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FOR A SECOND[FY 2023 Budget Workshop: Housing]
AND BEGIN OUR BUDGET WORKSHOP ON THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT.THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO WELCOME DIRECTOR KEITH BONHAM AND MS. TAMIKA JONES TO PROVIDE THE HOUSTON HOUSING DEPARTMENT BUDGET PRESENTATION.
JOINING ME TODAY IS MY, UH, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR AND CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, MS. TAMIKA JONES.
UH, IF WE GO THROUGH THE NEXT SLIDE, UH, WE ARE A DEPARTMENT OF ACRONYMS. SO HERE'S A LIST OF ALL THE ACRONYMS THAT WE CURRENTLY USE.
SO WE JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE YOU WITH THAT.
IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
FOR THE GENERAL FUND, WE ARE PROBABLY THE SMALLEST BUDGET YOU'LL SEE, UH, AT THIS BUDGET HEARING.
WE ARE PROJECTED TO GET $411,604 REPRESENTING, UH, UH, FTES OF 0.3.
THAT 0.3 IS REPRESENTED BY PERSONNEL.
UM, AND YOU'LL SEE THE FY 23 BUDGET OF 135,493, WHICH IS THE POINT 0.3, WHICH IS PART OF MY SALARY, AS WELL AS, UH, EMPLOYEE EXIT COSTS.
THAT'S BENEFIT TERMINATION, UH, PAY AND WORKERS' COMPENSATION.
AND THEN THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT CHART, YOU'LL SEE THE OTHER SERVICES AND CHARGES, WHICH REPRESENT, UH, 276,011, UH, $111, WHICH COVERS JANITORIAL, RENT, AND OTHER MISCELLANEOUS CHARGEBACKS.
ALRIGHT, IS THAT BETTER? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.
UH, IF YOU GO TO, OKAY, THAT SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE ALL THE DEPARTMENT PROGRAMMING.
YOU'LL SEE, UH, SINGLE FAMILY HOME REPAIR AND RECONSTRUCTION, SINGLE FAMILY, NEW CONSTRUCTION, HOME BUYER ASSISTANCE, AND HOME BUYER CHOICE MULTIFAMILY PROGRAMS, MULTI, UH, PUBLIC FACILITIES AND PUBLIC SERVICES.
UH, OUR GENERAL FUND REVENUE OVERVIEW.
YOU'LL SEE ON GENERAL FUND FROM FY 21, WE WERE, UH, JUST UNDER, UH, HALF MILLION.
AND NOW IN FY 23, WE'RE AT 411.
6 0 4, UH, FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR, THAT'S A REDUCTION OF, UH, $6,114, A 1.4% REDUCTION.
NEXT SLIDE, EXPENDITURES BY CATEGORY, UH, YOU WILL SEE ON THE EXPENDITURES AND WE CAN GO BY THOSE.
AND IN, UH, PURPOSE OF SAVING TIME, WE'LL JUST LOOK AT FY 23, THE PROPOSED.
IT'S, UH, 1 35 4 93 FOR PERSONNEL.
UH, 160 FOR OFFICE RENT, UH, 99,000, UH, 84 FOR RESTRICTIVE ACCOUNTS, AND THEN OTHER SERVICES AND CHARGES, UH, JUST OVER, UH, 17,000 FOR A TOTAL, AGAIN OF 411,000 6 0 4.
THE NEXT SLIDE IS OUR PERSONNEL VERSUS NON-PERSONNEL.
AND YOU WILL SEE HERE THAT, UH, PERSONNEL, UH, RELATES TO 33%.
NON-PERSONNEL IS 67% OF THOSE DOLLARS.
OUR GENERAL FUND BUDGET EXPENDITURES.
AGAIN, IN ORDER TO, UH, UH, SAVE A LITTLE TIME, YOU CAN SEE THAT, UH, PREVIOUS YEAR WE WERE 417,718 COMPARED TO THE CURRENT PROPOSAL OF 411 6 0 4.
AND THE NEXT ONE ON THIS ONE IS OUR ORGANIZATION CHART.
SO YOU CAN SEE THE CURRENT ORGANIZATION, UH, UH, TO THE RIGHT.
YOU WILL SEE ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO REPORT DIRECTLY TO ME.
AND AS A, UH, AS OF TODAY, WE CAN ADD AN ADDITIONAL PERSON.
KENISHA LONDON IS NOW MY NEW ASSISTANT DIRECTOR IN CHARGE OF COMPLIANCE.
UH, BUT THAT CHART TO THE LEFT IS THE CHART THAT REPRESENT, UH, INDIVIDUAL DEPARTMENTS WHO RECEIVE FUNDING AND
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REPRESENT EMPLOYEES IN THOSE OTHER DEPARTMENTS, WHICH TOTAL TO 88, UH, EMPLOYEES THAT ARE FUNDED THROUGH, UH, THROUGH US, UH, WITH AND ALONG WITH OUR 266 EMPLOYEES FOR A TOTAL OF 354 EMPLOYEES.AND THAT CHART JUST GIVES YOU SOME OF THE DEMOGRAPHICS, LET YOU LET YOU KNOW THAT, UH, UH, THE DEPARTMENT IS 39% MALE, 61% FEMALE.
AND THEN THE ETHNIC, UH, BREAKDOWN OF THE DEPARTMENT.
THIS IS THE BREAKDOWN OF THE ANTICIPATED, UH, FUNDING THAT WE WILL BE RECEIVING.
AND YOU CAN SEE CDBG, UH, TOURS, HOPWA HOME, UH, EMERGENCY SHELTER GRANT.
OUR, UH, STATE HOMELESS, UH, HOUSING, UH, UH, FUND AND GENERAL FUND ADD UP TO JUST OVER, UH, $62 MILLION.
AND THEN YOU CAN SEE THE CHART TO THE RIGHT IS A BREAKDOWN OF 40% OF THAT FUNDING IS CDBG 18% HOPPER 17%, HOME 19%, TURS 3% ESG.
UH, AND THEN THE TEXAS HOUSING, UH, BOND MONEY IS 2%.
AND THEN THE GENERAL FUND DOLLAR IS, UH, 0.66%.
AND PEOPLE MAY BE SITTING HERE SAYING, WHY DO WE EVEN DO A BUDGET FOR A DEPARTMENT THAT HAS A BALANCE OR REVENUE STREAM, A EXPENSE STREAM OF $411,000? IT'S BECAUSE OF THAT LAST SLIDE.
IT'S BECAUSE OF THE FLOW THROUGH.
IT'S BECAUSE OF ALL THE MONEY THAT GOES FROM AGENCIES, WHETHER IT'S A FEDERAL GOVERNMENT GLO, INTO YOUR DEPARTMENT AND, AND OUT.
IT GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK QUESTIONS OF YOU.
'CAUSE LAST TIME WE SAW YOU BOTH TOGETHER, IT WASN'T A PRETTY PICTURE WE WERE LOOKING AT.
SO I GUESS MY INITIAL QUESTION IS, HOW IS THAT GOING ON THE GLO SIDE? BECAUSE WE STILL ARE HEARING FROM RESIDENTS THAT EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A BUDGET WORKSHOP, 411,000 ISN'T A LOT.
UM, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I'D LIKE TO JUST GET A QUICK STATUS UPDATE ON HOW THINGS ARE GOING.
HOW CAN WE HELP YOUR DEPARTMENT MOVE THINGS FORWARD, AND WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO? SO, UH, THE, THE GIST OF IT IS, UH, THE LAST TIME WE WERE IN FRONT OF THIS COMMITTEE, THAT WAS, UH, JUST AFTER SEPTEMBER 21, WHEN ALL THINGS CHANGED IN OUR DEPARTMENT, UH, SINCE THEN.
AND AT THAT POINT WHEN WE MET, WE WERE HAVING SOME, UH, SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES WITH THE GLO.
SOME OF THOSE CHALLENGES HAVE NOT, UH, TOTALLY GONE AWAY, BUT WE HAVE A MORE WORKABLE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE GLO.
WE'VE MADE SOME SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS.
UH, MANY OF THE, UH, PROGRAMS THAT THEY PUT ON HOLD ARE NOW STARTING TO BE RELEASED AND WE'RE MOVING FORWARD.
UH, OUR SINGLE FAMILY PRO, UH, PROGRAM THAT THE GLO TOOK BACK, UH, THE, THE ONLY PART THAT THE DEPARTMENT REC, UH, KEPT WAS THE PIECES THAT WERE STILL IN THE PIPELINE.
THAT PROGRAM IS NOW WINDING DOWN, AND WE ANTICIPATE THAT PROGRAM WILL BE COMPLETELY WOUND DOWN, UH, BY MID TO LATE SUMMER.
AND SO WE ARE MAKING SOME SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS.
UH, THE MULTIFAMILY, UH, PROGRAM, WHICH HAS ALWAYS BEEN, UH, UH, ONE OF THE CARROTS IN OUR, IN, IN OUR PORTFOLIO, HAS DONE EXTREMELY WELL.
UH, WE HAVE ALSO HAD SOME CHALLENGES.
WE, THE GLO IN ACCEPTING AND MOVING FORWARD, WE PROVIDED THEM WITH LOADS OF INFORMATION.
SO, UH, WE CAN START MOVING THOSE, THOSE PROGRAMS FORWARD.
SO OVERALL, WE ARE, WE HAVE MADE SOME SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS.
THERE ARE SOME THINGS, UH, SOME OF OUR PROGRAMS ARE, HAVE BEEN SLOWED SIMPLY BECAUSE OF PRIMARILY THE PANDEMIC.
SOME OF SOME OF THOSE CHANGES ARE, UH, UH, DUE TO, UH, SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES, UH, A LACK OF INVENTORY.
WE HAVE A SIGNIFICANT HOME, UH, DOWN PAYMENT, UH, FIRST TIME HOME BUYERS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, BUT THE INVENTORY IS STARTING TO DRY UP AND IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO PROVIDE THAT HOUSING WHEN INDIVIDUALS CAN'T FIND IT.
BUT WE ARE, WE ARE MAKING SOME SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS SINCE THE LAST TIME WE'VE BEEN HERE.
AND, UH, DIRECTOR, I WANT REALLY WANNA CONGRATULATE YOU.
YOU HAVE, UH, ALWAYS BEEN WITH THE DEPARTMENT, UH, FOR YOUR EXTENDED TENURE, UH, LEADING WITH SUCH DIGNITY, UM, CONSISTENCY AND DILIGENCE.
UH, I ALSO REALLY WANNA COMMEND YOU ALL.
UM, WE'VE BEEN HEARING AROUND THE HORSESHOE, UH, HOW IMPORTANT THE, ESPECIALLY WITH, I WANNA SAY WITH SINGLE FAMILY HOMES IN THAT PROGRAM AND THE
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REBUILDING, THE FLEXIBILITY THAT WE HAVE AFFORDED HOMEOWNERS THAT OTHER, UH, I WILL SAY STATE AGENCIES HAVE NOT AFFORDED, UM, THAT FLEXIBILITY IN TERMS OF REBUILDS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.AND I THINK THAT'S A REALLY BIG SUCCESS STORY THAT WE ARE SEEING ON THE GROUND HERE.
WE JUST DID A GROUNDBREAKING, UH, EXCUSE ME, A HALFWAY KIND OF CHECK BOX ON, UM, SOME MULTIFAMILY HOUSING IN THE DISTRICT THAT WE'RE SEEING IN REAL TIME ALL OF THE PROGRESS THAT WE'RE MAKING.
UM, I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED JUST AS WE'RE SEEING IN, UH, MAYOR PRO TEM TALKED ABOUT THIS, THE HOUSING MARKET, UM, THE AFFORDABILITY OF HOUSING RIGHT NOW, AND WITH YOU SAYING ABOUT THAT INVENTORY DRYING UP IN TERMS OF SINGLE FAMILY HOME AVAILABILITY, UH, A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT AND WE'LL SUBMIT SOME QUESTIONS ON, UH, THROUGH THE PORTAL.
BUT I APPRECIATE YOU RAISING THAT.
MY ONE QUESTION IS, GIVEN THE CONSTRAINTS THAT WE HAVE AS A CITY FINANCIALLY, AND I'M ASKING EVERY DEPARTMENT THIS, WHAT ARE THE NEEDS THAT ARE CURRENTLY NOT BEING ADDRESSED THAT YOU FORESEE CAN BE A CHALLENGE FOR THE CITY, UM, EITHER NEAR TERM OR DOWN THE ROAD? WELL, I THINK THE, THE BIGGEST NEED IS, UH, PERHAPS ASKING FOR ADDITIONAL OR MORE MONEY COMING FROM GENERAL FUND.
ALL OF, UH, ALL OF THE DOLLARS THAT WE TYPICALLY USE OR HAVE AVAILABLE ARE GONNA BE TIED TO THE, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, UH, EXCEPT FOR THE TURS MONEY.
BUT THE TERRORIST MONEY IS ALREADY PREDETERMINED OF WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO WITH THAT IN MOST CASES.
BUT, UH, WE HAVE A, A, A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF NEED, UH, IN THE CITY WHEN IT COMES TO INDIVIDUALS WHO NEED THEIR HOME REPAIRED.
AND BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE RESTRICTIONS THAT COME WITH THE FEDERAL DOLLAR, IT, IT BECOMES VERY DIFFICULT TO ASSIST INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE NOT HOMEOWNERS.
UH, I AM A LITTLE BIT CHALLENGED WITH TRYING TO ASSIST JUST RENTERS, UH, IN GENERAL BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO ENHANCE A PROPERTY THAT THEY DON'T CONTROL, AND WE ENHANCE THAT PROPERTY THAN THE HOME, THAN THE PROPERTY OWNER COMES BACK AND EITHER INCREASES THEIR RENT AND OR, OR EVEN WORST CASE SCENARIO, PUTS THEM OUT IN ORDER TO GET MORE, MORE VALUE FOR THAT PROPERTY.
SO IT BECOMES VERY CHALLENGING TO ASSIST, UH, UH, RENTERS.
BUT WE ALSO FIND OURSELVES FINDING IT BEING VERY CHALLENGING, UH, ASSISTING INDIVIDUALS WHO CAN'T MEET ALL OF THE NEEDS, EVEN THOUGH THEY, THEY MAY BE THE HOMEOWNER, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE EVERYTHING IN PLACE TO PROVE THAT THEY'RE THE HOMEOWNER.
SO THEY'VE BEEN IN THE HOME FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, MAY HAVE BEEN AWARDED THE HOME FROM THROUGH SOMEONE'S, UH, PASSING, UH, BUT THEY DIDN'T DO ALL OF THE THINGS NECESSARY TO PUT THE, PUT THE, UH, PROPERTY IN THEIR NAME.
SO THEY STILL TECHNICALLY CANNOT PROVE THAT THEY'RE THE HOMEOWNERS.
SO IT BECOMES VERY CHALLENGING WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO USE FEDERAL DOLLARS TO ASSIST THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
THAT'S WHY IT WOULD BE BETTER IF WE HAD ADDITIONAL GENERAL FUND DOLLARS THAT WOULD BE MORE FLEXIBLE.
WE HAVE ABOUT, I THINK, 10 PUBLIC SPEAKERS THAT SIGNED UP.
SO WE'LL GO THROUGH THE LIST REAL QUICK.
THE FIRST WE HAVE IS MR. CHRISTOPHER RIVERA, WHO IS JOINING US VIRTUALLY.
CHRISTOPHER STAR SIX TO UNMUTE.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? YEP, WE CAN HEAR YOU.
THANK HOUSING PROGRAMS BECOMING INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT DUE TO THE RISING COST OF LIVING THIS YEAR.
THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT WILL ONLY RECEIVE 0.01% OF THE CITY'S GENERAL BUDGET.
LOCAL REPORTS INDICATE RENT HAS GONE UP 22% IN HOUSTON, AND JUST LAST WEEK THERE WERE 783 EVICTIONS FILED.
WE ARE FACING A HOUSING CRISIS, AND THE CITY CONTINUES TO CUT FUNDING THAT KEEPS OUR COMMUNITY SAFE.
IN THE LAST 10 YEARS, THE HOUSING BUDGET HAS DECREASED BY 83%.
THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS ONLY ONE FEDERAL BUDGET CUT AWAY FROM A HOUSING PROGRAM DISASTER.
AN IMPACT THAT WILL BE FELT BY LOW INCOME FAMILIES WHO WILL LOSE EVERYTHING.
MY QUESTIONS ARE HOW WILL THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT WORK TO SECURE A SELF-SUFFICIENT BUDGET, ONE THAT MOVES AWAY FROM RELIANCE ON HE ON FEDERAL FUNDS.
WHY HAS THE FUNDING FOR THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT DECREASED BY 83% IN THE LAST 10 YEARS? AND WHY DOES THIS DEPARTMENT RELY SO HEAVILY ON FEDERAL GRANTS? THANK YOU.
I DIDN'T HEAR THE LAST QUESTION.
WHY ARE WE DEPENDENT UPON FEDERAL GRANTS, WAS HIS LAST COMMENT? THE DEPARTMENT IS A, UH, THE, THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS AN ENTITLEMENT CITY.
WE GET, THE MAJORITY OF OUR FUNDING DOES COME FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, AND THE MAJORITY OF THAT FUNDING IS COMING FROM HUD.
UH, UH, WE GET FUNDING FROM, UH, THROUGH A NUMBER OF PROGRAMS THROUGH HUD, CDBG, WHICH IS OUR NORMAL, UH, UH, NORMAL FUNDING SOURCE.
WE ALSO HAVE HOME, WE ALSO HAVE ESG, UH, PROGRAMMING.
UH, THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE WAY THE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN SET UP AND THE WAY THE
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CITY HAS BEEN SET UP TO RECEIVE FUNDING FROM HUD.UH, THE, THE DOLLAR AMOUNT THAT WE RECEIVE IS BASED ON A FORMULA THAT HAS BEEN PRESET.
THAT NUMBER WAS, THAT FORMULA WAS DE DESIGNED IN THE, THE LATE SIXTIES, EARLY SEVENTIES.
THAT NUMBER HAS BEEN THE SAME.
AND WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO, UH, GET HUD TO DEVIATE FROM THE, THE CURRENT FORMULA, EVEN THOUGH WE ARE GROWING IN SIZE AND HAVE GROWN IN SIZE SINCE THAT, SINCE THE ORIGINAL, UM, UH, UH, FORMULA WAS CREATED.
IT HAS NOT ADJUSTED ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY.
UH, AND THERE ARE SOME CITIES WHO ARE NOT AS LARGE AS US, RECEIVE MUCH MORE FUNDING THAN WE DO.
BUT IT WAS BASED ON THE FORMULA AND THE AMOUNT OF NEED THAT THOSE CITIES HAD AT THAT TIME.
UH, WE'VE, WE'VE INQUIRED, WE'VE ASKED, BUT THOSE, THE, THE FUNDING, THE FORMULA HAS NOT YET BEEN CHANGED.
SO, UH, TO, TO, I DON'T HAVE A REALLY GOOD ANSWER, UH, ABOUT HOW, UH, TO INCREASE, UH, GET AN INCREASE IN FUNDING FROM THE CITY.
WE CAN ASK FOR ADDITIONAL GENERAL FUND DOLLAR, BUT THAT IS A, A, A BUDGET ISSUE THAT IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE A BUDGET ISSUE.
UH, WHEN IT DO YOU, SORRY, GO AHEAD.
SORRY, I DIDN'T MEAN TO INTERRUPT.
WHEN, WHEN IT COMES TO, WHEN IT COMES TO ASSISTING INDIVIDUALS, UH, UH, THAT WE'RE FACING EVICTION, WE ARE CURRENTLY DEALING WITH, UH, SOME FUNDING THAT WE DID HAVE THAT IS BASED, UH, THAT IS DEALING WITH INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE IN THE MIDST OF BEING, UH, EVICTED AT THE PRESENT TIME.
UH, IN PERSON, MR. JASON OLIVER.
HI, DIRECTOR BYNUM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR, YOUR, UH, PRESENTATION.
UH, FIRST I NOTICED, AND THERE WAS A RECENT COUNTY REPORT, UH, THAT, THAT BASICALLY SHOWED THAT WE HAVE ALMOST NONE OF THE NECESSARY SUPPLY FOR WHAT'S DESCRIBED AS EXTREMELY LOW INCOME, ZERO TO TO 30% MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME HOUSING.
IS THE DEPARTMENT SET UP TO EVEN LIKE SHIFT THAT, THAT, UH, SEVERE, SEVERE NEED AT ALL? THAT'S, YEAH, THAT'S MY FIRST QUESTION.
UH, I, I MISSED THE BEGINNING OF YOUR QUESTION WHERE YOU SAID YOU, YOU SAW THE STATISTICS THAT CAME THAT SAID WHAT? SO THERE IS A SEVERE SHORTAGE IN THE SUPPLY FOR EXTREMELY LOW INCOME, LIKE ZERO TO 30% MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME HOUSING.
AND WE'RE, WE'RE JUST IN NO WAY EQUIPPED TO, TO PROVIDE AND, UH, TO, TO MEET THAT NEED AND THAT DEMAND IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
WELL, WE ARE, WE ARE TRYING TO MEET THE DEMAND IN, IN, UH, A NUMBER OF WAYS.
NOT, UH, IT'S, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT IN SINGLE FAMILY OWNERSHIP.
UH, WE DO TRY TO, UH, DO A BETTER JOB IN TRYING TO MEET IT IN THE RENTAL MARKET.
SO WE ARE PRO TRYING TO PROVIDE THAT IN A NUMBER OF, UH, OPPORTUNITIES BY PREVENTING, UH, OUR ASKING ALL OF OUR DEVELOPERS TO LOOK AT AN ARRAY OF, UH, UM, UH, INCOME STRUCTURE.
UH, SO WE CAN PROVIDE RENTAL IN, UH, RENTAL UNITS FOR ALL OF THE STREAMS OF, OF INCOME IN THE CITY.
UH, IT IS VERY DIFFICULT 'CAUSE THERE IS A LARGE POOL IN THAT, IN THAT GROUP VERSUS THE NUMBER OF UNITS THAT WE CAN PUT ON THE MARKET.
AND THEN THIS IS, I, I GUESS A QUESTION FOR COUNCIL, BECAUSE YOU'VE, YOU'VE COME HERE SAYING THAT YOU NEED MORE FUNDS, THE TIME HAS EXPIRED ON THAT FUNDS, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO, WHICH COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE SUPPORTIVE OF AN AMENDMENT TO ALLOCATE MORE GENERAL FUNDS FOR THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT SO THAT YOU CAN ADDRESS THE ISSUES THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT BEFORE.
I'LL START BY REITERATING JASON'S QUESTIONS AND, UH, USE MY TIME TO ANSWER THAT.
AND I ALSO WANNA FOLLOW UP ON CHRISTOPHER'S QUESTION.
UM, AND A LOT OF TIMES I'VE COME UP HERE AND ASKED LIKE, WHAT COULD YOU DO WITH MORE? BUT I'M ACTUALLY CURIOUS.
IT WAS VERY SHOCKING TO ME THAT IN 10 YEARS YOUR BUDGET HAS DROPPED BY 83%.
YOU WENT FROM TWO, ALMOST 2.5, THE NEXT YEAR WAS LIKE 1.4, AND THEN IT DROPPED TO LIKE 6 77.
AND THEN EVEN IN THE PAST SEVEN YEARS, IT'S BEEN REDUCED BY 38%.
AND I'M JUST CURIOUS, HOW HAS THIS IMPACTED Y'ALL'S ABILITY TO PROVIDE FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON? UM, I KNOW, LIKE, WHAT CAN WE DO TO INCREASE THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT RESOURCES TO MEET THE NEEDS? I KNOW YOU'VE MENTIONED INCREASING THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET, SO I'M GONNA CIRCLE THAT BACK TO JASON'S QUESTION.
WHAT COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE OPEN TO A BUDGET AMENDMENT TO GIVE OUR CITY WHAT WE NEED? BECAUSE YOU DON'T, LIKE, YOU DON'T NEED TO BE HERE TWO SECONDS BEFORE YOU SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE UNHOUSED.
AND LIKE, WE KNOW HOW INSANE THE, LIKE HOUSING MARKET IS HERE.
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SO, UM, DIRECTOR, ISN'T IT TRUE THAT WE HAVE ADDITIONAL DOLLARS THAT YOUR DEPARTMENT UTILIZES FOR HOUSING THAT'S OUTSIDE OF JUST THE GENERAL BUDGET, FEDERAL DOLLARS, STATE DOLLARS GRANT DOLLARS THAT ARE JUST NOT ENCOMPASSED IN YOUR PRESENTATION TODAY? THAT IS CORRECT.WE WOULD ALSO HAVE ACCESS TO THE TOURIST DOLLARS.
AND THE TOURIST DOLLARS ARE, ARE, UH, DESIGNED TO HELP WITH, UH, THE DEVELOPMENT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
CAN WE GO BACK TO SLIDE 12? SORRY, COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD.
IS IT OKAY IF I JUST TRACK REAL QUICK TO WHAT YOU ASKED? WELL, LET ME GET, LET ME GET HIS RESPONSE TO THIS.
I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY WHERE ALL OF THE, THE, UH, RESOURCES THAT YOUR DEPARTMENT IS UTILIZING FOR HOUSING NEEDS WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND ON ON PAGE 12, YOU HAVE A BREAKDOWN HERE OF DIFFERENT, UH, FUNDING SOURCES.
CAN YOU ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THAT? SO YOU'LL SEE ON THE BREAKDOWN ON, ON THE HOUSING SOURCES, UH, SURE.
EVERYONE REALIZES THAT THE MAJORITY OF OUR DOLLARS COME FROM CDBG FUNDING.
THAT'S OUR LARGEST POT OF THE PIE.
AND THEN YOU SEE TERRA 12 MILLION HOPPER IS 10 MILLION, AND WE CAN GO ON AND ON.
AND SO WHAT YOU'RE, WHAT YOU'RE, WHAT YOU ARE PRESENTING TODAY IS JUST THE GENERAL FUND.
THAT'S ALL WE'RE PRESENTING TODAY IS THE GENERAL FUND PIECE OF THE BUDGET AND YOUR FOLLOW UP.
WELL, COUNCILMAN OR POLLARD, I UNDERSTAND THOSE FUNDING REVENUES, BUT WHAT CONCERNS ME IS THAT 10 YEARS AGO, THEIR GENERAL FUND BUDGET WAS ALMOST $2.5 MILLION IN A DECADE.
AS OUR CITY GROWS AND AS OUR HOUSING PRICES SKYROCKET, THAT LIKE THAT OUR CITY BUDGET IS BEING REDUCED SO DRASTICALLY.
DO WE? BUT THE, THE QUESTION I WOULD HAVE, AND WE, WE CAN GET THIS FROM THE DEPARTMENT AND THEN GET IT BACK OUT TO THE PUBLIC, IS HOW MUCH MONEY WERE WE GETTING FROM OUTSIDE SOURCES AS WELL TO SUPPLEMENT? IF WE WERE AT 2.5 MILLION BEFORE, WHAT WERE WE GETTING IN CDBG? WHAT WERE WE GETTING IN TUR DOLLARS? BECAUSE THAT PLAYS A ROLE ALSO, AND I THINK HOW WE ALLOCATE DOLLARS FROM THE GENERAL FUND.
SO IF YOU CAN WORK ON THAT, UH, DIRECTOR TO TO SHOW MAYBE 10 YEARS AGO, UH, WHAT WAS COMING IN FROM A FUNDING STANDPOINT FROM OUTSIDE THE CITY AS COMPARED TO NOW.
SURE, WE CAN GET THAT INFORMATION TO YOU.
NOW, I CAN TELL YOU I'VE BEEN IN THE DEPARTMENT FOR 30 YEARS.
UH, WHEN I FIRST GOT TO THE DEPARTMENT, CDBG FUNDING AT THAT TIME FOR THE CITY WAS OVER $60 MILLION.
UH, BUT AS THEY BEGAN TO GET ADDITIONAL MUNICIPALITIES JOIN THE GROUP AS, UH, THE, THE, THE NEED GREW AROUND THE COUNTRY, THEN YOUR, THEN THE DOLLARS, THEY'RE JUST LIMITED DOLLARS.
SO THE DOLLARS START COMING DOWN.
COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, THANK YOU CHAIR IN OTHER CITIES ARE, IS IS THE, DO THEY OPERATE IN THE SAME, IN THE SAME WAY WITH MOST OF THE MONEY COMING INTO THEIR DEPARTMENTS, BEING FROM THE FEDERAL SOURCES, OUR LOCAL DOLLARS ARE, OF COURSE THE TOUR DOLLARS ARE COMING INTO IT.
BUT, BUT OR DO OTHER CITIES WITHIN TEXAS SPEND MORE, UM, A GENERAL FUND MONEY THERE? THEY, THEY GET, THEY TEND TO GIVE THEIR DEPARTMENT A LITTLE BIT MORE GENERAL FUND DOLLARS.
UH, WE'VE SEEN CITIES OUTSIDE OF TEXAS WHO REALLY DO GIVE, UH, A LARGER CONTRIBUTION TO FROM THEIR GENERAL FUND TO THEIR, TO THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT.
UH, PHILADELPHIA STANDS OUT, UH, CALIFORNIA, UH, LOS ANGELES, UH, AND A FEW OTHERS.
THEY TEND TO, UH, DEDICATE MORE GENERAL FUND DOLLAR TO THE DEPARTMENT.
UM, SO COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS JUST WANTED TO EXPRESS, UM, THAT WE HAVE AN ANNUAL HUD ANNUAL ACTION PLAN THAT'S OUTLINED TO SUPPORT HOMELESSNESS AND ALL FEDERAL ALLOCATIONS.
IN RESPONSE TO YOUR QUESTION, THE REDUCTION OF GENERAL FUND MONEY IS BECAUSE POSITIONS AND PROGRAMS WERE ATTACHED TO FEDERAL MONEY TO RELIEVE THE GENERAL FUND.
HELLO, I'M NDA JOSEPH, LIKE WAKANDA, BUT, UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, WHAT I DO WANT TO, I HAD OTHER QUESTIONS, BUT I, I JUST THINK IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A STATEMENT IS THAT I DO WANT THE COUNCIL MEMBERS HERE TO KNOW, WHICH I, I KNOW THAT YOU DO THAT RIGHT NOW.
THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS NUMBER ONE IN EVICTIONS NUMBER TWO IN FOLKS NOT HAVING ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
MANY PEOPLE WHO CAME, A FEW PEOPLE WHO HAD CAME HERE EARLIER TODAY WERE PEOPLE WHO MISS WORK LEFT EARLY.
SOME PEOPLE COULDN'T COME BECAUSE OF WORK, UH, BECAUSE THEY ARE IN TROUBLE.
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ABOUT THE EVICTIONS.AND THIS LAST, SINCE FEBRUARY, I, I'VE BEEN SO STRESSED JUST AS A HUMAN BEING HERE, LIVING IN THIS CITY THAT CARE ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THIS CITY UNTIL I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IT IS THAT WE CAN DO TO DO BETTER.
SO I DON'T WANT YOU ALL TO LOOK OVER WHAT WAS SAID IF THERE'S OPPORTUNITY TO, IF THE BUDGET HAS DECREASED OVER 10 YEARS FOR WHAT THIS, FOR WHAT WE CAN DO, RIGHT? WE UNDERSTAND THE FEDERAL STUFF ASIDE.
I REALLY HOPE THAT FOLKS THAT ARE ELECTED BY THE PEOPLE TAKE THE TIME OUT.
'CAUSE I'M TAKING MY TIME OUT TO THINK ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO TO INCREASE THE BUDGET TO MAKE SURE THAT A LOT OF OUR CITIZENS ARE UN ARE, ARE HOUSED, AND HAVE A SAFE PLACE TO STAY.
UM, I JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, AND I'M JUST GONNA READ MY QUESTION.
ACCORDING TO THE KINDER INSTITUTE, UM, EVICTIONS COST HARRIS COUNTY OVER 240 MILLION A YEAR PRIOR TO THE ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF COVID-19.
HARRIS COUNTY AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON ARE NOT DIRECT COMPARISONS, BUT THERE IS A LOT OF OVERLAP.
AND I WANNA KNOW, WHAT DOES YOUR DEPARTMENT PROPOSE AS SOLUTIONS TO ADDRESS HOUSTON'S HOUSTON'S EVICTION CRISIS? UM, SIMILAR TO WHAT NDA SAID, WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE BEING EVICTED.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT YOU STATED THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE, YOU NEED MORE FUNDS.
UM, SO MY ASK IS THAT CITY COUNCIL WOULD, UM, YOU KNOW, PROPOSE, UM, REDISTRIBUTING SOME OF THOSE FUNDS TO SPECIFICALLY HOUSING SO THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN ADDRESS THAT SITUATION.
AND THEN MY SECOND QUESTION WOULD BE, UM, OKAY, GOOD.
UH, FINISH YOUR SECOND QUESTION REALLY QUICK.
UM, IT'S JUST ABOUT REPAIRS AND JUST FUNDING FOR SINGLE HOME REPAIRS AND REBUILD.
WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT, UM, EVEN AFTER, UH, HARVEY ARE STILL STRUGGLING TO, UH, YOU KNOW, FIX THEIR HOMES.
AND ALTHOUGH THERE ARE SOME PROGRAMS, I MEAN, I RECENTLY CALLED AS SOON AS A MONTH AGO, AND, UM, MY AUNT SPECIFICALLY, THEY WERE TOLD THEY HAD NO FUNDS IN THE CITY TO HELP REBUILD HER HOME.
SO, SO LET ME ASK YOU, LET ME ASK YOU YOUR FIRST QUESTION IN TERMS OF, OF, UH, THE DOLLARS THAT CAME INTO THE CITY, UH, TO ASSIST INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE GOING THROUGH, UH, THE EVICTION PROCESS.
UH, WE WERE ABLE TO SERVE BETWEEN, IT WAS A JOINT VENTURE BETWEEN US AND THE COUNTY.
WE WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO, UH, OVER 70,000 FAMILIES AS, AND PUT OUT, UH, NEARLY $400 MILLION IN ONE YEAR.
WE WERE ABLE TO DO THAT, UH, BUT THE NEED WAS SO MUCH GREATER, CORRECT.
AND, UH, WE JUST DID NOT HAVE ANY MORE, ANY MORE DOLLARS.
UH, WE PUT OUT ALL THE DOLLARS THAT WE HAD AND THE, AND THE DOLLARS THAT CAME IN, UH, REMAINING THAT WE GOT, UH, FROM, UH, AREAS THAT DID NOT SPEND THOSE DOLLARS, WE PUT THAT FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE IN EVICTION AS WE SPEAK.
SO WE DID, WE ELIMINATED RENTAL ASSISTANCE AND WENT DIRECTLY TO INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE IN THE PROCESS OF GOING THROUGH EVICTION AS WE SPEAK.
SO THAT'S WHERE THE, THOSE DOLLARS ARE, BUT WE JUST DON'T HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL, NOW WE'VE ASKED FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
THAT FUNDING JUST HAS NOT ARRIVED.
UH, AND HER SECOND QUESTION, THE SECOND PART OF YOUR QUESTION, WHEN IT COMES TO REPAIR, THERE IS, UH, UH, AGAIN, UH, THE DOLLARS ARE LIMITED.
UH, WE HAVE AN, IT IS A VERY DIFFICULT PRODUCT, UH, PRODUCT, UH, IN DEALING WITH HOME REPAIR.
UH, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, ONE OF THE MAJOR ISSUES WITH DEALING WITH HOME REPAIR, THE INDIVIDUALS WHO CANNOT PROVE THAT THEY ARE THE OWNER, UH, WE ARE VERY, UH, WE HAVE OUR HANDS TIED WITH BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE RENTING.
SO IT IS A VERY CHALLENGING, UH, PROCESS IN GETTING THOSE DONE.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT WE DID VERSUS WHAT THE GLO DID WAS THE GLO UH, UH, TAKES THE LIST.
AND IF YOU ARE UP NEXT, IF YOU ARE READY TO GO, THEN YOU GET SERVICE.
WHAT, UH, BUT IF YOU ARE NOT READY TO GO, IF YOU CAN'T, IF YOU DON'T HAVE TITLE
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AND YOU DON'T HAVE ALL YOUR, ALL YOUR DUCKS LINED UP IN A ROW READY TO RECEIVE ASSISTANCE, THEN THEY MOVE ON.WHAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON, UH, APPROACH IS, IS WE DON'T, WE TRY NOT TO LEAVE ANYONE BEHIND.
SO WE HAVE, UH, VOLUNTEER LAWYERS, WE HAVE ALL OF THE, WE TRY TO PUT EVERYONE INTO A PROCESS THAT ALLOWS THEM TO GET A COMPLETE SERVICE, NOT JUST, UH, ARE YOU READY TO BE SERVED? IF YOU, IF YOU DON'T COMPLY TODAY, THEN YOU JUST MISS OUT.
WE ARE REALLY TRYING TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO US, NOT LEAVE ANYONE BEHIND.
THAT BECOMES VERY CHALLENGING, UH, AND IT DOES BECOME VERY TIME CONSUMING AND WE'RE DOING THAT WITH LIMITED DOLLARS.
THANK YOU, SIR, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I ALSO WANNA SAY I STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH ALL FIVE PEOPLE THAT SPOKE BEFORE ME.
UM, I'D LIKE TO ASK WHICH COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE SUPPORTIVE OF AN AMENDMENT DURING THIS CYCLE TO ALLOCATE MORE GENERAL FUNDS TO HOUSING? I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THEN TO YOU, SIR, I'D LIKE TO ASK, HAS THE DEPARTMENT EXAMINED EVICTION RIGHTS TO COUNCIL PROGRAMS AS SEEN IN OTHER CITIES? IF SO, WHAT WOULD BE THE COST TO PROVIDE THAT LEGAL REPRESENTATION TO HOUSTONIANS FACING EVICTION? COULD YOU REPEAT THAT QUESTION? YES, SIR.
HAS THE DEPARTMENT EXAMINED EVICTION RIGHTS TO COUNSEL PROGRAMS AS SEEN IN OTHER CITIES? IF SO, WHAT WOULD BE THE COST TO PROVIDE THAT LEGAL REPRESENTATION TO HOUSTONIANS FACING EVICTION? WE HAVE NOT LOOKED AT, UH, WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING, BUT WE ARE PROVIDING LEGAL SERVICES TO INDIVIDUALS NOW.
AND IS THERE A COST TO THOSE CITIZENS? THERE IS NO COST TO THOSE CITIZENS.
UH, AGAIN, I APOLOGIZE THAT I'M NOT GONNA SPEAK TO YOU.
I'M GONNA SPEAK THROUGH YOU AGAIN.
WE ARE IN A SITUATION OF CALLING A THING A THING.
THE CITY OF HOUSTON, AND I WON'T SAY THAT IT'S IN BAD FAITH, BUT I WILL CALL IT DISINGENUOUS THAT OUTWARDLY THE CITY PROMOTES HOUSING AS A PRIORITY, AS SOMETHING TO CHAMPION.
BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE REAL, WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD, MATH IS MATH.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO TELL YOU OTHER THAN THAT.
SO I, I, I FIND IT VERY DISHEARTENING THAT THE CITIZENS OF THIS CITY AND THOSE THAT ARE MOVING HERE AND THOSE THAT LIVE HERE, AND THOSE THAT HAVE COME AND TOLD YOU WHAT THE REALITY IS, I, I'M JUST, I'M JUST, I'M AT A LOSS FOR WORDS.
AND AGAIN, I DON'T USE THE WORD BAD FAITH OR LACK OF GOOD FAITH.
I GENUINELY USE THE WORD DISINGENUOUS.
YOU PUT YOUR MONEY WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS, YOUR MONEY IS WHAT YOUR PRIORITIES ARE.
AND I THINK THAT THIS IS JUST, THIS IS JUST A BAD DEAL.
SO THAT'S ALL I GOTTA SAY ABOUT THAT.
UH, WE ARE VERY UNDERSTANDING AND, AND WE SYMPATHIZE ABOUT ALL OF THE ISSUES.
AND WE DO UNDERSTAND IT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE COULD HELP EACH AND EVERY INDIVIDUAL THAT NEEDS ASSISTANCE.
IT'S A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS CITY THAT NEED ASSISTANCE.
WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES TO DO IT.
EVEN IF WE GOT A A, AN ABUNDANCE AMOUNT OF MONEY FROM, UH, GENERAL FUND, IT STILL WOULD NOT BE ENOUGH TO, UH, TO HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON ALL THE INDIVIDUALS IN THIS CITY.
AND WE ARE TRYING TO DO THE BEST WE CAN BY LEVERAGING THE DOLLARS THAT WE HAVE IN ORDER TO HAVE THE GREATEST IMPACT.
I, I THINK I, I SPEAK FOR ALL OF US WHEN WE SAY THAT WE UNDERSTAND THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING THE BEST THAT YOU CAN WITH THE
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RESOURCES THAT YOU HAVE.UH, THE CITY OF HOUSTON HAS PRIORITIES ALL ACROSS THE BOARD FROM SOLID WASTE TO PUBLIC SAFETY, TO HOUSING, TO PARKS, TO LIBRARIES, TO AIRPORTS, TO YOU NAME IT.
THIS IS A CITY WITH OVER 2 MILLION PEOPLE WITH A LIMITED BUDGET.
IF YOU HAVE $5 BILLION AND YOU TAKE FROM ONE DEPARTMENT, YOU HAVE TO GIVE TO ANOTHER.
AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO FIND WAYS IN WHICH TO ALLOCATE DOLLARS IN A FAIR AND EQUITABLE MANNER, BUT ALSO TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE REACH, UH, THE NECESSARY NEEDS OF ALL HOUSTONIANS.
UH, THERE'S THOSE THAT MAY FEEL LIKE WE SHOULD PUT MORE MONEY IN HOUSING AND TAKE MORE MONEY AWAY FROM A DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT.
THEN YOU HAVE THOSE, AND THEN YOU HAVE THOSE WHO, WHO, WHO SAY THAT WE NEED MORE MONEY IN A DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT TO TAKE AWAY FROM ANOTHER DEPARTMENT.
SO YOU'RE ALWAYS GONNA HAVE TO HAVE A BALANCE.
AND THAT'S WHY, UH, YOU ELECT US TO TRY TO LISTEN TO YOUR CONCERNS, WHICH WE DO.
AND WE THANK ALL OF YOU ALL FOR COMING FORWARD TO PRESENT THOSE.
BUT IT'S STILL A BALANCE THAT WE HAVE TO FIT.
AND I THINK YOUR, YOUR DEPARTMENT DOES AN EXCELLENT JOB AT TRYING TO, UH, DO THE BEST YOU CAN WITH THE DOLLARS THAT YOU HAVE.
AND, UM, I WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW THAT DIRECTLY FROM US AS WELL.
THERE ARE NO ADDITIONAL PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
UH, THIS INCLUDES OUR HOUSING DEPARTMENT WORKSHOP.
WE WILL NOW ADJOURN THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT BUDGET WORKSHOP.