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I WANNA WELCOME EVERYBODY TO, UH, THIS MONTH'S QUALITY OF LIFE COMMITTEE MEETING.WE WILL BE JOINED, I UNDERSTAND, UH, VIRTUALLY BY OUR VICE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE, VICE MAYOR PRO TEM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER AMY PECK.
WE ARE JOINED IN THE CHAMBERS WELL AS WELL BY, WE'RE JOINED IN PERSON, UH, BY COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIE DAVIS.
WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE STAFF OF COUNCIL MEMBER TIFFANY THOMAS, COUNCIL MEMBER MARY ANNE HUFFMAN, COUNCIL MEMBER MARIO CASTILLO.
COUNCIL MEMBER MAYOR PRO TEM MARTHA CASTEX.
TATUM, COUNCIL MEMBER TWILA CARTER.
COUNCIL MEMBER ALEJANDRA SALINAS, COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN.
AND WE ALSO HAVE STAFF FROM MY OFFICE, UH, WORKING TO PRODUCE THIS MEETING AND STAFF FROM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER PECK'S OFFICE AS WELL.
SO WE HAVE A FEW ITEMS ON THE AGENDA THIS AFTERNOON.
WE'RE PLEASED TO HAVE WITH US, UM, OUR DIRECTOR OF OUR HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, UH, MIKE NICHOLS, ALONG WITH, UM, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, MELODY BARR, AND SOME REPRESENTATIVES OF HARRIS HEALTH AS WELL.
SO, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED, UH, WITH THE AGENDA BY HEARING FROM A DIRECTOR, UM, NICHOLS AND ASSISTANT DIRECTOR BARR, Y'ALL CAN TAKE IT AWAY.
START OFF WITH MELODY BARR'S PRESENTATION ABOUT UPCOMING ORDINANCES THAT ARE COMING THROUGH COUNCIL AND THAT ARE IMPORTANT FOR THIS COMMITTEE TO HEAR.
GOOD AFTERNOON FOR ITEM TWO A.
THE DEPARTMENT IS PRESENTING BEFORE THIS COMMITTEE A RECOMMENDATION FOR COUNCIL APPROVAL AND ORDINANCE THAT OPERATE, THAT AUTHORIZES A CONTRACT BETWEEN THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS, COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS T-D-H-C-A AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
WHEREAS THE CITY OF HOUSTON WILL ACCEPT AN AWARD OF HOMELESS HOUSING SERVICES PROGRAM, HHSP FUNDS FOR BOTH THE GENERAL SETASIDE AND THE YOUTH SETASIDE FUNDS.
THIS ORDINANCE WILL AUTHORIZE THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR TO REPRESENT THE CITY FOR THE HHSP AWARD AND PROVIDE SIGNATURE AUTHORITY TO EXECUTE THE CONTRACT AND AUTHORIZE AMENDMENT CHANGES.
THE FISCAL YEAR 2027 HHSP AWARD AMOUNT CONSISTS OF A GENERAL ALLOCATION IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,280,055, AND AN ADDITIONAL SET ASIDE AMOUNT OF $409,258 TO ADDRESS YOUTH HOMELESSNESS FOR A TOTAL AWARD AMOUNT OF $1,689,313 PER T-D-H-C-A.
THE GENERAL SET ASIDE FUNDS MUST BE USED BY THE CITY ON ACTIVITIES ELIMINATING AND OR PREVENTING HOMELESSNESS.
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 AND OTHER HOMELESSNESS RELATED ACTIVITIES AS APPROVED BY THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS.
THE YOUTH SET ASIDE FUNDING MUST BE USED ON ACTIVITIES ELIMINATING AND OR PREVENTING HOMELESSNESS IN YOUTH HEADED HOUSEHOLDS.
SPECIFIC ALLOWABLE ACTIVITIES INCLUDE ESSENTIAL SERVICES, STREET OUTREACH, AND TRANSITIONAL LIVING FOR PERSONS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND YOUTH HEADED HOUSEHOLDS.
PROVISION OF DIRECT SERVICES AND CASE MANAGEMENT TO PERSONS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN YOUTH HEADED HOUSEHOLDS OR HOMELESSNESS RELATED ACTIVITIES.
AS APPROVED BY T-D-H-C-A, THE YOUTH SET ASIDE IS RESTRICTED TO SERVING INDIVIDUALS AGES 18 TO 24 YEARS.
THE STATE PROVIDES HHSP FUNDING TO NINE LARGEST CITIES IN TEXAS IN SUPPORTIVE SERVICES TO HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES.
CITIES CURRENTLY SERVE THROUGH HHSP, INCLUDE ARLINGTON, AUSTIN, CORPUS CHRISTI, DALLAS, EL PASO, FORT WORTH, HOUSTON PLANO, AND SAN ANTONIO.
ORDINANCE IS ALLOCATING THE ACCEPTED HHSP FUNDS FOR USE BY LOCAL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS WILL BE PRESENTED TO CITY COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION WITHIN THE COMING MONTHS.
AND THAT CONCLUDES THAT PRESENTATION.
UH, OKAY, NOW WE'RE ON ITEM TWO B.
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B, OUR DEPARTMENT IS PRESENTING AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING A LEASE AGREEMENT WITH HARMONY HOUSING INCORPORATED FOR THE CITY-OWNED FACILITY LOCATED AT 29 0 3 JENSEN DRIVE.UNDER THIS AGREEMENT, HARMONY HOUSE WILL OPERATE A 24 7 SHELTER SERVING INDIVIDUALS CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS.
THIS SITE WILL FUNCTION AS A BRIDGE TO HOUSING WITH ONSITE PARTNERSHIPS, INCLUDING HARRIS HEALTH, WHO PROVIDES CLINICAL SERVICES AND HARRIS CENTER, WHO PROVIDES BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES, BOTH WHO ASSIST IN SUPPORTING PATHWAYS TO INTO STABLE HOUSING.
HARMONY HOUSE WAS SELECTED THROUGH A NOTICE OF FUNDING AVAILABILITY PROCESS.
THE LEASE TERM IS 36 MONTHS, BEGINNING AUGUST 1ST, 2026 THROUGH JULY 31ST, 2029.
HARMONY HOUSE HAS RECEIVED FUNDING FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON SINCE 2006 ON VARIOUS AGREEMENTS, AND IT SHOULD ALSO BE NOTED THAT HARMONY HOUSE IS THE CURRENT OPERATOR OF THE NAVIGATION CENTER.
AND WE CAN ACTUALLY GO ON TO ITEM TWO C.
ITEM TWO C, THE DEPARTMENT'S PRESENTING A SUB-RECIPIENT AGREEMENT WITH HARMONY HOUSE IN AN AMOUNT UP TO $10,467,337, UTILIZING BOTH COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT GRANT, DISASTER RECOVERY, 2024 FUNDS, OR DR 24, YOU'LL HEAR US COMMONLY REFERRED TO IT AS AND THE IN STREET HOMELESSNESS FUNDS.
THESE FUNDS WILL SUPPORT THE ADMINISTRATION AND OPERATION AT THE CITY OWNED FACILITY LOCATED AT 29 0 3 JENSEN DRIVE, WHERE HARMONY HOUSE WILL OPERATE A 24 7 FACILITY FOR INDIVIDUALS CURRENTLY UNSHELTERED.
THE FACILITY WILL PROVIDE UP TO 100 BEDS AND IS EXPECTED TO SERVE A MINIMUM OF 150 INDIVIDUALS THIS YEAR.
ONSITE STAFF, ALONG WITH PARTNERS LIKE HARRIS HEALTH AND HARRIS CENTER, WILL WORK TO CONNECT INDIVIDUALS TO HOUSING AND THE SERVICES THEY NEED TO BECOME STABLY HOUSED AND NOT RETURNED TO HOMELESSNESS.
THIS FUNDING SUPPORTS FULL OPERATIONS OF THE SITE, WHICH INCLUDES STAFFING, CASE MANAGEMENT, MEALS, SECURITY, PET CARE AND MAINTENANCE, AND IS A PART OF THE MAYOR OF MAYOR WHITMEYER STRATEGY TO END STREET HOMELESSNESS, AS WELL AS A PART OF THE BROADER HOUSTON HARRIS COUNTY HOMELESS RESPONSE STRATEGY SERVICES OFFERED AT THIS LOCATION INCLUDE THE OPERATION OF THE FACILITY 24 HOURS A DAY, 365 DAYS A YEAR, INCLUDING DURING DECLARED EMERGENCIES AND DISASTER EVENTS, IMPLEMENTATION OF SECURITY PROTOCOLS THAT PRIORITIZE DEESCALATION AND CRISIS RESPONSE WHILE DEMONSTRATING THE ABILITY TO TRIAGE INDIVIDUALS WITH COMPLEX NEEDS TO APPROPRIATE LEVELS OF CARE EXCEPT REFERRALS FROM SYSTEM PARTNERS, SYSTEM PARTNERS, MEALS SERVICES THREE TIMES PER DAY, INCLUDING SNACKS AND BEVERAGES, IMPLEMENT DIVERSION, REHOUSING STRATEGIES, INCLUDING REUNIFICATION WHEN APPROPRIATE COMPLETE COORDINATED ENTRY ASSESSMENTS.
THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE SERVICES THAT WILL BE OFFERED AT THE FACILITY.
HARMONY HOUSE, AGAIN, WAS SELECTED THROUGH A NOFA PROCESS, AND THE AGREEMENT TERM IS 36 MONTHS, BEGINNING AUGUST, 2026 THROUGH JULY, 2029.
AND TODAY WE HAVE PRESTON WITT, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER HERE IN THE AUDIENCE.
AND THAT INCLUDES, THAT'S THE END OF MY, MY PRESENTATION.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE QUESTIONS IF THERE ARE ANY FROM THOSE PRESENT AT THE HORSESHOE THIS AFTERNOON ON THESE THREE ITEMS THAT YOU PRESENTED, BUT JUST GOING BACK OVER THEM, UH, THE FIRST ITEM IS MERELY TO ACCEPT MONEY FROM THE STATE, UH, TO HELP US WITH OUR, UH, HOMELESSNESS PROGRAM.
IS THAT RIGHT? THAT IS CORRECT.
AND, UM, THIS IS THE TYPE OF FUNDING THAT WE RECEIVE ON A, ON A REGULAR BASIS? ON A YEARLY BASIS, YES.
UM, WE RECEIVED THIS ANNUALLY.
I WILL SAY THAT WHEN WE FIRST RECEIVED THIS MONEY WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A ONE TIME ALLOCATION, AND THERE WAS SOME VERY STRONG, UM, PERSUADERS.
AND SO WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO RECEIVE THIS MONEY, I THINK OVER 10 YEARS THAT THAT'S GREAT.
AND WE APPRECIATE THE ADMINISTRATION IN THEIR EFFORTS TO CONTINUE GETTING THIS, UH, FUNDING FROM THE STATE.
AND SO THIS IS NOT ANY, UH, CITY REVENUE.
THIS IS MONEY THAT COMES FROM THE STATE.
IT'S, UH, AND IT'S ACTUALLY TEXAS GENERAL, UH, REVENUE.
AND THE SECOND ITEM, UH, IS A LEASE AGREEMENT, WHICH IS, UM, ESSENTIALLY A RENEWAL, IS IT NOT? NO.
SO THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THE HARMONY HOUSE WILL BE LEASING THE NAVIGATION CENTER FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
PRIOR TO THIS YEAR, THE COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS WAS THE LEASE HOLDER AND THEY CONTRACTED WITH HARMONY HOUSE FOR THE OPERATIONS.
AND THIS IS A THREE YEAR AGREEMENT, IS THAT RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT.
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A THREE YEAR, THERE IS AN OPTION WITHIN THE AGREEMENT TO EXTEND FOR AN ADDITIONAL TWO YEARS AT THE CITY'S REQUEST.IF WE WERE TO EXTEND, UM, THAT WOULD PROBABLY REQUIRE MORE MONEY AND WE WOULD HAVE TO COME BACK BEFORE THIS BODY TO DO THAT.
AND, UM, HOW MANY HOUSES PROVIDED SERVICES THERE FOR QUITE A WHILE, AS YOU MENTIONED, RIGHT? I BELIEVE FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS.
IS IT THREE YEARS? AND IN THAT FACILITY HAS BEEN THREE, FOUR YEARS.
AND THEN, UH, THE TEMPORARY, SO FOUR YEARS AT, AT, UM, THE JENSEN LOCATION PRIOR TO THE JENSEN LOCATION, THEY OPERATED A, A HOTEL WHERE THEY OFFERED SERVICES, AND THAT WAS TO BRIDGE THEM INTO THE FACILITY.
APPRECIATE THAT, THAT CLARIFICATION AND WHAT HARMONY HOUSE DOES TO HELP US WITH THE HOMELESSNESS, UH, ISSUE.
AND THEN THE THIRD, THE THIRD ITEM IS A SUBRECIPIENT AGREEMENT, UH, THAT DOES OUTLAY SOME FUNDS THAT THE CITY HAS.
AND, UM, SOME OF THOSE ARE COMING FROM THE DR 24 THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED RECENTLY.
DO YOU KNOW THE BREAKDOWN? UM, I DO KNOW THE BREAKDOWN.
BETWEEN THE, UH, A D 24 AND THE N STREET HOMELESSNESS FUND.
SO THE DR 24 FUNDS, IT COMES OUT TO OVER THE, OVER THE THREE YEAR PERIOD, $7.5 MILLION, AND THE FUND 2012 FUNDS COME OUT TO A LITTLE UNDER $3 MILLION.
AND THE END STREET HOMELESSNESS FUND COMES FROM WHERE? THAT COMES FROM A, A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT REVENUE SOURCES.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANNA SURE.
THAT COMES FROM ONE METRO HOUSTON FIRST, UH, PHILANTHROPY AND, UM, THERE IS SOME, THERE WILL BE SOME TURS MONIES THAT WILL GO IN THERE OVER TIME.
VARIETY OF, UM, SOURCES OF THAT FUNDING AS WELL.
AND, AND JUST CURIOUS TO KNOW, MELODY, UH, ON THE FIRST ITEM, SO THE AWARD FROM THE STATE, UH, WON 0.69 MILLION ROUGHLY AT THE CONCLUSION OF THAT, UH, IS THERE SOME, UH, SORT OF REPORTING THAT, THAT WE MIGHT HAVE ACCESS TO, TO SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE HELPED AND HOW THEY WERE HELPED AND SO FORTH? SURE.
SO WE CURRENTLY ARE, UM, CLOSING OUT OUR CURRENT AGREEMENT.
AND SO WE DO SUBMIT A FINAL REPORT TO THE STATE WITH ALL THAT INFORMATION.
WE'RE HAPPY TO SEND A COPY OF THAT TO YOU.
WE DO HAVE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIE DAVIS IN THE QUEUE.
UH, THANK YOU ALL FOR THE PRESENTATION QUESTION AT THE HARMONY HOUSE, WHAT IS THE CAPACITY RIGHT NOW? THE CAPACITY IS 100 BEDS.
AND, AND IS THAT, IS THAT, IS THAT ALSO AN ADDITIONAL, I MEAN, ARE THERE GOING TO BE EXPANDING WITH THAT FACILITY? IT'S JUST THAT'S THE MAX TO WHERE THEY ARE, RIGHT? CORRECT.
ALSO, SECOND QUESTION, UNDER THAT, UH, APPROPRIATION, IS THERE ANY, IS THERE ADDITIONAL, IF OTHER FACILITIES, AND I KNOW BROTHER DIRECTOR AND OTHERS THAT ARE LOOKING, UH, FOR OTHER FACILITIES, DOES THAT FALL IN THE LINE OF THAT SAME ALLOCATION? NO.
I I JUST, I JUST WANTED TO BE SURE, BECAUSE WE GET ASKED ALL OF THE, ALL THE TIME PEOPLE ARE ASKING QUESTIONS, SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE CLEAR.
ONE IS, WHEN WE MENTIONED HARMONY HOUSE, THEY ARE A MAJOR SUPPORT IN HELPING, UH, INDIVIDUALS WHO EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, PEOPLE, INDIVIDUALS COMING OUT OF PRISON, NUMBER OF THINGS.
THEY HAVE A, UH, WORKER'S DORM YEAH.
THAT THE CITY HELPED WITH FINANCING ON THAT.
AND IT'S REALLY AN EXCEPTIONAL PLACE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING AND WORKING THEMSELVES OUT OF HOMELESSNESS AND DESTITUTION.
UH, THEY'VE DONE A GREAT JOB WITH THAT AND THEY'VE DONE A GREAT JOB WITH THIS.
UM, THE, THE HOTEL THAT THEY WERE RUNNING WAS A VERY DIFFICULT SITUATION IN COUNCIL WOMEN'S PS DISTRICT, AND WE ENDED UP, IT WAS OKAY.
IT WAS OKAY BECAUSE THE WAY THEY DID IT, THEY DID A REALLY GREAT JOB.
THEY'VE GOT VERY EXPERIENCED PEOPLE.
THE SECOND PART IS THAT IF YOU LOOK AT THE AMOUNT OF DOLLARS THAT ARE SPENT AT HOME PER PERSON AT HARMONY HOUSE VERSUS THOSE AT FOUR 19 EMANCIPATION, IT IS LESS BECAUSE THERE'S LESS ACUITY, LESS SEVERE, UM, UM, ACUITY FOR THE CLIENTS AT HARMONY HOUSE.
THOSE CLIENTS ARE READY FOR HOUSING AND READY TO MOVE ON.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE BIG DISTINCTIONS.
AGAIN, HARRIS CENTER AND HARRIS HEALTH PROVIDES SERVICES THERE.
BUT NOT TO THE LEVEL THAT THEY PROVIDE SERVICES AT FOUR
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19 EMANCIPATION.THAT WAS GONNA BE MY QUESTION.
ALSO,
ARE THEY DOING THE SAME THAT HEALTH HARRIS HEALTH IS DOING AT EMANCIPATION? IT'S A DIFFERENT KIND OF PROGRAM.
IT'S SIMILAR, SO SIMILAR PROGRAM.
SO THE INDIVIDUALS IDEALLY AT FOUR 19 HAVE MORE NEEDS CORRECT.
THAN SOMEBODY WHO'S COMING TO THE NAVIGATION CENTER.
AND SO THERE'S NOT THE SAME LEVEL OF CARE, THE SAME LEVEL OF SERVICES.
UM, BUT WHEN, WHEN YOU'RE ABOUT READY TO GO ON TO YOUR NEXT, UM, HOUSING SITUATION, MANY TIMES FROM FOUR 19 IN THE LAST 30 DAYS, MANY TIMES FROM FOUR 19, YOU'RE THEN MOVED OVER TO THE NAVIGATION CENTER.
SO IF I COULD JUST FOLLOW UP ON THAT, UM, SERVICES TO THE HOMELESS ARE OFFERED IN BOTH FACILITIES, BUT, UM, THEY SERVE, THEY SERVE LARGELY DIFFERENT CLIENTS, UH, ALTHOUGH THEY DO HAVE THINGS IN COMMON.
I I WOULD SAY THEY SOMETIMES SERVE THE SAME CLIENTS AT DIFFERENT TIMES.
SO, YOU KNOW, AS SOMEBODY GETS, AS SOMEBODY GETS MORE STABLE, BUT THEY MAY NOT BE READY TO GO INTO HOUSING YET, BUT THEY HAVE LESS NEEDS, THEY WOULD PROBABLY THEN GO TO THE NAVIGATION CENTER.
SO THERE'S STILL HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS WHO DON'T HAVE A SECURE OR STABILIZED HOUSING PLAN YET, BUT THEY MAY NOT NEED THE INTENSIVE SERVICES THAT YOU WOULD GET AT FOUR 19.
AND WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT, UH, THE, UH, HUB ON EMANCIPATION HERE SHORTLY.
UH, MELODY, I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER, UH, QUESTIONS IN THE QUEUE.
SO ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. WITT? WHO'S THE CEO AT HARMONY HOUSE? COMMENTS? UH, I DON'T SEE ANY, BUT I DO WANT TO THANK YOU, UH, MR. WITT FOR EVERYTHING THAT, UM, HARMONY HOUSE HAS DONE TO HELP HELP THE CITY.
UH, MELANIE MENTIONED THAT THERE, THIS, THIS WAS A NOFA PROCESS, AND I THINK I ASKED LAST WEEK IN PREPARATION FOR THIS MEETING WHETHER THERE WERE ANY OTHER APPLICANTS FOR THIS, THIS PARTICULAR, YEAH, SO, SO WE HAD ONE APPLICATION, WHICH WAS HARMONY HOUSE.
BUT WHAT I WILL SAY IS THAT WE HAD, UM, AS PART OF OUR NOFA PROCESS, WE ALSO HAD AN INVITATION TO TOUR, UM, THE NAVIGATION CENTER BEFORE PUTTING THE, THE PROPOSAL TOGETHER.
AND WE HAD, I THINK IT WAS OVER 85 INDIVIDUALS THAT HAD RSVP FOR THE TOUR.
AND AT THAT POINT WE HAD TO GO AHEAD AND CANCEL THE TOUR BECAUSE THIS IS AN ACTIVE FACILITY.
SO, UM, NOT TO HARM THE RESIDENTS THERE, WE CANCELED THE TOUR AND SAID WE WOULD DO A TOUR AFTER APPLICATIONS WERE IN.
AND SO WE HAD A LOT OF INTEREST, BUT IT'S A VERY COMPLEX PROJECT THAT WE ONLY DID HAVE ONE, UM, APPLICANT APPLY.
AND THAT WAS HARMONY HOUSE? IT WAS HARMONY HOUSE, YES.
THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE AND, UM, SEEING NO OTHER QUESTIONS.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE TO OUR DIRECTOR'S REPORT.
UH, DIRECTOR NICHOLS, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU.
I'M GONNA ASK WAYNE YOUNG TO COME STAND WITH ME, IF YOU WILL.
WAYNE IS THE OUTGOING CEO AT HARRIS CENTER.
UM, AND WE'RE GLAD TO HAVE HIM HERE.
UH, THEY HAVE A NEW CEO IN KENA PACE MM-HMM
UM, BUT WE'RE GLAD TO HAVE WAYNE HERE FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
AND I'M LOOKING TO SEE IF CHIEF
HE'S IN ANOTHER MEETING THAT HE'S RUNNING ON A, UH, MAJOR DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, UM, GRANT THAT THEY'RE WORKING ON.
THAT LOOKED LIKE ABOUT 40 PEOPLE IN THAT MEETING WHEN I LEFT, SO I, I APPRECIATE THAT.
THERE'S A LOT GOING ON, BUT I TOO WANNA WELCOME, UM, DIRECTOR, UH, FOR, UH, DIRECTOR HARRIS FOR YOUR, UH, WORK, UH, THERE AT THE HARRIS CENTER.
UH, WE WORKED WITH YOU GUYS AND HAVE ALWAYS BEEN IMPRESSED BY, UH, THE PROFESSIONALISM AND, UH, THE SERVICE THAT, THAT THE HARRIS CENTER OFFERS.
AND, UH, SO WE WELCOME YOU AS WELL.
SORRY TO SEE YOU GO, BUT AS YOU WERE TELLING ME BEFORE WE STARTED, UH, YOU'RE LEAVING IT IN THE CAPABLE HANDS OF KEENA PACE.
WHAT YOU, I'D LIKE TO DO, IF, IF POSSIBLE, MR. CHAIRMAN IS JUST GO THROUGH THIS PRESENTATION AND THEN, UM, THERE ARE A FEW EXTRA QUESTIONS WE'LL TRY TO ANSWER AND I'M SURE, UM, WAYNE YOUNG WILL ADD TO THIS 'CAUSE IT'S, UH, VERY MUCH HIS, HIS RE HIS DREAM AND HIS VISION THAT IT'S DONE SO MUCH.
I HAVE A HARD COPY IN FRONT OF ME, BUT I SEE IT'S UP ON THE SCREENS.
AS WELL FOR THE AUDIENCE TO, TO FOLLOW ALONG AND, AND FOR THOSE PRESENT AT THE HORSESHOE AS WELL.
SO GO AHEAD AND PROCEED WHEN, WHEN YOU WANT.
UH, FORT 19 EMANCIPATION, UM, OFTEN CALLED THE
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SUPER HUB, WHICH I HATE THAT NAME.AND SO I USE THE LONG NAME, WHICH IS THE 222 BED RESIDENTIAL HOMELESSNESS RESOURCE CENTER.
UM, AND UH, ALTHOUGH THAT'S A LONG NAME, THAT'S A MUCH BETTER DESCRIPTION OF WHAT IT'S, UH, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF MAYOR WHITMEYER FOUR 19 IS A CRITICAL STEP IN STRENGTHENING THE CITY'S SERVICE DRIVEN RESPONSE SYSTEM TO STREET HOMELESSNESS AND CONNECTING INDIVIDUALS TO CARE STABILITY AND A CLEAR EXIT TO PATHWAYS OUT OF, OUT OF HOMELESSNESS.
AND AGAIN, THE KEY TO THIS THAT'S HELPED ME SO MUCH UNDERSTANDING WHAT WE DO THERE IS TRIAGE, TRANSITION, AND TREATMENT OF SUPPORTIVE PEOPLE, UH, INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
LEMME TELL YOU, THERE'S SOME KEY WORDS THERE.
ONE IS, UH, INDIVIDUALS, BECAUSE ALL THE FOLKS WHO ARE DEALING WITH HOMELESS HOMELESSNESS ARE DIFFERENT WITH DIFFERENT ISSUES AND DIFFERENT WAYS OF SOLUTIONS.
AND EVERY TIME WE DO A BROAD BRUSH OF THAT, IT'S A STEP TO FAILURE.
TRIAGE IS ALL ABOUT FINDING WHAT THEY NEED, FINDING WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THEM, ASSESSING THEM.
A LOT OF TIMES YOU'VE HEARD ASSESSMENTS IN THE PAST AND IT'S BEEN ABOUT HOUSING ASSESSMENT.
THESE ASSESSMENTS ARE PSYCHOLOGICAL, PHYSICAL, AND OTHER ITEMS THAT REALLY MAKE UP THE, UH, WHOLE PERSON WHO'S EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
TRANSITION IS WHAT HAPPENS NEXT.
AGAIN, SOME OF THE FOLKS, AS WE SAID, WE COULD GO TO THE NAVIGATION CENTER IF THEY'RE READY FOR HOUSING AND HAVE HOUSING AVAILABLE.
SOME MAY GO TO MORE, UM, UH, ACUTE FACILITIES LIKE 61 60 OR, UM, THE, UH, DUN CENTER.
AND AGAIN, THERE'LL BE TREATMENT THERE TOO, WHICH, UM, WAYNE YOUNG WILL, UH, MAKE DISCUSS IN A MINUTE MOMENT.
AGAIN, I'M JUST GONNA GO THROUGH THAT AND THEN WAYNE CAN COME BACK ABOUT ALL THE BASIC AND SERVICES.
AGAIN, SAFE TEMPORARY HOUSING IS THE FIRST STEP.
UM, THERE'LL BE INTENSIVE STABILIZATION SUPPORT, TRAUMA-INFORMED THERAPY.
ONGOING TREATMENT WILL BE THERE.
PEER AND RECOVERY SUPPORT, WHICH I KNOW WAYNE'S GONNA SPEAK TO.
LINKING TO COMMUNITIES, RESOURCES, CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES, SUBSTANCE USE SERVICES, ASSISTANCE, AND APPLICATION FOR SOCIAL SERVICES, CLOTHING, HEALTHY MEALS, EMPLOYMENT SUPPORT, PET CARE, MEDICATION MANAGEMENT, PSYCHIATRY AND PHYSICAL HAIR CARE.
THIS IS A BROAD RANGE OF SERVICES, BUT WHEN YOU GO THROUGH IT, IT MEETS THOSE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE COMING OFF THE STREET.
AND WAYNE, I'M GONNA LET YOU TALK WHILE AFTER I FINISH.
UM, FOUR 19 PURPOSE AND REPORTING CONTEXT.
AGAIN, THE PURPOSE, UM, OPERATED BY THE HARRIS CENTER, UH, IN EAST DOWNTOWN FOUR 19 IS THAT RESIDENTIAL CARE AND DIVERSION FACILITY DESIGNED TO PROVIDE IMMEDIATE COORDINATED SUPPORT FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
I KEEP SA SAYING IT, IT'S NOT A SHELTER, IT'S NOT A SER SUPER HUB.
IT IS A 222 BED RESIDENTIAL, UM, SUPPORT SERVICES FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
UM, WE HAD AN OPENING ON MAY 27TH, AND WHEN YOU SEE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON, IT WAS A QUICK OPENING.
UH, I TALKED TO MY DAUGHTER WHO CAME FROM SALT LAKE CITY, AND THEY'RE STILL THREE TO FIVE YEARS OUT FROM OPENING THEIR HOMELESS SERVICES CENTER.
UH, WE DID THIS VERY QUICKLY AND WE'RE STILL IN THE MIDDLE OF MAKING SOME THINGS RIGHT WHEN YOU GO INTO THE BUILDING, THE PLACE WHERE THE PETS WILL BE STILL HAS A HOLE IN THE FLOOR AS WE'RE FIXING THE FOUNDATION AND ALSO DOING SOME CLEANUP IN THERE.
THERE ARE OTHER ISSUES THAT ARE GOING ON, BUT WE WANT TO OPEN AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE AND GET RESIDENTS IN THERE.
WE ORIGINALLY THOUGHT WE'D GET 20 AND 30.
IT FILLED UP ALMOST IMMEDIATELY.
A TREMENDOUS NEED, TREMENDOUS DESIRE FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS TO BE THERE.
I'LL SAY THE DATA TODAY SHARE THAT WE SHARE TODAY IS REFLECTS VERY EARLY OPERATIONAL ACTIVITY, NOT LONG-TERM PERFORMANCE.
UH, THE OUTCOMES WILL BE ASSESSED OVER TIME AS THE OPERATION STABILIZES.
AND WE HAVE SYSTEM LEVEL PATTERNS EMERGE, AND WE'LL HAVE ALL THE NUMBERS.
CURRENTLY, THE NUMBERS, WE HAVE ABOUT 331 PEOPLE HAVE WALKED THROUGH THE DOORS
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OF THE CENTER AMONGST ALL OF THEM HAVE BEEN LAW ENFORCEMENT DROP-OFFS.AS WE DISCOURAGE WALK-INS UNTIL WE CAN GET THE FOCUS, HAVE SOME AS WE BEGIN MOVING PEOPLE OUT OF THE FACILITY, INTO OTHER AREAS, TO OTHER TRANSITIONS.
AND ALSO AS WE MAKE SURE THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD IMMEDIATELY SURROUNDING THIS FACILITY IS, UM, SUPPORTED.
AGAIN, ANIMALS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A BIG THING.
WE HAD THREE DOGS ADMITTED AND SHELTERED.
WE DID SHELTER THEM ELSEWHERE.
I THINK THEY WERE SHELTERED AT THE NAVIGATION CENTER AS WE GOT THE ROOMS, UH, APPROPRIATED.
IT TURNS OUT THAT IN THIS FIRST GROUP, UH, ANIMALS HAD NOT BEEN A MAJOR ISSUE.
WE DON'T KNOW OVER TIME WE SAW A LOT OF ANIMALS DURING THE FREEZES.
UM, BUT WE THINK THAT, UM, THAT THAT POPULATION WILL GROW AS THEIR MORE WALK-INS.
GUESTS HAVE FOUND TEMPORARY AND FULL-TIME EMPLOYMENT.
UH, SOME HAVE RECONNECTED WITH FAMILIES AND OTHERS IN THEIR PERSONAL NETWORK AFTER THEY GOT STABILIZED.
SOME HAVE TRANSITIONED TO OTHER SERVICE BASED BASED ON THEIR NEEDS.
AGAIN, IF SOMEBODY WAS LOOKING TO HAVE A, UH, PROGRAM OF SOBRIETY, THERE WERE GREAT FACILITIES FOR THEIR WOMEN AND CHILDREN.
SOME OF THEM GOT, UM, UH, TRANSITIONED TO SALVATION ARMY AND SOME GAINED INDIVIDUAL PERMANENT HOUSING.
I'M DISAPPOINTED TODAY THAT I DON'T HAVE THOSE NUMBERS FOR YOU.
WAYNE MAY HAVE SOME BETTER NUMBERS.
UM, AND AT THIS POINT I'LL TURN OVER WAYNE, THE NEXT SLIDE'S ABOUT REAL STORIES.
'CAUSE THEY CAME FROM YOUR GROUP.
I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE, AND WE ARE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE LAUNCH OF THIS PROGRAM AND ITS IMPACT THUS FAR.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE ARE, UM, A COUPLE OF, UM, INDIVIDUAL STORIES.
I WILL SAY SIX WEEKS IS WHERE WE ARE.
THAT'S THE POINT FROM WHEN WE ADMITTED THE VERY FIRST PERSON.
UM, AND, UM, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO GET DATA DRIVEN OUTCOMES IN A SIX WEEK PERIOD.
UM, WE CERTAINLY THINK THAT THE NUMBERS ARE IMPORTANT, UM, BUT AT THIS POINT, PROBABLY THE INDIVIDUAL STORIES ARE THE BEST REFLECTION OF THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON THERE.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'VE HAD EVERYTHING FROM PEOPLE WHO CAME IN, UM, KIND OF NEEDING BASIC SERVICES, BASIC SUPPORTS, UM, FOOTWEAR, CLOTHING THAT INTERNET ACCESS WHO, UM, NOW HAVE SECURED FULL-TIME EMPLOYMENT, UM, AND BEEN ABLE TO, UM, BEGIN THE PROCESS TOWARDS SELF-SUFFICIENCY, UM, AND ENDING HOMELESSNESS.
WE HAVE HAD, UM, INDIVIDUALS THAT WE INVOLVED OTHER SERVICE AGENCIES, ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES BEING ONE WHERE THERE WAS SOME REAL CONCERN ABOUT, UM, POTENTIAL ABUSE AND EXPLOITATION WITH THAT INDIVIDUAL.
UM, PARTNERED WITH THEM, ULTIMATELY DECIDED THAT THERE WAS A, A DIFFERENT FACILITY THAT WOULD BE A BETTER OPTION THAT COULD HANDLE THE MORE, UM, KIND OF LONG-TERM NATURE OF THE NEEDS OF THAT INDIVIDUAL.
UM, THEY WERE SUCCESSFULLY TRANSITIONED OUT INTO A PLACE THAT COULD PROVIDE THAT SUPPORTS.
UM, WE'VE HAD INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE TRANSITIONED WITHIN THE HARRIS CENTER SERVICES.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, IS GREAT IS THAT WE DO OPERATE, PARTICULARLY THOSE WITH MORE MENTAL HEALTH FOCUS CONCERNS.
UM, OTHER BEDS IN OUR COMMUNITY TODAY, WE OPERATE ABOUT 700 OF THOSE KINDS OF BEDS, DIFFERENT LEVELS IN ACUITY AND, UM, AND NEED BASE.
UM, SO SOME HAVE TRANSITIONED TO OTHER PLACES.
SOME HAVE, UM, STAYED THERE WHILE THEY WAITED.
ANOTHER GENTLEMAN, UM, WAS, UM, ABLE TO BE CONNECTED WITH THE VA.
THE VA HAVE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT COULD HELP HIM TRANSITION INTO A STABLE LIVING SITUATION.
UM, AND, AND ANOTHER PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE THAT THEY FUND.
AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO GET HIM THROUGH THAT VA CONNECTION INTO A DIFFERENT PLACEMENT.
WE HAVE, WE HAVE BEEN FULL NOW FOR A LITTLE WHILE.
UM, BUT THAT'S NOT A STATIC SITUATION.
WE CONTINUE TO TRY AND ASSESS INDIVIDUALS THAT CAN TRANSITION TO OTHER PROGRAMS. WE DON'T WANT TO DO IT AT THEIR EXPENSE.
WE DON'T WANNA DO IT TOO EARLY.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO MEET THEIR NEEDS.
UM, BUT I THINK WE ALL UNDERSTOOD FROM THE VERY BEGINNING THAT 222 BEDS WAS NOT GONNA MEET THE FULL COMMUNITY NEED.
UM, YOU KNOW, ON AT LEAST AN IMMEDIATE BASIS.
OVER TIME, IT CERTAINLY CAN SERVE MANY.
UM, I'LL POINT OUT THAT I THINK THE, UM, PROJECTED NUMBER SERVED WAS 750.
UM, AND SO WE IN SIX WEEKS HAVE IMPACTED ABOUT HALF THAT NUMBER THAT WAS EXPECTED TO BE SERVED OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR.
UM, AND ARE EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE.
WE WILL DO AN EXTERNAL EVALUATION OF THE PROGRAM.
I BELIEVE THAT DATA IS, IS HOW, UM, WE CAN PROVIDE INFORMATION TO DECISION MAKERS LIKE YOU TO DECIDE WHAT PROGRAMS SHOULD BE CONTINUED AND WHAT PROGRAMS MIGHT NOT BE MEETING THEIR INTENT.
UM, BUT IT DOES TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME.
I BELIEVE JAIL DIVERSION IS ONE OF THE FIRST INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS WE DID, AND IT TOOK ABOUT A YEAR FOR US TO PUBLISH THAT DATA AND OUTCOMES BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, SOMETHING THAT LOOKS LIKE A SUCCESS NEXT WEEK MIGHT NOT BE SO SUCCESSFUL.
AND SOMETHING THAT LOOKS LIKE IT WAS A TOUGH TRANSITION
[00:30:01]
MIGHT END UP BEING VERY SUCCESSFUL IN ANOTHER MONTH OR TWO.AND SO, UM, IT IS EARLY TO DRAW CONCLUSIONS ON WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
BUT, UM, WE'RE EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO, UM, PROVIDE THAT WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT FOR THAT.
THANK YOU, UH, FOR THAT INFORMATION.
AND JUST FOLLOWING UP ON SOME OF THE NUMBERS HERE, AND I DON'T HAVE A SLIDE NUMBER UNFORTUNATELY, BUT, UM, DIRECTOR NICHOLS IN, IN YOUR PART OF THE PRESENTATION, YOU MENTIONED, UM, A TOTAL OF 331 FOLKS HAVE BEEN ADMITTED A CAPACITY IS 222.
SO, DOING THE MATH, UH, ABOUT 109 FOLKS HAVE GONE THROUGH OR CAME IN, BUT ARE NO LONGER THERE.
UH, DO YOU, CAN YOU GIVE US A, AN IDEA OF WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THOSE 109 FOLKS? ANSWER? SURE.
SO, I MEAN, PART OF IT IS, UM, IT, IT DID HAPPEN VERY QUICKLY.
WE'RE STILL CLEANING UP A LITTLE BIT OF THE DATA.
UM, IT, IT, WE DO KNOW AT LEAST ANECDOTALLY THAT IT GOES ACROSS A BROAD RANGE FROM INDIVIDUALS WHO'VE SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT? THIS ISN'T WHAT I THOUGHT IT WAS.
THAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE FREE.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE AGENTS OF THEMSELVES AND THEY CAN LEAVE IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO.
UM, AND MANY OF THEM ARE, AS WE DESCRIBED HERE, TRANSITIONS TO OTHER PROGRAMS. UM, HARMONY HOUSE DOES AN EXCELLENT JOB AT NAVIGATION CENTER.
I'VE BEEN THERE, I'VE SEEN IT.
WE'VE WORKED CLOSELY WITH THEM.
UM, INDIVIDUALS TRANSITION THERE, INDIVIDUALS TRANSITION TO SOME OF OUR OTHER, UM, TRANSITIONAL HOUSING OPTIONS.
PEOPLE HAVE TRANSITIONED TO OTHER PROGRAMS WE OPERATE.
SO I DON'T HAVE A DATA WHERE I CAN SAY THIS NUMBER WENT HERE OR CATEGORIZED IN THAT WAY, BUT IT, IT REPRESENTS A BROAD RANGE OF OUTCOMES AND DISPOSITIONS FOR THOSE 109 THAT HAVE TRANSITIONED OUT.
I CAN IMAGINE THERE'S SOME DISAPPOINTMENT THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE DATA AT SIX WEEKS, BUT I WILL TELL YOU A DECISION WAS MADE AND I WILL TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT DECISION TO OPEN THIS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE KNOWING THAT THERE WERE GONNA BE THINGS THAT WERE GONNA NOT HAPPEN PERFECTLY.
UM, AND WHAT I'M EXCITED ABOUT IS THAT A NUMBER OF PEOPLE HAVE HANDLED OR ARE BEING HOUSED SAFELY.
WE'VE NOT HAD MAJOR INCIDENTS.
SO THAT'S, I ALWAYS THINK THAT WAS A GREAT, THEY JUST GREAT NEWS.
WE'VE GOT A STAFF THAT'S BEEN TRAINED AND ARE GETTING BETTER AND BETTER AT THEIR WORK EVERY DAY.
AND THE EXPECTATION IS THAT THIS DATA WILL BE FORTHCOMING.
WE JUST DON'T HAVE IT AT THIS EARLY DAY.
AND, UH, DOING THE MATH, IT'S ACTUALLY LESS THAN SIX WEEKS DIRECTOR.
SO,
I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW, BECAUSE AS YOU POINTED OUT, UH, ALMOST ALL OF THESE ARE LAW ENFORCEMENT, DROPOUTS, ALL THOSE SIX WALK-INS HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED.
IF SOMEBODY COMES TO THE FRONT DOOR AND, UM, UM, TRIES TO WALK IN, BUT, BUT RIGHT NOW YOU'RE AT CAPACITY, YOU DON'T HAVE ROOM.
WHAT ARE THEY TOLD? HOW, HOW IS THAT HANDLED? YEAH, SO, UM, FORTUNATELY I THINK MOST OF THE INDIVIDUALS, UM, HAVE, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE A COUPLE THAT WALKED UP.
WE ARE PRIORITIZING LAW ENFORCEMENT DROPOFFS.
PART OF THAT IS TO MAINTAIN THE COMMITMENT TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT THEY WOULD, UM, YOU KNOW, NOT DO ANYTHING DETRIMENTAL TO IT.
THAT WE WOULD TRY AND SERVE THOSE THAT ARE, UM, ALREADY, UM, EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN THEIR COMMUNITY AND, AND IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO THE FACILITY.
UM, WE WOULD TYPICALLY TALK WITH THEM ABOUT WHAT OTHER RESOURCES MIGHT BE AVAILABLE.
UM, WHILE WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THIS, AND THIS IS A LARGE INVESTMENT AND OPPORTUNITY, YOU KNOW, IT IS NEW AND WE HAVE BEEN SERVING INDIVIDUALS UNHOUSED IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR A LONG TIME.
SO WE TALK ABOUT OTHER SHELTER OPTIONS THAT ARE AVAILABLE.
WE TALK ABOUT OTHER, IF THEY'RE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH NEEDS, OTHER BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROGRAMMATIC OPTIONS THAT ARE AVAILABLE.
UM, OTHER PARTNERS IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO ARE SERVING THOSE WHO ARE UNHOUSED AND TRY AND GET THEM CONNECTED TO SOME SERVICE.
UM, IF, IF THEY SAY, NO, I DON'T WANT THAT.
IF I CAN'T BE HERE, THEN I WANT TO GO, THEN CERTAINLY WE'LL RESPECT THAT AND, AND THAT'S WHAT WILL HAPPEN.
BUT WE WILL DO OUR BEST TO TRY AND CONNECT THEM TO SOMETHING ELSE IN THE COMMUNITY IF THEY ARE WILLING AND ABLE.
AND IT, IT'S BEEN MENTIONED THAT SERVICE PROVIDERS DO COME INTO THE FACILITY AND ENGAGE WITH, UH, THE FOLKS WHO ARE STAYING THERE OR HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED.
UM, CAN YOU GIVE US AN IDEA, UH, MENTION SOME OF THE SERVICE PROVIDERS THAT, THAT, UH, DO COME IN AND ENGAGE WITH, UH, THE FOLKS WHO ARE THERE? YEAH, SO, UM, MANY OF THE ONES THAT YOU TYPICALLY HAVE SEEN, WE'VE HAD, UM, PARTNERSHIP ALREADY.
UM, THE SEARCH, I KNOW THAT THE NAVIGATION CENTER FOLKS HAVE BEEN THERE AT TIMES.
WE'VE TRIED TO FOCUS THE, AT LEAST THE EARLY PARTNERSHIPS ON THOSE FACILITIES THAT HAVE LOCATIONS THAT PEOPLE NEED TO TRANSITION TO ALLOWING THEM TO COME ON SITE AND DOING SOME OF THOSE, UM, ASSESSMENTS.
AND, AND FOR THEIR PROGRAM COMPONENT, THE PHYSICAL HEALTH PIECE, HARRIS HEALTH IS DELIVERING THE PHYSICAL HEALTH CARE SERVICES.
UM, THEY ARE BUILDING OUT A SPACE TO, UM, PROVIDE THE NORMAL CLINIC ENVIRONMENT THAT THEY DO, BUT THEY'RE GREAT PARTNERS AS AN INTERIM SOLUTION.
THEY LITERALLY PULL THEIR MOBILE CLINIC UP AND IT'S IN THE PARKING LOT.
SO, UM, IT'S, THEY GOTTA WALK OUTSIDE TO GET THERE.
[00:35:01]
ONSITE PHYSICAL HEALTH SERVICES THAT ARE THERE.UM, WE DO HAVE A LAW ENFORCEMENT PRESENCE THAT'S THERE.
WE APPRECIATE THE PARTNERSHIP OF HARRIS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
UM, THEY'RE PROVIDING ONSITE LAW ENFORCEMENT SUPPORT.
UM, WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE OTHER HPD AND, AND METRO AS WELL.
UM, HAVE SOME ONSITE OFFICERS WHO ARE, WHO ARE OFFING OR WILL BE OFFING OUT OF THERE.
UM, SO IT'S A BROAD RANGE, UM, OF SERVICE PROVIDERS AND, AND WE ARE ACTIVELY TRYING TO OUTREACH AND ENGAGE OTHERS.
WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IT'S NOT, WE DON'T CREATE KIND OF AN OVERWHELMING SITUATION WITH IT.
WE DO IT WITH SOME ORDER AND SEQUENCE TO IT.
AND SO SINCE WE MET LAST WEEK, UH, DIRECTOR NICHOLS, WE HAVE HAD A COUP A FEW QUESTIONS SUBMITTED FROM THE PUBLIC.
UH, AND, AND IF I CAN ASK A FEW OF THESE.
SO, UH, ONE PERSON HAS, HAS, UM, SAID, UM, THEY'VE SEEN AN INCREASE IN THE UNHOUSED POPULATION IN, IN EAST DOWNTOWN IDO, UH, SINCE, UH, BOTH THIS FACILITY OPENED AND SIMULTANEOUS WITH THE FAN FEST, UH, ASSOCIATED WITH THE WORLD CUP THAT'S BEEN GOING ON.
UM, ANY DATA ON THAT OR REACTION TO THAT? WE DON'T HAVE THAT DATA THAT UNTREATED INDIVIDUALS LEAVING THE FACILITY.
UM, THAT'S OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA BE VERY IMPORTANT TO US AS WE GO FORWARD.
I DO NOT HAVE ANY ANECDOTAL DATA ON EDO.
UM, IF CHIEF SATELLITE MAY, THAT'S THE QUESTION I HAD FOR HIM.
UM, AND I APOLOGIZE THAT HE'S NOT AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW.
UM, I KNOW WE'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT IN THE, THAT AREA WITH, UH, OVERTIME, UM, WITH OVERTIME LAW ENFORCEMENT IN THAT AREA, MAKE SURE SATURDAY, SUNDAY EVENINGS, UH, THAT THOSE AREAS ARE COVERED.
AND IF WE GET CALLS ABOUT SOMEONE WHO'S EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, WE'RE THERE IMMEDIATELY.
BUT AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW IF, IF IN THE WHOLE AREA OF E IDO THERE'S INCREASE IN HOMELESSNESS.
THERE IS, WE DO SEE IT IN MIDTOWN.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE I SEE IT THE MOST.
UM, BUT I HAVE NOT HEARD THAT ABOUT EDDO, BUT MAYBE THE CHIEF HAS.
AND AS WE, WE MENTIONED, UH, THE VAST MAJORITY OF FOLKS HAVE COME IN WITH A POLICE ESCORT IS THE HOPE THAT IN THE FUTURE, UM, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO ACCEPT FOLKS WHO AREN'T NECESSARILY ACCOMPANIED BY, BY AN OFFICER.
AND AGAIN, UH, I LIKE THE WAYNE, THE WAY WAYNE YOUNG SAID IT EARLIER.
HE SAID, THAT'S IT, IT IS A THRILL WHEN PEOPLE WALK THROUGH THE DOOR AND WANT TO BE HELPED.
AND WE ALSO, WE DON'T, WE NEVER WANT TO DISCOURAGE THAT.
UH, SO THIS IDEA OF GOING WITH THE POLICE ESCORT, I THINK THERE'S, WHAT HEAR WHAT I'VE HEARD ANECDOTALLY IS THAT PEOPLE HAVE WAVED DOWN.
SOME OFFICERS THAT SAID, OR REALLY THEY WANT TO GO, OKAY, ANOTHER BIG NEWS IS PEOPLE WANNA STAY.
AND THOSE ARE THE, IF THAT'S THE MOST POSITIVE I CAN SAY.
UH, LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT A DIFFERENT, UM, ISSUE.
UH, FOLKS FROM, UH, THE EAST SIDE HAVE REACHED OUT IN REGARDS TO, UM, UH, A PLAN THAT IS BEING TALKED ABOUT TO, UH, TAKE OVER A PARCEL OF PROPERTY THAT'S BEHIND THE, UH, THE EMANCIPATION FACILITY AT THIS TIME.
THERE WAS A EMPTY STREET THAT WENT NOWHERE THAT HAD BEEN BLOCKED, UH, CALLED PRESTON.
AND, UH, WE MADE A, UH, I THINK COUNCIL MAY HAVE ALREADY APPROVED IT, EVEN A, UM, AGREEMENT WITH THE OTHER PERSON WHO'S BUTTED THAT STREET THAT HE WOULD GIVE THIS THAT STREET TO THE OTHER HALF OF THAT TO THE CITY.
AND WHAT WE'RE PLANNING TO DO IS USE THAT FOR ADDITIONAL SPACE FOR THE NAVIGATION CENTER.
NOT A SPACE FOR EXTRA BUILDING, BUT A SPACE SIMPLY FOR PEOPLE TO BE GO OUTSIDE MORE.
IT'LL BE GATED, IT'LL BE FENCED.
IT'S NOT A PLACE FOR TENTS OR ANY PLACE ELSE.
IT'S FOR THE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE RESIDING AT THE NAVIGATION CENTER TO HAVE A PLACE TO WALK AROUND, TO WALK THEIR DOGS, JUST TO HAVE MORE OUTDOOR SPACE.
UM, AGAIN, WHAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS ONE IN WHICH WE'VE ALL WANTED IS WE WANTED PEOPLE TO STAY IN THAT FACILITY.
AND HAVING THAT OUTDOOR SPACE WILL BE VERY MEANINGFUL.
UM, WE ARE RAISING FUNDS RIGHT NOW TO, UM, UH, FILL IN THE SPACE WITH DIRT, USE THE FENCING, PUT GRASS OUT THERE, AND IT AGAIN, WILL NOT BE A PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE TENTS OR FOR OTHER PEOPLE TO HANG OUT.
IT'S SIMPLY FOR THE PEOPLE WHO RESIDE AT THAT FACILITY TO HAVE A PARK-LIKE
[00:40:01]
MM-HMMAND, AND SOME FOLKS ON THE EVE SIDE HAVE TOLD US THAT AT ONE TIME THAT PARCEL INCLUDED AN UNDERPASS BELOW THE RAILROAD, IF I'M UNDERSTANDING CORRECTLY.
UM, AND GIVEN THE, THE MOBILITY CHALLENGES, UH, FOR FOLKS WHO LIVE ON THE EAST SIDE, THERE, THERE WAS HOPE THAT, UM, THEY MIGHT ONE DAY BE ABLE TO OPEN THAT UNDERPASS BACK UP TO ALLOW, UH, FOR FOLKS TO MOVE MORE, MORE FREELY AND WITH LESS DIFFICULTY.
UH, YOU KNOW, EAST, EAST AND WEST ARE, ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH ANY OF THAT? I, I'VE HEARD COMMENTS ABOUT THAT.
AND THEN IN MY CONVERSATION WITH, UH, HPW, THEY HAVE SAID THAT'S NOT A IN THE FUTURE OR IN AN IDEA THAT HAD ANY REAL LEGS GOING FORWARD.
IT WAS JUST SOMETHING THAT SOME FOLKS HAD SAID.
WHAT ABOUT DOING THIS IS, OF COURSE THEY'VE HAD SIGNIFICANT PROBLEMS GOING EAST TO WEST, BUT THAT WAS NEVER A, UH, IDEA THAT HAD ANY STUDY OR REASONABLE MM-HMM
FROM MY UNDERSTANDING WITH HPW.
SO THEY WERE HELP HAPPY TO JUST TURN THIS INTO SOMETHING USABLE INSTEAD OF WHAT IT WAS NOW.
IT WAS JUST A PLACE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS TO GO HIDE AND, UH, BE IN, IN THAT, IN THAT CULVERT.
AND, AND WHAT IS THE STATUS OF THAT, UH, ABANDONMENT OF THAT PARCEL, IF YOU WILL, AN ACQUISITION OF THAT FOR YOU? THAT I SAID, I THINK WE, THE, THE, THE OWNERS OF THE OWNER HAS SIGNED THE RELEASE AND I THOUGHT IT HAD GONE TO COUNCIL ALREADY.
IS THAT RIGHT? IT HAS GONE TO COUNCIL AS APPROVED BY COUNCIL ALREADY.
UM, I DO SEE WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY CHIEF SATTERWHITE
HOW ARE YOU DOING? NO, I UNDERSTAND YOU WERE IN, IN AN IMPORTANT MEETING BEFORE, SO WE'RE GLAD YOU'RE ABLE TO, TO COME.
DO YOU WANNA COME, COME STAND? THEY HAD A QUESTION FOR YOU THAT I COULDN'T ANSWER AND WAYNE MAY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ANSWER.
NOW THIS WAS A VERY IMPORTANT MEETING THAT THE CHIEF STOOD IN.
UH, THE QUESTION COMES, THE QUESTION WAS THAT THERE'S BEEN A NOTICEABLE INCREASE IN UNHOUSED PEOPLE IN EDO.
THIS MAY BE THE RESULT OF THE FAN FEST AND NOT FOUR 19, DO WE HAVE ANY DATA ON UNTREATED INDIVIDUALS CHOOSING TO LEAVE THE FACILITY? AND WE'VE ANSWERED THAT.
AND DO WE HAVE ANYTHING THAT WE CAN SHARE PUBLICLY ABOUT INCREASED PEOPLE? AND I ANSWERED THE QUESTION ABOUT YOUR STAFF THAT'S BEEN THERE, BUT SURE, SURE.
UH, SO, SO WE'RE DOING, WE'RE SPENT A LOT OF EFFORT AND A LOT OF RESOURCES TO ENSURE THAT THE AREA AROUND FOUR 19, EXCUSE ME, UH, IT'S ACTUALLY SAFER AND BETTER OFF THAN IT WAS.
AS YOU ALL KNOW, THAT AREA WAS ALREADY A REALLY CHALLENGED AREA, UM, ESPECIALLY ALONG 59 ISH TRESS.
BUT THE WHOLE AREA, EVEN THE, THE PARK RIGHT BEHIND IT, UH, SETAS PARK WAS CONTINUALLY HAVING PEOPLE SLEEPING IN THE PARK, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
SO, UH, WE'VE HAD A CONCERTED EFFORT WITH TEAMS GOING OUT EVERY EVENING AND ON WEEKENDS, ENSURING, UH, MAKING SURE NOTHING GOES OUT AND GOES THE WRONG WAY.
UH, GETTING PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, OUT OF THOSE AREAS, GETTING THEM TO THE HELP THAT THEY NEED.
AND I'M, I'M SURE, UH, WAYNE AND, AND, UH, DIRECTOR NICHOLS, MIKE NICHOLS HAVE SAID OR SAID, WHAT WE'VE ALREADY BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH AT FOUR 19 WITH OVER 300 PEOPLE OFF THE STREET, WHICH IS HUGE GIVEN WHO'S IN THERE RIGHT NOW, AND THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE ALREADY MOVED ON TO OTHER FACILITIES.
AM I CORRECT IN THAT NUMBER? SO, SO, UM, SO WE ARE STILL BEING VERY DILIGENT NOW, FIFA, I, I, I CAN'T SAY IT'S FIFA.
I MEAN, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THAT AREA SUDDENLY NOW, AS YOU ALL CAN IMAGINE, BECAUSE WE'VE HAD ALL THE ACTIVATIONS OVER THERE.
UH, SO THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE IN GENERAL WALKING AROUND.
UM, AND, AND IS THAT, DOES THAT MEAN THERE'S BEEN AN INCREASE IN HOMELESS? WE AREN'T SEEING THAT.
WE'RE MAKING EVERY EFFORT TO ENGAGE EVERYBODY OVER THERE.
AND WHENEVER, YOU KNOW, LAW ENFORCEMENT IS, HAS BEEN ENGAGING ON A REGULAR BASIS.
ANYBODY OUTSIDE THE PROPERTY IS TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE AREA CONTINUES TO BE AS, AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE AND EVERYBODY IS TAKEN CARE OF AS BEST AS POSSIBLE.
SO I CAN'T SPEAK TO AN INCREASE.
UM, I KNOW THAT OUR TEAMS ARE TALKING TO ALL, TO THE COMMUNITY 'CAUSE I'M, I'M DIRECTING 'EM TO DO SO.
AND SO THEY'RE REPORTING BACK.
THEY TALK TO THIS NEIGHBOR, THEY TALKED TO THAT NEIGHBOR, AND GENERALLY THE RESPONSE HAS BEEN VERY GOOD.
BUT CERTAINLY SOMEBODY MIGHT HAVE SEEN SOMEBODY OR MIGHT FEEL THAT WAY.
I, I APPRECIATE THAT, UH, CHIEF SATTERWHITE AND, AND THANKS AGAIN FOR RUSHING FROM THAT MEETING, UH, TO, UH, TO HELP US OUT HERE.
UM, IF I COULD ASK ONE MORE QUESTION RELATED TO THE, THE PARCEL BEHIND THE HUB.
[00:45:01]
THE ITEM COUNCIL VOTED ON PERTAINED TO A LEASE OR, OR SOMETHING OF THAT PARCEL? ARE WE TALKING ABOUT THE, UH, THE NEXT DOOR? UH, THE, WHAT IT, WHAT IT PERTAINED TO HIS ACCEPTANCE OF THE, UM, NEIGHBOR NEXT DOOR GIVING THAT PROPERTY TO THE CITY.AND WHO WAS THE NEIGHBOR NEXT DOOR? JUST CURIOUS.
I, HIS NAME'S MR. SWEAR AND I SWEARING THANK YEAH, SO THE NAME'S MR. SWEARING.
SO IT'S ACTUALLY, IT'S THE OLD PRESTON STREET.
UH, SO THERE'S, HE, IT IS ACTUALLY NOT GIVING, UH, AS MUCH AS IT IS THAT, UH, WHEN YOU ABANDON A STREET.
AND I AM WAY OUT OUTTA MY, UH, MY LINE HERE.
I JUST WON'T TELL Y ALLALL THAT RIGHT NOW I'M OVER MY SKI.
BUT APPRECIATE IT BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND, THANK YOU.
WHEN WE ABANDONED A STREET, THE PROPERTY THAT ABUTS THAT ONLY BOTH SIDES, THE PROPERTY OWNERS, UH, CAN, CAN SAY, LOOK, YOU KNOW, I HAVE SOME CONTROL OF WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN BECAUSE THE STREET WAS ABANDONED AND IT GIVES THEM SOME RIGHTS.
AND SO UNLESS, SO THERE'S DIFFERENT WAYS TO DEAL WITH THAT.
BUT THE MOST, THE EASIEST WAY IS TO GET THE PROPERTY OWNER TO WAIVE ANY KIND OF DISPUTE ON THAT PROPERTY SO THAT WE CAN GO AHEAD AND, AND WE CAN MOVE FORWARD AND USE THAT IN THE MANNER WE SEE BEST RIGHT NOW.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, THAT PIECE OF THAT PARCEL.
IT'S, IT'S NOT AN ACRE, IT'S ABOUT A HALF TO THREE QUARTERS OF AN ACRE.
BUT WHAT WE SEE FOR THAT PROPERTY IS THAT, UH, AN ADDITIONAL, UH, SPACE TO EXPAND THE COURTYARD BEHIND AT FOUR 19 TO ACTUALLY EVEN CREATE A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A NICER SEATING AREA.
AND, AND OF COURSE A PLACE FOR THEM TO WALK THEIR, THEIR PETS.
UM, THAT WOULD ALSO BE FENCED.
IT WOULD BE A PART OF THE OVERALL FOUR 19 SITE.
UH, SO IT'S JUST A MORE ACCOMMODATING FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE THERE FOR THE PERIODS OF TIME THAT THEY'RE THERE.
UH, IT ALSO, UM, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE INDIVIDUALS THAT WE, WE ARE WORKING WITH, THEY HAVE DIFFERENT DEGREES OF MENTAL ILLNESS AND OTHER ISSUES GOING ON.
AND THIS TYPE OF SERENE ENVIRONMENT IS, IS IS MORE HELPFUL TO THEM IN TERMS OF DURING THEIR TIME THERE IN TERMS OF ACCOMMODATING, YOU KNOW, SO THAT THEY ARE LESS LIKELY TO HAVE SOME OF THE ISSUES.
WELL, WE OBVIOUSLY WOULD RATHER HAVE 'EM WITH US WHERE WE CAN TREAT THEM.
AND THIS AFFORDS US THAT OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE A SPACE THAT CAN DO THAT AT, AT A, YOU KNOW, LOW COST.
ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO ADD? UM, I, I, I THINK, UH, YEAH, NO, NO, SIR.
AND WE HAVE, UH, STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER MARIANNE HUFFMAN'S OFFICE IN THE QUEUE.
JUST A COUPLE QUICK QUESTIONS.
UM, SO DO YOU KNOW, I KNOW IT'S ONLY BEEN SIX WEEKS, BUT, UH, HOW MANY INDIVIDUALS HAVE BEEN BROUGHT TO THE FACILITY BY LAW ENFORCEMENT OR, OR SORRY, HOW MANY INDIVIDUALS BROUGHT BY LAW LAW ENFORCEMENT HAVE BEEN TURNED AWAY, IF ANY? AS OF RIGHT NOW, CAN 321 OF THE 331 3 25 OF THE 3 31 WERE BROUGHT BY LAW ENFORCEMENT.
UM, AGAIN, WHEN, WHEN I SAY TURNED AWAY, I THINK THEY'RE ASSESSED FIRST AND THEY'RE, UM, AND THEY COULD AGAIN BE SENT TO 61 60, WHICH IS ANOTHER FACILITY OR TO ANOTHER PLACE.
BUT WE DO NOT HAVE THAT DATA AT THIS POINT.
AND, UM, ARE THERE ANY INSTANCES OF COUNTY LAW ENFORCEMENT BRINGING INDIVIDUALS TO, TO THIS FACILITY? YES.
AND IF SO, DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE MAKEUP OF OF THAT IS? IS 50%, 30%, 25%? NO, SIR.
UH, I, I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE THAT NUMBER.
UM, BUT THIS, THIS IS A FACILITY THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF PARTNER AGENCIES.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE RIGHT NOW, UH, AND COUNCIL HAS APPROVED.
WE HAVE, UM, HARRIS COUNTY PRECINCT ONE WORKING EVERY EVENING AND ON WEEKENDS AND METRO POLICE DEPARTMENT WORKING EVENINGS AND WEEKENDS RIGHT NOW, UH, UM, TO GO OUT AND ENGAGE AND, AND CREATE A SAFER ENVIRONMENT AND BRING PEOPLE IN.
SO YES, I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE AN ACTION NUMBER, BUT THE, AND WE ARE, WE ARE ABOUT TO COME BACK TO COUNCIL WITH A, A LARGER ILA THAT WILL COVER THEM ALL BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO NEED EVERYBODY, UH, IN THIS EFFORT IF WE'RE GONNA BE SUCCESSFUL.
AND ALL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES AND THEIR RESPECTIVE JURISDICTIONS IN THE COMMUNITIES THAT THEY SERVE ARE TELLING THEM THIS IS A MAJOR CHALLENGE FROM A MAJOR ISSUE THEY WON'T RESOLVE, WHICH IS HOMELESSNESS AND ALL THE CHALLENGES THAT COME WITH THAT.
SO AGAIN, WE'RE ABOUT BIG TENT, ALL, EVERYBODY WORKING TOGETHER, AND WE NEED THEIR BUY-IN.
IF I'M READING INTO YOUR QUESTION THOUGH, THE FOCUS OF THOSE FOLKS WHO WORK NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS IS THE SURROUNDING AREA.
SO INDIVIDUALS, UH, THERE'S NOT AN
[00:50:01]
INSTANCE OF AN INDIVIDUAL BEING BROUGHT FROM THE UNINCORPORATED PART OF THE COUNTY TO THIS FACILITY, OR, YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT THE CURRENT DESIGN OR PLAN.I WOULD, I CAN'T TELL YOU THAT'S NOT HAPPENED.
I, I WOULDN'T WANT TO SAY THAT.
I'M JUST TELLING YOU THAT OVERWHELMINGLY THE PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING RIGHT NOW ARE FROM THAT AREA OUT WITHIN, UH, A, A, A DISTANCE, YOU KNOW, COUPLE, THREE MILES OKAY.
AND REALLY OUR REAL FOCUS HAS BEEN AROUND THE FACILITY TO START WITH, UH, BECAUSE WE MADE PROMISES TO THAT COMMUNITY BECAUSE OF THAT'S WHERE WE STOOD IT UP.
AND JUST TO, JUST TO EVEN CLARIFY IT FURTHER, UM, NOT JUST NOW, BUT FOR EIGHT YEARS, UM, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN BROUGHT TO THE 61 60 FACILITY WHO BY LAW ENFORCEMENT OR TO THE HOUSTON RECOVERY CENTER MM-HMM
BY LAW ENFORCEMENT AND INCLUDING ALL SORTS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT.
SO IT'S, UH, THEY'RE USED TO BRINGING SOMEBODY, PEOPLE WHO ARE HAVING A MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEM, ALCOHOL PROBLEM TO ONE OF THESE FACILITIES.
AND I KNOW, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN HAS BEEN HEARING A LOT FROM RESIDENTS IN DISTRICT G THAT THERE'S BEEN, THEY FEEL LIKE THERE'S BEEN AN UPTICK IN HOMELESS ACTIVITY ON THE WEST SIDE OF TOWN.
ARE HOW, HOW, HOW ARE WE MAKING AWARE THE DRT TEAMS THAT THIS FACILITY, UH, IS ABLE TO ACCEPT, WELL, MAYBE NOT RIGHT NOW 'CAUSE IT'S AT CAPACITY, BUT THIS IS AN OPTION FOR, FOR THEM TO UTILIZE SO THAT WE CAN GET THESE FOLKS THE HELP THAT THEY NEED.
ARE THEY AWARE OF IT? ARE THEY ABLE TO, TO, TO UTILIZE, UH, THE FACILITY? NO, NO.
THEY ARE, WE'VE SENT OUT GUIDANCE.
WE'VE SENT OUT EMAILS AND INFORMATION.
WE'VE TALKED TO LEADERSHIP OF ALL THE AGENCIES.
WE HAVE SAID OUR STRATEGY, WHICH IS FOCUSING, UH, WHERE WE ARE TO START.
AND, BUT WE DO INTEND TO EXPAND OUT AND, AND AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, WE DO.
THIS IS A GREAT FACILITY AND WE'VE HELPED A LOT OF PEOPLE.
WE WILL HELP A LOT OF PEOPLE, BUT CAPACITY IS STILL A CHALLENGE.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S A GOOD THING THAT WE'VE GOTTEN AS MANY OFF AS WE HAVE, BUT, YOU KNOW, OFF THE STREETS AS WE HAVE.
BUT WE CERTAINLY, UM, ARE GOING, HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET THEM, TRANSITION THEM TO THEIR NEXT STOP, WHICH WILL BE GOOD FOR THEM.
AND ALONG THE WAY THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO CREATE MORE BED SPACE AND GO AND ENGAGE MORE FOLKS IN DISTRICT D AND QUITE FRANKLY, THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND THEN ON INTO THE COUNTY.
UM, LET ME, LET ME ANSWER ONE OTHER THING BEFORE I, STEVEN WOODS MAY BE ABLE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION ON PRESTON STREET IN DETAIL.
UM, AS WE, AS PEOPLE MAKE THESE DECISIONS TO HELP FOLKS, INSTEAD OF BRINGING THEM TO JAIL, BRINGING 'EM TO ONE OF THESE OTHER FACILITIES, THAT'S STILL THE, THE KEY TO DOING THIS GOING FORWARD.
UM, AS FAR AS GOING, UH, FURTHER AWAY, THE MORE WE CAN MOVE PEOPLE THROUGH THESE FACILITIES, AND YOU'LL SEE SOME ANNOUNCEMENTS IN THE NEAR FUTURE ABOUT OTHER GROUPS IN INCLUDING HARRIS COUNTY AND OTHER GROUPS WHO ARE GONNA HELP US, UM, DO, UH, QUICK RE RES QUICK RESOLUTION, UH, FOR PEOPLE WHO CAN BE MOVED TO ANOTHER FACILITY OR TO JOBS.
SO THAT'S STILL THE KEY, IS THIS COLLABORATION OF WORKING TOGETHER TO MOVE FOLKS OUT OF FOUR 19 OUT OF THE NAVI NAVIGATION CENTER AND HOUSING.
UM, THAT'S STILL THE KEY AND THE QUICKER WE CAN DO IT, WE'LL BE ABLE TO MOVE SOME MORE PEOPLE IN, INCLUDING THE PEOPLE ON THE WEST SIDE.
AND JUST ONE, ONE LAST QUESTION.
SO I KNOW YOU'RE PRIORITIZING, UH, FOLKS IN THE GENERAL AREA THERE.
IS THERE A PRIORITIZATION OF WHERE IN THE CITY, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ACCEPTING FOLKS FROM OR WHERE WE'RE TARGETING, UH, ACROSS THE CITY OR, SO EVERYTHING IS, THE WHOLE STRATEGY IS BUILT ON, YOU KNOW, CAPACITY, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT DO WE HAVE? AND, AND, AND IT'S REALLY JUST EXPANDING OUT AS, AS KIND OF A, IT'S NOT PERFECT, BUT JUST KIND OF OUTWARD FROM THE FACILITY.
UM, YOU KNOW, HALF MILE, A MILE, TWO MILES, THAT'S THE IDEA.
UM, AND SO YEAH, IT'S, IF, IF WE HAVE MORE CAPACITY, WE ARE CERTAINLY GOING TO, UH, WE'RE GOING FURTHER AND, AND REACHING AS FAR AS WE CAN, LIKE, LIKE DIRECTOR NICHOLS WAS SAYING, UM, BUT THAT IT, IT'S REALLY NOT, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST OUT FROM THERE.
SO I DON'T, NOBODY'S REALLY BEING PUT IN FRONT OF ANYBODY ELSE.
IT'S MORE GEOGRAPHICALLY SPEAKING JUST HOW WE'RE DOING THE APPROACH.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, I DO KNOW THAT THE WEST SIDE, I, I DO HAVE THOSE MEETINGS.
I KNOW, UH, THE COUNCIL MEMBER, SHE'S, SHE'S NOT WRONG.
THERE ARE CHALLENGES OUT THERE.
UH, THERE ARE CHALLENGES EVERYWHERE.
HOMELESSNESS, I WILL SAY ACROSS THE NATION IS UP.
WE ARE DOING A BETTER JOB HERE, THANKFULLY, THAN, THAN SOME OF OUR SISTER CITIES ACROSS THE NATION.
UM, BUT WE'RE NOT GONNA REST ON THAT.
AND CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THAT CHIEF AND APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT, THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING.
I DO HAVE KIND OF A FOLLOW UP QUESTION.
EXCUSE ME BEFORE, DO, DO YOU, DID YOU GET YOUR ANSWERS ON PRESTON
[00:55:01]
STREET? 'CAUSE STEVEN WOODS, WHO'S NEGOTIATED THAT WITH THE SWEARINGS.LET, LET'S GO AHEAD AND, AND HEAR FROM, UH, FROM YOU STEVEN, IF, IF YOU, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO GIVE US A STATUS UPDATE ON, ON THAT PROCESS.
WELL, THE STATUS IS THAT IT'S DONE THAT THE COUNCIL, CITY COUNCIL APPROVED THE PROPERTY RIGHTS AGREEMENT, UH, A MONTH OR SIX WEEKS AGO OR SO.
UH, MR. SWEARING THROUGH HIS ENTITY HAS SIGNED OVER THE QUICK CLAIM DEED TO THE PROPERTY.
WE'VE SIGNED THE MEMORANDUM OF RIGHT OF FIRST REFUSAL.
ALL OF THAT'S RECORDED AND IT'S DONE.
WE'VE NOW INITIATED THE, UH, ABANDONMENT PROCESS THROUGH THE JRC AND THAT IS ONGOING AND IT'S SCHEDULED TO IN THE NEXT COUPLE WEEKS.
AND DOES THAT, UH, JRC UH, PROCESS INVOLVE A VOTE BY COUNSEL WHEN IT'S DONE AT THE JRC OR NOT? I DON'T KNOW.
BUT THE, THE, THE, IN A COUPLE WEEKS IS THE, UH, INTERNAL, YOU KNOW, CITY ENGINEERS AND SO FORTH WHO ANALYZE THE REQUEST.
UM, SO WANTED TO FOLLOW UP, UH, WHEN, WHEN SOMEONE IS ADMITTED TO THE FACILITY AND THEY DECIDE, HEY, THIS ISN'T FOR ME, I, I WANNA LEAVE.
OR WHEN SOMEONE, UH, WALKS UP, BUT THEY'RE AT CAPACITY AND YOU CAN'T REALLY TAKE 'EM.
ARE, ARE THOSE FOLKS IN THOSE TWO CATEGORIES OFFERED A RIDE SOMEWHERE ELSE IN THE CITY OR ARE THEY, ARE THEY, UH, JUST RELEASED AT AT THAT POINT? SO I'LL LET DIRECTION
I MEAN, NOT HAVING WAYNE YET YOUNG, SORRY.
UM, YEAH, SO THOSE INDIVIDUALS ARE OFFERED A RIDE.
A PART OF OUR, UM, COMPONENT OF THE SERVICE THERE IS TRANSPORTATION.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT THAT'S A CHALLENGE FOR MANY OF THESE INDIVIDUALS.
UM, AND FRANKLY, IF THEY SHOW UP AND WANT TO ENGAGE, I DON'T WANT TO JUST SEND THEM DOWN THE STREET AND HOPE THAT THEY GET THERE.
SO IF THEY WILL ALLOW US TO TRANSPORT THEM TO A NEXT RESOURCE, UM, WE WOULD HAPPILY DO THAT.
WE WOULD NOT ASK LAW ENFORCEMENT TO DO THAT.
WE WOULD PREFER TO DO THAT OURSELVES SO LAW ENFORCEMENT CAN, CAN BE BACK DOING WHAT THEY NEED TO DO.
WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OF, UH, FOLKS IN THE QUEUE.
WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS.
UH, THANK YOU GUYS AGAIN FOR YOUR REPORTING AND INFORMATION.
UH, LET ME JUST SAY OFF IN THE INTERIM THAT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB AND, AND I DO BELIEVE THAT HOUSTON IS DOING A BETTER JOB THAN MOST MAJOR CITIES IN FOLLOWING THAT.
SO THE QUESTION WE UP TO NOW, UH, BROTHER SIDE WHITE, WE AT WHAT, NEARLY 300 MM-HMM
WHAT IS IT ABOUT? SO, UH, UH, UH, I'M GONNA GET IN TROUBLE GIVING YOU A HARD NUMBER, BUT I, I THINK WE'VE LIFTED PROBABLY ABOUT 320 PEOPLE OFF THE STREET SO FAR.
SO TO MY ESTIMATION THAT FOR US IN HOUSTON, THAT'S 300 AND SOME PEOPLE THAT WOULD'VE BEEN OUT THERE THAT ARE NOT OUT THERE, WHICH IS, UH, UM, A CREDIT TO THE SUCCESS THAT YOU AND BROTHER DIRECTOR, UH, NICHOLS HAVE DONE IN THIS PROCESS.
AND THE MAYOR MIGHT SAY IN HIS, WELL, THE MAYOR'S LEADING IT.
THE THING IS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, WE WENT ON A BREAK WITH THE, THE MINISTER'S ADVISORY BOARD IN TERMS OF THE CHURCHES THAT WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT.
AS WE LEADING THAT GROUP AND SEVERAL OF THEM, WE'VE BEEN KIND OF LIKE A SABBATICAL FOR TWO MONTHS, JUNE AND JULY.
AND WE, WE GOING TO BE MEETING AGAIN TO COME BACK BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, MANY OF THE PASTORS THAT YOU ALL HAVE COME AND MADE PRESENTATIONS TO, UH, BECOME VERY INTERESTED IN HOW WE HELP IN THAT PROCESS.
SO WE GOING TO LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING THAT DISCUSSION IN AUGUST, COMING AROUND, WHICH OUR NEXT MEETING AND THERE BEYOND, YOU KNOW, TO, SO THAT WE CAN ADJUST WHAT OUR PARTICIPATION COULD DO TO HELP IT.
THE OTHER THING I WANT TO BRING FORTH IS, AS I SPOKE TO YOU AND DIRECTOR NICHOLS BEFORE, AND THAT IS SOME PEOPLE WHO HAVE STEPPED FORWARD BECAUSE FACILITATING THESE HOMELESS PEOPLE WE KNOW IS A MAJOR CHALLENGE AND A, AND A GOAL THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO, BUT WE GOTTA HAVE DOLLARS.
THERE HAS TO BE SOME FINANCE THAT HAS TO FOLLOW THIS PROCESS.
AND SO WE ARE HAVING A COUPLE OF GROUPS THAT I'VE INTERACTED WITH THAT WANT TO DO THESE FUNDRAISERS IN ORDER TO GET THESE DOLLARS BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE.
IT'S EASY FOR US TO MAKE THE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE NUMBERS, AND NATURALLY IT'S SUMMERTIME AND PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE TRANSITIONING
[01:00:01]
BACK AND FORTH.PEOPLE ARE COMING IN FROM DIFFERENT PLACES.
AND SO WE, WE KNOW, WE'LL SEE THE NUMBERS GO UP OF PEOPLE SHOWING UP AROUND THE FACILITY.
SO, BUT I JUST WANT TO COMMEND WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING AND IT'S, THIS IS AN UNDERTAKING THAT I THINK ALL OF HOUSTON HAS TO STEP UP AND DO TO HELP OUT, UH, IN THIS MATTER.
BUT THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING.
AND, AND, AND I'LL SECOND THAT THE FACT THAT YOU'RE FULL UP, YOU KNOW, LESS THAN SIX WEEKS INTO THIS, UH, JUST SPEAKS TO THE, THE SIZE OF, OF THE ISSUE THAT, THAT YOU'RE DEALING WITH.
AND SO I, I APPLAUD EVERY, EVERYTHING THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING.
AND I JUST, UH, WAS WONDERING, UH, DIRECTOR YOUNG, UH, THERE WERE A COUPLE MORE SLIDES IN YOUR PRESENTATION.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANTED TO GO OVER THEM.
COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS WAS SPEAKING ABOUT THE CHALLENGE WITH FUNDING.
UH, AND YOU HAVE RELIED ON PHILANTHROPIC DONATIONS, UH, TO SUPPORT.
AND MAYBE THIS WAS PART OF, I THINK IT WAS MIKE, UH, DIRECTOR NICHOLS.
UM, WE HAVE, WE HAVE A, A VERY EARLY FUNDRAISING EFFORTS AND I WANT TO THANK WAYNE YOUNG STAFF WHO'S BEEN VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN THAT.
UM, AND CHIEF SATTERWHITE, WHO'S BEEN IN INSTRU INSTRUMENTAL.
UH, THE FIRST MAJOR FUNDING THAT WE'VE RECEIVED IS $250,000 FROM QUICKTRIP, WHICH IS A, UM, UH, A, A SERVICE STATION PROPERTIES THAT HAVE COME INTO HOUSTON.
THEY'RE GONNA BE QUICK BUILDING IN HOUSTON.
THEY WANTED TO DO SOMETHING THAT HELPED HOMELESSNESS BECAUSE THAT'S AN ISSUE THAT THEIR EMPLOYEES DEAL WITH REGULARLY.
UH, THE FACILITY THAT WE VISITED WAS, UH, NEAR NRG STADIUM, WHICH HAS A SIGNIFICANT POPULATION OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS NEARBY.
THEY PUT THEIR MONEY WHERE, WHERE THAT WAS, THEY PUT $250,000 INTO THE CITY'S COFFERS INTO 2012 TO HELP STRENGTHEN HOUSTON'S COORDINATED RESPONSE.
OTHER FUNDS HAVE GONE DIRECTLY TO THE HARRIS CENTER FOUNDATION, WHICH IS CHAIRED BY BOB URI, AND THAT HAS HAD SOME FUNDS COMING INTO THAT.
UH, THEY RECEIVED THEIR FIRST A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS GRANT AS A RESULT OF THIS EFFORT.
UH, AGAIN, A LOT, MANY THANKS TO THE MAYOR FOR THAT AND TO CHIEF SAT WHITE WHO PERSONALLY MADE THIS QUICK TRIP HAPPEN.
SO, SO WE DO HAVE, UH, UH, STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER IN THE QUEUE.
UM, NOW MS. PACE AND DIRECTOR NICHOLS AND DIRECTOR SATELLITE, UM, FOR THE HARD WORK THAT YOU ARE ALL, UH, PUTTING IN TO ENSURE THE SUCCESS OF FOUR 19 EMANCIPATION.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER REMAINS FOCUSED ON ENSURING THE SUCCESS OF FOUR 19 EMANCIPATION AS WELL.
AND, UH, SHE AGREES THAT, UH, THESE PARTNERSHIPS ARE KEY TO MAKING IT HAPPEN.
UM, SHE PERSONALLY MEETS, UH, WEEKLY WITH THE LEADERSHIP OF THE HARRIS CENTER FOUNDATION, UM, WHO HAS PUT TOGETHER AN ESTABLISHED, UH, STRATEGIC PLAN.
AND, UH, TOGETHER THEY CONTINUE TO BUILD UPON AND ESTABLISH THESE NEW PARTNERSHIPS, UM, AND THESE PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS, UH, THEY CREATE LONG-TERM INVESTMENT IN IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL HOUSTONIANS, ESPECIALLY THE UNHOUSED.
UM, SO WE JUST WANTED TO TAKE THE TIME TO THANK YOU AND THANK YOU AGAIN, UH, FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER'S HAPPY TO SUPPORT.
UM, I, I, I WAS REMISS WHEN I MENTIONED THAT OTHER FOLKS, COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER HAS BEEN THE, UM, OFTEN THE FIRE IN THE ENGINE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ASKING PEOPLE FOR FUNDS THAT THEY KNOW ABOUT THIS FACILITY.
SHE'S BROUGHT PEOPLE THERE AND SHE'S WORKED HAND IN GLOVE WITH THE HARRIS CENTER FOUNDATION AND THEIR TEAM, AND ALL OF US ARE INDEBTED TO HER FOR HER EFFORT ON THAT PART.
UH, WAS THERE ANYTHING ELSE, GENTLEMEN? UH, JUST THE NEXT, THE NEXT SLIDE IS JUST AGAIN, UM, THE WAYS TO SUPPORT FOUR 19 EMANCIPATION THROUGH THE HARRIS CENTER FOUNDATION, WHICH IS A 5 0 1 C3, OR THROUGH THE CITY OF HOUSTON, WHICH IS MUNICIPAL GIVING PATHWAY.
AGAIN, ONE OF MANY WAYS TO SUPPORT HOMELESSNESS, UH, AND MAKING HOMELESSNESS, RARE, BRIEF AND NON-REOCCURRING.
THE HUNDRED NONPROFITS WHO RAISE MONEY FOR THE CITY AROUND THE CITY FOR HOMELESSNESS.
A GREAT COALITION FOR THE, UM, COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS, UM, VERY IMPORTANT ORGANIZATION.
BUT AGAIN, THIS HAS BEEN A, WILL CONTINUE TO BE A MAJOR EFFORT, AND I THINK WE'LL SEE HOUSTON ONCE AGAIN BE, UM, UM, CELEBRATED FOR THEIR INNOVATION AND THEIR COMMITMENT TO MAKING HOMELESSNESS, RARE, BRIEF, AND NON-REOCCURRING.
AND THANK YOU TO EVERYONE IN THE ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT OF, UH, HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, AND, UH, WAYNE YOUNG,
[01:05:01]
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, UM, AND ALL OF OUR, OUR PARTNERS IN THE COMMUNITY AS WELL.SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE TO OUR PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION.
WE HAVE SEVERAL FOLKS LINED UP TO SPEAK AND WE WILL START WITH, UH, JOETTA STEVENSON.
UM, UH, GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.
UH, MY NAME IS JOTA STEVENSON AND I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE GREATER FIFTH WARD SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, I WANT TO BEGIN, UH, BY SAYING THAT I'M NOT SO SURE AFTER I WAS HEARING BITS AND PIECES OF WHAT THE PEOPLE THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY SITTING HERE WERE SAYING, BECAUSE THEY, IT WAS INFORMATION THAT, UH, THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD OF FIFTH WARD HAD NO IDEA ABOUT.
WE DON'T KNOW ALL THE DETAILS.
YOU SEE, THE, UH, HOMELESS NAVIGATION CENTER WAS BASICALLY, JUST TO GIVE YOU SOME BACKGROUND, IT WAS LITERALLY FORCED INTO MY COMMUNITY AGAINST THE WILL OF HUNDREDS OF RESIDENTS.
NEARLY 800 RESIDENTS SIGNED PETITIONS SAYING, DON'T DO THIS TO US.
AND IT LITERALLY STARTED DURING WINTER STORM URI WHERE WE HAD BUSTED PIPES AND STILL HAD HOUSES THAT NEEDED REPAIR.
AND WE COULDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY PEOPLE WANTED TO BRING HOMELESS INTO THE ON TOP OF US.
SO THAT BEING SAID, IT'S WHAT IT'S, UM, THE, UH, DUE TO CERTAIN ENTITIES THAT WERE HELL BENT ON PUTTING IT IN THE GREATER FIFTH WARD, THEY WON OUT.
NOW, I CAN SAY THAT AT THE TIME FIFTH WARD ONLY HAD ABOUT 18 UNSHELTERED, 18 PEOPLE UNSHELTERED.
NOW WE GOT A WHOLE GO, BUT THAT'S NOT REALLY A, A NUMBER.
BUT GOOG OF HOMELESS PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN PUSHED INTO MY COMMUNITY, UH, I RECOGNIZE THAT THE NAVIGATION CENTER, 'CAUSE THIS WAS THE ARGUMENT THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY SAID THAT, UM, OH NO, WE ARE NOT GONNA HAVE PEOPLE JUST, JUST ROAMING THE STREETS.
WE, UH, THEY'RE GONNA BE VETTED.
THEY'RE GONNA BE, UM, SOME SORT OF A, UM, A VETTING OF SOME SORT, WHETHER IT BE BROUGHT IN BY HPD, THEY'RE NOT JUST GONNA WALK OFF THE STREET AND GET INTO THE FACILITY.
AND AS FAR AS I KNOW, THAT'S, THAT WAS EXACTLY THE WAY IT WAS.
BUT I THOUGHT I HEARD ONE OF THE GENTLEMEN SAY THAT THEY TOOK WALKUPS.
I'M, UH, THAT'S NEWS, NEWS TO ME, IF THAT'S WHAT I HEARD HIM SAY.
UM, WHAT WHAT WAS AGREED UPON DURING THE BATTLE WAS THAT, UM, AT THE TIME, I BELIEVE THE MAN WHO WAS NOW OVER THE CITY OF HOUSTON HOUSING, UH, DEPARTMENT, UH, MR. NICHOLS, HE WAS OVER THE COALITION FOR HOMELESSNESS.
AND AT THE TIME, HE PROMISED THAT HE WOULD PROVIDE DATA FOR WHAT WAS GOING ON AT THE FACILITY.
IN OTHER WORDS, IT WAS KIND OF STRANGE THAT WE HAD HOMELESS PEOPLE ALL OVER THE CITY, ESPECIALLY DOWNTOWN MIDTOWN, AND WE COULDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY THEY WERE NOW SAYING, OH, WE COULD TAKE THIS HOMELESS PERSON AND MOVE THEM WITHIN 45 DAYS.
IT WAS LIKE, WELL, WELL, WHERE, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? HOW COME YOU HAVEN'T DONE THIS ALL OVER THE CITY? SO ONE OF THE THINGS THEY PROMISED TO DO WAS TO PROVIDE US WITH DATA OF THE SUCCESSES, UH, HOW MANY HOMELESS PEOPLE, UH, WERE YOU ABLE TO, TO MOVE INTO OTHER, INTO, INTO HOMES, INTO HOUSING? AND WE'VE YET TO GET THAT.
AND ONE OF THE, MY ASK IS THAT I, UM, I DID GET THIS, UH, I SAW THE EMAIL, SADLY JUST FRIDAY
SO IT, IT KIND OF BLINDSIDED ME IN A WAY, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THE FACILITY IS THERE AND I SEE THE, THE AMOUNT, I KNOW THAT THE HARMONY HOUSE WAS ONE OF THE, I KNOW THEY WERE ONE OF THE ORIGINAL ENTITIES THAT WERE, UH, WAS HELPING WITH THAT FACILITY.
AND THEY'RE LOOKING FOR MONEY AND THAT'S FINE.
I ACTUALLY GOT TRIGGERED BY THE THIRD, UH, ITEM YOU HAD ON THE, UH, AGENDA, WHICH WAS THE 10, 10 POINT SOMETHING MILLION TO JUST HOMELESSNESS.
BUT, BUT, UH, BEFORE I GET TO THAT, I, I JUST WANT TO ASK IF THIS FACILITY IS SITTING IN A COMMUNITY AND THEY'RE COMMUNICATING WITH EVERYBODY EXCEPT FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY, BECAUSE SEE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY TRIED TO LURE US WITH AND SAID, THERE'S THIS PARK NEXT TO IT, WE'RE GONNA IMPROVE THAT PARK.
I CAN SAY THAT PARK HAS, GR HAS, UH, MOW GRASS.
MS. STEVENSON, NO, TEACHERS KNOW NOTHING FROM MY COMMUNITY, AND WE
[01:10:01]
WOULD LIKE FOR THEM TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT WITH ANY MONEY THAT YOU PROVIDE TO THEM.FAR THA THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT, MA'AM.
UH, YOUR TIME IS UP AND, AND WE'LL MOVE ON TO SOME OTHER SPEAKERS, BUT I'M, I'M HAPPY TO MEET WITH YOU AFTER, AFTER THIS MEETING IS OVER.
THAT WOULD BE A GOOD THING BECAUSE THAT WOULD PREVENT ME FROM COMING TO AS MANY SUPER, UH, MANY, UH, CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS WITH A WHOLE BUNCH OF PEOPLE TO SCREAM ABOUT THIS.
JOETTA YOU, YOU'RE WELCOME TO COME ANYTIME.
LET, LET'S MAKE, LET'S MAKE AN APPOINTMENT SO YOU AND I CAN TALK ABOUT THIS.
I'M A BOARD MEMBER OF THE MEMORIAL FIGURE SKATING CLUB OF HOUSTON, AND I'M HERE ABOUT ICE IN HOUSTON.
WE HAVE ONE RINK IN HOUSTON, WHICH CLOSES ON JULY, UM, 31ST AFTER 23 YEARS IN SERVICE FOR THIS CITY.
IT'S NOT JUST A RINK, IT'S A COMMUNITY ASSET.
AND ONCE IT'S GONE, REPLACING IT WON'T BE CHEAP AND IT WON'T BE EASY.
IT CAN TAKE THREE TO FIVE YEARS TO BUILD A SINGLE ICE SHEET FACILITY, 25 MILLION AND UP TWO ICE SHEETS, FIVE TO 10 YEARS, 50 MILLION.
AND UP AN ICE RINK DOES SOMETHING NO FACILITY CAN.
AND WE HOST THEODORE AND ICE LEARN TO SKATE FOR KIDS, FIGURE SKATERS, HOCKEY PLAYERS WHO COMPETE AT INTERNATIONAL AND NATIONAL LEVELS.
AND THERE'S A PLACE FOR EVERYONE, ALL PEOPLE, ALL AGES, ALL ABILITIES AND UM, ALL RANGE OF SKILL.
SO IT'S A SAFE INDOOR PLACE FOR FAMILIES AND THOSE OF EVERY AGE AND ABILITY TO RECREATE, ESPECIALLY IN THE LONG HOT HOUSTON SUMMERS.
UM, THIS FEBRUARY WE WON GOLD IN HOCKEY, IN WOMEN'S, IN MEN'S, IN WOMEN'S FIGURE SKATING.
AND THE INTEREST IN ICE SPORT IS HUGE.
UM, HOUSTON IS EVEN NOW UNDER CONSIDERATION AN EVALUATION FOR AN NHL HOCKEY TEAM.
UM, WHEN DALLAS, FOR EXAMPLE, GOT THE STARS IN HOCKEY, IT LED TO A BOOM IN SKATING.
AND THE METRO AREA UP THERE HAS 23 ICE SHEETS.
HOUSTON, IN COMPARISON, IS ABOUT TO LOSE ONE OF THE FIVE RINKS THAT ARE CURRENTLY OPERATING.
ALL OF THE RINKS IN HOUSTON ARE PRIVATELY OWNED.
IT PUTS THEM AT RISK OF SUDDEN CLOSURE AT ANY TIME.
THERE ARE NO PUBLICLY FUNDED RINKS.
MANY OTHER CITIES LIKE CHICAGO, GLENVIEW, CLEVELAND INCLUDE ICE RINKS AS PART OF THEIR PARKS AND RECREATIONAL FACILITIES AND OFFERINGS TO THEIR COMMUNITIES.
AND THE SKATING COMMUNITY WANTS TO STAY.
THE RINK ITSELF, EVEN THOUGH IT'S CLOSING DRAWS 3000 PEOPLE A WEEK.
THAT HASN'T DROPPED EVEN SINCE THE CLOSURE WAS ANNOUNCED.
THERE'S A PETITION FOR 9,016, UM, WITH VERIFIED SIGNATURES, 5,000 SHARES AND 198 COMMENTS OF SUPPORT AND IT'S CLIMBING.
I THINK THIS SHOWS A HUGE INTEREST IN HAVING, UM, ICE SPORTS AVAILABLE WITHIN HOUSTON.
LINDSEY WILLIAMS. GOOD AFTERNOON, LINDSAY.
I DON'T USUALLY GET TO SIT AT THE TABLE.
UM, SO MY NAME IS LINDSAY WILLIAMS. I AM A PRESIDENT OF SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 64 AND 88, WHICH IS GREATER EAST OF LAWNDALE WAYSIDE.
AND I WANTED TO MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT THE ST.
CHARLES PRESTON STREET UNDERPASS.
UM, THIS ISN'T A NEW IDEA, ACTUALLY.
THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR SOME TIME.
UM, THIS WAS AN HGAC TIP PROJECT THAT CAME BACK IN 2017.
MULTIPLE ENGINEERING FIRMS HAVE THE DOCUMENTS AND THE EAST END DISTRICT IDENTIFIED IT IN THEIR EASTWEST CONNECTIVITY STUDY, WHICH HAS BEEN FUNDED AND HAS BEEN ACTIVE COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER SAID, AFTER FOR SEARCHING FOR SIX MONTHS, 4 1 9 EMANCIPATION WAS SELECTED BECAUSE IT HAD EVERYTHING.
UH, LIKE MS. STEVENSON SAID, RESIDENTS IN THE EAST END DIDN'T WANT THIS PROJECT, BUT WERE TOLD BY COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS THAT SOMEONE HAS TO SACRIFICE FOR THE GREATER GOOD.
AGAIN, THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT THE TRAILS.
AND THIS UNDERPASSES THE CONNECTION THAT COULD GIVE RESIDENTS A WALKABLE BIKEABLE ROUTE TO A MUCH NEEDED, HOPEFULLY COMING SOON HEV ALONG WITH LINKING EDDO TO SECOND WARD, SECOND WARD TO DOWNTOWN, AND TYING INTO THE COLUMBIA TAP TRAIL ACROSS RAILROADS AT CONTINUALLY WALL OFF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
THE NORTH HOUSTON HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT IS CLOSING MORE.
THE PROPOSED UT UP MERGER IS PROJECTED TO ADD 40% MORE TRAINS AND THEY'VE ADMITTED THAT THEY WILL BLOCK MORE CROSSINGS FURTHER HINDERING CONNECTIVITY.
AND I'LL SAY THIS PLAINLY, THE PEOPLE AT PUBLIC WORK SAYING THAT THIS PROJECT HAS NO LEGS ARE THE PEOPLE WHO WERE NEVER IN CONTACT WITH IT OR NOT, NO, NO LONGER HERE.
THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WITH TURNOVER.
INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE WALKS OUT THE DOOR AND A PROJECT THAT THE CITY ITSELF WAS INVOLVED IN IS SIMPLY GETS FORGOTTEN.
THAT'S NOT THE SAME AS A PROJECT HAVING NO MERIT.
SO I'M ASKING, PLEASE, LET'S TALK BEFORE THIS HAPPENS.
CAN WE FIND A SOLUTION THAT SUITS BOTH NEEDS?
[01:15:01]
DON'T LET STAFF TURNOVER ERASE FIVE YEARS OF THE CITY'S OWN PLANNING.THANK YOU FOR THE, FOR THE HISTORY.
CAN, WHAT WAS H G'S INVOLVEMENT? IT WAS JUST A TIP.
THEY HAD BEEN RUNNING DIFFERENT IDEAS DURING, I THINK IT WAS A TURS 15 PROJECT, AND I ACTUALLY THINK I KNOW WHERE THAT TIP CAME FROM.
DURING OUR RESEARCH ON THE TRAINS, AS YOU KNOW, WE, WE RESEARCHED THE TRAINS ALL OF THE TIME AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE LEARNED IS WITH THE, WITH THE, UH, UNDERPASS.
IT HAPPENED RIGHT THERE AT HARRISBURG WHEN THAT ONE OPENED UP, THIS ONE CLOSED.
SO THEY JUST FILLED IT IN FOR SAFETY REASONS.
IT'S STRUCTURALLY SOUND FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND.
SO THE ENGINEERING FIRM JUST THOUGHT, OKAY, SINCE WE HAVE THIS RAILROAD YARD OR THE CONGRESS YARD THAT THE TRAINS MOVE THROUGH BETWEEN THE GALVESTON SUB AND THE WEST BELT, THIS WOULD ALLOW A CONNECTION UNDERNEATH.
NOW IT WOULDN'T BE FOR VEHICLES, IT WOULD BE FOR PEDESTRIANS AND CYCLISTS, BUT THIS HAS BEEN A CONVERSATION FOR FIVE PLUS YEARS.
WE'VE BEEN SO EXCITED FOR THIS.
LIKE, SO EXCITED FOR THE ABILITY THAT LIKE RESIDENTS FROM THIRD WARD CAN COME UP THE COLUMBIA TAP TRAIL, TWO BLOCKS OVER, CONNECT THIS, AND THEY WOULD ACTUALLY GET UNDER THE RAILROADS AND COLLECT, DROP RIGHT INTO SECOND WARDS CONCEPT NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND WITH THE PROPOSAL OF HEB POTENTIALLY COMING IN THAT CONNECTS TO FOOD DESERTS BETWEEN IDO HAVING A, BEING ABLE TO ACCESS A NEW WAY TO GET TO THIS POTENTIAL LOCATION.
SO IT'S, IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST A LOT.
SORRY, I'M VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT THESE THINGS.
OKAY, I'M GONNA COUNT FOR CAMERA.
THAT WRECK THE TUNNELS Y'ALL TALKING ABOUT.
YOU CANNOT PUT, YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO PUT CARS IN THEM.
I REMEMBER THOSE TUNNELS WHEN I WAS A CHILD.
THOSE TUNNELS WERE ACTUALLY DESIGNED NOT FOR AUTOMOBILES, BUT FOR THE HOUSTON ELECTRIC TO GET THEIR TRAINS, GET THEIR, UH, TRAILER CARS FROM DOWNTOWN INTO THE EAST END WITHOUT BEING BLOCKED BY TRAINS.
SO THOSE TUNNELS ARE VERY, VERY NARROW.
BUT FIRST FOR BIKE PEDESTRIAN, IT'S POSSIBLE.
ONE THING THOUGH, ABOUT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS NEW FACILITY OR A FACILITY ON JENSEN DRIVE OR ANY FACILITY THAT WE HAVE, AND WILLIE, I'M GONNA GO WITH YOU BECAUSE YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU SEEM LIKE YOU'RE TRANSIT ORIENTED PERSON.
YOU COME TO THE METRO BOARD MEETINGS AND I APPRECIATE THAT.
WHEN, LET'S SAY THIS JENSEN THING CAME, CAME, CAME ON THE PIKE, DID ANYBODY FROM FROM THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT ACTUALLY GOT ON THE METRO SIX AND RODE METRO OUT THERE? UH, THESE BAHAMAS PEOPLE DO NOT HAVE CARS.
AND ONCE YOU GET TO THIS PLACE, ARE THE SIDEWALKS UP THE SNUFF FOR WHEELCHAIRS OR UH, MOBILITY DEVICES? AND YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU DO THIS, YOU GOT TO HAVE A HOLISTIC APPROACH.
AND PART OF THIS, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT HARRIS HEALTH, THAT'S A GOOD THING, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
BUT METRO HAS TO BE PART OF THE EQUATION.
AND THIS IS WHAT I'M SAYING, YOU OR UH, THE CHAIR HERE, YOU NEED TO ASK THE CHAIR TO HAVE SOMEBODY FROM THE METRO PD AND SOMETHING FROM METRO, UH, OPERATIONS OR THAT INSIDE OF METRO TO BE EX OFFICIALS OF THIS COMMITTEE.
BECAUSE, UH, I, I'VE SEEN TOO MANY TIMES THEY'VE PUT IN SOMETHING FOR HOUSING OR, OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE AND THEN SIX MONTHS LATER SOMEBODY'S PRESENTING BEFORE THE BEST REWARD, OH, WE GOT THIS, THIS UP NOW CAN YOU CHANGE YOUR SERVICE? DO THE CHANGES NOW.
SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO, DO THINGS LATER.
ALSO TOO, AS A TRANSIT WRITER, I THINK THIS PROBABLY HAVE TO GO THROUGH, UH, MAYBE THIS COMMITTEE MAYBE, UM, THE PROPOSITION A COMMITTEE, WE NEED TO HAVE A ZONE AROUND BUS STOPS THAT ARE, YOU CAN'T BOTHER BUS PASSENGERS.
OUR BUS, MOST OF OUR BUS PASSENGERS ARE ONE OR TWO LEVELS ECONOMICALLY ABOVE THE HOMELESS.
THESE PEOPLE DO THIS BECOME POOR ON POOR CRIME.
ALRIGHT, THANK, THANK YOU DOMINIC.
WE APPRECIATE, APPRECIATE THE COMMENT.
WHAT'S THAT? WE APPRECIATE THE COMMENT.
DO, DO YOU WANT, DO YOU WANNA FINISH FINISH UP? YEAH, YEAH.
AND THE OTHER THING TOO IS THE PEOPLE WHO ARE HOMELESS, SOME OF THEM ARE GETTING MORE AND MORE AGGRESSIVE AND THEY'RE ACTUALLY GOING INTO BUSINESSES AND ASKING FOR HELP.
SO I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT.
SO THOSE ARE ALL THE FOLKS WHO HAVE SIGNED UP TO OFFER PUBLIC COMMENT.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE HERE WHO WOULD LIKE TO COME FORWARD AND OFFER SOME PUBLIC COMMENT? OKAY.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
APPRECIATE EVERYBODY WHO'S PARTICIPATED AND ALL THE INFORMATION THAT, THAT WE'VE HEARD.
AND, UH, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND ADJOURN THE MEETING.
LOOK FORWARD TO OUR, OUR MEETING NEXT MONTH AS WELL.
[01:20:01]
YOU'ALL.