Austin Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC) Meeting Transcript – 10/24/2024 Title: ATXN-1 (24hr) Channel: 1 - ATXN-1 Recorded On: 10/24/2024 6:00:00AM Original Air Date: 10/24/2024 Transcript Generated by SnapStream ================================== Please note that the following transcript is for reference purposes and does not constitute the official record of actions taken during the meeting. For the official record of actions of the meeting, please refer to the Approved Minutes. [11:03:25 AM] Without objection, I will recess the meeting of the Austin city council at 11:03 A.M. And I will call to order the board of directors meeting of the Austin housing finance corporation. And I'll recognize staff on the hfc board of directors. >> Good morning, Mr. President. Madam vice president, board of directors, my name is Jamie may. I'm the housing and community development officer for the housing department. I'm here to present your agenda for the hfc board of directors meeting for today, October 24th. You have four items on your agenda. The first item is the approval of minutes from August 14th, 2024 and August 29th, 2024. The second item is the creation of a nonprofit entity, a subsidiary of Austin housing finance corporation, called hfc 12,100 metric nonprofit corporation. This will be the nonprofit partner of the ownership entity to own a property located at 12,100 metric. The third item is the acquisition of said [11:04:26 AM] the acquisition of said property, 1100 metric, to be acquired by Austin housing finance corporation. Hfc 12 100 nonprofit and a partner entity, and item number four is the extension and amendment of eight existing agreements with nonprofit organizations in an amount not to exceed $10,900,000 for community initiated solutions to anti-displacement, and I'd be happy to offer all of these on consent. >> Board members, are there any questions of staff? Yes. Board member Fuentes sorry, not a question, just a comment. >> I just wanted to say how thrilled I am to see item number three, which is part of what the city is doing to preserve affordable housing. We often don't talk about or celebrate all that the city does in ensuring that that we're preserving existing affordable housing. And so this item demonstrates our commitment to affordability. So I just wanted to express my gratitude and to also put a spotlight on on this piece. Thank you, thank you, thank you. >> Any other comments or questions members. Is there [11:05:26 AM] questions members. Is there anyone wishing to be shown abstaining? Well, let me get a motion. Is there a motion to adopt the consent agenda as read board member Fuentes, seconded by board member Alison alter to adopt. And second, the consent agenda. Is there anyone wishing to mayor. Yes. Apologies. >> We do have some people signed up to speak. >> Okay, well, I was told that this would be five minutes, so please call on those folks on hfc item one Linda Nuno. >> On hfc item two, Linda Nuno and Zenobia Joseph Linda Nuno Linda Nuno. Linda? Nuno, is that you? Okay? Please come forward. Miss Joseph. Please come forward. Welcome. Thank you. >> Thank you so much for the [11:06:30 AM] >> Thank you so much for the opportunity. What we really need, on top of the plan that you already have, is a psychiatric hospital. Urgently. Many of our constituents really, truly suffer from mental illness, and they end up in the legal system, trapped in the pipeline that takes them from the streets all the way to jail. Wright. Unfortunately, we are not giving them the tools, the psychotropics, the mental health care that they absolutely need. It's not just a problem with poverty. It's a problem of education, lack of compassion, and what we need from you is to actually take a step forward into this matter. Clinical professions professionals should have a say in on this matter. Thank you. >> Thank you, miss Joseph. Anyone, wherever you want to be. [11:07:45 AM] Anyone, wherever you want to be. >> I'm just waiting for the staff to pull up the presentation. It's just two slides. >> There you go. >> Is zero four mayor 004 as project connect? And we agree with them. Yes. Emerges as a technicality. I don't see the slides in front of me like normal. >> I can't help you with that right now. If you can. You see it there. Okay. Please begin. Thank you. >> Mayor. Council. I'm Zenobia Joseph. I just wanted to make [11:08:47 AM] Joseph. I just wanted to make some comments specifically related to item four, which is project connect. I'm having a little difficulty understanding how the Dell valley coalition received funding for project connect. As you're aware, that's in Travis county. It's not in the city of Austin specifically. I want you to know that the federal transit administration capital investment grants actually looks at a half mile within the corridor. So once again, you are defrauding the taxpayers. Fraud is trying to get something of value through willful misrepresentation. As the government accountability office definition 2017, I just want you to recognize that el Buen samaritano is doing good work, but you've only allocated $1 million. So what's problematic about this $10 million, mayor, is that there are no measurable outcomes and backup for taxpayers to believe that this is a good return on investment. I want you to understand as well that goodwill. I actually asked them about the funding they received. And you can't just walk into [11:09:48 AM] And you can't just walk into that facility and get information about it. So there's a lack of transparency as it relates to Texas. Rio grande legal aid. I'm not sure who they're serving. They don't even tell the potential clients that they can file a motion for an extension of time, so that they can see if they can actually take the case. And so once again, there's a lack of transparency. And then lastly, it says Renner, center tenant stabilization. But that process is not transparent. The only thing that is online is a lottery through el Buen samaritano. So I oppose this item. I'm not sure you want me to speak on all three of the items at one time. >> Mayor, did you sign up on multiple items? >> So it's item four was project connect. Items two and three are specifically related to 12 100 metric boulevard. >> You're entitled to speak on that. Did she sign up on all three items? >> Yes. Okay. We have Mr. >> You're entitled to speak on those items if you'd like. >> I'm sorry. Correction. We have miss Joseph. Sign up to speak on items two, three and four for hfc. Not one. [11:10:50 AM] four for hfc. Not one. >> Certainly. So item two and three specifically. That's the next slide. If the staff pulls it up I'll show you specifically I'm looking at the bylaws for the Austin housing finance corporation for 12 100. That is specifically in the vicinity of 12041 bitter hollow, which is saint Albert the great catholic church. It's the property that's right across the street. 384 units. I have opposition to this item because it's 50 to 80% area median income. In other words, those who are 30% area median income, the African Americans who are on the streets of Austin would not be able to live here. I'll remind you, mayor, that African Americans are over six times more likely to be homeless in Austin than our white counterparts at specifically the July 1st, 2022 echo report. I want you to understand what I find most problematic about this is Mandy Demayo. Specifically, you will see on in section two of the bylaws that the meetings don't have to be posted, that the only requirement is for there to be a resolution. I want [11:11:51 AM] there to be a resolution. I want you to remember that on July 18, 2024, you actually submitted the five year strategic plan for the $70 million over five years from hud. And there was also specifically a citizen participation plan. So once again, I'm going to tell Mandy Demayo it is time for her to resign. This is counterproductive, counterintuitive to the information that was sent to hud. So I would ask you to strike that language to be transparent and to recognize that our Texas legislature is actually looking at some transparency in government as part of their interim charge. So, if you will, mayor, on in section two of the bylaws for this Austin housing finance corporation, this 12 100 nonprofit that you are creating with Mandy Demayo and two of the staff, I would ask you to strike that language and to be transparent with the taxpayers. How are we supposed to even know when the meetings are being [11:12:52 AM] when the meetings are being held? If you pass this today, as it is written, there will be a resolution. Where will we find the resolution? How will we know the meetings are being held? What time will they be held? None of that will be disclosed to the public, and so it will violate the Texas open meetings act. And I would ask you to recognize the need to strike that language and to do right by the taxpayers. If you have any questions, I'll gladly answer them at this time and would ask you to fix the technology, because this will be a long meeting. Thank you. >> Thank you, miss Joseph. All right, members, those are all the people that have signed up to speak on the hfc items. Is there anyone wishing to be shown abstaining on any of the items on items? Two and three, the mayor will be shown as recusing himself on items two and three. And I filed the paperwork in regard to that board member vela will be shown recusing himself on item number four. Is there anyone else wishing to be shown recusing themselves on any of these items? Anyone wishing to be shown voting no on any of the [11:13:52 AM] be shown voting no on any of the items? Council board member Alison alter, you're recognized for discussion. >> Thank you. I just wanted to speak really briefly to item four, which allocates $10.9 million to our anti- displacement efforts as part of the project connect funding. This is going to eight nonprofits to really help people with their immediate needs. And I just, you know, wanted to acknowledge that. And the folks who've worked on that, you know, that was a really important part of the approach that we took when we launched project connect to address some of the displacement pressures. And so this is kind of a second tranche of years 3 to 5. And I just think it's important to acknowledge it. Thank you. >> Thank you. Any further discussion on the consent agenda is read without objection. The consent agenda is adopted with the mayor recusing himself on item two, the mayor recusing himself on item three, and board member Valer recusing himself on item number four. So the consent agenda is adopted. Thank you sir. Without objection, we will [11:14:54 AM] sir. Without objection, we will adjourn the board of directors meeting of the Austin housing finance corporation at 1114. The board of directors meeting is now adjourned.