[Quality of Life Committee]
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TO OUR JOINT QUALITY OF LIFE AND HOUSING AND AFFORDABILITY COMMITTEE MEETINGS THIS AFTERNOON.THE TIME IS 2:00 PM MONDAY, JUNE 16TH, 2025, AND I OFFICIALLY CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
I AM CHAIR OF THE QUALITY OF LIFE COMMITTEE HERE AT CITY COUNCIL.
WE ALSO HAVE WITH US OUR CHAIR OF THE HOUSING AND AFFORDABILITY, UH, COMMITTEE, UH, TIFFANY THOMAS, PRESENT AS WELL.
JOINING, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS AND I.
WE ALSO HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN PRESENT, UH, VIRTUALLY.
WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER JOAQUIN MARTINEZ JOINING US.
WE'RE REPRESENTED, UH, UH, BY STAFF AS WELL.
WE HAVE STAFF REPRESENTATIVES FROM DISTRICT B, UM, TARSHA JACKSON, DISTRICT C ABBY CAYMAN, DISTRICT E FRED FLICKINGER, DISTRICT G MARY ANN HUFFMAN, DISTRICT H, MARIO CASTILLO, DISTRICT J, VIRTUALLY EDWARD POLLARD, DISTRICT K PRESENT, UH, MARTHA CASTEX TATUM.
AND, UH, WE WILL PROBABLY BE JOINED BY A FEW MORE FOLKS AS WE GO THROUGH THIS.
WE HAVE A LENGTHY AGENDA, TO SAY THE LEAST.
AND SO, UM, WE HAVE MOVED UP OUR REPRESENTATIVES FROM PUBLIC WORKS TO THE TOP OF THE LIST BECAUSE YOU FOLKS ARE PROBABLY GONNA BE THE SHORTEST, AND WE DON'T WANNA MAKE YOU WAIT ALL AFTERNOON TO MAKE YOUR PRESENTATION.
BUT WE'RE GONNA HEAR FROM, UH, CASSANDRA WALKER, WHO'S ADMINISTRATION MANAGER OF THE BROWNFIELDS AND MSDS, UH, SECTION OF PUBLIC WORKS.
AND I UNDERSTAND, UH, MS. WALKER, YOU HAVE A PRESENTATION ON A MUNICIPAL SETTING DESIGNATION THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THIS AFTERNOON.
SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED WITH THAT.
CAN EVERYBODY HEAR ME? UM, WE ARE HERE TO PRESENT A PROPERTY, UM, FOR MUNICIPAL SETTINGS DESIGNATION.
IT'S 1 2 5 1 0 AMERICAN PETROLEUM ROAD, AND IT IS REPRESENTED BY KATIE DAVIS.
SHE'S THE PROFESSIONAL GEOLOGIST.
UM, WE'RE GONNA TRY TO MOVE THIS ALONG, SO WE ARE NOT GOING TO GO IN THE NORMAL ORDER, SO I WILL BE JUST, UM, INSTRUCTING THE SLIDE ADVANCE BY SLIDE NUMBER.
UM, UH, SLIDE NUMBER TWO IS THE AGENDA.
UM, WE ARE GONNA DESCRIBE WHAT A MUNICIPAL DESIGNATION IS, WHO IT IMPACTS THE STEPS IN THE MSD PROCESS, PROCESS, AND THEN THE STEPS THAT THE APPLICANT TOOK IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO COME BEFORE YOU ALL TO REQUEST A MUNICIPAL SETTING DESIGNATION APPROVAL TO MOVE FORWARD.
UH, FOR REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION, UM, THE APPLICANT TECHNICAL INFORMATION IS SPECIFIC TO THE SITE AT 1 2 5 1 0 AMERICAN PETROLEUM ROAD.
PLEASE ADVANCE TO, UH, SLIDE THREE, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION IN TEXAS.
UM, IF YOU HAVE A ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLAINT, YOU CAN CONTACT THE TCEQ.
THEIR PHONE NUMBER IS +1 888-777-3186, OR YOU CAN REACH THEM ONLINE@TCEQ.TEXAS.GOV.
YOU CAN ALSO CONTACT 3 1 1 IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND ONLINE@HOUSTONTX.GOV SLASH 3 1 1.
AN MSD IS A VOLUNTARY DEED RESTRICTION THAT IS IN INITIATED BY THE PROPERTY OWNER TO PREVENT THE USE OF CONTAMINATED WATER.
NO WATER WELLS ON THE SUBJECT PROPERTY FOR DRINKING WATER PURPOSES ARE USED, AND IT IS ILLEGAL BINDING AWAY TO ENSURE THE PUBLIC IS NOT EXPOSED TO CONTAMINANT.
THIS IS A PICTOGRAPH OF GROUNDWATER CONTAMINATION.
I'M GONNA DO THE, THE SHORT VERSION.
THE SOURCE GOES TO THE CONTAMINANT PLUME.
THEY'RE ASKING FOR A D RESTRICTION.
UM, ONCE THE SOURCE IS NO LONGER ACTIVELY CONTRIBUTING TO THE PLUME, THEN THE SOURCE IS EITHER REMOVED OR NATURAL ATTENUATION, WHICH MEANS THE CONTAMINATION IS REMOVED GRADUALLY BY NATURE.
UM, GROUNDWATER IS USUALLY 20 TO 60 FEET.
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PUBLIC WATER UTILITIES OR PUBLIC UTILITY WATER IS NOWHERE NEAR THE GROUNDWATER SOURCE.AND SO ONCE THEY GET THE DESIGNATION, THEY HAVE PROVED THAT THEY CAN GET PUBLIC UTILITY WATER.
THEREFORE, THERE IS NO RISK OF THE PUBLIC BEING CONTAMINATED BY, UH, THE GROUNDWATER ON THAT SITE.
UM, 1 2 5 1 0 AMERICAN PETROLEUM ROAD.
UH, HERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND.
THE SITE IS A 66.5803 ACRE PARCEL FOR WHICH THIS MUNICIPAL SETTING DESIGNATION APPLICATION HAS BEEN SUBMITTED AND CONSISTS OF ONE PROPERTY.
THE PROPERTY IS OWNED BY TARGET, DOWNSTREAM, LLC, AND IS LOCATED AT 1 2 5 1 0 AMERICAN PETROLEUM ROAD IN HOUSTON, TEXAS.
THE DESIGNATED PROPERTY IS LOCATED ALONG THE HOUSTON SHIP CHANNEL IN BUFFALO BAYOU, UH, TITLE AND CONTAINS A PORTION OF AMERICAN PETROLEUM ROAD AND IS BORDERED ON ALL SIDES BY INDUSTRIAL FACILITIES.
SO THIS IS AN INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY.
UM, THE HOUSTON SHIP CHANNEL AND BUFFALO TITLE ARE ALONG THE SOUTH.
ON JULY 15TH, 2020, A RELEASE OF LOW SULFUR NATURAL GAS WAS DISCOVERED FROM THE BULK STORAGE TANK TANK W 12.
THE RELEASE WAS REPORTED TO THE NATIONAL RESPONSE CENTER AND TCEQ SPILL REPORTING HOTLINE, NRC, INCIDENT NUMBER 1 2 8 1 9 7 2, AND TCEQ, SPILL NUMBER 2 0 2 0 2 1 5 5.
A SUPERFICIAL EXCAVATION OF THE SPILL AREA WAS CONDUCTED IN AUGUST OF 2020 AND FIVE.
CONFIRMATION SOIL SAMPLES WERE COLLECTED TO DELINEATE BENZENE AND TPH AND SURFACE SOIL.
IN OCTOBER, 2026, SOIL BORINGS WERE ADVANCED TO DELINEATE BENZENE AND TPH IMPACTS AT THE SITE WHERE BENZENE AND TPH WERE IDENTIFIED IN SURFACE OIL AT CONCENTRATIONS EXCEEDING TIRP, TIER ONE PCLS BRA INTERTECH SUBMITTED A SELF IMPLEMENTATION NOTICE ON JUNE 24TH, 2022, DETAILING SURFACE SOIL REMOVAL ACTIVITIES FOR BENZENE AND TPH AFFECTED AREAS.
SO WHAT THEY DID WAS THEY EXCAVATED THE SOIL THAT HAD THE CONTAMINATION ON IT.
THEY REMOVED THE CONTAMINATED SOIL, THEY IDENTIFIED PRO PROXIMAL TO THE RELEASE POINT FROM AUGUST 30TH TO SEPTEMBER 9TH, 2022.
SURFACE SOIL IN THE RELEASE AREA WAS EXCAVATED FOR SOURCE REMOVAL AND TO LIMIT SURFACE.
SO SOURCE CHEMICALS OF CONCERN FROM LEACHING INTO THE GROUNDWATER.
SO THOSE WERE THE ACTIONS THAT THEY TOOK TO REMOVE THE CONTAMINATION FROM THE SITE.
LET'S GO TO SLIDE 10, ENVI CLEANUP.
THE MSD IS THE ONLY ONE STEP IN THE CLEANUP PROCESS.
AN MSD DOES NOT EXCUSE THE APPLICANT FROM REDUCING RISK TO THE PUBLIC, AND THE RESPONSIBLE PARTIES ARE ALWAYS RESPONSIBLE.
SLIDE 11, WHO THE MSD IMPACTS.
IT DOES DOES NOT AFFECT YOUR PROPERTY.
IT DOES NOT AFFECT YOUR WATER WELL, AND IT DOES NOT.
THERE ARE NO REQUIREMENTS ON YOU.
SO IT DOES NOT REQUIRE ANYONE OUTSIDE OF THE PROPERTY OWNER TO PROVIDE CLEANUP OF THOSE CONTAMINATED AREAS.
THEY'RE THE RESPONSIBLE PARTY.
SHOULD SOMEONE BY ANY, BY SOME STRETCH OF THE IMAGINATION HAPPENED TO INGEST CONTAMINATED WATER.
NO ONE ELSE IS, UH, RESPONSIBLE EXCEPT FOR THE PROPERTY OWNER.
THE CITY'S REQUIREMENTS OF THE APPLICANT ARE ENROLLMENT IN THE STATE AND FEDERAL CLEANUP PROGRAM, THOROUGH INVESTIGATION CONFIRMING THAT THE GROUNDWATER PLUME CONTAMINATION IS STABLE OR DECREASING AND DELINEATED.
THE SOURCE OF CONTAMINATED HAS BEEN REMOVED, CONTAMINATION HAS BEEN REMOVED, AND A THIRD PARTY ENGINEER, PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER OR GEOLOGIST MUST CERTIFY THE APPLICATION.
SLIDE 14, ALL STAKEHOLDERS AND PROPERTY OWNERS AND WELL OWNERS WITHIN A FIVE MILE AND A HALF MILE RADIUS WERE NOTIFIED OF THE APPLICATION FOR THE MSD.
THIS IS A COPY OF THAT NOTICE AS WELL AS A RADIUS MAP OF THE NOTICE, AND THOSE WHO WERE MAILED VIA CERTIFIED MAIL AND REGULAR MAIL, POSTAL MAIL OF THE APPLICATION FOR THIS MSD.
UM, ALSO, THERE IS A HARD COPY OF THE ACTUAL APPLICATION FOR THE MSD CERTIFICATION AT THE LIBRARY.
THE LOCAL LIBRARY, WHICH IS GALENA PARK, A LIBRARY, IT'S SLIDE 15.
YOU SHOULD SUPPORT AN MSD BECAUSE THEY PROTECT THE PUBLIC BY PROHIBITING THE CONSUMPTION OF CONTAMINATED GROUNDWATER.
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OF CONTAMINATED SITES, AND THEY PROMOTE REDEVELOPMENT OF UNDER DEVELOP, UNDERDEVELOPED AND UNDERUTILIZED PROPERTIES.IF YOU WOULD LIKE FURTHER INFORMATION, YOU CAN CONTACT ME.
I AM LOCATED IN THE HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS BUILDING AT 1 0 0 2 WASHINGTON ON THE THIRD FLOOR.
MY DIRECT EMAIL IS ON YOUR SCREEN.
MY TEAM EMAIL IS ON YOUR SCREEN, AND MY PHONE NUMBER IS (832) 393-7966.
YOU CAN ALSO VIEW AN ELECTRONIC COPY OF THE APPLICATION ON OUR WEBSITE AS WELL.
ANY QUESTIONS? SEE NO COUNCIL MEMBERS OR STAFF IN THE QUEUE.
CASSANDRA, THANK YOU FOR THAT, UM, PRESENTATION.
I KNOW YOU STREAMLINED IT FOR US BECAUSE OF THE LONG AGENDA, SO WE APPRECIATE THAT AND I, I ASSUME EVERYBODY FEELS LIKE THEY HAVE A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF IT.
SO APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS ON THIS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, EVERYBODY.
UH, BEFORE WE GET TO THE NEXT PART OF THE PROGRAM, I WOULD LIKE TO NOTE THAT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER AMY PECK, WHO IS, UH, VICE CHAIR OF THE QUALITY OF LIFE COMMITTEE, HAS JOINED US.
AND VIRTUALLY WE HAVE NOW COUNCIL MEMBER TWILA CARTER JOINING US AS WELL.
SO LET'S MOVE ALONG TO ROMAN NUMERAL THREE OF THE AGENDA DEALING WITH, WITH PUBLIC FACILITIES.
I SEE OUR HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, MIKE NICHOLS, IS HERE.
SO DIRECTOR NICHOLS, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO YOU.
WE CERTAINLY HAVE A LONG AGENDA AND WE'LL TRY TO BE BRIEF, BUT WE KNOW IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
WE'RE GONNA START OFF WITH OUR PUBLIC FACILITIES ISSUE, AND, UH, WE HAVE OUR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, RYAN BIBBS HERE TO BEGIN THAT PRESENTATION.
AND AS HE NEEDS AND WANTS HELP, I WILL WEIGH IN.
RYAN, AND IF YOU MAY WANNA PICK YOUR CHAIR UP JUST A LITTLE BIT.
GOOD MORNING, CHAIR, CO-CHAIR, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND CHIEF OF STAFF.
WE'RE REQUESTING A THIRD AMENDMENT TO RENT TO THE RENOVATION AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND HOUSTON BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, INC, HBDI, TO EXTEND THE PERFORMANCE PERIOD AND CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE FOR THE PROJECT FROM JUNE 30TH, 2025 TO OCTOBER 31ST, 2025.
THIS AMENDMENT DOES NOT REQUIRE ANY ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
PHASE TWO IS ABOUT 40% COMPLETE.
PHASE TWO WILL HAVE A PROJECT COMPLETION DATE OF OCTOBER 31ST, 2025.
THE DIRECTOR WILL BE ABLE TO GRANT ADDITIONAL EXTENSION TIME IF NEEDED, UH, FOR TO EXTEND TO DECEMBER 1ST, 2025.
HBDI AND HCD AGREE THAT ANY FURTHER EXTENSIONS TO THE PERFORMANCE PERIOD FOR CONSTRUCTION WILL REQUIRE COUNCIL APPROVAL.
UM, I WANTED TO, IN CASE ANYONE WASN'T FAMILIAR WITH THIS PROJECT, I WANTED TO JUST, UM, DESCRIBE THIS PROJECT.
THIS PROJECT IS LOCATED AT 2,500 SOUTH VICTORY DRIVE AT 7 7 0 8 8.
IT'S, UH, BETHUNE EMPOWERMENT CENTER AND IT'S OWNED BY THE ALDI ISD.
PREVIOUSLY, IT WAS THE MARY MCLEOD BETHUNE ACADEMY.
UH, THIS IS GONNA BE A REHAB TRANSFORMATION OF SEVEN BUILDINGS INTO SPACES SUCH AS ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE SPACES, COMMUNITY EVENT CENTER, COMMUNITY GARDEN OFFICE SLASH MEETING SPACE, EARLY CHILDHOOD LEARN CHILDHOOD LEARNING CENTER, UH, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SPACE, SMALL BUSINESS INCUBATOR SLASH CO-WORKING SPACE AS WELL.
UH, ROBOTICS CENTER, A GREENHOUSE, THE GYM, LONE STAR COLLEGE WILL HAVE SOME SPACE THERE AS WELL.
AND IT'S WILL ALSO HAVE FLEX SPACE THERE AS WELL.
THIS PROJECT WAS AWARDED GENERAL FUNDS FOR
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OPERATING EXPENSES THAT WERE SPENT BY THAT, THAT WERE NOT SPENT BY DECEMBER, 2024.THE HOUSING DE DEPARTMENT EXTENDED THE EXPENDITURE DATE TO JUNE 30TH, 2025.
UNSPENT GENERAL FUNDS WILL BE RETURNED TO THE CITY AND ARE NOT PART OF THE THIRD AMENDMENT PERFORMANCE PERIOD.
EXTENSION HBDI HAS EXPENDED 582,000 APPROXIMATELY OF THE OPERATING FUNDS, WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY 40% OF THE TOTAL GENERAL FUND ALLOCATION.
AFTER COMPLETION, AFTER THE COMPLETION OF THE PROJECT, HBDI WILL OPERATE THE BETHUNE EMPOWERMENT CENTER TO PROVIDE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES TO RESIDENTS THROUGH THE COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTER.
HBDI HAD DELAYS ON THIS PROJECT DUE TO PERMITTING ISSUES ON THE UTILITIES, PLUMBING, ELECTRICAL, HVAC, STRUCTURAL PERMITTING, SUBMITTALS DATES BACK AS FAR AS SEPTEMBER, 2024 AFTER SEVERAL RESUBMISSIONS.
HBDI APPROVED PERMITS ON MAY 6TH, 2025.
THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY $13 MILLION.
THERE'S A $13 MILLION BUDGET INCLUDING CDBG FUNDS, GENERAL FUNDS, COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDS, AND OTHER GRANT FUNDING.
OF THE TOTAL BUDGET, APPROXIMATELY 13 MILLION, A TOTAL OF, OF THE APPROXIMATE OF THE TOTAL B BUDGET OF APPROXIMATELY 13 MILLION.
A TOTAL OF 12 MILLION HAS BEEN ALLOCATED FOR CONSTRUCTION WITH 1.4 AT ALLOCATED FOR OPERATIONS.
CURRENTLY 4.6 MILLION HAS BEEN SPENT ON CONSTRUCTION, LEAVING A REMAINING BALANCE OF 7.6 MILLION.
AGAIN, A TOTAL OF 582,000 HAS BEEN SPENT ON OPERATIONS LEAVING ON A REMAINDER BALANCE OF 906,000.
WITH US TODAY, WE HAVE MARLON MITCHELL, PRESIDENT AND CEO AND ALSO MANSUR MARSHALL, VICE PRESIDENT OF DEVELOPMENT AND OPERATIONS.
UM, I HAD ONE MORE THOUGHT I WANTED TO ADD FOR US TODAY.
UM, H-D-B-D-I, THE DEVELOPMENT ENTITY ON THIS PROJECT, STOPPED BY LAST HOUSING COMMITTEE AND HAD COMMENTS ABOUT THIS PROJECT.
UM, AFTER HEARING THE COMMENTS FROM HBDI, ONE WOULD THINK THAT THE CITY OF HOUSING DEPARTMENT HAS NOT BEEN EAGER TO GET THIS PROJECT COMPLETED AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
AND THAT NOTION IS NOT ACCURATE.
AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS THAT THE CITY HAS BEEN EXTREMELY EAGER TO, TO COMPLETE THIS PROJECT SO MUCH THAT THE CITY AWARDED FUNDS TO THIS PROJECT.
ALSO, WHEN THE PROJECT WAS HAVING ISSUES WITH PERMITS THAT STALLED THE PROJECT FOR MANY MONTHS, THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT GOT INVOLVED IN HELPING TO MOVE THIS PROJECT ALONG THROUGH ORGANIZING MEETINGS WITH DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS FROM PLANNING TO PERMITTING TO SUCCESSFULLY CLEAR UP PERMITTING ISSUES.
SO WE JUST WANTED TO CLEAR UP THE COMMUNICATION MADE BY HBDI ENTITY FROM LAST MONTH'S HOUSING COMMITTEE.
UH, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND GO TO COUNCIL UH, CHAIR, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS, WHO'S IN THE QUEUE ON, ON THIS PARTICULAR SECTION.
UH, THANK YOU, UH, FOR PRESENTING THIS ITEM AND THE EXTENSION ON, ON PAGE NINE.
UM, YOU TALKED ABOUT, UH, THE BALANCE OF THE $906,000.
IS THAT WHAT'S RETURNING TO GENERAL FUND THAT'S RETURNING BACK? THAT'S RETURNING BACK, CORRECT.
AND SO THEN THE PRIVATE DOLLARS THAT WERE PROBABLY ON LIKE SEVEN OR EIGHT, SLIDE SEVEN OR EIGHT, THAT'S GONNA COVER THE DELTA.
THAT'S, SO THEY, UM, THE 9 0 6 IS RETURNING BACK.
THE 7 0 6 IS IS FOR CONSTRUCTION FUNDING.
SO WITH THIS EXTENSION, UM, SO WITH THE FIRST TWO EXTENSIONS, THE GENERAL DOLLARS THAT WERE ALLOCATED WERE INCLUDED IN THOSE EXTENSION.
WITH THIS THIRD EXTENSION, THERE'S A BALANCE THAT'S RETURNING BACK.
IT'S BEING THE CLAUSE BACK TO THE CITY.
BECAUSE THEY MISSED THE, THE DEADLINE OF, OF EXPENDING THOSE FUNDS, OF EXPENDING THE GENERAL FUNDS ALLOCATED IN THAT FISCAL YEAR.
AND JUST TO CLARIFY THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN THOSE WHO ARE OPERATING DOLLARS AND THE REST OF CONSTRUCTION DOLLARS, I DO NOT KNOW HOW THE, UH, CHARITABLE DOLLARS ARE GONNA BE SPENT.
I THINK THEY CAN BE SPENT ANYWAY.
AND THEN I KNOW PREVIOUSLY THERE WAS A COMMENT ABOUT, UM, INFORMATION WITH THE CITY LEGAL DEPARTMENT.
ALL THAT'S CLEARED UP NOW THAT IT'S COMING BEFORE YES.
UH, STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON'S OFFICE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
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I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION ABOUT THE FUNDS EXPIRING.DID YOU SAY JUNE 30TH IS WHEN IF THE FUNDS AREN'T SPENT, THEY WERE EXPIRING? YEAH, IT WAS, IT WAS A, UM, OUR CONSTRUCTION, OUR TIMELINE HAD MOVED TO, WE HAD IT EXTENDED TO JUNE 30TH, AND NOW WE'RE GONNA EXTEND THAT CONSTRUCTION TIMELINE FURTHER OUT, UM, TO HELP GET THE PROJECT COMPLETED FOR OCTOBER.
BUT THE DIRECTOR WILL HAVE, DEPENDING ON HOW CONSTRUCTION GOES, DIRECTOR, WILL HAVE DISCRETION TO EXTEND TO DECEMBER 1ST IF NEEDED.
SO WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ENSURING THAT THE FUNDS ARE SPENT ON THE, ON THE EMPOWERMENT CENTER AND THAT THEY DON'T GO BACK TO THE CITY? SO WE'RE OUR, OUR, OUR GROUP, WE'RE LOOKING AT, OUR DEPARTMENT LOOKS AT ALL THE DRAWS THAT COME THROUGH.
WE WORK WITH MARLON MITCHELL, WE WORK WITH OU MARSHALL, AND WE'RE LOOKING AT DRAWS MONTHLY.
WE'RE GOING OUT TO THE PROPERTY, VIEWING THE PROPERTY TO MAKE SURE ALL THE FUNDS ARE BEING EXPENDED TO THE RIGHT, RIGHT ALLOCATIONS.
SO WOULD YOU SAY WE'RE ON TRACK TO, WE'VE, WE, WE ARE SLIGHTLY BEHIND SCHEDULE BECAUSE AS, AS WE MENTIONED EARLIER, UM, THERE WERE SOME PERMITTING ISSUES THAT WE ALL AS A TEAM, AS A GROUP GOT TOGETHER AND GOT SQUARED AWAY, UH, SPEAKING TO A LOT OF HEAD OF DEPARTMENTS FROM PERMITTING TO PLANNING.
AND, UH, BUT WE'RE ON OUR WAY TO BE DONE BY THE END OF THIS YEAR.
SO CAN WE COMMIT TO EXTENDING THE DEADLINE IF WE DON'T FINISH ALLOCATING THOSE FUNDS TO THE APARTMENT CENTER WE CAN COMMIT TO? AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE.
WE'RE COMMITTING TO EXTENDING THE DEADLINE.
AND IF WE NEED TO, WE'RE GONNA EXTEND IT TO DECEMBER IF NEEDED.
I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE LENGTHY, UH, PROCESS IT TOOK TO GET THROUGH PERMITTING.
UM, THERE WAS, PLANS WERE SUBMITTED IN SEPTEMBER AND IT'S SEVEN MONTHS LATER.
WHAT, WHAT CAN WE DO IN THE FUTURE, YOU THINK, TO AVOID SUCH LENGTHY DELAYS? WHAT WE WOULD NEED TO DO IN THE FUTURE? I THINK THE DEVELOPER DID A GOOD JOB AS, UH, AT SOME POINT HE NOTIFIED OUR GROUP THAT THERE ARE ISSUES.
DEVELOPERS NEED TO NOTIFY US EARLIER, SOONER.
AND THAT WAY WE CAN GET INVOLVED MORE QUICKLY.
'CAUSE WE HAVE CONTACTS AND PERMITTING AND PLANNING, WE CAN GET INVOLVED MORE QUICKLY TO HELP EXPEDITE.
ALRIGHT, SO BEFORE WE GO ON, LET ME NOTE THAT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIE DAVIS IS JOINING VIRTUALLY AND WE HAVE PRESENT IN CHAMBERS NOW, UH, STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER TWILA CARTER'S OFFICE.
SO OUR NEXT AREA IS MULTIFAMILY, WHICH, UH, RYAN BIBBS WILL STAY AND CONTINUE THIS PRESENTATION.
THIS IS ON THE ENCLAVE AT KATY.
THIS PROJECT IS, WE'RE REQUESTING A RESOLUTION OF NO OBJECTION FOR A MULTI-FAMILY DEVELOPMENT SEEKING 4% HOUSING TAX CREDIT.
THE DEVELOPMENT IS ENCLAVE AT KATY, A FAMILY PROJECT LOCATED AT 51 38 AND 52 0 2.
KATY HOCKLEY, THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT, THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING COMMUNITY AFFAIRS ADMINISTERS THE STATE'S HOUSING TAX CREDIT PROGRAM, WHICH PROVIDES FEDERAL TAX CREDITS FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING
THIS PROJECT IS LOCATED IN THE EX IN THE ETJ PER THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT CODE PROJECTS LOCATED IN THE ETJ AND SEEKING 4% TAX CREDITS.
RE REQUIRES A RESOLUTION OF NO OBJECTION FROM THE CITY MUNICIPALITY.
THE RESOLUTION IS REQUIRED FOR THEIR APPLICATION TO BE SUBMITTED TO T-D-H-C-A.
HCD HAS PERFORMED A THRESHOLD REVIEW AND RECOMMENDS A RESOLUTION OF NO OBJECTION FOR ENCLAVE.
HCD RE RECOMMENDS A MOTION TO HE TO HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING ON JULY 9TH, 2025 ON THE 4% HOUSING TAX CREDIT RESOLUTION OF NO OBJECTION.
UH, JUST A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS PROJECT.
IT'S FOR FAMILIES LOCATED ON HOCKLEY AND KATY, UH, WILL CONSIST OF 360 UNITS, AND WE'LL HAVE ONE BEDROOMS, TWO BEDROOMS, THREE BEDROOMS, AND FOUR BEDROOMS, AND ALL WILL BE AT, UH, 60% A MI AND ENVELOPE.
UH, THIS PROJECT IS BEING, UH, DEVELOPED BY A GROUP CALLED STREAMLINED ADVISORY PARTNERS.
AND WE SHOULD HAVE MARK GREG HERE WITH US TODAY IN THE AUDIENCE.
UH, THIS RESOLUTION OF NO OBJECTION IS A THREE STEP PROCESS.
UH, IT'LL NEED TO GO TO COUNCIL, UH, THREE DIFFERENT, UM,
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TIMES.SO THE FIRST WE ARE TARGETING, UH, COUNSEL, UH, MEETING AT ON JULY 25TH FOR THE REQUEST OF THE HEARING.
AND THEN, I'M SORRY, JUNE 25TH FOR THE REQUEST OF THE HEARING.
AND THEN JULY 9TH WILL BE OUR TARGETED DATE FOR MOTION, UH, TO HOLD A HEARING.
AND THEN JULY 16TH, WE'LL, WE WILL, UH, BE ABLE TO VOTE ON THE RESOLUTION.
AND I'LL JUST NOTE, UH, 100% OF THE UNITS AT 60 A MI OR LOWER MM-HMM
THAT SOUNDS PRETTY GOOD AS FAR AS HELPING WITH OUR AFFORDABILITY ISSUES.
I WANTED TO, I DON'T KNOW IF I, BUT THERE'S NO FUNDING INVOLVED IN THIS TRANSACTION AS WELL.
THIS, OF COURSE, IS A FIRST OF A MINI STEP PROJECT PROCESS TO GET AFFORDABLE HOUSING UP.
I, AS I, AS I'VE MENTIONED TO ANYBODY WHO WILL LISTEN, WE CERTAINLY LOOKING FOR A SIMPLER WAY TO FUND THIS THAN THIS COMPLEX TAX CREDIT AND CAPITAL TAX.
WE HAVE CHAIR THOMAS IN THE, IN THE QUEUE NOW.
UM, CAN YOU CONFIRM THE NUMBER OF UNITS? 360? THAT'S A LOT.
SO I KNOW WE TRY TO MOVE AWAY FROM CONCENTRATIONS OF POVERTY BY NOT HAVING 360 SEMI UNITS ON TOP OF THAT.
BUT ARE THESE LIKE DIFFERENT DIVISIONS? LIKE, THERE'LL BE LIKE QUADRANT RUN, QUADRANT TWO, QUADRANT THREE, OR THIS IS AN ONE COMPLETE COMPLEX WITH 360 UNITS.
THEY'LL HAVE DIFFERENT BUILDINGS.
UM, YOU'LL HAVE, YOU'LL, I MEAN, THE GREAT THING ABOUT THIS, YOU'LL HAVE, UH, A NUMBER OF, UH, THREE BEDROOMS AND FOUR BEDROOMS FOR FAMILIES.
YOU'LL HAVE 96 3 BEDROOMS, SIX YOU'LL HAVE 36 4 BEDROOMS. UM, ALL NEW SCHOOLS THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE RATINGS ON.
'CAUSE ALL THE SCHOOLS ARE NEW.
YOUNGBLOOD ELEMENTARY, NELSON JUNIOR HIGH, AND FREEMAN HIGH SCHOOL IN THIS AREA.
AND WHAT, WHAT'S THE NUMBER OF TWOS AND ONES? UH, NUMBER OF ONES IS 108 AND THEN TWOS IS A HUNDRED AND 120.
NO OTHER, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS OR STAFF IN THE QUEUE.
SO, UH, DIRECTOR NICHOLS, IF YOU WANNA MOVE TO PUBLIC SERVICES.
UH, WE ALL KNOW DOES A TERRIFIC JOB WITH PUBLIC SERVICES, VERY COMPLEX FUNDING STREAMS. I FEEL VERY SHORT THE CHAIR SHORT, THE CHAIR'S NOT PULLING OUT.
BUT, UM,
UM, I HAVE A VERY LARGE AGENDA AND, UM, SO I'LL GO THROUGH IT AND THEN, UH, IF YOU WILL STOP ME FOR QUESTIONS OR HOWEVER YOU WANNA DO THIS, UM, PLEASE JUST LET ME KNOW.
UH, IF I SEE ANYBODY IN THE QUEUE OR HAVE SOME QUESTIONS, WE'LL, WE'LL STOP YOU.
SO BY, UM, SO ITEM FIVE A, THE DEPARTMENT IS PRESENTING RECOMMENDATION FOR COUNCIL APPROVAL OF AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING A SECOND AMENDMENT TO THE SUB-RECIPIENT AGREEMENT WITH CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF THE ARCHDIOCESE OF GALVESTON HOUSTON, TO PROVIDE UP TO AN ADDITIONAL $389,838 AND 12 CENTS.
AND HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PERSONS WITH AIDS FUNDING, OR WE COMMONLY REFER TO IT AS HOPWA.
THIS PROGRAM WILL SERVE A MINIMUM OF 172 LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS LIVING WITH OR AFFECTED BY HIV OR AIDS.
THIS FUNDING WILL PROVIDE 62 FAMILIES WITH TENANT-BASED RENTAL ASSISTANCE, 90 FAMILIES WITH SHORT-TERM RENT, MORTGAGE UTILITY ASSISTANCE, 20 FAMILIES OF PERMANENT HOUSING PLACEMENT SERVICES, WHICH IS TYPICALLY DEPOSITS AND FIRST MONTH'S RENT AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES TO ALL 1 72.
THE SUPPORTIVE SERVICES INCLUDE HOUSING CASE MANAGEMENT AND SERVICES THAT PROMOTE HOUSING STABILITY AND IMPROVE ACCESS TO CARE.
THIS AGREEMENT BEGAN JUNE 1ST, 2023, AND WITH THIS AMENDMENT WE'LL EXTEND UNTIL SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2025.
THIS IS JUST FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS.
THIS IS SO THAT WE CAN GET IN LINE WITH THE NEW NOFA THAT'S COMING OUT.
NO FINDINGS WERE REPORTED BY COMPLAINTS AND MONITORING DURING THE 2024 MONITORING PERIOD.
CATHOLIC CHARITIES HAS RECEIVED VARIOUS FUNDINGS FROM THE CITY SINCE 2003.
AND TODAY WE HAVE RENA SUZA, THE PRO, THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR, AND AKEA WILKINS HERE IN THE AUDIENCE.
ITEM FIVE B, THE DEPARTMENT'S PRESENT TEAM BEFORE THIS COMMITTEE, A RECOMMENDATION FOR COUNCIL APPROVAL OF AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING AGREEMENTS BETWEEN THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT AND HOUSING AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS, T-D-H-C-A AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
WHEREAS THE CITY OF HOUSTON WILL ACCEPT AN AWARD OF HO OF HOMELESS HOUSING SERVICES PROGRAM FUNDS.
THE ORDINANCE WILL AUTHORIZE THE HOUSING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR TO REPRESENT THE CITY FOR THE HHSP AWARD AND PROVIDE THE MAYOR'S SIGNATURE AUTHORITY TO EXECUTE THE AGREEMENTS AND AUTHORIZE AMENDMENT CHANGES.
[00:30:01]
THE 2026 HHSP AWARD AMOUNTS CONSIST OF A GENERAL ALLOCATION, THE AMOUNT OF $1,213,997 AND A SETA ASIDE AMOUNT OF $405,040 TO ADDRESS YOUTH HOMELESSNESS FOR A COMBINED TOTAL AMOUNT OF $1,619,037 PER T-D-H-C-A.THESE FUNDS MUST BE USED BY THE CITY ON ACTIVITIES ELIMINATING AND OR PREVENTING HOMELESSNESS.
SPECIFICAL SPECIFIC ALLOWABLE ACTIVITIES INCLUDE CONSTRUCTION DEVELOPMENT OR PROCUREMENT OF HOUSING FOR HOMELESS PERSONS, REHABILITATION OF STRUCTURES TARGETED TO SERVING HOMELESS PERSONS OR PERSONS AT RISK OF HOMELESSNESS, PROVISIONS OF DIRECT SERVICES AND CASE MANAGEMENT TO HOMELESS PERSONS OR PERSONS AT RISK OF HOMELESSNESS OR OTHER HOMELESSNESS RELATED ACTIVITIES APPROVED BY THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS.
THE YOUTH SET ASIDE FUNDING MUST BE USED ON ACTIVITIES ELIMINATING OR PREVENTING HOMELESSNESS IN YOUTH HEAD OF HOUSEHOLDS.
UM, THE SAME VERY SIMILAR SPECIFICS THAT I JUST READ FOR YOUTH HOMELESSNESS.
THE STATE PROVIDES HHSP FUNDING TO NINE OF THE LARGEST CITIES IN TEXAS AND SUPPORT OF SERVICES TO HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES.
ANY ORDINANCES ALLOCATING THE ACCEPTED HHSP FUNDS FOR USE BY LOCAL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS WILL BE PRESENTED TO COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION.
SO THAT'LL BE HAPPENING IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.
SO THIS IS JUST ACCEPTING THE AWARD, NOT PROVIDING FUNDS TO AGENCIES.
ITEM FIVE C, THE DEPARTMENT IS PRESENTING A FIRST AMENDMENT TO A SUBRECIPIENT AGREEMENT WITH SEARCH HOMELESS SERVICES PROVIDED UP TO AN ADDITIONAL $247,861 AND 72 CENTS IN C-D-B-G-E-S-G AND ESG RUSH FUNDS FOR THE CONTINUED OPERATION AND ADMINISTRATION OF A RAPID REHOUSING PROGRAM, INCLUDING SERVICES FOR AN ADDITIONAL EIGHT HOUSEHOLDS THROUGH THIS PROGRAM.
UH, IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, 48 HOUSEHOLDS WILL BE SERVED.
THIS ITEM WAS RECENTLY BROUGHT BEFORE, UM, THIS COMMITTEE AND TO CITY COUNCIL ABOUT A MONTH AGO.
THIS IS ADDITIONAL FUNDING THAT WE HAD AVAILABLE THAT WE'RE PAIRING WITH THAT PARTICULAR PROGRAM.
UM, THIS AMENDMENT WILL NOT EXTEND THE TIME OF PERFORMANCE, WHICH IS SCHEDULED TO END APRIL 30TH, 2026.
THE DEPARTMENT'S PRESENTING A SUB-RECIPIENT AGREEMENT WITH SEARCH AGAIN, SAR HOMELESS SERVICES PROVIDING UP TO $391,776 IN HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM, AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN, OR COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS HOME A RP AND THE IN STREET HOMELESS FUND, WHICH IS FUND 2012 FUNDING FOR A PROGRAM THAT WILL SERVE A TOTAL OF APPROXIMATELY 500 INDIVIDUALS.
THIS AGREEMENT WILL SUPPORT OUTREACH TEAMS THAT DIRECTLY INTERACT WITH THE UNSHELTERED POPULATIONS THROUGH THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
THIS PROGRAM WILL EXPAND THE OPERATING TIMES OF OUTREACH AND NAVIGATION SERVICES TO INCLUDE NON-CONVENTIONAL WORK HOURS, SUCH AS BEFORE 8:00 AM AND AFTER 6:00 PM THE TERM OF THIS AGREEMENT IS FROM AUGUST 1ST, 2025 THROUGH JULY 31ST, 2026.
SEARCH HAS RECEIVED FUNDING FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON SINCE 1996.
THERE WERE NO FINDINGS OR CONCERNS IN THE MOST RECENT COMPLIANCE MONITORING FOR OTHER FUNDED PROJECTS.
TODAY WE HAVE ALEXIS LOVING PRESIDENT AND CEO LARRY KRAUS, THE VICE PRESIDENT OF GOVERNMENT GRANTS, AND PHOEBE WONG, THE DIRECTOR OF HOUSING HERE IN OUR AUDIENCE.
THE DEPARTMENT'S PRESENTING A SUB-RECIPIENT AGREEMENT WITH THE HARRIS CENTER FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND IDD PROVIDING UP TO $948,841 AND 34 CENTS IN HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP.
AGAIN, THE HOME A RP FUNDS AND THE N STREET HOMELESS FUND FOR A PROGRAM THAT WILL SERVE A TOTAL OF APPROXIMATELY 300 INDIVIDUALS ANNUALLY.
THOSE SERVICES WILL INCLUDE INTENSIVE CLINICAL OUTREACH, ENGAGEMENT, CRISIS INTERVENTION, SPECIALIZED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SUPPORT, AND CARE COORDINATION SERVICES BY THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH RESPONSE TEAM.
THIS TEAM WILL COLLABORATE WITH THE WAY HOME PARTNERS TO IDENTIFY, ENGAGE, AND SUPPORT THOSE WHO ARE CURRENTLY UNHOUSED OR AT RISK OF BECOMING HOMELESS AFTER PLACEMENT IN A HOUSING UNIT.
THE TERM OF THIS AGREEMENT IS FOR 12 MONTHS FROM JANUARY 1ST, 2026 THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST, 2026, THE HARRIS CENTER HAS RECEIVED FUNDING FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON SINCE 2008.
THERE WERE NO FINDINGS OR CONCERNS IN THE MOST RECENT COMPLIANCE MONITORING FOR THE OTHER FUNDED PROJECTS.
ITEM FIVE F THE DEPARTMENT IS PRESENTING A SUBRECIPIENT AGREEMENT WITH THE HARRIS CENTER FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND IDD PROVIDING UP TO $2,647,392 AND 77 CENTS WITH THE IN STREET HOMELESS FUND FOR A PROGRAM THAT WILL SERVE A TOTAL OF APPROXIMATELY 120
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INDIVIDUALS ANNUALLY OVER A TWO YEAR PERIOD.THOSE SERVICES WILL INCLUDE PSYCHIATRIC CARE, INDIVIDUALIZED TREATMENT PLANS, AND ACCESS TO TREATMENT BEDS IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS.
TRANSITIONING FROM AN INPATIENT HOSPITAL SETTING TO A COMMUNITY-BASED SETTING.
THE HARRIS CENTER'S HOSPITAL TO HOME MAIN STREET EXPANSION WILL OPERATE 32 BEDS UNDER AN INTENSIVE REHABILITATIVE PROGRAM DESIGNED TO STEP DOWN AND TRANSITION.
INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE UNHOUSED PRIOR TO OR PSYCHO ARE PSYCHIATRICALLY FRAGILE FALLING AN INPATIENT PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL SETTING TO A MORE APPROPRIATE COMMUNITY-BASED SETTING.
THIS PROGRAM TARGETS ADULTS, PARTICULARLY THOSE DISCHARGED FROM EMERGENCY OR INPATIENT PSYCHIATRIC FACILITIES, AND THOSE RELEASED BY LOCAL HOSPITALS WITH A 24 7 PROGRAM WHERE PARTICIPANTS CAN RECEIVE SERVICES FOR UP TO 180 DAYS.
THE TERM OF THIS AGREEMENT IS FOR 24 MONTHS, STARTING AUGUST 1ST, 2025 THROUGH JULY 31ST, 2026.
YOUR, UM, YOUR COVER SHEET IN ON THE AGENDA HAS THE, UM, I'M SORRY, IT SHOULD BE 2027.
THE HARRIS CENTER HAS RECEIVED FUNDING FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON SINCE 2008.
THERE WERE NO FINDINGS OR CONCERNS IN THE MOST RECENT COMPLIANCE MONITORING AND OTHER FUNDED PROJECTS.
AND TODAY, I BELIEVE EVERYBODY'S IN THE AUDIENCE.
WE HAVE AMANDA JONES, DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS, AMBER HASSINGER, PROGRAM DIRECTOR, AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S WAYNE OR KEENA THAT IS HERE TODAY.
UH, AMANDA'S GOING TO BE DOING THE PRESENTATION FOR US AS PART OF THE HARRIS CENTER IN OUR PRESENTATION ON HOMELESSNESS.
THE DEPARTMENT IS PRESENTING A SUBRECIPIENT AGREEMENT WITH FAMILY ENDEAVORS INCORPORATED.
IT'S LIKE, IT WAS, IT WAS LIKE A ROCK CONCERT AND I WAS GETTING REALLY EXCITED
UH, LET ME, LET ME INTERRUPT FOR JUST A SECOND.
UHHUH
OH, I'LL WAIT UNTIL THE END PLEASE.
UM, SO ITEM 5G, THE DEPARTMENT'S PRESENTING A SUB STATEMENT AGREEMENT WITH FAMILY ENDEAVORS INCORPORATED, PROVIDING UP TO $7,495,014 AND 5 CENTS AND HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM HOME A RP AND IN STREET HOMELESS FUNDS FOR A PROGRAM THAT WILL SERVE A TOTAL OF APPROXIMATELY 150 HOUSEHOLDS ANNUALLY.
SERVICES WILL INCLUDE HOUSING STABILITY, CASE MANAGEMENT, HOUSING NAVIGATION, OTHER SUPPORT SERVICES, UTILITY DEPOSITS, AND RENTAL ASSISTANCE PAYMENTS FOR HOUSEHOLDS PLACED IN PERMANENT HOUSING UNITS.
SO THIS PARTICULAR AGREEMENT ACTUALLY HAS THE HOUSING COMPONENT TO IT.
THIS PROGRAM WILL SUPPORT OTHER PERMANENT HOUSING INITIATIVES WHERE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE CURRENTLY LIVING UNSHELTERED AND MAY HAVE SIGNIFICANT MENTAL HEALTH, PHYSICAL HEALTH, AND SUBSTANCE USE RELATED ISSUES THAT AFFECT THEIR ABILITY TO REMAIN STABLY HOUSED.
REFERRALS COME THROUGH THE WAY HOMES COORDINATED ENTRY SYSTEM IN CASE MANAGERS MEET WEEKLY OR MORE OFTEN IF NEEDED, WITH HOUSEHOLDS TO DEVELOP A HOUSING STABILITY PLAN AND MAINTAIN HOUSING ONCE THE PROGRAM ASSISTANCE ENDS.
THE TERM OF THIS AGREEMENT IS FROM AUGUST 1ST, 2025 THROUGH JULY 31ST, 2027.
ENDEAVORS WAS PREVIOUSLY AWARDED FUNDING FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON IN 2020.
AND TODAY WE HAVE JENNY CORDOVA, THE DIRECTOR OF HOUSING, UH, COMMUNITY HOUSING ASSISTANCE, AND STEPHANIE MALIK, REGIONAL DIRECTOR.
THE DEPARTMENT IS VISITING A SUB-RECIPIENT AGREEMENT WITH HOUSTON RECOVERY CENTER, PROVIDING UP TO $941,864 AND 51 CENTS FROM THE STREET, FROM THE IN STREET HOMELESS FUND FUNDING FOR A PROGRAM THAT WILL SERVE A TOTAL OF APPROXIMATELY 525 INDIVIDUALS ANNUALLY.
THOSE SERVICES WILL INCLUDE, WILL INCLUDE 24 7 OPERATIONS OF 30 BEDS FOR HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS WITH A TARGETED STAY AT 15 DAYS OR LESS.
OTHER SUPPORT SERVICES INCLUDE THOSE WHO ADDRESS SUBSTANCE USE AND OR MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS.
IMMEDIATE MEDICAL CONCERNS, PEER SUPPORT SPECIALISTS AND CASE MANAGEMENT OPERATIONS INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO.
RECOVERY SUPPORT SPECIALISTS, PEER SUPPORT SPECIALISTS, FOOD SUPPLIES, AND SECURITY INDIVIDUALS REQUIRING LONGER TERM SUBSTANCE USE.
TREATMENT CAN BE ENROLLED IN AN OFFSITE RECOVERY SERVICE FOR 30 TO 60 DAYS OR TRANSFERRED TO ANOTHER PROVIDER.
THE TERM OF THIS AGREEMENT IS FROM AUGUST 1ST, 2025 THROUGH JULY 31ST, 2026.
THE HOUSTON RECOVERY CENTER HAS RECEIVED FUNDING FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON SINCE 2013 THROUGH OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
TODAY WE HAVE LEONARD KINCAID, THE CEO, AND MELISSA TUCKER, MANAGER OF THE SOBERING CENTER.
[00:40:02]
I'D LIKE TO NOTE THAT THE ITEMS FIVE C AND FIVE EIGHT OUR RESULTS OF A JOINT TRI-PARTY REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST IN REI BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HARRIS COUNTY, AND THE COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS, WHICH IS THE LEAD AGENCY FOR THE WAY HOME.WE INVITED ORGANIZATIONS TO SUBMIT PROPOSALS UNDER THIS ROLLING, REI.
THIS INITIATIVE AIMS TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING INSTABILITY THROUGH SCALABLE LOW BARRIER AND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS.
ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES INCLUDE PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, RAPID REHOUSING, OUTREACH, CASE MANAGER CASE MANAGEMENT, SHELTER EXPANSION, AND SUPPORT SERVICES.
THE RELEASE DATE OF THE REI WAS JANUARY 31ST, 2025.
A VIRTUAL Q AND A SESSION WAS HELD FEBRUARY 14TH AND THE INITIAL SUBMISSION DEADLINE WAS MARCH 14TH, 2025.
SO TODAY I JUST PRESENTED SIX ITEMS BEFORE THIS JOINT COMMITTEE AND THERE WILL BE MORE IN THE COMING MONTHS.
THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU FOR THAT, UH, A LOT OF INFORMATION TO DIGEST.
DO WE HAVE, UH, CHAIR COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS IN THE QUEUE? THANK YOU.
UH, MR. CHAIRMAN, A CLARIFYING QUESTION ON ITEM, I BELIEVE IT'S ITEM D.
WE STILL HAVE, UH, HOME ARPA FUNDS AVAILABLE.
WHAT'S OUR CLOCK 26, CORRECT? I BELIEVE IT IS 28.
AND I WILL, I WILL, I WILL VERIFY THAT FOR YOU AND GET THAT BACK TO YOU.
SO WE STILL HAVE THOSE FUNDS AND THEN WE HAVE CDBG ARPA AVAILABLE? NO, IT'S JUST HOME.
IT'S JUST HOME A AND THEN OUR CITY ALLOCATION.
THAT'S, WE, WE, TO CLARIFY THAT WE HAVE WHAT WE CALL CDBG CV.
RIGHT? THERE ARE A FEW CV FUNDS AND WE ARE COMING TO THE END OF THAT.
THOSE MUST BE SPENT BY APRIL OF 2024 BY OUR AGENCIES BECAUSE OUR CLOCK IS MAY 30TH.
SO WE WILL BE HAVING SALVATION ARMY 26 WILL BE COMING NOT 2026, I'M SORRY, 26.
UM, I DON'T KNOW WHERE I'M AT RIGHT NOW.
SO WE WILL BE, WE WILL BE BRINGING ANOTHER ORGANIZATION IN FRONT OF YOU TO SPEND THAT MONEY DOWN.
AND THEN THE SECOND CLARIFYING QUESTION, IF YOU CAN JUST, UH, THIS IS A NEW FUND FUND 2012 MM-HMM
IF YOU CAN JUST, I, I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT THIS I THINK TWO MONTHS AGO.
CAN YOU JUST REPLAY THAT AGAIN SO I CAN UNDERSTAND THE ALLOCATION? THE, UM YEP.
IN THE FUND AND THEN WHAT'S GOING OUT ALL.
SO, UM, THE HOMELESS FUND 2012 IS A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT FUNDS THAT COME INTO THE CITY.
THESE ARE TYPICALLY NON-FEDERAL FUNDS.
THIS WOULD BE, WE HAD RECEIVED $10 MILLION FROM METRO.
SO THAT MONEY IS PUT INTO THE 2012.
WE HAVE BELIEVE WE HAVE SOME GENERAL FUND MONEY IN THERE.
UH, IT WAS, UH, I THINK $3.5 MILLION THAT IS ALREADY ON THE AWARD FOR THE NAVIGATION CENTER.
WE ALSO HAD SOME, I'M GONNA GET IT WRONG.
AND THEN WE EXPECT PRIVATE MONIES, WHETHER THAT'S GONNA BE HELD SEPARATE OF THIS FUND.
WE DON'T HAVE THAT ANSWER YET.
WE'RE IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH PHILANTHROPY ABOUT WHERE THOSE FUNDS WILL BE HELD.
UM, BE GREAT IF THEY WERE HELD THERE.
AND, UH, JUST TO CLARIFY, THERE WAS SOME CONVERSATION, UH, THIS WEEKEND ABOUT COUNTY FUNDS.
THE COUNTY FUNDS WILL BE HELD SEPARATELY, NOT IN THAT PLAN.
HOWEVER, WE WORK CLOSELY WITH THE COUNTY LEADERSHIP TO MAKE SURE IT IS BRAIDED TO AGAIN, HELP THOSE PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
SO IF IT'LL POSSIBLY BE, AND BOTH IN THE FUTURE, THERE COULD BE, IT COULD BE MULTIPLE FUNDS.
AND MULTIPLE ALLOCATIONS ALSO.
AND THE, AND THE REI THAT I JUST TALKED ABOUT DOES EXACTLY THAT.
SO THERE IS FUNDING THAT THE COALITIONS SEPARATE AND UP AND FROM THESE THAT THEY'RE FUNDING DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS TO DO WORK WE FUND, BUT IT'S STILL ONE APPLICATION.
UM, REGARDING HOUSTON RECOVERY CENTER, LET'S SEE, BACK ON MAY 15TH, I'M SORRY, MAY 28TH, WE HAD AN AGENDA ITEM FOR THE RECOVERY CENTER FOR 1.8 MILLION MM-HMM
AND, UH, THIS ONE, UH, INVOLVES, UM, UH, 941,000.
HOW, HOW DOES THIS RELATE TO THE EARLIER AGENDA ITEM WE SAW? RIGHT.
SO THE, UM, INITIAL AGENDA ITEM THAT YOU SAW WAS FOR THEIR NORMAL OPERATIONS FOR THE SOBERING CENTER.
AND SO IF SOMEBODY IS PICKED UP AND THEY ARE INEBRIATED, INSTEAD OF GOING STRAIGHT TO JAIL, THEY'RE ABLE TO GO TO THE SOBERING CENTER.
AND SOMETIMES THEY STAY A COUPLE HOURS, SOMETIMES THEY JUST STAY OVERNIGHT.
THIS PARTICULAR FUNDING THAT WE'RE DOING IS SPECIFIC TO OUR HOMELESS ACTIVITY TO GIVE INDIVIDUALS AN OPPORTUNITY TO STAY OFF THE STREET.
AND THE OTHER, UH, QUESTION I HAD WAS WITH REGARD TO, UH, CAPACITY, UH, WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT THE RECOVERY CENTER, UH, LAST YEAR ON AND ON THE DAY THAT WE VISITED.
THERE SEEMED TO BE, UH, A LOT OF, UM, CAPACITY THAT WAS
[00:45:01]
NOT BEING USED.AND, UH, THIS, UM, THE TARGET ON THIS ONE, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, IS, IS 30 30 BEDS.
UM, CAN YOU, CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT A LITTLE BIT? RIGHT.
SO, UM, SO THE RECOVERY CENTER HAS INDICATED THAT THE 30 BEDS THAT THEY'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO SET ASIDE IS IN ADDITION TO WHAT THEY'RE ALREADY SERVING, THOSE 30 BEDS ARE GONNA CHURN.
SO IF SOMEBODY SHOULD NOT BE THERE LONGER THAN 15 DAYS, AND IN MOST CASES THEY SHOULDN'T BE THERE LONGER THAN A COUPLE OF DAYS, UM, IF WE ADD ADDITIONAL, UH, ROOM, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S FEASIBLE FOR THE BUILDING OR IF IT'S FEASIBLE FOR THE STAFFING, BUT WE DO HAVE LEONARD KIN KATE HERE, WHO MIGHT BE ABLE TO SPEAK DIRECTLY ON THAT IF YOU'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM HIM.
WOULD YOU, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME UP LEONARD, OR GOOD JOB.
AND THE QUESTION WAS, UH, THE ADDITIONAL BIDS CORRECT, UHHUH, THE INITIAL BUDGET IS A BUDGET THAT THE CITY FUNDS US ANNUALLY, AN ANNUALLY AND HAS, UM, SINCE 2013.
AND, UH, WE SERVE AS A DIVERSION SITE FOR INDIVIDUALS BEING ARRESTED FOR PUBLIC INTOXICATION.
WE HAVE HAD A DECREASE IN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE COMING IN FOR PUBLIC INTOXICATION OVER THE YEARS, BUT THIS PROJECT WAS OF INTEREST TO US, AND I THINK OF INTEREST TO THE COALITION BECAUSE THE INITIATIVE THAT THE MAYOR IS, UH, PUSHING REQUIRES THAT THERE'S A PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO GO IF THEY'RE BEING ASKED TO MOVE OFF THE STREET.
AND SO WE WERE NOT SET UP AS A SHELTER OR A EMERGENCY STATE FACILITY.
WE WERE SET UP AS A DIVERSION SITE FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO HAD A PROBLEM WITH SUBSTANCE USE.
BUT WE SOLVED THE CAPACITY AND THE ABILITY TO BE LEVERAGED, TO BE ABLE TO SERVE THIS PURPOSE.
BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANY OTHER FACILITY IN THE CITY WHO'S OPEN 24 7 THAT PROVIDES LAW ENFORCEMENT A PLACE TO BRING A PERSON THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO MOVE OFF THE STREETS 24 7.
AND SO WE SET ASIDE ACTUALLY 34 BEDS FOR THIS PURPOSE.
THOSE 34 BEDS ARE TAKEN OUTTA INVENTORY FOR THE REST OF THE POPULATION THAT FLOWED THROUGH THE SOBERING CENTER, BUT IT LEAVES PLENTY CAPACITY FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT TO STILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING PEOPLE.
AND WHAT WE HAVE WITH THAT FACILITY IS A FLUCTUATION IN TERMS OF THE CENSUS ON END OF DAY.
IT LARGELY DEPEND ON WHAT'S KIND OF GOING ON WITH THIS IN THE CITY.
UH, LIKE IF THERE ARE MAJOR EVENTS THAT WE SHOULD HAVE, WE WE'RE LIKELY TO HAVE A SPIKE WHERE WE'LL HAVE A LOT MORE PEOPLE COMING TO THE SERVICE CENTER THAN WE WOULD ON AN AVERAGE DAY.
BUT THIS MONEY IS PRIMARILY FOR STAFFING.
BASICALLY WHAT WE'RE DOING IS ADD ADDING AN ADDITIONAL PERSON TO EACH SHIFT.
AND REMEMBER, AGAIN, WE ARE 24 7, BUT WE ALSO ADDED SOME PERSONNEL TO ASSIST THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE ADDICTION ISSUES, UH, FIND A PLACE IN THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE DON'T DO TREATMENT.
WHAT WE DO IS MANAGE RECOVERY SERVICES.
AND WHAT WE DO IS WHAT WE IDENTIFY AN INDIVIDUAL THAT'S GOT AN ADDICTION ISSUE, WE'LL FIND A PLACE IN THE COMMUNITY APPROPRIATE FOR THEIR LEVEL OF NEED, AND THEN WE'LL PLACE THEM IN THAT FACILITY.
NOW, WHILE THEY'RE IN THAT FACILITY, WE STILL MANAGE THEM.
WE GIVE THEM SIX MONTHS OF CASE MANAGEMENT AND 18 MONTHS OF PEER SUPPORT.
THAT IS A SERVICE THAT THE CITY DOES NOT PAY FOR.
UM, BUT WE IDENTIFIED THE POPULATION COMING THROUGH THE SERVICE CENTER THAT SUGGESTS THAT ABOUT, UM, OUTTA THE 90% OF THE PEOPLE THAT COME THROUGH 10% MAKES UP 38% OF OUR ADMISSIONS, WHICH MEANS THESE PEOPLE ARE COMING THROUGH, OVER AND OVER.
AND SO WE DESIGNED A PROGRAM TO MANAGE THAT POPULATION.
WELL, THIS POPULATION IS BEING DIVERTED TO US THROUGH THIS CRISIS PROGRAM, MATCH THAT POPULATION PROFILE UNIQUELY.
AND SO WHAT WE FIND IS INDIVIDUALS COMING THROUGH ARE OFTEN IN NEED OF ADDICTION CARE.
AND SO THEY ENROLL IN THAT 18 MONTH RECOVERY PROGRAM, AND THEN WE MOVE THEM OUT INTO A COMMUNITY SETTING.
UH, WHAT WE RUN INTO THOUGH IS THAT THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH RESOURCES DOWNSTREAM SO WE CAN MOVE THOSE PEOPLE OUT FAST.
AND SO WHAT WE HAVE HAPPENED IS A BOTTLENECK AT OUR FACILITY BECAUSE WE HAVE, WE ARE HOLDING THESE INDIVIDUALS UNTIL WE CAN FIND A PLACE FOR THEM.
ONE RELIEF THAT WE HAD PRESENTED TO US WAS THE ABILITY TO NOW TRANSPORT TO THE NAVIGATION CENTER.
HISTORICALLY, WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT, BUT WHAT THAT DID WAS ALLOWED US TO RELEASE SOME OF THE PRESSURE ON THE BOTTLENECK.
SO WHEN PEOPLE ARE COMING THROUGH TO THE CENTER, WE CAN MOVE THEM FASTER.
BUT, UH, THE NAVIGATION CENTER IS RUNNING INTO THE SAME PROBLEM THAT WE ARE, THAT WE'RE GETTING TO GET A BOTTLENECK TOO, BECAUSE THERE CAPACITY.
WE DO HAVE PEOPLE WHO STAY INTO OUR STAY IN OUR FACILITY FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME.
WE'VE HAD PEOPLE, WE'VE HAD PEOPLE STAY THERE FOR 45 DAYS.
AND IF YOU'VE BEEN THERE, YOU KNOW THAT IT'S NOT A PLACE DESIGNED FOR COMFORT, IT'S DESIGNED FOR CONVENIENT.
UH, BUT THAT IS THE ROLE WE PLAY AND THAT'S KIND OF OUR CAPACITY.
AND AGAIN, THESE DOLLARS ARE ALL ABOUT PERSONNEL, ADDED PERSONNEL TO
[00:50:01]
SUPPORT THE STAFF THAT'S ALREADY THERE.SO THE EXTRA DOLLARS, UH, BASICALLY GOING FOR MORE STAFFING.
MORE STAFFING TO HELP, UH, THE FOLKS WHO ARE HOMELESS.
AND CAN, CAN YOU BREAK DOWN FOR US, UH, HOW MANY BEDS WILL BE FOR SOBERING AND HOW MANY WILL BE FOR, UH, FOR HOMELESSNESS? SO THE, THE BEDS THAT WE HAVE SET ASIDE FOR THE EMERGENCY SHELTER PROGRAM IS 34, AND THAT'S 34 MEN AND FOUR FOR WOMEN.
AND THE STATS REALLY BREAK DOWN ABOUT LIKE THAT.
WE HAVE A MUCH LARGER CAPACITY, A MUCH LARGER, UH, RATIO OF MEN COMING THROUGH THE SERVICE CENTER THAN WE DO WOMEN.
MR. CHAIRMAN, I'D LIKE TO ADD THAT THIS, UH, PARTNERSHIP COLLABORATION WITH THE HISTORY RECOVERY CENTER IS REALLY ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HOUSTON'S SO GOOD AT.
UM, WE FOUND, UH, AND, AND LEONARD KINCAID WAS RIGHT THERE WORKING WITH US SAYING, WE HAVE SOME CAPACITY IN, IN SPACE, BUT NOT IN, IN PERSONNEL.
AND SO HE BEGAN WORKING WITH US TO SAY, HOW DO WE HAVE THE BEST OF ALL WORLDS AND USE EVERY POSSIBLE BED? AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT'S GOING ON.
I'M INDEBTED TO HIM BEING ABLE TO SEE THE BIGGER PICTURE AS WE MOVE FORWARD AND HAVE THAT KIND OF FLEXIBILITY.
AGAIN, THE FURTHER, UM, THE HOUSTON RECOVERY CENTER HAS A WONDERFUL RELATIONSHIP WITH HPD AND OTHER POLICE ENTITIES, AND WE NEEDED THAT IN THE AREA OF THE HOMELESSNESS AREA, UM, ALSO.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
AND LET'S SEE, THAT TAKES CARE OF ROMAN NUMERAL FIVE, IS THAT CORRECT? YES, SIR.
I THINK WE'RE ON DIRECTOR'S COMMENT AND I'LL TRY TO DO THOSE.
OH, ARE DO YOU HAVE ANOTHER ONE? NOPE, I'M GOOD.
ALL DIRECTOR'S COMMENTS, AND I'LL TRY TO DO THAT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE SO WE CAN GET TO THE HOMELESSNESS REVIEW THAT I THINK THERE'S A HUGE AMOUNT OF INTEREST ON.
UM, LET'S JUST GO TO THE DIRECTOR'S SLIDES AND W WE WILL MOVE QUICKLY.
AGAIN, WE HAVE, UH, VIRTUAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS, COMMUNITY MEETINGS ARE UNDERWAY.
UH, DR 24, WHICH I'M GONNA SPEAK TO IN JUST A MINUTE.
WE HAVE OUR FINAL MEETING ON JUNE 17TH.
UM, AND THAT'S IN THE EVENING.
WELL, I JUST, LET ME WATCH UP, LET ME SAY THIS.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, WE ARE WELL UNDERWAY WITH OUR VIRTUAL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FOR D 24.
UH, THE MEETINGS ARE A CRITICAL PART OF OUR PLANNING PROCESS FOR THE DRAFT ACTION PLAN, ENSURING THAT ALL VOICES ARE HEARD, ESPECIALLY THOSE MOST IMPACTED BY RECENT DISASTERS.
UM, WE'RE DOWN TO ONE FINAL MEETING, WHICH IS TUESDAY THE 17TH.
WE'VE GARNERED OVER 320 ATTENDEES FROM BOTH SESSIONS.
UH, LET ME NOTE, WE HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR THE COMMENTS THAT COUNCIL PEOPLE HAVE MADE.
THEY'VE BEEN VERY DIRECT WITH ME, UH, TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THAT.
AND WE, THE PLAN AT THIS POINT IS TO GO THROUGH THE FINAL PUBLIC MEETING.
AT THAT POINT, WE WILL MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE, UH, ADMINISTRATION ON ANY CHANGES AND SEE WHAT THE A A A, WHAT THE FEELING IS, UH, APTITUDE FOR ADDITIONAL CHANGES.
WE'LL THEN TAKE THOSE CHANGES AND TALK TO HUD TO SEE WHAT THAT DOES TO OUR SCHEDULE ABOUT WHETHER WE NEED TO HAVE ADDITIONAL HEARINGS OR WHETHER WE WILL NEED TO, UH, HAVE ADDITIONAL TIME.
UH, ONCE THAT'S DONE, WE'LL GO BACK TO THE ADMINISTRATION AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK TO COUNSEL AND THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE, UH, THE CHANGES THAT YOU'VE SUGGESTED.
I DID WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU KNOW, THAT WE'VE HEARD ABOUT THAT.
WE'VE HEARD THOSE CHANGES, WE'VE HEARD THOSE SUGGESTIONS, THEN THEY ARE DEFINITELY BEING TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION AT THIS POINT, I'D LIKE NOT TO ADD ANYTHING MORE TO THAT AND WAIT TILL WE GO THROUGH THE TUESDAY NIGHT MEETING, IF THAT'S OKAY.
UM, WE, UH, WE RECENTLY PUBLISHED THE NOTICE OF FUNDING AVAILABILITY FOR OUR STELLA LINK SINGLE FAMILY DEVELOPMENT THAT REMI RE, AS YOU REMEMBER, IT WAS DOLLARS THAT WERE TAKEN OUT OF THE GLO FUNDING AND PAID FOR WITH UHT FUNDING.
THAT GIVES US A GREAT DEAL MORE FLEXIBILITY.
WE HOSTED A PRE-PROPOSAL ON JUNE 11TH.
THE DEADLINE TO APPLY IS JULY 15TH AT 5:00 PM WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS AND LOOK FORWARD TO THOSE RESULTS, UM, COMING FORWARD, SLIDE 52, UH, LOOKING AHEAD, WE'RE EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THE LAUNCH OF TWO MAJOR PROGRAMS. WINTER STORM URI SINGLE FAMILY HOME REPAIR PROGRAM.
OVER $40 MILLION IS COMMITTED TO SUPPORT HOMEOWNERS IMPACTED BY 2021 WINTER STORM THROUGH REPAIR, REHABILITATION, AND REIMBURSEMENT ASSISTANCE.
AND THE NEXT PHASE OF THE HARVEY HOME BUYER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM WILL DELORE A, A FINAL $19 MILLION TO HELP HOUSTONIANS
[00:55:02]
IMPACTED BY HURRICANE HARVEY ACHIEVE HOME OWNERSHIP.UH, THE PROGRAM IS ABOUT PEOPLE WHO WERE LIVING IN HOUSTON WHEN HARVEY OCCURRED.
UH, BOTH PROGRAMS WILL BE LAUNCHING AT THE END OF THIS MONTH.
AND THESE SLIDES ARE ACTUALLY THE MOST IMPORTANT, BUT I'M GONNA GO THROUGH 'EM VERY QUICKLY WITHOUT THE DETAIL.
HCD HAS MADE MEASURABLE PROGRESS IN ADVANCING HOUSING STABILITY ACROSS HOUSTON SINCE 2020.
THE SNAPSHOT SHOWS OVER 4,400 MULTIFAMILY UNITS WITH 3,800 PLUS BEING AFFORDABLE, COMPLETED 748 HOME BUYER CASES THROUGH OUR HOMEOWNER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, AND OVER 4,480 HOMES WERE PURCHASED THROUGH OUR HOME BUYER'S ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
UH, OVER THE LAST MONTH, WE'VE CELEBRATED A NUMBER OF MAJOR MILESTONES THAT WERE VERY EXCITING.
UH, THOSE OF YOU WHO SAW THE CONNECT HIGHSTAR OFFICIALLY OPENED IN DISTRICT J, UM, THIS IS REALLY AN AMAZING BUILDING, AN AMAZING COMMUNITY THAT HAD MORE THAN 11.9 MILLIONS OF DR.
NEXT COVENANT HOUSE MARKED THE RIBBON CUTTING OF THEIR NEW MONTROSE FACILITY, A BEAUTIFUL FACILITY SERVING A YOUTH AGES 18 TO 24.
THEY HAVE A BRILLIANT NEW CEO WHO HOPE MANY OF YOU WOULD GET TO A CHANCE TO MEET.
NOW THIS PROJECT IS A POWERFUL, UM, TESTAMENT TO CROSS SECTION COLLABORATION WITH PARTNERS AT HUD HARRIS COUNTY, THE STATE OF TEXAS, AND CITY OFFICIALS.
UH, NEXT ROSEMARY PLACE IS A PARTNERSHIP WITH NEW, UH, NEW HOPE HOUSING FOUNDATION.
MAGNIFI HOUSING AND HOUSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY OPENED IN MIDTOWN PROVIDING 149 UNITS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR INDIVIDUALS EXITING HOMELESSNESS.
THE CITY CONTRIBUTE TO 18.7 MILLION IN C-D-B-G-D-R 17 FUNDS TOWARD THIS EFFORT.
IN TANDEM WITH PROJECT ROLLOUTS, WE'VE REMAINED ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN THE COMMUNITY.
RECENT INVOLVEMENT INCLUDE PARTICIPATING IN COMMUNITY PANELS TO PROVIDE INSIGHTS INTO END STREET HOMELESSNESS ACTION PLAN WITH RECENT ENGAGEMENT, THE DOWNTOWN HOUSTON PLUS HOMELESSNESS ROUNDTABLE AND GREATER HOUSTON PANEL.
UM, COMING FORWARD, WE ARE GOING TO BE WITH THE REALTORS AND LENDERS WORKSHOP, PROMOTING THE FORTHCOMING HOMEOWNERS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM 2.0.
UH, FINALLY, UH, FINALLY WE ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO STAY INVOLVED AND ENGAGED BY SUBSCRIBING TO OUR MA MAILING LIST AND FOLLOWING US ON SOCIAL MEDIA TO STAY UP WITH HCD.
WE'RE VERY PROUD OF IT AND WE WANNA MOVE EVEN FASTER.
AND WITH YOUR PERMISSION, WE'LL MOVE TO THE HOMELESSNESS.
UH, LET ME JUST SAY, UH, A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE.
UH, I'M A LITTLE BIT SLOW ON THE, ON THE TRIGGER TODAY, UH, BECAUSE, UH, OUR FOLKS FROM SEARCH HAVE LEFT AND OUR FOLKS FROM THE HOUSTON RECOVERY CENTER HAVE LEFT.
BUT I'M SO GRATEFUL FOR THE WORK THEY DO IN TRYING TO ADDRESS OUR, OUR HOMELESSNESS ISSUES HERE IN HOUSTON.
I KNOW THEY'RE ON THE FRONT LINES AND, UH, THEY HAVE A LOT OF EXPERTISE AND WE JUST APPRECIATE THEIR PARTNERSHIP IN WORKING ON THIS ISSUE.
SO IF YOU COULD CONVEY THAT, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT.
DIRECTOR, WE, WE WILL CONVEY IT.
AGAIN, GREAT ORGANIZATIONS WHEN, WHEN I'VE BEEN TO OTHER CITIES AND DISCUSSED HOMELESSNESS WITH THEM, WHAT WE HAVE IS WE HAVE THIS COLLABORATIVE, UH, PROGRAM.
SOMETIME IT DOESN'T MAKE THAT GOOD NEWSPAPER STORY, BUT HOW WE WORK TOGETHER WITH OUR NON-PROFITS, UH, WITH CITY, WITH COUNTY, WITH STATE IS QUITE REMARKABLE.
AND WHAT IT MEANS IS PEOPLE GETTING HOUSED.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT ON THE STREETS EVERY DAY.
NOT PERFECT, BUT GREAT COLLABORATION.
I'M NOT SURE HOW WE WANT TO DO THIS.
UM, WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT? LET THEM COME UP ONE BY ONE.
UH, THAT SOUNDS AS AS GOOD AS ANY.
SO THIS HAS NOT BEEN PRE-PROGRAMMED, SO YOU'RE GONNA GET TO SEE IT AS WE GO THROUGH IT.
UM, I THINK WE START WITH KELLY YOUNG AND THEN WE WILL GO TO CHIEF SATTERWHITE AND FINALLY TO AMANDA JONES FROM THE HARRIS CENTER.
KELLY DOES FEEL A LITTLE BIT LIKE A KINDERGARTEN CHAIR, JUST
IT, IT JUST SLIDES BACK DOWN, SO.
EVENTUALLY I'LL JUST BE LIKE UNDER THE DESK.
I DON'T THINK THEY DO THAT ON PURPOSE.
[01:00:01]
NEEDS A LITTLE MONEY FOR YEARS.I WISH THINGS COULD MOVE FASTER.
I WILL QUOTE, UH, OUR DEAR CHRIS NEWPORT WHO SAID, WE CAN ONLY MOVE AT THE SPEED OF MONEY.
UM, IT IS FRUSTRATING OFTEN TO HAVE TO USE THIS HUGE VARIETY OF MONEY, UM, THAT HAS LOTS OF RULES AND RESTRICTIONS.
UM, IT TAKES A GENIUS TO BRAID THOSE TOGETHER AND TAKES TREMENDOUS, TREMENDOUS COLLABORATION.
SO IS IT AS FAST AS WE WANT? NO.
CRITICIZE THAT, BUT THAT WE'RE MOVING AT THE SPEED OF MONEY.
UM, I'LL JUST START OFF TO TALK ABOUT HOUSTON HARRIS COUNTY'S HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM IS A NATIONAL MODEL, BUT THERE'S LOTS OF WORK YET TO BE DONE.
I'M ON SLIDE AND THE NEXT SLIDE.
AND WHAT WE'VE SEEN AND WHAT YOU'VE SEEN, NOT JUST US AND NOT JUST THE MAYOR, IS THREE MAJOR CHALLENGES.
WE DO NOT HAVE ADEQUATE RESOURCES FOR UNSHELTERED PEOPLE WHILE THEY WAIT FOR HOUSING PLACEMENT.
SO THEY OFTEN REMAIN ON THE STREET AND THAT'S THERE AND WE SEE IT AND IT HURTS US.
CHALLENGE TWO, THERE'S NOT SUFFICIENT LOCAL SUSTAINABLE FLEXIBLE FUNDING.
AND WE'VE HAD TO RELY PRIMARILY ON FEDERAL GRANTS WITH PREDETERMINED USES, SOME OF THEM TEMPORARY TO FUND THE WORK.
AND THIRD, WE DIDN'T HAVE AN ADEQUATE SOLUTION FOR THOSE SUFFERING FROM SEVERE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AS WELL AS SUBSTANCE ISSUES.
UM, AS YOU KNOW ON THE NEXT SLIDE, FEDERAL FUNDING IS NOT ALONE, IS NOT ENOUGH TO SOLVE HOMELESSNESS IN HOUSTON.
AND NOW IS THE TIME WE'RE NOW ASKING WHAT DO IT TAKE TO BUILD OUT THAT COMPREHENSIVE HOMELESS RESPONSE AND PREVENTION SYSTEM AND HOW WOULD WE PAY FOR IT IN A SUSTAINABLE WAY? UH, NOW AT THE DIRECTION OF MAYOR WHITMEYER, BUT ALSO NEXT SLIDE, BUT ALSO YOU AT COUNCIL, THE RIGHT STAKEHOLDERS ARE COMING TOGETHER IN UNPRECEDENTED COLLABORATION TO REACH EQUI EQUILIBRIUM AND IN STREET HOMELESSNESS.
TOGETHER WE WILL SECURE THE SUSTAINABLE FUNDINGS AND WRITE THE NEXT CHAPTER OF HOMELESSNESS RESPONSE IN HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY.
AND I'LL TURN THIS OVER TO KELLY, WHO IS THE CEO AT THE COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS.
THEY'RE THE LEAD AGENCY FOR THE CONTINUUM OF CARE, WHICH IS OVER THREE COUNTIES.
UM, AND, AND VERY IMPORTANTLY, UM, KELLY HAS GREAT EXPERIENCE IN HELPING HOMELESS PEOPLE MOVE PEOPLE, EXPERIENCE HOMELESSNESS, MOVE FROM IN-HOUSING TO FULLY DEVELOPED LIVES WITH EMPLOYMENT.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR INVITING ME TO PRESENT TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE COMMITTEE.
UM, I'M GONNA FOCUS ON FOUR AREAS OF INTEREST.
I WANNA GO BACK THOUGH, I'M KIND OF REMINDED WHEN I WAS PUTTING TOGETHER MY NOTES FOR THIS OF THE ORIGINAL GOAL IN 2024.
AND THAT WAS TO HAVE A PLAN TO ADDRESS INDIVIDUALS CURRENTLY STILL ON THE STREET AND FIND SUSTAINABLE FUNDING.
AS THE COVID DOLLARS ARE WINDING DOWN, THE GOALS ALIGN TO CREATE EQUILIBRIUM, WHICH CANNOT BE CREATED WITH ONLY FEDERAL FUNDS.
SEE, EQUILIBRIUM TO CFTH IS TO ENSURE THAT EVERYONE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IS REHOUSED THROUGH RAPID RESOLUTION OR ENTERING AN APPROPRIATE, APPROPRIATE INTERVENTION WITH 90, WITHIN 90 DAYS.
WE ORIGINALLY VERY ENTHUSIASTICALLY SAID 30.
WE WERE PROBABLY A LITTLE TOO ENTHUSIASTIC IN OUR NUMBER.
LOGISTICALLY 90 DAYS IS PROBABLY MORE EFFICIENT, ACHIEVABLE.
WE HAVE A RAMP UP PLAN TO OUTLINE FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED IN FUNDING HOMELESSNESS, THE EFFORTS TO SEE THE PROGRESS.
AND I THINK WE'VE BEEN MAKING ALL THE RIGHT MOVES TO CREATE PROCESS THAT WILL DO JUST THAT.
WHAT WE NEED IS THE SUSTAINABLE FUNDING THAT WILL KEEP US MOVING FORWARD AND MAKE THIS LESS COMPLICATED THAN IT HAS BEEN THE LAST SIX MONTHS.
UM, CFTH CERTAINLY UNDERSTANDS THE CONCERNS FOR OUR LONGSTANDING UNSHELTERED INDIVIDUALS WHO OFTEN DO NOT ACCEPT OUR OFFERINGS FOR HOUSING AND ARE REALLY NOT ABLE TO COMMIT TO MAINTAINING HOUSING DUE TO SEVERE MENTAL HEALTH OR A DUAL DIAGNOSIS THAT NEEDS ADDITIONAL SUPPORT, ARE LIMITED IN SPECIFIC FUNDING.
THE CIVIL CONSTRAINTS AND RESOURCES HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THIS ISSUE.
WE ARE GRATEFUL TO PARTNER WITH.
WE ARE GRATEFUL TO OUR PARTNERS AT HARRIS CENTER AND ALL OF THE SPECIALIZED LAW ENFORCEMENT TEAMS WHO REALLY HELP SERVE THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
AND THAT THIS IS NOT EVERYONE ON THE STREET JUST THE MOST VISIBLE FOR MOST INDIVIDUALS.
WE STILL KNOW THAT STRONG CASE MANAGEMENT, COORDINATED CARE THAT AND HOUSING WILL ALLOW THEM TO MAINTAIN IN LONG-TERM STABILIZATION.
WE ARE ENCOURAGED BY THE VERY SPECIFIC USE OF THE USEFUL CHANGE IN THE LAW TO HELP INDIVIDUALS INTO CARE.
THROUGH LEGISLATION THAT WAS PASSED THIS LAST SESSION, THERE WERE TWO ADDITIONAL BILLS THAT FUNDED, WOULD'VE FURTHERED THIS GOAL, BUT THEY DID NOT
[01:05:01]
MAKE IT THROUGH THIS SESSION.SO I DO WANNA START WITH A FEW, UH, UPDATES ON SOME PROCESS GOALS, AND THEN GET INTO THE BAYOU PLACE TRANQUILITY PART CHART WITH DECOMMISSIONING OUTCOMES AND WHAT WE LEARNED FROM THAT.
UM, AND THEN I WILL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME ISSUES THAT WE KNOW ARE OUTSTANDING THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS AS A COMMUNITY, AND THEN A LITTLE BIT ON FEDERAL LEGISLATION.
SO I'M INTERRUPT YOU IF YOU GO, COME BACK TO ME BECAUSE I, WHEN I SAW EQU EQUILIBRIUM, YOU SWITCHED TO ME.
I SWITCHED TO YOU BECAUSE YOU'RE THE ONE WHO THOUGHT THAT OUT.
OH, WELL, BUT NO, THAT'S OKAY.
LEMME TELL YOU WHAT YOU EQUILIBRIUM SEE.
THIS IS NOT, SEE, WELL NOT REHEARSED
EQUILIBRIUM MEANS TO ME, IF YOU GO BACK TO THAT SLIDE THAT NO ONE HAS TO SLEEP OUTSIDE, THEY WAIT FOR HOUSING.
AS KELLY SAID, WE CAN RESOLVE HOMELESSNESS FOR ANYONE ENTERING HOMELESSNESS WITHIN 90 DAYS.
WE WILL PERMANENTLY SCALE OUR HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM TO RESPOND TO ALL INDIVIDUALS IN NEED EACH YEAR, INCLUDING BY WORKING UPSTREAM TO PREVENT HOMELESSNESS AND CREATING MORE ACCESS POINTS TO THE, TO THE SYSTEM.
NEXT SLIDE IS A SLIDE OF THE VARIETY OF PARTNERS THAT WE'VE BROUGHT SO FAR TO THE, AND THESE ARE THE FUNDING PARTNERS OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HARRIS COUNTY.
UH, LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS A HUGE ROLE AND A HUGE PART OF FUNDING METRO, THE HARRIS CENTER, WHO WILL SPEAK TO THE END.
AND I THINK YOU'LL SEE SOME INTERESTING FACTS THERE.
THE COALITION AND DOWNTOWN HOUSTON, UH, AS DOWNTOWN HOUSTON HAS BEEN OUR, UM, PARTNER AT THIS POINT.
I WANNA MENTION THAT DOWNTOWN IS JUST THE BEGINNING OF THIS PROCESS.
IT'S THE MOST VISIBLE ISSUE IN HOMELESSNESS TODAY, BUT IT IS THE BEGINNING.
AND FOR THIS TO BE SUCCESSFUL, EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD IN HOUSTON AND WITH THE COUNTY'S FUNDING, EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD IN HARRIS COUNTY MUST BE SERVED.
UH, WHAT SETS THIS PLAN APART IS THE IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO SUPPORTED SERVICES IN THE EVENING AND OVERNIGHT SO PEOPLE DON'T HAVE TO WAIT ON THE STREET.
SUSTAINED COLLABORATION WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT T PUBLIC WORKS TO KEEP PUBLIC SPACES MAINTAINED.
THAT WAS A WEAKNESS WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST.
WE WERE ABLE TO HANDLE IT IF IT'S A VERY SPECIFIC DECOMMISSIONING, BUT NOW WE CAN GO TO BROADER AREAS AND YOU'LL HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT CONTINUED STRONG COLLABORATION WITH NONPROFIT SERVICE PROVIDERS AND CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS.
INTENSIFIED PARTNERSHIP WITH MENTAL HEALTH.
AND AGAIN, WE'LL KEEP SAYING IT'S SUSTAINABLE LONG-TERM FUNDING.
THE COST, AND THERE'S BEEN SOME CONFUSION ON THAT, IS $210 MILLION FOR THE FIRST THREE YEARS TO RAMP UP THE NEW PROGRAM.
THAT'S $210 MILLION OR 70 MILLION EACH YEAR IS IN ADDITION TO THE FUNDING THAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW, SUCH AS THE ABOUT $70 MILLION THAT GOES TO THE COALITION THROUGH COC FUNDING THROUGH HUD.
UM, THAT'S FOR BOTH HO HOMELESSNESS AND DISASTER, UH, AND, UM, UH, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
SO JUST REMEMBER THERE ARE ONGOING DOLLARS THAT ARE PART OF THIS PROGRESS SO FAR.
NEXT SLIDE, AND I'M GONNA TURN IT BACK TO YOU.
YOU IS THIS PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP AGAIN, CITY OF HOUSTON, WE HAVE ALLOCATED 23 MILLION METRO 10 MILLION HOUSTON, FIRST 2.6 MILLION HARRIS COUNTY.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY ALLOCATED 8 MILLION TO THEIR PROGRAMS, WHICH WILL BE BRAIDED WITH OURS, BUT IT WILL BE ALLOCATED SEPARATELY.
HOUSTON DOWNTOWN MANAGEMENT DISTRICT 1 MILLION.
AND WE'RE MEETING WITH PHILANTHROPY AND WE'RE VERY HOPEFUL TOWARD A SUBSTANTIAL, THIS IS 60 MILLION SUBSTANTIAL GRANT FROM PHILANTHROPY.
WE'VE HAD THE REI RELEASE AND WE'RE BEGINNING TO ROLL MONEY OUT, AND THAT'S VERY, VERY EXCITING.
AND WE WILL JUST GO TO YOU, BACK TO YOU IF THAT'S OKAY.
DID YOU WANNA HIT THOSE TWO OR YOU GONNA PAUSE? OH, I CAN, I CAN JUST DO THESE REAL QUICK.
SO WITH CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL, 33 MILLION IN FUNDING WILL BE DISTRIBUTED OVER 24 MONTHS IN THE FOLLOWING PRIORITY AREAS, HOUSING, SHELTER, AND BEDS, OUTREACH, DIVERSION, MENTAL HEALTH AND ADMIN.
UH, DR 24, WHICH WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF DISCUSSING, HAS A $41 MILLION REQUEST FOR ALLOCATION TO PUBLIC SERVICES FOR BRIDGE BEDS AND SHELTER OPERATIONS, STREET AND SHELTER OUTREACH, AND VERY IMPORTANTLY, CASE MANAGEMENT AND SOCIAL SERVICES.
SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE PROCESS GOALS WERE ACKNOWLEDGED.
WE'VE SPENT THE LAST SIX MONTHS MAKING SURE THAT ALL THE STEPS THAT NEED TO BE IN PLACE FOR US TO BE ABLE TO ALLOCATE MONEY AND ACTUALLY START SERVICES, UM, WERE IN PLACE AND WERE COMPLETED.
[01:10:01]
KNOW, FROM THE PRESENTATION BY MELODY BAR TODAY, THAT WE'VE ALREADY STARTED WITH THE ALLOCATION OF THE 24 MONTH, UM, SERVICE DOLLARS SO THAT WE CAN BEGIN HOUSING PEOPLE, INCLUDING OUR OUTREACH EFFORTS, STARTING DIVERSION, AND DOING SOME PREVENTION WORK, WHICH WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DO BEFORE.AND AT THIS MOMENT, ONE OF THE THINGS TO REALIZE IS THAT WE KNEW INITIALLY FOR DOWNTOWN AND MIDTOWN, WE WOULD NEED AT LEAST 200 HOUSING, UM, INTERVENTIONS AVAILABLE.
AT THIS POINT, WE HAVE 185 SECURED.
SO THAT ALLOWS FOR US TO BE ABLE TO HOUSE PEOPLE QUICKLY OFF THE STREET.
UP UNTIL THAT MOMENT, YOU ARE JUST GIVING RESOURCES TO PEOPLE.
YOU'RE ACT NOT ACTUALLY ABLE TO MOVE THEM ONTO THE STREET UNLESS THEY ARE ELIGIBLE FOR DIVERSION OR SOME OTHER METHODOLOGY TO GET THEM OFF OF THE STREET.
UM, THE RREI DEMONSTRATES AND EXEMPLIFY.
NEXT ONE DEMONSTRATES OUR PARTNERSHIPS.
UM, OBVIOUSLY COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS.
WE DO THE COORDINATION OF THESE, UH, OUTREACH OF THE OUTREACH AND, UM, SERVICE PROVIDERS WORK, SEARCH, HOUSTON RECOVERY CENTER, THE HARRIS CENTER ENDEAVORS, AND HPD.
UM, THIS IS ANOTHER DEMONSTRATION OF WHAT'S DIFFERENT THAT HAPPENS IN HOUSTON, WHICH IS A CLEAR COLLABORATION OF MANY PEOPLE IN DIFFERENT LANES COMING UP TOGETHER TO CREATE THAT SUPER HIGHWAY TO GET PEOPLE MOVED OFF OF THE STREET.
I'LL START WITH CHARTRES AS A DECOMMISSIONING.
UM, THIS IS A UNIQUE DECOMMISSIONING.
CHARTRES HAS BEEN DECOMMISSIONED BEFORE MULTIPLE TIMES.
AND THE REASON THAT YOU HAVE BACKFLOW COMING BACK IS BECAUSE IT IS NOT A SECURED AREA.
SO PEOPLE CAN COME BACK AND, AND PUT UP THEIR TENTS AND HAVE DIFFERENT THINGS HAPPEN.
SO WE COME BACK THROUGH, WE OFFER HOUSING, WE MOVE THOSE PEOPLE INTO HOUSING, THOSE THAT DID NOT WANNA BE HOUSED, STAY THERE, AND IT JUST KEEPS REFILLING.
AND SO WE WERE TRYING TWO DIFFERENT THINGS WITH CHARTRES THIS TIME.
ONE IS OUR VERY TYPICAL ENGAGEMENT, WHICH IS TO GO AND ASSESS EVERYONE, GATHER THE DATA, AND THEN OFFER HOUSING.
UM, 68 PEOPLE WERE ENGAGED IN THE AREA BETWEEN TEXAS AND REYNOLDS, AND OF THOSE 46 WERE HOUSED, UH, DIRECTLY.
THEY EITHER WENT INTO THEIR, UH, INTO RAPID REHOUSING OR PSH AND MOST OF THEM WENT DIRECTLY INTO HOUSING.
THE ONLY TIMES THEY WENT INTO HRC OR NAVIGATION CENTER IS BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE AN ID.
WE DIDN'T HAVE THEIR BACKGROUND CHECK CLEARED FOR THEIR APARTMENT, OR THEIR APARTMENT WASN'T READY.
UM, SO THAT'S THE ONLY REASON WE USE THOSE HOLDING BEDS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE PEOPLE THROUGH QUICKLY.
WE DON'T WANT THEM STAYING IN THOSE BEDS FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME BECAUSE WE ALWAYS WANT THOSE TO BE AVAILABLE TO HPD OR OUTREACH WORKERS TO BE ABLE TO OFFER THOSE PLACES FOR PEOPLE TO GO OVERNIGHT.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS TO NOTE WITH CHARTRES IS THAT IT WAS A HYBRID BETWEEN AN AREA THAT IS CLOSED AND AN OPEN STREETS.
AND THAT, UM, CLEARLY DEMONSTRATES SOME OF THE COMPLICATIONS WE HAVE IN KEEPING AND MAINTAINING AREAS CLEAR OF INDIVIDUALS.
AND IT WAS A HYBRID OF WHAT YOU SAW HAPPEN WITH ALAN'S LANDING AND THEN WHAT WE DID WITH TRANQUILITY PARK.
SO BAYOU PLACE INITIATIVE IS WAS THE FIRST ATTEMPT TO TAKE WHAT IS INDIVIDUALS STAYING ON THE STREETS, WHICH THEY'RE ALLOWED TO DO OVERNIGHT AT THIS TIME, AS WELL AS PARKS BECAUSE YOU HAVE TRANQUILITY PARK AND LBJ AND FIGURING OUT HOW DO YOU ENGAGE IN A CULTURAL SHIFT AND CHANGE FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE, ARE LIVING DOWN THERE OR STAYING DOWN THERE.
AND THE FIRST THING WE HAD TO DO IS ACTUALLY FIGURE OUT WHO WAS DOWN THERE.
SO WE HAD 158 ENGAGEMENTS, WHICH MEANS ONE TOUCH POINT WITH AN OUTREACH WORKER.
UM, AND OUT OF THAT, WE ONLY HAD, WELL, WE HAD PLENTY, BUT IT DIDN'T SEEM LIKE PLENTY, UM, 74 PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY ENGAGED.
SO THAT TELLS YOU THAT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE YOU MIGHT SEE MAY BE OFFERED OPPORTUNITIES BUT ARE NOT, UM, INTERESTED OR TAKING THOSE AT THE TIME.
AND SO THAT'S WHY YOU STILL SEE PEOPLE ON THE STREET AFTER WE'VE DONE AN ENGAGEMENT.
THE SECOND THING IS THAT DOWNTOWN IS A VERY TRANSIENT POPULATION.
UM, SOME OF THE INDIVIDUAL INDIVIDUALS THAT WE ENCOUNTERED IN THOSE AREAS ACTUALLY HAVE INCOME.
SOME OF THEM ARE STAYING SOME PLACES FOR THREE OR FOUR WEEKS, AND THEN THEY LOSE HOUSING FOR A COUPLE WEEKS.
THEY GO DOWN, THEY KNOW HOW TO WORK THAT SYSTEM.
ONCE THEY GET MONEY BACK IN THEIR POCKET, THEY GO BACK TO WHEREVER THEY WERE BEFORE.
AND SO IT'S ALSO DIFFICULT TO ENGAGE BECAUSE THE TYPE OF HOUSING WE HAVE AVAILABLE IS VERY SPECIFIC.
WHEN WE HAVE MORE SUSTAINABLE AND FLEXIBLE DOLLARS, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO OFFER THOSE INDIVIDUALS DIFFERENT OPTIONS THAT MIGHT KEEP THEM OFF OF THE STREET LONGER OR NOT RETURN TO THE STREET.
UM, WE HAD AN INTERESTING OUTCOME OF 60% OF THE PEOPLE WE ENGAGED DOWNTOWN ACTUALLY WANTED A PLACE TO STAY OVERNIGHT.
AND WE DID NOT KNOW WHETHER THAT WOULD HAPPEN OR NOT.
WHAT WE FOUND THOUGH, IS THOSE WERE TYPICALLY PEOPLE WHO JUST CAME INTO HOMELESSNESS AND HAD JUST COME DOWN TO THE STREET.
THE ONES THAT DENIED, UH, OUR SERVICES TYPICALLY WERE OUR LONGSTANDING, UM, INDIVIDUALS WE'VE KNOWN FOR A LONG TIME WHO HAVE SEVERE MENTAL HEALTH OR, UH, DUAL DIAGNOSIS, UM, THAT ARE JUST HARDER TO ENGAGE.
UM, THIS WAS REALLY A GOOD PILOT PROJECT AS WELL TO ENGAGE ALL OF THE DIFFERENT PARTNERS.
SO BESIDES THE SOCIAL SERVICE PARTNERS, WHICH I'M LUCKY TO BE A PART OF THAT COHORT, IT WAS
[01:15:01]
STRONGER ENGAGEMENT WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT.I'M VERY LUCKY TO HAVE DIRECTORS SATTERWHITE.
UM, I FIND HIM TO BE, UM, LOGISTICALLY AMAZING, BUT BEYOND THAT, INCREDIBLY COMPASSIONATE AND EMPATHETIC TO THE, TO THE WORK, BUT MAINLY BECAUSE HE DOESN'T WANNA SEE PEOPLE, UM, BEING HURT AND HE'D LIKE TO SEE THEM GET ON THE OFF OF THE STREET.
SO SOME OF HIS TEXTS TO ME ARE VERY CONFUSING
UM, BUT I KNOW WHERE HIS HEART SITS AND THAT MAKES IT VERY EASY TO WORK WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT.
UM, IN THIS, WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO DO WAS TEST THE IDEA THAT IF WE CAME AND TOLD PEOPLE, YOU REALLY DON'T WANNA BE ON THE SLEEP STREET OVERNIGHT, YOU MAY NOT WANNA ENGAGE WITH OUR OUTREACH WORKERS, YOU MAY NOT WANNA GET INTO SHELTER, BUT YOU REALLY DON'T WANNA BE ON THE STREET OVERNIGHT.
AND SO HAVING THE HRC BED AVAILABLE, WHICH MEANT THERE'S NO LONG-TERM COMMITMENT TO THAT PERSON, THERE'S NO AGREEMENT, THEY DON'T HAVE TO SIGN ANYTHING, THEY CAN JUST GO SLEEP SOMEWHERE FOR THE NIGHT.
UM, WAS KEY TO TESTING SOME OF THESE, UM, CHANGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PEOPLE WE WERE SERVING.
UM, SINCE THAT TIME, WHAT LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS DONE THEN IS MAINTAINED, UM, A PRESENCE AND THEN WORKS WITH THE HRC OVERNIGHT OUTREACH TEAM.
SO IF SOMEBODY'S INTERESTED IN GOING AND SLEEPING SOMEWHERE, THEY AUTOMATICALLY GO OVER TO HRC.
IT'S UNIQUE TO ALMOST ANY OTHER CITY.
AND THAT ESTABLISHMENT OF THAT DOWNTOWN HUB, WHICH WE DID WITHOUT ANY MONEY TO BEGIN WITH, AND HAVE SORT OF PIECEMEALED IT ALL TOGETHER, UM, HAS REALLY CHANGED SOME OF THAT, THAT DYNAMIC WE SAW THAT THEN TRANSFER OVER TO CHARTRES.
SO AT THIS TIME WE HAVE CLEARED ALAN'S LANDING, WHICH IF ANYBODY HAS TAKEN THEIR BIKE DOWN THERE, IT HAS STAYED CLEARED SINCE THAT HAS THAT ENCAMPMENT.
A TYPICAL ENCAMPMENT, UM, DECOMMISSIONING HAPPENED, UM, THAT HAS STAYED CLEARED.
BAYOU UH, TRANQUILITY PARK AND LBJ CONTINUES TO BE A MOVEMENT OF PEOPLE.
THEY KIND OF GO AROUND AND AROUND.
THEY MOVE TO THIS STREET, THEY MOVE OVER TO THIS STREET, BUT SLOWLY INDIVIDUALS ARE AT LEAST ACCEPTING A BED OVERNIGHT.
AND EVERY TIME YOU GET SOMEBODY THROUGH THAT DOOR FOR THAT BED OVERNIGHT, YOU GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO CHANCE TO MAYBE GET THEM CONNECTED SOMEWHERE ELSE.
AND SO WE SAW A HIGHER RATE OF INDIVIDUALS WHO, ONCE THEY HAD THE NIGHT, THE BED OVERNIGHT, 83% OF THOSE WERE WILLING TO AT LEAST MEET WITH A CASE MANAGER.
WE ALSO WERE ABLE TO RESOLVE FOR 15 OF THEM A PLAN TO MOVE OFF OF THE STREET BECAUSE THEY WOULD NOT HAVE QUALIFIED FOR HOUSING.
THEY HAD OTHER ISSUES OR INCOME OR DIFFERENT THINGS THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO DO.
BUT BECAUSE OF THAT UNIQUE, UM, CONNECTION, THEY WERE ABLE TO COME TO A DIFFERENT CONCLUSION BESIDES JUST BEING ON THE STREET.
UM, I WANNA MENTION A COUPLE THINGS THEN TOO, THAT YOU'RE SEEING AND, AND I JUST HAVE TO ADDRESS BECAUSE THEY COME UP.
WE COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND IF WE DO NOT HAVE, HAVE HOUSING INTERVENTION AVAILABLE FOR EVERYONE, AND NOT EVERYONE WILL ACCEPT IT.
YOU'RE GONNA SEE PEOPLE MOVE UP AND DOWN THE METRO LINE.
YOU'RE GONNA SEE PEOPLE MOVE OUT INTO DIFFERENT AREAS.
AND WE FULLY ACCEPT THAT AS A REALITY OF WHAT THIS EXPERIENCE IS LIKE.
WE ALSO KNOW THAT WE WILL ALWAYS HAVE ANOTHER CHANCE TO ENGAGE THAT PERSON AT A LATER TIME.
AND THAT'S WHY WE NEED THE SUSTAINABLE LONG-TERM FLEXIBLE DOLLARS.
SO THAT INSTEAD OF WAITING TILL THAT PERSON'S BEEN ON THE STREET FOR A REALLY LONG TIME AND NOW IS, UM, HAVING A DOCUMENTED DISABILITY.
AND THAT'S REALLY THE ONLY WAY THEY'RE GETTING INTO HOUSING, WE ACTUALLY MIGHT BE ABLE TO CLEAR PEOPLE MORE QUICKLY.
UM, AS A RESULT OF THAT, THERE ARE OTHER, THE OTHER CONCERN THAT TYPICALLY HAPPENS, I LIVE IN MIDTOWN, SO I KNOW WHAT THIS EXPERIENCE IS LIKE.
I SIT ON THE MIDTOWN MANAGEMENT DISTRICT BOARD.
I KNOW WHAT THE, I'M THE FINANCE CHAIR, SO I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT GETS, UH, SET ASIDE FOR, UM, MAINTENANCE AND CLEANUP.
AND EVERY MORNING I DRIVE THROUGH MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND IT'S ALL NICE AND CLEAN AND IT'S BEAUTIFUL AND WE'VE SPENT THE MONEY THE WAY WE'RE SUPPOSED TO.
AND THEN AFTER SOME RANDOM TIME OF 10 TO TWO, DEPENDING ON WHO HAS COME TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD TO PROVIDE REALLY NECESSARY AND IMPORTANT HUMANITARIAN NEEDS, IT IS ALL TRASHED AGAIN.
AND HERE'S MY CONCERN ABOUT THAT.
MY CONCERN IS NOT ABOUT THE HUMANITARIAN AND THE NEED TO FEED PEOPLE EVER.
I THINK WE AS HUMAN BEINGS KNOW THAT THAT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO CARE FOR THOSE WHO HAVE LESS.
MY CONCERN IS THAT THE TRASH GETS LEFT AND THEN EVERYBODY BLAMES THE INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS THE LEAST AMOUNT TO DO WITH IT, WHICH IS THE PERSON WHO ACCEPTED THE FOOD.
THE REST OF US HAVE MUCH LARGER RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACCOUNTABILITY AND ABILITY TO RESOLVE SOME OF THOSE TRASH ISSUES.
AND SO AS A RESULT OF CHARTRES, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS WE NOTICED RIGHT AWAY WAS GREAT, WONDERFUL HUMANITARIAN EFFORT AND THEN ALMOST TRASHED 24 12 HOURS AFTER 24 HOURS.
SO THE COALITION LAW ENFORCEMENT IN DOWNTOWN HOUSTON, UM, HELD A CONVENING MEETING JUST TO TALK ABOUT FEEDING PLANNING.
SO HOW DO WE PLAN AND COORDINATE AND THEN ENSURE THAT THOSE AREAS AND AROUND THOSE AREAS ARE CLEANED UP, UM, IN A CONCERTED EFFORT TO MAKE SURE WE MANAGE THE HUMANITARIAN NEED, BUT WE ALSO RESPECT, UH, THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, SO I'LL STOP THERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS.
THANK YOU, CHAIR KELLY, ON YOUR EQUILIBRIUM SLIDE, THE WORKING UPSTREAM TO PREVENT HOMELESSNESS.
YES, I KNOW THAT WE'RE, THIS, THIS INITIATIVES IS REALLY TO TO END STREET HOMELESSNESS.
BUT WITH ALL THE EVICTIONS WE HAVE WITH, UH, WHAT, WHAT DO WE DO? DO WE DO SOME TENANT BASED RENTAL
[01:20:01]
ASSISTANCE? DO WE, DO WE GET TO PEOPLE BEFORE THEY'RE ACTUALLY OUT? YES.SO WHAT, WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT THE CONTINUUM OF CARE DOLLARS, FEDERAL DOLLARS REALLY ONLY HIT ONE POCKET OF THE ENTIRE STREAM OF PEOPLE HITTING THE STREET.
AND THAT'S GREAT, AND WE'VE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL WITH IT.
BUT EXACTLY AS YOU'RE SAYING, THESE DOLLARS, THE 70 MILLION THAT WE TALK ABOUT, SIT ON TOP OF THAT SO THAT WE ACTUALLY OPEN UP MORE OPPORTUNITIES UPSTREAM TO INDIVIDUALS.
SO SOMEBODY WHO COMES IN WHO'S BEEN ON THE STREET FOR SIX MONTHS AND DOESN'T HAVE A DOCU DOCUMENTED DISABILITY UNDER THE FEDERAL DOLLARS, THEY WOULD NOT RECEIVE HOUSING UNDER THIS PLAN AND UNDER THIS FUNDING, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO SAY, OKAY, SO WHAT IS IT THAT YOU'RE NEEDING? WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN FOR YOU TO BE ABLE TO GET OFF THE STREET? WELL, I CAN GO STAY WITH MY SISTER, BUT I NEED THREE MONTHS OF RENT AND SOMETHING TO OFFER, AND I NEED CONNECTION TO A JOB TRAINING PROGRAM.
AND THAT'S WHAT A HUB, UH, WOULD BE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD LIKE YOU WOULD KNOW TO SEND THEM THERE.
BECAUSE ANYBODY WHO MIGHT NEED DIVERSION OR PREVENTION OR HAS BEEN ON THE STREET FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME WOULD GO THERE AND GET SOURCED BY WHAT I CALL THE INFORMATION REFERRAL LIBRARIAN
SO THIS FUNDING WILL ALLOW SOMEBODY BEFORE THEY HAVE, BEFORE THEY HIT THE STREETS, THEY CAN GET THAT ONE OR TWO OR THREE MONTHS RENT.
RIGHT? SO WHAT WE WOULD HOPE IS THAT THROUGH THE HUBS IN THE DIFFERENT LOCATIONS, OUR OTHER PARTNERS UNITED WAY, OTHER PEOPLE WHO ARE ALREADY DOING THIS WORK, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO HELP FUND OR BRAID SOME OF THEIR FUNDING THAT THEY RECEIVE TO BE ABLE TO HELP MORE PEOPLE.
SO RIGHT NOW YOU HAVE ASSISTANCE MINISTRIES IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS, BUT THEY TYPICALLY RUN OUT OF MONEY BY THE 10TH OR THE 15TH.
SO IF YOU SHOW UP ON THE 16TH, YOU DON'T GET ANY RENTAL ASSISTANCE.
SO PART OF WHAT THIS PLAN LOOKS AT IS THAT OVERALL MORE, UM, COMPLEX THINKING ABOUT A CONTINUUM OF CARE BEYOND JUST WHAT THE FEDERAL DOLLARS DO AND THE COC DOES ALL THE WAY UP THE STREAM.
UH, CAN YOU GO OVER, MAYBE THIS IS A CHIEF SATTERWHITE, UH, QUESTION, UM, ABOUT THE LEGISLATIVE CHANGES THAT WERE MADE.
'CAUSE I THINK YOU SAID THERE WERE, WHEN ONE WAS PASSED, TWO THREE TOTAL WERE IN THE PIPELINE, TWO FAILED.
AND CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT THAT MEANS? SO I THINK YOU'RE REFERRING TO SENATE BILL 1164.
IT WAS SPONSORED BY I, SENATOR ZINI.
UH, IT WAS ACTUALLY BIPARTISAN SENATOR JOAN HUFFMAN ALSO, UH, CARRIED IT WITH HER.
AND BASICALLY THIS IS, UH, AN EXPANSION OF THE HEALTH CODE 5 73.
SPECIFICALLY RIGHT NOW, WHEN WE HAVE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS, THEY MIGHT HAVE, THEY USUALLY ARE IN CRISIS, UM, BEFORE LAW ENFORCEMENT OR, YOU KNOW, MEDICAL SERVICES CAN ACTUALLY DO MORE FOR THEM.
UM, MEANING THAT THEY'RE AN IMMEDIATE RISK TO THEMSELVES OR TO OTHERS.
UH, BEFORE WE CAN KIND OF ENGAGE, ENCOUNTER AND INTERVENE AND POSSIBLY TAKE THEM ON WHAT WE CALL EMERGENCY DETENTION ORDER, UH, TO A HOSPITAL OR TO NPC WHERE THEY CAN RECEIVE TREATMENT.
USUALLY WHEN THEY DO DO THAT, THAT'S ONLY GOING TO BE FOR, UH, A FEW HOURS TO A FEW DAYS.
AND THEN ONCE THE, UH, THE STAFF AT THE FACILITY THAT THEY'RE TAKEN TO ARE ABLE TO STABILIZE THEM, UH, THEN THEY'RE USUALLY RELEASED.
SO YOU CAN UNDERSTAND THE, THE CYCLE OR THE CHURN THAT HAPPENS TO A LOT OF OUR SERIOUSLY MENTALLY ILL THAT ARE ON OUR STREETS RIGHT NOW.
THEY DO NOT EVEN UNDERSTAND THEIR OWN SITUATION.
THERE'S A MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS FOR THAT.
IT'S A LONG NAME, UH, BUT, UH, BOTTOM LINE IS THEY DON'T EVEN UNDERSTAND THEIR OWN PERILOUS SITUATION.
AND SO THEY ARE BASICALLY WASTING AWAY.
AND THEN IN THE PROCESS, THEY GO INTO CRISIS FROM TIME TO TIME, AND IT BECOMES A RISK TO THEMSELVES.
IT BECOMES A RISK TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT'S AROUND THEM.
IT BECOMES A RISK TO LAW ENFORCEMENT.
AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES HAVE TO RESPOND AT THAT TIME WHEN THEY'RE ALREADY IN CRISIS.
SO YOU CAN IMAGINE THE RISK GOES UP FOR EVERYBODY INVOLVED.
SO WE WENT TO THE LEGISLATURE AND TO OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS AND ASKED FOR THIS, THIS HELP.
AND SO THAT WAS HENCE 1164 OF THE, THE, UH, THE BILL THAT HAS NOW PASSED BOTH, UH, THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE OVERWHELMINGLY, AND TO GO INTO THE GOVERNOR'S DESK AND BASICALLY WHAT THAT WILL ALLOW US TO DO, WHAT THAT DOES, IT ALSO RECOGNIZES A PERSON WHO IS MENTALLY ILL DOESN'T RECOGNIZE THEIR SITUATION.
OR MAYBE THEY DO, BUT THEY, THEY CHOOSE TO DENY IT.
UH, THEY ARE UNABLE TO CARE FOR THEMSELVES.
THEY'RE TOTALLY ON THE STREETS OR, AND IN A SITUATION WHERE THEY ARE PROGRESSIVELY, UM, UH, BASICALLY ON A PATH TO AN ULTIMATE TRAGEDY.
AND ALONG THE WAYS THERE'S A LOT OF TRAGEDY ALONG WITH THAT.
IT ALLOWS NOW FOR US TO IDENTIFY THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
AND THIS IS A SITUATION WHERE EVERYBODY THAT, THAT WORKS WITH THIS COMMUNITY EVERY DAY KNOWS THESE INDIVIDUALS.
THIS IS NOT A ONE OFF A PERSON THAT WE FIND OUT ON THE STREETS THAT WE'VE NEVER MET BEFORE, THAT NOW WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS FAR, BUT WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT WE KNOW AND IT'S IN THE HUNDREDS.
UH, YOU KNOW, KELLY YOUNG KNOWS THEM.
LAW ENFORCEMENT, HOT TEAMS, YOU KNOW, THE HARRISONS, ALL THE PEOPLE THAT WORK IN THIS SPACE KNOW THESE INDIVIDUALS.
THIS IS GONNA ALLOW US TO NOW START
[01:25:01]
LOOKING AT THEM, UH, INDIVIDUALLY AND THEN TAKING THEM THEIR CASE BEFORE A MAGISTRATE JUDGE AND, AND GET THEM, UH, SOME REAL HELP, UH, WHERE YOU'LL HAVE MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL.THIS, THIS PERSON NEEDS TO BE IN A MEDICAL FACILITY FOR A, A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME, 30 16 90 DAYS WHERE THEY CAN GET REAL HELP, WHERE WE CAN ACTUALLY BREAK THE CYCLE WHERE WE CANNOT LET THEM FALL INTO CRISIS AND PUT THEMSELVES AND EVERYBODY ELSE IN DANGER, UH, JUST HAPHAZARDLY, WHICH IS WHAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW.
SO THAT, IT WAS A HUGE CHANGE BECAUSE WE'VE, WE'VE, WE'VE SEEK, WE'VE SOUGHT IT OUT BEFORE AND, AND THERE HAS NOT BEEN A, A MO A MOTIVATION TO GET THAT DONE.
UM, NOW THERE IS, WE SEE A CHANGE ACROSS NOT JUST TEXAS, BUT ACROSS THE NATION.
IT'S HAPPENING, UH, FROM COAST TO COAST.
EVERYBODY'S RECOGNIZING NOW THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE, IF WE DON'T STEP IN AND GET THEM REAL HELP SOMETIMES WHEN THEY WILL TELL YOU THEY DON'T WANT IT, BUT WE NEED TO STEP IN AND SAY, NO, YOU NEED THIS.
AND, AND WE ALSO COULD LOSE OTHER PEOPLE ALONG THE WAY.
AND SO WE'RE VERY, UH, WE'RE VERY THANKFUL TO, UH, SENATOR Z, SENATOR HUFFMAN.
WE'RE VERY THANKFUL TO EVERYBODY THAT SAW THIS AND HAS NOW, UH, PASSED THIS LAW.
AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE GOOD THINGS THAT WE CAN DO ON THE STREET AND GET PEOPLE OUT OF THESE DIRE SITUATIONS ONCE AND FOR ALL.
I, MR. CHAIRMAN, I WANT, CAN I RECLAIM THE REST OF MY TIME? I JUST, JOSH SANDERS WALKED, JUST WALKED IN, SO YOU MIGHT NEED SOME BACKUP.
I SAID, JOSH, COME UP IN HERE AND
I'M, I'M GONNA THROW SOME RICE AT BOTH OF Y'ALL.
MY, MY CLARIFYING QUESTION ON THAT.
SO WHO GETS TO DEFINE WHO IS US? IS THIS EXCLUSIVELY ALLOWABLE FOR THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT YOU JUST MENTIONED? OR IS THIS A, WHO GETS TO DEFINE IF, SO LET'S SAY IF I AM A ROOKIE COP AND I'M NOW ASSIGNED TO PATROL AND HPD IS SHORT MM-HMM
AND SO WE HAVE AN ENCAMPMENT GOING ON OR WHATEVER, HE DON'T KNOW NOTHING ABOUT, OR SHE DON'T KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THIS.
ON WHAT DEFINITION OF AUTHORITY? BECAUSE FOR ME, MY CONCERN WITH THIS IS THAT THIS IS JUST A, A BLANKET CHECK TO JUST SNATCH PEOPLE UP OFF THE STREET IF THEY'RE NOT COMFORTABLE WITH WHERE THEY'RE AT OR IF THEY REFUSE.
LIKE WHAT'S THE, THE GUARDRAIL IN PLACE FOR THIS TO TRIGGER THIS DEFINITION FOR THESE EXTREME CASES? MM-HMM
THAT, THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION BECAUSE WE KNEW THAT THAT WOULD BE MM-HMM
THE CONCERN OF, OF A LOT OF FOLKS OUT THERE, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT.
AGAIN, I WILL SAY THAT THESE ARE INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE BEEN IN AND OUT OF OUR SYSTEM OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
THEY'VE BEEN INSIDE AND OUT OF HOSPITALS, EMERGENCY ROOMS, MPC, BEN TOP, YOU NAME IT, THEY'VE BEEN IN BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SYSTEMS. THEY'RE, THEY GO INTO CRISIS.
THEIR SITUATIONS HAVE BECOME DIRE.
THEY GO IN AND FOR, AND THEY ARE STABILIZED, AND THEN THEY ARE TURNED RIGHT BACK OUT BECAUSE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE IDEA THAT, WELL, ONCE THEY'RE LEVEL SET, UH, YOU KNOW, WE NO LONGER CAN KEEP THEM.
WE NEED, BUT WE'RE NOT BREAKING ANY CYCLE.
WE'RE NOT ACTUALLY SAVING THEM.
WE ARE JUST SUSTAINING THAT, THAT, THAT LIFE THAT WILL END IN TRAGEDY.
SO THESE ARE NOT JUST ONE-OFFS, LIKE I SAID, WHERE YOU JUST SHOW UP AND YOU SEE SOMEBODY AND THEY LOOK LIKE THEY ARE MENTALLY ILL AT THAT TIME, OR GOING INTO CRISIS.
OFFICERS WILL, AS A MATTER OF, OF EVERYDAY TRAINING AND HOW THEY RESPOND, TRY TO GET THE SITUATION UNDER CONTROL, TRY TO TAKE CARE OF THAT PERSON.
THAT PERSON MAY BE IN CRISIS AND THEY MAY END UP HAVING TO DO AN EMERGENCY DETENTION ORDER ON THAT PERSON.
WHEREAS THEN THEY WOULD GO TO ONE OF OUR LOCAL, ONE OF OUR HOSPITALS IN THE SYSTEM.
IT'S THE PHYSICIAN THAT WILL THEN MAKE THE DETERMINATION ON WHAT GOES ON WITH THAT INDIVIDUAL BEYOND THAT.
UM, BUT FOR THOSE, EVEN IN THE MEDICAL FIELD, THAT AGAIN, WE KNOW THERE ARE CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS THAT THIS, WE NEED THIS, THIS IS NOT WORKING.
AND WE KNOW WHAT THE END IS BECAUSE I'VE SEEN IT MANY TIMES IN MY CAREER.
UH, THIS IS THE, UH, THIS IS THE TIME WHEN WE SAY, OKAY, YOU JOHN SMITH, WHO'S BEEN, WE, WE JUST HAD ONE, UH, INDIVIDUAL THAT WE HAVE WORKED SO LONG FOR, FOR YEARS WORKING WITH THIS INDIVIDUAL, TRYING OUR VERY BEST.
AND WE NOW FINALLY HAVE GOTTEN THIS PERSON INTO REAL CARE FOR A LONGER SUSTAINED PERIOD OF TIME, BECAUSE IT WAS JUST THAT WAY.
WE'RE TALKING 400 ENCOUNTERS BY LAW ENFORCEMENT AND MEDICAL.
WE'RE TALKING, YOU KNOW, IN AND OUT OF MEDICAL, UM, EMERGENCY ROOMS AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
AND THEY NEED TO NOT BE JUST TURNED RIGHT BACK OUT ON THE STREET ONCE THEY'RE STABLE AND THEN AND LEFT TO, TO LIVE IN EXISTENT AS ENVIRONMENT ANYMORE.
I CAN ASSURE YOU THIS IS NOT ONE OF SITUATIONS WHERE, UH, BECAUSE THERE MIGHT BE OTHERS THAT, THAT ARE JUST HAVING A BAD DAY AND THAT'S JUST A BAD DAY.
THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE WE KNOW.
[01:30:01]
SO WHO IS LOUIS? THIS IS EXCLUSIVE FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT, OR IS THIS, IF SOMEONE IS, UM, ON THE, A LAY PERSON WORKING IN A NONPROFIT AND THEN THEY HAVE TO ALERT, SO LET'S SAY IF SOME RIGHT.AND THEN THEY ALERT AND THEN THERE'S A PROCESS IN ORDER FOR THIS TO HAPPEN.
AWARENESS AND NOTIFICATION MIGHT HAPPEN FROM DIFFERENT WAYS.
IT MIGHT HAPPEN FROM ONE OF THE COALITION MEMBERS WORKING ON THE STREETS SAYING, HEY, WE REALLY NEED TO GET HER SO AND SO HELP.
UM, OR THEY MIGHT ALREADY BE IN CRISIS AND THE LAW ENFORCEMENT COMES SAY, HEY, THIS, THIS IS ONE WHERE, YEAH, THEY'RE PROBABLY GONNA GO TO NPC, BUT LET'S GET WITH THE, UH, WITH THE SKILL WITH THE MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS, LET'S TAKE IT BEFORE A JUDGE AND SEE IF WE CAN GET THEM REAL HELP.
UH, THE IDENTIFYING MIGHT HAPPEN IN DIFFERENT WAYS, BUT THIS IS NOT A SWEEP, THIS IS NOT ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
UH, THIS IS NOT A GO GRAB PEOPLE OFF THE STREET, BUT THIS IS A WAY TO FINALLY GET SOME REAL HELP TO THOSE THAT SWEEP FLIES.
YOU'VE SEEN, WE'VE ALL SEEN OUT THERE, UH, MANY, MANY TIMES ON OUR STREETS, YOU KNOW, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET WITH A, WITH A LARGE STICK ATTACKING CARS OR, OR JUST IN CRISIS.
SO THIS IS, I MEAN, I, I, I UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERN.
EVERY ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE WORK WITH, I FULLY EXPECT TO BE THERE TO BE HEAVY REVIEW AND HEAVY OVERSIGHT.
UM, AND WE ALL WORKING IN THIS FIELD WOULD, WILL ALL PROBABLY NEED TO AGREE ON ALMOST EVERY ONE OF 'EM, OR AT LEAST A GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT WE TRUST TO MAKE THOSE AGREEMENTS ON.
THIS IS AN INDIVIDUAL THAT IS A CANDIDATE FOR THIS.
AND MR. CHAIR, I SEE JOSH SANDERS HAS SET AT, AT A MIC.
MAY HE, UH, UM, SINCE I, I DID, UH, BECK IN HIS NAME, MR. SANDERS.
YEAH, I WAS JUST GONNA ADD, CHIEF SATTERWHITE DID A GREAT JOB OF EXPLAINING THE SITUATION THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT, UH, AGENCIES AND PEOPLE OUT IN THE FIELD DEALING WITH THESE INDIVIDUALS HAVE TO GO THROUGH.
AND SO ACTUALLY, SPECIFICALLY IN THE BILL, THERE'S A FORM THAT HAS TO BE FILLED OUT BY A PEACE OFFICER, A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER.
THEN THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO TAKE THEM TO A MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL, HEALTH PROFESSIONAL TO GET A DIAGNOSIS.
THEN IT HAS TO GO IN FRONT OF A MAGISTRATE.
AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF CHECKS AND BALANCES IN THIS.
IT'S JUST THE SITUATION, LIKE HE DESCRIBED.
NOW WE'RE IN THIS CONSTANT LOOP OF YOU CAN GET SOMEBODY INTO TREATMENT, YOU CAN BRING THEM TO A FACILITY TO GET THEM THE HELP THAT THEY NEED, BUT THERE'S NO WAY TO COMPEL THEM TO STAY THERE.
AND SO, YEAH, THAT WAS A HUGE TOPIC OF CONVERSATION DURING THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION, WAS ENSURING THAT WE DIDN'T INFRINGE UPON ANYBODY'S RIGHTS.
AND JUST LIKE CHIEF SAID, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE CAN HAVE AN EPISODE OR HAVE A BAD DAY.
AND THAT'S ONE THING WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FOLKS THAT, YOU KNOW, KELLY AND HER TEAM AND OTHER OUTREACH FOLKS, LIKE A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES HAVE, HAVE RUN INTO THESE FOLKS FOR YEARS.
AND THEY, THEY'VE GOT SUCH A DETERIORATED MENTAL OR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ISSUE THAT THEY REALLY JUST NEED TO, TO BE COMPELLED INTO TREATMENT AND TO BE KEPT THERE FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME.
ALRIGHT, LET ME, UH, LET ME ADD TO THIS.
UH, SO THE OLD STANDARD, AND BY THE WAY, UH, THIS LAW DEALS WITH PEACE OFFICERS ACTING WITHOUT A WARRANT INITIALLY.
NOW THERE IS A MECHANISM WHERE LATER IN THE PROCESS THEY'LL, THEY'LL, THEY'LL DO THE PAPERWORK, BUT INITIALLY, UH, THE OLD STANDARD, WHICH WAS VERY RESTRICTIVE AND SOMETIMES HARD TO MEET, WAS SUBSTANTIAL RISK OF SERIOUS HARM TO THE PERSON OR TO OTHERS UNLESS THE PERSON IS IMMEDIATELY RESTRAINED.
SO SUBSTANTIAL RISK UNLESS THERE'S IMMEDIATE RESTRAINT.
AND THAT WAS A HIGH, UM, SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES TO MEET.
UM, AND I THINK BACK TO THAT, UH, SITUATION WHERE WE HAD A PERSON WHO DIED OF EXPOSURE LAST WINTER.
UH, QUESTIONS WERE RAISED, WELL, YOU KNOW, WAS THE PERSON OFFERED SHELTER AND IT CAME OUT THAT HOURS EARLIER.
YOU KNOW, SOMEONE HAD INTERACTED WITH THE INDIVIDUAL, BUT THEY WERE NOT CAPABLE OF TRULY UNDERSTANDING THAT WE WERE GONNA HAVE FREEZING WEATHER.
AND THE LAW DID NOT ALLOW, UM, UH, FOR THAT INDIVIDUAL TO BE, TO BE, UH, UH, TAKEN AND AND DETAINED.
THE NEW STANDARD BASICALLY, UH, INCLUDES THE LANGUAGE.
THE PERSON IS LIKELY, LIKELY WITHOUT IMMEDIATE DETENTION TO SUFFER SERIOUS RISK OF HARM OR TO INFLICT SERIOUS HARM TO ANOTHER PERSON, SO LIKELY NOT SUBSTANTIAL RISK.
UM, SO THAT'S, THAT CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN, IN SITUATIONS LIKE THAT.
AND ALSO WANNA POINT OUT THAT THIS IS SENATE BILL 1164, WHICH WAS, WHICH PASSED THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE, BUT YES, SIR, IS NOW ON THE GOVERNOR'S DESK ALONG WITH MORE THAN A THOUSAND OTHER PIECES OF LEGISLATION.
AND IT HAS TO BE SIGNED, UH, INTO LAW BY THE GOVERNOR, OR AT LEAST NOT VETOED.
IS THAT THE WAY THAT WORKS, JOSH? UH, THAT IS CORRECT.
BUT THEY HAVE 10 DAYS ON WHETHER TO SIGN THE BILL OR VETO
[01:35:01]
IT ONCE IT'S PASSED.AND SO THAT 10 DAY PERIOD IS EXPIRED.
SO THIS IS NOW EXISTING LAW IS NOW LAW.
AND, UH, WHEN WILL IT TAKE EFFECT IF YOU KNOW, SEPTEMBER 1ST S SEPTEMBER 1ST.
ALRIGHT, UH, WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON IN THE QUEUE VIRTUALLY.
WE HAVE STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON'S OFFICE.
MY CHIEF OF STAFF IS WATCHING VIRTUALLY THOUGH, AND SHE HAS A QUESTION.
AND HER QUESTION IS, WHAT WAS THE FEEDBACK FROM THE CONVERSATION OF CLEANING UP AFTER A FOOD DISTRIBUTION? WE HAVE THAT SCHEDULED FOR JUNE, SO WE HAVEN'T HAD IT YET.
AND ANYBODY WHO IS DOING HUMANITARIAN WORK, EITHER AS A PARTNER OF THE WAY HOME OR IF YOU KNOW OF ANY CHURCHES OR LOCATIONS, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE INVITE THEM TO THIS.
I WILL MAKE SURE EVERYBODY HAS THE INFORMATION.
'CAUSE AGAIN, WE'RE NOT TRYING TO STOP HUMANITARIAN CARE.
WE'RE TRYING TO COORDINATE AND THEN MAKE SURE THERE'S SOME, UM, RESPONSIBILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY TO THE AFTERMATH OF SERVING FOOD AND THEN LEAVING THAT AREA.
SO IF YOU KNOW OF ANYBODY, JUST HAVE THEM REACH OUT TO ME.
I WILL TAKE IT A LITTLE BIT, STEP FURTHER THAN THAT.
SO PEOPLE THAT ARE OUT, YOU KNOW, GIVING TO PEACE PERSONS THAT THEY SEE AS VULNERABLE AND HUNGRY, WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE DOING THE LORD'S WORK AND WE'RE ALL FOR IT, BUT WE JUST, WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY GET 'EM OUT OFF THE STREETS BECAUSE SUSTAINING THEM FOR A MEAL IS NOT THE SAME AS GETTING THEM OFF THE STREETS WHERE THEY CAN ACTUALLY BE SAFE AND HAVE A CHANCE TO REALLY THRIVE.
AND I THINK THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT AND HOUSING PEOPLE AND THAT BEING THE FIRST INITIATIVE IS THE SECOND PIECE, WHICH IS THE HUBS.
SO IF YOU HAVE A HUB IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, OR IT MAY BE ONE OR TWO, UM, AGENCIES THAT YOU'VE HAD FOREVER AND WE'RE TRYING TO HELP SUPPORT STACK THOSE SERVICES IN, THEN ALL YOUR VOLUNTEERS AND YOUR ABILITY TO PROVIDE THE FOOD WOULD BE THERE.
BUT IT WOULD BE COORDINATED WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE ABLE TO SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW, WE SEE THAT YOU'RE STILL STRUGGLING.
IS THERE SOMETHING ELSE WE COULD BE DOING FOR YOU? AND I THINK THAT HUB MODEL IS WHAT BECOMES VITALLY IMPORTANT TO THE SECOND PART OF THIS PLAN.
UM, WHICH STILL REQUIRES SOME FUNDING TO COME INTO PLAY, BUT WE'RE WORKING AT, UM, THE COALITION TO START STACKING SOME OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS AND TALKING WITH UNITED WAY IN PARTICULAR, SINCE THEY ALREADY PROVIDE A LOT OF THOSE SERVICES, WHO WOULD BE A GOOD FIT, THIS ALSO THEN BLENDS INTO YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT IS NOT AN ADDITIONAL, UM, BUILDING OR FACILITY THAT THEN EVERYBODY HAS TO GET INTO A NIMBYISM ABOUT.
THIS IS ALREADY HERE, THIS IS HOW IT'S MANAGED.
WE WOULD BE OFFERING ADDITIONAL OPERATIONAL DOLLARS AND THEN THESE INTERVENTION DOLLARS THROUGH THAT DOORWAY SO THAT MORE PEOPLE CAN GET SERVED IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND DON'T HAVE TO, UM, TRAVEL ALL THE WAY ACROSS TOWN TO TRY TO FIND A LOCATION.
THIS IS ALSO VERY BENEFICIAL FOR PEOPLE WHO UNFORTUNATELY ARE LIVING IN THEIR CAR AND STILL WORKING AND GETTING THEM INTO THE RIGHT UH, SETTING.
SO THE HUB PIECE OF THIS, WHICH REALLY WILL START IN 2026, IS KEY TO THE SUCCESS OUTSIDE OF DOWNTOWN HOUSTON.
AND, UH, IF WE COULD GO BACK TO LEGISLATION JUST SURE.
VERY BRIEFLY, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT SENATE BILL 1164, WHICH IS A VERY POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT YES.
FOR THE CITY, UM, AND SENATE BILL 24 87, WHICH DID NOT PASS, BUT THERE WERE A COUPLE OF OTHER BILLS THAT DID NOT PASS.
IT WOULD'VE REALLY DEVASTATED YES.
CAN YOU JUST BRIEFLY TOUCH ON, ON SURE.
THOSE 26, 23 AND 2 41? UM, 26 23 WAS A PUBLIC SAFETY RELATED TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS, BUT IT ALSO INCLUDED PARKS ORIGINALLY AND DAYCARES.
AND IT BASICALLY SAID USE THE SAFETY ZONE OF 1500 FEET.
UM, THAT IF YOU WERE PROVIDING NAVIGATION SERVICES OR ANY SERVICES TO INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, THAT YOU WOULD HAVE TO CLOSE, UM, AND MOVE.
AND IF YOU DID NOT DO THAT, THEN IT WOULD BE A FINE.
UM, OBVIOUSLY THAT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN VERY WORKABLE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON THAT WOULD'VE IDENTIFIED 22 DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS WITHIN THE WAY HOME THAT WOULD'VE HAD TO MOVE OR SHUT DOWN.
UM, I WILL SAY THAT IT, UH, IT DIDN'T GET PLACED ON CALENDARS, WHICH WAS HELPFUL, BUT IT WENT VERY FAR.
UM, AND THAT'S NOT A GOOD THING.
I UNDERSTAND WANTING TO ADDRESS A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE AND CERTAINLY A CONCERN FOR CHILDREN THAT WOULD, WAS NOT NECESSARILY THE RIGHT INTERVENTION TO APPLY TO WHAT WAS NECESSARY.
SO WE WILL BE LOOKING AT THAT IN THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
THE SECOND IS A TWO 40 WAS 2 41, WHICH WAS A, UM, COMPLAINT LINE FOR ANYBODY TO CALL IN AROUND AN ENCAMPMENT.
AND THEN THE CITY HAD A, A PARTICULAR AMOUNT OF TIME THAT THEY HAD TO RESOLVE THAT ENCAMPMENT.
AND IF THEY DID NOT, THEN UM, THE STATE COULD BE PULLED IN TO ACTUALLY SOLVE THAT PROBLEM FOR YOU ALL, UM, AND THEN CHARGE YOU SOME MONEY FOR DOING THAT.
UH, THE PROBLEM WE OBVIOUSLY HAD THAT WITH THAT IS THAT, UM, WE VERY CAREFULLY APPLY HOUSING INTERVENTION WITH, UM, AN ACTUAL DECOMMISSIONING BECAUSE ALL YOU'RE OTHERWISE, ALL YOU'RE DOING IS SWEEPING PEOPLE AND MOVING THEM AROUND.
SO THE AMOUNT OF WORK ON HPD ON
[01:40:01]
OUTREACH WORKERS ON THE CITY TO TRY TO RESOLVE THAT THROUGH AN COMPLAINT LINE VERSUS AN ACTUAL STRATEGY THAT HOUSTON HAS MODELED AND IS NATIONALLY KNOWN FOR, UM, REALLY WOULD'VE SET US BACK QUITE A BIT.THAT WAS KILLED BY, UM, A POINT OF, I'LL LET JOSH, 'CAUSE HE PROBABLY WAS SITTING THERE WHEN THAT WAS, THERE WAS A POINT OF ORDER RAISED ORDER ON THE BILL AND THE AUTHOR OF THE BILL AT THAT POINT JUST DECIDED TO LAY THE BILL DOWN AND NOT MOVE FORWARD WITH IT.
SO YEAH, IT'LL PROBABLY COME AROUND AGAIN.
SO WE WANNA DO SOME, UM, PROACTIVE WORK IN THE MEANTIME TO TALK ABOUT HOW TO RESOLVE SOME OF THESE ISSUES IN A WAY THAT'S POSSIBLE.
I DO WANNA MENTION, I WAS, I WAS DISHEARTENED TO THAT, UH, SENATE BILL 24 87 AND THERE WAS A DATA BILL, UM, ALSO DID NOT GO ANYWHERE BECAUSE THESE WERE ACTUAL WORKABLE EXCEPT FOR FUNDING PLANS THAT WOULD'VE HELPED PUSHED THE ISSUES AROUND HOMELESSNESS AND MENTAL HEALTH FORWARD.
UM, AND THEY JUST COULDN'T GET ENOUGH TRACTION 'CAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE FUNDING.
AND THAT, THAT WAS UNSETTLING BECAUSE WE SPENT MOST OF OUR TIME ON THINGS THAT WERE NOT GREAT INTERVENTION, BUT WE ACTUALLY HAD GOOD INTERVENTIONS.
AND THAT WOULD'VE BEEN NICE TO SEE MOVE FORWARD, UM, IF YOU OH, YES.
NO, AND, AND I JUST, UH, WANT TO POINT OUT THAT ON THE BILL THAT WOULD'VE, UH, SHUT DOWN NAVIGATION SERVICE, UH, PROVIDERS, COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS HAD THEIR, YOUR LEGISLATIVE PERSON UP IN AUSTIN AND THE MAYOR'S TEAM WORKED VERY HARD, UH, TO ENSURE THAT THAT LEGISLATION DIDN'T PASS.
SO I WANT TO THANK, UH, BOTH OF YOU FOR THE EFFORTS ON THAT.
AND I JUST WANNA POINT OUT TO ALL OF OUR LOVELY PARTNERS, UH, WHO TYPICALLY ARE FINDING ADVOCACY, BUT WOULD PREFER NOT TO SPEND ANY TIME ON THAT.
THEY'VE GOT OTHER THINGS TO DO, RALLIED THEIR BOARDS, RALLIED THE VOLUNTEERS, RALLIED THEIR STAFF, AND HAD A HUGE IMPACT IN BEING ABLE TO GO UP AND MAKE THIS, UM, KNOWN TO PEOPLE THAT IT WASN'T JUST THE COALITION AND THE CITY WHO JUST DIDN'T THINK THESE WERE WORKABLE THINGS, BUT ACTUALLY PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY SAID, THIS IS NOT HOW WE WILL DO IT IN HOUSTON AND YOU NEED TO HEAR OUR VOICES.
AND THAT WAS, THAT WAS A HUGE PART OF IT.
DID YOU WANT A LITTLE ON FEDERAL OR ARE YOU TIRED OF HEARING FROM ME? UM, WHAT WHATEVER YOU THINK IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO KNOW.
UM, I DO JUST WANNA MENTION A COUPLE THINGS ON THAT'S SITTING IN THE, UH, BUDGET DISCUSSIONS, UM, ON A FEDERAL LEVEL.
AND I CAN REALLY ONLY GIVE YOU, UM, FACTS ON THIS.
I CANNOT GIVE YOU OPINION OR WHERE I THINK IT'S GONNA GO, UH, JUST 'CAUSE I DON'T KNOW.
UM, BUT I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT, UM, UNDER THE CURRENT SKINNY BILL, THE BUDGET PROPOSES TO COLLAPSE THE CONTINUUM OF CARE PROGRAM AND THE HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR, UH, PERSONS WITH AIDS HOPWA PROGRAM INTO THE EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANTS.
UM, COLLECTIVELY FUNDING CURRENTLY ALLOTTED TO, UM, E-S-G-C-O-C AND HOPWA WOULD BE CUT BY $532 MILLION.
UM, BUT, AND, BUT ESG WOULD STILL HAVE TO DO THE COC FRAMEWORKS.
SO ALTHOUGH YES, I RUN THE COC AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO ME, I'M, I ALSO WORKED OUTSIDE OF THE COC FOR 11 YEARS AND KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO HAVE ACTUAL COORDINATION AND PLANNING DONE FOR A COMMUNITY TO ENSURE THAT YOU'RE ACTUALLY PROVIDING SERVICES IN THE WAY THAT YOU NEED.
ESG CURRENTLY IS, UM, UNDER, OBVIOUSLY ALLOCATED TO THE CITY.
T-D-H-C-A HAS VERY LITTLE MONEY FROM THE STATE.
AND SO WHAT BASICALLY WHAT'S HAPPENING IS THEY'RE SAYING, GREAT, WE WILL GIVE THIS BACK TO YOU AND YOU WILL ALL HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO FUND IT.
UM, SUCH THE OTHER PIECES THAT THE FORMULA ACTUALLY WILL SWITCH IT FROM TO AN ALLOCATION.
AND BECAUSE WE HAVE LOWER NUMBERS OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, THAT DOES AFFECT OUR ALLOCATION VERSUS THE COMPETITION MODEL THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE, WHICH MAKES US HAVE TO HAVE ALL OF OUR PROVIDERS SHOW UP AND DO THE BEST WORK THEY CAN.
AND IF THEY CAN'T, THEIR MONIES GET REALLOCATED OR DO NOT GET FUNDED UNDER THE CURRENT, UH, NOFO THAT WE PUT OUT EVERY YEAR.
UM, THE THING FOR US IS THAT YOU DON'T WANNA CUT OUT THE APPARATUS THAT ACTUALLY HELPS YOU BE ABLE TO CHANGE AND MOVE POLICIES FORWARD.
IF YOU WANT SOMETHING TO BE DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT IN THE WAY THAT WE PROVIDE SERVICE, WE CAN DO THAT WITHIN THE CURRENT STRUCTURE.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO DISASSEMBLE EVERYTHING, REBUILD IT, AND THEN START AGAIN.
UM, SO WE'RE JUST LOOKING FOR A VERY PRAGMATIC PER UM, UM, PERCEPTION ON HOW TO ACTUALLY MAINTAIN SOME OF THE THINGS WE'VE ALREADY DONE.
MONEY CUTS, OUR MONEY CUTS, WE'VE BEEN THROUGH MANY, MANY ADMINISTRATIONS.
UP AND DOWN ADJUSTMENTS ARE ALWAYS MADE, BUT THE REASON WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO BE SO GOOD IS THAT WE'VE MAINTAINED THAT APPARATUS OF THE COC AND ENSURING THAT WE'RE PLANNING AND KEEPING THINGS MOVING FORWARD, UM, AND ADDRESSING ISSUES THAT COME UP THROUGH THE LEGISLATION.
UM, THE SECOND THING IS THAT THE PRESIDENT PROPOSES TO SEEK THE ELIMINATION OF THE C-D-G-C-D-B-G GRANT AS WELL AS HOME INVESTMENTS.
UM, AGAIN, THESE ARE CHOICES THAT ARE BEING MADE.
I UNDERSTAND THE NEED TO CUT DOLLARS.
I JUST THINK THESE ARE ONE OF THOSE TIMES WHEN YOU HAVE TO LOOK VERY, VERY CAREFULLY AT THE CHOICES THAT ARE GETTING MADE.
BECAUSE ONCE YOU'VE DONE IT, YOU CANNOT UNDO IT.
UM, FOR US, IF YOU DO NOT FULLY FUND THE PSH PROGRAM THROUGH THE COC, THAT IS 6,300 PEOPLE IMMEDIATELY ON THE STREET.
SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE'RE SITTING WITH THE FEDERAL.
UM, I WILL BE UP IN DC IN A COUPLE WEEKS.
[01:45:01]
IS EDUCATION, JUST CLARIFYING FOR PEOPLE HOW THINGS WORK AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY UNDERSTAND HOW TO COBBLE THE BEST COMBINATION OF, OF FUNDING REDUCTIONS, AS WELL AS, UM, LOOKING AT THE STRUCTURES AND THE WAY THAT WE DO THINGS.AND CERTAINLY THERE ARE WAYS TO DO IT BETTER AND MORE EFFICIENTLY, BUT ACTUALLY THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HARRIS COUNTY IN THE COC HERE DOES IT EXTREMELY WELL.
WE HAVE ALLOCATED OUT 92% OF OUR FEDERAL DOLLARS ON A REGULAR BASIS.
WE ARE NOT ONE OF THE CITIES THAT STRUGGLES WITH BEING ABLE TO DO THIS WORK.
UM, AND WITH THE ADDITIONAL, UH, FUNDING THAT WE'RE PUTTING TOGETHER WITH THE EQUILIBRIUM PLAN, WE'RE GONNA BE MILES AHEAD OF OTHER CITIES AND REALLY BEING ABLE TO TACKLE WHAT'S LEFT ON OUR PLATE OR REGARDING HOMELESSNESS.
AND THAT IS ALL, UNLESS YOU HAVE QUESTIONS.
UH, KELLY FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
AND, UH, CHIEF, UNLESS YOU HAD MORE NO, I ACTUALLY THINK, UH, CEO YOUNG DID A GREAT JOB DETAIL AS WELL AS DIRECTOR NICHOLS AND, UH, MELODY BARR.
I MEAN, I THINK SHE KNOWS WHERE EVERY DOLLAR GOES, SO YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE SOMEBODY THAT'S REALLY GREAT THERE IN THAT, UH, SO I THINK THAT'S ALL, ALL I'LL SAY IS, IS THAT, UM, THE VERY BEST PART IS THE COLLABORATION THAT YOU'RE SEEING NOW THAT YOU DID NOT SEE BEFORE.
AND IT'S ALL THE NONPROFITS, IT'S, IT'S THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE CITY, IT'S THE COUNTY, UH, AND IT'S THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES.
HPD IS, IS IS HUGE, OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHERE I, I COME FROM.
BUT ALSO I WILL SAY THAT METRO IS STEPPING UP AND PRECINCT ONE RIGHT NOW, AND I ENVISION ALL THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES STEPPING UP AND JUST TO ITERATE.
AGAIN, THE WAY THIS IS WORKING IS WHEN WE GO INTO AREAS TO, TO START WORKING ON THOSE AREAS BASED ON THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE, WE ARE GOING IN FIRST WITH OUTREACH AND WE'RE, THERE'S A PERIOD OF TIME THAT THEY'RE IN THERE IDENTIFYING, ASSESSING, OFFERING HELP, FOLLOWED BY WHEN WE GO IN FROM THE ENFORCEMENT SIDE, OUR OFFICERS ARE OUR DEPUTIES, EVERYBODY THAT'S WORKING THIS.
AND ONE OF THE REASONS THEY LOVE WORKING IT IS THEY'RE GOING IN AND THEY'RE OFFERING FIRST HELP.
THEY'RE IDENTIFYING PEOPLE, HEY, YOU LOOK LIKE YOU MIGHT NEED SOME HELP.
HOW CAN WE HELP YOU? DO YOU NEED A BED TO SLEEP IN TONIGHT? YOU NEED TO TALK TO SOMEBODY TO MARKET, GET SOME SERVICES, TRYING TO GET THEM OUT.
THAT IS THE FIRST APPROACH TO EVERYBODY THAT WE'RE WORKING ON OUT THERE TRYING TO HELP THEM AND GET THEM OFF THE STREET.
AND THE ONLY THING THAT WE'RE SAYING IS THAT THEY, IF THEY CHOOSE NOT TO ACCEPT FOR THOSE AREAS THAT WE ARE FOCUSED ON, WE JUST TELL THEM, OKAY, YOU DON'T HAVE TO ACCEPT, BUT YOU CAN'T CONTINUE DOING THE BEHAVIOR THAT IS AGAINST THE LAW.
MEANING TAKING UP, YOU KNOW, LYING DOWN, SLEEPING, DROPPING TONS OF PROPERTY ON SIDEWALKS, ALL THE THINGS THAT WE SEE.
WE ARE ENFORCING THE CIVILITY ORDINANCES IN THIS DAY, AND WE ARE LOOKING AT MAKING CHANGES BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IT ALLOWS YOU TO SLEEP OVERNIGHT ON, ON OUR STREETS.
WE DON'T, WE WANT THEM TO ACCEPT OUR HELP, BUT AT SOME POINT WE ARE SAYING, YOU CAN'T DO THIS ANYMORE.
UH, SO BECAUSE IT, IT JUST IS UNACCEPTABLE AND IT, BY ALLOWING THAT, IT ALLOWS THEM TO CONTINUE TO LIVE IN A, IN A STATE WHERE THEY ULTIMATELY WILL, WE WILL LOSE THEM.
SO THAT IS, THAT IS OUR PHILOSOPHY AND THAT IS OUR APPROACH.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UH, NO, BUT WE, WE, I KNOW YOU'RE GONNA STAY TILL THE END OF THE PRESENTATION, UH, I UNDERSTAND WE'LL HAVE SOME, SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT, UM, UH, SOME SLIDES FURTHER IN THE PRESENTATION CHIEF.
AND SO NOW WE HAVE ANOTHER IMPORTANT PARTNER IN, IN ALL OF THIS, UH, THE HARRIS CENTER.
I'M DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS FOR THE HARRIS CENTER FOR MENTAL HEALTH.
AND IDD THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME TODAY.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE COALITION AND THE CITY FOR THEIR GREAT PARTNERSHIP, UM, IN, IN THIS, UH, IN THIS ENDEAVOR THAT WE'RE, WE'RE, UM, THAT IS BEFORE US TODAY.
UM, I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK THE CITY FOR ALL ITS SUPPORT IN HELPING US, UH, MEET OUR MISSION, WHICH IS TO TRANSFORM THE LIVES OF PEOPLE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS AND, UM, AND IDD TO LIVE THEIR FULLEST LIFE.
UM, I WANTED TO START OUT BY JUST GIVING A QUICK OVERVIEW OF, UH, THE WAY THAT WE WORK TOGETHER WITH OUR PARTNERS.
UM, WHEN, UM, AND ENCAMP, BEFORE AN ENCAMPMENT IS DECOMMISSIONED, UM, OUR TEAM GOES ON THE GROUND AND THEY HELP DETERMINE WHO MIGHT BE APPROPRIATE FOR PLACEMENT IN THE NAVIGATION CENTER, CONSIDERING THEIR, UM, MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS AND WHERE THEY ARE IN THEIR, UM, ILLNESS.
UM, THEN ONCE THE PERSON HAS MOVED TO THE NAVIGATION CENTER, UM, WE ARE BOOTS ON THE GROUND IN THE CENTER PROVIDING SUPPORTS.
UM, AFTER THE PERSON TRANSITIONS INTO A MORE PERMANENT PLACEMENT INTO THE COMMUNITY, UM, OUR TEAM FOLLOWS THEM AND TRANSITIONS, UM, WITH THEM IN THEIR, UM, PERMANENT HOUSING IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND, AND I REALLY WANTED TO WEAVE TOGETHER, UM, SOME OF THE DISCUSSIONS THAT WE'VE HAD EARLIER.
[01:50:01]
UM, I BROUGHT A CASE STUDY TO TALK ABOUT, IT WAS MENTIONED, UM, BRIEFLY BY THE, BY THE CHIEF, BUT I WANTED TO GIVE IN TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL AND SO THAT YOU COULD UNDERSTAND WHY, UM, SENATE BILL 1164 IS SO IMPORTANT, UM, IN, UM, THIS EFFORT.UH, SO THIS INDIVIDUAL, I'M GONNA CALL HER MARY.
UM, SHE, UH, HAS HISTORY OF HOMELESSNESS FOR MORE THAN A DECADE.
UM, DURING THAT TIME, SHE'S HAD MORE THAN 400 ENCOUNTERS WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT, UM, SEVEN, UH, IN ENCOUNTERS IN OUR CRISIS SYSTEM.
WE DON'T KNOW, UM, IF SHE'S BEEN IN OTHER CRISIS SYSTEMS. UM, MARY, UM, REFUSES TREATMENT.
SHE WON'T TAKE HER MEDICATION.
SHE HAS A SEVERE MENTAL ILLNESS AND, UM, AND A AND A HISTORY OF PSYCHOSIS.
UM, SHE, UM, IS VOLATILE AND, UM, SHE'LL, WHEN SHE GOES IMPATIENT, WHEN SHE'S RELEASED, SHE REFUSES COMMUNITY SERVICES.
SHE'S NEVER, UM, IN OUR HISTORY WITH HER ENGAGED IN COMMUNITY SERVICES.
SO OUR TEAM FOUND MARY ON THE STREET LYING, UM, IN HER OWN EXCREMENT.
AND, UM, SHE WAS COMMITTED TO, UM, TO A PSYCHIATRIC FACILITY.
AND, UM, I'M, I'M HAPPY TO SAY THAT SHE WAS DISCHARGED AND, AND THE COURT ORDERED HER INTO, UM, OUTPATIENT SERVICES AT THE, UM, IN THE ASSISTANT OUTPATIENT TREATMENT PROGRAM.
SO SHE'LL BE WORKING WITH THE PROBATE COURT AND OUR TEAM.
UM, IT TOOK US, UH, THREE HOURS TO, UM, TRANSFER HER, UM, OUTTA THE FACILITY AND GET HER TO AN ASSISTED LIVING, UM, FACILITY, UM, WITH SUPPORTS.
SO THAT'S WHERE SHE IS RIGHT NOW.
UM, SHE'S IN A STABLE PLACE, UM, BUT IT'S A VERY COMPLICATED CASE AND SHE'S JUST ONE OF MANY, IT, IT'S, UH, IT'S NO EASY ANSWER.
IT'S GONNA TAKE TIME AND EFFORT.
UM, AND I THINK PATIENCE AS WELL.
WELL WE APPRECIATE THAT AND, AND ALL THAT THAT YOU DO.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, WE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE CHANGE IN SENATE BILL 1164, UH, MAKING IT EASIER FOR OFFICERS WITHOUT A WARRANT TO GIVE FOLKS THE HELP THAT THEY NEED.
DO YOU HAVE ANY, ANY THOUGHTS ON, ON THAT, AMANDA? UM, YEAH, THE HARRIS CENTER WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH THE CITY AND JOSH ON, ON THAT BILL.
UM, WE ALSO ENGAGED OUR LOCAL JUDICIARY, UM, TO, TO DISCUSS THAT ISSUE.
AND I THINK, UM, THOSE DISCUSSIONS, UH, REALLY WERE, UH, I, I THINK, UH, OPENED SOME DOORS, IF YOU WILL.
UH, SO THERE WERE SOME JUDGES THAT BELIEVED THAT THE BILL WASN'T NEEDED, THAT THE JUDICIARY HAD THE DISCRETION TO MAKE THOSE TYPES OF COMMITMENTS WITHOUT THE LAW.
UM, SO I THINK THAT THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION IN THE JUDICIARY ABOUT THE DISCRETION THAT THEY HAVE IN THESE CASES, AND I THINK IT, UM, SERVED AN EDUCATING PURPOSE, UM, THAT BILL WAS ALSO SUPPORTED BY THE TEXAS JUDICIAL COMMISSION ON MENTAL HEALTH.
UM, AND, UH, IT, IT, IT, IT WAS NARROWED DOWN FROM THE WAY THAT IT STARTED TO, THE WAY THAT IT WAS PASSED ULTIMATELY.
AND I KNOW THAT, UM, SOME OF OUR LOCAL JUDGES FELT MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE WITH THE FINAL VERSION OF THE BILL.
WE HAVE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN IN THE QUEUE.
THANKS FOR YOUR INPUT AND YOUR PARTNERSHIP.
HOW MANY PSYCHIATRIC BEDS ARE THERE IN HOUSTON? HMM.
I WILL HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT EXACT NUMBER.
I DON'T WANNA MIS MISSPEAK, BUT, UM, THAT'S OKAY.
THERE'S, I CAN SAY, I CAN SAY ROUND ABOUT, I DON'T NEED NOT, THERE'S NOT ENOUGH.
LIKE IF YOU CAN TAKE THE MOSTLY 500 THANK YOU.
SO HOW MANY, WHAT DO YOU, AND, AND I KNOW WE'RE DOING A CONTRACT WITH YOU GUYS FOR THE OUT OUTPATIENT KIND OF STUFF, BUT WHAT'S YOUR, DO YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE INPATIENT? WE DO AS WELL.
WE HAVE OUR NEUROPSYCHIATRIC CENTER, UM, WHICH IS THE FRONT DOOR TO THE INPATIENT PSYCHIATRIC SYSTEM IN HARRIS COUNTY.
UM, WE ALSO CONTRACT WITH PRIVATE HOSPITALS FOR BEDS.
UM, AND WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THE HARRIS COUNTY PSYCHIATRIC CENTER FOR OTHER BEDS.
THOSE ARE THE MAIN, UM, SOURCES OF INPATIENT BEDS.
UH, WE DO HAVE SOME, UH, NOT, UH, ACUTE CARE, BUT, UM, BUT, UH, MORE BUT, UH, CARE OFFERINGS THAT ARE INPATIENT, BUT THEY'RE VOLUNTARY.
UM, SUCH AS A RESPITE, UH, TYPE CRISIS RESPITE, CRISIS STABILIZATION, UM, JAIL DIVERSION BEDS THAT, UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT, UM, THEY'RE NOT CONSIDERED INPATIENT PSYCHIATRIC,
[01:55:01]
BUT THEY ARE, UM, FOR SOMEONE THAT IS IN CRISIS.AND, AND DO YOU KNOW, OR KELLY MAYBE, YOU KNOW, LIKE, ARE, ARE THESE, ARE THESE FULL ALL THE TIME? OKAY.
COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN AND, UM, AMANDA, I DON'T SEE ANY, ANY OTHERS IN THE, ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS OR STAFF IN THE QUEUE, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BRINGING YOUR PERSPECTIVE.
AND FOR, FOR WHAT YOU GUYS DO AT THE, AT THE HARRIS CENTER TO HELP.
HAVE, YOU'VE HEARD ME SAY THIS BEFORE.
THE, THE FACT THAT THE HAIR CENTER IS WORKING WITH US, THE FACT THAT CHIEF SATELLITE'S WORKING WITH US, THIS EXPANSION IN THE HOMELESS RESPONSE IS REALLY REMARKABLE AND REALLY HAS TO DO WITH THE INDIVIDUALS WHO SAID, I'M WILLING TO STEP UP.
THAT'S, THAT'S DEFINITELY WHAT IT TAKES.
UH, DIRECTOR, DID YOU HAVE ANY, ANY OTHER SLIDES YOU WANTED TO GO THROUGH OR? YES, SIR.
LET, LET ME ASK YOU A COUPLE QUESTIONS AND THEN WE'LL TURN IT OVER TO, UH, OTHERS WHO ARE HERE.
UH, I HEARD MENTIONED EARLIER 175 PLACEMENTS.
UM, AND, AND I KNOW THAT EARLY LAST YEAR WE RAN OUT OF FEDERAL, UH, VOUCHERS, RIGHT.
THAT WE'D BEEN USING FOR PERMANENT HOUSING.
SO CAN YOU, UH, TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW WE WERE ABLE TO ACHIEVE THE 175 PLACEMENTS WITHOUT THE VOUCHERS? SOMEBODY ASKED KELLY YOUNG TO COME WITH, STAND WITH ME UP HERE AGAIN WITHOUT VOUCHERS.
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF THESE WERE USED WITH VOUCHERS, BUT WE DO HAVE ONGOING PROGRAMS. WE USE FUNDING SUCH AS, SUCH AS WHAT WE'VE RECEIVED, WHAT KELLY RECEIVED FROM, FROM DOWNTOWN PLUS, UH, ALONG WITH OTHER FUNDING.
AGAIN, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HOUSING PLACEMENTS, UM, IF WE TALK ABOUT PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, IT'S THAT THREE-LEGGED STOOL OF THAT REAL APARTMENT SUBSIDY FOR RENT AND, UH, SERVICES.
SO IT HAS TO HAVE ALL THREE LEGS TO MAKE THAT WORK.
KELLY, ON THE 175, DO YOU HAVE, WHERE HAVE WE FUNDED THAT? YEAH, SO WHEN WE INITIATED, WHEN WE INITIATED, UH, THIS PROJECT BACK IN NOVEMBER, WE HAD SOME LEFTOVER T-D-H-C-A AND COVID DOLLARS.
AND SO THERE'S A NATURAL ATTRITION OF PEOPLE LEAVING PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING OR EXITING VOUCHERS OR DIFFERENT SITUATIONS.
AND SO WE HAVE A, WE ALWAYS HAVE SOME LEVEL OF AVAILABILITY.
AND SO IF YOU'RE GONNA DO AN ENCAMPMENT OR A BIG AREA, YOU WANNA MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ENOUGH FOR EVERYBODY WHO'S GONNA BE IN THAT AREA, YOU CAN'T JUST GIVE TO HALF AND THEN LEAVE THE OTHER HALF.
SO FOR, UM, ELLEN'S LANDING, WE KNEW WE HAD SOME RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO APPLY THROUGH OUR FUNDING THAT WE HAD LEFT OVER FROM THE COALITION, THE A HUNDRED, SO THAT WAS ABOUT 35 BEDS, AND THEN THE 150 THAT WE'RE GIVING TO ENDEAVORS, YOU ALL JUST SAW THE CONTRACT COME IN FRONT OF YOU.
THOSE ARE GONNA BE FOR TWO YEARS WORTH OF PSH DOLLARS.
SO IT'S NOT GOING TO BE PERMANENT MEANING FOREVER, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THOSE ACCESS TO THOSE DOLLARS BECAUSE THOSE ARE FEDERAL DOLLARS.
BUT THESE DOLLARS WILL BE, UM, UTILIZED IN A WAY TO START THAT PERSON IN THAT PROCESS AND HOPEFULLY BE ABLE TO TRANSITION OUT AFTER THOSE COUPLE YEARS, OR WE'LL HAVE ADDITIONAL FUNDING AT THAT TIME TO BE ABLE TO EXTEND THEM.
THE SECOND PIECE IS THAT SOME OF THE HUN THE FUNDING DOLLARS ARE REALLY RAPID REHOUSING.
SO THESE ARE INDIVIDUALS WHO MIGHT HAVE AN INCOME, MAY NOT HAVE A DISABILITY, BUT JUST AREN'T MAKING ENOUGH MONEY, AND THAT'S A TWO YEAR COMMITMENT TO HELP WITH RENT.
UM, OR TRYING TO STAGGER ALL OF THESE SO THAT WE DON'T RUN OUTTA MONEY AT THE SAME TIME AND EVERYBODY'S IN THE SAME BOAT.
BUT THOSE ARE STILL ALL GONNA BE ARPA, CO UM, YOU KNOW, FEDERAL DOLLARS.
WE STILL HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO TAP INTO BEING ABLE TO HAVE, UH, FLEXIBLE AND MOVABLE DOLLARS SO THAT IF SOMEBODY NEEDS NOT JUST TWO YEARS, BUT THREE AND A HALF YEARS, WE ARE ABLE TO ADJUST THOSE.
BUT THAT'S WHERE THOSE DOLLARS ARE FROM.
AND NONE OF THEM ARE, NONE OF THEM ARE VOUCHERS.
WE ALSO ARE GOING TO HAVE AN ISSUE BECAUSE THE EMERGENCY VOUCHERS, UM, THROUGH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WAS SUPPOSED TO GO TO 20 28, 8 OR NINE, AND THEY HAVE, UM, REMOVED THE TIMELINE ON THAT AND SHRUNK IT TO THE END OF 2026.
SO THOSE THAT WERE, UM, GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY ON A VOUCHER FOR WHAT WAS GONNA BE FIVE YEARS NOW HAS A YEAR TO GET THEIR LIFE, UM, REORGANIZED AND MOVED ON.
SO WE ARE WORKING WITH THE COUNTY ON HOW TO STACK DOLLARS AND SERVICES TO COVER THOSE INDIVIDUALS AS LONG AS WE CAN AND HELP THEM MOVE INTO ANOTHER.
THEY WERE, THEY WOULD HAVE TO ROLL OFF AT SOME POINT ANYWAY, THIS JUST MADE IT THREE YEARS FASTER.
AND THAT'S ABOUT 700 INDIVIDUALS.
UM, AND SO DIRECTOR, YOU BROUGHT UP THE, THE ARTICLE IN THE, IN THE PAPER OVER THE WEEKEND ABOUT, UM, COUNTY DOLLARS.
UM, CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT A LITTLE BIT AND, AND TELL US IN, IN LIGHT OF THOSE COMMENTS, UH, IN, IN THE ARTICLE, HOW THE COUNTY DOLLARS WILL FIT INTO THIS?
[02:00:01]
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING AND AGAIN, UH, FROM CONVERSATIONS WITH, UH, MY COUNTERPART AT HCD, ABOUT 8 MILLION WILL BE ALLOCATED FROM THE COUNTY.AND KELLY MAY KNOW MORE DETAIL ABOUT HOW THAT 8 MILLION WILL BE USED, BUT IT WILL BE COORDINATED WITH OUR EFFORTS HERE.
I DO NOT KNOW ABOUT THE OTHER 8 MILLION.
AGAIN, OVER TIME, AND THIS IS THE POINT I WAS TRYING TO MAKE, WE DO COORDINATE CLOSELY WITH THE COUNTY, BUT AGAIN, AS WE COME TO YOU FOR ALLOCATIONS, THEY GO TO THE COUNTY FOR ALLOCATIONS OF THE COUNTY COMMISSION, KELLY.
SO BECAUSE THE COALITION SITS IN BETWEEN THE TWO, WE WOULD WORK WITH BOTH ENTITIES.
AND ONE PART IS THAT RIGHT? SO THE CITY HAS A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF DOLLARS UNDER THE WAY THEY'RE ORGANIZING AND THINGS THAT MAYBE THE MAYOR IS MUCH MORE CONCENTRATED ON, LIKE STREET HOMELESSNESS.
THAT'S, THAT'S, UM, AFFECTING THE CITY OF HOUSTON, THE COUNTY, JUST IN THE SAME WAY ALL FOUR COMMISSIONERS HAVE THEIR OWN IDEAS AND INTEREST ABOUT HOW TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS WITHIN THEIR AREA.
IT ACTUALLY BECOMES MY JOB TO BE, TO BLEND TOGETHER WHAT THE CITY AND THE MAYOR WANTS AND WHAT THE COMMISSIONERS AND THE COUNTY WANT TO COME UP WITH AN OVERALL PLAN ONCE THE DOLLARS START TO COME IN.
SO, UH, TAU, COSTAS AND I MET LAST WEEK TO TALK ABOUT, SO FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S A LOVELY LITTLE TOWN CALLED HIGHLANDS.
THEY HAVE, UM, A HOMELESS, UH, ISSUE, BUT IT'S VERY, VERY DIFFERENT THAN DOWNTOWN.
AND SO THE WAY THEY NEED THEIR DOLLARS TO WORK THERE IS GONNA BE DIFFERENT THAN MAYBE HOW WE MIGHT ALLOCATE 'EM FOR THE CITY.
UM, AND I THINK SOMETIMES THE, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, I THINK WHAT ALWAYS GETS COMPLICATED WHEN YOU'RE SITTING IN THE MIDDLE OF ALL OF THESE THINGS IS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ALL OF THEM ALL AT ONCE.
IT'S, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING, ALL THE, ALL ALL THE TIME.
WHAT'S THAT MOVIE? THAT'S WHAT IT FEELS LIKE ALL THE TIME.
UH, AND SO EACH OF THESE PIECES THOUGH ARE MOVING PARTS AND TRYING TO MEET, MAKE SURE WE'RE MEETING THE GOALS OF THE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE FUNDING THOSE DOLLARS OR FINDING THOSE DOLLARS, UM, AND STACKING THOSE ALL CORRECTLY AND, AND KIND OF ALIGNING THEM TO EACH ONE OF THOSE GOALS.
SO THE COUNTY DOLLARS OBVIOUSLY ARE ULTIMATELY GONNA AFFECT SOME OF THE CITY BECAUSE THEY SIT ON TOP OF THE CITY IN SOME WAYS, BUT WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO USE THOSE DOLLARS, UM, TO BE ABLE TO DO, UM, UNINCORPORATED AREAS IN SMALLER AREAS THAT HAVE JUST DIFFERENT NEEDS THAN DOWNTOWN HOUSTON.
AS FAR AS THE NAME GOES, AGAIN, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN THE HOUSTON HARRIS COUNTY, UM, HOMELESSNESS RESPONSE ACTION PLAN.
AND THEN, BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY WHAT THE WOR WORK HAS DONE, AGAIN, AS THE MAYOR HAS FOCUSES AND HAS FUNDING, HE'S GONNA, THAT'S GONNA BE VERY IMPORTANT TO ALL OF US.
NOW WE HAVE A COUPLE IN THE QUEUE AND WE'LL GO TO STAFF FROM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN'S OFFICE.
UH, THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS AND THIS MIGHT ALSO GO TO YOU, DIRECTOR SATTERWHITE.
SO, UH, JUST AS A HEADS UP, BUT, UM, IT WAS MENTIONED IN A COUPLE OF SLIDES THE GOAL OF LIKE, NO ONE SLEEPS OUTSIDE.
HOW WILL WE ENSURE THAT? WHAT'S THE PROCESS FOR THAT? OR IS THAT JUST LIKE A GENERAL, THIS PERSON I HAVE MINE YOU GO FIRST,
WELL, I THINK THAT'S THE IDEA BEHIND BEING, HAVING AVAILABLE A HUB IN EACH OF THESE AREAS SO THAT IF SOMEBODY IS ON THE STREET, THEY HAVE FIRST OFFERED, THERE'S A PLACE FOR YOU TO GO.
AND WHEN WE GET YOU THERE, WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS BE ABLE TO ASSESS YOU MUCH MORE COMPLETELY.
AND IN THAT, IF YOU WOULD NOT QUALIFY FOR CERTAIN TYPES OF HOUSING, THEY MIGHT BE OTHER ONES, BUT THEY'LL ALSO BE SHELTER BEDS AVAILABLE.
I, I, I NEED TO REITERATE FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE HUMAN BEINGS AND THEY HAVE CHOICES TO MAKE.
AND SO I CAN, I CAN BE AS ENGAGED, I CAN WIN PEOPLE OVER.
I SPEND MOST OF MY TIME TRYING TO HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT I'M NOT WORKING AGAINST THEM.
AND THAT MEANS MEETING THEM WHERE THEY'RE AT, WHICH IS A VERY DIFFERENT RESPONSE THAN, YOU KNOW, I CAME AND I ASKED YOU AND YOU JUST DECIDED YOU WERE GONNA GO WITH ME.
FIRST OF ALL, IF I WERE ON THE STREET AND SOMEBODY CAME UP AND JUST SAID THAT TO ME, I'D BE LIKE A NO
UM, SO THAT PIECE OF IT, SOME OF IT IS A CULTURAL SHIFT TO BE ABLE TO SAY, LOOK, THESE OVERNIGHT BEDS ARE NOT ABOUT YOU, YOU KNOW, GIVING UP YOUR, YOUR INDEPENDENCE OR YOUR, SOME THINGS THAT SOMETIMES HAPPEN WHEN YOU MOVE INTO A SHELTER OR A TRANSITIONAL HOUSING PROGRAM.
IT'S A PLACE FOR YOU TO STAY, BUT WE REALLY NEED TO FIGURE OUT A PLAN FOR YOU LONG TERM.
UM, AND SO DOWNTOWN RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE YOU ALSO HAVE THE TRIBUTARIES THAT LEND TO DOWNTOWN BEING A BUSIER PLACE FOR A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, YOU'RE GONNA NEED TO BE ABLE TO MOVE THAT MORE QUICKLY AND HAVE MORE BEDS TO BE ABLE TO KIND OF MOVE THINGS ALONG.
AND SO THE HUB DOWN HERE IS GONNA HAVE TO HAVE MULTIPLE, UM, AS LEONARD POINTED OUT, IT, IT CAN'T GET CLOGGED UP.
IT HAS TO KIND OF KEEP MOVING.
THE SECOND THING IS THAT THE COALITION WOULD BE WORKING VERY CLEARLY WITH THE, UM, HOSPITAL DISTRICT AND REENTRY AND ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE ADDING TO THE HOMELESSNESS AND TRY TO STOP THAT UPSTREAM AGAIN, AS WELL AS THOSE, UM, PROVIDERS THAT ARE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT MAY BE DOING DIVERSION, BUT
[02:05:01]
IT'S ONE MONTH AT A TIME VERSUS LET'S DO A LONGER PLAN.SO A LOT OF THIS IS IN THE, IN THE IDEA THAT WE'RE GONNA STOP THE FLOW OF PEOPLE LANDING ON THE STREET.
THOSE THAT ARE ON THE STREET WHO ACCEPT HOUSING, MOVE VERY QUICKLY INTO HOUSING.
THOSE THAT, UM, STRUGGLE WITH, UM, UH, MENTAL HEALTH OR, UM, DUAL DIAGNOSIS.
THERE'LL HAVE TO BE A DEEPER INTERVENTION, WHICH IS ACTUALLY WHY WE CREATED WHAT ARE CALLED SMART TEAMS, WHICH IS A COMBINATION OF OUTREACH WORKERS TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT IN DEPTH WORK.
MY RESPONSE HAS TO DO WITH GUARANTEE.
UM, CAN YOU GUARANTEE ME THAT WE'LL HAVE FULL FUNDING? OKAY.
AND I'M, I'M IN, THAT'S MY GOAL IS TO DEAL WITH THE FUNDING.
AND BECAUSE WE HAVE TO PUT THIS TOGETHER PIECE AT A TIME, WE HAVE TO FLY THE PLANE WHILE WE'RE BUILDING IT, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THIS ADDITIONAL FUNDING ISSUES AROUND FEDERAL FUNDING, FEDERAL WILL IMPACT THIS.
SO IS IT ASPIRATIONAL? ABSOLUTELY.
IF I DON'T HAVE THAT ASPIRATION, IT'S VERY HARD TO MAKE IT.
AND THAT IS THE GOAL THAT WE WILL NOT HAVE PEOPLE HAVE TO WAIT FOR HOUSING ON THE STREET.
OUR GOAL IS THAT WHEN THEY, UH, ANNOUNCE THEMSELVES TO THE HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM, WE CAN GET THEM INTO A HOUSING PROGRAM IN 90 DAYS.
WHY? BECAUSE WE HAD THE FUNDS AND WE STILL HAVE VETERANS WHO ARE ASLEEP ON THE STREET AND WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THEM.
UM, I THINK THAT WAS KIND OF TYING INTO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS CONCERNED ABOUT CRIMINALIZING HOMELESSNESS.
AND I KNOW THAT THAT IS NOT THE GOAL HERE.
UH, LET'S SAY AN INDIVIDUAL DOES NOT COMPLY WHETHER UNDER SB 1164 OR OTHERWISE.
I KNOW THAT WE TALKED ABOUT THAT EARLIER.
WHAT HAPPENS IN GENERAL IS A COURT DETERMINING IF THEY'RE COMMITTED OR SENT TO A HEALTH FACILITY, AGAIN, WHETHER IT'S UNDER SB 1164 OR JUST OTHER PEOPLE THAT JUST DON'T WANT TO GO? UH, YEAH, I'LL START WITH THAT.
THAT FEELS LIKE YOUR QUESTION,
ONE THING IS I, ANYTIME THAT THE, THE STRUCTURE OF THIS IS PUT IN PLACE, MY CHARGE AS THE PERSON'S OVERSEEING THE COALITION IS TO BETTER ENGAGEMENT BETTER.
I MEAN, THIS JUST PUSHES US TO DO OUR WORK BETTER AND TO HAVE HIGHER EXPECTATIONS OF OURSELVES.
YOU'RE ALWAYS GOING TO HAVE THE SITUATION WHERE THIS IS A HUMAN BEING AND THEY HAVE THE RIGHTS AND WE HAVE TO CONSIDER THOSE MM-HMM
UM, I SEE IT WHENEVER THERE IS STIPULATIONS PUT ON, LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE ENFORCEMENT SIDE OF THIS OR WHATEVER.
THE CHARGE TO ME IS TO DO MY WORK BETTER AND TO HELP MY COHORTS AND MY, UM, PEER CEOS BE ABLE TO BE FUNDED AND DO THE WORK THAT THEY COULD DO AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL THEY CAN AND SUPPORT THEM IN THAT WAY SO THAT WE DON'T EVER HAVE TO GET TO THAT, THAT MOMENT OR THAT POINT.
FOR THOSE, THAT ANOTHER OPTION WAS AVAILABLE AND COULD BE AVAILABLE TO THEM.
AND I MIGHT PULL MY PARTNER BACK UP FROM HAIR CENTER, UH, ON THIS, BUT THE, YEAH, WE, WE DO NOT WANT THE OPTIC OR EVEN THE IDEA, THE, THE THOUGHT THAT HOMELESSNESS IS BEING CRIMINALIZED.
THERE ARE BEHAVIORS ON THE STREET THAT ARE AGAINST, UH, LOCAL ORDINANCE.
THERE ARE AGAINST STATE LAW IN TERMS OF THE CAMP STATE CAMPING BAN AND ALL THOSE PLACES.
THERE'S A REASON FOR THAT BECAUSE THESE PEOPLE ARE DYING ON OUR STREETS.
AND IN THE PROCESS, THEY'RE EXISTING IN THEIR OWN EXCREMENT, AS WAS DESCRIBED EARLIER BY ONE THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH, AND THEY'RE GOING IN AND OUT OF CRISIS AND THEY'RE HAVING ALL KINDS OF PROBLEMS AND THEY IMPACT EVERYBODY.
AND THEN OF COURSE, THE PUBLIC THAT'S NOT USED TO THAT BECOME FEARFUL, AND THERE'S A POTENTIAL BAD RESPONSE TO THAT.
THIS IS A PUBLIC PROBLEM, A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE FOR THAT INDIVIDUAL FIRST AND FOR EVERYBODY AROUND THEM.
SO WE USE EVERY MECHANISM POSSIBLE TO TRY TO GET THAT PERSON INTO A BETTER PLACE, INTO A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN ACTUALLY GET REAL CARE AND ACTUALLY THRIVE.
UH, SO IT MAY FEEL THAT WAY, BUT I ASSURE YOU NOBODY WANTS PEOPLE TO JUST LIVE OUT ON OUR STREETS.
AND, AND, AND SOME OF THEM WILL.
THE REALITY IS SOME OF OUR CHRONIC WILL SAY, NO THANKS.
THIS IS HOW I WANT TO LIVE MY LIFE.
BUT IN OUR CITY, IN OUR COUNTY, IN OUR NATION, NOW PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO SAY, NO, THAT IS NOT WHAT WE ARE GOING TO ALLOW.
YOU KNOW, WE WANT YOU TO HAVE A BETTER CHANCE.
A LOT OF, MOST OF 'EM THAT CHOOSE THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY HAVE, ARE FACING SOME TYPE OF MENTAL ILLNESS THAT THEY EVEN REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEMSELVES.
SO THIS IS A GOAL, THIS IS A HUMANITARIAN EFFORT, THIS IS AN EFFORT TO HELP PEOPLE EVEN WHEN THEY DON'T WANT THE HELP UNDERSTOOD.
SO JUST IN A PRACTICAL SENSE, IF Y'ALL INTERACT WITH SOMEONE ON THE STREET THAT'S LIKE, I DON'T WANNA GO MM-HMM
NO, Y'ALL WILL, I KNOW Y'ALL WILL USE, YOU KNOW, TRY TO EXPLAIN TO THEM IT'S NOT LIKE RIGHT, LIKE THE ONE NIGHT BED SITUATION.
UM, IF THEY STILL ARE REFUSING, ARE THEY JUST KIND OF LEFT THERE? OR IS THERE, IS THAT WHEN THE FORM KIND OF COMES IN WHERE THEY ARE TAKEN TO A MEDICAL PROVIDER AND THE FORM, LIKE, UH, MR. SANDERS MENTIONED?
[02:10:01]
WELL, I MEAN, FOR THOSE THAT ARE SEVERELY MENTALLY ILL, AS WE DESCRIBED, AND WE HAD THE, THE ONE INDIVIDUAL THAT WAS DESCRIBED EARLIER, THEN THAT MIGHT BE THE, A COURSE FOR THAT PERSON.GENERALLY SPEAKING THOUGH, IF THEY'RE NOT ONE OF THOSE, BUT THEY'RE STILL, UH, IN, THEY'RE STILL OUT THERE AND THEY'RE REFUSING, IT'S NOT BEING THERE, THAT IS AGAINST, UH, THE, THE LAW, THE ORDINANCE OR ANYTHING ELSE.
IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT THE PERSON, IT'S THE BEHAVIOR.
CURRENTLY, WE DON'T ALLOW LYING DURING THE HOURS OF 7:00 AM AND 11:00 PM IN CIVILITY ZONES.
THERE'S 12 OF 'EM IN THE CITY WHERE YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO LIE DOWN, SIT DOWN OR DROP A BUNCH OF PROPERTY ON YOUR, ON THE SIDEWALKS PUBLIC SPACE, UH, DURING THOSE HOURS.
AND SO, AND, AND OF COURSE WE ARE GONNA BE COMING TO YOU ALL AND, UH, TO ASK FOR AN EXTENSION BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN DO THAT AT 11:00 PM AND IT'S HARD TO BREAK THE CYCLE WHEN PEOPLE KNOW THAT 11:00 PM I CAN JUST DO WHATEVER I WANT.
WE WANT TO GET THEM OFF THE STREET, BUT WE'RE NOT MOVING PEOPLE, WE'RE NOT DOING ANY OF THOSE THINGS.
IF THEY'RE ON A PUBLIC SIDEWALK, THEY'RE ALLOWED TO BE ON PUBLIC SIDEWALK.
IF YOU'RE WALKING UP AND DOWN THE SIDEWALK STANDING, THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT.
IT'S THE BEHAVIORS THAT ARE AGAINST THE ORDINANCE, AGAINST THE LAW THAT WE ARE ENFORCING.
SOME STILL WILL SAY, WELL, THIS IS WHAT I WANT TO DO.
WE'LL SAY, IF YOU CAN'T DO IT HERE, AND THEY DO DISPLACE TO OTHER AREAS, WE WILL GET THERE TOO.
'CAUSE THE GOAL IS TO GO THROUGHOUT THE CITY, THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
WE REALLY WANT TO GET THEM TO A BETTER PLACE.
AND I WOULD ADD THAT, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF ENGAGEMENT THAT IS IMPORTANT IN THIS PROCESS TOO.
UM, YOU MIGHT ENCOUNTER AN INDIVIDUAL WHO MAY NOT BE WILLING TO GET SERVICES AT FIRST, BUT UM, WHEN YOU HAVE A LITTLE TIME WITH THEM, WE CALL IT, UM, MICRO ENGAGEMENTS, YOU'RE ABLE TO, UH, BUILD A RAPPORT AND BUILD TRUST, AND THEN THE INDIVIDUAL MIGHT AGREE TO COME INTO SERVICES.
AND WE'RE SEEING THAT A LOT AT OUR, UM, JAIL DIVERSION FACILITY.
IT MAY TAKE MORE THAN ONE TIME, MAY TAKE FIVE OR SIX TIMES, BUT WHEN YOU LOOK BACK AT THAT PERSON'S HISTORY AND THEY HAVE, UM, 20, 30, 40 ARRESTS IN THE PAST THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS, THIS IS A WIN, UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE VOLUNTARILY COMING IN FOR SERVICES.
UM, YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE HAVE, UM, THEY DON'T REALLY, THEY DON'T UNDER, BECAUSE OF THEIR, THEIR UNTREATED MENTAL ILLNESS, THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO UNDERSTAND, UM, THE, THE GOOD, THE PROS AND THE CONS OF TREATMENT.
AND THEY'RE NOT, THEY DON'T HAVE INSIGHT INTO THE NATURE OF THEIR MENTAL ILLNESS.
AND THAT IS THE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE VERY, UM, DIFFICULT TO SERVE POPULATION.
BUT WE HAVE PROGRAMS WHERE, UM, IF THEY'VE, UH, GONE INPATIENT, UM, THEY'RE ABLE TO COME TO OUR HOSPITAL TO HOME PROGRAM, WHICH IS A, A 6, 6 9 MONTH PROGRAM WHERE THE INDIVIDUAL CAN BE REHABILITATED AND EVERYONE IN THAT PROGRAM, UM, DOES NOT HAVE A HOUSING STABILITY.
SO WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT BRIDGE FOR, UM, THEM TO RETURN TO SOME, YOU KNOW, STABILITY AND, UM, AND THEN GET THE SERVICES THEY NEED TO BE MORE STABLE AND MORE SUCCESSFUL WHEN THEY EVENTUALLY MOVE TO THE COMMUNITY.
UM, SORRY, JUST A COUPLE MORE QUESTIONS.
I'M HAPPY TO GO BACK IN QUEUE IF THERE'S OTHERS.
UM, SO UNDER SB 1164, SO I UNDERSTAND MR. SANDERS LAID OUT A BIT MORE OF LIKE, THEY GO TO A MEDICAL PROVIDER AND THEN IT'S SENT, TAKEN TO A MAGISTRATE.
UM, IS THE PERSON THAT IS BEING LIKE, IS THAT, UH, UNHOUSED INDIVIDUAL, ARE THEY GIVEN LEGAL REPRESENTATION AT THAT HEARING? THAT IS SOMETHING I'LL HAVE TO FOLLOW UP ON BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING BEFORE TO MAGISTRATE ON A HEALTH, UH, ISSUE.
SO, UM, IT IT'S MORE ABOUT THEIR, THEIR HEALTH AND THEIR WELFARE, SO RIGHT.
THEY DO, THEY ARE REPRESENTED, BUT I AM RELUCTANT TO SAY LIKE, UH, THAT THEY HAVE AN ATTORNEY REPRESENTING THEM IN THAT SPACE.
UM, AND WHAT SAFEGUARDS ARE IN PLACE, AND I THINK THAT, UH, CHAIR, CO-CHAIR, UH, THOMAS GOT AT THIS EARLIER, WHAT SAFEGUARDS ARE IN PLACE THAT WOULD ENSURE AN INDIVIDUAL ISN'T UNNECESSARILY, LIKE THEIR SITUATION ISN'T BROUGHT BEFORE A COURT OR FACING THIS KIND OF DETERMINATION? I THINK IT'S JUST, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S AS, UM, UM, JOSH SANDERS DESCRIBED AS I DESCRIBED.
BASICALLY, THERE IS A LONG, LENGTHY PROCESS AND, AND REVIEWS, UM, ACHIEVING THIS WAS, IS, WAS MONUMENTAL IN THAT AND BEFORE IT WAS MORE LIKELY NOT.
SO YOU CAN, AS YOU CAN BE SURE THAT THERE WILL BE LOTS OF SCRUTINY ON EACH INDIVIDUAL AND THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT WE MIGHT BRING FORWARD, OR ANY LAW ENFORCEMENT OR ANY MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL.
AGAIN, IT'S GOING TO BE IN CONSULTATION AND IT IS NOT, IT'S NOT THE LAW
[02:15:01]
ENFORCEMENT ON THE STREET THAT'S MAKING THIS DECISION.THEY, THEY MAY, THEY MAY HAVE TO DETAIN SOMEBODY AND BRING THEM FORTH, BUT THEN IT IS GONNA BE THE MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS AND THE JUDGES AND ALL OF THOSE SYSTEMS IN PLACE THAT WILL TAKE OVER AND MAKE THOSE DECISIONS.
AND DO YOU WANT TO ADD TO THAT? NO, I THINK THAT, I THINK THAT COVERS IT.
UH, THE MO THE, THE, THE MOST OBVIOUS SAFEGUARDS ARE THE FIRST, UM, AND WHEN THEY'RE EVALUATED BY THE MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL MM-HMM
AND, AND THEN, AND THEN SECONDLY THE COURT.
UH, HOW ARE WE GOING TO MITIGATE INDIVIDUALS BEING, AS IT DESCRIBED, AS PUSHED OUT OF DOWNTOWN AND MIDTOWN AND INTO OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS, WHICH WE'RE ALREADY STARTING TO SEE? I KNOW YOU MENTIONED THE CIVILITY ORDINANCE IN CERTAIN AREAS, BUT IN GENERAL, YOU KNOW MM-HMM
WITHOUT THOSE, HOW ARE WE GOING TO MITIGATE THAT, THAT WE'RE SEEING? WELL, WE'RE WORKING FEVERISHLY AND WE'RE HOPING, WE'RE HOPING THAT, UH, YOU ALL, AS THE BODY WE COME TO, WILL BE ABLE TO HELP US ACHIEVE THE FUNDS WE NEED BECAUSE IT IS A FUNDING ISSUE.
WE CAN'T DO THE WHOLE CITY AT ONCE.
WE CERTAINLY CAN'T DO THE CITY AND THE COUNTY ALL AT ONCE.
WE NEED MORE RESOURCES, WE NEED MORE BEDS.
AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE LOTS OF OUTREACH, LOTS OF NONPROFITS OUT THERE THAT HAVE RESIDENTIAL, ALL OF THEM ARE FULL.
WE PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, WE WILL BE COMING TO YOU AS A PART OF SUPER HUB PLAN TO INCREASE BED SPACE, UH, ACROSS THE CITY, UH, BECAUSE THEY NEED IT AND THEY'RE NOT READY FOR HOUSING YET.
UH, THEY WOULD NOT EVEN THRIVE IF YOU PUT THEM IN AN APARTMENT RIGHT NOW WITH A LEASE AND A KEY, AND THAT, THAT WOULD NOT WORK.
THEY NEED THAT TYPE OF TRANSITIONAL HELP, THAT, THAT CARE, INTENSE CARE AND, AND OF COURSE, WHICH IS GONNA BE A BRIDGE TO PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING OR REUNITING WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND EVERYTHING SO THEY CAN SUCCESSFULLY ACHIEVE THAT.
SO YES, THERE IS SOME, WE ARE WITNESSING PROBABLY SOME DISPLACEMENT SIMPLY BECAUSE WE'RE SAYING YOU CAN'T DO THAT HERE.
BUT THE MESSAGING IS GOING TO BE AS WE RECEIVE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES, UH, MORE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, MORE NON-PROFITS, MORE EVERYTHING WILL COME ON BOARD AS WE VENTURE OUT INTO MIDTOWN, INTO NORTH SIDE, INTO THE HEIGHTS, OR GOING NORTH OR GOING SOUTH DOWN TO SOUTHWEST, DOWN ON POST OPEN ORUM, WHICH IS A HUGE CHALLENGE DOWN THERE.
AS WE GET THERE, AS WE HAVE RESOURCES TO DO THAT AND OTHER AGENCIES ARE PARTNERING WITH US, UH, WE WILL START ADDRESSING IT.
THAT THE IDEA HERE IS TO ERADICATE STREET HOMELESSNESS, MEANING EVERYBODY GETS TO SLEEP IN A BED.
THANK Y'ALL AGAIN SO MUCH FOR ANSWERING MY QUESTIONS AND FOR THE PRESENTATION.
JUST WANTED TO MENTION ONE MORE THING.
SO WHEN WE GO TO ANY OF THESE AREAS, WE HAVE A 60 TO 80% CHANCE OF PEOPLE TAKING AND ACCEPTING HOUSING, WHICH IS THE RESOURCE PIECE OF THAT.
AND THAT BECOMES REALLY IMPORTANT.
THE SUSTAINABLE FUNDING, BEING FLEXIBLE AND HAVING A QUICK POT PROCESS THROUGH GETTING TO THOSE AGENCIES BECOMES VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.
BECAUSE IF YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO WAIT THREE MONTHS TO GET A CONTRACT, UM, OUT THE DOOR, THAT MEANS THAT THAT AGENCY HAS TO EITHER STAFF DOWN OR STAFF UP IN RELATION TO THAT TIMING, AS WELL AS BEING SURE THEY HAVE ENOUGH RESOURCES ON THEIR OWN TO BE ABLE TO CARRY THAT CONTRACT.
THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT ALL OF THOSE DUE PROCESSES ARE NOT IMPORTANT IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE THAT IT'S, YOU KNOW, MONEY'S WELL SPENT IN DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT THAT'S WHY YOU WANT THE FLEXIBLE AND SUSTAINABLE FUNDING AND NOT JUST ALWAYS COUNTING ON GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS TO DO THE WORK BECAUSE IT, IT PUTS ALL OF THOSE DOLLARS INTO A PROCESS THAT CAN TAKE 90 TO, YOU KNOW, 90 DAYS TO SIX MONTHS.
WHEREAS IF IT'S MORE FLUID AND IT MOVING THROUGH AT A QUICKER PACE, YOU COULD DO 30 TO 60 DAYS ON SOME OF THOSE CONTRACTS.
AND SO, I, I WANNA SAY THAT BECAUSE PART OF THE BOTTLENECK WHEN BOTTLENECK, WHEN YOU GET THE FUNDING IS THE TYPE OF FUNDING YOU GET.
SO THE MORE FLEXIBLE THOSE DOLLARS ARE AND THE MORE UNTETHERED THEY ARE, THEY STILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE SAME TYPES OF REQUIREMENTS.
WE STILL DO THE SAME TYPES OF COMPLIANCE, WE CAN DO ALL THE SAME THINGS, BUT THE PROCESS AND THE METHODOLOGY OF HOW TO USE THOSE DOLLARS BECOME KEY TO BEING ABLE TO MOVE QUICKLY, UM, TO GET THROUGH THE ENTIRE CITY AND NOT HAVE TO JUST PLOT ALONG A LITTLE BIT.
SORRY, I JUST WANTED TO THROW THAT IN.
AND JUST TO, UM, PASS THIS ALONG, I HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO READ WHAT THE CODE CURRENTLY SAYS.
UH, I BELIEVE THERE ARE SOME DUE PROCESS, UH, PROCEDURES IN PLACE, BUT, UH, THE STATUTE IN QUESTION IS IN THE HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE, AND IT IS SECTION 5 73 0.001.
IF ANYBODY WANTS TO GO LOOK AT THAT HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE SECTION 5 73 0.001.
AND DIRECTOR, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND COMING BACK UP.
[02:20:03]
I, I DON'T SEE ANYONE ELSE IN THE QUEUE.UH, ONE, ONE CRITICAL PIECE OF THIS, UM, IS PHILANTHROPY.
AND YOUR SLIDE PRESENTATION, UH, SHOWED THAT THAT IS, UH, STILL, STILL TO BE WORKED ON.
UH, CAN YOU TELL US WHERE WE ARE ON, ON THAT? GETTING, UH, PHILANTHROPIC ORGANIZATIONS TO HELP FUND US? THE, THE MAJOR IN THE MAJOR FOUNDATIONS ARE VERY INTERESTED IN THIS PROGRAM.
UH, THEY'RE VERY INTERESTED IN MAKING SURE THAT SEVERAL THINGS HAPPEN.
UM, AND THEY'LL, AND THEY HAVE TO DO WITH ALL OF US HERE.
UH, FIRST THING IS THAT THE CITY AND THE COUNTY WILL CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER TO BRAID THEIR FUNDING.
THE SECOND THING IS THAT THERE IS A ROAD TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE FUNDING, EVEN IF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, UM, STEPS AWAY, UH, FROM, UM, FUNDING SERVICES FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
AND THOSE ARE TWO MAJOR ISSUES THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO WORK ON.
AND SO THEY'RE IN DISCUSSIONS RIGHT NOW.
AGAIN, IT'S A THREE PARTY DISCUSSION BETWEEN THE COUNTY, THE CITY AND PHILANTHROPY.
BUT I AM VERY OPTIMISTIC IN THAT.
UM, I WOULD SAY THE OTHER SIDE, THERE'S ANOTHER GROUP OF PHILANTHROPISTS AND CORPORATE ENTITIES THAT ARE INTERESTED IN FUNDING A, UH, THE HUBS, THE FACILITIES THAT WILL BE THE, AND THE, AND THE HUBS FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE THE BEST FRONT DOOR WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS TO COME TO AND BE OFF THE STREET.
SO THERE IS INTEREST IN THAT AT THE SAME TIME.
SO THERE'S REALLY TWO DIFFERENT GROUPS OF PHILANTHROPISTS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN SUPPORTING WHAT WE'RE DOING.
UM, I WISH I CAN'T GIVE YOU ANY FURTHER DETAILS, BUT I WILL SAY THE DISCUSSIONS ARE VERY INTENSIVE AND THEY'RE ONGOING AT THIS POINT.
DID YOU, WAS THERE ANY, ANYTHING ELSE IN THE PRESENTATION YOU WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT FOR I WANNA THANK THIS BOTH COMMITTEES FOR THE TIME THEY SPENT TODAY.
IT IS IMPORTANT AND I THINK IT HAS TO BE AN ONGOING DISCUSSION.
AND, UM, IT'S THE, THE MAYOR AND HIS STAFF RECOGNIZE HOW IMPORTANT HOUSING IS TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AS WELL AS, UH, ENDING STREET HOMELESSNESS IS TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THERE ARE CHANGES THAT NEED TO BE MADE AND WE'RE MOVING FORWARD TOGETHER, BUT WE DEEPLY APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS THAT ALL OF YOU HAVE MADE TODAY.
WE HAVE, UM, VICE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE, UH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER PECK, THANK YOU CHAIR.
AND THANK YOU, UM, FOR THE PRESENTATION AND TO EVERYONE FOR ALL OF THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING ON THIS.
THIS IS REALLY, UM, I MEAN IT'S JUST A REALLY BIG PROJECT, BUT SO NEEDED WHEN WE'RE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHAT WE HEAR ABOUT A LOT IS, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO, UM, FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE OUT ON THE STREETS? AND I MEAN, THIS IS A REALLY BIG CHANGE AND A LOT OF WORK HAS GONE INTO THIS AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU.
AND IT'S CLEAR TO ME AGAIN THAT, THAT HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS, UH, AFTER PUBLIC SAFETY ARE THE TOP PRIORITIES.
SO IT'S A, UH, WE'RE MOVING FORWARD.
I WISH, I WISH THE FUNDING WAS MORE STREAMLINED AND IT WASN'T SO COMPLEX.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER PECK.
AND, AND I WANT TO THANK MY STAFF AND OUR COLLABORATIVE PARTNERS WHO BELIEVE ME WE COULDN'T DO ANYTHING WITHOUT AND DEEPLY APPRECIATIVE TO ALL OF THEM.
UH, CHIEF SATTER, WHITE AND CEO YOUNG FOR BEING HERE.
AND FOR, UH, AMANDA WITH THE HARRIS CENTER FOR ALL THE WORK THAT ALL OF YOU ARE DOING, THIS CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATION PORTION OF THE PROGRAM.
WE DO HAVE, UM, PUBLIC COMMENT AND I WOULD INVITE, UH, DOMINIC MAZO TO COME ON UP.
NOW MAZA, YOU CAN COUNT THE, UH, COUNT THE TIME.
IN FACT, I RODE THE 96 TO THE RED LINE AND WALKED OVER HERE THIS TO THIS AFTERNOON.
AND I THINK, UH, ONE THING THAT THE HOMELESS AND THE PANHANDLING SITUATION IS AFFECTING GREATLY IS METRO CUSTOMERS.
IT SEEMS LIKE, UH, THEY ARE, THIS UNFORTUNATE GROUP IS GATHERING ALONG, PARTICULARLY NEAR THE RED LINE,
[02:25:01]
UH, OUT TOWARD, UH, MARIO'S AREA IN MY AREA.AND I HATE TO SAY THIS, BUT A LOT OF OUR CUSTOMERS THAT METRO HAS ARE NOT THE, NOT THE UPPER CRUST OF OUR COMMUNITY.
THEY ARE, SOME OF THEM ARE BASICALLY GETTING BY AND MAYBE A LITTLE BIT, SOME UNFORTUNATELY ARE RIGHT ABOVE THE LEVEL OF THE PEOPLE.
THIS GROUP TODAY IS ALSO TRYING TO HELP.
ALSO TOO, I THINK ON A MEETING LIKE THIS, THERE SHOULD BE SOMEBODY FROM METRO HERE, EITHER IN PERSON OR ONLINE.
THERE'S A REASON WHY JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE GETTING HOUSING, THESE ARE NOT MONASTERIES, THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE ENCLOSED.
THESE PEOPLE HAVE TO GET IN AND OUT TO GET TO THE DOCTOR TO GET TO TRAINING, TO GET TO A JOB AND SO ON.
AND I THINK WHERE WE DO NEED, NEED, UH, ALSO TOO, WHEN PLANNING FOR HOUSING, LOOK ON A MAP TO SEE WHERE THE METRO ROOTS RUN.
ALSO TOO, THERE'S GONNA BE NEW HOUSING NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF YALE CROSS TIMBERS AND NORTH MAIN WHERE, YOU KNOW, LIKE THERE'S FOUR BUS ROUTES THAT COME THROUGH THERE, WORK WITH METRO, MAYBE THEY NEED TO HAVE A MINI TRANSIT CENTER THERE TO, TO HELP THE PEOPLE TRANSFER FROM THIS BUS AND INTO THAT HOUSING.
LASTLY, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE ARCHDIOCESE OF GALVESTON HOUSTON.
AND MY THING IS, UH, GREAT, THAT'S, THAT'S PART OF THE, A POSTULATE OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH.
I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT.
WHAT I DO HAVE A PROBLEM IS, IS WHAT ABOUT OTHER COMMUNITIES OF FAITH? OTHER, AND I DON'T CARE IF THEY'RE, UH, CHRISTIAN OR NOT.
UH, A LOT OF CHRISTIAN, A LOT OF RELIGIONS HAVE AN OUTREACH AND I THINK MAYBE THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING TO, TO BEND IN TO GET INTO.
AND MAYBE THEY HAVE PEOPLE IN THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES THAT NEED HELP AND MAYBE THERE CAN BE SOME COLLABORATION.
I THINK THAT WORD, UH, MAYOR, I THINK THAT'S GONNA BE THE, THE, THE TERM THAT MAYOR MEYER WILL BE, UH, ASSOCIATED WITH.
BUT WE NEED COLLABORATION WITH, WITH OTHER FAITH GROUPS AND MAYBE THEY GOT CONNECTIONS.
AND WITH THAT, I HAVE NO OTHER COMMENTS EXCEPT FOR THE FACT THAT, UH, THE NEW CHIEF AT TN BAND AT METRO, I HAD BEEN COLLABORATING WITH HIM.
I SEE A PROBLEM AND THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT HE'S DOING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEMS ON METRO.
ALSO TO THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN METRO NOW AND HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT.
FOR INSTANCE, NORTHLINE TRANSIT CENTER, YOU GO OFF TO 96 AND TO GET TO THE PLATFORM ON THE RAIL, YOU ACTUALLY GO THROUGH FOUR DIFFERENT JURISDICTIONS AND A HUNDRED FEET.
THERE NEEDS TO BE CORROBORATION WITH THAT.
AND UH, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE SIGNED UP TO OFFER PUBLIC COMMENT OR ANYONE ELSE WHO HAS NOT SIGNED UP BUT WOULD LIKE TO OFFER PUBLIC COMMENT? ALL RIGHT.
SEEING NO ONE, WE WILL GO AHEAD THEN AND ADJOURN.
UH, TIME IS NOW 4 29 AND, UH, WE WILL SEE YOU ALL IN A FEW WEEKS.