[Press Conference: “$50 Million Grant to Revitalize Cuney Homes and Surrounding 3rd Ward”]
[00:00:18]
I, IT'S SUCH A PRIVILEGE TO BE THE PRESIDENT, CEO OF THE HOUSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY AND STAND HERE ON THIS GREAT DAY HERE IN CUNY HOMES.
THAT'S SOMETHING TO CLAP ABOUT BEFORE WE GET DEEP INTO OUR PROGRAM.
IT WOULD BE, UH, REMISS FOR ME TO SAY OR NOT TALK ABOUT A GREAT CONGRESS CONGRESSWOMAN, UH, SHEILA JACKSON LEE.
YOU KNOW, I, I'VE BEEN IN HOUSTON ABOUT TWO AND A HALF YEARS, AND, UM, COMING HERE AND WORKING ON THIS GRANT, SHE WAS ONE OF THE STARCH FIGHTERS THAT WE HAD.
UM, AND YOU GUYS, MOST OF YOU GUYS FROM HOUSTON HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF HAVING, UH, HER WORK HARD WITH YOU FOR YEARS.
AND I KNOW HERE IN THE THIRD WARD, THE CITY OF HOUSTON, THE STATE OF TEXAS, AND THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.
BUT I HAD THE PRIVILEGE FOR THESE LAST COUPLE YEARS.
AND I'M GONNA SAY THAT I WISH I HAD MORE TIME.
I TOTALLY WISH I HAD MORE TIME.
SO, AT THIS TIME, CAN WE HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR HER, PLEASE? I THANK YOU.
I'LL ASK PASTOR RUDY TO COME UP AND BLESS THIS OCCASION FOR US.
I PAID THAT PERSON $10 TO DO THAT TODAY.
LET US PRAY AS WE GATHER IT TOGETHER TODAY UNDER THE BANNER OF WE RISE FOR OUR FUTURE.
LET US PAUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS MOMENTOUS OCCASION.
IN THE SPIRIT OF UNITY AND SHARED PURPOSE, WE COME TOGETHER ACROSS DIVERSE TRADITIONS WITH ONE COMMON PURPOSE, TO CELEBRATE THE TRANSFORMATIVE POWER OF COLLECT COLLECTIVE EFFORTS.
IN THIS PIVOTAL MOMENT, WE HONOR THE RICH TAPESTRY OF OUR PAST, WOVEN WITH THE THREADS OF RESILIENCE, PERSEVERANCE, AND COMMON SPIRIT.
AS WE STAND ON THE THRESHOLD OF A, OF A NEW CHAPTER IN THE HISTORY OF THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, THIS WONDERFUL NEIGHBORHOOD, LET US DRAW INSPIRATION FROM THE COLLECTIVE WISDOM AND STRENGTH THAT HAS BROUGHT US TO THIS POINT FOR MANY YEARS.
I KNOW IT'S A NUMBER OF DIGNITARIES IN HERE, AND I DON'T WANNA MISS EVERYONE.
UH, I KNOW WE HAVE OUR MAYOR HERE.
MAYOR, WE HAVE OUR COMMISSIONER HERE, COMMISSIONER, UH, GORDON FROM HUD, SHE'S ASSISTANT SECRETARY.
WE HAVE, UH, CANDACE VENEZUELA, WHO'S OUR REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR.
I HAVE A NUMBER OF, UH, COUNCILWOMAN EVAN SABA.
WE HAVE, UH, UH, MIKE NICHOLS, THE HEAD OF HOUSING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
I HAVE A NUMBER OF BOARD MEMBERS.
I WANT TO ANNOUNCE EVERYBODY, AND IF I FORGET, IF I FORGET ANYBODY, PLEASE.
UH, NOT ON MY HEART, ON MY BRAIN.
SO I WANNA THANK EVERYBODY FOR COMING OUT FOR THAT.
UM, BEING HERE AT CUNY HOMES IN THIS THIRD WORLD COMMUNITY, I REMEMBER WORKING HARD OVER THE HOLIDAY, AND SOME OF YOU GUYS IN THIS ROOM WAS THERE WITH ME IN THAT CONFERENCE ROOM WHERE WE SAID, HEY, WE GOTTA MAKE THIS HAPPEN FOR THIS COMMUNITY.
IT'S NOT ABOUT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, IT IS NOT ABOUT THE CITY.
BUT IT'S GREAT THAT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY AND CITY CAN COME TOGETHER TO HELP BRING THIS PROJECT TO FRUITION.
THANKS A LOT TO HUD FOR HAVING OPPORTUNITIES LIKE THIS.
THIS IS THAT LEVERAGE FUND THAT'LL BRING IN ALMOST $650 MILLION OVER THIS EIGHT YEAR TIMEFRAME FRAME THAT'S TRANSFORMATIONAL FOR A COMMUNITY LIKE THIS.
SO I WANT TO THANK HUD FOR ALLOWING THIS ONE TO COME TO US.
AND WE WANT THE NEXT ONE TOO, FOR IRVINGTON OVER IN THE FIFTH WARD
BUT NO, SERIOUSLY, THE HARD WORK THAT WAS PUT IN BY ALL THE PARTNERS IN COLLABORATION.
UH, WE TALKED ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON AND TSU.
WE TALKED ABOUT PROJECT ROW HOUSES, OUR DEVELOPMENT TEAM INTEGRAL GROUP.
I MEAN, IT'S JUST SO MUCH HARD WORK THAT WAS PUT INTO THIS.
AND TO SEE IT COME OUT WITH US WINNING AND BEING ON TOP SIX HOUSING AUTHORITIES IN THE NATION RECEIVED THIS $50 MILLION, UH, SEED MONEY.
AND WE WERE ONE OF THEM SIX HOUSING AUTHORITIES IN THE NATION.
AND TO BE ABLE TO BE A PART OF THIS, AND I WOULDN'T EVEN SAY LEAD IT 'CAUSE THIS'S A COLLABORATION, OUR TEAM MEMBERS HERE AT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY IN THE COMMUNITY, IT JUST FEEL GREAT.
AND WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT MONEY FROM HUD AND ESPECIALLY GRANTS, THIS IS THE BIGGEST.
IT'S NO BIGGER THAN THIS, RIGHT? AGAIN, IT'S NO BIGGER THAN THIS.
AND THE WAY FUNDING IS GOING, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'LL BE ANY MORE OF THESE COMING OUT.
[00:05:01]
HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE MORE COMING OUT.BUT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE, UH, OUR RESIDENT, PRE OUR RESIDENT COUNCIL PRESIDENT, THE LORD'S FORWARD TO COME UP AND OFFICIALLY DO OUR WELCOME, UH, TO EVERYBODY HERE AT CUNY HOME.
I'M GONNA LO I'M GONNA LORD A MIC FOR IT.
'CAUSE YOU KNOW, HER NICKNAME IS SHORTY, THAT'S WHAT WE CALL IT HERE.
MY NAME IS DOLORES FORD, AND I AM THE CUNY HOMES RESIDENT COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
AND I AM HONORED AND VERY HAPPY TO WELCOME YOU TO CUNY HOMES.
AND IT'S NOT JUST CUNY HOMES, IT'S MY HOME.
THIS IS A HISTORICAL, CLOSE KNIT COMMUNITY THAT HAS BEEN A HOME FOR MANY GENERATIONS OF FAMILIES.
IN THIRD WARD, CUNY HOMES WAS THE FIRST DEVELOPMENT COMPLETED BY THE HOUSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY OVER 86 YEARS AGO.
THAT WAS BEFORE I WAS EVEN THOUGHT OF.
CUNY HOMES IS A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN GROW.
SO, AND IT, IT, I I WON'T BE LONG.
CUNY HOMES IS A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN GROW, WHERE YOUR GRANDCHILDREN, MY GRANDCHILDREN, KNOW THAT THIS IS MY HOME.
SO WHEN I SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYONE, THAT'S NOT JUST THE DIGNITARIES, THAT'S THE EVERYDAY PEOPLE THAT WALK THROUGH HERE.
AND I'M ONE OF THOSE ONE EVERYDAY PEOPLE.
AND I CAN'T NAME EVERYBODY, SO JUST KNOW THAT WHEN I SAY FROM MY HEART TO YOUR HEART, THANK YOU.
SHE TOLD ME SHE WAS GONNA TALK FOR AN HOUR.
SO THANK YOU FOR KEEPING THAT SHORT.
NEXT, I WOULD LIKE TO BRING UP, UH, OUR HUD REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR FOR REGION SIX, CANDACE VENEZUELA.
I HATE FOLLOWING MS. DOLORES, BUT I LOVE THAT THE MIC IS THE RIGHT HEIGHT NOW,
SO THANK YOU SO, SO VERY MUCH MA'AM.
UH, GOOD, GOOD, GOOD AFTERNOON.
IT IS SO MUCH A PLEASURE, UH, TO SEE Y'ALL'S FACES, ESPECIALLY THOSE OF YOU I JUST GOT TO SEE LAST MONTH, UH, BECAUSE THE ADMINISTRATION, UH, HAS BEEN ABLE TO, UH, WELL, UH, INVEST IN HOUSTON, AND THAT'S BECAUSE OF Y'ALL.
BEFORE I GET STARTED, UM, MY NAME IS CANDACE VALENZUELA AND I AM HUD'S SOUTHWEST REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR.
I AM A PRESIDENTIAL APPOINTEE, PROUDLY REPRESENTING THE BIDEN HARRIS ADMINISTRATION AND HUD ACTING SECRETARY, ADRIANNE TOMAN IN THE STATES OF OKLAHOMA, ARKANSAS, LOUISIANA, NEW MEXICO, AND OF COURSE, MY MOST BEAUTIFUL HOME STATE OF TEXAS.
AND AS A TEXAN, IT IS AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE, UH, TO BE HERE ON THIS MOMENTOUS OCCASION FOR THE HOUSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY, UH, AND FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S, IT'S BEEN INCREDIBLE SPENDING TIME WITH DAVID, UH, AND, AND WATCHING THE INVESTMENT THAT HE'S HAD IN THE COMMUNITY.
UH, HIS BUILDING FIRST STRATEGY, UH, IS WHAT MAINTAINS COMMUNITY COHESIVENESS, WHAT KEEPS PEOPLE TOGETHER.
AND I THINK THE, THE COUNTRY HAS KNOWN FOR A LONG TIME THAT EVEN THOUGH THIRD WARD HAS HAD ITS DIFFICULTIES, THERE'S SO MUCH INCREDIBLE POTENTIAL HERE.
SO MUCH INCREDIBLE LOVE AND SO MUCH INCREDIBLE
[00:10:01]
HU UM, COMMUNITY THAT WE REALLY NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CARE FOR THE BEST PARTS OF ITS CULTURE, THE BEST PARTS OF ITS PEOPLE, SO THAT WE CAN REALLY SEE THIRD WORLD, UH, THIRD WORD, EXCUSE ME, THIRD WARD, WARD, WARD, WARD,SO I, I WANNA, I WANNA JUST MENTION I'M NOT GONNA, I'M NOT GONNA TAKE UP TOO MUCH TIME, UM, THAT, UH, THIS IS A CHALLENGING, CHALLENGING GRANT, UH, TO GET ACCESS TO.
UH, LET ME TELL YOU, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS WAS COMPETITIVE ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND IN, IN FACT, THIS GRANT PROGRAM RECENTLY RECEIVED BUDGET CUT CUTS.
SO EVEN FEWER PEOPLE, EVEN FEWER COMMUNITIES, HAD ACCESS TO THIS MONEY.
SO EVEN DESERVING COMMUNITIES DIDN'T GET ACCESS TO WHAT YOU ARE ABOUT TO WITNESS TODAY.
I ALSO WANNA SAY, LET ME, LET ME JUST OVER THE LIFE OF THIS, THIS, THIS GRANT OPPORTUNITY, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT IT, WE, THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT HAS ISSUED $2 BILLION, RIGHT? UH, AND WITH THAT $2 BILLION, WE'VE GOTTEN A $7.5 BILLION RETURN ON INVESTMENT.
SO ABOUT, YOU KNOW, UH, ABOUT 50%, YOU DID A 1300% LEVERAGING 1300%, RIGHT? $650 MILLION LEVERAGED OFF OF THIS GRANT.
AND SO, I, I, I, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I MENTIONED THAT REALLY QUICKLY.
UM, I, I ALSO JUST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, BEFORE WE, WE MOVE ON TO OUR VERY SPECIAL GUEST, UM, THAT, UH, I WANTED TO OFFER MY CONDOLENCES, UH, TO THE PEOPLE OF THIRD WARD WARD TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON, UH, FOR THE LOSS OF, OF CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE.
UH, SHE HAS BEEN A STAUNCH ADVOCATE ON, UH, BEHALF OF THIRD WARD.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT WAS REALLY, REALLY CRITICAL TO ME.
UH, SHE FIRST ENCOURAGED ME TO DO MORE FOR MY COMMUNITY, UH, WHEN, UH, BABIES WERE, WERE, WERE IN DISTRESS AT THE BORDER ABOUT SIX YEARS AGO.
AND THROUGH THE CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS, SHE SUPPORTED MY RUN FOR OFFICE.
SO, WHEN I SAY THAT I WOULDN'T BE STANDING HERE WITHOUT HER, I, I MEAN THAT I WOULDN'T BE STANDING HERE WITHOUT HER FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS.
SO I WANNA, I WANNA THANK HER AND HER LEGACY, AND I WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING THE COMMUNITY THAT SUPPORTED HER THROUGH THAT.
NOW, IN LIGHT OF, OF, OF THE SPIRIT IN WHICH, UH, SHE, SHE LIVED BEFORE US, AND I KNOW THAT SHE'S CONFERRING IN HEAVEN WITH HER COLLEAGUES, UH, EDDIE, BE BERNICE JOHNSON AND BARBARA JORDAN.
THOSE INCREDIBLE WOMEN ARE, ARE WITH US IN SPIRIT.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, THEY'RE WITH US HERE IN RESULTS.
HER SUPPORT FOR SO MANY PLACES, UH, HAS, HAS MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR, FOR THIS FUNDING TO BE HERE TODAY.
SO I WANNA JUST SAY THAT, AND IN FURTHER HONORING HER, HER, UH, LEGACY, I WANNA WELCOME OUR VERY, VERY, VERY SPECIAL GUEST.
UM, IT IS MY PRIVILEGE TO INTRODUCE, UH, FEDERAL HOUSING COMMISSIONER JULIA GORDON.
SHE'S ONE OF OUR MOST SENIOR OFFICIALS IN WASHINGTON, DC UH, NOW, COMMISSIONER GORDON WAS NOMINATED BY THIS, FOR THIS ROLE BY PRESIDENT BIDEN, AS WAS CONFIRMED BY THE UNITED STATES SENATE ON MAY 12TH, 2022.
NOW, SHE HAS THE DISTINCT HONOR OF HAVING BEEN VOTED FOR THREE TIMES BY VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS.
KAMALA HARRIS HAS PUT HER,
UH, THROUGHOUT HER CAREER, MS. GORDON HAS BEEN THROUGH A STRONG ADVOCATE FOR HANDS-ON PRACTITIONER AND A HANDS-ON PRACTITIONER IN WORKING TO ACHIEVE EQUALS JUSTICE, FAIRNESS, AND EQUITY IN HOUSING AND CONSUMER PROTECTIONS.
AS AN ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR HOUSING AND FEDERAL HOUSING COMMISSIONER, MS. GORDON IS RESPONSIBLE FOR HUD'S POLICIES, PROGRAMS, OPERATIONS, SUPPORTING THE NATION'S HOME BUYERS, HOMEOWNERS, RENTERS AND COMMUNITIES.
SHE'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FEDERAL HOUSING ADMINISTRATION'S, SINGLE FAMILY AND MULTIFAMILY AND HEALTHCARE, MORTGAGE INSURANCE PROGRAMS, WHICH CURRENTLY SERVE MORE THAN 7.5 MILLION HOMEOWNERS, SOME 1.4 MILLION RENTERS, AND APPROXIMATELY 4,000 HEALTHCARE FACILITIES ACROSS THE US AND ITS TERRITORIES.
MS. GORDON RECEIVED HER BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN GOVERNMENT FROM HARVARD COLLEGE AND HER JD FROM HARVARD LAW SCHOOL.
AND THE ONE THING I KNOW IS THAT SHE IS HAPPY TO BE HERE, UH, FOR THIS MOMENTOUS OCCASION.
SO, UH, I, I CAN'T WAIT TO HEAR FROM YOU, COMMISSIONER GORDON.
[00:15:01]
IT IS MY HONOR TO, TO BRING HER UP HERE RIGHT NOW.GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY, AND THIS IS GOOD.
WE HAVE THE LONG LINE OF WOMEN WHO ARE A LITTLE VERTICALLY CHALLENGED HERE,
I AM DELIGHTED TO BE HERE TODAY LISTENING TO PASTOR RUDY.
HE TALKED ABOUT SHARED UNITY AND PURPOSE.
AND WHEN I GOT HERE TODAY, I, I DIDN'T KNOW PRETTY MUCH ANYBODY HERE EXCEPT FOR MY HUD COLLEAGUES, AND I ALREADY FEEL LIKE I HAVE FRIENDS HERE.
UM, YOU KNOW, I DID ONE OF THOSE THINGS.
REMEMBER HOW IN, IN, IN SCHOOL WHEN YOU WERE A KID, YOU'D GO ON A SCHOOL TRIP AND THEY'D MAKE YOU SIT ON THE BUS NEXT TO SOMEBODY YOU DIDN'T KNOW.
AND I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIT ON THE BUS TODAY, NEXT TO DOLORES FORD, AND NOW WE'RE BESTIES.
AND I JUST WANNA SAY SOMETHING ELSE COMING FROM WASHINGTON ABOUT CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE, YOU ALL KNOW HER AS YOUR REPRESENTATIVE, YOU KNOW WHAT SHE DID FOR YOU.
BUT I WILL SAY FOR ALL THESE YEARS, I'VE WATCHED WHAT SHE'S DONE FOR THE ENTIRE NATION.
AND I JUST, I TOO CAN IMAGINE, ONLY IMAGINE WHAT'S GOING ON IN HEAVEN RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE LORD KNOWS WE NEED THAT HELP DOWN RIGHT HERE.
SO I AM JUST, I'M SO EXCITED TO BE HERE TODAY.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, THE BEST PART OF MY JOB IS GIVING AWAY MONEY.
AND I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE AND APPLAUD THE CITY, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, ALL OF THE PARTNERS HERE FOR WHAT WAS TRULY A VISIONARY APPLICATION.
UM, YOU'VE ALREADY HEARD TODAY, THESE AWARDS ARE HARD TO GET, UH, THE, THESE, THESE REQUIRE EVERYBODY WORKING IN THE SAME DIRECTION WITH THAT SHARED UNITY AND PURPOSE.
AND SO, OF COURSE, I WANNA THANK MAYOR JOHN WHITMEYER, DAVID NORTHERN, AND THERE'S WAY TOO MANY PEOPLE FOR ME TO NAME, AND Y'ALL HAVE NAMED THEM.
UM, BUT THIS WAS AN INCREDIBLE PIECE OF WORK, UH, TO BE ABLE TO GO FROM, YOU KNOW, THE IDEA TO REALLY HAVING THIS VISION READY TO IMPLEMENT NOW.
UM, AND MOST OF ALL, I WANNA THANK THE RESIDENTS OF THE THIRD WARD COMMUNITY AND CUNY HOMES.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S THAT FORESIGHT.
IT'S THE ABILITY TO SEE THE FUTURE, THE ABILITY TO SEE WHAT COULD BE, INSTEAD OF JUST WHAT IS, AND WHAT WAS SO, UH, TANGIBLE TO ME ON THE BUS TOUR I JUST TOOK WAS THAT WHAT COULD BE HERE IS SO ROOTED IN WHAT WAS AND SO ROOTED IN HISTORY AND RISING, YOU KNOW, AS THIS NEIGHBORHOOD DID FROM PEOPLE WHO WERE NEWLY EMANCIPATED FROM BEING SLAVES AND HOME TO HISTORICAL LANDMARKS LIKE EMANCIPATION PARK.
THIS WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD BEARS THE WEIGHT OF HISTORY.
AND, AND WE FEEL THAT WE BEAR THE WEIGHT OF HISTORY TOO, AND THAT IT IS OUR DUTY AND OBLIGATION AS WELL AS OUR PLEASURE AND HONOR TO TRY TO DO SOMETHING AS AMBITIOUS AS THIS PROJECT.
UM, WE WANNA DO RIGHT BY THE CUNY HOMES FAMILIES AND NEIGHBOR, AND THE WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, AS WELL AS ALL THE OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WE'RE HELPING OUT WITH THIS PROGRAM AND WITH EVERYTHING ELSE WE DO AT HUD.
YOU KNOW, WE, UM, LAST WEEK, PRESIDENT BIDEN AND ACTING SECRETARY TODDMAN WERE IN LAS VEGAS, NEVADA TO ANNOUNCE THE, THE FULL COMPLIMENT OF CHOICE NEIGHBORHOODS AWARDS, WHICH IN TOTAL ARE WORTH OVER $325 MILLION.
AND THAT'S GONNA CREATE OVER 6,500 UNITS OF HOUSING SUPPORT.
SMALL BUSINESSES BUILD CHILDCARE CENTERS, PARKS LEVERAGE MORE THAN $2.65 BILLION IN ADDITIONAL PUBLIC AND PRIVATE INVESTMENTS.
[00:20:01]
INTO CHOICE NEIGHBORHOODS FUNDING, GRANTEES LEVERAGE OVER $8 IN ADDITIONAL PUBLIC AND PRIVATE RESOURCES.AND TO DATE CHOICE NEIGHBORHOODS HAS INVESTED 7.5 BILLION IN OUR, MANY OF OUR COUNTRY'S COMMUNITIES WHO NEED IT THE MOST.
UM, YOU ALL KNOW THIS, BUT THESE AWARDS ARE NOT JUST ABOUT, UM, ACTUAL BUILDINGS, ALTHOUGH HERE, EVEN THE BRICKS OF THIS DEVELOPMENT HAVE SIGNIFICANCE.
UM, THIS REFLECTS DEEP ENGAGEMENT AND INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY, FROM RESIDENTS, FROM LEADERS, SCHOOLS, POLICE, BUSINESS OWNERS, NONPROFITS, PRIVATE DEVELOPERS, ALL THESE PARTNERS THAT COME TOGETHER AROUND A VISION.
AND I COULD NOT BE PROUDER TO WORK FOR AN ADMINISTRATION THAT CONTINUES TO FOCUS ON ACTIVELY REINVESTING IN COMMUNITIES.
THE BIDEN HARRIS ADMINISTRATION UNDERSTANDS THE POWER YOU HOLD WHEN YOU'RE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY AND RESOURCES TO WRITE YOUR OWN FUTURE.
WE HAVE STRENGTHENED THE ECONOMY SO THAT IT GROWS FROM THE MIDDLE OUT AND BOTTOM UP.
WE'RE, WE'RE TURNING THE PAGE ON THAT WHOLE TRICKLE DOWN THING THAT WE KNOW DOESN'T WORK.
WE HAVE SEEN THE STRONGEST GROWTH SINCE THE PANDEMIC OF ANY MAJOR ECONOMY IN THE WORLD.
42 CONSECUTIVE MONTHS OF JOB GROWTH.
UNEMPLOYMENT HAS DROPPED FASTER THAN ANYONE COULD HAVE PREDICTED AFTER THE PANDEMIC.
SMALL BUSINESSES ARE COMING BACK A RECORD, 1.7 MILLION MORE HOUSING UNITS UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
NOW, I MEAN, THIS, THIS STORY DOESN'T GET OUT ALL THE TIME, BUT THIS IS WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON DAY IN AND DAY OUT.
EVEN RIGHT HERE IN TEXAS, WE'VE SEEN 153 PLUS BILLION IN PRIVATE SECTOR COMMITMENTS, AND MORE THAN 34 BILLION IN PUBLIC INVESTMENTS TO CLEAN ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE MANUFACTURING UNDER THE BIDEN HARRIS ADMINISTRATION.
SO I DON'T WANNA KEEP GOING ON 'CAUSE WE HAVE MANY OTHER PEOPLE TO HEAR FROM WHO ARE MUCH MORE INSTRUMENTAL IN THIS WORK THAN I AM.
BUT I JUST WANNA SAY AT HUD, AND JUST FOR ME PERSONALLY, HAVING TO GOT GOTTEN TO KNOW SOME OF YOU TODAY AND HAVING GOTTEN TO SEE THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND LEARN ABOUT ITS HISTORY AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE, I JUST WANNA SAY WE BELIEVE IN YOU.
WE BELIEVE IN YOUR COMMUNITY, AND WE BELIEVE IN YOUR PLAN FOR TRANSFORMATION.
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU.
PLEASE LET US KNOW ANYTHING THAT YOU NEED.
NOTHING WE DO IN, YOU KNOW, INSIDE THE BELTWAY UP THERE IN DC REALLY MATTERS UNTIL WE SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING DOWN HERE, WHERE PEOPLE LIVE, WHERE PEOPLE WORK, WHERE PEOPLE BUILD THEIR FAMILIES AND THEIR LIVES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.
COME ON, COME ON, DAVID, GET IT TO THE BANK.
[00:25:17]
WOW.MY BOARD CHAIRMAN, UH, HE SAID, I BETTER MAKE SURE I GET THAT TO THE BANK.
BELIEVE ME, IT'S, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE GONNA TAKE THIS CHECK, BUT THE CHECK WILL BE GOING TO THE BANK.
SO AT THIS TIME, I'LL ASK OUR MAYOR TO COME UP MAYORAL GRACE CITY OF HOUSTON TO COME UP AND SAY A FEW WORDS.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING US TOGETHER IN THIS COZY SETTING.
YOU BETTER LIKE WHO YOU'RE SITTING NEXT TO BECAUSE WE'RE DEFINITELY IN ALL THIS TOGETHER.
WE, BEFORE I SPEAK TO OUR OCCASION, I WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO PAY THEIR RESPECTS TO OUR CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE, WHO WILL LIE STATE IN THE ROTUNDA AT CITY HALL MONDAY FROM 10 TO SEVEN.
WE WERE LOOKING FOR THE PROPER WAY TO PAY OUR RESPECTS AND RECOGNIZE HER PUBLIC SERVICE.
SHE IS ONLY THE SECOND PERSON IN HISTORY, THE LION STATE AT CITY HALL, FIRST PERSON OF COLOR.
LET ME JUST SAY, THIS IS WHY WE RUN FOR OFFICE AN OCCASION LIKE TODAY.
THIS IS WHY SO MANY OF YOU WORK IN CAMPAIGNS FOR OCCASIONS LIKE THIS.
YOU CANNOT VISIT CUNY HOMES IF YOU HAVE A HEART AND A SOUL WITHOUT IT MAKING A LASTING IMPRESSION ON YOU.
IN 1971, I WAS A U OF H STUDENT BEFORE I RAN FOR THE LEGISLATURE AT 22, I ONLY GIVE THOSE AGENTS TO SHOW THE PROFOUND MOLDING AND SHAPING OF MY LIFE AND PUBLIC CAREER.
I WORKED AT A FOOD STAMP OFFICE, IT STARTED IN 1970 AS A NUTRITION PROGRAM FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
AND I WAS A YOUNG STUDENT, NEEDED A JOB, AND I BECAME A CASE WORKER.
AND I WAS SENT TO CUNY HOMES TO DO INTERVIEWS CASE WORK.
I COULD SEE THE STRUGGLE TO CAPTURE OF FAMILIES IN POVERTY.
IT WILL MAKE A LASTING IMPRESSION.
IT MADE ME A BETTER STATE REP AND A BETTER SENATOR, AND IT WILL MAKE ME A BETTER MAYOR.
SO LET ME JUST SAY, AS I REPRESENT ALL HOUSTONIANS, AND THIS OUGHT TO BE A CELEBRATION FOR ALL HOUSTONIANS, WE HAVE A MISSION, EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US TO ALLOW HOUSTONIANS IN EVERY CORNER RECOGNIZE THIS CELEBRATION BECAUSE IT WILL TRANSFORM CUNY HOMES AND THIRD WARD.
AND I'M GONNA SUGGEST IT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR TSU TO PLAY A VITAL ROLE WITH THEIR STUDENTS ON A TSU MISSION STATEMENT OF BRINGING THEIR STUDENTS TO CUNY HOME TO SERVE, WHETHER THEY'RE LAW STUDENTS, EDUCATION, HEALTHCARE, THIS COULD BE A PERFECT LABORATORY FOR STUDENTS TO GET IN ON THE FLOOR LEVEL OF THIS TRANSFORMATION.
SO LET ME JUST SAY, THIS IS A GREAT DAY TO BE A HOUSTONIAN.
I'M PROUD TO BE THE MAYOR, AND I WANNA CLOSE BY SAYING LIST, DON'T STOP NOW, MS. GORDON, THANK YOU AND YOUR ADMINISTRATION, WHEN I TALKED ABOUT, UH, HOW WE CAME TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY TO MAKE SURE THIS CHECK CAME TO FRUITION.
YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE AND UNDERSTAND THE HARD WORK AND, AND A HARD NIGHTS AND THE BEATING THE PAVEMENT.
THE MAYOR TALKED ABOUT POLITICS.
WELL, WE HAD THE RALLY OF TROOPS FOR THIS.
A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T BELIEVE IN REPOSITIONING.
70 SOMETHING YEAR OLD PUBLIC HOUSING.
JUST THIS YEAR, WELL JUST LAST YEAR WE WORKED HARD TO BRING AIR CONDITIONING TO THIS PROPERTY.
MOST OF YOU GUYS FROM HOUSTON, I'M NEW TO HOUSTON, WELL, TWO AND A HALF YEARS NOW.
BUT WHEN I FELT THAT HEAT IN THE SUMMER WHEN I FELT THAT HEAT THAT FIRST SUMMER, I COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT WE HAD CITIZENS IN OUR PROPERTIES, 70-YEAR-OLD PLUS PROPERTIES WITHOUT AC.
SO OUR TEAM CAME TOGETHER AND MADE THAT POSSIBLE WITH A NUMBER OF MEMBERS IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND THAT'S HOW WE CAME TOGETHER AND MADE THIS POSSIBLE.
IT WAS ABOUT COLLABORATION AND GROUP WORK.
HUD MADE SURE THE FUNDING WAS THERE AND WE APPRECIATED OUR DIRECTOR OF THE HOUSTON FIELD OFFICERS HERE, HERE, ERIC COBB, THANK YOU, SIR, AND LORRAINE WALLS.
AND THEY ALLOWED US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO BRING THAT TO OUR, OUR CLIENTS HERE.
AND NOT JUST CUNY HOMES, BUT IRVINGTON AND KELLY VILLAGE ALSO.
AND DURING THAT PROGRAM, WE WAS ABLE TO ELICIT SMALL AND MINORITY BUSINESSES TO PARTICIPATE.
[00:30:01]
BUSINESS THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF HOUSTON WORKING ON THAT PROJECT TO INSTALL 1600 ACS.AND THAT'S THE KINDA THOUGHT PROCESS AND HARD WORK WE WANNA BRING TO THIS, UH, ACTIVITY OF CHOICE NEIGHBORHOOD, ALLOWING THOSE THAT THAT'S DISADVANTAGED AND MAY NOT HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK ON PROPERTIES LIKE THIS.
DURING THAT AC PROJECT, NOT ONLY DID THOSE SMALL COMPANIES GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO INSTALL ACS, WE ALSO HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO LET RESIDENTS BE TRAINED TO HELP THEM TO INSTALL ACS.
BUT NOW A LOT OF THOSE COMPANIES ARE COMING AND BIDING ON OTHER WORK.
THEY UNDERSTAND THE PAPERWORK, THEY UNDERSTAND THE HOUSING AUTHORITY IS A REAL BUSINESS IN THE CITY, AND THEY CAN MAKE IT WORK BY WORKING WITH US.
AND THAT'S WHAT THIS WILL BRING.
AND SO WE IN DISTRICT D, SO AT THIS TIME, I'LL BRING UP OUR COUNCIL MEMBER, EVAN SHABAZZ.
I AM COUNCIL MEMBER CAROLYN EVANS SHABAZZ, THE COUNCIL MEMBER FOR DISTRICT D, WHAT I CALL THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION.
AND BEFORE I REALLY GET STARTED, MAYOR, I THINK THIS COULD QUALIFY AS A COOLING CENTER.
I KIND OF HEARD THE AIR GO DOWN A MINUTE.
I GOT A LITTLE SKIRT AND I SAID, WAIT A MINUTE, WAIT A MINUTE.
SO WE COULD GIVE A LOT OF SERVICE JUST MAKING THIS A COOLING CENTER
SO I THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US FOR THIS MOMENTOUS OCCASION ON A RECOGNIZED, MY COLLEAGUE AT LARGE LETITIA PLUMMER.
I THINK I SAW HER COME IN AND CERTAINLY, UM, JUST ALL OF YOU THAT ARE HERE TODAY, I DIDN'T KNOW HOW BIG THIS WAS.
YOU KNOW, WE WERE RUNNING, I SAID, OH, I SHOULD HAVE CHANGED CLOTHES, BUT OKAY, BUT I'M COMFORTABLE.
SO ANYWAY, SO Y'ALL GET OVER IT,
BUT ANYWAY, I WANT TO CERTAINLY EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION FOR THE US DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING.
AND WAIT A MINUTE, MS. DOLORES AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT FOR AWARDING THIS $50 MILLION CHOICE NEIGHBORHOODS IMPLEMENTATION GRANT.
THIS GRANT NOT, IS NOT JUST AN INVESTMENT IN BUILDINGS AND INFRASTRUCTURE.
IT IS AN INVESTMENT IN THE PEOPLE IN THE THIRD WARD.
IT IS A TESTAMENT TO THE POWER OF COMMUNITY COLLABORATION AND UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO CREATING A BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR ALL OUR RESIDENTS.
AND CERTAINLY, I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE OUR MAYOR, UH, JOHN WHITMEYER.
YOU KNOW, HE COULD BE ANYWHERE TODAY, BUT HE CHOSE TO BE HERE WITH US.
AND I REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
AND YOUR PRESENCE UNDERSCORES THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS INITIATIVE.
AND WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND LEADERSHIP AS AILEY.
I GOTTA SAY THIS, AS A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF THIRD WARD AND A PROUD GRADUATE OF THE JACK YATES HIGH SCHOOL AND A PROUD ALUMNI OF THE TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY, I AM BOTH A TIGER AND A LION.
AND LET ME TELL YOU, THAT MAKES A A, A PRETTY FIERCE COMBINATION, UH, WHEN YOU'RE ADVOCATING FOR YOUR COMMUNITY.
UH, THE CUNY HOMES HAS LONG BEEN A CORNERSTONE OF OUR COMMUNITY, PROVIDING A PLACE OF STABILITY AND SUPPORT FOR COUNTLESS FAMILIES.
WITH THIS GRANT, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REIMAGINE AND REBUILD CUNY HOMES, DOUBLING OUR HOUSING CAPACITY, AND ENSURING THAT CURRENT RESIDENTS ARE PRIORITIZED.
THIS IS ABOUT CREATING MORE THAN JUST HOMES.
IT'S ABOUT CREATING A VIBRANT, THRIVING NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE EVERYONE HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO SUCCEED AND JUST DIFFUSE STATISTICS.
OUR PLAN IS COMPREHENSIVE AND RESIDENT DRIVEN, FOCUSING ON HOUSING EXPANSION, ENHANCED SERVICES, AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
WE WILL INCREASE HOUSING CAPACITY FROM 553 TO 1,115 HOUSEHOLDS.
WE WILL IMPROVE THE ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE, EDUCATION AND JOB OPPORTUNITIES, AND UPGRADE OUR INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES AND FOSTER ECONOMIC GROWTH.
THIS HOLISTIC APPROACH ENSURES THAT OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS WILL NOT ONLY REMAIN IN THEIR HOMES, BUT WE'LL THRIVE IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT PROMOTES HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND ECONOMIC PROSPERITY.
THIS INVESTMENT IS A TESTAMENT TO THE STRENGTH AND RESILIENCE OF THE THIRD WARD COMMUNITY, TOGETHER WITH OVER 30 PARTNERS, 30 PEOPLE WORKING TOGETHER.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S A TESTAMENT RIGHT THERE.
30 ORGANIZATIONS WORKING TOGETHER AND COUNTLESS COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
WE HAVE DEVELOPED A PLAN THAT ADDRESSES LOCAL CHALLENGES AND LEVERAGES NEIGHBORHOOD OPPORTUNITIES.
THIS IS A TRUE EXAMPLE OF WHAT CAN BE ACHIEVED WHEN WE COME TOGETHER WITH A SHARED VISION AND COMMITMENT.
I CERTAINLY WANNA TAKE A MOMENT TO HONOR AND REMEMBER CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE, WHO WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN THIS EFFORT.
HER UNWAVERING SUPPORT AND ADVOCACY IN WASHINGTON DC WERE VITAL IN SECURING THIS GRANT.
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IS NO LONGER WITH US, AND I'M KIND OF NOT SURE ABOUT THAT, I HAVEN'T GRABBED MY MIND AROUND THAT JUST YET.HER LEGACY OF DEDICATION TO OUR COMMUNITY AND HER TIRELESS WORK FOR THE PEOPLE OF HOUSTON WILL FOREVER BE REMEMBERED AND CHERISHED.
AND JUST ON A PERSONAL NOTE, JUST ON YESTERDAY, I WAS WALK RIDING THROUGH THE COMMUNITY AND I LOOKED AND I SAW SOMEBODY HAD A VOTE FOR SHEILA JACKSON LEE TO REELECT HER FOR CONGRESS.
I ACTUALLY SAT THERE AND I BLED, BUT I WENT HOME AND I FOUND MY SON AND I PUT IT IN MY FRONT YARD.
SO IF YOU WANNA REALLY REMEMBER HER AT LEAST DUR THROUGH THE TIME OF THESE CELEBRATIONS, IT WOULD BE GREAT IF YOU HAVE A SIGN TO PUT IT IN YOUR FRONT YARD, BECAUSE SHE WILL ALWAYS BE MY CONGRESSWOMAN.
AND CERTAINLY SHE IS ALREADY SORELY MISSED.
I WANT TO THANK OUR PARTNERS, INCLUDING, INCLUDING THE HOUSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY AND, AND CERTAINLY PASTOR RASMUS.
YOU GOT YOUR, YOU STILL GOT A JOB, HUH? STILL GOT A JOB.
THEN I SAW HIM OUT IN THE PARKING LOT TRYING TO HELP PEOPLE PARK CARS,
I SAID, SO, ALL RIGHT, NOW, JUST KEEP IT WORKING NOW, KEEP IT WORKING.
AND I WANNA THANK ALL THE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND LEADERS WHO HAVE WORKED TIRELESSLY TO BRING THIS VISION TO LIFE.
YOUR DEDICATION AND PASSION HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN REACHING THIS MIND MILESTONE.
YOU KNOW, THE CONGRESSWOMAN IN HERE, SO I'M GONNA CUT DOWN JUST A LITTLE BIT, YOU KNOW, BUT I TELL YOU, SHE ALWAYS HAD SUCH WONDERFUL WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT AND, AND JUST WAS ALWAYS SO ELOQUENT.
AND I WAS LIKE, HOW DID YOU KNOW TO SAY ALL OF THAT? BUT IT WAS ALWAYS SUCH A WONDERFUL PLEASURE TO BE IN HER PRESENCE.
AS WE MOVE FORWARD, LET US REMEMBER THAT THIS GRANT IS NOT THE END, BUT THE BEGINNING OF A NEW CHAPTER FOR THE THIRD WARD.
IT IS A COMMITMENT TO THE FUTURE, TO OUR CHILDREN, AND TO THE GENERATIONS THAT WILL COME AFTER US.
IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT THIS INVESTMENT LEADS TO MEANING LASTING CHANGE.
IN CLOSING, I WANT TO EXPRESS MY DEEPEST GRATITUDE TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU THAT CONTRIBUTED IN THIS EFFORT.
I SEE PASTORS, I SEE COMMUNITY LEADERS, AND IT IS JUST SUCH AN HONOR AND CERTAINLY RESIDENTS THAT ARE HERE AS WELL.
AND TOGETHER WE WILL BUILD A MORE EQUITABLE, INCLUSIVE, AND PROSPEROUS THIRD WARD, HONORING OUR RICH HISTORY, WHILE EMBRACING THE OPPORTUNITIES OF THE FUTURE.
AND THANK YOU DAVID NORTHERN, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
AND I'M GONNA JUST SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYONE AND LET'S CELEBRATE THIS INCREDIBLE ACHIEVEMENT.
YOU CAN ALWAYS BRING MORE MONEY.
WE ARE NOT MAD, AND THE ACHIEVEMENT AND THE BRIGHT FUTURE AHEAD FOR THE THIRD WARD, THANK YOU SO VERY, VERY MUCH.
AS WE GET PREPARED TO CLOSE, I WOULD LIKE FOR MY BOARD CHAIRMAN TO COME UP TO THE MIC AND SAY A FEW WORDS.
GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE ON THIS RAINY DAY IN HOUSTON.
YOU KNOW, IT ALWAYS NEVER FAILS.
IT'S EXCITING FOR ME AS CHAIRMAN OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY TO WELCOME OUR MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, OFFICIALS FROM HUD, AS WELL AS FELLOW HOUSTONIANS.
AS I MENTIONED JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO, THIS AREA OF HOUSTON HAS SUCH A VERY RICH HISTORY.
THE OPPORTUNITY WITH THIS GRANT AND THE ABILITY TO LEVERAGE IT TO FULL REDEVELOPMENT OF THIS NEIGHBORHOOD IS A TESTAMENT TO THE EXTENSIVE AND APPRECIATIVE WORK, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY FOLKS AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON TEAM WHO HAVE ALL WORKED SIDE BY SIDE TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL.
MR. MAYOR, YOU ALWAYS SAY, LET'S GET TO WORK.
WELL, WE NOW HAVE 50 MILLION GOOD REASONS TO GET TO WORK.
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR EFFORTS.
THANK YOU TO HUD FOR RECOGNIZING THIS OPPORTUNITY.
AND THANKS AGAIN TO ALL WHO WORK.
SO VERY, VERY HARD TO MAKE THIS DAY HAPPEN.
AND LASTLY, I'D LIKE TO HAVE THE CITY'S HOUSE AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR MIKE NICHOLS, COME UP TO SAY A FEW WORDS, UH, IN FEB IN FEBRUARY, UH, THIS YEAR, UH, MAYOR JOHN WHITMEYER CALLED ME AND SAID, WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE? SHE DIDN'T SAY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE SUSAN
YOU'RE GONNA BE THE DIRECTOR OF HOUSING AND
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COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.AND I SAID, UH, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
UM, AND I'M THINKING, WHAT IS, WHAT AM I SAYING YES TO? BUT HE ONLY MADE, HE MADE TWO OTHER POINTS.
AND THE TWO POINTS HE MADE WAS, ONE, I WANT HOUSTON TO HAVE THE MOST AND THE BEST AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THE NATION.
AND HE SAID, THE SECOND POINT IS, I WANT YOU TO WORK CLOSELY WITH THE HOUSING AUTHORITY WITH DAVID NORTHERN AND WITH THE HOUSING AUTHORITY COMMISSIONERS.
AND I THOUGHT, OH, OKAY, I CAN DO THAT.
NOW, I DIDN'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW WE'RE GONNA GET THIS DONE, BUT NOW WE'RE FOUR MONTHS IN AND I HAVE SOME SECRETS TO TELL THE MAYOR.
ONE IS DAVID NORTHERN AND THE BOARD OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY ARE VERY, VERY GOOD PARTNERS, AND WE CAN WORK TOGETHER VERY CLOSELY AND VERY MUCH IN SYNC.
UH, THE SECOND IS, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT WE WERE GONNA GET A BIG CHECK
AND THE THIRD, AND I DON'T WANT TO JUST TAKE A MINUTE TO RECOGNIZE THE STAFF MEMBERS AT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY AND AT THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, WE JUST STAND UP AND MAKE SURE YOU WAVE MAYOR.
THESE FOLKS ARE REALLY SMART AND REALLY HARDWORKING AND LIKE DURING DOING THE HARD WORK.
AND WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW, AND I BET YOU MS. GORDON'S NOT GONNA WHISPER TO YOU, IS THAT GETTING THE GRANT IS DIFFICULT AND COMPETITIVE.
THE MONEY COMES, THAT'S NOT SO HARD.
GETTING IT DONE PROPERLY IS VERY, VERY DIFFICULT.
AND THOSE STAFF MEMBERS FROM THE AUTHORITY AND THE DEPARTMENT ARE THE ONES WHO WILL GET IT DONE PROPERLY OVER THE NEXT EIGHT YEARS.
SO WE WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU, AND AGAIN, THIS IS COLLABORATION AT ITS BEST.
AND SOMETHING MS. GORDON, COMMISSIONER GORDON, THAT HOUSTON DOES BETTER THAN ANYBODY ELSE.
SO, MIKE, YOU DID, I WAS GONNA CONGRATULATE BOTH OUR DEPARTMENT STAFF, UH, FOR ALL THEIR HARD WORK AND ALL OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
SO I JUST SAY DITTO TO MR. NICHOLS ON, ON THAT SITUATION.
BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, BEING A PRESIDENT OF HOUSTON HOUSE AUTHORITY, IT, IT IS NOT THE EASIEST, UH, TASK.
UM, MAYBE BECAUSE I'M A HOUSER, I WOULD SAY THE HOUSE AUTHORITY, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND SCHOOLS ARE PROBABLY THE THREE HARDEST JOBS IN TERMS OF NOT BEING AN ELECTED OFFICIAL WITHIN ANY CITY, RIGHT? AND SO, UH, FOR US ALL TO COME TOGETHER, 'CAUSE WE TALKED ABOUT, UH, THE SCHOOLS AND WE TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE POLICE WORK HARD WITH US, REALLY WELL WITH US.
WE TALKED EARLY ON THE BUS TOUR WHERE JUST ACROSS THE STREET FROM OUR MAIN OFFICE AT CUNY HOMES, A LOT OF THE DRUGS WAS BEING SOLD, A LOT OF MURDERS WAS HAPPENING.
NOW PEOPLE GET SHOT THERE, RUN ACROSS THE STREET AND PASS AWAY ON CUNY HOMES PROPERTY, AND THEY'LL SAY IT'S ANOTHER MURDER AT CUNY HOMES.
BUT WHAT WE DID, WE STEPPED UP AS LEADERS WITHIN THIS COMMUNITY.
WE TOOK THAT STORE DOWN, NOW IT'S CLOSED WITH THE HELP OF THE CITY DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.
WE STEPPED UP AND TOOK THE STORE AND THE PROPERTY NEXT TO IT THAT THE DRUG DEALERS HID THEY DRUGS IN AND HID BEHIND FENCES AND SNUCK UP ON PEOPLE.
AND SO THAT'S THE TYPE OF COLLABORATION THAT WE'RE DOING.
UH, WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS IN ORDER TO BE LEADERS.
ENSURE WE ENSURE THAT THIS HAPPENED.
I KNOW I NEED TO BRING UP, UM, THE DEPUTY CHIEF, UH, COMMUNICATIONS FOR THE MAYOR'S OFFICE FOR CLOSING REMARKS IN SPANISH.
AND I ASK HER TO COME TO THE FRONT AS I SAY THESE LAST WORDS, AFFORDABLE HOUSING MATTERS.
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SO, UH, AGAIN, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT AND CELEBRATING THIS GREAT OPPORTUNITY AS LEVERAGE AS WE START, UH, PRO THE PROCESS OF REDEVELOPING AND RECLAIMING THIS COMMUNITY AS RELATED TO INCREASING THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.AND THIS $50 MILLION, AGAIN, IS THAT, UH, LEVERAGE MONEY THAT WILL LEAD TO CLOSE TO 650 MILLION PLUS OVER THE NEXT EIGHT TO 10 YEARS.
AND THIS 50 MILLION COMES AT A, A GREAT TIME TO START.
BUT THIS TOTAL THAT HAVE HAD IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS OR SO IS $59 MILLION THAT HUD BROUGHT INTO THIS COMMUNITY TO HELP CITIZENS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
SO I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU AGAIN TO HUD.
MAKE SURE YOU LOOK AT ALL THE POSTERS AND SEE THE TYPE OF WORK THAT WE'RE GONNA BRING TOGETHER AND GO RUN TILL THAT PLEASE.