[2:00 P.M. – INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
[00:00:04]
AND MAYOR PRO TEM.I WANNA ADD, HE HAD SIX TOURS OF DUTY AND HE'S ALSO THE CHAPLAIN FOR THE LAPORTE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
[ROLL CALL AND ADOPT THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING]
NEXT WE'LL HAVE ROLL CALL.MADAME SECRETARY, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL MAYOR, ATTORNEY WILL BE ABSENT.
CONSTABLE THOMAS WILL BE ABSENT.
COUNCILMAN CISNEROS WILL BE ABSENT.
COUNCILMAN POLLARD WILL BE ABSENT.
COUNCILMAN CASTEX TATUM WILL BE ABSENT.
COUNCILMAN PLUM WILL BE ABSENT.
AND THERE'S CAYMAN ABBY CAMAN IS HERE.
NEED A MOTION TO DELAY THE MINUTES? MOVE ROBINSON.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.
COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN FOR A PROCEDURAL MOTION.
I MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO ADD RUTH DUNN AND RABBI MIKE DUNN TO THE BOTTOM OF THE TWO MINUTE NON AGENDA LIST.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OPPOSED? MOTION GRANTED.
[PUBLIC SPEAKERS]
SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE FIRST SPEAKER.STEP RIGHT UP HERE TO THE PODIUM TO BE FOLLOWED BY NICOLE DOMAIN.
HI, MY NAME IS LAUREN BENNETT.
UM, AND I PRETTY MUCH WAS TRYING TO FIND RESOURCES AND, UM, GREAT PAYING JOBS.
UM, IT SEEMS I CAN'T FIND ANY RESOURCES IT SEEMS. UM, IT'S PREDOMINANTLY FOR THE HISPANICS AND I DON'T THINK THE AFRICAN AMERICANS SEE, AS FAR AS I CAN SEE.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY OPTIONS OR RESOURCES.
I KNOW THERE'S A BUNCH OF JOBS THAT ARE OPEN ON OUR CITY WEBSITE.
SO HAVE I HAVE BEEN LUCKY? AND YOU HAVE MM-HMM
AND HAVE YOU, UH, SENT ANY INFORMATION INTO THROUGH THE WEBSITE? YES, I HAVE A RESUME AS WELL.
SO I'M JUST TRYING TO FIND ALL THE RESOURCES.
UM, I HAVE EVEN TRIED TO FIND SOME, UM, SORT OF RENTAL ASSISTANCE AS WELL.
UM, I'VE CALLED DIFFERENT PLACES.
I'VE DROVE TO DIFFERENT PLACES.
AND SOME OF THE PLACES, AS SOON AS I GET THERE, I'M TURNED AWAY BEFORE I EVEN GET A CHANCE TO EXPLAIN ANYTHING.
I'M JUST GOTTA SO DO YOU LIVE IN KATY? YES, SIR.
SO YOU DON'T HAVE RESOURCES IN KATY, 'CAUSE I KNOW WE HAVE A TON OF THEM HERE IN HOUSTON.
WOULD YOU STEP OVER TO THE MICROPHONE? YEAH.
SO WE HAVE THE, UH, ACRES HOMES, MULTICULTURAL CENTER.
WE'VE GOT ONE IN CASHMERE GARDENS.
WE'VE GOT SOME IN, IN SUNNYSIDE.
WE, WE'VE GOT, UH, RESOURCES ALL OVER THE PLACE.
BUT THOSE ARE PREDOMINANTLY AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITIES AND THEY DO A LOT OF WORK THERE.
WHAT KIND OF RESOURCES ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? UM, JUST RESOURCES, LIKE I SAID, AS FAR AS ASSISTANCE.
UM, I'M SORRY, I COULDN'T HEAR YOU.
ASSISTANCE FOR RENTAL, RENTAL ASSISTANCE AND JUST A GOOD PAYING JOB.
WELL, WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO HELP YOU WITH THAT IN KATIE.
YOU'D HAVE TO MOVE TO HOUSTON TO HELP, BUT THERE, AND I'LL DO THAT.
I'LL MOVE TO HOUSTON IF I NEED TO.
I'VE BEEN HERE A YEAR, SO I'M JUST TRYING TO YEAH.
SEE WHAT RESOURCES OR WHO CAN I TALK TO OR YEAH.
EVEN IF THERE'S A PAPER WITH INFORMATION, I'M WILLING TO CALL AND WELL, OUR HOUSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY IS AVAILABLE TO YOU.
THERE'S ALL KINDS OF THINGS THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE FOR YOU.
UM, BUT YOU HAVE TO LIVE WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS OF HOUSTON.
SO MAYBE YOU WANNA MOVE, I'LL CONSIDER.
COUNCIL MEMBER TARSHA JACKSON.
MS. BENNETT, HOW YOU DOING? UM, SO I HAVE AN INITIATIVE THAT WE LAUNCHED IN DISTRICT B, WHICH IS TO BE SUCCESSFUL JOBS AND COMMUNITY CAPACITY BUILDING INITIATIVE.
AND WE DO WORK WITH, UH, FOLKS THAT'S OUTSIDE OF OUR DISTRICT.
UM, ONE OF OUR PARTNERS, RAIN EMAN, UM, FROM ACRES HOMES WILL BE HAPPY TO CONNECT WITH YOU.
WE DO HELP PEOPLE WITH RENTAL ASSISTANCE WITH JOBS.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE A JOB FAIRERS COMING UP THIS SATURDAY, SO YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME.
WE HAVE EMPLOYERS THAT HIRE PEOPLE ON THE SPOT.
[00:05:01]
SO PLEASE GET WITH RAIN AND WE'LL GET YOU CONNECTED.AND I WAS JUST GONNA PIGGYBACK ON THAT.
COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON IS DOING AN INCREDIBLE MODEL FOR DISTRICT B, BUT IT APPLY.
AND, UH, IN ADDITION TO THAT THOUGH, UH, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE IS DOING JOB FAIRS, DIFFERENT OFFICES ARE DOING JOB FAIRS, AND YOU CAN ACTUALLY REACH OUT TO INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL MEMBERS.
WE'RE CONNECTED WITH BUSINESSES AND COMPANIES.
FOR EXAMPLE, I WAS JUST MEETING WITH ONE COMPANY TODAY THAT SAID, WE'RE HIRING.
IF YOU KNOW OF FOLKS, THESE ARE GOOD PAYING JOBS, UH, YOU KNOW, WE ARE LOOKING FOR PEOPLE.
SO YOU CAN DIRECT REACH OUT, DIRECT FIRST START WITH COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON, REACH OUT DIRECTLY TO HER.
BUT WE'RE ALL HAPPY TO HELP SUPPORT.
AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR JUST BEING PROACTIVE.
COUNCIL MEMBER CAROLYN, EVAN SHABAZZ.
I HAD THE PLEASURE OF WALKING OVER WITH, UH, MS. BENNETT AND I JUST WANNA COMMEND HER FOR COMING FORWARD TO BRING THIS CONCERN BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THAT THERE IS HELP, BUT YOU DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW IF YOU DON'T COME AND ASK FOR IT.
SO I WANT TO CERTAINLY COMMEND YOU FOR THAT.
AND WE ARE ALL, JUST, AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, CAME AND SAID, WE WOULD ALL BE WILLING TO HELP YOU TO GET TO THE PLACE WHERE YOU NEED TO GO AND HOPEFULLY CAN BRING OTHERS WITH YOU.
SO THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR COMING.
AND I WOULD WORK WITH COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON, AND, AND SEE WHERE THIS GOES.
AND JUST A REMINDER, AS MS. DOMAIN WALKS UP IN COUNCIL, WE HAVE CERTAIN RULES LONG BEFORE OUR EXISTENCE IF NO APPLAUSE, BUT IF YOU'RE IN FAVOR OF IT, DO A LITTLE BIT OF THIS.
I REPRESENT THE EAST HOUSTON CIVIC CLUB.
UM, WE COME BEFORE YOU TO ASK FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO HELP US PROTECT OUR NEIGHBORHOODS BY ENFORCING THE NO THROUGH TRUCK ORDINANCE.
ORDINANCE 45 2 7 2 CLEARLY STATES WHEN SIGNS OR ERECTED STATING NO THROUGH TRUCKS.
NO PERSON SHALL OPERATE ANY COMMERCIAL VEHICLE EXCEEDING 3000 POUNDS GROSS WEIGHT AT ANY TIME UPON ANY OF THE STREETS OR PARTS OF THE STREETS.
SO SIGNED SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE CURRENTLY FACE.
THERE'S DAMAGES TO OUR ROADS, LOTS OF POTHOLES THAT WE HAVE TO CONSTANTLY, UM, GET FIXED.
UM, IT CREATES BLIND SPOTS MAKING UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITIONS.
THERE'S A LOT OF NOISE AND EMISSIONS POLLUTIONS.
AND SO WE ARE PLEADING WITH YOU TO SEND THE ENFORCEMENT TEAM TO OUR AREA TO HELP US PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY.
AND, UH, BEFORE WE GO TO, WE HAVE A FEW COUNCIL MEMBERS IN C BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT, I HAD THE HONOR TO MEET A BUNCH OF YOU LADIES EARLIER TODAY.
AS SOON AS I GOT BACK TO MY OFFICE, I CALLED THE CITY ATTORNEY.
AND MY QUESTION WAS, IF WE HAVE AN ORDINANCE THAT STATES THAT TRUCKS CAN'T GO THROUGH NEIGHBORHOODS, WHAT IS THE ENFORCEMENT MECHANISM FOR THAT? AND SO, UM, HE GAVE ME SOME INSTANCES WHERE WE COULD HAVE HPD HELP, UH, BUT HE ALSO REFERRED ME TO THE CITY ATTORNEY THAT HANDLES MOST OF THESE TYPES OF INCIDENTS.
AND, UH, I SHOULD BE GETTING A CALL BACK.
SO IF YOU HAVE A SPOKESPERSON, ONE PERSON THAT I CAN SEND AN EMAIL TO WHEN I FIND OUT EXACTLY WHAT THE CITY ATTORNEY RECOMMENDS, I'LL BE GLAD TO SEND IT TO YOU LADIES.
BUT, UH, MEANWHILE WE HAVE A FEW COUNCIL MEMBERS IN QUEUE.
WE'LL START OFF WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THANK YOU MAYOR PROAM, AND THANKS FOR COMING.
WE, TRUCKS ARE A BIG PROBLEM,
WE JUST RECENTLY DEALT WITH THE PARKING ISSUE LAST WEEK ON CITY COUNCIL.
I DO KNOW THE CITY IS, UH, RIGHT NOW WE'VE HIRED A CONSULTANT TO DO A CITYWIDE TRUCK ROUTE PLAN.
AND SO ALL, AND WE'RE TAKING FEEDBACK ON THAT.
SO IT'S A, IT'S A WEBSITE CALLED LET'S TALK HOUSTON.ORG, AND YOU CAN GO TO THAT PART OF IT.
AND I BELIEVE WE'RE, WE'VE HAD SOME COMMUNITY MEETINGS ON IT.
BUT I BELIEVE YOU CAN STILL MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THAT.
SO MAKE SURE AND BE SPECIFIC OF WHERE YOU ARE, WHERE THE TRUCKS ARE COMING, GOING THROUGH.
UH, WE'RE REALLY TAKING A HARD LOOK AT THAT.
WE, WE, OUR INFRASTRUCTURE CANNOT HANDLE TRUCKS GOING THROUGH THESE LOCAL STREETS.
SO REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR COMING AND, AND BRINGING THIS TO OUR ATTENTION.
COUNCIL MEMBER TARSHA JACKSON.
AND THANK YOU MS. DOMAIN FOR COMING IN.
FOR REPRESENTING AND JUST COMING IN AND ADVOCATING FOR, UM, OUR COMMUNITIES.
MR. TRUCKS ARE A BIG ISSUE IN DISTRICT B.
UM, IN FACT, A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WE GOT THE NORTHWEST SIDE ROAD REDONE, AND IMMEDIATELY NOT MUCH A GOOD TWO, THREE MONTHS LATER, THE ROAD WAS BACK DAMAGED BECAUSE OF THE 18 WEATHERS THAT KEEP, UM, COMING UP DOWN THE ROAD.
SO, BUT I KNOW THAT HHPD IS LOOKING FOR PARTICULAR ADDRESSES SO THAT THEY CAN START LIKE REALLY GETTING GOING AFTER THESE, UM, 18 WHEELERS THAT'S COMING THROUGH OKAY.
BUT THIS IS HOW WE CHANGE THINGS THROUGH THE ADVOCACY AND BY NEIGHBORS AND COMMUNITIES COMING
[00:10:01]
IN AND SPEAKING UP, UM, HERE AT COUNCIL.SO I APPRECIATE YOUR ADVOCACY AND YOUR PARTNERSHIP AND, UM, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING THIS TRUCK REROUTING ORDINANCE IMPLEMENTED AND, AND MOVING FORWARD AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
AND, AND MR. RUIZ, TO YOUR RIGHT, TO, TO MY LEFT, UH, PLEASE GIVE HIM, UH, YOUR INFORMATION AS TO WHO I SHOULD SEND THE EMAIL TO.
AND WHEN I GET THAT INFORMATION, I'LL SEND IT BACK.
AND WHEN YOU HAVE ENFORCEMENT, IT'S A MATTER OF PERSONNEL.
AND DOES HPD HAVE THE PERSONNEL TO PULL OFFICERS OFF THE STREETS AND ASSIGN 'EM TO THIS? THAT'S THE MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION.
SO WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE GET YOU AN ANSWER THOUGH.
RUTH DUNN TO BE FOLLOWED BY MIKE DUNN.
MY NAME IS RUTH DUNN AND I'M FROM SOUTH CAROLINA.
AND I'M LIKE A PROPHETESS OF THE ALMIGHTY.
AND I'M JUST HERE TO SAY THAT YA HIS NAME, HE WANTS TO SAVE THE STATE.
HE GAVE ME A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.
I KNOW A LOT OF THE SONG, ABSURD, IF IT'S NOT A RELIGIOUS THING, IS ACTUALLY, UM, HE'S GOT THE BIBLE AND YOU READ, YOU READ YOUR SCRIPTURES, AND THINGS HAVE HAPPENED IN THE PAST AND IT'S COME UP AGAIN.
I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, HOW CAN I SAY WHAT I HAVE TO SAY IN TWO MINUTES?
SO I'M GONNA DO THE BEST I CAN.
I AM LIKE A PROPHET TEST, AND HE GIVES ME DREAMS AND VISIONS.
AND HE SHOWED ME A PICTURE OF THE UNITED STATES WITH THE STATE OF TEXAS BLACKED OUT, MEANING IT'S COME UNDER JUDGMENT.
NOW I KNOW TEXAS HAS HAD A LOT OF, UM, NATURAL DISASTERS, JUST LIKE SOUTH CAROLINA.
WE ALL HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT.
BUT HE WANTS TO SAVE THE STATE.
AND THE ONLY REMEDY, UM, THAT WE CAN USE TO SAVE THE STATE, IT'S KINDNESS AND LOVE.
EVERYONE HAS TO SHOW KINDNESS AND LOVE.
BUT THERE ARE EVIL REGIMES AROUND THAT WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT.
SO WHAT HE'S, HE'S JUDGING THE STATE, BUT BECAUSE I'M COMING UP HERE AND TELLING YOU ABOUT IT, BECAUSE I HAVE TO TELL SOMEBODY WHETHER YOU BELIEVE IT OR NOT, I HAVE TO TELL IT.
OKAY? AND I'M PRAYING THAT NOTHING HAPPENS.
BUT WHAT CAME TO ME WAS LIKE IN THE TIME OF SOMON MEMORIAL, WHEN ABRAHAM SPOKE WITH THE FATHER AND SAID, IF THERE'S 10 RIGHTEOUS, HE WENT DOWN THE TENT, WILL YOU SAVE THE CITIES FOR 10? RIGHTEOUS? SO I PRAYED BECAUSE, UM, THE STATE IS COMMERCE.
COMMERCE, WE'VE GOT TONS OF POOR PEOPLE.
WE'VE GOT PEOPLE THAT STRUGGLING WORKING, PEOPLE THAT JUST NEED EXTRA ON THE INCOME TO HELP THEM MAKE IT FROM MONTH TO MONTH.
NOT ONLY THAT, WE'VE GOT KINDS OF MILLIONAIRES AND BILLIONAIRES THAT HAVE BEEN STEALING FROM THE ALMIGHTY.
THEY DON'T KNOW THEY ARE, BUT A PORTION OF THEIR WEALTH BELONGS TO HIM.
OKAY? AND IF THEY USE THAT PORTION IN THE RIGHT WAY, IT WILL WIPE OUT POVERTY, NOT ONLY IN TEXAS, BUT AROUND THE WORLD.
AND YOU WOULD SAVE THE STATE OF TEXAS NOT ASKING YOU TO DO ANYTHING, BUT THE RICH, THE BILLIONAIRES AND MILLIONAIRES NEED TO STEP UP AND DO THEIR PART BECAUSE THIS CANNOT CONTINUE THE WAY IT HAS BEEN.
YOU ALL ARE DOING YOUR PART, YOU'RE DOING THE BEST YOU CAN TO RUN THE CITY AND TO BRING PEACE TO THE PEOPLE.
BUT THERE'S A GREATER PEACE FROM HEAVEN THAT THE PEOPLE NEED.
AND THE, THE IF 20, AT LEAST 20 WOULD YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
I'LL, I'LL GIVE YOU 15 SECONDS TO WRAP UP MS. DUNN.
IF 20 MILLIONAIRES AND BILLIONAIRES, JUST 20 WOULD DO THEIR PART AND GIVE THE FATHER BACK HIS PORTION, AND WHEN THEY GIVE TO THE FATHER HIS PORTION, WE BLAST IT AND THEN USE IT IN THE WAY THE FATHER WANTS TO USE IT AS TO TAKE CARE OF THE HOMELESS, TAKE CARE OF THE POOR, AND MAKE THE, MEET THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE, THEN IT'S NOT ALL ON YOUR HANDS THAT DO THIS.
FOR LISTENING TO ME, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER TARSHA JACKSON.
THANK YOU FOR COMING IN AND JUST SPEAKING UP FOR THE STRUGGLING FOLKS.
I TRAVELED FROM SOUTH CAROLINA,
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IT'S SO IMPORTANT YOU DON'T HAVE A VISION LIKE THIS AND JUST LET IT GO, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S VERY NERVE WRACKING TO ME BECAUSE HAVE TO STEP OUTTA MY COMFORT ZONE.AND THANKS FOR COMING IN FROM SOUTH CAROLINA.
AND IF THAT SHEET OF PAPER HAS SIX NUMBERS ON IT, PLEASE GIVE IT TO ME.
WELL YOU GUYS GONNA HAVE TO HELP WITH THIS BECAUSE WHEN THEY DO GIVE A PORTION, COME BACK TO THE CITY ABSOLUTELY.
TO BUILD HOUSING, HELP THE POOR, PUT WATER STATIONS EVERYWHERE.
LIKE YOU RESCUE THE ANIMALS I WILL RESCUE IN THE MENTAL ILLNESS OFF THE STREET.
NEXT SPEAKER, MIKE DUNN TO BE FOLLOWED BY TRICIA BEVERLY.
I'M MET BY MIKE FROM SOUTH CAROLINA.
UH, I CAN'T FOLLOW HER, BUT I'VE BEEN FOLLOWING HER FOR 40 YEARS.
I GUESS I'LL KEEP ON FOLLOWING HER.
SO YA'S THE GREATEST AND I'M WE'RE, I'M HONORED TO BE.
I DON'T THINK I'VE BEEN IN A ROOM LIKE THIS, HAVE I SARGE WHERE THERE'S SO MANY I CAN FEEL THIS CONCERN AND CARE FOR OTHERS.
YOU GUYS MAKE MY HEART FEEL GOOD.
BUT YOU MAKE ME FEEL GOOD BECAUSE SOMEBODY CARES ABOUT SOMEBODY ELSE FOR A CHANGE.
AND THIS WORLD IS NOT GOING SO GOOD.
US OLD GUYS CAN REMEMBER, UH, THE SONG UP UP WITH PEOPLE.
THEY'RE THE BEST KIND OF PEOPLE.
YOU KNOW, IF MORE PEOPLE WERE FOUR PEOPLE THAN ALL PEOPLE EVERYWHERE, THERE'D BE A LOT LESS PEOPLE TO WORRY ABOUT AND A LOT MORE PEOPLE WHO CARE.
THAT'S YOU HOUSTON, WE'RE PUTTING IN YOUR HANDS.
THE BUCK DOESN'T, UH, STOP HERE.
AND SO WE'RE ASKING YOU TO ASK SOME OF YOUR WEALTHY PEOPLE TO SEND IT ON TO LITTLE OLD NOBODY, RUTH AND I, AND WE'LL BRING IT UP TO THE FATHER.
WE GOT NOTHING TO GAIN EXCEPT TO DO HIS WILL.
AND WE'LL TAKE CARE AS MANY PEOPLE AS HE ALLOWS US TO TAKE YOU.
HOUSTON, KEEP ON LOVING EACH OTHER.
MS. BEVERLY, NEXT SPEAKER SELENA HARBOR.
SELENA HARBOR TO BE FOLLOWED BY MARY AND SCOTT.
YOU COULD SLIDE OVER A LITTLE BIT RIGHT BEHIND THE MIC, SO THANK YOU.
I'M THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH COORDINATOR FOR POSITIVE WOMEN'S NETWORK.
MY PRONOUNS ARE SHE, HER AND HERS.
I'M HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT SANTO APARTMENTS.
UM, THE ADDRESS IS, IS 1111 MCELHANEY STREET, HOUSTON, TEXAS, 7 7 0 0 2.
UM, WHERE I AM A FIVE YEAR RESIDENT.
UM, CENTER APARTMENTS ARE INCOME BASED APARTMENTS THAT HOUSES PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV, UH, WHICH INCLUDES DISABLED AND THE ELDERLY.
UH, 50% OF ITS ELDERLY AND 50 OTHER IS DIS DISABLED.
SO, UH, OVER THE YEARS, UH, THE RE THE RESIDENTS AND I, UM, HAVE ENCOUNTERED NUMEROUS ISSUES THERE, HERE, THERE.
THE ISSUES ARE, UM, WE NEED TO BE A DA COMPLIANT INSIDE OUR APARTMENT COMPLEXES.
UH, WE HAVE NO BARS ON THE TO, ON THE TUBS WHERE WE CAN LIFT OURSELVES UP OR WE CAN, YOU KNOW, SO WE WON'T FALL IN THE, IN THE TUBS.
UM, WE NEED HIGHER TO TOILETS.
UM, WE HAVE OLD STOVES, RUSTY BATHTUBS.
WE NEED REFRIGERATORS, OLD REFRIGERATORS.
UM, AS FAR AS SAFETY, WE, WE ARE SURROUNDED BY FIVE CLUBS.
WE ARE THE ONLY RESIDENTS IN THE, IN THAT BLOCK, ON THAT BLOCK.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF, UM, ACTIVITY GOES ON THERE, A LOT OF NOISE SHOOTINGS, STABBINGS, EVERYTHING.
AND WITH LIVING WITH HIV, YOU HAVE TO, YOU HAVE TO HAVE SLEEP, YOU HAVE TO BE HEALTHY.
AND THAT'S NOT HEALTHY FOR US.
UM, OUR CAR CLUB BROKEN INTO A COUPLE TIMES.
UH, A NEIGHBOR OF MINE GOT HER, HER CAR GOT BROKEN FOUR TIMES.
UM, TWO OF OUR EL ELDERLY RESIDENTS GOT HELD UP BY NINE POINT AND GUNPOINT ROBBED, UM, FOREST HEALTH, UM, YOU KNOW, BENCH CLEANED.
YOU KNOW, WE NEED NEW CABINETS, UH, THE ENERGY EFFICIENT WINDOWS.
[00:20:02]
'CAUSE THE BUILDING IS, UM, UH, OVER A HUNDRED YEARS OLD.SO IT'S LABELED, UM, HISTORICAL BUILDING, BUT IT'S NOT BEING KEPT UP.
SO, UH, WE HAVE MOLD, WE HAVE LEAKY PIPES, OLD CABINETS.
UM, WHERE SHOULD I GO? WHERE SHOULD I START? IT'S MORE DISABLED PARKING OR DISABLED PARKING IS TAKEN AWAY, UM, FOR SOME ODD REASON.
AND WE NEED OUR PARKING IN FRONT OF OUR BUILDING BECAUSE THEY TAKE THE, THE, THE PATRONS FROM THE CLUBS TAKES OUR, OUR, THEY TAKE OUR PARKING AND NOT ABLE TO GET TO OUR BU THE FRONT OF OUR BUILDING AND BEING DISABLED.
AND THAT IT, IT'S HARD TO GET TO OUR BUILDING AND WITH PREPARING GROCERIES TO, TO OUR FRONT DOOR.
SO, UM, I, SO THESE ARE WHAT WE, THESE ARE THE PROBLEMS NOW.
UM, WE, WE ADDRESSED THIS TO OUR MANAGER, COUNCIL MEMBER CAROLYN, EVAN SHABAZZ.
MAYOR PROAM, I'M GONNA GIVE YOU ONE OF MY CARDS.
UM, SO THAT SOMEONE IN MY, ON MY STAFF CAN REACH OUT TO YOU YES.
AND SEE IF WE CAN HELP YOU WITH THESE ISSUES.
I'M GONNA, I'LL STEP AROUND AND GIVE IT TO YOU.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT SERGEANT CISNEROS TALKED TO YOU TODAY AND ASSISTED YOU IN GENERATE AN ALERT SLIP TO ADDRESS THE UPTICK IN BURGLARIES AND VACANCIES IN YOUR AREA.
UH, YOU ALSO DIRECTED TO CONTACT 3 1 1 AGAIN TO MAKE A REPORT OR A SERVICE REQUEST FOR MORE HANDICAPPED PARKING.
AND THEN YOU ARE ALSO NOTIFIED ON HOW TO GET TO THE SOUTH CENTRAL STATION TO MAKE ANY REPORTS IN THE FUTURE.
SO YES, BETWEEN COUNCIL MEMBER, CAROLYN, EVAN SHABAZZ, AND, AND SERGEANT CISNEROS, I THINK THEY'RE POINTING YOU IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
I HAVE A PETITION, UM, BECAUSE FEAR OF RETALIATION
I'M, I'M THE ONE THAT STEPPED UP, SO YES.
AND THIS IS YOUR NUMBER ON HERE, RIGHT? THANK YOU.
NEXT SPEAKER, TROY ALLEN, WHO IS HERE TO BE FOLLOWED BY STACEY FAIRCHILD AFTERNOON.
FORGOT YOUR CHEAT SHEET, HUH? YES.
GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING THE SPEAK HERE TODAY.
UM, TODAY WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE SAME THING THAT WE'RE USUALLY TALKING ABOUT CHATS AT 42.
UM, SO PART OF THE HANDOUT THAT YOU GUYS ARE GETTING RIGHT NOW, REALLY WANT TO FOCUS ON SOMETHING IMPERVIOUS COVER.
SO ONE OF THE BIG ARGUMENTS THAT WE'VE BEEN HEARING A LOT ABOUT IS WITH THE CHAPTER 42 CHANGES, THAT THE AMOUNT OF IMPERVIOUS COVER AND THE AMOUNT OF CONCRETE THAT'S BEING POURED ON THESE PROPERTIES AND THESE SLOTS WILL GO DOWN.
I'M HERE TO TELL YOU TODAY THAT THAT'S SIMPLY NOT TRUE.
WHAT THE PROPOSED CHANGES THAT ARE HAPPENING IN CHAPTER 42 WILL CAUSE THE IMPERVIOUS COVER AND THE AMOUNT OF CONCRETE POURED ON EAST LOT TO OVER DOUBLE.
CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW WITH TWO FRONT LOADING TRADITIONAL SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, THERE IS A TOTAL OF, UM, THERE'S A TOTAL OF 8,000 SQUARE FEET OF CONCRETE.
IF YOU TAKE THE TWO 16 FOOT DRIVEWAY, 16 FOOT WIDE DRIVEWAYS, AND THEN THE SIDEWALK, IF YOU THEN MOVE TO WHAT THE ONLY OPTION THAT WILL BE ON THE, UM, ON THE 50 FOOT PROPERTY, WHICH IS A SHARED DRIVEWAY OPTION, YOU WOULD HAVE A LARGE DRIVEWAY IN THE MIDDLE WITH THE SIDEWALK, WHICH WILL BE OVER 18,000 SQUARE FEET OF CONCRETE.
AND THEN IF YOU LOOK AT THE FAR RIGHT, THE OTHER PICTURE IS WHAT, UM, THE GHB HAS BROUGHT TO CITY PLANNING AND ALSO THE, UM, TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AS A POSSIBLE COMPROMISE TO EVEN REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF IMPERIOUS COVER THAT'S CURRENTLY BEING POURED.
AND WILL DEFINITELY BE UNDER HALF OF THE MOUNT IMPERVIOUS COVER THAT CHAPTER 42 WILL LOOK FORWARD TO.
UM, ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS ABOUT BANNING THE INDIVIDUAL DRIVEWAYS IS THAT, UM, LIKE I SPOKE ABOUT BEFORE, IS THAT THAT THREE PACK WHERE YOU PUT THE THREE HOUSES ON A SINGLE 50 FOOT LOCK IN A SHARED DRIVEWAY MEANS THAT YOU ACTUALLY LOSE YOUR BACKYARD.
SO ALL THAT GREEN SPACE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT GAINING AND ALL THE IMPERVIOUS COVER THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT REDUCING YOU LOSE YOUR BACKYARD, WHICH A LOT OF PEOPLE, UM, LIKE TO HAVE THAT AMENITY AND ALSO HELPS OUT WITH DRAINAGE AND HELPS OUT WITH FLOODING AS WELL.
UM, THE OTHER PART OF THAT IS THAT YOU'RE ACTUALLY GONNA BE BUILDING TALLER.
SO I SPOKE TO A LOT OF, UM, COMMUNITY MEMBERS ABOUT THE, UM, KEEPING
[00:25:01]
THESE TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT AT BAY OR KEEPING UNWANTED DEVELOPMENT AT BAY.WHAT REALLY WE'RE GONNA SEE IS THAT WE'RE GONNA SEE TALLER HOUSES AND TALLER, UM, DEVELOPMENT THAT'S GONNA BE MORE DENSE AND MORE HOUSES ON ONE SINGLE LOT.
THE LAST THING I WANTED TO GO TO IS THAT INSTEAD OF SIMPLY BANNING FRONT LOANING TOWNHOUSES, MAYBE IT'S BETTER IF WE DECIDE TO COME TO A COMPROMISE TO WHERE WE CAN ACTUALLY CREATE AND DESIGN GREEN SPACE INSTEAD OF JUST OUTRIGHT BANNING IT AND SAYING THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO GO AGAINST A DANGER THAT WE HAVE NOT SEEN BEFORE.
UM, OTHER THAN THAT, THAT WAS PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING I WANTED TO GO THROUGH, BUT JUST WANTED TO URGE YOU ALL NOT TO BAN FRONT LOANING AND ALSO NOT TO PASS THE CHAPTER 42 PROPOSED AMENDMENTS.
I JUST HAD A FEW CLARIFYING QUESTIONS.
UM, ONE, ARE Y'ALL ASKING FOR THE SITE C AS A COMP? LIKE IS THAT WHAT, SO SITE C IS WHAT WE'VE WORKED, UH, WITH, WITH, WELL WHAT WE PRESENT TO THE PLAN DEPARTMENT AS A POSSIBLE PALATABLE CHANGE RATHER THAN OUTRIGHT BANNING IT.
UM, THAT'S, THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE A LOT MORE, A LOT MORE AMENABLE.
UM, BASICALLY OUR WHOLE GOAL IN THIS ENTIRE TIME HAS NOT BEEN TO STOP ANYTHING COMPLETELY.
IT'S NOT BEEN TO, YOU KNOW, STOP US FROM TRYING TO MAKE CHANGES TO MAKE CITY OF HOUSTON BETTER.
BUT IF WE WANT TO BUILD HOUSTON FOR THE FUTURE, I THINK THAT INSTEAD OF BANNING COMPLETELY SITE PLAN C WILL ALLOW US TO GIVE MORE GREEN SPACE, LESS CARS ON THE STREET AND A MUCH BETTER SITE DESIGN.
AND WHAT IS THE, YOU NOTED A TYPO AT THE BOTTOM SHOULD BE 40 TYPO.
CAN YOU SAY WHAT THAT IS AS IT RELATES TO THE PARKING TABLE, JUST SO I'M AWARE? YES.
SO ACROSS EACH SITE PLAN, THERE'S UM, THERE'S A DIFFERENT TABLE, AND I CAN GET YOU GUYS A LARGER VERSION BECAUSE IT'S REALLY BAD.
BUT BASICALLY STARTING OUT FROM THE LEFT TO THE RIGHT IS THAT THERE'S 80 AVAILABLE PARKING SPOTS ON ONE ON THE SITE PLAN B, BECAUSE YOU GET FOUR IN THE GARAGE AND FOUR IN THE DRIVEWAY ON SITE PLAN.
UM, A THERE'S ONLY 70 AVAILABLE PARKING SPOTS BECAUSE YOU LOSE THEM ON THE STREETS AND YOU ONLY HAVE 'EM IN THE GARAGE.
AND THEN ON SITE PLAN C, YOU ACTUALLY HAVE 80 AVAILABLE SITE 80 AVAILABLE PARKING SPOTS.
SO INSTEAD OF THAT, UM, THAT TYPO SHOULD BE 40 INSTEAD OF EIGHT BECAUSE YOU STILL GET THE DRIVEWAY PARKING, WHICH WITH SITE PLAN A, THE DRIVEWAY PARKING IS COMPLETELY TAKEN AWAY.
AND ONE THING TO REMEMBER WITH ALL THAT PARKING IS THAT THAT'S FOR, EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE DECREASING PARKING, YOU'RE INCREASING THE AMOUNT OF HOMES THAT ARE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD WITH THAT THREE PACK.
AND MY LAST QUESTION RELATED TO SITE A AND I, I HAVE NOT DONE ALL THE CALCULATIONS IN THE MATH, I'M JUST LOOKING AT THIS FOR THE FIRST TIME.
UM, Y'ALL ARE NOTING THE AMOUNT OF CONCRETE, AND THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS RELATED TO IMPERVIOUS COVER, RIGHT? YES.
IN AREAS THAT I LIVE IN, LET'S TAKE GREATER HEIGHTS, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE ELEVATION, SO OF THE HOMES, SO YOU'RE GONNA HAVE MORE, UM, OPPORTUNITY FOR DRAINAGE, BUT NOT ALL OF THE AREAS ARE ARE LIKE THAT.
SO HAVE Y'ALL INCLUDED IN THIS THOUGH? THE SQUARE FOOTAGE OF THOSE HOMES IS TAKING SPACE OR, YOU KNOW, COVER? SO WE, WE HAVE NOT INCLUDED THAT IN, BUT WE'LL DEFINITELY WANT TO COME CORRECT AND BRING SOME ADDITIONS TO THIS DOCUMENT AS WELL.
'CAUSE IF WE'RE TA, AND THE ONLY REASON I SAY THAT IS IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IMPERVIOUS COVER, IT ALSO MAY INCLUDE THAT PROPERTY AS WELL.
SO WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? NOT JUST THE DRIVEWAY, BUT THE HOME SPACE.
SO I, I WOULD JUST LIKE SOME CLARIFICATION ON THAT.
'CAUSE RIGHT NOW WE'RE FOCUSING ON DRIVEWAY ACCESS, BUT IN A LOT OF THESE BUILDINGS, YOU KNOW, THERE'S MORE TO IT RIGHT THERE, THERE'S MORE SURFACE COVERAGE THAN JUST THE DRIVEWAY.
SO IF Y'ALL COULD HELP US WITH THAT, AND I KNOW EACH HOUSE IS DIFFERENT, EACH SIZE IS DIFFERENT.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S A CHALLENGE.
BUT I, I THINK THE SCOPE OF DRAINAGE GOES BEYOND THE DRIVEWAYS THEMSELVES.
UN UNLESS I'M INCORRECT WITH THAT.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE CAR BE COLLECT.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE JUST WANTED TO ARTICULATE ON THIS PICTURES IS THAT I KNOW THAT IN THE PAST, THE, UM, THE IMPERVIOUS COVER OR THE CONCRETE CONVERSATION'S ONLY BEEN IN RESPECT TO THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY.
AND I JUST THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO SHOW THAT THAT IMPERVIOUS COVER OR THAT CONCRETE THAT'S BEING POURED WILL ALSO BE ON THAT PRIVATE PROPERTY.
SO WE'LL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO COME UP WITH SOME NUMBERS THAT SHOWS WHAT A TRADITIONAL HOUSE WILL LOOK LIKE WITH THAT AS WELL.
AND, UM, I WANNA MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCES IN A AND C.
SO THE, THE WIDTH OF THE DRIVEWAY IN A AND C, IS THERE A DIFFERENCE THERE? SO YES, MA'AM.
SO ON A, WHICH IS THE ONE IN THE MIDDLE, CORRECT? OR OH, I'M SORRY, NOT A, B AND C THEN RATHER B AND C.
SO, SO B IS THE CURRENT STATE OF AFFAIRS.
SO ON B IT'S THE CURRENT STATE OF AFFAIRS WHERE YOU CAN CURRENTLY HAVE A 16 FOOT WIDE APPROACH.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY GO A LITTLE BIT WIDER THAN SIX FEET, 16 FEET CURRENTLY.
WHAT, UM, OUR PROPOSAL IS THAT IF YOU NARROW THAT APPROACH TO 20 TO 12 FEET WIDE OKAY.
YOU'LL REDUCING PURPOSE COVER AND REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF CARS ARE EVEN ABLE TO PARK ACROSS
[00:30:01]
THE SIDEWALK AS WELL.AND, AND TELL ME ABOUT DETENTION REQUIREMENTS FOR THE SITE A AND, AND THE COST OF, OF DETENTION REQUIREMENTS ON FOR THE SITE A PLAN.
UM, AND YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE ONE IN THE MIDDLE, CORRECT? RIGHT.
UM, SO SITE A, UM, I I WILL SAY, UM, I WAS LIKE, SAY I DON'T KNOW WHENEVER I DON'T NO, THAT'S OKAY.
I CAN ASK ONE OF THE, THE FOLLOWING SPEAKERS, BUT, BUT THANK YOU.
'CAUSE THERE WAS A BIG DISCUSSION OF HEAT ISLANDS AND IMPERVIOUS COVER.
SO I THINK IT'S, IT'S IMPORTANT.
THIS IS AN IMPORTANT DISCUSSION ABOUT THE, ABOUT THE AMOUNT, UM, IN THE DIFFERENT OPTIONS.
COUNCIL MEMBER TARSHA JACKSON.
AND THANK YOU TR FOR, UM, TROY FOR COMING IN.
SO I HAVE ONE QUESTION ABOUT, YOU SAY THE FRONT LOADING, UM, DRIVEWAYS ARE PROHIBITED, RIGHT? SO UNDER CHAPTER FOUR TWO, THE PROPOSED CHANGES THAT THE ADMINISTRATION AND THAT THE PLANNING DEPARTMENTS BROUGHT FORTH, THEY WILL BAN, UM, FRONT FRONTLOADING, UM, DRIVEWAYS ON THE 25 FOOT LOTS.
SO, BUT IS THERE A WAY TO FILE, YOU KNOW, TO, TO APPLY FOR A, A VARIANCE? SO, SO IT'S NOT COMPLETELY SAYING THAT YOU CANNOT DO IT, BUT YOU HAVE TO APPLY FOR A VARIANCE IN ORDER TO BUILD THE FRONTLOADING DRIVEWAY.
SO IT'S, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE VARIANCE LANGUAGE IS, IS THAT YOU HAVE TO SHOW SUBSTANTIAL REASON WHY YOU SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO DO THAT.
AND I WOULD JUST SAY IS THAT YES, THAT IS TRUE, BUT THE BIGGEST THING IS THAT DEVELOPERS, BUILDERS, UM, ARE JUST HOMEOWNERS.
WE REALLY WANT TO HAVE CONSISTENCY.
SO IF YOU HAVE TO COME THROUGH ANNOUNCEMENT VARIANCE EVERY TIME THAT TAKES, SO THAT COSTS MONEY AS FAR AS HOLDING COSTS AND TIME AND THOSE THINGS, RIGHT? YES MA'AM.
BUT THIS POLICY IS BLANKETED ACROSS THE CITY AND EACH COMMUNITY IS DIFFERENT, SET UP DIFFERENTLY, RIGHT? YES MA'AM.
AND SO IF SOME NEIGHBORHOODS PROBABLY WOULD NEED FRONT LOADING DRIVEWAYS YES MA'AM.
AND SO THAT VARIANCE, YOU KNOW, REQUIRING YOU GUYS TO FOLLOW, RE GET A VARIANCE IN ORDER TO DO THESE DRIVEWAYS AND SAYING THAT IT'S NOT COMPLETELY PROHIBITED, YOU COULD STILL DO IT, YOU JUST HAVE TO APPLY FOR A VARIANCE TO GET IT DONE, CORRECT? YES MA'AM.
BUT OUR ISSUE WITH THE VARIANCE PROCESS IS THAT THAT DOES NOT GO BACK BEFORE THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WOULD GO BEFORE PLANNING COMMISSION.
UNLIKE SOMETHING LIKE CONSERVATION DISTRICTS OR MINIMUM LOT SIZES OR DEED RESTRICTIONS WOULD BE BEFORE THE NEIGHBORHOOD MM-HMM.
WOULD HAVE TO COME DOWNTOWN AGAIN, INSTEAD OF GOING TO THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS, YOU HAVE TO COME DOWNTOWN TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THEN ASK THEM FOR THAT VARIANCE.
COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID ROBINSON.
OBVIOUSLY YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN THINKING A LOT ABOUT THIS.
WANNA THANK YOU AND ALL THE SPEAKERS TO COME.
UM, HEAT ISLANDS WAS MENTIONED A MOMENT AGO.
I THINK THAT'S REALLY KIND OF GETTING AT THE CRUX OF THINGS WITH, UH, THE TREES THAT REALLY WOULDN'T BE THERE IF WE CONTINUE TO PERPETUATE THESE DOUBLE LOADED FRONT LOADING THINGS.
AND, AND TO YOUR CREDIT, I THINK THIS, UH, PROPOSED IDEA LOOKS LIKE IT'S MORE GREEN, THUS MORE SUSTAINABLE PRESERVES MORE OF THE STREET BETTER PARKING.
SO KUDOS TO YOU FOR, FOR THAT.
UM, I WONDER, UM, WHETHER PRESERVING THE DOUBLE FRONT LOADED DEVELOPMENT IS TRULY AT THE HEART OF WHAT YOU ALL ARE TRYING TO DO.
IS THAT, IS THAT THE FORMULA THAT YOU ALL ARE JUST, YOU'RE SEEING THAT HOUSTONIANS NEW AND OLD WANT AND YOU THINK THAT'S WHAT THE, WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A SOLUTION OVER? SO IF I MAY, I THINK THAT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION IS ABSOLUTELY YES.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE PRESENTATION THAT WAS PRESENTED LAST WEEK, AS WELL AS THE DOTS OF WHERE IT'S ACTUALLY SHOWING UP, I THINK THAT MAP ACTUALLY SHOWS THAT THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR FORMS OF DEVELOPMENT AND THAT HOMEOWNERS REALLY DO LIKE, AND I'LL SAY THIS WHENEVER WE TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, UNWANTED DEVELOPMENT THAT, UM, WE SEE THAT COMMUNITIES DON'T WANT, IT'S USUALLY THE TALLER TOWN ANALYSIS, THE THREE OR FOUR STORIES.
AND THEN YOU TRY TO PACK THREE OUT A LOT AND WITH THIS FRONT DOUBLE FRONT LOADED, YOU GET SUCH MANES LIKE A BACKYARD, YOU'RE ABLE TO HAVE YOUR OWN PRIVATE, UM, DRIVEWAY SO THAT IF YOU DO SELL THE HOUSE OR IF YOU DO WANNA REMODEL THE HOUSE, OR IF YOU DO WANNA REBUILD THE HOUSE, YOU CAN ACTUALLY BUILD EQUITY IN THAT LOT TO HAVE CHANGES TO WHAT YOU WANNA DO.
NO, THAT IS, UH, I ASKED A YES OR NO QUESTION.
UM, I WONDER, YOU'VE OBVIOUSLY PAID ATTENTION TO THE PRESENTATION THAT WAS GIVEN LAST WEEK.
HAVE YOU YET HAD A CHANCE TO SHOW THIS TO OUR DIRECTOR OR TO THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT? YEAH.
WE'VE, SO WE'VE SHOWN, UM, THIS COMPROMISE TO PLANNING DEPARTMENT AS EARLY AS OVER TWO MONTHS AGO.
SO THIS HAS BEEN AT THE HEART OF PART OF THE PRESENTATION OF PLANNING COMMISSION AS WELL, PRESUMABLY? UH, YE YES.
WELL, SO WE WERE NOT ABLE TO SPEAK TO ANY PLANNING COMMISSIONERS YEAH.
BECAUSE, UM, DID NOT WANT TO INTERFERE WITH OTHER RULES.
BUT YES, BUT WE WERE PRESENTED TO PLANNING DEPARTMENT AND I HOPE THAT IT GOT TO PLANNING COMMISSION.
WELL, UM, ADMITTEDLY YOU HAVE A TYPO AND IT'S SMALL.
UH, SOME OF US WHO WEAR GLASSES WOULD LOVE I'M SURE TO SEE THIS LARGER.
[00:35:01]
AND IF YOU COULD DO IT IN A FORMAT TO CIRCULATE TO US THAT EXPLAINS THAT IN THIS CASE B IS THE EXISTING PERMISSIBLE UH, LAYOUT AND THAT A AND C ARE, I, I'D LOVE TO HEAR WHAT YOUR WORDS ARE TO, UH, TO DESCRIBE THAT.I WOULD DEFINITELY FOLLOW UP WITH EACH ONE OF YOUR OFFICES AND PRESENT IN A BETTER NOT AS RUSH FORMAT AS WELL.
AND AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THE DETAIL THAT SHOWS PARKING SPACES, SQUARE FOOTAGE, NUMBER OF UNITS, ET CETERA.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OPPOSED? MOTION GRANTED.
SORRY, TROY, REALLY QUICKLY, ONE OTHER CLARIFYING QUESTION.
UM, THE, AGAIN, IT'S SMALL PRINT, SO FORGIVE ME, YOU HAVE SITE B IN SITE C THAT ARE 25 FOOT LOTS, BUT THE MIDDLE OF SITE A IS A 50 FOOT LOT.
IS THERE A WAY TO SHOW US, I KNOW YOU HAD TO SQUEEZE IT ALL INTO ONE PAGE, BUT AGAIN, THEY ALL LOOK LIKE THE LOTS ARE THE SAME SIZE, BUT IN REALITY THE THE MIDDLE LOTS ARE, ARE BIGGER.
IS THERE A WAY TO, IS THAT CORRECT? SO, OR AM I MISREADING? SO, UM, THE SCALE IS STILL THE SAME.
SO THEN, UM, AND I KNOW IT'S TIGHT.
I, ONCE AGAIN, I'LL GIVE YOU GUYS A MUCH BIGGER SINGLE PAGE VERSION OF IT.
BUT THE SCALE FOR EACH RECTANGLE YOU SEE THERE, UM, IT'S THE SAME ON EACH ACROSS THE LOT.
BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT 50 FOOT LOTS VERSUS 25.
THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION.
THE SETBACK BETWEEN SITE B AND SITE C, THE DRIVEWAY SETBACK.
ARE THERE, ARE THERE DIFFERENCES THERE? SO NO, CURRENTLY THAT IS STILL, UM, THE, THE CURRENT WHAT? I'M SORRY.
THAT STILL SHOWS THE CURRENT, UM, NECESSARY SETBACK, WHICH IS, I MEAN TO THE DRIVEWAY.
WHAT'S THAT? YEAH, WHICH IS 17 FEET.
UM, BUT I WILL SAY AS PART OF THE COMPROMISES THAT WE'VE ALSO PRESENTED TO PLAN DEPARTMENT AS WELL AS BEEN, UM, I KNOW THAT THE BIGGEST THING WAS SAFETY, PEDESTRIAN SAFETY AND PEOPLE PARKING OVER THE SIDEWALK.
SO, UH, EVEN A LARGER SETBACK OF 20 FEET IN ORDER TO STOP THOSE ONE 50.
SO, SO YOU COULD GO ON A COMPROMISE TO A 20 FOOT SETBACK.
I, I BELIEVE THAT THAT WOULD BE OKAY IN ORDER TO PRESERVE THAT TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT.
THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD HELP OUT A LOT.
SO MR. ALLEN WOULD NO OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS IN QI HAVE A QUESTION.
SO THERE HAVE BEEN ON ONGOING CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN YOUR PEOPLE AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
ARE WE ANY CLOSER TO A COMPROMISE? I HOPE THAT WITH IT GOING BEFORE CITY COUNCIL, THAT WE ARE CLOSER TO A COMPROMISE AND THAT WE'RE ABLE TO HAVE, UM, POLICY SETTERS AT CITY COUNCIL HELP US.
BUT I BELIEVE WHAT WOULD BE PRESENTED TO YOU? I'M, I CAN'T SPEAK TO THAT.
I'M, I CAN'T SPEAK TO WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
I BELIEVE THAT THEY'VE WORKED WITH US, BUT AS FAR AS COMPROMISE, I THINK THEY WANNA PUT MORE CARS ON THE STREET VERSUS WE'RE NOT IN FAVOR OF PUTTING MORE CARS ON THE STREET.
AND I THINK THAT'S THE BIGGEST DISCREPANCY.
HAVE YOU BEEN HAVING DISCUSSIONS, MEETINGS WITH THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT? UH, NOT SINCE IT WENT BEFORE PLANNING COMMISSION.
THE, NOT SINCE IT CAME BEFORE PLANNING COMMISSION.
ONCE IT WAS VOTED OUTTA PLANNING COMMISSION, I WAS TOLD THAT THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO MAKE ANY CHANGES TO IT UNTIL IT GETS TO CITY COUNCIL.
ALTHOUGH THERE HAS BEEN THREE CHANGES.
ART SMITH TO BE FOLLOWED BY COFFEE BAY.
I'M HERE TODAY TO SPEAK ABOUT, UM, UH, AN UH, AN ILLEGAL DEMOLITION THAT TOOK PLACE WITH OUR HOME.
UM, WE WAS UNLAWFULLY AND ILLEGALLY EVICTED FROM OUR HOME, FIRST OF ALL.
AND THEN WHAT, FEBRUARY THE 10TH AND THEN NOW THE CITY WE WENT, MY WIFE AND I AND OUR SON, WE WENT DOWN TO THE PERMIT DEPARTMENT.
SO WE GET DOWN THERE TO THE PERMIT DEPARTMENT.
THEY SAY NO HOUSE, NO HOUSE IS SUPPOSED TO BE DEMOLITION IN, UH, FIFTH WARD AT THIS ADDRESS.
AND WE GAVE A MULTIPLE ADDRESS.
'CAUSE IT'S A SURROUNDING BLOCK.
THEY SAY, NO HOUSE IS SUPPOSED TO BE DEMOLITION.
I SAY, WELL, THEY TRYING TO DEMOLITION, UH, OUR VOTING LIVE REGISTRATION BUILDING WHERE WE'VE BEEN DOING A GRASSROOTS MOVEMENT TO GET PEOPLE REGISTERED TO VOTE.
AND UM, SO THEY SAY WE ONLY GAVE A PERMIT, WE ONLY GAVE A PERMIT FOR, UM, FOR WATER TAP.
SO I END UP SPEAKING WITH, UH, ALEXANDRA, UH, TON, I DON'T THINK REMEMBER HER LAST NAME, BUT SHE'S IN THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT HERE AT THE CITY.
SHE PULLS UP, I GAVE HER ALL OF THE DESCRIPTION, THE DIRECT DESCRIPTIONS OF THE LOTS AND THE BLOCKS
[00:40:01]
THAT'S IN MY WIFE NAME ACCORDING TO HARRIS COUNTY RECORDS.SHE SAY, UH, ART, I'M TELLING YOU RIGHT NOW, NO HOUSES WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN DEMOLISHED OUT THERE BECAUSE THERE'S NO PERMIT FOR DEMOLITION OUT THERE AT THIS LOCATION.
I SAY, WELL, I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY DOING IT.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, YOU GOT A JUDGE NAMED, UH, VICTOR TREVINO THE THIRD THAT DURING A TRIAL HEARING, UH, HEARING, HE RULED THAT A DEAD MAN WAS PRESENT FOR COURT.
AND MY WIFE IS THE ONE WHO BROUGHT TO HIS ATTENTION THAT, UH, ROBERT CHARLES WILLIAMS WAS DECEASED.
SO WHEN MY WIFE AND I WENT BEFORE, UH, HAHA SAID, WE DON'T KNOW HOW WE GOT ROBERT CHARLES WILLIAMS' NAME ON A TAX DOCUMENT.
THEY HAVE NOTHING IN THEY SYSTEM.
AND SO EVERYBODY'S RUNNING AROUND, UH, AND, AND, AND LOOKING THE OTHER WAY.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, ROBERT, CHARLES WILLIAMS' NAME IS NOT ON THE DEED RECORDS IN HARRIS COUNTY.
HIS NAME IS NOT MA'AM I'M TALKING.
MA'AM, CAN Y'ALL LISTEN? Y'ALL, Y'ALL Y'ALL HAVING A FULL DISCUSSION WHILE I'M TALKING? WE'RE WE'RE HEARING EVERY WORD YOU'RE SAYING, WHICH Y'ALL HAVING A FULL DISCUSSION WHILE I'M TALKING, SO I DON'T THINK I'M BEING HEARD.
NO, YOU, BUT MY MY, EXCUSE ME.
WHAT DID YOU SAY? NO, GO AHEAD AND FINISH UP.
I'M SAYING, UH, MY, MY THING IS THE CITY OF HOUSTON HAVE NOTIFIED AND LET US KNOW ANY IN THE SYSTEM THAT NO PERMIT WAS ISSUED FOR A DEMOLITION OF NO NOTHING.
THEY SAY WE ONLY GAVE A PERMIT, BUT THEY GAVE A PERMIT.
THEY ONLY GAVE A PERMIT FOR A WATER TAP.
BUT THEY GIVEN A PERMIT TO PEOPLE THAT ARE BEING INVESTIGATED BY THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT SWINDLE UNIT FOR ORGANIZED CRIME.
YOU CANNOT COLLECT RENT ON PROPERTY.
YOU DO NOT HAVE YOUR NAME ON ACCORDING TO THE DEEDS.
THERE ARE SO MANY REALTORS THAT HAVE CALLED US AND TOLD US, MAN, WE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THAT JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE YOUR NAME ON THE TAX DOCUMENTS IN UH, HARRIS COUNTY, THAT THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT YOU'RE NOT THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY.
SO BRIAN ERWIN AND JC LOFTY, THESE ARE CORRUPT ATTORNEYS THAT'S REPRESENTING PEGGY RUTH WILLIAMS, HER AND HER HUSBAND ROBERT CHARLES WILLIAMS, PULLED OFF A 40 PLUS YEAR CRIME COLLECTING RENT THAT THE ON PROPERTY OWNER EXPIRED.
SO MR. SMITH, BEFORE WE SIT IN THESE SEATS, WE DO OUR HOMEWORK AND PART OF OUR HOMEWORK IS UNDERSTANDING WHAT YOU'RE COMING TO PRESENT TO US.
SO WHAT WE UNDERSTAND IS THAT YOU HAD FILED FOR AN ADVERSE POSITION ADVERSE, OH, I DID ADVERSE POSSESSION.
LEGAL LOOKED AT IT, AND THEY'RE LOOKING AT THE ADVERSE POSSESSION.
AND NO DEMOLITION CAN HAPPEN UNTIL THEY MAKE A RULING ON THE ADVERSE POSSESSION OF THIS PROPERTY.
AND I'LL DEFER TO MR. RANDY ZAMORA TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THAT IN ORDER.
BUT IT IS OUR UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU FILED CITY OF HOUSTON AND LEGAL TEAM IS LOOKING AT IT FROM AN ADVERSE PERSPEC ADVERSE POSSESSIONS PERSPECTIVE.
AND THE DEMOLITION CANNOT HAPPEN UNTIL THERE IS A RULING ON THE ADVERSE POSSESSION.
NOW, WHO, WHO, WHO YOU WAIT ONE SECOND FOR TO ONE SECOND.
MR. ZAMORA, THIS IS A CITY ATTORNEY? YES, SIR.
MAKE SURE WE HAVE OUR INFORMATION CORRECTLY.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SAME PROPERTY.
UH, WHAT ADDRESS YOUR USE FOR 4 2 2 5? MINE? NO SIR.
THIS IS, THIS IS PROPERTY THAT'S IN MY WIFE NAME FOR, SHE'S ALREADY COMPLETED HER 10 YEAR ADVERSE POSSESSION OF PROPERTY AT 53 0 9 SONORA 53 50 15 SONORA AND 53 19 SONORA.
THIS IS DIRECTLY ACROSS FROM FINNEGAN PARK.
I WISH I WAS ABLE TO, I WISH I WAS ABLE TO JUST PASS THIS AROUND.
CAN YOU JUST GIVE IT TO MR. RUIZ? I ONLY HAVE ONE.
NOW, NOW, NOW, NOW THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT WHAT YOU JUST SAID.
YOU JUST STATED THAT NO DEMOLITION ACCORDING TO THE CITY, CAN HAPPEN WHEN ADVERSE POSSESSION OF PROPERTY IS IN, IN, IN, IN, IN, IN THE PROCESS.
MY WIFE HAS A COURT DATE THAT'S SCHEDULED FOR JULY THE 24TH.
AND CIVIL COURT AT LAW NUMBER TWO, SHE HAS ALREADY SERVICED THROUGH PUBLICATION BY NOTIFICATION WITH THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE LEGAL TEAM FOR THE SAME PROPERTY THAT I'M REFERRING TO NOW, IF THE CITY ATTORNEY THERE, I THINK THERE'S SOME CONFUSION.
SO HE WAS TALKING ABOUT THAT VERY ONE SPECIFIC PIECE OF PROPERTY.
BUT THIS KNEW THAT ONE, WE KNEW THAT ADVERSE POSSESSION HAD BEEN FILED ON THAT ONE AND THAT ONE WE'RE REVIEWING.
SO NOTHING SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED TO THAT PROPERTY.
BUT I CAN'T SPEAK TO THE OTHER PROPERTY.
WHAT IS THE ADDRESS OF THE PROPERTY YOU ARE REFERRING TO? IT IS NOT 42 25.
IT IS 53 0 9 SONORA, 53 15 SONORA AND 53 19 53 15 SONORA IS WHERE WE WERE STAYING AT BEFORE WE WAS ILLEGALLY EVICTED.
THEY HAVE NOW WHAT YOU'RE STATED IN IS VERY ACCURATE.
WHAT YOU'RE STATING WHEN YOU SAID NOTHING CAN HAPPEN WHEN ADVERSE POSSESSION IS IN THE FOLD OF IT.
WELL, WE HAVE BEEN UNLAWFULLY EVICTED AND THE HOUSE HAVE BEEN DEMOLISHED, BUT YET WHEN I TALKED TO ALEXANDRIA, UH, I CAN'T THINK OF HER LAST NAME, SHE'S IN THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT
[00:45:01]
AND SHE ASKED ME TO GIVE HER THE DESCRIPTION OF EACH INDIVIDUAL THING THAT'S IN MY WIFE'S NAME IN HARRIS COUNTY.SHE SAID, ALRIGHT, I'M TELLING YOU RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE NO PERMITS GIVEN FROM THE CITY TO DEMOLISH ANYTHING ON THAT PROPERTY.
AND SO WHEN WE SHOWED THE INDIVIDUALS AT CITY HALL, UH, PERMIT AND CENTER, WHEN WE SHOWED THEM THE PICTURES, HE SAID, OH MAN, THESE HOUSES ARE NOT DEMOLISHED.
THIS HOUSE IS NOT DEMOLISHED, IT'S STILL UP ON GOOGLE.
I SAID, BUT IF YOU DRIVE BY THERE, THEY ALL GONE.
AND NOW THEY TRYING TO DEMOLISH OUR VOTER REGISTRATION DEPOT.
BUT MY WIFE HAVE DOCUMENTATION, UH, DEALING WITH THE PROPERTIES IN HER NAME ACCORDING TO HARRIS COUNTY, TANISHA HU'S OFFICE.
AND IF THIS IS, THIS IS ABOUT VOTING, WE GETTING PEOPLE REGISTERED TO VOTE.
PERMIT PURCHASED UNDER PROJECT NUMBER 23 0 4 7 6 7 3 DEMOLISHED COMPLETE AND PENDING IN FINAL INSPECTION NUMBER 2 53 19 SONORA, WHICH IS THE OTHER ONE YOU MENTIONED, PENDING DEMOLITION PERMIT PURCHASED UNDER PROJECT NUMBER, WHATEVER THE STRUCTURE REMAINS ON THE PROPERTY.
AND PROJECT NUMBER IN THE 53 0 9.
SONORA, WHICH IS THE THIRD PROPERTY YOU MENTIONED IS THE SAME THING PENDING DEMOLITION PERMIT PURCHASE UNDER PROJECT NUMBER AND THE STRUCTURE REMAINS ON THE PROPERTY.
SO, SO FAR OUR NOTES SAY THAT 53 15, THE DEMOLISH HAS BEEN COMPLETED AND WE'RE WAITING FOR FINAL INSPECTION.
AND THEN THE OTHER TWO IS THAT A DEMOLISH DEMOLITION PERMIT HAS BEEN PURCHASED ON BOTH OF THOSE PROPERTIES, BUT YET THERE'S BEEN NO DEMOLITION THAT'S COMPLETED.
IS THAT ACCURATE? THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S THAT'S ALMOST ACCURATE.
BUT THERE'S LIKE EIGHT OTHER STRUCTURES THAT WAS TORN DOWN.
ALL THOSE STRUCTURES WAS TORN DOWN.
WHAT'S YOUR NAME? DAVE MARTIN.
IT'S HAPPENING WITH FRAUD PEOPLE.
YOU CANNOT WALK INTO THE CITY PERMANENT DEPARTMENT AND ACT LIKE YOU ARE SOMEONE THAT OWNS PROPERTY IN FIFTH WARD AND WALK OUT OF THERE WITH A PERMIT, UH, TO BE ABLE TO PULL A PERMIT TO DO WATER, GAS, ANYTHING.
IF YOU DON'T SHOW THAT YOU'RE THE DEED OWNER, YOU HAVE TO BE THE DEED OWNER ACCORDING TO THE HARRIS COUNTY RECORDS, IF YOU'RE NOT THE DEED OWNER, ONLY THE DEED OWNERS OR EITHER A PERSON THAT'S IN POSSESSION OF PROPERTY THROUGH ADVERSE POSSESSION OF PROPERTY CAN UH, UH, UH, SAY ANYTHING ABOUT A DEMOLITION.
SO WHAT I'M SAYING IS IMAGINE IF I CAME TO YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD RIGHT AND WENT TO THE CITY PERMIT AND GOT A PERMIT TO TEAR Y TEAR DOWN YOUR HOUSE.
SO, BUT I'M NOT THE DEED OWNER.
UH, BEFORE WE GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER CAROLYN EVANS SHABAZZ IS, IS YOUR PHONE NUMBER ENDING? UH, ONE SIX? YES, SIR.
SO WHAT I WILL DO, I WILL GET WITH LEGAL AND THEN WE WILL CALL YOU TO FIND OUT ABOUT THE THREE PROPERTIES THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE.
53 15, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY 53 19 AND 53 0 9.
COUNCIL MEMBER CAROLYN EVAN SHABAZZ.
I'M GONNA DEFER TO THE COUNCIL MEMBER SECOND COUNCIL MEMBER TARSHA JACKSON.
MY, MY, MY MY MY MY WHOLE THING IS, IS THIS? YES.
WE HAVE MOTION TO EXTEND SECOND.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OPPOSED? MOTION GRANTED.
IF Y'ALL CAN SEE THE PIECE OF PAPER.
WHERE, WHERE'S THAT PAPER THAT I JUST PASSED IF EVERYONE LOOKED AT IT RIGHT HERE.
NOW ON THAT, ON THAT PIECE OF PAPER RIGHT THERE, THAT'S WHEN WE HAD OUR, WE HAD OUR RIBBON CUTTING.
WE HAD A RIBBON CUTTING IN 2015, RIGHT AFTER WE HAD THE RIBBON CUTTING.
GOVERNOR ABBOTT HAD SENT ONE OF HIS PEOPLE DOWN THAT WORKED FOR HIM AND, AND WANTED TO MEET WITH MY WIFE AND MY SON AND I AT A PRIVATE LOCATION IN KATY BECAUSE HE WAS IMPRESSED WITH WHAT WE WERE DOING IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE FOUND OUT THAT IN THE ENTIRE STATE OF TEXAS, THE VOTING LIVE REGISTRATION, MY WIFE SPENT $10,000 IN CASH GETTING A 400 SQUARE FOOT BUILDING CONVERTED WHERE WE CAN GET PEOPLE REGISTERED TO VOTE.
ON THAT DOCUMENT YOU WILL SEE THE OFFICIAL FACEBOOK PAGE OF THEN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE HILLARY ROD, CLINTON, CLINTON, WHEN SHE WAS RUNNING FOX.
'CAUSE SHE SPOKE ON IT ABOUT THE SAME BUILDING, UH, UH, THE, THE, UH, HOLS, CHRIS HOLS, HE WAS JUST OUT THERE THREE WEEKS AGO TAKING PICTURES IN FRONT OF THE VOTING LIVE.
MAYOR, THIS IS WHAT I'M SAYING IS, HOLD ON SECOND, IF YOU'RE NOT THE DEED OWNER, YOU SHOULD NOT BE GETTING A PERMIT TO DO ANYTHING.
I TOLD YOU A CLARIFYING QUESTION ON, ON THE PROPERTY.
DID THE CITY TEAR THOSE DOWN OR DO YOU THINK A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL DID IT? THE CITY, THE CITY GAVE THE, THERE'S A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL THAT DID IT.
WE JUST SAID THE PERMIT, BUT THE CITY GAVE THE PERMIT FOR THAT.
[00:50:01]
GIVE THE PERMIT.I GET BUT THE CITY GAVE THE PERMIT, THE CITY GAVE THE PERMIT FOR WATER.
THE CITY LOOKED IN THE SYSTEM AND SAY WE HAVE NOTHING IN HERE.
THEY SAY THEY HAD AN APPLICATION FOR DEMOLITION, BUT IT HAS NOT BEEN APPROVED.
LET US DO SOME HOMEWORK AND WE'LL GET WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY AND THEN WE WILL GIVE YOU A CALL BACK.
I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR TO DEMOL.
YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU SAID THE BUILDING IS UP, THEY TRYING TO DEMOLISH THE VOTING LIVE BUILDING ASAP LIKE ANY DAY.
THEY'VE ALREADY DEMOLISHED EIGHT HOMES.
WE'LL GET ON THIS IMMEDIATELY.
C CAN I ASK, CAN I ASK A QUESTION BEFORE YOU GO? YES.
NOW WHAT IS THE ADDRESS OF THE PROPERTY WHERE THE WALL IS? THE THE ADDRESS IS, UH, 5 3 0 9 SONORA.
IT'S A, IT'S AN ENTIRE, UH, UH, BUSINESS STRIP AND, AND VOTE AND LIVE IS ON THE MURAL.
IS THAT ALSO THE SAME PROPERTY THAT YOUR WIFE IS SUPPOSED TO GO TO COURT ABOUT? YES.
SHE HAS A COURT DATE SET, UH, CIVIL, UH, CIVIL COURT AT LAW NUMBER TWO.
JUDGE JIM KOVAC SET FOR, UH, JULY THE 24TH.
AND THEN NEXT DOOR TO THAT PROPERTY IS WHERE OUR HOME WAS AND THAT'S WHERE WE WAS, THAT OUR HOME HAS BEEN DEMOLISHED.
MY QUESTION TO THE CITY ATTORNEY IS THAT, IS THAT ACCURATE? WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER MARTIN SAID THAT YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO DEMOLISH IF THERE IS A, UH, COURT CASE PENDING REGARDING DEFERRED ADJUDICATION.
SO THE ONE THAT COUNCILMAN MARTIN WAS REFERRING TO WAS A, A, A PREVIOUS, ANOTHER ADDRESS WHERE MR. SMITH CAME FORWARD WHERE I BELIEVE HE WAS POSSIBLY STAYING IN A PROPERTY AND SOMEONE HAD FILED FOR ADVERSE POSSESSION.
SO JUST ON THAT ONE PROPERTY ALONE, THE CITY WAS LOOKING INTO IT TO MAKE SURE WE HAD DONE EVERYTHING PROPERLY BE BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD.
BUT WHETHER OR NOT A A PROPERTY CAN BE DEMOLISHED, UH, I CAN'T SPEAK TO ANY PARTICULAR CASE 'CAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHERE IT IS OR OKAY.
SO IS THERE ANYTHING PENDING ON DEMOLITION OF 53 0 9 Y? YES.
THAT'S, I I'M TRYING TO FIND OUT SMITH FIND IF IT'S, IF THERE'S LAW THAT SAYS THAT YOU CANNOT MOVE FORWARD IF IT IS PENDING, THEN HOLD ON A MINUTE.
WELL THEN WHY ARE THEY WONDERING IF THE PROPERTY IS GOING TO BE DEMOLISHED? WELL, YEAH, WE DIDN'T, WE DIDN'T DEMO.
SO, BUT YOU'RE GONNA LOOK INTO THAT.
WELL, LET, LET ME BE CLEAR, COUNCIL ATTORNEY, WE DIDN'T DEMOLISH THE PROPERTY.
IT'S NOT A, IT WASN'T A CITY DEMOLITION.
THIS WAS A YEAH, BUT THE CITY ISSUED THE PERMIT, THE PERMIT SOMETHING COMPLICIT IN THE WHOLE SITUATION.
YEAH, BUT THE CITY, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU COME, PRESUMABLY I DON'T WORK AT THE PERMITTING CENTER, BUT WHEN YOU GO TO THE PERMITTING CENTER, YOU SAY LIKE A PERMIT AND YOU PROVIDE WHETHER INFORMATION IS NECESSARY TO GET THE PERMIT.
UM, WE WOULD'VE NO WAY OF KNOWING WHETHER OR NOT THERE WAS A PRIVATE LAWSUIT OR ANYTHING PENDING BETWEEN THESE INDIVIDUALS.
WE'RE JUST GONNA ISSUE THE PERMIT.
UH, THE PRIVATE LAWSUIT HAVE TO PLAY IT ON ITS OWN AND I CAN'T AND WE, AND WE WOULD, THE PERMITTING PEOPLE WOULD NEVER KNOW THAT.
SO, BUT ONCE THEY ARE ADVISED, THEN THEY ARE ACCOUNTABLE FOR KNOWING NO, WE JUST NOT ISSUE THE PERMIT.
WE DON'T GET INVOLVED IN PRIVATE LAWSUITS BETWEEN THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
IF YOU PROVIDE THE CORRECT INFORMATION FOR A PERMIT, WE'RE GOING ISSUE THE PERMIT.
AND WHAT HAPPENS? SO THEY WOULD HAVE TO FILE AN INJUNCTION OR SOMETHING.
THEY HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ON THEIR OWN? THAT IS CORRECT.
IF I COME TO YOUR I AM I STILL OPEN? GO AHEAD.
YEAH, I'LL JUST TALK TO A, A DEVELOPER FOR LIKE 30 MINUTES.
IF I COME TO YOUR COMMUNITY, TO YOUR HOUSE RIGHT NOW MM-HMM
AND I GET YOUR ADDRESS TO YOUR HOUSE AND I GO DOWN TO THE HOUSTON PERMITTING CENTER.
IF I GO DOWN THERE AND SPEND $200 WITH THE HOUSTON PERMITTING CENTER SAYING THAT I AM THE OWNER OF X, Y, Z ADDRESS, WHICH IS YOUR HOME, AND I SAY I WANT TO HAVE IT DEMOLISHED.
IF I PAY THAT TWO OR $300, THEY ARE GOING TO GIVE ME A PERMIT IF SOMEONE COMES IN AND BRING IT TO THEIR ATTENTION THAT DR.
WE WAS AT THE PERMANENT CENTER FOR TWO OR THREE HOURS.
THEY SAID, SIR, I KNOW Y'ALL CAME DOWN HERE, YOU'LL GO AND BROUGHT THIS TO Y'ALL ATTENTION.
THEY WILL ISSUE A PERMIT WITHOUT SEEING THE DEED RECORDS.
THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED.
THEY WILL ISSUE A PERMIT TO DEMOLISH YOUR HOME BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY DID.
NOW, NOW, NOW WITH THAT BEING SAID, MY WIFE NAME IS ON THE PAPERWORK FOR 10 YEAR ADVERSE POSSESSION OF PROPERTY.
THE JUDGE SIGNED OFF THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT FROM THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE, JUST RAN IT IN THE PAPER IN MAY, THE GUY DID.
SO THIS IS, THIS IS SERIOUS, BUT THE PROBLEM IS WE HAVE TO SHINE A BIGGER SPOTLIGHT IN HOLDING THE RESPONSIBILITY.
BUT I'M GONNA SAY THE LAST THING.
DO YOU KNOW THE LAST NAME OF A PERSON THAT WORKS IN LEGAL? THAT'S HER FIRST NAME IS ALEXANDRA.
THAT I DON'T, I CAN'T BELIEVE A LOT PEOPLE.
I WAS JUST ON THE PHONE WHILE I WAS
[00:55:01]
AT THE HOUSTON PERMIT CENTER.SHE'S IN THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT HERE.
MY WIFE HAS THE PAPERS WITH HER.
I GAVE HER DESCRIPTION OF THE, THE LOCKS IN THE BLOCKS.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT SHE SAID? MR. SCHMIDT, NO DEMOLITION PERMIT IS PULLED FOR NONE OF THAT PROPERTY OUT THERE.
AND THERE SHOULD BE NO DEMOLITION.
SO, MR. SMITH, LET US DIG INTO THIS.
IS IT WITH URGENCY? WITH URGENCY? YES, SIR.
COFFEE L BAY FATHER BY MAFA BAY.
HELLO? MY HUSBAND AND HE PRACTICALLY SAID EVERYTHING, SO I'M JUST GOING TO ADD ON TO WHAT HE SAID THAT WAS FACTUAL.
I DID COMPLETE, UH, A TENURE ADVERSE POSSESSION ON 53 0 9 SONORA, 53 15 SONORA AND 53 19 SONORA ON JUNE THE 23RD OF 2022.
I WAS ILLEGALLY EVICTED FROM MY HOME.
FEBRUARY THE 10TH OF 2023, AND I LET EVERYBODY KNOW IT IN REFERENCE TO THE FRAUD FILINGS IN THESE COURTS.
THE JP COURT DEALING WITH VICTOR TREVINO III, HIS MOM EVEN CAME OUT THERE BECAUSE DURING THAT ILLEGAL EVICTION, THEY THREATENED TO SEND SWAT IN THERE TO KILL US IN OUR OWN HOME WHERE WE WERE LEGALLY AND RIGHTFULLY TO BE.
SO, UH, THE TENURE ADVERSE POSSESSION IS A STATUTE, UH, RULE THAT GOES WITH THAT, THAT CONFIRMS, AND I HAVE ALL THE DOCUMENTS TO PROVE.
AND I TRIED TO EXPLAIN TO THE DEPUTIES A VARIETY OF TIMES THAT THIS PROPERTY IS IN ADVERSE POSSESSION, IS ACTIVE IN THE COURT, EVERYBODY OVERLOOKED IT.
AND I LET THEM KNOW THAT ROBERT, CHARLES WILLIAMS WAS NOT THE LEGAL REALD PROPERTY OWNER OF THE PROPERTY.
HE DIED IN THE PROCESS OF, UH, UNLAWFULLY EVICTING ME FROM 53 0 9 SONORA BY SAYING IT WAS 53 11 SONORA.
AND I WAS LIKE, THAT'S A FRAUD ADDRESS.
SO I WAS ILLEGALLY EVICTED FROM 53 0 9 SON, NEVER HAD MY DAY IN, IN COURT TWICE.
AND SO THE DEPUTIES, THEY KEEP COMING OUT THERE.
IT WAS LIKE 12 DEPUTIES, UH, PROBABLY, YEAH.
SO I EXPLAINED TO, UH, CONSTABLE SVIA TREVINO.
I SAID, YOUR SON, VICTOR TREVINO II IS A PART OF THIS ORGANIZED CRIME.
I TRIED TO EXPLAIN TO HIM BEFORE HE GET INVOLVED IN THIS, HEY, THIS MAN IS DEAD.
THE ATTORNEY THAT'S REPRESENTING HIM HAS NOT PRESENTED A SUGGESTION OF DEATH WITHIN THIS TRIAL.
NOW, I ENDED UP IN THAT TRIAL 'CAUSE THEY SAID THAT ROBERT CHARLES WILLIAMS HAD EVICTED ME ON MAY THE FOURTH OF 2021.
AND I SAID, THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE, BECAUSE HE DIED APRIL THE 15TH OF 2021.
VICTOR TREVINO III CHECKED OFF ON A DOCUMENT THAT'S DATED JUNE THE 23RD OF 2021, THAT ROBERT CHARLES WILLIAMS WAS THERE FOR TRIAL.
AND I SAID, THE MAN DIED APRIL THE 15TH OF 2021.
SO THIS IS ORGANIZED CRIME AT HIS FINEST THAT'S TAKING PLACE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND THOSE PEOPLE THAT CAME OUT THERE, THE FRAUD PROPERTY OWNER, A PROBATE ATTORNEY, JC LOFT, IS HE EVEN CLAIMED THAT HE OWNED THE PROPERTY LOT.
ONE, UH, LOT TWO, LOT THREE AND BLOCK FOUR OF PARK HILL EDITION THAT I WAS IN POSSESSION OF FOR 10 WHOLE YEARS BEFORE THIS ILLEGAL, UH, EVICTION EVEN TOOK PLACE.
WHEN THEY, UM, CAME OUT THERE TO EVICT US, THEY TURNED OUR LIGHTS OFF, WE WENT LIVE.
I WAS LIKE, I JUST PAID THE LIGHT BILL.
SO YOU HAVE THESE DEPUTIES RUNNING AROUND THE HOUSE WITH A GUN AT CALLING SWAT TO KILL US.
AND WE DID NOT COMMIT A CRIME.
WE WAS WHERE WE WAS LEGALLY SUPPOSED TO BE.
AND SO WE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE TO COME OUT TO SUPPORT US THAT KNOW US FOR WHO WE REALLY ARE.
AND THAT'S BASICALLY, UM, MS. L AS I TOLD YOU, YOUR HUSBAND, WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT THESE THREE PROPERTIES, 53, 15, 53 19, AND 53 0 9 WITH URGENCY.
AND THAT DEMOLITION SHOULD HAVE NEVER TOOK PLACE.
'CAUSE THOSE PEOPLE ARE NOT THE OWNERS OF THE PROPERTY.
AND I HAVE AN ACTIVE CASE IN COURT.
AND THE CITY IS ACCOUNTABLE ALSO.
SPEAKER MS. BAY BAY BE FOLLOWED BY NIA COLBERT.
WHAT'S GOING ON? WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY IS THAT WE ARE VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE AND COMPETENT WHEN IT COMES TO LAND OWNERSHIP.
AND SPECIFICALLY, THIS IS A PART OF OUR CULTURE.
UH, IT DIDN'T JUST START OUT AS A VOTE AND LIVE.
WE OWNED THE PROPERTY STRAIGHTFORWARD.
WE ARE CHEROKEE, WE ARE CHOCTAW, AND WE ARE TINO.
I HAVE A GREAT-GRANDFATHER THAT WAS PUERTO RICAN FOR HIM BEING IN THE MILITARY WORLD WAR ONE, MY GREAT-GRANDMOTHER THAT'S BLACKFOOT WAS ABLE TO GET A SOCIAL SECURITY CARD ON A CAN TOP.
ALRIGHT? WITH THAT BEING SAID, SINCE 1999 TO 2009, AT THE PASSING OF PASTOR ROBERT BONGER THEME OF BLACK CHURCH, THE, THE THE ONE WHO SOLD THE PROPERTY TO
[01:00:01]
THE OWNER OF THE GALLERIA, WHO BUILT THE GALLERIA, HAS BEEN OUR SPIRITUAL LEADER OF THE MASTER THEOLOGIAN.WE ARE A TRIBE OF A NATION WITHIN A NATION.
WE ARE A PART OF A THEOCRATIC NATION.
WE HONOR AND WE SALUTE TO SANTA MARIE.
WE HONOR MUHAMMAD BUDHA AND CONFUCIUS.
THIS PROPERTY BELONGED TO OUR ANCESTRAL ESTATE.
AND WE KNOW THE WHOLE THING ABOUT OWNERSHIP OF PROPERTY.
BEFORE WE TOOK A 400 SQUARE FOOT BARBER SHOP AND TURNED IT TO A VOTER'S REGISTRATION, WE ARE NON-BIASED.
IT IS NON-PARTISAN BECAUSE BEFORE THE COLONIZERS CAME OVER HERE TO TAKE OUR LAND, THERE WASN'T NO REPUBLICANS OR DEMOCRATS.
ALL WE LOOKING BACK TO SEE IS, HEY, IF YOU DEMOCRAT, IF YOU REPUBLICAN, HOW COULD YOU HELP US? WE, WE, WE NOT ABOUT HAVING A STRONGHOLD OF SAYING, WELL, WE WANNA HOLD THE VOTES IN THIS PART.
THAT, THAT AIN'T GOD GAVE US THIS TO CREATE AND PUT ON THE LAND, THE LAND THAT GOD HAS GIVEN DIE AND THEE.
SO THESE PEOPLE HAS TOOKEN OUR PROPERTY AND SOLD OUR VEHICLES.
NOW, IT MAY LOOK LIKE WE MR. CRAZY MAN, MR. CRAZY WOMAN, MR. CRAZY CHILD.
WE HAVE WENT DOWN TO THE HOSPITAL AND RECEIVED THE YELLOW JACKETS TO PROVE IT.
SO IT MAY LOOK LIKE, OH, THEY JUST WANT TO STROKE THEIR EGO.
WHEN WE ALL GIVE IT TO GOD, I GOT OUR LOT OF, MOST OUT OF THE DIVINE, ONE OF A KIND OF CREATOR.
IF YOU WANT TO FIND OUT WHO WE ARE, LOOK UP THE HOUSE RESOLUTIONS OF 75 19 33.
LOOK UP THE SENATE RESOLUTION.
10 14 SIGNED BY 2015, BEING PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE, RODNEY ELLIS.
WE ARE OF THAT NATION THAT BRING SCIENCE AND ARCHITECTURE TO AMERICA.
NEXT SPEAKER, STEVE WILLIAMS. STEVE WILLIAMS. NEXT SPEAKER JOSE SUE ZAMARIN, HOST SUE SAMON.
GOOD AFTERNOON MS. SHAW TO BE FOLLOWED BY FACE, SPENCER.
OKAY, GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE.
MY NAME IS MONICA SHAW, PRESIDENT OF THE BAYOU TERRA CIVIC CLUB.
I AM HERE TODAY IN TRYING TO GET INFORMATION ON GETTING MEETINGS WITH CITY COUNCIL PERSONNEL.
ACTUALLY, IN PARTICULAR, I'VE SENT SEVERAL EMAILS ON BEHALF OF A BUSINESS, UH, IN REGARDS TO HAVING A MEETING WITH CITY COUNCIL.
AND UNFORTUNATELY WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO HAVE THAT MEETING SCHEDULED AS OF YET.
SO I'D LIKE TO KNOW, YOU KNOW, AND AS THE CITY, UH, PRESIDENT, CITY CLUB PRESIDENT, AND I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS AND I'M PRETTY FAMILIAR WITH THE PROCEDURES.
I HAVE DONE A LOT OF COMMUNITY WORK OVER THE YEARS, BUT I JUST WANNA KNOW WHAT THE PROCEDURES ARE AT THIS POINT IN PARTICULAR WITH DISTRICT C THAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET SCHEDULED MEETINGS FOR.
COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CAYMAN OF DISTRICT C MS. SHAW, WE HAVE BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH YOU.
UM, WE SIMPLY ASKED SOME QUESTIONS SO THAT WE, AND I KNOW MY CHIEF OF SAT SENT YOU EVEN ANOTHER FOLLOW UP EMAIL YESTERDAY SAYING YOU'VE SENT THREE DIFFERENT EMAILS FROM THREE DIFFERENT EMAIL ADDRESSES.
SO WE ASKED THE QUESTION OF, WHO ARE YOU REPRESENTING? THE CIVIC CLUB, ARE YOU REPRESENTING THE BUSINESS? AND THE BUSINESS, JUST SO EVERYONE KNOWS, IS THE STANDARD BAR.
AND ON TOP OF THAT, BECAUSE AGAIN, YOU SENT IT ONE FROM YOUR LEGISLATIVE EMAIL, ONE FROM YOUR PERSONAL EMAIL, AND THEN I FORGET WHAT THE OTHER ONE WAS.
SO WE ASKED A CLARIFYING QUESTION TO MAKE SURE, BASED ON YOUR REQUEST FOR A MEETING MM-HMM
INCLUDING COUNCIL MEMBER, ALCORN'S OFFICE, WHO YOU ARE REPRESENTING, SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE ALL OF THE APPROPRIATE PARTIES ARE AT THAT.
SO AS SOON AS YOU CAN PROVIDE THAT TO US, 'CAUSE AGAIN, YOU'VE DONE AMAZING CIVIC WORK.
NO ONE IS ASKING THAT, BUT YOU'VE ALSO SAID, YOU KNOW, ON BEHALF OF THE BUSINESS.
SO WE'RE JUST TRYING TO GET CLARIFICATION BECAUSE AS YOU MAY BE AWARE, YES.
THE BUSINESS IS ALSO DEALING WITH THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT.
WE, WE SENT AN EMAIL SPECIFYING THAT YESTERDAY.
[01:05:01]
NO PROBLEM.BUT BECAUSE LEGAL IS INVOLVED NOW AND THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE VIOLATIONS, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE LEGAL IS INVOLVED.
WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE SPEAKING TO THE APPROPRIATE PARTIES.
IF IT'S, YOU KNOW, A NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP, YES.
WE HAVE TO BE BE IN COMMU THERE.
THERE'S A LOT TO THIS THAT'S NOT AS SIMPLE AS JUST YEAH, LET'S HAVE A MEETING.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THE RIGHT FOLKS ARE THERE.
SO IF ALL WE'RE ASKING IS, YOU KNOW, REPLY THAT EMAIL OR SPEAK WITH KATE, I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH OUR CHIEF OF STAFF YES.
AND WITH COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN'S OFFICE.
BUT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE RIGHT PARTIES ARE THERE.
SO I KNOW YOUR LEADERSHIP IN CIVICS AND ENGAGEMENT HAS BEEN PHENOMENAL.
IF YOU'RE REPRESENTING THE BUSINESS, WE NEED TO KNOW THAT.
AND WE NEED TO KNOW WHO THE CONTACTS ARE FOR THE BUSINESS AS WELL.
NO OTHER SPEAKERS? DO I GET TO RESPOND? I'M SORRY? DO I GET TO RESPOND? NO, MA'AM.
NO, I WAS JUST GONNA GET THE GREETINGS.
I'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK, UH, WITH MONICA SHAW.
UH, AND CERTAINLY I JUST WANTED TO GIVE HER MY GREETINGS.
SO, AGAIN, JUST TO CLARIFY AGAIN, IF YOU'LL RESPOND TO THE EMAIL, WE'RE LIKE WE SAID BEFORE, AND WITH COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, WE'VE BEEN IN CLOSE COMMUNICATION WITH HER.
WE GOTTA MAKE SURE LEGAL'S INVOLVED AND EVERYONE ELSE, OKAY? OKAY.
RESPONSE HAS BEEN GIVEN, AND THAT'S THE ONLY REASON THAT I'M HERE TODAY, IS BECAUSE OF THE FACT THERE HAS NOT BEEN A MEETING SCHEDULED.
AND WHEN I COULDN'T GET A MEETING SCHEDULED FROM JUNE THE 16TH UNTIL NOW, THEN CERTAINLY ON FRIDAY, I ASKED TO COME TO COUNCIL JUST TO MEET WITH YOU GUYS.
IT'S JUST THE FACT THAT THE BUSINESS WOULD LIKE TO MEET WITH THE APPROPRIATE CITY COUNCIL PERSONS FOR THE BUSINESS, AND THE BUSINESS NEEDS TO REACH OUT TO US AS WELL.
THEY'VE TRIED, FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT ACCURATE.
WELL, THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT ACCURATE.
SO I, AND I'M NOT SAYING YOU ARE.
I I'M NOT SAYING YOU ARE SAYING WRONG INFORMATION.
I'M SAYING THEY HAVE NOT REACHED OUT TO US.
ABBY CAME IN FOR A PROCEDURAL MOTION.
UM, I MOVED TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO MOVE MIKE DISHER, RICHARD MAZANO, AND SPENCER HUCK TO THE BOTTOM OF THE THREE MINUTE NON AGENDA LIST.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES WHO SECOND IT.
THE NEXT SPEAKER WOULD BE MS. MONICA SHAW.
NO, IT WAS MY MS. FAYE SPENCER.
NEXT SPEAKER KIMBERLY LEE TO BE FOLLOWED BY PAUL BARNETT.
MAYOR PRO TEM AND TO OUR WONDERFUL COUNCIL MEMBER ASHA JACKSON.
AND TO ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, PRESENT TODAY.
WE THE EAST HOUSTON CIVIC CLUB, AND I'M GONNA ASK THEM TO STAND, WE FORGOT TO STAND FOR MS. NICOLE, BUT THAT IS OUR CIVIC CLUB MEMBER ALSO.
I WANT ALL OF THEM TO, YOU SAW US LAST WEEK.
SO, UM, WE ARE HERE AGAIN THIS WEEK, AND WE'LL BE HERE NEXT WEEK AS WELL.
BUT AS MS. NICOLE DID STATE, WE WOULD LIKE FOR YOU ALL TO, UH, ASSIST US WITH THE ORDINANCE THAT IS CURRENTLY ON THE RECORD.
AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, I ALSO ASKED TO SPEAK ABOUT THE ILLEGAL, UH, TRUCK PARKING THAT WE HAVE IN OUR AREA.
AND I DID REACH OUT TO HARRIS COUNTY, HCA.
AND I'M, UM, SPEAKING TODAY, AND I WILL BE TALKING TO COMMISSIONER'S COURT AS WELL.
WE HAVE A LOT OF THE ILLEGAL TRUCK PARKING IN OUR AREA, AND THEY'RE STILL PAYING RESIDENTIAL TAXES.
SO WE JUST WANTED TO ALSO BRING AWARENESS TO THAT.
THE ILLEGAL, UM, WELL, THE TRUCK PARKING, IT IS BECOMING A NUISANCE FOR THE COMMUNITY AND THE NEIGHBORHOODS AS WE KNEW THEM, WERE COMPLETELY RESIDENTIAL, BUT NOW THEY'RE TURNING INTO COMMERCIAL BECAUSE THE TRUCK PARKING IS TAKING OVER THE, THE NEIGHBORHOODS NOW.
SO, UM, WE'RE TRYING TO GET SOME ASSISTANCE WITH THAT AS WELL.
UM, MAYBE LIKE A LIMITATION ON THE AMOUNT OF TRUCK PARKING THAT CAN BE ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET, BECAUSE AGAIN, IT'S TEARING UP OUR ROADS AND, UH, IT'S MAKING IT UNSAFE FOR US AS IT RELATES TO THE NOISE POLLUTION, THE, UM, EMISSIONS, THE PM 2.5.
SO WE'RE JUST ASKING TO GET SOME KIND OF RELIEF FROM ALL
[01:10:01]
OF THE TRUCKS THAT ARE JUST SLOWLY MOVING US OUT OR PUSHING US OUT.UH, REAL QUICKLY, UM, MS. NICOLE GAVE ME HER EMAIL ADDRESS.
AND I JUST FORWARDED TO COUNCIL MEMBER TARSHA JACKSON ON HER CELL PHONE.
IT'S A CITYWIDE TRUCK ROUTE PLANNING COMMUNITY SURVEY.
I WOULD INVITE EVERYONE TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS BECAUSE IT GIVES US SOME INFORMATION THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ADDRESS YOUR CONCERNS.
SO THOSE TWO THINGS, WE'LL EMAIL, UH, MS. NICOLE THE INFORMATION, AND THEN I'LL RELY ON COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON TO GET WITH Y'ALL ON THE SURVEY FOR THE COMMUNITY.
AND WE DID RIDE ALONG WITH THE, UM, TRUCK PLANNING DEPARTMENT, UH, AS IT RELATES TO CREATING ROUTES.
SO WE DID DO A RIDE ALONG WITH THEM AS WELL.
AND YEAH, THE TRUCK ROUTE SURVEY, VERY IMPORTANT.
WE'RE TAKING IN ALL THAT INFORMATION RIGHT NOW.
LET, LET'S TALK HOUSTON WEBSITE THAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT EARLIER, BUT PLEASE FILL THAT OUT.
UM, AS FAR AS TRUCK PARKING, THIS IS WHAT WE PASSED LAST WEEK.
TWO HOURS IS WHAT IS THE TIME LIMIT FOR TRUCKS, TRAILERS, AND COMMERCIAL VEHICLES TO BE ON PUBLIC ROADS TWO HOURS.
AND THAT IF, UNLESS THEY'RE ACTIVELY LOADING OR UNLOADING SOMETHING OR LIKE, OR LIKE THAT.
SO, AND IT'S NOT JUST HPD THAT CAN, HAS TO ENFORCE THAT.
IT'S ALSO OUR PARK HOUSTON, OUR ADMINISTRATION AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS PEOPLE.
SO PLEASE CALL IF THAT, WHEN YOU SEE THOSE TRUCKS OUT THERE FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME.
AND PLEASE CALL 3 1 1, FOLLOW UP WITH YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER.
FOLLOW UP WITH ANY OF THE OUT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
WE'RE HAPPY TO TRACK THAT FOR YOU.
UH, WE REALLY WANNA ENFORCE THESE RULES.
WE HAVE SOME GOOD RULES ON THE BOOKS NOW.
WE NEED, WE NEED BETTER ENFORCEMENT OF THEM.
AND ALSO, UM, THOSE TRUCKS CANNOT BE ON THE RESIDENTIAL STREETS OR ANY PUBLIC STREET.
UH, UM, FROM 2:00 AM TO 6:00 AM CANNOT BE OUT THERE.
SO, UH, WE'VE GOT, LIKE I SAID, THERE'S SOME GOOD RULES ON THE BOOKS WE HAVE TO KNOW ABOUT IT.
SO PLEASE REPORT EVEN IF YOU FEEL LIKE NOTHING'S BEING DONE.
KEEP REPORTING, KEEP REPORTING.
AND, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, ALCORN, WHAT I NEED YOU ALL TO UNDERSTAND, IT'S NOT HOW LONG THEY'RE STAGING ON THE STREETS.
THEY ACTUALLY PURCHASE RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY SO THAT THEY CAN PARK IN THE LOTS THAT THEY'RE PURCHASING.
SO IT MAY BE A HOUSE THERE AND THEY MAY CARE.
OH, THEY'RE KIND OF LIKE FORMING THEIR OWN LITTLE TRUCK LOTS.
SO THAT IS WHAT WE'RE HAVING IN OUR COMMUNITY.
IT'S NOT JUST THE RESIDENTIAL STREETS.
AND LAST WEEK WHEN I WAS TALKING TO MAYOR TURNER AND I TOLD HIM, IF YOU COME DOWN DCO STREET MM-HMM
THEY HAVE TURNED THAT COMPLETELY INTO JUST TRUCK YARDS, MANY TRUCK YARDS ALL DOWN THE STREET.
AND RESIDENTS ARE BEGINNING TO MOVE OUT BECAUSE OF THE, THE, THE SMELLS AND THE ADMISSIONS AND STUFF.
WELL, THAT'S, THAT'S A WHOLE OTHER ISSUE.
SO, UH, PLEASE LET US, SO THAT'S WHAT WE ARE FACING.
AND, AND I HAVE HEARD ABOUT THIS IN SOME NEIGHBORHOODS, BUT WE NEED TO DO SOME WORK ON THAT.
NO COUNSEL MEMBER TARSHA JACKSON.
AND THANK YOU, UM, KIM FOR COMING IN.
AND, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER, THANK YOU FOR, I WAS GONNA BRING THAT UP ABOUT THE PARKING ON THE STREETS, BUT I AGREE WITH YOU, THAT'S AN ISSUE BECAUSE THEY'RE TURNING RESIDENTS INTO, UM, TRUCK YARDS.
I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH THE MAYOR, UM, ABOUT THAT.
AND I'LL BE MEETING WITH HIM AGAIN WITHIN, WHEN HE GET BACK FROM AFRICA, ABOUT PUSHING SOME OR ORDINANCES OR FINDING OUT WHAT'S ALREADY ON THE BOOKS THAT WE CAN LIKE ENHANCE TO KIND OF PROTECT OUR NEIGHBORHOODS FROM THAT.
BUT JUST, UM, KEEP, YOU KNOW, WORKING WITH MY OFFICE.
I'LL KEEP WORKING WITH YOU GUYS AND EVENTUALLY WE GONNA COME UP WITH SOME SYSTEMS AND SOME POLICIES AND PROCESSES THAT'S GONNA PROTECT OUR NEIGHBORHOODS FROM, UM, BEING AN INDUSTRIAL NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE WE ARE SO CLOSE TO THE PORTS.
UM, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE THE TRAIN TRACKS.
WE, I MEAN, WE ARE FIGHTING A BATTLE.
EVERYTHING DUMPING THE TRUCKS, THE GAS, THE EXCESSIVE GAS STATIONS, YOU NAME IT.
UM, WE ARE JUST LIKE, REALLY, UM, OUR QUALITY OF LIFE IS UNDER ATTACK.
AND SO IT'S UP TO US AS COUNCIL MEMBERS TO TRY TO GET CREATIVE, INNOVATIVE, AND COME UP WITH SOME WAYS TO PROTECT, UM, THE RESIDENTS, UM, IN THE NORTHEAST SIDE OF TOWN.
SO, UM, I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS, ALL OF YOU GUYS FOR COMING IN FOR YOUR ADVOCACY.
AGAIN, THAT'S HOW WE TRAIN, THAT'S HOW WE CHANGE THINGS BY SPEAKING UP AND NOT, YOU KNOW, JUST GOING INTO OUR HOUSE AND SAY, THAT'S NOT MY PROBLEM.
AND SO, UM, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR ADVOCACY.
COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID ROBINSON.
DID YOU HEAR WHAT SHE'S SAID? YES, SIR.
THAT'S YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER RIGHT THERE.
AND WE'RE, WE FALL IN LINE BEHIND HER.
THE AT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, MS. ALCORN WHO CHAIRS THE REGULATORY AND NEIGHBORHOOD AFFAIRS COMMITTEE.
SHE'S ALSO THE VICE CHAIR FOR THE TTI COMMITTEE.
[01:15:01]
MM-HMMTECHNOLOGY AND INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE'RE GONNA DO WHAT OUR COUNCIL MEMBER NEEDS.
AND I WANT TO REITERATE OUR THANKS TO THE FOLKS WHO CAME DOWN TODAY.
AND YOU ALL ARE TIRELESS IN DEFENDING YOUR RIGHTS.
AND I WAS JUST COMMENTING TO COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, THIS IS IN SOME WAYS A BYPRODUCT OF NOT HAVING ZONING.
UH, IT'S RELATIVELY INEXPENSIVE REAL ESTATE IF YOU'RE A TRUCKING COMPANY TO DO IT IN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND, UH, NOT ADVOCATING FOR ZONING NECESSARILY, BUT, UH, I THINK WE GOT OUR FINGER ON THE PULSE OF SOMETHING THAT IS, UH, POTENTIALLY REALLY DAMAGING TO YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND A LOT OF OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS.
PAUL BARNETT, NEXT SPEAKER FREDDY SEWELL.
THREE, FOLLOWED BY EDUARDO DURAN.
SO I'M HERE TO REPRESENT EAST HOUSTON C CLUB TO COUNCIL, TO ALL OF THOSE THAT'S PRESENT TO MY CLUB C CLUB, TO MS. TASHA JACKSON.
UH, THANK YOU FOR BEING ABLE TO WORK WITH YOU DURING HARVEY AND THE COMMUNITY.
BUT I, I'M HERE, UH, ON BEHALF AGAIN, AS, UH, MY SISTERS HAS CAME BEFORE ME, UH, MS. DOMAIN AND MS. LEE ON BEHALF OF THE TRUCK AT NO PASS THROUGH, UH, I'M A, UH, RESIDENT OF NORTHEAST HOUSTON FOR 33 YEARS.
AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAS CHANGED BECAUSE OF THE TRUCKS THAT HAS COME THROUGH AND THE STREETS ARE, UH, FULL OF HOLES AND, AND, UH, THE POLLUTION AND ALL OF THAT.
SO WE JUST, WE JUST WANT TO, UM, STAND FIRM ON, UM, LETTING YOU ALL KNOW THAT WE WILL BE CONTINUALLY SEEKING YOU ALL TO, UH, HELP US WITH THAT.
UH, 45, UH, 2 7 2, UH, YOU KNOW, WHICH CLEARLY STATES WHEN A SIGN IS ERECTED A NO THROUGH TRUCK.
SO WE JUST ASKING THAT YOU ALL SUPPORT US AND WE THANK THE GENTLEMAN, UH, UH, FOR MAYOR PRO TEMP FOR MEETING US AT THE ELEVATORS TO, UH, TALK TO US.
AND WE JUST ASKING THAT YOU ALL CONTINUE TO HELP US AS WE TRY TO HELP OUR COMMUNITY.
COUNCIL MEMBER TARSHA JACKSON.
AND I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR COMING IN AND SPEAK.
WE ALL, I, I WISH YOU ALL CAN SPEAK
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR ADVOCACY.
SO THERE WERE SOME CHANGES MADE LAST YEAR BY OUR ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATORY AFFAIRS WHO HANDLES PARK TO CHAPTER 26.
AND I HAVE A PRESENTATION THAT THE CITY ATTORNEY JUST FORWARDED TO ME, AND I WILL SEND IT TO MS. NICOLE AND ALSO WITH A COPY TO YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER, MS. CHARIA JACKSON.
AND I'LL COPY ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS.
NEXT SPEAKER, EDUARDO DURAN TO BE FOLLOWED BY KEITH MCCRAY.
SO, UH, I SENT A MR. MR. DURAN STEP OVER TO YOUR, THERE YOU GO.
I SENT A COUPLE OF EMAILS TO, UH, SOME CONGRESSMAN OF TEXAS, UH, 'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT I WAS SUGGESTED TO DO LAST TIME I CAME HERE.
UM, I, I CHOSE DAN CRENSHAW, CHIP ROY, UH, RONNIE JACKS AND HENRY, UH, ELA.
AND, UH, WHAT I WROTE TO THEM, WHICH I'M GONNA GIVE THEM, UH, PHYSICAL CARDS OR PHYSICAL LETTERS.
UM, HELLO, OFFICE OF TEXAS CONGRESSMAN HENRY CO LAR.
I AM IN CONTACTING A FEW CONGRESSMEN OF TEXAS TO ADDRESS THE SOMEWHAT UNSAFE DRIVING LEGISLATURE THAT ALLOWS WHAT ARE CALLED WANGER RIMS ON VEHICLES AS LONG AS THE VEHICLE'S WIDTH IS LESS THAN EIGHT FEET LONG.
UM, I HAVE COPIED AND PASTED DECK STRIPS, WHICH STATE THIS IN A SCREEN IN A SCREENSHOT.
IT IS MY BELIEF THAT THESE RIMS THAT CAN STICK OUT WHAT SEEMS EIGHT TO 10 INCHES OUT OF THE CARS ARE A MAJOR DRIVING HAZARD AND SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED SPECIFICALLY ON THE HIGHWAY.
UH, THESE RIMS DON'T SEEM TO POSE ANY MAJOR RISK OR DANGER ON NORMAL STREETS AND POSSIBLY THE THEATER, BUT THEY ARE ON HIGHWAYS.
UM, THEY ARE A MAJOR RISK TO CAUSING A PILE UP ON FREEWAYS.
I CAN'T GO INTO SPECIFICS SINCE IT WOULD TAKE ONLY ONE OF THE CARS HITTING ANOTHER CAR TO CAUSE THE RESULT.
THE PROBLEM I SEE IS THAT THE CARS, THE PROBLEM I SEE IS THAT THE CARS THAT HAVE THESE RIMS ARE VISIBLE WHAT SEEMS LIKE A SAFE DISTANCE FROM CARS THAT PASS BY.
BUT WITHOUT THE AWARENESS, OTHER DRIVERS, IT WOULD ONLY TAKE A SMALL MISDIRECTION OF OTHER VEHICLE
[01:20:01]
TO MAKE A CONTACT TO MAKE CONTACT AT THE WHEEL JUNCTION.AND CAUSE EITHER SPIN, EITHER TO SPIN OUT OF CONTROL GIVEN ON THE STREET.
THIS COULD BE ANYWHERE BELOW 40 MILES AN HOUR.
BUT GOING AT THE VELOCITY OF 50 PLUS MILES AN HOUR ON THE FREEWAY SEEMS LIKE A VERY RESPON, VERY IRRESPONSIBLE DECISION ON THE PART OF LEGISLATURE PERTAINING TO THESE SEEMS LIKE A VERY IRRESPONSIBLE DECISION ON THE PART OF THE LEGISLATURE PERTAINING TO THESE CAR ACCESSORIES TO ALLOW THEM WITHOUT DRIVING LIMITATIONS ON FREEWAYS.
UM, I PROPOSE THAT INSIDE OF THE RESPONSIBLE DECISION THAT VEHICLES WITH THESE CAR ACCESSORIES SHOULD BE NOT ALLOWED TO GO ON FREEWAYS, HIGHWAYS, OR ROADS THAT ALLOW MORE THAN THE NORMAL PUBLIC STREET VELOCITY OF 50 MILE, UH, 35 MILES AN HOUR.
UH, THE, THIS MEETING, THE COMMUNITY'S DESIRE FOR THESE RIMS AND ALSO THE CLEAR IMPORTANCE OF KEEPING FREEWAYS AND HIGHWAYS SAFE.
MOST OF THE CARS THAT I SEE WITH THESE RIMS HAVE THE AESTHETIC OF BEING LIKENED TO AN, AN ART CAR OR A LOW RIDER FOR DISPLAY AND CAR SHOWS.
THESE ROOMS DON'T, THESE RI CAN'T BE GIVEN ANY LEGITIMACY AND ARE AT RISK MORE APPARENT THAN ANYTHING I'VE SEEN ON THE STREET AND FREEWAY.
PLEASE CONSIDER MAKING CHANGES TO LEGISLATOR TO KEEP OUR STREETS AND HIGHWAYS SAFE HERE IN TEXAS.
I'VE CONCLUDED TWO ATTACHMENTS.
I'VE INCLUDED TWO, TWO ATTACHMENTS, UH, THAT RIMS OF THE RIMS THAT I SPEAK ABOUT IN THE SCREENSHOT OF THE LEGISLATURE.
THERE WAS ONE LAST THING THAT I WANTED TO SAY.
YOU GO, I'LL GIVE YOU 10 SECONDS TO WRAP UP.
UM, IF IT CANNOT BE DONE TEXAS WIDE, THEN WE SHOULD AT LEAST CONSIDER DOING IT HERE AS LEGISLATURE IN HOUSTON, AS AN EXAMPLE TO THE REST OF TEXAS THAT WELL, WE'RE DOING THINGS RIGHT.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE DON'T DO LEGISLATION, SO THAT HAS TO HAPPEN IN THE STATE HOUSE OR THE STATE SENATE.
KEITH MCCRAY TO BE FOLLOWED BY MIKE DISH BERGER AFTERNOON.
HOW YOU DOING COUNCIL MEMBERS? GOOD.
I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE UNITED BROTHERHOODS OF CARPENTER.
UH, MY NAME IS KEITH MCCRAY, BUSINESS REPRESENTATIVE OVER COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL CONSTRUCTION FOR LOCAL 5 5 1 HOUSTON.
UH, THE POINT OF OUR VISIT TODAY IS TO, IS TO, IS TO INTRODUCE OURSELF AS THE UNITED BROTHERHOOD OF CARPENTERS.
UH, WE HAVE NO OTHER, UH, AFFILIATION WITH TRADES.
UH, WE'RE A STANDALONE UNION OF 1500 MEMBERS, UH, STRONG OUTTA HOUSTON, TEXAS, IN THE HOUSTON AREA.
UH, RECENTLY A FEW LAWS AND BILLS AND EXECUTIVE ORDERS HAVE BEEN PASSED, UH, AT AND INCLUDE VERBIAGE THAT IS UNION FRIENDLY, AND THE CARPENTERS ARE LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO CONNECT, TO CONNECT WITH IT.
THAT IS A POINT OF CONTACT TO DIRECTORS IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE LAWS.
UH, THESE LAWS INCLUDE THE CHIPS ACT, UH, CHIPS, SCIENCE CHIPS AND SCIENCE ACT.
BIDEN IS BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE, LAW BUILD HOUSTON, BETTER INITIATIVE, AS WELL AS HARRIS COUNTY.
UH, PROVING $9 MILLION, UH, FOR FUNDING FOR APPRENTICESHIPS AND TRAINING.
UH, THOSE ARE SOME, SOME OF THE LAWS THAT WE'RE LOOKING, UH, TO OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE ANYBODY ELSE YOU CAN POINT ME IN THE DIRECTION OF, UH, TO EXTEND A HANDOUT? UH, RECOGNIZE US AS, UH, NOT AN AFFILIATE OF THE OTHER TRADES THAT ARE AROUND AND, UH, YOU KNOW, DIRECTLY CONTACT US AS UNION CARPENTERS.
UM, WE HAVE ONE OF THE LARGEST AND MOST ADVANCED TRAINING FACILITIES OF ALL THE TRADES LOCATED IN PASADENA, TEXAS.
I INVITE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU TO COME DOWN AND, YOU KNOW, TAKE A WALK AND LOOK AND SEE WHAT WE ARE PROVIDING TO THE PUBLIC AS WELL AS OUR CARPENTERS, WHY WE FEEL LIKE WE'RE THE BEST FOR THE JOB AROUND HOUSTON.
WE HAVE BUILT HOUSTON BEFORE, BUT RECENTLY, UH, YOU KNOW, DUE TO DIFFERENT THINGS, UH, WE FEEL LIKE WE'RE GETTING A LITTLE BIT LEFT BEHIND, UH, WITH THESE LAWS.
UM, AND WE ALSO HAVE THE BIGGEST TRAINING FACILITY, THE BIGGEST TRAINING FACILITY OF ALL THE TRADES LOCATED IN LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, THAT ALL OF OUR MEMBERS, UH, ARE, UM, PRIVY TO ONCE THEY BECOME A MEMBER OF THE UNION.
WE ARE FROM, UH, SEA TO SHINING SEA, UH, IN CANADA, THE WHOLE NORTH AMERICA.
SO WE ARE A LARGE ORGANIZATION.
UH, I'VE WORKED IN A LOT OF PARTS OF THIS ORGANIZATION AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT, UH, IT'S EFFECTIVE.
UH, THE TRAINING IS NEXT TO NONE.
I'VE WORKED UNION AND NON-UNION, AND IT'S, THE UNION HAS CHANGED MY LIFE AND CHANGED MY SKILLS FOR THE BETTER.
UH, UNIONS ARE IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE TRAIN LIKE NO OTHER.
WE PAY FAIR WAGES, FAIR WAGES,
[01:25:01]
AND, UH, WE, UH, INCLUDE HEALTHCARE FOR MEMBERS, NOT ONLY MEMBERS, BUT THEIR FAMILY AS WELL.UH, WAGE THEFT AND TAX FRAUD IS SYNONYMOUS, SYNONYMOUS WITH, UH, NON-UNION CONSTRUCTION.
AND WE CAN SPEND HOURS PEELING THAT ONION BACK.
BUT, YOU KNOW, UH, I'M JUST HERE TO INTRODUCE MYSELF AT THIS POINT.
UH, NEXT TIME YOU WILL SEE MY FACE PRETTY OFTEN.
SO I WILL GET A CHANCE TO TALK ABOUT THAT SUBJECT.
WE HAVE A COUPLE COUNCIL MEMBERS IN Q COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CAYMAN.
MR. MCCRAE, I WAS GONNA THANK YOU FOR COMING, BUT I KNOW YOU TOOK TIME TO PREPARE THE SPEECH.
DO YOU WANNA WRAP UP WITH JUST A FEW OF MY SECONDS OF MY TIME? I MEAN, I, I DID A LITTLE BIT.
I JUST WANTED TO TELL YOU, I AM A HOUSTON NATIVE, UH, DISTRICT BI WAS BORN AND RAISED IN SSON, TEXAS.
UH, UNION HAS CHANGED MY LIFE FOR THE BETTER.
IT'S GIVEN ME A WAY TO, UH, IMPROVE MY LIFE.
UH, LIVED IN LOS ANGELES, UH, SAN DIEGO DOWNTOWN.
RIGHT? AND THERE'S NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT I KNOW THAT CAN SAY THAT.
SO I, I AM AN ADVOCATE FOR IT.
UH, THE PROOF IS IN THE PUDDING.
UH, I HAVE GOOD SKILLS THAT WILL NEVER DIE WITH ME.
I FOREVER CAN BUILD A HOUSE I FOREVER CAN WELD.
NO ONE CAN TAKE THAT AWAY FROM ME.
AND I JUST WANT TO GIVE THAT BACK TO THE CITY THAT GAVE IT TO ME.
WELL, I JUST WANTED TO, ONE, THANK YOU FOR COMING.
AND THANK YOU FOR PUTTING IN THE TIME TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU GET TO KNOW US SO THAT WE CAN HELP YOU ALL.
UM, I'M A BIG, BIG, BIG FAN OF APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS. YES, MA'AM.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, THE, TO HAVE YOU HERE, UM, SIGNIFIES AND SHOWS JUST, AGAIN, THE COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITY THAT MANY OF OUR UNIONS HAVE.
SO, I, I JUST WANNA AGAIN, RECOGNIZE YOU AND THANK YOU.
UH, WE'LL BE EAGER TO WORK WITH YOU.
I WANNA GIVE, UH, SINCE YOU'RE IN DISTRICT B, I WANNA GIVE, UH, MY COLLEAGUE HERE, UM, TIME TO CONNECT WITH YOU AS WELL.
BUT, UH, ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO HELP, UH, THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES, BUT WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB.
I HAD ONE QUESTION, WHICH WAS, HOW DID YOU GET INTO THE TRADE OF CARPENTRY? UM, SO I WAS A WELDER.
UH, FIRST MY BROTHER WAS A WELDER.
SO I JUMPED INTO WELDING AND I GOT PRETTY BORING.
SO I JUMPED IN THE PIPE FITTING AND THEN, UH, GOT A, I GOT LAID OFF FROM PIPE FITTING.
YOU KNOW, THE OIL FIELD IS UP AND DOWN.
SO, UH, UH, TWC ACTUALLY REACHED OUT TO ME THROUGH THE SR PROGRAM.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS ARE FAMILIAR WITH THAT.
SO I WENT THROUGH THE SR PROGRAM AND, UH, UH, THEY GAVE ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH MERRICK BROTHERS AND FROM MERRICK BROTHERS.
I JUST NEVER STOPPED CARPENTRY.
I COULD HAVE WENT BACK TO PIPE FITTING AND WELD AND MADE SOME MONEY, BUT, UH, THE SATISFACTION WASN'T THERE.
WELL, IT'S, IT'S REALLY NICE TO CONNECT WITH YOU.
THANK YOU FOR COMING BEFORE US.
UM, WE'RE, WE'RE HAPPY TO HELP AND SUPPORT WAY.
UH, AS A FORMER PIPE FITTER AT BROWN AND ROOT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO OUR RESIDENT ARCHITECT, MR. DAVID ROBINSON.
HOW YOU DOING? RIGHT? NOTHING LIKE POUNDING A NAIL.
DIDN'T BET YOU DIDN'T KNOW THAT ABOUT ME.
NICE TO KNOW THAT I'VE SPENT SOME TIME WELDING MYSELF AND, UH, APPRENTICED AS A CARPENTER BEFORE GOING TO ARCHITECTURE SCHOOL.
SO, YOU KNOW, THE PATH THAT YOU HAVE SHOWN OTHERS, UM, IS REALLY IMPRESSIVE.
I WANT TO, I, I GET TO PASADENA QUITE A BIT.
I'VE GOT A A COMMISSION OVER THERE RIGHT NOW, SO I'D LOVE TO COME SEE THE FACILITY.
UM, LOVE TO KNOW WHATEVER I CAN DO TO HELP.
AND, UH, LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING TO KNOW YOU BETTER.
DAVID, THANK YOU FOR COMING TODAY.
COUNCIL MEMBER TARSHA JACKSON.
AND THANK YOU MR. MCCART FOR, UM, COMING IN, MR. MCCRAY.
UM, AND LIKE MY COLLEAGUE SAID, I'M, UM, REALLY EXCITED ABOUT APPRENTICE PROGRAMS. I'M A BIG FAN OF IT.
UM, MY SON, UM, IN FACT, HE'S PART OF THE PLUMBERS UNION, YOU KNOW, UM, HE'S APPRENTICE WITH THE PLUMBERS UNION, WHICH CHANGED HIS LIFE.
HE WAS TRYING TO FIND HIS WAY.
AND EVENTUALLY I CAME HOME WITH A BUSINESS CARD.
I SAID, HERE, YOU KNOW, GO CHECK THIS OUT.
AND HE'S IN THE FOUR YEARS NOW.
AND PART OF OUR BE SUCCESSFUL INITIATIVE, WE'VE BEEN CONNECTING PEOPLE, UM, TO APPRENTICE OPPORTUNITY.
SO WE'RE LOVE TO SIT DOWN WITH YOU AND JUST SEE HOW WE CAN COLLABORATE AND PARTNER, UM, TO GET MORE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN, UM, CONNECTED TO, YOU KNOW, CARPENTRY OR WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, OTHER OPPORTUNITIES IS OUT THERE.
SO THANK YOU FOR COMING IN AND THANK YOU, UM, SHARING WHAT, UM, WHAT YOU DO.
AND, AND THANK YOU MR. MCCRAY.
UH, YOU DON'T KNOW HEAT UNLESS YOU SPENT HOURS IN A FABRICATION SHOP.
WELDING GRINDS, GRINDING WELLS WITH LONG PANTS AND LONG SHIRTS ON IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SUMMER, THAT SUMMER IN HOUSTON.
YOU GOTTA ADD THAT PART OUT THERE.
I LOVE TRAINED, I LOVE TRAINED, UH, PEOPLE IN THE INDUSTRY.
WE NEED MORE OF THIS GOOD GUY.
I'M THE, UH, PRESIDENT OF THE GRADON BUILDER ASSOCIATION AND OWNER OF SAND CASTLE HOMES I BUILT INSIDE THE LOOP.
DISTRICT C BEEN THERE FOREVER,
UM, I'M GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT CHAPTER 40 I ABOUT THE ALLEYS.
THE ALLEY'S PROPOSALS ARE NOT THE REALITY OF HOUSTON.
MOST OF THESE HAVE BEEN TAKEN OVER BY RESIDENTS, HAVE BUILDINGS ON THEM, ARE OVERGROWN OR CAN NEVER BE USED WITHOUT THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
NOT THE BUILDER TAKING ACTION AGAINST THOSE HOMEOWNERS TO PULL DOWN THEIR
[01:30:01]
FENCES, TAKE DOWN SHEDS, THINGS LIKE THAT.I CAN TELL YOU FROM EXPERIENCE, CITY OF HOUSTON DOES NOT GET INVOLVED.
THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT HANDS OFF, DOES NOT DO ANYTHING.
THEY SAY IT'S YOUR YOUR JOB TO DO.
SO NOW THEY WANT US TO GO BUILD IN ALLEYS.
NOW, THE OTHER, THE WORST PART ABOUT THESE ALLEYS, THESE MAN, THESE MANDATORY ALLEYS, IS WHO'S GONNA MAINTAIN THEM.
BECAUSE WHEN I, IF I BUY A PROPERTY AND I'M GONNA BUILD THE MIDDLE OF THE BLOCK, I'LL MAKE SURE THAT I'LL BE TOLD TO MAKE SURE THAT THE ALLEY DRAINS AT THE TIME.
MOST ARE THESE ALLEYS THAT ARE NOT CITY MAINTAINED.
IN FACT, ALL OF THEM ARE DIRT DIRT'S THE WORST.
BUT SOMETIMES THEY HAVE SOME ROCK AND SOMETIMES THEY HAVE SHELL.
OKAY, SO I'LL GO IN THERE AND WE'LL GRADE IT.
WE'LL HAVE A NICE LITTLE V WE'LL PACK IT DOWN AS BEST WE CAN.
BUT I'M GONNA TELL YOU A YEAR LATER, IT STARTS FALLING APART.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT POTHOLES EARLIER TODAY.
THESE POTHOLES, YOU CAN SWALLOW A CAR BECAUSE ONCE IT GETS WATER IN THERE, JUST LIKE A POTHOLE AND ASPHALT OR CONCRETE, IT STARTS GROWING AND GROWING.
AND THERE'S A TON OF THESE IN SHADY ACRES, UH, HEIGHTS, ANNEX AREA HEIGHTS, UH, MS. CAYMAN'S DISTRICT, THAT IT'S LIKE, WOW, THESE THINGS ARE CRAZY.
AND THE ONLY THING HOMEOWNERS CAN DO NOWADAYS, IF SOME OF THEM WANNA GATHER SOME MONEY TOGETHER IS ON THE WEEKENDS, GO ON THE WEEKENDS.
'CAUSE IT'S REALLY HARD TO GET A PERMIT.
THEY'RE GONNA GO ILLEGALLY AND GET A TRACTOR AND TRY TO GRADE IT DOWN AGAIN OR SOMETHING.
OR AT BEST, SOMETIMES THEY'LL EVEN PUSH IN SOME ASPHALT THEN.
BUT THE BIG ISSUE HERE IS, IS MAINTENANCE.
AND I THINK WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IS WE'RE GONNA BE CREATING A HUMONGOUS NIGHTMARE.
SO YOU AT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBERS OF THOSE IN THE FUTURE ARE GETTING MORE AND MORE CALLS THAT DISTRICT C IS GONNA BE JUST INDEBTED WITH.
WHO'S FIXING THE SALARY? WHO'S FIXING THE SALARY? WE, WE CANNOT ACCESS OUR DETACHED GARAGES.
SO WE ARE ALL IN FAVOR IF THE CITY'S MAINTAINING 'EM.
THERE ARE 9.2 MILES OF MAINTAINED ALLEYWAYS, BY THE WAY, 9.2.
UH, WE ARE HAPPY TO BUILD ON THOSE.
I'M BUILDING ON A COUPLE RIGHT NOW ON 21ST STREET CITY MAINTAINED.
IT'S ASPHALTED I'M BUILDING ON THE ALLEYWAY.
UM, SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE BIG ISSUE ON THE ALLEYWAYS.
UM, AGAIN, THE OTHER THING IS IF THIS A PLANE WANTS TO MANDATE THE USE OF THE ALLEYWAY, JUST, JUST MAKE SURE THE CITY MAINTAINS THEM.
AND FINALLY, THE WHOLE IDEA OF BANNING FRONT LOADS HOMES.
AND I HATE THE CHRONICLE, THEY SAID UGLY TOWN HOMES.
THESE ARE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.
OKAY? TOWN HOMES, I MEAN, TOWNS ARE ATTACHED.
EVERYONE WHO BUILDS NOWADAYS SEPARATES THEM BECAUSE OF SOUND AND NEIGHBORS.
AND YOU DON'T WANNA HAVE THAT, UH, HOUSES TOGETHER.
AND SO ALL OF A SUDDEN WE'RE PICKING ON CERTAIN STYLE OF BUILDING AND WE WANT TO BAN 'EM.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT TRYING TO NEGOTIATE WITH PLANNING, IT'S LIKE THEY'RE STARTING OFF BAN
WE'RE AT 16, THERE'S A MIDDLE GROUND.
WHY WON'T THEY WORK WITH US? WE'VE BEEN TALKING WITH, UH, DIRECTOR BROWN.
SHE'S PROBABLY LISTENING IN AND JUST LIKE, IT'S PRETTY MUCH, NO, NO, NO, NO.
IT'S EITHER THIS OR THIS OR WE'RE GONNA GIVE YOU SOME LITTLE THING OVER HERE.
AND SOMETIMES SHE MENTIONS THESE CARROTS.
UM, MIKE, I'LL GIVE YOU LIKE 10 SECONDS TO WRAP UP 'CAUSE I KNOW WE HAVE A FEW MORE SPEAKERS THAT HAVE BEEN WAITING PATIENTLY TOO, BUT, OH, I'M ASKING.
THE LAST THING IS, WE'RE NOT AGAINST EVERYTHING IN THIS CHAPTER 42.
I'M JUST ASKING YOU TO PULL OUT THE NARROW LOT STUFF.
'CAUSE IT NEEDS A TON OF WORK.
THERE'S SO MANY PROBLEMS. THE NEIGHBORS DON'T LIKE THE PARKING ON THE STREET.
NOBODY WANTS PARKING ON THE STREET.
NO ONE WANTS PARKING IN FRONT OF THEIR HOME.
THEY'LL ALL SAY, I DO NOT WANT PEOPLE PARKED IN FRONT OF MY HOME ANYWAY.
I MEAN, WE'RE TALK THE, THE LESS THAN 10 MILES THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THEIR CITY MAINTAINED AND OWNED, BUT NOT ALL OF THOSE ALLEYWAYS ARE MAINTAINED.
UM, SO MY QUESTION TO YOU IS, AND THE WAY I'VE BEEN LOOKING AT IT, DISTRICT C ALREADY HAS THIS ISSUE, BUT ARE WE MAKING THE ISSUE BIGGER WHEN WE'RE DOING THIS FOR OTHER DISTRICTS AS WELL? RIGHT? JUST LIKE WE HAD CHALLENGES WITH OPEN DITCH MAINTENANCE, WITH SIDEWALK MAINTENANCE, ET CETERA.
BUT MY QUESTION TO YOU IS WHAT'S WHAT'S THE ASK AS IT RELATES TO ALLEY? SO WE, WE KNOW THERE'S A PROBLEM, BUT WHAT'S THE SOLUTION? I WOULD, I WOULD SAY WE NEED TO WORK THIS OUT.
PUBLIC WORKS HAS BEEN WORKING ON IT FOR FOUR AND A HALF.
WELL, ACTUALLY FIVE YEARS IN AUGUST IS WHEN THE LAST TIME THEY ACTUALLY REALLY DID AN ALLEY PERMIT.
THEY DO SOME, OCCASIONALLY YOU HAVE TO REALLY PROVE A LOT OF STUFF.
PUBLIC WORKS DOESN'T KNOW BECAUSE IT'S, THERE'S SO MUCH INTRICACIES INVOLVED, SO MANY, THERE'S EVEN QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER THEY REALLY OWN THE LAND IN HEIGHTS, ALLEYWAYS OR NOT FROM LEGAL.
IT'S, IT'S ALL THESE WEIRD THINGS GOING ON.
YES, THIS PROBLEM, EVERYTHING STARTED IN SEA.
'CAUSE THAT'S WHERE ALL THE TOWN, THAT'S WHERE ALL THE HOMES STARTED MANY YEARS AGO.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, GALLEGOS, HIS DISTRICT HAS TONS OF ALLEYS.
AND I THINK HE HAS PROBLEMS ALREADY WITH PEOPLE CALLING IN.
SO IF ANYBODY HAS ALLEYS AND SOMETIMES YOU THINK WE DON'T HAVE ALLEYS, TAKE A LOOK AT THE HCA MAP, YOU'RE GONNA GO, WOW, WE HAVE A 15 FOOT ALLEY BEHIND OUR HOMES.
I DIDN'T KNOW COTTAGE GROVE HAD ALLEYS TILL I STARTED BUILDING THERE.
THERE'S A 15 FOOT ALLEY BACK THERE, BUT PEOPLE HAVE TAKEN 'EM OVER.
SO YES, THIS PROBLEM IS GOING TO SPREAD.
IT PROBABLY WILL NOT SPREAD TO KINGWOOD OR CLEAR LAKE.
THOSE ARE JUST TOTALLY, YOU KNOW, NEW NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND SO
BUT THE REST OF THE INNER CITY, YES, ABSOLUTELY.
[01:35:01]
IF THERE'S AN ALLEY, WHAT WHAT THIS PROPOSAL IS SAYING IS YOU USE THE ALLEY TO, TO BUILD IN YOUR INGRESS AND EGRESS.YOU USE THE ALLEY OR YOU DO A FLAG LOT FROM THE FRONT.
AND THE FLAG LOT GETS THE WHOLE IDEA.
AGAIN, YOU'RE TAKING, UM, PARKING AWAY.
YOU END UP PUTTING THESE LOTS AND THEY KEEP ALL THESE, ALL THESE PLANS.
THEY'RE SHOWING US A HUNDRED FOOT LOTS, 150 FOOT WIDE LOTS, ALL THOSE PIC PRETTY PICTURES OF COURTYARDS AND STUFF.
THE STANDARD LOT IN HOUSTON IS 50 BY 100 OR MAYBE 50 BY ONE 20.
EVERYTHING INSIDE LOOP SIX 10 IS FIFTIES.
SO YEAH, IT'S, SO THESE, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM.
'CAUSE THE ALTERNATIVE IS THEY WANT YOU TO USE A SHARED DRIVEWAY OR A FLAG LOT, WHICH WE DO NOT THINK IS THE RIGHT WAY TO GO.
AND AS MENTIONED ABOUT VARIANCES, THE CHANCE OF GETTING A VARIANCE ON THIS WOULD BE IMPO.
I MEAN, IT'S SUPER HARD TO GET A VARIANCE.
IT HA IT'S SUPER, SUPER HARD TO GET A VARIANCE.
AND THE PLANNING, IT SAYS IF THE PLANNING DIRECTOR WILL DO, WILL APPROVE IT OR, OR A PLANNING COMMISSION.
UH, I THINK IT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN.
I KNOW THERE'S A, THERE'S CERTAINLY A RANGE OF, OF THE SHAPE OF THE ALLEYWAYS AND WHAT THE COST OF, OF MM-HMM
BUT CAN YOU GIVE ME SOME IDEA OF, I MEAN, IF IT'S REALLY BAD, IT'S GONNA BE MORE EXPENSIVE.
IF YOU WANNA TO ASPHALTED, IT'S GONNA BE ABOUT $30,000 PER LOT AS YOU, AS YOU MOVE IN FROM THE CORNER.
SO IF YOU BUY EIGHT LOTS IN, AND AGAIN, AS A BUILDER, I'M BUYING THE MIDDLE A LOT.
WHY, WHY WOULD I PUT AN ALLEYWAY FOR SEVEN OTHER HOMES OR SEVEN OTHER LOTS? THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.
BUT IT'S A, THE PRICES KEEP GOING UP.
THIS IS, UM, SEVEN YEARS AGO IT WAS 20,000.
'CAUSE A, A BUILDER DID IN THE HEIGHTS, ONE BUILDER DID IT.
HE SAID HE WOULD NEVER DO IT AGAIN.
TO GET TO GETTING THE PERMIT WAS OVER A YEAR.
BECAUSE AGAIN, THIS, THESE PERMITS AND ALLEYS ARE JUST COMPLICATED AND, AND THE 9.2 MILES THAT ARE, ARE MAINTAINED BY THE CITY.
IS THAT JUST, WAS THAT JUST A, I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE HISTORY OF THAT.
THERE'S ACTUALLY, IF YOU GO ON GOOGLE AND SAY MAINTAIN ALLEYWAY HOUSTON, IT HAS A, A NEIGHBORHOOD BY NEIGHBORHOOD LIST.
UH, UNFORTUNATELY IT'S KIND OF ODD.
THOSE HEIGHTS ONLY HAS PROBABLY FIVE OR SIX BLOCKS OF MAINTAINED ALLEYWAYS.
I'LL, IF, IF I'LL ALLOW, IF COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN SEEMS TO HAVE MAYBE HAVE AN ANSWER TO THAT, SHE BUYS A BETTER ANSWER.
JUST A BRIEF HIS SORRY, AM I RECOGNIZED? COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CAMAN.
WITH THE ANSWER TO ALL PROBLEMS. I DON'T HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS.
UM, BUT WE'VE BEEN, THE HEIGHTS IS A VERY UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE BECAUSE IT WAS INCORPORATED PREVIOUSLY BEFORE IT CAME INTO THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
SO WHEN THE PROPERTY WAS GIVEN TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON, THERE WERE CERTAIN, UM, REQUIREMENTS TIED TO THE LAND THAT THE CITY HAS HAD A REALLY HARD TIME WORKING THROUGH IN ORDER TO GAIN THE RIGHT TO MAINTAIN THAT ALLEYWAY.
SO THE HEIGHTS IS ONE KIND OF THE SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCE.
BUT THEN YOU ALSO HAVE, FOR EXAMPLE, IN UNIVERSITY PLACE, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD MM-HMM
WHERE THEY HAVE A A THEY HAVE ALLEYWAYS AND OUR RESIDENTS BECAUSE THE CITY WON'T MAINTAIN THAT ALLEY.
IT'S STILL CITY PROPERTY TO MY KNOWLEDGE, BUT THEY WON'T MAINTAIN IT.
UH, RESIDENTS HAVE HAD TO PULL TOGETHER, FOR EXAMPLE, AND IT'S TAKEN YEARS AND THEY'RE SPENDING UPWARDS OF 30, $40,000 TO GET THAT BASIC OVERLAY.
NOT ALL RESIDENTS CAN AFFORD THAT.
SO I THINK THE QUESTION THAT MIKE, AGAIN, MIKE, I'M KIND OF PUTTING IT ON YOU OF WHAT'S THE SOLUTION, BUT, UM, I, I THINK THE, SO THE ALLEYWAYS, WE NEED SOME HEAVY DUTY WORK DONE BY PUBLIC WORKS.
OKAY? THIS IS PLANNING'S GETTING INVOLVED IN SOMETHING THAT'S PUBLIC WORKS.
AND I DON'T THINK THE DEPARTMENTS ALWAYS TALK TOGETHER, BUT PUBLIC WORKS IS WHERE ALL THE ACTION IS.
THAT'S WHERE YOU GET YOUR PERMITS.
THEY'RE THE ONES THAT DETERMINE WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO.
I HAVE ACTUALLY HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH SOME PEOPLE IN PUBLIC WORKS.
AND WE, THE OLD DAYS, WE DID OLD DAYS 10 YEARS AGO, ALLEYWAYS WERE HANDLED A LOT DIFFERENTLY IN HOUSTON.
AND NOW THEY'VE MADE IT INTO A JUST A NIGHTMARE.
YOU DO NOT WANT TO PULL A PERMIT, BELIEVE ME.
DO NOT TRY TO PULL A PERMIT, JUST GO DO IT YOURSELF AND ON THE WEEK, ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY WITH SOMEBODY BECAUSE IT'S SO COMPLICATED.
IT, IT'LL TAKE YOU A YEAR TO GET A PERMIT, A LEGIT, LEGIT PERMIT TO DO IT.
SO I, I THINK THEY STILL HAVE TO WORK ON BECAUSE PUBLIC WORKS DOESN'T HAVE THE SOLUTIONS THE WAY WE'VE HAD MEETINGS WITH PUBLIC WORKS WITH PLANNING AND THEY SAID WE DON'T HAVE ALL THE SOLUTIONS.
THREE FOLLOWED BY SPENCER HOOK.
UM, RICHARD MAZANO WITH MAZANO CONSTRUCTION.
UM, TALK, THERE YOU GO, SORRY.
UM, BEEN BUILDING IN THE CITY FOR 15 YEARS.
UM, I'M A MEMBER OF, UH, CITIZEN OF DISTRICT G.
UM, LAST WEEK, UH, PLANNING PRESENTED A, UH, PRESENTATION TO Y'ALL.
I WANTED TO JUST KIND OF HIT ON A FEW POINTS OF THAT AS WELL.
UM, I KNOW THEY POINTED OUT THAT DEVELOPMENT SEEMS TO BE HAPPENING MORE IN CERTAIN NEIGHBORHOODS THAN OTHERS AND THAT'S
[01:40:01]
BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THEY'RE THE MOST EAGER LAND SELLERS.AND WHERE THE LAND, THERE'S THE MOST LAND AVAILABLE FOR REDEVELOPMENT.
UM, COUNCILMAN POLLARD HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD LAST WEEK.
DEVELOPMENTS ARE HAPPENING WHERE THEY ARE NOW BECAUSE THESE ARE THE NEXT AREAS PRIMED FOR GROWTH.
THEY AREN'T HAPPENING AS FREQUENTLY IN OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE THE HEIGHTS, MONTROSE, HYDE PARK, RICE MILITARY BECAUSE THE DEVELOPMENT BOOM HAS ALREADY FOR THE MOST PART RUN ITS COURSE IN THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS.
THAT RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT MADE THESE AREAS SAFER.
FUEL INVESTMENT IN PARKS AND INFRASTRUCTURE AND BROUGHT NEEDED RETAIL THAT'S ALLOWED THESE NEIGHBORHOODS TO FLOURISH WITHOUT THE ROOFTOPS, THESE INVESTMENTS DON'T COME.
UM, I LOOKED AT THE MAP PRESENTED BY PLANNING LAST WEEK.
EACH PINK DOT REPRESENTED A FRONT LOADING PROJECT.
AND UH, EACH BLUE DOT REPRESENTED A UH, SHARED DRIVEWAY PROJECT.
UH, THE MAP SHOWS THE PINK AND BLUE DOTS SEEM TO BE SPREAD FAIRLY EVENLY THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
IT DIDN'T REALLY, REALLY SEEM LIKE THERE WAS ONE FAVORING OVER THE MORE OR THE OTHER SHOWING THAT THERE IS A DIVERSE MIX OF AVAILABLE HOUSING IN HOUSTON.
UM, THE MORE DEVELOPED AREAS NATURALLY HAVE LESS DOTS BECAUSE THERE'S LESS DEVELOPABLE LAND.
UM, IF YOU COULD PLEASE TAKE A LOOK AT PAGE ONE OF MY PACKET.
SO THIS IS A SITE PLAN OF JUST OVER 2.1 ACRES.
MANY OF THESE HOMES ARE UNDER 1400 SQUARE FEET.
UM, I WANNA SHOW HOW DENSE THESE PROJECTS LOOK.
THIS IS WHAT THE MAJORITY OF THOSE BLUE DOTS LOOK LIKE ON THIS MAP.
THIS PROJECT IS IN IDO AND YOU CAN SEE AT THE BOTTOM CIRCLED IN RED THAT IT'S 23 UNITS PER ACRE.
PLANNING WANTS TO INCREASE DENSITY TO 35 UNITS PER ACRE.
TAKE A LOOK AT THIS SITE AND IMAGINE INCREASING THE AMOUNT OF HOMES ON THIS BY 50%.
THAT'S ADDING ANOTHER 25 HOMES TO THIS 51 HOME PROJECT.
I DON'T EVEN SEE HOW YOU CAN FIT THAT MANY HOMES.
UM, NEXT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT CONCRETE AND HEAT ISLANDS AND, UH, COUNCILWOMAN CAME IN.
THIS WILL PLAY INTO A QUESTION YOU HAD FOR TROY EARLIER AS WELL.
UM, ALL OF THE FOLLOWING SITE LAYOUTS ARE SHOWN ON A 50 BY A HUNDRED FOOT LOT.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT PAGE TWO, PAGE TWO SHOWS TWO FRONT LOADED HOMES THAT USE ABOUT 958 SQUARE FEET OF CONCRETE IN THE PRIVATE AND PUBLIC DRIVE AND WALK AREAS AND IS ABOUT 63% IMPERVIOUS COVER, INCLUDING THE HOMES ITSELF.
PAGE THREE SHOWS A FLAG STYLE DEVELOPMENT THAT USES NEARLY 1700 SQUARE FEET OF CONCRETE IN THE PRIVATE AND PUBLIC DRIVE AND WALK AREAS AND IS 71% IMPERVIOUS COVER.
PAGE FOUR SHOWS A STRAIGHT DRIVEWAY WITH TWO HOMES THAT USES NEARLY 2200 SQUARE FEET OF CONCRETE IN THE PRIVATE AND PUBLIC DRIVE AND WALK AREAS AND IS ROUGHLY 79% IMPERVIOUS.
PAGE FIVE SHOWS A TYPICAL THREE PACK BUILT IN AN L-SHAPE.
THERE'S NEARLY 1900 SQUARE FOOT OF CONCRETE IN THE PRIVATE AND PUBLIC AREA AND THE TOTAL IMPERVIOUS IS NOW 80%.
FRONT LOADERS DO NOT UTILIZE MORE CONCRETE THAN SHARED DRIVEWAY DEVELOPMENTS, AS WE'VE SHOWN, THEY TYPICALLY USE 44 TO 56% LESS CONCRETE IN DRIVES AND PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY THAN MOST SHARED LOT DEVELOPMENTS.
MORE DENSITY ALSO MEANS MORE HOMES WITH ASPHALT SHINGLES.
BLACK ASPHALT SHINGLES GET A LOT HOTTER AND RETAIN HEAT MORE THAN CONCRETE TRADING FRONT LOADED DRIVEWAYS FOR MORE ASPHALT ROOFS WON'T DECREASE THE HEAT ISLAND EFFECT.
UM, WHILE I'M STILL GOING, I HAVE ONE MORE POINT.
SEE YOU ON, NO, I'M JUST KIDDING.
UM, ON THE ON YOU SAID ON THE, THE 62.5% IMPERVIOUS THAT INCLUDED THE, THE HOMES THEMSELVES.
AND THEN ON THE OTHER ONES, ARE YOU INCLUDING THE HOMES OR JUST YES, THIS IS THE ENTIRE VALLEY.
SO EVERYTHING THAT'S THE 71% IMPERVIOUS ON CHART THREE INCLUDES THE HOMES AND EVERYTHING.
ALL THE CONCRETE FOR THE DRIVEWAYS, THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAYS, THE APRON SIDEWALKS AS WELL AS THE FOUNDATIONS GOT.
AND WE ALL KNOW OVER, YOU KNOW, THE, IF YOU GO OVER 65% IMPERVIOUS, THEN THAT KICKS IN THE DETENTION REQUIREMENTS.
SO DETENTION IS KIND OF A DOUBLE, A DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD IN THAT YOU, UM, YOU HAVE A, A LOT OF ADDITIONAL COSTS AS WELL AS A LOT OF ADDITIONAL TIME.
SO THERE'S AN A SITE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT THAT YOU'LL NEED TO PULL THAT REQUIRES A PLAN AND PROFILE THAT TAKES SIX TO NINE MONTHS TO GET THAT PERMIT.
AND JUST THE ENGINEERING WORK ALONE, TYPICALLY FOR A SMALL PROJECT COSTS $10,000 PLUS THE ADDITIONAL DETENTION.
YOU'RE ADDING TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS PER HOME TO ADD UNDERGROUND STORAGE ATTENTION.
UM, EACH ADDITIONAL CUBIC FOOT OF WATER COSTS ABOUT $30 PER CUBIC FOOT IS A REAL SIMPLE MATH NUMBER ON TOP OF THEIR BASE FEE.
YOU CAN'T SAY WE'RE ONLY GONNA DO 10 CUBIC FEET AND THEY'RE GONNA GO OUT THERE AND CHARGE YOU $300.
SO ON TOP OF YOUR $10,000 INITIAL FEE FOR EVERY CUBIC FOOT, YOU'RE ADDING ABOUT $30.
SO BETWEEN THE EXTRA EIGHT MONTHS IN PERMITTING AN EXTRA 10 TO $25,000 PER HOME, YOU'RE SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASING THE COST TO BUILD
[01:45:01]
AND THE TIME TO BUILD, WHICH ALSO THEN ADDS TO THE COST BECAUSE OF OUR HOLDING COST ASSOCIATED WITH THAT TIME.AND ON THE, ON THE 62.5% IMPERVIOUS ARE, ARE, IS THAT WITH THE UM, 16 FOOT APPROACH OR THE 12 FOOT? THAT IS A UH, WELL IT'S KIND OF A HYBRID OF THE TWO.
SO WE NARROW THEM A LITTLE BIT MORE TO GET MORE GREEN SPACE IN THE FRONT.
SO THAT'S ACTUALLY ABOUT A 15 FOOT APPROACH.
I HAVE NOT CALCULATED WHAT THE PURPOSE WOULD.
I JUST WANTED A, A BASIC IDEA.
SO THE BUT ON AND ON THE UM, CHART OR NUMBER TWO, THE, THERE'S NO DETENTION REQUIREMENTS FOR YOU BECAUSE IT'S UNDER THE 62%.
AND IT'S IN THE, SOME OF THAT'S IN THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY.
I MEAN I THINK THAT THE, THE DIRECTOR WHEN, WHEN THIS CAME UP LAST WEEK SAID, WELL, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S, IF IT'S IN THE, IN YOUR PRIVATE THING, YOU KNOW PRIVATE PROPERTY YOU MUST ATTAIN.
BUT IN THE PUBLIC, UM, RIGHT OF WAY, THERE'S NO REQUIREMENTS FOR THAT.
RIGHT NOW THERE IS NO REQUIREMENTS.
THE IMPERVIOUS COVER CALCULATION IS DONE ON YOUR PRIVATE PROPERTY.
JUST A QUICK ANNOUNCEMENT THERE WE'RE GETTING A BUNCH OF MESSAGES ABOUT A FIRE ALARM AND THE ANNEX JUST TO LET EVERYONE KNOW THE FIRE ALARM WAS CALLED BUT THAT PLANNING DEPARTMENT PULLED IT.
NO, I'M JUST BY UH, BY RICHARD AND MIKE WHO WERE TRYING TO BLOW UP THE UH, CITY HALL ANNEX BUILDING.
IT WAS, IT'S CAUSED BY, THEY'RE CUTTING LIMESTONE AND SOME LIMESTONE AND SOME OF THE SMOKE GOT INTO THE FIRE ALARM SYSTEM.
SO, UH, IT'S NOT A FIRE, IT'S NOTHING TO BE WORRIED ABOUT, BUT THEY ARE ASKING PEOPLE TO EITHER GO TO THE LIBRARY OR COME OVER HERE TO CITY HALL.
MAYBE THEY CAN COME UP HERE AND JOIN IN THIS GREAT DISCUSSION.
AND RICHARD, I FULL DISCLOSURE, I HAVE TO APOLOGIZE 'CAUSE MY STAFF WAS TEXTING ME AS THIS WAS GOING.
SO SOME THINGS UM, CAN YOU TALK, I MEAN YOU POINT OUT THE ISSUE WITH DENSITY.
AND I DON'T THINK ANYONE AROUND THE HORSESHOE IS SAYING THAT.
UM, BUT WOULDN'T WE BE, TELL ME HOW THAT WORKS IF WE'RE ONLY DEALING WITH FIF 50 FOOT LOTS OR GOING TO 30 FOOT LOTS INSTEAD OF 25.
WOULDN'T THAT MEAN NOT AS MANY HOMES POTENTIALLY THAT THAT'S IN A MASS DEVELOPMENT? CORRECT.
BECAUSE AT 35 UNITS PER ACRE ON A 5,000 SQUARE FOOT LOT, THE MOST YOU CAN STILL FIT.
I'D HAVE TO TECHNICALLY DO THE MATH REALLY QUICK.
IT MIGHT BE FOUR, BUT I BELIEVE IT'S ONLY THREE.
SO YOU WOULD SEE A LOT MORE OF THESE L-SHAPED FLAG LOTS WHERE YOU WOULD HAVE THREE HOMES ON THE PROPERTY WHERE A LOT OF BUILDERS WOULD PREFER TO BUILD TWO HOMES WITH EACH, WITH THEIR OWN DRIVEWAYS ON THE PROPERTY.
BUT SOME DEVELOPERS, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WE TALK COUNCILOR ROBINSON AND I GO BACK AND FORTH 'CAUSE I SAY I USE THE WORD NOT TOWN HOMES, BUT SIX PACKS AND 12 PACKS.
AND WE HAVE A LOT OF THOSE ISSUES AS WELL WHERE I'M NOT SAYING ALL DEVELOPERS, BUT SOME ARE PUTTING AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE INTO ONE LOT.
SO WOULD THIS NOT HELP SOME OF THAT WITH THE DISTRIBUTION SPATIALLY? THIS, DEPENDING ON THE SIZE OF THE PROPERTY THAT YOU BUY WHEN YOU TALK THE SIX AND THE 12 PACKS, WHEN YOU GET TO A SIX PACK RIGHT NOW OF TOWN HOMES, YOU CAN BUILD SIX TOWN HOMES ON A 10,000 SQUARE FOOT LOT.
IF YOU, UH, SOME OF THESE PROPOSALS I BELIEVE THAT WILL ACTUALLY GO UP, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO FIT 12 UH, HOMES ON THE LOT IF YOU DO THE MU OR THE COURTYARD STYLE DEVELOPMENTS, I BELIEVE IS WHAT THE DENSITY WORKS OUT TO BE.
SO IF, IF YOU COULD GET ME SOME INFORMATION ON THAT, YES, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT.
'CAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS WE STRUGGLE WITH AND SEE RIGHT, IS A LOT OF THE SIX PACKS, THE 12 PACKS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT TIE INTO I THINK WHAT THE DEPARTMENT'S TRYING TO ADDRESS.
I WANTED TO SHOW THESE LARGER SCALE DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE BEING BUILT IN SOME OF THE UH, MOTION TO EXTEND.
UM, I WANTED TO DEMONSTRATE, JUST BECAUSE YOU DON'T SEE MANY OF THESE, MOTION TO EXTEND.
GRANTED, YOU DON'T SEE A LOT OF THESE LARGE SCALE 20 HOME, 50 HOME PROJECTS IN DISTRICT C ANYMORE.
YOU DID, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL, SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
BUT WHERE THESE ARE HAPPENING NOW, THE INCREASE IN DENSITY, AND I'VE TALKED TO SEVERAL COUNCIL MEMBERS AS WELL ABOUT CONCERNS ABOUT DENSITY.
I DON'T SEE WHERE YOU FIT MORE HOMES ON THIS WITHOUT BUILDING FOUR STORIES AND VIRTUALLY NO FIRST FLOOR SPACE.
THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO POINT OUT ABOUT SOME OF THE DENSITY THAT SEEMS MISGUIDED.
SO, RICHARD, A QUESTION, SO YOU HAVE A, MIKE WAS TALKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS.
YOU HAVE A 50 FOOT FRONT LINE.
YOU'RE GOING TO SUBDIVIDE IT INTO 2 25 AND BUILD TWO STRUCTURES.
NOW WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THIS ORDINANCE PASSES WITH THE 33 FOOT? WELL, SO THE 33 FOOT, YOU WOULD ONLY EITHER BE ABLE TO BUILD ONE HOUSE ON IT, OR YOU'D HAVE TO CONVINCE THE NEIGHBOR TO SELL.
AND THEN YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO BUILD THREE HOMES ON A HUNDRED FOOT OF WIDTH, UM, BY THREE HOME VERSUS TRADITIONALLY FOUR.
[01:50:01]
IS GONNA PUSH YOUR PRICING WELL OVER A MILLION DOLLARS IN PRETTY MUCH ALL OF THESE NEIGHBORHOODS.SO IN, UH, IN AN AREA LIKE THE HEIGHTS AND RICE MILITARY, WHAT DOES A 50 BY 100 LOT COST ROUND? A LOT.
BALLPARK ROUND NUMBERS A HUNDRED TO $110 A SQUARE FOOT.
SO $550,000 IN THE STRUCTURE THAT YOU BUILD ON IT, LET'S SAY 2,522 TO 2,500 SQUARE FEET, THEY SELL ANYWHERE FROM SIX 50 TO SEVEN 50.
SO THAT'S YOUR MILLION DOLLAR 20 SOMETHING SQUARE.
IF YOU WERE TO DO THREE HOMES, IF YOU WERE TO BUY THE PROPERTY NEXT DOOR, THOSE HOMES WOULD BE CLOSER PROBABLY TO, YOU'D BE BUILDING LARGER HOMES AND THEY'D BE PROBABLY CLOSER TO 1.25, 1.3 MILLION.
SO, AS YOU KNOW, I MET WITH A DIP BUILDER THIS WEEKEND, AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE TELLING ME THERE IS VERY LIMITED INVENTORY RIGHT NOW.
SO WHAT, WHAT DO YOU, WHAT DO YOU GUYS FINDING? IS THAT TRUE? THERE IS VERY LIMITED INVENTORY.
UM, BUILDERS HAVE LEFT THE CITY.
THERE'S, UM, LESS AND LESS BUILDERS BUILDING WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS.
UM, THERE'S NOT MUCH RESALE ON THE MARKET RIGHT NOW AS WELL WITH INTEREST RATES HIGH.
UM, PERMITTING TIMES ARE STEADILY CONTINUING TO GROW, UM, DESPITE I KNOW THE CITY'S BEST EFFORTS, UM, BUT WE HAVE NOT SEEN A REDUCTION IN PERMITTING TIME, SO WE'RE UNABLE TO DELIVER HOMES AS QUICKLY AS WE WERE A FEW YEARS AGO.
WHICH CAUSES YOUR EXPOSURE TO RISE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
I KNOW WE'VE BEEN UP HERE THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS, UM, FIGHTING FOR THE CHAPTER 42 CHANGES.
I DO THE LAND ACQUISITION FOR A LOT OF DEVELOPERS WITHIN THE CITY, AND WE DO IT ALL OVER.
WE DO IT IN DISTRICT D, DISTRICT B, UM, PRETTY MUCH ANYWHERE INSIDE THE CITY AND SURROUNDING AREAS.
UM, THE MAKEUP OF LOTS HAS BEEN HIT, UH, A FEW TIMES, SO I JUST WANNA BRIEFLY TOUCH ON THAT.
THE MAKEUP OF LOTS IN HOUSTON.
ONE THIRD OF THE LOTS ARE 50 BY A HUNDRED, UM, AND WHERE THEY'RE NOT 50 BY A HUNDRED IS AREAS THAT ARE FAR OUT FROM THE LOOP, RIGHT? SO THAT'S YOUR ACRES HOMES AREA, THAT'S YOUR SOUTH ACRES AREA.
BUT FOR EXAMPLE, IN DISTRICT D, ALL OF THE LOTS ARE 50 BY A HUNDRED OR 50 BY 103.
SO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT AFFORDABILITY, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT, UM, GETTING PROJECTS AND ROOFTOPS ON THE GROUND, WHICH BRINGS THAT RETAIL, THIS IS EFFECTIVELY STOPPING THAT LEVEL, THAT STYLE OF DEVELOPMENT.
AND THE GOAL, THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND, IS WHAT IS THE GOAL OF MAKING THIS CHANGE FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION? BECAUSE IF IT'S AFFORDABILITY, IT'S NOT HELPING AFFORDABILITY.
IF IT'S, UM, TO PREVENT THEM FROM DOING THIS STYLE DEVELOPMENT, THERE'S STUFF THAT EXISTS ALREADY.
YOU TALKED ABOUT VARIANCES WHEN YOU GO TO, UH, THERE'S PROGRAMS IN PLACE SUCH AS, UH, THE MINIMUM LOT SIZE.
SO IF AN AREA DID NOT WANT TO HAVE THE FRONT LOADER DEVELOPMENTS OR DID NOT WANT TO HAVE ALSO FOR DISTRICT D, UH, MS. SHABAZ, IF THEY DID NOT WANT HAVE THE HIGH DENSITY DEVELOPMENT THAT THIS IS ENCOURAGING, THEY CAN GO IN AND SAY, YOU CAN NOT BUILD A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF, UH, UNITS ON THIS SPECIFIC LOT.
SO WHY ARE WE MAKING A CHANGE THAT'S CITYWIDE THAT AFFECTS SO MANY OF THE AREAS THAT ARE GROWING WITH THIS STYLE OF DEVELOPMENT? SO THAT'S THE POINT THAT I WANNA MAKE.
UH, VARIANCES ARE SUPER HARD TO GET, AND IF A PLANNING COMMISSION IS, UH, VOTING TO GO AGAINST THIS, THEY'RE NOT GONNA APPROVE THE VARIANCE, UM, TO CHANGE IT BACK.
UM, CONSUMER WANTS, AGAIN, I'M A REALTOR.
WE SELL ABOUT 500 NEW CONSTRUCTION HOUSES A YEAR.
EVERYONE WANTS THEIR OWN LOTS.
YOU TALK ABOUT LOT OWNERSHIP, YOU TALK ABOUT HOUSE OWNERSHIP.
AGAIN, THESE ARE NOT TOWN HOMES.
THEY'RE CLOSE TOGETHER, BUT THEIR OWN INDIVIDUAL LOTS.
WHEN YOU BUILD THE SHARED DRIVEWAY PROJECTS, YOU'RE LOSING THAT ABILITY TO HAVE ANY OWNERSHIP OF AN INDIVIDUAL LOT.
YOU CAN'T CUT YOUR GRASS, YOU CAN'T HAVE TWO CARS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY.
IT'S GONNA FORCE MORE CARS TO THE STREET.
UM, AND AGAIN, I SEE THAT AS A BIG PROBLEM WITH THEFT, SAFETY, ALL OF THOSE, UH, THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE.
UM, AND THEN THERE'S SOMETHING THAT I WANTED TO TOUCH ABOUT, WHICH IS THIS IDEA THAT THE CITY IS NOT GONNA HAVE CARS.
THE CITY IS HOT, YOU WALK AROUND, GO OUTSIDE.
SO THIS IDEA OF PROTECTING THE RIGHT OF WAY ON THE SIDEWALK AND EVERYONE GO LOOK OUTSIDE WHO'S WALKING ON THE SIDEWALKS, AND YOU TALK ABOUT THE SIDEWALKS, MOST OF THE SIDEWALKS THAT HAVE BEEN PLACED ARE DEVELOPERS BUILDING THEM BECAUSE THE CITY'S NOT BUILDING 'EM.
SO HOW ARE THEY BUILDING THEM THROUGH THE FRONT LOADER DEVELOPMENT? UM, AGAIN, ROOFTOPS BRING RETAIL FLOODING AND DITCHES.
UM, THAT IS A CITY ISSUE TO MAINTAIN BECAUSE Y'ALL SAID
[01:55:01]
THAT WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND MAINTAIN THOSE DITCHES.UM, I KNOW THERE WAS TALKS BEFORE IN THE PRIOR MEETING ABOUT HOW THE FRONT LOADERS CAUSE FLOODING AND THOSE DITCHES, WHEN YOU PUT THE CULVER'S IN THERE THAT THEY MAKE US PUT THE OTHER DITCHES ARE NOT MAINTAINED.
SO THAT'S WHY THE WATER IS SITTING IN THERE.
UM, IT'S BEEN A LOT OF TALK AND BEING UP HERE
UM, BUT YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IT.
I JUST REALLY THINK THAT WE SHOULD TAKE THE NARROW LOTS OUT OF THE EQUATION.
UM, WE HAVE OFFER, UH, OFFERED COMPROMISES, AND YET THEY SEEM THAT THEY DON'T MAKE THEM.
I, UM, SIDEWALKS NOW I LOVE SIDEWALKS AND I DO WALK IN THE SIDEWALK.
I DON'T CARE, CARE HOW HOT IT IS.
I'M GONNA WALK ON THE SIDEWALKS, BUT YOU DID BRING UP A POINT ABOUT, UM, DEVELOP, YOU KNOW, AND I'VE BEEN TRYING TO NOTICE, SO WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS.
EVERY TIME I DRIVE AROUND, I'M LOOKING AT FRONT LOADERS, I'M LOOKING AT WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND I DO SEE SOME OF WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WHERE THERE'S, THERE WAS OBVIOUSLY NOT A SIDEWALK THERE UNTIL THE, THE BUILDINGS WERE BUILT, AND THEN THERE'S A SIDEWALK.
SO I MEAN, JUST BALLPARK, LIKE YOU'RE, YOU SELL A LOT OF THESE, I GUESS MM-HMM
LIKE, ARE MO ARE MOST OF THESE BRAND NEW SIDEWALKS? AND I MEAN, YOU HAVE TO BUILD THE NEW SIDEWALK.
WOULD YOU SAY LIKE, YOU KNOW, 50% DIDN'T HAVE A SIDEWALK THERE AT ALL BEFORE? OR IS IT MORE, OR IT DEPENDS ON THE AREA.
UM, I THINK AND AREAS, SO GIMME AN IDEA ABOUT AREAS.
SO AREAS LIKE IN DISTRICT D FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S, UH, THERE'S NOT MUCH SIDEWALKS.
UM, SO A LOT OF TIMES WE'RE GOING IN AND BUILDING THE SIDEWALKS.
UH, SAME THING WITH, UH, ACRES HOMES.
THERE'S NOT MUCH SIDEWALKS, UM, IN AREAS THAT ARE LIKE THE HEIGHTS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
AND DISTRICT C, THEY A LOT OF TIMES DO HAVE THE SIDEWALKS AND THE, THE SITUATION WITH THE CULVERTS MM-HMM
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THERE MIGHT NOT BE, THEY'RE NOT BE, NOT BE ADEQUATE DRAINAGE ON EITHER SIDE OF YOU MM-HMM
SO YOU'RE KIND OF STUCK UNTIL THAT, UNTIL IT GETS DEVELOPED, AREAS DEVELOPED OR MAINTAINED BY THE CITY.
THAT'S WHAT BOTHERS ME THE MOST AS I'M RIDING AROUND RICE MILITARY IN THE HEIGHTS EVERY WEEKEND, EVERY WEEKEND, THE CULVERTS THAT ARE HALF FILLED WITH MUD.
AND I LOOK AT IT FROM A DRAINAGE PERSPECTIVE BECAUSE WHAT I DON'T WANT TO DO IS HAVE A, YOU KNOW, MY DAUGHTER BUY A HOUSE THAT'S GOING TO FLOOD IN THE NEXT HURRICANE, AND I GET A KICK OUT OF IT BECAUSE I, I SEE THESE NEW DEVELOPMENTS AND THEY'RE BUILDING, MOST OF 'EM ARE THREE STORIES.
AND THEY'RE PUTTING IN NEW CULVERTS AND IT LOOKS PRETTY CLEAN.
AND THEN RIGHT NEXT DOOR THERE'S A CULVERT THAT'S DAMAGED, FILLED WITH MUD.
AND I'LL LOOK AT IT AND I GO, OKAY, HOW DOES THIS WORK? MM-HMM
SO, UH, I WISH WE WOULD CONCENTRATE MORE ON FIXING OUR DRAINAGE CULVERTS THAN WORRYING ABOUT FRONT LOADERS AND REAR LOADERS AND ALLEYS.
NEXT SPEAKER THAT FOR CAN ROSE, THAT'S FOR YOU.
MS. ROSE FROM NEXT SPEAKER SORT OF LOST ME.
WHERE ARE WE NOW? STEVEN EUSTIS.
HEY, MR. PETIT EDIT TO BE FOLLOWED BY ANNIE LEE.
LAST WEEK, THE CITY RELEASED ITS ONE COMPLETE HOUSTON EQUITY REPORT.
THIS REPORT IS NOT WORTH THE PAPER IT WAS PRINTED ON.
SPECIFICALLY, YOU CAN LOOK AT THE PARKS SECTION.
THE CITY GAVE ITSELF A 90 FOR PARKS EQUITY.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE INDICATOR THEY USED, THEY LOOKED AT HOW MANY PEOPLE LIVED WITHIN HALF A MILE OF A PARK, AND THEY SAID OVER 75% OF HOUSTONIANS LIVED WITHIN HALF A MILE OF A PARK.
WHAT THEY'RE REALLY SAYING IS THAT IT'S THE SAME IF YOU LIVE HALF A MILE FROM MEMORIAL PARK, HALF A MILE FROM LEVY PARK, HALF A MILE FROM HERMAN PARK, AS IF YOU LIVE IN THIRD WARD AND YOU'RE HALF A MILE FROM A DILAPIDATED RUSTED, LEAKING BASKETBALL COURT WITH NO NETS ACROSS FIVE LANES OF TRAFFIC.
NEXT THING THAT'S THE SAME, THAT'S EQUITY.
LAST WEEK YOU APPROPRIATE OVER $700,000 TO A DOG PARK AT HERMAN PARK OUT OF THE PARKS CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND, WHEN THAT PARK SECTOR ALREADY HAS $20 MILLION THAT IT'S RAISED THROUGH PARK DEDICATION FEES ACROSS THE HIGHWAY.
IN THIRD WARD, WE HAVE 70 ACRES OF PARKS AND PEANUTS.
WHEN WE GO TO THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, THEY SAY THEY HAVE NO FUNDS FOR THIRD WARD, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
COUNCIL MEMBER CAROLYN EVANS SHABBAT.
YES, I'D LIKE TO GIVE HIM ADDITIONAL TIME.
[02:00:01]
EQUITY, THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT WOULD BE WORKING TO REVISE THE PARKS AND OPEN SPACES ORDINANCE SO THAT FUNDING COULD BE SPENT CITYWIDE FROM THOSE PARK SECTORS AND NOT BE REDLINING AND TRAPPING MONEY IN THE WEALTHIEST PARK SECTORS LIKE RIVER OAKS AND MIDTOWN AND THE MUSEUM DISTRICT WHERE THEY HAVE $20 MILLION THEY'VE RAISED AND THEY'RE STILL GETTING MONEY FROM PARKS FOR DOG PARKS.AND IF THEY DID THAT, WE'D BE ABLE TO ACCESS FUNDING FOR THINGS LIKE THE COLUMBIA TAP TRAIL AND WE'D ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO PROMOTE REAL EQUITY WHERE WE HAVE ACCESS TO QUALITY PARKS FOR EVERYONE, NOT JUST HALF A MILE FROM ANYTHING THE CITY CONSIDERS A PARK.
THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN.
AND, AND I, I DO THINK YOU KNOW MUCH LIKE THE SIDEWALK FEE IN LIEU OF WHERE WE TOOK THE 70% OF WE THE SIDEWALK SECTORS AND THEN WE HAD 30% TO GO CITYWIDE AND, AND THAT'S NOT THE CASE.
CORRECT? WITH THE PARK DEDICATION FUND, IT'S THAT THAT MONEY STAYS A HUNDRED PERCENT WITHIN THE PARK.
NOT ONLY DOES IT STAY A HUNDRED PERCENT WITHIN THAT PARK SECTOR, YOU HAVEN'T REVISED OR INCREASED THE FEES.
I DOUBT MANY PEOPLE ON THE HORSESHOE EVEN KNOW HOW MUCH YOU'RE COLLECTING IN THOSE PARK SECTORS.
YOU'RE COLLECTING $700 FOR EACH NEW RESIDENTIAL UNIT IN THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND THAT HASN'T BEEN REVISED IN 16 YEARS.
NOT FOR INFLATION, NOT FOR CONSTRUCTION COSTS, NOT FOR ANYTHING ELSE.
SO YOU REALLY NEED TO LOOK INTO THAT PARK ORDINANCE AND YOU NEED TO REVISE THE PARKING SECTOR DEDICATION FUND AND HOW IT'S BEING FUNDED, HOW IT'S BEING SPENT, HOW IT'S BEING PUBLICIZED TO COUNCIL AND TO THE PUBLIC, WHICH RIGHT NOW IT'S NOT, THEY'RE NOT GIVING ANNUAL UPDATES, THEY'RE NOT PUTTING IT ON THEIR WEBSITE.
YOU HAVE TO SEARCH THROUGH POWERPOINTS THAT PARKS PEOPLE GIVE AT CONFERENCES TO FIND ANY INFORMATION OR SUBMIT PIA REQUESTS WHERE THEY CHARGE YOU HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS AS A RESIDENT TO FIND PUBLIC INFORMATION.
SO IT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY, AS SERIOUSLY AS YOU TAKE THE DOG PARK.
WELL CERTAINLY THOSE AMOUNTS SHOULD BE PUBLIC.
I MEAN THAT'S PUBLIC MONEY AND WE SHOULD, WE SHOULD HAVE THAT READILY AVAILABLE.
THIS COMPLETES THE LIST OF SPEAKERS RE UH, WE WILL
[RECESS]
RECESS UNTIL TOMORROW AT NINE O'CLOCK.YOU LIVE FROM THE ANNA RUSSELL COUNCIL CHAMBER.
I'M ABOUT TO READ THE DESCRIPTION OR CAPTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA FOR THE WEEK, JULY 18TH AND 19TH, 2023.
AND WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN WITH ITEM ONE, RECOMMENDATION FROM DIRECTOR HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM FOR APPROVAL OF FINAL CONTRACT AMOUNT OF $18,215,372 AND 94 CENTS AND THE ACCEPTANCE OF WORK ON CONTRACT WITH PEPPER LAWSON WATERWORKS, LLC.
ITEM TWO, RECOMMENDATION FROM DIRECTOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS FOR APPROVAL OF FINAL CONTRACT AMOUNT OF 2,000,406 $63,976 54 CENTS AND ACCEPTANCE OF WORK ON CONTRACT WITH FREE PIPE CONSTRUCTION L-L-C-D-B-A-I-P-R, SOUTH CENTRAL LLC.
ITEM THREE, RECOMMENDATION FROM DIRECTOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS FOR APPROVAL OF FINAL CONTRACT AMOUNT OF $5,010,945 AND 25 CENTS AND ACCEPTANCE OF WORK ON CONTRACT WITH PORT UNDER UTILITIES CONSTRUCTION COMPANY LLC.
ITEM FOUR, RECOMMENDATION FROM DIRECTOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS FOR APPROVAL OF FINAL CONTRACT AMOUNT OF $3,604,895 AND 60 CENTS AND ACCEPTANCE OF WORK ON CONTRACT WITH PM CONSTRUCTION AND REHAB LLC ITEM FIVE APPROVED SPENDING AUTHORITY IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $125,000 AND NO CENTS FOR EMERGENCY PURCHASE OF CHLORINE FOR THE GREATER NORTHEAST HOUSTON SERVICE AREA FOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS AWARDED 2D XI INDUSTRIES INC.
ITEM SIX APPROVED SPENDING AUTHORITY IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $1,500,000 AND NO CENTS FOR EMERGENCY PURCHASE OF LIQUID AMMONIUM SULFATE FROM ADE CHEMICALS US.
ITEM SEVEN APPROVED SPENDING AUTHORITY IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $5,391,015 80 CENTS FOR TRAFFIC CONTROL, NETWORKING HARDWARE, SOFTWARE, AND PROFESSIONAL SERVICES THROUGH THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION RESOURCES COOPERATIVE CONTRACT FOR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS AWARD TO NET SINK NETWORK SOLUTIONS.
ITEM EIGHT RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE REQUEST OF WAIVER OF THE LOCAL MATCH REQUIREMENTS IN THE FEDERAL OFFICE SYSTEM BRIDGE PROGRAM ADMINISTERED BY THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.
ITEM NINE, ORDINANCE APPROVING AN AUTHORIZING AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND THE WATER INSTITUTE OF THE GULF.
ITEM 10 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING SUBMISSION OF AN APPLICATION FOR GRANT ASSISTANCE TO THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FOR THE CHARGING AND FUELING INFRASTRUCTURE COMMUNITY GRANT PROGRAM.
ITEM 11, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING LOAN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS INSPIRING COMMUNITIES INC.
DBA, THE HEART PROGRAM ITEM 12, ORDINANCE READOPTING REAPP APPROVING AND RATIFYING ORDINANCE NUMBER 20 23 535 APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING SECOND AMENDMENT TO CONSTRUCTION CONTRIBUTION AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON
[02:05:01]
AND COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS OF HOUSTON HARRIS COUNTY.ITEM 13, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $13,503,565 AND NO CENTS OUT OF EQUIPMENT ACQUISITION CONSOLIDATED FUND FOR PURCHASE OF VEHICLES FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT AND SILENT WASTE MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT.
ITEM 14, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND BRACEWELL LLP ITEM 15, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND NORTON ROSE FULBRIGHT, U-S-L-L-P ITEM 16 ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 2022 2000 I MEAN, I'M SORRY, 20 22 2 0 4 TO INCREASE THE MAXIMUM CONTRACT AMOUNT FOR DERIVATIVE DERIVATIVE CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND ACCENTURE LLP ITEM 17, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING FIRST AMENDMENT TO AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY AND DEAN G PAPPAS LAW FIRM PLLC ITEM 18, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING THIRD AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND PRETORIAN GROUP INC.
DBA LEXIPOL ITEM 19 ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 20 19 34 AS AMENDED BY ORDINANCE NUMBER 20 22 5 80 TO INCREASE THE MAXIMUM CONTRACT AMOUNT FOR AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND VIRTUAL GROUP CORPORATION.
ITEM 20 ORDINANCE APPROVING AN AUTHORIZING INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT DISTRICT.
ITEM 21 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $50,024 AND NO CENTS OUT OF PARKS CONSOLIDATED CONSTRUCTION FUND AS AN APPROPRIATION TO ADVANCE FUNDING AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND THE STATE OF TEXAS.
ITEM 22 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING ADVANCED FUNDING AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND THE STATE OF TEXAS ACTING BY AND THROUGH THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FOR THE INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT DISTRICT BIKE WASTE PROJECT.
ITEM 23 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING SUBMISSION OF AN ELECTRONIC APPLICATION FOR AND ACCEPTANCE OF GRANT FUNDS THROUGH THE US DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, OFFICE OF JUSTICE PROGRAMS BUREAU OF JUSTICE ASSISTANCE FY 2023 BY DISCRETIONARY COMMUNITY PROJECTS MOBILE STOREFRONT FUNDING GRANT AT A 24 ORDINANCE PROOF AND AUTHORIZING SUBMISSION OF AN ELECTRONIC APPLICATION FOR AN ACCEPTANCE OF GRANT FUNDS THROUGH THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE DIVISION FOR THE FY 24 BODY-WORN CA CAMERA ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM GRANT ITEM 25 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING SUBMISSION OF AN ELECTRONIC APPLICATION FOR AN ACCEPTANCE OF GRANT FUNDS THROUGH THE US DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FOR EMERGING AND DISRUPTIVE TECHNOLOGY TO COMBAT CHILD EXPLOITATION GRANT ITEM 26 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING SUBMISSION OF AN ELECTRONIC APPLICATION FOR AN ACCEPTANCE OF GRANT FUNDS THROUGH THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE DIVISION FOR THE FY 2024 WEST SIDE VIOLENT CRIME GANG CRIME INITIATIVE GRANT.
ITEM 27 ORDINANCE RENEWING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE EAST SIDE OF THE 500 BLOCK OF CRANBERRY STREET BETWEEN WHITE OAK DRIVE AND RESERVE STREET AND THE WEST SIDE BETWEEN WHITE OAK DRIVE AND EAST, UH, FIVE AND A HALF STREET WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS.
ITEM 28 ORDINANCE RENEWING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE EAST AND WEST SIDES OF THE 500 BLOCK OF HARVARD STREET BETWEEN WHITE OAK DRIVE AND EAST FIFTH STREET.
ITEM 29 ORDINANCE CONSENTED TO THE ADDITION OF 6.9676 ACRES OF LAND TO DOWDE PUBLIC UTILITY DISTRICT.
ITEM 30 ORDINANCE CONSENTING TO THE ADDITION OF 1 1 4 0.2 ACRES OF LAND TO HARRIS COUNTY WATER CONTROL AND IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT NUMBER ONE 60.
ITEM 31 ORDINANCE CONSENTING TO THE ADDITION OF EIGHT 9.6981 ACRES OF LAND TO NORTHWEST HARRIS COUNTY MUD MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT NUMBER FIVE, ITEM 32, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $157,500 AND NO CENTS OUT OF DEDICATED DRAINAGE AND STREET RENEWAL CAPITAL FUND AT VALOREM TAX AS AN APPROPRIATION TO THE ADVANCED FUNDING AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HOUSTON AND TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FOR THE GESNER ROAD FROM NORTH OF BRIAR FOREST TO RICHMOND AVENUE.
PROJECT ITEM 33 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING ADVANCED FUNDING AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF FUSION AND TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FOR THE RECONSTRUCTION AND WIDENING OF GESNER ROAD NORTH OF BRIAR FOREST TO RICHMOND AVENUE.
THIS ITEM SHOULD ONLY BE CONSIDERED AFTER PASSAGE OF ITEM 32 ABOVE ITEM 34.
IT WAS RECOMMENDATION FROM DIRECTOR, ADMINISTRATION AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS TO CREATE AN ALCOHOL FREE ZONE FOR HIGH PRESCHOOL AND EARLY LEARNING CENTER LLC.
THIS WAS TAGGED BY COUNCILMAN ROBINSON.
THIS WAS ITEM FOUR ON AGENDA OF JULY 12TH, 2023.
THIS COMPLETES THE READING OF THE AGENDA FOR THE CITY COUNCIL SESSION OF JULY 19TH, 2023.
STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT SESSION OF HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL SCHEDULE TO BEGIN AT 9:00 AM I'D LIKE TO LEAVE YOU WITH THIS.
ALWAYS, ALWAYS TREAT EVERYONE THE WAY YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE TREATED.
HAVE A BLESSED AND FANTABULOUS DAY TO ORDER.
[02:10:03]
IT IS[RECONVENE]
9:04 AM ON WEDNESDAY, JULY 19TH.I'M MAYOR PRO TEM DAVE MARTIN, AND I'M CALLING THIS MEETING OF THE HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL TO ORDER.
AS YOU CAN TELL, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF FOLKS THAT ARE NOT HERE TODAY.
UH, THE FIRST THING ON THE AGENDA, I'LL DO THE MAYOR'S
[MAYOR'S REPORT]
REPORT.AND AS I JUST MENTIONED THIS MORNING, MAYOR TURNER AND THREE OF OUR CITY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES, VICE MAYOR PRO TEM MARTHA CASTEX, TATUM CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS TIFFANY D. THOMAS, AND CARLOS CISNEROS ARE TAKING PART IN A THREE COUNTRY TRADE MISSION TO WEST AFRICA FROM JULY 17TH TO JULY 25TH, VISITING THREE AFRICAN COUNT COUNTRIES, NIGERIA, COR DEVORE, AND GHANA.
THE DELEGATION INCLUDES REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE TEXAS MEDICAL CENTER, CHEVRON, HALLIBURTON, THE PORT OF HOUSTON, EAST END MAKER HUB, AND THE GHANA HOUSTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
IN ADDITION TO INCREASE IN BUSINESS AND TRADE OPPORTUNITIES.
YESTERDAY, NIGERIA MAYOR TURNER AND THE DELEGATION MET WITH THE MINISTRY OF AVIATION AND AEROSPACE WHO SAID THE GOVERNMENT WILL WORK ON THE MAYOR'S REQUEST FOR A DIRECT FLIGHT FROM NIGERIA TO HOUSTON IN A BID TO FURTHER EXPAND BILATERAL RELATIONS WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF AMERICA.
ANYWAY, I HOPE THEY'RE HAVING A GREAT TIME AND I HOPE THEY BRING BACK SOME, UH, PROMISING OPPORTUNITIES.
THE WHITE HOUSE THIS WEEK ANNOUNCED THAT PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN AND FIRST LADY WILL WELCOME THE HOUSTON ASTROS TO THE WHITE HOUSE ON MONDAY, AUGUST 7TH TO CELEBRATE THEIR 2022 WORLD SERIES VICTORY.
UH, THE ASTROS PLAY ON THAT SUNDAY, UH, AGAINST THE YANKEES IN NEW YORK, AND THEN THEY'RE OFF MONDAY.
SO PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THE CELEBRATION THEN TUESDAY PLAY.
THEY PLAY A THREE GAME SERIES AT BALTIMORE, SO CONVENIENT TIME FOR THEM TO BE UP THERE.
HOUSTON'S VISIT TO WASHINGTON DC IS SANDWICHED BETWEEN THESE GAMES AND MORE DETAILS WILL BE ANNOUNCED LATER THIS WEEK.
SPEAKING OF MANY PRESIDENTS, IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO DO, THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY IS HOSTING A COLLECTION OF PORTRAITS BY FORMER PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH 43 ON LOAN FROM THE COLLECTION OF PRESIDENTIAL ART AT THE GEORGE W. BUSH PRESIDENTIAL CENTER.
THE OUT OF MANY ONE PORTRAITS OF AMERICA'S IMMIGRANTS IS HOUSED AT THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY.
SO IF YOU HAVE SOME ACTIVITY TO GET OUT OF THE HEAT, PLEASE GO TO THE JULIA IEN PUBLIC LIBRARY GALLERY THIS WEEK.
IT'S A COLLECTION OF 43 COLOR PORTRAITS PAINTED BY PRESIDENT BUSH.
THE EXHIBIT STARTED SATURDAY THE 15TH OF JULY AND RUNS THROUGH SEPTEMBER 27TH.
ONCE AGAIN, OPEN NOW TILL SEPTEMBER 27TH, THE PORTRAITS AND PAINTINGS OF PRESIDENT 43 GEORGE W. BUSH 2023 NATIONAL URBAN LEAGUE CONFERENCE WILL TAKE PLACE NEXT WEEK HERE IN HOUSTON.
IT'LL BE A FOUR DAY POWER PACKED EXPERIENCE FROM JULY 29TH, 26TH THROUGH 29TH.
ONE OF THE STANDOUT EVENTS AT THE NATIONAL URBAN LEAGUE CONFERENCE IS A COMMUNITY AND FAITH DAY EXPO PRESENTED IN COLLABORATION WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND CENTER POINT ENERGY.
THIS EVENT WILL BE FILLED WITH EXCITEMENT, ENTERTAINMENT, AND ARRAY OF VALUABLE RESOURCES DESIGNED TO CATER TO THE NEEDS OF THE ENTIRE FAMILY.
WITH THE HEAT WE HAVE THE LIBRARY THAT HAS 40 THREES ARTWORK AND ALSO THE SECOND ANNUAL HOUSTON THEATER THEATER WEEK WILL KICK OFF AUGUST 14TH THROUGH 20TH WITH EXCLUSIVE DEALS AND DISCOUNTS THAT YOU DON'T WANNA MISS.
CREATED BY THE HOUSTON FIRST CORPORATION.
IN COLLABORATION WITH LOCAL, PROFESSIONAL AND COMMUNITY THEATER AND PERFORMING ARTS GROUPS, THIS SPECIAL OFFERING PROVIDES CUSTOMERS WITH A BUY ONE GET ONE FREE DEAL TO SOME OF THE BEST LIVE PERFORMANCES IN THE CITY.
AGAIN, AUGUST 14TH THROUGH 20TH, BUY ONE, GET ONE FREE DEALS.
HOUSTON THEATER WEEK WILL INCLUDE CAN'T MISS PLAYS, BALLET, OPERA, AND A VARIETY OF MUSICAL PERFORMANCES.
GREAT WAY TO BEAT THE HEAT AND TO BE INSIDE WITH SOME COOL AIR CONDITION.
THE NOT-PROFIT ARTS AND CULTURE INDUSTRY PUMPS MORE THAN A BILLION DOLLARS ANNUALLY INTO THE GREATER HOUSTON REGION ECONOMY.
SUPPORTS MORE THAN 25,000 FULL-TIME JOBS AND GENERATES OVER 120 MILLION IN LOCAL AND STATE GOVERNOR GOVERNMENT REVENUES.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HOUSTON THEATER WEEK, CONTACT PR@VISITHOUSTON.COM ONCE AGAIN, PR AS IN PUBLIC RELATIONS@VISITHOUSTON.COM.
AND THAT'S THE NOTES FOR TODAY'S MAYOR'S REPORT.
[CONSENT AGENDA]
NOW PROCEED WITH THE CONSENT AGENDA UNDER THE ACCEPTABLE CATEGORY, ITEMS ONE THROUGH FOUR.NEED A MOTION MOVE ROBINSON SECOND.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES
[02:15:02]
UNDER THE PURCHASING EXAMINATION OF BS CATEGORY.ITEM SEVEN HAS BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.
MOTION FOR ITEMS FIVE AND SIX, MOVE ROBINSON.
ANY DISCUSSION ON ITEMS FIVE AND SIX? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OPPOSED? MOTION GRANTED UNDER THE RESOLUTION CATEGORY.
JUST NEEDS A VOTE, VOTE ON ITEM EIGHT.
ANY DISCUSSION ON ITEM NUMBER EIGHT? ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? ITEM CARRIES UNDER THE ORDINANCES CATEGORY ITEMS NINE, 10, AND 13 HAVE BEEN REMOVED.
THOSE NUMBERS AGAIN ARE NINE, 10, AND 13.
NEED A VOTE ON THE BALANCE? VOTE ON THE BALANCE.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OPPOSED? ITEMS CARRIED.
[CONSIDERATION OF MATTERS REMOVED FROM CONSENT AGENDA]
SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.ANY DISCUSSION ON ITEM NUMBER SEVEN? DISCUSSION ON SEVEN.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? ITEM SEVEN PASSES.
ANY DISCUSSION ON ITEM NINE? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, OPPOSE.
DISCUSSION, COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CAYMAN CAYMAN TAGGED.
ITEM 10 HAS BEEN TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CAYMAN, UH, ROBINSON ON IT AS WELL.
SO ITEM 10 TAGGED BY CAYMAN ROBINSON, BATMAN, AND ROBIN
ANY DISCUSSION ON I'M 13 COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CAYMAN.
UH, JUST REALLY QUICKLY, UH, TO MAKE A COMMENT ON THIS, I WOULD ASK THAT THE DEPARTMENTS CONFIRM WITH ME, UM, AS IT RELATES TO THE PROCUREMENT THAT CERTAIN MA MATTERS ARE INCLUDED, INCLUDING, UM, H POWER FOR, UM, OUR AMBULANCES.
YES, WE HAD, UH, THERE ARE ONE PUMPER, 16 AMBULANCES, AND THEY'RE USING THAT H POWER HYBRID FOR THOSE.
AND THEN, UM, THERE ARE SOME OTHER REFUSE TRUCKS FOR A SOLID WAY.
ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION ON ITEM 13? COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT GALLEGOS.
SO, AND HOW MANY, UH, SOLID WASTE VEHICLES? DO YOU KNOW? WE HAVE TO GET AN ESTIMATE.
THIS IS JUST THE APPROPRIATION OF YES, THIS IS JUST THE APPROPRIATION OF IT.
IT'S NOT THE PURCHASE OF 'EM YET, BUT, UM, HOW MANY WILL, WHAT WE'RE WORKING OFF OF IS, UH, DOLLARS THAT WE HAVE.
WE KNOW IT'S SUPPLY CHAINS ISSUE.
THOSE PRICES HAVE PROBABLY GONE UP, SO WE MAY HAVE TO REEVALUATE THE NUMBER, BUT IF YOU'D LIKE, WE'D GET YOU THAT INFORMATION.
YEAH, I, I I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO LOOK AT.
I MEAN, I WITNESSED FOR MYSELF IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, THE SOLID WASTE TRUCK IS OUT THERE.
UH, THEY HAVE ONE PERSON ON THE BACK OF THE TRUCK, UH, THEY HAVE A LIFT.
THE PERSON IS ACTUALLY HAVING TO GO AND GRAB THE TRASH, CAN ROLL IT TO THE TRUCK, PUT IT ON THE LIFT, AND THEN THE LIFT EMPTIES IT INTO THE TRUCK, COMES BACK DOWN, THE WORKER HAS TO TAKE IT OFF THE LIFT, ROLL IT BACK, AND THEY'RE LEAVING THEM HALFWAY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET.
UH, SO NOT ONLY IN MY OPINION THAT THAT, THAT, I MEAN, THAT'S RIDICULOUS TO, TO, TO TO, TO BE THE FOURTH LARGEST CITY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
I CAN ONLY IMAGINE THAT WORK GOING TO ONLY LAST FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME AND HE'S GONNA END UP QUITTING.
UH, AND THEN, UH, THE DAMAGE OF THESE TRASH CANS WHEN SOMEBODY'S GONNA ACCIDENTALLY BACK OUT OF THEIR DRIVEWAY AND HIT 'EM.
SO THAT'S GONNA COST THE CITY MONEY.
UH, SO I'M HOPING WE GET SOME EQUIPMENT THAT'S ACTUALLY GOING TO, UH, BE BENEFICIAL FOR SOLID WASTE.
I THINK ANY EQUIPMENT, UH, THAT WE GET FOR SOLID WASTE IS BETTER THAN WHAT WE HAVE TODAY.
SAME THING WITH THE AMBULANCES.
ALL THE AMBULANCES WE HAVE, UH, 16 OF 'EM THAT ARE GOING TO THIS.
UH, WE'RE THINKING 16, BUT THEY'RE ALL GONNA BE TAKEN OUT OF, OUT OF, UH, SERVICE.
SO WE'RE TAKING 16 OUT AND PUTTING 16 BRAND NEW ONES IN.
SO HOPEFULLY THE SAME THING IS HAPPENING WITH SOLID WASTE.
ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION ON ITEM NUMBER 13? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OPPOSED? ITEM 13 PASSES.
ITEM 34 IS BEING TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON, WHO WAS NOT HERE LAST WEEK.
[02:20:01]
THANK YOU.NO, THIS COMPLETES THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.
COUNCIL MEMBER KNOX GETS OUTTA HERE FOR HIS NINE 20 MEETING.
WE WILL, UH, START TODAY WITH COUNCIL
[NON CONSENT - MATTERS TO BE PRESENTED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS]
MEMBER TIFFANY D. THOMASOH, COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO ANNOUNCE AGAIN THIS, UM, SATURDAY WE ARE HAVING OUR RED CROSS TRAINING FOR DISTRICT A.
SO IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED, IF THE IN THE AFTERMATH OF A DISASTER, WE'LL NEED VOLUNTEERS.
THIS ALSO ALLOWS YOU TO BRING RESOURCES INTO YOUR INDIVIDUAL NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO PLEASE JOIN US ON SATURDAY AT 9:00 AM AT ST.
UM, CONTACT MY OFFICE, UM, FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO SVP.
I FORGOT TO ANNOUNCE HAPPY 39TH BIRTHDAY TO OUR ONE AND ONLY POLL.
COUNCIL MEMBER EDWARD J. POLLARD, WHO IS OUTTA TOWN CELEBRATING HIS LAST YEARS BEFORE HE BECOMES AN OLD MAN.
COUNCIL MEMBER TARSHA JACKSON.
UM, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO, UM, LET THE CONSTITUENTS KNOW IN DISTRICT B THAT THE DISTRICT B MOW DOWN PROGRAM HAS BEEN PUT ON HOLD UNTIL WE WORK OUT FUNDING WITH, UM, CAREER RECOVERY.
UM, SO IF YOU'RE ON THE LIST AND YOU'RE EXPECTING TO GET YOUR YARD CUT, UM, OUR OFFICE, OUR STAFF WILL BE REACHING OUT WITH YOU TO CREATE, CREATE A PLAN, UM, TO LET YOU KNOW WHEN WE WILL BE OUT TO CUT YOUR YARD.
SO JUST WANTED TO SEND THAT ANNOUNCEMENT NOTE.
AS A REMINDER, WE HAVE A PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY COMMITTEE MEETING TOMORROW.
UM, THERE WERE SOME QUESTIONS POSED DURING THE BUDGETARY PROCESS ABOUT WHAT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS PROPOSING, UM, RELATED TO FIREARM INJURY DATA INTEGRATION AND WORKING WITH OUR TRAUMA CENTERS AND STANDARDIZING THAT REPORTING.
SO THE FULL REPORT AND PRESENTATION MAYOR PRO TEM IS COMING, UH, TO COMMITTEE.
UH, SO WE WILL HAVE THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT PRESENTING, UH, UTMB PEDIATRIC SURGEON DR.
UH, AND THEN WE'LL ALSO HAVE THE HPD PRESENTING ON THIS AS TO WHAT THEIR PARTICIPATION IS, WHY FROM HP D'S PERSPECTIVE THIS IS NEEDED, UM, AND SO FORTH.
SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT PRESENTATION AGAIN AT TWO 2:00 PM TOMORROW.
UH, LASTLY, WE, UH, SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORS AND RESIDENTS ALONG THE WASHINGTON AVENUE CORRIDOR ARE PARTNERING WITH A A RP, UM, TO DO A, AND, EXCUSE ME, THE CITIZENS TRANSPORTATION COALITION TO DO A WALK AUDIT FOR WASHINGTON AVENUE.
SO WE HAVE A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS AROUND THE NEED FOR SIDEWALKS, WALKABILITY RESIDENTS WILL LITERALLY BE GOING, UM, ON SATURDAY MORNINGS FOR 10 SESSIONS, UH, WALKING, STARTING AT 8:30 AM TO 10:00 AM UM, TO LITERALLY CAPTURE INFORMATION, TAKING PICTURES TO COMPILE THIS WALK AUDIT THAT CAN THEN BE USED, UM, FURTHER DOWN THE LINE FOR, UH, THE DOLLARS THAT WE'RE PROPOSING TO IMPROVE THE ENTIRE CORRIDOR.
UH, SO IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING, UH, YOU CAN REACH OUT TO SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 22 OR OUR OFFICE IF YOU WANNA REACH OUT DIRECTLY TO SN 22, UM, YOU CAN GO THROUGH THEIR FACEBOOK PAGE OR SEND THEM A MESSAGE AND WE'RE ALSO HAPPY TO CONNECT YOU, BUT WANTED TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THEM, UH, FOR LIFTING UP THE WORK OF A A RP THAT'S BEEN HAPPENING THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
BUT THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT EFFORT AND WE HOPE TO SEE MORE OF IT.
COUNCIL MEMBER CAROLYN, EVAN SHABA.
TIM, I WANT TO FIRST START OUT ON MONDAY, OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS ATTENDED THE COLUMBIA TAP TRAIL VISIONING WORKSHOP.
IT'S AN EXTRAORDINARY COMMITMENT AND, UM, AND THERE'S MUCH COMPASSION FOR THIS ENDEAVOR.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ROBINSON WAS AN ATTENDANCE.
UH, THEIR INSIGHTS AND AFFECTION FOR THE TRAIL AND COLLECTIVE ASPIRATION TO TRANSFORM IT INTO A CHERISHED SPACE WILL UNDOUBTEDLY SHAPE, SHAPE ITS FUTURE.
THIS COMMUNITY LED ENGAGEMENT PROMISES TO MAKE THE COLUMBIA TAP TRAIL A SYMBOL OF COMMUNITY STRENGTH, INCLUSIVITY, AND SHARED GROWTH.
UH, LAST NIGHT I HAD THE PROFOUND HONOR OF ATTENDING THE SEC SECOND ANNUAL RISE SCHOLARSHIP AWARD CEREMONY.
IT WAS A POSITIVE COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND MY BROTHER'S KEEPER.
AND SO IT WAS REALLY, REALLY A GREAT EVENT.
THEY HAD 20 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS.
UH, THE FREEPORT LNGS GAVE A GENEROUS $1 MILLION DONATION, WHICH SERVES AS THEIR TESTAMENT TO THEIR BELIEF IN OUR YOUTH YOUTH'S POTENTIAL.
ALSO, I WANT TO GIVE SOME ACCOLADES TO DR.
UH, HE WAS THE DIRECTOR OF THE TEXAS SOUTHERN AVIATION SCHOOL.
THE TSU AVIATION PROFESSIONAL PILOT PROGRAM WAS VOTED TO BECOME PROFESSIONALLY ACCREDITED BY THE AVIATION ACCREDITATION BOARD INTERNATIONAL.
[02:25:02]
THIS NATIONAL ACCREDITATION INCLUDES THE NUMBER ONE AND TWO AVIATION SCHOOLS IN THE COUNTRY, WHICH ARE PURDUE AND EMBRY RIDDLE.ALSO, UH, TSU IS THE SECOND HBCU IN HISTORY WITH AN IN-FLIGHT FLIGHT PROGRAM TO BE PROFESSIONALLY ACCREDITED.
AND SO I WANT TO GIVE MY KUDOS AND ACCOLADES TO DR.
TERRANCE FONTAINE AND HIS LEADERSHIP AT THE TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY.
UM, THERE'S A SN 67 MONTHLY MEETING ON THURSDAY NIGHT, UH, AT 6:00 PM IT IS IN PERSON OR VIRTUAL, AND IT'S AT THE THIRD WARD MULTI-SERVICE CENTER.
SO IF YOU'RE AVAILABLE, PLEASE ATTEND THE UH, SN SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 67 MEETING ON TOMORROW NIGHT AT 6:00 PM AND THAT CONCLUDES WHAT IS, I WANT TO GIVE, UH, EDWARD POLLARD, UH, MY HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AND, UH, PRAY THAT OUR COLLEAGUES TRAVEL SAFELY AND THAT THEY WILL RETURN.
BUT MAYBE THE MAYOR CAN MAKE HIS MEETINGS AS SHORT AS YOURS.
DAVE MARTIN FOR MAYOR ARE SHORT MEETINGS.
THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS TO DR.
COUNCIL MEMBER M ANNE HUFFMAN.
THERE'S A SLOGAN, UM, ON FRIDAY.
WE'LL CONTINUE OUR SUMMER MOVIE SERIES AT NOTTINGHAM PARK.
WE'LL BE SHOWING COOL RUNNINGS ONCE THE SUN GOES DOWN.
THE, UH, ASTROS ARE COMING WITH THE WORLD SERIES TROPHY AND THERE'S SOME OTHER GREAT SURPRISES.
SO JOIN US FRIDAY NIGHT NOTTINGHAM PARK.
AND THEN ALSO WE ARE HAVING ANOTHER CONVERSATION ON CRIME WITH, UH, POLICE CHIEF TROY FENNER.
THAT'S GONNA BE SEPTEMBER 14TH AT SIX 30 AT ST.
SO PUT THAT ON YOUR CALENDAR AND JOIN US FOR THAT.
I WAS DISAPPOINTED IN THE FOUR THREE LOSS LAST NIGHT, BUT YOUR DOWN'S COMING BACK.
SO HE IS PLAYING IN, UH, UH, FOR THE AAA TEAM TONIGHT.
SO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID MARTIN.
HEY, THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEMP
LAST WEEK WE HAD OUR, UM, OUR OFFICE THAT RECEIVED MANY CALLS REGARDING DELAYED PICKUP OF TRASH FROM SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT.
WHEN TO LET RESIDENTS KNOW THAT THESE DELAYS WERE DUE TO THE BACK-TO-BACK HOLIDAYS.
WE HAD RECENTLY, UH, JUNETEENTH AND 4TH OF JULY, WHICH PUTS THE DEPARTMENT BEHIND ON SERVICES, UH, SUCH AS RECYCLING, WHICH WE'RE HAVING A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULTY WITH, BUT THEY'LL BE BACK ON ON TRACK SOON.
OUR OFFICE PUT OUT A PRESS RELEASE REGARDING THE DELAYS BEING EXPECTED, AND RESIDENTS MAY FIND IT ON OUR WEBSITE OR OUR FACEBOOK PAGE.
SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT IS DOING ALL THAT THEY CAN TO CATCH UP ON SERVICE.
PLEASE DO NOT, PLEASE DO LET OUR OFFICE KNOW IF YOU EXPERIENCED EXCESSIVE DELAYS AND THE DISTRICT E OFFICE WILL DO ALL THAT WE CAN TO ASSIST THE LONG AWAITED CRENSHAW ROAD RECONSTRUCTION PROBLEM PROJECT.
IT IS A PROJECT IS OFFICIALLY UNDERWAY.
I REMEMBER MY FIRST DAY IN OFFICE, 10 AND A HALF YEARS AGO, I WAS, TOOK A RIDE DOWN SHAVER ROAD IN CRENSHAW ROAD AND WE FIXED SHAVER AND CRENSHAW'S.
BEEN A LONG TIME COMING AS COMES, MEMBER GALLEGOS AND COMES MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ NEWS.
UH, SO THOSE FOLKS ARE WELL DESERVED OF A PROJECT, AND THIS PROJECT IS A JOINT PARTICIPATION WITH HARRIS COUNTY PRECINCT TWO, ADRIAN GARCIA AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
THE PURPOSE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO RECONSTRUCT AND RESTORE THIS HIGHLY USED ROAD SO THAT RESIDENTS CAN ENJOY IT FOR MANY, MANY YEARS TO COME.
CONSTRUCTION IS EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED BY THE END OF THE MONTH WEATHER PERMITTING.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT GALLEGOS.
THE CHRONICLE REPORTED THIS PAST TUESDAY THAT THE GOVERNOR HAS A NEW POLICY OFFICERS WORKING FOR GOVERNOR ABBOTT'S BORDER SECURITY INITIATIVE HAVE BEEN ORDERED TO PUSH SMALL CHILDREN AND MISSING BABIES OR NURSING BABIES BACK INTO THE BO RIO GRANDE, AND HAVE BEEN TOLD NOT TO GIVE WATER TO ASYLUM SEEKERS EVEN IN EXTREME HEAT.
ACCORDING TO AN EMAIL FROM A DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY TROOPER WHO DESCRIBED THE ACTIONS AS IAN HU MAINE, THE THE STATE HAS STRUNG MILES OF RAZOR WIRE AND DEPLOYED A WALL OF BUOYS IN THE RIO GRANDE.
ACCORDING TO THE EMAIL, A PREGNANT WOMAN HAVING A MISCARRIAGE WAS FOUND LATE LAST MONTH, CAUGHT IN THE WIRE, DOUBLED OVER IN PAIN.
A 4-YEAR-OLD GIRL PASSED OUT FROM HEAT EXHAUSTION AFTER SHE TRIED TO GO THROUGH IT AND WAS PUSHED BACK BY TEXAS NATIONAL GUARDSMAN.
A TEENAGER BROKE HIS LEG TRYING TO NAVIGATE THE WATER AROUND THE WIRE AND HAD TO BE CARRIED BY HIS FATHER.
THE EMAIL WISHED THE TROOPER SENT TO A SUPERIOR SUGGESTS THAT TEXAS HAS SET UP TRAPS OF RAZOR WIRE WRAP BARRELS IN PARTS OF THE RIVER
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WITH HIGH WATER AND LOW VISIBILITY.AND IT SAYS THE WIRE HAS INCREASED THE RISK OF DROWNINGS BY FORCING MIGRANTS INTO DEEPER STRETCHES OF THE RIVER.
THE TROOPER CALLED FOR THE SERIES OF RIGOROUS POLICY CHANGES TO IMPROVE SAFETY FOR MIGRANTS, INCLUDING REMOVING THE BARRELS AND REVOKING THE DIRECTIVE IN ON WITHHOLDING WATER.
AND IF YOU RECALL, GOVERNOR ABBOTT PASSED HIGH HOUSE BILL 2127, WHICH GOES INTO EFFECT IN SEPTEMBER, A LAW THAT WILL ELIMINATE CITY AND COUNTY ORDINANCES LIKE AUSTINS AND DALLAS TO MANDATE WATER BREAKS, WHICH WILL HIT CONSTRUCTION WORKERS HARD.
AND MANY OF THESE CONSTRUCTION WORKERS ARE LATINO.
THE DPS TROOPER'S EMAIL DETAILS, FOUR INCIDENTS IN JUST ONE DAY IN WHICH MIGRANTS WERE CAUGHT IN THE WIRE OR INJURED TRYING TO GET AROUND IT.
IN ANOTHER INSTANCE, TROOPERS FOUND A 19-YEAR-OLD WOMAN IN OBVIOUS PAIN STUCK IN THE WIRE.
IN ANOTHER INSTANCE, ON JUNE 25TH, TROOPERS CAME ACROSS A GROUP OF 120 PEOPLE CAMPED OUT ALONG A FENCE SET UP ALONG THE RIVER.
THE GROUP INCLUDED SEVERAL SMALL CHILDREN AND BABIES WHO WERE NURSING.
THE TROOPER WROTE THE ENTIRE GROUP WAS EXHAUSTED, HUNGRY AND TIRED.
THE TROOPER WROTE, THE CHIEF OFFICER IN COMMAND ORDERED THE TROOPERS TO PUSH THE PEOPLE BACK INTO THE WATER TO GO TO MEXICO.
GOVERNOR, THIS IS NOT A POLITICAL FOOTBALL.
THESE ARE HUMAN BEINGS, AND THESE WERE BLONDE-HEADED, BLUE-EYED CHILDREN.
WOULD THIS BE THE POLICY TO PULL THE, PUSH THESE CHILDREN BACK INTO THE RIVER? AGAIN, GOVERNOR, THIS IS NOT A POLITICAL FOOTBALL.
IT'S NOT FOR YOU TO GO SOMEWHERE ELSE ON YOUR POLITICAL CAREER TO MAKE THESE POLICIES.
THESE ARE HUMAN BEINGS, GOVERNOR, AND ALL I CAN ASK IS HOW DO YOU SLEEP AT NIGHT? COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID ROBINSON.
UH, THANK YOU, MAYOR PRAM, TEM BETH, COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN, COUNCIL MEMBER CAROLYN EVANS SHABAZZ.
UH, IN CONTINUATION, UH, I WANNA SUPPORT WHAT MY, UH, COLLEAGUE IS SAYING.
INHUMANE TREATMENT IS BEYOND APPALLING AND UNACCEPTABLE.
BUT I ALSO WANNA HIGHLIGHT THE, UH, INHUMANE TREATMENT OF PRISONERS IN OUR SYSTEM WITH NO AIR CONDITIONING.
UM, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
UH, WE CERTAINLY REALIZE THAT SOME OF THEM ARE THERE, UH, JUSTIFIABLY, BUT IT'S CERTAINLY IS NOT AN OPPORTUNITY TO TREAT THEM IN A MANNER, ESPECIALLY WITH THE AIR CONDITIONING, UH, THE, THE, UH, TEMPERATURES, WHAT THEY ARE.
UH, WE HAVE AIR CONDITIONING IN OUR, UH, KENNELS AND PLACES WHERE OUR ANIMALS ARE HOUSED.
AND SO CERTAINLY, UH, HUMAN BEINGS SHOULD BE AFFORDED THAT AS WELL.
AND SO, THANK YOU, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS FOR HIGHLIGHTING THAT BECAUSE THAT, JUST TO THINK OF WHAT THEY ARE GOING THROUGH AND THE AGONY, YOU KNOW, THE LADY THAT WAS CAUGHT IN THE WIRE THAT LOST HER CHILD IS JUST SOMETHING BEYOND MY BELIEF.
AND SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT FORWARD.
COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CAYMAN, I, I TOO WANTED TO ECHO WHAT BOTH OF MY COLLEAGUES HAD SAID.
SO COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS, FIRST AND FOREMOST, THANK YOU FOR YOUR VOICE ON THIS.
UM, I THINK WE'VE ALL BEEN READING THE HEADLINES AND HORRIFIED THAT THIS IS HAPPENING IN OUR STATE.
UM, UM, AND IT, YOU KNOW, THE GOVERNOR HAS PRETTY MUCH SAID ON RECORD, HE DOES NOT CARE WHAT INTERNATIONAL LAW SAYS.
HE DOES NOT CARE WHAT TREATIES SAY.
HE DOES NOT CARE WHAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SAYS.
UM, THERE'S BEEN FEDERAL, UM, BORDER PATROL AGENTS THAT HAVE BEEN PREVENTED FROM ACCESSING THE RIVER TO AID OR ASSIST BECAUSE OF THE BARBED WIRE THAT'S BEEN PUT UP.
AND YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT THIS COUNTRY STANDS FOR, GIVE ME, YOU'RE TIRED, YOU'RE POOR, YOUR HUDDLED MASSES YEARNING TO BE FREE.
THIS COULD NOT BE MORE ANTITHETICAL TO WHAT AS A NATION WE STAND FOR AND ARE.
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WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR VOICE ON THAT.UM, AND ALSO TO COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ FOR SPOTLIGHTING, UM, BECAUSE IT, IT'S THE LACK OF AC HAS ALREADY LED TO AT LEAST 10 DEATHS STATEWIDE ON RECORD, BUT THERE'S ALSO, I BELIEVE 14 THAT, UM, RELATED TO THE HEAT, 10 DEATHS, BUT AT LEAST 14 OTHERS THAT HAVE BEEN, UM, CAUSE OF DEATH IS NOT YET DETERMINED.
UH, AND THAT'S STATEWIDE, BUT AGAIN, IN PRISONS THAT DO NOT HAVE A AIR CONDITIONING WHEN WE'RE SEEING RECORD HEAT THROUGHOUT THE STATE, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO.
SO COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ, THANK YOU.
I KNOW WE'VE PARTNERED IN THE PAST ON EFFORTS, UM, REGARDING OUR, OUR PRISON SYSTEM AND OUR JAILS.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, TO NOT BE SPEAKING OUT ABOUT THIS, UH, WOULD NOT BE DOING IT JUSTICE FOR THOSE THAT DON'T HAVE A VOICE RIGHT NOW.
COUNCIL MEMBER TARSHA JACKSON, THANK YOU.
AND, UM, TO MY COLLEAGUES, I ECHO YOU GUYS.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS, I WAS READING A PAPER THIS MORNING AND IT JUST HURT MY HEART, UM, TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON AND HEAR WHAT WAS GOING ON AT THE BORDERS.
UM, THESE ARE KIDS, THESE ARE HUMAN BEINGS AND WE SHOULD NOT BE TREATING PEOPLE, UM, SUCH.
AND SO, UM, I STAND WITH YOU AND COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, SHABAZZ, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THE, THE AC ISSUES WITHIN THE PRISON SYSTEMS UP.
MANY OF YOU KNOW THAT I HAVE A SON, UM, THAT'S IN PRISON, THAT'S BEEN IN PRISON FOR 14 YEARS.
AND, UM, I VISITED WITH HIM ON SUNDAY AND IT WAS HOT, YOU KNOW, AND HE TALKED ABOUT THE HEAT AND YOU KNOW, HOW HE'S BEEN THERE SO LONG TO WHERE HE'S JUST BECOME IMMUNE TO IT, YOU KNOW? AND NO ONE SHOULD LIVE IN THOSE TYPE OF CONDITIONS.
YOU KNOW, NO ONE, I DON'T CARE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR ACTIONS.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE HOLDING THEM ACCOUNTABLE, BUT WE SHOULD NOT, UM, TREAT THEM INHUMANE.
AND SO I STAND WITH MY COLLEAGUES.
UM, I AGREE WE HAVE TO START SPEAKING UP ON THESE ISSUES.
AND I KNOW I HAVEN'T DONE A VERY GOOD JOB OVER THE PAST YEAR SPEAKING UP ON IT, BUT IT'S A NEW DAY.
AND THE YOUNG LADY WHO CAME IN HERE YESTERDAY AND TALKED ABOUT TEXAS, YOU KNOW, HOW HORRIBLE TEXAS IS TO PEOPLE.
WE RATED THE LOWEST IN TREATING, UM, OUR, OUR CONSTITUENTS AND OUR CITIZENS.
AND SO, UM, I'M GONNA STAND WITH MY COLLEAGUES ON THESE THINGS.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR BRINGING IT UP.
COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID ROBINSON.
UH, I'M NOT GONNA LET YOU GO DOWN LIKE THAT.
'CAUSE YOU'VE BEEN CONTRIBUTING MIGHTILY TO THIS COUNCIL.
AND YOU LEAD BY EXAMPLE WITH YOUR SERVICE AND YOUR DEDICATION.
A MOMENT AGO, I, I PASSED BECAUSE I WAS SPEECHLESS AT, UH, WHAT WAS READ OUT LOUD FOR THE PUBLIC RECORD.
AND, UH, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS FOR, UM, SPEAKING OUT AND CALLING OUT GOVERNOR ABBOTT.
UM, YOU KNOW, TO THINK OF THESE CRUEL AND UNUSUAL POLICIES IN THE STATE OF TEXAS THAT ARE INDISCRIMINATELY, UM, PUNISHING, UM, BOTH IMMIGRANTS AND PRISONERS IN THE WAYS THAT WE'VE JUST DISCUSSED, IS ABSOLUTELY AN EMBARRASSMENT TO THE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND TO THINK THAT IT'S DONE, UH, ON OUR BEHALF BY OUR LEADERSHIP, UH, TO THOSE THE LEAST, THE LAST AND THE LOST.
UM, IN A STATE WHERE WE BRAG ABOUT OUR FAITH AND ABOUT OUR RELIGIOUS CULTURE, I FIND IT ANTITHETICAL TO CHRISTIANITY AND FOR WHAT THAT IS WORTH.
UM, HARD TO IMAGINE IF GOVERNOR ABBOTT IS SLEEPING AT NIGHT COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS, AND IF HE'S DOING SO, UM, HOW HE CAN RECONCILE THAT WITH HIS FAITH.
SO, UH, THOSE ARE MY REMARKS FOR THIS WEEK.
AND WE WILL ADJOURN THE MEETING IN HONOR OF OUR COLLEAGUE, MR. ED POLLARD, WHO'S CELEBRATING HIS 39TH BIRTHDAY.
AND WISHING SAFE TRAVELS TO OUR DELEGATION THAT WE'LL RETURN HOME NEXT WEEK.