[Press Conference: "Reed Road Urban Prairie & Park Grand Opening]
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IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO MENTION ONCE AGAIN, THAT 36% OF EVERYTHING NEW HOPE HOUSING HAS BEEN ABLE TO DO HAS BEEN DONE UNDER YOUR ADMINISTRATION.
IT'S AN EXTRAORDINARY RECORD AND WE ARE SO VERY GRATEFUL TO YOU.
I, I HAVE TO CONFESS TO YOU IS RATHER LIKE WHEN I JOINED NEW HOPE HOUSING, I, I HEARD ABOUT THIS LITTLE JOB.
YOU MAY RECALL I'M NEW HOPE HOUSING'S FIRST EMPLOYEE, AND I WAS PART-TIME IN 1996 AND UH, I, I HEARD ABOUT THIS JOB AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I THOUGHT, OH, PICK ME, PICK ME.
AND WHEN THIS PRAIRIE FIRST WAS MENTIONED, UH, IT WAS ACTUALLY, I, I WENT TO THE, UH, PRESS CONFERENCE ANNOUNCING RESILIENT HOUSTON.
AND I HEARD THAT THERE WAS GOING TO BE A DEMONSTRATION PROJECT AND IT WAS GOING TO BE A PRAIRIE.
AND I THOUGHT, OH, THERE'S SOME LAND AT READ IT NOW.
IT BELONGS TO STAR OF HOPE, BUT I THINK HANK WILL THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA TOO.
AND SO I WAS PICK US, PICK US
IT SEEMED TO ME THAT YOU WOULD JUST THROW A FEW SEEDS AROUND AND, AND IT WOULD BE OKAY.
NOR DID I HAVE ANY IDEA HOW EXPENSIVE IT WAS GOING TO BE TO DEVELOP A PRAIRIE.
THERE WERE TIMES I WONDERED, BUT WE GOT IT DONE THANKS TO NATIONAL FISH AND WILDLIFE, TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON, TO THE BROWN FOUNDATION, TO THE ESTATE OF MARK WILSON, ONE OF OUR LONG TIME BOARD MEMBERS WHO HAS PASSED AND TO THE FRIENDS AND FAMILY OF SANFORD KRINER WHO MADE GIFTS ON A VERY SPECIAL BIRTHDAY OF SANFORD.
SO WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL TO BE A PART OF A GREEN ECOSYSTEM IN THE CITY, AND IMPORTANT PART OF RESILIENT HOUSTON.
THIS EIGHT ACRE PRAIRIE AND REED PARK OVER HERE IS STILL UNDER DEVELOPMENT.
AND NOT ONLY WILL IT HAVE A BUTTERFLY GARDEN AND UH, ALSO A VEGETABLE GARDEN, A COMMUNITY GARDEN.
IT ALSO HAS AN EARTHWORM FARM.
SO I'M NOT REALLY SURE HOW I FEEL ABOUT THAT PART, BUT IT'S, UM, IT'S TO BE, UH, CONTINUED AND I HOPE IN THE SPRING, UH, MAYOR TURNER THAT YOU WILL COME, YOU'LL BE OUT OF OFFICE.
MAYBE YOU'LL HAVE A LITTLE SPARE TIME AND WE CAN TAKE A WALK BECAUSE THERE'S A WALKING PATH ALL AROUND THE PRAIRIE.
AND I WOULD LOVE TO TAKE A WALK FOR YOU, WITH YOU AND FOR YOU TO SEE THE FLOWERS THAT WILL BE THERE AT THAT TIME OF YEAR.
AND HANK WOULD YOU JOIN ME HERE BECAUSE OF THE, THIS CAMPUS IS THE BRAINCHILD REALLY OF STAR OF HOPE, AND WE WERE SO FORTUNATE TO BE INVITED TO PURCHASE EIGHT ACRES OF LAND HERE WHERE OUR BUILDING IS AND TO BUILD A HUNDRED AND EIGHTY SEVEN ONE TWO AND THREE BEDROOM APARTMENT HOMES SERVING FORMERLY HOMELESS FAMILIES AND THOSE AT RISK.
AND THAT WAS AT HANK'S INVITATION.
AND THIS, UH, CAMPUS HAS BEEN, CORNERSTONE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED BY THE URBAN LAND INSTITUTE, THE GLOBAL PREMIER INSTITUTE THAT CONCERNS ITSELF WITH RESPONSIBLE LAND USE WITH AN INTERNATIONAL AWARD.
AND THE PRAIRIE WAS JUST A GLEAM IN OUR EYE AT THAT POINT.
AND IF YOU COULD SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT WHAT YOU HAVE IN MIND FOR THIS CAMPUS.
THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE.
THIS IS QUITE A VISION AND IT'S AMAZING TO SEE HOW THIS HAS UNFOLDED.
MAYOR, ATTORNEY, YOU'VE BEEN A PART OF IT FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.
I'VE BEEN AT STAR HOPE 16 YEARS NOW, AND YOU'VE HELPED AND ENDORSED AND GUIDED, WORKED WITH US ON MANY, MANY THINGS.
AND THIS IS THE CROWN JEWEL OF ANYTHING WE'VE DONE IN A LONG TIME.
WE STAR HOPE AND CERTAINLY WITH ALL THE GREAT PARTNERS, JOY AND YOU HAVE HOUSING AND IT'S, IT'S A JOY TO SERVE HERE.
STAR OF HOPE SERVES THOUSANDS, ABOUT 3000 HOMELESS WOMEN AND CHILDREN, UH, SINGLE PARENT, FAMILY, SINGLE MOMS, SINGLE DADS AND KIDS, AND THEN SINGLE WOMEN IN THAT CAMPUS OVER THERE.
AND THESE ARE FOLKS COMING RIGHT OFF THE STREETS, ARE ABOUT TO BE HOMELESS OR HAVE BEEN HOMELESS.
SO THAT'S WHAT ALL THAT'S ABOUT OVER THERE ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE CAMPUS.
AND AS THEY MOVE THROUGH THOSE PROGRAMS AND BECOME SUCCESSFUL AND READY, THEY CAN
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ACTUALLY GO TO WORK.THEY CAN STAY WITH TARBUCKS AS LONG AS THEY WANT.
WE DON'T CHARGE ANYTHING TO OUR CLIENTS 'CAUSE NO FEE FOR ANYTHING WE DO, AS LONG AS THEY'RE STAYING ACTIVE AND PLUGGED INTO PROGRAMS. IT'S LIKE A LITTLE SMALL COLLEGE AND THEY'RE MOVING ALONG.
AND THEN WHEN THEY GET THEIR JOB, THEY'VE GOT AN INCOME, THEY CAN MOVE INTO NEW HOPE HOUSING HERE OR OTHER NEW HOPE PROPERTIES AROUND THE CITY AND BE SUCCESSFUL, INDEPENDENT.
SO THE WHOLE GOAL IS TO GET 'EM THROUGH IT, GET 'EM INDEPENDENT AGAIN, AND HELP 'EM STAY THAT WAY LONG TERM.
AND SO IT'S BEEN A WONDERFUL PROPERTY.
STAR HOPE IS PLANNING A COMPLETE DIVISION PHASE.
NOW THIS PROPERTY'S BEEN IN PLACE SIX OR SEVEN, EIGHT YEARS.
SO OUT ON THE FRONT PARTS OF THE CAMPUS, WE'RE GONNA PUT TWO NEW BUILDINGS IN A COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTER THAT WILL HAVE COMMUNITY SERVICE PROVIDERS FROM ALL OVER THE CITY IN EVERY DAY.
AND A LITTLE HOTELING KIND OF CONCEPT WHERE PEOPLE IN THIS WHOLE SOUTH HOUSTON AREA, WHICH IS BOOMING AND GROWING AND HOMELESSNESS IS DOWN HERE TOO.
SO ALL THAT CAN BE SERVED THROUGH THIS DAY SERVICE CENTER THAT WILL BE THERE IN A CHILDCARE CENTER FOR 178 CHILDREN.
WE'RE GONNA PROVIDE AND OPERATE FREE OF CHARGE TO PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING HERE AT NEW
AND IT WILL HELP THEM WITH THAT NEED.
THEY'LL PAY A SMALL, SMALL FEE FOR THAT KIND OF AN ANCHOR FEE, UH, COMMITMENT FEE KIND THING.
BUT THEY WILL HAVE VERY GOOD CHILDCARE.
THEY'RE PROVIDED AS AN EXTENSION OF THE CHILDCARE
THAT BUILDING RIGHT THERE IS A CHILDCARE CENTER FOR 250 KIDS A A DAY.
AND THAT'LL ADD ANOTHER 170 EIGHTH.
IT'LL BE JUST FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE INDEPENDENT NOW AND TRY AND LET THEIR PARENTS GO TO WORK.
SO IT'S JUST A WONDERFUL VISION IN CAMPUS.
AND ALL OF YOU HERE, I'VE GOT SOME ROLE IN IT SOMEHOW OR ANOTHER.
MAYOR TURNER, YOU HAVE BEEN A JOY.
I REMEMBER THE DAY TO WORK WITH ON THIS.
I REMEMBER THE DAY WE WERE OUT HERE, YOU CAME TO VISIT AND THE BUS, YOU, THE BUS SERVICE WAS TRYING TO GET FIGURED OUT AND THERE WAS SOME GUYS OUT THERE WORKING AND HE SAID, WHAT DO YOU NEED THE MOST OUT HERE, HANK? WE SAID, WE NEED THAT BUS TO COME IN 'CAUSE WE'RE MOVING PEOPLE IN AND THE BUS GUYS ARE STILL FIGURING IT ALL OUT.
SO HE MADE A COUPLE OF CALLS AND HELPED OUT AND, AND PRETTY SOON THAT GOT ALL FIGURED OUT.
IT WAS JUST A MIRACLE, YOU KNOW, PRETTY AMAZING.
SO, SO I DUNNO IF THAT WAS YOUR GREATEST CONTRIBUTION, BUT THERE WERE MANY AND HE CAME AND SPOKE TO ALL AT OUR GRAND OPENING FOR ALL THIS.
SO YOU HAVE BEEN A VERY INSTRUMENTAL PART, SIR, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SPECIAL GIFT OF THIS PLACE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR TURNER.
AND IF YOU WOULD JOIN ME HERE, WE WOULD LOVE TO KNOW WHAT YOU THINK OF WHAT YOU'VE ACCOMPLISHED BECAUSE WE KNOW WHAT WE THINK.
AND LOOK, LET ME JUST SAY THAT, UM, UH, IT HAS BEEN A, WE AND I UNDERSCORE WE WE ALL CAPS, UH, AS WHAT HAS WHAT'S TAKEN PLACE, UH, HERE ON THIS, ON THIS CAMPUS.
UM, HANK LET ME, LET ME THANK YOU AND STAR OF HOPE, UH, BECAUSE IT WAS WHAT, ALMOST EIGHT YEARS AGO THAT WE WERE INITIALLY HERE.
AND, AND THEN TO SEE HOW THINGS HAVE UNFOLDED AND DEVELOPED AND PROGRESS.
UH, YOU MENTIONED 3000, UH, FAMILY MEMBERS AND, AND THEN, UM, TRANSITIONING THEM, UH, FROM THE STREETS, ESPECIALLY MOTHERS AND THEIR CHILDREN.
AND THEN, UH, STABILIZING THEM, STANDING THEM UP.
UM, AND THEN, UH, PARTNERING WITH, UH, UM, NEW HOPE HOUSING, UH, KEN, THANK YOU AS CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD.
UM, SO AS THEY MOVE THROUGH ONE PHASE OF THEIR LIFE, UH, THEY CAN THEN GO TO THE SECOND PHASE WITH NEW HOPE HOUSING.
UH, I MEAN, IT'S SIMPLY AMAZING.
I SAY THAT BECAUSE SOME, UH, PEOPLE TALK ABOUT, UH, HAVEN FOR HOPE IN SAN ANTONIO.
UH, BUT QUITE FRANKLY, PEOPLE IN SAN ANTONIO ARE LOOKING AT WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE, YOU KNOW, ON THIS CAMPUS.
UM, WHICH I BELIEVE IS A PRETTY GOOD MODEL AND ONE THAT IS WORKING.
AND I NOW, UH, TO ADD TO IT, THE PRAIRIE ALONG WITH THE PARK, UM, IT'S JUST A BEAUTIFUL COMPLEX.
GIVE IT UP TO THEM OR GIVE IT UP TO THEM, YOU KNOW, LOOK, UM, I'M THE, I'M DELIGHTED TO STAND HERE WITH YOU TODAY AS WE UNVEIL A BEAUTIFUL ADDITION, UH, TO OUR COMMUNITY, UH, THE REED ROAD, URBAN PRAIRIE AND PARK A PROJECT THAT IS ESSENTIAL, UH, TO OUR ENVIRONMENT, THE COMMUNITY, AND TO OUR QUALITY OF LIFE.
UH, IT IS ALWAYS GOOD TO BE, UH, WITH, UM, YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, WHERE THIS BEAUTIFUL COMPLEX IS SITUATED IN DISTRICT D, UH, WHICH IS, UM, AFFECTIONATELY
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REFERRED TO AS THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION, UM, BY COUNCIL MEMBER CAROLYN EVANS CHABA.PLEASE GIVE IT UP TO THE COUNCIL MEMBER.
AND WE ARE HERE BY, WITH THE LARGE COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, REPRESENTING THE CITY OF HOUSTON AS A WHOLE.
PLEASE GET UP TO COUNCIL MEMBER STANLEY ALCO.
LOOK, IT'S AN HONOR TO HAVE YOU ALL HERE TO CELEBRATE, UH, THIS OCCASION IN THIS INCREDIBLE CORNERSTONE COMMUNITY AND WHAT WE HAVE HERE, FIVE ACRES OF PRAIRIE ECOSYSTEM WITHIN A 48 ACRE HOUSING CAMPUS, WHERE WE CAN HIGHLIGHT HOW CLIMATE ADAPTATION STRATEGIES CAN OPERATE WITHIN OUR URBAN SETTING.
AND I'M STANDING HERE, BUT I WANT TO GIVE A GREAT DEAL OF CREDIT, UH, AS IT RELATES TO THE CITY, UH, TO PRIYA ZACHARIA AND TO HER TEAM.
IN FACT, IF YOU ARE WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY, JUST KIND OF WAVED YOUR HAND PREVIOUS HERE, BUT GIVE IT UP TO THIS TEAM BECAUSE I SAY THAT, UH, JOYCE, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT RESILIENCE, UH, AND YOU WERE ASKED WHEN WE RESILIENT HOUSTON PLAN, UH, QUITE FRANKLY, UM, IT IS THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY ALONG WITH, UH, THE UNITED NATIONS, UH, THAT IS NOW CURRENTLY LOOKING AT, UH, THE CITY.
THERE IS NO CITY THAT THEY HAVE DESIGNATED AS A CITY OF RESILIENCE, NONE.
UH, AND THEY'VE BEEN HAVING A HARD TIME TRYING TO PINPOINT ONE.
WELL, NOW THE CONVERSATION HAS TURNED TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND THEY BELIEVE, UM, THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS THE CLOSEST ONE, YOU KNOW, TO BE ABLE TO GET THAT DESIGNATION FROM THE UNITED NATIONS.
AND SO WE HAVE, UM, THE PEOPLE HERE, DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AND OTHERS WHO ARE WORKING WITH UNITED NATIONS AND NOW WORKING WITH THE CITY, UH, TO SEE IF WE CAN GET THERE AND, UH, OR A GREAT DEAL OF CREDIT TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF RESERVES AND SUSTAINABILITY AND TO WHAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT HERE.
BECAUSE QUITE FRANKLY, THIS BECOMES ANOTHER EXAMPLE THAT THEY CAN, THAT THEY CAN POINT TO.
UH, THE PARK WILL INCLUDE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS CONSISTING OF GARDENING, RAINWATER, HARVESTING, BUTTERFLY GARDENS, EARTH AND JOY.
I'M WITH YOU ON THIS EARTH, WARM, WARM FORMING
THE JOURNEY TO BRING THIS PRAIRIE AND PARK TO LIFE HAS BEEN A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT, UM, A TESTAMENT TO THE STRENGTH AND UNITY OF OUR COMMUNITY WITH STAR OF HOPE.
AND I CAN TELL YOU JUST HOW, HOW BIG I AM ON THE STAR OF HOPE.
UM, WHAT AN INCREDIBLE JOB THAT THEY HAVE DONE AND CONTINUE TO DO.
NEW HOPE HOUSING HAS JUST BEEN DOING A YEOMAN'S JOB, UM, MAKING THINGS HAPPENING, TRANSITIONING PEOPLE, UH, OFF THE STREETS, PROVIDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING AT ALL LEVELS.
WHETHER IT'S 30%, 6%, 80%, THEY ARE GETTING IT DONE.
THE CITY AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, UH, RECEIVING SOME SUSTAINABILITY AND ALL OF THE OTHER PARTNERS, UH, STAR OF HOPE HAS GRACELY ALLOWED US TO USE THEIR LAND, UH, FOR THIS PROJECT AND JOIN HER TEAM AT NEW HOPE HOUSING, UH, HAVE ALLOWED US TO DEMONSTRATE RESILIENCE PRINCIPLES AT CORNERSTONE.
AND I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROJECT MANAGERS AT A GCM, UH, THAT DROVE THIS INITIATIVE FROM ITS INCEPTION.
UH, JOY MENTIONED THAT, UM, UH, RESTORING A PRAIRIE IS NOT NECESSARILY EASY, CAN BE SOMETIMES A LITTLE COMPLICATED.
AND IT'S NOT A MATTER OF, YOU KNOW, PUTTING A HUNDRED DOLLARS OUT THERE AND WATCHING IT GROW.
UH, SO IT CAN BE A LITTLE BIT COSTLY.
AND WHAT WE ARE SEEING HERE UNFOLD, UM, HAS COST ABOUT A MILLION TOO.
SO GIVE IT UP TO ALL OF THESE PARTNERSHIPS THAT CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN.
AND OF COURSE, I CERTAINLY WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE NATIONAL FISH AND WILDLIFE FOUNDATION AND THEIR COMMITMENT TO ENSURING THAT COMMUNITIES HAVE ACCESS TO GREEN SPACE AND NATURE.
IF YOU WOULD, UH, UH, THE, UH, NATIONAL FISH AND WILDLIFE JUST RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU'RE HERE TODAY.
WELL GIVE IT UP TO THEM 'CAUSE THEY HAVE PARTNERED WITH US ON ANOTHER ONE OF AN INITIATIVE.
LASTLY, GREEN SPACES ARE THE HEART AND SOUL OF ANY THRIVING COMMUNITY AND EMBEDDING E ELEMENTS OF RESILIENCE IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
IT ALLOWS US TO BUILD AN ECOSYSTEM THAT THRIVES AND ALLOWS NATURE TO FLOURISH, WHILE ALSO ALLOWING PEOPLE TO HAVE SPACES FOR RECREATION, RELAXATION,
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AND CONNECTION.AND THIS PROJECT WILL BUILD ON OUR COMMITMENT TO ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP.
THE URBAN PAIRING AND PARK INCORPORATES SUSTAINABLE DESIGN ELEMENTS FROM NATIVE PLANT LANDSCAPING TO RAIN GARDENS.
WE CONTINUE TO PRIORITIZE RESILIENCE IN OUR ENVIRONMENT AND HAVE CREATED A SPACE THAT FUTURE GENERATIONS CAN ENJOY.
UH, AT THE END OF THIS MONTH, UH, I WILL NO LONGER BE MAYOR.
THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT WHAT WE ARE DOING TODAY IS THAT THE PRAIRIE IS NOT TERM LIMITED.
AND EVEN THOUGH WE, EVEN THOUGH WE COME AND GO, WHAT WE ARE DOING HERE TODAY WILL LAST IF WE TAKE CARE OF IT FOR GENERATIONS.
THAT'S THE RESILIENCE THAT WE ARE SPEAKING TO.
AND RESILIENCE IS NOT PREDICATED ON A PERSONALITY.
RESILIENCE IS PREDICATED ON BUILDING A STRONGER SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY.
AND THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE TODAY.
AND WHAT A HOLIDAY GIFT THAT WE ARE ALL GIVEN TO THIS CITY AND FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
THANK YOU ALSO VERY, VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBER EVANS SHABA.
YOUR DISTRICT IS CERTAINLY A BIG DESTINATION FOR US.
AND I KNOW THAT YOU ARE SO MUCH ABOUT A SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY, AND YOU HEARD TODAY WHAT HANK HAS IN MIND AND THAT WE ARE INCREASINGLY REACHING OUTSIDE OF OURSELVES AND THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN OUR BUILDINGS TO OFFER TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND IN THIS APARTMENT BUILDING THAT'S RIGHT BEHIND YOU, THERE'S A BEZOS ACADEMY TUITION FREE PRESCHOOL FOR THREE AND FOUR YEAR OLDS THAT OPERATES ON A LOTTERY.
SO IT'S FAIR FOR NEIGHBORHOOD ENTRY.
AND THERE'S ALSO A SMALL CLINIC THAT'S OPERATED BY HEALTHCARE FOR THE HOMELESS.
AND CARLY BROWN IS HERE WITH US TODAY.
SO WE ARE, UH, HARD AT WORK AND WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WELCOMING US INTO YOUR DISTRICT.
I SOUND SOMEWHAT LIKE A CHIPMUNK, SO I ALMOST WANNA SAY WHAT HE SAID, WHAT SHE SAID, AND TAKE A SEAT.
BUT CERTAINLY IT IS A GREAT HONOR FOR ME TO BE HERE FOR THIS GRAND OPENING OF THIS URBAN PRAIRIE AND REED PARK RESILIENCY PROJECT HERE AT THE NEW HOPE HOUSING.
THIS IS SUCH A TREMENDOUS PLACE TO BE KNOWING THAT SO MANY PEOPLE ARE GIVING NEW STARTS TO THEIR OWN LIVES.
THEY'RE ABLE TO GET ON THEIR FEET AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THE SUPPORT THAT IS NEEDED.
AND SO THAT BRINGS ME GREAT JOY AND OF CERTAINLY I WANT TO THANK YOU JOY.
JOY, HOW ABOUT THAT JOY
SO YOU ARE CERTAINLY WELCOME TO DISTRICT D.
AND SO I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE MY MAYOR, SYLVESTER TURNER.
HE MAY BE LEAVING AT THE END OF THE MONTH, BUT HE IS LEAVING A GREAT LEGACY.
AND I WANT TO SAY THAT HE HAS BEEN JUST A TREMENDOUS PARTNER FOR DISTRICT D.
HE'S PROVIDED A LOT OF RESOURCES AND, AND HELPED US TO MOVE FORWARD.
AND, AND I AM SO GREATLY APPRECIATIVE FOR THAT.
AND SO I ALSO WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE MY COLLEAGUE, SALLY ALCORN, WHO IS A TREMENDOUS PARTNER.
SHE SHOWS UP FOR SO MANY EVENTS TO SUPPORT AND SHE DEDICATES, UH, SO MUCH OF HER TIME TO CITYWIDE INITIATIVES THAT IT IS ALWAYS AN HONOR FOR HER TO BE HERE BECAUSE SHE IS A DRIVING FORCE, UH, IN INCLUSIVE AND SUSTAINABLE URBAN DEVELOPMENT.
AND SO I WANT TO THANK, UH, UH, PRIYA ZACHARIA, UH, KEN VALICK, AND CERTAINLY, UH, MR. RUSH FOR WHAT YOU HAVE PROVIDED FOR THIS REMARKABLE PROJECT.
AND SO THE URBAN RE, THE URBAN PRAIRIE AND REED PARK ARE NOT JUST PHYSICAL SPACES, BUT ARE ALSO A TESTAMENT TO OUR SHARED VISION FOR OUR COMMUNITY SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCE.
AND SO, I'M GONNA TAKE MY SEAT, BUT JUST ONE MORE POINT.
I WANNA SAY, YOU KNOW, THIS IS I GUESS MY LAST EVENT WITH THE MAYOR, BUT THE MAYOR, WHICH KINDA MAKES IT BITTERSWEET, BUT CERTAINLY HE LEAVES QUITE A LEGACY.
THERE'S NO BETTER LEGACY THAN TO LEAVE PEOPLE WITH HOPE.
AND THAT IS THE LEGACY THAT YOU CAN ALWAYS STAND ON, WHETHER ALL THE PROJECTS WERE COMPLETED, WHETHER EVERYTHING THAT WAS IN YOUR VISION WAS DONE.
YOU HAVE LEFT THIS CITY, PARTICULARLY
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DISTRICT D WITH A VISION OF HOPE.AND WE HAVE A VERY SPECIAL THANK YOU TODAY TO COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ELKHORN, WHO ABSOLUTELY ADOPTED THIS PRAIRIE AND THIS PARK, AND HELPED ASSURE THAT IT WAS A REALITY RIGHT HERE IN YOUR DISTRICT.
AND SALLY, I YOU, YOU NEED TO COME RIGHT ON UP HERE,
THANK AND NO, NO, BUT JUST REAL QUICK, MAYOR, REMEMBER WHEN WE WERE HERE FOR THE BEZOS ACADEMY, THE EVENT, WHICH IS SO COOL OVER THERE, UH, I GOT KIND OF HOT BOXED ABOUT THIS PROJECT.
SANFORD, YOU ARE HERE, KIM VALICK TELLING ME ALL ABOUT IT.
TELLING ME THEY'RE JUST A LITTLE BIT SHORT, A WEE BIT SHORT, UM, DUE TO SOME UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES.
SO, UH, THINGS USUALLY MOVE VERY SLOWLY AT THE CITY.
BUT WHEN I PLED THE CASE TO OUR BELOVED MAYOR TURNER, HE DID NOT TAKE HIS TIME.
HE TURNED RIGHT AROUND AND SAID THAT, UM, HE WOULD MAKE IT HAPPEN BECAUSE THIS IS PART OF HIS LEGACY.
THIS IS THE MAYOR WHO'S BROUGHT A LOT OF HOPE TO THIS AREA.
SO GREAT TO BE A TINY PART OF THIS.
AND, UM, I'M SO EXCITED TO SEE WHAT'S, WHAT'S NEXT.
AND I'LL TELL YOU WHEN I WOULD BECOME DISCOURAGED ABOUT WHAT IT TOOK TO RETURN TEXAS TO TEXAS, BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT WAS THERE BEFORE WE STARTED FIDDLING.
AND THERE WAS AN OIL FIELD HERE AND A SALT DOME, WHICH MADE IT MUCH MORE COMPLICATED AND EXPENSIVE.
SO GETTING TEXAS BACK TO TEXAS, HERE'S A TON WITH A GCM WHO RAN THIS PROJECT AND RAN IT BEAUTIFULLY.
BUT I'M TELLING YOU, IT'S PRIYA ZACHARIA.
BUT I WOULD CALL ON THE PHONE AND SAY, UGH, ARE WE GOING TO GET THIS DONE? ARE WE GOING TO DRAW THE NATIONAL FISH AND WILDLIFE MONEY DOWN IN TIME AS AN EXPIRATION DATE WITH FEDERAL FUNDS? AND IT WAS PRIYA WHO WOULD CALL ME EVERY NOW AND THEN TOGETHER WITH HER COLLEAGUES THAT I KNOW SHE WILL BE ACKNOWLEDGING AND SAY, NOW, JOY, DON'T YOU WORRY.
SO HERE, HERE, MY, MY SPINE AND MY BACKBONE ABOUT THIS IS PRAYING ZACHARIA.
UM, YOU KNOW, TODAY IS REALLY A GREAT DAY.
UM, TWO YEARS BACK WHEN THE MAYOR BROUGHT ME INTO THE OFFICE AND COMBINED THE OFFICES OF RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY, I WOULD'VE GIVEN ANYTHING TO SEE A PROJECT LIKE THIS COME TO FRUITION.
AND SO TODAY'S AN ESPECIALLY WONDERFUL DAY FOR ALL OF US, FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON, BUT ALSO FOR THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY.
AND I THINK EVERY SUCH JOURNEY, UM, BEGINS WITH A GREAT VISION.
UM, IT BEGINS WITH A GREAT VISIONARY LEADER, ONE WHO CONVENED US AND BROUGHT US TOGETHER, UM, TO REIMAGINE A RESILIENT AND JUST FUTURE FOR ALL.
AND MAYOR, WE ARE IN YOUR DEBT FOR BEING THAT GREAT AND VISIONARY LEADER AND FOR BRINGING RESILIENT HOUSTON, UM, AND BRINGING US ALL TOGETHER UNDER IT.
PLEASE GIVE IT UP ONCE AGAIN, MAYOR TURNER, COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZ, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, I CANNOT THANK YOU BOTH ENOUGH.
YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT MEANS A LOT TO OUR OFFICE AND THE WORK WE TRY TO ACCOMPLISH EVERY DAY.
SO AS WE UNDERTOOK THIS JOURNEY, THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS, THINGS WE LEARNED ALONG THE WAY.
WE LEARNED THAT EVERY JOURNEY THAT RESULTS IN A VISION IN A PROJECT, AND FINALLY A REALITY THAT WE ARE SEEING AROUND US TODAY NEEDS, UM, CHAMPIONS.
AND NOT JUST CHAMPIONS IN ONE CORNER OF THE CITY, BUT ACROSS THE CITY, ACROSS MULTIPLE STAKEHOLDERS WITH MULTIPLE SKILL SETS AND RESOURCES.
AND THIS PROJECT WHICH DEMONSTRATES ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP, ENVIRONMENTAL RESILIENCE, THE PRAIRIE ITSELF, AND IN THIS PLACE DEMONSTRATING COMMUNITY RESILIENCE.
THERE CAN BE NO BETTER PLACE TO BRING ALL OF THIS TO LIFE.
SO I'M VERY DEEPLY GRATEFUL TO EVERYONE WHO IS PART OF THIS JOURNEY AND WHO ALLOWED US TO BE A SMALL PART OF IT AS WELL.
BUT IN ADDITION TO, THERE'S ONE OTHER THING I'LL SAY.
IN ADDITION TO WHAT WE ARE SEEING IN FRONT OF US, THERE'S AN INVISIBLE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE ALSO PUT IN PLACE BECAUSE WE LEARNED HOW TO WORK TOGETHER.
WE LEARNED HOW TO SHARE LANGUAGE.
WE PUT THAT INFRASTRUCTURE, COLLABORATION, AND COOPERATION IN PLACE.
AND JOY, IMAGINE AS WE SPOKE THE OTHER DAY, HOW MUCH EASIER THE NEXT PRAYER IS GONNA BE, AND THE NEXT ONE AFTER THAT, AND THE NEXT ONE AFTER THAT.
SO I JUST WANTED TO OFFER THAT TO EVERYONE.
AND IN CLOSING, ONCE AGAIN, OUR VERY DEEPEST GRATITUDE TO NEW HOPE HOUSING, TO YOU, JOY, TO STAR OF HOPE, UM, AND YOUR TEAM, TO OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS, AND TO TWO PEOPLE WHO ARE
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NOT PART OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, BUT WITH WITH YOU JOY, THEY STARTED THIS JOURNEY.AND THAT'S MARISSA AHO AND LAURA PATINO, UM, TO OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS, TO AKIRA ROBINSON, TO A GCM, TO THE COASTAL PRAIRIE CONSERVANCY, GSMA, TO THE HOUSTON PARKS BOARD, PUBLIC WORKS TO THE HOUSING AND DEVELOPMENT, UM, DEPARTMENT, TO THE CHILDREN'S ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY FUND AND MANY OTHERS.
AND I, IF I'M REMISS AND I I I'LL BE REMISS IF I HAVE MISSED YOU, BUT PLEASE KNOW THAT WE ARE DEEPLY, UM, GRATEFUL TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.
AND I WANNA GIVE A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO YOU, NATH CALDERON, MY PROJECT MANAGER FOR THIS PROJECT, WHO MADE THIS ALL HAPPEN AND WHO WORKED TIRELESSLY DAY IN AND DAY OUT ON THIS.
AND TO THE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY TEAM TO THOMAS, TO MARK AND TO MELISSA.
I WOULDN'T BE STANDING UP HERE WITHOUT YOU GUYS' SUPPORT.
SO IT WAS QUITE A TEAM YOU CAN HEAR.
AND I WILL TELL YOU I WAS VERY GLAD TO HEAR HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT MENTIONED, BECAUSE KEITH BYNUM HAS BEEN WITH HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT LONGER THAN I'VE BEEN WITH NEW HOPE HOUSING.
AND, UH, HE, HIS THUMBPRINT IS SOMEHOW ALWAYS ON EVERYTHING NEW HOPE HOUSING HAS DONE, UH, THROUGHOUT YOUR CAREER.
SO KEN, WE'D LOVE TO HAVE A FEW WORDS FROM YOU AND WE ALSO HAVE SOME GIFTS.
AND TAMARA FOSTER IS JOINING ME.
TAMARA IS OUR EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF ONSITE OPERATIONS AND STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS.
AND TAMARA, YOU TALK ABOUT THIS PRAIRIE NOT EXISTING WITHOUT SOMEONE PUTTING THEIR SHOULDER TO THE WHEEL.
THAT IS TAMARA FOSTER AND SHE AND SHE HAS SOME SPECIAL GIFTS AND ARE YOU GOING TO TALK ABOUT THOSE GIFTS FOR A MOMENT? TAMARA? YOU KNOW, TAMARA DOESN'T EVER, DO YOU SEE TAMARA? I MEAN, I THOUGHT I WOULD GET THE MICROPHONE IN HER HAND AND I HAVE ONCE AGAIN FAILED
SO WHEN TAMARA WAS BEGINNING TO LEARN ABOUT THE PRAIRIE, THERE WAS A BOOK THAT SHE WAS GIVEN AND, AND THAT WAS TALKED THROUGH WITH HER ABOUT GRASSES, THE GOOD GRASSES AND THE BAD GRASSES.
AND AS YOU MIGHT IMAGINE, THE BAD GRASSES ARE ALWAYS READY TO GROW.
THEY'RE READY TO GROW FASTER AND STRONGER AND TALLER THAN THE GOOD GRASSES.
SO YOU REALLY NEED TO KNOW ONE GRASP FROM ANOTHER.
AND THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL BOOK AND WE HOPE THAT IT WILL HELP YOU APPRECIATE EVEN MORE OF WHAT YOU'VE DONE FOR RESILIENT HOUSTON.
I THOUGHT WE MIGHT GET TAMARA IN FRONT OF THE MIC, BUT ONCE AGAIN, SHE WAS ABLE TO SLIP AWAY
UM, YOU KNOW, FIRST OF ALL, ONCE AGAIN, I SHOULD SAY THANK EVERYONE.
UM, I WILL SAY TO JOY TAMARA, THE TEAM, YOU KNOW, WHAT A GREAT EVENT AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PERSEVERANCE, BUT PROBABLY MOST OF ALL, JOY AND I TALKED ABOUT THIS EVENT AND I SAID, WE SHOULD DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
AND SHE SAID, WHAT ARE YOU THINKING? I SAID, BUFFALO ON A PRAIRIE AND THIS.
AND SO THANK YOU FOR NOT TAKING MY IDEA
UM, PRIYA, THANK YOU AND YOUR WHOLE TEAM.
HANK THANK YOU FOR INVITING NEW HOPE HERE.
I MEAN, WITHOUT THAT TO START AND WHAT WE'VE CREATED HERE AND WHAT WE STILL HAVE TO CREATE IS AMAZING.
COUNCIL MEMBER SHABAZZ, THANK YOU FOR INVITING US IN YOUR DISTRICT AND I TO SAY TO COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN SANFORD.
AND I DID PIN HER TO WATCH THE VIDEO AND IT TOOK ABOUT FIVE MINUTES FOR IT TO COME AROUND.
WE WEREN'T GONNA LET YOU LEAVE
AND WE SAID, WE HAVE TO GET THE MAYOR TO SUPPORT THIS.
AND FINALLY, TO THE MAYOR, THE MAYOR AND I WERE TALKING, WE'VE BEEN FRIENDS NOW FOR NINE YEARS, UM, EVER SINCE HE WAS KIND OF STARTING TO RUN FOR OFFICE.
AND AS I'VE TOLD YOU BEFORE, WHATEVER EXPECTATIONS THAT I AND OTHERS HAD, YOU'VE FAR EXCEEDED THEM.
AND THERE'S THREE WORDS THAT KIND OF CAME UP TODAY THAT JUST KEPT RINGING TO ME.
AND NOT JUST YOU BEING RESILIENT, HOUSTON.
I THINK HOW YOU FACED HARVEY EARLY ON, I MEAN, THOSE THINGS START TO GET FORGOTTEN.
THEY'RE IN THE PAST, BUT WE NEEDED A LEADER.
MAYBE THE BIGGEST TIME WE NEEDED ONE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S HISTORY.
I MEAN THE HOPE THAT YOU'VE GIVEN HERE, IT'S BEEN USED, BUT NEW HOPE, BUT SO MANY OTHERS IN YOUR COMPLETE COMMUNITIES AND SO MUCH THAT YOU'VE GOTTEN DONE TO GIVE PEOPLE HOPE.
I LOOK AT ALL THE ARTICLES ON HOUSTON AND HOMELESSNESS AND HOW
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MANY PEOPLE HAVE COME OFF THE STREETS.THAT'S BEEN THANKS TO YOUR LEADERSHIP AND YOUR SUPPORT.
AND THEN I THINK, UH, SALLY USED IT, BELOVED, SO MANY OF US, WE LOVE YOU.
YOU ARE JUST, UH, YOU KNOW, TO ME YOU'RE EXACTLY WHAT AS I GREW UP AND YOU THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT THE ME OF A CITY WOULD BE LIKE, YOU ARE.
SO WITH THAT, I HAD, TAMARA TOLD ME TO GIVE INSTRUCTIONS.
SO SOME OF US ARE GONNA GO FOR A PHOTO OPPORTUNITY OF SEATING DOWN THERE.
THE REST OF YOU'RE GONNA GET SEEDS AND WE'D LIKE YOU TO WALK AROUND THE BASIN AS WITH THOSE TO THROW 'EM OUT THERE.
'CAUSE THEY'LL GROW IN THE SUMMER.
AND YOU KNOW, I WAS THINKING ABOUT THAT SYMBOLICALLY AT THIS TIME OF YEAR AND WHERE WE ARE.
AND WE TALK ABOUT HOPE, BUT YOU THINK ABOUT THE SEEDS AND NEW BEGINNINGS AND HOPE.
AND SO AS YOU DO THAT, THINK ABOUT ALL THE SOULS THAT THIS COMMUNITY SERVES.
BUT THROUGHOUT AND WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, A PRAYER OR A THOUGHT, WHATEVER YOU WANT, MAYBE SAY SOMETHING FOR THE HOPE FOR ALL THOSE SOULS THAT COUNT ON PEOPLE LIKE US TO HELP THEM MAKE THEIR LIVES BETTER AND NEVER MORE SO THAN AT THE HOLIDAYS.
SO WITH THAT, PICK UP YOUR SEEDS OVER THERE.