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GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY.THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
UM, WE ARE GOING TO GET STARTED WITH OUR 2025 CITY OF HOUSTON VETERANS TOWN HALL.
LET'S CLAP IT OUT FOR THAT, Y'ALL.
SO FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW, THE CITY OF HOUSTON DOES HAVE A VETERAN'S, UH, COMPONENT OF THE CITY OF DEPARTMENT, MAYOR'S, OFFICE OF VETERAN MILITARY AFFAIRS.
WE DO EXIST AND WE ARE THERE TO SUPPORT OUR VETERANS, OUR ACTIVE DUTY, OUR GUARD, AND THE FAMILY MEMBERS.
UM, AND ONE OF THE THINGS, ONE OF THE TASKS THAT I DECIDED TO TAKE ON WHEN I STARTED WITH THE CITY IS TO ALSO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE TAKING CARE OF HOME, WHICH IS OUR INTERNAL VETERANS, UH, CITY OF HOUSTON, VETERANS CITY OF HOUSTON AS AN EMPLOYEE, HAS ABOUT 3000 VETERANS.
SO, UM, THEY ARE OUT THERE PICKING UP THE TRASH.
THEY'RE TAKING CARE OF THE, THE WATER SYSTEM.
THEY ARE YOUR FIRST RESPONDERS.
SO WE ARE, UM, THERE TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY IS BEING SERVED.
UM, AND SO I THOUGHT THAT IT WAS TIME THAT WE HAVE A VETERANS' TOWN HALL SO THAT WE CAN HEAR SOME OF THE ISSUES, CONCERNS, COMPLAINTS, THE GRIPES, THE EVERYTHING THAT YOU GUYS TEXT ME AND EMAIL ME, SEND PIGEONS EVERY DAY.
SO HERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU GUYS TO MEET SOME OF THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY AS WELL AS THOSE WHO LEAD DEPARTMENTS, UH, WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON, AND ALSO THOSE WHO ARE LEADERS OF ORGANIZATIONS IN THE COMMUNITY.
THERE'S A LOT IN THE COMMUNITY FOR THOSE OF, UH, THOSE OF US WHO HAVE SERVED.
DOES ANYBODY KNOW THE STATE THAT HAS THE LARGEST NUMBER OF VETERANS? THE CITY, HOUSTON.
HOUSTON, ALMOST 300,000 VETERANS IN THE HOUSTON REGION.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE DOING SOMETHING RIGHT HERE IN THIS REGION.
SO WE'RE FINDING THAT, UM, OUR MILITARY IS DECIDING, UM, TO RELOCATE HERE BECAUSE OF THE RESOURCES, BECAUSE OF EVERYTHING THAT, THAT WE HAVE GOING ON.
AND THOSE WHO WERE, UM, WHO WERE FROM HERE, THEY'RE COMING BACK HOME AND WE ARE PROUD OF THAT.
SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE TAKING CARE OF THEM.
UM, AND WE ARE SO HONORED AND GLAD THAT WE HAVE A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER THIS SESSION THAT SERVED HIMSELF.
SO HE HAS, UM, VETERANS, UH, ON HIS RADAR AT ALL TIMES.
SO THIS IS COUNCILMAN WILL THE DAVIS COUNCILMAN WITH DAVIS, COME ON UP.
YOU WANNA INTRODUCE YOURSELF? YES.
UH, I'M INDEED HONORED TO NOT ONLY REPRESENT THE CITY OF HOUSTON AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, BUT I'M ALSO GRATEFUL AND HONORED TO REPRESENT, UH, MY VETERAN BROTHERS AND SISTERS BECAUSE I AM A VIETNAM VETERAN AND I SERVED AND PROUDLY SERVED.
AND I WANT TO COMMEND, UH, DR. JONES FOR PUTTING ALL THIS TOGETHER.
THIS IS, THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN, UH, AN ABSOLUTELY WIN, NO QUESTIONS ABOUT IT.
AND, UH, I ENJOYED THE OPPORTUNITY OF PUSHING FOR VETERANS.
AND WHEN I WANTED TO BE ON CITY COUNCIL, I DID COME ON, AND I COULD SAY IT PUBLICLY, I DID COME ON COUNCIL WITH A CHIP ON MY SHOULDER, AND THAT WAS ENOUGH IS NOT DONE FOR OUR VETERANS.
THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO PUT THEIR LIVES AND HAVE GIVEN THEIR LIVES AND PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE FOR THIS COUNTRY TO GIVE EVERYBODY A BENEFIT, WE HAVE THE THIRD LARGEST CITY IN AMERICA AND THE LARGEST NUMBER OF VETERANS, AS DR. JONES JUST SAID, NOT ONLY IN HOUSTON, BUT THE STATE OF TEXAS THAT SAYS A LOT ABOUT HOUSTON AND ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE TO OFFER.
SO TONIGHT, UH, I WAS CERTAINLY HONORED TO PARTNER, TO HOST WITH HER THIS EVENT BECAUSE IT'S NEAR AND DEAR TO ME.
I COME FROM A FAMILY OF VETERANS.
AND SO, UH, I JUST WANNA LET EVERYBODY KNOW HERE TONIGHT THAT WE ARE GOING TO DO ALL THAT WE CAN TO INTRODUCE, GIVE INFORMATION.
AND I HOPE THAT WE COULD SEE THIS DONE EVERY YEAR ANNUALLY.
DO YOU AGREE? I THINK IT OUGHT TO BE DONE ANNUALLY.
SO TO GET BIGGER AND BIGGER AND BIGGER.
MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE DO KNOW, BUT NOT ONLY AM I A COUNCIL MEMBER, BUT I'M ALSO A PASTOR.
AND SO ANYTHING AND ALL THINGS OUGHT TO START WITH.
ETER OF GOD, OUR FATHER, WE DO THANK YOU FOR YOUR KINDNESS AND YOUR GRACIOUSNESS TOWARD ALL OF US.
EVERY ONE OF US IN THIS ROOM WOKE UP TODAY.
NO MATTER WHAT OUR FATE CONNECTION IS, WE ARE ALL GOD'S CHILDREN.
WE'RE SO GRATEFUL FOR DR. JONES AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF MILITARY AND VETERAN AFFAIRS FOR THEIR EFFORTS TO EDUCATE AND FORM AND PROVIDE RESOURCES TO OUR MEN AND WOMEN OF VETERANS WHO HAVE SERVED THIS
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COUNTRY PROUDLY AND STILL DO IT'S TIME NOW FOR US TO GIVE BACK TO THEM BY EVERY MEANS POSSIBLE.MANY OF OUR LAW ENFORCERS, FIREFIGHTERS, ALL OF OUR CITY WORKERS, CITY, COUNTY, AND STATE, SERVE THIS GREAT NATION IN UNIFORM, AND THEY PROUDLY GO ABOUT THEY DAY.
SO, FATHER, WE ASK AND PRAY THE BLESSINGS UPON THIS PROGRAM, THAT IT WOULD BE MAGNIFIED, AND THAT IF WE MULTIPLY THAT WE WILL LET OUR VOICES BE HEARD ALL OVER THIS GREAT CITY AS WELL IN THIS GREAT NATION NATIONS.
AND WE'LL BE SO KIND AND SO CAREFUL TO GIVE YOU THE PRAISE AND THE HONOR AND THE GLORY IN JESUS CHRIST.
NAME WE PRAY AND LET ALL THE PEOPLE SAY AMEN.
I GUESS PASTOR DAVIS, WHEN YOU DO THAT, RIGHT? THESE ARE
ALRIGHT, SO NEXT WE'RE GONNA, UM, TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, THE FORMER ELECTED OFFICIALS, CURRENTLY ELECTED OFFICIALS.
I KNOW WE HAVE FORMER STATE REP, UH, JARVIS JOHNSON.
HE IS A SON OF A VIETNAM VETERAN.
HE'S A NEPHEW OF VIETNAM VETERAN.
THANK YOU MR. UH, ANYBODY ELSE REPRESENTING ELECTED OFFICIALS.
COUNCIL NORMAN ARMETTA MURRAY, STAND ON UP.
WHOSE OFFICE? CONGRESSMAN WESLEY.
CONGRESSMAN WESLEY HUNT'S OFFICE.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING, AND CONGRESSMAN WESLEY HUT IS A VETERAN AND HIS SIBLINGS ARE VETERANS AND HIS DAD IS A VETERAN.
SO WE THANK THAT FAMILY FOR THEIR SERVICE AND THANK YOU FOR COMING TODAY.
UH, AND NEXT, I GUESS OUR MOST IMPORTANT, UM, POPULATION OF PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE HERE.
IF YOU ARE A VETERAN THAT HAS SERVED OR IS CURRENTLY SERVING, PLEASE STAND UP.
LET'S ANYBODY WHO RAISED THEIR RIGHT HAND, THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR YOUR SERVICE.
UM, SO FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW ME, I AM DR.
LASHONDRA JONES WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF VETERAN MILITARY AFFAIRS.
UH, SERVED LONG TIME AGO IN THE, UM, IN THE 1990S, BUT I THINK THAT, UM, THIS YEAR BELONGS TO A CERTAIN BRANCH.
DO YOU ALL HEAR THE, THE ANNOUNCEMENT LAST WEEK? WOO.
HOUSTON IS NOW GOING TO BE THE SPONSOR OF FLEET WEEK 2025.
SO THIS IS THE YEAR OF NAVY VETERANS IN ACTIVE DUTY, YOU'RE NAVY VETERAN WA BEHALF.
SO IT'S NOT JUST GONNA BE SOME PARTYING GOING ON.
NAVY GUYS GONNA BE VOLUNTEERING AND DOING OTHER STUFF FOR FLEA WEEK
SO WE ARE GOING TO GET INTO THE INTRODUCTION OF OUR PANELISTS.
UM, AND I, I, I WILL TELL YOU GUYS I WAS VERY STRATEGIC WITH WHO I DECIDED TO INVITE.
UH, SOME OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS FOCUSED SPECIFICALLY ON VETERANS.
UH, THERE'S OTHER ORGANIZATIONS WHO HAVE A COMPONENT THAT DEALS WITH VETERANS.
THERE'S ORGANIZATIONS WHO JUST DEAL WITH VETERANS BECAUSE THEY ARE CITIZENS OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND THEN WE HAVE LEADERS OF OUR DEPARTMENTS.
AND I, UH, I SPECIFICALLY, UH, DECIDED TO INVITE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT, HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT.
'CAUSE I WANTED YOU GUYS TO GET TO KNOW THE LEADERS OF, OF OUR FIRST RESPONDERS.
UM, ONE QUICK THING I WANT TO SAY ABOUT OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT, OUR HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHEN I STARTED WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON, UM, I MET THE MILITARY LIAISON, THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND I MET, UH, FIRE SUPPORTER, FIRE SUPPORT NETWORK, WHICH HAS A PERSON WHO FOCUSES ON THE MILITARY.
AND WE STARTED HAVING CONVERSATIONS AND THEY WERE LIKE, HEY, WE WANNA DO SOME STUFF FOR OUR VETERANS THAT ARE CURRENTLY SERVED.
I THINK THAT IS A AWESOME THING TO SERVE YOUR COUNTRY AND THEN TO COME BACK TO YOUR COMMUNITY AND SERVE YOUR COMMUNITY.
SO WITH THAT ARE THE PROS AND THE CONS, RIGHT? SO IF YOU'VE SERVED AND COME BACK AND YOU DECIDE TO GO SERVE YOUR COMMUNITY, YOU GOT SOME THINGS THAT IS HAPPENING, BUT YOU STILL DECIDE TO SERVE YOUR COMMUNITY.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE STARTED TO DO IS HAVE RESOURCE FAIRS SPECIFICALLY FOR THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT AND SPECIFICALLY FOR THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT.
AND WOULD YOU BELIEVE THEY STARTED SHOWING UP? IT'S ALWAYS SO FUNNY WHEN WE HAVE THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT, A RESOURCE FAIR BECAUSE THEY COME INTO THE POLICE ACADEMY AND THEY'RE LOOKING AROUND LIKE THEY SCOPING AND CHECKING IN.
WE'RE LIKE, YOU KNOW, COME ON IN, COME ON IN.
AND SO WE HAVE TO OFFER THE RESOURCES TO THEM BECAUSE AS WE ALL KNOW, WHEN WE LEAD THE ARMED FORCES, WE START THIS THING CALLED LIFE, RIGHT? WE'RE NOW CIVILIANS AND THEN WE'RE JUST, WE'RE STARTING LOOKING FOR JOBS AND WE KIND OF PACK THAT SEABAG AWAY AND ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE FORGOT THAT WE EARNED.
SO THAT'S WHY WE TRY TO BRING THE RESOURCES TO THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT, HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT.
AND I ALSO WANNA SAY, I THANK YOU GUYS FOR WHAT YOU DO IN THE COMMUNITY TO BRING IN OUR ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY.
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HAVE SOME THAT ARE DEPLOYED.SO WE HAVE SOME THAT ARE CURRENTLY SERVING THAT ARE POLICE OFFICERS AND THEY GET CALLED AWAY TO DEPLOY.
SO WE NEVER FORGET ABOUT THEM.
SO THAT'S WHY I INVITED HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING TODAY.
ALRIGHT, SO I'M ALWAYS BRAGGING ABOUT THIS FIRST PERSON BECAUSE HIS CHALLENGE COIN COLLECTION IS OUT OF THIS WORLD.
SO WE'RE COMPETING, UH, WITH CHALLENGE COINS.
SO, UH, YOU GUYS MAY REMEMBER HIM FROM THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT.
HE'S NOW WITH HOUSTON METRO CHIEF BAND 10.
CHIEF, YOU WANNA GO AHEAD AND TALK ABOUT HOUSTON METRO.
TELL US A LITTLE SOMETHING BY METRO
WELL, DR. JONES, I'M JUST HONORED TO BE HERE.
YOU WANT TO DO A JOB, RIGHT? GET THE A RING TO DO IT RIGHT.
I SAID, UH, WELL, I PROBABLY GOT A COUPLE OF CONFLICTS, SAID.
IT IT'S A DIRECTIVE, BUT WEM
ALL RIGHT, NEXT WE HAVE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT CHIEF CHE, COME ON UP.
I'M AN ASSISTANT CHIEF WITH THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT.
THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT LOVES ITS VETERANS.
WE'VE GOT, UH, A COUPLE MECHANISMS IN WHICH TO BRING OUR VETERANS INTO THE DEPARTMENT.
UM, ONE OF WHICH IS DD TWO 14.
IT'S ONE OF THOSE REQUIREMENTS THAT'LL HELP GET YOU IN.
SO IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A JOB UNDER 36, UH, AND YOU HAVE A DD TWO 14, UH, COME ON DOWN, COME APPLY.
CHIEF WEST IS THE MAN TO TALK TO.
UH, ANOTHER ONE WE'RE REAL EXCITED WITH, UM, WE GOT A LOT OF HELP WITH FROM DR. JONES WITH WAS WE, WE STARTED THE SKILL BRIDGE PROGRAM.
SO THE MILITARY HAS A, A PROGRAM THAT TRANSITIONS ITS MILITARY MEMBERS INTO THE CIVILIAN LIFE.
UM, AND SO FOR SOME MILITARY BRANCHES, SOME OR LESS, SOME OR MORE.
BUT, UH, THE MORE GIVING, WE WILL GIVE THAT MILITARY MEMBER 180 DAYS, UH, AT THE END OF THEIR SERVICE TO TRANSITION INTO CIVILIAN LIFE.
AND SO WHAT WE DO IS WE SIGN YOU UP AS AN INTERN FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
THAT WAY YOU'RE STILL EMPLOYED WITH THE MILITARY.
YOU'LL COME TO THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT AND WE WILL TRAIN YOU FOR THAT TIME.
UM, FOR MOST PEOPLE, DEPENDING ON YOUR EDUCATIONAL UH, CIRCUMSTANCES, YOU WILL GET THE EMT BASIC CERTIFICATION.
UM, AND AT THE END OF YOUR MILITARY SERVICE, WE'RE GONNA GIVE YOU A CONDITIONAL JOB OFFER AND YOU'LL TRANSITION FROM MILITARY SERVICE TO THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT AND, UH, CONTINUE THROUGH OUTSIDE OF THAT, ONCE YOU'VE JOINED THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT, WE PROVIDE, UH, THE ABILITY FOR YOU TO CONTINUE TO SERVE.
SO IF YOU DECIDE TO BE IN THE RESERVES, UM, WE'LL FACILITATE THAT.
AND IF YOU FULL DUTY, OF COURSE, WE'LL FACILITATE THAT.
THE DEPARTMENT WILL ALSO GIVE YOU A CERTAIN NUMBER OF DAYS, 15 A YEAR, UH, IN WHICH YOU CAN DO THOSE.
AND THE DEPARTMENT WILL CONTINUE TO, UH, PROVIDE BENEFITS AND SALARY AND STUFF BEFORE YOU EVEN LOOK AT, UH, UTILIZING EITHER YOUR TIME OR, OR GOING WITHOUT.
SO HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT'S ACTIVELY SEEKING.
WE HAVE THE VA MEDICAL CENTER, DR.
WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON, GOOD EVENING.
I AM WITH THE HOUSTON VA HEALTHCARE SYSTEM, MICHAEL LEE DEBECKI VA MEDICAL CENTER.
AND I COME ON BEHALF OF OUR MEDICAL CENTER ACTING DIRECTOR, LINDSEY CRANE, TO JUST SHARE WITH YOU.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE HERE TO ANSWER A FEW QUESTIONS, BUT I WANNA JUST LET YOU KNOW THAT, UM, I COME HERE AS A VETERAN.
I AM THE DAUGHTER OF VETERANS, THE WIFE OF A VETERAN, THE SIBLING OF VETERANS, AND I AM THE MOTHER OF A VETERAN.
SO I DO WHAT I DO BECAUSE I WANNA CONTINUE TO BE A COMBAT MULTIPLIER.
I'M ARMY HUA, SO I COME BECAUSE I WANT TO CONTINUE TO SERVE, TO ENSURE THAT THE VETERANS THAT ARE IMPACTED BY THE SERVICE THAT WE PROVIDE ARE GETTING THE BEST THAT THE VA HAS TO OFFER.
AND JUST TO REMIND YOU THAT I'VE GOT SOME NOTES HERE, I JUST THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO SHARE WITH YOU, AND I SHOULD HAVE THESE NUMBERS AT THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
SO JUST KEEP IN MIND THAT WE ARE ONE OF THE LARGEST, UH, VA HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS IN THE COUNTRY.
WE SERVE OVER 133,000 OF THOSE 300,000 VETERANS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT THAT ARE IN THE HOUSTON AREA, WE'VE
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MORE THAN DOUBLED OUR OUTREACH, UH, IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE CONTINUING TO HAVE VETERANS ENROLL IN OUR HEALTHCARE SYSTEM.AND WE ARE ENROLLING WOMEN VETERANS AT A VERY HIGH RATE, WHICH IS ONE OF OUR HIGHEST GROWING POPULATIONS.
OF THAT 6,000 EMPLOYEES THAT WE HAVE ON STAFF, 1700 OF 'EM ARE VETERANS.
SO JUST KNOW THAT WE ARE HERE SERVING AS VETERANS BECAUSE IT'S WHAT WE WANT TO DO.
WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO TAKE CARE OF OUR SERVICE MEMBERS, OUR SERVICE COMRADES, BECAUSE NO COMRADE LEFT BEHIND.
OKAY? I BROUGHT WITH ME SEVERAL INDIVIDUALS, UM, THAT ARE HERE WITH ME TONIGHT THAT CAN HELP ANSWER QUESTIONS.
SO IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, WE HAVE DR.
DALENE MENIFEE WITH OUR WOMEN'S PROGRAM.
UH, WE HAVE MR. BRENT CRACKY, WHO IS OUR, UH, VETERANS EXPERIENCE OFFICER.
WE HAVE, UM, DR. HARRIS, WHO IS OVER THE ENROLLMENT AND ELIGIBILITY.
WE'VE GOT MS. EMILY WINFIELD, WHO IS MANAGING OUR, UH, CRRC, WHICH IS A RESOURCE AND REFERRAL CENTER FOR OUR HOMELESS PROGRAM.
AND WE HAVE A LARGE, STRONG HOMELESS CONTINUUM OF CARE, UH, THAT INCLUDES HELPING THE VETERAN, UH, WITH RESOURCES TO GETTING THEM HOUSED, TO ACTUALLY GETTING THEM INTO RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT.
SO THE VA HERE, YOUR VA IS DOING QUITE A BIT TO SERVE YOUR VETERANS.
WE HAVE ANOTHER FAMILIAR FACE OFFICE OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY DIRECTOR, LARRY SANTA WHITE, US NAVY
HEY, GOOD AFTERNOON, GOOD EVENING.
UM, YOU KNOW, I WANNA START BY THANKING ALL THE VETERANS IN THE ROOM.
UH, TRUTH IS, IS THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, OUR NATION WOULDN'T BE HERE TODAY IF IT WERE NOT FOR YOU, OKAY? NONE OF US ARE HERE TODAY, BUT FOR THE SACRIFICES YOU ALL MAKE AND THE PEOPLE THAT CAME BEFORE US, OUR FOREFATHERS AND FOREMOTHERS, UH, AND SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I SAY THAT AND THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER FOR LEADING THE WAY ON THAT.
AND DR. JONES, IT'S AN INCREDIBLE, SO I HAVE PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY, AND THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE DO IN THAT SHOP, BUT I THINK WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT TONIGHT VERY QUICKLY IS, UH, RIGHT AFTER I TOOK OVER, I RETIRED FROM HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT IN AUGUST OF LAST YEAR, AND THE MAYOR ASKED ME TO TAKE THIS POSITION.
AND THEN I, I GUESS A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER, HE SAID, HEY, I WANT YOU TO HELP.
I WANT TO END STREET HOMELESSNESS IN OUR CITY AND IN THE COUNTY.
NO CITY IN THE UNITED STATES, CERTAINLY NO MAJOR CITY HAS ACCOMPLISHED THAT.
AND, UH, SO IT, IT WAS A HUGE UNDERTAKING.
BUT WE KNOW THAT OUR VULNERABLE OUT THERE ON THE STREETS REALLY NEED OUR HELP.
WE KNOW, UH, THAT WE CAN TRULY NEVER CLAIM EXCELLENCE WHEN WE HAVE PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY OUR OWN VETERANS ROLLED UP IN BLANKETS, SLEEPING ON THE STREET.
SO THAT IS WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON.
AND I, I WORK WITH THE VA AND I WORK WITH EVERYBODY, AND IT'S NOT JUST, IT'S NOT AN I, EVERYBODY BEHIND ME IS, IS INVOLVED IN THIS, AND SO MANY IN THE CROWD AND SO MANY OTHER PARTNERS, IT WILL TAKE EVERYBODY.
BUT I AM, I AM HEARTENED BY WHAT I SEE.
I AM HEARTENED BY EVERYBODY'S COMMITMENT AND THE WAY EVERYBODY IS COMING TOGETHER.
UH, AND, AND THE WAY WE'RE WORKING ON ISSUES IN TERMS OF MENTAL ILLNESS AND MENTAL HEALTH, UH, HOMELESSNESS, OUR VETERANS, YOU NAME IT.
UH, I THINK EVEN MOMENTUM FEDERALLY SEEMS LIKE THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT EVERYBODY WANTS TO SOLVE.
SO, UM, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT WE CAN DO.
NEXT WE HAVE THE HOUSTON AIRPORT SIX SYSTEM TEMP CHINA, UNITED STATES NAVY.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT RELATIONS FOR THE HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM.
I'M ALSO A US NAVY GULF WAR VETERAN.
UH, I'VE BEEN WITH THE CITY SINCE 2008 AND WOULDN'T, WOULDN'T HAVE IT ANY OTHER WAY.
I REALLY ENJOY MY, MY WORK HERE AT THE CITY.
UH, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR AIRPORT SYSTEM.
UH, WE ARE A DEPARTMENT OF THE CITY, THE DEPARTMENT OF AVIATION.
UH, WE OPERATE GEORGE BUSH IN OUR CONTINENTAL AIRPORT, WILLIAM P HOBBY AIRPORT, ELLINGTON AIRPORT, AND HOUSTON SPACEPORT.
WE ALSO AT ELLINGTON HAVE THE, UH, UH, ELLINGTON FIELD, UH, JOINT RESERVE BASE.
SO WE'VE GOT A LARGE MILITARY PRESENCE DOWN THERE.
WE'D LIKE TO HAVE MORE, UH, BUT WE LOVE WHAT WE HAVE SO FAR, AND WE'RE GREAT PARTNERS WITH OUR MILITARY FRIENDS DOWN THERE.
UM, LAST YEAR OUR AIRPORTS CARRIED 63 MILLION PASSENGERS.
UH, THAT'S A RECORD, UH, ONLY BROKEN, UH, BY WHAT WE HAD THE PREVIOUS YEAR AT 60 MILLION
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PASSENGERS, UH, ONLY BROKEN BY WHAT WE HAD THE PREVIOUS YEAR AT 57 MILLION PASSENGERS.AND IF YOU SEE WHERE I'M GOING HERE, WE'RE GROWING EXPONENTIALLY, JUST LIKE OUR GREAT CITY IS AS WELL.
SO, UH, AT OUR AIRPORTS, WE HAVE 28 AIRLINES, UH, SERVING 197 NONSTOP DESTINATIONS IN 36 COUNTRIES AND FIVE CONTINENTS.
UH, SOME OF THE SERVICES WE OFFER FOR OUR VETERANS IS WE HAVE USO FACILITIES AT BOTH OF OUR AIRPORTS.
UH, WE ALSO OFFER A VERY ROBUST, UH, UH, DISABLED VETERAN AND SPECIALTY PLATE, UH, PARKING PROGRAM AT THE AIRPORT.
SO, UM, IF YOU'RE A DISABLED VETERAN OR HAVE, UH, ONE OF THE SPECIALTY PLATES THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED BY THE STATE, UH, YOU RECEIVE, UH, FIVE CONSECUTIVE DAYS OF FREE PARKING IN OUR COVERED GARAGES.
UM, 60 DAYS OF CONSECUTIVE PARKING AT OUR REMOTE, UH, ECO PARK LOTS.
AND YOU CAN JUST RINSE AND REPEAT AND KEEP DOING IT.
SO GO AWAY FOR FIVE DAYS, COME HOME, GO AWAY, COME BACK AND PARK AGAIN.
OR IF ANYONE CAN AFFORD, I DON'T KNOW WHO CAN AFFORD 60 DAYS BEING AWAY.
BUT, UH, UH, ANYHOW, WE DO OFFER THAT PROGRAM, UH, AND WE'RE VERY PROUD OF IT.
UH, LAST YEAR ALONE, UH, WE, UM, ACCOMMODATED 57,000 VETERANS IN NEED OF THE FREE PARKING WE HAVE AT THE AIRPORT.
THAT'S ABOUT 4,800 VETERANS A MONTH ARE UTILIZING THIS SERVICE.
AND, UM, THAT'S THE LEAST WE CAN DO.
AND WE LOVE HAVING YOU OUT THERE.
SO Y'ALL HEARD, TIM, YOU GOT FIVE DAYS.
IF YOU'RE GOING TO DISNEY WORLD FOR 20 DAYS, YOU MIGHT WANNA PARK AT THE ECO.
YOU GONNA COME BACK WITH THAT $300 BILL? ALL RIGHT, SO NEXT WE HAVE THE, UH, HARRIS COUNTY VETERAN SERVICES DIRECTOR, DAVE LEWIS, UNITED STATES SALES FORCE.
THANK YOU, LASANDRA, AND THANK YOU, UH, COUNCILMAN DAVIS FOR, UH, YOUR SUPPORT OF ALL OF THIS AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO FOR OUR VETERANS HERE.
I'M DAVE LEWIS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HARRIS COUNTY VETERAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
UH, I DID 29 YEARS IN THE AIR FORCE.
UM, I'VE BEEN IN THE VETERAN SPACE FOR THE LAST 15 YEARS FOR THE LAST FIVE HERE IN HARRIS COUNTY.
SO IF YOU'RE DOING MATH IN PUBLIC, I JOINED THE AIR FORCE WHEN I WAS SEVEN
SO, BUT WHILE I WAS IN THE AIR FORCE, I DID TWO YEARS WITH THE ARMY.
I DID TWO YEARS WITH THE NAVY.
I SPEAK NAVY AND I KNOW A LOT OF MARINES, SO I SPEAK SLOWLY.
DAVE
UH, I, I CAN GO ON ALL NIGHT WITH THESE, BUT, UH, BUT I WON'T.
UM, WHAT DO WE DO? SO I'VE GOT BASICALLY THREE SERVICE LINES.
YOU MAY KNOW US FOR OUR CLAIMS AND BENEFITS DEPARTMENT, STATUTORILY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
EVERY COUNTY IS SUPPOSED TO HAVE A VETERAN COUNTY SERVICE OFFICER.
I'VE GOT THE BEST CLAIMS DEPARTMENT IN ANYBODY IN THE HOUSTON HARRIS COUNTY AREA.
IF YOU DON'T LIKE US, UH, YOU'RE WELCOME TO GO ANYWHERE ELSE.
BUT WE DO A LOT OF CLAIMS AND I'VE GOT SIX WONDERFUL FOLKS DOING THAT.
20, WELL, NOT 24 7, THEY WOULD IF I TOLD 'EM TO, BUT, BUT, UH, FIVE DAYS A WEEK AND THEY'RE AT IT ALL THE TIME.
WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME WORKING WITH OUR VULNERABLE POPULATIONS.
WE HAVE A FOX SUICIDE PREVENTION GRANT FROM THE VA THAT EMPLOYS NINE PEOPLE IN OUR OFFICE.
AND OUR OFFICE IS 27 PEOPLE STRONG NOW.
UM, SO ANYBODY THAT YOU ARE, NO, WE RELY ON EYES AND EARS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT MAY BE SUICIDAL, MAY BE HESITANT TO REACH OUT FOR HELP THEMSELVES, GIVE US A SHOUT.
WE CAN GET THINGS STARTED FOR THEM.
WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THE VA.
WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH ALL OF OUR PARTNER AGENCIES AROUND HERE TO TRY TO MAKE SURE OUR MOST VULNERABLE POPULATIONS AT RISK OF SUICIDE ARE TAKEN CARE OF.
YEAH, WE ALSO WORK A LOT WITH OUR JUSTICE INVOLVED VETERANS.
YOU MAY NOT KNOW IT, BUT 2,700 PLUS VETERANS GO THROUGH THE HARRIS COUNTY JAIL EVERY YEAR.
MOST OF THEM DO NOT NEED TO BE THERE.
SO WE WORK VERY HARD WITH A GRANT FROM THE TEXAS VETERANS COMMISSION AND OTHER FOLKS WITHIN OUR OFFICE TO BE ABLE TO GET IN THERE, SEE THE VETERANS, ASSESS THEIR NEEDS, GET THEIR CLAIMS STARTED, UH, WORK A REENTRY PLAN, AND TRY TO CATCH THEM WHEN THEY COME BACK OUT AGAIN AND WORK THAT REENTRY PLAN.
SO WE'RE INTIMATELY ENGAGED, UH, WITH THAT PIECE AS WELL.
WE HAVE AN EMERGENCY FINANCIAL SERVICES, UM, UH, PERSON.
BASICALLY, WE'RE MOSTLY RELYING ON, UH, ON, UH, HOUSING RENT AND UTILITY ASSISTANCE.
WE'RE HERE AS A ONE START SHOP.
FIVE YEARS AGO, WE DIDN'T EXIST AS A DEPARTMENT.
THE COUNTY HAS PUT RESOURCES BEHIND, UH, TAKING CARE OF OUR VETERAN POPULATION.
WE WORK HAND IN HAND WITH ALL OF OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES.
WE'RE INVOLVED WITH CORE CERT, WE WORK WITH, UH, LASHANDA AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON EVERY DAY.
UH, WE'RE DOING GOOD THINGS, SO IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION, HAVE ANY NEEDS, PLEASE LET US KNOW.
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SO IF I CAN QUICKLY BRAG ABOUT, UH, HARRIS COUNTY, THEY ARE OUR, OUR, OUR COUNTERPARTS, UH, WHATEVER I CALL THEM.UM, FOR SOMEONE, UH, IF SOMEONE NEEDS TO HAVE A CLAIM, A COMPENSATION CLAIM DONE, THEY DON'T CALL ME.
I TELL 'EM TO CALL HARRIS COUNTY.
BUT ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS, I THINK YOU TALKED, DID YOU TALK ABOUT THE SERGEANT GRANT FOX, OR, UM, SO SUICIDE PREVENTION IS ONE OF THE, UM, THE THINGS WE TRY TO COLLABORATE ON.
AND THEN OF COURSE, WE WILL GET THOSE, THOSE PHONE CALLS THAT WE LOST ANOTHER ONE.
SO WE'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO COLLABORATE IN AND GET OUR WHEELS TURNING TO SEE WHAT CAN WE DO TO SAVE A LIFE OF A VETERAN THAT HAS BEEN ISOLATING, THAT IS STRUGGLING.
OR MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, IT'S JUST ONE OF US.
AND YOU'RE LIKE, WELL, WAIT A MINUTE.
HE'S LAUGHING, BUT HE HAS PAIN THAT HE'S DEALING WITH AND HE DOESN'T WANT ANYBODY TO KNOW.
SO I THANK HARRIS COUNTY FOR WORKING AND COLLABORATING WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
WHENEVER WE HAVE AN HOUR PRESS CONFERENCES ON SUICIDE, UH, YOU GUYS ALWAYS SHOW UP.
AND AGAIN, WITH THOSE CLAIMS, I TELL PEOPLE I DON'T DO CLAIMS. THAT'S HARRIS COUNTY.
SO WE THANK Y'ALL FOR TAKING THOSE PHONE CALLS, UH, WHEN THAT COMES IN.
SO THE NEXT PERSON WE HAVE COMING UP IS THE HOMELESS COALITION, ANGEL ARMY, UNITED STATES ARMY.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? GOOD EVENING.
I AM VERY HONORED TO BE HERE THIS EVENING.
I'M WITH THE COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS.
I AM A ARMY VETERAN, JUST AS MS. JONES SAID, OR DR. JONES, I'M SORRY.
UM, I AM THE MANAGER OF THE HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM FOR THE COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS.
I'M NOT SURE IF YOU'VE, OR IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE COORDINATED ENTRY, UM, SYSTEM, BUT WE MANAGE THE COORDINATED ENTRY SYSTEM.
IT USED TO BE KNOWN AS COORDINATED ACCESS.
IT HAS RECENTLY BEEN REBRANDED AND CHANGED TO COORDINATED ENTRY.
AND WE ALSO MANAGE THE HMIS SYSTEM, WHICH IS THE HOMELESS, UM, HOMELESS MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM.
UM, I WANTED TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME DATA FOR THE POINT IN TIME COUNT, IF YOU'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH THE POINT IN TIME COUNT.
AND THAT IS DONE EVERY JANUARY.
UM, WE DO NOT HAVE THE NUMBERS YET FOR THE MOST RECENT COUNT, WHICH WAS DONE IN JANUARY.
WE HOPE TO HAVE THOSE HERE WITHIN MAYBE ANOTHER MONTH OR SO.
BUT I WANTED TO SHARE THE NUMBERS WITH YOU TONIGHT FOR THE POINT IN TIME COUNT FROM 2004.
UM, AND I THINK THESE NUMBERS ARE GOOD CONSIDERING, UM, THE, THE HOMELESS POPULATION WE ACTUALLY HAVE.
BUT FOR THE VETERAN POPULATION FOR 2024, WE HAD 213, UM, HOMELESS VETERANS.
AND OUT OF THOSE 213 HOMELESS VETERANS, 10% OF THOSE WERE CLASSIFIED AS CHRONICALLY HOMELESS, MEANING THEY HAVE BEEN HOMELESS FOR A YEAR OR MORE.
UM, THIS, THIS NUMBER OBVIOUSLY MAY NOT BE EXACT BECAUSE THIS IS OBVIOUSLY BASED OFF OF ONE NIGHT IN THE ENTIRE YEAR.
SO, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T SAY THAT, THAT WE TOUCH EVERY SINGLE VETERAN THAT MAY BE HOMELESS OUT THERE.
SO THIS, UM, THIS IS WHAT WE USE FOR THE, THE DATA FOR THE HOMELESS, UM, RESPONSE SYSTEM.
UM, BUT I'M HERE TONIGHT TO HOPEFULLY ANSWER, UM, ANY QUESTIONS THAT ANYONE MIGHT HAVE, UM, ABOUT, UH, THE COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS OR THE COORDINATED ENTRY SYSTEM.
SO ANGEL AND I GO WAY BACK TO, UM, A PROGRAM THAT, THAT SHE AND I BOTH WERE A PART OF, WHICH WAS A HOMELESS WOMEN VETERANS PROGRAM.
UH, AND WHAT WE FOUND MORE OFTEN THAN I IS WHEN A, A WOMAN IS HOMELESS.
A FEMALE IS HOMELESS, SHE'S NOT HOMELESS BY HERSELF, SHE'S HOMELESS WITH HER CHILDREN.
AND WE'VE HAD A LOT OF, UH, INSTANCES WHERE SOMEBODY CAME WITH FIVE, SIX KIDS.
AND IF YOU GO TO A SHELTER, WHERE CAN YOU GO WITH YOUR FIVE OR SIX KIDS, ESPECIALLY, ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE A FLEEING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
AND SOMETIMES WE SEE THAT THOSE WOMEN VETERANS AREN'T GONNA TELL YOU SHE'S HOMELESS BECAUSE SHE'S A DECORATED COMBAT VETERAN AND SHE'S ASHAMED AND SHE'S HAVING TO FLEE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
OR SHE FELL BEHIND ON HER RENT BECAUSE SHE LOST HER JOB.
SO SHE FINDS HERSELF SLEEPING IN THE CAR.
UH, WE HAD ONE THAT WAS ACTUALLY LIVING IN A WALMART RESTROOM.
I, WE DIDN'T BELIEVE IT UNTIL WE ACTUALLY STARTED OURSELVES.
UM, SO THANK YOU ANGEL, FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'RE CONTINUING TO DO.
UH, AND THIS NEXT PERSON I'VE ALREADY BRAGGED ABOUT HPD, UM, AND WE AGAIN, THANK THEM FOR BEING SO SUPPORTIVE OF VETERANS.
Y'ALL SEE HOW THEY'RE, THEY'RE GUARDING THEIR PERIMETER RIGHT NOW.
SO WE THANK HPD FOR WHAT THEY DO FOR VETERANS.
UM, AND WHEN THERE IS, UM, A VETERAN IS IDENTIFIED TO HAVE, UH, PTSD OR SOME MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES, YOU TAKE SPECIAL CARE WITH HIM.
AND THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT, AS I SAID EARLIER, AND THE FIRE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS THE LARGEST NUMBER OF VETERANS, UM, WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AS AN EMPLOYER.
SO THANK YOU CHIEF NOAH DIAZ FOR WHAT YOU GUYS DO.
[00:30:01]
I'M GONNA, COME ON.IT IS FIRST, IT'S MY DISTINCT PLEASURE TO BE HERE, AND IT'S AN HONOR FOR ME TO BE HERE REPRESENTING THE ALMOST 5,300 MEN AND WOMEN OF THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UH, THEY PUT IT TOGETHER EVERY SINGLE DAY, UH, SHORT STAFFED, NO COMPLAINING, NO CRYING.
THEY JUST GO TO WORK, RIGHT? SO I'M VERY, VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE 'EM.
BUT I WANNA THANK WHAT YOU DO BECAUSE YOU KIND OF STOLE A LITTLE BIT OF MY THUNDER, BECAUSE DURING THIS LAST STORM, THIS COLD SPELL, WHEN YOU ACTUALLY PHYSICALLY GO INTO THESE SHELTERS AND SEE PEOPLE THAT ARE STRUGGLING, LIKE YOU SAID, THAT ARE LIVING IN THEIR CARS OR THEY'RE, UH, THERE WAS A LOT OF VETERANS IN THOSE FACILITIES, VETERANS THAT DO GET ASSISTANCE, THEY GET SOME SORT OF CHECK, BUT IT'S NEVER ENOUGH FOR THEM TO SUSTAIN THEMSELVES IN AN APARTMENT OR, UH, A JOB.
IT, IT, THEY JUST CAN, IT'S NEVER ENOUGH.
SO IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS, AS A GRANDSON OF, OF TWO WORLD WAR II VETERANS, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE BEING RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SOULS THAT HAVE GIVEN EVERYTHING SO THAT WE COULD HAVE THESE EVENTS, RIGHT? IT'S, IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY FIRST AS I'M JUST A NORMAL, I GO TO THE 15TH FLOOR, THEY JUST CALL ME, HEY, BRO, RIGHT? I, I'M, I I'M NOT THE PAGEANTRY GUY.
I'M NOT THE TIKTOK DANCE IN CHIEF.
I DON'T SING, I I DON'T DO ALL THAT, RIGHT? I'M SERIOUS ABOUT MY JOB.
UH, I I'M FOCUSED ON THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THE POLICE DO.
WE'RE IN THE POLICE BUSINESS, BUT WE'RE ALWAYS IN THE PEOPLE BUSINESS, RIGHT? AND THE MEN AND WOMEN THAT HAVE SERVED IN THE PAST, UH, DESERVE BETTER.
AND AS A GROUP, COLLECTIVELY AS A COMMUNITY, WE SHOULD ALL BE FOCUSED AND WORKING TOWARDS THE SAME GOALS, UH, NOT, UH, SILOED INTO DIFFERENT GROUPS.
I SEE SOME FOLKS FROM CAMP HOPE, RIGHT? THAT, THAT, THAT HAVE, I'VE ACTUALLY TOURED THERE AND SEEN IT.
IT ACTUALLY WORKS, RIGHT? I'VE PHYSICALLY SEEN IT.
UH, SO I'M VERY, VERY HAPPY TO BE HERE.
WE EMPLOY A LOT OF SERVICE MEMBERS AT OUR DEPARTMENT.
WE TAKE TRIPS ALMOST MONTHLY, UH, TO FORT CSOS TO TRY AND GET THESE YOUNG PEOPLE COMING INTO OUR RANKS BECAUSE THEY'RE JUST QUALITY PEOPLE THAT ARE ALREADY PUT TOGETHER, THAT JOIN OUR RANKS AND JUST DO INCREDIBLE WORK TO COME BACK OUT AND DO WHAT, CONTINUE TO SERVE, RIGHT? AND THAT'S ALL THIS BUSINESS IS ABOUT.
IT'S ABOUT GETTING OUT HERE IN HISTORIC THIRD WARD, RIGHT? AND TAKE CARE OF THE PEOPLE WHO PUT THE CITY TOGETHER.
IT IS THE THIRD LARGEST CITY IN THE NATION, AND IT'S A CITY ON THE MOVE.
THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS GOING FOR THIS COMMUNITY.
SO COLLECTIVELY, AS A COMMUNITY, WE CONTINUE IT, WE CONTINUE IT, AND IT STARTS WITH HOW WE SERVE THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE SERVED US.
AND GIVEN SO MUCH, WE'RE HERE.
BECAUSE I CAN GUARANTEE YOU, THERE'S SOME KIDS IN GERMANY RIGHT NOW THAT WOULD RATHER BE HOME, RIGHT? IN HARM'S WAY.
THERE'S, THERE'S PEOPLE ON AIRCRAFT, THERE'S PEOPLE ON SHIPS THAT WOULD RATHER BE HOME HERE HANGING OUT, EATING THIS DELICIOUS FOOD, BUT THEY'RE SERVING AND THEY CAN'T BE FORGOTTEN.
UH, I KNOW THE COUNCIL MEMBER EVERY TIME WE GO TO AN EVENT, YOU REMEMBER THOSE SERVING RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THEM BECAUSE THEIR FAMILIES MISS 'EM EVERY SINGLE DAY.
AND, UH, THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, A COUPLE OF FIREWORKS, ALWAYS ISN'T ENOUGH.
WE NEED TO ALWAYS FOCUS ON THEM BECAUSE THEY DESERVE IT.
SO, I, I APPRECIATE THE KINDNESS.
DR. JONES, THANK YOU FOR THE COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND AS AGAIN, IT'S MY HONOR TO SERVE.
I WANNA THANK, UH, CAPTAIN SONNY WIND FOR TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS IN THIS AREA.
MY STAFF ALWAYS TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS, SO I APPRECIATE YOU.
NEXT WE HAVE THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANT DIRECTOR CEDRIC SAIN AND COORDINATOR NICK ABELS.
UH, WHAT AN HONOR IT IS TO BE HERE TONIGHT.
UH, MY NAME IS NICK ABELS, COORDINATOR OF HOMELESS INITIATIVES FOR THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
UM, MY TEAM FOCUSES ON FUNDING AND SUSTAINING A HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM THAT CONTINUES TO MAKE REDUCTIONS, UM, ESPECIALLY FOR OUR VETERAN POPULATION.
UM, ONE OF THE PROUDEST MOMENTS OF OUR HOMELESS SYSTEM OVER THE PAST 12 YEARS IS THE REDUCTIONS WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE IN HOME IN VETERANS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
UM, OF COURSE, OUR GOAL RIGHT NOW AS DIRECTOR CITE MENTIONED, IS THE, UM, COMPLETE ERADICATION OF STREET HOMELESSNESS.
UH, THIS MAY SEEM LIKE A MOONSHOT TO A LOT OF PEOPLE, UM, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE KNOW IS POSSIBLE.
UM, THIS IS GOING TO TAKE THE SUPPORT OF THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, UM, BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE WILL GET DONE.
UM, SO I'M EXCITED TO BE HERE WITH YOU ALL.
UH, CEDRIC LAE, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR IN HOUSING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
I RUN THE SINGLE FAMILY PROGRAMS AND WE PROVIDE ASSISTANCE
[00:35:01]
FOR HOUSING FOR VETERANS, UH, ANYONE THAT'S IN THE COMMUNITY THAT'S LOOKING FOR, UH, HOUSING THAT WE BILL, HOUSING THAT, UM, THAT IS LOCATED THROUGHOUT THIS CITY.WE HAVE PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE UP TO 125,000 IN DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE.
WE DO HOME REPAIR FOR VETERANS, AS WELL AS DISABLED AND, UH, UH, ELDERLY POPULATION.
SO IF YOU GUYS ARE LOOKING FOR A HOUSE IN THE COMMUNITY, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU GUYS TO COME IN AND APPLY FOR OUR PROGRAMS AND RECEIVE ASSISTANCE UP TO $125,000 IN DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE.
HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, HOUSING AUTHORITY, ISHA THOMAS.
MY NAME IS RISHA THOMAS, AND I'M THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR A SPECIAL PROGRAMS ADMINISTRATION WITH THE HOUSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY.
UM, ONE OF THE LARGEST PROGRAMS THAT I OVERSEE IN MY DEPARTMENT IS OUR VASH PROGRAM.
AND THAT PROGRAM WE PROVIDE, UM, HOUSING SUBSIDY TO VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
AND WHAT I'M FINDING OUT TODAY IS WE ONLY HAVE AN ALLOCATION OF 1000 172 VOUCHERS, BUT THAT'S NOT NEARLY ENOUGH, IS WHAT WE NEED.
UM, WE WORK CLOSELY WITH OUR VA, THAT'S WHAT WE RECEIVE A HUNDRED PERCENT OF OUR REFERRALS FROM.
SO IF YOU ARE A VETERAN IN NEED OF HOUSING OR KNOW ANYONE THAT IS IN NEED OF HOUSING, PLEASE REACH OUT TO OUR, UM, OUR LOCAL VA DEPARTMENT.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE HAVE THE OFFICE OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY DIRECTOR HORO.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING OUT.
THANK YOU DR. JONES FOR INVITING ME.
COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS FOR HAVING US.
UM, THE OFFICE OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY.
UH, WE SERVICE THE SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY HERE IN HOUSTON IN THREE WAYS.
WE OFFER SERVICES THAT SUPPORT BUILDING THE CAPACITY OF BUSINESSES SUCH AS BONDING PROGRAMS. WE HAVE AN OBO SOLUTION CENTER WHERE YOU CAN COME IN ANYTIME.
YOU CAN COME IN, YOU CAN CALL, YOU CAN EMAIL, GET INFORMATION ON LICENSING, PERMITTING, HOW TO START YOUR BUSINESS ONE-ON-ONE, ADVISING LEGAL ASSISTANCE, UM, ANYTHING THAT IS AROUND STARTING YOUR BUSINESS OR SUPPORTING YOUR MOVEMENT FORWARD.
THE SECOND WAY THAT WE SERVE THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY IS THROUGH OUR CERTIFICATION PROGRAM, WHICH ENSURES THAT THERE IS AN EQUAL TABLE FOR EVERYONE WHEN GOVERNMENT CONTRACTING.
UM, OUR CERTIFICATION PROGRAM HAS, UH, THE MBE PROGRAM, WHICH IS MINORITY BUSINESS ENTERPRISE WOMEN BUSINESS ENTERPRISE, SMALL BUSINESS ENTERPRISE.
WE HAVE TWO FEDERAL PROGRAM DISABLED, THE, SORRY, DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS ENTERPRISE, THE A-C-D-V-E BUSINESS ENTERPRISE, WHICH IS OUR AIRPORT SYSTEM.
WE ALSO CERTIFY FOR THE HUB, WHICH IS THE STATE CERTIFYING PROGRAM.
WE HAVE THE L-G-B-T-Q CERTIFICATION THAT IS A PART OF OUR DIRECTORY.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE THE HIGHER HOUSTON FIRST PROGRAM, WHICH IS A LOCAL DESIGNATION.
NOW, WE ARE SO EXCITED THAT THIS YEAR, BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MANY VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESSES, THAT WE WILL BE ADDING A VETERAN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS ENTERPRISE CERTIFICATION TO OUR PROGRAM.
YES, AS WELL AS A DISABLED VETERAN ON BUSINESS CERTIFICATION TO OUR PROGRAM.
WE ARE SO EXCITED TO BE ADDING THAT.
WE KNOW HOW MANY SMALL BUSINESSES THAT WE HAVE THAT ARE VETERAN OWNED.
WE SERVE THEM ALREADY, AND SO THEY'LL BE A PART OF OUR PROGRAM OFFICIALLY THIS YEAR.
UM, AND SO WE ARE VERY EXCITED.
THE THIRD WAY THAT WE SERVE IS IF YOU'RE ALREADY A CONTRACTOR WITH THE CITY OR YOU COME ONTO OUR CONTRACTS, WE ARE THE ENTITY THAT ENSURES THAT NOT ONLY THERE'S PROP PAY, THAT YOU'RE ACCOUNTED TOWARD THE GOAL THAT THE PRIME CONTRACTORS ARE ACTUALLY USING THE FIRMS THAT THEY PUT ON THERE, AND ENSURING THAT WE CLOSE THOSE OUT WITH THE ACTIVITY THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE ON THERE, INCLUDING ALL OF OUR MINORITY WOMEN IN SMALL BUSINESS.
SO WE ARE SO EXCITED TO SERVE THE VETERAN COMMUNITY OF ALWAYS EXCITED TO SERVE HOUSTON.
UM, I ANSWER ANY OF YOUR QUESTIONS TONIGHT, AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR HAVING ME.
UM, AND I, I WANT TO SAY REAL QUICKLY, I WENT TO, UH, A PANEL ABOUT, I THINK ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO, UM, AND DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THIS EXISTED, BUT HOUSTON, UH, VETERANS REGIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IS A THING WHERE THEY RECOGNIZES VETERAN OWNED BUSINESSES.
AND IT WAS A STUDY DONE BY PENN AND FED.
I THINK THEY SAID THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON WAS ABOUT NUMBER 13 OR 14.
AND WE ALL LIKE, WAIT A MINUTE.
WE, WE DON'T, WE DON'T, WE DON'T DO 13, 14.
LET'S SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO START RECOGNIZING OUR VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESSES.
AND THERE WAS A CHAMPION OF THAT WHO HAS BEEN PAVING THE, UH, HITTING THE GROUND, THE PAVEMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, THE STATE AND NOW THE CITY IS RECOGNIZING VETERAN, OUR OWN BUSINESSES.
MR. DAVE WEAVER, WAVE YOUR HAND.
[00:40:01]
THEM COME UP LATER TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY DO.SO NOW WE'RE GONNA GET INTO THE NEXT PART, WHICH IS OUR, UH, Q AND A.
SO WE GOT A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
UM, BUT FIRST, UH, CHIEF, THAT QUESTION THAT I, UH, UH, THAT I, THE CARD THAT I GAVE TO YOU, IF YOU WANNA SPEAK TO THAT REAL QUICK.
DR. JONES, THANKS FOR THE QUESTION.
I'M JUST CURIOUS, IS THE PERSON ASKING A QUESTION IS IN HIS AUDIENCE? I JUST NEED TO KNOW, UH, I SPELLED IT OUT.
IS ISSUE A METRO NOT ACKNOWLEDGING OR RESPECTING HIM BECAUSE LOOKS HOMELESS? I JUST WANNA KNOW, IS THIS INDIVIDUAL, THE PERSON THAT COME IN CONTACT WAS A BUS OPERATOR OR A METRO PD OFFICER? YOU ASKED THE QUESTION, WHO ASKED THE QUESTION, METRO NOT ACKNOWLEDGING OR RESPECTING HIM BECAUSE HE LOOKS HOMELESS.
THE REASON WHY I ASK THIS IMPORTANT, BECAUSE IT IS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE AND WE NEED TO ADDRESS THAT EVEN UNDER THE PREMISES.
OUR METRO NOW IS OUR OBLIGATION DUE TO RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE A SAFE, CLEAN, RELIABLE, AND ACCESSIBLE EQUALLY TO EVERYONE.
NOW, I'M JUST A POLICE CHIEF, BUT WE ACTUALLY HAVE SOME DECISION MAKERS HERE TODAY.
DIRECTOR OF ONE OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, UH, YOU KNOW, ANGEL PONSE.
SO IF THIS IS THE CASE, THIS IS EXTREMELY ALARMING AND THIS IS WHY I NEED TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS.
SO, UH, I JOINED THE MILITARY BACK IN THE EARLY NINETIES.
UH, I HATE TO DATE MYSELF, BUT, UH, TO A GENTLEMAN POINT, I PROBABLY JOINED WHEN I WAS LIKE FIVE, YOU KNOW, SO I WAS A LOT YOUNGER,
AND, UH, I HEARD A LOT OF STORIES FROM, UH, YOU KNOW, PARTICULARLY MY PLATOON SERGEANT.
THE LONG TABBER WAS GREEN BERET.
AND HE TOLD ME A LOT OF STORIES AND, UH, SOME OF THE STORIES HE TOLD ME.
AND, UH, I SAID, WOW, THIS IS AMAZING.
'CAUSE I CAME IN DURING THE TELEVIS GULF WAR, AND THEN, UH, OF COURSE I DIDN'T GET TO SEE MUCH BECAUSE BY THE TIME I GOT IN, THE WAR WAS PRETTY MUCH OVER.
BUT HE TOLD ME, YOU KNOW WHAT? HEY, PERHAPS ONE DAY YOU MAY GET THE OPPORTUNITY.
AND OF COURSE, UH, WHO WILL EVER IMAGINE NINE 11 HIT, RIGHT? AND, UH, AND THEN THE OH THREE INVASION.
AND, UH, AND THEN OF COURSE, UH, I SPENT MOST OF MY TIME OH THREE AND OH 9, 10, 11, AND 12, YOU KNOW, UH, DOWN RANGE, IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN.
SO THE GAP IS I HAVE A KIDS IN COLLEGE AND, UH, YOU KNOW, ONE IS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, SO Y'ALL DO THE MATH.
SO, UH,
I HAVE A SOLDIER WHO LIVE IN NEW YORK, AND I JUST HAPPENED TO BE HIS FIRST SERGEANT.
WHO WOULD THINK THAT IN AFGHANISTAN, IN THE MIDDLE OF A MOUNTAIN, YOU GET A CALL THAT THE SOLDIER'S NOT PAYING HIS BILLS.
AND I CALLED HIM IN, I SAID, HEY, YOU NEED TO HANDLE YOUR BUSINESS.
HE SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT? TOP FIRST SERGEANT, THAT'S WHAT IT MEANT, RIGHT? WHO? AND THEN, UH, YEP.
I SAID, WELL, ZIPPY DUDE, DIE.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO ME?
YOUR AVERAGE RENT IS EIGHT TO $900 IN A NICE PLACE.
I'M FROM NEW YORK, MY RENT IS CLOSE TO $3,000.
I WAS A CONTRACTOR IN NEW YORK.
I MAKE SIX FIGURES AND I AM NOW A E FOUR.
AND THEN I'M HERE, BUT I STILL HAVE EXPENSE.
AND THEN MY WIFE STILL TO FEED A FAMILY.
WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO? WELL, YOU BETTER PAY YOUR BILLS
ALTHOUGH THE TALIBAN MAY NOT BE PRECISE PACKING THE IED, BUT THE IMPACT WAS BIG ENOUGH THAT TOOK UP BOTH HIS LEGS.
THE METRO IS AN ORGANIZATION'S ALL ABOUT DIGNITY AND RESPECT.
SO I ENCOURAGE THIS PERSON THAT WROTE THIS NOTE, COME AND SEE ME AFTERWARD.
I WILL ADDRESS THIS IF I DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO, I HAVE SOME DECISION MAKERS HERE WHO ADDRESS THIS ACCORDINGLY.
SO WE HAD, UM, WE JUST HAVE TWO, WELL, ONE WAS A STATEMENT AND WHETHER IT WAS A QUESTION, DO WE HAVE ANYBODY WANNA COME THAT WANTS TO COME UP TO THE PODIUM TO ASK A QUESTION? HERE IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO.
COME ON UP, COME ON, COME ON UP BACK.
I'M HERE WITH THE, UH, NAVY LEAGUE,
[00:45:01]
BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT FOR A MOMENT.UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE, UH, HAVE REALLY JUST TOUCHED ON BUT NOT RECOGNIZED IS THE, UM, GREAT WORK THAT'S BEING DONE BY BOTH THE CITY AND THE COUNTY COURTS IN THE RECOGNITION OF VETERANS COURTS FOR BOTH THE CITY AND THE COUNTY.
THEY'RE GONNA BE COMING UP LATER.
UH, ATTORNEYS IN THIS CITY HAVE WORKED VERY HARD TO DEVELOP THE, UH, UH, VETERANS COURT SYSTEM FOR BOTH THE CITY AND THE COUNTY.
AS THE JUDGE ADVOCATE FOR IVFW POST, I PARTICULARLY WANTED TO RECOGNIZE THAT WORK AND TO SAY THANK YOU PUBLICLY TO THE ATTORNEYS WHO ARE DOING THAT WORK.
IT'S BEEN A CHALLENGE TO GET IT DONE.
BUT THANK YOU ALL VERY, VERY MUCH.
SO TOWN HALL ISN'T JUST ABOUT THE COMPLAINTS, BUT IT'S ALSO ABOUT, UM, THE GREAT THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING.
SO I WILL SAY THAT I REMEMBER, UM, JUDGE MARK CARTER, UH, WENT TO, UH, THE STATE CAPITOL TO ADVOCATE.
I THINK WE HAD THE SECOND VETERAN'S TREATMENT COURT IN THE COUNTRY, I THINK, OR THE FIRST IN TEXAS.
UM, NEW YORK HAD THE VERY FIRST BECAUSE, UH, IT WAS A RESULT OF A JUDGE SEEING A LOT OF OUR, UH, VETERANS THAT WERE COMING BACK, NINE 11 VETERANS THAT WERE COMING BACK FROM COMBAT AND ALREADY FINDING THEMSELVES IN JAILS AND PRISONS ACROSS, UM, THE COUNTRY.
10% OF OUR, UH, INCARCERATED POPULATION ARE VETERANS.
UM, SO QUICK STORY, WHEN I MOVED TO, UM, TEXAS IN 20 10, 20 11, AND I GOT ACCEPTED TO THE PHD PROGRAM AT TEXAS SOUTHERN, UM, CRIMINAL JUSTICE ADMINISTRATION, JUSTICE, JUSTICE, WHICH IS HOW AND WHY PEOPLE CAN COMMIT CRIME.
SO WHEN IT GOT TO THE, UH, MOMENT FOR ME TO DECIDE WHAT I WAS GOING TO STUDY, SO THERE WAS A POPULATION OF PEOPLE THAT I KNOW VERY WELL, IT'S VETERANS.
AND SO WHEN I MERGED VETERAN POPULATION AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE TOGETHER, MY DISSERTATION WAS AN ANALYSIS OF POST NINE 11 VETERANS THAT ARE INCARCERATED IN AMERICA'S PRISONS AND JAILS.
AND SO I STARTED, ONE OF THE FIRST PLACES I WENT WAS CAMP HOPE, PTSD, FOUNDATION OF AMERICA.
AND I WAS FINDING PURPLE HEARTS.
BRONZE STARTS ALL THESE VETERANS WHO HAD BEEN STRUGGLING AND FINDING THEMSELVES IN JAILS AND PRISONS.
UM, AND SO THEY ACTUALLY SHOWED UP MY DISSERTATION, UM, WHEN I ACTUALLY PRESENTED AT ALL OF THESE VETERANS SHOWED UP THAT HAD SERVED NOT ONLY THEIR COUNTRY, BUT THEY HAD SERVED IN JAILS AND PRISONS.
SO IT IS A THING, AND WE DO NOT, WE LISTEN AND WE DON'T JUDGE, RIGHT? UM, SO YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT THEY HAVE GONE THROUGH SOME STUFF.
SO WHENEVER I AM, I GET A, UM, INVITATION TO COME TO A GRADUATION.
'CAUSE FELONY TREATMENT COURT, I SHOW UP FOR THEM BECAUSE THEY SHOWED UP FOR US.
SO LATER I WILL HAVE, UM, MR. MATTHEW COS TO COME UP, TALK ABOUT THE VETERANS TREATMENT COURT AND HOW IT IS, UH, SUCCESSFUL, HOW IT IS THRIVING HERE IN THE HOUSTON HARRIS COUNTY COMMUNITY.
HELLO, UH, I'M ROBERT MARQUEZ, UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS.
THIS IS A, A REAL QUICK STORY AND THEN A QUESTION.
SO HOUSTON INTERCONTINENTAL AIRPORT, HOBBY AIRPORT, ARE THEY THE BEST AIRPORTS IN TEXAS? YES OR NO? SAY YES.
RIGHT? BECAUSE WE'RE IN HOUSTON, RIGHT? IS IT BETTER THAN DFW? IS IT BETTER THAN DALLAS LOVE FIELD? IS IT BETTER THAN SAN ANTONIO? IS IT BETTER THAN AUSTIN? YEAH.
SO SEPTEMBER 15TH, 2023, YOU ENACTED THE FIVE DAY IN THE GARAGE, THE CITY, CITY COUNCIL.
SO I WAS WONDERING IS, IS IT POSSIBLE TO REVIEW THAT AGAIN, TO IMPACT IT? BECAUSE THE ONLY, OUT OF ALL THOSE AIRPORTS, THE ONLY ONE COMPARABLE IS AUSTIN FIVE DAYS.
AND THAT IS $30 A DAY AFTERWARDS.
AND IF SOMEBODY FROM SAN ANTONIO, AUSTIN, OR I MEAN SAN ANTONIO, FORT WORTH DALLAS, COME TO HOUSTON AND PARK 'CAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO INTERCONTINENTAL AND THEY DON'T REALIZE THAT YOU HAVE A FIVE DAY WINDOW, THEY'RE GONNA GET FINED $30 A DAY, ESPECIALLY WHEN A CREW'S COMING OUTTA MIAMI SEVEN DAYS AND TAKING YOUR FAMILY TO HAWAII FOR YOUR SON'S GRADUATION IS NINE DAYS.
SO I WAS WONDERING IF YOU GUYS CAN REVIEW THAT.
'CAUSE IT JUST TAKES A CITY COUNCIL ORDINANCE TO LOOK AT IT, FEASIBILITY STUDY, MAYBE LOOK AT IT, SEE HOW YOU CAN EXPAND IT TO MAYBE LIKE WHAT SAN ANTONIO SAYS 30 DAYS MAYBE, OR MAYBE 15 DAYS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTION, YOUR STORY.
UM, I'LL CERTAINLY SHARE THAT.
UH, SOME BACKGROUND TO ADD THAT, UH, WHEN IT CHANGED ON SEPTEMBER 5TH, 15TH IN 2023, UM, PREVIOUSLY IT WAS UNLIMITED PARKING IN OUR PARKING GARAGES FOR A DURATION TO INFINITY.
UM, OUR AIRPORTS, OUR, UM, PARKING GARAGES ARE OUR LARGEST SOURCE OF NON-LINE REVENUE THAT WE HAVE.
[00:50:01]
3 MILLION PASSENGERS A YEAR FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.WE HAVEN'T BUILT A PARKING GARAGE IN 25 YEARS.
MATTER OF FACT, WE, UH, DECOMMISSIONED THE GARAGE AND PARKING, UH, TERMINAL B GARAGE, UH, RECENTLY SO THAT UNITED COULD, UH, EXPAND THEIR OPERATIONS.
AND DURING THE BUILDING OF THE INTERNATIONAL TERMINAL REDEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, THAT'S, UH, OPENING IN PHASES RIGHT NOW.
UM, WE ONLY HAVE ABOUT A THIRD OF OUR PARKING THAT WAS DECOMMISSIONED FOR THAT PROJECT COMING BACK ONLINE.
SO WHILE I, I APPRECIATE YOUR INTEREST IN EXPANDING, UH, WE'LL CERTAINLY GO BACK, I'LL SHARE THAT.
UH, BUT FOR THE AUDIENCE, UH, IN 2023, UH, THOSE WHO WERE PARKING GREATER THAN FIVE DAYS IN THE GARAGE ONLY ACCOUNTED FOR 15% OF THE VETERAN PARKING THAT WAS BEING USED.
SO ONLY 15% OF THOSE USERS WERE, UH, PARKING IN EXCESS OF FIVE DAYS, WHICH IS WHY THE, UH, AIRPORT IN THE CITY THOUGHT THAT FIVE WAS A, A REASONABLE NUMBER.
THE OTHER 85% OF THOSE WHO WERE PARKING IN OUR GARAGES, UM, WERE STAYING AT A DURATION OF FIVE DAYS OR LESS.
UH, 96% OF OUR DISABLED VETERANS AND SPECIALTY PLATE USERS PARK INSIDE THE GARAGES.
RIGHT NOW, ONLY 4% USE OUR OFFSITE LOTS.
UM, I JUST SUGGEST TO REMIND FOLKS THAT IF YOU INTEND TO STAY FOR LONGER THAN FIVE DAYS, UH, WE WILL PAY FOR YOUR PARKING FOR UP TO 60 CONSECUTIVE DAYS.
AND ON DAY 61, YOU LEAVE THAT GARAGE AND COME BACK AND STAY, YOU'RE WELCOME TO STAY FOR ANOTHER 60 DAYS.
UM, UH, DFW AIRPORT, UH, OFFERS, UH, SIMILAR WITH THE 60 DAYS.
UH, THEY HAVE A LOT MORE PARKING GARAGES AND HAVE NOT TAKEN A LOT OF THEIR GARAGES OUT OF OPERATION.
OH, I, I CHECKED THAT JUST TO MAKE SURE.
SO DFW LOCA, 'CAUSE I WAS DOING IT RIGHT HERE.
UNLIMITED DALLAS LOVEFIELD, 60 DAYS, SAN ANTONIO.
AUSTIN'S THE SAME POLICIES WE GOT RIGHT NOW CURRENTLY.
AUSTIN'S IN THE SAME SITUATION.
WE ARE LIMITED GARAGES, EXPONENTIAL GROWTH.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, AUSTIN AIRPORT HAS OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, MOVED FROM A MEDIUM HUB AIRPORT TO A LARGE HUB AIRPORT JOINING D-F-W-I-A-H AND AUSTIN AS THE THREE LARGE HUB AIRPORTS IN THE STATE.
THANK YOU FOR, YOU KNOW, POSSIBLY MAYBE I'M GOING IN JUNE, SO MAY ORDINANCE CHANGE IT.
UM, SO I WILL TELL YOU WE ARE ADVOCATING ON BEHALF OF VETERANS, BUT UM, WE, AS, AS, UM, TOM SAID, UM, TIM SAID, I'M SORRY.
UM, THAT IS OUR BIGGEST REVENUE.
AND WHEN YOU COMPARE HOUSTON TO AUSTIN, TO SAN ANTONIO, WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE COMING FROM NOT JUST HOUSTON, BUT THEY'RE COMING FROM BEAUMONT, THEY'RE COMING FROM DOWN THE FREEWAY.
THEY'RE COMING IN TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON SO THAT THOSE NUMBERS AREN'T REALLY TRACKABLE.
WHO DOESN'T REALLY LIVE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
BUT WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE THE LARGEST HUB HERE.
SO THERE'S MORE VETERANS COMING HERE.
BUT I AM THE ADVOCATE FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
SO WE ARE DEFINITELY WORKING WITH THE HOUSTON AIRPORT.
'CAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS I PERSONALLY WANT TO SEE IS MORE SIGNAGE.
SO WE'RE COMING IN AND OUT OF THE, THE, THE, THE AIRPORT.
WE SAY, WELL WELCOME TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON VETERANS OR ACTIVE DUTY, SOMETHING THAT RECOGNIZES, UM, THE MILITARY POPULATION AND VETERAN POPULATION THAT COMES IN NOW.
SO WE WILL TAKE THAT UNDER CONSIDERATION.
SO WE DEFINITELY WILL HAVE MORE CONVERSATION.
UH, WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS IN THE PAST ABOUT THIS AND THAT IS, I WANT US TO SAY WE GET EMAILS ABOUT THAT ALL THE TIME.
SO ONE OF THE NUMBER ONE EMAILS WE GET ABOUT THAT PARKING IS THAT THEY DIDN'T KNOW, RIGHT? SO WE RELY ON OUR COMMUNITY TO LET EVERYBODY ELSE KNOW.
WE NOT EVERYBODY'S ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
SO WE HAVE POSTED IT ON OUR WEBSITE, WE POSTED IT ON FACEBOOK.
WE'VE, WE'VE SHARED IT WITH VFW V BMW'S, AMERICAN LEGIONS, WE HAVE THE SLIPS OUT THERE, WE'VE SHARED IT WITH THE VA.
WHAT MORE CAN WE DO? SO WE NEED OUR COMMUNITY TO HELP US TO GET THE WORD OUT.
'CAUSE THERE MAY BE SOME 80-YEAR-OLD VETERAN THAT JUST DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THE PARKING LONGER THAN FIVE DAYS.
SO I WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO WORK WITH YOU ON ANY, UM, SUGGESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE THAT WE CAN, WE CAN WORK TOGETHER ON THIS.
ALRIGHT, ALL MR. IF I COULD ADD THAT THE, UH, THE FIVE DAY PARKING THAT WE HAVE THERE AND OUR OFFSITE PARKING, UH, ACCOUNTS FOR ABOUT 4.8 UH, MILLION DOLLARS IN DEFERRED REVENUE THAT WE OFFER THAT WE'RE OFFERING FOR OUR VETERANS.
WE ARE ON OUR WAY TO A DICTATOR AND CONGRESS WO TO THE CONSTITUTION JUST AS VETS DO NOT WRITE, DO NOT DO RISK, OUR OWN LIVES TO FIGHT, UM, IN CONFLICTS.
WHY IS IT CONGRESS SERVE SOMEONE WHO DID NOT SERVE AND WANTS US TO FOLLOW THEM? I CAN ANSWER THAT AS A CITY EMPLOYEE.
[00:55:01]
UM, BUT I WILL, UH, DEFER TO OUR, UH, CONGRESSIONAL, UM, STAFF MEMBERS.UM, MAYBE NOT TONIGHT, BUT WE CAN DEFINITELY FORWARD THIS ON TO OUR CONGRESSIONAL STAFF.
ALL RIGHT, SO THE NEXT 1, 27 YEARS OF HOMELESSNESS.
I'M A VETERAN MINISTRY FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR.
WHAT CAN I DO? UM, TO HELP OUR VETERANS BEYOND MONEY OR FOOD, CLOTHES OR OTHER INKIND CONTRIBUTIONS.
NUMBER TWO, IS THERE A PORTAL WEBSITE THAT WE CAN CONNECT MINISTRIES? SO COUNCILMAN DAVIS, IF YOU KNOW OF ANY MINISTRIES THAT CAN CONNECT MINISTRIES AND COUNSELORS LIKE MYSELF.
UM, OKAY, IS THIS, IF THIS PERSON CAN COME ON UP TO THE PODIUM, I THINK I KNOW WHO IT'S, UM, COACHES, MEDIATORS, EDUCATORS LIKE MYSELF WITH OUR VETERANS MILITARY.
HEY, HOW YOU DOING? GOOD TO SEE YOU.
GOOD EVENING TO EVERYONE HERE.
THANK YOU FOR ALL THE PANELISTS WHO ARE HERE.
A LOT OF PEOPLE THANK ME FOR MY SERVICE.
I USED TO BE A FIREFIGHTER IN EMT, SO I GOT TO THANK HPD AND ALL THE OTHERS OVER HERE.
LONG STORY SHORT, 20 SOME YEARS IN MINISTRY, THE HOMELESS FOUND OUT WITHIN A FEW WEEKS THAT A LOT OF MY GUYS WERE VETERANS.
AND I WAS LIKE, WHAT'S GOING ON? WHY IS THIS? 27 YEARS AGO, I WAS NAIVE ABOUT IT, BUT NOW I'M VERY CLUED IN.
I'VE ADVOCATED FOR VETERANS IN HOUSTON, HARRIS COUNTY, DIFFERENT PRECINCTS, HELP WITH SUICIDE INTERVENTION WITH CONSTABLE'S OFFICE, AUSTIN, AND ALL THE WAY TO DC ALL THIS TO SAY, IS THERE A WAY TO CONNECT WITH VETERANS IN A VERY ONE-ON-ONE TYPE OF SETTING? BECAUSE I HAVE A LOT OF ONE-ON-ONE SETTINGS AND VETERANS WHERE, FOR EXAMPLE, I'M NOT GONNA REVEAL HIS NAME, BUT THIS GENTLEMAN, AND PARDON ME IF I DON'T RECALL YOUR NAME, BUT THIS HAS TO DO WITH SOMETHING CALLED AND, AND HE LITERALLY JUST SENT THIS TO ME AND I MET WITH THEM.
WE WERE SUPPOSED TO MEET THIS EVENING, UH, TO DISCUSS THIS STUFF.
SO WE MET REALLY QUICKLY AND I TOLD HIM I GOT INVITED TO THIS.
AND IT HAS TO DO WITH THE CNP EXAM, APPOINTMENT NOTIFICATION, QTC HEALTH SERVICES.
I THINK IT'S CALLED LIDOS OR LEIDOS.
IS ANYONE HERE FAMILIAR? IF YOU CAN RAISE YOUR HAND, IT'S WITH THE VA.
IS IT LEIDOS? I THINK ALL OF US VETERANS KNOW WHAT THAT IS.
BUT, ALRIGHT, LET THE VA ANSWER.
SO HE LITERALLY JUST GOT THIS THIS EVENING, UM, AND HE SAID, HEY, I'M A HUNDRED PERCENT RIGHT.
SO I KNOW THIS GUY, I'VE KNOWN HIM, I'VE ADMINISTERED WITH HIM OR TO HIM FOR 22 PLUS YEARS.
AND, UH, HE RELATIVELY RECENTLY GOT HIS A HUNDRED PERCENT TOTAL AND PERMANENT, UH, DISABILITY RATING.
BUT HE SAYS THAT HE FEELS LIKE HE'S BEING HARASSED AND OR HOUNDED BY THESE FOLKS TO RECONFIRM HIS DISABILITY RATING.
AND HE FEELS LIKE HE'S DEALT WITH SO MANY DIFFERENT ISSUES WITH THIS.
HE'S BEEN TO THE VA MULTIPLE TIMES ON THIS TO THE BENEFIT SIDE AND DEALING WITH THE HEALTH SIDE ON THE MENTAL ISSUES.
I WAS WITH HIM AT THE VA ON LAST THURSDAY FOR ABOUT THREE HOURS, AND THEN ON FRIDAY FOR MULTIPLE HOURS, THE WHOLE BUNCH OF ISSUES HE'S DEALING WITH ON THE VA ON JUST ON THIS ISSUE.
AND HIS RECENT VISIT TO THE ER IN GALVESTON, WHERE I SPENT OVER SEVEN HOURS IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM WITH HIM.
SO THAT'S THE KIND OF WORK THAT I DO.
UH, AND PASTOR DAVIS, IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU UP HERE ON THIS PODIUM, THIS FORUM.
WE'VE DONE HOMELESS MINISTRY YEARS, YEARS AGO WHEN WE ADVOCATED FOR BEING ABLE TO MINISTER THE HOMELESS.
UH, ALL THIS TO SAY, I'VE BEEN, I'VE BEEN HERE IN HOUSTON FOR 35 YEARS.
UH, THIS IS ONE OF MY PASSIONS.
AND SO WHEN I GO TO FIGHT, I'M LIKE A BULLDOG AND I WILL GO ALL THE WAY IF I NEED TO, LIKE I SAID TO DC IF I HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS.
AND SO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I WROTE DOWN ON THAT CARD WAS HOW DO WE CONNECT WITH VETERANS AND HOW DO WE HELP THEM OUT WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT SKILLS? AND IS THERE A WAY TO TRACK THESE SERVICES FOR THE CITY OR FOR THE COUNTY? BY THE WAY, I USED TO BE PART OF CERT AND HARRIS COUNTY EMERGENCY CORPS AND THE MEDICAL RESERVE CORPS.
UM, SO ANYWAY, ALL ALL THAT TO SAY, WE USED TO TRACK STUFF LIKE THIS BACK IN THE DAY WHEN, UH, I WAS ACTIVELY INVOLVED WITH CERT AND ALL THAT, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF WE STILL DO STUFF LIKE THAT OR WHAT WE CAN DO.
CROWLEY, REAL QUICK, IF YOU WANNA SPEAK TO THAT.
SO I WANNA SPEAK TO THE, UH, ISSUE WITH THE, UH, COMP AND PEN.
SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS TAKE, GET HIS NAME AND NUMBER, UM, AND WE HAVE OUR VETERAN EXPERIENCE OFFICER HERE, MR. BRENT CRACKY, WHO CAN ALSO CONNECT HIM WITH VBA IF HE CAN'T.
WE DO QUITE A BIT OF WORK TOGETHER, UH, AND KIND OF SORT OUT WHAT SOME OF THOSE CONCERNS ARE AND SEE HOW WE CAN BEST ADDRESS IT.
BUT WE'RE GONNA NEED, YOU KNOW, IF, IF THE VETERAN IS OPEN TO GIVING US HIS NAME AND INFORMATION, WE'LL FOLLOW UP WITH HIM.
NOW, IN TERMS OF, UM, VETERAN SERVICE HOURS, UM, OH, SO IN THE OLD DAYS, UH, YOU GUYS REMEMBER WHO MARNIE ROSEN IS WITH SEARCH? YES.
SO SHE USED TO TELL ME LIKE, ALEXANDER PUT IN THOSE HOURS, MAN, IT'LL BE GOOD FOR HARRIS COUNTY AS WELL.
I'M LIKE, UH, I DON'T KNOW IF I WANNA TRACK ALL MY HOURS, BUT NOW YEARS LATER, I'M LIKE, IS THERE A WAY FOR PEOPLE IN PARA LOOK AS WARRIORS, MY ORGANIZATION AND OTHERS WHO FEEL LIKE TRACKING THEIR HOURS AND WANNA PUT THAT IN ME? I DO THIS 24 7
[01:00:01]
ALMOST.I MEAN, LITERALLY, THERE ARE TIMES WHEN I'M UP UNTIL THE NIGHT AT TWO IN THE MORNING, SO I DON'T REALLY CARE TO TRACK MY FIRST MILES.
UH, BUT, UM, BUT YEAH, MY OFFICE OVERSEES THE CERT PROGRAM FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND YES, THERE'S ALL KINDS OF WAYS TO PLUG IN.
CERT VOAD, WE HAVE A MUCH LARGER GROUP NOW.
UH, WE, WE HAVE PROBABLY ABOUT 170,000 PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN TRAINED AND VOLUNTEERS IN THE CITY COUNTY IN THIS REGION.
AND WE'RE TRYING TO GROW THAT AND UNDERSTAND WHAT SPECIFIC SKILL SETS PEOPLE HAVE, RIGHT.
LIKE WHAT YOU'VE JUST ARTICULATED.
BECAUSE WHEN WE HAVE THAT NEED, THEN WE CAN GO AND WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD A DATABASE.
IT'S NOT KEEPING TRACK OF ANYBODY, BUT IT'S, BUT EVERYBODY THAT WANTS TO VOLUNTEER THAT WANTS TO STEP UP.
LOOK, YOU KNOW, I SAW, UH, A RECENT EXPERIENCE, HURRICANE HARVEY AND EVERYBODY PROBABLY IN THIS ROOM WAS HERE, REMEMBERS THAT.
WELL, HOUSTON WAS ALL OVER THE WORLD BECAUSE WE WERE HOUSTON STRONG, BECAUSE NEIGHBORS WERE HELPING NEIGHBORS AND PEOPLE WERE STEPPING UP.
SO WE WANT TO JUST, WE WANNA TAP INTO THAT, THAT, THAT INCREDIBLE, UH, YOU KNOW, OUTPOURING OF, OF LOVE IN THIS CITY AND UNDERSTAND EVERYBODY.
BECAUSE WHEN WE GET INTO DISASTERS OR WHEN WE HAVE A NEED, YEAH, THERE ARE RESOURCES OUT THERE.
UH, LET'S THINK DISASTERS, YOU KNOW, THERE'S TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, THEY'RE AWESOME.
THERE'S FEMA, THERE'S GOOD MEN AND WOMEN THERE.
BUT THEY'RE ALSO PROBABLY 72 HOURS OUT, RIGHT? BECAUSE IT TAKES TIME TO MOBILIZE.
WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT CAN MOBILIZE THE MINUTE THE STORM PASSES, THE MINUTE THE BANG GOES, WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT CAN STEP UP.
SO I CAN GET YOU ALL THAT INFORMATION.
WE'RE EVEN THINKING ABOUT SOME, UH, SOME, SOME TYPE OF, UH, YOU KNOW, KIND OF ASCENDANTS IN TERMS OF, OF SUPERVISOR, NOT PAID.
BUT IN TERMS OF, OF, OF JUST UNDERSTANDING OF SKILL SETS AND PEOPLE WHO ARE JUST WILLING TO RAISE THEIR HAND AND SAY, I WANNA HELP.
WELL, WE WANT TO KNOW ABOUT THAT.
AND WE WANT TO LEVERAGE THAT TO TRULY HELP PEOPLE IN THE CITY.
AND, AND NOT REALLY, BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT ARE IN DIRE STRAITS, ESPECIALLY OUR ELDERLY, OUR OUR INFIRM POPULATION.
THEY NEED HELP RIGHT AWAY AFTER SOMETHING.
AND, AND, AND SO THOSE, THOSE, THAT'S HOW WE LEVERAGE THAT GOODWILL OF THE CITY, WHICH IS INCREDIBLE.
THE OTHER THING I WANNA MENTION IS, SO I FOUND OUT ABOUT THE CALL TO THE ER AND I WROTE THE AMBULANCE BECAUSE THIS VETERAN LISTED ME AS NEXT OF KIN.
AND SO WHEN THEY CONTACTED ME, I'M LIKE, BROTHER, I'M LIKE, I'M ON BROTHER OTHER THAN IN CHRIST.
I'LL, I'LL HEAD THERE, YOU KNOW? AND SO I DID, I WAS FIRST ON SCENE, SO TO SPEAK, RIGHT? AS A FIREFIGHTER, FORMER FIREFIGHTER AND EMT.
SO I DID THE ASSESSMENT AND ALL THAT KINDA STUFF.
ALL THAT TO SAY, I'M FINDING OUT THAT A LOT OF MY HOMELESS GUYS, THEY WILL LIST ME SOMETIMES AS THEY'RE NEXT OF KIN BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE AN ADDRESS, THEY DON'T HAVE A PHONE, THEY DON'T KNOW WHO TO LIST.
AND BY THE GRACE OF GOD, I'M HAPPY TO BE A BROTHER IN CHRIST FOR SURE.
BUT WE'RE ALL BROTHERS AND SISTERS, ESPECIALLY IN THIS COMMUNITY.
AND BEFORE I SIT DOWN, I WANNA RECOGNIZE A COUPLE PEOPLE THAT I SAW EARLIER.
SO RIGHT THERE, VIETNAM, VETERAN NAVY.
AND THE REASON I'M RECOGNIZING HIM IS BECAUSE BOB, THIS WEEKEND, I GOTTA MEET ANOTHER NAVY VETERAN.
AND WE SPOKE EMOTIONALLY ABOUT WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO BE SPIT ON AND TO BE CALLED A BABY KILLER WHEN THEY CAME BACK.
AND I SHOOK THAT GENTLE, HEY, IT WAS THAT A LUBY, IT WAS AFTER THE VA EXPERIENCE I HAD.
AND WE HAD A GREAT CONVERSATION.
I SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT, MAN? WE LOVE YOU, ESPECIALLY IMMIGRANTS.
WE LOVE, WELL, I THINK MOST OF US DO IT RIGHT? I KNOW I DO AS AN IMMIGRANT FROM KUWAIT, AND I'M AN INDIAN BY BIRTH.
UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, SIR.
AND THANK YOU FOR BEING A VIETNAM VETERAN.
AND THEN RIGHT NEXT TO HIM IS JAY AK, UH, HEAD OF SIR, ANOTHER GREAT LEADER IN THE COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO, SIR.
THEY LOVE BEING HUMBLE AND QUIET, BUT I LOVE TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THESE PEOPLE.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR GREAT JOB AND ALL, EVERYONE THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO.
UM, AND I WILL SAY, UH, IF HE'S CALLING YOU A BROTHER, HE, HE THINKS THAT YOU ARE HIS BROTHER MORE THAN A BROTHER IN CHRIST.
THERE'S BEEN INSTANCES WHEN WE'VE GOTTEN PHONE CALLS WHERE THEY HAD FOUND A VETERAN DECEASED AND THERE WAS NO NEXT OF KIN, AND THERE WAS NO, NO ONE TO MAKE THE DECISIONS ON WHERE TO BURY THEM OR TO, TO ACTUALLY FIND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
UM, UH, JESSE BROWN, UH, 23 YEARS, US ARMY, WHO, WHO, UH, AND THIS QUESTION IS DIRECTED TO THE VA STAFF.
I MEAN, I'VE GOT GREAT SERVICE FROM THE VA STAFF AND SOME OF THE SPECIAL DEPARTMENT.
I GET GOOD SERVICE FROM THE TOMBO OUTPATIENT CLINIC THAT I ATTEND.
UH, THE ONLY ISSUE, REALLY ISSUE THAT I HAVE, NOT ONLY ME, IS THE DENTAL SERVICE DEPARTMENT.
AND I WAS WONDERING, COULD YOU GUYS TAKE A LOOK AT THE ISSUE ABOUT AUTHORIZING MORE OUTPATIENT SERVICE FOR DENTAL SERVICES? YEP.
IT'S THE SLOWEST DEPARTMENT THAT YOU HAVE AT THE VA.
IT'S, IT'S THE LONGEST WAIT LATE FOR ANY APPOINTMENT TIME.
[01:05:01]
IF YOU GUYS CAN TAKE A LOOK AT THAT, SEE IF YOU CAN START DOING OUTPATIENT SERVICES TO OTHER LOCAL DENTAL CLINICS IN THE COMMUNITY.OTHER THAN THAT, I GAVE GREAT SERVICE ON THE VA WHO, AND I WANT BRENT TO COME UP.
UM, AND I WAS BRAG ABOUT BRETT THE OTHER DAY.
I WAS AT THE VA, UM, FOR CHAPTER MCC, CRIMMONS FOR RETIREMENT.
AND I HAPPENED TO WALK THROUGH AND HE'S JUST LIKE WALKING THROUGH, LOOKING AT THE WALLS AND HE'S LIKE, STRAIGHTENING, STRAIGHTENING THE PICTURES ON THE WALL.
AND I LOVE TO SEE THAT, THAT YOU ARE ACTUALLY WALKING AROUND.
YOU'RE NOT JUST SITTING IN YOUR OFFICE, YOU'RE ACTUALLY WALKING AROUND AND MAKING SURE THAT THERE'S GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE.
'CAUSE YOU KNOW, I GET THOSE PHONE CALLS AND I'M LIKE TEXTING, LIKE, COME DOWN HERE, SOMEBODY'S AND WALLET OUT.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UM, THEY ARE RECEIVING THE BEST CUSTOMER SERVICE.
SO THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO TO MAKE SURE THAT THE VA IS TIME NOTCH.
UH, SO MY ROLE AS A CHIEF EXPERIENCE OFFICER AT THE HOUSTON VA, AND, AND YOUR, YOUR FIRST QUESTION SHOULD BE, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? I TELL PEOPLE KIND OF, I'M OVER CUSTOMER SERVICE.
WE HAVE ADVOCATES ALL OVER THIS ROOM.
FIRST AND FOREMOST THAT Y'ALL ARE HELPING.
I GET THE CALL, I MEET A NEW ADVOCATE EVERY WEEK, AND THAT'S, THAT'S A VETERAN WHO'S HELPING OTHER VETERANS THAT, UM, THAT MAKES THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE IN THE CITY NAVIGATING BENEFITS.
SO THANK YOU TO ALL THE ADVOCATES IN THE ROOM.
I'M GOING BACK TO TOMBALL NOW.
I WOULD LOVE TO GET A DENTAL CLINIC OUT THERE.
BUT, UM, I WILL TELL YOU THIS.
YEAH, DENTAL, DENTAL SERVICES, WE, WE COULD USE A DENTAL CLINIC 10 TIMES THAT SIZE, AND IT'S, IT'S ON OUR LIST TO DO.
WE CAN GET SOME FUNDING TO ACTUALLY GROW THAT.
UM, AND, AND TO INCREASE THOSE SERVICES OUT TO THE, THE COMMUNITY.
I'M MEETING ACTUALLY THIS FRIDAY WITH OUR DENTAL CHIEF AND ANOTHER VETERAN TO TALK ABOUT DENTAL SERVICES.
SO I, I KNOW IT'S ON OUR RADAR.
UM, I KNOW IT'S NOT QUICK ENOUGH.
UM, WHILE WE DON'T HAVE THE CAPACITY, WE WOULD LIKE ALL THE TIME, WE CERTAINLY CAN WORK TO SEND VETERANS OUT QUICKER TO COMMUNITY PROVIDERS WHEN NEEDED AND MAKE THAT A BIGGER TURNAROUND.
UM, ONE OF THE NUMBER ONE ISSUES WE HAVE IS, IS JUST ACCESS TO CARE, MAKING SURE IT'S TIMELY, IT'S THE RIGHT CARE AT THE RIGHT TIME WHEN YOU NEED IT.
AND I KNOW OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS IN COMMUNITY CARE ARE AS WELL.
SO HAPPY TO TALK TO YOU, UM, AFTERWARDS.
AND, UH, WE TAKE THAT FEEDBACK TO HEART.
OH, LORD, WHAT ARE WE DOING ABOUT THAT VA PARKING? IS THERE ANYTHING ON THE RADAR IN THE NEXT 5, 10, 15 YEARS ABOUT THE VA PARKING? YES.
SO OUR PARKING, I SHOULD SAY OUR PARKING IS FREE ALL THE TIME, RIGHT? YEAH.
IF YOU CAN FIND, YEAH, 12 MILES AWAY, IF YOU CAN FIND IT, YOU CAN.
SO, SO PARKING, WE ARE, WE ARE, IF YOU'RE GOING DOWNTOWN, GET IT THERE A LITTLE BIT EARLY, THE PARKING'S TIGHTER.
LATELY, WE DO HAVE MORE EMPLOYEES RETURNING TO WORK.
WE, WE SEE THOUSANDS OF VETERANS EVERY DAY.
UM, A COUPLE SOLUTIONS THOUGH.
SO SOME THINGS WE ARE DOING FOR EMPLOYEES, WE'RE C CERTAINLY TIGHTENING UP SECURITY, MAKING SURE THEY'RE PARKING IN THE RIGHT SPOT, INCREASING OUR VAN POOLS TO EMPLOYEES.
UM, WE HAVE SOME SPOTS AL ALLOCATED TO US AT A NEARBY HOTEL ON OUR CAMPUS.
SO WE'RE WORKING TO MAXIMIZE THAT.
UM, I'M ALSO ONE OF MY, MY SIDE JOBS AT VA'S OVERSEEING VALET PARKING.
SO WE HAVE A VALET PARKING PROGRAM.
UH, WE'VE BEEN REALLY WORKING HARD ON THAT.
WE HAVE A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION ON CAMPUS, WHICH HAS SLOWED SOME THINGS DOWN, BUT THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS WE'VE MADE SOME CHANGES.
I'M CLOCKING IT MYSELF ABOUT FIVE TIMES A WEEK.
UM, NORMALLY ABOUT A 10 MINUTE DROP OFF TIME.
AND LATELY ABOUT 10 TO 15 MINUTES FOR PICKUP TIME.
SO PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE VA DO NOT LEAVE VA IF, IF YOU GET THERE FOR AN APPOINTMENT, YOU CAN'T FIND PARKING, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO SWING BY THAT VALET TODAY.
WE STILL HAD SPOTS IN OUR VALET.
THAT'S A SERVICE THAT IS THERE FOR OUR VETERANS.
SO THAT'S ONE THING I ASK YOU TO LEAN ON.
UM, WE'RE NOT BUILDING A PARKING GARAGE ANYTIME SOON.
UM, BUT WE'RE WORKING JUST TO MAKE SURE, UH, VALETS EFFICIENT AND THAT PEOPLE ARE LEGALLY PARKING IN SPOTS.
I COULD, THAT I'D LIKE TO OFFER YOU TO PARK OUT AT THE AIRPORT,
THE NEW METRO SERVICE WE HAVE TO GEORGIA AND THEN METRO IN TOWN.
I SPENT OVER 30 YEARS AS A WARRANT OFFICER IN THE MILITARY, BOTH ON THE ACTIVE SIDE AND THE A CRT SIDE.
AND MY PET PEEVE IS TO SEE THESE YOUNG GUYS IN THE RESERVE AND NATIONAL GUARDS.
THEY COME IN, YOU SHAKE AND BAKE HIM, SEND 'EM OVER TO ALL IRAQ, GUY AFGHANISTAN.
THEY GO OUT THE WIRE, THEY GO OVER THERE WIDE EYES GLASS.
HE'S SCARED BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE NO EXPERIENCE.
YOU THROW 'EM IN THE, IN THE, IN THE SOUP,
[01:10:01]
AND THEN WHEN THEY COME BACK, YOU THROW 'EM AWAY.I THINK THE VA NEED TO GET PEOPLE TO RECOGNIZE WHEN THEY TALK TO A YOUNG KID, LOOKING HIM IN THE EYES, LISTEN TO WHAT HE SAY BECAUSE HE'S LOST AND HE THROW 'EM BACK OUT HERE WITH NO HELP.
IT TAKE HIM THREE OR FOUR YEARS TO GET VA SERVICE.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE SOMEBODY STEADY STAY ON HIM AND PUSH HIM AGAIN.
BUT WHEN HE GO DOWN THERE, HE GET TALKED DOWN ON.
HE'S TRYING TO GET SOMETHING FOR NOTHING WHEN HE'S GIVING HIS LIFE WHOLE SERVICE.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE THE VA NEED TO STEP UP AT.
I GET GOOD SERVICE FROM THE VA BECAUSE I GOT THE YEARS TO KNOW, TO KEEP PUSHING.
BUT THE YOUNG KIDS, WHEN THEY LOST, THEY HAVE NO DIRECTION.
SO VA IS DOING WONDERFUL THINGS, BUT THEY NEED TO STEP IT UP ON THEIR KIDS.
SO I'LL SAY, UM, ON BEHALF OF THE COMMUNITY, UM, WE GO TO ELLINGTON FIELD.
WE HAVE, THERE'S A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT INSTALLATIONS AROUND TOWN THAT YOU MAY EVEN NOTICE THERE UP ABOVE 45 ON RANKIN, DOWN WESTHEIMER, UH, AND THERE'S A MARINE CORPS BASE ON GALVESTON.
A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT.
AND THEY HAVE A LARGE RESERVE UNIT IN ADDITION TO THE FEW ACTIVE DUTY.
SO WE DO OUR BEST AS A COMMUNITY TO GO TO THEM.
UM, I WILL SAY COMBINED ARMS HAS BEEN PHENOMENAL IN, UM, SETTING UP THE POP-UP SHOPS FOR THE FOOD BANKS.
UH, IT IS, IT'S, IT'S ALMOST A TEAR JERKER EXPERIENCE WHEN YOU GO ON ELLINGTON FIELD FOR THE FREE FOOD.
AND BY THE TIME WE'RE DONE SETTING UP, IT'S A WHOLE LINE OF CARS IN THEIR UNIFORM ASKING FOR FOOD.
SO WE DO OUR BEST AS A COMMUNITY TO COLLABORATE TO MAKE SURE THAT NO ACTIVE DUTY OR RESERVIST IS GOING WITHOUT FOOD.
UH, WE MAKE SURE THAT THERE ARE SERVICES IN TERMS OF TRANSITION TO THE CIVILIAN POPULATION, UM, FOR EMPLOYMENT.
THERE'S A LOT OF AGENCIES THAT ARE THERE TO WRAP OUR ARMS AROUND THEM TO SUPPORT THEM.
SO IF THERE ISN'T, THERE'S ANYBODY THAT YOU KNOW THAT IS STRUGGLING, REACH OUT TO THE CITY, REACH OUT TO THE HARRIS COUNTY, REACH OUT TO COMBINED ARMS, AND WE WILL, WE WILL DO EVERYTHING WE CAN.
ANYBODY KNOWS ME KNOWS I'M BIG ON TEXTING AND I ALWAYS SAY, HEY, WE GOT SOMEONE WHO'S STRUGGLING.
HEY, WE GOT SOMEONE WHO NEEDS, UH, A RESUME REVISION.
WE GOT SOMEONE WHO'S STRUGGLING WITH EMPLOYMENT.
WE DO WHAT WE CAN TO COME TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY.
NOW I'LL LET THE VA SPEAK FOR THE VA, BUT I CAN SAY FOR THE CITY, HARRIS COUNTY, WE DO OUR BEST TO COME TOGETHER WITH THE OTHER AGENCIES IN THE COMMUNITY TO SUPPORT THOSE WHO ARE ACTIVELY SERVING.
THOSE ARE THE RESERVES, UH, AND THE FAMILY MEMBERS AS WELL.
SO I, I'D LIKE TO SHARE A LITTLE STORY.
SO I WAS ON ACTIVE DUTY WHEN MY DAUGHTER WAS IN IRAQ, AND I WAS IN COMMAND WAITING.
UH, HAD JUST RECEIVED A, UH, ONE OF MY SOLDIERS THAT WE HAD DEPLOYED.
WE HAD RECEIVED, WE WERE RECEIVING HIM BACK.
UH, HE WAS ONE OF THE FIRST SOLDIERS THAT WE LOST IN COMBAT FOR THAT UNIT, UH, IN OVER A HUNDRED YEARS.
SO WE HAD NOT LOST ANYONE, UH, IN THAT UNIT.
UM, AND I WAS SITTING AND I GOT A PHONE CALL, UM, FROM DOVER AIR FORCE BASE.
AND YOU KNOW, IF YOU GET A CALL FROM DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, THAT'S WHERE THEY BRING OUR SERVICE MEMBERS BACK.
AND I SEE THIS CALL COMING IN, AND ALL I COULD THINK OF WAS MY DAUGHTER.
AND, UM, AND, AND THIS RAN THROUGH MY HEAD WITHIN SECONDS.
SO ALL I REALIZED, THEY'RE NOT GONNA CALL YOU.
SO I ANSWER THE PHONE, IT WAS ABOUT MY SOLDIER.
SO I TELL YOU THAT STORY, BECAUSE THIS IS VERY PERSONAL ABOUT THE CARE THAT WE PROVIDE AT THE VA.
SO WE HAVE A PROGRAM CALLED, UH, M TWO VA, MILITARY TO VA.
WE'RE IN CONSTANT CONTACT WITH, UH, UH, DOD.
AND WE GET SERVICE MEMBERS THAT ARE COMING OFF ACTIVE DUTY.
WE'VE DONE A LOT OF OUTREACH WITH THE COLLEGES AND, UH, LOTS OF ORGANIZATIONS.
WE GO OUT TO THE RESERVE UNITS WHEN THEY ARE COMING BACK FROM DEPLOYMENT.
[01:15:01]
AND THE GOAL IS TO CATCH THEM WHEN THEY'RE COMING OFF ACTIVE DUTY, RIGHT? WHEN THEY'RE COMING BACK AND WE'RE LINKING THEM UP TO MEDICAL CARE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.AND THEN WE FOLLOW THEM AND WE TRACK THEM.
DO WE ALWAYS DO A GREAT JOB AT IT? PROB MAYBE NOT.
AND DOES SOMEBODY FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS? ABSOLUTELY.
YOU KNOW, AND I CONTINUE TO, UM, WORK AND ADVOCATE FOR MY DAUGHTER WHO IS NOW A RETIRED, UH, UH, VETERAN AND WORK FOR HER MEDICAL CARE, ADVOCATE FOR IT, YOU KNOW.
BUT MENTAL HEALTH CARE IS STILL ONE OF THE BEST THINGS THAT THE VA DOES.
WE PROVIDE SOME OF THE BEST SERVICES THERE ARE.
WE KNOW HOW TO TAKE CARE OF OUR VETERANS.
SO IF WE CAN GET THEM IN, WE TAKE CARE OF THEM.
SO IF YOU HAVE SOMEONE THAT YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT, CONTACT US.
THERE ARE LOTS OF OP UH, UH, WINDOWS OF OPPORTUNITY TO CONTACT US.
THERE ARE LOTS OF DOORS TO COME IN.
WE WILL RESPOND TO OUR VETERANS WHO NEED MENTAL HEALTH CARE.
LITERALLY THERE'S A HOTLINE NUMBER.
WE HAVE STAFF THAT ARE STAFFING THE ED TO MAKE SURE THAT IF THERE'S ANYONE THAT HAS NEEDS, WE'RE TAKING CARE OF OUR VETERANS.
SO IF YOU HAVE SOMEONE THAT YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT, LET US KNOW.
LET US KNOW, BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT I'VE SEEN.
AND I ALSO AM THE DAUGHTER OF A, UH, VIETNAM ERA VETERAN WHO CAME BACK WITH ALL THE COMPLEXITIES OF VIETNAM THAT I GREW UP WITH.
SO SOME OF YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I'M SAYING WHEN I SAY THAT.
MY DAD, HE HAD THREE TOURS IN VIETNAM.
HE WAS A GREEN BERET, WELL DECORATED, BUT SAW A LOT, A LOT.
AND AS A KID GROWING UP WITH A PARENT WHO EXPERIENCED THAT, YOU PROBABLY EXPERIENCED SOME THINGS.
SO YEAH, I EXPERIENCED SOME THINGS GROWING UP WITH MY FATHER, WHO WAS A GREAT, GREAT, UH, SOLDIER AND A GREAT PARENT.
BUT I, HE SAW SOME THINGS AND WE SAW SOME THINGS WITHIN HIM THAT HE EXPERIENCED.
AND SO NOW THAT WE'RE AT THIS NEXT GENERATION OF YOUNG PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, WHEN I THINK ABOUT MY DAUGHTER, YOU KNOW, WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE REACHING OUT TO THAT POPULATION BECAUSE THEY'RE A DIFFERENT BREED.
WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE A DIFFERENT BREED.
THEY COME IN, THEY LOOK DIFFERENT, THEY SPEAK DIFFERENT, THEY RECEIVE DIFFERENT.
WE'RE DOING TELEMENTAL HEALTH, WE'RE DOING VVC.
WE'RE LOOKING AT WAYS AND OPPORTUNITIES TO ACCESS AND, AND APPROACH THEM IN WAYS THAT THEY CAN RECEIVE IT.
SO IF YOU NEED HELP WITH THAT, PLEASE REACH OUT.
WELL, SO MY NAME IS BOB GHAR, UH, VIETNAM VETERAN.
SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO IN, I SEE WE'VE GOT A REPRESENTATIVE FROM WESLEY HUNT, BECAUSE THIS IS NOT REALLY A CITY ISSUE, BUT IT'S A FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ISSUE.
AND I GO TO GALVESTON OR TEXAS CITY, UH, EVERY MONTH TO HELP FEED OUR VETERANS AND CURRENTLY SERVING VETERANS, OUR SERVICE MEMBERS.
UM, AND I'D GONE TO THE ONE AT ELLINGTON.
AND WHAT I'M GONNA SAY IS THAT THERE, IT, IT BREAKS MY HEART, NUMBER ONE, WHEN I'M THERE AND I'M SERVING MY FELLOW VIETNAM VETERANS.
BUT MORE THAN THAT, IT'S WHEN OUR CURRENTLY SERVING MEMBERS ARE IN THAT LINE BEGGING FOR FOOD.
AND TAKE THAT BACK TO, TO, UH, WESLEY HUNT, PLEASE.
I MEAN, WE HAVE GOT TO DO SOMETHING TO DO, TAKE BETTER CARE OF OUR VETERANS AND MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE FOOD, THAT THEY HAVE, THE FOOD THAT THEY NEED, AND THE ABILITY TO GET IT.
THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE TO BE COMING TO THE FOOD BANK TO DO THAT.
AND THE OTHER THING WE NEED, UM, AFTER THIS, I WILL, AND THANK YOU.
GAVE ME A FLAG THE OTHER DAY, SO THANK YOU.
UM, BUT THE OTHER THING I WANNA SAY, WE NEED IN HOUSTON, WE NEED
[01:20:01]
A COMMISSARY, WHAT WE HAVE AT ELLINGTON.I'VE BEEN THERE FOR THE FIRST TIME AND IT AIN'T GOOD.
SO
HAS ANYBODY BEEN THERE? NO, THAT IS A TRUE STATION.
THEY, THEY HAVE EIGHT, EIGHT ROWS OF ALCOHOL.
SO WE ARE, THANK YOU FOR THE COMING MR. GEHART.
THAT'S A GREAT PX FOR ALCOHOL.
SO NOBODY'S REALLY COMPLAINED ABOUT THE PX, BUT I'VE GOTTEN COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE ID SITUATION, UM, AND ELLINGTON FIELD FOR THOSE WHO WERE TRYING TO GET THEIR ID.
I REACHED OUT TO THEM LAST WEEK.
UM, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS LITERALLY CLOSED THE OFFICE ON ELLINGTON FIELD THAT DOES AN ID.
HOWEVER, UH, I HAVE ANOTHER RESOURCE, SO IF ANYBODY'S HAVING ANY PROBLEMS GETTING A, UM, THEIR ID, LET ME KNOW.
'CAUSE I DO HAVE ANOTHER RESOURCE THAT IS WILLING TO DO THE ID AND ACTUALLY IS THE COAST GUARD.
THE COAST GUARD SAID, HEY, WE HAVE AN OFFICE.
SO IF ANYBODY IS NEEDS TO GET THEIR ID OR SPOUSE NEEDS TO GET THEIR ID, LET ME KNOW AND I'LL CONNECT YOU WITH THAT LOCAL OFFICE HERE.
AND SOME OF THESE ISSUES ARE, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A, A MAJOR MILITARY BASE, UM, SOME OF THE OTHER ISSUES WE'VE HAD IS THAT THERE'S NO BARRACKS ON ELLINGTON FIELD.
UM, THERE'S NOT A LOT WE CAN DO ABOUT THAT.
UM, BUT THOSE ARE SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'VE GOTTEN.
NOW WE'LL HAVE TO WORK ON THAT COMMISSARY, I DUNNO WHAT TO TELL YOU ABOUT THAT.
UM, SO IF THERE'S ANYBODY ELSE THAT WANTS TO COME UP, PLEASE COME ON UP RIGHT NOW.
IF YOU ASK HIM ABOUT THIS PARKING AGAIN, COME ON.
HI, MY NAME IS MARTINA MCNICHOLS AND I JUST WANTED TO LET THE YOUNG MAN KNOW THERE'S A PROGRAM CALLED ONWARD OPS FOR INDIVIDUALS TRANSITIONING.
I'M A VOLUNTEER SO THEY CAN SIGN UP.
THIS IS ABOUT PARKING, BUT IT'S ALSO ABOUT BRANDING.
SO I DO NOTICE THAT, UH, SO MY GRANDPA, UH, HELPED WRECK THE, UH, VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK, UH, PARK OVER LOCATED BY THE HARDY TOLL ROAD.
SO IF YOU EVER SEE THE GAS MASK UP ON THE TOP, I'M, I'M ALWAYS THINKING THAT IT WAS FOR ME.
'CAUSE I WAS A CHEMICAL, BIOLOGICAL, RADIOLOGICAL, NUCLEAR DEFENSE SPECIALIST, DID GAS CHAMBERS.
SO, BUT THE QUESTION IS, HARRIS COUNTY HAS A PURPLE DESIGNATION.
CITY OF HOUSTON HAS A PER PURPLE, PURPLE HEART DESIGNATION.
BUT SOME OF THE AREAS WHERE THEY NEED PURPLE HEART PARKING IS PROBABLY AREAS LIKE THOSE.
AND SO MAYBE WE LOOK INTO AREAS AT, OUT OF, IN HARRIS COUNTY OVER THERE, MAYBE BRANDED OUT.
BECAUSE MOST OF THE TIME WHEN, WHEN KIDS SEE THAT, THEY'RE LIKE, WELL, WHAT'S THAT? AND THEN, YOU KNOW, IT CREATES A CONVERSATION THAT SUPPORTS VETERANS ACROSS THE WORLD.
SO, JUST SO YOU'RE ASKING ABOUT MORE PURPLE HEART? YES.
PARKING IN VETERAN MEMORIALS IN COUNTY PARKS, IN CITY PARKS RIGHT OUT HERE.
SO, UM, THERE MIGHT BE ONE OUT THERE.
MR. MATTHEWS, YOU WANNA GET A PIECE WITH A PURPLE HEART FOUND? YOU WANNA GET UP AND TALK ABOUT THAT? YOU HAVE A PURPLE HEART VETERAN RIGHT HERE.
HUH? SO I DIDN'T COME FOR PURPLE HEART TONIGHT, BUT MY NAME IS MICHAEL MATTHEWS AND I AM THE MILITARY OR THE PURPLE HEART, UH, STATE COMMANDER, UM, FOR THE STATE OF TEXAS.
SO WHEN IT COMES TO THE PURPLE HEART SIGNS, IT'S VERY DOABLE.
TYPICALLY WHAT WE DO IS, IS CERTAIN ORGANIZATIONS ASK US ABOUT THE PURPLE HEART SIGNS OR THE DESIGNATION SIGNS BECAUSE THERE'S THREE DIFFERENT SIGNS.
YOU HAVE YOUR, UH, PURPLE HEART RECIPIENT PARKING SIGNS THAT ARE DESIGNED JUST LIKE, UH, A HANDICAPPED PARKING SPACE, BUT IT'S A, FOR PURPLE HEART RECIPIENTS.
YOU HAVE YOUR SPONSOR PURPLE HEART SIGNS, WHERE IF A BUILDING SUCH AS THIS ONE, IF THEY WANTED TO PUT ONE OUT, THEY COULD PUT IT AND IT WOULD DESIGNATE THIS BUILDING AND EMANCIPATION PARK AS A PURPLE HEART SPONSOR OR ENTITY.
AND THEN THE THIRD ONE IS A PURPLE HEART AFFILIATE, MEANING LIKE A, THE VA, IF WE PUT SOMETHING UP AT THE VA, YOU COULD HAVE A PURPLE HEART SIGN.
YOU COULD HAVE ALL THREE IF YOU WANT IT, BECAUSE IT'S A VA.
SO IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, IF ANYBODY IN HERE IS INTERESTED IN, UH, JUST FEEL FREE TO ASK ME AND I CAN SHOW YOU AND DIRECT YOU IN THE WAY TO GET THE SIGNS, BECAUSE WE ORDER 'EM DIRECTLY FROM, UH, DOT.
ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERN? NO, CHANDRA.
UM, WE'RE A MONTH AWAY FROM THE, UH, FROM MEMORIAL DAY.
WHAT ARE THE PLANS? SO WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON, OF COURSE, WE ALWAYS GO OUT TO
[01:25:01]
THE VA CEMETERY TO SUPPORT, UH, THE MEMORIAL DAY OUT THERE.AND WE DO GO OUT THERE TO DO THE FLAGS.
AND OF COURSE, CHRISTMAS, WE DO THE REEFS.
UM, BUT WE, WE PARTNER WITH THE VA AND WE GO OUT TO THE VA.
I KNOW SOME OF THE CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS, THEY HAVE STUFF IN THEIR DISTRICT.
I DON'T KNOW IF THE, IS THE VA DOING ANYTHING FOR MEMORIAL DAY? MR.
UH, BUT THE CITY, WE, WE DO STUFF AT THE, UH, VA CEMETERY.
AND LIKE I SAID, SOME OF THE CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS, THEY DO STUFF IN THEIR DISTRICT, UH, NO CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 18.
THEY DO SOME THINGS FOR MEMORIAL DAY.
BUT IF YOU HAVE ANY, UM, VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES OR ANYTHING THAT YOU KNOW THAT'S GOING ON, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
AND I WILL DEFINITELY PUT IT ON OUR FACEBOOK AND ON OUR WEBSITE TO LET THE PUBLIC KNOW.
UM, ANY MORE QUESTIONS? GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.
MY NAME IS DERRICK WILLIAMS. I'M A US ARMY VETERAN CORPS OF ENGINEERS WHO, UM, I AM VERY BRAND NEW TO THIS.
I'VE GOTTEN, I'VE BEEN OUT THE ARMY SINCE 2012 AND RECENTLY MOVED BACK TO HEBREW RECENTLY, BUT BEEN IN HOUSTON ABOUT FOUR YEARS NOW.
MOVED BACK AND I AM A PART OF HUD VASH.
AND I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO HUD VASH AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE DONE, UH, BY GETTING ME AND MY FAMILY INTO STABLE HOUSING HERE IN HOUSTON.
BUT I WILL SAY THIS IS, I'M NOT GONNA SAY I'M THE YOUNGEST VETERAN IN HERE, BUT I DON'T SEE TOO MANY OTHER YOUNGER VETERANS IN HERE.
AND I KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF YOUNG VETERANS IN HERE WHO DO NOT KNOW ABOUT THESE PROGRAMS. I WAS ONE OF 'EM, I DID NOT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT ANYTHING THAT YOU ALL DO HERE.
AND I HAD TO GO THROUGH THE PAINFUL PROCESS OF TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT ON MY OWN AND BUMPING MY HEAD.
THEN I HELPED MY FRIEND OUT AND HIS PROCESS TOOK, YOU KNOW, NOT AS LONG BECAUSE I KNEW HOW TO LEAD HIM THROUGH IT.
BUT I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY OR ADD TO THAT, IF THERE COULD BE ANY MORE ADVERTISEMENT OR MARKETING BEHIND THAT, OF GETTING THIS MESSAGE OUT TO THE YOUNGER VETERANS WHO DID DEPLOY TO VARIOUS COMBAT ZONES AND WHO HAVE THAT PRIDE THAT THEY WEAR ON THEIR CHEST TO WHERE IT'S HARD TO ASK FOR THAT KIND OF HELP AND SEE YOURSELF IN THAT LIGHT OF ASKING FOR FOOD OR ASKING FOR A HANDOUT WHEN YOU'RE WILLING TO WORK FOR IT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, IT IS WHAT IT IS RIGHT NOW.
BUT AGAIN, JUST HAVING THAT MARKETING ADVERTISEMENT BEHIND IT SO WE CAN HELP MORE YOUNGER VETERANS GET INTO THESE POSITIONS TO WHERE THEY CAN BE STABLE HERE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
UM, WE DO OUR BEST, UH, 'CAUSE WE KNOW THAT WITH THE YOUNGER GENERATION, SOCIAL MEDIA IS THE BEST WAY TO GET THROUGH TO, UH, OUR YOUNGER GENERATION.
BUT OUR VFWS AND AMERICAN LEGIONS AREN'T WHAT THEY USED TO BE.
WE'RE NOW SEEING YOUNGER VETERANS ACTUALLY SHOW UP.
THE VFWS IS NOT ALWAYS ABOUT A DRINKING OR WATERING HOLE, BUT LET'S A PLACE TO BE AROUND, UH, PEOPLE IN YOUR COMMUNITY THAT YOU CAN RELATE TO, UM, THAT UNDERSTANDS WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO, UH, GOING THROUGH.
SO WE DO HAVE A VERY SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY.
SO I CHALLENGE YOU TO GET THE CARDS OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS.
AGAIN, WE'RE ALWAYS TEXTING EACH OTHER, WE'RE ALWAYS POSTING STUFF.
I KNOW REGINALD, UM, WITH HIS VETERANS AND, UH, VETERANS FAITH INITIATIVE, ALWAYS SENDING OUT FLYERS.
UH, THERE'S ALWAYS STEAK NIGHT OR BURGER NIGHT OR SOME NIGHT WHERE YOU CAN JUST GO AND SHOW UP AND JUST BE AROUND YOUR PEERS THAT UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH.
AND YOU CAN ALWAYS SAY, HEY, I'M HOMELESS.
THERE'S, I GUARANTEE YOU SOMEONE'S GONNA GIVE YOU SOME INFORMATION OR A CARD OR SOMETHING TO SOMEONE THAT WILL DEFINITELY BE ABLE TO ASSIST YOU.
BUT WORD OF MOUTH IS ALWAYS THE BEST.
SO IF YOU FIND SOMEONE THAT IS STRUGGLING, TELL THEM, UH, ABOUT THE INFORMATION THAT YOU GOT AND SHARE IT.
AND THEN DEFINITELY REACH OUT TO US AND WE'LL DO OUR BEST TO ASSIST IN ANY WAY THAT WE CAN.
COUNCIL, I MAKE SURE YOU HAD SOMETHING.
AUDI, TERRY CHUNG, US MARINES.
K UH, I'M THE SERVICE OFFICER FOR THE AMERICAN LEGION 6 5 4 AND SPRING BRANCH.
ALSO THE VFW IN SPRING BRANCH AS WELL.
I ALSO WORK FOR SOCIAL SECURITY IN PASADENA.
I DO DISABILITY CLAIMS. SO A LOT OF YOU ALREADY KNOW ME, SO I SHOW UP TO DIFFERENT VETERANS EVENTS.
I'M ALWAYS, I'VE ALREADY BEEN TO LIKE FIVE OF 'EM THIS PAST WEEKEND.
UM, BUT AS MY ROLE OF SERVICE OFFICER ALSO MAINTAIN OUR WEBSITE, LEGION SIX FIVE FOUR.ORG.
SO I POST 1500 VETERANS ORGANIZATIONS AND MY ADDING A, A LOT OF 'EM ARE IN AND AROUND HOUSTON.
'CAUSE WE HAVE JUST SO MANY VETERANS ORGANIZATIONS, THEN WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, TEXAS AND SURROUNDING AND WHATEVER.
[01:30:01]
EVENTS ALL AROUND THE CITY SO THAT VETERANS CAN BE INVOLVED.'CAUSE LIKE WE SAID, THERE'S OVER 300,000 VETERANS MM-HMM
BUT I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE THE STORY, LIKE 290,000 OF 'EM DON'T DO ANYTHING IN THE VETERANS COMMUNITY BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW.
SO I'M PRO ANY VETERANS ORGANIZATION, ANYONE THAT GETS INVOLVED, GETS 'EM TO SOCIALIZE OR GET SERVICES OR WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, I, I JUST VOLUNTEER TO DO THIS 'CAUSE I HAVE A LOT OF PASSION HELPING MY VETERAN FRIENDS.
I'VE LOST OVER 90 PEOPLE SINCE I'VE BEEN OUT IN OH NINE.
AND A GREAT AMOUNT IS DUE TO SUICIDE.
I LOST ONE GUY THAT I WENT TO BOOTCAMP WITH A COUPLE WEEKS AGO ON A MOTORCYCLE.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST KEEPING VETERANS INVOLVED, GIVING IN SERVICES THEY NEED.
SO, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF YOU CAN SEE ON THE ROAD, ON THE FREEWAYS, MARINE CORPS STICKER A DV PLATES OR GOING AROUND DIFFERENT, UH, NEIGHBORHOODS, MARINE CORPS FLAG OR WHATEVER BRANCHES FLAG.
AND I GUARANTEE YOU THEY'RE PROBABLY DON'T DO ANYTHING.
THEY DON'T INTERACT WITH ANYONE.
NOW, SINCE I'VE BEEN OUT IN OH NINE BACK THEN WE HAD BILL WHITE AND ANISE PARKER, UH, BILL WHITE MADE THAT, UM,
IF WE MADE THAT ONE AGAIN, IT'D BE ABOUT THAT THICK.
BUT, UM, IF YOU GO ON MY WEBSITE, LEGION SIX FIVE FOUR.ORG, YOU CAN SEE ALL THE ORGANIZATIONS I PUT ON THERE.
YOU CAN DOWNLOAD IT AS AN EXCEL SPREADSHEET, PUT IT ON YOUR OWN WEBSITES, YOU KNOW.
SO WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND WRAP IT UP, BUT I DO WANT TO RECOGNIZE A FEW PEOPLE.
COREY GLENN, UH, DISTRICT D UM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SHABAZZ HAND, COREY, UM, CC PLUMMER WITH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER LETICIA PLUMMER'S OFFICE CC, WHERE YOU AT? SCOTT? I'M SORRY.
WELL, LETITIA PLUMMER'S OFFICE.
THANK YOU, UM, FOR SUPPORTING US.
UM, AND THEN, UM, NOBODY ELSE THAT WE'RE GONNA LET STATE, STATE REP JARVIS JOHNSON.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR DOING THIS.
AND THANK ALL OF YOU WHO ARE ASSEMBLED HERE AS A FORMER CITY COUNCILMAN, THE STATE REP.
UM, WE TALK A LOT ABOUT VETERANS, BUT HONESTLY, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS NEEDED.
AND SO TODAY, AS I COME HERE, UM, I'M LISTENING, I'M LEARNING, BUT SPECIFICALLY AS WE TALK ABOUT THE VOUCHERS, HOUSING VOUCHERS, I, I'M SURE A THOUSAND VOUCHERS IS NOT ENOUGH.
UM, HOW DO WE GET TO A POINT WHERE WE'RE ADVOCATING ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL, ON THE STATE LEVEL AND THE CITY LEVEL TO SPECIFICALLY SAY WHAT IS IT EXACTLY THAT WE NEED? AND SO AS ALL OF THOSE ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT ARE HERE CAN IN CONCERT AND COHESION SAY, THIS IS HOW MUCH MONEY IS NEEDED.
BECAUSE QUITE FRANKLY, WHILE I'M NOT A VETERAN, MY FATHER, MY UNCLE, MY GRANDFATHER, A HOST OF COUSINS ARE ALL VETERANS.
BUT WE ALL, EVERY TIME WE SEE A VETERAN, WE ALWAYS SAY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
AND THEN I GET EMBARRASSED AND ANGRY WHEN WE DON'T PROVIDE ENOUGH SERVICES FOR THOSE VETERANS.
AND SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING A BETTER JOB FROM THE FEDERAL LEVEL, THE STATE LEVEL, AND THE CITY LEVEL TO ADDRESS THOSE NEEDS.
BECAUSE IF WE TRULY WANT TO BE THE PATRIOTS THAT WE ALL SAY THAT WE ARE, THEN WE WOULD, THAT WOULD BE AT THE TOP OF OUR PRIORITY, THAT'S RIGHT LIST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE TAKING CARE OF NOT ONLY YOUR, THE UNHOUSED, BUT THOSE THAT HAVE DEALT WITH THE PTSD, THOSE THAT ARE DEALING WITH THE, THE DENTAL ASSISTANCE, PARKING
WE CERTAINLY NEED TO DO A LOT BETTER JOB.
BUT I'M SAYING ALL THAT TO SAY, AS A FORMER ELECTED OFFICIAL, I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER GOTTEN THE 1, 2, 3.
AND THE PRIORITY LIST TO SAY THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE NEED.
AND THEN, AND WE THEN IN CONCERT, WE CAN ALL GO TO THE BUDGETARY PROCESS TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE RECEIVING WHAT IS IT THAT YOU NEED.
AND SO AGAIN, I'M ASKING HOW CAN I GET THOSE PRIORITIES OF VOUCHERS, THE UNHOUSED, THE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE MEDICAL SERVICES.
BUT WHAT IS THE PRIORITY? WE'RE NOT GONNA FIX EVERYTHING OVERNIGHT, RIGHT? BUT WE CERTAINLY CAN START LOOKING AT WHAT THE PRIORITY IS.
AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE'S SOME INFORMATION, BECAUSE I KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF ORGANIZATIONS HERE, BUT WHAT'S THE PRIORITY AND HOW CAN I, AS A FORMER STATE REP, YOU KNOW, CAN HELP TO
[01:35:01]
COMMUNICATE THAT TO MY COLLEAGUES THAT ARE STILL THERE.SO OF COURSE THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY IS HOUSING.
AND IT'S PROBABLY GONNA ALWAYS BE HOUSING.
HOW DO WE GET SOMEONE HOUSED THE QUICKEST WAY POSSIBLE? UM, AND SO US AS A COMMUNITY, WE RELY OF COURSE ON THE VA TO HELP US WITH VOUCHERS.
OR WE GO TO OTHER AGENCIES FOR THOSE WHO ARE FACING EVICTION AND MAY NEED RENTAL ASSISTANCE.
SO NUMBER ONE PRIORITY, UM, THAT I KNOW WOULD BE HOUSING.
UH, AND I CAN LET THE, THE VA TALK COUNCIL MEMBER IF YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THAT.
AND OF COURSE, UM, UH, FOOD INSECURITY.
AND THEN OF COURSE THERE'S THE OTHER ISSUES WITH THE PTSD MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.
SO THOSE I THINK WOULD BE THE TOP PRIORITIES.
SO THAT'S, MAYBE THAT'S THE TOP PRIORITY.
JARVIS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR, THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU JUST STATED.
LET ME, LET ME SAY THIS, UH, IN REGARDS TO WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SO FAR, I'VE BEEN SERVING ON COUNCIL FOR A YEAR AND FOUR MONTHS.
IT FEEL LIKE IT, IT FEEL LIKE IT.
NOW LET TELL YOU, SO FAR I'M, I'M PROBABLY KNOWN AS THE TOWN HALL COUNCIL MEMBER.
JUST OUT OF, FROM A STANDPOINT, AS AN AT LARGE COUNCIL, THE IDEA OF THIS, WHAT DR. JONES IS DOING IN DOING THIS IS PHENOMENAL.
NUMBER ONE, THIS HAVEN'T BEEN DONE.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHEN YOU UNDERSTAND.
NOW, COLLECTIVELY WITH THAT, LET ME TELL YOU WHY SO MUCH OF THIS.
I SAID EARLIER THAT I CAME INTO COUNCIL WITH A CHIP ON MY SHOULDER.
I COME FROM A VETERAN FAMILY, TWO GRANDFATHERS SERVING IN WORLD WAR I, SOME SERVED IN WORLD WAR II.
BUT ALONG WITH SERVING THE CITY, YOU CAN'T OVERLOOK THE VETERANS.
THE PROBLEM THAT A LOT OF THESE PRIORITIES HAVE NOT BEEN ADDRESSED.
AND THANK GOD WE HAVE A MAYOR NOW WHO KIND OF ME AGAIN TO SOMETHING KIND OF LIKE A LAY LIAISON FOR THE VETERANS.
AND I AM THAT BULL IN THE CHINA CAN ABOUT IT.
AND I'M TRYING TO GO ABOUT IT BECAUSE WHY THE CITY AS A WHOLE HAVE NOT ADDRESSED THE FACT OF WHAT I SERVICE MEN AND WOMEN HAVE DONE AND WHAT THEY MEAN TO ME.
I GOT ALL THOSE NEGATIVE THINGS BEING SAID TO ME.
OF COURSE MY MOTHER DIDN'T LIKE IT, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, AS HER CHILD.
BUT IT WAS, IT WAS WHAT IT WAS.
WE DON'T, WE HAVE NOT HAD ENOUGH ADVOCATING FROM CITY COUNCIL ABOUT OUR VETERAN NEEDS.
SO THAT'S WHY I'M NOT SHY OR APOLOGETIC ABOUT BRINGING THIS ISSUE UP.
WE NEED MORE OF US ADVOCATING.
THERE ARE 16 DISTRICTS IN THIS CITY, AB ACTUALLY 11 AND FIVE WITH AT LARGE.
THERE OUGHT TO BE MORE OF US ADVOCATING.
'CAUSE THERE'S VETERANS THAT LIVE IN EVERY DISTRICT, EVERY DISTRICT.
AND THESE PROBLEMS ARE AT THAT PLACE WHERE WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH IT AND WE HAVE TO COME TOGETHER.
I'M NOT JUST THE TALKER, I'M THE PLANNER.
I, EARLY ON THEY TALKED ABOUT HOW DO WE GET THAT INFORMATION OUT.
HERE'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE DON'T DO.
WE HAVE CHURCHES IN EVERY COMMUNITY IN THIS CITY, EVERY COMMUNITY WE HAVE, WHICH WE CAN GET THOSE INFORMATION, WHICH IS WHAT I INTEND TO DO.
I WORK WITH DIRECTOR SATELLITE.
I WORK, I GO TO METRO WHERE CHIEF UH, MAN, 10 YEARS, OUR CHIEF OF POLICE, ALL OF THESE PEOPLE HAVE BECOME IN RELATIONSHIP WITH ME.
'CAUSE THEY KNOW I'M GONNA DEAL WITH IT.
WE NEED, AND YOUR QUESTION, JARVIS, IS ON TARGET.
WE GOTTA BE HELD MORE ACCOUNTABLE.
THE INFORMATION COULD GO THROUGH OUR CHURCHES.
WHAT ABOUT OUR PUBLIC ANNOUNCERS? KTSU 1 0 2.
WE NEED TO USE THESE RESOURCES.
THE TV CHANNELS OUGHT TO GIVE THE STUFF FREE.
THESE MEN AND WOMEN HAVE SERVED OUR NATION.
LOOK AT OUR VETERANS DAY PARADE.
YOU CAN'T HARDLY GET PEOPLE OUT.
AND I BELIEVE THAT WHAT WE HAVE TO DO AS A CITY WITH LEADERSHIP THAT WE HAVE DR. JONES, SHE DOES SO MUCH, SHE RUNS ALL OVER EVERYWHERE.
BUT WE'VE GOTTA GET, LEMME SAY THIS SOMETHING, I'M GONNA BE QUIET.
I DON'T TRY TO, I TALK LESS AT CITY COUNCIL, BUT I TALK WHEN I NEED TO TALK.
RIGHT? AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I TELL EVERYBODY,
[01:40:01]
EVERYBODY IN OUR COUNCIL WORKING A SILO, THEY CALL US A COUNCIL.A COUNCIL MEANS PEOPLE THAT COME TOGETHER, WE WORK IN SILOS.
AND SO WITH THAT, WE GOTTA GET OUT OF THE SILO MENTALITY AND WORK MORE LIKE A COALITION AND TAKE THESE ITEMS SERIOUS.
HOMELESSNESS, HOUSING, FOOD, DENTAL.
I'M SO GLAD THAT BROTHER SPOKE ABOUT DENTAL BECAUSE MAN, I GET TIRED OF WAITING SIX MONTHS TO GET STUFF DONE IN THE DENTAL THAT I NEED TO GET DONE.
SO I, I'M PUTTING TOGETHER ONE, I'M PUTTING TOGETHER A MINISTRY ADVISORY BOARD TO THE MAYOR.
EVERY RACE, EVERY DENOMINATION, ECUMENICAL ACROSS THE CITY.
YOU KNOW WHY I'M DOING THAT? 'CAUSE WHEN WE ALL COME IN THAT ONE ROOM, THE VERY THING THAT WE TALKING ABOUT, WE GOING TO HAVE A PERSON WHO REPRESENT VETERANS.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE A PERSON THAT REPRESENT HOUSING, THE PASTORS, EVERYBODY.
AND WE ALL NEED TO START BEING MORE ACCOUNTABLE.
AND ESPECIALLY TO OUR MEN AND WOMEN OF OUR VETERANS.
IF, IF I MAY SAY THIS AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR DOING THAT.
AND WE, WE HAVE TO GET TOGETHER AND SAY WE'RE GONNA HAVE BEYOND VETERAN'S DAY.
BUT WE'LL HAVE THAT, THAT, THAT THAT VETERAN SUNDAY.
WHERE WE ALL SPEAKING THE SAME THING.
BUT, BUT LEMME GIVE YOU SOME NUMBERS.
IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, LAST YEAR WE HAD IN OUR BUDGET $38 BILLION IN EXCESS.
NOW THAT'S AFTER WE PAID ALL OUR BILLS.
AND WE'VE PUT EVERYTHING 38 BILLION IN EXCESS.
NOW, ONE THING THAT WE KNOW ABOUT VETERANS ARE THERE AREN'T, THEY AREN'T DEMOCRAT, THEY AIN'T REPUBLICAN.
SO THIS SHOULDN'T BE A PARTISAN ISSUE.
THIS SHOULD BE A VETERAN ISSUE.
AND SO THE HOLDING ACCOUNTABLE PART MEANS THAT WE'RE COMING TOGETHER TO SAY SPECIFICALLY, THIS IS WHAT WE NEED FOR HOUSING FIRST.
38 BILLION IN EXCESS IS LARGER THAN SOME STATES BUDGETS.
AND IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, WE WILL AGAIN HAVE THAT IN THE NEXT BIENNIUM, AFTER THIS BIENNIUM.
SO I'M LOOKING FOR WHAT YOU NEED AS THE, THE, THE VETERAN ADMINISTRATION AS VA AS FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
HOW DO WE COME SPECIFICALLY WITH THAT ONE NUMBER TO SAY WE NEED THIS.
AND THEN ALL OF YOU VETERANS THAT ARE HERE, THAT ARE VOTERS.
YOU GO BACK AND YOU SAY, DID YOU, AND WILL YOU, NOT BASED ON YOUR PROMISE, BUT BASED ON YOUR ACTION TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GONNA GET THAT NUMBER, THAT WHATEVER NUMBER THAT YOU GUYS COME TOGETHER WITH FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO SAY THIS IS HOW MUCH WE NEED FOR THAT'S RIGHT.
AND MORE OF OUR VETERANS NEED TO COME TO CITY HALL.
MORE OF OUR VETERANS NEED TO COME TO CITY HALL, PUT THEIR NAME ON THAT LIST, COME DOWN THERE AND SPEAK TO ALL OF THE COUNCIL, THE MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL.
THEY NEED TO COME THERE AND MAKE IT BE KNOWN.
THEY HAVE A RESOURCE THROUGH AND I WILL ADVOCATE THAT'S WHAT WE NEED.
ALL OF THESE GREAT MEN, THEY CAN'T DO IT BY THEMSELVES.
BUT IF WE ALL COME TOGETHER, WE CAN GET THE JOB DONE.
THANK YOU GUYS FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
UM, REAL QUICK, SO I, I WILL SAY THAT METRO HAS AN AWESOME PROGRAM THAT GIVES DISCOUNT TO VETERANS TO RIDE METRO.
SO WE WANTED TO SAY THAT ABOUT METRO.
UM, WE'RE GONNA WRAP THIS UP, BUT I HAVE A COUPLE PEOPLE THAT I WANT TO COME UP.
RUBEN DIAZ, JOHN SMITH, J KO, AND MATTHEW COATS COME ON UP.
SO, UH, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW, THERE'S BEEN TWO OF US, UH, IN OUR OFFICE AND ONE IS RETIRING IN TWO DAYS.
SO I THINK I TOLD Y'ALL THERE'S 300,000 VETERANS IN THE AREA.
SO YEAH, SO I NEED THE SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITY.
AND I, AND AGAIN, I HONESTLY SAY I'VE HAD SOME, SOME AMAZING EXPERIENCES CALLING ON SOME OF THESE, UH, AGENCIES TO SHOW UP WHEN I HAVE ANY ISSUE OR TEXT MESSAGE OR EMAIL THAT COMES THROUGH.
I HAVE A VETERAN THAT NEEDS THAT.
SO REAL QUICK, UM, MR. RUBIN DIAZ, IF YOU WOULD COME UP, QUEENSBERRY CONSTRUCTION.
SO WE'RE GONNA BE FORM A PARTNERSHIP WITH HIM.
UH, HE HAS SOME AMAZING THINGS THAT HIS COMPANY DOES.
SO REAL QUICK, IF YOU COULD TALK ABOUT IT.
THANK YOU AGAIN, COUNCILMAN AND DR. JONES FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK TODAY.
ILLA AND I'M ACTING CEO FOR MY COMPANY, BERRY CONSTRUCTION.
UH, WE ARE A CONSTRUCTION COMPANY THAT FOCUSES ON THE SAH GRANTS THAT ARE OFFERED BY THE VA.
WE HAVE BEEN IN BUSINESS FOR OVER A DECADE OFFERING CONSTRUCTION SERVICES TO OUR COURAGEOUS AND HONORED MEN AND WOMEN.
WE ARE NOT JUST, WE JUST STARTED COMING INTO HOUSTON.
WE HAVE BEEN ALL OVER THE STATE OF TEXAS FROM
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EL PASO TO TEXARKANA ALL THE WAY UP TO OKLAHOMA.SO I KNOW THAT'S NOT TEXAS, BUT THEY DON'T LIKE, THEY, THEY WILL TAKE OUR MONEY.
UM,
UM, WE HAVE AN EXCELLENT CREDIBILITY WITH THE VA OFFICE.
WE HAVE A SHORT TURNAROUND TIME.
UM, IF WE ONLY CATER TO DISABLED VETERANS WHO, AND IF YOU ARE NOT QUALIFIED YET TO HAVE THE GRANT, WE ARE ALSO IN THE PROCESS TO HELPING AND ASSISTING OUR VETERANS TO HOW TO, YOU KNOW, GO UNDERGO THAT LENGTHY PROCESS.
UH, AS YOU, I DON'T KNOW IF THOSE WHO ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE GRANT, IF YOU QUALIFY, YOU GET UP TO ABOUT $121,800 TO GO TOWARD YOUR HOME, UM, THAT WAY.
WE DO ANYTHING FROM WHATEVER YOUR NEEDS ARE.
IT'S NOT NECESSARILY WHAT THE VA DETERMINES WHAT YOUR NEEDS ARE.
WE MEET WITH A CLIENT, DETERMINE WHAT THEY NEED.
IT COULD BE A RAMP, IT COULD BE A NEW HVAC SYSTEM, IT COULD BE EXPANDING THEIR BATHROOMS. IT'S NOTHING MORE REWARDING THAN TO SEE A VETERAN BEING ABLE TO GO INTO USE THEIR FULL, THEIR FULL FLEDGED BATHROOM FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A WHEELCHAIR OPENING UP THE SHOWER.
IT'S EVEN BETTER WHEN YOU SEE A VETERAN IN A WHEELCHAIR WHO HASN'T BEEN IN HIS CLOSET OR HER CLOSET FOR MANY YEARS AND FINALLY HAS A CHANCE TO GO AND PICK OUT THEIR OWN CLOTHES.
OKAY? SO WE DON'T DO MUCH ON THE EXTERIOR SIDE.
WE DON'T EXPAND FOOTPRINT, WE DON'T BUILD AT THIS TIME.
BUT WE DO ANYTHING INTERIOR WISE.
UM, IF YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, WE DO TRAVEL.
WE ARE BASED OUT OF FORT WORTH, TEXAS.
AND LIKE I SAID, WE HAVE NOT TOUCHED HOUSTON BECAUSE IT IS A HUGE MARKET.
AND WE WERE WONDERING HOW TO DO THAT.
AND NOW I'VE COME UP WITH A STRATEGIC PLAN TO DO SO.
AND SO WE ARE NOW COMING INTO HOUSTON METROPOLITAN AREA TO BE ABLE TO ASSIST.
WE GO ALL THE WAY, LIKE I SAID, WE GO AND WE'LL DO TWO, THREE WEEKS OUT ALL OVER THE STATE OF TEXAS IN ORDER TO CATER TO VETERANS.
AND IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE IN THE CITY.
THEY CAN BE IN RURAL COMMUNITIES AND WE WILL CATER TO THEM AS WELL.
AND WE HANDLE EVERYTHING FROM PERMITTING TO THE ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNS AND SO FORTH, WHAT THEY NEED AT THAT.
UM, I'LL BE STANDING IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM AFTER THIS MEETING AND IF I CAN ASSIST AND IF YOU KNOW ANYONE WHO NEEDS ASSISTANCE, I WOULD LOVE FOR US TO TAKE CARE OF THEM.
D UM, JOHN SMITH, COME BY ARMS. THANK YOU.
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS AND I SERVE AS THE SOUTHEAST TEXAS.
I SERVE AS THE SOUTHEAST TEXAS REGIONAL MANAGER FOR COMBINED ARMS. AND SO IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH COMBINED ARMS, WHAT WE ARE IS A ONE-STOP SHOP IN THIS ROOM FOR YOU THAT AREN'T HERE IN THIS ROOM.
THERE'S A LOT OF VALUABLE VETTED ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE HERE.
IF YOU GO ONLINE AND YOU TRY TO GOOGLE, YOU DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE LEGIT.
YOU DON'T KNOW IF YOU QUALIFY.
AND SO WHAT WE HAVE GONE HAS GONE THROUGH, WE'VE CREATED, WE ARE A, WE ARE A TECHNOLOGY NONPROFIT.
COMPLETELY UNIQUE, RIGHT? SO WE GO THROUGH, WE VET THE ORGANIZATIONS BEFORE THEY COME TO OUR PORTAL AND LIKE, JUST LIKE THE MILITARY, WE HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE TO GET BACK TO YOU WITHIN 72 HOURS.
WHY THE COMBAT VETERANS ARE HERE OR ANY OTHER VETERAN THAT IS HERE.
WHAT ARE WE TRAINED TO DO? BE PROACTIVE.
NOT SIT ON OUR HANDS, RIGHT? SO THESE ORGANIZATIONS KNOW TO GET BACK NOW ALL WHAT ARE THESE ORGANIZATIONS? THEY'RE FEDERAL, THEY'RE STATE, THEIR COUNTY, THEY'RE LOCAL.
ALL THESE STATE, FEDERAL ORGANIZATIONS ARE A PART OF MAKING SURE THAT CLIENTS ARE GETTING CONNECTED TO WHY IT'S A NO WRONG DOOR POLICY, RIGHT? SOMEBODY MAY GET BACK THERE CONNECTED WITH NEXT STOP.
HEY, FIND OUT THAT THEY'RE WORKING WITH A WOMEN VETERAN AND THAT HAS AN ISSUE.
THEY'D NOW GET CONNECTED TO CAMP SHIELD, FIND OUT THEY HAVE ANOTHER ISSUE.
NOW THEY'RE HEADING OVER, THEY'RE GONNA SEND THEIR KID TO CAMP IMPACT.
AND THAT'S WHAT IT'S REALLY ABOUT.
SOMEBODY ASKED, WHERE DO YOU FIND OUT, BROTHER? WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION FOR YEARS.
BUT WE ARE COLLABORATING AS A COMMUNITY.
YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW STRONG THE HOUSTON COMMUNITY IS WHEN IT COMES TO THE VETERAN COMMUNITY.
HOUSTON IS NUMBER ONE WHEN IT COMES TO THAT COLLABORATION.
NOT SINGLE ONE OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS HERE HAS A MILLION DOLLARS OR UNLIMITED FUNDS FOR MARKETING.
TRUST ME, I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE TIKTOKS TALKING ABOUT ALL THE GREAT SERVICES, RIGHT? BE ON TV, HAVE BIG OLD SIGNS UP IN THE ASTROS GAMES, BUT IT'S JUST NOT FEASIBLE, RIGHT? BECAUSE THAT MONEY NEEDS TO GO BACK INTO THE SERVING THE VETERANS, NOT MAKING SURE PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT IT.
THAT'S WHERE THAT WORD OF MOUTH COMES IN.
SO YOU'RE ABLE TO GET CONNECTED, COMBINE ARMS US, YOU'RE ABLE TO GET CONNECTED TO ALL OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE HERE, RIGHT? SO WE ARE HERE, WE'RE HERE TO HELP.
AND THE BEST PART IS WHEN IT COMES TO FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, THERE'S A LOT OF NEED FOR THAT, RIGHT? DR. JONES JUST TALKED ABOUT THE HOUSING.
JUST BECAUSE THEY OFFER IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU QUALIFY.
AND THAT'S WHAT OUR TEAM IS HERE TO DO.
WE ENSURE THAT YOU ARE GETTING CONNECTED TO THOSE ORGANIZATIONS YOU QUALIFY FOR.
AND THAT'S FOR THE VETERAN, THE SPOUSE, THE SERVICE MEMBER, AND OUR SIV COMMUNITY.
THAT'S OUR SPECIAL MAKER VISAS, THE IRAQ AND THE AFGHANS THAT SERVED ALONGSIDE OF US.
THERE'S A BIG POPULATION HERE.
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ARE OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS AS WELL.AND WE HELP THEM GET TO THAT NEXT LEVEL.
SO REGARDLESS OF WHAT IT IS, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE TO DO.
DR. JONES, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING THIS.
AND HE'S NOT HERE, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AND SO JAY, IF YOU COME UP REAL QUICK.
AND THEN THE LAST ONE WOULD BE MATTHEW COS WITH THE VETERAN TREATMENT COURT.
I HATE FOLLOWING JOHN, BUT I LOVE FOLLOWING JOHN BECAUSE HE TALKS A LOT ABOUT WHAT WE DO AT SERVE.
I AM MAINLY FOCUSED IN GALVESTON COUNTY.
UH, AND SO I'VE BEEN DOWN THERE FOR ALMOST 10 YEARS.
UH, BUT WHAT I FOUND DOWN IN GALVESTON COUNTY WAS A LOT OF VETERANS DON'T LIKE TO TRAVEL INTO HOUSTON.
AND SO THEY WANNA FIND SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES AND THINGS TO DO DOWN IN GALVESTON COUNTY.
UH, AND SO WHAT WE DO IS WE CONNECT SERVICES.
UH, A LOT OF FOLKS IN THIS ROOM ARE ALSO ALSO CONNECTED WITH SERVING THAT REGARD.
I AM THE TECHNOLOGY ARM OF SERVE, WHICH THAT'S VERY SCARY.
UH, AND THEN RIGHT BEHIND ME IS BOB, UH, FROM, UH, SERVE AS WELL.
SO WHAT WE TRY TO DO IS CONNECT.
AND WHEN, WHEN A VETERAN HAS A QUESTION, AND THE GENTLEMAN THAT WAS TALKING ABOUT THE YOUNGER GENERATION, ALL WE WANT THEM TO DO IS ASK.
WE DON'T CARE WHAT THEY'RE ASKING, JUST ASK.
WE WILL FIND A CONNECTION FOR YOU.
ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO, WE ADDED THE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PART DOWN IN GALVESTON COUNTY.
SO I WORK WITH UNITED WAY, UH, AND SO WE ARE ABLE TO HELP BATTLE SOME OF THE HOMELESSNESS THAT'S DOWN THERE, FOLKS THAT ARE GETTING THE UTILITIES TURNED OFF.
UH, AND THEN ALMOST A LITTLE OVER THREE YEARS AGO, JOHN AND MYSELF AND TWO OTHER PARTNERS DOWN IN GALVESTON COUNTY, WE ACTUALLY STARTED A FOOD DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM DOWN IN TEXAS CITY.
UH, WHERE WE'RE, WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF FOLKS LINE UP, UH, JUST LIKE WAS, UH, TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, UH, WHERE FOOD INSECURITY IS STILL EXTREMELY HUGE HOMELESSNESS, TRYING TO FIND THOSE CONNECTIVE SERVICES.
UH, AND SO, UH, LOVE TO HAVE YOU LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT WE DO.
AND IF YOU'RE NOT SURE, JUST ASK TERRY, YOU KNOW, UH, PUTTING TOGETHER THAT PROGRAM FOR, UH, ALL OF THE ORGANIZATIONS OUT THERE, IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO MAKE SURE THAT VETERANS KNOW WHAT'S OUT THERE AND HOW TO GO ABOUT IT.
SO I APPLAUD EVERYBODY THAT'S HERE TONIGHT.
I APPLAUD ALL THE SERVICE, UH, ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE HERE AS WELL.
BECAUSE WITHOUT YOU, I CAN'T DO WHAT I DO.
UH, AND THE VETERANS DON'T GET THE, UH, HELP THAT THEY NEED.
MATTHEW, VETERAN TREATMENT COURT.
MY NAME'S MATTHEW COATES, HARRIS COUNTY, FELONY VETERAN TREATMENT COURT, US ARMY RETIRED.
WHO, UH, SO WE HAVE THREE COURTS.
WE HAVE, WELL, TWO COURTS, FELONY AND MISDEMEANOR.
WE PROVIDE RESOURCES ALONG WITH THE VA'S, UH, ASSISTANCE.
AND WE GET THE CLIENTS BACK ON TRACK.
I DO HAVE A QUESTION TO ASK THE VA THOUGH, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
HOW CAN WE GET ANOTHER VJO? BECAUSE CURRENTLY OUR PROGRAM, AT LEAST ON THE FELONY SIDE, IS HAVING TO HAVE A WAIT LIST RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE'RE ONLY ALLOWED A CAPACITY OF 40, IS WHAT THE CASE MANAGER CAN SUPERVISE.
AND WE'RE STARTING A WAIT LIST.
WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR RESOURCES AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
YOU WANT TO COME TO COURT, SEE WHAT WE DO.
UH, WE'RE ON THE FIRST AND THIRD WEDNESDAY EVERY MONTH IN THE CRIMINAL COURTHOUSE.
COURTROOM ONE 85TH ON THE FIRST DOCKET WEDNESDAY, JUDGE, UH, ANDREA BEAL.
AND THEN ON THE TWO 30TH CRI, UH, JUDGE CHRIS MORTON.
UM, ONE LAST ONE, AND THEN WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND DISMISS COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBER WHERE YOU, BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA, UM, PRAY OUTTA HERE.
DAVE HAS BEEN A, A BIG CHAMPION OF VETERAN OWNED BUSINESSES IN THE HOUSTON REGION.
DAVID, YOU CAN BRIEFLY TALK ABOUT VETERAN OWNED BUSINESSES AND WHAT YOU GUYS DO WITH THE HOUSTON REGIONAL VETERAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
YOU'RE A PILOT, YOU'RE YOUR PILOT.
TWO, I GOTTA PUT ME ON THE SPOT THERE.
UH, DAVE WEAVER, HOUSTON REGIONAL VETERANS CHAMBER REPRESENTING VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESSES, UM, AND, UH, AIR FORCE AND ARMY RETIRED WENT BACKWARDS.
I, I, I WAS A SENIOR NAV AND THEN, UH, FLEW THE, UH, APACHE AGE 64, SO, UH, AND THEN RETIRED.
THANK YOU DR. JONES, FOR PUTTING US HERE.
UH, AND EVERYBODY ELSE, UH, DOC, UH, AND COMMISSIONER DAVIS.
WELCOME HOME FOR VIETNAM VETERANS AND WELCOME TO ALL OUR VETERANS.
UM, OUR MISSION REALLY IS TO MAKE HOUSTON, UH, HOUSTON AND TEXAS NUMBER ONE FOR VETERAN OWNER ENTREPRENEUR SUPPORT.
UH, AND WE PUT ON, WE WERE PUT ON A MISSION ABOUT
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FOUR YEARS AGO, UH, WITH A PENFED REPORT, UH, THAT SHE ALLUDED TO, UH, THAT WE WERE NUMBER 12, AND I WASN'T, I WASN'T NOT OKAY WITH THAT.UH, AND SO WE BROUGHT IT DOWN TO NUMBER SEVEN, AND WE DROPPED IT DOWN TO NUMBER FIVE, BUT NOW WE WENT BACK UP, BUT THEY'VE CHANGED THEIR NUMBERS.
BUT ANYWAYS, THAT KIND OF REALLY SET US ONTO A MISSION OF WHERE WE WANT TO BE AS, UH, ADVOCATING FOR VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESSES THAT ARE HERE IN THE HOUSTON REGION.
SBA SAYS THERE'S 65,000 VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESSES JUST IN THE HOUSTON REGION.
WE NEED TO BRING THEM OUT OF THE WOODWORK.
AND WE AS VETERANS AND PASSIONATE PATRIOTS COMPANIES AND GOVERNMENT ENTITIES, WE NEED TO UTILIZE THEM.
WE NEED TO INCREASE THE VETERAN BUSINESS ECONOMY AS WELL AS THE VETERAN ENTREPRENEUR, UH, OPPORTUNITIES IN EMPLOYMENT AND SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO IMPACT, THANK YOU FOR METRO WAS ONE OF OUR SUCCESS STORIES.
UM, BEFORE WE CAME ON, UH, ONCE WE CAME ON SCENE, METRO TOOK FROM A ZERO VISIBILITY TO NOW WELL OVER WHAT, 800, RIGHT? MET 800 VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESSES THAT ARE CERTIFIED WITH METRO TO DO BUSINESS.
METRO ONLY HAS ABOUT 12 BILLION TO SPEND, AND THAT'S ONLY ONE ENTITY.
UM, SO WE'RE CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESSES.
UH, WE ARE THE INSTIGATOR OF THE OB OFFICE AND DR.
UH, JONES TO BRING VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESSES, CERTIFICATIONS FROM THE S-B-A-V-S-O-B AND S-V-V-S-O-B TO THE, UH, TO THE, UH, TO THE STATE.
SO IT'S COMING IS WHAT I HAVE HERE.
IT'S IN THE LEGAL WORKS, AND SO WE WILL BE HAVING A PRESS CONFERENCE ABOUT THAT.
UM, WE ARE MAKING AN IMPACT NOT ONLY ON OUR HOUSTON COMMUNITY, BUT WE ARE ALSO MAKING IT ON THE TEXAS STATEWIDE.
UH, WE ACTUALLY HAVE FOUR BILLS RIGHT NOW IN THE TEXAS SENATE AND TESTIFYING TO WHERE ALL VETERAN OWNED BUSINESSES CAN BE HUB CERTIFIED IF YOU, AS LONG AS YOU HAVE A SBV, UH, SSBA CERTIFICATION.
UH, AND THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE NEED YOU TO, UH, TOUCH BASE ON.
WE ARE ALSO TOUCHING, UH, LICENSING WHO HAS, WHO'S TRANSITIONED FROM ANOTHER STATE WITH A NIGHT LICENSE.
AND IT TOOK YOU LIKE A YEAR TO BE ABLE TO DO BUSINESS OR BE EMPLOYED WITH THAT LICENSE.
IN THIS STATE, IT TAKES SIX MONTHS TO A YEAR.
MY WIFE'S COULDN'T GET EMPLOYED AS A PA, BUT NOW WE'VE GOT LEGISLATION ON THE, ON THE TABLE, UH, 20, SB 2255, THAT IT WILL, THEY WILL ACCEPT YOUR LICENSE AS OUT OF THE STATE, OUT OF THE MILITARY, AND OUTTA STATE WITH A TEMPORARY LICENSE RIGHT AWAY IF YOU CAN SHOW THEM THAT YOU'VE HAD THAT LICENSE IN THE MILITARY OR OUTTA STATE.
AND THEN NOW YOU CAN GO TO WORK AND YOUR SPOUSE CAN GO TO WORK RIGHT AWAY.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE ADVOCATING ON SOME BIG THINGS.
WE'VE HOSTED SEVERAL OF, UH, ENTREPR, UH, ENTREPRENEUR EVENTS, EXPOS, UH, GEORGE R. BROWN.
WE'VE DONE A COUPLE OTHER THINGS.
WE'VE GOT A COUPLE EXPOS THIS YEAR.
SO ADVOCATING FOR VETERAN OWNED BUSINESSES LAST YEAR, DR. JONES HELPED US WITH THIS TOO.
UH, WE PRINTED 10,000 VETERAN BUSINESS BUYING GUIDE DIRECTORIES, UH, AND RESOURCE GUIDES.
IT'S OVER HERE ON THE TABLE, UH, WITH, UH, ONE OF OUR ADMINS.
UM, AND SO WE, THIS YEAR WE PRINTED OUR SECOND ONE.
IT'S GONNA BE PRINT, UH, IT'S GONNA BE DEBUTED ON MAY 1ST.
UH, BUT WE PRINTED 20,000 COPIES OF THIS BUYER'S GUIDE, AND WE'VE GOT, WE GIVE THEM ALL, WE'VE GIVEN 'EM ALL OUT ALREADY, UM, NOT THIS YEAR'S, BUT LAST YEAR'S.
UH, SO GRAB, GRAB A COUPLE MORE THAT WE HAVE.
UH, WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OTHER EVENTS PLUG IN.
UH, BUT I DO HAVE AN OPEN QUESTION FOR ALL OF OUR PEOPLE.
UH, HOW DO WE CREATE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR VETERAN BUSINESSES IN BOTH THIS FROM THE GENERAL PUBLIC, PASSIONATE PATRIOTS ARE VETERANS, GOVERNMENT ENTITIES, THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY.
HOW DO WE CREATE EVEN WITHIN THE DEPARTMENTS FOR VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESSES? JUST BE INTENTIONAL, IS WHAT I'M ASKING.
THANK YOU FOR, UH, YOUR SUPPORT.
THIS IS EXCELLENT, UH, BRINGING COLLABORATION.
THANK YOU FOR ALL THE RESOURCE PARTNERS.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER AGAIN FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.
AND LET'S, UH, LET'S GROW THE VETERAN ECONOMY.
LET'S MAKE HOUSTON AND TEXAS NUMBER ONE FOR VETERAN UNDER SUCCESS.
SPEAKING OF A VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESS, UH, BEV EDWARDS.
YOU STILL HERE? ANYBODY GET SOME OF THAT DELICIOUS FOOD? I GOT SOME OF THAT DELICIOUS FOOD.
SO THAT'S A VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESS.
I DON'T KNOW IF BEV IS STILL HERE.
SHE'S A UNITED STATES NAVY VETERAN, BUT SHE WAS THE CATERER FOR THE FOOD.
SO SUPPORT OF VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESS.
SO COUNCILMAN DAVIS, COME ON UP.
HEAVENLY FATHER, WE DO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THIS GATHERING.
WE CERTAINLY THANK YOU FOR THE LEADERSHIP OF DR. JONES AND TAKING CHARGE, REMINDING US OF OUR COMMITMENT OF THE
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MEN AND WOMEN WHO SERVE OUR NATION, WHO HAVE SERVED AND IS SERVING.THANK YOU FOR THIS RESOURCE THAT'S BEEN PROVIDED FOR ALL OF THESE IN THIS PLACE.
NOW AS WE LEAVE THIS PLACE, BUT NEVER OUTTA YOUR PRESENCE.
GIVE US DIRECTION AND GUIDANCE THAT WOULD MEET WE MAY BECOME A BETTER PEOPLE SERVING MORE BETTER PEOPLE.
IN JESUS CHRIST'S NAME WE PRAY.