[Super Neighborhood Alliance Meeting on November 18, 2024.]
[00:00:19]
LET'S GO AHEAD AND, UH, CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER.AND THE VERY FIRST THING I WANTED TO SAY IS THAT I MADE A MISTAKE READING MY OWN CALENDAR AND OUR MEETING IN DECEMBER IS ON THE NINTH, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW I COULD READ THE CALENDAR AS BEING MONDAY THE 10TH.
IT'S MONDAY THE 9TH OF DECEMBER, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.
AND WE HAD SAID THAT THE LOCATION WAS TO BE ANNOUNCED SOON AND AFTER WE SENT OUT THE, UM, THE AGENDA, WE GOT CONFIRMATION THAT WE WILL BE HOSTED BY THE HOUSTON POLICE OFFICERS UNION HALL.
AND SO I, I APPRECIATE PEOPLE ON THE LEADERSHIP TEAM THAT, UH, PULLED SOME CONTACTS FOR US.
AND WE WILL BE SENDING OUT THE PARKING, YOU KNOW, THE ADDRESS AND THE PARKING INSTRUCTIONS.
BUT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE OUR DECEMBER MEETING AT THE POLICE UNION HALL.
SO WE HEARD FROM A NUMEROUS PEOPLE THAT COMING DOWNTOWN AND TRYING TO DEAL WITH PARKING WAS NOT IDEAL.
SO WE THOUGHT WE WOULD GIVE THIS A SHOT.
SO THAT SAID, AND WE WILL REPEAT THAT LATER.
UM, I'D LIKE TO HAVE US GO INTO ROLL CALL.
SO I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO AMY.
SO AMY, CAN YOU WANNA, YOU'RE ON MUTE.
DO YOU WANNA START ROLL CALL? LET'S SEE.
SHE THERE? I DON'T KNOW IF, DON'T KNOW WHERE, WHAT'S GOING ON.
AMY MIGHT BE HAVING ISSUES AS WELL.
I SEE THAT SHE'S HERE AND SHE WAS SPEAKING.
YEAH, I HEARD HER A MINUTE AGO.
AMY, ARE YOU THERE? LET ME TRY TO TEXT HER.
TRYING TO SEE IF WE CAN GET THROUGH TO AMY.
KEITH, DO YOU HAVE HANDY THE, THE ATTENDANCE SHEET THAT AMY SENT OUT? OR I CAN CALL? DO I NEED TO LOOK IT UP ON MY EMAIL? I HAVE IT.
UM, IN THE MEANTIME, WE'VE ASKED EVERYBODY TO LET US KNOW ABOUT THE OFFICIAL REPS FOR EACH SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD AND REALLY, REALLY GREATLY APPRECIATE EVERYONE WHO HAS PROVIDED THAT INFORMATION TO US.
AND THERE IS A GOOGLE DOC THAT IS AVAILABLE TO BE SIGNED FOR THAT.
I BELIEVE THAT AMY HAS PUT THAT INTO THE CHAT.
UM, AND UH, IF WE, IF YOU CAN GET A CHANCE TO SIGN IN ON THAT, WE WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE IT.
UH, WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE GOT THE COMPLETE AND ACCURATE ROLE.
AND WHILE WE ARE TRYING TO GET AHOLD OF AMY AND GETTING OUR INFORMATION TO DO OUR FORMAL ROLL CALL, I'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND LET'S JUST JUMP AHEAD AND INTRODUCE THE HOUSTON TOOL BANK.
SO SHELBY, WHERE'D YOU GO? I SAW YOU THEN.
DO YOU HAVE A PRESENTATION YOU'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND, AND PUT UP FOR US A POWERPOINT? SURE.
UM, I WILL, UH, PASS IT TO, UM, MARLEY, UM, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF, UM, THE, UM, HOUSTON TOOL BANK.
UM, AND I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE PRESENTATION, BUT UM, WE WILL SHARE THE INFORMATION.
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE HOUSTON TOOL BANK.
I'M SORRY WE DON'T HAVE A, A POWERPOINT PRESENTATION, BUT AFTER, UM, I SHARE SOME INFORMATION, I'LL GO AHEAD AND PUT SOME LINKS IN THE CHAT THAT'LL TAKE YOU DIRECTLY TO OUR WEBSITE AND ALL THE INFORMATION THAT YOU NEED, UH, TO PARTNER WITH
[00:05:01]
THE TOOL BANK.UM, BUT I KNOW I SEE SOME FAMILIAR NAMES ON THE CALL.
SO I KNOW THAT WE ALREADY HAVE SOME TOOL BANK PARTNERS, UM, ON THIS CALL, WHICH IS GREAT TO SEE.
BUT I DID A QUICK CHECK IN OUR SYSTEM BEFORE I LOGGED IN AND WE ONLY HAVE NINE SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS AS REGISTERED PARTNERS WITH THE TOOL BANK.
AND SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU ALL TO KIND OF SHARE WHAT WE DO AND HOW WE CAN SUPPORT YOU ALL.
SO THE TOOL BANK OPERATES A NONPROFIT TOOL LENDING PROGRAM.
SO WE HAVE AN INVENTORY OF RESOURCES IN DENVER HARBOR.
WE HAVE 305 TYPES OF TOOLS AND 16,000 INDIVIDUAL TOOLS THAT WE SHARE WITH ANY NONPROFIT OR TAX EXEMPT ENTITY, WHICH INCLUDES SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND SO, UM, WE HAVE A VAST RANGE OF INVENTORY AVAILABLE.
SO, UM, EVERYTHING THAT YOU NEED TO DO A COMMUNITY CLEANUP TO DO A TREE PLANNING OR TO DO A NATIONAL NIGHT OUT.
SO WE HAVE, UM, WE HAVE AUGERS AND WE HAVE WHEELBARROWS AND TRASH GRABBERS SAFETY VESTS, UM, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, COCKTAIL TABLES AND LINENS AND COOLERS AND PA SYSTEMS AND TABLES AND CHAIRS AND POP-UP TENTS.
SO WE REALLY TRY TO CAPTURE THE FULL RANGE OF INVENTORY THAT CAN BE NEEDED BY OUR NONPROFIT PARTNERS.
SO A LOT OF OUR EXISTING, UM, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD PARTNERS USE US FOR TREE PLANTINGS, UM, USE US FOR THEIR COMMUNITY OUTREACH EVENTS, EVEN FOR THEIR REGULAR SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS.
THEY MIGHT COME AND GET SOME OF THE EVENTS EQUIPMENT, UM, TO USE FOR THEIR, FOR THEIR EVENTS.
SO IT IS FREE TO BE A MEMBER OF THE TOOL BANK.
THERE'S A REALLY SIMPLE FORM ON OUR WEBSITE AND THEN ALSO ON OUR WEBSITE YOU'LL SEE THAT WE HAVE THE FULL INVENTORY LIST AVAILABLE.
SO YOU CAN SEE AHEAD OF TIME WHAT, UM, WE HAVE.
AND THEN ONCE YOU, UM, ARE APPROVED TO BE A MEMBER, YOU'LL HAVE LOGIN TO OUR ONLINE ORDERING SYSTEM WHERE YOU CAN PLACE ORDERS FOR ALL OF THE TOOLS THAT YOU MAY NEED FOR YOUR PROJECTS.
UM, IN ADDITION TO TOOL LENDING, WE DO A LOT OF DISASTER, UM, RECOVERY WORK.
SO OBVIOUSLY WE USE TOOLS, YOU KNOW, FOR OUR DISASTER RESPONSE WORK AS WELL.
AND WE HAVE SOME PREPAREDNESS PARTNERSHIPS WITH EIGHT OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON COUNCIL MEMBERS.
SO, UM, WITH COUNCIL MEMBER PAC JACKSON CAYMAN, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ, THOMAS HUFFMAN, MARTINEZ, AND CASTILLO.
SO IF YOU ARE IN THEIR DISTRICTS, WE HAVE DEDICATED TOOLS THAT ARE INTENDED FOR DISASTER RECOVERY, UM, RELIEF AND OTHER SUPPORT IF WE ARE IMPACTED BY DISASTERS.
SO, UM, PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO REACH OUT TO US, YOU KNOW, BOTH IN BLUE SKIES WHEN YOU'RE DOING COMMUNITY CLEANUPS OR OTHER PROJECTS OR IN GRAY SKIES WHEN OUR COMMUNITY IS RESPONDING TO A POTENTIAL DISASTER EVENT.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL PAUSE AND SEE IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, AND IF THERE AREN'T, I'LL THROW A BUNCH OF LINKS IN THE CHAT SO THAT Y'ALL CAN, CAN SEE WHERE TO LOOK ON OUR WEBSITE TO FIND MORE INFORMATION.
HEY VICKI, HOW ARE YOU? ONE OF THE FAMILIAR NAMES I SAW.
JUST GONNA SAY WE ARE ENJOYING OUR PARTNERSHIP.
FROM YOU, WHAT IS THE, UM, THE PROCESS FOR ONCE YOU'VE REGISTERED AND, AND YOU NEED THE, YOU NEED TO, UH, TO GET SOME TOOLS? DO YOU DELIVER? DO YOU HAVE TO PICK UP, CAN YOU EXPLAIN HOW THAT WORKS? I, I KNOW, BUT I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE MIGHT NEED TO KNOW.
SO WE HAVE AN ONLINE ORDERING SYSTEM.
SO, UM, WE ASK THAT WHEN, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A A PROJECT GO AHEAD AND PLACE YOUR ORDER.
WE ACCEPT ORDERS UP TO A YEAR IN ADVANCE.
SO WHEN, AS SOON AS YOU KNOW YOUR PROJECT DATE AND A ROUGH IDEA OF WHAT YOU NEED, UM, GO AHEAD AND GET YOUR ORDER IN AND THEN WE CAN, UM, MAKE CHANGES THAT TO ORDER UP TO 72 HOURS, UM, BEFORE THE PROJECT.
AND SO, OR BEFORE THE PICKUP, YOU CAN PICK THE, UM, PICK UP THE ORDER AT OUR WAREHOUSE.
SO WE'RE LOCATED IN DENVER HARBOR, UM, RIGHT, RIGHT NEAR CLINTON.
AND SO IF THAT'S THE MOST CONVENIENT PLACE YOU CAN PICK UP FROM US, UM, FROM OUR MAIN WAREHOUSE OR WE HAVE SIX NEIGHBORHOOD TOOL HUBS, WHICH ARE MODIFIED SHIPPING CONTAINERS THAT ARE UTILIZED AS THEY KIND OF FUNCTION LIKE AN AMAZON LOCKER.
SO YOU CAN PLACE YOUR FULL ORDER AND THEN WE CAN DROP IT AT THE HUB CLOSEST TO YOU.
UM, THE ONES THAT MOST MIGHT, MAYBE MOST RELEVANT ARE WE HAVE A HUB AT CITY CENTER.
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE TWO HUBS IN, UH, FORT BEND COUNTY, BUT THEY'RE KIND OF CLOSER TO KIND OF THE I 10 KATY AREA.
IF THERE'S A SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD OUT IN THAT, UH, THAT AREA.
[00:10:01]
ONES ARE IN CONROE, BEAUMONT, UM, AND IN GALVESTON.SO THEY MIGHT BE A LITTLE FAR, UM, OR YOU CAN GET DIRECT DELIVERY TO YOUR DOOR, TO YOUR PROJECT SITE.
UM, WE DO CHARGE FOR THE DELIVERY, SO IT'S A $75 FEE TO GET A DELIVERY TO YOUR PROJECT.
IT IS FREE TO PICK UP FROM US OR TO PICK UP FROM THE HUB.
WELL, DR. BONNER, YOU HAD A QUESTION.
SO, UH, A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL SERVICE, WHICH, WHICH I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT.
SO MY QUESTION IS, IS THERE A TIME LIMIT ON HOW LONG YOU CAN KEEP THE TOOLS? GREAT QUESTION.
SO A STANDARD ORDER IS FOR ONE WEEK.
SO WE PARTNER WITH NONPROFITS, SO WE UNDERSTAND THAT LIKE IF YOU'RE DOING A WEEKEND PROJECT, YOU MIGHT WANNA PICK IT UP ON FRIDAY, DROP IT OFF ON MONDAY, THAT'S FINE.
BUT THE, WHEN YOU ENTER THE ORDER, IT WILL RESERVE IT FOR ONE WEEK.
UM, BUT YOU CAN EXTEND THAT ORDER UP TO 16 WEEKS.
SO IF YOU'RE DOING A VERY LARGE PROJECT, OR SAY YOU'RE DOING SEVERAL OF THE SAME PROJECT OVER A COUPLE WEEKS AND IT MAKES IT SENSE TO EXTEND IT, YOU'RE WELCOME TO DO THAT AS WELL.
IS THIS PROVIDED THAT, UH, THAT THERE'S NO ONE ELSE WHO IS IN THE QUEUE NEEDING THOSE PARTICULAR TOOLS? ABSOLUTELY, YES.
SO, UM, THE REASON WHY I SAID GET YOUR ORDERS IN AS SOON AS YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU NEED IS WE ARE FIRST COME, FIRST RESERVE.
SO THERE ARE TIMES OF THE YEAR, UM, LIKE EARTH DAY AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, WHERE THERE ARE SO MANY PROJECTS AROUND THE CITY THAT OUR INVENTORY IS REALLY LIKE SUPER UTILIZED AT THAT TIME AND WE, IT'S LIKELY THAT WE MAY HAVE TO TURN AN ORDER DOWN IF THEY, YOU KNOW, SUBMIT IT THREE DAYS BEFORE EARTH DAY.
UM, AND SO AS LONG AS NO ONE ELSE HAS RESERVED THE THE TOOLS, THEY CAN BE RESERVED FOR YOU EVEN UP TO A YEAR AHEAD OF TIME.
DOUG, YOU WERE NEXT? YEAH, MARLEY AND THEN GINA.
MY NAME, MY NAME IS DOUG SMITH AND, UH, I HAVEN'T MET YOU, BUT I'M WITH AILEY SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD.
YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD OF AILEY SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 'CAUSE WE COULDN'T EXIST.
WE'VE PLANTED THOUSANDS OF TREES AND WE COULDN'T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT YOUR HELP.
AND UH, I JUST WANT EVERYBODY TO KNOW YOU'RE A GREAT ORGANIZATION AND THE BIGGEST THING THAT'S IMPROVED THIS YEAR IS YOU HAVE YOUR WEST SIDE HUB.
SO I DON'T HAVE TO NEGOTIATE I 10 AND A 20 FOOT TRUCK TO GO OVER TO DENVER HARBOR TO PICK UP THE TOOLS AND IT'S GREATLY APPRECIATED.
DOUG, I'LL PA I'LL PASS ALONG YOUR COMPLIMENTS TO NANCY.
NANCY IS THEIR AMAZING, UH, WAREHOUSE DIRECTOR, SO IF YOU PLACE AN ORDER OR CALL HER PHONE, SHE'S GONNA BE THE ONE THAT Y'ALL TALK TO.
GINA SYLVESTER, UH, REPRESENTING BRAEBURN, UH, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 30.
DID YOU OR DID YOU NOT MENTION EDWARD POLLARD IN YOUR LIST OF, UH, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT ARE INVOLVED? I DID NOT.
HE IS NOT YET PARTNERING WITH THE TOOL BANK IN A FORMAL CAPACITY, BUT WE DO HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS OFFICE AND THEY DO BORROW TOOLS FROM US FROM TIME TO TIME.
AND SO IT DOESN'T STOP ANYONE, YOU KNOW, FROM HIS DISTRICT FROM UM, PARTNERING WITH US.
BUT WE JUST HAVE A, YOU KNOW, A FORMALIZED PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DISTRICTS THAT I MENTIONED.
LETITIA, YOU, YOU HAVE YOUR HAND UP? YES, I DO.
UM, GOOD AFTERNOON OR GOOD EVENING.
MY NAME IS LA GRANT KER HOME SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
LETITIA, ARE YOU THERE? IT LOOKS LIKE YOU MIGHT HAVE MUTED.
IT WENT, YES, IT WENT RIGHT BACK ON MUTE.
SO WE PARTNERED WITH THE TOOL BANK BEFORE ON A MAJOR MOWING PROJECT AND WE WOULD, WERE ABLE TO UTILIZE THE ELECTRICAL LAWNMOWERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT MY QUESTION IS, HAVE YOU GOTTEN ANY LARGER MOWING EQUIPMENT? WE DO NOT YET.
SO WE HAVE, UM, WE HAVE PUSHED LAWNMOWERS, WE HAVE WEED EATERS, BLOWERS, TILLERS, AUGERS, UM, AND A LOT OF HAND TOOLS FOR LANDSCAPING.
WE DO NOT YET HAVE THE RIDING LAWNMOWERS, BUT STAY TUNED 'CAUSE THEY WERE HOPEFULLY COMING EARLIER, EARLY NEXT YEAR.
WE'RE WORKING ON LINING UP SOME FUNDING RIGHT NOW.
DO YOU ACCEPT DONATIONS OF TOOLS? YES, WE, YES WE DO.
SO, UM, A LOT OF THE TOOLS THAT WE, WE HAVE, WE GET DONATED FROM INDIVIDUALS.
WE, YOU KNOW, HAVE A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE WHO ARE MOVING AND THEY DON'T WANNA MOVE THEIR ENTIRE TOOL SHED OR THEY'RE, YOU KNOW,
[00:15:01]
CLEANING OUT SOME OF THEIR GARAGE OR DOWNSIZING, WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE.SO WE WELCOME ANY AND ALL TOOL DONATIONS, UM, FROM THE COMMUNITY AND FINANCIAL DONATIONS AS WELL.
WE ARE A NONPROFIT, SO I HAVE TO SAY THAT.
BUT ANY, UH, IN KIND DONATIONS ARE WELCOME AS WELL.
DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? UH, I DO.
WHO, WHO IS THIS? THIS IS JIM HONEY, UH, SUPER BEAR SIX TWO.
AND I COULD, I SEE THIS HAND DOWN AT THE BOTTOM, BUT IT DOESN'T SEEM TO WORK ON RAISING MY HAND.
BUT ANYWAY, DO YOU HAVE ANY BIKE TOOLS? UM, WHAT TYPE OF BIKE TOOLS ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? UM, THE FIRST ONE WOULD BE LIKE A REPAIR STAND AND THEN THERE WOULD BE LIKE MAYBE CRANK POLARS OR YOU KNOW, OF COURSE GENERIC WRENCHES AND SUCH.
YOU'RE IN DENVER HARBOR, YOU'RE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BIKE COMMUNITY.
AND I'M WONDERING IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, UM, WELL, AND THE NEXT QUESTION WOULD BE, DO YOU HAVE A PLACE THAT SOMEBODY COULD RIDE ROLL UP TO ON A BIKE AND START WORKING ON THEIR BIKE? UM, NO, NOT YET, BUT I REALLY LIKE WHERE YOU'RE GOING WITH THAT.
UM, SO WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, ALL OF YOUR TRADI TRADITIONAL WRENCHES AND YOU KNOW, THE STANDARD HAND TOOLS.
WE DON'T HAVE, UH, BIKE TOOL LIKE SPECIFIC, BUT I WOULD LOVE TO CONNECT WITH YOU OFFLINE AND GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF LIKE WHAT TOOLS YOU MIGHT BE YOU WOULD CONSIDER IN THAT CATEGORY.
'CAUSE THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING.
UM, AND I WOULD LOVE SOME FEEDBACK ON, ON WHAT YOU WOULD BE LOOKING FOR WITH THAT.
UM, SO THAT WE COULD POSSIBLY ADD IT TO OUR INVENTORY.
WE ARE LOADED, LOCATED IN DENVER HARBOR.
THERE'S NOT, UM, THE ROADS AREN'T, THERE'S NOT A BIKE LANE AND THERE'S NOT, UM, IT'S A LOT OF INDUSTRIAL TRAFFIC WHERE WE ARE, BUT THAT WOULDN'T STOP, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE THERE COMING DOWN THEIR BIKE.
WE HAVE A, A LARGE PARKING LOT WHERE PEOPLE COULD COME IF THEY NEEDED TO.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO HAS A QUESTION THEY WOULD LIKE TO BRING UP? UH, JUST A QUICK QUESTION.
IS THERE A WEBPAGE YOU CAN PUT IN THE CHAT FOR US, MARLEY? YES.
I'M GONNA PUT, UM, I'LL PUT OUR MAIN WEBPAGE IN.
I'LL PUT MY EMAIL IN AND THEN I'LL POST A COUPLE SPECIFIC LINKS FOR OUR INVENTORY AND TO SIGN UP TO BE A MEMBER.
AND IT IS FREE TO BE A MEMBER, SO WE ALWAYS SAY, IF YOU THINK YOU MIGHT WANNA USE THIS IN THE FUTURE, GO AHEAD AND SIGN UP BECAUSE THAT WAY YOU CAN ALREADY BE IN OUR SYSTEM APPROVED, READY TO GO WHEN YOU MAY NEED SOMETHING IN THE FUTURE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE TIME.
UM, SPEAKING OF JOINING UP, SO YOU, DO YOU, YOU JOIN UP, UH, AS YOUR SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD? UM, OR JUST JUST TELL ME YES.
SO YOU CAN SIGN UP AS SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 68, UM, AND YOU KNOW, PUT YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION IN THERE.
WE DO NOT LOAN TO INDIVIDUALS, WE ONLY LOAN TO NONPROFITS OR TAX EXEMPT ENTITIES.
SO, UM, YOU AS AN INDIVIDUAL COULD NOT SIGN UP, BUT YOUR SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD CAN.
AND SO WHAT WOULD YOU NEED AS FAR AS CRITERIA? BECAUSE I COULD TELL YOU THAT I HAVE A LOT OF SUPER, UH, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 68 AND, AND I REALLY DO.
SO WE DO ASK FOR, UM, A SOME FORMS OF DOCUMENTATION THAT CONFIRM THAT YOU ARE WHO YOU SAY YOU ARE AND YOU'RE AFFILIATED WITH THIS ORGANIZATION.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE FOR, FOR SOME ORGANIZATIONS LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE WELCOME HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATIONS, BOY SCOUT TROOPS, THERE MAY NOT BE A LOT OF FORMALIZED.
LIKE YOU'RE NOT GONNA HAVE A NINE 90 OR 5 0 1 C3 FROM THE IRS, BUT MM-HMM
WE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE A EVEN LIKE MEETING MINUTES, LIKE FROM A MEETING LIKE THIS, THAT SHOW THAT YOUR SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD IS LISTED AND YOU ARE A CONTACT PERSON, UM, IS, YOU KNOW, THOSE TYPES OF INFORMATION, A FACEBOOK PAGE, UM, THAT SHOWS THE HISTORY THAT LIKE YOU DIDN'T CREATE IT THE DAY THAT YOU SIGNED UP.
YOU WOULDN'T BELIEVE SOME OF THE THINGS WE SEE, UM,
AND SO, YOU KNOW, JUST SOME, SOME DOCUMENTATION THAT VALIDATES THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU ARE AN ORGANIZATION AND YOU DO WHAT YOU SAY YOU DO.
AND I'LL GO AHEAD AND PUT THE LINKS IN THE CHAT NOW.
OH NAOMI, YOU HAD A QUICK QUESTION.
'CAUSE IT WAS SOMETHING THAT MARLEY JUST SAID BECAUSE I KNOW THAT, UM, THE CITY OF HOUSTON MAINTAINS A LOCATION WHERE SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE, UM, A WEBSITE AND IT GENERALLY GIVES LIKE OFFICERS AND HISTORY
[00:20:01]
AND THINGS LIKE THAT WITH THAT KIND OF A LINK BE SUFFICIENT.UM, YES, THAT WOULD BE, THAT WOULD BE PERFECT.
AND YOU KNOW, NOT ALL SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE A 5 0 1 C3 OR 5 0 1 3 4 STATUS, RIGHT? YEAH.
AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT YOU DO NOT HAVE TO HAVE A 5 0 1 C3.
UM, WE JUST DO, WE JUST WILL LOOK FOR THAT VALIDATION THAT YOU'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 110 THAT DOESN'T YEAH.
AND, AND SURE WE JUST DIDN'T EXIST, YOU KNOW, COME INTO EXISTENCE TODAY.
SOMETIMES SOME NONPROFITS DO SIGN UP ON DAY ONE AND WE WORK WITH THEM ON THAT, BUT WE DO, YOU KNOW, JUST VALIDATE THAT, YOU KNOW, THOSE WHO ARE SIGNING UP AREN'T GONNA USE IT TO GO AND CHARGE SOMEONE FOR A HOME REPAIR OR YOU KNOW, RUN AWAY TO A GARAGE SALE.
WE APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH SHELBY.
SO, UM, WELL WE'RE GOING TO JUST CIRCLE BACK BACKGROUND AND GO BACK TO OUR OFFICIAL ROLL CALL AND BECAUSE AMY IS UM, BACK ONLINE, I THINK WE HAD TEMPORARILY LOST HER BUT SHE'S BACK.
SO
AND I FIRST, I WAS AT THE TOOL BANK TODAY DROPPING OFF MATERIAL.
SO THAT IS UH, REALLY JUST KIND OF FUNNY.
UM, BUT UM, I APOLOGIZE FOR MY, UM, TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES.
IT WAS NOT ALLOWING ME TO UNMUTE MY MIC OR ADD MY CAMERA AND SO I JUST GOT OUTTA THE MEETING AND RE LOGGED IN.
SO I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE WHAT WAS HAPPENING.
SO WE ARE GOING TO START WITH THE ROLL CALL FOR THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS.
UH, I'M GOING TO CALL ANY SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD THAT'S ATTENDED THE LAST FOUR MEETINGS PER OUR NEW BYLAWS.
UM, AND IF YOU ARE HERE, PLEASE ANNOUNCE PRESENT.
ALSO IN THE CHAT I'LL JUST NOTE THAT I HAVE INCLUDED UH, A SPREADSHEET, UH, FOR PEOPLE TO DESIGNATE THEIR OFFICIAL DESIGNATED REPRESENTATIVES FOR THEIR SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD AND THAT WILL HELP US STREAMLINE, UM, ROLL CALL, IDENTIFY THOSE THAT ARE, UM, REPRESENTING THEIR, UM, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL IN AN OFFICIAL CAPACITY.
SO WE WILL START WITH SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD FIVE.
I'M PRESIDENT, I'M HERE FOR PHILIP.
LETICIA GRANT, UH, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD.
MARIE CARLISLE, PRESIDENT HERE.
FRANK SURGI, SCATTER MEMORIAL, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD.
STACY FAIRCHILD, SUPER NEIGHBOR PRESIDENT.
DOUG SMITH, REPRESENTATIVE, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 27.
GINA, SYLVESTER PRESIDENT, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, YEAH, I DON'T KNOW IF SYLVIA IS HERE.
CINDY CHAPMAN, REPRESENTATIVE, SUPER NEIGHBOR.
UH, SUPER NEIGHBOR, 41, SUPER NEIGHBOR.
VICKY MARTIN, VICE PRESIDENT, PRESIDENT SUPER
[00:25:01]
52.DOWNEY PRESIDENT, SUPER 57, SUPER 63.
UH, SUPER, SORRY, RICKY, RICKY, RICK, RICKY CARDINE IS HERE WITH SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 63.
AMY DEN, PRESENT ALSO SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 68.
UM, UH, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 65, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 66.
KATHLEEN O'REILLY, MUSEUM PARK.
PRESENT SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 67.
BEVERLY, A J REPRESENTATIVE, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD, 71, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 82, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD.
I THINK, I THINK YOU MISSED ME.
OH, I'M SORRY CHERYL, THAT'S YOU.
AMY, DID I MISS? HI SUPERBIRD 12 AMY? YEAH.
LET'S CATCH THOSE THAT I MIGHT'VE MISSED.
IS THAT MARK KLEIN? YES, I'M HERE.
HI AMY, THIS IS ROBIN GERMAN CURTIS WITH SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 47.
OKAY, THANK YOU PASTOR DEB HAS HER HAND UP.
WE'RE NOT OFFICIAL, BUT I'M HERE FOR 45.
ANYONE ELSE THAT I MISSED? THIS IS PAULA PARON.
IS THAT EVERYBODY? UH, JIM HONEY, ALTERNATE 62.
I GUESS WE MOVE NOW TO THE APPROVAL OF THE OCTOBER MINUTES.
I HAVE TO SAY THAT WE DID HEAR THAT ON PAGE TWO.
WE MISSPELLED HAROLD EATON'S NAME AND WE APOLOGIZE.
I DON'T THINK HAROLD'S ON THE CALL TONIGHT.
WE DO APOLOGIZE AND WE MISSPELLED AND LET THE L OUT OF HIS NAME.
SO WE WILL MAKE THAT CORRECTION.
I NOT IN THE MINUTES, IT DOESN'T TALK ABOUT ANYTHING ABOUT, UM, CHANGES PROPOSED PRIOR TO THE MINUTES BEING SUBMITTED.
WAS THAT DISCUSSED IN THE MEETING? I'M SURE.
I'M NOT SURE I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE ASKING.
COULD YOU REPEAT THAT? WELL, THERE WERE CHANGES, THERE WERE CHANGES TO THOSE MINUTES PRIOR TO THE EVEN BEING SENT OUT.
WERE THOSE CHANGES AT ALL BROUGHT UP DURING THE MEETING? 'CAUSE THE MINUTES DON'T REFLECT THAT.
I JUST WANNA SEE IF THAT'S OKAY.
CHANGES TO THE OCTOBER MINUTES MM-HMM
I'M SORRY, I DID NOT SEE ANY, I'M NOT TALKING NOT THE OCTOBER NOS.
UM, YES TO THE OCTOBER MINUTES THAT I SENT IN BEFOREHAND BEFORE HE EVEN SENT OUT THE MINUTES.
I DON'T SEE, I DID NOT SEE MINUTES CHANGES TO OCTOBER, MINUTES BEFORE OCTOBER MINUTES WERE SENT OUT.
I DON'T KNOW HOW WE COULD MAKE CHANGES TO SOMETHING THAT HAVEN'T BEEN SENT OUT.
WELL, IT WAS, I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED.
IT WAS GIVEN THE INFORMATION OF WHAT I WAS DISCUSSING, SO I WAS MAKING IT EASIER FOR YOU TO JUST DROP IT INTO THE MINUTES.
WERE YOU PRESENT AT THE OCTOBER MEETING? I WAS NOT.
I DON'T THINK YOU WANNA GO DOWN THAT PATH THOUGH.
UM, I'M, I'M, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY.
I DON'T, I DID NOT GET ANY CHANGES.
I DID NOT SEE ANY CHANGES TO OCTOBER MINUTES.
[00:30:02]
SO, SO LET ME LOOK THROUGH EMAILS AND THE PA GET BACK AROUND.DOUG, YOU HAD YOUR HAND UP? YEAH, I MAKE A MOTION THAT THE MINUTES BE APPROVED AS SUBMITTED.
DOUG, YOU'RE OUT OF ORDER FOR ONE THING FOR US.
AND OF COURSE THAT'S HOW ROBERT'S RULES ORDERS, DEALS WITH MINUTES AND SECOND, WE HAVE A QUESTION OF INFORMATION ON HERE.
AND IF IT IS THAT IT'S NOT PUT ON THERE, THEN THE QUESTION IS THERE'S A POINT OF ORDER THAT THE MINUTES WERE NOT APPROVED WITH ALL THE PROPER INFORMATION SUBMITTED TO ALL THE MEMBERS TO MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION.
SO DOUG, I PLEASE, I I AM LOOKING THROUGH THE EMAILS AND I SEE NO, NO EMAIL FROM YOU REGARDING OCTOBER MINUTES.
I WILL SEND IT TO YOU AGAIN AFTER THE MEETING.
I THINK I'D HAVE TO GO BACK AND LOOK.
AMY, DID YOU GET IT? I DIDN'T GET IT.
WHO'S THAT? DOUG AND AMY BOTH ARE SHAKING HAIR.
DOUG IS GOT AN OFFICER, SO HE WOULDN'T GET IT.
I'M NOT SURE WHY HE'S INJECTING INTO THIS.
KEITH, I DIDN'T RECEIVE ANYTHING.
OKAY, PASTOR DEB, YOU HAD YOUR HAND UP? YES.
I DID MENTION THAT THE REBUILD GROUP WAS HERE FROM 45.
I UNDERSTAND THAT SOMEONE, UH, PAULA, UH, CHIMED IN AND SAID SHE WAS HERE TOO.
UM, SHE DIDN'T STATE WHERE SHE WAS FROM.
UH, BUT I ASSUME SO ALL Y'ALL KNOW THAT SHE'S THE PAST 45, UM, ON THIS SNA UH, GOOGLE FORM.
UH, AM I SUPPOSED TO REACH OUT TO PAULA AND COORDINATE THAT OR ARE WE GONNA HAVE MULTIPLE CHAPTERS OF THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD? 45? YEAH, I AGREE.
WE, WE CAN DISCUSS THIS BETTER, UH, LATER ON THIS WEEK, BUT YEAH.
YES, WE'LL DISCUSS IT ONLINE ABOUT IT.
YOUR IS ON POINT AND I'LL TALK TO YOU LATER ON THIS WEEK.
WAS WE HAVE Y'ALL BOTH NOTED AS BEING PRESENT? OKAY.
I'M ASKING ABOUT THE FORM THAT I PICKED UP OUT OF THE, UM, CHAT DEAR.
UM, I'M GONNA FILL IT OUT AND UM, SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE, AM I SUPPOSED TO INCLUDE SOMEONE ELSE FROM 45 LIKE PAULA OR LEAVE HER OFF OF THE ONE I'M FILLING AT? OKAY.
PASTOR DEB, CAN YOU AND PAULA AND I TALK ABOUT THIS? OH, YES.
JUST LET ME KNOW WHEN BUT TO, YEAH, TO, TO FIGURE HOW, HOW Y'ALL ARE GONNA FILL OUT THAT GOOGLE FORM.
OKAY, SO WE HAD A MOTION MADE.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? KEVIN? SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD.
OPPOSED? DID WE WANNA PLEASE? OPPOSED? PLEASE.
SO, ANY OTHER OPPOSED? JAMES, YOU HAVE YOUR HAND UP.
JAMES HONEY, YOU HAD YOUR HAND UP? NO, MS. GINA.
GINA SYLVESTER HAS HER HAND UP.
OKAY, GINA? YEAH, I JUST, I I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A NOTE, UM, THAT I READ, UH, THROUGH THE MINUTES AND, UM, AND MAYBE THIS IS JUST FOR MOVING FORWARD, NOT FOR THESE MINUTES, BUT, UM, THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE BY MEMBERS OF THIS ORGANIZATION WERE NOT SPELLED OUT IN DETAIL.
FOR EXAMPLE, I THINK VICKI MARTIN TALKED ABOUT HER FENCE.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE THIS IS FOR THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, AND TO, TO MAINTAIN THE DATA THAT, THAT IS SPELLED OUT MORE IN DETAIL THAT HER NAME IS ATTACHED TO HER COMMENT AND HER NEW AND HER NEIGHBORHOOD.
ANY, OKAY, SO I HEARD ONE OPPOSITION TO THE MINUTES AND THE REST I HEARD, UH, PASSED.
SO THE MINUTES HAVE BEEN PASSED.
UM, WE'RE NOW MOVING TO THE COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS, AND I'M NOT SURE IS IF JOSE IS GOING TO, TO LEAD THIS, KICK THIS OFF.
AND I'M SORRY IF I'M MISPRONOUNCING YOUR NAME, PLEASE.
AND LET ME, UM, I SHOULD BE ABLE TO SHARE.
CAN YOU ALL SEE THE PRESENTATION? YES.
[00:35:01]
OKAY.AND JUST WAITING FOR MY, MY, MY PEERLESS LEADER, UH, KELLY YOUNG.
WELL, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR, UH, LETTING US SPEAK TODAY.
UM, I AM KELLY YOUNG, THE PRESIDENT AND THE CEO OF THE COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS OF HOUSTON HARRIS COUNTY.
AND OUR TAGLINE BASICALLY IS MAKING THE HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM WORK BETTER.
UM, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE, ALTHOUGH WE'RE THE COALITION, WE ACTUALLY RUN WHAT'S CALLED THE HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM.
AND WE'RE GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT NEXT LINE.
SO WHAT WE DO IS WE COORDINATE THE WORK OF THE LOCAL HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM, WHICH IS CALLED THE WAY HOME, TO MAXIMIZE THE FEDERAL DOLLARS THAT COME IN TO PAY FOR HOMELESSNESS SERVICES IN HOUSTON.
SO A LOT OF PEOPLE MAY NOT KNOW THAT THE ONLY DOLLARS WE GET TO ACTUALLY, UM, PROVIDE HOMELESS SERVICES IN HOUSTON ARE MAINLY FEDERAL DOLLARS THROUGH THE, UH, HOUSING AND URBAN, UM, DEPARTMENT.
AND PART OF WHAT'S IMPORTANT IN RECOGNIZING THAT IS THAT THOSE DOLLARS ARE ALREADY ALLOCATED TO ORGANIZATIONS THAT PROVIDE HOMELESSNESS SERVICES IN HOUSTON.
SO A LOT OF TIMES WHEN PEOPLE ASK US, WELL, I HAVE HOMELESSNESS HAPPENING IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, CAN YOU COME OUT AND DO SOMETHING? WE ARE LIMITED BY THE NUMBER OF DOLLARS WE HAVE AND THE AMOUNT OF SERVICE PROVISION WE HAVE AVAILABLE AT ANY GIVEN TIME.
WE, UM, AT THIS POINT HAVE ABOUT $59 MILLION THAT COMES IN FEDERALLY TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS, BOTH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, YOUTH SERVICES, AND THEN THE REGULAR HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM.
AND PART OF OUR JOB IS TO CREATE THE APPLICATION THAT GOES UP TO HUD EVERY YEAR TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THOSE DOLLARS BACK TO US EVERY SINGLE YEAR.
UM, IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT ONLY BECAUSE WE ARE ALSO THE PEOPLE WHO OVERSEE THE COMPLIANCE OF THOSE FEDERAL DOLLARS.
SO WE MAKE SURE EVERYBODY SPENDS ALL THEIR MONEY AND THEY USE THEIR SERVICES THE WAY THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO.
THE SECOND PART OF OUR JOB IS REALLY TO FILL GAPS.
UM, WE TRY TO EXECUTE SPECIAL PROJECTS OR EN OR ENHANCE THE HOMELESSNESS RESPONSE SYSTEM, BOTH LOCALLY AND NATIONALLY.
WE ARE ACTUALLY NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED AS WELL AS INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED.
CANADA LOVES US FOR SOME REASON.
UH, WE, WE GET A CALL AT LEAST ONCE A A MONTH FROM THEM.
UM, IN THE WAY THAT WE MANAGE HOMELESSNESS.
UH, THE SYSTEM THAT WE DEVELOPED ALMOST 12 YEARS AGO IS THAT WE HOUSE PEOPLE FIRST AND THEN WE WRAP AROUND SERVICES AROUND THEIR HOUSING PLACEMENT.
SO WE CALL IT APARTMENTS AND APPOINTMENTS.
THE IDEA BEHIND THAT IS THAT YOU MOVE SOMEBODY INTO AN APARTMENT, THEY STABILIZE, THEN YOU CAN GET THEM THE SERVICES TO HELP THEM GET ON THEIR PATH, WHATEVER THAT IS, BACK TO WORK, BACK TO FAMILY.
UM, AND FOR SOME INDIVIDUALS, MAYBE BECAUSE THEY HAVE A DISABILITY OR UM, EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES, THEY STAY HOUSED FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.
THE OTHER POINT I ALWAYS LIKE TO MAKE IS THAT THERE IS NO FREE HOUSING.
SO IF YOU'RE A PERSON WITH DISABILITY AND YOU ARE RECEIVING HOUSING SERVICES, YOU ARE PAYING 30% OF YOUR DISABILITY CHECK FOR RENT.
AND THEN THE ONLY OTHER MODEL THAT WE HAVE IN HOUSTON TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS IS CALLED RAPID REHOUSING, WHICH IS WHERE YOUR RENT IS PAID FOR, FOR A PERIOD OF TIME OVER A YEAR, WITH THE EXPECTATION THAT YOU'LL BE ABLE TO PAY YOUR RENT WITHIN A YEAR.
UM, OTHER SPECIAL PROJECTS THAT WE DO IS WE DO HAVE OUTREACH TEAMS THAT GO OUT AND ENGAGE WITH INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, AS WELL AS WE HAVE A NATIONAL MODEL FOR, UM, DECOMMISSIONING ENCAMPMENTS.
SO WHERE YOU SEE LOTS OF INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE LIVING IN TENTS, UM, WE HAVE A SPECIALIZED METHOD FOR, UM, ELIMINATING THAT CAMP, THAT ENCAMPMENT BY MAKING SURE PEOPLE GET HOUSED.
WE DO USE THIS THROUGH THE COLLECTIVE, UM, POWER OF MULTIPLE PARTNERS.
WE SIT BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE COUNTY, UM, AND WE OVERSEE A HUNDRED DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS, UM, TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS IN HOUSTON.
UH, THOSE HUNDRED ORGANIZATIONS ARE CALLED THE WAY HOME.
AND THE WAY HOME IS THE RESPONSE SYSTEM FOR HOUSTON, HARRIS COUNTY, FORT BEN, AND MONTGOMERY, UH, COUNTY.
UM, WE ARE THE COLLECTIVE FORCE THAT BRINGS TOGETHER A SHARED VISION.
SO WE SIT DOWN EVERY YEAR AND SET UP A PLAN ABOUT HOW WE'RE GONNA EXPEND DOLLARS, HOW WE'RE GONNA BUILD MORE, UM, HOUSING INVENTORY, AND THEN WHAT IS OUR METHODOLOGY FOR ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS.
UM, WE, THE COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS IS ACTUALLY THE NON-PROFIT, WHICH IS THE DESIGNATED COORDINATOR OVER THE WAY HOME.
IT'S A LOT OF COMPLICATION JUST TO UNDERSTAND THAT CFTH IS SORT OF THE PARENT COMPANY TO THE WAY HOME.
THE WAY HOME ARE ALL THE HOMELESS RESPONSE, HOMELESS RESPONSE PROVIDERS AND SERVICES IN HOUSTON.
SO WE DID THIS IN FOUR PHASES.
FIRST WAS ESTABLISHING THE WAY HOME, UM, AND THAT LITERALLY TOOK ALL OF THE HOUSING INVENTORY AND ALL OF THE SERVICE PROVIDERS AND PUT THEM UNDER ONE UMBRELLA, WHICH MEANT WE ALL HAD TO SHARE BEDS INSTEAD OF INDIVIDUALLY HAVING BEDS, THAT WE
[00:40:01]
WERE PLACING INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE HOMELESS, UM, INTO THAT BASICALLY ELIMINATED CHERRY PICKING.SO NOBODY COULD JUST COME TO SEARCH OR, UM, AIDS FOUNDATION AND GET INTO HOUSING.
YOU ACTUALLY HAVE TO GO THROUGH A COORDINATED SYSTEM.
AND THAT COORDINATED SYSTEM IS BASED ON VULNERABILITY.
SO IT'S AT WHOEVER HAS BEEN ON THE STREET THE LONGEST AND HAS THE MOST VULNERABILITIES OR, UM, DIFFICULTIES THERE.
WHO GETS PLACED FIRST? UM, OVER THE 12 YEARS WE HAVE HOUSED, UM, WE REDUCED HOMELESSNESS BY 60%.
WE STILL HAVE 40% TO GO, BUT BY 60%.
UM, AND WE DID THAT BY MAKING SURE THAT WE UTILIZED ALL OF THE HOUSING AVAILABILITY FOR THOSE MOST VULNERABLE AND THEN KEEP THEM HOUSED FOR, UM, UP TO TWO YEARS.
AND THEN IF THEY NEED IT FURTHER THAN THAT, THEN THEY'RE IN A PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE, UH, UH, SETUP.
THE SECOND PHASE WE DID WAS ENCAMPMENT DIS DECOMMISSIONING, WHICH WAS LITERALLY WE MAKE SURE EVERYBODY IN A, IN ENCAMPMENT HAS A PLACE TO LIVE.
THEN WE GO IN AND WE MOVE THEM ALL INTO THEIR HOUSING.
UM, AND THEN WE CLEAN UP THE AREA, WE KEEP ALL OF THEIR ITEMS SO THEY CAN GET 'EM AT A LATER DATE, AND THEN WE CLOSE THAT OFF SO THAT PEOPLE CAN'T GO BACK AND CAMP.
PHASE THREE OF OUR PROJECT WAS REALLY WORKING ON ENCAMPMENT DECOMMISSIONING IN OUR COVID RESPONSE, WE ENSURED THAT QUITE A FEW PEOPLE DURING COVID DID NOT END UP HOMELESS.
WE HOUSED OVER 7,000 PEOPLE IN THE LAST THREE YEARS, UM, AND DECOMMISSIONED OVER 123 ENCAMPMENTS.
NOW YOU'LL SAY WHAT? YES, BUT I'VE SEEN THEM WHERE THEY COME AND THEY JUST, YOU KNOW, MOVE THEM OFF THE PROPERTY AND THEY MOVE THEM ACROSS THE STREET.
THAT'S CALLED SWEEPING AN ENCAMPMENT.
THAT'S WHERE, UH, YOU'LL ASK LAW ENFORCEMENT JUST TO COME AND REMOVE THEM OFF OF A PROPERTY.
DECOMMISSIONING ACTUALLY MEANS THAT I DON'T GO IN AND DO ANYTHING UNLESS I KNOW I HAVE A PLACE FOR THEM TO GO AND STAY BEFORE I DECOMMISSION.
SO RIGHT NOW, SORT OF THE STATUS QUO.
UM, OUR ISSUE, WHEN PEOPLE ASK ME, WELL, YOU KNOW, I SEE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE HOMELESS.
WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD OR OUTSIDE WHERE I WORK.
UM, THEY ALL SEEM TO HAVE A LOT OF SUBSTANCE USE ISSUES OR, YOU KNOW, MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.
UM, WE RECOGNIZE THAT THAT'S PART OF THE 40% THAT WE STILL HAVE LEFT TO DO.
UH, ONE THING TO KNOW IS THAT WE CAN'T LEGALLY COMPEL ANYBODY INTO CARE OR INTO HOUSING.
UM, THAT WOULD BE KIDNAPPING AND I WOULD BE ARRESTED.
SO THEY, I TRY TO STAY AWAY FROM THAT.
UM, AND SO WHEN YOU SEE SOMEONE, I KNOW THAT THE INTENTION WHEN YOU CALL OR YOU WANT SOMEBODY TO COME OUT, IS THAT YOU THINK THEN THAT PERSON CAN SOMEHOW GET INTO A SHELTER OR SOME OTHER PLACE.
THEY CAN, IF THEY'RE WILLING TO ACCEPT THE HELP.
THE ONLY TIME THAT I HAVE ANY ABILITY TO, UM, COMPEL SOMEBODY TO CARE IS IF THEY'RE IN IMMINENT DANGER TO THEMSELVES OR IN AN I DANGER, DANGER TO SOMEONE ELSE.
OTHERWISE, IT HAS TO BE VOLUNTARY.
AND ONCE THEY GO INTO, UM, THE SYSTEM WITHIN 72 HOURS, IF THEY WANNA BE RELEASED, THEY CERTAINLY CAN LEAVE ON THEIR OWN, UM, ACCORD.
SO THE ONLY TWO TIMES THE SYSTEM HAS EVER GROWN AND BEEN ROBUST, UM, BECAUSE WE ONLY USE FEDERAL FUNDING IS WHEN WE HAD HURRICANE HARVEY AND WHEN WE HAD COVID.
AND IN THOSE TIMES WE WERE ABLE TO HOUSE MORE PEOPLE MORE QUICKLY AND MOVE MORE PEOPLE OFF THE STREET.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THE ARPA FUNDS AND THE COVID DOLLARS ARE ENDING, AND WE GET VERY LIMITED FUNDING FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY.
UM, THIS YEAR IS THE FIRST YEAR THAT THE CITY HAS PUT IN ANY GENERAL FUNDS DOLLARS TO HOMELESSNESS, AND LAST YEAR WAS THE FIRST YEAR THAT THE COUNTY PUT ANY GENERAL FUNDS INTO HOMELESSNESS.
THE REST OF THEIR DOLLARS ARE FEDERAL DOLLARS.
SO WE'RE ACTUALLY PAYING VERY LITTLE AS A CITY OR A COUNTY TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS.
FEDERAL DOLLARS, 59 MILLION CITY AND COUNTY, ABOUT SIX.
THE ADJACENT ADJACENT, UM, SYSTEMS ARE OVERREPRESENTED.
SO I DO WANT TO POINT OUT THE FACT THAT MANY OF YOU SEE INDIVIDUALS WHO YOU'RE LIKE, THIS PERSON HAS BEEN ON THE STREET FOREVER.
THEY'RE TALKING TO THEMSELVES, THEY'RE DOING THINGS THAT ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE OUTSIDE MY BUSINESS.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY FOR US, THAT IS A MENTAL HEALTH OR A SUBSTANCE USE SYSTEM ISSUE.
AND SO OUR JOB IS TO MAKE SURE WE PARTNER STRONGLY WITH THEM TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE THE RIGHT INTERVENTION FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
SO INSTEAD OF HAVING A ONE-LANE HIGHWAY, WE NEED A THREE-LANE HIGHWAY.
AND THAT INCLUDES MAKING SURE THAT THE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES HAS THE FUNDING THEY NEED TO HAVE THE BEDS AVAILABLE, AND FOR SUBSTANCE USE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE ENOUGH RESIDENTIAL AND OUTPATIENT TREATMENT AVAILABLE FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE READY TO ACCEPT THAT HELP.
IN THOSE CASES, OUR RESPONSE FOR THE HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM IS SIMPLY TO TRY TO PARTNER WITH OUR, UM, CO-OCCURRING SYSTEMS TO HELP MOVE THOSE INDIVIDUALS OFF THE STREET.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE ARE WORKING ON, UM, IS FOR SEVERELY MENTALLY ILL INDIVIDUALS TO BE ABLE TO BE COMPELLED INTO CARE FOR LONGER THAN WHAT IS CURRENT, WHICH IS 72 HOURS, AND THEN 30 DAYS BECAUSE WE'RE JUST WATCHING PEOPLE SUFFER AND, YOU KNOW, BECOME MORE
[00:45:01]
AND MORE DAMAGED, UM, AS THEY'RE ON THE STREET LONGER.AND THEN FEELING MUCH MORE, UM, WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES AND OUR COMMUNITIES STRUGGLING WITH CARING FOR THEM.
SO WE ARE WORKING ON SOME, UM, LEGISLATIVE REMEDIES IN THAT WAY FOR SUBSTANCE ABUSE.
WE ALMOST NEVER HAVE OPEN RESIDENTIAL BEDS WITHIN, UM, HOUSTON CITY, HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY.
UH, SO IT IT'S AN AREA THAT REQUIRES MUCH MORE, UM, FUNDING AND ALLOCATE AREAS.
SO TWO AREAS TO ALWAYS THINK ABOUT IN TERMS OF HOMELESSNESS, WHETHER SOMEBODY WAS HOMELESS AND THEN BECAME MENTALLY ILL OR STARTED USING SUBSTANCE SUBSTANCES OR WAS MENTALLY ILL AND WAS USING SUBSTANCES AND THEN BECAME HOMELESS.
ALL THREE SYSTEMS HAVE TO BE FULLY FUNDED AND VERY ROBUST IN THEIR SERVICE DELIVERY FOR US TO ACTUALLY END HOMELESSNESS IN HOUSTON.
AND THEN LASTLY, WE'RE ADDRESSING THE GAPS WITHIN THE HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM BY MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE BUILDING MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAMS TO GO OUT AND ADDRESS THESE VERY COMPLICATED CASES.
WE ALSO OFFER UP TO DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES AND DIFFERENT GROUPS AND ABILITY TO COME OUT AND ASSET MAP YOUR COMMUNITY.
SO LOOKING AND SEEING WHO IS MAKING UP THE INDIVIDUALS ON YOUR STREET, WHAT TYPE OF SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE, WHAT IS A LAW ENFORCEMENT FUNCTION VERSUS MENTAL HEALTH AND VERSUS, UM, HOMELESSNESS.
SO THAT'S A SERVICE THAT WE OFFER AS THE RESPONSE SYSTEM ITSELF.
YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES REMAINING, PLEASE.
UM, THE HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM ON THIS LAST ONE IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, UH, PROVIDE AN INDIVIDUALIZED APPROACH THAT IS, LIKE I SAID, GOING OUT AND MAKING SURE THAT EACH ONE OF THESE, UM, INDIVIDUALS THAT CURRENTLY ARE IN NEED, UM, ARE ADDRESSED INDIVIDUALLY AND PLACED IN THE CARE SYSTEM THAT THEY REALLY REQUIRE.
SO THE NEXT PHASE REALLY IS MAKING SURE THAT WE DEVELOP SOME REOCCURRING FUNDING FROM PUBLIC, PRIVATE, AND PHILANTHROPY.
UM, AND OUR AN OUR INDIVIDUALIZED APPROACH IS REALLY WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE HARRIS CENTER AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON SOBERING CENTER TO REALLY BOLSTER UP OUR ABILITY TO PLACE PEOPLE IN APPROPRIATE CARE.
AND THEN LASTLY, WE'RE WORKING ON A STACK SERVICE MODEL, AND THAT IS WORKING WITH THOSE A HUNDRED PARTNERS, UM, THAT ARE ALREADY ESTABLISHED TO CREATE HUBS WHERE WE CAN STACK FEEDING, UH, FOOD, UM, FEEDING FOOD, CLOTHING, UH, MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, SHELTER, ALL OF IT INTO ONE PLACE THAT YOU IN THE COMMUNITY CAN SAY, OH, YOU NEED TO GO TO THE WAY HOME CONNECT, OR TO THAT ACCESS POINT TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS SERVICE TO MAKE IT MUCH EASIER.
AND, UM, THE AVAILABILITY TO HAVE MANY, MANY MORE FRONT DOORS FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO ACER ACCESS SERVICES AS NEEDED.
AND THEN LASTLY, WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP US IS TO HELP ADVOCATE FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDS.
UM, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT FUNDING, AGAIN, THE STATE PUTS VERY LITTLE DOLLARS INTO HOMELESSNESS.
THE CITY AND COUNTY DO AS WELL.
UM, WE DO HAVE VERY STRONG PHILANTHR PHILANTHROPIC PARTNERS, BUT THEY'RE OFTEN FUNDING HOMELESSNESS ORGANIZATIONS.
SO FOR US REALLY TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS AS A SYSTEM, WE NEED A REGULAR CONSISTENT FUNDING STREAM.
SECOND IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ADVOCATING ALL OF US FOR ADJACENT MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE SERVICES.
WE HAVE WONDERFUL PARTNERS, BUT THEY ARE NOT RECEIVING ENOUGH ALLOCATION FROM THE STATE TO PROVIDE ALL THE SERVICES NEEDED.
AND THEN LASTLY, REALLY HELP US DEMYSTIFY HOMELESSNESS WITHIN YOUR COMMUNITY.
UM, WE UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S COMPLICATED AND SOME PEOPLE, UM, GET TIRED OF TRYING TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS.
ALL WE ASK IS THAT YOU HAVE A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT CREATES HOMELESSNESS AND THE RIGHT WAY FOR US TO INTERVENE.
SO LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW OUR RESPONSE SYSTEM ACTUALLY WORKS AND WHAT DOES END HOMELESSNESS IN COMMUNITIES AS WE ARE KNOWN ACROSS THE NATION AND CANADA.
UH, REACH OUT TO YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS AND LET THEM KNOW THAT HOMELESSNESS IS A PRIORITY AND THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN MAKING SURE THAT THEY FIND ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
AND SO THAT IS A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS AND THE WAY HOME, WHICH IS YOUR HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
I SUSPECT WE HAVE SOME QUESTIONS.
AND AGAIN, I CANNOT ALWAYS SEE WHO'S GOT THEIR HAND UP.
SO RICKY CORDIUS HAS HIS, UM, HAND UP.
UH, THANKS FOR SPEAKING WITH US THIS EVENING.
UM, I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
UM, CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW YOU'RE TRACKING THE HOMELESS POPULATION? 'CAUSE I'M SURE A LOT OF PEOPLE FEEL THAT, UM, THE POPULATION IS THE SAME BECAUSE MAYBE IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD IT HASN'T DECREASED AS MUCH OR MAYBE, YOU KNOW, THEY ONCE HAD ZERO OR SMALL POPULATION AND IT WAS SWEPT OR MOVED INTO THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD FROM A DIFFERENT LOCATION.
SO THEY FEEL THE POPULATION IS INCREASING.
SO CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT? AND THEN SECOND QUESTION IS, CAN YOU SAY, SPEAK ON, UM, CIVILITY, CIVILITY, ORDINANCES, HOW THOSE MAY BENEFIT OR DETRACT
[00:50:01]
FROM THE WORK YOU'RE DOING? SURE.SO THE FIRST IS THAT IN OUR FIRST PHASE WHEN WE DEVELOPED THE RESPONSE SYSTEM, ONE IS THAT WE USE WHAT'S CALLED THE HMIS OR THE HOMELESS, UM, MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM.
AND SO EVERY PERSON THAT IS ASSESSED FOR HOMELESSNESS OR ANYBODY THAT HAS IN OUTREACH IS ENTERED INTO THAT SYSTEM.
AND SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE A DATABASE OF EVERYBODY WHO HAS EXPERIENCED HOMELESSNESS BECAUSE THAT CREATES THE LIST.
UM, WHICH WE THEN PLACE PEOPLE INTO HOUSING WHEN HOUSING BECOMES AVAILABLE.
CURRENTLY WE HAVE ABOUT 2000 PEOPLE WAITING ON THAT LIST FOR HOUSING.
NOT ALL OF THEM ARE ELIGIBLE, BUT WHAT THAT ALSO DOES IS THAT EVERY SINGLE PARTNER, UM, THAT'S IN THE WAY HOME ADDS INFORMATION INTO, UM, HMIS.
AND THEN THAT WAY WE'RE ACTUALLY TRACKING NOT ONLY THE PERSON, BUT ALL THE SERVICES THAT THEY'RE SEEKING, WHO THEY MAY HAVE HAD CONTACT WITH, WHERE THEIR LAST DAY WAS, SO THAT WE HOPEFULLY CAN CONNECT THEM WITH SERVICES.
WE KNOW THAT WE DO NOT KNOW EVERY SINGLE PERSON'S THAT HOMELESS, BUT WE HAVE A PRETTY GOOD SENSE OF EVERYBODY WHO IS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
UM, AND SO OUR OVERALL DATABASE WE CAN TRACK ON A REGULAR BASIS.
TWO THINGS THAT I DO THINK, AND YOUR SECOND QUESTION IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND, AND THOSE THAT DATABASE IS, CREATES OUR STANDARDS THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE TO REPORT TO HUD.
AND IF WE ARE NOT LOWERING THE NUMBER OR DOING BETTER IN TERMS OF OUR STATUS, THEY WILL, UM, REALLOCATE OUR DOLLARS OR SHRINK OUR BUDGET.
SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE MAXIMIZING THE INDIVIDUALS THAT WE'RE SERVING AND MAKING SURE THEY'RE MOVED INTO, UM, HOUSING AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
THERE IS A TRANSIENT NATURE TO, UM, INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
UH, IT, THERE'S A COUPLE DIFFERENT WAYS THAT IT HAPPENS.
ONE IS IT DEPENDS ON WHERE SERVICES ARE PROVIDED.
SO YOU TEND TO SEE A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA THAT AREN'T PROBABLY ACTUALLY HOMELESS, BUT THEY'RE PRECARIOUSLY HOUSED AND THEY'RE SEEKING SERVICES.
YOU ALSO TEND TO SEE QUITE A FEW ON THE METRO BECAUSE THEY CAN GO UP AND DOWN ON THE TRAIN TO DIFFERENT SERVICE, UM, AREAS, BUT THERE ARE DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS THAT BEFORE WERE NOT EXPERIENCING IT.
UM, AND NOW ARE, AND THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT, UM, PIECE TO LETTING US KNOW AT THE COALITION BECAUSE WE CAN COME OUT AND ASSESS WHAT'S HAPPENING, TAKE AN OUTREACH TEAM AND GO AHEAD AND SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT COULD BE THAT THERE HAD BEEN, UM, SOME LOW INCOME, UM, HOUSING OPTIONS THERE.
SO BOARDING HOMES OR DIFFERENT PLACES THAT PEOPLE ARE STAYING IN THOSE CLOSED.
AND NOW YOU HAVE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
IT MAY BE THAT, UM, AN AREA DID DO A SWEEP, UM, AND NOT A DECOMMISSIONING.
SO THAT DOES TEND TO SCATTER PEOPLE.
WHAT BECOMES IMPORTANT IS MAKING SURE THAT YOU LET US KNOW AT THE COALITION, YOU CAN JUST LOOK US UP ONLINE, UM, AND LETTING US KNOW THAT YOU HAVE EX YOU ARE SEEING AN INCREASE BECAUSE THAT MAY ALLOW US TO BE ABLE TO GO OUT AND SEE, UM, WHAT WE COULD DO ABOUT IT.
OR THERE JUST MAY BE A TREND IN TERMS OF CIVILITY, UM, ORDINANCES, YOU KNOW, OUR OUR BELIEF AROUND IT IS THAT YOU AS A COMMUNITY HAVE TO DECIDE WHAT'S BEST FOR YOUR WHOLE COMMUNITY.
AND HAVING A CIVILITY ORDINANCE MAY BE VERY USEFUL IN YOUR COMMUNITY.
THERE'S PLENTY OF OTHER ONES THAT HAVE THEM.
IT WILL NOT SOLVE THE ISSUE OF HOMELESSNESS BECAUSE THE ONLY ISSUE THAT SOLVES HOMELESSNESS IS GETTING PEOPLE HOUSED.
BUT OUR STANCE ON IT IS THAT AS A COMMUNITY YOU HAVE TO MAKE THE HARDEST AND THE BEST DECISIONS FOR YOUR COMMUNITY AND DO WHAT YOU THINK IS RIGHT.
UM, WHAT WE ASK IS THAT YOU RECOGNIZE THAT WHILE YOU'RE DOING THAT, CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR MORE FUNDING AND MORE SERVICE AVAILABILITY AND ACCESS POINTS FOR THOSE THAT ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
SO THAT, AGAIN, WHEN YOU TAKE THIS ON AS A COMMUNITY AND YOU'RE TAKING CARE OF THAT POPULATION, YOU'RE ALSO HELPING US TAKE CARE OF THE POPULATION WE'RE TRYING TO SERVE.
DID THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS? YES.
I BELIEVE PASTOR DEB HAS A QUESTION.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
I PUT IN THE CHAT KIND OF WHAT I WAS THING HERE, HERE IS SINCE HARVEY AT I 45 IN TIDWELL, UM, THE, THE NORTHTOWN PLAZA BUSINESS AND THE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT HAS A LOT OF POLICE AND THEY SWEEP THROUGH AND PUSH 'EM OFF AND THEN THEY GO HANG OUT IN THE FIELDS, UH, AND IN THE NORTHLINE MOTEL, UM, QUESTION, WHEN THE CITY IS TAKING CARE OF BLIGHT PROPERTIES, MOST OF OUR HOMELESS OVER HERE USED TO BE SQUATTERS AND BLIGHT PROPERTIES, UHHUH AND OLD TRAILER PARKS, AND WE'RE UNDER DEVELOPMENT.
UM, IS THE CITY COORDINATING WITH Y'ALL WHEN THEY, UM, ARE TAKING OUT THESE BLIGHT PROPERTIES AND ALL THIS, OR WHEN THEY OBSERVE HOMELESS CAMPS SO THEY JUST WATCH 'EM WALK OFF DOWN THE ROAD? I MEAN, I'D JUST LIKE TO KNOW BECAUSE WE KEEP A ROGUES GALLERY WE CALL IT, BUT IT'S A PICTURE OF UNFORTUNATE PEOPLE THAT NEED MEDICAL ATTENTION AND MENTAL HEALTH
[00:55:01]
AND UM, THEY PUSH CARTS AND SO FORTH AND WE FEED SOME OF THEM.BUT THE QUESTION THERE IS, IS THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD CHURCHES AND CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS, UM, WE CAN'T WORK WITH ALL THE DEMOLITIONS.
WE CAN'T BE EVERYWHERE AT ONCE.
SO IS THERE GONNA BE ANY COORDINATION FROM THE CITY, UH, WITH YOU WHEN THESE, UM, MULTIFAMILIES AND TRAILER PARKS ARE SWEPT OUT FOR DEVELOPMENT? UH, I DON'T THINK Y'ALL ARE CATCHING ON TO SOME OF THAT.
UM, DURING THE WEEK, I'M GONNA SEND YOU AN EMAIL.
AND I THINK, I THINK YOU BRING UP A REALLY GOOD POINT AND IT'S ONE OF THOSE, AND I DON'T LIKE TO TALK ABOUT IT AS A LIMITATION, BUT IT'S A REALLY GOOD POINT OF REFERENCE, WHICH IS BECAUSE OUR DOLLARS ARE ALREADY BEING SPENT ON KEEPING PEOPLE HOUSED AND MAINTAINING HOUSING FOR US, THE ISSUE IS ALWAYS, WE BASICALLY CAN ONLY REHOUSE ON AN ATTRITION MODEL NOW.
SO WE HAVE TO WAIT TILL PEOPLE MOVE OUT OF HOUSING TO MOVE PEOPLE IN BECAUSE WE JUST AREN'T FUNDED TO THE LEVEL WE NEED.
I THINK WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT IS THAT YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS IN PARTICULAR, BUT ALSO THE HOUSING, UM, AND COMMUNITY SERVICES, UM, DEPARTMENT FOR THE CITY IS CONNECTING WITH THEM BECAUSE WE ARE GONNA DO, IF THE CITY CAME TO US AND SAID, HEY, CAN YOU GO AND ASSESS ALL THE INDIVIDUALS AND DO ALL THIS WORK BEFORE WE COME IN, WE'RE HAPPY TO DO IT, BUT THE CITY HAS TO ASK US TO DO THAT AS WELL.
SO FEEL FREE TO LET YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER THAT YOU'VE GOT THAT AS A A, A CONCERN AND THEN CERTAINLY CALL THE, UM, THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT, UM, AND JUST LET THEM KNOW.
AND WE'RE, WE'RE HAPPY TO DO IT AND I'M SURE THEY'RE HAPPY TO DO IT.
WE PROBABLY JUST HAVE NEVER THOUGHT TO CONNECT IT.
SO YOU ALWAYS NEED SOMEBODY TO BE LIKE, UH, DUH.
THAT WOULD MAKE A LOT OF SENSE,
AND THEN AS BEST WE CAN, WE'RE HAPPY TO DO THAT.
I THINK VICKI MARTIN HAD A QUESTION NEXT.
UM, I'M IN, UH, EAST HOUSTON CGAS AREA AND WE'VE IDENTIFIED AT LEAST THREE INDIVIDUALS, I THINK TWO HAVE DOGS.
THEY HAVE TENTS AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE VERY VISIBLE.
SO WE'RE LIKE THREE MINUTES FROM THE POLICE STATION AND THE POLICE ARE, I'M NOT GONNA SAY DESENSITIZED, BUT THEY PASS THESE INDIVIDUALS ON A DAILY BASIS.
SO WHO WOULD BE THE PERSONS THAT WOULD BE DOING ANY TYPE OF ENFORCEMENT? AND IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE.
WE, WE, WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THEM AS INDIVIDUALS, BUT SAFETY, BECAUSE NO MATTER WHAT THE ELEMENTS ARE OUTSIDE, THEY'RE IN THESE TENTS AND THEY'RE JUST ON VACANT, UH, PROPERTIES THAT USED TO BE A BUILDING AND THE BUILDING IS NO LONGER THERE AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE IN DIFFERENT PLACES.
BUT WOULD IT BE HPD AS ENFORCEMENT OR WOULD THERE BE SOMEONE FROM A COALITION? THAT'S THE FIRST QUESTION.
AND THE SECOND, DO YOU ALL HAVE ANY AFFILIATION WITH HOPE HOUSING? SO THOSE ARE REALLY GOOD QUESTIONS.
FIRST, ANYTHING THAT HAS TO DO WITH ENFORCEMENT.
SO IF SOMEBODY'S ON A PROPERTY THAT'S PRIVATE PROPERTY OR, UM, IN PARTICULAR IF THEY'VE GOT CARTS OR THEY HAVE TENTS.
WHEN YOU TALK TO HPD, WHAT YOU WANNA ASK FOR IS A HOT TEAM OR A DRT TEAM.
SO YOU DON'T WANT, YOU WANT SOMEBODY WHO'S GONNA GO OUT AND ACTUALLY INTERVIEW THE PERSON, UM, FROM THEIR HOT TEAM IS THE HOMELESS OUTREACH RESPONSE TEAM THAT COMES WITH THE HPD BECAUSE THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO HAVE, UM, MORE IN-DEPTH CONVERSATIONS WITH INDIVIDUALS TO TRY TO FIGURE IT OUT.
UM, WE CERTAINLY CAN SEE IF THERE IS AN OUTREACH TEAM DESIGNATED TO YOUR AREA.
UM, WE HAVE VERY FEW OUTREACH TEAMS FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AGAIN, IT'S A FUNDING ISSUE, UM, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO FUND THOSE THROUGH OTHER DOLLARS THAN THE FEDERAL DOLLARS.
THOSE ARE NOT, THOSE ARE NOT, UM, DESIGNATED FOR THAT TYPE OF WORK.
UM, BUT START WITH YOUR LOCAL HPD AND ASK THEM IF A HOT TEAM MEMBER COULD COME OUT AND INTERVIEW THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
UM, AND IF THEY SAID, OH, THEY ALREADY HAVE BEEN, THEN THEY'RE PROBABLY IN OUR SYSTEM AND THEY COULD BE WAITING FOR HOUSING.
AND THEN SECOND, IF YOU'LL LEAVE ME YOUR NAME AND NUMBER IN THE CHAT, UM, OR WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT YOU GET MINE.
UM, WE'LL FOLLOW UP AND SEE IF THERE'S AN OUTREACH TEAM AVAILABLE TO GO OUT AND, AND SPEAK WITH THE INDIVIDUALS IF THEY'RE WILLING TO BE TALKED TO.
WELL, THAT'S A DEAD END BECAUSE OUR DRT OFFICER HAS COMMUNICATED TO US THAT THE PERSONS ARE NOT BREAKING THE LAW.
BUT THEIR HOMELESS RESPONSE SHOULD GO OUT AND TALK TO THEM.
SO THEIR HOT TEAMS SHOULD DO THAT.
SO TRY THAT AND SEE IF YOU GET ANYWHERE WITH THAT.
AND IF YOU DON'T, LET ME KNOW.
UH, I'LL BE LETTING YOU KNOW AFTER THIS CALL.
YEAH, TOMORROW WOULD BE GREAT.
AND AND WHAT ABOUT HOPE HOUSING? HOPE A NEW HOPE HOUSING IS ONE OF OUR PARTNERS.
BUT WE'RE NOT LIKE, WE'RE NOT, UM, LEGALLY AFFILIATED WITH THEM.
[01:00:01]
TRY AGAIN.CAN YOU HEAR ME BETTER? YES, A LITTLE BIT.
UM, WE ALL INCREASED THE BACK IN JANUARY, 2023.
HEY GREG, I THINK IT'S GETTING WORSE.
IT'S THE STATIC IS REALLY BAD.
CAN YOU CHANGE MY SETTINGS? YOU KNOW WHAT, LET ME SEE IF, IF I, LET'S SEE, AND IF YOU LIKE TO ADD YOUR QUESTION TO THE, TO THE CHAT WE'RE WE CAN ALWAYS, UM, UH, YEAH.
WELL I, IF PEOPLE REMEMBER JANUARY, 2023, MAYOR TURNER CAME TO THIS MEETING AND HE SAID HE WAS, HE WAS GONNA, BY THE END OF THIS TERM GET, I'M SORRY, GREG, TALK THE, THE FASTER YOU TALK IT SEEMS TO GET WORSE.
YEAH, WE REALLY CAN'T UNDERSTAND IT AT ALL.
THE MORE YOU TALK, SCOTT, I HEARD YOU SAY SOMETHING ABOUT MAYOR TURNER IN 2023 AND THAT WAS ALL I GOT.
GREG, CAN YOU TALK SOFTER? I THINK YOU'RE OVER DRIVING YOUR MIC MATE.
THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT LIKE ME THOUGH.
I HEAR YOU AND WE'LL STEP AWAY A LITTLE BIT FURTHER.
IN 2020 JANUARY, UH, MAYOR TURNER CAME TO OUR MEETING AND HE SAID HIS, HE WAS PROMISING TO GET RID OF ALL THE HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS BY THE END OF HIS TERM.
I WILL TELL YOU ONE INCIDENT EARLIER THIS YEAR IN WHICH, UH, I WAS ASSAULTED AND THE HOMELESS PERSON WAS CHARGED OVER ON HIGHWAY SIX WITH ASSAULT WITH A DEADLY WEAPON, WHICH IS A SECOND DEGREE FELONY.
THE POLICE OFFICERS CAME OUT THERE 'CAUSE WE WERE STILL ABLE TO TRACK THE PERP AND FOUND HIM, WHICH WAS GREAT.
UNFORTUNATELY, WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT HE IS ALREADY BEEN RELEASED, RELEASED FROM CUSTODY EVEN THOUGH IT'S BEEN SEVEN MONTHS AFTERWARDS.
BUT ONE THING THAT GOOD THAT DID COME OUT OF IT WAS HPD WAS ABLE TO THEN GO INTO THE ENCAMPMENT AND BREAK IT ALL DOWN AND GET RID OF IT.
SO THAT IS, THAT IS ONE OPTION IF THERE'S BEEN A CRIMINAL ASSAULT, THAT THAT'S A POSSIBILITY.
AND THE ONE QUESTION I DO HAVE IS THE NUMBER OF HOMELESS THAT YOU SHOW ON THE SLIDE.
'CAUSE WE HAD THAT PRESENTATION A YEAR OR TWO AGO AND THAT WAS FOR ALL OF HARRIS COUNTY.
IS THIS IS THE NUMBER FOR HARRIS COUNTY OR FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON THAT YOU SHOW? THAT ONE IS FOR HARRIS COUNTY.
AND CITY OF HOUSTON OBVIOUSLY IS WITHIN THAT, AND THAT IS RELATED TO WHAT IS CALLED OUR POINT IN TIME COUNT.
AND SO IT'S A SNAPSHOT OF A ONE PERIOD OF TIME.
AND SO IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY TELL EVERY, GIVE US EVERY SINGLE PERSON THAT IS HOMELESS, BUT IT IS REQUIRED FOR, FROM US, FROM HUD TO DO A POINT IN TIME SO THAT WE CAN USE IT TO MAKE A DECISION ABOUT, UM, INTERVENTIONS AND SOME OF THE ALLOCATION DOLLARS.
WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN THE SAME METHODOLOGY BECAUSE OF THE FIDELITY OF THE WORK, BUT WE CERTAINLY KNOW THAT AT DIFFERENT TIMES AND POINTS IN TIMES THERE'S GONNA BE MORE PEOPLE THAT ARE HOMELESS OR NOT.
TWO THINGS THAT WE DO DO DIFFERENTLY THAN, UM, ACROSS THE NATION.
ONE IS THAT WE ACTUALLY DO IT OVER A THREE PERIOD, THREE DAY PERIOD OF TIME.
AND WE INTERVIEW PEOPLE VERSUS JUST GOING AROUND AND COUNTING PEOPLE BECAUSE WE FOUND THAT THAT THREW OFF THE NUMBER 'CAUSE YOU DIDN'T NECESSARILY KNOW IF THAT PERSON WAS HOMELESS OR NOT, OR, YOU KNOW, JUST OUT DURING THE DAY.
UM, SO IT'S A FAIRLY ROBUST, VERY TINY SPECIFIC POINT IN TIME COUNT
UM, SO IT HAS ITS LIMITATIONS.
WHAT I JUST WANNA MAKE THE SELLING POINT IS THAT IS NOT A CITY OF HOUSTON COUNT.
THAT IS A HARRIS COUNTY COUNT AND PART OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS ACTUALLY IN FORT BEND COUNTY, SO IT DOESN'T ENCOMPASS EVERYTHING.
BUT GIVEN THAT HALF THE POPULATION OF HARRIS COUNTY IS OUTSIDE THE CITY, THAT HELPS LOOK AT THOSE NUMBERS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY.
AND WE ACTUALLY HAVE IT ALL BROKEN DOWN BY ZIP CODES, SO WE KNOW EXACTLY, WE LITERALLY KNOW WHERE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS WAS INTERVIEWED.
SO IT'S VERY SPECIFIC IN THAT WAY.
AND I DID WANNA MAKE A POINT, FIRST OF ALL, I'M SORRY THAT YOU WERE ASSAULTED AND I'M GLAD THAT YOU'RE OKAY.
'CAUSE THAT'S NEVER, UM, I NEVER WANNA HEAR THAT.
SECOND OF ALL, I WANNA BE REALLY CLEAR THAT IF, IF ANYBODY WHO'S EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IS ALSO COMMITTING A CRIME, IT'S
[01:05:01]
A CRIME AND THEY NEED TO BE ADDRESSED FROM A LAW ENFORCEMENT STANDPOINT, WE WOULD NOT SEND OUTREACH WORKERS TO GO TALK TO SOMEBODY WHO IS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IF THEY SEEM VIOLENT OR DANGEROUS, BECAUSE THAT IS BEHAVIOR THAT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE REGARDLESS OF WHAT YOUR SITUATION IS.UM, AND SOMETIMES YOU DO NEED TO HAVE LAW ENFORCEMENT, UM, ENGAGED BECAUSE THEY CAN GO ON PROPERTY AND THEY CAN ASK PEOPLE TO LEAVE.
WHEREAS, UM, WE AS PROVIDERS, WE DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DO THAT.
I DO THINK IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE ENCAMPMENTS IN PARTICULAR, I MEAN 123 ENCAMPMENTS IS NOTHING TO SNEEZE AT.
IT'S NOT EVERY ENCAMPMENT AND ENCAMPMENTS DO TAKE A LOT MORE EFFORT BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE HOUSING AT THE END OF IT, OR YOU'RE GONNA GET EXACTLY WHAT YOU GOT, WHICH IS THEY, THEY CLOSED IT AND THEY GOT RID OF EVERYTHING.
THOSE INDIVIDUALS JUST MOVED SOMEWHERE ELSE.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WHEN SOMETHING BECOMES DANGEROUS OR, UM, UNHYGIENIC, YOU ABSOLUTELY SHOULD HAVE SOMEBODY COME AND CLEAR THAT OUT.
THAT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE EITHER.
THE OTHER PIECE TOO IS THAT SOMETIMES IN THOSE CAMPS, WHICH IS WHY, YOU KNOW, ENCAMPMENTS, YOU WANT TO CLOSE THEM OUT AS FAST AS POSSIBLE, IS IT'S PERFECT PREY FOR SOMEBODY WHO MIGHT BE, UM, WANTING TO USE SOMEBODY TO GET THEM TO SELL DRUGS FOR THEM, UM, OR DO DIFFERENT THINGS BECAUSE IT'S A HUGELY VULNERABLE POPULATION.
AND SO WHEN YOU SEE THOSE ABSOLUTELY ENGAGED LAW ENFORCEMENT AS YOU SEE NECESSARY, DON'T EVER JUST WALK AWAY FROM IT BECAUSE SOMEBODY THERE ALSO MIGHT BE GETTING HURT.
I'M SORRY THAT YOU WERE, UH, ASSAULTED.
AND, UH, IT'S NECESSARY HE STOPPED BY BREAKING WINDOWS IN A RESTAURANT YEP.
AND CAME OUT AND ASSAULTED ME AND ANOTHER GUY AND HE ACTUALLY HIT ME AND HE TOOK A BIG ROCK AND TRIED TO THROW IT AT US.
AND THANKFULLY WE WERE HAD TO LOCK OURSELVES IN THE RESTAURANT AT THAT POINT,
BUT WHAT'S UNFORTUNATE IS THAT THIS JUSTICE SYSTEM SEEMS TO, AND THIS GUY HAD A LONG LIST OF, OF CONVICTIONS.
HE, HE PROBABLY NEEDS JUSTICE SYSTEM IS TOO WILLING TO LET THEM OUT TOO QUICKLY.
WE HAVE A WHOLE NOTHER, WE HAVE A WHOLE NOTHER SYSTEM THAT'S AN ISSUE.
UH, BEVERLY, WELL THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTION.
SO BEVERLY, YOU HAD SOMETHING YOU WANTED TO SAY? YES, I HAD A COUPLE OF THINGS.
IT SOUNDS AS IF YOUR PROGRAM IS VERY BENEFICIAL WITH REFERENCE TO HPD IN HARRIS COUNTY.
WE'VE HAD OUR ASSOCIATION HAVE HAD THEM TO GO OUT AND SPEAK TO THE HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS, BUT IF THEY REFUSE TO, TO MOVE OR IF THEY REFUSE TO ACCEPT HOUSING, THERE'S NOTHING CAN BE DONE.
HOWEVER, THE HOT TEAM DOES GO OUT AND CLEAN UP THE AREA, BUT THEY MOVED BACK IN.
I'LL PUT MY OTHER COMMENTS IN THE CHAT.
YEAH, NO, I MEAN THIS, YEAH, THAT'S JUST ONE OF THE ISSUES ALL AROUND IS THAT YOU CAN'T COMPEL PEOPLE.
I MEAN, YOU CAN CITE THEM AND THEN IF THEY FAILED TO SHOW UP AT PORT, THEN YOU, IT'S A FELONY WARRANT 'CAUSE YOU DIDN'T APPEAR IT WAS A FAILURE TO APPEAR.
BUT THERE, UH, THERE IS LIMITS, PARTICULARLY FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO, SO FOR EXAMPLE, YOU MIGHT HAVE SOMEBODY WHO REALLY JUST CAN'T CARE FOR, FOR THEMSELVES.
YOU CAN TELL THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY HAVE SHOPPING CARTS, THEY'RE NOT TAKING CARE OF THEMSELVES PHYSICALLY.
THEY'RE PROBABLY, UM, HAVING DIFFICULTY USING THE BATHROOM EXCEPT, YOU KNOW, ON THEMSELVES AND DIFFERENT THINGS.
WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS GET IT WHERE, FROM A LEGISLATIVE STANDPOINT, THAT WE CAN DECIDE THAT THAT INDIVIDUAL, ALTHOUGH NOT A RISK TO THEMSELVES OR SOMEONE ELSE IS UNABLE TO CARE FOR THEMSELVES WELL ENOUGH AND WE NEED TO GET THEM INTO SOME TYPE OF RESIDENTIAL CARE OR SOMETHING WHERE THEY REALLY CAN STABILIZE AND BE TAKEN CARE OF.
'CAUSE IT'S, IT'S NOT SUFFICIENT FOR THEM TO BE ON THE STREET AND THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE ARRESTED AND THEY'RE NOT GONNA ACCEPT HELP.
AND SO, UM, THOSE ARE WHAT WE CONSIDER THE HARDEST TO PLACE.
UM, AND THE ONES THAT ARE MOST VISIBLE AND HAVE BEEN AROUND THE LONGEST TIME AND WHY WE HAVE TO CHANGE AND ADD TO OUR INTERVENTIONS, UM, TO SUPPORT THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
AND THEN DOUG, YOU FOLLOWED JAMES.
I THOUGHT YOU WERE CALLING JAMES HONEY, LIKE JAMES HONEY, LIKE YOU OH NO, NO.
HONEY
YOU KNOW, THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT, THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS.
I MEAN, THEY'RE WHERE THEY ARE DOING WHAT THEY WANT TO DO OR THEY'RE JUST OUT, YOU KNOW, WE USED TO CALL 'EM OUTSIDE PEOPLE OR HOBOS OR SOMETHING.
YOU'RE NOT GONNA GET IN HOUSING.
AND THE NICE THING ABOUT SAN ANTONIO IS THEY HAVE THE HAVEN FOR HOPE, WHICH IS THAT HALFWAY STEP TO YOUR FIRST STEP.
THEY CAN STILL CAMP, BUT IT'S IN A SANCTIONED AREA WHERE THEY'RE PROTECTED, GUARDED.
AND MAYBE YOU WOULD HAVE A BETTER CHANCE OF GETTING THOSE PEOPLE TO
[01:10:01]
TAKE THAT FIRST STEP.AND SUPPOSEDLY TURNER WAS GONNA GIVE US SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW THE, THE, THE PROPERTY WAS TAKEN AWAY FROM 'EM OR SOMETHING, BUT I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE SHOULD BE.
'CAUSE I THINK YOU'VE GOT ALL THE LOW HANGING FRUIT, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE EASILY GONNA GO INTO HOUSING, BUT WHEN WE HAD OUR, OUR TENT CAMP HERE IN MIDTOWN, THEY WENT THROUGH THAT PLACE WEEK AFTER WEEK AFTER WEEK.
AND YOUR, THAT'S YOUR HOT TEAM.
AND THEY COULD NOT GET THOSE PEOPLE TO GO INTO HOUSING BECAUSE THEY DID NOT WANT TO GO INTO HOUSING BECAUSE THEY WERE WHERE THEY WANTED TO BE DOING WHAT THEY WANTED TO DO WITH WHO THEY WANTED TO DO IT WITH.
WELL, AND UM, YEAH, JAMES, SO I ACTUALLY LIVE IN MIDTOWN.
UM, SOME OF THE MORE DIFFICULT ONES THAT ARE ON THE STREET MIGHT HAVE SEVERE SUBSTANCE USE ISSUES, OTHER ISSUES THAT MAKE THEM, UM, MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO ACCEPT HOUSING.
I, SO I DON'T THINK, I DON'T THINK IT'S, UM, INAPPROPRIATE TO SAY THAT THAT INTERVENTION STILL NEEDS TO BE DEVELOPED.
THE FUNDING FOR THAT IS WHAT BECOMES IMPORTANT BECAUSE CURRENTLY WHAT YOU HAVE FUNDING FOR IS OUR FEDERAL DOLLARS.
AND THOSE ARE CURRENTLY PAYING FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN HOUSED, UM, LIKE THE LOW HANGING FRUIT.
SO I'M ALL ON BOARD IF WE CAN FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET SOME REGULAR FUNDING IN TO ADD TO OUR, UM, TO OUR ABILITY TO PROVIDE DIFFERENT SERVICES.
WE DO ACTUALLY HAVE A, A LOCATION CALLED THE NAVIGATION CENTER WHERE INDIVIDUALS CAN GO.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S THE LEAST AMOUNT OF RULES AS POSSIBLE FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
UM, AND WHEN WE HAVE ENOUGH ABILITY TO MOVE INDIVIDUALS INTO HOUSING AFTER THEY'VE BEEN THERE, THEN WE CAN OPEN THAT UP AND HAVE PEOPLE MOVE THERE.
UM, IT'S A VERY SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM WHEN IT'S ATTACHED TO ENCAMPMENTS.
UM, BUT AS SOON AS WE STARTED TO RUN OUT OF OUR HOUSING DOLLARS, WE DON'T HAVE A PLACE TO PLACE PEOPLE AFTER THEY'VE BEEN IN A PLACE LIKE THAT HAVEN FOR HOPE.
I ABSOLUTELY ADORE THEIR CO SHE'S AMAZING AND THEY DO GREAT WORK.
THEY ALSO DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
SO THEY'RE SERVING A LOT OF THE SAME PEOPLE OVER AND OVER AGAIN WITHOUT THEM MOVING INTO A MORE LONG-TERM, UM, INTERVENTION.
AND IT'S JUST SOMETHING THEY STRUGGLE WITH.
SO IT'S, IT'S, IT'S AN INTERESTING, IT'S INTERESTING IN WORK BECAUSE IT, IT IS REALLY ABOUT LAYERING AND STACKING ALL THESE DIFFERENT TYPES OF INTERVENTIONS WITH ENOUGH FUNDING THAT'S UNRESTRICTED THAT YOU CAN USE IN THE WAYS THAT FIT THE POPULATION YOU'RE TRYING TO SERVE, UM, SO THAT YOU CAN ADDRESS THAT MORE READILY.
YEAH, KELLY, I THINK IT WAS A WEEK OR SO AGO, THE MAYOR MADE A COMMENT SOMEWHAT TO THE EXTENT, UH, WE'RE GONNA SEE AN END TO THE, UH, TENT ENCAMPMENTS AROUND THE CITY BECAUSE HE'S GONNA MOVE EVERYBODY INTO A CENTRALIZED LOCATION.
UH, WHAT ROLE DO YOU PLAY IN THAT, OR WHAT ROLE DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION PLAY IN THAT? SO, UM, A CITY SANCTIONED ENCAMPMENT WOULD HAVE TO BE DIRECTED BY THE CITY.
UM, IT'S ALSO SOMETHING THAT ACTUALLY IS AN APPLICATION YOU HAVE TO APPLY FOR WITH THE STATE THROUGH T-D-H-C-A.
THERE'S A LIST OF REQUIREMENTS, UM, THAT YOU MUST HAVE AT THE CAMP BEFORE YOU CAN EVEN START IT FOR A CITY SANCTIONED ENCAMPMENT.
UM, YOU, I DON'T KNOW WHAT MECHANISM CAN BE USED TO MOVE SOMEBODY FROM ONE ENCAMPMENT TO ANOTHER ENCAMPMENT
LIKE THERE IS NO, THERE IS NO LEGAL WAY TO DO THAT.
UM, THE OTHER ISSUE FOR ME IS THAT WITH ENCAMPMENTS, IF YOU DON'T HAVE A PERMANENT SOLUTION AT THE END OF IT, IT DOESN'T STOP PEOPLE FROM LEAVING THAT ENCAMPMENT.
AND STARTING A NEW ENCAMPMENT DOESN'T START PEOPLE FROM LEAVING DURING THE DAY AND GOING OUT AND USING SUBSTANCES IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD AGAIN.
AND SO, ALTHOUGH I UNDERSTAND THE INTEREST IN MAKING SURE YOU HAD EVERYBODY IN A PLACE WHERE THEN YOU COULD OFFER THE SERVICE, UM, A LOT OF THE INDIVIDUALS, YOU'RE STILL TALKING ABOUT IT, THE CHOICE IS NOT ABOUT HAVING A DIFFERENT ENCAMPMENT.
THE CHOICE IS ABOUT HOW DO WE CREATE THE RIGHT INTERVENTION TIMELINE.
SO YEAH, MAYBE YOU'RE AN ENCAMPMENT, THEN YOU MOVE INTO NAVIGATION CENTER, THEN YOU MOVE INTO HOUSING OR SOME PLACE.
UM, SO WE WOULD NOT PLAY A ROLE IN THAT BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE A, HAVE TO BE A CITY FUNCTION AND NOT A COALITION FUNCTION.
GINA, DID I UNDERSTAND HIS COMMENTS CORRECTLY, UH, REGARDING THAT? WELL, I THINK HE WAS, I, I CAN'T SPEAK FOR THE MAYOR.
MY UNDERSTANDING, UM, FROM THE PEOPLE I WORK WITH AT THE CITY IS IN, FOR HIM, WHAT HE WANTS IS A SAFE PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO GO.
AND I THINK IN HIS, UM, IN HIS COMMENTS, HE WAS USING LANGUAGE, I'M NOT SURE HE REALLY FULLY INTENDED TO USE, HE ACTUALLY IS SUPPOSED TO HAVE A PRESS CONFERENCE THIS WEEK WHERE HE'LL HAVE SOME MORE CLARIFYING,
[01:15:01]
UM, INFORMATION ABOUT THE ACTUAL, UM, MAYOR'S PLAN TO FIX HOMELESSNESS, PARTICULARLY STREET HOMELESSNESS.WE ARE A PART OF THAT PLAN BECAUSE WE PROVIDE ALL THE DATA AND THE ACTUAL INTERVENTIONS, UM, AS THEY RELATE TO IT.
SO THERE'LL BE MORE CLARITY ON THAT THIS WEEK.
UH, KELLY, YOU AND YOUR TEAM ARE A GODSEND.
I I CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE WHAT YOUR PLATE LOOKS LIKE FROM DAY TO DAY.
I WAS JUST CURIOUS, UM, INTERESTED IN THE STATISTICS OR THE BREAKDOWN OF THE HOMELESS, UH, WOMEN, HOW MANY, YOU KNOW, WOMEN, CHILDREN, UH, EVEN UNDOCUMENTED? IS THERE, UH, IS THAT PUBLIC INFORMATION, IS THERE A PLACE WHERE WE CAN FIND THAT? AND THE SECOND QUESTION IS ON, UH, THERE HAS BEEN A, AN ENCAMPMENT NORTHWEST OF THE CITY THAT APPARENTLY IS ENORMOUS.
AND I JUST WONDER, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE NAME OF IT IS, BUT IT'S BEEN IN THE MEDIA SEVERAL TIMES IN THE LAST YEAR.
AND AS CURIOUS AS TO HAVE, IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION ABOUT THAT, IF YOU'RE INVOLVED IN THAT AT ALL.
I WOULD HAVE TO KNOW THE ACTUAL LIKE STREET LOCATION.
UM, WE, WITH A CHANGEOVER IN MAYOR, IT'S ALSO A LITTLE BIT OF A CHANGEOVER IN HOW THINGS ARE MANAGED AND DONE.
SO BEFORE UNDER MAYOR TURNER, UM, HE HAD A SPECIAL ASSISTANT, UM, NAMED MARK EICHENBAUM AND MARK KEPT UP ON ALL THOSE ENCAMPMENTS AND THEN WOULD COORDINATE WITH US BECAUSE THE CITY, THE POLICE HAS TO GO IN AND DO THE ORDER TO SAY, YOU'RE GONNA, YOU KNOW, WE'RE CLEARING THIS SPACE, THEN YOU HAVE TO HAVE ALL THE CITY, UM, DEPARTMENTS ALIGNED TO BE ABLE TO COME OUT AND CLEAN THEM UP.
AND SO WE HAVE NOT HAD ANY MAJOR, UM, ENCAMPMENT, CLOSURES UNDER, UH, MAYOR WHITMEYER.
HE'S BEEN MUCH MORE INTERESTED IN CREATING A LAW ENFORCEMENT DROP OFF SYSTEM, WHICH IS TO THE NAVIGATION CENTER.
UM, AND SO IF YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT THE LOCATION IS, SEND IT, SEND IT TO US AND WE'LL, WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT IT.
BUT PARTICULARLY FOR ENCAMPMENTS, WE TEND TO HAVE TO BE INVOLVED, WE HAVE TO INVOLVE HPD AND THE CITY BECAUSE THERE'S ORDINANCES THAT HAVE TO BE FOLLOWED AND THEN CLEANUP, THAT'S NOT DONE BY US.
AND IS, AND WITH REGARD TO STATISTICS, YES.
UM, IF YOU GO ONTO OUR WEBSITE, THE, UM, CFTH WWW CFT.ORG, UH, WE DO HAVE DIFFERENT REPORTS THAT SHOW THE DIFFERENT STATISTICS.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE OBVIOUSLY KNOW IS FOR WOMEN AND WOMEN WITH CHILDREN IS THAT YOU HAVE A HIGHER LEVEL OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AS A PART OF THEIR, THE REASONS THAT THEY'RE HOMELESS, WHICH IS WHY WE GOT BONUS DOLLARS.
AND WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SYSTEM TO ENSURE THAT, UM, WE HAVE HAD SOME ANECDOTAL OR PERCEPTION DATA SAYING THAT WE'VE SEEN THAT PEOPLE ARE, ARE, UM, RUNNING INTO MORE FAMILIES.
UM, AND WE'RE JUST INTERESTED IN FIGURING OUT WHY THAT'S HAPPENING.
THAT HASN'T TYPICALLY BEEN AN ISSUE IN HOUSTON.
SO, UH, IF YOU'RE ALSO SEEING JUST SORT OF, YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S WHY IT'S HELPFUL FOR PEOPLE, LET US KNOW.
BECAUSE IF YOU'RE SEEING MORE FAMILIES, THAT'S A, THAT'S A UPTICK.
UM, I WONDER IF THAT HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH UNDOCUMENTED.
IT COULD, UM, THAT VERY WELL COULD BE THERE.
IT ALSO COULD JUST BE, THERE'S A HIGHER EVICTION RATE AFTER, UM, COVID DOLLARS ENDED, YOU KNOW, SO THERE'S MULTIPLE LAYERS TO IT, UM, WHICH IS WHY I'M HESITANT JUST TO GIVE OUT A STATEMENT ON IT.
BUT OUR REPORTS GO PRETTY WELL IN DEPTH.
UM, AND THAT'S JUST SOMETHING I'VE HEARD.
WE TRY TO INCLUDE ON TOP OF OUR HARD DATA PERCEPTION DATA.
SO IF PEOPLE ARE SEEING SOMETHING OR EXPERIENCING SOMETHING, IT THEN IT, THERE'S SOME TRUTH TO IT.
WE NEED TO GO OUT AND FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT TRUTH IS.
I, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I HAVE NOT MET YOU PERSONALLY.
I'M RETIRED FROM STAR OF HOPE MISSION AND I'VE ACTUALLY PARTICIPATED IN THE POINTIN COUNT.
THE, WELL THEN, YOU KNOW, POINT IN TIME COUNT NUMEROUS TIMES,
SO, UM, I APPRECIATE YOU COMING.
I AM, I KNOW, I KNEW THAT WE WOULD HAVE A LOT OF COMMENTS AND THINGS AND, UM, PLEASE, MEMBERS OF THE SNA, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE THE DISCUSSION, UM, WRITE, UH, EMAIL US AT THE S-N-A-C-C-O-H, UM, EMAIL ADDRESS SO THAT WE KNOW AND WE WILL TRY TO SCHEDULE ANOTHER MEETING WHERE KELLY AND HER TEAM CAN COME BACK AND WE CAN CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION.
AND ALWAYS HAPPY TO COME OUT TO YOUR SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS IF THAT'S EASIER.
AND THEN PLEASE LOOK FOR, UM, VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP WITH THE PIT COUNT.
YEAH, IT'S AN INTERESTING EXPERIENCE.
PEOPLE, YOU REALLY OUGHT TO TRY IT.
ONCE
SO, AND PUT HER CONTACT IF IN THE CHAT,
[01:20:01]
I THINK HER CONTACT IS IN THE CHAT.HAVE YOU PUT IT I WAS GONNA SAY, DID MY LOVELY JOSU KEEP ME ON TRACK WITH ALL THE THINGS I PROMISED? YEAH.
SO I, I WENT AHEAD AND ADDED MY INFORMATION ON THE CHAT AND I CAN BUMP IT ONE MORE TIME HERE.
THAT WAY WE, BECAUSE I, I KNOW WE HAD SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT, UH, UH, ASSET MAPPING, SO I'LL FOLLOW UP ON THAT.
UH, THERE WAS A TEXT DOT, UH, QUESTION.
UM, AND I CAN FOLLOW UP WITH THAT AS WELL.
UH, I WILL TELL YOU IT'S, IT'S USUALLY I'M ACTUALLY MORE RESPONSIVE WITH EMAIL THAN PHONE.
AND IF YOU SEND ME SOMETHING AND I DON'T RESPOND WITHIN 48 HOURS, SEND IT AGAIN.
YOU'RE NOT HURTING MY FEELINGS.
IT JUST MEANS SOMEHOW I DIDN'T PIN IT FAST ENOUGH AND I MISSED IT.
SO, UM, WE'LL ASK THAT YOU, IT DOESN'T HURT TO PUT IT IN THE CHAT, YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS AGAIN IN THE CHAT.
IT NEVER HURTS TO HAVE IT IN THERE A COUPLE OF TIMES, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR TIME AND, UH, ALL THAT YOUR ORGANIZATION DOES.
WE'RE GONNA MOVE INTO, UM, THE OPEN FORUM FOR SNA MEMBERS.
WE ARE RUNNING REALLY TIGHT ON TIME AND I KNOW THE HTV PEOPLE ARE, ARE NICE ABOUT STAYING UNTIL WE'RE DONE, BUT, BUT WE DON'T WANNA TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEM.
SO IF YOU'VE GOT SOMETHING THAT YOU QUICKLY WOULD LIKE TO UPDATE EVERYBODY ELSE ON, UM, RAISE YOUR HAND AND RHONDA AND I WILL TRY TO CATCH EVERYBODY AND ANYBODY WANNA SHARE ANY INFORMATION RIGHT QUICK.
SO WE HAVE A GOOD HI, VICKY SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD.
JUST WANNA GO ON RECORD AGAIN ABOUT THE, UH, FENCE ORDINANCE AND SHE MET A FENCING AND WE DO HAVE THE LETTER DRAFTED AND WE SHOULD HAVE IT TO THE, TO YOUR EMAIL THAT YOU PUT IN THE CHAT LAST MONTH SO THAT WE CAN MAYBE REVIEW FOR THE DECEMBER MEETING, PERHAPS DECEMBER MEETING.
UM, I WANTED TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT THE STREET, UM, THE SIDEWALK ORDINANCE, UM, TIMELINE AND IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THAT, THE TIME IS RUNNING SHORT ON ADDRESSING THAT INFORMATION.
AND SO, UM, YOU CAN GO INTO THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT AND, UH, LET'S TALK HOUSTON AND FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT.
AND WE ALSO SENT OUT INFORMATION ON SHORT TERM RENTAL PROPOSED ORDINANCE, AND THAT'S GOING TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE COMMITTEE, UM, IN THE FIRST PART OF DECEMBER.
AND AGAIN, THAT'S, UM, ON THE CITY WEBSITES, UM, FOR EVERYBODY TO SEE.
UH, I JUST WANNA FOLLOW UP ON THAT, CHERYL.
I WANTED TO ENSURE THAT THE SNA IS NOT TAKING A POSITION ON, ON EITHER OF THOSE TWO ITEMS. NOT, WELL, WE'RE NOT TAKING A POSITION.
WE'RE TELLING EVERYBODY, WE'RE KEEPING EVERYBODY INFORMED BECAUSE THEY'VE SPOKEN AT OUR MEETING BEFORE ABOUT THESE ITEMS. AND SO WE'RE JUST MERELY LETTING PEOPLE KNOW THAT THE TIMELINE ON THE SIDEWALKS IS COMING UP AND, AND THE NEW ORDINANCE IS GOING TO QUALITY OF LIFE.
SO IF YOU'RE INTERESTED AND WANT TO, UM, HAVE A SAY IN THIS, GO INTO THE WEBSITE OR ATTEND THE MEETINGS.
I'M SORRY, CHERYL, IT'S THERESA WITH THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
MAY I ADD SOME INFORMATION FOR THE AUDIENCE? THANK YOU.
THERE WAS AN ADDITIONAL MEETING ADDED REGARDING THE SIDEWALKS THIS COMING THURSDAY.
AT 2:30 PM THE PLANNING COMMISSION WILL HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING JUST ON THE PROPOSED SIDEWAYS ORDINANCE.
IT IS POSTED ON THE CITY OF HOUSTON WEBPAGE UNDER THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT AND SPECIFICALLY THE LET'S TALK HOUSTON.
BUT BECAUSE THIS WAS ADDED SINCE WE LAST TALKED WITH YOU, WE WANTED TO GIVE YOU THAT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
THANK YOU FOR THE CONTINUED INTEREST AND UH, IT'S BEEN AN INTERESTING CONVERSATION FOR SURE.
WE JUST SPOKE FROM PLANNING, UH, BECAUSE SHE'S ON THE MEETING.
UH, CAN SHE GIVE US A QUICK ABOUT THE, UH, TRUCK ROUTE ORDINANCE? WE HAVE NOT HAD A OFFICIAL KICKOFF AND THAT'S UNDER THE QUALITY OF LIFE, THE CITY OF HOUSTON TRUCK ROUTE ORDINANCE.
VICKI, THIS IS THERESA GEISER FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
I, UH, I UNDERSTAND SEVERAL OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE BEEN IN GREAT CON COMMUNICATION WITH YOU OVER TIME THERE.
THE LAST STATUS WAS THERE WAS HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS DID A STUDY OF THE RESULTS OF THE SIGNS THAT WERE PLACED AND THERE IS SOME EVALUATION HAPPENING ABOUT WHAT THE NEXT STEPS MAY BE.
UM, SOME OF OUR STAFF HAS OFFERED TO COME OUT ON A RIDE THROUGH WITH YOU TO GIVE OTHER OPTIONS FOR NEIGHBORHOOD PROTECTION TOOLS THAT MAY BE HELPFUL IN ADDITION TO THE TRUCK ROUTE PILOT PLAN THAT YOU ARE, UH, VERY AWARE OF.
[01:25:01]
THE UPDATE.UH, WILL IT BE COMING SOON? WE ALWAYS WANT EVERYTHING TO COME SOON.
MY PHONE NUMBER AT THE OFFICE IS 8 3 2 3 9 360 600.
AND YOU COULD ASK FOR ME AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO TALK TO YOU OFFLINE WITH FURTHER INFORMATION.
ANYBODY ELSE? CHERYL, THERE'S SOME INFORMATION IN THE, UH, CHAT ABOUT TURKEY DISTRIBUTION AND THANKSGIVING GOODIES, UH, TO BE, THAT'S MM-HMM
WE DO HAVE THANKSGIVING, UM, GIVEAWAYS.
SO KEITH, YOU PUT THAT IN THE CHAT.
SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE, SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE PUT IN THEIR, UH, INFORMATION FOR THEIR AREA.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT TO OUR, OUR ATTENTION.
VICKY, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING ELSE YOU WANTED TO SAY? ALRIGHT, WELL I REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S, UM, ATTENDANCE TONIGHT.
I KNOW WE'RE GETTING INTO THE HOLIDAY SEASON NEXT WEEK IS GOING TO BE A BUSY WEEK FOR EVERYONE, SO WE APPRECIATE IT.
WE WILL BE BACK ON TRACK WITH OUR NORMALLY SCHEDULED TIMEFRAME FOR MEETINGS IN DECEMBER.
AND AS I SAID EARLIER, THE MEETING WILL BE MONDAY, DECEMBER THE NINTH.
MY MISTAKE ON THE AGENDA, IT WILL BE HELD AT THE POLICE UNION HALL.
WE WILL SEND OUT INFORMATION, UH, REGARDING PARKING, HOW TO GET, YOU KNOW, DIRECTIONS, EXACT STREET ADDRESS AND ALL THAT WITH OUR NEXT MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT AND THERE BEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS.
UM, DO I HEAR A MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT? MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT? I SECOND.
ANY OPPOSED? ALRIGHT, THANK THANKS EVERYBODY AND EVERYBODY HAVE A NICE THANKSGIVING.