[0:00] Madam Administrator, good morning and thank you for being here. First on the microphone,

[0:09] if you look at your little assistant, it's the green button to hit. We have a lot of fabric on the walls and you need to have a microphone when speaking in this particular room. It's an honor for you all to come. It's an honor for the White House.

[0:30] to be involved. It's a honor for HUD to be involved. We're glad you're here. I think in

[0:38] this particular room, this is where the metropolitan planning organization sits in discusses

[0:45] and debates under Title 23 of the U.S. code. And we do lots of what we hope are wonderful things

[0:51] with a diverse set of transportation investments. We have regional transportation council

[0:57] elected officials with us today that we invited.

[1:02] I want to thank Carla and Travis on our team.

[1:07] They worked hard to pull together lots of details from how do we get the right people and

[1:15] invited and speakers and bios and speakers and get the right people invited and speakers

[1:22] and they did a wonderful job, but they're also in this world of opportunities

[1:29] zones, make use to developments, title six. They live it every day. It was easy for them

[1:36] to participate. I believe we have great speakers for you today. We've taken this

[1:43] very seriously. We think opportunities zones is a home run. I think you'll see

[1:50] that today by the zeal and commitment the private sector has with regard to this initiative.

[1:57] And I think you'll see it with regard to how the MPO and advanced of opportunities zones and

[2:02] since opportunities zones, how we are flexing transportation revenue to be a participant in

[2:10] this particular program.

[2:12] We call it breaking up silos.

[2:15] We all get out of our own silo.

[2:17] And I think the White House is initiative and HUD's initiative in opportunity zones is a terrific way to tear down silos and to be much more efficient and effective in the delivery of service to the citizens of the United States.

[2:32] Last reminder, we have been asked to live stream this under state law.

[2:37] Our metropolitan planning organization meetings are live streamed.

[2:40] This meeting is being live streamed.

[2:42] So, if you don't want to career-ending move, if you're a staff person, don't say anything

[2:50] that the rest of the world can watch and hear you say.

[2:54] So, it's an honor to be a staff group to be able to respond to this particular request,

[3:01] and we hope to demonstrate to you a very strong public-private partnership

[3:05] to deliver the program that you're looking for.

[3:13] Thank you. You figure I would know how to turn this on.

[3:16] I used to be on the Regional Transportation Council.

[3:19] My seat, I think, was actually where Michael is sitting now.

[3:22] I started walking back in this room and kind of,

[3:24] getting twitches, thank you very much.

[3:27] Michael, I want to thank you very much for helping us put this together.

[3:30] We had a number of cities who've obviously shown an interest in opportunity zones

[3:35] in learning more about it, and North Texas was chosen as one of the first

[3:39] where the White House is having these meetings based solely on the fact that

[3:44] Your leadership team on your advocates in this area have been so proactive and progressive

[3:51] and moving forward on development and working together.

[3:56] And being upon a board where we had 41, I thought it was 44 members.

[4:02] All representing various aspects of North Texas was really a privilege.

[4:06] And, Jungus, you were here at that time, and you could talk to all of the various projects

[4:14] that we've gotten done.

[4:16] Sometimes it's not sexy, but the fact that this region is growing as fast as it is compared

[4:21] to other areas of the country, I think it tests the fact that those partnerships work.

[4:25] I want to appreciate all the work that your staff has done and working with the White House

[4:29] and working with our staff at HUD to put this meeting together.

[4:31] So, thank you very much.

[4:33] I would love to be able to introduce.

[4:36] We've got some folks here from our headquarters.

[4:40] Elfanzo Costa is our deputy chief of staff at HUD.

[4:43] He has been instrumental in working on opportunity zones.

[4:46] I'm going to go ahead and kick this meeting off with Elfanzo.

[4:51] Well, thank you very much, Beth.

[4:52] And big thank you also to Leslie, Ty, Spencer, Melanie, and everyone else who made this

[4:58] possible.

[4:59] That's been talking about Dallas and Fort Worth and a lot of other places throughout Texas

[5:06] that we were hoping to come to and I'm really happy that we are able to make it here

[5:11] at one of our first trips.

[5:12] Scott's been traveling the entirety of the country over the past several months and what

[5:19] we're seeing is really encouraging and we hope to learn from you all some of the plans that

[5:24] you think will be beneficial for the existing residents of the opportunity zone communities that

[5:30] have been designated in this area real quick before Scott takes over the mic. I just wanted

[5:38] to quickly talk about some of the things that we're doing at HUD through the White House

[5:41] opportunity and revitalization Council. For those of you who are familiar with different federal

[5:47] cabinet level agencies, we have competitive grants, we have competitive or

[5:54] discretionary grants, and then we also have formula later grants.

[5:58] What we're doing with our competitive grants for fiscal year 19 is infusing preference

[6:03] points into all of our discretionary grants for qualified activities in opportunity zones.

[6:09] And as of right now for fiscal year 19 we're up to seven different grants, our most recent

[6:13] one was the Lit Hazard Reduction Grant Program that we published earlier this week, that

[6:19] notice of funding availability for $324 million with a few percentage points for preference

[6:26] for opportunity zones.

[6:28] That's just one of the many things that we're doing at HUD alongside reducing application

[6:33] fees, also known as exam fees from multifamily mortgage insurance applications for properties

[6:38] with an opportunity zones, down from 30 basis points, down to 20 basis points for market

[6:44] housing and then for probably affordable housing down to 10 basis points, which can save up to tens of thousands of dollars for development to come into opportunity zones.

[6:56] That alongside suggesting regulatory and legislative recommendations to the President, which will be in a report to the President later on this year.

[7:06] And then a series of best practices or case studies to the President and another report next spring.

[7:12] So, again, not going to go too much further into the details right now, I hope that it comes

[7:18] up more during our discussion, but Scott will go into the different work streams that comprise

[7:26] the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council and Secretary Carson is very proud

[7:31] to chair and having Scott as the executive director of the council has been nothing but

[7:37] a pleasure.

[7:37] So again, thank you very much for having us here and looking forward to the discussion

[7:44] and I also want to introduce

[7:46] We've got Scott Turner, who many of you may recognize from his time as a state legislator.

[7:53] And Scott is now the executive director for the White House.

[7:57] We call it Hork, but the White House, opportunity and revitalization council.

[8:01] So he's working directly with Secretary Carson on putting together round tables in really wanting that council to make sure that all of the federal agencies

[8:09] across the board are working together to make opportunities

[8:12] and to successful as they may be.

[8:14] Scott, good morning and welcome home.

[8:17] Thank you, Beth, and our fond zone.

[8:20] The team from HUD that's here in Michael and everyone

[8:23] who was Miss Carl and Travis, I really appreciate

[8:26] your work and putting this meeting, this convening

[8:30] and if you will, together.

[8:31] And I am a homeboy.

[8:33] I grew up in Dallas and ultimately in Richardson,

[8:35] Texas, I want to JJ Pierce High School.

[8:37] Anybody else go to pierce in here anybody go to Richardson?

[8:42] Okay, so I'm in safe neighborhood but anyway, and also play for the risk and so y'all, you know, I know y'all cowboy fans

[8:48] I am too

[8:49] So we go get off on the right track

[8:52] But I wanted to just for a brief moment kind of give you my heart of what the opportunity zone initiative mission is

[9:01] And I want to say from the outset, you know, this is not a typical or another government program

[9:07] But this is indeed a mission, and it's an initiative.

[9:13] And for the amount of people that are here this morning around this table, I think this

[9:18] is very telling of how we feel about this new tool of opportunities on it.

[9:25] And you know, one of our buddies, Jerome Smith, or he says, you know, it's a five-way partnership.

[9:31] You have the federal state and local government, you have entrepreneurs, you have investors,

[9:34] And then you have those who benefit that live inside of the communities that we call

[9:39] Opportunities on this. So this is not a one-man show. This is a five-way partnership.

[9:44] This is a team deal. And I have the opportunity and honor of being the head coach of the council.

[9:51] And this is a stewardship for me. And I take it very seriously. And as we all know, because of the tax cut and jobs

[9:58] act of 2017, the opportunity zones were created, and, you know, the question arose, you know,

[10:03] what can we do to give those in distress communities an opportunity to thrive like the

[10:10] rest of America? And that was kind of how it came about. That was the question that was being

[10:15] asked amongst the legislators in Washington. And the president, through his vision and administration

[10:22] and Dr. Carson and others created the White House opportunity and revitalization council.

[10:29] But first let's talk about opportunity zones. What is the opportunity zone? 35 million people

[10:34] in America live in opportunity zones. The poverty rate in opportunity zones is 32 percent.

[10:41] The median income of people inside of opportunity zones is around 37 percent lower than the median income in that state.

[10:49] The unemployment rate in opportunity zones is higher than it is in a national unemployment rate.

[10:55] The life expectancy inside of opportunity zones is three years shorter than it is in a national life expectancy.

[11:02] Why? Because of lack of quality, healthcare, lack of quality food.

[11:07] Inside of opportunity zones, the amount of adults that actually have graduated from high school is staggering.

[11:14] Very low, the lack of quality education, the crime rate, the poverty rate, those are opportunity zones.

[11:24] Why do I say that?

[11:26] Because we understand exactly what an opportunity zone is, who lives inside of opportunity zone,

[11:31] what the potential and the pain inside of an opportunity zone.

[11:35] It makes our vision clearer.

[11:38] It's no longer obscured, but what we think it is, I have been to 15 cities in the last nine

[11:44] and a half weeks on this tour.

[11:46] I go inside the projects and the hoods of America to see exactly what we're dealing with.

[11:53] I've seen the west side and the Edsmore part of that land.

[11:56] I've seen the Paramore division in Orlando.

[11:58] I've been the Tampa to the housing projects here in Dallas.

[12:01] My mother grew up in South Dallas with the Lincoln High School.

[12:05] My wife is from what we would call today an opportunity zone in McLean town in South East

[12:10] Missouri, nine children, one mother, alcoholism, government subsidies, my son, whom we

[12:15] adopted him out of poverty. I came from a broken home. So this is not a check the box

[12:22] deal for me. This is really, really my heart. Like I said, it's a mission. It's an initiative.

[12:30] One of my good friends in Israel said, you know, you have to begin with the end in mine.

[12:35] And so every day when I wake up, I understand what is the end goal to make a generational impact.

[12:42] When I go to sleep at night and I'm praying about this submission, I'm thinking about the people, the faces that I've seen.

[12:47] I think to myself, if God give me one more day to wake up, I understand what my mission is.

[12:52] And our mission, and this is something that should fly out last us.

[12:57] This should have an impact that should fly out last all of us in this room.

[13:01] So those that come behind us will benefit from the work that we do today.

[13:07] That's a spirit of the legislation.

[13:10] That's a spirit of the council.

[13:13] Inside of this legislation, it's kind of a two-prong deal, economic development, and community development.

[13:20] And I say that because you have to have risk takers, you have to have the capital inside of these projects.

[13:27] That's the economic development piece and I'm grateful for all the risk takers that the developers, the entrepreneurs,

[13:32] the business owners, those that take a risk to invest inside of it.

[13:36] And then on the other side you have community development, the social impact piece.

[13:43] The uniqueness of this initiative is that we have all the stakeholders around the table.

[13:48] The executive order comes for faith leaders and education leaders, elected officials, business leaders, entrepreneurs, to be together at the table.

[13:58] Why? So we can share ideas, so that there's a spirit of unity, so that the investors and the developers can hear from the people in the community who may not have the capital but have the heartbeat of the community and the vision of where the community has been and where it should go.

[14:15] That's the beauty of this and that's what I love and every city we go to, that's who's at the table.

[14:20] Ask this morning, look around, see who's at the table.

[14:24] There's enough brilliance and unity and heart and compassion in this room today to literally change no text.

[14:32] And I'm just happy to be at the table.

[14:35] I'm not gonna say very much more.

[14:37] This is why I always speak before sky.

[14:41] But I will send it to end and I'm grateful to be here.

[14:44] I'm honored and I'm humbled by it.

[14:45] We have a tremendous team.

[14:47] We have tremendous support of the President, Secretary Carson, and the 16 agencies, or 13

[14:52] agencies, the Democratic Party, State partners, on our council that have 100% buying in both

[14:58] career and political people.

[15:00] 100% buy it because this, to us, again, is a mission and not a program, so thank you all for being here.

[15:09] I think to your point, we do have a ton of people around the table, and I'd look to have you have an opportunity to introduce yourselves.

[15:17] My name is Beth Fandine, I'm the Regional Administrator for HUD, which covers Texas and all the states that border Texas.

[15:23] I've been in this position for a little over two years prior to that.

[15:27] I was mayor of the city of Irving for six years and on the council for six years and

[15:31] Irving before that.

[15:33] Scott?

[15:36] I'm Scott Thurder.

[15:40] Yes, again, I'll sponsor Cossack Deputy Chief of Staff to Secretary Carson.

[15:44] I oversee all policy development at the agency and part of my portfolio is opportunity

[15:49] zones.

[15:53] So I'm Michael Henning.

[15:54] I'm the strategic development coordinator of the city force in the development department.

[15:58] And among other things, I managed the Opportunity Sun's program at the CD4.

[16:05] My name is Adam McGue, representative from City of Dallas District 10, which is Lake

[16:10] Collins Hamilton Park, Northeast part of the city, and real close to J.J. for your Lake

[16:18] Highlands High School, so.

[16:21] Good morning.

[16:22] My name is David Schultz.

[16:23] I'm the Chief of Staff at Dallas, Area Rapid Transit.

[16:25] We serve 700 square miles in 13 cities in North Texas and are pleased to include a large number of

[16:32] opportunities zones in the areas that we serve.

[16:40] Hi, good morning. My name is Alicia Terry. I'm a constituent serviceist liaison, short

[16:45] of terms, case worker in the Congressional Office of Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson.

[16:55] I'm Douglas Sellers. I work for Ray Washburn at charter holdings and we recently just made

[17:01] to investments in opportunities owned projects in the DALS area.

[17:06] Good morning. I'm Linda Davis on Vice President of Workforce Development for Texas Central.

[17:11] We're building the first high-speed rail in America.

[17:15] Right here in Texas, my name is David Arbuck, I'm Vice President and External Affairs Texas Central.

[17:21] Travis, let's see your transportation planner here at the North Central Texas Council of Governments.

[17:26] My focus is on integrated land use transportation planning along with economic developments

[17:30] and I'm part of our Sustainable Development Team.

[17:34] I'm Karla Lieber, I'm a Senior Program Manager here at the Council of Governments.

[17:37] I'm a Minister of Sustainable Development Program, which looks at land use,

[17:42] bike-phead connections, coordination with schools, economic development housing, and all kinds of fun things.

[17:48] I'm like a more or some of the transportation director here at the North Central Texas Council

[17:52] of Governments, and I'm the staff director to the Regional Transportation Council.

[18:00] Good morning, I'm Derek Farrell. I'm the City Manager in Commerce,

[18:02] We're at the edge of the cog region and virtually all of our city is an opportunity

[18:09] zone.

[18:10] We're grateful for the opportunity to be here this morning.

[18:20] I'm Bonnie Hunter.

[18:20] I'm the Executive Director for the Commerce Economic Development Corporation.

[18:25] Drew Delong also on the Commerce Economic Development Corporation.

[18:31] Hi, I'm Shay Hopkins with the Fort Worth Chamber Economic Development Business Attraction

[18:35] and Retention.

[18:37] I'm James Field.

[18:38] we'll see into partners, the partner in charge of Oak Farms, our mixed use development in the

[18:44] opportunity zone.

[18:47] I am Arthur Santa Maria with Oak Global, we own a number of properties in the opportunity

[18:51] zone in Dallas.

[18:53] I'm looking forward to sharing more about that with you later this morning.

[18:57] Michael Talley, Director of Economic Development, didn't counting?

[19:01] Erica Sullivan, I'm the economic development analyst in the city of Denton and we have

[19:07] one opportunity zone.

[19:09] Good morning. I'm Jennifer Hawkins. I'm Lieutenant County College. I'm the Director of Corporate Solutions and Economic Development,

[19:15] which means I work with business and industry to train their current employees.

[19:19] And I also work with them for workforce development so that we have skilled workers available to support our businesses in the county.

[19:25] Thank you.

[19:26] My name is Bruce Payne. I'm the Economic Development Director for the City of Arlington. Welcome to Arlington.

[19:32] And I'll also go over real estate services for the city.

[19:37] Hello, I'm Kristen Van Griff, I'm the District Director for Congressman K. Granger in District

[19:42] 12.

[19:43] We share Tarant County, all of Parker County, and lower-wise County.

[19:48] We're just delighted to be here.

[19:50] Thank you.

[19:52] Susan Ann District Director for State Senator Kelly Hancock.

[19:57] Ann Zeta, City Council, Fort Worth District 9.

[20:00] I had a question about where the live stream can be found because I shared this meeting on

[20:05] and I think my next question is going to be where is the live stream?

[20:09] We'll get that for you.

[20:10] Okay.

[20:12] I'm John Guestorden.

[20:13] I'm a city councilman from the city of Fort Worth.

[20:16] Member of the RTC and former chair of the Regional Transportation Council.

[20:22] Good morning.

[20:23] I'm JD Clark.

[20:23] I'm the county judge in Waz County, where we have an opportunity zone in our county seat of Decatur.

[20:29] And I'm the president of the North Central Texas Council Governments.

[20:33] I'm Tom Lambert. I'm the Executive Director of the Decatur Economic Development Corporation.

[20:39] Good morning. I'm Grady Eason, Economic Development Director for the City of Cleaver.

[20:46] Good morning. My name is Leslie Bradley. I'm the Deputy Rachel Administrator at HUD and I've been there for 30 years now.

[20:54] I do want to mention we have a couple of staff and the audience who aren't near microphones, but I do want to shout out to

[21:00] Gail Prater and Carlos Perego.

[21:04] I'm Tai Petti.

[21:05] I'm a public affairs officer for HUD,

[21:08] and I'm also the regional opportunities

[21:10] own lead for HUD's region six,

[21:14] and glad to be here today and help facilitate this meeting.

[21:18] I'm Charlene Stark with North Texas Commission,

[21:21] representing over 300 members,

[21:23] including municipalities, corporations,

[21:25] and educational institutions,

[21:27] and a 13 counting region.

[21:28] Hello, I'm Lynn Hayes, and I'm representing the Federal Transit Administration and Fort

[21:33] Worksix's Region 6.

[21:36] Good morning.

[21:37] I'm Sonia Singleton, I currently serve as the interim director for the Neighborhood Services

[21:41] Department.

[21:42] We have six opportunity zones and Fort Worth and two are within a community that I'm managing

[21:49] some improvement strategies in.

[21:53] Good morning, David Summers.

[21:54] I'm a consultant with Citywide Development.

[21:57] down, favors consultant with the City of Fort Worth.

[22:03] I was formerly with her for 42 years.

[22:08] Like we don't know that.

[22:12] I left as a regional administrator.

[22:18] Good evening.

[22:19] Good evening.

[22:20] Good evening.

[22:27] Good evening.

[22:30] Good morning. I'm Shelley Seamer. I'm a deputy city manager for the City of Plano and we're proud to have the only opportunity zone in Colin County. So excited to see that develop.

[22:42] If I

[22:51] do that, I do.

[22:54] Anyway, Victor and your former commissioner from the Texas Transportation Commissioner.

[23:01] Phillip Wise, the partner with CN to partners in working with James on Oak Farms.

[23:07] Christine Badcock, I'm the North Texas Regional Director for Senator Ted Cruz.

[23:14] Good morning, I'm Christina Collins, I'm with the Deputy Mayor of Perth and the Guz office.

[23:19] Sam Burns, Board Member, Opportunity Dallas.

[23:23] Christie Myers, the Managing Director for Opportunity Dollars, and then the Paul C. adviser for

[23:28] Tonsman at Adam McGu, and specifically in the Opportunity Zone, the only one that's

[23:33] north of I-30 that also abutts the Skillwind 635 project that RTCs work so hard on.

[23:41] Good morning, I'm Darcelle Wei with the Dallas County Community College District and

[23:44] the District Manager for Business Diversity.

[23:48] Morning, Kristen Thomas. I'm the Executive District Director for Small Business and Entrepreneur Innovation, representing Dallas County Community College District.

[23:57] I also oversee the Bill J. Pre-Center, which is in an opportunity zone.

[24:03] I think we're missing. You might not have a microphone, but please go ahead and stand up and just introduce yourself.

[24:17] And then I think we have some people on the outside here, Melanie, I want to make sure you get an opportunity to introduce yourself too.

[24:31] A lot on opportunity zones with Alfonso.

[24:35] Good morning, everyone. My name is Melanie Palmas, I'm a policy advisor with the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council and with that.

[24:44] You have to bring that microphone over here.

[24:51] Good morning.

[24:52] I'm Gabi Kiddonnet. I am the program coordinator for Dallas County Commissioner to

[24:56] Residennial District 1.

[25:02] Good morning everyone. Robin Bentley is a

[25:04] center director of economic development for the City of Dallas.

[25:11] Jamie

[25:11] Ultima, same representing white smith, rainfall service, commercial

[25:15] role state, company actively looking to invest in properties all over the

[25:20] metroplex.

[25:23] Good morning. I'm Melissa Meyer with the Texas Department of

[25:26] Transportation, representing MoBur, the district engineer.

[25:34] Carlos Briggs, support staff for Beth and Leslie.

[25:38] Hi,

[25:41] I'm Gail Prater with HUD, and I work for the Regional Administrator's Office.

Jun 27, 2019 White House Opportunity Zones and Revitalization Council Roundtable of North Texas - North Central Texas Council of Governments

Transcript