[Super Neighborhood Alliance Meeting on January 8, 2024. ]
[00:00:20]
UM, WELCOME EVERYBODY TO THE JANUARY MEETING OF THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE.UM, WE, UM, HAPPY TO HAVE YOU.
UM, WE OPENED THIS UP WITH A ROLL CALL PROBLEM.
CAN Y'ALL HEAR ME? YEAH, WE HEAR YOU.
MY GOD, I THINK I'M GONNA BE THE PROBLEM ONE TONIGHT WITH THE INTERNET, BUT, UH, WELCOME EVERYBODY.
WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.
UM, I, I KNOW THERE'S A BIG FOOTBALL GAME THAT A LOT OF US WOULD LIKE TO BE WATCHING
SO, UH, WELCOME TO OUR FIRST MEETING OF 2024 AND WE'LL IMMEDIATELY TURN IT OVER TO AMY TO DO THE, UH, ROLL CALL FOR US.
I'M GONNA CALL OUT, UH, THE NAME OF THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD.
IF YOU'RE HERE, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND UM, THAT YOU'RE HERE FOR YOUR SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, WE'LL START WITH SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD FIVE.
PRESENT, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD, 12.
PRESENT, UH, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD, 15.
KEVIN STRICKLAND HERE, AND I'VE GOT POWER, UH, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD.
I'M HERE FOR SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 36.
AND THIS IS CINDY CHAPMAN HERE FOR SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 37.
WE WATER HERE FOR NEIGHBORHOOD 41, 47.
SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 57, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 63.
OH, I'M SORRY, HERE FOR SUPER 63.
ANY OTHER SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS? SOMEONE JOINING LATE OR THAT WE DIDN'T CALL MARTIN? 40.
KATHY EASTERLY, UH, THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD.
28 UNIVERSITY PLACE, ER 38,
WAS THAT 82, 83 ALONG WITH TOMORROW.
PAULA
DANIELLA FLANAGAN, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, IF YOU ARE JOINING LATE, YOU'RE WELCOME TO PUT YOUR NAME IN THE CHAT TO HELP ME WITH ROLL CALL.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR DOING THAT, AMY.
UM, BE SURE FOLKS THAT YOU PUT IN THE CHAT, IF YOU, IF YOU RE MISS LIKE SHE ME MENTIONED,
[00:05:01]
UM, WE HAVE MINUTES.THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS APPROVING MINUTES.
WE DISTRIBUTED THE MINUTES FROM THE NOVEMBER 11TH AS WELL AS THE DECEMBER 11TH MEETINGS.
UM, I'D ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR ACCEPTANCE OF THE MINUTES, A POINT OF INFORMATION.
I'M CONFUSED BECAUSE WHEN IT WAS SENT OUT, IT SAID WE HAD UNTIL THE, THE SUNDAY BEFORE THE FEBRUARY MEETING MADE COMMENTS TO THIS.
ARE YOU CHANGING THIS NOW? DID IT SAY FEBRUARY MEETING? I DID.
WAS IT JUST A MISTAKE ON MY PART? LET ME, I AM TERRIBLY AFRAID TO TRY TO CALL THOSE THAT UP, THAT EMAIL UP BECAUSE OF THE ISSUES I'M HAVING WITH, WITH THE INTERNET, BUT I'M GONNA GIVE IT A SHOT.
UH, ARE THERE ANY OTHER, MEANWHILE, WHILE I'M LOOKING THAT UP, IS THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS THAT ANYBODY HAS? WELL, YEAH, AMY HASN'T GOTTEN BACK TO ME ABOUT ANY OF THOSE.
UM, YOU KNOW, SO WE HAVE SOME CONCERNS, ESPECIALLY SINCE I DIDN'T THINK WE HAD TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL COMMENTS THAT IT, IT SAID THE SUNDAY BEFORE THE FEBRUARY MEETING.
I THOUGHT MAYBE, WELL, IT WAS JUST LIKE THE NOVEMBER OR THE SUMMER MEETING WHERE WE SAID YOU WERE GONNA HAVE 'EM AND THEN WE DIDN'T HAVE THEM.
I THINK THE CHAPMAN FROM SUPER NEIGHBOR 37, UH, I THINK WE GOT THE MEETING MINUTES.
WHAT, A WEEK AGO? IS THAT WHEN THEY WENT OUT? THEY WENT OUT TUESDAY NIGHT.
THEY WENT OUT, THEY WENT OUT WEDNESDAY.
WELL, I HAD AMPLE TIME TO READ THEM, SO I WOULD MAKE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THEM AS PRESENTED.
THEY WENT OUT WEDNESDAY? NO, I SENT THEM OUT TUESDAY NIGHT.
YOU MIGHT HAVE GOTTEN IT WEDNESDAY, BUT I SENT 'EM OUT AT 9 53 TUESDAY EVENING.
THEN WHY DID IT COME OUT AT WEDNESDAY, AT JANUARY 3RD? AT 10:11 PM BECAUSE I HAD ONE PERSON WHO SAID THAT THEY, THAT THEY HAD, NOT THAT THEY COULDN'T FIND IT IN THEIR EMAIL AND I RESENT IT, BUT I HAVE A, SO THEY WENT OUT AND WRITTEN 9:53 PM ON TUESDAY EVENING.
I RESENT THEM ON WEDNESDAY MORNING, UH, BECAUSE ONE PERSON SAID SHE COULDN'T FIND THEM.
AND SO I RESENT, I JUST RESENT THE EMAIL.
WELL, THAT DIDN'T, THAT'S NOT HAPPENING.
I GOT 'EM AT 10 11 ON WEDNESDAY EVENING.
GREG, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO TELL YOU.
I'M LOOKING AT MY EMAIL WITH THE TIMESTAMP AND DATE AND I'M MAKING MINE TOO.
SO, AND IT'S, AND IT'S TUESDAY AT 9:41 PM ON MY, ON MY EMAIL.
I CAN FORWARD IT TO RHONDA, WHATEVER, BUT I GOT 'EM TUESDAY AND I GOT 'EM WEDNESDAY.
SO YOU GOT THEM BOTH TIMES WHEN I SENT THEM OUT? YES, MA'AM.
WELL, I, I THINK THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE AN ISSUE ABOUT CHECKING IN AND SEEING WHAT THE PROBLEM IS, WHY SOME PEOPLE ARE GETTING TUESDAY, SOME PEOPLE ARE GETTING WEDNESDAY AND DIFFERENT TIMES ON WEDNESDAY, AND IT DOES SAY FEBRUARY.
SO I THOUGHT WE HAD ENOUGH TIME.
IT'S, IT'S NOT A QUESTION OF OF WHETHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW IT.
IT'S A QUESTION OF WHAT IT SAYS IN THERE.
AND ALSO IT SAYS, YOU JUST MENTIONED A NOVEMBER 11TH.
WELL, THERE ARE NO MINUTES FROM A NOVEMBER 11TH.
I ATTACHED TO THEM, I ATTACHED THEM TO THE EMAIL.
LISTEN, I SAID NOVEMBER 13TH, I'LL SECOND THE NOVEMBER MEETING.
YES, BUT YOU SAID NOVEMBER 11TH AND YOU KEPT ON WAITING AGAIN.
WHO'S YOU, DON? YOU DON'T HAVE, I'M SORRY.
THERE'S A POINT OF ORDER YOU DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DETECT TO, TO ADDRESS THESE TONIGHT BECAUSE YOU SAID IN SPECIFICALLY THAT WE HAD UNTIL SUCH AND SUCH TIME TO REVIEW THEM.
I I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH DELAYING THEM TO THE NEXT MEETING.
OKAY, NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
SO, OKAY, DOUG, I MEAN, PHILIP, WOULD YOU CARE TO PRESENT YOUR PERMITTING OFFICE PEOPLE FOR US? PHILIP? PHILLIP, ARE YOU THERE? I THINK HE'S MUTED.
I JUST GET TEAMS TO, TO LOAD AFTER TWICE.
SO I'M DOING IT THROUGH THE BROWSER.
SO, UM, AS, UM, UH, LET'S SEE, UH, HADN'T HAD A CHANCE TO CHECK IN TO SEE WHO WAS HERE AND WHO WASN'T.
UH, I SEE KATRINA HAS, IT IS HERE.
OH, I WAS GONNA SAY, I JUST SEE KATRINA'S ON HERE.
AND LET ME DO THE MORE 32 HERE AND SEE.
WELL, WE'LL GRACE IS, GRACE IS HERE.
SO ELIZABETH, UH, UH, ELIZABETH
[00:10:01]
AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING TOGETHER ON THE PERMITTING CENTER ADVISORY BOARD.AND BEFORE THAT IT WAS OUR PREVIOUS, UH, CHAIR AND, UH, THE PERMITTING CENTER PUT TOGETHER A NEW WEBSITE ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO, I GUESS.
AND, UH, ELIZABETH, UH, ALONG WITH SOME OTHER DEDICATED FOLKS THERE, SPENT A LOT OF TIME GETTING THE NEW WEBSITE AND THE FUNCTIONALLY, UH, FUNCTIONALITY UP RUNNING.
AND SO AT THIS POINT, I'LL LET IT TURN OVER TO ELIZABETH.
UH, CAN I HAVE PERMISSION TO SHARE A SLIDE DECK? YES.
I THINK RHONDA CAN HANDLE THAT, RIGHT.
RHONDA, GIVE US JUST A SECOND AND, UH, OUR COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER WILL PUT THAT UP FOR US.
IN THE MEANTIME, UH, LIKE PHILIP SAID, MY NAME IS ELIZABETH ORTON.
I'M AN ASSISTANT DIRECTOR HERE AT THE HOUSTON PERMITTING CENTER.
UM, AND FIRST I WANNA SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR INVITING US TO PRESENT AND A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO YOU, PHILIP, FOR EXTENDING THE INVITATION AND WORKING WITH US FOR SO LONG TO, TO GET IT ON THE SCHEDULE.
GIVE GRACE JUST A FEW MINUTES TO GET THE PRESENTATION UP.
ALRIGHT, WELL LET'S GET STARTED.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ONE, GRACE.
BUT JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE IDEA OF WHAT WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THIS EVENING, UM, WE'RE GONNA GIVE YOU A QUICK OVERVIEW OF THE HOUSTON PERMITTING CENTER.
WE'RE GONNA SHARE A FEW OF OUR SERVICE NUMBERS WITH YOU.
AND THEN OUR COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER, GRACE CHANDLER, IS GONNA GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF OUR WEBSITE THE WAY IT IS NOW, AND SOME EXCITING NEW CHANGES THAT ARE COMING SOON.
AND THEN WE'RE GONNA TURN IT OVER TO OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER, UH, KATIE HASSETT.
AND SHE'S GONNA BE ANSWERING SOME OF YOUR PRE-SUBMITTED QUESTIONS AROUND PERMITTING.
ALL RIGHT, GRACE, LET'S MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ONE.
SO THE HOUSTON PERMITTING CENTER OPENED IN 2011 AND IS HOME TO OVER 700 CITY EMPLOYEES.
UM, OUT OF THOSE 700, THERE ARE ABOUT 200 FRONTLINE INSPECTORS WHO WORK EVERY DAY OUT IN THE, UH, IN THE COMMUNITY, GOING FROM JOB SITE TO JOB SITE, DOING INSPECTIONS.
AND TOGETHER, ALONG WITH THE 500 OR SO OFFICE PERSONNEL FROM SIX DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, WE REGULATE CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY THROUGH PERMITTING, THROUGH PLAN REVIEW, AGAIN, THE INSPECTION PROCESS TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH BUILDING CODES AND LIFE SAFETY STANDARDS.
LET'S DO THE NEXT SLIDE, GRACE.
SO HERE'S THE LEADERSHIP TEAM AT THE HOUSTON PERMITTING CENTER.
WE HAVE OUR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS DEPUTY DIRECTOR, CHRIS BUTLER, WHO'S ALSO THE DIRECTOR OF THE HOUSTON PERMITTING CENTER.
UM, AND A QUICK SHOUT OUT TO CHRIS.
HE IS ACTUALLY ON THE CALL TODAY, UM, IF WE HAVE QUESTIONS.
SO HEIDI, YOU CHRIS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING.
UH, THEN YOU HAVE OF COURSE ME, ELIZABETH ORTON.
I'M AN ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OVER BUSINESS SUPPORT SERVICES.
SO I SERVE, UM, OVER COMMUNICATIONS AND OPEN RECORDS, SOME CUSTOMER TRIAGE AND SOME ONLINE SUPPORT.
THEN WE HAVE OUR CITY ENGINEER, SUE HILL
AND WE HAVE BYRON KING WHO IS OUR BUILDING OFFICIAL AND IS OUR SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT ON BUILDING CODES AND CODE ENFORCEMENT.
AND THEN WE HAVE RUDY MORENO, WHO'S OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
AND RUDY PROVIDES KIND OF GENERAL DAILY OPERATIONS AND OVERSIGHT FOR BOTH THE OFFICE OF THE CITY ENGINEER AND BUILDING CODE, AND THEN SOME OF OUR OTHER DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE HOUSED HERE, LIKE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT FOR EXAMPLE.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT OUR STRUCTURE, UM, IT CAN BE A LITTLE BIT CONFUSING.
THE HOUSTON PERMITTING CENTER IS BOTH A BUILDING THAT HOUSES THESE SIX DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, BUT WE ARE ALSO A SERVICE LINE WITHIN HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS.
SO THE PERMITTING CENTER IS ONE OF FIVE DIFFERENT SERVICE LINES AND MOST OF OUR SERVICES ARE DELIVERED BY ONE OF THESE FOUR SERVICE SUPPORT TEAMS THAT WE JUST TALKED ABOUT.
SO I MENTIONED THESE OTHER SIX DIFFERENT CITY DEPARTMENTS.
SO IN ADDITION TO THE PUBLIC WORKS PORTION OF THE HOUSTON PERMITTING CENTER, WE ALSO HAVE THESE HOUSTON PERMITTING CENTER PART PARTNERS THAT REPRESENT, UM, ADMINISTRATION AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS.
WE HAVE THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT IS HERE.
WE HAVE THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT,
[00:15:01]
WE ALSO HAVE THE HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT.AND THEN OF COURSE, PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT, WHICH IS, UH, WHERE A LOT OF THESE PROJECTS GET THEIR START.
SO HERE'S A A FEW, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, IF YOU, IF YOU LOVE DATA AND YOU LOVE NUMBERS, THIS SLIDE IS FOR YOU.
UM, YOU KNOW, IN THE LAST FISCAL YEAR WE COMPLETED OVER 870,000 INSPECTIONS.
WE CLOSED MORE THAN 12,000 3 1 1 CALLS.
SO PEOPLE WHO CALLED OR YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO CALLED 3 1 1 ASKING FOR INSPECTION OR INVESTIGATIONS.
UM, WE ALSO SOLD OVER 700,000 PERMITS.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAD OVER 40, I'M SORRY, OVER 400,000 DIGITAL IMPRESSIONS, WHICH IS REALLY THE PERFECT SEGUE INTO, UH, INTRODUCING GRACE CHANDLER, WHO'S OUR COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER HERE AT HPC.
UM, AND SHE'S GONNA SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THE WEBSITE LOOKS LIKE NOW, THAT WAS NEW WHEN WE STARTED THIS CONVERSATION, BUT THEN SHE'S EVEN GONNA SHARE A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT'S COMING, UM, IN THE NEXT QUARTER.
SO GRACE, I'M GONNA HAND IT OVER TO YOU.
I'M THE COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER HERE AT THE HOUSTON PERMITTING CENTER.
AND SO WHAT'S GOING ON NOW WITH OUR WEBSITE? UM, AS OF RIGHT NOW, WE'VE DONE SOME NEW THINGS WITH THE WEBSITE.
WE HAVE IMPROVED OUR SEARCH ENGINE.
WE HAVE NOW HAVE LINK EXPORTING ENABLED, MEANING YOU CAN GO TO A DIFFERENT, UM, AGENCY PAGE AND ACTUALLY EXPORT THE LINK TO SOMEBODY.
WE ALSO HAVE UPDATES IN OUR SLIDING BANNER AT ALL TIMES, MEANING ANYTHING THAT'S A NEWS ARTICLES ALSO IN OUR BANNER.
AND THEN YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO CHECK OUR PLAN REVIEW OR INSPECTION STATUS.
SO KATIE, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND LET YOU SHARE FOR ME SO THAT WE CAN SHOW THEM HOW ALL OF THAT WORKS.
SO THIS IS OUR PERMITTING CENTER RIGHT NOW, OUR CURRENT WEBSITE, KATIE, GO AHEAD AND SEARCH ONE OF OUR AGENCY PAGES.
AND WHEN WE SAY AGENCY, WE MEAN LIKE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION, UM, PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
ANY PLACE THAT YOU CAN THINK OF THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, YOU GO TO THAT SEARCH BAR AND YOU CAN NOW GO TO THAT SEARCH AND CLICK THE FIRST ONE THERE AND IT'S GONNA TAKE YOU TO THAT AGENCY PAGE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION.
SO THIS, THIS PARTICULAR PAGE IS GOOD BECAUSE WE HAVE A PROGRAM COMING UP VERY, VERY SOON.
BUT DO YOU SEE WHERE HER MOUSE IS ON THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND DESIGN MANUAL? WELL, LET'S SAY YOU WANTED TO GO AHEAD AND SEND THAT TO A FRIEND.
IF YOU WERE TO GO AHEAD AND TAKE THAT AGENCY LINK, YOU CAN EXPORT THAT INTO AN EMAIL, A TEAMS TAB, ANYTHING.
AND IT'LL ACTUALLY TAKE YOU TO THAT PARTICULAR SITE.
BEFORE WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT CAPABILITY, IT WOULD TAKE YOU TO THE CONTACT AND THEN PEOPLE WOULD BE ALL OVER THE PLACE.
BUT NOW YOU ARE ABLE TO EXPORT STRAIGHT FROM THAT PAGE WITHIN ITSELF.
THE NEXT THING WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT IS OUR UPDATES IN OUR SLIDING BANNER.
GO BACK TO THAT HOMEPAGE IN THIS BANNER, IT TELLS YOU EVERY UPDATE THAT WE'VE HAD WITHIN THE LAST SIX MONTHS.
UM, OR SO WE DO TAKE SOME OF THEM DOWN.
BUT IT ALWAYS GIVE YOU THAT PIECE OF INFORMATION THAT IS RELEVANT AND WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE HOUSTON PERMITTING CENTER, WHETHER IT BE A FEE INCREASE, SOMETHING'S COMING DOWN.
AND IF YOU CLICK ANY OF THE LEARN MORES, IT'LL TAKE YOU TO THE ARTICLE WHERE YOU CAN ACTUALLY READ MORE ABOUT THE INFORMATION OR WHERE YOU CAN EVEN REGISTER TO ATTEND.
SO THAT ONE RIGHT THERE IS COMING UP.
EVERYBODY MARKET CALENDARS, IF YOU KNOW YOUR DEVELOPERS, FEBRUARY 12TH, WE HAVE OUR INFRASTRUCTURE DESIGN MANUAL ROLLOUT WEBINAR.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE ALSO HAVE OUR BREAD AND BUTTER, WHICH IS OUR PROJECT STATUS.
THAT ICON RIGHT THERE, THAT PROJECT STATUS, WILL ALLOW YOU TO CHECK YOUR REVIEW STATUS, CHECK YOUR INSPECTION STATUS, AND ALSO CHECK YOUR PLAN SUBMITTAL HISTORY.
SO IF SOMEBODY'S LIKE, HEY, I SUBMITTED MY PLAN, THEY CAN GO TO ONE OF THOSE THREE TABS AND FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN THEIR OR ON THEIR WEBSITE.
ALL YOU NEED IS YOUR EIGHT DIGIT PROJECT NUMBER.
IF YOU DO NOT HAVE THAT, GO AHEAD AND CALL US ON OUR LAST PAGE.
WE'RE GONNA GIVE EVERYBODY OUR CONTACT INFORMATION AND YOU CAN CONTACT US LIVE CHAT IS, AND WE'LL BE HAPPY TO HELP YOU FIND THAT PROJECT NUMBER FOR YOUR PROJECT.
SO NOW I'M GONNA TAKE BACK OVER AND NOW WE'RE GONNA GO TO THE NEW PART, WHICH IS OUR NEW 2024 DESIGN.
SO RECENTLY WE'VE DECIDED TO GO AHEAD AND REBRAND OURSELVES 'CAUSE WE NEEDED TO BECOME MORE USER FRIENDLY, HAVE THE INFORMATION A LITTLE BIT MORE TRANSPARENT.
AND THIS WILL BE LAUNCHING IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2024.
AND IF YOU CAN RESHARE YOUR SCREEN REAL QUICK.
[00:20:01]
SLIDE.WE'VE, LIKE I SAID, REBRANDED, WE'VE MADE A USER FRIENDLY INFORMATION MORE TRANSPARENT AND WE SHOULD BE LAUNCHING IN THE COURT OF 2024.
SO SOME THINGS ARE STILL CHANGING, SOME THINGS ARE STILL IN THE WORKS, BUT A LOT OF THE FEEDBACK IS COMING FROM YOU, THE CLIENT, UM, OUR CITY OF HOUSTON PEOPLE AND ALSO FROM DATA.
SO WE'RE KEEPING THE SLIDER BECAUSE THAT'S A GOOD PIECE OF INFORMATION.
BUT THE FOUR PIECES THAT ARE HOUSED IN OUR HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS.
UM, IF YOU GO TO OUR AGENCY PAGE NOW, OFFICE OF CITY ENGINEER, BUILDING CODE ENFORCEMENT, INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT SERVICE, AND OPEN RECORDS.
WHEN YOU CLICK OR HOVER OVER ANY OF THOSE PARTICULAR ICONS, THEY WILL LIST YOU OUT EVERYBODY THAT'S IN THAT DEPARTMENT.
SO YOU CAN QUICKLY CLICK ON THE AGENCY THAT YOU NEED TO MOVE FORWARD.
THE NEXT BLOCK YOU'LL SEE IS OUR PROJECT PLANNER AND OUR PROJECT STATUS.
THE PROJECT PLANNER IS ALREADY ON OUR SITE, BUT WE'RE MAKING IT ON THE FOREFRONT SO THAT IF YOU HAVE A PROJECT OR YOU'RE STARTING A PROJECT OR YOU WANNA KNOW MORE ABOUT A PROJECT, YOU TYPE IN THAT SCOPE OF WORK INTO THAT PROJECT PLANNER AND IT'LL GIVE YOU ALL THE PERMITS THAT YOU NEED.
ALSO, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT AS YOU'RE DOING THAT, YOU ALSO, IF YOU HAVE A PROJECT ON THAT YOU'VE SUBMITTED, YOU CAN GO CHECK YOUR PROJECT, WHETHER IT BE THE INSPECTION PIECE, THE PLAN REVIEW PIECE, OR THE CHECK PLAN SUBMITTAL PIECE.
IF YOU SCROLL DOWN SOME MORE, WE'RE GONNA HAVE FOUR HIGHLIGHT BOXES.
THESE FOUR HIGHLIGHT BOXES WILL ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
BUT AS OF RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE OUR CONSTRUCTION COACH, WHICH WE JUST GOT ADOPTED ON JANUARY 1ST.
SO YOU CAN ALWAYS CLICK THAT BUTTON AND LEARN MORE.
WE WILL HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE DESIGN MANUAL ON THE FOREFRONT.
OCCUPANCY IS A BIG SELLER THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE COME TO OUR WEBSITE TO FIND OUT ABOUT BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS OPENING UP BUSINESSES AND THEY NEED THAT OCCUPANCY, UM, CERTIFICATE.
AND THEN OUR LATEST, UM, PIECE OF INFORMATION IS OUR MS FOUR PROGRAM, WHICH IS HOSTED BY THE OFFICE OF CITY ENGINEER.
THEY'RE COMING OUT WITH A NEW PROGRAM.
SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE HIGHLIGHT THAT AS WELL.
AS YOU SCROLL DOWN SOME MORE, WE'RE GONNA GO DOWN TO OUR FLOOD PROTECTION.
AND THIS SITE PART OF THE SITE IS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT ALLOWS US TO HELP BRING DOWN YOUR FLOOD INSURANCE IN THE CITY.
THE MORE ITEMS THAT WE PRODUCE AND WE SHOW YOU HOW TO USE IT, THE MORE THE FEMA COMES BACK AND SAYS, YOU KNOW WHAT? WE'RE GONNA GIVE YOU THOSE POINTS AND HELP YOU BRING DOWN THAT FLOOD INSURANCE.
SO THIS IS A VERY COOL SITE TO GO AHEAD AND LOOK AT AND LEARN MORE ABOUT FLOOD RISK, WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH YOUR E UM, E ELEVATION AND ALSO FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAMS. NEXT, WHEN YOU SCROLL DOWN A LITTLE BIT MORE, WE'RE GONNA KEEP THAT QUICK LINKS, BUT THEY'RE GONNA BE JUST A LITTLE BIT FRIENDLY TO CLICK ON.
WHEN YOU HIGHLIGHT ONE, YOU WILL SEE IT BECOME THAT WHITE BOX.
AND THEN WHEN IT'S NOT HIGHLIGHT, THAT MEANS IT WILL STAY AS A REGULAR LINE ITEM.
THESE QUICK LINKS ARE, WE'RE GONNA BE USING DATA AND CUSTOMER, UM, CUSTOMER INPUT TO DECIDE WHAT ACTUALLY GOES THERE BECAUSE WE WANT EVERYBODY TO BE ABLE TO GET TO THEIR INFORMATION QUICKLY, FAST.
AND ALSO KNOW WHAT YOU WANNA KNOW ABOUT WHEN YOU SCROLL DOWN.
AGAIN, THAT PIECE ABOUT INFORMATION TRANSPARENCY, THAT'S THAT BLUE TAB.
SO RIGHT NOW, WHEN YOU GO ALL THE WAY DOWN OUR CURRENT WEBSITE, WE HAVE SOMETHING CALLED OUR DATA DASHBOARD WHERE WE'RE GONNA BRING IT IN THE FOREFRONT WHERE YOU'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON ON THAT DASHBOARD.
SO WHEN YOU CLICK THAT BUTTON, IT'LL TAKE YOU TO THAT DIRECT LINK, BUT IT'LL ALSO GIVE YOU SOME DAILY NUMBERS.
AGAIN, WE'RE COMING TO OUTSIDE AGENCIES AND CLIENTS TO SAY, HEY, WHAT NUMBERS DO YOU WANNA KNOW MORE ABOUT? AND WE'RE GONNA PUT THAT INFORMATION THERE WHEN YOU SCROLL DOWN SOME MORE.
UM, THE HOUSTON PARK MEETING CENTER IS BECOMING TECH, TECH, TECH SAVVY.
SO WE HAVE MOVED TO APPOINTMENTS, BOOKINGS.
SO THESE ARE SOME OF OUR AGENCIES NOW THAT HAVE A APPOINTMENT BOOKINGS WHERE YOU CAN SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT, UM, VIA THE INTERNET OR TEAMS CALL.
AND THAT WAY YOU DON'T HAVE TO WALK ALL THE WAY IN.
YOU CAN JUST HAVE THAT TEAMS CALL.
AND THEN MY FAVORITE PART IS OF COURSE OUR SOCIAL MEDIA.
IF YOU NOTICE HERE, THIS DEMO IS CONSTANTLY CHANGING.
WE CHANGE THOSE EVENTS TO NEWS, BUT YOU SEE, YOU HAVE YOUTUBE, FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM AND TWITTER.
THOSE ARE ALL THE WAYS THAT YOU CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON HERE OR UPDATES THAT ARE GOING ON, UM, HERE AT THE HOUSTON PERMITTING CENTER.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND TAKE IT OVER OR LET KATIE TAKE IT OVER AND TALK ABOUT THOSE SUBMITTED QUESTIONS THAT Y'ALL GAVE TO US.
'CAUSE WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE STAY TRANSPARENT.
ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU SO MUCH, GRACE.
AND I JUST ALSO WANTED TO MENTION THAT WITH US TONIGHT IS, UH, SENIOR DIVISION MANAGER, RAY RUIZ, UH, NEELY, UM, PROMOTED.
HE'S NOW WITH THE CO-DEVELOPMENT TEAM, AND HE WAS PREVIOUSLY WITH STRUCTURAL INSPECTIONS.
[00:25:01]
RIGHT, SO WE'RE GONNA GO OVER THE FOUR SCENARIOS THAT YOU PROVIDED TO US AHEAD OF THIS MEETING.UH, AND THE FIRST ONE IS ABOUT A CONTRACTOR IGNORING A VIOLATION FOR WORKING WITHOUT A PERMIT.
WHAT ARE THE REPERCUSSIONS AND WHY BOTHER GOING THROUGH THE PERMITTING PROCESS? WELL, THE REPERCUSSIONS ARE COURT CITATIONS OR TICKETS, RIGHT? AND THEY ACCUMULATE FINES DAILY AND OVER TIME THEY ACCUMULATE AND ARE NOT PARTICULARLY CHEAP.
SO WHEN RESIDENTS REPORT ON PERMITTED WORK TO 3 0 1 AND INVESTIGATOR IS ASSIGNED TO THE CASE, AFTER A NOTICE IS ISSUED, THE CONTRACTOR IS ALLOWED TO DUE PROCESS TO COME INTO COMPLIANCE.
THE INVESTIGATOR WILL CONTINUE TO CHECK IN ON THE TAG PROJECT EVERY TWO WEEKS.
IN BETWEEN THOSE CHECK-INS, PLEASE CONTINUE TO REPORT ANY WORK THAT IS BEING DONE WITHOUT A PERMIT.
THE INVESTIGATOR WILL COME BACK EITHER THE SAME DAY OR THE NEXT BUSINESS DAY, UM, AND MAY ISSUE ADDITIONAL CITATIONS OR RETAG THAT PROJECT.
AND SO WHY GO THROUGH THE PERMITTING PROCESS? WELL, THE PURPOSE OF BUILDING CODE ENFORCEMENT IS TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, LIFE SAFETY IS IMPORTANT AND BUILDINGS ARE CONSTRUCTED PER THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S CONSTRUCTION CODES.
ALL RIGHT, IN THE SECOND SCENARIO, A FLIPPED HOUSE IS SOLD AND THE NEW OWNER IS SURPRISED TO FIND OUT THEY ARE NOW RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL OUTSTANDING, UM, AND CURRENT CODE VIOLATIONS ISSUED ON THAT HOUSE.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, THAT IS, THAT IS WHAT HAPPENS, UM, WHEN A HOUSE IS SOLD.
AND TO PREVENT THIS SCENARIO FROM HAPPENING, WE ENCOURAGE ALL PROSPECTIVE BUYERS TO DO THEIR RESEARCH ON THE HOUSTON PERMITTING CENTER'S WEBSITE.
UM, RIGHT NEXT TO THAT PROJECT STATUS BUTTON IS THE SOLD PERMIT SEARCH BUTTON.
UM, AND A ANY PROSPECTIVE BUYER CAN PUT IN THEIR ADDRESS THAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT AND CAN SEE A ROLLING THREE YEAR HISTORY PERMITTING HISTORY ON THAT ADDRESS.
SO IF THERE WERE RENOVATIONS ON THE PROJECT AND YOU WANT TO SEE IF THERE WAS A PERMIT RECENTLY, UM, PURCHASED, YOU CAN SEARCH THAT SITE FOR FREE FOR ANY HISTORY THAT'S BEYOND THREE YEARS.
YOU CAN SUBMIT AN OPEN RECORDS REQUEST ONLINE FOR ADDITIONAL PERMITTING HISTORY, INSPECTION HISTORY, AND YOU CAN ALSO REACH OUT TO THE HABITABILITY AND INSPECTION INVESTIGATIONS TEAM.
THE INFORMATION IS ON THE SLIDE HERE, SO IF YOU WANNA FIND OUT IF THERE ARE ANY ACTIVE VIOLATIONS ON THAT PROPERTY, PLEASE GO AHEAD AND CALL THEM RIGHT.
IN THIS ONE, DOES THE PERMITTING OFFICE VERIFY DEED RESTRICTIONS? SO THE PERMITTING OFFICE DOES NOT VERIFY DEED RESTRICTIONS.
IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE OWNER TO FIND OUT IF THERE ARE ANY DEED RESTRICTIONS ON FILE.
WITH THE HARRIS COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE, WHEN AN APPLICANT APPLIES FOR A PERMIT AT THE CITY, THE OWNER SIGNS A DEED RESTRICTION DECLARATION SWEARING UNDER PENALTY OF PERJURY.
THEY HAVE REVIEWED THE DEED RESTRICTIONS, IF ANY, AND THEIR PROJECT DOES NOT VIOLATE THEM.
HOWEVER, THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT, UM, HAS A TEAM, THE DEED RESTRICTIONS ENFORCEMENT TEAM, AND THEY'LL INVESTIGATE COMPLAINTS ABOUT DEED RESTRICTION VIOLATIONS.
COMPLAINTS MAY BE FILED OVER THE PHONE THROUGH THE HOTLINE.
THE NUMBER IS LISTED ON THE SLIDE OR ONLINE THROUGH THEIR COMPLAINT FORM.
AND YOU MAY ALSO SUBMIT A WRITTEN COMPLAINT BY MAIL.
THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT WILL CONTACT THE BUILDING OFFICIAL TO ISSUE A POSSIBLE STAFF WORK NOTICE OR ANY OTHER POSSIBLE CITATION FOR ANY VIOLATIONS FOR THE DEED RESTRICTIONS.
OUR LAST ONE, WHAT ARE THE CONTINGENCY PLANS IN CASE OF THE NEXT NATURAL DISASTER? OUR GOAL IS TO ENSURE THAT RESIDENTS CAN RECOVER QUICKLY AND SAFELY AFTER A NATURAL DISASTER AFTER PREVIOUS DISASTERS.
LIKE HURRICANE HARVEY, THE PERMITTING CENTER OPENS SATELLITE OFFICES THROUGHOUT THE AFFECTED AREAS TO ALLOW FOR EASIER ACCESS TO PERMITTING.
WE ALSO EXTENDED OFFICE HOURS, UM, INCLUDED SATURDAY EVE, UM, WEEKEND HOURS AND TRANSITIONED MOST OF OUR PROCESSES ONLINE TO ENSURE THAT, YOU KNOW, CUSTOMERS AND A RESIDENTS ARE ABLE TO GET THEIR PERMITS AS QUICKLY AND EASILY AS POSSIBLE.
UM, AND KEEP IN MIND TOO, AFTER A MAJOR DISASTER, THE CODE DOES ALLOW FOR EMERGENCY REPAIRS TO BEGIN PROMPTLY, BUT A PERMIT APPLICATION SHALL BE SUBMITTED WITHIN THE NEXT BUSINESS DAY.
ALL RIGHT, I BELIEVE THOSE WERE ALL OUR SCENARIOS.
SO LASTLY, WE JUST WANTED TO TOUCH UPON OUR STRATEGY FOR 2024 REGARDING CUSTOMER OUTREACH AND EDUCATION.
UM, WE ARE CREATING A PERMITTING CONSULTATION SERVICE FOR SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS.
WE'RE PARTNERING WITH THE OFFICE OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES TO PROVIDE,
[00:30:01]
UM, MORE ASSISTANCE TO HELP SMALL BUSINESSES GET UP AND RUNNING.WE'RE ALSO OFFERING MORE WEBINARS AND ROUND TABLES WITH CONTRACTORS AND DESIGNERS.
OUR NEXT ONE IS UPCOMING, AS YOU SAW ON FEBRUARY THE 12TH FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE DESIGN MANUAL.
AND PLEASE FOLLOW US ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS FOR MORE ANNOUNCEMENTS ABOUT UPCOMING ACTIVITIES.
AND LASTLY, WE WANNA CONTINUE TO EXPAND OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND PUBLIC FORUMS AT EVENTS LIKE THESE.
UM, SO PLEASE FEEL FREE TO EMAIL US IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN ADDITIONAL TOPICS AND PRESENTATIONS ABOUT PERMITTING.
ALL RIGHT, NEXT SLIDE FOR YOUR REFERENCE.
THESE ARE OUR SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS.
OUR HANDLE IS AT C PERMITS AND WE ARE ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER, NOW CALLED X, INSTAGRAM AND YOUTUBE.
WE ALSO, UH, HANDLE THE GREEN BUILDING RESOURCE CENTER PROGRAM ALONG SUSTAINABILITY.
THEIR HANDLE IS AT HOUSTON CBRC, AND OUR WEBSITE IS HOUSTON PERMITTING CENTER.ORG.
OUR CONTACT INFORMATION, OUR PHONE NUMBER IS EIGHT THREE TWO THREE NINE FOUR 9,000.
AND YOU CAN ALWAYS EMAIL US AT ASK HPC@HOUSTONTX.GOV.
THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR HAVING US.
ARE YOU READY TO TAKE QUESTIONS FROM PEOPLE AT THIS POINT? SURE, YES.
UM, I SEE SOME PEOPLE HAVE THEIR HANDS UP.
UH, YOU SAID THAT YOU SOLD 700,000 PERMITS, UH, DURING THE LAST YEAR.
I'M CURIOUS HOW MUCH OF THE, UH, EXPENSES OF THE DEPARTMENT ARE COVERED BY THE SALES OF THE PERMIT.
SO THE QUESTION THAT I HEARD IS HOW MUCH OF OUR OUR REVENUES ARE COVER OUR EXPENSES? EXACTLY.
WELL, SO THE HOUSTON PERMITTING CENTER OPERATES AS A SPECIAL REVENUE FUND, SO OUR EXPENSES, UM, ARE SUPPOSED TO COVER, OUR REVENUES ARE SUPPOSED TO COVER OUR EXPENSES.
I WILL HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU AS TO WHAT THE EXACT PERCENTAGE IS.
WE'LL HAVE TO ASK OUR FINANCE AND PROCUREMENT TEAM.
THANK YOU FOR PRESENTING TONIGHT.
UH, I HAVE VERY, VERY LITTLE EXPOSURE TO THE PERMITTING CENTER.
I'M ACTUALLY USED TO WORKING WITH YOUR PARTNERS.
SO I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, SO PLEASE CUT ME OFF, UH, IF YOU NEED TO AND I'LL, I'LL KEEP IT HIGH LEVEL.
UM, I AM IN THE WASHINGTON AVENUE CORRIDOR AND I HAVE, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, UM, HOW ENFORCEMENT WORKS.
I THINK YOU KIND OF HIT IT IN A COUPLE OF SENTENCES, BUT I WOULD LIKE SOME MORE INFORMATION AND MAYBE I NEED TO TALK WITH SOMEBODY OFFLINE, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND HOW ENFORCEMENT WORKS AND, YOU KNOW, THE, ALSO THE COMPLIANCE SIDE.
SO, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE PROCESS, THE TIMELINE? YOU MENTIONED THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS, UH, FO THERE WERE DAILY VIOLATIONS AND, UH, FOLLOW UP LIKE EVERY TWO WEEKS.
SO CAN YOU KIND OF EXPLAIN THAT FOR ME PLEASE? SURE.
SO, AND RAY, IF YOU'RE ON THE LINE TOO, YOU'RE WELCOME TO JUMP IN.
UM, SO YES, SO MOST, UH, INVESTIGATIONS START WITH A 3 1 1 COMPLAINT, AND THEN THAT INVESTIGATOR IS ASSIGNED AND WILL IDENTIFY IF THERE IS, YOU KNOW, VIOLATIONS THAT HAVE OCCURRED AND ISSUE OUT A NOTICE.
AND THEN THEY'RE GIVEN SOME TIME TO GO INTO COMPLIANCE.
SO EITHER SUBMIT THAT APPLICATION, START THE PLAN REVIEW PROCESS, UM, CALL THEIR INSPECTIONS, UM, THAT KIND OF COMPLIANCE.
UM, IF THEY CONTINUE TO IGNORE THOSE VIOLATIONS, THE INVESTIGATOR WILL COME BACK OUT.
THAT SCHEDULE IS CURRENTLY ON A TWO WEEK CYCLE.
UM, BUT IF THE RESIDENTS NOTICE THAT ADDITIONAL ACTIVITY IS STILL GOING ON, REPORT ANOTHER, UM, VIOLATION THROUGH 3 0 1 AND THE INVESTIGATOR WILL COME BACK OUT, UM, BETWEEN THOSE TWO WEEKS.
AND THEN IF THERE ARE ADDITIONAL, YOU KNOW, ISSUES THAT ARE FOUND, ADDITIONAL CITATIONS MAY BE INCLUDED.
UM, AND SO WITH EACH CITATION, THERE IS A COURT PROCESS.
UM, AND THEN IF FILED GUILTY, THERE'S FINES THAT ACCUMULATE FOR EACH OF THOSE CITATIONS AS WELL.
SO THEY CAN START TO BE A CUMULATIVE EFFECT.
SOME MAY TRY TO HOLD OUT FOR A LITTLE WHILE HOPING THAT WE MIGHT, UM, GO AWAY.
UM, BUT THEN AT SOME POINT THOSE FINES START TO TALLY UP AND THEY WILL EVENTUALLY COME BACK TO THE TABLE AND TRY TO WORK WITH THE CITY TO ENSURE THAT THE BUILDING IS, IS SAFE AND COMPLIANT.
WELL, WE'VE GOT A COUPLE THAT ARE OPERATING WITHOUT A CO, SO I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT'S REALLY SAFE.
[00:35:01]
I MEAN, I CAN TALK TO SOMEBODY OFFLINE ABOUT THAT, BUT, BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, UH, THERE ARE, UH, AND I'LL JUST GIVE YOU A GOOD EXAMPLE.WHEN IT COMES TO BUILDING CODES, WE'VE GOT, UH, THREE HOMES THAT HAVE BEEN BUILT UP NEXT TO, UM, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD PARK.
AND THEY WERE JUST COMPLETED ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO.
BUT AS WE ALL KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE KIND OF BEEN IN A DROUGHT, WELL, WE HAD A, AN INCH OF RAIN AND NOW OUR, UM, NEIGHBORHOOD PARK IS NOW HALF OF IT IS NOW A LAKE, SO IT'S NOT REALLY USABLE, UH, AFTER AN INCH OF RAIN.
AND THEN OF COURSE YOU ADD ON, YOU KNOW, THE LITTLE BIT WE HAD TODAY, IT'S JUST NOT USABLE.
SO HOW DO WE GO ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THESE DEVELOPERS ARE, YOU KNOW, UM, PUTTING IN THE PROPER DRAINAGE AND WHATNOT BECAUSE THIS, I MEAN, NOW WE'RE, YOU KNOW, AS A NEIGHBORHOOD GONNA HAVE TO WORK WITH OUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBER AND EVERYBODY ELSE TO PUT IN THE PROPER DRAIN DRAINAGE AND IT'S PROBABLY GONNA COST A LOT MORE.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE'VE ALSO GOT A NEW BUILD.
REGIS IS GOING IN NEXT TO BUFFALO BAYOU.
I HAVE BEEN TOLD, I HAVEN'T SEEN IT YET, BUT THERE ARE LOADS AND LOADS AND LOADS OF DIRT JUST BEING PUT OVER THERE, WHICH TELLS ME, UH, WE COULD END UP, YOU KNOW, IN A SITUATION LIKE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 14, YOU KNOW, WHERE EVERYTHING KIND OF HAD TO STOP BECAUSE, UH, THEY WERE JUST NOT IN COMPLIANCE.
SO, UM, I, I WOULD LIKE TO TALK TO SOMEBODY OFFLINE A LITTLE BIT MORE, UM, ABOUT SOME OF THESE DETAILS.
AND ALSO, CAN WE GET A COPY OF THE PRESENTATION PLEASE? YEAH.
AND STACY, I HATE TO CUT YOU OFF, BUT WE, WE HAVE OTHER PEOPLE ALSO.
AND PLEASE JUST EMAIL US IN YOUR QUESTIONS AND WE'LL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU.
YOU KNOW, MY EMAILING RIGHT? UM, GREG, YOU CAN EMAIL US AT ASK HPC, ASK H I'LL PUT IT IN THE CHAT FOR YOU.
I APPRECIATE, UH, YOU BEING HERE TONIGHT.
YOU TALK ABOUT THE VIOLATIONS AND THEN GOING TO COURT.
HOW MANY FINES HAVE BEEN ISSUED, WOULD YOU SAY, IN THE LAST YEAR? AND, AND COLLECTED? AND A FOLLOW UP IS, I KNOW THAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO SIGN A STATEMENT UNDER PERJURY THAT THEY'VE COMPLIED WITH THE DEED RESTRICTIONS, BUT WHEN WE'VE TRIED TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT, THEY SAY, UH, WELL, WE'RE NOT GONNA DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
SO WHO IS THEY? CAN YOU GIMME? AND THAT, THAT'S ANECDOTALLY, BUT IS THAT TRUE ON BOTH THE ISSUES? THANK YOU.
UM, SO THE FIRST QUESTION WAS HOW, HOW MANY CITATIONS HAVE WE, UM, ISSUED IN THE LAST YEAR? NO, NO.
I, THE CITATIONS IS ONE THING, BUT HOW MANY HAVE GONE THROUGH THE COURT PROCESS AND BEEN FINED? I WOULD SAY, BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS IF THEY DON'T FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE A HAMMER ON 'EM, THEY'RE GONNA CONTINUE.
I WILL HAVE TO FOLLOW UP WITH YOU ON THAT ONE.
UM, WE'LL SEE TO SEE IF WE CAN TALLY THOSE UP.
UM, GREG SOUGHT TO ADDRESS MY ISSUE IS THAT FIRST OF ALL, THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT OR PERMIT DEPARTMENT IS HANDING OUT PERMITS, UM, WITHOUT THE CIVIC ASSOCIATION HOMEOWNER ASSOCIATION KNOWING ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
AND WE DON'T FIND OUT ABOUT IT UNTIL AFTER THEY'VE GOTTEN THE PERMIT.
RIGHT? THEY'VE LIED ON THE APPLICATION SAYING THAT THERE WAS NO HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH IS A LIE.
THEY FILE THE AFFIDAVIT AND NOBODY DOES ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
SO WHEN WE FIND THEM ACTUALLY BUILDING, THEY HAVE A WHOLE FUNKY ATTITUDE BECAUSE THEY HAVE A PERMIT WHERE YOUR PERMIT VIOLATES OUR D RESTRICTIONS.
AND WE HAVE TWO HOUSES IN A SOUTHWOOD SUBDIVISION THAT WERE BUILT AND THEY WERE IN VIOLATION.
YOU CALLED 3 1 1, YOU CALLED THE HOTLINE AND YOU CALL THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT, YOU CALL EVERYBODY, NOBODY DOES ANYTHING.
SO THEY KEEP RIGHT ON BUILDING BECAUSE THEY HAVE A BUILDING PERMIT.
SO HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THAT? BECAUSE WE DO ALL, YOU KNOW, THE CITY CLUB DOES WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO DO, BUT THE CITY AND THE LEGAL AREN'T DOING WHAT THEY NEED TO DO.
AND WITH ALL OF THESE, THIS, UM, PRESENTATION THAT YOU HAVE PRESENTED, WHY IS IT NOT POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO HAVE A, A SITE ON THERE THAT SAYS WHO THE PRESIDENTS OR WHO THE PRESIDENTS OF THESE, UH, CONTACT PEOPLE FOR THE CITY CLUBS AND HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION ARE? YEARS AGO, EVERY YEAR WE WOULD SENT A FORM FROM THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT TO UPDATE THAT INFORMATION.
AND I DON'T SEE WHY WITH ALL THE ELECTRONIC STUFF THAT'S GOING ON NOW, THAT THAT COULDN'T BE DONE SO THAT YOU IN THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT
[00:40:01]
AND A PRINTING DE PERMITTING DEPARTMENT WOULD KNOW WHO THE ACTUAL CONTACT PERSON IS WITH THAT SUBDIVISION, AND THE PERSON THAT'S GETTING THE PERMIT WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO LIE.SO HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THAT? SURE.
YOU KNOW, AND I AM SORRY ABOUT THAT.
YOU KNOW, THE, THE ROUTE IS TO REPORT THAT TO THE HOTLINE, UM, AND THEY DO SIGN THAT AFFIDAVIT DAVID DECLARING THAT THEY HAVE COMPLIED AND THEY'VE DONE THE, THEIR DUE DILIGENCE.
UM, I WILL TAKE YOUR FEEDBACK ABOUT YOU CREATING THAT.
YOU KNOW, AND THAT IS, IT IS A LEGAL DOCUMENT, SO I WOULD PRESUME THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY NOT IN THE COURT, THAT IS ONE OF THE DOCUMENTS THAT THAT WILL BE, UM, AVAILABLE, UM, AS EVIDENCE.
UM, BUT YES, I'LL TAKE YOUR FEEDBACK ABOUT, ABOUT PROVIDING INFORMATION ABOUT THE HOAS.
YEAH, BECAUSE I PERSONALLY FOUGHT BECAUSE NOT UNTIL, I GUESS IN THE LAST FIVE, SIX YEARS, MAYBE THEY JUST FINALLY RE REDID THE APPLICATION AND PUT THAT AFFIDAVIT ON IT, BECAUSE FOREVER BEFORE THAT, THEY JUST GO GET A PERMIT AND GO ABOUT THEIR BUSINESS.
WELL THEN THAT CREATES ANIMOSITY BETWEEN THE HOMEOWNER AND THE ORGANIZATION BECAUSE THEY HAVE A PERMIT THAT'S IN VIOLATION AND WE'RE TRYING TO STOP 'EM WHERE IT COULD BE STOPPED EVEN BEFORE IT GETS TO THAT.
I'VE HEARD THAT I'VE, I'VE MADE A NOTE AND WE CAN FOLLOW UP WITH OUR, UM, OUR EXECUTIVE TEAM REGARDING THAT.
UM, I'M IN THE NORTHEAST SET OF GAS AREA, AND WHAT WE'RE SEEING AND OBSERVING IS THAT WE HAVE BUILDERS AND DEVELOPERS BECAUSE WE'RE CONSIDERED LAND RICH.
AND THEY'RE COMING IN AND THEY'RE DEMOING, THEY'RE TEARING DOWN BUILDINGS, THEY'RE BRINGING IN FIELD DIRT, THEY'RE DOING ALL KIND OF THINGS WITHOUT ANY PERMITS.
AND THEN WHEN WE OBSERVE IT AND CALL IT IN, THEY DO GET A RED TAG AND THEN THEY PUSH ON AND SOMETIME THEY PUSH ON WITH THE SECOND AND THIRD RED TAG BECAUSE THE PENALTIES MUST NOT BE MUCH OF A DETERRENT BECAUSE THEY'RE JUST TRYING TO HIT THEIR DEAD, THEIR DEADLINES.
SO WE HAVE WORK BEING PERFORMED BEFORE PERMITS.
WE HAVE CONCRETE TRUCKS, ONE TO THREE, 3:00 AM WE HAVE ALCOHOL LICENSE BEING ISSUED, UH, WITH BUSINESSES, CONVENIENCE STORE, GAS STATIONS.
AND LAST I CHECKED WITH A TF, THERE'S A BUFFER ZONE.
SO THEY'RE ABLE TO GET A LIQUOR STORE OR SELL LIQUOR WHEN THEIR NEIGHBOR IS A RESIDENT OR A CHURCH.
SO THEY'RE VIOLATING THE BUFFER ZONE, BUT THEY'RE BEING ISSUED A LICENSE FOR LIQUOR.
UH, WE HAVE PERMITS BEING PURCHASED AFTER THEY'VE BEEN CALLED IN BECAUSE THE INSPECTORS COME OUT AND DON'T SEE WHAT THEY'RE OUT THERE FOR.
SO WE CALL IN THINGS ABOUT FOUR TIMES AND WE, WE FINALLY SENT EMAILS WITH PICTURES, AND THAT'S WHEN THE INSPECTOR FINALLY SEES WHAT WE SAID FROM THE FIRST CALL.
SO THEN WHEN THE PARTY STARTS GETTING PERMITS, THEY INADVERTENTLY, CONVENIENTLY LEAVE OUT THAT THEY DID FOUNDATION WORK, THEY DID PLUMBING SHEET, YOU KNOW, AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO YES, THEY GET PERMITS, BUT THEY GET EASY PERMITS THAT DON'T INCLUDE THE SHEET ROCK WORK, WHICH IS OVER 250 SQUARE FEET AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
SO THE QUESTION, IF THERE IS ONE WOULD BE WHAT ELSE CAN WE DO? WE ARE CALLING THE INSPECTORS ARE NOT SEEING THINGS.
THEY'RE COMING OUT SEEING DUMPSTERS IN THE DRIVEWAY AND SAYING, IN WRITING, NO CONSTRUCTION WORK.
OBSERVED WITH A DUMPSTER FULL SITTING IN TWO DRIVEWAYS, I YIELD BACK.
AND KATIE AGAIN, KATIE, UM, WE, WE DO APPRECIATE THE CALLS AS KATIE'S BEEN STRESSING BECAUSE WHAT THAT ALLOWS THE INVESTIGATOR TO DO IS TO DOCUMENT THE STATUS, UH, CURRENTLY, UH, THE, UH, RECORDING OF THE SITE, THE RECORDING OF DUMPSTERS, THE RECORDING IF THERE'S ACCESS TO THE, TO INSIDE.
AND SO UPON FOLLOW UP COMPLAINTS, WE'RE ABLE TO ALSO TO DOCUMENT THE PROGRESSION OF WORK DONE AFTER THE FIRST NOTICE WAS DONE.
SO THE INSPECTOR GOING OUT AND DOCUMENTING IT AND DOCUMENTING PICTURES IS VERY HELPFUL, BUT THAT'S WHERE THE DISCONNECT IS.
WE ONLY GET RESULTS WHEN WE PUSH IT UP AND ELEVATE IT TO CITY COUNCIL OR AT LARGE, ONCE THEY GET INVOLVED, THINGS TURN THE TIDE.
BUT BEFORE THAT, THE INSPECTORS ARE BLIND, THEY GO OUT FOUR TIMES AND CLOSE IT OUT AND SAY NO, UH, CONSTRUCTION WORK BEING OBSERVED.
AND IT'S VERY FRUSTRATING TO CALL
[00:45:01]
STUFF IN FOR FOUR TIMES.AND ONCE IT GETS ELEVATED, ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY HAVE GLASSES.
UM, I, I DON'T WANNA CUT YOU OFF, BUT WE DO HAVE SOME OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE CONCERNS THEY'D LIKE TO BRING UP.
SO GEORGE, UM, YOURS NEXT? YEAH.
SIMILAR TO WHAT SEVERAL OTHER SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS, ALL THE OTHER SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE MENTIONED.
WE'VE GOT ONE SPECIFIC EXAMPLE, ONE DEVELOPER RECURRING ISSUES WHERE THEY BRING IN FILL, ILLEGAL FILL, UM, INTO THE FLOODPLAIN.
AND ONE, THE LATEST EXAMPLE, THERE'S EIGHT RED TAGS THAT WERE ASSIGNED.
UH, EV IT EVENTUALLY IT, IT STOPPED THE, THEY, THEY KEPT TRYING TO BRING IN THE DIRT LATE AT NIGHT ON WEEKENDS, WHENEVER SOMEBODY WASN'T LOOKING.
NOBODY, NO INSPECTORS COULD COME OUT FOR SEVERAL DAYS.
AND SO THEY DUMPED IN AS MUCH FILL AS POSSIBLE BEFORE SOMEBODY COULD COME AND, AND LOOK AT IT.
UM, AT THIS POINT, EVERYTHING HAS STOPPED, BUT THE FILL IS THERE.
WHAT IS THEN THE RECOURSE? 'CAUSE THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES.
WHAT IS THE RECOURSE TO REMOVE THE DIRT WHILE O OTHERWISE, UH, HOUSES YARDS ARE BEING, ARE INUNDATED? THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
UM, I'LL FOLLOW UP WITH OUR FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT OFFICE, UM, ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THE ACTIONS AFTER THAT'S BEEN BEEN FOUND.
UM, WHILE WE'RE WAITING FOR THEM TO COME INTO COMPLIANCE WITH THE, UH, FLOODPLAIN REQUIREMENTS AND THE OTHER PERMITTING REQUIREMENTS, WE HAVE KATHY AND THEN BARBARA.
SO KATHY, IF YOU WANNA GO AND THEN BARBARA, AND AT THAT POINT I THINK WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO KIND OF WRAP IT UP.
UM, AND I WANTED TO SAY ANY IMPROVEMENT TO THE WEBSITE IS HUGELY APPRECIATED BY THOSE OF US WHO HAVE TRIED TO NAVIGATE IT OVER THE YEARS, AND THIS LOOKS LIKE A REALLY GREAT WEBSITE.
UM, THE OTHER THING IS, I WANNA SAY HOW IMPORTANT THESE, UH, PERMIT ACTIVITY REPORTS ARE.
I'M NOT SURE IF THESE ARE COMING OUT OF THIS OFFICE.
THEY'RE COMING, THEY'RE OBVIOUSLY COMING FROM HOUSTON PLANNING.
WE HAVE FOR MANY, MANY, MANY YEARS GOTTEN AN E PERMIT OR A PERMIT ACTIVITY REPORT WEEKLY, SAME DAY OF THE WEEK EACH WEEK THAT TELLS US EVERY PERMIT THAT'S BEEN APPROVED IN EVERY ZIP CODE, SO THAT IF WE SEE THAT THINGS HAVE BEEN APPROVED IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, AND, BUT NOBODY HAS DONE A PLAN REVIEW OR SEEN THOSE PLANS, IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO REACH OUT TO THE PERSON WHO PURCHASED THE PERMIT AND SAID, WE'D REALLY LIKE TO SEE YOUR PLANS.
WE CAN'T MAKE THEM SHOW THEIR PLANS.
AND SPEAKING, UH, BACK TO, TO WHAT, UH, SAMMY, I'M SORRY, I CAN'T REMEMBER YOUR LAST NAME OR I WOULD ADDRESS YOU PROPERLY.
UM, BUT UM, NOW, NOW I'VE LOST MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT.
WHEN THE CITY APPROVES A PERMIT THAT IS ACTUALLY IN VIOLATION OF DE RESTRICTIONS, WE HAVE NOT FOUND A WAY YET TO DEAL WITH THAT EXCEPT FILE A LAWSUIT.
AND, AND THAT IS REALLY HARD FOR MOST NEIGHBORHOODS TO DO THE LEGAL FUNDS AND SO FORTH.
YOU KNOW, BACK IN THE DAY, AND I KNOW BECAUSE I'VE BEEN MANAGING NEIGHBORHOODS FOR OFF AND ON FOR 35 YEARS, UM, THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT ASKED FOR A LETTER ON LETTERHEAD FROM CIVIC CLUBS APPROVING, UM, A SET OF PLANS BEFORE THEY ISSUED A PERMIT.
PROBLEM IS, THAT WAS A POLICY, NOT AN ORDINANCE, IT WAS NEVER CODIFIED.
AND AS THE ADMINISTRATION CHANGED OVER THE YEARS, THAT FELT BY THE WAYSIDE.
BUT IT WAS REALLY NICE TO HAVE THE CITY REACH OUT AND SAY, HEY, DO THESE PLANS ACTUALLY COMPLY WITH YOUR DEED RESTRICTIONS? UM, SOME PEOPLE DO LIE AND OTHER PEOPLE SIMPLY THINK THEY UNDERSTAND A SET OF DEED RESTRICTIONS AND THEY DON'T.
AND SO THEY SIGN THE AFFIDAVIT AND SAY, YEAH, I'VE READ 'EM, I GET IT, BUT THEY DON'T GET IT.
UM, AND THEN THE LAST THING I WAS GONNA ASK IS, UM, WE'RE HEARING FROM, FROM HOMEOWNERS WHO, UH, AND I'M SPEAKING NOW NOT FROM REALLY THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT SOUTH HAMPTON CIVIC CLUB, WHICH I ALSO MANAGE.
WE'RE HEARING FROM HOMEOWNERS THAT IT'S TAKING, YOU KNOW, EIGHT TO 12 MONTHS TO GET A PERMIT TO BUILD A HOUSE.
IS THERE A HUGE BACKLOG? IS IT TAKING, YOU KNOW, EXCEEDINGLY LONG TIMES AS A NORM NOW TO GET A PERMIT? AND THEN SECOND QUESTION TO THAT IS, HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET A MEETING TO COME DOWN THERE AND APPLY FOR A PERMIT? I MEAN, LIKE, IF YOU CALL IN OR GO ONLINE AND SAY, I'D LIKE TO COME, I'D LIKE TO MEET WITH SOMEBODY, WHETHER IT'S ZOOM OR IN PERSON, HOW LONG KATHY, LET HER ANSWER.
IF WE NEED TO, WE NEED TO MOVE ON.
SO CAN WE, UM, YES, SO YOU CAN GO AHEAD.
UM, I, I'D LIKE TO SPEAK JUST BRIEFLY TO THE, UH, THIS IS RAY RUIZ SPEAK BRIEFLY TO THE, UM, THE DEED RESTRICTIONS.
[00:50:01]
TELLS US, UH, IN CHAPTER ONE OF JUST ABOUT EVERY CODE BOOK THAT THE PERMIT IS BEING ISSUED, UH, A, UH, BASED ON THE, ON THE FACT THAT IT'S ACCURATE INFORMATION AND THAT DECLARATION IS PART OF THE ACCURATE INFORMATION.THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT THAT, UH, KATIE, UH, PROVIDED THE LINK AND THE NUMBER FOR, THAT'S CRITICAL BECAUSE THAT LEGAL DEPARTMENT IS ALMOST DAILY IN CONTACT WITH STRUCTURAL INSPECTIONS DEPARTMENT.
SO WHEN A COMPLAINT COMES IN TO THE, UH, DEED RESTRICTIONS LEGAL LINE, THEY WILL CONTACT, UH, RICK NORDQUIST AT THE, IN THE STRUCTURAL DIVISION.
AND, UH, THEY WILL, THEY WILL ISSUE STOP WORK ORDER SO THAT THAT PERMIT IS, UH, SUSPENDED.
THE, THE PERMISSION OF THAT PERMIT IS SUSPENDED UNTIL THE DEED RESTRICTION IS, UM, IS RESOLVED ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
UM, BARBARA, CAN I SAY SOMETHING TO THAT? WELL, I, I REALLY WOULD LIKE FOR BARBARA TO HAVE A CHANCE.
I, I'D REALLY LIKE FOR BARBARA TO HAVE A CHANCE TO ASK HER QUESTION BECAUSE SHE'S BEEN PATIENTLY WAITING, AND THEN WE'RE GONNA KIND OF WRAP IT UP.
AND I, I, WITH SOME FINAL COMMENTS.
SO BARBARA, UH, I, I AGREE WITH THE, WITH THE PEOPLE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, THE DEED RESTRICTION, UH, UM, VIOLATIONS, IT HAPPENS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD NOW ON A REGULAR BASIS.
UH, PARKING IS AT A PREMIUM IN OUR, IN OUR, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND SO PEOPLE ARE WIDENING THEIR DRIVEWAYS.
SOMETIMES WE LIVE IN PATIO HOMES, SOMETIMES TAKING OUT THE HALF THE FRONT YARD, AND THAT'S AGAINST OUR, OUR, OUR DEED RESTRICTIONS, YET THEY CAN GET A PERMIT AND, AND, AND WE DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO AGAIN UNLESS WE TAKE 'EM TO COURT.
AND THAT'S VERY, VERY EXPENSIVE.
SO I THINK I'M, I'M HEARING FROM THE DIRECTOR THAT, THAT, THAT WE SHOULD, UH, THEN, THEN GO TO THE, UH, LEGAL DEPARTMENT.
IS THAT CORRECT? THE CITY'S LEGAL DEPARTMENT BECAUSE THESE PEOPLE HAVE EITHER HAVEN'T COMPLIED WITH THE REPORT OR, OR, OR COMPLIED WITH THE LAW OR THEY'VE LIED ON THEIR AFFIDAVIT OR WHATEVER.
IS THAT CORRECT? GO TO THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT OF THE CITY? YES.
TO THE, OOPS, ONE SELECT TOO FAR TO THE, THE RESTRICTIONS HOTLINE THAT GOES TO THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT.
THEY DO HAVE SOME SPECIFIC, UM, SITUATIONS, UH, AROUND THE DEED RESTRICTIONS THAT THEY DO INVESTIGATE.
AND, AND HERE'S ANOTHER QUESTION I HAVE FOR, AGAIN, WE LIVE IN PATIO HOMES.
SO OUR, OUR YARDS, ESPECIALLY OUR BACKYARDS, ARE USUALLY NOT BIG ENOUGH TO EVEN CHANGE YOUR MIND.
AND NOW WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE CONCRETING THE ENTIRE BACKYARD WITHOUT PERMISSION, OF COURSE.
AND WHAT HAPPENS THEN IS THAT, UH, UH, WHEN IT RAINS, IT, IT GOES INTO YOUR NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE OR THEIR NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE.
AND WHAT DO WE DO ABOUT THAT? BECAUSE SOMETIMES WE CAN'T SEE IT BEING DONE.
AND THE ONLY REASON WE KNOW IT'S BEING DONE IS WHEN THE, THE NEIGHBORS WHO WHO ARE BEING FLOODED CA UM, CALL AND COMPLAIN AT THE OFFICE.
UM, SURE NOT TO SOUND LIKE A BROKEN RECORD, BUT TO REPORT THAT WHEN YOU DO FIND IT OUT, UH, TO 3 1 1 TO START THAT PROCESS.
UM, I THINK IT'S OBVIOUS THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS.
UM, WE'VE, WE'VE KIND OF GONE OVER THE, THE TIME LIMIT THAT, THAT WE HAD PUT.
UM, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS.
I'M GETTING THE SENSE THAT, UM, THE GROUP WOULD PROBABLY LIKE TO HAVE YOU COME BACK AND TO MAYBE ANSWER SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU SAID THAT YOU NEED TO GO AND LOOK UP.
COULD, COULD WE ASK YOU TO COME BACK AND RESPOND BACK TO ALL OF US? OF COURSE.
UM, AND ONE OF THE THINGS I'M SEEING IN, IN CHAT AND, AND IN TEXT TO ME IS IT'S ALL GREAT AND ALL THAT.
IF SOMEBODY'S APPLIED FOR A PERMIT AND THEY'VE LIED ON THE PERMIT, I'M THE ONE THAT BROUGHT UP THE ISSUE THAT, THAT Y'ALL ADDRESSED AT THE BEGINNING OF PEOPLE WHO HAVEN'T EVEN BOTHERED TO APPLY FOR A PERMIT AND 14 NOTICES WERE APPLY PUT ON THIS HOUSE.
AND I'VE SEEN THE GUY, THE THE CONTRACTOR, I'VE WALKED OVER TO HIM AND SAID, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE, YOU KEEP GETTING PERMITS.
HE PICKS 'EM UP, HE RIPS 'EM UP, AND HE THROWS 'EM AT THE, AT THE GROUND IN FRONT OF OUR FACE AND SAYS, SO SUE ME.
UM, OUR CIVIC CLUB CAN'T AFFORD TO GO AFTER HIM.
HE'S DOING FIVE HOUSES, HE'S FLIPPING FIVE HOUSES IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND DOING THIS ON EVERY HOUSE.
WE, WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
AND THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT IS OF NO HELP.
SO IF YOU COULD MAYBE, UH, ACCUMULATE SOME ANSWERS TO SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WERE BROUGHT UP AND WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU COME BACK AND GIVE US SOME OF THESE ANSWERS, WOULD THAT BE OKAY? YES.
[00:55:01]
I WOULD APPRECIATE IT.UM, MS. CHERYL, FOR THE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, CAN WE GO AHEAD AND HAVE PEOPLE PUT THEM IN THE CHAT? YES.
SO THAT WE HAVE THOSE SUBMITTED SO THAT WHEN WE, WHEN YOU REACH BACK OUT TO US, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND SET THAT DATE UP AND GET ALL THOSE QUESTIONS TO ASK AND MAYBE EVEN HAVE A WHOLE JUST PRESENTATION WITH US AND SOME OF OUR BUILDING CODE GUYS AND SOME OF OUR OFFICE CITY ENGINEER GUYS ON THE CALL TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN GET THOSE QUESTIONS ANSWERED.
AND YOU HAVE A LOT OF EXPERTS ON THE LINE, NOT JUST THAT.
I WOULD, I THINK THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
IF SO, DID EVERYBODY CATCH IT? PLEASE PUT YOUR QUESTIONS IN THE CHAT.
YOU CAN ALSO SEND YOUR QUESTIONS TO THE SNAC UM, EMAIL ADDRESS AND WE WILL ACCUMULATE THEM ALL FROM THERE.
AND WE WILL ALSO ACCUMULATE THEM FROM THE CHAT AND PROVIDE THEM BACK.
AND, AND IF YOU HAVE, AND IF YOU HAVE ANY DIRECT, UM, OFFLINE QUESTIONS, AGAIN, THAT CONTACT INFORMATION IS STILL UP ON THE SCREEN.
YOU CAN EMAIL US AT ACTS HPC@HOUSTONTX.GOV AND THAT PHONE NUMBER, OR YOU CAN GO TO THE LIVE CHAT ON THE ACTUAL WEBSITE.
A LITTLE BOX POPS UP AND SAYS LIVE CHAT.
AND ONE OF OUR AGENTS WILL BE HAPPY TO DIRECT YOUR CALL TO THE PERSON THAT NEEDS TO HANDLE THAT SITUATION FOR YOU.
TOMORROW, DO YOU HAVE A GENERAL QUESTION THAT, THAT YOU WANTED TO, TO BRING UP? OR A SPECIFIC INCIDENT? THE DIRECTOR, THE DIRECTOR OF THE PERMITTING DEPARTMENT IS ON THE LINE.
UH, HE MAY WANNA SAY SOMETHING.
UH, MR. BUTLER, HE'S ON THE CALL, RIGHT? YOU KNOW, MR. BUTLER, WOULD YOU LIKE TO LIKE WRAP IT UP HERE? RIGHT.
UH, MS. BELL, I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU TO SEND US THANK YOU TO, UH, GRACE AND KATIE AND ELIZABETH WHO AT SEVEN 30 AT NIGHT ARE STILL IN THE BUILDING.
PROVIDE THAT CUSTOMER SERVICE THAT WE HAVE FOR EVERYBODY.
UH, I DO WANNA REITERATE THOUGH, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE, THOSE VERY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, EITHER PUT THOSE IN THE CHAT OR EMAIL THOSE, UH, WE NEED ADDRESSES.
IF, IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE SPECIFIC ADDRESS, WE NEED, UH, AS MUCH DETAILED INFORMATION SO WE CAN PROVIDE THE BEST ANSWER WHEN WE MEET AGAIN.
BUT, SO THANK YOU GUYS FOR INVITING US AND LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU GUYS REAL SOON.
THE, UM, NEXT ORDER OF BUSINESS ON OUR AGENDA IS THE ELECTIONS.
UM, I'M GOING TO TURN THIS OVER TO THE CHAIR OF THE NOMINATIONS COMMITTEE.
THIS IS DOUG SMITH AND I WAS ON THE, OR I WAS CHAIR OF THE NOMINATIONS COMMITTEE AND THERE WERE TWO OTHER PEOPLE WITH ME ON THAT COMMITTEE.
UH, UH, MARK KLEIN AND MIKE VAN DEEN.
AND WE HAVE COME UP WITH A SLATE OF OFFICERS, UH, FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR.
UH, CHERYL O'BRIEN AS CHAIRMAN, KEITH DOWNEY AS VICE CHAIRMAN, AND AMY DEN AS SECRETARY.
BUT WE ALSO ARE OPEN FOR NOMINATIONS FROM THE FLOOR, IF THERE WAS ANY, IF THERE'S ANYBODY ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO BE CONSIDERED FOR ANY OF THESE OFFICES.
SO IS IS THERE ANYONE, IF YOU, IF THERE IS SOMEONE, IF YOU'D RAISE YOUR HAND, WE WOULD APPRECIATE IT AND I DON'T SEE ANY HANDS GOING UP.
UH, SO BASED ON THAT, UH, I WOULD ACCEPT A MOTION, UH, TO, UH, ELECT THESE PEOPLE.
UH, MY SUGGESTION IS THAT WE DO THIS BY ACCLIMATION SINCE THERE IS NO CONTEST FOR ANY OF THE OFFICES.
UH, AND WE COULD VOTE IN FAVOR BY RAISING YOUR HAND, UH, IN FAVOR.
IF YOU DO THAT, I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
SO I DO NOT KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING.
I SWEAR I'M NOT TOUCHING MY COMPUTER AND IT JUST GOES BLANK.
YEAH, IT HAPPENED TO ME TONIGHT TOO.
I'M RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE STADIUM.
I'M GONNA BLAME IT ON LOTS OF, UH, PEOPLE USING, UM, WIFI AND STUFF OVER AT THE STADIUM, AT THE GAME.
I, I I SO MOVE THAT, UH, THE VOTE FOR ALL THREE, UH, CANDIDATES FOR THEIR RES THE, FOR EACH OF THE RESPECTIVE THREE OFFICES BE APPROVED BY ACCLIMATION.
THE, DO I SEE A SHOW OF HANDS? YES.
THAT RAISE HAND BUTTON
WELL I THINK THAT, I THINK THAT ANSWERS THE
[01:00:01]
QUESTION, CHERYL.I THINK IT ANSWERS THE QUESTION.
SO I THINK IT PASSED THE NEXT YOU CAN MOVE ON TO THE NEXT.
CAN YOU SEE ENOUGH HANDS? SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD.
CHERYL I 16 AT ONE POINT, ALTHOUGH SOME PEOPLE HAVE DROPPED THEIR, SO I HAD TELL THEM SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD PEOPLE.
SO WE DO NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR DELEGATES ARE, ARE ALL FINISHED, RIGHT? SO WE ARE GONNA HAVE THROUGH THE DELEGATE LIST.
SO WE'RE GONNA DO A ROAD CALL THEN.
WELL, THAT'S WHY I WAS WONDER SHE COULD SEE ALL THE HANDS IF MAYBE, IF SHE WAS ABLE TO DO IT VISUALLY.
SO LEAVE YOUR, LEAVE YOUR HANDS UP.
SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD PEOPLE ONLY MAKE SURE ONLY THEY LEAD A HAND UP.
THE, THE DESI THE DESIGNATED REP FOR THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD.
WHILE SHE'S COUNTING FOR THE, FOR THE PERMITTING PEOPLE THAT ARE STILL ON THE LINE.
AGAIN, I THANK Y'ALL VERY MUCH FOR COMING.
UH, WHO IS SAMMY HUGHES AFFILIATED WITH? WHAT SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD SHE'S AFFILIATED WITH MINE.
OKAY, SO ONLY WELL WE CAN ONLY VOTE FOR ONLY.
SAMMY, ONLY ONE VOTE PER SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD.
YOU CAN TAKE YOUR HAND DOWN SAMMY.
WELL, BUT AMY'S, AMY'S NOTING IT.
CAN I MAKE A COMMENT WHILE SHE'S COUNTING THE HANDS? AT THE LAST MEETING THAT I ATTENDED, WE TALKED TO, UM, A LADY ABOUT, ABOUT, UH, DRAINAGE.
THAT WAS ON A MONDAY, ON FRIDAY THEY HAD COME OUT AND REPLACED THE, THE ACCESS AND, AND I'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET THAT FIXED FOR SOME YEARS.
AND THE LADY YOU ALL TOLD ME TO TALK TO, SHE DID IT WITHIN A FEW DAYS.
IF I CAN FINISH WITH THE VOTE.
LETICIA GRANT, WHAT SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ARE YOU WITH? AON, AON SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD NUMBER SIX.
THINK WE MISSED YOU DURING ROLL CALL.
IS THAT, HAS EVERYBODY GOT THEIR HAND UP THAT WANTED TO VOTE? YEAH, JACKIE MAHORN WAS SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD FOUR SEVEN.
AND WHO IS UH, WITH PHRASE BOTH.
OKAY, THEN YOU COUNTED TWICE AT THERE.
NAOMI, THERE'S NAOMI OS AND THEN BRAS OAK SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD.
COULD I GET CLARIFICATION ON WHICH VOTE I'M SUPPOSED TO COUNT PLEASE? UM, WELL I DON'T THINK SYLVIA RIVAS IS HERE TONIGHT.
WELL, THERE'S A NAOMI OSFI WITH A HAND UP AND A BRAISE OAKS WITH THE HAND UP.
SO IF THAT'S THE SAME SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD, THAT'S ONE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD.
DID YOU HELP? WANTED ME HERE?
SYLVIA WAS THERE SYLVIA HERE TONIGHT? YES, I SAW HER ARE OH, OKAY.
WELL IF SYLVIE'S HERE, THEN YOU CAN COUNT HERS AND, AND TAKE MINE OFF.
I DIDN'T HEAR HER AND SAY THAT SHE WAS HERE.
SO I THOUGHT I WAS THE ONLY ONE.
COULD YOU PLEASE IDENTIFY
I WAS UNABLE TO UNMUTE MYSELF.
THIS IS SYLVIA RIVAS, PRESIDENT FOR THE BRAYS OAK SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD.
[01:05:01]
I THINK WE'RE ABOUT AS CLOSE AS WE'RE GONNA GET.I HAVE 25 PRESENT, SO THAT WOULD BE A MAJORITY.
AND EVERYONE, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
WE APPRECIATE EVERYBODY BEING PATIENT, BUT THAT TRULY IS QUICKER THAN GOING THROUGH THE IT'S
YEAH, WE CAN ALL LOWER OUR HANDS NOW.
UH, RHONDA, DID YOU WANT TO, UM, INTRODUCE THE RECAP SINCE WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE TONIGHT THAT WE'RE NOT AT THE, UM, DECEMBER MEETING? I SURE WILL.
SO, UM, WE'RE JUST GOING TO GIVE THE DEPARTMENT NEIGHBORHOOD'S GONNA GIVE A QUICK RECAP ON THE, UM, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD PROGRAM THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT LAST MONTH.
UM, AND HE WILL BE GIVING THE PRESENTATION TODAY.
JUST, IT'S NOT A PRESENTATION, JUST, IT'S JUST A QUICK UPDATE.
READY? WE'RE READY FOR YOU MR. SIMS. ALRIGHT.
SO LAST WEEK I THINK DIRECTOR JUST WENT A QUICK OVERVIEW OF THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, FUND THAT WE'RE BEGINNING THIS YEAR.
WE APOLOGIZE FOR THE LATE START, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF LOGISTICS AND POLICIES THAT WE HAVE TO ABIDE BY IN ORDER TO, UM, BEGIN THE PROGRAM BECAUSE WE ARE USING GENERAL FUND DOLLARS, WHICH ARE, UM, TAXPAYER FUNDS.
SO THEY'RE NOT JUST PUBLIC FUNDS, THESE ARE ARE GENERAL FUND DOLLARS.
SO WE, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE BEING, UM, GOOD STEWARDS OF THE TAXPAYER MONEY.
SO WE DO APOLOGIZE FOR THE WAIT FOR THE PROGRAM, BUT WE THINK WE HAVE IT TOGETHER.
AND SO RHONDA AND I MET THIS WEEK AND WE CAME UP WITH, UM, I THINK THE APPLICATION IS FINISHED AND THE GUIDELINES ARE IN THE APPLICATION.
SO I WOULD ADVISE EVERYONE, UM, THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO TWO THINGS TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THE APPLICATION.
THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE DONE SUPER, UM, DONE MATCHING GRANTS IN THE PAST, YOU'LL, THIS WILL BE QUITE SIMPLE FOR YOU.
THOSE SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE NEVER APPLIED FOR THE MATCHING GRANTS PROGRAM.
THIS WILL BE BRAND NEW TO YOU.
SO WE'LL HAVE A GRANT WORKSHOP THAT'LL BE BEGINNING IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS MONTH, UM, SOMEWHERE AROUND THE 16TH OF THE MONTH, MID MONTH.
UM, AND THAT WILL HELP YOU TO UNDERSTAND THE APPLICATION AND WHAT WILL BE NEEDED FROM YOU AS A SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD IN ORDER TO RECEIVE THESE FUNDS.
THE OTHER KEY DATE THAT WE HAVE IS JANUARY 26TH, WHICH IS THE, WHEN THE APPLICATION WILL BE RELEASED TO YOU ALL.
UM, THE APPLICATION WILL BE PDF FILLABLE.
IT WILL BE ON THE MAO WEBPAGE UNDER THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, SECTION, AND YOU WILL GO THERE TO COMPLETE IT.
IT LOOKS LIKE OUR DUE DATE WILL BE MAY MARCH 1ST AND AWARDS SHOULD GO OUT AROUND THE 15TH.
NOW THIS IS THE THING THAT EVEN THOUGH AWARDS ARE GOING OUT AROUND MARCH 15TH, BECAUSE THIS IS GENERAL FUND DOLLARS, ALL PROJECTS WILL NEED TO BE COMPLETE BY JUNE 28TH, WHICH IS THE, THE LAST BUSINESS DATE OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
SO WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE APPLICATION, DECIDING IF YOUR SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD WOULD LIKE TO APPLY, DECIDING IF YOUR SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD, IF THE PROJECT SUITS THIS, YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING YOU MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER.
UM, IF IT IS A PROJECT THAT MAY TAKE A LITTLE LONGER, YOU MIGHT WANNA WAIT TILL NEXT FISCAL YEAR, UM, IN THE HOPES THAT WE CAN RETAIN THIS FUNDING, UM, IN THE FUTURE IN FY 25.
UM, SO PLEASE THINK ABOUT THAT.
THE OTHER THING TO THINK ABOUT IS THAT PROJECTS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN STARTED AND PARTS OF PROJECTS THAT YOU WANT TO COMPLETE, THE PART THAT YOU WANT TO COMPLETE OF A PROJECT THAT MAY HAVE ALREADY STARTED CANNOT HAVE, HAVE BEEN COMMENCED AT THIS POINT.
THE CITY DOES NOT ALLOW US TO PAY FOR THINGS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN IN PLACE.
SO WE CAN, THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE CONFIRMED PURCHASES, UH, THAT WE CALL 'EM IN FINANCE, THE, THE JARGON WORD FOR 'EM.
BUT WE CAN, WE CAN'T, UM, COMPLETE PROJECTS THAT YOU'VE ALREADY STARTED.
SO IF IT'S PART OF A PROJECT, FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU'RE RENOVATING A PARK FOR SAY, AND YOU WANT
[01:10:01]
TO ADD A BENCH OR, OR A PLAYGROUND OR SOMETHING TO THE, THAT'S DIFFERENT BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S A BI BROADER PROJECT AND IT'S A COMPONENT OF THAT PROJECT.BUT SAY IF YOU'RE ADDING A PLAYGROUND AND YOU'VE ALREADY STARTED ADDING THAT PLAYGROUND AND YOU WANT THE CITY TO PAY FOR PART OF IT, NOW THAT THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN RELEASED, THAT IS NOT ALLOWED UNDER, UM, UNDER THE POLICIES OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
SO JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND AS YOU'RE GOING THROUGH.
UM, YOU WILL HAVE TO REGISTER AS A C VENDOR AND THOSE THINGS WILL BE IN THE APPLICATION.
SO NO NEED TO STRESS ABOUT IT HERE.
THOSE, THOSE THINGS WILL BE OUTLINED IN THE APPLICATION.
THE MAX AMOUNT THAT YOU COULD APPLY FOR IS 7,000, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, RHONDA.
THAT'S THE AMOUNT WE AGREED UPON.
UM, WE KINDA WENT BACK AND FORTH ON THAT ONE.
UM, THE, IT WILL BE, NOW THIS IS THE BAD NEWS FOR, FOR YOU GUYS FOR THIS YEAR.
IT WILL BE A REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM.
WE ARE STILL WORKING WITH STRATEGIC PURCHASING TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO, UM, REGARDING THE REIMBURSEMENT PROCESS ARE TRYING TO FUND PROJECTS WITHOUT THEM BEING REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAMS. BUT AT THIS POINT WE'RE NOT FAIR.
AND SO WE'RE MEETING WITH SPD AND I'M MEETING WITH LEGAL TO SEE, YOU KNOW, IF WE CAN EVEN DO A PROGRAM THAT IS NOT TO BE REIMBURSED.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE IT IS GENERAL FUND DOLLARS.
SO WE HAVE TO KNOW THAT THIS MONEY HAS BEEN AN EXPENSE FOR THIS PROJECT AND THAT WE'RE REIMBURSING YOU FOR THIS PROJECT.
BUT UNLIKE MATCHING GRANTS, IT'S NOT A MATCH.
WE WILL PLAY A HUNDRED PERCENT.
SO WE, WE, IF THE PROJECT COSTS 5,000, WE'LL PAY 5,000 FOR IT.
ARE YOU READY FOR QUESTIONS? UM, YES.
A QUESTION THAT CAME UP ON TAX TO ME, UM, AND IT HAPPENS TO BE A QUESTION FOR ME ALSO,
YOU KNOW, SO A REIMBURSEMENT, HOW, HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO PAY FOR IF, IF WE HAVE A CIVIC CLUB, FOR EXAMPLE, IF MY CIVIC CLUB IS WILLING TO PAY FOR A PROJECT FOR THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD, CAN THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD APPLY FOR THE REIMBURSEMENT TO THEN REIMBURSE MY CIVIC CLUB BECAUSE MY SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD HAS NO MONEY? YES, WE DID THINK WE DID TALK ABOUT THAT BECAUSE WE KNOW SOME OF THEIR CIVIC CLUBS APPLY FOR MATCHING GRANTS.
SO WE KNOW THEY HAVE SOME FUNDING.
SO YES, THAT, THAT WOULD BE ALLOWED THAT THE CIVIC CLUB, THAT IF THEY CAN FRONT THE PROJECT AND THEN THE SUPER ENABLE PAY PAYS THEM BACK, THAT IS, THAT WOULD BE ALLOWED.
UH, GREG HAD A QUESTION FOR YOU.
YES, THANK YOU FOR THE INFORMATION.
NOW MY UNDERSTANDING, IT'S ABOUT 125,000 WOULD GO FOR THESE GRANTS THIS YEAR OUTTA THE TWO 50.
UM, JUST ABOUT, UH, UH, UH, YES.
AND, AND SECOND OF ALL, BECAUSE LAST MONTH, UM, DIRECTOR TALKED ABOUT HAVING REIMBURSEMENTS FOR EXPENSES.
LIKE IF YOU HAD A WEBSITE, ANYTHING LIKE THAT, WHEN WOULD THOSE HAVE TO BE INCURRED BY, OR WHEN CAN THEY, WHAT'S THE EARLIEST THEY CAN BE INCURRED BY AND WHAT'S THE LATEST THEY CAN BE INCURRED BY TO GET REIMBURSED? SO THOSE THINGS YOU CAN OCCUR NOW, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN MM-HMM
THOSE THINGS, YOU CAN START NOW.
THE LATEST IS THAT SAME JUNE 28TH DAY, THE LAST BUSINESS DAY OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
SO IF WE SEE THAT WE HAVE EXPENSES THAT ARE GOING INCUR IN IN JUNE MM-HMM
AND WE CAN APPLY FOR THAT IN MARCH SAYING THAT THIS IS WHAT WE WANT BECAUSE RIGHT.
SO YOU GET WHAT THE DUE DATE IS MARCH 15TH? YES.
AS LONG AS THOSE ARE TO ME BY THE, THE 28TH OF, OF JUNE.
AND JUST KEEP IN MIND THAT, YOU KNOW, I DID TALK TO RHONDA AND SANDRA AND I, I'M, I, I'M WILLING TO BE AS FLEXIBLE AS THE POLICY ALLOWS ME TO BE BECAUSE I KNOW ONE, THIS IS SHORT NOTICE AND IT'S NEW.
SO, SO I KNOW, UM, THAT IT'S, UM, THERE ARE SOME STRINGENT RULES IN PLACE THAT I CANNOT BEND, BUT I WILL BE AS FLEXIBLE AS I CAN AS WE GO THROUGH THE PROCESS.
SO ANY QUESTION YOU HAVE AFTER THE MEETING THAT YOU KNOW, LIKE GREG IS SAYING THAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT DOING, DON'T BE AFRAID TO ASK RHONDA AND AND OR SANDRA THOSE QUESTIONS BECAUSE I, I KNOW THAT THIS IS A NEW PROCESS AND WE'RE DESIGNING IT AS WE GO ALONG, BUT THERE ARE SOME, AS THE FINANCE GUY IN THE DEPARTMENT, SOME RULES I CANNOT BEND, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
KEITH, YOU HAD A QUESTION? YEAH, MY QUE CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, SIR.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, GREG ANSWERED MY, UH, HE ASKED MY QUESTION, DEALING WITH, UH, EXPENSES FOR OUR SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL SUCH AS ROBOCALLS, THIS, THAT, AND THE OTHER.
[01:15:01]
I WANNA MAKE NOTE, KEEP ALL RECEIPTS.KEEP ALL RECEIPTS AND ITEMIZED RECEIPTS.
CREDIT CARD RECEIPT WITHOUT THE ITEMIZED RECEIPT.
UM, ACCOUNTING WILL NOT ACCEPT.
AND THAT'S THE OTHER THING I WOULD LIKE TO ADD BEFORE WE GET TO THE NEXT QUESTION IS IN, IN, IN, WHEN WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS, IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, CLARIFICATIONS, IT DOESN'T END WITH ME.
THIS HAS TO GO THROUGH ACCOUNTING AND THEN ONTO THE CONTROLLER.
SO I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT ALL, ALL THINGS ARE IN ORDER UPFRONT SO THAT YOU DON'T INCUR THAT PROCESS ON THE BACK END.
SO WE WILL BE ASKING YOU SEVERAL QUESTIONS.
WE MAY NEED THIS, WE MAY NEED THAT, BUT THAT IS, I KNOW WHAT, WHAT THEY'RE GONNA ASK WHEN IT GOES TO ACCOUNTING.
AND THEN ON TO, UM, CONTROLLER, IS KEVIN THE NEXT QUESTION? RHONDA? CORRECT.
I HEARD YOU MENTION THAT UM, SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS WILL NEED TO REGISTER AS A VENDOR WITH THE CITY.
SO I GOOGLED THAT AND IT LOOKS LIKE THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS HAVE THEIR OWN PROCESS.
IS THERE THEY DON'T, THEY DON'T.
WHEN WHEN WE, WHEN YOU SEE THE APPLICATION GO THROUGH THE TRAINING, IT'S ONE, IT'S ONE LINK.
IT'S THROUGH THE STRATEGIC PURCHASING DIVISION IN THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
THEY JUST SET UP A NEW, UM, A NEW REGISTRATION PROCESS.
WE HAVE A NEW PROCESS THROUGH ARIBA.
SO NO, IT'S NO NEED TO WORRY ABOUT ANY OTHER DEPARTMENT OR IF, 'CAUSE I DO KNOW SOME DEPARTMENTS HAVE PROCUREMENT INTERNALLY AND I BELIEVE THE CITY'S TRYING TO CONSOLIDATE THOSE.
SO THE ONLY ONE WE'RE WORRIED ABOUT IS STRATEGIC PURCHASING DIVISION IN THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
THAT IS THE ONLY ONE WE'RE WORRIED ABOUT.
SO JUST TO CLARIFY, ARE Y'ALL CREATING A NEW SORT OF VENDOR APPLICATION OR USING AN EXISTING ONE THAT THE CITY USES AND THE REASON EXISTING EXISTING? SO THE REASON I'M ASKING IS NORMALLY THAT'S ASSUMING THE VENDOR'S A BUSINESS.
SO I COULD SEE WHERE CREDIT CHECKS ALL SORTS OF INFORMATION'S GONNA BE REQUIRED SO THEY CAN BE VERIFIED.
THAT'S NOT SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD PERSON.
WELL THE, THERE ARE SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE REGISTERED AS VENDORS.
CURRENTLY, AN INDIVIDUAL COULD REGISTER AS A VENDOR.
SO THERE WON'T BE A CREDIT, THERE'S NO CREDIT CHECK.
THERE ARE SOME, SOME QUESTIONS THAT WILL BE ASKED, BUT THERE ISN'T A CREDIT CHECK.
THEY, THERE'S, THERE'S, WHEN YOU BECOME A SUPPLIER WITH THE CITY, THEY, WE ARE REGISTERING YOU NOT AS A SUPPLIER TO GET, GAIN A CONTRACT.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, AN EMPLOYEES, THEY REGISTERED AS A VENDOR WE'RE REGISTERED SO WE CAN BE REIMBURSED.
SO THE REGISTRATION IS SO THAT WE CAN ISSUE PAYMENT.
WE KNOW YOU'RE NOT, IT'S A DIFFERENT PROCESS THAN, THAN BECOMING A SUPPLIER FOR A CONTRACT.
I UNDERSTAND NOW THAT YOU'RE SAYING THAT EMPLOYEES CAN REGISTER.
SO THAT WOULD BE A SIMILAR PROCESS FOR US.
RIGHT, BECAUSE WE CAN'T EXPEND WE CAN'T ISSUE PAYMENT WITHOUT BEING REGISTERED AS VENDORS.
SO IF I GET MILEAGE AT THE CITY, I HAVE TO BE A REGISTERED VENDOR TO GET MY MILEAGE SHUT.
UM, AND THAT IS, YOU HAVEN'T MENTIONED ANYTHING ABOUT TAX STATUS.
I KNOW THAT SOME OF THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS ARE TAX EXEMPT UNDER 5 0 1 C MM-HMM
AND OTHER SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS ARE NOT TAX EXEMPT.
BUT FROM WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, IT SOUNDS LIKE IT DOESN'T MATTER JUST AS LONG AS WE ARE REGISTERED AS A VENDOR FOR UNDER THE STRATEGIC PURCHASING AND WHAT WAS THE LAST WORD? DIVISION.
PEOPLE CALL IT SPDS DIVISIONS OF YOU SEARCHING MATTER.
NO, AS OF NOW IT DOESN'T MS. NAOMI.
NOW, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS I'M TRYING TO CLARIFY.
AND IF ANYONE'S APPLIED FOR MATCHING GRANTS, THAT IS A REQUIREMENT FOR NOW.
I, I WILL HAVE RHONDA OR I OR SANDRA UPDATE YOU IF IT IS, BUT WE ARE TRYING TO USE SOME OF THIS FUNDING TO PROCURE, UM, LEGAL ASSISTANCE TO HELP THOSE SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS WHO WANT TO APPLY FOR THAT STATUS TO APPLY FOR THAT STATUS.
THAT, THAT WOULD BE TERRIFIC BECAUSE, UM, YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS AGO I PUSHED FOR THAT, THAT I THOUGHT ALL OF THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS SHOULD BE ON EQUAL FOOTING.
SO THEREFORE ALL OF THEM SHOULD HAVE TAX EXEMPT STATUS AND THE CITY WAS EVEN GOING TO HOLD A SEMINAR ABOUT IT.
AND I DID SOME CHECKING ON MY OWN.
AND THE PROBLEM IS, FROM WHAT I READ, UH, FOR WHERE THE CLASS, THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD CLASSIFICATION WOULD BE IS THAT THERE IS A PENALTY TO FILE FOR TAX EXEMPT STATUS LATE.
AND UH, THE LAST TIME I CHECKED, I THINK THE, THE MAXIMUM PENALTY IS LIKE $5,000.
AND SO IF THERE IS A WAY TO GET ASSISTANCE SO THAT WE COULD FILE
[01:20:01]
TO GET TAX EXEMPT STATUS AND ALL OF THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS COULD BE ON EQUAL FOOTING EVEN TO GO AND TRY AND PURSUE, YOU KNOW, GRANTS WHERE YOU HAVE TO BE TAX EXEMPT, I THINK THAT WOULD BE FANTASTIC.SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT'S EITHER GONNA COME THIS FISCAL YEAR OR EARLY NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
SO WE WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH PURCHASING.
SO THAT'S WHY I'M SAYING I DON'T KNOW WHERE IT'S GONNA FALL 'CAUSE WE HAVE TO PROCURE THOSE VIA POLICY.
SO IT WOULD BE AN EBI, UM, MORE THAN LIKELY, UM, FOR ACCOUNTING SERVICES AND OR LEGAL SERVICES TO ASSIST IN WITH THAT.
I HATE TO INTERJECT HERE, BUT WE'RE RUNNING TOWARDS THE END OF OUR TIME.
HH TV COMES UP AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A HARD CUT AT, UM, AT EIGHT.
AND SO, UM, SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS ARE, ARE VERY VALID, I APOLOGIZE, THAT HAVE BEEN IN AND OUT, JUST THE INTERNET AND EVERYTHING GOING OVER AT NRG, OUR WHOLE NEIGHBORHOODS HAVING ACCESS ISSUES BECAUSE OF THE USAGE AT THE STADIUM.
UM, I CAN TELL YOU AS A, AS A CPA THAT THAT THERE'S A WHOLE, WHOLE WORLD OF ISSUES WITH GETTING THAT TAX EXEMPT STATUS AND FILING LATE.
AND, AND IF WE COULD HAVE SOME, UM, AND A MEETING WITH THE LEGAL AND THE FINANCE TEAM AT SOME POINT AND THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS TO TALK ABOUT THAT, IT COULD HELP A LOT OF OUR, OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, WE ARE NOT GOING TO HAVE TIME TONIGHT TO GO THROUGH AND HAVE EVERYBODY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THE OPEN FORUM.
UM, SO, AND UNLESS WE CAN JUST DO REALLY QUICK, UM, YOU KNOW, IF, IF YOU WANT SOME, WANNA SAY SOMETHING REALLY QUICK IF WE HAVE ANY OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS REPS, UM, JORDAN I THINK IS HERE FOR SALLY ALCORN.
IF ANYBODY HAS ANY REALLY QUICK ANNOUNCEMENTS THAT THEY WANT, FEEL FREE TO JUMP IN.
BUT WE ARE PUSHING TO OUR DEADLINE.
JUST REAL QUICK WHEN IT COMES TO THIS TOPIC, UM, I PUT MY EMAIL AND SANDRA'S EMAIL IN THE CHAT.
UM, I'M SURE YOU CAN SEND IT TO S-N-A-C-O-H AS WELL.
BUT IF YOU HA IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, UM, YOU CAN LET US KNOW.
THE GENTLE AND, UH, MR. SIMS FOR THIS.
UH, AS SOMEBODY WHO'S BEEN AROUND SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS ALMOST FROM THE BEGINNING, I NEVER THOUGHT THAT THE DAY WOULD COME WHERE WE WOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE ACCESS TO MONEY LIKE THIS IN ANY WAY TO GET ASSISTANCE FROM THE CITY.
SO I REALLY APPLAUD YOU ALL FOR THIS AS IT IS ILLEGAL TO CHARGE DUES FOR, UH, TO BE IN THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH IS A PART OF THE CODIFYING THAT LEE BROWN WAS ADAMANT ABOUT BECAUSE HE DIDN'T WANT FINANCES TO BE A HINDRANCE TO GETTING PARTICIPATION FROM THE RESIDENTS IN THEIR COMMUNITY.
SO THE FACT THAT THE CITY SEES THE HARD WORK WE'RE DOING AND WANTS TO HELP IN ANY WAY, I APPLAUD YOU ALL, UH, GREATLY.
NOW I'M FINN TO SHOOT Y'ALL A DEUCE 'CAUSE I'M FINNA GO WATCH THE GAME.
SO Y'ALL HAVE A LOVELY EVENING.
THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR AND HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE.
REAL QUICKLY, I PUT A LINK TO OUR DISTRICT K UPDATES.
UM, I'M HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE ON BEHALF OF MAYOR PRO TEM, MAYOR PRO TEM TATUM, COUNCIL MEMBER FOR DISTRICT K.
UM, PLEASE RECYCLE YOUR, UH, CHRISTMAS LIGHTS.
HOLIDAY LIGHTS, UM, CHECK OUT THE LINK TO OUR UPDATES.
ALSO BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND IS OUR FREE SHREDDING DAYS IN DISTRICT K, THAT THAT WILL BE JANUARY 20TH AND JANUARY 27TH.
ALSO ON THE 20TH WE WILL HAVE RECYCLING FOR SMALL ELECTRONICS.
SO PLEASE CHECK OUT OUR UPDATES.
UM, I JUST WANNA LET EVERYBODY KNOW THAT THE NEXT SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 63 MEETING AND SECOND WARD IS GONNA BE ON FEBRUARY 5TH AT SIX 30 AT BAKER RIPLEY.
UH, WE'LL BE HAVING OUR ELECTIONS FOR OUR NEXT BOARD FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS.
UH, WE'D LIKE TO SEE EVERYONE THERE, WHOEVER CAN MAKE IT.
THERESA, THIS IS THERESA FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
I PUT A COUPLE ITEMS INTO CHAT FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T SEE THE CHAT, IT HAS, THERE'S, AND IF YOU NEED MORE INFORMATION, YOU CAN CALL ME BACK AT (832) 393-6543.
THE INFORMATION PERTAINS TO OUR SITE PLANNERS TEAM AND THE AS RELATED TO THE PERMIT PRESENTATION TODAY.
SECONDLY, THE PERMIT REPORTS AND HOW TO SUBSCRIBE IF YOU HAVEN'T BEFORE.
UM, THE MAJOR THOROUGHFARE AND FREEWAY PLAN
[01:25:01]
PROCESS IS OPEN AND THAT'S IN THE CHAT.GREAT INFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITE AND ALSO, UH, THE COMPLETE COMMUNITIES UNIVERSITY LAST YEAR.
MANY OF YOU ASKED IF YOU COULD PARTICIPATE.
THE APPLICATION IS OPEN NOW AND WE'RE LOOKING FOR COMMUNITY LEADERS SUCH AS YOURSELF WHO WANT TO COMMIT TO THAT EIGHT WEEK PROGRAM.
IT'S A COMPETITIVE PROCESS AND THE LINK AND INFORMATION IS IN THE CHAT.
AND AGAIN, CALL ME IF YOU NEED ANYTHING MORE.
THAT BEING SAID, WE ARE VERY CLOSE.
UH, WE'RE CLOSE TO FINISHING UP HERE.
UH, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE WITH, UH, 90 SECONDS TO GO? I CAN, I JUST MAKE A POINT.
WE RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM SUPER NEIGHBOR ALLIANCE ABOUT, WITH A ZIP FILE ATTACHED TO IT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT WAS RELATED TO WITH THE DA, BUT I'M CONCERNED THAT IT COULD BE A SCAM AND ESPECIALLY IF IT'S A ZIP FILE.
SO I WOULD SUGGEST THAT SUPER NEIGHBOR ARE GONNA SEND SOMETHING OUT SOMEHOW, MAKE SURE THAT IT'S LEGITIMATE.
I BELIEVE I KIND OF SAW IT TOO.
CC SCOTT IS THE LAST PERSON WAS A HANDLE.
COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER WAS HERE EARLIER, BUT SHE HAD TO JUMP OFF FOR ANOTHER MEETING.
UH, LIKE TO SAY THE AT LARGE BAR OFFICE OF COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER IS ELATED FOR YOUR SUPPORT AS WE ENTER INTO THIS SECOND TERM.
UH, IF YOU NEED ANY ASSISTANCE FROM OUR OFFICE, WE ARE HERE TO HELP.
THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR JOINING US TONIGHT.
I THINK WE'RE AT THE POINT NOW WHERE WE'RE ABOUT TO CUT OFF.
EVERYBODY HAVE A SAFE NIGHT AND, UM, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.