Thread by @shayshinecastle

Forgot one helpful tidbit I received from an Austin reporter: That the city manager there delegates a lot to the deputy city manager (Nuria). Which is hopeful.

First resident q: Boulder loves its open space. What's your experience with policies of protection, sustainability and climate change?

Nuria: That's one of the things my husband and I loved the most about Boulder.

References Minneapolis' sustainability work that centers "equity in a way I've never seen before." Also mentions a "clean energy partnership" between the city and Xcel (which is HQ'd in Minneapolis)

Mentions "equity at the core" of climate work in Austin as well. Use of "climate ambassadors" reaches "marginalized and disenfranchised communities" who will be impacted more by climate change.

That was on display this past week with the events in Texas. "What it really showed was the vulnerability of our community to food insecurity, lack of water" etc.

Many qs about homelessness, Huntley says, so she asks "in general" what experience Nuria has. Specifically calls out court challenges to camping bans and concerns around encampments.

Pandemic has made it all worse, Nuria says.
In Minneapolis: 376-person encampment on state land by the highway. "We were getting urgency to figure out what options we had." No shelters in the city; the county handles it and "96% of that encampment was indigenous"

"What we really found ... until you're in it and really speaking to folks what will it take for you to find shelter. What are the barriers for you to come to an emergency shelter or some other place ... "

"It is increasingly clear to me that it's not just shelter folks want. It's services. People want housing. ... How do you end homelessness? It's not with shelter, it's with housing."

In Minn, that camp community was moved to a navigation center but ONLY bc the city used tribal consultation to create a solution that worked for and respected residents.

In Austin, Nuria says, ppl felt it was "better to see folks" so they could connect them with services "versus having a camping ban that at least for this community was making persons experiencing homelessness less secure."

Austin hired a homeless strategy officer, Nuria says.

Mentions the hotels I referenced earlier, which federal funding helped with.

Generated a turnover rate of 40 ppl per month into navigation or rapid re-housing, Nuria says.

"I understand the biz community or others who are concerned about safety and cleanliness. ... We have to think of the safety of ppl experiencing homelessness ... and how do we manage public spaces" so that everyone can enjoy them.

Huntley couches this next q by saying Boulderites are "sometimes direct." It's related to Nuria's work in the criminal justice system. "What's your current stance on the effectiveness and morality of prisons?"

Nuria says she "appreciates the question ... It's an unusual profession when you think about the rest of my career."

This was specific to Puerto Rico and violations incurred by facilities there. "We can talk about reform and why there are so many folks in the system ... but I will say that in Puerto Rico and many Latin American countries ...

...we had a prison population that was filled with gang and rioting ... I don't want to go into details but there were deaths, there was violence." There were no doors, they couldn't even close some congregate areas.

So there was a need for private contractors, she says. Would not recommend that for the U.S. At the time, "It was untenable to have folks living in those conditions."

Huntley follows up on the second part of the q that went unanswered (how this affected your views of prison/criminal justice). Good for her.

"I believe we should think about criminal justice reform in fundamental ways ... I do not believe we need the capacity we do now ... I believe we shouldn't criminalize things like homelessness, frankly."

Last statement was about "alternatives to criminalization."

First Spanish-language q! Yay!
How can ppl get involved with the gov't in an effective way, particularly around the racial equity plan and particularly with Latinx community in the pandemic?

Nuria: In Austin and Minneapolis, "I have a track record of embracing community engagement in authentic ways. ... We have to upstream community engagement so we are thoughtful about .... getting insight earlier in the process."

"We have to think about those communities who don't generally show up" to the conversations, Nuria says. "Make sure we get the broadest feedback possible in our community."

Referencing specific programs in Minneapolis to get at increased engagement. For specific projects, they would "go to folks who had creative approaches" to involvement.

It was a "consultant group" within the city who would "offer up best practices" for reaching particular groups.
In Austin, Latinx residents use the radio, Nuria says. The Somali community desired face-to-face interaction.

A few qs about arts and culture, Huntley says. How would you support that as a city priority?
"I love this question," Nuria says. "My mother is an artist."

She handled the arts and culture in Minneapolis. (Actual quote, they "came through me")

"I really believe in not just how art enriches our community ... but I think there's something about establishing an iconic feel in a city. Art can be a vehicle by which we translate our city operations and get deeper into community."

I hope the next q is about budget.

It's not.

How will you engage the biz community? What do you expect the most pressing economic issues to be here?

Nuria references chambers, downtown organizations. "I hope to be conversing with some of those folks. ... I also know how much local biz and small biz are important to the Boulder community."

Wants to hear from "not just those orgs" but "small biz themselves." References an "innovation team" of small biz owners of color, women entrepreneurs in Minneapolis.

Boulder's econ issues, according to Nuria: Economic impacts of COVID. Mentions "rebuilding capacity" of city workforce.

"Idk all the nuances of your finances quite yet, but I'd also take a look at what hit sales tax has taken. ... There's a lot to dig in there."

Next q: What's your experience in land use and transportation issues? How do you see those playing out in Boulder?

Nuria: "I'm not the technician" but has def dealt with the issue.

"There's no way transportation doesn't impact land use as we move forward. In both cities we've talked about transportation and land use as it relates to our comprehensive code."

It's linked to affordability, housing ... "in Boulder, it's a convo I know is delicate."

Austin's transportation bill included $300M for affordable housing along transit corridors, Nuria says.

Next batch of qs is about policing: Defunding (Austin cut its police budget by 1/3) and reform, etc.

Nuria: "This is an amazing convo all cities are having." References the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. "It was heartbreaking to me."

"It's a convo that is long overdue. Like George Floyd, there are others ... this is not a convo about demonizing the police. I appreciate and value many who are serving. ... I think we can hold both convos"

"What are those activities that police dept have had to take on" bc no one else is? Mental health, homelessness. "We have to be honest about who should be doing that. ... We could upstream and perhaps avoid that interaction with law enforcement."

Defund "I don't believe that's the appropriate word." But "if we supported services earlier in the process we may be able to reduce the amount of intervention officers have to do."

Austin did not "defund" police, Nuria says. They "re-invested" $31M to create an office of civil rights, homelessness services, creating an office of violence prevention, increasing mental health response.

That was possible bc "three cadet classes" in the academy "were not moving forward," Nuria says. Austin will reopen that issue next week.

Forensics lab was separated out as well, Nuria says. "That does not impact law enforcement activity" but it makes "that scientific function" more independent.

911 dispatchers may become civilian as well in Austin. Already is in Minneapolis.

"Community stakeholders" have been asked to "reimagine" policing, similar to what Boulder just asked for.

"It is a hard subject but a subject I think all communities should think through."

Has read up on Boulder's work, Nuria says. Hope it was the Beat!

But prob not.

"The discussions we're having is how do you want your city to respond when you are in most need, at your most vulnerable? That's at the heart of public safety."

Last quote from Nuria.
Kevin up next.

Huntley won't ask the exact same qs, she says. Maybe similiar to get at the same themes.

Kevin: I've spent nearly 24 yrs in local gov't. "I started in an entry-level position ... and I have worked my way" to the highest level.

Lots of experience in housing, transportation, parks and open space, infrastructure, "operationalizing equity into city service," etc.

"The bold vision that Boulder has for its future" is what attracted me to this job, Kevin says.

"I'm looking for an opportunity to become a city manager in a city like this," Kevin says. LBC reporter said he had previously applied to be a city manager in Kansas City.

Oh, hey, look, here's his finalist interview from KC!

First qs for Kevin: Homelessness (same as last time, references to camping ban and encampments)

Kevin: "Encampment issue is a v difficult issue. We, too, are facing here in Long Beach. ... Make sure we approach it in a comprehensive manner and a compassionate manner as well. Fundamentally, it is an issue of public safety."

Going over Long Beach's efforts hiring outreach manager, and hiring "quality of life officers" in the police dept to respond to encampments. Also references coordinated entry.

Fire dept has homeless education and response team as well.

"Strike team" has been created to remove camps (Kevin uses the word clean but we know what he means)

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