[00:00:05]
UH, CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER EVANS SHABAZZ ON AN IMPORTANT MATTER.[PRESENTATIONS]
THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.AND THIS IS A, A HONOR FOR ME.
I'M SURE YOU ALL HAVE HEARD MY HISTORY WITH PRAIRIE VIEW MANY TIMES AND PROBABLY TIRED OF HEARING, BUT YOU'RE GONNA HEAR IT AGAIN.
I AM ACTUALLY THE GRANDDAUGHTER OF THE FIRST PRESIDENT OF PRAIRIE VIEW A M UNIVERSITY, WHICH HAS GIVEN ME GREAT PRIDE, UH, TO HAVE THAT LEGACY.
AND I GUESS, YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE SAY, WELL, WHY ARE THEY HONORING PRAIRIE VIEW? WELL, I'M GONNA SAY PRAIRIE VIEW IS THE SUBURB OF HOUSTON
UM, THERE ARE SO MANY CONTRIBUTING PEOPLE, UH, TO THE HOUSTON COMMUNITY THAT, UH, MATRICULATED AT PRAIRIE VIEW, OR WERE RAISED IN PRAIRIE VIEW.
SO, AND I HAD THE WONDERFUL HONOR OF, OF MEETING THE BISHOP HERE.
YEAH, HE CARRIES A BIG STICK, RIGHT?
I I WANT TO THANK, UH, THIS IS HIS GRANDDAUGHTER AND, AND THEN, BUT HE'LL INTRODUCE, AND THEN, UH, MS. TAMMY CAMPBELL, WHO'S A LONGTIME FRIEND AND ACTIVIST WHO ACTUALLY BROUGHT THIS OPPORTUNITY TO MY OFFICE.
AND I AM VERY HONORED THAT SHE FELT THAT, THAT I WOULD BE THE ONE THAT SHE WOULD PASS THIS PROCLAMATION THROUGH.
SO, AT ANY RATE, WYATT CHAPEL COMMUNITY CEMETERY PROCLAMATION, WHEREAS THE CITY OF HOUSTON RECOGNIZES THE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS OF TEXAS HISTORY, MARK MAKER BISHOP WALTER PENDLETON, AN ACTIVIST COMMUNITY LEADER, AND FORMER NASA RESEARCH SCIENTIST, AND A I I'M GOING TO, I'M NOT GOING TO, UH, DIGRESS FROM THE, BECAUSE HE'S A WONDERFUL PERSON.
WE'VE HAD SOME, SOME GREAT TIMES, BLESS YOU.
WHEREAS BISHOP PENDLETON, WHO COP PIONEERED THE REPLACEMENT OF THE HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE WITH HIS LATE WIFE, DR.
AND WHEREAS BISHOP PENDLETON HAS DEMONSTRATE, DEMONSTRATED UNWAVERING COMMITMENT AND ZEAL TO ENCOURAGING THE PEOPLE OF TEXAS TO ENGAGE IN THE POLICYMAKING PROCESS OF OUR NATION.
AND WHEREAS BISHOP PENDLETON CARRIES ON THE SERVANT LEADER LEGACY OF HIS GREAT-GRANDFATHER, THE HONORABLE GEORGE W. WYATT, TEXAS FIRST ELECTED BLACK LEGISLATOR DURING RECONSTRUCTION IN 1883, BROUGHT INTO EXISTENCE PRAIRIE VIEW UNIVERSITY, LEAVING AN ENDURING LEGACY.
AND WHEREAS REPRESENTATIVE WYATT'S LEGACY IS PERMANENTLY ETCHED INTO THE A AND M SYSTEM AS HE RESTS IN WYATT CHAPEL COMMUNITY CEMETERY AT PRAIRIE VIEW, A M UNIVERSITY, ALONG WITH OVER 2000 ENSLAVED, FORMERLY ENSLAVED AND DESCENDANTS OF THE ENSLAVED.
AND WHEREAS THE WYATT CHAPEL COMMUNITY CEMETERY AT PRAIRIE VIEW UNIVERSITY HOLDS HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE REPRESENTING THE A AND M UNIVERSITY SYSTEM, CONNECTIONS TO CHATTEL SLAVERY, SEGREGATION, DISENFRANCHISEMENT, AND THE STRUGGLE FOR RACIAL EQUALITY.
AND WHEREAS BISHOP PENDLETON AND HIS LATE WIFE, DR.
ALICE PENDLETON, PHD, ESTABLISHED THE GWY FOUNDATION TO DOCUMENT, PRESERVE, AND SHARE THE HISTORY OF THE WYATT CHAPEL COMMUNITY CEMETERY.
AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF HOUSTON COMMENDS THE MARK THAT BISHOP WALTER PENDLETON HAS LEFT IN AREAS OF EDUCATION, SCIENCE, CIVICS, AND HISTORY, THE CITY OF HOUSTON ENCOURAGES ITS RESIDENTS TO PRESERVE THE LEGACY FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
WE ALSO THANK HONEY BROWN HOPE FOUNDATION FOR HIGHLIGHTING BISHOP PENDLETON'S LEGACY MAYOR.
THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ FOR STARTING OUR DAY OFF WITH SUCH A CELEBRATION OF A ROLE MODEL.
I OFTEN SAY WE'VE COME A LONG WAYS AND WE HAVE A LONG WAYS TO GO.
BUT YOU NEED TO GET THE CREDIT AND RECOGNITION FOR GETTING US TO THIS POINT IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO THANK YOU AND YOUR FAMILY, AND CERTAINLY THE COMMUNITY CEMETERY WILL LIVE ON FOREVER.
AND SO I CAN'T THINK OF A MORE APPROPRIATE RESOLUTION TODAY.
AND THEREFORE, I, JOHN WHITMEYER, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROCLAIM MARCH 19TH, 2024, MS. WYATT'S CHAPEL COMMUNITY CEMETERY DAY.
WE RESPECT YOU AND THANK YOU FOR SHARING WITH US.
THANK NO, IT MUST BEEN ANOTHER OUTLAW.
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YES I COULD.YOU WANT TO COME UP? PUSH JUST A LITTLE CLOSER.
I WONDER WHERE YOU GOT THIS THING.
THIS WAS HANDED DOWN FOR MOSES
WELL, I DIDN'T KNOW MOSES
TO THE COUNCIL MAYOR, WE, AND TO, UH, MY LONG LOST COUSIN, UH, DR.
CAROLYN SHABAZZ, IT'S A PLEASURE THAT YOU BROUGHT US TO THIS POINT.
THIS IS A VERY AUSPICIOUS MOMENT FOR ME AT THIS TIME, UH, HOLDING BACK TO TEARS.
I THANK MY GRANDDAUGHTER FOR BEING HERE WITH ME, WHO'S A DIRECT DESCENDANT, AND I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU TODAY FOR THE COMMEMORATION OF THIS VERY AUSPICIOUS OCCASION.
MAY GOD BLESS YOU, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO DOING WHATEVER WE CAN TO KEEP THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND VIEW THAT EVERYBODY CAN BECOME ONE.
AND I'LL VISIT HIM ON THAT GREAT DAY.
I DON'T SEE HER PRESIDENT OF OUR, UH, IS SHE HERE? YES.
ARE YOU OKAY TO COME UP WITH US? UH, SHE'S, UH, I JUST WANT TO STAND HERE BY ME, DR.
UH, YOU PLEASE EVERYBODY COME UP.
I WANT YOU TO COME UP AND AMEN.
JUST GET CHANCE TO SHAKE THE MAYOR'S HAND HERE.
FOUNDING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE HONEY BROWN HOPE FOUNDATION.
IT IS INDEED A PLEASURE FOR ME TO BE HERE.
I THANK GOD IN HIS PRECIOUS SON'S NAME, JESUS CHRIST, FOR BRINGING US TOGETHER FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A LIVING LEGEND, DR.
TO PAY TRIBUTE TO ANOTHER LIVING LEGEND BISHOP WALTER PENDLETON.
I WOULD DO A HALLELUJAH DANCE.
AH, BUT I WILL SPARE YOU ALL AND DO IT LATER.
AND I ALSO HAVE TO CERTAINLY RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER TIFFANY D. THOMAS, WHO IMPARTS SO MUCH KNOWLEDGE TO HER STUDENTS AT PRAIRIE VIEW ANN UNIVERSITY.
TURN AROUND AND, AND, AND THANK YOU MAYOR.
MAYOR, YOU GONNA TAKE A PICTURE WITH ME? YEAH.
THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN FOR A PROCLAMATION TO PLANNED PARENTHOOD GULF COAST TO RECOGNIZE THEIR WORK FOR PROMOTING WOMEN'S HEALTH AND EQUITY COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN.
AND I'M GONNA ASK MELANIE AND THE ENTIRE TEAM FROM PLANNED PARENTHOOD TO COME UP AS WELL AS, UH, ONE OF OUR CITY EMPLOYEES, ELIZABETH WELLER.
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HEY, MELANIE, HOW ARE YOU? PARDON, MAYOR, I TELL YOU, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT, I DON'T HUG PEOPLE IN PUBLIC.SO, IN HONOR OF WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH, UM, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE RECOGNIZING ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN ON THE FRONT LINES, UH, FOR DECADES, PROTECTING WOMEN'S WHITES AND STANDING WITH WOMEN AND THEIR FAMILIES.
UH, SO MELANIE, IT'S AN HONOR TO HAVE YOU AND YOUR TEAM, AND I'LL EXPLAIN IN A MOMENT WHILE WE ALL, WHY WE ALSO HAVE ELIZABETH UP HERE.
BUT IN RECOGNIZING PLANNED PARENTHOOD, AS MANY OF US KNOW, THEY PROVIDE LIFE-SAVING HEALTH SERVICES AND SCREENINGS FOR WOMEN AND THEIR FAMILIES.
UH, AS THE STATE CONTINUES DRACONIAN ATTACKS PUSHING US BACK DECADES AND THREAT, I WOULD SAY, THREATENING THE LIVES OF WOMEN IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
UH, I'M REMINDED OF THIS POEM THAT MY PREDECESSOR, ELLEN COHEN, LEFT FOR ME, UH, IN MY OFFICE WHEN I TOOK, TOOK OVER FOR DISTRICT C.
WE ARE IN A VERY, VERY LONG HAUL.
AND I AM ASKING FOR EVERYTHING YOU HAVE TO GIVE.
YOU WILL LOSE YOUR YOUTH, YOUR SLEEP, YOUR PATIENCE, YOUR SENSE OF HUMOR, AND OCCASIONALLY THE UNDERSTANDING AND SUPPORT OF PEOPLE THAT YOU LOVE VERY MUCH.
IN RETURN, I HAVE NOTHING TO OFFER YOU, BUT YOUR PRIDE IN BEING A WOMAN AND ALL YOUR DREAMS YOU'VE EVER HAD FOR YOUR DAUGHTERS AND NIECES AND GRANDDAUGHTERS, YOUR FUTURE AND YOUR CERTAIN KNOWLEDGE THAT THE END OF YOUR DAYS, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO LOOK BACK AND SAY THAT ONCE IN YOUR LIFE, YOU GAVE EVERYTHING YOU HAD FOR JUSTICE.
AND THAT WAS A POEM READ BY JILL RUCKEL SHAW AT THE NATIONAL WOMEN'S POLITICAL CAUCUS CONVENTION BACK IN 1977.
AND I DON'T KNOW OF ANYONE THAT EMBODIES THAT MORE THAN PLANNED PARENTHOOD IN THIS FIGHT TODAY.
AS WELL AS, AND I WANNA TAKE A SPECIAL MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE MAYOR, UH, IN YOUR OFFICE, MISS ELIZABETH WELLER, UH, AS A CITY OF HOUSTON EMPLOYEE, ELIZABETH HAS BEEN ON THE FRONT LINES OF THIS FIGHT, TAKING HER OWN STAND.
ZUKI V THE STATE OF TEXAS, AND THE CENTER FOR REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS, FILED THIS LAWSUIT LAST MARCH ASKING THE STATE TO CLARIFY THE SCOPE OF THE MEDICAL EMERGENCY EXCEPTIONS UNDER THE ABORTION BAN.
ONE OF THE NAMED PLAINTIFFS IN THAT CASE IS ELIZABETH.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR VOICE STANDING UP, NOT ONLY FOR YOUR RIGHTS, YOUR HEALTH AND SAFETY, BUT THE SAFETY OF ALL WOMEN IN TEXAS.
WHETHER IT'S IN OUR COURTS OR RIGHT HERE TODAY, I AM SO PROUD TO SAY THAT I STAND WITH PLANNED PARENTHOOD AND IN PARTICULAR PLANNED PARENTHOOD GULF COAST.
AND THAT'S WHY I AM HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE THAT AS OF TODAY, I HAVE SUBMITTED $25,000 OF DISTRICT SERVICE FUNDS TO GO DIRECTLY TO PLANNED PARENTHOOD GULF COAST FOR LIFESAVING SCREENINGS AND HEALTH SERVICES FOR WOMEN IN OUR CITY.
AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS TO JOIN ME.
EVERY SINGLE PERSON CAN DO THEIR PART RIGHT NOW TO HELP PROVIDE SERVICES FOR WOMEN IN THEIR FAMILIES.
AND THAT INCLUDES MAKING PLANNED PARENTHOOD GULF COAST, YOUR DOCTOR.
EACH ONE OF US CAN ACTUALLY DO THAT.
AND I KNOW MELANIE WILL TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE WAYS THAT WE CAN BE SUPPORTIVE OF WOMEN AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH.
SO MAYOR, I'M GOING TO NOW READ THIS PROCLAMATION, UH, AND THEN I'LL, I'LL PITCH IT TO YOU.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, MELANIE, WE CERTAINLY WANNA HEAR FROM YOU AND YOUR TEAM.
WHEREAS PLANNED PARENTHOOD GULF COAST IS A PILLAR IN OUR COMMUNITY, PROVIDING SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY FOR ALL INDIVIDUALS.
FOR 88 YEARS, PLANNED PARENTHOOD GULF COAST HAS SHOWN AN UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO ADVANCING REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM IN THE GREATER HOUSTON AREA, PROVIDING ESSENTIAL SERVICES LIKE CONTRACEPTION, CANCER SCREENINGS, SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTION TESTING AND TREATMENT, AND HIV PREVENTION REGARDLESS OF A PATIENT'S IDENTITY OR INCOME.
P-P-C-G-C IS A TRUSTED SEXUAL HEALTH EDUCATOR FOR PEOPLE OF ALL AGES, EMPOWERING INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES WITH THE MEDICALLY ACCURATE, INCLUSIVE, AND UNBIASED INFORMATION AND RESOURCES THEY NEED TO MAKE HEALTHY CHOICES.
THEY'RE A TIRELESS ADVOCATE FOR REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS, WORKING TO EDUCATE AND EMPOWER COMMUNITIES, PROTECT AND EXPAND ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE COMBAT EFFORTS TO UNDERMINE REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS AND BODILY AUTONOMY AND CHAMPION POLICIES THAT UPHOLD THE DIGNITY AND AUTONOMY OF ALL INDIVIDUALS.
NOW MORE THAN EVER, PLANNED PARENTHOOD GULF COAST IS AN IRREPLACEABLE
[00:15:01]
PART OF HOUSTON'S PUBLIC HEALTH SAFETY NET AND REMAIN STEADFAST IN ITS MISSION TO ENSURE THE RIGHT INABILITY OF ALL INDIVIDUALS TO MANAGE THEIR SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH NO MATTER WHAT.COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN AND THANK, UH, YOU FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTION TO WOMEN'S HEALTHCARE BY SUPPORTING PLANNED PARENTHOOD GULF COAST.
UH, WE ALL NEED, UH, YOUR COLLEAGUES AND ANYONE THAT CAN HEAR MY VOICE IS THE FATHER OF TWO DAUGHTERS.
AS A PUBLIC SERVANT THAT HAS STOOD SHOULDER TO SHOULDER WITH YOU, ACTUALLY ALLOWED MY SENATE OFFICE TO BE YOUR BASE OF OPERATIONS IN OPPOSING SOME VERY PROHIBITIVE, MEAN LEGISLATION.
UH, THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO.
YOU PROVIDE WOMEN'S HEALTHCARE AND CRITICAL SERVICES THAT THEY COULD NOT RECEIVE IN ANY OTHER LOCATION OR SERVICE CENTER.
SO IT'S VERY APPROPRIATE THAT WE STOP TODAY TO RECOGNIZE A TRUE PARTNER IN WOMEN'S HEALTHCARE BNY.
IT IS BEEN A, AN HONOR AND, AND A JOY TO WORK WITH YOU FOR LONGER THAN PROBABLY YOU AND I WILL ADMIT PUBLICLY.
BUT THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN AND COLLEAGUES.
UH, I, JOHN WHITMEYER, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, DO HERE BY PROCLAIM MARCH 19TH, 2024 AS PLANNED PARENTHOOD GUFF COAST STATE.
AND, AND IF I COULD, ELIZABETH, UM, I KNOW OF YOUR COURAGE AND, UH, WE'RE TESTED BY CHALLENGES IN LIFE AND WHEN WE GO THROUGH 'EM, AS YOU HAVE AND AND OTHERS IN THIS ROOM, WE COME OUT STRONGER.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTION TO WOMEN'S HEALTHCARE AND TO BE, UH, INVOLVED IN, IN MAKING CHANGES IN THE POLITICAL ARENA.
AND ALSO HELPING ME GET HERE ABSOLUTELY, ABSOLUTELY.
WAS A, WAS VERY MUCH A PART OF OUR TEAM IN THE CAMPAIGN, AND I'M SO PLEASED THAT YOU'RE AT CITY HALL TODAY AND EMPLOYED BY THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND GONNA BE A MENTOR TO OTHER YOUNG WOMEN.
THANK EVERYONE THAT'S PARTICIPATING TODAY.
MELANIE, GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.
ON BEHALF OF THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE SERVE AT PLANNED PARENTHOOD GULF COAST, I JUST WANNA SAY HOW MUCH THIS HONOR MEANS TO US.
I WANNA EXPRESS OUR GRATITUDE TO MAYOR WHITMEYER, TO COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN, AND TO THE ENTIRE CITY COUNCIL FOR THIS PROCLAMATION HONORING OUR ORGANIZATION.
PLANNED GULF COAST HAS SERVED HOUSTONIANS FOR 88 YEARS.
WE'VE PROVIDED COMPREHENSIVE SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTHCARE EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY FOR ALL HOUSTONIANS, NO MATTER WHAT.
WE ARE DEEPLY HONORED BY THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S RECOGNITION OF OUR WORK DURING WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH, A TIME TO REFLECT ON THE PROFOUND CONTRIBUTIONS THROUGHOUT OUR HISTORY AND WOMEN'S ROLE IN SHAPING OUR FUTURE AS WE STRIVE TOWARD A WORLD WHERE EVERYONE CAN DETERMINE THEIR OWN DESTINIES.
PLANNED PARENTHOOD GULF COAST IS PROUD TO SERVE WOMEN, GIRLS, AND ALL PEOPLE WHO NEED OUR CARE, REGARDLESS OF IDENTITY, INCOME, OR INSURANCE.
EVERY DAY, OUR DEDICATED PROVIDERS AND STAFF WORK TIRELESSLY TO EMPOWER ALL HOUSTONIANS TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS ABOUT THEIR BODIES AND THEIR FUTURES.
WE ARE SO GRATEFUL THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND ITS LEADERSHIP UNDERSTAND THAT A THRIVING COMMUNITY IS A HEALTHY COMMUNITY.
AND IN A STATE LIKE TEXAS, HAVING LOCAL CHAMPIONS TO ACCESS TO CHAMPION CARE, ACCESS TO CARE AND EQUITY IS INSTRUMENTAL IN OUR ABILITY TO SERVE THE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PATIENTS WHO RELY ON PLANNED PARENTHOOD.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS HONOR AND FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP IN ADVANCING THE HEALTH AND RIGHTS OF OUR FELLOW HOUSTONIANS.
WE DO HAVE A COUNCIL MEMBER IN Q COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS.
UH, THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN AND MR. MAYOR FOR PRESENTING THIS PROCLAMATION.
I HAVE A PLANNED PARENTHOOD STORY.
SO WHEN I WAS IN MY TWENTIES BACK IN THOSE DAYS, UH, YOU HAD TO, I WAS ON PROBATIONARY STATUS WITH MY EMPLOYMENT, AND SO
[00:20:01]
I DIDN'T HAVE INSURANCE COVERAGE AT THE TIME.IT WAS WITHIN THAT THREE MONTHS, BUT I HAD TO STAY ON TRACK FOR MY WELL WOMAN.
AND SO I LOOKED UP PLANNED PARENTHOOD, THE PLANNED PARENTHOOD IN STAFFORD NEAR 59.
I PLAYED A FLAT FEE, UM, BASED ON MY INCOME AT THE TIME, AND THAT'S WHERE I LEARNED, UM, TO ADVOCATE FOR A FULL PLAN, UH, BLOOD TEST.
THAT'S WHERE I LEARNED, UM, A NURSE PRACTITIONER WAS LIKE, YOU NEED TO ASK ABOUT YOUR THYROID.
YOU NEED TO ASK ABOUT THESE THINGS.
UM, AND SO THE INFORMATION I LEARNED ABOUT HOW TO ADVOCATE FOR MYSELF, I SHARED WITH MY PEERS AND OTHERS.
UH, SO, UH, PLAN, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
I'VE BEEN A FULL SUPPORTER OF PLANNED PARENTHOOD EVER SINCE THEN.
YOU'RE DOING REMARKABLE WORK IN THE COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ELEVATING THIS CONVERSATION.
UM, AND THEN ALSO TO OUR COLLEAGUE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO PUT YOUR NAME ON THE, THE LINE, UM, UH, FOR SOMETHING SO IMPORTANT IN OUR CITY AND ALSO FOR, UM, OUR STATE AND OUR COUNTRY.
AND I, I JUST WANT TO TELL, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER KAMAN, I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THIS FORWARD FOR YOU AND THE MAYOR PRESENTING THIS.
UM, PLANNED PARENTHOOD IS A STAPLE, UH, 88 YEARS DESERVES TO BE CELEBRATED.
WE CAN NEVER STOP ADVOCATING FOR WOMEN'S HEALTH.
UM, AND WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT WOMEN'S HEALTH EVERY OPPORTUNITY THAT WE CAN.
SO, CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK ALONGSIDE EACH OF YOU TO CHAMPION WOMEN'S HEALTH.
DID YOU WANNA INTRODUCE? THAT'S OKAY.
WE KNOW THE COUNCIL HAS A BUSY AGENDA.
CHAIR RECOGNIZES MAYOR PRO TEM KASEK TATUM FOR A PROCLAMATION TO VALERIE BARON, COUNSEL GENERAL OF FRANCE.
THANK YOU, UH, MAYOR VICE MAYOR PRO TEM PECK, AND, UM, MAYOR WHITMEYER.
I'M SO HONORED, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS TODAY TO PRESENT THIS PROCLAMATION, RECOGNIZING THE ANNUAL FRENCH CULTURES FESTIVAL THAT WILL BE CELEBRATED HERE IN HOUSTON FROM MARCH 20TH TO APRIL THE 20TH.
THE FRENCH CULTURES FESTIVAL WILL COINCIDE WITH THE OLYMPIC GAMES IN PARIS.
THE FESTIVAL IS OFFERED FREE TO EVERYONE AND IS IN COLLABORATION WITH MUSEUMS, UNIVERSITY SCHOOLS, AND MANY ORGANIZATIONS AND ARTISTS HIGHLIGHTING EVENTS THAT CELEBRATE THE FRENCH LANGUAGE AND THE DIVERSITY OF THE FRENCH LANGUAGE IN TEXAS, ARKANSAS, AND OKLAHOMA.
TODAY WE ARE JOINED BY THE HONORABLE VALERIE, UH, BARON.
SHE IS THE CONS GENERAL OF FRANCE AND THE STAFF OF THE CONSULATE AND SEVERAL OF OTHER, UH, CONSUL GENERALS THAT ARE HERE WITH US TODAY.
IF YOU WANT, INVITE EVERYONE TO COME UP WHILE WE READ THE PROCLAMATION.
Y'ALL COME ON UP AND I WILL START THE PROCLAMATION AND IT READS, WHEREAS THE FRENCH CULTURES FESTIVAL IS A MONTH LONG ANNUAL CELEBRATION TAKING PLACE EACH YEAR IN TEXAS, OKLAHOMA, AND ARKANSAS FROM MARCH THE 20TH TO APRIL 20TH TO CELEBRATE FRENCH SPEAKING COUNTRIES AND THEIR RICH CULTURES.
THE FRENCH CULTURES FESTIVAL STARTS ON THE OFFICIAL FRANCOPHONE DAY, MARCH THE 20TH, AS A SYMBOL OF INTERNATIONAL DIVERSITY.
THE LAUNCH EVENT OF THE FESTIVAL ORGANIZED AT THE END OF MARCH IS A HIGHLIGHT OF THIS MONTH'S LONG CELEBRATION, WHEREAS THE FRENCH LANGUAGE IS SPOKEN IN NEARLY 321 MILLION SPEAKERS, AND OVER 61% OF THEM ARE IN AFRICA.
AS SUCH, PROMOTING THE FRANCOPHONE IS A MEANINGFUL WAY TO CELEBRATE THE CULTURAL AND LINGUISTIC DIVERSITY THAT MAKES UP THE WORLD AND IS SO PREVALENT IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
EACH YEAR, ON MARCH THE 20TH, THE UNITED NATIONS, ALONGSIDE WITH THE INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION OF LA FRANCOPHONE, CELEBRATED ITS OFFICIAL FRANCOPHONE DAY TO CELEBRATE THE FRENCH LANGUAGE AND FRANCOPHONE CULTURE.
THE FRENCH LANGUAGE IS ALSO PROMOTED BY THE UNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL, SCIENTIFIC, AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATION AS A VECTOR OF DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN HUMANISM.
WHEREAS THE FRENCH CULTURAL FESTIVAL PLAYS A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN SERVING DIVERSE COMMUNITIES WITHIN THE VIBRANT CITY, EMPHASIZING AND CELEBRATING THE RICH DIVERSITY OF CULTURES AND
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ARTISTS THAT HOUSTON NURTURES THE FESTIVAL IS A PIVOTAL PLATFORM FOR CULTURAL CELEBRATION IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, A HOME TO ALMOST 70,000 FRENCH SPEAKERS IN HOUSTON, A VIBRANT AND DYNAMIC INTERNATIONAL CITY.FRENCH IS THE SECOND MOST SPOKEN EUROPEAN LANGUAGE WITH 10,000 FRENCH SPEAKERS.
IT'S, UH, SO APPROPRIATE THAT WE RECOGNIZE OUR FRIENDS AND FRENCH RESIDENTS AND IMMIGRANTS, AND, UH, YOU HELP US WITH OUR DIVERSITY.
YOU'RE A KEY PART OF THIS GREAT CITY'S DIVERSITY, YOUR CULTURE, YOUR EDUCATION, YOUR RETAIL.
UH, YOU'RE A MAJOR FIBER OF THE TEXAS, UH, CULTURE ITSELF, AND YOU HELPED US GET TO WHERE WE ARE WITH OUR HISTORY OF THE, UH, CURRENT DAY ALLIES.
CERTAINLY, UH, PARTNERS IN ALL OF OUR GOALS AND ASPIRATIONS.
SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, YOUR COLLEAGUES.
THANK YOU MAYOR PROTE, THAT, UH, IT'S A, IT'S A DAY TO PAUSE AND REALIZE HOW LUCKY WE ARE TO HAVE OUR FRENCH COLLEAGUES WITH US TODAY.
SO THANK YOU AND BE SAFE AND LET'S GO FORWARD.
OH, I BETTER MAKE IT OFFICIAL.
THEREFORE, I, JOHN WHITMEYER
IT'S FRENCH CULTURES FESTIVAL DAY.
I GOT A LITTLE CARRIED AWAY BECAUSE WE'RE SO EXCITED TO HAVE YOU WITH US.
WITH MY COUNTERPARTS REPRESENTING FRENCH SPEAKING COUNTRIES AND FRIENDS OF FRENCH SPEAKING COUNTRIES, I'M DEEPLY HONORED TO EXPRESS MY DEEPEST GRATITUDE TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON WITH THE FESTIVAL, THE FRENCH CULTURES FESTIVAL, AND I UNDERLINE THE POOL OF FRENCH CULTURES FESTIVAL.
WE ARE DELIGHTED TO INVITE ALL THE INHABITANTS OF THE CITY TO CELEBRATE THE FRENCH CULTURES AS A COMPONENT, COMPONENT OF THE DIVERSITY OF THE CITY.
THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM, WE DO HAVE COUNCIL MEMBERS IN THE QUEUE.
FIRST UP IS COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN COUNCIL.
AND TO CONS, GENERAL BUKU, UH, AS YOU CAN SEE, THE CONSULAR CORPS STICKS TOGETHER, UH, AND IT IS SO GREAT THAT WE HAVE, I WOULD SAY, THE MOST VIBRANT, DIVERSE AND ONE OF THE LARGEST CONSULAR CORES IN THE NATION.
SO TO EACH OF YOU, THANK YOU FOR BEING IN HOUSTON, UH, AND WORKING WITH US, BUT ESPECIALLY TO CONSULATE GENERAL TODAY.
THANK YOU FOR, UM, EVERYTHING THAT FRANCE HAS DONE, UH, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR NATION.
OUR OUR HISTORY IS STRONG AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE SO.
COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN.
AND THANK YOU MAYOR POTEN FOR BRINGING THIS.
MY DAUGHTER SPENT, UH, HER SENIOR YEAR IN FRANCE, UH, AND SHE HAS NEVER LOOKED BACK.
UM, SHE, SHE HAS, SHE LIVES IN NEW YORK NOW, BUT SHE TAKES FRENCH LESSONS STILL.
UM, SHE'S BRINGING US ALL OVER TO PARIS IN, UM, EARLY MAY.
WELL, SHE'S NOT PAYING FOR IT, BUT SHE'S MAY HAVING US HAVE A FAMILY VACATION OVER THERE.
AND WE'RE GONNA SEE ALL THE SITES, EIFFEL TOWER, UH, YOU KNOW, ALL THE GREAT SITES OF PARIS, BUT ALSO TAYLOR SWIFT IN PARIS, SO I KNOW THAT'S GONNA BRING A LOT OF PEOPLE THERE AS WELL AS THE OLYMPICS.
AND WE'RE, WE WON'T BE THERE FOR THE OLYMPICS, BUT WE'LL BE ABLE TO SEE A LOT OF IT.
UM, MAYOR PROAM, YOU WENT LAST YEAR, I KNOW, UM, WITH COUNCIL MEMBER CISNEROS AND, AND, UM, DID SUCH GOOD WORK FOR HOUSTON OVER THERE IN PARIS.
SO JUST THANK YOU TO YOU AND ALL THE CONSULAR CORPS AND, AND, UH, VIVA LA FRANCE
THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR PERAM.
AND I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF TRADE AND INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS, CHRIS OLSEN AND HIS TEAM FOR ALL OF THE GREAT WORK THAT THEY CONTINUE TO DO WITH OUR CONSULATE CORPS.
UM, AND JUST WANNA RECOGNIZE, MAYOR, THAT WE HAVE, UH, REPRESENTATION FROM THE US DEPARTMENT OF STATE, THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF BLANK BANGLADESH, UH, LAGO ENERGY, THE CONSUL GENERAL OF MEXICO, QUEBEC GOVERNMENT OFFICE IN HOUSTON, THE CONSULATE OF TUNIS IN HOUSTON, AND THE CONSULATE GENERAL OF ITALY, THE CONSULATE GENERAL OF MEXICO, AND THE CONSULATE GENERAL OF SWITZERLAND.
AND ALSO ANOTHER DELEGATE FROM QUEBEC IS HERE WITH US TODAY.
SO YOU'RE RIGHT, COUNCIL MEMBER CAME AND THE COUNCIL OF CORE DOES STICK TOGETHER, SO WE APPRECIATE YOU ALL BEING HERE TODAY.
[2:00 P.M. – INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
[00:30:59]
CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS FOR THE INVOCATION.UH, I AM INDEED HONORED TODAY AND CERTAINLY ELATED TO PRESENT TO US TO DO OUR INVOCATION TODAY.
A GOOD FRIEND AND A BROTHER BELOVED, AND I'M SO EXCITED THAT HE AND HIS LOVELY WIFE HAVE COME TODAY TO OFFER THE INVOCATION AND THE PERSON OF DR.
HERNAN CASTANO AND HIS WIFE, WENDY CASTANO SERVED AS A SENIOR PASTOR OF THE RIOS DE ASTE RIVERS OF OR CHURCH IN HOUSTON.
AND IN KATY, PASTOR CASTANO HOLDS A PHD OF PHILOSOPHY AND BIBLICAL THEOLOGY FROM VISION UNIVERSITY IN RAMONA, CALIFORNIA AND HAS A MASTER OF ARTS AND PASTORAL COUNSELING FROM LIBERTY UNIVERSITY.
WENDY CASTANO ARE THE DIRECTORS OF A WEEKLY TELEVISION PROGRAM, GOD OF MIRACLES THAT IS SEEN IN ALL LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRIES THROUGH TBN HISPANIC NETWORK IN LACE, AND THE DAY STAR NETWORK IN THE USA.
HERNAN CASTANO IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE BIBLICAL INSTITUTE RIVERS OF OIL IN HOUSTON, WHERE HE HAS HELPED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP AND CHARACTER.
HE HAS SERVED AS THE OFFICIAL TRANSLATOR FOR MC WORLD EVANGELISM MINISTRY IN ALL OF LATIN AMERICA.
CASTANO ALSO SERVES AS PRESIDENT OF ELIJAH UNIVERSITY, A HIGHER EDUCATION MINISTRY SCHOOL IN HOUSTON, TRAINING PASTORS ALL OVER THE CITY.
HE SERVES AS A DIRECTOR OF HISPANIC CHURCHES ON THE EXECUTIVE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF TEXAS AND THE US PASTOR COUNCIL.
THE CASTS ARE ORDAINED MINISTERS OF GRACE INTERNATIONAL AND ORGANIZATION OF MORE THAN 4,500 CHURCHES WORLDWIDE.
HE IS ON THE PRESIDENTIAL COUNCIL OF KSBJ OF HOPE MEDIA GROUP IN HOUSTON.
FINALLY, PASTOR HANAN CASTANO IS A SERVANT WHO LOVES OUR CITY AND CARES FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I'M ELATED AND EXCITED TO HAVE HIM TO OFFER OUR INVOCATION TODAY.
MY GOOD FRIEND AND BROTHER, BELOVED PASTOR HANAN CASTANO, HONORABLE, UH, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, JOHN WOOD MEYER, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
AND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIE DAVIS, MY FRIEND AS WELL, ALSO MY FRIEND, COUNCIL MEMBER TIFFANY THOMAS, DISTRICT F AND TO ALL OF YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO LEAD THE PRAYER IN TODAY'S IMPORTANT MEETING.
FATHER GOD, WE COME BEFORE YOU IN THE NAME THAT'S ABOVE EVERY OF THE NAME, THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST.
WE COME BEFORE YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE THE GIVER OF LIFE.
FOR WITHOUT YOU, THERE IS NO LIFE.
WE COME BEFORE YOU BECAUSE THERE'S NO WISDOM, LORD, THAT CAN PREVAIL IN TIMES OF TROUBLE.
BUT THE WISDOM THAT COMES OUT OF YOUR KINGDOM, WE COME BEFORE YOU LORD, BECAUSE YOU ARE THE GIVER OF PEACE, THE LORD THAT UNITES THE LORD.
THAT IN DIVERSITY GIVES US LORD, THE KNOWLEDGE, THE DIRECTION, THE DISCERNMENT TO DO THINGS THAT ARE RIGHT.
AND WE COME BEFORE YOU, FATHER, BECAUSE THERE'S NO JUSTICE, THE DEALS WITH INJUSTICES, BUT THAT COMES FROM YOU.
SO TODAY WE ASK YOU THAT YOU WILL IMPART UPON OUR HONORABLE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND OUR HONORABLE COUNCIL MEMBERS, THE WISDOM IN THEIR MINDS, THE INSPIRATION IN OUR HEARTS, LORD, TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT FOR THIS GREAT CITY OF HOUSTON SO THAT IT WILL BE A LIGHT TO THE ENTIRE STATE OF TEXAS, LORD, THAT YOU WILL GUIDE THEM AS THEY DEAL WITH THE THINGS THAT ARE COMPLICATED AND THE LORD, THAT YOU BRING A SPIRIT LORD OF WISDOM,
[00:35:01]
OF SUCH DEPTH, THAT EVEN THE COMPLICATED THINGS BECOMES SIMPLE, EASY TO SOLVE.SO THAT AT THE END RESULT THE CITY THAT WE ALL LOVE, THE CITY THAT WE ALL LIVE IN, WILL BE THE CITY OF HOUSTON, THE LORD THAT BRINGS CHANGE, TRANSFORMATION, UNITY, AND THAT ENLIGHTENS LORD, OUR STATE AND NATION TO BE LORD, A LIGHT THAT EVERYONE WANTS TO COME TO BLESS THIS DAY, BLESS THOSE THAT ARE SEATED IN THOSE POSITIONS, THAT THE PEOPLE HAVE CHOSEN THEM TO REPRESENT THEM IN OUR CITY.
AND WE THANK YOU, FATHER, IN THE NAME OF JESUS FOR WE BELIEVE IT IS DONE.
PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE, UNITED STATES FOR
[ROLL CALL AND ADOPT THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING]
NEXT.UH, WILL SECRETARY PLEASE CALL THE ROLE MAYOR WHITMEYER.
CONSTABLE CASTILLO WILL BE ASKING CONSTABLE MARTINEZ.
COUNCIL PALMER WILL BE ASKING THE COUNCILMAN FOR ALCORN.
NEED A MOTION TO ADOPT THE MINUTES OF SEPTEMBER 12TH AND 13TH.
SEPTEMBER 19TH AND 20 AND SEPTEMBER 26TH AND 27TH.
SECOND MOTION HAS BEEN MADE IN SECOND.
THOSE IN FAVOR? THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.
UH, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE HAVE A VERY LONG LIST OF SPEAKERS SIGNED UP TODAY BECAUSE WE HAVE MORE THAN 150 MINUTES WORTH.
THE RULES REQUIRE US TO ONLY GIVE EACH OF YOU ONE MINUTE, EVEN IF YOU SIGNED UP FOR TWO OR THREE A RULE, WHICH I PERSONALLY HOPE WE REVISIT SOMEDAY.
AND NOW WE'LL PROCEED WITH OUR MOTIONS.
I MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO MOVE CATHERINE MCNEIL, MAC HO AND TRUMAN EDM MINSTER TO THE TOP OF THE TWO MINUTE NON AGENDA.
THE TOP OF THE THREE MINUTE NON AGENDA LIST, PLEASE.
YEAH, EVERYBODY'S A AMEND TODAY.
[PUBLIC SPEAKERS]
ALCORN FOR A MOTION.UH, MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO ADD JASON SMITH AND SARAH TYLER.
THEY'RE ADDITIONS TO THE LIST.
UM, TO THE TOP OF THE TWO MINUTE, WHICH IS REALLY ONE MINUTE.
THEY'RE WITH THE CLEAN CITY COMMISSION.
AND THEN, OKAY, SO THAT'S MY FIRST MOTION.
MAYOR, I HAVE, I'M SORRY, UH, TO MOVE.
UM, THEY'RE SPEAKING ON THE SAME SHORT-TERM RENTAL SUBJECT.
SO I MOVING KA I I MOVED TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO MOVE KATHY YANG HAVEN, SEABERT AND SAMANTHA EVANS TO JUST BELOW.
TRUMAN MUNSTER, WHICH SECOND? MOTION MADE AND SECONDED.
I MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO MOVE JODY JOVI SMITH AND KENDRA LONDON BEHIND KELAN WILSON UNDER THE TWO MINUTE NUN.
AND THEN THE SECOND ONE IS, I WANNA MOVE ALICE, LOU AND BENJAMIN BROADWAY BEFORE CALLEN RIVIERA ON THE NON AGENDA.
AND CITY SECRETARY HAS THOSE? YES.
ANYONE ELSE? COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ.
UH, I MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO ADD LAUREN OLI TO THE TOP
[00:40:01]
OF THE THREE MINUTE AGENDA LIST.WE'LL HAVE TO GET THAT NAME FROM HER.
LAUREN, WHAT'S THE LAST NAME? AVILI.
A-V-I-O-L-I-I BELIEVE IN A SECOND.
MEMBERS, YOU'VE HEARD A MOTION.
ANYONE ELSE? NOT, UH, MADAM SECRETARY, WOULD YOU CALL OUR FIRST SPEAKER I, GOLDIE VAN Z GOLDIE VANZANT, BROAD THOMPSON.
MY NAME'S ROD THOMPSON, PRESIDENT OF THE GOSPEL MUSIC HOUSE AND MUSEUM.
I CAME TO HOUSTON IN 1986 AS A NATIVE OF AUSTIN, TEXAS TO ATTEND THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON.
THE FIRST WEEKEND IN HOUSTON, I VISITED BRENTWOOD BAPTIST CHURCH AND BECAME THEIR FIRST DRUMMER.
DURING THAT EXPERIENCE, I MET V MIKE MCKAY, A GOSPEL MUSIC LEGEND, AND MANY OTHER LEGENDS.
AS A YOUNG MAN, I WAS NURTURED BY THE WORDS WRITTEN IN GOSPEL MUSIC.
AS A MATURED MAN, I NOW UNDERSTAND WHAT GOSPEL MUSIC MEANT TO ME AND MY LIFE AND THE LIVES OF MANY OTHERS.
I'M HERE ASKING FOR YOUR SUPPORT AGENDA ITEM NUMBER NINE, SO THAT WE CAN BUILD THE GOSPEL HOUSE MUSEUM AT THE WESLEY CHAPEL SITE.
THIS WILL BE A PLACE THAT WILL PRESERVE THE LEGACY AND HISTORY OF GOSPEL MUSIC.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M AN ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT WITH THE NHP FOUNDATION, AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM NINE.
UH, NHP FOUNDATION WAS PART OF A TEAM SELECTED BY THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT FOR THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THE WESLEY A ME CHURCH IN THIRD WARD.
WE ARE A NONPROFIT AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPER WITH OVER 30 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE.
WE'VE BEEN ACTIVE IN HOUSTON SINCE 2014 AND HAVE, UM, OVER 1400 UNITS FOR LOWER INCOME HOUSTONIANS ACROSS SEVEN COMMUNITIES.
RECENTLY WE COMPLETED A DEVELOPMENT AND PARTNERSHIP WITH TEO CDC TO PROVIDE HOUSING AND SERVICES FOR 95 PEOPLE EXITING HOMELESSNESS.
WE'RE EXCITED AND HONORED TO PARTNER WITH GOSPEL MUSIC HOUSE AND MUSEUM FOUNDATION TO REALIZE THEIR VISION FOR THE WESLEY A ME CHURCH SITE.
WE PROPOSE TO CONVERT THE HISTORIC CHURCH BUILDING INTO A CULTURAL HUB AND MUSEUM TO BE OPERATED BY GOSPEL MUSIC HOUSE AND TO CONSTRUCT 50 APARTMENT BUILDINGS THAT WILL BE AFFORDABLE ALONG WITH GROUND FLOOR COMMERCIAL SPACE.
COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBERS, THOUGH I THOUGHT I WAS USING THAT ONE.
MY NAME IS V MICHAEL MCKAY AND I'M HERE REPRESENTING THE GOSPEL MUSIC HOUSE IN MUSEUM.
AND, UH, WE EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
UH, WE'VE BEEN ENDORSED BY SOME OF THE WONDERFUL PEOPLE HERE ON THE COUNCIL AS, AS WELL AS OTHER COMMUNITY LEADERS AND, AND THE DEVELOPERS WITH NHP TO, TO FINISH THIS WORK ON THE GOSPEL JESUS HOUSE AND MUSEUM, WHICH WILL BE AT THE WESLEY CHAPEL.
WHY WESLEY? WELL, WHY WESLEY? BECAUSE WESLEY WAS, WAS BUILT IN, UH, 1906 OR 19 0 70, BUT IT WAS ORGANIZED IN 1877.
AND HOW PERFECT IS THE HISTORIC WESLEY CHAPEL, A ME CHURCH, UM, TO HOUSE AND PRESERVE THE LEGACY AND THE HISTORY OF GOSPEL MUSIC? UH, I'M HERE REPRESENTING MY CONSTITUENTS LIKE LATOYA LUCKETT, WHO'S AN R AND B SINGER, LIKE KIRK WILLIAM, WHO'S ENDORSERS, WHO'S A JAZZ PERFORMING LIKE THE COMPARABLE YOLANDA ADAMS, WHO'S THE QUEEN OF GOSPEL, AND NOW THE DARLING OF HOUSTON.
SO WE ALL PARTNER IN DOING THIS WITH THE REST OF THOSE IN THE COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME, AND HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY.
I I COULD NOT EVER THINK THAT HE SHOULD WALK AWAY WITHOUT ME SAYING HOW MUCH I HE BRINGS TO THIS TABLE.
I MEAN, HE, HE'S A PHENOMENAL, HE'S A LEGEND.
AND I DIDN'T KNOW YOUR FIRST NAME.
I CAN BLACKMAIL YOU NOW
BUT CERTAINLY V MICHAEL MCKAY HAS BEEN A LEGEND AND A STALWART IN THE GOSPEL COMMUNITY.
[00:45:01]
HE, ALONG WITH YOLANDA ADAMS, UH, I'M JUST TREMENDOUSLY EXCITED AND CERTAINLY THAT IT'S IN DISTRICT D, WHICH OF, YOU KNOW, IS THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION.CERTAINLY IT ADDS TO OUR, UH, OUR CULTURAL CAPITAL THAT WE HAVE IN THE DISTRICT.
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING IT FORWARD.
AND I THINK IT'S SIGNIFICANT NOW THAT I AM THE CHAIR OF THE ARTS AND CULTURE, THAT THIS IS A PART OF SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE CAN GET DONE IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR TAKING YOUR TIME.
WE'RE NOT GONNA ASK YOU TO PERFORM, BUT THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR COMING.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND I'M GLAD YOU VALIDATED.
SIR, SIR, SIR, SIR? UH, COUNCILOR DAVIS? YES.
LET ME, DITTO WHAT, UH, CAROLYN HAS JUST SAID, UH, FOR YEARS TO COME.
AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME TO DO THE PRAYER AS WE INITIATED THE GROUNDS AT WESLEY CHAPEL A FEW WEEKS AGO.
AND I'M HONORED BECAUSE OF YOUR CONTRIBUTION TO THIS CITY.
SOME MAY, MAY NOT KNOW, BUT YOUR, YOUR HISTORY OF WHAT YOU BROUGHT TO HOUSTON, YOU PUT HOUSTON ON THE MAP IN REGARDS TO YOUR GIFT THAT GOD HAS ALLOWED YOU TO DO.
I'M PROUD OF THE FACT, AND HOUSTON SHOULD BE PROUD OF THE FACT AND MY SHORT TERM IN CHICAGO AS A NATIVE HOUSTONIAN.
EVERYBODY WAS ALWAYS, UH, COMPLIMENTING THE GOSPEL HISTORY THAT HOUSTON, UH, HAS BROUGHT ABOUT AND THE PEOPLE THAT MAKE THAT UP.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR GIFT THAT YOU'VE GIVEN TO ALL OF US.
AIN'T MANY CHURCHES IN THIS TOWN, HEAVEN HAD BE MICHAEL K DOING A WORKSHOP AT SOME TIME.
MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND ENRICH YOU.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND WORDS.
NEXT, JASON, LET GRIFFIN, GOOD AFTERNOON TO EACH OF YOU.
MAYOR JOHN WHITMEYER, EACH OF YOU HERE TODAY.
I AM REVEREND JOSETTE GRIFFIN AND MY SON EVAN LEE, WAS MURDERED IN HARRIS COUNTY JAIL THIS YEAR.
I'M SORRY, THIS MONTH ON THE 22ND.
THIS FRIDAY WILL BE TWO YEARS WITH NO ANSWERS.
I'VE TAKEN MY PAIN AND TAKEN IT INTO PURPOSE.
I'M HERE TODAY TO ADVOCATE ON SO MANY ARRESTS BY OUR HPD OFFICERS THAT IS OVER FLOODING THE JAILS AND SOME OF THE ARREST AS SUCH AS, UM, JUST VERY, VERY SMALL OFFENSES THAT ARE MISDEMEANORS.
I'M ASKING IF YOU COULD JUST GALVANIZE YOUR RESOURCES TOGETHER AND MAYBE WE DON'T HAVE TO FLOOD THE JAILS OR MAYBE EVEN OPEN ANOTHER CITY JAIL.
BUT IT'S VERY, VERY SINCERE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO TRY AND CONTROL ALL OF THE ARREST AND OVER FLOODING OUR JAILS AND SO MANY LIVES ARE BEING LOST AND TRANSFERRED AND OUR DOLLARS THAT WE HAVE, MAYBE WE CAN OFFER THOSE HERE IN OUR CITY AND USE THEM FOR THOSE LESS THAN FORTUNATE FOR HOUSING OR SOMETHING THAT COULD BE A LITTLE BIT MORE, I FEEL LIKE APPRECIATED TO OUR COMMUNITY INSTEAD OF OUTSOURCING OUR INMATES AND USING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND INCONVENIENCING THOSE THAT ARE ARRESTED.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.
UM, MAYOR WHITMEYER, IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE IN FRONT OF YOU AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE ON THE SENATE CRIMINAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE ALL THESE YEARS.
WE'VE ALWAYS SHARED THE SAME, UM, GOAL OF PUBLIC SAFETY, UM, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT ITEM NUMBER 43, WHICH IS A CITY'S PAYMENT TO THE COUNTY JAIL.
I JUST WANNA GIVE YOU THREE QUICK DATA POINTS.
UM, THE CITY HAS A VERY DISPROPORTIONATE IMPACT ON THE COUNTY JAIL.
TODAY'S DASHBOARD ON THE JAIL SHOWS THAT OVER 58% OF THE ARRESTEES IN OUR JAIL ARE BY HPD.
SO EVEN THOUGH YOU DON'T HAVE CONTROL OF THE JAIL, YOU HAVE A HUGE DISPROPORTIONATE IMPACT ON THE JAIL.
UM, THE OTHER DATA POINT IS ALMOST 700 OF THEM ARE MISDEMEANORS.
AND THE THIRD DATA POINT I WANNA SHARE WITH YOU IS WE ARE SPENDING THE COUNTY SPENDING $50.3 MILLION TO HOUSE 1,162 PRETRIAL LEGALLY INNOCENT DETAINEES OUTSIDE THE COUNTY AND OUTSIDE THE STATE.
AND ONE REPERCUSSION OF THAT IS IF A PERSON
[00:50:01]
DIES OUTSIDE THE STATE, WHICH HAPPENED IN LASSALLE CORRECTIONS TWO YEARS AGO, THE STATE HAS NO OBLIGATION TO COUNT OR REPORT THE DEATH OF THE AGS OFFICE OR TO INVESTIGATE IT.AND THAT'S THE RIPPLE EFFECT WE'RE SEEING OF THE ARRESTS FROM HPD INTO OUR JAIL.
SO WE'RE HERE TO ASK YOU TO, UM, LOOK AT ALTERNATIVES FROM YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED IN DIVERSION.
MA'AM, MA'AM, THANK YOU, MAYOR.
I JUST WANTED TO THANK BOTH OF YOU ALL FOR COMING, BUT I ALSO WANTED TO OFFER MY CONDOLENCES TO YOU, MS. GRIFFIN, ON THE LOSS OF YOUR SON.
WE ALL, UH, ARE MOURNING WITH YOU.
UM, MS. GUNDO, LET, LET ME, I WANT TO ECHO COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD'S CONDOLENCES EVERY, EVERY LIFE LOST IN THE JAIL IS A TRAGEDY AND IN IS UNNECESSARY IN, IN MY OPINION.
AND, UH, I, I TAGGED THIS ITEM LAST WEEK BECAUSE I HAD CONCERNS ABOUT THE NUMBER OF DEATHS WE WERE SEEING IN THE HARRIS COUNTY JAIL, ESPECIALLY OF HOUSTON RESIDENTS.
AND, UM, IN THE INTERIM HAD THE CHANCE TO MEET WITH THE SHERIFF AND I WILL BRIEF THE COUNSEL ON THAT PRIOR TO TOMORROW'S VOTE ON THE AGENDA ITEM.
UM, BUT THIS WEEK WE ALSO HAD THE CHANCE TO TOUR, UH, THE HOUSTON RECOVERY CENTER AND LEARN ABOUT THE GREAT WORK THAT IS BEING DONE, DONE THERE.
THE HARRIS CENTER WHERE MENTAL HEALTH, UH, INMATES ARE DIVERTED AND THE WONDERFUL WORK THAT IS BEING THERE IN, IN, IT'S MY HOPE THAT, THAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO PRESERVE, UH, THE FUNDING THAT THESE FACILITIES RECEIVE SO THAT OUR MENTALLY ILL INMATES CAN RECEIVE, UH, THE HELP THAT THEY NEED AND, UH, IN THE PLACE WHERE THEY NEED TO BE, WHICH IS OFTEN NOT THE HARRIS COUNTY JAIL.
BUT I APPRECIATE THE CONCERNS YOU'VE RAISED AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
MAY I SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THAT COUNCILMAN? 'CAUSE YOU BRING UP A REALLY IMPORTANT POINT ABOUT THE SOLUTIONS.
I THINK THE CITY WOULD PROBABLY SEE BETTER RETURN ON ITS INVESTMENT IF WE EXPANDED THE DIVERSION CENTER 'CAUSE IT IS WORKING AND WE HAVE GOOD DATA ON THE SUPER USERS.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING BACK OR NOT COMING BACK WITHIN 30, 60, 90 DAYS, IT SHOWS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE DIVERSION CENTER.
SO IT WOULD BE BETTER IF YOU COULD PUT THESE RESOURCES INTO EXPANDING THE DIVERSION CENTER AND ALSO EXPANDING THE PARAMETERS OF PEOPLE WHO QUALIFY TO GO INTO THE DIVERSION CENTERS.
AND THAT WOULD REALLY CREATE A HEALTHY, SAFE COMMUNITY, UM, IF WE COULD INVEST IN THOSE FRONTEND UPSTREAM PREVENTIVE SOLUTIONS.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU SAYING THAT BECAUSE CATCHING PEOPLE AT THE MISDEMEANOR LEVEL THE FIRST TIME WHEN THEY HAVE A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS, THEY'RE AT THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME.
IF THEY COULD GET THAT CARE, WE COULD PREVENT THEM FROM COMING INTO THE JAIL.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU LOOKING AT THAT DATA.
AND, AND I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU THAT THESE PROGRAMS SHOULD BE EXPANDED BECAUSE THERE IS, THERE IS A GREAT NEED FOR THEM.
UH, THE CHALLENGE, AS YOU KNOW, BECOMES WHERE, WHERE WE FIND THE FUNDING FOR, UH, THIS GREAT NEED, WE HAVE A LOT OF NEEDS.
AND, UH, I DON'T MEAN TO, UH, UH, SUGGEST THAT THIS ISN'T WORTH ADDITIONAL MONEY BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT IT IS.
AND SO I KNOW COUNT MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR ARE GONNA WORK HARD, UH, TO FIND A, A SOLUTION TO THIS ISSUE.
THANK, THANK, UH, LET ME THANK EACH OF YOU FOR COMING.
SORRY, CERTAINLY CONDOLENCES FOR THE LOSS OF YOUR SON.
IT IS OUTRAGEOUS THAT HARRIS COUNTY RESIDENTS CAN FIND THESE ARE OUT OF STATE AND IN POST TEXAS, UH, AWAY FROM THEIR FAMILIES, THEIR DEFENSE ATTORNEYS.
I'M, I KNOW FOR A FACT THEY DO NOT HAVE THE COMMUNICATIONS BACK HOME THAT THEY NEED.
AND, UH, ONE ELEMENT OF, OF THAT SOLUTION WOULD BE THE BACKLOG.
AND SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE OUR JUDGES TO, UH, HAVE THE HEARINGS, HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE OR CERTAINLY RELEASE 'EM IF THEY'RE INNOCENT.
BUT THE PRACTICE AND, AND THE COST OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO BE IN LOUISIANA WHEN YOU HAVEN'T.
MOST, MOST OF THE CONFINING HAVE NOT BEEN CONVICTED OF ANYTHING.
SO I'VE SPOKEN OUT, I KNOW MY COLLEAGUES HERE AT THE HORSESHOE JOIN ME THAT, UH, IT'S JUST WRONG TO SEND FOLKS.
MANY HAVE NOT BEEN ADJUDICATED OUT OF HARRIS COUNTY.
THE, UH, CONTACT WITH THEIR FAMILY AND THEIR FENCE COUNCIL DOES NOT EXIST.
SO, YOU KNOW, THEY'LL TELL YOU THE, THE, THE PEOPLE THAT SPONSOR THESE PROGRAMS WILL TELL YOU, OH, THEY HAVE CONTACT VERY, VERY LITTLE.
AND THE FIRST TIME YOU GET CROSSWISE WITH A CORRECTION OFFICER, YOU WON'T HAVE ANY CONTACT.
SO IT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO SPEAK OUT ON.
BUT, UH, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND
[00:55:01]
BRINGING IT TO OUR ATTENTION.GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR WHITMEYER AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I AM CYNTHIA DORE AT 12 YEAR RESIDENT OF MONTROSE.
I LIVE FIVE BLOCKS FROM THE PROPOSED MONTROSE BOULEVARD IMPROVEMENT PROJECT, AND I'M THEREFORE DIRECTLY AFFECTED BY IT.
THIS SECTION OF MONTROSE BOULEVARD IS GRACED INDEED WITH A LOVELY BOULEVARD AND OUR SECTION OF MONTROSE BOULEVARD SHOULD RESEMBLE THE BEAUTY OF HEIGHTS BOULEVARD.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY, OUR STREET IS FLANKED BY A STUNNING PATCHWORK OF VARIABLE BROKEN AND UNEVEN SIDEWALKS AND RAMBLING UTILITY LINES, BISECTING TREES THAT ARE MUTILATED AND SICKLY.
THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN IN THE WORKS FOR YEARS AND IS APPROVED BY NUMEROUS URBAN FORESTRY ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S OWN URBAN FORESTRY.
PLEASE DON'T ALLOW A VOCAL MINORITY OF PEOPLE TO CONVINCE YOU TO KICK THIS CAN DOWN THE ROAD.
I RESPECTFULLY URGE YOU TO ALLOW THIS PROJECT TO COMMENCE.
HELLO, MR. MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, I'M JASON SMITH.
WE'RE BOTH COMMISSIONERS IN THE, IN THE HOUSTON CLEAN CITY COMMISSION.
YOUR COMMISSION THAT'S, UH, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ORDINANCE, UH, THERE TO BRING ABOUT LONG-TERM IMPROVEMENTS OF TRASH HANDLING HABITS AND ALSO PROVIDE A QUARTERLY REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
UH, EACH QUARTER, OUR LAST QUARTERLY REPORT, IT'S ONLY A TWO PAGE REPORT.
LAST QUARTER QUARTERLY REPORT WAS ON TIRE TIRE RECYCLING, AND OUR NEXT ONE FOR THE NEXT QUARTER IS GONNA BE ON E-WASTE.
THIS ONE IS ON SINGLE WASTE RESIDENTIAL YARD WASTE.
AND WE'VE INTERVIEWED AND WORKED WITH GENERATORS, TRANSPORTERS, AND DISPOSAL FACILITIES AND IDENTIFIED, IDENTIFIED MANY PROPER END STATES, UH, TO INCLUDE COMPOSTING.
UH, THE UNFORTUNATE END STATES INCLUDE WASTE, UH, LANDFILLS AND STORM DRAINS AS WELL.
I WANNA COMMEND THE CITY FOR THEIR WEEKLY YARD WASTE PICKUP.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY, 30% OF OUR RESIDENTIAL SOLID WASTE IS FROM YARD WASTE AND ONLY 1% OF THAT IS RECYCLED THROUGH THE CITY SPONSORED COMPOSTING PROGRAM.
MR. MAYOR, UH, SARAH'S HERE, SHE CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AND OR CONTINUE AND TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE FOUND IN THE TWO PAGE REPORT.
THANK YOU JASON, JUST REALLY QUICKLY, IT'S SO GREAT TO SEE YOU.
IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU CONTINUING TO ENGAGE, SO THANK YOU ALL TO THE ENTIRE BOARD FOR THEIR WORK.
BUT I, I ALSO WANTED TO RECOGNIZE JUST YOUR SERVICE TO OUR NATION, SO THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING.
SO, LIKE JASON SAID, UH, OUR YARD WASTE DIVERSION NUMBERS AREN'T GREAT AND THERE'S A REPORT THAT'S CIRCULATING RIGHT NOW, WHICH WAS ALSO CIRCULATED BY EMAIL TO EVERYONE HERE.
UM, THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT WE FOUND, UH, THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO IMPROVE IT.
UH, THE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE THERE, BUT, UH, ONE THING THAT WE FOUND IS MOST CITIZENS AREN'T AWARE THAT THERE'S ACTUALLY TWO ORGANIC WASTE PICKUP PROGRAMS, ONE FOR HEAVY TREE WASTE AND ONE FOR YARD TRIMMINGS.
SO THERE'S A PUBLIC EDUCATION OPPORTUNITY THERE.
UM, WE, UH, ARE CONCERNED THAT, UM, CITIZENS ARE ONLY ALLOWED TO USE VERY SPECIFIC CITY BRANDED COMPOSTABLE BAGS.
THIS LIMITS PARTICIPATION AND IT IS A DATED APPROACH.
UH, WE NEED TO LOOK AT MORE TYPES OF BAGS BEING ALLOWED, BUT ALSO, UM, REUSABLE PLASTIC CONTAINERS WITH AN OPEN TOP AND A MESH BOTTOM.
AND THIRD, EVEN THOUGH YARD WASTE AND TREE WASTE ARE, ARE BOTH LANDSCAPING WASTE, UM, THEY ARE PROCESSED SEPARATELY.
HOLD ON, WE COUNCIL, WE'RE HAPPY TO HANDLE QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU MAYOR, AND THANK YOU FOR COMING TODAY.
UM, MAYOR, THIS, THIS IS A COMMISSION THAT'S ACTUALLY DOING REAL WORK OUT THERE.
NOT THAT OTHER COMMISSIONS DON'T, BUT THEY'RE ACTUALLY HELPING THE CITY FIGURE OUT WAYS TO ADDRESS SOME OF OUR PROBLEMS. THEY DUG INTO THE ORDINANCE AND SAW THAT THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO GIVE A QUARTERLY REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL THAT HAD NEVER REALLY BEEN DONE BEFORE.
SO THEY'RE COMING TO US, THEY'VE COME ONCE BEFORE WITH A BUNCH OF REALLY GOOD RECOMMENDATIONS ON SCRAP TIRES THAT ARE LEFT ALL OVER THE PLACE.
NOW THEY'RE HELPING US ON OUR YARD WASTE.
YOU KNOW, I'M A BIG PROPONENT OF COMPOSTING.
WE NEED TO GET MORE OF THAT YARD WASTE RECIRCULATED.
UM, SO WHATEVER THE BEST VENUE, UM, PERHAPS IN A COMMITTEE QUALITY OF LIFE OR ANOTHER, THIS
[01:00:01]
WILL BE A GREAT REPORT TO GET AND FOR US TO REALLY HAVE A POINT OF CONTACT WHERE WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT THE, THE GOOD RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THEY'RE SPENDING THEIR VOLUNTEER TIME ON ARE ACTUALLY BEING ACTED UPON.THIS IS FREE HELP TO THE CITY.
THEY'RE DIGGING IN DEEP AND ANALYZING SOME OF THE ISSUES, UM, THAT ARE GOING ON AND, AND, UM, JUST WANNA ENCOURAGE US TO DEVELOP SOME KIND OF MECHANISM BY WHICH WE CAN TRACK THESE RECOMMENDATIONS AND, AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING UP ON THEM.
AND WE WOULD, WE WOULD LOVE TO, UM, FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE THAT WORK.
GOOD AFTERNOON, HONORABLE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M JAY CARA AND I'M HERE TO FULLY SUPPORT THE MONTROSE BOULEVARD IMPROVEMENT PROJECT AND URGE CITY COUNCIL TO APPROVE IT.
I LIVE, WORK AND RECREATE IN THE NORTH MONTROSE ROSEMONT SUBDIVISION SINCE 2016.
OURS IS AN ATTRACTIVE NEAR TOWN, NEAR HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD.
MY WIFE, NEIGHBORS AND I WALK TO SHOP, DINE AND EXERCISE.
WE WALK TO METRO'S, BUS STOPS ON MONTROSE TO TRAVEL THROUGHOUT THE CITY, INCLUDING THE MEDICAL CENTER AND SPORTING EVENTS AND EVEN A CITY HALL LIKE WE DID TODAY.
OUR NEIGHBORS WALK THEIR CHILDREN TO AND FROM SCHOOL CROSSING MONTROSE.
MANY OF OUR SIDEWALKS AND CROSSWALKS HAVEN'T BEEN REFRESHED IN NEARLY A CENTURY.
SIDEWALKS ARE OFTEN BUCKLED, CRACKED AND MISSING.
THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN PENDING FOR FOUR YEARS WITH ACTIVE DESIGN PLANS IN THE LAST 15 MONTHS.
YOU WON'T FIND A MORE ROBUST COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THAN OURS ON A PROJECT THIS SIZE.
OUR FAMILY AND NEIGHBORS ATTEND ALL CIVIC ASSOCIATION AND OTHER MEETINGS TO DISCUSS THE PROJECT.
GIVEN OUR EXTENSIVE ENGAGEMENT IN THE PROJECT AND EXPECTED TRAFFIC INCREASE DUE TO CURRENT CONSTRUCTION OF MANY HIGH RISE RESIDENCES, WE ASK YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED SUPPORT THIS PROJECT.
COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN RAMIREZ.
HE WAS READY FOR COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ.
HE JUST KNEW YOU JUST KNEW YOU WAS HERE.
CARA HAN, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
YOU CAN HAVE MY TIME IF YOU NEED SOME MORE TIME.
THIS WON'T TAKE LONG TO FINISH THIS UP.
GIVEN OUR EXTENSIVE ENGAGEMENT IN THE PROJECT AND THE EXPECTED TRAFFIC INCREASES DUE TO CURRENT CONSTRUCTION OF MANY HIGHRISE RESIDENCES MIXED USE PROJECTS IN THE NEWEST MAILING CENTER IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, I URGE YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE EXTENSIVE DRAINAGE OVERHAUL SAFETY INTERVENTIONS LIKE MID-BLOCK CROSSINGS, 10 FOOT SHARED USE PATHS, A DA COMPLIANCE SIDEWALKS IMPROVED LIGHTING, 80 MORE TREES, AND GENERAL IMPROVED QUALITY OF LIFE HERE.
MOST OF THE TIME I WOULD'VE BEEN CORRECT.
I KNOW WE, THE NAMES HAVE ABOUT THE SAME NUMBER OF LETTERS.
UH, CITY COUNCIL MAYOR WHITMEYER.
I'M HERE, UH, TO, UH, SAY THAT I'M OPPOSED TO THE MONTROSE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, UH, COMING, COMING BACK.
UH, THEY HAD ALREADY BEEN DISSOLVED FROM THE PREVIOUS JUDGE.
UH, AND UH, I'VE BEEN IN BUSINESS THERE FOR 45 YEARS.
AND, UH, WE'VE GOT A LIEN PUT AGAINST OUR PROPERTY AND I THINK IT'S NOT FAIR FOR A MANAGEMENT DISTRICT TO COME IN AND HAVE THE POWER TO DO THAT WHEN, UH, THEY'RE NOT TRANSPARENT.
UM, I JUST WISH THAT Y'ALL WOULD DO ANYTHING IN Y'ALL'S POWER TO NOT LET THIS HAPPEN AND FOR THEM TO COME BACK.
YEAH, I KNOW YOU REALLY WANTED TO HEAR FROM ME.
UH, MR. LAREDO, UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
JUST FOR THE RECORD, DO YOU HAVE A BUSINESS IN THE AREA? YES.
BECAUSE I KNOW YOU LISTED AN ADDRESS IN A DIFFERENT DISTRICT, SO I WANTED TO CONFIRM THAT.
AND, UM, WITH THE PROPOSAL, AGAIN, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, SO I'M JUST ASKING QUESTIONS
[01:05:01]
AND I'LL ASK THAT OF EVERY BUSINESS.UM, WOULD YOU BE FINANCIALLY IMPACTED BY THE CREATION OF THE TUR? SOME BUSINESSES WOULD BE, SOME BUSINESSES WOULDN'T BE.
WELL, I, I'M JUST THE, THE TRANSPARENCY OF THE TRANSPARENCY OF THIS, UH, I'M, I'M A HUNDRED PERCENT WITH YOU.
MY ONLY QUESTION IS, ARE YOU ONE OF THE BUSINESSES THAT WOULD BE IMPACTED BY THE, UH, FEE MAYOR THAT'S LEVERAGED ON CERTAIN BUSINESSES? WOULD YOUR BUSINESSES BE BUSINESS BE ONE OF THOSE BUSINESSES OR NOT? IT WOULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
THE QUESTION IS WHETHER OR NOT YOUR BUSINESS WOULD BE IN FALL UNDER THE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT'S LE OF THAT TAX.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS DAVIS.
UM, BROTHER LODO, LET ME ASK THE QUESTION OF YOU.
YOU ARE OPPOSED TO THIS CREATION.
SPECIFICALLY, TELL ME WHY YOU ARE OPPOSED TO IT IN REGARD.
YOU MENTIONED PREVIOUS STATUS.
WELL, WE'VE, WE'VE, UH, WE'VE GONE TO COURT, WE'VE BATTLED, WE'VE, UH, YOU KNOW, TO GET THIS GROUP, UH, TO BE DISSOLVED.
AND NOW THE SAME GROUP, THE SAME ADMINISTRATION IS TRYING TO GET BACK AND PUT US THROUGH THE SAME PREDICAMENTS THAT WE'VE ALREADY BEEN THROUGH.
SO WE JUST WANT TO MOVE FORWARD AND MAYBE, UH, SET UP OUR OWN COMMUNITY GROUP AND BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD AND HAVE SOME AND A GROUP THAT'S TRANSPARENT.
AND WHEN YOU SAY TRANSPARENT, ARE YOU SPEAKING OF SOMETHING THAT WAS FINANCIAL? WELL, WE'VE, UH, WE'VE GOT A LETTER THAT, THAT WAS SENT THAT DIDN'T HAVE AN ADDRESS, THAT DIDN'T HAVE A SIGNATURE SAYING THAT THIS GROUP WAS COMING BACK IN AND THEY WERE GONNA DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY.
BUT I MEAN, THEY'VE ALREADY STARTED ON THE WRONG FOOT AND WE JUST WANT TO MOVE FORWARD.
GOOD AFTERNOON IS DEAN MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS ALA GONZALEZ AND I SERVE AS REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT ELECT DIEGO ORGA AND AUSTIN CRAIG OF THE STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON.
THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON STANDS AS A CORE BELOVED INSTITUTION OF OUR CITY, BOASTING A STUDENT BODY OF 46,700 INDIVIDUALS.
AS REPRESENTATIVE OF THESE STUDENTS, WE RECOGNIZE A RESPONSIBILITY TO AMPLIFY THEIR VOTES, NOT ONLY WITHIN THE UNIVERSITY, BUT ALSO WITHIN THE BROADER COMMUNITY.
AMONG THE CONCERNS OF STUDENTS TODAY IS THE ISSUE OF PUBLIC SAFETY.
IT PAINS US TO WITNESS INSTANCES WHERE STUDENTS FEEL APPREHENSIVE ABOUT TRAVERSING FAMILIAR ROOTS AFTER DARK OR RESIDING IN THEIR OWN ACCOMMODATIONS DUE TO SAFETY CONCERNS.
REPETITIVELY, THESE FEARS ARE UNFOUNDED.
AS RECENT EVENTS SUCH AS A TRAGIC INCIDENT AT HAVEN APARTMENT LAST SEMESTER UNDERSCORES A PRESSING NEED FOR ENHANCED SAFETY MEASURES.
THE ALARMING STATISTIC THAT ONE IN EVERY 88 CUSTODIANS IS AT RISK OF BECOMING A VICTIM OF CRIME TRANSLATES TO 53 OF STUDENTS POTENTIALLY FACING SUCH THREATS.
WE ALREADY BEGAN INITIATING A CAMPUS ALONG CAMPUS INITIATIVE ALONGSIDE CHIEF MOORE OF UHPD.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO COLLABORATING WITH THE COUNCIL IN WHATEVER POSSIBLE.
OH, MA'AM, SHE'S, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? COUNCIL, FINISH UP.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO COLLABORATING WITH THIS COUNCIL IN WHATEVER WAY POSSIBLE TO ENSURE OUR COUGS TRAVERSES THE CAMPUS AND CITY BEYOND SAFELY WITHOUT FOLLOWING PERIOD OF CRIME.
TO DISCUSS THIS ISSUE ALONG MANY OTHERS, WHICH COLLABORATION FOR OFF CAMPUS INITIATIVE CAN PROVE PRODUCTIVE FOR STUDENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE ALL PRESENT TO OUR OPEN HOUSE ON APRIL 1ST AT 5:30 PM IN THE STUDENT GOVERNMENT OFFICE IN THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON.
NEXT, ALICE LOU, WESTERN RECOVERY IN THE NORTHEAST ACTION COLLECTIVE ARE HERE TODAY TO INTRODUCE OUR DRAINAGE CAMPAIGN FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 BUDGET CYCLE.
AFTER YEARS OF ADVOCACY FROM FLOOD SURVIVORS, HOUSTON IS BEGINNING TO ADDRESS THE DEEP INEQUALITIES THAT DEFINE OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.
EACH CITY COUNCILOR THAT MET WITH US OR VOTED YES ON THE AMENDMENT LAST YEAR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, JACKSON PLUMBER AND ALCORN TO NAME A FEW.
YOU HAVE BEEN PART OF THAT BEGINNING.
THE DISTRICT ESTABLISHMENT PROGRAM THAT
[01:10:01]
CREATED A PROACTIVE FIVE YEAR MAINTENANCE CYCLE WAS A CRUCIAL INTERVENTION.AND THIS PROGRAM NEEDS GUARANTEE OF FULL AND PERMANENT FUNDING TO MEET ITS OBJECTIVES.
PUBLIC WORKS HAS STATED DIRECTLY THAT THE PROGRAM REQUIRES $45 MILLION TO CONTINUE, AND WE'RE HERE TO MAKE SURE THIS IS REFLECTED IN THE BUDGET AND THAT THE CITY FOLLOWS THROUGH ON ITS POLICY ORDINANCE.
WE BELIEVE ALL PEOPLE DESERVE SAFE HOMES AND NEIGHBORHOODS TO LIVE IN.
AND THIS REQUIRES PROTECTION FROM FLOODING.
CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE SUFFERING FROM INFRASTRUCTURE CRISES, BUT HOUSTON HAS A PARTICULAR URGENCY TO ACT.
BOTH STREET AND HOME FLOODING ARE KEY CONTRIBUTORS TO RACIAL DISPARITIES IN HEALTH AND QUALITY OF LIFE.
ACROSS HOUSTON AND OF ALL MAJOR AMERICAN CITIES, HOUSTON HAS BEEN FOUND TO FACE THE HIGHEST RISK FROM WEATHER AND CLIMATE HAZARD.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU.
I'M SURE WE'RE GONNA HAVE A LOT OF SPEAKERS ON FLOODING, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL SAW, UM, SPACE CITY WEATHER'S MOST RECENT REPORT TODAY ABOUT THE EXTREME RISK GIVEN, UM, NOT JUST CLIMATE CHANGE, BUT WHAT IS LIKE, WHAT IS HAPPENING THROUGH CLIMATE CHANGE OF STORMS ALONG THE GULF COAST, IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
SO I JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR VOICE AS WE CONTINUE, BECAUSE WE NEED MORE FLOOD MITIGATION, WE NEED MORE RESILIENCY.
AND I'M NOT GONNA SPEAK TO EVERY SPEAKER.
WE GOT A LONG LIST, BUT I JUST WANNA SAY THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR MANY OF US.
I DO APPRECIATE THAT THE TIME TO ACT IS NOW.
AND I JUST WANNA END WITH THIS STATISTIC BECAUSE IT IS PRETTY ASTOUNDING FOR ME.
BUT 9% OF CENSUS BLOCKS IN HARRIS COUNTY HAVE BEEN LISTED AS CLIMATE ABANDONMENT ERAS AREA.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS ALREADY AFFECTING, UM, PEOPLE WANTING TO MOVE TO THE CITY, PEOPLE'S ABILITY TO CONTINUE LIVING HERE IN OUR QUALITY OF LIFE.
NEXT BENJAMIN BROADWAY DRIVER LICENSE.
I'M WITH THE NORTHEAST ACTION COLLECTIVE.
I'D LIKE TO THANK THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL FOR LETTING ME SPEAK TODAY.
LAST YEAR, THE NORTHEAST ACTION COLLECTIVE WITH WEST STREET, UH, CAMPAIGN FOR $20 MILLION FOR LDP PROJECTS, WHICH WE DID A GOOD JOB.
WE GOT THAT MONEY OVER TO THEM.
BUT WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE NEED AN ADDITIONAL 45 MILLION FOR THIS UPCOMING BUDGET.
WITH THAT 45 MILLION, WE CAN SPEND 5 MILLION ON EMPLOYING PEOPLE TO, UH, DO THE DRAINAGE PROJECTS, TO DO THE DITCH REVITALIZATION PLAN.
WE ARE FALLING BEHIND, WE NEED, AND THEY NEED HELP.
SO LET'S SPEND THE OTHER 40 MILLION TO GOING AHEAD AND FUND THE DITCH REVITALIZATION PLAN.
WE'VE DONE A GOOD JOB SO FAR, SO LET'S KEEP IT UP.
THE GS UH, THE GIS MAPPING TOOL IS ONE GOOD TOOL THAT, UH, THE CITY HAS ADDED AND WE'VE ALSO SECURED THE 25 MILLION PROJECTS THAT CAN BE DONE.
GOOD AFTERNOON, CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, JACKSON AND CITY COUNCIL.
FIRST THING I WANT TO DO IS SAY THANK YOU.
THANK YOU YOU FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE.
THANK YOU FOR THE PLANS THAT ARE IN PLACE TO SAVE LIVES IN THE POOR, MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES.
I HAVE LIVED IN THE CITY GAS NORTHEAST HOUSTON AREA FOR OVER 45 YEARS, AND A VOLUNTEER FOR NORTHEAST ACTION COLLECTIVE.
I'M HERE TO ALSO AGREE AND STAND WITH THE OTHER MEMBERS OF WEST STREET AND NORTHEAST ACTION COLLECTIVE ON ASKING FOR THE FUNDS THAT ARE NEEDED TO CONTINUE THE WORK.
THE PROBLEM IS NOT GOING TO GO AWAY.
WE'RE ALSO ASKING THAT YOU PERMANENTLY HAVE FUNDS TOWARD THIS PROJECT YEARLY
[01:15:01]
BECAUSE OVER 85% OF THE MARGINALIZED POOR COMMUNITIES OR DITCH DRAINAGE PROGRAMS. THANK YOU, UH, MA'AM.COUNCILOR JACKSON HAS COMMENT.
AND THANK YOU MS, UM, FOR COMING IN FOR YOUR ADVOCACY, YOUR LEADERSHIP, AND THE WORK THAT YOU'VE GUYS DONE TO JUST MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THE RESOURCES TO HANDLE THE DRAINAGE, UM, PROBLEMS IN THE NORTHEAST HOUSTON, UM, AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON AS WELL, BECAUSE IT'S BENEFITING EVERYBODY.
SO JUST THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND I LOOK FORWARD TO OUR CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP.
THANK YOU TO EACH OF YOU AGAIN.
UM, GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE, AND WELCOME MAYOR WHITMEYER.
I LIVE IN NORTHEAST HOUSTON, EAST HOUSTON, CGAS AREA LIKE MS. RIVERA.
AND, UM, I'M AN ADVOCATE FOR EDUCATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE.
BUT TODAY I'M HERE AS A MEMBER OF THE NAC, THE NORTHEAST ACTION COLLECTIVE.
UM, WE ADVOCATE FOR FLOOD MITIGATION AND EQUITABLE INVESTMENT IN NORTHEAST HOUSTON, BUT NOT JUST IN NORTHEAST HOUSTON.
WE WANNA SEE FLOOD MITIGATION ACROSS THE CITY.
UM, WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS WORK FOR THE LAST SEVEN YEARS, AND THIS IS THE, THE THIRD YEAR THAT WE HAVE BEEN, WE'VE DECIDED TO, UM, TO, UH,
THIS IS THE THIRD TIME WE'VE DECIDED TO, UM, TO, IT IS BEEN A LONG DAY.
THIS IS THE THIRD YEAR THAT WE'VE DECIDED TO, TO GO FOR THE CITY AND TO TRY AND IMPACT THE CITY BUDGET CAMPAIGN.
AND OUR GOAL WITH THIS CAMPAIGN IS TO ENCOURAGE THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL TO INCREASE IN INVESTMENT IN FLOOD MITIGATION PROJECTS THROUGH THE CITY BUDGET.
UM, THE LAST TWO YEARS, LIKE BIG BEN SAID, WE WON LOCAL DRAINAGE MONEY FOR LOCAL DRAINAGE PROJECTS, AND THAT'S BEEN REALLY HELPFUL.
WE HAVE ONE BY MY DAUGHTER'S SCHOOL.
WE'VE ALSO SEEN A DITCH REESTABLISHMENT PROGRAM THAT WE REALLY TIME HAS EXPIRED.
WE WILL BE BACK AND WE DEFINITELY EXPECT YOU GUYS TO SUPPORT US, ESPECIALLY, UH, YOU MISS CAYMAN.
WE WOULD LIKE TO WORK WITH YOU MORE CLOSELY THIS YEAR.
MY NAME IS JOSEPH SMITH, SENIOR.
UH, THIS GENTLEMAN, I'M TRYING TO, SIR SYLVESTER TURNER TOLD TO HELP ME WITH THIS.
MY DILIGENCE HAS BEEN SOMEBODY KEEP GETTING A, UH, KEEP GETTING BENEFITS IN MY NAME, NEVER RECEIVED A LETTER.
AND LIKE I SAID, SO THIS FROM A BANK SAYING THEY GOT A CREDIT CARD IN MY NAME.
AND YOU SAY Y'ALL ALLEGEDLY SENT A LETTER OF FEBRUARY THE 13TH WHEN I REPORTED THIS LAST YEAR IN FEBRUARY OF LAST YEAR.
AND THAT'S WHAT YOU TELLING ME THAT'S POSSIBLY OKAY WITH IT.
I REPORTED THIS LAST YEAR AROUND MY FEBRUARY OR MARCH OF 2003.
AND YOU SAY YOU SENDING ME SOMETHING IN 2024.
THAT'S WHAT I'M DOING, SIR, ON FEBRUARY 34TH.
AND LIKE I SAID, I'M RIGHT HERE.
SO I HAVE WITNESSES AND I'M RECORDING THIS CONVERSATION BECAUSE I'M STEADY ASKING YOU.
I'M TRYING TO, SIR, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND TERMINATE THE CALL BECAUSE YOU CAN RECORD A CONVERSATION.
WELL, THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING, BECAUSE YOU BEING VERY, YOUR TOWN HAS EXPIRED.
SO I DIVORCED MY WIFE, BUT FAMILY COURT KICKED US OUT.
YOU LOOK, YOU'LL SEE I'M TRYING TO PUT A FILE IN TO DIVORCE MY WIFE.
'CAUSE I WANT TO SEE HOW I HAVE ALL THESE WIVES AND SIT IN HARRIS COUNTY.
SO THEY, HARRIS COUNTY JUST SENT US A LETTER SAYING THEY DISMISSED THE, OUR DIVORCE TO, BECAUSE THEY CAN'T FIND ME.
I LIVED WITH MY WIFE, I BILL MY WIFE OVER 30 YEARS, BUT HARRIS AND I WORKED FOR THE CITY TWO DIFFERENT TIMES.
SO, BUT EVERYBODY, LIKE, THEY CAN'T FIND ME.
IF I'M A CRIMINAL, WHY AM I STANDING IN FRONT OF YOU, MAYOR, IF I'M A CRIMINAL, I'M STILL, I'M DOING WELFARE FRAUD.
I'M DOING, UH, THEY SAY I'M DOING, UH, DISABILITY.
THEY SAY I'M GETTING UNEMPLOYMENT AND I HAVE A JOB HOW I'M GETTING UNEMPLOYMENT AND I HAVE A JOB.
BUT NO ONE DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
AND THIS THE BANK TELLING ME NEXT.
[01:20:09]
RITA CAMPOS IS NOT PRESENT.UM, AND COUNCIL, SORRY, I HAVE A LITTLE RODEO POLL AND IIS RIGHT NOW, SO PLEASE BEAR WITH ME.
UM, I'M WITH BAKER RIPLEY AND I'M HERE TO TELL Y'ALL ABOUT, UH, A GREAT NEW THING THAT WE'RE BRINGING RIGHT TO Y'ALL HERE IN CITY HALL.
UH, THE CITY CONTROLLER'S OFFICE INVITED US TO OPEN ONE OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD TAX CENTERS, UM, FOR CITY EMPLOYEES.
AND SO WE'RE GONNA START TOMORROW, UM, ALL DAY.
AND THEN THE NEXT FOUR WEDNESDAYS, UM, THIS IS AVAILABLE REGIONWIDE, UM, TO ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORS, BUT, UM, WE'RE EXCITED TO GET THAT INVITATION AND THANK, UH, KAITA REYES.
SO REALLY WANTED TO SHARE WHAT'S COMING AROUND THE HORSESHOE WITH Y'ALL, UM, TO SHARE THE WORD ABOUT IT.
ALSO, UH, BREAKING THE FOURTH WALL TO TELL THE CITY DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE WATCHING, PROMOTE IT TO YOUR, UM, UH, EMPLOYEES SO THAT WE CAN GET A GREAT TURNOUT.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THE, EXCUSE ME, CITY HALL SPECIFIC FLYER, THERE'S ALSO THE, ALL THE LOCATIONS THAT WE HAVE AROUND THE CITY.
SO WE WOULD LOVE FOR Y'ALL TO GET THE WORD OUT.
AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST, SINCE WE'LL BE HERE ON WEDNESDAYS, COME ON DOWNSTAIRS AND SEE US.
UM, YOU CAN COME BEFORE, UH, THE MEETING STARTS TOMORROW MORNING AT NINE OR AFTERWARDS IF YOU WANNA DROP BY, SEE OUR STAFF AND EMPLOYEES.
GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYOR WHITMEYER.
MY NAME IS TIFFANY CHEVERIA AND I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF COLLECTIVE ACTION FOR YOUTH.
AND I'M HERE TODAY TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT CREDIBLE MESSENGERS AND TO SHARE SOME GRATITUDE.
CREDIBLE MESSENGERS IS A MENTORING STRATEGY THAT PAIRS INDIVIDUALS WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE TO INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE VULNERABLE TO BECOME INVOLVED OR THOSE WHO ARE CURRENTLY NAVIGATING THE JUSTICE SYSTEM.
AND I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO MAYOR WHITMEYER FOR YOUR INVESTMENT INTO THE CREDIBLE MESSENGER STRATEGY.
IT IS A WAY TO APPROACH PUBLIC SAFETY THAT'S INNOVATIVE AND REALLY CENTERS COMMUNITY IN THE CONVERSATION.
I ALSO WANNA TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER TARSHA JACKSON, WHO'S MY COUNCIL MEMBER IN DISTRICT B TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT IN CHAMPIONING THIS EFFORT BECAUSE OF YOUR NONSTOP ADVOCACY, YOU'RE GIVING A PATHWAY FOR US TO DO THE WORK.
I'M JOINED TODAY BY OTHER STAFF MEMBERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ARE COMMITTED TO DOING THE WORK AS WELL.
AND THANK YOU TIFFANY, AND ALL THE CREDIBLE MESSENGERS WHO ARE HERE TO THANK THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL, UM, FOR, UM, APPROVING THE RESOURCES THAT I THINK WE GOT THE FIRST ROUND OF RESOURCES, UM, FOR, TO RUN A PILOT PROGRAM.
AND SO WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THESE RESOURCES SINCE 2021.
AND SO NOW WE'RE ACTUALLY ABOUT TO KICK THIS CREDIBLE MESSENGER INITIATIVE OFF.
WE HAVE LIKE APPROXIMATELY 65 CREDIBLE MESSENGERS THAT HAVE BEEN TRAINED SO FAR, UM, THROUGH BE SUCCESSFUL.
AND SO, UM, IT'S JUST IF PUBLIC SAFETY IS OUR PRIORITY, THIS IS ONE OF THE WAYS.
I KNOW WE WERE JUST TALKING EARLIER ABOUT ALTERNATIVES TO INCARCERATION AND INVESTING IN COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAMS AND THIS IS THE CITY'S WAY OF DOING IT.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND I LOOK FORWARD TO OUR PARTNERSHIP.
NEXT DIZZY PETERS MON GREETINGS.
AND AND THAT'S BUSI PRONOUNCED BUSI PETERS MON.
I TOO WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE MAYOR FOR, UM, FUNDING THE CREDIBLE MESSENGERS PROGRAM, AS WELL AS TASHA JACKSON WHO'S SPEARHEADED THE PROGRAM.
I WAS A PART OF THE FIRST COHORT OF THE TRAININGS FOR THAT THREE YEARS AGO.
MY ORGANIZATION IS WOO, WOMEN HEALING AND EMPOWERING WOMEN, AND WE ARE DELIGHTED TO BE A PART OF THIS WORK.
AND WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR AUGUST SUPPORT.
AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING US TODAY.
NEXT LEOTIS WILL LEOTIS JOHNSON.
UH, MY NAME IS LEOTIS BOSWELL JOHNSON.
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF SONS OF SOPHISTICATION.
[01:25:01]
WE ARE A NONPROFIT MENTORING PROGRAM AND WE ARE ONE OF THE 15 PARTNERS THAT IS PARTNERING WITH COLLECTIVE ACTION AS A SERVICE FOR THE CREDIBLE MESSAGES PROGRAM.DOING THIS WORK IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO ME.
UH, THE, THE ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO POUR INTO YOUTH AND SEE YOUNG MEN GROW AND HAVE A COMMUNITY AND BE SAFE AND BE CHALLENGED IS THE PERFECT WAY TO ADDRESS PUBLIC SAFETY.
TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE A WAY THAT THEY ARE GROWING AND FEELING LOVED, AND ANYTHING THEY MIGHT BE MISSING, THEY'RE ABLE TO GET.
AND THROUGH YOUR SUPPORT, WE'RE ABLE TO DO THAT ON A LARGER SCALE.
I'M JOVI SMITH AND I'M HERE REPRESENTING INCREDIBLE MESSAGES AND, UH, COLLECTIVE ACTION FOR YOUTH.
AND I JUST WANNA SAY, WORKING WITH COLLECTIVE ACTION FOR YOUTH HAS BEEN VERY REWARDING FOR ME 'CAUSE I GET TO DO WHAT I LOVE AND THAT'S BEEN A MENTOR, A TEACHER, AND A ROLE MODEL FOR OUR YOUTH.
THE CREDIBLE MESSENGER PROGRAM ENABLES ME TO CONTINUE DOING WHAT I LOVE.
AND SO I'M HERE TODAY TO EXTEND MY GRATITUDE TO YOU FOR SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS LIKE COLLECTIVE ACTION FOR YOUTH AND, UH, CREDIBLE MESSENGER PROGRAM.
SO I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR EVERYBODY HERE TODAY THAT SUPPORTS THE MISSION, AND THANK YOU AGAIN.
GOOD AFTERNOON, CITY COUNCIL AND, UH, MAYOR WHITMEYER.
I'M USUALLY HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR OTHERS.
TODAY I AM HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR MYSELF.
I HAVE, UM, RECEIVED A, UM, HIGH WATER USAGE BILL.
'CAUSE IT REFLECTS MY REALITY THAT I'M NEVER HOME.
SO WHEN I CALLED THE REPRESENTATIVES ON YESTERDAY, I WAS ASKED TO MAKE A PAYMENT SO I CAN PLACE IT ON HOLD AND THEN ALLOW THE LANDLORD TO FIND, UH, IF THAT WAS A LEAK OR A PROBLEM.
SO NOW I THINK WE HAVE A LOOPHOLE FOR THE LANDLORDS.
IF THE LANDLORD DECIDES THAT HE DOESN'T WANT TO FIX THIS PROBLEM OR IT'S NOT HIS PROBLEM, THAT $2,000 BILL IS GONNA FOLLOW ME AND MY NAME.
THAT SHOULD NOT BE ON THE TENANT.
IT SHOULD RESIDE ON THE HOMEOWNER OR LIKE WHOEVER OWNS THE PROPERTY.
IF THIS IS A STRUCTURAL PROBLEM OR IF IT'S A, UM, OR IF IT'S A STRUCTURAL PROBLEM OR DAMAGES THAT'S NOT VISIBLE TO THE EYE, THE TENANT SHOULDN'T BE LIABLE FOR THOSE REPAIRS.
AND IT'S, IF IT'S SOMETHING LIKE A RUNNING TOILET OR SOMETHING, YES, WE CAN FIX MINOR THINGS, BUT WE ARE STILL LIABLE IF WE DO, IF WE DAMAGE THOSE REPAIRS.
I WAS, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT YOUR PERSONAL WATER BILL? YES.
WILL YOU TALK THAT GENTLEMAN RIGHT THERE ON THE END OF THE BENCH, JOSH.
THERE'S, UH, COUNCILMAN RAMIREZ HAS IT FIRST.
UH, MAYOR MS. LONDON CAN HAVE MY TIME IF SHE NEEDS ADDITIONAL TIME.
AND IF NOT, I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION FOR HER.
SO, UM, WHEN I WAS SPEAKING TO THE REPRESENTATIVE ON YESTERDAY, SHE STATED THAT THE TENANT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE WATER THAT FLOWS THROUGH THE METER.
UM, NOW THE WATER, WATER, THE WATER THAT FLOWS THROUGH THE MEDIA IS US.
THEY WILL COME OUT AND SEE IF IT'S A CITY PROBLEM OR THE PRIVATE OWNER'S PROBLEM.
THE, UM, RESOLVE, I THINK IS TO REMOVE WHEN IT'S SUCH A HIGH BILL AND IT'S FOUND THAT IT'S THE LANDOWNER'S PROBLEM.
THAT BILL SHOULD BE THAT THIS, THIS NOTICE SHOULD GO TO THE HOMEOWNER, NOT TO THE TENANTS.
AND THAT BILL SHOULD GO TO THEM.
AND IT WOULD TAKE A, IT WOULD TAKE IT OFF OF THE CREDIT OF THE TENANT.
SO EVEN WITH THE REPRESENTATIVES, THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH THESE STEPS WITH ME.
THESE, OUR REPRESENTATIVES CAN BE RESOLVING SOMETHING ELSE.
THESE BILLS, THIS HIGH, HIGH USAGE NOTICE SHOULD GO TO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE PAYING TAXES ON THAT PROPERTY.
SO THAT, THAT'S MY, UM, CONCERN.
THERE'S SO MANY RESIDENTS THAT COME TO US, TO MY NONPROFIT.
AND EVEN WHEN I WAS RUNNING THROUGH ELECTION, ASKING ABOUT THE WATER BILL, THE HIGH USAGE, UM,
[01:30:01]
WATER BILL, IT'S, IT IS MORE THAN JUST ME.IT'S LIKE A MILLION MES DEALING WITH THIS, WHICH OUR TAX DOLLARS IS GOING TO OUR REPRESENTATIVES ON THE PHONE EXPLAINING STEPS TO ME WHEN THIS SHOULD HAVE WENT DIRECTLY TO THE LANDOWNER AND NOT THE, NOT THE TENANT.
WHAT, UH, IT'S YOUR WATER BILL.
HUH? IT'S YOUR WATER BILL? YES.
WHEN'S THE LAST TIME YOU PAID A WATER BILL? SO THE WATER BILL WAS, UM, IN JANUARY I PAID $432, JUST SO I WOULDN'T BE CONFRONTATIONAL ONLY FOR 30 DAYS LATER FOR IT TO TURN INTO $2,000.
SO YOU OBVIOUSLY HAVE A BROKEN METER.
SOMETHING IS WRONG, BUT IT'S NOT.
TALK TO THIS GENTLEMAN OVER HERE AND WE'RE GONNA PUT YOU IN CONTACT WITH PUBLIC WORKS.
MAYOR, I HAVE A QUESTION ON A DIFFERENT AGENDA ITEM.
SO YOU WANT TO, WOULD THIS FINISH UP? DO THIS WITNESS? YES.
OKAY, MA'AM, ANOTHER QUESTION.
UH, MS. LONDON, I, I UNDERSTAND.
UM, WELL, YOU, YOU MAY KNOW, UH, THE DEVELOPER, NHP HAS AN AGENDA ITEM ON THIS WEEK'S AGENDA.
AND, UH, I, I'M GIVEN TO UNDERSTAND THAT YOU KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT NHP ON A PREVIOUS PROJECT.
I HELD MY BREATH SO LONG IN THE BACK.
THE, UM, I WAS A EMPLOYEE FOR NHP FOUND FOUNDATION THROUGH A NONPROFIT ON THEIR PROPERTY IN FIFTH WARD.
SO AS A RESIDENT SERVICE COORDINATOR, I ORGANIZED FOR EMPLOYEES AND RESIDENTS TO COME TO CITY HALL AND EXPRESS THE LIVING CONDITIONS FOR NHP FOUNDATION.
AFTER THE, AFTER WE FILED A PROTOCOL, WE, UM, SENT EMAILS IN 2021.
WE HAD EMPLOYEES HERE AND WE ALSO HAD RESIDENTS HERE AND RESIDENTS TO CALL IN TO EXPRESS THE SEWER DAMAGE, MOLD, RAT INFESTATION, ROACH INFESTATION, ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT NHPF WAS AWARE OF.
AND IN RETURN, WE READ THE NEWSPAPER TO SEE MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER GIVE 10 MILLION, $10 MILLION TO THIS, UM, DEVELOPER.
AND THEN MR. RODNEY ELLIS GIVES I THINK, 15 MILLION TO START A VETERAN'S HOMELESS, A VETERAN'S HOMELESS SHELTER DOWNTOWN.
IF NO ONE, IF WE ARE SIMPLY TAPPING THEM ON THEIR ARM OR THEIR WRIST, THEY WILL CONTINUE TO DO THE THINGS THAT THEY DO TO THE RESIDENTS WITH NO REGARD BECAUSE THEY CONTINUE TO SEEK GRANT MONEY AND THEY RECEIVE IT WITH NO ONE HOLDING THEM ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE WAY THAT OUR NEIGHBORS LIVE IN FIFTH WARD IS THE ONLY ADVOCACY THAT I'VE DONE FOR THEM.
I MEAN, ON THEIR BEHALF, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE I WORK.
BUT YES, I WOULD NOT, I WOULDN'T GIVE THEM 50 CENT.
SO YOU HAVE STRONG CONCERNS ABOUT NHP GETTING YES.
APPROVAL FOR THIS NEW PROJECT.
I HAVE EMAILS AND EVERYTHING TO SHOW THAT I HAVE DOCUMENTED THE E THE RESIDENTS HAVE DOCUMENTED WITH PICTURES AND EMAILS GIVEN TO NHP FOUNDATION AND THEY WERE TOTALLY IGNORED.
TO THE GOSPEL, UM, UM, PROJECT, A HOUSING PROJECT.
SO MA'AM, MA'AM, UH, COUNCILOR JACKSON.
AND MISS, MISS LONDON ON YOUR WATER BILL MM-HMM
UM, LET US KNOW AS YOU WORK WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE ON THAT.
UM, I WISH I WOULD'VE KNOWN ABOUT THAT ON YESTERDAY.
SO I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T WANNA GIVE THAT DIRECTLY TO YOU MM-HMM
BECAUSE I'M AWARE THERE'S A PROGRAM, BUT I JUST DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THE PROGRAM.
BUT BECAUSE THIS, I SHOULDN'T BE IN THE PROGRAM.
MY WATER BILL IS $40 AND 32 CENTS.
THIS USAGE THING IS STATING 2000.
SO JUST KEEP ME INFORMED IN THE LOOP SO THAT I CAN, UM, JUST MAKE SURE IT TAKEN.
SAY I HAVE AN INTERESTING QUESTION.
YOUR NON-PROFIT IS RECRUITED BY ACTIVISTS OR STAKEHOLDERS TO ADVOCATE FOR THEM.
SO DUE TO THE LACK OF RESOURCES NO, I KNOW UHHUH OR MY COMMUNITY AND ON PAPER MY COMMUNITY LOOKS RICH.
WE DO NOT RECEIVE ANY OF THOSE RESOURCES THAT WE, THAT IS ALLOCATED TO MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO SINCE 2011, I HAVE STARTED NON, UH, I HAD A GRASSROOTS NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION, UM, DUE TO MY FRIEND'S DRUG ADDICTION.
SO TO KEEP HER NAME IN A POSITIVE LIGHT, I STARTED A GIRLS GROUP.
THEN I STARTED, UH, 5 0 1 C3, OUR AFRICAN FAMILY TO ADVOCATE FOR FAIR HOUSING AND, UM, ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE THINGS THAT WE KNOW THAT SHOULD BE ALLOCATED TO US.
[01:35:01]
IT'S NOT COMING TO US.SO I OPEN A COMMUNITY CENTER BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A SAFE SPACE TO TALK ABOUT THESE THINGS.
AND YOU RAISE MONEY FOR THAT PROJECTS? YES.
TO ADVOCATE OR OPPOSE TO ADVOCATES.
AND TO EDUCATE AND EMPOWER OUR NEIGHBORS THAT THEIR VOICES MATTER.
AND WE SHOULD HAVE A VI WE SHOULD BE INVITED TO THESE VITAL CONVERSATIONS THAT GO ON IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND FIFTH WARD IS LIKE A, IT'S LIKE A LIKE BUTTON FOR THE MEDIA AND EVERYBODY ELSE.
BUT I'M THE MONEY THAT'S GOING THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY.
WE ARE NOT RECEIVING THE RESOURCES.
SO WHERE IS THE MONEY? LIKE, SO, SO YOU'RE TELLING US YOU HAVE NOT BECOME A COMPLETE COMMUNITY.
WE'VE NEVER BEEN A COMPLETE COMMUNITY.
WE'VE NEVER BEEN A COMPLETE COMMUNITY.
YOU WERE DESIGNATED TO BECOME ONE BY THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
SEE, THOSE ARE THE TYPE OF CONVERSATIONS WE ARE LEFT OUT OF.
AND CASHIER GARDENS IN FIFTH WARD IS NOT THE SAME, EVEN THOUGH THEY PUT 'EM ON THE MAP LIKE THE SAME NO, I GOT YOU.
AND I HAVE MET IN TRINITY GARDENS.
DON'T YOU WORK WITH JOSH ON THE WATER BILL.
SHOULD HAVE BEEN GOOD AFTERNOON COUNSEL.
THANK YOU FOR LETTING OH, GOOD AFTERNOON.
I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT SHORT TERM RENTALS, ESPECIALLY AROUND SMALL APARTMENT COMPLEXES.
I LIVE IN THE MUSEUM DISTRICT AND I LIVE DIRECTLY NEXT DOOR TO A 24 UNIT OLD MONTROSE TYPE APARTMENT COMPLEX.
WHEN I MOVED IN THIS APARTMENT COMPLEX, UH, HOUSED, UH, WONDERFUL NEIGHBORS, THERE WAS A TRUCK DRIVER.
THERE WAS A WOMAN WHO WAS A BEAUTICIAN.
THERE WAS A MOM WHO LIVED THERE.
SO HER KIDS COULD GO TO POE ELEMENTARY.
ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO, IT WAS BOUGHT UP BY, UH, A GENTLEMAN WHO IS BUYING THESE PROPERTIES THROUGHOUT THE AREA.
AND WHAT I WHAT THEY'RE PASSING OUT TO YOU IS A PACKET THAT WE'VE PUT TOGETHER.
UH, THE FIRST TWO PICTURES WERE TAKEN, TAKEN SUNDAY.
AND THE SECOND PICTURE, UH, THE FENCE ON THE LEFT IS MINE.
UM, AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DOCUMENT FOR YOU IS THE IMPACT IT'S HAD ON OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, IN THE CITY, UH, IN THE MUSEUM DISTRICT.
UM, SO WE, UM, TWO OF MY OTHER NEIGHBORS ARE GONNA SPEAK ALSO, BUT WE HAVE WORKED HARD TO GET THE LANDLORD, UH, KNOCKED OFF OF AIRBNB.
COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN, UM, HELPING US.
BUT JUST AS RECENTLY AS THIS PAST WEEKEND, WE FOUND, UH, THE LANDLORD ON VRBO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CAMAN.
I KNOW WE HAVE OTHER RESIDENTS HERE, MAYOR.
IT'S OUR UNDERSTANDING, AND WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS AD NAUSEUM LAST YEAR AS WELL.
UM, IT'S OUR UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS INDIVIDUAL THAT OWNS THESE PROPERTIES IS ALSO THE OWNER OF THE HEIGHTS PROPERTY THAT WE CONTINUE TO HAVE ISSUES WITH.
AND, UH, CATHERINE, I'D LIKE YOU IF YOU CAN SHARE, BECAUSE IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, THE FIRST PAGES OF THIS ARE JUST TRASH AND DEBRIS, BUT THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC SAFETY CONCERNS AS IT RELATES TO THIS.
ARE YOU COMFORTABLE SHARING WHAT OCCURRED SEVERAL WEEKENDS AGO, WHICH AGAIN, MAYOR, I HAVE BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH YOU ABOUT AND COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN ABOUT IF, IF YOU GO TO THE SECOND LARGE PAGE, THE FIRST TWO PICTURES ARE OF HOUSTON POLICE AND THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE.
UH, SUNDAY MORNING I WAS OUT WITH MY DOGS AND ALONG WITH FOUR DIFFERENT POLICE UNITS BREAKING UP A DIS UH, DOMESTIC DISPUTE THAT WAS TAKING PLACE OUT ON THE STREET.
THIS WAS A COUPLE THAT HAD RENTED, UH, ONE OF THE APARTMENTS SHORT TERM, UH, AFTER THE POLICE CAME AND, UH, SETTLED
[01:40:01]
THAT DISPUTE, UH, ON THE STREET.UM, IN THE AFTERNOON, I WAS TEXTED A PICTURE OF SOMEONE HIDING BETWEEN THE UTILITY ROOM AND MY FENCE.
I DECIDED I SHOULD GO FIND OUT IF THIS WAS A HOMELESS PERSON OR WHAT I NEEDED TO DO.
SHE ASKED ME IF I WOULD PLEASE CALL THE POLICE.
THIS WAS THE AFTERNOON, THAT'S THE PICTURE OF THE CONSTABLES AND THE FIRE TRUCK.
SHE, HER BOYFRIEND WHO WAS IN ONE OF THE APARTMENTS HAD JUST BEATEN THE CRAP OUT OF HER AND SHE WAS HIDING.
AND THIS IS, AND AND IF YOU CONTINUE DOWN THE PICTURES, YOU'LL SEE THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DOCUMENT.
THIS WAS SOME OF THE DOCUMENTATION THAT WE USED TO GET THEM KICKED OFF OF AIRBNB.
BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, IT CONTINUES BECAUSE THAT PICTURE I TWO PICTURES I JUST DESCRIBED TO YOU WAS MY LAST SUNDAY MORNING.
AND SO, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, CATHERINE, THIS IS NOT THE FIRST INSTANCE WHERE THERE HAS NOT ONLY BEEN DOMESTIC ABUSE SITUATIONS, BUT VI OTHER TYPES OF VIOLENT CRIME AND NUISANCES FOR THE RESIDENTS AT THESE LOCATIONS.
AND I WANNA SAY ON THE RECORD THAT, UM, SHORT TERM RENTALS AS A BUSINESS ARE NOT BAD FOR THE CITY.
THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF HOMEOWNERS THAT CHOOSE TO RENT OUT THEIR PROPERTIES ARE NOT BAD ACTORS.
BUT WE MUST DO SOMETHING AS IT RELATES TO ENFORCEMENT WHEN IT COMES TO THESE BAD ACTORS THAT HAVE A HISTORY OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITY THAT IS NOT JUST PLAGUING RESIDENTS NEARBY, BUT IS A DANGER TO THOSE DWELLING IN THOSE UNITS.
UH, I KNOW MAYOR, THAT WE HAVE A BRIEF AND A MEMO, UM, FROM A RA ON WHAT THE STATE HAS DONE TO PRECLUDE CITIES FROM ACTING SPECIFICALLY ON THIS.
HOWEVER, I DO BELIEVE, AND I KNOW WE'LL GET TO SOME OTHER RESIDENTS THAT CAN SPEAK TO THIS, WE HAVE RULES ON THE BOOKS THAT CAN BE ENFORCED TO ADDRESS THIS AS WELL.
MY NEIGHBOR, TRUMAN MUNSTER, UH, HAS PULLED THE HOTEL ORDINANCE AND WE BELIEVE IT DIRECTLY APPLIES TO ANY SMALL APARTMENT COMPLEX OVER 10 UNITS.
THESE PEOPLE ARE COMING IN FOR ONE NIGHT, TWO NIGHTS, THREE NIGHTS, AND THEN THEY'RE GONE JUST LIKE ME GOING AWAY FOR THE WEEKEND, RENTING A PLACE AT, UH, THE MARRIOTT FOR TWO OR THREE NIGHTS.
THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE ARE DOING HERE.
BUT HE'S GOT LISTINGS FOR WHAT ARE ONE BEDROOM APARTMENTS THAT HE'S LISTING FOR SIX TO EIGHT PEOPLE FOR 80 BUCKS A NIGHT OR A HUNDRED BUCKS A NIGHT.
BUT IF YOU'VE GOT EIGHT PEOPLE STAYING THERE, THAT'S A PRETTY CHEAP NIGHT.
SO, UH, AND, AND TRUMAN HAS PULLED THIS ORDINANCE AND RESEARCHED IT AND HE CAN SPEAK TO IT.
UM, BUT WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH THIS NOW FOR OVER TWO YEARS.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, I'LL LET THE PHOTOGRAPHS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.
I WON'T RELATE ALL THAT WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH THE LAST TWO AND A HALF YEARS, BUT IT'S REALLY BEEN A DAMAGE TO OUR BEAUTIFUL MUSEUM DISTRICT NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT'S HAPPENING THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
WE'VE DONE EVERYTHING WE THINK WE CAN TO WORK WITH THE OWNER.
WE'VE HAD MULTIPLE NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS.
WE'VE BEEN HERE MANY TIMES IN THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION.
WE'VE MET WITH CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, ALCORN AND CAYMAN.
WE'VE COLLABORATED WITH OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE THE SAME OWNER PROBLEMS WITH THIS PARTICULAR OWNER.
WE'VE MET WITH HPD MANY TIMES.
WE'VE MET WITH CONSTABLE MANY TIMES.
WE FILED REPORTS, CRIME REPORTS, HARASSMENT REPORTS.
WE'VE BEEN ON SITE WITH THE HOUSTON CITY ATTORNEY AND HIS TEAM, AND WALKED THE PROPERTY AND HAD A MEETING WITH HIM.
AND THEN I MET WITH ONE OF YOUR REPRESENTATIVES, MR. MAYOR, UH, ONE OF YOUR ASSOCIATES.
AND MET WITH SEVEN OR EIGHT OTHER HPD OFFICERS JUST TWO WEEKS AGO.
WE'VE DONE EVERYTHING WE CAN, AND YET WHAT HAPPENED TWO WEEKS AGO HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR TWO AND A HALF YEARS.
WE THINK THERE ARE EXISTING REGULATIONS AND CRIMINAL DISCUSS IT THAT WE CAN, IF WE ENFORCE, WE CAN HELP THE CITY AND THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
COUNCIL MAYOR FLICKINGER, WHO'S THE OWNER OF THIS PROPERTY.
UH, WE KNOW THE GENTLEMAN IS A, HE HAS MULTIPLE PROPERTIES AROUND THE CITY.
UM, AND WE WE'RE IN CONTACT WITH HIM.
I, I, IF I CAN, UH, CAN'T PRONOUNCE IT PROPERLY, I APOLOGIZE.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, HE'S, HE'D BEEN IN TOUCH WITH THE OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS WHO HAVE THE SAME PROP PROBLEMS WITH MULTI-TENANT PROPERTIES.
AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MULTI-TENANT PROPERTIES.
[01:45:01]
BUT YOU CAN'T DO IT IRRESPONSE, I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ASKING.WHAT DOES HE SAY WHEN YOU TALK TO, WE FIRST POLITELY MET AS A GROUP ON THE CORNER AND SAID, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, CAN YOU HELP US? AND HE SAID, ALL THE RIGHT THINGS.
I'LL GET SECURITY, I'LL GET AN ONSITE MANAGER.
THERE'S NO SECURITY, THERE'S NO ONSITE MANAGER.
THE OWNERSHIP IS, UH, DISTANT.
UH, EVERY TIME THERE'S A PROBLEM, HE SAYS, I'LL ATTEMPT TO IT.
WHEN THERE WAS A STREET TAKEOVER, WE DIDN'T HEAR FROM HIM.
WHEN THERE WAS PRO I WAS APPROACHED BY PROSTITUTION THREE TIMES COMING OUTTA THE PROPERTY.
YOU KNOW, HE GOES, I CAN'T CONTROL WHAT MY TENANTS DO.
UM, WE TRIED, HE SAYS HE TRIES TO, YOU KNOW, EDIT WHO'S COMING.
BUT IT, IT'S, IT'S, UH, UNFORTUNATELY A PROBLEM THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S A FOR-PROFIT BUSINESS AND 129 UNITS AROUND THE PROP CITY, HE CAN'T MANAGE.
I ALSO WANTED TO ADD, WE BELIEVE IN ADDITION TO OWNING THE HEIGHTS, ALLEGEDLY, THIS IS THE SAME PROPERTY OWNER THAT IS BUILDING THE ILLEGAL APARTMENT COMPLEX RIGHT AT THE OUTSKIRT OF SHEPHERD FOREST.
LITERALLY NO CITY PERMITS HAS BROUGHT IN ILLEGAL FILL.
UH, THE CITY'S DOING EVERYTHING IT CAN.
I BELIEVE A WARRANT WAS ISSUED ON THAT FOR HIM, UH, WHEN THE CITY BROUGHT HIM TO COURT OVER THE SHEPHERD FOREST.
BUT AGAIN, TO OUR RESIDENTS POINTS, STRUGGLING WITH THIS.
AND THEY'RE NOT THE ONLY ONES.
YOU ALL JUST HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TODAY.
UH, WHEN WE HAVE BAD ACTOR INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE CREATING A CRIME PROBLEM, IT'S A BURDEN ON YOU ALL.
IT'S A BURDEN ON LAW ENFORCEMENT.
AND WE MAY LIKELY HAVE THE TOOLS ALREADY WHEN IT COMES TO THE HOTEL ORDINANCE TO ADDRESS SOME OF THIS EFFECTIVELY.
HOTEL ORDINANCE DID NOT APPLY.
LEMME LEMME ASK JUST A SECOND.
YOU TELL US THERE'S ORDINANCE IN PLACE.
CAN YOU GIVE US YOUR EXPERIENCE, WHY YOU DIDN'T INSIST THAT IT BE DONE AND WHAT HAPPENED WHEN YOU TRIED? I'M, I'M GONNA LET COUNCIL MEMBER AL APPOINT ON THAT.
I MEAN, I MEAN, FURTHER MAD THE GENTLEMAN STANDING THERE LISTENING TO AN HONORABLE COUNCIL MEMBER SAYING, WE GOT LAWS ON THE BOOKS.
THE PREVIOUS WITNESS FOR OVER TWO YEARS.
SOME OF US JUST BEEN HERE TWO MONTHS.
SO WHAT ABOUT SOME INFORMATION OF PREVIOUS EFFORTS? AND I WE TOLD YOU NO, I BELIEVE WE'VE ALSO PROVIDED MEMOS.
I'M, YOU KNOW, WE GOT DOWN HERE TO GET THINGS DONE.
SOME OF 'EM YOU'VE TRIED IN PREVIOUS ENCOUNTERS WITH THE SUBJECT, WHAT WENT WRONG? AND CAN YOU GIVE US SOME ADVICE AND COUNSEL, 'CAUSE OBVIOUSLY I'M LISTENING, WE'RE GONNA TALK TO LEGAL.
OBVIOUSLY THE GOT INVOLVED, UNFORTUNATELY, TRYING TO RUN CITIES FOR US.
BUT WHEN YOU SIT THERE AND TELL US WE'VE GOT THE POWER TO DO SOMETHING, AND SOME OF YOU BEEN HERE FOUR YEARS, WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR POWER? WELL, I'M NOT, I THINK THAT'S A LOADED QUESTION, MAYOR.
AND I'M GONNA SAY THAT WE HAVE ACTUALLY PROVIDED, AND COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN HAS WORKED ON THIS.
MULTIPLE COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE, AND WE ALSO INCLUDED IN PROVIDING YOU WITH MEMOS, GIVE YOU THAT HISTORY.
SO MAYBE THERE'S A NEW SHERIFF.
I'M, I I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT I'M GONNA DEFER TO COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN TO GIVE YOU SOME OF THAT HISTORY.
BUT AGAIN, THIS IS, UH, NO, IT'S GONE ON TOO LONG.
IF IN FACT, WE'VE GOT THE AUTHORITY.
NOW, IF SOME WOULD SAY WE DO NOT, THE CITY ATTORNEY HAD SAID, WE DO NOT.
BUT CERTAINLY I THINK WE OUGHT TO BE REVISIT THAT.
AND THAT'S CERTAINLY WHAT I'M LISTING SOMEONE I RESPECT, SAYING WE'VE GOT THE AUTHORITY.
AND THAT'S WE THE HECK WE'RE HAPPENED TO.
THAT'S WHAT ASKING FOR IS THE INTERPRETATION TO ENFORCE UNDER THE HOTEL ORDINANCE, WHICH PREVIOUSLY WE HAVE NOT NECESSARILY BEEN EMPOWERED TO DO SO.
BUT COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN AND I DEFER MY TIME TO YOU.
UM, WE HAVE DEFINITELY BEEN WORKING ON THIS.
I CHAIRED THE REGULATORY NEIGHBORHOOD AFFAIRS COMMITTEE UNDER WHICH THIS FELL.
SO THIS STARTED COMING TO US, UM, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE YEARS AGO.
AND, AND WE, UH, WE'D PUT TOGETHER A MEMO FOR THE ADMINISTRATION.
WE VISITED THE PROPERTY WITH ARTURO.
MICHELLE, UM, SAT DOWN AT YOUR HOME AND TALKED EXTENSIVELY.
AND I THINK THE NEXT SPEAKER IS GOING TO BE SPEAKING ABOUT.
SO WHAT HAPPENED? NOTHING HAS HAPPENED SINCE THEN BECAUSE THE, AS THE MEMO STATES, UH, LEGAL HAS PUSHED BACK A LOT ON OTHER CITIES IMPLEMENTING REGULATIONS THAT GET CHALLENGED AND OVERTURNED IN THE COURTS.
THAT'S ONE BIG PUSHBACK ON THE HOTEL ISSUE.
THE PUSHBACK HAS BEEN THAT THEY DON'T FEEL LIKE LEGAL, DID NOT FEEL LIKE IT MET THE TRUE DEFINITION OF A HOTEL.
HOWEVER, I'VE HEARD FROM OTHERS, FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY AT THE MEETING THAT HE WAS WILLING TO PURSUE THAT AVENUE.
SO I DO THINK THERE'S MERIT TO THE HOTEL DEAL.
[01:50:01]
A HOTEL, SMELLS LIKE A HOTEL.I MEAN, THESE ARE DEFACTO HOTELS WITH NO MANAGEMENT.
SO WE GOT PUSHBACK, UM, BECAUSE IT WAS, UH, MAINLY, UM, I'D SAY FROM LEGAL AND, UM, A RA WELL, LEGAL WORKS FOR US WORKS CERTAINLY FOR ME.
AND SO IF YOU'LL GET ME THE MEMO, WE'LL HIT TO RESTART.
I'LL GIVE YOU THE MEMO, I'LL GIVE YOU THE, THE, ALL THE BACKUP UP.
AND, AND WE WON'T SIT HERE MUCH LONGER.
SAY WE HAVE THE AUTHORITY, BUT WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING.
SO IF WE HAVE THE AUTHORITY, IN FACT, LET'S DO SOMETHING ALL IN.
THANK COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKING.
UH, SIR, COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER, I, I ASSUME THIS GENTLEMAN'S AVOIDING TAXES BY NOT BEING CLASSIFIED AS A HOTEL AS WELL.
WELL, HE'S PAYING PROPERTY TAXES, OBVIOUSLY, BUT I MEAN, THE HOTEL AND THE INCOME TAX, WHICH WE DON'T RECEIVE.
SO WE'RE GONNA GET TO THE BOTTOM OF IT.
WE'LL EITHER FIND OUT WE'VE GOT THE STROKE OR WE DON'T.
AND I WOULD SUGGEST IF IT'S A GRAY MATTER, WE OUGHT TO TAKE IT TO COURT AND TEST THE, TEST THE STATUTE AND, UH, AND THE DEFINITION OF A, UH, HOTEL.
YOU KNOW, IF IT LOOKS LIKE A DUCK AND WALKS LIKE A DUCK, WE'LL MAKE IT A DUCK AND WE'LL CALL IT A HOTEL.
IF THE GENTLEMAN'S GOT MULTIPLE UNITS AND MULTIPLE FOLKS, AS I THINK CATHERINE MENTIONED, SIX OR EIGHT PEOPLE STANDING IN A ONE BEDROOM HOTEL.
IT'S SOUNDED TO ME LIKE CERTAINLY A SAFETY HEALTH ISSUE AND, UH, OCCUPANCY VIOLATIONS.
WE'LL GET WITH LEGAL, BUT WE CAN'T JUST SIT HERE AND SAY WE'VE GOT THE AUTHORITY, BUT WE'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING.
SO ANYWAY, WE'LL, WE'LL TEST IT.
TRUMAN, ED MINSTER, MY ASTRO FAN,
I'M ONE OF THE OTHER RESIDENTS ADJACENT TO THIS PROBLEM PROPERTY AT 1116 BANKS, 24 MULTIFAMILY TYPE UNITS.
I WANNA OFFER PERHAPS A PATH FORWARD TO MAY RESOLVE THIS.
IF YOU LOOK AT CHAPTER 28, SECTION 2 0 1 AND SECTION 2 0 2.
AND BY THE WAY, I HAVE SOME HANDOUTS.
THIS WILL BE THE STAPLED ONE THAT'S IN A Q AND A TYPE FORMAT.
I DID THIS FOR MY NEIGHBORS, SUCH THAT YOU COULD STEP YOU THROUGH INDIVIDUAL ISSUES WHERE THINGS TEND TO GET, LET'S SAY, SIDEWAYS AS FAR AS BEING A RESOLVE.
THIS HAS TO DO WITH, OKAY, IT WAS AN APARTMENT COMPLEX.
OH, BUT WE CAN'T CALL A HOTEL ANYTHING THAT'S RESIDENTIAL IN NATURE.
WHAT DOES RESIDENTIAL IN NATURE MEAN? WELL, IF YOU LOOK AT THE ENTIRE ORDINANCE AND THE ENTIRE SECTION 2 0 1 RESIDENTIAL IN CHARACTER MEANS SOMETHING THAT IS A, GO AHEAD.
SOMETHING THAT IS FOR A RESIDENT, A TYPE LAND USE FOR A RESIDENCE FOR NON-TRANSIENT INDIVIDUALS.
THIS IS THE KEY NON-TRANSIENT.
HOWEVER, A HOTEL IS FOR TRANSIENT INDIVIDUALS.
NOW, PERHAPS THEY COULD GO DOWN THE PATH OF A BED AND BREAKFAST, BUT YOU REALLY NEED TO BE UNDER 10 UNITS.
AND I DON'T THINK YOU CAN PARCEL THINGS OUT THAT WELL, THIS ONE'S MULTIFAMILY, BUT THAT ONE'S A SHORT TERM RENTAL.
I DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S GONNA WORK HERE IN THIS SITUATION.
I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO OFFER A PATH FORWARD THAT IN THE EVENT THAT MAYOR, IF YOU AND THE COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO SET UP A CITIZENS TASK FOR, I KNOW THAT MY NEIGHBORS AND I WOULD BE HAPPY TO SERVE AS VOLUNTEERS ON THAT TO GET TO THE END OF THIS ISSUE.
SO WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE A PATH FORWARD IN OUR CITY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME, VERY MUCH.
AND TRUMAN, THANK YOU FOR THIS BREAKDOWN.
I THINK IT HELPS PUT IN LAYMAN'S TERMS FOR A LOT OF FOLKS, KIND OF WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH, WITH THE ORDINANCE AND THE INTERPRETATION.
UM, MY HOPE IS THAT WE DON'T NEED A RESIDENTS TASK FORCE, THAT WE CAN JUST GET THIS DONE SO THAT RESIDENTS ARE NO LONGER PLAGUED WITH THIS ISSUE.
AND WE HAVE MAYOR, AS YOU SAID, AND TRUMAN, YOU SAID A PATH FORWARD.
UM, IN MY OPINION, RESIDENTS HAVE SPENT FAR TOO LONG ALREADY HAVING TO ENGAGE ON THIS.
SO, UH, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU AND THANK YOU TO OUR RESIDENTS FOR CONTINUING TO WORK WITH OUR OFFICE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN.
[01:55:01]
IN THE MEMO THAT WE DID SEND TO MAYOR WHITMEYER SEVERAL WEEKS AGO ON THIS.SO THANK YOU ALL FOR THE PARTNERSHIP.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, I READ THIS NOT TOO LONG AGO AND I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND YOUR, YOUR TAKE ON THIS, UH, RESIDENCE, MEANING, UM, NON-TRANSIENT OCCUPANCY.
AND SO I, I'VE WONDERED WHY THE, THE, THE, UH, ORDINANCES CURRENTLY WRITTEN HAS NOT BEEN USED TO ENFORCE.
COUNCIL MEMBER, MAYOR, COULD WE ASK THE CITY ATTORNEY'S REPRESENTATIVE? NO, WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA GET A BRIEFING.
I THINK A TRUE OUGHT TO COME BEFORE US IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE NEXT WEEK AND EXPLAIN.
I'M LED TO BELIEVE THAT THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION WAS INVOLVED IN HIS INTERPRETATION.
SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT LOGIC.
BUT WE WILL FIND OUT THE TRUE LEGAL OPINION OF THE CITY ATTORNEY AND ENCOURAGE HIM TO AT LEAST TEST THE, UM, STATE LAW AND OR THE, UM, THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE ORDINANCE.
WE OWE THAT TO THE RESIDENTS AT A MINIMUM.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR WHITMEYER AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS, WE, MORE THAN TWO YEARS, NEARLY THREE YEARS, WE SUFFER FROM SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
AND I'M HERE TODAY, ASK YOU ALL, IS THERE A PLAN TO BAN AND REGULATE THOSE SHORT-TERM RENTALS? THESE OWNERS AROUND THIS BUSINESS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, AS AN UNLICENSED HOTEL MOTELS, AFTER OUR BARS, NIGHTCLUBS, EVEN BROTHELS, WE SET, WE SEE THE LIFE SEXT ON THEIR BALCONY MONDAY MORNING WHEN PARENTS DROP THEIR KIDS TO BRYAN GROVE SCHOOL, ONLY 150 FEET AWAY.
THE NEWS WENT VIRAL ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
AND THE PARTY ON THE STREET THIS PAST SUNDAY AND LAST WEEKEND.
CAN I CONTINUE? YOU CAN FINISH.
IT LASTS FROM 7:00 PM TO 7:00 AM MONDAY MORNING.
WHILE WE NEED TO GET UP, GO TO WORK, KIDS GO TO SCHOOL, WE NEED TO DO A AND, AND TAKE CARE OF THE ELDERLYS.
THE MAJORITY NEIGHBORS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD ARE RETIREES, SEMI RETIREES AND COUPLES WITH YOUNG KIDS.
NO, THIS IS NOT TO THE SPEAKER.
I, I NEED A MOTION TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO ADD NANCY RUTHERFORD.
UH, SHE'S AN ADDED SPEAKER TO THE LIST AFTER SAMANTHA EVANS AND THEN HUFFMAN, I DUNNO.
AND, UM, I KNOW THIS HAS BEEN A, A REALLY BIG PROBLEM FOR YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND ESPECIALLY IN NEIGHBORHOODS THAT DON'T HAVE HOAS.
AND, AND I KNOW THAT Y'ALL ARE IN A TOTALLY DIFFERENT SITUATION, BUT I THINK IN GENERAL, WHEN WE GO TO THESE HOA MEETINGS, UM, I WAS AT A MEETING LAST WEEK WHERE THEY ARE LOOKING AT THEIR DEED RESTRICTIONS, UPDATING THEIR DEED RESTRICTIONS.
'CAUSE RIGHT NOW, EVERYBODY, YOU KNOW, OWNS A HOUSE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT SOMEBODY COULD MOVE OUT AND A NEW OWNER COULD MOVE IN AND BE ONE OF THESE BAD ACTORS.
SO UNFORTUNATELY THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY APPLY TO YOU.
YES, WE ARE GONNA WORK ON THIS, ABSOLUTELY.
BUT WE DO NEED TO ENCOURAGE OUR HOAS TO UPDATE THEIR DEED RESTRICTIONS.
WELL, I'M JUST GONNA POINT OUT THE OBVIOUS.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE PICTURES, CATHERINE, THAT YOU SUPPLIED US, THERE ARE FIVE LAW ENFORCEMENT VEHICLES AND ONE LADDER TRUCK.
WHERE ARE RESOURCES FOR OUR FIRST RESPONDERS AND, AND OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT.
THEY'RE DEALING WITH THIS KIND OF GARBAGE.
WELL, LET ME JUST EMPHATICALLY SAY Y'ALL, THE WITNESSES ARE
[02:00:01]
EXPOSING A SERIOUS PROBLEM.I THINK IT'S THE LACK OF, UH, ENFORCEMENT.
IT'S OBVIOUSLY, AS THE STATUTE SAYS, HAS TO HAVE ACCESS TO A THOROUGHFARE.
YOU GET BEFORE THE RIGHT JUDGE AND JURY, THEY WOULD INTERPRET THOSE ROADS AS THOROUGHFARES.
THERE'S JUST BEEN A LACK OF DESIRE FROM THE LEADERSHIP TO PURSUE THIS.
ONLY THAT LEADERSHIP WHO'S NOT HERE KNOWS WHY I DON'T HAVE THOSE PROBLEMS. AND I KNOW I'M LISTENING TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT WANT BETTER ENFORCEMENT, A LEGAL CHALLENGE OR WHATEVER IT TAKES.
NO ONE SHOULD BE EXPOSED TO THE CONDITIONS THAT WE'RE HEARING ABOUT TODAY.
THAT GETS DIRECTLY TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES THAT WE ALL CAMPAIGN ON.
WE WANT TO ENJOY OURSELVES AND CERTAINLY THE PEOPLE WE REPRESENTED.
SO IT JUST GOT MOVED UP THE PRIORITY LIST A LONG WAYS.
AND, UM, THANK YOU TO THE WITNESSES.
I'LL WORK WITH THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVE RESEARCHED THIS AND SPOKEN OUT, AND CERTAINLY THE CITY ATTORNEY AND I WILL HAVE A SERIOUS CONVERSATION.
WE HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD AND CHALLENGE THIS OWNER IN COURT AND LET A JUDGE AND OTHERS HEAR THE, UH, CONDITIONS THAT I'VE SEEN PICTURES OF.
IT LOOKS LIKE ACTIVE PROSTITUTION, UM, ALCOHOL, PROBABLY MINORS INVOLVED.
AND WE CAN GO ON AND ON WITH SERIOUS HEALTH AND WELFARE ISSUES AND CERTAINLY PUBLIC SAFETY.
SO TODAY'S BEEN A GOOD MEETING BECAUSE WE HAVE A SERIOUS PROJECT THAT WE'RE GONNA PURSUE.
ANYONE ELSE? NEXT? HI, COUNCIL AND THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR.
I WANNA SAY FIRST THAT I HAVE A STALKER.
AND SO I HAVE LAID LOW AND DON'T GIVE MY NAME OR ADDRESS EVER.
AND THIS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT ISSUE THAT I'M HERE TODAY AND I'M ON PAPER AND IT SCARES ME TO DEATH.
BUT I AM A 40 YEAR RESIDENT OF TEXAS, A 30 YEAR RESIDENT OF, OF HOUSTON, AND A 20 YEAR RESIDENT OF WEST HAVEN ESTATE, WHICH IS IN DISTRICT G.
AND AS YOU'VE HEARD FROM MULTIPLE PEOPLE, WE HAVE SERIOUS PROBLEMS WITH THE SHORT TERM RENTALS.
WE DON'T HAVE TO DEAL JUST WITH THE MULTI-GROUP, THE THE ONES THAT ARE RUNNING LIKE A HOTEL, SINGLE FAMILY HOUSES IN BRIAR GROVE DISTRICT, AND, AND RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO US THAT ARE A SINGLE FAMILY HOME OR BEING RUN LIKE A BROTHEL.
AIRBNB LISTS ON ITS QUESTIONNAIRE FOR HOSTS.
WILL YOU ALLOW PARTIES, WILL YOU ALLOW FILMING? THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
IF PEOPLE WANNA HAVE PARTIES, THEY SHOULD RENT OUR PARTY VENUES.
IF THEY WANNA HAVE A FILM MADE, THEY SHOULD RENT OUR FILM STUDIOS NOT SINGLE FAMILY HOUSES WHERE PROSTITUTION DRUGS AND ILLICIT ACTIVITIES ARE HAPPENING CONSTANTLY.
I'M SITTING HERE THINKING I DON'T KNOW WHY IT COULDN'T BE DECLARED.
AND CERTAINLY WE'LL TALK TO NOT ONLY THE CITY ATTORNEY, BUT THE COUNTY ATTORNEY AND DECLARED A NUISANCE.
WE HAVE ENTIRE APARTMENT PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN DECLARED A NUISANCE AND GANG ACTIVITY HAS BEEN PROHIBITED.
SO WE JUST NEED SOME SMART LAWYERING.
IF THE DESIRE IS AT THIS TABLE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, IT IS WITH ME.
AND I'M CERTAINLY HEARING AND FEELING IT FROM OUR COUNSEL COLLEAGUES.
SO I, I FEEL LIKE THE, THE MOTTO THAT REALLY MANY OF US, LET'S, LET'S GO TO WORK FOR WHATEVER REASON THAT WE DON'T MESS WITH, WITH TEXAS, IT HAS BEEN SUED BY THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION.
THERE'S A NEW DAY, ELECTIONS MATTER AND WE'RE FIRED UP.
I HOPE, I HOPE, I HOPE WE'LL TELL THE SHORT TERM RENTALS IF THEY CAN'T MESS WITH TEXAS.
I'M SAMANTHA EVANS AND I'M ASKING FOR THE REGULATION OF SHORT TERM RENTALS IN HOUSTON.
MY HUSBAND AND I ARE YOUNG PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS WHO HAVE RECENTLY BECOME FIRST TIME HOMEOWNERS IN OUR BELOVED NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE EAST END DISTRICT.
WE INVESTED OUR HARDER EARNED SAVINGS TO PURCHASE OUR HOME, A TESTAMENT TO OUR DEDICATION.
HOWEVER, BEFORE WE COULD EVEN MAKE OUR FIRST MORTGAGE PAYMENT, OUR EXCITEMENT QUICKLY TURNED TO TERROR DUE TO THE ADVERSE EFFECTS OF SHORT TERM RENTAL PROPERTY ON OUR BLOCK.
AT 1:20 AM WE ARE AWAKENED TO THE SOUND OF SEMI-AUTOMATIC GUNFIRE.
[02:05:01]
THE AFTERMATH WAS CHILLING.THERE WERE 20 BULLET HOLES IN OUR HOME, SIX PENETRATED OUR WALLS CAUSING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE.
QUITE FRANKLY, WE ARE LUCKY TO BE ALIVE.
PLEASE SEE PAGES NINE THROUGH 14 FOR PHOTOS OF THIS DAMAGE.
UM, A MASSIVE PARTY AT A SHORT TERM RENTAL LOCATED AT 4 0 6 IN STREET INVOLVING UPWARDS OF 60 INDIVIDUALS.
THEY KICKED IN THE GATE OF A PRIVATE LOT AND THEY USED IT AS A PARKING LOT TO PARK THE CARS THERE FOR THEIR PARTY.
IT ESCALATED INTO A TRAUMATIC EVENT WHEN TWO ATTENDEES OF THE PARTY GOT IN A FIGHT, TOOK IT TO THE STREET, AND THEY HAD AUTOMATIC, LIKE SEMI-AUTOMATIC WEAPONS.
I HAVE SURVEILLANCE FOOTAGE TOO OF THIS CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR NEIGHBORS THE NEXT MORNING.
REVEALED NO, WELL, AGAIN, UM, CONVERSATIONS WITH NEIGHBORS THE NEXT MORNING REVEALED THAT THIS AIRBNB SHORT-TERM RENTAL, IT'S ON VRBO AND BOOKING TWO IS NOTORIOUS FOR HOSTING DISRUPTIVE PARTIES.
MY NEIGHBORHOOD WREAKS OF WEED EVERY WEEKEND.
YET EFFORTS TO ADDRESS THIS THROUGH VRBO AIRBNB AND BOOKING.COM HAVE BEEN MET WITH SILENCE.
UM, THEY HAVE EVEN ADVERTISED THIS PROPERTY AS BEING AVAILABLE FOR LARGE PARTIES AND VIDEO SHOOTS.
IT APPEARS THAT OUR CONCERNS IN THE SAFETY OF OUR TIGHT KNIT COMMUNITY ARE BEING OVERLOOKED.
WHILE 4 0 6 ENNIS MADE A PROFIT OF A MINIMUM OF A THOUSAND DOLLARS, MY HUSBAND AND I ARE LOOKING AT $5,000 WORTH OF DAMAGES TO MY HOME THAT INSURANCE IS NOT COVERING.
UM, HOUSTON IS THE ONLY MAJOR CITY IN TEXAS WITHOUT SHORT-TERM RENTAL REGULATION.
AND THIS INCIDENT UNDERSCORES THE URGENT NEED FOR THE CITY'S LEADERSHIP TO TAKE ACTION, WHICH IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'VE COMMITTED TO.
UM, NOT JUST MY HUSBAND AND I, BUT MY NEIGHBORS.
KIMMY AND THOMAS, WHOSE CHILDREN'S BEDROOMS WERE 20 FEET AWAY FROM THE SHOOTERS.
ERIC AND KAREN, WHO HAVE LOVED THIS COMMUNITY FOR OVER NINE YEARS.
JOHNNY, WHO'S AN ACCOMPLISHED ENGINEER AT NASA AND A NAY WHO JUST MOVED TO TEXAS FROM LOUISIANA.
THIS SHOWS JUST, UM, AND ON PAGE EIGHT YOU'LL SEE A SATELLITE PHOTO OF MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, AND IT SHOWS JUST HOW SATURATED MY COMMUNITY IS WITH SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
ALL THE NEIGHBORS I STATED ABOVE, UM, ARE IN THAT PHOTO.
THEIR HOMES ARE, AND WE'RE SURROUNDED BY A REVOLVING DOOR OF STRANGERS WHO HAVE NO VESTED INTEREST IN OUR COMMUNITY OR SAFETY.
UM, I'M HERE NOT JUST TO COMPLAIN, BUT TO BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION.
I'VE LISTED, UM, SHORT-TERM RENTAL REGULATION THAT HAS BEEN PASSED IN OTHER CITIES IN TEXAS AND AROUND THE UNITED STATES ON PAGES THREE THROUGH SEVEN.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS CRITICAL ISSUE TO, UH, COUNCILMAN ALCORN.
AND THANK YOU SAMANTHA, FOR THIS GREAT PRESENTATION.
I'VE BEEN, I'VE BEEN READING THROUGH IT AND, AND I'M SORRY.
UM, YOU AND YOUR HUSBAND BUY YOUR FIRST HOME AND THIS IS WHAT YOU GET.
THERE'S SEVERAL SHORT TERM RENTALS LISTED.
THESE ARE, THESE ARE THESE INDIVIDUAL HOMES OR TOWN HOMES THAT ARE THE SHORT TERM RENTALS? YES.
AND NORMALLY THEY HAVE AT LEAST 12 PEOPLE IN THEM.
AND, AND IS ONE WORSE THAN THE OTHER? OR FOUR? OH SIX ENNI IS THE WORST.
IT IS BEING USED WHEN YOU GET THOSE ADVERTISEMENTS.
UM, SEND, SEND THEM BECAUSE THAT HAS BEEN ABLE, THAT'S ONE WAY WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO STOP SOME OF THIS.
MAYOR, WHEN WE GET THE, THE FACEBOOK ADVERTISEMENTS OR WHATEVER WHEN THERE'S LIKE BIG PARTY COME OR MAKING A FILM OR WHATEVER THEY'RE DOING.
WE CAN SOMETIMES, UM, WARD 'EM OFF THAT WAY.
UM, BUT, BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING.
I KNOW YOU'VE TALKED TO JORDAN ON MY STEP AND, AND, UM, WE'RE OBVIOUSLY ON THAT.
NOBODY SHOULD HAVE TO LIVE LIKE THIS.
AND, AND THE MAYOR'S SAYING WE'RE GONNA GET ON IT.
I'M SCARED TO BE IN MY OWN HOME RIGHT NOW.
THANK Y'ALL ALL FOR, UH, HAVING ME HERE TODAY.
MAYOR WHITMAR, HAPPY TO SEE YOU HERE.
UH, COUNCILMAN POLLARD, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON CRIME.
I TOO LIVE IN DISTRICT G AND, UM, WHAT WE'VE BEEN LIVING WITH, AS YOU'VE HEARD ALREADY, IS A NIGHTMARE.
UH, THIS IS ON ME, MY APOLOGIES.
I WASN'T AWARE THAT WE COULD BRING ANY KIND OF, UM, HARD COPIES, BUT THIS WILL SHOW YOU A NAKED WOMAN AND THEN PEOPLE HAVING SEX ON THE BALCONY AT NINE 30 IN THE MORNING, UM, IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU KNOW, 200 FEET FROM, FROM A LOWER SCHOOL.
HOPEFULLY NOW, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
I ALSO WANTED TO ADD, UM, YOU KNOW, IN OUR DISTRICT, IN DISTRICT G IN WEST HAVEN ESTATES WHERE WE LIVE, UM, WE'VE BEEN PLEADING FOR HELP AND, UM, ABOUT THESE AFTER HOURS CLUBS, WHICH I BELIEVE IS A DIRECT CORRELATION TO ALL THE, THE MESS OF THE S STR BECAUSE AFTER THE PARTY, THEY'RE LIKE, NO, WE HAVE ANOTHER PARTY.
UM, THERE HAVE BEEN A SOURCE OF HOMICIDES AND HAVENS FOR DRUG DEALING PROSTITUTION.
UH, IN 2023, THE FORMER MAYOR, UM, AND CHIEF ANNOUNCED A NEW BYOB ORDINANCE,
[02:10:02]
UH, TO COMBAT THE VIOLENCE.AND THE ORDINANCE WAS SO POORLY WRITTEN THAT AS OF JANUARY OF THIS YEAR, THERE'S ONLY BEEN ONE PERMIT APPLIED.
ONE, SIX MONTHS AGO THERE WERE ZERO APPLIED.
SO WHY HAVE IT IF IT'S NOT EVEN GONNA BE ENFORCED? AND THAT CONTRIBUTES, UM, SO MUCH SO TO THE CRIME AND THE VIOLENCE AND THE SDRS AND JUST THE VULGAR NASTINESS THAT'S WE'RE HAVING TO LIVE WITH AND THE CHILDREN HAVE TO LIVE WITH.
SO IT'S A SCARY PLACE TO BE RIGHT NOW, BUT THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR ABOUT THREE YEARS.
AND IT, IT WAS NEVER LIKE THIS BEFORE.
AND I KNOW YOU ALL ARE FRUSTRATED, UH, ON MY SIDE OF THE LINE IN DISTRICT J.
WE FORWARD, WE EXPERIENCED IT, SOME OF IT AS WELL.
UH, MAYOR, WHAT I CAN SAY IS THAT THESE AFTER HOURS CLUBS ARE OUTTA CONTROL.
I THINK THE LAST ADMINISTRATION TRIED TO PUT TOGETHER A-B-Y-O-B ORDINANCE THAT, UM, I THINK IS ONLY STRONG IF IT HAS REAL ENFORCEMENT AND ACROSS THE BOARD WITH A LOT OF THE INFRACTIONS AND THE BAD ACTORS THAT ARE OUT THERE.
YOU KNOW, UNLESS THERE'S TRUE ENFORCEMENT THAT MAKES THEM CHANGE THEIR BEHAVIORS OR CRACK DOWN ON THE ISSUES THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THEY FEEL EMBOLDENED BECAUSE THEY FEEL LIKE NOTHING'S GONNA HAPPEN TO THEM.
AND SO WE HAVE TO COME WITH A COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGY AND TAKE IT SERIOUSLY BECAUSE THE AFTER HOURS CLUBS ARE RUINING THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND IT'S GOING ON ALL OVER THE CITY.
AND SO I'VE TALKED TO HPD AND THEIR, AND THEIR LEADERSHIP ABOUT AFTER HOURS CLUBS, UM, AND THE NIGHTLIFE.
THAT SEEMS TO BE A, UM, TRUE NUISANCE TO MANY OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND HAVE NOT YET BEEN ABLE TO GET, UH, A TRUE HANDLE ON IT.
UM, BUT I THINK IT COLLECTIVELY WE ALL NEED TO WORK ON WHAT CAN WE DO, UH, TO CRACK DOWN, AT LEAST SEND A MESSAGE.
MY IDEA WAS WE, IF WE IDENTIFY FIVE OR SIX OF THE WORST ACTORS AND WE HAMMER THEM FIRST, IT STARTS TO SEND A MESSAGE TO EVERYONE ELSE.
BUT RIGHT NOW, UH, PEOPLE FEEL AS IF NOTHING WILL HAPPEN TO THEM IN THE AFTER HOURS.
CLUBS IS ONE OF MY TOP PRIORITIES.
SO WHOEVER WANTS TO WORK WITH ME ON THAT, UH, PLEASE COME FORWARD BECAUSE SHE AND MANY OTHERS ARE EXPERIENCING, UM, A VERY DECREASED QUALITY OF LIFE, UH, BASED ON THEIR ACTIONS.
WELL, OBVIOUSLY I'M INTERESTED IN GOING FORWARD, IT'D BE GOOD FOR YOU TO SHARE WITH WHAT YOU'VE DONE IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS ON THIS AND, AND SHARE WITH US THE, UH, YEAH.
SO THE COMPLICATION, I MEAN, YOU'RE VERY, EVERYTHING COMES DOWN TO YOU'RE VERY CAPABLE COUNCIL MEMBER AND ATTORNEY AND SEEM VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE.
SO WHAT'S HAPPENING? WELL, IT COMES DOWN TO ENFORCEMENT.
AND SO, UH, THE HPD OFFICERS THAT ARE OUT THERE, THE VICE TEAMS THAT ARE OUT THERE HAVE TO CRACK DOWN.
WHEN WE TALK TO ABOUT THE CHAPTER 1 25 THAT THE CITY ATTORNEY OR THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE CAN PUT FORWARD, WE NEED TO GO AHEAD AND, UH, PUSH THOSE CASES, EVEN IF WE DON'T THINK THEY'RE THE STRONGEST CASES, BECAUSE WELL AT LEAST WE'RE SENDING A SIGNAL THAT WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE NOT GONNA TOLERATE IT ANYMORE.
AND AT LEAST THE RESIDENTS CAN SEE THAT WE'RE DOING SOMETHING.
SO, AND OF THAT'S WHAT I WOULD DO.
AND OF COURSE WE KNOW WE'RE SHORT OF POLICE OFFICERS.
I'M NOT MAKING EXCUSES, BUT THAT WOULD CERTAINLY ASSIST IN THIS EFFORT IF WE HAVE ADDITIONAL, I DON TAKE ADDITIONAL, ADDITIONAL RESOURCES.
AND CERTAINLY YOU COULD SPEAK TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AS WELL, BUT ANYWAY.
WE, WE NEED TO HIT THE RESTART BUTTON AND NO EXCUSES, BUT SOMETHING HADN'T BEEN RIGHT.
LET'S, AND THAT'S ELECTIONS MATTER AND WE'RE, WE'RE FIRED UP.
SO WE'RE GOING TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF IT.
WE'LL GET A CITY ATTORNEY FIRED UP AND, UM, CERTAINLY HPD, BUT I'VE SEEN SOME PICTURES THAT, THAT ARE OBVIOUSLY VIOLATING THE LAW AND UH, WE CAN MAKE EXAMPLE OUT OF ONE OR TWO, BUT IT'S PROBABLY SO DARN PROFITABLE, UH MM-HMM
THAT THEY WOULD JUST GO TO ANOTHER LOCATION AND BE REPEAT OFFENDERS.
SO LET US SEE WHAT WE CAN DO WITH THE ENERGY THAT WE'RE, UH, WE'RE UH, EXPERIENCING TODAY.
IF I MAY, MAYOR, OUR DISTRICT IS THE ONLY DISTRICT WITHOUT A SUBSTATION, THE ONLY ONE.
AND OUR DISTRICT GENERATES ALMOST 40% OF THE REVENUE FOR THE COUNTY.
WE, WE UNDERSTAND SENATOR, I MEAN, COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN DOES A GREAT JOB OF POINTING THAT OUT.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO INCREASE THE RESOURCES AND I HOPE WE'LL REMEMBER THIS CONVERSATION, THAT WE'VE GOT TO HAVE ADDITIONAL HPD RESOURCES.
WE'VE GOT ANOTHER MESS THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH THERE THAT DIRECTLY RELATES YES TO RESOURCES.
SO I HOPE WE'LL ALL GET IN THE BOAT AND WORK TOGETHER AND UNITE BEHIND THE BEST POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT WE CAN HAVE, WHICH IS GONNA START WITH ADDITIONAL RESOURCES, EFFICIENCIES, FORENSICS,
[02:15:01]
COLLABORATION WITH THE OTHER AGENCIES, AND, UH, GET BACK TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES THAT WE ALL SUPPORT.YOUR BEING HERE IS MAKING A DIFFERENCE.
BUT I, BUT I DO GET FRUSTRATED WHEN I HEAR AN ISSUE IN THE FIRST TWO MONTHS THAT'S BEEN AROUND FOR YEARS.
YEARS AND SOME VERY CAPABLE PEOPLE HAVE JUST NOT ADDRESSED IT TO ITS COMPLETION.
SO THANK Y'ALL FOR BRINGING IT UP.
WELL, Y YOU KNOW, IT'S HARD TO COME WHEN YOU WORK ALL DAY.
THAT'S WHY I'VE BEEN HERE IN THE PAST.
NO, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT YOU.
I'M TALKING ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT AH, GOT YOU.
AND IN FACT, IN FACT, YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU JUST MADE A GOOD ARGUMENT FOR THE POINT THAT WE NEED TO MAKE COUNCIL MEETINGS MORE ACCESSIBLE TO PEOPLE THAT WORK ALL DAY.
AND WE WILL TACKLE THAT IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE.
I MEAN, IT'S STILL, LET ME REPEAT THIS.
WHY WILL YOU HAVE A RULE THAT YOU GOTTA VOTE TO WORK PAST NOON ON WEDNESDAY? THAT THAT IS JUST, YEAH.
AND I ALSO THINK WE NEED EVENING MEETINGS.
WE NEED TO BE AT THE MULTI-SERVICE CENTERS TO GO WHERE THE PROBLEMS ARE.
THANK, AND UH, THAT MEANS WE THANK YOU TWICE FOR BEING HERE.
AND MA'AM, ONE OTHER LAST THING, YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE HAD TO SIGN UP YESTERDAY TO BE HERE TODAY.
IF YOU WANT TO GET UP THIS MORNING, OR ONE OF YOUR COLLEAGUES, ONE OF YOUR COLLEAGUES OR YOUR NEIGHBORS SAID, LET'S GO DOWN THERE.
YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE TO SAY, BUT I DIDN'T SIGN UP YESTERDAY.
YOU SHOULD GET UP THIS MORNING AND HAVE ACCESS TO YOUR CITY COUNCIL AND MAYOR.
YEAH, COUNCIL MEMBER, FEW PEOPLE THAT COULDN'T SPEAK.
SOMEBODY MENTIONED THE WORST ACTORS.
I WOULD THINK SOME DWI CHECKPOINTS AT THESE PLACES FOR FOUR OR FIVE IN A ROW.
HOW, HOW ABOUT, PRETTY MUCH RUN THEIR CUSTOMERS OFF SEX WORKERS.
HOW ABOUT DRUGS? HOW ABOUT JUST BEING DECLARED A NUISANCE? AND I AGREE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD, YOU OUGHT TO MAKE AN EXAMPLE OUTTA ONE OR TWO OF 'EM, BUT IT'S SO PROFITABLE.
IF MAKE AN EXAMPLE OUT OF PEOPLE, WE WOULDN'T HAVE ALL THE RANGES.
AND THE LADY SPOKE EARLIER ABOUT THE JAIL BEING OVERCROWDED.
THIS IS PART OF THE ELEMENT THAT NEEDS TO BE PICKED UP BY HPD, BUT WE'RE SHORT THERE TOO, SO LET'S JUST AGREE TO NOT POLITICIZE IT, BUT COME TOGETHER AND FIX IT.
Y'ALL GOT ME WORKED UP THIS AFTERNOON.
MAYOR PROTEST COUNCIL MEMBER CADEX TATUM.
UH, MAYOR, I, I THINK THAT, UM, WE'VE GOT A GREAT EXAMPLE OF HOW WE HAVE, UM, TACKLED ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT HAVE GONE ON FOR YEARS AND YEARS.
I MEAN, THERE'S EVEN BEEN A MOVIE MADE ABOUT WHAT WAS HAPPENING ON BINET.
AND IT WASN'T UNTIL COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD, HIS TEAM JOINED WITH THE COUNTY AND SOME OF THE BUSINESS OWNERS, AND THEY WERE VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT WEEK AFTER WEEK, UM, PROVIDING THE ENFORCEMENT THAT WAS NEEDED IN THE BINET TRACK THAT WE ACTUALLY GOT THE TYPE OF ATTENTION AND, UM, THE TYPE OF RESOURCES.
BUT IT, IT WASN'T JUST THE CITY, IT WAS THE CITY, IT WAS THE COUNTY.
IT WAS ALL ASPECTS OF, UM, GOVERNMENT AND LAW ENFORCEMENT COMING TOGETHER AND PROVIDING, UM, OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM.
I, I THINK THAT'S THE PERFECT MODEL FOR SOMETHING LIKE THE, THE SHORT TERM, UH, RENTAL ISSUE AS WELL.
I MEAN, WE, WE'VE SEEN THE SUCCESS OF IT.
UM, SO IT'S JUST A MATTER OF THE, THE SAME PEOPLE WHO ARE IN CHARGE TO GET TOGETHER AGAIN AND PROVIDE THAT TYPE OF ENFORCEMENT AND COLLABORATION AND SYNERGY TO TACKLE THESE NUISANCES IN OUR COMMUNITY TO MAKE THEM BETTER.
I AGREED, AND I APPLAUD THE WORK ON BINET, BUT IF YOU TALK TO, UM, HPD AND THE ACTIVISTS THAT HELP GET THE SEX WORKERS OFF STREET, YOU'LL LEARN THEY'VE MOVED FROM THIS NET TO I 45 AND AIRLINE.
SO WHAT WE NEED ARE THE RESOURCES THAT WILL FOLLOW THE PROBLEM.
AND WE CAN ENFORCE IN THESE, IN THESE INCIDENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MENTIONED TODAY.
BUT THIS IS A CITY THAT I WOULD SUGGEST THE PROBLEM EXISTS IN EVERY, EVERY DISTRICT IN EVERY CORNER OF THE COMMUNITY.
SO THAT'S REASON WE NEED TO GET TO COURT, ENFORCE THE ORDINANCE, GET HPD, THE RESOURCES, DO THE UNDERCOVER, AND, UH, BE VERY AGGRESSIVE ABOUT THAT.
I WOULD ALSO SUGGEST THE BINET WORK YOU HEAR FROM SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS, IT'S DRIVEN SOME OF THE WORKERS AND SOME OF THE VICE INTO THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS.
[02:20:01]
UH, BINE NET'S GOTTEN THE PROPER ATTENTION.UH, BUT WE GOTTA FOLLOW THE PROBLEM.
AND, AND, AND I WOULD SUGGEST ALSO ASSIST THE SEX WORKERS FROM THE HUMAN TRAFFICK, UH, PIMPS AND THE FOLKS THAT ARE ABUSING THESE WOMEN, THEY SHOULD BE NOT CRIMINALIZED.
AND, UH, GIVE THEM SOME LIFE SKILLS COURSES AND GET THEM OFF DRUGS.
GET 'EM A GED AND GO TO THE CORE PROBLEM INSTEAD OF, UH, AND, AND YOU'LL SEE WHAT I THINK WE SHOULD INSIST ON ARRESTING THE USERS OF THE SEX WORKERS AND PUT 'EM ON THE FIVE O'CLOCK NEWS.
THAT WOULD PROBABLY, THAT WOULD PROBABLY DO MORE TO DISCOURAGE THE REPEAT OFFENDERS.
I DON'T KNOW WHY THE PRESS QUIT PUBLICIZING THE FOLKS THAT WERE ARRESTED FOR USING SEX WORKERS, BUT THAT NEEDS TO COME BACK.
IT'S, UM, BUT ANYWAY, YOU'RE RIGHT.
A GOOD EXAMPLE OF WHERE LAW ENFORCEMENT IS SOLVING AN ISSUE, BUT IT WILL REPEAT ITSELF.
AND I, UH, THANK YOU MAYOR PROTO FOR THOSE COMMENTS.
I THINK YOU CAN LOOK AT THIS THAT AS A PERFECTLY EXAMPLE OF WHEN YOU ARE RELENTLESS IN YOUR APPROACH TO ADDRESSING A PROBLEM.
AND I'M NOT SURE WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OTHER AREAS OF THE CITY, BUT IF IT IS HAPPENING, USE BISSONNET AS A MODEL.
BECAUSE BISSONNET HAS PROVEN THAT WE'VE TAKEN ONE OF THE WORST STREETS IN THE ENTIRE CITY THAT HAS HAD AN INTERNATIONAL REPUTATION FOR DECADES AND TRANSFORMED IT.
AND WE'VE ONLY DID THAT BECAUSE OF A COLLABORATION, AS SHE MENTIONED, BETWEEN THE CITY, THE COUNTY, MULTIPLE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, THE RESIDENTS, AND THE BUSINESS OWNERS.
THE SAME THING CAN BE DONE WITH, UH, SHORT-TERM RENTAL.
THE SAME THING CAN BE DONE WITH AFTER HOURS CLUBS.
YOU JUST HAVE TO BE RELENTLESS IN YOUR APPROACH, AND YOU CANNOT TAKE THINGS, UH, AND GIVE EXCUSES TO THEM OR TOLERATE THEM.
THAT'S WHAT WE DID NOT TOLERATE THAT ON BINET.
AND PEOPLE SAID FOR DECADES, NOTHING WOULD EVER HAPPEN ON BINET.
AND NOW WE HAVE PEOPLE WANTING TO DEVELOP ON BINET.
AND SO I ENCOURAGE WHOEVER, UH, IS EXPERIENCING ISSUES IN THEIR AREA OF TOWN THAT WERE SIMILAR TO BISSONNET, TO USE OUR OUR STREET AS A MODEL.
CLOSE IT OFF AFTER HOURS, BRING THEIR NECESSARY, UH, BRING THEM.
YOU'RE SHAKING YOUR HEAD, BUT IT WORKS.
IT IT SENDS THEM TO OTHER COMMUNITIES.
NO, AND WE NEED TO GET IT TO ROOT CAUSE OF WHY THESE LADIES ARE ON THE STREET.
BUT YOU ALSO HAVE TO LOOK AT HOW IT HAS WORKED.
AND IF YOU GOOGLE SEX WORKERS IN HOUSTON, I DARE YOU.
SO I APPRECIATE THE IMPROVEMENTS, BUT WE'VE GOT A ROOT PROBLEM.
INDIVIDUALS, LAW ENFORCEMENT WILL SHOW YOU WHEN PEOPLE LAND AT BUSH AIRPORT, GOOGLE SEX WORKERS, IT'LL SEND YOU TO BINET.
WE'VE GOT TO HELP THE SEX WORKERS AND THE, AND PROSECUTE THE TRAFFICKERS OF THESE WOMEN WHILE WE'RE CLEANING UP THESE NEIGHBORHOODS.
WELL, YOUR, YOUR HPD OFFICERS HAVE SAID THAT, UH, CRIME IS DOWN 30% THERE.
SO MAYBE THAT'S ON GOOGLE AS WELL.
IF NOT, WE NEED, I THINK WE NEED TO DO IT CITYWIDE.
AND WE'VE, WE'VE, WE'VE IDENTIFIED A PROBLEM TODAY THAT'S GONNA GET OUR HIGHEST PRIORITY.
MY NAME IS WILL HARRIS AND I AM THE YOUTH JUSTICE DIRECTOR FOR COLLECTIVE ACTION FOR YOUTH.
UM, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR INVESTING IN THE FUTURE WHERE ALL YOUNG PEOPLE ARE INCLUDED.
THANK YOU FOR BELIEVING AND HOPING THAT THERE IS STILL VALUE LEFT IN OUR IMPACTED COMMUNITIES.
CREDIBLE MESSAGES ARE AN ESSENTIAL PART, UM, TO OUR COMMUNITIES BEING RESTORED AS RESPECTABLE NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE YOUNG PEOPLE CAN REALLY THRIVE, SUPPORT THE INDIVIDUALS FOR WE KNOW SUPPORTED AND STRONG PEOPLE CREATE STRONG AND UNBREAKABLE COMMUNITIES.
IT IS MY HOPE WITH CREDIBLE MESSAGES, WE CAN BE THAT EXTRA PUSH OF MOTIVATION.
COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON? COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON, MR. HARRIS, WE DO, WE DO HAVE A COMMENT FOR YOU.
THANK, THANK YOU FOR, UM, COMING IN.
I KNOW YOUR COMRADES HAD ALREADY SPOKE.
IF I WOULD'VE KNOWN YOU WAS HERE, I WOULD'VE PULLED YOU UP WITH THEM.
BUT CAN YOU JUST EXPLAIN HOW YOU GOT INVOLVED WITH, UM, CREDIBLE MESSENGER'S, MENTORSHIP, SOCIAL JUSTICE? ABSOLUTELY.
SO I'M ORIGINALLY BORN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.
AND, UM, AFTER MAKING SEVERAL MISTAKES AND NOT JUST BEING ABLE TO AVOID DIFFERENT, THE PITFALLS OF LIFE OF GROWING UP AS A TEENAGER, UM, I FELL INTO IT.
AND SO PART OF MY MISSION AND MY PURPOSE IS TO LITERALLY GIVE BACK TO YOUNG PEOPLE AND PREVENT THEM FROM MAKING THE SAME MISTAKES THAT I DID.
WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
WE APPRECIATE YOU AND LOOK FORWARD TO
[02:25:01]
OUR PARTNERSHIP.NEXT SPEAKER RANDALL CALL RANDALL CALLEN.
CAN YOU SPEAK IN THE MICROPHONE PLEASE, SIR? THANK YOU.
MY NAME IS RANDALL CALLANAN AND I'M A COMMUNITY, UM, ACTIVIST.
AND I'VE BEEN RECEIVING MANY, MANY CALLS FROM THE COMMUNITY REGARDING THE 264,000 CASES THAT HAVE BEEN SET ASIDE OVER THE PAST EIGHT YEARS.
I KNOW YOU'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT IT.
UM, ONE THING I WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT THE, THE PUBLIC IS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT IS THE STATUTES OF LIMITATIONS, WHICH APPLY TO MANY OF THESE CASES.
FIRST OF ALL, ALL MISDEMEANOR CASES ARE LIKE TWO YEARS.
AND FOR INSTANCE, UM, THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR EIGHT YEARS.
AND SOME OF THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS THAT HAVE ALREADY PASSED ARE, ARE FOR THEFT OR ROBBERY INJURY, INJURY TO THE ELDERLY.
UH, ABANDONING BEN, EXCUSE ME, ABANDONING OR ENDANGERING A CHILD, ELDERLY INDIVIDUAL OR DISABLED INDIVIDUAL INSURANCE FRAUD.
MOST OF ALL THESE CASES, PROBABLY THE MAJORITY OF 'EM, CAN NO LONGER BE INVESTIGATED AND THE VICTIMS WILL SUFFER.
SO WE NEED, UH, TO WHAT, WHAT WE'RE CONCERNED, WHAT THE PUBLIC HAS BEEN VERY CONCERNED WITH IS THAT THE, UM, IS, IS THAT, UH, THIS COMMITTEE, NOT MR. CALLANAN INDEPENDENT.
WE'RE GONNA MOVE TO ONE MINUTE FOR EACH SPEAKER.
UM, WE DO HAVE A COUNCIL MEMBER THAT WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS YOU NEXT.
I WAS JUST GONNA GIVE HIM MY TIME.
UH, COUNCILMAN, UH, MEMBER JACKSON.
WE ARE VERY CONCERNED WITH THE INDEPENDENT REVIEW BOARD THAT HAS THE CITY ATTORNEY ON WHO? THE MAYOR.
YOU JUST HEARD HIM, THAT THAT'S HIS EMPLOYEE AND YOU JUST HEARD IT.
AND, UH, SO WE DON'T REALLY HAVE AN INDEPENDENT REVIEW BOARD.
WE NEED MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, LIKE FROM LULAC, NAACP, UH, CARE, THE URBAN LEAGUE, UH, AND OTHER PEOPLE LIKE THAT.
WE DON'T NEED A BUNCH OF GOVERNMENT PEOPLE TO LOOK INTO THIS ISSUE.
UH, ANOTHER ISSUE THAT THE PUBLIC IS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT IS THAT, UM, A CHIEF FINNER WHO WAS RIGHT THERE, HE WAS A, HE WAS A CHIEF ASSISTANT CHIEF BEFORE HE WAS THE CHIEF.
WHILE THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR EIGHT YEARS, HE IS STILL IN HIS POSITION.
HE SHOULD AT LEAST STEP ASIDE FOR THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE.
IF, IF NOT, UH, GETTING ANOTHER POLICE CHIEF.
WE'RE NOT SAYING FIRE HIM, BUT WE, HE SHOULD STEP ASIDE.
'CAUSE THIS IS A SCANDAL OF NATIONAL.
THIS IS A NATIONAL SCANDAL, 264,000 CASES.
COUNCIL THA THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR, UM, COMMENTS.
OFFICIALLY I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR AME LOCAL 1550, WHICH IS A UNION.
AND WE REPRESENT EMPLOYEES, MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES ESPECIALLY.
BUT TODAY I'M HERE AS AN ADVOCATE AND A BOARD MEMBER OF THE GREATER HOUSTON COALITION FOR JUSTICE.
AND WHAT I'M GOING TO ASK IS NOT TOO MUCH.
SO TO GO INTO POINTING FINGERS, I'M GONNA ASK ABOUT RESOLUTION AND SOLUTION FOR THOSE INVESTIGATIVE CASES THAT HAVE NOT COME UP.
IS THERE NOT A PROGRAM THAT COULD BE CREATED OR SOMETHING FOR THOSE VICTIMS WHO NEVER GOT THE DAY IN COURT? THAT'S JUST A SUGGESTION.
I DON'T KNOW WHO CAN HANDLE IT, BUT CONSIDER IT.
THE OTHER ONE IS, DON'T CREATE THE PROBLEM.
WE DON'T NEED TO GET RID OF PEOPLE.
WE DON'T NEED TO GET RID OF LEADERSHIP.
WE NEED TO ENCOURAGE LEADERSHIP.
SO I'M GOING TO SUGGEST AT ALL COSTS, GO AHEAD AND BE CREATIVE.
UTILIZE WHAT YOU GOT AND MOVE FORWARD.
UTILIZE WHAT YOU HAVE ALREADY ON, ON THE BOOKS AND MAKE IT HAPPEN.
WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OF COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS YOU.
FIRST, WE'LL START WITH COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN.
MS. COLE, I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU, UM, BECAUSE YOU'RE, YOU ARE FOCUSED ON WHAT I BELIEVE IS THE OF THE UTMOST IMPORTANT, WHICH IS SURVIVORS AND VICTIMS. YES.
AND, UH, AS A COUNCIL AND AS A CITY, AND I DO BELIEVE HPD IS DOING THIS AS WELL IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COORDINATING COUNCIL AND HAWK AND OTHER COMMUNITY PARTNERS, THAT'S JUST TO NAME A FEW, LOOKING AT WHAT ADDITIONAL RESOURCES WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY INDIVIDUAL IS TAKEN CARE OF.
STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS ARE NOT.
AND SO I JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR ELEVATING THE CONVERSATION AROUND WHAT WE NEED TO BE DOING TO
[02:30:01]
SUPPORT SURVIVORS.BECAUSE SO MANY WOMEN ARE ALREADY AFRAID TO COME FORWARD.
AND WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT TRUST IS RESTORED AND THAT EVEN MORE THAN THAT, THAT THERE IS AN INCREASED LEVEL OF FAITH IN OUR, UH, CITY AND IN OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.
SO I JUST, AGAIN, WANNA EMPHASIZE ON BEHALF OF SURVIVORS AND VICTIMS. THANK YOU.
UM, THANK YOU MS. COLE FOR COMING.
AND TO EVERYONE HERE WHO'S TALKING ABOUT THIS TOPIC, UM, I ANTICIPATE THAT A LOT OF THIS WILL COME TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE AT SOME POINT.
AND, UM, AS I WAS RECENTLY NAMED THE CHAIR OF THAT COMMITTEE, I WELCOME ANY COMMENTS, INPUT, SUGGESTIONS LIKE YOU HAVE.
SO PLEASE CONTACT MY OFFICE, UM, FOR ANYONE WHO, UM, HAS ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS OR IDEAS ABOUT THIS.
WELL, I WAS JUST GONNA GIVE YOU SOME OF MY TIME IF YOU WEREN'T FINISHED.
AND, AND THANK YOU FOR, FOR FOCUSING ON SOLUTIONS AND, AND NOT POLARIZING THE SITUATIONS.
I MEAN, IT'S A TERRIBLE SITUATION.
WE ALL UNDERSTAND THERE ARE PROBLEMS AND, AND I BELIEVE EVERYONE AROUND THIS HORSESHOE IS, IS COMMITTED TO FIXING THAT.
THANK YOU COUNCILMAN CARTER ON.
THE ONLY THING I WANT TO ADD IS THAT WE CANNOT DO THIS BEING DIVIDED.
IT'S NOT A US AND THEM SITUATION.
EVERYBODY HAS TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE SOLUTION.
THANK YOU MS. COLE, FOR BEING HERE.
HOW YOU DOING? HELLO, MR. LENNON.
UH, TWO YEARS AGO I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT AND FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT, I WAS ASSAULTED BY A PARAMEDIC.
AND I'M HERE TODAY TO ASK A QUESTION OF WHY ISN'T THE CITY OF HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT OR THE CITY OF HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT INVESTIGATED OR DID ANYTHING ABOUT IT? SO THAT'S NOT A QUESTION THAT I CAN ANSWER, BUT I DO WANT YOU TO GIVE YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION TO, UH, RHONDA SOLDER WHO IS HERE.
UM, AND SHE CAN FOLLOW UP AND GET THAT RESPONSE FOR YOU.
THAT'S THE SAME THING THAT HAPPENED THE LAST TIME I WAS HERE.
RIGHT? AND THAT'S PROBABLY WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN BECAUSE WE CAN'T RESOLVE THAT HERE AT THE TABLE.
PUBLIC SESSION IS FOR YOU TO COME.
THIS IS YOUR TIME FOR YOU TO TALK.
WE DON'T HAVE INVESTIGATIVE POWERS WHILE WE'RE SITTING HERE AT THE TABLE.
AND SO I'M GOING TO ASK YOU TO MEET WITH MS. RHONDA AND GET SOME INFORMATION AND THEN WE CAN FOLLOW UP WITH YOU.
I MEAN, I THINK YOU ARE AWARE OF, UM, THE COMMITTEE THAT'S BEEN PUT TOGETHER AND THAT THERE'S BEEN SOME ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AND SOME ADDITIONAL EYES ON WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE CITY.
AND SO I HOPE THAT WE CAN GET A, A BETTER ANSWER FOR YOU THIS TIME.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, MR. LENA.
I'M THE FOUNDER OF WE, THE PEOPLE ORGANIZED MY GROUP, I'M SORRY.
MY ORGANIZATION MISSION IS TO HOLD ELECTED OFFICIALS ACCOUNTABLE.
AND THE POLICE, HPD CLAIMED THAT THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO INVESTIGATE 264,000 CASES DUE TO LACK OF PERSONNEL IN THE LAST FIVE TO 10 YEARS, HPD RECEIVED APPROXIMATELY $60 MILLION IN FEDERAL GRANTS.
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN FEDERAL GRANTS HPD RECEIVED TO HIRE OFFICERS? HOW MANY OFFICERS WERE, WERE HIRED THE LAST FIVE, 10 YEARS? WE ARE ASKING THE MAYOR TO HAVE AN AUDIT OF, OF, OF WHAT'S RIGHT, WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THESE FEDERAL GRANTS.
IN ADDITION, AN AUDIT OF $73 MILLION TO THE ONE HOUSTON SAFE INITIATIVE, WHOSE SUCCESS AND CRIME STATISTICS ARE NOW QUESTIONABLE ALSO FRONT.
AND LASTLY, WE'RE ASKING THE MAYOR TO REQUEST A FORMAL OUTSIDE A KEYWORD HERE IS OUTSIDE INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION BY THE TEXAS RANGERS TO REACHES MISCONDUCT OF HPD, NO SPEAKERS.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS TODAY.
[02:35:01]
HELLO.HOW ARE YOU? MY NAME IS CASSANDRA DAVIS AND I STAY IN IRVINGTON VILLAGE.
OH, I THOUGHT YOU SAID CASSANDRA DAVIS.
WE, WE GOT A COUPLE OF PEOPLE RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU.
THAT MS. DAVIS, IT WAS YOUR TIME.
I'M, UM, INFER, UM, IN IRVINGTON VILLAGE AND I'VE BEEN THERE SINCE, UM, HARVEY.
AND, UH, I'VE BEEN, I HAD MOLD AND, UH, TOXIC.
I DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS TOXIC UNTIL 2003.
UM, THE MO INSPECTOR TOLD ME ON THE THIRD INSPECTION.
AND SO I'VE BEEN TRYING TO, UH, I CALL EVERYBODY IN THE WORLD TRY TO GET SOME HELP AND NOBODY HELPED ME.
SO I'M HERE TO TRY TO GET HELP TO GET UP OUT OF THERE.
'CAUSE ME AND MY DISABLED SON BEEN IN THERE FOR A WHILE.
AND, UM, THE AUTOMATIC LIGHTS ON THE BUILDING BEEN OUT FOR LIKE THREE YEARS AND IT'S DARK.
AND WE HAVE WALKERS LIKE DRUG ADDICTS AND, UH, HOMELESS PEOPLES.
AND MS. DAVIS, WE, WE DID RECEIVE A NOTE THAT THERE'S A LEGAL SITUATION HAPPENING HERE.
AND WE THANK YOU FOR REPORTING THIS AND COMING TO US AGAIN.
I AM GOING TO ASK IF YOU WILL GIVE YOUR, UM, INFORMATION TO, UH, RENEE, UH, AND HE CAN HELP YOU RIGHT NOW.
UM, BUT WE DID GET SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THE CASE AND THEY ARE LOOKING INTO IT.
NEXT SPEAKER, DESTINY, JACKSON WILLIAMS DESTINY.
JACKSON WILLIAMS. NEXT SPEAKER.
UH, MY NAME IS REGINALD ALLEN.
I'M WITH A SAFETY COMPANY CALLED SAFER, AND MY GOAL TODAY IS TO MAKE HOUSTON A SAFER COMMUNITY.
UH, WE AT SAFER, WE PARTNER WITH BUSINESS, UH, BUSINESS CITIES, COMMUNITIES, CHURCHES AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
AND WE ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH ALYSSA'S LAW.
WE HAVE WRIST BANDITS, PENDANTS, AND WEARABLES WITH GPS AND CAP AND CAMERA CAPABILITIES THAT ARE VOICE ACTIVATED IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY.
OUR GPS PRODUCTS DO WORK ALL OVER THE WORLD, AND THIS IS A PART OF OUR ANTI-TRAFFICKING CAMPAIGN.
OUR SCHOOL PROTECTION PROGRAM INCLUDES THE SAFER APPLICATION FEATURES SUCH AS GEOFENCING, SECURITY MONITORING, AND WEAPON DETECTING CAMERAS THAT CAN BE ADDED TO ANY SECURITY SYSTEM THAT'S ALREADY IN PLACE.
UM, UPON THAT, WHEN A WEAPON IS DETECTED, THE CAMERA WILL SEND AN ALERT TO THE SAFER USER SECURITY TEAM, ALSO WITH THE CALIBER OF WEAPON THAT HAS BEEN PLACED ON CAMPUS OR A BUILDING.
UH, I'M JUST HERE TODAY TO TRY TO SAVE THE LIVES OF STUDENTS, TEACHERS, AND HOUSTON POLICE OFFICERS.
AND WE ALSO HAVE A PROGRAM THAT WORKS WITH THE DIRECT RESOURCES OF THE HOUSTON CITY AND HPD.
IF YOU HAD ANY HANDOUTS OR ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR THAT YOU CAN SEND TO OUR INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL OFFICES, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL AS WELL.
WHO SHOULD I SEND IT TO? TO OUR INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL OFFICE? RENEE, CAN YOU HELP HIM WITH THOSE, UM, EMAIL ADDRESSES? SURE.
[02:40:01]
SPEAKER.STEVE WILLIAMS. STEVE WILLIAMS. NEXT SPEAKER.
HELLO, MS. MARILYN? I NEED TO EXCUSE SOME SIR.
I'VE BEEN RETIRED FROM THE CITY A YEAR AND TWO WEEKS.
AND Y'ALL BEEN RUNNING JOB FAIR? I'VE BEEN GOING TO EACH ONE OF 'EM.
I'VE BEEN TAKING CONSTANTLY DRUG TESTS, BUT E EACH TIME THEY ONLY OFFER ME 60 CENTS TO COME BACK WITH THE KNOWLEDGE THAT I HAVE.
AND Y'ALL CONSTANTLY NEED SOMEBODY.
AND I'M COMING BACK TO GIVE MY RETIREMENT UP FOR 60 CENTS.
I'M NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT ME, I'M TALKING ABOUT OTHER RETIREES LIKE TO COME BACK TOO, BUT THEY NOT OFFERING THEM ANYTHING.
AND, AND TELL ME WHAT THIS IS THAT YOU'RE GIVING TO US.
MS. UH, RA, THAT'S THE MATRIX FOR OPERATORS.
THE MATRIX, HOW MUCH YOU'LL GET PAID.
THAT RIGHT THERE WAS THE JAR FAIR THAT I TOOK THE DRUG TESTS AND EVERYTHING AND THEY WAS ONLY OFFERING ME 60 CENTS.
YOU'VE BEEN GETTING A, A JAR FAIR EVER SINCE JANUARY.
EVERY MONTH THEY HAVING A JAR FAIR EVERY MONTH BECAUSE THEY NEED OPERATORS NOW.
OPERATOR THAT'S TRYING TO COME BACK, WANT TO COME BACK, GOING GIVE HER RETIREMENT UP TO COME BACK.
YOU ARE ONLY OFFERING HIM 60 CENTS TO COME BACK.
I, I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE WHY YOU ARE SAYING THAT.
WE WOULD OFFER YOU 60 CENTS TO COME BACK.
THE CITY OF HOUSTON OFFERED YOU 60 CENTS TO COME BACK.
YOU HAVE IT, YOU HAVE IT UP THERE? YES, MA'AM.
SO THIS IS GONNA BE AN EMPLOYMENT ISSUE AND SO WE'RE GONNA REFER YOU TO, UM, UH, RHONDA, SO YOU CAN SPEAK WITH OUR, UM, EMPLOYMENT DIVISION.
UM, THAT'S, THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO KIND OF DECIPHER HERE, BUT WE HAVE YOU ON RECORD AND WE HEAR YOU.
UM, AND WE'RE GONNA REFER YOU TO RHONDA AND WE CAN TALK TO, UM, EITHER DIRECTOR CHEEKS OR SOMEONE IN EMPLOYMENT TO HELP YOU WITH THIS ISSUE.
OKAY? 'CAUSE I, I GOT HIRED TO COME BACK.
BUT WHAT THEY WAS OFFERING ME JUST 60 CENTS, IT DIDN'T WORK.
SO EVIDENTLY THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT OKAY.
THAT IS CAUSING THAT TO COME UP AT AT 60 CENTS, BUT I'M SURE WE CAN DECIPHER IT.
THANK YOU FOR COMING UP AND SPEAKING WITH US TODAY.
WHO I NEED TO TALK TO RHONDA SOLDER.
MY NAME IS YUSUF SHY AND I JUST COME TO INVITE THE COUNSELORS, THE MAYOR, AND THE PRO TEAM TO COME OUT AND VISIT T COOL.
TODAY AT 67 20 COOLING BOULEVARD.
THE PROPRIETOR IS ROSALYN EDWARD.
SHE SPOKE HERE I THINK ABOUT A WEEK AGO, DEALING WITH THE ISSUE IN THAT COMMUNITY THERE.
SO WE'RE JUST INVITING YOU ALL TO COME OUT TO SEE FIRSTHAND FOR YOURSELF.
THAT'S 67 20 COOLING BOULEVARD 7 7 0 2 1.
THANK YOU'ALL FOR LETTING US COME STAND BEFORE Y'ALL AND EVENT AND INVITE YOU ALL OUT AND COME VISIT US.
AND I THINK Y'ALL WOULD BE VERY WELL PLEASED TO SEE THE WORK THAT SHE BEEN DOING IN THAT AREA FROM THE TIME SHE WAS KNOWN AS THE SLACK BOY, LADY AT ATS MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND A LOT OF CHILDREN THAT COME INTO THE STORE.
REMEMBER HER NOW, SHE'S BEEN RUNNING HER OWN BUSINESS FOR ABOUT 12 YEARS.
SO WE HONOR YOU ALL FOR LETTING US COME BEFORE YOU ALL TO BRING THIS TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON ATTENTION.
WE DO HAVE A COUNCIL MEMBER IN Q COUNCIL, MEMBER POLLARD.
UH, YOU'RE THANKING US, BUT WE WANT TO THANK YOU AS WELL AND PLEASE, UH, SEND OUR THANK YOUS TO THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY AND WHAT SHE'S DOING.
UH, I'M SURE, UH, WE WILL TRY TO GET OUT THERE TO SEE IT FOR OURSELVES.
UH, WHAT DISTRICT IS THAT? IS THAT D? THAT'S D THE DISTRICT, DISTRICT OF DESTINATION.
WELL, WE WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE DOING AND WHAT YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS HAVE MEANT TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND PLEASE PASS THOSE WORDS ON ALONG TO THE COMMUNITY AS WELL.
[02:45:01]
GOD BLESS YOU.NEXT SPEAKER, ANTHONY JOHNSON.
IS ANTHONY JOHNSON HERE? HERE? HELLO, MR. JOHNSON.
UH, I COME TO YOU ON BEHALF OF SOUTHERN BROTHERS PROPERTIES.
UH, LAST YEAR IN NOVEMBER, WE DID WORK, COMPLETED SOME WORK FOR THE CITY AS A SUBCONTRACTOR FOR THE M SUITES.
UH, ROUGHLY OVER ABOUT, UM, IT WAS, IT WAS SIX FIGURES AS FAR AS FINANCIALS AND, AND WORK THAT WAS COMPLETED.
UH, AS OF TODAY, WE HAVE NOT BEEN PAID STILL.
UH, WE, ON FEBRUARY THE SIXTH, THE PRIME THAT WAS LISTED ON OUR PROJECT CAME AND SPOKE TO YOU GUYS.
UM, WE SPOKE TO A REPRESENTATIVE FROM MAYOR WHITMEYER, UH, AFTER, AFTER THE, OUR PRIME, UM, SPOKE ON BEHALF OF US AND NOTHING WAS DONE.
WHEN WE, WHEN WE REACHED OUT TO THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM MAYOR WHITT MEYER'S OFFICE, UH, THE REPLY BACK WAS, IT'S UNDER INVESTIGATION.
NO FURTHER, NO FURTHER COMMENT CAN BE ADDED OR, UH, SPOKEN ON.
UM, MR. POLLARD, UH, YOU SPOKE FOR AN ADVOCATE OF US, UH, ONCE OUR PRIME, UM, MS. TATUM, YOU AS WELL.
AND TO THIS DAY, UM, LIKE I SAID, WE'RE GOING ON SIX MONTHS AND WE HAVE YET TO BE PAID.
THE INSPECTOR GENERAL, WE SPOKE WITH THE INSPECTOR GENERAL.
WHEN OUR PRIME SPOKE WITH THE INSPECTOR GENERAL, WE WERE TOLD THAT OUR PRIME WAS TOLD THAT IT WOULD BE UP TO SIX MONTHS.
THAT'S WHAT THE CONTRACT STATES FOR US TO BE PAID.
NOW, AS A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, SIX MONTHS TO BE ABLE TO FLOAT SIX FIGURES OF PAYROLL, THAT WOULD TAKE US OUT OF THE LEAGUE OF BEING A SMALL BUSINESS.
NOW WE COME TO YOU AS BUSINESS OWNERS TO SHOW YOU THAT YOU KNOW, WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON.
IT, IT, IT'S, IT'S AFFECTED OUR BUSINESS TREMENDOUSLY.
NOT ONLY FINANCIALLY, BUT THE TOLL THAT HAS BROUGHT ON US AS FAR AS OUR REPUTATION WITH OUR EMPLOYEES AND THE OTHER PEOPLE THAT WE EMPLOY BECAUSE THEY LOOK TO US.
WE HAVE OUTSTANDING BALANCES ON EQUIP YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
JUST, JUST ONE SECOND, MR. JOHNSON.
WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OF COUNCIL MEMBERS IN QUEUE.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER, JUST WANNA CONFIRM, THIS HAS TO DO WITH THE EMERGENCY PO FOR THE WATER LINES BREAKING.
HAVE WE MADE ANY ADVANCE OF THIS? WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR THREE MONTHS, AND I THINK THERE WERE SOME CONVERSATIONS EVEN BEFORE WE GOT IN.
SO AS FAR AS I KNOW, IT'S STILL BEING INVESTIGATED.
COUNCIL MEMBER, I CAN GET YOU MORE INFORMATION, BUT I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING MORE THAN WE HAD LAST TIME WE DISCUSSED IT.
ANY IDEA ON A CLOSURE DATE? DATE? I DON'T BECAUSE THERE'S OUTSIDE AND, UH, AGENCIES INVOLVED.
UH, MR. JOHNSON, YOU SAID IT IS BEEN SIX MONTHS, RIGHT? YES, SIR.
WE'RE COMING UP ON SIX MONTHS.
SIX MONTHS, WHICH WOULD'VE BEEN THREE MONTHS PRIOR TO NOW.
SO THE PRIME, WHAT, WHAT IS THE NAME OF THE PRIME? M THE M SUITES.
AND SO YOU WERE THE SUB, RIGHT? YES, SIR.
SO THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT PRIME THEY STILL EXIST OR THEY YES, SIR.
BUT THEY HAVE NOT, WERE THEY, THE PROCESS WAS, WERE THEY TO PAY YOU OR, YES, SIR.
THEY, THEY WERE TO PAY US MM-HMM
ONCE THEY WERE PAID BY THE CITY, BUT THEY HAVE NOT BEEN PAID BY THE CITY.
WE'VE SUBMITTED DOCUMENTS AS FAR AS SHOWING COMPLETION OF WORK SEVERAL TIMES.
UM, WHEN WE WERE HERE, WHEN, WHEN OUR PRIME SPOKE THE LAST TIME ON FEBRUARY 6TH, UM, IN BETWEEN THAT TIME AND BEFORE SHE WAS, SHE HAD SPOKE ON BEHALF OF US AND OUR COMPENSATION, WE PROVIDED THESE DOCUMENTS AND WE DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THE PAYMENT IS, UH, IT HAS BEEN DELAYED BECAUSE WHEN WE SUBMITTED OUR DOCUMENTATION, THERE WERE SEVERAL THINGS THAT NEEDED TO BE, THAT NEEDED TO BE COMPLETED BEFORE THE DOCUMENTATION WAS SUBMITTED.
IE UM, WE HAD CITY INSPECTORS THAT WERE ON SITE THAT SIGNED OFF ON THESE WORK ORDERS SAYING THESE WORK ORDERS WERE COMPLETED.
NOT ONLY ON TOP OF THAT, BUT THERE WERE, THERE WAS A, UM, AN APP TO WHERE WE HAD TO UPLOAD PICTURES OF COMPLETED WORK IN THE PROCESS THAT WAS DONE NOW.
SO THE PRIME NEVER GOT PAID? YES, SIR.
THE PRIME DID GET PAID? NO, NO, NO, SIR.
I'M SAYING THE HAS IT'S UNDER INVESTIGATION.
AND, AND MR. MR. JOHNSON, THIS IS A HORRIBLE SITUATION
[02:50:01]
AND IT'S VERY UNFORTUNATE, UM, THAT THIS HAS TAKEN PLACE.I KNOW THAT, UM, THE CITY EMPLOYEES THAT ARE INVOLVED WITH THIS, UM, INVESTIGATION HAVE, HAVE GONE OUT AND WE'VE HAD TO GET SOME OUTSIDE COUNSEL TO COME IN AND HELP WITH DECIPHERING, UM, WHO IS INVOLVED AND WHO IS NOT INVOLVED.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, THAT IS TAKING A VERY LONG TIME THAT DOES NOT NEGATE THE ISSUES THAT YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH AS WELL AS OTHER, UM, VENDORS WHO HAVE HELPED WITH THIS, UM, ISSUE.
UM, BUT WE ARE WORKING ON IT AS FAST AS WE CAN.
WE CAN TRY TO GET AN UPDATE ON WHERE THEY ARE IN THE PROCESS.
UM, BUT I THINK THAT'S GONNA BE THE BEST I CAN OFFER YOU RIGHT NOW.
IT, IT'S A VERY UNFORTUNATE SITUATION.
IT IS STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION AND UNFORTUNATELY THAT INVESTIGATION IS GOING TO TAKE TIME FOR US TO DECIPHER WHO WAS INVOLVED AND WHO WASN'T.
UM, IT'S A DOMINO EFFECT OF, UM, FINANCIAL HARDSHIP FOR A LOT OF SMALL BUSINESSES.
AND, YOU KNOW, I CAN APOLOGIZE AND, UM, BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S NOT JUST YOU AND YOUR COMPANY, BUT THERE IS A INVEST, AN INVESTIGATION THAT IS HAPPENING SO THAT WE CAN DECIPHER WHO'S INVOLVED, WHO'S NOT, AND WHO IS TO, UM, MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PAYMENTS.
SO, UM, MY QUESTION IS, IS THERE A PATH FORWARD AS FAR AS, UM, MAYBE A TIME FRAMING ISSUE? IS IT, IS IT, IS IT SIX MONTHS? LET US, LET US, LET US GET THE, THE LATEST UPDATE.
UM, THE LAST ONE WE GOT MAYBE WAS A WEEK OR SO AGO, AND THEY, WE HAD HIRED SOME OUTSIDE FOLKS TO COME AND HELP US WITH THE INVESTIGATION.
SO IF, UM, IS ANY, CAN YOU, CAN, UH, RANDY, RANDY, CAN YOU GET US AN UPDATE? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
UM, OR SEE IF SOMEONE'S HERE THAT CAN GIVE US AN UPDATE WHILE THEY'RE HERE ON HOW HAVE THEY MOVED FORWARD WITH THE INVESTIGATION, WHAT THE TIMELINE IS FOR THE INVESTIGATION, BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S A COMPLICATED ISSUE, BUT WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO GIVE THEM AT LEAST AN UPDATE SURE.
ON WHERE WE ARE IN THE INVESTIGATION.
AND AND ALSO, MY, MY LAST QUESTION.
UM, I'LL BE FINISHED AS FAR AS ONCE THE INVESTIGATION IS COMPLETED.
D DOES THAT MEAN THAT OUR, OUR TENURE FOR OUR CONTRACT IS DONE? ARE WE TO, ARE WE TO BE PAID OUT OR ARE WE ABLE TO CONTINUE THE WORK? OR HOW DOES, HOW DOES THAT LOOK? OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT I NEED TO SPEAK WITH THE REPRESENTATIVE BEHIND CLOSED DOORS AS WELL? SO THAT'S GONNA ALL, UM, BE DETERMINED THROUGH THE INVESTIGATION.
THAT'S, THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD HAVE AN ANSWER TO RIGHT NOW.
IT DEPENDS ON WHAT COMES OUT IN THE INVESTIGATION.
AND I RECOGNIZE THAT'S FRUSTRATING, BUT LET US TRY TO GET YOU AN UPDATE.
COUNCIL MEMBER KAMAN FOR A PROCEDURAL MOTION.
UM, WE HAVE A RESIDENT WHO'S LET US KNOW THAT, UH, SHE NEEDS TO GET TO WORK.
SHE'S BEEN HERE THE WHOLE TIME.
SO I, I MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO HAVE, UH, SEAN LEE BADONE.
I APOLOGIZE IF I'M MISPRONOUNCING YOUR NAME.
ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? ITEM PASSES YOU.
THANK YOU KINDLY GIVING HONOR TO THE MOST HIGH GOD, YAHWEH, WHO EMPOWERS ME.
MAY I CALL YOUR NAME FIRST? SEAN LEE BA.
THANK, THANK YOU ALSO GRACIOUSLY FOR BLESSING ME.
UM, I'M COMING TO YOU AT PUTTING MYSELF AT RISK 'CAUSE I AM A PART OF THE A CP PROGRAM WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE FOR, UM, ONGOING STALKING AND HARASSMENT THAT I AM PART OF.
MANY OF THE CLAIMS FROM HPVS, CASES THAT HAVE BEEN OVERLOOKED AND UNINVESTIGATED AND UN AND FOR ME TO BE HERE TO EXPLAIN WHAT IS HAPPENING TO ME CURRENTLY AT MIDTOWN 180 IS, UM, ME TAKING A BIG RISK ON THE PROGRAM THAT I'M IN, BUT ALSO TOO, I HAVE TO STAND UP FOR WHAT I KNOW IS GOING TO NOT ONLY HELP OUR CITY, BUT BE ABLE TO DEFEND EVERYONE IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH, I AM CURRENTLY ENDURING DISCRIMINATORY ACTS BECAUSE I AM A BLACK JEWISH WOMAN.
I HAVE FOR THE LAST THREE WEEKS HAVE WENT TO THE MANAGEMENT COMPANY.
I'VE CONTACTED THEM WHO ARE THE RIGHTFUL OWNERS OF THE PROPERTY CURRENTLY IN DISTRICT C THAT, UM, THEY HAVE THAT ENDURED THE DIS DISCRIMINATION AND EVERYTHING HAS BEEN OVERLOOKED FROM THE MOVE IN PROCESS TO EVEN THEM HONORING MY RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATIONS.
MAY I PLEASE PROCEED? YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
MAY I PLEASE PROCEED? YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER? CAYMAN? YEAH.
UM, MS. MS. BAU, I, WE HAVEN'T HEARD FROM YOU PREVIOUSLY.
I JUST WOULD ASK, UM, SO THAT WE CAN GET SOME MORE INFORMATION.
RENEE IS, UM, I HAVE EMAILED YOU GUYS.
I, SO I DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
[02:55:01]
IS RIGHT THERE, IF YOU COULD PLEASE GET WITH RENEE SO HE CAN GET SOME MORE INFORMATION, I'D APPRECIATE.I'VE ALSO WORKED WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON FAIR HOUSING DEPARTMENT, AND THEY'VE ALSO CON FOUND THAT, UM, EVEN THE OWNERS IN MARYLAND HAVE BLATANTLY LIED ABOUT THEIR POSITION, UH, AND THEIR TITLE HERE.
I, I UNDERSTAND IF YOU, AGAIN, IF YOU COULD PLEASE GET WITH RENEE RIGHT BEHIND YOU, AND I KNOW THAT THE MAYOR'S OFFICE WILL ALSO FOLLOW UP.
THANK YOU MS. BENO FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
I WAS HOPING TO MEET THE NEW MAYOR.
UH, I'VE BEEN DOING RICK SHAWS FOR 20 YEARS HERE IN HOUSTON NOW.
ANYWAYS, LONG STORY SHORT, WE'RE STILL IN THE SAME, UH, THERE'S A NEW MAYOR.
I WAS JUST TELLING THEM YOU'RE MY FIFTH MAYOR.
I'VE BEEN WORKING FOR, I AM THE MAIN PETTY CAB GUY IN HOUSTON.
I'VE HAD A COMPANY HERE FOR 20 YEARS AND BEEN INVITED.
WE, UH, JUST GET THROUGH WITH THE RODEO.
UH, OFFICERS OR A RA COMES OUT, THEY MIGHT ISSUE TRAFFIC CITATIONS, BUT THERE'S STILL LIKE A HUNDRED PLUS UNLICENSED VEHICLES FOR HIRE, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE LITTLE RICKSHAWS, PETTY CABS, THEY STILL OPERATE NONSTOP.
UH, JUST ENFORCEMENT JUST SEEMS TO BE A 20 NOW.
WE'RE ON 13 YEARS OF HAVING THE ORDINANCE PASSED IN HOUSTON, WHERE I'M 14.
UH, I'M JUST LOOKING FOR ANSWERS, LOOKING FOR SOLUTIONS.
I'VE PRESENTED SOLUTIONS, UH, JUST HERE SHOWING FACE MAYOR PROTE, CAST STATE.
MR. OWERS, I KNOW YOU SAID YOU, YOU'VE, YOU'VE COME DOWN SEVERAL TIMES.
DO YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS ON, ON HOW TO HELP US SOLVE THIS ISSUE, UH, IN THE VEHICLES FOR HIGHER ORDINANCE? I'M HAVING A HARD TIME HEARING YOU THOUGH.
IN THE VEHICLES FOR HIGHER ORDINANCE, IT DOES STATE THAT HPD CAN TOW, THAT MEANS STOP THEM FROM OPERATING MM-HMM
WHICH HAS NOT HAPPENED BECAUSE HPD SAYS THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH RESOURCES.
UH, IT JUST SEEMS THEY JUST KICKED THE BALL DOWN THE, UH, DOWN THE HALL.
SO I EXPECT TO BE TOLD THE SAME THING AFTER COMING HERE AGAIN.
LIKE, COMING TO SEE YOU WONDERFUL FOLKS IS NOT MY FAVORITE THING TO DO.
IT DOES LIKE, DISRUPT YOUR WHOLE LIFE TO COME AND ASK FOR HELP.
YOU PAY FOR PERMITS, BUT SEEMINGLY THESE PERMITS ARE SEEMINGLY WORTHLESS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON FOR SOME REASON.
SO I'M KIND OF LIKE PLEADING FOR HELP, OR IF NOT, I JUST GO, GO OUT OF BUSINESS OR, I MEAN, THERE ARE SOLUTIONS OR CHIEF OF STAFF THAT HELP.
UH, MR. UH, OF COURSE, MR. NEWPORT HELPED WRITE THE ORDINANCE FOR THE PETTY CABS.
MAYBE HE CAN BE OF ASSISTANCE.
HE, UH, GOT HIMSELF 14 YEARS AGO.
AND I THINK IT COMES DOWN TO JUST THE ENFORCEMENT.
UM, WE'VE JUST GOT TO FIND THE, THE RIGHT ENFORCEMENT VEHICLE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PETTY CALVES THAT ARE OPERATING IN OUR EVENTS ARE PERMITTED AND OPERATING UNDER THE LAWS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE, UM, ON, ON OUR BOOKS.
SO I, I'M SORRY THAT YOU'VE HAD TO COME DOWN SEVERAL TIMES.
UM, IT'S NOT FALLING ON DEAF EARS.
UH, AND WE WILL KEEP WORKING ON IT.
BUT IT WILL FALL ON DEAF EARS.
I TRY TO BE AS, I MEAN, LISTEN TO PEOPLE FOR TWO YEARS ASKING YOU, I'M HERE FOR 20, I'M HERE FOR 13.
LIKE AT SOME POINT, LIKE, THE LAW HAS TO BE THE LAW OR ELSE WE GOTTA CHANGE THE LAW.
IF YOU CAN'T ENFORCE THE LAW, AM I NOT CORRECT ON THIS? I'M LIKE, I DIDN'T PASS THIS ORDINANCE.
SOMEBODY'S ACCOUNTABLE, LIKE SOMEBODY NEEDS TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR PASSING A LAW.
THEY DON'T WANNA ENFORCE OR UNPASS THE LAW.
UH, MANY TIMES WE HAVE ORDINANCES ON THE BOOKS THAT ARE JUST WORDS.
UM, AND THEY DON'T MEAN MUCH UNLESS THERE'S ENFORCEMENT AND THERE HAS TO BE ENFORCEMENT.
YOU'VE ALREADY CLEARLY ARTICULATED WHAT CAN, WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN TO AT LEAST GET THE MESSAGE OUT THERE.
UM, BUT UNTIL WE HAVE REAL ENFORCEMENT, UM, IT'S THE SAME SONG AND DANCE, UNFORTUNATELY.
[03:00:01]
IS TURNED INTO AN INTERESTING SCENARIO FOR ME BECAUSE I HAVE A TRACK RECORD OF ASKING AND ASKING AND ASKING.AND I'M A BUSINESS PERSON THAT HAS LITERALLY LIKE A WHOLE SHOP FULL OF THESE UNLICENSED THAT THEY NEVER LEAVE.
LIKE, I COULD HAVE A WHOLE SHOP OPERATING LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE IN THIS TOWN DOES, BUT I DON'T BECAUSE I ABIDE BY THE LAW.
I'M LIKE, THE PERSON ABIDING BY THE LAW IS GETTING HURT THE MOST.
IT'S JUST LIKE TOTALLY EXACT OPPOSITE.
WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN IN THIS WORLD, MR. MR. STARS? WE DID, UM, VICE MAYOR PRO TEM PECK HAS RECEIVED AN, UH, A MESSAGE THAT THEY WILL HEAR IT IN, IN PUBLIC SAFETY.
UM, SO WE, WE WILL REACH OUT TO YOU TO SEE IF, IF WE CAN WORK TOGETHER, BUT WE, IT, IT'S NOT FALLING ON DEAF EARS.
COME UP WITH THE AVENUE TO TRY TO SOLVE THIS ISSUE.
AND THANK YOU'ALL, STAY ENCOURAGED.
OH, COUNCILMAN POLLARD IS BACK IN COUNCILMAN POLLARD.
AND I JUST, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT, UM, AS IT GOES TO PUBLIC SAFETY AND YOU ALL LOOK AT IT, I, I THINK JUST A SIMPLE, A SIMPLE RESOLUTION IS JUST TRYING TO DO WHAT THE ORDINANCE SAYS YOU CAN DO AND TRY TO TOW OR BOOT SOME OF THESE ILLEGAL PETTY CALVES AND SEE IF THAT ALONE CAN SEND A MESSAGE TO THE INDUSTRY THAT WE WON'T TOLERATE IT ANYMORE.
WE'RE NOT TALKING LIKE ONE TO FIVE.
RIGHT? DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? AND I GOT 45 PERMITS.
I'M LIKE, BUT THERE'S A HUNDRED OF COMPETITION THAT SHOULD NOT EVEN BE ON THESE STREETS FOR THE LAST DECADE.
I KNOW IT'S NOT YOU GUYS JUST TAKING OVER, BUT LIKE SOME OF US.
ANYWAY, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
I'M, UH, LAURA CONLEY AND I'M A WALKING WELLNESS COACH, AND I'M SORRY THAT YOU ALL HAVE BEEN SITTING HERE ALL THIS TIME.
IF ANY OF YOU WANNA STAND WHILE I SPEAK AND STRETCH, PLEASE DO THAT.
I WON'T BE
UM, SO I, AS I SAID, I'M A WALKING WELLNESS COACH.
I LAUNCHED URBAN PATHS 11 YEARS AGO ON A MISSION TO GET HOUSTONIANS INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS OUT GETTING THE PROFOUND MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH BENEFITS OF A WALK.
UM, AND I, I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE AND I'M VERY GRATEFUL TO ALL OF YOU.
LAST YEAR I RECEIVED A MAYORAL DIRECTIVE GRANT TO LEAD WALKS IN ALL SEVEN OF HOUSTON'S CULTURAL ARTS DISTRICTS, WHICH WAS HUGELY POPULAR.
SO THANK YOU TO THE POWERS THAT BE FOR THAT.
I'M HERE TODAY TO ANNOUNCE THAT HOUSTON, FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, IS PARTICIPATING IN NATIONAL WALKING DAY.
COMING UP ON APRIL 3RD, A PARTNERSHIP WAS FORGED BETWEEN BUFFALO BAYOU PARTNERSHIP FIT HOUSTON AND URBAN PATHS TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
IT'S A FREE CITYWIDE INITIATIVE, AND WHAT WE HOPE IS THAT ALL OF YOU WILL EITHER FORM WALKING GROUPS WITH YOUR CONSTITUENTS OR COME OUT TO GROUP WALKS THAT ALREADY EXIST.
COUNCILMAN CAMAN, IF YOU JUST WANNA QUICKLY WRAP UP.
I KNOW WE, I STILL HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE.
THERE'S, THERE'S WALKS, FREE WALKS GOING ON ACROSS THE CITY ON THAT DAY, UM, FROM SEVEN IN THE MORNING TILL EIGHT AT NIGHT, SO THAT PEOPLE CAN COME OUT AND WALK WITH US.
AND IT'S OUR GREAT HOPE THAT THESE WALKING EVENTS WILL BRING TO THE FOREFRONT THAT, UM, HOUSTON CAN INDEED BECOME A WALKABLE CITY.
WE HAVE MANY, MANY MILES TO GO, BUT TAKING THE FIRST STEP AND GOING OUT IN A WALK IS WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.
MY NAME IS KAREN WILLIAMS CARDWELL.
I AM AT THIS POINT SO DISAPPOINTED BECAUSE I DID SIGN UP FOR THREE MINUTES AND NOW I'M HAVE LESS THAN PROBABLY ONE MINUTE.
AND MY PROBLEM IS SOMEWHAT COMPLEX.
I'M CONCERNED ABOUT A, UH, CANNABIS DISTRIBUTING, UH, LOCATION AT THE INTEREST OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
NOW, I, THEY PLAY LOUD MUSIC, LOUD VIR MUSIC.
THEY HAVE, UH, I RECEIVED A NOTICE BACK FROM THE CITY SAYING THAT THEY CAN'T, THE ISSUE IS CLOSED.
HOW MANY OF MY COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE A DRUG DISPENSER AT THE FRONT OF THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD? OKAY.
[03:05:01]
I MEAN, AT THE HOUSE, I MEAN BEHIND ON THE SAME STREET.AND THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT IT.
I, I, I WANNA KNOW BECAUSE I FEEL YEAH, THAT'S MY ONE MINUTE.
YOU, YOU, YOU, YOU, SHE, IF SHE HAS IT IN HER NEIGHBORHOOD, I WOULD BE WILLING TO LISTEN TO WHAT SHE'S SAYING.
AND MS. CALDWELL, THANK YOU FOR COMING IN.
UM, ACTUALLY WE RECEIVED THE EMAIL FROM MR. CHARLES NOBLE ABOUT THIS DISPENSARY THAT'S COMING OVER IN THE, UM, FANGS WOOD NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND SO CURRENTLY WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF TALKING WITH, THEY'VE ALREADY RECEIVED THE PERMIT, UM, BUT ALL THEY NEED NOW IS THE OCCUPANCY PERMIT.
AND SO WE'RE TALKING TO, UM, UM, THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO HOLD OFF.
THE OTHER ISSUE IS THAT AT THE BUS PASS, THE SCHOOL BUS LETS OUT RIGHT THERE ON THE CORNER.
THE THIRD THING IS, IS THAT YOU CAN LITERALLY SMELL THE MARIJUANA.
I DID TALK TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THEY DID GO OUT, TOLD ME THEY WERE GONNA COME BACK AND DID AND DID NOT.
AND I, I KNOW YOU, YOU GUYS ARE TIRED.
I, I, I HAVE CONFIDENCE IN MY COUNCIL MEMBER, BUT I WAS TOLD THAT PROBABLY BECAUSE THEY HAVE SO MUCH MONEY AND THAT THE CITY'S GONNA GET MORE MONEY, THEY PROBABLY WON'T DO ANYTHING.
SO AT LEAST I WANNA BE ON RECORD.
UH, AND I HAVE OTHER PEOPLE WITH ME AS WELL.
AND WHATEVER IT TAKES YOU GUYS NEED FOR ME TO DO.
I'M STANDING HERE TO SAY FAMILY GOY, HELP ME PLEASE, IF YOU CAN, IF NOT, DO WE NEED TO GO TO TEXAS? TO, TO, I DUNNO.
YES, MAYOR, WE'RE GONNA DO IT.
MS. CALDWELL, YOU, YOU MADE A STATEMENT YOU SAID THAT YOU HAD CALLED AND SOMEONE TOLD YOU IT WAS SOLVED, OR IT WAS, I RECEIVED SOMETHING TODAY SAYING THAT THE SITUATION WAS CLOSED BECAUSE THEY HAD DID A 3 1 1 THING.
LET ME SEE IF I CAN, I'M, SO IT SAID THAT IT WAS CLOSED, THAT THE, YOU KNOW, THAT THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN RESOLVED, SO I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHAT IT WAS PERTAINING TO COUNCILMAN JACKSON.
SO WE'RE STILL LOOKING INTO THE DISPENSARY.
WE HAVEN'T, WE HAVEN'T SPOKE WITH, GOT THE 3 1 1 REFERENCE NUMBER.
WE, I JUST RECEIVED THE EMAIL FROM THE CIVIC CLUB PRESIDENT CHARLES NOBLE, RIGHT.
BUT AS FAR AS THE 3 1 1 REFERENCE NUMBER, WE HADN'T, UM, FOLLOWED UP WITH THAT.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'M HEARING ABOUT THE OKAY.
LETTER THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
SAID, UH, IT MAY HAVE BEEN THE OCCUPANCY NOW THAT YOU, AND YOU MENTIONED THAT THEY SAID THAT PART OF IT WAS CLOSED.
SO LET ME GET WITH, LET ME GET WITH MARY WITH MY OFFICE AND SO THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, SIT DOWN AND FIGURE OUT WHAT'S ACTUALLY GOING ON.
BUT MY OFFICE JUST LEARNED ABOUT THIS DISPENSARY.
SO WE ARE LOOKING INTO IT AND WE'RE TALKING TO PLANNING DEPARTMENT TO FIND OUT, I KNOW THAT THEY GOT A PERMIT FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, BUT WE'RE TRYING TO PREVENT THE OCCUPANCY PERMIT FROM MY, FROM MY UNDERSTANDING.
BUT WE JUST FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS.
I I, I ALSO HAD AN ISSUE WITH THE, THE, THE, UH, HOME BUILDING PROJECT.
I HAVE BEEN THROUGH IT THREE TIMES.
MY HUSBAND, WE APPLIED BEFORE MY HUSBAND DIED.
EVERY YEAR, UH, THEY HAVE SENT ME THREE APPLICATIONS TO FILL OUT.
I FILLED THEM OUT, I HEARD NOTHING.
THEY COME OUT AND INSPECT THE HOUSE.
THEY TELL ME WHAT THEY'RE GONNA DO.
THEY RUN OUTTA MONEY THIS TIME.
THEY, THEY CALL ME AND SAY, WELL, YEAH, WE GONNA RECERTIFY YOU.
WOULD YOU PLEASE STOP CALLING IT RECERTIFY IF YOU'RE CHANGING THE PROGRAM? AND WOULD YOU PLEASE, PLEASE HAVE SOMEONE SEND WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO ABOUT THE PROGRAM? AND I'M SO DISAPPOINTED BECAUSE YOU GUYS LET MONTROSE, WE DON'T HAVE MONEY IN OUR DISTRICT.
MONTROSE GOT TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK AS LONG AS THEY WANTED TO SPEAK.
AND I, I FEEL LIKE I'M PART OF THE FAMILY TOO.
NO, MAYBE I DON'T HAVE AS MUCH MONEY AS EVERYBODY ELSE, BUT I AM A PERSON JUST LIKE YOU.
[03:10:02]
MA'AM.SO ONE, UM, AND MAYOR, I THINK THIS IS IMPORTANT TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION.
UM, MA'AM, YOU'RE SAYING THAT THERE'S A RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY ALL OPERATING A COMMERCIAL BUSINESS? IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? MY APOLOGIES.
WHAT I'M SIMPLY SAYING, THIS IS A COMMERCIAL BUILDING.
THIS IS A COMMERCIAL PROPERTY IN, IN THE BEGINNING.
IT, THIS WAS MY, THIS IS NOT A COMMERCIAL PROPERTY.
IT WAS MY, I MEAN, IS THERE TWO SEPARATE INCIDENTS? I'M TALKING ABOUT MY HOUSE.
THEY WERE GOING TO BE REPAIRED.
IS THE DISPENSARY A A RESIDENTIAL, UH, SITE? OPERATING A COMMERCIAL BUSINESS? THE REASON WHY THEY'RE DOING THAT IS BECAUSE IT NO, MA'AM.
IS IT, IS IT A RESIDENTIAL OR IS IT A COMMERCIAL BUSINESS? IT IS ZONED AS COMMERCIAL BECAUSE IT WAS A DOCTOR'S OFFICE.
SECONDLY, LET ME QUICKLY WALK YOU THROUGH THE HOME REPAIR PROGRAM.
YOU'RE RIGHT, THERE'S A, UM, EVERY YEAR APPLICANTS MUST BE RECERTIFIED BECAUSE THEY'RE LIMITED FUNDS.
SOME APPLICANTS, UM, ARE ABLE TO FIND SUPPORT ELSEWHERE.
SOME APPLICANTS FALL OFF THAT LIST.
UM, WE INCREASE THE ALLOCATION FOR HOME REPAIR, BUT THAT IS A PART OF THE PROCESS TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE STILL ELIGIBLE IN THAT HOME.
SO ARE YOU IN THE QUEUE AND CERTIFIED FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR? UH, YES MA'AM.
SO DO YOU, WOULD YOU LIKE SOMEONE TO FOLLOW UP WITH YOU TO KNOW YOUR STATUS? UH, NO MA'AM.
I JUST THINK BECAUSE PRIMARILY IT'S DONE FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE ELDERLY AND OLDER, THAT IT IS VERY TEDIOUS TO RE RESUBMIT THAT SAME INFORMATION OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
AND EACH TIME YOU APPLY, YOU NEVER SENT WHAT THE PARTICULARS OF THE PROGRAM IS LIKE.
I JUST FOUND OUT IT WAS GOING TO BE 20 YEARS.
THE LAST TIME WE DID IT, IT WAS THREE.
NOW IT'S 20 YEARS THAT YOU'RE GONNA PUT A LIEN ON THE HOUSE.
YOU DIDN'T SAY THAT BEFORE YOU SENT THE PROGRAM? NO, WE REDUCED THE LIEN.
I CAN YOU SAY, CAN YOU SHARE THE, UH, PAPERWORK? CAN YOU GET IT TO RENEE? TO RENEE PLEASE? THANK YOU.
DO YOU HAVE A NAME OF SOMEONE THAT YOU'VE BEEN DEALING WITH? UH, IT'S, IT'S ON THAT, THAT, THAT PAPER THERE, I, I WENT ALL THE WAY UP TO OKAY.
EXCEPT FOR THE, THE LAST PERSON.
THEY SAID I HAD TO GO THROUGH THE CHAIN OF COMMANDER.
AND IN THE MEANTIME, THAT'S WHEN I CALLED TASHA.
AND THEN IN THE MEANTIME, THAT'S WHEN I GOT ON THE LIST BECAUSE I'M JUST SAYING, EVEN IF I DON'T TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE PROGRAM, JUST PLEASE, IF YOU'RE GONNA RECERTIFY US, PLEASE TELL US WHAT THE PROGRAM IS.
I GOT ALL THE WAY TO COMPLETION.
THEY WERE GOING TO FIX MY HOUSE, AND THEN THEY TOLD ME THAT MY FOUR BEDROOM THAT I HAD, THEY WERE GONNA CONVERT IT TO A TWO BEDROOM.
AT THAT TIME, I WAS HELPING PEOPLE STAY WITH ME WITH THAT.
AND SO I DIDN'T DO THE PROGRAM.
AND THANK YOU GUYS FOR WAITING.
WE'RE GONNA CHECK COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON.
MS. CALDWELL, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR COMING DOWN AND MAKING US AWARE OF EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON WITH YOU.
SOMEONE FROM MY STAFF IS AT THAT DOOR AND THEY'RE GONNA WORK WITH YOU IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE TO HELP US.
AND THEN I KNOW, UM, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS, SHE HAS YOUR PAPERWORK AND SO WE WILL LOOK INTO IT AND WORK WITH YOU, UM, TO, TO GET TO MEDIATE THESE, THESE ISSUES.
UH, MAYOR WHITMEYER, MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL.
I AM A 40 YEAR RESIDENT AT THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
THE LAST 14 I'VE BEEN HERE IN MONTROSE.
I'M ONE OF OVER 4,000 MONTROSE RESIDENTS THAT ARE ASKING FOR A CHANGE TO THE PLAN THAT THE TIER HAS SUBMITTED FOR THE MONTROSE BOULEVARD IMPROVEMENT.
MONTROSE IS A MAJOR THOROUGH FOR, IT IS A CROSS TOWN ARTERY FOR REGIONAL GOODS AND TRANSIT.
IT'S A VITAL CORRIDOR FOR EMERGENCY VEHICLES TRYING TO GET TO THE MEDICAL CENTER FOR COMMUTERS, UH, FOR EVERYDAY PEOPLE THAT WANNA COME IN AND ENJOY WHAT MONTROSE CAN OFFER.
BUT IT'S ALSO A NEIGHBORHOOD STREET WITH OAKS LINING MEDIANS AND SIDEWALKS.
PRESERVING THESE TREES MAINTAINS THE CHARACTER OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVES WALKABILITY AND BREATHABILITY.
[03:15:01]
THE A HUNDRED PERCENT PLAN THAT THE MONTROSE TIER HAD SUBMITTED IS REALLY DESIGNED TO TAKE DOWN ALL OF THE TREES THAT ARE CURRENTLY ON BOTH SIDES OF THE, UH, STREET IN ORDER TO PUT BIKES AND PEDESTRIANS ON THE SHARED PATH.WE DON'T NEED A 10 FOOT SHARED PATH.
UH, THE 2017 BIKE PLAN THAT DEVELOPED THE BIKE PLAN FOR THE AREA HAS A VERY ROBUST PLAN FOR THE SURROUNDING STREETS IN MONTROSE.
THEY DO NOT NEED TO BE ON MONTROSE BOULEVARD THEMSELVES.
METRO CAN WORK WITH COMMUTE SOLUTIONS AND MITIGATION, UH, CONGESTION MITIGATION PROGRAMS TO PROVIDE FREE RIDES FOR CYCLISTS THAT WANT TO GET DOWN THE BOULEVARD AND GET ON THE BUSES AND BE ABLE TO DO THAT WITHOUT COST TO THEM.
UH, THOSE ARE OPTIONS THAT ARE AVAILABLE.
WE HAVE A GROUP OF US HERE TODAY THAT WANT TO PRESENT SOME POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS, BUT WHAT WE REALLY NEED IS FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO DIRECT THE TIERS THAT WE DO NEED A BETTER PLAN.
AT THE MEETING LAST NIGHT FOR THE TIERS BOARD, THEIR CHAIR AND THEIR ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT SAID THAT THEY WERE NOT PART OF THE PAUSE FOR THE ROAD DIETS AND THE OFF OR THE STREET BIKE LANES.
UH, WE REALLY NEED YOU TO WORK WITH US, WORK WITH THE TIER SO THAT THEY CAN HEAR WHAT WE'RE SAYING.
MONTROSE RESIDENTS WANT THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD PROTECTED.
WE WANT SAFETY, WE WANT MOBILITY, BUT WE ALSO WANNA KEEP THE TRAFFIC MOVING.
UH, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR CONSIDERING OUR REQUEST, UH, LOOKING AT THE TRADE-OFFS ARE BEING MADE, HELPING US TO KEEP OUR SHADE CANOPY AND OUR TREES.
I BRING TO THE PODIUM TODAY 26 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AS THE SENIOR MANAGER AND DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL PROJECTS FOR THE LATE COMMISSIONER L FRANCO LEE.
I HAVE CONSIDERABLE EXPERIENCE IN BUILDING ROADS, BRIDGES, PARKS, PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE CITY.
SO I COME TO YOU TODAY TO CARRY ON WHAT MS. JASO JUST SAID.
I WROTE AN ARTICLE IN THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE LAST SUNDAY ASKING FOR THE PRESERVATION OF THE 60 LIVE OAKS THAT WE WOULD LOSE AS PART OF THIS PROJECT.
BUT I WANNA COME TO YOU TODAY TO NOT ONLY MAKE THAT POINT, TO MAKE THE POINT THAT THERE ARE OTHER ISSUES THAT WE FACE IN DEALING WITH THE TURS IN THAT AREA.
DURING THE DAYS OF COMMISSIONER LEE'S SERVICE, WE, WE, UH, WITNESSED THE FIRST TURS.
WE HAVE 20 SEVENT IS NOW, AND THEY'RE BEING USED AS A METHOD OF GO AHEAD OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT THAT IS DISCONNECTED FROM THE COMMUNITY AND FROM INPUT BY THOSE COMMUNITIES.
INPUT IS NOT MANDATE, BUT IT IS VERY NECESSARY IN A DEMOCRATIC PROCESS THAT WE LISTEN.
THIS TOUR IS A VERY ADAMANT TURS.
IT SEEMS TO BE FEEL ITSELF TO BE AN ELITIST GROUP OVER AND ABOVE THOSE WHO BRING INFORMATION TO THE TABLE.
WE HAVE OTHER PEOPLE HERE TODAY WHO ARE GONNA MAKE, UH, PRESENTATIONS CONCERNING THAT WHAT I'M ASKING CITY COUNCIL TO DO, AND THE MAYOR, I REALLY WANNA CONGRATULATE YOU ON YOUR MORATORIUM IN TERMS OF THAT BECAUSE WE ARE SEEING PROJECTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY THAT I FEEL IS PARTIALLY BROUGHT ABOUT BY THE LACK OF THESE TOURS GROUPS LISTENING TO COMMUNITIES ABOUT THAT DEVELOPMENT.
IF YOU DON'T ENFORCE THAT FROM THE PEOPLE THAT YOU APPOINT TO THESE T TO ACTUALLY DO THE RIGHT THING AND LISTEN TO COMMUNITIES AND DO WHAT IS LOGICALLY NECESSARY IN THOSE COMMUNITIES, WE WILL DEFINITELY HAVE THIS DISCONNECT FROM NOW ON.
MAY I SUSPECT THAT A LOT OF THIS IS DUE TO DIS UH, UH, A DISCONNECT AND LACK OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THESE GROUPS.
PLEASE UNDERSTAND, THE TOURISM IS A PROXY GOVERNMENT.
THEY'RE NOT THE PEOPLE WE ELECTED.
SO WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE DIRECT VOICE TO YOU, TO LISTEN TO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO AND NOT HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS, PUT THIS MEMBRANE, THIS GOVERNMENTAL MEMBRANE THAT REALLY DOESN'T LISTEN TO WHAT WE WANT IN THE COMMUNITY.
I AM A 37 YEAR RESIDENT OF MONTROSE BOULEVARD.
MONTROSE IS A VERY DIVERSE COMMUNITY.
AND I HEARD SOME COMMENTS TODAY ABOUT MONTROSE AS BEING LISTENED.
MONTROSE IS A VERY, VERY DIVERSE COMMUNITY OF A LOT OF DIFFERENT
[03:20:01]
CLASSES AND VERY, VERY EDUCATED PEOPLE.AND NOT ONLY THAT TOUR, DET PROCESS IN THIS CITY NEEDS TO BE RECONSIDERED AS A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT APPROACH.
AND MAYOR, I SAY TO YOU, YOU'RE TWO MONTHS IN OFFICE AND YOU KNOW, I KNOW YOU WELL, I GO BACK TO YOUR SISTER-IN-LAW.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, IN THE, IN THE DAYS OF KATHY WHITMEYER, UH, THIS HAS NOT BEEN THE BEST MEANS.
OUR COUNTY, OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT IN THE CITY SHOULD HAVE THIS RESPONSIBILITY OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND NOT HAVE TO LISTEN TO GROUPS WHO DON'T EVEN LIVE IN THE COMMUNITIES IN WHICH THEY NOW CONTROL THE CONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT OF.
SO I ASK YOU TO NOT ONLY CON NOT
IF YOU READ MY ARTICLE, YOU CAN SEE IT'S A VERY PART OF THE HISTORY OF HOUSTON, BUT ALSO TO ACTUALLY JERK THE CHAIN OF THIS TOUR, TO MAKE THEM LISTEN TO WHAT THE COMMUNITY HAS TO OFFER IN TERMS OF MAKING THESE PROJECTS BETTER.
UH, MS. SMITH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER KAMAN, MR. BENSON, IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU.
AND I WANNA THANK YOU FIRST AND FOREMOST FOR YOUR SERVICE.
NOT TO JUST THE CITY, BUT TO THE COUNTY AND YOUR LONG YEARS.
UM, AND I DID READ YOUR ARTICLE.
I TAKE ISSUE WITH A FEW THINGS, BUT I'M NOT HERE TO ARGUE WITH YOU.
UM, HOWEVER, I DO WANNA SAY AS IT RELATES TO ARTUR IS ONE, THE MONTROSE TUR IN PARTICULAR HAS BEEN ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY.
AND NOT EVERYONE MAY AGREE, BUT THE LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT, AND THERE'S ALWAYS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT.
BUT THE LEVEL ENG OF ENGAGEMENT THAT WE HAVE SEEN ON THIS PROJECT IN PARTICULAR COMPARED TO SOME OF EVEN THE OTHER TSAS, RIGHT? THERE'S TSAS THAT DON'T EVEN NECESSARILY MEET ON PROJECTS AND THAT'S A PROBLEM.
BUT FOR THREE YEARS THEY HAVE BEEN HAVING COMMUNITY MEETING AFTER COMMUNITY MEETING, AND EVEN THE SHARED USE PATHS THAT WERE DESIGNED.
AND THERE HAVE BEEN COMPROMISES BASED ON FEEDBACK FROM RESIDENTS.
THERE HAVE BEEN ALTER AL ALTERATIONS TO THE PLANS AS EVEN SUBMITTED.
BUT ALL OF THAT WAS BASED ON COMMUNITY INPUT TO BEGIN WITH.
FROM CHALET STYLE COMMUNITY MEETINGS WHERE RESIDENTS THEMSELVES PUT, WE WANT THIS HERE, WE WANT THAT HERE.
SO TO CHARACTERIZE SPECIFIC TS IS I DON'T WANNA GET INTO PERSONALITY POLITICS.
AND AGAIN, I'M LISTENING TO YOU AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT.
BUT THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF THAT TOURS ARE RESIDENTS OF THAT AREA.
AND I DON'T WANT TO START SLINGING MUD AT PEOPLE THAT VOLUNTARILY GIVE THEIR TIME, JUST LIKE YOU DO FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE COMMUNITY.
AND THERE MAY BE DISAGREEMENTS ABOUT HOW TO BETTER THE COMMUNITY, BUT THESE ARE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE DEDICATING JUST AS MUCH TIME, IF NOT MORE, INCLUDING THE EXTRAORDINARY WORK.
WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE DIVERSITY OF MONTROSE, THE PUBLIC, THE MEETINGS THAT WERE JUST HAD ON AFFORDABILITY, MONTROSE TURNS ITSELF FUNDED AN AFFORDABILITY STUDY FOR HOUSING BECAUSE MONTROSE IS ONE OF THE, IF NOT THE, UH, LARGEST RATE OF EVICTIONS FOR RENTERS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON BECAUSE SO MANY FAMILIES ARE BEING PRICED OUT AND THEY'RE ONE OF THE FIRSTERS TO FOCUS ON HOUSING AND AFFORDABILITY INCLUSIVITY.
SO AGAIN, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE LISTENING TO ALL RESIDENTS AND THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT WAYS TO COMPROMISE AND TO FIND COMMON GROUND.
BUT I WANNA BE VERY CAREFUL IN CHARACTERIZING AND MISCHARACTERIZING, UH, GROUPS OF INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE DEDICATED TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND TO OUR CITY AS WELL.
UH, I CHAIRED, MY WIFE ASKED ME NOT TO TELL STORIES
MY BEST FRIEND WROTE THE GRANT FOR THE MULTI-SERVICE CENTER THAT WAS A, IS A DIS, IS A CENTER FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES.
LAST NIGHT I WITNESSED IN THE CHURCH MEETING A TURNING AGAINST OF THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY AGAINST THE TREE COMMUNITY, ALRIGHT? NOT ONLY AGAINST THE TREE COMMUNITY, BUT AGAINST OTHER INTEREST GROUPS IN THE COMMUNITY WHO COME TO THE TURS TO ASK FOR BETTER STREET CROSSINGS FOR THEIR CHILDREN IN SCHOOL, WHICH HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH SAVING THE TREES, BUT THEY HAVE BEEN PLOTTED, UH, PITTED AGAINST EACH OTHER.
SO THE POINT I'M GONNA MAKE TO YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER, I VOLUNTEERED TO CHAIR OF THAT BOARD.
I LED THE BUILDING OF THE SWIMMING POOL AT THE MULTI-SERVICE CENTER.
WHEN THAT POOL WAS GIVEN TO US, IT WAS, IT HAD NO ACCESSIBILITY.
THE ARCHITECT WHO DESIGNED IT SAID, WELL, WE CAN'T ASK FOR ACCESSIBILITY BECAUSE IT WAS GET DONE IN GRATIS.
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WE CAN'T GO BACK TO THE ARCHITECT AND ASK HIM TO DO SOMETHING FOR US.WHEN THEY VOLUNTEERED THAT SERVICE, THE VOLUNTEERING OF SERVICE, IS EXPECTED OF US.
I'M A COMBAT VETERAN AND I VOLUNTEERED FOR THE AIR FORCE, FLEW 145 MISSIONS IN VIETNAM.
ALRIGHT, SO I'M NOT ASKING ANYBODY TO THANK ME FOR VOLUNTEERING.
BAD INFORMATION, BAD ADVICE, BAD PROJECTS.
WHAT I WANT THE COUNCIL TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT THE PERSONS WHO ARE GETTING FOR FAR THE TREES ARE NOT AGAINST THE PROJECT.
WE WANT A BETTERMENT OF MONTROSE.
BUT I LIVE IN THE 3,600 BLOCK OF MONTROSE AND I FEEL THIS WAVE COMING TOWARD ME IN THE FUTURE IF WE DON'T RESOLVE THE COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN THE TURS AND THE COMMUNITY.
NOW, THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING FOR.
SO, COUNCIL MEMBER, I, I, I'M SORRY.
I JUST DON'T FEEL THAT TO SAY THAT BECAUSE A PERSON VOLUNTEERS, BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M SAYING.
AND I WILL SAY I'M A TREE PERSON.
HA LIKE WE HAVE WORKED SO HARD TO SAVE SO MANY TREES.
THERE ARE TREE PEOPLE BEING PITTED AGAINST OTHER TREE PEOPLE AT THIS POINT.
SO AGAIN, THIS IS ABOUT HOW WE ALL COME TOGETHER.
MY ISSUE AT THIS POINT IS THAT WE ARE SEEING THROUGH THIS PROJECT AND THE BEHAVIORS OF SOME, I'M NOT DIRECTING THAT AT YOU, OF THIS ISSUE LITERALLY TEARING APART THE FABRIC OF MONTROSE.
AND WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO COME TOGETHER AND YOU'RE, YOU ARE PREACHING TO THE CHOIR WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT WEST GRAY.
SO MAYOR, I'LL DO MY LITTLE PLUG ON WEST GRAY TOO 'CAUSE WE GOTTA DO MORE THERE AS WELL.
SO AGAIN, THIS ISN'T DIRECTED AT YOU, BUT WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO MOVE FORWARD.