[00:00:01]
GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.[ATD 1. Call to Order]
WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED RIGHT NOW WITH THE ADVANCED TRANSPORTATION DISTRICT REGULAR MEETING.ON BEHALF OF OUR BOARD CHAIR, FERNANDO REYES, WHO COULD NOT JOIN US TODAY, THE TIME IS NOW 5 0 4.
AND I'D LIKE TO GET THIS, UH, MEETING STARTED BY DUNE RO HALL.
SECRETARY MALONE, PRESENT ASSISTANT SECRETARY COOPER.
TRUSTEE TO WILL AND TRUSTEE WOLF.
[ATD 2. Moment of Reflection, Pledge of Allegiance, Announcements]
UH, PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND THE US UH, TEXAS FLAG ALLEGIANCE.SHE'S A FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES AMERICA, WHICH STANDS.
ONE NATION, GOD IN JUSTICE, HONOR, FLAG PLEDGE.
I PLEDGE TO LEAD THIS TO THE TEXAS ONE STATE UNDER GOD, ONE AND INDIVISIBLE.
MR. ART, DO WE HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS? I DO NOT AT THIS TIME.
[ATD 3. Citizens to be Heard]
THE CITIZENS TO BE HEARD PORTION OF THE MEETING.DO WE HAVE ANY CITIZENS TO BE HEARD? MADAM VICE CHAIR.
DO WE HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL CHAIRS THAT COULD BE BROUGHT IN? EXCUSE ME? DO WE HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL CHAIRS THAT COULD BE BROUGHT IN? I DON'T KNOW.
THERE ARE NO CITIZENS TO BE HEARD FOR THE A T D MEETING.
SO SEEING THEN WE DO HAVE ONE CITIZEN, SIMON.
WE HAVE NOW COME TO THE CITIZENS TO BE HEARD PORTION OF OUR PUBLIC MEETING.
THE BOARD IS INTERESTED IN HEARING THE COMMENTS AND CONCERNS FROM OUR PATRONS AND CITIZENS IN THE SAN ANTONIO BEAR COUNTY AREA.
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS CONCERNING PUBLIC BUSINESS OR POLICY OVER WHICH THE BOARD HAS SUPERVISION AND CONTROL THAT MAY ARISE DURING THE PORTION OF THE MEETING MAY BE ADDRESSED AT A LATER DATE BY THE PRESIDENT, CEO AND OR HIS STAFF.
THIS PROCESS ASSURES THAT YOU'LL RECEIVE THE MOST ACCURATE RESPONSE TO YOUR QUESTION OR CONCERN.
AND VIA APPRECIATES YOU TAKING THE TIME AND EFFORT TO SHARE YOUR COMMENTS WITH US THIS EVENING FOR THE A T D CITIZENS TO BE HEARD, WE HAVE CHARLIE LOPEZ.
ARE WE TALKING ABOUT THE ART OR THE SCOBY? THIS IS FOR THE ADVANCE.
UM, SO I JUST GOT BACK FROM ALBUQUERQUE, UM, WHERE THEY HAVE THE ART SYSTEM AND I NOTICED THAT A, UH, IT, IT IS REAL NICE IN SOME AREAS, BUT THEN WHEN YOU GET TO THE POOR NEIGHBORHOODS, IT JUST BECOMES A HOMELESS SHELTER, WHICH IS REAL BAD.
BUT THE LANES THAT IT TAKES UP, IT TAKES UP THREE LANES.
SO YOU GOT THE LANE THAT'S DEDICATED FOR THE ART, PLUS TWO EXTRA LANES AND THEN PLUS THE PARKING LANES.
SO SOME AREAS WERE THREE LANES, FOUR LANES, AND I WAS LOOKING AT YOUR MAP AND YOU GOT IT GOING THROUGH LIKE A TWO-LANE SYSTEM, LIKE SOME OF SAN PEDRO, SOME OF THEM ON BUENA VISTA AND COMMERCE.
AND I THINK, I THINK THAT YOU'RE GONNA TAKE AWAY A LANE AND MAKE IT A ONE-LANE SYSTEM, WHICH IS GONNA BE BAD FOR TRAFFIC.
AND UM, AFTER THEIR EXPERIENCE, WHAT I SAW IN ALBUQUERQUE, THOSE LANES ARE HUGE, WHICH WILL WORK ON MILITARY
BUT SOME OF THE AREAS WHERE THEY SHRINK DOWN INTO THE HOUSING, IT JUST, I DIDN'T SEE IT WORKING THERE.
THAT'S THE END OF THE ADVANCED TRANSPORTATION DISTRICT CITIZENS TO BE HEARD.
[ATD 4: Consent Agenda]
AHEAD AND GO TO ITEM NUMBER FOUR OR CONSENT AGENDA.DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NONE.
[00:05:01]
AYE.MS. ELDER, DO WE HAVE A LEGAL BRIEFING? NO MA'AM.
WE DO NOT HAVE A THANK YOU TRUSTEES.
WE HAVE REACHED THE END OF OUR MEETING.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND TO ADJOURN? SO MOVED.
ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND MOVE TO
[1. Call to Order]
THE BOARD MEETING FOR VIA METROPOLITAN TRANSIT, UH, BOARD OF TRUSTEES.[3. President/CEO Report]
ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS? YES, I DO.UH, WE'LL START WITH THE STAR MAINTAINER OF THE QUARTER.
SO I'M PLEASED TO OPEN THE MEETING TONIGHT BY RECOGNIZING OUR STAR MAINTAINER, WHOSE PICTURE WILL COME UP VERY SHORTLY, I BELIEVE, OR WHOSE SLIDE WILL COME UP SHORTLY.
WELL ACTUALLY, THIS IS A LEAD MECHANIC.
MAY ARE YOU HERE? IF YOU ARE, STAND THERE WE GO.
JAIME HAS BEEN WITH VIA FOR 36 YEARS AND FOR THE LAST 15 HAS SERVED AS A SHOP LEAD IN THE HEAVY UNIT.
HE HAS DESCRIBED AS AN EXCELLENT EMPLOYEE WHO TRAINS AND HELPS OTHER EMPLOYEES WITH THE TROUBLESHOOTING OF BUSES.
HE ASSISTS WITH COMPILING INFORMATION REGARDING THE SERVICE PROCEDURES FOR NEW BUSES, NEW SETUPS AND STOCK PARTS AND SHOP TOOL REQUIREMENTS FOR NEW EQUIPMENT, WHICH IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT AS WE BRING ON THE FIRST EIGHT ELECTRIC BUSES INTO OUR FLEET.
UH, HE ALSO PERFORMS OTHER SUPERVISORY DUTIES AS A RELIEF WHEN NEEDED AND IS CONSISTENTLY GOOD WORK HELPS THE HEAVY UNIT SHOP RUN EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY.
SO AGAIN, LET'S HEAR IT FOR, FOR JAIME.
I'M PLEASED TO, UH, ANNOUNCE A TRANSIT AMENITIES COORDINATOR ROBERT TED ASIS JR.
ON, AND WE WANT YOU, UH, TO RECOGNIZE THE COMPLETION OF HIS BACHELOR OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION MANAGEMENT DEGREE FROM TEXAS A M UNIVERSITY SOUTH SAN ANTONIO.
ROBERT JOINED VIA IN 2016 AS A CONSTRUCTION INSPECTOR WITH PASSENGER AMENITIES GROUP, WHICH, YOU KNOW, UH, IS HEAVILY INVOLVED IN SHELTERS AND BUS STOP AREAS, AND HE WAS PROMOTED TRANSIT AMENITIES COORDINATOR.
SUBSEQUENTLY, HE SPENT MANY HOURS IN THE FIELD SURVEYING BUS STAFF, REVIEWING CONTRACTOR WORK AND COORDINATING WITH BUS OPERATIONS, AS WELL AS MAINTAINING OUR STOPS IN AMENITY DATABASE AND STILL FOUND TIME IN ALL THAT TO EARN A DEGREE FROM TEXAS A AND M SAN ANTONIO.
CONGRATULATIONS, ROBERT, ARE YOU HERE? CONGRATULATIONS, ROBERT.
OKAY, SO I HAVE SOME REALLY GOOD FINANCIAL NEWS TO SHARE.
RECENTLY S AND P GLOBAL RATINGS RAISED THE LONG-TERM RATING OF VS.
FAIRBOX REVENUE BONDS FROM AA MINUS TO DOUBLE A.
THIS UPGRADE REFLECTS OUR VIAS IMPROVED VERY STRONG FINANCIAL RISK PROFILE, KEY CREDIT STRENGTHS LEADING TO THIS UPGRADE INCLUDED SIGNIFICANT SALES TAX REVENUES, STRONG MARKET POSITION, EXTREMELY ROBUST SERVICE AREA FUNDAMENTALS, RELATIVELY MODEST LEVERAGE POSITION.
AND AND THIS IS FROM STANDARD AND PORES AND VERY SOUND MANAGEMENT AND GOVERNMENTS AND STEVE LAN, I, I HA TIP MY HAT TO YOU AND ALL THE PEOPLE WHO WORK ON YOUR TEAM FOR PUTTING US IN SUCH A STRONG FINANCIAL SHAPE.
I'M GONNA GO TO THE NEXT ONE BECAUSE IT'S IT'S RELATED.
UH, I'M ALSO PLEASED TO TO SHARE THAT STADEN PORES RAISED THEIR RATING ON VIAS ATD SALES TAX REVENUE BONDS FROM AA PLUS TO AAA.
THIS UPGRADE REFLECTS AN IMPROVEMENT IN OUR UNDERLYING CREDIT FE FUNDAMENTALS, GIVEN THE CLOSE LINKAGE TO V'S GENERAL CREDIT WORTHINESS.
AND SO AGAIN, LET'S ALL GIVE OUR, OUR FOLKS IN FISCAL MANAGEMENT AND OUR CFO AND POLICE ANNOUNCE THAT VIA HAS CLEARED A MAJOR ENVIRONMENTAL MILESTONE ON ITS ADVANCED RAPID TRANSIT NORTH SOUTH CORRIDOR, NOW KNOWN AS THE GREEN LINE.
THE PROJECT HAS EARNED FEDERAL APPROVAL UNDER THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT OF 1969 OR NPA, WHICH IS A CRITICAL STEP FOR THE A R T PROJECT AND THE KEEP SAN ANTONIO MOVING PLAN.
THE FEDERAL TRANS ADMINISTRATION HAS APPLIED A CATEGORICAL EXCLUSION TO THE PROJECT, MEANING THAT CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION OF THE GREEN LINE AND THAT CORRIDOR WOULD HAVE MINIMAL IMPACT AND NO ADVERSE E EFFECTS ON ITS SURROUNDING.
THIS IS A MAJOR MILESTONE IN OUR JOURNEY TO DELIVER ON OUR COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITY AND THE VOTERS WHO SAID YES TO INVESTING IN TRANSIT IMPROVEMENTS.
SO PLEASE JOIN ME IN CONGRATULATING THE
[00:10:01]
STAFF AND THE WORK DONE TO ENSURE THAT WE PROCEED FORWARD WITH THESE PROJECTS.AND I JUST, UH, THESE KINDS OF THINGS REALLY DO TAKE NEARLY THE ENTIRE ORGANIZATION, BUT I WANT TO CALL OUT SPECIFICALLY OUR SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT, CAMIE HORN AND OUR SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, JOHN GARY HIRA AND THEIR TEAMS FOR THIS EXCELLENT WORK IN TAKING US TO THE NEXT STEP.
ALL RIGHT, AS WE, AS WE COLLECTIVELY CONTINUE TO RECOVER FROM ANOTHER INCREDIBLE FIESTA SEASON, UM, I'D LIKE TO OFFER A LOOK BACK AT THE CELEBRATIONS WE ENJOYED WITH STAFF AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO REALLY EMBODY THE SPIRIT OF FIESTA, WHICH IS TO PARTY WITH A PURPOSE.
THIS YEAR'S FIESTA GAVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE OUTSTANDING EMPLOYEES FOR THEIR TALENTS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS THROUGHOUT THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
AT OUR NOW ANNUAL EMPLOYEE EVENT AND REHA VISIT, WE CELEBRATED OUR STAR EMPLOYEES, OUR RODEO WINNERS, AND OUR TOP VEHICLES VOLUNTEERS, AS WELL AS EVERYONE AT VU WHO KEEPS US MOVING SAFELY EVERY DAY.
WE ARE GRATEFUL TO OUR PARTNERS AT FIESTA AND RAHA FOR CELEBRATING WITH US.
THANKS ALSO TO OUR ESTEEMED BOARD CHAIR FERNANDO REYES AND OUR SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, JOHN GE HERRERA, WHO ARE FORMER KINGS THEMSELVES AND HELPED WELCOME THE COURT THIS YEAR.
SO LET'S GIVE OUR THANKS TO THE OUTSTANDING TEAM MEMBERS WHO PUT TOGETHER FIESTA EVENTS EACH YEAR.
LAUREN SANDHU, LAUREN, ARE YOU HERE? SO YOU CAN STAND UP AND YOU PROBABLY STAND UP FOR THE REST OF THE MEETING, RIGHT,
AND THE COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING TEAM AND OF COURSE OPERATIONS, SAFETY, MAINTENANCE AND MECHANICS TEAM.
SO YOU ALL DID REALLY AN INCREDIBLE JOB.
AND, UH, LET'S TAKE A QUICK LOOK BACK AT FIESTA 2023.
RAY RIDES THE BUS, GREAT TO BE HERE AT ST.
PHILLIP COLLEGE AND WE TRAVEL VERY SPECIAL TO FEST.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A GREAT PARTNERSHIP WITH VIA, THEY ARE THE NUMBER ONE MOVER OF PEOPLE IN SAN ANTONIO TO DIFFERENT FIESTA EVENTS.
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO TRAVEL, WE WENT TO ST.
PHILLIPS TO THEIR FESTIVAL AND THEN WE CAME HERE.
AND IT'S BEEN A TREAT FOR THE PEOPLE THAT A LOT OF TIMES DON'T USE THE BUS AND THEY'RE GETTING THEIR FIRST EXPERIENCE AND SAYING, WOW, THIS IS RIGHT.
AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S PART OF THE EXCITEMENT.
WE HAVE FIESTA ROYALTY IN THE HOUSE.
WE'RE GONNA CELEBRATE SOME NEW FIESTA ROYALTY.
WOW, HOW IMPRESSIVE IT IS TO HAVE SUCH WONDERFUL FOLKS WORKING FOR BIA.
WE SEE HERE THE, THE BUS OF THE UGLY KING.
IT BEARS REPEATING THAT THERE IS NO BETTER PERSON TO REPRESENT VIA THAN THE PEOPLE'S KING BECAUSE VIA IS THE PEOPLE'S TRANSPORTATION.
NOT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY OF SAN ANTONIO HAS THE ABILITY TO OWN THEIR OWN CAR, HAS THE ABILITY TO DRIVE THEIR OWN CAR.
THAT MAKES THE JOB THAT YOU HAVE SO, SO IMPORTANT.
VIVA, RIGHT NOW, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO RECOGNIZE OUR EMPLOYEES FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICE.
ALSO THE MOST RECENT STATE BUS IN VAN RODEO AND JUST A GREAT TIME TO RECOGNIZE ACHIEVEMENT AND THE HARD WORK OF SOME OF OUR EMPLOYEES VIA HAS ITS OWN VOLUNTEER GROUP.
WE CALL IT THE VIA PIERCE AND THE VIA CHAIRS VOLUNTEERS.
AND I'M SO GLAD WE'RE GONNA HONOR A COUPLE OF THEM TODAY CUZ THESE VOLUNTEERS HAVE GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND.
THESE VOLUNTEERS HAVE PUT IN A GREAT DEAL OF OURS.
WE'RE GONNA NAME THEM AS OUR OWN FIESTA ROYALTY BY THE POWER INVESTED IN ME BY ALL THE OTHER UGLY PEOPLE IN TOWN.
[00:15:10]
SO YOU PROBABLY NOTICED AT THE END OF THAT, UH, PRESENTATION THAT TWO OF OUR VIA FIESTA ROYALTY MEMBERS WERE IN THAT LAST VIDEO.UH, SUSANNA ARA AND MELISSA DEL FUENTE.
THIS IS ANOTHER TRADITION, A NEW TRADITION FOR US AT VIA THE FORMAL RECOGNITION OF THE TOP VIA CARES VOLUNTEERS FOR THE PREVIOUS YEAR WITH THE TITLES OF FIESTA ROYALTY, MELISSA AND ASANA, AND EVERYONE WHO GAVE THEIR TIME AND EFFORT TO VIA CARES OUTREACH THIS PAST YEAR EXEMPLIFIED THE BEST OF VIA, THEY EARNED THEIR CROWNS WITH NEARLY 100 COMBINED TOTAL HOURS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE FROM MAY, 2022 THROUGH APRIL, 2023.
UH, FOR THOSE OF YOU HERE, VIA CARES IS A PROGRAM WHERE WE VOLUNTEER VIA VOLUNTEERS AT A NUMBER OF ORGANIZATIONS.
UH, FOR EXAMPLE, HELPING AT THE FOOD BANK, HELPING WITH ANY BABY CAN NUMBER A NUMBER OF, UH, ORGANIZATIONS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
SO IT'S A WAY THAT WE ARE ABLE TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY AND MELISSA AND AS THEY GAVE THE MOST, ARE EITHER OF YOU HERE, BOTH OF YOU HERE? WELL, OKAY, THERE'S THERE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHOWING THE VIA CARES.
AND NOW I'M PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE VIA TROLLEY EARNED FIRST PLACE FROM THE FIESTA FLAM BAU COMMISSION FOR OUR 45TH ANNIVERSARY THEMED TROLLEY AND PARADE TEAM.
NOW I WANT OUR BOARD AND EVERYONE TO KNOW HOW MUCH SKILL, TALENT, AND WORK WENT INTO THE DESIGN COMPLETION AND DEVELOPMENT AND COMPLETION OF THIS PARADE ENTRY THAT WE WERE PROUD TO SHARE WITH COMMUNITIES, PART OF OUR 45TH CELEBRATIONS.
SO PLEASE JOIN ME IN RECOGNIZING RA PENYA JR.
HECTOR AGUILERA AND THE MECHANICS AND MAINTENANCE TEAM WHO HELPED BRING IT TO LIFE.
LAUREN SANDHU AGAIN AND COMMUNICATIONS MARKETING TEAM WHO PROVIDED THE VISION DESIGN ACTIVATION FOR THIS WINNING ENTRY.
AND EVERYONE WHO SUPPORTED VIA AT THE FLAM O THIS YEAR, IT WAS A TRIUMPH.
I KNOW THAT WE HAVE SOME FROM MAINTENANCE AND, AND LAUREN PLEASE STAND TO BE RECOGNIZED.
WE ARE VERY PROUD TO HAVE STARTED THIS MONTH BY CELEBRATING NATIONAL POLICE WEEK AT VIA OUR VIA TRANSIT.
POLICE OFFICERS AND THE STAFF WHO SUPPORTS THEM ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR OPERATIONS.
THEY HELP US, THEY HELP KEEP US, OUR CUSTOMERS, OUR FACILITIES, AND THE ROADWAYS SAFE FOR THE TRAVELING PUBLIC.
SO WE THANK ALL OF YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO TO SERVE VIA AND THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY OFFICERS, POLICE DEPARTMENT STAFF, SAFETY, SECURITY TEAM MEMBERS, AND ATTENDANCE.
PLEASE STAND AND OR WAVE IF YOU'RE ON THE SIDE THERE TO BE RECOGNIZED.
SAFETY IS REALLY FOUNDATIONAL TO MAKING OUR SYSTEM ATTRACTIVE.
AFTER ALL, IF YOU DON'T FEEL THAT YOU CAN WRITE IT SAFELY, YOU CERTAINLY WOULDN'T BE ALL THAT EXCITED ABOUT WRITING IT.
AND WE'RE VERY PROUD FOR THE WONDERFUL SAFETY RECORD OUR OPERATORS HAVE AND WE'RE VERY PROUD FOR OUR POLICE AND, AND THE SUPPORTING TEAMS THAT KEEP OUR CUSTOMERS AND FACILITIES SAFE.
AND FINALLY, I'D LIKE TO FORMALLY WELCOME AND CONGRATULATING TRAMEL BROWN, VIAS NEW DEPUTY CEO.
DON'T CLAP YET CUZ I WANNA READ ABOUT HIM.
HE, HE WAS, WELL, I'M NOT GONNA SAY WHAT YOUR AGE WAS, THEY GET PUT YOUR AGE IN HERE.
BUT HE WAS A YOUNGEN WHEN HE TOOK HIS FIRST JOB AT VIA AS A PART-TIME BUS OPERATOR FOR THE PAST 33 YEARS.
HE'S DEDICATED HIS CAREER TO SERVING OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH HIS WORK AT VIA ADVANCING THROUGH OPERATIONS DIVISION, HAVING HELD SEVERAL LEADERSHIP POSITIONS, INCLUDING VICE PRESIDENT OF TRANSPORTATION, VICE PRESIDENT OF SAFETY TRAINING, ASSISTANT SECURITY AND CHIEF SAFETY OFFICER BEFORE BEING NAMED DEPUTY CEO THIS MONTH.
HE SERVED WITH DISTINCTION, ACCUMULATED INVALUABLE EXPERIENCES ACROSS THE AGENCY AND BUILT MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEOPLE ACROSS EVERY DEPARTMENT AND THROUGHOUT THE INDUSTRY.
I'M CONFIDENT THAT HIS SERVICE-MINDED APPROACH, HE'LL CONTINUE TO LEAN IN AND PUSH VIA TO DO GREAT THINGS FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
WE WANT TO TAKE A PICTURE WITH OUR STAR, UH, MECHANIC AND THEN I THINK WE'LL TAKE A PICTURE WITH THE DEPUTY CEO.
SO LET, WE'LL COME, COME FRONT AND FORWARD.
[00:22:45]
THANK YOU.AND SO BEFORE I WRAP UP, I HAVE A, A JUST A QUICK ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO KNOW ART HERRERA, HE, HE AND HIS WIFE HAVE WELCOMED A BABY.
I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING MORE ABOUT THE BABY OTHER THAN IT TAKES A GREAT PICTURE.
SO BEST WISHES TO ART AND HIS WIFE.
AND, UH, A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR TEAM AT VIA FROM THE FRONTLINE OPERATORS, UM, MAINTENANCE TO OUR EXECUTIVE TEAM AND THE LEADERSHIP THERE TO OUR FINANCE TEAM, UH, WHICH IS HUGE FOR US.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED EFFORTS, UH, AND OUR POLICE OFFICERS IN CELEBRATION OF NATIONAL POLICE WEEK.
UH, AT THIS MOMENT WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND
[4. Citizens to be Heard]
TRANSITION TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FOUR, CITIZENS TO BE HEARD.MR. DETA, WE HAVE 52 CITIZENS TO BE HEARD.
OKAY, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND READ THIS STATEMENT ONE MORE TIME.
WE'RE NOW COME TO THE CITIZENS TO BE HEARD PORTION OF OUR PUBLIC MEETING.
THE BOARD IS INTERESTED IN HEARING THE COMMENTS AND CONCERNS FROM OUR PATRONS AND CITIZENS IN THE SAN ANTONIO BEAR COUNTY AREA.
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS CONCERNING ITEMS THAT MAY APPEAR ON THE AGENDA, WHICH MAY ARISE DURING THIS PORTION OF THE MEETING MAY BE ADDRESSED AT A LATER DATE BY THE PRESIDENT, CEO AND OR HIS STAFF.
THIS PROCESS ASSURES THAT YOU RECEIVED THE MOST ACCURATE RESPONSE TO YOUR QUESTION OR CONCERN.
VIE APPRECIATES YOU TAKING THE TIME AND EFFORT TO SHARE YOUR COMMENTS WITH US THIS EVENING.
[00:25:01]
SANCHEZ AND I'M THE CO-CHAIR PERSON OF THE HISTORIC WESTSIDE RESIDENCE ASSOCIATION, WHICH REPRESENTS RESIDENTS ON THE NEAR WEST SIDE OF DISTRICT FIVE.I'M WONDERING IF ANY OF YOU REMEMBER ME.
UM, I WAS HERE AT YOUR OCTOBER, 2022 BOARD MEETING, UM, AND I WAS HERE TO SHARE OUR, THE, OUR COMMUNITY'S CONCERN WITH YOUR PROPOSED SCOOBY DEVELOPMENT PROJECT.
AT THAT MEETING, I INVITED YOU TO COME OUT TO OUR COMMUNITY AND TO CONTACT US TO DISCUSS THIS PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT.
I WAS HOPEFUL THAT SOMEONE FROM YOUR BOARD OR STAFF WOULD CONTACT OUR ASSOCIATION, BUT UNFORTUNATELY NO ONE HAS TO THIS DATE, NOT FROM VIA.
BEGIN BY SAYING THAT OUR RESIDENTS ARE NOT OPPOSED TO THE DEVELOPMENT IN OUR COMMUNITY.
HOWEVER, DEVELOPMENT SHOULD NOT COME AT THE EXPENSE OF OUR RESIDENTS.
AT THAT OCTOBER BOARD MEETING, I SHARED WITH EACH OF YOU A HARD COPY OF COMMUNITY PLANNER FERNANDO SINS ARTICLE THAT WHICH DEFINES AND COMPARES ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT VERSUS BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT.
IN THAT PIECE, MR. CENTO STATES THAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS DRIVEN BY PUBLIC OUTCOMES FOR HIS BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT IS DRIVEN BY PROFITS.
OUR ASSOCIATION SUPPORTS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THAT WOULD BENEFIT OUR RESIDENTS AND THAT WOULD HELP TO REDUCE THE HOUSING NEEDS OF OUR RESIDENTS.
OUR ASSOCIATION CANNOT SUPPORT VIAS CURRENT PROPOSAL, WHICH WOULD ONLY PROVIDE 10% OF THE HOUSING UNITS AT 60% AMI, WHICH IN OUR ARE NOT EVEN AFFORDABLE TO THE MAJORITY OF OUR RESIDENTS.
IF VIA WANTS TO BECOME A HOUSING DEVELOPER, IT CANNOT IGNORE THE HOUSING CRISIS THAT EXISTS IN OUR CITY, PARTICULARLY FOR PEOPLE WHO EARN 30% AMI OR BELOW THE CITY.
STRATEGIC HOUSING IMPLEMENTATION PLAN SPECIFICALLY STATES THAT THE HOUSING, THAT HOUSING AT 50 AND 30% AMI AND BELOW ARE WHAT IS MOST NEEDED TO ADDRESS THE HOUSING CRISIS.
AND A HUNDRED PERCENT AMI HAVE ALREADY BEEN FILLED BY FOR PROFIT DEVELOPERS AS A PUBLIC ENTITY.
VIA HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO DO WHAT'S BEST FOR THE PEOPLE IT SERVES, NOT JUST TO FOCUS ON WAYS TO INCREASE ITS PROFIT MARGIN AND HELP DEVELOPERS TO DO THE SAME.
ALREADY OUR ASSOCIATION SPENDS MANY HOURS PER WEEK RESPONDING TO CALLS FROM GENERATIONAL HOMEOWNERS WHO ARE IN JEOPARDY OF LOSING THEIR HOMES BECAUSE OF INCREASING PROPERTY TAXES AND FROM RENTERS WHO ARE, ARE BEING EVICTED.
BECAUSE LANDLORDS ARE SELLING THEIR PROPERTIES BECAUSE OF HIGH IN, UH, PROPERTY TAXES, YOU CANNOT SAY THAT YOUR MISSION AS VIA IS TO ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE THROUGHOUT THE REGION.
IF YOU ARE ONLY HELPING TO ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR A FEW WHILE THREATENING THE HOUSING SECURITY OF SO MANY, IF VIA WANTS TO GO INTO DEVELOPMENT, IT SHOULD DO SO IN A WAY THAT CONSIDERS THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR HOTEL HOUSEKEEPERS, STAFF AND PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS, INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE HARD WORK BUT STILL DO NOT EARN ENOUGH TO PAY RENT AT $1,245 FOR A ONE BEDROOM APARTMENT, WHICH IS WHAT YOUR DEVELOPMENT IS PROPOSING.
ONCE AGAIN, I ASK THAT YOU PLEASE REACH OUT TO OUR ASSOCIATION AND OUR RESIDENTS TO DISCUSS HOW DEVELOPING THE SCOI BUILDINGS WOULD BENEFIT VIA OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR CITY.
ALBERT CAMPBELL, I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT IS THAT I'M HERE AS A CITIZEN.
I USED TO DRIVE THE VIA WHEN I WAS A KID AND ONLY PAY 10 CENTS.
NOW IT, IT'S ALMOST A DOLLAR AND 50 AND THEN YOU GOTTA PAY ALMOST 75 CENTS FOR A TRANSFER.
THAT'S NOT EVEN HELPING A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE THAT ARE OUT HERE IN DISTRICT FIVE, THE SCOBY BUILDING, WE DON'T, WE'RE NOT AGAINST DEVELOPMENT, BUT WE, WE ARE AGAINST USING AN UMBRELLA SAYING THAT Y'ALL UNDER AFFORDABLE HOUSING WHEN THERE'S NOTHING AFFORDABLE BY DOING THIS DEVELOPMENT IS GONNA RAISE UP TAXES AND IT'S GONNA RAISE UP THE PROPERTY VALUE OF EVERYBODY ELSE.
A LOT OF THIS GENERATION THAT WAS BUILT, SAN ANTONIO WAS BUILT IN THE OLD HISPANICS BY THEIR PAIN, THEIR SWEAT AND THEIR BLOOD AND THE PAIN OF THEIR BACKS TO MAKE THIS CITY GREAT.
Y'ALL TALK ABOUT MAKING A PLEDGE TO THE STATE OF THE FLAG OF TEXAS, BUT WHAT IS, WHERE IS YOUR PLEDGE TO THE CITIZENS? ARE WE USING A PREJUDICE SYSTEM TO JUST FOR DEVELOPERS AND FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO RAISE THEIR, PUT
[00:30:01]
THEIR POCKETS? WHERE IS THE HUMANITY? DO THEIR LIVES? DOES NOT HAVE VALUE? DOES YOUR LIVES HAVE MORE VALUE THAN THEIRS? WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE COMMUNICATION.WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO BE TRANSPARENT AND WE'RE NOT TRANSPARENT.
THERE IS A HIDDEN AGENDA AND THAT HIDDEN AGENDA IS ONLY FOR YOUR BENEFIT, NOT FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE CITIZENS IN THE CENTRAL WEST SIDE, WHICH IS THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
THESE OLD PEOPLE THAT WORK TO MAKE SAN ANTONIO GREAT.
AND THIS IS THE SADDEST PART THAT WE SIT HERE AND MAKING IT SEEM THAT WE ARE DOING SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL FOR THE CITIZENS, BUT IN REALITY IT'S NOT.
WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO SEE AND SIT DOWN AND HAVE SOME COMPASSION FOR EVERYBODY ELSE, NOT JUST FOR THE DEVELOPERS TO MAKE PROFIT OVER CITIZENS.
WE'RE LOSING OUR OWN LANDS THAT ARE FAMILY WORK TO GET WHAT THEY'VE BECOME OF HOMEOWNERS.
IS THERE NO PRIDE IN Y'ALL TO BE ABLE TO HELP AND MAKE SOME KIND OF ACHIEVEMENT TO HELP THE CITIZENS TO BE ABLE TO COME FORWARD AND ADVANCE INSTEAD OF BEING SLAVES TO THE SYSTEM THAT IS CRUSHING THEM? WE HAVE TO REALIZE THAT THIS KEEPS ON GOING ON AND ON AND WE USE AN UMBRELLA TO JUSTIFY OUR ACTIONS OF SAYING THIS IS AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WHICH IS NOT THE CITIZENS.
MAY I ASK A QUESTION OF GENERAL COUNSEL? YOU WANT GO AHEAD AND DO THAT IN PRIVATE.
I JUST WANNA FI UH, I APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS THE GENTLEMEN MADE, BUT ARE WE ABLE, I KNOW WE CAN'T RESPOND TO WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY.
IS THERE, UH, AN OPPORTUNITY TO CORRECT A FACTUAL ERROR? I THINK WE'D BE BETTER SERVED DOING THAT AT A, AT ANOTHER TIME.
I'M A STARBUCKS UNION ORGANIZER AND AN ORGANIZER WITH THE PARTY FOR SOCIALISM AND LIBERATION.
UH, MY STATEMENT HERE TODAY ABOUT THE SCOOBY PROJECT IS ROOTED IN BELIEF THAT HOUSING IS A HUMAN RIGHT AND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SHOULD NOT ONLY BE ACCESSIBLE, BUT FREE VIA REFUSES TO SERVE THE WORKING CLASS PEOPLE OF SAN ANTONIO DESPITE BEING FUNDED BY THEM.
AND I'M CONCERNED WITH VIAS, MISUSE OF PUBLIC FUNDS, UH, VIA UNION WORKERS SAY THEY'RE SHORT MORE THAN 200 OPERATORS AND MECHANICS.
NOW AS A SOCIALIST AND AS A WORKER, I KNOW THE REASON IS NOT LABOR SHORTAGES.
IT'S A LACK OF FAIR PAY BENEFITS.
IN A DIGNIFIED WORKING ENVIRONMENT, I EXPECT TAXPAYER MONEY TO GO TOWARDS FREE, FAIR, FREQUENT WIDES RIGHTS AND A DIGNIFIED JOB.
INSTEAD VIA SPENDS 17 MILLION ON A NEW HOUSING DEVELOPING PROJECT.
AND YOUR LACK OF SUPPORT TO WORKERS AND THE PUBLIC IS APPARENT IN THE VIA, IN THE VIA WRITING EXPERIENCE, DELAYS, SPARSE ROUTES, EXCESSIVE TRANSFERS, AND A LACK OF SEATING AND PROTECTION FROM THE ELEMENTS OF BUS STOPS MAKES RIDING WITH VIA A HELLISH EXPERIENCE IN THE TEXAS HEAT.
I CANNOT AND I DO NOT TRUST VIA TO PROVIDE DIGNIFIED TRANSPORTATION AND I DON'T TRUST THEM TO PROVIDE DIGNIFIED HOUSING.
HOUSELESSNESS IN SAN ANTONIO HAS INCREASED 5% AND 25 OVERALL AND INCREASED 25% IN, UH, FAMILIES IN ONE YEAR.
DISPLACED PEOPLE BEING PUSHED TO THE WEST SIDE IS CREATING AN URGENCY FOR REINVESTMENT INTO THE PUBLIC SERVICES, NOT INTO LUXURIOUS HOUSING.
THE NEED FOR PUBLIC FAMILY HOUSING IS ASTRONOMICAL.
SOMETHING THAT SCOOBY DOESN'T HAVE PLANS FOR AS IT CURRENTLY IS NOT IN TOUCH WITH THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
THE WEST SIDE IS A STRONG COMMUNITY OF FAMILIES AND LABORERS WHO MAKE THIS TOURIST CITY RUN.
THE AREA'S AVERAGE MEDIUM INCOME IS BELOW 17 K A YEAR AND MOST, AND THE MOST AFFORDABLE OPTION AT SCOOBY IS FOR PEOPLE WHO MAKE 45 K A YEAR.
AND THE DISRESPECT OF VIA TO NOT ONLY IGNORE THE DEMANDS FOR THE PUB FOR PUBLIC HOUSING FREE TRANSIT AND BUSINESSES THAT MEET COMMUNITY NEEDS, BUT THEN TO USE THAT PUBLIC MONEY TO FILL THE AREA WITH HOUSING COMMODITIES THAT PEOPLE CANNOT AFFORD AND NOT PAY PROPERTY TAXES FOR IS APPALLING.
ON TOP OF THE DISRESPECT OF NOT LETTING RE RESIDENTS KNOW THAT THIS PROJECT IS EVEN HAPPENING IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, I URGE THE PEOPLE OF SAN ANTONIO AND THE WEST SIDE TO REALLY THINK ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES OF THIS PROJECT.
[00:35:01]
RENT HIKES ALL FOR THE SAKE OF PROFIT.THE FIGHT AGAINST DEVELOPERS DIDN'T START WITH DREAM ON EN VIA AND IT WOULD CERTAINLY WILL NOT END WITH THEM.
AND I URGE VIA TO RETHINK THIS PROJECT AND GIVE THE PEOPLE WHAT THEY DEMAND.
NEXT IS NEXT WE HAVE, WE HAVE ROBERT HERNANDEZ, FOLLOWED BY ANGEL CANTU WITH ROBERT HERNANDEZ.
HI, MY NAME IS UH, ROBERT HERNANDEZ AND I'M A MEMBER OF THE PARTY FOR SOCIALISM AND LIBERATION.
AND I'M HERE SPEAKING IN CONDEMNATION OF THE SCOBIE DEVELOPMENT AND ITS LACK OF ECONOMIC PLANNING DEDICATED TO SERVE THE WORKING CLASS COMMUNITY OF THE 78 2 0 7.
THE SOLE JOB OF THE VIA TRANSIT SYSTEM IS TO TRANSPORT CITIZENS OF SAN ANTONIO TO WHERE THEY NEED TO GO.
ASK ANY CITIZEN OF THE WEST SIDE.
AND THEY COULD TELL YOU THAT OUR TRANSIT SYSTEM DOES THE EXACT OPPOSITE.
IF YOU ARE A PERSON LACKING TRANSPORTATION, GETTING ACROSS TOWN IS DOABLE.
THAT'S IF YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO SPEND YOUR TIME ON A TWO HOUR BUS RIDE.
THIS DOESN'T EVEN ACCOUNT FOR THE LACK OF SHELTER.
EACH BUS STOP PROVIDES FOR THE SCORCHING TEXAS HEAT OR THE INABILITY FOR BUS ROUTES TO STAY ON SCHEDULE.
WITH THE HORRENDOUS RECONSTRUCTION POPPING UP ACROSS OUR CITY, WREAKING HAVOC ON OUR ROADS AND INCREASING TRAFFIC AND CONGESTION, OUR TRANSIT SYSTEM IS POORLY MANAGED AND UNFORTUNATELY LACKS PROPER EXECUTION OF IDEAS.
BUT NOW VIA PLANS TO ENTER THE HOUSING MARKET WITH THIS TRACK RECORD, THE COMMUNITY AND ACTIVISTS ALIKE SAY NO.
THE AVERAGE MEDIUM INCOME OF THE 7 8 2 0 7 IS $26,000.
AND VIAS PROPOSAL FOR PUTTING HALF OF THE UNITS AT MARKET RATE WILL PRICE OUT MANY IF NOT ALL OF THE WORKING MEMBERS OF THE 7 8 2 0 7.
WE NEED AFFORDABLE HOUSING BECAUSE HOUSING IS A HUMAN RIGHT.
MEMBERS OF THE WEST SIDE DESERVE TO STAY IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS AND NOT BE PUSHED OUT BY OUR PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEM.
AND ITS GREEDY CHASE FOR HIGH PROFIT.
THIS COMMUNITY DESERVES TO FLOURISH THROUGH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND NOT BE LEFT BEHIND VS.
USED THE MIXED USE NATURE OF SCOOBY, NOT ONLY FOR PUBLIC AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BUT TO ALSO PROVIDE SHOPS AND BUSINESSES THAT ARE LOCAL AND SERVE THE COMMUNITY SUCH AS DAYCARES, LAUNDROMATS, THRIFT STORES, ALL NEEDING TO BE AFFORDABLE.
THESE BUSINESSES MUST INVEST BACK INTO OUR COMMUNITIES AND PROVIDE LIVING WAGES ABOVE $15 AN HOUR.
OUR COMMUNITY WILL NOT BE OVERLOOKED AND OUR VOICES WILL ALWAYS BE HEARD.
NO GENTRIFICATION IN THE WEST SIDE AND NO GENTRIFICATION IN GREATER SAN ANTONIO.
YOU ALL WOULD BE NOTHING WITHOUT THE WORKING CLASS.
SO PLEASE WORK HARDER TO SERVE US AND WORK HARDER TO KEEP US INVOLVED.
THAT WAY THE PEOPLE'S TRANSPORTATION WILL RING TRUE.
ANGEL CAN TWO FOLLOWED BY JEANETTE MESSA WE GO.
UM, I'M A CURRENT RESIDENT OF SAN ANTONIO.
I'VE BEEN, I WAS BORN AND RAISED HERE, UM, AND I CURRENTLY WORK AT THE ESP ESPANZA PEACE AND JUSTICE CENTER AND I'M A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER.
UM, SO TODAY I, I WOULD LIKE TO TALK TO ALL OF YOU BECAUSE, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO STATE THAT I AM FIRMLY OPPOSED TO, UH, THE VIAS CURRENT PROPOSED PROJECT WITH THE SCOI BUILDING.
UM, I AM NOT OPPOSED TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR DEEPLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING, HOWEVER, I AM OPPOSED TO DEVELOPING A HOUSING PROJECT THAT FOR THE LOW INCOME COMMUNITY AND NOT CONSULTING THE COMMUNITY THAT IS SUPPOSED TO SERVE.
AND SO I'M WORRIED THAT THIS PROJECT WILL GO UP AND CONTINUE TO CAUSE HOUSELESSNESS AND DISPLACEMENT OF GENERATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN IN THE WEST SIDE FOR YEARS.
UM, AND SO I AM ASKING THAT, DO YOU ALL MAKE MORE OF AN EFFORT TO ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY ON A REAL LEVEL, ASK WHAT IT IS THAT WE NEED AND WHAT WE WANT.
I WOULD LIKE TO YIELD MY TIME TO CALEB MIRANDA OR GRA GARCIA SANCHEZ, IF THAT'S POSSIBLE.
I'M HERE TODAY TO TELL YOU WHY I OPPOSE THE SCOP PROJECT.
I LIVE ON THE WEST SIDE OF MY, I'VE LIVED ON THE WEST SIDE
[00:40:01]
MY WHOLE LIFE.I'VE LIVED EVERYWHERE FROM THE GUANO COURTS TO PIN ROAD.
I ENJOY MY, I'VE ENJOYED MY CHILDHOOD ON THE WEST SIDE, BUT OFTEN WONDER IF I HAD MORE RESOURCES OVER HERE, IF MY FAMILY AND MYSELF WOULD'VE BEEN BETTER OFF.
COMING FROM A LOW INCOME FAMILY, I WATCHED MY MOM STRUGGLE TO STAY AFLOAT.
WE SURVIVED ON SECTION EIGHT FOR A WHILE, BUT EVENTUALLY WE FOUND OURSELVES LIVING UNDER THE SAM'S BRIDGE.
WE TRIED TO HAVE SHELTER NIGHTS AT THE SHELTER, BUT DUE TO CAPACITY, WEREN'T ABLE TO DO SO.
NOT TOO, NOT TOO SOON AFTER I ENDED UP IN FOSTER CARE, WHICH LIKE ALWAYS I MADE THE BEST OF.
I EVENTUALLY AGED OUT AS A BRAND NEW ADULT THROWN INTO THE WORLD OF CHAOS.
I HAD NOWHERE TO GO, NOBODY TO AID ME NOWHERE THAT FELT SAFE TO TURN NOT, UH, LONG AFTER I QUICKLY FOUND TROUBLE.
TROUBLE TIMES BECAME A NATURAL PART OF MY DAILY LIFE.
BUT I SOMETIMES WONDER IF THERE HAD BEEN MORE RESOURCE RESOURCES IN MY AREA OR A SAFE HAVEN FOR YOUNG WOMEN AND YOUNG MOTHERS, IF PERHAPS MY LIFE WOULD HAVE GONE DOWN A DIFFERENT PATH.
SO TODAY I SPEAK TO, TODAY I SPEAK FOR THE VOICELESS YOUTH AND THE MOTHERS OF THE WEST SIDE.
PLEASE TAKE US INTO CONSIDERATION AND USE THIS BUILDING TO HELP AID THE COMMUNITY, INVEST INTO OUR YOUTH, INVEST INTO THE NEW TEENAGE ADULTS AND THE PARENTS OF THE WEST SIDE.
OFFER A PLACE TO FEEL FREE DURING THE HARDSHIPS.
SOME IDEAS CAN BE A RESOURCE CENTER FOR LOCALS TO LEARN BASIC SKILLS LIKE BALANCE A CHECKBOOK OR FINANCIAL LITERACY ARE HELPING THEM APPLY FOR ASSISTANCE OR FINANCIAL AID FOR STUDENTS TEACHING THE LITERATE HOW TO READ.
AND BECAUSE OF THIS, I JEANETTE MESSA OPPOSED TO THE SCOBY PROJECT.
MY NAME'S JAIME MACIAS AND, UM, I'M HERE REPRESENTING OUR FAMILY WHO HAS BEEN PROPERTY OWNERS ON THE CORNER OF WEST COMMERCE AND COLORADO.
UH, UH, SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WEST SIDE.
UM, WHILE I WAS SITTING HERE LISTENING TO EVERYONE, UM, I COULDN'T HELP BUT NOTICE THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE SAID THAT THEY WEREN'T COMPLETELY OPPOSED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF SCOBY, BUT THAT WHAT THEY ARE OPPOSED TO IS THE FACT THAT VIA HAS NOT ENGAGED THE EXISTING COMMUNITY WITH WHAT THEIR PLANS ARE.
UM, COMING FROM THE SMALL BUSINESS, UM, SECTOR OF OUR COMMUNITY, 78, 2 0 7.
UM, IT'S A DELICATE BALANCE, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, ALONG WITH OUR RESIDENCES, UM, TAXES HAVE GONE UP, UH, EXTRAORDINARILY, YOU KNOW, AND IT MAKES IT HARDER AND HARDER TO, TO, TO MAKE THE, TO PAY THOSE TAXES TO, TO, TO STAY AFLOAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, I STAND WITH THE PEOPLE OF THE WEST SIDE AND THE PEOPLE OF THE WEST SIDE ARE ASKING FOR VIA TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY.
YOU KNOW, I I CALL IT CONSCIENTIOUS DEVELOPMENT WHEN I OPENED UP MY BUSINESS, UH, OCTOBER 9TH, 2020, SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PANDEMIC.
AND OUR TAGLINE IS BUILT FOR THE BARRIO AND BEYOND, RIGHT? BECAUSE FOR OUR EXISTING COMMUNITY, AND OF COURSE LIKE OUR ANCESTORS HAVE TAUGHT US, RIGHT? UM, FOR TOO LONG THE COMMUNITY HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT AND HAS LEFT, HAS BEEN LEFT TO FEND FOR ITSELF FOR DECADES.
ALL OF A SUDDEN NOW THERE'S A NEWFOUND INTEREST IN OUR COMMUNITY.
TAXES ARE GOING UP, PEOPLE ARE BEING DISPLACED.
UM, AND THOSE OF US THAT HAVE BEEN THERE SINCE THE LATE FIFTIES SIXTIES, WE'RE TRYING TO FIND A WAY TO MAINTAIN OUR EXISTENCE THERE ON THE WEST SIDE AND TO CONTINUE TO ENHANCE THE BEAUTIFUL CULTURA THAT HAS LONG, UH, DWELLED IN THE WEST SIDE.
AND, WELL, THAT'S ABOUT ALL I GOTTA SAY IS THAT, YOU KNOW, VIA, PLEASE REACH OUT TO THE COMMUNITY LEADERS.
LET'S FIND A WAY TO, TO I SAY LET'S LOCK OURSELVES IN A ROOM.
I USE THE WORD HAMMER BECAUSE I FEEL THAT NONE ALL OF US WILL GET WHAT WE WANT, BUT HOPEFULLY WE CAN COME TO A CONSENSUS TO WHERE, UM, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY'S GOT A STAKE, UH, A SEAT AT THE TABLE TO BE ABLE TO COME OUT WITH A PLAN.
WE HAVE, UH, CHRISTOPHER FARLEY
[00:45:02]
FOLLOWED BY, AND I APOLOGIZE, I'M HAVING TROUBLE READING THE HANDWRITING HERE.YOU CAN USE THAT AFTER MR. FARLEY.
SINCE OUR LAST BOARD MEETING BACK IN APRIL, I'M STILL CONTINUING TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE CITY BUSES, WHICH ARE RUNNING LATE, JUST LATE NOW TO NOT ONLY MISS MY CONNECTING BUS, BUT WHEN THE BUSES LEAVE THE NORTH STAR TRANSIT CENTER, YOU HAVE TO GET ON ANOTHER BUS OR WAIT AN ADDITIONAL 20 OR 30 MINUTES UNTIL THE NEXT ONE ARRIVES.
FOR EXAMPLE, ON MONDAY MAY 1ST, THE 6 0 2, WHICH WAS SCHEDULED TO ARRIVE AT 6:02 AM RAN JUST LATE ENOUGH TO WHEN WE GOT TO THE NORTH STAR TRANSIT CENTER, THE BUS NUMBER FOUR HAD JUST TAKEN OFF.
SW CATCH NUMBER, NUMBER THREE INSTEAD.
THEN ON WEDNESDAY, MAY 3RD IS THE EXACT SAME ISSUE.
ON WEDNESDAY, MAY 17TH, AFTER I JUST GOT OFF FROM WORK, I CAUGHT THE BUS.
AND WHEN WE GOT TO NORTH STAR TRANSIT CENTER, THE 6 0 2 HAD JUST TAKEN OFF.
SO I HAD TO WAIT, UH, UNTIL ANOTHER ONE CAME ON SATURDAY, MAY AT 20TH, I WAS AT THE BUS STOP, 1 2 1 5 3 WAITING FOR 6 0 2 TO ARRIVE AT 5:50 AM INSTEAD, DID NOT ARRIVE UNTIL ALMOST SIX 6:00 AM THAT MORNING THE DRIVER APOLOGIZED SAYING HE CAME ACROSS THE TRAIN.
I TOLD HIM, THIS ISN'T THE FIRST TIME AND I'M SURE IT WON'T BE THE LAST.
WHAT I WAS WORRIED ABOUT WAS WHETHER OR NOT I WAS GOING TO MAKE IT TO THE NORTH STAR TRANSFER TIME TO CATCH NUMBER THREE, WHICH I USED USUALLY TAKE ON SATURDAYS, BUT IT HAD TAKEN OFF, SO I HAD TO CATCH NUMBER FOUR.
I TOLD HIM I MISSED MY CONNECTING BUS.
I HAVE A COUPLE OF PROPOSALS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT TO YOU.
THERE ARE PROBLEMS WITH VIA TRANS.
THE THREE ISSUES ARE AS FOLLOWS.
SERVICE, SERVICE IS TOO LONG, TOO SLOW FOR LONG DISTANCE TRAFFIC, WHICH IS CRAZY AND TAKES A LONG TIME TO GET HOME.
AND THE SAFETY OF PASSENGERS, WHICH SHOULD BE NUMBER ONE AND A, AND ONE AND HALF THE DRIVER'S SPEEDING, SLAM ON THE BRAKES.
HOW WE CAN FIX THIS? WE HAVE SHOW BUSES TO AND FROM PARK AND RIDES AND TRANSIT CENTERS UNTIL WE CAN HAVE A LIGHT RAIL BUILT ON A BRIDGE THAT WILL FIX THE SERVICE TIMES THE TRAFFIC AND THE SAFETY OF OUR PASTURES ALL IN ONE.
UH, I GOT THIS TEXT MESSAGE FROM YOUR, YOUR DRIVERS.
SHE SENT THIS TO ME, UH, SUNDAY, UM, AS WE WERE CARRYING ON THE CONVERSATION AT THE NORTH STAR TRANSIT CENTER.
UM, IS THERE ANY WAY, UM, THIS MORNING, UH, I ALSO HAD ANOTHER ISSUE WITH THE 6 0 2 IN INSTANCE, THAT THERE WAS A, NOT THE REGULAR DRIVER WAS NOT BEHIND THE WHEEL, BUT A DRIVER IN TRAINING.
AND AS WE GOT TO THE TRANSIT CENTER, THE NUMBER FOUR JUST TAKEN OFF.
SO, UH, I HAD TO CATCH THE NUMBER THREE.
ONCE AGAIN, IS THERE ANY WAY THAT THE BUSES LIKE THE 6 0 2, 3 AND FOUR CAN BE MONITORED MORE CLOSELY? IF SOMEONE COULD PLEASE GET BACK TO ME RESPONSE ASAP, I'D REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
SO WE HAVE KANA LEY, IS THAT, IF I'M PRONOUNCING IT INCORRECTLY, I APOLOGIZE.
THAT WAS VERY, VERY, VERY CLOSE.
I APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORT IN PRONOUNCING IT.
I'M, I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF, UM, THE AUTONOMOUS BROWN BERET DETO AND THE ESPANZA PEACE AND JUSTICE CENTER.
AND ABOVE ALL, UH, THE WORKING PEOPLE OF THE WEST SIDE AND THE REST OF SAN ANTONIO.
UM, I'M HERE TODAY IN OPPOSITION TO THE CURRENT DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR THE SCOOBY BUILDING.
I'M ALARMED BY WHAT I READ ABOUT THE UNAVAILABILITY OF HOUSING BASED ON THE PRICES OF THE RENT, UM, FOR THE PEOPLE WHO WOULD MOVE IN.
UM, THE WORDS THAT COME TO MY MIND ARE DEVELOPMENT, HOUSING AS A HUMAN RIGHT AND GENTRIFICATION.
I SEE THAT THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR THE SCOOBY BUILDING IS ACTUALLY NOT A DEVELOPMENT.
IT IS AN EROSION OF THE COMMUNITY.
SO WHEN PEOPLE IN WHO HAVE BEEN IN THE COMMUNITY FOR THIS LONG ARE PRICED OUT OF COMMUNITIES THAT DOESN'T DEVELOP A COMMUNITY, IT ERODES A COMMUNITY.
SO I ASK YOU AS THE OWNERS OF THE BUILDING TO CONSIDER INSTEAD WHAT MY COMRADES WHO HAVE MENTIONED BEFORE HAVE PROPOSED SUCH AS HIRING LOCAL RESIDENTS IN THE SHOPS AND PAYING THEM AT LEAST $15 AN HOUR, SUCH AS USING SOME OF THE PROFITS FROM THIS, FROM THIS PROJECT TO THE, TO INVEST IN STREETLIGHTS, ROAD IMPROVEMENTS, DAYCARES, LAUNDROMATS, ET CETERA.
AND I ASK YOU TO CONSIDER THIS AS WE, AS WE COME BEFORE YOU, AND YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD US ALL SAY IT BEFORE, UH, OUTSIDE AND INSIDE, WHEN WE SAY HOUSING IS A HUMAN RIGHT, WE DON'T MEAN THAT BECAUSE IT'S A NICE THING TO DO.
I WANT YOU TO CONSIDER HOUSING AS A HUMAN RIGHT, AS AN INVESTMENT, AS A, AS A PATHWAY TO AVOID A FUTURE WHERE SAN ANTONIO BECOMES A CITY WHERE THERE'S A TINY MINORITY OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS, WHO LIVE BEHIND MASSIVE CONCRETE WALLS OF BARBED WIRE AND HELICOPTERS, AND THE REST
[00:50:01]
OF THE CITY HAS TO FEND FOR ITSELF IN POVERTY AND STRUGGLE.UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME TO, TO LISTEN TO ALL OF US TODAY AND, AND TO CONSIDER THIS.
I YIELD MY REMAINING 59 SECONDS, 57 SECONDS TO GRA SANCHEZ.
THANK YOU, KAI VELAZQUEZ, FOLLOWED BY GRA LOS SANCHEZ.
HELLO, MY NAME IS, UH, KAI VELASQUEZ.
I'M NOT A RESIDENT OF THE WEST SIDE, BUT MY PARENTS GREW UP THERE AND SO OF MY GRANDPARENTS, UM, TO START OFF WITH THE SCOOBY PROJECT VIA IS NOT SERVING THE COMMUNITY.
VIAS ULTIMATELY SERVING THEIR POCKETS.
IF THE S SCALY PROJECT PLANS TO GO THROUGH, AS IT CURRENTLY STANDS, THE VERY PEOPLE WHO BUILT THE COMMUNITY OF THE WEST SIDE, THE PEOPLE WHO WALK THE STREETS EVERY DAY, AND THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE THE WEST SIDE, WHAT IT IS AND WHAT IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN WILL BE DISPLACED ALL BECAUSE OF WHAT GREED.
SAN ANTONIO ALREADY HAS A LARGE HOUSING CRISIS, NOT TO MENTION A NEGLECTED AND EXPLOITED HOUSELESS POPULATION WITHIN SAN ANTONIO.
THE SCO HOUSING PROJECT IS NOT INTENDED FOR THE RESIDENTS OF THE WEST SIDE, NOR IS IT INTENDED FOR THE AVERAGE SAN ANTONIO NATIVE.
IT IS BEING DEVELOPED BY WEALTHY PEOPLE.
HOUSING IS A HUMAN RIGHT AND IT, AT A BARE MINIMUM, IT SHOULD BE MADE DEEPLY AFFORDABLE FOR THE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE LOCATED WITHIN THE WEST SIDE.
HOUSING NEEDS TO BE FOR THE PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF THIS VERY ROOM.
THERE'S A QUOTE FROM ROSA PARKS THAT SAYS, YOU MUST NEVER BE FEARFUL ABOUT DOING.
YOU MUST NEVER BE FEARFUL ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING WHEN IT IS RIGHT, DO THE RIGHT THING.
SANCHEZ FOLLOWED BY ANNA CAST.
MY NAME IS GRA SANCHEZ AND I AM A BUK OF THE ESP ESPANZA PEACE AND JUSTICE CENTER.
EACH DAY I DRIVE BY THE SCOOBY BUILDING IN AN AREA OF THE CITY NAMED CATTLEMAN SQUARE.
TWO YEARS AGO, WE WORKED WITH THE HISTORIC WEST SIDE RESIDENCE ASSOCIATION AND THE WEST SIDE PRESERVATION ALLIANCE AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO SAVE THE WHIT BUILDING FROM BEING DEMOLISHED.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE ANY HISTORICAL BUILDING THAT IS STILL STANDING IN THIS AREA CONTINUE TO STAND AND BE RESTORED AND USED FOR THE COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY THE COMMUNITY THAT CURRENTLY SURROUNDED AND THE PEOPLE WHO TAKE THE BUS AT THE CENTRAL PLAZA TRANSIT CENTER.
THIS IS A HISTORICAL NEIGHBORHOOD.
THIS IS WHERE THE MEXICANO COMMUNITY, BUT ALL COMMUNITIES CAME BECAUSE OF THAT BUS, THAT RAILROAD STATION.
SO WE WANT, WE'RE EXCITED, RIGHT? WE APPRECIATE YOUR INTEREST IN BREATHING LIFE TO SCOOBY WITH THE INTENT TO CREATE HOUSING FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
HOWEVER, YOUR CURRENT SCOPE OF HOUSING DOESN'T CREATE ANY EXTREMELY AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR MOST OF THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN 78,207 ZIP CODE OR WHO TAKE THE BUS AT THE CENTRAL PLAZA TRANSIT STATION, WOULDN'T IT BE WONDERFUL FOR THOSE FOLKS WHO LIVE AT SCOBY, BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE ALWAYS WANTING PEOPLE TO LIVE AND WORK RIGHT NEXT TO EACH OTHER.
AND THESE FOLKS ARE THE PERFECT PEOPLE WHO SHOULD BE LIVING AT THE SCOOBY, BUT THE CUT YOU CURRENTLY HAVE IS NOT FOR THEM.
WE ARE ALREADY FEELING THE EFFECTS OF GENTRIFICATION IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
THE HOUSELESS COMMUNITY HAS BEEN PUSHED FROM DOWNTOWN AND OUTTA SIGHT OUT OF MIND, BUT THEY'VE BEEN PUSHED TO THE WEST SIDE INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
BUT HOUSING FOR THE HOUSELESS ISN'T BEING BUILT OR DEVELOPED FROM THEM THROUGH THIS PROJECT OR MOST OF THE CITY DEVELOPMENT HOUSING PROJECTS THAT WE CURRENTLY SEE AS CERTAINLY I'M VERY EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED THAT VIA LEADERSHIP HAS BEEN ABSOLUTELY ABSENT FROM THE CONVERSATIONS.
WE EVEN HAD A MEETING THAT TERRY CASTILLO HOSTED WITH SOME OF US, AND QUESTIONS WERE ASKED OF THE VIA STAFF AND NOBODY FROM VIA ANSWERED.
THE ONLY PERSON THAT ANSWERED THE QUESTIONS WAS JULISA THE DEVELOPER.
BUT THE QUESTIONS WERE AIMED AT VIA YOU NEED TO RESPOND.
WE KNOW THAT VIA HAS HAD MEETINGS WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS, BUT THESE LEADERS AREN'T OUR LEADERS.
THEY DON'T LIVE IN OUR COMMUNITY, BUT ARE PRETTY INTERESTED IN CHANGING THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
WE ONCE USED TO SHOP AND EAT AT RESTAURANTS DOWNTOWN MEXICAN, MANHATTAN, SHILOH'S, OR GO TO THE AZTEC.
BUT TODAY, TOURISTS AND BUSINESS LEADERS WHO LIVE, PLAY AND WORK DOWNTOWN DON'T HAVE TO SEE US ANYMORE BECAUSE WE TOO HAVE BEEN PUSHED AWAY FROM DOWNTOWN.
NOW YOU HAVE MOVED INTO OUR WEST SIDE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE HOUSING YOU ARE PROPOSING WILL KEEP US OUT.
WE PAY TAXES AND WILL CONTINUE TO PAY TAXES THAT BENEFIT VIA, BUT THIS GOBI PROJECT WILL NOT BENEFIT THE COMMUNITY,
[00:55:01]
THE COMMUNITY I LIVE AND WORK IN.SO YES TO RESTORING AND REHABBING THE BUILDING, BUT NO TO THE HOUSING THAT YOU CURRENTLY ARE DEVELOPING.
THE CHICANO MEXICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY WAS SEGREGATED AND PUSHED BY CITY, PUSHED BY CITY LEADERS INTO THE WEST SIDE OVER A HUNDRED YEARS AGO.
THE CURRENT SCOOBY HOUSING CONTINUES TO SEGREGATE US, THE WEALTHY AND MIDDLE CLASS VERSUS THE WORKING CLASS POOR AND HOUSELESS.
YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO AVOID THE MISTAKES OF THE PAST AND YOU ALL SHOULD KNOW BETTER AND NOT CREATE DIVISIONS AND INEQUITIES OF THE PAST.
PLUS, YOU HAVE A MAJOR OPPORTUNITY TO HOUSE PEOPLE WHO NEED HOUSING.
FOLKS WHO MAKE $25,000 OR LESS THE FOLKS WHO NEED IT THE MOST, WE ARE WATCHING U VIA AND WE WILL NOT DISAPPEAR.
PLEASE MAKE CHANGES TO YOUR HOUSING PROJECT AT SCOOBY IMMEDIATELY.
ANNA ANNA CASTELLA, FOLLOWED BY ANTHONY BEES.
MY NAME IS ANNA STAN AND, UM, I AM A MOTHER OF SIX CHILDREN WHO LIVES IN THE 78 2 70 8,207 ZIP CODE.
I WRITE THE 68, THE 5 24 77 EVERY DAY.
I, I AM ABLE TO SERVE MY COMMUNITY EVERY DAY.
WHEN I GET HOME, I CONTINUE TO SERVE MY COMMUNITY.
ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT I HAVE A CHALLENGE OF HELPING AND SERVING MY COMMUNITY OUTSIDE OF, UM, WORK IS FINDING TRANSPORTATION FOR INDIVIDUALS.
AND SOMETIMES I CAN FIND INDIVIDUALS TRANSPORTATION WHEN I CAN'T FIND IT FOR MYSELF.
AND, UM, RIGHT NOW, ONE OF THE MAIN STRUGGLES THAT I HAVE IS SOMETIMES I HAVE TO LEAVE MY, MY OLDER KIDS HOME, UM, WHEN WANTING TO ENJOY THINGS LIKE MY DAUGHTER'S GRADUATION THAT'S COMING UP HERE SOON AND I'M HAVING TO BUDGET ALL THAT WELL WITH ME AND SIX KIDS, DEPENDING WHO'S DRIVING THE BUS, WHETHER I HAVE TO PAY A CHILD FAIR OR AN ADULT FAIR BECAUSE MY CHILDREN, UM, ARE ARE INDIGENOUS, BEAUTIFUL KIDS THAT ARE TALL WITH LONG HAIR AND CAN BE MISTAKEN FOR ADULTS.
UM, BUT THEY'RE JUST YOUNG BOYS.
AND SO, UM, I AM CURRENTLY PAYING UNDER $500 FOR RENT AND I CAN'T AFFORD THAT NOW.
AND I'M A FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE AND ALSO A STUDENT THAT I SHOULD BE ABLE TO RIDE THE BUS FOR FREE BECAUSE I DO HAVE AN ID CARD AND I DO HAVE A STAMP.
BUT AGAIN, IT DEPENDS WHO'S OPERATING THE BUS AT THAT TIME WHILE I'M RIDING THE BUS.
I SEE HOW THEY'RE MISTREATED BY THE OPERATORS.
WE HAVE POLICE OFFICERS IN, IN VIA, BUT WHO'S GONNA PROTECT US FROM THE OPERATORS? IT, IT GETS PRETTY UGLY AND PEOPLE CAN TREAT ME VERY UGLY, CLOSE THE DOOR ON MY FACE AND I'M STANDING AT THE BUS STOP WITH THREE BEAUTIFUL BABIES THAT I CAN AFFORD TO ACTUALLY PAY FOR THEM TO GET ON.
IF YOU WERE TO DEVELOP, I WOULDN'T QUALIFY TO LIVE IN THE, THE, THE, THE HOUSING THAT YOU WERE TO DEVELOP.
BUT I KNOW WITH EVERYTHING THAT I'VE CONTRIBUTED TO MY COMMUNITY, I DESERVE TO BE A TENANT THERE.
I HAVE CONTRIBUTED OVER 7,000 HOURS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE AS A FELON.
I'VE SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED MY PROBATION AND IT LIMITS ME ON WHERE I CAN APPLY FOR HOUSING AND EVEN WHERE I CAN APPLY TO GET ASSISTANCE WITH BUS TRANSPORTATION.
WHEN I GO TO THE SCHOOLS AND ASK THEM FOR ASSISTANCE FOR A BUS VIA FAIR, I AM TURNED AWAY AND NOBODY EVER CALLS ME BACK BECAUSE THERE'S EXPECTATIONS THAT THAT, THAT THEY HAVE THAT THEY CAN'T HELP US WITH VIA BUS PASSES.
RIGHT NOW THE SAYING IS, OH, YOU CAN'T EVEN CALL VIA AND ASK THEM FOR A DONATION OF 10 BUS PASSES TO GET MOMS TO GET FREE DIAPERS.
I, I HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN IF I'M GONNA BUY BREAD AND IF I'M GONNA TAKE THE BUS OR IF I'M GONNA WALK ALL MY KIDS, UM, TO SCHOOL BACK AND FORTH AND ULTIMATELY PROBABLY WALK TO WORK AS WELL.
I HOPE YOU GUYS CONSIDER EXACTLY WHAT I'M SAYING TODAY.
ULTIMATELY, YOU HAVE A POSITION, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU WILL BE JUDGED BY HOW YOU ARE NOT SERVING YOUR COMMUNITY AND YOU HAVE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS GOING TO FIESTA, THAT IS AN OPPRESSION FIESTA AND CELEBRATION.
I CHALLENGE YOU GUYS TO NOT CELEBRATE FIESTA NEXT YEAR AND ACTUALLY EDUCATE YOURSELF ON WHAT THAT CONTINUOUS OPPRESSION IS AND THAT THE NEXT TIME YOU HAVE A FIESTA, YOU THINK ABOUT THE PEOPLE.
WHILE Y'ALL WERE CELEBRATING THE COMPANY ANTHONY PEREZ,
[01:00:04]
FOLLOWED BY MELODY MIRANDA.I APPRECIATE Y'ALL TIME COMING HERE.
UM, THANK YOU MOM FOR ALL YOUR WORDS.
UM, I WANNA BE UP HERE IF IT WASN'T FOR YOU, MOM, I APPRECIATE YOU.
UM, I AM THE ELDEST CHILD OF SIX CHILDREN AND A SINGLE PARENT MOTHER AND UM, I RODE THE ENTIRE BUS OF THE BUS MY ENTIRE LIFE.
AND UM, WITH THAT BEING SAID, UM, AS SOON AS YOU GET ON THE BUS, IT IS KIND OF A MOMENT WHERE YOU CAN SIT DOWN AND START PLANNING TO WHERE YOUR DESTINATION IS GONNA GO AND HOW YOU'RE GONNA GET THERE.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY, WITH THE, UM, WITHOUT ANY PROPER CONDITIONS AND REGULATIONS TO HOW WE ARE SPENDING THAT TIME ON THE BUS, WE ARE BEING NEGLECTED OF OUR VOICES ON OUR HUMANE RIGHTS AND ARE EXACTLY HOW COMFORTABLE WE ARE ON THE BUS TO HOW WE EVEN ACCESS THE BUS.
AND AS BEING THE ELDEST OF SIX CHILDREN, I HAVE A LOT OF RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT MY SIBLINGS ARE ALSO GETTING TO WHERE THEY NEED TO BE.
AND THAT IS VERY UNREALISTIC WITH THE PLANS THAT I HAVE ALREADY BEEN, UM, BEING EXECUTED THROUGHOUT THESE YEARS.
UM, AND ALSO WITH THE SCOOBY DEVELOPMENT, IT IS JUST REALLY, IT, I BELIEVE IT IS, COMES UP WITH UM, WITH LACK OF BETTER WORDS, LIKE ALMOST STUPIDITY THAT YOU WILL HAVE SOMETHING DEVELOPING IN THAT AREA WHEN THE PEOPLE WHO ALREADY RESIDE IN THE AREA FOR SO LONG WILL NOT BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO EVEN BE, UM, ACKNOWLEDGED OR TREATED CORRECTLY WITHIN THOSE SPACES.
AND I HAVE DONE A LOT OF ORGANIZING STARTING AT A VERY YOUNG AGE.
AND ONE THING THAT I'VE NOTICED IS THAT EVERYBODY WANTS SOMETHING NEW.
THEY WANNA BUILD SOMETHING ON A CRACKED FOUNDATION.
AND IF YOU ARE NOT BUILDING ON A PROPER FOUNDATION, IT IS GONNA BECOME ANOTHER CYCLE THAT HAS BEEN LOST IN OUR 2 0 7 COMMUNITY.
AND WE ARE THE BACKBONE OF THIS CITY.
THE SAN ANTONIO'S WEST SIDE IS THE WHOLE REASON WHY YOU'RE EVEN ABLE TO HAVE ANY BUSES OUT HERE.
CUZ IF WE COULD AFFORD TO HAVE CARS, BELIEVE ME, WE'D BE USING THEM.
AND EVEN WHEN YOU DO HAVE A CAR, IT IS HARD TO KEEP UP WITH AND YOU ARE ARE ULTIMATELY GONNA HAVE TO BE LEFT USING THE BUS.
AND I'VE EXPERIENCED PHYSICAL VIOLENCE ON THE BUS.
I'VE SEEN ELDERLY GET TREATED POORLY ON THE BUS ALL THE WAY TO A NEGLECTFUL SETTING FOR A CHILD TO EVEN BE ON THE BUS.
THERE ARE NO SEAT BELTS, THERE ARE NO EXTRA PRECAUTIONS BEING TOOK IN FOR THE MATERNITY OF WOMEN THAT, UM, ARE HAVING TO TAKE THE BUS AS WELL.
AND I KNOW THAT MIGHT MAKE YOU THINK, WELL THAT'S NOT MY PROBLEM.
I DIDN'T TELL THEM TO GET PREGNANT.
I DIDN'T TELL THEM TO HAVE TO WORK A WHOLE BUNCH OF JOBS TO TO FEED THEIR CHILDREN SO THEY DON'T COME HOME TO KIDS CRYING AT NIGHT AND Y'ALL AREN'T.
BUT WHAT Y'ALL ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR IS HOW COMFORTABLE WE'LL BE ABLE TO MAKE ENDS MEET.
AND SO WHEN YOU DEVELOP THAT, YOU ULTIMATELY LEAVE US WITH A SEED FOR US TO KEEP GROWING.
HEY, I FELT BETTER ON THIS BUS RIDE TODAY AND WHEN I GET BACK HOME
AND UNFORTUNATELY THAT IS NOT THE DEAL AND IT HAS NOT BEEN THE DEAL FOR DECADES NOW.
MELODY MIRANDA, FOLLOWED BY NADIA MIRANDA.
UM, HI, MY NAME IS MELODY MIRANDA AND I AM HERE TO SPEAK AGAINST, UH, THIS PROJECT.
MY SISTER WILL BE SOON TALKING ABOUT HOW WE WERE HOMELESS BEFORE.
AND UM, I WANTED TO SAY THAT WEST SIDE IS MY HOME AND THAT THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE HERE IS OUR FAMILY.
UM, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SERVICES FOR THIS PLACE AND YOUNG.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE YOUNG SERVICES FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE 13 OR UNDER OR LIKE MENTAL, OH, SORRY.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE PLACES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AND PLA A PLACE FOR MENTAL ISSUES AND I SAID THAT WRONG AND THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO DRIVE ALL THE WAY TO LEON
[01:05:01]
VALLEY.WE HAVE NADIA MIRANDA, FOLLOWED BY RAMIRO GONZALEZ.
UM, HELLO, UH, MY NAME IS NADIA MIRANDA AND I'M, UM, 18 YEARS OLD AND I LIVE AT THE APACHE COURTS.
UM, I AM AGAINST THIS PROJECT BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO BE HOMELESS.
SIX YEARS AGO, MY FAMILY LIVED IN OUR CAR AND LIVED IN MOTELS.
WE GOT READY FOR SCHOOL AT GAS STATION BATHROOMS. WITHOUT PUBLIC PUBLIC HOUSING, WE WOULD STILL BE HOMELESS.
IT'S THE ONLY HOUSING THAT WE COULD AFFORD.
AFTER WE MOVED IN, MY GRADES GOT BETTER, I HAD LESS STRESS, AND I WAS HAPPY THAT TO HAVE A ROOM AND A STOVE TO COOK ON.
THERE ARE MANY FAMILIES STILL NEEDING A PLACE TO CALL HOME.
I HOPE YOU WILL BUILD UNITS FOR THEM, NOT THE RICH.
RAMO GONZALEZ, FOLLOWED BY JANIE BARRA.
I'M THE C E O OF PROSPER WEST SAN ANTONIO, A COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NONPROFIT FOR THE WEST SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO.
I'M HERE TODAY TO VOICE SUPPORT FOR THE SCOOBY PROJECT.
ON BEHALF OF THE SMALL BUSINESS AND LARGER WEST SIDE COMMUNITY THAT SEEKS ECONOMIC BALANCE FOR THE AREA, SCOOBY REPRESENTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRING THE REINVESTMENT AND EQUITY THAT THE WEST SIDE HAS BEEN DENIED FOR SO LONG AFTER MORE THAN 50 YEARS OF DISINVESTMENT, THE WEST SIDE COMMUNITY DESERVES ALL THE AMENITIES AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT THE OTHER SIDES OF TOWN ENJOY, SOME OF WHICH SCOOBY CAN BRING, AND IT'S POSSIBLE TO DO IT WITHOUT WIDESPREAD DISPLACEMENT.
SCOOBY IS SURROUNDED BY THE JAIL HAVEN FOR HOPE.
RAILROAD TRACKS, PUBLIC HOUSING AND OTHER COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS.
AS A RESULT, ITS IMPACT TO NEIGHBORHOODS AS MINIMALS COMPARED TO OTHER MOST OTHER PROJECTS.
YET IT OFFERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING JOBS, INVESTMENT CUSTOMERS, AND VIBRANCY TO A CRITICAL GATEWAY OF THE WEST SIDE.
IT WILL ALSO HELP TO ABATE THE CRIMINAL ACTIVITY AND VAGRANCY THAT CURRENT CURRENTLY DOMINATES THAT IMMEDIATE AREA.
THERE'S NO QUESTION THAT SCOBY HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO THE WEST SIDE TO PROVIDE ITS FAIR SHARE OF AFFORDABILITY, AS DOES EVERY PROJECT THAT WOULD COME TO THE WEST SIDE.
BUT WE CANNOT EXPECT ONE PROJECT TO BEAR AT ALL.
THAT WOULD BE DETRIMENTAL TO THE PROJECT AND TO THE WEST SIDE AS A WHOLE.
WE NEED TO SPREAD AN RF WELL SINCE, I'M SORRY, SINCE THIS WEST SIDE ALREADY HAS THE HIGHEST CONCENTRATION OF PUBLIC HOUSING IN THE CITY.
INSTEAD, WE NEED TO SPREAD OUR AFFORDABILITY NEEDS ACROSS A SYSTEM OF MIXED INCOME PROJECTS THROUGHOUT THE WEST SIDE.
THIS WILL HELP TO ACHIEVE BALANCE AND COUNTER THE PATTERN OF ECONOMIC SEGREGATION.
SCOOBY IS A RIGHT STEP TOWARDS ACHIEVING THIS BALANCE.
WE ENTHUSIASTICALLY SUPPORT THE REDEVELOPMENT OF SCOOBY AND ENCOURAGE VIA TO WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY TO DEVELOP THE APPROPRIATE SHARE AND DEPTH OF AFFORDABILITY FOR THIS PROJECT.
GIVEN ALL ITS OTHER CHALLENGES AND THE OTHER COMMUNITY BENEFITS THAT IT WILL BRING, WE ALSO ENCOURAGE VIA TO HIRE A CONSULTANT TO FACILITATE MEANINGFUL ENGAGEMENT WITH THE WEST SIDE COMMUNITY SO THAT THE ENTIRETY OF ITS VOICE CAN BE HEARD.
PROSPER WEST STANDS READY TO ASSIST IN ANY WAY POSSIBLE TO BRING ECONOMIC BALANCE TO THE WEST SIDE.
JANIE BARRE, FOLLOWED BY MARIELLA GARZA.
JANIE BARRETA, FOUNDER OF LIFTFUND.
FOR THE LAST 29 YEARS, UH, OUR NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION HAS BEEN HELPING SMALL BUSINESSES AND OUR COMMUNITY.
I'M HERE TO SUPPORT THE SCOBY PROJECT.
UM, BUT AS YOU'VE HEARD, YOU ALL ARE, YOU KNOW, BEEN I GUESS TOLD THAT YOU'RE DEVELOPERS AND YOU'RE NOT DEVELOPERS.
YOU ARE A SERVICE AGENCY THAT IS HELPING THE COMMUNITY.
BUT I'M HOPING THAT YOU LISTEN TO WHAT I'VE BEEN HEARING, THAT THE, THE PROJECT ITSELF AND AS RAMINA POINTED OUT, IS A, IS GREAT.
IT'S A COMBINATION OF ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT THAT'S COMING TOGETHER.
IT LACKS THE HOUSING THAT IS NEEDED NOT ONLY HERE, BUT THROUGHOUT OUR CITY.
[01:10:01]
YOU KNOW, HOUSING IS A BIG DEAL.SO THIS IS A ONE PROJECT I COMMEND YOU FOR IT.
THE VISION OF BEING ABLE TO HAVE A WORK PLAY AND LIVE AREA IS TREMENDOUS.
IT'LL BE ONE OF THE FIRST ONES HERE VERSUS, UM, THE OTHER KINDS OF THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN HAPPENING ACROSS, LIKE ON BROADWAY AND SO ON, THAT THERE'S NO WAY ANYONE'S GONNA BE ABLE TO AFFORD THOSE AREAS.
I WOULD ALSO RECOMMEND THAT A COMMITTEE BE SET UP NOW THAT YOU'VE HEARD ALL THESE THINGS, LET'S BRING EVERYBODY TOGETHER AND CONTINUE TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS BECAUSE IF NOT, IT'S JUST GONNA BE A ONE, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, UN UNMEANINGFUL KINDS OF THINGS THAT THAT CAN HAPPEN.
AND AS WE LOOK AT THE BALANCING ACT OF ALL OF THIS, WE ALSO NEED TO THINK ABOUT WHAT'S THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE GOING TO BE ATTRACTED AND, AND BE BROUGHT IN? I'M HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE THAT CONGRESSMAN CASTRO HAS ALLOCATED A MILLION DOLLARS TO LIFT FUND TO HELP THE SMALL BUSINESSES ON THE WEST SIDE.
SO AS THESE PROJECTS CONTINUE, UM, AND, AND MOVE FORWARD, UH, WE ARE HERE TO BE ABLE TO HELP THOSE RETAILS THAT ARE GONNA BE IN THESE PROJECTS AND THE SURROUNDING AREAS AS WELL.
AND SO, UM, WITH THAT, I JUST WANNA COMMEND YOU.
I KNOW THAT YOU, THIS IS A HARD TASK AND YOU'RE NOT DEVELOPERS, BUT IF YOU BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER THAT CAN HELP YOU, I THINK WE CAN ALL WORK TOGETHER, UH, FOR A COMMON CAUSE.
MARIELLA GARZA, FOLLOWED BY RAPHAEL GARZA.
UM, MY NAME IS MARIELLA GARZA.
I, UM, AM THE PRESIDENT OF GARDENDALE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION WITH THE, WHICH IS DIRECTLY IN THE IMPACTED AREA WHERE THE SCOI PROJECT IS BEING PROPOSED.
UM, AND I REPRESENT GARDENDALE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND WE ARE IN FAVOR OF THE PROJECT.
WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE IT MOVE FORWARD.
AND I'D LIKE TO SHARE A FEW ADDITIONAL WORDS.
AS A GARDENDALE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND A CURRENT RESIDENT OF THE AREA, JUST A FEW BLOCKS AWAY FROM THE PROPOSED SCOBY DEVELOPMENT PROJECT, GARDENDALE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION IS IN FAVOR OF THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT PROJECT.
OUR DISTRICT FIVE LIVING AREA HAS BEEN LONG WAITING FOR THIS TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT THAT WILL GENERATE TAX REVENUE EMPLOYMENT IN OUR DOWNTOWN AREA.
UH, AND, AND THIS WILL ALSO BRING REVENUE FOR OUR DISTRICT FIVE RE RESIDENTS.
CURRENTLY IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA, UH, SURROUNDING THE SCOBY DEVELOPMENT PROJECT.
PROPOSED, UH, LOCATION, WE ALREADY HAVE THE FOLLOWING.
WE HAVE PALACIO DEL NUMBER ONE AND NUMBER TWO, WHICH ARE SENIOR LIVING APARTMENTS.
WE HAVE PARKSIDE APARTMENTS, VISTA APARTMENTS, CITY GATE APARTMENTS.
WE HAVE HAVEN FOR HOPE THAT ALSO HAS AN APARTMENT COMPLEX AVAILABLE.
WE HAVE THE GI FORUM AND THEN A LITTLE FURTHER DOWN ZORA, WE HAVE AN ADDITIONAL HOUSING PROJECT THAT, UH, ASSISTS WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR INDIVIDUALS.
ALONG WITH THAT, WE ALSO, UM, ARE SURROUNDED BY MULTIPLE BAIL BONDS, OF COURSE, OUR BEAR COUNTY JAIL.
UM, AND THIS IS ALL IN THE SURROUNDING AREA, SO WE DEFINITELY WOULD LOVE TO SEE SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
IT'S TIME FOR DISTRICT FIVE TO RECEIVE A MUCH NEEDED VISION CHANGE AT THE PRESENT TIME.
OUR AREA HAS AN ABUNDANCE OF AGENCIES AND PROGRAMS THAT ARE GEARED TO HELP THOSE THAT ARE IN NEED.
THE HOUSELESS, THE PEOPLE THAT DON'T, DON'T HAVE A PLACE TO LIVE OR BE, BUT IT'S TIME, YOU KNOW, DISTRICT FIVE HAS BEEN, I DON'T, I DON'T WANNA USE THE WORD LIKE A DUMP GROUND, BUT I THINK THAT A LOT OF OTHER DISTRICTS HAVE SO MANY OTHER PROJECTS AND THINGS GOING INTO THEIR AREA, AND IT'S OUR DISTRICT FIVE TIME.
WE DEFINITELY WANNA SEE SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
WE'VE TALKED TO RESIDENTS, WE'VE INVOLVED THE APARTMENT LISTING PROGRAMS, AND EVEN THEY TOO HAVE VOICED FAVOR OF THIS PROJECT.
THEY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE THINGS THAT HAPPEN IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THE NEGATIVITY, THE DRUGS AND THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING THAT SOMETIMES IT'S NOT TOO PUBLIC.
UH, IT'S NOT VOICED SO MUCH IN THE PUBLIC AREA.
WE DEFINITELY ARE FOR THE PROJECT.
UM, WE WANNA SEE GROWTH AND WE WELCOME APPROPRIATE GROWTH THAT'S GONNA SERVE OUR DISTRICT FIVE RESIDENTS AND OUR COMMUNITY.
YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M SEEING IS I SEE A LOT OF, UM, DIFFERENT PROGRAMS COMING TOGETHER, BUT I DON'T SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY LIVE AND FUNCTION OUT OF THIS AREA.
AND IT'S UN IT'S NOT FAIR, UM, TO HAVE, IT'S NOT FAIR TO HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT AGENCIES THAT ARE NOT A PART OF THE COMMUNITY AREA TO COME AND SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? WE DON'T WANT THIS.
WE DEFINITELY WELCOME PROGRESS.
WE DEFINITELY WANT TO SEE THE PROGRAM GO FORWARD.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS SOMETHING NEEDED IN OUR DISTRICT FIVE AREA.
RAFAEL GARZA, FOLLOWED BY DICK DENLEY
[01:15:05]
RODRIGUEZ.OH, THAT, HOW IT'S GOTTA PUSH A BUTTON.
MY NAME IS D***S, D I X DENLEY.
I OWN PROPERTY IN THE HISTORIC CATTLEMAN SQUARE DISTRICT.
UM, I WAS SITTING HERE AND I WAS LISTENING TO SOME OF THE, THE THINGS THAT WERE BEING LAID BEFORE YOU IN TERMS OF WHAT YOUR PURPOSE OR THE REASON YOU EXIST.
AND, UH, I LIKE TO, ACTUALLY, I WENT TO YOUR WEBSITE.
I WAS LIKE, WHY DOES VIA EXIST? OUR MISSION IS TO PROVIDE REGIONAL, MULTI MOD, UH, MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS THAT ONE, CONNECT OUR COMMUNITY TO OPPORTUNITY.
TWO, SUPPORT ECONOMIC VITALITY AND ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE.
AND, SORRY, N THREE, ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE THROUGHOUT OUR REGION.
WHEN I SAW THAT YOU GUYS HAD ISSUED AN R F P AND HAD SELECTED DREAM ON A FEMALE AND MINORITY LED DEVELOPMENT COMPANY TO LEAD THE CHARGE ON THIS PROJECT, I, I WAS BLOWN AWAY.
UM, I I, THEIR PLAN FOR THE AREA, UH, AND THEIR VISION IS, IS BROADER THAN JUST THIS ONE PROJECT.
THEY DO WANT TO HELP YOU FULFILL YOUR MISSION, CONNECTING THE COMMUNITY TO OPPORTUNITY, SUPPORTING ECONOMIC VITALITY, AND ENHANCING THE QUALITY OF LIFE THROUGHOUT OUR REGION.
NOW, IF YOU GUYS WERE TO LEAVE THIS MEETING TODAY AND NOT ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY, UH, THAT WOULD BE CRAZY.
THERE ARE VOICES THAT NEED TO BE HEARD.
THERE'S PAIN THAT NEEDS TO BE HEARD.
YOU ALSO HAVE A LIMITED SCOPE OF POWER, WHAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY SOLVE THE TAX ISSUE.
WE NEED OUR STATE LEGISLATURE TO PROVIDE TAX PROPERTY TAX RELIEF, AND WE NEED IT YESTERDAY.
AND I HOPE THAT YOU GUYS ARE VYING FOR THAT.
WE DO NEED AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BUT THE BEST AND THE BEST WAY TO GET THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS TO START.
WE NEED YOU GUYS TO BRING THE UNITS THAT ECONOMICALLY CAN MAKE SENSE, THAT CAN MAKE THE PROJECT WORK.
AND WE DO NEED TO SEE A GOOD, WE, WE, WE NEED TO SEE DIVERSITY IN THAT.
WHEN GRA SAID THEY DON'T HAVE TO SEE US ANYMORE, TALKING ABOUT THE TOURISTS AND THE, THE BUSINESS MEN AND WOMEN DOWNTOWN, THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO SEE US ANYMORE.
THAT IS AN ENORMOUS CULTURAL PROBLEM.
WE ALL NEED TO BE SEEN SO THAT WE CAN BENEFIT FROM ALL, FROM EVERYBODY'S EXPERIENCE.
SO A PLAN LIKE THE ONE THAT DREAM ON AND JULISA ARE PROMOTING AND ENCOURAGING YOU GUYS TO HAVE THE COURAGE TO TAKE ACTION ON THAT PROMOTES MIXED INCOME HOUSING.
AND YES, MAKE SURE SOME OF IT IS DEEPLY AFFORDABLE, BUT PLEASE DON'T ABANDON THIS PROJECT.
CAUSE IF YOU DON'T START, OTHERS WON'T COME.
AND WE NEED A LOT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
SO I AM IN SUPPORT IF YOU COULD NOT TELL RE WE HAVE REBECCA FLORIDA IS FOLLOWED BY JIM YOUNG.
IS IT ON? MY NAME IS REBECCA FLORES AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT FIVE BEFORE THE VIA BOARD VOTES ON THE SCOOBY TERM AGREEMENT.
WE WHO PAY PROPERTY TAXES WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE NUMBER OF BEDROOMS IN THOSE 10 UNITS FOR HOUSEHOLDS EARNING 60% AMI 60% AM AMI IS $49,740 FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR AND 34,000 FOR A SINGLE PERSON.
WE WOULD LIKE TO BE CLEAR ABOUT HOW MANY BEDROOMS ARE IN THOSE 10 UNITS.
WE WOULD ALSO LIKE FOR YOU TO ADD ANOTHER LAYER OF AMI TO REACH THOSE WAGE EARNERS WHO EARN 30% OF THE AMI OR 24,850 PER YEAR FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR.
THERE IS A NEED YET FOR ANOTHER LAYER FOR THOSE WAGE EARNERS
[01:20:01]
AT THE FEDERAL 7 25 AN HOUR MINIMUM WAGE WHO EARN $15,000 A YEAR AND WAITRESSES WHO ARE GUARANTEED $2 AND 13 CENTS AN HOUR IN WAGES.AND ANOTHER ONE FOR THOSE WHO HAVE WORKPLACE ACCIDENTS AND GET A THOUSAND DOLLARS A MONTH ON SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY.
ACCORDING TO THE 2021 SAN ANTONIO ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY BR PROVED TO BE ONE OF SAN ANTONIO'S TOP ECONOMIC PRODUCERS.
THE STUDY CONDUCTED BY VISIT SAN ANTONIO REVEALS THAT TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY BUSINESSES GENERATED A TOTAL OF 16 BILLION IN REVENUE FOR THE SAN ANTONIO ECONOMY AND SHOWCASES THE IMPORTANCE OF TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY IN SAN ANTONIO.
IF THIS IS THE CASE, THEN HOW DO WE SUPPORT THOSE WORKERS OF THE TOURISM AND HOSPITAL INDUSTRY, HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY WHO ARE DRIVING THE TOP ECONOMIC PRODUCER FOR THE CITY? REGARDING THE SCOPING SITE BUILDING SITE, WE DO NOT SEE THAT THERE IS AN AREA AVAILABLE FOR A PLAYGROUND FOR CHILDREN.
SO DOES THIS MEAN THAT THE UNITS WILL TARGET ONLY SINGLE ADULTS? THIS BUILDING IS LOCATED ONE BLOCK FROM THE COUNTY JAIL, SURROUNDED BY BAIL BOND COMPANIES THREE BLOCKS FROM HAVEN.
THERE ARE NO GROCERY STORES NEARBY, NO PRE-K FOR S SA CHILDCARE SITES.
AND REMEMBER THAT THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN THE AREA WOULD NOT RECEIVE FUNDING FROM SCOOBY PROPERTY BECAUSE OF THE POVERTY TAX EXEMPTIONS.
THE ISSUE ABOUT THE EVER-INCREASING POVERTY TAXES WE PAY IS BEING DEBATED BY THE LEGISLATORS IN AUSTIN THIS SESSION BECAUSE TAXPAYERS ARE RAISING HELL AROUND THE STATE MUCH AS WE HAVE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
THE PRACTICE OF EXEMPTING DEVELOPERS FROM PAYING PROPERTY TAXES FOR UP TO 99 YEARS IS PART OF THE PROBLEM.
AND THE LATEST REPORTS ABOUT THE LEGISLATION IN AUSTIN, IT LOOKS LIKE DEVELOPERS WILL GET A SWEETER DEAL.
YET AS PROOF, WE CONTINUE TO SEE THE RISE OF THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WITHOUT HOMES IN THE CITY SETTING UP TENTS WHEREVER THEY CAN.
NOW, LEON VALLEY HAS BANNED HOMELESS PEOPLE FROM THE CITY.
IS THAT A SOLUTION? LET'S BE SERIOUS ABOUT ENDING HOMELESSNESS AND DIRECT OUR MONEY TO CREATE HOUSING FOR WORKERS WHO ARE ON LOW WAGES AND WHO SUPPORT WITH THEIR WORK.
THE MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR TOURISM INDUSTRY THAT SAN ANTONIO PROMOTES.
THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY, THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY, THE HOTELS, AND THE MOTELS.
WE HAVE, WE HAVE JIM YOUNG, FOLLOWED BY DAUGHTER PEREZ.
UH, I AM THE CO-OWNER OF THE NATIONAL GROCERY BUILDING IN THE FOUR ACRES OF LAND THAT SURROUND THE SCOOBY.
UH, MY DAD DID AND MY GRANDPARENTS DID, AND THEN I JOINED THE MILITARY AND KIND OF TRAVELED AROUND AND COME BACK.
I'M HERE TO SAY THAT WE SUPPORT THE PROJECT'S GOALS AND I RESPECT THE CONCERNS OF ALL THE FOLKS THAT I'VE HEAR HEARD HERE TONIGHT.
UM, WE CONTRACTED ON THE SITE PRIOR TO THE RFP ANNOUNCEMENT, UH, AND THE RFP AWARD TO DREAM ON.
AT THAT TIME, WE WERE CONSIDERING THIS JUST A LAND INVESTMENT BASED ON THE, THE CURRENT HEAVY INDUSTRIAL ZONING, BASICALLY LEASING TO AN INDUSTRIAL USER OF SOME KIND.
BUT AFTER HEARING OF THE SCOOBY RFP AWARD TO DREAM ON, WE MET WITH RENEE AND JULISSA.
WE TOURED THEIR REMODELED SCHOOL AND WE SAW THE WORK THAT THEY DID, AND I CAME TO APPRECIATE THEIR VISION.
AFTER THAT, WE ACTUALLY SAT DOWN WITH ONE OF OUR LAND PLANNERS AND WE REDESIGNED BUILDING LAYOUTS, UH, ON THE VACANT LAND BEHIND SCOOBY THAT WE THOUGHT COULD BETTER FACILITATE FIRE LANE ACCESS FOR THE, UH, THE PROJECT CONSTRUCTION AND REMODEL.
AND THE POTENTIAL REDESIGN WOULD CREATE CONNECTIVITY AND PARKING FOR THE RETAIL OFFICE AND RESIDENTIAL THAT WE FEEL THAT SCOOBY NEEDS AND DESERVES.
UH, THE SITE ALSO HAS THE ABILITY TO ADD LOW COST BUILDINGS FOR VARIOUS COMMUNITY USES, INCLUDING PLAYGROUNDS, CHILDCARE, LAUNDROMATS, AND MORE DURING CONSTRUCTION.
THE SITE COULD BE, UM, VACANT LAND THAT COULD BE ALSO USED FOR NEEDED EQUIPMENT, MATERIAL AND LAY DOWN YARDS.
BUT WE BEGAN TO GET REQUESTS TO EITHER LEASE OR SELL PARTS OR ALL OF OUR SITE TO CHEMICAL STORAGE COMPANIES, DRUG REHAB CENTERS, HOMELESS SHELTERS, AND OTHER USERS THAT WE FELT WOULD DIMINISH THE SCOOBY PROJECT.
RATHER THAN PURSUE THOSE, I'M HERE TO OFFER TO THE BOARD THAT THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO ENGAGE WITH THIS SITE OR FOR THE BOARD TO ENGAGE WITH THIS SITE, OUR SITE, UTILIZE IT AND CHOOSE THE DESTINY OF YOUR ADJACENT USERS.
OH, ONE MINUTE AND CREATE CIRCULATION FOR S SCOOBY.
I DON'T LIVE HERE NOW, BUT MY GRANDPARENTS DID, ALL OF MY RELATIVES DO.
[01:25:01]
SOMETHING THAT WE THINK WILL ENHANCE THIS, THEN WE WOULD LIKE TO DO SO.UM, BUT THIS SITE ALSO PROVIDES THE ABILITY FOR VIA AND DREAM ON TO ADD REVENUE, UH, TO A PROJECT SO THAT IT'S NOT SO RELIANT ON, UH, SUBSIDIES REVENUE FROM PARKING REVENUE FROM EITHER JUST AN INEXPENSIVE SURFACE LOT OR PARKING GARAGES.
PARKING GARAGES THAT CAN OFTEN BE USED FOR PICKLEBALL IN THE EVENINGS OR OTHER FUN AND INTERESTING THINGS.
UM, WE WOULD LIKE TO HELP ENHANCE SCOOBY AND VIA BY HELPING TO CHOOSE THEIR NEIGHBORS.
UH, IN CLOSING, I WANT TO THANK RITA SANCHEZ, WHO'S IN THE AUDIENCE.
SHE'S A LOCAL RESIDENT WHO I DID NOT KNOW, BUT SHE TEXTED ME WHENEVER VANDALS WOULD BREAK INTO OUR BEAUTIFUL BUILDING.
AND SO I GAVE HER A HUG TONIGHT.
DORA PEREZ, FOLLOWED BY ARTURO MIRANDA.
MY NAME IS DORA PEREZ, I'M A BUSINESS OWNER AND I LIVE IN THE AREA.
I AM IN FAVOR OF THE SCO PROJECT, AND I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE THE REST OF THE TIME TO MARISELA RAYA.
UM, MY NAME IS ARTURO MIRANDA AND I LIVE AND WORK IN THE AREA.
BEEN A RESIDENT HERE ALL MY LIFE.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT I'M IN FAVOR OF THE SCOOBY PROJECT.
UM, I THINK IT'LL BE GOOD FOR THE COMMUNITY.
I THINK IT'LL RAISE, UM, UH, REVENUE FOR THE AREA AND, UH, I THINK IT'LL, IT WILL, UH, HELP IN, IN A WAY EASE THE PAIN ABOUT, UM, THE CRIME IN THE AREA.
I THINK IT WILL BEAUTIFY THE, THE COMMUNITY AND HELP THE COMMUNITY.
AND, UM, UM, I JUST LIKE TO, UM, SAY THAT AND THAT I'M IN FAVOR FOR THE PROJECT AND I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
ARE YOU JUST STANDING HERE OR? YES, SIR.
UM, THE WAY I KNOW THE AREA IS THAT THERE'S A ROBBERY GREEN HOSPITAL THERE, SO I TAKE MY PARENTS TO THE DOCTOR AND, UM, EVERYTHING WAS PRETTY CALM FOR A LONG TIME, BUT THEN SOMETHING CAME INTO OUR, THAT AREA, WHICH WAS THE HAVEN FOR HOPE.
SO WHEN I HEARD ABOUT THE HAVEN FOR HOPE, I THOUGHT, WELL, THAT'S PRETTY GOOD.
I MEAN MR. HO, PEOPLE AND STUFF.
BUT THEN WHEN I SEARCHED DEEPER, I SAY, WHO IN THE HICK IN THE RIGHT MIND WOULD PUT A FACILITY BETWEEN TWO RAILROAD TRACKS AT THE Y YEAH.
SO I LOOKED IT UP, I LOOKED UP THAT TYPE OF FACILITIES, AND LO AND BEHOLD, THERE'S, UH, SUICIDE BY RAIL.
PEOPLE APPROACHED THE AREA LOOKING FOR HELP, AND THEY WALK RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE TRAIN BECAUSE THEY'RE JUST, THEY JUST LOSE IT.
SO I PREDICTED THERE WAS GONNA BE DEATHS, BUT WHAT REALLY HURT THE AREA WAS THAT THERE WAS OVER 30 GENERATIONAL BUSINESSES THERE, AND THEY WERE WIPED OUT SO THAT THEY COULD BUILD THIS THING I WENT PLACE TO.
AND I TOLD EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM, BE AWARE THAT THIS THING IS COMING AND YOU MIGHT LOSE YOUR BUSINESS.
ONE ACTUALLY IS CAUGHT ON VIDEO WHERE THEY JUMP AND THE TRAIN HIT.
SO THEN TO ADD INSULTS YOUR INJURY AT ONE OF THE MEETINGS REGARDING THAT, THE ATTORNEY FOR THAT HAVEN FOR HOPE, A TOKEN MEXICAN TELLS ME, MR. RODRIGUEZ, THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE PEOPLE IN THIS AREA DON'T HAVE ANY RIGHTS.
THESE ARE THINGS THAT NOBODY KNOWS UNLESS YOU WALKED AND KNOCKED ON DOORS.
SO THAT'S THE SOLUTION FOR THAT GUY
[01:30:01]
THAT TOLD ME THE PEOPLE DON'T HAVE ANY RIGHTS.I SAID, YOU KNOW, I DON'T LIVE IN THIS AREA, AND I THINK THEY DO HAVE RIGHTS AND THOSE THAT YOU'RE SERVING ALSO HAVE RIGHTS.
BUT IN ANY CASE, DIRTY HOMES WERE LOST.
DIRTY FAMILIES LOST THEIR HOMES.
UM, THEY DID PUT, SOMEBODY OFFERED ME $50,000, $50,000 BECAUSE I SAID SUICIDE BY RAIL.
SO THEY WANTED ME TO PUT UP SIGNS.
I SAID, SUICIDE BY RAIL LIKE ANOTHER CITY.
I SAID, I DON'T RUN A SUICIDE BY RAIL FACILITY.
SOMEONE ACTUALLY DID THAT OR WANTED TO DO THAT.
SO IN ANY CASE, SO LO AND BEHOLD, THE JAIL WANTS TO HAVE A PARKING GARAGE AGAIN.
DID YOU KNOW THAT THERE WAS A HOUSE THERE FROM THE 18 HUNDREDS? AND THE REASON IT WASN'T REGISTERED WAS BECAUSE THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO CITY LIMITS WERE AWAY FROM IT.
IT WAS THE FIRST HOME WHERE THE, ONE OF THE FIRST TEXAS MEXICAN RANGERS LIVED.
DID ANYBODY FROM HISTORY STAND UP WITH US? DID ANYBODY FOR HUMAN RIGHTS STAND UP FOR US? DID ANYBODY STAND UP TO PROTECT THE HOMELESS? NO.
WHY? BECAUSE IT'S A BIG COOKIE JAR.
TOO MANY HANDS IN THE COOKIE JAR.
AND I DIDN'T SEE IT UNTIL I STARTED LEARNING ABOUT GRANTS.
AND WITH GRANTS, YOU HAVE TO BE IN A CERTAIN INCOME LEVEL AREA, YOU HAVE TO HELP PEOPLE FROM A CERTAIN INCOME.
SO REGARDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING, I SAID, WELL, WHY DON'T THEY BUILD THEM? LIKE IN PORT SE THERE'S A LOT OF LAND PLUS IT'S ALREADY TAX EXEMPT, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW THERE'S A CONNECTION TO THE FUNDING.
SO FINALLY WE HAVE SOMETHING NICE THAT'S COMING TO THE AREA AND PEOPLE ARE AGAINST IT.
BUT LET ME GO BACK TO THE, TO, UM, I'M SORRY, TO THE COUNTY JAIL.
SHE SAID
WELL, WHAT I DIDN'T KNOW IS THAT WHEN YOU TAKE A ELDERLY PERSON FROM THEIR HOME, DISPLACE THEM, THEY LOSE A WILL TO LIVE.
SO I, IN AN ELECTION, I WAS THE ONLY DUMMY THAT WROTE A, JUST A SIMPLE FLYER AND SAID, HOW CAN WE PROTECT PEOPLE FROM GOING THROUGH THAT? WELL, WHAT I DIDN'T KNOW IS WHEN I HANDED THE FLYER TO A KID AND A AND A YOUNG LADY, IT TURNS OUT THEY WERE THE, THE, SHE WAS THE, THE DAUGHTER OF THAT MS. GALINDO.
AND SHE SAID, YOU HAVE TO GO TO THE HOUSE.
SO WHEN I GET THERE, I GET THE PHONE BECAUSE THEY WERE WAITING FOR ME AND IT WAS A SON.
AND HE SAID, THANK YOU FOR FIGHTING FOR MY MOTHER'S RIGHTS.
SO THAT AREA DOESN'T HAVE ANY RIGHTS.
AND THEN HERE, LO AND BEHOLD, YOU ALL SHOW UP OR THAT PROJECT COMES UP THAT SEEMS TO BE A POSITIVE.
AND YOU HAVE THE FREEDOM TO BUILD.
THIS IS THE, THIS IS OUR, THIS IS THE UNITED STATES.
BUT WHAT I SEE IS THAT IT SEEMS THAT WE DON'T DESERVE ANYTHING.
WE'RE ALWAYS GONNA BE THE POVERTY
AND WE NEED TO GET OUT OF THAT LOOP.
YOU KNOW, IT TAKES, IT TAKES TIME AND WORK TO, TO BE BETTER YOURSELVES.
SO PLEASE, UM, LIKE THEY SAY, UH, DO WE NEED MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING? YES.
BUT IF QUITE FRANKLY, SOMEBODY NEEDS TO FIGURE THAT OUT BETTER VERSUS THE WAY IT IS NOW, PUTTING IT NEXT TO, UH, PEOPLE THAT ARE BETTER OFF AND ALL THAT, IT REALLY DOESN'T MAKE SENSE BECAUSE LET'S SAY THE NEIGHBORS KID HAS A BEAUTIFUL BRAND NEW $300, $400 BIKE, AND THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PERSON CAN'T AFFORD IT.
SO NOW THAT KID FEELS IT DOESN'T MATCH, IT HAS TO MATCH.
WE HAVE TO THINK OF THE HUMANITY FROM THE BOTTOM UP.
YOU KNOW, SOME KID MIGHT BE ABLE TO GO WITH DISNEYLAND.
ONE MIGHT NOT, YOU'RE GONNA BUILD A PARK, WHICH IS NICE.
BUT IN ANY CASE, THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING OUR AREA BECAUSE I REALLY THOUGHT THAT THAT AREA WAS A LOST COST THE WAY IT'S GOING.
NO, WHO IN THE HECK WOULD BUILD NEXT TO THE HAVEN FOR HOPE? TELL ME THAT'S SERIOUS.
UM, SOME OF THEM NEED A LOT OF HELP.
THEY WERE TO BE BUILT AT THE SAN ANTONIO, UM, WHAT IS IT? MENTAL INSTITUTION AREA.
CUZ THEY HAD SEVEN SITES AND THAT WAS THROWN OUT THE WINDOW.
BUT IN ANY CASE, I'M SORRY FOR SAYING THIS OR, UH, BUT IT'S THINGS THAT EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW.
SO WHEN YOU, THANK YOU FOLLOWED BY ALICE B.
DID I HEAR A YIELD? I, ALICE B ALICE, I'M, I'M, OKAY.
WELL, I'M ALL FOR SCOBY AND ALL THE WAY, AND I GIVE MY MINUTES TO, UH,
[01:35:03]
HIS MINUTES.CAN I GIVE HIM MY MINUTES? YES, MA'AM.
HELLO, I'M, I'M, IS THIS CORRECT FOR ME TO, OKAY, SO THIS IS A PERSPECTIVE THAT WE, OR I SHOULD SAY I BECAME PART OF THE COMMUNITY.
NOW, HOW DID IT IMPACT ME DIRECTLY IS THAT WHEN I WOULD TAKE MY PARENTS TO THE ROBERT GREEN, WE WERE BEING APPROACHED FOR MONIES FROM THE HOMELESS, BUT FORTUNATELY THE GUARDS AND STUFF, THEY, THEY KNEW OUR FACES AND THEY SAID, DO YOU KNOW THEM? DO YOU KNOW THIS PERSON? DO YOU KNOW? NO.
WELL, IT TURNS OUT THAT THEY WEREN'T BEING MEAN OR ANYTHING.
THEY WERE JUST, YOU KNOW, APPROACH YOU AND, AND ASK.
BUT, UM, SO THEY SAW THAT THAT WAS DISRUPTIVE.
AND WHAT WAS REALLY WEIRD IS THAT THE COUNTY JAIL SUDDENLY HAD TO BUILD A FENCE TO PROTECT THEMSELVES AND THEY HAVE GUNS.
SO THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S WHAT THIS PROJECT MIGHT BE FACING.
SO I WOULD HOPE THAT, UM, LIKE THEY SAY, UH, PLEASE BE AWARE THE TRACKS ARE THERE FOR STARTERS.
AND ALSO THAT THERE IS A, UH, A GATE OR SOMETHING.
UH, WHAT IS THAT? FENCING TO PROTECT THE KIDS THAT MIGHT BE IN THE AREA.
UM, PLEASE, UH, I LIKE THE FIRE LANE THING THAT THEY TALKED ABOUT.
THAT'S AWESOME BECAUSE YOU DO NEED, UH, FIRE, FIRE ACCESS.
UM, I'M REALLY HAPPY Y'ALL ARE TRYING TO BEAUTIFY AND HELP THE AREA, PERIOD.
EVERYTHING THAT HAS COME TO US.
SOMEBODY LOSES THEIR HOME, SOMEBODY LOSES THEIR BUSINESS, PEOPLE LOSE EVERYTHING.
AND I AM NOT EVEN, IT'S, WE'RE ONE CITY, ONE CITY.
WE'RE ALL A FAMILY AND WE NEED TO PROTECT EACH OTHER AS BEST AS WE CAN.
BUT, UH, MAN, I MEAN, I WAS GONNA GIVE YOU NUMBERS AND ALL.
I MEAN, Y'ALL HAVE YOUR NUMBERS ALREADY.
AND GET THE BEST PEOPLE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO BEST DO THIS PROJECT.
GET THE BEST OF THE BEST THAT CAN HELP YOU SUCCEED IN THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE.
AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN HELP THE WHOLE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE, THE, THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE, UH, BECAUSE THEY USUALLY DEMOGRAPHICS ARE USED REGARDING INCOMES FOR, UH, FOR, UH, WHAT DO YOU CALL 'EM FOR GRANTS AND STUFF.
BUT IN ANY CASE, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
MAY Y'ALL HAVE A GOOD EVENING.
WE HAVE A BO LYNN, FOLLOWED BY WENDELL BROWN.
OUR FAMILY BUSINESS GOLDEN STAR CAFE HAS BEEN PART OF THE WEST SIDE COMMUNITY FOR 91 YEARS.
WE'VE SEEN OUR COMMUNITY GO THROUGH MANY CHANGES THROUGH THE YEARS, AND THE LAST FEW DECADES HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY CHALLENGING IN TERMS OF GROWTH.
I'VE BEEN WORKING FOR OUR FAMILY BUSINESS FOR CLOSE TO 30 YEARS.
I'VE WITNESSED FIRSTHAND HOW IMPORTANT IT'S TO BRING MORE PRODUCTIVE DEVELOPMENT INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
COUNTLESS GENERATIONS OF CUSTOMERS AND RESIDENTS FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAVE TOLD ME HOW UNSAFE THEY FEEL COMING TO VISIT OUR ESTABLISHMENT ON A DAILY BASIS, I AM CONCERNED FOR THE SAFETY OF MY CLIENTS AND EMPLOYEES FROM THE SURROUND SURROUNDING AREA DUE TO THE PROGRESSIVELY DETERIORATING ENVIRONMENT, HARBORING CRIMINAL ACTIVITY.
CURRENTLY, THE AREA SURROUNDING US INCLUDE THE JAIL, BAIL, BONDS AND ANOR, AN ENORMOUS HOMELESS SHELTER DAY, LABOR PICKUPS, ILLEGAL DRUG DEALING, PROSTITUTION, AND NUMEROUS EMPTY BUILDINGS, INCLUDING THE SCOBEE BUILDING.
THIS SCOBEE PROJECT IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PARTIES TO WORK TOGETHER.
SO THERE ARE POSITIVE OUTCOMES FOR THE COMMUNITY AND BUSINESSES THAT SUPPORT EACH OTHER.
INCLUSIVE DEVELOPMENT IS IMPORTANT TO HELP COMMUNITIES THRIVE.
THIS AREA IS A GATEWAY TO THE WEST SIDE.
WE WANT THIS AREA TO BE PATRONIZED BY A DIVERSE POPULATION, INCLUDING STUDENTS, LOCAL RESIDENTS, AND TOURISTS TO SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES IN THE COMMUNITY.
HAVING THE SCO PROJECT COME INTO FRUITION WILL BRING NEW OPPORTUNITIES AND HELP THE COMMUNITY IN MANY WAYS IN THE FORM OF ECONOMIC GROWTH THAT WILL BRING TAX MONEY TO THE AREA JOB OPPORTUNITIES WITH A BETTER LIVING RAGE FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY AND DETERRENTS OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITY THAT'S BEEN PLAGUING THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE NEED NEW BUSINESSES THAT CAN HELP CREATE A MORE POSITIVE IMPACT THAT CAN ENSURE THE BUS STATION IS SAFE AND ATTRACT MORE RIDERSHIP THROUGH JOBS THAT ARE EASILY ACCESSED THROUGH PARTS AND RIDE PROGRAMS. THIS PROJECT WILL BRING BALANCE TO AN AREA THAT IS CURRENTLY SUBJECTED TO SO MANY NEGATIVES.
THE QUESTION IS THIS, DO WE KEEP OUR COMMUNITY IN A CONTINUED COURSE OF BEING SUPPRESSED AND NEGLECTED FOR POSITIVE GROWTH WHILE THE REST OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO THRIVES? WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT TO HELP DRIVE GROWTH TO SO DISTRICT FIVE AND THE PEOPLE OF THE WEST SIDE CAN PARTICIPATE IN THE PROSPERITY THAT IT
[01:40:01]
DESERVES.AND THAT HAS BEEN LONG OVERDUE.
WINDOW BROWN, FOLLOWED BY SANDRA CHAVEZ, WINDOW BROWN.
YOU GOT SOME BIG PROBLEMS HERE.
UM, MS. CAVALIA, ONE OF THOSE BIG PROBLEMS IS YOU, ANOTHER BIG PROBLEM IS MR. PERRETA AND, AND MS. TAWI.
WHY, WHY? BECAUSE YOUR TERMS EXPIRED ALMOST FIVE MONTHS AGO.
YET HERE YOU ARE BEHIND THIS DIRES, STILL DELIBERATING, STILL MAKING DECISIONS, STILL TAKING ACTIONS AGAINST THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE THAT NEEDS TO STOP.
I CA I'VE HEARD ALL THE ARGUMENTS THAT, OH, THE CITY DIDN'T, UH, REAPPOINT ME.
OH, THE CITY DIDN'T APPOINT MY SUCCESSOR.
UH, YOU NEED TO RESIGN NOT TOMORROW, NOT FIVE MINUTES FROM NOW.
YOU NEED TO RESIGN IMMEDIATELY RIGHT NOW, ASSUMING YOU WANT TO DO EVERYTHING PROPER, ASSUMING YOU DON'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING UNETHICAL, I CAN'T HELP IT.
IF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO DOESN'T CARE ABOUT THE CORRUPTION BEHIND YOUR DAS HERE.
ALSO REGARDING, YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S ITEM NUMBER TWO.
IT'S RARE THAT I ACTUALLY AGREE WITH THE ESPERANZA PEACE AND JUSTICE CENTER.
BUT, UH, IF THIS PROJECT AT SCOOBY IS GOING TO BECOME SO-CALLED AFFORDABLE HOUSING, YOU KNOW WHAT THE CODE WORD FOR IS FOR THAT WELFARE HOUSING, RIGHT? WELFARE HOUSING.
IT'LL DETERIORATE THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT'LL DETERIORATE AS IT HAS EVERYWHERE ELSE AROUND THE NATION.
YOU NEED TO STOP THAT TONIGHT.
FINALLY, ITEM NUMBER THREE, PLEASE.
LET'S KEEP IT RESPECTFUL, PLEASE.
ITEM NUMBER THREE, THREE WEEKS AGO, MR. ARNT, I CAME TO THIS LOBBY.
I MADE LEGITIMATE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE, UH, OUT OF DATE MAPS, BOTH PHYSICAL AND ELECTRONIC.
I ALSO, UH, COMPLAINED ABOUT THE FACT THAT YOU DON'T, CAN'T EVEN PLACE A FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE TO RESPOND TO CITIZENS WHO COME TO YOUR LOBBY OFFERING LEGITIMATE COMPLAINTS.
INSTEAD, YOU ALLOW THEM TO JUST QUOTE UNQUOTE WORK FROM HOME.
THEY WORK FOR US, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND.
WHAT'S EVEN WORSE, SIR? I HAD TO MAKE A PHONE CALL TO 'EM IF I WANTED TO COMPLAIN ANYTHING RIGHT THERE IN THE LOBBY WHEN THEY COULD HAVE VISITED ME EASILY.
ALSO, THAT WAS THREE WEEKS AGO.
I SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN A WRITTEN RESPONSE WITHIN 10 DAYS, SIR.
I'M STILL, THAT'S 12 DAYS LATER.
LOUISIANA SANTA BANEZ, FOLLOWED BY MARIA APONTE.
MY NAME IS LUIS AND I OPPOSE THE
[01:45:01]
SCOI REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT.AS IT STANDS, I'M A CITIZEN AND LIFELONG RESIDENT OF SAN ANTONIO.
I SPEAK ON BEHALF OF A COALITION FOR DIGNIFIED HOUSING THAT FOCUSES ON BUILDING COMMUNITY POWER THROUGH EDUCATION AND SOLIDARITY, WITH THE AIM OF PREVENTING HOUSING DISPLACEMENT AND HOUSING DEMOLITION IN THE WEST SIDE.
WE HONOR AND REMEMBER ITS HUMBLE ORIGINS, ACKNOWLEDGE THE IMPACT OF ITS RACIALIZED AND COLONIAL LEGACIES WHILE LISTENING DEEPLY TO THE ORAL HISTORIES OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE STILL THERE, WHOSE MEMORIES AND TRADITIONS HAVE NOT BEEN LOST, AND WHO OFFER VALUABLE LESSONS FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS TO COME.
OUR FEAR IS THAT THE HIGH, THAT THIS HIGH END DEVELOPMENT WILL PRICE EXISTING RESIDENTS AND AGING PERSONS OUT OF THEIR HOMES.
IT HAS BEEN OUR EXPERIENCE THAT THIS COMMUNITY DESERVES DEEPLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT GIVES WORKING CLASS FAMILIES, SINGLE PARENT HOUSEHOLDS, HOUSELESS YOUTH AND ADULTS AND PERSONS WITH STAGNANT WAGES, LIMITED OR FIXED INCOMES.
THE OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE IN A SAFE AND HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT NEARBY A PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM THAT CONNECTS PEOPLE TO THEIR JOBS, SCHOOLS, GROCERY STORES, VITAL HEALTHCARE AND SOCIAL SERVICE CENTERS, AFFORDABLE RETAIL, RECREATIONAL PLAY AND PRAY AREAS.
WE BELIEVE THAT HOUSING IS A FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHT, NOT A COMMODITY THAT CAN BE SOLD OR RENTED FOR PROFIT.
WE EXPECT MORE FROM OUR PUBLIC FUNDED AND HIGHLY ESTEEMED VIA TRANSIT SYSTEM.
WE URGE VIA BOARD MEMBERS AND DREAM ON TO GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD TO INCLUDE A MAJORITY PERCENTAGE OF HOUSING UNITS RESERVED FOR OUR MOST VULNERABLE RESIDENTS.
HOW AMAZING WOULD IT BE THAT INSTEAD OF BUILDING A LIVING RETAIL SPACE VIA BUILDS A, LEAVING A LIVING RESOURCE CENTER WHERE WE CAN IMAGINE RESIDENTS GOING DOWNSTAIRS OF THEIR APARTMENTS TO BE GREETED BY COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS.
AN OFFICE BY TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION, OR DAY LABOR WORKER RIGHTS CENTER, A LAUNDROMAT OR, UM, ADVISORS FROM THE FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT CENTER.
WE BELIEVE THAT PUBLIC MONIES SHOULD BE USED FOR PUBLIC GOODS.
THERE'S OTHER SO MANY AMAZING NONPROFITS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, LIKE THE SAN ANTONIO FATHERHOOD CAMPAIGN, UM, THE SEVENTH GENERATION BIRTHING SERVICES OFFERING.
SO MANY, UM, YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, PARENTING AND SOCIAL SERVICE, UH, SUPPORT PROGRAMS. THOSE ARE JUST SOME EXAMPLES OF POSSIBILITIES.
WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS IS TO BE INCLUDED IN THIS PLANNING AND DECISION MAKING OF THIS PROJECT.
AND IT'S NOT THAT WE'RE AGAINST, UH, BUILDING SOMETHING NICE OR BEING PART OF A PROSPEROUS COMMUNITY.
WHAT WE WANT IS TO BE INCLUDED IN THAT PROSPERITY.
AND FOR THAT NOT TO BE DEPEND ON HOW MUCH MONEY YOU MAKE.
$45,000 A YEAR IS MORE THAN A LOT OF PEOPLE MAKE IN THIS COMMUNITY, INCLUDING MYSELF AND, UM, AS A HARDWORKING, FULL-TIME MOTHER OF THREE.
I, IRA, WE DESERVE BEST BETTER.
ACTUALLY, I THINK MARIAK MARIA NOW NEXT, FOLLOWED BY ARIS.
[01:54:24]
WE HAVE, WE HAVE SONYA OSA FOLLOWED BY, UH, BLANCA RIVERA.[01:57:55]
AND THEN LISA VOT.HELLO, MY NAME IS NIQUE IGL AND I'M PART OF THE ES WESTRAN PEACE AND JUSTICE CENTER.
AND SO I UNDERSTAND THAT B AND DREAM, I WANNA CREATE A TRANSIT ORIENTED COMMUNITY, RIGHT, WHICH CAN HAVE A LOT OF POTENTIAL, BUT I, ALONG WITH OTHERS, RIGHT? ASK THAT THIS DEVELOPMENT IS GROUNDED AND GUIDED BY THE RESIDENTS OF THE ZIP CODE.
AND NOT JUST TELL YOU IT'S TO PROSPER WEST, BUT ACTUALLY EVERYDAY FAMILIES OF ALIZA ON THE MANY RENTERS AND VIA USERS AND HOMEOWNERS.
YOU KNOW, ADDITIONALLY, MORE THAN JUST A SURVEY OR AN OPEN HOUSE WITH PRETTY PICTURES, BUT INVESTING IN BLOCK WALKING AND GENUINE OUTREACH IN GRASSROOTS, IN GRASSROOT WORK, RIGHT? AND SO VIS A PUBLIC ENTITY WITH A CRITICAL PUBLIC GOOD, BUT WHAT IS THE BALANCE BETWEEN SEEKING SUFFICIENT REVENUE OVER COMMUNITY? GOOD, POOR TRANSPORTATION IS VITAL, VITAL TO MANY.
AND WE AREN'T IGNORING THE LONG HISTORIES OF PRIVATIZATION OR THE UNDERFUNDING OF PUBLIC SERVICES.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT WE ASK THAT THERE'LL BE A UNITED, UNITED FRONT BETWEEN THE FOLKS OF THE WEST SIDE, VIAS USERS AND THE DIRECTION FORWARD.
FOR EXAMPLE, SINCE 2017, SINCE BUYING SCORE, BV HAS NOT BEEN PAYING PROPERTY TAX, WHICH HAS BEEN REAL REVENUE NOT HITTING THE ZIP CODE.
IN AS NEW DEVELOPMENT, YOU MAY RECEIVE ADDITIONAL TAX CREDITS.
WE PRICING OUR FOLKS BUSINESS FAIR BEFORE MOVING INTO POTENTIALLY REAL ESTATE.
VIA SHOULD ADDRESS THE ATTRITION OF THE DRIVERS AND MECHANICS, WORKING LONG HOURS, STAGNATING WAGES WITH ROUTE REDUCTIONS WHILE THE EXECUTIVES AND OFFICERS ENJOY WELL OFF SALARIES VIA BOARD MEMBERS AND DREAM LINE HAVE STATED THAT THIS DEVELOPMENT MAY PROVIDE AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR OFFICES DEPENDING ON THE MARKET CONDITIONS.
ANOTHER STATED OFFICE SPACE FROM A COST RETURN PERSPECTIVE WORKS BETTER THAN AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WHEN THE MARKET AND FOR-PROFIT ORIENTATIONS ARE WHAT GUIDED DEVELOPMENT, HOW CAN WE ASSUME IT'LL BE BENEFICIAL FOR A ZIP CODE WHERE THE MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME IS LESS THAN 30,000 A YEAR? HISTORICALLY, WHEN HAS THE MARKET AND FOR-PROFIT APPROACHES EVER BEEN FRIENDLY TO PUBLIC HOUSING, DEEPLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING, TRADITIONAL HOUSING AND PUBLIC SOCIAL SERVICES, ESPECIALLY WITH THE HISTORY OF THE WEST SIDE WHERE A LONG HISTORY OF ABANDONMENT, DIVESTMENT, AND SEGREGATION.
HOW DO FOLKS HERE ASSUME DEVELOPMENT HAS THE 7 8 2 0 7 INTEREST AT THEIR, UM, AT HEART VIA, AS A PARTNER OF SHIP, THE STRATEGIC HOUSING IMPLEMENTATION PLAN OVERSEEN BY THE HOUSING COMMISSION.
THE GOALS OF SHIP INCLUDE INCREASING AFFORDABLE HOUSING PRODUCTION AND PRESERVATION ACCOUNTABILITY
[02:00:01]
TO THE PUBLIC AND PROTECT PROTECTING NEIGHBORHOODS WHILE PRIORITIZING ANTI DISPLACEMENT APPROACHES.SHIP ALSO AIMS TO SEIZE PUBLIC SUPPORTIVE MARKET RATE DEVELOPMENT THAT DISPLACED RESIDENTS.
SO THIS SHIP RIGHT VIN NEEDS TO BE ACCOUNTABLE.
IT'S NOT JUST THE RESIDENTS OF THE AREA, BUT ALSO TO SHIP, RIGHT? FOLLOW THESE GUIDELINES.
THE BRANCHES AT THE HIGH OF THE HIGHEST HOUSING
THESE PROPOSED UNITS ARE CHIEFLY FOR HOUSEHOLD INCOMES, NOT ATTAINABLE FOR WESTSIDE RESIDENTS WHO NEED MORE PUBLIC AND DEEPLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
LOCAL WAGES, RENT PROTECTION, PUBLIC SERVICES, IMPROVE INFRASTRUCTURE, ACCESSIBLE CHILDCARE AND HEALTHCARE IF VIEW AS THE PEOPLE'S TRANSPORTATION, LET'S AFFECT THAT IN BE'S ACTIONS.
UH, LISA VOIGT OR VA AND CRYSTAL VALDEZ.
I AM A SINGLE WORKING MOM AND I'M AGAINST THIS PROJECT BECAUSE IT'S NOT AFFORDABLE TO ME OR OTHER PEOPLE THAT ARE LIKE ME.
I'M STILL ON THE WAITING LIST AND STRUGGLING ON OUR OWN.
I HAVE THREE KIDS AND I ALSO HAVE A NEPHEW THAT LIVES WITH ME.
SO IT'S KIND OF HARD TO BALANCE ANYTHING.
AND THIS IS WAY FAR OUT OF MY BUDGET, BUT I'M PRETTY SURE MORE THAN LIKELY A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE JUST LIKE ME WITH THIS COMPLETELY OUT OF THEIR BUDGET.
SO I WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF YOU WOULD TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.
KAYLA, WHAT WAS THE LAST NAME? MIRANDA.
I'LL WAIT TILL THEY CALL ME UP FOR MY TIME, BUT KAYLA MI MIRANDA.
OKAY, IN SIX MINUTES, UH, WE HAVE JAVIER NEXT, AND THEN KAYLA, YOU'RE UP RIGHT AFTER JAVIER.
HELLO, MY NAME IS XAVIER VIELLE AND I'M 17 YEARS OLD.
I GREW UP WITH A SINGLE MOM IN PUBLIC HOUSING.
I WATCHED MY MOM STRUGGLE TO KEEP US FED A ROOF OVER HER HEAD AND RAISE FOUR BOYS ALL BY HERSELF.
I'M AGAINST THIS PROJECT BECAUSE WOMEN LIKE MY MOTHER COULD NEVER AFFORD IT.
PUBLIC HOUSING WAS OUR SAVING GRACE.
WITHOUT IT, WE WOULD NOT HAVE HAD A HOME.
THIS PROPOSAL IS NOT FOR THE COMMUNITY HERE.
IT'S FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS AND MIDDLE CLASS.
MY MOTHER IS THE HARDEST WORKING PERSON I KNOW SINGLE MOTHERS JUST LIKE HER ARE NEEDING US TO STEP UP AND GIVE THEM THE HAND INSTEAD OF TELLING 'EM THEY AREN'T GOOD ENOUGH.
SO KAYLA, YOU HAVE TOTAL SIX MINUTES AND THEN IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S ROSA SALINAS NEXT, AND THEN CONSUELO TORRES.
MY NAME IS CALEB MIRANDA AND I'M MY HOUSING AND JUSTICE ORGANIZER ON THE WEST SIDE.
I AM THE FOUNDING MEMBER AND DIRECTOR OF COALITION FOR TENANT JUSTICE, A COALITION THAT WAS FORMED IN 2020 DURING THE FIGHT FOR THE ARIZONA BACHI COURTS.
I WORK WITH A LOT OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE HERE TODAY.
ESP ESPANZA, UH, WESTSIDE PRESERVATION, HISTORIC WEST SIDE RESIDENT ASSOCIATION, PSL, TEXAS HOUSERS.
I WORK ON NATIONAL CAMPAIGNS WITH RIGHT TO THE CITY.
AND I HAVE ALSO PARTICIPATED IN MANY OF THE CITY COMMITTEES.
I HAVE BEEN ON THE RIGHT TO COUNSEL.
I WAS ON THE COMMITTEE FOR THE SHIP, THE STRATEGIC HOUSING IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAM.
I WAS ON THE 2022 HOUSING BOND COMMITTEE.
I'M CURRENTLY ON THE BUILDING STANDARDS BOARD AND I'M ALSO PART OF THE SCORING PROCESS FOR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AND FOR BEAR COUNTY HOUSING IS A HUMAN RIGHT, BUT IT'S A NEED, JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER NEED THAT HUMANS HAVE.
WHEN YOU GO TO THE GROCERY STORE AND YOU BUY GROCERIES, YOU EXPECT THAT IT'S HEALTHY, THAT IT'S SAFE, THAT YOU CAN EAT IT.
YOU EXPECT THE SAME FROM YOUR HOUSING.
THE PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY NEED AND DESERVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO THEM.
THE MAJORITY OF THE POPULATION DOES NOT UNDERSTAND AMIS, WHICH IS AREA MEDIAN INCOME.
YES, THAT IS CALCULATED BY HUD, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE, WHAT THAT REALLY MEANS.
AS A PUBLIC HOUSING TENANT, I LIVE IN A MIXED INCOME COMMUNITY BECAUSE ON APACHE CORDS SERVES ZERO TO
[02:05:01]
80% AMI, WHICH IS WHAT MIXED INCOME PROPERTIES ARE SUPPOSED TO BE.BUT THE DIFFERENCE IN THE PROGRAM IS ON A PUBLIC HOUSING PROPERTY, THERE ARE FURTHER TENANT PROTECTIONS AND IT GOES WITH YOU.
SO IF YOU GET A RAISE, YOU GET A BETTER JOB.
YOU KEEP YOUR UNIT, YOU DON'T HAVE TO LEAVE, THEY JUST RAISE THE RENT A LITTLE BIT.
WHEREAS A MIXED INCOME PROPERTY, IF YOU GET IN A 30% UNIT, YOU GET A RAISE AND NOW YOU HAVE TO HAVE A 40% UNIT AND THEY DON'T HAVE ANY 40% AVAILABLE.
IF YOU LOSE YOUR JOB, YOUR INCOME DOES IS GONE, BUT YOUR RENT STAYS THE SAME.
YOU'RE LOCKED INTO THAT RATE FOR THE ENTIRETY OF THE YEAR LEASE THAT YOU WERE THERE.
AND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A PERSON LIVING ON SOCIAL SECURITY AND GETTING A ONE BEDROOM APARTMENT IN PUBLIC HOUSING, IT'S 165 TO 200 DEPENDING ON THEIR AMOUNT.
AND AT 30% IN MY UNIT, IT'S AROUND SISKI A MONTH.
THAT IS A HUGE DIFFERENCE FOR SOMEONE WHO'S TRYING TO PAY FOR THEIR MEDICAL COPAYS AND TO PAY FOR FOOD AND TO SURVIVE.
A LOT OF PEOPLE LIKE TO USE THAT INTERCHANGEABLY.
AND IF YOU WANNA GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE 2022 BOND VIDEOS, THAT IS ONE OF THE POINTS THAT I WAS DRIVING HOME CONSTANTLY.
YOU CAN CALL SOMETHING AFFORDABLE.
AND YOU CANNOT USE PUBLIC HOUSING IN 30% A M I INTERCHANGEABLY BECAUSE IT'S NOT.
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS FOR ANY FAMILY IS TO HAVE THAT STABILITY.
WHETHER IT'S YOU BY YOURSELF OR YOU WITH YOUR KIDS OR YOU WITH YOUR MOM AND YOUR KIDS.
YOUR HOME IS THE PLACE YOU SLEEP.
YOUR HOME IS THE PLACE THAT YOU BUILD MEMORIES.
AND THAT IS WHAT THE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY DESERVE.
THE WEST SIDE HAS BEEN DISINVESTED FOR SO MANY GENERATIONS.
THEY SAY WE DON'T WANT TO WORK.
WELL, ANYBODY WHO HAS ANY KNOWLEDGE OF TEXAS KNOWS WELFARE ISN'T IN TEXAS.
THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS WELL HERE IN TEXAS.
UM, JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO WORK TWO JOBS OR THREE JOBS DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU'RE LAZY.
AND IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE ONLY SOLUTION IS TO SEND YOU BACK TO SCHOOL BECAUSE I CAN TELL YOU THERE'S PLENTY OF PEOPLE WITH DEGREES THAT DON'T HAVE JOBS RIGHT NOW.
I HEAR OVER AND OVER AGAIN SOLUTIONS FROM PEOPLE, NOT FROM THIS COMMUNITY COMING AND TELLING US, WE NEED TO FIX THIS.
WE NEED TO RAISE URBAN BLIGHT.
THE ONLY THING THAT I HAVE NOT HEARD SO FAR IS HOW TO HEAL IT IS HOW TO COME INTO OUR COMMUNITY AND BUILD US UP RATHER THAN TEAR US DOWN.
I LOVE THE IDEA OF DEVELOPMENT AS LONG AS IT'S AFFORDABLE TO THE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY, AS LONG AS IT BRINGS SERVICES TO OUR COMMUNITY, YOU CAN LIST A WHOLE BUNCH OF SERVICES.
THEY'RE ALL OVERBURDENED, UNDERFUNDED.
SAHA HAS A 53,000 WAIT LIST, AND THAT'S THE FAMILIES.
THAT'S NOT INDIVIDUAL, OKAY? AND IN TEXAS, THE AVERAGE TWO BEDROOM APARTMENT IS 1179 A MONTH.
YOU HAVE TO MAKE $22 AN HOUR IN ORDER TO NOT BE COST BURDEN.
SO HOW IS THIS AFFORDABLE TO ANY OF US? THANK YOU.
WE HAVE, I BELIEVE IT'S ROSA SALINAS, UH, CON, FOLLOWED BY CONSUELO TORRES.
UM, WHAT ABOUT CONSA TORRES IS CONS.
UH, MANUEL DIAZ GARZA
UM, MR. PRESIDENT AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, YOU KNOW, MY NAME IS MANUEL GARZA.
UH, I PUT ON THERE THIS BAD PLANNING, AND IT IS BAD PLANNING, BUT, UM, JUST LISTENING TO ALL PEOPLE THAT HAVE MADE COMMENTS, THIS, THIS PROCESS THAT YOU'VE UNDERTAKEN IS, UM,
[02:10:01]
IS BAD PLANNING.UH, I I, I REMEMBER BACK IN 1974 WHEN THE CITY HAD ISSUED OUT EVICTION NOTICES TO ALL THE RESIDENTS THAT LIVE AROUND THE MISSIONS BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO BUILD, UM, UH, BUSINESSMEN'S AIRPORT.
AND OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, THE RESIDENTS WERE AFRAID TO COME OUT.
THE ELDERLY PEOPLE WERE AFRAID TO COME OUT BECAUSE THEY WERE AFRAID TO BE SNATCHED OFF THEIR PROPERTIES AND DISPLACED.
FORTUNATELY, UH, THE RESIDENTS CAME TO, TO ONE OF THE NONPROFITS, UH, TO HELP 'EM OUT.
AND, UH, BECAUSE THEY HAD GONE TO THE CITY, THEY'D GONE TO THE ARCHDIOCESE, THEY'D GONE TO THIS ANTONIO CONSERVATION SOCIETY AND ALL THEY TOLD 'EM THAT THIS WAS GONNA HAPPEN.
AND SO WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO WAS TO, UH, ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY AND MAKE SURE THAT THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN.
SOME PEOPLE WERE DISPLACED, UH, BUT THE PROJECT DID NOT GO THROUGH.
YOU DON'T SEE A BUSINESSMAN AIRPORT BY THE MISSIONS.
NOW, THE MISSION REACH THAT HAS TAKEN PLACE HAS BEEN SOME, SOME POSITIVE.
BUT AGAIN, YOU KNOW, IF YOU DON'T ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY FROM THE ONSET, THERE'S OTHER ISSUES THAT ARE, THAT ARE, ARE NEEDED IN THIS COMMUNITY.
IN THIS COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW WHERE SCOPE'S GONNA BE AT.
THERE'S A, THERE'S A FOOT DESERT IN THAT AREA.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S OTHER THINGS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED.
AND IF YOU DON'T DO THAT, IF YOU DON'T ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY TO FIND OUT WHAT THE ACTUAL NEEDS ARE AND YOU'RE MAKING A BIG MISTAKE, STOP MAKING THE SAME MISTAKES.
YOU GOTTA BE ABLE TO, TO BE PROACTIVE, PROACTIVE MAKING, TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACTIONS THAT YOU DO.
SO PLEASE TAKE THAT IN MIND, THAT YOU NEED TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY.
WE'RE NOT AGAINST ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
MIA, HOW ABOUT LILY ZANG, YIELD TWO.
TERRY CASTILLO, TERRY TO TERRY CASTILLO.
WE HAVE CHARLIE LOPEZ, HE LEFT MELODY ARRERA, MICHAEL VALDEZ, RITA SANCHEZ.
I'M DISGUSTED WITH EVERYTHING THAT I HEAR.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, ALL THESE PEOPLE THAT WANT AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND, UH, THEY DON'T GET PAID WELL AND, UH, ALL KINDS OF STUFF LIKE THAT.
UH, THEY SHOULD BE OUT THERE HELPING THE PEOPLE AT THE HAVEN FOR HOPE THAT ARE DESTROYING THE BUILDINGS AROUND THAT AREA.
UH, HOW, HOW, HOW, HOW DO YOU HELP THEM? THEY'RE STILL OUT THERE.
B******G, PLEASE KEEP COMMENTS.
YOU'RE NOT ASKING FOR NOTHING.
YOU'RE ASKING FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN A A, A, UH, DEVELOPERS THAT WANT TO, MA'AM, I WOULD JUST ASK.
YEAH, I'M TALKING TO YOU AND YOU AND EVERYBODY ELSE I WOULD ASK YOU TO ADDRESS.
ANYWAY, AND I ASK THE AUDIENCE TO GIVE HER THAT COURTESY.
BUT ANYWAY, UM, THEY SHOULD GO OUT THERE AND, UH, GET ALL THOSE PEOPLE OFF THE STREETS AND, UH, THEY SHOULD REALLY MOVE EVEN FOR, FOR, UH, FOR HOPE FROM THAT AREA WAY OUT THERE, ADDING THE BUNDOCK WHERE THEY DON'T DESTROY PROPERTIES IN THE, IN THE GENERAL AREA AND, UH, UH, THREATEN THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY.
TERRY CASTILLO THE TOTAL OF SIX MINUTES.
I'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH THE COUPLE OF Y'ALL REGARDING THIS PROJECT, BUT I'VE BEEN WANTING TO SPEAK WITH THE
[02:15:01]
ENTIRE BOARD, BUT THEN WE HAVE AN ISSUE OF A QUORUM.SO HERE I AM SPEAKING TO EVERYONE.
UH, I AM PROUD TO STAND WITH COMMUNITY HERE TODAY AS THEY EXPRESS THEIR CONCERNS WITH VS.
PROPOSAL TO REDEVELOP THE SCOOBY BUILDING.
OVER THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS, CONSTITUENTS HAVE REACHED OUT TO MYSELF AND MY OFFICE ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BITS OF INFORMATION THAT THEY'VE HEARD AND THE NEWS ABOUT THE SCOOBY PROJECT.
SINCE THEN, RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN WA WAITING TO HEAR AND, UH, FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH VIA AND DREAM ON REPRESENTATIVES ABOUT THE SCOOBY PROJECT.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT ONE MEETING WAS CANCELED, RIGHT? SO I SEE OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO GET TOGETHER AND FACILITATE THAT MEETING TO ENSURE THAT THERE IS MEANINGFUL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AS A PUBLIC ENTITY WHOSE WEST SIDE RESIDENTS HAVE SUCH A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH VIA.
AND WITH THIS PROJECT, AS BIG AS IT IS, UM, IT'S GOING TO TO DEFINITELY IMPACT DISTRICT FIVE RESIDENTS.
I ENCOURAGE, UH, I ENCOURAGE VIA BOARD OF TRUSTEES TO ACTIVELY ENGAGE RESIDENTS IN THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS.
THE SCOOBY DEVELOPMENT PROJECT HAS SUCH AN OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD REAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE INNER WEST SIDE BY PROVIDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING WHILE PAYING UNION JOBS AND QUALITY SERVICE IN A PLACE JUST BLOCKS AWAY FROM HAVEN FROM HOPE AND THE COUNTY JAIL.
BUT INSTEAD, IT SEEMS THAT THE PROJECT LEADERS CONFINED ARE CONFINED WITH MARKET RATE HOUSING, RIGHT? AND I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT VIA HAS SERVED AS A PARTNER WITHIN THE STRATEGIC HOUSING IMPLEMENTATION PLAN AND HAS LEADERSHIP THAT SITS ON THE HOUSING COMMISSION.
SO I, I WANNA BE SURE THAT I QUOTE A PIECE OF VIAS APPLICATION TO THE FTA AND I QUOTE, CURRENTLY, HOUSING COSTS AND PROPERTY TAXES IN RAPIDLY GENTRIFYING UNDERSERVED NEIGHBORHOODS ALONG THE CORRIDOR CONTINUE TO INCREASE FASTER HOUSEHOLD MA AREA MEDIAN INCOMES, WHICH IS COMPOUNDED BY THE HISTORICALLY HIGH POVERTY RATE, ECONOMIC SEGREGATION AND AGING AFFORDABLE HOUSING STOCK.
SO VIA RECOGNIZES, RIGHT, THAT Y'ALL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO EITHER PERPETUATE THE DISPARITIES THAT WE'RE SEEING IN DISTRICT FIVE OR CREATE AN OPPORTUNITY WHERE WE CAN PROGRESS TOGETHER.
AND WHAT I HEARD FROM CONSTITUENTS WHO SPOKE IN SUPPORT OF THE SCO V I HEARD REQUESTS FOR MIXED INCOME, RIGHT? FOR MORE AFFORDABILITY WITHIN THE CURRENT MAKEUP.
FURTHER, WHAT I HEARD IS RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT GREEN SPACE, RIGHT? SO I SEE THAT THERE'S OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC CONVERSATION TO ENGAGE COMMUNITY MEANINGFULLY.
ANOTHER PIECE THAT I WANNA TO EMPHASIZE RIGHT IS TO INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE REACHED OUT BY VIA PROSPER WEST OR DREAM ON TODAY, I WANT YOU TO ASK YOURSELVES, HAVE THE INDIVIDUALS WHO CALLED YOU TO SHOW UP TODAY, HAVE THEY CALLED YOU TO BRIEF YOU ON THE PROJECT BEFORE TODAY? HAVE THEY CALLED YOU TO ASK FOR INPUT ON THIS PROJECT BEFORE TODAY? OR DO THEY CALL YOU TO BRING YOU OUT HERE TO SERVE THEIR GOAL? MY CONSTITUENTS DESERVE A FAIR DEAL, ESPECIALLY A PROJECT AS IMPACTFUL AS THIS ONE.
SO AGAIN, I WANNA SAY THAT I'M PROUD TO STAND HERE SIDE BY SIDE WITH RESIDENTS WHO HAVE TAKEN UPON THEMSELVES, UH, TO TALK TO THEIR NEIGHBORS, FRIENDS AND FAMILY ABOUT THE SCOBIE PROJECT.
I HOPE THAT THE VIA BOARD AND TRUSTEES CONTINUE TO ENGAGE MEANINGFULLY WITH DISTRICT FIVE RESIDENTS BECAUSE I BELIEVE THERE'S A HUGE OPPORTUNITY HERE.
WHAT I BROUGHT WITH MY, WITH ME IS A WEALTH OF CASE STUDIES, RIGHT? THERE'S A WEALTH OF LITERATURE THAT TALKS ABOUT THE IMPACTS OF TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT IN COMMUNITIES SUCH AS MINE.
THE CITY OF AUSTIN RECENTLY PASSED A TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT PLAN IN 2023 ON HOW TO BEST FACILITATE PROJECTS LIKE THIS ONE.
SO I ENCOURAGE THAT Y'ALL LOOK TO AUSTIN AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND, AND USE IT AS A TOOL TO MAKE SOMETHING MEANINGFUL HERE IN DISTRICT FIVE, RIGHT? WHAT WE'RE HEARING IS THAT WE WANNA SEE MOVEMENT AT SCOBY, NO DOUBT, BUT WE WANNA ENSURE THAT THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO LIVE NEARBY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PATRON THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE GOING TO BE THERE.
SO I ASKED THE BOARD MEMBERS HERE TO TAKE IN THE WORDS FROM JAIME, FROM BO AND FROM KAYLA AND JAVIER AND TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.
I UNDERSTAND NO DECISION'S GOING TO BE MADE TODAY, UM, BUT I'M LOOKING FOR ENGAGEMENT AND MEANINGFUL DISCUSSIONS WITH THE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT FIVE BECAUSE THEY DESERVE A FAIR DEAL.
HELLO, MY NAME IS ISABEL GALVAN AND I AM HERE TODAY BECAUSE, UM, I OPPOSE THE CURRENT, THE CURRENT SCOOBY PROJECT.
UM, VIA IS A HOUSEHOLD NAME PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE USE VIA TRANSPORTATION EVERY DAY AT THE CORE.
VIA IS A LIFELINE FOR MANY FAMILIES WITHOUT VIA SERVICES.
[02:20:01]
ANTONIOS WOULD JUST BE A BIT MORE STRESSFUL, YOU COULD SAY, VIA RELIEF STRESS IN A STRESSFUL SOCIETY.AND WITHOUT GETTING INTO, YOU KNOW, ALL HOW VIA CAN BETTER ITS BUS ROUTES OR ITS AFFORDABILITY OR OFFER SAFETY, I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, VIA ADDS CONVENIENCE AND IT IS EASY AND IT'S SIMPLE.
AND FOR THE MOST PART, WHEN PEOPLE HEAR VIA THEY THINK RESOURCE, THE CURRENT SCOBIE PROJECT COMPLETELY OBLITERATES THAT PURPOSE.
IT'S DISTASTEFUL AND CONSIDERATE AND IT'S TARGETED GENTRIFICATION.
INSTEAD, I WOULD PROPOSE AN INVITE VIA TO CONTINUE TO POUR RESOURCES INTO THE COMMUNITY TO ADD REAL VALUE AND ONENESS BY OFFERING AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR USING THIS OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THE WEST SIDE COMMUNITY STRONGER AND SAFER.
AND TO CONTINUE TO BE RELIABLE VIA HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE THE CHANGE, TO CHANGE LIVES FOR THE BETTER.
INSTEAD OF DOING A PROJECT THAT MAY ULTIMATELY HARM THE PEOPLE WHO KEEP VIA RUNNING DATE TODAY, VIA HAS THE POWER TO HELP ELEVATE AND ALLEVIATE THE PEOPLE OF THE WEST SIDE.
UM, TO THOSE, TO THOSE FOR THIS CURRENT PROJECT, I SAY AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND PAYING EMPLOYEES A LIVABLE WAGE CAN STILL BRING IN INCOME WHILE HELPING THE LESS FORTUNATE.
YOU MAY BE HESITANT, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE MOVES FOR THE LOW INCOME AND TO THOSE WITH CHALLENGING BACKGROUNDS BECAUSE OF STIGMA AND DISCRIMINATION.
BUT PLEASE REMEMBER AND NEVER FORGET THAT JUST BECAUSE PEOPLE BACK IN FINANCE DOES NOT MEAN THEY LACK HUMANITY OR MORALITY, AND WE ARE WORTHY.
LET'S ALSO NOT FORGET THAT MOST OF VILLA'S, BUS RIDER ARE PRIMARILY HISPANIC AND BLACK.
AND FROM THE WEST SIDE, AND NO, I DON'T SAY THIS BECAUSE I HAVE THE GRAPHICS OR THE STATISTICS, BUT BY MERE OBSERVATION, BY KNOWING, BY OBSERVING AND BY CONVERSING, WHICH IS WHAT VIA HAS LACKED TO DO.
SO TODAY I REMIND VIA TO REMEMBER, TO REMAIN RESOURCEFUL, REMAIN FOR THE PEOPLE, AND REMAIN AN ASSET TO THE LOW INCOME COMMUNITY.
YOU YOURSELF JUST NOW SHOWED VIDEOS OF COMMUNITY AND FAMILY.
YOU CAN CLOSE THAT GAP FOR US.
VIA CAN BE THE ENTITY THE MAJORITY OF AMERICANS ARE WISHING AND WAITING TO SEE.
UM, VIA CAN BE THE FIRST DOMINO IN SAN ANTONIO TO MAKE THE CHANGE OUR SOCIETY HAS BEEN WAITING FOR VIA CAN BE THE HOPE.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, UM, YOU KNOW, I I I DEMAND, BEG AND PLEAD FOR YOU NOT TO GO FORWARD WITH THE CURRENT SCOOBY PROJECT, BUT TO RE REEVALUATE THE PLAN AND SO THAT IT CAN BENEFIT EVERYONE.
I CAN'T READ THE FIRST NAME HERE, BUT I HAVE SALAS WHO SIGNED UP ING TO ANNA.
CAST, THANK YOU FOR THIS TIME.
UM, SO I WAS ABLE TO EXPRESS SOME OF MY EXPERIENCE.
HOW I'VE GOTTEN TO WHERE I'M AT, UM, VIA, UM, HAS IS A BIG PART OF MY LIFE IN REGARDS TO ME, UH, COMMUTING, UM, AND, AND BEING ABLE TO GET TO THE HOSPITAL, TO THE GROCERY STORE, TO WASH MY CLOTHES, TO GET TO WORK AND TO GET THE KIDS TO SCHOOL.
UM, HOW I GOT THERE, I THINK IT'S BETTER TO UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN MAKING DECISIONS IN COMMUNITIES LIKE DISTRICT SEVEN OR 78,207, AND UM, THOUGH WE APPRECIATE VIA CARES, MAYBE WE SHOULD HAVE A VIA UNDERSTANDS.
I LEFT A 12 YEAR, A 12 DOMESTIC VIOLENT RELATION, A 12 YEAR DOMESTIC VIOLENT RELATIONSHIP.
AND THAT PERSON ALSO CONTROLLED MY FINANCES.
THE, I AM ONE OF THOUSANDS OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UM, WITH THE SAME EXPERIENCE.
UM, AND, AND SO ULTIMATELY MY UNDERSTANDING OF MY SITUATION TODAY WAS THAT BECAUSE I CHOSE TO GIVE BIRTH TO THE SIX KIDS I HAD WITH THE MAN I WAS WITH FOR 12 YEARS, I HAD NOT REALIZED THE CAPACITY OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE THAT I WAS IN BECAUSE OF POWER AND CONTROL.
POWER AND CONTROL LIMITS, THE GROWTH, UH, THE BRAIN DEVELOPMENT.
AND I GOT INTO THIS RELATIONSHIP WHEN I WAS 17 YEARS OLD.
AND TO HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE, LIKE, UM, HERE, YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THIS KIND OF RENT MONEY TO BE ABLE TO LIVE UNDER THIS HOUSEHOLD WITH YOUR CHILDREN.
IT'S, IT'S THE SAN ANTONIO IS, UM, ACKNOWLEDGED AS ONE OF THE CITIES THAT, UM, ARE, ARE EXPERIENCING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE TO THE POINT WHERE, UM, WE'RE KNOWN NATIONALLY.
[02:25:01]
WHEN WE, WHEN WE DECIDE TO LEAVE THESE RELATIONSHIPS, WE ALSO ARE COMMITTING TO MAKING SACRIFICES AND SACRIFICING TO, TO, AND GOING WITHOUT.UM, SOMETHING THAT A PERSON WHO LEAVING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE WILL CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE.
UM, SOME OF YOU HAVE DAUGHTERS, SOME OF, SOME OF YOU MIGHT HAVE EVEN LEFT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE RELATIONSHIPS YOURSELF.
WHAT DID IT TAKE YOU TO BE? OKAY.
AND THAT'S A, A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY ARE EXPERIENCING THOSE SITUATIONS AND CIRCUMSTANCES, BUT WHEN WE GET ON THE BUS, WE CAN BE CUSSED OUT BY THE BUS DRIVER.
WE CAN BE THREATENED WITH THE POLICE OFFICER, UM, TRYING TO GET THE BUS WHEN I'M TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN I PAID FOR A 24 HOUR BUS RIDE AND I WAS NOT HONORED THOSE 12, THOSE 24 HOURS, AND I WENT TO GO SPEAK WITH SOMEBODY AT CUSTOMER SERVICE ON HOW COME I WAS TWO HOURS WERE TAKEN FROM ME.
SHE COULD IDENTIFY THAT I WAS SHORTED TWO HOURS, BUT HAD NO SOLUTION FOR ME.
WHO WILL BE THE INDIVIDUALS SEEING COMMUNITY TO FILL OUT THESE APPLICATIONS FOR HOUSING? WHO, WHO WILL HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THAT WHEN WE CAN BARELY HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE JUST FOR EASY PROCESS OF COMING TO WORK, LIKE LETTING PEOPLE ON THE BUS AND LETTING THEM PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE.
IN-PERSON, CITIZEN, WE'VE GOT THREE, OH, GOTTA PRESS THE BUTTON.
UH, THIS CONCLUDES THE IN-PERSON CITIZENS TO BE HEARD.
WE DO HAVE THREE VOICEMAILS THAT WE WILL PLAY NOW.
ONE, MY NAME IS MONICA CRUZ AND I'M A COMMUNITY RESEARCHER AND HOUSING ADVOCATE.
I SERVED AS A MEMBER FOR THE CITY'S FOR EVERYONE HOME ANTI-DISPLACEMENT WORKING GROUP, AS WELL AS THE STRATEGIC HOUSING IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.
I'M HERE TO SHARE MY THOUGHTS AND CONCERNS WITH THE PROPOSED SCOI DEVELOPMENT THAT THE BOARD IS CONSIDERING.
THE UT LAW SCHOOL ISSUED A REPORT TITLED PUBLIC FACILITY CORPORATIONS AND TAX BREAKS FOR APARTMENT DEVELOPMENT THAT HIGHLIGHTED THE YOUTH OF A PUBLIC FACILITY CORPORATION TO BUILD MULTI-UNIT HOUSING IN COMMUNITIES ALL ACROSS THE STATE.
THE INHERENT QUESTION AND CONCERN WITH THIS PARTICULAR TAX BREAK IS THAT IT ALLOWS DEVELOPERS TO UTILIZE A PFC STRUCTURE TO ACCESS INCENTIVES THAT PROVIDE A HUNDRED PERCENT PROPERTY TAX BREAK TO DEVELOPERS FOR MULTIPLE YEARS, ALONG WITH A HUNDRED PERCENT SALES TAX ON THE COST OF MATERIALS WHEN A STRUCTURE IS DEVELOPED.
THE REPORT HIGHLIGHTED THAT SAN ANTONIO LED THE STATE IN THE NUMBER OF DEVELOPMENTS THAT USE THIS TAX BREAK, WHICH BENEFITS DEVELOPERS AND DEPRIVES CITIES AND SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF PROPERTY TAX REVENUE OVER THE YEARS THAT COULD SUPPORT VITAL CITY SERVICES AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, LOCAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
WHAT IS MOST IS CONCERNING IS THAT THESE DEVELOPMENTS DO NOT PROVIDE HOUSING THAT IS AFFORDABLE FOR THE RESIDENTS AND FAMILIES IN THESE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
GIVEN THE PRIMARY PARAMETERS OUTLINED IN THE PROPOSED TERM SHEET YOU'RE CONSIDERING, IT IS CLEAR THAT THE RESIDENCE OF THE 78 2 7 ZIP CODE WHOSE AT HOUSEHOLD INCOME AVERAGES AT ABOUT $27,000 A YEAR, NOR THE VIA BUS RIDERS ARE THE INDIVIDUALS YOU INTEND TO SERVE WITH THIS PROPERTY.
MANY OF US IN THE COMMITTEE ASK FOR YOU TO SERIOUSLY RECONSIDER THE TERMS AROUND HOUSING AFFORDABILITY AND LEVERAGE THE POWER YOU HAVE TO ENSURE THAT THE HOUSING UNITS BUILT AT THE SCOOBY SERVE THE HOUSING NEEDS OF LOW INCOME FAMILIES IN SAN ANTONIO AS OUTLINED BY THE DATA PROVIDED IN THE SHIP REPORT.
WE KNOW TAX BREAKS ARE USED FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PURPOSES, BUT THE INHERENT QUESTION WE MUST CONTINUE TO ASK IS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR WHOM I BELIEVE THAT SEVERAL OF YOU ARE ALREADY ASKING EACH CRITICAL QUESTIONS AS YOU DISCERN THE POTENTIAL ROLE IN THIS PROJECT.
I'M SORRY I COULDN'T ATTEND WITH YOU GUYS TODAY.
UH, I WANTED TO CALL IN SUPPORT OF THE VIA PROJECT OF THE MIXED USE HOUSING, UH, BEHIND THE JAIL AT THE SCOOBY BUILDING.
UH, I AM, UH, A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA AND AS WELL AS A BOARD MEMBER ON PROSPER WEST.
UH, WANTED TO, TO TOUCH ON A COUPLE OF QUICK POINTS.
UM, ONE, I'VE, I'VE WORKED IN AND AROUND THE JAIL FOR, UM, OVER 35 YEARS, AND, AND IT'D BE NICE TO SEE SOMEBODY OCCUPYING THOSE, THOSE BUILDINGS.
IT'S MY BELIEF THAT THAT WOULD REDUCE CRIME CONSIDERABLY IN THE AREA SIMPLY BY HAVING A,
[02:30:01]
UH, PEOPLE, UM, U UTILIZING ALL THOSE PROPERTIES, UH, TO IT REDUCE THE BLIGHT OF THE AREA.UM, I KNOW THERE'S A, A LARGE, UH, CLEANUP THAT TAKES PLACE THERE PRETTY REGULARLY, AND, UM, IT WOULD, IT WOULD DEFINITELY, BY PUTTING PEOPLE IN THE AREA, KEEP, UM, KEEP THAT AREA CLEANER, UH, AND HELP ALL THE RESIDENTS.
I'D ENJOY THE AREA A LITTLE BIT MORE, EXCUSE ME.
UH, IT WOULD GIVE, UM, IT'D GIVE, MOST IMPORTANTLY, IT, IT'D GIVE FAMILIES WHO HAD KIDS WHO HAD, UH, CHILDREN IN THE AREA THAT HAVE MOVED OUT OF PLACE TO MOVE BACK.
UM, THERE'S A, A LACK OF HOUSING IN THE AREA, UH, PARTICULARLY MIDDLE INCOME HOUSING.
AND, UM, IT'S BEEN MY EXPERIENCE, UH, THAT WHENEVER ANYTHING COMES AVAILABLE, IT DOES GET FILLED UP.
UH, MY SMALL BUSINESS, WE HAVE, UH, WE DO, WE'RE BUSINESS, NOT HOUSING, BUT IT'S, UH, UH, WE'RE STAYING FULLY OCCUPIED.
UH, WE'VE HAD NO PROBLEM DOING THAT.
UH, THERE'S, THERE'S PLENTY OF PEOPLE WHO WANNA MOVE BACK INTO THE AREA, BUT HAVE NOWHERE TO GO.
UH, I ALSO BELIEVE IT WOULD, UM, ATTRACT MORE HOUSING AND MORE BUSINESSES TO THIS IMMEDIATE AREA, UH, SIMPLY BY VIRTUE OF IT BEING OCCUPIED, UH, BECOMES SORT OF A MAGNET.
UH, WE'VE NEEDED SOMETHING IN THAT LITTLE, THAT LITTLE AREA FOR A LONG, LONG TIME.
THERE'S, THERE'S QUITE A BIT OF, UH, EMPTY, UM, LAND AND VACANT PROPERTIES RIGHT THERE SURROUNDING IT.
AND, UH, IT WOULD BE A WONDERFUL ANCHOR.
UM, ANYWAY, UH, I JUST WANTED TO, UM, VOICE MY SUPPORT FOR THIS PROJECT.
UM, LOVE TO SEE IT GET DONE, AND, UM, GOOD LUCK.
I LIVE AT 1512 LEAL STREET, A BLOCK AND A HALF FROM SOUTH SAMOA.
I'M A CO-CHAIR OF THE WEST AND HOPE AND ACTION NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
WE'RE A REGISTERED CITY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION WITH BOUNDARIES BETWEEN CULEBRA AND MARTIN STREET, COLORADO AND GENERAL MCMULLAN.
UH, WE WANNA APPLAUD VIA FOR, UH, PAYING ATTENTION TO THESE ABANDONED, NEGLECTED BUILDINGS THAT HAVE BEEN THERE FOR YEARS, UNATTENDED, DETERIORATING ALL OF, UH, THAT AREA, AND I'M GLAD WE'RE PAYING SOME ATTENTION TO IT.
WEST END HOPE AND ACTION SUPPORTS MIXED INCOME HOUSING.
WE THINK IT'S A WIN-WIN SITUATION FOR THE 30% LOW INCOME, THE 30% OR SO MADE OF INCOME, AND THE 30% MARKET VALUE OF RESIDENTS THAT WOULD LIVE IN THAT AREA.
THERE'S NO MORE VACANT LOTS, NO MORE VACANT HOUSES, NO MORE VACANT BUILDINGS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, INNER CITY NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT CREATES CRIME, IT BREEDS CRIME.
AND WE'VE, UM, GOT ABOUT A TENURE TRACK RECORD OF TRYING TO GET CITY LEADERS TO UNDERSTAND, PUTTING SOME MONEY INTO PREVENTION VERSUS ALWAYS, UH, CREATING THE CONDITIONS THAT, THAT CAUSE SOME OF THIS STUFF.
THERE'S DEFINITELY A NEED FOR HOUSING.
UM, WE THINK THAT THE TSA OWNS THE INDUSTRY SOME DIRECTION HERE.
AND, UH, WHAT IS THE BEST INVESTMENT IN PUBLIC HOUSING AND HOW TO USE THOSE LIMITED RESOURCES.
UH, WE'RE NOT SURE WHERE THEY'RE AT AND WHAT KIND OF NATIONAL STUDIES THEY CAN SHARE, BUT, UH, OUR NEIGHBORHOODS ARE THE ONES THAT HAVE, HAVE REALLY CONTRIBUTED THE WORKING CLASS NEIGHBORHOOD AND BELONG TO US, HAVE LIVED HERE FOR YEARS AND GENERATIONS, AND WE NEED PUBLIC INVESTMENT INTO OUR SIDE OF TOWN VERSUS BROADWAY.
THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS, UH, THERE'S NOT A FOCUS.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE BAS DOWN THE BLOCK A LITTLE BIT.
AGAIN, IT NEGLECTED, ABANDONED, THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ABANDONED AND NEGLECTED AND SOME OF THESE BUILDINGS.
UM, THEY'RE THEN NEGLECTED, LIKE THAT SENDS THE WRONG MESSAGE.
AND WE SUPPORT MIXED INCOME HOUSING.
AND THEN THE, UH, THE LAST IS AN EMAIL, UH, FROM WILL MCLEOD TO BE READ.
HELLO, BOARD OF TRUSTEES BOARD CHAIR.
[02:35:01]
AM SENDING YOU THESE EMAILED COMMENTS BEFORE THE BOARD TO ADDRESS A FEW CONCERNS.FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE A BIG THANKS TO VIA FOR FINALLY GETTING WITH THE PROGRAM AND PUTTING IN IN MUCH NEEDED BUS SERVICE ALONG FOUR 10 FRONTAGE ROADS BETWEEN COBRA WEST MILITARY AND HIGHWAY 1 51.
THIS IS A GROWING AND BUSY AREA FULL OF COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT.
THIS WAS LONG OVERDUE AND THESE STOPS WERE ONCE SERVED UP UNTIL 2002 WHEN VIA REDESIGNED ITS WHOLE SYSTEM.
THE PLANNER THAT HAD THIS IDEA OF GETTING RID OF THESE STOPS IS THANKFULLY AUSTIN'S PROBLEM AND NO LONGER SAN ANTONIO'S.
I REMEMBER HIM SAYING, IF YOU BUILD PAST FOUR 10, DON'T EXPECT SERVICE.
I HAVE BEEN CONSTANTLY BRINGING THIS ISSUE UP TO VIA FOR ALMOST FOUR YEARS NOW.
AND FINALLY, SERVICE IS BEING INSTALLED IN THIS AREA.
THANK YOU TO ALL THOSE INVOLVED IN GETTING THIS MUCH NEEDED SERVICE.
THAT BEING SAID, VIA MISS THE MARK, AGAIN, KEEPING WRITERS IN THE DARK TEMPORARILY, CLOSING A BUS STOP WITH NO NOTIFICATION WHATSOEVER.
SO YOU DON'T IMPLY THAT I AM NOT TELLING THE TRUTH.
I HAVE ATTACHED A PICTURE THAT I HAVE TAKEN THAT TIME STAMPED WITH THE DATE AND TIME AND THE NOTICE TACKED ON A TELEPHONE POLE THAT SAYS, BUS STOP CLOSED, USE NEXT STOP, WHICH YOU HAVE TO BASICALLY WALK IN THE STREET ON BECAUSE THE SIDEWALKS ARE NOT ACCESSIBLE AT THE MOMENT TO GET TO THE NEXT BUS STOP.
WAS NOTICED GIVEN IN ADVANCE ON VIAS WEBSITE.
NO, LOOK FOR IT YOURSELF AT WWW DOT VIA INFO NET AND SEARCH IN THE SEARCH BAR BUS STOP CLOSURES, AND YOU WILL NOT FIND ANY MENTION OF THE BUS STOP CLOSURES WHATSOEVER.
RIGHT NOW, DUE TO MY MANY COMPLAINTS TO TECH DOT, THEY ARE FINALLY IN THE PROCESS OF MAKING THE LOCATION IN QUESTION FOR TRANQUIL ROAD AND 1 51 HAVE ADA COMPLIANT SIDEWALKS LIKE THE BIDEN ME, I CAN PROUDLY SAY I DID THAT.
CONSTRUCTION BEGAN TWO WEEKS AGO, AND THE BUS STOP WAS OPERATIONAL DURING THAT TIME UP UNTIL LAST WEEK WHEN WE GOT HIT WITH A SURPRISE THAT THE BUS STOP THAT SERVICES PNCO BRANCH, Y M C A SAN ANTONIO PUBLIC LIBRARY FOR THE 64 6 20 AND SIX 18 WAS CLOSED.
IMAGINE HAVING TO WALK 30 MINUTES TO GET TO THAT STOP, ONLY TO FIND OUT IT HAS BEEN CLOSED.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, THIS CONCLUDES CITIZENS TO BE HEARD.
THANK YOU, MR. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE THAT DID, UH, SIGN UP TO SPEAK AND STAY HERE TODAY.
APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND EFFORT.
WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON TO
[5. Consent Agenda]
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FIVE, OUR CONSENT AGENDA.THIS IS AN ACTION ITEM, FELLOW TRUSTEES.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? MOVE ADOPTION, MADAM CHAIR.
ANY OPPOSED? CONSENT AGENDA IS APPROVED.
[6. Proposed August 2023 Service Changes]
SEN PROPOSED AUGUST, 2023.SERVICE CHANGES DIRECTOR, MADAM CHAIR, AND THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I AM SANDIP SAND DIRECTOR OF PLANNING AND SCHEDULING WILL GO OVER THE AUGUST 20, 23 SERVICE CHANGES AND MY COLLEAGUE TOM MARKS FROM PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT TEAM, WILL GO OVER THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PLAN, ROUTE 32.
STEVES, UH, FOR THE SOUTHBOUND TRIPS WILL REALIGN TWO PIQUA FROM FROM FAIR LAWN.
SO IT MEANS THAT FOR BOTH NORTHBOUND AND SOUTHBOUND TRIPS ON ROUTE 32 WILL TRAVERSE ALONG PEAK WELL, WHICH WILL CREATE A DIRECT CONNECTION TO BROOKS TRANSIT CENTER, SAVING PASSENGERS TIME AND IMPROVING THE OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY FOR ROUTE 5 52, LOOP FOUR 10 WW WHITE SKIP ROUTE.
WE WILL REALIGN SERVICE FROM LOOP FOUR
[02:40:01]
10 MAINLAND TO ITS ACCESS ROAD BETWEEN KLAC AND INGRAM TRANSIT CENTER.HENCE, IT'LL CREATE CONNECTION TO BUSINESSES AND COMMUNITIES AT MORACH HIGHWAY 1 51 WEST MILITARY DRIVE, AND COLLIBRA.
IT ALSO CREATES A TRANSFER OPPORTUNITIES TO ROUTE 82 COLLIBRA AND ROUTE 64 US 90 EXPRESS EXACT STOP PLACEMENT IS STILL UNDER REVIEW, GOING OVER THE SERVICE CHANGE TIMELINE TODAY, WE ARE HERE IN MAY TO GIVE INFORMATION TO THE BOARD.
PUBLIC OUTREACH AND COMMENT PERIOD STARTS THIS MONTH.
WE'LL COME BACK TO THE BOARD IN JUNE FOR BOARD ACTION PUBLIC INFORMATION TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC.
OUR SERVICE CHANGES WILL START AFTER BOARD APPROVAL IN JUNE.
SERVICE WILL BE IMPLEMENTED ON AUGUST 21ST, 2023.
JUST REALLY QUICKLY, UH, ON MAY 24TH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE OUR, UH, NOTICES IN THE EXPRESS NEWS AND IN THIS OUTSIDE REPORTER.
UM, THESE ARE SPECIFICALLY TARGETED TOWARDS DISTRICT THREE AND DISTRICT SIX, WHERE THESE TWO LINES, UH, ARE.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE OBVIOUSLY REACHING OUT TO THE NEIGHBORHOODS AFFECTED, UH, POSTING ON SOCIAL MEDIA ON THE NEXT DOOR AND, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, ON THE VIA WEBSITE ITSELF.
UM, AND THEN HERE'S A LIST OF THE, UH, THE ACTUAL, UH, PUBLIC MEETINGS.
YOU KNOW, MAY 29TH THROUGH JUNE 16TH, WE'LL BE DOING, UH, DIRECT PUBLIC OUTREACH, UM, TO, YOU KNOW, UH, THROUGH ALL THOSE MEANS.
UH, JUNE 12TH, UH, WE'RE GONNA BE HAVING A, UH, A PUBLIC HEARING RIGHT HERE IN THIS ROOM.
UH, JUNE 13TH, WE'LL BE AT, UH, MCCREE LIBRARY, AND THEN JUNE THROUGH AUGUST, WE'LL, UH, OBVIOUSLY CONTINUE WITH THAT PUBLIC OUTREACH.
AND THEN WE HAVE A LIST OF ALL OF THE TARGETED OUTREACH THAT, THAT WE'RE DOING.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION.
WE'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTION YOU MIGHT HAVE.
THIS NOT, THIS IS NOT AN ACTION ITEM.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION FOR THIS ITEM? THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND
[7. *Scobey Complex]
GO INTO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SEVEN FOR INFORMATION DISCUSSION PURPOSES.UH, MS. HORN, ACTUALLY, I'M GOING TO DO THE INTRODUCTION AND THEN I'LL, I'LL GIVE IT TO, I'LL GIVE IT TO BRANDON.
SO, UH, TODAY, THIS IS AN UPDATE ON THE PROJECT, UH, AS, AS WE NOTED, UH, THERE IS NO BOARD ACTION TODAY.
THIS IS SIMPLY TO UPDATE YOU ON THE STATUS OF THE PROJECT.
AS ALL OF YOU KNOW, WE'VE INVESTED VERY HEAVILY IN VIA, VIA, AND THE SCOBY BUILDING WOULD BE ONE FURTHER INVESTMENT.
WE'VE INVESTED BY PUTTING OUR EXECUTIVE HEADQUARTERS BUILDING IN 78 0 0 7.
WE INVESTED BY SPENDING 30 TO $35 MILLION TO BUILD, UH, THE TRANSIT CENTER CENTRAL PLAZA.
AND WE EVERY DAY SPEND, UH, OPERATING FUNDS FOR THE 1 MILLION PEOPLE WHO BOARD AT THAT LOCATION EVERY YEAR.
AND SO THERE IS A GREAT SYNERGY BETWEEN SCOBY AND WHAT IS HAPPENING AND WHAT WE HAVE ALREADY INVESTED IN.
NOW, WE WERE ORIGINALLY GOING TO HAVE A UPDATE IN A COUPLE MONTHS, HENCE, BUT THERE WERE TWO A COUPLE THINGS THAT CAUSED US TO WANT TO COME TO YOU.
ONE OF WHICH I THINK EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT THERE HAVE BEEN CHANGES ON THE DREAM ON TEAM AND, AND THE GEISER TEAM.
AND, AND WE WANT TO DISCUSS THAT.
AND SECOND OF ALL, THAT, UH, FOR EXAMPLE, THERE WAS RECENTLY WORD THAT, THAT A, AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT IN CATTLEMAN SQUARE THAT HAD RECEIVED 2 MILLION IN FUNDS, I BELIEVE, FROM THE CITY'S BOND FUND.
BUT I, UM, HAVE NOW COME BACK AND SAID THEY NEED ANOTHER MILLION BECAUSE THE COST OF CAPITAL AND THE COST OF, UH, MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES HAVE ESCALATED TO THAT EXTENT.
AND SO WE THOUGHT WE SHOULD PROBABLY RECONVENE A LITTLE EARLIER THAN WE ORIGINALLY PLANNED.
AND WITH THAT, UM, I THINK BRANDON IS GOING TO GIVE A, JUST A REALLY SHORT REFRESHER ON WHAT THE TERM SHEET INCLUDED.
AND THEN WE WILL, UH, HAVE A CLOSED SESSION TO DISCUSS THE ISSUES WITH THE DEVELOPER SPECIFICALLY.
SO AS, AS JEFF SAID, WE'RE GONNA GO OVER THROUGH THIS FAIRLY BRIEFLY.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS MANY TIMES, BUT THE PROPOSED PROGRAM SUMMARY IS A 97,000 RESIDENTIAL SPACE WITH 94,000 SQUARE FEET OF COMMERCIAL SPACE.
SO WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING SO FAR IS WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON PUBLIC OUTREACH.
UM, SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE, WE'VE THE SCOOBY OPEN HOUSE, IT WAS SCHEDULED FOR SATURDAY, MAY 13TH.
UH, WEATHER WAS REALLY BAD THAT DAY.
SO WE ARE WORKING ON A NEW DATE THAT WILL BE IN JUNE.
UH, AND WE HAVE BEEN DOING CLEANUP EFFORTS OF THE FACILITY IN ANTICIPATION OF THAT OPEN HOUSE.
WE'VE ALSO BEEN CONDUCTING ONE-ON-ONE STAKEHOLDER DISCUSSIONS THAT HAVE BEEN VIA LED UH, 13 HOAS HAVE BEEN ON THE LIST SO FAR, ALONG
[02:45:01]
WITH OTHER COMMUNITY GROUPS.UM, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE OUT ON THE STREET RIGHT NOW A DREAM ON SURVEY THAT HAS BEEN OUT FOR ABOUT TWO MONTHS AND IT WAS OPEN UNTIL MAY 21ST.
AND SO WITH THAT, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS, TRUSTEE COMMA? YES, I HAVE A FEW COMMENTS.
FIRST OF ALL, IS IT HOAS OR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS? BECAUSE THERE'S A DIFFERENCE.
IT, IT'S, IT'S BOTH, UH, TRUSTEE COMMON, BOTH.
SO THEY DO HAVE, UH, MANDATORY HOMEOWNER ASSOCIATIONS IN THE AREA.
NO, THEY'RE MOSTLY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS.
MAS, RIGHT? THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT.
UM, I LISTENED WITH GREAT IN INTEREST AND TOOK A LOT OF NOTES ON THE PEOPLE WHO SPOKE TODAY.
AND, UH, I THINK I AM THE ONLY MEMBER OF THE BOARD WHO WAS ON THE BOARD WHEN WE VOTED TO BUY SCOBY.
AND, UM, I HAVE SEEN TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT WORK FOR THE BETTERMENT OF TRANSIT, UH, IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY.
AND THAT WAS THE, UH, THE BASIS OF MY, OF MY VOTE AT THAT TIME.
AND I STILL SUPPORT TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IT, IT DOES WORK.
UH, I REALIZED THAT NO, NO PROJECT IS PERFECT.
I WAS CON CONCERNED WHEN, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE MEETINGS HAD TO BE CANCELED AND I HOPE THAT THEY CAN BE PUT UP BACK ON TRACK BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT SOME OF THE SUGGESTIONS THAT WERE MADE HERE TODAY, I THINK THAT DREAM ON WOULD BE AMENABLE TO SOME OF THESE SUGGESTIONS, I WOULD HOPE.
AND, UM, AND I THINK THEY COULD ENHANCE THE PROJECT AND MAKE IT BETTER.
UM, BUT BACK IN NOVEMBER WE, WE TOOK THE FIRST STEP AND, UH, I WANT TO CONTINUE MAKING PROGRESS ON THIS.
UM, ALTHOUGH, UH, A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS THAT PEOPLE WHO SPOKE TODAY HAD GIVEN ME BACK IN NOVEMBER, UH, MANY OF YOU RECALL THAT I SPOKE A LOT AND I ASK A LOT OF THOSE QUESTIONS AT THAT PARTICULAR POINT.
AND I STILL HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS, UM, ABOUT THE ISSUES THAT WERE RAISED.
BUT I GOTTA SAY THIS, THAT I KNOW THE STAFF WHO ARE INVOLVED IN THIS PROJECT AND I KNOW THAT THEY'RE GOOD PEOPLE AND THEY'RE DOING EVERYTHING WITHIN THEIR POWER, WITHIN THE CONFINES OF OUR LIMITED BUDGETS TO MAKE THIS PROJECT WORK.
AND, UH, AND THEY HAVE MY FULL SUPPORT, UH, NOW IN TERMS OF MEETING WITH SOME OF THE NEIGHBORS TO FLESH OUT SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT THEY HAVE AND TRY TO TRY TO, UH, IMPLEMENT AS MANY AS POSSIBLE.
UH, I'M WILLING TO MEET WITH DREAM ON, WITH, UH, OUR STAFF, WITH OTHER MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, AND HELP, UH, LISTEN AND HELP FACILITATE WHATEVER IT NEEDS TO DO TO MAKE THIS PROJECT SUCCESSFUL.
SO I I VOLUNTEERED TO DO THAT.
ONE OTHER THING I WANTED TO CORRECT EARLY ON, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG ON THIS, BUT I BELIEVE THIS BOARD VOTED TO DO AWAY WITH TRANSFERS.
IS THAT ACCURATE? SO FIRST OF ALL, THE BASE FAIR IS A DOLLAR 30 AND IN TWO THOU, I THINK IN YEAR 2020, WE, NO, WE REMOVE THE CHARGE FOR TRANSFERS.
SO WE STILL DO TRANSFERS, YES.
BUT WE NO LONGER HAVE AN UPGRADE.
SO YOU CAN MAKE ANY TRIP FOR A DOLLAR.
RIGHT? AND THAT WAS THE CHANGE I WANTED TO MAKE IS CUZ THAT WAS DONE BY THIS BOARD AS AN EQUITY ISSUE TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE, THE ISSUES THAT WERE RAISED HERE TODAY.
THIS BOARD DID THAT AND I, I THINK THAT THAT NEEDS TO BE, UM, TO BE, UH, SPELLED OUT AND I WANT TO ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO RIDE VIA SO THAT THEY WOULD KNOW ISSUES LIKE THAT.
COMO, ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? OKAY, LAURA, I HAVE ONE TRUSTEE.
I WOULD JUST RECOMMEND THE STAFF, UH, YOU KNOW, ON THE FIRST PAGE OF THE PRESENTATION, WE SHOW THE 10% OF UNITS AT 60 AMI 40% AT 80.
I THINK, UM, BASED ON SOME OF THE CONVERSATION WE HAD TONIGHT, I THINK IT'D BE VERY GOOD FOR US TO ILLUSTRATE WHAT THE AVERAGE RENTAL, UH, COST WOULD BE IN EACH CATEGORY.
UM, SO THAT WE CAN SHOW THE DIFFERENCE.
UM, CUZ I THINK IF NOT, WE LET OTHER PEOPLE KIND OF COME UP WITH WHAT THEY THINK IS THE AVERAGE NUMBER.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? OKAY, THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
UH, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND GO INTO
[8. *Legal Briefing]
[02:50:01]
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, WHICH IS OUR CLOSED SESSION ITEM.I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND READ THIS STATEMENT.
TODAY IS MAY 23RD, 2023 AND THE TIME IS NOW 7:54 PM AND THE VIA METROPOLITAN TRANSIT BOARD OF TRUSTEES WILL OFFICIALLY GO INTO A CLOSED EXECUTIVE SESSION AS PERMITTED UNDER THE TEXAS OPEN MEETING ACT.
THE ITEMS WE WILL DISCUSS DURING THE EXECUTIVE SESSIONS ARE AS FOLLOWS.
ITEM SEVEN B ENTITLED SCOBY COMPLEX PROJECT NEGOTIATIONS, WHICH IS ALLOWED AS AN EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEM PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 51 0.071 ENTITLED CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY SECTION 5 51 0.072 ENTITLED REAL PROPERTY AND SECTION 5 51 0.087 ENTITLED DELIBERATION REGARDING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATIONS AND ITEM EIGHT A ONE ENTITLED LEGAL BRIEFING VIA VEHICLE VEHICLE SYSTEM ADVERTISING CONTRACT TERMINATION CLAIMS AND OPTIONS, WHICH IS ALLOWED AS AN EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEM PURSUANT A TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 51 0.071 ENTITLED CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY, ALL PERSONS WHO ARE AUTHORIZED TO ATTEND AN EXECUTIVE SESSION, PLEASE PROCEED TO THE SMALL CONFERENCE ROOM.
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC MAY NOT ATTEND OR MONITOR THIS PORTION OF THE MEETING IN ANY MANNER.
IT IS NOW 8:58 PM WE'RE OFFICIALLY OUT OF A CLOSED EXECUTIVE SESSION REGARDING AGENDA ITEM SEVEN B AND EIGHT A ONE, NO DELIBERATIONS OF PUBLIC POLICY OR VOTE TAKING OCCURRED DURING THE EXECUTIVE SESSION.
SO NOW WE'RE GO AHEAD AND, UH, MOVE ON TO OUR FAVORITE AGENDA ITEM OF THE THE MEETING AGENDA ITEM NUMBER NINE, MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN THE MEETING? SHALL MOVE SECOND.
ANY OPPOSED? THANK YOU VERY MUCH STAFF FOR TODAY'S PRESENTATION.