[FY2025 Budget Workshop: Department of Neighborhoods]
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ALL RIGHT.WE ALL THANK THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS.
WELL, YOU SEE MY TEAM BEHIND ME.
I WON'T GO THROUGH THEM BY NAME.
UM, WE'LL MOVE ON TO SLIDE THREE.
SO YOU SEE THAT THE DEPARTMENT HAS BUT ONE FUND AND THE TABLE SHOWS AND SUMMARIZES THE DEPARTMENT'S ALIGNMENT WITH THE MAYOR'S PRIORITY.
DON'S PROGRAMMING ALIGNS, UM, WITH THE FOLLOWING PRIORITIES.
UM, GOVERNMENT THAT WORKS, THAT'S OUR ADMIN SERVICES, PUBLIC SAFETY GAME PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION.
AND THE REMAINING OF OUR PROGRAMS, CODE ENFORCEMENT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, NEIGHBORHOOD INITIATIVES, AND NEW AMERICANS ALIGN WITH QUALITY OF LIFE AND THEIR OVERALL DEPARTMENT BUDGET IS BROKEN DOWN AS SUCH.
SO, LAST YEAR WE BUDGETED OUR FY 24 EXPENDITURES TO BE ABOUT 14.5 MILLION BASED ON THE MOST ACCURATE DATA.
UM, WE PROJECT TO HIT THIS MARK.
OUR PROPOSAL, OUR PROPOSED PROJECTIONS, UM, FOR FY 25 INCLUDE SOME MINOR CHANGES.
UM, THERE IS AN INCREASE OF ABOUT 200,000, UM, FOR THE INCREASED COST FOR THE LEASE AT 6 0 1 SOYA.
ADDITIONALLY, WE HAVE SECURED AN ADDITIONAL 10,000, BRINGING OUR TOTAL TO 260,000 TO SUPPORT OUR SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ACTIVITIES AND OUTREACH.
UM, CONTINUED SUPPORT OF, UH, ADMINISTRATIVE CALLS, COMMUNICATIONS WITH VIRTUAL SUPPORT, AS WELL AS SMALL SCALE ENGAGEMENT PROJECTS.
THERE, UM, ARE ALSO ADDITIONAL INCREASES DUE TO HEALTHCARE AND PENSION OBLIGATIONS AND INTERDEPARTMENTAL RESTRICTED ACCOUNTS.
UM, WE HAVE A TOTAL DECREASE OF 1%, ABOUT A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS DECREASE, AND THAT'S DUE TO A ELIMINATION OF A VACANCY THAT WE HAD.
CODE ENFORCEMENT IS OUR ONLY PROGRAM IN THE DEPARTMENT THAT PRODUCES REVENUE, UH, VIA RECOUPING FUNDS.
THE CITY HAS SPENT FOR DEMOLITION WEED AND DEBRIS ABATEMENTS.
THESE COLLECTIONS WILL REMAIN RELATIVELY FLAT.
I WILL PROVIDE FURTHER EXPLANATION AND DETAIL IN SLIDES 19 AND 20.
THE FOLLOWING SLIDES DETAIL DON'S PROGRAMMING AS ALIGNED WITH THE MAYOR'S PRIORITIES AS MENTIONED BEFORE.
UM, THIS SLIDE ALIGNS WITH GOVERNMENT.
THAT'S OUR DIRECTOR'S OFFICE, WHICH PROVIDES EXECUTIVE SUPPORT AND LEADERSHIP TO ALL DIVISIONS THE DEPARTMENT, INCLUDING SERVICES AND BUDGET, PURCHASING, RECEIVING GRANTS, RECEIVING FUNDS, AND ACCOUNTS PAYABLE.
OUR SIGNIFICANT BUDGET BUDGET ITEMS INCLUDES THE PENSION OBLIGATIONS AND, UM, PERSONNEL FUNDING DEPARTMENT RESTRICTED ACCOUNTS.
UM, THE ONLY REFERENCE IS FUND 1000 AND IT'S $3.25 MILLION THAT WE HAVE ALLIAN THERE.
THIS SLIDE IS OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT DIVISION, AND IT ALIGNS WITH QUALITY OF LIFE, PRIORITY, PROMOTING HEALTH, SAFE, LIVABLE NEIGHBORHOODS THROUGH RESIDENTIAL CODE ENFORCEMENT.
THE SIGNIFICANT BUDGET ITEMS INCLUDE THE FUNDING FOR PERSONNEL OBLIGATION.
UM, WE ALSO, THIS PROGRAM ALSO FUNDS OUR ABATEMENT, INSPECTIONS, DEMOLITION SERVICES, AS WELL AS DANGEROUS BUILDING AND SIGN BANDIT SIGNS AS WELL.
LET'S MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
THIS SLIDE COVERS THE PERFORMANCE MEASURES FOR THAT, UH, DIVISION, AND IT FEATURES THE PERFORMANCE MEASURES MOST FREQUENTLY REPORTED FOR VIOLATIONS, THE TARGET CONTEXT AND THE ATTENDANT PERFORMANCE MEASURES SPANNING THE LAST TWO BUDGET CYCLES.
STARTING WITH FY 23 FOR BREVITY, I'LL FOCUS ON OUR CURRENT FISCAL YEAR AND UPCOMING YEAR TARGETS FOR ALL DIVISIONS.
FOR AVERAGE DAILY INSPECTIONS IN OUR CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, WE TARGETED 350 INSPECTIONS, AND THAT WILL INCREASE, WE WILL INCREASE THE TARGET NEXT YEAR TO FOUR 20, UM, FOR THIS DIVISION DUE TO THE UPSWING IN FY 24.
THIS SLIDE ALIGNS WITH, UM, QUALITY OF LIFE.
THE SIGNIFICANT BUDGET ITEMS INCLUDE PERSONNEL AND PENSION.
IT'S OUR, INCLUDES OUR MAO DIVISION, UM, WHICH PROVIDES OUR SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, SERVICES AS WELL AS COUNCIL SUPPORT DURING PUBLIC SESSION, AS WELL AS COMMUNITY LIAISONS FOR EACH OF OUR COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
THEY'RE FEATURED, UM, PERFORMANCE MEASURES SPANNING THE LAST TWO YEARS.
I'LL FOCUS ON THIS YEAR, OF COURSE, FOR BREVITY.
UM, THERE WILL BE A SLIGHT INCREASE IN 25 DUE TO AS OUTPERFORMING OUR MEASURES THAT OUR TARGET MEASURES IN 24.
AND I DO KNOW THAT, UM, CHAIR HAD SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THOSE PERFORMANCE MEASURES AND WE CAN TALK THROUGHOUT THE YEAR TO ADJUST THOSE.
THIS SLIDE FOCUSES ON PUBLIC SAFETY, WHICH IS OUR GANG PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION
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SERVICES.THE SIGNIFICANT BUDGET ITEMS INCLUDES FUNDING FOR PERSONNEL AND PENSION OBLIGATIONS, AS WELL AS FUNDING FOR GANG OUTREACH AND INTERVENTION COUNSELORS.
THIS IS ONLY FUND 1000 AND IT'S ONE ABOUT $1 MILLION.
THEIR PERFORMANCE MEASURES ARE RELATIVELY FLAT.
THEY HAVE HAD SOME SIGNIFICANT SUCCESSES THIS YEAR, SUCH AS A HUNDRED PERCENT OF SATISFACTION AND INCREASED KNOWLEDGE IN THEIR PRESENTATIONS THAT THEY PERFORM, AS WELL AS A 0% RECIDIVISM RATE, WHICH IS INCLUDES A LOT OF YOUTH THAT THEY RECEIVE FROM HARRIS COUNTY JUVENILE PROBATION DEPARTMENT THROUGH THEIR UM, GRIPS PROGRAM.
THIS SLIDE INCLUDES QUALITY OF LIFE FOR NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, INITIATIVES.
THE SIGNIFICANT BUDGET ITEMS INCLUDES, UM, PERSONAL AND PENSION OBLIGATIONS AND FUNDING FOR YOUTH LEADERSHIP, CONSTITUENT EDUCATION AND VOLUNTEER INITIATIVES.
AS YOU CAN SEE ON THIS SLIDE, WE HAVE, UM, UPDATED THE DATA MANAGEMENT SYSTEM IN OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH VOLUNTEER HOUSTON.
AS A RESULT, DATA POINTS FOR PARTICIPANTS VOLUNTEER HOURS DOLLARS SAVED, HAVE BEEN ADJUSTED IN ORDER TO IMPROVE ACCURACY AND TRANSPARENCY.
WE HAVE A, A SYSTEM THAT WE NOW PARTNER WITH VOLUNTEER HOUSTON, THAT WE CAN GET MORE ACCURATE DATA AND THAT'S WHY YOU SEE THAT DECREASE THERE AND I WANT TO BE AS TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE.
THIS SLIDE ALIGNS WITH QUALITY OF LIFE AS WELL.
UM, THE SIGNIFICANT BUDGET ITEMS INCLUDE FUNDING FOR PERSONNEL PENSION OBLIGATIONS, 10,000 FOR LANGUAGE ACCESS FUND, 1,300 35,000 TOTAL.
UM, SEVERAL AREAS SPANNING THE LAST TWO YEARS.
AS MENTIONED THIS MORNING, THE KPIS FOR THIS DIVISION HAVE BEEN SUBSTANTIALLY DECREASED DUE TO THE REQUEST FOR TRANSLATION INTERPRETATION SERVICES FROM RETURNING TO PRE COVID REQUEST LEVELS.
UM, THE REQUEST IN THE PREVIOUS THREE FY WERE HIGHER DUE TO COVID RESPONSE AND CAN ALSO BE IMPACTED BY NATURAL DISASTERS.
AND ANY TIME THERE IS AN URGENT NEED TO COMMUNICATE NEW INFORMATION CITYWIDE.
SO THAT'S THE EXPLANATION FOR THAT DECREASE THERE.
THE SLIDE PROVIDES A SNAPSHOT OF PERSONNEL, WHICH IS A MAJORITY OF OUR BUDGET, ABOUT 60%.
IT ALSO INCLUDES OUR RESTRICTED ACCOUNTS THAT WE RECEIVE FROM CENTRAL FINANCE, WHICH INCLUDES, UM, FUEL HEALTH INSURANCE, APPLICATION SERVICES, DATA SERVICES, HEALTH CLIENT SERVICES, FLEET RELATED SERVICES.
WE ALSO HAVE MISCELLANEOUS SERVICES, WHICH INCLUDE NUISANCE ABATEMENT, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, MOTOR VEHICLE INQUIRIES, AND THOMPSON ROUTERS INVESTIGATION SERVICES.
OUR SUPPLIES INCLUDE STANDARD PRINTING, UM, PUBLICATION, PRINTING MATERIALS, OFFICE SUPPLIES, PARTS AND MATERIALS.
WE HAVE DOCUMENT FILING FEES INCLUDED IN THESE, UM, AREA AS WELL, WHICH IS HARRIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF AIR RECORDING AND ARCHIVING SERVICES, VERBATIM TRANSCRIPTION SERVICES FOR OUR HEARINGS AND LIEN FILING FEES.
THIS SLIDE ILLUSTRATES THE EXPENDITURES THAT YOU SAW ON SLIDE FOUR.
THE DEPARTMENT HAS ONLY ONE EXPENDITURE FUND AND FY 25 PROPOSED BUDGET IS RELATIVELY FLAT WHEN COMPARED TO FY 24 ESTIMATES AND BUDGET SLIDE.
THIS GRAPH ILLUSTRATES REVENUE PROGRAM FOUND IN SLIDE FIVE.
AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, DEPARTMENT ONLY HAS ONE REVENUE FUND.
FY 25 PROPOSED BUDGET IS RELATIVELY FLAT WHEN COMPARED TO 24 ESTIMATES.
NEXT SLIDE, TO DIG FURTHER INTO THE REVENUE THE DEPARTMENT EXPECTS FY 25, UM, REVENUE COLLECTION TO REMAIN RELATIVELY FLAT AS COMPARED TO FY 24 ESTIMATES 60% OF REVENUE COLLECTION FROM CHARGES FOR SERVICES SUCH AS DEMOLITION AND WEED CUTTING FEES ARE COLLECTED FROM THIS, UM, FUND AS WELL.
AND THE REMAINING 40% IS COLLECTED FROM LIENS AND INTEREST ON LIENS.
REVENUE COLLECTION IS BASED ON THREE TO FIVE YEAR TREND ANALYSIS AS WELL AS EXTERNAL VARIABLES DUE TO PASSIVE COLLECTION METHODS.
AND I THINK THAT'S THE NEXT SLIDE.
QUESTIONS FROM YOU GUYS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
GREAT PRESENTATION COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS.
UM, SO LET ME GIVE YOU MY, MY KUDOS AND THEN I'M GONNA ASK A QUESTION.
I LOVE THE GANG DIVISION, THE WORK THAT IS HAPPENING IN THE COMMUNITY IN THE STREET, UM, UH, DEFINITELY MORE THAN SIGNIFICANT, UM, SUCCESSES THAT DIVISION, THEY'RE BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH YOUNG PEOPLE THAT OTHERWISE WOULD NOT HAVE A PATHWAY, UM, UM, OF INDEPENDENCE AND RESILIENCY THEMSELVES.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL OF YOUR EFFORT AND YOUR TEAM'S WORK.
THE OFFICE OF NEW AMERICANS, SIGNIFICANT, VERY IMPORTANT, UM, WITH THAT WORK CODE ENFORCEMENT.
UM, BUT I ALSO WANNA HIGHLIGHT THE LEGAL HUB.
I WAS ON A, UH, A NATIONAL ZOOM WITH NA TODAY, AND THEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HEIRS PROPERTIES AND, AND CLOUDY TITLES AND HOW THE EMERGENCE OF THE LEGAL HUB AND THE DEED UPON DEATH.
AND I THINK THE INNOVATION THE DEPARTMENT HAS, UH, DEMONSTRATED
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TO PROVIDE THESE RESOURCES THAT'S REALLY OUTSIDE OF Y'ALL SCOPE, RIGHT? THERE'S OTHER THINGS Y'ALL SHOULD BE DOING, BUT Y'ALL ARE GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND SO PEOPLE CAN MITIGATE THEIR OWN BLIGHT, PRESERVE THEIR OWN NEIGHBORHOOD, LEGALLY PROTECT THEIR ASSET.UM, AND, UM, OTHER REALTORS ON THE CALL WERE INTERESTED IN HOW THEY COULD ADVOCATE FOR THAT IN THEIR CITY.
AND I SAID, THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS IS DOING THAT IN HOUSTON.
YOUR CITY SHOULD BE DOING THAT AS WELL.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT EXTENDED EFFORT THAT Y'ALL ARE PUTTING OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, SO MY QUESTION IS MORE SO ABOUT THE ADDITIONAL REVENUE.
I KNOW WE PUT LIENS ON PROPERTIES MM-HMM
WHAT'S THE PERCENTAGE OF US ACTUALLY RETRIEVING THOSE COSTS AND HOW COULD WE INVEST IN ACTUALLY TAKING THESE PEOPLE TO COURT, SECURING THOSE FUNDS? LIKE WHAT TYPE OF REVENUE WOULD WE RECEIVE IN THE CITY IF WE ACTUALLY HAD SOME TYPE OF APPARATUS FOR THAT? I THINK THE COLLECTION WOULD BE MORE OF A QUESTION FOR THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT, UM, ON ACTIVELY COLLECTING THOSE LIENS AND FORECLOSING ON SOME OF THE PROPERTIES THAT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY WE COULD COLLECT IN A YEAR WILL REFLECT WHAT WE PUT OUT.
SO WE HAVE A $2 MILLION ABATEMENT BUDGET.
SO IF WE ABATE $2 MILLION AND, UM, ON NUISANCE SIDE AND YOU ABATE A MILLION TO 2 MILLION ON THE DANGEROUS BUILDING SIDE, YOU CAN LOOK TO RECOUP THAT FUND PLUS THE PERCENTAGE OF INTEREST.
SIMILAR TO DANGEROUS BUILDINGS MM-HMM
SO I'LL RESERVE THAT FOR LEGAL.
'CAUSE I THINK THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION.
IN TERMS OF ADDITIONAL REVENUE, AND I DON'T RECALL OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, A A DEBT COLLECTION CONTRACT FOR THOSE SERVICES.
WE DO EVERYTHING FOR LIKE PROPERTY TAXES AND OTHER THINGS.
RIGHT? BUT I DON'T RECALL US APPROVING ONE, RIGHT? FOR US, NO, FOR US.
BUT I JUST THINK THE, THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT Y'ALL PUT OUT, UM, THAT WOULD BE, TO ME, THAT'S LOW HANGING FRUIT.
AND SINCE EVERYTHING ON THE TABLE TABLE, LET'S PUT IT ON THE TABLE.
SO I'M MORE INTERESTED IN THAT AND I'LL RESERVE IT FOR LEGAL.
THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER CAMAN.
JUST REALLY QUICKLY AND GOING BACK OFF OF THAT, RIGHT, YOU ALL DO EXPEND A LOT WHEN YOU'RE HAVING TO FENCE A NUISANCE PROPERTY WHEN YOU ARE HA LIKE THERE ARE EXPENSES THAT THE CITY IS INCURRING, ESPECIALLY IF WE ARE NOT ABLE TO RECOUP THOSE.
AND ONCE WE DO RECOUP, TO FOLLOW UP ON YOUR QUESTION, I HOPE WE ALSO ASK WHERE DOES THAT MONEY GO? BECAUSE IS IT GOING BACK INTO DAWN OR TO PLACES THAT NEED TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THAT? THAT'S ANOTHER PIECE TO THE PUZZLE TO MAKE IT GOES, IT GOES BACK INTO GENERAL FUND, RIGHT? YES.
SO AGAIN THAT GREAT QUESTION AND I APPRECIATE IT.
UM, DIRECTOR, I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU ALL, UM, YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR THE LEVEL OF RESPONSIVENESS.
MY, MY STAFF WAS EVEN SENDING ME NOTES, LIKE BE SURE TO JUST THANK THEM FOR THE RESPONSIVENESS THAT YOU ALL HAVE DONE.
UM, WHETHER IT'S THE, UH, WE HAD A NUISANCE ISSUE, UH, SPECIFICALLY ON A HOME IN FOURTH WARD FRIEDMANS TOWN OH YEAH.
THAT YOU HAVE BEEN WORKING ON AND WE APPRECIATE IT SO MUCH, UH, WORKING WITH THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE AND ON SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT THEY HAD RIGHT WHEN YOU CAME IN, YOU HIT THE GROUND RUNNING AND HAD BEEN WORKING WITH THEM.
SO TO THE ENTIRE TEAM, I KNOW, ESPECIALLY IN DISTRICT C, WE SEND Y'ALL A LOT OF STUFF, BUT WE JUST APPRECIATE HOW RESPONSIVE THE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN IN CONTINUING TO WORK WITH US.
THANK YOU MAYOR PROAM, CASTEX TATUM.
I, I WANNA TALK ABOUT THE COST FOR, UM, EACH COUNCIL DISTRICT HAVING THEIR OWN CODE.
OF COURSE,
I MEAN THE, HAVING OUR OWN CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICE PER DISTRICT WOULD CHANGE OUR LIFE.
AND I WANNA FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN EITHER UTILIZE THE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS WE HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M WILLING TO PUT SOME CDSF BEHIND A CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER.
UH, IT WOULD SIMPLIFY THE CHAIN OF INFORMATION IF WE EACH HAD A SPECIFIC PERSON THAT KNEW OUR DISTRICT WORKED ALONGSIDE US IN THE DISTRICT TO GO CHECK BACK AND REPORT BACK, UM, FOR US TO SIMPLIFY THE ANSWERS THAT THE CONSTITUENTS DEPEND ON US TO GIVE THEM.
UM, PUTTING THAT ON THE TABLE.
AND I CAN GET THOSE CALLS TO YOU.
UM, I GUESS IN MY MIND, I JUST FEEL LIKE HOW MANY CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS DO WE HAVE? WE CURRENTLY HAVE 50.
AND YOU HAVE ABOUT 35 BOOTS ON
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THE GROUND, LIKE ACTUAL DOING INSPECTIONS WHEN YOU INCLUDE THE SIGNS ABATEMENT TEAM.AM I CORRECT MR. ALRIGHT, SO IF YOU TAKE OUT THE ONES THAT ARE LIMITED TO WHATEVER THEY HAVE SIGNS OR YEAH.
IF YOU TAKE OUT SIGNS, YOU HAVE 30 30 MM-HMM
HEY, I CAN SAY THAT I DO KNOW I'VE GOTTEN THAT REQUEST FROM A LOT OF, UM, CIVIC CLUB PRESIDENTS HAS BEEN AROUND A WHILE THAT REMEMBER US FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD PROTECTION DAYS.
BUT LIKE I TOLD THEM BACK THEN, WE HAD 125 CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS.
SO, OR INSPECTORS, I SHOULD SAY I DON'T, BUT WE STILL ONLY HAVE 11 DISTRICTS, RIGHT?
AND I THINK WE NEED TO REALLY LOOK AT THAT BECAUSE I MEAN, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE NUMBER OF CITATIONS, THE NUMBER OF SPECIFIC THAT, YOU KNOW, COULD BE REAL REVENUE.
I WOULD KEEP THAT IN MIND IF WE WERE INTENTIONAL ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING.
I MEAN, 'CAUSE I CAN NAME THE PLACES, LIKE I COULD GIVE A CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER 15 LOCATIONS RIGHT NOW TO SAY, HEY, GO WRITE A CITATION HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE.
BECAUSE THEY PUT THEIR STUFF OUT EVERY MONTH, UH, BEFORE HEAVY TRASH, AND THEY'RE RUNNING A BUSINESS OUTTA THEIR HOUSE BECAUSE YOU JUST DON'T HAVE THAT MANY TOILETS OUT EVERY MONTH.
YOU, YOU JUST DON'T UNLESS YOU HAVE A BUSINESS.
UM, SO I THINK THAT WE REALLY NEED TO BE INTENTIONAL ABOUT HAVING CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS THAT KNOW A SPECIFIC AREA, WORK IN A SPECIFIC AREA, AND CAN WORK ALONGSIDE THE, THE COUNCIL OFFICES TO GET THOSE ANSWERS THAT WE NEED FOR THOSE CONSTITUENTS.
I WOULD ADD TOO, YOU MAKE A GOOD APPOINTMENT CITATIONS, DON'T FORGET THAT ONE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER WOULD HAVE TO GO TO COURT FOR THOSE CITATIONS AS WELL AS ATTEND THE, UM, BUILDING AND STANDARDS COMMISSION HEARINGS IF THEY WRITE ANY DAMAGES.
AND I THINK I, I THINK THEY SHOULD.
UM, AND I MEAN, AND, AND I, I WOULD, I WOULD LIKE TO GO TO SOME AS WELL, BECAUSE THE WAY THAT THEY ARE WRITING UP, UM, THE, THE THING FOR ABATEMENT, IT IS CRITICAL THAT WE GET THAT EMERGENCY PURCHASE ORDER DONE CORRECTLY AND THAT WE CAN TESTIFY TO THE NUISANCE THAT IS BEING CREATED IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
WHEN SOMEBODY'S SITTING IN MAKING A DECISION, THEY NEED TO HEAR ABOUT THE REAL NUISANCE THAT'S, THAT'S IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, COUNCIL MEMBERS CAN GO TO THOSE AT LARGE.
COUNCIL MEMBERS CAN GO TO THOSE.
UM, YOU KNOW, AS WELL AS THE, UM, CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ARE, WE WANNA BE INCLUDED IN THAT BECAUSE THIS IS SHOWING OUR CONSTITUENTS THAT WHAT THEY SENT US HERE TO DO IS GETTING DONE.
I DON'T LIKE TO SEE THE NEWS WHEN SOMEBODY, A REPORTER GOES TO TALK TO A CONSTITUENT AND THEY SAY, WE'VE BEEN REPORTING THIS HOUSE FOR 10 YEARS.
I'D RATHER THAT NEWS STORY SAY, UM, YOU KNOW, THE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER CAME AND THEY, WE GOT THIS HOUSE KNOCKED DOWN IN THREE MONTHS.
AND I FEEL LIKE THERE'S A PATH TO DOING THAT.
AND IT, IT'S GONNA TAKE ALL OF US TO DO THAT, INCLUDING OURSELVES, THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT, MCD, THAT ALL PARTICIPATE IN THAT PROCESS WHEN WE DO HAVE A DANGEROUS BUILDING.
UH, AND MY, AND MY, I KNOW MY, MY BELL RANG
WE WOULD ONLY RECOUP THAT MONEY IF THEY SOLD THE PROPERTY.
MOST OF THE TIME IT'S WHEN THEY SELL, BUT IT'S WHENEVER THEY, THEY PAY THAT LIEN AND THE MOST OF THE TIME, THEY'RE NOT GONNA PAY THE LIE UNTIL THEY GET READY TO SELL IT.
SO YOU SAW A BIG HIKE IN 22 IN REVENUE, AND THAT WAS AF POST COVID WHEN REAL ESTATE MARKET WAS HOT AND OUR REVENUE WAS UP TO $3 MILLION FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE I WAS CFO.
BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE SELLING THOSE, THEY WERE SELLING PROPERTIES.
AND, AND SO IS THERE ANY OTHER WAY, DOES THE CITY DO ANYTHING OR DO WE HAVE ANYTHING IN PLACE FOR US TO PURSUE THE PAYMENT OF THOSE LIENS BESIDES THE SALE OF A PROPERTY? WE COULD, THERE ARE OPTIONS THAT WE HAVE TALKED TO LEGAL ABOUT OF PURSUING THE PAYMENT OF THOSE LIENS, AND WE CONTINUE TO TALK WITH THEM ABOUT IT.
WE DON'T HAVE A, FOR RIGHT NOW, WE, I DON'T BELIEVE WE'RE COLLECTING OUR LIENS THROUGH DEBT COLLECTIONS.
AND, UM, WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT FORECLOSURES IN THE PAST, BUT THE AMOUNT OF OUR LIENS THAT, UM, THAT'S THE DISCUSSION ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF OUR LIENS VERSUS A FORECLOSURE.
DO WE KNOW THE AMOUNT OF LIENS WE HAVE OUT THERE ON THE BOOKS? WHAT, WHAT, WHAT'S THAT REVENUE NUMBER THAT'S OUT THERE? I WOULD'VE TO GET THAT ONE BACK TO YOU.
I'M, I'M VERY CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT THE REVENUE NUMBER IS LINGERING OUT THERE AS FAR AS LIENS THAT WE HAVE ON PROPERTY.
AND ARE WE BEING CONSISTENT ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT WHEN WE ABATE A PROPERTY, WE'RE ACTUALLY PUTTING THE LIEN ON THE PROPERTY? BECAUSE I KNOW I'M LIKE, JUST GO CUT THAT GRASS.
RIGHT? BUT I WANNA JUST CUT THAT GRASS AND PUT THAT LIEN ON THERE TOO.
WELL, AND I HAVE TOLD, I'VE HAD THAT DISCUSSION WITH SOME OF Y'ALL NOW, IF YOU WANT TO JUST CUT THE GRASS, FOR EXAMPLE, THE CAREER RECOVERY PROGRAM YOU MENTIONED, THAT IS USUALLY NOT LEANED.
UM, SO IF YOU, THE LIEN IS APPLIED WHEN WE GO THROUGH THE PROCESS THAT
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ABIDES BY CHAPTER 10 IN STATE STATUTE, WHICH TAKES A LITTLE LONGER THAN JUST GOING OUT THERE AND CUTTING IT.AND SO I DO WANNA MAKE THAT, THAT POINT MADE.
AND SOME OF YOU CALL AND ASK IF THIS PROPERTY IS TO BE LEANED, THEN WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
IF IT'S A PROPERTY WHERE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO HEIRS AND NO ONE'S OWNED AND YOU'RE NOT GONNA RECOUP THE FUNDS, I JUST NEED IT CUT.
'CAUSE IT'S UNSAFE TO LIST YOUR, YOUR CONSTITUENTS.
SO FOLKS LIKE HUD RIGHT? WHERE WE PROBABLY WON'T GONNA RIGHT.
NOT GET ANYTHING BACK, WE HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT GOING ON NOW.
I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO, UH, TO YOUR DEPARTMENT AS WELL.
VICTOR HAVE KNOWN YOU FOR A LONG TIME.
MY PREVIOUS LIFE WE WERE WORKING IN GANG STUFF.
SO THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU'RE DOING.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT WE'RE STILL HAVING CONVERSATIONS IN THAT, UH, PARK, PARK, UH, PECAN PARK AREA.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, WE LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING MORE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING AROUND IN GRANDO PARK.
UM, AND, UH, TERRENCE, WE HAD THIS DISCUSSION EARLIER ABOUT THE ENHANCED PLUS LIBRARY CARD.
UH, I LOOK FORWARD TO SITTING DOWN WITH YOU TO SEE HOW WE CAN HELP PUSH THIS THROUGH FOR, UH, UNDER YOUR, UH, DIVISION.
UM, AND THEN ALSO JUST WANT TO KIND OF GIVE A SHOUT OUT AS WELL TO ROMAN.
UM, YOU KNOW, YOU TALK ABOUT CAREER RECOVERY AND, UH, BEING ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT, UH, BOTH MYSELF AND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON'S OFFICE WE HAD WORKED ON LAST YEAR, UH, TO GET IT TO A POINT WHERE THERE'S A, A GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY AT THAT POINT WITH, WITH THAT SPECIFIC, UH, ORGANIZATION THAT THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE THE CAPACITY, BUT IT'D BE GREAT TO BUILD UP THEIR CAPACITY, UH, TO BE ABLE TO HELP WITH THE ABATEMENT AS WELL.
UM, AND ESPECIALLY BECAUSE OF JUST THE, THE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE CLIENTS THAT THEY HAVE AS WELL.
YOU KNOW, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THE SECOND CHANCE HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET BACK INTO THE WORKFORCE.
AND, UH, I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT RECOVERY.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE A GREAT ORGANIZATION.
WE'VE BEEN SUPPORTING THEM FOR OVER A YEAR.
UM, AND, AND WANT TO CONTINUE TO SEE THEM, UH, BE SUPPORTIVE OR US BE SUPPORTIVE OF THEM AS WELL.
AND THEY DID RECEIVE A VOLUNTEER SERVICE AWARD THIS YEAR, AND I DID BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN, UM, CAREER RECOVERY AND HR.
SO IN CASE SOME OF THOSE, UM, UM, WORKERS THAT WORKED FOR THEM WERE LIKE EMPLOYMENT AND, AND MOVE ON TO EMPLOYMENT WITH THE CITY.
THAT OPPORTUNITY IS GIVEN TO THEM.
AND, UH, THANK YOU DIRECTOR SIMS FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
SO WE JUST HAD A QUALITY OF LIFE COMMITTEE MEETING WHERE THERE WERE A LOT OF, UH, A LOT OF VIEWS EXPRESSED ABOUT NOISE AND NOISE ISSUES.
WOULD, WOULD, WOULD YOUR DEPARTMENT BE ABLE SLASH WILLING TO PARTICIPATE IN ENFORCING OUR NOISE ORDINANCES? THAT, THAT WOULD BE HPD? THAT'S, THAT'S NOT A NUISANCE IF UNDER CHAPTER 10.
IF WE WERE TO CHANGE THE CITY CODE, DO YOU THINK YOUR DEPARTMENT WOULD BE WILLING SLASH ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT? WELL, I DON'T, I, I WOULDN'T BE FOR THAT BECAUSE THE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AREN'T, AREN'T, UM, TRAINED PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICERS LIKE A POLICE OFFICER.
SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT AN A POLICE OFFICER.
THEY DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DO THE THINGS THAT POLICE OFFICERS DO.
SO THE MOST THEY COULD DO IS WRITE A CITATION.
AND THE REASON WHY, THE OTHER REASON IS WE'RE STRETCHED THEN IS AS IS COUNCIL MEMBER WITH ONLY, UM, 50 OR SO CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS.
NOW WE'RE GETTING OUT OF OUR SCOPE AND INTO SOMEONE ELSE'S SCOPE.
AND, UM, THAT JUST WOULDN'T BE A WISE MOVE.
NOW, IF RESOURCES WERE ALLOCATED AND THAT'S A WHOLE NEW DIVISION WE WANT TO ADD, THEN THAT'S A DIFFERENT DISCUSSION.
UM, LOOKING AT SOME, SOME, SOME OF YOUR SLIDES ON SLIDE NUMBER SEVEN, UH, CODE ENFORCEMENT.
ONE OF THE THINGS YOU LISTED THAT YOU ALL, UH, DO RESPOND TO EMERGENCIES CAUSED BY NATURAL DISASTERS.
CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT, WHAT Y'ALL DO? YES.
WE DO THE WINDSHIELD, UM, ASSESSMENTS AFTER DISASTER, SUCH AS THE KINGWOOD FLOODS.
AND WE GIVE THOSE QUICK ASSESSMENTS, UM, TO OEM TO HELP US SEE IF WE CAN REACH THE DISASTER GOAL.
UM, WE HAVE DONE THOSE IN HARVEY, IKE, THE RECENT TAX DAY, MEMORIAL DAY, AND I'M SURE I'M MISSING A FEW IN THERE.
BUT WE DO PROVIDE THOSE, SO MAINLY ASSESSMENTS, THE ASSESSMENTS OF RESIDENTIAL.
LOOKING AT PAGE NUMBER 12, GANG PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION.
UH, BUT I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT YOUR ANTI-GANG PROGRAMS CURRENTLY? YES.
WHERE, WHERE, WHERE IS THE, THIS PROGRAM TAUGHT, IF YOU WILL, WHERE'S THIS CURRICULUM? DISPEN? IT'S, IT'S CITYWIDE.
YOU DO HAVE HOTSPOTS WHERE WE PROVIDE MORE INTERVENTION SERVICES THAN OTHERS.
UM, HOWEVER, SERVICES ARE GIVEN CITYWIDE UPON REQUESTS AS FAR AS PRESENTATIONS ARE CONCERNED.
AS FAR AS CLIENT AND CASE MANAGEMENT.
WE NORMALLY HAVE AREAS IN WHICH THE CASE MANAGERS ARE WORKING.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE DOWN TO ABOUT FOUR CASE MANAGERS WITH TWO VACANCIES.
SO WE KEEP IT SPECIFIC TO THE HOTSPOTS.
MOST OF THAT IS SOUTHWEST HOUSTON, SOUTH HOUSTON, A LEAF, UM, NORTH AND NORTHEAST HOUSTON IS, IS, I CAN MENTION THE HOTSPOTS RIGHT NOW.
ARE, ARE THESE MAINLY TAUGHT IN COM? COMMUNITY
[00:25:01]
CENTERS OR SCHOOLS? OR SCHOOLS? COMMUNITY CENTERS, PARKS AND CIVIC CLUBS.UM, APARTMENT COMPLEXES PER QUESTION.
UM, HARRIS, UM, I'M SORRY, NOT HARRIS.
HOUSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY COMPLEXES WERE REQUESTED.
AND MAY, UH, MAY I CONTINUE? SURE, GO AHEAD.
UH, ONE, ONE OF THE METRICS HERE LISTED IS PERCENT OF YOUTH WHO RE-OFFEND, WHO HAVE BEEN THROUGH THE PROGRAM MM-HMM
AND, UM, IN 24 IT LOOKS LIKE 0%.
UH, AND YOUTH SERVE, UH, ALMOST 6,500.
THE TARGET FOR NEXT YEAR IS 3%.
I'M, I'M JUST WONDERING HOW, HOW THIS IS MEASURED.
HOW YOU FIND OUT WHETHER YOUTH WHO HAVE GONE THROUGH THE PROGRAM ARE ACTUALLY RE-OFFENDING OR NOT.
SO, MOST OF OUR YOUTH THAT ACCOUNTED IN OUR RECIDIVISM RATE ARE ONLY ABOUT SEVEN TO 10% OF THAT COUNT.
AND THEY ARE REFERRED TO US MOSTLY BY HARRIS COUNTY JUVENILE PROBATION DEPARTMENT.
UH, A SMALLER PERCENTAGE OF THOSE ARE RECEIVED FROM THE SCHOOLS AS WELL.
AND SO WORKING WITH HARRIS COUNTY JUVENILE PROBATION, WE KNOW WHETHER A CLIENT HAS REOFFENDED OR, OR NOT WHILE WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM.
THE OTHER REASON FOR THE ZERO RIGHT NOW, AND VICTOR CAN TELL THIS STORY FURTHER IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO TALK TO HIM AT A LATER DATE, BUT A LOT OF THESE CLIENTS ARE KEPT A LITTLE LONGER THAN, THAN MOST OTHER WHILE THEY'RE ON PROBATION AND WORKING WITH THE PROBATION OFFICE TO HELP THEM TO REMAIN, UM, VIABLE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES AND ATTEND SCHOOL.
AND THAT'S OUR PURPOSE OF WORKING WITH PROBATION.
SO WE WANT THEM NOT TO RE-OFFEND.
SO, SO YOU GET THE INFORMATION FROM AGENCIES AND THEN YOU MM-HMM
YOU, YOU, YOU COMPARE THAT TO THE NAME, THE LIST OF FOLKS WHO HAVE GONE THROUGH THE PROGRAM.
SO THE ONLY ONES THAT ARE COUNTED THERE ARE OFFENDERS.
IF YOU'VE NEVER OFFENDED, YOU'RE NOT COUNTED IN THAT RECIDIVISM, RIGHT? MM-HMM
UH, LET ME ASK YOU IF I MAY CONTINUE OR BACK, LET ME, LEMME PUT YOU BACK IN.
THE, I, UM, WANT TO GO BACK TO CODE ENFORCEMENT, UH, TO MAYOR, PRO TE'S PART.
I'M EVEN WILLING TO SHARE, UM, WITH ANOTHER DISTRICT, LIKE IF F AND J AND USE COUNCIL DISTRICT SERVICE FUNDS FOR SOMEONE WHO'S FAMILIAR WITH THAT AREA TO SUPPLEMENT, UM, SALARY OVER HOWEVER WE DO IT, I HAVE THE APPETITE AND MANY OF US HAVE THE APPETITE TO DO THAT.
UM, CAN YOU CONFIRM HOW MANY CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ARE, UM, DESIGNATED OUT OF THE HOOD ANNUAL ACTION PLAN? OH, YES.
BECAUSE I KNOW, I THINK WE HAVE SEVEN, SIX NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE RESTRICTED, UM, FOR THAT FEDERAL FUNDING.
SO YOU HAVE 26 FROM FUND 5,000, WHICH IS CDBG, UHHUH
SO WE REALLY ONLY HAVE 24 MM-HMM
ON GENERAL FUND FOR GENERAL FUNDS.
SO, 'CAUSE THE 26 ARE RESTRICTED.
WE NEED THAT CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER FOR THE DISTRICT, SO YEAH.
THIS IS WHAT I NEEDED TO KNOW.
UM, STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN'S.
UH, I, CAN WE GO TO SLIDE UH THREE PLEASE? SURE.
SO, UM, I JUST WANTED TO START HERE 'CAUSE WE, A LOT OF THE DISCUSSION IS CENTERED AROUND CODE ENFORCEMENT AND WE CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, RELY ON THAT QUITE A BIT.
UM, AND AS YOU SEE, IT'S $350,000 IN THE RED.
SO IF WE GO TO, IF WE GO THEN TO SLIDE, UM, NUMBER EIGHT AND WE LOOK AT THE PERFORMANCE METRICS, UM, THESE PERFORMANCE METRICS ARE, ARE, ARE VERY OPTIMISTIC.
AND YES, I'M ALL FOR EFFICIENCY, BUT HOW ARE WE GOING, HOW, HOW ARE WE GOING TO ACHIEVE THESE PERFORMANCE GOALS WITH A REDUCED BUDGETING CODE ENFORCEMENT? UH, BECAUSE WE REDUCED, WE RE ELIMINATED VACANCIES THAT WE HADN'T FILLED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
SO WE'RE DOING THIS NOW WITH, WITH POSITIONS THAT WE CURRENTLY DON'T HAVE FILLED.
THE CUTS ARE COMING FROM POSITIONS WE DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE FILLED.
SO, SO THE, THE PERSONNEL, IT'S IN PLACE NOW AND IS, AND WE'RE HIRING NOW IS WHY THESE GOALS ARE SO AMBITIOUS.
PLUS BECAUSE WE MET THEM, I WOULDN'T IMPROVE THE METRIC WITHOUT LOOKING AT HOW WE PERFORM NOW WITH THE RESOURCES WE HAVE.
GOING BACK TO, UH, SLIDE NUMBER 16.
SO, UH, NUMBER OF IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE RESIDENTS SERVED, UH, ESTIMATE FOR FY 24 IS 118,000.
TARGET FOR NEXT YEAR IS A HUNDRED THOUSAND, WHICH IS A HUGE NUMBER.
JUST WONDERING, IN WHAT WAYS DO WE COUNT IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE RESIDENTS BEING SERVED? AND, AND I DO NOTICE THAT INTERPRETATION SERVICES PROVIDED 2,500, UH, I ASSUME THAT'S PART OF THAT FIGURE, BUT I DON'T, I DON'T REALLY SEE ANYTHING ELSE HERE.
UH, CAN YOU, CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT? YES.
THAT'S, THAT DIVISION IS A DIVISION OF THREE.
SPEAKING OF LACK OF RESOURCES, THEY LEVERAGE THEIR NONPROFIT PARTNERSHIPS HEAVILY.
THEY HAVE CITIZENSHIP WEEK AND THEY ASSIST CITIZENS IN
[00:30:01]
APPLYING FOR CITIZENSHIP IN THE UNITED STATES.THEY ALSO HAVE PROGRAMS IN WHICH THEY BRING THE JUDGE HERE AND WE SWEAR THEM IN HERE FOR CITIZENSHIP.
UM, THE LANGUAGE ACCESS PROGRAM IS ACTUALLY SEPARATE FROM THAT.
LANGUAGE ACCESS IS MOSTLY INTERNAL.
SO A LANGUAGE ACCESS PROVIDES INTERPRETATION AND TRANSLATION SERVICES FOR CITY DOCUMENTS AND CITY MEETINGS AND SERVICES VERSUS EXTERNAL, WHICH IS, UM, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT WHEN WE LOOK AT NUMBER OF IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE, UM, RESIDENT SERVED.
SO THOSE TWO ARE, ARE, ARE NOT ONE AND THE SAME IF I'M, IF I'M LOOKING AT WHAT YOU'RE ASKING CORRECTLY, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M INCORRECT.
N NO, I, I THINK, I THINK WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE HERE.
SO, SAFE TO SAY THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE RESIDENTS SERVED HERE IS, IS THROUGH OUTSIDE AGENCIES THAT RIGHT.
THEY PARTNER, THEY PARTNER WITH NON-PROFIT TO PUT ON THEIR EVENTS 'CAUSE IT'S ONLY THE THREE OF THEM TO, TO, UM, SERVICE THIS COMMUNITY.
AND DEPENDING ON THE YEAR AND WHAT IS HAPPENING, THAT NUMBER COULD INCREASE OR DECREASE JUST LIKE, UM, NUMBER OF DOCUMENTS TRANSLATED IN NUMBER OF INTERPRETATION SERVICES PROVIDED.
UM, AS YOU REMEMBER, A COUPLE YEARS BACK, WE HAD THE AF AFGHAN REFUGEES HERE AND THAT INCREASED THAT NUMBER QUITE A BIT AS WE LOOK TO SHELTER THEM AND ASSIST THEM.
SO THEIR NUMBERS, UM, CAN BE QUITE DYNAMIC DEPENDING ON THE SITUATION.
AND, UM, YOU, YOU MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW, WE'VE HAD, UH, A LOT OF COMMENTS ABOUT LANGUAGE ACCESS AND LANGUAGE YES.
LANGUAGE SERVICES BEING PROVIDED.
I NOTICED THAT IN THE, IN THE BIG BOOK, UM, THERE'S A CATEGORY FOR EMPLOYEES TRAINED IN LANGUAGE ACCESS MM-HMM
WHAT, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN EXACTLY? DO WE HAVE A PROGRAM WHERE OUR EMPLOYEES CAN LEARN NEW LANGUAGES OR WHAT? YES.
NO, THE CITY HAS HAD A LANGUAGE ACCESS PROGRAM SINCE 2011.
UM, THE DEPARTMENT SHOULD HAVE A LANGUAGE ACCESS COORDINATOR.
UM, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A TRAINING ON TALENT MANAGEMENT.
IT'S ONLY 15 MINUTES THAT PROVIDES EMPLOYEES WITH THE CONTEXT THEY NEED.
IF THEY ENCOUNTER A CONSTITUENT, THAT SPEAKS ANOTHER LANGUAGE THAN THEY DO.
AND SO THAT'S TO HELP OUR CONSTITUENTS BE BETTER SERVED BY US AS CITY EMPLOYEES KNOWING, HEY, I HAVE A CONSTITUENT HERE THAT DOESN'T SPEAK A LANGUAGE THAT I SPEAK.
HOW DO I ASSIST THEM? SO THAT'S WHY THAT PROGRAM IS THERE.
AND WE ARE LOOKING TO SET IT UP TO TRAIN EVERYONE IN THE CITY.
THAT'S HOW AMBITIOUS WE WANT TO BE.
BUT WE KEEP THAT NUMBER SET AT 300.
WE'RE ABOUT TO ACHIEVE 100 THIS YEAR AS THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS WILL BE FULLY TRAINED IN LANGUAGE ACCESS.
SO THAT ENCOMPASSES A BRIEF TRAINING ON HOW TO, UH, SERVE AND GET THEM REFERRED TO SOMEWHERE ELSE.
AND ONE LAST QUESTION IF I MIGHT.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE HTV, WHICH BROADCASTS ALL OF OUR COUNCIL MEETINGS AND COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND, UH, WE'VE COME TO FIND OUT THAT, UM, THOSE, THOSE BROADCASTS ARE NOT TRANSLATED MM-HMM
AND WONDERING IF, IF YOU ENVISION A ROLE WHERE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS MIGHT BE ABLE TO PLAY A ROLE IN, IN GETTING THESE BROADCAST, UH, TRANSLATED INTO DIFFERENT LANGUAGES.
WE'RE CURRENTLY HAVING THOSE MEETINGS WITH THE ADMINISTRATION AND OFFICE OF DISABILITIES AS WELL.
UM, IN, IN YEARS PAST DIRECTOR, I'VE ASKED ABOUT, UM, THE NUMBER OF CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AS COMPARED TO OTHER CITIES, AND IT'S DONE BY SQUARE MILES.
AND I THINK THAT THE NUMBER I REMEMBER GETTING WAS, UH, THE RIGHT NUMBER FOR HOUSTON WOULD BE ABOUT 130.
IS THAT STILL RIGHT? YOUR YOUR IT'S A LITTLE AMBITIOUS.
AND LIKE I SAID, WHEN LOOKING DURING MY RESEARCH WHEN I CAME IN AND SOME OF THE STUDIES I WAS GIVEN, UM, WHEN WE STARTED THE DEPARTMENT, WHEN THEY CAME OVER FROM NEIGHBORHOOD PROTECTION, WE HAD ABOUT 125.
AND IT IS HARD TO COMPARE CITIES TO CITY BECAUSE CODE ENFORCEMENT DOES SOME OTHER THINGS IN OTHER CITIES.
AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE MANY CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
SO IT'S DIFFICULT TO PICK, COMPARE SOMETIMES APPLES TO APPLES.
IN WITH THAT, UM, ALSO ON JUNK MOTOR VEHICLES AND YOUR PERFORMANCE MEASURES, UM, YOUR TARGET LAST YEAR WAS FOR 1750 AND THEN YOU GOT 710.
DOES THAT MEAN THERE WAS JUST NOT AS MANY REPORTED? OR DO YOU NEED MORE, ARE YOU JUST MISSING IT OR THAT THAT'S HARD FOR ME TO FOLLOW.
IT, IT COULD, IT'D BE A DROP IN REPORTING, BUT ALSO THE TOWING IS, IS AN ASPECT AS WELL.
SO WE, WE WORKED WITH HPD TO GET SPENDING AUTHORITY ON THEIR APPLE TOWING CONTRACT, I'M WANNA SAY THAT CORRECT.
TO BEGIN TO TOW SOME OF THESE VEHICLES OFF, UM, OF PRIVATE PROPERTY WHEN THEY'RE VIOLATION OF THE JMB.
SO, SO WE GOT OUTSIDE HELP TO HELP WITH SOME OF THAT.
SO INTERNALLY, YOU, UM, YOU DID THE SEVEN 10, BUT THEN OTHERS RAN BY RIGHT, RIGHT, RIGHT.
AND IS THAT BECAUSE THEY COMPLIED THAT, THAT'S COMPLIANCE? THAT'S ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.
AND, AND I APPRECIATE, UM, YOUR TARGET CONTEXT THAT THAT HELPED A LOT.
AND YOUR, YOUR, UM, ESPECIALLY IN THE, IN THE LANGUAGE, UM, WE HAD A LOT EVERYBODY'S TALKING ABOUT.
WE'VE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT LANGUAGE.
[00:35:01]
THE PUTTING THE CONTEXT THERE FOR THE TARGETS.I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS IN THE QUEUE.
WE WILL HEAD TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DIRECTOR.
REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR, UM, ALL OF DON, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO.
AND WE WILL NOW START WITH TERRY CHEN.
THE LAST FISCAL BUDGET FOR THE OFFICE OF NEW AMERICANS WAS 330,000.
UM, THIS YEAR THEY PROPOSED AN EXTRA 5,000.
UM, AND ONLY 10,000 WAS ALLOCATED FOR LANGUAGE TRANSLATION AND INTERPRETATION.
THAT IS 0.00016% OF THE ENTIRE BUDGET FOR A CITY OF 30% FOREIGN BORN RESIDENTS AND 48% SPEAKING NON-ENGLISH, NON-ENGLISH LANGUAGES AT HOME.
SO AGAIN, 0.00016% OF A BUDGET FOR A CITY OF 30,000 FOREIGN BORN RESIDENTS AND 48% SPEAKING NOT ENGLISH LANGUAGES AT HOME.
OUR ORG, WOODY JUNTOS HAS SPENT ALMOST 30,000 THIS FISCAL YEAR FOR TRANSLATIONS AND INTERPRETATIONS SO FAR.
WE RECENTLY, I HAD A 14-YEAR-OLD COME AND REACH OUT TO ME, UM, BECAUSE HER GRANDPARENT WAS HAVING LANGUAGE ACCESS ISSUES AND SHE WAS LIKE, WHAT CAN I DO? THIS IS REALLY DIFFICULT.
SHE EVEN ACTUALLY FOUND TERRANCE ONLINE.
SO THANK YOU TERRANCE, FOR SPEAKING TO HER.
UM, BUT THIS JUST GOES TO SHOW THAT THERE IS A HUGE NEED, A HUGE DEFICIT OF LANGUAGE ACCESS FUNDING.
UM, SO ONTO MY QUESTION, HOW MUCH OF THIS 10,000 WAS DONE BY COMPETENT HUMAN INTERPRETERS OR TRANSLATORS VERSUS MACHINES SUCH AS AI OR GOOGLE TRANSLATE? UM, AS WE KNOW, THERE IS A LOT OF ISSUES WITH HAVING MACHINE INTERPRETATION.
UH, PEOPLE ARE HAVING THEIR ASYLUM APPLICATIONS DENIED 'CAUSE OF THE INACCURACIES OF AI.
AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON OFFERS TRANSLATION VIA GOOGLE TRANSLATE ON THEIR WEBSITE IN FOUR LANGUAGES.
UH, CHINESE SIMPLIFIED CHINESE, TRADITIONAL SPANISH AND VIETNAMESE.
AND WHILE, WHILE INTENDED GOOGLE TRANSLATE IS NOT ALWAYS ACCURATE, UM, A 2021 STUDY FROM THE UCLA MED CENTER FOUND AN AVERAGE OF 74.5% ACCURATE TRANSLATIONS, UH, ACROSS 400 STATEMENTS.
SO THAT IS ROUGHLY AN EQUIVALENT OF A QUARTER OF THE INFORMATION BEING MISTRANSLATED.
SO PLEASE USE ACTUAL HUMAN INTERPRETERS TO, TO DO THE CHECKING.
AND WE'VE ACTUALLY FOUND ISSUES WITH THAT TOO.
UM, WITH OUR TRANSLATIONS, LIKE WHEN WE TRY TO DO SOMETHING FAST, WE HAVE GONE TO AI AND PEOPLE HAVE COME TO US AND BEEN LIKE, UGH, THIS AIN'T IT,
GOOD, GOOD TO KNOW AND GOOD COMMENTS.
OH, BUT THE QUESTION IS, UM, WILL CAN GET BACK.
THE, THE, HOW MUCH IS RIGHT? WE'LL, WE'LL GET THAT QUESTION ANSWERED FOR YOU.
SO I'M NOT SURE HOW THAT ALL WORKS.
UM, SO, UH, GOING OFF OF WHAT MY COLLEAGUE TERRY SAID, UM, WE, WE, AND ALSO HEARING FROM THE DIRECTOR, SO THE NUMBER A HUNDRED THOUSAND ANTICIPATED OF SERVING IMMIGRANTS AND REFUGEES FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
THERE WAS A COMMENTS THAT A LOT OF IT IS FACILITATED THROUGH NONPROFITS LIKE OURS.
WE ALSO DO CITIZENSHIP WORK TOO.
UM, I'M CURIOUS FOR MY FIRST QUESTION, DOES IT MAKE SENSE TO HAVE THE CITY DEPARTMENTS TAKE CREDITS FOR THAT, UM, GIVEN THAT NONPROFITS RECEIVE FUNDING OUTSIDE OF CITY OR COUNTY GOVERNMENTS AND 'CAUSE WE GET, LIKE FROM, FROM OUR ORGANIZATION, WE GET FUNDING FROM A LOT OF DIFFERENT SOURCES.
AND SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT IS NECESSARILY AN ACCURATE REFLECTION ON THE PERFORMANCE OF THE DEPARTMENTS IN THAT ASSESSMENTS.
I JUST WANTED TO HEAR IF HOW FOLKS FELT ABOUT THAT.
HAPPY TO BRING THAT UP WITH THEM, BUT I THINK THAT THAT WHOLE, THAT OFFICE OF NEW AMERICANS, REALLY THAT'S FUNCTION IS TO COORDINATE EFFORTS WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT REALLY SERVE THE COMMUNITY.
SO I THINK THAT IS A FAIR ACCOUNT.
[00:40:01]
YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF LIKE PLANTING TREES OR OTHER, YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT THE CITY.TO THE EXTENT WE CAN COUNT THAT OUR IMPACT THROUGH COORDINATION OR COLLABORATION IS HELPING SOMEONE, WE NEED TO CAPTURE THAT.
WOULD IT, WOULD IT MAKE SENSE TO ALSO INCLUDE THE PARTNERS IN THESE LIKE, LIKE THE, THE DEPARTMENT WORKED WITH X AMOUNT OF PARTNERS ACROSS THE CITY? YEAH, SURE.
I THINK THAT'S PART OF THE TARGET CONTEXT THAT WE, THAT WE COULD ADD.
BECAUSE LIKE RIGHT NOW IT JUST LOOKS LIKE THE CITY OR THE DEPARTMENT DID ALL THE WORK I UNDERSTAND AND REACH THIS NUMBER.
SO THAT'S, I THINK ONE THING THAT CONFUSED ME.
UM, I THINK THAT DID ADJUST SOME OF THE MEASURES LIKE IN THE, IN THE VOLUNTEER THING, LIKE, YOU KNOW, A JILLION VOLUNTEERS, BUT NOW WE'RE REALLY NARROWING IT.
SO I THINK THAT'S A GOOD POINT TO THE EXTENT WE CAN MAKE THESE TARGETS MEANINGFUL TO THE PUBLIC, ADD EXTRA CONTEXT OR WHATEVER WE NEED TO DO.
AND MY LAST QUESTION, UM, DEALS WITH THE TRAINING ASPECT.
SO, UM, I, I APPRECIATE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ ASKING ABOUT THAT.
AND SO, SO ONE THING THAT, YOU KNOW, TRAINING IS GOOD AND I THINK THERE WAS A NOTE OF HOW ACTUALLY QUITE SHORT THAT TRAINING IS, UM, FOR EACH CITY EMPLOYEE.
THERE WAS A 200 PERSONNEL MISS FROM LAST FISCAL YEAR.
THE ESTIMATE FOR THIS YEAR IS 100.
AND I'M, YOU KNOW, CURIOUS WHY THERE WAS A MISS FOR THAT.
AND THEN THE TARGET FOR NEXT YEAR IS ALSO 300.
SO LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHAT WERE THE CHALLENGES OF NOT BEING ABLE TO REACH THE 300 LAST YEAR AND WHAT IS GIVING US CONFIDENCE TO HIT 300 IF THE FUNDING IS NOT NECESSARILY INCREASING BY A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNTS? MAYBE THERE'S OTHER CHALLENGES.
SO THE, THE DIRECT QUESTION IS, YOU KNOW, I THINK TRAININGS ARE GOOD, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY IS THE ACTUAL HIRING OF BILINGUAL FTES, FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON, UM, WHO ARE ABLE TO ACTUALLY MAKE THESE THINGS HAPPEN.
THE CITY OF DALLAS HAS A REALLY ROBUST SALARY ADJUSTMENT PROGRAM TO HELP COMPENSATE FOLKS AND I'M HOPEFUL THE CITY CAN A FEW SAY, RIGHT? AND WE DO, UM, INCLUDE, HAVE BILINGUAL PAY IN OUR BUDGET.
AND, UM, THAT IS IMPORTANT TO US.
AND, AND YOU GUYS ARE BRINGING ME A LOT OF NEW INFORMATION.
UM, SO CERTAINLY WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING INTO THIS LANGUAGE ISSUE MORE AND THANKS FOR BRINGING IT ALL UP.
AND JASON OLIVER HAD TO LEAVE OR IS ANYBODY ONLINE? I AM.
DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS FOR ALL YOU DO.
UM, I THINK EVERYONE'S IN AGREEMENT THAT WE NEED MORE CODE ENFORCEMENT
SO, UM, I GUESS MY QUESTION TO THE CITY COUNCIL IS, IS THERE ROOM TO ADD MORE MONEY AND MORE FTE, UM, TO CODE ENFORCEMENT? BECAUSE IF NOT, HOW CAN WE JUSTIFY IT BEING DECREASED WHEN IT'S SUCH A SIGNIFICANTLY UNDERFUNDED DIVISION COMPARED TO OTHER CITIES? UM, AND WHAT SORT OF RESULTS CAN WE EXPECT TO SEE IN SERVICE DELIVERY AS A RESULT IF WE, IF WE DON'T FUND IT? SO THAT'S, 'CAUSE I THINK WE'RE ALL IN AGREEMENT.
WE LOVE CODE ENFORCEMENT, WE NEED IT.
WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH STAFF FOR THE SIZE OF OUR CITY.
AND, AND, UM, BUT CERTAINLY A VALID QUESTION.
THESE ARE THE THINGS WE NEED TO HEAR ABOUT THE PUBLIC'S PRIORITIES.
IF THERE'S SOME SHIFTING TO DOING THE BUDGET.
UM, DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS HAS PRETTY CONSISTENTLY BEEN UNDERFUNDED AND, UH, WE APPRECIATE THOSE COMMENTS.
AND I JUST HAVE ONE MORE QUICK QUESTION AND I APPRECIATE THAT COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, UM, DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS HAD A 2024 TARGET OF 15,000 CONSTITUENTS SERVED THROUGH CIVIC ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS AND ARE ESTIMATED TO EXCEED THAT BY 13,000 MORE.
THEY'VE ONLY REQUESTED A 2% CHANGE.
BUT, UM, THIS IS ANOTHER QUESTION ABOUT BUDGET.
CAN THE INCREASE BE A BIT MORE PROPORTIONAL TO THE ESTIMATE, UM, THROUGH THE USE OF GENERAL FUNDS? SO JUST ANOTHER ASK FOR MORE MONEY FOR DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS.
I KNOW WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE THAT THEY DO GOOD WORK, RIGHT? AND I APPRECIATE YOUR, EVERYONE'S ATTENTION TO THE PERFORMANCE MEASURES AND WE ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT, LIKE, YOU SET A TARGET, YOU DON'T MEET THE TARGET AND YOU SET IT AGAIN, YOU KNOW, WITH, WITH LESS MONEY, HOW ARE YOU GONNA MEET IT? SO, APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, ARIS BROWN, SHE HAD TO GO.
UM, I'M GONNA MOVE OVER TO MY QUESTION SO I HAVE IT READY FOR YOU.
UM, SO AS YOU'VE HEARD TODAY, UH, MOVING TOWARDS THE CENTRALIZED LANGUAGE ACCESS DEPARTMENT IS CERTAINLY A, A LONG-TERM, UH, GOAL.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I JUST WANT THIS BODY TO CONSIDER IS TO THINK ABOUT LANGUAGES THAT MAY BE INDIGENOUS
[00:45:01]
THAT DON'T HAVE ALPHABETS AND HOW THAT IS BEING REFLECTED.UM, WHEN WE'RE MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT BUDGET, UM, A LONG-TERM GOAL OF THE LANGUAGE ACCESS DEPARTMENT WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO ALL OF THE FOUR PRIORITIES OF THE MAYOR.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, THERE ARE 145 LANGUAGES IN HOUSTON.
UM, IN FISCAL YEAR 23, THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF INTERPRETATION SERVICES PROVIDED WAS 18,000, AND THE TARGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 24 WAS 20,000.
THE FISCAL YEAR 24 ESTIMATE CURRENTLY IS LISTED AT 2,415 AND THE FISCAL YEAR 25 TARGET IS LISTED AT 2,500.
WE HEARD THAT THIS MAY BE DUE TO COVID, UM, THE DECREASE.
UH, HOWEVER, I WANTED TO KNOW IF THE CITY OF HOUSTON INTENDS ON COMMITTING SPENDING IN ORDER TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF INTERPRETATION SERVICES PROVIDED.
UM, OR WOULD THAT TYPE OF FUNDING BE FROM RESERVES OR FROM ANOTHER BUDGET? THIS IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT, UM, IN EMERGENCY DISASTERS OR IN INCREMENT WEATHER SITUATIONS AS IT RELATES TO ALERTS OR ORGANIZING.
AS WE HEARD TODAY, THERE HAVE BEEN SEVEN DISASTERS, UH, FEDERAL DISASTERS IN SIX YEARS.
SO THESE ARE SOME OF THE POINTS THAT, UM, I WANTED TO BRING UP TO THE BODY TO JUST TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION.
LIKE TODAY WE PASSED A CONTRACT FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, FIRST RESPONDERS THAT A DIFFERENT SOURCE OF FUNDING, UM, DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS HAS THEIRS.
I KNOW MY COUNCIL OFFICE IS, IS PAYING FOR THE, THE INTERPRETATIONS AT THE TOWN HALLS.
UM, SO IT'S COMING FROM DIFFERENT AREAS AND I'M, I'M HEARING FROM MANY OF THE PUBLIC THAT, YOU KNOW, OTHER CITIES KIND OF HAVE A CENTRALIZED DIVISION FOR THIS THAT HANDLES ALL OF THIS.
SO, SO I'M GONNA HAVE TO DO SOME RESEARCH ON THAT.
UM, BUT VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS.
UM, MY TRUSTEE SIDEKICK HERE PULLED UP THAT WE'VE ARE BUDGETING $5 MILLION IN BILINGUAL PAY, UM, ACROSS THE CITY, UM, ACROSS ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS THIS YEAR IN FY 25.
SO, UM, IT IS A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER IN BILINGUAL PAY, UM, THAT WE'RE PUTTING OUT THERE FOR, AND WE REALLY VALUE OUR, OUR EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE THE BILINGUAL ABILITY.
SO WITH THAT, ANY MORE SIGNED UP? UM, SPEAK NOW.
ALLEG, YOU, YES, IT'S ONLY BECAUSE YOU SAID PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE THAT I PULLED THAT RIGHT OUT.
CAN YOU GUYS HEAR ME OKAY? AND BEFORE I ASK MY QUESTION, I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW WHERE WE CAN FIND THE NUMBER THAT YOU JUST MENTIONED, THE 5 MILLION ACROSS THE RAW DATA, THE RAW DATA OF THE BUDGET.
UM, THAT IF, IF YOU GO TO THE BUDGET WEBSITE CORRECT, YOU CAN HIT THE RAW DATA AND IF YOU'RE REALLY GOOD WITH EXCEL AND IF YOU'RE NOT, AND IF YOU'RE NOT, YOU'RE CAN I ASK YOU? PLEASE ASK.
UH, PLEASE JUST PUT IT ON OUR, UH, QUESTION ON MY FORM AND, AND WE WILL, WE WILL GET THE NUMBERS FOR YOU.
SO I'LL MOVE ON TO, UM, I KNOW WE'VE SPOKEN A LOT ABOUT LANGUAGE ACCESS AND I JUST WANNA SHARE A TESTIMONY.
UM, QUALITY OF LIFE IS ONE OF THE MAYOR'S PRIORITIES AND I'VE HEARD, UM, THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING TALK A LOT ABOUT THAT.
I'VE HEARD YOU ALL TALK A LOT ABOUT IT AND REALLY NAIL IT IN.
SO STORY, BUT I'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU IS THAT WHEN I WAS AN AFTERSCHOOL COUNSELOR, I WORKED WITH A STUDENT WHO WAS NOT ENGLISH PROFICIENT, BUT DID HAVE ENOUGH ENGLISH TO MAKE IT THROUGH THE DAY, RIGHT? AND SHE HAD A READING ASSIGNMENT AND SHE WOULD COME IN AND, AND NOT WANNA DO HOMEWORK FOR THE FIRST HOUR.
WHEN WE WORKED WITH STUDENTS, THEY DID HOMEWORK AND THEN THEY GOT TO PLAY AND NO ONE WAS ABLE TO HELP HER.
PEOPLE THOUGHT THAT SHE WAS JUST SASSY, DIDN'T WANT TO BE THERE.
THE REALITY IS THAT SHE COULD NOT WORK THROUGH HER ASSIGNMENT BECAUSE SOMEONE NEEDED TO SLOW DOWN AND HELP HER WITH IT.
AFTER SPENDING ABOUT FIVE MINUTES WITH THE STUDENT, HAVING THEM BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THEIR ASSIGNMENT AND JUST BREAK IT DOWN FOR THEM EVERY DAY AFTER THAT SHE CAME IN THERE WAVING THIS PAPER LIKE, TEACHER, TEACHER, I HAVE MY HOMEWORK.
I MEAN, NO ONE'S EXCITED TO DO HOMEWORK EVEN IF YOU CAN REALLY UNDERSTAND IT.
SO I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO RECOGNIZE YOU CAN CHANGE SOMEONE'S LIFE IN 30 SECONDS AND LANGUAGE ACCESS IS A PART OF THAT.
SO GIVEN THE FEEDBACK YOU'VE HEARD TODAY, I WOULD LIKE TO, I KNOW THAT YOU CAN'T HIRE FOLKS FOR THIS DEPARTMENT, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF YOU CAN COMMIT TO HIRING TWO FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES TO OVERSEE AND CONDUCT A THOROUGH EVALUATION AND STUDY OF THE CURRENT CITY OF HOUSTON LANGUAGE ACCESS PROGRAM.
I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK INTO IT.
UM, A LOT OF US HAVE BEEN SITTING HERE SINCE 9:00 AM
WE'RE GONNA DO IT ALL AGAIN TOMORROW.