Backup Agenda Item 1_DRAFT Minutes Joint Inclusion Committee (JIC) Regular Meeting January 22 2025 — original pdf

Backup

JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE (JIC) REGULAR MEETING MINUTES The JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE (JIC) convened a regular meeting on WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2025, at 3:00 P.M. CST in the BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ROOM #1101 (301 W. Second Street, Austin, Texas 78701) Chair AMANDA AFIFI called the JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE meeting to order at 3:02 p.m. Commissioners in Attendance: Commissioners in Attendance Remotely: Commission on Aging: Richard Bondi (Vice-Chair) African American Resource Advisory Commission: Elaina Fowler Asian American Quality of Life Commission: Nayer Sikder Commission on Immigrant Affairs: Melissa Ortega Commission on Veterans Affairs: Curtis Wyman Commission for Women: Diana Melendez Early Childhood Council: Andrea McIllwain Hispanic Latino Quality of Life Resource Advisory Commission: Amanda Afifi (Chair) Human Rights Commission: Morgan Davis LGBTQ+ Quality of Life Commission: Jerry Joe Benson Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities: Jennifer Powell & Lisa Chang PURPOSE OF THE JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE: City Code § 2-1-204 mandates The Committee shall: 1) advise the council on issues pertaining to equity, diversity, and inclusion; and 2) promote close cooperation between the council, City management, City boards, commissions, committees, and taskforces, and individuals, institutions, and agencies to increase and sustain equity, diversity, and inclusion in the city. PUBLIC COMMUNICATION The first ten speakers signed up prior to the meeting being called to order will each be allowed a three-minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. Sarah Lass, Immigrant Hall of Honor National Museum shares a video to introduce the nonprofit. Scott Johnson, requesting funds for utility assistance. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1  1. STAFF BRIEFINGS 2. Approve the minutes of the JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE’s SPECIAL CALLED MEETING on DECEMBER 18, 2024. The minutes for the JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE’s DECEMBER 18TH, 2024 SPECIAL CALLED MEETING were approved at the JANUARY 22nd 2025 REGULAR MEETING on COMMISSIONER JERRY JOE BENSON’s motion, COMMISSIONER ELAINA FOWLER’s second, on a 9-0 vote (Off the dais: Human Rights Commission’s Commissioner Morgan Davis). Briefing from David Gray, Officer of the Homeless Strategy Office and Mandy DeMayo, Department Director of Housing and Planning updates on their offices and departments fiscal year 2024-2025 budget as they relate to City programs and services for housing and residents experiencing homelessness. Mandy DeMayo shares the source of funds from the City’s FY25 Budget equal $96.3M. She also shares that Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH)’s Site-Based PSH comes from Capital, Wrap Around Services, and Rental Subsidy. Currently there are 480 in inventory, and they expect 1,345 to be available after 2026. There are programs for people experiencing homelessness which include Tenant Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) with HOME Funding and HACA contract that service about 120 households for a total of $1,280,112. There are also Local Housing Vouchers that equal $4,000,000 which come from Housing Trust Fund and is administered by HACA on 7 properties, with 374 units. Mandy DeMayo shares that there are AHFC-Funded Permanent Supporting Housing that include Hotel Conversions (Pecan Gardens, Bungalows, Balcones Terrace) and New Construction (Espero at Rutland, Cady Lofts, Cairn Point Cameron, The Roz and 5 in the Travis County Collaborative). David Gray shares the 6 Core Objectives for the Homeless Strategy Office which include 1) managing the homeless response resources and contracts, 2) creating more shelter opportunities and options, 3) prioritizing cleanups and closures, 4) collaborating with research partners for incorporating best practices, 5) proactively communicating the City’s efforts to make homelessness rare/brief/nonrecurring, and 6) broadening financial support for local initiatives and organizations. David Gray shares that the Homeless Strategy Office FY25 budget includes $3.3M for the operating budget & $27M for social services contracts with all agencies. David Gray shares the names/locations of 6 shelters that total 941 Shelters (Austin Resource Center for the Homeless/male only, Eighth Street Shelter for Women, Austin Shelter for Women and Children, Marshalling Yard Emergency Shelter, Southbridge Shelter/no children, and Northbridge Shelter/no children). David Gray shares an ECHO map with the locations of Permanent Supportive Housing. David Gray shares the Homeless Strategy Office’s ongoing needs as staffing, outreach, data technology, communications, operations support for future shelters, rapid rehousing for individuals needing 12-24 months of rental support, and support/services for future residents of the units coming online in 2026. COMMISSIONERS BONDI, WYMAN, MCILLWAIN, BENSON AND AFIFI ask 2  4. 5. 6. 8. to follow up questions requesting demographic data collection practices and needs for additional resources for teens, families, including those in foster care. DISCUSSION ITEMS 3. Discussion on the shared website listing FY26 budget recommendations for the Joint Inclusion Committee’s Member Commissions’ Budget Workgroups. COMMISSIONER BONDI shares updates regarding progress of communication. Discussion on the Budget Recommendation Writing Process for the Joint Inclusion Committee. COMMISSIONER BONDI shares updates regarding upcoming meetings. Discussion on list of possible budget recommendations topics for the City’s FY26 budget. COMMISSIONERS share possibilities of requesting training from the Budget Office, increase funding for the Equity Division’s Undoing Racism contract with the People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond, and emergency preparedness. Discussion on maintaining quorum through the FY2025-26 Budget Recommendation writing period by using the City’s holdover period. COMMISSIONERS BONDI and AFIFI remind Commissioners about the upcoming transition of service. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 7. Approve the creation of a Joint Inclusion Committee Emergency Preparedness Workgroup to investigate existing and planned emergency resources and communication processes. The Joint Inclusion Committee Emergency Preparedness Workgroup was approved on COMMISSIONER ANDREA MCILLWAIN’s motion, COMMISSIONER JENIFFER POWELL’s second, on a 10-0 vote. Approve the creation of a Joint Inclusion Committee “Get to know your Commissions” Workgroup to investigate and plan an opportunity for communities to get to know the eleven quality of life member commissions of the Joint Inclusion Committee. The Joint Inclusion Committee “Get to know your Commissions” Workgroup was approved on COMMISSIONER JERRY JOE BENSON’s motion, COMMISSIONER ELAINA FOWLER’s second, on a 10-0 vote. WORKING GROUP UPDATES 9. Budget & Policy Priorities Workgroup – updates on issues related to the FY25-26 City Budget (Workgroup Members: Commissioners Amanda Afifi, Richard Bondi, Morgan Davis, Melissa Ortega, and Elaina Fowler). 3  10. COMMISSIONERS AFIFI and BONDI refer to previous discussion. Investigating the involvement of Indigenous People and/or Native Americans to afford the group a voice Workgroup. Update on progress connecting with the local Native American community. (Workgroup Members: Commissioners Amanda Afifi, Richard Bondi, Elaina Fowler, and Morgan Davis). COMMISSIONER BONDI shares that he is working with Austin POWWOW and Great Promise for American Indians’ Nan Blassingame (Program Director) and Skye Howell (Secretary) for feedback and to create next steps. Budget Recommendations Work on a joint statement with the LGBTQ Quality of Life Commission FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS: ADJOURNMENT: 4:10 p.m. The minutes for the JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE’s JANUARY 22ND, 2025 MEETING were approved at the ______________ MEETING on COMMISSIONER _________ motion, COMMISSIONER _________’s second, on a ________ vote. 4