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SHOP, AND I AM HAPPY TO WELCOME, UM, FRED FLICKINGER.AND MARY NAN HUFFMAN AND JULIAN RAMIREZ.
THANKS FOR BEING HERE AND JOINING OUR BUDGET WORKSHOPS AND STAFF FROM LETITIA PLUMMER'S OFFICES ONLINE.
AND THEN EVERYONE ELSE WAS HERE FOR THE AIRPORT SYSTEM ONE AS WELL.
AND WE HAVE, UM, DIRECTOR MIKE NICHOLS AND CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER TAMIKA JONES, TO PROVIDE US WITH THE FY 2025 BUDGET.
I HOPE THIS IS THE LEAST EXCITING DEPARTMENT THAT YOU COVER.
UH, IF WE DO OUR JOB RIGHT, I THINK WE WILL BE.
UM, I'VE SAID, UM, MADAM CHAIRMAN, THAT I'M ON A HONEYMOON WITH THE CITY, AND I HOPE THIS WILL CONTINUE.
NORMALLY, BUDGET, STOP THE HONEYMOON, BUT THIS ONE SHOULDN'T.
UM, WE'LL GO TO THE FIRST SLIDE, AND IF I STUMBLE, UH, OUR C OUR COMPETENT CFO, TAMIKA JONES WILL TAKE IT FROM HERE.
UM, BEFORE I START, I, I JUST WANNA GIVE YOU ONE BIG PICTURE.
UH, WE ARE A DEPARTMENT THAT IS ESSENTIALLY FUNDED BY NON-LOCAL FUNDS.
UM, I, I ASKED THE QUESTION KIND OF WHAT'S THE PERCENTAGES? AND WE'LL SPEND ABOUT $250 MILLION A YEAR IN TOTAL.
UM, IT'S LESS THAN 1% OF THE GE UH, GENERAL FUND.
UH, WHEN I ADD UP ALL THE LOCAL FUNDS, IT'S ABOUT 18% WHEN YOU LOOK AT TURS AND BONDS AND GENERAL FUNDS.
SO THAT'S THE BIG TAKEAWAY FROM HERE.
UM, IT'S A REALLY INTERESTING DEPARTMENT BECAUSE THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE CANNOT DO THAT OTHER DEPARTMENTS MAY BE ABLE TO DO BECAUSE WE HAVE SO LITTLE LOCAL MONEY, BUT THAT'S THE WAY IT'S RUN.
UM, UH, MADAM CHAIRMAN WOMAN, I JUST, MY LAUGH IS WHEN I GOT IN THERE WAS NO COFFEE, AND I SAID, HOW CAN YOU RUN A BUSINESS WITH NO COFFEE? AND SO, UM, I GOT PERMISSION FROM MY WIFE TO BRING, UM, A COUPLE OF CASES OF, OF COFFEE IN EVERY MORNING.
UM, REAL QUICK BEFORE YOU GO ON, UM, WE HAVE HAD SOME REQUESTS FOR, UM, SOME TRANSLATION SERVICES IN KOREAN, SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS WORKSHOP.
I DO WANT TO THANK THE DEPARTMENT FOR TRANSLATING YOUR SLIDES INTO KOREAN.
THERE'S A QR CODE HERE AT THIS FRONT DESK IF ANYBODY NEEDS IT, TO READ IT IN KOREAN.
AND WE ALSO HAVE A TRANSLATOR HERE.
FAITH, IF YOU WANNA TRANSLATE WHAT I JUST SAID, UM, TO THEM, IF THEY, IF THEY WANNA SEE THE ACTUAL, UM, PRESENTATION, AND THERE WILL BE SOME PUBLIC SPEAKERS, UM, THAT WE'LL HAVE THE TRANSLATOR FOR AS WELL.
EIA, IT'S NOT REALLY PUBLIC COMMENT TIME, BUT JUST A QUESTION.
IS IT POSSIBLE TO MICROPHONE
BUT, BUT IF, BUT WE CAN DO THAT IN THE FUTURE.
S SO THE, THE FIRST OF THE DEPARTMENT CHART AND THE, UM, WE HAVE ABOUT 204, UH, FOLKS WHO WORK FOR THE DEPARTMENT EXCEPT THEMSELVES ITSELF.
THERE ARE 85, UH, 81 INDIVIDUALS WHO WORK FOR OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS.
UH, THIS IS A WAY WE USE FEDERAL FUNDS WISELY.
UM, AS MANY AS 40 PEOPLE AT THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND, UH, 20 PEOPLE IN THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ARE FUNDED WITH THE FEDERAL FUNDS THAT COME THROUGH THIS DEPARTMENT.
AGAIN, EVEN WHEN WE DO THAT, IT COSTS SOME LOCAL FUNDS TO DO THAT.
UH, THE NEXT SLIDE IS THE EXPENDITURE BY CATEGORY.
AS YOU CAN SEE, IT IS ABOUT, UM, UH, 60%, UH, UM, EXCUSE ME, ABOUT, UM, UH, AGAIN, OF THE $1.6 MILLION THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR 200,000 IS PERSONNEL OFFICE RENT IS ABOUT 90, ABOUT A HUNDRED THOUSAND IN RESTRICTED ACCOUNTS, WHICH IS ALL OF THE MONEY THAT WE ESSENTIALLY GIVE BACK TO THE CITY FOR KROS, FOR IT FOR OTHER MATTERS, UH, IS THE MAJOR PART OF 1.3 MILLION OF THAT QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? UM, WHEN, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE PERSONNEL PART, AGAIN, OUR, OUR GOAL IS TO SPEND FEDERAL MONEY FIRST.
AND SO ANY CHANCE WE CAN USE FEDERAL FUNDS,
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WE'LL USE IT.UM, THE TWO BIG AREAS THAT CANNOT BE USED IS ANYTIME WE HAVE A, UH, A PAYOUT ON AN, UH, ON A, UM, SOMEONE WHO'S RETIRING, OR, UH, 25% OF MY OWN SALARY IS PAID FOR BY THE CITY.
'CAUSE SHE CAN'T USE FEDERAL FUNDS FOR ALL OF THAT.
UM, AGAIN, PER, UH, UH, THE NEXT SLIDE, EXCUSE ME.
AND TJ, IF I MAKE A ERROR OR YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU WANNA ADD, PLEASE, PLEASE SAY THAT AGAIN.
92% OF THE FYI PROPOSED BUDGET IS FOR THE RESTRICTED ACCOUNT, THE REMAINING, UH, 7% FOR OFFICE RENT, BECAUSE THERE'S CERTAIN THINGS, AGAIN, THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WILL NOT PAY FOR, AND THE 1% FOR OTHER CHARGES.
AGAIN, THIS IS A COMPARISON FROM LAST YEAR.
UM, AS YOU SAW THAT THE, UH, ACTUAL FOR FY 23 IS 1.1 MILLION.
UH, WE'RE GONNA END UP 24, 2 0.2.
THE DIS DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE PROPOSED AND THE ESTIMATE, THE DECREASE IS AGAIN, RELATED TO RETIREMENTS.
UH, FOR THE MOST PART, THAT'S THE MAJOR PART OF THAT.
SO IT IS A 25% TOTAL DECREASE TO THE GENERAL FUNDS.
UM, THIS GIVES YOU A, GIVES YOU A SENSE OF REVENUE BY FUNDS.
AGAIN, COMPARING FY 23 AND 24.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THE DEPARTMENT HAS GENERALLY RECEIVED THE SAME AMOUNT OF GENERAL FUND DOLLARS EACH YEAR.
AS I SAID, THE FFY 24 RECEIVED ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO HELP WITH THE COVER EXPENDITURES, NOT REIMBURSABLE WENT BY GRANTS.
UM, FOR THE MOST PART, THEIR EXIT COST.
A FEW ARE FROM, BECAUSE OF RE INTO RESTRICTED FUNDS.
UM, AND THEN A SURPLUS IS THERE.
UM, THE APPENDIX IS THE MOST INTERESTING PART OF OUR BUDGET, SO YOU'RE TRYING TO GET US THERE.
UM, SO I DO WANT TO GET THERE.
UM, LET'S SEE IF WE CAN GO TO THAT SLIDE.
CAN WE MAKE, CAN WE DO QUESTIONS AFTER THE APPENDIX? THANK YOU.
UM, UH, THE FIRST TABLE SHOWS THE AWARDS.
WE EXPECT TO RECEIVE AN FY 25.
WE'RE EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THAT THREE YEARS AFTER THE WINTER STORM, 21 WINTER STORM, WE FINALLY RECEIVED A GRANT AGREEMENT FROM HUD, WHICH I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THAT WORKS, WHY IT'S SO LONG.
AND WE EXPECT THIS APPRO AGREEMENT TO BE APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL IN COMING WEEKS.
UH, IN REVIEWING THE TABLE AND CHURCH, YOU'LL SEE THAT FEDERAL FUNDS ARE 81%, JUST OVER A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS.
STATE FUNDING IS 1%, AND THEN T FUNDING ABOUT 22 MILLION IS 18%.
UM, IS IT, IS THIS THE NEXT SLIDE? YEP.
UM, YEAH, IT'S JUST, IT SHOWS YOU HOW THAT ADDS UP.
UM, AGAIN, WE EXPECT, UM, ABOUT 50 MILLION ON D 21, BUT WE USE 2.7 MILLION ON NON PROGRAMMATIC.
THE 47.5 MILLION WOULD BE PRO PROGRAMMATIC, AND THAT'S TRUE WITH ALL OF OUR FUNDS.
AGAIN, THE TERMS FUND, ABOUT 5 MILLION ARE PROGRAMMATIC AND ABOUT NON PROGRAMMATIC, AND 14 MILLION GO DIRECTLY TO PROGRAMS. UM, THOSE PERCENTAGES GO ALL THE WAY THROUGH EVEN THE GENERAL FUNDS.
UM, 300, 2000 ARE NON PROGRAMMATIC, AND 1.3 MILLION ARE PROGRAMMATIC, THE BONDS, ALL OF THAT WILL BE, IS PROGRAMMATIC.
AND I THINK, UM, WELL, LET'S GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, THEN.
I'LL ASK TO GO BACK TO THIS ONE.
UH, THE NEXT SLIDE IS OUR DEMOGRAPHICS.
AGAIN, HOUSTON IS A VERY DIVERSE CITY, AND WHEN I WALK TO THROUGH THIS DEPARTMENT, I SEE SIGNIFICANT, UM, DIVERSITY, WHICH I LIKE.
BUT MAINLY, I WANT TO SAY AGAIN, I SEE TERRIFIC COMPETENCE AND COMMITMENT, WHICH IS THRILLING.
SO IF WE CAN GO BACK TO THE PRIOR SLIDE, WHICH IS THE MOST INTERESTING SLIDE, AND WE'LL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
I'M SO GLAD YOU'RE THERE AT THE HELM.
WE'RE ALL REALLY HAPPY THAT YOU'RE THERE.
I THINK YOU COVERED IT IN THE PERSON, THE GENERAL FUND REQUEST.
THANK YOU FOR, FOR TAKING SO LITTLE MONEY FROM THE GENERAL FUND.
UM, IT, IT WAS JUST RETIREMENTS.
THAT'S WHY IT'S A DECREASE IN PERSONNEL.
BECAUSE WHAT WHAT, OH, THE PERSONNEL.
WHAT SALARIES ARE PAID OUTTA GENERAL FUND? WHOSE SALARIES ARE OUTTA GENERAL FUND? SOME OF MINE AND WHO ELSE'S? WE USE 25% TO COVER THE DIRECTOR'S.
UH, 25% IS USED TO COVER THE DIRECTOR'S SALARY, AND THAT'S TO ACCOUNT FOR THE TIME THAT HE
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SPENDS WORKING ON NON-FEDERAL FUNDING ACTIVITIES.UM, AND THEN THE REMAINDER IS EMPLOYEE SEPARATION COSTS.
SO WHEN EMPLOYEES RETIRE, LEAVE, ANY ACCRUED VACATION OR SICK TIME IS NOT REIMBURSABLE THROUGH THE GRANT BECAUSE THE GRANT HAS ALREADY PAID FOR THE EMPLOYEE TO WORK.
THEREFORE, ANY ADDITIONAL ACCRUED DAYS THAT, UM, YOU RECEIVE AS PART OF BEING A CITY EMPLOYEE ARE NOT REIMBURSABLE FOR THE GRANT CHAIRWOMAN, THOSE EXIT COSTS, IT'S JUST 300, 2000 IN THE BUDGET FOR PERSONNEL.
BUT YOU KNOW, I I I'LL SAY THE MOST, ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS THIS DEPARTMENT DOES, AND IT'S NOT EASY TO USE FEDERAL MONEY FIRST.
RIGHT? AND, AND THE RENT GOING DOWN.
IS THERE A REASON FOR THAT TOO? SO WHAT WE DO IS, UM, MOST OF OUR GRANT EXPENDITURES WILL BE REIMBURSABLE THROUGH FEDERAL SOURCES.
THERE'S A PORTION OF IT THAT'S NOT, FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE OUR PARKING LOT ACROSS THE STREET THAT, UM, WE HAVE PEOPLE COME INSIDE AND WANNA PARK ALL THROUGHOUT.
SO WE HAD TO GET SIGNS THAT SAID, NO PUBLIC PARKING.
WELL, THE PRODUCTION OF THOSE SIGNS WE'RE NOT ABLE TO GET FEDERALLY REIMBURSED.
AND SO WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO USE THOSE, UM, LOCAL FUNDS TO COVER THOSE TYPES OF EXPENDITURES.
SO THIS IS JUST LESS THAN A HUNDRED THOUSAND.
WHEN WE TOOK OUR 5% REDUCTION, UH, AS PART OF THE CITYWIDE EFFORT, WE TOOK IT OFF OF OUR OFFICE RENT AND, AND BACK ON PAGE NINE.
REALLY, ALL OF THESE GRANTS FROM LONG AGO, IN THE EARLY NINETIES WHEN I WORKED IN THE, IN THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT.
THEN IN THE EARLY TWO THOUSANDS, THESE GRANTS HAVE ALL PAGE NINE, UM, RUSSELL.
CAN YOU IT IS, THEY'VE ALL GONE DOWN, RIGHT? I MEAN, OVER THE YEARS THEY'VE JUST GONE, GONE DOWN, GONE.
I REMEMBER HOME, WE GOT SO MUCH MORE MONEY, CDBG, MORE MONEY.
IT'S JUST REALLY, REALLY, UM, DWINDLED.
21, ARE THERE, IS THAT COMMITTED? ARE WE, DO WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING? WE, IT, IT IS, WE KNOW WHAT THE AMOUNT IS.
UH, WE DID MAKE A ORIGINAL, UM, D DIRECTION.
WE'RE LOOKING AT SEEING TO HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL AMENDMENT TO THAT.
UH, ORIGINALLY FOR THE MOST PART, IT WAS FOR, UH, SOME PUBLIC SERVICES, UH, GENERATORS FOR THE, FOR, UH, SOME OF THE CITY FACILITIES.
HOMEOWNER, SINGLE HOMEOWNER REPAIRS.
AND WE'RE GONNA LOOK AND SEE IF WE CAN, SOMETHING I WANT TO DO IS TO TAKE SOME OF THAT AND, AND BUILD A MULTI-FAMILY LOCATION JUST AS A, AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.
OVERALL, IF YOU LOOK OVER DECADES, THESE FUNDS HAVE DWINDLED.
UM, WHAT WE'RE HOPING IS THAT, UM, WITH THE NEXT, WITH THE FUTURE ADMINISTRATIONS, UM, THAT THEY WILL INCREASE, THERE'S A HUGE INTEREST IN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, UH, ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
I KNOW THAT YOU SAW YESTERDAY, THE KINDER INSTITUTE ANNOUNCED THAT THAT WAS THE SECOND HIGHEST RIGHT.
UM, SO THAT WAS VERY EXCITING.
SO WE, WE HOPE TO BE ABLE TO, AS NEXT YEAR ROLLS AROUND TO CHANGE SOME OF THAT.
UM, AS, AS I SAID, I WAS EARLIER AT, UH, A MEETING WITH HUD, UM, AND THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON HAVE, UH, UM, HAVE, ARE NOW A FINALIST IN A $50 MILLION, UH, UH, HUD FUNDING FOR THE THIRD WARD.
UM, WE'RE THERE AS THEIR NINE FINALISTS.
AND SO WE'RE MAKING THAT PITCH TODAY.
AND AGAIN, UH, THE PITCH THAT I MADE IS, THE REASON HOUSTON SHOULD BE CHOSEN IS WE HAVE GREAT COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE CITY, THE COUNTY, UM, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, UM, NONPROFITS, UM, AND THE STATE.
AND THAT'S REALLY THE SECRET SAUCE IN MAKING THIS HAPPEN.
AND THE SECRET SAUCE IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING GOING FORWARD.
UM, WE HAVE, IT'S A LOT OF CREATIVITY.
UM, MADAM CHAIRWOMAN, THERE'S ANOTHER MAJOR GRANT, UH, THAT'S GONE OUT FOR ENERGY SAVINGS, WHICH I BELIEVE IS A CHANCE TO TURN THAT INTO HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES.
SO WE HAVE TO BE MORE CREATIVE THAN WE'VE EVER BEEN TO MAKE SURE WE MAXIMIZE OUR FEDERAL GRANTS.
AND HOUSING'S GONE GOING UP IN MY YEAR 2 CENTS BUDGET SURVEY THAT I PUT OUT EVERY YEAR.
SO PEOPLE, PEOPLE ARE REALLY HERE.
IT'S IN THIRD OR FOURTH PLACE.
SO PEOPLE ARE REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.
UM, THANK YOU COUNCILMAN FOR BEING WITH US WITH HUD.
WE HAD TWO OUR COUNCILMEN WITH US, WHICH I APPRECIATE, AND IT'S A, WAS A GREAT, GREAT OPPORTUNITY, RIGHT? SUPPORTING THE, UH, REVITALIZATION OF CUNY HOMES.
VERY IMPORTANT PROJECT TO OUR CITY.
AND YOU, YOU, YOU TOUCHED ON THIS A LITTLE BIT ALREADY, BUT SLIDE NUMBER THREE, UM, EXPENDITURES BY CATEGORY PERSONNEL COSTS ARE, ARE WAY DOWN 63%
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IN, UH, FY 25 BUDGET.CAN YOU JUST KIND OF EXPLAIN THAT AGAIN? YES, NO PROBLEM.
SO WHAT WE HAD IS WE HAD A SHARP INCREASE IN THE GENERAL FUNDS THAT WERE NEEDED TO COVER THE EMPLOYEE SEPARATION COSTS.
AND SO WHEN YOU HAVE EMPLOYEES RETIRED, I WOULD USE KEITH BYNUM AS AN EXAMPLE BECAUSE HE HAD BEEN WITH THE CITY 30 PLUS YEARS.
SO YOU CAN IMAGINE THE AMOUNT OF ACCRUED BENEFIT HE WOULD RECEIVE.
WE NOT ABLE TO SEEK FEDERAL REIMBURSEMENT FOR THOSE FUNDS BECAUSE HE EARNED IT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, THOSE YEARS.
AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ACTUALLY PAID FOR HIM TO WORK THROUGHOUT THE YEARS.
AND SO THAT PAYOUT THAT HE WOULD'VE RECEIVED WOULD HAVE TO BE COVERED WITH LOCAL DOLLARS.
AND SO WHAT YOU SEE IS, APPEARS TO BE A SHARP DECREASE BECAUSE WE DON'T PLAN AND ANTICIPATE THAT WILL HAVE A LARGER THAN UNUSUAL, UH, RETIREMENT OR EMPLOYEE SEPARATIONS.
SO WHAT HAPPENS IS WE BUDGET A LITTLE EVERY YEAR FOR PERSONNEL COSTS THAT COVERS A PORTION OF MIKE'S SALARY AND SOME EMPLOYEE EXIT COSTS.
BUT IF WE HAVE AN UNUSUAL YEAR WHERE A HIGHER NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES WILL RETIRE, WHAT HAPPENS IS THOSE DOLLARS GET TRANSFERRED TO THE GENERAL FUND.
AND THEN AT THE END OF THE YEAR, WE RECEIVE A GENERAL APPROPRIATION TO TRUE UP OUR NEGATIVE FUND BALANCE.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT YOU SAW LAST YEAR WAS THE SHARP INCREASE TO TRUE UP THE NEGATIVE FUND BALANCE TO BRING IT MORE IN LINE.
THE OTHER PART OF THAT QUESTION THAT, UH, I THINK YOU'RE ASKING IS MOST OF THE PERSONNEL CUTS THAT HAVE COME FROM THE END OF THE DISASTER FUNDING AND THE COMPLETION OF THAT HAVE BEEN MADE, MOST OF THAT HAS BEEN MADE ALREADY.
AND THEN SLIDE FIVE, UH, REVENUES DOWN 25% AS WELL.
CAN YOU, CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT? WE DON'T RECEIVE ANY GENERAL FUND REVENUE.
UM, TYPICALLY OUR, OUR DEPARTMENT IS NOT A REVENUE GENERATING FUND.
THIS IS JUST AN OVERALL VIEW TO SHOW YOU WHAT OUR GENERAL FUND BALANCE HAS BEEN THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, COMPARING YEAR OVER YEAR.
THE NEXT SLIDE, IF I COULD GET YOU TO TURN TO SLIDE SIX, IS JUST THE VISUAL REPRESENTATION OF SLIDE FIVE.
THAT JUST SHOWS YOU HOW OUR GENERAL FUND BALANCE HAS FLUCTUATED THROUGHOUT THE YEARS.
AND YOU'LL SEE THE SHARP INCREASE FOR LAST YEAR OR THIS FISCAL YEAR THAT WE'RE IN.
WE HAD A LOT OF RETIREMENTS OF A LOT OF LONG, UM, LONG STANDING EMPLOYEES.
AND I THINK IT WAS STATED, UM, WE RECEIVED A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS IN FEDERAL FUNDS.
IS THAT, IS THAT ACCURATE OR APPROXIMATE? APPROXIMATE? IT DEPENDS ON WHICH GRANT WE RECEIVE.
UM, A WE, WE ARE PRIMARILY FEDERAL FUND RE FEDERAL FUNDED, SO, RIGHT.
SO ABOUT HOW MUCH DO YOU, WOULD YOU SAY THEN WE RECEIVE IN FEDERAL FUNDS PER YEAR? PER YEAR? UH, WELL IF WE JUST TAKE A LOOK AT, AND IT'S HARD TO ESTIMATE PER YEAR WHEN WE HAVE SOME ANOMALIES.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, THIS YEAR, WHAT I CAN DO IS IF WE JUMP TO SLIDE NINE, WHAT I CAN DO IS HELP EXPLAIN, SO ONE MORE.
WHAT WE HAVE IN, IN OUR DEPARTMENT THAT WE CATEGORIZE AS ONE-TIME FEDERAL FUNDING SOURCES, AND THEN WE HAVE ANNUAL FEDERAL FUNDING SOURCES.
SO WHEN YOU TAKE A LOOK AT SOMETHING WE RECEIVE ANNUALLY FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THAT WILL BE OUR CDBG.
SO, WE'LL, WE'LL, THAT IS A FEDERAL FUNDING SOURCE.
WE RECEIVE HOME EVERY YEAR, WE RECEIVE ESG.
SO THOSE COMBINATIONS, WHICH IS THE 25 MILLION, THE 13 MILLION, 13.5 MILLION, 9.6, AND 2.1, THOSE ARE WHAT WE RECEIVE ANNUALLY.
SO THAT'S GENERALLY SOMEWHERE IN THE $50 MILLION RANGE THAT ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, WE EXPECT TO RECEIVE ABOUT THAT MUCH, WHICH IS WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER ALQUAN SAID YEARS AGO, I THINK THE APPROPRIATION WAS 60, 75 IF NOT MORE MILLION ANNUALLY PER YEAR.
EVERYTHING ELSE WE RECEIVE IS A ONE-TIME GRANT.
SO LIKE OUR HARVEY GRANT WAS A ONE-TIME GRANT.
SORRY, I DIDN'T WANNA CONFUSE THINGS, BUT IT IS A LITTLE CONFUSING TO SAY HOW MUCH WE GET EVERY YEAR.
WHEN YOU SAID WE'RE GOING TO SPEND 200 PLUS MILLION THIS YEAR, CORRECT.
THAT'S AS A RESULT OF ALL THESE GRANTS? CORRECT.
SO THIS YEAR WE'RE EXPECTING TO SPEND ABOUT 250 MILLION AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
AND THAT IS ACROSS ALL OF OUR FUNDING SOURCES.
COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER ON THE EXIT COST, I ASSUME THAT'S ACCUMULATED SICK LEAVE AND VACATION DAYS? CORRECT.
AND IT'S NOT REIMBURSABLE 'CAUSE IT'S TAKEN OVER NUMEROUS YEARS.
IF THE EMPLOYEES TOOK THE SICK DAYS AND THE VACATION DAYS EACH YEAR, WOULD IT BE REIMBURSABLE? YES, BECAUSE THEY ARE PAID TIME OFF BENEFITS.
SO WHAT HAPPENS IS THE, THE FEDERAL GRANT WILL PAY FOR EACH OF THOSE DAYS, NOT DAYS THAT YOU ACCRUE.
SO THE GRANT WILL PAY FOR THE DAYS THAT YOU'RE WORKING.
SO WE'LL PAY FOR 365 DAYS A YEAR, IS PROBABLY THE EASIEST WAY TO EXPLAIN IT.
SO, SO WE TOLD THE EMPLOYEES, YOU HAVE TO TAKE YOUR VACATION EACH YEAR.
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YOU'RE ENCOURAGED TO TAKE VACATION ANYWAY JUST FROM MENTAL HEALTH STANDPOINT.AND OUR DEPARTMENT IS COMPLEX, SO WE WANT PEOPLE TO TAKE THEIR VACATION, BUT THEN THAT, THAT WOULD BE PAID WITH FEDERAL DOLLARS RATHER THAN THAT WOULD BE REIMBURSABLE WITH FEDERAL DOLLARS, CITY HAVING TO INCUR EITHER THE GENERAL FUND.
UH, THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE IS, DOESN'T REALLY PERTAIN TO THE BUDGET AND TRYING TO GET AN OVERALL IDEA OF THE PHILOSOPHY.
UM, WHEN WE HAVE THESE PEOPLE COME IN AND GET LOW INCOME HOUSING, DO WE LOOK TO WORK WITH THEM SO THAT AT SOME POINT IN TIME THEY'RE ABLE TO EXIT THE LOW INCOME HOUSING BECAUSE THEY NO LONGER NEED IT AND BE ABLE TO SERVICE SOMEBODY ELSE THAT NEEDS LOW INCOME HOUSING? SO WE HAVE, WE HAVE MANY, MANY PROGRAMS, UH, COUNCILMEN AND, AND I WOULD SAY WHEN YOU'RE TALKING, WHEN YOU'RE DISCUSSING INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE 30% AND BELOW WHO MAY BE USING VOUCHERS, UM, THOSE PEOPLE DO HAVE SERVICES THAT ARE RENDERED TO THEM.
AGAIN, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH NONPROFITS.
UH, AND, AND EVEN IN THE OTHER AFFORDABLE HOUSING THERE, WE TRY TO HAVE HEALTH FACILITIES AND OTHER PLACES IN JOB TRAINING OTHER ENTITIES THERE.
SO OVERALL, THE ANSWER IS, IT DEPENDS WHAT THE PROGRAM IS.
SOME PROGRAMS ARE FOR PEOPLE WITH LOW INCOME AND IF YOU HAVE A LOW INCOME, YOU, YOU'LL STAY IN THAT PROGRAM.
UM, AGAIN, SOME OF OUR PROGRAMS, LIKE OUR SINGLE FAMILY PROGRAMS ARE TO HELP PEOPLE BUILD WEALTH.
AND IT'S A ONE TIME OPPORTUNITY TO BE IN A SINGLE FAMILY HOME, BUT IT DEPENDS ON THE PROGRAMS AND THEIR VARIETY OF THOSE PROGRAMS MUCH.
AND IF I CAN ADD, IF I CAN ADD YES, WHAT HAPPENS IS, JUST AS MIKE SAID, A LOT OF OUR PROGRAMS, UM, WE ARE ASSISTING IN HOME OWNERSHIP AND THEN WE'RE BUILDING FACILITIES.
SO MANAGING PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE LIFE CYCLE OF THEIR LOW INCOME PERIOD IS REALLY MANAGED BY THE HOUSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY AND NOT US.
AND SO WE ARE PROVIDING SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, BUILDING AND REPAIRING THOSE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.
WE ARE HELPING DEVELOPERS BUILD OR REHAB, NOT MANY REHABS, BUT BUILD NEW MULTI-FAMILY DEVELOPMENTS.
WHAT WE DO IS MONITOR THOSE DEVELOPMENTS THROUGHOUT THE AFFORDABILITY PERIOD TO MAKE SURE THAT RESIDENTS ARE STILL AFFORDED THOSE AFFORDABILITY CRITERIA AND THE RENT RESTRICTIONS THROUGHOUT THE TIME PERIOD OF THEIR FORGIVABLE LOAN TO BUILD THE DEVELOPMENT.
ONE, ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE NOW, WE'VE, UH, PUT THE, UH, HOMELESSNESS UNDER THE DEPARTMENT IS THERE'S SOME DISTINCTIONS IN OUR THINKING ABOUT BOTH AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND, AND, UH, ENDING HOMELESSNESS.
SO IT IS, IT IS BETTER IF YOU THINK OF IT IN TWO DIFFERENT ROLES.
UH, THANK YOU GUYS FOR BEING THERE.
AND MIKE, IT'S ALWAYS A GOOD, UH, TO SEE YOU GUYS.
UH, WE KIND OF CROSSED PATHS ON MANY OF THESE PRESENTATIONS AND THEN ON YESTERDAY AS WE WERE ATTENDING THE KENNEDY INSTITUTE RESEARCH REPORT, UH, ON SOME OF THE, THE MAJOR ISSUES FACING OUR CITY, AND OF COURSE WE KNOW CRIME IS NUMBER ONE, AND SECONDLY, WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WHICH WE KNOW IS BECOMING TO BE AN INCREASING, UH, DILEMMA BASED UPON INFLATION AND OTHER THINGS.
LET ME ASK THE QUESTION FOR THE FY 2025, IS THE WINDOW CLOSED ON THESE GRANTS THAT WE CERTAINLY WORKING IN THE, ON THE COMMITTEE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING? WHAT IS THAT WINDOW CLOSED IN TERMS OF INCREASED ASK FROM THE, FROM THE GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES? I KNOW WE HAVE A COMBINATION OF FEDERAL, STATE, AND, YOU KNOW, COUNTY.
SO IS THERE, IS THOSE WINDOWS FOR THE PHYSICAL YEAR 25, IS IT CLOSED IN REGARDS TO HOW MUCH MORE THAT WE CAN PROVIDE IN THAT AREA, UH, ON SOME OF THESE FUNDS, UH, LIKE THE C-V-C-D-B-G AND HOME FUNDS ARE, WE GET THOSE ANNUALLY.
WE GET THOSE ANNUALLY, AND THAT, THAT IS, THAT IS FIXED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
UH, AGAIN, SOME FUNDS LIKE THESE HUD UM, THESE HUD FUNDS WE COMPETE FOR.
AND THEY CAN GO UP, UM, AGAIN, NOT IN OUR AREA.
NOT IN OUR AREA, BUT, BUT OUR PARTNERS AT THE HOUSING AUTHORITIES HAVE VOUCHERS AND WE'RE SPENDING A LOT OF POLITICAL EFFORT TRYING TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF VOUCHERS THAT ARE BROUGHT TO THE CITY.
AND IF I COULD ADD, THANK YOU, EXACTLY COMPLIMENT WHAT MIKE MENTIONED.
UM, WE HAVE A TEAM THAT SEEKS OUT NEW GRANTS MM-HMM
SO AS HUD ANNOUNCES AN AWARD, OUR TEAM REVIEWS THE AWARD CRITERIA TO DETERMINE IF WE SHOULD APPLY, HOW LIKELY WOULD IT BE THAT WE WOULD BE SUCCESSFUL IN OBTAINING ADDITIONAL GRANTS.
SO WE HAVE A TEAM THAT JUST FOCUSES ON PLANNING OUT THOSE GRANTS, RECEIVING THEM, COMPLETING
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THE APPLICATIONS, ET CETERA.SO THE, THE PERIOD IN WHICH WE RECEIVE OUR ANNUAL FUNDS, WE, I THINK WE RECEIVED THIS NOTICE AND BROUGHT IT BEFORE HOUSING COMMITTEE AND CITY COUNCIL FOR HOW WE EXPECT TO USE IT AFTER COMMUNITY MEETINGS, ET CETERA.
AND SO WE ARE, WE CLOSED THE WINDOW FOR WHAT HUD CONSIDERS THE PROGRAM YEAR 24.
THAT'S WHAT YOU SEE HERE, THESE AMOUNTS THAT ARE ANNUAL.
BUT THE PROCESS FOR ONE TIME GRANTS, THAT IS AN ONGOING PROCESS.
AND WE HAVE A TEAM, I BELIEVE IT'S THREE TO FOUR INDIVIDUALS THAT SPECIFICALLY LOOK FOR NEW GRANT OPPORTUNITIES.
WHICH WOULD INCLUDE ALSO THE, UM, COURSE FUNDS THAT DESIGNATED TO HIRE RENTS AND THAT TYPE OF THING.
AND, AND, AND AGAIN, IT TAKES SOME CREATIVITY, BUT IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF PLANNING, THERE'S PART OF THAT.
UM, AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE BUDGET, THERE'S, UH, AS I SAID, ENERGY ISSUES.
THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT HAS SOME OPPORTUNITIES FOR US, UM, BUT IT'S ONGOING, MAKING SURE WE'RE FRONT AND CENTER, BRINGING THOSE FEDERAL FUNDS INTO HOUSTON.
THANK YOU YUKARI WITH COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN'S OFFICE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I DO HAVE A QUICK, UM, QUESTION.
I WILL ALSO BE SUBMITTING IT THROUGH THE Q AND A PORTER, UH, PORTAL AS WELL.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER WAS ALERTED TO A SENIOR CENTER DUBBED INDEPENDENT LIVING THIS WEEKEND.
UM, IN NO SHAPE OR FORM WAS IT TRULY INDEPENDENT, THE NEEDS FOR DISASTER RESPONSE WERE DIRE.
AS A RESULT, THE CITY HAS LAUNCHED FURTHER OPERATIONS AND SUPPORT FOR OTHER SENIORS IN MULTI-FAMILY COMPLEXES.
UM, ONCE WE GET THROUGH THE IMMEDIATE DISASTER COUNCIL MEMBER KAMAN WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THE CITY CAN BE DOING TO ENSURE ALL SENIOR FACILITIES ARE PREPARED TO TAKE CARE OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR AND HELD ACCOUNTABLE.
UM, WHAT RESOURCES DOES THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT NEED TO ACCOMPLISH THAT WE'RE LOOKING CLOSELY AT THAT, OBVIOUSLY THE SITUATION AFTER THIS DISASTER TAUGHT US SOMETHING ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF GENERATORS FOR SENIOR LIVING FACILITIES DIFFERENTLY THAN OTHER PLACES.
AND WE'LL JUST MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S PART OF OUR ONGOING EFFORTS.
UH, WE DO HAVE INSPECTORS WHO LOOK AT THESE FACILITIES FOR HOUSING ISSUES.
OF COURSE, THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOOD DOES H-P-D-H-P-W DOES.
AND ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS I HOPE TO COME OUT OF THIS DISASTER IS A MORE, UM, UH, A A MORE SETTLED AND ORGANIZED APPROACH TO DEALING WITH THESE PROBLEMS ON AN ONGOING BASIS.
BUT IT'S A CLEAR NECESSITY IN HOUSTON, TEXAS THAT IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A SENIOR LIVING FACILITY, UM, IT NEEDS, UH, POWER EVEN WHEN THE, UH, GRID GOES DOWN, UH, IN THE SITUATION, YOU'RE THINKING THAT WE, YOU'RE LOOKING AT, UM, IT'S A SITUATION OF AN OLD FACILITY, UM, THAT IS, UH, ALMOST OUT OF ITS COMPLIANCE TERMS. UM, AND IT WAS NOT A LICENSED FACILITY, ALTHOUGH IT ADVERTISED ITSELF AS A, UH, FACILITY FOR DISABLED PEOPLE THAT HAD NO EXTRA SERVICES.
WE DO HAVE, AND I'LL SPEAK IN GENERAL, WE HAVE A SEVERE ISSUE WITH, UH, PEOPLE WHO ARE ON SSDI AND YOU GET 700 TO $900 A MONTH NOW LIVING IN BORDER BOARDING HOUSES AND FACILITIES LIKE THE ONE YOU'RE SPEAKING OF.
IT'S, IT'S REALLY A STATEWIDE ISSUE, NOT JUST A CITY ISSUE.
UM, AND WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT HOW TO PROTECT THOSE, UM, VULNERABLE INDIVIDUALS.
UH, AT THIS POINT IT IS NOT A VERY GOOD SITUATION.
WE DO HAVE SEVERAL, UH, PUBLIC SPEAKERS, DIRECTORS, THAT'S THE END OF THE COUNCIL MEMBER Q BUT IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND JUST, WE'LL, UM, GIVE THE FLOOR TO THE, TO THE PUBLIC SPEAKERS FIRST.
WE HAVE SARAH SAE SARAH, AND IF YOU WANNA INSTRUCT FAITH TO COME UP TO THE MICROPHONE.
AND, AND IF YOU DO NEED TRANSLATION SERVICES, PLEASE LET US KNOW.
THEY CURRENTLY SERVE AS THE SENIOR COMMUNITY ORGANIZER FOR WOODY JUNTOS, UH, LOCATED IN SPRING RANCH IN DISTRICT A.
UM, TODAY YOU WILL BE HEARING FROM KOREAN SPEAKING SENIORS WHO ARE PROVIDING FEEDBACK, UH, TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON BUDGET WORKSHOP DURING, UH, FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW AS A PART OF A GREATER COALITION.
UM, EACH PERSON WILL PROVIDE A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE AND OBSERVATION OF THE BUDGET BASED ON THEIR OWN UNDERSTANDING.
[00:30:01]
ARE SOME FOLKS THAT COULD NOT MAKE IT TO YOUR TOWN HALL AND WANTED TO COME AND ENGAGE WITH YOU IN PERSON.UM, YOU WILL HEAR FROM OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN THE SPECIFIC AREAS AS A PART OF THE MAYOR'S PRIORITIES, UM, THAT THEY ARE MOST CONCERNED ABOUT.
UM, AS A PART OF THE MAYOR'S QUALITY OF LIFE, PRIORITY, QUALITY, AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPTIONS SHOULD INCLUDE LANGUAGE ACCESSIBLE BILINGUAL STAFF TO HELP NAVIGATE THE APPLICATION OR FINANCIAL PROCESS OF SECURING HOUSING OR ACCOMMODATING EMERGENCY NEEDS.
AS THIS ALSO ENCOURAGES DIVERSITY AND EQUITY.
UM, THEY'LL ALSO TALK ABOUT ADDRESSING THE EXTREMELY LONG WAIT TIMES, UM, AND EXPEDITING IT FOR LOW INCOME AND SENIOR ASSISTED LIVING CENTERS, UM, AS THIS PROMOTES A HEALTHY, UM, AND SAFE AND LIVABLE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR FOLKS.
AS A PART OF THE MAYOR'S INFRASTRUCTURE PRIORITY, REINVESTING INTO, UM, MULTIFAMILY HOMES, APARTMENT COMPLEXES IN LOW INCOME NEIGHBORHOODS, BUILDING PUBLIC HOUSING COMPLEXES AND ENSURING THAT IT ACCOMMODATES THE GROWTH AND COMMUNITY NEEDS SPECIFIC TO RESIDENTS AGE, GENDER, AND SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS WILL CONTRIBUTE TO A MORE EQUITABLE, RESILIENT, INCLUSIVE, AND AFFORDABLE LIVELIHOOD FOR THE CITY.
AND ITS A VULNERABLE RESIDENCE.
UM, WE HOPE YOU TAKE THE TIME TO LISTEN AND IT INFORMS YOU WHEN YOU'RE MAKING IMPORTANT DECISIONS ABOUT THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BUDGET.
JUST BASED ON, UH, MY INTERACTIONS TODAY WITH FOLKS, UM, IT WAS A LITTLE SLOW TO START, SO THEY DIDN'T HAVE IMMEDIATE LANGUAGE, UM, ACCESSIBILITY UPON THE PRESENTATION STARTING, WHICH IS OKAY.
WE WE'RE GETTING BETTER AT IT.
UM, BUT WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING IN A KOREAN TRANSLATOR, AN INTERPRETER RATHER TODAY TO HELP, UH, WITH MATERIALS.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE NOTICED IN THIS PRESENTATION IS THAT IT WASN'T AS COMPREHENSIVE AS WE HOPED, AND WE HOPE THAT WE CAN FOLLOW UP WITH INDIVIDUAL OFFICES.
UM, I WILL POINT OUT THAT IT WAS, UH, INTERESTING TO SEE THAT THERE IS A, UH, A DWINDLING AMOUNT OF, OF STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDS AS OPPOSED TO HOW IT USED TO BE.
SO WE'RE HOPING THAT MORE CAN BE CONTRIBUTED TO REINVESTING INTO OUR COMMUNITIES, UM, ESPECIALLY AS IT PERTAINS TO LOW INCOME HOUSING.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, UM, THOSE ARE SOME OF MY ONLY POINTS THAT I WANTED TO MAKE.
UM, BUT I REALLY WANNA CREATE SPACE FOR, UM, OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TODAY.
SARA, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR ADVOCACY AND YOUR ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS AND, AND FOR BEING HERE IN PERSON.
IT WAS NICE TO HEAR YOU ON THE PHONE THE OTHER DAY AND NOW YOU'RE HERE IN PERSON.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU'RE DOING.
UM, THEN OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MING, JIM KIM, AND I'M GONNA BE BAD WITH THESE NAMES.
KIM, IS IT OKAY IF I PASS OUT HER WRITTEN ENGLISH MONEY ACROSS? SURE, SURE.
JUST HAND THEM OVER HERE OR JORDAN WILL COME GET GOOD MORNING.
UM, MY NAME IS KIM, MEMBER DISTRICT A HELLO, MY NAME IS ONG KIM AND I'M A SENIOR FELLOW AT, AND I LIVE IN A SENIOR APARTMENT COMPLEX IN THE SPRING BRANCH AREA.
IN DISTRICT A ONE OF MY ACQUAINTANCES IS AN ELDERLY COUPLE IN THEIR EIGHTIES WHO LIVE SOLELY ON SOCIAL PENSION.
AND THEIR LIFE IS VERY DIFFICULT DUE TO EXPENSES SUCH AS HIGH COST OF APARTMENT RENT, AND THE HUSBAND'S SURGERY EXPENSES.
THE WIFE TAKES CARE OF HER HUSBAND BECAUSE HE'S DISABLED AND IS FRUSTRATED AFTER HEARING THAT THEY HAVE TO WAIT FOR A MINIMUM OF FIVE YEARS TO BE ABLE TO GET INTO MY LOW INCOME SENIOR
[00:35:01]
APARTMENT COMPLEX.ABOUT 15% OF APARTMENT RESIDENTS ARE OVER 90 YEARS OLD AND RELY ON THE RESOURCES THERE.
IT WOULD REALLY HELP THIS COUPLE EVEN FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
MY APARTMENT COMPLEX HAS 75% KOREAN RESIDENTS, BUT THERE ARE MANY INCONVENIENCES DUE TO THE DIFFICULTIES IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE STAFF OF THE APARTMENT.
SOMETIMES THERE WAS AN EMBARRASSING SITUATION WHERE THE DOOR HANDLE WOULD NOT OPEN FROM EITHER INSIDE OR OUTSIDE.
ALSO, THERE WAS A NEED TO CALL AN AMBULANCE DUE TO AN EMERGENCY, BUT NO ONE WAS ABLE TO DO IT, SO I HELPED THEM.
THERE ARE MANY UNEXPECTED SITUATIONS AND IN SUCH CASES THERE SHOULD BE, UH, A BILINGUAL STAFF WHO CAN SPEAK KOREAN.
I ASKED THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO ALLOCATE MORE FUNDING TO THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BUDGET FOR THE WELLBEING OF SENIORS SO THEY CAN HAVE LANGUAGE ACCESS AT THEIR APARTMENT COMPLEX AND HELP TO GET OFF THE WAIT LIST FOR CRUCIAL SERVICES.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING.
MY NAME IS, AND I'M A SENIOR FELLOW FOR, UH, IN DISTRICT.
A HOUSTON IS AN ATTRACTIVE CITY WHERE BUSINESS OWNERS, ESPECIALLY SELF-EMPLOYED PEOPLE CAN START THEIR OWN BUSINESS WITH A LITTLE CAPITAL.
I HEARD FROM AN ACQUAINTANCE THAT I COULD RUN A BUSINESS AND USE THE REMAINING FUNDS TO BUY A NICE HOUSE AND A CAR.
WHEN I DECIDED TO MOVE TO HOUSTON AFTER SELLING MY HOUSE IN LOS ANGELES.
THE LARGE INFLUX OF PEOPLE FROM OTHER STATES IS AN ENCOURAGING PHENOMENON THAT COULD LEAD TO FURTHER DEVELOPMENT IN HOUSTON IN THE FUTURE.
BUT DUE TO THIS RAPID INCREASE OF MIGRATION, THE HOUSING SHORTAGE IS GETTING WORSE.
MY HUSBAND AND I ARE STILL HEALTHY ENOUGH TO LIVE IN A HOUSE, BUT WE WERE PLANNING TO MOVE INTO AN APARTMENT FOR THE ELDERLY.
WHEN WE GET OLDER, THE FACT THAT IT IS SO HARD TO GET INTO SENIOR APARTMENTS FOR ASSISTANCE, THEN IT IS GET THEN IT IS TO GET INTO HEAVEN.
VERSE MAKES MY FUTURE FEEL GREAT.
IN ORDER TO SOLVE THE HOUSING SHORTAGES FOR THE SENIORS, IT IS NECESSARY TO STRENGTHEN THE RELATIONSHIP WITH PROPERTY OWNERS TO LOWER HOUSING COSTS AND EASE ELIGIBILITY CONDITIONS BY ALLOCATING YOUR BUDGET FOR THE COOPERATION TO EXPAND MORE LIVING SPACE WITH SPACE, SPACE UTILIZATION, TECHNOLOGY, AND EFFICIENT DESIGN.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO MY STORY.
[00:40:19]
MY NAME IS ALI AND I'M A SENIOR FELLOW AT URIS.I LIVE IN THE LONG POINT AREA.
I LIVED IN THE LONG POINT AREA IN SPRING BRANCH FOR 10 YEARS AND MOVED TO THE GREENHOUSE AREA FOUR YEARS AGO.
BY THE TIME WE MOVED, THE SURROUNDING AREA WAS ALMOST LIKE AN EMPTY PLANE, BUT NOW EVERYTHING IS SATURATED.
MANY SHOPS AND APARTMENTS ARE CROWDED TOGETHER.
AND NOW THAT I'M, I'M IN MY MID SEVENTIES AND MY SPOUSE IS WELL OVER 80 YEARS OF AGE, IT HAS BECOME DIFFICULT TO MANAGE AND MAINTAIN THE HOUSE.
I THOUGHT I SHOULD MOVE INTO A SENIOR APARTMENT COMPLEX.
SO I LOOKED INTO IT AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY ARE NOT CURRENTLY ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS BECAUSE THERE IS A BACKLOG OF APPLICANTS.
THEY SAY THE WAITING PERIOD IS AT LEAST FIVE YEARS.
SO WHAT SHOULD I DO? IT IS SAID THAT THERE WILL BE NO EMPTY UNITS AVAILABLE UNLESS THE EXISTING RESIDENCE PASS ON FROM DEATH OR MOVE TO ANOTHER PLACE.
THERE SEEMS TO BE A LOT OF EMPTY UNITS IN GENERAL APARTMENTS AROUND, AROUND OUR AREA.
I ASKED THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO LOCATE MORE FUNDING TO THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BUDGET FOR MORE APARTMENT UNITS FOR SENIORS WHO NEED ASSISTANCE WITH ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO MY STORY.
AND COLLEAGUES, THESE HAVE ALL THESE COMMENTS HAVE ALL BEEN, UM, EMAILED AS WELL TO YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING.
LEE
OH, I'LL ACTUALLY ASK GO FIRST.
MY NAME IS PAUL KIM AND I'M A SENIOR FELLOW AT URI.
AS HUMAN LIFE EXPECTANCY INCREASES SIGNIFICANTLY, MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD ARE FACING UNPRECEDENTED SITUATIONS DUE TO THE RAPID INCREASE IN THE ELDERLY POPULATION.
WHILE HUMAN LIFE EXPECTANCY INCREASES SIGNIFICANTLY IN THE UNITED STATES AND MORE THAN 4 MILLION BABY BOOMERS ARE RAPIDLY BECOMING PART OF THE ELDERLY PAR POPULATION EACH YEAR.
THE ADOPTION OF ADVANCED RESIDENTIAL POLICIES TO SUPPORT THEIR RETIREMENT LIFE IS EMERGING AS AN URGENT TASK.
SERIOUS CONSIDERATION IS NEEDED TO PROVIDE AFFORDABLE APARTMENTS TO THE MANY LOW INCOME SENIOR CITIZENS LIVING IN HOUSTON.
AND THIS SHOULD BE ACTIVELY REFLECTED IN THE BUDGET OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO FUNDAMENTALLY SOLVE THESE PROBLEMS. IN ADDITION, THE I CASE OF GENERAL APARTMENTS POLICY SUPPORT IS NEEDED TO EXPAND THE PROPORTION OF HOUSEHOLDS LOCATED TO THE ELDERLY, AS WELL AS ADDITIONAL BOND BOLD BUDGET SUPPORT FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF AFFORDABLE SENIOR APARTMENTS.
TO URGENTLY IMPLEMENT THESE POLICIES, I ASK THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO INCREASE FUNDING TO THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BUDGET.
[00:45:02]
UHM.SHE ALREADY PRESENTED THAT SHE WAS SIGNED UP TWICE.
UM, YOUNG JAKE KIM, OH, ALSO SIGNED UP TWICE.
UH, I THINK THAT PERSON MIGHT HAVE ALREADY GONE.
HELLO, MY NAME IS HUN CHOI AND I WORK AS A SENIOR FELLOW AT URIS.
IN DISTRICT A, THE HOUSING SHORTAGE IS BECOMING MORE SERIOUS DUE TO THE AGING OF THE ELDERLY.
ONCE THEY HAVE REACHED THE AGE WHERE THEY NEED SENIOR APARTMENTS OR HEALTH SERVICES.
THERE IS A LACK OF INFORMATION AND DIFFICULTY IN FINDING ORGANIZATIONS THAT CAN PROVIDE HELP IN THE LANGUAGE PEOPLE ARE MOST COMFORTABLE WITH.
FOR ME IT IS KOREAN APARTMENTS SUCH AS THE PINE MOUNT APARTMENT AND THE LAKEVIEW APARTMENTS HAVE MORE THAN 70% KOREAN RATED RESIDENTS AND REQUIRE A WAITING PERIOD OF MORE THAN FIVE YEARS TO RECEIVE A MOVEMENT PERMIT.
FURTHERMORE, RECEIVING INFORMATION ABOUT HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES IS SO LIMITED BECAUSE THERE IS NO KOREAN SPEAKING STAFF TO TALK TO, EVEN UPON CALL CALLING THE CITY.
HOUSTON'S ENVIRONMENT AND BUSINESS CONDITIONS ARE BETTER THAN THOSE OF OTHER MAJOR CITIES AND A LARGE NUMBER OF YOUNG PEOPLE ARE FLOWING INTO THIS CITY RECENTLY.
HOWEVER, EVEN UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, THERE IS A HUGE LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR LOW INCOME SENIOR SENIORS SUCH AS MYSELF.
I ASKED THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO LOCATE MORE FUNDING TO THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BUDGET TO ENA ENABLE THE CONSTRUCTION OF NEW AFFORDABLE APARTMENTS, ESPECIALLY IN LOW INCOME AREAS.
RI MY NAME IS RI AND I'M, I AM 74 YEARS OLD.
I CURRENTLY WORK AS A SENIOR FELLOW FOR URI UNTO IN DISTRICT A.
I HAVE LIVED IN HOUSTON FOR 43 YEARS BECAUSE I PAY TAXES WHILE RUNNING A SMALL BUSINESS FOR 40 YEARS.
MY HUSBAND AND I RECEIVE SOCIAL PENSION FROM THE GOVERNMENT,
[00:50:01]
WHICH ALLOWS US TO LIVE.MY HUSBAND AND I WANTED TO LIVE IN A SENIOR HOUSING APARTMENT COMPLEX, BUT ARE UNABLE TO.
WE INSTEAD HAVE TO ACCOMMODATE OUR SON WHO IS UNABLE TO WORK BECAUSE OF HIS SEVERE DEPRESSION.
AND SO WE LIVE IN A TWO BEDROOM APARTMENT.
AFTER COVERING COSTS FOR THE GROCERIES AND MY SON'S UNINSURED MEDICATION, THE MONEY WE HAVE IS STILL NOT ENOUGH TO EVEN PAY RENT.
EVEN IF MY SON BECOMES INDEPENDENT AFTER RECEIVING PROPER TREATMENTS AND WE APPLY TO MOVE INTO A SENIOR APARTMENT COMPLEX, WE CANNOT, AS WE WILL HAVE TO WAIT MORE THAN FIVE YEARS ON THE WAIT LIST TODAY.
THE CITY OF HOUSTON GAVE ME A RARE OPPORTUNITY TO LISTEN TO CITIZENS' OPINIONS ABOUT THE BUDGET.
SO I MUSTERED UP THE COURAGE TO COME FORWARD AND ASK FOR HELP.
I ASKED THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO ALLOCATE MORE FUNDING TO THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BUDGET TO BUILD APARTMENTS FOR SENIORS TO LIVE WITH AFFORDABLE RENT FOR PEOPLE LIKE US WHO HAVE FAMILIES TO SUPPORT WITH INSUFFICIENT INCOME.
WELL, WE ARE HONORED THAT YOU WORKED UP THE COURAGE TO COME AND TALK TO US.
IT'S OUR PRIVILEGE TO LISTEN TO YOU AND I THINK DIRECTOR, WE'RE HEARING LOUD AND CLEAR FROM THE KOREAN COMMUNITY THAT THERE'S A NEED FOR MORE SENIOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR STORY.
MY NAME IS JOSHUA MAN AND I AM 75 YEARS OLD.
I CURRENTLY WORK AT URI UNOS IN DISTRICT A I'M A RESIDENT OF PINE APARTMENTS, WHICH IS A HUD DESIGNATION WHERE 120 HOUSEHOLDS ARE, AND MORE THAN 70% OF THE RESIDENTS ARE KOREAN AMERICAN CITIZENS.
HOWEVER, THE MAJORITY OF THE ELDERLY PEOPLE ARE UNABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE APARTMENT STAFF DUE TO THE LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY AND ARE EXPERIENCING A LOT OF DIFFICULTIES.
EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE FIVE STAFF MEMBERS, WE CONTINUE TO HAVE COMMUNICATION ISSUE SINCE NO ONE SPEAKS KOREAN.
I HAVE SUGGESTED A BILINGUAL KOREAN STAFF MEMBER SEVERAL TIMES, BUT THERE HAS BEEN NO CHANGES SO FAR.
I ALSO MENTIONED THIS LAST YEAR DURING THE BUDGET WORKSHOP CONVERSATIONS, WHEN I WAS INITIALLY TRYING TO MOVE INTO THIS APARTMENT COMPLEX, IT WAS SO HARD TO FILL OUT THE 40 PAGES OF APPLICATION DOCUMENTS.
I WANT TO REMIND YOU ONCE AGAIN HOW IMPORTANT AND PRECIOUS LANGUAGE ACCESSIBILITY IS.
WE ARE HEARTBROKEN THAT WE CANNOT HAVE EQUALITY BECAUSE OF THE LANGUAGE BARRIER THAT EXISTS.
I ASKED THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO INCREASE FUNDING TO THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BUDGET TO REINVEST INTO EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY INITIATIVES TO MAKE THESE PROCESSES EASIER.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO MY STORY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING.
ALRIGHT, COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER.
SO WE'RE JUST HAVING A LITTLE SIDEBAR OVER HERE.
AND, UM, A, A TOOL LIKE INTERIM TOOL IS THE TRANSLATE.
IF THEY HAVE THE PHONES, LIKE TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK INTO THE, THE IPHONE AND IT TRANSLATES AUDIBLE
[00:55:01]
INTO ENGLISH, YOU KNOW, IN, I MEAN, I KNOW THAT THAT'S NOT THE PERMANENT FIX, BUT WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT IT.AND, AND MAYBE DO, CAN YOU SHARE WITH IN KOREAN? 'CAUSE IF I SPEAK ENGLISH, OKAY, LET ME SEE.
WHY, WHY DON'T YOU, YOU'RE GONNA BE COME UP IN JUST A MINUTE COMMENTS.
I BELIEVE THAT'S, OH, I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME MY VICE CHAIR WHO'S BEEN OUT SAVING LIVES, I'M SURE THIS MORNING.
UM, OKAY, SO I THINK THAT'S THE LAST OF THE GROUP.
IF THERE'S ANOTHER SPEAKER FROM THAT GROUP, UM, I HAVE, I'LL GET TO, TO, UH, WE'LL GET TO MR. ROLLINS AND STEVEN WU.
BUT IF THERE'S ANOTHER SARAH FROM YOUR GROUP THAT NEEDS TO SPEAK THAT I'VE MISSED.
UM, SARAH, REALLY THANK YOU ALL OF YOU.
IT, IT MEANT A LOT TO US AND, UM, IT WAS REALLY GREAT TO HEAR FROM YOU.
AND THE HOUSING DIRECTOR IS HERE.
AND I LIKE HOW EACH OF YOU PUT A PERSONAL STORY TO, UM, TO WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR.
YOU CAN COME UP AND TRANSLATE WHAT I'M SAYING.
NOT THAT IT'S THAT GREAT, BUT, UH, BUT JUST THANK YOU AND WE HEAR YOU LOUD AND CLEAR.
WE KNOW THROUGHOUT HOUSTON THERE'S A NEED FOR, UH, SENIOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BUT I REALLY AM SO GRATEFUL FOR THE PERSONAL STORIES EACH OF YOU TOLD AND HOW, UM, HOW LIMITING THIS INABILITY TO GET INTO SENIOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING HAS AFFECTED YOUR LIVES.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FAITH FOR YOUR TRANSLATION.
UM, NEXT WE'LL HAVE MR. ROLLINS ACTUALLY, MR. MR. MR. W.
I REALIZED I DIDN'T INTRODUCE WHO I WAS BEFORE LAST WEEK.
I'M THE ORGANIZING AND POLICY DIRECTOR FOR WOODY JUNTOS.
AND, UM, FIRST I WANTED TO, TO, UH, ADDRESS THAT COMMENTS.
AND I THINK WE APPRECIATE THAT THERE'S TECHNOLOGIES TO HELP ALLEVIATE COSTS AND SPEED UP THE PROCESS FOR INTERPRETATION OR TRANSLATIONS.
BUT WE MENTIONED LAST WEEK, UM, 75% ACCURACY.
AND I THINK WHILE PEOPLE MIGHT SAY, WELL, THAT'S BETTER THAN NOTHING, THAT IS TRUE.
BUT MISTRANSLATIONS DURING CRITICAL MOMENTS IS DEVASTATING.
UM, THERE WAS AN INCIDENCE WITH, UM, A PERSON SEEKING ASYLUM FROM AFGHANISTAN AFTER THE WAR.
AND BECAUSE THE TRANSLATION MISINTERPRETED OR MISTRANSLATED THE WORD I FOR WE, THAT PERSON GOT DENIED ASYLUM INTO THE US.
AND FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE FROM CERTAIN COUNTRIES WHERE THE LANGUAGES HAVE EVOLVED LIKE VIETNAMESE BECAUSE OF REGIME CHANGES BY USING WHAT THE CURRENT GOVERNMENT USES AS THEIR LANGUAGE, IT COULD BE A TURNOFF.
IT COULD ALSO BE OFFENSIVE AND ALSO IT COULD BE POTENTIALLY LOOKED AT AS PROPAGANDA AND THEN THEY MIGHT NOT EVEN LISTEN TO YOU IF THERE'S A DISASTER.
SO JUST WANTED TO CAUTION THE, UM, POTENTIAL HARMS OF MACHINE TRANSLATION.
THIS, WHICH IS WHY WE PREFER HUMAN TRANSLATION IF POSSIBLE.
UM, SO TO TO MY QUESTION AND MY COMMENT, I AM, I'M A BIT CONFLICTED.
I'M BOTH EXCITED THAT OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS CAME OUT TODAY DURING A LOT OF THESE FOLKS.
SOME FOLKS HERE STILL DON'T HAVE POWER IN THEIR DEPARTMENTS.
I'M SURE MANY OF YOUR RESIDENTS STILL DON'T HAVE POWER RIGHT NOW.
UM, I'M HAPPY THAT THEY'RE HERE.
I'M HAPPY THEY'RE SHARING THEIR STORIES, BUT I'M ALSO, UM, REALLY ANGRY.
UM, I'M SOMEBODY PERSONALLY WHO HAS GONE THROUGH A LOT OF DISASTERS.
I'VE GONE THROUGH KATRINA, MYSELF AS A CHILD.
I'VE GONE THROUGH HARVEY JUST LIKE Y'ALL GONE THROUGH, UH, THE FREEZE AS WELL.
AND WHILE I APPRECIATE COMMENTS OF WE'RE TRYING TO GET BETTER, ESPECIALLY FROM A HOUSING PERSPECTIVE WITH POTENTIAL NEW INITIATIVES, THESE ISSUES FOR THOSE WHO DON'T SPEAK ENGLISH, THOSE WHO ARE POOR, THOSE WHO ARE ELDERLY, REMAIN THE SAME EVERY SINGLE TIME.
WE DON'T HAVE A HUNDRED YEAR DISASTERS ANYMORE.
THEY SHOULD RENAME IT THROUGH ANNUAL STORMS. WE KNOW THAT WE'LL HAVE SOMETHING NEXT YEAR AND THE NEXT YEAR AND THE NEXT YEAR.
[01:00:01]
AND I'M TIRED THAT MR. N ACTUALLY CRYSTALLIZED IT VERY WELL.HE SAID THE SAME THING LAST YEAR.
AND WHILE WE COULD KEEP COMING UP HERE AND HERE OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN, BY THE TIME THAT WE ACTUALLY GET THE SOLUTION CREATED, ESPECIALLY FOR OUR SENIORS, ONE OF MY QUESTIONS IS, HOW MANY OF THEM WILL STILL BE ALIVE TO SEE IT? THAT'S NUMBER ONE.
NUMBER TWO, SOME OF THESE FOLKS WERE IN THAT LAKEVIEW APARTMENT THE MAYOR MENTIONED, AND I APPRECIATE THE COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN STAFF FOR BRINGING THIS FACT UP ABOUT MANAGEMENT OF SENIOR LIVING CENTERS IN APARTMENTS, LEAVING THEIR RESIDENTS DURING THIS TIME.
YOU LEAVE PEOPLE ALONE WHEN THEIR POWER GOES OUT.
AND I, I HOPE THAT WHEN THESE FOLKS SHARE THEIR STORIES IN THEIR NATIVE LANGUAGE OF KOREAN, I'M NOT SURE HOW MANY PEOPLE HERE KNOW KOREAN.
I'M PRETTY SURE NOT MANY UNDERSTOOD WHAT WAS BEING SAID.
THAT'S WHAT THEY WERE DEALING WITH DURING THE STORM, NOT KNOWING WHAT TO DO BECAUSE COMMUNICATION FROM ALERT HOUSTON IS IN ENGLISH OR SPANISH THROUGH TEXT.
AND IF YOU HAD INTERNET OR POWER, YOU MIGHT GET KOREAN THROUGH EMAIL AND THEN YOUR MANAGEMENT LEAVES YOU.
AND SO I DO HAVE A DIRECT QUESTION I WANNA ASK, DOES THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT HAVE BILINGUAL STAFF WHO IS IN DIRECT COMMUNICATION WITH LOW INCOME AND SENIOR COMPLEXES? IF NOT, CAN WE, CAN A COUNCIL MEMBER INTRODUCE A BUDGET AMENDMENT TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN? I AM TIRED OF OUR CITY NOT DOING ENOUGH TO SAVE PEOPLE'S LIVES WITH PREVENTATIVE MEASURES.
WE HAVE, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THIS.
I REFUSE TO BELIEVE WE CANNOT DO MORE.
I DO NOT WANNA WAIT UNTIL THE PEOPLE BEHIND ME ARE NO LONGER ON THIS EARTH WITH US FOR THIS SOLUTION TO BE DONE.
APPRECIATE YOUR QUESTIONS AND YOUR ADVOCACY.
I WAS HERE, UH, A COUPLE, TWO DAYS TUESDAYS AGO BEFORE THE STORM.
I FEEL LIKE I CAUSED IT A LITTLE BIT
BUT UM, AS WE ALL KNOW, CRIME, ECONOMY, HOMELESSNESS, AND UM, UH, LEMME SEE CRIME ECONOMY AND HOMELESSNESS ALL TETHER TOGETHER.
YOU KNOW, YOU CANNOT IGNORE ANY OF THEM WITHOUT REALLY LIKE IGNORING THE WHOLE, UH, THE WHOLE SITUATION.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SOLUTIONS, LET'S TRULY BE SOLUTION DRIVEN AND NOT, YOU KNOW, BEING LA LA LAND LIKE WE'VE BEEN FOR YEARS.
SO, UH, ONE OF THE MAIN GOALS OF THIS BODY SHOULD BE GETTING THE AFRICAN AMERICAN BLACK INDIGENOUS SEPHARDIC COMMUNITY, WHICH IS ONE, WE HAVE MANY NAMES, BUT WE'VE BEEN CLUBBED TOGETHER BACK ON HER FEET FULLY.
UH, I'M SPECIFICALLY REFERRING TO INDEPENDENCE.
LAST NIGHT I TOED WITH MYSELF ON HOW I WOULD ADDRESS THIS POTENTIAL FIELD BODY AND CAME UP UNSURE.
NOW, NOW I KNOW THE FIRST THING I MUST CALL FOR YOU ALL TO DO IS AN IN-DEPTH ASSESSMENT AND ANALYSIS AND ANALYSIS ON HOW MUCH CITY MEDDLING OR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS HAS COST MY COMMUNITY AS WELL AS HOW MUCH DENATIONALIZATION AND COLONIZATION HAS COST US JUST AS THE UN DID FOR THE, UH, PALESTINIAN PEOPLE.
AND THE U-N-C-T-A-D ARTICLE ENTITLED THE ECONOMIC COST OF THE ISRAELI OCCUPATION OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE.
THIS IS WHERE THE RESTORATION OF THE VARIOUS COMMUNITIES THAT WERE SPLIT BY HIGHWAYS SHOULD START, WHICH IS A HIGHLIGHTED IN THE BIDEN INFRASTRUCTURE BILL BECAUSE AS WE ALL KNOW, URBAN RENEWAL IS REALLY CITY TALK FOR GENTRIFICATION.
AND I FIND IT VERY DISINGENUOUS TO TAKE A CITY BECAUSE ESSENTIALLY THE WAR WERE PRETTY MUCH SEGREGATED INDEPENDENT CITIES FOR OUR COMMUNITIES TO HAVE OUR OWN AND TO BASICALLY LIKE BE SAFE IN A TIME THAT WAS NOT SAFE FOR US.
AND NOT EVERYBODY EXPERIENCED THAT LEVEL OF AGGRESSION.
SO TO TAKE THESE CITIES THAT WERE FILLED WITH THRIVING BUSINESSES, HOMES, MOVIE THEATERS, HOTELS, SCHOOLS, AND GROCERY STORES, AND THEN GIVE THEM BACK IN THEIR RECONSTRUCTION TO THE PEOPLE WHO ACT TO THE, EXCUSE ME, TO THE SAME ETHNIC STOCK THAT DESTROYED IT IN THE FIRST PLACE AT FOREIGNERS WHO DO NOT CURRENTLY HAVE A OVERSTANDING FOR OUR STRUGGLES.
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SO I WILL BE MEETING WITH THE CRC OF COURSE IN, UM, THE FIFTH WARD AND SHARE THE IDEAS THAT ME AND MY COALITION HAVE ON, UH, THE RESTORATION PROJECT.BUT, UH, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I FOUND THAT WILL ACTUALLY START TO LIKE AID US IMMEDIATELY THINGS THAT, THAT WE, THIS BODY COULD GET DONE RELATIVELY QUICKLY IS, UM, SPECIFICALLY I WAS THINKING THE DELUXE CENTER IN, UH, IN FIFTH WARD, ONGOING CLASSES TO TEACH HOW TO LEGITIMIZE, TO LEGITIMIZE, I MEAN, EXCUSE ME, LEGITIMIZE, EVEN IF I SAID THAT RIGHT.
A BUSINESS IN ORDER TO RECEIVE FEDERAL FUNDING.
ALSO VOUCHERS FOR, UM, BUSINESS LICENSES, BUSINESS, UH, LEGITIMIZING SERVICES INCLUDING LIKE FOOD HANDLERS, PERMITS, UH, AND OTHER CITY SERVICES AS WELL.
BUT ESSENTIALLY WE DO NEED TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE THROWN ON OUR COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU FOR BEING A GOOD, BEING, A GOOD SPOKESMAN, SPOKESMAN FOR YOUR COMMUNITY.
IF THERE'S MORE THAT YOU CAN LEAVE US OR EMAIL US, UM, OH, WHO WOULD BE THE BEST POINT OF CONTACT FOR THIS? 'CAUSE IT'S REALLY AT LARGE.
YEAH, JORDAN HAS YOUR EMAIL, SO, UM, WE'LL REACH OUT TO HER AND I'LL MAKE SURE EVERYBODY GETS THE REST OF YOUR COMMENTS.
ALRIGHT, WELL WE'VE GOT, SORRY, WE HAVE ANOTHER BUDGET WORKSHOP WE HAVE TO MOVE ON TO, BUT APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND FOR BEING HERE.
NO, ARE THERE ANY OTHER PUBLIC SPEAKERS FOR THE HOUSING? YOU OKAY.
GOING TO TALK TO SARAH ABOUT TOMORROW.
ALI, ALICIA VIRTUALLY, BUT, UM, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
I AM THE SENIOR POLITICAL ORGANIZER FOR NAKASEC ACTION FUND TAXES.
SO, UM, I JUST HAD A COUPLE COMMENTS.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, I, UM, THE, I THINK RESTRICTED FUNDS ARE DETERMINED AND IF THERE'S, OR GENERAL FUNDS ARE DETERMINED AND, UM, IF THERE'S ROOM TO ALLOCATE SOME OF THOSE FUNDS TO LANGUAGE ACCESS, INCLUDING TWO FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES THAT ARE INTERPRETERS, WHICH ARE, IS THE VERBAL VERSION AND TRANSLATORS, AND THAT'S WRITTEN, UM, AND NOT JUST FOR SPANISH AND ENGLISH.
I DO THINK THAT WE STILL NEED MORE SPANISH SERVICES, BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE ARE NO RESOURCES FOR THOSE WHO SPEAK CHINESE, KOREAN, OR VIETNAMESE.
UM, OR AT LEAST MY UNDERSTANDING.
UM, I WOULD ALSO APPRECIATE THE RECOGNITION OF THOSE WHO ARE NON-BINARY AND GENDER QUEER.
IN YOUR SURVEY, I SAW THAT THERE WAS ONLY A DESIGNATION FOR FEMALE AND, UM, MALE IN THIS, IN THIS PRESENTATION.
UM, BECAUSE THOSE PEOPLE DO LIVE IN HOUSTON AND DO IDENTIFY THAT WAY AND DESERVE TO BE RESPECTED.
UM, ON PAGE NINE, UM, SINCE THIS INFORMATION IS A PAYABLE TO THE PUBLIC, I'D ASK THAT THERE BE AN UPDATE WITH ANY ADDITIONAL SLIDES FOR ACRONYMS. UM, THEY'RE NOT OBVIOUS TO ME, SO I DON'T THINK THAT THEY'D BE OBVIOUS TO THE LAY PERSON.
UM, AS FOR PROGRAMMING, ASSISTING OTHER PEOPLE, UM, I THINK WE NEED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, UM, EVEN THOUGH FOLKS ARE IN HOUSING PROGRAMS, THERE MAY NOT BE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM TO NOT NEED THOSE THINGS BECAUSE WELL, UH, LIMITATIONS ARE SYSTEMIC.
AND AS A PERSON WHO HAS AN UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE FROM A PRESTIGIOUS COLLEGE AND HAS A FULL-TIME JOB WITH HEALTH INSURANCE, I LIVE WITH MY MOM BECAUSE I COULDN'T AFFORD TO STAY IN MY APARTMENT.
THE COST OF LIVING HAS GONE UP.
WE'VE ALL EXPERIENCED INFLATION, THE RISE IN COST OF GROCERIES, GAS, EVERYTHING.
AND ON TOP OF ALL THOSE THINGS, LET'S BE HONEST, A FULL-TIME SALARY DOESN'T HELP YOU PAY FOR YOUR CAR, WHICH IS NEEDED IN HOUSTON, CAR INSURANCE, HEALTH INSURANCE TO PAY OFF YOUR STUDENT LOANS TO PAY YOUR RENT, AND THE LIST GOES ON.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, JUST TO SPEAK TO THE COMMENT OF TRANSLATING, I KNOW THAT STEVEN ALREADY BROUGHT THAT UP, BUT I JUST WANT TO, UM, YOU KNOW, PIGGYBACK ON THAT AND ADD SOME MORE SOLIDARITY TO THAT, THAT, UM, EVEN IN OUR MEETINGS WE TRY TO USE TRANSLATE AND IT'S NOT ALWAYS ACCURATE.
AND AS STEVEN SAID, THERE CAN BE VERY HARMFUL OUTCOMES.
BUT ALSO WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT APPLYING FOR HOUSING OR EVEN GETTING YOUR LICENSE, RIGHT, IF YOU MESS UP SOMETHING, YOU'RE GONNA BE SENT BACK, HAVE TO PAY ANOTHER $25.
AND IF YOU ARE IN AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING, 25 BUCKS IS A LOT OF MONEY.
SO, UM, I'D JUST REALLY LOVE IF YOU COULD CONSIDER THOSE THINGS AND, UM, MAKE MORE ROOM FOR THE LANGUAGE ACCESS IN YOUR BUDGET AND MAKE THEM LIKE A DEFINED GL LINE ITEM.
AND I'M, I'M SURE THAT HOUSING CAN GET US OR WE CAN, UM, GET YOU A SLIDE WITH THE, THE, WITH THE ACRONYM SPELLED OUT.
ANY OTHER PUBLIC SPEAKERS FOR THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT? SEEING NONE.
THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
EVERYONE FROM HOUSING AND EVERYONE FROM THE KOREAN COMMUNITY REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR INVOLVEMENT.
AND WE'LL TAKE A SHORT BREAK AND START WITH PLANNING.