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WELL, GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME
[ Call to Order/Roll Call]
TO THE PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITY COMMISSION MEETING.AFTER THIS, WE WILL HAVE OUR REGULAR STUDY SESSION, BUT WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO CALL OUR PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITY COMMISSION MEETING TO ORDER AND CLERK, PLEASE, UH, TAKE THE ROLE OF THE COMMISSIONERS.
UH, DO WE HAVE ANY UNSCHEDULED PUBLIC APPEARANCES FOR THE PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITY? NO, WE DO NOT.
[ Consent Agenda]
UH, VOTE ON OUR CONSENT AGENDA, WE HAVE ONE ITEM, ITEM NUMBER TWO, THE FSS ACTION PLAN.THAT WAS CALLED UP FOR A PRESENTATION BY COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS LEAH POWELL, OUR MOST RECENT AWARD WINNER OF THE GABE ZIMMERMAN AWARD.
I'M GOING TO JUST QUICKLY, UM, GIVE YOU SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF OUR FAMILY SELF-SUFFICIENCY PROGRAM ON, SO WHAT YOU SEE BEFORE YOU ARE SOME OF THE RE THE COMPONENTS OF THAT PROGRAM.
AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT THAT THIS IS OPEN TO BOTH OUR PUBLIC HOUSING RESIDENTS AS WELL AS OUR SECTION EIGHT TENANTS.
AND THE WHOLE IDEA ABOUT THIS IS REALLY HELPING THOSE FAMILIES GET TO THAT LEVEL OF SELF-SUFFICIENCY.
THE PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO TAKE ABOUT FIVE YEARS.
THE FAMILIES CAN ASK FOR AN ADDITIONAL EXTENSION TO ONE YEAR EXTENSIONS, BUT YOU SEE OUR AVERAGE LENGTH IS ABOUT FOUR YEARS.
AND THEN HUD PROVIDES THE FUNDING FOR OUR TWO FSS SPECIALISTS THAT RUN THIS PROGRAM.
UM, MS. MYRA AND MS. VICKI, AND THEY'VE BOTH BEEN DOING A WONDERFUL JOB OF THAT.
PRETTY SOON YOU'RE GONNA SEE SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS FROM THIS LAST YEAR'S GRADUATION.
WE HAVE 60 FAMILIES THAT ARE ENROLLED FOR BOTH PUBLIC HOUSING AND SECTION EIGHT.
AND THERE IS A WAIT LIST FOR BOTH AS WELL, PROGRAM COMPONENTS.
IT'S REALLY AGAIN, ABOUT FOCUSING ON THOSE THINGS THAT COULD HELP A FAMILY SELF-SUFFICIENCY, LOOKING AT THEIR EDUCATION OR JOB TRAINING.
SOME OF THE RECIPIENTS COME INTO THE PROGRAM WITH JOBS AND SOME DO NOT.
BUT THE GOAL, OF COURSE IS TO HAVE BETTER EMPLOYMENT AND TO GET THE, THE IMPROVED LIFE SKILLS.
AND WHAT IS ONE OF THE GREAT COMPONENTS OF THE SS PROGRAM IS THE ESCROW ACCOUNT THAT GETS SET UP DURING THIS PROCESS.
SO MANY OF OUR GRADUATES GO ON TO PURCHASE HOMES AND AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE FORTUNATE TO HAVE THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST MODEL HERE IN CHANDLER WITH NEWTOWN.
SO MANY OF 'EM ARE NEWTOWN HOME BUYERS THROUGH THIS PROGRAM AS WELL.
SOME OF OUR RECENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN 2024, WE HAD NINE GRADUATES.
UM, I THINK WHAT'S REALLY SIGNIFICANT IS YOU LOOK AT THAT 416% INCREASE IN INCOME, THAT'S A HUGE INCREASE IN INCOME FOR THE AVERAGE.
WE HAD FOUR EARNED COLLEGE DEGREES AND ONE OF THOSE WAS, SOME OF THEM WERE BA MA, BACHELOR'S DEGREES, BUT WE HAD ONE THAT, UM, EARNED A MASTER'S DEGREE DURING THIS TIME AS WELL.
SO FAR ONE HAS BOUGHT A NEW HOME, BUT SEVERAL OF OUR GRADUATES ARE ON THEIR WAY TO BUYING NEW HOMES.
THEY'RE STILL PARTICIPATING IN THE NEW NEWTOWN PROGRAM.
JUST SOME OF THE UCCE SUCCESS STORIES I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT TONIGHT.
AS YOU SEE BEFORE YOU, I THINK AGAIN, THE FOCUS ON HERE THAT YOU SEE ON THE SLIDE IS THAT THERE'S A FOCUS ON EDUCATION.
YOU SEE THAT PEOPLE WENT AND THEY GOT PROMOTIONS DURING THIS TIME.
AND I THINK EQUALLY IMPORTANT IS LOOKING AT THE COMPONENTS OF WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE FAMILY.
SO IT'S NOT JUST THE PARENT THAT HAS THE BENEFIT OF THE SSS PROGRAM, BUT YOU CAN SEE, LIKE IN JOHN'S CASE, BOTH OF HIS DAUGHTERS ARE GOING ON TO PURSUE CAREERS IN THE MEDICAL FIELD.
AND DUE TO THIS CASE, SAME THING.
HER DAUGHTER IS ENROLLED IN A COLLEGE NURSING PROGRAM.
UM, AND SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT THIS HAS AN IMPACT ON THE ENTIRE FAMILY.
WITH THAT, I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
THIS IS SUCH AN AMAZING PROGRAM.
I REMEMBER, UH, YEARS AGO WHEN YOU ENROLLED AND STARTED THIS WHOLE PROGRAM.
MY WHOLE THINKING WAS HOW WE WERE GOING TO MOVE PEOPLE QUICKER BECAUSE WE HAVE SUCH A WAITING LIST.
THERE ARE A LOT OF FAMILIES THAT QUALIFY FOR THIS PROGRAM.
AND OF COURSE, AS YOU SAID, WE, WE TRIED TO GET THROUGH PEOPLE THROUGH AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, BUT IT IS BASED ON INDIVIDUAL GOALS AND SOME OF THOSE GOALS DEFINITELY TAKE TIME, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE PURSUING A FOUR YEAR DEGREE.
THIS IS DEFINITELY AN EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAM.
I CAN SEE, UH, THE TREND, I CAN SEE TRAJECTORY AND HOW WE TRANSFORMING NOT ONLY JUST
[00:05:01]
THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO THE PROGRAM, BUT THE WHOLE FAMILY AND, AND BLOODLINE FOR THAT MATTER.UH, ONE THING I WANTED TO FIND OUT FROM YOU IS WHAT IS IT THAT WE ARE NOT SHORTENING THE PROGRAM TO SO THAT WE COULD ACTUALLY GET MORE PEOPLE EXIT FASTER? BECAUSE I ASKED THAT BEFORE WHEN I FIRST GOT ON COUNCIL, CAN WE GET A QUICKER TURNAROUND BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MANY CONDENSED PROGRAMS NOW FOR EDUCATION WHERE SOMEONE CAN GET AN 18 MONTHS AND TWO YEARS AND BE AN RN AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
CAN WE LOOK BACK INTO DOING THAT SO WE CAN ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE BACKLOG THAT WE HAVE? UM, COMMISSION MEMBER THROUGH THE, THE, UM, CHAIR HARKEY AND COMMISSION MEMBER ELLIS? I THINK THAT THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE WITH US IS THAT WE DO ONLY HAVE THE TWO STAFF MEMBERS.
SO THEY CAN ONLY HANDLE 60 CASES EACH.
SO THAT IS DEFINITELY ONE OF OUR CHALLENGES.
UM, AS FAR AS THE EDUCATIONAL PURSUIT, WE CAN CERTAINLY LOOK AT WHAT OTHER PROGRAMS ARE OUT THERE.
WE, UM, WE DO LOOK FOR PARTNERS TO COME IN AND DO SOME OF THE TRAINING THAT WE HAVE WITH THE, THE FAMILIES.
UM, IT, SO IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT CITY STAFF NECESSARILY DOING THE TRAINING.
THERE ARE PARTNERS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT COME OUT AND DO SOME OF THE WORKSHOPS AND THE TRAINING, BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY CONTINUE TO LOOK AT EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND UM, CAN WE'LL LOOK AT AT MAYBE BRINGING IN SOME NEW PARTNERS AS WELL.
I THINK THAT THE CHALLENGE IS IT'S JUST THE TIME IT TAKES FOR A LOT OF THE FAMILIES TO GET TO THROUGH THEIR GOALS.
SO SO THE FIVE YEARS, IS THE LENGTH THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY DEDICATED FOR THAT PROGRAM OR CAN WE SHORTEN IT A LITTLE BIT? BECAUSE YOU MENTIONED PARTNERS.
THE MORE PARTNERS WE HAVE, I THINK THE MORE WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO FIVE YEARS IS WHAT IS ALLOWED BY THE, THE PROGRAM.
HOWEVER, WE, OUR AVERAGE RIGHT NOW IS FOUR YEARS.
SO WE DO HAVE, WE HAVE REDUCED THAT DOWN TO THE FOUR YEARS.
AND THEN THERE ARE SOME FAMILIES THAT THERE COULD BE EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES THAT MAY GO BEYOND THE FIVE YEARS AND IT'S, I DON'T THINK IT'S VERY OFTEN THOUGH THAT WE HAVE THOSE EXCEPTION THAT GO BEYOND FIVE YEARS.
UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR WAYS TO IMPROVE IT AND, AND I WILL SAY THAT THIS IS A PROGRAM THAT WE NEED MORE SUPPORT FOR AND WE'LL, WE'LL MAKE IT A PRIORITY TO LOOK FOR COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO TRY TO BRING SOME MORE SUPPORT IN FOR THE PROGRAM.
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE A LITTLE BIT MORE EYES ON IT AND PUSHING IT HIGHER UP THE PRIORITY BECAUSE WE'RE GETTING SUCH GREAT RESULTS FROM THIS PROGRAM.
SO REALLY IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO ELEVATE A LITTLE BIT HIGHER INTO THE
I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE DOING SUCH AN AMAZING JOB.
EVERY TIME I MEET, UH, WITH SOME PEOPLE THAT HAVE GONE TO THE PROGRAM, THEIR LIVES SOLELY CHANGE.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE WANT IT TO BE ALL ABOUT FOR CHANDLER.
AND WE APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT.
CHANDLER ACTUALLY HAD MORE GRADUATES THAN THE OTHER CITIES IN THOSE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, SO WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THAT.
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? VICE CHAIR? YES.
I WANT TO JUST COMPLIMENT YOUR TEAM, UM, SEND SOME KUDOS TO YOUR TEAM, UM, BECAUSE I HAD A CONSTITUENT WHO WAS SHARING THAT THEY HAD NEEDED SOME SUPPORT AND, UH, THE CONSTITUENT, UM, NEEDED THAT EXTRA PUSH AND, AND, UH, YOUR TEAM GOT ON IT IMMEDIATELY AND WAS ABLE TO HELP THAT CONSTITUENT FIND HOUSING THAT THEY NEEDED FOR THEIR FAMILY.
AND I JUST WANTED TO SEND KUDOS TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM.
KEEP DOING THE GOOD WORK AND, YOU KNOW, KEEP, KEEP MOVING US FORWARD.
WE APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT OF THE PUBLIC HOUSING COMMISSION AND CITY COUNCIL, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, LEE? I'LL SAY THAT, UM, THAT WAS EASILY ONE OF THE MOST INSPIRING NIGHTS I'VE HAD, UH, IN THE PAST YEAR WAS ATTENDING THAT AND LISTENING TO THESE AMAZING STORIES.
AND, UH, FOR HOWEVER, IN WHATEVER REASON, TO, TO GIVE PEOPLE REALLY A, A, A RUNWAY TO FLY.
AND I, I THINK THIS PROGRAM HAS DONE IT.
IT WAS, UH, I WOULD HOLD AND WAS JUST, UH, TALKING TO LYNN FOR THE LONGEST TIME ABOUT HOW GREAT THIS WAS AND HOW INSPIRING THIS WAS.
SO THANK YOU FOR, UH, UH, ALLOWING US IN THE CITY TO REALLY CHANGE AND TRANSFORM NOT JUST LIVES, BUT THE TRAJECTORY OF GENERATIONS.
UM, UM, I BELIEVE A MOTION WOULD BE IN ORDER, BUT BEFORE YOU DO, I THINK WE HAVE A NEW MOTION MAKER.
I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE ITEMS ONE THROUGH FIVE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA ON THE PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITY COMMISSION.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER ORLANDO, UH, NO RECUSALS, NO OTHERS TO SPEAK OF.
OH, ACTUALLY CLERK, PLEASE TAKE THE COMMISSION.
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YES.THAT'S THE AGENDA ITEMS FOR OUR PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITY MEETING.