* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [Press Conference: "Hay Center Groundbreaking"] [00:00:21] GOOD MORNING. UH, WOULD YOU PLEASE JOIN ME IN A SPIRIT OF GRATITUDE AND PRAYER? GRACIOUS, HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR FAITHFUL LOVE FOR US THAT NEVER ENDS. AND YOUR MERCY, WHICH NEVER CEASES GREAT, IS YOUR FAITHFULNESS, LORD, YOU ARE GOD. YOU CREATED THE HEAVENS AND EARTH, AND YOU PUT EVERYTHING IN PLACE. YOU MADE THE WORLD TO BE LIVED IN NOT TO BE A PLACE OF EMPTY CHAOS. YOU ARE THE LORD AND THERE IS NO OTHER. WE THANK YOU FOR GIVING THE LEADERS OF THE HA CENTER THIS VISION, TO BUILD THIS FACILITY THAT WILL SERVE SO MANY YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN. GRACIOUS ONE. WE'RE ALSO HUMBLED AND THANKFUL THAT YOU'RE PROVIDING THE RESOURCES FOR THE HAY CENTER TO BUILD SUCH AN INCREDIBLE BUILDING. WE PRAYERFULLY ASK YOU TO PROTECT AND WATCH OVER ALL THE SKILLED AND COMPETENT LABORERS INVOLVED IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THIS NEW BUILDING. GRANT, THE LEADERSHIP OF THE HAY CENTER AND ALL THOSE INVOLVED IN THIS PROJECT, A SPIRIT OF WISDOM, UNDERSTANDING, PATIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE, AND ALL MANNER OF THEIR DAILY DUTIES AND WORKMANSHIP. WE HUMBLY ASK THAT ALL INVOLVED IN THIS PROJECT WILL FOCUS THEIR ATTENTION AND EFFORTS SO THEY CAN SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE THEIR ASSIGNMENTS. AND WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT THIS NEW FACILITY WILL BE COMPLETED BECAUSE YOU HAVE DONE THIS GOOD WORK. LORD, WE COMMIT TO PRAYING WITHOUT CEASING FOR THIS PROJECT DURING THE NEXT 12 MONTHS, SO THAT WHEN THE BUILDING IS COMPLETED, THE PEOPLE WHO WILL WORK HERE AND THE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN WHO WILL BE SERVED HERE WILL HAVE THEIR LIVES IMPACTED IN A WONDERFUL AND PROFOUND WAY. GOD OF NEW DIRECTION AND NEW BEGINNINGS. AS THIS JOURNEY BEGINS THIS MORNING, WE GIVE THIS LAND, THESE PEOPLE, AND THIS PROJECT TO YOU AND ASK THAT YOU CONTINUALLY BLESS EVERYONE AND EVERYTHING INVOLVED IN THE PROJECT WITH YOUR ETERNAL LOVE, GRACE, MERCY, AND PEACE. I'M IN. AMEN. THANK YOU BUTCH. AND THANK YOU AGAIN EVERYONE, FOR BEING HERE THIS MORNING. MY NAME IS MARY GREEN AND I AM THE DIRECTOR AT THE HAY CENTER. I, UM, WOULD LIKE TO, FIRST OF ALL THANK ARCH CON FOR HELPING US, UM, PRODUCE TODAY'S EVENT. THERE'S QUITE A FEW ARCH CON PEOPLE HERE TODAY, AND WE ARE SO HAPPY TO BE WORKING. HEY MICHAEL, WE ARE SO HAPPY TO BE WORKING WITH THEM, UM, ON OUR NEW CAMPUS. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, SHERIFF ED GONZALEZ, WHO'S HERE SUPPORTING US TODAY. YAY. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. AND ALSO A STATE SENATOR CAROL ALVARADO, WHO UNFORTUNATELY WAS UNABLE TO ATTEND, BUT SHE ALSO SENDS HER SUPPORT. WE HAVE A LOT OF WONDERFUL SPEAKERS AND YOU WILL BE HEARING, UM, THEIR INTRODUCTIONS AS THEY, UM, COME UP. SO THE HAY CENTER IS A PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP THAT WORKS WITH YOUTH AGING OUT OF FOSTER CARE. EVERY YEAR. WE WORK WITH 1400 CURRENT FOSTER YOUTH AND YOUTH WHO HAVE AGED OUT OF FOSTER CARE, FORMALLY IN FOSTER CARE, UP TO AGE 25, STARTING AT AGE 14 THROUGH AGE 25 WITH AN ARRAY OF SERVICES. THOSE SERVICES INCLUDE EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT, CASE MANAGEMENT, MENTORING, LIFE SKILLS, AND HOUSING. AND TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, IT ALL STARTS WITH HOUSING BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT FOR A YOUTH TO BE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR RESOURCES AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE WRAP, AMAZING WRAPAROUND SERVICES THAT HAY CENTER HAS, AND OUR AMAZING TEAM WHO PROVIDES THOSE SERVICES, THEY HAVE TO BE STABLY HOUSED. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO GO TO SCHOOL, GET A JOB, AND TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF MENTALLY, PHYSICALLY, IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A PLACE TO LIVE. SO WE ARE SO EXCITED ABOUT TODAY, AND I DO HAVE QUITE A FEW PEOPLE I WANNA THANK REAL FAST. UM, GENSLER ARCHITECTS, THANK YOU, UM, FOR MAKING TODAY HAPPEN. YOU, UM, REALLY, UH, LISTEN TO OUR VISION. SO THANK YOU. ALSO, THE TEAM AT HARRIS COUNTY COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT, HARRIS COUNTY ENGINEERING, THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, THE [00:05:01] LEAH BARTON AND THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR'S OFFICE. . UM, LUKE'S, WHO IS HERE, I HOPE JARED'S HERE. THEY'VE ALL BEEN SO WONDERFUL. UM, WE ALSO, THE GENERAL LAND OFFICE HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, AND THEN OUR PRIVATE, UH, PHILANTHROPY WHO WE COULD NOT DO THIS WITHOUT THE FREEZE. CHERYL WOLF, UH, TRUST. NANCY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. NANCY AND TECH. I'M SO HAPPY TO SEE Y'ALL. THE POWELL FOUNDATION, UH, CHRISSY AND TAYLOR REED AND THE ENTIRE HAY CENTER FOUNDATION BOARD. A HUGE, HUGE THANK YOU TO RICK SPENCER. WHERE'S RICK? THERE'S MY FRIEND RICK. IT IS THROUGH RICK'S DILIGENCE AND A YEAR OF HARD WORK THAT WE WERE ABLE TO ACQUIRE THIS SITE WHERE WE ARE TODAY. SO, UH, I CANNOT THANK RICK ENOUGH FOR THAT AMAZING WORK. IT LAID THE FOUNDATION OF WHAT WE NEEDED TO TO GO FORWARD. UM, MOST IMPORTANTLY, I WANT TO REALLY THANK OUR YOUTH. YEAH, , THEY HAVE TRUSTED US WITH THEIR VOICE AND HAVE ALLOWED US TO BE PART OF THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS. I'VE TOLD THIS STORY BEFORE, AND I'LL TELL IT AGAIN. I WILL NEVER FORGET BEING IN MY OFFICE AND HEARING A YOUNG WOMAN IN DISTRESS. SHE WAS CRYING AND SHE WAS IN OUR LIFE SKILLS CLASSES. SHE WAS 16 YEARS OLD. AND I, I I WENT UP TO HER GO, IS EVERYTHING OKAY? WHAT'S WRONG? AND SHE SAID, I AM SO STRESSED OUT. I HAVE NO IDEA WHERE I'M GOING TO LIVE. I, I DON'T KNOW HOW I'M GONNA DO THIS. I DON'T KNOW HOW I'M GONNA GET A JOB. I DON'T KNOW HOW I'M GONNA BE ABLE TO AFFORD AN APARTMENT. AND I, IN THAT MOMENT, THE HAY CENTER DID NOT HAVE A HOUSING PROGRAM. I REALLY DID NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO OFFER HER OTHER THAN TO TELL HER, WE ARE GONNA WORK WITH YOU. WE'RE GONNA FIND A WAY. WE HAVE A WAY. AND FOR US TO GO FROM NOT HAVING ANYTHING TO OFFER AND TO FIND A WAY TO ALLEVIATE THAT ANXIETY AND STRESS THAT WE KNOW FOSTER YOUTH HAVE IS TRULY AMAZING. WE, LIKE I SAID, EVERYTHING AT THE HAY CENTER IS DONE WITH YOUTH VOICE AT THE TABLE. AND ONE OF THOSE VOICES THAT HAS LED US TO TODAY IS, UH, BRIDGET WILLIAMS, WHO'S GONNA BE OUR MC. BRIDGET, UM, IS EMPLOYED BY THE STATE OF TEXAS BECAUSE OF A TRAINING PROGRAM SET UP THROUGH THE HAY CENTER. WE'VE BEEN LUCKY ENOUGH TO KNOW BRIDGET SINCE SHE WAS 14 YEARS OLD. SHE'S 25 YEAR OLDS NOW. SHE IS AN AMAZING YOUNG WOMAN WHO'S BEEN ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF A LOT OF OUR RESOURCES, AND WE ALWAYS VALUE HER FEEDBACK AND WHAT SHE HAS TO SAY. SO PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING RC BRIDGETTE WILLIAMS. THANK YOU, MS. MARY. UM, MY NAME IS BRIDGET WILLIAMS AND I'M SO GRATEFUL TO BE YOUR MC TODAY. I WOULD LIKE TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MY STORY. I HAVE BEEN COMING TO THE HAY CENTER FOR 10 YEARS. UM, I FIRST STARTED COMING TO THE HAY CENTER, AS SHE STATED, AS 14 YEARS OLD. I HAVE USED A LOT OF THE RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES THEY HAVE TO OFFER, SUCH AS SUMMER JOBS, MENTORSHIP PROGRAMS, UM, CAREER OPPORTUNITY PROGRAMS SUCH AS THE TWPS PROGRAM, THE TEXAS WORKS PATHWAY TO SUCCESS. THAT WHICH ALLOWED ME A CAREER TO WORK FOR THE TEXAS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION, SERVING THE PEOPLE OF TEXAS. I FIRST STARTED MY CAREER WITH THE STATE OF TEXAS ONE YEAR AGO AS A TEXAS WORK ADVISOR, ONE I AM NOW A TEXAS WORK ADVISOR. TWO, I'M USING MY SKILLS THAT I'VE LEARNED ON THE JOB AND FROM THE HAY CENTER TO BECOME AN ASSISTANT SUPERVISOR IN THE NEAR FUTURE. THANK YOU. THERE'S SO MUCH MORE TO MY STORY AND HOW FAR I'VE COME. I WOULDN'T HAVE COME SO FAR WITHOUT THE HELP FROM THE HAY CENTER. MY MENTOR, MY AMAZING FAMILY AND FRIENDS. I REMEMBER CRYING A LOT DURING MY SENIOR YEAR WORRYING ABOUT WHERE I WOULD STAY AFTER I GRADUATED. I REMEMBER ONE OF MY TEACHERS CALLING ME SAYING, HEY, BRIDGET, YOU'VE MISSED THREE WEEKS OF SCHOOL. IS EVERYTHING OKAY? I WAS BLESSED AND FORTUNATE ENOUGH THAT ONE OF MY TEACHERS FROM MY HIGH SCHOOL, MANVILLE HIGH SCHOOL, ALLOWED ME TO STAY WITH HIM UP UNTIL GRADUATION. I WAS THEN ABLE TO GET A HOUSING VOUCHER FROM THE HAY CENTER THROUGH THE HOUSING, HOUSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY, WHICH HAS PROVIDED ME STABLE HOUSING FOR ALMOST FIVE YEARS. I AM NOW ABLE IN ABLE AND IN A POSITION TO BE SELF, SELF-SUFFICIENT. SOME FORM OF FOSTER YOUTH ARE NOT AS FORTUNATE AS MYSELF AND ARE, ARE UNABLE TO FIND HOUSING UPON LEAVING CARE. I THINK THIS NEW FACILITY IS A STEP INTO THE NEW DIRECTION AND WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN REDUCING THE NUMBER OF FORMER FOSTER YOUTH INDIVIDUALS WHO BECOME HOMELESS AFTER AGING OUT OF THE [00:10:01] PROGRAM. FROM MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, HOUSING STABILITY CAN HINDER ANYONE'S SUCCESS. IT CAN DISRUPT THEIR DAILY LIFE, JOBS, SCHOOL, AND MENTAL HEALTH. THIS WILL GIVE THE YOUTH STABILITY AND THE HOMES TO CALL THEIR OWN. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME, AND PLEASE ALLOW ME TO INTRODUCE HARRIS COUNTY JUDGE LENA HAGO. SHE IS THE HARRIS COUNTY'S CHIEF, CHIEF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HARRIS COUNTY OFFICE, HOMELAND OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT. WE APPRECIATE JUDGE HIDALGO'S SUPPORT FOR NOT ONLY OUR CAMPUS, BUT ALSO OUR YOUTH. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I'M SO HAPPY TO BE HERE WITH YOU ALL THIS MORNING AND, UM, WHAT AN ACHIEVEMENT THIS IS. AND, AND I'M JUST ABSOLUTELY THRILLED. I THINK, BRIDGET, THANK YOU FOR THAT STORY. THANK YOU FOR, FOR WHAT YOU REPRESENT. AND I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE HER A HUGE ROUND OF APPLAUSE. NOW, THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE. I SEE, UM, MY COLLEAGUES, COMMISSIONERS ELLIS AND GARCIA, COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS, MAYOR CONGRESSWOMAN, SO MANY LEADERS, UM, OUR COUNTY ATTORNEY AND SO MANY OTHERS WHO ARE HERE BECAUSE THIS IS VERY MUCH A TEAM EFFORT AND THE DIVERSITY OF THE ENTITIES REPRESENTED HERE. I KNOW THERE ARE SOME FOLKS I'M SURE I MISSED, IS, UM, IS A SYMBOL OF WHAT IT HAS TAKEN FOR US TO MAKE THIS PROJECT A REALITY AND A SYMBOL OF WHAT IT TAKES TO SUPPORT THE YOUTH IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND PARTICULARLY THE FOSTER YOUTH IN THE HOUSTON AREA. EVERY YEAR, MORE THAN 200 YOUTH EXIT THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM. WHEN THEY REACH ADULTHOOD OR THEY GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL NATIONWIDE, 20% OF THOSE KIDS BECOME INSTANTLY HOMELESS. THEY EXPERIENCE LOWER THAN AVERAGE RATES OF EMPLOYMENT AND LOW EARNINGS THROUGH AGE 24, ABOUT 70% OF YOUTH WHO EXIT FOSTER CARE AS LEGAL ADULTS. THIS IS ACCORDING TO THE CENTER FOR ECONOMIC POLICY RESEARCH, ARE ARRESTED AT LEAST ONCE. BY AGE 26, WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE YOUTH ARE ABLE TO LIVE THEIR FULL POTENTIAL AND BE THE INCREDIBLE PEOPLE THEY CAN BE. BUT FOR THAT THEY DESERVE SUPPORT. THIS SCOPE OF THIS PROJECT WAS AMBITIOUS BUT ACHIEVABLE. AND IT'S GONNA HAVE A HUGE IMPACT IN PROVIDING HOUSING AND WRAPAROUND SERVICES TO A HUGE PERCENTAGE OF THE YOUTH AGING OUT OF THE SYSTEM. THIS WILL BE A HOME THAT INCLUDES WRAPAROUND SERVICES FOR YOUTH AGING OUTTA THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM. AND IT WILL SERVE MORE THAN 1300 FOSTER YOUTH AND YOUTH FORMALLY IN FOSTER CARE THROUGH VARIOUS SERVICES. SO WHEN WE'RE HOUSING 50 YOUTH, THAT'S 25% OF THE YOUTH THAT AGE OUT OF THE FOSTER SYSTEM IN OUR REGION EVERY YEAR, 25%. THAT IS A HUGE NUMBER. THE ARCHITECT DIDN'T COME UP WITH THIS MODEL IN A VACUUM. IT WAS DESIGNED WITH THE DIRECT INPUT OF YOUNG PEOPLE WHO UNDERSTAND THE LIVED EXPERIENCE OF BEING IN THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM. AND I WANT TO THANK THE FOLKS THAT HELP DESIGN THIS PRO BONO. AND SO MUCH OF THE WORK I WANNA ALSO MENTION, THIS WILL HELP US IN OUR FIGHT AGAINST HOMELESSNESS. AN INVESTMENT IN THESE YOUTH IS AN INVESTMENT IN OUR FUTURE. AND ALTHOUGH THAT'S RIGHT, AND ALTHOUGH THIS LOOKS LIKE AN INVESTMENT IN A PHYSICAL STRUCTURE, IT IS AN INVESTMENT IN SOME OF THE MOST VULNERABLE PEOPLE IN OUR COUNTY. AND IT IS AN INVESTMENT IN MAKING SURE THEY GET A FAIR SHOT AT LEADING A HEALTHY, SUCCESSFUL AND PRODUCTIVE ADULT LIFE. SO THIS IS POSSIBLE WITH $29 MILLION FROM HARRIS COUNTY, $20 MILLION THROUGH CDBG HARVEY ROUND TWO FUNDING. THANK YOU TO OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS. SAID CONGRESSWOMAN IS HERE. $9 MILLION IN AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN FUNDING, $5 MILLION FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND $5 MILLION FROM THE HAY CENTER FOUNDATION. THIS IS GOING TO BE SELECTED. THE FOLKS PARTICIPATING WILL BE SELECTED FROM THE POOL OF YOUTH CLOSE TO TRANSITIONING OUT OF FOSTER CARE. AND EACH YOUTH WILL PAY RENT DEPENDING ON SEVERAL FACTORS, BASICALLY, WHAT THEY CAN AFFORD. NO FOSTER YOUTH SHOULD FACE HOMELESSNESS JUST BECAUSE THEY TURN 18. IT IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO PROVIDE FOLKS WITH STABLE HOUSING. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE TODAY. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. I'M GONNA REPEAT VERY BRIEFLY IN SPANISH AND THEN I'LL CALL UP, UH, MAYOR TURNER, WHO IS THE NEXT SPEAKER [00:15:12] CENTER FOR ECONOMIC POLICY RESEARCH. I'M SO PROUD TO SEE THIS PROJECT COME TO FRUITION. I'M SO GRATEFUL TO EVERYONE WHO MADE IT HAPPEN. JOEL LEVINE, YOUR STAFF, EVERYONE HERE, OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS, AND I WILL BE LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING THE DOORS OPEN HERE IN THE COMING MONTHS. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH, MAYOR TURNER. I WOULD NOW LIKE TO INTRODUCE MY MAYOR, OUR MAYOR, THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S MAYOR, MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WELL PREPARED FOR THE SHORTEST SPEECH YOU'VE HEARD FROM THE MAYOR , QUITE FRANKLY. UH, I AM HERE FOR THE GROUNDBREAKING. AND SO, UH, BRIDGET, SO VERY PROUD OF YOU AND YOU REPRESENT THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF OTHERS, UH, WHO JUST NEED THAT ADDED, UH, ASSURANCE, UH, THAT THEY ARE NOT FORGOTTEN, OVERLOOKED TO ALL OF THE PARTNERS, ALL OF THE ELECTED OFFICIALS, ALL OF THOSE WHO HAVE INVESTED IN THIS PROGRAM. UH, LOOK, THE CITY'S JUST HONORED TO BE A PART OF IT. AND THE $5 MILLION THAT WE ARE GIVEN FROM THE HARVARD RECOVERY FUNDS. UM, SO TO OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS, TO OUR STATE PARTNERS, COUNTY PARTNERS, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE GROUNDBREAKING AND THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING. EVERYTHING THE COUNTY JUDGE SAID, DITTO . AND HAVING SAID THAT, I LOOK FORWARD TO THE GROUNDBREAKING. THANK YOU. I HAVE TO THANK MY HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, KEITH BYNUM, WHEREAS KEITH, LOOK, THANK YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH. SO EVERYBODY WITH STATE OF HOUSTON HOUSING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, APPRECIATE YOU. THANK YOU SO VERY, VERY MUCH. UM, WE HAVE MORE OPEN CHAIRS IF ANYONE IN THE BACK WOULD LIKE TO COME AND SIT DOWN. THANK YOU, MAYOR TURNER. NOW I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME. YOU KNOW, THIS PERSON RIGHT HERE IS, IS NOT, THIS IS NOT A PART OF THE, OF, OF THE SCRIPT, BUT THIS PERSON, MY FAMILY HAS KNOWN THIS PERSON FOR A VERY LONG TIME. SHE KNEW MY GRANDMOTHER, MS. SISSY CEIA FLOYD. NOW I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE. SHE SITS OVER THE 18 CONGREGATIONAL DISTRICT OF TEXAS, THE CONGRESS, CONGRESSWOMAN JACKSON LEE IS AN INFLUENTIAL FORCEFUL VOICE IN WASHINGTON. AND THEN SHE IS, SHE IS SERVING HER 14TH TERM AS A UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE JACKSON LEE. PERSONAL, WELL, BECAUSE WE HAVE THESE LITTLE TOOLS, I THINK THEY'VE GIVEN ME, THE MAYOR'S YIELDED ME HIS TIME. UH, AND I'LL ADD IT TO MY TIME. UM, UH, I CAN SEE YOU'RE HOT [00:20:01] 'CAUSE YOU CAN'T EVEN SMILE. BUT ANYHOW, , I'LL TELL YOU, GIVE YOURSELVES A HAND, THEN JUST GIVE YOURSELVES A HAND. 'CAUSE YOU ARE COURAGEOUS. I AM DELIGHTED, UH, TO, TO BE HERE AND I WILL AS WELL ACKNOWLEDGE ALL OF THE IMPORTANT PEOPLE. BUT I WILL THANK COMMISSIONER ELLIS, COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS, COUNCIL MEMBER CISNEROS, WHO IS HERE, ALL OF THE SUPPORTERS AND SPONSORS, JUDGE O DOGGO FOR LEADING THE COUNTY AS SHE HAS DONE AND THE MAYOR FOR LEADING THE COUNTY TOGETHER. THEY HAVE BEEN A DYNAMIC DUO. GIVE THEM A VERY ROUSING APPLAUSE FOR THE LEADERSHIP AND WORK THAT THEY HAVE DONE. COUNCIL MEMBER ADRIAN GARCIA IS, UH, ON THE CASE EVERYWHERE I GO IN HIS DISTRICT, HE HAS BEEN THERE AND HE HAS HELPED. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. COUNTY ATTORNEY. IT IS, UH, GOOD TO SEE SOMEONE WHO LOVES THE LAW AND MAKES IT WORK FOR THIS COUNTY. AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY ABOUT OUR HOUSING COMMUNITY DIRECTOR. HE DOES IT WITH A SMILE, BUT HE IS FOCUSED AND YOU ALL DON'T KNOW. I'VE SEEN HIM IN ANOTHER LIFE AND HE TAKES THAT MUSIC TALENT AND HE MAKES IT WORK WITH HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. UH, I AM GONNA JUST TAKE THIS FAN AND SAY HOW MUCH I AM A FAN OF THE HAY CENTER. UH, THEY HAVE A HISTORY AND I SEE ONE OF THE LEADERS OF THIRD WARD IN HOUSTON, GERALD WOMACK HERE. HE KNOWS THEY HAVE A HISTORY OF SERVING. AND BRIDGET IS RIGHT. I KNOW HER WHOLE FAMILY AND SHE CALLED US SISSY, I'LL CALL HER SISSY. BUT BRIDGET IS A LIVING EXAMPLE OF WHY OUR FEDERAL DONALDS ARE BEING USED SO EFFECTIVELY WHEN THEY'RE USED FOR THIS HOUSING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM. AND TO BE ABLE TO EMPHASIZE SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT HAYES WILL HAVE. THE HAYES CENTER DEALS WITH THOSE NOT JUST MY WONDERFUL BRIDGET WHO IS ASKING THE QUESTION WHERE, WHAT AND HOW. BUT IT ALSO CAN HELP SOME OF THE MOST VULNERABLE POPULATION OF YOUNG PEOPLE. AND THAT OF THOSE WHO AGE OUT OF FOSTER CARE. WE WERE ON THE FLOOR DEBATING IN OUR GOOD DAYS HOW TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE. AND THIS PAST WEEK I HAD A FOSTER CARE YOUNG PERSON WHO HAD AGED OUT SHADOW ME IN THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS IN A LEADERSHIP TRAINING PROGRAM WHEN YOU AGE OUT AND DON'T HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE FAMILY, A PLACE LIKE THE HAYES CENTER THAT HAS THESE WRAPAROUND SERVICES. AND BRIDGET, I WANNA THANK YOU, BUT I WANNA THANK MARY GREEN AS WELL BECAUSE YOU CAN SEE THAT SHE JUST HAS IT IN THE HEART. IT JUST PUMPS. AND I SEE IT. AND I JUST WANT US TO AMPLIFY WHAT HAYES IS. IT IS A LIFELINE. IT IS A PLACE OF KNOWLEDGE. IT IS A HUG WHEN YOU NEED IT. AND IT IS THE WISE VOICE IN YOUR EAR TO SAY THAT YOU MAY HAVE AGED OUT OF FOSTER CARE. YOU MAY HAVE SUFFERED ANY NUMBER OF MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES OR FEELING CONFUSED. BUT HERE IS A PLACE TO COME AND TO ADD THE COMPONENT OF HOUSING THAT ALLOWS THE PERSON TO EITHER BE IN COLLEGE WHILE WORKING OR TO BE IN COLLEGE, OR TO BE WORKING OR TO GET THAT JOB OR TO BEGIN AS BRIDGET HAS DONE HER JOURNEY UP TO BEING THE DIRECTOR OR THE LEADER OF ANY OF THE STATE AGENCIES BECAUSE OF HER EXPERTISE THAT SHE IS GATHERING. THAT IS WHY WE ARE HERE TODAY. AND THERE'S NOTHING LIKE SAYING, THIS IS MY HOME. AND SO I WILL CONTINUE TO CHAMPION FEDERAL DOLLARS IN HOUSING FOR THIS CITY, FOR THIS COUNTY, AND FOR THESE OUTSTANDING PROGRAMS. I LEAVE YOU WITH THIS. WE ARE NOT AMERICA. IF WE DO NOT USE THE CREATIVE GENIUS THAT THE WORLD LOOKS TO US TO HAVE, THEY SIT BACK AND SAY, HOW DID THEY DO THAT? NOT AMERICA AGAIN. YES, YOU ARE AT THE TOP OF THE HILL AND WE MUST SHOW THEM THAT EVEN AS OUR DEMOCRACY FACES ITS CHALLENGES AND WE BEAT THEM BACK, THAT WE ARE THE GREAT HUMANITARIAN. AND RIGHT HERE IN HOUSTON, TEXAS, LET'S AMPLIFY OUR CITY AND AMPLIFY THIS COUNTY AS THE PLACE WHERE WE GET THINGS DONE. THANK YOU TO THE HAYES CENTER. THANK YOU TO ALL OF THOSE WHO PUT THIS TOGETHER. WHO WILL BE COMING UP. I KNOW THERE ARE MANY, UH, CANDACE, HUD REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR. WE MENTIONED OUR COMMISSIONERS AND COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS MENEFEE AND, UH, OF COURSE, UH, GENSLER ARCHITECTS. I KNOW THIS IS GONNA BE, THIS IS GONNA BE AMPLIFIED 'CAUSE THIS GOT GENSLER. THIS IS GONNA BE REALLY GOOD. IS IT NOT? SOMEBODY SAY YES. DR. MILTON RAYMOND, JOEL LEVINE AND, UH, CHRISSY REED, BOARD CHAIR, THANK YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH FOR SHOWING US THAT WE HAVE THE CAN DO ATTITUDE. CAN DO IS MY PROCLAMATION TODAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GOD BLESS [00:25:01] ALL OF YOU. GOD BLESS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CONGRESSWOMAN. NOW JOINING US IS CANDACE GOOD , WE GOT THIS VALENZUELA, IS THAT RIGHT? OKAY. THE US DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN URBAN DEVELOPMENT REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR IN THE SOUTHWEST, APPOINTED BY PRESIDENT BIDEN, THE HAY CENTER YOUNG ADULTS, INCLUDING MYSELF, THANK YOU AND HUD FOR THE OPPORTUNITIES WE HAVE BEEN PROVIDED THROUGH STABLE HOUSING. THROUGH THE, THROUGH THE SUPPORT OF HUD AND THE HAY CENTER'S CAMPUS WILL CONTINUE TO ALLOW OUR YOUNG ADULTS TO ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS. THANK YOU. I AM GOING TO TRY TO BE BRIEF AS WELL BECAUSE IT, IT IS WARM. IT IS AN HONOR TO BE HERE WITH YOU TODAY. AGAIN, MY NAME, MY NAME IS CANDACE VALENZUELA, AND I REPRESENT, UH, SECRETARY FUDGE IN TEXAS, OKLAHOMA, ARKANSAS, LOUISIANA, AND NEW MEXICO. BUT AS A TEXAN, I MIGHT BE A LITTLE PARTIAL. SO, SO WONDERFUL TO BE HERE. UH, I I WANNA AGAIN, UH, ECHO, UH, CONGRESSWOMAN JACKSON LEE AND, AND SAYING THAT IT, IT IS AN HONOR TO BE ON THE STAGE HERE WITH YOU, MARY AND YOU BRIDGET, THANK YOU FOR, FOR INVESTING SO MUCH OF YOURSELF IN THIS PROJECT. AND IT IS ALSO AN HONOR TO KNOW THAT THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN CENTERED IN THE VOICES OF THE YOUTH IN THE, IN THE VOICES OF THE COMMUNITY, BECAUSE THAT'S EXACTLY WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE. UM, I WANT TO ALSO THANK, UH, THE CITY, THE COUNTY, AND, AND CONGRESSWOMAN JACKSON LEE FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP, UH, FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT HUD FUNDS GO DIRECTLY TO WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE, UH, TO THE PEOPLE THAT NEED IT MOST. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIRELESS EFFORTS ON, ON THAT ACCOUNT. I JUST WANNA SHARE WITH YOU THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS PARTICULARLY, UH, CLOSE TO MY HEART BECAUSE I ALSO HAVE LIVED EXPERIENCE WITH HOMELESSNESS. UH, WHEN MY MOTHER LEFT THE MILITARY, WHEN I WAS JUST A TODDLER, UH, WE ENDED UP IN A, IN A SITUATION THAT WE NEEDED TO ESCAPE FROM. AND WERE NOT FOR A HUD VOUCHER, UH, GIVEN TO US FROM THE ANTHONY HOUSING OF AUTHORITY IN VERY FAR WEST TEXAS, I WOULD NOT HAVE HAD THIS ABILITY TO, TO GO TO SCHOOL, UH, TO BE THE FIRST IN MY FAMILY, TO GO TO COLLEGE, EVENTUALLY BECOME AN EDUCATOR, A SCHOOL BOARD TRUSTEE, AND, AND NOW WORK FOR SECRETARY FUDGE HERE. SO IT IS, THANK YOU. BUT IT'S NOT IT, THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN WITHOUT PEOPLE WHO NEVER MET ME, NEVER, NEVER COULD CONCEIVE OF ME THINKING ABOUT ME IN THEIR HEARTS, THINKING ABOUT ME IN THEIR POLICIES WHEN THEY DIDN'T WANNA SEE VETERANS, WHEN THEY DIDN'T WANNA SEE CHILDREN OUT IN THE STREETS. WHEN THEY THINK ABOUT THE FUTURES OF FOLKS IN FOSTER CARE. AND, AND LET ME TELL YOU, AS, AS SOMEONE WHO'S WORKED CLOSELY WITH FOSTER STUDENT FO FOSTER CARE, UM, UH, SORRY, YOUTH LEAVING FOSTER CARE, UH, YOU DON'T HAVE A SAFETY NET. NO. YOU CAN'T JUST GO CRASH ON SOMEBODY'S COUCH. YOU, MAYBE YOU CAN IF YOU'RE LUCKY, BUT THE, THE ABILITY TO HAVE SOMEWHERE TO CALL HOME WHEN YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT THE BIGGEST QUESTIONS IN YOUR LIFE IS SO CRUCIAL TO BECOMING, AGAIN, LIKE A SUCCESSFUL AND PRODUCTIVE MEMBER OF, OF TEXAS AND OUR COUNTRY. SO I WANNA THANK ALL OF YOU HERE, UH, FOR SITTING OUT HERE IN THIS HEAT AND FOR ALL YOU DO LEADING UP TO, TO PROCESSES LIKE THIS. AND I VERY MUCH LOOK FORWARD TO REPRESENTING THE SECRETARY AS YOU CUT THE RIBBON ON IT. SO THANKS AGAIN. AND BRIDGET, GOOD LUCK TO YOU, . THANK YOU. OKAY, THANK YOU MS. CANDACE. NEXT I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE COMMISSIONER RODNEY ELLIS TO JOIN ME. THE HAY CENTER LO LOCATION. THE HAY CENTER CAMPUS LOCATION IS LOCATED IN HARRIS COUNTY PRECINCT ONE COMMISSIONER ELLIS'S SUPPORT HA HAS ALLOWED US TO BRING THIS CAMPUS TO TONIGHT TO LIFE. WE KNOW COMMISSIONER ELLIS ENJOYS BIKING, ENJOY GREEN SPACE, AND WE ARE THRILLED TO BE THE BE NEXT TO THE COLUMBIA TAP RAIL TRAIL. , THANK YOU. Y'ALL AREN'T NERVOUS AND IT'S HOT, SO BEAR WITH ME. THANK YOU. YOU DID A GOOD JOB. YOU DID A GOOD JOB. [00:30:01] BRIDGET DID AN OUTSTANDING JOB. ALL PROTOCOLS OBSERVE THAT MEANS I CALL YOUR NAME MY, BUT IT'S TOO DAMN HOT. . FIRST THING I WANT YOU TO KNOW IS FROM NOW ON, I HEAR BY DECREE, CLIMATE CHANGE EXISTS. ALL GROUNDBREAKINGS WILL BE EARLY IN THE MORNING OR LATE AT NIGHT. BRIDGETTE, I WANNA SAY HOW PROUD WE ARE OF YOU AND ALL OF THESE YOUNG PEOPLE. AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW WE ARE HERE, THE COUNTY, THE CITY, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT INVESTED IN YOU YOUNG PEOPLE BECAUSE WE BELIEVE IN YOU. LAST POINT I WANT TO MAKE, I'M SO GLAD, EVEN IN THIS HEAT, YOU'RE DOING THIS RIGHT BEFORE JUNETEENTH. BECAUSE IF THOSE FREED PEOPLE COULD MAKE IT THROUGH WHAT THEY MADE IT THROUGH, THE PEOPLE WHO COME THROUGH THIS CENTER CAN MAKE IT AS WELL. THANK YOU. AND CONGRATULATIONS. OKAY, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER ELLIS. ALSO JOINING US IS COMMISSIONER GARCIA. WE ARE THANKFUL THAT HE IS SUPPORTIVE OF THIS PROJECT FROM THE START. YOU'RE DOING GOOD, BROTHER. YOU'RE DOING GOOD. ALL PRO PROTOCOLS OBSERVED , BUT SINCE I'M WEARING A JACKET, YOU JUST GONNA HAVE TO BEAR WITH ME. NO, BUT LISTEN, UH, THIS IS A GREAT DAY AND I WILL THANK EVERYONE INVOLVED. I WANT TO GIVE A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO, UH, TAL COSTA. SHE WAS HERE EARLIER. SHE WHERE WE'RE THERE, THERE YOU ARE. UH, THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM, UH, TO OUR COUNTY ATTORNEY WHO HAS TO WRITE THE LEGAL DOCUMENTS TO MAKE THESE THINGS HAPPEN. BUT I'LL TELL YOU, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT MY PERSPECTIVE ON THIS ANNOUNCEMENT TODAY IS THAT THE CONSTRUCTION OF THIS, NOTHING AGAINST OUR ENGINEERS, DR. RAMEN, NOTHING AGAINST FOLKS IN CONSTRUCTION. THAT'S LITERALLY THE EASIEST PART OF THIS, UM, OF THIS EVENT. THE HARD WORK IS THOSE SOCIAL WORKERS, UH, THAT WORK WITH THESE, UH, YOUNG PEOPLE THAT COME THROUGH THESE FACILITIES, THAT KNOW HOW TO TOUCH THEIR HEARTS, KNOW HOW TO REACH THEM, KNOW HOW TO PULL THEM OUT OF THOSE DARK CIRCUMSTANCES, GIVE THEM THE CONFIDENCE AND THE HOPE, UH, THAT TOMORROW AS, UH, MAYOR TURNER'S MOTHER WOULD SAY, TOMORROW'S GONNA BE BETTER THAN TODAY. UH, SO THIS IS ALL ABOUT THE LIVES THAT THIS FACILITY WAS GOING TO TOUCH, HELP CHANGE, AND UNDOUBTEDLY SAVE. UH, SHERIFF GONZALEZ IS HERE, AND I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE HIM AND HIS TEAM BECAUSE OF HIS WORK WITH THE, UH, HOMELESS, UH, CIRCUMSTANCES. AND LOOK AS A, AS A FORMER LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, UH, NOTHING IS MORE PAINFUL THAN TO COME ACROSS A YOUNG PERSON, UH, OUT ON THE STREET, UH, THAT IS STRUGGLING AND TRYING TO FIND, UH, THE NEXT MEAL, UH, A COMFORTABLE BED, UH, A FRIEND, SOMEONE WHO WILL NOT EXPLOIT THEM. UH, AND IT'S DIFFICULT FOR, IT WAS MORE DIFFICULT BACK IN THE OLD DAYS, UH, FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT TO DO, UH, THE, THE, THE BEST, UH, UH, THING TO DO BY GETTING THEM TO A FACILITY. COVENANT HOUSE. I WAS TALKING TO JOE COVENANT HOUSE WAS, UH, AT THAT TIME THE ONLY RESOURCE I THAT I REMEMBER, UH, THAT WE HAD BACK IN, UH, THOSE DAYS. SO BUILDING THIS CAPACITY IS CRITICAL. IT'S SO IMPORTANT. AND I JUST WANT TO, UH, APPLAUD JOEL'S TEAM BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ARE GONNA BE DOING THE, UH, VERY, VERY IMPORTANT HUMANIZING WORK THAT WILL GO, UH, INTO THIS FACILITY. SO PLEASE GIVE IT UP, UH, FOR JOE LEVINE AND HIS TEAM. AND I WILL, UH, CLOSE, UH, WITH THIS AND JUST SIMPLY SAY THAT, UM, THIS FACILITY'S GONNA BE HELPING A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE, UH, BUT THOSE THAT ARE MOST MARGINALIZED, UH, MOST DISENFRANCHISED, UH, MOST, UM, UH, MISUNDERSTOOD IS THE LGB LGBTQ, UH, L-L-G-B-Q, UH, TIA PLUS YOUNG PEOPLE. AND THIS FACILITY WILL BE A SAFE PLACE FOR THEM. IT WILL BE A HOME, UH, IT WILL BE A CARING, UH, FACILITY. UH, AND IT WILL BE A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN MOVE FORWARD AS THE BEAUTIFUL HUMAN BEINGS THAT THEY REALLY ARE. GOD BLESS EVERYBODY. AND CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER GARCIA, [00:35:01] PLEASE WELCOME CITY KELSEY MEMBER FOR DISTRICT I, ROBERT GALLEGOS. OUR CAMPUS IS ALSO LOCATED IN HOUSTON, DISTRICT I, COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS WAS ONE OF THE FIRST SUPPORTERS OF THIS PROJECT. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. MORNING. GOOD MORNING. FIRST OF ALL, WELCOME TO DISTRICT I, UM, HERE TO SAY THAT I'M PROUD TO HAVE THE HAY CENTER HOUSTON ALUMNI AND YOUTH CENTER, A 50 UNIT COMPLEX HERE IN DISTRICT DIE THAT WILL PROVIDE SERVICES FOR THOSE THAT ARE HAVE AGED OUT OF FOSTER CARE. AND COMMISSIONER ELLIS, YOU'LL RECALL THAT NOT TOO LONG AGO, WE WERE JUST DOWN THE STREET, LESS THAN A MILE FROM HERE, DOING THE GROUNDBREAKING FOR SUNRISE LOFTS, AN 89 UNIT THANKS TO THE TEJANO CENTER AND CITY COUNTY PARTNERSHIP TO PROVIDE HOUSING ALSO AN 89 UNIT HOUSING FOR ALSO FOR THOSE THAT AGE OUT OF FOSTER CARE. AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO NEW HOPE HOUSING JUST AROUND THE CORNER RIGHT HERE. WE'RE IN THE FALL, THEY WILL HAVE 112 UNITS, ONE AND TWO BEDROOMS. IT'S A 9% HOUSING TAX CREDIT TO PROVIDE AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR OUR SENIORS. NOT TOO LONG AGO, MAYOR, YOU WERE WITH ME JOINING AT THE SCOTT LOFT SENIOR APARTMENTS JUST DOWN THE STREET, ANOTHER 9% HOUSE TAX CREDIT FOR 98 UNITS, AGAIN, PROVIDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR SENIORS. THE IDO LOFTS NOT TOO FAR FROM HERE DOWN THE STREET, A 9% TAX HOUSE CREDIT, AFFORDABLE FOR MULTIFAMILY HOUSING OF OVER 140 UNITS. OVER FIVE YEARS AGO, WE DID THE RIBBON CUTTING FOR GATEWAY APARTMENTS ALONG CULLEN BOULEVARD, OVER 180 APARTMENTS FOR STUDENT HOUSING. THE S AT EASTWOOD, A COUNTY PROJECT THAT OPENED OVER SEVEN YEARS AGO. AFFORDABLE MULTIFAMILY HOUSING FOR OVER 120 UNITS. I SAY ALL THIS BECAUSE WE'RE PROVIDING HOU AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR THOSE THAT ARE NEEDING HOUSING, BUT WE ARE ALSO PROVIDING ROOFTOPS. I KNOW FOR THE PAST 10 YEARS, I'VE BEEN ASKING HEB FIESTA KROGER'S TO COME IN, HOPEFULLY ON THIS PROPERTY SOMEWHERE. 'CAUSE THIS IS A LARGE PIECE OF PROPERTY TO BUILD A GROCERY STORE. BELIEVE IT OR NOT, YOU SEE THESE TOWNHOUSES BEHIND US. YOU SEE THE DOWNTOWN SKYLINE, YOU SEE ALL THESE APARTMENTS, BUT THEY CONSIDER THIS A FOOD DESERT FIESTA, HEB. AND KROGER'S HAS SAID, NO, THERE'S NOT ENOUGH ROOFTOPS. SO HERE WE ARE DOING THIS GROUNDBREAKING AND WE ARE ADDING MORE ROOFTOPS. SO HOPEFULLY ONE DAY SOON, KROGER'S FIESTA OR HEB WILL COME IN AND BUILD A GROCERY STORE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNT MEMBER GALLEGOS. NOW WE WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME HARRIS COUNTY ATTORNEY CHRISTIAN MENIFEE AS THE HARRIS COUNTY ATTORNEY. MR. MENIFEE IS THE CHIEF CIVIL LAWYER FOR THE LARGEST COUNTY IN TEXAS. HE IS ALSO THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN AND YOUNGEST PERSON TO SERVE IN THIS POSITION. THANK YOU. I TOO WILL BE BRIEF. UM, I, I WAS TALKING WITH COMMISSIONER GARCIA EARLIER AND HE SAID, OH, THEY LET, THEY LET THE LAWYER OUT HERE. I SAID, YEAH, I'M, I'M HERE TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE ALL OUR PERMITS AND WE DON'T GET SHUT DOWN RIGHT AFTER THE GROUNDBREAKING. UM, BUT IT'S AN IMPORTANT POINT. YOU KNOW, TYPICALLY THE LAWYERS, WE STAY IN THE BACK. WE DON'T COME OUT TO THE GROUNDBREAKING, BUT I'M HERE FOR TWO VERY IMPORTANT REASONS. ONE IN THE HARRIS COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. WE HANDLE ALL THE CPS CASES IN HARRIS COUNTY, THE LARGEST COUNTY IN TEXAS. SO I HAVE LAWYERS WHO DAY IN AND DAY OUT SEE THE UGLIEST SIDE OF SOCIETY, WHO SEE INCREDIBLY TOUGH SITUATIONS WITH KIDS WHO HAVE BEEN ABUSED, WHO HAVE BEEN NEGLECTED, AND THEY HAVE TO SEE THAT SIDE. SO IT IS AN INCREDIBLY BEAUTIFUL DAY WHEN THOSE SAME LAWYERS ARE ABLE TO COME AND SEE THE BEAUTY OF THE WORK THAT THEY DID ON ALL THESE CONTRACTS TO MAKE TODAY HAPPEN. UH, THE SECOND REASON IS MY FAMILY HAS A VERY DEEP HISTORY WITH THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM. MY MOM AND HER SIBLINGS WERE IN AND OUT OF FOSTER CARE THEIR ENTIRE CHILDHOOD. SO I'M INCREDIBLY PROUD TO BE HERE TODAY NEXT TO OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS, NEXT TO OUR COUNTY PARTNERS IN THE CITY, AND BE PART OF THE WORK THAT WAS DONE. UM, THAT'S IT FROM THE LAWYER. WE'LL GO BACK TO THE OFFICE. BUT THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH AND I'M EXCITED FOR THE GROUNDBREAKING TODAY. [00:40:02] THANK YOU, MR. MENIFEE. WE WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME CHRISTOPHER STEWART WITH GINSLER AND ARCHER TECH. WITH 30 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN DESIGNING SOME OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS IN HOUSTON, CHRISTOPHER HAS A DEEP PASSION FOR IMPACTFUL PROJECTS LIKE THE HAY CENTER THAT STRENGTHENED THE HOUSTON COMMUNITIES, IMPROVED AND IMPROVED THE LIVES OF HOUSTONIANS. WE ARE THANKFUL THAT GENSLER TOOK THE VISION OF OUR YOUTH AND CREATED A DESIGN THAT ACKNOWLEDGES THEIR VOICE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, BRIDGET. UM, SIMPLY CARING IS ONE OF THE PREREQUISITES FOR POSITIVE CHANGE ON BEHALF OF A VERY TALENTED AND DEDICATED GENSLER TEAM, IN PARTICULAR, MY COLLEAGUE TAYLOR TROJA, WHO'S OVER HERE, UH, GAVE HER HEART AND SOUL TO THIS PROJECT. UH, I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT WE'VE CARED VERY DEEPLY ABOUT THIS PROJECT, UM, ABOUT THE HAY CENTER AND ITS VERY IMPORTANT MISSION. WE'VE CHERISHED OUR COLLABORATION WITH MARY AND THE HAY CENTER TEAM WITH THE YOUNG ADULTS WHOSE LIVES WILL BE CHANGED BY THIS FACILITY, AND ALSO PARIS COUNTY AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON. IT'S BEEN AN ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL FOUR YEAR COLLABORATION. UH, JUST IMAGINING HOW A FACILITY LIKE THIS CAN BEST SERVE THE NEEDS OF THESE COURAGEOUS AND RESILIENT YOUNG ADULTS, IDENTIFYING A LOCATION THAT CAN ENGAGE THEM WITH THE COMMUNITY AND GIVE THEM ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITIES AND FOSTERING THE NECESSARY PARTNERSHIPS TO BRING THIS PROJECT TO FRUITION. I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US FOR THIS MILESTONE EVENT. UH, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU ALL FOR CARING ABOUT THE HAY CENTER. THANK YOU, MR. CHRISTOPHER, WHO WILL NOW BE JOINED BY DORA ALICIA RIVERA, A GENERAL LAND OFFICE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT EXPERT. THE HAY CENTER GREATLY APPRECIATES THE SUPPORT OF THE GLO. THANK YOU. OH MY GOD, MARY, SHE'S SUCH AN INSPIRATION TO ME AND TO MANY. I'M SO PROUD TO BE HERE BY HER SIDE. AND, UH, MARY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR HEART AND CARING. I THINK THE KEY TAKE BACK THAT I'M GONNA TAKE HOME TO AUSTIN IS WE WILL, WE CAN AND WE SHALL. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING US TO BE HERE. IT'S A PLEASURE. ON BEHALF OF COMMISSIONER, UH, DON BUCKMAN, SHE SENDS HER BISHOP, HER WISHES AND HEATHER LAG. WE ARE SO THANK YOU, THANKFUL TO BE A PARTNER WITH THE CITY AND HARRIS COUNTY. I WORK AND I AM AT HARRIS COUNTY ALMOST EVERY WEEK. , I LOVE THEM. I SUPPORT EVERYTHING THEY'RE DOING. THEY CALL ME AT SIX IN THE MORNING OR AT NINE AT NIGHT, AND I AM SO GRATEFUL TO THEM AND THE CITY AS WELL. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, MS. RIVERA. OKAY. SORRY ABOUT THAT. . NOW PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING HARRIS COUNTY ENGINEER, DR. MILTON MOND. THE TEAM OF THE OFFICE OF HARRIS COUNTY ENGINEER HAS LED THE HAY CENTER THROUGH THIS PROJECT AND CONTINUES TO PROVIDE SUPPORT THROUGH THE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT PROCESS. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. THANK YOU, BRIDGET. I AM SO PROUD TO BE HERE WITH SO MANY OF OUR GREAT LEADER, UH, FOR SUCH A GREAT OCCASION. OFTENTIMES IN COUNTY ENGINEERING WE BUILD DETENTION POND AND ROADS AND SIDEWALKS. BUT THIS IS THE TYPE OF PROJECT. MYSELF AND OUR TEAM HERE TAKE A LOT OF PRIDE HOME. I WANTED TO, UM, HARRIS COUNTY ENGINEERING AND STAFF MEMBER, UH, THEY'RE LEADING THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF THESE ALONG WITH MARY AND SO MANY OF OUR PARTNERS. UH, SO STAFF FROM HARRIS COUNTY ENGINEERING, UH, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. PLEASE GIVE A BIG HAND TO THIS FOLKS, UH, JEREMY, UH, DIRECTOR, UH, FOR FACILITY DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION SON L JARED, ALL OF YOU. UH, THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING UH, YOU DID IN GETTING US HERE. THIS PROJECT IS, UH, SUPPOSED TO BE COMPLETED OR WE ANTICIPATE THIS TO BE COMPLETED ON THE THIRD QUARTER OF 2024. [00:45:01] AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEE ALL OF YOU HERE FOR THE RIBBON CUTTING. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU DR. RAMON. WE LOVE WORKING WITH HARRIS COUNTY ENGINEERING. IT'S BEEN SUCH A GREAT EXPERIENCE TO WORK WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT COUNTY DEPARTMENTS. I FEEL SO LUCKY TO WORK, UM, FOR THE BEST COUNTY IN THE COUNTRY. SO IT'S AWESOME. . UM, I DO WANNA, UH, RECOGNIZE TWO PEOPLE. WE HAVE TWO MORE SPEAKERS. UM, BUT WE ALSO, I WANTED TO RECOGNIZE, UH, SHEILA TURNER, WHO'S HERE, WAS OUR CONSULTANT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PROJECT. THANK YOU, UH, SHEILA. AND THEN ALSO CANCEL MEMBER CARLA CIRE, DISTRICT HI BELIEVE, UM, IS HERE. SO THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AS WELL. WE'RE SO HAPPY TO SEE YOU. UM, OUR NEXT, UH, SPEAKER IS, UM, JOEL LEVINE , WHO IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR HARRIS COUNTY RESOURCES FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS. AND MY AWESOME BOSS. AND, UH, JOEL, COME ON, . THANK YOU. IT'S GREAT. THANK YOU. GOOD, GOOD. MORNING OR AFTERNOON. I AM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DEPARTMENT HEAD OF HARRIS COUNTY RESOURCES FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS. AND WE HAVE 19 PROGRAMS ACROSS OUR DEPARTMENT PROVIDING FREE SERVICES ACROSS THE LIFESPAN TO THE COUNTY'S MOST VULNERABLE. THE HAY CENTER IS AMONG OUR PROGRAMS PROVIDING TRANSITIONAL SERVICES TO CURRENT AND FORMER FOSTER YOUTH IN THE GREATER HOUSTON AREA. FIRST, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE MEMBERS OF OUR HARRIS COUNTY CHILD WELFARE BOARD THAT ARE STATUTORY APPOINTED BY HARRIS COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S COURT AND EMBED IT WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT IF THEY CAN RAISE THEIR HANDS. I SEE LYDIA KUSHNER, I SEE PHIL CONNECTA AS I KNOW IT'S STELLA WIRELESS. WALTERS IS HERE. ANYBODY ELSE? UH, AND, AND OUR HARRIS RESOURCES FOUNDATION. TODAY'S GROUNDBREAKING IS AN EXCITING DAY IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE HAY CENTER CAMPUS. THIS IS A COMING A REALITY. WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT THIS PROBABLY ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO, AND WE COULD HAVE DONE THIS WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF EVERYBODY HERE. I WANT TO THANK THE HAY CENTER STAFF LED BY THE PHENOMENAL MARY GREEN AND HER AMAZING FOUNDATION BOARD UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF CHRISSY REED, FOR THEIR TIRELESS EFFORTS TO MAKE THIS CAMPUS A REALITY AND NEVER GIVING UP ON THIS DRAIN. I I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WHEN I HIRED MARY, I BACK, WHAT, 2011 OR SOMETHING, I TOLD HER, I SAID, I DO NOT WANT ANY CONSTRUCTION. I DON'T WANT, I DON'T WANT TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR BUILDING HOUSING. AND YOU SEE HOW WELL MY STAFF LISTEN. BUT, BUT NO. BUT SERIOUSLY, SINCE WE OPENED OUR DOORS IN 2 25, WE SAW THAT THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES THAT YOUTH AGENT FOSTER CARE FACE IS HOUSING. WITHOUT A PLACE TO LAY YOUR HEAD DOWN AT NIGHT, A PLACE TO CALL HOME, OTHER THINGS SUCH AS HOLDING DOWN A JOB OR GOING TO COLLEGE WOULD BE MUCH MORE CHALLENGING, IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE, WITHOUT HOUSING. AND WE WORKED WITH THE HOUSING FOR MANY YEARS AND WHAT WE REALIZED, THERE'S SO MANY PRIORITIES AND THE DEMAND IS SO GREAT THAT TO DO WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO, WE HAD TO HAVE OUR SKIN IN THE GAME. THE HAY CENTER CAMPUS MEANS THAT WE ARE ONE STEP CLOSER TO MAKING SURE THAT FOSTER YOUTH WHO AGE OUTTA CARE WILL NO LONGER HAVE TO FACE HOMELESSNESS. THEY'LL HAVE A COMMUNITY AND A SAFE PLACE TO CALL HOME IN ADDITION TO THE SERVICES AND SUPPORTS THEY NEED AS THEY NAVIGATE THROUGH ADULTHOOD AND LIFE'S CHALLENGES WILL BE AT THEIR FINGERTIPS. I AM MOST PROUD OF THE FACT THAT LIKE EVERYTHING WE HAVE DONE SINCE WE OPENED THE CENTER IN 2005, HAS BEEN DONE WITH THE INPUT FROM OUR YOUTH, ALL ASPECTS OF THIS CAMPUS, AS WELL AS EVERYTHING WE HAVE DONE AT THE HAY CENTER HAS BEEN WITH OUR YOUTH AT THE TABLE. WE ARE SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE WE LISTEN TO OUR YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS AND THEIR LIVED EXPERIENCE, AND WE BASE OUR DECISIONS WITH THAT INPUT. SO AS WE CELEBRATE TODAY'S GROUNDBREAKING, I ALSO CHALLENGE ALL OF US TO DREAM BIGGER. LET US CREATE MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR FOSTER YOUTH AGING OUT SO THAT NO YOUTH HAS TO BECOME HOMELESS SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY TURN 18. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, JOEL. WE HAVE, UM, ONE MORE SPEAKER. MISS, UH, CHRISSY REED, OUR BOARD CHAIR. AND I'M HOPING AS SOON AS CHRISSY FINISHES THAT ALL OF OUR SPEAKERS WILL HAVE TIME TO DO A PHOTO. WE'LL GO RIGHT OVER HERE FOR OUR, UM, OUR FIRST TOSS PHOTO. AND ALSO AS YOU LEAVE, UH, THERE IS, [00:50:01] THERE ARE SNOW CONES. SO KONA ICE IS PULLING UP. SO WE WANTED TO GIVE Y'ALL A TREAT, BECAUSE OF THE HEAT. SO, UM, I HOPE EVERYONE GRABS A SNOW CONE. WE HAVE ALL THE FLAVORS. WE READY? SO, CHRISSY REID IS OUR PHENOMENAL BOARD CHAIR. CHRISSY ALSO HAS BEEN A SUPPORTER OF THE HAY CENTER. SHE AND HER HUSBAND TAYLOR HAVE BELIEVED IN WHAT WE DO FOR SO MANY YEARS AND HAVE REALLY SUPPORTED US IN ALL THE WAYS POSSIBLE. SO I'M VERY HAPPY AND, UH, PROUD TO DENOUNCE CHRISSY TO SPEAK MY FRIEND . THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. EXCUSE ME. I'VE GOTTA SAY BRIDGET HAS DONE AN OUTSTANDING JOB, HASN'T SHE? HATS OFF. AND I NEED TO RECOGNIZE MY FRIEND ROMAN CONTRERAS. ROMAN IS AN AMAZING ENTREPRENEUR. HE OWNS HIS OWN BUSINESS, TEGU ENTERTAINMENT. HE'S A HAY CENTER ALUM. AND IF YOU'RE ENJOYING THE PHOTOS OF, UM, I THINK THEY'RE ON THE WEBSITE OR ARE THEY ON? THEY'RE GETTING THERE. THEY'RE GONNA BE ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA. HE'S DOING FLYOVERS. YOU CAN KEEP UP TO DATE WITH CONSTRUCTION. IT'S VERY COOL. WELL, THANKS FOR COMING TODAY. UH, WE PICKED A DAY. THAT'S A TYPICAL HOUSTON DAY TO CELEBRATE OUR GROUNDBREAKING. I THINK WE DID A GOOD JOB, BUT WE'LL BE BRIEFED TOO. EVERYONE HERE TODAY IS A STAKEHOLDER IN THE FUTURE OF HOUSTON. WHEN I TRAVEL OR ENGAGE WITH PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF HOUSTON, I DESCRIBE OUR CITY AS A PLACE OF OPPORTUNITY RIPE WITH ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT. AN OPEN DOOR TO ANYONE WHO WANTS TO JOIN US DOWN HERE ON THE BAYOU. I GET A LITTLE EMOTIONAL 'CAUSE IT REALLY, IT MEANS A LOT TO ME. I MEAN, THIS IS AN AMAZING PLACE. I THINK THAT'S WHY THE REASONS I ADMIRE MARY AND HER TEAM AT THE HAY CENTER SO MUCH. THEY EMPOWER OUR YOUTH TO FIND THEIR INDEPENDENCE AND THEIR PLACE IN HOUSTON. WITHOUT THE CLASSES, RESOURCES, THE MENTORSHIP THAT HAY CENTER PROVIDES, MANY AGING OUT FOSTER CARE WOULD BE LOST. THEY'D BE WITHOUT A PLAN. YOUTH WITH HUGE POTENTIAL FOR SUCCESS, UNABLE TO ATTAIN IT. A HORRIBLE LOSS TO THESE YOUNG PEOPLE AND A BIGGER LOSS TO OUR COMMUNITY IN OUR STATE. THE NEW CAMPUS WITH BRIDGE HOUSING PROVIDES A SOLID START TRAINING OVERSIGHT TO PREPARE THEM TO STAND ON THEIR OWN AS INDEPENDENT, SELF-RELIANT AND HAPPY HOUSTONIANS. WE WANNA KEEP 'EM HERE 'CAUSE THEY'RE ARE PEOPLE. THANK YOU TO THE HAY CENTER FOUNDATION BOARD MEMBERS, YOUR VARIOUS EXPERTISE IN REAL ESTATE. I'M LOOKING AT YOU RICK. MENTORS IN THE COMMUNITY. THE LIST IS ENDLESS. FINDING JOBS, RESOURCES, EDUCATION. THEY HELP US FIND EVERYTHING FOR THIS, THESE YOUTH, OUR APPRECIATE EVERY ONE OF YOU AND THE KNOWLEDGE YOU BRING TO THE TABLE. A SPECIAL THANKS TO RICK. I GOTTA TELL YOU, HE'S AN EXPERT IN LAW AND REAL ESTATE AND THE AMOUNT OF GRAD, HIS TIME HE'S GIVEN US, HE COULD BUY PROBABLY A REALLY NICE HOUSE IN THE BAHAMAS. SO HE'S BEEN GREAT. UM, OUR FOUNDATION BOARD MEMBER IN HARRIS COUNTY. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JOEL LEVINE TOO. JOEL LEVINE, YOU'VE BEEN, I MEAN, WE WOULDN'T BE SITTING HERE FOR SURE. SO OUR GRATITUDE'S UNENDING FOR, FOR YOU. THANK YOU TO THE HAY CENTER STAFF, PARTICULARLY LAURA MEERS, BRIANNA HALE AND KATIE VICTORIA. ARE YOU ALL HERE? CAN YOU GIVE A WAVE? BRIANNA OR VICTORIA? KATIE AND LAURA, THEY MAKE IT HAPPEN. WOULD THIS TRIO, THE HAY CENTER WOULD, WOULD NOT SERVE WITHOUT THIS TRIO. WE WOULD NOT SERVE FOSTER YOUTH SO WELL. THEY LISTENED TO OUR YOUTH, EMPOWERED THEM TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THEIR LIVES AFTER FOSTER CARE, PROVIDING DIRECTION AND MISSING LINKS VITAL TO SUCCESSFUL OUTCOMES. I WANNA THANK MY HUSBAND TOO. TAYLOR REED. HE SAT IN MARY GREEN'S OFFICE WHEN HE FIRST JOINED THE BOARD AND ASKED FOR A JOB. AND SHE SAID, WELL, YOU'RE ON THE BOARD. HE GOES, NO, I'M SITTING HERE UNTIL YOU GIVE ME A JOB. SO EVENTUALLY THEY ENDED UP WITH A GREAT STRATEGIC PLAN. THE FIRST ONE IN THE END, WE HAVE A PUBLIC PRIVATE NONPROFIT THAT SERVES OUR YOUTH SO WELL. AND I WAS JUST SO HAPPY TO BE BOARD CHAIR. ALL THE, AFTER ALL THAT GOT DONE, IT WAS JUST LIKE, WE JUST RAISED MONEY. IT'S SO GOOD. AND I WOULD BE AMISS IF I DIDN'T THANK ED AND MARGARET GREEN OF BEAUMONT FOR PRODUCING MARY GREEN, RIGHT? TELL YOU WHAT, I WENT TO A AND M AND SO DID MARY. I DON'T KNOW HOW I MISSED HER. WE ARE TWO PEAS IN A POD. A UNIQUE, BRIGHT INDIVIDUAL WITH A HEART FOR SERVICE, PARTICULARLY A HEART FOR YOUNG PEOPLE FACING A VERY UNCERTAIN AND UNSUPPORTED WORLD. AFTER FOSTER CARE, SHE IS ONE IN A MILLION. SHE'S VERSATILE, ABLE TO PIVOT, RAISES MONEY, WELL LISTENS TO OTHERS, [00:55:01] A TEAM PLAYER AS WELL AS A RESPECTED LEADER. A LOT, ALL THE ATTRIBUTES OF A WELL-ROUNDED CEO. AND SHE HAS A HEART BIGGER THAN TEXAS. SO WE'RE LUCKY TO HAVE HER. UNLIKE MANY OF US WHO WORRY, PRAY, PAY, AND HOVER OVER ONE, TWO, OR THREE KIDS AS THEY GRADUATE AND LEAVE OUR HOMES TO BEGIN COLLEGE. MARY AND HER STAFF HAVE 1400 PLUS YOUTH EVERY YEAR. THEY KEEP ON TRACK. ISN'T THAT COOL? IT'S AMAZING. THANK YOU MARY, FOR YOUR DREAM OF THIS CAMPUS. YOUR SERVICE TETHERS AND YOUR PERSISTENCE IN MAKING IT HAPPEN. WITHOUT MARY CONNECTING THE DOTS, WE WOULDN'T BE SITTING HERE. I HOPE Y'ALL KNOW HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATE YOU AND THAT YOU TOOK THE TIME HERE AND YOU SWEATED IT OUT WITH US. WE HAVE A GREAT TASK AT HAND. AND OUR EARNEST DESIRE IS TO GIVE THIS POPULATION THAT OFTENTIMES HAS NOT AN EASY BEGINNING AND OPPORTUNITY TO THRIVE AND EXPLORE AND SEE WHAT THEY WANT FOR THEIR NEXT CHAPTER. WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU. I'M GONNA SAY A YEAR FROM NOW. I THINK WE'RE GONNA FINISH EARLY IN THE AIR CONDITIONING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY. SO IF ALL THE SPEAKERS COME, COME OVER HERE REAL QUICK FOR A PHOTO AND, UM, IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE SPEAKER PHOTO, OUR YOUTH WILL TAKE A PHOTO WITH THE SPEAKERS. SO IF THE OF OUR YOUTH WHO ARE HERE, IF Y'ALL CAN GO AHEAD AND LINE UP OVER HERE AS WELL. SO WE WILL START, UH, THE PHOTOS. THANK YOU. COUNT THE THREE FOR THE DIRT. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.