draft equity plan july 24, 2020 · 2020-07-24 · equity plan 60885 atwood drive, bend oregon...

Equity Plan 60885 Atwood Drive, Bend Oregon

Stillwater Crossing Apartments (Final Name TBD in Community Outreach)

A Wishcamper Project

DRAFT VERSION: Updated July 24, 2020

CONTACT:

Equity Plan: Justin Metcalf, (c) 406‐550‐1244, [email protected]

Project Developer: Tyson O’Connell, (c) 406‐531‐4745, [email protected]

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

TEAM MEMBERS & KEY DATES ..................................................................................................... 3

SUMMARY & SIGNED COMMITMENT ........................................................................................... 4

EQUITY PLAN ........................................................................................................................... 5‐14

Expanding Community Benefit Beyond Housing ....................................................................... 5‐5 MWESB Participation & Mentorship ........................................................................................ 5‐7 Identifying Target & Priority Populations ................................................................................. 7‐8 Community Outreach to Priority Populations ........................................................................... 8‐9 Property Management, Representation, Training ................................................................ 10‐11 Resident Services .................................................................................................................. 11‐14

APPENDICES .......................................................................................................................... 15‐24

APPENDIX 1: EMAIL SOLICITATION FROM PBDG TO TRADE ASSOCIATION MEMBERS ............................... 15‐17 APPENDIX 2: PBDG MENTORSHIP & TRAINING MODEL ................................................................... 18‐20 APPENDIX 3: CORNERSTONE’S HEALTHY HOMES & HOUSING HERO INITIATIVES .................................... 21‐24

EXHIBITS ............................................................................................................................... 25‐34

EXHIBIT 1: BIBLIO TECH ............................................................................................................. 25‐34

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TEAM MEMBERS & KEY DATES

OUTREACH, SERVICES & MANAGEMENT TEAM Resident Services Provider Cornerstone Community Housing

Specialized Services Provider Thrive Central Oregon

Property Management Services Guardian Real Estate Services

Local Cultural Consultants – Community

Outreach

TBD

Local Event Facilitators – Community Outreach TBD

MWESB Consultant – Outreach & Mentorship

Program

Professional Business Development Group

CONSTRUCTION TEAM Developer’s Construction Representative CDK Enterprises (“CDK”)

MWESB Consultant – Outreach & Mentorship

Program

Professional Business Development Group

(“PBDG”)

Architect Encompass Design Inc.

General Contractor Headwaters Construction

COMMUNITY OUTREACH & CONSTRUCTION COMPLETION DATES Closing September 2020

Construction Begins October 2020

Equity Plan Finalized & All Team Members Engaged February 2021

Orientation Outreach (Begins) March 2021

Pre‐Lease Outreach (Begins) September 2021

First Building Complete, Move‐Ins Begin February 2022

End of Construction June 2022

Full Occupancy December 2022

Note: Date of “First Building Complete” drives timeline for outreach.

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SUMMARY & SIGNED COMMITMENT The creation and implementation of this Equity Plan is integral to 1) ensuring that the Latino priority

population and other marginalized communities within Bend have equitable access to service‐enriched

housing at 60885 Atwood, and 2) that the economic and mentorship opportunities associated with the

project’s development are accessible to MWESB subcontractors and professional service firms.

ACKNOWLEDGED & SUPPORTED BY: Role Company Name Signatures

Developer

Wishcamper

Development

Partners

Justin Metcalf,

President

Contractor Headwaters

Construction

Stan Marshall,

President

Developer’s

Construction

Representative

CDK Enterprises Dave Krawczyk,

President

MWESB Consultant

Professional

Business

Development

Group

Kenechi

Onyeagusi,

Executive

Director

Architect Encompass Design Jenn Clary,

President

Property Manager Guardian Real

Estate Services

Hollie Forsman,

Portfolio

Manager

Resident Services

Provider

Cornerstone

Community

Housing

Michelle Cady,

COO

Special Services

Provider

Thrive Central

Oregon

Sarah Kelley,

Executive

Director

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EXPANDING COMMUNITY BENEFIT BEYOND HOUSING

All Wishcamper projects should strive to expand community benefit beyond the opportunities

provided specifically within the project. This benefit should reduce inequality for low income residents

within the larger community as it relates to opportunities in health, wealth, education, or other

socioeconomic or life‐enrichment categories. The following options will be researched Wishcamper will

continue to solicit ideas until such time as one (or more) is selected and deemed feasible.

PROFIT SHARING. A profit‐sharing component can be explored that re‐distributes a portion of the

project’s profits to residents and/or the community, to be distributed by a local organization that

holds the local’s trust. This re‐distribution policy is not new to Wishcamper and further conversations

can be had with Aisha Nyandoro, Executive Director of Springboard to Opportunities (a non‐profit

started by Joe Wishcamper). Springboard has received national press for creating and administering

its Magnolia Mother’s Trust (Google search: “magnolia mothers trust NYT”). Further examples can

be found with Cornerstone’s “Housing Hero” initiative.

CHILD & AFTER‐SCHOOL CARE. Affordable childcare is one of the largest financial hurdles faced by

low‐to‐middle income Americans. Wishcamper should research all means available to facilitate the

creation and/or availability of third‐party solutions that are within walking distance and made

available to low‐income community members in the immediate neighborhood.

BIBLIO TECH. A digital library is everything a library is – without the books. This break‐through concept

that was established in Texas has true transformative capabilities as it relates to reducing inequalities

in education. However, given that the City of Bend is currently launching a bond for a new library, this

concept is likely not going to be well received. See Exhibit 1 for a full description of Biblio Tech.

MWESB PARTICIPATION & MENTORSHIP

Relevant Updates or Changes to Plan

[7/22/20] Wishcamper is continuing to research ways with Lynne McConnell to provide

low‐cost (or no‐cost) child and after‐school care to low income individuals in the

immediate neighborhood (not limited to project).

[7/2/20] Wishcamper has decided to contribute a minimum of $10,000 per‐year back to

the project’s residents through the Housing Hero initiative that is administered by the

Resident Services Provider.


[7/13/20] The project will exceed 20% MWESB participation in contracting and 30% in

professional services. Final bids will be submitted by August 10, 2020.

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PROJECT COMMITMENT TO MWESB PARTICIPATION

While no requirement exists, Wishcamper is committed to meeting a 20% minimum MWESB target

and has set an aspirational goal of 30%, for both professional services and contracting.

HOW THE CONSTRUCTION TEAM WILL ACHIEVE PARTICIPATION GOALS Wishcamper has a unique bid‐procurement process that dovetails well with a MWESB outreach

consultant’s scope of work and ensures that MWESB goals are achieved.

CDK will begin contacting sub‐contractors in the design phase (50% plans) to 1) let them know of the

pending opportunity, and 2) solicit and/or verify early cost estimates.

At 50% plans, Wishcamper will engage PBDG as the MWESB project consultant to oversee MWESB

sub‐contractor outreach and implement their mentorship program during construction.

PBDG and CDK will engage in formal outreach at completion of 75% plans. When and where

appropriate, bid packages will encourage and incentivize larger firms to utilize MWESB firms as

second‐tier subcontractors.

PBDG, CDK, and Wishcamper will interview general contractors for the project at‐or‐before

completion of 75% plans (assuming they are not pre‐identified). The general contractor will not bid

for the project and is instead selected for their competency, reputation, and readiness to work

collaboratively in Wishcamper’s unique process to identify the best sub‐contractors for the project

and meet their MWESB objectives.

CDK, with outreach assistance from PBDG, will solicit qualified bids for 100% of the project scope by

the time 100% plans are complete, from both COBID and non‐COBID sub‐contractors. The bid‐book

will be turned over to the general contractor, who is free to solicit additional bids if they choose.

CDK and the general contractor will work collaboratively to ensure that 1) the best sub‐contractors

are chosen for the project, and 2) the MWESB participation goals are met.

OUTREACH EFFORTS TO MWESB SUB-CONTRACTORS The following methodologies will be deployed to reach MWESB sub‐contractors, convey the opportunity,

and solicit their interest.

TRADE ASSOCIATIONS. The Construction Team will present the project at trade association group

meetings, including PBDG (Professional Business Development Group), LatinoBuilt, NAMC (National

Association of Minority Contractors), and OAME (Oregon Association of Minority Entrepreneurs).

CDK‐ DIRECT CONTACT. As part of their larger bid‐procurement process, CDK will contact all applicable

companies that are COBID‐registered.

PBDG ‐ DIRECT CONTACT. PBDG will analyze work scopes to match opportunities to MWESB firm’s

experience, thereby promoting and conveying the opportunity directly to the subcontracting

community, which includes both members and non‐members of their trade organization.

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PRE‐BID OUTREACH MEETINGS. PBDG will host at least two pre‐bid outreach meetings, which CDK

will attend, to provide interested sub‐contractors the opportunity to learn more about the project,

the bid deadline, and answer specific questions. See Appendix 1 for a representative email blast of a

scheduled pre‐bid outreach meeting.

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND MENTORSHIP PROGRAM As part of their bid‐procurement process, CDK will prepare 1) complete material take‐offs for the

entire project scope, and 2) detailed labor sheets showing how many hours each scope will take

to complete. This information will be provided to all interested sub‐contractors and CDK will assist

in their understanding of how they were compiled and answer any project‐related or bid‐

preparation questions, with the goal of eliminating subjectivity from their bid to ensure they are

competitive.

During construction, PBDG will deploy their Protégé / Mentorship Model and Training Curriculum.

More about these programs can be found in Appendix 2.

IDENTIFYING TARGET & PRIORITY POPULATIONS

Index Census Tract 21 County State

White 91.6% 87.5% 76.0%

All People of Color 8.4% 12.5% 24.0%

Black 0.0% 0.6% 1.8%

Native 0.8% 0.4% 0.9%

Asian 0.4% 1.2% 4.2%

Islander 0.0% 0.1% 0.4%

Other 0.0% 0.1% 0.2%

Two + 3.4% 2.3% 3.7%

Latino (Mexican, Cuban, Other Hispanic / Latino) 3.8% 7.9% 12.8%

Owner Occupied Units 74.8% 65.7% 61.9%

Median Household Income $75,000 $63,680 $59,393

Source: censusreporter.org (US Census data)

Compared to the city, Census Tract 21 is disproportionately White. The city of Bend is comprised of 14.4%

people of color, with 63.6% identifying as Hispanic/Latino, 83% of whom are US Mexican. The Asian


[5/15/20] As supported by the market research, Wishcamper has identified the Latino

population as the priority and/or target population. Outreach efforts will not be limited to

this population, but will prioritize them.

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population makes up 13% of the people of color citywide and is diverse, with 19.7% identifying as

Chinese, 14.9% as Korean, 13.9% as Indian, 13.4% as Filipino, 11.4% as Japanese, and 25.9% as other

Asian. In the census tract of this project, the Asian population makes up just 5.1% of the people of color,

and 100% of that population identifies as Indian. These disparities suggest that communities of color

have had difficulties accessing this neighborhood, in particular the Mexican and non‐Indian Asian

communities of Bend. At 240‐units and with a varied unit mix, 60885 Atwood will provide for more

people of color to move into and take advantage of this opportunity area within the city of Bend.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH TO PRIORITY POPULATION

The Outreach, Services, and Management Team for 60885 Atwood will deploy a sophisticated yet

grass roots outreach model to ensure that the housing opportunity reaches priority populations and

will take into consideration communication, learning, and cultural barriers that often exist.

ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES The following process will be deployed to identify the appropriate local cultural consultants and event

facilitators.

A meeting will be held between Wishcamper (Justin Metcalf, Ryan Crogan, Tyson O’Connell, Kelly

Dupont), the Regional Portfolio Manager for the property management company (Hollie Forsman),

and the executive director for the resident services provider (Sarah Kelly). The group will discuss

what local organization(s) can best 1) provide public local support for the project, and 2) assist in

identifying local cultural consultants and event facilitators that can be retained to help facilitate

outreach.

Local cultural consultants, local business consultants, and local event facilitators will be retained and

thereby round‐out the Outreach, Services, and Management Team. A meeting of this group will take

place in which the local consultants can provide their insight into how outreach can be most effective

in the local Latino community, across all platforms including hosted live events, direct contact, word‐

of‐mouth, virtual / social media, visual, and print.

Local cultural consultants and event facilitators, with assistance from Wishcamper and the

Regional Portfolio Manager, will be responsible for facilitating all forms of outreach. The local


[6/15/20] The Latino Community Association has been identified as the best organization

to provide inroads into the local Latino community and efforts are in process to make

contact, solicit project support, and secure recommendations for local cultural

consultants.

[5/20/20] $150,000 budgeted for retaining local cultural consultants and event

facilitators, promotional outreach events, and other lease‐up and marketing activities.

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cultural consultant will be the primary point of contact for all Latinos interested in learning more

about 60885 Atwood.

OUTREACH PLATFORMS Platform Method

Local Cultural Consultants retained on behalf of project Word‐of‐Mouth, Social

Media, Direct Contact

Latino Community Association

Facebook, Work‐of‐Mouth,

Website, Hosted Live‐Event,

Leave Promo Materials

El Latino De Hoy (Only Hispanic Weekly Newspaper in Oregon) Print & Online Marketing

Cultural Consultants retained on behalf of project Word‐of‐Mouth, Social

Media, Direct Contact

Social Media Management (Union Culture, Bend OR) Social Media

KRDM Radio (Regional Mexican Radio, Redmond OR) Radio

Volunteers in Medicine (Bend, OR) Leave Promo Materials

Family University (Madras) Leave Promo Materials

Plaza Comunitaria (Bend & Redmond) Leave Promo Materials

OUTREACH PERIODS

PROMOTION & ORIENTATION PHASE. This phase of outreach begins 6‐months prior to beginning

official lease‐up outreach (12‐months before move‐ins). The goal with this outreach period is to 1)

provide the Latino community with advance knowledge of the housing opportunity, 2) solicit

feedback, ideas, and input regarding resident services programming, the project’s name, and

amenity programming. This period of outreach utilizes hosted live‐events and direct contact, relying

heavily on local minority advocacy organizations to help facilitate events and provide support (in this

case Latino Community Association). During this phase of outreach there is no pre‐leasing activity

(resident screening, etc.), though interested parties can join a list of interested parties that will be

prioritized during pre‐leasing.

PRE‐LEASING PHASE. The lease‐up outreach phase will leverage all outreach platforms and begin 6‐

months prior to move‐ins and 3‐months prior to broader leasing efforts to the Bend community. This

advance notice is not against Fair Housing Laws, provided screening is delayed until after broader

leasing efforts commence.

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PROPERTY MANAGEMENT, REPRESENTATION, TRAINING

PROPERTY MANAGER Guardian Real Estate Services (“GRES”) has been identified to provide property management services.

GRES has been providing property management services to the region for over 40 years and has

extensive experience managing both market‐rate and affordable projects. GRES manages over 120

income‐restricted projects and over 4,700 units throughout Oregon, Washington, and Arizona. With over

400 employees, GRES has 26.5% of employees self‐identifying as a member of an ethnic minority and

56% of their workforce is female. Contributions of senior executives has played an important role in

the development of a college preparatory education program that affords primarily minority and

lower‐income high school students’ access to high quality education and a conduit to post‐secondary

studies. GRES takes pride in the demographic of their employees and their residents.

LOW BARRIER TO ENTRY Due to complex systemic and institutional reasons, the priority population identified might not be

successful in accessing housing under traditional screening criteria. To successfully serve the Latino and

other marginalized populations, and address racial disparities in resident selection, key elements of the

selection criteria will be tailored to ensure equitable access among applicants and compliance with fair

housing laws. Wishcamper acknowledges the importance of having a clear and consistently applied

policy to override standard screening criteria. For example, a recent eviction might disqualify a

prospective tenant, but if that tenant was being referred to the property by Immigrant Refugee

Community Organization, was actively engaged in services (including eviction prevention), that resident

may receive an override. Criteria areas that will be assessed for the override policy include, credit, rental,

and criminal history reviews.

MARKETING BEYOND LEASE-UP

Outreach to the priority and other marginalized populations can’t end once lease‐up is complete. The

following steps will be taken to ensure the cultural inroads established prior to stabilization are not

lost.

Management will keep the cultural consultants on retainer and the Outreach, Services, and

Management Team, in addition to Wishcamper, will meet twice a year to evaluate if marketing to

the priority population needs to be refreshed, augmented, or changed.


[7/23/20] A low barrier to entry policy is nearly complete and is being vetted for

legalities.

[3/15/20] Guardian Real Estate Services will provide property management services.

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Management will collect demographic data on all applicants, approved or otherwise. The data set

will be reviewed annually to help gauge whether the project is delivering equitable access to

communities of color and meeting the goals set forth in the final comprehensive Equity Plan

REPRESENTATION & TRAINING

On‐site management and staff need to understand the goals of, and importantly, need to be

representative of, the community that they will serve. The on‐site management and staff at 60885

Atwood will receive diversity, equity, and inclusion training as an ongoing, developmental process to

support training and professional development. Further, efforts will be taken to hire on‐site staff that

are racially and culturally representative of the resident community.

RESIDENT SERVICES

RESIDENT SERVICES PROVIDER

Since 1992, Cornerstone Community Housing (“Cornerstone”) has been committed to providing resident

services that promote opportunities for personal growth and economic independence for people living

on limited incomes.

Alongside implementing their flagship Healthy Homes and Housing Hero initiatives (see Appendix 3),

Cornerstone will assist Thrive in linking residents in need with local services and facilitate a broad

range of resident‐tailored services, including cooking classes for adults and youth, coaching individuals

on managing illnesses like diabetes, teaching monthly budgeting, and homework club for kids.

Cornerstone will create and distribute monthly newsletters and flyers to promote the programs and

services they deliver, coordinate community and resident volunteers, and both track and report program

details (including completion of the annual OHCS Resident Services Report).

HOUSING HERO. Each month Cornerstone Community Housing recognizes a “Housing Hero” – an

organization or individual that has contributed either volunteer hours or funding to help support the

mission of Cornerstone Community Housing. Housing Heroes are the heart of Cornerstone, helping

families avoid homelessness through generous monthly support. See Appendix 3 for more information.


[5/15/20] Thrive has been identified as the special services provider. Cornerstone has

been identified as the resident services provider. A full‐time and customized resident

services suite of options and services will be available on‐site (as described in detail

below).

[3/15/20] A minimum of $648,000 will be escrowed to fund resident services, with a goal

of $900,000.

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HEALTHY HOMES. The Healthy Homes Resident Services program was designed to deliver highly

effective wrap‐around services at the front doors of low‐income residents. The initiative is based off 5

community housing pillars (See Appendix 3 for more information).

The Healthy Homes Team Trained and compassionate professionals

ready to help residents thrive!

Resident Services Coordinators Family Resource Navigators Community Health Workers Peer Support Specialists

Health & Wellness Onsite education, community health workers and partner programs offer residents the opportunity to access health resources in the community.

Get Motivated, links adult residents to health and

wellness services.

Taste of Wellness, on‐site visits from local health

organizations such as YMCA and PeaceHealth.

Wellness Coaching, one‐on‐one wellness support and coaching helps residents achieve health goals and manage chronic illness.

Food & Nutrition Supplementary nutrition for vulnerable families, ends hunger in affordable housing communities across Oregon.

Extra Helping, on‐site delivery of fresh produce, bread, and dairy.

Summer Lunch/Cereal, feeds youth during the summer months as a substitute for school meals.

Bread Basket, fresh bread offered onsite.

Senior Grocer, delivery of groceries directly to a senior's front door.

Youth Development Youth programs focus on movement, nutrition and preparing children for a lifetime of success through academic support and fun rewards programs.

Active Kids, offers education, movement, and arts programs.

Active Teens, teens make positive connections through recreational activities.

Rising Star, motivates youth to excel in school and life through reward incentives.

Homework Club, kids’ complete homework while having a healthy snack in a safe setting.

Financial Stability Community referrals, professional development and tailored support helps families achieve greater stability and success.

Resident Referrals, one‐on‐one help connects residents to local resources.

Savings Programs, teaching the basics of

budgeting and saving.

Financial Wellness, connection to financial institutions to promote financial growth.

Community Development Enrichment events, community gardens and volunteer opportunities strengthen community cohesion and increase safety and stability.

Volunteerism, opportunities for community members to support resident programs.

Symphony Connects, a collaboration with the local symphonies to bring music on‐site.

Community Gardens, on‐site gardens are planned, planted, and

maintained by residents.

SPECIAL SERVICES PROVIDER

Thrive Central Oregon’s (“Thrive”) mission is to connect individual needs to community resources. Based

in Bend, Thrive provides resident services to many other affordable housing communities in the region

and is very well respected. Thrive’s business model is to meet community members in public spaces to

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connect them with the assistance they are seeking. Each month, Thrive sees 300+ community members

and connects them to 400+ resources and services, with 65% of the services revolving around secure

housing, 15% basic needs, 12% legal / job / disability, and 8% health. Learn more at

www.thrivecentraloregon.org.

While residents can contact Thrive staff at any time off‐site, Thrive will be on‐site 3‐days a week and

available to both residents and the public during their visits.

A SHORT EXAMPLE OF SERVICE PROVIDER NETWORKS IN BEND

The following resources do not include organizations that provide services specifically for homeless or

extremely low‐income individuals and families (shelters, community food resources, etc.).

RESIDENT SERVICES PROVIDED Resident services serve as a vital component to enhancing the lives of residents and all service programs

and activities will be provided at no cost to residents.

Health Care & Insurance Employment Resources Veterans

Pandemic Partners Help Line

(Assistance for those impacted

by COVID‐19 in coordination

with Thrive, local nonprofits,

and community volunteers.)

OHP Health Insurance Referral

Volunteers in Medicine Clinic

The Community Clinic of Bend

Cascade Youth & Family

COIC – Youth Employment

Goodwill Industries

Health of Oregon Corps

Oregon Unemployment

Vocational Rehab (Inside

Worksource)

Band of Brothers

Central Oregon Veterans

Outreach

Deschutes County Vet Services

Veterans Administration

Housing Assistance Child Care Education

Neighbor Impact

Latino Community Association

Thrive

Deschutes County Assistance

Programs

NeighborImpact

Family Access Network

Boys & Girls Club

YMCA (low‐income grants)

BendBroadband

Family Resource Center of

Central Oregon

Head Start

Central Oregon Workforce

Training Center

Service Provider Status

Connecting residents in need with service provider

networks for healthcare, health insurance,

prescription drugs, navigating insurance claims, legal

services, credit counseling, domestic abuse, drug and

alcohol abuse, depression, childcare, employment and

job training and placement opportunities, eviction

prevention, education, abuse, etc.

Thrive, With

Assistance

from

Cornerstone

Service Will Be

Provided

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Housing Hero Initiative Cornerstone Service Will Be

Provided

Healthy Homes Initiative Cornerstone Service Will Be

Provided

Overseeing on‐site structured and spontaneous events

and entertainment, community appreciation events,

scheduling resident community room rental requests

for parties, etc.

Cornerstone Service Will Be

Provided

Offsite and Closely Located Childcare and After School

Partnership Program

TBD (Will Be 3rd

Party)

High Desired,

Working with Lynne

McConnell @ City of

Bend to Research

Options

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APPENDIX 1: EMAIL SOLICITATION FROM PBDG TO MWESB TRADE ASSOCIATION MEMBERS

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APPENDIX 2: PBDG MENTORSHIP & TRAINING MODEL

PBDG accomplishes its education and training mission through its Construction Business Training and

Plan (TAP) center. Our mission is to improve business conditions for priority firms (clients or

participants) by increasing preparation, competitiveness, and relationships. We accomplish our

mission through education, training, culturally responsive networking opportunities and mentorship.

Our relationship‐centric and case management approach is designed to be flexible and responsive to

client needs. The program provides wraparound technical assistance services to meet participants

where they are and build a long term foundation for their business. Technical assistance services

range anywhere from understanding basic costs, business operations and accounting processes, to

hands on assistance with complex bidding, estimating systems and construction software training.

The training center utilizes internal resources/expertise and leverages existing external resources

available in the industry and community to meet participants needs. Eligible participants include

MWESB contractors and professional service firms (consulting, general, architecture and engineering).

The TAP center operates its small business development program through 3 key services, below is a

description of the services showing how certified firms and Partners can engage and find value in our

services. All of the services below come at a cost and are not included in the annual cost of

membership/partnership.

Referral and Outreach

For certified firms: We help owners get a better understanding of the industry and direct them to

opportunities to grow and scale while informing certified firms of opportunities that exist to work on

projects and connecting them to project owners. For firms interested in working on public projects,

we interview owners to understand their capacity and expertise, assessing their needs and connecting

them to mentors and technical assistance. We help new or uncertified contractors to gather needed

documentation and assist in their COBID certification process. We also help them navigate doing

business with public agencies and connect them to bid opportunities and provide access to RFP

response assistance.

For Partners: PBDG can provide DMWESB outreach coordination services. Some scope services include

the following: email, phone and social media outreach MWESB firms statewide, we provide

opportunities for sub tier contractors to work with larger subs by identifying scopes of work that could

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be attractive for small firms through targeted matching. We match up available work scope with

expertise of the subcontractors, planning assistance and setup for pre‐bid meetings, payment

mediation services and outreach to workforce and pre‐apprenticeship programs identified for diversity

placements. PBDG will also work with your team and assist in the preparation of a dashboard for

updates to developer for purposes of sharing with the client, community partners, minority chambers,

and trade association partners as needed.

PBDG Protege/Mentorship Model

PBDG is providing a protege/mentorship learning model utilizing 2 anchor strategies: one on one

advising services and a mentorship cohort. Areas of focus include construction project management

and reporting, accounting, financial management and billing, construction bidding, sales and software,

construction estimating and software, navigating contractor and regulatory requirements, recruiting,

hiring, training and retaining qualified employees, bonding and access to capital, Union and workforce

requirements.

For Certified Firms: Initial assessment of the firm will help identify business weaknesses and divide

them into three tiers: Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced. Intermediate and Advanced contractors

who have work experience on a public project will be enrolled in the PBDG mentor/protege program.

This 2 year program is modeled after established Protege programs like the Port’s but is moderate in the

intensity of engagement required from owners and mentors. Participants will meet for 2 hours every

month, one hour individually with PBDG staff and one hour with assigned mentor. Mentorship meetings

will be cohort style in groups of 3. While participants will not have assigned “homework”, they will need

to demonstrate follow through on tasks or conversations with their mentors.

This mentor‐protege model is ideal for businesses who have been selected for project specific

mentorship opportunities facilitated by PBDG, were not accepted into the more established PDCP or

Port program or cannot devote the time to participate in the more intensive programs but are in need

of mentorship. Graduates from the PBDG program would also be ideal candidates of the afore

mentioned intensive learning opportunities.

For Partners: Mentorship pairing is limited to general contractors. The PBDG mentor protege program

is available to partners in 2 different ways. Partners can have staff members sign up to be mentors for

certified firms. If a staff member is not knowledgeable in all the areas of learning required by the

protege, they can invite another member of their team to be present at the meeting to handle that

specific topic. Partners also have the option to contract with PBDG for project specific

mentor‐protege. In this case, the sponsoring partner will provide the mentorship and will also indicate

the firms that it wishes to mentor. We will enhance the Partner’s jobsite mentorship with structured

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one one advising to address business weaknesses that we uncover in our assessments. We will be able

to provide milestones and measured improvements that firms show as a result of their participation

in your specific program. If you choose to help your subcontractors purchase software, we have

arranged some discounts and can help facilitate that through this program.

Training curriculum

PBDG has a training curriculum of over 70 classes tailored to meet the needs of different business

owner skills ranging from beginner, intermediate to advanced.

For certified firms: Class curriculum is subdivided into Healthy Business curriculum that addresses the

business management side of a business and Project Management curriculum that builds the business

owner’s project management skills. Classes are designed such that if a business owner where to follow

the curriculum through the 9 months of learning for their assigned tier, they would emerge a well

rounded contractor. In most cases, business owners may just need to take classes to shore up any

identified weakness in project management or business operations. It is advised that owners take the

classes designed specifically for their stage in business.

For Partners: The Class curriculum offers partners 2 ways to engage directly with certified firms.

Partners can teach a class or sponsor a class. The sponsorship brochure offers opportunity for partners

to subsidize the cost of the classes for each business person as a direct program investment. Partners

can also choose to add access to class curriculum as part of their project specific mentorship offering

or send contractors on their jobsites to PBDG classes while covering the cost of the subcontractor’s

class registration.

Attached are copies of the class curriculum and sponsorship brochure. General Contractors are

encouraged to teach project management classes. If your firm is teaching a class on a particular topic,

it is expected that you have 2 class options; one for beginner and one for advanced. Class topics

available in the curriculum were identified based on community need. If you would like to change the

topic or the content of the class to match a need that you have identified, please let us know. We are

open to discussion.

We appreciate the opportunity to work with you and are looking to add value to your process as well.

If there are reporting data tracking your investment in our organization that you would like us to

maintain, please inform us at the beginning of your engagement with us. Thank you for your

consideration, we look forward to working with you.

Sincerely,

Kenechi Onyeagusi, Executive Director

21

APPENDIX 3: CONERSTONE’S HEALTHY HOMES & HOUSING

HERO INITIATIVES

EXHIBIT 1: BIBLIOTECH

BIBLIOTECH: CLOSING THE GAP BETWEEN TRADITIONAL AND DIGITAL LITERACY

From Laura Cole, Director

Bibliotech Bexar County

I recently attended a committee

meeting of the Texas State Library and

Archives Commission. I listened as a

librarian from a small municipal library

bemoaned the fact that Stephen King

cannot write another book because

she simply does not have the shelf

space for another 800 page tome.

Her weeding process is sound. She

maximizes every inch of every square

foot in her library. She has designed

and redesigned her floor space to capitalize on every nook and cranny available to her. Still, she is forced to make

decisions about the growth and development of her collection based upon arbitrary criteria that may not satisfy

her patrons.

My mind immediately ran through all the weighty concerns that we, at BiblioTech, deal with every day ‐ those

things that keep me awake at night. I thought about our programming development, our outreach, our registration

efforts and our technology demands. I thought about our community partnerships, our school and senior citizen

collaborations and our literacy initiatives. I thought about library accessibility for the disabled, the disadvantaged

and the incarcerated. Finally, I thought about how immeasurably grateful I am that I can devote all of my concern

and attention to these issues, and never have to worry about managing floor space.

The first all digital public library in the US

Bexar County boasts a population of 1.7 million, with the City of San Antonio the largest municipality within its

borders. For decades, Bexar County has partnered with the city of San Antonio and San Antonio Public Library to

provide library services to those residents outside the city limits. SAPL is comprised of 28 beautiful branch libraries

dispersed throughout the city. Residents in suburbs and unincorporated areas are able to use branch libraries

and enjoy borrowing privileges free of charge in exchange for the county’s financial contribution to SAPL’s annual

budget. Confronted with explosive growth on its perimeter, however, Bexar County recognized that its residents

were moving farther away from existing municipal branches, and in large numbers. As distance increased, access

to library services correspondingly decreased. The current service model was no longer meeting our needs as it

had in the past. We needed a library solution that would overcome the barrier of geography.

26

The question of library services needed to be reframed. If...then...what? "If we want to provide cost effective

library service to patrons geographically distanced from the library then…what is the solution?" For Bexar County

Judge Nelson Wolff, the answer was a matter of logic. The solution was to invest in a library that is neither defined,

nor confined, by physical space; a library stored in the cloud – an all‐digital library. If the library patron cannot go

to the library, then we must bring the library to the patron.

Wolff is the visionary behind BiblioTech, the first all‐digital public library in the United States. It was created, not

for the sake of being "first" at anything, but as a logical solution to a growing problem. Wolff envisioned a

complementary library to the existing system; a library laser‐focused in its mission, and one that would deliver

more for less.

Overcoming challenges

Being first isn’t easy. There are no models to replicate, no best practices to follow. If there is any to be had, the

confidence normally offered by research and planning, ends up looking more like mildly mitigated risk, and the

only presenting certainty is that it will be a bumpy road rife with failures, great and small, and unlimited course

corrections.

Bexar County was taking a definite risk and we knew it. Despite the conceptual common sense behind an all‐

digital library, even the most glaringly obvious of solutions can meet with resistance. While academia has

embraced digital libraries, the public at large has been slow to accept the idea. Projects that attempted to replace

paper collections with digital collections had been categorically rejected in the past. The concept was far too

threatening for the average library patron, and, as we would soon learn, some library professionals, as well. Past

efforts had failed, in part, because the public simply was not ready. In the fast‐paced world of technology,

however, even three or four years can mean the difference between universal product acceptance and product

rejection; between success and failure. In 2013, the opportunity was ripe and Bexar County was prepared to ride

the technology momentum. County officials acted on the assumption that the timing was right for an all‐digital

public library.

An essential element of BiblioTech’s acceptance can be attributed to the fact that it was a new, complementary,

library system, rather than a replacement. Bexar County had never operated a library system, and, therefore, had

no paper books to transition or abandon. BiblioTech offered the public more content, without forcing them to

surrender any of their existing service, or any beloved paper. We began from a position of strength. We were also

intentional about our communication to the public. As singular as it was, it was critical for BiblioTech to establish

its mission from the outset, and communicate it well. We were clear that our library would be mission driven.

“Provide all Bexar County residents technology access to enhance literacy and education, promote reading as

recreation and equip residents of our community with necessary tools to thrive as citizens of the digital age.”

BiblioTech is built on the foundational pillars of resources, access and education. All three are interdependent and

none carries real substance without the other two. Technology is embedded in every function of our lives, but

education is the key to making it work. All library programming is framed around a technology component, with

library content and resources as the backbone to support

27

Bexar County is faced with a significant digital divide. Our inaugural branch is located in the heart of the south side

of San Antonio where it is estimated that 70% of homes do not have a broadband Internet connection and where

100% of school district students receive free lunch. Residents, all too familiar with the disadvantage, and eager

for a solution, were ready to give the county’s remedy a try. Within a span of 11 months, BiblioTech opened its

doors to the public on September 14, 2013.

Why does a digital library need a physical space?

Our digital library is available and free of charge to all with the benefit of Internet access and electronic devices.

What about those unable to afford such luxuries? We recognized that technology access would be critical to

BiblioTech’s success. Branch libraries would be needed to serve as technology access points in challenged areas

and we would need to provide a solution for patrons without the devices to support digital reading. Our digital

concept needed a physical partner, but one delivered in a more compact package. A typical branch library housing

10,000 books is will occupy 14,000‐15,000 square feet, most of which is dedicated to the stacks. Free from the

square footage required by paper books, BiblioTech’s inaugural branch found its home in a mere 4,800 square

feet of vacant space in a county‐owned building. Our second branch is smaller still, at only 2,100 sf. These physical

locations provide technology access where consumer buying power and Internet access are severely limited.

We offer free wi‐fi on state of the art computers, each with a full complement of iOS and Windows‐ compatible

software programs, a luxury for those living on limited means. The only things missing from our library, are shelves

filled with paper books. Instead, we download library content on e‐readers, which are externally circulated for a

two‐week period. To date, we have logged over 200,000 patron desktop sessions and over 44,822 e‐reader

circulations – numbers that attest to the dramatic need of the area. Digital technology is uniquely suited to meet

the reading needs of the blind and visually impaired. Recognizing the opportunity to serve this population, we

provide a full array of adaptive technology on‐site, providing accessibility to all of our resources. Our library

patrons enjoy a growing collection of over 150,000 e‐books and audio books, graphic novels, magazines and

newspapers, music, movies, language and active learning programs, ancestry and educational databases.

Libraries also serve an important social function in our communities. Libraries are a place where people can gather

in an edifying environment. Neither work nor home, libraries serve as key hubs for learning, meeting and sharing.

Libraries are community resource centers and access points. BiblioTech serves these critical functions, also.

Within our lean footprint we can offer classes, provide meeting space, school tutoring and children's reading

programs. We have study rooms for group projects, a reading lounge, a cafe with light refreshments available and

a community room for meetings and a dedicated children’s room.

A library or a computer store?

Our branch libraries can be a bit confounding for the first time patron. In appearance, they are a stark departure

from the typical library the patron expects to see. The first thing that patrons notice is the lack of shelves filled

with books. Almost simultaneously, patrons are dazzled by long banks of sleek, large‐screen computers in a

glistening, high‐tech, reading room. Nelson Wolff came to his political career from a background in retail. He was

adamant the library space should send a strong visual message; one that would communicate investment in the

28

community. His belief in the core value of outstanding customer service shaped both the physical design of the

library and service of the staff.

Upon entering the library, patrons are met at the door by a uniformed staff member ready to greet them.

Staff members are available to provide tours and an orientation to first time library users who may be

uncomfortable or unfamiliar with the new surroundings. The circulation desk and office area are intentionally

small so that it is uncomfortable for management or staff to spend too much time away from the reading room

floor – away from patrons. There is no reference desk in the library. Instead, staff members circulate throughout

the space, regularly. Staff movement held an unanticipated boon. Organically, patrons began to raise their hands

whenever they had questions or needed assistance. They were not forced to leave their seats or their work to ask

for help. This “classroom” rubric has become a regular part of the BiblioTech culture.

The most exciting thing about our library spaces, is that our staff is free from the miscellaneous duties associated

with paper book maintenance – shelving, filing, etc. and can dedicate their time to direct patron service. Ours is a

much more interactive environment than the traditional bricks and mortar library. Our staff spend the vast

majority of their time providing one‐on‐one instruction with patrons; teaching them how to use devices, how to

source materials, how to download books, etc. Most importantly, they are about the business of building

relationships with patrons.

Digital opens doors – literally

We encourage library patrons to visit our branches. They are beautiful facilities and a genuine source of pride for

their neighborhoods. They provide essential technology access and connectivity for those without.

But, perhaps, BiblioTech’s true elegance and its most significant distinction lies in the fact that, for many, the

buildings are superfluous to the library. Information accessibility is no longer limited to those able to be physically

present “at” the library. As we explore the ramifications, everything we have ever thought about the library turns

on its head. The paradigm shift means that rather than a library being the destination, the patron becomes the

destination for information. The result is an inverted service model that incites a renewed exploration of how the

library can feature in daily life. It prompts a critical survey to identify and address library service voids created

solely by physical limitations.

The paradigm shift extends further. When we change the landscape from paper to digital, we must also reframe

our understanding of the roles of library and librarian. If it is not confined by the physical, the library is no longer

the keeper of information, but, rather, the liberator – no longer the preserver but the cultivator. Likewise the

librarian is freed from paper book maintenance and floorspace management. Just as the library ceases to be a

storehouse, the librarian ceases to be a custodian. The librarian, instead, takes on the more active role of

navigator, helping the patron maneuver the vast sea of information and discern what is valuable.

Moving outside of ourselves

A digital library affords an aggressive approach to service not available to libraries encumbered by volumes of

paper. To manage a digital library in the same way as a traditional library is to miss the mark. At BiblioTech we

29

focus on outreach ‐ bringing the library to the public. We believe that reading should be in your hands ‐ not behind

our walls, and we will make every effort to ensure that happens.

A focal position on our staff is a full time Community Outreach Coordinator. This position is responsible for

arranging outside presentations for school and community groups, scheduling instructional visits at senior living

centers, and participating in local conventions and festivals. The Coordinator also arranges field trips and tours for

groups in our library and fosters partnerships with local businesses and service agencies.

Since opening, BiblioTech has participated in 1,112 community events, reached 75,840 community members and

registered over 38,045 patrons through community outreach efforts.

Digital doesn’t “feel” like paper

It is difficult for people to wrap their minds around the "virtual." Our senses communicate reality. Sight, touch

and smell all help us to interpret our world. The inability to touch the pages of a digital book makes the concept

of a digital library that much harder to understand, and, by extension, patronize. BiblioTech takes marketing very

seriously. We are shameless self‐promoters. At every community event we attend, we give away merchandise

emblazoned with our logo. In addition to pens, pencils, water bottles, t‐shirts temporary tattoos and screen

cleaning cloths, we also sell thumb drives, coffee mugs, tote bags and ear buds. We also make full use of

augmented reality in our library. "Techolote" (owl) is our library mascot and serves as a site key or QR code for

our augmented reality application. Simply hovering over the image with a tablet or smart phone instantly takes

the patron to a screen of BiblioTech options including registration, library catalog, webpage and social networking.

Our Techolote image can be found on bumper stickers, window clings and will soon be prominently featured in

local grocery stores. With a little assistance from Techolote, the library will be impossible to avoid

Expanding along the way

We quickly realized that BiblioTech could serve the County internally as well as externally. The tax dollars invested

in BiblioTech on behalf our county residents could stretch further by supporting County operations as well. The

justice system is a core function of county business with over 40% of the county budget dedicated to its service,

including county courts and jail operations. Incarceration is costly and recidivism is all too common. It goes

without saying that it is in the best interest of both the county and the taxpayer to foster skills to support

successful re‐entry for inmates.

MATCH (Mothers and Their Children) Program

In cooperation with the Bexar County Sheriff, BiblioTech launched a reading program for incarcerated mothers in

the jail. Books on subjects such as parenting, self‐improvement, job skills and devotional reading are loaded on

to e‐reading devices and distributed to the inmates for independent reading. A BiblioTech staff member joins the

group to lead a weekly book study.

This program, also a first in Texas, has been extremely successful in building reading skills among the inmates. A

teenage child of one of the participants reported he had never before seen his mother engage in any kind of

positive activity, and he was excited that she was developing an enthusiasm for books.

30

Juvenile Detention

Similarly, we have partnered with the juvenile detention center. Juvenile detainees are universally registered for

library cards, and probation officers use material downloaded from BiblioTech's catalog to motivate learning and

mitigate the interruption in their education. When juveniles leave the facility, they do so as registered library

patrons with new educational resources at their fingertips.

By supporting the students with library services as juveniles, we aim to provide them with a vision of personal

potential that precludes future involvement with law enforcement and corrections.

Adult Probationers

BiblioTech support of the county justice system does not end with detention. In partnership with Bexar County

Adult Probation, BiblioTech provides basic technology education for adults re‐entering civilian life as post

detainees. Probation officers carefully screen candidates for suitability and potential for success. Each student,

as a condition of participation, signs a code of conduct outlining rules for the program including clear behavior

and attendance expectations. Students learn basic computer skills such as creating and saving files, basic search

skills and resume building. At the end of the six‐week program, each student receives a library cared and a

certificate that recognizes successful completion and skill achievement. The class provides a much‐needed “leg

up” in securing employment and the certificate can be used to demonstrate personal commitment and

achievement to potential employers.

Central Jury Room

BiblioTech is entirely scalable and can find a home in a variety of iterations. In January 2014, we opened a satellite

"branch" in the Central Jury room of the County courthouse. Roughly 400 unique visitors are called for jury duty

every day. We have a small circulation desk, a self‐service kiosk and on‐site staff available to register patrons for

our service, teach about our resources, and circulate reading devices should jurors find themselves trapped for

several hours without a good book.

With the assistance of the Chief Central Jury Bailiff, BiblioTech registration information has been included on the

formal jury summons. Along with directions for reporting, transportation and parking, the potential juror will

receive instructions on how to become a BiblioTech patron, making jury duty a much more palatable experience.

We receive positive feedback on this service every week from grateful jurors, many of whom, become regular

BiblioTech users.

BiblioTech EDU

Educational support outside of the library walls was the driving force behind BiblioTech EDU, our partnership with

14 school districts in Bexar County. A yearlong campaign, dedicated to the implementation of BiblioTech EDU,

yielded impressive results. BiblioTech donated 520 reading devices to middle schools and high schools throughout

Bexar County. During the 2014‐2015 academic year, our Outreach staff conducted library presentations and

registered over 25,000 student library patrons. 58 Bexar County schools now enjoy expanded libraries through

the integration of BiblioTech. BiblioTech EDU also serves as a teacher resource portal on our website.and is the

31

name of our newest iteration of BiblioTech – a public school library / public library hybrid. BiblioTech EDU will

open as our fourth branch in the spring of 2021, located on the shared campus of three public high schools in San

Antonio.

Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA)

Bexar County is home to three military bases, struggling under constrained federal budgets. Bexar County was

able to provide relief for base libraries by engaging in a partnership which allows BiblioTech access to base

residents through donated reading devices and on‐site kiosks. BiblioTech staff trained base librarians to assist

residents with registration, utilization of resources and content download.

San Antonio Housing Authority Partnership

BiblioTech’s scalability allowed us to establish our second branch library in 2,100 sf. of commercial space in a San

Antonio Housing Authority development. In July of 2015, BiblioTech West opened its doors to the public as a

“storefront” library in the Gardens of San Juan Housing Development. Demographics within a three‐mile radius of

The Gardens at San Juan Square reveal a population that is sorely disadvantaged both financially and

educationally. [1]

Within a Three Mile Radius

of the San Juan Housing

Project

Bexar County

Median Household

Income

$24,973 $49,141

Median Value of Home $86,449 $122,600

Percentage with a Four

Year College Degree

4% 26%

Percentage Latino and

African American

95% 67%

Persons per Household 3.64 2.82

Within the three‐mile radius lie two major high schools: Lanier and Burbank. These two school also show

magnified impairments compared to the state:[2]

32

Lanier HS Burbank HS Statewide Average

SAT Average 1185 1287 1422

ACT Average 16.3 18.6 20.5

Embedding the public library within public housing is another yet another example of the versatility that digital

libraries offer. For those on living on limited means, library resources, essentially delivered to the home, is life‐

changing.

1 U. S. Census Bureau 2013 Estimate. 2Texas Education Agency, 2012‐2013 School Report Card

Assessing Community Impact ‐ UTSA

In fall, 2015, BiblioTech found a symbiotic partner in research students at the University of Texas San Antonio.

University of Texas at San Antonio’s College of Education and Human Development chose BiblioTech as the subject

of a semester long research project. The research focused on BiblioTech’s effect on student life and student

achievement in the local community.

Over the course of 4 months, doctoral students sought to establish 1) whether or not a relationship exists between

the use of BiblioTech services and improved reading achievement among middle and high school students and 2)

what do students value about the all‐digital library.

The researchers found there is a positive relationship between the use of BiblioTech and reading achievement

among its middle and high school patrons. The second portion of the research, conducted through focus groups

and student surveys, found that computer use for homework, computer gaming, e‐book reading for fun and

homework, programming and studying or “hanging out” were the most popular services and uses of BiblioTech

among the young students.

The published results of the study have proven beneficial to BiblioTech as supporting data to strengthen the case

for digital libraries and future grant applications. Future research studies will include all BiblioTech sites, as well

as examine the role of gaming activities and literary achievement.

Connect Home/Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

BiblioTech has assumed an active role in the multi‐agency, federal, Connect Home initiative. The Department of

Housing and Urban Development (HUD), is collaborating with private and public‐sector leaders to build local

partnerships and gather commitments that will increase access to the Internet for low‐income Americans. These

partnerships will bring broadband, technical assistance, and digital literacy training to students living in public and

33

assisted housing across America. (“Fact Sheet Connect Home” n.d.) For its part, BiblioTech is currently providing

digital literacy education in the five identified public housing projects in San Antonio.

VIA Ride & Read

In the fall of 2016, we launched another partnership, this time with our local transit authority. VIA Metropolitan

Transit operates busses seven days a week on 90 bus routes, providing 44 million rides across the region. Last

year, VIA announced free wireless Internet service throughout its entire fleet and facilities. The new service

creates a perfect opportunity for BiblioTech to co‐brand and establish visible presence throughout the county.

BiblioTech installed self‐service kiosks at six major transit stations. The kiosks allowed waiting passengers to

browse our e‐book and audio book collection, register on‐site and begin enjoying library privileges immediately.

Regular BiblioTech patrons can visit our website to access collections by using our library mascot owl “Techolote,”

prominently featured in co‐branded advertisements and signage on city busses.

This year, we have plans to increase visibility and access through the installation of kiosks at five more transit

stations throughout the city. We also plan to develop a commuter landing page, providing easy, instant access to

select content, available through a geo‐located, simultaneous use platform.

University Health System

Technology allows us to spread wide, but we cannot afford to spread thin. In December, 2016, we partnered with

the county funded University Health System. Similar to Ride and Read, we installed a self‐service kiosk in a public

area of the hospital. In order to provide the robust support that has become a signature of BiblioTech, we needed

to enlist the help of on‐site staff. BiblioTech Outreach staff trained a dedicated team of hospital volunteers to

assist patients and visitors with registration, utilization of resources and content download. This “train the trainer”

model allows us to cast a wider net for patron service while ensuring sustainability. It has also become the staple

format as we expand to other UHS clinics and areas of the county.

BiblioTech East

2018 saw the opening of our third library branch, located in a resurrected public housing development on San

Antonio’s eastside. This location is unique in that is the focus of significant neighborhood reinvestment. A HUD

Choice Neighborhood Initiative (CNI) Grant was allocated to San Antonio Housing Authority to demolish the

distressed Wheatley Courts housing complex and transform the area into a mixed‐income community. In 2014, the

neighborhood received a federal Promise Zone designation, which allows entities to receive special consideration

in applying for federal grants. The purpose of the designation is to revitalize distressed communities by partnering

with local organizations and businesses to create jobs, increase economic security, reduce poverty, expand

educational opportunities, increase access to quality, affordable housing and improve public safety. BiblioTech’s

goal to provide digital resources, digital access and digital education is well aligned to these initiatives and is a

perfect fit within this environment. BiblioTech East occupies 4, 200 sf. in the rebuilt East Meadows Housing

34

Development. It features a digital reading room, two study rooms, a community room, designated children’s area

and makers’ space.

Wi‐Fi Hot Spots In another aggressive effort to live into our mission and bridge Bexar County’s divide, BiblioTech offers a wi‐fi hot

spot circulation program. in summer of 2017, we began our pilot program with 50 unlimited data hot spots

available for circulation at each of BiblioTech’s branches. The hot spots can support up to 8 devices within a

household and are checked out for a two‐week period. Entire families will be able to benefit from one device,

making things like on‐line job searches, homework, banking and live streaming available to all, regardless of zip

code.

Looking ahead

I don’t know what BiblioTech will look like in ten years, but I can say, with confidence, it will look very different

than it does today. Technology advances demand transformation and we will comply, willingly. As much as we

will try to be successful with each and every initiative, we will, most likely, lay an egg from time to time. If I have

learned nothing else over the past seven years, it is that the occasional failure is not a bad thing. In the absence

of existing models to use as yardsticks, BiblioTech is free to make its own rules, to test its own boundaries, to try

and fail gloriously. In the interest of ambition, we could be easily be sidetracked. Temptations to divert our focus

from library to “technology center” have been many. Indeed, this difference is often difficult to discern as the

lines between traditional and digital literacy become increasingly blurred. These blurred lines are precisely the

ones that BiblioTech endeavors to cross. With so many opportunities available to us, there will undoubtedly be

those we pursue with the best of intentions, only to find that they are impractical or untenable. We will do our

best to use our own experience as the litmus test, but our ambition may still overreach our capacity. As BiblioTech

grows in presence throughout Bexar County, concerns about its development will continue to weigh heavily on

my mind in the wee hours of the morning. I will continue to lose sleep. I will toss and turn, not because I am

unable to find room for more shelves, but because I'm struggling to find exactly the right staff person to lead the

book club for women at the jail. I think that's a concern worthy of sleep deprivation.

References

Data and Statistics about the United States, (n.d.). Retrieved May 2, 2015 from

https://www.usa.gov/statistics

FACT SHEET: ConnectHome: Coming Together to Ensure Digital Opportunity for All Americans. (2015). Retrieved

June 14, 2016, from https://www.whitehouse.gov/the‐press‐office/2015/07/15/fact‐sheet‐connecthome‐

coming‐together‐ensure‐digital‐opportunity‐all

School Report Cards. (n.d.). Retrieved May 2, 2015, from http://tea.texas.gov/perfreport/src/index.htm

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