[Super Neighborhood Alliance Meeting on February 10, 2025.]
[00:00:20]
TO KEEP EVERYBODY ON SCHEDULE, I'D LIKE TO WELCOME EVERYBODY TO THE FEBRUARY SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE MEETING, AND WE, AS PEOPLE ARE STILL LOGGING ON AND, AND GETTING THEMSELVES PUT INTO CHAT AS BEING HERE, I'D LIKE TO GO DIRECTLY TO POLICE CHIEF DIAZ AND, UM, WE HAVE GOT SOME PRESENTATION AND OFFER HIM THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK, UM, SO THAT HE CAN GET ON, AND I THINK HE HAS OTHER COMMITMENTS, AND HE'S A BUSY GUY.SO, UH, POLICE CHIEF, I AM TURNING IT OVER TO YOU, UM, AND LET YOU HAVE THE FLOOR AT THIS TIME.
UH, I, FIRST, I WANNA SINCERELY APPRECIATE THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD'S DEDICATION TO WORKING ALONGSIDE THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UH, YOUR EFFORTS DON'T GO UNRECOGNIZED.
I MEAN, IT, IT KEEPS US SAFER.
IT KEEPS EVERYONE'S ENVIRONMENT, UH, UNIQUE AND, AND WORKABLE, AND THE COOPERATION AND YOUR VIGILANCE, IT KEEPS US, KEEPS US STRAIGHT, KEEPS US WORKING TOWARDS THE COMMON GOOD.
AND I APPRECIATE THE, UH, OPEN COMMUNICATION, UH, 'CAUSE IT PLAYS A VITAL ROLE FOR US IN BEING BETTER STEWARDS OF, OF THE COMMUNITY, UH, OF THE COMMUNITY RESOURCES THAT YOU HAND OVER.
UH, AND THE PARTNERSHIP HAS JUST BEEN FANTASTIC.
UH, YOUR COMMITMENT TO THIS COMMUNITY, YOU KEEP IT INVOLVED, MAKES OUR NEIGHBORHOODS SAFER AND STRONGER.
SO I, I APPRECIATE IT ON BEHALF OF THE ALMOST 5,300 MEN AND WOMEN DOING THIS JOB EVERY NIGHT, EVERY DAY, EVERY MORNING, EVERY STORM.
WE, WE APPRECIATE THE PARTNERSHIP.
AND WE'RE JUST, IF YOU HAD SOMETHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS TO THE GROUP AS A WHOLE, YOU KNOW, FEEL FREE.
I MEAN, I'M, THERE'S, I THINK THERE WAS A COUPLE QUESTIONS THAT WERE SENT IN.
AND, UH, A LOT OF IT IS, IS, UH, ONE OF THEM THAT'S, THAT'S THE, THE HIGHEST PRIORITY FOR ME IS OUR, OUR STAFFING ISSUES.
UH, WE ARE AT ABOUT 5,300 POLICE OFFICERS CURRENTLY.
UH, WE HAVE NEARLY 200 YOUNG PEOPLE.
THERE'S A YOUNG LADY THAT'S, UH, JUST A, SHE'S, SHE'S 50, I THINK SHE'S 52 IN THE ACADEMY.
SO SHE'S, SHE'S DOING AMAZING.
SO, UH, WE HAVE OUR ACADEMY, OUR CADET CLASSES ROLLING.
UH, WE WILL SOON START ANOTHER ONE.
SO, UH, THE MONIES THAT THE GOOD MAYOR JOHN WHITMEYER, UH, PUSH FORWARD, STARTING FROM THE 47,000, WE'RE NOT ABOUT 57,000 WHEN YOU START.
WE'RE, UH, THROUGH THE FOUNDATION, THE HOUSTON POLICE FOUNDATION, WE WERE ABLE TO PURCHASE A WEAPON.
AND THAT'S NEVER HAPPENED IN THE, SINCE 1841, SINCE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN HERE.
SO THAT HAS BEEN A VERY SIGNIFICANT, UH, INVESTMENT IN THE OFFICE.
YOU KNOW, I, I, I TRAVEL AND I VISIT WITH THE CADETS IN DIFFERENT TIMES.
THEY'RE NOT ALL IN ONE BIG GROUP, AND IT'S BEEN VERY GOOD.
WE, WE ARE A HUNDRED MILES AN HOUR.
WE DIDN'T TAKE A BREAK DURING THE HOLIDAYS FOR RECRUITMENT.
UH, WE'RE GONNA USE EVERY AVENUE WE CAN.
THE, THE ROCKETS, THE TEXANS, THE ASTROS, AND EVEN THE GOOD OLD RODEO IS ALLOWING US TO, UH, TO RECRUIT ON THEIR, ON, ON THEIR VENUES AS, AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
SO THAT'S BEEN, THAT'S BEEN GREAT FOR US.
BUT THAT'S KIND OF BEEN OUR PRIORITY FOR THE STAFFING.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE BIG QUESTIONS.
YOU KNOW, THE MAYOR OFTEN SPEAKS ABOUT COLLABORATIONS.
I'LL SHARE WITH YOU THAT, UH, AT OTHER POLICE AGENCIES IN OUR, IN THE, IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA, THERE'S PEOPLE THAT CAME OUT OF THIS OFFICE WORKING AS CHIEFS OR EXECUTIVES.
SO WE HAVE A FANTASTIC COOPERATION.
OBVIOUSLY YOU GUYS KNOW THAT I CAME FROM THE STATE POLICE BEFORE KATIE.
SO I, I, I HAVE A FANTASTIC RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM.
THEY'VE BEEN VERY INVOLVED IN HELPING US WITH OUR, UM, OUR COMMUNITY EFFORTS WHERE WE'VE HAD SOME, SOME, UH, SOME DIFFICULTIES ON THE WASHINGTON CORRIDOR, THE, THE EMANCIPATION AREA.
SO WE, WE WILL SOON DO ANOTHER GROUP.
UH, WE'RE TACKLING THE, UH, THE SCOOTERS DOWNTOWN HAVE, HAVE BEEN, UH, UH, A SOURCE OF MULTIPLE CALLS EVERY WEEKEND.
SO WE'VE, WE'VE BEEN ADDRESSING THAT ALMOST ON A WEEKEND BASIS.
SO WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN TO DOWNTOWN IN A WHILE,
[00:05:01]
IF YOU, IF YOU WANT TO COME STRETCH YOUR LEGS, IT, IT IS A HAPPENING PART OF THE CITY.THE, THE, THE CLUB SCENE IS BOOMING.
SO WE'VE BEEN REALLY FORTUNATE TO NOT HAVE ANYTHING HAPPEN, UH, IN THOSE AREAS, BUT WE'VE BEEN, IT, IT, IT, IT'S A LOT, IT'S A LOT FOR US TO HANDLE EVERY SINGLE NIGHT WITH A, WITH A STRETCHED OUT STAFF, STRETCHED THIN STAFF.
SO WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS THOSE THINGS ON A DAILY BASIS.
I MEAN, WE DON'T, WE DO NOT REST AT THIS OFFICE.
I'VE, I'VE GOT A COUPLE MORE CALLS, A COUPLE MORE THINGS I HAVE TO DO NOW.
UH, BUT, BUT AGAIN, YOU GUYS, UH, IN THIS SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU'RE, YOU'RE OUR BEST RECRUITS, RIGHT? YOU HAVE FAMILY MEMBERS, YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT YOU SEE THAT ARE NOT IN OUR POLICE CIRCLES.
UH, AND PLEASE, PLEASE ASK THEM TO CONSIDER, UH, ARE ENTERTAINED COMING TO BE A POLICE OFFICER IN THE COMMUNITY, RIGHT? I THINK IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A NOBLE PROFESSION THAT, THAT DOES A LOT OF GOOD, THAT HAS A LOT OF, UH, QUALITIES THAT PEOPLE CAN EASILY GET AHOLD OF.
YOU KNOW, YOU CAN BE KIND, YOU CAN BE GENTLE, YOU CAN REALLY HELP PEOPLE.
AND, UH, NO OTHER JOB REALLY GIVES YOU, OR MIGHT, ME PERSONALLY, OBVIOUSLY I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR 35 YEARS, THAT KIND OF JOB SATISFACTION.
YOU WAKE UP IN THE MORNING WITH SOME NOBLE INTENTIONS AND YOU'RE OFF TO THE RACES.
I MEAN, UNFORTUNATELY, WHEN THESE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE DRIVING AROUND AND, AND I, AND I TAKE RESPONSIBILITY, IF THEY DRIVE PAST YOU A LITTLE FAST THAN NORMAL AND THEY DON'T USE THEIR TURN SIGNAL ON OCCASION, THESE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE HAVING TO DRIVE WITH THEIR LEGS, TYPE ON A COMPUTER AND GET TO THE NEXT CALL FOR SERVICE.
'CAUSE THERE'S PEOPLE WAITING.
AND USUALLY WHEN THEY CHECK ON TO THE OFFICE, UH, WHEN THEY START THEIR SHIFT AT TWO OR THREE, WHATEVER THE SHIFT IS, THERE'S 30 OR 40 CALLS HOLDING FOR THEM.
SO, AND EACH CALL IS DIFFERENT.
UH, BUT THEY'RE UP TO THE CHALLENGE.
I'M, I'M SO PROUD OF THE MEN AND WOMEN HERE, UH, THROUGH THE STORM, THROUGH THE, THROUGH THE, THROUGH THE, THROUGH THE, THROUGH THE, THROUGH THE WINTER STORM.
YOU KNOW, IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS, YOU CAN'T STAY HOME WHEN THESE, THESE YOUNG PEOPLE, UM, UH, STAYED IN THEIR CARS, DID THEIR JOBS.
WE, WE, IT WAS A SUCCESSFUL STORM, UH, FROM, FROM MY, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, UH, OTHER THAN A, A FEW FUNNY MOMENTS WITH SOME KIDS DOING DONUTS.
UH, NOT VERY GOOD DONUTS, I MAY ADD.
BUT, UH, WE WORKED THROUGH THAT.
NOTHING, NOTHING THAT A, UH, A LITTLE STERN TALKING, DIDN'T, DIDN'T, DIDN'T FIX.
AND THEY MOVED ON AND, AND, AND, AND WE'VE MOVED ON FROM IT.
BUT AGAIN, THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF, THAT'S THE BIG ISSUE.
THE RECRUITMENT, THE RETENTION OF THE OFFICERS.
AND, UH, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO, TO, TO, TO NOTE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE DOWN ABOUT 16% OF THE START OF THE YEAR FROM LAST YEAR IN OUR, IN OUR, IN ON THE CATEGORIES THAT PEOPLE WORRY ABOUT THE, ABOUT THE MOST, WHICH IS OUR, OUR, OUR MURDER, OUR HOMICIDE RATES.
AND, YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY, SOME OF THOSE CASES ARE STILL PENDING.
BUT WHAT I SEE TRENDING IS THERE'S A LOT OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, RIGHT? IT'S STILL HAPPENING.
UH, WE HAD ONE EVENT, A HOMICIDE WHERE A BROTHER, UH, SHOT AND KILLED HIS SISTER OVER MONEY.
UH, WE'VE HAD YOUNG PEOPLE KILL THEMSELVES OVER, UH, UH, XBOX A USED ONE AT THAT, RIGHT? WE'VE HAD SOMEONE GET KILLED OVER $25.
SO IT'S A, IT'S, IT'S A LOT OF, UM, INTERPERSONAL THINGS, A LOT, A LOT OF, UM, SADNESS.
IT ONE IS TOO MANY FOR ME, AS, AS, AS, AS, JUST AS A PERSON.
BUT WHEN I, WHEN I SEE, WHEN I READ THE REPORTS AND I SEE THE TRAGEDIES, UH, THAT ONE WHERE THE BROTHER SHOT AND KILLED HIS SISTER, REALLY, UH, PUT ME IN A DIFFERENT PERS PUT ME IN A DIFFERENT PLACE EMOTIONALLY.
BECAUSE NOT ONLY DID THE MOM LOSE HI HER DAUGHTER, BUT ALSO HER SON'S PROBABLY GONNA GO TO JAIL FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES, RIGHT? SO IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A DOUBLE TRAUMA, DOUBLE TRAGEDY IN THE COMMUNITY.
I MEAN, WE, OUR, OUR HOMICIDE TEAM IS THE BEST IN THE BUSINESS.
AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE WE TRAIN OTHER AGENCIES AROUND THE COUNTRY.
IN FACT, THE LOUISIANA STATE POLICE, THEIR ENTIRE ORGANIZATION TRAINS WITH OUR TEAM HERE ON A REGULAR BASIS.
AND WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE JUST SO GRATEFUL TO THE COMMUNITY FOR, FOR ALLOWING US TO DO THIS JOB.
AND, UH, BUT THERE'S STILL A LOT OF WORK TO DO IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE CANNOT FORGET THAT THERE'S PEOPLE THAT, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE LESS FORTUNATE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
YOU KNOW, WE STILL HAVE A DOWNTOWN HOMELESS OR PEOPLE WITHOUT HOUSING POPULATION THAT, THAT, THAT I SEE EVERY DAY BECAUSE I WALK AROUND DOWNTOWN.
[00:10:01]
IT'S TOUGH TO SEE.BUT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE OF THE PARTNERSHIPS WE HAVE IN THE COMMUNITY, THERE'S SOME MONEY BEING RAISED AND THEY'RE WORKING ON, ON PROVIDING THAT.
I, I THINK ONE OF THE GOOD IDEAS THAT THE GOOD MAYOR HAS IS, UH, OPENING SOMETHING WHERE THEY CAN STAY AT NIGHT AND THEY CAN HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF SHELTER.
I THINK THE MAYOR AND I HAVE DISCUSSED A POTENTIAL FOR, UH, A TEMPORARY OR, UH, AN OCCASIONAL SHOWER AREA OVER THERE AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, OUR REASONER, BECAUSE AFTER SEEING THE WARMING CENTERS AND, AND, AND ACTUALLY VISITING WITH THEM, SOME OF THEM JUST NEED A, A HAND, A LEG UP.
A LITTLE BIT OF CLEANLINESS, A LITTLE BIT OF KINDNESS FROM, FROM US GOES A LONG WAY BECAUSE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HERE, BECAUSE OF OUR HOT TEAM, WHICH IS FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T KNOW, IS THE, UH, THE, THE, THE HOMELESS OUTREACH TEAM.
THEY, THEY, THEY HAVE TOUCHED EVERY SOUL IN DOWNTOWN BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY ARE.
AND WE'VE ASKED THEM REPEATEDLY, YOU KNOW, UH, DURING MY TRAVELS DURING THE STORM, WE ASKED PEOPLE TO PLEASE HELP US TO GET THEM IN THERE.
BUT SOME PEOPLE, BECAUSE OF MENTAL ILLNESS OR JUST NOT WANTING TO GO INTO ANY KIND OF FACILITY, THEY CHOSE TO STAY OUTSIDE.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WERE OUT HANDING FOOD, UM, CLOTHING, BLANKETS, SHOES, I MEAN, THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY ARE SO GRACIOUS.
UH, AND I SEE IT, I SAW IT FIRSTHAND.
YOU KNOW, IT'S THREE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING.
I HAVE A, UH, TWO YOUNG LADIES ON BAGBY HANDING OUT FOOD BLANKETS, SHOES, A LITTLE BIT TOO BIG USED STUFF.
BUT WHEN IT'S 25 DEGREES OUTSIDE AND IT'S SNOWING, IT WAS SUCH A GRACIOUS ACT, UH, FOR THOSE YOUNG LADIES TO COME IN AND, UH, GIVE OF THEMSELVES, RIGHT? NOT, NOT NOT BE SO, UH, INWARD LOOKING, BUT THEY LOOKED OUTWARD AS, AS HUMANS AND, AND REALLY TOUCH THOSE PEOPLE.
BUT I'LL SHARE WITH YOU THAT WE HAVE, PEOPLE KIND OF DON'T RECOGNIZE SOME OF OUR HOMELESS POPULATION.
THERE'S ONE COMPONENT THAT HAS BEEN RELEASED ON PAROLE FROM THE PRISON SYSTEMS. AND SOME OF THEM HAVE BEEN INCARCERATED FOR A LENGTHY TIME.
SO THERE IS NO FAMILY FOR THEM TO GO TO.
SOME OF THEM HAVE, UH, TIMED OUT, OUT OF OUR FOSTER CARE SYSTEM.
SO THERE'S NO ONE, NO PLACE FOR THEM TO GO.
SOME OF THEM ARE, ARE SEX OFFENDERS, RIGHT? THEY CAN'T GO TO AN APARTMENT COMPLEX.
THEY CAN'T MOVE INTO A CERTAIN PART OF THE COMMUNITY.
SOMETIMES THEY CAN'T LIVE WITH FAMILY MEMBERS 'CAUSE THEY'RE SMALL.
IN FACT, WE ASKED A LADY ON RICHMOND THAT, YOU KNOW, ONE OR TWO IN THE MORNING, UH, AND ON THE COLDEST NIGHT, IF WE COULD PICK HER UP AND TAKE HER TO A WARMING CENTER, AND SHE HAD GLOVES, SHE HAD A COACH, SHE HAD FOOD.
BUT HER COMMENT TO US, I DON'T WANT TO GO TO THOSE CENTERS BECAUSE SHE KNEW THAT THERE'S POTENTIAL THAT THEY MAY, SHE MAY, SHE MAY HAVE BEEN SEXUALLY ASSAULTED OR COULD BE.
RIGHT? SO THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT WE SEE DOWNTOWN.
PLUS YOU HAVE THE, THE MENTAL ILLNESS COMPONENT.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF CHALLENGES FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, WITH RESPECT TO THE, OUR UNHOUSED POPULATION.
BUT HERE, WE'RE, WE'RE HERE TO SERVE.
WE'RE HERE TO HELP AND MA MAKE THE COMMUNITY SAFER AND, AND, AND, AND GET THESE PEOPLE TO A PLACE WHERE THEY WANNA BE.
AND I THINK, UH, HAVING THEM, UH, SHOWER CLEAN UP, MAYBE, UM, WE CAN HAVE A PORTABLE WASHER AND DRYER TO CLEAN 'EM UP A LITTLE BIT.
IT JUST GIVES 'EM A LITTLE SENSE OF DIGNITY AND PUTS 'EM IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AND HOPEFULLY TO, TO RECONNECT WITH THEIR FAMILIES.
OFTENTIMES, UH, THEIR FAMILIES DON'T KNOW THEY'RE HERE.
THEY HAVE, THEY'VE LOST CONTACT WITH THEIR FAMILIES.
UH, WE HAD A YOUNG MAN THAT WAS ON BAGBY THAT SAME NIGHT, AND HE WAS FROM MISSOURI, AND HE HAD TWO PETS.
SO WE ASKED HIM TO BRING THE PETS IN.
AND, AND THEN WHEN WE KIND OF, WE RAN HIM AND IDENTIFIED THAT HE WAS WANTED OUT OF THE STATE OF MISSOURI, BUT SINCE CI, RIGHT, IF IT'S NOT A CONTIGUOUS STATE, THEY WON'T ACCEPT HIM, RIGHT? SO WE HAVE A LITTLE POPULATION THAT MOVES AROUND LIKE THAT.
BUT FOR THE MOST PART, OUR TEAM HAS BEEN DOING A FANTASTIC JOB.
I MEAN, THE HOT TEAM IS JUST AN EXCEPTIONAL GROUP OF MEN AND WOMEN THAT WE HAVE HERE IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON FROM THIS OFFICE, UH, TO, TO JUST MAKE THINGS A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
I'M, I'M, I'M A VERY, IF YOU DON'T KNOW ME, I'M VERY ANTI GRAFFITI.
[00:15:01]
UM, A TEAM WITHIN OUR OFFICE TO PUT TOGETHER A SMALL GROUP AND JUST TACKLE IT FROM OUR OFFICE OUTWARD.UH, AND THAT INCLUDES OUR, OUR DRT, WHICH IS OUR DIRECT, OUR DIRECTED RESPONSE TEAMS. 'CAUSE THERE'S GARBAGE ALL OVER THE COMMUNITY.
SO WE'RE WORKING ON A SMALL TEAM.
SO WHEN WE GET THE INFORMATION, IF A CITIZEN HAS THE, THE GALL TO CALL, HEY, I'VE GOT SOME, SOME WASTE ON, ON TIDWELL.
IT'S BEEN THERE FOR THREE MONTHS, AND MY, MY GRANDKIDS ARE WALKING BY THAT.
SO WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS IT PRETTY QUICKLY.
UM, NOT TO TAKE ANYTHING FROM OUR SOLID WASTE FOLKS, BUT I THINK THAT WE NEED TO HAVE AN ARM, UH, DOING THAT CONSTANTLY TO KEEP UP WITH IT.
BECAUSE IT JUST CAN'T SIT 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 WEEKS UNTIL SOMEONE GETS AROUND TO IT.
I THINK IF, UH, IF THE COMMUNITY CALLS, WE HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO PUT THAT TOGETHER.
AND WE WILL REACH OUT TO ONE OF OUR DOWNTOWN GROUPS, OUR MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS, UH, FOR ASSISTANCE WITH, ALL WE NEED IS A GARBAGE TRUCK, REALLY, AND THE CREW TO HELP US.
AND WE KNOW WHERE THE PROBLEMS ARE.
YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WE FOCUS, UH, ON, ON THE QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES.
THAT WHOLE GROUP IS GOING TO BE TRAINED INTO DOING, UM, KIND OF A ONE-STOP SHOP NOISE COMPLAINTS WE GET FROM THE CLUBS.
THE CLUB OWNERS THAT WE VISITED WITH HAVE BEEN VERY COOPERATIVE.
SO THAT, THAT, THAT'S A GOOD THING.
BUT I MEAN, I CAN, I CAN TALK ABOUT OUR BUSINESS ON AND ON AND ON.
WE JUST HAVE SO MUCH GOING ON.
UH, OUR MEN AND WOMEN HAVE DONE AN AMAZING JOB WITH, WITH, WITH THE SL INVESTIGATIONS.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THEY REVIEWED.
I MEAN, O OVER 200,000 FILES, UH, SOME OF THEM ARE LABELED SUSPENDED, LACK OF PERSONNEL.
ALL OF THEM HAVE BEEN COMPLETED LAST MONTH.
THE REVIEW, THAT MEANS EVERY SINGLE CASE WITH THAT CODE HAS BEEN READ AND REVIEWED.
A VERY LARGE NUMBER OF THEM SHOULD HAVE BEEN CLOSED OUT BY OTHER MEANS.
HOWEVER, THE NEXT STEP IS LOOKING FURTHER IN SOME OF THE MORE SERIOUS VIOLENT CRIME CASES THAT NEED FURTHER INVESTIGATION.
SO RIGHT NOW, WE'RE IN DISCUSSION TO MAKE SURE THAT WE SEND THOSE CASES OUT TO THE APPROPRIATE DISTRICT AND GIVE IT TO OUR, OUR, OUR TEAMS, OUR INVESTIGATIVE TEAMS THAT WE HAVE IN THE PATROL BEATS TO GO FOLLOW UP ON THOSE INVESTIGATIONS.
BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY, SINCE ALL THAT STARTED HAPPENING, THE CASES HAVE BEEN COMING EVERY SINGLE DAY.
SO OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT HASN'T GROWN, UH, AT THE TIME.
SO WE'RE THESE, THESE PEOPLE ARE WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK TO PUT ALL THIS STUFF TOGETHER.
SO WE'VE MADE JUST SOME FANTASTIC STRIDES TOWARD TRYING TO SHORE THAT UP.
UH, AND WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS IT.
SO WE'VE BEEN VERY TRANSPARENT THROUGHOUT THE REVIEW.
AND YOU CAN SEE THE BREAKDOWN AND REVIEW ON THE CITY'S POLICE TRANSPARENCY HUB.
YOU CAN KIND OF LOOK AT IT FOR YOUR OWN TO KIND OF KEEP UP WITH IT.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, JUST CALL THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
IF YOU, UH, OR IF YOU'RE A VICTIM OF SOMETHING LIKE THAT, WE CAN VERIFY AND SEE WHERE THE CASE IS AT.
AND THE DASHBOARD BREAKS IT ALL DOWN.
SO THERE, THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE, UH, AND WE'RE MOVING FORWARD TO TRY AND RESOLVE THOSE CASES THAT THE, THE VIOLENT CRIMES, THE, THE ROBBERIES, THE ASSAULTS, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS TO MAKE SURE THAT WHERE THERE IS EVIDENCE, WHERE THERE IS POTENTIAL TO CHARGE SOMEONE, WE'RE WORKING IN COLLABORATION WITH THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE WITH MR. TIER'S OFFICE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ADDRESS THOSE QUICKLY SO THAT THERE ISN'T ANY, WHAT THEY, YOU KNOW, UH, ANY MORE DELAY WITH THEM.
SO, ANY OTHER, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS WHILE I'M HERE? WE HAD A COUPLE OF PEOPLE IN THE CHAT WHO ASKED ABOUT HOW TO BEST CONTACT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO GET THE, UM, HOT TEAM OUT.
AND THAT WAS, UM, CAN YOU EXPLAIN SURE.
HOW, HOW YOU CONTACT AND GET THAT INFORMATION OUT.
AND THEN, UM, VICKY AND THEN STACY.
SO ONCE HE ANSWERS THIS QUESTION, THEN VICKY, AND THEN FOLLOWED BY STACY.
SO IF YOU CAN TELL US HOW WE GET AHOLD, UH, UH, I KNOW.
WE HAVE THE SAME TROUBLE WITH 3 1 1 HERE.
SO WE, WE'VE HAD THE, UH, WE, WE GET THE CALLS, WE HAVE TO PUT IN OUR OWN SLIP FOR RUBBISH PICKUPS, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
AND, UH, WE, WE HAVE TO, UH, WAIT LIKE YOU DO.
'CAUSE THAT'S COMPLETELY SEPARATE FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
BUT YOU CAN CONTACT THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT AT 7 1 3 8 8 4 31 31 AND ASK FOR
[00:20:01]
THE HOT TEAM.AND THAT'S, I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT TEAM.
SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE OUT THERE IN THE VANS IN PARTNERSHIPS WITH OTHER COMMUNITIES, AND, AND WE'RE OUT THERE BEATING THE, BEATING THE BUSHES TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, THAT HOT TEAM IS, IS, IS, UM, ONE FULLY STAFFED, FULLY FUNDED, AND THEN WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS, UH, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO FIX THOSE, THOSE, THOSE, THOSE DEFICIENCIES THAT WE HAVE WITHIN OUR OFFICE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE, OUR, OUR, OUR HOMELESS POPULATION IS, IS BETTER SERVED TO THE VERY BEST OF OUR ABILITY.
CAN YOU REPEAT THAT PHONE NUMBER FOR US, PLEASE? AND I'M GONNA PUT IT IN THE CHAT.
AND ASK FOR THE HOT TEAM OR THE HOMELESS OUTREACH TEAM.
UM, WE HAVING AN ISSUE IN OUR AREA, THE EAST EASTERN CGA AREA.
IT WAS REPORTED TO OUR DRT OFFICER KENNETH MILES ON MONDAY.
UM, WE DON'T THINK HE'S INTERESTED.
THAT WAS THE FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY, FROM THE CIVIC CLUB AND THE RESIDENTS.
UH, HE JUST SUGGESTED PEOPLE CALL THE NON-EMERGENCY NUMBER WHEN IT'S GOING ON.
WELL, WE SENT PHOTOS, VIDEOS, A GUN WAS PULLED ON ONE OF THE RESIDENTS AND HER KIDS LAST NIGHT AS THEY TRIED TO LEAVE THEIR DRIVEWAY.
THE, THE STREET IS, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE ON TIDWELL, BECAUSE I'M TRYING TO WRITE AS FAST AS YOU'RE TALKING.
THE ADDRESS OF THE ALLEGED, BASICALLY VERIFIED, UH, GAME ROOM IS A DUPLEX LOCATED AT 8 3 0 RECORD, R-E-C-O-R-D.
THE TENANT RECENTLY MOVED IN AROUND JANUARY 25TH.
POLICE HAD TO DO A SERVICE CALL ON THAT SUNDAY FOR A REPORTED STOLEN DIRT BIKE.
EVERY EVENING BETWEEN SEVEN-ISH TO 4:00 AM THE STREET IS INUNDATED WITH VEHICLES FREQUENTING THE GAMBLING SHACK.
WHAT, WHEN YOU SAY, WHEN YOU SAY GAME ROOM, ARE YOU THINKING, ARE YOU TELLING ME, I'M SAYING A GAMBLING SHACK.
IT'S A GAMBLING SHACK LIKE DICE, UH, DOMINOES, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
UH, THE RESIDENTS PASSED BY WHEN THEY CAUGHT THE DOOR OPEN.
THERE WERE MEN STANDING AROUND A GAME TABLE, A GAME L LIKE YOUR VEGAS STYLE TABLE, OR JUST LIKE A, I HAVE NO IDEA.
WE HAVE CARVES TRUCKS, EVERYTHING LINED UP ON THAT STREET.
IT'S LESS THAN 19 INCHES, 19 FEET WIDE.
THE, THE RESIDENTS HAVE CALLED 3 1 1 AND REQUESTED A NO PARKING ENTIRE BLOCK SIGN.
UH, LAST NIGHT AROUND 10 SOMETHING RECEIVED A TEXT FROM A RESIDENT THAT A TENANT AT ACROSS THE STREET AND HER CHILDREN WERE PULLED A GUN ON BY SOMEONE FREQUENTING THE GAMBLING SHACK.
THE RESIDENTS OF THE, THE PATRONS OF THE GAMBLING SHACK PARKED DOUBLE PARK ON BOTH SIDES OF THE STREET.
THEY PARKED WITHIN 15 FEET OF A STOP SIGN.
THEY PARKED NEXT TO THE NO PARKING ENTIRE BLOCK SIGN ON TREMONT.
ALL THESE PHOTOS WERE SENT TO OFFICER MILES, AND HE SAID, THERE'S NO LAWS BEING BROKEN.
IT'S LEGAL FOR THEM TO PARK ON THE STREET.
I SAID, DID YOU LOOK ON AT THE PICTURES? THEY'RE 15 FEET FROM A STOP SIGN.
THEY'RE PARKED NEXT TO A NO PARKING ENTIRE BLOCK.
I HAVE A CRIMINAL JUSTICE DEGREE.
SO WE, WE WOULD LIKE TO, UH, DISCUSS THIS FURTHER WITH THE CAPTAIN OR WHOEVER, BUT, UH, TO HAVE A GUN, WE SEE WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
FIRST COMES THE GAMBLING, THEN COMES THE GUNS, WHICH WE'VE WITNESSED.
THEN COMES THE LIQUOR, THE WOMEN AND THE DRUGS CHIEF, CHIEF JAMES BRIAN IS ON THAT CALL.
CHIEF, I, YOU DON'T HAVE TO SPEAK UP, BUT IF YOU TOOK THE ADDRESS DOWN, WILL YOU FORWARD THAT TO THE APPROPRIATE PEOPLE SO WE CAN TACKLE THAT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE? UH, YES SIR.
CAN YOU GIMME THAT ADDRESS ONE MORE TIME? IT'S 8 0 3 4.
8 0 3 0 RECORD IS THE ALLEGED GAMBLING SHACK.
THEY THINK THE TENANT ALSO TOOK OCCUPANCY AN 80 38 RECORD, BECAUSE IT'S THREE DUPLEXES, 80, 30, 80, 34, AND 80 38, OWNED BY THE SAME OFF OWNER.
OFFICER MILES CALLED US THE NEXT DAY AND SAID, I SPOKE TO THE OWNER AND THEY'RE GONNA SPEAK TO THE TENANTS.
AND LAST NIGHT THE GUN WAS PULLED.
ALSO, THE RESIDENT WANTED ME TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THEY'RE STILL WAITING FOR A UNIT TO RESPOND TO THE GUN.
THE CALL THAT THEY PUT LAST NIGHT, THEY STILL HAVEN'T SEEN A UNIT.
SO VICKY KE CAN I GET THE OFFICER'S NAME THAT'S GETTING THE INFORMATION SO I CAN PUT
[00:25:01]
IN, IN TOUCH WITH THE RESIDENT? SURE.HIS NAME IS, UH, ASSISTANT CHIEF.
THIS, THIS IS JAMES BRYANT, AS A MATTER OF FACT, UH, I WAS THE LIEUTENANT OVER THERE AT NORTHEAST DIVISION A FEW YEARS AGO.
YEAH, WE, WE'LL TALK, WE NEED TO SWITCH IT UP.
WHAT'S THE PHONE NUMBER? WHAT CONTACT NUMBER DO WE NEED FOR YOU? UM, OFFICER WRIGHT, WOULD YOU MIND PUTTING THAT IN CHAT SO THAT EVERYBODY COULD HAVE THAT PHONE NUMBER? IS THAT, WOULD YOU MIND? THAT'S FINE.
I THINK I MET YOU IN DECEMBER AT THE, UH, THE MEETING AT CENTRAL.
SOMEONE'S GOING TO GET HURT, AND, AND WE SEE IT.
WELL, I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA AND I WILL REACH OUT TO, UH, CAPTAIN CANTU OVER THERE AND HIS TEAM AS WELL, AND SEE IF WE CAN GET ON THAT.
OKAY, NEXT WE HAVE, UM, STACY, FOLLOWED BY GREG AND THEN LETICIA.
UH, THANK YOU, UH, CHIEF DIAZ FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT.
I'M THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD PRESIDENT FOR WASHINGTON AVENUE.
AND MY QUESTION, I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, BUT MY FIRST QUESTION IS, UM, DO YOU HAVE A, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT HPD DOES THESE, THEY HAVE THESE RECRUITMENT EVENTS, BUT DO YOU HAVE ANY PLANS TO, UH, COME TO, YOU KNOW, OUR COMMUNITIES TO HOLD EVENTS LIKE THAT? LIKE MAYBE NEAR THE SCHOOLS, UH, LIKE THE HIGH SCHOOLS, OR, I, I'M JUST TRYING TO THINK OF WAYS TO HELP YOU.
UM, ONE SUGGESTION WOULD BE TO WORK WITH THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS THE CITY, UH, TO, YOU KNOW, INVITE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT YOU MAY NOT HAVE ACCESS TO, THAT WE DO.
UH, THAT MIGHT BE, YOU KNOW, UM, YOU KNOW, CAN PULL SOME OF THE, THAT TALENT OR THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT WANT TO BECOME A POLICE OFFICER.
IT'S JUST A SUGGESTION THAT I HAVE.
NO, NO, WE, WE, WE ARE, AGAIN, AGAIN, THE CITY'S ENORMOUS.
SO WE'RE IN FIVE SCHOOLS A WEEK WITH OUR OUTREACH TEAM AND OUR RECRUITING COMPONENT, UH, AS YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE TO BE 21 TO BE POLICE OFFICERS.
SO I KNOW THE MAYOR IS, UH, WORKING WITH SOME LEGISLATIVE FOLKS IN AUSTIN TO TRY TO REDUCE THAT TO 19, IN THE EARLY NINETIES WHEN THIS SHORTFALL WAS, UH, ALSO PRESENT.
SOME OF THE POLICE AT THAT TIME, UH, STARTED, UH, AT THE AGE OF 19.
AND I, I THINK I'VE, I'VE VISITED A COUPLE OF TIMES, UH, WITH CONGRESSMAN LATRELL TO SEE IF THEY CAN PUSH THAT FROM, UH, DC THING NOT HERE LOCALLY, TO SEE IF WE GET THESE YOUNG PEOPLE INTO 19.
'CAUSE THAT WOULD SOLVE OUR PROBLEMS. 'CAUSE OFTENTIMES THE, THE, THE AGE BETWEEN 18, 19 AND 20, THEY GET IN A LITTLE BIT OF TROUBLE, GET A BUNCH OF TICKETS, OR THEY'D MAKE BAD DECISIONS AND THEY GET SOME, UH, SOMETIMES OUT OF THE PROCESS FOR US.
SO YEAH, WE, I'M, WE'RE, WE'RE, THAT'S EASY FOR US, MS. FAIRCHILD.
WE'D, WE'D LOVE TO COME TO THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD THINGS AND, UH, EVENTS AND, AND, AND, AND BRING OUR, OUR, OUR FOLKS TO VISIT AND FILL OUT THE CARDS AND OUR MENTORS TO COME VISIT WITH THE PEOPLE.
BECAUSE IT, IT, IT HAS TO BE A, A, A GROUP EFFORT, A COMMUNITY EFFORT.
WE CAN'T DO IT ALL BY OURSELVES.
AND BECAUSE OF, UH, BUDGETARY CONSTRAINTS, AS YOU, AS YOU MAY KNOW, YOU'VE, IT'S, IT'S NOT ANY SECRET.
I THINK THE GOOD MAYOR HAS SAID IT A COUPLE TIMES.
IT'S, IT'S IN, IT'S IN EVERY NEWSPAPER.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE HAVING TO SH UH, REALLY REDUCE SOME OF OUR BUDGETARY EXPENSES OUT OF STATE TRAVEL, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, TO, TO GO TO GO TO THE WEST COAST TO HIT SOME COLLEGES ON THE WEST COAST HASN'T BEEN AS FEASIBLE FOR US.
THEY'RE, WE'RE NOT GETTING THE RETURN.
SO WE'RE GONNA FOCUS HERE ON THE INCREDIBLE TALENT WE HAVE LOCALLY HERE WITHIN HOUSTON, AT OUR UNIVERSITIES HERE.
AND WE MAY GO UP THERE TO HUNTSVILLE AND, AND, AND MAYBE TO SAN ANTONIO AND TO REALLY FOCUS ON, ON OUR MILITARY BASES HERE TO SEE IF WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENS.
UH, 'CAUSE YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WE NEED A LOT OF PEOPLE.
WE SHOULD BE, THE TIME FOR THIS DEPARTMENT TO BE AT 6,500 WAS IN 2000, NOT IN 2025.
WHEN THESE KIDS GRADUATE FROM THE KINETIC ACADEMY, THEY'RE NOT AUTOMATICALLY PUT INTO, UH, A POLICE JOB WHERE THEY'RE ANSWERING CALLS.
THEY'RE HAVING TO SHADOW OR, OR BE WITH THE TRAINER FOR ABOUT A YEAR OR SO.
WE'RE A LITTLE BIT BEHIND, BUT I, I, THE, THE, THE WELCOME THE MONEY HAS, HAS REALLY, UH, HELPED.
AND, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE IN THE RIGHT, WE'RE ON THE RIGHT.
UH, WE, WE CAN'T HIRE 'EM FAST ENOUGH.
I THINK WE'RE GONNA RUN OUTTA SPACE AT THE CADET ACADEMY.
SO HOPEFULLY, UH, WE'VE GOT PEOPLE IN BACKGROUNDS NOW THAT I'VE BEEN SIGNING.
SO IT'S, IT'S LOOKING VERY POSITIVE.
OUR BACKGROUND INVESTIGATORS ARE DOING A TREMENDOUS JOB.
[00:30:01]
OUR ACADEMY IS WORLD CLASS INSTRUCTIONS.SO THEY WILL GET A GOOD, UM, TRAINING, UH, COMING THROUGH THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT TO BE HOPEFULLY POLICE OFFICERS FOR A LONG TIME.
CAN, CAN WE, UM, MOVE ON? WE HAVE A COUPLE OF OTHER PEOPLE AND THEN WE, WHEN THE
SO THE PUBLIC SAFETY, OUR TIMING IS UP.
YOU HAVE TO, WE HAVE OTHER PEOPLE THAT HAVE QUESTIONS.
CHIEF, I'LL REACH, I'LL REACH OUT TO YOU SEPARATELY.
SO GREG, AND THEN LETICIA AND RICKY.
AND THEN WE'RE GONNA REALLY NEED TO KIND OF MOVE IT ON.
SO TRY TO KEEP IT AS LIKE, ONE QUESTION.
SO, GREG, CHIEF, I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE TONIGHT.
LIKE YOU, SIR, I'VE ALSO MOVED IN FROM, UH, KATIE TO HOUSTON.
UH, I DO HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS YOU CAN FEEL FREE TO ANS NOT ANSWER THE SECOND ONE AT THIS POINT, IF YOU LIKE.
UH, THE FIRST ONE IS RELATED TO THE BROTHER SHOOTING THE SISTER THAT KIND OF STRUCK HOME, BECAUSE IT'S NEAR OUR HOME WHERE IT HAPPENED OFF THE FREEWAY.
AT SEVEN 11, UH, CA UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER LAST MONTH SAID 70% OF THE 9 1 1 CALLS ARE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CALLS.
WOULD, AND THIS WOULD FALL WITHIN THAT CATEGORY.
IS THAT YOUR DATA AS WELL? UH, I DON'T HAVE THAT DATA IN FRONT OF ME.
I DON'T WANNA GIVE YOU BAD INFORMATION, BUT IT IS HIGH A A LOT OF THE STUFF, THE UGLY STUFF THAT HAPPENS, UH, GREG, IT IS DOMESTIC, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, I MEAN, OVER A PLAYSTATION, RIGHT? SO YOU HAVE ONE LOSS OF LIFE AND THEN ONE GOING TO PRISON FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIFE, RIGHT? AND, AND MAYBE THAT PERHAPS AN INTERVENTION WOULD'VE BEEN BETTER, THE ABILITY TO COPE THROUGH PROBLEMS. UH, WE HAD A PERSON THAT, UH, THAT WAS MURDERED AT A BUS STOP, UH, YEAH.
BY ANOTHER PERSON WITHOUT HOUSING FOR OVER $25, RIGHT? SO, SO IT, IT, IT IS A SERIOUS THING IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, AND THERE'S PLACES WHERE PEOPLE CAN CALL.
THERE'S DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOTLINES, THEY CAN CALL THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UH, SO IT, IT, YOU KNOW, IT, FOR ME, IT REALLY HITS HOME FOR ME AS WELL BE JUST BECAUSE OF THE LOSS OF OPPORTUNITY, UH, IN THAT COMMUNITY, THE TRAUMA THAT'S INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY.
YOU KNOW, OUR TEAM, OUR, OUR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE TO GO TO THOSE CALLS AND, AND, AND COMPARTMENTALIZE THE LOSS.
AND GUESS WHAT? THEY GOTTA GO RIGHT BACK TO THE NEXT CALL AND THEY GOTTA GO RIGHT BACK TO WORK TOMORROW.
BUT YES, UH, IT, THE, THE NUMBERS ARE HIGH.
UH, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHEN THERE'S A LOT OF STRESS IN THE COMMUNITY, FINANCIAL STRESS, UH, EMOTIONAL STRESS, UH, THO THOSE, THERE'S A LOT OF FACTORS.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE, UH, THAT ARE LIVING CHECK TO CHECK IN OUR COMMUNITY AND THEY'RE STRUGGLING.
AND THEN THOSE, THOSE STRUGGLES ARE REAL, REAL.
THERE'S, UH, FOOD DEFICIENCIES.
UH, I MEAN, THERE, THERE IS A LOT GOING ON IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE REALLY DON'T SEE, UH, FROM OUR HOMES IF YOU DON'T HAVE THOSE KINDS OF TROUBLES IN YOUR HOME.
SO FOR US AS AN AGENCY, WE HAVE TO WORK TOWARDS NAVIGATING, UH, THO THOSE ISSUES IN THE COMMUNITY AND WORK TOWARDS HOPEFULLY, UH, UH, SOLVING SOME OF THOSE ISSUES.
I MEAN, THE POLICE ARE TASKED WITH, WITH, WITH A LOT OF SOCIETAL ISSUES.
NOW, 35 YEARS AGO, YOU JUST WROTE TICKETS AND GOT, THEY GOT DWIS.
NOW IT'S, IT'S A, THERE'S A LOT OF, UM, REQUIREMENT FOR MENTAL ILLNESS AWARENESS, THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COMPONENT.
AND WHAT YOU DON'T SEE THAT OFTEN GETS NOT LOOKED AT IS THE KIDS THAT IT AFFECTS, RIGHT? I, I, I DON'T KNOW IF THESE KIDS HAD CHILDREN OF THEIR OWN, BUT IMAGINE BEING SIX OR SEVEN AND HAVING TO SEE THAT EVERY SINGLE DAY.
AND, UH, EXPECT, EXPECT TO GO TO BED, UH, AND EXPECT TO WAKE UP, BRUSH YOUR TEETH AND GO BE A GOOD STUDENT IN THE MORNING.
RIGHT? THAT, THAT YOU, YOU CARRY THAT WITH YOU, RIGHT? SO HOW, HOW IS THAT TEACHER SUPPOSED TO, 'CAUSE THAT TEACHER SOMETIMES DOESN'T KNOW THAT, UH, UH, THAT WE, THAT WE'RE DOING GOOD AND THAT WE'RE TRYING TO WORK THROUGH THAT.
BUT THEY'RE THERE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, GREG, AGAIN, IT'S, IT'S, IT, IT'S A BIG DEAL FOR US AND WE TACKLE IT EVERY SINGLE DAY.
NO, I, I JUST DIDN'T KNOW THE MAGNITUDE.
THE OTHER ONE WAS A FOLLOW UP FROM DECEMBER MEETING WHERE YOU SAID 750,000 PEOPLE COMMUTING TO THE CITY EVERY WEEKDAY FROM THE SUBURBS.
AND I WOULD JUST WONDER IF YOU HAD THE DATA OR YOU HAD SOME POINT OF REFERENCE FOR THAT.
YOU KNOW, I, I, I, I GOT THAT DATA FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, UH, BASED ON TEXT DOT INFORMATION.
I'LL TRY TO CIRCLE BACK AROUND AND KIND OF PIN THAT DOWN.
'CAUSE YOU KNOW, WE GET IT FROM EVERYWHERE.
EVERYBODY COMES INTO, EVERYBODY COMES INTO HOUSTON AND THEN GOES BACK HOME, RIGHT? SO WE, WE'LL, WE'LL TRY TO, I'LL TRY TO GET YOU THAT DATA, GREG, SO YOU CAN HAVE IT.
BUT I THINK THAT CAME FROM A T STUDY WHEN THEY WERE DOING THE STUDY FOR THE NEW DEVELOPMENT AROUND THE GEORGE R. BROWN.
[00:35:01]
EVERYONE.I'M ACRES HOME, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
AND MY QUESTION IS ACTUALLY NOT FOR ACRES HOMES.
UM, ALTHOUGH ACRES, ACRES HOMES IS EXTREMELY UPSET THAT OF THE TALK OF MOVING THE PIP MEETING FROM AKER HOMES SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL OR A ACRES, ACRES, HOMES, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD, MULTIPLE PARK CENTER.
BUT LAST MONTH, UH, WELL, IN DECEMBER, I ASKED A QUESTION ABOUT 1 2 6 3 8 OR THE ASTRO NETS COMMUNITY AND THE AMOUNT OF CRIME AND HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS BREAKING INTO THE VACANT UNITS AND LIVING AND RESIDING THERE.
UM, SINCE THAT TIME EVENTS HAVE ESCALATED, THEY HAVE GOTTEN WORSE.
AND WE HAVE TWO UNITS THAT HAVE NOW BEEN VANDALIZED, AND WE HAVE HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS LIVING IN BOTH OF THEM.
WE HAVE CONTACTED THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND BASED ON THE INSTRUCTIONS THAT WE WERE GIVEN, WE MADE AN ATTEMPT TO GET INTO COM AND GET IN CONTACT WITH THE INDIVIDUAL THAT I WAS GIVEN.
AND NO ONE HAS BEEN ABLE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
WE WERE TOLD THAT WE HAVE TO BUILD A CASE IN ORDER TO GET THEM OUT, BUT AS YOU KNOW, OR AS WE ALL KNOW, THAT IF SOMEONE OCCUPIES A SPACE FOR LINK A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME, THEY GAIN SQUATTER RIGHTS.
WHAT ELSE CAN WE DO FOR THIS COMMUNITY TO PROTECT THE RESIDENTS THAT ARE THERE? WELL, I MEAN, YOU'RE DOING EVERYTHING POSSIBLE, CALLING THE POLICE.
I, I'VE HEARD, I, I'LL, I'LL VERIFY WITH THE CHIEF ANDERSON WHO DOES OUR LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS, BUT I THINK THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE IS WORKING ON, UH, SOME SORT OF LEGISLATION TO TACKLE THOSE SQUATTERS' RIGHTS TO WHERE YOU DON'T HAVE THEM HERE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
BUT I THINK THAT'S STILL IN ROUGH DRAFT.
IF, IF YOU PUT YOUR NUMBER IN THE CHAT, I'LL HAVE SOMEBODY CALL YOU DIRECTLY FROM THAT OFFICE TO KIND OF GIVE YOU SOME SORT OF A, A BLUEPRINT.
I MEAN, THAT, THAT YOU'RE NOT ALONE.
I MEAN, IT'S JUST, UH, UH, IN, IN, IN, IN WHAT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH.
I MEAN, IT'S, IF IT'S HAPPENING IN ACRES HOME, IT'S HAPPENING.
IT'S HAPPENING IN THE LATE IN ALE, RIGHT? IT'S HAPPENING IN STEADY GAS.
IT'S HAPPENING IN, IN THE CLEAR LAKE AREA.
IT JUST, IT'S, THERE'S JUST A LOT OF, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WITHOUT HOUSING OUR COMMUNITY.
AND IT, A LOT OF TIMES IT'S CYCLICAL.
IT'S WARM NOW, RIGHT? BUT IT GETS COLD AND PEOPLE FROM UP NORTH TRAVEL HERE, UH, AND THIS OFFICE WON'T PICK PEOPLE UP AND DRIVE 'EM TO BAYTOWN, RIGHT? A LOT OF AGENCIES DO THAT.
A LOT OF AGENCIES WILL PUT 'EM ON A BUS AND, UH, THANK THEM, AND THEN THEY GET A BUS AND THEY'RE ON THE WAY FROM DALLAS TO HOUSTON, RIGHT? SO WE ARE TRYING TO ACTUALLY HELP THEM BY ASKING THEM, ASKING THEM WHERE, WHERE YOU WERE FIVE YEARS AGO AND WHERE DO YOU WANT TO BE IN FIVE YEARS, RIGHT? WE WE'RE TRYING TO PUT THESE PEOPLE ON A PATH, UH, FOR SUCCESS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET THE HELP THAT THEY NEED.
UH, THERE'S A, THERE'S A LOT OF MEN.
I MEAN, A LOT OF IT IS MENTAL ILLNESS.
WE ARREST, WE CAN ARREST SOMEONE RIGHT OUTSIDE TODAY IN TRAVIS.
THEY'LL GO INTO THE HARRIS COUNTY JAIL.
THEY'RE GIVEN A WEEK OR TWO WEEK SUPPLY OF, UH, MENTAL, UH, MEDICATIONS FOR THEIR MENTAL ILLNESS, WHATEVER IT MAY BE.
BUT WHEN THE MEDICATION RUNS OUT, THERE'S NOWHERE FOR THEM TO GO GET IT.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S IMAGINARY.
IT, IT'S SOMETHING THAT AFFECTS EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY, ALL WALKS OF LIFE.
IT, IT, IT'S HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, THERE'S NO, SOMETIMES THERE'S NO BEDS.
I MEAN, WE HAD A GUY OVER THE WEEKEND, I THINK SATURDAY THAT WE WENT AND, UH, VISITED WITH OFF OF DURHAM AND WASHINGTON AND, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS SOME ALCOHOL ABUSE, BUT THERE WAS ALSO A, A, A LOT OF MENTAL ILLNESS.
SO WE, WHAT THEY CALL, WE DID AN EMERGENCY DETENTION ORDER, BUT WHEN THERE'S NO BEDS, HE BASICALLY GOES INTO A FACILITY AND GETS RIGHT BACK OUT.
AND THAT'S NOT HELPING THAT PERSON.
RIGHT? THE, THE, THE, THE DISEASE IS NOT, UH, UH, THE, THE ALCOHOL, THE DRUGS AND, AND ALL THAT STUFF IS REAL.
AND WE DO HAVE, UH, SOME SIGNIFICANT, THE, THE, THE, THE MARIJUANA THAT, THAT I, I KNOW NO ONE IN THIS GROUP SMOKED IN 1975.
UH, THAT'S ON THE STREET TODAY IS A LOT DIFFERENT, RIGHT? SO IT, IT, IT IS, IT, IT IS LACED WITH THINGS.
IT IT IS, IT'S AFFECTING PEOPLE, UH, IN, IN A, UH, IN, IN A REAL WAY, RIGHT? IT, IT AFFECTS THEIR, THEIR, THEIR PHYSICAL CAPACITIES.
I MEAN, YOU SEE 'EM ON, WE'RE TRYING SO HARD.
OUR NARCOTICS DIVISION, UH, I KNOW MOST OF 'EM ARE UNDERCOVER, BUT ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS GET ON INSTAGRAM FOR A LITTLE BIT AND SEE ALL THE, UH, WHAT THEY CALL ALL THE ZOMBIE PEOPLE IN ARIZONA AND NEW MEXICO.
OUR KIDS EVERY SINGLE DAY ARE, ARE FIGHTING, UH, THE POISON THAT COMES INTO OUR STREETS BECAUSE THE, THE, THE, THE STATEMENT OF ONE PILL KILLS IS REAL, RIGHT? YOU, YOU, YOU DON'T WANNA GO THAT PATH BECAUSE THE DRUGS ARE REAL.
AND THEY, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A LIFETIME OF HELP, UH, ONCE YOU GO DOWN THAT PATH.
SO IT, IT, IT, FOR US, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S
[00:40:01]
REALLY, REALLY TOUGH TO SEE IT ON A DAILY BASIS.I THINK WE HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION.
I THINK WE HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION FROM RICKY.
AND THEN, AND THEN I'M GONNA ASK PEOPLE, PUT YOUR QUESTIONS IN THE CHAT BECAUSE WE ARE MONITORING THE CHAT AND WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT THESE ALL GET FORWARDED TO THE CHIEF.
BUT RICK, RICKY, WE'RE GONNA LET YOU WRAP IT UP FOR US.
HELLO, UH, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
UM, THIS IS RICKY CARDENAS FROM, UH, SECOND WARD SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD, 63, YOUR FAVORITE SUPER, UH, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD HERE.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO SAY JUST A QUICK KNEE-JERK REACTION.
UH, IT'S PROBABLY A HARD NO TO 19 YEAR OLDS, UH, HAVING A, A GUN AND A BADGE BETWEEN KIDS, YOU KNOW, DOING THE DONUT OUT IN THE STREET.
I'M NOT SURE IT'S A GREAT IDEA, UH, TO HAVE THEM, YOU KNOW, UH, PROTECTING AND SERVING.
UH, JUST A QUICK, QUICK KNEE-JERK REACTION.
I KNOW YOU SAID YOU MAYBE HAVE THEM, UH, UM, BE SHADOWING, BUT, UM, I JUST WANTED TO ASK, UM, IF, YOU KNOW, UM, THE RANKING IN, UH, FATALITIES AND DEATHS IN THE CITY AS, UH, AS FAR AS WHERE, UH, ROADWAY, FATALITIES, RANK VERSUS OTHER TYPES OF DEATHS THAT JUST HOMICIDES, BECAUSE I KNOW THERE WERE, I BELIEVE, OVER 340 DEATHS ON OUR, ON HOUSTON ROADWAYS, UH, IN 2024.
UM, I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE, ARE STRAPPED.
UM, YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH OFFICERS, UH, TO MANAGE THE GROWTH OF THE CITY, WHICH I THINK WAS, IT WAS MENTIONED THAT THE CITY GROWS BY OVER 700,000 PEOPLE AND, UH, SHRINK BY 700,000 PEOPLE A DAY IN AND DAY OUT.
YOU GUYS DON'T HAVE THE STAFF TO MANAGE, YOU KNOW, ALL THOSE, UH, INFRACTIONS ON OUR ROADWAY, PEOPLE NOT FOLLOWING THE, THE RULES OF THE ROAD.
UM, I'M WONDERING IF YOU, UM, WOULD BE ABLE TO GET BEHIND OTHER THINGS SUCH AS, UM, ROADWAY SAFETY MEASURES THAT WOULD KIND OF FREE YOUR, YOUR STAFF UP FOR, FOR ANSWERING, YOU KNOW, REAL CALLS THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN ACTUALLY HELP THE CITY WITH, UM, MEASURES SUCH AS, YOU KNOW, NARROWING, ROADWAYS, SPEED CUSHIONS, MORE LIGHTS, MORE RAISED CROSSWALKS AND THAT SORT OF THING.
I KNOW OUR, OUR MAYOR'S CURRENTLY NOT IN FAVOR OF THESE SORTS OF THINGS, BUT I THINK IF, YOU KNOW, HE COULD HEAR THIS, YOU KNOW FROM YOU, THAT THESE ARE THE KIND OF THINGS THAT ARE GONNA FREE UP OUR STAFF, OUR POLICE FORCE TO ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, HELP OUR CITIES, THEN MAYBE HE MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET BEHIND THAT SORT OF THING.
SO I JUST, I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT THERE FOR YOU.
I THINK THESE ARE ALL, IT'S A GREAT CONVERSATION.
AND CHIEF, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
I MEAN, I, I CAN, I CAN TALK ABOUT STUFF AT THE OFFICE ALL THE TIME, BUT I KNOW AS YOU GUYS HAVE A MEETING, BUT I APPRECIATE, UH, UH, A I APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU DO KNOW THAT, UH, YOUR INFORMATION IS IMPORTANT TO US.
'CAUSE WE WILL GRAB IT AND DISCUSS IT AND SEND IT OUT INTO OUR FOLKS.
'CAUSE IF WE'RE NOT HEARING FROM YOU, WE DON'T KNOW IT.
WE HAVE OUR CALLS FOR SERVICE AND ALL THAT STUFF.
BUT, UH, IF IT'S IMPORTANT TO YOU, IT'S IMPORTANT TO US WAS WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, THAT WE'RE PUTTING OUR BEST FOOT FORWARD AND MAKING SURE THAT, THAT, UH, THE STUFF, LIKE THE STUFF ON TIDWELL WILL BE LOOKED AT TOMORROW, UH, UH, THE STUFF ON ASFORD METALS.
WE'LL LOOK AT IT TOMORROW AND CIRCLE BACK AROUND AND GET YOU, GET YOU AN ANSWER.
WE, I CAN'T MAKE ANY PROMISES, BUT WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE ACTUALLY DOING A, AN EFFORT TO MAKE THESE, UH, I GUESS, NUISANCE PROBLEMS IN OUR COMMUNITIES BECAUSE, UH, YOU KNOW, WITH, WITH OUR CITYWIDE DRT, THAT'S WHY, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT KIDS WALKING BY THIS GARBAGE.
I DON'T WANT, YOU KNOW, KIDS WALKING BY P KIDS BEING, UM, SOLICITED AT BUS STOPS FOR DIFFERENT THINGS, UH, GOING TO AND FROM SCHOOL BECAUSE IT'S A, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A CITYWIDE, UH, GROUP.
SO YOU GUYS SPENDING THE TIME, UH, AND FOCUSING ON HOW WE CAN GET BETTER HELPS US GET BETTER AND WE, WE, WE WANT THE INPUT GOOD, BAD OR INDIFFERENT, WE'RE HERE TO SERVE.
HAVE A GREAT NIGHT AND I HOPE TO SEE YOU AND FACE, UH, WHICH HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET, I'LL GET SOMEBODY TO HAVE SOME PASTA OR SOMETHING AT THE NEXT MEETING.
ENOUGH ENOUGH OF THE SANDWICHES, YOU KNOW, SO I APPRECIATE Y'ALL.
UM, CANDACE LEWIS FROM THE CITY HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
UM, ARE I SEE THAT YOU WERE ON, ARE YOU STILL THERE? YES, I AM STILL HERE.
SO I AM HERE AS WELL WITH MY COLLEAGUE SHAMIA WILLIAMS, UM, FROM THE HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
WE OVERSEE A PROGRAM CALLED BREATHE WITH PRIDE, WHICH FOCUSES ON PROMOTING TOBACCO CESSATION WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
SO THE HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS ACTIVELY CURRENTLY WORKING TO ENFORCE THE HOUSTON'S NON-SMOKING ORDINANCE.
AND WE'RE HERE TODAY TO SEEK YOUR PARTNERSHIP AND YOUR INSIGHT.
SPECIFICALLY, WE WOULD LIKE TO GET YOUR FEEDBACK ON AREAS WITHIN THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS THAT YOU FEEL LIKE TOBACCO IS MORE PROMINENT,
[00:45:01]
UM, LIKE CERTAIN DEMOGRAPHICS, LOCATIONS, OR WHAT FACTORS THAT YOU FEEL CONTRIBUTE TO THIS PROMINENCE.UM, WE REALLY WOULD LIKE YOUR FEEDBACK IN THE AREA AS FAR AS SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS.
WOULD YOU MIND PUTTING YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION IN CHAT? ABSOLUTELY.
AND, UM, SO THAT PEOPLE KNOW HOW TO REACH YOU.
SO YOUR PHONE NUMBER, EMAIL, HOWEVER YOU WOULD LIKE IS YES.
AND I DO, I DO WANNA PUT OUT THERE OUR GOAL IS NOT JUST TO GET DATA, WE ACTUALLY ARE PUTTING TOGETHER A TOOLKIT, UM, THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO GO OUT INTO TO THE COMMUNITY, UM, THAT IS IN THESE TARGET AREAS AND PROVIDE A TOOLKIT TO DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS IN THAT AREA TO KIND OF COMMUNICATE WITH THOSE PEOPLE.
SO WE WANNA KNOW HOW TO BEST COMMUNICATE WITH THEM AS WELL.
UM, SO WE'RE TRYING TO ENFORCE THIS AND MAKE THE COMMUNITY BETTER.
IF YOU COULD ABSOLUTELY PUT THAT INFORMATION OUT THERE.
UM, AND FOLKS TAKE NOTE OF THAT AND REACH OUT, HELP THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT WITH THIS BECAUSE EVERY DEPARTMENT HELPING TO ENFORCE ORDINANCES THAT ARE SPECIFIC TO THEIR DEPARTMENT HELPS US THE PD, UH, HPD FREE UP TO HANDLE VIOLENT CRIME, WHICH THEY'RE MORE EQUIPPED TO HANDLE THAN WE, THAN YOU ARE.
HEY STACY, YOU HAD A QUICK QUESTION FOR HER.
UM, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT SMOKING, IS IT TOBACCO ONLY OR IS MARIJUANA INCLUDED IN THAT? BECAUSE I FIND GOOD QUESTION, AT LEAST ALONG WASHINGTON AVENUE, THE PRESENCE OF MARIJUANA IS, UH, I, I CAN'T REMEMBER THE LAST TIME I SMELLED, YOU KNOW, JUST A REGULAR CIGARETTE, UH, FROM WALKING DOWN THE STREET OR RIGHT.
YOU KNOW, A HEAVY, YOU KNOW, TOBACCO SMELL.
WE HAVE FOUND THAT MARIJUANA IS VERY PREVALENT AND IT SEEMS TO BE UP AND COMING OVER TOBACCO, BUT OUR FOCUS IS TOBACCO DUE TO THE DANGERS AND HOW IT DOES TARGET CER CERTAIN DEMOGRAPHICS.
UM, SO LIKE VAPING, HOOKAH AND THEN THE CIGARETTE USAGE THAT YOU MIGHT SEE HERE AND THERE, WE'RE TRYING TO GRASP LIKE WHAT AREAS IS IT MORE PROMINENT IN AND MAYBE AGE GROUPS OR DEMOGRAPHICS AND THEN HOW YOU GUYS FEEL WE CAN BEST COMMUNICATE WITH THEM, UM, TO INITIATE THAT TOBACCO CESSATION AND FOR THEM TO STOP.
SO, UM, WE'RE TRYING TO PUT TOGETHER A TOOLKIT.
UM, I THINK YOU ANSWERED BEVERLY'S QUESTION THAT SHE HAD BECAUSE HER HAND WENT DOWN.
UM, DOUG, YOU HAD A QUICK QUESTION.
YOU JUST THREW OUT VAPING AND HOOKAH.
IS THAT CONSIDERED TOBACCO USAGE? UH, THAT SURPRISES ME.
ABSOLUTELY THERE IS TOBACCO IN EACH OF THOSE.
SO, UM, I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT NUMBER, BUT A HOOKAH, SMOKING HOOKAH IS EQUIVALENT TO LIKE A HUNDRED CIGARETTES OR MORE.
WELL THERE ARE A LOT OF HOOKAH LOUNGES AROUND THE CITY.
I WOULD SUGGEST THAT THAT'S WHERE YOU GO TO SPREAD YOUR INFORMATION THEN.
YOU SEE THEM EVERYWHERE, SO, RIGHT.
GREG, YOU HAD A QUICK QUESTION OR COMMENT? YES, I'M SORRY.
ARE YOU TALKING, WHEN YOU SAID ABOUT VAPING HAS TOBACCO IN IT, THAT'S NOT THE CASE.
IT MAY HAVE A LOT OF NICOTINE, BUT THAT'S THE REASON IT DOESN'T HAVE TOBACCO, DOES IT? I'M SORRY, SAY THAT ONE MORE TIME.
YOU SAID THAT VAPING HAS TOBACCO IN IT WHEN IT DOESN'T, BUT IT DOES HAVE NICOTINE, WHICH IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY PEOPLE SWITCH, I THINK, RIGHT? YES.
SO IT DOES HAVE NICOTINE IN IT.
UM, WE KIND OF GROUP IT ALL TOGETHER AS TOBACCO, UM, BECAUSE CIGARETTES ARE THE ONES THAT HAS ALL THE CAR ENGINES AND ALL THE DIFFERENT CHEMICALS THAT ARE THE MOST DEADLIEST.
SO, UM, WE DO PUT THEM ALL UNDER AN UMBRELLA AND WE JUST SAY TOBACCO, WHICH IT IS NOT
AND PEOPLE FEEL FREE TO PUT COMMENTS IN THE CHAT AND WE WILL MAKE SURE THEY GET FORWARDED TO YOU AS WELL, CANDACE.
SO HOPEFULLY YOU WILL GET A LOT OF GOOD INFORMATION FROM PEOPLE.
[00:50:01]
REAL QUICK, LIKE I WANTED TO INTRODUCE, I DIDN'T KNOW IF Y'ALL SAW IN THE, UM, CO IN THE PARTICIPANTS WE HAVE, MANNY GARCIA IS WITH US AND YOU'RE THE EDITOR IN CHIEF OF HOUSTON LANDING, CORRECT? MANNY? UH, THAT I AM.HOW ARE YOU? AND I THINK THIS, YEAH, IF YOU WANNA TAKE A CO JUST A, A QUICK MINUTE OR TWO AND TELL PEOPLE YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT THE HOUSTON LANDING IS.
SO I PUT MY CONTACT INFORMATION IN THERE EARLIER.
YOU'VE GOT MY EMAIL AND MY CELL PHONE AS WELL AS I PUT, UH, I'M GONNA HAVE TO RUN SOON 'CAUSE I ACTUALLY HAVE TO REHEARSE FOR A STORYTELLERS EVENT WE'RE DOING FOR VALENTINE'S DAY, WHERE I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT THE STORY OF MY WIFE AND I AND HOW SHE SAVED MY LIFE.
AND SO IT'LL BE A NICE VALENTINE'S DAY STORY.
I'M THE EDITOR OF THE HOUSTON LANDING, WHICH IS A NONPROFIT NEWSROOM THAT'S FOCUSED ON COVERING HOUSTON.
I'VE BEEN HERE A YEAR, I, WELL, ALMOST A YEAR.
BEFORE THAT, I SPENT THE LAST THREE YEARS AS THE EDITOR IN CHIEF OF THE AUSTIN AMERICAN STATESMAN.
SO I'M, I'M DELIGHTED TO COME HERE.
I WENT AND LOOKED AT AN EMAIL.
I'VE BEEN TRYING TO WORK IN HOUSTON ACTUALLY SINCE 2010.
IT'S AN INCREDIBLE CITY AND HOW THINGS WORKED OUT.
MY WIFE'S FROM HERE AND SHE'S HERE.
SO WE'RE, UH, FINALLY TOGETHER HERE IN HOUSTON WHERE SHE GREW UP HERE AND, UH, LIVED IN WILLOW BEND, WENT TO ST.
VINCENT DE PAUL BEFORE HEADING OFF TO UT AND SHE'S A JOURNALIST TOO.
SO WHAT I'M ASKING FOR, I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU JUST A QUICK CLIFF NOTES VERSION OF, OF OUR ORGANIZATION.
WE, WE HAVE THESE, UH, THESE, THESE PILLARS THAT WE REALLY FOCUS ON THAT HAVE BEEN HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL FOR US.
AND THE NUMBER ONE IS EDUCATION.
OUR EDUCATION COVERAGE IS, I'D SAY IS AS GOOD AS ANYTHING I'VE SEEN ANYWHERE.
OUR FOCUSES ON HISD, THEN WE FOCUS ON AL ALDE A LEAF IN PASADENA.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE SOMETHING VERY UNIQUE THAT WE HAVE COVERAGE THAT IS ACTUALLY FUNDED TO FOCUS ON COMMUNITY COLLEGES.
I'M THE PRODUCT OF A COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
SO WE, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, IT'S THE ECONOMIC ENGINE THAT'S HELPED DRIVE, HELPS DRIVE THE GROWTH IN THE FUTURE, ESPECIALLY FOR FIRST GENERATION STUDENTS, WHICH I ACTUALLY AM TOO.
BEYOND THAT, THE SECOND PILLAR I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU IS REALLY FOCUSED ON GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY, AND THAT'S FOCUSING ON HOW YOU TAX DOLLARS ARE BEING SPENT.
AND WE HAVE VERY STRONG JOURNALISTS COVERING THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND ALSO AS WELL AS, UH, COVERING HARRIS COUNTY POLICE IN THE DA'S OFFICE, BY THE WAY, WITH THE CHIEF WAS MENTIONING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
WE'VE DONE A LOT OF STORIES ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, INCLUDING CREATING A GUIDE FOR RESIDENTS ON JUST KEEPING THEMSELVES OR ANYBODY WHO'S IN FACING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND HOW TO PROTECT THEMSELVES.
SO THE THIRD ONE THAT WE REALLY HAVE HAS REALLY TAKEN OFF FOR US HAS BEEN IMMIGRATION AND THE IMPACT, ESPECIALLY OF RECENT CHANGES ON IMMIGRATION.
LOCALLY, WE HAVE PROBABLY THE BEST IMMIGRATION REPORTER IN THE REGION, ANNA KAT BRITA, WHO'S EXTRAORDINARY.
SO I PACKAGE ALL THAT FOR YOU BECAUSE THE SWEET SPOT FOR US THAT WE'VE SEEN LATELY, WE'RE TRANSLATING ALL THESE STORIES INTO SPANISH, AND THIS ACTUALLY STARTED DURING LAST MAY DERON WITH HURRICANE BURL, WHERE WE'RE TRANSLATING ALL STORIES INTO SPANISH AND MAKING THEM AVAILABLE.
SO THE OTHER THING I'LL TELL YOU, ALL OUR JOURNALISM IS FREE SO YOU DON'T PAY.
SO YOU CAN SEE ON OUR WEBSITE ALL WE'RE DOING BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE DOING IS THIS IS A PUBLIC SERVICE FOR US.
AND THE LAST THING I WANT TO SHARE IS THAT WE'VE HAD A VERY BIG FOCUS SINCE I GOT HERE AS PART OF OUR, WITH OUR CEO IS WE WANT TO HIRE A JOURNALIST WITH A PASSION FOR HOUSTON OR FROM HOUSTON.
AND IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO RECRUIT SOME OF THE BEST TALENT IN THE COUNTRY TO COME BACK HOME AND WORK IN HOUSTON.
SO I JUST WANNA PUT OUT A CALL FOR YOU ALL TO SAY, LISTEN, WE'RE WE'RE HERE TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY, STRENGTHEN THE COMMUNITY, AND UH, HONESTLY, WE WANT YOUR SUPPORT.
AGAIN, WE'RE A NONPROFIT MODEL, SO WE DEPEND ON DONORS AND SUPPORTERS, BUT KNOW THAT THERE'S A DIRECT LINE BETWEEN YOUR INVESTMENT AND YOUR SUPPORTING US TO OUR JOURNALISM.
AND IF YOU'VE GOT ANY QUESTIONS, I DON'T WANNA HOG THIS CALL, BUT, UH, AGAIN, I'M WITH HOUSTON LANDING, I'LL PUT THAT, PLEASE REPEAT THE ORGANIZATION YOU WERE WITH IN ANY CONTACT INFO.
UH, I'LL PUT IT BACK IN THE CHAT THERE, BUT I'D LOVE TO HEAR YOUR IDEAS WE'RE WE MADE IT, MAKE IT A PURPOSE OF HIRING REPORTERS
[00:55:01]
WHO ARE ON THE STREET.YOU CAN'T REPORT FROM THE, UH, FROM THE OFFICE.
YOU GOTTA BE OUT THERE WITH THE PEOPLE, AS WE SAY.
SO, OKAY, UM, MOVING, MOVING INTO OUR BUSINESS SECTION.
UM, OH, I SEE WE HAVE A STATE REPRESENTATIVE.
WOULD YOU MIND, UM, IF WE PUT, GO INTO OUR BUSINESS AND THEN WE'LL GET RIGHT BACK WITH YOU? UM, SO YES, THAT, PARDON? YES, THAT, YES.
UM, OUR FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS FOR OUR BUSINESS PORTION OF THE MEETING IS TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM JANUARY.
WE WERE NOTIFIED OF, UNFORTUNATELY WE MISSPELLED A NAME.
UH, NAOMI, WE APOLOGIZE FOR MISSPELLING YOUR LAST NAME.
WE HAVE CORRECTED NAOMI OFIELD BY REMOVING THE I AND HER LAST NAME, AND ALSO NOTED THAT THE, UM, SYLVIA RIVAS IS THE PRESIDENT OF S AND C NUMBER 36.
SO THOSE CORRECTIONS NEED TO BE, WILL BE MADE TO THE MINUTES THAT WERE SUBMITTED.
DO I HEAR A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? I'LL MAKE THAT MOTION.
I'LL SECOND THAT SECOND BY SHOW OF HANDS.
GOT A SHOW OF HANDS FOR APPROVING PUT CAMERA.
ANY OBJECTIONS TO THE MINUTES? GREG, ARE YOU OBJECTING OR YOU HAVE A COMMENT? OH, I'M OBJECTING BECAUSE HE DIDN'T BRING UP DIRECTION OR ANYTHING.
HE, HE JUST IGNORED IT, IT APPEARS.
SO OF COURSE I'M OBJECTING THE MINUTES, LAUREN.
DO WE HAVE ANY ABSTAIN MINUTES AS CORRECTED FOR NAOMI AND SYLVIA HAVE BEEN APPROVED, UM, WE WANTED TO INTRODUCE THE NOMINEES FOR THE UPCOMING, UH, ELECTION FOR THE SNA OFFICERS.
UM, FIRST I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE PHILIP, FOLLOWED BY LETICIA.
I'VE BEEN NOMINATED TO SERVE IN THE POSITION OF CHAIR OF THE SUPER NEIGHBOR ALLIANCE.
TO PROVIDE YOU WITH A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION ABOUT MYSELF, I'M RETIRED FROM THE US ARMY AS A MAJOR IN THE MEDICAL SERVICE CORPS.
I SERVED A TOTAL OF 24 YEARS IN THE ARMY, NINE ON ACTIVE DUTY ENLISTED IN 15 COMMISSION UPON MY RETIREMENT A YEAR AGO FROM THE HEALTHCARE IT INDUSTRY.
A FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BECOME ONE OF THE FOUNDING MEMBERS OF THE HOUSTON HE SPEED RAIL WATCH WHO MADE A PRESENTATION ABOUT THE DALLAS TO HOUSTON HE SPEED RAIL WATCH, UH, PROJECT TO THE SNA.
AS A RESULT, I RESTARTED THE GREATER INWOOD SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL S AND C FIVE AND REWROTE ITS BYLAWS AND WAS ELECTED THE PRESIDENT CONTINUE IN THAT ROLE.
I WAS APPOINTED AS THE SNA ALTERNATIVE, UH, REPRESENTATIVE TO THE HOUSTON GALVESTON AREA COUNCIL HIGH CAPACITY TRANSIT TASK FORCE.
AND I CONTINUE TO SERVE IN MY 14TH YEAR AND LAST YEAR AS THE VICE PRESIDENT TREASURER OF THE FOREST LAKE TOWNHOUSE ASSOCIATION, I WAS ALSO APPOINTED TO SERVE AS THE SNA REP ON THE HOUSTON PERMITTING CENTER ADVISORY BOARD FOR FOUR YEARS.
I SERVED TWO TERMS AS THE VICE CHAIR OF THE SNA FROM 2020 TO 2022.
AND I ALSO SERVE AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE SNA ON THE HOUSTON COMPLETE STREETS COALITION STEERING COMMITTEE.
AND IN THE PAST TWO YEARS, I'VE SERVED WITH SELECTED TO SERVE ON THE HOUSTON GALVESTON AREA COUNCIL REGIONAL TRANSIT COORDINATION SUBCOMMITTEE.
IF I'M ELECTED TO THE CHAIR OF THE SNA, WORKING WITH THE VICE CHAIR, THE SECRETARY, AND THE PLANNING COMMITTEE, I BELIEVE THAT THE SNA SHOULD CONTINUE TO SATISFY ITS PURPOSE, OBJECTIVES, AND DUTIES AS SPECIFIED IN SECTIONS 33.322 AND 3 2 3 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES, THE ALLIANCES AND ADVISORY BOARD TO THE MAYOR AND CITY GOVERNMENT ON COMMUNITY MATTERS.
AND ITS PURPOSE IS TO PROVIDE A MECHANISM FOR BRINGING TOGETHER THE VOICES OF THE INDIVIDUAL SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCILS.
TO THAT END, I BELIEVE WE NEED TO APPOINT MEMBERS OF THE S AND A TO MONITOR EACH OF THE CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEES AND REPORT BACK TO THE S AND A EACH MONTH.
CURRENT ITEMS UNDER CONSIDERATION BY THE MAYOR AND OR COUNCIL.
THIS WILL ALLOW THE SNA TO READ REVIEW AND FORM A CONSENSUS ON EACH OF THE ITEMS THAT'S DEEMED APPROPRIATE BY THE MEMBERSHIP, AND CONVEY THAT SINGLE VOTE VOICE TO BOTH THE MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL AND TO FULFILL OUR DUTIES UNDER SECTION 33.323.
THE SNA NEEDS TO BEGIN THE EDUCATIONAL PROCESS FOR THE SNCS TO ALLOW THEM TO PREPARE THEIR SNAPS.
[01:00:01]
WE HAVE A LOT TO DO THIS YEAR AS IT'S BEEN SHORTENED DUE TO TIMING ISSUES.SO PLEASE CONSIDER WHICH COUNCIL COMMITTEE YOU WOULD BE INTERESTED IN MONITORING AND REPORTING BACK TO THE SNA.
ALSO, WE WILL BEGIN MENTORING MEMBERS FROM VARIOUS SNCS TO BECOME FUTURE LEADERS OF THE SNA IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
I LOOK FORWARD TO SERVING AS YOUR CHAIR OF THE SNA AND WORKING WITH THE VICE CHAIR, THE SECRETARY, AND THE PLANNING COMMITTEE, AND OF COURSE, ALL THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCILS.
LETICIA, YOU? ARE YOU ON? I KNOW YOU WERE.
WE HAD, WE HAD A COUPLE PEOPLE WHO, WHO DID NEED TO LEAVE, BUT, AND LETICIA, ARE YOU THERE? SHE SHOWS HER MIC IS ON, BUT WE CAN'T, YEAH.
LETICIA, IS YOUR MIC ON? CAN, CAN YOU, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS? I TELL YOU WHAT, WE'RE GONNA ROLL, GO AND DO THE ROLL CALL WHILE LETICIA WORKS AND FIGURES OUT WHY WE CAN'T HEAR HER.
SO AMY, WE'RE GONNA TURN OVER TO YOU TO DO THE ROLL CALL.
SO I'VE GOTTEN MOST OF THE PEOPLE I THINK IN THE CHAT.
I'M GONNA RUN THROUGH, UH, THE LIST OF ACTIVE SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS.
SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD SIX, WHICH I NOTE IS LETICIA, WHO'S HAVING TROUBLE WITH HER MIC.
SO WE WILL COUNT THAT SHE SAID HERE IN THE CHAT.
RUDY CARLISLE, PRESIDENT HERE.
22 AC FAIRCHILD PRESIDENT HERE.
DOUG SMITH, REPRESENTATIVE, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 27.
YEAH, I HAVE HIM LISTED AT ONE POINT.
WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF WORLD CALL.
IF WE COULD COMPLETE THAT, THEN WE'LL CIRCLE BACK.
PRESENT YOU, ME SPELLED SECRETARY.
CINDY CHAPMAN, REPRESENTATIVE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD.
JACKIE MAHORN, VICE PRESIDENT, SUPER NEIGHBOR.
RICK, UH, RICKY CARDENAS, PRESENT HERE.
PRISCILLA, HOW TO GET THAT PRESENT.
KEN ROGERS PRESIDENT, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 68.
[01:05:01]
82.OH, TAMARA HAD TO STEP OUT OFF THE CALL.
BUT SHE WAS HERE AND SUPERBIRD 88 LINDSEY.
SHE WAS ANSWERING QUESTIONS, SO I DON'T KNOW IF SHE JUST DIDN'T HEAR IT, BUT VICKI, UM, WAS HERE FOR 49.
I'M SORRY, I ANSWERED AND I JUST STARTED A MUTE ME BUTTON I ANSWERED FOR 49 AND 50.
I'M GLAD YOU I WAS SPEAKING AND YEAH, THANK YOU.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE BECAUSE OF, WE DID THE ROLL CALL LATE THAT I, IF YOU, THEY PUT THEIR NAMES IN THE CHAT AND I SAW THEM AS PARTICIPATING.
I HAVE THEM RECORDED AS PRESENT EVEN THOUGH I DIDN'T GET A VERBAL RESPONSE.
SO THE MINUTES WILL REFLECT ATTENDANCE THAT WAS HERE BEFORE ROLL CALL HAPPENED.
SO, UM, YEAH, I'VE ALSO GOT SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 45.
KATHY DID EASTERLY, DID THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? AND YOUR HAND WAS UP? I DON'T THINK IT DOES.
I'M IT MAYBE IT DOES, BUT I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE RECORDED.
I I HAVE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 28.
AND, UM, JOANNA, I THINK WE HAVE YOU BECAUSE YOU'RE, YOU WERE LISTED IN THE CHAT.
ALRIGHT, SO WE'VE HAD, UM, A LOT OF INFORMATION
SO THANK YOU FOR, UM, DOING ROLL CALL A LITTLE LATER AND FOR EVERYBODY PUTTING IT IN THE CHAT, IT DOES HELP IMMENSELY.
UM, NOW WE'RE GOING TO GO TO OPEN ANNOUNCEMENTS, AN OPEN FORUM, UH, FOR ANYBODY.
AND WE'RE, I'M JUST GONNA TAKE IT IN ORDER SURE.
SOMEBODY HAD A QUESTION? YEAH, CHERYL, UH, THE VICE PRESIDENT, UH, VA VICE CHAIR CANDIDATE.
DO YOU WANNA GIVE, INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND GIVE US A LITTLE SPIEL? THANK YOU.
KEITH DOESN'T LOOK LIKE SHE SAW.
SO LETICIA, SHE SPOKE EARLIER AND, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S WRONG WITH HER MIC.
SO I, I THINK THAT SHE'S REALLY HAVING SOME, UH, TECHNOLOGY ISSUES.
UM, DID YOU, MORALES SHAW, DID YOU HAVE YOU WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING EARLIER? OKAY, WE'LL GO TO, WE HAVE A HAND UP FROM JUSTICE COTE MCCOLLUM.
I HOPE I PRONOUNCED THAT RIGHT.
MY NAME IS JUSTICE COTE MCCOLLUM.
I'M WITH COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN.
UM, AND I SERVE AS HER PUBLIC AFFAIRS LIAISON.
AND SO THE ONLY UPDATE THAT I HAVE FROM OUR OFFICE IS THAT WE ARE, UM, APPROACHING BUDGET SEASON.
AND SO WE WILL DO, WE, WERE DOING A LOT OF BUDGET WORKSHOPS WITH DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, UM, AND WE ARE AWARE THAT THE DRAINAGE FEE IS A TOPIC OF CONVERSATION THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE SOMEHOW YOU GOT MUTED.
WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO JUST COMPLETELY START OVER? YEAH, WHY DON'T YOU SAY TO DO THAT? 'CAUSE I'M NOT SURE WHEN THE MUTE WENT IN.
SO THE UPDATE THAT WE HAVE FROM OUR OFFICE IS WE ARE APPROACHING BUDGET SEASON WHEN WE BEGIN TO, UM, HOST A LOT OF OUR BUDGET WORKSHOPS WITH DIFFERENT CITY DEPARTMENTS.
AND SO ONE THING THAT WE ARE FOCUSING ON THIS BUDGET SEASON IS THE, UM, DRAINAGE FEED, WHICH COVERS BOTH STREET AND DRAINAGE PROJECTS.
UH, SO GOSH, IT SEEMS LIKE BUDGET SEASON IS ROLLED AROUND REALLY QUICKLY,
VICTORIA ILLA, YOU, YOU HAD YOUR HAND UP.
HI, HOW ARE Y'ALL? UM, MY NAME'S VICTORIA CALVIO.
I'M WITH THE OFFICE OF COMMISSIONER LESLIE BRIANNE.
I HAVE JUST A FEW ANNOUNCEMENTS.
UM, WE WILL BE, UM, HAVING A BLACK HISTORY MONTH LUNCHEON
[01:10:01]
ON FEBRUARY 27TH AT HIGHER DIMENSIONS CHURCH FROM 11:00 AM TO 1:00 PM RSVP IS REQUIRED.UM, ANOTHER ONE, UM, WE ARE GOING TO BE STARTING OUR TOWN HALLS FOR THE 2025 YEAR.
THE FIRST ONE WILL BE AT BURNETT BAINS, UM, MARCH 29TH FROM 10:00 AM TO 12:00 PM ALSO, I'D ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER.
WE HAVE SOME REALLY GREAT EVENTS COMING UP THIS WEEKEND.
WE'RE GONNA BE DOING A TREE PLANTING, SO IF ANY OF Y'ALL WANNA PLAN IT FOR THE PLANET, UM, FEEL FREE.
I'LL GO AHEAD AND PUT THE, UM, THE, UH, FLYER IN THE CHAT.
UM, BUT YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I HAVE RIGHT NOW.
AND, UM, WE HAVE, UH, AND THE, THE INFORMATION IS IN THE CHAT AS WELL, MY NAME AND THEN, UM, MY MANAGER, AUSTIN DAVIS RUIZ, WHO'S ON THE CALL RIGHT NOW.
WE APPRECIATE YOU GETTING THAT INFORMATION INTO THE CHAT FOR US.
UM, WE ARE, SO I'VE BEEN WORKING REALLY CLOSELY WITH, UH, RICKY CARDENAS AND PRISCILLA ARGUETA TO GET, UM, TO REALLY CULTIVATE A, AN ENVIRONMENT, A CLEAN, SAFE, HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT FOR PEOPLE AND PETS IN THE EAST END.
AND SO WE ARE DOING A FEW THINGS.
ONE IS THAT WE'RE HOLDING A JOINT SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD TOWN HALL TO DISCUSS THE POLK STREET NOTICE TO ABANDON, UH, THAT EVERYBODY HAS SEEN AND THE COMMUNITY IS REALLY UPSET.
SO WE'RE HOSTING THAT IN CONJUNCTION WITH DISTRICT I THAT'S GONNA BE ON FEBRUARY 17TH AT THE CAPE CENTER ON 45 0 1 LELAND STREET.
SO IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN JOINING, UM, YOU'RE WELCOME TO FOLLOW OUR SOCIAL MEDIA.
WE'RE GONNA BE POSTING MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT.
AND ALSO WE'RE GONNA BE HOLDING A JOINT SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING WITH RESIDENTS TO SHARE, UPDATE AND RESOURCES, UH, FOR THE COMMUNITY ON MARCH 22ND AT THE MAGNOLIA MULTI-SERVICE CENTER.
I DON'T LIKE LOOKING AT MYSELF, SO I'M LIKE, OH.
I'M THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT DIRECTOR FOR COUNCIL MEMBER TWILA CARTER AT LARGE POSITION THREE.
UM, I'M VERY EXCITED TO BE HERE.
I KNOW A LOT OF YOU AND ESPECIALLY, UM, SOME OF YOU THAT I'VE, UH, VISITED QUITE A FEW TIMES.
UM, WE ARE, UH, ALWAYS HERE FOR YOU, SO ANYTIME YOU WANT TO EMAIL OR CALL US, PLEASE DO SO.
THE COUNCIL MEMBER IS VERY, UM, SHE'S ROLLING OUT A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INITIATIVE, WHICH SHE DID ANNOUNCE WITH THE MAYOR EARLIER SO THAT YOU'LL, UH, TAKE NOTE TO BE ABLE TO SEE THAT IN THE FUTURE.
AND I ENCOURAGE YOU TO SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER AS WELL AS EVERYONE ELSE.
THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION IN ALL OF THE NEWSLETTERS AS WELL AS, UH, EVENTS AND DIFFERENT THINGS THAT EACH COUNCIL MEMBER IS DOING.
SO, UM, IF YOU NEED ME, JUST, UM, JUST REACH OUT AND IT'S A PLEASURE BEING HERE.
WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE, THERESA, YOUR NEXT SURE.
UH, THERESA HOST CITY PLANNING OFFICE.
IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO BE HERE AND LISTENING TO WHAT THE COMMUNITY CONCERNS ARE THROUGH THE SUPER NEIGHBORS AND WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE HAVE A NEW DEPUTY DIRECTOR, UH, ROBERT WILLIAMSON START WITH US EARLIER THIS MONTH.
HE COMES FROM A REAL ESTATE BACKGROUND, UH, WITH MIDWAY EARLIER AND I DROPPED HIS RESUME, HIS, UH, BACKGROUND INTO THE CHAT IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN MORE DETAILS, BUT WE WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW ABOUT OUR NEW SECOND IN COMMAND PERSON.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER UPDATES? ANYBODY WANNA TELL US WHAT'S GOING ON IN YOUR NECK OF THE WOODS IN THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD AREA? AND WHILE Y'ALL ARE THINKING ABOUT THAT, I'M GOING TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL THE CITY AND COUNTY PEOPLE WHO CAME TOGETHER LAST THIS PAST SATURDAY TO HELP US CELEBRATE THE OPENING OF THE CAR FROM MEMORIAL BRIDGE.
IT WAS A LOT OF FUN AND IT'S GREAT TO HAVE THAT NEW PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE OPEN.
YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO NOTIFY EVERYBODY WHO'S PARTICULARLY THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN ON THE SUPER NEIGHBOR ALLIANCE FOR A LONG TIME.
UH, YOU PROBABLY KNOW BARBARA QUATRO, WHO IS IN SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD.
SHE'S PRESIDENT OF SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 25, OF WHICH I AM THE TREASURER, AND SHE IS UNDERGOING SOME PRETTY SERIOUS HEALTH CONCERNS.
AND IF YOU KNOW HER, YOU MIGHT WANT TO REACH OUT TO HER AND, UH, SEE HOW SHE'S DOING.
HER EMAIL ADDRESS IS BARBARA QUATRO@SBCGLOBAL.NET.
THANK YOU FOR THAT INFORMATION.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO, TO GAUGE HOW THE SUPER, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE FELT ABOUT THE MAYOR'S COMMENTS TOWARDS ENDING HOMELESSNESS AND
[01:15:01]
UM, I THINK HE MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT A CITYWIDE CIVILITY ORDINANCE, AND I'M WONDERING IF, IF THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE HAS ANY THOUGHTS ON THIS TOPIC? GOOD QUESTION.ANYBODY CARE TO CHIME IN AND CHAT WITH HER ABOUT THIS? UM, GREG, YOUR HANDS UP.
I'VE HEARD A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT, BUT I'M NOT AS NOT KNOWLEDGEABLE, BUT IS, THERE'S ALREADY A STATEWIDE, UH, LAW THAT SAYS YOU CANNOT CAMP ON PUBLIC PROPERTY, AND I THINK THE MAYOR IS JUST EXTENDING THAT OR TALKING ABOUT THAT IS JUST A PART OF THAT.
IS THAT YOUR UNDERSTANDING? RIGHT.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT HE WANTS TO EXPAND IT CITYWIDE TO CRIMINALIZE, UH, OUTDOOR SLEEPING.
AND THERE WAS MENTION ABOUT TAKING FUNDS FROM SEVERAL DIFFERENT AREAS INCLUDING METRO FOR THIS PURPOSE.
WELL, ISN'T IT ALREADY CRIMINALIZED BY UNDER STATE LAW? I'M NOT SURE.
UM, BUT THIS IS, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A CITY ORDINANCE, SO I'M NOT SURE, UM, HOW OUR NEIGHBORS FEEL ABOUT IT SINCE IT WOULD AFFECT ALL NEIGHBORHOODS, NOT JUST, UM, THE FEW THAT ALREADY HAVE A CIVILITY ORDINANCE AND USUALLY, UM, A CIVILITY ORDINANCE IS PETITIONED BY A SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO JUST INTERESTED IN SEEING HOW EVERYONE FELT ABOUT IT.
WELL, I'M SORRY YOU WENT THROUGH THAT, GREG.
UM, ARE YOU, ARE YOU ALL RIGHT NOW? YEAH.
I MEAN, THANKFULLY THE ASSAULT WASN'T TOO BAD AND I WAS ABLE TO DUCK A LITTLE BIT BETTER NOT TAKE THE FULL BLOWS
CAN CAN WE GET BACK TO THE JOANNA HAND? YEAH.
JOTA, YOU HAD A QUESTION? UH, UH, NOT SO MUCH A QUESTION.
UM, I DID NOT, I'M GONNA BE HONEST, I DID NOT HEAR WHATEVER THE MAYOR SAID, UH, REGARDING HOMELESSNESS AND IF HE'S, UM, UH, PRETTY MUCH, UH, SAYING THAT HE WANTS TO MAKE SURE IT'S ILLEGAL FOR THE HOMELESS TO SLEEP IN PUBLIC AREAS AND HE WANTS TO EXTEND IT, WHATEVER, I, I WOULD, AND HE'S PULLING FUNDS FROM WHEREVER DIRECTION HE'S PULLING THEM.
I, I PERSONALLY, UM, UH, WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME EFFORT BEING MADE TO, UH, TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF BEDS, UH, AT THE HOMELESS TYPE OF FACILITIES BECAUSE WHAT I HAVE, UH, EXPERIENCED AND I CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE OF PEOPLE WHO, UH, THERE'S NO REALLY REAL EFFORT IN PREVENTION OF HOMELESSNESS.
SO I'D LIKE TO SEE THOSE THAT ARE BEING EVICTED OR THOSE WHO HAVE NO PLACE TO GO, WE RARELY EVER ARE ABLE TO FIND THEM A PLACE TO GO BECAUSE EVERY FACILITY IS FILLED TO THE RIM.
SO I JUST HAVE TO PONDER IF THERE'S NO OTHER PLACE FOR THEM TO GO, 'CAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH BEDS OR ENOUGH PLACES FOR MOTHERS AND CHILDREN OR ENOUGH PLACES FOR MEN OR WHATEVER, THEN WHERE EXACTLY ARE THEY GONNA BE? SO I, I WOULD LIKE AN EFFORT BEING MADE TOWARDS THE PREVENTION OF HOMELESSNESS, OR BETTER YET, LET'S INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PLACES FOR THEM TO GO.
I THINK SOMEONE MENTIONED THAT YOU MENTIONED GREG, THAT NO, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT HOMELESS CAT, I'M SORRY.
UM, BUT SOMETIMES PEOPLE GET INTO CIRCUMSTANCES AND THEY HAVE NO PLACE TO GO.
WE NEED MORE BIDDING OR MORE PLACES.
AND I WISH THE MAYOR WOULD, OKAY, I'M GOING TO INTERJECT HERE NOW BECAUSE WE COULD SPEND OUR, WE COULD SPEND HOURS TALKING ABOUT THE HOMELESS SITUATION AND THE COMMENT'S BEEN MADE ABOUT, UM, WHAT IS THE MAYOR SAID AND NOT SAID.
I'M PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE MAYOR HAS AGREED TO ATTEND OUR MARCH MEETING.
AND SO THESE, WHEN WE, UM, GIVE HIM SOME I SUGGESTIONS ABOUT CONCERNS, WE WILL DEFINITELY BRING THIS, UH, TO HIS ATTENTION THAT IT'S A, UM, A CONCERN.
JOANNA, SO, AND EVERYBODY THANK YOU, HE WILL BE AT THE MARCH MEETING, SO, UH, KIND OF GATHER YOUR QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS THAT YOU WOULD HAVE IN, IN ANTICIPATION OF Q AND A AT THAT TIME.
UM, I SEE THERE'S SOME OTHER, SOME CHAT GOING ON IN THAT Y'ALL ARE WELCOME TO CONTINUE TO CHAT, BUT I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW ABOUT THAT.
[01:20:01]
OF THE MARCH MEETING, UM, WE WILL BE HAVING THE OFFICER ELECTIONS AT THAT POINT.WE'VE, WE'VE ANNOUNCED THE SLATE LAST MONTH.
WE HAD A CHANCE FOR THE PEOPLE ON THE SLATE TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES AND FOR YOU TO HEAR FROM 'EM.
AND ALTHOUGH LETICIA HAD SOME ISSUES AND HAD TO GET OUT OF, OFF THE CALL 'CAUSE OF TECHNICAL ISSUES, SHE DID SPEAK AND HAD SOME QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS EARLIER IN THE MEETING.
UM, AND THE MAYOR WILL BE COMING AT THE MARCH MEETING, SO KEEP THAT IN MIND.
UM, AND IT WILL BE ON MONDAY, THE MARCH THE 10TH.
UH, IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO HAS ANYTHING THEY'D LIKE TO SAY? UH, YES.
THIS IS, OH, WERE WE RAISING? OKAY, THIS IS, YEAH, GO AHEAD AGAIN.
UH, WE HAD A VERY SUCCESSFUL, UH, COMMUNITY CLEANUP ON, UH, FEBRUARY 8TH.
WE PARTNERED WITH THE DISTRICT B HOT TEAM, UH, NAC, WHICH IS A, UH, NORTHEAST ACTION COLLECTIVE.
AND UH, WE HAD COMMUNITIES LIKE CLAREMONT PLACE, DENVER HARBOR, MESA LAKE FOREST, AND TRINITY HOUSTON GARDEN.
UH, WE HAD A VERY SUCCESSFUL CLEANUP.
WE WERE DOING A DRAINAGE CLEANUP, TAKING AWAY VEGETATION AND THINGS BECAUSE WE ALWAYS FLOOD AND WE WERE TRYING TO DO OUR PART WHERE THE CITY HAS DONE LACK OF MAINTENANCE.
WE ROLLED UP OUR SLEEVES AND TRIED TO HELP OURSELVES OVER.
I, UM, THAT SOUNDS, WELL Y'ALL ARE VERY ACTIVE OUT THERE.
I ALSO WANTED TO REAL QUICK, LIKE, UH, KEITH, UM, YOU'LL BE UP NEXT.
VICKI'S SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD HAS PUT IN A REQUEST FOR THE, UM, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE TO LOOK INTO, UM, SOMETHING RELATED TO SHEET METAL FENCING.
AND THAT WILL BE BROUGHT UP AT THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, VICKY, AND WE WILL TAKE THAT UNDER CONSIDERATION AND BRING IT TO THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE.
THEY TOLD US THAT TO GET THE ORDINANCE CHANGES, WE TAKE 'EM THROUGH THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE WILL, WE WILL ADDRESS IT AND BRING IT TO THE, UM, ALLIANCE AS A WHOLE.
I WANT TO THANK THE HOUSTON, UH, PUBLIC LIBRARY THIS PAST SATURDAY AT THE MCCAIN CASHMERE LIBRARY.
UH, THERE WAS A HEALTH FAIR AND YOU HAD, UH, THE DIFFERENT, UH, HOSPITAL, UM, REPRESENTATIVES THERE FROM MD ANDERSON, UH, AGENCY, A AGENCY FOR THE AGING.
UH, YOU HAD OTHERS THERE LIKE, UH, MEMORIAL HERMAN, UH, IT WAS WELL ATTENDED AND I JUST WANT TO THANK THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY FOR HOSTING A HEALTH FAIR.
AND UM, AND TOMORROW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A BLACK HISTORY MONTH, A READING, UH, IN THE MORNING, UH, FROM BLACK AUTHORS, UH, AND WE HAVE PEOPLE OF ALL AGES ARE GONNA READ TO THE CHILDREN IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND RIGHT IN LINE WITH THAT, UM, SANDRA CORTES FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS HAS PUT INTO CHAT A LINK TO THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY AND ALL OF THEIR BLACK HISTORY MONTH EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES.
SO IT'S A PERFECT TIE INTO THAT.
DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE INFORMATION THEY'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH THE BODY AS A WHOLE? THIS IS STACY.
UM, WASHINGTON AVENUE CONTINUES TO HAVE, UM, QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES.
EVERYTHING FROM LOUD NOISE TO VIOLENT CRIME, UH, SOMETHING I'LL TAKE UP WITH, YOU KNOW, THE CHIEF OFFLINE, BUT ALSO JUST A SUGGESTION FOR THE ALLIANCE.
TXDOT HAS A NUMBER OF PROJECTS THAT ARE AFFECTING ALL OF HOUSTON, PARTICULARLY ON OUR FREEWAYS.
AND UH, MOST RECENTLY THEY JUST STARTED THE, UH, RECONSTRUCTION OF THE INNER KATY, UH, BETWEEN HEIGHTS AND 45 ON I 10.
THERE'S OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, THE 45 PROJECT, WHICH THE N-H-H-I-P, UH, THERE'S THE NORTH CANAL PROJECT, UM, HERE, JUST THIS IN THE PAST COUPLE OF DAYS WE'VE HAD TWO ISSUES WITH BRIDGES THAT HAVE, THAT HAVE CUT OFF THE BIKE PATHS OVER HERE.
UM, THOSE ARE JUST A FEW EXAMPLES.
THE QUESTION I HAVE FOR THE S AND A LEADERSHIP IS, WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE FOR YOU ALL TO DO OUTREACH TO TECH DOTS AND HAVE THEM COME PRESENT TO THE S AND A ALL OF THE PROJECTS THAT THEY'RE WORKING ON,
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WHAT THEIR PROCESS IS FOR KEEPING IN TOUCH WITH THEM BEYOND JUST AN 800 NUMBER OR A, YOU KNOW, A CATCHALL EMAIL.UM, ARE THERE INDIVIDUALS WITHIN, UM, EACH OF THESE PROJECTS THAT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR DOING OUTREACH AND DEVELOPING RELATIONSHIPS WITH, UH, THE COMMUNITIES IN WHICH THEY ARE RECONSTRUCTING OR CONSTRUCTING? UM, SO ANYWAY, IT'S JUST AN ASK THAT I HAVE BECAUSE I THINK WE'RE ALL AFFECTED, UM, YOU KNOW, BY THE WORK THAT'S TEXT THAT TDOT IS DOING, UH, WHETHER YOU SEE IT GOOD OR BAD, YOU KNOW, UM, YOU KNOW, I WOULD, THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.
I JUST THINK IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA FOR US TO DEVELOP THAT RELATIONSHIP AS A BODY AND ALSO IT WOULD HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE, UM, TO THE THINGS THAT THEY HAVE SAID THAT THEY WERE GOING TO DO.
UM, UM, I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA, STACY.
WE'LL PUT IT ON THE, UM, OKAY.
THANK YOU ON THE, UM, COMMITTEE, THE PLANNING COMMITTEE ABOUT DOING IT.
AND, AND FOLKS, WE NEED SUGGESTIONS LIKE THAT.
WHAT DO Y'ALL WANT TO HEAR THAT WILL HELP, UH, PHILLIP AND LETICIA AND THE REST OF THE PLANNING TEAM? UM, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE SUGGESTIONS LIKE THAT, PLEASE LET US KNOW.
DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANYTHING THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SAY? THERE'S BEEN SOME GREAT INFORMATION IN CHAT, UM, AND I'M LOOKING AT THE TIME AND IT'S 7 56, SO I THINK WE'VE, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF INFORMATION AND EXCHANGE TONIGHT, SO IF THERE'S NOBODY ELSE THAT'S GOT SOMETHING THAT, OH, CHERYL.
UH, ALSO, UH, WE, BECAUSE WE DID THE CLEANUP, WE REALLY, REALLY, AT EVERY MEETING WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY, WE ASKED THE HPD BRING BACK THE ENFORCEMENT OF LITTERING THAT WOULD BE SOME RESOURCES FOR THE CITY AS WELL AS IT, IT WOULD CUT DOWN ON THE LITTERING, WHICH LEADS TO ILLEGAL DUMPING AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO WE WANT THE CITY POLICE TO EN ENFORCE, LITTERING, BRING IT BACK.
IT'S ALWAYS ON THE BOOKS, BUT START ENFORCING IT OVER.
YOU MIGHT WANT TO REACH OUT TO, UM, ASSISTANT CHIEF JAMES FRIGHT.
I WILL THANK YOU AND BRING THAT TO HIS ATTENTION TOO, VICKI, BUT WE DEFINITELY, IT'S A GOOD POINT AND I SUGGEST YOU REACH OUT TO HIM DIRECTLY.
I'M, I'M STILL HERE, SO I PUT MY EMAIL ADDRESS IN THE CHAT IF YOU COULD JUST SEND THAT INFORMATION TO ME.
I'VE ALREADY PINNED IT AND ABOUT TO SEND, SEND IT.
WELL IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, UM, IT'S 7 57.
I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER HANDS UP, SO I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT.
CHERYL, CHAIR I MOTION TO ADJOURN.
SO KATHY, WE HAVE, WE HAVE DOUG, UH, I I THINK EVERYBODY WOULD SAY AYE
I'D LIKE TO HAVE EVERY WISH EVERYBODY A VERY HAPPY REST OF THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY.
DON'T FORGET YOUR SWEETIE ON THE 14TH AND HAVE A HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY.