* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.
          [00:00:03]
          I NOW 
          [PRELIMINARY OPEN MEETING]
TO DECLARE THAT THE P PLANO CITY COUNCIL'S CONVENED AN OPEN SESSION THAT ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE PRESENT. 
          MARIA TWO IS ON ZOOM. 
          THE COUNCIL WILL NOW RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AND TRAINING WERE MADE TO HOLD A CLOSED EXECUTIVE MEETING PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF VERNONS TEXAS CODE'S ANNOTATED GOVERNMENT CODE CHAPTER 5 51. 
          THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE AUTHORITY CONTAINED IN SECTION 5 51 0.0 71 TO CONSULT WITH THE ATTORNEY TO RECEIVE LEGAL ADVICE AND TO DISCUSS LITIGATION. 
          THANK YOU. 
          I NOW DECLARE THE P PLANO CITY COUNCIL PRELIMINARY OPEN MEETING IS RECONVENED IN OPEN SESSION THAT ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE PRESENT. 
          MARIA TWO WILL BE ON ZOOM. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER HOMER IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER. 
          OUR FIRST ITEM ON THE PRELIMINARY AGENDAS IS CONSIDERATION AND ACTION RESULTING IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. 
          OUR SECOND ITEM IS DISCUSSION AND DIRECTION OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, HOME FUNDS AND CITY RELATED PROGRAMS, PROCESSES AND POLICIES. 
          MAYOR AND COUNCIL. 
          WE HAVE LORI SCHWARZ WITH A VERY SHORT PRESENTATION, UM, BUT I KNOW WE ALSO HAVE SOME SPEAKERS THAT WILL GET TO, UH, IMMEDIATELY AFTER I THINK LORI'S PRESENTATION. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          GOOD EVENING, MAYOR CITY COUNCIL. 
          UM, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME JUST A FEW MINUTES JUST TO, TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION BEFORE YOU GET INTO YOUR DISCUSSION THIS EVENING. 
          UM, I WANTED JUST TO GIVE SOME BRIEF HISTORY OF THE FUNDING THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED FROM, UH, THE, UH, DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, UM, WHICH IS ALSO REFERRED TO AS HUD. 
          UM, SO THE CITY HAS RECEIVED C D B G FUNDS SINCE 1986. 
          UM, THIS RATE HERE WOULD, UM, BE THE NUMBER, UH, THE AMOUNT OF FUNDS THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED WITHOUT ANY ADMINISTRATION DOLLARS. 
          SO IT'S A HUGE IMPACT FOR OUR COMMUNITY. 
          IN THE LAST 15 YEARS OF OVER 18 MILLION CITIES HAS ALSO RECEIVED HOME FUNDS SINCE 2004. 
          IN THE LAST 15 YEARS, THIS HAS BEEN OVER 5 MILLION, UH, INTO OUR COMMUNITY. 
          AND JUST FOR CLARIFICATION PURPOSES, UM, WE HAVE NEVER HAD, UH, REQUIREMENT TO RETURN ANY FEDERAL FUNDING TO HUD FROM PROGRAMS THAT ARE ADMINISTERED TO THE CITY. 
          SO ALL OF THE FUNDING THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED, UM, HAS ACTUALLY GONE OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY OR, UH, BEEN BEEN FOCUSED ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THOSE PROGRAMS. SO ANOTHER QUESTION THAT HAS COME UP RECENTLY IS ABOUT THE STAFFING SUPPORT FOR OUR FEDERAL PROGRAMS. SO FOR THE LAST 15 YEARS, THERE HAVE BEEN SIX POSITIONS THAT ARE DIRECTLY SUPPORTING OUR FEDERAL HOUSING PROGRAMS THAT ARE PAID THROUGH GRANT FUNDS. 
          UM, THESE ARE A, UH, REHABILITATION PROGRAM WHERE WE'RE LOOKING AT HOUSING COMMUNITY SERVICES COORDINATORS. 
          THERE'S TWO OF THOSE. 
          THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT TAKE IN THE APPLICATIONS, UM, AND ALSO HELP PEOPLE WORK THROUGH THAT PROCESS. 
          THEN WE HAVE TWO HOUSING REHABILITATION PROJECT COORDINATORS. 
          THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT WORK WITH THE CONTRACTORS AND REALLY SERVE AS KIND OF PROJECT MANAGERS FOR THOSE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS. 
          UM, AND SO THOSE HAVE BEEN CONSISTENT FOR THE LAST 15 YEARS. 
          THERE IS ALSO A HOUSING COMMUNITY SERVICES COORDINATOR RELATED TO THE HOME FUNDS. 
          SO THEY HAVE PRIMARILY BEEN THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE OVERSEEN THE FIRST TIME HOME BUYER PROGRAM, BUT ALSO WORKING WITH THE CHODOS AND OTHER, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPERS THAT ARE, UH, HAVE RECEIVED HOME FUNDS. 
          THE OTHER, UH, POSITION, UM, IS OUR COMMUNITY SERVICES GRANTS ADMINISTRATOR. 
          UM, THIS IS REALLY THE SOLE PERSON THAT DOES THE REPORTING RESPONSIBILITIES TO, UH, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. 
          SO THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ENSURE THAT THE FUNDING IS BEING USED ACCURATELY. 
          WE'RE REPORTING IN THE FEDERAL SYSTEM. 
          AND SO THOSE ARE, THAT IS A POSITION THAT HAS BEEN NECESSARY, UM, SINCE THAT TIME. 
          UM, WE HAVE ADDED ONE POSITION, UM, IN 20 20, 20 21, WHICH IS SPECIFIC TO HOMELESS SERVICES. 
          UM, AND SO THIS IS A HOUSING COMMUNITY SERVICES COORDINATOR. 
          UM, THIS CAME ABOUT, UM, A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WHEN WE WERE HAVING INCREASED, UM, CONCERN FROM THE CITY COUNCIL LEVEL THAT WE NEEDED TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL HOME HOMELESS OUTREACH. 
          UM, AND SO THAT POSITION WAS ADDED. 
          UM, THERE ARE SOME SOME SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES AS FAR AS THE WAY THAT IT WORKS. 
          UM, HOME IS PRIMARILY DESIGNED TO CREATE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND HOME OWNER OWNERSHIP ACTIVITIES. 
          SO I'VE MENTIONED, UM, SOME OF THE, UH, THE PROGRAMS, THE FIRST TIME HOME BUYER PROGRAM, UM, AND THEN ALSO, UM, THE, UH, CHOTO, WHICH IS THE SET ASIDE OF 15%. 
          UM, ONE 
          [00:05:01]
OF THE THINGS THAT I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE FOR REHAB, UM, FOR HOME IS THAT ANYTIME YOU HAVE A REHABILITATION PROJECT WITH HOME FUNDS, YOU ARE REQUIRED TO ADDRESS ALL DEFICIENCIES DISCOVERED DURING CONSTRUCTION. 
          SO THIS COULD MEAN THAT IF SOMEBODY COMES INTO US AND SAYS THAT THEY HAVE A LEAK IN THEIR WALL, UM, WE COME IN TO REPAIR THE LEAK, BUT ONCE WE OPEN IT UP, WE DISCOVER THAT IT ACTUALLY HAS DAMAGED THE STRUCTURE. 
          IT'S SOMEHOW WORKING ON THE FOUNDATION. 
          UM, AND, AND OFTENTIMES THOSE PROJECTS WILL EXPAND AS WITH ANY OTHER CONSTRUCTION PROJECT, BECAUSE SOMETIMES WHEN YOU OPEN UP THE WALLS, YOU FIND THE THINGS UNDERNEATH. 
          UM, AND SO WE ARE REQUIRED TO BRING THOSE HOMES UP TO CODE. 
          NOW, ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES THOUGH, UM, IS ALSO THE ABILITY TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE FLEXIBLE AS FAR AS THE WAY THAT THOSE GRANTS ARE USED AND GIVEN TO THOSE, UM, THOSE HOMEOWNERS THAT WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE FLEXIBILITY POTENTIALLY TO HAVE FORGIVABLE LOANS OR TO DO GRANTS FOR THEM. 
          UM, INSTEAD OF HAVING A PAYBACK, UM, OR A PARTIALLY FORGIVABLE LOAN, CDBG HAS BEEN THE MAIN BULK OF OUR REHAB PROGRAM AS WELL AS OUR PUBLIC SERVICES. 
          YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE IS, UM, ALSO THE ABILITY TO DO REHABILITATION OF NON-RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES, UM, AND THEN ALSO PUBLIC SERVICES WITHIN CERTAIN LIMITS. 
          SO OUR HOME AT CDBG NONPROFIT PARTNERSHIPS HAVE PRIMARILY BEEN, UM, UNDER TWO THINGS, HOME REPAIR PROGRAMS AND, UH, HOME OWNERSHIP PROGRAMS. HOME REPAIR HAS BEEN HABITAT FOR HUMANITY REBUILDING TOGETHER IN THE PLANO HOUSING CORPORATION. 
          HOME OWNERSHIP PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN CHRIST UNITED METHODIST, PLANO HOUSING AUTHORITY, PLANO HOUSING CORPORATION AND HOUSING CHANNEL. 
          THOSE LAST TWO PLANO HOUSING CORPORATION HOUSING CHANNEL, BOTH SERVED AS OUR CHODOS, UM, OVER, UH, THE SPAN OF OUR, UM, OUR PROGRAMS. UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, JUST HAS BEEN NOTED, UM, OUR HOUSING MARKET HAS SIGNIFICANTLY CHANGED IN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS. 
          AND SOME OF OUR CHALLENGES HAVE REALLY BEEN ABOUT THE WAY THAT WE WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE HOME FUNDS FOR PEOPLE. 
          UM, AND I THINK THAT IS, UH, PROBABLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT WE'VE SEEN CHANGE OVER TIME. 
          AND OUR HOPE IS, IS THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO DISCUSS WITH COUNCIL SOME OTHER OPTIONS FOR USE OF HOME FUNDS BECAUSE IT IS BECOMING MORE CHALLENGING TO DO, UH, DEVELOPMENT OF HOUSING. 
          AND IT IS BECOMING MORE CHALLENGING, UM, TO BE ABLE TO HAVE FIRST TIME HOME BUYERS BECAUSE OUR HOUSING MARKET IS SO SHIFTED. 
          AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE SEEING NOT ONLY ON OUR LOCAL LEVEL, BUT ALSO NATIONALLY. 
          AND SO THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT SHOULD WE BE DOING WITH HOME FUNDS LONG TERM. 
          SO JUST IN GENERAL, I WANTED TO GIVE YOU SOME IMPACT TO THE COMMUNITY OVER THE LAST 15 YEARS. 
          UM, C D B G FUNDS HAVE ASSISTED 475 HOUSEHOLDS WITH HOUSING REHABILITATIONS. 
          THERE'S BEEN ALMOST 70, WELL OVER 7,700 INDIVIDUALS IN HOUSEHOLDS THAT HAVE RECEIVED, UM, ASSISTANCE THROUGH SOCIAL SERVICE. 
          AND THAT'S WITH OUR NONPROFIT PARTNERS. 
          HOME FUNDS HAVE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HELP 95 HOUSEHOLDS WITH HOUSING REHABILITATIONS. 
          AND THEN OUR FIRST TIME HOME BUYER ASSISTANCE HAS BEEN 143 PEOPLE. 
          AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE HOME BUYERS EDUCATED OVER 2300, UM, THAT HAVE BEEN RECEIVED. 
          SO, UM, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE IS, IS THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS HAS BEEN A TREMENDOUS IMPACT TO THE COMMUNITY. 
          UM, WE HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS GOAL OF BEING ABLE TO PRESERVE OUR HOUSING AND NEIGHBORHOODS HERE, IT IS IN ALIGNMENT WITH OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. 
          AND I JUST WANTED SHOW YOU AN IMPACT VIDEO THAT WE HAD, JUST THAT GIVES YOU A, IT'S A VERY SHORT ONE, I PROMISE. 
          UM, JUST TELLING YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT HAS HAPPENED. 
          THE HOUSING REHABILITATION PROGRAM ALLOWS THE CITY OF PLANO TO CREATE LIVABLE AND SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES THROUGH HUD FUNDING. 
          ONE GREAT RECIPIENT HAD THIS TO SAY ABOUT A HOME WE REHABBED IN 2019. 
          THE HOUSING REHAB PROGRAM GREATLY IMPACTED OUR LIVES. 
          I'M A MOM OF FOUR KIDS, AND THE PROGRAM GAVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE IN A SAFE HOME THAT WE COULD NOT OTHERWISE AFFORD. 
          IT PROVIDED US STABILITY BEFORE WE WERE CONSTANTLY MOVING FROM PLACE TO PLACE. 
          IN 2017, THE HOME OF MS. PEREZ HAD A DANGEROUS ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, AND THE CINDER BLOCK FOUNDATION WAS SINKING TO THE GROUND. 
          THE HOUSE ONLY HAD TWO ROOMS. THE KIDS WERE HAVING TO SLEEP IN THE CLOSET. 
          I WAS GIVEN OPTIONS AND MY KIDS AND I GOT SO EXCITED TO MAKE CHOICES ABOUT OUR HOME. 
          THE HOUSING REHAB PROGRAM ALLOWED US TO STOP MOVING AND GAVE MY CHILDREN STABILITY. 
          ANOTHER GRAND RECIPIENT WROTE US AFTER WE REHABBED HIS HOME. 
          I USED TO BE SO WORRIED THAT THE ORIGINAL HOME WAS ACTUALLY GOING TO FALL DOWN IN 2018. 
          THE HOME OF MR. CHANCELLOR WAS A ONE STORY IN ONE OF THE OLDEST NEIGHBORHOODS OF PLANO. 
          THE HOUSE WAS NEARLY UNINHABITABLE WITH SAFETY HAZARDS AND SEVERE PLUMBING FOUNDATION, ELECTRICAL AND AIR CALLING ISSUES. 
          MY NEW HOME HAS ME STILL EXCITED AFTER THREE YEARS, I CAN'T BELIEVE IT ACTUALLY HAPPENED. 
          PRESERVING THESE NEIGHBORHOODS THROUGH THE HOUSING REHABILITATION PROGRAM MANY TIMES GIVES RESIDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO REMAIN IN THE ONLY HOME OR NEIGHBORHOOD THEY'VE EVER KNOWN. 
          I PROMISED IT WAS SHORT. 
          UM, I KNOW THAT YOU WERE DISCUSSING TONIGHT WHETHER OR NOT TO CONTINUE, UM, RECEIVING, UM, ANY OF OUR FEDERAL 
          [00:10:01]
HOUSING FUNDS. 
          SO ONE THING I DID WANT TO JUST GIVE YOU, UM, JUST AS A QUICK OVERVIEW, SOME OF OUR BENEFITS AS A PARTICIPATING JURISDICTION OR ENTITLEMENT COMMUNITY, WE DO RECEIVE ANNUAL ALLOCATIONS OF FEDERAL HOUSING MONEY THAT ARE EARMARKED FOR PLANO RESIDENTS. 
          WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN ACCESS TO SPECIALIZED FEDERAL RECOVERY FUNDING OVER THE LAST 15 YEARS. 
          UM, WE HAD THE C D B G R, WHICH WAS AFTER THE RECESSION. 
          UM, PLUS A LOT OF RECOVERY MONIES THAT WERE DIRECTLY, UH, FOCUSED ON THE CITY OF PLANO IN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS. 
          WE PARTICIPATED IN OTHER, UM, PROGRAMS THROUGH A, UH, LARGER STATE PROCESS. 
          UM, BUT THESE ARE THE ONES THAT WERE SPECIFICALLY DIRECTED TO, TO THE CITY OF PLANO. 
          AND THEN WITHOUT THE HUD PARTNERSHIPS, PLANO ORGANIZATIONS WOULD HAVE TO COMPETE WITH OTHER NONPROFITS FOR STATE FEDERAL FUNDS ALLOCATION. 
          UM, SO IT, IT TAKES IT OUT OF, UM, SORT OF THE CITY BEING ABLE TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE, WE'RE GIVING IT TO PLANO, UH, ORGANIZATIONS AND PUTS IT INTO A COMPETITIVE STATEWIDE PROCESS. 
          AND THEN JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF DETAIL ABOUT SOME COMMUNITY FEEDBACK AND ROUND TABLES THAT WERE GOING ON RIGHT NOW. 
          UM, ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO SHARE, UM, IS THAT WE DID HAVE SOME FEEDBACK FROM RESIDENTS A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO. 
          UM, AND I WANNA APOLOGIZE, IT'S NOT HOME PROGRAM AT CDBG JUST TO ALLOW SOME FUNDS FOR RENTAL PROPERTIES. 
          THESE ARE SPECIFIC TO ONE TO FOUR, UM, UNITS. 
          BUT THEN ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS I WANTED TO SHARE, AND I KNOW A LOT OF COUNCIL KNOWS ALREADY THAT WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF DOING THESE ROUND TABLES. 
          UM, AS PART OF OUR STRATEGIC PLAN THAT WE COMPLETED IN SEPTEMBER OF LAST YEAR, ONE OF THE THINGS WE REALLY WANTED TO DO IS GET OUT AND LISTEN TO THE COMMUNITY. 
          UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE STARTED IS, IS, YOU KNOW, IT IS, IT IS, WE'VE HAD A TOUGH THREE YEARS GETTING THROUGH COVID. 
          UM, A LOT OF OUR RESIDENTS HAVE REALLY STRUGGLED. 
          WE'VE HAD A LOT OF RECOVERY PROGRAMS, BUT YOU KNOW, WE ARE ARE NOW AT THE END OF THOSE AND, AND NOW WHAT? UM, AND SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO RIGHT NOW IS TO REALLY LISTEN TO OUR NONPROFIT PARTNERS, TO OUR HOMELESS SERVICES PROVIDERS, UM, OUR REALTORS. 
          WE MET WITH THEM THIS MORNING. 
          UM, WE'RE HAVING INCREDIBLE FEEDBACK AND, UM, WE HAVE BEEN VERY GRATEFUL TO HAVE THE PARTICIPATION. 
          I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO SHARING THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS TO COUNSEL ONCE WE'VE COMPLETED THIS PROCESS. 
          UM, BUT IT HAS BEEN INCREDIBLE AND WE HAVE, WE HAVE HEARD A LOT AND WE HAVE A LOT OF RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE WANT TO SERIOUSLY CONSIDER. 
          UM, BUT I, UM, WANTED YOU TO KNOW THAT THAT IS SOMETHING WE HAD PLANNED AND AND HA ARE EXECUTING, AND WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE PARTICIPATION AND WHAT WE'RE HEARING. 
          UM, BUT THEN LASTLY, WE'RE ALSO MEETING WITH OUR, UM, OUR NONPROFIT PARTNERS. 
          WE'RE TRYING TO LISTEN TO WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE AND TO TRY AND MAKE ADJUSTMENTS AS NECESSARY. 
          BUT, UM, JUST OVERALL, THAT IS JUST A VERY QUICK SYNOPSIS. 
          I'LL BE AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE AS YOU GO THROUGH YOUR DISCUSSION THIS EVENING. 
          AND I WILL BE HERE AT THE DICE. 
          THANK YOU, LORI. 
          MM-HMM. 
          , WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA, I'M GONNA HAVE THE TWO SPEAKERS FOR THIS PARTICULAR ITEM. 
          SPEAK FIRST, AND I'M GONNA HAND IT OVER TO, UH, COUNCILMAN GRADY. 
          UH, THE FIRST SPEAKER IS DOUG NICHOLS, AND HE WILL BE FOLLOWED BY KATHY WARD. 
          GOOD. 
          THREE MINUTES. 
           MAYOR, COUNSEL PERSONS. 
          MY NAME'S DOUG NICHOLS. 
          I'M HERE TO SUGGEST WE HAVE A TURNED A CITY OF THE CITY OF PLANO CRISIS REGARDING PERSONS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND FOOD INSECURITY INTO A DISASTER. 
          I'VE BEEN IN PLANO FOR FOUR DECADES. 
          BESIDES MY HOMESTEAD, I HAVE FAMILY HOME RENTALS, PROPERTIES, SINGLE FAMILY HOME RENTAL PROPERTIES AT AFFORDABLE HOUSING PRICES AT OR BELOW 67% OF MARKET RATE. 
          JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS COMING OUT OF HOMELESSNESS HAVE A HOME. 
          I'M EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF BED START IN, FOUNDED IN 19 95, 3 DECADES AGO. 
          MOST, MOST OF THE FOLKS WE PROVIDE TO AT NO COST ARE COMING OUT OF SOME KIND OF HOMELESSNESS. 
          LAST YEAR, WE DELIVERED 1800 BEDS AND 1.2 MILLION WORTH OF FURNITURE AT NO COST TO THESE INDIVIDUALS. 
          20% OF THAT WAS IN PLANO. 
          SO YOU DO THE MATH ON HOW MANY BEDS PEOPLE WERE SLEEPING ON THE FLOOR HERE IN HERE IN PLANO. 
          ADDITIONALLY, OVER SEVEN YEARS AGO, I'VE STARTED TO LEAD A GROUP CALLED PEOPLE WHO LOVE PEOPLE, THE STREET OUTREACH MINISTRY, BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH THOSE UNSHELTERED AND FOOD INSECURE. 
          WE DELIVERED OR WE PROVIDED AND SHARED 600 MEALS IN A YEAR. 
          AND MOST RECENTLY, WE PROVIDED THE HOT 
          [00:15:01]
BREAKFAST FOR ALL OF THE PLAIN OVERNIGHT WARMING STATION, UM, RESIDENTS. 
          DURING THESE DECADES, I'VE WITNESSED SUBSTANTIAL GROWTH, GROWTH FOCUSED ON HIGH-END HOUSING, IGNORING THE CRIES OF THE CITIZENS SINKING INTO POVERTY. 
          I'VE SEEN CITY SERVICES FOCUSED ON HOUSEHOLDS WITH MEANS, ESPECIALLY DURING THE PANDEMIC, WHEN EVEN RESTROOMS AND FOOD AVAILABILITY WERE OFF LIMITS TO THE UNSHELTERED AND THE PEDESTRIANS. 
          YOU HAD TO HAVE A CAR TO GO TO MINI'S. 
          MORE RECENTLY, I'VE WITNESSED A HUGE GROWTH IN THE, THE ATTENTION OF THE CITY OF PLANO TO RESOURCES AND RESOURCES ALLOCATED TO THOSE EXPERIENCING HOMELESS. 
          YET THE CRISIS IS ESCALATING INTO A DISASTER. 
          UH, DEATH INCLUDED PEOPLE FREEZING BEHIND CONVENIENCE STORES, DAY LABORERS IN THE LONG CARE BUSINESS, DYING OF EXHAUSTION IN BETWEEN HIGH END HOMES, DEATH DURING THE PANDEMIC, ALONG THE DARK RAIL STATION. 
          AND BY THE WAY, THE, NONE OF THESE GET PUBLICIZED AT ALL, BUT EVERYBODY KNOWS ABOUT 'EM ON THE STREETS. 
          AND MORE RECENTLY, MY FRIEND CALLIE, WHO DIED OF A STRANGULATION IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, SLEEPING ON THE STREETS HERE IN PLANO. 
          MY SUGGESTION IS TO AVOID A HOMELESSNESS DISASTER BY REDUCING THE STAFFING OF, OF AN THAT ADDRESS POVERTY, HOMELESSNESS, AND FOOD INSECURITY, PROFITS, AND OTHER TAX EXEMPT ENTITIES TO FULFILL THEIR MISSION AND PUR PURPOSE THAT ALLOWS THEM NONPROFIT STATUS. 
          WE ALL NEED TO STAY IN OUR LANE DOING WHAT WE ARE CALLED TO DO. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          HI. 
          THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH, MR. MAYOR AND CITY COUNCILMAN. 
          UM, MY NAME IS KATHY WARD. 
          I'VE LIVED IN PLANO SINCE 1991. 
          I'M HERE. 
          I HAD SENT OUT TO A NUMBER OF YOU AND I GOT RESPONSES BACK AS WELL FROM Y'ALL AS WELL AS STAFF ABOUT NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES. 
          IT IS, IT HAS COME TO MY ATTENTION THAT WE HAVE 61 EMPLOYEES IN NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES. 
          I THINK THAT'S APPROXIMATELY CORRECT. 
          IS THERE A FORMAT WHERE WE CAN LOOK AT, ESPECIALLY AS WE DISCUSS ALL THESE HUGELY IMPORTANT TO TOPICS LIKE WHAT THE GENTLEMAN JUST BROUGHT UP ABOUT HOMELESSNESS AND THE DEATHS IN THE CITY, WHAT THE JOB DESCRIPTIONS, THE JOB TITLES AND DESCRIPTIONS ARE FOR ALL 61 OF THOSE EMPLOYEES? THAT'S A QUESTION THAT'S, AND IF THAT DOESN'T, AND IF THAT DOESN'T EXIST, CAN WE HAVE THAT? IS THAT A RECOMMENDATION I CAN MAKE MOVING FORWARD? MS. WARD? UH, I, I BELIEVE OUR HR DEPARTMENT REACHED BACK OUT WITH THOSE JOB DESCRIPTIONS. 
          UH, IT, IT WAS FOR ABOUT EL 11 POSITIONS, UNLESS I MISUNDERSTOOD WHAT I WAS SENT. 
          OKAY. 
          I'M TRYING TO FIND OUT LIKE FROM A TO Z SURE. 
          NOT WHO THE EMPLOYEE IS, BUT O OF COURSE, WHAT THE POSITION IS. 
          ABSOLUTELY. 
          WE'RE, WE'RE HAPPY TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION. 
          OKAY. 
          SO WE, IF IF THEY, IF IT ALL 61 ARE INCLUDED WITHIN THAT 11 OR IF THERE'S ADDITIONAL TO THAT, WE'LL MAKE SURE WE FOLLOW WITH YOU. 
          OKAY. 
          THANK Y SO MUCH AND I APPRECIATE Y'ALL SERVICE. 
          THANK Y'ALL. 
          SURE. 
          COUNCILMAN GRADY. 
          THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN. 
          UM, I WANTED TO TALK, UH, OPENLY ABOUT THIS, UH, ISSUE BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY, UM, SOME REGULATIONS CALLED OPEN MEETINGS ACT REALLY REQUIRE ME TO DISCUSS THIS IN AN OPEN SESSION AND NOT, UM, INDIVIDUALLY ONE-ON-ONE, WHICH WOULD BREAK THAT RULE. 
          UM, THERE ARE LOTS OF OF POINTS THAT I, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE, UM, AND I'LL MAKE THEM AS RAPIDLY AS POSSIBLE. 
          UM, ALL OF YOU RECEIVED AN EMAIL, I THINK SHORTLY, UM, WHICH SHOWED FOUR COLUMNS OF FUNDING. 
          UM, IT WAS LABELED 2022 CRC NONPROFIT IN HOUSING RESOURCES. 
          UM, AND IT WAS A, UH, A VERY GOOD BREAKDOWN OF HOW THE FUNDS ARE BEING USED. 
          UM, BUT IT ALSO IS A, IT ALSO POINTS OUT TO ME HOW THE FUNDS MAY NOT BE USED. 
          AND THAT'S THE CONCERN THAT I HAVE THAT I WANTED TO TALK WITH YOU ABOUT TONIGHT. 
          UM, AS WE CAN SEE ON THAT DOCUMENT, UM, UNDER CB, UH, C D B G FUNDING OR UNDER HOME FUNDING, AND, AND I WANTED TO REALLY KIND OF LOOK AT HOME FUNDING THIS EVENING SO THAT WE CAN ISOLATE SOME OF THESE DISCUSSIONS. 
          WHAT I, WHAT I'M REALLY SEEING ON HERE IS THAT THE FUNDING AS IT'S BEING USED IS BEING USED INTERNALLY, NOT EXTERNALLY. 
          AND THAT'S MY CONCERN. 
          MY CONCERN IS GETTING AS, AS MR. NICHOLS, UH, INDICATED, GETTING THE FUNDING OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY SO THAT THE FUNDING CAN BE USED BY THE COMMUNITY FOR THE PEOPLE THAT IT IS INTENDED TO BE USED FOR, UM, 
          [00:20:01]
AND NOT BEING USED ADMINISTRATIVELY. 
          SO WHEN I START LOOKING AT HOME FUNDS THAT ARE USED FOR REHAB, AND WHEN I LOOK AT C D B G FUNDS THAT ARE BEING USED FOR REHAB, AND I SEE POSITIONS THAT, UM, ARE NOW BETWEEN SIX AND EIGHT IN AN ORGANIZATION, UM, FOR THE REHABS THAT ARE BEING DONE, I HAVE A CONCERN THAT WE'RE BUILDING A DEPARTMENT OF OF GENERAL CONTRACTORS, UM, AND WE'RE NOT REALLY GETTING THAT MONEY OUT INTO, INTO THE COMMUNITY. 
          SO MY ASK IN MY DISCUSSION IS REALLY WE NEED TO A, TAKE A LOOK AT OUR DEPARTMENTS AND FIGURE OUT DO WE REALLY NEED ALL OF THESE PEOPLE IN THE DEPARTMENT DOING THESE TYPES OF JOBS, OR ARE THERE OTHER PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT CAN DO THESE JOBS AND WE CAN GET THE MONEY OUT TO THEM INSTEAD. 
          THAT THAT'S ONE POINT. 
          UM, ANOTHER POINT IS, IS THAT WHEN WE DO, UM, MANY OF THE, UM, UH, DISTRIBUTIONS OF FUNDS THROUGH GRANT, UH, GRANT PROCESS, UM, I'M GOING TO ASK THAT, UM, STAFF FURNISH TO YOU, UM, THE RUBRIC THAT IS USED, UM, BY THE COMMUNITY RELATIONS COMMISSION IN ANALYZING THE PRESENTATIONS OF, OF THE GROUPS THAT COME IN. 
          AND HERE IS THE REASON WHY. 
          SOME OF THE QUESTIONS ON THERE, I DON'T REALLY THINK GET TO THE ROOT OF THE ISSUE AND THE PROBLEM. 
          I THINK THE ROOT AND THE ISSUE OF THE PROBLEM IS WHAT DO WE HAVE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT'S GOING, THAT'S GOING WRONG? UH, WHAT, WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO? IS IT A HOUSING ISSUE? IS IT A HOMELESS ISSUE? IS IT A HEALTHCARE ISSUE? WHAT ARE THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE TRYING TO STRIVE TO, TO FIX WITH THESE DOLLARS WHEN THEY GO INTO THE COMMUNITY? AND I DON'T REALLY SEE THAT BEING THE FOCUS WHEN I LOOK AT SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT ARE IN THE RUBRIC, WHICH BASICALLY STATE IN GENERAL, HOW WELL DID THE PRESENTER ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS? HOW WELL DID THE PRESENTER GIVE YOU A DEMONSTRATION OF WHAT THEY DO? I DON'T THINK THAT THAT REALLY IS ADDRESSING WHAT WE NEED. 
          AND SO I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE A DEEPER LOOK AT HOW THAT PROCESS WORKS AND HOW THE FUNDS ARE DISTRIBUTED. 
          SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF I TAKE A LOOK AT THE HOME FUNDS, UM, I KNOW THAT AS A COUNCIL AND I, I, UH, SEVERAL COUNCIL MEETINGS, UH, AGO ASKED THE QUESTION, HOW MUCH DID THE COUNCIL RECOMMEND BEING USED ON ANY PROJECT? AND THE ANSWER WAS 55,000. 
          I THEN ASKED, WOULD YOU, ARE THERE ANY OTHER TIMES THAT YOU WOULD USE MORE THAN 55,000? I THINK WE HEARD A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT AGAIN THIS EVENING, BUT SOMETIMES AGAIN, WHEN YOU OPEN UP A WALL, YOU MIGHT FIND THAT YOU HAVE PLUMBING ISSUES AND THE PLUMBING HAS DAMAGED A BASEBOARD OR SOMETHING OF OTHER THE NATURE. 
          BUT I THINK THAT IF IT'S BIG ENOUGH, IT OUGHT TO COME BACK TO THE COUNCIL FOR DISCUSSION, BECAUSE THERE ARE THREE HOMES IN 2000, IN, IN 2020, UM, THAT, UH, $120,000 WAS SPENT ON A HOME. 
          $110,000 WAS SPENT ON A HOME. 
          UM, AND I'M GONNA LOOK AT MY NOTES. 
          I THINK IT WAS 101,000, YES, 101,000, 106,000 THAT WAS SPENT ON A THIRD HOME TO REHAB IT. 
          NOW, IF I WAS TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT, I WOULD SAY, WAS THIS A PLUMBING ISSUE OR WAS THIS ANOTHER ISSUE? I OPENED UP A WALL AND FOUND SOMETHING. 
          WHEN I SEE ROOFING FOUNDATION, SIDING, WINDOWS, DOORS, HVAC SYSTEMS, PLUMBING, ELECTRICAL, AND IT RUNS THROUGH THE ENTIRE LIST, THE ONLY THING MISSING IN ONE HOME IS THEY DIDN'T REPLACE THE WATER HEATER. 
          I BEGIN TO WONDER IF THAT WAS REALLY NECESSARY OR NOT. 
          THAT WAS A GREAT WIN FOR SOMEONE. 
          UM, 122,000 SPENT ON A HOME THAT PROBABLY APPRAISED FOR 1 69 AT THE TIME. 
          SO I HAVE A CONCERN AS TO WHEN, WHEN WE SAY WHAT IS NEEDED NOW, IF THE HOME IS ONE OF THE HOMES THAT WAS ON THE VIDEO TONIGHT AND REALLY IN BAD CONDITION, THEN BRING IT BACK TO US AND LET US MAKE A DETERMINATION. 
          BUT WHEN WE SAY 55,000, I THINK THAT THAT'S KIND OF THE STANDARD BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO SPREAD IT AS FAR AND AS WIDE AS WE POSSIBLY CAN. 
          AND THERE'S, THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME ONUS BY HOMEOWNERS OF OWNING THEIR OWN HOME AND BEING ABLE TO AFFORD NOT ONLY REPAIRING IT, BUT BEING ABLE TO AFFORD HAVING THE HOME. 
          UM, AND I DON'T THINK IT SHOULD BE ALL BORNE UPON US, UM, FOR HOME OWNERSHIP. 
          HOME OWNERSHIP IS EXPENSIVE, AND WE ALL KNOW IT, THAT IT'S EXPENSIVE. 
          SO THAT, THAT IS ANOTHER THING. 
          AND, AND SO WHEN I BOIL ALL THIS DOWN TO ONE FINITE THING, I THINK OUR PROCESS INTERNALLY NEEDS TO BE REEXAMINED AS TO HOW WE'RE USING THE MONEY. 
          I DON'T MIND USING THE MONEY. 
          I'D LOVE GOING OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY AND GETTING THINGS FIXED, BUT IT'S THE WAY THAT THE MONEY IS BEING HANDLED INTERNALLY. 
          AND I THINK WE COULD SEE THAT AGAIN IN THE SECOND SHEET THAT THE CITY MANAGER SENT US, WHICH WAS A SPREADSHEET. 
          BECAUSE AS WE LOOK 
          [00:25:01]
AT THE, UM, THE INDIVIDUAL ORGANIZATIONS, THAT DOLLARS WE ONLY SEE IN, UM, UH, IN THE HOME FUNDS REALLY, UH, UH, TWO ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE NOT LABELED CITY OF PLANO. 
          WE ONLY SEE FOUR ORGANIZATIONS IN CDBG FUNDS THAT ARE NOT LABELED THE CITY OF PLANO. 
          SO IT'S SMALLER AND SMALLER GROUPINGS OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE ACTUALLY GETTING THE FUNDS, AND WE END UP DOING IT. 
          UM, AND WE CAN SEE IT EVEN ON THE BOTTOM LINE WHERE WE TAKE A LOOK AT GRANT ADMINISTRATION UNDER C D B G ON THE SPREADSHEET THAT YOU HAVE, UM, WHEN YOU ALSO TAKE A LOOK AT THE SPREADSHEET UNDER HOME FUNDS, THE MAJORITY OF THE FUNDING IS FALLING UNDER THE CITY OF PLAINTIFF. 
          AND SO THAT'S WHEN I BEGIN TO QUESTION HOW ARE THE FUNDS REALLY GETTING OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY? AND THAT'S THE PUSH THAT I AM, I HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR, UM, OVER AND OVER AS TO GETTING THE, GETTING THE FUNDS OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY AND DOING THE WORK THAT THOSE FUNDS WERE INTENDED FOR, AND NOT REALLY HAVING IT DONE INTERNALLY OR BY CITY STAFF. 
          IT NEEDS TO BE DONE BY THOSE THAT CAN DO IT WELL. 
          UM, OUT IN THE, OUT IN THE STREETS. 
          I THINK THAT WE'VE, WE HAVE A PROCESS THAT'S COMING UP VERY, VERY SHORTLY, UM, THE GRANT PROCESS AND, AND THERE'S A TIMELINE THAT'S ON THE WEBSITE SAYING, UM, IN APRIL WE'RE GONNA BE DISCUSSING GRANTS AND WE'RE GONNA BE GIVING OUT GRANTS. 
          SO WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT THIS PRETTY QUICK, UM, BECAUSE THESE DOLLARS MAY START GOING OUT IN THE COMMUNITY WITH THE SAME THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST, AND THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST TO ME DON'T SEEM TO BE WORKING. 
          AND SO I, I AM ASKING US TO TAKE, TAKE A LOOK AND MAKE A DECISION TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE PROCESS THAT WE'RE DOING. 
          AND IF WE CAN'T FIX IT, THEN STOP DOING IT. 
          AND COUNSEL, I, I'VE HAD A NUMBER OF CONVERSATIONS WITH COUNCILMAN GRADY. 
          I, I WILL COMMIT TO YOU THAT OF COURSE, UH, THE RUB AT RUB IS HAPPY TO, TO SHARE THAT WITH, WITH COUNSEL. 
          UM, THERE IS IS NEVER A PROBLEM WITH SHARING THE RUBRIC, UH, WITH THEM. 
          I, I, I WANNA MAKE SURE TWO THINGS, UM, REAL QUICK, AND I KNOW THAT WE'RE KIND OF RUNNING UP AGAINST SEVEN, SO WHETHER WE NEED TO GO AHEAD AND GAVEL OUT AND, UM, RESTART THIS AND START THAT IN A SECOND, BUT I ALSO WANTED TO ASK LAURIE ON THE, THE 55,000 AND THE BRINGING UP THE CODE ISSUE. 
          I'LL LET YOU ANSWER THAT IN A MINUTE. 
          LAURIE, LET ME GO AHEAD AND, AND, UH, GAVEL IN THE, THE REGULAR MATING.
* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.