[Quality of Life Committee ]
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PRESENT.WE HAVE MYSELF, WE HAVE, UH, VICE CHAIR, UH, VICE MAYOR, PRO TEM, COUNCIL MEMBER AMY PECK HERE VIRTUALLY WE HAVE JOINING US COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, MARY ANNE HUFFMAN, AND COUNCIL MEMBER TWILA CARTER.
SO WE HAVE A QUORUM OF THE COMMITTEE PRESENT.
WE WILL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.
ALSO, WANNA RECOMMEND THAT, UH, OR, UH, RECOGNIZE STAFF FROM, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CAYMAN'S OFFICE HERE.
STAFF FROM, UH, DISTRICT H, COUNCIL MEMBER MARIO CASTILLO'S OFFICE IS HERE.
SABRINA SALTS AND STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER LETITIA PLUMMER'S OFFICE AS, AS WELL AS WELL, VERONICA.
SO, AND WE WILL NO DOUBT HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL FOLKS JOINING US.
I JUST SEE, UM, STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN'S OFFICE, UH, JORDAN FRAZIER, AND AS WELL MY OFFICE IS REP WELL REPRESENTED, UM, WITH CHIEF OF STAFF, LEAH AL.
BIG SHOUT OUT TO, UH, ALAN ROMAN, WHO IS PART OF COUNCIL MEMBER AMY PECK STAFF HELPING OUT AND RUNNING THE TECHNOLOGY.
SO THE TOPIC OF THIS QUALITY OF LIFE COMMITTEE MEETING IS GOING TO BE HOMELESSNESS.
HOMELESSNESS CONTINUES TO BE, UH, ONE OF OUR CHALLENGES NATIONWIDE, AND IT REMAINS SO IN HOUSTON.
ALTHOUGH I AM GLAD TO NOTE WE HAVE OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS MADE SOME, SOME GAINS IN ADDRESSING, UH, HOMELESSNESS HERE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
SO WE'RE GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE PROGRAMS THAT, UH, WE BENEFIT FROM AND HEARING PRESENTATIONS.
THE FIRST PRESENTATION WILL BE FROM THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, AND I WOULD ASK, UH, DIRECTOR MIKE NICHOLS AND, UM, DIVISION MANAGER JARED BRIGGS TO COME FORWARD.
AND SO ON THE AGENDA UNDER PUBLIC SERVICES, UH, WE WILL HEAR FROM YOU GENTLEMEN FIRST, AND SO WHOEVER WANTS TO GO FIRST.
MR. CHAIRMAN, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE.
THIS IS OUR FIRST OPPORTUNITY TO BE IN FRONT OF THE QUALITY OF LIFE COMMITTEE.
WE APPRECIATE THE CHAIRMAN AND THE COMMITTEE TAKING LEAD ON THE HOMELESSNESS ISSUE.
IT IS A SIGNIFICANT ISSUE TO THE CITY, UM, TO MANY OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS.
IT CONTINUES TO BE A SIGNIFICANT ISSUE, AND OF COURSE, TO MAYOR WHITMEYER.
UH, WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR INPUT AND DIRECTION AS WE GO FORWARD.
UM, I WILL SAY THAT WHAT YOU'RE GONNA HEAR TODAY IS FOCUS MAINLY ON THE NAVIGATION CENTER, AND, UM, HOPEFULLY YOU'LL GET A DETAILED EXPLANATION OF THAT.
I'M ACTUALLY GONNA MAKE ONE CHANGE IN THE AGENDA WITH YOUR PERMISSION TO HAVE THE PRESIDENT, CEO OF THE COALITION AND THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM HARMONY HOUSE SPEAK BEFORE MY DIRECTOR, UH, COMMENTS, IF THAT'S OKAY.
AND WE'LL START OFF WITH, UH, WITH OUR DIVISION MANAGER GOING THROUGH A, UM, ORDINANCE THAT WILL BE BEFORE THE COUNCIL WHEN, UH, THE DATE ON, THIS ONE'S NOT SET YET, BUT OKAY.
AN ORDINANCE THAT WILL BE BEFORE COUNCIL ON FUNDING OF THE NAVIGATION CENTER.
AND THEN WE'LL GO THROUGH THE SPECIFICS.
I KNOW THERE WERE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE RESULTS AND THE ACTIVITIES AT THE NAVIGATION CENTER.
ALRIGHT, WE'LL BE HAPPY TO HEAR, HEAR IT.
UH, SO, UM, I'LL PRESENT THE ONE ITEM THAT'S ON THE AGENDA TODAY.
SO, UH, THE DEPARTMENT IS PRESENTING AN ORDINANCE, UH, AUTHORIZING A FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE SUB-RECIPIENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND HEALTHCARE FOR THE HOMELESS OF HOUSTON.
AND THIS IS EXTENDING THE TERM OF THEIR AGREEMENT THROUGH NOVEMBER 30TH, 2025, AND PROVIDING UP TO AN ADDITIONAL $250,000 IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT FUNDS TO CONTINUE OPERATING THE PROJECT ACCESS HOMELESS TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM, BENEFITING A MINIMUM OF 2000 HOMELESS RIDERS.
THIS PROGRAM PROVIDES A CRITICAL SERVICE TO HOUSTON'S HOMELESS WHO LACK TRANSPORTATION BY OFFERING A REGULARLY SCHEDULED NO CHARGE BUS ROUTE THAT TRAVELS TO AND FROM ORGANIZATIONS THAT PROVIDE ESSENTIAL SERVICES SUCH
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AS HEALTHCARE, MEALS, SHELTER, CASE MANAGEMENT, AND OTHER SOCIAL SERVICES FUNDING.ALSO SUPPORTS A COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER WHO SERVES AS A RESOURCE FOR WRITERS, COLLECTS DATA AND ACTS AS A LIAISON WITH OTHER HOMELESS SERVICE PROVIDERS.
AS OF SEPTEMBER 1ST, HEALTHCARE FOR THE HOMELESS HAS SERVED 75% OF THEIR GOAL AND EXPENDED APPROXIMATELY 97% OF THEIR CURRENT FUNDING.
THEY HAVE RECEIVED FUNDING FROM THE CITY SINCE 2003 AND HAD ONE FUNDING IN THEIR LAST COMPLIANCE MONITORING REPORT.
UH, TODAY IN THE AUDIENCE WE HAVE CARLY BROWN, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, AND, UH, HOWARD DABNEY, MANAGER OF PROGRAMS. THEY'RE BOTH JOINING US.
ANY QUESTIONS, MR. CHAIRMAN COMMITTEE? I WILL.
I WILL SAY THAT HAVING WORKED WITH THE HEALTHCARE FOR THE HOMELESS SINCE 2018, THEY'RE QUITE A REMARKABLE ORGANIZATION.
I ENCOURAGE ANY OF YOU WHO HAVE NOT BEEN TO SEE THE WORK THAT THEY DO ON, ON SITE AND SEE THE AMAZING REALLY WORK AND AND COLLABORATION THAT THEY HAVE WITH THE MEDICAL SCHOOLS AND RESIDENTS AND THE HOSPITALS.
IT'S REALLY A REMARKABLE ORGANIZATION AND WE'RE LUCKY TO HAVE THEM IN HOUSTON.
AND LET ME START OFF, JARED, BY JUST ASKING YOU TO SORT OF STATE IN YOUR OWN WORDS HOW THIS PROGRAM WORKS.
HOW, HOW ARE THE HOMELESS SERVED THROUGH THIS PROGRAM? SO THIS PROGRAM OFFERS A DEDICATED BUS ROUTE, UM, THAT GOES TO ROUGHLY 21 DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS.
UM, IT ALLOWS INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE RECEIVING SERVICES, THEY GET A TICKET THROUGH THE PROVIDER AND THEN THEY CAN GO USE THAT TICKET TO RIDE THE BUS.
AND IT GOES TO, LIKE I SAID, THOSE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE SERVING THAT POPULATION.
UM, IT ALLOWS THEM TO GET TO AND FROM APPOINTMENTS AND THAT IT OPERATES PRETTY MUCH 52 WEEKS A YEAR FROM MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.
AND I BELIEVE IT'S 7:00 AM THROUGH 5:00 PM UH, ARE THE SERVICE HOURS.
AND SO IT'S A, IT'S A DEDICATED, UH, CONTRACTED SERVICE THAT HEALTHCARE FOR THE HOMELESS DOES FOR A BUS AND A DRIVER.
AND THEN THE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER THAT RIDES, UH, ON THE BUS.
CAN YOU GIVE US AN IDEA OF THE TYPE OF PLACES IT WILL STOP TO PICK UP, UH, HOMELESS FOLKS? UH, IT, IT STOPS AT VARIOUS SHELTERS.
I KNOW IT GOES TO, I BELIEVE IT'S SEARCH, UM, HEALTHCARE FOR THE HOMELESS HAS THEIR CLINIC.
UM, I DON'T HAVE ALL 21 ORGANIZATIONS THAT IT STOPS AT RIGHT NOW, BUT I CAN GET YOU THAT LIST IF YOU WOULD LIKE.
AND THEY'RE TRANSPORTED TO PLACES LIKE, UM, I, LIKE I SAID, I DON'T HAVE ALL THE OKAY.
UM, JUST A COUPLE FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS ON PERFORMANCE MEASURES.
THE PRESENTATION MENTIONS THAT AS OF AUGUST OF THIS YEAR, HEALTHCARE FOR THE HOMELESS HAS ACHIEVED JUST UNDER 75% OF THE ANNUAL CLIENT GOAL AND EXPENDED, UM, A LITTLE MORE THAN 97% OF THE FUNDING.
SO THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF A GAP THERE.
CAN YOU SPEAK TO, TO THAT? UH, YES I CAN.
SO THE AGENCY ORIGINALLY ESTIMATED THAT THEY WOULD SERVE 3000 RIDERS, UM, DURING THE 12 MONTHS OF THE INITIAL TERM.
UH, THE NUMBERS HAVE TURNED OUT TO BE A LITTLE BIT LOWER, UH, THAN INITIALLY FORECAST.
THEY'RE AT ROUGHLY 2200, UH, AS OF THE LAST, UH, MONTHLY DATA REPORT.
UM, THE, ALSO THE COST, IT'S A FIXED COST EACH MONTH FOR THE BUS BECAUSE IT IS A CONTRACTED SERVICE THAT HEALTHCARE FOR THE HOMELESS GETS FOR THE BUS PROVIDER.
SO WHETHER YOU HAVE A FEW HUNDRED OR A THOUSAND INDIVIDUALS RIDE THE BUS, IT'S THE SAME AMOUNT THAT THEY END UP PAYING EACH MONTH.
SO THE COSTS ARE PRETTY MUCH FIXED EACH MONTH.
SO THEY DO THEIR PART WITH THE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER TO PROMOTE RIDERSHIP AND, UM, ADDITIONAL OUTREACH.
SO THAT'S WHY THERE'S A BIT OF A MISMATCH AND THAT'S WHY FOR THIS NEXT TERM WE'RE BRINGING THE RIDERSHIP GOAL DOWN TO 2000 INDIVIDUALS.
AND, AND, UH, ANY THOUGHTS ON, ON WHY THE NUMBER OF FOLKS SERVED IS, IS DOWN A LITTLE BIT FROM THE, UH, GOALS OR PROJECTIONS? I DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION RIGHT NOW.
UM, ALSO THE TEXT OF YOUR PRESENTATION SAYS, UH, HHH HAD NO FINDINGS ON THEIR LAST COMPLIANCE MONITORING REVIEW, BUT DID I HEAR YOU SAY THAT THERE WAS ONE FINDING? YES, SIR.
CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THAT? YEAH.
SMALL CHANGE TO THE PRESENTATION, AS OF, UH, IN THE PAST FEW DAYS, THERE WAS A MORE RECENT COMPLIANCE MONITORING PERFORMED AND THERE WAS ONE FINDING BY OUR COMPLIANCE TEAM.
AND THAT FINDING WAS RELATED TO THE SUBMISSION OF PAYMENTS BEING PASSED THE 20TH OF EACH MONTH, WHICH IS IN THE CONTRACT AND THE AGENCY IS WORKING TO ADDRESS THAT.
UH, BUT IT WAS A RELATIVELY MINOR FINDING IN THAT, AGAIN, IT'S JUST THE SUBMISSION OF THE PAYMENTS IN A TIMELY MANNER AND WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO WORK WITH, WITH HHH TO IMPROVE ON THAT.
SO THAT HAD TO DO WITH, UH, THE TIMING OF THE PAYMENTS? YES, SIR.
AND, UM, THIS CONTRACT, TELL ME AGAIN, HAS BEEN IN EFFECT SINCE WHEN, WHEN DID IT START? UH,
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THE INITIAL TERM OF THE AGREEMENT? HOLD ON A SECOND.AND, UM, WAS WAS, WAS THERE A PRIOR CONTRACT WITH HHH, UH, PROVIDING SIMILAR SERVICES BEFORE THIS ONE? WE HAVE FUNDED THE PROJECT ACCESS PROGRAM, UH, IN YEARS PRIOR WITH CDBG FUNDS.
UH, WE DID A NOFA UH, IN 2022.
AND IN THAT NOFA THEY WERE SELECTED FOR A NEW AGREEMENT.
AND SO IT WAS A CONTINUATION OF THAT SERVICE.
BUT WE HAVE FUNDED THEM BEFORE WITH CDBG IN YEARS PAST.
THAT'S ALL THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE.
UM, I DON'T SEE ANYONE IN THE QUEUE.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM ANY OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT OR ONLINE? LET'S, LET'S USE THAT.
I DON'T HEAR ANY, UH, ANY FROM STAFF.
UM, I DO WANT TO NOTE WE HAVE PRESENT, UH, STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER MAYOR PRO TEM MARTHA CASTEX TATUM'S OFFICE.
PURITA CHAVIS IS HERE ONLINE, AND, UH, ALSO JOINING US IN CHAMBERS FROM DISTRICT F STAFF IS, UH, ISAAC FROM DISTRICT B, MARY MORENO AND DISTRICT I, EDITH SANTA MARIA.
UM, NOT HEARING ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND THANK YOU FOR THAT.
JARED AND MIKE, DID YOU INDICATE YOU, YOU, YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD AND MOVE TO THE PRESENTATION FROM COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS? YES.
UM, AGAIN, LET ME ASK, UM, SINCE CARLY BROWN IS HERE, WHO'S THE PRESIDENT, CEO OF HHH, DO YOU WANT ANY QUESTIONS DIRECTED AT HER? UH, SURE.
WHY DON'T YOU COME FORWARD? COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIE DAVIS HAS JOINED US.
CARLY SAID A LONG HISTORY AT HHH AND IN THIS COMMUNITY, UM, BEGINNING AS A INTERN AND A FELLOW TO HHH.
SO, UH, AGAIN, IF YOU HAVE SOME QUESTIONS TO HER ABOUT, ABOUT HEALTHCARE FOR THE HOMELESS OR TO, UH, ABOUT HOMELESSNESS IN GENERAL.
SHE'S A, SHE'S ONE OF OUR TRUE HEROES IN HOUSTON.
AND I HOPE, THANK YOU FOR HAVING MIKE.
DIDN'T CATCH YOU OFF GUARD TOO MUCH
CAN YOU JUST KIND OF GIVE US A, A THUMBNAIL SKETCH OF SOME OF THE PLACES THE, UH, THIS BUS STOPS AND THE LOCATIONS WHERE, UH, IT TAKES THE CLIENTS? SURE.
UM, SO AS MENTIONED, THERE'S 21 DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS AND STOPS THAT THE, UH, THAT THE BUS MAKES, INCLUDING PLACES LIKE THE SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION, LOAVES AND FISHES SEARCH, UH, NEW HOPE HOUSING HAS MULTIPLE SITES, UH, TIMINOS HOUSING, ALL THREE OF OUR BRICK AND MORTAR, UM, STAR OF HOPE WOMEN'S DEVELOPMENT, STAR OF HOPE MEN'S DEVELOPMENT CENTER.
SO WE ACTUALLY DO AN ANNUAL SURVEY OF THE PEOPLE THAT RIDE THE BUS AND ASK THEM WHERE THEY NEED TO GO AND THEN WE ADJUST THE ROUTE ACCORDINGLY.
AND, UM, HOW DO Y'ALL GET THE WORD OUT THAT THIS SERVICE IS AVAILABLE TO THE HOMELESS? SO WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR PARTNER NETWORKS AND SO THAT INCLUDES MANY OF THE, UM, OTHER HOMELESS SERVICE PROVIDERS THAT ARE NOT ONLY ON THE ROUTE, BUT THAT WOULD LIKE TO BE ON THE ROUTE.
AND THEN AS ALSO MENTIONED, WE HAVE A COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER WHO RIDES THE BUS AND CONNECTS WITH THE COMMUNITY AND THE PEOPLE WHO ARE RIDING THE BUS IN ORDER TO PROVIDE ALL KINDS OF INFORMATION.
I DON'T SEE, UH, ANY QUESTIONS? SO, MR. CHAIRMAN, I'LL ADD ONE, ONE OTHER ITEM ON THIS.
I WANT YOU, I WANNA MAKE SURE THE COMMITTEE UNDERSTANDS THAT THE, THAT THE, UM, TRANSPORTATION NOT ONLY GOES TO PEOPLE WHO ARE CURRENTLY HOMELESS, BUT PEOPLE WHO ARE RECENTLY HOMELESS.
UH, THOSE OF THOSE AT NEW HOPE OR TIM TIMINOS, I, I WILL CONTINUE TO, UM, ARGUE FOR THAT THIS GROUP IS UNDERSERVED AND WE NEED TO KEEP WORKING ON THIS GROUP BECAUSE, UM, WHEN SOMEONE IS, HAS EXPERIENCED HOMELESSNESS AND THEY'VE MOVED INTO THEIR OWN HOUSING, THEIR CASE MANAGERS THERE, BUT OFTEN THERE ARE HEALTHCARE ISSUES THAT THEY MUST FACE.
SO WE APPRECIATE YOU WORKING ON THE MORE, MOST RECENTLY HOMELESS ALSO MM-HMM
I'M ONE ADDITION TO THIS GREAT POINT IS THAT, UH, WHEN SURVEY TRANSPORTATION IS THE NUMBER ONE BARRIER TO ACCESSING SERVICES, PARTICULARLY FOR THOSE WHO ARE STRUGGLING WITH HOUSING STABILITY OR HOMELESSNESS.
SO THIS IS A SYSTEM WIDE WAY TO REDUCE THE NUMBER ONE BARRIER TO ACCESSING MULTIPLE SERVICES.
AND, AND UM, I THINK IT WAS REPRESENTED THAT ABOUT 2200, UH, FOLKS HAVE BEEN SERVED OR 2200 TRIPS, I GUESS YOU'D SAY HAVE BEEN, UH,
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THAT'S INDIVIDUAL PEOPLE.YES, THE RIDER, THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF RIDES IS MUCH HIGHER.
SO WE DO HAVE ONE QUESTION, UH, FROM, UH, PURITA CHAVIS STAFF OF MAYOR PRO TEM CASTEX TATUM'S OFFICE.
ARE THERE ANY SERVICES AVAILABLE FOR THOSE IN, UH, THE PART OF HOUSTON THAT IS IN FORT BEND COUNTY? UM, CURRENTLY THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM DOES NOT SERVE FORT BEND COUNTY.
UM, IT SERVES MORE HARRIS COUNTY AND, AND LOCAL HOUSTON.
UM, YOU, YOU, YOU MAY BE AWARE, BUT THERE'S A SMALL PART OF HOUSTON THAT IS IN FORT BEND COUNTY.
UH, SEVERAL THOUSAND FOLKS LIVE DOWN THERE, SO YOU MIGHT CONSIDER IN THE FUTURE, UH, WAYS TO SERVE THE HOMELESS IN IN THAT AREA.
I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS FOR YOU, BUT THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO AND, AND FOR YOUR, UH, WILLINGNESS TO COME FORWARD.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR MANY YEARS OF SUPPORT.
WE HAVE STAFF FROM DISTRICT D, UH, PRESENT AS WELL.
UM, MIKE, WOULD YOU LIKE, UH, TO PROCEED WITH THE PRESENTATION FROM COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS AT THIS TIME? SURE.
I'D LIKE TO BRING UP BOTH KELLY YOUNG, OH, AND MEG IS HERE TOO, FROM HARMONY HOUSE.
I'M GONNA SIT DOWN 'CAUSE YOU HAVE TWO OF THE SMARTEST WOMEN I KNOW.
I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE MAY, YOU MAY NOT HEAR ENOUGH OF, BUT I WOULD WAIT FOR FURTHER INFORMATION IS WHAT IS OUR PLAN GOING FORWARD? UM, WE'RE WORKING DILIGENTLY WITH THE ADMINISTRATION ON THAT PLAN GOING FORWARD.
WE HAD A BRIEF CONVERSATION TO OTHER MEETINGS ABOUT THAT.
BUT AGAIN, IF YOU, IF THEY CAN'T GIVE ANSWERS ABOUT THE PLAN GOING FORWARD, WE WILL HAVE THAT SOON.
OTHER THAN GRATITUDE FOR, FOR WHAT YOU GUYS DO.
SO WHY DON'T YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELVES AND THEN START AT YOUR CONVENIENCE.
MY NAME IS KELLY YOUNG AND I'M THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS OR CFTH.
AND I ALWAYS OVEREXPLAIN, SO PLEASE INTERRUPT ME.
UM, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR IF YOU'D LIKE THE, THE CONVERSATION TO GO IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION.
UM, AND I WILL HAVE THE LOVELY MEG INTRODUCE HERSELF.
I AM THE CEO OF HARMONY HOUSE.
HARMONY HOUSE OPERATES THE NAVIGATION CENTER.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR INVITING US TO DISCUSS THE NAVIGATION CENTER AND ITS IMPACT ON THE LARGER SYSTEM.
I'VE ADDED CONTEXT TO THIS PRESENTATION TO PROVIDE A FOUNDATION FOR THIS DISCUSSION.
THIS INCLUDES A BRIEF UNDERSTANDING OF THE COALITION'S ROLE, THE HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM, AND THE PHASES THIS SYSTEM'S DEVELOPED OVER THE YEARS, THE LAST 12 YEARS, RESULTING IN A 60% REDUCTION IN HOMELESSNESS IN HOUSTON.
I'LL ALSO NOW DISCUSS THE NAVIGATION CENTER, WHAT IT WAS, IS AND OFFERS TO BE IN THE NEXT PHASES OF THE HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM.
AND WE WILL COVER THE FOLLOWED REQUESTED TOPICS OF PHILOSOPHY AND HOW THESE CENTER OPERATIONS FITS INTO IT.
OVERVIEW OF THE HOUSING NAVIGATION OPERATIONS GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND INFORMATION ON POSSIBLE EXPANSION.
SO WHAT DO WE DO? THE COALITION IS THE CFTH COORDINATE COORDINATES THE FEDERAL FUNDING AND APPLICATION THAT FUNDS THE WAY HOME PARTNERS, WHICH MAKE UP THE HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM AND COORDINATES THE LOCAL RESOURCES AND REQUIREMENTS OF THE HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM.
THE FEDERAL FUNDING FOR HOMELESSNESS IS VERY, VERY SPECIFIC.
THERE ARE ONLY TWO HOUSING INTERVENTIONS THAT IT PAYS FOR, AND THAT IS PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AND RAPID REHOUSING.
AND THAT'S FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HARRIS COUNTY, MONTGOMERY COUNTY, AND FORT BEND COUNTY.
AND THIS IS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE LITERALLY ON THE STREET.
WE WORK COLLECTIVELY WITH OTHER FUNDING SOURCES AND PROJECTS, INCLUDING THE CITY, COUNTY, STATE, PHILANTHROPY, SOCIAL SERVICES AND ASSISTANCE MINISTRIES TO FILL THE GAPS WITHIN THE RESPONSE SYSTEM AND PROVIDE WRAPAROUND SERVICES FOR THOSE GETTING HOUSING THROUGH THE SYSTEM.
THE WAY HOME FUND PARTNERS FUNDING IS MAINLY FOR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, WHICH IS PEOPLE WITH DOCUMENTED DISABILITIES AND A LONG TIME ON THE STREETS.
THE SECOND IS RAPID REHOUSING, WHICH IS A HOUSING INTERVENTION THAT HELPS PAY FOR RENT UP TO 12 MONTHS.
BOTH INTERVENTIONS REQUIRE THAT IF AN INDIVIDUAL HAS INCOME, THAT THEY USE 30% OF THEIR INCOME TO PAY FOR RENT.
I GUESS WE'RE ONE AHEAD, BUT THAT'S OKAY.
UM, AS MENTIONED, THE WAY HOME IS MADE UP OF OUR PARTNERS AND OTHER SYSTEM PROVIDERS WHO CREATE THE PROGRAMS THAT SERVE INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
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HARMONY HOUSE IS AN EXAMPLE OF A PARTNER WITHIN THE SYSTEM AS WELL AS YOU THE CITY.BECAUSE FEDERAL FUNDING IS LIMITED, WE MUST HAVE HIGH LEVEL OF COORDINATION TO CREATE THE NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED HOUSING HOMELESS SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE IN HOUSTON.
BUT IT'S NOT JUST OUR REHOUSING NUMBERS, IT'S ACTUALLY THE COLLABORATIVE NATURE OF OUR WORK THAT HAS MADE US RECOGNIZED CITY ENGAGEMENT IS NECESSARY TO MAXIMIZE ANY ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AND USE THOSE DOLLARS EFFECTIVELY.
AND THE NAVIGATION CENTER WAS CREATED, UM, IN, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THIS PROCESS.
ONE THING I THINK IT'S BEEN HELPFUL TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT THE NAVIGATION CENTER WAS CONCEIVED AS A TOOL TO SUPPORT THE PRACTICE OF CLOSING ENCAMPMENTS.
AND THE REASON WHY THAT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT IT WAS REALLY TO PROVIDE A TEMPORARY PLACEMENT FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE IN AN ENCAMPMENT ALREADY ASSIGNED HOUSING, BUT WERE WAITING ON THAT HOUSING AND INSTEAD OF HAVING THEM STAY IN THE ENCAMPMENT, CREATE A TEMPORARY SPACE FOR THEM TO STAY WHILE THEY WERE WAITING FOR THE LAST PIECES OF THEIR HOUSING TO COME TOGETHER.
THEREFORE, IT WAS NEVER MEANT TO BE AND IS NOT NECESSARILY THE BEGINNING OF THE PROCESS.
UM, IT WAS NOT SET UP TO BE A FRONT DOOR LIKE A NORMAL FRONT DOOR SERVICE PROVIDER.
UM, IT WAS SET UP TO BE A TEMPORARY STOP OVER WHILE SOMEBODY'S HOUSING WAS BEING FINALIZED AND EVERYBODY COMING INTO THE NAVIGATION CENTER KNEW THEY HAD A PLACEMENT IN SOME SORT, SORT OF LONG-TERM, UM, INTERVENTION AT THE END OF THEIR STAY.
YOU CAN TELL BY THIS SLIDE THAT WE'VE ALWAYS WORKED IN PHASES AND IT ALWAYS DEPENDS ON THE FUNDINGS THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE AND OUR ABILITY TO ACTUALLY HOUSE PEOPLE.
UM, AS YOU CAN TELL THAT THE LAST COUPLE PHASES HAVE BEEN VERY FOCUSED ON ENCAMPMENTS, THAT'S PARTLY BECAUSE OF HURRICANE HARVEY AS WELL AS COVID $19.
BECAUSE OF THE INFLUX OF THOSE DOLLARS AND BECAUSE THE UPTICK IN PEOPLE WHO WERE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, WE WERE ABLE TO USE THOSE DOLLARS AS HOUSING DOLLARS TO MOVE PEOPLE QUICKLY INTO PERMANENT HOUSING AND NOT HAVE THEM ON THE STREET.
WITH THAT EFFECTIVE DECOMMISSIONING OF ENCAMPMENTS REALLY BEGINS WITH UNDERSTANDING HOUSING INVENTORY AS WELL AS A ASSESSING THE MOST VULNERABLE INDIVIDUALS.
AND THAT'S WHERE ENCAMPMENTS CAN BE VERY USEFUL AND QUICKLY.
A ALLOW US TO BE ABLE TO HOUSE GROUPS OF INDIVIDUALS INSTEAD OF ONE INDIVIDUAL AT A TIME.
WITH THESE RESOURCES AND THE HEALTH AND SAFETY RISKS OF ENCAMPMENTS, WE CAN PRAGMATICALLY HOUSE LARGE NUMBERS OF INDIVIDUALS IN ONE SETTING.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU HAD A, AN ENCAMPMENT OF 42 INDIVIDUALS, WE WOULD ENSURE THERE WERE 42 HOUSING PLACEMENTS FOR THOSE 42 INDIVIDUALS.
WE WOULD CLOSE THE ENCAMPMENT AND FOR THOSE THAT THE HOUSING WAS AVAILABLE, THEY WOULD MOVE STRAIGHT INTO THEIR APARTMENT.
FOR THOSE THAT THE HOUSING WAS NOT AVAILABLE, THEY WOULD END UP GOING TO THE NAVIGATION CENTER AND WAITING THERE UNTIL THEIR HOUSING BECAME AVAILABLE.
SO IT WAS A STOP OVER, NOT A STOP PLACE.
THIS DOES REQUIRE THAT THERE IS, WHEN YOU CLOSE AN ENCAMPMENT, THAT YOU HAVE A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF HOUSING UNITS BOTH AVAILABLE SIMULTANEOUSLY AND TIMELY.
AND WHEN THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THIS TEMPORARY STAY, WHICH IS WHY THE NAVIGATION CENTER IS SO KEY TO OUR OVERALL SYSTEM, ESPECIALLY AS WE MOVE FORWARD INTO THE NEXT PHASE OF THE WORK OR ANY TIME WE HAVE ANY MAJOR CHANGE IN WITHIN THE SYSTEM.
THE NAVIGATION CENTER NOW IS A, IS A INTEGRAL PART OF THE SYSTEM AS IT PROVIDES BETTER APPROACHES REGARDING THOSE THAT MIGHT BE SHELTER RESISTANT OR HAVE BEEN ON THE STREET FOR A LONG TIME BECAUSE OF THE LOW BARRIER NATURE OF THE SETUP AND OPERATIONS OF THE NAVIGATION CENTER.
BACK IN 2011, WE STARTED WITH 80, ALMOST 85 INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND MET THE HOME, THE DEFINITION.
AND WE HAVE ALWAYS MAINTAINED THAT WE WILL REMOVE PEOPLE FROM THE STREET FIRST WITH THE HIGHEST BARRIER AND WHO'VE BEEN ON THE STREETS THE LONGEST.
EACH ONE OF THESE STRATEGIES RELATES TO THE TYPE OF INTERVENTION OF FUNDING INTENDED, AND WE'VE ONLY BEEN ABLE TO MAKE GAINS WHENEVER WE HAD LARGE INFLUXES OF FUNDING OUTSIDE OF THE SYSTEM BECAUSE CURRENTLY MOST OF THE FUNDING FOR THE SYSTEM IS STILL OUR FEDERAL DOLLARS THAT WE'VE HAD IN OUR, OUR YEARLY NOFO OVER THE YEARS.
THE, THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NAVIGATION CENTER WAS IN RESPONSE TO ISSUES RELATED TO THE DATA AND OUR ABILITY TO MAINTAIN CONTACT WITH INDIVIDUALS.
SO JUST BECAUSE AN ENCAMPMENT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT SOMEBODY WILL STAY IN THAT ENCAMPMENT, THEY DO TEND TO STILL BE TRANSIENT.
AND WE FOUND THAT IF WE GOT SOMEBODY CONNECTED, WE ASSESSED THEM FOR HOUSING, WE NEEDED TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE WE KNEW WHERE THEY WERE AND WHERE WE COULD FIND THEM AS SOON AS THEIR HOUSING BECAME AVAILABLE.
SO ONE OF THE STRATEGIES WAS TO DEVELOP THE NAVIGATION CENTER, SO TO PLACE TO HOLD PEOPLE WHILE WE WERE ABLE TO WORK THROUGH THEIR HOUSING.
AND THAT WAY WE WOULD BE ABLE TO FIND THEM AND HELP THEM WORK ON THE THINGS THEY MIGHT NEED TO BE ABLE TO GET INTO THAT HOUSING.
THIS HELD LED US, UH, CLOSE ENCAMPMENTS ON A MORE REGULAR BASIS BECAUSE WE COULD MOVE PEOPLE THROUGH MUCH MORE QUICKLY.
I THINK ONE OF THE DIFFERENCES THAT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE NAVIGATION CENTER, IT WAS NEVER SET UP TO BE FULLY,
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UM, UTILIZED.IT WAS SET UP TO HOUSE INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE COMING OFF OF ENCAMPMENTS AND WAIT TILL THEY WERE, UM, ABLE TO RECEIVE HOUSING.
THEY MOVED OUT, ANOTHER ENCAMPMENT WOULD MOVE IN.
WE WERE ABLE TO TRANSITION THEM OUT.
SO AT TIMES YOU'LL SEE OUR NUMBERS WENT UP AND DOWN.
IT WAS BECAUSE WE WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF CLOSING IN ENCAMPMENT OR WE WERE WAITING ON HOUSING TO HAPPEN.
SO OUR INFLUX OF NUMBERS MAY CHANGE OVER TIME BECAUSE THE STRUCTURE OF THE ACTUAL INTERVENTION WAS TO DO HOUSING OF ENCAMPMENTS, NOT INDIVIDUAL PLACEMENTS.
THE LOW BARRIER, UH, STRUCTURE OF THE UM, NAVIGATION CENTER IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT WHEN YOU'RE MOVING PEOPLE OUT OF ENCAMPMENT.
TYPICALLY BY THE TIME THAT PEOPLE ARE ENTRENCHED IN AN ENCAMPMENT, THEY'RE PRETTY USED TO SETTING UP THEIR OWN RULES, THEIR OWN WAYS OF SURVIVING ON THE STREET.
AND SO YOU NEED TO HAVE A LOCATION THAT THE WHOLE GROUP CAN MOVE TOGETHER.
THEY'RE A FAMILY, THEY ARE THEIR OWN, UM, TOWN IN THAT WAY.
AND THEN THEY NEED TO MOVE INTO A SETTING WHERE THEY DON'T HAVE TO GIVE UP THEIR, THEIR PETS, THEY DON'T HAVE TO GIVE UP ALL OF THEIR BELONGINGS AND THAT THEY KNOW THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE SOMEWHERE THAT, UM, AT THE END OF THE DAY THEY'RE GOING TO BE PLACED IN SOMETHING PERMANENT.
IT'S NOT JUST ANOTHER TEMPORARY STAY SOMEWHERE.
SO THAT'S WHY THE NAVIGATION CENTER WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL DURING OUR ENCAMPMENT CLOSURES.
THE POINT OF MENTIONING THE BACKGROUND IS REALLY JUST TO PROVIDE THE REASONING FOR THE NAVIGATION CENTER AND ITS OUTCOMES.
CONTRACTUALLY, THIS IS WHAT OUTLINES THE OUTCOMES FOR THE NAVIGATION CENTER, BUT I THINK YOU'RE ACTUALLY MORE INTERESTED IN HOW IT WORKS
SO I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO THE LOVELY MEG AND SHE WILL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE AND REALLY HOPE THAT YOU'LL ASK SOME QUESTIONS 'CAUSE SHE IS, WHAT THEY DO AT THE NAVIGATION CENTER IS, IS PRETTY PHENOMENAL.
UM, JUST, UH, JUST A VERY BRIEF INTRODUCTION.
HARMONY HOUSE HAS BEEN AROUND FOR 30 YEARS.
WE PROVIDE A COUPLE OF HUNDRED UNITS OF PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
WE'RE A MEMBER OF THE WAY HOME.
WE HAVE A TUBERCULOSIS FACILITY THAT WE OPERATE ALSO, AND WE HAVE A WORKER DORM FOR WORKING HOMELESS MEN.
AND OUR APPROACH TO THE NAVIGATION CENTER, UM, IT COMES A LOT FROM THE EXPERIENCES THAT WE HAVE LEARNED OVER THE PAST 30 YEARS OPERATING A CONGREGATE LIVING FACILITY FOR WORKING HOMELESS MEN.
SO I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE INTRODUCTION.
THE NAVIGATION CENTER, UM, ON JENSEN, WE'VE OPERATED FOR, UH, ALMOST THREE YEARS.
WE OPERATED THE TEMPORARY NAVIGATION CENTER AND NOW WE'RE IN THE MORE PERMANENT FACILITY.
IT IS VERY HOUSING CENTRIC AND HOUSING FOCUSED, AND IT IS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
ORIGINALLY, UM, FOR ENCAMPMENT DECOMMISSIONINGS, IT IS WHAT YOU WOULD GET IF YOU TOOK A TRADITIONAL HIGH BARRIER SHELTER AND PULLED DOWN ALL OF THOSE HIGH BARRIERS, INCLUDING NOT ALLOWING PEOPLE TO COME IN WITH THEIR ANIMALS THAT THEY'VE BEEN ON THE STREETS WITH.
UM, WE DO NOT REQUIRE, UM, SOBRIETY TESTS.
WE ARE TRYING TO MEET PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE IN THEIR JOURNEY TO HOUSING AND WE HAVE, UM, MADE IT A VERY INCLUSIVE, SAFE, PEACEFUL ENVIRONMENT WHILE THEY WAIT FOR THEIR HOUSING.
UM, IT IS CONGREGATE LIVING, SO IT'S A SHARED LIVING FACILITY.
THERE ARE FOUR PEOPLE IN EACH ROOM.
WE TRY TO PAIR PEOPLE BASED ON THEIR EXPERIENCES, ON THEIR SEXUAL ORIENTATION, ON IF THEY HAVE ANIMALS, IF THEY CAN GET ALONG WITH OTHER PEOPLE AND VARIOUS OTHER ITEMS. WE HAVE LIFE SKILLS CLASSES THAT ARE EMBEDDED IN THE FACILITY MULTIPLE TIMES DURING THE DAY AND DURING THE WEEK.
UM, THEY'RE ALL ALSO VERY HOUSING FOCUSED AS WE'RE TRYING TO GET EVERYBODY READY TO GO TO THEIR PERMANENT EXIT.
WE HAVE MULTIPLE PARTNERS IN THE BUILDING WITH, UH, PARTNERSHIPS WITH BREAD OF LIFE WHO HAVE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS.
UM, THEY DO MULTIPLE LIFE SKILLS CLASSES PER WEEK.
WE HAVE THE HARRIS CENTER WHO IS THERE FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.
WE HAVE HARRIS HEALTH WITH AN ONSITE, UM, OPEN ACCESS CLINIC THAT IS ALSO AVAILABLE TO THE COMMUNITY.
DID I MISS ANYTHING?
SO TYPICALLY IN OTHER SHELTERS.
CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE IF YOU SURE.
SO WE AREN'T HOLDING ANYBODY AGAINST THEIR WILL.
THEY COME IN, UM, OFF THE STREET.
WE WASH EVERYTHING THAT THEY OWN.
WE PROVIDE ANYTHING THAT THEY MAY NEED, IF THEY NEED HYGIENE ITEMS, IF THEY NEED CLOTHING, IF THEY NEED LINENS, ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE PROVIDED.
WE HAVE GOALS, HOUSING GOALS OF COURSE FOR THEM, AND WE HELP WRAP SERVICES AROUND THEM WHEN THEY NEED
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THEM.YOU DON'T HAVE TO STAND IN LINE TO GET IN EVERY DAY.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO LEAVE IN THE MORNING.
UM, OF COURSE WE HAVE SOCIAL EXPECTATIONS AS WE ALL DO IN SOCIETY, BUT WE DO NOT HAVE THESE HIGH BARRIERS THAT OFTEN LEAD TO, UM, EXITS BACK TO THE STREET.
YOU MENTIONED THAT PETS ARE ALLOWED.
HOW, HOW DO THE ARRANGEMENTS WITH PETS WORK? SO TYPICALLY, UM, BEFORE THEY GET TO THE FACILITY, WE ARRANGE FOR THE ANIMAL TO BE TAKEN TO THE HUMANE SOCIETY.
THEY ARE VACCINATED AND IF THEY, IF THE RESIDENT ALLOWS THE ANIMAL TO BE SPAYED OR NEUTERED, THEY WILL DO THAT.
THEY THEN HOLD THE ANIMAL FOR SEVEN DAYS FOR QUARANTINE AND THEN THEY'RE REUNITED WITH THE RESIDENT AT THE NAVIGATION CENTER.
SO TYPICALLY THE RESIDENT COMES IN WITHOUT THE ANIMAL AND THEN SEVEN DAYS LATER THEY'RE REUNITED.
THE ANIMAL IS BROUGHT TO THEM AT THE FACILITY.
THEY AND, AND MOST FIND THAT ACCEPTABLE? YES.
IS, IS THE NAVIGATION CENTER THE ONLY FACILITY THAT HARMONY HOUSE OPERATES AT THE CURRENT TIME? UH, NO.
WE HAVE A WORKER DORM FOR WORKING HOMELESS MEN, UM, DOWNTOWN AND WE OPERATE A TUBERCULOSIS FACILITY.
AND JUST A COUPLE MORE, UM, WHAT'S YOUR SENSE ABOUT HOW AWARE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES ARE THAT, UH, THIS IS A RESOURCE FOR, FOR HOMELESS FOLKS TO COME? WELL, BASED ON THE AMOUNT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT THAT DROPS INDIVIDUALS OFF, I WOULD SAY THEY'RE FAIRLY AWARE.
SO A, UH, A LARGE NUMBER OF AGENCIES WILL, WILL COME BY WHEN, UH, WHEN THEY HAVE SOMEONE? YES.
YES, IT IS NOT A WALK-UP FACILITY, SO THEY DO HAVE TO BE BROUGHT IN BY EITHER AN OUTREACH WORKER OR LAW ENFORCEMENT OR A PART OF A MORE COORDINATED ENCAMPMENT DECOMMISSIONING.
AND, UM, IF SOMEONE WERE TO COME IN TODAY OR SOMEONE IS STAYING THERE TODAY, IS THERE, UH, PERMANENT HOUSING AVAILABLE AT THE CURRENT TIME FOR FOLKS TO MOVE OUT OF THE N NAVIGATION CENTER? NO, SIR.
AND WE'LL, WE'LL GET BACK TO THAT
UM, WHAT CAN YOU TELL US IS YOUR, IS YOUR TOTAL BUDGET AND HOW MUCH COMES FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON, IF YOU KNOW? I DO NOT HAVE THAT WITH ME.
UH, ANY BALLPARK? UH, SO WE SUB WE ARE THE RECIPIENTS OF THE CONTRACT AND THEN WE SUB-CONTRACT TO HARMONY HOUSE.
SO IT'S 3.5 MILLION AT THIS POINT AND IT'S THE CITY.
AND THEN SOME OF THE DOLLARS COME FROM HHSP AND THEN WE DO SOME PRIVATE FUNDRAISING RAISING WITH PHILANTHROPY TO TAKE CARE OF SOME OF THE EXPENSES.
AND DID YOU SAY 3.5 OR 2.5? I THINK IT'S 3.5.
HOW MUCH OF THAT, IF YOU KNOW, WAS ARPA FUNDING, UH, PRIOR TO THIS CONTRACT THAT'S IN FRONT OF YOU? IT WAS, IT WAS A GOOD, IT WAS PARTIALLY ARPA AND THEN IT WAS PARTIALLY HHSP AND THEN IT WAS BRAIDED WITH SOME ADDITIONAL C TWO BG DOLLARS.
I'M NOT TRYING TO BE EVASIVE, I JUST DON'T KNOW.
I'M GONNA LET THE EXPERT TELL YOU WHAT IT IS.
JARED, DO YOU WANNA HELP US OUT? I LIKE THAT YOU TOUCHED MY SHOULDER.
UH, I CAN ADD, UH, THE CURRENT FUNDING IS CD BG CV DOLLARS THROUGH THE CARES ACT AND THEN THERE'S ALSO BEEN SUPPLEMENTAL HHSP OPERATIONS DOLLARS.
SO WE'VE HAD, UH, FISCAL YEAR 22, 23 AND 2024 HHSP DOLLARS THAT HAVE BEEN ADDED PLUS THE ORIGINAL ALLOCATION OF CDBG CV DOLLARS.
LOT OF LOT OF ACRONYM IS THERE, IS IT SAFE TO SAY SAFE TO SAY THAT'S ALL FEDERAL MONEY THAT'S PASSED THROUGH C-D-B-G-C-V IS FEDERAL DOLLARS? THE HHSP IS FROM THE STATE OF TEXAS.
THE, UH, UH, HOMELESS HOUSING, UH, SUPPORT PROGRAM.
AND, AND IF YOU KNOW HOW MUCH OF THAT IS GOING AWAY, ALL OF THE CDVG CV MONEY IS CORRECT? YES.
THE CDBG CV, WE PROJECT THAT THE CDBG CV FUNDS WILL BE EXHAUSTED BY THE END OF THIS YEAR.
AND THEN WE DO HAVE A FUTURE ITEM FOR A FOURTH AMENDMENT TO ADD APPROXIMATELY $580,000 OF HHSP FUNDING, UH, TO THE OPERATIONS.
WE DO EXPECT THAT TO ALSO BE EXPENDED BY THE END OF THIS YEAR.
AND THEN THERE IS ANOTHER COUNCIL ITEM FOR THE $3.5 MILLION THAT WILL BE COMING FORWARD IN THE COMING WEEKS, UH, OF GENERAL FUNDS THAT WILL SUPPORT OPERATIONS THROUGH THE END OF 2025.
SO THE CDBG, WHICH STANDS FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT, AM I RIGHT ON THAT? DID YOU SAY THAT WAS, UH, THAT'S GONNA RUN OUT AND IT'S IT'S NOT BEING RENEWED YET? UH, THAT'S CORRECT.
THE CDBG DOLLARS THAT WERE PUT INTO THIS PROJECT WERE CARES ACT CDBG, CV, UM, AND WE HAVE, THAT WAS
[00:35:01]
A ONE TIME ALLOCATION FROM HUD AND SO WHEN THOSE FUNDS WERE EXHAUSTED THERE, THERE'S NO ADDITIONAL FUNDING, UH, IN THAT POT.AND IS SO, SO IF, UH, HOUSTONIANS WANT TO SEE SOME OF THOSE FEDERAL DOLLARS CONTINUE, SHOULD THEY REACH OUT TO THEIR LEGISL FEDERAL LEGISLATORS, UH, CONGRESS, CONGRESSMEN AND WOMEN AND STATE SENATORS OR, UH, US SENATORS, THE CITIZENS OF HOUSTON ARE ALWAYS WELCOME TO SPEAK TO THEIR ELECTED OFFICIALS AND ADVOCATE FOR WHATEVER POSITION THAT THEY SUPPORT.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE, WE DO HAVE SEVERAL IN THE QUEUE NOW.
UM, SO LET'S GO WITH, UH, 'CAUSE YOU'RE NOT DONE WITH YOUR PRESENTATION.
ELLEN IS, IS SO IF, BUT I'M OKAY WITH THE SHIFT.
IF YOU NEED IT, IF THERE ARE QUESTIONS PERTAINING TO, UH, HARMONY HOUSE AND NAVIGATION CENTER, UH, LET'S TAKE THEM NOW.
AFTER MANY CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE HOMELESS CONDITION.
LET ME ASK THE QUESTION CONCERNING, YOU WERE SAYING ACCEPTING OF ANIMALS IN THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM.
UM, WHERE DOES THAT FALL IN A LINE IN COURTS? NOT THAT I'M AGAINST ANIMALS AND PEOPLE WHO HAVE THEIR OWN PETS, BUT A LIABILITY.
WHAT, WHAT DOES THAT FALL IN LINE IN REGARDS TO THE LIABILITY OF THE ANIMALS BEING IN THE SHELTER OR THE FACILITY? UM, AND HOPE, PRAY GOD THAT IT DOESN'T HAPPEN.
BUT IF ANOTHER PERSON WAS, YOU KNOW, BITTEN OR THAT TYPE OF THING, WHAT, WHERE DOES THAT FALL IN THE LINE? IS THERE COVERAGE OF THAT? THERE IS.
BEFORE WE BEGAN OPERATING THIS, WE WENT AND VISITED, UH, A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT NAVIGATION CENTERS IN THE COUNTRY WHO ACCEPT ANIMALS.
'CAUSE WE WERE ALSO A LITTLE CONCERNED.
SO WE LEARNED A LOT FROM THEM.
WE HAVE SOME PRETTY STRICT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES IN PLACE.
IF WE HAVE AN ANIMAL THAT COMES IN THAT APPEARS AGGRESSIVE, WHICH USUALLY THEY CAN CATCH AT THE HUMANE SOCIETY BEFORE IT EVER COMES TO THE FACILITY, THEN WE WILL NOT ALLOW FOR THE ANIMAL TO BE THERE OR, UM, THEY MUST WEAR A MUZZLE IN ANY COMMON AREAS.
AND THEN THEY'LL BE IN A ROOM BY THEMSELF.
WE DO HAVE COVERAGE WITH OUR INSURANCE POLICIES AND WE SUBMIT ALL OF OUR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES REGARDING THE ANIMALS TO THEM SO THAT THEY CAN BLESS IT AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY COVER IF ANYTHING WERE TO HAPPEN.
SO THE, THE AREA OF RESIDENCE IS ALL SEPARATE INDIVIDUALLY CUBICLES, OR HOW DOES THAT, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? THEY'RE INDIVIDUAL ROOMS WITH FOUR TO A ROOM.
AND THEN WITHIN THE ROOMS THERE'S UM, A PARTITION IN BETWEEN THE BEDS SO THAT THERE IS SOME PRIVACY.
IF PEOPLE COME FROM ENCAMPMENTS WITH ANIMALS THAT LIVED TOGETHER, THEN WE WILL PUT THEM IN A ROOM TOGETHER BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THE ANIMALS GET ALONG.
SOMETIMES IT'S BETTER TO HAVE THEM ON THEIR OWN WHEN THEY'RE IN THEIR ROOMS. THEY EITHER NEED TO HAVE THEIR DOORS CLOSED OR THEY HAVE THEM INSIDE OF A CRATE WITH THE CRATE CLOSED.
AND THEY NEED TO BE ON A LEASH IN COMMON AREAS.
NOW LAST QUESTION ON THE, ON THE ANIMAL VACCINATIONS AND ALL THAT TYPE OF THING, IS THAT PAID FOR BY THE CENTER OR IS THAT THE HUMANE SOCIETY COVERS ALL OF THAT? WE USE IT AS AN IN-KIND MATCH ON OUR BUDGET, BUT THEY COVER THE COST OF ALL OF THAT.
STAFF FROM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON'S OFFICE.
UH, YOU KNOW, THE NAVIGATION CENTER IS IN DISTRICT B.
YOU HAVE HERE THAT, UM, 2 25 HAVE BEEN PERMANENTLY, DIRECTLY HOUSED.
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE OTHER TWO 30 SOMETHING? SO IT DEPENDS ON THE TIMING OF THE YEAR, BUT SOME OF THAT HAS TO DO WITH, UM, THE CHANGEOVER FOR INDIVIDUAL INTAKE VERSUS ENCAMPMENT AND THE CHANGE IN THE AVAILABILITY OF HOUSING AFTER A CERTAIN POINT.
AND SO YOU CAN SEE I HAVE A SLIDE IN HERE THAT SHOWS WHEN WE WERE DOING REGULAR ENCAMPMENT CLOSURES AND WE HAD HOUSING MATCHED TO IT, YOU HAD A MUCH HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF INDIVIDUALS GOING STRAIGHT INTO HOUSING.
AS SOON AS YOU CHANGE THAT MODEL AND YOU CHANGE THE INTAKE PROCESS AND YOU ALSO LOSE FUNDING FOR HOUSING, YOU START TO SEE A LARGER GAP IN BETWEEN, UM, THOSE THAT END UP IN PERMANENT HOUSING.
WE STILL ARE AT A HIGHER RATE THAN OTHER SHELTERS IN TERMS OF GETTING INDIVIDUALS INTO PERMANENT HOUSING BECAUSE AS SOON AS THEY COME THROUGH THE DOOR, WHETHER AS AN INDIVIDUAL OR THROUGH AN ENCAMPMENT, THE THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO GET THEM INTO SOME TYPE OF PERMANENT SOLUTION.
NOT JUST HAVE THEM HOUSED AT THE NAVIGATION CENTER.
BUT DO YOU KNOW, LIKE THOSE PEOPLE ARE BACK ON THE STREET? SOME GO BACK ON THE STREET, BUT ACTUALLY MOST OF THE INDIVIDUALS WORK OUT SOME OTHER SYSTEMS. SOMETIMES THEY HAVE A TEMPORARY STAY WITH ANOTHER FAMILY MEMBER.
SOMETIMES THEY GET A, A PLACE TOGETHER.
[00:40:01]
BUT THEY'VE LOST THEIR, UM, ABILITY TO GET THEIR SOCIAL SECURITY CHECK OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.THERE IS A PERCENTAGE THAT WILL ALWAYS GO BACK ONTO THE STREET.
UM, WE ALSO DO HAVE A, A POPULATION THAT WE SERVE IN GENERAL THAT HAVE HIGH, UM, SERIOUS MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES OR SUBSTANCE USE ISSUES.
AND THE NAVIGATION CENTER LIKE ANY OTHER PLACE WITHOUT THE RIGHT INTERVENTION IN THE RIGHT SYSTEM LIKE MENTAL HEALTH OR SUBSTANCE USE ARE GONNA STRUGGLE IN THAT, IN THAT ENVIRONMENT.
DO YOU, DO YOU TRACK PEOPLE AS MUCH AS YOU CAN? MM-HMM
I MIGHT NOT HAVE BROUGHT IT, SORRY, BUT I WILL GET IT.
SO THIS WAS FOR 2023 AND WE HAD, SO I'LL JUST TELL YOU THIS IS HOW MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF INTERVENTIONS THAT WE TRACK FOR.
UM, AND SO WITH THE NAVIGATION CENTER WE HAD 115 GO INTO RENTAL BY A CLIENT WITH ONGOING HOUSING SU UH, SUBSIDY, WHICH IS ABOUT 60% PLACE NOT MEANT FOR HABITAT HABITATION.
UM, WAS 20, NO 5% THE PLACE PERMANENT HOUSING.
OTHER, UM, FOR FORMERLY HOMELESS PEOPLE WAS 28%.
UM, STAYING WITH A FRIEND OR FAMILY WAS 1%.
UM, PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL WAS 1% LONG-TERM CARE FACILITY.
AND, AND THAT'S BECAUSE THOSE NUMBERS ARE VERY SHORT IN COMPARISON TO THE OVERALL NUMBER.
BUT THE MAJORITY OF INDIVIDUALS WENT INTO SOME TYPE OF, UM, PERMANENT OR AT LEAST LONG-TERM SOLUTION OUTSIDE OF JUST RETURNING TO THE STREET.
WE'LL GO TO, UM, STEVEN FROM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ'S OFFICE.
GOOD AFTERNOON LADIES AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR REPORT AND FOR THE WONDERFUL WORK YOU DO EVERY DAY.
WE NOTICE THAT DURING THE HOLIDAYS REQUEST FOR HOMELESS SUPPORT INCREASES.
MY QUESTION IS, ARE YOU CURRENTLY AT CAPACITY OR DO YOU HAVE PLANS FOR EXPANSION OR ADDITIONAL SUPPORT DURING THE HOLIDAYS? SO WE'RE ALWAYS AT ALMOST CAPACITY.
SO WE SIT AT 90 ABOUT 90 INDIVIDUALS EVEN THOUGH WE CAN HOUSE A HUNDRED.
AND THAT'S PARTLY BECAUSE WE HAVE TO LEAVE AVAILABILITY FOR, UH, INDIVIDUAL PLACEMENTS AND WE DON'T WANNA END UP HAVING, UM, SOMEBODY BRING SOMEBODY THERE AND THEN NOT BE ABLE TO PLACE THEM.
'CAUSE THAT CAUSES A, A BACKUP PROBLEM.
WE CANNOT EXPAND BEYOND THE A HUNDRED BEDS.
UM, WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF ROOM, BUT WE WOULD BE VERY CAUTIOUS ABOUT DOING THAT.
THE BUDGET AND EVERYTHING THAT IS CURRENTLY SET UP IS TO SERVE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WE HAVE, NOT MORE.
I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS IS ALWAYS A COORDINATED EFFORT.
SO THE WAY HOME WORKS WITH ALL OF THE SHELTERS, UM, IN THE AREA, BUT WE DON'T FUND THE SHELTERS SO WE DON'T HAVE OVERSIGHT OR MANDATES ON THEM.
BUT WE ACTUALLY JUST STARTED A COLLECTION OF ALL THE, UM, CURRENT DATA OF ALL THE SHELTERS TO SEE WHAT AVAILABILITY BEDS ARE OUT THERE BECAUSE WE DO SEE AN INCREASE IN AN UPTICK.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY DURING THE HOLIDAYS, UH, A LOT OF TIMES YOU SEE FAMILIES GO THROUGH MORE DISTRESS.
UM, OR IT MAY BE THAT UM, PARTICULARLY IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE YOU OFTEN SEE THAT AS A TIME WHEN THINGS CAN EXPLODE.
AND SO WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE MORE BEDS AVAILABLE, BUT CAPACITY IS CAPACITY UNLESS WE BUILD THAT IN AS A PART OF A PRO UH, PROCESS.
I'D BE VERY INTERESTED IN VISITING AND HAVING AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK MORE ABOUT THAT THIS OCTOBER.
SO WE WANT TO HAVE WAYS THAT WE CAN AT LEAST ADVISE OUR CONSTITUENTS THEIR NEXT STEPS.
SO WE HAVE A QUESTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER TWILA CARTER OFFERED, UH, ASKED VIRTUALLY IS THERE A PLAN TO CREATE MORE CENTERS AROUND THE CITY? SO A COUPLE THINGS I WOULD SAY IS THAT IN OUR ESTIMATION, WHAT WOULD BE HELPFUL IS HAVING MORE FRONT DOORS THAT CONNECT YOU CORRECTLY WITH SERVICES.
FOR THE LACK OF A BETTER NAME, I WOULD CALL IT THE WAY HOME CONNECTIONS, WHERE YOU ALL HAVE A PLACE TO SAY YOU NEED TO GO HERE AND THEY'RE GOING TO DO A FULL ASSESSMENT.
SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO PARCEL OUT THE TYPE OF SERVICE THAT SOMEBODY MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET.
I DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW THAT EVERY PLACE NEEDS TO HAVE, UM, SHELTER BEDS ATTACHED TO IT.
THAT'S VERY HARD ON A NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND OFTENTIMES THEY'RE GONNA HAVE DIFFICULTY WITH THEIR CONSTITUENTS WANTING A FULL CENTER DEVELOPED IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO IT WOULD BE BETTER TO HAVE, UM, COMPLEX COORDINATED SERVICES AT A LOCATION WHERE PEOPLE OFTEN KNOW WHERE TO GO AND, AND CAN ACCESS SERVICE AND THEN TRANSPORTATION FROM THEIR TWO SHELTER BEDS THAT ARE OPEN TO THE RIGHT TYPE OF FACILITY THAT SOMEBODY MAY NEED.
FOR EXAMPLE, IF SOMEBODY COMES IN AND IS ACTIVELY UNDER THE INFLUENCE, IT WOULD MAKE MORE SENSE FOR THEM TO GO TO THE SOBERING CENTER OR A PLACE WHERE THEY COULD
[00:45:01]
POSSIBLY HAVE TO HAVE DETOX THAN SENDING THEM TO A SHELTER WHERE THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO STAY.SO THAT'S SORT OF THAT SECOND LAYER OF COORDINATION BEYOND JUST ALL OF US WORKING TOGETHER IN THE WAYS THAT WE FILL IN FOR EACH OTHER.
I ALWAYS THINK ABOUT SERVICE MODELS AS SWISS CHEESE.
EACH ONE OF 'EM HAS HOLES IN THEM, BUT IF WE STACK CORRECTLY, WE ACTUALLY CAN MAKE SOMETHING SOLID.
SO INSTEAD OF EXPANDING NAVIGATION CENTERS, I THINK THERE'S WAYS THAT WE COULD BE REALLY CREATIVE ABOUT SERVICES ALREADY AVAILABLE WITHOUT HAVING TO BUILD NEW THINGS THAT'S PROBABLY MORE COST EFFECTIVE, LESS NIMBYISM AND STILL PROVIDE THE TYPE OF SERVICES THAT ARE NEEDED, INCLUDING THE TRANSPORTATION STRAIGHT TO THE NAVIGATION CENTER IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS AVAILABLE.
AND QUESTION MEMBER FROM, UM, MAYOR PRO TEM CASTEX STADIUM STAFF, UH, THANKING YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UH, WHAT IS THE TIMELINE FOR FINDING HOUSING FOR THE UNSHELTERED WHO ARE ENROLLED AT THE NAVIGATION CENTER? SO I WILL SAY THIS IS A LITTLE INDIVIDUAL, BUT I WILL GIVE YOU THE AVERAGES.
WE'RE AT ABOUT AN 82 TO 95 DAY, UM, STAY AT THIS POINT FOR MOST INDIVIDUALS.
WHEN WE WERE AT OUR PEAK, WE WERE AT 45 DAYS OF REHOUSING.
UM, AND SO WHEN YOU HAVE ENOUGH HOUSING AVAILABLE, YOU CAN QUICKLY PLACE PEOPLE BACK INTO HOUSING.
AT THIS POINT, WE'VE DOUBLED THAT BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF HOUSING AVAILABILITY.
WE DO HAVE SOME INDIVIDUALS THAT END UP STAYING 120 TO SIX MONTHS BECAUSE THEIR COMPLICATIONS OF THEIR PARTICULAR CASE TAKES US A LONG TIME TO ACTUALLY GET THEM HOUSED.
WE WILL SEE THAT NUMBER INCREASE AS LONG AS WE DO NOT PUT FUNDING INTO HOUSING OPTIONS AND INTERVENTIONS.
THAT DOESN'T HAVE TO NECESSARILY BE PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, BUT IT HAS TO BE SOME LEVEL OF INTERVENTION THAT MOVES PEOPLE ON.
UM, RAPID REHOUSING IS ONE OF THE MORE EFFECTIVE ONES FOR A MODEL.
UM, ENSURING THAT PEOPLE HAVE SOME SUPPORTS AND THEN ARE EXPECTED TO GO OUT AND FIGURE OUT A ROOMMATE, GET ANOTHER JOB, DO WHATEVER YOU GOTTA DO, BUT WE'VE HELPED YOU AS MUCH AS WE CAN AND YOU CAN MOVE ON.
NOW I THINK WE'RE BACK TO WHERE WE WERE.
UM, ELLEN AND PICK UP WHERE YOU, WHERE YOU LEFT OFF.
AND I DID ANSWER SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS BEFORE, BUT I'LL GO AHEAD AND GO TO THE, IF YOU CAN GO TWO MORE SLIDES I THINK IS WHERE I'M AT.
AND I JUST WANTED TO MENTION TOO THAT UM, WHEN WE'RE THINKING ABOUT THE NAVIGATION CENTER IN OTHER AREAS, WE DO NEED TO LOOK AT THAT MORE QUADRANT MODEL BECAUSE I THINK, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON HAS BEEN INCREDIBLY GRACIOUS IN WHAT THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO, BUT IT IS ALSO A RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, MEG AND HER TEAM WORKS EXTREMELY HARD WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE HAPPY AND THAT THEY, UM, HAVE EXTRA ATTENTION.
WE DO NOT HAVE PEOPLE WALKING AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE HAVE AN AREA IN THE BACK THERE WHERE PEOPLE CAN HANG OUT AND SMOKE, BUT YOU CAN'T DO THAT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THEY WORK VERY HARD ON THAT RESPONSIBILITY.
SO IT'S JUST ONE THING I WANTED TO MENTION.
I SHARED THIS SLIDE BECAUSE THIS IS A LITTLE BIT WHAT I TALKED ABOUT WITH THE DIFFERENCE IN THE DROP OFFS.
SO YOU CAN SEE THAT AS OF 2023 ALL WE WERE DOING WAS ENCAMPMENT.
UM, AND SO THOSE WERE WITHIN SYSTEM, UM, CLOSURES.
AND THEN AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE BEGINNING OF 2024, WE START TO DO, UM, INDIVIDUAL, UM, PLACEMENTS THAT FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGES THE MAKEUP OF THE GROUP IN THE NAVIGATION CENTER BECAUSE YOU CAN'T CLOSE AN ENCAMPMENT IF YOU DON'T KNOW HOW MANY BEDS YOU'RE GONNA HAVE AVAILABLE.
AND YOU DON'T KNOW, YOU'RE NOT IN CONTROL OF YOUR INTAKE PROCESSES AS YOU WERE WHEN IT WAS ONLY AND SOLELY USED FOR ENCAMPMENT PURPOSES.
THAT'S NOT A NEGATIVE, IT'S JUST A REALITY.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT BECAUSE AS YOU TALK ABOUT BUILDING THESE OUT OR HAVING MORE AVAILABLE IN THE COMMUNITY, YOU JUST HAVE TO REALIZE THE MAKEUP AND THE COMPLICATIONS THAT COME WITH DOING THAT WHEN YOU'RE DOING AN INDIVIDUAL DROP OFF VERSUS AN ENCAMPMENT CLOSURE.
THIS LETS YOU SEE THE DIFFERENCE IN, AND THIS IS WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT BEFORE IN THE ACTUAL NUMBERS OF PEOPLE WHO WERE PLACED INTO PERMANENT HOUSING, UM, AS IT RELATES TO THE DIFFERENCES IN THE TYPE OF DROP OFFS, BUT ALSO AS OF STARTING QUARTER TWO OF 2024, WE HAD LESS HOUSING AVAILABLE AS WE START TO WIND DOWN SOME OF OUR HOUSING PROGRAMS FROM CHIP.
UM, AND I THINK THAT HELPS YOU UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN YOU START AN INTERVENTION WHERE YOU HAVE HOUSING ALREADY ATTACHED TO IT, YOU HAVE A MUCH HIGHER RATE OF WHAT WOULD WE WOULD CONSIDER SUCCESS, WHICH IS THE POINT OF THE NAVIGATION CENTER IS THAT YOU'RE WAITING UNTIL YOU GET HOUSED.
UM, AND THAT AS YOU CHANGE THAT, THAT UM, DICHOTOMY, AGAIN, NOT TO SAY IT'S NEGATIVE, IT JUST MEANS YOU NEED TO ADJUST AND EVALUATE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY ABOUT THE RESOURCES THAT YOU NEED TO PUT TO THOSE CENTERS, INCLUDING THE NUMBER OF SHELTER BEDS.
MY ARGUMENT WOULD BE THAT SHELTER BEDS ARE GONNA COST YOU MORE IN THE LONG RUN THAN, UM, INTERVENTIONS THAT INCLUDE HOUSING BECAUSE THE OPERATIONS FOR HOUSING ARE ALWAYS FIXED.
AND FOR, UM, HOUSING INTERVENTION THAT WOULD ONLY BE FOR 12 MONTHS
[00:50:01]
AND THEN YOU'RE DONE WITH THAT INTERVENTION.SO IT'S JUST SOMETHING TO CONSIDER WHEN YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT IT.
THE OTHER PIECE WHEN WE LOOK AT THIS IS THAT WE HAD, UM, 460 GO THROUGH THE NAVIGATION CENTER WITH 225 OR A RATE OF 66%.
YOU'LL SEE THAT THERE WAS A DROP IN THE THIRD QUARTER OF 2023.
THAT WAS SIMPLY JUST BECAUSE WE DID LESS ENCLO ENCAMPMENT CLOSURES.
UM, AND THEN YOU SEE IN 2024 A DROP IN THE NUMBER OF HOUSING.
'CAUSE THAT'S WHEN WE FIRST STARTED TO NOTICE THE DROP IN THE CHANGES IN THE VOUCHERS.
I WANNA BE CLEAR, OVERALL THE VOUCHERS HAVE AN IMPACT, BUT THEY SERIOUSLY HAD AN IMPACT THE FIRST QUARTER BECAUSE WE HAD PEOPLE SLOTTED TO HAVE THOSE VOUCHERS.
AND WHEN THAT WAS HELD, THOSE INDIVIDUALS THEN NO LONGER HAD THE VOUCHER AVAILABLE TO 'EM AND THAT'S WHAT MADE THAT DROP.
UM, SO YOU CAN ALSO SEE THEN WHEN YOU DO, UH, AN EXIT STRATEGY IN COMPARISON WITH INDIVIDUAL PLACEMENTS, IT GOES TO ABOUT 21%.
THAT'S BECAUSE THEY DON'T COME IN WITH A, WITH A ACTUAL PLACEMENT.
AND BECAUSE WE DO COORDINATED ACCESS, WHICH MEANS WE HOUSED MOST VULNERABLE FIRST LONGEST ON THE STREET, SOMEBODY WHO CAME INTO THE NAVIGATION CENTER AS A DROP OFF, MAY NOT EVEN HAVE BEEN ASSESSED FOR AND IS NOT CONSIDERED THE MOST VULNERABLE ON THE STREET, THEY DON'T MOVE UP.
THEY, THEY DON'T GET TO TAKE OVER SOMEBODY ELSE'S, UM, STATUS AS VULNERABLE JUST BECAUSE THEY'VE ENTERED THE NAVIGATION CENTER.
SO REALIZE WE HAVE A A WAIT LIST OF, YOU KNOW, ALMOST 2000 PEOPLE AND JUST BECAUSE THIS PERSON CAME TO THE NAVIGATION CENTER DOES NOT MEAN THEY GET TO JUMP TO FIRST ON THE LIST.
THEY'RE GONNA FALL IN WITHIN THEIR VULNERABILITY, UH, SCALES.
UM, AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE AS WELL THEN WHEN YOU, SO THE OVERALL PERCENTAGE THOUGH, REGARDLESS, IS ABOUT 49%, WHICH IS HIGHER THAN THE AVERAGE STANDARD SHELTER EXIT, WHICH IS 23% INTO PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
SO IT STILL DOES BETTER BECAUSE OF THE INTENTION OF THE, OF THE STRUCTURE OF THE LOW BARRIER AS WELL AS THE OUTCOME IS TO GET PEOPLE TO HOUSING.
I DON'T CARE IF YOU PLAY POOL EVERY DAY, AS LONG AS YOU'RE WORKING ON YOUR HOUSING
WHICH IS WHY IT TENDS TO BE MORE SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE FOR SOME INDIVIDUALS, THIS IS NOT THEIR FIRST RODEO.
THEY'VE BEEN TO MULTIPLE SHELTERS.
THEY FAILED AT MULTIPLE SHELTERS, THEY DON'T FEEL LIKE THEY'RE GONNA BE SUCCESSFUL THERE.
THEY HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY FOUND SUCCESS WITHIN THE NAVIGATION CENTER.
UM, MANY OF THEM DO GO ON AND GET EMPLOYED.
MANY OF THEM OFTEN WILL COME BACK AND ACTUALLY JUST VISIT JUST BECAUSE IT FEELS LIKE HOME TO THEM.
SO I DO WANNA MAKE THAT POINT BECAUSE I DON'T WANNA MAKE IT SOUND LIKE A NAVIGATION CENTER AND AN INDIVIDUAL PLACEMENT MODEL CAN'T WORK.
IT'S WORKING IN CONJUNCTION WITH THREE OR FOUR OTHER LAYERS, LIKE I SAID, OF THAT SWISS CHEESE TO COMPLETE THAT PICTURE FOR THAT INDIVIDUAL.
AND THEN LASTLY WAS YES, THE QUESTION OF WHETHER OR NOT YOU WANTED TO SEE THESE ACROSS THE CITY.
AND I ANSWERED THAT UM, A LITTLE BIT EARLIER.
I, I THINK TWO THINGS TO REALIZE IS THAT FUNNELING INTO ONE LEVEL OF SYSTEM CARE DOES NOT TEND TO WORK.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE MULTIPLE FRONT DOORS AND MULTIPLE LEVELS OF PEOPLE BEING ABLE TO ACCESS AND ENTER SERVICES.
AND THEN YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE RIGHT PERSON IS GETTING THE RIGHT INTERVENTION AT THE RIGHT TIME.
WE HAVE A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE CURRENTLY ON THE STREET AND BEEN ON THE STREET FOR A LONG TIME BECAUSE THEY HAVE SEVERE MENTAL HEALTH, UM, ISSUES.
AND THAT IS A SEPARATE ISSUE AND IT'S OFTEN CONFLATED WITH THE HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM.
AND SO I DO LIKE TO SEPARATE THOSE OUT.
AND SUBSTANCE USE, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT AS A COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY IS NOT GIVEN IT'S BUILT.
AND ONE OF THE WAYS YOU BUILD IT IS BY ENSURING THAT THOSE INTERVENTIONS AND THOSE SYSTEMS THAT RUN PARALLEL TO OURS ARE FULLY FUNDED AND REINFORCED, UM, TO BE ABLE TO CARE FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS SO THEY DON'T CONTINUE TO LAND ON THE STREET AND HAVE MORE AND MORE TRAUMA TO THEMSELVES, BUT TRAUMA TO YOUR COMMUNITIES.
ANY QUESTIONS? UH, I'VE GOT A FEW FOR YOU.
UH, IT'S REALLY HELPED ME UNDERSTAND THIS A LITTLE BETTER.
UM, COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS NETWORK OF OVER A HUNDRED HOMELESS SERVICE PROVIDERS.
SO HOW DOES, HOW DO YOU DO THAT? HOW DO YOU MANAGE A HUNDRED SERVICE PROVIDERS UNDER ONE STRATEGY AS AS YOU HAVE? WE'VE BEEN VERY LUCKY, UM, BECAUSE WE WERE MANDATED BY HUD TO DO IT 12 YEARS AGO,
OKAY, DON'T WAIT FOR THE MANDATE.
THAT'S ALWAYS MY, UH, LINE TO THAT.
SO ONE THING THAT HAPPENED 12 YEARS AGO IS THAT WE WERE ACTUALLY CONSIDERED ONE OF THE WORST IN TERMS OF, UM, HOMELESSNESS.
NOW, IF YOU'D ASKED MEG AND I, ALTHOUGH I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF YOU WERE RUNNING, NOT YET, NOT YET.
I WAS RUNNING A, A HOUSING PROGRAM THERE AND I WOULD TELL YOU THAT WE THOUGHT WE WERE FABULOUS AND DID EVERYTHING RIGHT AND THEN HAD SAID, YOU'RE TERRIBLE.
YOU DON'T SPEND YOUR MONEY VERY WELL AND YOU DON'T HOUSE THE PEOPLE YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO.
SO IT WAS A MANDATE UNDERNEATH PARKER.
[00:55:01]
ALL HAD TO COME TOGETHER AND TURN OVER OUR HOUSING INVENTORY AS WELL AS OUR COORDINATED ACCESS.UM, SO PEOPLE COULD NOT JUST GO TO ANY HOMELESS RESPONSE, UH, OR HOMELESS ORGANIZATION.
THEY HAD TO GO THROUGH A SYSTEM WHICH MEANT EVERY, UM, HOUSING PROVIDER HAD TO TAKE WHOEVER WAS NEXT ON THE LIST, NOT WHO YOU WANTED OR WHO YOU DIDN'T WANT.
AND THAT FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGED IT.
SO WHAT THAT DID WAS IT COORDINATED ALL OF THE BEDS AND THE SERVICES AS WELL AS THE INDIVIDUALS ACCESSING THEM.
THE CARROT TO THAT WAS WE WERE HOUSING BETTER AND WE WERE SPENDING OUR DOLLARS BETTER.
HU STARTED GIVING US MORE MONEY.
AND SO WE WERE ACTUALLY ABLE TO CONTINUE OVER THE LAST 12 YEARS, BUILD OUT ENOUGH PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING TO HOUSE ALMOST 7,000 PEOPLE.
UM, IN TERMS OF THE ACTUAL SERVICES NEEDED, UM, WERE ABOUT 647 BEDS AWAY FROM BEING AT EQUILIBRIUM.
UM, SO THAT'S WHY THE OTHER PIECES THAT WE HAVE A STEERING COMMITTEE THAT HAS DIFFERENT REPRESENTATIVES THAT SIT ON THAT BODY AND MEET ON A REGULAR BASIS TO RUN THROUGH STANDARDS AND TO ENSURE THAT EVERYBODY IS ON THE SAME PAGE.
UM, THE COALITION ITSELF OR THE THE HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM REVIEWS EVERYBODY'S CONTRACTS QUARTERLY, UM, TO SEE WHERE THEIR SPENDING AND WHERE THEIR NUMBERS ARE AT.
AND IF THEY ARE NOT ON TRACK, WE GO OUT WITH A VERY FRIENDLY TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ARM TO SAY, LET'S GET YOU BACK ON TRACK.
'CAUSE THERE'S ALWAYS THINGS THAT HAPPEN.
BUT IF YOU'RE CONSISTENTLY UNDERPERFORMING, WE'RE GONNA ASK YOU TO, UH, REALLOCATE YOUR DOLLARS TO ANOTHER PROGRAM BECAUSE WE WILL NOT LOSE A SINGLE DOLLAR WITHIN THE SYSTEM, NOR WILL WE LOSE A SINGLE BED.
UM, AS, AS A RESULT, WE'VE MANAGED TO MOVE IT FROM $26 MILLION IN 2012 TO OVER 50 MILLION, UM, THIS LAST YEAR, INCLUDING ADDITIONAL DOLLARS FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
UM, EARLIER WHEN YOU, IN, IN YOUR, IN YOUR, UH, REMARKS, YOU USED THE PHRASE ON THE STREETS, HOMELESS ON THE STREETS.
WHAT IF SOMEONE IS LIVING, UH, IN THEIR CAR, DO THEY QUALIFY FOR, UH, SERVICES AS WELL? YES, AS LONG AS IT, IT'S UNHA.
I NEVER CAN SAY THAT WORD, NOT A PLACE NOT MEANT FOR HUMAN HABITATION.
WHICH WOULD BE A CAR OR AN ABANDONED BUILDING.
WHAT ABOUT THOSE FOLKS WHO ARE SLEEPING ON SOMEONE'S COUCH BUT DON'T HAVE A PLACE TO GO? THEY ARE NOT ELIGIBLE UNDER THE HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT LITERALLY HOMELESS.
YOU MIGHT BE ELIGIBLE FOR DIVERSION, UM, SERVICES THROUGH A SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCY.
I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE A NUMBER FOR IT, UNFORTUNATELY.
HOMELESS RESPONSE PHASES WHERE, UM, YOU CHART THE PIT COUNT FROM 2011 MM-HMM
AND CAN YOU DESCRIBE HOW THE, THE PIT COUNT IS DONE? YES.
SO EVERY YEAR, UH, IT IS A, IT IS A REQUIREMENT BY HUD AND WE ACTUALLY MANDATED BY HUD IN A, A PARTICULAR WAY TO RUN THE PIT COUNTS.
WE ACTUALLY DO A MORE ROBUST PIT COUNT THAN MOST PEOPLE.
AND SO YOU HAVE TO PICK ONE NIGHT AND GO OUT AND COUNT THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE HOMELESS ON THE STREET AND USE THAT AS A PART OF YOUR DATA POINT.
IN TERMS OF THE STRATEGY THAT YOU'RE GONNA BUILD OUT OVER THE NEXT YEAR, UM, MOST, UH, OR MOST PLACES HAVE DONE IT IN ONE PARTICULAR WAY WHERE THEY GO OUT AND THEY DRIVE AROUND AND THEY JUST KIND OF COUNT PEOPLE ON THE STREET AND ASSUME THAT THEY'RE HOMELESS.
WE ACTUALLY, UM, PUT TOGETHER TEAMS THAT GO OUT OVER A THREE DAY PERIOD OF TIME AND GO UP AND ACTUALLY INTERVIEW AND TALK WITH PEOPLE ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES.
SO WE HAVE A MORE ACCURATE COUNT.
I'M ACTUALLY GONNA PUT MEG ON THE SPOT BECAUSE SHE'S DONE THE PIT COUNT FOREVER.
I THINK SHE'S IN EVERY IMPACT REPORT THAT WE HAVE,
UM, BUT CAN YOU EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PROCESS AS YOU SEE? SURE.
SO AS A PERSON WHO ACTUALLY DOES IT, SO, UM, WE'LL PICK, LET'S SAY MONDAY.
AND SO MONDAY IS TYPICALLY, UM, WE CAN DO A SHELTER COUNT BASED ON OUR DATA AND HMIS.
AND THEN WE WILL ALL GO OUT ON FOOT TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, AND THURSDAY IN DIFFERENT QUADRANTS OF THE CITY.
AND WE ENGAGE WITH PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND ASK THEM WHERE THEY SLEPT ON MONDAY NIGHT SO THAT WE'RE NOT DUPLICATING AND GETTING THE MOST ACCURATE COUNT.
UM, THERE'S TRAINING THAT'S REQUIRED BEFORE SO THAT YOU KNOW HOW TO APPROACH PEOPLE THAT MAY BE, UM, HAVING MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES OR, UM, JUST BEING SAFE, GOING IN ABANDONED BUILDINGS, ET CETERA.
AND THEN, UM, WE ALL USE AN APP THAT HAS LIKE A GEO LOCATOR, SO WE KNOW ACTUALLY WHERE THE PERSON IS.
IT, IT PINGS YOU IN THAT MOMENT AND THEN IT'S ALL FED BACK SOMEWHERE, THE SYSTEM.
AND, UM, THEY GO THROUGH ALL THE DATA AND THE GOAL IS TO ACTUALLY INTERVIEW EACH INDIVIDUAL.
WE ASK THEM WHERE THEY SLEPT, WHAT LED TO THEIR HOMELESSNESS, ARE THEY EXPERIENCING MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES? DO THEY NEED THINGS? AND OF COURSE WE CAN SKIP QUESTIONS IF THEY DON'T WANT TO ANSWER IT.
AND AT THE END WE HAVE A, A GOOD SNAPSHOT OF WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND WE'RE ALWAYS CLEAR THAT THE PIT COUNT IS A SNAPSHOT.
IT IS NOT TELL THE WHOLE ENTIRE STORY OF HOMELESSNESS, BUT IT GIVES US A PLACE TO START.
[01:00:01]
AND IT IS ALSO THEN WHAT OUR, UM, STANDARD MEASURES WITH HUD ARE MEASURED OFF OF.SO WE HAVE TO HAVE SOMETHING THAT'S THE BASELINE.
IF YOU CHANGE THE METHODOLOGY FOR IT, THEN YOU WOULD CHANGE THE VALIDITY OF AND THE FIDELITY OF THE YEARS PRIOR.
SO WE ALWAYS STICK WITH THE ONE NIGHT, BUT WE'VE BUILT AROUND, UM, ADDITIONAL WAYS TO ENGAGE AND HAVE A BETTER SENSE OF THE PEOPLE WE HAVE ON THE STREET.
UM, AND, AND I THINK WHAT IT DOES IS GIVE US A SENSE OF WHAT OUR DATA'S TELLING US, BUT ALSO WHAT OUR DATA IS NOT TELLING US.
AND SO, UH, SORT OF A CENSUS OF THE HOMELESS IN THE CITY, IS THAT RIGHT? AT A PARTICULAR POINT IN TIME? AND, UM, AND I GUESS FOLKS CAN, CAN, UH, UM, TAKE ISSUE WITH THE ACCURACY OF IT, BUT I, I THINK ONE POINT, IMPORTANT POINT TO REMEMBER IS THAT YOU GUYS DO AT THE SAME WAY EVERY YEAR MM-HMM
SO OVER A PERIOD OF YEARS YOU SEE A TREND.
AND YOU COULD CERTAINLY SEE A TREND IN, UH, THIS CHART, 2011, THE COUNT WAS 8,471 AND IT LOOKS LIKE THE, THE, UH, IT DROPPED 10 YEARS LATER TO 3047.
SO LESS THAN HALF OF THE NUMBER THAT YOU FIRST COUNTED IN 2011.
AND THAT'S USING THE SAME SYSTEM.
WHAT IT, WHAT, WHEN YOU ACTUALLY USE A COORDINATED MODEL LIKE WE DO IN HOUSTON, YOU CAN REDUCE HOMELESSNESS QUITE QUICKLY IF YOU DECIDE THAT THE ANSWER IS PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING OR SOME TYPE OF HOUSING INTERVENTION, BECAUSE THAT MEANS YOU'RE HOUSING AND PLACING PEOPLE AND THEY'RE STAYING HOUSED.
YOU'RE NOT JUST SHELTERING AND THEN EXPECTING SOMETHING ELSE TO HAPPEN.
AND THAT WAS THE COMMITMENT MADE IN 2011, IS ALL OF US GAVE OVER OUR BEDS TO PERMIT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AND HOUSING THOSE THAT WERE MOST AT RISK.
SOME OF THAT NUMBER CHANGES ALSO BECAUSE OF THE WAY YOU DEFINE AND DECIDE, UM, BASED ON THE MANDATE WAS THE HARDEST TO PLACE THE LONGEST ON THE STREET.
AND SO SOME INDIVIDUALS DIDN'T END UP GOING INTO THE SYSTEM 'CAUSE THEY WEREN'T APPROPRIATE FOR THE SYSTEM.
THEY ENDED UP GETTING RENTAL ASSISTANCE OR THEY WERE LIKE, I'M SORRY, YOU DON'T LIKE AUNT, BUT YOU WILL LIVE WITH HER UNTIL YOU FIGURE SOMETHING OUT.
YOU KNOW, I MEAN, YOU START TO CLEAR UP SOME OF THOSE, THOSE ISSUES.
I THINK THE SECOND THING IS TO REALIZE WE WERE SO UNDER-RESOURCED, UM, IN TERMS OF WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO BE GETTING THESE BEDS.
SO PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING IS FOR PEOPLE WITH A DOCUMENTED DISABILITY AND WHO HAVE A, A LENGTH OF TIME ON THE STREET.
THIS IS NOT FOR SOMEBODY WHO CAME IN AND SAID, I I JUST LOST MY JOB LAST WEEK AND I NEED A PLACE TO LIVE AND I HOPE YOU'LL PAY FOR IT FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.
THAT'S NOT WHAT THESE BEDS ARE FOR.
AND SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT YOUR HIGHEST LEVEL OF VULNERABILITY IN INDIVIDUALS WE WERE SUPPOSED TO CARE FOR.
AND WE DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH BEDS TO DO THAT IN THE ORIGINAL, UM, NOFO.
AND BECAUSE WE TOOK THE TIME TO REALLY, WE HONE OUR DATA AND HONE OUR, UM, INTERVENTIONS, WE ACTUALLY GAINED THE TRUST OF HUD TO BE ABLE TO GIVE US MORE FUNDING BECAUSE THEY COULD SEE THAT OUR NUMBERS WERE MORE ACCURATE AND WE WERE ABLE TO SHOW THE NEED WAS STILL AVAIL WAS STILL OUT THERE.
UM, SO THE LOW 300 47 IN 2021, SINCE THEN, THERE'S BEEN A SLIGHT UPTICK LAST YEAR, 2023.
AND DO YOU HAVE A COUNT FOR 2024? UH, 2024, YES.
AND I THOUGHT I BROUGHT, I MIGHT HAVE BROUGHT IT.
I THINK IT WAS RELATIVELY SIMILAR.
UM, ANY THOUGHTS ON, ON THE, UH, REASONS FOR THE UPTICK THE LAST COUPLE YEARS AND LET'S, LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE GETTING SOME HELP HERE.
IT WAS ABOUT, IT WAS ABOUT THREE 3,280 FOR 2024.
UM, SO WE'VE BEEN ABOUT THE SAME.
WE HAD, WE SAW A SHIFT IN SHELTERED VERSUS UNSHELTERED IN SOME OF THE INTERNAL NUMBERS.
UM, TWO THINGS THAT WE CAN ACCOUNT FOR IS THE HIGHER LEVEL OF EVICTIONS IN THE LAST COUPLE YEARS.
UM, AS WE ROLL OUT OF THE COVID DOLLARS.
UM, THE INTAKE, THE INFORMATION FROM THE PIT COUNT THIS LAST YEAR WAS A HIGHER NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS WHO FOR ECONOMIC REASONS HAD FALLEN INTO HOMELESSNESS.
UM, HIGHER RENTS ARE CERTAINLY A COMPLICATION.
I, I LIVE IN ONE PARTICULAR PART OF TOWN AND THE RENTS THERE WENT UP 22% IN ONE YEAR.
UM, WHICH MAKES IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE FOR SOMEBODY WHO'S ON A FIXED INCOME TO BE ABLE TO ABSORB THAT COST.
AND SO WE SAW MORE PEOPLE, UM, FALL INTO THAT 'CAUSE WE WERE ABLE TO HOUSE MORE.
THE OTHER PIECE YOU'LL SEE IS THE HIGHER AMOUNT DURING 2017 THROUGH 2019, WHICH IS HARVEY.
UM, SO BOTH OF THESE, THIS IS WHAT MAKES THESE NUMBERS INTERESTING.
WE HAVE MAJOR ISSUES THAT HAPPEN IN OUR CITY
AND WHEN WE HAVE A HURRICANE, UM, AND THEN WE HAD COVID, OVID WE'RE IN THE CONSTANT BATTLE OF JUST STOPPING THE FLOW OF NEW INDIVIDUALS
[01:05:01]
COMING INTO THE SYSTEM.WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT BECAUSE OF ADDITIONAL FEDERAL DOLLARS.
BUT AS THOSE DOLLARS, AS LONG AS WE DON'T HAVE ANOTHER DISASTER, WE WILL NOT BE MOVING THE NEEDLE AS UM, EFFECTIVELY IN GETTING THE REST OF THIS NUMBER DOWN UNLESS WE COLLECTIVELY, UM, AS A COMMUNITY DECIDE TO INVEST DOLLARS, UM, INTO HOUSING OR FROM A STATE LEVEL THAT WE SEE THAT HAPPEN.
'CAUSE I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT I DON'T WANT ANOTHER HURRICANE.
I THINK WE'RE GONNA THROUGH IT THIS YEAR.
UM, I HAD OH, QUESTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER.
HOW ARE YOU WORKING WITH HPD AND HFD ON THE PIT COUNT? SO WE DO ACTUALLY WORK WITH HPD AND HFD.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE DO, UM, AS ROBUST AS WE COULD.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, CARTER HAS BROUGHT THIS UP BEFORE AND IT IS ON MY AGENDA FOR THIS NEXT YEAR TO ENSURE THAT IT'S INCLUDED IN THE PIT COUNT THAT WE INCLUDE ALL HFDS.
UM, 'CAUSE SOMETIMES THE OUTLYING ONES MAY NOT BE AS INVOLVED AS THE LOCAL HOT UH, ORGANIZATIONS.
AND SO IT IS ON MY LIST OF THINGS TO MAKE SURE HAPPENS THIS YEAR.
THERE IS A CHART THAT SAYS JANUARY, 2023 TO THE PRESENT NAVIGATION CENTER, DROPOFFS.
AND BEGINNING IN QUARTER 1, 20 24, WE SAW A LOT MORE LAW ENFORCEMENT DROPOFFS.
AND I THINK YOU, YOU ADDRESSED THIS A LITTLE BIT MM-HMM
BUT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH, UM, LESS DECOMMISSIONING OF, UH, HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS? CORRECT.
AND AND WE HAD ORIGINALLY, BECAUSE IT WAS, UM, ENCAMPMENT FOCUSED, I THINK AT THE CHANGES IN JANUARY, UM, ALSO CHANGED MAYBE SOME OF THE INTEREST IN HOW TO USE THE NAVIGATION CENTER.
AND SO WE WENT AHEAD AND PILOTED HAVING INDIVIDUAL, UM, DROP OFFS OCCUR.
AND THAT WAS JUST A CHANGE IN, IN STRATEGY AND STRUCTURE OF THAT.
I THINK WE'VE LEARNED A LOT OVER THE LAST SIX MONTHS THAT WOULD HELP US MOVE FORWARD AS THE MODEL STAYS CHANGED OR IF WE WERE TO EXPAND IT ACROSS THE CITY.
IF WE COULD GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE THAT SHOWS DROPOFFS.
SO, SO EXIT I'M SORRY, GO AHEAD.
YOU WERE GONNA ASK ME A QUESTION.
I WAS GONNA ANSWER IT BEFORE I KNEW IT.
UH, WHY WERE THE EXITS, UH, LOWER IN THAT PARTICULAR QUARTER? DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? UH, YOU KNOW, I WENT BACK AND ASKED MY, UM, DATA ANALYST TO LOOK THAT OVER AND HIS, HIS THOUGHTS WERE THAT IT WAS EITHER THAT WE, THAT'S A HOLDOVER FROM THE QUARTER BEFORE OR THERE WAS SOME INABILITY IN ACCESSING, UM, HOUSING.
SO I ALSO NOTED THAT AND WOULD LIKE TO FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION.
AS SOON AS I HAVE IT, I'LL SEND IT TO YOU.
BECAUSE IT WAS KIND OF STRIKING WHEN I SAW IT MYSELF.
AND THEN, UM, YOU MADE A COMMENT THAT IT COSTS MORE TO, I GUESS USE MORE OF A SHELTER MODEL OF ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS THAN TO FOCUS ON PUTTING THEM IN PERMANENT HOUSING.
CAN YOU, CAN YOU EXPAND ON THAT A LITTLE BIT? I CAN.
I THINK WHEN YOU'RE, UM, UTILIZING SHELTER, THERE'S ALWAYS A FIXED COST THAT COMES WITH A SHELTER.
AND SO THE ONLY INTERVENTION IS ALWAYS THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT YOU'RE EXPENDING.
BUT BECAUSE THERE'S A LOWER RATE OF INDIVIDUALS, UM, IN SHELTERS MOVING INTO PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, YOU'RE USING IT MULTIPLE TIMES.
BUT THEN YOU'RE ALSO USING MULTIPLE TIMES THE LAW ENFORCEMENT ENGAGEMENT, THE EMT ENGAGEMENT, THE HOSPITAL ENGAGEMENT, ANYTHING TO HELP STABILIZE THAT INDIVIDUAL VERSUS IF YOU HAVE THEM IN A PLACE THAT THEY CAN STAY AND LIVE IN EVERY MONTH AND THEN THOSE SERVICES GET WRAPPED AROUND THEM, YOU SEE LESS UTILIZATION EXCEPT FOR APPROPRIATE UTILIZATION OF HOSPITAL, UM, OR CARE SERVICES THAT THEY'RE CURRENTLY HAVING TO USE BECAUSE THEY'RE ON THE STREET.
UM, AND I THINK THAT THE LEVEL OF CARE THAT COMES WITH SHELTERS THERE, THERE'S A GOOD RATIO OF INDIVIDUALS WHO WHEN THEY ENTER THROUGH A SHELTER, THEY ARE SUCCESSFUL.
I DO NOT WANT TO SAY AT ALL THAT THEY'RE NOT.
'CAUSE THEY HAVE ABOUT A 36% RATE OF SUCCESS.
UH, IT JUST IS FOR THOSE THAT ARE THE ONES THAT WE SERVE, YOU ARE BETTER OFF TO HAVE THEM IN A PLACE THAT THEY CAN BE, HAVE SERVICES BUILT AROUND THEM THAN ASKING THEM TO ENGAGE IN MULTIPLE SERVICES OUTSIDE OF THEIR HOUSING PLACEMENT.
DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU WANTED TO ADD TO THAT? ALRIGHT.
UM, I DON'T SEE ANY QUESTIONS IN THE QUEUE, BUT I'M, I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA CONTINUE HERE 'CAUSE I DO HAVE, UH, ONE, UH, I'M SORRY.
UM, SO FROM TIME TO TIME I, I'LL HEAR FOLKS, UH, TALK ABOUT, I THINK IT'S CALLED HAVEN FOR HOPE IN SAN ANTONIO MM-HMM
AND SUCCESS THEY'VE SEEN OVER THERE.
[01:10:01]
YOU SORT OF COMPARE, CONTRAST OUR STRATEGY HERE IN HOUSTON WITH, UH, WHAT OUR FRIENDS IN SAN, IN SAN ANTONIO ARE DOING? SURE.UM, FIRST OF ALL, HAVEN FOR HOPE IS A LOVELY MODEL.
KIM JEFFRIES, WHO RUNS, IT'S AN AMAZING PERSON.
I THINK OF US AS A DECENTRALIZED HAVEN FOR HOPE.
I THINK OF US AS BECAUSE OF OUR GEOGRAPHICAL, UM, FOOTPRINT.
BECAUSE HOUSTON IS A BUNCH OF SMALL TOWNS,
THAT BECAUSE OF THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE MUCH MORE FLEXIBILITY IN THE FRONT DOOR MODEL THAN JUST ONE PLACE TO TAKE SOMEONE.
WE ALSO HAVE MULTIPLE JURISDICTIONS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND MULTIPLE LITTLE CITIES WITHIN THOSE JURISDICTIONS THAT NOT, MAY NOT BE ABLE TO CROSS LINES AND BE ABLE TO SUPPORT IN THE WAYS THAT ONE CITY MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO.
I ALSO THINK THAT THE GEOGRAPHICAL FOOTPRINT FOR THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WE WOULD HAVE TO SERVE IS QUITE LARGE.
UM, AND NOT AS MANAGEABLE AS THE FOOTPRINT THAT WORKS FOR SAN ANTONIO.
UM, THE OTHER PIECE FOR SAN ANTONIO IS THAT THEY MAKE, THEY HAVE TWO SEPARATE SYSTEMS. THEY HAVE WHAT'S CALLED THE COURTYARD, WHICH IS A PLACE TO STAY OVERNIGHT.
AND THEN THEY HAVE THEIR TRANSFORMATIONAL CAMPUS.
THEIR TRANSFORMATIONAL CAMPUS IS SUPPOSED TO BE TRANSITIONAL HOUSING.
THEY HAVE A VERY DIFFICULT TIME ACTUALLY MOVING PEOPLE OUT OF THAT TRANSITIONAL HOUSING TO BE ABLE TO SERVE MORE PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AT THE END OF THAT ROAD.
AND SO WHAT YOU'RE, WHAT THEY'RE GREAT AT IS WHAT I THINK DOES MIRROR WHAT WE DO SUCCESSFULLY IS THE AMOUNT OF PARTNERSHIPS THAT THEY WORK WITH.
SO WHERE THEY MAY HAVE A HUNDRED AGENCIES COMING TO THEIR ONE BUILDING, WE HAVE A HUNDRED AGENCIES THAT ARE WORKING TOGETHER THROUGH MULTIPLE BUILDINGS SO THAT WHEREVER THE ACCESS POINT IS, THAT PERSON IS ELIGIBLE TO THE SAME AMOUNT OF SERVICES THAT, THAT YOU COULD GET.
NOT HAVING TO JUST GO TO ONE PLACE.
SO I, I ALWAYS WISHED I COULD FIGURE OUT A WAY TO GRAPH IT WHERE YOU COULD SEE, HERE'S EVERYTHING IN HAVEN FOR HOPE AND HERE'S ALL THE DOTS ACROSS THE HOUSTON AREA.
THAT MAKES MUCH MORE SENSE FOR US, UM, OF HOW YOU WOULD ACCESS THOSE SERVICES.
AND THAT IT'S ON US THE WAY HOME TO ENSURE THAT THOSE SERVICES GET COORDINATED AND MAXIMIZE TO LOWER THE, UM, WEAR AND TEAR ON THE INDIVIDUAL TRYING TO, TO SEEK THOSE SERVICES.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE ARE HOUSING MORE INDIVIDUALS AND HAVING MORE LONG-TERM PERMANENT HOUSING WITH WRAPAROUND SERVICES THAN SAN ANTONIO.
SO I DON'T WANT TO SAY AT THE END OF THE YEAR THAT WE HAVE 1500 PEOPLE WHO COME THROUGH, YOU KNOW, THE OPEN DOOR EVERY DAY.
'CAUSE THAT TELLS ME THEN I DIDN'T LOWER THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS WHO ACTUALLY NEED TO BE HOUSED OR EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
I WANT TO BE AT THE END OF THE YEAR TO BE ABLE TO SAY, AND THOSE 1500 WHO CAME THROUGH A FRONT DOOR, 800 OF THEM ENDED UP IN A PERMANENT PLACE.
AND IN TWO YEARS FROM NOW, I CAN TELL YOU THAT THEY STILL ARE THERE.
UH, I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS IN THE QUEUE, SO, UM, THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE.
UM, AND, UH, WE'LL ASK MIKE TO COME BACK UP.
MAY I ASK, DEREK SELLS TO COME UP TO OUR DEPUTY DIRECTOR.
I THINK YOU GOT A CHANCE TO SEE SOME OF THE DETAILED WORK THAT'S GOING ON IN THE, UH, WITH THE NAVIGATION CENTER.
UM, THE, I HAD TWO, UH, THOUGHTS I WANTED TO ADD.
AND IF I COULD JUST INTERRUPT YOU, UH, MIKE.
SO, SO WE'VE HEARD FROM KELLY YOUNG, WHO'S THE CURRENT COALITION, UH, FOR THE HOMELESS, UH, PRESIDENT AND CCEO.
CAN YOU, JUST SO EVERYBODY KNOWS, WHO WAS HER PREDECESSOR AS PRESIDENT OF THE CEO OF THE COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS
SHE'S, SHE'S FAR BETTER THAN I AM AND FAR SMARTER HAVING HAD A CAREER IN NONPROFIT SERVICE SERVICES, PARTICULARLY TO PEOPLE WHO ARE MOST VULNERABLE.
AND HOW LONG WERE YOU IN THAT ROLE, MIKE? I WAS THERE FIVE YEARS.
WELL, WE'RE VERY HAPPY TO HAVE HAD BOTH OF YOU.
TWO POINTS I WANNA MAKE, UH, ON LAW ENFORCEMENT.
MAYOR WHITMEYER MADE A, UH, AN EXCELLENT DECISION, UH, WHEN HE FIRST, UH, APPOINTED KEITH SATTERWHITE AS THE HEAD OF PUBLIC SAFETY AS WELL AS HOMELAND SECURITY.
BUT BEFORE HE LEFT THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, HE TOLD CHIEF SATTERWHITE THAT HE WAS GONNA BE OUR PARTNER IN ENDING HOMELESSNESS IN HOUSTON.
UH, ESPECIALLY THOSE PEOPLE HAVING TO WAIT FOR THE HOUSING ON THE STREET.
AND SO WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE THAT PARTNERSHIP GOING FORWARD, EVEN IMPROVING LAW ENFORCEMENT.
THE SECOND ITEM IS JUST FUNDING.
AS YOU LOOK AT ALL THESE ISSUES AND HAVEN FOR HOPE, UM, I HEARD TODAY THAT IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW GOOD YOUR POLICIES ARE IF THEY'RE NOT FUNDING FOR IT.
[01:15:01]
UM, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT FUNDING, AGAIN, MOST ALL OF OURS, UNTIL THIS MOST RECENT HAS BEEN FEDERAL FUNDING, WHICH AS KELLY, UH, ELOQUENTLY SPOKE, REALLY GOES TO HOUSING.UM, WHEN YOU LOOK AT HAVEN FOR HOPE, UH, THERE, THE BUILDING, THAT BUILDING OVER A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS AND THE YEARLY, UH, SUBSIDY FROM THE CITY EXCEEDS 20 MILLION.
UM, IT'S A, A GENERAL FUNDS, IT'S A VERY DIFFERENT FUNDING MODEL.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK WE'VE DONE WELL IN HOUSTON IS TO DEAL WITH OUR FUNDING MODEL AND ALSO EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY, UH, MOVE PEOPLE FROM HOMELESSNESS INTO HOUSING.
UH, AND AS WE TALK ABOUT FUNDING, UH, WHAT I ALWAYS LIKE TO THINK ABOUT IS THE, UM, COST EFFECTIVENESS OF THIS PROGRAM.
WE HAVE, IT COSTS ABOUT $23,000 A YEAR TO TAKE SOMEONE WHO'S BEEN HOMELESS AND PUT THEM IN A, A REAL APARTMENT WITH A LOCK IN, A KEY, A LEASE IN THEIR NAME, GIVE THEM SUBSIDY FOR THEIR RENT.
PAY FOR WRAPAROUND CASE MANAGEMENT IS ABOUT $23,000 A YEAR.
UM, WHEN YOU PUT SOMEBODY IN A SHELTER, THAT NUMBER IS ESSENTIALLY TIME AND A HALF, ABOUT 37 AND A HALF THOUSAND.
UH, OBVIOUSLY IF THEY GO TO JAIL, IT'S MORE THAN THAT.
AND WHAT WE DON'T KNOW IS WHAT THE COST OF SOMEBODY LIVING ON THE STREET IS BECAUSE MOST OF THAT COST IS TIED UP IN, UM, EMERGENCY HEALTHCARE, WHICH IS HUGE.
SO AS WE THINK THROUGH THIS, THIS IS A VERY EFFICIENT WAY OF FUNDING.
UH, LASTLY, THE ISSUE ABOUT THE GENERAL FUNDS THAT WOULD BE USED GOING FORWARD FOR THIS YEAR.
WE THINK THAT'S A, HOPEFULLY THAT'S A ONE TIME ISSUE.
UH, WE WILL FIND SUSTAINABLE FUNDS AFTER THAT.
UM, BUT THE, UM, THING I WANTED TO SAY ABOUT THAT IS THAT FUNDING WILL ACTUALLY ALLOW THE CITY TO LEVERAGE ABOUT $17 MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDS FOR HOMELESSNESS.
SO IT'S A, IT'S A WAY, YOU HAVE TO THINK THROUGH HOW WE USE THAT.
I JUST BROUGHT DEREK UP TO SIT HERE AND TELL ME IF I'VE DONE SO SOMETHING WRONG.
AND, UH, DEREK, DEREK DOES OVERSEE PUBLIC SERVICES, WHICH IS WHERE THE FEDERAL MONEY COMES THROUGH, WHICH IS JARED AND MELODY BARR, UM, UM, DIVISION ISSUE.
ANY, ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU, YOU ALL WANT TO ADD? SO YOU'VE TOLD ME BEFORE, MIKE, THAT, UM, THIS, THE SUCCESS OF THIS WHOLE MODEL NAVIGATION CENTER TO PERMANENT HOUSING IS DEPENDENT ON VOUCHERS.
AND WE HAD, UH, SERIOUS ISSUE EARLIER THIS YEAR WITH REGARD TO VOUCHERS.
CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT AND WHAT THE PROSPECTS ARE FOR THE FUTURE? I'D LIKE TO AMEND MY POINT.
IT'S IF I COULD SOMETIMES, SOMETIMES I'M LIKE, UM, LET, LEMME SEE IF I CAN AMEND MY POINT.
UM, THE SUCCESS OF THE NAVIGATION CENTER IS CAN WE MOVE PEOPLE INTO PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING OR RAPID REHOUSING? AND THAT IS VERY OFTEN, UH, UM, BASED ON DO WE HAVE VOUCHERS AVAILABLE? UM, IN THE HOMELESSNESS PLAN THAT WE'RE BUILDING NOW, THERE'LL BE A TIME PERIOD WHERE WE DON'T HAVE VOUCHERS.
WE HOPE TO HAVE MORE VOUCHERS IN JANUARY OR FEBRUARY, BUT DURING THAT TIME, WE'RE LOOKING FOR USING OTHER FUNDING MODELS TO BE ABLE TO GIVE SUBSIDY FOR HOUSING.
SO THE QUESTION IS, CAN YOU, IS THERE SUBSIDY FOR HOUSING? AND WE'RE GONNA FIND SOME OTHER FUNDING TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
AGAIN, THANKS VERY MUCH TO, UH, DEREK'S DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SERVICES.
WE FOUND SOME FEDERAL MONEY, UH, BEYOND VOUCHERS THAT WILL ALLOW US TO HOUSE SOME INDIVIDUALS.
AND I'LL BE REMISS TO SAY THAT WE DO HAVE A EXPECTATION OF A PARTNERSHIP, NOT ONLY WITH THE HOUSING AUTHORITY AND THEIR VOUCHERS, BUT WITH HARRIS COUNTY.
NOW THEY ARE, THEY ARE DEFINITELY OUR PARTNERS IN THIS HOMELESSNESS EFFORT.
AND WE OFTEN LOOK TO THEM TO HELP FIND DOLLARS FOR DOING THAT.
AND I THINK IN THE HOMELESSNESS PLAN, THEY WILL HAVE SOME DOLLARS FORTHCOMING FOR THESE, THIS HOUSING EVEN AS WE WAIT FOR VOUCHERS.
AND THANK YOU DEREK, FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR WORK IN FINDING SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
UM, I DON'T HAVE ANY, WELL, LET'S SEE.
DOES ANY COUNCIL MEMBERS OR STAFF HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY.
UH, SEEING NO MORE QUESTIONS UNLESS YOU GUYS HAVE FURTHER COMMENTS, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND AND SAY THANK YOU AND, UM, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT AND WE'LL WE'LL GET TO YOU, SIR.
YEAH, WE'RE NOT DONE WITH THE MEETING.
WE, WE ARE, AGAIN, WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE WORK THAT THIS COMMITTEE WILL DO AS WE LOOK THROUGH THE FUTURE OF ENDING HOMELESSNESS IN HOUSTON.
[01:20:01]
ALRIGHT, SO WE'LL MOVE TO THE, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT, UH, SECTION OF THE MEETING.WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OF FOLKS SIGNED UP AND I THINK, UH, ANOTHER, UH, GENTLEMAN HERE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK AS WELL.
SO ALL OF YOU'LL GET THAT OPPORTUNITY.
ALRIGHT, SO FIRST OF ALL, THE FIRST FO UH, INDIVIDUAL WHO SIGNED UP IS OLIVIA VERITY.
DO YOU WANNA COME FORWARD? I WANNA THANK YOU GUYS FOR, UM, ALLOWING ME TO ACTUALLY LISTEN IN ON THE MEETING PRIOR TO COMING UP TO SPEAK BECAUSE I CAME HERE WITH A SERIES OF SOLUTIONS THAT WERE BASED ON THE RESEARCH THAT I'VE DONE NOW IN A SYNTHESIZED FASHION.
I CAN PROVIDE SOLUTIONS BASED ON WHAT I'M HEARING AND WHAT'S MISSING IN THE CITY.
SO WHEN IT COMES TO THE CITY ITSELF, THE WEBSITE ASSOCIATED WITH THE, UM, WITH, WITH THE HOUSING, UH, IT'S, IT'S TEND TO FOCUS ON, TENDS TO FOCUS ON INDIVIDUALS THAT EITHER ALREADY HAVE HOUSING OR IN LOWER SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS ALL ALTOGETHER LEAVING OUT THE HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE WITHIN THE CITY.
SO IF WE WENT TO THE WEBSITE, 'CAUSE I AM DESTITUTE AND LIVING ON THE STREETS, IF I WENT TO THE WEBSITE, THERE WOULD BE ABSOLUTELY NO RESOURCES FOR ME.
SO WHAT'S A SOLUTION FOR THAT? TO CREATE AN APPLICATION THAT IS WITHIN THE CITY THAT ACTUALLY ALLOWS HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS TO, IN A STREAMLINED FASHION, ACCESS THE RESOURCES THAT WE NEED.
THIS IS AN APPLICATION THAT I'VE ALREADY REACHED OUT TO TWO OTHER INDIVIDUALS FOR.
I'VE ALSO LOOKED AT THE PROGRAMS THAT ARE IN PLACE IN OTHER CITIES AS WELL AS OTHER COUNTRIES BECAUSE THE UK THE ROYALTY HAS LIKE A FIVE YEAR PLAN.
I DON'T SEE ANYTHING LIKE THAT IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY TIMELINES ASSOCIATED WITH HOW WE'RE GONNA EFFECTIVELY DEAL WITH THE HOMELESS POPULATION.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY COMPREHENSIVE RESOURCES THAT STATE THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.
I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT SPOKE TODAY.
AND I ACTUALLY WANNA ADDRESS YOU GUYS DIRECTLY.
UM, HARMONY HOUSE, UH, THERE'S $3.5 MILLION COMING IN, SO AT LEAST WE HAVE A FISCAL TRANSPARENCY.
BUT WHEN IT COMES TO THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE ALREADY THERE, RIGHT, BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DIVERSIFICATION OF ORGANIZATIONS, I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF WORK OF, OF UTILIZING THE RESOURCES AT THE BEACON AS WELL AS FISHES AND LOAVES AS WELL AS OTHER FACILITIES.
I ALSO FIND IT KIND OF EERIE THAT FISHES AND LOAVES SORT OF HAS THE NAME THAT'S FROM, UM, THE DYSTOPIAN MARGARET ATWOOD NOVEL
UM, BUT THOSE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WORK EFFECTIVELY ARE DAY CENTERS.
SO WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT TODAY THE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE ASSOCIATED WITH HOUSING AND GETTING PEOPLE HOUSING.
WE HAD A TON OF PEOPLE THAT WERE ABLE TO GET HOUSING IN 2022.
THERE WAS AN ARTICLE THAT WAS RELEASED IN THE NEW YORK TIMES.
HOWEVER, RIGHT NOW I AM DESTITUTE.
I'VE BEEN ON A WAIT LIST FOR TWO MONTHS, NO UPDATES WHATSOEVER.
SO HOUSING RIGHT NOW IS NOT MY MAJOR CONCERN.
HAVING FACILITIES THAT ARE OPEN, UM, THEY STATED 24 HOURS A DAY OR THAT, THAT THEY'RE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND NOBODY'S, UH, ASKED TO LEAVE.
I'M WONDERING IF THERE ARE ANY FACILITIES OR ANYTHING IN THE WORKS THAT ARE THAT SECURE THAT WOULD ALLOW INDIVIDUALS TO SPEND A DAY THERE OR LIKE, YOU KNOW, UNLIMITED AMOUNTS OF TIME.
AND IF NOT, WHY WE'RE, WHY, WHY THE FOCUS IS SO MUCH ON HOUSING, HOUSING, HOUSING.
AND THERE ISN'T ENOUGH OF A FOCUS ON INVESTING MONEY INTO THE FACILITIES THAT ARE ALREADY FUNCTIONAL, LIKE THE BEACON, LIKE OTHER DAY CENTERS.
AND PERHAPS EXPANDING THE, THE AVAILABILITY TO THE CONSTITUENTS TO GO THROUGHOUT THE DURATION OF THE DAY SO THAT THEY CAN IN THE, YOU KNOW, WHILE YOU'RE WAITING FOR HOUSING, HAVE THOSE FACILITIES BE SAFE CENTERS.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, THERE IS NO STREAMLINED PROCESS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON WHEN IT COMES TO BEING ABLE TO ACCESS THE FULL BREADTH OF RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE.
BECAUSE I, AS SOMEBODY THAT HAS ACCESS TO A DEVICE AND HAS ACCESS TO A COMPUTER, I HAVE THE ABILITY TO, IN AN EFFECTIVE FASHION, ACCESS EVERYTHING AND SORT OF CREATE AN AGGREGATE.
NOT EVERYBODY ON THE STREETS HAS THE ABILITY TO DO THAT.
SO WHAT'S A SOLUTION FOR THAT? AGAIN, THE APPLICATIONS, THERE ARE ALREADY TWO APPLICATIONS THAT ARE RELEASED BY THE INDIVIDUAL THAT I REACHED OUT TO THIS MORNING.
ONE OF THE APPLICATIONS WAS REFERENCED BECAUSE SOMEBODY MENTIONED LIKE SPENDING THREE DAYS, UM, GOING OUT AND TAKING IN INVENTORY OF THE CITY.
THE, UH, IT WOULD BE NICE TO SEE IF THAT DEVELOPER WOULD BE AMENABLE TO, IN THE CONTEXT OF, YOU KNOW, THE CITY OF HOUSTON WORKING ON AN APPLICATION THAT IS EFFECTIVELY COVERING,
[01:25:01]
UH, ALL OF THE RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.AND NOT JUST HAVING IT BE SOMETHING THAT'S ACCESSIBLE TO INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE TAKING INVENTORY ON A THREE DAY BASIS IN REGARDS TO THE INVENTORY ON A THREE DAY BASIS THAT COVERS THE LOCATION OF INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE STAYING IN SPECIFIC FINITE LOCATIONS WITHIN THREE DAYS.
WHAT ABOUT THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE MIGRATORY? WHAT ABOUT THE INDIVIDUALS THAT YOU DO NOT FIND? WE DON'T HAVE A TRUE IDEA OF HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE DESTITUTE WITHIN THE CITY ITSELF.
SO AGAIN, OLIVIA, IF I, IF I COULD INTERRUPT HERE.
UM, SO MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE WAY THE PIT COUNT IS DONE IS THE QUESTION IS ASKED, WHERE DID YOU SPEND THE NIGHT? UH, YOU KNOW, X GIVEN NIGHT, RIGHT? MM-HMM
SO, SO THAT WOULD TEND TO, UH, DETERMINE, YOU KNOW, HOW HOW MANY PEOPLE WE HAVE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESS AND, AND WHERE THEY ARE.
UH, TO YOUR POINT ABOUT RESOURCES, UM, MY STAFFER LEAH AL IS IN THE BACK.
LEAH, WOULD YOU STAND UP AND, UM, KELLY YOUNG, UH, REMAINS HERE.
SO, UH, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO VISIT WITH THEM, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO ADDRESS YOUR QUESTION ABOUT A SPECIFIC RESOURCE.
WHAT DO YOU, WHAT ARE YOU REFERRING TO WHEN IT COMES TO RESOURCES? BECAUSE I THINK MY UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT YOUR STATEMENT IS IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT TO THE RESOURCES THAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
UH, I'M TALKING ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE ADDRESSING IN, IN YOUR REMARKS, WHAT SPECIFIC RESOURCES, WHAT WHATEVER YOU FEEL WOULD BEST HELP YOU AT THIS POINT.
UM, BUT I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT ME PERSONALLY.
I'M TALKING ABOUT THE CONDITION OF THE HOMELESS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AN AGGREGATE APPLICATION AS YOU ADDRESS THAT THERE IS AN APPLICATION TO KEEP TRACK OF WHERE INDIVIDUALS ARE STAYING.
HOWEVER, INDIVIDUALS THAT I HAVE MET IN THE SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME THAT I HAVE BEEN HERE, WHICH HAS BEEN THE COURSE OF TWO MONTHS, OUR MIGRATORY COMMUNITY.
I ALSO WANNA ADDRESS THE POINT THAT PEOPLE BROUGHT UP ABOUT HOW THERE ARE LIKE, THOSE LIKE GROUPS AND ENCAMPMENTS AND EVERYBODY WANTS TO BE MOVED IN TOGETHER.
THE SHIFT SHOULD BE TO INDIVIDUALIZED SERVICE, COUPLED WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY HAVE EVERYONE THAT YOU'RE STAYING WITH GO WITH YOU.
BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T DO IT THROUGH THE INDIVIDUAL LENS, YOU ARE THEN MAKING THE ASSUMPTION THAT EVERYBODY IN A SPECIFIC AREA WANTS TO MIGRATE TOGETHER.
IT'S CREATING, UM, AN ADDITIONAL ISSUE.
MY MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THOSE OPTIONS ARE OFFERED.
WE DO HAVE OTHERS HERE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK AS WELL.
AND SO IF YOU WANT TO VISIT WITH, UH, KELLY YOUNG, UH, SHE'S HERE FOR YOU.
UM, THERE'S THE, THE ONE THING THAT I FIND KIND OF PROBLEMATIC ABOUT THE WAY THAT THIS SESSION'S BEING RUN IS THAT WE AS INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE DESTITUTE VERILY, HAVE A CHANCE TO BE ABLE TO VOCALIZE FOR OURSELVES.
WE'RE BEING SIPHONED OFF TO GO TO OTHER FACILITIES.
WHEN I ASKED TO SPEAK DIRECTLY WITH THE MAYOR, I WAS TOLD ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS THAT HEY, BECAUSE YOU'RE DESTITUTE OR NOT BECAUSE YOU'RE DESTITUTE DIRECTLY, BUT THAT THEY LOOKED AT MY BAGS, THEY LOOKED AT THIS, THEY REFERRED ME TO GO TO OTHER RESOURCES.
WHEN IT COMES TO ADVOCACY IN THE HOMELESS POPULATION, WE'RE HAVING LARGELY OTHER INDIVIDUALS TAKE CARE OF THIS FOR US.
THE REALITY OF THE MATTER IS, IS THAT IF WE DON'T, I'M ONE OF THE, I'M LITERALLY AM I, ARE THERE OTHER HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE PRESENT HERE? JUST ONE THAT RAISE YOUR HAND.
WELL THAT'S THE PROBLEM IS THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY SORT OF REPRESENTATION.
AND WHEN WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY AS A HOMELESS INDIVIDUAL TO BE ABLE TO DIRECT EVERYONE IN A COMPREHENSIVE FASHION AND TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER THAT THIS IS MY FIRST TIME BEING ABLE TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
AND I HAVEN'T EVEN BEEN ABLE TO GET ACROSS ALL OF MY POINTS.
SO MY QUESTION TO YOU WOULD BE, HOW WOULD I BE ABLE TO DO THIS IN AN EFFECTIVE MANNER WITH THE ENTIRE COUNCIL PRESENT? BECAUSE GOING TO JUST YOUR OFFICE AND SPEAKING WITH TWO INDIVIDUALS MM-HMM.
IS NOT THE SAME AS GOING WITH YOU THE ENTIRE COUNCIL.
AND YOU ARE INDIVIDUALS CAN MAKE A COLLECTION.
CAN I ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? YEAH.
YOU ARE WELCOME TO COME BACK TOMORROW, UH, AFTERNOON AT TWO O'CLOCK.
THE FULL COUNSEL WILL BE HERE OKAY.
IF YOU HAVE NOT MADE THE DEADLINE TO SIGN UP, I WILL BE HAPPY TO MOVE THAT YOU BE ADDED TO THE LIST SO THAT YOU CAN SPEAK TO THE FULL COUNSEL.
AND KELLY YOUNG IS HERE IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO VISIT WITH HER.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS, DO YOU HAVE ANY, UH, ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO SAY AT THIS POINT? THANK YOU, MR. BROTHER.
I JUST WANTED TO INDICATE TO THE, YOUR CONCERNS.
YOU, YOU MENTIONED SEVERAL DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF CONCERNS.
MY QUESTION TO YOU IS, IS ARE YOU ASKING FOR PERMANENT OR TEMPORARY? I'M
[01:30:01]
NOT ASKING FOR PERMANENT OR TEMPORARY HOUSING.I HAVE NOT BROUGHT UP HOUSING IN THE CONTEXT OF ME OR OTHERS IN GENERAL.
I HAVE BROUGHT UP YOU REFERENCED YOURSELF THE NEED FOR RESOURCES IN AN AGGREGATE FASHION.
YOU REFERENCED YOURSELF BASED UPON YOUR SITUATION AND YOU GAVE COMPARISONS TO I DIDN'T REFERENCE MYSELF AT ALL.
I SPOKE ABOUT WHAT THE NEEDS OF DESTITUTE INDIVIDUALS ARE.
THANK YOU LY AND I HAVE THIS RECORDED AS NEXT SPEAKER IS DOMINIC MAZO.
DOMINIC NAZA IN THE, IN THE COUNSEL ROOM.
UH, I RODE THE 56TH TO THE RAIL TO WALK YOU.
ONE THING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE STUDIED IS THAT THIS IS, WE ARE, WE KNOW OUR, WE KNOW WE CALL OURSELVES SPACE CITY.
WE'RE ALSO A PORT CITY AND WE HAVE A LOT OF RETIRED CONTAINERS THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU ARE ON SHIPS, TRUCKS AND RAIL CARS.
YOU JUST CAN'T PLOP THAT DOWN AND HAVE SOMEBODY LIVE IN THERE.
I MEAN, YOU HAVE TO HAVE WINDOWS, YOU HAVE TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, STUFF FOR FIRE CODES AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
BUT OTHER PARTS OF THE, OF THE WORLD AND PARTS OF THE UNITED STATES USE RECYCLED CONTAINERS FOR HOMES.
AND THAT MIGHT BE A WAY TO GET QUICK, UM, HOUSING, REASONABLE HOUSING, UH, AS A, TO ME IT'S A WIN-WIN.
AND I THINK THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING FOR, FOR THE CITY COUNCIL, THE CODE PEOPLE AND EVERYTHING ELSE TO LOOK AT HAS THIS GROUP.
ALSO TOO, I'D LIKE THE IDEA OF THE BUS, THE SPECIALIZED BUS ROUTES YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
BUT I THINK YOU NEED TO TALK TO METRO.
I KNOW THERE'S TWO, THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT SYSTEMS, BUT SOMEBODY MIGHT BE CALLING THE METRO CALL CENTER AND MAYBE THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT'S SYSTEM MIGHT FIT THEIR NEEDS BETTER THAN METRO.
WHEN YOU PUT HOUSING PROJECTS UP, AGAIN, LOOK AT THE METRO MAP AND SEE WHERE THE TRANSIT SYSTEM IS.
IT'S EASIER TO PLOT SOMETHING WHERE A BUS WOULD GO OR A RAIL LINE OR BRT THEN ASK METRO LATER TO REDO A ROUTE OR ASK METRO IF THAT, YOU KNOW, IF SUCH A DETOUR COULD BE, COULD BE CONCEIVABLE WHEN YOU START OUT.
LASTLY, HAVE Y'ALL CONS, HAVE Y'ALL WORKED WITH ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS, UM, UH, WHAT'S THAT ONE THAT JIMMY CARTER DID? UM, WE LIKE BUILDS HOUSES.
WHAT'S THAT GROUP HE'S WITH? UH, HABITAT FOR HUMANITY.
ARE THERE EVER ANY OTHER GROUPS IN HOUSTON OR HARRIS COUNTY THAT ARE WORKING ON THIS THAT YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT? UH, I THINK, HAVE YOU CONSIDERED GOING OUT TO CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES AND SAY, HEY, WITHIN YOUR, UH, GROUP IS, COULD THIS BE DONE? AND LASTLY, WITHIN THE TURDS, I THINK MAYBE THEY CAN DO MORE TO HELP THE HOMELESS WITHIN THEIR DISTRICT.
THEY'RE HOLDING BACK SOME OF OUR TAX MONEY, PROPERTY TAX MONEY.
I THINK THAT MIGHT BE A GOOD THING FOR THEM TO WORK, UH, TO SERVE HOMELESSNESS AND THAT SORT OF THING WITHIN THE, WITHIN THEIR OWN DISTRICTS.
WITH THAT, I HAVE NO OTHER COMMENTS.
OH, LAST AND THAT AND THAT THING LAST NIGHT, IF Y'ALL WERE ON THE, UH, LISTEN TO THE THING ABOUT THE TAXES THAT, THAT PROGRAM MM-HMM
ALL COMMITTEES NEED TO DO THAT.
THAT WAS AN EXCELLENT TOWN HALL SPONSORED BY FOUR OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, SO HAPPY TO SEE THAT.
AND, UH, YES, DOMINIC, TO YOUR POINT, WHEN, WHEN, UM, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UH, PROJECTS ARE CONSIDERED, THEY DO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT ACCESS TO PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND, UM, HABITAT HUMANITY DOES PLAY A ROLE IN PROVIDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND UH, I WAS ABLE TO MEET WITH REPRESENTATIVE FROM THAT GROUP LAST WEEK AS A MATTER OF FACT.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS, DOMINIC.
I BELIEVE THE LAST SPEAKER IS, UH, SCOTT CLEMENTS.
THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO MEET WITH OR TO LET ME COME SPEAK TO YOU GUYS.
IT'S GREAT WORK THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING, HELPING THE HOMELESS HERE.
THEY REALLY NEED A LOT OF HELP.
UM, I COME WITH A DIFFERENT ISSUE, QUALITY OF LIFE.
I LIVE BEHIND THE GAS STATION AT SUNCO AT, UH, SOUTH IN EMANCIPATION.
[01:35:01]
THE, THE AMOUNT OF NOISE AND STUFF THAT COMES THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHTS FROM 9:00 AM TO 3:00 AM IN THE MORNING.LAST NIGHT I COULDN'T GET TO SLEEP TILL TWO O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING.
I'VE GOT A MEETING, I WORK FROM HOME.
I GOT A MEETING AT SEVEN 30 IN THE MORNING.
I GOTTA GO TO, I, I, I CAN'T WAKE UP FOR IT.
I GOTTA GO BACK TO SLEEP AFTERWARDS.
THE, THE, THE POLICE BUDGET IS BASED ON THEIR MISSION STATEMENT.
AND IT SAYS THE MISSION OF THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT IS TO ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON BY WORKING COOPERATIVE COOPERATIVELY WITH THE PUBLIC TO PREVENT CRIME AND FORCE THE LAWS, PRESERVE THE PEACE, AND PROVIDE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT.
I'VE GOT MORE GUNSHOTS GOING OFF IN MY HOUSE EVERY WEEKEND.
AND THESE GUYS ARE COMMITTING FRAUD.
I MEAN, THEY'RE, THEIR WHOLE, THEY'RE ALLOWED TO, TO, UH, TRANSFER CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES.
THEY'VE GOTTA WORK DESK JOBS INSTEAD OF ACTUALLY PATROLLING THE STREETS THAT NOBODY WANTS TO WORK.
BUT THAT'S WHEN EVERYBODY'S, THAT'S WHEN THEY'RE NEEDED THE MOST.
IT SAYS, THE DEPARTMENT SAYS TRANSFER, UH, TRANSFERS OF CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT SHALL BE CONDUCTED ACCORDING TO POLICE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES OUTLINED IN THIS GENERAL ORDER.
AND THE STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES FOR THE DEPARTMENT'S EMPLOYEE SERVICES DIVISION.
THE DEPARTMENT SHALL TRANSFER CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES TO PROVIDE THE BEST POSSIBLE SERV SER POLICE SERVICES TO THE CITIZENS OF THE CITY, TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND TO PROVIDE OFFICERS WITH, UH, OPPORTUNITIES TO, FOR CAREER DEVELOPMENT AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE ENHANCEMENT.
WHICH IT SEEMS LIKE THAT'S ALL THEY DO IS PROMOTE THEMSELVES INSTEAD OF ACTUALLY PROVIDING THE CITIZENS THE SERVICES THAT THEY NEED.
I, I I I I'VE CALLED HUNDREDS OF TIMES AND HOW, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY TIMES THAT THEY ACTUALLY COME OUT? 23%.
MOST TIMES THEY DON'T COME, IF THEY DO COME, IT'S AFTER TWO HOURS, YOU KNOW, THEY SAID, OH, WE'RE REALLY TRYING NOW.
AND, AND, AND WE'RE GONNA START, WE'RE GONNA START PUSHING PEOPLE OUTTA THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHEN THE BARS CLOSE, THAT'S TWO O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING.
I'VE HAD TO LISTEN TO IT FOR THE LAST SIX HOURS.
AND, AND, AND, AND, AND THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE WHOLE, THAT'S, THAT'S THE FIX.
THEY, THEY, THEY KEEP TELLING ME AND THEY KEEP BLOWING ME OFF.
EVERYBODY KEEPS BLOWING ME OFF.
I'VE TRIED TO COMMUNICATE WITH EVERYBODY, BUT, AND EVERYBODY HAS ALL THE EXCUSES.
THAT'S ALL THEY HAVE IS EXCUSES IS WHY THEY CAN'T DO IT.
WELL, WE CAN'T HAVE A HIGH SPEED PURSUIT.
WELL, WE CAN'T, THE STORE HAS TO CALL.
IT'S A PRIORITY TO CALL WHEN IT COMES IN.
IT'S A THREAT TO HUMAN THREAT TO HUMAN WELFARE, YOU KNOW, AND IT EVEN SAYS THAT ON THEIR, ON THEIR THING.
THAT'S A PRIORITY TO CALL'S A THREAT TO HUMAN WELFARE IN PROGRESS OR A CRIME.
A CRIME OR A THREAT TO HUMAN WELFARE IN PROGRESS.
AND YOU LOOK AT THE DEFINITION OF THREAT TO HUMAN WELFARE.
HUMAN WELFARE IS THE OVERALL WELLBEING OF INDIVIDUALS, INCLUDING THEIR PHYSICAL, MENTAL, AND EMOTIONAL HEALTH.
I MEAN, I I TOLD ONE OF THE OFFICERS, I, I SWEAR TO GOD, I FEEL I'M GOING OUTTA MY MIND.
I MEAN, I, I I, I TOLD THE GUY, I, I THINK I NEED TO GO START SEEING A THERAPIST BECAUSE IT REALLY AFFECTS MY LIFE.
LIKE, REALLY? AND, AND THAT'S WHAT I FEEL LIKE EVERYBODY HERE HAS DONE.
EVERYBODY I'VE TRIED TO CONTACT IS, I, I, I'VE ASKED FOR HELP.
I'VE ASKED TO SET UP A MEETING.
I'VE ASKED FOR AN ACTION PLAN.
YOU KNOW, WHERE'S THE, THEY THEY ASSIGNED ME CRAZY SAL, THAT'S WHO THEY ASSIGNED ME AS MY LIAISON.
AND I TRY TO EMAIL CRAZY SAL AT HIS EMAIL ADDRESS AND MY EMAIL'S BLOCKED FROM THE HPD.
SO THAT'S HOW THEY JUDGE EVERYTHING IS BY HOW MANY COMPLAINTS DID THEY GET? WELL, WE DON'T HAVE ANY COMPLAINTS FROM ANYBODY 'CAUSE NOBODY COMPLAINS.
'CAUSE NO, THEY NEVER DO ANYTHING WITH 23% OF THE TIME THEY EVEN BOTHER TO COME OUT.
NOBODY, NOBODY COMPLAINS ANYMORE.
THE ONLY REASON I WOULD STOP COMPLAINING, I GUESS, IS BECAUSE I'D HAVE TO MOVE.
THAT'S THE ONLY SOLUTION I'VE SEEN.
AND EVERYBODY THAT LOOKS AT ME KIND OF IS KINDA LIKE, YEAH, THAT'S KIND OF PROBABLY WHAT YOU GOTTA DO BECAUSE THERE'S NOBODY ELSE IS DOING ANYTHING.
AND, AND THEY SAY, OH YEAH, WELL IT'S, IT'S NOISY EVERYWHERE IN WASHINGTON AVENUE, IN EDO AND MIDTOWN AND OST AND WHERE YOU'RE AT.
WHERE'S, THERE'S FIVE AREAS WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF NOISE.
SO SEND MORE OFFICERS DURING THOSE TIMES.
WOULDN'T THAT MAKE SENSE TO YOU? YOU KNOW, WHEN THE GUYS IN THE, IN THE OLD MOVIES AND STUFF, THEY COME INTO TOWN, THEY'RE RIDING THEIR HORSES AND STUFF, AND THEY LIKE WHAT HAPPENS? THEY CALL THE POLICE.
AND HERE YOU CALL THE POLICE, THEY NEVER SHOW UP.
THEY, THEY'RE COME EVERY WEEKEND.
THEY KNOW IT'S A PROBLEM AND EVERYBODY IGNORES IT.
SCOTT, UM, I, I SEE YOUR, YOUR FRUSTRATION AND, UM, YOU, YOU AND I HAVE MET, UH, YOU CAME BY AND WE, WE SAT DOWN AND WE HAD, UH, WE HAD A TALK ABOUT THIS.
[01:40:01]
TO THAT, UH, I REACHED OUT AND SPOKE TO COMMANDER WYNN AND LIEUTENANT SALAZAR AND A SERGEANT, THE DRT SERGEANT.SERGEANT ALMS. UM, I KNOW THE POLICE CHIEF HAS BEEN OUT TO THAT AREA, I BELIEVE WITH THE MAYOR ACCORDING TO, TO MEDIA REPORTS.
UH, AND, AND I'M, I'M SORRY THAT, UH, THINGS THAT HAVE NOT IMPROVED OUT THERE.
WHAT, WHAT I WILL DO, UH, SCOTT, IS SEND YOUR REMARKS TO, UH, THE POLICE CHIEF AND SEE IF HE CAN'T, UH, HAVE SOMEONE ELSE PERHAPS REACH OUT TO YOU, UH, WITH, UH, WHAT THEIR THOUGHTS AND PLANS ARE FOR THAT AREA.
I MEAN, THEY HAVE ALL THE ABILITY TO ANY CLASSIFIED OFFICER THEY'VE TRAINED, WE'VE PAID A LOT OF MONEY TO HAVE THESE OFFICERS TRAINED CLASSIFIED OFFICERS, WHICH MEANS THEY CAN DRIVE A POLICE CAR, BUT THEY'RE NOT DRIVING POLICE CARS.
THEY'RE DOING DESK JOBS THAT OTHER CIVILIANS CAN BE HIRED TO DO.
AND THEY'RE WASTING THEIR RESOURCES.
IT'S MISMANAGEMENT AND THEY'RE GETTING, EVERYBODY'S GETTING PROMOTED.
EVEN THOUGH THEY, THEY, EVEN THOUGH IT'S A TER.
ANYBODY BE ASKED TO LIVE LIKE THIS? I MEAN, WHAT WOULD IT BE LIKE IF, IF, I MEAN THESE GUYS GOT TRAIN HORNS IN THEIR CARS, SO THEY COME INTO THE COUNTY.
WHAT, WHAT WOULD IT BE LIKE IF I, IF I BOUGHT A TRAIN HORN AND THEN STARTED DRIVING AROUND EVERYBODY'S HOUSE, DRIVING AROUND HERE AND START BLASTING TRAIN HORN.
YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED? YOU'LL BE LIKE, HEY, WE KNOW THIS GUY'S COMING.
I GOT A GUY OF THE TRAIN HORN.
I GOT GUYS WITH STEREOS THAT'LL SHAKE MY HOUSE TO PIECES AND WHERE'S, WHERE'S THE RELIEF? RIGHT.
ALRIGHT, APPRECIATE IT SCOTT, THANK YOU FOR COMING DOWN.
CAN YOU SET UP A MEETING WITH ME TO MEET WITH ANYONE TO I I WILL REACH OUT, DISCUSS AN ACTUAL ACTION PLAN.
I'LL REACH OUT TO, UH, THE POLICE CHIEF AND PASS, PASS THIS ALONG.
UH, I DON'T KEEP HIS SCHEDULE.
I DIDN'T KNOW THE POLICE CHIEF, BUT THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY JUST IGNORE ME.
ALRIGHT, DOES ANYONE ELSE, UH, WISH TO OFFER PUBLIC COMMENT WHETHER YOU'VE SIGNED UP OR NOT? ALRIGHT, UH, SEEING NO ONE ELSE, NO ONE ELSE IN THE QUEUE, WE WILL GO AHEAD AND ADJOURN.
THE TIME IS 3:44 PM AND LET YOU KNOW THAT OUR NEXT MEETING OF THE QUALITY OF LIFE COMMITTEE WILL BE NOVEMBER THE FOURTH MONDAY AT 2:00 PM SO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.