[Economic Development Committee on March 19, 2025.]
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25.IT IS 2:00 PM I'M MAYOR PRO TIM.
MARTHA CASTEX TATUM, CHAIR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE, AND I LIKE TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
DO WANT TO WELCOME COUNCIL MEMBERS AND STAFF AND ALL OF OUR GUESTS THAT ARE IN ATTENDANCE TODAY.
UM, THIS MEETING IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND HAS BEEN HELD IN PERSON AND VIRTUALLY, UM, I SEE IN CHAMBERS TODAY.
WE DO HAVE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ WITH US.
I KNOW COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS IS HERE.
UM, WE DO HAVE SOME STAFF ONLINE.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER PLUM IS ONLINE COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER IS ONLINE.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIE DAVIS HAS JOINED US IN THE CHAMBER.
WE HAVE STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN'S OFFICE COUNCIL MEMBER, MARIANNE'S HUFFMAN'S OFFICE AS WELL.
SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.
THERE ARE 49 MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK TODAY.
UM, TWO OF THOSE WILL BE ON THE TS, UM, TOPIC, AND THE REMAINING SPEAKERS WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT OUR CITY OF HOUSTON DISPARITY, UM, STUDY RECOMMENDATION.
SO IF THERE ARE ANY ADDITIONAL SPEAKERS THAT DID NOT SIGN UP, UM, PREVIOUSLY, AND YOU'D LIKE TO SIGN UP TO SPEAK TODAY, THERE IS A SIGNUP SHEET AT THE FRONT TABLE ON YOUR RIGHT.
UM, AND BRADEN, WHO IS A PHENOMENAL INTERN IN OUR DISTRICT K OFFICE, CAN HELP MAKE SURE YOU GET, UH, SIGNED UP TO SPEAK TODAY.
UM, YOU WILL HAVE A CHANCE TO SPEAK AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE PRESENTATIONS.
WE DO HAVE A ROBUST AGENDA, SO I'M GOING TO ASK DIRECTOR TILLSON BELL IF SHE WOULD GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.
AND SHE WILL BE PRESENTING ON AN OVERVIEW OF THE TAX INCREMENT REINVESTMENT ZONE PROGRAM.
CHIEF BELL, WE ARE READY TO HEAR FROM YOU.
IS IT POSSIBLE JUST TO RAISE THE PODIUM A LITTLE BIT? SURE.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR PRO TEM AND COUNCIL.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ABOUT THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S TAX INCREMENT REINVESTMENT PROGRAM.
UM, THE TOURIST PROGRAM IS ONE OF EIGHT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS THAT MY OFFICE ADMINISTERS AND MANAGES.
UM, IT, BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF APPROPRIATIONS THAT ARE MADE ANNUAL, IT'S PROBABLY THE MOST SUBSTANTIAL OF THE PROGRAMS BECAUSE OF THE LARGE GEOGRAPHIC AREA THAT CHURCHES ARE LOCATED.
IT'S PROBABLY THE MOST IMPACTFUL, AND I THINK UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S PROBABLY THE MOST, UH, MISREPRESENTED.
SO THE INTENT OF THIS PRESENTATION IS REALLY TO KIND OF PROVIDE, UH, EDUCATION AND INFORMATION TO COUNCIL AS WELL AS TO THE PUBLIC SO THAT THERE'S JUST A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THIS PROGRAM WORKS.
SOMETIMES THERE'S AN EFFORT TO LOOK AT IT FROM A SINGULAR OR A SIMPLISTIC LENS, AND I THINK IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT TO DO THAT WITH ALL OF THE INFLUENCES AND FACTORS.
SO, WITH THAT, I'M GONNA, AND I KNOW THAT WE HAVE, UH, A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
I'M GONNA GO THROUGH THIS RELATIVELY QUICKLY, BUT, UH, OF COURSE, ANY COUNCIL MEMBER WHO WISHES TO DELVE INTO IT A LITTLE BIT MORE DEEPLY, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO ME IN MY OFFICE.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ, I'M ALREADY REACHING OUT TO YOUR OFFICE.
SO, JUST A GENERAL PRESENTATION OUTLINED.
UM, WE'RE GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE TURS, UH, SORT OF THE DEFINITION OF THE TURS GO THROUGH AND SOME OF THE CRITERIA.
UM, AND THEN THE, WE WILL END THE PRESENTATION WITH JUST A LITTLE BIT OF A CONVERSATION, UH, ABOUT SOME CLARIFICATIONS TO THE BAKER INSTITUTE STUDY.
SO LET'S JUST KIND OF GO INTO THE DEFINITION OF A TOURS NEXT SLIDE.
UM, SOTS STANDS FOR TAX INCREMENT REINVESTMENT ZONE.
AND WHAT I HAVE HERE IS JUST SORT OF, UM, AN ASSOCIATION OF EACH OF THESE ITEMS. SO, TAX INCREMENT REALLY MEANS PRIVATE INVESTMENT REINVESTMENT MEANS THAT IT'S BEING REINVESTED WITHIN, AND THE ZONE IS A SPECIFIC GEOGRAPHY THAT COMPRISES THE ZONE.
UM, THE PRIVATE INVESTMENT IS SUCH A CRITICAL COMPONENT OF A TURS.
A TURS CREATED WITHOUT PRIVATE INVESTMENT REALLY DOESN'T HAVE A REVENUE SOURCE, SO THAT OFTEN GETS OVERLOOKED IN A LOT OF THE COMMUNICATIONS THAT I'VE READ.
INVESTMENT IS REALLY CRITICAL TO THE SUCCESS OF A TOURS NEXT SLIDE.
SO, JUST THE WAY THE TOURS WORKS.
UM, SO THE DARK BLUE LINE REPRESENTS THE PROPERTY VALUE WHEN A TOURS IS CREATED.
THE MIDDLE BLUE, UH, OR THE MEDIUM BLUE IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN INVESTMENT COMES INTO AN AREA AND PROPERTY TAX VALUE INCREASES, AND THEREBY PROPERTY TAX REVENUE INCREASES DURING THE LIFE OF THE TURS, WHICH IS THE BOX.
UM, YOU, YOU, THE EXPECTATION IS THAT THERE WOULD BE A GRADUAL AND CONTINUAL INCREASE IN PROPERTY TAX REVENUE, AND THAT THE TIME THE TURS IS TERMINATED, OR WHEN THE TURS IS DISSOLVED, THE PROPERTY TAXES THEN GOES BACK TO THE CITY THROUGH THE GENERAL FUND.
EVERYTHING THAT WE DO REGARDING THE TUR IS GOVERNED BY STATE STATUTE CHAPTER THREE, UH,
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TEXAS TAX CODE CHAPTER THREE 11.UM, ALL OF THE WORK THAT WE DO HAS TO BE VETTED BY THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT.
UM, EVERYTHING FROM WHAT IS THE PROCEDURE FOR CREATING A TOURS, THE DESIGNATION OF THE BOARD MEMBERS WHO GETS TO DESIGNATE BOARD MEMBERS, UM, AS WELL AS CONTIGUOUS VERSUS NON-CONTIGUOUS.
SO EVERYTHING THAT'S BROUGHT BEFORE COUNCIL, THE REQUIREMENT FOR BUDGETS THAT IS GOVERNED UNDER CHAPTER THREE 11.
NOTHING THAT WE DO, UM, IS OUTSIDE OF THE PARAMETERS OF THIS STATE STATUTE.
TUR CREATION, UH, CRITERIA AND LIMITATIONS.
LEMME JUST SPEND A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT THE CRITERIA FOR CREATING A TURS NEXT SLIDE.
THERE'S OFTENTIMES, UM, THE, THE REFERENCE THAT'S OFTEN MADE WHEN A T IS CREATED IS THAT THERE HAS TO BE SOME KIND OF PRESENCE OF, UM, SUBSTANDARD STRUCTURES, SLUM DETERIORATION, BLIGHT, THAT IS NOT INACCURATE.
THE, THE, BUT THE, BUT MORE ACCURATE IS THAT THAT IS NOT THE ONLY CRITERIA THAT, UM, STATUTE ALLOWS FORT TO BE CREATED.
WHAT I'VE DONE IS JUST SUMMARIZED FIVE OF THE, UM, UNDER THE SUBSTANTIAL ARREST, THERE ARE FIVE CONDITIONS, BUT THERE ARE MORE CONDITIONS THAN FIVE.
I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO HIGHLIGHT THESE FIVE.
UM, SO YES, WE KNOW THAT IF IT'S AN AREA SUBSTANTIALLY, UH, SLUM OR BLIGHTED, THAT'S ONE CRITERIA.
ALSO, INADEQUATE OR DEFECTIVE SIDEWALKS OR PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS ALSO IS A CONDITION FOR CREATING A TURS, UM, UNSANITARY UNSAFE CONDITIONS.
HOWEVER, MUNICIPALITY DEFINES THAT AS LONG AS IT CAN MEET THIS LITUS TEST AS A CRITERIA.
AND I WANNA JUMP TO THE BOTTOM BECAUSE WE OFTEN HEAR ABOUT CERTAIN TURS THAT DOES NOT HAVE BLIGHT, NEVER HAD BLIGHT, THEREFORE, WAS CREATED.
THE STATUTE INDEPENDENT OF THE FIRST SECTION, WHICH SAYS SUBSTANTIALLY ARRESTS, A TUR THAT IS PETITIONED BY 50% OF THE PROPERTY VALUE BY PROPERTY OWNERS WITHIN A ZONE, UM, MAY ALLOW FOR THE CREATION OF A TOURISM.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT S LIKE UPTOWN AND MIDTOWN, THEY ARE PETITIONED S WHICH MEAN THAT THEY WERE PETITIONED BY THE CITY FOR CREATION, AND IT'S INDEPENDENT OF WHETHER OR NOT THERE WAS PRESENCE OF DETERIORATION OR SLUM.
BUT I CAN TELL YOU IN THE CASE OF MIDTOWN IN THE 1990S, IT WAS A VERY DETERIORATED, BLIGHTED, ABANDONED COMMUNITY.
SO WHILE SLUM DETERIORATION DOESN'T HAVE TO BE PRESENT IN PETITION, IN SOME CASES, THEY'RE BOTH CONDITIONS THAT ARE PRESENT.
SO A FEW MORE, UM, RESTRICTIONS FOR THE CREATION.
UM, THERE COULD ONLY BE 30% OR LESS OF RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY, RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES DEFINED AS FIVE OR, UM, FOUR OR FEWER NUMBER OF RESIDENTIAL UNITS.
UM, THAT'S CONSIDERED RESIDENTIAL.
AND SOMETIMES WHEN YOU SEE A GEOGRAPHY OF AURS, IT MAY LOOK A LITTLE BIT GERRYMANDERED, BUT THAT'S BECAUSE WE HAVE TO FOLLOW THE STATE STATUTE.
AND OFTENTIMES BECAUSE WE ARE NOT A ZONE CITY, OFTENTIMES THERE IS RESIDENTIAL THAT'S SORT OF INTEGRATED AND EMBEDDED WITHIN COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES.
AND SO WE HAVE TO DRAW THE LINE IN SUCH A WAY THAT WE ARE NOT, UM, BUTTING UP TO THAT 30% RESIDENTIAL.
ANOTHER IS THAT FOR THE PETITION TOURS, UM, THERE IS A REQUIREMENT BY STATE STATUTE THAT ONE THIRD OF THE REVENUE GENERATED WITHIN THAT TOUR BOUNDARY HAS TO BE USED FOR THE PROVISION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UM, HOW THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING HAPPENS WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON VARIES DEPENDING ON THE TOURS, BUT THERE HAS TO BE, UH, AN ALLOCATION.
AND, AND THOSE FUNDS CAN ONLY BE USED, UM, FOR SPECIFIC AFFORDABLE HOUSING INITIATIVES.
THE OTHER IS NOT MORE THAN 25% OF THE CITY'S TAXABLE VALUE, PLUS THE VALUE CONTAINED WITHIN INDUSTRIAL DISTRICTS CAN BE CONTAINED WITHIN OUR AGGREGATED OR COLLECTIVE TOUR BOUNDARIES.
SO WE ARE ALWAYS UP AGAINST A 25% CAB.
WE'RE PRETTY CLOSE TO THAT CAP DOWN.
UM, WE'RE PROBABLY AT AROUND 23%, UM, WHICH MEANS WE HAVE A VERY AGGRESSIVE, UM, ALMOST FULLY MAXIMIZED TOURIST PROGRAM.
UM, BUT WE HAVE TO STICK WITHIN THAT CAP REQUIREMENT.
UM, THE OTHER ALLOWANCE THAT THE STATE HAS MADE, WHICH IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, IS THAT IT ALSO NOW ALLOWS FOR NON-CONTIGUOUS TOURISM.
HISTORICALLY, TS HAD TO BE CONTIGUOUS, MEANS JUST, WHICH MEANS THAT IT HAD TO CONTAIN A, UM, CONSENSUAL, LIKE A, UM, UH, CONTINUOUS, CONTINUOUS, UM, BOUNDARY.
UM, AND IT HAD TO CONNECT NON-CONTIGUOUS SIMPLY MEANS THAT THERE COULD BE DISCONNECTED PARCELS OF LAND, UM, AS LONG AS THERE'S A NEXUS THAT SHOWS AND DEMONSTRATES WHY THERE'S A REASONS TO ANNEX A NON-CONTIGUOUS PART OF THE CITY.
TUR 24 IS PROBABLY THE LARGEST NON-CONTIGUOUS TUR, WHICH MEANS THE NORTHERN SECTOR OF TOURISTS.
24 IS IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA, THE SOUTHERN SECTOR OF TOUR 24 IS NEAR NRG IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE CITY.
SO LET ME JUST HIGHLIGHT A FEW ITEMS ABOUT THE CITY'S, UH, TOUR PROGRAM.
SO, I MENTIONED THAT WE ARE GOVERNED BY, UH, TEXAS TAX CODE CHAPTER THREE 11.
WE ARE FURTHER GOVERNED BY A CITY ORDINANCE THAT WAS APPROVED IN 2023.
UM, AND I SEE, UH, SALLY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN IS HERE.
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THIS WAS A LONG TIME, UH, IN THE MAKING.THERE HAD NOT BEEN A CITY APPROVED SET OF ORDINANCE TO GOVERN T UNTIL 2023, ALTHOUGH TOURS WERE CREATED IN THE 1990S.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THE TS POLICY, THERE ARE A SET OF ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES THAT HAVE INFORMED THE POLICY THAT KIND OF GIVES US A GOBY GO, UM, STEP-BY-STEP PROCEDURES IN TERMS OF HOW WE'RE GOING TO IMPLEMENT IT TO THOSE POLICIES.
NOW, THIS, UM, ORDINANCE WAS APPROVED IN 2023.
SO THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION WILL BE REVIEWING THESE POLICIES TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS NOT A DESIRE TO MAKE ANY AMENDMENTS TO BE CONSISTENT WITH THE PRIORITIES OF THE ADMINISTRATION.
BUT MY POINT IS THAT THERE IS A, AN ADDITIONAL SET OF POLICY THAT WAS LOCALLY APPROVED BY COUNCIL THAT HELPS GOVERN HOW WE, UH, UM, OPERATE THIS TOURIST PROGRAM.
SO JUST A FEW ITEMS I WANNA HIGHLIGHT.
UM, THE TOURIST POLICY MAKES REFERENCES AND SPEAKS TO CREATIONS, LIFE EXTENSIONS, TERMINATIONS, AND THEN A LIST OF, UH, FIVE ADDITIONAL TYPES OF POLICIES INCLUDING ANNEXATIONS, DE ANNEXATIONS, NON-CONTIGUOUS, UM, PERFORMANCE, AS WELL AS BUDGETS.
I'M JUST GONNA TALK REAL BRIEFLY ON, ON, UM, THE CREATION.
THERE ARE SOME CHURCHES THAT HAVE, THAT WERE CREATED IN THE EARLY 1990S THAT STILL HAVEN'T RECEIVED ENOUGH INCREMENT TO BE ABLE TO DO SUBSTANTIAL PROJECTS.
AND THAT IS PRIMARILY BECAUSE I THINK THERE WAS A MINDSET OF IF, IF WE BUILD IT, IF WE CREATE THE TOURS AND PRIVATE INVESTMENT WILL COME, AND WE KNOW THAT THAT JUST DOESN'T HAPPEN.
HOUSTON IS A CITY THAT HAS A LOT OF AMAZING COMMUNITIES AND DEVELOPERS AND INVESTORS HAVE THE RIGHT TO INVEST WHERE THEY FEEL LIKE THEIR PROJECT IS GONNA BE THE MOST SUCCESSFUL.
AND OFTENTIMES, UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES DON'T RECEIVE THOSE INVESTMENTS.
SO TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU CREATE A TOURISM, IT WILL AUTOMATICALLY ATTRACT INVESTMENT.
NOW WITH OUR CREATION POLICY, WE ARE GOING TO BE INCLUDING AND ENSURING THAT THERE ARE STUDIES THAT ARE CONDUCTED TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THERE ARE AREAS THAT ARE, UM, IDEAL TO ATTRACT PRIVATE INVESTMENT.
SO IT'S NOT JUST A RANDOM SET OF GEOGRAPHY WHERE WE KNOW THE NEEDS ARE, BUT THERE'S GONNA BE MORE OF A, A RELATIONSHIP WITH POTENTIAL FOR REAL INVESTMENT BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THE MORE SUCCESSFUL A TOURS IS EARLY ON, THE MORE SUCCESSFUL IT IS DURING THE LIFE OF THE TOURS.
UM, LIFE EXTENSIONS, I'LL JUST ALLOW YOU TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.
UM, BUT I WANNA SAY THAT LIFE EXTENSIONS ARE USUALLY DONE MOST OFTEN WHEN THERE IS A DESIRE TO MAKE AN INVESTMENT IN A MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT, AND A PAY AS YOU GO JUST DOESN'T WORK.
AND THERE'S A NEED TO ISSUE BONDS.
SO DEPENDING ON WHERE THE TURS IS IN ITS LIFE CYCLE, IF A LONG-TERM BOND INSTRUMENT NEEDS TO BE ISSUED AND THERE'S NOT ENOUGH TIME IN AN EXISTING TERM OF A TURS, WE HAVE TO EXTEND IT TO ALLOW FOR A DEBT INSTRUMENT TO BE ISSUED AND PAID OVER TIME.
SO MOST OFTEN, THAT'S WHERE WE SEE LIFE EXTENSIONS AND TERMINATIONS.
WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT THROUGHOUT THE PRESENTATION.
SO AT YOUR DISCRETION, YOU CAN TAKE A LOOK AT THIS MAP, BUT THESE ARE WHERE TOUR ARE LOCATED.
UM, SUFFICE IT TO SAY THAT TOURISM ARE LOCATED THROUGHOUT THE CITY, UM, AND SOME, SOME T HAVE RECEIVED, UM, MORE, UM, ACTIVITY FROM PRIVATE INVESTMENT THAN OTHERS.
BUT YOU'LL SEE THAT T ARE IN AREAS THAT ARE STRONG ECONOMIC DRIVERS AND THOSE THAT ARE IN UNDERSERVED AND UNDERREPRESENTED AND UNDER INVESTMENT COMMUNITIES.
SO IT'S NOT THAT THE CITY, UM, DO NOT HAVE THE SAME TOOLS IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, IT'S JUST THAT IN SOME CASES, THE LEVEL OF PRIVATE INVESTMENT DOESN'T HAPPEN AT THE SAME RATE, AND THEREFORE THE AMOUNT OF REVENUE TO REINVEST IS NOT CONSISTENT WITH OTHER AREAS.
UM, AND SO WHEN WERE THE CHURCHES CREATED, I MENTIONED EARLIER THAT THE CHURCHES WERE CREATED IN THE EARLY NINETIES.
UM, THE REASON I WANNA EMPHASIZE, OR WHAT I WANNA EMPHASIZE ON THIS SLIDE IS WHEN YOU SEE THAT THE MOST OF THE CHURCHES WERE CREATED PRIOR TO 2015, THAT IS A PIVOTAL DATE BECAUSE OFTENTIMES WHAT I HAVE HEARD AND READ IS THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON HAS USED ITS TOUR PROGRAM AND CREATED T UM, TO CIRCUMVENT AN UNFORTUNATE REVENUE CAP THAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH, UM, WHICH REALLY, UM, HAS, I THINK, PENALIZED THE CITY FROM BEING SUCCESSFUL IN ITS ECONOMIC GROWTH.
WHAT YOU SEE HERE IS THAT SINCE 2015, ONLY ONE TOUR WAS CREATED.
SO TO SUGGEST THAT TOURISTS WERE CREATED TO DO SOMETHING, UM, TO CIRCUMVENT, IT'S JUST NOT A, IT'S JUST NOT FACTUAL.
ALL OF THE TS WERE CREATED EXCEPT ONE PRIOR TO 2015.
UM, WHAT DO TS DOT ARE, AGAIN, GOVERNED BY CHAPTER THREE 11, AND IT'S VERY CLEAR WHAT T ARE INTENDED TO DO.
UM, MANY OF THE PROJECTS ARE TIED TO PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS, AMENITIES, PUBLIC FACILITIES.
WE BUILD FIRE STATIONS, POLICE STATIONS, WE BUILD WATER, UM, DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS, FLOOD MITIGATION IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS.
UM, AND THEN THERE'S ALSO A COMPONENT FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
UM, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS USUALLY GRANTED TO T ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS.
AND WHAT IT ALLOWS IS THE INCREMENT TO BE USED FOR
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SOMETHING OTHER THAN INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH MEANS THAT IN COMMUNITIES, LIKE, LIKE THE EAST END, WE DID A COUPLE OF PROJECTS, FOR INSTANCE, THE PLANT BEING ONE OF THEM, WHICH IS A CATALYST FOR A MAJOR URBAN CORRIDOR DEVELOPER, UM, WITH, UH, KAPLAN.UM, THAT TOUR BENEFITED FROM AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM BECAUSE THE CHALLENGE WAS NOT INFRASTRUCTURE INFRASTRUCTURE EXISTED.
THE CHALLENGE WAS THAT THE BANKS WERE CHARGING A HIGHER INTEREST RATE, AND THE FINANCIAL INVESTORS WANTED A HIGHER RATE OF RETURN BECAUSE IT WAS CONSIDERED TO BE A HIGH RISK AREA.
AND SO T'S REVENUE COULD BE USED TO INCENTIVIZE AND INDUCE, AND THEREBY IT'S USED FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THAT REQUIRES SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL.
NEXT SLIDE, AND I APOLOGIZE, I KNOW I'M SPEAKING PRETTY QUICKLY, BUT, UH, MAYOR PROTE ASKED ME TO DO THAT.
SO, THE T'S LIFE TERMS, UM, TS HAVE A VERY, CAN HAVE A VERY LONG TERM.
WHEN TS ARE CREATED, THEY'RE CREATED WITH A 30 YEAR LIFESPAN.
OVER TIME, THEY'VE BEEN, THEY HAVE BEEN EXTENDED.
AND LIKE I SAID, MOST OF THAT TIME IT WAS TO BE CONSISTENT WITH BOND ISSUANCE.
BUT I DO AGREE WITH WHAT I'VE READ AND HEARD.
T SHOULD NOT LIVE IN PERPETUITY.
UM, THERE HAS TO BE, UM, A MODEL, A PROCESS TO EVALUATE TOURISM TO DETERMINE WHEN IT'S TIME TO EITHER SUNSET.
UM, HOW YOU SUNSET IS VERY DELICATE BECAUSE A LOT OF TOURISM HAVE EX, UH, INCREDIBLE, UH, OBLIGATIONS AND, AND DEBT.
UM, BUT, BUT WE DO NEED TO LOOK AT BETTER ASSESSING AND EVALUATING WHEN A TOUR SHOULD TERMINATE.
UM, BUT AGAIN, YOU SEE THE LONGEST LIFE TOURS IS, IS GONNA HAVE ABOUT A 58 YEAR LIFESTYLE.
THE STATUTE DOES NOT CURRENTLY RESTRICT WHEN TOURS IS IN.
IT RESTRICTS THE CRITERIA, ESTABLISHES THE CRITERIA, BUT DOES NOT HAVE A SUNSET REQUIREMENT.
SO, WHAT I WANNA POINT OUT HERE IS ONE OF THE VALUE OF T AND I THINK IT'S THE ONLY CITY PROGRAM THAT ALLOWS THE CITY TO ATTRACT AND GET REVENUE FROM OTHER JURISDICTIONS TO BE USED TO INVEST IN CITY ASSETS, WHICH BECOMES, UM, WHICH IS CONVEYED TO THE CITY AND IS ACTUALLY REFLECTED ON OUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
THIS IS THE GREENS POINT TOURS THAT HAS MULTIPLE JURISDICTIONS THAT ARE CONTRIBUTING ITS REVENUE TO THIS TOURS TO INVEST WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
IF YOU LOOK AT, UM, 2029, I BELIEVE IT SHOWS THAT THAT IS THE LAST YEAR THAT ALDE AND SPRING ISD ARE GOING TO PARTICIPATE, WHICH MEANS THAT AFTER THAT, THAT REVENUE IS GONE.
BUT FOR ALL OF THOSE YEARS PRIOR TO, WE'VE HAD THE BENEFIT OF GETTING THOSE JURISDICTIONS.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE LAST YEAR, THE ISD PARTICIPATION IN THE INCREMENT THAT IS GENERATED IS ACTUALLY HIGHER THAN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
SO WE STAND TO BENEFIT A LOT FROM TOURISTS BY OUR ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO LEVERAGE, UH, OTHER JURISDICTIONS RESOURCES.
SO I'M GONNA GO THROUGH THIS REAL QUICKLY.
IT'S PROBABLY GONNA COVER SEVERAL SLIDES.
WHAT I WANNA EXPLAIN IS THE TOURS IS REALLY A GEOGRAPHY AND A BOUNDARY.
THE TOURS COMPRISES OF BOARD MEMBERS, BUT THE TOURS HAS VERY LITTLE FIDUCIARY FINANCIAL AUTHORITY.
WHAT GIVES THE TURS ITS ABILITY TO ACT ON BEHALF OF THE CITY AND BE ABLE TO MAKE FINANCIAL DECISIONS INTO CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS? ISSUE BONDS IS THE FACT THAT IN THE 1990S, THE CITY MADE A DECISION THAT IT WOULD CREATE A, UM, COMPLIMENTARY OR, UH, UH, A SIMILAR BOARD STRUCTURE FOR REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.
THOSE ARE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CORPORATIONS.
THE NAME OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CORPORATION IS REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.
THAT IS, THEY'RE COMPRISED OF THE SAME PEOPLE, BUT THEY HAVE VERY DIFFERENT RESPONSIBILITIES.
SO WHEN WE HEAR THAT THE CITY COULD DO MORE, THE CITY COULD DO MORE IF IT WERE ALLOWED TO DO MORE.
BUT THE STRUCTURE THAT THE ADMINISTRATION, MANY, MANY YEARS AGO FELT WAS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITY, UM, IS TO CREATE A LOCAL GOVERNMENT CORPORATION REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY STRUCTURE.
AND THAT IS THE STRUCTURE THAT WE CURRENTLY WORK UNDER.
UM, THERE IS A THREE PARTY LEGAL AGREEMENT NEXT SLIDE, P PLEASE, WHICH IS CALLED A TRI-PARTY AGREEMENT.
AND IN THAT TRI-PARTY AGREEMENT, IT SPECIFIES THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF EACH OF THE PARTIES, THE CITY, THE REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, AND DETERS.
UM, AND IT IS VERY PRESCRIPTIVE.
SO WE ACT IN ACCORDANCE TO THAT TRI-PARTY AGREEMENT, AND SO DOES DET BOARD AND THE REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY BOARD.
AND YOU CAN ALSO READ THIS AT YOUR DISCRETION.
SO THIS IS JUST SORT OF A, A LITTLE BIT OF A GRAPHIC THAT KIND OF GENERALLY DESCRIBES WHAT THE RESPONSIBILITIES ARE.
AND SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE CITY OF HOUSTON, THERE'S A RESPONSIBILITY THAT MY OFFICE HAS FOR SERVING AS LIAISON FOR ESTABLISHING SOME OF THE GOVERNING POLICIES AND PRACTICES.
BUT ALSO CITY COUNCIL ALSO HAS A RESPONSIBILITY THAT REQUIRES APPROVAL OF THINGS LIKE BUDGET AND CIP, UM, ANY PROJECT PLAN THAT HAS TO BE AMENDED, ANY CHANGES IN THE BOUNDARY, OF COURSE, ALL CREATIONS.
BUT AGAIN, IT IS JUST TO SHOW THAT EVERY PARTY HAS A ROLE TO PLAY IN THE SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS FIRST PROGRAM.
UM, WE SPOKE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.
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TERMINATING THE TOURS.SO THERE'S OFTEN A CONVERSATION THAT SAYS THE CITY SHOULD TERMINATE T ALLOW THEIR FUNDING FROM THE TOURS, UM, TO GO BACK TO THE GENERAL FUND, AND THE BUDGET CRISIS GOES AWAY.
WHAT I WANNA DESCRIBE HERE IS THAT, BUT FOR A 2004 AND THEN, UH, LATER 2006, UM, PROPOSITION THAT WAS VOTED FOR BY THE PEOPLE OF HOUSTON, THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN.
AND I, I, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS THE CLIMATE THAT WE ARE OPERATING IN, AND WE HAVE TO FACE DECISIONS BASED ON THAT REAL LIFE SCENARIO.
SO WHAT I WANNA BASICALLY QUICKLY DESCRIBE IS HOW THE REVENUE CAP CALCULATION WORKS.
AND THIS IS JUST FOR EXAMPLES.
UM, GENERALLY SPEAKING, THERE'S A COMPARISON BETWEEN THE PRIOR YEAR CAP ADJUSTED BY EITHER 4.5% OR THE POPULATION PLUS INFLATION, WHICHEVER IS A LESSER, UM, THAT NUMBER REPRESENTS THE AMOUNT THAT THE CITY IS ABLE TO RETAIN, WHICH MEANS THAT WE ARE OBVIOUSLY GENERATING, EARNING, COLLECTING MORE THAN THAT.
AND WHICH IS WHY I SAY THAT THE CITY IS, UM, BEING PENALIZED FOR GROWING ITS ECONOMY BECAUSE THEN WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO USE THE PROPERTY TAX REVENUE GENERATED TO INVEST BACK INTO THE CITY AND, AND, AND MAYBE MITIGATE SOME OF THE BUDGET BUDGET ISSUES THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH.
IN 2006, THAT PROPOSITION WAS ADJUSTED TO ALLOW FOR AN ADDITIONAL 90 MILLION FOR PUBLIC SAFETY PURPOSES.
AND SO WHAT I'VE DONE IS ATTEMPTED TO SHOW YOU, AND I'M NOT GONNA GO THROUGH ALL THE VERBIAGE, YOU GUYS CAN READ THAT, BUT SUFFICE IT TO SAY, WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE TWO, THE LESSER OF WHAT IT SHOWS HERE IS THAT THE 1.4 MILLION IS THE LESSER OF THE 1.5, WHICH THE 1.5 IS JUST ADJUSTED FOR 4.5%.
SO IF WE WERE DOING A REAL COMPARISON, THE ONE POINT, THE 1,000,427 IS THE REVENUE NUMBER THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO BE HELD TO BASED ON THE REVENUE CAP.
AND THE NEXT SLIDE JUST KIND OF SHOWS YOU HOW THAT WORKS IN A REAL LIFE PLAYING, PLAYING IT OUT.
SO IF 1,000,427 IS THE AMOUNT THAT THE CITY CAN RETAIN AFTER DOING THE REVENUE CAP, LET'S SAY FOR INSTANCE THAT THE CITY GENERATED TWO, AND THIS IS IN, IN MILLIONS.
UM, BUT LET'S SAY THIS IN THOUSANDS.
BUT LET'S SAY THAT THE CITY GENERATED $2 BILLION IN ACTUAL REVENUE COLLECTIONS.
UM, IF WHEN YOU HAVE A TURS, LET'S ASSUME THAT TURS IS 200 MILLION, WE ARE ABLE TO SUBTRACT THAT 200 MILLION FROM THE COLLECTIONS TO HAVE AN ADJUSTED COLLECTION.
THAT ADJUSTED COLLECTION IN THIS SCENARIO IS 1.8 MILLION.
SO WE'VE EARNED 1.8 MILLION, BUT WE CAN ONLY KEEP 1.4 MILLION, WHICH MEANS THAT 372 MILLION EXCESS HAS TO GO BACK TO THE TAXPAYERS.
AND THE WAY THAT IT GOES BACK TO THE TAXPAYERS IS THROUGH A REVENUE, UH, TAX RATE REDUCTION.
SINCE 2015, THE CITY HAS REDUCED ITS TAX RATES EVERY YEAR SINCE 2015.
THE COST OF THAT REDUCTION IS 2.2 BILLION.
SO SINCE 2015, AND THIS IS REAL MATH, 2.2 BILLION HAS GONE BACK TO THE PROPERTY TAX OWNERS BY WAY OF A PROPERTY TAX RATE REDUCTION AND HAS COST THE CITY $2.2 BILLION.
UM, SO THE NEXT PORTION SHOWS IN THE EVENT THAT THE TOURS DIDN'T EXIST, THEN YOU WOULD HAVE YOUR TWO, 200, 2 MILLION, 2 BILLION THAT YOU COLLECTED, ADJUSTED BY.
UM, THAT 1.427 MEANS 572 MILLION WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE TAX PAYERS, WHICH MEANS THAT YOUR TAX RATE REDUCTION WOULD BE LARGER, RIGHT? BECAUSE, SO VERY IMPORTANT, ONCE YOU REDUCE THE TAX RATE, WE DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT THROUGH THE CHARTER TO JUST ADJUST THE TAX RATE BACK UP WHEN WE'RE NO LONGER IN AN EXCESS SITUATION.
SO THAT IS A VERY SERIOUS IMPLICATION BECAUSE THAT TAX RATE IS PERMANENT AND IT'S BEEN PERMANENT SINCE 2015, FURTHER REDUCING.
SO WHAT ARE SOME OF THE IMPLICATIONS OF A TUR TERMINATION? THE FIRST IS WHAT I JUST MENTIONED, THAT THIS IS A LONG TERM IMPLICATION WHEN YOU HAVE TO REDUCE A TAX RATE BECAUSE IT'S LONG TERM AND IT'S PERMANENT.
UM, ALSO CURRENTLY THE CITY COLLECTS FOR MUNICIPAL SERVICES, UM, THROUGH A MUNICIPAL SERVICES MODEL THAT WE CREATED BACK IN 2017.
SO T GOES AWAY, THAT MONEY WAS GOING TO THE GENERAL FUND.
SO DID THOSE DOLLARS ALSO GO AWAY? ANY OUTSTANDING DEBT CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATION THAT T HAVE, UM, OUTSTANDING BECOMES THE OBLIGATION OF THE CITY.
THE PROBLEM IS WE WON'T HAVE THE REVENUE TO PAY THAT OBLIGATION, BUT WILL HAVE THE OBLIGATION, UH, IN THE EVENT.
UH, AND AGAIN, THIS IS A SCENARIO WHERE WE ARE IN NOW, WHICH IS THE COLLECTIONS EXCEED CAP.
IF THE COLLECTIONS DOES NOT EXCEED CAP, THEN WE'RE, WE HAVE A DIFFERENT CONVERSATION ALTOGETHER.
BUT THIS IS THE REALITY WHERE WE ARE NOW.
SO I DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR OR ARE, UM, PRUDENT TO SPEAK ABOUT A HYPOTHETICAL SITUATION WHEN WE KNOW THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY IN EXCESS MODE.
UM, ALSO, ANY INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT THAT IS UNDERWAY, ONGOING OR PLAN WOULD EITHER HAVE TO BE TAKEN ON BY THE CITY THROUGH THEIR CIP PROGRAM, OR IT WOULD BE OTHERWISE DISRUPTED OR ELIMINATED
[00:25:01]
ALTOGETHER.SO THE CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS THAT THE COMMUNITIES HAVE BENEFITED FROM, WE WOULD NO LONGER HAVE THE ABILITY TO HAVE THOSE KINDS OF INVESTMENTS, WHICH THOSE KINDS OF INVESTMENTS ARE THE INVESTMENTS THAT GENERATE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY.
IT'S VERY DIFFERENT FROM THE WORK THAT PUBLIC PUBLIC WORK DOES.
WE MAKE INVESTMENTS TO BRING IN MORE INVESTMENT.
I MEAN, THAT'S THE RULE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
SO THIS IS JUST AN EXAMPLE THAT IF YOU WERE TO, TO TERMINATE TWO TOURS, THAT WOULD HAVE AN IMPACT IN YEAR ONE OF 32 MILLION.
AND THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE OUTSTANDING OBLIGATIONS, UM, OR THE, THE DEBT OBLIGATIONS OR CONTRACTUAL.
THIS IS JUST WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE FACT THAT WE WOULD LOSE REVENUE FROM OTHER JURISDICTIONS AND DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY BACK.
UM, AND SO I'M GONNA JUST ALLOW, UH, COUNSEL AN OPPORTUNITY TO JUST KIND OF READ THROUGH SOME OF THE OTHER CONSIDERATIONS FOR TERMINATION.
THE ONE I DO WANNA MENTION IS, UM, THIS, THE REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITIES HAVE BEEN VERY, VERY SUCCESSFUL AT LEVERAGING TOURIST DOLLARS TO GENERATE AND TO, TO SECURE GRANT DOLLARS IN, IN THE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
UM, IN SOME OF THOSE CASES, THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS NOT AN ELIGIBLE, UM, RECIPIENT TO RECEIVE THOSE GRANTS.
UM, SO WE WOULD FOREGO THE OPPORTUNITY AND SOME, SOMETIMES WE STRENGTHEN THE CITY'S APPLICATION.
WE WORK IN TANDEM WITH THE CITY, UM, SO THAT THE CITY AND THE TOURS CAN ACTUALLY SEEK AND PURSUE GRANTS TOGETHER.
UM, AND WE WOULD LOSE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT IF WE WERE TO TERMINATE, UH, THE TOURS PROGRAM.
UM, SO THESE ARE JUST KIND OF OUR PRACTICE FOR TERMINATION.
I'LL JUST LET YOU READ THAT AT YOUR DISCRETION.
BUT ONE THING I DO WANNA POINT OUT IS WHEN WE DO IDENTIFY A TOURS THAT SHOULD BE TERMINATED, AS I MENTIONED, WE WOULD NOT JUST IMMEDIATELY TERMINATE A TOURS BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF, UM, CONSEQUENCES THAT WOULD BE VERY COSTLY TO THE CITY.
WHAT WE COULD DO IS WE COULD LOOK AT PUTTING A TOURS AND WHAT WE CONSIDER TO BE PREDETERMINATION TUR, UH, STATUS.
WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT THE TOURS WOULD BE PREVENTED FROM TAKING ON ANY NEW CAPITAL PROJECTS REVENUE THAT'S GENERATED WOULD BE USED TO PAY DOWN DEBT MORE EXPEDIENTLY WOULD BE USED TO SATISFY CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS, UM, SO THAT THE CITY CAN GET TO A NO DEBT SITUATION MUCH MORE QUICKLY THAN JUST LETTING THE TOUR PLAY OUT.
UM, AND I THINK THAT IS THE MOST FINANCIALLY PRUDENT WAY TO, TO DO TERM TO, TO TERMINATE A TOURS.
UM, AND WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF EVALUATING THAT CURRENTLY.
SO I, I WANNA JUST TALK JUST TWO MINUTES, UM, TO CLARIFY SOME OF THE INFORMATION THAT WAS INCLUDED IN, UH, THE BAKER INSTITUTE STUDY.
AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH BOTH BILL KING AND DR.
DIAMOND, AND THEY'VE BEEN VERY GOOD, PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATIONS.
IT DIDN'T START OUT THAT WAY, BUT IT ENDED THAT WAY.
UM, AND IT'S SIMPLY BECAUSE WE JUST HAD, WE JUST HAD A DIFFERENT APPROACH TO WANTING TO SOLVE FOR THE SAME PROBLEM, WHICH IS THAT THIS IS A GOOD PROGRAM, BUT SOME REFORM WAS NECESSARY.
I THINK WHERE WE ENDED, UM, THERE ARE TWO THINGS THAT WERE CONCERNING.
ONE WAS POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.
WE KNOW THAT OUR MAYOR IS, UM, REALLY ADAMANT ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT THE BOARD REPRESENTATION ARE, UM, PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO DO WHAT'S IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE PEOPLE THAT DON'T HAVE HIDDEN AGENDAS.
SOMETIMES IT'S DIFFICULT TO AVOID THAT, BUT WE HAVE DONE A CLEAN SWEEP OF A LOT OF THE TOURS IN TERMS OF BOARD MEMBERS SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THE CONFIDENCE THAT WE HAVE THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN PLACE.
SO IT WAS A CONFLICT OF INTEREST, BUT ALSOT REFORM AS IT RELATES TO TERMINATION, AND I'M IN AGREEMENT, AND I WOULD SAY, AS I MENTIONED TO THEM, I THINK WE WORK BETTER TOGETHER.
SO IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO USE SOME OF THE ECONOMIC MODELING THAT EXISTS AND THE RESEARCH HELP WORK WITH US TO DEVELOP THOSE MODELS THAT COULD BE VERY EFFECTIVE AT BEING VERY OBJECTIVE.
WE DON'T WANNA HAVE A PROGRAM THAT'S OBJECTIVE, BUT TO BE VERY OBJECTIVE TO ALLOW US TO HAVE TRIGGERS WHEN WE SHOULD TERMINATE T.
SO WE'VE HAD A GOOD CONVERSATION, SO THIS IS NOT BEING CRITICAL, IS JUST SOME CLARIFICATION.
SO THE FIRST WAS THAT THERE WAS A CORRELATION MADE BETWEEN T AND AND AND INCOME.
AND I THINK THEY EXTENDED THAT BASICALLY SAID THAT THE AREAS APPROXIMATE TO THE T UM, THE MEDIAN INCOME IS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN THE CITY'S AVERAGE INCOME.
THAT'S PROBABLY NOT INCORRECT.
I WOULD ARGUE THAT THAT SHOULD BE THE CASE.
UM, THERE'S NOTHING IN THE STATUTE THAT CORRELATES OR HAVE A NEXUS BETWEEN INCOME AND, UH, THE CREATION OF A TOURS.
SO THERE'S NO MENTION THAT SAYS THAT IF YOU'RE IN, IN A LOW INCOME AREA, A TOUR SHOULD BE CREATED, OR IF YOU'RE IN A HIGHER INCOME AREA, THAT AURS IS PROHIBITED.
UM, WHAT I WOULD SAY IS IF A TOURS IS BEING EFFECTIVE AND SUCCESSFUL IN INVESTING, THEN YOU DO EXPECT FOR THERE TO BE INCOME DIVERSITY.
YOU DO EXPECT FOR MORE PEOPLE TO WANNA COME INTO AN AREA THAT IS DESIRABLE AND ATTRACTIVE AND APPEALING.
EVERY TOURS, IF YOU GO BACK AND LOOK AT EVERY TOURS, UM, YOU WILL SEE THAT INCOME STARTS TO CHANGE.
UM, IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THOSE AREAS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAD A TOURS.
IT MEANS THAT THOSE TOUR HAVE ALLOWED FOR INVESTMENT TO BE A CATALYST TO DRIVE POPULATION CHANGES AND TO HAVE MORE DIVERSITY.
UM, THE OTHER IS THAT UPTOWN DOES NOT MEET THE SLUM CRITERIA I MENTIONED
[00:30:01]
EARLIER.UH, UPTOWN IS A PETITION TOURS AND WAS CREATED ON A SEPARATE CONDITION AND REQUIREMENT.
UMT DID NOT CONTRIBUTE TO THE COST FOR MUNICIPAL SERVICES, AND THAT IT'S A BURDEN TO THOSE THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF THE DUR ZONE.
SO IN 2017, I MENTIONED THAT WE CREATED A MODEL THAT WAS VETERAN APPROVED BY FIVE DIFFERENT ATTORNEYS WITHIN THE CITY.
UM, AND, AND ALSO, UH, APPROVED BY OUTSIDE CONSULTING FIRM THAT WE ENGAGED TO BE ABLE TO VET AND VALIDATE OUR MODEL.
UM, THAT WE BRING ABOUT 2220 3 MILLION A YEAR FROM ALL TERMS AS COLLECTIVELY TO THE CITY TO PAY FOR MUNICIPAL SERVICES CHARGES.
THOSE LARGER TOURISM HAVE THE HIGHER BURDEN FOR PAYING THAT MUNICIPAL, MUNICIPAL SERVICES CHARGE, BUT NO COMMUNITY OUTSIDE OF A TOURS IS PAYING FOR MUNICIPAL SERVICES.
IT'S ALL BEING CAPTURED WITHIN THE TOURS.
UM, THAT THEIR TOURISM SPENT MOST FUNDING ON PROJECTS IN STRONG ECONOMIC AREAS.
UM, WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THAT THE TOURISM IS INVESTMENT DRIVEN.
SO SOME OF THE TOURISM THAT WE KNOW THAT ARE MOST FAMILIAR WITH, UM, THOSE, THERE'S A LOT OF INVESTMENT, A LOT OF CAPITAL PROJECTS BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE TOURISM THAT ARE GENERATING THE MOST REVENUE BECAUSE THE MOST INVESTMENT IS HAPPENING.
I THINK IF WE WANNA ADVOCATE FOR THE TOUR IS THEN WE SHOULD ADVOCATE TO THE PRIVATE DEVELOPERS TO START LOOKING AT AREAS THAT ARE NOT THE, THE MOST, UM, NOTICEABLE.
UM, AND THE MOST APPARENT TO INVEST UMTS IS EQUIVALENT TO A SUBSIDY, THE REVENUES GENERATED BASED ON THE INVESTMENT MADE AND THE TOUR AND THE REVENUE GENERATED WITHIN THE BOUNDARY OF THE TUR.
THE CITY DOESN'T HAVE A MODEL THAT ALLOCATES, IT'S REALLY BASED ON THE REVENUE THAT'S GENERATED WITHIN THE BOUNDARY.
UM, AND THAT THEY SUGGEST THAT REFORM WILL IMPROVE THE OUTCOME.
WE HAVE THREE OF YOU IN QUEUE.
UM, IF YOU CAN, UH, BE SUCCINCT IN YOUR COMMENTS, UM, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE TWO ADDITIONAL PRESENTATIONS TODAY.
WE'LL START WITH COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN.
I KNOW WE HAVE A LOT OF SPEAKERS.
UH, ARE YOU SAYING THE PETITIONERS DO NOT HAVE TO MEET THOSE FIVE CRITERIA THAT YOU LAID OUT? THE, SO IN THE MIDDLE OF EACH OF THOSE CRITERIA, IT'S AN OR AN OR SO, OR BE PETITIONED BY 50% OF THE PROPERTY OWNERS.
AND YOUR, YOUR DISCUSSION ABOUT THE REVENUE CAP, I DO UNDERSTAND WE DIDN'T CREATE 'EM AFTER 2015, BUT WE DID EXTEND A LOT AFTER 2015.
SO I DO THINK THE REVENUE CAP COMES INTO PLAY.
WE WOULD GET, IF ONE WAS WAS DISSOLVED OR WE TOOK LESS OF A PERCENTAGE, THE CITY IS ABLE TO RECLAIM THAT MONEY IN THE FIRST YEAR.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
AND I'M GONNA STOP RIGHT THERE.
I HAVE MORE, BUT WE'RE MOVING ON.
WE'LL GET, WE'LL GET 'EM ANSWERED FOR SURE.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER, THANK YOU, CHAIR.
JUST REAL QUICK, AND I LOOKED THROUGH YOUR INFORMATION.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
HOW MANY, UH, ARE IN EXISTENCE THAT HAVE NO REVENUE, AND HOW LONG HAVE THEY BEEN ON IN EXISTENCE? THE T I'M SORRY, THAT HAS LOW REVENUE, LOW OR ZERO REVENUE.
SO NONE OF THE TS HAVE ZERO REVENUE BECAUSE EVEN T THAT DON'T HAVE INVESTMENT, UM, THE, THE, THE VALUE OF THE LAND WILL APPRAISE OVER TIME, BUT THERE ARE TS THAT HAVE BEEN AN EXISTENCE.
UH, OLD SIX WARD IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE.
UM, THEY'VE BEEN AROUND A LONG TIME AND THEY ARE JUST NOW STARTING TO SEE SOME REVENUE BEING GENERATED, UH, IN PART BECAUSE OF SOME MAJOR PRIVATE INVESTMENT THAT'S HAPPENING.
BUT, BUT IT'S NOT UNCOMMON FOR US TO SEE A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR GOING TO A TUR CONTRAST THAT TO 30 MILLION.
I JUST WANNA BRING YOUR ATTENTION TO, UH, SLIDE EIGHT AND 32, THE WORD SLUM.
IF THERE'S ANOTHER WAY THAT WE CAN, UH, DEFINE OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, I LIVE IN A LEAF AND WE DON'T HAVE A TURS NECESSARILY.
AND I THINK WHEN WE TALK ABOUT INVESTING IN NEIGHBORHOODS, A PART OF THE CHALLENGE IS, IS HOW WE DEFINE, UH, UH, UH, NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE GONE THROUGH A REVITALIZATION CYCLE AND IT'S THEIR TURN TO DO THAT.
SO I, I THINK IF, UM, IF, IF, IF RICE BAKER INSTITUTE WOULD CONSIDER REDEFINING, UH, THE, UH, USING ANOTHER WORD IS SLUM, I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT.
MAYBE WE CAN BRING THAT TO THE LEGISLATION, BECAUSE THIS IS LITERALLY OUT OF CHAPTER THREE 11.
YEAH, WE ABSOLUTELY MUST DO THAT.
SO I THINK THIS IS LEGISLATION IS STILL OPEN.
COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ.
THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR AND THANK YOU DIRECTOR FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UH, JUST A FEW QUESTIONS AND, AND I'LL, FIRST, I'LL START WITH SLIDE NUMBER FOUR, WHERE YOU SAY, WHAT IS A TURS? AND YOU USE THE WORD PRIVATE INVESTMENT REINVESTED A ACTUALLY, WHEN WE SPEAK OFTS MONEY, ORTS REVENUE, IT'S ALL, UH, PROPERTY TAXES PAID BY HOUSTON PROPERTY OWNERS, RIGHT? SO THAT'S CORRECT.
SO IT'S PROPERTY TAXES, BUT THAT PROPERTY TAX DOESN'T GO UP UNLESS THERE'S NEW PRIVATE INVESTMENT COMING IN.
OTHERWISE YOUR BASE WOULD BE CONSISTENT AND THERE WOULD BE NO REVENUE GENERATED.
SO MY POINT IS THAT IT'S THE PRIVATE INVESTMENT THAT
[00:35:01]
DRAWS THE INCREASE IN TAXABLE VALUE THAT GENERATES THE REVENUE.I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE SAYING THEY, THEY, THEY GENERATE, UH, ADDITIONAL PRIVATE INVESTMENT, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S ALL TAXPAYER MONEY.
PROPERTY TAX MONEY, ISN'T IT? YEAH.
SOT IS A, IS A REIMBURSEMENT OF PROPERTY TAXES, BUT THAT PROPERTY TAX IS DRIVEN BY PRIVATE INVESTMENT IN THE ABSENCE OF PRIVATE INVESTMENT.
AND MOVING TO, UH, THE BASIS FORT, UH, CREATION, YOU POINT OUT SOME CAN BE DONE BY PETITION.
UH, THE VAST MAJORITY, HOWEVER, UH, MEET THE OTHER CRITERIA.
IN OTHER WORDS, SUBSTANDARD, DETERIORATING, I WON'T USE THE WORD THAT COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS POINTED OUT, BUT ONLY, ONLY SIX OF THEM HAVE BEEN DONE BY PETITION.
ISN'T THAT CORRECT? THAT'S PROBABLY CORRECT.
THE VAST MAJORITY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE IN UNDERSERVED AREAS TO HELP FIX THEM UP.
UH, LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT SLIDE 16, WHICH DEALS WITH LIFE TERMS. JUST LOOKING AT THIS GRAPH, UH, WE HAVE ABOUT EIGHT OF THEM, I THINK, THAT ARE SLATED TO LAST AT LEAST 50 YEARS.
IN FACT, OF THE 28 THAT HAVE BEEN CREATED, ONLY ONE HAS BEEN TERMINATED.
UM, DON'T YOU THINK OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY SHOULD SHARE IN THE BENEFITS OF HAVING A TUR? I DON'T DISAGREE.
UM, THAT WAS MY FIRST COMMENT WHEN I SAID THAT T IT SHOULD NOT LIVE IN PERPETUITY.
BUT I THINK THERE ALSO NEEDS TO BE A SMART, INTELLIGENT, EFFECTIVE WAY TO LOOK AT DISSOLUTION OR TERMINATION.
AND THAT WAS MY, THAT WAS MY COMMENT.
AND, AND ON THAT SUBJECT OF TERMIN NATION, LET'S GO TO, TO THAT SLIDE, UM, WHERE YOU PAINT SORT OF A DOOMSDAY SCENARIO.
I BELIEVE IT'S SLIDE 28 ON WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF WE, I'LL GO BACK INTO THE QUEUE UNLESS WE'RE GONNA GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS.
AND THEN YOU AND, UH, DIRECTOR TILLERSON CAN CONTINUE THOSE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UH, FOR ME, YOU'VE CLARIFIED A LOT OF THINGS AND CLEARED UP FOR ME.
I HAD TWO THINGS SPECIFIC I WANT TO ASK ABOUT.
NUMBER ONE, UH, THE POLICIES, OF COURSE, TURS, YOU INDICATED FROM 1990, UH, AND THEN OTHER THINGS ADDITIONALLY WAS DONE IN 2023.
SO 1990, EARLY 1990S WAS WHEN THE FIRST TOUR WAS CREATED, RIGHT? THE FIRST ORDINANCE THAT COUNCIL APPROVED GOVERNING THE TOURIST PROGRAM WAS IN 2023.
AND THEN IN 2023, THERE WAS COUNCIL VOTED ON A ADDITIONAL POLICY CHANGES OF THE T.
CORRECT? THE, IN 2023 COUNCIL VOTED ON THE FIRST SET OF POLICIES.
VERY GOOD GOVERNING POLICIES, SIR.
WHICH LEAVES THE DOOR OPEN THAT WE CAN DO THAT, UH, EVEN NOW, WHICH 'CAUSE YOU INDICATED THAT YOU FELT THAT THERE WERE THINGS THAT NEEDED TO BE CHANGED IN REGARDS TO POLICY.
SO MY COMMENT WAS THAT UNDER THIS HAD, BECAUSE THIS, THE POLICY WAS APPROVED IN 2023, WE HAVE A NEW MAYOR AND A NEW ADMINISTRATION, AND SO THEY MAY WANT TO MAKE SOME MODIFICATIONS YES.
UM, BEFORE WE, BEFORE THEY, UM, ADOPT THESE POLICIES.
AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO.
BUT THE POLICY IS A, A PUBLIC DOCUMENT, SO YOU'RE CERTAINLY WELCOME TO REVIEW THOSE, TO OFFER COMMENTS BACK AS WELL.
UM, IN YOUR, IN YOUR PRESENTATION, YOU ALSO REMINDED US ABOUT THE, UH, REDEVELOPMENT BOARD, UH, WITH THE TURS AND THEN THE, THE CITY MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL IN THE MIDDLE, AND THEN THE REDEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT, UH, BOARD.
AND, UH, AS I WAS READING THAT IT INDICATED THAT THE SAME PEOPLE, AND YOU KNOW, WE, YOU MENTIONED ABOUT SOME CORRUPTION AND SOMETIMES SOME INDICATORS THERE, THE REDEVELOPMENT BOARD IS THE SAME MEMBERS ON THAT BOARD, THAT IT IS ON THE TOUR BOARD AND THE V DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY ARE THE SAME PEOPLE? YEAH.
I, I JUST WANTED TO BE CLEAR ON THAT.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, IF YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUE QUESTIONS FROM MS. TILLERSON, IF YOU SEND THOSE TO US, UH, VIA EMAIL, WE'LL GET THE ANSWERS AND SEND THEM OUT TO THE ENTIRE COUNCIL.
UH, COUNCILMAN RAMIREZ, IF YOU'LL SUBMIT THOSE, WE WILL, UM, HAVE DIRECTED TILLERSON, GIVE US SOME ANSWERS TO THAT.
THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION AND FOR A GREAT PRESENTATION.
NEXT ON OUR AGENDA, WE HAVE, UH, OH, WE DO HAVE TWO PUBLIC SPEAKERS INSTEAD OF MAKING THEM WAIT UNTIL THE END, UM, IS, UH, THEODORE ANDREWS HERE, WANTED TO SPEAK ON THE TURS.
DONALD CARROLL, OR T THEODORE ANDREWS.
OH, HEY, MR. ANDREWS, WE CAN HEAR YOU.
UH, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENTS REGARDING THE PRE UH, T PRESENTATION.
[00:40:01]
SPEAK SPECIFICALLY TO THOSE WHO MAY NOT BE AS FAMILIAR WITH THE TUR AS I AM.MY BACKGROUND IS THAT I SERVED AS CHAIRMAN OF TURS 25 4 OVER 10 YEARS.
I WAS INTIMATELY AWARE OF THE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES TO, UM, TO, TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.
UH, MY PURPOSE IS TO ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO ACTUALLY PARTICIPATE IN THE PROCESS.
WE NEED MORE MEMBERS, LOCAL MEMBERS FROM THOSE TUR ZONES, WHO WILL ACTUALLY AGREE TO SERVE AS BOARD MEMBERS FOR THE REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.
I BELIEVE THE TUR PROGRAM IS A GREAT PROGRAM.
I THINK IT TAKES GOVERNMENT FROM DOWNTOWN AND CITY HALL AND PLACES IT IN THE HANDS OF, UH, LOCAL LEADERS, LOCAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ARE BEST ABLE TO DETERMINE HOW THE, UH, MONIES CAN IMPACT THEIR COMMUNITIES SPECIFICALLY AS IT RELATES TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE.
I APPRECIATE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE COMMENTS, AND I DO BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD MOVE FORWARD WITH, UH, STRENGTHENING OUR TERRORIST PROGRAMS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE TIME.
THANK, THANK YOU, MR. ANDREWS.
UM, IF THERE'S ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SERVE ON THE TURS, UM, CHECK OUT BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AND MAKE SURE YOU SUBMIT YOUR, YOUR RESUME.
WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR, UM, MORE COMMUNITY LEADERS TO SERVE ON OUR TURS BOARDS THROUGHOUT OUR CITY.
UM, OUR NEXT, UM, ITEM ON THE AGENDA, WE WILL HAVE A PRESENTATION ON THE MAIN STREET PROMENADE.
WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROJECT COMING TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON, CASEY HOLRIDGE AND ALAN DOUGLAS, WE ARE READY FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM, AND COUNCIL FOR HAVING US TODAY.
UM, YOU ONLY HAVE ME TODAY, UNFORTUNATELY.
UM, ALAN DOUGLAS, OUR COO AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CHURCH THREE, WAS NOT ABLE TO JOIN US.
UM, I AM JOINED BY MEMBERS OF OUR TEAM, UH, INCLUDING OUR DIRECTOR OF CAPITAL PROJECTS, BRETT DEVOR, WHO I'LL BE REFERENCING, AS HE WILL BE PROJECT MANAGING THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE MAIN STREET PROMENADE.
SO WITH THAT, UH, WHAT I INTEND TO DO TODAY IS PROVIDE YOU WITH AN OVERVIEW AND UPDATE ON THE MAIN STREET PROMENADE PROJECT AND NEXT STEPS, WHERE WE'RE AT IN THE PROJECT.
UH, SO THE FIRST SLIDE, UH, IS WHAT I LIKE TO CALL, UM, A PRETTY PICTURE.
THIS IS THE VISION AND THE FUTURE OF MAIN STREET.
UH, IT CAPTURES REALLY THE MOST ESSENTIAL DESIGN TRANSFORMATIONS THAT YOU ALL CAN EXPECT TO SEE NEXT YEAR WHEN THE PROJECT IS COMPLETE, RANGING FROM HOUSTON'S HISTORIC BLUE TILE, MAKING AN APPEARANCE IN THE PROMENADE, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, UH, PEDESTRIAN ORIENTED THOROUGHFARE.
TO BE MORE SPECIFIC ABOUT THE FOOTPRINT OF THE MAIN STREET PROMENADE PROJECT.
UH, THIS IMAGE WE FIND IS VERY HELPFUL FOR EXPLAINING THAT.
UM, SO WHAT YOU CAN SEE HERE ILLUMINATED IN GREEN IS THE AREA THAT WILL BE, UH, NEWLY CLOSED TO VEHICULAR TRAFFIC.
THAT MEANS THAT TODAY, THIS IS ALSO THE AREA THAT WAS A PART OF THE MORE SPACE MAIN STREET PROGRAM, WHICH WAS CREATED IN 2021, WHICH ALLOWED BUSINESSES TO TAKE UP MORE SPACE IN THE RIGHT OF WAY SO THAT THEY COULD OPERATE DURING THE PANDEMIC.
WHAT YOU SEE HIGHLIGHTED IN BLUE, OUR BLOCKS ALONG OUR MAIN STREET THAT ARE ALREADY CLOSED TO VEHICULAR TRAFFIC AND WERE CLOSED LONG AGO FOR THE CREATION OF MAIN STREET SQUARE.
SO, A TIMELINE AND WHERE WE ARE TODAY AND HOW WE GOT HERE.
AS I JUST MENTIONED, IN 2021, UM, THE ONSET OF THE PANDEMIC, UH, HOUSTON, ALONG WITH MANY OTHER CITIES AROUND THE WORLD, CREATED, UH, TEMPORARY PROGRAMS TO ALLOW FOR FOOD AND BEVERAGE OPERATORS TO TAKE UP MORE SPACE IN THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY SO THAT THEY COULD PROVIDE THE REQUIRED SPACE FOR THEIR PATRONS.
UH, THIS, UH, PROGRAM WAS BROUGHT BEFORE THE QUALITY OF LIFE COMMITTEE FOR CONSIDERATION AT THAT TIME IN 2022 FOR THE EXTENSION OF THE PROGRAM TO MAKE IT PERMANENT.
AND IN 2023, CITY COUNCIL MOVED TO MAKE THE MORE SPACE MAIN STREET PROGRAM PERMANENT, SO LONG AS THERE WAS A DESIGN FOR MAIN STREET, UM, THAT, UH, MADE CLEAR HOW, UH, THE, THE STREET WOULD LOOK IN A PERMANENT STATE, AS WELL AS HOW IT WOULD BE MANAGED.
AND THAT'S REALLY WHERE OUR ORGANIZATION CAME INTO PLAY.
SO I REPRESENT DOWNTOWN HOUSTON PLUS, WHICH ALSO CONSISTS OF TOUR NUMBER THREE, DOWNTOWN REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, THE HOUSTON DOWNTOWN MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, AS WELL AS CENTRAL HOUSTON.
AND SO, UH, THAT, UH, CONSORTIUM OF US IS, UH, REALLY HOW IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY THIS NEXT PHASE OF THE PROJECT CAME TO BE.
SO IMPORTANTLY, FOR THE FIRST STAGE OF TAKING MORE SPACE MAIN STREET TO THE NEXT LEVEL, UH, THE HOUSTON DOWNTOWN MANAGEMENT DISTRICT FUNDED WHAT WE CALL THE BASIS OF DESIGN FOR THE PROJECT.
UH, THAT WAS THEN BROUGHT BEFORE THE QUALITY OF LIFE COMMITTEE IN 2024.
AND AT THAT TIME, UH, THE TOURS THEN TOOK OVER THE PROJECT.
UH, WE HAD AN RFQ AND BROUGHT IN A DESIGN AND ENGINEERING TEAM.
AND WHERE WE ARE TODAY IS THAT WE HAVE A COMPLETED DESIGN FOR MAIN STREET, UM, AND WE INTEND TO BREAK GROUND IN JUNE SO THAT WE MAY COMPLETE THE PROJECT IN TIME FOR THE WORLD CUP.
[00:45:01]
DRIVE HOME TODAY IS HOW THE LAST TWO YEARS HAVE GONE, RIGHT? SINCE WE, UH, HAD THE PROGRAM BECOME PERMANENT, HOW DID WE DEVELOP THE DESIGN AND HOW DID WE DO SO IN DEEP COLLABORATION WITH OUR COMMUNITY? UH, SO HERE'S SOME GREAT NUMBERS HERE THAT DEMONSTRATE THE NUMBER OF STAKEHOLDER GROUPS ENGAGED.THE NUMBER OF HOURS THAT OUR TEAM, ALONG WITH OUR CONSULTANTS SPENT ON THE SIDEWALKS OF MAIN STREET, ENGAGING DIRECTLY WITH BUSINESSES, RESIDENTS, AND OTHER PROPERTY OWNERS, UH, AS WELL AS ANY PUBLIC MEMBER AT LARGE THAT WANTED TO PARTICIPATE.
IN TOTAL, WE ESTIMATE AT THOSE WORKSHOPS, WE ENGAGED AROUND 300 PEOPLE.
UH, AND THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE ALL THE FOLKS THAT WERE IN ATTENDANCE AT OUR FOCUS GROUPS.
UM, AND A FUN FACT TO LIFT UP IS THAT, UH, WE CREATED MANY DIFFERENT WAYS FOR PEOPLE TO FIND, UM, AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE FEEDBACK.
AND SO, UH, 1300 POINTS OF FEEDBACK WERE COLLECTED THROUGHOUT THIS PROJECT, UH, OR THE BASE OF DESIGN STAGE OF THE PROJECT.
OVER THE COURSE OF 2024, WE DEVELOPED THE DETAILED DESIGN AND ENGINEERING.
IN DOING SO, WE WORKED HAND IN GLOVE, OF COURSE, WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND AFFILIATED AGENCIES THAT, UH, NEED TO HAVE ACCESS TO MAIN STREET, TO CARE FOR MAIN STREET TO ENSURE THAT OUR LIGHT RAIL IS OPERATING.
UH, AND SO IN ORDER TO DO THAT, WE DEVELOPED WHAT IS CALLED A LEADERSHIP WORKING GROUP WITH THESE AGENCIES AND ENTITIES.
UM, WE ALSO HELD REGULAR MEETINGS WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND OTHER, UM, NECESSARY CIVIC PARTNERS TO ENSURE THAT DESIGN AND ENGINEERING WAS PROGRESSING IN A WAY THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR ACCESS FOR LIFE AND SAFETY ENTITIES, UM, BUT ALSO FOR METRO TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR LIGHT RAIL COULD RUN AS WELL AS ENTITIES THAT NEEDED TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO OUR BUSINESSES AND PROPERTY OWNERS OR RESIDENTS.
UH, WE ALSO FORMED, UH, FOCUS GROUPS FOR THE INDIVIDUAL BUSINESS OWNERS, STAKEHOLDERS, UM, WHETHER THEY'RE RESIDENTS, PROPERTY OWNERS, OR INVOLVED IN SOME WAY, SHAPE OR FORM ON SPECIFIC BLOCKS OF MAIN STREET.
UM, AND IN CREATING THOSE INTENTIONAL, UH, FOCUS GROUPS, WE WERE ALLOWED TO BRING, UH, THE EVOLUTION OF THE DESIGN TO THEM SO THAT THEY COULD PROVIDE VERY POINTED FEEDBACK.
AND THEN AGAIN, WE HELD WORKSHOPS AND OVER 250 PEOPLE WERE ENGAGED AT THOSE WORKSHOPS.
SO WHAT DID WE HEAR OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST, UH, TWO YEARS? HOW DID WE, HOW DID WE ENSURE THAT ALL OF THIS FEEDBACK WAS ACTUALLY INCORPORATED INTO THE PROJECT ITSELF? UH, WE HEARD A LOT OF THINGS, AND WE JUST LIFTED UP A FEW HERE, THAT DOWNTOWN, THE HEART OF THE CITY IS HOME FOR MANY PEOPLE.
UM, PEOPLE LITERALLY LIVE HERE.
PEOPLE LIKE TO VISIT HERE FROM AROUND THE HOUSTON AREA, BUT MOREOVER, UM, MOST HOUSTONIANS SEE PART OF THEMSELVES IN DOWNTOWN HOUSTON AND MAIN STREET SHOULD REFLECT THAT.
UM, PEOPLE REALLY WANTED TO SEE ACTIVITY ON MAIN STREET BOTH DAY AND NIGHT.
UM, SO IN TERMS OF DESIGN, WHAT THAT TRANSLATES TO IS, IS LIGHTING AND CONSIDERATION OF SHADE AND COMFORT IN OUR WARM CLIMATE.
UH, FOLKS ALSO WANTED TO SEE MORE DYNAMIC ACTIVITY ALONG THE SIDEWALK.
UM, AND TO YOUR RIGHT, YOU CAN SEE HERE THAT, UM, JUST A, A LIST OF THE, THE TYPES OF STAKEHOLDERS AND AGENCIES THAT WE'VE ENGAGED WITH.
UH, THIS IS A STAT THAT WE, UH, WE COLLECTED AT OUR, OUR FOURTH AND FINAL PUBLIC WORKSHOP.
UM, AND I, I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF WORKING ON A NUMBER OF PUBLIC GROUND PROJECTS IN HOUSTON AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY, UH, THROUGH MY, MY TIME AS AN URBAN PLANNER.
AND I MUST SAY THAT, UM, THIS 99% OF OF PEOPLE FEELING THAT THIS DESIGN REFLECTS THEIR, THEIR ASPIRATIONS FOR THE STREET IS, IS NOT COMMON.
UM, IT'S BEEN A, IT'S BEEN A TRUE DELIGHT TO WORK ON THIS PROJECT, AND I THINK THAT IT JUST SPEAKS TO THE HISTORIC NATURE OF THE STREET AND THE DESIRE FOR HOUSTONIANS TO SEE, UH, A FRUITFUL NEXT CHAPTER FOR IT.
UH, I WON'T, I WON'T BELABOR TOO MANY POINTS ABOUT THE, THE NEW DESIGN, BUT I DO WANNA MAKE SURE I LIFT UP.
WHAT ARE THE BIG SHIFTS IN 2026? WHAT SHOULD YOU ALL EXPECT TO SEE AND EXPERIENCE ON MAIN STREET? THE FIRST IS, UH, NOT EVEN NECESSARILY A, A DESIGN, BUT RATHER A, A, A SHIFT IN MAINTENANCE.
UM, WE ARE THE ENTITY THAT CARES FOR MANY OF THE TREES, FLOWERS, AND CLEAN SIDEWALKS THAT YOU SEE AROUND DOWNTOWN, BUT WE ALSO MAINTAIN MARKET SQUARE PARK AND TREMBLEY PARK.
UM, WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THE LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT WE BRING TO THOSE PARKS.
AND TO PUT IT CONCISELY, THE LEVEL OF MAINTENANCE THAT WE INTEND TO BRING TO MAIN STREET WILL MIRROR THAT OF A PARK.
UM, WE ARE GOING THROUGH A RENEWAL THIS YEAR FOR OUR MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, AND THIS IS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE RESOURCES WE NEED TO PROVIDE THAT LEVEL OF MAINTENANCE.
THE SECOND BIG SHIFT, AND I MUST GIVE HUGE CREDIT TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, UM, FOR ENSURING THAT THE DESIGN REFLECTED ACCESSIBILITY IN THE WAY THAT IT DOES.
UM, BUT MAIN STREET IS A, IS AN OLD STREET.
UH, IT'S HAD MANY LIVES, BUT, UH, BECAUSE OF ITS NATURE OF, OF BEING AN OLD STREET, AN OLD CORRIDOR, NOT EVERY SINGLE ELEMENT OF THE STREET, THE SIDEWALK CONDITIONS, UH, ARE TRULY ACCESSIBLE TO PEOPLE OF ALL, OF ALL ABILITIES.
UH, AND SO WHAT WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT IS THAT WITH THIS DESIGN, THE ENTIRE PROMENADE,
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UM, WHICH SPANS 11 BLOCKS, IF YOU INCLUDE THE ALREADY CLOSED BLOCKS, BUT THE SEVEN NEW BLOCKS, UM, WILL BE DESIGNED WITH THE UTMOST CONSIDERATION OF, OF ALL ABILITIES, UM, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO CROSSINGS AND HOW FOLKS ARE ABLE TO MOVE UP AND DOWN THE STREET ADJACENT TO SIDEWALK CAFES.THE THIRD SHIFT IS PLACEMAKING.
UH, SO WE'RE EXCITED TO BE BRINGING, UM, A 1.5 INCREASE IN TREE CANOPY NATIVE PLANTINGS THAT, UM, REALLY REFLECT THE BEAUTIFUL VIBRANCY OF BUFFALO BAYOU PARK INTO MAIN STREET.
UM, BUT WE ALSO ARE WORKING CLOSELY WITH, UM, THE CITY AND SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS TO CREATE BEAUTIFUL DESIGN STANDARDS FOR HOW SIDEWALK CAFES CAN FLOW OUT INTO THE STREET WHILE STILL MAINTAINING THE REQUIRED, UH, PEDESTRIAN CIRCULATION SPACE.
UH, SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO SEE A NEW LEVEL OF PLACEMAKING ON MAIN STREET.
AND LAST, UM, THIS IS A, A NEW SHIFT FOR US AS THIS WASN'T NECESSARILY IDENTIFIED IN 2023 AS WE WERE DEVELOPING THE BASIS OF DESIGN.
UM, BUT WE'VE HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR, AND I THINK WE AS STAFF AGREE WITH THIS SENTIMENT THAT IT'S HOT DOWNTOWN.
IT'S HOT AROUND A LOT OF HOUSTON, BUT ESPECIALLY ON, ON PLACES WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF PAVEMENT.
AND SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THIS DESIGN, ESPECIALLY WITH ITS PROXIMITY TO LIGHT RAIL, UM, HAS A LOT OF SHADE.
AND SO WE ARE INCREASING THIS TREE CANOPY, BUT THERE ARE JUST SOME PLACES WHERE WE CAN'T PLANT TREES.
SO WE ARE EXCITED TO ROLL OUT SHADE STRUCTURES AS WELL AS, UM, RETAIL GRANTS TO INCENTIVIZE SMALL BUSINESSES TO INVEST IN AWNINGS AND UMBRELLAS FOR THEIR PATRONS AS WELL.
UH, SO TO SAY A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT SHADE, UM, WE'VE ACTUALLY CREATED AN AMBITIOUS TARGET.
UM, WHAT YOU CAN SEE HERE, UM, BELOW, UH, THE INTERESTING PLAN VIEW OF MAIN STREET IS A DEPICTION OF WHAT HEAT LOOKS LIKE ON MAIN STREET IN THE SUMMER AND IN THE WINTER BY UTILIZING THE THREE ELEMENTS ABOVE THE STRUCTURES, UH, THE SHADE STRUCTURES, TREE CANOPY, AND AN AWNING PROGRAM.
LIKE I MENTIONED, OUR GOAL AND OUR TARGET IS TO REDUCE AMBIENT TEMPERA TEMPERATURES BY 10 DEGREES.
UH, NEXT YEAR WHEN, WHEN FOLKS ARE HERE WALKING AROUND FOR THE WORLD CUP IN JUNE AND JULY, WE WANT TO HEAR PEOPLE SAY, HEY, LET'S HEAD TO MAIN STREET.
IT'S THE COOL STREET, IT'S THE COMFORTABLE STREET TO WALK DOWN.
UH, HERE'S A SECTION VIEW FOR YOU ALL SO THAT YOU CAN SEE, UM, BOTH HOW WE'VE INCORPORATED PLACEMAKING ELEMENTS, BUT ALSO HAVE TAKEN CONSIDERATION OF THE MANY DIFFERENT PARTS OF OUR PUBLIC REALM THAT OUR CITY AGENCIES IN METRO, UM, NEED TO HAVE ACCESS TO AND TOUCH.
UM, WHAT WE'RE AGAIN, REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IS, UM, HOW THESE PLANTINGS THAT ARE DEPICTED HERE AND SOME OF THE STATISTICS THAT YOU SEE LIFTED UP ARE INCREASING SHADE, UM, BRINGING MORE PLANTINGS, UH, DIVERSIFYING OUR TREE SPECIES THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE ON MAIN STREET TODAY.
UM, AND HOW, UM, IT'S ALLUDED TO HERE ON THE BOTTOM, HOW THIS DESIGN VERY IMPORTANTLY, UM, WILL MAINTAIN AND IN SOME PLACES, UH, INCREASE THE EFFICIENCY OF OUR, OF OUR MAIN STREET WHEN IT COMES TO, UM, STORMWATER AND, AND ANY POTENTIAL FOR THE STREET TO FLOOD.
UM, WE WERE VERY LUCKY TO WORK WITH TALENTED WALTER P. MOORE ENGINEERING FIRM ON THIS DESIGN, AND WE ARE REALLY THRILLED TO SEE NOT ONLY, UM, WHOLLY SUFFICIENT IF NOT EXCEPTIONAL, UM, FLOOD MITIGATION MEASURES INCORPORATED INTO THE DESIGN, BUT THAT THOSE FLOOD MITIGATION MEASURES ARE INCORPORATED INTO PLANTERS THEMSELVES.
AND SO IT ACTUALLY SERVES OUR GOAL OF CREATING MORE TREE CANOPY.
UM, ONE THING I WANNA TALK ABOUT, UM, I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF OF OVERSEEING BOTH PLANNING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR OUR ORGANIZATION.
AND WE'VE RECENTLY, UM, REVITALIZED A RETAIL GRANT PROGRAM THAT, UH, CENTRAL HOUSTON HOUSTON DOWNTOWN MANAGEMENT DISTRICT USED TO OPERATE FOR YEARS, AND THEN IT, IT WAS, WAS SORT OF WENT DORMANT FOR ABOUT A DECADE.
UM, THROUGH THE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO RESTART A GRANT PROGRAM, UM, THAT IS AVAILABLE TO GROUND LEVEL BUSINESSES ALL THROUGHOUT DOWNTOWN.
UM, BUT INCLUDING MAIN STREET.
UM, THESE GRANTS ARE TARGETED TOWARDS IMPROVEMENTS TO STOREFRONTS THAT INCREASE VIBRANCY.
SO IMAGINE, UH, A BUSINESS IS ABLE TO APPLY FOR A GRANT TO US REQUESTING, UM, FUNDS FOR AN AWNING, ENHANCED STREET, UH, LIGHTING, PLANTINGS, TABLES AND CHAIRS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
UH, APPLICANTS ARE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE A MATCH, UM, AND THERE IS A CAP ON THOSE GRANTS OF, UM, $25,000 FOR DOWNTOWN WIDE PROJECTS.
PUT PROJECTS THAT ARE LOCATED ALONG MAIN STREET ARE ELIGIBLE FOR MORE FUNDS.
AND AGAIN, THAT'S BECAUSE WE HAVE THIS LARGER VISION AND ASPIRATION OF, OF REALLY CREATING A, A VIBRANT ENVIRONMENT ON MAIN STREET.
IT'S A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT.
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OF WHAT WILL BE OUR, OUR FUTURE MAIN STREET.AND WHAT WE THINK IS REALLY LOVELY ABOUT THIS SHOT, UM, IS THAT YOU CAN START TO SEE A DIFFERENT INCORPORATION AT THE INTERSECTIONS OF, OF HOUSTON'S HISTORIC BLUE TILE.
UM, BUT YOU CAN ALSO GET A GLIMPSE OF HOW PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO WALK NORTH AND SOUTH AND HOW THOSE CROSSINGS WILL BE DIFFERENT.
I ALSO WANNA LIFT UP HERE THAT THE EAST WEST CONNECTIONS WILL REMAIN OPEN TO VEHICULAR TRAFFIC.
UM, WHAT TRAFFIC STUDIES HAVE SHOWN US IS THAT OVER THE YEARS, UH, VEHICLES HAD BEEN FINDING OTHER OPTIONS WHEN IT COMES TO NORTH AND SOUTHBOUND MOVEMENT IN OUR DOWNTOWN.
UM, ESPECIALLY WITH THE LIGHT RAIL.
THIS HAS BECOME A, A, A MULTIMODAL STREET IN THE SENSE THAT IT'S GREAT FOR PEOPLE TO WALK AND IT'S GREAT FOR LIGHT RAIL USERS.
THEY HAVEN'T, THEY HAVEN'T TAKEN AN INTEREST IN DRIVING DOWN THESE STREETS.
UM, BUT EAST WEST CONNECTIONS WILL BE MAINTAINED AS THOSE ARE, ARE HIGHLY UTILIZED, UM, BUT WITH IMPROVEMENTS FOR OUR CROSSINGS, WE FEEL CONFIDENT THAT THIS IS A VERY SAFE DESIGN, UM, AND WHOLLY ADEQUATE DESIGN FOR ENSURING SAFE CROSSINGS THROUGHOUT THE PROMENADE.
HERE'S ANOTHER IMAGE OF, UH, A CONCEPT FOR THE SHADE STRUCTURES, JUST SO YOU ALL CAN GET A SENSE OF THEIR SCALE AND WHAT THEY WILL LOOK LIKE, AS WELL AS, UM, THE REALLY CLEVER APPROACH THAT WE'RE TAKING TO ADDING MORE LIGHTING TO MAIN STREET FOLKS.
LOVE THE CATENARY LIGHTING OR THE, OR THE TWINKLE LIGHTS.
SOME LIKE TO CALL THEM, UH, ALONG MAIN STREET, BUT WE ALSO WANT TO DOUBLE DOWN ON LIGHTING.
UM, HOUSTON'S WARM PEOPLE LOVE TO COME OUT AT NIGHT.
WHAT OUR DATA TELLS US TOO ABOUT DOWNTOWN ACTIVITY.
WE, WE WANNA BRING AS MUCH LIGHTING AS POSSIBLE, SO WE LOVE TO SEE THE WAY IN WHICH LIGHTING HAS BEEN INCORPORATED INTO THE PLANTINGS AND TREES HERE.
SO I WANNA END WITH THE TIMELINE, AGAIN, THIS IMAGE, UM, AS WELL AS SOME, SOME POINTS, UM, WHAT YOU CAN ALL ANTICIPATE TO SEE.
WE'VE BEEN HAVING A WONDERFUL WORKING RELATIONSHIP, UM, UM, WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND CITY LEGAL, BRIAN CRIMMINS AND KIM MICKELSON ON THIS SORT OF NEXT STEP FOR THE ORDINANCE FOR MAIN STREET'S CLOSURE.
SO YOU ALL WILL SEE, WILL SEE A REVISED STREET CLOSURE ORDINANCE THAT REFLECTS THE CHANGE FROM THE MORE SPACE PROGRAM TO THE MAIN STREET PROMENADE.
MEANING, UH, SINCE THAT 2023 COUNCIL DECISION, THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE AND, AND WHAT CLOSURE, UH, CLOSURE ORDINANCE WOULD LOOK LIKE TODAY.
UM, I'M SHARING ON THEIR BEHALF THAT THIS IS EXPECTED BY THE END OF APRIL.
UH, THEN LATER IN THE SUMMER, YOU ALL WILL SEE AN ORDINANCE THAT FACILITATES OUR ORGANIZATION'S ABILITY TO COMPREHENSIVELY MANAGE PROGRAMMATIC ELEMENTS AND ALLOCATION OF SPACES WITHIN THE PROMENADE.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE STILL WORKING ON WITH THE CITY.
UM, AGAIN, OUR GOAL HERE IS A CONSTRUCTION TIMELINE THAT IS AMBITIOUS, BUT DOABLE.
UM, MAJOR CREDIT TO OUR HEAD OF CAPITAL PROJECTS, WHO HAS DONE COUNTLESS, COUNTLESS STREETSCAPE PROJECTS IN OUR DOWNTOWN AND KNOWS HOW TO DO GOOD WORK AND DO IT WELL QUICKLY.
UM, WE ARE EXCITED TO GET THIS DONE IN TIME FOR THE WORLD CUP.
UM, SO THE PROJECT IS ANTICIPATED TO BE COMPLETE BY MAY OF 2026.
UM, AND I MUST SAY, COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ AND CASTILLO, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THE PROJECT.
IT'S BEEN GREAT TO MEET WITH YOU ALL THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS AND YOUR STAFF, UM, TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE REFLECTING THE GOALS OF YOUR STAKEHOLDERS.
WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE PROJECT.
I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, HOUSTONIANS ARE READY TO BE DOWNTOWN MORE, UM, AND THIS DEFINITELY GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.
WE THINK THAT IT'S GONNA BE A GREAT VALUE ADD FOR THE WORLD CUP AS WELL.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO, THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM AND CASSIE, THANK YOU FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
UM, I FULLY SUPPORT THIS PROJECT, I THINK IS GONNA BE TRANSFORMATIONAL FOR DOWNTOWN.
I APPRECIATE ALL OF THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THAT HAS GONE INTO THIS.
I THINK THAT Y'ALL HAVE BEEN VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT IT.
YOU'VE MADE IT A PRIORITY, AND IT REFLECTS IN HOW MUCH EXCITEMENT THERE IS AROUND THIS PROJECT AND THE FOCUS YOU'RE PUTTING ON HEAT AND MITIGATING FOR THAT, UH, IN DOWNTOWN.
THAT IS SOMETHING, UH, THAT WE ARE DEALING WITH, UH, FOR LONGER PERIODS OF TIME AND FOR, FOR MORE INTENSE DURATIONS.
AND SO, UM, WE NEED TO SEE MORE OF THAT ACROSS THE CITY.
WE NEED TO SEE MORE PROJECTS LIKE THIS ACROSS THE CITY.
UM, HATS OFF TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR, FOR ALL THE HARD WORK.
MY QUESTION IS ON THE THIRD SLIDE, UH, WHERE WE SEE THE MAP MM-HMM
BETWEEN RUSK AND WALKER, THERE APPEARS TO BE A GAP.
WILL THAT, WILL THAT BE ACCESSIBLE BY, BY VEHICLE THAT BLOCK? THAT WILL BE.
AND THE REASON THAT THAT GAP IS THERE IS BECAUSE, UH, AGAIN, THE MORE SPACE, UH, MAIN STREET, SORT OF 1.0 AS WE CALLED IT ONLY INCLUDED THE SECTION OF MAIN STREET BETWEEN RUSK AND ALLEN'S LANDING.
UM, AND WHAT YOU SEE HIGHLIGHTED HERE IN PURPLE, UH, IS WHAT WAS ALREADY CLOSED TO VEHICULAR TRAFFIC.
AND SO, UM, MIGHT THERE BE A FUTURE WHERE THOSE BLOCKS COULD BE EXPLORED FOR CLOSURE, PERHAPS? BUT BECAUSE THE MORE SPACE, UM, MAIN STREET, 1.0 PROJECT AREA WAS SO DEFINED, THE PROJECT LIMITS WERE AT RISK, UH, WE DECIDED TO REMAIN, YOU KNOW, WE
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WANTED TO ADVANCE A DESIGN THAT HONORED THAT FOOTPRINT.UH, SO YOU WON'T SEE THE, THE LEVEL OF COSMETIC IMPROVEMENTS BEING MADE TO THOSE PURPLE BLOCKS THAT YOU WILL BE SEEING ON, ON THE GREEN BLOCKS.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT IT'S A LONGER CONVERSATION WITH PARTNERS THAT WEREN'T ENGAGED IN THE FIRST STAGE OF THE PROCESS OF CREATING MORE SPACE, MAIN STREET, 1.0 IN 2021, UM, THAT WEREN'T INTERESTED IN STREET CLOSURES AT THE TIME.
SO, UM, A HOTEL, FOR INSTANCE, IN A RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY, THEY DESERVE TO HAVE A LONGER ENGAGEMENT PERIOD BEFORE WE CONSIDER A PERMANENT CLOSURE OF THAT SECTIONS OF STREET, BUT PERHAPS IN THE FUTURE.
UH, CASSIE ALSO, JUST FOR DISCLOSURE, SHE'S ALSO A DISTRICT EYE RESIDENT, SO THERE'S A LOT OF INTEREST ON HER BEHALF, UH, TO SEE THIS GET DONE.
UH, BUT I JUST WANT TO JUST, UH, ECHO A BIT OF WHAT MY COLLEAGUE MENTIONED.
UH, I REMEMBER 2021 WHERE WE WERE DOING THE INITIAL PILOT OUT OF THE DISTRICT EYE OFFICE AND WALKING THOSE AREAS, AND THERE WAS A LITTLE HESITATION FROM SOME, UH, THOSE PROPERTY OWNERS.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN.
I'M GONNA, AM I GONNA, IS THIS GOING TO COST ME MORE OR WHATNOT? AND SO, UM, I I I FEEL LIKE MORE OF THESE, UH, PROPER OWNERS ARE NOW DEFINITELY INTERESTED.
UM, IT'S EXCITING TO SEE ESPECIALLY, UH, UH, BEFORE FIFA.
AND AS YOU MENTIONED, IT'S A TIGHT TIMELINE, SO I APPRECIATE ALL MY COLLEAGUES THAT ARE AROUND THE HORSESHOE TO ADVOCATE FOR THIS AND MAKE SURE THERE'S NO TAGS WHENEVER IT COMES TO THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
UM, AND SO, UH, AGAIN, JUST WANNA SAY, UH, CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE WORK YOU AND, AND THE TEAM HAS BEEN DOING AT DOWNTOWN PLUS, THANK YOU.
WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE TODAY.
NEXT WE WILL HAVE OUR DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY, LENCIA HORDE.
SHE WILL PRESENT ON THE DISPARITY STUDY RECOMMENDATIONS.
DIRECTOR HORDE, WE'RE READY TO HEAR FROM YOU.
AM I ABLE TO SIT? BECAUSE I THINK TOO LONG.
THE PEOPLE ARE HERE TO SEE YOU.
UH, MAYOR PRO TEM, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND STAFF THAT ARE HERE TO LISTEN TO OUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, WE'VE BEEN A LONG TIME COMING TO THIS.
WE'VE TRIED TO GET ON THE AGENDA ON LAST MONTH, AND, UM, WE WERE PREEMPTED BY RESCHEDULING.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US TODAY.
SO I WANNA START OUT WITH BASICALLY THE MISSION OF THE OFFICE OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY.
WE ALWAYS LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THAT THE OFFICE OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY IS COMMITTED TO CULTIVATING AN INCLUSIVE AND COMPETITIVE ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON BY PROMOTING THE SUCCESS OF SMALL BUSINESSES AND DEVELOPING HOUSTON'S WORKFORCE WITH A SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON HISTORICALLY UNDERUTILIZED BUSINESSES AND DISENFRANCHISED INDIVIDUALS.
OUR, UM, MISSION GOES ON TO ELIMINATE THE SYSTEMATIC, UM, EXCLUSION OF BUSINESSES.
AND SO WHERE I WANNA START IS THE WHY AND WHY WE DO AND WHY WE HAVE THESE DISPARITY STUDIES.
THE LEGAL PREMISE FOR DISPARITY STUDIES, UH, DISPARITY STUDIES PROVIDE ACTIONABLE RESULTS THAT CAN BE USED TO NARROWLY TAILOR A SUPPLIER DIVERSITY PROGRAM.
THE COURT IN CARLSON INDICATED THAT THE PROPER STATISTICAL EVALUATION WOULD COMPARE THE PERCENTAGE OF QUALIFIED MBES IN THE RELEVANT MARKET WITH A PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL MUNICIPAL CONSTRUCTION DOLLARS AWARDED TO THEM.
THIS WAS THE CROWSON RICHMOND, UH, CASE.
JUSTICE O'CONNOR RECOGNIZED THE STATISTICAL MEASURES OF DISPARITY THAT COMPARED THE NUMBER OF QUALIFIED AND AVAILABLE MBS WITH THE RATE AND STATE OF CONSTRUCTION DOLLARS ACTUALLY AWARDED TO THE MWBES TO DEMONSTRATE THE DISCRIMINATION IN THE LOCAL CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY.
TO MEET THIS MORE PRECISE REQUIREMENT, THE COURTS, INCLUDING THE FIFTH DISTRICT, HAVE ACCEPTED THE USE OF THE DISPARITY INDEX, WHICH IS WHAT WE USE TODAY.
THE LAST ADOPTED STUDY FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON, UM, WAS 2006.
UM, WE STARTED THIS STUDY IN APRIL OF 2023.
UM, AND AT THAT TIME WE WERE ON A TRAJECTORY TO TRY TO FINISH THIS IN NINE MONTHS.
UM, BECAUSE WE HAD NOT HAD A STUDY AND WE KNEW THAT IT WAS IMPERATIVE WITH THE POLITICAL CLIMATE THAT WE MOVED TOWARD REALLY HAVING NEW AND IMPROVED DATA AND UNDERSTANDING WHERE WE STOOD IN THE MIDST OF THE STUDY.
UH, THE CITY, UH, RECEIVED A FEDERAL CHALLENGE IN THE COURT SYSTEM, WHICH IS CHALLENGING CURRENTLY.
OUR MINORITY BUSINESS ENTERPRISE PROGRAM, WHICH CAME ABOUT ABOUT TWO, THREE MONTHS INTO THE STUDY.
AT THAT TIME, WE WERE GATHER GATHERING DATA.
UM, WE WERE ALMOST COMPLETELY WITH THE STUDY THAT WAS IN 2024.
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UM, AND SO OUR GOAL, UM, BECAUSE WE HAD A COURT DATE OF AUGUST, WAS TO TRY TO PRESENT THIS STUDY, UH, TO THE PUBLIC, GET IT TO COUNCIL, AND HAVE A STUDY ADOPTED SO THAT WE HAVE A CONSTITUTIONAL BASIS FOR OUR PROGRAM.SO I WANNA KIND OF WRAP THAT IN THERE.
SO AS WE STARTED, UM, OBO, THE LEGAL DEPO, THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT, FINANCE, AND SPD ALL WORK TOGETHER.
UM, AS WE WENT THROUGH THIS PROCESS, WE STARTED APRIL, 2023.
NEXT SLIDE WAS GATHERING THE QUANTITATIVE DATA, UM, THAT INCLUDED MGT CONSULTING AND THEY ARE PRESENT TODAY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS IF YOU LIKE.
MGT WAS GRANTED ACCESS TO OUR CITY SPEND DATA THROUGH OUR SAP PLATFORM.
THEY REVIEWED AND CATALOG ALL OF OUR THOUSANDS OF NACE CODES, AGGREGATED THE SPENDING WITH ALL OF OUR NACE CODES, CATALOGED ALL OUR VENDORS, PRIMES AND SUBCONTRACTORS.
ALL DATA WAS BROKEN OUT BY DEMOGRAPHICS, MEANING, UM, BLACK AMERICANS, HISPANIC AMERICANS, ASIAN AMERICANS, NATIVE AMERICANS, WOMEN AND NON-MINORITY WOMEN.
ALL DATA WAS ALSO BROKEN OUT BY SPENDING NACE CODES DATA MATCHED WITH VENDORS AND THEN AGGREGATE SPENDING CATEGORIES.
THEIR NEXT STEP, UM, AS THE DATA WAS, UM, BEING, UM, ANALYZED, WAS TO ENGAGE IN QUALITATIVE DATA GATHERING, WHICH IS CHAPTER SEVEN OF THE DISPARITY STUDY.
THERE WERE 687 SURVEY RESPONDENTS TO THE SURVEYS THAT SENT OUT.
THERE WERE 31,000 BUSINESSES THAT WERE CONTACTED.
ONLY 687 RESPONDED TO SURVEYS.
ONLY 49 INTERVIEWS CONDUCTED SEVEN FOCUS GROUPS BY PROCUREMENT CATEGORY.
THEY MAILED OVER 30,000 PHYSICAL COLLATERALS.
THERE WERE PHONE CALLS, THERE WAS OUTREACH TO, UH, CHAMBERS, AND OVER 800 BUSINESS OWNERS RESPONDED OVERALL.
MGT WORKED WITH THE CITY TO CREATE A COMMUNICATION OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT PLAN THAT INCLUDED VARIOUS OUTREACH STRATEGIES, METHODS GEARED TO INFORM AND ENCOURAGE THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY TO GET INVOLVED.
I WON'T GO THROUGH ALL OF THIS, BUT I'LL SAY BASICALLY, UM, THERE'S A COUPLE OF SLIDES AFTER THIS NEXT SLIDE WHERE WE LOOKED AT THE PARTICIPATION IN THE ENGAGEMENT.
WE HAD HOPED FOR MORE PARTICIPATION ENGAGEMENT.
UM, WE HAD THREE LOCAL FIRMS ON THE GROUND THAT WERE WORKING, UM, TO WORK TO GET OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY INVOLVED.
UM, BUT OVERALL THE UH, PARTICIPATION WAS 42% FROM THE, UM, BLACK AMERICAN COMMUNITY, 9% FROM THE ASIAN COMMUNITY, 19% FROM THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY, 2% FROM THE, UM, NATIVE AMERICAN COMMUNITY.
TOTAL MB PARTICIPATION WAS 73% TOTAL.
NON-MINORITY PARTICIPATION WAS 14%.
AND TOTAL PARTICIPATION 87% BASED ON THE NUMBER OF PERSONS THAT RESPONDED.
CAN YOU, UH, SPECIFY WHEN YOU BREAK DOWN THIS, UM, PARTICIPATION? IS THIS FOR THE STUDY? THIS IS FOR THE STUDY.
THE STUDY THAT YOU REFERENCED, THAT 35,000, UM, SURVEYS WERE SENT OUT IN 687 SURVEY RESPONDENTS, CORRECT? THIS IS THE BREAKDOWN OF THE PERCENTAGES.
THAT'S ALL THE RESPONDENT CORRECT.
WE ALSO OUTLINED OUR BUSINESS ENGAGEMENT, WHICH WERE MEETINGS IN, UM, DIFFERENT BUSINESS SECTORS.
NEXT SLIDE, THE IN-PERSON INTERVIEWS.
UM, WE HAVE THE BREAKOUT OF THAT FOR YOU, AND IT'S BY, UM, CATEGORY PURCHASING CATEGORY.
I'M GONNA GO THROUGH THESE BECAUSE I WANT TO GET TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, WE HAVE THE FOCUS GROUPS AND THE PARTICIPATION THERE BY CATEGORY AS WELL.
UM, FOCUS GROUPS WERE HUR HELD ON AUGUST 7TH, AUGUST 9TH.
UH, THERE WERE TWO AUGUST 10TH, AUGUST 22ND, AUGUST 23RD, AND AUGUST 29TH.
OUTREACH TO STAKEHOLDERS WAS BENEFICIAL, UM, BECAUSE THEIR ASSISTANCE EXTENDED COMMUNICATION EFFORTS TO INFORM AND ENGAGE THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY ANECDOTAL ACTIVITIES.
UM, THE ANECDOTAL QUESTIONS THAT WERE ASKED WERE MAINLY AROUND DISCRIMINATION.
UH, WE FOUND THAT THERE WAS LOW PARTICIPATION AND THE, UM, AND MGT CAN SPEAK TO THIS.
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THOSE WHO PARTICIPATED WANTED TO BE ANONYMOUS.UM, A LOT OF TIMES THE SUBCONTRACTORS ARE NOT COMFORTABLE SHARING, UM, THAT THEY WERE, UM, OUTWARDLY DISCRIMINATED AGAINST.
AND SO WE DID HAVE ANONYMOUS SURVEYS AS WELL.
UM, BUT WE GOT VERY LOW PARTICIPATION IN THE IN-PERSON BECAUSE PEOPLE JUST DON'T WANNA SHARE THAT INFORMATION.
WE HAD SUBMISSION NEXT SLIDE THROUGH ONLINE COMMENTS THROUGH THE, UM, DISPARITY STUDY WEBSITE.
AND THEN WE HAD ADDITIONAL ANALYSIS THAT WAS AROUND SPEND CONCENTRATION, SEPARATION OF GOODS AND SERVICES, BEST PRACTICES, PRACTICES OF COMPARABLE CITIES AND DRAFTS OF THE DATA.
SO THE NEXT SECTION IS ON THE RESULTS OF THE STUDY DISPARITY VERSUS NONS DISPARITY, MWB DISPARITY RESULTS.
THESE RESULTS SHOW THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON HAS GROWN IN ITS CONTRACTING OPPORTUNITIES WITH ALL OF OUR GROUPS.
WE'VE BEEN AROUND FOR 40 YEARS.
THERE HAVE BEEN EXTENSIVE, UH, GROWTH AND ESPECIALLY IN OUR CON CONSTRUCTION AREA, PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, BUT ALSO IN GOODS AND SERVICES.
UM, COMING INTO THE PROGRAM THAT TOOK 40 YEARS TO WORK, WE HAVE SEEN THAT THESE, UM, OPPORTUNITIES AND CONTRACTING WENT FROM ZERO TO MULTIMILLION DOLLAR OPPORTUNITIES WITH LAST YEAR, THE AWARDING OF $509 MILLION IN CONTRACTS TO OUR MWB CONTRACTORS.
DISPARITY INDEX METHODOLOGY YIELDS AN EASILY CALCULATE CALCULABLE VALUE.
UNDERSTANDABLE IN ITS INTERPRETATION ARE UNIVERSALLY COMPARABLE IN ITS RESULTS.
MEANING ALL OF THE PROGRAMS USE THE SAME INDEX AND USE THE SAME METHODOLOGY FOR THESE STUDIES.
SUBSTANTIAL AND STATISTICAL SIGNIFICANT DISPARITY GIVES EVIDENCE OF DISCRIMINATION WITHIN THE PUBLIC SECTOR.
MWBES, COMBINED WITH SUBSTANTIAL AND STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT DISPARITIES WERE SHOWN IN ALL OF THE CATEGORIES.
IF WE GO SPECIFICALLY FOR BLACK AMERICANS, THERE'S DISPARITY IN ALL CATEGORIES.
CONSTRUCTION, PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, OTHER SERVICES AND GOODS.
IF WE LOOK AT THE DISPARITY FOR ASIAN AMERICANS, THERE'S DISPARITY IN ALL CATEGORIES BECAUSE THERE'S NO DISPARITY IN ONLY ONE.
UM, BUT CONSTRUCTION SHOWS DISPARITY PROFESSIONAL SERVICES SHOWS NO DISPARITY.
OTHER SERVICES SHOW DISPARITY.
HISPANIC AMERICANS HAS A DISPARITY IN ALL CATEGORIES, BUT FOR CONSTRUCTION, THERE IS NO DISPARITY.
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, NO DISPARITY.
OTHER SERVICES, DISPARITY, GOODS, DISPARITY.
NATIVE AMERICANS SHOW A DISPARITY ACROSS ALL CATEGORIES, INCLUDING CONSTRUCTION, PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, OTHER SERVICES AND GOODS FOR THE TOTAL MBE POPULATION OF FIRMS THAT HAVE AVAILABILITY.
WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON, THERE'S DISPARITY ACROSS ALL CATEGORIES.
FOR NON-MINORITY WOMEN, THERE'S DISPARITY IN CONSTRUCTION, DISPARITY IN PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, DISPARITY IN OTHER SERVICES, AND NO DISPARITY IN GOODS.
SO FOR TOTAL, FOR THE MWBE FIRMS, THERE IS DISPARITY IN ALL OF THE CATEGORIES ACROSS THE BOARD FOR UNCLASSIFIED FIRMS, UM, THOSE THAT WE KNOW ARE NON-MINORITY MALES OR WERE NOT CLASSIFIED AND DID NOT RESPOND, THERE IS NO DISPARITY IN ANY OF THE CATEGORIES.
MGT CONSULTING, UM, IS A NATIONAL FIRM.
WHO MADE THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS TO US? THEY'VE DONE OVER 250 DISPARITY STUDIES.
UM, TODAY WE ARE JOINED BY ANDRES BERNARD, WHO IS THE, UH, VICE PRESIDENT AND LEGAL REPRESENTATIVE THERE ONLINE.
UM, AND VERNETA MITCHELL, WHO'S THE LEAD FOR THEIR, UM, DISPARITY STUDY BRANCH, THEY PROVIDED REMEDIES TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON THE DISPARITIES THAT WERE FOUND IN THE STUDY.
ONE WAS TO ENHANCE OUR DATA COLLECTION.
TWO WAS TO ADVERTISE OUR FUTURE INFORMAL PROCUREMENT OPPORTUNITIES.
THE THIRD WAS TO ESTABLISH CONTRACT COMPLIANCE PROCESSES FOR INDEFINITE DELIVERY, QUANTITY PURCHASES LIKE OUR JACKSON AND WATTS, TO ADOPT A POLICY FOR BIDDING THE EXCLUSIVITY AGREEMENTS BETWEEN PRIMES AND SUBCONTRACTORS.
A ROBUST GRADUATION PROGRAM, EXPANDING THE SBE PROGRAM, EXPANDING THE OFFICE OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY
[01:15:01]
STAFFING, AND THE SUNSET OF THE PROGRAM.ALL PROGRAMS THAT ARE ESTABLISHED UNDER THE MWB UM, STATUTE HAS A, HAVE A SUNSET PROPOSED DATE, WHICH IS WHY WE DO THIS STUDY.
UM, THESE PROGRAMS WERE NOT ESTABLISHED TO REALLY LAST AS LONG AS THEY HAVE.
THEY WERE ESTABLISHED FOR COMPANIES TO COME IN WHO WERE SMALL, HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO BID, AND TO PARTICIPATE IN CONTRACTING AND TO GROW AND TO GRADUATE.
AND SO THE SUNSET DATE IS A PROPOSED TIME WHEN WE GO BACK AND REASSESS WHETHER THE PROGRAM HAS OFFERED OPPORTUNITIES, HAS NOT OFFERED OPPORTUNITIES, AND TO READJUST AS SUCH.
UM, ADJUSTMENTS WERE MADE IN A 2006 STUDY WHERE, UM, WOMEN WERE REMOVED FROM OTHER PRESUMPTIVE GROUPS.
WE'VE HAD NATIVE AMERICANS REMOVED FROM THE SOMP GROUPS.
UM, THIS TIME AROUND WE'RE LOOKING AT A DIFFERENT APPROACH.
MARKETING INITIATIVES FOR THE DISPARITY STUDY COMMENCED AROUND THIS NOVEMBER 21ST, 2024.
UH, WE DID AN EMAIL CAMPAIGN OUT THROUGH OUR CONTRACT COMPLIANCE COMMISSION ADVISORY BOARD CHAMBERS COUNCIL MEMBERS THROUGH OUR PARTNERS IN METRO HISD POST, UM, PORT OF HOUSTON, HARRIS COUNTY, UM, TO ALL OF OUR CERTIFIED FIRMS THROUGH B TWO G.
NOW, UM, THROUGH OUR EMAIL BLAST TO THE 20,000 INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE ON OUR LISTING AND STEADY, UH, RELEASE OF PUBLICLY OF THE EDC COMMITTEE MEETING.
THAT WAS NOVEMBER 20TH, THE NOVEMBER, NOVEMBER 20TH ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE STUDY.
AND HIS RECOMMENDATIONS WAS HAD AND THERE WAS ATTENDANCE.
THIS IS THE ANNOUNCEMENT ACTUALLY THAT YOU ALL RECEIVED.
WE ALSO SET UP FOR THE RELEASE OF THE DISPARITY STUDY, A SEPARATE CITY OF HOUSTON DISPARITY STUDY PORTAL THAT WOULD NOT BE ON OUR WEBSITE, SO THAT IT WILL BE ANONYMOUS, THAT PEOPLE CAN SUBMIT TO MGT DIRECTLY, AND THERE WOULD BE NO, UM, APPEARANCE THAT WE HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH THOSE THINGS THAT CAME IN THROUGH THAT PORTAL.
THE ACTUAL EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, THE DISPARITY STUDY REPORT, AS WELL AS THE POWERPOINT THAT WAS PRESENTED HERE AT THE EDC ON NOVEMBER 20TH.
PUBLIC COMMENTS WERE SUBMITTED THROUGH THAT PORTAL WHERE IT COLLECTED THE NAME OF THE COMPANY, THEIR PHONE AND EMAIL, ANY OF THEIR INFORMATION, AS WELL AS THE COMPANY'S, UH, ETHNICITY AND THE OWNER'S GENDER.
IN DECEMBER, UM, THERE WAS A FLYER, UM, THAT WAS, UM, PUT OUT ABOUT THE INFORMATIONAL SESSION THAT INCLUDED THE ZOOM LINK SHARED THROUGH OUR B TWO GEN.
NOW TO OUR 5,000, A LITTLE OVER 800 CERTIFIED FIRMS. UM, CONSTANT CONTACT WAS SENT OUT TO ALL OF OUR SUBSCRIBERS.
UH, WEEKLY E-BLASTS WERE SENT TO OUR, UM, E-BLAST RECIPIENTS.
IN ADDITION TO EMAILS SENT TO OUR PARTNERS B TWO G.
NOW PLATFORM IS DESIGNED TO REACH ALL OF OUR ACTIVE CERTIFIED FIRMS. AND WHILE THE AUDIENCE FOR CONSTANT CONTACT IN THE OBO EMAIL BLAST INCLUDES CERTIFIED FIRMS, COUNCIL MEMBERS, STAFF DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS, TEXAS HOUSE REPRESENTATIVES, PARTICIPANTS OF ALL OF OUR MEET THE BUYER EVENTS, THE OBO ADVISORY BOARD, AND A RANGE OF OBO DISTRIBUTION MAILING LIST.
THE ZOOM PRESENTATION WAS ON DECEMBER 14TH.
THERE WAS LOW, UM, PARTICIPATION IN THAT MEETING.
IT WAS 26TH, SO WE RESCHEDULED THE EVENT AND GAVE MORE TIME TO PUBLICIZE IN JANUARY.
THE SAME SYSTEM WAS, UM, PUT IN PLACE TO SEND OUT THE ZOOM LINK VIA B TWO G.
NOW, CONSTANT CONTACT, OBO WEEKLY E-BLAST, AND MULTIPLE EMAILS.
THE B TWO JANELLE PLATFORM, AGAIN, WAS DESIGNED TO REACH A CERTIFIED VENDORS, BUT OUR CONTACT, UM, CONSTANT CONTACT IN OUR OBO WEEKLY EMAIL BLAST DOES INCLUDE MANY OF OUR PARTNERS.
THE ZOOM PRESENTATION ON JANUARY 14TH WAS ATTENDED BY 120, UM, ATTENDEES.
UM, PUBLIC COMMENT WAS ALSO RECEIVED THROUGH THE PORTAL.
ALL OF OUR RECOMME, OH, NEXT SLIDE.
THIS IS ALSO OUR PUBLIC NOTICE.
HERE WE HAVE, UM, THE ACTUAL MARKETING THROUGH B TWO G.
NOW IN THIS SLIDE, OUR CONSTANT CONTACT AND WEEKLY E-BLAST, UM, AND THE NUMBER OF VIEWS FROM THOSE.
THERE WAS MEDIA COVERAGE FOR, UM, THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE,
[01:20:01]
UM, DISPARITY STUDY THROUGH THE HOUSTON PUBLIC MEDIA ARTICLE.DURING THE STUDY PARTICIPATION FOR OUTREACH, THE ASIAN CHAMBER AND A NUMBER OF THE CHAMBERS DID PUBLISH, UM, THE NEED FOR THOSE, UM, BUSINESSES TO PARTICIPATE.
WE ALSO HAD COVERAGE WITH THE DEFENDER NETWORK.
NEXT SLIDE, THE DBE JOURNAL, WHICH COVERS OUR FEDERAL CONTRACTING.
AND WITH THE, UM, HOUSTON LANDING, THEY ALSO COVERED, UM, THE RELEASE OF THE DISPARITY STUDY AND DISCUSSED THE FINDINGS.
UM, NOW WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE UPCOMING CHANGES THAT WE'RE PROPOSING TO THE ORDINANCE.
BEFORE I START, I'D LIKE TO SAY WITHOUT ADOPTING THE UPDATED ORDINANCE THAT SUPPORTS THE FINDINGS IN THE STUDY, WE DO RISK A 40 YEAR SETBACK.
SO I'LL BE VERY CLEAR THAT THE FINDINGS IN THE STUDY NARROWLY TAILOR THIS PROGRAM.
UM, AND WE ARE IN THE, AT THE KIND OF CROSSROADS OF HAVING THE STUDY AND GOING TO LITIGATION.
UM, THE RISK OF NOT HAVING AN ADOPTED STUDY AND NOT HAVING AN ORDINANCE THAT REFLECTS THE RESULTS OF THE STUDY IS NO PROGRAM AT ALL.
THE ADOPTION OF A STUDY AND THE ADOPTION OF SOME CHANGES TO THE PROGRAM WOULD ALLOW US TO DEFEND THE STUDY, UM, IN THE LITIGATION OR DEFEND THE PROGRAM IN THE LITIGATION.
I WANNA TALK ABOUT CHAPTER 15 ON THIS SLIDE.
CURRENTLY, WHAT WE HAVE ON THE LEFT IS WHERE WE ARE AND WHERE WE'RE PROPOSING IS ON THE RIGHT.
CURRENTLY WE DO NOT HAVE A VETERAN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM.
SO WE ARE PROPOSING TO CREATE A VETERAN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM, AS WELL AS A SERVICE DISABLED VETERAN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM.
CURRENTLY, WE DO HAVE PRESUMPTIVE GROUPS THAT ARE WITHOUT DISPARITY.
AND THOSE GROUPS, I WAS CHANGE THE WORD FROM REMOVE WILL BE SHIFTED IN THE PROGRAM, AND I'LL SPEAK TO THAT.
UM, WE WOULD PROPOSE SHIFTING THOSE GROUPS TO THE SMALL BUSINESS ENTERPRISE CATEGORY.
CURRENTLY WE HAVE A CONSTRUCTION ONLY SMALL BUSINESS ENTERPRISE PROGRAM THAT HAS A CAP OF 4%.
WE WOULD PROPOSE OPENING UP THE SMALL BUSINESS ENTERPRISE PROGRAM ON THE CONSTRUCTION AND HAVING NO CAP.
WE'D ALSO PROPOSE HAVING THE SMALL BUSINESS ENTERPRISE CATEGORY ADDED TO PROFESSIONAL SERVICE TO GOODS, AS WELL AS THE SERVICES.
OTHER PROGRAMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAVE MOVED, UM, TOWARD HAVING AN ADDITIONAL CATEGORY FOR SMALL BUSINESS ENTERPRISE.
UM, SOME MUNICIPALITIES HAVE A SBE, SOME MUNICIPALITIES HAVE AN S-B-E-M-B-E-W-B-E.
WE ARE PROPOSING A TRANSITION, UH, A TRANSITION TO AN EXPANDED SBE PROGRAM.
A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS, AND WE'LL GO DEEPER INTO THE SPE THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE.
ON THE LEFT SIDE, WE ADVERTISE FUTURE FORMAL, UM, PROCUREMENTS, BUT WE WOULD ALSO WORK WITH SPD, UM, AND THE DEPARTMENTS TO ADVERTI ADVERTISE FUTURE INFORMAL PROCUREMENTS AS WELL.
UM, TREAT ALL CONTRACT COMPLIANCE THE SAME AS WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE.
AND SO WE WOULD ESTABLISH COMPLIANCE PROCESSES FOR THE, UM, JOB ORDER CONTRACTS AND WORK ORDER CONTRACTS THAT ARE A LITTLE BIT MORE INTENSIVE AND HAVE MORE FLEXIBILITY IN IT FOR THE PRIME CONTRACTORS.
UM, CURRENTLY VENDORS, UM, HAVE BEEN PROHIBITED FROM, UM, BEING COMPETITIVE IN THE PROCESS BY SOME OF THE PRIMES.
WHAT THAT MEANS IS A PRIME WILL SAY, IF YOU BID WITH ME, YOU CAN'T BID WITH OTHER CONTRACTORS.
AND WE THINK THAT'S PROHIBITIVE TO THEM TAKING ADVANTAGE OF OPPORTUNITIES.
SO WE WANNA LOOK AT ADOPTING A POLICY THAT DISCOURAGES THE, THE EXCLUSIVITY AGREEMENTS THAT WE HAVE THAT WE FIND.
UM, WE ALSO WANT TO LOOK AT GRADUATION.
SO GRADUATION HAS BEEN WAIVED UPON, UM, ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS, BUT WE THINK THAT WE NEED A MORE ROBUST GRADUATION PROGRAM WHERE WE GRADUATE FIRMS THAT ARE ACTUALLY REACHING THE POINT WHERE THEY HAVE, UM, OUTGROWN THEIR NACE CODE OR THEY HAVE A HIGHER LEVEL OF P AND W ON THE FEDERAL SIDE.
SO THE NEW SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM, UM, WOULD BE ONE CREATION OF THE VETERAN OWNED THAT WILL BE IN ADDITION.
UM, BUT EXPANDING THE PROGRAM, UM, WOULD LOOK LIKE ADDING
[01:25:01]
A MENTOR PROTEGE PROGRAM TO INSIDE OF THAT PROGRAM.A SMALL BUSINESS ROTATION PROGRAM EXPANDED FROM JUST ONLY CONSTRUCTION AND P UM, HPW, BUT TO OUR OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
UM, A SMALL BUSINESS RESERVE PROGRAM AS WELL.
FOR THE SMALL BUSINESS ENTERPRISE MIGRATION, UM, THE CREATE CREATION OF THE SERVICES CATEGORY AND THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CATEGORY WOULD BE DONE OVER TIME.
WE WILL LOOK AT PHASING IN THE SPE CATEGORIES FOR CONSTRUCTION WOULD BE PHASE ONE, BECAUSE WE ALREADY HAVE AN SB CATEGORY, IT'S JUST CAPPED.
UH, FOR PHASE TWO, WE WOULD GO TO PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, PHASE THREE SERVICES, AND PHASE FOUR WOULD BE GOODS.
WE DO HAVE A TIMELINE WHERE WE WOULD LOOK AT IF WE COULD HAVE AN ORDINANCE UPDATED BY MARCH OR APRIL.
ADMINISTRATIVE UPDATES TO TAKE US ABOUT TWO MONTHS.
AND THAT WOULD INCLUDE CHANGING OUR CONTRACTS, UPDATING OUR FORMS, WORKING WITH THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS TO ENSURE THAT ALL OF OUR FORMS ARE IN SEQUENCE.
AND WE'VE ADDRESSED ALL THE CHANGES.
UM, DEPARTMENTAL TRAINING WOULD NEED TO OCCUR WITH ALL 22 DEPARTMENTS, AND WE WOULD HAVE THOSE OVER JUNE AND JULY.
WE WOULD NEED PROCUREMENT UPDATES TO WORK WITH SPD.
WE'LL GO ON EFFECT JUNE TO JULY AS WELL.
AND THEN THE MIGRATION WOULD BEGIN IN JULY TO SEPTEMBER FOR CONSTRUCTION.
SEPTEMBER TO NOVEMBER FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, NOVEMBER TO DECEMBER FOR GOODS.
AND THEN NEW GOAL CATEGORIES WILL BE IMPLEMENTED, UM, IN THE NEXT YEAR.
AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS EACH CONTRACT IS LOOKED AT FOR CONTRACT SPECIFIC GOALS.
UM, AND SO I WILL GIVE THE, UM, THE EXAMPLE OF A CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT THAT COMES IN THAT HAS A GOAL OF 10% MINORITY, UM, 10% WOMEN, AND 5% SBE IS BASED OFF THE AVAILABILITY, THE SHIFTING OF OUR MINORITY, UM, AVAILABILITY IN THE HISPANIC, UM, COMMUNITY TO THE SBE WOULD INCREASE THE AVAILABILITY OF THAT GOAL FOR THE SBE ON THAT CONTRACT.
WOULD ALSO INCREASE THEIR OPPORTUNITIES IN THE SBE ON THAT CONTRACT AND WOULD BUILD A REALLY ROBUST PROGRAM FOR, UM, OUR CONTRACTORS WOULD ALSO DECREASE THOUGH THE AVAILABILITY ON THE MBE SIDE BECAUSE WE'D BE SHIFTING QUITE A, A GROUP, A LARGE GROUP OVER TO THE SBE CATEGORY WITH THE DECREASE.
IT WOULD ALSO CHANGE THE GOALS, UM, FOR THE MBE, THE SBE AND THE WBE.
SO I WANNA WRAP UP BY SAYING IT'S JUST IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT OUR PROGRAM IS JUDGED BY ITS CONSTITUTIONALITY BASED ON THE NARROWLY TAILORING OF THE PROGRAM.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVEN'T DONE A DISPARITY STUDY IN A VERY LONG TIME.
AND SO IN COMING IN AND HAVING TO GET THIS DISPARITY STUDY DONE AND THEN COMING INTO A LITIGATION, UM, FACTOR AT THE SAME TIME, HAS PUSHED THIS TRAIN FORWARD FAIRLY QUICKLY.
UM, WE DO WANNA ENSURE THAT WE'RE BEING FAIR AND ENSURING THAT EVERYONE HAS A PLACE AND A SEAT AT THE TABLE.
UM, THE CURRENT ORDINANCE DOES NOT HAVE AN SPE PROGRAM.
AND IF WE WERE TO PRESENT IT TO COURT AS SUCH, IS GOING TO LOOK AS IF WE HAVE NOT TECHNIC NARROW TAILORED OUR PROGRAM.
IF WE ARE TO EXPAND OUR PROGRAM, ALLOW OUR FIRMS WHO ARE CURRENTLY PARTNERS THAT WE GREATLY VALUE TO MOVE OVER IN THE SVE, UM, CATEGORY, THE PARTICIPATION WILL STILL BE THERE.
THE OPPORTUNITY WILL STILL BE THERE, BUT WE WILL BE ABLE TO EXPAND OUR PROGRAM AND CATCH UP WITH PROGRAMS THAT ALREADY HAVE SBE CATEGORIES OUT IN OTHER PLACES IN THE STATE.
UM, DALLAS HAS AN SBE, AUSTIN HAS AN SPE.
SO THIS IS NOT A NEW CREATION OR A NEW THING THAT WE'RE DOING.
IT IS A SHIFT IN THE WAY THAT CITY OF HOUSTON DOES BUSINESS.
BUT I THINK IF WE WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY AROUND THE POLICIES AND HOW WE PUT THIS TOGETHER, IT COULD BE EXPANDED TO BE SOMETHING REALLY GREAT THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD AND THAT COULD STAND UP.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS? WE DO HAVE, UM, SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS IN QUEUE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DIRECTOR FOR, UM, THE PRESENTATION AND LAYING OUT THE RECOMMENDATIONS.
WE'LL START WITH COUNCIL MEMBER P*****K.
AND DIRECTOR, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, AND AS YOU MENTIONED, THE CITY HASN'T DONE A DISPARITY STUDY IN SOME TIME.
UH, SO FOR US TO BE ABLE TO JUSTIFY THE PROGRAM, UH, AND TO BE ABLE TO SHOW WHERE WE ARE CURRENTLY, UH, STANDING, I THINK THIS DISPARITY STUDY IS, IS RIGHT ON TIME BASED ON THE LITIGATION THAT'S COMING UP.
[01:30:01]
UH, FOR YOU.UM, AND LOOKING AT THE FINDINGS, UM, I SEE THAT THERE IS DISPARITY ACROSS THE BOARD FOR BLACK AMERICANS.
AND IS IT TRUE THAT BLACK AMERICANS HAVE MORE CERTIFICATIONS THAN ANY OTHER MINORITY GROUP? NO.
SO WHAT MINORITY GROUP WOULD HAVE THE MOST CERTIFICATIONS? UH, 19.
HELLO? SO THIS IS VANESSA AON LETON, OUR DIVISION MANAGER FOR CERTIFICATION.
UH, SO, UH, THE ENTITY, A QUESTION.
I WOULD HAVE TO PULL IT FROM OUR, UH, DIRECTORY.
I DON'T HAVE IT ON ME RIGHT NOW, UNFORTUNATELY.
UH, BUT I'LL BE ABLE TO GET BACK TO YOU.
YEAH, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, UH, WHAT RACIAL GROUP HAS THE MOST CERTIFICATIONS? OKAY.
AND YOU'RE SAYING JUST THE CITY OF HOUSTON? FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON? YES, SIR.
UH, AND THEN A BREAKDOWN OF, OF, OF WHICH RACIAL GROUPS ARE ACTUALLY GETTING THE WORK.
UH, SECONDLY, UM, SO THERE'S A MW WE HAVE A-M-W-S-B-E PROGRAM.
UM, EVERYBODY KIND OF FALLS WITHIN THE S TO A DEGREE.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO HAVE A M AND A W STILL B, YOU WANT? SO OUR CURRENTLY THE S SB PROGRAM IS RACE AND GENDER NEUTRAL, BUT IT IS GEARED FOR CONSTRUCTION AND CONSTRUCTION RELATED.
SO, UM, YES, MINORITY AND WOMEN DO GET INTO THAT PROGRAM, BUT IT ALSO INCLUDE A NON-MINORITY, UM, MALES, BUT GEARED TOWARD CONSTRUCTION, CONSTRUCTION RELATED.
SO IT'S, IT'S, UM, WHERE YOU HAVE THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AND THE, UH, LIKE SAY JANITORIAL SERVICES VERSUS, UH, POST CONSTRUCTION.
UH, THE JANITORIAL SERVICES WOULDN'T NECESSARILY GO IN SPE RIGHT NOW, BUT, UH, CONSTRUCTION CLEANUP WOULD.
SO, UH, THAT'S HOW WE, WHEN WE GET THOSE APPLICATIONS, WE LOOK AT WHAT THEY'RE DOING TO SEE IF THEY ACTUALLY FIT INTO CONSTRUCTION AND CONSTRUCTION RELATED.
AND FINAL QUESTION TO, TO OUR CITY ATTORNEY.
UM, WE'RE GOING INTO A, A, A LITIGATION BASED ON, UM, UH, UM, A, A CURRENT LAWSUIT FILED BY THE PLAINTIFFS.
MY QUESTION TO YOU IS, HOW DOES THIS DISPARITY STUDY HELP YOUR LEGAL DEPARTMENT WHEN, UM, GOING INTO THIS LITIGATION, FROM AN ARGUMENT STANDPOINT, IS IT NECESSARY FOR US TO BE ABLE TO APPROVE THESE PROPOSED CHANGES, UM, SO THAT YOU ALL HAVE SOMETHING TO JUSTIFY THE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM AND THIS PROGRAM BEING IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITY? UM, THE, THE FEDERAL COURT THAT IS, UH, HANDLING THE LAWSUIT HAS GIVEN THE CITY UP UNTIL, UM, THE, THE SECOND WEEK IN APRIL TO DETERMINE WHETHER IT'S GOING TO ADOPT THE NEW STUDY OR NOT.
AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS IT'S GOING TO CONDUCT THE TRIAL UNDER THE NEW STUDY IF IT'S ADOPTED IN THAT TIMEFRAME.
IF NOT, IT'S GOING TO DO IT UNDER THE, THE, THE CURRENT PROGRAM WE HAVE NOW.
IT WILL BE EASIER TO DEFEND WITH THE NEW STUDY BECAUSE, UH, AS HAS BEEN SHOWN DURING THE PRESENTATION, IT'S, UH, CONTEMPORANEOUS DATA.
IT'S MORE COMPREHENSIVE, AND IT ALSO HAS THE RACE NEUTRAL FACTORS SUCH AS THE VETERANS PROGRAM, THE SBE PROGRAM THAT THE COURTS LOOK TO ESTABLISH THE NARROWLY TAILORED REQUIREMENT.
MEMBER PRO TEMP, UH, FIRST, UH, DIRECTED.
UH, LAST MONDAY WE HAD A VIRTUAL MEETING WITH ABOUT 15 STAKEHOLDERS, UH, THAT HAD CONCERNS ABOUT THE DISPARITY STUDY.
UM, AND, AND I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS BROUGHT UP WAS THAT THERE WAS A DISPARITY STUDY PRIOR TO THE APRIL 23RD, UH, 2020 THIRD, UH, 2023 STUDY.
WHEN WAS THAT DONE? UM, THE STUDY WAS COMMISSIONED IN 2016, AND I BELIEVE IT WAS COMPLETED IN 2019.
AND SO THAT WAS NEVER USED, NEVER SHARED.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT STUDY WAS NEVER ADOPTED AND NEVER SHARED.
AND SO MY CONCERN IS THAT SINCE WE'VE NEVER SEEN THAT ONE, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WAS, UH, SHARED, WHAT CAME OUTTA THAT STUDY.
UH, THAT STUDY COULD BE TOTALLY DIFFERENT FROM THIS STUDY.
AND THEN UL ULTIMATELY CONTRADICTING THIS STUDY AS WELL.
UM, I, I'D REALLY WANNA MAKE SURE THAT PRIOR TO WE GOING TO COURT, THAT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THAT 26, 20 16 STUDY TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, IF IF THEY SAY THE SAME, THEN GREAT.
IF THEY DON'T SAY THE SAME, THEN, THEN WE HAVE, UH, WE HAVE ANOTHER CONVERSATION THAT BE TO BE HAD.
BECAUSE TO MY COLLEAGUE'S POINT, RIGHT, UTILIZATION AVAILABILITY IS TOTALLY DIFFERENT.
UM, SO UNDERSTANDING HOW MANY ARE CERTIFIED WITHIN CERTAIN, UH, CERTAIN SERVICES IS IMPORTANT.
[01:35:01]
FOR EXAMPLE, YOU HAVE JUST, UM, THE MAJORITY, UH, CERTIFICATIONS THAT ARE, ARE UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND HIS ARE HISPANIC, UM, AND YOU DON'T HAVE THAT MANY OF OTHER, OTHER, UH, ETHNICITIES OR GENDER, THEN OF COURSE IT'S GONNA BE SKEWED BECAUSE NOW YOU ARE GONNA BE UTILIZING MORE HISPANIC, UH, CONS, UH, UNDER CONSTRUCTION.AND SO, TO THAT POINT, AND I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER FOLKS IN THE QUEUE, AND WE HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS, SO I'LL SAVE MY QUESTIONS.
I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE, THE COMMUNITY THAT'S HERE IS ABLE TO SPEAK TO IT.
BUT, UM, I, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE REALLY, UM, DON'T MOVE INTO THIS, UH, COURT CASE WITH SOMETHING THAT COULD BE FLAWED AS WELL.
UM, UNDERSTANDING, UNDERSTANDING THAT, UH, WE DO HAVE A COURT CASE THAT WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE, WE STEP INTO, BUT THAT 2016 STUDY SHOULD BE SHARED WITH US AS WELL.
UM, SO THE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAD IN THE LAST, UH, I THINK ONE OF THE COURT PRIOR COURT HEARINGS WAS THAT, UM, THE JUDGE HAD RULED OUT ANY ADMISSION OF THE PREVIOUS STUDY, THE 2016 STUDY, UM, IN THE LAST, THE LAST HEARING.
'CAUSE THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT THE PLAINTIFFS WANTED TO COME IN.
UM, AND THE JUDGE HAS SAID THAT BECAUSE IT WAS NOT ADOPTED, NOT SAYING WE CAN'T SHARE IT WITH YOU GUYS, BUT SAYING THAT IT WASN'T ADOPTED, THAT IT WASN'T EVEN VALID, THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK TO 2006, WHICH IS WHY THIS IS SO IMPERATIVE.
THANK YOU MAYOR PROTE, AND THANK YOU DIRECTOR FOR THE INFORMATION, THE PRESENTATION I WANT TO TALK ABOUT, UM, SLIDE EIGHT, THE DATA GATHERING SECTION 687 SURVEY RESPONSES.
SO MAILED OUT 30,000 PHYSICAL COLLATERAL, THE INTERVIEWS, THE FOCUS GROUPS, THE BUSINESS OWNERS.
HOW DOES THAT ALL ROLL UP INTO THE SURVEY RESPONDENTS, IF YOU, SO YOU DID OVER 800 BUSINESS OWNERS RESPONDED MM-HMM
YOU DID THE INTERVIEWS, THE PHONE CALLS.
HOW DOES THAT ALL COME TOGETHER? UM, SO, UM, NGT HIRED, UM, CONSULTANTS HERE IN HOUSTON WHO HAD INTERVIEWS, UM, ONE-ON-ONES.
THE 687 ARE INDIVIDUAL SURVEYS THAT WERE SENT OUT ONLINE.
UM, THOSE SURVEYS WERE SENT OUT OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
THEY WEREN'T JUST SENT OUT ONE TIME.
UM, THERE WERE, THEY WERE THROUGH E-BLAST CONSTANT CONTACT, UM, THROUGH, IN OTHER PEOPLE'S MAILING LISTS.
UM, WE ALSO UTILIZED THE, UH, FOCUS GROUPS AND BUSINESS ENGAGEMENTS, WHICH WERE ACTUALLY ZOOM, UM, MEETINGS.
THERE WERE THE FOCUS GROUPS IN PERSON.
SO THESE ALL ROLLED UP TO THE 800 PEOPLE THAT PARTICIPATED, OR INDIVIDUALS THAT PARTICIPATED.
UM, AND WE DID, UM, TRY FOR MONTHS TO GET MORE AND MORE AND MORE PARTICIPATION OUT, UM, IN THE COMMUNITY WHILE WE WERE CONDUCTING THE STUDY.
AND THIS IS FOR THE ANECDOTAL PART OF THE STUDY, THE QUALITATIVE PART, NOT THE QUANTITATIVE SECTION OF THE STUDY.
SO WOULD THERE BE ANY OVERLAP BETWEEN SOMEONE WHO RESPONDED VIA SURVEY AND ALSO PARTICIPATED IN A FOCUS GROUP? I THINK THAT, UH, VENETTA CAN, CAN VENETTA SPEAK TO THAT? IS SHE ON? SHE'S ON MUTE.
YOU'RE TALKING, YOU'RE ON MUTE.
CAN SHE UNMUTE OR DO WE HAVE TO UNMUTE HER? MY UNDERSTANDING IS THERE WAS A, UM, A MEANS BY WHICH THEY WERE NOT DOUBLE COUNTED.
I WANTED HER TO EXPLAIN THAT MM-HMM
BUT THAT THE SURVEYS, UM, THEY MADE SURE THAT PEOPLE THAT PARTICIPATED IN THE IN-PERSON AND IN THE BUSINESS ENGAGEMENT WERE SEPARATE FROM THE SURVEY PARTICIPANTS.
AND THEN, UM, MY LAST QUESTION FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY, UM, IF WE TAKE NO ACTION ON THIS, WHAT, WHAT ARE, IF WE DO NOT ADOPT THIS, THIS DISPARITY STUDY, WHAT WOULD BE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR THAT? UM, THE TRIAL WOULD OCCUR UNDER OUR EXISTING PROGRAM RIGHT NOW WHERE THE, WHERE THE DATA IS OLDER AND LESS COMPREHENSIVE DOESN'T HAVE THE, UM, RACE NEUTRAL FACTORS.
UH, IF WE DO NOT PREVAIL, THEN LIKELY THE, WHAT THE COURT WILL DO IS ENJOIN THE PROGRAM.
UH, AND WE WOULD NOT HAVE A PROGRAM, AND IT WOULD HAVE TO BE EITHER RECONSIDER THIS OR GO OUT FOR A NEW STUDY, WHICH WOULD BE ONE TO TWO TO LONGER IF, IF YOU INCLUDE THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS FOR THAT.
UH, TO MY COLLEAGUE'S POINT, COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A STUDY OUT THERE THAT WAS ALREADY DONE THAT WE HAVEN'T SEEN.
UM, AND WE HAVE ONE HERE IN FRONT OF US THAT APPEARS TO HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY LOW ENGAGEMENT IN TERMS OF RESPONSE.
AND SO GOING INTO A TRIAL WITH A SURVEY THAT
[01:40:01]
HAS THAT MUCH OF A GAP TO ME, IS ALSO A CONCERN.UM, SO I'LL, I'LL STOP THERE BECAUSE I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HEAR FROM ALL THE FOLKS THAT ARE HERE AS WELL.
DIRECTOR HORDE, UM, THE DATA AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS, DID THAT ONLY COME FROM SURVEYS? NO, THE DATA'S ACTUALLY FROM OUR SPIN.
SO SURVEYS IS FOR THE QUALITATIVE DATA.
AND THE PURPOSE OF THAT IS TO GET A TRUE FEEL OF PERSONS INTERACTION WITH OUR CONTRACTORS TO SAY, WERE YOU DISCRIMINATED AGAINST? DID IT TAKE YOU A LONG TIME TO GET PAID? UM, DID YOU FEEL LIKE YOU WERE LEFT OUT? OPPORTUNITIES? DID YOU SEE THE OPPORTUNITY? SO THOSE WERE THOSE TYPE OF QUESTIONS FOR RESPONDENT, THE DATA IN THE QUANTITATIVE SECTION WAS SPEND DATA ONLY.
AND SO THAT IS GENERATED BASED ON THE NUMBER OF, UH, CONTRACTS AND THOSE CONTRACTS AND THE, NOT THE AWARDS, THE SPEND DATA, AND HOW MUCH WE SPENT WITH FIRMS. SO HOW MUCH WE PAID THE PRIMES AND HOW MUCH THEY PAID OUT TO ALL OF OUR SUBCONTRACTORS.
AND THEN THAT WAS ALSO, UM, ANALYZED BY OUR DEMOGRAPHIC GROUPS.
SO THAT DATA WAS PULLED FROM WHAT SYSTEM? IT'S PULLED DIRECTLY FROM SAP, WE PROVIDED THE, UH, MJT ACCESS TO THE SAP SYSTEM FOR THE CITY SPEND.
AND THEY WERE ACTUALLY ABLE TO GO IN AND PULL ALL CONTRACTS, PULL ALL, SPEND DATA, UM, AND TO PULL IT DIRECTLY FROM THE SYSTEM FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
SO IT'S NOT A ONE YEAR, UM, KIND OF GLANCE AT THE PROGRAM.
THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR AND THANK YOU DIRECTOR FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND YOUR WORK ON THIS.
UM, REGARDING THE EARLIER DISPARITY STUDY, UM, WHAT I'M GATHERING IS IT WASN'T ADMISSIBLE IN COURT AND THEREFORE WE CAN'T SEE IT.
DO I HAVE THAT WRONG, OR, UH, NO.
I, I BELIEVE IT CAN BE, IT'S NOT, IT'S UNDER SEALED, SO IT CAN'T BE PUBLICLY RELEASED, BUT OBVIOUSLY A LAWYER CAN SHARE IT WITH ITS CLIENT.
UM, WAS AN EFFORT MADE TO CONVINCE THE COURT THAT IN MAKING PUBLIC POLICY IT WOULD SERVE THE PUBLIC, UH, IN, FOR US TO BE ABLE TO CONSIDER THAT OR LOOK AT IT? UH, I THINK WHEN IT WAS BEFORE THE COURT, IT ONLY DEALT WITH THE ISSUE OF THE, UH, PLAINTIFF'S ATTEMPT TO OBTAIN IT AND TO BE ABLE TO USE IT AS EVIDENCE.
IT DIDN'T REALLY AFFECT COUNSEL'S ABILITY TO LOOK AT IT.
UH, LET ME ASK ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF RESPONSES YOU GOT UPON THE SCREEN.
RIGHT NOW IT SAYS YOU MAILED OVER THREE 30,000 PHYSICAL COLLATERAL, YET YOU ONLY HAD 687 SURVEY RESPONDENTS.
SO THAT'S LESS LITTLE OVER 2%.
DO YOU ALL THINK THAT'S AN ACCURATE, UH, SAMPLE OF, OF THE, UM, THE FOLKS OUT THERE? SO, UM, AND WE COULDN'T GET THE MGT ON THERE.
SO I WANTED ANNETTA TO SPEAK TO HOW YES, WE CAN, TO SPEAK TO HOW THE OUTREACH WAS DONE, BECAUSE THERE WAS, THERE WAS QUITE A BIT OF OUTREACH DONE.
UM, WE COULDN'T MAKE PEOPLE RESPOND.
THE DATA THAT WE COULD GET IS THE QUANTITATIVE DATA.
BUT I WANT HER TO SPEAK TO ALL THE EFFORTS THAT WENT INTO, UM, GETTING THE ANECDOTAL RESPONSES.
SO THE TOTAL RESPONSE NUMBER OF RESPONSES IS 800.
SO THERE WERE MULTIPLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR FIRMS TO PARTICIPATE.
AND I DO WANT TO JUST, UM, CONFIRM THAT WHAT DIRECTOR HOY SAID ABOUT NOT MAKING SURE THAT FIRMS ARE NOT PARTICIPATING IN MULTIPLE SURVEY OR QUALITATIVE DATA COLLECTION ACTIVITIES IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO DO TO MAKE SURE THERE'S NO DUPLICATION.
SO THERE ARE THREE PRIMARY, UH, QUALITATIVE RESULTS THAT YOU'RE SEEING HERE.
THE SURVEY IS ONE, THE INTERVIEWS IS THE SECOND, AND THEN THE FOCUS GROUPS IS A THIRD.
AND THERE ACTUALLY WAS A FOURTH, UM, WHICH IS THE BUSINESS ENGAGEMENT MEETINGS THAT WE HELD AS WELL.
SO IN TOTAL OF ALL OF THOSE ACTIVITIES, 800 FIRMS RESPONDED.
UM, AND SO THE OUTREACH WAS EXTENSIVE.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE, WE SCHEDULED A LOT OF ACTIVITIES TO TRY TO ENGAGE MORE BUSINESSES FROM MAILING POSTCARDS, MAKING PHONE CALLS.
UH, DIRECTOR HOY DID A FABULOUS JOB OF DETAILING, UM, ALL THE OUTREACH FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE HOUSE, FROM THE CITY'S, UH, ATTEMPT TO MAKE SURE THAT FIRMS ARE AWARE AND KNOW AND KNOW THAT THEY CAN PARTICIPATE TO NOT ONLY MG T'S ATTEMPT, BUT OUR SUB-CONSULTANTS WHO ARE ALL THERE, UM, IN THEIR ATTEMPT AND THE PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION.
[01:45:01]
SO WE DON'T BELIEVE THERE WAS ANY STONE UNTURNED, BUT WE CANNOT FORCE PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE.SO WHATEVER THE REASONS THAT FIRMS DID NOT WANT TO PARTICIPATE, WE, WE CAN'T ASSUME WHAT THEY ARE.
I GUESS WHAT I'M GETTING AT IS REGARDLESS OF WHETHER A LOT OF PEOPLE WANTED TO PARTICIPATE OR NOT, DOESN'T CALL INTO QUESTION THE ACCURACY.
I MEAN, EVEN IF IT'S 800, THAT'S LESS THAN 3%.
NO, THAT'S NOT THE DATA THAT'S USED TO COME UP WITH THE DISPARITY.
THE ANECDOTAL DATA IS USED THAT'S RIGHT.
TO ASSESS THE, UM, KIND OF THE CLIMATE OF HOW PEOPLE FELT ABOUT HOW THEY WERE TREATED IN THE PROGRAM AND HOW THEY WERE TREATED WITH CONTRACTORS.
THE DATA FOR THE DISPARITY STUDY IS BASED ON THE QUANTITATIVE DATA, WHICH IS ON HOW MUCH WE ARE SPENDING PER CATEGORY, WHICH EACH GROUP, SO IT'S BASED SOLELY ON SPEND DATA.
DISPARITY, WHETHER WE DID NOT CONTRACT WITH THE GROUP OR WHETHER THE GROUP REACHED THE 80% PARITY, I MEAN THE 80% OF STATISTICAL SIGNIFICANCE AND UP TO THE 100% PARITY THAT IS BASED ON HOW MUCH WE SPEND WITH THEM.
BECAUSE THE COURTS LOOK AT ARE YOU SPENDING MONEY WITH FIRMS THAT ARE UNDERUTILIZED TRADITIONALLY.
UH, IS THAT, WOULD THAT BE MADE AVAILABLE TO US? YES, IT'S A PART.
SO, UM, I'M NOT AN EXPERT ON STATISTICAL ANALYSIS, BUT, UM, I'VE HEARD OF, OF PRACTICES WHERE YOU TAKE OUT, YOU KNOW, THE OUTLIERS, THE, THE FOLKS AT THE VERY TOP AND THE FOLKS AT THE VERY BOTTOM TO COME UP WITH, UH, MORE OF AN ACCURATE, UH, PICTURE.
UH, VENETTA, CAN YOU SPEAK TO THE, UH, CONCENTRATION ANALYSIS? NO, I, I, I CAN.
SO NO, WE, WE DON'T PULL OUT DATA TO MAKE IT FIT, UM, IN, IN THE FORMAT THAT
AND SO OF THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF DATA, AND I'M PULLING THAT UP 'CAUSE IT'S NOT ON THE PRESENTATION.
SO I'LL TELL YOU, THE TOTAL SPEND, YOUR TOTAL SPEND, UM, FOR THE CITY, UM, WAS $7.6 BILLION FOR THE FIVE YEAR STUDY PERIOD.
EVERY CONTRACT WAS INCLUDED EXCEPT FOR THOSE THAT WE, UH, DEEMED TO MARK FOR EXCLUSIONS.
AND MARK FOR EXCLUSIONS ARE ONLY THOSE TYPES OF TRANSACTIONS THAT ARE NOT, UH, WHAT WE CONSIDER COMPETABLE.
SO EMPLOYEE REIMBURSEMENT, UM, REIMBURSEMENT TO CONSTITUENTS, LIKE IF YOU WANTED TO BUY A PIECE OF A RIGHT OF WAY PIECE OF LAND OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO, BUT EVERY OTHER CATEGORY, UH, AND SPEND WAS INCLUDED IN ANALYZE.
SO THE OVER CONCENTRATION, AS WE SAW UTILIZATION ACROSS ALL OF THE PROCUREMENT CATEGORIES.
WHEN YOU LOOK IN TOTALITY, AND LET ME PULL THAT SLIDE UP FOR YOU.
SO OF THE $7.6 BILLION, UH, OF TOTAL SPEND FOR THE FIVE YEARS OF, OF THE STUDY PERIOD, UM, 427 MILLION, AND I'M GONNA ROUND THESE UP 'CAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF NUMBERS.
SO 427 MILLION SPENT WITH BLACK AMERICANS.
UM, 967 MILLION SPENT WITH HISPANICS, UH, HISPANIC AMERICANS, 270 MILLION SPENT WITH ASIAN AMERICAN FIRMS, 46 MILLION SPENT WITH, UM, NATIVE AMERICAN FIRMS. SO IN TOTAL MBE, THE TOTAL SPEND FOR THE FIVE YEAR STUDY PERIOD IS $1.7 BILLION FOR NON-MINORITY WOMEN.
SO IN TOTALITY, THE MWBE SPEND IS 28% OF THAT $7.6 BILLION AT $2.2 BILLION.
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? WELL, I GUESS WHAT I'M GETTING AT IS, I MEAN, LET'S SAY 50% OF THE BUSINESS WENT TO TWO OR THREE FIRMS. UM, YOU MAY BE MEASURING PERCENTAGE OF DOLLARS, BUT THAT WOULDN'T GIVE YOU AN INDICATION OF WHETHER OR NOT THERE WAS, THERE WAS STILL A DISPARITY IN TERMS OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF, OF CONTRACTORS.
SO YOU CANNOT EXCLUDE, UM, FIRMS JUST BECAUSE THEY HAVE HIGH CONCENTRATION.
SO THE SAME CAN BE SAID FOR THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN.
IF YOU HAVE FIVE, UM, AND I'LL USE MYSELF AN EXAMPLE, IF YOU HAVE FIVE BLACK AMERICAN FIRMS WHO HAVE A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF CONTRACTS IN
[01:50:01]
THAT CATEGORY, THE SAME CAN BE SAID FOR NON-MINORITY FIRMS WHO HAVE LARGE CONTRACTS IN THAT CATEGORY.SO THERE'S NO DEFINITION ON WHAT YOU EXCLUDE AND WHAT YOU DON'T EXCLUDE.
SO TO HAVE A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD AND A STATISTICAL, UM, CALCULATION OF WHAT'S TRULY BEING SPENT, YOU ANALYZE ALL THE DOLLARS, NOW YOU CAN LOOK AT, WELL, WHAT FIRMS DID WE SPEND THE MOST MONEY WITH? AND LET'S FIGURE OUT, YOU KNOW, HOW THAT'S IMPACTING IT.
BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE TOTAL UTILIZATION AND THE PERCENTAGE OF UTILIZATION TO CALCULATE DISPARITY, EVERYTHING IS INCLUDED.
SO DISPARITY IS CALCULATED BY THE PERCENTAGE OF UTILIZATION, DIVIDED BY THE PERCENTAGE OF AVAILABILITY, AND YOU GET THAT INDEX AND ALL OF YOUR DOLLARS ARE INCLUDED IN THAT.
ALRIGHT, I'LL, I'LL, UH, END THERE AND, UH, GIVE THE PUBLIC A CHANCE TO WEIGH IN.
MY, UM, THANK YOU DIRECTOR FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UH, I LOOK FORWARD TO DIALING INTO THIS.
AND, AND MADAM CHAIR, THIS IS JUST MORE ABOUT COMMENTARY.
IF I, AS I LOOK AT THE RESULTS, UM, YOU KNOW, THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT REALLY WAS THE PIONEER FOR A LOT OF THESE PROGRAMS AND, UM, UH, FOR BLACK BUSINESSES WANTING TO EQUAL THE PLAYING FIELD WHEN THEY WERE UNABLE TO BE FINANCED TO DO BUSINESS IN THEIR OWN NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, AND SO IT'S DISHEARTENING TO SEE THAT, UM, EVEN AFTER THIS TIME, UH, BLACK BUSINESSES IS STILL HAS DEEP DISPARITY IN THE FOURTH LARGEST AMERICAN CITY.
SO I THINK IF THIS IS ADOPTED OR NOT, UH, THE BLACK BUSINESSES, BLACK CHAMBERS, WE HAVE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S WORKING AND WHAT'S NOT WORKING FOR US.
THERE'S SIM, THERE'S SERIOUSLY SOMETHING HAPPENING.
AND, UM, I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE, UH, UH, ANOTHER STAKEHOLDER MEETING, A MEETING RATHER, UM, TO REALLY, UH, LISTEN TO, UM, WHAT THOSE BARRIERS MAY BE OR NOT, OR PERCEPTIONS OR MISPERCEPTIONS ABOUT THE PROGRAM.
UM, 'CAUSE HOUSTON'S A THRIVING CITY.
WE ARE AN ENTREPRENEURIAL CITY.
AND TO HAVE THESE DEEP GAPS, UM, RAISES A FLAG FOR ME.
SO THIS IS GOOD INFORMATION TO PUT IN FRONT OF US FOR US TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION.
UM, I ACT I HAVE QUESTIONS AS A FOLLOW UP IN TERMS OF, UM, UH, THE, THE PROCESS TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS.
I, I MEAN, I SUPPORT 'EM AS IS, AS, AS STATED, BUT JUST FOR MY LEARNING AND, AND COMMUNICATION WITH, UH, WHEN I ENGAGED WITH SOME OF THE BUSINESSES HERE.
UM, BUT I DEFINITELY THINK THERE'S A CONVERSATION WE NEED TO HAVE, AND I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE HAVING THIS, UM, UH, COMMITTEE MEETING SO WE CAN OPENLY DIALOGUE ABOUT OUR SYSTEM, WHAT WE NEED TO DO AS A CITY.
'CAUSE WE GET TO CHANGE, RIGHT? WE GET TO PIVOT.
UM, WE GET TO LOOK AT THE DATA AND MAKE NEW DECISIONS FOR OURSELVES AS WE, UH, UH, REIMAGINE A NEW ECONOMY, UH, IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
SO THANK YOU FOR THIS AND THIS IS VERY HELPFUL AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING DIALOGUE.
AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A QUICK COMMENT AS WELL.
UH, I DEFINITELY, UH, APPRECIATE THIS CONVERSATION AND THIS DIALOGUE.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN I FIRST TOOK OFF THIS LAST YEAR, JANUARY, I WANNA SAY THE FIRST FEW MONTHS, UH, THE PERCENTAGE WAS ALWAYS LOW, UH, FOR M AND MB, WB AND MB.
UM, AND I CAN REMEMBER SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES AROUND THE HORSESHOE TAGGING IT BECAUSE THEY WANTED MORE INFORMATION.
AND, AND THIS IS JUST ACROSS THE BOARD.
AND SO IT GOES BACK TO, UM, YOU KNOW, UTILIZATION, RIGHT? UM, GOOD FAITH EFFORTS ARE, ARE, YOU KNOW, JUST GOOD FAITH EFFORTS.
AND WE KNOW THAT THERE'S SEVERAL PRIMES THAT, AND I'VE HEARD IT FROM CONSTITUENCY AS WELL, THAT THEY'RE NOT COMING TO ME.
UM, AND THIS IS IN EVERY ETHNICITY, AND THEN IT'S SPECIFICALLY IN THE WBE.
I'VE HAD WOMEN BUSINESS OWNERS THAT ARE CONSTRUCTION AND THEY'RE NOT GETTING UTILIZED.
AND SO I APPRECIATE THIS CONVERSATION, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE DOING IT RIGHT AND DOING IT RIGHT FOR EVERYONE.
UM, THE OTHER THING THAT I WANTED TO JUST KIND OF POINT OUT IS, UH, THE IN-PERSON INTERVIEWS, UM, AND, AND THE DISCUSSION OF, UH, WHAT DISCRIMINATION MEANS, UH, TO FOLKS.
I THINK WE CAN ALL GIVE OUR OWN, YOU KNOW, UNDERSTANDING OR OR DESCRIPTION OF THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, AS A CHICANO MEXICAN AMERICAN, I UNDERSTAND WHAT DISCRIMINATION IS TO ME AS WELL.
UH, BUT WHEN I LOOK AT THE IN-PERSON INTERVIEWS, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S DEFINITELY A DISPARITY AS FAR AS WHO'S BEING ASKED THESE QUESTIONS.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, IF WE'RE GONNA HAVE A, UH, A TRUE, UM, A TRUE DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY IS AT THE TABLE.
I, I, I WANNA REITERATE THAT THE DISPARITY CAME FROM THE SPEND.
IT CAME FROM THE ACTUAL NUMBERS OF THIS IS HOW MUCH MONEY WE ARE SPENDING.
UM, AND THIS IS HOW MUCH WE SPENT WITH THE INDIVIDUAL GROUPS.
BUT THE SURVEYS AND THE INTERVIEWS KIND OF GAVE US A, A, AN IDEA OF THE, OF THE IMPACT AND HOW
[01:55:01]
PEOPLE WERE FEELING ABOUT THE PROGRAM IN ADDITION TO WHAT WE ARE DOCUMENTING AS THE ACTUAL SPEND.BUT THIS, UM, SLIDE 19 CAME FROM THE SPEND, CORRECT? CORRECT.
THE, UM, THE IDEA BEHIND ANY STUDY OR ANY RESEARCH ON THE ANECDOTAL SIDE IS TO PUT A PICTURE, UM, A PERSON TO IT AND TO GET THE MORE INTIMATE CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO INDIVIDUALS AND HAVE THAT TO KIND OF, UM, UM, UPGRADE THE STUDY OR THE RESEARCH THAT YOU'RE DOING.
UM, I THINK THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO FEEL COMFORTABLE, EVEN IN OUR OFFICE.
UM, CONTRACTORS ARE RELUCTANT, WHICH IS WHY WE GET INTO THE POINT WHERE PEOPLE SAY, OH, I HAVEN'T BEEN PAID FOR MONTHS, BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO SAY THAT THEY HAVEN'T BEEN PAID FOR FEAR.
THAT THE PRIME CONTRACTOR IS NOT GOING TO UTILIZE THEM AGAIN.
SO WHEN WE SEND OUT THESE SURVEYS AND WE ASK PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE, EVEN WHEN SOMEONE PARTICIPATED AND SENT A COMMENT IN OUR OFFICE, RETURNED A CALL, AND SHE SAID, I DON'T, I DON'T WANNA TALK ABOUT IT.
'CAUSE I THOUGHT THIS WAS ANONYMOUS.
UM, PEOPLE DIDN'T EVEN WANT TO PUT THEIR EMAIL ADDRESSES IN.
THEY DIDN'T WANNA PUT THEIR PHONE NUMBERS IN.
SO THERE IS A SERIOUS CONCERN AROUND BEING BLACKBALLED, UM, BEING SINGLED OUT, NOT BEING, UM, CONTRACTED WITH AGAIN.
AND THAT'S A SERIOUS, A SERIOUS THING THAT OUR, OUR CONTRACTORS ACROSS THE BOARD DEAL WITH.
UM, AND SO WHERE THEY HAVE TO FEEL SAFE TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, THAT'S GONNA HAVE TO BE CREATIVELY, YOU KNOW, PUT TOGETHER WHERE THEY HAVE A SAFE SPACE TO SHARE THAT TYPE OF INFORMATION AND KNOW THAT IT'S NOT GONNA GO BACK TO THESE CONTRACTORS BECAUSE THEY DO, UM, TALK.
AND SO, UM, AND WE HAVE SEEN SUBS THAT AREN'T SUBSEQUENTLY UTILIZED BECAUSE THEY'VE EXPRESSED SOME CONCERNS.
SO THAT'S WHAT THE ANECDOTAL SECTION IS, AND IT WAS VERY HARD TO GET PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE.
CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE WAIVERS? UM, WHY WOULD SOMEONE REQUEST A WAIVER? UM, SO INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, UM, THIS IS A VERY LUCRATIVE PROGRAM.
UM, BEING A CONTRACTOR WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON, IF YOU HAVE THE RIGHT, UM, STRUCTURE, YOU COULD BE IN HERE FOR YEARS.
AND SO YOU MAY GRADUATE OUT OF A NASCO AND, YOU KNOW, WE ARE A MAIN REVENUE STREAM.
AND SO THOSE, SOME COMPANIES WILL REQUEST A WAIVER AND SAY, I DON'T WANNA BE MOVED OUT, THIS IS GONNA, UM, IMPACT MY REVENUE.
UM, AND THOSE LEVELS ARE QUITE HIGH.
FOR EXAMPLE, FOR ENGINEERING, IT'S LIKE $25.5 MILLION IN JUST THAT NACE CODE.
YOU CAN BE MAKING MONEY OF THE NA CODE.
SO ONCE THEY 25, UM, $0.5 MILLION, THEY SHOULD GRADUATE FROM THAT NAYS CODE.
BUT THEY REQUEST A WAIVER AND WE'VE GRANTED WAIVERS AND THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO STAY IN THE PROGRAM UNDER THAT NAYS CODE THEN HAS HAPPENED FROM TIME TO TIME.
SO HOW DID, WHY DID WE START GIVING WAIVERS AS OPPOSED TO, AND I KNOW IT WASN'T YOU
YEAH, BUT I WANNA KNOW THE ANSWER IS IF THE GOAL OF THE PROGRAM IS TO HELP PEOPLE BUILD CAPACITY AND EXPAND THEIR BUSINESS AND GROW THEIR BUSINESS, AND THEY REACH, UM, THE $25.5 MILLION, WHERE NOW YOU ARE SAID TO GRADUATE AND I SAY, I DON'T WANNA GRADUATE, I WANNA STAY, WHY WOULD THE CITY SAY, OKAY, WE'LL LET YOU STAY.
UM, I CAN ONLY ASSUME THAT THEY MADE A, A REALLY, UM, COMPELLING CASE TO SAY THAT THEY WERE GOING TO, THAT MAYBE THIS IS THE ONLY NACE CODE THAT THEY OPERATE IN.
MAYBE I'M NOT SURE BECAUSE I WASN'T HERE, OR MAYBE THIS IS THE ONLY CONTRACTING AGENCY THAT THEY HAVE.
BUT LET ME ALSO POINT OUT THAT A NUMBER OF FIRMS DON'T JUST CONTRACT WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
THIS, UM, STUDY APPLIES TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON, BUT ONE CAN HAVE A CONTRACT WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HARRIS COUNTY, HARRIS HEALTH, UM, OUR OTHER PARTNERS THAT UTILIZE OUR CERTIFICATION.
AND SO WE ALSO REALIZE, AND WHEN WE LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF AVAILABLE FIRMS AND THE NUMBER OF FIRMS THAT WE'RE UTILIZING, THERE'S ONLY, THERE'S ROUGHLY UNDER 25% OF OUR CERTIFIED FIRMS UTILIZED AT THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
SO THEY'RE ACTUALLY BEING UTILIZED ACROSS THE BOARD IN, UM, AT OUR OTHER SISTER AGENCIES, WHICH IS FINE.
THAT SAYS THERE'S CAPACITY, RIGHT? AND THAT THERE'S THE OPPORTUNITY.
UM, BUT I THINK THAT SOME HAVE JUST THIS ONE NICHE AND THIS MAY BE THEIR ONLY, UM, STREAM OF INCOME.
AND SO THAT MAY HAVE BEEN THE REASON WHY IT WAS GRANTED.
SO IF, IF I'M IN THAT PARTICULAR NACE CODE, THAT'S THE ONLY STREAM OF INCOME I HAVE, EVEN THOUGH I MEET THE THRESHOLD, I CAN ASK FOR A WAIVER, MAKE A COMPELLING CASE, AND THAT, AND GET A WAIVER.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS, SO WHEN WE DID THE STUDY, UM,
[02:00:01]
AM I CORRECT IN SAYING THAT PART OF OUR RECOMMENDATIONS IS THAT WE NO LONGER PROVIDE THESE WAIVERS BECAUSE THE GOAL OF THE PROGRAM IS TO GRADUATE THE BUSINESSES ONCE THEY REACH A FINANCIAL THRESHOLD, CORRECT? YES, MA'AM.WE'RE GONNA MOVE TO OUR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
I KNOW WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE TODAY, AND SO UNFORTUNATELY WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO ASK, UM, YOU TO KEEP YOUR COMMENTS SUCCINCT AND, UM, TO ONE MINUTE.
UM, YOU CAN MAKE YOUR COMMENTS TALK FAST.
UM, AND THEN, UM, TRY TO RESPOND.
UH, DIRECTOR HOARD, YOU CAN, UM, MAY MAYBE SIT, YOU WANNA SIT IN, IN COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER'S SEAT AND THAT WAY YOU CAN BE ON A MICROPHONE OR, UH, CITY SECRETARY SEAT.
UM, WE'LL START WITH, UH, LAURA MARILLO, UH, TO BE FOLLOWED BY, UH, THE NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE DILIP BAVA.
IF, IF, WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME, IF YOU'LL KIND OF GO AHEAD AND START COMING TOWARDS THE FRONT SO WE CAN TRY TO KEEP THE, THE, THE FOLKS MOVING.
MORILLO DILIP BVA AND THEN INGRID ROBINSON.
CAN THIS BE LIFTED? THANK YOU.
FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU FOR HOLDING THIS CONVERSATION TODAY.
ON BEHALF OF THE HOUSTON HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ON OUR BOARD, WE ARE HERE TO PROVIDE SUPPORT TO THIS BODY SO THAT YOU HAVE ACCURATE INFORMATION TO MAKE AN EDUCATED DECISION.
IT ALSO MATTERS THAT IN THIS AUDIENCE WE HAVE AT LEAST 10 TO 20 SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, BUT FOUR, THAT PROGRAM, THEY WOULD HAVE NO BUSINESS WITH THE CITY.
THE CONCERN IS THAT THEY MIGHT BE SWALLOWED UP IN AN ALTERNATIVE SITUATION WITH MUCH MORE ESTABLISHED COMPANIES THAT HAVE ACCESS AND RELATIONSHIPS AND ACCESS TO CAPITAL THAT ARE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS LIKE ROSEMARY, DAVID, EDDIE, GABRIELA, MO, WHO ARE ALL HERE TODAY.
WHAT WE ARE ASKING AS THE HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, AND THAT WE'VE DEALT WITH MANY OF YOU AND PEOPLE LONG BEFORE YOU ALL WERE HERE, IS THAT WE'VE SERVED AS A CONDUIT TO THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, HISPANIC OR NOT.
AND WE WANT THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES WHO CANNOT BE HERE AT TWO O'CLOCK IN THE AFTERNOON UNTIL 6:00 PM WE ARE HERE TO ADVOCATE.
WE ARE ASKING FOR YOUR COLLECTIVE AGREEMENT THAT YOU WILL STUDY, AND YOU WILL TAKE THIS VERY SERIOUSLY.
AND IN ORDER TO MAKE AN EDUCATED DECISION, YOU NEED ALL THE FACTS.
WE DEFINITELY WILL REVIEW ALL THE DETAILS AND WE WON'T BE, UH, RUSHED TO JUDGMENT.
AND IF ARRIVING AT A CONCLUSION MEANS THAT THERE WERE NOT ENOUGH PARTICIPANTS, THEN YOU PICK UP THE PHONE AND YOU CALL THE MANY BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE HERE TODAY TO SAY, WE NEED HELP.
WE NEED FOCUS GROUPS, WE NEED PEOPLE AT THE TABLE.
AND YOUR HOUSTON HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IS HAPPY TO DO SO ALONG WITH OTHERS.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR ASSISTANCE TODAY.
UH, DI B BAVA, AND I APOLOGIZE IF I'M MISPRONOUNCING YOUR NAME.
INGRID ROBINSON TO BE FOLLOWED BY ATTRI SIN.
UH, THANK YOU ALL, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR TAKING TIME TO, UH, HEAR FROM ME TODAY.
SO I'D FIRST LIKE TO TELL YOU THAT THE HOUSTON MINORITY SUPPLIER DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL IS A 53-YEAR-OLD ORGANIZATION WHO HAS SERVED ALL ETHNIC MINORITY BUSINESSES HERE IN HOUSTON.
UH, SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THE DISPARITY STUDY AND, AND WE LOOK AT THE CITY'S OBO PROGRAM, WE REPRESENT ALL BUSINESSES ACROSS ALL OF THOSE CATEGORIES.
SO WE REPRESENT CURRENTLY OVER 115 CERTIFIED ES OVER 70 MAJOR CORPORATIONS AND GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES ACROSS 39 COUNTIES.
SO I WANNA TELL YOU THAT PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE, BUT THERE'S STILL A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE.
SO IN TERMS OF THE NEED FOR, UH, ADDITIONAL CAPACITY BUILDING, WHICH WAS ONE OF THE THINGS OUTLINED IN THE STUDY, I THINK THAT WE COULD WORK WITH, UH, OBO IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO HELP MORE BUSINESSES FORM STRATEGIC ALLIANCES TO GROW SO THAT WE CAN PARTNER HISPANIC OWNED FIRMS WITH OTHER ETHNIC MINORITY FIRMS THAT ARE UNDERREPRESENTED TO CLOSE THE GAP IN THE AREA OF CONSTRUCTION.
BUT THERE IS A DISPARITY ACROSS ALL, UM, UH, AREAS
[02:05:01]
FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN FIRMS. AND THERE'S A DISPARITY AMONG ALL ETHNIC GROUPS.AND SO THERE STILL IS WORK TO BE DONE ACROSS ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS AND, AND CATEGORIES OF BUSINESSES.
SO WHAT I WANNA REALLY FOCUS ON IS OUR COMMITMENT AS AN ORGANIZATION.
WE'RE COMMITTED TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH OBO TO IDENTIFY OPER, UH, OPPORTUNITIES TO COLLABORATE ON TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR BUSINESSES.
WE WANNA FOCUS ON LEVERAGING AND SHARING OUR INFORMATION ON, UH, THE PURCHASING POWER AND, AND THE PURCHASES THAT ARE MADE IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, BECAUSE MANY OF THE CONTRACTORS THAT DO BUSINESS WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON AS PRIMES AND USE SUBCONTRACTORS ARE THE SAME BUSINESSES AND COMPANIES THAT ARE ENGAGED IN OUR COUNCIL WHO ARE UTILIZING BUSINESSES, UM, IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
SO I THINK THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE DATA ACROSS BOTH AREAS, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE, AND SEE WHERE THOSE THINGS COME TOGETHER.
AND FINALLY, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT WE WANT TO EXPLORE OPPORTUNITIES, UM, TO LEVERAGE TECHNOLOGY AND SHARE INFORMATION ON INFORMAL BID OPPORTUNITIES, BECAUSE THAT IS A HUGE OPPORTUNITY TO GROW BUSINESSES WHO CAN START WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND GRADUATE TO PRIVATE SECTOR OPPORTUNITIES WHERE OUR ORGANIZATION STRUC, UH, THRIVES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR WILLINGNESS TO HELP SMALL BUSINESSES AS WELL.
ATTRI SIN ATTRI SIN PRI ATTRI SIN TO BE FOLLOWED BY PRIYA SHARMA.
HELLO, MR. SIN PRIYA JUST LEFT, SO JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A HEADS UP.
WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR PROTE AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UH, GOOD TO SEE YOU, DIRECTOR, OR, UM, MY NAME IS RY AND I'M A OWNER OF A MINORITY WOMAN ON SMALL BUSINESS.
BUT SO TODAY, THIS IS KIND OF AN EMOTIONAL STATEMENT FOR ME.
UM, WE'LL TALK ABOUT ACHIEVING THE AMERICAN DREAM IN A NATION ENERGIZED BY IMMIGRANTS.
I THINK THE NEXT STEPS YOU ALL WOULD TAKE IS A LITMUS TEST FOR EXACTLY THAT.
THREE THINGS TO CONSIDER CO COGNITIVE DISSONANCE.
I THINK WE ALL TOUCHED ABOUT IT.
IT'S TIME TO TAKE A RELOOK AT THE PROCESS AND THE DATA THAT HAS BEEN ADOPTED HERE.
I THINK IT MAKES SENSE FOR US TO CHALLENGE, UH, THE RIGOROUS DATA COLLECTION PROCESS AND THEN ARTICLE PROCESS AND ALSO THE LEGAL BASIS OF THIS PARTICULAR PROCESS, PARTICULARLY USE OF CONTRACTORS VERSUS PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AND DIGGING DEEP INTO ARCHITECTURE AND ENGINEERING SPECIFICALLY.
SECONDLY, UM, IF THIS REALLY GOES THROUGH, I THINK I LOVE THE RECOMMENDATION, THOUGH I DO HAVE TECHNOLOGY THAT, UH, BUT I ALSO FEEL THAT IF SOMETHING HAPPENS AND THIS PROGRAMS BY INSURANCE GOES AWAY, UH, I HAVE TALKED TO MULTIPLE PRIME CONSULTANTS.
THERE WILL BE CHALLENGE IN FULFILLING THE 26% WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE QUALIFIED AND ABLE TO DO THE PROJECT.
WE ARE IN UNPRECEDENTED TERRITORY.
WE'RE LOOKING AT UNPRECEDENTED FUNDING AND INFRASTRUCTURE FROM THE FEDERAL AND THE STATE.
SO I URGE YOU ALL TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE STUDY AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE RIGHT, DOING THE RIGHT THINGS.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
UH, NEXT SPEAKER IS, UH, OSCAR SERNA TO BE FOLLOWED BY ROGER PROM BRAW.
THANK YOU, COUNSEL MAYOR PERONE.
I REPRESENT MY ASSISTANT ASSOCIATES HISPANIC OWNED CITY OF HOUSTON, REGISTERED MBE FIRM.
AND I'M THE CURRENT VICE PRESIDENT OF HOUSTON HISPANIC ARCHITECTS AND ENGINEERS.
H-H-A-E-H-H-A-E IS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION WHOSE MISSION IS TO UNITE, PROMOTE, AND CONNECT HISPANIC ARCHITECTURE ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS.
WHILE INSPIRING THE NEXT GENERATION AS AN ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO SUPPORTING THE ARCHITECTS ENGINEERS, WE STRONGLY DISAGREE WITH THIS AGENDA ITEM AND BELIEVE IT WILL HAVE A DETRIMENTAL IMPACT ON OUR MEMBERS AND HISPANIC AND ASIAN COMMUNITY.
WE WERE NOT AWARE ABOUT THE DISPARITY STUDY REPORT UNTIL APPROXIMATELY TWO WEEKS AGO, AND WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST THE OFFICE SUBMIT AN OPPORTUNITY AND CONSULTING FIRM WHO CONDUCTED THE STUDY TO REACH OUT TO US AS A STAKEHOLDER FOR FUTURE PUBLIC MEETINGS.
UPON REVIEW THE REPORT, WE HAD MORE QUESTIONS ARISE AND ANSWERS THE QUESTIONS INCLUDE, WERE THE BUSINESSES INCLUDED IN THIS, THE REPORT ACTIVELY SUBMITTING TO CITY OF HOUSTON CONTRACTS? IS THERE FURTHER BREAKDOWN OF THE TYPES OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICES THAT WERE EVALUATED IN THE STUDY? AND WHAT WERE THE INDEXES FOR THOSE TYPES? IF THE DISPARITIES ARE FOUND IN LATER STUDIES, HOW WILL THESE GROUPS BE REINSTATED IN THE MBE PROGRAM? UM, THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS KNOWN AND PROUD OF THE DIVERSITY, AND WE BELIEVE THAT THESE RECOMMENDATIONS ULTIMATELY DO NOT ALIGN WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S UH, VALUES.
AND IF YOU WANT TO SUBMIT THOSE QUESTIONS TO US, UM, VIA EMAIL, WE'LL DEFINITELY GET SOME ANSWERS FOR YOU.
I CURRENTLY, UM, I'M THE OWNER OF EMERALD STANDARD SERVICES ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS AND ENGINEERS.
I HOLD, UH, PRO CONTRACT WITH THE CITY AS
[02:10:01]
AN ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR AS WELL AS THE SUBCONTRACTOR.AND ACROSS THE BOARD IN MANY OF THE DEPARTMENTS.
I ALSO, UH, SERVE AS VICE CHAIR OF THE OBO ADVISORY BOARD.
AND, UM, LONGTIME BOARD MEMBER OF NAMAC, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MINORITY CONTRACTORS AND MANY OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.
I'M HERE TO EXPRESS MY CONCERN.
UH, I AM A PROUD HISPANIC BUSINESS OWNER, BUT I'M ALWAYS BEEN COMMITTED TO THE MINORITY, UH, COMMUNITY THROUGH NAMAC.
UM, THE CONCERN, I'VE, I'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT EMAILS BEING SENT, EMAILS, EMAILS, EMAILS, EMAILS, EMAILS.
AND THEN THERE'S LIKE LOW RESPONSE, LOW PARTICIPATION, ALL THAT MANY OF, UH, OTHER, THE ORGANIZATIONS BEHIND ME, YOU KNOW, DIDN'T HEAR ABOUT IT.
IT WAS A MATTER OF, LIKE I SAID, I HEARD CONSULTANTS, YOU KNOW, MGT, THEY CRUNCHED THE NUMBERS.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THEY GATHERED NUMBERS, THEY CRUNCHED THEM.
UH, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF CONTEXT THAT IS MISSING.
A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WERE LEFT OUT.
UM, THE PHONE SHOULD HAVE BEEN PICKED UP.
I MEAN, THOSE, YOU KNOW, BOOTS ON THE GROUND.
I THINK THAT THEY, THEY, THERE'S GOTTA BE SOMETHING TO BE LOOKED AT THAT BECAUSE A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE KNOWN.
I, I WAS, YOU KNOW, QUITE SHOCKED.
I TALKED TO A LOT OF PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, AS A SERVER, THE ADVISORY BOARD, BUT A MUCH BROADER, UH, BETTER JOB SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE WITH A HISPANIC COMMUNITY.
SECONDLY, ON CONSTRUCTION, BY DISSECTING US AND PUTTING US A CONSTRUCTION, I'M AN ELECTRICIAN.
I KNOW I'M UNDERREPRESENTED AS AN ELECTRICIAN, MANY TRADES.
SO MAYBE THE NUMBERS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE DISSECTING, BUT THAT'S STOPPING THERE.
SO THERE'S DISPARITY, YOU KNOW, EVEN FURTHER MANY TRADES ARE GOTTA BE LEFT OUT.
THAT NEEDS TO BE LOOKED FURTHER TO JUST, YOU KNOW, GO AHEAD AND, AND SO, YOU KNOW, MAKE THIS CONCLUSION.
YOU KNOW, UH, WITH THAT, THAT'S GONNA COST US A LOT OF MY, UH, OF MY FELLOW BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS AS WELL.
LENORE SOLA PULLMAN TO BE FOLLOWED BY TIM MATEO GARZA, AND THEN JOHN MARTINEZ.
UH, MOST OF Y'ALL KNOW I'M LENO PULLMAN.
I'M ALSO A SMALL BUSINESS MINORITY WOMAN-OWNED BUSINESS AND FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE WOMEN CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION.
AND I WANT TO EMPHASIZE MY PERSPECTIVE ON THE DISPARITY STUDY.
I'M NOT HERE TO PIT ONE MINORITY TO ANOTHER.
THAT THE ISSUE IS THE SYSTEMIC BARRIERS THAT WE PERSIST AS MINORITY BUSINESS OWNERS, PARTICULARLY WITH THE CITY, WITH THE BONDING CAPACITY, WITH THE INSURANCE REQUIREMENT AND THE SLOW PAYMENT THAT THE CITY HAS.
THOSE ARE, TO ME, THE MOST BIGGEST ISSUES AND WHY YOU DON'T HAVE AS MUCH PARTICIPATION AND PEOPLE CALLING BACK, OH, THEY WANT MY OPINION, BUT WHEN THEY'RE LOOKING FOR CONTRACTS, WHEN THEY'RE LOOKING FOR THIS OR THAT, THEY DON'T WANT TO CALL ME AT THAT TIME, BUT NOW THEY WANT MY OPINION, THEN THEY WANNA CALL ME.
SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT THE CRITICAL ISSUE REMAINS, THAT WE NEED MORE PROACTIVE RESPONSE FROM THE CITY, TRULY SUPPORTING WOMEN AND MINORITY BUSINESS OWNERS BY OVERCOMING THE PERSIST, THE, THE PROBLEMS OF BONDING CAPACITY, INSURANCE REQUIREMENT, AND THE SLOW PAYMENT.
BECAUSE IF THEY DON'T GET PAID, EVEN IF IT'S WITH A COMPANY THAT THEY'RE WORRIED THEY'RE NOT GONNA GET THE BUSINESS, BUT THEY'RE NOT GONNA GET PAID, THEY GO OUTTA BUSINESS.
YOU MAKE A, YOU MAKE A VERY VALID POINT.
I THINK, UM, COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE BEEN, UM, STRESSING THE NEED TO TRY TO GET, UM, VENDORS PAID AS FAST AS POSSIBLE.
WE'VE BEEN STRESSING THAT TO THE ADMINISTRATION, STRESSING THAT TO, UM, ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS THAT WE NEED TO EXPEDITE THE PAYMENTS.
AND LET'S BE CLEAR, THE, UM, THE COUNCIL MEMBERS ADMINISTRATION, THE CITY OF HOUSTON, WE WANT PEOPLE TO BE IN BUSINESS.
WE WANT TO MAKE THESE PROGRAMS WORK FOR PEOPLE.
AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION.
UM, WE WE'RE LOOKING FOR, UM, RECOMMENDATIONS.
WE ARE LOOKING TO HEAR FROM YOU.
UH, AND I HOPE THAT, UM, YOU WILL CONTINUE TO FEEL LIKE IT'S A SAFE SPACE FOR YOU TO SHARE YOUR CONCERNS WITH US AS A BODY, AS WELL AS THE ADMINISTRATION, SO THAT, UM, WE CAN IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL OF OUR BUSINESS OWNERS IN THE CITY.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT THE DATA SHOWS BASED ON THE SPEND, UM, AND WHERE THOSE DISPARITIES ARE.
I DO BELIEVE THAT THERE WILL BE A SWEET SPOT FOR, FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD.
UH, NEXT SPEAKER, UH, TO MATEO GARZA TO BE FOLLOWED BY JOHN MARTINEZ AND PATRICK CASTILLO.
MAYOR PROAM COUNSEL, THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO AS A FORMER PUBLIC SERVANT.
I KNOW WHAT Y'ALL GO THROUGH AND THE, THE AMOUNT OF PRESSURE THAT YOU FEEL ON EVERY AGENDA ITEM.
UH, CERTAINLY THIS IS ONE THAT'S NEAR AND DEAR TO DEAR TO ME.
[02:15:01]
UH, I AM OF THE VICE PRESIDENT OF, UH, A SMALL GEOSPATIAL FIRM, UH, HISPANIC OWNED.AND I THINK THAT THERE IS A COMMON SENSE, EASY, UM, FIX.
UM, I THINK THAT THE, THE FIX IS, UH, LINE ITEM VETO THE, UH, REMOVAL OF HISPANIC AND ASIAN FROM THE MINORITY STATUS AND KEEP 'EM THERE AND EXPAND THE SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM.
I DON'T SEE WHY THAT CANNOT HAPPEN.
THE UNILATERAL, UM, EXCLUSION OF HISPANIC AND ASIAN FIRMS FROM THE MINORITY STATUS WILL, IN MY OPINION, WILL HAVE A DETRIMENTAL LONG-TERM EFFECT ON THIS PROGRAM AND ON THIS CITY.
Y'ALL ARE A FANTASTIC EXAMPLE OF HOW DIVERSITY MAKES US BETTER.
WITHOUT QUESTION, LOOK IN THE MIRROR.
WHAT A GREAT, GREAT, UH, REPRESENTATION OF OUR CITY.
I'M WITH THE REGIONAL HISPANIC CONTRACTORS.
WE ALL KNOW WHAT THE ISSUES ARE.
THE ISSUE IS WHY PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO HIRE US.
AND WHY WE DEPEND ON CITY WORK IS BECAUSE THERE'S RULES TO MAKE SURE WE'RE HIRED.
THOSE SAME COMPANIES THAT HIRE US ON CITY WORK DO NOT HIRE US ON THEIR PRIVATE WORK.
IF THEY DID, I GUARANTEE YOU, WE WANT THE PRIVATE WORK BEFORE WE WANT THE CITY WORK.
MY QUESTION IN MY ASK OF YOU IS, PLEASE DON'T TURN THIS INTO A BLACK AND BROWN BLACK FOLKS.
DON'T BE THINKING, WELL, HISPANICS ARE GETTING ALL OF THIS AND WE'RE NOT.
AND BROWN FOLKS DON'T BE SAYING THAT THEY'RE GONNA BE STILL, AND WE'RE NOT.
BECAUSE THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, AT THE END OF THE DAY, THEY DON'T HAVE MUCH MORE THAN WE HAVE, RIGHT? WE WOULD STILL STARVE, BUT WE GOT EVERYTHING THAT AFRICAN AMERICANS HAVE.
HISPANICS WOULD STILL STARVE AND VICE VERSA.
I WOULD TELL YOU IT WAS FLAWED FROM THE BEGINNING.
AND FOR YOU TO THINK THAT IN 2025, THAT'S WHEN YOU GOT TOLD THAT THIS WAS GONNA HAPPEN.
MGT WAS GIVEN REPORTS PROBABLY FROM THE FIRST MONTH THAT SAYING THIS WAS GOING.
SO WE KNOW I WANT TO CONVINCE LENCIA 'CAUSE SHE'S BEEN WORKING HARD.
SHE'S A FOSTER MOTHER THAT INHERITED SOMEBODY ELSE'S CRACK BABY.
AND SHE'S TRYING TO FIGURE THAT OUT.
WE'RE HERE AS ORIGINAL HISPANIC CONTRACTORS TO WORK WITH LENCIA AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
PATRICK CASTILLO, O THANK YOU EVERYBODY TO BE FOLLOWED BY VLADIMIR NARANJO.
AND IT'S GOOD TO KNOW THAT, UH, 800 STONES OUTTA 30 WERE UNTURNED TO KINDA LOOK AT THIS.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, PAT PATRICK, CAST STEELE, PRESIDENT OF CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION, DESIGNED BILL GROUP AND THE EXECUTIVE CHAIR OF NAM ACT, NATIONAL ASSOCIATED MINORITY CONTRACTORS.
UH, ALL OF MY MADNESS HERE, UH, I BECAME THE, THE EXECUTIVE CHAIR BACK IN, UH, JUNE OF LAST YEAR.
SINCE THEN, ON DAY ONE, WE STARTED WORKING ON AN INITIATIVE TO CREATE MORE CAPACITY IN THIS INDUSTRY SINCE DAY ONE.
UH, SINCE THAT DAY WE'VE HAD 16 STAKEHOLDERS.
WE'VE HAVE RHCA, A B, C-H-G-A-H, UM, UH, RHCA, UM, THE, UH, HISPANIC CHAMBER, THE EAST END CHAMBER, GREATER HOUSTON PARTNERSHIPS, VARIOUS COUNCIL MEMBERSHIP THAT HAVE BEEN THERE SINCE DAY ONE, ALL FOUR COMMISSIONERS.
UH, AND WE'VE HAD TWO MAJOR MEETINGS WHERE WE'VE HAD, UH, IAN AND THE DIRECTOR, UH, WAS THERE SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF OIO.
AND I GET REAL PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS.
AND, UH, UH, TWO, THE TWO OF THOSE MEETINGS, WE NEVER TALKED ABOUT ANY OF THIS.
WE COULD HAVE HEARD ABOUT IT THEN.
IT'S NOT HER FAULT, LIKE, LIKE, UH, LIKE JOHN SAID, BUT WE ARE HERE NOW.
WE WERE THERE THAT DAY AND WE COULD HAVE BROUGHT UP BECAUSE EVERYBODY HAD EVERYBODY'S ATTENTION THAT EVERYBODY THAT I JUST MENTIONED WAS AT THAT TABLE, UH, FOR TWO OF THOSE MEETINGS.
AND WHY IS THAT THE TIME? YEAH, GO AHEAD AND WRAP IT UP.
SO WHY, WHY COULDN'T WE TALK ABOUT IT THEN? WHY DO WE FIND OUT ABOUT IT? LIKE JOHN SAID TWO WEEKS AGO, WHERE NOW WE'RE RALLYING THE TROOPS, IF YOU WILL, BECAUSE WITH EVERYBODY HERE, WELL, I'M GLAD Y'ALL RALLYING THE TROOPS BECAUSE THAT'S HOW WE GONNA GET THE INFORMATION SO WE CAN HEAR FROM YOU.
SO I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE.
SO, AND WE AREN'T GONNA BE IN A RUSH.
I MEAN, WE'VE GOT A LAWSUIT THAT WE'VE GOTTA DEAL WITH.
UM, BUT WE STILL HAVE, UM, OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE DECISIONS.
AND IT SEEMS LIKE PUTTING OUT SOME RECOMMENDATIONS GOT US TO HEAR FROM PEOPLE.
SO YES, WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE.
NEXT SPEAKER V VLADIMIR NARANJO.
AS YOU CAN SEE, YOU KNOW, WE ARE CONCERNED.
AND, UH, IF WE HAVE HEARD ABOUT THIS, JUST IMAGINE IF WE JUST HEARD TWO WEEKS AGO, ALL THE KNOWLEDGE THAT WE'RE MAKING ABOUT THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED MANY TIMES AGO IF THE OUTREACH WAS RIGHT, DEFINITELY THE OUTREACH WAS INCORRECT.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH THIS DISPARITY STUDY COST, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH THE LAST DISPARITY COST, THOSE ARE CITY MONEY THAT WAS SPENT.
AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE HARRIS COUNTY DISPARITY STUDY TOO, AND YOU'RE SEEN THE RECOMMENDATION OF THIS PROGRAM, IT REALLY QUESTIONS YOU WHAT, WHAT, WHAT IS THE CITY DOING? I'M A SMALL
[02:20:01]
BUSINESS.I, I'M IN THE BOARD OF THE RACA, I WAS A FORMER BACHELOR BOARD MEMBER OF THE OBO.
WE HAVE EVENTS WHERE WE GET TOGETHER.
WE HEARD ABOUT THIS AT ANY OF THE EVENTS THAT THE MGT IS SAYING THEY HAVE, IF WE HEARD A SURVEY, WE HAVE THE MA MOST MINIMUM IDEA THAT THIS WAS GONNA BE A SITUATION.
BELIEVE ME, WE'LL NOT BE HERE TALKING ABOUT THIS IN THE LAST MINUTE.
AND THEN HERE WE'RE TRYING TO GO TO A LITIGATION ANSWER AND RUSHING A DECISION JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE AT RISK OF PROMOTING OR OR DISMANTLING THE PROGRAM, THAT'S WRONG.
YOU KNOW, WE ARE A MINORITY COMPANIES AND WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SURVIVE IF THE PROGRAM DIDN'T EXIST.
SO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE RIGHT FACTS WITH INFORMATION BEFORE YOU GO TO THE, TO THE LITIGATION.
UH, GORDON QUAN TO BE FOLLOWED BY DANIEL YU AND THEN CC LEE.
UM, LET ME SAY, I'M COMING WITH THREE HATS ON TODAY.
UH, ONE IS A FORMER CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, AND I KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS THAT WE NOT ONLY BE A DIVERSITY, BUT AN INCLUSIVE CITY.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE GROWTH OF HOUSTON, WHO ARE THE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE GROWING THE FASTEST? THE ASIAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY, THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY, THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY.
AND YET WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS FROM HOW DO WE EXCLUDE SOME OF THESE COMMUNITIES FROM PARTICIPATING IN PROGRAMS THAT BENEFIT THE CITY AND BENEFIT THESE COMMUNITIES? I LOOKED AT THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND THE STUDY, AND I SEE A LOT OF GOOD RECOMMENDATIONS AS TO HOW DO WE STOP EVERGREEN CONTRACTS THAT HAVE BEEN GOING ON FOREVER AND GIVE OTHER PEOPLE OPPORTUNITIES.
HOW DO WE LOOK AT SMALL BUSINESS ENTERPRISES TOO, AND HOW DO WE GRADUATE COMPANIES THAT HAVE BENEFITED FOR SO LONG? I THINK THOSE ARE ALL WORTHWHILE THINGS TO LOOK AT.
BUT I ALSO LOOK AS, AS AN IMMIGRATION LAWYER AT THE NEW IMMIGRANTS COMING TO OUR CITY, THEY DON'T KNOW ABOUT THESE OPPORTUNITIES.
AND SO WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT CROWSON, WE'RE LOOKING AT ABLE, WILLING, QUALIFIED, AND AVAILABLE.
HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE QUALIFIED? HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE AVAILABLE? THEY DON'T KNOW.
I THINK THE THE MARKET IS GROWING ALL THE TIME AND THE, THE STUDIES DO NOT REFLECT WHAT THE MARKET SHOULD BE AND WHAT WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT AS A CITY.
FINALLY, AS A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, LET ME JUST SAY I AM A MINOR CERTIFIED MINORITY, AND I JUST FOUND OUT THAT WE'RE NO LONGER INCLUDED IN THE CITY.
AND I'M LIKE, WHAT HAPPENED? NOBODY EVER TOLD US WE DIDN'T RECEIVE ANY OF THESE NOTICES.
AND, UH, I GUESS WE GRADUATED.
I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE BETTER COMMUNICATION.
UH, DANIEL, YOU TO BE FOLLOWED BY CC LEE, MAYOR PROAM, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND STAFF.
MY NAME IS DANIEL YU AND I'M THE VICE CHAIR OF THE ASIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
HOUSTON, I HAVE BEFORE YOU A PREPARED STATEMENT THAT HAS BEEN ENDORSED BY THE ASIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HOUSTON, AS WELL AS THE PHILIPPINE AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, TEXAS GREATER HOUSTON REGION, AND THE KOREAN AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
HOUSTON, THE ASIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE STANDS IN FIRM OPPOSITION TO THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO CHAPTER 15 OF THE ORDINANCE, WHICH WOULD REMOVE ASIAN AMERICAN OWNED BUSINESSES FROM THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CATEGORY UNDER THE CITY'S MINORITY AND WOMEN OWNED BUSINESS ENTERPRISE PROGRAM.
THIS RECOMMENDATION STEMMING FROM A 2023 DISPARITY STUDY CONDUCTED BY MGT CONSULTING GROUP, WILL HAVE SEVERE AND LASTING NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES FOR ASIAN OWNED BUSINESSES AND THE BROADER HOUSTON ECONOMY.
THE CITY OF HOUSTON HAS LONG PRIDE ITSELF ON ITS COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION IN BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES.
HOWEVER, THIS PROPOSED CHANGE WOULD EFFECTIVELY ELIMINATE VITAL PATHWAYS FOR ASIAN OWNED BUSINESSES TO COMPETE FAIRLY FOR CITY CONTRACTS.
DESPITE THE STUDY'S FINDINGS, REMOVING ASIANS FROM THIS CATEGORY IGNORES THE ONGOING BARRIERS AND CHALLENGES THAT ASIAN AMERICAN ENTREPRENEURS FACE IN ASSESSING PUBLIC SECTOR CONTRACTING OPPORTUNITIES BY EXCLUDING ASIAN AMERICANS FROM PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, THE CITY RISKED LIMITING ECONOMIC PARTICIPATION, WEAKENING MINORITY BUSINESS REPRESENTATION, CONTRADICTING CITY'S COMMITMENT TO EQUITY AND SETTING A DANGEROUS PRECEDENT.
WE URGE THE COUNCIL TO OPPOSE THIS RECOMMENDATION AND REFRAIN IT FROM MOVING FORWARD.
AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF OUR MEMBERS AND THE BROADER ASIAN BUSINESS COMMUNITY TO PROTECT AND PROMOTE A FAIR AND BALANCED BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT.
THANK YOU MR. YU, AND I APPRECIATE THAT YOU'RE SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE ORGANIZATION.
UM, DO Y'ALL HAVE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR, UM, BASED ON THE ACTUAL SPEND OF THE CITY, WHAT IF YOU WERE IN, IN OUR SHOES, DO YOU HAVE, DID Y'ALL TALK ABOUT ANY RECOMMENDATIONS OR WHAT YOU THINK WOULD BE A FAIR WAY TO PROCEED? OUR BOARD HAS BEEN REVIEWING SOME RECOMMENDATIONS.
WE'LL DEFINITELY FOLLOW UP THE CITY WITH THAT.
NEXT SPEAKER IS CC LEE TO BE FOLLOWED BY ISIDRO GARZA GREETING.
[02:25:01]
SO-CALLED ONE OF THE PROMINENT ASIAN ARCHITECT TOWN.AND THAT, UH, I HAVE TO TESTIFY.
MWP PROGRAM IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR MY BUSINESS SURVIVE AND THE TRAIL HERE.
AND WE ARE VERY PROUD TO BE ONE OF THE SUCCESSFUL, PROMINENT ARCHITECTURAL FIRM TOWN.
HOWEVER, I THINK THE WHOLE ISSUE, HERE'S A SOLUTION, HOW WE CAN PROMOTE INCLUSIVE RATHER THAN EXCLUSIVE.
AND THAT, UH, SO WE ARE FIGHTING IN THE TRENCH EVERY DAY.
WE KNOW HOW DIFFICULT A SMALL MINORITY FIRM CAN SURVIVE AND WE ARE LUCKY CAN SURVIVE SO FAR.
SO YES, AND I AM DEFINITELY SUPPORT THIS PROGRAM.
I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO, TO WHOLE HOUSTON'S SURVIVAL IN THE FUTURE.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION AND HELP.
YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE HAPPY TO SEE YOU.
ISIDRO GARZA TO BE FOLLOWED BY DAVID EASTWOOD.
UH, MY NAME'S ROAR, PRESIDENT OF GRACE GEOMATICS.
UH, MY WIFE AND I FORMED THIS BUSINESS IN, UH, 2019 AND ACTUALLY OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED IN JANUARY OF 2020.
UH, TWO MONTHS LATER, THE PANDEMIC HIT AND, AND, UH, CHANGED OUR WORLD, UH, IN, IN, IN A VERY STRUGGLING ECONOMY.
UM, IN, SINCE OUR INCEPTION, WE'VE GROWN FROM FOUR EMPLOYEES TO 25, AND WE'RE FORECASTING TO GROW TO 35 BY THE END OF THIS YEAR.
THE CERTIFICATIONS THAT WE HAVE GATHERED DO NOT GUARANTEE THAT WE WILL LAND WORK SIMPLY BY HAVING THE CERTIFICATE CERTIFICATIONS IN HAND.
WE HAVE TO WORK FURIOUSLY THROUGH STRONG BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AND MARKETING EFFORTS TO ESTABLISH RELATIONSHIPS IN ORDER FOR THEM TO WANT TO TAKE A CHANCE ON US.
HOWEVER, WITHOUT THE CERTIFICATIONS, OUR SMALL MINORITY OWNED BUSINESS WILL HAVE TO COMPETE WITH THE EXPONENTIALLY LARGER FINANCES AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES OF THE LARGE ESTABLISHED INDUSTRY PROVIDERS IN ORDER TO LAND WORK.
WE HAVE ENCOUNTERED NUMEROUS INSTANCES IN THESE FIVE YEARS WHERE WE HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TO A PRIME THROUGH OUR STRONG CREDENTIALS AND PROVEN WORK HISTORY.
AND IN THE KICKOFF MEETINGS HAVE BEEN TOLD BY THE PRIME, UH, IN FRONT OF THE TEAM.
THE ONLY REASON THEY THEY'RE USED IN US IS BECAUSE THEY'RE BEING TOLD TO NOT BECAUSE THEY WANNA WORK WITH US.
AND EACH CASE, WE'VE WON THEM OVER THROUGH STRONG COMMUNICATIONS, UNMASKED WORK ETHIC, AND HIGH QUALITY DELIVERABLES RESULTING IN REPEAT BUSINESS WITH THESE CLIENTS.
GRACIOUS, IS A LIVING TESTAMENT THAT THE MINORITY CERTIFICATIONS CAN WORK.
WE ARE PROUD TO HOLD THESE CERTIFICATIONS AS THEY'VE ALLOWED US TO DIRECTLY CONTRIBUTE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR COMMUNITIES THROUGH DYNAMIC INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, ESTABLISH NEW CLIENT RELATIONS, AND TO HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON OUR LOCAL ECONOMY.
WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR HANDOUTS, WE JUST WANT HAVE MR. GARZA INVITED TO.
I'M GONNA, WE GOT A LOT OF SPEAKERS AND WE, WE ALMOST GO AHEAD, WRAP IT UP.
WE JUST WANT AND TO BE INVITED TO SEAT AT THE TABLE AND WORK HARD FOR A VERY SMALL PIECE OF THE PIE.
HOW CAN WE BE A PLACE NOW WHERE WE'RE TARGETING HISPANICS AND ASIANS AND WOMEN? THE MINORITY PROGRAMS HAVE HELPED MANY LOCAL BUSINESSES GROW TO SUCCESSFUL FIRMS THAT HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR COMMUNITIES.
UH, NEXT SPEAKER IS DAVID EASTWOOD TO BE FOLLOWED BY JOSE PRAZA.
DAVID EASTWOOD, JOSE PRAZA, TONY NICKS, RUBEN MERCADO JR.
TO BE FOLLOWED BY PRISCILLA PICASSO, YOU'LL HAVE TO EXCUSE ME THAT I'M GONNA SOUND LIKE A WAVER AFTER COMMERCIAL SO I CAN GET ALL THIS IN.
SO, OKAY, GOOD AFTERNOON AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY.
I'M THE EXECUTIVE VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MINORITY CONTRACTOR HOUSTON CHAPTER.
I'M ALSO PRESIDENT AND OWNER OF SSO, GENERAL CONTRACTOR, THE CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, CERTIFIED AS A MINORITY BUSINESS ENTERPRISE WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
I'M HERE TO ADDRESS THE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES OF REMOVING CERTAIN DEMOGRAPHICS FROM CERTIFICATION WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
THE THREAT TO ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY CONSTITUTION.
YOU GIVING ME A MINUTE? YOU GIVING ME A MINUTE? SO I'LL SLOW DOWN NOW.
HEY, YOU GAVE ME A MINUTE, SO, ALRIGHT.
REMOVING KEY DEMOGRAPHICS LIMITS THEIR ABILITY TO COMPETE, LEADING TO JOB LOSSES, BUSINESS CLOSURES, AND FEWER DOLLARS CIRCULATING IN UNDERSERVED AREAS BEYOND INDIVIDUAL BUSINESSES.
THIS DECISION WEAKENS OUR LOCAL ECONOMY.
WHEN CONTRACTS ARE CONCENTRATED IN FEWER HANDS, COMPETITION DECLINES, COSTS RISE AND INNOVATION SUFFERS.
THERE ARE ALSO SERIOUS LEGAL RISKS TO CONSIDER.
CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS EXIST TO ADDRESS HISTORICAL DISPARITIES IN REMOVING CERTAIN GROUPS
[02:30:01]
COULD INVITE LAWSUITS, CIVIL RIGHTS COMPLAINTS, AND FEDERAL SCRUTINY.ADDITIONALLY, IT WOULD CONTRADICT THE CITY'S OWN COMMITMENTS TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION.
IT IS NOT JUST ABOUT POLICY, IT'S ABOUT FAIRNESS, ECONOMIC GROWTH IN THE FUTURE OF OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
I URGE YOU TO RECONSIDER ANY ACTIONS THAT LIMIT CERTIFICATION AND INSTEAD INVEST IN POLICIES THAT CREATE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL.
I AM ONE OF YOUR CONTRACTORS THAT GETS SLOW PAID.
I JUST GOT PAID FOR A JOB THAT WE COMPLETED SIX MONTHS AGO, TWO WEEKS AGO.
SO THERE'S A PROBLEM IN THE SYSTEM OF, THAT'S, THAT'S QUICK.
I'D LIKE TO COME UP WITH YOU THAT IS QUICK AND PAY YOU EVERY SIX MONTHS.
AND I, MR. MERTA, BECAUSE YOU'RE REPRESENTING A GROUP, I'M, I'M INTERESTED TO KNOW, DID Y'ALL HAVE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS? DID YOU FIND THAT, UM, MEMBERS OF YOUR GROUP WERE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SURVEY, KNEW ABOUT THE SURVEY, UM, AND DID Y'ALL HAVE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS? VERY GOOD.
SO I KNOW THAT WE DID HAVE, UH, PARTICIPATION WITH THIS DISPARITY STUDY BACK IN 2013, 2014 ON THIS CURRENT ONE.
WE GOT NOTICE TWO WEEKS AGO, THREE WEEKS AGO.
SO WHEN WE FIRST FOUND OUT ABOUT IT, IT WAS A SHOCKER TO US.
WE DIDN'T GET, I DIDN'T GET ANY OF THESE LETTERS THAT WERE SENT OUT AND WHATNOT TOOK FOR US TO PARTICIPATE.
I'VE BEEN IN BUSINESS FOR GOING ON 10 YEARS IN MAY.
AND, UH, WE HAVE, UH, BEEN SUCCESSFUL WITH THE MBE PROGRAM, WITH THE DBE PROGRAM.
AND I WOULD HATE TO SEE THIS THING BE, UH, UH, TO EXCLUDE THE CERTAIN GROUPS THAT ARE ON THE TABLE, TABLE RIGHT NOW AND NAEC HERE.
AND HAVE Y'ALL TALKED ABOUT ANY RECOMMENDATIONS OR ANY, ANYTHING DIFFERENT? UH, DO NOT TAKE OFF THE, DO NOT EXCLUDE, UH, THE MINORITY CONTRACTORS, THE MINORITY, UH, UH, DEMOGRAPHICS.
THAT, THAT WOULD BE A MISTAKE.
IT WOULD, LIKE, I THINK SOMEONE SAID EARLIER IT WOULD SET US 40 YEARS BACK, WE DON'T NEED, WE DON'T NEED TO GO BACK IN THAT ERA.
UH, PRISCILLA PICASSO TO BE FOLLOWED BY DONNA MURPHY.
DONNA MURPHY, REBECCA ANN ROBERTS.
REBECCA ANN ROBERTS, JAVIER LON.
MA'AM, I THINK YOU CALLED JOSE PEDROZA.
AND I WAS UNABLE TO ANSWER WHEN YOU CALLED.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? I'M CALLING IN.
I BELIEVE YOU CALLED MY NAME OUT AND RUBEN SPOKE AHEAD OF ME.
SO I JUST, UH, NOT TO BE RUDE, BUT I'M THE OWNER OPERATOR OF
UH, WE HAVE A BODY OF HISPANIC AND ASIAN BUSINESS OWNERS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ACHIEVE SOME LEVEL OF PARITY DUE TO THE PROGRAM, THE MBE PROGRAM.
UM, AND I, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THAT AS INDIVIDUAL FIRMS, WE HAVE ALL BEEN OFFERED THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, A RECOMMENDATION THAT I BELIEVE SHOULD BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT IS NOT REMOVING THE, UH, HISPANICS AND ASIANS AS A WHOLE FROM THE MBE PROGRAM, BUT INSTEAD REVIEWING WHICH FIRMS HAVE HISTORICALLY BEEN AWARDED CONTRACTS AND GRADUATING THEM FROM THE PROGRAM AS WAS RECOMMENDED BY THE STUDY.
UM, AS A FIRM, PERSONALLY, WE HAVE NOT BEEN THAT SUCCESSFUL IN, UH, RECEIVING ANY CONTRACT DOLLARS FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON DUE TO OUR INFANCY.
BUT WE ARE DEFINITELY LOOKING TO SEE, UM, HOW WE CAN USE THE MB PROGRAM TO GROW AND, UM, IT WOULD BE A DETRIMENT TO US IF WE WERE REMOVED FROM THAT PROGRAM.
REBECCA ANN ROBERTS, JAVIER ROLON.
STEVEN ARAND TO BE FOLLOWED BY TONY SAMPER AND MILTON THIBODAUX.
UM, WE APPRECIATE ALL THE CITY'S HARD WORK IN PROMOTING AND DIVERSITY EQUITY.
WILL YOU RAISE THAT MICROPHONE UP SO WE CAN HEAR YOU? YES.
I'M THE VICE PRESIDENT OF RAY TECH CONSTRUCTION.
UM, WE APPRECIATE ALL THE CITY'S HARD WORK AND THE WORK THEY DO TO PROMOTE DIVERSITY AND EQUITY WITHIN OUR FINE CITY.
OUR, OUR COMPANY IS A PROUD GRADUATE OF THE PROGRAM.
WE WORK AND LIVE IN ONE OF THE LARGEST, LARGEST PUBLICLY FUNDED CONSTRUCTION MARKETS IN THE WORLD.
THAT CREATES A FEW CHALLENGES.
WE'VE GOT THE FUNDS AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE HARD WORK TO GET THEM TO GET THOSE FUNDS.
NOW THE PROBLEM IS HOW DO WE GET THE WORK DONE? THE A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLAR PROJECT IS BECOMING LESS COMMON AND WE'RE SEEING MORE HALF A BILLION TO A BILLION DOLLAR PROJECTS, WHICH CREATE PROBLEMS WITH COMPETITION BETWEEN DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES.
MANY OF WHO WERE MENTIONED EARLIER, THE STATE COUNTY METRO, HARRIS HEALTH, TO NAME A FEW.
THE SUCCESS OF OUR PROGRAMS SHOULD BE MEASURED BY THE SUCCESS OF ITS MEMBERS.
WE MUST PROTECT THESE LOCAL BUSINESSES AND SUPPORT THEM.
WE MUST BE INTENTIONAL AND CAREFUL IN CREATING POLICIES THAT PROMOTE INCLUSION, HEALTHY COMPETITION, EDUCATION AND MENTORING SPECIFICALLY ON BONDING
[02:35:01]
AND GROWING CAPACITY.UTILIZING OUR LOCAL OWNED FIRMS, INCLUDING THOSE HISPANIC AMERICAN OWNED CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES, ASIAN AMERICAN AND NON-MINORITY WOMEN, ENSURES THAT THE TAXPAYER MONEY THAT WE SPEND ON THESE PROJECTS STAY WITH THEM AND SUPPORTS OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY AND ECONOMY.
IS GREG REYES HERE? UM, HE WAS, OKAY.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR AND, UH, OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M MILTON THIBODAUX, THE PRESIDENT OF THE GREATER HOUSTON BUSINESS PROCUREMENT FORUM.
UH, WE'VE BEEN IN EXISTENCE 34 YEARS.
UH, IT'S A MONTHLY EVENT THAT WE PROVIDE, BRINGING TOGETHER MAJOR CORPORATIONS, GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES, CITY, COUNTY, STATE, FEDERAL TO DO BUSINESS WITH, UH, MINORITY FIRMS, HUB FIRMS. UH, I WANT TO SAY THAT I DON'T CARE WHERE I GO IN THIS, IN THIS CITY, IN THIS COUNTRY.
EVERYBODY WANTS TO KNOW HOW WE ARE DOING IT IN HOUSTON.
HOW ARE YOU GUYS SO SUCCESSFUL? WE WISH WE COULD BE LIKE HOUSTON.
AND OF COURSE I KNOW THAT WE HAVE WORK TO DO.
BUT THE NICE THING THAT WE HAVE HERE IS WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT WORK TOGETHER TO ALL THESE PEOPLE THAT YOU'VE SEEN.
WE CAN SE OLYMPIA TO SUPPORT OBO SUPPORT TO SUPPORT THIS CITY.
WE CANNOT, WE CANNOT LOSE THIS PROGRAM.
THE FORUM IS HERE AND THE REST OF THE PEOPLE BACK HERE ARE ALL TOGETHER FOR YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH AND LET'S KEEP WORKING.
HE SAID, OH, YOU SAID YOU DIDN'T WANNA SPEAK, I'M SORRY.
UH, CHAIRWOMAN CASTEX TATUM AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE COMMENT TODAY.
MY NAME IS CASEY CHRISMAN AND I REPRESENT THE HOUSTON CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION OR HCA.
UM, WE REPRESENT THE LOCAL HEAVY CIVIL CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY, WHICH MEANS OUR MEMBERS BUILD THE WATER AND WASTEWATER SYSTEMS, THE ROADS AND BRIDGES FOR THE CITY.
AS A REFERENCE IN THE RECENT EY EFFICIENCY STUDY, HCA MEMBERS MAKE UP FOUR OF THE TOP 10 VENDORS FOR FISCAL YEAR 24 SPEND IN THE FACILITIES AND CONSTRUCTION.
HCA HAS BEEN ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN THIS DISPARITY STUDY PROCESS.
AND WHILE WE HAD OUR CONCERNS ABOUT THE PROCESS, WE ULTIMATELY FOUND THE PROPOSAL PROPOSED CHANGES TO BE REASONABLE AND NECESSARY TO IMPLEMENT THE STUDY'S FINDINGS.
IN SHORT, HCA STRONGLY SUPPORTS THE PROPOSED RECOMMENDATIONS, SPECIFICALLY THE RECOMMENDATION TO REMOVE THE CAP ON SMALL BUSINESS ENTERPRISE FIRMS THAT CAN BE USED TO MEET MWBE GOALS IN CONSTRUCTION, UM, OUR CONTRACTOR MEMBERS ARE HEAVILY ENGAGED IN THE CITY'S CONSENT DECREE PROJECTS, WHICH MUST BE COMPLETED IN A TIMELY MANNER TO MEET EPA DEADLINES.
THE MGT DISPARITY STUDY SHOWS THAT THE HISPANIC FIRMS HAVE BEEN OVERUTILIZED IN THE CONSTRUCTION CLASSIFICATION.
IF THEY ARE REMOVED FROM M-B-A-M-W-B-E CERTIFICATION WITHOUT AN ALTERNATIVE PATHWAY, THE NUMBER OF AVAILABLE FIRMS CAPABLE OF COMPLETING CRITICAL HEAVY CIVIL PROJECTS WILL SHRINK DRAMATICALLY JEOPARDIZING OUR ABILITY TO MEET MANDATED PROJECT TIMELINES.
MARCO RUIZ, MICHAEL GONZALEZ, AVID NEMA TO BE FOLLOWED BY ALOC SHA.
I'M WITH THE, UH, KAVI CONSULTING AND MINORITY FIRM, AND ALSO I'M THE PRESIDENT OF AMERICAN SOCIETY OF INDIAN ENGINEERS, UH, WHERE WE SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY ENGINEERS.
AND, UH, I'M HERE TO EXPRESS MY CONCERNS ABOUT THE CHANGES TO THE MINORITY BUSINESS TODAY, WHICH WILL IMPACT, UH, ASIAN AND HISPANIC, UH, COMMUNITY.
SO THERE ARE FEW, FEW, UH, I, UH, KEY POINTS I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT.
THE FIRST ONE IS THE FINANCIAL IMPACT.
UH, MANY OF THESE BUSINESSES DE DEPEND ON CITY CONTRACTS, BUT THEIR REVENUE LOSING THIS ACCESS COULD LEAD TO DOWNSIZING OR
[02:40:01]
CLOSURE AFFECTING FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES.AND ALSO WHEN IT COMES TO THE DIVERSITY AND INNOVATION, UH, THESE BUSINESSES BRING IN A FRESH PERSPECTIVE, NEW IDEAS AND INNOVATION SOLUTIONS TO THE TABLE BY LIMITING PARTICIPATION, VEGETABLE CREATIVITY AND GROWTH.
UH, UH, MANY OF THESE COMPANIES DEPEND ON WIDE NETWORK OF DIVERSE BUSINESS TO COLLABORATE AND MAY MEET THEIR DIVERSITY TARGET.
IF THESE BUSINESS ARE EXCLUDED, IT'LL BE HARDER TO MEET MINORITY, UH, BUSINESS GOALS AND SMALLER BUSINESS WILL MISS OUT ON THIS ONE.
THE LAST, BUT NOT THE LEAST, IS THE IMPORTANT MENTORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES THE SMALLER FIRMS DEPEND ON, UH, WILL TAG ALONG WITH A LARGER, UH, LARGER BUSINESS, UH, TO MENTOR AND EMER.
UH, AS AN EMERGING COMPANIES, THESE MENTORSHIPS WILL HELP BUILD THE CAPACITY OF NEWER BUSINESS, SETTING THEM FOR LONGER TERM SUCCESS.
BY REDUCING ACCESS TO MINORITY BUSINESS, WE LIMIT THE ABILITY TO FOSTER THESE WIDER RELATIONSHIPS AND LIMIT THE POTENTIAL FOR MANY BUSINESS TO GROW.
SO THIS IS WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY.
JOHN MARTINEZ, CLAUDIA ORTEGA HO HOGUE CLAUDIA ORTEGA TO BE FOLLOWED BY SAUL VALENTINE.
OKAY, SO GOOD AFTERNOON COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS CLA ORTEGA HOKE, MAJORITY PARTNER OF SSP ENGINEERING, ENGINEERING AND INNOVATIVE CONSTRUCTION.
TWO SMALL MINORITY WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES IN HOUSTON.
THE PROCESS OF BECOMING MWBE CERTIFIED THROUGH THE CITY OF HOUSTON HAS BEEN A MULTI-YEAR PROCESS.
AND NOW THAT WE HAVE RECENTLY COMPLETED THIS PAINFUL PROCESS OF BECOMING CERTIFIED AND HAVING COMMITTED A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME, ENERGY, AND RESOURCES, IT IS DISHEARTENING TO HEAR THAT THIS COMMITTEE IS CONSIDERING TAKING THE WONDERFUL PROGRAM, UH, TAKING THIS WONDERFUL PROGRAM BACKWARDS AND NOT FORWARD.
SO THIS MEANS THAT I'M JUST STARTING OUT, OUT ON THIS JOURNEY AND I'M BEING INCLUDED WITH BUSINESSES THAT HAVE BEEN BENE THAT HAVE BEEN BENEFITED FROM THIS PROGRAM FOR YEARS.
I URGE THE COUNCIL TO SUPPORT INITIATIVES THAT EMPOWER LOCAL BUSINESSES, ESPECIALLY THOSE IN UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES.
THIS INCLUDE ESTABLISHING A BUSINESS COMMUNITY OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE TO ENSURE ACCOUNTABILITY AND FOSTER EQUITY IN CONTRACT IN OUR CONTRACTING PROCESS.
MY TEAM AND I HAVE REVIEWED THE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE DATA FROM THE DISPARITY REPORT.
AND IT IS NOT CLEAR TO US THAT WE ARE, IT IS NOT CLEAR TO US THAT THERE IS A WIDESPREAD CONCERN THAT WILL JUSTIFY MAKING THE PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON WB NWB PROGRAM.
SO MY QUESTION TO THIS COMMITTEE IS, CAN YOU MAKE THIS FULL SET OF RAW QUALITY DATA PUBLIC FROM THE STUDY AVAILABLE SO WE CAN BETTER UNDERSTAND THE FACTORS THAT ARE, THAT ARE DRIVING THE IDENTIFY AREAS OF DISPARITY BEFORE SUCH DRASTIC CHANGES ARE MADE? THANK YOU.
UM, ON THE REPORT THAT'S ONLINE, DOES, IS THERE A, UM, THE, THE SPEND IS THAT ON? IS THAT ONLINE? THE TOTAL, UM, ALL OF THE, UM, SPEND IS THERE.
THE ONLY THING THAT ISN'T THERE IS THE RAW DATA, BUT ALL OF THE CHARTS PROVIDE ALL THE SPEND AND ALL THE BREAKOUT OF THE GROUPS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS TODAY.
RASHAUN KING TO BE FOLLOWED BY AKIA SIMS. AKIA SIMS, DAWN FOS, SUSIE KLA.
SUSIE, ARE YOU HERE? IS ISIDRO GARZA JR.
GOOD AFTERNOON MAYOR PROAM COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, THANK YOU ALL FOR SITTING TO LISTEN TO US.
I COME HERE WEARING THREE HATS.
UH, CURRENT BOARD MEMBER OF THE INDOOR AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, A BUSINESS OWNER AND IN A PREVIOUS ROLE, A POLICY ROLE SPECIFIC TO DISPARITY STUDIES SBE AND MBE PROGRAMS. IT SHOULD BE DISHEARTENING TO ALL OF US
[02:45:01]
THAT AFTER ALL THESE YEARS WE HAVE DISPARITIES THAT EXIST.THE WAY TO ADDRESS THEM, HOWEVER, IS PROBABLY THE DIFFICULT PART.
WE ARE THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE, ECONOMIC GROWTH, GROWTH AND OPPORTUNITIES ABOUT PRESERVING WHAT WE HAVE BUILT AND ENHANCING AND ADDING TO IT.
THE CAPACITY THAT'S BEEN BUILT IS THANKS TO THIS TRAILBLAZING PROGRAM, THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S MWBE PROGRAM.
THAT CAPACITY HAS TAKEN DECADES TO BUILD.
LET'S PRESERVE WHAT WE'VE BUILT AND ADD TO IT.
AS MANY OF THE SPEAKERS HAVE SAID.
LET'S ALSO MAKE SURE THAT THE FAR REACHING IMPACTS OF ANY MODIFICATIONS TO THIS PROGRAM ARE BASED ON DATA THAT REFLECTS GROUND REALITIES.
WE'VE SEEN THE NUMBER OF RESPONDENTS, THE REPORT ITSELF TALKS ABOUT PROCESSES THAT ARE LACKING IN TERMS OF THE ACCURACY OF THE DATA.
THE SPEND DATA REMEDY NUMBER ONE IS BETTER DATA COLLECTION.
SO LET'S MAKE SURE WE HAVE BETTER DATA THAT INFORMS THESE DECISIONS.
SHOULD THAT SUPPORT CHANGES, MODIFICATIONS TO THE PROGRAM? ABSOLUTELY.
WHAT THOSE MODIFICATIONS ARE IMPORTANT, HOW WE GO UP ABOUT THOSE IS EQUALLY IMPORTANT.
IF NOT MORE IMPORTANT, HOW DO WE TRANSITION THE BUSINESSES SO WE DON'T LOSE THE CAPACITY THAT WE HAVE TAKEN YEARS TO? BILL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UM, SO IF A PARTICULAR, UM, LET'S SAY THE W IS TAKING OUT, TAKEN OUT, BUT THE S IS INCREASED WITHOUT A CAP, DO YOU FEEL LIKE THERE WAS STILL BE A PROBLEM WITH PEOPLE APPLYING AND GETTING BUSINESS? IF THE S IS INCREASED WITHOUT W WOULD WOULD DEPEND ON HOW IT IS STRUCTURED.
HOW THE TRANSITION PERIOD WOULD WORK.
BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS IN THE INTERIM IS WHAT DEVASTATES SMALL BUSINESSES.
IF YOU'RE LEFT IN LIMBO, WHEN THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT CITY PROGRAM, WHAT GETS GRANDFATHER, WHAT GETS CONTINUED? WHAT IS THAT TRANSITION PROCESS? BECAUSE I THINK WE'VE TAKEN SEVERAL YEARS TO GET THE DISPARITY STUDY DONE.
BUT THANKS TO A LAWSUIT, WE ARE FORCED TO COME TO A CONCLUSION IN A MATTER OF WEEKS WITHOUT ANY CLARITY, IF YOU WILL, ON HOW THE TRANSITION PERIOD WILL BE.
HOW WILL IT IMPACT BUSINESSES THAT HAVE TO MAKE A PAYROLL? MM-HMM
THAT'S THE HOW IT BECOMES REALLY IMPORTANT, THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT OF BUSINESSES THAT ARE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE PAYROLL AND KEEP PEOPLE EMPLOYED.
THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BEFORE THIS IS SPRUNG ON BUSINESSES.
SO DO YOU THINK WHEN PEOPLE APPLY FOR THE MWBE PROGRAM, THEY ANTICIPATE BEING IN THAT PROGRAM FOREVER? OR DO YOU THINK THEY EVER PLAN TO GRADUATE OUT OF THAT PROGRAM? I THINK THE GRADUATION'S A FANTASTIC IDEA, BUT IF YOU ARE AT THE CUSP OF GRADUATION, SAY YOU'RE A $24 MILLION FIRM, YOU'RE BETTER EQUIPPED TO HANDLE THIS TRANSITION.
IF YOU'RE STARTING OFF LIKE SOME OF OUR SPEAKERS, WE JUST CUT THEIR KNEES FROM RIGHT UNDER THEM.
SO ALL OF THAT HAS TO GO INTO HOW THIS TRANSITION WILL TAKE PLACE, HOW IT'LL IMPACT NOT JUST BUSINESS OWNERS.
THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF JOBS IN HOUSTON MM-HMM
LIVELIHOODS THAT DEPEND ON WHAT THIS DECISION IS TO THE PROGRAM.
SPURGEON ROBINSON TO BE FOLLOWED BY ROGER HARRIS ON OR IT WAS ON, RIGHT? HOW YOU DOING? I'M MAYOR, CHAIRMAN, COUNCIL MEMBER STAFF AS WELL.
I AM A LOCAL, UH, UH, MBE HERE IN CITY OF HOUSTON.
SO I'M VERY PROUD OF THE CITY AND WHAT IT'S ACCOMPLISHED.
SO I'VE HEARD A LOT OF THINGS FROM MY COLLEAGUES, WHICH I TOTALLY AGREE WITH.
REALLY WANT TO EMPHASIZE THE FACT THAT I THINK THE PROGRAM ITSELF IS VALUABLE AND NEEDED.
AND I'VE SEEN IT BECAUSE I AM A CONTRACTOR THAT ALSO IS, I'M IN MULTIPLE MWB PROGRAMS IN MULTIPLE STATES IN CITIES.
AND SO I SEE THE BENEFIT OF THIS EVERYWHERE.
I HAVE TO PROVE I'M BLACK AGAIN.
BUT THE FACT IS THAT WE SEE THE BENEFIT OF THESE PROGRAMS AS WE GO AND AS WE GROW IS IMPORTANT.
ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO SHARE WITH OUR COLLEAGUES IS THAT WE HAVE FIVE TO SIX DEMOGRAPHICS THAT WE ARE STRUGGLING TO FIND A PROGRAM THAT FITS FOR THEM.
AND OFTEN I SEE CONTRACTS AT 30% MWBE AND NOBODY'S EVER SEEN ONE WITH 70% MWBE.
SO WE ALWAYS ARE FIGHTING FOR THE SMALLER PERCENTAGES SOMETIMES I'VE SEEN CONTRACTS EVEN RECENTLY AT 0% MWB, WHICH I'M REALLY STRUGGLING WITH.
HOW IN INSTEAD LIKE HOUSTON, CAN THAT NOT HA COULD THAT EVER HAPPEN BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE THAT BENEFIT FROM IT.
SO I STRESS THE FACT, THE IMPORTANCE OF THE MWB PROGRAM, BUT ALSO OBO, THE FACT THESE CONTRACTORS HERE, WE LIKE TO SAY WE'RE LOOKING FOR AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO CONTINUE TO GROW AND TAKING AWAY THAT PROGRAM WOULD DEFINITELY LIMIT OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE.
SO WITH THAT, I THINK I'VE HEARD MY TIME.
DO YOU HAVE ANY, DO YOU HAVE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS? SO I HAVE A, A NUMBER JUST BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT I, I WILL SHARE THE FACT THAT I'M IN MULTIPLE PROGRAMS AND I SEE OTHER PROGRAMS THAT WORK WELL.
[02:50:01]
IT'S HARD TO, UH, SET ASIDE, AND I HATE TO USE THE WORD SET ASIDE, BUT WE'VE SEEN OTHER PROGRAMS WHERE THEY'RE TARGETING MWE FIRMS TO ACTUALLY BUILD CAPACITY.SO SET, WHEN I SAY SET ASIDES HAVING CONTRACT LIMITS WHERE MWB FIRMS ONLY CAN GET AWARDS, $250,000 OR MORE, OR $500,000 OR INSTEAD OF NEW YORK IN INSTEAD OF NEW YORK AS WELL, ONE OF THE PLACES I'M A VENDOR IS UP TO ALMOST A MILLION DOLLARS.
THAT'S HOW YOU BUILD CAPACITY AND ABILITY FOR FIRMS TO CONTINUE TO GROW.
AND I DON'T BELIEVE YOU SHOULD GRADUATE OUTTA THE PROGRAM UNLESS YOUR AVERAGE OVER A THREE YEAR PERIOD IS AT $25 MILLION, FOR EXAMPLE.
BECAUSE YOU CAN GO UP AND THEN COME RIGHT BACK DOWN.
AND SO YOU DON'T BE ENTERING AND EXITING A PROGRAM.
LOOK AT THE LIFE CYCLE OF IT BECAUSE THERE COULD BE OPPORTUNITIES WHERE, YES, YOU HAVE A GREAT YEAR, SOMETHING HAPPENED, COVID HAPPENED, OTHER THINGS THAT HAVE PUMPED A LOT OF MONEY IN.
BUT IF YOU LOOK AT A THREE YEAR AVERAGE FOR A FIRM, YOU REALLY FIND THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY, HEY, ARE THEY ABLE TO SUSTAIN THE GROWTH? SO THOSE ARE A COUPLE OF THINGS I THINK ABOUT, BUT I THINK THERE ARE WAYS IN WHICH THE CITY ITSELF CAN CONTRACT DIRECTLY WITH MWE FIRMS AND REALLY BUILD THAT CAPACITY.
AND THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS I'VE SEEN IN THE PAST WHEN WE CONSIDER GRADUATION.
IS THAT AN AVERAGE OR JUST ONCE YOU REACH THAT THRESHOLD? IT'S AN AVERAGE.
OVER HOW MANY YEARS DO WE KNOW? IT'S THREE, THREE YEARS.
CAN BE BECAUSE I'M, I'M GRADUATED.
SO THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S OFFICE OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY HAS BEEN LONG AT THE FOREFRONT OF FOSTERING ECONOMIC INCLUSION AND ADVANCING EQUITABLE ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITY FOR MINORITY WOMEN, SMALL AND DISADVANTAGED BUSINESSES.
THE RECENTLY CONDUCTED DISPARITY STUDY BY M-T-M-G-T PROVIDES A COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS OF THE CURRENT LANDSCAPE ACCURATELY REFLECTING THE CHALLENGES AND BARRIERS THAT PERSIST IN GOVERNMENT CONTRACTING AND PROCUREMENT.
THE STUDY'S FINDINGS CONFIRM THAT DESPITE THE CITY'S COMMENDABLE EFFORTS, DISPARITY REMAINS THAT HINDER THE FEAR OF PARTICIPATION BY UNDERREPRESENTED BUSINESSES.
THE DATA COLLECTED AND REPORTED IN THE STUDY APPEARED TO HAVE BE CONDUCTED WITH DUE DILIGENCE AND ACCURACY, ENSURING THAT THE RECOMMENDATIONS PUT FORTH ARE BASED ON A FACTUAL ASSESSMENT OF MARKET REALITIES.
SO, UH, I HAVE SOME MORE COMMENTS THAT I'VE MADE HERE, BUT I THINK IN TALKING TO SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES HERE, UH, IT'S ALMOST LIKE, UM, THERE'S A MISUNDERSTANDING OF, THERE'S NOTHING IN THIS THAT'S SAYING WE WANT TO EXCLUDE PEOPLE.
WHAT THESE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE SAYING IS THAT THEY SEE THE, THE, THE WRITING THAT'S ON THE WALL THAT'S COMING FROM THE STATE IS THAT IF WE DO NOT TRANSFER INTO A MORE SBE, UH, REALITY, THE CAP THAT YOU MENTIONED JUST A SECOND AGO WILL NOT, WILL ACTUALLY HELP.
AND SO I THINK THAT BASED UPON WHAT'S BEEN SAID HERE TODAY, I'VE ACTUALLY HAD SOME, UH, CONVERSATIONS WITH MY COLLEAGUES HERE TODAY TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS IS.
AND THIS IS MY LAST POINT, IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE GO TO FUNERALS, WE SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WE KNOW AND RECOGNIZE.
SO I SEE A LOT OF MY COLLEAGUES TODAY, BUT I DON'T WANT THIS TO BE A FUNERAL OF THIS PROGRAM.
WHAT I WANT THIS TO BE IS A CELEBRATION OF THIS PROGRAM TO MOVE FORWARD.
AND SO THERE'S GOT TO BE ACTUAL, UH, FACTS AND THERE'S GONNA BE ACTUAL THINGS THAT ARE GONNA BE HAPPENING SO PEOPLE UNDERSTAND AND DO NOT CONFUSE WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED BY THE OFFICE OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY.
SO WITH THAT, I CONCLUDE MY COMMENTS.
WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE TODAY.
ANY QUESTIONS? WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE FOR US TO ASK YOU, ROGER? SO, UM,
BUT IF YOU LOOK AT SOME OTHER CITIES LIKE SAN ANTONIO, THEY ACTUALLY BREAK OUT SOME OTHER AREAS OF PROCUREMENT WHERE THERE CAN BE MORE PARTICIPATION BASED UPON SIZE.
SO THAT WOULD BE ONE OF MY RECOMMENDATIONS.
DOUG SMITH, WHERE'S DOUG FROM? DISTRICT F DOUG WANTED Y'ALL TO KNOW HE HAD TO GO HOME, BUT
DANIEL SIGNS AND THEN, UH, MAHESH GUPTA, MAYOR PRO TEMP AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THANK Y'ALL SO VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND YOUR ATTENTION.
I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF LULAC COUNCIL 60, WHERE I REPRESENT AS, UH, VICE CHAIR
[02:55:02]
TO REMOVE HISPANICS, ASIANS, AND WOMEN FROM THESE SERVICES AND GOODS.BECAUSE OF THE SUCCESS OF A FEW SETS, OUR EXISTING AND FUTURE W-M-B-B-W-M-B-E BUSINESS ENTREPRENEURS FROM REACHING THEIR FULL POTENTIAL.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE DISPARITY REPORT WAS DONE ON THE SPEND AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT VERY, VERY WELL.
BUT WE ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE ONLY A FEW THAT ARE ACTUALLY BENEFITING FROM THAT AND THAT THERE ARE MANY OF US THAT ARE STILL WORKING TO, UH, OBTAIN THESE TYPE OF CONTRACTS.
AND SO TO THAT END, WE SAY, UH, SHOULD YOU NEED OTHER COMMUNICATION WAYS OF COMMUNICATING WITH OUR COMMUNITY, NOT JUST THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY, BUT ALL COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT HOUSTON AND THE COUNTY, PLEASE LET US KNOW.
AND WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE.
MY HA MY HASH DUTA TO BE FOLLOWED BY VICTOR LEE.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR PROAM AND THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND ALL THE AUDIENCE.
I'M EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF AMMAN ENGINEERING AND MINORITY BUSINESS, UH, SERVING THE CITY FOR THE LAST 25 YEARS.
UH, I WANT TO TOUCH BASE ON THREE ITEMS. UH, FIRST BEING WE TALK ABOUT THE CAPACITY, BUT DO WE REALLY HAVE THE CAPACITY? I FEEL WE ARE BUTTING HEADS WITH THE, UH, HIGH PAYING WHITE COLLAR IT INDUSTRY.
WE ARE ALREADY DEPRIVED OF RESOURCES.
AND THEN THE, THE, THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT'S PROPOSED TO TAKE AWAY, UH, ASIAN AND HISPANIC FIRMS FROM MINORITY WILL FURTHER CAUSE ISSUES.
UH, THE SECOND THING IS, UH, THE RIPPLE EFFECT IT'LL HAVE.
UH, SO BEING A MINORITY, WE SUPPORT OTHER MINORITIES, BUT WE ARE NOT ACCOUNTING FOR, UH, IN OUR MINORITY GOALS.
BUT STILL WE ARE PROVIDING SERVICES TO THEM OR GETTING THEIR SERVICES FROM, UH, EXAMPLE, WE HAVE QUARTERLY OR UH, HALF YEARLY GATHERINGS.
SO WE ORDER FOOD FROM MINORITY BUSINESSES AND THEN WE ORDER SUPPLIES ALL FROM MINORITY BUSINESSES.
SO THAT IS ANOTHER ISSUE THAT, UH, IT'S GOING TO, UH, WE ARE GOING TO SEE.
HELLO, MR. MELTON? YOUR HONOR.
SO I WON'T REPEAT A LOT OF THE GREAT POINTS PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY SAID.
I SIT ON THE, UM, ADVISORY BOARD FOR OBO AS WELL.
I ACTUALLY AM THE POLICY CHAIRMAN FOR THAT BOARD.
SO MGT WILL TELL YOU THEY HAD NO FRIEND IN ME BECAUSE I ASKED VERY HARD QUESTIONS.
I'M VERY PARTICULAR ABOUT WHAT I WANNA SEE BECAUSE I WAS CAN YOU TALK TO THE MICROPHONE? 'CAUSE I WANNA MAKE SURE WE HEAR YOU.
I'M A VERY PARTICULAR PERSON ABOUT THE DATE I WANNA SEE, UM, ANYBODY THAT'LL TELL YOU THAT, THAT KNOWS ME.
UM, ENGLE WILL PROBABLY SAY THE SAME.
I'M VERY PICKY ON WHAT I LIKE AND I DEFEND THESE PROGRAMS 'CAUSE I GOT STARTED BECAUSE OF THESE PROGRAMS AND THEY NEED TO STAY, UM, BOTTOM LINE.
BUT I WILL TELL YOU, UM, OBO HAS ALWAYS BEEN UNDERSTAFFED IS WE ALWAYS KNOW.
BUT THE ONE THING I WANT TO CLEAR OUT WITH THIS PROCESS, THE METHOD WAS SOLID.
THE DATA WORK TO DO AS ANY SYSTEM IF ANYBODY'S EVER WORKED ANYWHERE, ALWAYS IS A PROBLEM.
UM, THE OUTREACH RISKS WERE MITIGATED AS BEST AS POSSIBLE.
OUTREACH WAS DONE, IMPROVEMENTS CAN BE MADE, BUT THE RISKS WERE MITIGATED AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
UM, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT HARMING ANY GROUP OR PITTING ANOTHER GROUP AGAINST ONE ANOTHER IS HELPFUL AT ALL.
AND WITH THAT, UM, THE MONEY, WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO THE MONEY I'M CLOSING OUT, UM, IT TAKES A LOT TO GET THIS PROGRAM DONE.
SO I KNOW JED AND HIS GROUP IN PROCUREMENT MADE SURE THAT THIS WENT WELL AND WE FLAWLESS.
BUT THE OBO NEEDS TO BE HERE BECAUSE THIS IS THE WAY ALL OF US ALL MAKE BENEFIT AND SURVIVE AND SUPPORT FOR OUR FAMILIES AND SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITIES.
SMALL BUSINESS TO BO BOARD TO HERE.
SO I'M HERE AND I SUPPORT DIRECTOR FULLY AND IF YOU NEED ANYTHING FROM ME, LET ME KNOW.
DO YOU HAVE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS? UM, YES.
UM, I DO, UM, ENGAGEMENT, SO I'M GLAD YOU ASKED THAT QUESTION.
SO THE LATE MAYOR TURNER, WHEN I TOLD HIM THANK YOU BECAUSE THIS IS HOW I GOT MY BUSINESS.
THIS IS HOW I GOT OFF THE GROUND.
HE SAID, MAN, DON'T BE A LUMP ON THE LAW.
HE SAID, GRADUATE, DO SOMETHING.
TALK TO MARIA WHENEVER YOU GROW, GET ON THE BOARD.
MARIA MONTEZ, WHO'S NO LONGER HERE.
[03:00:01]
WAS LIKE, WOW, THAT'S A LOT OF WORK.YOU KNOW, IT TAKES A LOT OF COMMITMENT TO DO.
AND, BUT HE SAID, HEY, STICK WITH IT BECAUSE YOU SHOULD EVENTUALLY BECOME THE PRIME AND START PICKING PEOPLE UP AS MBES, WHERE YOU'RE NOT AN NBE YOURSELF.
YOU SHOULD GROW TO BE A PRIME.
SO ENGAGEMENT, BECAUSE IN MY HUMBLE OPINION, BEING ENGAGED, NOT WHEN THESE THINGS COME UP, BEING ENGAGED THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.
'CAUSE THE OBO BOARD, YOU CAN ALWAYS SIT ON 'EM, YOU CAN GET THERE, YOU CAN LEARN, YOU CAN FIND OUT, AND YOU CAN PARTICIPATE.
AND WE'RE HERE FOR THAT BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE NEED ENGAGEMENT THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.
NOT JUST WHEN THESE THINGS COME OUT TO ROGER'S POINT, NOT JUST THE FUNERAL TIME TO SHOW UP.
UM, DID WE CALL EVERYBODY? IS GREG? IS GREG REYES HERE? TITA REYES.
WHO, WHO SAID THAT? WHAT'S YOUR NAME MA'AM? RAQUEL BOJO SAID SHE WASN'T.
WE GOT A MESSAGE LET YOU REGISTER AND STRAIGHT FROM THE AIRPORT NAME.
I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA STAY HERE UNTIL EVERYBODY GETS TO TALK.
UH, GREG, THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TIM COUNCIL MEMBERS APPRECIATE YOUR TIME TODAY.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO, UH, REMIND ALL OF YOU, UH, THAT I AM A PRODUCT.
RAY TECH CONSTRUCTION IS A PRODUCT OF THE FANTASTIC CITY OF HOUSTON SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE.
UH, UH, 11 YEARS IN THE PROGRAM.
OUR FIRST JOB WAS A $296 DOOR REPAIR RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET AT THE PARK.
I WAS A FOURTH TIER SUB I THINK IF THEY WERE COUNTY TODAY.
UM, RAY TECH CONSTRUCTION IS 435 PEOPLE IN FIVE DIFFERENT CITIES AND WILL DO NORTH OF $225 MILLION IN BUSINESS THIS YEAR.
I WOULD NOT BE HERE OR IN IN, IN WITH THAT KIND OF BUSINESS HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THAT SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM THAT HELPED US ALONG.
'CAUSE I WILL TELL YOU, THEY WERE NOT GONNA HIRE ME.
BUT TODAY, I UNDERSTAND AND KNOW THAT THE SITUATION THAT WE HAVE BEFORE US, I KNOW HOW THE COURTS WORK.
I UNDERSTAND WE'RE WITH A ROCK IN A HARD SPOT, BUT WE'VE GOTTA WORK OUT A WAY TO MAKE THIS WORK FOR EVERYBODY.
WE CANNOT TAKE THIS PROGRAM THAT HAS BEEN SO SUCCESSFUL FOR ALL DIFFERENT RACES AND SAY YOU CAN NO LONGER BE A PART OF IT.
AND SO I KNOW IT'S CHALLENGING, BUT I AM SO PROUD OF ALL OF YOU BECAUSE YOU ALL REPRESENT THIS CITY.
WE TOGETHER, WE CAN GET IT DONE.
I BELIEVE IT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO COME UP AND SPEAK.
I I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE.
AND I ALSO KNOW, UM, THAT YOU HAVE A PARTICULAR PROGRAM WHERE YOU TAKE, UM, SUBS UNDER YOUR WING AND HELP TO HELP THEM BUILD CAPACITY.
CAN YOU JUST KIND OF SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT PROGRAM? SO THE FIRST THING WE DID WAS WE, UH, WE UH, JUST STARTED RECRUITING, UH, SMALL BUSINESSES, UH, AND SUPPORTING THEM WITH, UM, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, EQUIPMENT.
AND THEN WE STARTED, UM, GETTING THEM LOANS FOR THEIR EQUIPMENT.
AND THEN WE CREATED A SMALL BUSINESS, UH, LOAN PROGRAM FOR OUR SUBS.
SO WHAT HAPPENS IS THEY, THEY HAVE TO PAY FOR IT.
THERE'S A COST ASSOCIATED WITH IT, BUT THEY GET THEIR MONEY IN THIRD.
WELL, THERE, THERE'S A GROUP THAT GETS THEIR MONEY IN 14 DAYS AND THERE'S A GROUP THAT GETS THEIR MONEY IN 30 DAYS BECAUSE THE MOST IMPORTANT PART FOR THEM IS THEY HAVE TO MAKE PAYROLL EVERY FRIDAY.
AND SO WE'VE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL AT DOING THAT.
UM, AND WE'VE DONE IT WITH THE SUPPORT OF, OF PEOPLE LIKE OBO AND, AND THE OTHER SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAMS. SO, UM, IT, IT'S DOABLE.
IT'S CHALLENGING, UM, BECAUSE IT IS A VERY COST, UH, UH, A COSTLY BUSINESS TO BE INVOLVED IN.
IT'S NOT HARD TO, IT'S NOT EASY TO GET IN IT.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE FEEL LIKE THAT WE, WE'VE GOTTA HAVE THAT CAPACITY.
UH, AND, AND AGAIN, UH, THIS SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM HAS HELPED TREMENDOUSLY.
[03:05:01]
HERE.AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
CONTA REYES, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
AGAIN, MY NAME IS GUITA REYES.
I AM A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, BUT ALSO I'VE WORKED WITH SMALL BUSINESS FOR THE LAST 24 YEARS.
IF ANYONE WHO KNOWS ABOUT MIIR FOX AND RODRIGUEZ, IT'S THE, UM, STARTING POINT FOR LATINOS TO, UM, PRACTICE THEIR ACCOUNTING AND CPA EXPERIENCE.
SO A LOT OF THESE SMALL BUSINESSES I HAD TOUCHED ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, LIKE BODY AND, AND MECADO AND, UH, DONS.
SO FOR ME, AS A FACILITATOR FOR HCC, I TEACH ALSO SMALL BUSINESSES HOW TO GET AROUND THE CHANNELS OF GETTING MORE CLIENTELE AND ALSO CONTRACTS.
SO I'VE BEEN PROMOTING SMALL BUSINESS CERTIFICATION AT HCC TO THESE SMALL FUTURE BUSINESSES.
AND FOR ME TO SEE THIS KIND OF DWINDLE OR DILUTE, UH, BECAUSE EVERYONE ELSE IS DOING IT, IS VERY ALARMING FOR ME.
BECAUSE ONE, WE ALSO CERTIFY FOR METRO, WE ALSO CERTIFY FOR THE PORT OF HOUSTON.
WE ALSO CERTIFY FOR OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION OF BEING CERTIFIED BY THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
SO THAT IS MY CONCERN AT THIS POINT FOR THE FUTURE, FUTURE BUSINESS OWNERS THAT WANT OPPORTUNITIES TO DO BUSINESS CONTRACT WORK WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
SO I, I WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE WE'RE SAYING SAYING THE SAME THING.
SO BUSINESS OWNERS WILL HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO DO BUSINESS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
UM, BUT NOT IN THE, IN THE REFLECTION OF MWBE.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SBE, YOU'RE CUTTING OUT THE M AND YOU'RE CUTTING OUT THE W.
AND SO FOR A LATINA BEING THE FASTEST GROWING ENTREPRENEURS EVENTUALLY WILL BE CUT OUT AS WELL.
BUT IT WE'RE, WE'RE NOT CUTTING IT OUT.
UM, THERE IS A RECOMMENDATION MM-HMM
THAT, UM, BASED ON THE SPEND OF THE CITY, THAT CERTAIN GROUPS AND CERTAIN INDUSTRIES, UM, HAVE MET THESE THRESHOLDS.
UM, SO IT'S NOT, UM, LOOK, OKAY, I RIGHT.
I I'M GONNA LET DIRECTOR HO EXPLAIN IT BECAUSE I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE DON'T LEAVE HERE SAYING THE CITY'S TRYING TO CUT OUT THE PROGRAM.
I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO FEEL NO, THAT'S UNDERSTOOD.
BUT IT'S STARTING TO BE CUT OUT.
WE, LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, IT WAS MENTIONED THAT YOU WERE MENTIONING COUNCIL MEMBER MS TO THAT, UH, IT WAS DISPARITY ALL ACROSS THE BOARD FOR BLACKS, RIGHT? WELL, FOR THE HISPANIC IT WAS JUST CONSTRUCTION IN REALITY.
SO IF ANYTHING, THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN RED FLAGS.
THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN THRESHOLDS AND ANYTHING TO MAKE SURE THAT NO ONE EVER GETS TO THAT 15%.
BUT ALSO IS MENTIONED THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT CHANGING IT FROM A-M-W-B-E TO AN SBE BECAUSE DALLAS AND SAN ANTONIO IS STARTING TO DO IT AS WELL OR SO FORTH.
MY CONCERN IS, IS THAT YEAH, THE UP AND COMING COMPANIES THERE ARE WANTING OPPORTUNITIES TO DO CONSTRUCTION.
WOMEN, I, I DEAL WITH A LOT OF CONCRETE OWNERS THAT ARE LATINAS.
I DEAL WITH A LOT OF UM, UH, UNDERGROUND UTILITY WORKERS THAT ARE LATINAS.
AND SO FOR ME IT'S LIKE NOT ONLY WOULD THEY BE CUT OUT FROM BEING HISPANIC, BUT ALSO, UH, WOMEN OWNED.
AND I WAS REALLY SHOCKED TO HEAR ABOUT THE VETERANS BECAUSE I'VE BEEN PROMOTING VETERANS.
WE'RE ADDING THE VETERANS TO CERTIFI.
WE'RE ADDING THE VETERANS PROGRAM.
I THOUGHT IT WAS ALREADY IN EXISTENCE.
NO, WE'RE ADDING THE VETERANS PROGRAM DIRECTOR HOR DID YOU WANT TO, DID YOU WANNA MAKE A COMMENT? UM, YES.
I WANNA ELABORATE ON, SO THE CERTIFICATION WILL NOT STOP EITHER.
SO IF YOU WANNA BE CERTIFIED AS AN MBE, YOU'LL CONTINUE TO BE CERTIFIED AS AN MBE BECAUSE THE OTHER ENTITIES WILL BE UTILIZING MBS AS WELL.
UM, IF YOU WANNA BE CERTIFIED AS A WBE E YOU'LL STILL BE CERTIFIED AS SUCH.
SO WE ARE ADDING AN SBE TO PROFESSIONAL SERVICES SO PERSONS CAN BE CERTIFIED IN THAT AREA, RIGHT? MM-HMM
BUT LET'S LOOK AT A CONTRACT AND SAY THIS IS A CONTRACT AND THERE'S 10%, UM, MINORITY, 10% WOMEN AND 5% SBE.
RIGHT? AS WE MOVE AND MIGRATE, UM, PRESUMPTIVE GROUPS TO THE SBE, SO WILL THE AVAILABILITY.
SO MORE THAN LIKELY THE AVAILABILITY IN THE SBE SECTOR WILL INCREASE AND THAT GOAL WILL INCREASE SO THAT THOSE BUSINESSES WILL HAVE OPPORTUNITY IN THAT SECTOR AND THE BUSINESSES IN THE MBE WILL STILL HAVE THEIR GOAL.
AND SO IT'S NOT CUTTING A GOAL OUT OR CUTTING AN ENTITY OUT.
IT IS MOVING IT TO THE SBE AND THE AVAILABILITY SHIFTS ALONG WITH THE GROUPS THAT GO INTO THAT CATEGORY.
AND SO WE ARE NOT REMOVING PEOPLE FROM THE PROGRAM.
WE ARE SHIFTING PEOPLE TO THE SBE.
UM, AND, AND WE JUST MENTIONED THAT OTHER
[03:10:01]
ENTITIES DO THAT BECAUSE IT IS WHERE A LOT OF PROGRAMS ARE GOING.BUT IN ORDER TO BE REFLECTIVE OF WHAT THE DATA SAYS, WE'RE SHIFTING IT, BUT WE'RE STILL ALLOWING PARTICIPATION.
SO YOU'LL STILL BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT AREA AND THE AVAILABILITY SHOULD SHIFT TO THAT AREA AS WELL BECAUSE THOSE CONTRACTORS ARE SHIFTING THERE.
SO IT'S A MATTER OF MOVING, UM, KIND OF MOVING THE GOAL.
AND WHEN YOU SAY PARTICIPATION, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? UM, SO WHEN WE LOOK AT CONTRACTS AND WE LOOK AT HOW MUCH OF A GOAL IS ON THERE, IT'S BASED ON THE SCOPE OF WORK AND THE AVAILABILITY OF FIRMS THAT WE HAVE.
AND SO THE PARTICIPATION GOAL IS WHAT THAT IS.
SO IF IT'S A 10% PARTICIPATION GOAL, THEN THE PRIME CONTRACTOR WILL LOOK FOR THAT SBE, WHO'S IN CONSTRUCTION, WHO CAN FULFILL THAT, OR THE COUPLE OF S BS THAT THEY WANT TO FULFILL IT.
SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO CERTIFY.
WE'RE NOT NON NOT STOPPING THE CERTIFICATION.
WE'RE NOT GONNA NOT CERTIFY HISPANICS AND M MBAS.
WE'RE NOT GONNA NOT CERTIFY WOMEN.
RIGHT? BUT ALLOCATION OF FUNDS OF, OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES, LIKE IT WAS MENTIONED EARLIER THAT BECAUSE THE 7 MILLION OUT OF THE 7000002.2 WAS, WAS DISTRIBUTED, BUT IT WAS A HIGH PERCENTAGE ON THE HISPANIC FOR CONSTRUCTION.
SO IT WOULDN'T CHANGE ANY ALLOCATION.
SO THERE'S NO ALLOCATION OF FUNDS.
WHAT, WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE IS WHEN THERE ARE CONTRACTS BIDS, LIKE PER A DEPARTMENT, THERE'S AN AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT'S SPENT ON THAT CONTRACT, RIGHT? AND THEN THAT PARTICIPATION GOES ALONG WITH THAT CONTRACT.
THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW MUCH WAS SPENT OVER THE FIVE YEARS.
OVER FIVE, NOT AN ALLOCATION OF FUNDS.
BOBBY SING, I CALLED YOUR NAME ALREADY.
DID YOU WANNA SPEAK? YOU'LL BE NEXT JUST IN TIME.
GOOD AFTERNOON, HONORABLE CHAIR.
UH, HONORABLE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UH, I THOUGHT I SKIPPED MY TURN AND THEN, UH, HERE I AM.
UH, FIRST, YOU KNOW, I WOULD ECHO WHAT UH, GREG SAID GREG RES, WHICH IS THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, RIGHT? THIS IS IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE THIS IMPORTANT CONVERSATION.
UH, AND IT'S AN IMPORTANT CONVERSATION.
'CAUSE THE CONVERSATION'S REALLY NOT ABOUT ME AND FIRMS LIKE US.
WE ARE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE, WHICH IS WE'VE BEEN IN BUSINESS FOR ABOUT 25 YEARS NOW AND WE'VE BUILT CAPACITY.
BUT THE MBE PROGRAM IS THE REASON I STAND IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY.
AND 50% OF OUR PROJECTS TODAY AFTER 24 YEARS STILL RELY ON THE MBE CERTIFICATION.
SO IF THE MBE PROGRAM GOES AWAY AND WE WOULD HAVE TO LAY OFF ABOUT HALF OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY ARE SUPPORTING IN OUR OFFICES, RIGHT? I'VE HEARD SOME CONSTRUCTIVE DIALOGUE BACK AND UH, I WANNA RECOMMEND, UH, DIRECTOR OF OBO OFFICE AS WELL THAT THERE ARE SOME SOLUTIONS THAT ARE BEING PROPOSED.
AND I SAY PROPOSED BECAUSE WE WILL HAVE TO ENSURE THAT THEY'RE INCLUSIVE AND DO NOT LIMIT, UH, CERTAIN OPPORTUNITIES AS WE MOVE PEOPLE FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER.
THEY THINK THAT I WANT TO JUST THINK ABOUT THE BIG PICTURE AND LEAVE YOU WITH AS THE FOLLOWING.
WE DON'T WANT TO PUT COMMUNITIES AGAINST EACH OTHER.
WE HAVE NEVER DONE THAT AND WE SHOULD NOT STOP THAT.
NOW, THE CONCERN THAT I HAVE IS, FOR EXAMPLE, IS IF YOU HAVE A AS PROPOSED PROGRAM THAT MOVES OVER A BUNCH OF PEOPLE ON THE OTHER SIDE, IF YOU COME BACK AND HAVE A DISPARITY STUDY OF THE MBE PROGRAM THREE YEARS FROM NOW, WHAT WILL THAT STUDY TELL YOU? AND THEN WE'LL BE BACK TO SQUARE ONE.
THERE'LL BE DISPARITY WITHIN THE MBE PROGRAM THAT WE WILL HAVE TO READDRESS AGAIN.
SO I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE A LITTLE BIT OF A BIGGER CONVERSATION, UH, BECAUSE SOMEBODY'S GONNA CHALLENGE THE MBE PROGRAM AGAIN, AND THEN YOU WILL HAVE TO HAVE ANOTHER DISPARITY STUDY.
AND THE DISPARITY STUDY IS GONNA BRING YOU BACK TO THE DISCUSSION WE ARE HAVING AGAIN TODAY.
BUT I HAVE FAITH IN THE SYSTEM.
I KNOW YOU INDIVIDUALLY, MANY OF YOU PEOPLE ACROSS THE BOARD, ACROSS THE TABLE HAVE WORKED WITH YOU.
I THINK THE DIRECTOR'S BEEN VERY TRANSPARENT ON SOME OF THE OTHER CONVERSATIONS WE'VE HAD AS COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS.
BUT THE, BUT, BUT IT'S ONLY BEEN RECENT.
SO I THINK THE OPPORTUNITY WAS OVER THE MONTHS, BUT IT'S ONLY BEEN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS WE WANNA BUILD ON THAT IS WHAT WHAT WE ARE.
BUT THANK YOU FOR SERVING AND I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU.
I APOLOGIZE FOR MY CASUAL DRESS.
I LITERALLY JUST LANDED FROM PARIS.
YOU LOOK FINE AN HOUR AGO I HAD TO BE HERE TODAY THOUGH BECAUSE THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT.
SO I AM A PROUD, BY THE WAY, MY NAME IS RAQUEL HERNANDEZ BOJO.
I AM A PROUD LATINA WHO HAS SIGNED HER NAME MORE ON THE FRONT OF CHECKS THAN
[03:15:01]
ON THE BACK OF THEM.NOT MANY PEOPLE, REGARDLESS OF ETHNICITY OR GENDER CAN CLAIM THAT.
BUT I CAN BECAUSE I DEDICATED MY LIFE TO BUILDING A BUSINESS IN CONSTRUCTION WITH LOVE FOR COMMUNITY AND THE PEOPLE THAT IT SUPPORTS.
I AM DONE WITH DREAMING OF THE DAY WHEN I WILL NOT BE JUDGED BECAUSE OF MY GENDER OR MY ETHNICITY, BUT RATHER DEMAND NOTHING LESS THAN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY AND FAIRNESS.
IF A CHAIR DOES NOT FIT AT THE TABLE, THEN WE WILL STAND TALL.
IF A DOOR WILL NOT OPEN FOR US, THEN WE WILL BUILD A WINDOW.
AND IF WE CONTINUE SPEAKING OF SIDES, INSTEAD OF SPEAKING FOR EVERY HARDWORKING MAN AND WOMAN THAT WE WILL NEVER WIN AGAINST THE HATE THAT WE ALL CLAIM TO FIGHT AGAINST DAILY.
THIS CITY HAS LONG BEEN OVERDUE FOR A REVAMP PROGRAM BASED ON MERIT AND QUALIFICATION.
AND THIS ORDINANCE IS NOT IT BECAUSE THE DATA IS NOT THERE.
IT AMPLIFIES A MONETARY, SOCIAL, RACIAL AND BIAS DIVIDE.
AND WE SHOULD NOT CREATE ANY LEVEL OF TOLERANCE LESS THAN EQUAL AND FAIR.
OUR CITY'S FUTURE IS NOT SOLELY BASED ON TRADITION NOR THE HISTORICAL PAST, BUT SHOULD BE BASED ON THE DECISIONS BEING MADE.
NOW THAT YOU HAVE THE POWER TO MAKE AND CHANGE, CHANGE IS IMPORTANT, BUT HOW WE WANT OUR CITY TO BE IS IMPORTANT.
AND IT'S NOT BASED OFF OF, AGAIN, THE PAST OR THE PRESENT.
IT'S BASED OFF OF WHAT WE FORESEE IT BECOMING IN THE FUTURE.
SO WE HAVE TO STOP THE HATE BECAUSE THIS PARTICULAR ORDINANCE SEPARATES AND DIVIDES US.
AND I CAN SAY THAT 'CAUSE I HAVE BUILT A MULTIMILLION DOLLAR, VERY SUCCESSFUL COMPANY IN CONSTRUCTION AND I HAVE NOT HEARD ONE TIME ABOUT A LATINA WOMAN DOING THAT IN THIS CITY.
AND I REPRESENT LESS THAN 1% OF THE ENTIRE UNITED STATES.
AND THERE IS NO WAY THAT THERE IS NOT A DISPARITY FOR PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF.
MY CHILDREN ARE CRYING IN MY CAR.
'CAUSE WE LITERALLY HAVE COME STRAIGHT HERE.
I APPRECIATE IT AND I RESPECT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY BECAUSE I KNOW YOU CARE ABOUT YOUR PEOPLE AND WE ARE HOUSTONIANS AND WE CARE AND WE WORK HARD AND I KNOW THAT YOU CARE.
AND THE DATE IS NOT THERE, GUYS.
THREE HISPANIC FIRMS ON PAGE 80.
IF YOU LOOK OUTTA YOUR HUNDRED, I READ THE FULL HUNDRED AND 55 PAGE REPORT MYSELF WHEN I WAS ON VACATION BECAUSE I COULD NOT BELIEVE ON PAGE 80.
IT LITERALLY SAYS THREE HISPANIC FIRMS GOT A THIRD OF THE ENTIRE HISPANIC DISPARITY SPEND.
FIVE BLACK AMERICAN FIRMS GOT A THIRD OF THE ENTIRE SPEND.
THAT IS NOT A TRUE DISPARITY EVALUATION THAT IS NOT QUANTIFIED CORRECTLY.
SO YOU CANNOT PUT ALL OF US IN THE SAME BOWL THAT YOU HAVE WITH THIS REPORT.
I KNOW YOU WILL HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE.
I KNOW I'VE BEEN IN LITIGATION.
I, UH, IF YOU ARE A SUCCESSFUL CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, YOU WILL.
UM, AND WE APPRECIATE YOU PRESSING YOUR WAY TODAY.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE? THERE HE IS.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT SIGNED UP THAT WE HAVE NOT CALLED? THIS IS THE LAST SPEAKER.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WANTED TO SPEAK TODAY? HONORED TO BE ADDRESSING THIS VERY AUGUST GATHERING.
UH, WE'VE BEEN HERE MANY TIMES BEFORE.
I REPRESENT THE INDIAN AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF GREATER HOUSTON AND THE FOUNDING SECRETARY.
A LOT OF WHAT NEEDS TO BE SAID HAS ALREADY BEEN SAID.
THE POINT THAT I WANT TO REMIND YOU IS WE HAVE GROWN AS A COMMUNITY BY WORKING TOGETHER.
IF YOU COME TO A CHAMBER EVENT, WHETHER IT'S THE GALA OR WHETHER IT'S A SMALL BUSINESS EVENT, YOU FIND EVERY COMMUNITY REPRESENTED.
SO I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF ALL THE COMMUNITIES AND A LOT OF VERY VALID POINTS HAVE BEEN MADE.
IT TAKES A LOT OF EFFORT TO CREATE CAPACITY TO BUILD THIS GREAT CITY.
IT TOOK ALL OF US WORKING TOGETHER TO BUILD THIS GREAT CITY.
AND IF WE EXCLUDE TWO MAJOR COMMUNITIES, WE ARE SHOOTING OURSELVES IN THE FOOT.
ALL I WANT TO EMPHASIZE IS THE DATA COLLECTION.
DESPITE THE BEST EFFORTS NEEDED IMPROVEMENT, THE DATA THAT WE HAVE NEEDS MORE DATA COLLECTION.
THERE IS NO HURRY JUST BECAUSE THERE IS A LAWSUIT TO TAKE A QUICK DECISION.
I WANNA REMIND YOU THAT MANY YEARS AGO THE CHAMBERS GOT TOGETHER TO SAVE THE OFFICE OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE SOMEBODY TOLD US THERE WAS A CHANCE OF DOING AWAY WITH IT.
[03:20:01]
COMING TOGETHER TO SAVE THE CAPACITY THAT WE HAVE BUILT OVER THE LAST YEARS.IF YOU TAKE AWAY THAT CAPACITY, YOU ARE TAKING AWAY JOBS, YOU'RE TAKING AWAY LIVELIHOODS.
A LOT OF THE COMPANIES WILL SHUT DOWN AND IT WILL BE A SHAME.
I KNOW YOU'RE GONNA ASK ME FOR MY RECOMMENDATION.
WE NEED BETTER DATA COLLECTION.
JUST CALLING ME OR SENDING ME AN EMAIL IS NOT ENOUGH.
I'M DISAPPOINTED THAT WE HAD THE PREVIOUS DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY TALKED TO US IN MAY LAST YEAR, BUT NOT ONCE WAS THE DISPARITY STUDY EMPHASIZED.
IT MAY HAVE BEEN TOUCHED IN PASSING.
SO THERE NEEDS TO BE A SERIOUS EFFORT TO REACH OUT TO ORGANIZATIONS LIKE US, ENGAGE WITH US, FORCE A ROUND TABLE SO THAT THE DATA IS ACCURATE BECAUSE WE CANNOT AFFORD TO LOSE THAT CAPACITY.
OTHERWISE HOW ARE WE GONNA COMPLETE THE PROJECTS THAT WE HOPE TO MAKE OUR CITY THE BEST CITY IN THE WORLD? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ARE YOU RECEIVING EMAILS FROM OBOI? YES, I DO.
I DO GET EMAILS, BUT WHAT I'M SAYING IS THERE NEEDS TO BE A MORE FOCUS.
UM, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT AS WE ARE DOING OUR WORK ON A, YOU KNOW, WHEN I SEND OUT MY MONTHLY NEWSLETTER, UM, YOU KNOW, I GET A LOT OF BOUNCE BACKS AND UM, WE HAVE TO DO A BETTER JOB AS A CITY OF CASTING A WIDER NET.
WHO WILL THEY COMMUNICATE? UM, NOT JUST OBO BUT THE ENTIRE CITY.
NO, I AGREE WITH YOU BECAUSE WE HAVE A COMMUNICATION SYSTEM WHERE MY OFFICE SENDS OUT EMAILS, BUT IF IT'S SOMETHING IMPORTANT, I REACH OUT TO THE PERSON DIRECTLY.
YEAH, THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S NOT MY POINT.
SO I'M NOT SAYING WE DON'T GET BOMBARDED WITH THE 300 EMAILS OR 500 EMAILS I GET EVERY DAY.
WHAT I'M SAYING IS WHEN IT'S SOMETHING SIGN SIGNIFICANT LIKE THIS, WE NEED MORE ENGAGEMENT.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
WHAT'S YOUR NAME? VICTORIA RA.
I KNOW WE'VE BEEN HERE ALL DAY SO I DON'T WANNA TAKE ANY MORE TIME.
I GREW UP IN A SMALL BUSINESS HERE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
I ACTUALLY STARTED AS A STAY-AT-HOME MOM PRIOR TO JOINING THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY.
AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO SECURE A COUPLE OF CONTRACTS AT THE HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM.
AND SO I DO SEE THE OPPORTUNITY, BUT THERE'S STILL CHALLENGES.
I CAN TELL YOU, YOU DON'T GET EVERY CONTRACT, YOU DON'T GET EVERY OPPORTUNITY.
I'VE HAD CONTRACTORS TELL US WE'RE GONNA BE ON A CONTRACT AND THEN THEY DON'T OR WE'RE INTERESTED IN WORKING WITH YOU.
SO THERE'S STILL HURDLES AND MAINLY I, I WANNA REITERATE, IT'S NOT ONE COMMUNITY AGAINST THE OTHER.
I'VE BEEN OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S ISSUES WITH PAYMENTS.
MAINLY IF WE CAN MAKE THE SYSTEM USER FRIENDLY, I THINK WE CAN GET MORE FIRMS CERTIFIED, NOT JUST HISPANIC OWNED FIRMS, ALL FIRMS CERTIFIED.
IF WE HAD A BETTER CERTIFICATION PROCESS, PEOPLE CAN ACTUALLY COME INTO THE SYSTEM AND REALLY TRY TO WORK INTO IT AND TRY TO FIND THE OPPORTUNITIES.
BUT IF IT'S TAKING PEOPLE A YEAR, TWO YEARS TO CERTIFY, THAT'S THE BEGINNING OF THE PROBLEM.
ONCE YOU'RE IN THE SYSTEM, THE BONDING CAPACITY, THE INSURANCE THAT YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH, THE LACK OF ACCESS TO CAPITAL, I THINK THERE ARE LARGER ISSUES THAT THE CITY COULD HELP TACKLE THAT I DON'T NECESSARILY THINK, UH, WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW INSTEAD OF JUST FOCUSING ON ONE PARTICULAR GROUP VERSUS THE OTHER PARTICULAR GROUP.
I DEFINITELY THINK THAT THERE'S CHALLENGES, BUT THERE'S WAYS THAT WE COULD WORK TOGETHER.
AND FINALLY, ALSO LOOK AT THE DATA THAT'S BEEN COLLECTED BY THE LOCAL PARTNERS.
THE COUNTY ALSO DID A DISPARITY STUDY AND THAT LED TO THE CREATION OF THE OFFICE OF, OF DEPARTMENT OF EQUITY AND OPPORTUNITY.
SO IF THERE WAS A DISPARITY THAT WAS SHOWN IN 2019 THAT LED TO THE CREATION OF THE OFFICE IN 2020, I THINK THAT CERTAINLY YOU CAN ALSO LOOK AT THAT DATA, WHICH HAS A LARGER POOL OF ALL OF THE REGIONS HERE IN THE UH, COUNTY AREA.
SO I THINK YOU HAVE DATA THAT YOU CAN COMPARE.
AND SO IF YOU'RE COMPARING DATA THAT WAS COLLECTED FOR THIS DISPARITY STUDY, I THINK IT MERITS IT TO ALSO BE SHARED IN COMPARED WITH THE DISPARITY STUDY THAT WAS DONE AT THE COUNTY.
BECAUSE I THINK YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT DID THE CITY LOOK AT VERSUS WHAT THE COUNTY LOOKED AT.
AND THAT'S A WIDER NET AND THAT GIVES YOU A BIGGER PERSPECTIVE OF WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE REGION AND NOT JUST ONE PARTICULAR SPOT.
SO I DO THINK THERE'S A LOT OF ROOM TO LOOK AT THE DATA.
THERE'S ROOM TO LOOK AT DATA FROM OTHER PARTNERS, OTHER DISPARITY STUDIES THAT'S BEEN DONE BECAUSE THAT ULTIMATELY LED TO THE SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM THAT THE COUNTY HAS.
SO AS A SMALL, SOMEONE WHO GREW UP IN A SMALL BUSINESS, I CAN TELL YOU THERE'S STILL CHALLENGES THAT WE CAN WORK THROUGH.
BUT I DEFINITELY FEEL LIKE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT NOT ONLY AFFECTS HISPANIC BUSINESSES, IT AFFECTS ALL BUSINESSES.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'RE REALLY HERE TO WORK TOGETHER ON.
AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IF YOU GUYS NEED ANYTHING OR IF YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, ANY WAY THAT I CAN CONNECT YOU WITH OTHER CONTRACTORS FOR SURE.
I KNOW THAT OTHER CONTRACTORS HAVE
[03:25:01]
THE SAME ISSUES.SO I DEFINITELY THINK THAT THERE'S MORE CHALLENGES, BUT TOGETHER I THINK WE'LL CAN GET THROUGH.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS AND BEST WISHES TO YOU.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? IS THERE ANYONE ELSE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ONE THREE TIMES? ANYONE ELSE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? WELL, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR ENGAGEMENT TODAY.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBERS, IF THERE ARE NO OTHER COMMENTS, UM, BEFORE WE ADJOURN, I'D JUST LIKE TO REMIND YOU THAT OUR NEXT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING IS WEDNESDAY, APRIL THE 16TH AT 2:00 PM WE'LL CONTINUE THIS CONVERSATION, UM, OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS.
UM, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN RECEIVING INFORMATION FROM ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE, CONTACT THE DISTRICT, A OFFICE AT DISTRICT A@HOUSTONTX.GOV.
THE TIME IS 5:26 PM AND THE MEETING IS ADJOURNED.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION.