We can address our homelessness issue in two effective ways. First, we can continue to waive fees for housing programs like Community First! Village. Earlier this year we waived almost half a million dollars in building fees for the Phase II expansion of this Housing First program. The Village will provide and additional 10 park homes, 90 recreational vehicles, and 100 guest cottages which will provide dignified homes for about 30% of Austin’s chronic homeless. We must also speed up permitting in our Development Services Department so non-profits and low income housing developers can get to work building much needed homes. Secondly, we have to create not only a new, but an ongoing revenue stream to address these challenges. That is why I was(and still am) a supporter of Mayor Adler’s Downtown Puzzle. The plan would not raise our property taxes in order to address homelessness issues, but would rather expand our city’s tax base. Our city must embrace creative solutions for housing our homeless neighbors.