTUALLY START.
THEIR GOAL FOR YEAR ONE WAS ROUGHLY THREE, UM, 3000.
AND THEN UNDER THE DISPARITY STUDY, WILL THIS BE A STUDY THAT WILL BE DISTRICT SPECIFIC, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO, UM,
[00:40:01]
I I KNOW I ASKED YOU EARLIER BEFORE THE PANDEMIC TO, UM, HELP US DEVELOP A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.SO WOULD THAT DISPARITY STUDY BE ABLE TO BREAK THAT DOWN BY DISTRICT? UM, OUR, OUR DISPARITY STUDIES, UH, THEY TRADITIONALLY DO NOT, UH, GO DOWN TO THAT LEVEL OF GEOGRAPHY.
UM, THE WAY THAT THE, THE BEST PRACTICE OF THE PROGRAM OR, OR OF THE, THE PHILOSOPHY FOR THIS TYPE OF PROGRAM IS THAT YOU MEASURE THE AMOUNT OF MINORITY AND WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES AVAILABLE IN THE, THE GENERAL MARKET OF WHERE WE BUY THINGS.
SO THE MAJORITY OF WHAT WE BUY IS WITHIN OUR METROPOLITAN STATISTICAL AREA.
AND SO THAT'S TECH, TECH TYPICALLY BEEN THE GEOGRAPHY THAT WE USE TO MEASURE WHETHER WE'RE CONTRACTING WITH ENOUGH WOMEN AND MINORITY OWNED BUSINESSES IN THAT SPACE.
AND THEN AS WE GO FORWARD, I STILL WANT TO ASK THAT WE LOOK AT A DISTRICT SPECIFIC STRATEGIC PLAN WHEN IT COMES TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
AND EVEN IF THAT MEANS TO LOOK AT THE EMPTY AND VACANT, UH, LOTS IN OUR EMPTY AND VACANT BUILDINGS AND HOW WE CAN STRATEGICALLY USE THOSE, UH, HAVE TRUE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EVEN DURING THIS TIME AND AS WE ALSO GO FORWARD, ESPECIALLY WITH WORKFORCE CREATION.
UM, SO I'D LIKE TO SEE HOW THAT BREAKS DOWN, UM, SPECIFICALLY FOR THE DISTRICT, UM, AND ESPECIALLY DISTRICT TWO.
UM, ALSO, UH, PHIL UNDER, UH, THE, UM, AGREEMENT THAT WE HAVE WITH THE HOTEL FOR THE HAVEN FOR HOPE, HAVE WE DONE A COMPARISON TO SEE WHAT WOULD BE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN IF WE PURCHASED A HOTEL VERSUS LEASING A HOTEL? COUNSEL, THIS IS LORI HOUSTON.
UM, I WILL GET BACK TO YOU WITH THAT ANSWER.
UM, I'LL WORK WITH MELODY WOOSLEY AND DR.
COLIN BRIDGER, AND WE'LL GET BACK TO YOU.
AND I KNOW DURING THE, UM, WORK WORK GROUP THAT WE WERE IN, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THAT THERE ARE SOME FEDERAL STIPULATIONS THAT, UM, KEEP US FROM USING C B D G FUNDS TO PURCHASE OUR ACQUIRE, UM, HOUSING THAT WE COULD USE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
DO WE KNOW IF ANY OF THOSE REGULATIONS HAVE CHANGED OR ARE THEY STILL IN PLACE? CAN YOU REPEAT THE QUESTION PLEASE? I KNOW WHEN WE WERE DOING THE WORKING GROUP, THE COVID WORKING GROUPS, THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW WE COULD USE C D B G FUNDS TO ACQUIRE AND PURCHASE, UM, BUILDINGS.
AND I KNOW THAT WAS A CONVERSATION THAT WAS BEING HAD.
DO WE KNOW WHAT THE OUTCOME OR IF ANYTHING, HAS COME OUT OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE NEW C D B G FUNDING? UM, WE DID HAVE CONVERSATIONS AGAIN WITH, UH, D H S ABOUT THAT, AND WE CONTINUED WITH THE ANNUAL ACTION PLAN APPROACH THAT CITY COUNCIL APPROVED LAST YEAR.
UM, WE DID DEVOTE A LOT MORE FUNDING FOR THE EMERGENCY HEALTH AND ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AS WELL THOUGH.
AND THEN LAURIE, OUR, OUR VE ORO, WHICHEVER
SO THIS IS PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT MORE TECHNICAL WHEN IT COMES TO PROPERTY TAX.
WE KNOW THAT A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS ARE HAVING A VERY HARD TIME AND ARE STRUGGLING AT THIS TIME TO PAY THOSE PROPERTY TAXES.
HAVE WE SET UP ANY FORM OF FUNDING TO ASSIST THOSE HOMEOWNERS THAT ARE HAVING TROUBLE, UM, ARE LOOKING AT BEING FORECLOSED BECAUSE OF THEIR PROPERTY TAXES? OR ARE WE WORKING TO, UM, LOOK AT OUR PROGRAMS THAT, THAT SPEAK ABOUT PROPERTY TAXES HAVING TO BE CURRENT? HAVE WE REEVALUATED THAT PROCESS? SO THAT'S BEING FOLDED INTO THE FOR EVERYONE HOME INITIATIVE AS WE KNOW THAT SOME FAMILIES HAVE INDICATED THAT, UH, THEY'RE FACING DISPLACEMENT PRESSURES BECAUSE OF THE PROPERTY TAX ISSUE.
AND SO AS WE, UH, ROLL OUT THE ANTI DISPLACEMENT AGENDA, I THINK WE'LL HAVE A MORE ROBUST CONVERSATION.
UM, BUT WE HAVE LOOKED AT IT IN THE PAST AND IT WILL BE FOLDED INTO FOR EVERYONE HOME INITIATIVE AS WELL.
AND COUNSEL, I WANTED TO ADD THAT THERE ARE NO STIPULATIONS THAT PROHIBIT, UM, THE USE OF C D B G FUNDING TO PURCHASE BUILDINGS PROVIDED THAT IT USED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR ANOTHER PUBLIC PURPOSE.
THANK YOU LAURA, SO MUCH FOR THAT.
UM, AND THEN MY LAST QUESTION IS FOR ERIC.
ERIC, WHEN IT COMES TO, UH, THE STATUS OF OUR CITY AND, AND RESOURCES THAT WE'RE USING PRIOR TO COVID, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT
[00:45:01]
HAVING A CHIEF HOUSING OFFICER.HAS THAT BEEN ELIMINATED FROM OUR PROCESS? ARE ARE WE STILL LOOKING TO DO THAT AS WE GO FORWARD? YEAH, COUNCILWOMAN, UH, WE, WE WENT THROUGH, UM, WE WENT THROUGH A RECRUITMENT EARLIER IN THE YEAR PRE COVID AND HAD GONE THROUGH INTERVIEWS IN, UM, UH, PROBABLY FEBRUARY, LATE FEBRUARY, UM, AND DID NOT MAKE A SELECTION.
UM, THAT POSITION HAS NOT BEEN ELIMINATED AND IS STILL THERE AND IS, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, STILL A, STILL A RESOURCE FOR US, YOU KNOW, AND, AND, AND I'LL, I'LL GIVE CREDIT TO, UH, COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL AND PREVIOUS CONVERSATION I HAD WITH HER A COUPLE WEEKS AGO.
YOU KNOW, GIVEN THE, THE, THE TASK THAT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US IN TERMS OF DEALING WITH HOMELESSNESS AS WELL AS HOUSING, UM, IT'S STILL, UH, IT'S STILL A MUCH NEEDED, UH, RESOURCE.
SO WE WILL BE, UH, LOOKING TO ACTIVATE THAT RECRUITMENT AGAIN, UH, THIS YEAR.
AND THEN, UM, ALEX, AS WE CLOSE OUT, WHEN IT COMES TO UTILIZING THE TURS TO TRULY ASSIST IN HELPING OUR SMALLER BUSINESSES, IS THERE A WAY THAT WE, AS THE CITY COUNCIL CAN GET, UM, AND I GUESS YOU'LL HAVE TO WORK WITH THAT ON THIS ONE AS WELL, TO GET A FULL BREAKDOWN OF EXACTLY HOW MUCH FUNDING IS AVAILABLE IN THE NINE OF THIS, UH, CITY INITIATED TERMS. YES, MA'AM.
AND WE ARE ACTUALLY COORDINATING WITH VERO AND, AND HER TEAM ON THAT ALREADY.
THOSE ARE ALL THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE.
COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN, COUNCIL MEMBER GRA.
UM, WE SEE YOU CONSTANTLY NOW, AND THAT'S A GOOD THING, I THINK.
UH, AND THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN FOR TALKING ABOUT A DISTRICT SPECIFIC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN.
I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN WORK ON.
I KNOW IN DISTRICT LEE, WE HAVE CERTAIN CORRIDORS THAT WE WORKED ON, AND I KNOW IN DISTRICT 10 THEY HAVE CERTAIN CORRIDORS THAT THEY WORKED ON AS WELL.
SO MAYBE WE CAN START, UM, LOOKING AT THAT IN A, IN A MICRO LEVEL, BUT THEN SEE HOW WE, WE CONTINUE TO WORK ON IT.
BUT TO THE TAX ABATEMENT POLICY THAT WE'LL BE DISCUSSING SOON.
AND INITIATIVES, I THINK AGAIN, THAT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE REMEMBER WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THESE NEW POLICIES AS WE GAVE THEM THAT WE ARE INCLUSIVE, AND WE DID A LOT OF THAT RESEARCH.
E D D ALREADY DID A LOT OF THAT RESEARCH A COUPLE YEARS AGO.
I'VE SEEN AREAS WHERE WE NEED TO INCLUDE MORE JOB GROWTH.
AND JOB GROWTH CAN BE EITHER RECRUITMENT OF LARGE COMPANIES, RETENTION OF LARGE COMPANIES, OR INVESTMENT IN SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AS WELL.
AND, UM, WE ARE BEING VERY CREATIVE ON THE WORD INCENTIVE AND WHAT THAT CAN LOOK LIKE WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO RETAIN AND OR RECRUIT BUSINESSES INTO THE CITY.
AND I DO, UH, WANT TO LET MY COLLEAGUES KNOW THAT WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO WORK ON THAT.
WHEN IT COMES TO, UM, DIFFERENT POLICIES, WE'VE ALREADY HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR THAT, UH, 10 YEARS AT A HUNDRED PERCENT TAX ABATEMENT IS NOT WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.
AND SO WE ARE, UM, LOOKING AT WHAT ELSE NEEDS TO HAPPEN AND, UH, COMING UP WITH CREATIVE SOLUTIONS.
SO THAT'S BEEN HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR.
WE'LL BE WORKING ON THAT TOGETHER.
UM, I THINK IT WAS SO IMPORTANT TO HAVE THESE TWO PRESENTED AT THE SAME TIME, BECAUSE WE SEE THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND THE HOUSING ASPECT, OR LOOKING AT WORKFORCE HOUSING OR LOOKING AT AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND I'M VERY EXCITED TO SEE JUST THE, THE SYNERGY BETWEEN OUR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, WORKFORCE
AND WE KNOW THAT HOUSE, THE HOME OWNERSHIP IS ONE WAY THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO START BUILDING WEALTH THAT SOME PEOPLE MAY NOT, UM, MAY NOT HAVE ACCESS TO YET.
AND SO WHAT I LOVE ABOUT OUR FINANCE RECOVERY, OUR FINANCE RECOVERY HUBS, AND THEN OUR HOUSING RECOVERY HUBS, IS THAT THIS CONVERSATION NEEDS TO BE HAPPENING TOGETHER.
UM, NOT JUST IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING CONVERSATION, BUT ALSO IN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
AND WE NEED TO BE TALKING TO EACH OTHER, UM, THE TWO DEPARTMENTS.
AND I DO BELIEVE WE ARE, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO, UH, UM, ALEX, WHEN WE'RE COMING, WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE IN OUR, IN OUR, UM, E W D C MEETINGS, BECAUSE WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BETA PROJECTS, AND I KNOW
[00:50:01]
THE HIGH PROFILE REPORTS COME OUT TO US MONTHLY, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE AS AN E W D C COMMITTEE, UM, GETS AT LEAST ON OUR RADAR OF THE HIGH PROFILE, EITHER, UM, THE HIGH PROFILE CONTRACTS THAT ARE COMING UP OR THAT ON THE HORIZON.I THINK THAT WOULD BE IMPORTANT FOR US, UM, TO HAVE ON OUR RADAR JUST AS PART OF, UM, AS PART OF E W D C.
I ALSO WANNA CONGRATULATE YOU ON THE CREATIVE WAYS, UH, THAT THE INTERNATIONAL SECTION OF THE, UH, E W D C IS, OR I'M SORRY, THE E D D IS WORKING, UH, HAS TO BE VERY CREATIVE.
AND I DO WANT TO APPLAUD, UM, THAT CONTINUE NURTURING THOSE TIES AS WELL AS THE WORK WITH JAPAN AND ALL OF THE OTHER, UH, COUNTRIES THAT WE HAVE, UH, TIES WITH.
SO I THINK THAT'S BEEN VERY, UM, HELPFUL AND THANK YOU FOR THAT QUE UH, QUESTION COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, ANDREW SULLIVAN.
'CAUSE I WAS WONDERING ABOUT THE, THE CHANGE IN THE AMOUNTS OF THE, THE ONE POINT, THE 1 MILLION IN E D D, UM, ALSO TO MY COLLEAGUES TO LET YOU KNOW, WHEN IT COMES TO HOUSING, UM, WE AT THE P F, UH, THE P F C AND THE FC, UM, LOOKS LIKE WE'RE OFFICIALLY HIRING OUR PERMANENT, UM, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.
AND WE ARE GONNA BE MOVING ON THE DIFFERENT, UM, THE NEW, UH, CONSTRUCTION OF OUR, UM, BOARD, UM, WHO, OF OUR BOARD WITH THE FOUNDATION, THE TRUST, THE P F C AND THE FC.
AND WE'LL BE LOOKING AT POLICIES TOGETHER AND SEEING HOW WE ARE GOING TO LEVERAGE ALL OF THIS, UM, TOGETHER TO REALLY PUT OUT NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WORKFORCE, HOUSING, REHAB, AND THEN OTHER SITUATIONS WHERE WE CAN WORK.
SO WE ARE WORKING ON THAT AND I WANNA THANK ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE SC AND THE P S C WHO HAVE BEEN, UM, VERY VOCAL AND ACTIVE AND ENGAGED.
SO I THINK I, I'M EXCITED ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING, UH, IN THAT AREA.
ONE THING I WANNA CONTINUE TO, UM, AND ERIC, YOU'RE ON THE BOARD.
SO ONE THING I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO PUSH TO S A E D F IS THAT THEY CONTINUE WHEN THEY'RE PITCHING SAN ANTONIO, UH, FOR COMPANIES OR, UM, RECRUITMENT OR RETENTION, THAT WE CONTINUE TO PITCH ALL SIDES OF SAN ANTONIO, NOT JUST CERTAIN PARTS.
UM, I, I KNOW THEY DO THAT, AND I KNOW THEY'VE PICKED IT UP, BUT I WANNA CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE STAY ON MESSAGE WITH PITCHING ALL PARTS OF SAN ANTONIO.
AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE TO KEEP THAT GOING.
UM, THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS, MAYOR.
I, I REALLY DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER, UM, ISSUES BECAUSE I HAVE SEEN THIS AT, UM, THE TECH GROUP, THE NEIGHBORHOOD CULTURE GROUP, AND U W D C.
SO THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK.
AND, UH, ERIC, BE SURE TO GIVE ALEX LOPEZ SOME TIME OFF SOMETIME.
COUNCIL MEMBER
UH, MOST OF MY QUESTIONS WILL INVOLVE A, UH, AND I THINK IT'S WORTH SAYING HOW VALUABLE A PROMISE IS AND HOW FAR IT YOUTH WILL BE.
ALMO PROMISE IS CONSISTENT WITH OUR GOALS OF EQUITY AND LAYING THE FOUNDATION FOR EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND HOPEFULLY HOME OWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES.
MY, MY, UH, FIRST QUESTION WILL BE, UH, WHEN WILL THE COHORT BEGIN FOR ALAMO PROMISE? AND WHERE DOES AN INTERESTED PERSON GO TO SIGN UP TO ENROLL? SO THE FIRST COHORT ACTUALLY STARTS CLASS THIS SEMESTER, UM, THIS FALL SEMESTER AT ALAMO COLLEGE.
THEY, THEY TECHNICALLY SIGN UP THEIR SENIOR YEAR IN HIGH SCHOOL.
UM, AND THEY'RE FOLLOWED THROUGHOUT.
THERE'S DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES THEY DO UP UNTIL GRADUATION.
THERE'S SUMMER BRIDGE ACTIVITIES, AND THEN THEY START NEXT WEEK.
ARE WE SEEING THE PLAN TO COORDINATE ALMO PROMISE PROGRAMS PARTICIPANTS OR ANY OF THE OTHER PROGRAMS WE'RE LOOKING INTO WITH OUR HOME IMPROVEMENT OR HOME OWNERSHIP PROGRAM PROGRAM? I'M, I'M NOT DIRECTLY FAMILIAR IF WE'VE TIED THOSE.
UM, I CAN DEFINITELY COORDINATE WITH, UM, DR.
FLORES AT ALAMO COLLEGES TO SEE WHAT KIND OF REFERRALS OR CONNECTIONS ARE BEING ARE, ARE PLANNED FOR THOSE SCHOLARS AS THEY ENROLL.
[00:55:04]
I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT HAPPEN.YOU COULD DO IT IN, UM, INVOLVED WITH IT.
UM, AND THEN THE, SOME OF THE, CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT SOME OF THE CAUSES? WELL, FIRST I HAVE TO SAY, I'M REALLY GLAD THAT THE F RECEIVING THE ECONOMIC INCENTIVES THAT THEY'RE, UM, THEY'RE IN DISTRICT SIX AND I THINK THEY'RE GONNA BE A GREAT, UH, BOON TO THE EMPLOYMENT ISSUE, ESPECIALLY AROUND THE EQUITY AREA DISTRICT SIX.
CAN YOU TELL ME WHERE SOME OF THE, WHAT SOME OF THE CAUSES ARE FOR THE 1.6 MILLION? UM, IN REDUCTION FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE FUNDING, THAT IS JUST SIMPLY A RESULT OF, OF, UM, BUDGET CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE, WE'RE ANTICIPATING, UM, NEXT YEAR.
UM, AND SO WE WERE LOOKING TO SEE WHERE THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES FOR SAVINGS, WHERE AND, AND WHERE WE CAN STILL ACCOMPLISH WHAT WE NEED TO ACCOMPLISH THROUGH OTHER TOOLS.
CAST MEMBER, COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE, UH, FOLLOWED BY CAST MEMBER NIA.
UM, I HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR, UH, ALEX.
ALEX, UH, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT REDUCED INCENTIVES, WHAT DO WE ACTUALLY MEAN? WHAT KIND OF INCENTIVES ARE WE NOT GONNA BE OFFERING ANY LONGER? UM, COUNCIL MEMBER WE'RE SPECIFICALLY FOR SURE.
THERE'S THE, THE, UH, GRANTS, THE ACTUAL GRANTS THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO PROVIDE AND WE'VE PROVIDE IN THE PAST, UM, ASSOCIATED WITH OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE FUND THAT WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE NEXT YEAR.
ANYTHING ELSE? AND THOSE ARE SPECIFICALLY FOR HIGH WAGE JOBS? THE GRANTS ARE TYPICALLY FOR HIGH WAGE JOBS.
UM, AND OUR, OUR, UM, SOFT FEE WAIVERS, WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO FOCUS THOSE ON SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT.
HAVE WE KIND OF MADE THAT PUBLIC, UH, TO A LOT OF THE, UH, BUSINESS AND DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY.
THEY ARE AWARE OF THE FEE WAIVERS THAT THE, THE, THE FACT THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY FEE WAIVERS AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW.
UM, WE HAVEN'T STARTED PROMOTING OUR SMALL BUSINESS FEE WAIVER PROGRAM AGAIN.
UM, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S THE DIRECTION THAT WE CAN MOVE IN NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
COUNCILMAN, I, LET ME JUST ADD THAT I DID, UH, AS I BRIEFED, UH, CHAMBERS AND OTHER GROUPS ON THE PROPOSED BUDGET, UH, DID POINT THAT OUT AS ONE OF THE RECOMMENDED, UH, REDUCTIONS, UH, SUSPENDING THOSE PROGRAMS. OKAY.
UM, UH, HOW ARE OUR PARTNERS, UH, GONNA GO THROUGH THIS TRANSITION PERIOD? UH, THE E D F, UH, BIOMED SA, UH, HOW ARE THEY DOING? 'CAUSE THEY'RE PARTNERS IN OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
AND SO WE, WE ARE GONNA CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THEM.
UM, BIOMED SA AND THEIR NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, WE'RE ALREADY WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH HEATHER.
UM, AND SO THAT COLLABORATION WILL CONTINUE ALSO WITH CYBERSECURITY SAN ANTONIO, ANOTHER INDUSTRY LIAISON THAT WE SUPPORT AND THAT WE COLLABORATE WITH.
UH, AS WE CONTINUE FORWARD WITH, UH, THE PLANS THAT WE'RE HAVING, UH, ESPECIALLY RELATED TO, UH, BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WHAT KIND OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT HAS THERE BEEN OR WILL THERE BE? SO WE, THERE'S ACTUALLY A COUPLE DIFFERENT STRATEGIES THAT WE HAVE GOING ON THAT, THAT WE'RE GONNA BE TAKING ON THIS FALL.
SOME OF IT IS ASSOCIATED WITH OUR RECOVERY PLAN, AND A LOT OF THAT IS DIRECTLY, UM, REACHING OUT TO RESIDENTS TO SEE WHAT PARTS OF OUR, OUR WORKFORCE STRATEGY ARE WORKING, WHAT PARTS DIDN'T, DIDN'T EXACTLY MEET THEIR NEEDS.
SO THAT WILL BE ONE WAY THAT WE ENGAGE.
UM, WE'RE ALSO ABOUT TO START A PROCESS TO POTENTIALLY MAKE, MAKE A SLIGHT CHANGE TO OUR CE BETA ORDINANCE, WHICH ALSO INVOLVES OF, OF AN EXTENSIVE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROCESS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE STAKEHOLDERS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT WORK, WHICH ARE TYPICALLY THOSE THAT DO BUSINESS WITH US, UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS KIND OF IMPACT, UH, WHAT THIS CHANGE WOULD, HOW IT WOULD IMPACT THEM.
AND THEN LASTLY, I MENTIONED THE TAX ABATEMENT POLICIES.
AND SO WHEN WE DO THAT, WE TYPICALLY GO OUT TO ALL OF OUR STAKEHOLDER ORGANIZATIONS, ALL OUR CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE, UM, AND EEF AND, AND THEIR INVESTORS AS WELL, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT THE POLICY CONSIDERATIONS AND HOW IT COULD IMPACT, UM,
[01:00:01]
THEIR STRATEGIES AND, AND, UM, OUR APPROACH.I JUST THINK IT'LL BE IMPORTANT TO HEAR FROM A LOT OF THOSE DIFFERENT PARTS OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT THEY UNDERSTAND THE SITUATION THAT WE'RE IN.
AND IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO, UH, YOU KNOW, COME BACK TO ON US LATER AS BUSINESSES OR DEVELOPERS OR OR INDUSTRIES THAT WANT TO COME TO SAN ANTONIO START COMPLAINING THAT, HEY, YOU'RE NOT, YOU'RE NOT PREPARED TO ASSIST US.
UH, AND AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE'RE NOT.
SO, YOU KNOW, I WANNA MAKE SURE THEY'RE, THEY'RE AWARE OF THAT AND IT DOESN'T BECOME TOO MUCH OF A BARRIER.
UH, ONE OTHER THING I WANTED TO MENTION IS, UH, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, I KNOW WE'RE GONNA GET RE WE'RE GONNA RECEIVE REGULAR UPDATES ON HOW THAT'S GOING.
ONE OF THE AREAS I'M GONNA BE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THOUGH WE'LL BE, UH, UPDATES ON, UH, TRADE ORGANIZATIONS AND, UH, BUSINESS, UH, ORGANIZATIONS THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, ARE GONNA PARTNER WITH US ON A LOT OF THIS EFFORT.
UH, I THINK THAT IF WE'RE GOING TO BE TRAINING PEOPLE AND, AND GETTING THEM INTO BETTER PAYING JOBS, WE NEED TO RELY ON LOCAL BUSINESSES AND INDUSTRY TO SAY, YES, WE WANT TO PARTNER WITH YOU AND HELP PROVIDE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE ONCE THE TRAINING'S OVER.
SO I'LL LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING THAT KIND OF INFORMATION PRESENTED TO US AS WE LOOK AT HOW WE'RE DOING AS THAT PROGRAM PROGRESSES.
UM, I'D LIKE TO ASK VETO A QUESTION OR TWO NOW.
VETO, UH, I HAVE A, A CONCERN, I KNOW THAT WE'VE HELPED A LOT OF PEOPLE FIND HOUSING, BUT IF PEOPLE FAIL TO QUALIFY, UH, FOR WHATEVER REASON, THERE, THERE, THERE IS, DO WE FOLLOW UP WITH THOSE PEOPLE LATER TO SEE HOW THEY MAY HAVE, UH, RECOVERED ON THEIR OWN? OR ARE WE REFERRING THEM TO OTHER ORGANIZATIONS OR AGENCIES THAT MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING WE CAN'T DO? SO, UH, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION, AND LET ME SAY THAT WE DO BOTH.
UM, SO FOR THE FOLKS THAT WE'RE HELPING WHO ARE FACING EVICTION, WE HAVE BUILT A VERY STRONG NETWORK WITH A LOT OF PROVIDERS, INCLUDING THOSE THAT SERVE FAMILIES, UM, TO PREVENT HOMELESSNESS SO THAT WE DO HAVE SOMETHING TO OFFER FAMILIES WITH A RISK MITIGATION PROGRAM.
PART OF THE ORIGINAL POLICY WAS TO CHECK IN TO SEE HOW THOSE FAMILIES ARE DOING.
AND WE'RE FIGURING OUT NOW THAT WE HAVE EXPANDED THIS PROGRAM, THAT IT HAS BECOME AN OVER $50 MILLION PROGRAM, HOW WE WOULD BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
AND SO, UH, IN THE FIRST YEAR WE DID THAT KIND OF FOLLOW UP, WE'LL FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THAT KIND OF FOLLOW UP TO SEE WHAT KIND OF DIFFERENCE OUR PROGRAM MADE WITH REGARDS TO FAIR HOUSING COUNSELING.
WE DO HAVE FOLLOW UPS, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A PROPER HANDOFF TO ANOTHER AGENCY, WE HAVE TO DO THAT OR TO FOLLOW UP WITH THOSE FAMILIES AS WELL.
UM, ON SLIDE THREE, WE TALK ABOUT 6,000 AFFORDABLE UNITS THAT HAVE COME ONLINE IN THE CITY.
UM, YOU MAY NOT KNOW THIS, UH, OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD, BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT FOR US TO SEE WHAT IS THE BREAKDOWN OF THOSE AFFORDABLE UNITS.
YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, YOU KNOW, WE USUALLY LOOK AT AFFORDABILITY ON A SCALE OF ANYWHERE FROM A LOW OF 30% OF A M I ALL THE WAY UP TO 120% OF A M I.
AND OF COURSE WE USE HUD A M I, WHICH I'VE ALWAYS COMPLAINED IS WAY TOO HIGH WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO, UH, LOOK AT WHAT, WHAT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO HAS AS AN ECONOMIC BASE.
BUT BE THAT AS IT MAY, UH, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE SAY 6,000 AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS IN THE PIPELINE DUE TO COME ONLINE, IT, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THOSE ARE AT THE LOWER END, 30, 40, 50, 60% A M I AND WHAT'S UP THERE AT 80 AND A HUNDRED, 120% OF A M I.
AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE THAT AVAILABLE, I CAN THEN SAY YOU DON'T.
I HOPE YOU'LL MAKE IT AVAILABLE TO US SO THAT, UH, AS WE LOOK TO TRY AND INCENTIVIZE MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WE HAVE BETTER TARGETS TO SHOOT FOR.
AND, BUT THAT'S ALL I HAD, MAYOR.
WE'LL SHARE THAT INFORMATION SINCE WE DO HAVE THAT.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER TINO FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ROCIO GARCIA MIDDLE.
UM, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
ALEX, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, $5.25 MILLION FOR RISK MITIGATION, $4.25 MILLION FROM THE
[01:05:01]
GENERAL FUND AND 1 MILLION FROM FEDERAL GRANTS.UH, STAFF PROJECTED THE CURRENT ASSISTANCE WILL RUN OUT BY NOVEMBER, OCTOBER.
UH, WHAT IS THE GOAL FOR THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE ASSISTED THROUGH THE RISK MITIGATION FUND? AND WE KNOW THAT, UH, THE RENTER HOUSE HOUSEHOLDS OF COLOR, UH, ARE HOUSEHOLDS OF COLOR WITH CHILDREN AND OR WITH A SINGLE MOTHER ARE AT HIGHER RISK OF EVICTION.
UH, SAN ANTONIO ALSO HAS OVER 60,000 UNDOCUMENTED WORKERS WHO ARE EMPLOYED IN SECTORS THAT WERE IMPACTED BY THE PANDEMIC, NAMELY FOOD SERVICE ACCOMMODATION WHO ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR FEDERAL ASSISTANCE.
IS $5.25 MILLION GOING TO BE SUFFICIENT TO ASSIST THE NUMBER OF FAMILIES THAT ARE PROJECTED TO BE EVICTED THROUGH THE FALL AND WINTER MONTHS? THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
UM, I'M VERY HAPPY THAT IN THE NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET, THE PROPORTION OF FEDERAL FUNDING TO GENERAL FUNDING IS FLIPPED FROM WHAT WE STARTED WITH.
UM, AT THE BEGINNING WITH THE FIRST ALLOCATION WE HAD ABOUT HALF AND A HALF.
UM, AND WE KNEW IT WAS GONNA BE A CHALLENGE.
GIVEN THE DEMOGRAPHICS THAT YOU MENTIONED WITH THE 5.25, WE'RE PROJECTING WE'LL BE ABLE TO ASSIST AN ADDITIONAL 1,600 FAMILIES AS WELL.
UH, WE HAVE NOT HAD DISCUSSIONS ABOUT DOING MORE SPECIFIC TARGETING.
UM, WE CURRENTLY HELP HOUSEHOLDS AT OR BELOW 100% A M I, WHICH IN ESSENCE, WHEN YOU CONSIDER A HUNDRED PERCENT A M I, THE MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD IN SAN ANTONIO, THAT MEANS HALF OUR CITY QUALIFIES FOR THAT PROGRAM.
IT COULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE LOOK AT.
UM, WE'RE STILL PROJECTING THAT WE'LL CONTINUE, UH, THE EMERGENCY HEALTH AND ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IN THE NEW FUNDING IN THE NEW YEAR IF IT WILL BE ENOUGH.
UM, I'M NOT SURE BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW MANY MORE EVICTION FEES WILL COME ONLINE.
UM, BUT I'M VERY GLAD THAT WE HAVE FLIPPED THE PROPORTION SO THAT WE HAVE A LOT MORE FEDERAL, I MEAN, A LOT MORE GENERAL FUND MONEY THAT IS MORE FLEXIBLE, SO WE CAN HELP THOSE, UM, THAT, THAT YOU HAVE MENTIONED THAT ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR FEDERAL, FEDERAL, THAT THAT'S, THAT'S AN IMPORTANT, UM, POINT TO MAKE BECAUSE, UH, AGAIN, LIKE YOU SAID, IN APRIL WE SECURED ALMOST 26 MILLION.
WE SPLIT IT, IT WAS LIKE 13 POINT SOMETHING FEDERAL THIR 12 POINT SOMETHING MILLION IN LOCAL.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE BECAUSE OF THAT, IT GIVES US SOME FLEXIBILITY.
AND, YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA ASK YOU TO BE MORE VOCAL ABOUT WHY WE NEED MORE GENERAL FUND DOLLARS.
I AM, I'M GLAD WE GOT 5.25 MILLION, BUT I THINK WE NEED AT LEAST $10 MILLION, ALTHOUGH WE WILL LIKELY NEED MORE.
UM, AGAIN, I SAY THAT BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE, WHAT WE ADDED BACK IN APRIL, WE HAD TO ADD $10 MILLION, WHICH WE KNOW HAS BEEN, HAS BEEN UTILIZED.
UM, I'M GONNA MOVE OVER TO THE ROOF PROGRAM, UH, SENATE, THE UNDER ONE ROOF PROGRAM.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE, WE'VE DONE ABOUT EIGHT AT LEAST I UNDERSTAND.
WE'VE DONE 851 ROOFS COMPLETED AS OF TODAY.
UH, WE, WE CUT DOWN THE PROGRAM.
WE WERE NOT MOVING AT, AT, AT, AT A PACE THAT, THAT WE WOULD'VE LIKED.
UH, HALFWAY THROUGH THE FISCAL YEAR, WE HAD ONLY BEEN AT, WE'D ONLY ACCOMPLISHED 9% OF THE ROOFS.
UH, WE'VE, WE USED SOME OF THAT MONEY FOR THE RISK MITIGATION FUND, WHICH IS WHY NOW WE HAVE A, A GOAL FOR FISCAL YEAR 20 FOR 300 ROOFS.
WE'VE ONLY DONE, WE'VE DONE 215 14 ROOFS TO DATE.
UH, IS IS, IS THERE STILL, IS THERE STILL MORE ROOFS TO DO THIS YEAR? YES, SIR.
UM, AND SO OUR GOAL FOR AUGUST, AT THE END OF AUGUST WILL, WE'LL COMPLETE 46 ROOFS, AND IN SEPTEMBER WE'LL DO 40.
UM, AND SO THAT WILL BRING US TO THE 300 AND YES, THIS YEAR WE DID HAVE TO, UH, REALLOCATE SOME FUNDING WITHIN OUR PROGRAMS. AND THE UNDER ONE ROOF PROGRAM WAS ONE OF THOSE.
UH, YOU KNOW, AND I, AGAIN, I, I THINK, UH, MANY, MANY OF THE RECIPIENTS OF THIS, OF THIS PROGRAM ARE, ARE MOST VULNERABLE.
UH, AND THEY ARE SPECIFICALLY, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, TARGETED IN, IN TERMS OF HOW WE CAN HELP STABILIZE THOSE HOUSES.
SO I, I, I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE CONTINUING THE PROGRAM.
ALTHOUGH I, I OBVIOUSLY WE'RE NOT AT, AT, AT THE, AT THE PACE THAT, UH, WE COULD BE, UH, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY WE WILL GET TO THE THOUSANDTH ROOF, UM, BY THE END OF THE YEAR, UH, WITH, WITH THIS PROGRAM CONTINUING.
UM, I THINK WE HAVE SERVED 1037 FAMILIES WITH THIS PROGRAM ALREADY, UM, SINCE FISCAL YEAR 2016.
UM, BUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PANDEMIC, I LOST TRACK OF THAT 1000 ROOF.
UM, OKAY, THEN WE NEED TO TALK, 'CAUSE AGAIN, WE, WE WE'RE, WE OUR, OUR INFORMATION.
[01:10:01]
PARTY.UH, OKAY, WELL, WELL, WE NEED TO GO, WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
THAT'S, UH, OUR, OUR NUMBERS ARE 850, BUT, ALRIGHT, LET'S, LET'S MOVE ON TO AGAIN, AND JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR OTHER PROGRAMS. YOU KNOW, THAT WE TALK ABOUT LIKE THE RIGHT TO COUNSEL PROGRAM.
UH, YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS IS AN IMPORTANT, IMPORTANT PROGRAM, UM, THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK I WANNA THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM, UH, FOR HELPING US ON THIS.
UM, I ALSO WANT TO THANK TEXAS REG GRANDE, UH, SAN ANTONIO LEGAL SERVICES, UH, UH, ST.
MARY'S LAW SCHOOL, AND ALL OF THE FOLKS THAT WRITE THE AT THE RIGHT TO COUNSEL FOCUS GROUP.
UH, THE EXPERIENCE AND FEEDBACK, UH, WE'LL CONTINUE TO GUIDE THE CITY AS WE HOPEFULLY WORK TOWARDS A UNIVERSAL RIGHT TO COUNSEL.
UH, WE WERE ABLE TO SECURE AN AGREEMENT WITH THE SAN ANTONIO LEGAL SERVICES ASSOCIATION TO FUND A HOUSING FELLOW WHO'S BEEN, UH, TASKED WITH CONNECTING, WILLING VOLUNTEER ATTORNEYS WITH RESIDENTS IN NEED.
AND, UH, RESEARCH SHOWS THAT FEWER THAN 10% OF RENDERS HAVE ACCESS TO LEGAL COUNSEL WHEN DEFENDING AGAINST AN EVICTION COMPARED TO 90% OF LANDLORDS.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE, UH, THAT WE PROVIDE IN THE FUNDING YEAR, FISCAL YEAR 21 BUDGET FOR LEGAL KIOSKS IN EACH DISTRICT.
UH, THIS IS AN IDEA BROUGHT TO OUR OFFICE BY THE SAN ANTONIO LEGAL SERVICES ASSOCIATION.
IN CONSULTATION WITH TEXAS RIO GRANDE LEGAL AID, I EMAILED THE, UH, THE CITY MANAGER AND THE DEPUTY CITY MANAGER WITH, UH, SOME INFORMATION.
UH, AND IT IS CLEAR THAT WE, WE, WE NEED TO BE PROACTIVE IN REACHING OUT TO OUR VULNERABLE FAMILIES IN NEED OF LEGAL AID, UH, WITH A NUMBER OF FOLKS, UH, WITHIN THE DIGITAL DIVIDE AS, AS WELL AS SOCIAL DISTANCING PROTOCOLS IN PLACE, SUCH AS ZOOM, EVICTION HEARINGS, A KIOSK STATION AT A LOCAL LIBRARY.
AND EACH DISTRICT COULD SERVE AS A LOCATION WHERE ATTENDING CAN ATTEND THEIR TELECON TELE EVICTION HEARING.
UH, THE ADMINISTRATIVE OVERSIGHT ASSOCIATED WITH OVERSEEING THE KIOSK SHOULD BE MINIMAL, A PRIVATE, UH, ROOM WITH A COMPUTER AND A PRINTER, UH, TO CREATE A EFFICIENT UTILIZATION OF RESOURCES.
SOME CONSIDERATION SHOULD BE GIVEN TO TRAINING ONSITE STAFF TO HELP CLIENTS NAVIGATE THE VIDEO PLATFORM AND ASSIST WITH PRINTING.
UM, AGAIN, THIS IS, UH, THIS IS REALLY TRYING TO TACKLE THE, THE ISSUE THAT I THINK IS, IS, UH, UH, ABOUT TO REALLY, UH, UH, ACCELERATE HERE WITH, WITH THE EVICTION MORATORIUMS, UM, ALL EXPIRING.
UH, WE EXPECT TO SEE MORE, UM, MORE OF THESE EVICTION CASES HAPPENING.
AND AS WE ENTER THE FALL, FALL AND WINTER MONTHS, UH, I, I THINK THIS IS, THIS IS, UH, THE ISSUE.
WE, WE, WE NEED TO BE VERY, VERY FOCUSED ON AND, UH, ALL WORK TOGETHER TO TRY TO, UH, UH, HELP, UH, PROVIDE SOME RELIEF AND SUPPORT FOR, FOR MANY OF THOSE, UH, VULNERABLE FAMILIES.
AND SO, UM, THAT IS A GREAT IDEA.
UH, AT THE RECOVERY CENTER, WHICH IS LOCATED, UM, ONE OF THE LOCATIONS IS THE CENTRAL LIBRARY.
UM, ONE OF OUR ASSISTANT DIRECTORS, AVI, IS ALREADY WORKING ON THAT WITH OUR OTHER ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, EDWARD, TO MAKE SURE IT CAN PROVIDE THAT, AND THAT WE CAN DO IT IN A SAFE MANNER.
AND SO, UH, WE'RE ALREADY LOOKING TO HOW WE CAN IMPLEMENT THAT, AND WE'D BE HAPPY TO TALK TO THE LIBRARY ABOUT ADDITIONAL LOCATIONS ONCE WE START AT THE CENTRAL LIBRARY.
AND LET ME ASK ONE LAST QUESTION.
UM, YOU KNOW, DID WE ESTABLISH A GOAL, UH, FOR THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE, UH, THAT WE CAN ASSIST THROUGH THE RIGHT TO COUNSEL PROGRAM? WE DID, AND I'LL HAVE TO, UH, GET THAT FROM THE CONTRACT.
I DON'T RECALL IT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
UM, BUT I'LL GET THE, THE GOAL OF HOW MANY FAMILIES WE WERE SUPPOSED TO SERVE, NOT JUST HERE, BUT
AND, AND I, I'D ASK THAT YOU ADD THAT TO THE DASHBOARD THAT WE'VE BEEN, UM, UH, REQUESTING THROUGH OUR, UH, COMMITTEE.
UH, LET'S, LET'S ADD THAT AS WELL, JUST TO KEEP TRACK, UH, AND PROVIDE SOME LEVEL OF, OF, OF, UM, COMMUNICATION IN TERMS OF HOW THE PROGRAM IS DOING.
COUNCIL MEMBER TREVINO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ROSIE GARCIA, FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL.
AND THANK YOU ALEX, FOR THOSE PRESENTATIONS.
UM, I WANNA START OFF REALLY FAST ASKING WHO'S OUR LIAISON FOR SMALL BUSINESSES? WE HAVE, UM, HUGO IAN.
HE IS, HE HAS OVER 20 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE WITH OUR DEPARTMENT, AND, UM, HE IS THAT FIRST POINT LIAISON FOR US.
[01:15:01]
HUGO GO INTO THE AREAS AND, AND TALK TO OUR SMALL BUSINESSES THAT ARE IN OUR DIFFERENT DISTRICTS, ET CETERA, REGULARLY? NO, WE ACTUALLY, HE USED TO BE HOUSED AT THE, AT THE ONE STOP.UM, AND IT WAS MORE OF AN ENGAGEMENT WITH BUSINESSES CAME IN AND HAD ANY KIND OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES RELATED QUESTIONS.
THEY ALSO HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT NEW BUSINESS FORMATION THEY WOULD TALK TO, TO OUR, OUR LIAISON.
NOW THIS, UM, HUGO IS ACTUALLY SHARING TIME BOTH IN OUR OFFICES AND OVER AT LAUNCH SA.
UM, SO MAYBE WE CAN GET, UH, I CAN GET A, A MEETING WITH HIM.
I WAS, UH, WONDERING WHAT SOME OF THE PROACTIVE EFFORTS THAT HE'S MAKING DURING, UM, THESE TIMES WOULD BE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES, BUT THAT COULD BE, THAT COULD BE LATER.
ALSO, UM, I WANTED TO KNOW WHERE DOES WAGE EQUITY FOR WOMEN LIE IN OUR CITY STRUCTURE? THAT MIGHT BE AN ERIC QUESTION.
AND I'M LOOKING SPECIFICALLY LIKE TO SEE, SO THE REPORT, FOR INSTANCE, FOR WOMEN, UM, UH, THE, THE REVIEW, THE PAY EQUITY, WHERE DOES THAT LIVE? IN OUR, IN, IN THE CITY STRUCTURE? ERIC IS, IS IT E D D? NO, IT'S IN OUR HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.
AND, AND THAT'S A PRESENTATION THAT, UH, IS COMING TO THE COUNCIL IN TWO WEEKS.
SO WE CAN INCLUDE SOME INFORMATION AND STATS ON THAT, UH, WHEN, UH, LAURIE STEWART COMES.
UM, AND THEN I ALSO WANTED TO ASK, SO, AND, AND THE REASON THAT I DO, YOU GUYS WILL SEE WHERE I'M GETTING HERE IN JUST A LITTLE BIT, BUT IN 2014, UM, IN BOSTON, UH, THE MAYOR OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, UH, MAYOR WALSH ESTABLISHED THE OFFICE OF WOMEN'S, UM, ADVANCEMENT.
AND SO IT, IT WAS SIX YEARS AGO.
AND SO I WAS JUST TRYING TO SEE LIKE WHAT WE'RE DOING TO ADVANCE, UM, SPECIFICALLY WOMEN AND, AND, AND, AND MAKE IT A, A REALLY A PRIORITY BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT WHEN WOMEN LOSE A JOB, THEY'RE NOT THE ONLY ONES AFFECTED.
SOMETIMES THEY'RE SINGLE MOMS LIKE ME, BY THE WAY, OR LIKE OTHERS IN OUR COMMUNITY, RIGHT? AND SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE GIVE THEM SOME EXTRA SUPPORT.
AND I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT EXACTLY WHERE, UM, LIKE WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR WOMEN'S ADVANCEMENT SPECIFICALLY AT THE CITY.
BUT WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT AS WELL.
THE REASON THAT I BRING THIS UP IS BECAUSE I AM ON THE WAGE EQUITY COMMITTEE THAT WAS FORMED BY THE Y W C A, AND THEY'VE BEEN DOING A PHENOMENAL JOB, I THINK, UH, AND I, BY THE WAY, COUNCILWOMAN KA HDA AND, AND ANNA SANDOVAL ARE ALSO ON THE COMMITTEE.
AND SO THEY CAN, UM, PROBABLY ATTEST TO THE WORK, BUT RIGHT NOW THEY HAVE, UM, A CAMPAIGN GOING TO TRY TO EDUCATE, OR THEY'RE ABOUT TO LAUNCH A CAMPAIGN TO TRY TO EDUCATE FOLKS WHAT HAPPENS, UH, WHEN WOMEN, FOR INSTANCE, DON'T GET PAID WHAT THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO.
UM, THEY ALSO ARE WORKING ON MESSAGING, UH, TO TRY TO PUSH, UM, SOME LEGISLATION FORWARD, RIGHT? AND SO IN, IN THESE VERY REAL ISSUES, AND I'M REALLY PROUD OF BEING A PROUD OF THIS BECAUSE OF, OF BEING A, A PART OF THIS, BECAUSE THEY'RE LOOKING TO FO TO FOCUS ON DOMESTIC WORK AND SMALL BUSINESSES.
THEY'RE ALSO WORKING WITH HR DIRECTORS TO GET SOME INFORMATION.
SO THEY'RE REALLY DOING AN ANALYSIS OF FRONTLINE WORKERS.
AND I WANTED TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY GIVE THEM A SHOUT OUT BECAUSE I THINK THAT THEY'RE DOING SOMETHING THAT MAYBE HASN'T NECESSARILY BEEN DONE BEFORE IN MANY CITIES.
AND SO, UM, I, I WANTED TO, TO, UH, TRY TO SEE ALSO HOW WE CAN WORK IN, UM, MAYBE WHAT THEY FIND INTO OUR STUDIES.
UM, COUNCILMAN SANDOVAL AND I WERE ON ANOTHER MEETING AS A RESULT OF OUR WORK ON THAT COMMITTEE WITH, UM, DR.
AND SO WE LEARNED A LOT OF REALLY INTERESTING THINGS THIS MORNING.
AND SO, UM, WE, I, I WAS LOOKING AT THE BUDGET AND I SEE THAT WE HAVE, FOR INSTANCE, THE MARTINA STREET, UM, CENTER.
WE ALSO HAVE ESPERANZA, UH, THAT ALREADY HAVE PROGRAMS FOR WOMEN AND FOR GIRLS.
AND SO I DON'T KNOW IF THERE WOULD STILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY OR EVEN THE S I E D F, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT IN SOME OF THEIR WORK THAT WE CAN ASK FOR A MORE CONCENTRATED EFFORT.
I MEAN, I'D LOVE TO HAVE JUST A LIAISON, UH, FOR WOMEN SOMEWHERE IN THERE.
BUT I KNOW THAT WITH THIS BUDGET, IT MIGHT NOT BE POSSIBLE, BUT MAYBE WE COULD LEVERAGE SOME OF THE WORK THAT ARE CURRENTLY FUNDED, DELEGATE AGENCIES ARE DOING TO REALLY ADVANCE, UM, WORK FOR WOMEN.
AND SO, UM, I WAS TRYING TO, UH, YOU KNOW, JUST, JUST WRAP MY HEAD AROUND THAT.
AND SO I'M SURE THAT WE CAN HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL CONVERSATION.
I DO APPRECIATE THE, UH, MY ENTREPRE, UH, ENTREPRENEURSHIP CENTER AND OUTSIDE FIRST BECAUSE THEY PUT FORWARD SOME PLANS TO FOCUS ON WOMEN.
UH, BUT I JUST WANNA SEE IF WE CAN TAKE THAT CONVERSATION A LITTLE BIT FURTHER.
AND IT COULD BE OFFLINE, ALEX, I JUST, WE HAD THIS GREAT CONVERSATION, LIKE I SAID THIS MORNING WITH DR.
AND SO, UM, OUR WHEELS STARTED TURNING.
AND SO, UM, JUST, JUST WONDERING ABOUT THAT.
ALSO, ALEX, I WANNA TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING THE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS WORK.
[01:20:01]
S A REGULARLY.I THINK IT'S ON ALL DAY AT MY HOUSE.
AND SO, UM, I SAW THE BELL RINGING, UH, WITH, UH, KUMAMOTO.
AND SO I THOUGHT THAT WAS REALLY COOL THAT COUNCILMAN
UM, THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND I'LL, I'LL CONTINUE TO, TO PUSH THAT FOCUS, UH, ON WOMEN AND WHAT WE CAN DO, UM, FOR WOMEN.
BUT NOW I HAVE MY QUESTIONS FOR NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING AND FOR VERO.
AND SO VERO, ONE OF MY FIRST QUESTIONS IS, DO YOU HAVE A BREAKDOWN BY DISTRICT OF WHO'S TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE PROGRAMS? UM, ESPECIALLY THE ONES THAT WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW.
I KNOW IN MY DISTRICT ABOUT 1100, CLOSE TO 1200 HAVE BENEFITED, UM, THROUGH THE LAST FEW MONTHS.
BUT DO YOU HAVE A BREAKDOWN, UH, TO SHARE SO THAT I COULD COMPARE IT WITH OTHER DISTRICTS AND, OR, OR WHEN WILL WE GET THAT? YES, WE DO.
WE ACTUALLY PROVIDED AN UPDATE TO THE CULTURAL NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES COMMITTEE ON MONDAY THAT HAD THAT BREAKDOWN.
WE ALSO HAD THE A M I BY DISTRICT AND THE AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD SIZE.
SO WE'LL BE HAPPY TO PROVIDE THAT UPDATED, UH, TO EVERYONE.
I'M NOT ON THAT COMMITTEE, SO I WAS, UH, HOPING THAT THAT WAS GONNA GET OUT SOON.
ON PAGE 307 OF OUR BUDGET BOOK, WE HAVE SOME, UM, EXPENDITURES.
AND SO I NOTICED THAT THERE WAS AN INCREASE OF ABOUT $5.3 MILLION OR SO, BUT THERE IS NO INCREASE IN AUTHORIZED POSITIONS.
SO WHAT I COULD SEE, UM, ABOUT ONE AND A HALF MILLION IS COMING FROM CONTRACTUAL SERVICES, AND ABOUT 3.5 IT SAYS SELF-INSURANCE AND OTHER, CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND THE BREAKDOWN OF WHAT THAT BIG DIFFERENCE WAS AND, AND WHAT THAT INCREASE WAS? IF THERE WAS NO, UH, NEW ALLOCATIONS OR AUTHORIZED POSITIONS ALLOCATED, I'LL BE HAPPY TO DO THAT.
COUNCIL MENDEZ IS MARIA VIE CITY MANAGER.
SO ON THAT, UH, PAGE OF THE BUDGET DOCUMENT, WHICH IS OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES DEPARTMENT GENERAL FUND BUDGET, UM, ONE OF THE INCREASES, EXCUSE ME, THAT WE DID, UM, HAD TO DO WITH THE, THE HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, THE RISK MITIGATION.
UM, SO THAT WENT FROM $1 MILLION TO, UH, FIVE, UH, OVER $5 MILLION.
AND, UH, THE MAJORITY OF THE INCREASE CAME FROM THE GENERAL FUND.
UM, UH, AND THEN $1 MILLION CAME FROM THE, FROM C D B G.
SO IT'S ABOUT A $3 MILLION INCREASE IN THE GENERAL FUND.
SO THAT'S THE INCREASE YOU SEE IN THAT LINE ITEM.
SO I, I'M SORRY, THEN I WAS CONFUSED BECAUSE I THOUGHT THIS WAS, IT SAYS CONTRACTUAL SERVICES, SO I DIDN'T THINK THAT WAS MONEY THAT WAS BEING INVESTED IN, IN OUR RESIDENCE.
I THOUGHT THAT IT WAS GOING SPECIFICALLY, UM, TO THE DEPARTMENT NEEDS, UM, LIKE SELF-INSURANCE AS WELL.
UH, WE HAVE IN THAT CATEGORY WHAT WE CALL, UH, PAYMENTS TO OUTSIDE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE NOT NECESSARILY CONTRACTED OUT.
UM, LIKE FOR INSTANCE, IF THERE'S DIRECT SERVICES PROVIDED TO A RESIDENT, UH, THEY FALL INTO THAT, UM, OTHER EXPENSE CATEGORY.
SO THAT WOULD BE LIKE THE DIRECT CASH ASSISTANCE? YES, MA'AM.
THEN THAT TOTALLY MAKES SENSE.
I WAS WORRIED BECAUSE THERE WAS ONLY, THERE WAS, IT WAS STILL THE SAME AMOUNT OF POSITIONS AND THERE WAS A BIG INCREASE.
I WAS TRYING TO JUSTIFY WHERE THAT WENT.
SO THANK YOU, MARIA, I APPRECIATE THAT.
AND THANK YOU VERO, AND THANK YOU ALEX AGAIN.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROT GARCIA, I BELIEVE NEXT IS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL.
COUNCIL, IS YOUR, YOUR NEXT? YEAH, WE CAN HEAR YOU.
UM, I'LL, I'LL START QUICKLY WITH, UH, HOUSING AND NEIGHBORHOOD.
THANK YOU VERO, FOR YOUR HARD WORK AND FOR YOUR, UH, PRESENTATION TODAY AND FOR, UH, WORKING WITH DOMESTIC NITA, UH, WHO, WHO CAME TO US AND, AND YOU WERE VERY OPEN TO, TO HAVING THEM BE A PARTNER, UH, BECAUSE WE CAN'T REACH EVERYONE AND SOMETIMES WE NEED THOSE CONNECTORS, UH, TO HELP US.
I, I HEARD, UM, COUNCILMAN TREVINO MENTION A STAKEHOLDER GROUP FOR, UM, FOR RIGHT TO COUNSEL.
UM, WE HAVE A REALLY BIG HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM RIGHT NOW.
AND, AND ERIC, YES, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS I SAID TO YOU.
I SAID, YOU HAVE THE BIGGEST HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM WE'VE EVER HAD IN OUR HISTORY, POSSIBLY THE BIGGEST IN THE NATION.
WE NEED A CHIEF HOUSING, UH, OFFICER.
THIS IS, THIS IS NOT A TIME TO, TO WAIT.
UM, SO WHAT I'M INTERESTED IN IS, WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO PERHAPS HAVE A STAKEHOLDER GROUP? UM, I'D BE HAPPY TO ASSIST, HOWEVER, REGARDING HOUSING, UH, ASSISTANCE, AND I, I'LL TELL YOU WHY.
WE CONTINUE TO HEAR CONCERNS ABOUT THE APPLICATION PROCESS.
AND I, I'M WONDERING IF THIS COULD ALLOW US TO SET UP A DIALOGUE WHERE WE CAN FIGURE OUT, HEY, WHAT ARE THOSE GLITCHES? UM, SO THAT WE CAN GET THE MONEY OUT FASTER AND THE PEOPLE WHO NEED TO BE HELPED ARE, ARE HELPED.
[01:25:01]
KNOW IF THAT'S POSSIBLE.AND WE ACTUALLY BUILT THIS PROGRAM BASED ON THE RISK MITIGATION FUND THAT ALREADY HAD A STAKEHOLDER GROUP.
SO AS WE WERE STARTING TO DEVELOP THE PROGRAM, UH, AND THE EXPANSION WITH THE ADDED FUNDS, WE TALKED EXTENSIVELY WITH THOSE STAKEHOLDERS.
UM, WE HAVE ADDED MORE FOLKS THAT WE LISTENED TO AS, UH, THE PARTNERSHIP HAS, UH, GROWN LIKE DOMESTIC.
AND WE HAVE TWEAKED, UH, OUR PROCESS ELIMINATED SOME QUESTIONS.
THERE'S STILL DOCUMENTATION THAT HAS BEEN NEEDED BECAUSE WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE GOOD STEWARDS OF THIS MONEY, BUT WE CAN CONTINUE TO MAKE ENHANCEMENTS, UM, AND LISTEN TO A LOT OF OTHER VOICES SO THAT WE MAKE IT EASIER.
UM, AND, AND THERE'S ALWAYS THAT BALANCE THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU WANNA GET THE MONEY OUT THE DOOR VERY QUICKLY, VERY HAPPY THAT NOW WE, WHEN WE HAVE A COMPLETE APPLICATION, IT'S OUT THE DOOR IN 14 DAYS.
UH, BUT WE'LL CONTINUE TO RECEIVE THAT FEEDBACK.
AND, AND YOU'RE RIGHT, THIS IS THE LARGEST HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IN THE NATION.
UM, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, FOR THAT VENDOR.
I DIDN'T REALIZE YOU WERE STILL WORKING WITH THAT STAKEHOLDER GROUP.
UM, IF OFFLINE, YOU COULD SEND ME, UH, CONTACT INFORMATION.
SO WHEN I RECEIVE THIS, THESE COMMENTS, WHO SHOULD I SEND THEM TO? I FEEL TERRIBLE BOGGING YOU DOWN WITH, WITH MORE THINGS.
UM, BUT IT IT'S FAIRLY FREQUENT THAT, THAT I GET THE FEEDBACK.
SO JUST WANTED TO, TO BRING THAT UP.
SO, SO EITHER EDWARD GONZALEZ, UH, ONE OF OUR ASSISTANT DIRECTORS OVER THIS PROGRAM OR MYSELF IS FINE.
IF, IF I GET IT, EDWARD GETS IT AS WELL.
SO EITHER ONE OF US IS, IS FINE.
UM, I'M GONNA MOVE ON TO ECONOMIC, UH, DEVELOPMENT.
UH, ALEX, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU DO IT, UH, ONLY 24 HOURS IN A DAY, AND I USE A LOT OF THOSE TO SLEEP.
I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU.
I HAVE, UM, I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS ABOUT, UH, THE SMALL BUSINESS AND, AND WOMEN'S SUPPORT.
UH, YOU KNOW, JUST BASED ON THE PREVIOUS CONVERSATION THAT COUNCILWOMAN, UH, RICHARD GARCIA AND I HAD, I'M LOOKING AT SLIDE EIGHT REGARDING, UH, SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT SERVICES.
AND, UH, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE LAUNCH SA, CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THAT MONEY GETS USED? IS THAT, IS THAT ADMIN OR DOES THAT, IS THAT SOME KIND OF DIRECT ASSISTANCE? NO, THAT FUNDING IS, IS FOR THE OPERATIONS OF THE PRO, THE FACILITY AND THE PROGRAMS THAT THEY OFFER.
UM, SO ONE, UM, I THINK IT'S GREAT THAT WE, THAT WE HAVE THOSE PROGRAMS, YOU KNOW, WE'VE OFTEN TALKED ABOUT HOW THE BIG CHAMBERS, UH, DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE THE BENEFIT OF THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE SMALLEST BUSINESSES, WHICH REALLY DRIVE A LOT OF THE LOCAL SAN ANTONIO ECONOMY.
AND HOW DO WE FIND A WAY TO SUPPORT THOSE, UH, THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES.
UH, AND SO WHEN COUNCILWOMAN OR GARCIA BROUGHT FORWARD HER IDEA TO HAVE A, A COMMITTEE, UH, AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON THAT, I, I WAS SUPPORTED.
UM, SO I, I DO HOPE THAT, THAT WE CONTINUE MOVING FORWARD ON THAT.
BUT HERE'S ONE THING THAT WE MIGHT BE MISSING BY DOING THINGS THIS WAY, AND REALLY, MY, MY QUESTIONS ARE MORE POLICY ORIENTED THAN BUDGETARY ORIENTED IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT A CHAMBER BRINGS, UH, TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS THAT SENSE OF COMMUNITY, RIGHT? AND YOU RELY ON ONE ANOTHER, AND IT IN A SENSE, THEY BECOME SELF-SUFFICIENT OVER TIME, RIGHT? UM, SO HOW DO WE HELP SMALL BUSINESSES DO THAT? AND I THINK THESE ARE GREAT SUPPORT MECHANISMS, BUT REALLY, UH, I THINK WE, WE NEED TO FIND ANOTHER WAY TO HELP THEM ALSO HELP THEMSELVES.
SO TAKING INTO ACCOUNT WHAT COUNCILWOMAN ANDREW SULLIVAN SAID THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE PROBABLY SOME, UH, GEOGRAPHIC AREAS THAT WE NEED TO FOCUS ON.
I THINK WE CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION, WHETHER IT'S BY DISTRICT, BY COURT, OR UH, BY CENSUS TRACK, WHATEVER THE CASE IS.
UM, BUT HOW DO WE HELP THEM BUILD THAT COMMUNITY? AND ONE THING THAT WE, WE TALKED TO, TO HOLD THAT THOUGHT,
SO SHE WORKED ON THE PRESENTATION WITH STEVE, THE REPORT THAT STEVE NIVAN GAVE US WHEN ERIC WAS GOING TO PRESENT THE TRIAL BUDGET, UH, BEFORE THE SUMMER.
AND ERIC, IF THERE'S A LATINA WHO WORKS ON AN ECONOMIC REPORT AND SHE DOESN'T GET TO PRESENT, AND I FIND OUT, AGAIN, I'LL BE VERY ANGRY.
SO, UH, STEVEN IVAN PRESENTED, AND THE OTHER GUY FROM AUSTIN DID, BUT SHE DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO ACTUALLY SHOW HER SLIDES AND SHARE HER WORK.
AND WHAT SHE FOUND WAS THAT THE, THE PANDEMIC'S ECONOMIC IMPACT IS GOING TO BE FELT HARDEST BY FEMALE WORKERS IN
[01:30:01]
WHAT WAS CALLED THE ACCOMMODATION SECTOR.SO NOT JUST RESTAURANTS, UH, BUT OTHER TYPES OF, OF ACCOMMODATIONS, HOTELS, UM, I THINK IN-HOME WORKERS AS WELL.
SO WHAT I'M GETTING AT IS, CAN WE SET UP, IF WE HAVEN'T SPENT ALL OF THE CARE FUNDING FOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, COULD WE SET UP A PILOT A, LET'S SAY, $300,000 FOR A PUBLIC PRIVATE WOMEN'S COOPERATIVE IN A CERTAIN SECTOR THAT WE CHOOSE, OR A CERTAIN GEOGRAPHIC AREA THAT WE CHOOSE, AND TRY THAT OUT AND SEE HOW THAT WORKS.
UM, COUNCILWOMAN GARCIA MENTIONED SOME ORGANIZATIONS THAT STILL, UM, THAT ALREADY ARE DELEGATE AGENCIES LIKE MARTINEZ STREET, UM, IF THE
SO I'D LIKE FOR US TO, TO TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE OFF, UM, OFFLINE AND SEE IF THAT'S A, IF THAT'S A POSSIBILITY.
UM, ONE THING THAT WE NEVER CIRCLED BACK AROUND, UH, AND COUNCILMAN GONZALEZ HAD BROUGHT THIS UP, IS FOR THE TEMPS THAT ARE HELPING US WITH OUR PANDEMIC RESPONSE, IT'S THERE WAY TO CREATE A WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM SO THAT WHEN THEY'RE DONE, THEY HAVE SOME LEVEL OF CERTIFICATION THAT'S GOING TO HELP THEM IN THE FUTURE.
SO THOSE ARE DOLLARS THAT WE'RE GOING TO SPEND.
WE'RE INVESTING IN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, HEALTHCARE SECTOR, EXTREMELY, UM, IMPORTANT.
ALTHOUGH SOME OF THESE ARE MORE LIKE CALLING, UH, CALLING JOBS OR, OR CAREERS.
SO ANYWAY, WE, WE HAVEN'T ACTUALLY HAD A CHANCE TO SIT DOWN AND TALK ABOUT THAT, SO I WOULD APPRECIATE SETTING UP SOME TIME TO, TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
AND MAYBE THERE IS, UH, FUNDING IN, IN THE CARES, UH, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, UH, FOR THAT.
UM, SO THE, THE LAST THING I WANNA BRING UP, UH, HAS TO DO WITH, UH, EQUITY, UH, SO BETA AND THE TYPES OF INCENTIVES THAT WE GET GIVE TO OUR BUSINESSES, UH, RIGHT NOW, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT MANY OF THE INCENTIVES ARE, ARE REALLY ONLY, UH, APPLICABLE FOR BUSINESSES THAT ARE MAKING A HUGE CAPITAL INVESTMENT.
SO IF YOU'RE A BUSINESS THAT HAS TO RENT, UH, BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT GONNA BUY SOMETHING, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET WAIT FEE WAIVERS, YOU ARE NOT GONNA GET A TAX ABATEMENT.
AND THAT'S GONNA BE THE CASE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES.
SO I'D LIKE FOR US, UM, MAYBE IT DOESN'T HAPPEN THIS BUDGET YEAR, BUT IN THE FUTURE TO THINK ABOUT HOW DO WE INCENTIVIZE THOSE BUSINESSES, UH, TO, AND THEN LASTLY, UM, THE, THE BETA REPORT, UH, VERY EXCITED TO SEE THAT COMING FORWARD.
YOU SAID IT LOOKS AT THE WHOLE REGION.
AT THE END OF THE DAY WHEN WE AWARD OUR, THE BETA POINT, THEY REALLY ONLY APPLY WITHIN THE BOUNDARY OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
WE'VE HAD CONFUSION AT THE DIET SEVERAL TIMES BECAUSE OF THAT.
IN FACT, JUST THE OTHER DAY, YOU UNITED.
SO I, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE REPORT TO CONSIDER BOTH OF THOSE THINGS SO THAT WE CAN BE INFORMED WHEN WE ADOPT THOSE.
UM, AND THEN LASTLY, I DO THINK IT'S TIME TO GET AN UPDATE ON OUR STATUS OF WOMEN REPORT.
UH, WE HAD A GREAT ONE COME OUT RECENTLY.
UH, IF WE WANTED TO FOR IT TO FOCUS ON THE ECONOMIC STATUS OF WOMEN, AND THEN NEXT YEAR TAKE ON ANOTHER PORTION, I THINK THAT WOULD BE, THAT WOULD BE REASONABLE SO WE CAN BREAK IT UP AND, AND HAVE A CYCLE.
UH, AND LASTLY, I THINK THOSE, UH, THE BETA POINTS, I'D LIKE TO REVIEW THE, THE POLICY WITH YOU BECAUSE IT SEEMS THAT ONCE, UH, LIKE SAY WOMEN IN A CERTAIN INDUSTRY HIT THAT TARGET, THEN WE DROP THEM.
AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO BE SUSTAINED OVER TIME BEFORE WE PULL THAT, UM, THOSE EXTRA POINTS AWAY.
BECAUSE OTHERWISE IT'S LIKE, WE'RE GONNA WAIT FOR THEM TO FALL BEHIND BEFORE WE CATCH UP AGAIN.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S JUST SETTING US BACK.
COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL, COUNCIL MEMBER AYAS, FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY.
UH, ALEX, ON PAGE 12, UH, I CELEBRATE AND HIGH FIVE YOU, UH, FOR INCLUDING, UM, THE WORK THAT YOU'RE GONNA DO AS FAR AS ENGAGING THE TRADE ORGANIZATIONS.
I THINK THEY'RE A KEY KEY TO THE, A KEY KEYS TO THIS.
UM, SO THANK YOU FOR, FOR LISTENING TO ME AND, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, REALLY, YOU KNOW, MAKING THAT A, A PART OF YOUR, UH, YOUR EFFORTS, UM, WITH REGARDS TO, UH, YOU KNOW, SLASHING THE INCENTIVE, YOU KNOW, FUNDS, WHATEVER THE INCENTIVE CUTS THAT WE'RE GONNA BE DOING.
UM, I'M JUST WONDERING HOW THAT COMPARES TO WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, DO YOU, DO YOU KNOW, HAVE YOU BENCHMARKED THAT, YOU KNOW, HOW WE STACK UP AGAINST OTHER CITIES IN THIS REGARD? WE, WE HAVE NOT DONE A COMPARISON WITH OTHER COMMUNITIES.
UM, UH, I KNOW A LOT OF COMMUNITIES ARE EXPERIENCING VERY SIMILAR BUDGET CHALLENGES,
[01:35:01]
UM, BUT WE HAVEN'T NECESSARILY SEEN IF THEY'RE ALSO DECREASING THEIR GRANTS.UM, NOT A LOT OF COMMUNITIES ACTUALLY HAVE GRANTS, LIKE CASH GRANTS AS PART OF THEIR INCENTIVES.
SO, UM, THAT WE, WE HAVEN'T BENCHMARKED THAT YET.
AND, AND I THINK THAT BEFORE WE MAKE A REALLY BIG DECISION LIKE THIS, THAT THAT KIND OF DATA IS IMPORTANT, RIGHT? SO THAT WE CAN AT LEAST UNDERSTAND.
'CAUSE I MEAN, WE ARE COMPETING AGAINST THEM.
WE MIGHT AS WELL KNOW WHAT TOOLS THEY'RE GONNA BE USING AGAINST US.
I MEAN, IT IS A BLOODY KNUCKLE FIGHT TO WIN THESE JOBS, UH, BETWEEN CITIES.
AND SO, UM, I'D HATE FOR US TO THINK THAT WE'RE DROPPING OUR GUARD AND THAT EVERYBODY ELSE IS DOING THE SAME THING.
AND ANYWAY, I THINK I'M MAKING MY POINT.
UM, SO IF, IF YOU DON'T MIND JUST TAKING A LOOK AT THAT FOR ME.
AND THEN, UM, I I, I'VE BEEN READING THAT, UH, SOME OF THESE OTHER CITIES ARE NOW, UH, WORKING ON INCENTIVIZING REMOTE WORKERS TO RELOCATE, UM, TO THEIR, I THINK WE LOST ALEX, UH, OH, THERE'S ALEX, UH, TO RELOCATE TO THEIR CITIES.
HAVE, HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT ANYTHING LIKE THAT? WE HAVE, UM, THERE, THERE'S DEFINITELY A LOT OF THAT.
I THINK TULSA IS ONE THAT THAT'S ACTUALLY INCENTIVIZING COMPANIES, UM, TO DO THAT.
I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS WE NEED TO CONSIDER, OBVIOUSLY BEFORE WE WOULD TAKE ON THAT KIND OF APPROACH.
UM, THERE'S, THERE'S DEFINITELY BENEFITS TO, UM, FROM A OVERALL ECONOMIC IMPACT PERHAPS.
UM, BUT THEN ALSO BALANCING THAT WITH THE FACT THAT WE REALLY WANNA TRY TO CREATE JOBS FOR OUR RESIDENTS AS WELL.
UM, I, AND I UNDERSTAND THE BALANCE, UM, ANYWAY, THAT'S JUST RATTLING AROUND IN MY MIND, RIGHT? 'CAUSE WE KNOW THAT A LOT OF COMPANIES ARE JUST NOT GONNA RE-UP ON LEASES OR THEY'RE GOING TO REDUCE THE SQUARE FOOTAGE.
UM, AND BECAUSE THEY'RE ABLE TO PASS ON THE COST OF OFFICE TO THEIR EMPLOYEES NOW, UM, THAT'S NO LONGER THEORETICAL.
THAT'S LITERALLY HAPPENING, UH, RIGHT NOW.
AND, YOU KNOW, OPERATORS OF COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES ARE FLIPPING OUT AND THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO MAINTAIN SOME, SOME KIND OF SEMBLANCE OF VALUE TO THEIR, YOU KNOW, IN THEIR ASSETS.
AND, UH, BANKS ARE PROBABLY WORRIED ABOUT THIS TOO.
AND I SUSPECT THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE A FLURRY OF, OF BANKRUPTCIES AND REORGANIZATIONS AND ALL THAT.
BUT WHAT'S GONNA BE OUR CONTINUING REALITY IS THAT THESE WORKERS ARE STILL GONNA BE ABLE TO WORK FROM HOME.
UM, AND SO I, I MEAN, SOMEONE'S GONNA REACH OUT FOR THESE FOLKS, RIGHT? AND BRING THEM, YOU KNOW, AND BRING THESE HIGH PAYING JOBS ONE BY ONE TO SAN ANTONIO.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT MISSING AN OPPORTUNITY HERE.
AND SO, ANYWAY, ALEX, THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S WHY I MENTIONED IT.
UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH AND, AND THANKS TO OUR FRIENDS OVER AT THE SAN ANTONIO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION FOR ALL THE, ALL THE GOOD WORK THAT THEY DO.
UM, YOUR WORK HAS A RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT, SO DON'T GET ANY IDEAS, MANNY, ABOUT MOVING AWAY.
YEAH, YOU CAN FIND ME IN CANCUN.
UH, I WANNA ECHO, UH, COUNCIL WISE'S COMMENTS ABOUT THE GETTING THE TRADE ORGANIZATIONS INVOLVED IN THIS.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND, YOU KNOW, WITH EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE SAID ABOUT EVERYTHING, TRADE ORGANIZATIONS, APPRENTICESHIPS AND ALL THAT, TO, UH, ENCOURAGE, UH, FILLING VACANT POSITIONS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE, AND WE CAN'T, UH, WE CAN'T GET THOSE, UH, THOSE FILLED.
BUT WITH THE, UH, UM, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THAT ALSO, THAT WE'RE KIND OF CLEANING OUT THE, CLEANING OUT THE ACCOUNTS AND NOT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE ANYTHING IN OUR QUIVER TO GO AFTER SOME OF THESE, UM, TARGETS OUT THERE.
AND I, I, I UNDERSTAND IT, BUT OUR BACKBONE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO ARE SMALL BUSINESSES.
AND RIGHT NOW THEY'VE TAKEN A BEATING, UM, AND THEY'RE CONTINUING TO TAKE A BEATING AND, UM, THEY NEED HELP.
BUT WE, WE WE'RE, I THINK WE'RE GONNA MISS OUT ON GOING AFTER THOSE LARGER TARGETS.
ALSO, I, I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE US GET, YOU KNOW, MORE LARGE BUSINESSES HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
UH, I THINK IT'S, IT'S GOOD FOR THE CITY THAT WE, WE SPREAD THIS OUT A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE THE FEW, THE HANDFUL OF LARGE BUSINESSES THAT WE HAVE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, THEY'RE DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB, AND THEY'RE SUPPORTING THE CITY.
UH, THEY'RE THE FIRST ONES THAT EVERYBODY GOES TO ASKING FOR HELP, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S, UH, DONATIONS OR WHATEVER.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S THE SAME COMPANIES OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
[01:40:01]
WE NEED SOME NEW BLOOD HERE, AND SOMEHOW WE NEED TO, TO MAKE THAT WORK AND, AND MAKE IT MORE ATTRACTIVE FOR, UH, LARGE BUSINESSES TO COME HERE IN TOWN.IT IS GREAT THAT, UH, UH, NAVISTAR IS RELOCATING HERE.
BUT WE, WE NEED SOME MORE OF THESE LARGER BUSINESSES TO, TO, UH, HELP SUPPORT OUR ECONOMY HERE AND OUR WORKFORCE.
WE CAN'T, UH, I I DON'T THINK WE CAN CONTINUE TO RELY ON OUR SMALL BUSINESSES TO CARRY THIS CITY FORWARD.
I, I MEAN, LIKE RIGHT NOW, UH, THEY, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE TAKING A BEATING WITH, WITH WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THIS C OVID 19.
UM, SO YEAH, I'M, I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.
UM, AND WOULD LIKE TO, YOU KNOW, TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THAT SOME KIND OF WAY.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, MAYBE ERIC, IF, IF YOU COULD TAKE ANOTHER RUN AT THAT AND SEE IF THERE'S ANY OTHER AREAS THAT WE CAN SHIFT, SHIFT SOME MONEY AROUND, UM, UH, IT WOULD MAKE ME FEEL BETTER ABOUT THAT.
UM, ON THE HOUSING SIDE, JUST SOME GENERAL COMMENTS.
I'M ALWAYS, I'M ALWAYS CAUTIOUS AND LEERY ABOUT DIPPING MORE INTO OUR GENERAL FUND.
WE, WE GET A LOT OF MONEY FROM OUR GRANT PROGRAM, FROM, YOU KNOW, ALL THESE, UH, C D B G, ALL OF THAT MONEY THAT COMES INTO THIS CITY, AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE, I, I THINK WE'RE DOING GREAT IN THAT, BUT ALL THESE OTHER PROGRAMS THAT GO ALONG WITH THAT COMING OUT OF OUR GENERAL FUND, I, I JUST, I JUST STARTED HAVING SOME, SOME, UH, CONCERNS WITH DIPPING MORE AND MORE INTO OUR GENERAL FUND AND THAT, UM, THAT CONCERNS ME AND THAT, YOU KNOW, AS EVIDENCE, WE, WE, UH, KIND OF DECIMATED OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUND.
AND, UH, WE DON'T HAVE THAT, HAVE THAT POT OF MONEY, BUT, UH, IT, IT IS JUST, I GUESS MY PRIORITIES ARE OFF A LITTLE BIT FROM, FROM, UH, EVERYBODY ELSE'S ON SEVERAL OF THESE ITEMS. AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I, I'D REALLY LIKE TO SEE US NOT THROW THE BABY OUT WITH THE BATH WATER ON, ON SOME OF THESE THINGS.
SO ANYWAY, JUST SOME GENERAL COMMENTS ABOUT THAT.
THAT'S, THAT'S ALL I HAVE, SIR.
WELL, I, AND MOST OF MY QUESTIONS GOT ANSWERED, UM, ALONG THE WAY.
I, I, I WANTED TO JUST ASK, UH, ABOUT THE DISPARITY STUDY.
UM, YOU KNOW, THAT WE'VE SEEN NOW A LOT.
I MEAN, I FEEL LIKE EVERY TWO YEARS, RIGHT? WE HAVE TO DO THE DISPARITY STUDY.
IT'S EVERY FIVE THAT'S RECOMMENDED.
SO THEN, I GUESS WE'VE ONLY SEEN IT ONCE.
IT JUST FEELS LIKE WE'RE ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT THE DISPARITY STUDY
UM, I MEAN, CAN'T WE USE SOME INFORMATION OR MIGHT IT BE BEST TO DELAY UNTIL AFTER THE CENSUS? UM, OR I GUESS YOU MENTIONED WE DO HAVE A REQUIREMENT OF EVERY FIVE YEARS.
THE, THE ORDINANCE, WHICH, YOU KNOW, CITY COUNCIL APPROVED, UM, IS WHAT KIND OF IS TRYING TO KEEP US ON TRACK TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING THIS EVERY FIVE YEARS, SO THAT THE PROGRAM ITSELF IS ALWAYS LEGALLY DEFENSIBLE, RIGHT? WE, WE DO HAVE, UM, SOME PRETTY STRONG RACE CONSCIOUS GOALS ASSOCIATED WITH OUR CONTRACTING, SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE ALWAYS HAVE THAT LEGAL FOUNDATION TO BE DOING.
UM, AND SO, UH, TELL ME AGAIN WHEN IT'S COMING UP, UH, ALEX, UM, THIS, THE, THE, THE REQUIREMENT RIGHT NOW PER THE ORDINANCE IS THAT WE ISSUE AN R F P TO HIRE A CONSULTANT BY THE END OF THE YEAR.
IT USUALLY TAKES BETWEEN SIX TO NINE MONTHS TO COMPLETE THE STUDY.
UM, SO THEN A YEAR FROM NOW, WE'LL BE, WE'LL BE COMPLETING THAT PROCESS, ADOPTING THE STUDY, AND THEN FROM THERE, WE DECIDE HOW WE NEED TO CHANGE THIS A BETA ORDINANCE, IF IN FACT, OUR CONTRACTING NUMBERS HAVE ACTUALLY, UM, CHANGED.
AND, UM, SO THE CENSUS IS NOT, UH, OR IS THE CENSUS USED FOR THAT INFORMATION? I ASSUME THAT IT IS, IT, IT IS TO A, TO SOME DEGREE.
UM, BUT IT STILL NEEDS TO BE SPECIFIC TO THE BUSINESSES.
UM, SO IT'S NOT JUST THE, THE POPULATION IN GENERAL.
IT'S, WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT BUSINESSES ARE AVAILABLE OUT THERE.
ARE THEY MINORITY OWNED? ARE THEY WOMEN OWNED? AND DO THEY DO THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT THE CITY BUYS OR NEEDS? UM, OKAY.
WELL, I, YOU KNOW, I I THANK YOU FOR THAT.
[01:45:01]
FEEL LIKE WE'VE JUST HAD THE DISPARITY STUDY DISCUSSION.UM, SO, UH, AND MY, I JUST, UH, I WANTED TO, UM, ELABORATE ON SOMETHING THAT COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, SANDOVAL TALKED ABOUT WITH ASSOCIATIONS.
AND, UM, I DID WANNA SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, IN LAST YEAR'S BUDGET, OR MAYBE NOW TWO YEARS AGO, UH, I DID ASK FOR FUNDING TO CREATE SOME CORRIDOR ASSOCIATIONS.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE, UM, WITH COVID, WE JUST COULDN'T DO THAT.
AND SO I REDIRECTED THAT MONEY TOWARDS, UH, SMALL BUSINESS, UM, UH, UH, SCHOLARSHIPS OR, UH, SMALL BUSINESS, UM, PROGRAMS, UM, THAT WE ENDED UP GIVING OUT, UH, BECAUSE WE COULDN'T DO THE THINGS THAT WE NEEDED TO DO.
UM, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT SO MUCH OF OUR DISTRICT WERE ALWAYS, UM, VERY HIGH TOUCH, UH, AND WE WERE HAVING ASSOCIATION MEETINGS, WE WERE WORKING WITH THE W D C TO, TO, UM, HELP US ORGANIZE, TO SORT OF SELL BY THE WAYSIDE GIVEN, UM, YOU KNOW, THE SITUATION.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, OTHERWISE, YOU KNOW, I KNOW, UH, I THINK, UM, I GUESS I JUST HAVE THE ONE QUESTION, ALEX, ABOUT THE CARES MONEY VERSUS THE GENERAL FUND MONEY.
COULD YOU GO BACK TO THAT, UM, SLIDE THAT TALKS ABOUT THAT? BECAUSE IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE, UM, BUT WE DON'T JUST GET QUITE THE FULL PICTURE OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO FOR SMALL BUSINESSES WHEN WE SEPARATE THEM OUT.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, PERHAPS, UM, YOU KNOW, WE COULD USE SOME OF THAT INFORMATION, UH, AFTER WE DO AN EVALUATION OF THE CARES FUNDING AND, AND WHAT WAS THE RESULT OF THAT? BECAUSE, UM, WHILE COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY, YOU KNOW, MAKES A POINT ABOUT LARGE BUSINESSES, BUT YOU KNOW, THE REALITY IS IN, IN MY DISTRICT, UM, WE'RE NOT GONNA GET ANY LARGE EMPLOYERS JUST BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE SPACE.
UM, AND SO THAT'S MY BUS, MY DISTRICT, YOU KNOW, FOR TRYING TO DO MORE SMALL BUSINESS INCENTIVE OR SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT.
UM, IT'S GONNA LOOK VERY DIFFERENT THAN A CITYWIDE PROJECT BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE A BALANCE OF LARGE EMPLOYERS AND SMALL EMPLOYERS AND SORT OF MEDIUM AND IN BETWEEN.
SO, UM, PERHAPS WE COULD JUST, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANNA GO AHEAD AND ELABORATE ON SOME OF THAT STUFF.
UM, ALEX, REGARDING THE GENERAL FUND AND THE CARES, I THINK FOR THE SMALL BUSINESS PILLAR WORK ASSOCIATED WITH THE RECOVERY PLAN, THE VAST MAJORITY OF IT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER IS CARES ACT FUNDING.
SO THE PRIORITY WILL BE TO ACTIVATE THAT FUNDING, UM, BEFORE THE END OF THE CALENDAR YEAR.
AND OF, OF WHAT YOU SEE, UM, THE TOTAL OF THE 38.1 MILLION, UH, ABOUT 27 MILLION OF THAT IS, UH, THE SMALL BUSINESS GRANTS.
SO THAT IS VERY INTENTIONALLY FOCUSED ON THAT DIRECT SUPPORT FOR THE SMALL BUSINESSES AND, AND REALLY MICRO BUSINESSES, BECAUSE WE'RE LOOKING FOR BUSINESSES WITH LESS THAN 20 EMPLOYEES.
UM, SO I, I THINK THAT'S GONNA BE A LOT OF OUR FOCUS IN THE, IN THE COMING MONTHS.
UM, AND FROM THAT, WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO LEARN A LOT ABOUT THE NEEDS FOR THESE SMALL BUSINESSES, UM, WORKING WITH THE PARTNERS, LIKE YOU MENTIONED, W D C, BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ARE GONNA BE OUT THERE GETTING THAT INFORMATION.
AND, UM, THE CARES ACT FUNDING IS ACTUALLY GIVING US, ALLOWING US TO, TO PROVIDE THE RESOURCES TO ENGAGE THEM IN THAT WAY.
WE, WE TYPICALLY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT KIND OF SUPPORT, BUT NOW WE CAN LEVERAGE THIS FUNDING TO REALLY BETTER UNDERSTAND THEIR NEEDS AND HOW WE CAN CONTINUE TO SERVE THEM IN THE YEARS AHEAD.
AND, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, A LOT OF THAT SMALL BUSINESS OR SORT OF MICRO BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT THAT WE WERE DOING THAT WAS VERY DISTRICT SPECIFIC, I THINK WILL LOOK VERY DIFFERENT IN THE FUTURE.
UM, SO WE'LL JUST SORT OF STAND BY AND SEE HOW IT GOES, AND NOT EVEN IN THE FUTURE, BUT IT MAY LOOK DIFFERENT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THREE MONTHS FROM NOW.
NOT, NOT NECESSARILY LONG TERM, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THOSE HAVE MANAGED TO SURVIVE, AND MANY OF THEM DO BECAUSE IT WAS AUTO SHOPS AND HAIRDRESSERS AND, UM, YOU KNOW, MORE, UM, HANDS-ON KIND OF STUFF, UH, LESS, UM, LESS TECHNOLOGY RELATED, BUT, UM, BUT WE'LL, WE'LL CONTINUE TO SEE, UH, HOW IT EVOLVES.
SO THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATIONS AND, UM, THAT ALL AND, AND THE TEAM OVER THERE AT HOUSING.
UM, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I THINK YOU ALL ARE, ARE DOING A TREMENDOUS JOB, UM, TRYING TO SUPPORT ALL THE FAMILIES.
UM, AND IN FACT, I REALLY ENJOYED, UH, SEEING ERIC'S PRESENTATION THE OTHER DAY ON BARBARA.
I'VE KNOWN BARBARA FOR MANY YEARS BEFORE, UH, I CAME ON THE CITY COUNCIL.
AND, UM, I THINK HER COMMITMENT TO, UH, THE NEIGHBORS THAT SHE REPRESENTS AND, AND,
[01:50:01]
UM, AND I ALSO KNOW THAT SHE'S AN INCREDIBLE MOTHER AND, AND BRINGS HER DAUGHTER TO AS MANY EVENTS AS SHE CAN.SO, UM, UH, THANK YOU FOR HIGHLIGHTING BARBARA AND ALL THE WORK THAT SHE'S DONE.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ.
AND, AND LET ME, UM, WRAP UP BY, UH, KIND OF DOVETAILING WITH WHAT'S, WHAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THERE.
UM, YEAH, I THINK IT'S, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO ENSURE WE'RE HAVING A, A PROPER PUBLIC CONVERSATION ABOUT THE RECOVERY RESILIENCY PROGRAM AS IT RELATES TO WORKFORCE.
REMEMBER THAT, UH, THE VAST MAJORITY OF THOSE FUNDS ARE STIPENDS, IMMEDIATE CASH ASSISTANCE FOR THOSE WHO ARE ENROLLED IN TRAINING PROGRAMS, WHICH NOT ONLY DOUBLES, DOUBLES AS, UH, HOUSING ASSISTANCE AND CASH ASSISTANCE, BUT ALSO IN CONSUMER AND ECONOMICS, UH, THAT IN TURN SUPPORTS THE LOCAL ECONOMY WHEN WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT DIRECT CASH ASSISTANCE, EVERYONE BENEFITS, UH, INCLUDING, YOU KNOW, FOLKS WHO ARE RECEIVING THE RENT PAYMENTS.
UH, AND SO IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT, UM, GETTING TRAINING CERTIFICATES, IT'S ABOUT ENSURING THE, THE LIVELIHOOD AND, AND, YOU KNOW, THE REAL ECONOMY THAT HAPPENS, UH, IN SAN ANTONIO.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I, I WANTED TO KIND OF PICK UP ON THAT THOUGH BECAUSE, UH, IT, IT REINFORCES WHAT WE'RE DOING, I THINK, AS IT RELATES TO, UH, THE RECOVERY AND RESILIENCY PROGRAMMING GOING INTO WHAT, UH, HOPEFULLY WILL BE A SUCCESSFUL, UM, BALLOT INITIATIVE NEXT YEAR.
THE RECOVERY AND RESILIENCY PROGRAM IS ALSO BUILT ON, UH, SOME PROGRAMMING THAT WE DID LONG BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, INCLUDING ALAMO PROMISE.
SO, UM, COULD YOU PUT UP, UH, ALEX'S PRESENTATION? UH, SLIDE 14.
ALEX, YOU MENTIONED THAT THE GOAL FOR THE ALAMO PROMISE PROGRAM WAS TO ENROLL, UM, 3000 STUDENTS IN OUR FIRST YEAR.
WE'VE FAR EXCEEDED THAT GOAL, UM, THIS YEAR, OR, OR THE ALAMO PROMISE PROGRAM HAS FAR EXCEEDED THAT GOAL THAT, THAT TO ME IS ILLUSTRATION OF THE KIND OF DEMAND THAT WE HAVE, UH, FOR, UM, PATHWAYS TO TRAINING AND, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, HIGHER WAGE CAREERS.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT HAPPENS IN, IN YEAR TWO AND BEYOND THAT.
UM, BUT IT ALSO, UH, I THINK, UH, ENSURES THAT AS WE LOOK BEYOND JUST WHAT, WHAT THIS IS, UM, WHICH IS IMMEDIATE HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES GOING INTO THE AMO PROMISE PROGRAM, WE'RE NOW BENEFITING, UH, FOLKS WHO ARE DISPLACED IMMEDIATELY, RIGHT NOW, IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE THROUGH THE FUNDS SET ASIDE FOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND THE RECOVERY RESILIENCY PROGRAM.
AND I ALREADY TALKED ABOUT HOW THOSE HAVE A, UH, EXPONENTIAL IMPACT ON THE ECONOMY, BUT THEN AS WE GO INTO THE, THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, UH, ECONOMIC RECOVERY INITIATIVE THAT, THAT THE PUBLIC WILL BE ASKED ABOUT IN THE FALL.
UM, SO LET ME, UM, LET ME ASK, UH, ACTUALLY, I DON'T, I DON'T THINK I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
I DID WANNA, UM, NOW MOVE OVER TO THE HOUSING, UH, RISK MITIGATION FUND.
UM, I THINK IT IS INSTRUCTIVE FOR ME ANYWAYS, AND, AND MAYBE FOR THE CONVERSATION OF
WE DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT THAT IS YET.
IN FACT, WE SEE A, A PRETTY EXTRAORDINARY BURN RATE.
WE'VE HAD TO AUGMENT THOSE FUNDS PERIODICALLY THROUGHOUT THIS.
BUT I THINK WHAT'S IMPORTANT FOR ME IS THAT WE FOCUS ON, WE, WE STAY TRUE TO THAT OUTCOME.
THAT ANYONE WHO APPROACHES THIS PROGRAM THAT NEEDS ASSISTANCE AS A RESULT OF C OVID 19 GETS THE ASSISTANCE, AND THAT WE'RE USING POLICY AND WE'RE USING RESOURCES TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE DON'T GET EVICTED OR FORECLOSED ON.
UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT NUMBER IS.
I DON'T THINK ANYONE REALLY KNOWS WHAT THAT NUMBER IS.
UH, BUT WE KNOW WHAT THE OUTCOME SHOULD BE.
AND THAT NOTE THAT IS COVID AFFECTED RESIDENTS DON'T GET EVICTED OR FORECLOSED UPON, UM, IF WE HAVE THAT ASSISTANCE FUND.
SO, UH, ERIC VETO, UM, LORI, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE IS A PERIODIC CHECK-IN, AND MAYBE THIS IS THROUGH THE COMMITTEE,
[01:55:01]
UH, THE HOUSING COMMITTEE, UM, THAT WE ARE REACHING THAT GOAL.AND IF THERE IS, UH, IF THE FLEXIBILITY THAT WE PROVIDE TO DO FOR THOSE FUNDS ARE NOT ENOUGH, WE NEED MORE POLICY OR, UM, IF WE NEED TO TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION ON, ON ADDITIONAL FUNDS, OR WE NEED TO TAKE THIS TO, UH, YOU KNOW, BE EVEN MORE FORTHRIGHT WITH, UM, THE CONVERSATIONS AND THE CAPITAL, WE NEED TO KNOW, UM, I THINK WE JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE STAYING TRUE TO THE, THE GOAL THAT WE'RE TRYING TO SEE.
UM, THAT BEING SAID, I THINK ONE THING THAT I WANNA ENSURE IS THAT WE'RE ALSO HEARING FROM COMMUNITY, THE PEOPLE, PEOPLE WHO, THE RESIDENTS WHO ARE, WE ARE, UM, HELPING OR TRYING TO HELP WITH THESE FUNDS.
UM, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING'S BEEN THROWN OFF BECAUSE OF COVID.
UH, I DON'T KNOW, UH, WHEN THE NEXT HOUSING COMMISSION MEETING IS HAPPENING.
UM, BUT I, I WOULD LIKE FOR THEM TO HAVE A, A PUBLIC DIALOGUE ABOUT THE PROGRAM AND HEAR FROM RESIDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN ASSISTED, MAYBE IDENTIFY SOME WAYS THAT WE CAN POSSIBLY IMPROVE THE PROGRAM.
UM, AND I'M, I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT THE, THE RISK MITIGATION FUND, UH, GROUP IS STILL MEETING AND THAT YOU'VE, WE'VE, UH, PUT MORE PEOPLE AT THE TABLE, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE TO ENSURE WE'RE GOING BACK TO COMMUNITY HEARING FROM 'EM ABOUT THE IMPACTS THAT THEY'RE EXPERIENCING FROM THESE FUNDS.
AND IF THEY KNOW WE'RE FOCUSED ON THAT OUTCOME, IT SHOULD BE, UM, UH, VERY COLLABORATIVE AND HELP TO IMPROVE IT IF WE NEED, IF WE NEED TO.
THE NEXT HOUSING COMMISSION MEETING IS ACTUALLY NEXT WEDNESDAY, THE 26TH.
UH, AND WE WILL BE PRESENTING TO THEM WHERE WE'RE AT.
UM, THEY DO PROVIDE US FEEDBACK, WE'LL OF COURSE HAVE VIRTUAL MEETINGS, UM, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO LISTEN TO THEM AND THEIR INPUT.
ONCE WE ADVERTISE IT, WE'LL MAKE SURE WE GET, UH, A LOT OF THE CLIENTS THAT HAVE BEEN ASSISTED, A LOT OF THE PARTNERS THAT HAVE HELPED US, UH, GET THE WORD OUT SO THAT THEY TOO CAN HAVE A WAY TO PROVIDE INPUT THROUGH THE HOUSING COMMISSION AND THROUGH OTHER NEWS.
UH, BUT WE'LL GO AHEAD AND DO THAT AND HAVE THE HOUSING COMMISSION HELP US WEIGH IN ON THIS PROGRAM AS WELL.
UM, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE.
SO, UH, THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR THE DISCUSSION.
UM, THANK YOU, UH, VETO AND, AND, UM, ALEX FOR THE PRESENTATION.
THE TIME IS 4:02 PM UM, AND OUR B SESSION IS NOW ADJOURNED.
WE DO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING CITIZENS BE HEARD AT FIVE O'CLOCK, SO WE'LL RECONVENE AT THAT TIME.