* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [District F Deed Restrictions Workshop on April 27, 2024.] [00:00:10] GOOD MORNING. ALL RIGHT, SO A LITTLE BIT BEFORE 10. UM, YOU CAN CONTINUE EATING. FEEL FREE. THIS IS GOING TO BE A, A, A CASUAL TIME BETWEEN US AS WE LEARN. UM, SO FEEL FREE TO GET YOU SOME COFFEE AND SOME BREAKFAST, UM, THROUGHOUT THE PROGRAM. UM, I'M TIFFANY D. THOMAS, YOUR HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL MEMBER REPRESENTING DISTRICT F ON THE WEST SIDE. ALRIGHT. THAT'S RIGHT, THAT'S RIGHT. WE HAVE SOME BELIEVERS IN THE HOUSE. UM, AND SO ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I SAY WE'RE THE, UH, BEST SIDE OF HOUSTON IS BECAUSE, UH, ONE, BECAUSE OF YOU, THE INTENTION YOU HAVE WITH YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS, UM, MY COMMITMENT TO YOU REMAINS IN TERMS OF FIVE PRIORITIES, PUBLIC SAFETY, NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION, QUALITY OF LIFE, YOUTH, AND, UM, YOUTH PROGRAMMING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. AND ALL OF THAT STEMS FROM THE QUALITY OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. WE HAVE, UM, SO MANY SUBDIVISIONS THAT NEED INVESTMENT AND SUPPORT AND HAVE BEEN ASKING THE DISTRICT OFFICE IN THE CITY TO SUPPORT THEM. SO, TODAY WE ARE COMING BACK TO YOU WITH THE SECOND ANNUAL DEED RESTRICTION WORKSHOP. HOW MANY OF YOU WERE AT THE FIRST ONE LAST YEAR? IT WAS VERY HELPFUL. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SUPPORTING. AND, UM, AS I'VE BEEN MENTIONING AT CITY HALL, THE APPETITE IS BEYOND DISTRICT F. WE DO HAVE RESIDENTS THAT ARE NOT FROM DISTRICT F THAT ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF TODAY. SO, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR TRAVELING TO THE WEST SIDE. I'M LEAVING THE, THE SIX 10 LOOP. I KNOW FOR SOME OF YOU THAT'S A, A MAJOR FEAT, SO I I APPRECIATE THAT. UH, WE HAVE SOME REGISTERED FOR MISSOURI CITY, UH, DISTRICT D, DISTRICT K. WANT TO, UH, ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, UM, BEFORE, ALL RIGHT, DISTRICT K IN THE HOUSE. OKAY. I'M GONNA LET YOU, I'M GONNA LET THE MAYOR PRO TIM KNOW YOU REPRESENTED FULLY PRESENT, UM, BEFORE WE MOVE INTO OUR PROGRAM. 'CAUSE I REALLY WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UM, TODAY, UM, YOU GET THE ACCESS TO THE RESOURCES THAT WE'VE PROVIDED AND WE'VE REALLY ATTEMPTED TO CURATE, UM, INFORMATION, UM, AND RESOURCES AND SOME ACTIONABLE ITEMS FOR YOU TO TAKE BACK TO YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS. SO LET ME START WITH THANK YOUS. I WANT TO THANK THE DISTRICT F STAFF, STAFF TEAM, DISTRICT F TEAM. THEY HAPPEN TO BELIEVE ALL THESE BIG IDEAS I COME UP WITH IN THE OFFICE. LIKE, HEY, I THINK WE SHOULD DO THIS. AND THEN IT GETS TOGETHER AND WE PUT IT TOGETHER. SO I WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORT TODAY. UM, I ALSO WANNA THANK OUR PARTNERS IN CITY DEPARTMENTS. YOU'LL HEAR FROM RICE AND RICE LAW FIRM, BUT EVERY CITY DEPARTMENT THAT YOU SEE TODAY, UM, THEIR WILLINGNESS TO SAY YES FROM CITY LEGAL TO THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS, THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT, UM, AND WE DO HAVE OTHERS. PLEASE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ALL OF THE RESOURCES THAT SOMETIMES YOU MAY NOT BE AWARE OF. UH, SOMETIMES READING THE NEWSLETTER MAY BE FILLED WITH A LOT OF INFORMATION, AND WE ALL LIVE FAST LIVES, AND SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU DO THAT. UM, AT COUNCIL, THERE ARE, UH, 16 COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND WE DO HAVE AT LARGE MEMBERS. SO ALTHOUGH I'M YOUR AMAZING DISTRICT MEMBER, YOU DO . YOU DO HAVE, UH, FIVE AT LARGE MEMBERS. WE DO HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER JULIAN RAMIREZ HERE. HE TRAVELED ALL THE WAY TO THE WEST SIDE. Y'ALL, WE WILL REIMBURSE HIM FOR MILEAGE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. UH, UM, AND SO WE, YOU KNOW, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE SHARE WHAT OUR COLLEAGUES, WHAT'S HAPPENING. I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE DEEP RESTRICTION WORKSHOP, UM, CONSISTENTLY. AND THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN COMING TO CITY HALL, UM, UM, FROM VARIOUS NEIGHBORHOODS, PARTICULARLY AROUND SHORT TERM RENTALS, WHICH WE'LL TALK ABOUT. SO I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, THEM. AND THEN I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOU. THANK YOU FOR GETTING UP ON A SATURDAY MORNING, UM, AND MAKING THIS A PRIORITY. THANK YOU FOR SERVING ON YOUR CIVIC CLUB, YOUR HOA, OR BEING A CONCERNED CITIZEN OR JUST BEING A HOMEOWNER. UM, I'M A HOMEOWNER AND I'M SUPPOSED TO BE ON THIS DEED RESTRICTION COMMITTEE FROM MY HOA THAT WAS CR CREATED AND WRITTEN IN 1979. AND IT'S COMPLICATED, RIGHT? I IT'S COMPLICATED. UM, TO GET YOUR VOTES, WHO'S ATTENDED, WHO'S A HOMEOWNER WHO HAS A VOTE? ALL OF THAT IS COMPLICATED. SO, UM, I'M NOT SEPARATE OF YOUR EXPERIENCE, SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT. UM, I'M GONNA HAVE TO TEXT MY HOA PRESIDENT AND SEE WHERE SHE AT 'CAUSE SHE SHOULD BE IN THE HOUSE TOO. UM, SO TODAY, UM, SO MEET, UH, PEOPLE, UM, EXCHANGE INFORMATION. HOPEFULLY YOU HAVE A COPY OF YOUR DEEDS, UM, WITH YOU. UH, WE HAVE A POWERHOUSE, UH, A CREW WITH RICE AND RICE FIRM THAT'S BEEN INCREDIBLY HELPFUL. UM, NOT TO JUST TO DISTRICT F, BUT ALSO TO OTHER COUNCIL OFFICES. AND WE WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. AND THEN THEY'VE ALSO SPONSORED BREAKFAST. I WANNA SHOUT OUT OUR, OUR BREAKFAST SPONSOR. UH, IT'S CO COYS CULINARY CREATIONS. DID I SAY THAT RIGHT? COVE CUVEES CULINARY CREATION. UM, MS. IVORY WATKINS, LET'S GO AHEAD AND SHOW HER SOME LOVE. SHE'S FEEDING US GOOD ON THIS SATURDAY MORNING. UM, CONSIDER HER FOR YOUR NEXT EVENT. UM, SO I'M GOING TO CONCLUDE MY REMARKS. I DO HAVE TO STEP OUT. WE HAVE LOST A, A, A LONG TIME DISTRICT F MEMBER LOST HIS BATTLE WITH CANCER. SO I'LL BE AT MCGEE CHAPEL IN A COUPLE OF HOURS, UM, TO BRING REMARKS AND A PROCLAMATION, ACKNOWLEDGING HIM. I WENT TO SCHOOL WITH THREE OF HIS SONS AT A LEAF ELSIK. HE WAS ONE OF OUR BOOSTER [00:05:01] CLUB, UH, PRESIDENTS, UM, FOR ELSAC HIGH SCHOOL. AND SO WAS A TREMENDOUS HELP TO ME THROUGH MY CAMPAIGN, UM, AND JUST AS A COMMUNITY MEMBER. SO WOULD ONLY BE RIGHT THAT I HONOR HIM AND HIS FAMILY, BUT I WILL BE BACK. YOU'RE IN GOOD HANDS WITH THE STAFF. I'LL BE HERE. I'LL BE, YOU KNOW, WHISPERING IN SOME OF YOUR EARS. IT'S GOOD TO PUT MY EYES ON MANY OF YOU. WE SEE EACH OTHER AT CIVIC CLUB MEETINGS. AND SO NOW WE GET TO, UM, DO IT IN FACE. SO I'M HERE, WE'RE GONNA SPEND TIME TOGETHER. UM, AND I WANNA SHOUT OUT MY SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD PRESIDENT, BARBARA CUATRO. ALRIGHT, THIS THE TREE LADY. YOU PLANTING TREES, YOU GOTTA TALK TO BARBARA. UH, SHE RIGHT? LOOK PLANT TREES. SHE'S GONNA KEEP US, UH, KEEP US, UH, UH, HONEST WITH OUR TREES. AND IF YOU HAVE NOT HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, EXPERIENCE THE A LEAF NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER, PLEASE DO THAT. BARBARA AND MANY OF HER COLLEAGUES ARE, ARE THE REASON WHY WE WERE ABLE TO WALK THAT TO THE FINISH LINE. UM, THE REASON WHY THE CITY IS ABLE TO A LEAF IS NOW AN ENVY OF THE CITY, UM, UH, FOR THAT. SO I WANNA PUBLICLY, UH, ACKNOWLEDGE YOU FOR THAT. SO I'M GONNA, UM, SIT DOWN AND THEN I'M GOING TO, UM, OPEN UP THE FLOOR TO, UH, UM, OUR SPEAKERS TODAY. UH, RICE AND RICE PARTNER. RICE AND RICE LAW FIRM. THANK YOU. I DON'T WANNA CREATE RE I WANNA THANK EVERYBODY FOR HAVING US TODAY. UM, WHAT WE FIND IS VERY USEFUL IS NOT FOR US TO STAND UP HERE AND QUOTE THE LAW AND GO OVER THE LAW. WE WANNA ADDRESS YOUR PROBLEMS THAT YOU'RE HAVING AND THEN GIVE YOU SOME LEGAL SOLUTIONS. AND WHAT I KNOW, ONE OF THE PROBLEMS THAT EVERYBODY'S CONCERNED ABOUT IS SHORT TERM RENTALS. AND NOW AN HOA CAN HANDLE THEM FROM A DIFFERENT STANDPOINT THAN THE CITY OF HOUSTON OR ANY OTHER CITY. WITH REGARD TO AN HOA, THERE'S BEEN RECENT COURT OF APPEALS DECISIONS THAT HAVE SAID IF YOU AMEND YOUR RESTRICTIONS AND YOUR RESTRICTIONS SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS SHORT-TERM RENTALS, AND THEY STATE, YOU KNOW, LET'S, FOR, FOR INSTANCE, LET'S SAY NOBODY CAN RENT A HOME FOR LESS THAN 30 DAYS OR 60 DAYS OR WHATEVER YOU WANT. IF YOU HAVE THAT IN YOUR RESTRICTIONS AND IT'S BEEN ADOPTED, THAT IS ENFORCEABLE. YOU CAN STOP PEOPLE FROM DOING IT. YOU DO NOT HAVE THE CONSTITUTIONAL HURDLES THAT A CITY HAS. YOU ARE NOT SUBJECT TO THOSE HURDLES. THEREFORE, IF YOU AMEND YOUR RESTRICTIONS, YOU CAN DO IT, THEN YOU CAN START ENFORCING THEM. BUT IT'S GOT TO BE SPECIFIC LANGUAGE IN YOUR RESTRICTIONS. YOU CAN'T USE LANGUAGE THAT SAYS, OH, WE CAN'T HAVE BUSINESSES HERE. THAT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH. THE COURTS WANNA SEE IT STATED IN THERE SPECIFICALLY. SO THAT'S ONE WAY YOU CAN ADDRESS IT. IF THE CITY IS UNABLE TO HELP YOU AND THE CITIES HAVE BEEN RUNNING INTO SOME PROBLEM, CONSTITUTIONAL PROBLEMS WITH THAT, AND DAMON WILL ADDRESS THAT. HE'S WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON LEGAL DEPARTMENT, HE'LL BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THAT FOR YOU. SO THAT'S ONE WAY YOU CAN DO IT. AND IT'S, AND IT'S, IT'S GONNA BE A CHORE TO AMEND YOUR RESTRICTIONS. BUT THAT'S WHAT YOU CAN DO. YES MA'AM. WHEN YOU THERE FORCE IT OUT, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO END. YOU MAY END UP HAVING TO FOLLOW FOR THE, FOR THE QUESTIONS AGAIN. YES, MA'AM. THIS LADY ASKED IF IT'S IN THERE, IF YOU ALREADY HAVE IT IN YOUR RESTRICTIONS, HOW DO YOU ENFORCE IT? ULTIMATELY, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO FILE A LAWSUIT. SO THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE GONNA END UP. IF YOU SEND THEM A DEMAND LETTER AND YOU TELL THEM YOU CAN'T BE DOING THIS AND THEY IGNORE YOU, YOU'RE GONNA EVENTUALLY END UP IN THE COURT SYSTEM. BUT THE GOOD THING IS YOU'VE GOT APPELLATE DECISIONS AND YOU'VE GOT THE SUPREME COURT WHO ARE BACKING YOU. AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT JUDGES ARE LOOKING FOR, WHO ARE IN THE DISTRICT COURT LEVEL OR COUNTY COURT LEVEL. OKAY. AND WHAT ARE SOME OTHER PROBLEMS THAT Y'ALL NEED TO ADDRESS FOR YOU, SUSAN? CAN I JUST, UH, SPEAK TO YES, MA'AM. ON THE SURVEY? YES MA'AM. SO ON THE SURVEY, THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE THAT WAS REGISTERING. AND THEN WE HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, UH, THAT WE WANTED TO POST CHECK FROM YOU IN TERMS OF PRIORITY ISSUES. DO I NEED A MIC? I THINK I'M LOUDER. OKAY. FOR HTV PURPOSES. 'CAUSE YOU KNOW, I CAN GET IT ACROSS A, A FOOTBALL FIELD, YOU'LL HEAR ME. UM, SO THERE WERE SOME THINGS WE WERE CURIOUS AND WE WANTED TO KNOW. 'CAUSE WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE CURATED, UH, RESOURCES TO YOU THAT WERE, UH, DIRECTLY BENEFICIAL. WE HAVE SOME BLOWUPS OF SOME OF THE ORDINANCES THAT WE ASKED ABOUT PROHIBITED YARD PARKING. I KNOW THAT WAS AN ISSUE IN TANGO WILD RECENTLY. UM, MANY OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE ADOPTED THIS. I BELIEVE IN DISTRICT F. WE HAVE EIGHT SUBDIVISIONS THAT HAVE ALREADY, UM, THEY ALREADY HAVE PROHIBITED YARD PARKING EITHER IN THEIR DEEDS OR THEY'VE GONE THROUGH THE CITY PROCESS FOR ORDINANCE. UH, WE ALSO HAVE THE CIVILITY ORDINANCE, THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE, UH, [00:10:01] RIVERSIDE ACTUALLY WAS IN THE PROCESS AND THAT JUST WENT THROUGH, UH, I WANNA SAY MAYBE TWO MONTHS AGO. UM, WE DON'T HAVE ANY CIVILITY ORDINANCES IN THE DISTRICT. UM, BUT THIS IS AN OPTION. WE HAVE THIS LANGUAGE THAT IS PRINTED, SO FEEL FREE TO MUSE AND, AND AND, AND LOOK AT THAT. AND THEN THERE'S SOME DEFINITIONS IN TERMS OF BOARDING HOME, HOTEL, LODGING FACILITY AND SINGLE FAMILY. REMEMBER LAST YEAR THERE WERE A LOT OF QUESTIONS AROUND HOW DO WE DEFINE SINGLE FAMILY? WHAT IS THAT? RIGHT? AND SO, UM, THE LANGUAGE THAT THE CITY ADOPTS IS RIGHT HERE. SO I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT. AND THEN SUSIE, IT MAY BE HELPFUL. SOME OF THE FEEDBACK WAS CIVILITY, ORDINANCE, TRESPASS, AFFIDAVITS, HOME REPAIR. UH, SHORT TERM RENTALS IS THE DOMINANT. AND SO, UH, WHEN WE ARE, AND I THINK CITY LEGAL WILL ADDRESS THAT. I DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE OUR CITY ATTORNEY, ARTURO MICHELLE, CAN YOU, HE KEEPS US IN LINE. HE TRIES TO, HE WORKS REALLY HARD TRYING TO KEEP US IN LINE. AND THERE HAS BEEN SOME CONVERSATION FROM THE ADMINISTRATION. I I, I'LL ALLOW HIM TO KIND OF TALK ABOUT, UH, SOME UPDATES, UM, THAT THE ADMINISTRATION IS WORKING ON TO ADDRESS SHORT TERM RENTALS IN THE CITY. AND HE CAN GIVE SOME CONTEXT IN TERMS OF PREVIOUS CONVERSATIONS WITH PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION AND THEN CURRENTLY WHAT'S AT OUR TABLE. BUT THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THE PEOPLE IN THE ROOM, UM, HAVE AN APPETITE TO DISCUSS TODAY. ALRIGHT. AND I THINK SOME PEOPLE WERE ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT HOMEOWNERS OPERATING AN AUTO REPAIR BUSINESS AT THE RESIDENCE. IF IT'S, IF IT'S PROHIBITED IN YOUR DEED RESTRICTIONS, HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED TO KEEP IN MIND. YOU HAVE A FOUR YEAR STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS. SO IF YOU LET THAT AUTO REPAIR BUSINESS STAY BEYOND FOUR YEARS, THEN YOU'RE GONNA BE LIVING WITH THAT AUTO REPAIR BUSINESS. THE GOOD THING IS, IS THE COURT OF APPEALS OUT OF HOUSTON HAVE ACTUALLY SAID, AND THIS WAS A SITUATION WHERE YOU HAD SOMEBODY WHO WAS RUNNING A BEAUTY SHOP OUT OF THEIR GARAGE. THEY HAD HAD IT THERE FIVE YEARS. THEY SAID STATUTE LIMITATIONS RAN ON THAT. THE LADY SHUT IT DOWN FOR THREE WEEKS BECAUSE SHE WENT BACK TO MINNESOTA, CAME BACK, DECIDED TO OPEN IT UP AGAIN. THEY SAID, YOU'VE CREATED A NEW CAUSE OF ACTION. SO YOUR NEW FOUR YEARS HAS STARTED UP, YOU CAN NOW SHUT IT DOWN. SO WHAT Y'ALL NEED TO DO IS DON'T SIT AROUND AND COMPLAIN ABOUT IT. YOU'VE GOTTA DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT AUTO REPAIR BUSINESS. AND IF THEY DON'T SHUT IT DOWN ON THEIR OWN, YOU'RE ULTIMATELY GONNA END UP IN THE COURT SYSTEM. YOU WILL HAVE TO, AND THAT WILL COST MONEY. SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT IF YOU DON'T HAVE VOLUNTARY DUES, I MEAN, IF YOU DON'T HAVE MANDATORY DUES, THAT YOU MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE CONTRIBUTING SO YOU CAN ENFORCE YOUR RESTRICTIONS. YES, SIR. MULTIPLE TIMES. I'M INVOLVED IN TWO HOAS. OH, OKAY. SO, UM, I'M INVOLVED IN TWO HOAS. ONE IS IN THE CITY LIMITS OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON. THE OTHER IS IN THE ETJ. MM-HMM . OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON. ARE WHAT YOU'RE DISCUSSING DEPENDENT ON BEING IN CITY LIMITS? NO. OR IT'S MORE STATE LAW? IT'S, THIS IS, THIS IS ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE IN A CITY TO ENFORCE YOUR RESTRICTIONS. MOST HOAS ARE JUST IN COUNTIES. MM-HMM . THEY'RE NOT EVEN IN THE CITY LIMITS. 'CAUSE YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU GO ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS, YOU HAVE SMALLER CITIES AND THE HOAS ARE ACTUALLY IN THE COUNTIES. THEY'RE NOT REALLY LOCATED IN THAT PARTICULAR CITY. SO THEREFORE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHETHER YOU'RE IN A CITY OR YOU'RE JUST IN A COUNTY, DOESN'T MATTER. YOU CAN ENFORCE YOUR RESTRICTIONS AND EVERYBODY WILL ENFORCE THEM THE SAME WAY. OKAY. THANK YOU. YES, SIR. YES. YES, SIR. I'LL GET TO YOU MA'AM. AND THEN LET ME GET HIM. YES, SIR. GOOD MORNING. I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT THE CURRENT SITUATIONS WITH SQUATTERS THAT ARE OCCURRING IN NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE THEY'RE OBVIOUSLY BREAKING INTO NEIGHBORHOODS OR BREAKING INTO HOMES AND THEN PUTTING UP, UH, TRESPASSING SIGNS AFTER THE FACT TO ACTUALLY WARN OR I GUESS TO JUSTIFY THEIR EXISTENCE THERE. SO I'M LOOKING AT DIFFERENT WAYS OF HOW CAN WE STOP THAT FROM EVEN OCCURRING FROM THE START. ARE THE, ARE THE OWNERS OF THE PROPERTY DOING ANYTHING ABOUT THE SQUATTERS? UNFORTUNATELY, WITH THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY, THE OWNER AND THEIR RELATIVES, FOR THE MOST PART, IMMEDIATE RELATIVES PASSED, HAVE ALREADY PASSED ON. SO IT WAS A HOME THAT SUPPOSEDLY WE WERE TOLD BELONGED TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND HOUSING. BUT IN CONTACTING HOUSING, HOUSING IS BASICALLY SAYING THAT THEY'RE LOOKING INTO IT, BUT THEY CAN'T GIVE US ANY SOLID INFORMATION ON THAT PARTICULAR PROPERTY. WELL, WHAT THEY MAY BE DOING IS, AND WHAT I KNOW, WHAT I WOULD DO IN THAT PARTICULAR SITUATION, YOU'RE GONNA TRY TO FIND SOME TYPE OF HEIRS. AND IF YOU, EVEN IF YOU CAN'T, I HAVE HAD HOAS TO WHERE THEY HAVE FILED SUIT AND BASICALLY SAY THE UNKNOWN HEIRS OF WHOEVER THE NAME OF THAT THAT FORMER OWNER WAS. AND THEN YOU'VE PUT IT IN THE COURT SYSTEM AND YOU WILL GIVE NOTICE BY PUBLICATION AND EVERYTHING ELSE. SO [00:15:01] THAT'S HOW YOU CAN ATTACK IT. EVEN IF YOU CAN'T FIND ANY HEIRS, THAT'S WHAT YOU CAN DO IN THAT PARTICULAR SITUATION. Y YES MA'AM. GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. UH, WE'RE NOT A HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION. WE ARE A CIVIC CLUB. AND IF WE COULD BACKTRACK A LITTLE BIT, I'D LIKE AN UNDERSTANDING ABOUT SINGLE FAMILY DWELLINGS. ONE OF OUR, UM, NEIGHBORS TOOK HIS GARAGE AND TURNED IT INTO AN APARTMENT AND IT IS BELIEVED THAT HE IS RENTING IT OUT. IS THAT SOMETHING I, OUR DE RESTRICTIONS COVER THAT, HOWEVER, HOW DO WE ENFORCE THAT? YEAH, WHAT WE WOULD HAVE TO DO IS LOOK AT YOUR PARTICULAR RESTRICTIONS. AND NOW WHAT THE COURTS LOOK AT IT AS IS WHEN, WHEN YOU REFER TO WHEN A, WHEN RESTRICTIONS REFER TO SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTS, THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT THE TYPE OF STRUCTURE, NOT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE. NOT IF THEY'RE RELATED OR NOT. THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT THE PARTICULAR STRUCTURE AND, AND THEY BASICALLY, THEY SAY, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN HAVE AN APARTMENT OR IT MAY BE A CONDO OR A DUPLEX OR TOWNHOUSE, SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTS OR HOMES THAT ARE LIKE RESIDENTS AND THEY ARE DIFFERENT FROM TOWN HOMES, CONDOS. SO WE WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT YOUR RESTRICTIONS WITH REGARD TO WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT ANY TYPE OF APARTMENTS. AND THERE YOU START GETTING INTO THE LANGUAGE IS GONNA NEED TO BE PARTICULAR. DOES IT STATE THAT THEY HAVE TO HAVE A GARAGE? THAT THE GARAGE CANNOT BE USED, CLOSED IN, OR USED AS ANY TYPE OF RESIDENCE. THAT'S WHERE YOUR LANGUAGE COMES INTO EFFECT IN YOUR PARTICULAR RESTRICTIONS. YES, MA'AM. SO OUR DEED RESTRICTIONS WERE WRITTEN IN 1950. AND SO SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENT WAS SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENT, MEANING A FAMILY WHERE THEY WERE RELATED TO EACH OTHER LIVING IN A SINGLE RESIDENT. WELL, WHAT HERE'S WHAT YOU'VE GOT TO DO IS IT NEEDS TO, IT NEEDS TO BE STATED SPECIFICALLY. THAT'S WHAT IT MEANS IN YOUR RESTRICTIONS. I KNOW, BUT I'M TALKING ABOUT TODAY. THIS IS, THIS IS WHAT THE COURTS ARE LOOKING AT TODAY. THEY'RE BASICALLY SAYING YOUR RESTRICTIONS. IF THEY'RE JUST DESCRIBING THE TYPE OF BUILDING, THAT'S ALL IT IS. AND THEY SAY THAT MEANS THAT CAN'T BE CONDO, CAN'T BE TOWNHOUSE, CAN'T BE DUPLEX, CAN'T BE AN APARTMENT. BUT IF IT'S DESCRIBING WHO THE PEOPLE ARE LIVING THERE, THAT'S DIFFERENT. AND THE COURTS ARE REALLY HESITANT ABOUT SAYING THAT ONLY, YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHAT A FAMILY IS IN AMERICA. THEY'RE NOT GONNA DO THAT. THEY DON'T WANT TO DO THAT BECAUSE AMERICA'S A MELTING POT. WE'VE GOT SO MANY DIFFERENT TYPE OF ETHNICITIES THAT, AND THEY ALL LOOK ON FAMILIES DIFFERENTLY. SO YOUR RESTRICTIONS MAY HAVE BEEN LOOKED ON THAT WAY IN THE FIFTIES, BUT THE COURTS ARE GONNA READ THEM HOW THEY'RE READING THEM TODAY. YES, MA'AM. GOOD MORNING. A FEW YEARS BACK, I WAS HAVING A FINANCIAL DIFFICULTY. I WAS BEHIND IN MY HOA FEES FOR THREE YEARS, WHICH TOTALED $2,500. I WENT TO MY CREDIT UNION, BORROWED THAT $2,500 TO PAY MY BACK, PAY THE HOA AND THEIR LAW FIRM SUED ME BECAUSE THEY SAID I DID NOT GET THE D VIOLATION FIXED, WHICH WAS SIDING TO BE PAINTED. SO THEY SUED ME AND THEN I OBTAINED A PERSONAL LAWYER, WHICH PAID HER 5,000, NEVER SAW HER A DAY IN MY LIFE. AND, UH, I JUST WANT TO KNOW, WHAT COULD I DO ABOUT THAT? WELL, WHAT YOU MAY WANNA DO IS REACH BACK OUT TO THE LAWYER THAT YOU PAID THE MONEY TO TRY TO GET THAT WORKED OUT WITH HER. IF, IF SHE'S GOT TO BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU A BREAKDOWN OF HER TIME, HOW MUCH IT COSTS, AND IF SHE OWES YOU A REFUND, SHE'S GOT TO GIVE YOU THE BACK THAT REFUND. IF THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN, IF YOU DON'T GET A RESPONSE, THEN YOU CAN REACH OUT TO THE STATE BAR OF TEXAS AND THEY WILL HELP YOU WITH THAT. BUT FIRST, REACH OUT TO THE ATTORNEY AND FIND OUT FROM THE ATTORNEY, GIMME THAT BREAKDOWN. GIMME AN INVOICE THAT SHOWS ME EVERYTHING THAT WAS SPENT. BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO A REFUND IF THE ATTORNEY DIDN'T EARN THAT MONEY. YES, SIR. HE GOES, HE'S THE MIC. HI. UM, EVERY TWO YEARS AFTER THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION, I DOWNLOAD THE, THE, THE, THE NEW SUMMARY OF THE PROPERTY CODES. THE LAST TWO TIMES THERE'S A NEW TERM THAT'S APPEARED, A POA, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A PROPERTY OWNER'S ASSOCIATION AND THE, AND THE, UH, PROPERTY CODES, [00:20:01] UM, FOR SINGLE FAMILY DWELLINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH AND OUR DEED RESTRICTIONS AND BYLAWS FOR THE LAST 20, 30 YEARS? WELL, BASICALLY WHAT THE PROPERTY CODE AND THE LEGISLATURE, WE ALL HELP THEM WRITE THIS UP IN THE STATE OF TEXAS. YOU HAVE SOME ASSOCIATIONS ARE CALLED HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATIONS. SOME ARE CALLED PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION. SOME ARE CALLED OWNERS ASSOCIATION. SOME ARE EVEN CALLED CIVIC CLUBS. BUT THEY MAY ALL BE DOING THE SAME THING. AND THEY USUALLY ARE, IT'S JUST DIFFERENT TERMS THAT ARE USED WHEN THEY WERE CREATED BY THE DEVELOPER. BUT THE PROPERTY CODE RECOGNIZES THEM. IF YOU LOOK AT THE GOVERNING DOCUMENTS AS DOING THE SAME THING AND THE WAY YOU BECOME SUBJECT TO SECTION 2 0 9 AND 2 0 4 OF THE PROPERTY CODE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE MANDATORY ASSESSMENTS AND YOU HAVE TO, AND THAT P-O-A-H-O-A OWNERS ASSOCIATION OR CIVIC CLUB HAS TO BE RECOGNIZED IN THE GOVERNING DOCUMENTS AS ENFORCING THE GOVERNING DOCUMENTS. SO THAT MAKES YOU SUBJECT TO THAT. BUT THE REASON WHY WE'VE MENTIONED ALL THOSE TERMS IS BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL USED INTERCHANGEABLY IN GOVERNING DOCUMENTS. THEY'RE ALL USED INTERCHANGEABLY IN COURT CASES, BUT THEY'RE ALL DOING THE SAME THING. SO THAT'S ALL THAT MEANS WHEN THEY SAY, WHEN THEY SAY POA, IT'S A PROPERTY OWNER'S ASSOCIATION, LIKE A HOMEOWNER'S ASSOCIATION. OKAY. WHEN, WHEN WE GO AND WRITE OUR POLICIES TO FILE HARRIS COUNTY COURT, NOW GO BACK AND REDO OUR, OUR POLICIES TO, TO REFERENCE BOTH NO SIR SECTIONS OF THE STATE STATUTES. WHAT THIS GENTLEMAN IS ASKING IS, IS YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO FILE YOUR GOVERNING DOCUMENTS, WHICH INCLUDES ALL YOUR POLICIES. LET'S SAY YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO ADOPT LIKE A PAYMENT PLAN POLICY AND A COLLECTION POLICY UNDER 2 0 9 OF THE PROPERTY CODE. AND THOSE ARE ALL SUPPOSED TO BE FILED IN THE PROPERTY CODE. NO. THEY SHOULD JUST REFER TO WHAT THE NAME OF YOUR ASSOCIATION IS. IF YOU'RE CALLED A HOMEOWNER'S ASSOCIATION, THEN USE YOUR EXACT NAME. DON'T CALL YOURSELF A PROPERTY OWNER'S ASSOCIATION IF YOU ARE CALLED IN YOUR GOVERNING DOCUMENTS, A HOMEOWNER'S ASSOCIATION. 'CAUSE THEN IT BECOMES CONFUSING IF A LAWSUIT EVER COMES UP AND IT COMES BEFORE YOUR ATTORNEY, YOUR ATTORNEY'S GONNA BE SAYING, WAIT A MINUTE, YOU, YOU DIDN'T USE YOUR PROPER NAME. THEN YOU'RE GONNA SPEND MORE MONEY BY THE ATTORNEY'S ARGUING OVER, UH, WELL WE DIDN'T USE THE RIGHT NAME BECAUSE OF THIS. WE GOT CONFUSED BECAUSE OF THIS. SO YOU'RE GONNA SPEND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OVER ATTORNEYS FIGHTING OVER HOA VERSUS POA. SO USE YOUR EXACT NAME, BUT THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT POINT THAT HE BROUGHT UP. EVERYBODY MAKES SURE YOUR GOVERNING DOCUMENTS ARE FILED IN THE REAL PROPERTY RECORDS. THEY ARE NOT GOING TO BE ENFORCEABLE. AND THAT'S BASED ON 2 0 9 OF THE PROPERTY CODE. SO THAT MEANS YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE ALL YOUR POLICIES THERE. IF YOU HAVE SWIMMING POOLS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND YOU HAVE POOL RULES, OR YOU HAVE TENNIS COURT RULES, OR YOU HAVE GREEN BELT RULES, PUT 'EM ALL IN THE PROPERTY RECORDS. PUT YOUR ARCHITECTURAL CONTROL COMMITTEE RULES IN THE PROPERTY RECORDS. YOU ARE NOT GONNA BE ENFORCING THEM IF YOU DON'T. AND THAT'S BASED ON 2 0 9 OF THE PROPERTY CODE. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE AN UPDATED MANAGEMENT CERTIFICATE. AND WHAT THAT IS, IS THAT'S SAYING, HERE'S THE NAME OF OUR SUBDIVISION, HERE'S HOW YOU GET IN TOUCH WITH US. HERE'S OUR WEBSITE, HERE'S OUR EMAIL. AND IT IDENTIFIES EVERY ONE OF YOUR GOVERNING DOCUMENTS BY CLERK AND FILE NUMBER. SO ANYBODY CAN LOOK AT YOUR MANAGEMENT CERTIFICATE AND GO AND PULL UP YOUR GOVERNING DOCUMENTS IN THE PROPERTY RECORDS. LEMME GET THIS LADY AND THEN I'LL GET YOU, SIR. UH, YES. CAN YOU GIVE US SOME GUIDANCE WITH REGARDS TO, UH, GROUP HOMES, UM, AND HOW WE SHOULD ADDRESS THOSE IN OUR DEED RESTRICTIONS. I KNOW THAT THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, SO IF YOU COULD GIVE US SOME GUIDANCE. YES. WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH THIS LADY WAS ASKING ABOUT GROUP HOMES. NOW WE CANNOT FORBID THEM. THE STATE OF TEXAS SAYS, YOU ARE NOT GONNA FORBID GROUP HOMES. WHAT YOU NEED TO DO IS, IS THEY NEED TO BE REGISTERED WITH THE STATE OF TEXAS SO YOU CAN GET IN TOUCH WITH THE OWNER AND TELL THEM, LET ME SEE YOUR CERTIFICATE THAT YOU HAVE WITH THE STATE OF TEXAS. ALSO IN GROUP HOMES. THEY NEED TO HAVE SOMEBODY CONSTANTLY LIVING AND SUPERVISING THAT THOSE PEOPLE IN THE HOME, THEY CANNOT JUST BE LETTING THEM STAY THEM STAY THERE BY THEMSELVES. THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT OF A GROUP HOME. BUT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ALLOW THEM THERE THAT, I MEAN, THE STATE OF TEXAS IS GONNA ENFORCE THAT. IT'S [00:25:01] DIFFERENT WITH, IF YOU HAVE SOMEBODY TRYING TO BRING A HALFWAY HOUSE OF PEOPLE COMING OUT OF THE FEDERAL OF THE PENITENTIARY, RIGHT? THAT'S DIFFERENT. THAT'S NOT PROTECTED LIKE A GROUP HOME. SO WE CAN DO MORE TO STOP THAT FROM COMING IN NEIGHBORHOODS. BUT IN A GROUP HOME, JUST MAKE SURE THEY'VE GOT THE PROPER SUPERVISION. IF THEY DON'T, YOU CAN CONTACT THE STATE OF TEXAS AND REPORT THEM. AND THOSE, THEN THEIR, THEIR CERTIFICATION WILL BE IN JEOPARDY. SO SUZIE, IF I MAY, IF I MAY ADD, UH, MELANIE TO YOUR QUESTION. SO A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, AND I WANNA SAY MAYBE 2020 OR 2021, UM, IT WAS THEN CALLED THE REGULATORY NEIGHBORHOOD AND AFFAIRS COMMITTEE. UM, A RA WITHIN THE CITY, UH, MANAGES OF, UH, THE APPLICATIONS FOR GROUP HOMES AND LODGING FACILITIES. AND WE DID, WE REQUESTED BY DISTRICT THE NUMBER OF OF GROUP HOMES AND LODGING FACILITIES THAT ARE PENDING WHAT'S IN PROCESS, UH, LICENSES THAT HAVE EXPIRED. UM, AND YOU WOULD BE SURPRISED IN DISTRICT F THEY SAID, WE ONLY HAVE 25. NOW YOU AND I BOTH KNOW, RIGHT? SO I THINK ONE, YOU CAN MAKE A PUBLIC REQUEST, PARTICULARLY IN DISTRICT D BECAUSE THAT INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE AND FOR EVERYONE IN, IF YOU'RE NOT IN DISTRICT F, WE'VE SHARED THIS INFORMATION ROUTINELY. BUT IF YOU'RE IN ANOTHER DISTRICT, YOU CAN REACH OUT TO YOUR COUNCIL OFFICE AND REQUEST. BECAUSE WHAT WE'VE BEEN ASKING IS FOR RESIDENTS TO KEEP THEIR EYES BE AN EXTRA SET OF EYES FOR US. IF THERE'S A GROUP HOME OR THAT JUST POPS UP IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, LET US VERIFY IF IT IS ACTUALLY IN THE PROCESS AND APPROVED. 'CAUSE IT ALLOWS US TO DO A COUPLE OF THINGS. PUBLIC SAFETY'S AN ISSUE. WE'VE HAD SOME GROUP HOMES BURNED DOWN CATALINA SQUARE, I THINK THERE WAS ONE. AND WE HAD THE CANVAS WITH HOUSTON FIRE. UM, ALSO THERE'S A SERIES OF INSPECTIONS AND APPROVALS THAT HAVE TO HAPPEN TO MAKE SURE, UM, THAT SENIORS OR THOSE WITH, UH, MENTAL ILLNESS ARE PROTECTED AND HAVE THE RIGHT THINGS. SO ALL THAT INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE TO YOU. WE DO HAVE SOME DEFINITIONS AROUND THAT, BUT FEEL FREE. AND IF, UM, AND WHAT WE'LL DO FOR DISTRICT F UH, ISAAC, MAKE A NOTE. WE'RE GONNA, UH, THEN ASK FOR AN UPDATED LIST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THAT. AND WE'LL PUSH THAT BACK OUT, UM, IN THE NEWSLETTER SO YOU KNOW, WHAT'S, UM, IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. AND THEN WHAT WE'RE GONNA ASK YOU TO DO, AND I KNOW JOE IN HUNTINGTON VILLAGE DOES THIS OFTEN, UM, SEND US LOCATIONS, UH, DISCREETLY. DON'T WALK ON THE PROPERTY, DON'T KNOCK ON THE DOOR. PLEASE DON'T DO ANY OF THAT. BUT IF YOU JUST NOTICE THERE'S SOME, UM, INCREASED ACTIVITY, LET US KNOW AND WE'LL GET THAT VALIDATED AND WE'LL START THE PROCESS FOR INSPECTION. THANK YOU MUCH. THAT, THAT GENTLEMAN HAD A HANDS UP. OH, THERE YOU GO, MA'AM. HERE YOU GO. HOLD ON. USE THE, HOLD ON, USE THE MIC. UH, WE'RE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH PARKING, UH, LONG-TERM PARKING, UM, STORING VEHICLES IN THE DRIVEWAY. UH, WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT THIS? THIS WE HAVE ONE SITUATION WHERE THEY PARK FOUR CARS IN THE DRIVEWAY AND THE CARS THAT THEY USE, WHICH IS THREE EXTRA CARS, THEY THEY DRIVE EVERY DAY IS PARKED ON THE STREET. YES, MA'AM. WELL, HERE'S WHAT'S INTERESTING IS WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS LOOK AT YOUR RESTRICTIONS AND SEE WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT, YOU KNOW, STORING ANY TYPE OF VEHICLES ON YOUR DRIVEWAY OR, OR SHOULD THEY BE STORED IN THE GARAGE. NOW WHAT'S CRAZY IS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, THERE'S NEVER BEEN A COURT OF APPEALS CASE OR A SUPREME COURT CASE THAT ADDRESSES CAN AND HOA ENFORCE NO PARKING ON A STREET THAT'S IN A CITY. NOW, THE GOOD THING FOR ALL OF Y'ALL, WE HAVE A CASE RIGHT NOW THAT'S GOING TO BE GOING UP TO THE COURT OF APPEALS IN DALLAS. AND ESSENTIALLY WHAT'S HAPPENED IS, IS THIS PARTICULAR HOA, THEY HAVE RESTRICTIONS THAT STATE YOU MUST PARK YOUR VEHICLE ON THE DRIVEWAY OR IN THE GARAGE. SO THEY DON'T STATE SPECIFICALLY. YOU CAN'T PARK ON THAT CITY STREET. AND THEY, WE ARE NOT TRYING TO ENFORCE ANYTHING WITH REGARD TO CITY PARKING BECAUSE WE LOOKED AT THE TRANSPORTATION CODE. AND THE TRANSPORTATION CODE ACTUALLY DOES NOT FORBID AN HOA FROM STOPPING PARKING ON THE STREET. SO WE'VE GOT TWO CASES ONLY O2 OTHER CASES IN THE WHOLE UNITED STATES. ONE IS FROM MISSOURI, ONE IS FROM NEW JERSEY. AND THOSE PARTICULAR CASES BOTH SAID THAT IT IS A CONTRACT BETWEEN AN HOA AND THAT HOMEOWNER AND THE HOAS ARE ALLOWED TO STOP PARKING ON THOSE CITY STREETS. SO WE'RE HOPING THAT THE COURT OF APPEALS AND THE TEXAS SUPREME COURT WILL FOLLOW THAT. WE'RE JUST NOW GOING UP TO THE COURT OF APPEALS. SO THAT OPINION WILL PROBABLY BE ABOUT TWO YEARS FROM NOW. OH, SHUT. YEAH. . YEAH, . THAT'S WHAT I NEEDED. I NEEDED, YES. [00:30:01] YEAH, I KNOW. SO, BUT AS SOON AS IT COMES OUT AND, AND THEN I'M SURE IT WILL THEN GO UP TO THE TEXAS SUPREME COURT. THIS IS AN OPINION THAT'S RIPE FOR THE TEXAS SUPREME COURT. 'CAUSE THEY WANNA ADDRESS ISSUES THAT HAVE NEVER BEEN ADDRESSED THAT WILL AFFECT ALL CITIES IN THE STATE OF TEXAS. SO WE'VE GOT A CASE GOING UP, WE WILL KEEP TIFFANY AND THEM ABREAST OF WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THAT. AND IT WOULD HELP LIKE YOUR SUBDIVISION TO BE ABLE TO ENFORCE THAT AND SAY, EVEN THOUGH IT'S A CITY STREET, WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO SAY YOU CAN'T PARK ON IT. BUT WITH REGARD TO ALL THOSE OTHER VEHICLES THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, IF THEY'RE JUST BEING STORED THERE IN AN OPERABLE, LET US LOOK AT YOUR DEED RESTRICTIONS. 'CAUSE THERE'S PROBABLY A WAY TO ENFORCE THAT. OKAY, THIS LADY, LET ME, HERE YOU GO. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. I THINK WE NEED TO BE VERY CLEAR ABOUT LANGUAGE OF BOARDING HOMES, ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES, BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE NOT INFORMED AS TO THE CORRECT DEFINITION AND THEY NEED TO FIND THAT OUT. AND I ALSO FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO HAVE A MORATORIUM IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD I LIVE IN THAT HAS ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES. I CAN SPOT 'EM LIKE THAT. WHY? BECAUSE I KNOW THIS INDIVIDUAL THAT USED TO WORK IN REGULATORY, INDIVIDUAL MEANING ME, OKAY, I CAN SPOT 'EM. AND WE HAVE TOO MANY IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD. I WOULD LIKE THE CITY AND THE STATE TO GET TOGETHER AND SIT DOWN AND TALK AND SAY, UH, LOOK, WE'RE GONNA DO X, Y, AND Z TO HOPEFULLY GIVE YOU A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE. AND LET'S STOP LOOKING AT THE MONEY. BOTTOM LINE. UH, LOOK AT THE PEOPLE FIRST. MY SOAPBOX FOR NOW. THANK YOU FOR THAT. YES, SIR. YES SIR. PART OF A CIVIC CLUB THAT HAD DEED RESTRICTIONS, UM, THAT WERE WRITTEN IN 1953. WE DO NOT HAVE MANDATORY CIVIC CLUB DUES. AND SOMETIMES IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT YOU'RE SPEAKING ABOUT HOH HOAS AND THINGS THAT HAVE MANDATORY DUES. WE DON'T. SO HOW IS THAT AFFECTED IN TERMS OF THE NATURE OF SOME OF WHAT YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT? YOU, YOU CAN STILL ENFORCE YOUR RESTRICTIONS. WHAT YOU NEED TO DO IS MAKE SURE YOU'VE GOT ENOUGH MONEY IN THE KITTY TO DO THAT. AND SECONDLY, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT, THAT MEANS THERE'S CERTAIN SECTIONS OF THE PROPERTY CODE THAT DO NOT APPLY TO YOU. LIKE 2 0 9 OF THE PROPERTY CODE 2 0 4 OF THE PROPERTY CODE. HOWEVER, CHAPTER 2 0 7 AND 2 0 2 DO APPLY. AND IF THERE'S A POSSIBILITY THAT YOU COULD AMEND YOUR RESTRICTIONS TO MAKE IT TO WHERE YOU HAVE MANDATORY ASSESSMENTS, IT WOULD BE BETTER FOR Y'ALL IF THOSE SECTIONS OF THE PROPERTY CODE DID APPLY TO YOU. SO YOU MAY WANNA LOOK AT SOMETHING LIKE THAT. IF YOU NEED TO JUST GET IN TOUCH WITH US. YOU SAY WE SHOULD HAVE THE FUNDS. HOW MUCH MONEY ARE YOU ADJUSTING THAT A HAVE FOR LEGAL FEES? FOR LEGAL FEES? UM, I HAVE SEEN ONE LAWSUIT COST A HUNDRED THOUSAND, 150,000. IT DID. JUST DEPENDS ON HOW MUCH THE OTHER SIDE FIGHTS YOU. THAT'S, WE DO NOT, WE CAN'T SEE INTO THE FUTURE. WE DON'T KNOW EVERYBODY'S DIFFERENT. SOME PEOPLE WILL SAY, OH, I DON'T WANNA BE SUED. I'M GONNA WORK IT OUT WITH YOU. OTHERS WILL SAY, ALL RIGHT, I'M GONNA DIG MY HEELS IN AND WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA GO TO TOWN. SO IT CAN BE VERY, VERY EXPENSIVE. ALRIGHT. UM, OH, THAT WAS THE LAST ONE. YEAH. WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO CITY LEGAL, BUT I THINK THEY'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO ANSWER SOME OF THE QUESTIONS WE HAVE HERE. THEY'LL STILL BE HERE. THEY'LL STILL BE HERE. WE'LL STILL BE HERE. YEAH. IF YOU NEED TO TALK TO THEM PRIVATELY, THERE'S THE LIBRARY THAT'S RIGHT BEHIND US THAT'S AVAILABLE. UM, BUT WE'RE GONNA BUT, BUT THANK YOU TO RICE AND RICE AND SUSIE RICE FOR COMING THIS MORNING. WE GOT THIS WONDERFUL GENTLEMAN, DAMON, WHO CAN ANSWER EVERYTHING. SUSIE AND I HAVE KNOWN EACH OTHER SINCE LAW SCHOOL ABOUT 40 YEARS AGO. SO, UH, SHE WAS AN EXCELLENT LAW SCHOOL STUDENT AND I KNOW SHE'S AN EXCELLENT LAWYER. SO, UM, I'M VERY HAPPY TO SEE HER HERE TO HELP ALL OF YOU OUT. UM, AS IT TURNS OUT, UH, I'M WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON LEGAL DEPARTMENT. WE'VE GOT FOUR OF US HERE TODAY. UH, WE WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR SOME QUESTIONS. WE'RE GONNA TALK FIRST ABOUT WHAT, UM, THE CITY DOES IN ENFORCEMENT OF DEED RESTRICTIONS. AND I DIDN'T FORMALLY INTRODUCE MYSELF. I'M DAMON CRENSHAW AND I WORK WITH A TEAM CALLED THE DEED RESTRICTION ENFORCEMENT TEAM IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON LEGAL DEPARTMENT. [00:35:01] AND OUR TEAM OF, UH, SIX LAWYERS, UH, WORKS ON ENFORCING DEED RESTRICTIONS ALL AROUND TOWN. WE HAVE LAWYERS THAT ASSIGNED TO PARTICULAR, UM, UH, COUNCIL DISTRICTS AS IT TURNS OUT FOR, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS'S, DISTRICT F WHICH MOST OF YOU ARE HERE FOR, ARE A LAWYER THAT HANDLES MATTERS. AND THAT IS LASHAWN WATTS, WHO IS HERE WITH ME. AND YOU'VE ALREADY BEEN INTRODUCED TO OUR BOSS, UH, THE CITY ATTORNEY, MR. MICHELLE. AND ALSO WITH US IS, UH, NIGE IER, WHO IS A FIRST ASSISTANT ATTORNEY. SHE HAS EXPERIENCE HEADING UP THE, THE WHAT WE CALL THE DR THE DEED RESTRICTION ENFORCEMENT TEAM. SO, UH, ALL OF US CAN, UH, ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS. WE'RE GOING TO LEAVE SOME TIME FOR ANSWERING QUESTIONS AFTER WE DO OUR TALK ABOUT, UH, WHAT WE DO WITH DEED RESTRICTION ENFORCEMENT. AND, UM, UH, WE CANNOT GIVE YOU LEGAL ADVICE. UM, THE RICE FIRM IS HERE AND THEY'RE GIVING YOU VERY SPECIFIC LEGAL ADVICE AND WE APPLAUD THEM FOR THAT. UH, WE'RE LIMITED BECAUSE WE REPRESENT THE CITY. UH, WE CANNOT BE YOUR LAWYERS, WE CANNOT GIVE YOU LEGAL ADVICE. HOWEVER, UH, WE CAN HELP YOU ON DEED RESTRICTION ENFORCEMENT, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT. SO I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO LASHAUN TO TALK FIRST. OKAY, GOOD MORNING. UH, THANK YOU FOR TAKING TIME ON YOUR SATURDAY, ON YOUR WEEKEND TO BE HERE. TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT DEED RESTRICTIONS AND DEED RESTRICTION ENFORCEMENT. AS DAMON SAID, MY NAME IS LASHAWN WATTS. I AM A SENIOR ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY, TWO WITH THE CITY'S NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES DIVISION. I AM THE, UM, ATTORNEY THAT DOES ENFORCEMENT FOR DISTRICT F AND DISTRICT B, I DON'T THINK ANYONE HERE IS FROM DISTRICT B, BUT I DO DISTRICT F AND DISTRICT B. SO I AM GONNA GO THROUGH A BRIEF PRESENTATION. UM, I'M GONNA DO A LITTLE BIT OF THE LEGAL, AND LIKE DAMON SAID, THERE'S, IT'S GONNA BE VERY LIMITED IN TERMS OF WHAT WE ARE GONNA BE ABLE TO GIVE IN TERMS OF ADVICE OR, UM, HELPFUL INFORMATION. BUT HOPEFULLY THIS WILL CLARIFY SOME THINGS AS IT RELATES TO DEED RESTRICTION ENFORCEMENT THAT THE CITY IS ABLE TO DO. SO. THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS AUTHORIZED TO ENFORCE CERTAIN PRIVATE RESTRICTIONS. SO YOUR DEED RESTRICTIONS ARE CONSIDERED PRIVATE COVENANTS BETWEEN PROPERTY OWNERS. BUT THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE, IN CASE ANYBODY IS WONDERING, CHAPTER 2, 2 12 GIVES THE CITY, UM, GRANT LIMITED AUTHORITY TO ENFORCE THESE DEED RESTRICTIONS, THESE PRIVATE COVENANTS THAT THE PROPERTY OWNERS HAVE WITH EACH OTHER. SO LAND USE REGULATION IS A CRITICAL COMPONENT OF WHAT THE CITY'S, UM, GOVERNMENTAL FUNCTION IS. NOW, SOME CITIES LIKE DALLAS REGULATE LAND USE THROUGH ZONING LAWS. I'M SURE EVERYONE HAS HEARD ABOUT ZONING, WHERE, UM, SINGLE FAMILY IS USUALLY IN ONE AREA. MULTIFAMILY IS USUALLY SOMEWHERE ELSE COMMERCIAL. THAT'S HOW THE CITY IS LAID OUT. SO HOUSTON ENFORCES THEIR LAND USE RESTRICTIONS THROUGH, UM, DEED, DEED RESTRICTIONS, WHICH ARE CREATED BY THE RESIDENTS THEMSELVES. SO WHEN YOUR SUBDIVISIONS WERE FORMED, WHEN THEY CAME UP WITH THE SCHEME FOR YOUR SUBDIVISIONS, THAT'S WHERE YOUR DEED RESTRICTIONS YOUR LAND USE WAS CREATED. WE'LL GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. SO THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HOUSTON ORDINANCE 10 DASH 5 53 ALLOWS THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO ENFORCE, ENFORCE CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS. I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE WHEN THEY CALL, THERE ARE FIVE AREAS OF DEED RESTRICTIONS THAT WE CAN ENFORCE. SO THESE ARE THOSE FIVE USE. SO RESIDENTIAL USE VERSUS COMMERCIAL USE, BASICALLY WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE USING IT TO LIVE IN OR USING IT FOR COMMERCIAL PURPOSES FOR A BUSINESS. UM, THE BUILDING SETBACKS, HOW FAR THE HOUSES AND FENCES ARE SUPPOSED TO BE FROM THE BUILDING, FROM THE PROPERTY LINES, WHETHER IT'S FIVE FEET IN THE BACK, 25 FEET IN THE REAR, THAT'S NORMALLY WHAT WE SEE. WE CAN ENFORCE SETBACKS, WE CAN ENFORCE THE SIZE OF THE LOTS, THE TYPE OF LOTS, AND THE NUMBER OF STRUCTURES ON THE LOTS. SO A LOT OF THE DEEP RESTRICTIONS WILL SAY YOU HAVE TO HAVE A STRUCTURE ON A LOT THAT'S AT LEAST SOMETIMES 5,000 SQUARE FEET. WE CAN ENFORCE THAT OR THAT IT HAS TO BE A SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING AS OPPOSED TO A DUPLEX OR AN APARTMENT BUILDING. WE CAN ENFORCE THAT. HOW MANY RESIDENCES CAN BE ON A, ON A PROPERTY IF SOMETIMES IT SAYS ONE SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE, THAT'S IT. WITH A DETACHED GARAGE, THAT MEANS ONLY ONE STRUCTURE ON THE PROPERTY CAN BE USED FOR LIVING SPACE UNLESS THE, THERE'S OTHER CAVEATS IN THE DEED RESTRICTIONS, BUT THAT'S GONNA BE VERY SPECIFIC. SO WE CAN ENFORCE THAT. UM, WE CAN ENFORCE ORIENTATION OF A STRUCTURE, WHICH BASICALLY MEANS WHICH WAY IS THE HOUSE FACING. SOME DEED RESTRICTIONS ARE VERY PARTICULAR ON HOUSES HAVE TO FACE, UM, MAYBE THE LARGEST FRONTAGE ON WIT, ON THE STREET, ON WIT, FRONTS, THAT SORT OF THING. SO WE CAN ADDRESS HOW THE STRUCTURE SITS ON THE LOT. AND LASTLY, CONSTRUCTION OF FENCES [00:40:01] THAT REQUIRE A PERMIT. AND THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE CAN ENFORCE ON FORCE ON FENCES, BUT THE FENCE HAS TO REQUIRE A PERMIT. AND USUALLY A FENCE THAT REQUIRES A PERMIT IS OVER EIGHT FEET TALL, OR THE TYPE OF FENCE IT HAS TO BE A MASONRY OR CONCRETE FEET, CONCRETE FENCE OVER FOUR FEET, OR A FENCE THAT'S OVER EIGHT FEET. BUT YOUR DE RESTRICTIONS ALSO HAS TO HAVE A FENCE PROVISION IN IT AS WELL IN ORDER FOR US TO ENFORCE THE FENCE PROVISION OF DEED RESTRICTIONS. SO THOSE ARE THE FIVE THINGS THAT WE CAN ENFORCE WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR PRIVATE DEED RESTRICTIONS. NOW, JUST A QUICK NOTE ABOUT USE. UM, COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY ALSO INCLUDES COMMERCIAL VEHICLES THAT ARE USED IN AND STORED AT THE HOUSE AND DISPATCHED AT THE HOUSE. SO A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL HAVE PLUMBING COMPANIES, ELECTRICAL COMPANIES, PAINTING COMPANIES, AND THEY WILL BRING THOSE, UM, BUSINESS VEHICLES TO THE PROPERTY AND LEAVE THEM THERE. THAT IS CONSIDERED COMMERCIAL USE AND WE CAN ADDRESS THAT. OR CERTAIN TRUCKS. UM, THE PICKUP, THE TRACTOR TRAILER TRUCKS, THAT'S CONSIDERED A COMMERCIAL VEHICLE. SO WE CAN ADDRESS THAT. UM, TRAILER TRUCKS THAT ARE LONGER THAN 20 FEET, WE CAN ADDRESS THAT. UM, BOX TRUCKS, SO ANY VEHICLE DUMP TRUCKS, UM, 18 WHEELERS, WE CAN ADDRESS THOSE THAT ARE COMMERCIAL IN NATURE. THAT IS CONSIDERED COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY AND COMMERCIAL USE AS A, REMEMBER I SAID RESIDENTIAL USE VERSUS COMMERCIAL USE. SO THOSE TYPES OF VEHICLES BEING STORED AND KEPT ON THE PROPERTY, NOT ON THE STREET, THAT'S THE IMPORTANT, UH, THAT'S A COVENANT. THEY HAVE TO BE ON THE PROPERTY ITSELF, NOT JUST NECESSARILY PARKED IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE. IF THOSE TYPES OF VEHICLES ARE PRESENT, WE CAN ADDRESS THAT TOO AS IT RELATES TO USE. SO THE TYPES OF THINGS, UM, THAT WE ARE NOT AUTHORIZED. SO SUBMISSION OF PLANS. SO MAYBE YOU HAVE AN ARCHITECTURAL CONTROL COMMITTEE AND SOMEONE, UM, HAS TO SUBMIT PLANS TO YOU BEFORE THEY'RE ABLE TO DO ANYTHING TO THE HOUSE. WE CANNOT ENFORCE THAT PARTICULAR PROVISION. UM, AUTOMOBILES PARKED ON THE GRASS. JUNK MOTOR VEHICLES. YES. UM, HIGH GRASS NUMBER OF ANIMALS. THOSE ARE THE SORTS OF THINGS SOMETIMES, UM, WE'LL SEE. NO TRAILER, RV, THE SORTS OF THINGS ARE ALLOWED TO BE PARKED ON THE PROPERTY UNLESS IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE USE, MEANING RESIDENTIAL USE BEING USED AS A RESIDENCE. WE TYPICALLY CANNOT ENFORCE THOSE EITHER. SO THESE, UM, ARE JUST A FEW OF THE EXAMPLES OF THE TYPES OF DEED RESTRICTIONS WE CAN'T ENFORCE. BUT JUST BECAUSE THE CITY CAN'T ENFORCE IT DOESN'T MEAN YOUR HOA YOUR OR YOUR CIVIC CLUB OR YOUR, UM, PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION CAN'T ENFORCE IT. WE'RE JUST LETTING YOU KNOW THE FIVE CATEGORIES THAT WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN AUTHORITY THROUGH THE CITY ORDINANCE TO ENFORCE. UM, NEXT COMPLAINT, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMPLAINT ABOUT, UM, SOMETHING THAT YOU THINK IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD MIGHT BE A DEED, A DEED RESTRICTION MATTER. YOU CAN EITHER SEND AN EMAIL TO THE CITY AND THE EMAIL ADDRESS IS LISTED HERE. YOU CAN GO TO THE WEBSITE AND LOOK UP DEED RESTRICTIONS AND IT, AND THERE'S A FORM ON THE WEBSITE THAT YOU CAN FILL OUT. THERE'S A HOTLINE NUMBER THAT YOU CAN CALL. IF YOU USE A FAX MACHINE ANYMORE, YOU'RE WELCOME TO FAX US , UM, A COMPLAINT. AND, UM, AND YOU CAN, IF THIS IS NOT TYPICALLY THE WAY WE DO IT, BUT SOMETIMES WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE VERY ACTIVE IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS AND THEY WILL SEND US AN EMAIL DIRECTLY AND SAY, I HAVE A COMPLAINT. AND DEPENDING ON WHAT THE NATURE OF THE COMPLAINT IS, WE CAN THEN OPEN UP A FILE. WE LIKE FOR YOU TO DO IT THROUGH THE FORMAL MEANS, JUST BECAUSE IT HELPS US KEEP A BETTER COUNT OF THE COMPLAINTS THAT WE'RE GETTING IN. BUT IF FOR SOME REASON I'VE HAD CO CONSTANT COMMUNICATION WITH YOU AND YOU AND YOU HAVE BEEN IN CON CONTACT WITH ME, YOU CAN EMAIL ME A COMPLAINT DIRECTLY AND SOMETIMES I'LL SAY, HEY, CAN YOU JUST CALL THE HOTLINE FOR ME JUST SO I CAN GET IT FORMALLY? UM, BUT YOU CAN EMAIL US DIRECTLY AS WELL. AND LASTLY, UM, THESE ARE THE DIFFERENT COUNCIL DISTRICTS AND HOW, UM, THEY ARE DIVIDED UP. AGAIN, I AM LASHAUN WATSON, THIS IS ME HERE, AND I'M RESPONSIBLE FOR DISTRICTS F AND DISTRICT B. AND JUST AS A SIDE NOTE, I ALSO DO DANGEROUS BUILDING HEARINGS FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS IN ADDITION TO THAT. SO NOW I'M GONNA TURN IT BACK OVER TO DAMON AND THEN WE'LL TAKE QUESTION . I'M NOT GOING ANYWHERE. I'M GONNA TURN , I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO DAMON AND THEN WE'LL BOTH BE HERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS FOR YOU. OKAY. UH, AND I WILL TAKE AN INTERRUPTION REAL QUICK JUST FOR, UH, MR. GROVES. YES, YOU HAD A QUESTION. OH, OKAY. UH, THE, UM, NO PARKING, UH, UH, THAT'S CARRIED BY A ANOTHER ORDINANCE. THERE'S NO PARKING ON, ON THE GRASS OR LAWNS ORDINANCE. OKAY. THAT'S CORRECT. THAT'S NOT A DEED RESTRICTION ISSUE. CORRECT? IT'S SOMETHING ELSE. TOTALLY. OKAY. [00:45:01] UM, WE HAVE A LOT, WE A LOT, AT LEAST THREE OUT OF 419 HOMES THAT HAVE BUILT CLOSE TO THE FENCE LINE. AND WHEN I TALK ABOUT BUILDING LINES AND, AND THEIR, THEIR, THEIR, THEIR, UH, LOT PLAT, I GET A LOOK ON THEIR FACE WITH A BIG QUESTION MARK WHERE CAN NOW REALLY, THE SUBDIVISION WAS MOSTLY DEVELOPED IN THE SIXTIES AND EARLY SEVENTIES. SO, UM, UNLESS THE, UH, YOU BOUGHT FROM THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND GOT ALL THE PAPERWORK, THE CURRENT OWNERS DO NOT HAVE A PLA OF THEIR PROPERTY. SO WHERE DO CURRENT PROPERTY OWNERS GET A PLA OF THEIR PROPERTY? SO THEY KNOW WHERE THE BUILD LINES ARE? AND, AND, AND THIS ALSO HAS THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE SETBACK FROM THE STREET OR SETBACK FROM THE, THE SIDEWALKS THAT WERE PUT IN BY THE DEVELOPERS. OUR DEED RESTRICTIONS WERE DEVELOPED BY THE DEVELOPERS IN THE SIXTIES. NONE OF THE PROPERTY OWNERS HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH THEM IN THAT WE HAVE FIVE SECTIONS AND FIVE DIFFERENT SET OF DEED RESTRICTIONS. ALRIGHT, I'M, I'M GONNA ANSWER REAL QUICKLY, UM, AND, AND EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT. PLATS ARE SEPARATE FROM DEED RESTRICTIONS. UH, PLATS SET UP YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, FOR INSTANCE, DID I, OR MAYBE I TURNED IT OFF, DID I TURN IT OFF? OKAY, . OKAY. UH, PLATS ARE, ARE, ARE SOMETHING THAT THE CITY ACTUALLY IS VERY INVOLVED IN IN THE, UM, PLANNING DEPARTMENT. UM, PLATS ARE DIFFERENT THAN DEED RESTRICTIONS. TYPICALLY, UH, THE DEVELOPER, AS YOU SAID, BACK IN WHENEVER IT WAS DEVELOPED, AND EVEN TODAY WHEN THEY DEVELOP A NEW SUBDIVISION, THEY DO A PLAT OF THE SUBDIVISION. THEY SUBMIT IT TO THE CITY PLANNING DEPARTMENT TO GET YOU REVIEWED. AND SO YOU CAN GET YOUR PLATS. ALL THOSE THINGS ARE FILED AT THE COUNTY CLERK'S REAL PROPERTY RECORDS. OKAY? UM, AND THE COUNTY CLERK, I'VE TALKED TO THEM RECENTLY OVER THERE, AND THEY WILL ASSIST YOU IN FINDING YOUR REAL PROPERTY RECORDS. SO THAT'S THE COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE. NOW ON DEED RESTRICTIONS, AND YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ENFORCEMENT, AND AS LASHAW SAID, WE CAN ENFORCE SETBACKS. SOME DEED RESTRICTIONS SPECIFY SETBACKS IN THE PLATING PROCESS. THERE MAY BE BUILDING LINES IS WHAT THIS WE CALL 'EM IN PLANNING. UH, BUILDING LINES ARE DIFFERENT THAN DEED RESTRICTION SETBACKS. AND GENERALLY WHEN IT COMES TO ENFORCEMENT, WE ENFORCE THE MORE RESTRICTIVE ONE. OKAY? MEANING THAT IF, LET'S SAY THE BUILDING LINE FROM THE FRONT STREET IS 10 FEET, THAT WOULD BE REALLY CLOSE. THEY'RE MORE, USUALLY MORE THAN THAT. BUT LET'S JUST SAY 10 FEET. BUT IN YOUR DE RESTRICTIONS, YOU WANT, YOU AND YOUR SUBDIVISION DECIDED YOU WANTED A BIGGER FRONT YARD, AND YOU PUT 25 FEET AS YOUR FRONT SETBACK. WE IN THE CITY CAN ENFORCE YOUR DE RESTRICTION SETBACKS. WE WILL ENFORCE 25 FEET. THAT'S MORE RESTRICTIVE ON THE PROPERTY. WHAT ABOUT THE SIDE? SAME THING. UH, SO, UH, BUILDING CODES AND, AND THE DEVELOPERS GET FRUSTRATED BY THIS BECAUSE THEY THINK BUILDING CODES AND DEED RESTRICTION SETBACKS ARE THE SAME. THEY ARE NOT. AND WE HAVE FORCED BUILDERS TO TEAR DOWN BUILDINGS THEY'VE DONE AND STRUCTURES THEY'VE DONE TO COMPLY WITH THE DEED RESTRICTIONS. SO, UM, I'M GONNA GET TO THAT IN A, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR DEED RESTRICTIONS. BUT FIRST I WANT TO TALK ABOUT, UH, HOW WE GO ABOUT ENFORCEMENT. LASHAUN TOLD YOU SOME OF THE PRELIMINARY STUFF AND HOW YOU CAN REPORT IT THE VARIOUS WAYS YOU CAN REPORT. AND SO, UH, WHAT HAPPENS IS WHEN YOU REPORT A DEED RESTRICTION COMPLAINT TO US, WE GO TO THE COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE, THE REAL PROPERTY RECORDS, AND GET THE DEED RESTRICTIONS FOR THAT PARTICULAR PROPERTY. THE CITY DOESN'T KEEP THE DEED RESTRICTION RECORDS THE COUNTY DOES. AND SO WE HAVE TO DO IT JUST LIKE YOU, WE HAVE TO GO TO THE COUNTY NOW. WE HAVE A SERVICE. WE PAY A LOT OF MONEY TO, UH, THAT PROVIDES US THOSE RECORDS THAT OUR PEOPLE GO THROUGH THE SYSTEM TO SEARCH FOR THE RECORDS. WE HAVE TITLE PEOPLE IN OUR SECTION WHO GET THE RECORDS FOR THAT PARTICULAR LOT. AND YOU'D BE SURPRISED, WE HAVE SEEN RECORDS FOR ONE PARTICULAR LOT TO BE QUITE A BIT DIFFERENT FROM THE LOT IN THE SAME SUBDIVISION AND VERY NEXT DOOR LOT. SO EACH LOT WE LOOK AT, WE DON'T JUST ASSUME THIS SUBDIVISION SAYS THAT. NOW THERE'S SOME, FOR THE MOST PART, SUBDIVISIONS HAVE THE SAME DEED RESTRICTIONS FOR THE WHOLE SUBDIVISION. BUT THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS. AND ESPECIALLY [00:50:01] WITH RECENTLY ENACTED SUBDIVISIONS. AND DEPENDING ON WHAT PART OF THE STATE STATUTE, UM, UH, THESE NEW DEED RESTRICTIONS WERE ENACTED, THERE MIGHT BE PROPERTY OWNERS WHO OPTED OUT. SO THERE MIGHT BE A PARTICULAR LOT THAT SAID, I DON'T WANT THESE FEED RESTRICTIONS. AND THEY OPTED OUT. UM, WHEN IT, WHEN SUBDIVISIONS WERE DEVELOPED BY THE DEVELOPERS, TYPICALLY IN THE SEVENTIES, EIGHTIES, OR EVEN, UH, MORE RECENTLY, NEW ONES THAT GET DEVELOPED, THE WHOLE SUBDIVISION GETS PLOTTED OUT. AND THE DEVELOPER WRITES THIS, UH, DEED RESTRICTIONS. THEY TYPICALLY APPLY TO EVERY LOT, BUT THE DEVELOPER GETS TO DECIDE HOW TO DO THAT. UM, AND SO WHEN YOU WRITE YOUR OWN DEED RESTRICTIONS, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT THE RICE LAW FIRM CAN ADVISE YOU ON, OR WHEN YOU WANT TO AMEND THEM OR WHEN YOU WANT TO MAKE CHANGES, THERE MAY BE THE POSSIBILITY FOR PROPERTY OWNERS TO OPT OUT. SO THAT'S WHY WE CHECK EVERYONE. SO THAT'S OUR FIRST STAGE. WE GET THE RECORDS, WE REVIEW THEM, LAWYERS DO IT. UH, ONLY LAWYERS MAKE THE DECISION. AND, UM, SOMETIMES IT TAKES US HOURS, SOMETIMES IT TAKES US DAYS. KINGWOOD HAS HUNDREDS OF PAGES OF DOCUMENTS THAT WE HAVE TO REVIEW. SO, UM, WE'LL GO THROUGH THOSE THINGS, UM, AND MAKE OUR DETERMINATION ABOUT THE SPECIFIC COMPLAINT AND HOW THE DE RESTRICTIONS MAY OR MAY NOT APPLY. AND WE DISCUSS IT WITH ALL OF THE LAWYERS SO THAT WE GET A CONSENSUS. AND FRANKLY, SOMETIMES EVEN AMONG SIX LAWYERS, WE'RE DIVIDED PRETTY EVENLY. SO, UH, AND SOMETIMES WITH SIX LAWYERS, WE HAVE EIGHT OR 10 OPINIONS. SO, UH, IT'S, IT'S NOT AN EASY THING. IT'S COMPLICATED. AS, AS SUSIE SAID, IT IS COMPLICATED. BUT, UH, WE MAKE A DECISION WHETHER WE'RE GOING TO ENFORCE FOR THE, UH, ON BEHALF OF THE CITY AND WE REPRESENT THE CITY. SO, UM, IF WE DO DECIDE TO ENFORCE, WE START BY CONTACTING THE PROPERTY OWNER AND TRY TO RESOLVE IT. THAT'S HOW MOST THINGS GET RESOLVED. UM, SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T GET RESOLVED QUICKLY AND IT TAKES SOME TIME. SOMETIMES IT TAKES TIME FOR US TO DEVELOP THE EVIDENCE. WE WANNA SEE THE EVIDENCE THAT WE COULD TAKE TO THE COURTHOUSE BEFORE WE GET INTO, UH, ENFORCING AND BEFORE WE GO TO THE COURTHOUSE. SO THEN, UH, IF IT DOESN'T RESOLVE, WE GO TO THE COURTHOUSE. WE'VE GOT LAWSUITS GOING RIGHT NOW. UM, SO, UM, THAT'S WHAT WE DO ON ENFORCEMENT. IT'S, IT'S NOT AN EASY TASK. IT COSTS THE CITY A GREAT DEAL OF MONEY, UH, TO DO THIS. BUT IT IS A SERVICE THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON HAS BEEN GRANTED BY THE STATE THAT WE CAN DO IT. I, I FOUND IT ASTOUNDING WHEN I FIRST STARTED WORKING FOR THE CITY EIGHT YEARS AGO, THAT THE CITY WAS ENFORCING PRIVATE CONTRACTS. UM, AS A LAWYER, THAT WAS FOREIGN TO ME. BUT IT'S A SPECIAL SITUATION AND I THINK THE STATE LEGISLATURE DID IT BACK IN THE 1980S BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ZONING. AND YOU'LL NOTICE THAT THE TYPES OF, UH, DEED RESTRICTIONS THAT WE CAN ENFORCE SOUND LIKE ZONING IN OTHER CITIES. SO I THINK THE STATE AND THE CITY RECOGNIZE THAT, AND WE GOT THIS SPECIAL POSITION. SO THAT'S HOW WE DO OUR ENFORCEMENT. UM, IF YOU'RE THE COMPLAINANT, UH, YOU'RE THE PERSON WHO REPORTED THE PROBLEM TO US, WE'LL TRY TO KEEP YOU INFORMED. AND IF YOU'RE NOT HEARING FROM US, YOU'RE WELCOME TO CALL US. SO, NEXT SLIDE. WHAT CAN PROPERTY OWNERS DO TO PROTECT THEIR PROPERTY? UH, SUSIE ALREADY TOUCHED ON THIS. WHEN YOU'RE DOING YOUR DE RESTRICTIONS, MAKE SURE THEY SAY WHAT YOU WANNA SAY. FOR INSTANCE, ON SHORT TERM RENTALS, MAKE SURE THEY SAY THE AMOUNT OF TIME YOU WANNA LIMIT THE RENTAL TO. UM, AND AS SHE SAID, THE UH, STATE SUPREME COURT, UH, SPECIFIED THAT, YOU'VE GOTTA SAY IT SPECIFICALLY DEED RESTRICTIONS FOR SHORT TERM RENTALS. UM, THEY CHANGE DEED RESTRICTIONS. PARDON ME. YOU KNOW HOW HARD IT'S TO CHANGE. IT IS HARD TO CHANGE DEED RESTRICTIONS. THAT'S WHY YOU NEED LAWYERS TO ADVISE YOU. SORRY, . UNFORTUNATELY, THE CITY OF HOUSTON CANNOT ADVISE YOU ON THAT. WE CANNOT BE YOUR LAWYERS. WE CANNOT, WE CAN ONLY ENFORCE DE RESTRICTIONS ON BEHALF OF THE CITY. WE CAN ONLY REPRESENT THE CITY. SO HERE'S SOME COMMENTS ABOUT, UH, REVIEW YOUR DE RESTRICTIONS ON, UH, ALL OF THESE MATTERS YOU'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT. I'M, I'M REALLY INTERESTED TO SEE HOW THE CASE LAW COMES OUT ON THE PARKING ON THE STREETS, UM, BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN HANDS TIED BEHIND US WHEN THERE ARE COMMERCIAL VEHICLES PARKED ON THE STREET AS OPPOSED TO THE PROPERTY. SO, UM, UH, WE ARE VERY INTERESTED IN SEEING HOW THAT COMES. UH, YES. IS MS. MILES? YES. HI. YES. UM, MR. CRENSHAW, MY QUESTION IS, UM, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES THERE ARE ISSUES, UM, WITH THE RESIDENTS KNOWING THAT A DEVELOPER OR SOME BUSINESS OR SOMETHING HAS PURCHASED PROPERTY AND THAT THEY HAVE CERTAIN [00:55:01] PLANS THAT MAY VIOLATE THE DEED RESTRICTIONS. MM-HMM . UM, SO MY, I GUESS A BIG ASK IS CAN THE CITY PROVIDE NOTICE TO THE CIVIC CLUBS, HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATIONS, WHATEVER BODY GOVERNING BODY THAT'S IN THAT COMMUNITY, JUST VIA AN EMAIL, UH, TO THE REGISTERED EMAIL ADDRESS TO LET THEM KNOW THAT A PROPERTY OR PERMITS HAVE BEEN, UM, OBTAINED FOR THIS PURPOSE IN YOUR COMMUNITY? AND, AND I'M GOING TO ADDRESS THAT AND THE NEXT SLIDE AFTER THIS ONE. AND SO I'LL, I'LL MENTION YOUR QUESTION AGAIN WHEN I GET THERE. OKAY. MR. CRENSHAW, CAN I ADD A POINT ABOUT THE STREET PARKING? YES. AS AN ASIDE. SO A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, UH, IN WEST CHASE PARTICULARLY WAS BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION THAT THERE WERE 18 WHEELERS, UM, IN THAT CUL-DE-SAC AREA, LIKE WEST CENTER, THANK YOU, UH, AND WEST CENTER, UH, BETWEEN RICHMOND AND, AND, AND WESTHEIMER. AND IT WAS A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE. SO WE BROUGHT A SERIES OF, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS THROUGH REGULATORY NEIGHBORHOOD AFFAIRS. SOME OF YOU ACTUALLY PARTICIPATED ON THAT STAKEHOLDER COMMITTEE, UM, BUT WAS ALSO INCLUDED ON THAT WAS THE, THE STREET PARKING ON THE PUBLIC STREET BY CITY ORDINANCE. YOU CAN PARK ON A PUBLIC STREET. UM, BUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IS WE HAVE, UH, CARS WITH THAT EXPIRED, UH, BRAKE TAGS, THEY'RE INOPERABLE. AND WE'VE BEEN DRIVING A LOT OF EFFORT TO PARK HOUSTON. UM, PARK HOUSTON IN THE FISCAL 23 BUDGET, ADDED A FOURTH SHIFT, UM, TO ALLOW THEM TO, UM, HALF STEP. I THINK THERE'S EIGHT EMPLOYEES PLUS A SUPERVISOR, I BELIEVE. I COULD BE WRONG. AND WE'VE IDENTIFIED, UH, NEIGHBORHOODS WITHIN DISTRICT F UH, UH, BELLA WEST, IMPERIAL UHHUH, AND ANOTHER ONE WERE PILOT PROGRAMS BECAUSE THE MECHANIC SHOPS SURROUND THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS AND ALL THOSE CARS FILL UP THE STREET. UH, WE'VE WORKED HAND IN HAND WITH MIDWEST AND CARVER CREST THERE, INUNDATED OFF OF JEANETTA, INUNDATED OFF OF CLARK CREST, UM, AND THE CITY. THERE'S NO CITY ORDINANCE TO, TO, TO RESTRICT THAT ACTIVITY. FAST FORWARD, A SERIES OF RECOMMENDATIONS CAME THROUGH THAT WERE ADOPTED. WE DID CHANGE SOME OF THOSE, UM, UM, PARKING REGULATIONS AND WE DID ADD A NEW SHIFT INTO THE BUDGET SO WE CAN HAVE MORE ACTIVITY FOR STREETS THAT ARE CURRENTLY PARKED ON THE PUBLIC STREET FOR MORE THAN 24 HOURS. THREE ONE ONE'S YOUR BEST FRIEND. SO, UM, I GET MY STEPS EARLY IN THE MORNING, UM, AND I AND I TAKE PICTURES OF CARS ON THE STREET THAT I KNOW HAVE BEEN THERE. SO I THINK THEY GOT, THEY SEE ME COMING AND I'M LIKE, WHO IS SHE WITH THIS CAMERA? UM, AND I SEND IT TO THE STAFF AND I WILL TELL YOU, UM, PARK HOUSTON COMES, THEY'LL MARK THE TIRE. WE HAVE TO HAVE IT IN THE SYSTEM. DATA IS IMPORTANT 'CAUSE THAT JUSTIFIES BUDGET ALLOCATIONS. IT GIVES US INFORMATION ON WHERE TO DIRECT FUNDING, WHERE TO DIRECT STAFFING AND WHAT'S HAPPENING IN COMMUNITY. THEY'LL COME AND MARK THE TIRE. IF THE CARD DOES NOT MOVE, THEY'LL COME GET IT. THEY'LL TOW IT. AND WE ACTUALLY HAD AN ITEM COME TO COUNCIL MAYBE SIX WEEKS AGO THAT EXPANDS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT TOW TRUCK SERVICE. WHAT I'M ULTIMATELY TRYING TO DO IS GET A, UH, A DISTRICT F TOW SERVICE WHERE WE CAN JUST FOCUS AND SWIPE IN THE DISTRICT TO CLEAN UP. 'CAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF INOPERABLE CARS ON OUR STREETS, UM, FROM, YOU KNOW, 2019 BRAKE TAGS. SO ALL THAT INFORMATION, IF YOU MAKE A NOTE, WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT, THAT THAT MEMO AND, AND THAT REGULATION THAT WE UPDATED IS BEFORE YOU. SO YOU HAVE THAT. SO THEN WHEN YOU'RE HAVING CONVERSATIONS, YOU KNOW WHAT'S CURRENT, UM, AND WHAT AND WHAT'S ON THE BOOKS. AND SO, UM, WE'LL GET THAT AS A FOLLOW UP. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER. AND BASICALLY WHAT THE COUNCIL MEMBER HAS POINTED OUT IS THERE ARE OTHER THINGS, THINGS OTHER THAN, OR ORDINANCES OTHER THAN DEED RESTRICTION ISSUES THAT DEAL WITH PARKING. PARKING ON THE GRASS. FOR INSTANCE, IF YOU HAVE AN ORDINANCE, AND IT'S ALREADY BEEN MENTIONED HERE TODAY, I THINK, BY THE COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, IF YOU HAVE AN ORDINANCE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD ABOUT PARKING ON THE, UH, THE LAWN IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE, THEN IT CAN BE ENFORCED DIFFERENTLY THROUGH THE CITY. FOR DEED RESTRICTIONS, UH, THE WAY WE ENFORCE PARKING IS IF IT'S COMMERCIAL, UH, VEHICLES ON A RESIDENTIAL LOT, AND SO WE CAN HELP A LITTLE BIT WITH PARKING ISSUES THERE. BUT SINCE WE'RE LIMITED IN WHAT WE CAN DO, WE CAN'T DO ALL OF THE THINGS THAT ARE IN YOUR D RESTRICTIONS. SO THE WAY WE DEAL WITH PARKING IS LOOK AT IT FROM COMMERCIAL VERSUS RESIDENTIAL POINT OF VIEW. SO THAT'S A, A GOOD EXAMPLE ABOUT HOW WE'RE LIMITED. LET'S GO TO THE NEXT, UH, SCREEN. AND THIS WILL GET TO MS. MILES'S QUESTION. UH, AS SHE SAID, YOU SEE THAT SOMETHING'S GOING ON IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD. MAYBE A HOUSE HAS BEEN DEMOLISHED AND IT'S NOW AN EMPTY LOT, AND YOU'RE THINKING WHAT'S GOING TO BE DEVELOPED THERE? AND THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION, AND THAT'S WHAT YOU NEED TO BE ASKING YOURSELVES. AND THAT'S WHEN YOU NEED TO START ON TAKING ACTION TO ENFORCE YOUR DEED RESTRICTIONS. UM, SO WHAT WE SUGGEST IS, UH, BE NO NOSY. YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW [01:00:01] THAT TV COMMERCIAL WHERE THEY'VE GOT THE WOMAN GOING AROUND CHOPPING DOWN BUSHES, AND THE MAILBOXES IS SET UP TOO HIGH, SO SHE CUTS THE SUPPORT FROM THE MAILBOX DOWN, AND THAT'S JUST WHATEVER HER NAME IS. UH, ENFORCING DEED RESTRICTIONS. THAT'S WHAT WE WANT YOU TO DO. YOU KNOW, YOU NEED TO, IF YOU WANNA ENFORCE YOUR DEED RESTRICTIONS AND NOT LOSE THEM, YOU'VE GOT TO BE VIGILANT. YOU'VE GOT TO ENFORCE THEM. SO IF YOU SEE SOMETHING GOING ON NEW CONSTRUCTION OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, UH, IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, AND BE ON THE WATCH, UH, JUST LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER SAID, WALK AROUND YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, SEE WHAT'S GOING ON, AND, UH, SEE WHAT YOU CAN FIND OUT. IF YOU HAPPEN TO SEE A NAME, A SIGN THERE POSTED, OR, UH, WE SEE A WORKER THERE, FIND OUT WHO'S DOING IT. FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD. AND, UM, AS FAR AS WHAT MS. MILES WAS SAYING ABOUT BEING NOTIFIED, RIGHT NOW, WE DO NOT HAVE A SYSTEM TO AUTOMATICALLY NOTIFY THE CIVIC CLUBS. HOWEVER, THERE ARE SYSTEMS IN PLACE WHERE YOU CAN FIND OUT ABOUT THESE THINGS AND YOU CAN REVIEW THE CITY OF HOUSTON SALES PERMITS. AND THERE IS A LINK HERE IN OUR PRESENTATION. SO I WOULD SUGGEST GETTING THAT AND, UM, THE, UH, HPW, THE PERMITTING DEPARTMENT WITHIN HPW, UH, POST EVERY WEEK, WHAT PERMITS HAVE BEEN APPLIED FOR. AND YOU CAN LOOK FOR PERMITS IN YOUR AREA BY ZIP CODE. AND YOU CAN GO, I DID IT YESTERDAY JUST TO PRACTICE. AND SO YOU JUST GO TO YOUR ZIP CODE AND THERE WERE LIKE 20 OR 30 IN MY ZIP CODE. SO I SAW WHO'S APPLYING FOR PERMITS, AND THEN GET EVEN, UH, UM, MORE NOSY AND GO DOWN AND, UM, YOU CAN CONTACT HPW AND, AND SAY, HEY, WHAT'S GOING ON ON THIS PARTICULAR PERMIT? OR YOU CAN LINK TO THAT PERMIT. AND SOMETIMES IN THE DESCRIPTION IT'LL SAY THEY'RE BUILDING A DUPLEX THAT'S BEEN A, A, AN ISSUE LATELY. THEY'RE BUILDING A DUPLEX. AND IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD IT SAYS SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE ONLY. SO YOU GET AN, UH, THAT'S RIGHT WHEN THE PERMIT IS ISSUED, THAT IS THE TIME TO START MAKING A COMPLAINT. WE CAN ENFORCE THAT. IN FACT, WE'RE AT THE COURTHOUSE RIGHT NOW TRYING TO ENFORCE, UH, A DUPLEX BEING BUILT IN A SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE. YOU MAY HAVE SEEN IT ON THE NEWS RECENTLY. UM, THAT'S US DOING THAT. SO, QUESTION? I HAVE A QUESTION. YES. I, I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTION. LET ME FINISH THIS SLIDE AND I'LL TAKE SOME QUESTIONS. OKAY. SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO REPORT YOUR VIOLATIONS AS SOON AS YOU CAN. IF YOU'VE GOT AN HOA OR A CIVIC CLUB, TALK TO YOUR LEADERS. I, I IMAGINE YOU ALL ARE THE LEADERS, BUT, UM, GET YOUR NEIGHBORS TO TALK TO YOU WHEN THEY SEE SOMETHING LIKE THIS. NOTIFY OTHER LEADERS. AND IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN ENFORCE ONE OF THOSE FIVE AREAS, NOTIFY US. OKAY? SO LEMME TAKE SOME QUESTIONS. I'LL START. UM, I GET THIS, THE SALES PERMIT REPORT WEEKLY WHEN YOU REPORT SOMETHING, WHICH I HAVE DONE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS TO, UH, PEOPLE THAT HAVE, ARE BUILDING SOMETHING THAT'S NOT ALLOWED UNDER OUR DEED RESTRICTIONS. I'VE NEVER GOTTEN A RESPONSE FROM THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT. WHEN YOU SEND YOUR THING IN, WHO, WHERE DO THOSE GO? BECAUSE WHEN I FINALLY FOUND OUT SOMETHING, THEY SAID, OH, WHEN WE ISSUE A PERMIT, WHOEVER'S SUBMITTING THE PERMIT HAS TO SIGN AN AFFIDAVIT THAT THEY'VE GONE THROUGH THEIR HOA IF IT'S ONE AND IT'S BEEN APPROVED, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH. WELL, THIS PARTICULAR RESIDENT THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH, WITH OUR ATTORNEYS DIDN'T EVIDENTLY DID THAT. HOW DID, HOW DOES ANYONE VERIFY THAT? BECAUSE WHAT WE HAVE IS SOMEONE WHO BUILT A BUILDING. I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. OKAY. YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT WE CALL THE DECLARATION FORM THAT MM-HMM . DEVELOPERS AND, UH, PERMIT APPLICANTS ARE SUPPOSED TO FILL OUT AND SIGNED THAT THEY'RE NOT, THAT THEY'VE REVIEWED THEIR DEED RESTRICTIONS MM-HMM . AND THAT THEIR PLANS, UH, COMPLY WITH THE DEED RESTRICTIONS. AND FRANKLY, WE'VE SEEN MANY TIMES WHERE THEY'RE JUST FLAT WRONG IN THAT, OR THEY'RE JUST FLAT LYING, NOT TELLING THE TRUTH, LYING. AND, UH, ONE OF THE, THE DUPLEX LAWSUITS THAT, UH, WE'RE INVOLVED WITH, THEY SAID, YEAH, WE SIGNED THAT, UH, BUT WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT MEANS. WELL, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ON THEM. AND SO YOU'RE ASKING, IS THERE SOMEBODY, AND, AND AS I TOLD YOU EARLIER, WE SPEND HOURS SOMETIME DAYS REVIEWING DE RESTRICTIONS. THE CITY DOES NOT HAVE A PROCESS FOR EVERY SINGLE PERMIT TO BE REVIEWED THAT WAY. THAT'S WHY WE NEED YOUR COMPLAINT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. AND SO WE'RE, WE'RE ENFORCING WHERE THEY SIGNED DECLARATIONS SAYING THEY DID IT, AND THIS IS A [01:05:01] DUPLEX ALMOST COMPLETE. THEY'RE READY FOR THEIR FINAL INSPECTIONS, AND WE'RE ENFORCING AND WE'RE ASKING THE COURT TO TELL THEM TO REDO THAT BUILDING TO COMPLY WITH SINGLE FAMILY. SO THAT'S HOW IT WORKS OUT. UNFORTUNATELY, WHEN I, I'VE NEVER HEARD FROM ANYONE WHEN I SUBMITTED THIS. OKAY. AND, AND SAY, I GOT THE REPORT, THE DESCRIPTION YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SOUNDS LIKE YOU MIGHT HAVE TALKED TO SOMEBODY IN PERMITTING OR PLANNING OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT IN OUR, I I'D BE VERY SURPRISED IF YOU'VE NEVER HEARD FROM US, UH, EVERY ONE OF THE ONLINE D RESTRICTIONS OR THE EMAIL, THE RESTRICTIONS COME TO ME. AND THEN I, I SIGNED THEM. WE SEND OUT THE PERMIT NEWSLETTER EVERY TWO WEEKS. SO THEY GET THE UPDATED GOES. IF IT'S HELPFUL THAT WE CAN ADD ADDITIONAL, IF RESIDENTS HAVE QUESTIONS FROM A LEGAL PER, IT'S HELPFUL THAT RIGHT. A NEWSLETTER TO HAVE LEGAL CONTACT INSTEAD PLANNING. WELL, IF YOU'RE DOING A COMPLAINT AND YOU KNOW IT'S A VIOLATION, SEND IT TO US. IF YOU'RE JUST ASKING ABOUT WHAT'S BEING APPLIED FOR AND YOU'RE SENDING IT TO YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER, SO SHE DOES A LITTLE MORE THAN SOME, NO, NOT ON THE PERMIT REPORT. IT SAYS THAT THIS, IF THIS IS IN VIOLATION OF YOUR DE RESTRICTION, PLEASE CLICK THIS LINK AND FILL IT OUT. WHICH WE DID. WE JUST NEVER HEARD ANYTHING. WELL, I'M SURPRISED IT SHOULD COME TO US. SO, UM, FEEL FREE TO CONTACT US BY ONE OF THE OTHER METHODS WE'VE DONE AND YOU'VE GOT THE DIRECT NUMBER. FEEL FREE TO DO THAT. I GET CALLS ALL THE TIME. SO DOES SHE. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SAYING. IF IT FOR, I, I DON'T KNOW WHY IT WAS LOST IN THE SYSTEM. THAT'S WHY WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO IT THROUGH THE SYSTEM BECAUSE IT'S LESS LIKELY TO GET LOST. I DON'T KNOW WHY THAT HAPPENS. OKAY. WE HAVE THREE QUESTIONS. WE HAVE . YES. GOOD MORNING. I HAVE A QUESTION. WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN YOUR TEAM AND NUISANCE ABATEMENT? BECAUSE I NORMALLY GO TO NUISANCE ABATEMENT. I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS UNTIL TODAY. IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT NUISANCE ABATEMENT IN THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS, FOR INSTANCE, THAT IS TRUE. THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS ARE SEPARATE FROM LEGAL, LEGAL, ENFORCES, DEED RESTRICTIONS. WE CANNOT ENFORCE YOUR DEED RESTRICTIONS THAT DEAL WITH HIGH WEEDS OR GRASS OR, UH, PROBLEMS WITH THE BUILDING, UH, UH, DETERIORATING OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. IF YOU SEND THAT COMPLAINT TO US, WE REFER IT TO THE DEPARTMENT OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS BECAUSE THEY CAN DO IT. AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE TALKING WITH YOU TODAY, HAVE NEIGHBORHOODS. THEY'RE HERE AND AS WELL, YEAH, WE'LL HAVE MORE DETAILS FOR YOU. THEY'LL TALK WITH YOU. WE'RE HERE AND WE HAVE, AND VERY, VERY RESPONSIVE. UM, AND I THANK YOU FOR THAT. BUT I KNOW YOU'RE ALSO HANDS, YOU HAVE HANDS TIED IN MANY CASES BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOMEONE FROM THE CITY TO OBSERVE THE INFRACTION. THAT'S CORRECT. AND IN THE PARTICULAR CASE OF OURS, WHICH WE HAD A GARAGE CONVERSION WITHOUT A PERMIT, OBVIOUSLY YOU COULDN'T GO CHECK ON THIS AND THERE WAS NO WAY TO TAKE ACTION. WELL, WE CAN GO LOOK AND SEE IF IT LOOKS LIKE THE GARAGE HAS BEEN CONVERTED AND IN A SITUATION WHERE THERE'S BEEN CONVERSION, I CAN SURE. YOU DIDN'T TRUST ME. I GOT SUED FOR 65,000 BUCKS. SO I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT IF THE BUSINESS IS OPERATING AS A BUSINESS, THEY GET TO DEDUCT THOSE EXPENSES. I DON'T, BUT THE INFRACTION, WHICH WAS CLEAR AND ALSO LISTED IN THE DEED OF TRUST, NEVER GOT ATTENTION. I I, SO I, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOUR PARTICULAR CASE. I'LL BE HAPPY TO TALK WITH YOU ABOUT IT. THE CITY, BECAUSE THE, THE DEEDS REQUIRE A ACTUAL INSPECTOR SOMEWHAT OFFICIAL TO OBSERVE THE INFRACTION. THAT'S WHAT I FOUND OUT AFTER ALL THIS ISSUE. ALRIGHT. THERE'S A REASON WHY WE WANT OUR INVESTIGATOR OR SOMEBODY WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO OBSERVE THE VIOLATION. AND THAT'S BECAUSE WHEN WE GO TO TRIAL, WE'LL NEED WITNESSES. AND WE'VE HAD TOO MANY TIMES WHERE COMMUNITY WITNESSES DID NOT SHOW UP. SO WE NEED OUR PEOPLE TO OBSERVE THE VIOLATION. AND IF WE DON'T OBSERVE IT, UH, THEN IT MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD. BUT I'VE HAD CASES, I KEPT OPEN FOR A YEAR TRYING TO CATCH THE VIOLATION AND SOMETIMES WE GET IT, SOMETIMES WE DON'T. RIGHT. OVER HERE, PLEASE. YES, SIR. MR. CRENSHAW, THANKS FOR ANSWERING OUR QUESTION. AND MY QUESTION BACK TO SHORT TERM RENTAL, WHY SHORT, SHORT-TERM RENTAL IS NOT CONSIDERED AS A COMMERCIAL BUSINESS INSIDE ESTABLISHED NEIGHBORHOOD? BECAUSE OF, I'LL TELL YOU WHY. THE SUPREME COURT SAYS SO EVEN RENTAL THE TEXAS SUPREME RUN AFTER, AFTER OUR NIGHTCLUB, THE SUPREME COURT HAS SAID THAT SHORT TERM RENTAL IS CONSISTENT WITH RESIDENTIAL USE. OKAY. UM, SO, AND I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, THE PARTY HOUSES, THAT'S VERY FRUSTRATING. [01:10:01] AND I KNOW THE CITY ADMINISTRATION IS LOOKING AT, UH, DEALING WITH THOSE ISSUES AND SHORT TERM RENTALS. YEAH. BUT FROM A DEED RESTRICTION POINT OF VIEW, WE'RE KIND OF RESTRICTED RIGHT HERE. QUESTION. GO AHEAD MA'AM. IN SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 2005 AND 2009, A HOUSE BURNED DOWN DIRECTLY ACROSS FROM OUR CIVIC ASSOCIATION. IN 2012, I BELIEVE IT WAS, I WORKED WITH YOUR, ONE OF YOUR ATTORNEYS CONCERNING THIS PROPERTY. THEY'VE NEVER REBUILT ON IT. THEY PUT A FENCE ACROSS THE FRONT. THEY'VE USED IT FOR STORAGE, THEY'VE GOT A STORAGE BUILDING. YOU ALL DID GET THE CARS REMOVED FROM IT. THEY WERE STORING CARS. THERE'S STILL NO BUILDING ON THAT PROPERTY. I LEFT THE BOARD AND IT DROPPED. NOBODY, NOBODY WORKED ON IT ANYMORE. BUT DIRECTLY ACROSS FROM OUR CIVIC ASSOCIATION BUILDING AND POOL IS A LOT WITH A FENCE ACROSS, ACROSS IT AND NO HOUSE. SO YOU'RE, YOU'RE BASICALLY ASKING CAN WE FORCE THEM TO BUILD A RESIDENCE THERE? YES, WE ARE A SINGLE FAMILY HOME. THE ANSWER IS NO. UM, WE CANNOT ENFOR, WE CANNOT FORCE, UH, UH, A PROPERTY BUILDER TO BUILD A SINGLE FAMILY HOME ON A PROPERTY. HAVING AN EMPTY LOT, UM, IS NOT REALLY VIOLATING YOUR DEED RESTRICTIONS. THE DEED RESTRICTIONS ALLOW A SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE UNLESS PERHAPS THEY SAY YOU MUST HAVE IT. UH, I HAVE NEVER SEEN A DEED RESTRICTION THAT SAYS YOU MUST HAVE A SINGLE FAMILY HOME ON YOUR LOT. OKAY. WHAT ABOUT JUST THE STORAGE BUILDING IN NO HOME, UM, STORAGE BUILDING FOR WHAT PURPOSES? IF IT'S COMMERCIAL STORAGE AND OBVIOUSLY COMMERCIAL USE, THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN ADDRESS. 'CAUSE WE CAN ADDRESS COMMERCIAL VERSUS RESIDENTIAL. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S COMMERCIAL. THAT'S A DIFFICULT, THEY DRIVE UP WITH TRAILER TIMES AND OPEN THE GATE AND PUT STUFF IN AND SOMETIMES THEY PULL STUFF OUT. BUT HOW DO YOU PROVE WHAT IT IS? AND THAT'S THE SAME DILEMMA WE HAVE. SO OUR, OUR NICE CIVIC ASSOCIATION HAS TO LIVE WITH THIS MESS ACROSS THE STREET FROM IT. UM, YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO ENFORCE MORE THAN WE CAN. UM, AND AS LASHAWN SAID, UH, ON OUR LIMITED AREAS THAT WE CAN ENFORCE COMMERCIAL VERSUS RESIDENTIAL FOR INSTANCE, SEEMS TO BE WHAT'S UH, THERE. UH, YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING ELSE THAT'S IN YOUR DUE RESTRICTIONS. I, I WOULDN'T KNOW AND I COULDN'T ADVISE YOU ON IT OTHERWISE. OKAY. AND HPD IS IN CHARGE OF ENFORCING YARD PARKING. IS THAT TRUE? YES. HOW DO THEY HAVE TIME? THE ORDINANCE . I AGREE. HOW DO THEY HAVE TIME? WE ALL WISH WE HAD MORE POLICE. I MEAN, THE MAYOR'S TALKED ABOUT IT. YEAH. IT SEEMS LIKE THAT SHOULD BE TRANSFERRED OVER TO DON. UM, THAT'S NOT A DEED RESTRICTION ISSUE, SO I'M NOT A I DON'T HAVE AUTHORITY TO ANSWER THAT. AND YOU'LL HEAR MORE FROM DON AROUND ENFORCEMENT. I ALSO WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE CEDRIC LISSE FROM THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT. HE'S GONNA TALK ABOUT HOME REPAIR. UM, THERE'S A DOTTED LINE TO TEAR DOWNS, UM, AND REMOVAL OF BLIGHTED HOMES. UH, I'M SURE DON'S GONNA TALK ABOUT DANGEROUS BUILDINGS. SO WE HAVE THAT TEED UP FOR YOU AS WELL. WE KNOW FROM WEST PARK VILLAGE TO PARK GLEN, THAT'S HAPPENING ALL THROUGHOUT. AND WE HAVE SOME PRIORITY PROPERTIES THAT WE ARE MONITORING. SO, UH, LET HOLD ON JOHN. LET ME GET MELANIE. YOUR HAND WAS UP. YOU GOT IT. ALRIGHT. ANY, UH, FIRST TIME QUESTION HANDS THAT WERE UP, MS. BOOZER AND THEN WE'LL COME TO YOU. JOHN. GOT A FEW MORE MINUTES ON THIS. HEY, MS. BOOZER, WE'VE WORKED TOGETHER. YES, WE HAVE. AND WE'VE HAD SOME SUCCESS AS WELL. YES, MA'AM. UM, MY, MY QUESTION IS, WE HAVE SOME INVESTOR PROPERTY OWNERS THAT ARE FREQUENT, UH, HABITUAL. UM, UH, YEAH, I KNOW THE NAME OF THAT MAN. BARBARA CROSS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. THAT'S OUR NAME. WE'VE ENFORCED, WE, WE, WE REPORT, REPORT THEM. SEAN HAS A CASE AGAINST HIM, RIGHT? NO, I'M GONNA GET HER CARD BEFORE. OKAY. BEFORE WE LEAVE. UM, UH, AND SO I'M JUST WONDERING, DO WE JUST KEEP SUBMITTING THE, UH, UH, THE IN INFRACTIONS OF OUR D RESTRICTIONS? SUBMIT ANOTHER COMPLAINT. OKAY. UM, BECAUSE IN CARVER CREST, FOR INSTANCE, IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, UH, THERE'S ALL THOSE, UM, CAR LOTS ALONG JEANETTA THAT HAVE BEEN THERE A LONG TIME, ARE KIND OF STUCK BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN THERE SO LONG, RIGHT? BUT EVERY TIME THEY WANT TO TAKE IN A NEW LOT THAT'S A NEW, UM, VIOLATION. AND THEY WANT TO DO SOME, UH, CAR LOT ACTIVITY, WHICH IS COMMERCIAL USE. AND WE STEP IN. AND [01:15:01] SO A PARTICULAR LANDOWNER WITH MANY LOTS IN CARVER CREST, UH, UM, DOES IT. AND THEN HE STOPS WHEN WE GET INVOLVED AND THEN HE COMES BACK. AND THAT'S NOT UNIQUE TO THIS ONE SITUATION. UM, WE GET VIOLATIONS THAT COME BACK. ONE OF THE MOST COMMON ONES THAT COME BACK IS, UM, CAR REPAIR. PEOPLE DO CAR REPAIR BUSINESS ON THEIR HOME PROPERTY. WE GO AFTER 'EM, WE GET 'EM TO STOP. THEY SAY, OH, YEAH, YEAH. SIX MONTHS LATER THEY START IT BACK AGAIN. COMPLAIN AGAIN. UH, OUR, OUR, UH, ENFORCEMENT PROCESS, SOME OF 'EM EVEN WHERE WE HAVE A JUDGMENT FROM A COURT THAT THEY CANNOT DO THIS, THEY STILL COME BACK. AND WE'VE GONE BACK AND FILED NEW CAUSES OF ACTION AT THE COURTHOUSE CALLED CONTEMPT. IT'S CONTEMPT OF THE COURT TO VIOLATE THE COURT'S ORDER. SO WE FILE AND ASK THE COURT TO ENTER, UH, UH, CONTEMPT ORDER AND TO FINE AND OTHERWISE PENALIZE THESE PEOPLE. ULTIMATELY, THE COURT COULD PUT 'EM IN JAIL. BUT WE'VE NEVER GOTTEN A COURT TO DO THAT. AND, AND LET ME ADD WHY IT'S PROBLEMATIC. UM, PARTICULARLY IN CARVER CREST, IT'S THE SAME INVESTOR PURCHASING MULTIPLE LOTS. SO WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WE HAVE TO GET A VOTE, UM, TO AMEND OUR DEED RESTRICTIONS, YOU HAVE INDIVIDUALS THAT CAN DOMINATE THE VOTE, RIGHT? AND SO THAT'S THE NUANCE OF IT. SO, UM, THAT'S WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO HAVE A HANDLE ON WHO ACTUALLY HAS THE VOTE. UH, THEY'RE PARTICULARLY UNIQUE BECAUSE THEY ARE IN THE PILOT CONSERVATION DISTRICT PROGRAM. UM, WHICH CHANGES, IT'S A WHOLE NOTHER DYNAMIC. AND SO WHEN YOU HAVE SOMEONE WHO IS MORE THAN A BAD ACTOR, THAT IS DISRUPTING THE FABRIC, UM, OF THE COMMUNITY, UM, OPERATING COMMERCIAL, COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES ON RESIDENTIAL LOTS, IT REMOVES HOUSING INVENTORY FROM THE CITY, WHICH COULD BE ANOTHER SINGLE FAMILY HOME. UM, AND IT ALSO PUTS, UM, A VULNERABLE COMMUNITY, UH, IN THE FACE OF SOME ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS. WHO WANTS TO LIVE NEXT DOOR TO MECHANIC SHOP, RIGHT? SO, AND WITH HOUSTON NOT HAVING ZONING. SO THERE'S A LOT OF COMPLICATIONS THAT WE'RE WORKING THROUGH WITH LEGAL AND EVERY RESOURCE WE HAVE AVAILABLE. SO KEEP THAT IN MIND WHEN THAT PERMIT ACTIVITY LIST GOES OUT, WHO'S PURCHASING THE PROPERTIES? UH, PAY ATTENTION. THERE'S NUANCE OF THESE INVESTORS COMING IN, BUYING UP MULTIPLE LOTS. THEY'RE DEVELOPING TOWN HOMES FOR THE USE OF SHORT-TERM RENTAL. THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THIS IS HAPPENING EVERYWHERE AND WE DON'T WANNA, WE DON'T WANT YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD TO BE IN A POSITION WHERE YOU DON'T HAVE THE VOTES TO MAKE THE CHANGES TO PROTECT YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD. SO WE'RE, SO, UM, ALL OF OUR, UH, PARTNERS WILL BE HERE. I KNOW WE HAVE TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ONE, JOHN, WE'RE GONNA GET YOUR QUESTION. UH, BUT MR. CRENSHAW AND THE REST OF THE CITY LEGAL TEAM WILL BE HERE. UH, RICE AND RICE IS HERE IN THE LIBRARY, AND THEY'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE SOME, UM, MORE TARGETED CONVERSATIONS WITH YOU. ALRIGHT, FINAL QUESTION. ALRIGHT, THANKS FOR YOUR TIME. OUR SUBDIVISION WAS, UH, BUILT IN THE MIDDLE SIXTIES AND EARLY SEVENTIES, UM, KIRKWOOD AT, AT, UH, BENU. UM, AT THE TIME IT WAS STARTED, KIRKWOOD WAS A TWO LANE ASPHALT ROAD WITH OPEN DITCHES ON BOTH SIDES. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT THE NAME OF THE ROAD WAS BEFORE IT WAS KIRKWOOD, BUT, UH, IT WAS NOT EXACTLY A STRAIGHT ROAD. UH, DURING, UM, RIGHT AROUND THE TURN OF THE CENTURY, UH, THE MAYOR BROWN, THE FORMER POLICE CHIEF WAS MAYOR. THEY CAME IN AND THEY MADE IT A TWO LANE DIVIDED CONCRETE ROAD. DID A VERY GOOD JOB, BUT IT'S NOW A STRAIGHT ROAD. SO SHOULD WE BE WORRIED ABOUT THE CORNER LOTS BECAUSE ALL, ALL OF OUR SUBDIVISION COMES UP AND, AND THE STREETS, UH, DEAD END INTO KIRKWOOD AND, AND HAVE, UH, ACCESS TO KIRKWOOD SHOULD OUR CORNER LOTS. UH, THE OWNERS OF THOSE HAVE REHAB THEIR, UH, LOTS SURVEYED AGAIN, TO BE SURE THAT DURING THE STRAIGHTENING OF KIRKWOOD, THEY DIDN'T LOSE OR GAIN ANY, ANY LAND. UM, THAT'S A, A INTERESTING QUESTION. MY GUESS IS THAT IF THE CITY OR WHOEVER PUT THE ROAD IN, UH, WERE TO TAKE ANY PRIVATE PROPERTY, THEY'D HAVE TO GO THROUGH EMINENT DOMAIN PROCESS CONDEMNATION AND, UH, THE PROPERTY OWNER WOULD BE MADE AWARE OF THAT. UH, TYPICALLY ROADS ARE PUT IN WHERE AN EASEMENT ALREADY EXISTS. SO, UM, UH, MOVEMENT OF AN EASEMENT BY THE CITY, UH, DOES NOT CHANGE THE PROPERTY LINE. SO THOSE OWNERS SHOULD ALREADY KNOW, PARDON ME, BE I WOULD THINK SO, BUT, UH, THAT, THAT YOU'D HAVE TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT TO BE SHORT. ALRIGHT, I'LL DO ONE MORE. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS JOE AUGUST, AND I LIVE IN FAIRWAY VILLAS COMMUNITY. AND, UH, THAT COMMUNITY HAS ONLY BEEN THERE LESS THAN 15 YEARS. UH, WHEN THE HOMES WERE INITIALLY BUILT, UH, THEY WERE SOLD AS, UM, [01:20:01] SOMETHING, BUT THEY'RE ACTUALLY DUPLEX. I WILL, THEY ARE TWO HOMES ON ONE LOT SHARING ONE LOT. THE PRIMARY CONCERN I HAVE OVER THERE IS NOW WE HAVE, UH, PEOPLE WITH, UH, GARAGES, YOU KNOW, WORKING ON THE STREET. THERE'S NO ROOM TO WORK IN THE LOT BECAUSE THERE ARE TWO HOMES OCCUPYING, YOU KNOW, THE ONE LOT. WHEN, WHEN YOU SAY GARAGES, YOU'RE SAYING CAR REPAIR GARAGES TYPE BUSINESS? WELL, THEY'RE WORKING ON CARS IN THE STREET. OH, WORKING ON THE CARS ON THE STREET? YES. OKAY. UM, THAT'S A DIFFICULTY FOR US ON DEED RESTRICTIONS. UM, IT'S JUST LIKE THE STREET PARKING IS THE STREET OF PUBLIC PLACE. CAN WE ENFORCE DEED RESTRICTIONS ON WHAT PEOPLE DO ON A PUBLIC STREET? UM, OUR POSITION IS WE DO NOT ENFORCE WHAT HAPPENS ON THE PUBLIC STREET. NOW, THAT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT FROM WHAT SUSIE RICE WAS TALKING ABOUT EARLIER, WHERE THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY, UH, IS PART OF THE CONTRACT IN THE DEED RESTRICTIONS. AND IF IT IS THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY DOING THAT ACTIVITY, THEY MAY STILL BE HELD. WE'LL SEE WHAT THE COURTS SAY. THEY STILL, STILL MAY BE HELD AS VIOLATORS, BUT SO FAR WE DON'T HAVE A CASE ON THAT TO GUIDE US. SO ON THE STREETS RIGHT NOW, UM, WE'RE NOT ENFORCING IT. NOW, IF WE CAN, IF THEY'RE DOING THEIR BUS, THAT'S BUSINESS, THAT'S COMMERCIAL USE. IF THEY'RE DOING THEIR CAR REPAIR BUSINESS ON THE PROPERTY AND ON THE STREET, WE'LL TRY TO ENFORCE ON THE PROPERTY IF IT IS VIOLATION OF A DE RESTRICTION. OKAY. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. MY NAME IS BRIAN RICE. I'M WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON, DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS. I'M WITH THE INSPECTIONS AND PUBLIC SERVICE DIVISION. UH, WE HAVE FIVE DIFFERENT DIVISIONS. I'M THE ONE THAT YOU GUYS MAY BE SOMEWHAT FAMILIAR WITH. UH, WE ARE THE CODE ENFORCEMENT ARM OF THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS. I'M ACTUALLY THE DIVISION TRAINER FOR, UH, INSPECTIONS IN PUBLIC SERVICE. SO I TRAINED SOME OF THE STAFF THAT SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE HAD INTERACTIONS WITH AND SHARED SOME CONCERNS WITH. UH, CURRENTLY THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS IS, UH, OUT AND ABOUT IN YOUR COMMUNITIES DOING OUR BEST TO HELP, UH, YOU WITH CODE ENFORCEMENT ISSUES. I'VE HEARD A LOT OF MENTION OF ENFORCEMENT TODAY, AND I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS A DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE TYPE OF ENFORCEMENT WE DO AS OPPOSED TO THE TYPE OF ENFORCEMENT THAT IS CONDUCTED THROUGH CITY LEGAL AND DEED RESTRICTIONS AND SO FORTH. WE ARE IN CODE ENFORCEMENT, UH, DEPARTMENT OR DIVISION. WE ENFORCE PRIMARILY CHAPTER 10 AND CHAPTER 39 OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, CODE OF MUNICIPAL ORDINANCES. SO THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOOD'S CURRENT DIRECTOR IS HERBERT SIMS. UH, DON IS WORKING REGULARLY TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN NEIGHBORHOODS. AM I SPEAKING TOO LOW? OKAY. IS THAT BETTER? I'M SORRY, Y'ALL. THANK YOU. ACTUALLY, I'M IN A CHOIR. I SHOULD KNOW HOW TO USE A MIC. . ALL RIGHT. SO, UH, AGAIN, DON IS, UH, HEADED BY HERBERT SIMS, THE DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT. WE WORK TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN OUR COMMUNITIES. WE ALSO, UH, DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS. WE PROMOTE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND, UH, A WEALTH OF OTHER RESOURCES THAT WE TRY TO CONNECT OUR RESIDENTS WITH THE CITY. AGAIN, I'M WITH THE INSPECTIONS AND PUBLIC SERVICE DIVISION, SO THAT'S WHAT I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT PRIMARILY, NOT THE OTHER DIVISIONS. ALL RIGHT, SO THE DEPARTMENT AND NEIGHBORHOODS INSPECTIONS AND PUBLIC DIVISION, UM, INSPECTIONS AND PUBLIC SERVICE DIVISION. UH, WE WORK THROUGH, UM, PROVING QUALITY OF LIFE BY ENFORCING CODE. UH, THERE ARE VARIOUS CODES WITHIN CHAPTER 10 AND CHAPTER 39 OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, CODE OF ORDINANCES THAT WE ENFORCE. AND THESE PRIMARILY DEAL WITH NUISANCES ON PROPERTY AND PROPERTY CONDITION AND UPKEEP. THESE ARE PRIMARY FUNCTIONS. ONE OF OUR MAJOR ONES, IF WE LOOK INTO IT, IS OVERGROWN VEGETATION. I KNOW THIS IS ONE THING THAT WE'VE HAD AN ISSUE WITH THROUGHOUT THE CITY. HOUSTON BEING A SUBTROPICAL CLIMATE, UH, THINGS GROW VERY WELL HERE. , THE GROUND IS VERY FERTILE. THERE'S NOT MUCH ASSISTANCE NEEDED FOR VEGETATION TO GROW WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. AND OUR CODE OF ORDINANCES, ANY VEGETATION THAT HAS GROWN OVER NINE INCHES IN HEIGHT IS CONSIDERED TO BE A VIOLATION OF CITY ORDINANCE. PROPERTY OWNERS ARE EXPECTED TO MAINTAIN THEIR PROPERTY BELOW NINE INCHES IN HEIGHT, THE STATE SAYS 12 INCHES. THE CITY OF HOUSTON HAS TIGHTENED THAT UP SOMEWHAT TO NINE INCHES. NINE INCHES COMES VERY QUICK IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, JUST WITH HUMIDITY ALONE, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO RAIN MUCH. I WANNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ABATEMENT. UM, I'VE HEARD THE TERM USED, AND I UNDERSTAND THERE MAY BE SOME CONFUSION AS TO WHAT ABATEMENT IS. ABATEMENT FROM THE STANDPOINT OF A CODE ENFORCEMENT PERSPECTIVE IS CITY CORRECTIVE ACTION. WE HAVE A PROCESS IN WHICH WE UNDERTAKE, AND I'M GONNA TOUCH ON THAT SHORTLY, UM, WHERE WE NOTICE OWNERS OF PROPERTIES ABOUT, UH, [01:25:01] DEFICIENCIES ON THEIR PROPERTY, AND WE GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY AS PER STATE LAW TO MAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION ON THEIR OWN. AND SITUATIONS WHERE THAT CORRECTIVE ACTION IS NOT OBTAINED BY THE RESIDENT OR THE PROPERTY OWNER, THE CITY DOES STEP IN TO TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION ON BEHALF OF THE CITIZENS. THAT CORRECTIVE ACTION IS CALLED ABATEMENT. AND I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT FURTHER ABOUT THAT. UM, WELL, LET ME JUST TOUCH ON THIS AS WELL. SO FOR ONE THING, OVERGROWN WEEDS AND BRUSH ARE POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARDS. THERE'S SAFETY HAZARDS AND THERE'S, THERE ARE HEALTH HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH IT. YOU CAN IMAGINE IF YOU HAVE A LOT OF OVERGROWN VEGETATION, NORMALLY WHAT HAPPENS WITHIN THE CITY, GIVEN WHATEVER SEASON IT IS IN THE CITY, THERE'S DRY, UH, VEGETATION AT THE BOTTOM. ALL YOU NEED IS A SPONTANEOUS CONDITION. AND THEN YOU HAVE A FIRED LOT WHICH DOES SPREAD TO HOMES AND EVERYTHING ELSE IN THE AREA THAT WOULD BURN. AND THAT'S ONE OF THE PRIMARY CONCERNS. ALSO, A PLACE WHERE NORMALLY HAR HARBORAGE OF RODENTS, RODENTS LIKE THAT UNDER THAT UNDERBRUSH TO GET UP IN THERE AND FEEL COMFORTABLE FROM THE PREDATORS THAT MAY ATTACK THEM FROM THE AIR LIKE HAWKS OR OWLS. AND IT HAPPENS TO BE WHERE THE SNAKES HANG OUT TOO, BECAUSE THEY LIKE TO GO AFTER THE RODENTS AGAIN. UM, AS FAR AS EMERGENCY ABATEMENT, I TOUCH ON IT HERE AND I DO APOLOGIZE FOR THE SIDE OF THIS, THE SIZE OF THE SLIDE. THIS PRESENTATION WAS REALLY PUT TOGETHER FOR A MUCH LARGER SCREEN. IT'S ACTUALLY A PRESENTATION THAT WAS PUT TOGETHER FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AS PART OF THE ORIENTATION PROCESS. AND I'VE KIND OF TAILORED IT DOWN TO FIT THIS PARTICULAR, UH, CIRCUMSTANCE. THERE ARE SEARCH SITUATIONS WHERE EMERGENCY ABATEMENT WOULD BE CALLED FOR THE STATE OF TEXAS HAS DEEMED WEEDS OVER 48 INCHES OR FOUR FEET IN HEIGHT TO BE AN IMMEDIATE DANGER TO THE AREA THAT IT, UH, THE VICINITY OF THE AREA THAT IT, UM, OCCUPIES THAT SPACE. IN THOSE CASES, WE DON'T NOTICE THE OWNERS, WE WILL TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION OR CAN PERFORM AN ABATEMENT AND THEN NOTICE THE OWNERS AFTERWARDS TO LET THEM KNOW THAT THEY NEED TO, UH, PAY THE CITY BACK THAT MONEY THAT THEY SPENT TO CORRECT THEIR PROBLEM. ANOTHER ONE, I'VE HEARD THIS MENTIONED QUITE A BIT IN OPERABLE MOTOR VEHICLES AND JUNK VEHICLES. ALRIGHT, SO FOR THE PURPOSE OF WHAT WE DO, WHAT WE CALL INOPERABILITY PER CODE OF ORDINANCE, INOPERABILITY MEANS EITHER INCAPABLE USE FOR ITS INTENDED PURPOSE OR REASONABLY APPEARING TO BE INCAPABLE ABUSE FOR ITS INTENDED PURPOSE. EVERYONE HERE IS PRETTY MUCH AWARE THAT THE INTENDED PURPOSE OF A MOTOR VEHICLE PASSENGER CAR OR TRUCK IS TO BE A METHOD OF CONVEYANCE. IF THAT VEHICLE IS INCAPABLE OF USE THAT WAY OR REASONABLY APPEARS TO BE. SO THAT IS WHAT WE DEEM AN INOPERABLE MOTOR VEHICLE. SIMPLY HAVING VEHICLES ON YOUR PROPERTY THAT YOU DON'T DRIVE THAT DOES NOT FIT THAT CRITERIA. WE HAVE TO ESTABLISH THAT THESE VEHICLES ARE INCAPABLE BEING USED PROPERLY. ALL RIGHT? THAT IS A VIOLATION OF CITY ORDINANCE, OPEN STORAGE OF THESE VEHICLES. MEANING IF THE VEHICLES ARE NOT WITHIN A BUILDING OR A SHED OR SOME OTHER TYPE OF ENCLOSURE, IS THE ISSUE. IF THESE VEHICLES ARE VISIBLE FROM PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY, OR PUBLIC PROPERTY OR EVEN ADJACENT PROPERTY, IT IS A PROBLEM. OKAY? THESE VEHICLES TEND TO HARBORAGE RATS. THEY'RE ATTRACTIVE NUISANCE FOR, UH, FOR, FOR THE ATTRACTIVE NUISANCE FOR, FOR YOUTH JUVENILES. THEY LIKE TO CLIMB INTO VEHICLES LIKE THIS AND IT COULD BE A A, OBVIOUSLY A FIRE HAZARD AS WELL AS MOST OF THESE VEHICLES SIT WITH THE FLUIDS THAT THEY STILL HAD IN THEM, THE GASOLINE OILS, TRANSMISSION FLUIDS, AND SO FORTH. SO THOSE VEHICLES ARE PROBLEMATIC. WE WANNA GET THOSE OFF THE PROPERTY. AGAIN, THIS IS NOT A PARKING ISSUE, THIS IS PRIVATE PROPERTY. IF IT'S ON THE STREET, THAT'S A PARKING ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE REPORTED TO LAW ENFORCEMENT OR THE PARKS PARK, HOUSTON, THE PARKING ENFORCEMENT PEOPLE . UH, AS FAR AS JUNK VEHICLE, I'M GONNA TOUCH ON THAT JUST BRIEFLY. THE STATE OF TEXAS SPECIFICALLY DEF DEFINES JUNK VEHICLES AS VEHICLES THAT ARE DISMANTLED, PARTIALLY DISMANTLED, DISCARDED OR WRECKED, THAT REMAIN CONTINUOUSLY IN OPERABLE FOR 30 CONSECUTIVE DAYS ON PRIVATE PROPERTY AND HAVE EXPIRED REGISTRATION. THOSE VEHICLES ARE SUBJECT TO BE REMOVED THROUGH ABATEMENT BECAUSE THEY'RE CLASSIFIED AS NUISANCES. WE ABATE NUISANCES HERE IN THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS. WE DON'T ABATE MINIMUM STANDARDS. I'LL TOUCH ON WHAT MINIMUM STANDARD VIOLATIONS ARE, BUT NUISANCES, WE DO ABATE. SO THOSE WEEDS OVER NINE INCHES IN HEIGHT, THERE ARE NUISANCES VEHICLES THAT ARE DEEMED JUNK VEHICLES ARE NUISANCES. AND THIS IS DECLARED BY STATE LAW. JUST ONE MOMENT. ALSO, WE WANNA KEEP IN MIND THAT, UH, THERE IS A 72 CONSECUTIVE HOUR PROVISION IN THAT CODE, UH, FOR THE STATE AS WELL AS OUR CITY ORDINANCE. HOWEVER, THAT AGAIN IS ON PUBLIC PROPERTY. YES MA'AM. WITH ALL OF THOSE PARAMETERS YOU JUST STATED, CAN YOU ALSO ACCESS THE BACKYARD OF [01:30:01] A HOMEOWNER? YES, MA'AM. SO GIVEN, UH, THE NATURE OF THE TYPE OF VIOLATIONS WE'RE DEALING WITH, AGAIN, WE'RE DEALING WITH NON-CIVIL ACTIONS. THESE ARE NOT CIVIL ORDINANCES, THESE ARE CRIMINAL ORDINANCES. SO WE DO HAVE SOME HINDRANCES, I'LL SAY THAT IN TERMS OF HOW WE ENFORCE THESE THINGS. YOU KNOW, THESE ARE CRIMINAL MATTERS. THEY'RE CLASS C MISDEMEANORS, WHICH ARE CRIMINAL OFFENSES HERE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS. SO WE HAVE TO FOLLOW CERTAIN PARAMETERS. PEOPLE HAVE FOURTH AMENDMENT RIGHTS AND WE HAVE TO BE MINDFUL OF THOSE. TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, YES, WE CAN. AND GIVEN CIRCUMSTANCES, AGAIN, WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO OBTAIN EVIDENCE OF THOSE VIOLATIONS LEGALLY, RIGHT? WE CAN'T JUST GO ONTO PEOPLE'S PROPERTIES WITHOUT THEIR CONSENT. AND WE HAVE TO BE MINDFUL OF HOW WE COLLECT THAT EVIDENCE BECAUSE IF WE COLLECT IT IMPROPERLY, IT CAN'T BE ADMISSIBLE IN THE COURT OF LAW. AND HENCE IT WOULD STOP ALL THE OTHER PROCESSES AS WELL. UM, IF YOU GIVE US PERMISSION TO COME IN YOUR BACKYARD TO SEE A VIOLATION THAT YOU CAN OBSERVE, WE CAN WORK THROUGH THAT MEANS. BUT AS FAR AS WHAT WE CAN SEE FROM PUBLIC VIEW, THE WAY HOW THE STATE CODE IS WRITTEN, IT KIND OF LIMITS US. THERE WILL BE SOME DISCUSSION MOVING FORWARD IN HOW WE AMEND OUR LOCAL ORDINANCE. UM, BECAUSE THERE IS PROVISION IN THE STATE CODE TO DO THAT, THERE'S CASE LAW, UM, THAT PROHIBITS US TAKING THOSE EX THAT THAT'S CONSIDERED AN UNREASONABLE SEARCH. UH, WHEN PEOPLE HAVE A, UH, LET'S SAY PRIVACY FENCING, THERE'S AN EXPECTATION OF PRIVACY AND WE CAN'T VIOLATE THAT. THAT'S PART OF THE FOURTH AMENDMENT. SO DRONES ARE NOT SOMETHING WE CAN USE. AGAIN, THAT'S, UH, SOMETHING THAT A NEIGHBOR CAN DO. BUT AS FAR AS ENFORCEMENT, NO, WE'RE THEN THERE'S CASE LAW THROUGHOUT THIS, UH, YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT OUR, UH, SUPREME COURT DECISIONS THAT HAVE ESTABLISHED THAT TYPE OF, UH, EVIDENCE COLLECTION IS UNREASONABLE. NOW THERE IS CASE LAW IF WE WENT INTO THE SECOND FLOOR OF A, OF SOMEONE'S ADJACENT RESIDENCE AND WE COULD SEE IT, THAT IS PERMISSIBLE. BUT AS FAR AS TAKING PICTURES OVER FENCES OR STANDING ON TOP OF SOMETHING TO TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS, THAT IS PROHIBITED. MM-HMM . I'M SORRY, GO AHEAD. WE HAVE EASEMENTS AND OUR SUBDIVISION AND WE DUNNO AND CAN'T FIND OUT WHO THEY BELONG TO. AND THE GRASS IS THIS HIGH. MM-HMM . THANK YOU SIR. AND THE GRASS IS THIS HIGH IN REGARDS TO THE EASEMENTS. YEAH. AND SO HOW DO WE GO ABOUT GETTING THOSE MOWED? SO YOU REPORT THOSE AND I'M GONNA GET INTO THAT MOMENTARILY. I'M GONNA KIND OF MOVE FORWARD. I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE SOME QUESTIONS. I'M GONNA MOVE FORWARD A LITTLE BIT QUICKER TO GET THROUGH THE PRESENTATION 'CAUSE SOME OF YOUR QUESTIONS MAY BE ANSWERED. I WILL GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK THOUGH. I WANT TO, I DON'T WANT TO. I'M VERY MINDFUL OF YOUR TIME AND I JUST WANT TO SAY I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS BEING HERE. 'CAUSE YOU ARE OBVIOUSLY ENGAGED. THIS LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT IS NECESSARY. THE CITY CAN'T FIX EVERYTHING WITHOUT YOUR HELP. WE NEED ENGAGEMENT AND COOPERATION WITH OUR COMMUNITY. SO LET ME JUST MOVE FORWARD, BUT I'LL TALK ABOUT HOW TO REPORT THESE THINGS IN A MOMENT. ALRIGHT? SO RUBBISH AND TRASH IS ANOTHER ISSUE. WE HAVE SITUATIONS, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THAT LOOK LIKE THIS WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS. WE HANDLE ALL THE CITY LIMITS OF HOUSTON, ALL 88 SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS. AND WE DO HAVE SITUATIONS WHERE RUBBISH IS COLLECTED AND ACCUMULATED ON PROPERTIES. IT IS A VIOLATION OF CITY ORDINANCE UNDER OUR, UH, GENERAL, UH, NUISANCE, UH, ORDINANCE AS WELL AS, UM, STATE CODE. NOW, WE DO NOT ADDRESS THESE SITUATIONS WHERE MATERIALS ARE DUMPED ON EASEMENTS OR PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAYS. THOSE ARE CONSIDERED TO BE ILLEGAL DUMPING. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PRIVATE PROPERTY WHERE SOMEONE SPECIFICALLY OWNS A PROPERTY. ILLEGAL DUMPING IS THE, IS A FITS WITHIN THE WHEELHOUSE OF SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT AND LAW ENFORCEMENT THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL, UM, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THEIR, UH, ENFORCEMENT. ILLEGAL DUMPING IS AGAINST STATE LAW AS WELL AS CITY ORDINANCE. HOW DID YOU OBTAIN THAT PHOTOGRAPH? SOME OF THESE ARE STOCK PHOTOS. I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU. NOT ALL OF THESE ARE, ARE, SOME OF THEM ARE MY PHOTOGRAPHS I'VE ACTUALLY TAKEN DURING INSPECTIONS. THIS PARTICULAR ONE IS A STOCK PHOTO, BUT I'VE SEEN SCENARIOS LIKE THAT. OKAY. MINIMUM STANDARD HOUSING CONDITIONS. THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS INSPECTIONS AND PUBLIC SERVICE DOES ENFORCE MINIMUM STANDARDS, UH, UM, OR SUBSTANDARD HOUSING CONDITIONS OF DEFICIENCIES ON RENTAL PROPERTIES. WE DO THAT. HOWEVER, WE ONLY DO UP TO TWO RESIDENTIAL UNITS. ANYTHING ABOVE TWO RESIDENTIAL UNITS IS HANDLED BY PUBLIC WORKS HABITABILITY. SO WE DO HAVE ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITY. WE DEAL WITH UTILITY STANDARDS SUCH AS, UH, IMPROPER WIRING, UM, EXPOSED WIRING, UH, INADEQUATE PLUMBING, SEWAGE, UM, STRUCTURAL VIOLATIONS. THESE ALL CONSIDERED MINIMUM STANDARD VIOLATIONS. THESE ARE NOT CONSIDERED NUISANCES. WE DO NOT ABATE THESE. BUT CITATIONS WILL BE ISSUED IF WE, UH, DON'T GET ANY OWNER COMPLIANCE OR RESIDENT OR, OR OCCUPANT COMPLIANCE IN SOME CASES. THERE ARE SOME STIPULATIONS [01:35:01] IN THE ORDINANCE THAT, UH, THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE OCCUPANTS OF THESE PLACES TO MAINTAIN CERTAIN STANDARDS AS WELL AS THE OWNERS. AGAIN, ANYTHING OVER TWO UNITS, IT'S NOT HANDLED BY DON IPS. IT IS HANDLED BY PUBLIC WORKS. THEY HANDLE RENTAL PROPERTIES ABOVE THREE UNITS, THREE UNITS AND ABOVE. VISUAL BLIGHT, ALSO KNOWN AS GRAFFITI. THIS IS A THING HERE IN THE HOUSTON AREA, UM, IN SOME AREAS MORE THAN OTHERS. IRONICALLY, IT'S NOT PERVASIVE, IT'S NOT ALL OVER THE PLACE. THERE'S CERTAIN AREAS, UM, WHERE IT'S, IT'S MORE, YOU KNOW, PREVALENT. UH, VISUAL BLIGHT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ENCOUNTER. UM, WE HAVE SITUATIONS WHERE, UH, CURRENTLY, AND I'M GONNA SAY CURRENTLY 'CAUSE OUR PROCESSES ARE CHANGING, THE CITY WILL ABATE THIS TYPE OF VIOLATION WITHOUT ANY COST TO THE OWNER. ALRIGHT? THAT'S THE CURRENT SITUATION. BUT I UNDERSTAND THERE'S SOMETHING IN WORKS TO CHANGE THAT. ALRIGHT? UH, THERE MAY BE A SITUATION MOVING FORWARD WHERE THE OWNER WILL BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST OF THIS ABATEMENT, BUT RIGHT NOW THE CITY IS DOING IT. THEY'RE ABLE TO DO IT WITH THE USE OF DONATED PAINTS. AGAIN, WHEN WE DO THESE TYPE OF ABATEMENTS, WE CAN'T GUARANTEE A COLOR MATCH. THAT MAY NOT BE THE SITUATION, BUT WE CAN GUARANTEE WE'LL COVER IT. YEAH, THEY'RE MOSTLY GONNA BE BASE COLORS, LIGHT COLORS, SOMETHING OF OUR PRIMER NATURE WHERE YOU CAN PAINT OVER IT YOURSELF. WE, AGAIN, WE'RE CONCERNED WITH THE, THE MATERIAL THAT'S PAINTED. AGAIN, WE DON'T, IT'S NOT THE CONTENT. WE, WE CAN'T, UH, WE AGAIN, WE'RE VERY MINDFUL OF PEOPLE'S, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS AS WELL. YOU CAN WRITE WHAT YOU WANT TO WRITE, BELIEVE IT OR NOT. BUT, UH, WE'RE CONCERNED WITH UNAUTHORIZED GRAFFITI OR ANY SCRATCHING OR ETCHING OR PAINTING ON PROPERTY OR SURFACES. THAT'S, UH, THE PRIMARY THING. SO IT'S, IT'S THE BLIGHT EFFECT OF IT. STAGNANT WATER. ALRIGHT? THIS IS ANOTHER AREA OF VIOLATION THAT WE DO ENFORCE. OKAY? OBVIOUSLY ONE OF THE MAIN CONCERNS, OR IT SHOULD BE OBVIOUS OF STAGNANT WATER, IS THE MOSQUITO BREEDING EFFECT. MOSQUITOES USE STAGNANT WATER OR FLOWING WATER FOR THAT MUCH IF IT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, A PORTION OF IT COULD BE STAGNANT TO BREED. MOSQUITOES ARE A VECTOR FOR MANY DISEASES THAT ARE COMMUNICABLE AND CAN SPREAD TO HUMANS. ALRIGHT? I DO KNOW OF A PERSONAL SITUATION HERE, UH, WITH MY WIFE, WITH ONE OF HER FRIENDS WHO CAUGHT WEST NILE VIRUS, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON LIMITS SOME YEARS AGO. UM, IT'S A REAL THING AND SHE, UH, APPARENTLY WAS A FATAL SITUATION. NOW, WHEN WE DEAL WITH SITUATIONS ABOVE, UH, THE NORMAL SCENARIOS SUCH AS ILLUSTRATED HERE IN THE PICTURE WITH A WHEELBARROW OR BUCKETS OR ANY OTHER THINGS THAT WOULD COLLECT STAGNANT WATER, SUCH AS POOLS OR AQUATIC STRUCTURES, WE WILL NORMALLY REFER THOSE OVER TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT. I'LL BE WITH YOU IN ONE MOMENT. THOSE MATTERS ARE REFERRED OVER TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT WHO, WHO ENFORCE CHAPTER 43 FOR POOLS AND AQUATIC STRUCTURES. SO THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT MORE EQUIPPED TO DEAL WITH THOSE TYPE OF SCENARIOS. AGAIN, THIS IS CONSIDERED TO BE ONE OF THOSE SITUATIONS WHERE WE DON'T ABATE, WE'RE NOT GONNA COME FILL IN A POOL, BUT WE WILL ISSUE APPROPRIATE CITATIONS AND TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF NECESSARY. SOMETIMES CIVIL ACTION IS NECESSARY. I'M GONNA, I'LL TAKE YOUR QUESTION AHEAD, MA'AM. GOT YOUR MIC. I LIVE IN BRAS VILLAGE. WE HAVE 986 HOMES AND THE SUBDIVISION WAS BUILT ABOUT 40 YEARS AGO, 45 YEARS AGO. WE HAVE THREE HOMES THAT HAVE POOLS IN THE FRONT YARD. TERRIBLE. BUT ANYWAY, UM, ONE OF THOSE HOMES, THE FENCE FELL DOWN. I I REPORTED IT. THE POOL IS VERY DEEP. THERE'S STANDING WATER. A KID OR A AN ANIMAL CAN GET IN THAT POOL AND NOBODY WOULD EVER FIND THEM. AND HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE ONCE THE CITY COMES OUT TO DO, MAKE THOSE PEOPLE PUT UP THE FENCE? GOOD QUESTION. SO IN TERMS OF TIMEFRAMES, I WILL ENCOURAGE YOU TO BE PATIENT WITH THE CITY . THERE IS A PROCESS, UH, OF COURSE, I, I COULDN'T PUT A SPECIFIC TIME ON IT, BUT THERE IS A PROCESS, UM, IN TERMS OF IF IT'S SOMETHING, AND AGAIN, IT, IN CASE YOU, EVERYONE HERE SHOULD BE FAMILIAR WITH 3 1 1. I'M ASSUMING EVERYONE IS FAMILIAR, THAT IS OUR PRIMARY WAY TO GET THESE TYPE OF CONCERNS TO THE CITY. OKAY? THESE CALLS ARE ROUTED AND I WOULD RECOMMEND HIGHLY IF YOU DO REPORT SOMETHING, 2, 3, 1, 1, YOU KEEP TRACK OF THE SERVICE REQUEST NUMBER. DON'T JUST REPORT IT AND KIND OF WALK AWAY FROM IT AND SAY, OH, THEY'LL TAKE CARE OF IT WHEN THEY GET TO IT. IF YOU KEEP THAT SERVICE REQUEST NUMBER, YOU CAN ALWAYS FOLLOW UP WITH THAT, EITHER WITH THE 3 1 1 DIRECTLY, OR IN SOME CASES YOU MAY HAVE TO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND TO CONTACT YOUR ELECTED OFFICIAL TO SAY, HEY, WE REPORTED THIS. WE ALSO HAVE THE MAYOR'S ASSISTANCE OFFICE WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS WHO [01:40:01] HAVE COMMUNITY LIAISONS WHO DEAL DIRECTLY WITH THESE TYPE OF SITUATIONS TO GET 'EM RESOLVED. SO IF YOU HAVE A SITUATION THAT YOU HAVE NOT GOTTEN ANY TRACTION ON IT, IT DOESN'T APPEAR TO HAVE ANY TRACTION ON IT, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTACT US AT DON. OKAY? I AM GONNA GIVE YOU A NUMBER DURING MY PRESENTATION AND WE CAN PUT YOU IN TOUCH WITH THE COMMUNITY LIAISON FOR YOUR AREA TO HELP WITH THE FOLLOW UP. IN MANY CASES, THE WAY HOW THE CITY IS SET UP, THERE ARE SEVERAL DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS THAT HANDLE SEVERAL DIFFERENT THINGS AND SOMETIMES IT'S DIFFICULT TO NAVIGATE THROUGH THAT. YOU MAY BE REPORTING SOMETHING TO US THAT ALSO, LIKE I GAVE A SCENARIO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT DEALS WITH AS WELL. WE TAKE IT, WE'LL START MOVING FORWARD, WE'LL GET TO A POINT IN SAYING, OKAY, THIS IS FAR AS WE CAN GO. WHEREAS THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT MAY HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE TEETH IN THAT AREA. THERE WAS JUST ANOTHER SCENARIO WHERE PEOPLE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE USE OF, UH, RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES FOR UTILIZING, UH, FOR THE PURPOSE OF, UH, THESE MECHANIC SHOPS AND EVERYTHING. AND I KNOW THAT CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE DID MENTION SOME, UH, YOU KNOW, SOME, UH, AREA THEY HAD IN THAT, YOU KNOW, SOME ENFORCEMENT AND RESPONSIBILITY IN THAT AREA, BUT ALSO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. IT IS A VIOLATION OF CITY LAW AND TO HAVE THESE RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES BEING UTILIZED FOR REPAIR SHOPS AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ENFORCE THAT THROUGH THEIR, UH, AUTO DEALERS, UH, DIVISION. SO THOSE ARE, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, WHEN YOU GET THESE SCENARIOS THAT YOU'RE REPORTING THINGS WHETHER THROUGH 3, 1, 1 OR SOMEONE ELSE, ALWAYS MAINTAIN A REFERENCE NUMBER. EVERY THREE ONE ONE CALL THAT YOU PLACE, THERE'S A REFERENCE NUMBER PLACED ON IT AND YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO TRACK THAT TO ITS FINAL CONCLUSION. AND IF IT GETS CLOSED AND YOU HAVING, HAVING THE RESULT THAT YOU EXPECT IT TO HAPPEN, YOU USE THAT SAME NUMBER AS FOLLOW UP. YES, MA'AM. I HAVE A QUESTION REGARDING STAGNANT WATER THAT JUST SITS AT THE END OF DRIVEWAYS. MY NEIGHBORHOOD, WE MY DRIVEWAY, MY NEIGHBOR'S DRIVEWAY DOWN THE ROAD, THERE'S LIKE THREE FEET OF WATER FROM THEIR DRIVEWAY TO THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET. IS THAT REPORTED TO YOU GUYS? AND THEN STREETS ARE REPAIRED. SO THAT WOULD SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING FOR TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE OPERATIONS, THAT'S NOT REALLY A VIOLATION OF, OF ON THE PROPERTY. THAT SOUNDS LIKE AN ISSUE WITH GRADING OR POSSIBLY LIKE, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE LIKE A DITCH SITUATION OR IF YOU HAVE ESTABLISHED CURB LINES, BUT IF IT'S A DRAINAGE DITCH, TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE OPERATIONS THROUGH PUBLIC WORKS DOES MAINTAIN THOSE TYPE OF SITUATIONS. I DO ENCOURAGE YOU IF YOU REPORT SOMETHING LIKE THAT, YOU WANT TO GET TOGETHER WITH A FEW OF YOUR NEIGHBORS TO MAKE MORE THAN ONE REPORT. BECAUSE IF ONE PERSON REPORTS A DRAINAGE ISSUE AND NO ONE ELSE REPORTS IT, IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE A DRAINAGE ISSUE. BUT IF YOU HAVE SEVERAL RESIDENTS REPORTING THE SAME TYPE OF SCENARIO, THAT WOULD GET THE ATTENTION OF THE APPROPRIATE DEPARTMENT. OKAY. OPEN EXCAVATIONS AND HOLES. I'M NOT GONNA SPEND TOO MUCH TIME ON THIS, BUT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE DO ENFORCE. OKAY? NORMALLY WE HAVE THESE SITUATIONS WHEN STRUCTURES HAVE BEEN DEMOLISHED OR STRUCTURES HAVE NOT BEEN COMPLETELY FINISHED WHERE THEY'VE BEEN ABANDONED. AND WE'VE HAD THOSE SCENARIOS AS WELL. ANY THINGS PROTRUDING FROM THE GROUND SUCH AS REBAR OR UH, PVC PIPING OR ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE, THAT IS A VIOLATION OF CITY ORDINANCE AS WELL. OPEN EXCAVATION SHOULD BE ENCLOSED. IF YOU HAVE A CONSTRUCTION PROJECT GOING ON IN YOUR AREA AND THEY'RE NOT PROPERLY FENCING IT IN, THAT IS A VIOLATION. YOU CAN REPORT THAT AND WE WILL SEND SOMEONE OUT TO CHECK THAT OUT AND SEE IF THERE IS A VIOLATION THAT CAN BE ENFORCED. DISCHARGE OF RAW SEWAGE IS ANOTHER ONE THAT WE ENFORCE. UM, WE SEE THESE OFTEN IN, IN, UH, SEVERAL PROPERTIES. WHEN YOU HAVE A CLOG IN THE PLUMBING SYSTEM, THE SEWAGE PLUMBING SYSTEM, IT'LL COME OUT OF THOSE CLEAN OUT AND IT'S GONNA TAKE THE PATH OF LEAST RESISTANCE. I KNOW THAT'S A GROSS LOOKING PICTURE, BUT THAT REALLY DOES HAPPEN. BROKEN FENCES AND ACCESSORY STRUCTURES, THIS IS ANOTHER ONE THAT WE GET QUITE OFTEN. THIS IS A MINIMUM STANDARD VIOLATION, BUT IT IS CITABLE. THIS IS SOMETHING WHERE THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE UPKEEP, THE FENCING AND ACCESSORY STRUCTURES AS THEIR CARPORTS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE NEED TO BE MAINTAINED AND THEN KEPT IN GOOD CONDITION. YES MA'AM. BUT IF THAT PROPERTY IS BEING, UH, MONITORED BY A HOMEOWNER'S ASSOCIATION AND THEY DON'T FIX THOSE FENCES, WHOSE PROBLEM IS THAT? SO IN CONJUNCTION WITH YOUR HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION AND CITY ORDINANCE, YOU CAN PUT SOME PRESSURE ON THESE FOLKS BECAUSE WE DO ENFORCE THESE. WE WILL WRITE CITATIONS FOR THIS. WE WILL NOTICE THE PROPERTY OWNER GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO CORRECT IT. IF THEY DON'T, WE'RE COMING BACK AND WE'RE GONNA START WRITING THEM TICKETS. YOU AND YOU ON THE OTHER HAND, AS A HOA OR A CIVIC ASSOCIATION OR WHATEVER THAT HAS THE AUTHORITY TO NOTICE THESE PEOPLE. YOU CAN DO THE SAME AND YOU CAN TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION AS WELL IN TERMS OF YOUR ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES. I KNOW SOMEONE HAD MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT SOMETHING BEING A HEAVY LIFT SOMETIMES, OR SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO MAKE THOSE HEAVY LIFTS WHEN YOU HAVE A PROBLEMATIC RESIDENT, RIGHT? WE ALL WANNA BE GOOD NEIGHBORS. PART OF THAT RESPONSIBILITY OF BEING A GOOD NEIGHBOR IS KEEPING YOUR PROPERTY TOGETHER. YES MA'AM. WE HAVE A WATER LEAK ON OUR STREET. IT'S BEEN THAT WAY. UM, I'M PRESIDENT OF THE HOA [01:45:01] I'VE CALLED IN ANY NUMBER OF TIMES ON LAST WEEK. SOMEONE DID COME OUT AND, UH, BEGAN TO DIG THE AREA UP TO CHANGE THE METER ITSELF, THE BOX AND, UH, SUPERVISOR CAME BY AND TOLD HIM THEY'RE AT THE WRONG ADDRESS. SO, YOU KNOW, WE GOT MUD AND STUFF RUNNING DOWN THE STREET. THIS WATER HAS BEEN RUNNING SO LONG AND THERE'S BEEN A NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS AND, UH, MY LAST UH, UH, COMMUNICATION WAS VIA EMAIL DOWN TO MARTHA'S OFFICE. OKAY? SOMEBODY IN HER OFFICE. BUT THERE'S JUST STUFF IN IT AND IT'S NOT JUST LEAKY, IT'S RUNNING OKAY. AND WE NEED THAT TAKEN CARE OF. ANOTHER CONCERN I HAVE, I HAVE A PROPERTIES ACROSS TOWN, UH, AND UH, KEEP IT UP, YOU KNOW, HAVE IT CUT ONCE A MONTH, BUT THERE IS DUMPING. MY NEIGHBORS WILL TEND TO DO WORK AND DUMP THEIR STUFF ON MY PROPERTIES. WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT THAT? WHEN YOU HAVE ISSUES LIKE THAT THAT ARE ONGOING, WHEN YOU HAD COMMUNICATION WITH MULTIPLE PEOPLE, YOUR COUNCIL, PEOPLE, YOUR, YOUR, UH, EVEN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE FOR THAT MUCH, WHOEVER YOU HAD COMMUNICATIONS WITH, THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS MAYOR'S ASSISTANCE OFFICE IS ONE OF THE DIVISIONS THAT WE HAVE. THERE ARE COMMUNITY LIAISONS WHO WORK WITHIN THE MAYOR'S ASSISTANCE OFFICE WHO DEAL DIRECTLY WITH SITUATIONS LIKE THAT WHERE THEY CAN PUT YOU IN TOUCH, THEY CAN TAKE YOUR ISSUE AND THEY CAN FIND OUT WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT. 'CAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE WHAT YOU HAVE THERE IS A PUBLIC UTILITIES ISSUE. UM, IF IT'S ON PUBLIC PROPERTY OR IF IT'S BEFORE THE METER OR PART OF THE METER, PART OF THAT IS RES THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CITY. IF IT'S ON PRIVATE PROPERTY, THE WHOLE RESPONSIBILITY ON THE OWNER. SO IN THOSE SCENARIOS WHERE YOU CAN'T QUITE NAIL DOWN WHO'S SUPPOSED TO BE DOING WHAT, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTACT THE MAYOR'S ASSISTANCE OFFICE. I BELIEVE RACHEL GAVE OUT SOME DOCUMENTATION TO YOU GUYS AND YOU CAN MAKE CONTACT THROUGH THAT. ALSO, GIVE YOU PART OF MY PRESENTATION AT THE END HERE. I'LL GIVE YOU THE NUMBER FOR DON. UM, IN GENERAL, THE CALL CENTER THAT WE MAINTAIN WHERE WE CAN ROUTE THOSE CALLS TO THE MAYOR'S ASSISTANCE OFFICE, BUT CONTACT YOUR COMMUNITY LIAISONS. THEY ARE AVAILABLE TO YOU AND THEY WANT YOU TO CALL BECAUSE THEY CAN CUT THROUGH SOME OF THE RED TAPE, IF YOU WILL, OF GETTING THESE THINGS TAKEN CARE OF OR SOME OF THE COMMUNICATION GAPS. BECAUSE TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, THE CITY ISN'T ONE COHESIVE THING. THERE ARE MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE MULTIPLE RESPONSIBILITIES AND WE WANT TO ENSURE WE GET YOU TO THE RIGHT FOLKS ALL. SO THE NEXT THING I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT IS SOLID WASTE VIOLATIONS. HEAVY TRASH. CURRENTLY, THIS IS CURRENT, THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS INSPECTIONS AND PUBLIC SERVICE DOES ENFORCE THIS. HOWEVER, IT IS CHANGING. SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT WILL BE TAKING CONTROL OF, UH, DEALING WITH SPECIFIC ISSUES WITH HEAVY TRASH VIOLATIONS AND PROPER PLACEMENT OF HEAVY TRASH YARD WASTE AND PROPER BUNDLED, THOSE TYPE OF VIOLATIONS. THE, THE, UM, AUTOMATED SERVICE CONTAINERS AND PUBLIC VIEW, ALL THOSE TYPE OF VIOLATIONS, WE CURRENTLY ENFORCE THAT IN MY DIVISION. HOWEVER, THAT'S GONNA BE TAKEN OVER BY SOLID WASTE. THEY DO HAVE CODE ENFORCEMENT PEOPLE, SOME OF THEM I'VE TRAINED AND THEY'RE GONNA BE OUT THERE DOING THEIR THING WITH THAT. THAT, I'M SORRY THEY DID NOT KNOW THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THAT, BUT IT IS COMING. UM, I DON'T, I'M NOT PRIVY TO THAT INFORMATION SPECIFICALLY. THERE'S A MIC COMING FOR YOU REAL QUICK. I WAS GONNA SAY EFFECTIVE WHEN, YEAH, AGAIN, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW THE SPECIFICS OF WHEN THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN. I WOULD ANTICIPATE IT'S GONNA HAPPEN BEFORE THE END OF THIS YEAR. UM, IT'S BEEN IN THE WORKS FOR A WHILE. THEY'VE BEEN, UH, INCREASING THEIR STAFF. THEY'VE ALWAYS HAD SOME CODE ENFORCEMENT STAFF. UM, BUT THEY, THEY'VE, THEY'VE ACTUALLY KIND OF BOLSTERED UP THEIR RANKS. SO THEY'LL BE OUT THERE DOING THAT AND WE'RE GONNA TURN IT OVER TO 'EM WILLINGLY BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING THAT TAKES A LOT OF PEOPLE TO WORK AND WE HAVE NO SHORTAGE OF WORK. SO WILL WE STILL REPORT OUR VIOLATIONS TO 3 1 1? YES. YOU STILL SAME PROCESS 3 1 1. IT'S JUST THAT THE WAY 3 1 1 ROUTES THEM MOVING FORWARD, THEY WON'T BE ROUTING 'EM TO DEPARTMENT NEIGHBORHOODS. THEY'LL BE ROUTING THEM TO SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT QUESTION BACK THERE. I'M SORRY, GO AHEAD. I'LL GET YOU ONE MORE. OKAY. WE'VE GOT A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH PEOPLE COMING AND DUMPING TRASH YEAH. INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. UM, SO ONE, CAN WE CALL AND GET SOMEBODY TO COME PICK IT UP? YEAH. AND THEN TWO, IF WE WERE TO PUT UP SECURITY CAMERAS THAT COULD SEE WHO WAS DOING THAT VIOLATION, WHAT FURTHER ENFORCEMENT CAN Y'ALL DO AGAINST THOSE PEOPLE? SO IN TERMS OF ENFORCEMENT OF THAT, THAT WOULD BE, AGAIN, THAT'S GONNA BE A POLICE DEPARTMENT ENFORCEMENT MECHANISM. IF YOU HAVE EVIDENCE, YOU'RE GONNA WANNA CONTACT THEM. THEY DO HAVE AN ENVIRONMENTAL UNIT THAT HANDLES A LEGAL DUMPING. YOUR PROBLEM IS NOT UNIQUE TO THE, UH, PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD YOU IN. THIS IS A CITYWIDE ISSUE WITH ILLEGAL DUMPING. UNFORTUNATELY, WHEN PEOPLE SEE VACANT PROPERTY, SOMETIMES THAT'S ONE OF THEM, OR EASEMENTS. THEY'LL PUT THEIR STUFF THERE AND THEN IT BECOMES LIKE ONE OF THOSE SCENARIOS, IF YOU GUYS OLD ENOUGH TO REMEMBER THE DOG PILE ON THE RABBIT SCENARIO. OKAY, THEY PUT SOMETHING, LET'S PUT SOMETHING AND THEN SOMEONE ELSE PUTS SOMETHING AND SOMEONE ELSE PUTS SOMETHING AND BEFORE YOU KNOW IT, WE HAVE A, UH, [01:50:01] YOU KNOW, A MOUNTAIN OF OF RUBBISH GO AHEADS. GONNA ADD SOMETHING. I WANNA ADD, I WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO THAT, UH, IF YOU CONTACT YOUR HARRIS COUNTY PRECINCT OFFICE, THEY, IF, IF, IF IT'S A CONTINUOUS ILLEGAL DUMPING THAT'S OCCURRING, IT'S POSSIBLE THAT THEY MAY PUT UP CAMERAS TO FIND OUT, YOU KNOW, LICENSE PLATES OR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE CONTINUOUSLY DUMPING AT THAT LOCATION. SO THEY DO PROVIDE THAT SERVICE. AND THAT'S THROUGH HARRIS COUNTY BEND. I WOULD, I WOULD DEFINITELY ASK, YOU KNOW, YOUR FORT BEND COUNTY COMMISSIONER? UH, YES SIR. AND UH, AGAIN, I KNOW THAT, UM, SPEAKING ON THE TELL AND WHAT THE, WHAT THE GENTLEMAN JUST SAID, UM, THAT'S NORMALLY DONE THROUGH THEIR CONSTABLES, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE FOR THAT PARTICULAR, UH, DISTRICT, THEY DO THAT I BELIEVE ALSO, AND I, I DON'T WANT TO SAY SOMETHING THAT IS INCORRECT, BUT MY BELIEF IS THE CITY OF HOUSTON, UH, HPD AGAIN, DOES HAVE ALSO RESOURCES TO INSTALL CAMERAS AND THEY MONITOR 'EM. I HAVE SEEN SOME, UH, POSITIVE RESULTS IN CERTAIN AREAS THAT WE RECEIVE. A LOT OF THESE TYPE OF SITUATIONS, THEY TEND TO DUMP ALONG EASEMENTS, ALONG THE RAILWAYS AS WELL AS EASEMENTS ALONG THE BAYOU. ALL RIGHT. DANGEROUS BUILDINGS. I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE I'M SORRY, GO AHEAD. YOUR QUESTION I FORGOT ABOUT. I WAS JUST CURIOUS. WE HAVE A, UM, RESIDENCE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, IMPERIAL POINT AND IT'S OBVIOUSLY A RENTAL AND MOST OF THE SUBCATEGORIES THAT YOU JUST WENT THROUGH, NOT ALL OF THEM, BUT THEY HAVE CONTINUOUS VIOLATIONS, FENCE, TRASH, TRASH CONTAINERS, AUTOMOBILES, SO ON, SO ON. UM, AND THEY'RE REPORTED AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THE, THEY COME OUT EVERY SO OFTEN AND THEY CHECK AND THEY'LL MAYBE GIVE 'EM A VIOLATION NOTICE OR NOT. AND THEN NEXT WEEK THERE'S HEAVY TRASH OR THE CAR'S THERE OR WHATEVER IT IS. REPEAT, REPEAT, REPEAT OFFENDERS. IS THERE ANYTHING BEING DONE TO TRACK THOSE REPEAT OFFENDERS AND DOES EVERY CASE HAVE TO BE A STANDALONE CASE? IN MANY SITUATIONS, IF THERE ARE NEW SITUATIONS THAT OCCUR, WE DO CREATE NEW CASES FOR THEM. AND EACH CASE IS NORMALLY HANDLED INDIVIDUALLY. THE REASON WHY THIS IS DONE, IF THERE'S A NUISANCE TYPE VIOLATION ON THE PROPERTY, NUISANCES MAY HAVE TO BE CARRIED OUT ALL THE WAY TO CITY CORRECTIVE ACTION WHEN WE ACTUALLY HAVE TO COME OUT AND TAKE AN ACTION ON BEHALF OF THE RESIDENTS. RIGHT? THAT'S A LEGAL CIVIL ACTION THAT'S TAKEN WHEN WE DO THE CORRECTIVE ACTION, THE CITATIONS THAT ARE BEING ISSUED, A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T SEE THE CITATIONS, BUT THEY'RE RECEIVING CITATIONS. I KNOW THERE WAS SOME CONCERN, I THINK WITH THE GENTLEMAN HERE WHEN YOU SPOKE WITH ME EARLIER, WE DO HAVE SOME CONSTRAINTS WITH CITATIONS BECAUSE WE HAVE TO, WE WRITE THEM, BUT THE COURT ADJUDICATES THEM. RIGHT? THE, YOU KNOW, THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS RESPONSIBLE ADJUDICATION AND THERE ARE CONSTRAINTS. I MEAN, WE HAVE RIGHTS THAT WORK FOR US AND WE HAVE RIGHTS TO WORK FOR OTHERS AS WELL. SO THERE'S SUPPOSED TO BE EVERYBODY INCORPORATED IN THE SAME RIGHTS. SO THEY ARE REQUIREMENTS THAT WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO DO CERTAIN THINGS IN COURT, AND THAT IS ESTABLISH THE EVIDENCES ACCORDINGLY SO THAT WE CAN PROSECUTE THESE PEOPLE. BUT I, I, SORRY, I DO, I DO WANNA ANNOUNCE WE GOTTA, WE GOTTA WRAP THIS SEGMENT UP, UH, TO ALLOW OUR NEXT PRESENTERS TO COME UP. AGAIN, GREAT CONVERSATIONS, GREAT INFORMATION BY ALL DEPARTMENTS. UH, REACH OUT TO EVERY SINGLE DEPARTMENT AFTERWARDS. SO WE'RE GONNA GET A FEW MORE MINUTES IN HERE. ALRIGHT, I THANK YOU EVERYONE. I'M GONNA JUST, UH, IF, IF, IF YOU DON'T MIND, CAN I JUST TOUCH ON THIS DANGEROUS BUILDING THING JUST REALLY QUICKLY? ALRIGHT. SO WITH THE DANGEROUS BUILDINGS, LET ME JUST, LEMME JUST FINISH THIS. DANGEROUS BUILDINGS, EVERY PROPERTY OWNER WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS RESPONSIBLE TO MAINTAIN THEIR STRUCTURES AND A STRUCTURALLY SOUND SAFE MANNER. IF THEY ARE VACANT, THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE TO SECURE THEIR STRUCTURES. EVERY PROPERTY OWNER, WHETHER IT'S A COMMERCIAL PROPERTY OR WHETHER IT'S A RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY, IN CASES WHERE THEY ARE UNSECURED, THAT IS A VIOLATION OF CITY ORDINANCE. IF YOU HAVE THOSE SCENARIOS, CALL 3 1 1, OKAY? GET 'EM TO US SO WE CAN BEGIN TO WORK THOSE AND DEAL WITH THEM. THE PROCESS FOR DANGEROUS BUILDINGS IS EXTREMELY, EXTREMELY THOROUGH. SO YOU HAVE TO BE PATIENT. THESE THINGS DO NOT GET ADDRESSED OVERNIGHT. THERE ARE PROCESSES THEY'RE SET IN PLACE TO PREVENT US FROM TEARING DOWN THE WRONG PROPERTIES FROM . SO IT, IT HAS HAPPENED. SO WE HAVE TO FOLLOW CERTAIN LEGAL STEPS TO DO SO, BUT IF WE'RE WORKING ON IT, WE'RE WORKING ON IT. AND AGAIN, IF YOU REPORT SOMETHING VIA 3 1 1, YOU CAN ALWAYS FOLLOW UP WITH THAT. I'LL TAKE ONE MORE QUESTION. I GOTTA GET OUTTA HERE 'CAUSE THEY'RE GOING GET ON ME. YES, SIR. LET ME JUST, LET ME JUST STATE THESE MAY, MAYBE WE CAN ANSWER 'EM OFFLINE THOUGH. UM, OUR CONVERSATION EARLIER ABOUT THE, UH, THE JUDGES AND, AND NOT BEING ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE COMPLAINANT, UH, AT, AT, AT TRIAL, AT, AT THE, AT THE MUNICIPAL COURT. UH, CAN THE INSPECTORS GET DMV PHOTOS OF THE PROPERTY OWNERS INVOLVED IN THE, IN A, IN THE CITATION AND, [01:55:01] AND, AND THAT, THAT'S ONE THING. TWO, UH, UH, PARTIALLY DISABLED. OKAY. HAVE A CAR THAT WAS BACKED INTO THE DRIVEWAY, UH, AND THE, UH, HOOD WAS REMOVED. THE MOTOR WAS REMOVED AND IT'S STILL SITTING THERE. DOES THAT CONSTITUTE A PARTIALLY DISABLED VEHICLE? YES, MA'AM. OKAY. DISMANTLED. OKAY. VEHICLES ON JACK STANDS. WHEELS REMOVED, SAME THING. OKAY. UH, SO ANY VEHICLE THAT IS INCAPABLE OF USE FOR ITS INTENDED PURPOSE OR REASONABLY APPEARS TO BE ONE THAT DOESN'T HAVE AN ENGINE. I'D SAY THAT'S REASONABLE. THAT, THAT DOESN'T CAPABLE OF USE. GET 'EM, REPORT 'EM AND AGAIN, KEEP YOUR NUMBERS FOLLOW UP. THAT'S THIS NEXT SERVICE, SERVICE REQUEST. NUMBERS THE ONE THAT YOU GET WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU CALL IT IN. OKAY. THEY GET CHANGED TO A DIFFERENT NUMBER WHEN IT GETS TRANSFERRED TO THE ORGANIZATION IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. RESPONSIBLE FOR GETTING IT UPDATED, BUT WE NEVER GET NOTIFIED OF THAT. SO WHEN WE GO CHECK ON THAT, THE NEXT DAY, OUR SERVICE REQUEST NUMBER THAT WE MADE NOTE OF IS CHANGED. AND YOU HAVE TO GO PAGE BY PAGE. YOU CAN'T DO A SEARCH ON YOUR WEBSITE. YEAH. SO THE WEBSITE ITSELF IS REALLY NOT OURS. IT'S, THAT'S THE CITY, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE SERVICE PORTAL. UM, AGAIN, IN SITUATIONS WHERE YOU'RE TRYING TO FOLLOW UP, I DO ENCOURAGE YOU TO GET IN CONTACT WITH THE MAYOR'S ASSISTANCE'S OFFICE. THEY CAN CUT THROUGH SOME OF THE DIFFICULTIES TO NAVIGATE THAT. OKAY. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. AGAIN, I GOTTA MOVE OUT THE WAY EVERYONE, BECAUSE THERE IS SOMEONE COMING AFTER ME THAT IS FROM DON ALSO, BUT SHE'S GONNA, UH, TALK ABOUT PROBABLY THE OFFICE OF NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT. I THANK YOU ALL. CEDRIC WAS SAME. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UM, I THOUGHT I WAS GONNA BE ABLE TO SAY GOOD MORNING, BUT GOOD AFTERNOON, MS. 12 O'CLOCK. EXACTLY. ALL RIGHTY. UH, MY NAME IS CEDRIC SAIN. I'M ASSISTANT DIRECTOR IN HOUSING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT. AND SOME OF THE THINGS I WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS SOME OF THE PROGRAMS THAT THE CITY ACTUALLY OFFERS TO HOMEOWNERS HOME BUYERS AND ASSISTING THE ACTUAL COMMUNITY. GO BACK ONE. YEAH. ALRIGHT. SO SOME OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE OFFER, AND I KNOW A LOT OF FOLKS ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT IS OUR HOME REPAIR PROGRAM. UM, AND, AND A PART OF OUR HOME REPAIR PROGRAM. WE HAVE SEVERAL DIFFERENT COMPONENTS, AND ONE OF THOSE IS OUR EMERGENCY HOME REPAIR. SO SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT YOU GUYS ARE HEARING ABOUT PROPERTIES OR ELDERLY HOMEOWNERS OR DISABLED HOMEOWNERS THAT ARE HAVING CONCERNS, UH, THAT MAY Y'ALL SEE THAT THEY MAY NEED A ROOF OR THEY MAY HAVE DIFFICULTIES WITH MOBILITY. UH, THOSE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE CAN HANDLE THROUGH OUR EMERGENCY, UH, HOME REPAIR PROGRAM. AND THAT WILL ALLOW, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE THAT THEY QUALIFY FOR THE ACTUAL PROGRAM AND, AND THEN THEY'LL, UH, BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY, UH, PARTICIPATE. UM, SOME OF THE OTHER PROGRAMS THAT WE ARE, THAT WE ARE OFFERING NOW IS WE HAVE OUR AFFORDABLE HOME, UH, DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, OUR NEW HOME DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, UM, OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS, WHICH IS NONPROFITS THAT ARE BUILDING HOUSES. UM, AND WE PROVIDE DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE. SO FOR FAMILIES THAT ARE LOOKING FOR HOMES OR HAVE KIDS THAT MAY BE GRADUATING FROM COLLEGE OR COMING BACK HOME FROM THE MILITARY, THERE ARE, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD OPTIONS THAT WE ARE PARTICIPATING IN WITH BUILDING AS WELL AS BUILDING ON SCATTERED SITES. SO I KNOW THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT NUISANCE PROPERTIES, UH, WHERE THE HOMEOWNER, UH, THE, THE PROPERTY OWNER MAY NOT BE MAINTAINING THEM AND THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES FOR, YOU KNOW, THAT PERSON TO SELL THAT PROPERTY, UM, THROUGH THE CITY OR THROUGH, UH, THE HOUSTON LAND BANK THAT WE WORK WITH CLOSELY. OKAY. UH, SOME OF THE AREAS THAT WE ARE BUILDING IN CURRENTLY, YOU CAN LOOK AND SEE HERE FOR OUR HOME VIA ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, WHICH PROVIDES ASSISTANCE UP TO $50,000 IN DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE. UM, AND THEN WE HAVE SEVERAL NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WE ARE WORKING IN THAT YOU GUYS CAN SEE. UM, OUR, UH, THE PICTURES THAT ARE IN THE MIDDLE OR SOME OF THE HOMES THAT ARE UNDER CONSTRUCTION ARE, THAT HAS BEEN COMPLETED UNDER THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S PROGRAMS. AND THEN WE HAVE OUR NEW HOME DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, OH, THAT IS LOUDER. UH, OUR NEW HOME DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM THAT IS ON SCATTERED SITES AND WE BUILD IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, ACROSS THE CITY. AND, UH, NO NEXT SLIDE. AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE RUN INTO THAT WHEN, UH, [02:00:01] HOMEOWNERS ARE LOOKING FOR ASSISTANCE ARE LOOKING TO GET DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE. I WANT TO HELP YOU GUYS KIND OF NAVIGATE THROUGH THAT PROCESS AND, AND SOME OF THE THINGS FOR ELIGIBILITY ON OUR END, YOU NEED TO HAVE AN ID PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP, PROOF OF INCOME, THAT COULD BE SOCIAL SECURITY OR THAT COULD BE, UM, A, A, A PART-TIME OR FULL-TIME JOB THAT AN INDIVIDUAL WORKS. WE JUST NEED TO SHOW PROOF OF INCOME. OKAY. NOW, UM, INCOME FOR PERSONS THAT ARE ON SOCIAL SECURITY IS NOT CONSIDERED INCOME. OKAY. SO, SO Y'ALL KNOW THAT, UM, WE DO, UH, A LOT OF HOMEOWNERS THINK THAT THIS PROCESS IS A LITTLE EVASIVE, UH, UH, INVASIVE. UM, BECAUSE WE ASK FOR BANK STATEMENTS. WE ALSO GO INTO, UH, ASKING THE HOMEOWNERS TO LOOK AT ESTATE PLANNING. OKAY? SO, YOU KNOW, WE DEAL WITH MAJORITY OF A ELDERLY AND DISABLED POPULATION. UM, AND, YOU KNOW, PROPERTY OWNERS PASS AWAY DURING THE PROCESS. WE ASK TO HAVE SOME TYPE OF SUCCESSION PLAN TO PASS THAT PROPERTY ON TO YOUR HEIRS. OKAY? UH, WE LOOK AT THE ASSETS. WE ASK HOMEOWNERS TO PROVIDE HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE FOR ANY HOMES THAT ARE BEING BUILT OR, UH, PURCHASED THROUGH OUR PROGRAM. UM, WE LOOK AT IF YOU'VE HAD PREVIOUS ASSISTANCE. UM, AND THEN A REAL KEY THING IS TITLE. TITLE IS THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE THAT WE SEE, UH, BECAUSE IT MAY HAVE BEEN BIG MAMA'S HOUSE OR GRANDPA'S HOUSE, UM, AND IT HAS JUST PASSED ON FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION AND HOMEOWNERS, UH, UM, UH, THE FAMILY HAS NOT GIVEN A CLEAR PATH OF OWNERSHIP TO ONE PERSON AND IT MAY BE SITTING IN WHAT WE CALL AS THE ESTATE. OKAY? WE DO ASK FOR PROPERTIES TO BE CLEARED TO EITHER, YOU KNOW, IT COULD BE MULTIPLE OWNERS OF THE PROPERTY. THOSE MULTIPLE OWNERS WILL HAVE TO QUALIFY FOR THE PROGRAM. SO IF IT'S, YOU KNOW, AUNTIE, UH, THAT'S LIVING IN THE HOUSE, UM, OR A SIBLING THAT'S LIVING IN THE HOUSE, WE ASK FOR EVERYBODY THAT HAS THE AIRSHIP STAKE TO THAT PROPERTY, UM, TO BE IDENTIFIED AND SIGN OFF FOR THE REPAIR OR EVEN DEMOLISHED AND REBUILDING OF THAT PROPERTY. OKAY? SOME OF, UH, THE INCOME REQUIREMENTS THAT WE HAVE, UH, PERSONS THAT ARE WITH, WITH OUR HOME REPAIR PROGRAM AND SOME OF OUR PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE, IT GOES UP TO A 80% AVERAGE MEDIAN INCOME. OKAY? SO, FOR INSTANCE, IF YOU'RE A HOUSEHOLD OF ONE, YOU CANNOT MAKE ANY MORE THAN $53,000 A YEAR. OKAY? IF YOU ARE A FAMILY OF FOUR, YOU CANNOT MAKE NO MORE THAN $75,700. OKAY? THERE ARE SOME OTHER PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE, SUCH AS OUR, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAM WHERE WE ARE BUILDING NEIGHBORHOODS WITH DEVELOPERS THAT WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH. UH, SOME OF THOSE GO UP TO 120% A MI, AND IF YOU LOOK HERE, YOU CAN SEE WHAT THOSE LIMITS ARE. SO AS THAT FAMILY OF FOUR, YOU'LL BE LOOKING AT $113,000, 500. UM, SO JUST TO GIVE YOU SOME IDEA OF, OF SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE LOOK FOR. OKAY. NEXT SLIDE. ALRIGHT. AND HERE ARE THE ASSISTANCE THAT WE PROVIDE. SO, EMERGENCY AND MINOR REPAIR, IT'S GONNA HAVE TO BE BELOW $50,000, UH, FOR THAT REPAIR. SO WE WILL GO IN AND WE WILL REPLACE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE ONE OR TWO SYSTEMS IF WE CAN. SO FOR INSTANCE, WE MAY REPLACE A ROOF AND WE MAY REPLACE ELECTRICAL, UM, OR IT MAY BE A ROOF AND IT MAY BE SOMETHING WHERE, YOU KNOW, UH, THE SEWER LINE HAS BEEN HAVING ISSUES, WE'LL REPLACE THE SEWER LINE. OKAY. UH, AND THEN OUR MODERATE TO SUBSTANTIAL OR REHAB, WHAT WE CALL THAT'S GONNA BE 50 TO $80,000, AND THEN OUR SUBSTANTIAL REPAIR OR RECONSTRUCTION IS GONNA BE 80,000 UP TO $250,000. AND THAT'S A, A, A NEW CONSTRUCTION THAT WE, THAT WE DO. OKAY, NEXT SLIDE. RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE AND WE TRY TO PROVIDE TO ALL OF THE HOMEOWNERS, UH, THAT MAY BE HAVING TITLE ISSUES OR AIRSHIP ISSUES WITH THE PROPERTY. WE WORK CLOSELY WITH THE OPAL MITCHELL LEAD PROPERTY PRESERVATION PROJECT THROUGH TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY, [02:05:01] AND THEY PROVIDE, UM, HOMEOWNERS, UH, OR PROPERTY OWNERS, UH, HELPING THEM CLEAR THEIR TITLE. UM, ALSO WE WORK WITH LONG STAR LEGAL AID THAT IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT LIENS OR THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON WITH THE PROPERTY, LONG STAR LEGAL AID CAN PROVIDE FREE ASSISTANCE, UH, FOR THOSE HOMEOWNERS. AND THEN FOR OUR ELDERLY POPULATION, THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S AGENT IN PLACE DESIGN STANDARDS, WE TRY TO FOCUS ON MAKING SURE THAT ACCESSIBILITY IS GONNA BE KEY FOR THE FUTURE OF THAT PERSON. SO IF YOU'RE HAVING MOBILITY ISSUES NOW, OR YOU SEE IT COMING, WE PUT THOSE DESIGN STANDARDS INTO HOMES THAT WE EITHER RECONSTRUCT OR REPAIRS THAT WE DO TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT HOME IS ACCESSIBLE. OKAY. UM, AND THEN HERE IS SOME OF THE OTHER LINKS THAT WE HAVE. UM, AND I'M GONNA OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS. MS. I GOT ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT YES MA'AM. HYPOTHETICALLY SPEAKING. YES, MA'AM. WHEN THESE REPAIRS ARE DONE, WHAT KIND OF CONTRACTORS DO YOU OBTAIN TO DO THESE REPAIRS? BECAUSE I KNOW THEY'RE VARIOUS LEVELS OF CONTRACTORS AND MOST PEOPLE DON'T WANT ABSOLUTELY. THE LOWER LEVEL. THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. SO THE QUESTION WAS, UM, WHAT KIND OF CONTRACTORS DO WE UTILIZE? SO AS YOU KNOW, THE CITY PUTS OUT OUR PROCUREMENT. WE HIRE CONTRACTORS AND WE MONITOR THOSE CONTRACTORS BASED OFF OF OUR DESIGN STANDARDS THAT WE HAVE. SO THERE ARE SOME MINIMUM PROPERTY STANDARDS THAT, UM, I THINK, UH, BRIAN HAD MENTIONED THAT WE LOOK AT, WE PROVIDE, UH, UH, A MINIMUM STANDARD AND OUR MINIMUM STANDARD IS ACTUALLY ABOVE WHAT CITY CODE IS. SO CITY CODE REQUIRES THE BARE MINIMUM. WE ARE A STEP ABOVE. SO FOR INSTANCE, IF YOU KNOW YOU'RE GETTING A AC REPLACED, WE ARE GONNA LOOK FOR A HIGHER EFFICIENCY AC SUCH AS A 16, UH, 16 SEER. THE CITY IS ONLY REQUIRING, OR CODE ENFORCEMENT IS ONLY REQUIRING, UH, 14 AND A HALF SEER. SO WE TRY TO STAY A STEP ABOVE. OKAY. RIGHT. YOU, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT, UH, MINIMUM ANNUAL, UH, INCOMES, UH, UH, WELL, I'LL JUST USE MYSELF. YOU SAID AVERAGE. WELL, FOR, FOR ONE PERSON IT'S LIKE 53,000 ANNUAL INCOME. BUT WHAT ABOUT THEIR RESOURCES? OTHER RESOURCES? I MEAN, I HAVE LIKE A 401K OR SAVINGS. WHAT IS THAT ALSO INCLUDED IN? HOW IS THAT INCLUDED OR CALCULATED? SO, SO GREAT QUESTION. SO TWO THINGS. WE DO LOOK AT ASSET CAP LIMITS. OKAY. OUR ASSET CAP LIMITS ARE $30,000, BUT IF YOU ARE 62 YEARS OF AGE OR HIGHER, THOSE RESTRICTIONS ARE WAIVED. OKAY? WE LOOK AT THAT PERSON AS RETIRING AND THAT'S THEIR SAVINGS THAT THEY'RE LIVING ON. SO WE DON'T CALCULATE THAT IN, INTO CONSIDERATION AS INCOME, CORRECT? YES MA'AM. WHAT SHE SAID. OH, SURE. SO THE QUESTION WAS IS, IS THERE ASSET CAP LIMIT AND UNDER THE ASSET CAP LIMIT, WE DO NOT LOOK AT THAT. UM, FOR HOMEOWNERS THAT ARE OVER THE AGE OF 62 AND WE LOOK AT THOSE ACCOUNTS SUCH AS YOUR 4 0 1, YOUR, UH, ANNUITIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, UH, IT'S NOT CALCULATED INTO YOUR ACTUAL INCOME IF YOU'RE OVER THE AGE OF 62. I WANNA TAKE A FEW MORE, UH, TO WRAP UP THIS SEGMENT. SURE. RIGHT HERE. AND THEN, UM, I HAVE A TWO PART QUESTION. THEY'RE NOT RELATED, BUT I WANT BOTH ANSWERED PLEASE, . SURE. UM, THE CHART YOU SHOWED OF AFFORDABILITY SHOWING BREAKING DOWN LIKE THE SUBSTANTIAL AND THE REHAB AND EVERYTHING, WHAT DOES THAT AFFORDABILITY PERIOD MEAN? IT SAID 10 YEARS ON THE SUBSTANTIAL GUT. UH, WHAT'S THAT AFFORDABILITY PERIOD? WHAT'S THE ANNUAL PERCENTAGE FOR FORGIVEN? I LIKE TO KNOW THAT, IF YOU DON'T MIND. AND THEN WHEN YOU'RE REPAIRING AND REPLACING, YOU'RE WORKING WITH THE LOCAL HOAS TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS IN CODE TO BYLAWS. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. SO WE WORK CLOSELY WITH HOAS AND WE WORK WITH, UH, CIVIC CLUBS, UH, TO LOOK AT DESIGN STANDARDS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD. UM, I KNOW MANY OF YOU GUYS HAVE SEEN HOMES THAT ARE BEING CONSTRUCTED [02:10:01] FROM EITHER HURRICANE IKE OR HURRICANE HARVEY. THOSE HOMES THAT ARE BEING CONSTRUCTED, SOME OF THEM STICK OUT IN ACTUAL NEIGHBORHOODS, EITHER THE HOUSE IS TOO SMALL FOR THE ACTUAL LOT, UM, OR IT MAY BE ALL SIDING MATERIAL WHERE ALL THE HOMES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD ARE ALL BRICK. OKAY. UNDER OUR PROGRAM, WE LOOK AT THE DESIGN STANDARDS OF THE ACTUAL NEIGHBORHOOD. SO IF A NEIGHBORHOOD HAS ALL ONE CAR GARAGES, WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT REPLACING THAT HOME WITH A ONE CAR GARAGE. IF THE HOME HAS, YOU KNOW, THE, THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAS BEEN CONVERTED, THE GARAGES HAVE BEEN CONVERTED INTO LIVABLE SPACE, WE GIVE THE HOMEOWNER THE OPTION TO SAY, HEY, DO YOU WANT A GARAGE OR DO YOU WANT LIVABLE SPACE? SOME HOMEOWNERS OPT FOR THE LIVABLE SPACE. OKAY. UH, AND YOUR FIRST PART OF YOUR QUESTION, YES, IT IS FORGIVING ON AN ANNUAL BASIS. SO BASED ON THE PERCENTAGE OF WHAT YOU RECEIVE, UM, IT WILL BE 10% EACH YEAR THAT'S REDUCED. OKAY. OKAY. OKAY. SO, UM, A HOMEOWNER THAT RECEIVES, YOU KNOW, UH, A TEAR DOWN AND RECONSTRUCT THAT HOME WILL BE FORGIVEN ON AN ANNUAL BASIS. OKAY. SO IF THE HOMEOWNER DECIDES TO SELL THOSE FUNDS WILL BE DUE BACK TO THE CITY. OKAY. WE ALSO, UH, I KNOW WE HAVE OUR, ONE OF OUR PARTNERS HERE, PRO BANK, THAT, THAT, THAT WORKS, UM, WITH THE CITY. UM, IF YOU GUYS ARE LOOKING TO REFINANCE YOUR HOUSE OR OTHER THINGS, UM, OUR LIEN POSITION IS IN THE SECOND LIEN POSITION. SO IF YOU HAVE A MORTGAGE, WE WILL ASK YOUR BANK OR YOUR MORTGAGE COMPANY TO SUBORDINATE TO THE CONSTRUCTION, BUT THEY WILL STILL REMAIN IN THE FIRST LIEN POSITION. OKAY. QUESTION. HI. UM, YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT REPLACING A AC UNIT. SO I HAVE A RESIDENT IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD WHO HAD A STROKE BECAUSE SHE DIDN'T HAVE A AC UNIT, HER UNIT BROKE DOWN AND SHE COULDN'T AFFORD TO GET IT FIXED. UM, HOW DO I PASS ALONG HER INFORMATION? I MEAN, YOUR, YOUR INFORMATION TO HER AND OKAY, I WILL GIVE YOU MY INFORMATION. UH, FINAL ONE WITH MR. JOHN. ASK ON, UH, YES, I WILL MAKE SURE THAT ISAAC GET THOSE OUT TO YOU ALL. OKAY. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH MR. CEDRIC LA THANK YOU ALL. HE LOVES PRESENTING FOR US IN DISTRICT F I'LL MAKE SURE THE COUNCIL MEMBER KNOWS THE GREAT JOB THAT HE DID. UH, WE'RE GONNA MOVE RIGHT ALONG TO OUR FINAL PORTION OF THE PRESENTATION TODAY. REALLY GREAT QUESTIONS FROM EVERYBODY. WE'RE GONNA INVITE THE HARRIS COUNTY TAX ASSESSOR'S OFFICE. AND, UH, BEFORE I DO THAT, QUICK SHOUT OUT TO OUR PARTNERS IN THE BUILDING, FROST BANK. THANK YOU SO MUCH, EVERYONE. I'VE ALREADY HEARD A LOT OF GREAT INFORMATION AND I'M HOPING THIS INFORMATION WILL ALSO A GOOD INFORMATION IN RETURN. I'M ALREADY SPECIALIST OF THE HARRIS COUNTY TAX OFFICE AND, UM, OKAY, UH, YES, THANK YOU SO MUCH. SO FOR THIS ONE, JUST A LITTLE BIT INTRODUCTION ABOUT WHAT THE HARRIS COUNTY WAS DOING. SO AT THIS POINT, UH, THE VOTER REGISTRATION IS THE BIG PART COMING BACK TO US. SO, UH, BESIDES THE VEHICLE REGISTRATION, WE ALSO DO THE PROPERTY TAX, WHICH WILL BE OUR MAJOR TOPIC TODAY, AS WELL AS OTHER MINOR, UH, BUSINESS PLEASE. NEXT. AND, UH, JUST OVERVIEW AT THIS POINT, HARRIS COUNTY, WE ALL, WE HAVE ONE POINT MILLION, 1.7 MILLION TOTAL, UH, UH, ACCOUNT RIGHT NOW. AND, UH, WE DISPUTE 85, UH, 81 TAX JURISDICTION, BUT MANY PEOPLE HAVE NO IDEA WITH. IN HARRIS COUNTY, WE ACTUALLY HAVE MORE THAN 500 JURISDICTION AND WE COVER YES, WE ONLY COVER 81 OF THEM. THAT'S THE MAJOR BIGGER ONE. I MYSELF, I'M A HARRIS COUNTY, I I'M A HOMEOWNER TOO. I RECEIVE TWO BILL BECAUSE ONE OF VERMONT IS NOT COVERED BY HARRIS COUNTY. SO IF YOU HAVE EXTRA BILL, THAT MEANS THAT SPECIFIC JURISDICTION IS NOT COVERED BY HARRIS COUNTY TAX OFFICE. THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE. AND, UH, UM, WE MADE THE MAJOR ONE IS JUST THE ILLUSTRATION HERE. HARRIS COUNTY, CITY OF HOUSTON, HOUSTON, ISD, UH, AND DEVELOPED DISTRICT. SO THIS IS THE MAJOR ONE, BIGGER ONE EVERYBODY KNOWS. NEXT PLEASE. AND, UH, UH, JUST WE INTRODUCE A LITTLE BIT. PROPERTY TAX, ACTUALLY A LOT COME COMING FROM THE EDGE CAT. SO WE WILL ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY IF YOU HAVE INTERESTED WITH THE EDUCATOR VISIT THEIR WEBSITE BECAUSE ALL THE APPRAISAL VALUE, EVERYTHING IS COMING FROM THEM. UH, HARRIS COUNTY, WE JUST TAKE THE NUMBER FROM THEM AND DO THE MATH, PUT EVERYTHING ALL TOGETHER, SEND OUT THE MAIL TO YOU GUYS. ALL RIGHT, SO FOR THE [02:15:01] EDUCATOR, THEY MANAGE THE APPRAISAL, PROTEST AND THE EXEMPTION. UH, AND I WOULD LIKE EVERYBODY IF YOU DO HAVE ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW THE APPRAISAL COMING UP, PROTEST. AND YES, NOW WE ARE EN ENTERING THE PROTEST SEASONS. UH, IF YOU DO HAVE ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, UH, WE ARE NOT GOING TO TALK ABOUT THIS SPECIFICALLY FOR TODAY, . ALRIGHT, SO I GIVE, UNFORTUNATELY WE DON'T HAVE THE TIME, BUT UH, I WILL SAY FOR THIS SPEC THREE MAJOR BUSINESS APPRAISAL, PROTEST, AND EXEMPTION, GO TALK TO, UH, EDUCATE BECAUSE THEY ARE THE ONE MANAGE IT. UH, ONE THING TO REMIND EVERYBODY, IF WE, ESPECIALLY FOR THE EXEMPTION, THAT CAN SAVE YOU BIG MONEY. UH, THE GENERAL APPLICATION TIME IS FROM JANUARY THROUGH END OF APRIL. AND FOR THE EXEMPTION YOU HAVE TO APPLY, IT DOESN'T AUTOMATICALLY APPLY TO YOU, OKAY? SO, UH, JUST TRY TO REMEMBER AND IF YOU ARE NOT SURE IF YOU QUALIFY, YOU CAN GO TO THEIR WEBSITE, TAKE A LOOK AT THAT. IF YOU QUALIFY AND THEY HAVE ALL THE FORM, UH, APPLICATION IN THERE, JUST GO AHEAD AND DO THAT NEXT. THANK YOU. AND AS FOR THE PROPERTY TAX BESIDES APPRAISAL VALUE, THERE'S ANOTHER IS THE RATE AND THE RATE IS REALLY COMING DOWN TO THE LOCAL MORE THAN 500, UH, DISTRICT, THEY HAVE A DIFFERENT RULE. ALRIGHT? SO THERE IS ONE SPECIFIC WEBSITE AT THIS POINT THAT HOMEOWNER MIGHT, WE MIGHT RECEIVE A SMALL LITTLE POSTCARD IN JUNE, JULY AND TO ILLUSTRATE, UH, THIS WEBSITE THAT MANDATED BY THE STATE OFFICE AND OVER THERE THEY HAVE ALL THE CONSOLIDATED JURISDICTION, IT'S, UH, LISTED ALL THE PROPOSED RATES, ALL THE RATES THAT HAS BEEN PASSED OR ANY HEARING DATES. AND YOU ALSO HAVE THE FEEDBACK BOX THAT YOU CAN TALK OR YOU HAVE INQUIRY, ASK QUESTION TO YOUR JURISDICTION TAX UNIT, UH, GET BACK AND FORTH ONLINE. SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY AROUND THE TAX RATE SEASON, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS ONE. NEXT PLEASE. AND THIS IS THE FORMULA OF CALCULATING OUR TAX BILL. SO YOU CAN SEE THE FIRST ONE, THE TEXTBOOK VALUE, YOU CAN SEE A LITTLE , LITTLE ONE KNOWN. EVERYBODY ON THE BACK CAN SEE THAT. AND IT WAS EQUAL TO THE APPRAISAL VALUE MINUS EXEMPTION. SO IMPORTANT APPRAISAL VALUE, HOW IT COMES UP WITH EVERY JANUARY 1ST, UH, 100% MARKET VALUE THAT APPRAISED BY EDUC EDUCATE, OKAY? THIS IS ONE THING. EXEMPTION, UH, EVERYTHING THAT YOU QUALIFY, YOU SUPPOSED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT BECAUSE IT WILL DEFINITELY REDUCE YOUR TEXTBOOK VALUE IN TOTAL. ALRIGHT? BESIDES TEXTBOOK VALUES AND THE TAX RATE, I WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT THIS DETERMINED BY YOUR TAX JURISDICTION. EVERY, AFTER ALL THE TWO NUMBERS SETTLED, TAX OFFICE WILL TEXT THIS NUMBER, PUT EVERYTHING ALL TOGETHER, SEND OUT THE BILL TO YOU GUYS, OKAY? WE COLLECT THE BILL TO. ALRIGHT, NEXT. AND THIS IS THE TAX BILL I BELIEVE EVERYBODY VERY FAMILIAR WITH. UH, IMPORTANT THING I WILL SAY, EVERY EXEMPTION THAT YOU QUALIFY, YOU HAVE TO CHECK RIGHT HERE. OKAY? SO IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE LISTED RIGHT HERE. AND IF YOU HAVE MORE THAN HOMESTEAD, WE WILL ONLY PUT MULTIPLE, THAT MEANS, UH, YOU MIGHT HAVE OVER 65 OR UH, DISABILITY OR OTHER QUALIFICATION. UH, WE ONLY PUT THE HOMESTEAD IF YOU ONLY HAVE ONE WHEN WE PUT MULTIPLE, THE REASON IS WE DON'T WANT TO CODE THE PRIVATE INFORMATION, OKAY? SO JUST PAY ATTENTION TO THAT. NEXT. AND THIS IS THE BOTTOM OF THE TAX BILL. UH, FOR THE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO PAY BY CHECK, UH, PLEASE JUST ATTACH TO THIS ONE. WE CALL THE COUPON. UNFORTUNATELY WE DON'T GIVE YOU ANY DISCOUNT. OKAY, . ALL RIGHT, NEXT AND SPECIFICALLY HOME HOMESTEAD. AND NOW WE ARE KNOW, UH, IT'S THE MOST COMMON ONE. AND NOW WE HAVE, UH, THIS IS A RULE FOR QUITE A LONG TIME. 10% APPRAISAL, UH, CAP IN APPRAISAL. AND AT THIS TIME THAT SINCE LAST YEAR IS 100% GOOD EXEMPTION THAT HAD BEEN RAISED, UH, SINCE TWO YEARS AGO FROM 25,000 AND 40,000 AND NOW IS 1000 THOUSAND DOLLARS AND IS HAS ALREADY APPLIED FROM LAST YEAR. SO JUST FOR INFORMATION RIGHT HERE. NEXT PLEASE. AND THE RECENT CHANGE, AS I SAID THAT WE HAVE MORE THAN 500 JURISDICTION EVERY JURISDICTION, THEY ARE ENTITLED TO HAVE THEIR OWN RULE ABOUT EXEMPTION. SO YOU CAN [02:20:01] SEE THE CHANGE FROM HERE FROM 2023, HARRIS COUNTY AND THE SCHOOL, THEY HAVE A DIFFERENT RULE, UH, TO THE OVER 65 AND THE DISABILITY AND SOME OF THE OLDER ONE FROM 2022. YOU CAN SEE THE CITY OF HOUSTON HAS BEEN ALSO CHANGED. SO JUST FOR EVERYBODY INFORMATION, EVERY JURISDICTIONS, UH, EXEMPTION RULE CAN BE DIFFERENT. OKAY? WHEN YOU SEE WHY MY NUMBER IS DIFFERENT FROM THIS ONE, YOU MIGHT HAVE TO CALL YOUR JURISDICTION. WHAT'S YOUR CURRENT RULE RIGHT NOW? BECAUSE THEY ARE ENTITLED TO MAKE THEIR OWN. OKAY, NEXT ONE. AND THIS IS ALSO FROM LAST, LAST YEAR? YES. FROM, FROM, UH, NOVEMBER 7TH ELECTION. OKAY. AND THIS IS ALL WHAT WE HAVE ALREADY JUST TALKED ABOUT. AND, UH, YES. NOW WE ARE GOING TO HAVE ANOTHER ELECTION ON MAY 4TH FOR THAT THREE POSITION FROM HCA. SO TAKE THE ADVANTAGE OF THAT. THAT'S COMING FROM THIS ONE. OKAY, THIS IS THE PROPOSAL FOR FROM LAST YEAR. NEXT ONE, PLEASE. UH, HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION. AND THIS IS JUST TO GIVE EVERYBODY, UH, IDEA HOW MUCH THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION CAN SAVE. SO WE HAVE, UH, THREE SCENARIO ON THE VERY LEFT. IT WILL BE WHEN THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION DOESN'T APPLY, YOU CAN SEE THE TAX BILL IS 7,000 OR SO, BUT WHEN IT GET INVOLVED WITH THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONS IMMEDIATELY SAVE YOU ALMOST $2,000. AND IF YOU HAVE OVER 65 OF DISABILITY, WHICH YOU HAVE, PICK ONE. IF YOU QUALIFY BOTH, UH, YOU CAN SEE THE TOTAL SAVING IS ALMOST $5,000 AND THE REMAINDER OF THE TAX BILL ALMOST LIKE ONE THIRD OF THE ORIGINAL ONE. SO DEFINITELY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE EXEMPTION IF YOU QUALIFY. THANK YOU. NEXT ONE AND OVER 65 DISABILITY. SO FOR OVER 65, UH, THE FIRST ONES THAT IF YOU QUALIFY FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR, THAT MEANS WHEN YOU TRANSIT FIVE IN THAT YEAR, VERY BEGINNING, YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL YOUR BIRTHDAY WHEN YOU ARE FULLY 65, YOU CAN START TO APPLY. THIS IS OVER 65 EXEMPTION FROM JANUARY 1ST BECAUSE THIS EXEMPTION IS APPLIED TO THE ENTIRE YEAR. AND FOR DISABILITY, OF COURSE YOU HAVE SOME SPECIFIC, UH, LEGAL DOCUMENT THAT YOU NEED TO SUBMIT TO APPLY. AND THE BENEFIT YOU CAN SEE, UH, AGAIN, UH, AT THIS POINT EVERYBODY HAVE THAT, UH, $100,000 EXEMPTION IN ADDITION TO SPECIFICALLY FOR OVER 65 DISABILITY IS EXTRA $10,000 AND ALSO OVER 65 DISABILITY. THEY ALSO QUALIFY FOR TAX DEFERRAL. AND, UH, SOME OF THE PAYMENT PLAN THAT DOESN'T INCUR ANY PENALTY AND INTEREST WE WILL TALK ABOUT LATER. NEXT, THANK YOU. TAX LIMITATION. SO THIS IS ALSO KNOWN AS THE TAX CEILING OR TAX FREEZE. WHEN YOU APPLIED AND GET GRANTED, UH, WITH OVER 65 WITH DISABILITY, THIS TAX LIMITATION AUTOMATICALLY APPLY. OKAY, SO HOW DOES THIS WORKS? SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF FOR THIS YEAR YOUR SCHOOL TAX, UM, YOU PAY LIKE A TH $1,000, UH, GOING FORWARD IN THE FUTURE, IT WON'T GO OVER $1,000. IT CAN GO LOWER, OKAY? AND UH, FOR THIS ONE, WE CALL THAT $1,000 THE EURO TAX CEILING. IN SOME SPECIFIC CASE, HOMEOWNER MIGHT ACCIDENTALLY BREAK THIS CEILING. FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU DO HAVE A BIG, UH, REMODELS THAT YOU ESSENTIALLY INCREASE YOUR PROPERTY VALUE, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU HAVE A SWIMMING POOL, YOU ADD A TENNIS COURT, OR YOU HAVE A BIG ADDING ON YOUR GAME ROOM, THOSE WILL BE RESET YOUR TAX CEILING. OKAY? AND, BUT FOR THE REGULAR REPAIR OR MAINTENANCE, SHOULDN'T HAVE ANY, UH, IMPACT ON YOUR CEILING. AND AT SOME POINT HOMEOWNER MIGHT HAVE A DIFFERENT IDEA FROM THE EDGE CATT, THEY HAVE DIFFERENT IDEA ABOUT WHAT'S IS THE REGULAR MAINTENANCE, UH, OR REPAIR, UH, VERSUS THE BIG RENOVATION, BIG REMODEL. AND THAT TIME, YES, THAT'S THE PROTEST COMING OUT FOR US AS A HOMEOWNER TO NEGOTIATE WITH . AND THE NEXT ONE I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT TAX DEFERRAL. SO THIS IS A SPECIFIC ONE, UH, ALSO THAT PAY ATTENTION. UH, MAJOR PURPOSE IS TRY TO LET OUR HOMEOWNER, IF THEY DO, UH, HAVE, UH, FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES, THEY CAN POSTPONE THE TAX PAYMENTS AND PREVENT THE FORECLOSURE FOR THESE ONES. UH, [02:25:01] WE WOULD SAY THIS, TAKE THIS AS AN INSURANCE PURPOSE. YOU CAN APPLY FOR IT, BUT YOU ARE NOT NECESSARY. HAVE TO USE IT IN, YOU CAN USE THIS WHEN YOU HAVE DIFFICULTIES, IT'S THERE TO CATCH YOU HOW MUCH IT CAN SAVE YOU. SO YOU CAN SEE THAT THE SECOND, UH, EARLY POINT IS 5% INTEREST PER YEAR ON THE UNPAID BALANCE. SO FOR THE REGULAR DELINQUENCY ACCOUNTS, START FROM FEBRUARY 1ST BECAUSE WE KNOW THE DEADLINE FOR PROPERTY TAX IS JANUARY 31ST. SO IF YOU DO HAVE ANY UNPAID BALANCE ON YOUR ACCOUNT, THE REGULAR PENALTY WILL BE STARVED FROM 7%. OKAY? AFTER THAT 2% EVERY MONTH INCREASE, SO IT'S 7, 9 11, KEEP GOING UNTIL JULY. IF YOU STILL HAVE THAT ON PAID BALANCE AT THIS POINT, THOSE ACCOUNT WILL MOVE TO, UM, OUR COURT, NOT NECESSARILY THE COURT. IT SHOULD BE GO TO THE, I BELIEVE IT'S GO TO THE GENERAL COUNSEL AND UH, THEY MIGHT HAVE THE ATTORNEY, THEY ARE ENTITLED TO FILE A LAWSUIT, UH, FOR THE HOMEOWNER. AND AT THIS POINT THAT'S EXTRA. I BELIEVE IT'S 20, UH, 15% TO 20%, UH, THAT THE HOMEOWNER HAVE TO PAY IN ADDITION TO WHAT ALREADY BEEN OWNED. YEAH, SO IT'S EASILY TO PILED UP TO 35 TO 40%. THAT'S HUGE. SO WE WILL TALK ABOUT THIS LATER ON. UH, IF THE HOMEOWNER CAN ENROLL INTO THE PAYMENT PLAN, THIS WILL BE AVOID WITH THE COLLECTION FEE AND FOR THE TAX FOR ANOTHER THINGS WE WANT TO, UH, LET EVERYBODY KNOWS. UH, IT IS NOT A CANCELLATION OF THE TEXT, IT'S JUST POSTPONED. AND THIS STATUS WILL BE CHANGED WHEN THE FIRST ONE, UH, WHEN THE HOME STATE STATUS, UH, GET CHANGED. FOR EXAMPLE, UH, COUPLE, THEY MIGHT WANT TO DOWNGRADE. THEY WANT TO MOVE TO A CONDO FROM A HOUSE. AT THIS POINT BECAUSE OF THIS RELOCATION, UH, THE HOME STATE WILL ALSO CHANGED. SO THE ORIGINAL ONES, THEY WILL LOSE THIS TAX DEFERRAL STATUS. AND IF THE HOMEOWNER, THEY DO HAVE SOME TEXTS THAT HAVE BEEN ACCUMULATED OVER TIMES AT THIS TIMES, IT'S DUE IMMEDIATELY AND THEY CAN WORK WITH THE TAX OFFICE, UH, WITH SIX MONTHS. OKAY? WE, WE DO GIVE THIS GRACE PERIOD FOR SIX MONTHS TO WORK WITH TAX OFFICE, BUT START, WELL, SIX, SIX MONTHS, UM, MORE ACCURATE, I WILL SAY 180 DAYS, OKAY? AND TO START FROM 1 181 DAYS, IF YOU STILL HAVE THE UNPAID BALANCE, YOU'LL GET PENALIZED WITH THE REGULAR DELINQUENCY ACCOUNT AS I JUST TALKED ABOUT. OKAY? AND, UH, SO WE WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE YOU EVERY ONE IF YOU APPLY, UH, IF YOU ARE QUALIFIED, THEN YOU CAN APPLY FOR IT. BUT BEFORE YOU APPLY FIRST ASK YOUR HEIRS, UH, TALK TO THEM, LET THEM KNOW. UH, YOU WILL ADOPT THIS APPROACH BECAUSE, UH, IF YOU PASS AWAY, UH, NOT ONLY THEY CAN TAKE OVER THE PROPERTY, BUT ALSO THE TAX THAT YOU MIGHT ALREADY ACCUMULATE OVER YEARS. OKAY? AND THE SECOND ONE, IT WILL BE YOUR MORTGAGE COMPANY. IF YOU STILL PAY FOR YOUR MORTGAGE COMPANY, BECAUSE SOME OF THE MORTGAGE COMPANY, THEY DON'T RECOGNIZE THIS, UH, APPROACH BECAUSE EVENTUALLY THE FIRST ONE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE PREVENTED VOTE FORECLOSURE, THEY DON'T WANT TO GET INVOLVED WITH THIS KIND OF DISPUTE. SO THEY MIGHT NOT NECESSARILY ALLOW THEIR CLIENTS, UH, TO GO FOR THIS APPROACH. SO JUST PAY ATTENTION BEFORE YOU WANT TO GO FOR IT. AND AGAIN, WHEN YOU APPLY THIS ONE, TAKE THIS UNDER THE INSURANCE POLICY. IF YOU ARE ABLE TO PAY FOR YOUR PROPERTY TAX, GO FOR IT, THEN THERE'S NO ANY BURDENS. STILL THINK ABOUT 5% EVERY, THE WHOLE ENTIRE YEARS. YES, IT IS STILL CHEAPER COMPARED TO THE REGULAR ONE, BUT, UH, WE STILL TRY TO AVOID. AND THEN THE NEXT ONE I WILL ASK MY, UH, COWORKER RENA, TO CONTINUE. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, SO IF YOU NEED MORE TIME TO PAY, WE DO HAVE PAYMENT PLANS. UM, WE HAVE A FLEXIBLE PAYMENT PLAN. IT COULD BE FROM 12 TO 36 MONTHS. YOU CAN USE IT AS A FINANCIAL PLANNING TOOL. UH, YOU CAN PAY IT OFF EARLY. THIS AVOIDS COLLECTION EFFORTS. UM, IT ALSO AVOIDS FORECLOSURE ACTIONS AS WELL. YOUR PAYMENT PLANS CAN BEGIN AS EARLY AS FEBRUARY 1ST. [02:30:01] SO WE ALL KNOW THAT JANUARY 31ST, THAT IS THE DAY THAT YOUR TAXES ARE DUE WITHOUT PENALTIES. SO ON FEBRUARY 1ST YOU GIVE OUR OFFICE A CALL AND SAY, HEY, I'D LIKE TO SET UP A PAYMENT PLAN AND IT COULD START AS EARLY AS FEBRUARY 1ST. ALRIGHT? WE ALSO HAVE QUARTERLY PAYMENT PLANS AS WELL. AND SO THOSE PROPERTY TYPES ARE GONNA BE HOMESTEAD AGE 65 AND OVER. DISABLED, OWNER, DISABLED VETERANS, SURVIVING SPOUSES, THERE'S NO INTEREST IF IT'S PAID ON TIME. SO WHEN YOU MAKE THESE PAYMENT PLANS, THEY ARE CONTRACTS, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU PAY ON TIME BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T, THEN INTEREST AND PENALTIES, UM, PENALTIES AND INTERESTS WILL ACCRUE AND THEN YOU'D HAVE TO, YOU HAVE A WAITING PERIOD AND THEN YOU HAVE TO START ALL OVER AGAIN. SO IF YOU SET UP THESE PAYMENT PLANS, THEY NEED TO BE PAID TIMELY. UM, THE PAYMENT TYPES IS ON ALL UNPAID TAXES. SO, UM, YOUR TIME IS GONNA BE FOUR EQUAL PAYMENTS AND THEY'LL BE DUE AT THE END OF JANUARY, MARCH, MAY, AND JULY. AND THE ACCOUNTS MUST BE APPROVED FOR EXEMPTION STATUS. THAT MEANS THOSE EXEMPTIONS HOMESTEAD, AGE 65, ET CETERA. ALL RIGHT? THERE'S ALSO PAYMENT PLANS JUST FOR HOMESTEAD OR OTHER, UM, OTHER RESIDENTS. SO HOMESTEAD, THAT'S JUST YOUR REGULAR HOMESTEAD. UM, 12, BETWEEN 12 AND 36 MONTHS YOUR TERM, THERE'S GONNA BE 1% INTEREST PER MONTH, UM, PLUS THE INITIAL PENALTY MONTHS, UM, YOUR TAX TYPE ARE GONNA BE CURRENT IN PRIOR YEARS AND DUE DATES ARE GONNA BE THE END OF EACH MONTH. SO THE ONE THAT SAYS OTHER PAYMENT PLANS, THOSE ARE NON-RESIDENT, THAT'S, IF THAT'S NOT YOUR PRIMARY RESIDENCE. UM, IT COULD BE LIKE INCOME GENERATING PROPERTIES OR BUSINESS OR COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES, SAME TIMEFRAME, 12 TO 36 MONTHS. IT DOES ACCRUE PENALTY AND INTEREST FOR THE TERMS. UH, TAX TYPES ARE GONNA BE THE SAME AND YOUR DUE DATE IS GONNA BE THE END OF THE MONTH AS WELL. SO WE HAVE, UM, PREPAYMENT PLANS. SO WHAT THAT MEANS, IF YOU WANNA GET AHEAD OF PAYING YOUR TAXES FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR, YOU CAN SEND IN ANY AMOUNT AT ANY TIME. IT GOES INTO AN ESCROW ACCOUNT. AND SO WHEN YOUR TAXES ARE DUE, WE TAKE THAT MONEY AND WE APPLY IT TO YOUR TAX BILL. IF THERE'S ANYTHING DUE, IF YOU PAY OVERPAID, WE WILL REIMBURSE, IT'D BE 30, IT'LL BE 30 TO 60 DAYS FOR THAT REIMBURSEMENT. IF YOU OVERPAID 5,000 OR MORE, IT'LL BE A LITTLE LONGER. THERE'S A LONGER STEP FOR IT. UM, AND LIKE I SAID, YOU PAY ANY AMOUNT, ANY, ANY TIME. UM, PLEASE INDICATE YOUR ACCOUNT NUMBER AND TAX YEAR ON THOSE PAYMENTS BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE DO HAVE MULTIPLE PROPERTIES AND THAT WAY WE'RE APPLYING THIS TO THE CORRECT PROPERTY. UM, AND INCLUDE YOUR PROPERTY ADDRESS ON THE PAYMENT AS WELL. ALRIGHT? AND HERE ARE A FEW OF OUR PAYMENT OPTIONS. YOU CAN GO ONLINE, YOU GET PAID BY MAIL. WE DO ASK IF YOU PAY BY MAIL. TAXES ARE DUE JANUARY 31ST. SO PLEASE GET THEM POSTMARK BECAUSE WHATEVER DATE IS GONNA BE ON THERE. LET'S SAY THAT YOU DID DROP IT OFF ON THE 31ST AND YOU JUST THREW IT INTO THE MAILBOX AND IT'S NOT POSTMARK WELL, WHEN THE POST OFFICE GETS IT, WHATEVER DATE THAT THEY PUT ON THERE, THAT'S GONNA BE THE DATE THAT WE'RE GONNA SAY THAT YOUR TAXES WAS PAID. AND AS YOU KNOW IT, 7% INTEREST IS PRETTY BIG. SO MAKE SURE IF YOU DROP IT OFF AT THE MAILBOX, PLEASE GET IT POSTMARKED. UM, YOU CAN ALSO DO IT BY PHONE. IF YOU DO BY PHONE, WE DO ASK THAT YOU DON'T DO THE PRIOR YEARS BECAUSE IT'S AUTOMATED, SO IT HAS NO IDEA WHAT YEAR IT IS. JUST GONNA THINK THAT IT'S CURRENT YEAR. SO MAKE SURE THAT IF IT'S GONNA BE FOR A PRIOR YEAR TO PLEASE GIVE US A PHONE CALL. UM, YOU COULD ALSO GO IN PERSON. THERE'S 16 BRANCH LOCATIONS. UM, IF YOU MAKE PAYMENTS, UM, IF YOU MAKE PAYMENTS THROUGH YOUR CREDIT CARD, IT'S GONNA BE AN ADDITIONAL 2.5%, UM, PLUS WHATEVER YOUR AMOUNT THAT YOUR TAXES WERE. SO KEEP IN MIND IF YOU USE CREDIT CARDS OR DEBIT CARDS, THAT THAT CONVENIENCE FEE IS TACKED ON THERE. IF YOU USE CHECK OR ECHECK, THAT'S GONNA BE FREE CASH. PLEASE BRING INTO THE BRANCH OFFICE BECAUSE IT MIGHT NOT SHOW UP. ALL RIGHT? SO YOU ALSO, YOU CAN RECEIVE AN E-BILL. SO PROPERTY OWNERS, YOU CAN GO AND REGISTER AT OUR WEBSITE TO GET AN E-BILL. UM, ALSO, UM, SPECIAL REQUESTS, IF YOU'RE A PROPERTY OWNER, YOU PAID OFF YOUR MORTGAGE AND YOU, UM, YOU, YOU PROBABLY NEVER SEEN A TAX BILL BECAUSE IT'S PROBABLY ESCROWED INTO YOUR ACCOUNT. SO, UM, PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT YOU, UM, GO TO OUR WEBSITE SO THAT YOU MAKE IT A, A HARD COPY OF THE BILL. ALL RIGHT, SO HERE'S SOME IMPORTANT DATES FOR US. JANUARY 31ST, THAT'S OUR LAST DATE TO PAY WITHOUT PENALTIES AND INTEREST. FEBRUARY 1ST. THAT'S THE BEGINNING DATE TO REQUEST A PAYMENT PLAN. SO IF JANUARY 31ST COMES AROUND, YOU'RE LIKE, I DON'T HAVE IT, I NEED SOME MORE TIME, GIVE US A PHONE CALL STARTING FEBRUARY 1ST TO MAKE THOSE PAYMENT ARRANGEMENTS. JULY 1ST. THAT'S WHEN COLLECTIONS AND ATTORNEY FEES ARE ADDED TO UNPAID BALANCES. SO THOSE COLLECTION FEES AND THE ATTORNEY FEES CAN BE VERY, VERY COSTLY. [02:35:01] SO YOUR DEADLINE IS BY JULY 1ST, THEN THAT'S WHEN THOSE ACCOUNTS GO TO THE ATTORNEYS. UM, AUGUST TO OCTOBER, YOUR LOCAL, UH, JURISDICTIONS ADOPT YOUR TAX RATES. SO WHEN THE LOCAL JURISDICTIONS ADOPT THE TAX RATES, THAT IS A PUBLIC HEARING. SO IF ANYBODY EVER SAYS, YOU KNOW WHAT, HEY, WHERE THEY COME UP WITH THOSE NUMBERS, I'D LIKE TO KNOW YOU CAN'T GO TO THOSE PUBLIC HEARINGS AND SEE WHERE THEY'RE COMING UP WITH THOSE NUMBERS. UM, OCTOBER TO NOVEMBER, THAT'S WHEN YOUR TAX BILLS ARE MAILED TO YOU. DECEMBER 31ST. THAT'S THE LAST DAY TO PAY YOUR TAXES AND USE IT AS A DEDUCTION ON YOUR FEDERAL TAX RETURN. SO IF YOU PLAN TO USE THOSE TAXES AS A DEDUCTION, THE 31ST IS GONNA BE YOUR LAST DAY TO DO SO. ALL RIGHT. THE TAX OFFICE IS OPEN, YOU CAN GO ONLINE OR YOU CAN EMAIL US OUR PHONE NUMBER SEVEN ONE THREE TWO SEVEN FOUR 8,000. WE ARE HERE TO HELP. YES, SIR. WHO WANTS TO TALK ABOUT THE HCAD ELECTION NEXT MONTH? SO THE, SO THE ELECTION IS MAY 4TH. RIGHT NOW THE EARLY VOTING IS TAKING PLACE. THEY DO HAVE THREE SEATS THAT ARE AVAILABLE. THEY'RE NON-PAID FOR THE A RB? YES. OKAY. UH, THIS IS NEW. WHY? HOW COME WE'VE NEVER VOTED ON THE DIRECTORS OR BOARD MEMBERS OF FOR HA FOR THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT? WHY? WELL, WELL THE REASON WHY IS THIS DOING NOW THE REASON WHY THEY WANTED A SEPARATE ENTITY, BECAUSE THOSE, THOSE THREE SEATS REPRESENT, UH, REPRESENT TAXPAYERS. SO THEY WANTED THREE NEW SEATS OF THREE NEW PEOPLE THAT HAS LIKE TO REPRESENT US. THEY HAVE NO PART, THEY'RE, THEY DO NOT WORK FOR HCA, THEY'RE FOR THE COMMUNITY. OKAY, SO WHAT'S THE TOTAL NUMBER OF BOARD MEMBERS NOW? SO THERE'S, THERE'S THREE BOARD MEMBERS. OKAY. THERE'LL BE SIX NOW? YES. OKAY. ALRIGHT. UM, YOUR WEBSITE, THE, THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT WEBSITE, UM, BEING AN HOA, WE GET, UH, CLOSING STATEMENTS AND STUFF AND, AND WE GET A, WE GET OUR FEES WHEN WE DO A STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS FOR SALE OF PROPERTY. OKAY. NOVEMBER, DECEMBER SALE STILL HAVE NOT BEEN POSTED ON THE HCA WEBSITE. WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THAT? I'M NOT SURE BECAUSE WE'RE NOT HCA, WE'RE THE HARRIS COUNTY TAX ASSESSOR'S OFFICE WE COLLECT NO, IT'S, IT IS UNDER YOUR UMBRELLA THAT THAT'S TRUE, BUT WE COLLECT FOR THEM. I, I HAVE NO IDEA ABOUT THEIR WEBSITE, BUT I CAN TRY TO FIND OUT FOR YOU. PLEASE. THE QUESTION, COULD YOU REPEAT THE QUESTION? APPRAISAL DISTRICT'S WEBSITE IS ABOUT SIX MONTHS BEHIND. WE IS THAT WEBSITE GOING YOUR WAY? YOU GOT A NEW ONE COMING UP OR WHAT? WE'LL, WE THANK YOU. IT'S ON ALL UNPAID TAXES. I'M SORRY, THERE WASN'T OH, OKAY. SO SHE WAS ASKING FOR THE DEFERMENT. IF THE DEFERMENT IS JUST FOR THE, FOR THE SCHOOL TAXES. IT IS FOR ALL, FOR ALL UNPAID TAXES. SO NOT JUST THE SCHOOL, IT'S FOR IT POSTPONES YOUR, YOUR TAXES SO IT APPLY. CORRECT. YOU HAVE CONTACT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT? NO MA'AM. FOR THE, FOR THE DEFERMENT. YOU GO TO H C'S WEBSITE AND YOU FILL OUT THE FORM FOR THE DEFERMENT. ALRIGHT. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU GUYS. THANK YOU AGAIN. WE HAVE ONE FINAL, UH, TIDBIT OF INFORMATION THAT CEDRIC SWAR TO SHARE. UH, THAT'S PRETTY IMPORTANT. GO AHEAD, SED. ALRIGHT, I'M BACK. HOW MANY FOLKS HAD DAMAGE FROM WINTER FREEZE THREE YEARS AGO? SO RELIEF IS COMING. UH, WE JUST RECEIVED OUR CONTRACT FROM HOOD AND I KNOW THAT THINGS ARE LAGGING BEHIND WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF GETTING FUNDS TO US. UH, BUT THERE IS $50 MILLION THAT HAVE BEEN SET ASIDE FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON. WE WILL BE ADMINISTERING THAT PROGRAM SOMEWHERE AROUND MIDSUMMER. UH, IT WILL HAVE A HOME REPAIR COMPONENT AS WELL AS A REIMBURSEMENT COMPONENT. SO IF YOU HAVE MADE THE REPAIRS TO YOUR HOME FROM BROKEN PIPES OR WATER, WATER DAMAGE FROM FLOORS OR WHATEVER SHEET ROCK, WE WILL REIMBURSE. SO IF YOU COULD START PUTTING TOGETHER YOUR RECEIPTS, CONTRACTORS THAT YOU HAVE WORKED WITH, GETTING AN INVOICE FROM THEM THAT'S DATED, RELATED TO THAT EVENT, WE WILL REIMBURSE UP TO $6,000. OKAY. IF THE HOME HAS [02:40:01] DEFERRED MAINTENANCE OR FURTHER REPAIRS THAT ARE NEEDED BEYOND FROM THE PIPE BURST, MAYBE THE PIPES HAVE BEEN RE UM, BEEN REPAIRED, BUT THE SHEET ROCK HAS NOT BEEN COMPLETED OR THE FLOORS HAVE NOT BEEN DONE OR WHATEVER IT IS. AND THEN YOU ALSO NOTICE THAT, HEY, YOU HAVE AN OLDER HOME THAT HAS KNOB AND TUBE WIRING. THE OLD CLOTH WIRING. BECAUSE OF THIS PROGRAM, IT WILL ALLOW FOR US TO DO A SUBSTANTIAL REPAIR OR EVEN TEAR DOWN AND REBUILD. OKAY. AND THEN THERE ARE ALSO, UM, AN OPPORTUNITY THAT'S TIED TO THIS FUNDING THAT'S COMING. IT'S CALLED A RESILIENCE, UH, COMPONENT. UH, YOU WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE SOLAR PANELS OR GENERATORS. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. OH, WE'RE GONNA DEFER QUESTIONS, UH, TO DIRECTLY CONTACT THE, UH, UH, THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING MAY MAYBE TAKE A TWO. OKAY. REAL QUICK, PLEASE. IS THIS UNDER THE PREVIOUS, UH, LOW INCOME REQUIREMENT TEST THAT YOU MENTIONED EARLIER? OR IS THIS JUST ACROSS THE BOARD? RIGHT, SO IT'S GONNA GO, IT'S 80% FOR THE REPAIR. I THINK THE REIMBURSEMENTS ARE GONNA GO UP TO 120%. OKAY, SO IT'S UNDER THOSE? YES. OKAY. QUESTION YOU JUST PRESENTED, WILL THAT BE ON THE WEBSITE OR IT'S, IT WILL BE UP ON OUR WEBSITE. I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S THERE CURRENTLY, BUT WE WILL HAVE IT ON THERE. WE'VE TRIED TO MAKE THE WEBSITE, UM, A LITTLE BIT MORE USER FRIENDLY. UH, IT'S GONNA BE UNDER HOMEOWNER OPTIONS. SO YOU HAVE A HOME BUYER AND A HOMEOWNER OPTION. THAT'S THE CITY OF HOUSTON WEBSITE. CITY OF HOUSTON. SO IT'S GONNA BE WWW.HOUSTONTX.GOV FORWARD SLASH HOUSING. AND THAT'LL TAKE YOU DIRECTLY TO OUR SITE. THANK YOU. IT'S COMING. YES. WE'RE GONNA HAVE A PORTAL THAT YOU'LL BE ABLE TO ENTER YOUR INFORMATION IN SO IT'S NOT ON A FIRST COME FIRST SERVE BASIS. WE DO PRIORITIZE SENIORS AND DISABLED IN OUR, UH, UM, THERE IS NO VETERAN COMPONENT, BUT ELDERLY AND DISABLED WILL BE THE FIRST FOLKS THAT WE WILL TAKE IN. OH, IT'S UP TO 6,000 ONLY FOR REIMBURSEMENT. OKAY. WHAT AGE TO SENIOR START? 62 AND ABOVE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. CEDRIC LAE, UH, FROM HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT. AGAIN, REFER TO THE WEBPAGE FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THOSE PROGRAMS. THANK YOU EVERYBODY. IN ATTENDANCE, GREAT TURNOUT. WE HOPE TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THIS, UH, WORKSHOP ANNUALLY WITH MORE PARTNERS EVERY YEAR, PROVIDING INFORMATION, UH, AND RESOURCES FOR EVERY ONE OF YOUR COMMUNITY NEEDS. SHOUT OUT HUNTING VILLAGE. AND ONE MORE THING, HTV IS HERE PRESENT. THEY'RE GONNA HAVE THIS RECORDING AVAILABLE ONLINE AS SOON AS THEY ABLE TO EDIT IT AND MAKE IT LOOK PRETTY FOR US. DON'T YOU WORRY, IT'S GONNA BE THROUGH OUR NEWSLETTER AS WELL, ALONG WITH OUR WEBSITE. WE'LL HAVE THIS INFORMATION AVAILABLE FOR YOU. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.