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WE'LL TRANSITION[FY 2023 Budget Workshop: Department of Neighborhoods ]
TO DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS AND THEIR WORKSHOP.AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO WELCOME DIRECTOR KARSHA FRANCIS AND HERBERT SIMS TO THE PODIUM.
THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR SHOWING UP OFFICIALLY.
GOOD AFTERNOON, DIRECTOR FRANCIS.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. CHAIR, MAYOR PRO TIM, AS WELL AS THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS AND REPRESENTATIVES, OUR MAYOR IN HIS ABSENCE, AS WELL AS THOSE WHO ARE VIEWING BY HTV AND OUR PUBLIC SPEAKERS TODAY.
I AM TASHA FRANCIS, THE PROUD DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON, AND I'M HERE TO DISCUSS OUR PROPOSED DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS FY 23 OPERATING BUDGET.
NOW, BEFORE I DO THAT, I WANNA FIRST OF ALL ACKNOWLEDGE THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS WHO COULD NOT BE HERE TODAY, BUT PROVIDE EXCELLENT, STELLAR SERVICE TO HOUSTONIANS EVERY SINGLE DAY.
MY PERSONAL MESSAGE TO THEM, AS I TELL THEM OFTEN IS HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE THEIR PROFESSIONALISM, THEIR FLEXIBILITY, AND THEIR ABILITY TO DO SO MUCH WITH SO LITTLE.
BUT I'VE MOSTLY APPRECIATE THAT THEY ARE TRUE PUBLIC SERVANTS.
SO THANK YOU GUYS FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO.
OF COURSE, NO TEAM IS COMPLETE WITHOUT LEADERSHIP.
AND I WANT TO START OFF BY ACKNOWLEDGING SOME OF OUR LEADERSHIP TODAY.
TO MY IMMEDIATE RIGHT IS ONE OF MY ASSISTANT DIRECTORS, MR. HERBERT SIMS, WHO IS ALSO OUR FINANCE MANAGER.
I'D LIKE TO ASK THE FOLLOWING LEADERS TO ALSO STAND, AS I CALL THEIR NAMES, OUR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, MR. REGGIE HARRIS, WHO IS PRESENT WITH US, WHO OVERSEES OUR INSPECTIONS AND PUBLIC SERVICES DIVISION.
OUR FINANCE MANAGER HAS ALREADY BEEN ACKNOWLEDGED.
OUR PIO ANGELINA BEHILL IS BEHIND YOU ALL, TAKING WONDERFUL PICTURES THAT YOU'LL SEE LATER ON IN OUR SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS.
MR. MARK CUEVA IS OUR SENIOR STAFF ANALYST, WHO IS ALSO PRESIDENT, UH, PRESENT WITH US, MS. MALANEY MORRIS AND JOEL LARE ARE OUR ADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATORS IN THE DIRECTOR'S OFFICE.
AND NOW ONTO OUR DIVISION MANAGERS WHO ARE ALSO PRESENT.
MS. RHONDA SOLDER, DIVISION MANAGER OF THE MAYOR'S ASSISTANCE OFFICE, MR. VICTOR GONZALEZ, WHO IS THE DIVISION MANAGER OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF GANG PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION, MR. TERRANCE O'NEILL, DIVISION MANAGER OF THE OFFICE OF NEW AMERICANS AND IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, MR. PAUL GREEN, THE OFFICE OF NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT.
THESE LEADERS ARE TO BE COMMENDED, AND I THANK THEM FOR BEING PARTNERS WITH ME EVERY SINGLE DAY AS WE DELIVER THESE SERVICES TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
WE BEGIN TODAY'S PRESENTATION WITH A SNAPSHOT OF OUR FUNCTIONAL ORGANIZATIONAL CHART.
AS YOU'LL NOTICE, THIS CHART INCLUDES BOTH PERSONNEL AND OPERATIONAL EXPENDITURES TO COMPLY WITH THE PERFORMANCE BASED BUDGET CRITERIA AND FORMAT.
OUR DIVISIONS AND EXPENDITURES ARE PLACED INTO SEVERAL PROGRAMS. YOU'LL ALSO NOTICE A SUBTLE CHANGE IN OUR PROGRAM TITLES.
FIRST, WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF GANG PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION, WHICH HOUSES OUR ANTI-GANG PROGRAMMING AND GRANT FUNDED AUXILIARY PROGRAMS SUCH AS GANG VICTIMS, FEDERAL GRANT PROGRAM, EARLY INTERVENTION SERVICES, AND HARRIS COUNTY PROBATION GANG INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION PROGRAM.
YOU'LL ALSO SEE THAT WE'VE ADDED THE OFFICE OF NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT.
THIS OFFICE WAS CREATED BY TRANSFERRING FIVE FTES OUT OF THE DIRECTOR'S OFFICE.
THERE IS NO ADDITIONAL COST, AND IT IS FOCUSED PRIMARILY ON THE DEPARTMENT'S COMMUNITY PROGRAMMING AND CIVIC PARTICIPATION.
THE PROGRAMS HOUSED IN THIS DIVISION INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO COMPLETE COMMUNITIES UNIVERSITY, THE MAYOR'S YOUTH COUNCIL VOLUNTEER
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INITIATIVES, A MONTH OF SERVICE PROGRAM, THE UPCOMING SIGN BUSTERS PROGRAM, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN AND NEIGHBORHOOD MATCHING GRANTS.NOW, THE DEPARTMENTAL PROGRAMMING FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS HOUSES FOUR MAJOR SERVICE AREAS, RESIDENTIAL CODE ENFORCEMENT, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND NEIGHBORHOOD INITIATIVES, CITIZENSHIP ASSISTANCE AND LANGUAGE ACCESS, AND GANG PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION SERVICES.
NOW, EACH SLIDE WILL OUTLINE OUR MAJOR SERVICES, THE STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS, ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL GRANT FUNDED SUPPORT, AND THEN THE FINANCIAL AND OR SOCIETAL IMPACT FOR EACH SERVICE.
NOW FOR BREVITY, I WILL TOUCH ON THE SERVICE AND THE FINANCIAL AND SOCIETAL IMPACT, AND I WILL REFERENCE FUNDING WHEN APPLICABLE, BUT I WILL STAND OPEN FOR ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE THEM.
THEREAFTER, STARTING WITH THE RESIDENTIAL CODE ENFORCEMENT DIVISION, THIS IS OUR LARGEST AND MOST OUTWARD FACING DIVISION.
PLEASE NOTE THE STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS AND GRANT FUNDING LISTED.
THIS YEAR, WE HAVE 26 CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND, UH, INSPECTOR POSITIONS BUDGETED ON THE GENERAL FUND.
43 CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER AND INSPECTOR POSITIONS ARE BUDGETED UNDER CDBG GRANT FUNDS.
HOWEVER, IN FISCAL YEAR 22, WE WERE GREATLY AFFECTED BY AN INCREASE INTERNAL.
AND SO CURRENTLY WE HAVE A 19% VACANCY RATE ON THE GENERAL FUND AND A 28% VACANCY RATE, INCLUDING GRANT FUNDS.
SO WHAT WE HAVE IS A TOTAL OF 69 BUDGETED CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER POSITIONS THAT EQUATES TO 50 BOOTS ON THE GROUND AND 19 VACANCIES.
WHEN WE LOOK AT THE FINANCIAL NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
WHEN WE LOOK AT THE FINANCIAL, UH, AND SOCIETAL IMPACT OF, UH, THIS PARTICULAR SERVICE AREA, RESIDENTIAL CODE ENFORCEMENT CARRIES BOTH FINANCIAL AND SOCIETAL IMPACTS.
BLIGHT SUCH AS DILAPIDATED STRUCTURES, HIGH WEEDS AND JUNK MOTOR VEHICLES CONTINUE TO POSE A MAJOR THREAT TO PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY.
SOCIETAL IMPACTS INCLUDES SAFER, HEALTHIER COMMUNITIES WITH LESS CRIME, URBAN DECAY, AND INCREASES ECONOMIC VITALITY AND OPPORTUNITY.
THE FINANCIAL IMPACTS OF CODE ENFORCEMENT MIRROR THOSE SOCIAL IMPACTS AND ALSO INCLUDE A LOWERED MAINTENANCE COST FOR THESE BLIGHTED PROPERTIES, INCREASED PROPERTY VALUES AND TAX COLLECTIONS.
HOWEVER, THE RISING COST TO ABATE BLIGHTED PROPERTIES DUE TO MORE EXPENSIVE LABOR AND SUPPLIES, INCLUDING FUEL PRIMARILY MAY INCREASE THE CITY'S EXPENSES.
OUR NEXT SERVICE AREA IS GANG PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION, WHICH IS HOUSED WITHIN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF GANG PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION.
MOST NOTABLY, THIS DIVISION OVERSEE PROGRAMS THAT PROMOTE AWARENESS, BUILD RESISTANCE SKILLS, AND EDUCATE ON THE DANGERS OF GANG INVOLVEMENT AND JUVENILE DELINQUENCY.
PLEASE NOTE THE STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS AND THE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT AND IMPACT.
THE NEXT SERVICE AREA IS OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND NEIGHBORHOOD INITIATIVES.
THESE TWO, THIS AREA REFERS TO TWO OF OUR AREAS, THE MAYOR'S ASSISTANCE OFFICE AND THE OFFICE OF NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT.
PLEASE TAKE NOTE OF THE STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS AND ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL SUPPORT.
NOW, OF COURSE, AS WE'VE NOTED PREVIOUSLY, WE CHANGED THE MAYOR'S ASSISTANCE OFFICE, UH, FROM THE MAYOR'S CITIZENS ASSISTANCE OFFICE TO BE MORE INCLUSIVE OF ALL RESIDENTS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
I'M VERY PROUD OF OUR ONE OF A KIND COLLABORATION OF WORKSHOPS AND COMMUNITY PROGRAM THROUGH THE OFFICE OF NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT.
AND I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS MOMENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE OUR CITIZENSHIP ASSISTANCE AND LANGUAGE ACCESS SERVICES THROUGH THE OFFICE OF NEW AMERICANS AND IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES.
AND IT IS A THRIVING PROGRAM THAT IS UTILIZED THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND A MAJOR COMPONENT OF CITIZENSHIP ASSISTANCE.
NOW, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE FINANCIAL AND SOCIETAL IMPACT OF ALL THREE OF THESE SERVICE DELIVERY AREAS, SOCIAL PROGRAMMING SUCH AS YOUTH PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION SERVICES, SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS AND CITIZENSHIP ASSISTANCE INCREASE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, PUBLIC AWARENESS AND EDUCATION, AND IT EMPOWERS COMMUNITIES TO ADVOCATE AND IMPROVE THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE.
WE SAW THAT IN THE LAST PRESENTATION.
THESE PROGRAMS PROVIDE SIMILAR FINANCIAL IMPACTS AS CODE ENFORCEMENT INDIRECTLY OVER TIME THROUGH IMPLEMENTATION OF THE VARIOUS PROGRAMMING AND SERVICES.
I BELIEVE MY COLLEAGUE, CHIEF SAMUEL PENA SAID IN HIS PRESENTATION, PREVENTION IS KEY.
SO THESE PROGRAMS ARE A WAY FOR US TO PREVENT SOME OF THE ISSUES BY PROVIDING APPROPRIATE EDUCATION TO THE COMMUNITIES THAT NEED THEM ON HOW TO BE GOOD NEIGHBORS AND HOW TO FOLLOW CITY PRO PROTOCOL AND PROGRAMS. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
NOW, AS WE LOOK AT THE ANTICIPATED GROWTH OR REDUCTION IN POPULATION SERVES AND HOW THAT ACTUALLY AFFECTS OUR BUDGET, WE'RE ALWAYS COGNIZANT OF HOW THAT WILL ALSO AFFECT OUR ABILITY TO DELIVER SERVICES.
NOW AS THE CITY GROWS, WE HAVE TO CONSIDER THESE
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CHALLENGES TO MAINTAIN A SERVICE LEVEL THAT'S NOT SUSTAINABLE WITH OUR CURRENT BUDGET.AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, RISING COSTS, PARTICULARLY IN LABOR AND SUPPLIES FUEL, THIS WILL AFFECT THE NUMBER OF ABATEMENTS THAT CAN BE COMPLETED WITHIN THE LIMITED BUDGET WE'VE BEEN GIVEN.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, AS WE PROCURE NEW LANDS AND GROUNDS MAINTENANCE AND DEBRIS REMOVAL CONTRACTS IN THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR, WE FACE FUEL COSTS THAT HAVE INCREASED 55% SINCE THE LAST CONTRACT PROCUREMENT IN 2018.
CURRENTLY, CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ARE EXPECTED TO INSPECT OVER ONE OVER 13 SQUARE MILES OUT OF A TOTAL OF 627 SQUARE MILES OF THE ENTIRE CITY.
AND OUR COMMUNITY LIAISONS AVERAGE 400,000 RESIDENTS BASED ON THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS THEY ARE REQUIRED TO GIVE SERVICES TO.
SO AS THE CITY CONTINUES TO INCREASE IN POPULATION, OUR BUDGETS WILL GET TIGHTER, THESE NUMBERS WILL GROW, AND OUR SERVICES WILL BE STRETCHED.
DON'S REVENUE IS PRIMARILY THE MONEY THAT WE COLLECT FROM LIENS FROM PROPERTY ABATEMENT.
SECTION 10 DASH 4 53 OF THE CITY'S MUNICIPAL CODE ALLOWS US TO PLACE LIENS ON PROPERTIES TO RECOUP THE CITY'S EXPENSES AS A RESULT OF DEMOLITIONS OF DANGEROUS BUILDINGS, WEED AND DEBRIS REMOVAL ON VACANT LOTS AND SECURING PROPERTIES, WE RECOUP THESE FUNDS EITHER FROM VOLUNTARY PAYMENT OR THE LEGAL PROCESS OF FORECLOSING ON THESE LIENS.
NOW, YOU'LL NOTICE IN THIS SLIDE A LARGE DECREASE IN REVENUE UNDER LICENSES AND PERMITS.
THE REASON FOR THAT IS THAT DAWN NO LONGER COLLECTS THE DEPOSIT FEES THAT WE PREVIOUSLY TRANSFERRED FROM HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS.
OUR REVENUE HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE A PROJECTED INCREASE IN FISCAL YEAR 23 REVENUE COLLECTION BY APPROXIMATELY 8% OVER FY 22 ESTIMATES.
THE CHANGE IS A PROJECTION BASED ON PANDEMIC RESTRICTIONS BEING EASED.
OUR CURRENT REVENUE COLLECTION IS BASED ON TREND ANALYSIS AS WELL AS EXTERNAL VARIABLES DUE TO PASSIVE COLLECTION METHODS.
LAST YEAR, WE PROJECTED OUR FY 22 EXPENDITURES TO BE AROUND $12.4 MILLION.
BASED ON THE MOST RECENT DATA WE PROJECT TO HIT THAT MARK.
OUR PROPOSED BUDGET FOR FY 23 INCLUDES FEW MINOR CHANGES, BUT OVERALL, THE PROPOSED BUDGET, WHICH INCLUDES A 1% OR 126,000 PERSONNEL BUDGET INCREASE FROM FY 22 ESTIMATES DUE TO HOPE ALLOWANCES AND HEALTHCARE AND PENSION OBLIGATIONS.
SO THAT IS THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IN WHAT WE ARE PRESENTING TODAY.
NOW THE NEXT SLIDE HERE PROVIDES A SNAPSHOT OF OUR PERSONNEL VERSUS NON-PERSONNEL EXPENDITURES.
IN THE FIRST CIRCLE GRAPH, YOU'LL NOTICE WE HAVE PERSONNEL EXPENDITURES AT 68% OF DON'S OVERALL BUDGET.
THE REMAINING 32 IN THE SECOND PIE GRAPH SHOWS OUR NON PERSONNEL SERVICES, WHICH INCLUDE MISCELLANEOUS SUPPORT SERVICES, SUPPLIES AND SERVICES LIKE COMPUTERS, PRINTING, PUBLICATIONS, UNIFORMS, DOCUMENT FILING SERVICES, AND THEN OF COURSE, RESTRICTED ACCOUNTS AS DETERMINED BY CENTRAL FINANCE, WHICH INCLUDE FUEL HEALTH INSURANCE, HR, CLIENT SERVICES, AND VEHICLE SERVICES.
NOW, SLIDE NUMBER 12 PROVIDES A DETAILED EXPLANATION OF OUR EXPENDITURE NET CHANGES.
ONE MAJOR CHANGE WAS $157,000 FOR HOPE ALLOWANCES AS WELL AS HEALTH BENEFITS AND A RESTRICTED ACCOUNT RETURN.
OVERALL, THERE IS LITTLE TO NO CHANGE FROM THE FY 22 OPERATING BUDGET BASED ON THE PROPOSED 2023 BUDGET OF 12.6 MILLION.
THE RECENT CHANGE HAS BEEN 1.9% FROM LAST YEAR'S BUDGET OR THE CURRENT BUDGET.
NOW, UNDER OUR EXPENDITURE HIGHLIGHTS, YOU'LL NOTICE THAT THERE IS A 15% INCREASE OF RESTRICTED ACCOUNTS.
THERE IS 2.3% REDUCTION IN OUR SUPPLIES AND SERVICE LINE ITEMS. AND THEN OF COURSE, AS I MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY, 68% OF DON'S OVERALL BUDGET IS ALLOCATED TO PERSONNEL EXPENSES.
THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
AND BEFORE WE MOVE TO Q AND A, WE'D JUST LIKE FOR YOU TO TAKE A MOMENT AT YOUR LEISURE TO INCLUDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IN THE APPENDICES FOR YOUR VIEWING AND ACCOMPLISHMENT.
I NOW STAND OPEN FOR YOUR QUESTIONS.
FIRST UP, WE WILL HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER MICHAEL KOSH.
COUNCIL MEMBER DIRECTOR FRANCIS.
AND YOUR VOICE IS EASY TO HEAR.
UH, WHERE ARE WE ON, ON TRYING TO GET THESE THINGS REMOVED? ARE WE WRITING TICKETS FOR THEM? ARE WE JUST PULLING THEM UP?
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WELL, I'M VERY GLAD THAT YOU ASKED THAT QUESTION.SO, UH, WHAT WE'VE DONE SINCE LAST YEAR, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, UH, REACHED OUT PERSONALLY AND WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT A VOLUNTEER BANDIT SIGN PROGRAM.
AND SO FOR THE LAST YEAR, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH HARRIS COUNTY SO THAT WE COULD COMBINE OUR EFFORTS AND KIND OF COME OUT OF THAT SILO MENTALITY TO DEVELOP A VOLUNTEER PROGRAM.
NOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS ACTUALLY HELD US UP IS THE FACT THAT THEIR BANDIT SIGN PROGRAM, OF COURSE, DEALS WITH THE ETJ WHEN THEY HAVE A DIFFERENT STATUTORY REQUIREMENT FOR ACTUALLY PICKING UP THE BANDIT SIGNS AND ASSESSING FINES.
SO WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW IS TRYING TO PUT TOGETHER A PROGRAM THAT WILL ALLOW A COMBINED TRAINING SO THAT VOLUNTEERS CAN BE TRAINED TO EITHER VOLUNTEER IN THE COUNTY OR WITHIN THE CITY.
SO LET ME ASK YOU, CAN I, CAN ANY CITIZEN SAFELY WITHOUT GETTING HIT BY TRAFFIC, REMOVE A SIGN, A BANDIT SIGN FROM A MEDIAN AREA IN BETWEEN THE ROADS? YOU CAN, BUT I, I JUST, AND, AND COUNCIL MEMBER KUBOSH, I'M SMILING BECAUSE I HAVE TO ADMIT SOMETIMES I DO IT WELL.
AND, AND ALSO, BUT I DON'T WANT YOU TO DO IT.
AND I, AND I'M NOT GONNA DO IT.
SOMETIMES I WANNA STOP AND GET STUFF OUT OF THE ROAD, BUT I REALIZE THAT I MIGHT BECOME A PART OF THE ROAD.
SO, UH, ANOTHER THING IS, IS IS WE'RE IN POLITICAL SEASON, THE CRAZY SEASON.
THEY'RE STICKING THESE THINGS ALL OVER THE PLACE.
YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ATTACHING 'EM TO ROAD SIGNS, YOU KNOW, THESE BIG FOUR BAITS AND, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, WE NEED SOME, UH, I, I SEE A LOT OF 'EM IN THE E TJ MM-HMM
SO WE, WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT.
ARE WE WRITING THESE FOLKS CITATIONS? WE YES SIR.
WE ARE WRITING CITATIONS OF YOU.
YOU WANT A PICTURE OF EM SENT TO YOU OR SENT THEM 3 1 1? YOU, YOU DO WHATEVER YOU FEEL IS NECESSARY EXCEPT PICK UP THAT SIGN.
BUT IN ALL SERIOUSNESS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER KASH, WE ARE VERY COGNIZANT OF THE FACT THAT POLITICAL SEASON IS ONE PERMISSION TO EXTEND.
'CAUSE I, I DO REALIZE OTHER PEOPLE ARE IN THE QUEUE, THAT JUST MEANS K'S TIME HAS EXPIRED.
WE'RE ACTUALLY WORKING ON, UH, WE'RE WORKING ON TRYING TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE AGGRESSIVE IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING THE SIGNS UP, HENCE THE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM.
BUT WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT WAYS TO BETTER EDUCATE OUR, UM, CANDIDATES, UH, WITH THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING ABLE TO GO BEHIND.
ONCE YOU'VE PUT THE SIGNS UP, PLEASE GO BACK AND PICK THEM UP.
SO WE'RE WORKING ON THAT AND WE'RE AWARE OF THE ISSUE, BUT THANK YOU FOR BRINGING IT TO LIGHT TODAY.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
LAST YEAR, UM, ONE OF OUR BUDGET AMENDMENTS WAS, UM, FOR EACH DISTRICT TO HAVE A, UM, CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER TO WORK WITH OUR INDIVIDUAL OFFICES.
UM, AND THAT PAST, HOWEVER, THAT HASN'T HAPPENED.
I SEE THAT WE HAVE QUITE A FEW VACANCIES MM-HMM
IN THE CODE ENFORCEMENT, UM, ARENA.
HOWEVER, I'M VERY INTERESTED, AND I THINK IT WOULD BE, UM, ADVANTAGEOUS FOR US AS WE WORK TO PROTECT NEIGHBORHOODS ALONGSIDE THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS TO HAVE A DIRECT CONTACT, UM, AN INDIVIDUAL CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER THAT WORKS WITH OUR OFFICE.
I LIKED WHEN WE HAD THAT INDIVIDUAL LIAISON THAT WORKED WITH OUR OFFICES.
I KNOW THAT STAFFING IS, IS A, IS A CHALLENGE MM-HMM
UM, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US MOVE TOWARDS HAVING SOMEONE SPECIFIC THAT WE CAN, UM, WORK WITH IN OUR OFFICES TO HELP WITH THE ENFORCEMENT IN OUR DISTRICTS.
UM, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO, UM, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND, AND, AND RENEE AND RHONDA, THEY DO A PHENOMENAL JOB.
BUT GOD HELP 'EM, THERE'S NO WAY THAT THEY CAN MANAGE THE NUMBER OF CODE ENFORCEMENT ISSUES THAT WE DEAL IN THIS ENTIRE CITY.
UM, BUT I KNOW THAT RESIDENTS LIKE HAVING THAT SPECIFIC PERSON, I LIKE HAVING A SPECIFIC PERSON.
IS THERE A WAY WE CAN MOVE TOWARDS HAVING AN INDIVIDUAL, UM, PERSON FROM YOUR OFFICE THAT WORKS WITH OUR INDIVIDUAL OFFICES FOR CODE ENFORCEMENT ISSUES? SURE.
AND ACTUALLY, UH, VICE MAYOR PRO TIMM, YOU CURRENTLY HAVE ONE, SO I KNOW THAT YOU REMEMBER, BECAUSE YOU WERE HERE WHEN I CAME IN AS DIRECTOR, THAT WE DID HAVE A SPECIFIC LIAISON FOR ALL OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS BECAUSE AT THAT TIME WE WERE ABOUT 20,000 CASES BEHIND.
AND SO THE MAYOR'S ASSISTANCE OFFICE, THAT IS PART OF THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO COMMUNICATE ANY ISSUES THAT YOU ALL ARE HAVING AND TO BASICALLY HELP YOU SOLVE THE ISSUES THAT YOU'RE HAVING OR THAT CITIZENS ARE HAVING IN YOUR PARTICULAR DISTRICT.
WE ALSO HAVE A CALL NUMBER, UH, CUSTOMER SERVICE NUMBER SECOND, I'M SORRY, A CUSTOMER SERVICE NUMBER DIRECTLY TO IPS.
SO IF THERE'S AN ISSUE WHERE CITIZENS, THEY CAN CALL 3 1 1 AND THEN THEY CAN FOLLOW UP.
SO WHAT I THINK PART OF THE DISCONNECT MIGHT BE, AND I'M HAPPY TO TAKE THIS CALL OFFLINE, IS IF THERE'S ANOTHER LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR
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FROM THE LIAISON WHO ARE ASSIGNED TO THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS IN YOUR DISTRICT, I'M HAPPY TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION SO THAT WE CAN BE MORE EFFICIENT IN HOW WE ARE ACTUALLY COMMUNICATING.AND I WILL GO BACK AND TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT THAT BUDGET AMENDMENT REGARDING A SPECIFIC CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER TO EACH DISTRICT.
BECAUSE CURRENTLY OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, THERE ARE 50 ON THE GROUND.
WE DO HAVE VACANCIES THAT ARE AVAILABLE, BUT I THINK EVERY DIRECTOR WILL SHARE WITH YOU ALL THAT THE CITY HAS NOT BEEN IMMUNE TO THE GREAT RESIGNATION, NOR HAVE WE BEEN IMMUNE TO PEOPLE, UH, HAVING OTHER OPTIONS THAT THEY CHOOSE TO PURSUE IN CODE ENFORCEMENT.
UNFORTUNATELY, UH, IS NOT AT THE TOP OF THAT LIST, NOR IS OUR SALARY COMPETITIVE ENOUGH.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER ISSUE THAT WE'D LIKE TO, UM, KIND OF DEAL WITH, BUT I'M HAPPY TO TAKE THAT CONVERSATION OFFLINE, HAVE A MORE SPECIFIC CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT YOUR OFFICE IS LOOKING FOR, AND THEN WE CAN MAKE SURE OUR LIAISONS ARE, UH, MAKING THOSE ADJUSTMENTS.
AND THEN THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE, OKAY, I'LL PUT YOU BACK IN QUEUE IF YOU DON'T MIND.
I WANNA GET A GOOD HANDLE ON THE NUMBER OF INSPECTORS THAT YOU HAVE.
YOU SAID 56 OUTTA THE GENERAL FUND.
IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE INCLUDING 53 IN CODE ENFORCEMENT.
UM, IN THIS BUDGET, THEN YOU'VE SAID 43 OR FROM CDBG.
SO, SO WE'RE NOT GETTING MORE, I MEAN, YOU'RE, YOU'RE, I MEAN, YOU'VE GOT VA YOU HAVE 19 VACANCIES.
ARE THOSE ALL WITHIN THE GENERAL FUND OR WERE THOSE CDBG OR A COMBINED? I MEAN, HOW MANY DO YOU WANNA HAVE TOTAL FROM THE GENERAL FUND? YEAH, YOU NEED TO HAVE 300, BUT YOU'VE GOT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, NINE.
SO ACCORDING TO MY NOTES HERE, WE HAVE 69 BUDGETED POSITIONS FROM THE GENERAL FUND OR FROM BOTH? THAT AND CDBG.
UM, AND OUTTA THAT 69 POSITION OR OUTTA THOSE 69 POSITIONS, 26 ARE GENERAL FUND 43 ARE CDBG FUNDED.
AND LOOKING AT YOUR PERFORMANCE MEASURES MM-HMM.
I'M JUST CURIOUS IF YOU'RE GONNA KEEP THE SAME AMOUNT OR YOU'RE, YOU'RE HOPEFULLY GONNA FILL THE VACANCIES.
I MEAN, I'M SURE YOU'RE ACTIVELY PURSUING PEOPLE TO FILL THESE VACANCIES.
BECAUSE YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT GOING FROM 250 DAILY INSPECTIONS TO 350 DAILY INSPECTIONS.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT JUNK MOTOR VEHICLES REMOVED.
LAST YEAR YOU HAD A TARGET OF 3,500.
YOU'RE DOUBLING THAT FOR NEXT YEAR.
YOU WANNA GO FROM 10,000 THIS YEAR TO 15,000 MM-HMM
AND MY QUESTION IS JUST SIMPLY, HOW ARE YOU GONNA DO THAT WITHOUT THE, THE, WITHOUT ADDING SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE NUMBER OF INSPECTORS? AND, AND, AND I APPRECIATE THAT QUESTION.
UM, THE FIRST THING I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT, AND I'M THANKFUL THAT YOU HAVE ACTUALLY MADE THAT PICTURE A LOT MORE CLEARER, IS THAT, UM, OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT STAFF HAS BEEN ABLE TO DO A PHENOMENAL JOB CONSIDERING THE FACT THAT WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS.
AND IN ORDER FOR THEM TO DO THAT, THAT MEANS A LOT OF DOUBLE WORK, DOUBLE AREAS.
UM, WHICH IS PART OF THE REASON WHY WE CAN'T NECESSARILY DEDICATE IN ONE PARTICULAR PLACE.
WHAT I CAN SAY TO YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, IS THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK ASSIDUOUSLY TO BRING IN, UH, CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS.
BUT LET ME BE VERY BLUNT ABOUT WHAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED IN THE LAST YEAR.
WE'VE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE SIGN ON AND THEN THEY LEAVE WITHIN A MONTH.
SO WHETHER IT'S BEEN, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S THAT THEY JUST HAD A DIFFERENT IDEA OF WHAT THE JOB WAS, MAYBE THEY GOT OUT IN THE HEAT AND DECIDED THEY'D WANNA DO IT, BUT WE HAVE NOT HAD PEOPLE, THE TURNOVER HAS BEEN CONSIDERABLE.
SO WHAT I CAN TELL YOU THAT WE ARE ATTEMPTING TO DO, UH, TO REACH THIS GOAL HAS REALLY BEEN NOT ONLY WITH OUR INSPECTIONS, BUT WITH OUR ABATEMENT BUDGET.
WE HAVE BECOME MUCH MORE AGGRESSIVE ABOUT CORRECTING THE ISSUES THROUGH OUR ABATEMENT BUDGET IN ADDITION TO GIVING NOTIFICATION TO RECAL OR PROPERTY OWNERS.
BECAUSE ULTIMATELY AT THE END OF THE DAY, COMMUNITIES WANT IT CORRECTED.
THEY, THEY DON'T REALLY CARE ABOUT THE INSPECTION.
THEY JUST WANNA WAKE UP AND NOT SEE THIS LOT NEXT DOOR.
SO PART OF WHAT WE ARE LOOKING TO DO IN TERMS OF ACCOMPLISHING THAT FEAT, WHICH IS WHAT WE HAVE DONE IN TERMS OF COURSE CORRECTION OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, IS FOCUSED MORE ON THE CORRECTION SIDE, WHICH IS WHY OUR ABILITY TO RECOUP ON THE LEAN FORECLOSURE SIDE, INSTEAD OF RELYING ON PASSIVE PEOPLE THAT JUST COME IN AND DECIDE TO PAY THE MONEY WE'VE GOT, WE HAVE TO BECOME MORE AGGRESSIVE AS A CITY AND GOING AFTER THE MONEY THAT WE'RE PUTTING OUT.
SO THAT'S HOW WE PLAN TO DO THAT.
COUNCIL MEMBER, AMY PECK, THANK YOU CHAIR AND THANK YOU DIRECTOR.
UM, KIND OF SIMILAR TO COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN'S QUESTION ABOUT INSPECTIONS.
UM, YOU TALKED ABOUT THE ANTICIPATED GROWTH AND THE CONSTRAINTS THERE.
UM, DO YOU HAVE GOALS AS FAR AS WHAT THE TURNAROUND TIME WILL BE FOR INSPECTIONS FOR THIS NEXT FISCAL YEAR? AND NOT JUST THAT FIRST INSPECTION, BUT ALSO THE LOOK BACK INSPECTIONS AS WELL? WELL, AS, YOU KNOW, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, PART OF THE ABILITY TO GO BACK AND DO THE CHECK BACK INSPECTIONS THAT WE DO AFTER THE INITIAL REALLY DEPENDS ON
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THE BODIES WE HAVE ON THE GROUND.SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO NOW IS WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR POSITIONS, IS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN POSSIBLY GO BACK AND, UM, RECONFIGURE OUR ABILITY TO GO BACK AND DO THOSE.
BUT I'LL BE VERY HONEST WITH YOU, BASED ON THE LIMITED AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WE HAVE, I DON'T SEE THOSE TIMES CHANGING.
WHAT I CAN SAY TO YOU, HOWEVER, IS THAT WE HAVE NOW STARTED UTILIZING UNDER THE CODE AND EMERGENCY PROVISION, BECAUSE SADLY SO MANY OF THE VACANT LOTS THAT WE HAVE, OR SOME OF THE DILAPIDATED BUILDINGS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR COMMUNITIES ARE IN SUCH DISREPAIR AND ARE SO HIGH THAT THEY ACTUALLY QUALIFY THROUGH OUR EMERGENCY ABATEMENTS, WHICH ARE GIVEN TO US UNDER THE CODE.
AND SO ONE OF THE FOCUSES THAT WE'VE DONE AT THIS PARTICULAR POINT NOW HASN'T BEEN AS MUCH OF A FOCUS SO MUCH ON THE CHECK BACK INSPECTIONS, BUT REALLY LOOKING AT OUR INVENTORY, WHAT BREACHES THE EMERGENCY THRESHOLD, AND REALLY TRYING TO ADDRESS THOSE A LOT FASTER.
SO IT HAS A TANGENTIAL EFFECT ON OUR ABILITY TO GET BACK AROUND.
SO EVEN IF WE'RE NOT ABLE TO GET BACK ON A CHECKBACK INSPECTION, IF SOMETHING ROLLS ON OUR RADAR THAT IS EMERGENCY LEVEL, THEN WE ADDRESS THAT WITH A LEVEL OF PRIORITY.
SO I HOPE THAT ANSWERS THE QUESTION A LITTLE BETTER.
AND IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, I'LL JUST PUT THE REST ON SHAREPOINT.
COUNCIL MEMBER TIFFANY THOMAS.
UM, THE, THE, UH, NUMBER AROUND THE BANDIT SIGNS, DOES THAT INCLUDE THE SOLID, EXCUSE ME, THE HOTSPOT TEAM, UM, THEIR WORK IN DISTRICTS? DO THEY CONTRIBUTE TO THIS 45,000 OR IS THIS YOUR TEAM EXCLUSIVELY? NO, THIS WAS OUR TEAM.
SO THIS NUMBER COULD ACTUALLY BE HIGHER IN TERMS OF LIKE COLLECTIVE EFFORT POSSIBLY.
REGGIE HARRIS, I HAVE, I GUESS I'VE KNOWN YOU ABOUT 25 YEARS.
UM, THE ELECTRONIC TICKET WRITING, UH, PROCESS THAT WE, YEARS AGO, WE, WE PASSED, I CAN'T, CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT IT WAS CALLED.
DO YOU, UM, ELECTRONIC TICKET WRITING OR ARE YOU SPEAKING OF US MOVING FROM PAPER TO N FOUR? N FOUR.
ARE WE, ARE WE USING N FOUR TODAY? OH, ABSOLUTELY.
IT'S ACTUALLY WE'VE, UH, INFLUENCED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO COME ON TO N FOUR AS WELL AS I THINK SOME ASPECTS OF PUBLIC WORK.
SO IT'S WORKING VERY WELL FOR US.
AND, AND WHAT ABOUT, UH, UH, PARKING IN HANDICAP PARKING SPOTS? HAVE WE, UM, UH, HAVE WE, IS THAT UNDER YOUR DE UNDER YOUR DEPARTMENT WRITING? I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, I'M GOING TO DEFER TO MY COLLEAGUE DIRECTOR TINA PAEZ ON BAT.
WELL, THAT'S FINE OF HER WHEELHOUSE.
UH, THE OTHER THING IS, IS WHAT LEGISLATION ARE YOU LOOKING, UH, AT, UH, THAT MAYBE THE LEGISLATURE COULD PASS THAT COULD HELP OUR DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, TO PROPERLY FUNCTION OR FUNCTION BETTER IN HOUSTON? YOU KNOW, I THINK, UH, THE LEGISLATURE, THE LAST TIME WE ACTUALLY SUBMITTED AND SUPPORTED LEGISLATION, IT WAS AROUND HIGHER FINES SO THAT THERE WOULD BE, UH, MORE OF A, UH, FINANCIAL IMPACT, UH, TO MOST, UH, PROPERTY OWNERS.
MOST RECAL AND PROPERTY OWNERS IN MANY OF OUR, UH, COMMUNITIES, COUNCIL MEMBER KOSH, ARE ACTUALLY BUSINESSES THAT ARE JUST LAND GRABBING AND HOLDING.
IT'S NOT THE AVERAGE EVERYDAY HOUSTONIAN.
SO THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE WERE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF.
AND I BELIEVE THAT THAT WAS LEGISLATION THROUGH SENATOR MILES'S OFFICE, AND I BELIEVE STATE REPRESENTATIVE THEORY, UH, PREVIOUSLY, UH, MOVED FOR HIGHER FINES.
UM, REALLY WHERE THE DEPARTMENT IS GOING TO BE, I THINK MOST BENEFITED IS, UH, LOOKING AT OUR ABATEMENT BUDGET.
AND, UH, MAYOR TURNER HAS BEEN VERY GRACIOUS IN GIVING US ADDITIONAL MONEY WHEN WE'VE ASKED FOR IT SO THAT WE COULD BE MORE PROACTIVE ON THE ABATEMENT SIDE.
BUT I THINK TO COUPLE WITH THAT, AGAIN, THE CITY HAS TO BE MORE AGGRESSIVE IN RECOUPING ITS MONEY LEGALLY ONCE WE PUT IT OUT.
BECAUSE OTHERWISE WE'RE JUST PUTTING GOOD MONEY AFTER BAD AND PEOPLE RELY ON US TO JUST DO SOMETHING THEY SHOULD BE DOING THEMSELVES.
COUNCIL MEMBER KOSH ADMINISTRATION REGULATORY AFFAIRS.
BUDGET PRESENTATION IS THURSDAY AT TWO 30.
COUNCIL MEMBER OR VICE MAYOR PRO TEM.
WHAT'S THE PAY FOR A CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER? UH, CURRENTLY THE STARTING PAY, I BELIEVE IS WHAT, 35? IT'S, YEAH, IT'S ABOUT, UM, 35 FOR A TRAINEE, AND YOU GO UP FROM THERE FOR ONE, TWO, AND A THREE.
BY THE TIME YOU GET TO A THREE, YOU'RE LOOKING AT A LITTLE OVER 2000 BIWEEKLY PAY, AND I THINK IT'S 35 WITH SALARY, 30, $35,000 UHHUH AND INCLUDING BENEFITS.
AND WE JUST GAVE AN INCREASE, SO IT'S PROBABLY CLOSER TO 38 NOW.
A HARD FAULT INCREASE, SO I KNOW Y'ALL LOOKING AT US LIKE THAT SEEMS QUITE LOW, BUT THAT'S A RECENT INCREASE ON TOP OF THAT, SO YES.
WHAT'S THE AVERAGE PAY AT IN OTHER CITIES? ARE WE, ARE WE COMPETITIVE WITH OTHER CITIES OR WE WAY BELOW WE'RE NOT.
UH, AS A MATTER OF FACT, WHAT I CAN DO, I'LL TAKE THAT AS A HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT AND SEND THAT TO YOU ON SHAREPOINT.
BUT WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS THAT WE ARE NOT COMPETITIVE WITH OTHER CITIES, AND WE'RE NOT EVEN
[00:30:01]
COMPETITIVE WITHIN THE CITY.WE LOSE SOME OF OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS TO PUBLIC WORKS WHO, UM, ALSO OFFER SIMILAR REQUIREMENTS FOR HIGHER PAY FOR COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS.
WHAT'S THE REQUIREMENT TO BE A CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER? TO BE A CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER HERE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS? IT IS A STATE CERTIFIED PROGRAM THAT WE PAY FOR COMING IN.
I BELIEVE THAT PROGRAM IS ONE YEAR.
AND THEN AFTER THAT, THEY'RE ACTUALLY MOVED INTO A CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER POSITION.
NOW, PUBLIC WORKS HAS DIFFERENT TYPES OF CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, UM, THAT DEAL WITH DIFFERENT PARTS OF BUILDING CODES, AND THAT MAY HAVE A DIFFERENT REQUIREMENT, BUT THIS SPECIFIC REQUIREMENT IS STATE CERTIFIED.
AND THEN MY OTHER, OTHER ASK THAT IF YOU COULD, UM, ON PAGE 19, YES, I LIKE THE ACCOMPLISHMENT LIST.
UM, IS THERE ANY WAY THAT THAT CAN BE BROKEN DOWN PER DISTRICT AND THE ENGA, THE PAGE 19, PAGE 20? I, I LOVE ALL THE, THE STATISTICS.
UM, SPECIFICALLY WHAT'S HELPFUL FOR ME, IF, IF WE CAN HAVE THOSE NUMBERS, UM, DISTRICT BROKEN DOWN BY DISTRICT, WE CAN ACCOMMODATE THAT.
AND, UM, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, UM, ARE THERE ANY WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN BETTER UTILIZE OUR HOT TEAM PERSONNEL TO HELP WITH, UH, PICTURE TAKING TO HELP WITH ANY TYPE OF CODE ENFORCEMENT OR, UM, ANY OF THAT PROCESS? IT SEEMS LIKE WHEN OUR HOT TEAMS ARE OUT THERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS ALREADY, UM, UH, SERVICING OUR RESIDENTS, THEY'RE ABLE TO SEE THINGS THAT MAY BE IN VIOLATION OR BE ABLE TO TAKE PICTURES TO SEND IN.
UM, IS THERE A WAY IN WHICH WE COULD BE MORE EFFICIENT AND, AND BE ABLE TO UTILIZE THEM IN A MANNER THAT WILL HELP YOUR DEPARTMENT MORE? UH, HONESTLY, COUNCIL MEMBER, THE FACT THAT YOU ALL HAVE, UH, HOT TEAMS IN PLACE IS HELPFUL.
UH, WE REALLY DON'T NEED ANY ADDITIONAL HELP IN THE REPORTING AREA BECAUSE WE GET OVER 51,000 CALLS THROUGH 30, UH, THROUGH 3 1 1.
SO WE'RE AWARE WE, WE'VE GOT THE REPORTING PART DOWN.
WHAT WE DO HAVE, UM, ISSUES IN, I THINK, AS I'VE MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY, IS THAT WHILE THE HOT TEAMS CAN DO A CERTAIN LEVEL OF THE ABATEMENT SIDE OF OUR WORK, THE ACTUAL CODE ENFORCEMENT SIDE IS A SPECIALIZED SKILL AND PROFESSION THAT UNFORTUNATELY YOU ALL ARE NOT ABLE TO DO.
AND SO, IN ORDER FOR US TO DO OUR JOB AS UNDER CHAPTER 10, WHICH IS TO GO OUT AND GIVE THE, THE OFFICIAL NOTICES AND THEN TO WRITE THE CITATIONS, AND HOPEFULLY THE CITATIONS WILL BE, YEAH.
WHY CAN'T, CAN THEY HELP WITH THAT IF, IS THERE A WAY, WHAT DOES THE TRAINING ENTAIL? LIKE HOW MUCH TRAINING IS INVOLVED IN THAT? OH, WELL, SURE.
IT'S, WELL, FIRST AND FOREMOST I THINK, I THINK WHAT YOU'RE ASKING IS ARE THEY QUALIFIED TO ALSO BE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS? BUT WHAT CAN WE DO TO CERTIFY THEM AS SUCH SO THAT YOU CAN HAVE MORE PERSONNEL.
THEY CAN'T BE CERTIFIED OUTSIDE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS.
THEY WOULD HAVE TO BE EMPLOYEES OF THIS DEPARTMENT BECAUSE UNDER THE CODE INTO THE CITY'S CHARTER, THIS DEPARTMENT IS THE ONE THAT ACTUALLY WORKS SPECIFICALLY FOR THAT AREA.
SO IF THEY BECOME CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, THEY'D HAVE TO BECOME EMPLOYEES OF THIS DEPARTMENT TO DO THAT.
AND RIGHT NOW THEY ARE EMPLOYEES OF SOLID WASTE, I BELIEVE.
IT JUST SEEMS LIKE THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO BE MORE CREATIVE WITH WHEN IT COMES TO, UM, UTILIZING PERSONNEL MORE EFFICIENTLY TO STREAMLINE THE PROCESS.
UM, SO IF WE CAN HAVE SOME TYPE OF OVERVIEW ON WHAT, IN A HYPOTHETICAL SENSE COULD BE DONE TO UTILIZE OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER OH, TO UTILIZE OUR HOT TEAM TO ASSIST WITH CODE ENFORCEMENT, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
AND I'D LOVE TO CONTINUE THAT CONVERSATION.
BUT JUST LET ME REITERATE THAT THE WORK YOUR TEAMS ARE ALREADY DOING IS HELPFUL.
IT MAY BE HELPFUL, BUT WE WANT, WE WANNA FIND WAYS TO HAVE MORE ENFORCEMENT WITHOUT, WITHOUT HAVING TO MAYBE GO THROUGH THE SAME TRADITIONAL MEANS OF, UM, HAVING TO HIRE MORE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS.
OR IF YOU'RE SAYING THAT THE, THE AVERAGE PAY IS LIKE 35,000 AND THAT'S BELOW STANDARD, WELL, WHAT CAN WE DO WITH THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ALREADY OUT THERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS TO HELP? UH, POSSIBLY, UH, WE COULD LOOK AT AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO USE SOME OF YOUR CDSF FUNDS TOWARDS A PARTICULAR TEAM FOR YOUR AREA, BUT THEY WOULD BECOME EMPLOYEES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WE WOULD TRAIN, AND THEN THEY COULD BE SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA.
WELL, LET'S, LET'S KEEP DISCUSSING IT.
THANK COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CAYMAN.
UM, THANK YOU MAYOR TEM, AND APOLOGIES FOR MY TARDINESS.
UM, I, ONE WANTED TO FIRST RECOGNIZE AND
[00:35:01]
THANK, UM, YOUR TEAM AND I KNOW THAT, UH, JACK AND RHONDA SPECIFICALLY WORK WITHIN, UH, OUR DISTRICT VERY HEAVILY.AND, UH, BUT TO EVERYONE I KNOW EVERYONE SHORT STAFFED AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
UH, MY STAFF MAY HAVE ALREADY ASKED THIS, IF NOT, UM, I'M ASKING EVERY DEPARTMENT THIS QUESTION.
DUE TO THE FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS AND CHALLENGES THAT THE CITY CONTINUES TO FACE, UM, FROM REVENUE CAPS, FROM OTHER BUDGETARY ISSUES, UM, WHAT ARE THE NEEDS THAT YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO ADDRESS RIGHT NOW IN THE DEPARTMENT THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE ADDRESSED OR FEEL THAT THERE IS A NEED FOR? UH, I THINK THE OVERWHELMING THEME AT THIS POINT, COUNCIL MEMBER IS THE FUNDS PUT TOWARDS ABATEMENT AND CORRECTION.
UH, REALISTICALLY FOR CITY THE SIZE OF HOUSTON, 50 CODE ENFORCEMENT, UH, OFFICERS IS ABYSMAL AND WE NEED MORE BOOTS ON THE GROUND.
BUT REALISTICALLY, WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET AN ADDITIONAL 200 PEOPLE TOMORROW.
SO I'M NOT BANGING THAT DRUM TODAY.
HOWEVER, THE DRUM I WILL BANG IS THAT WE HAVE BEEN VERY EFFECTIVE IN UTILIZING OUR ABATEMENT FUNDS TO BE ABLE TO CORRECT KEY ISSUES TO LEAN THOSE PROPERTIES.
AND I THINK, UH, INTERNALLY, OUR ABILITY TO DO THAT AND HAVE THE FUNDS THERE TO CORRECT THOSE ISSUES.
AND THEN ALSO MAKING SURE THAT OUR, AS A CITY THAT WE ARE FORECLOSING ON THESE LIENS AND RECOUPING THAT MONEY MAY ACTUALLY CREATE THE REVENUE WE NEED TO BRING IN THE ADDITIONAL BODIES DOWN THE LINE.
WE HAVE, UH, SEVEN TOTAL SPEAKERS, PUBLIC SPEAKERS SIGNED UP.
SO I'M NOT SURE HOW WE'RE GONNA DO WITH THE IN PERSON ONE, BUT WE'LL START WITH MR. DOUG SMITH.
DO YOU NEED US TO MOVE, MR. CHAIR? OKAY.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU.
SORRY ABOUT THE, UH, SORRY ABOUT THE CAMERA EARLIER.
I HAD TURNED IT OFF AND LOGGED OUT AND FORGOT TO TURN IT BACK ON.
UM, THIS DEPARTMENT PROBABLY IS THE ONE I CARE ABOUT MOST BECAUSE I CARE ABOUT MY NEIGHBORHOOD SO MUCH, AND I AM GOING TO ASK TODAY FOR SOME COUNCIL MEMBER TO SUBMIT, UH, AN AMENDMENT TO THE BUDGET TO ADD SOME EMPLOYEES, MAYBE SEVERAL EMPLOYEES, MAYBE 10 OR MAYBE 20 EMPLOYEES.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE BUDGET, NEARLY EVERY OTHER DEPARTMENT IS ADDING EMPLOYEES, AND THIS DEPARTMENT IS CUTTING FULL-TIME EQUIVALENTS.
AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND, GIVEN THE RESULTS OF THEIR, UH, STATISTICS ON PAGE FIVE DASH 20, WHY THEY'RE NOT DOING THIS.
IT, IT'S ALMOST LIKE YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOODS, WHICH I KNOW IS NOT THE CASE.
AND I ALSO, YOU TALKED ABOUT, UH, ENFORCING ABATEMENTS.
THE END OF LAST YEAR, YOU HAD $150 MILLION IN UNPAID LIENS.
THAT WHOLE PROCESS FROM, FOR ME, FROM HAVING PERSONALLY LIVED THROUGH IT THIS YEAR WITH THE JUNK TRAILER THAT YOU ALL KNOW ABOUT, IS YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TEETH IN THAT PROCESS, AND YOU NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT TO IMPROVE IT.
SO HOW WOULD YOU ADDRESS THOSE TWO THINGS, MR. SMITH? WAS THAT QUESTION DIRECTED AT ME? YES.
OR COUNCIL MEMBERS? EITHER, EITHER OR.
I CERTAINLY AM GOING TO ADDRESS.
WELL, WHY ARE WE NOT ASKING MR. EMPLOYEES? I WOULD RECOM I WOULD RECOMMEND WORKING WITH YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER TO PUT AN AMENDMENT THROUGH AND IDENTIFY A FUNDING SOURCE.
UH, BUT I DO WANNA ASK HER WHY SHE DIDN'T ASK FOR MORE EMPLOYEES WHEN EVERY OTHER DEPARTMENT IS GETTING SUBSTANTIAL, UH, FTES.
PLEASE REPEAT YOUR LAST QUESTION AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER IT.
WELL, HE WANTS TO KNOW WHY YOUR FTES DROPS, AND I THINK IN YOUR PRESENTATION YOU ANSWERED IT AND YOU SAID THAT YOU WERE NOT COMPETITIVE WITH SALARY.
UNTIL WE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT, WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO ATTRACT 'EM, SO, OH, OKAY.
WE DID LIMITED THREE POSITIONS IN ORDER TO MAKE THOSE INCREASES HAPPEN.
THANK YOU MR. SIMS. JASON OLIVER? YES.
YOU MAY WANT TO STEP BACK AND LET ME GO OVER WHERE YOUR TEAM WE.
UM, I, UM, I, OH, I AGREE WITH, WITH DOUG, LIKE THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS IS, IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND I HEAR YEAR AFTER YEAR, RIGHT? WE NEED HUNDREDS OF CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS.
WE NEED LIKE, REALLY HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE DOING
[00:40:01]
THE ASSISTANCE OFFICE AND LITERALLY LIKE EVERYTHING.UM, AND SO I WANNA FOLLOW UP ON WHAT, WHAT DOUG ASKED IN TERMS OF HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHAT TO ASK FOR IN TERMS OF LIKE, YEAH.
ASKING FOR A SMALLER NUMBER INSTEAD OF ASKING FOR A LARGER, LARGER BUDGET FOR THIS, FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR AND, AND MORE PERSONNEL.
AND THEN I'M LOOKING AT YOUR BUDGET FOR THE KIND OF GANG PREVENTION SALARIES.
UH, IS LOWER THAN ANY ACTUALS FROM THE PAST FIVE YEARS.
AND THEN OVER 25% LOWER THAN LIKE FIVE YEARS AGO IS ACTUALS.
WHAT DOES THIS SIGNIFICANT DECREASE MEAN FOR SERVICE DELIVERY WHEN THERE'S A BIG NEED, PARTICULARLY RIGHT NOW FOR MORE YOUTH PROGRAMS? AND THEN I, I JUST WANNA SAY WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE SHOWING UP TO SPEAK JUST IN, IN PERSON, AND I KNOW THAT WAS SO, SO TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO PEOPLE SIGN UP IF THEY SHOW UP TO SPEAK IN PERSON, UM, BEFORE THE MEETING.
WHO DO THEY GO TO? THEY HAVE A WRITE IN SHEET.
OH, OVER THERE ON THE FRONT RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROOM.
SO, UH, FIRST QUESTION, UH, MR. OLIVER, AND ACTUALLY IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT EASIER.
LET'S, LET'S SWITCH IF YOU DON'T MIND.
I DON'T, I DON'T WANNA DO THAT.
I WANT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION DIRECTLY.
SO WHILE YOU'RE COMING UP, HOW WE DETERMINE OUR PRIORITIES AS A DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR, UH, IT'S MY RESPONSIBILITY TO OF COURSE LOOK AT THE NEEDS OF MY DEPARTMENT, BUT, UM, ALSO AS A, YOU KNOW, I'M TEAMED ON ALL DAY, RIGHT? MM-HMM
BUT I AM ALSO A PART OF TEAM CITY OF HOUSTON.
SO I HAVE TO NOT ONLY BE FAMILIAR WITH WHAT THE NEEDS ARE IN MY DEPARTMENT, BUT I HAVE TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THE BROADER LANDSCAPE OF WHERE THE PRIORITIES OF THE CITY ARE.
AND SO TO YOUR POINT ABOUT, UM, WHY I'VE NOT ASKED FOR ADDITIONAL, UH, MONEY THIS YEAR FOR ADDITIONAL CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS IS BECAUSE AS YOU'VE MENTIONED BEFORE, EVERY YEAR I MENTION THE NEED FOR THAT.
AND SO I AM CONFIDENT THAT WHERE WE ARE ABLE TO MAKE THOSE CONCESSIONS WITHIN THE OVERALL PICTURE OF THE BUDGET, THE ADMINISTRATION SEES AN OPPORTUNITY.
WE KEEP A CONSTANT CONVERSATION THROUGHOUT THE YEAR ABOUT THIS.
SO THIS ISN'T THE ONLY TIME I BANG THE DRUM.
IF THOSE FUNDS HAVE BECOME AVAILABLE AND THERE ARE WAYS THAT WE CAN DO THAT TO BRING ON ADDITIONAL PEOPLE, THEN THOSE ARE THINGS THAT I'VE WORKED WITH THE ADMINISTRATION TO DO, WHICH IS WHY WE ACTUALLY HAVE MORE POSITIONS.
NOW, UNFORTUNATELY, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, WE ARE NOT ABLE TO BE AS COMPETITIVE AS WE WOULD LIKE TO BE.
AND NOT TO MENTION THE FACT THAT THIS IS A PARTICULAR AREA WHERE MOST PEOPLE KIND OF HAPPEN INTO IT.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE TALKED TO MY TEAM ABOUT IS WHERE WE MAY NEED TO UP OUR RECRUITMENT GAME TO LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT THIS IS ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY THAT THEY CAN LOOK AT AS A PARAPROFESSIONAL OPPORTUNITY.
OKAY? SO IT'S NOT FOR, UM, LACK OF CARING ABOUT THAT.
UM, BUT IT'S ALSO JUST THE FACT THAT WHEN I LOOK AT THE GRAND SCHEME OF THE CITY'S NEEDS, I'M NOT SAYING OUR NEEDS ARE NOT IMPORTANT, BUT I'M ALSO REALISTIC IN WHAT I CAN ASK FOR AT WHAT PARTICULAR TIME.
AND AS I'M SETTING THE PRIORITIES FOR THE OFFICES, I MENTIONED BEFORE VICE MAYOR PRO TEM, WHEN WE RECEIVE CONCERNS FROM CITIZENS LIKE YOU AND OTHER PEOPLE, ULTIMATELY YOU DON'T WANT TO, YOU DON'T CARE IF SOMEONE IS INSPECTED FIVE OR SIX TIMES.
WHAT YOU WANT IS, I DON'T WANNA SEE IT ANYMORE.
SO WHAT IS MORE ATTAINABLE AT THIS TIME IS TO ACTUALLY GET MORE MONEY TOWARDS MY BUDGET TO CORRECT, AND FOR US TO ACTUALLY PUT MORE EMPHASIS ON THE CITY, RECOUPING THOSE FUNDS SO THAT I CAN HAVE A LONG GAME APPROACH TO BRINGING IN MORE REVENUE TO MY DEPARTMENT TO BE ABLE TO BRING IN THE PEOPLE THAT I NEED BASED ON REVENUE THAT'S NOT AVAILABLE NOW.
AND ARE YOU STILL GETTING THANK YOU.
YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED, GOES INTO THE FUND, AND THEN IT COMES BACK INTO DEPARTMENT.
I DON'T THINK YOU'LL FIND OF THE 23 DEPARTMENTS THAT WILL PRESENT ANY DEPARTMENT THAT SAYS THEY HAVE MORE THAN ENOUGH MONEY TO DO THE PROPER, UH, JOB THAT THEY WERE SIGNED UP TO DO.
ARIS BROWN, VICKY MARTIN, VICKI MARTIN, SABA BLANDING.
YEAH, I DON'T HAVE TO HIT MUTE.
UM, THE OFFICE OF NEW AMERICANS HAS A VERY SMALL BUDGET MM-HMM
AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE ALL ESTABLISHED.
AND, UM, YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT HOW HARD, UM, YOU'RE WORKING WITH LITTLE STAFF AND NOT ENOUGH COMPENSATION.
UM, WHAT NEEDS HAVE YOU SEEN FOR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES DURING THE PANDEMIC THAT MORE RESOURCES COULD HELP Y'ALL ADDRESS? WOW.
UH, SO NEEDLESS TO SAY, I THINK THAT, UM, WE'VE SEEN AN INCREASE IN NEEDS, ESPECIALLY WITH TITLE 42 AND THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION.
UH, LOOKING AT, UH, A REVIEW OF THAT, UH, WE ARE FACING UP TO MAYBE 15,000 MIGRANTS, UH, POSSIBLY CROSSING THE BORDER.
SO WHAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO, UH, WITH THE OFFICE OF NEW AMERICANS AND IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES, WE HAVE GREAT RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR NONPROFIT PARTNERS
[00:45:01]
WHO ACTUALLY FACILITATE A LOT OF THE PROGRAMMING THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO.UM, NEEDLESS TO SAY, UH, TO HELP CORROBORATE, UH, WHAT YOU MENTIONED EARLIER, WE COULD DEFINITELY ALWAYS USE ADDITIONAL STAFF.
BUT WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW IS REALLY JUST TRYING TO USE OUR NON-PROFIT PARTNERSHIPS AS A FORCE MULTIPLIER TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY.
AND RIGHT NOW, UH, THAT IS THE BIGGEST AND MOST PRESSING ISSUE THAT WE HAVE BEFORE US RIGHT NOW.
JOE ROCHELLE, DID I PRONOUNCE THAT CORRECTLY? YOU DID.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, FOLLOWING ON WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER A ACORN SAID YOU, YOU SPOKE ABOUT TURNOVER.
SO HOW DO YOU PLAN TO ADDRESS THE TURNOVER AND KEEP THE PEOPLE THAT YOU ALREADY HAVE SINCE I UNDERSTAND THAT WE DON'T HAVE COMPETITIVE SALARY MM-HMM
AND YOU HAD MENTIONED TOO ABOUT HOW ARE PEOPLE TOO HOT WHEN THEY'RE OUT THERE? WHAT ARE THOSE DIFFERENT THINGS? HOW DO YOU PREVENT, TRY AND KEEP THE PEOPLE THAT YOU ALREADY HAVE? WELL, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS ALWAYS ESSENTIAL FOR ME AS A DIRECTOR IS TO ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE THANK YOU.
AND PUBLIC SERVANTS, UH, DON'T ALWAYS FEEL APPRECIATED FOR WHAT THEY DO.
SO, UH, WE DEFINITELY WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY FEEL APPRECIATED AND NOT OVERLOOKED DAY TO DAY.
WHAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO IS, AS A MR. SIMS, MY ASSISTANT DIRECTOR MENTIONED EARLIER, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO USE SOME OF OUR VACANCIES TO MOVE FORWARD IN SOME PROMOTION OPPORTUNITIES BECAUSE AT THIS POINT, UM, LOOKING AT WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH COLLECTIVELY AS A COUNTRY COUPLED WITH INFLATION, MY MIND HAS TURNED MORE TOWARDS RETENTION BECAUSE I HAVE AMAZING STAFF AND IN VALUABLE PEOPLE.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT DIFFERENT WAYS, UM, TO REWARD THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE ALREADY DOING THE JOB OF TWO PEOPLE OR MORE.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE PLANNING TO DO, AS WELL AS LOOK AT ANOTHER WAY AS A DEPARTMENT, WE COULD BE STRONGER ON RECRUITING PEOPLE TO THIS PROFESSION.
I'M FROM NORTHEAST HOUSTON AND MM-HMM
UH, BECAUSE OF THE TIME, I'M JUST GOING TO SORT OF GET TO IT.
I'M GOING TO READ MY QUESTIONS AND THE THREE MINUTES THAT I HAVE AND I'LL LET THE DIRECTOR ONE MINUTE, ONE MINUTE.
SO BASICALLY YOU HAVE A BACKLOG OF CASES, YES OR NO, YOUR CLAR, YOU'VE CLARIFIED VACANCIES WERE DUE TO THE HIGH TURNOVER RATE.
SO HOW ARE YOU ABLE TO COMPLETE YOUR GOAL WITHOUT PUTTING A BURDEN ON REMAINING EMPLOYEES? WOULD MORE INSPECTORS BE ASSIGNED TO SPECIFIC DESIGNATED AREAS SUCH AS COUNCIL MEMBER TATUM SUGGESTED INSTEAD OF RO ROTATING THEM, BE BETTER DUE TO YOUR HIGH NUMBER OF TURNOVER? IT WAS POINTED OUT TO ME THAT IT APPEARS, THIS IS AN ALL HANDS ON DECK SITUATION AT DAWN.
HAS SENIOR MANAGEMENT STAFF CONSIDERED INTERACTING WITH THE PUBLIC? AND THOSE ARE THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE BECAUSE THE WAY THIS IS SET UP, IT LOOKS LIKE A POTENTIAL FAILURE.
I DON'T THINK THAT THEY WILL FAIL, BUT IT IS SET UP TO WHERE IF YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TO GET THE JOB DONE, AT THE END OF THE DAY, REGARDLESS, IT PUTS YOU IN A VERY DIFFICULT SITUATION, MR. BUTLER.
SO WE HAVE BACKLOG OF CASE CASES, MORE INSPECTORS INTERACTION WITH PUBLIC.
DO WE HAVE A BACKLOG IN OUR CASES? ACTUALLY, WE ARE CURRENT, ACCORDING TO THE MAYOR'S DASHBOARD, UH, I BELIEVE AT 90, UH, SOME ODD PERCENT IN TERMS OF OUR PERFORMANCE MEASURES AND MEETING THE FIRST INSPECTION.
UM, SO BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE, WE DO HAVE A BACKLOG OF OUR ABATEMENT CASES.
SO ONCE WE'VE INSPECTED AND GO BACK OUT, THEN WE DEFINITELY HAVE A BACKLOG THERE.
HOW ARE WE GOING TO DEAL WITH THAT? I'M GONNA UTILIZE MY CURRENT BUDGET TO SPEND WHAT NEEDS TO BE SPENT TO CORRECT IT AND ASK FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDS IF THEY ARE AVAILABLE.
WHEN YOU MENTIONED BEFORE, VACANCIES ARE DUE HIGH TO TURNOVER RATES AND NOT RESIGNATIONS.
TURNOVER IS BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KIND OF COMING IN AND GOING BACK OUT.
UM, AND THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT IS PARTICULAR TO THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS.
CURRENTLY, OUR COUNTRY IS DEALING WITH A GREAT RESIGNATION WHERE PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES WITH MORE FLEXIBILITY THAT QUITE FRANKLY, THIS PARTICULAR ROLE CANNOT OFFER.
UM, WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT HOW DO WE COMPLETE OUR GOALS WITHOUT PUTTING A BURDEN ON REMAINING EMPLOYEES, WE ABSOLUTELY CANNOT COMPLETE OUR GOALS WITHOUT PUTTING AN ADDITIONAL BURDEN ON EVERYBODY.
SO ALL OF US ARE WORKING SEVERAL POSITIONS SO THAT WE CAN ACCOMPLISH WHAT WE'RE NEEDING TO ACCOMPLISH.
AND THAT'S WHY I LOVE MY TEAM, BECAUSE THEY DO IT FROM A GREAT PLACE AND A LOVE OF COMMUNITY.
THEY'RE VERY FLEXIBLE AND THEY DO THE EXTRA THAT IS REQUIRED.
WOULD MORE INSPECTORS BE ASSIGNED TO SPECIFIC DESIGNATED AREAS? ABSOLUTELY.
IF I HAVE THESE INSPECTORS THAT I WOULD IDEALLY LIKE TO HAVE EVERY AREA, EVERY DISTRICT, EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD WOULD HAVE A SPECIFIC TEAM.
BUT BECAUSE I DO NOT, THEN WE HAVE TO PUT THEM WHERE THE NEED IS GREATEST.
AND WE HAVE TO THEM AS NECESS, ROTATE THEM AS NECESSARY.
IT IS AN ALL HANDS ON DECK SITUATION.
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UM, SENIOR MANAGEMENT STAFF IS ALWAYS INTERACTING WITH THE PUBLIC.UM, AND IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN US ENOUGH, LET ME KNOW AND I WILL COME AND SEE YOU MYSELF PERSONALLY.
HOWEVER, UM, IT'S ALWAYS AN ALL HANDS ON DECK SITUATION WITH DON.
BUT WHAT I'M HAPPY, UH, TO REPORT IS THAT WE PUT ALL HANDS, FEET, FINGERS, AND TOES IN THE WORK THAT WE NEED TO GET DONE.
WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, THOUGH, I UNFORTUNATELY DO NOT SEE THAT IN MY COMMUNITY AS I SPEAK TO CITIZENS AS WE GO ABOUT OUR DAILY BUSINESS.
BUT I ALWAYS HOPE THAT ONE PEOPLE CAN DO BETTER.
AND I INVITE YOU TO VISIT WITH ME AT YOUR LEISURE SO WE CAN TALK ABOUT YOUR SPECIFIC ISSUES IN WHAT AREA? NORTHEAST HOUSTON.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, MS. MELISSA MARTINEZ AS HI.
HI, HOW ARE YOU? UH, GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE.
UM, I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
UM, I'M INTERESTED IN OVERALL JUST ON ACCESSIBILITY ON HOW TO MAKE THE NEIGHBORHOODS GRANTS MORE ACCESSIBLE MM-HMM
AND WHO HAS THE AUTHORITY TO CHANGE THE NON-PROFIT ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENT FOR NEIGHBORHOOD GRANTS? SO THAT'S MY FIRST, AND THEN I HAVE A SECOND.
UM, WHY DO THE NEIGHBORHOOD GRANTS OPERATE ON A REIMBURSEMENT MODEL AND WHO HAS THE AUTHORITY TO CHANGE THAT AS WELL? BY REQUIRING PEOPLE TO PAY OUT POCKET, IT SIGNIFICANTLY LIMITS THE APPLICANT POOL.
AND I WANT TO ADD MORE CONTEXT TO THAT, THAT FOR FOLKS IN COMMUNITIES MM-HMM
UM, IT, NOT EVERYONE HAS THE SAME BACKGROUND, WHETHER IT'S ACADEMIC OR, UH, SALARY WISE TO BE ABLE TO, WHO WANT TO CREATE CHANGE OF A PROJECT WITHIN THEIR OWN DISTRICT.
AND I WANT TO, UM, THAT IS WHY I'M INTERESTED IN WITH THESE QUESTIONS ON HOW WE CAN INVEST IN OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO CREATE CHANGE IN THEIR OWN BACKYARDS AND NOT JUST IN, UM, OTHER PROPOSALS FOR MORE.
UM, TO ME THAT IS PUBLIC SAFETY.
SO THE REQUIREMENTS AROUND, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD MATCHING GRANTS.
AT ONE POINT IN TIME, PRIOR TO MY COMING ON AS DIRECTOR, THERE WAS A SPECIFIC POOL OF MONEY THAT WAS GIVEN TO THE DEPARTMENT TO ACTUALLY DELIVER THIS PROGRAM.
AS I UNDERSTAND IT, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN A REIMBURSABLE PROGRAM WHERE WE'RE MATCHING FUNDS THAT ARE COMING IN FROM THE COMMUNITY.
UM, I DO UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERN ABOUT THAT NOT BEING AS ACCESSIBLE FOR SOME INDIVIDUALS.
HOWEVER, WHAT I FOUND IS THAT WHEN PEOPLE HAVE TEETH IN THE GAME, THEY TEND TO BE A LITTLE BIT BETTER ABOUT MAINTAINING AND ORGANIZING AND ACTUALLY KEEPING UP THOSE BEAUTIFICATION PROCESSES.
THE OTHER PART IS THAT BECAUSE NOW WE DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE THAT POT OF MONEY, WHAT WE DO TO KEEP THE PROGRAM GOING IS WE ASSIST THE COUNCIL MEMBERS' OFFICES, WHICH IS THE SOURCE OF FUNDING.
SO THE SOURCE OF FUNDING FOR OUR MATCHING GRANT PROGRAM NOW COMES FROM THE COUNCIL DISTRICT SERVICE FUNDS.
THE COUNCIL MEMBERS CHOOSE THE PROJECTS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO OR CAN AFFORD TO ACTUALLY, UM, FUND FOR THAT YEAR.
AND BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT THESE ARE, UH, TAXPAYER DOLLARS, THERE'S A SPECIFIC WAY THAT WE HAVE TO ACTUALLY DEAL WITH TAXPAYER DOLLARS, WHICH MEANS WE CAN'T GIVE THAT OUT TO INDIVIDUALS.
IT WOULD HAVE TO BE THE NONPROFIT PROTECTIONS THAT ARE OFFERED, WHICH IS THE REASON WHY IT IS SPECIFIC TO 5 0 1 C THREES IN RECEIVING THE MONEY.
SO WE'RE NOT TRYING TO MAKE IT EXTRA DIFFICULT, BUT LEGALLY WE HAVE CERTAIN, UH, PARAMETERS WE HAVE TO FOLLOW AS A CITY IF WE'RE GONNA PUT TAXPAYER DOLLARS TOWARDS A SPECIFIC PROJECT.
SO I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.
COULD I DO A FOLLOW-UP? THANK YOU QUESTION.
UH, MAY I PLEASE ASK? NO, NO MA'AM.
I'LL HEAR THAT YOU CAN SUBMIT THE QUESTION IN WRITING AND WE WILL HAVE, UM, THE ABILITY TO HAVE YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER GET BACK IN TOUCH WITH YOU.
SO, UH, BEFORE WE DISMISS, UH, COUNCIL, UH, VICE MAYOR PROAM, MARTHA CASTEX TATUM, YES.
I JUST HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION.
DO WE HAVE ANY CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS THAT WORK ON WEEKENDS? NO.
ONE, WE'VE BEEN WORKING FOR IT, AND AS YOU SAID TO YOUR PEOPLE, THANK YOU, THANK YOU TO YOU AND DIRECTOR SIMS AND ALL YOUR STAFF.
COUNCIL, ANOTHER REMINDER, UH, PUBLIC, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, YOU CAN ALWAYS LOCATE THOSE INTO YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND THEN YOU'LL HAVE THE ABILITY FOR THEM TO PROVIDE THE ADDITIONAL RESPONSE BACK TO YOU.