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TO BE HERE WITH THE HOUSING DIRECTOR AND HIS TEAM, AND WE WILL START OUR HOUSING BUDGET WORKSHOP RIGHT NOW.UH, WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY COUNCIL MEMBER TIFFANY THOMAS, SINCE THE LAST BUDGET WORKSHOP, AND I THINK EVERYBODY ELSE WAS HERE.
WE DIRECTOR, WE ARE GLAD TO BE HERE.
WITH ME TODAY IS TAMIKA JONES, TJ TO ALL OF YOU.
WE FEEL SO LUCKY TO HAVE HER ON THIS TEAM.
AND ALONG WITH US IS SOME OF OUR OTHER STAFF MEMBERS WHO GIVE AWAY, WHO ARE HERE IN MORAL SUPPORT.
THEY WOULD, THEY
UM, TJ'S GONNA DO THE, THE GREATEST PART OF THIS MEETING, AND I THINK I'LL ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS TOWARD THE END.
UH, THE, THE FIRST PAGE ON IT, I THINK IT'S PAGE TWO.
UM, WE HAVE AT THIS POINT A HUNDRED AND EIGHTY, THREE HUNDRED EIGHTY THREE EMPLOYEES, 80 EMPLOYEES.
AND I THOUGHT YOU'D JUST BE INTERESTED IN THAT.
UM, WE DO FUND OTHER DEPARTMENTS WITH OUR FEDERAL FUNDING, UM, FINANCE, UH, HEALTH, UM, AND LEGAL.
WE HAVE, WE PAY WITH SOME OF THEIR EMPLOYEES WITH THIS FEDERAL FUNDING AS YOU GO THROUGH THIS.
UM, THE SECOND PAGE IS THE RESULT OF OUR VOLUNTARY MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT PAYOUT OPTION.
WE HAD 29, UH, ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEES.
UM, AND THE REDUCTION IS ABOUT $900,000 JUST FROM THAT.
UM, WE, THE RESTRUCTURE, WE'RE STILL IN THE PROCESS OF DOING THAT.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'VE REDUCED THE NUMBER OF MANAGERS WITH LESS THAN FOUR DIRECT REPORTS FROM 52% TO 36%.
WE'VE REDUCED THE NUMBER OF LAYERS OF MANAGEMENT FROM EIGHT TO SIX.
WE STILL HAVE A PRETTY AVERAGE SPAN OF CONTROL OF ABOUT FIVE, AND NOW IT'S GOING, IT'S GOING THE WRONG DIRECTION.
SO WE'RE STILL DOING SOME WORK IN THAT AS WE GO THROUGH THE RESTRUCTURE PLAN.
UH, AT THIS POINT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MS. JONES AND, UH, TJ IF YOU WILL, UH, GO TO PAGE FIVE, WHICH IS THE EXPENDITURES BY FUND.
UM, THIS TABLE JUST SHOWS YOU WHAT OUR PROPOSED FISCAL 26 BUDGET IS BY FUND.
NORMALLY EVERY YEAR WE TALK TO YOU ABOUT OUR GENERAL FUND.
UH, BUT THIS YEAR, WHICH IS NEW TO US AND NEW TO THE COMMITTEE, UM, IS OUR SPECIAL REVENUE FUND, WHICH IS FUND 2012.
IT IS THE CITY'S IN STREET HOMELESSNESS PROGRAM.
THESE FUNDS, WHAT YOU'LL SEE LISTED IS THE FISCAL 24 ACTUALS, ALONG WITH OUR FISCAL YEAR 25 BUDGET, ALONG WITH FISCAL 25 ESTIMATE.
AND THEN OF COURSE, THE FISCAL YEAR 26 PROPOSED FOR THE GENERAL FUND.
YOU'LL SEE THAT WE ARE PROPOSING A $1.6 MILLION FOR THE GENERAL FUND.
AND THEN AS WELL AS FOR THE IN STREET HOMELESSNESS AT 31.485, UH, BALANCE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 26.
IF WE SWITCH TO SLIDE SIX, UM, MAYBE JUST TO NOTE HERE, THE, UH, FY 26 GENERAL FUND ALLOCATION WAS REDUCED BY 30%, ABOUT 690,000 FROM FY 25.
AND, UH, AGAIN, LIKE ALL THE CITY DEPARTMENTS WE'RE MANAGING TO DO MORE WITH FEWER RESOURCES.
SLIDE SIX SHOWS, UM, BOTH THE GENERAL FUND BY CATEGORY, THE EXPENDITURES BY CATEGORY.
UM, AS MIKE MENTIONED, OUR PERSONNEL COSTS HAVE DECREASED.
UH, HERE IN FISCAL 26, WE ARE ESTIMATING 217,000.
UM, OUR OFFICE RENT IS ALSO DECREASED BY 75,000.
OUR RESTRICTED ACCOUNTS IS REMAINING RELATIVELY FLAT FROM PRIOR YEAR.
AND THEN OTHER SERVICES AND CHARGES.
WE ARE ALSO ESTIMATING TO BE RELATIVELY FLAT FROM PRIOR YEAR.
THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS FOR THE SPECIAL REVENUE FUND IS WHAT WE ARE ANTICIPATING THAT ALL OF THE SPECIAL REVENUE DOLLARS WILL BE SPENT ON FOR THE IN STREET HOMELESSNESS FUND.
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AND THEN THE REMAINDER, LIKE I SAID, UH, AS YOU WILL RECALL, PROBABLY FROM LAST YEAR, MOST OF OUR GENERAL FUND ALLOCATION IS GOING BACK TOWARDS THE CITY IN THE RESTRICTED ACCOUNTS AND FUND BALANCE.AND AGAIN, THE KEY HERE IS IN THE SPECIAL REVENUE FUND, ALL OF THOSE FUNDS WILL BE USED FOR HOMELESSNESS SERVICES OR OTHER PROGRAMS, NOT EMPLOYEES OR DIRECT OR INDIRECT.
SLIDE SEVEN DOES SHOW A VISUAL REPRESENTATION OF WHAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT ON THE PREVIOUS TWO SLIDES.
JUST THE EXPENDITURES BOTH BY THE GENERAL FUND AS WELL AS THE SPECIAL REVENUE FUND.
SLIDE EIGHT SHOWS PERSONNEL AND NON-PERSONNEL COSTS, BOTH FOR THE GENERAL FUND AS WELL AS THE SPECIAL REVENUE FUND.
YOU'LL SEE OUR FISCAL YEAR 26 PROPOSED BUDGET.
WE ARE ANTICIPATING A 13% PERSONNEL COSTS FOR THE GENERAL FUND AND 87% NON-PERSONNEL COSTS FOR, OF COURSE, GENERAL FUND.
AND AS WE MENTIONED ON THE SPECIAL REVENUE FUND, IT WILL BE 100% NON-PERSONNEL COSTS.
WE ARE ANTICIPATING, AS MIKE MENTIONED, ALL OF THOSE DOLLARS TO BE SPENT TOWARDS OPERATIONS TOWARDS THE PROGRAMMING.
PAGE NINE SHOWS WHAT THE REVENUE IS FOR THE FISCAL 26 PROPOSED BUDGET.
UM, AND THAT JUST SHOWS WHAT FISCAL 24 A COMPARISON TO FISCAL YEAR 24, ALONG WITH FISCAL YEAR 25.
YOU CAN SEE THAT RELATIVELY, UM, OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS, OUR PROPOSED BUDGETS HAVE BEEN ALMOST RELATIVELY FLAT.
UH, WE ARE ANTICIPATING A DECREASE, AS MIKE MENTIONED, A 30% DECREASE FOR FISCAL YEAR 26 COMPARED TO FISCAL 24, AS WELL AS FISCAL 25.
AND THEN SLIDE 10 DOES SHOW JUST A VISUAL COMPARISON OF THE REVENUE FOR BOTH THE GENERAL FUND AS WELL AS THE SPECIAL REVENUE FUND.
UM, WHAT WE JUST DISCUSSED ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE.
UM, BEFORE WE GET TO QUESTIONS, UH, JUST ON THE, UH, ON THE, UH, APPENDIX, I THINK THERE'S SOME IMPORTANT THINGS.
'CAUSE IT'S WHEN YOU WE'RE A LITTLE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT THAN OTHER DEPARTMENTS 'CAUSE CORRECT.
WE'RE SO HEAVILY FEDERALLY FUNDED.
PROB MAYBE THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS A, IS PROBABLY MOST LIKE US.
PAGE 14 GIVES YOU A SENSE OF AN FY 26, UH, THE AMOUNT OF FEDERAL FUNDS WE HAVE AS, AS OPPOSED TO THE AMOUNT OF TS FUNDS OR THAT ARE USED OR, OR GENERAL FUNDS THAT ARE USED FOR THIS DEPARTMENT.
AGAIN, UM, UH, 94%, 94.6% OF THE, UM, IS FEDERAL FUNDING SOURCES.
UM, STATE FUNDING IS VERY LITTLE, ABOUT A MILLION AND A HALF DOLLARS IN LOCAL FUNDING IS ABOUT 5% FOR THE TOTAL DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL AND AND SERVICES.
UM, WE HAVE SOME GOOD NEWS TODAY, AND I'D LIKE TO GIVE IT TO THIS, THIS GROUP.
UM, AS YOU SAW IN THE EARLIER PART OF THE MONTH, THE ADMINISTRATION HAD A NEW BUDGET FOR, UM, A TOTAL NEW BUDGET.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS IN THERE WAS A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT INCREASE DECREASES IN FUNDING FOR CDBG HOME, ESG, AND HOPWA.
AND IT WAS STARTLING WHAT THOSE DECREASES WERE FOR CLARIFICATION THAT WOULD IMPACT US AT THE EARLIEST IN OUR FISCAL YEAR 27.
SO FOR FISCAL YEAR 26, WE ENDED UP, WHICH WE WERE THRILLED WITH ESSENTIALLY A SLIGHT INCREASE IN OUR FEDERAL FUNDS FROM HUD.
UH, CDBG WAS A THREE AND A HALF PERCENT INCREASE.
OUR HOME FUND FUNDS WITH 2.7% INCREASE OUR HOPWA FUNDS, WHICH IS FOR PEOPLE WITH RECOVERING FROM AIDS WAS 2.8%.
AND ONLY OUR ESG HAD A VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE OF $22,000, ABOUT 1% LESS THAN ESTIMATED.
SO WE ARE COMFORTABLE WITH OUR FEDERAL, FEDERAL FUNDING FOR FISCAL YEAR 26 FROM JUNE 30TH TO JUNE 30TH OF NEXT YEAR.
UM, OBVIOUSLY WE ARE PLANNING AND WORKING AND CONSIDERING WHAT WILL GO ON FOR FUTURE YEARS, UH, WE HAVE A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH THE HUD SECRETARY.
HE LIKES WHAT'S GOING ON IN HOUSTON.
SO MAYBE THAT WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
UM, WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK CLOSELY WITH HUD ON THAT.
UH, OBVIOUSLY THE PRESIDENT'S BUDGET HAS TO GO THROUGH CONGRESS AND I
[00:10:01]
KNOW MANY OF THE CONGRESSMEN ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ISS ARE VERY ATTACHED TO C-C-B-D-G FUNDING AND OTHER FUNDING.SO WE HAVE SOME TIME TO WORK THROUGH THIS.
AND TO SAY IT DOESN'T MAKE ME ANXIOUS IS A UNDER, IT DOES MAKE ME ANXIOUS.
UM, BUT WE ARE PLANNING BOTH FOR THINGS TO GET BETTER, FOR THINGS TO BE THE SAME AND IF, IF NECESSARY, WHAT HAPPENS IF THINGS GET WORSE? AGAIN, ABOUT, I THINK WE LOOKED AT ABOUT 150 OF OUR EMPLOYEES ARE COVERED OF THE A HUNDRED AND SEVENTY FIVE, A HUNDRED EIGHTY ARE COVERED BY THESE FEDERAL FUNDS.
AND IF I COULD ADD, UM, JUST TO, YOU KNOW, ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT MORE ON WHAT MIKE MENTIONED.
SO WHAT YOU SEE HERE ON SLIDE 14, JUST AGAIN FOR CLARIFICATION, THIS IS WHAT WE ARE ESTIMATING TO RECEIVE JUST IN FISCAL 26.
UM, THIS IS JUST WHAT WE ARE EXPECTING TO RECEIVE IN FISCAL YEAR 26.
UM, WHAT YOU SEE ON THE SLIDE.
IF YOU COULD LEAVE IT UP PLEASE.
UM, IF YOU COULD LEAVE IT UP, THIS IS WHAT WE ARE ANTICIPATING.
THE, THE PERCENTAGES THAT MIKE JUST MENTIONED WERE JUST PUBLISHED THIS MORNING BY HUD, AND THE SMALL INCREASES IN THE SLIGHT DECREASE IN ESG WAS JUST PUBLISHED PRESSING.
WE DIDN'T EVEN HAVE TIME TO REFRESH THE SLIDES FROM THIS MORNING.
UM, AND SO THAT WAS AGAIN, JUST AN INCREASE OF WHAT WE ARE EXPECTING AS OF FISCAL 26.
ALL WE CAN DO IS PLAN HOPE FOR THE BEST AND THEN BE ABLE TO MANAGE WHATEVER THE EXPECTATIONS ARE AND THE VOLATILITY COMING OUT OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
UM, IF WE SWITCH TO SLIDE, THE NEXT SLIDE, WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO ANSWER, UH, WE KNOW SOME QUESTIONS HAVE COME UP ON WHAT'S THE STATUS OF ALL OF OUR AWARDS.
AND JUST TO BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU A SNAPSHOT OF HOW THE DEPARTMENT IS FUNDED OVERALL.
SO OUR DEPARTMENT IS, AS MIKE MENTIONED, 98.7% FEDERALLY FUNDED WITH THE EXCEPTION OF OUR GENERAL FUNDS, WHICH WE'RE HERE TO DISCUSS TODAY, OUR TUR FUNDING AND THEN OUR LOCAL BONDS, EVERYTHING ELSE.
AND OUR STATE, WE HAVE TWO STATE GRANTS THAT ARE SMALL.
UM, EVERYTHING ELSE WE RECEIVE IS FEDERAL FUNDED.
OUR EMPLOYEES, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A QUARTER OF MIKE'S TIME ARE FEDERALLY FUNDED.
AND SO TO SAY THAT OUR DEPARTMENT RELIES HEAVILY IS A TRUE UNDERSTATEMENT OF THE 183 EMPLOYEES.
A QUARTER OF MIKE'S TIME IS GENERAL FUND.
EVERYONE ELSE IS FEDERAL FUNDED.
SO WE ARE MONITORING EVERYTHING THAT COMES OUT OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT LIKE A HAWK.
WE ARE, YOU KNOW, ANTICIPATING WE HAVE PEOPLE WATCHING IT.
WE ARE EAGERLY WATCHING EVERYTHING THAT COMES OUT OF IT AND ANTICIPATING HOW IT IMPACTS OUR OPERATIONS, HOW IT IMPACTS OUR PROGRAMS, THE RESIDENTS, AND ALL THE THINGS THAT WE DO.
SO WHAT WE WANTED TO SHOW YOU HERE IS THESE ARE A LIST OF ALL OF OUR VARIOUS FUNDING SOURCES, WHETHER THEY ARE FEDERAL, STATE, OR LOCAL, AS WELL AS THE AUTHORIZED AMOUNT.
AND THEN, UM, IF YOU REMEMBER, I THINK IT WAS BACK IN JANUARY OR EARLY FEBRUARY WHEN WE RECEIVED THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT ALL THE FEDERAL AWARDS WERE FROZEN OR AT RISK.
EVERYONE WANTED TO KNOW WHAT WAS AT RISK.
WELL, HERE IS ALMOST THE SAME SORT OF SCENARIO.
THIS IS WHAT WAS OPEN AS OF MAY 12TH ON ALL OF OUR AWARDS.
SO THAT WAY IT GIVES YOU AN ACCURATE SNAPSHOT.
AND SO YOU CAN SEE WHERE WE STAND WITH ALL OF OUR AWARDS AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS TRULY, YOU KNOW, OPEN THAT THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT MANAGES.
AND AGAIN, IT GIVES A SENSE OF THAT.
1,000,000,006 IS WHAT'S AUTHORIZED THROUGH THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT.
AND THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER.
AND AGAIN, THE GRANT BALANCES ARE 664 MILLION.
UH, THESE ARE SIGNIFICANT NUMBERS.
WE'LL BE BACK TO THIS COMMITTEE ON JUNE 3RD TO DISCUSS THE NEWEST GRANT DISASTER RELIEF 24, WHICH IS A LITTLE OVER $314 MILLION.
AND, UH, MADAM CHAIRMAN WOMAN WILL BE BACK TO DISCUSS THAT ON JUNE 3RD.
AND AND I, ON THE SLIDE BEFORE, I, I LOOKED BACK AT YOUR PRESENTATION LAST YEAR AND IT WAS ESSENTIALLY THOSE SAME NUMBERS.
WHICH, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE WE DIDN'T HAVE DR 24, BUT IT WAS ESSENTIALLY THOSE SAME NUMBERS.
SO I GUESS THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT IT'S NOT AFFECTING ANYTHING THIS NEXT YEAR.
THAT WAS YOUR, THAT'S THAT'S GOOD NEWS.
AND DOESN'T MEAN WE DON'T NEED TO PLAN.
IT DOESN'T MEAN WE DON'T NEED TO KEEP THINKING ABOUT HOW WE SPEND OUR DOLLARS, BUT, UH, RIGHT.
UH, I HAVE SOME QUE WELL, I'LL GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS FIRST.
CAN WE GO BACK TO THE, UH, N STREET HOMELESSNESS FUND AND DID YOU SAY THAT WAS 2102 OR 21 2? UH, 2012 2 0 1 2.
AND THEN, AND SO WHAT'S ALLOWABLE UNDER IN ON THIS ACCOUNT? WHAT'S AN ALLOWABLE EXPENSE
[00:15:01]
AT THIS POINT? ANYTHING TO DO WITH HOMELESSNESS OR SERVICES, WHICH IS HOUSING SERVICES, SHELTER.IT'S A VERY BROAD, UH, UM, FUND.
UH, THE TWO FUND, THE TWO MAJOR, UH, GRANTS AT THIS POINT ARE THE METRO GRANT FOR 10 MILLION AND THE HOUSTON FIRST GRANT FOR 2.6 MILLION.
UH, THE MOU FOR THE METRO GRANT IS MORE SPECIFIC.
AND THE, UH, UH, MOU FOR THE HOUSTON FIRST IS EXTREMELY GENERAL.
WHAT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF YOU CAN PROVIDE GUIDANCE ON, ON THAT? SURE.
'CAUSE 24 0 1, 24 0 9, WE KNOW ABOUT THE OTHER TURS ACCOUNTS.
AND AS THESE ITEMS COME BACK UP TO COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL OR AUTHORIZATION, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO KEEP THIS, SINCE THIS IS A NEW ONE, WHATEVER LANGUAGE IS ATTACHED TO IT.
WE'LL DO THAT AGAIN, LOOKING AT THE INDIVIDUAL MOUS.
AND THE HOPE IS THAT THIS ACCOUNT WILL GROW WITH THE NUMBER OF OTHER, WHETHER IT'S CORPORATE, PRIVATE, OR OTHER FUNDS.
UM, AND HOPEFULLY IT WILL BE AS, AS AS E IT WILL BE VERY FO ABLE TO BE SPENT ON ITEMS THAT WE CANNOT SPEND OUR FEDERAL FUNDS ON.
TJ IS THAT A 2012 ACCOUNT? IS THAT IN THE BUDGET? IN THIS BUDGET BOOK? YES.
AND IT IS GOING TO BE, UH, IT IS IN THE BUDGET BOOK AND IT IS GOING TO BE UNDER FUND 2 0 1 2.
IT'LL BE A, IT IS LISTED UNDER THE SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS.
IF I GET IN TROUBLE, I APOLOGIZE.
YOU'RE NOT GONNA GET IN TROUBLE.
WE'RE JUST TRYING TO FIND THE FUND.
IF YOU HAVE YOUR, IF YOU HAVE YOUR BUDGET BOOK WITH YOU, I'LL HELP YOU FLIP THROUGH THE PAGES TO POINT TO EXACT.
I DON'T HAVE THE PAGE NUMBER WITH YOU.
ALCON, DON'T ALLOW US TO BRING A PAPER INTO THE CHAMBERS.
IF YOU, IF YOU, IF YOU PASS IT THIS WAY, I WILL FLIP THROUGH.
I MEAN, I'M MAD ABOUT THE BOOK, BUT I BROUGHT THE BOOK, IF YOU FIND YES, I WILL FLIP THROUGH AND FIND IT FOR YOU.
I DON'T LIKE ALL THAT PAPER, BUT JUST TO, I WANNA SAY ONE OTHER ITEM AND IF I GET IT WRONG, UH, TJ PLEASE CORRECT ME IN THAT, IN THAT FUND, WHEN, WHEN WE LOOKED AT WHAT NEXT YEAR'S ESTIMATE WILL BE, THERE'S ABOUT A THREE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS REQUEST FOR FUNDING FOR THE NAVIGATION CENTER, WHICH WOULD BE A GENERAL FUND REQUEST THAT WOULD GO INTO THIS FUND.
UM, SO THAT IS, THAT IS THE ONE GENERAL FUND PIECE THAT I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHY IT WOULD FIT HERE OR IN THE OTHER ONE, BUT I DID WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THAT WAS ACKNOWLEDGED.
'CAUSE WE'LL BE BACK TO COUNCIL HOPEFULLY FOR THAT.
IF YOU'LL ALLOW ME, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS, SINCE WE'RE ON THE SUBJECT, I, I'M PULLING UP THE, THE PRESENTATION FROM WHEN WE HAD THE HH HOUSING HOMELESSNESS QUALITY OF LIFE PRESENTATION.
SO THE THREE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS FROM THE CITY'S GENERAL FUND FOR THE NAVIGATION CENTER.
THAT, HAS ANY OF THAT COME YET? IT HAS COME, YES.
AND WE'RE DOING THAT EVERY YEAR.
WE, WE SPENT SOME OF IT, WE DON'T, AND I, WE HAVE TO COME BACK TO YOU ANNUALLY TO GET THAT QUESTION, TO GET ADDITIONAL AMOUNT.
UM, THE REPURPOSE CITY HHSP 700,000 IS THAT, UM, THAT HAS COME BACK AND THAT IS ON THE, THAT IS BEING USED AT THIS POINT.
UM, UH, IT, I THINK YOU APPROVED THAT THAT WAS FUNDING FOR SEARCH FOR HOMELESSNESS SERVICES.
UM, THE CITY OF HOUSTON, FEDERAL FUNDS 14 MILLION.
WE HAVE A REC CALLED A REI, WHICH IS JUST LIKE AN RFP, BUT IT HAS A NEW NAME BECAUSE WE HOPEFULLY WILL HAVE COUNTY MONEY IN THAT PROGRAM.
THEY ARE OUR PARTNERS THAT REI IS OUT AND I THINK IT WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS OR SO.
HOUSTON FIRST, HAVE THEY PAID UP? 2.6? THEY PAID UP AND THAT IS IN THE FUND.
AND THEN YOU SAID THAT EIGHT TO 16 MILLION FROM HARRIS COUNTY? IT IS NOT THERE.
UM, FROM WHAT I HEAR FROM MY, UH, PARTNER T COSTAS, UM, THAT'S 8 MILLION IS COMING FORTH.
AND, AND ANOTHER 8 MILLION THEY'RE LOOKING TO USE FOR, UM, EVICTION PROTECTION.
THEY'RE NEGOTIATING TO SEE IF IT CAN BE A LITTLE BROADER.
THAT WOULD BE BOTH FOR EVICTION PROTECTION AND FOR HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION.
AND THE TSTS AS A MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS, THAT'S KIND OF AN ONGOING, OR THAT'S IN NEGOTIATIONS AND GETTING JUST DOWNTOWN WHERE WE HAVE SOME OPPORTUNITIES WITH COUNTY TOURS FOR THAT.
WE GOT, WE HAVE THE METRO 10 MILLION METRO, IT'S MILLION.
AND HOW ARE WE DOING ON PHIL PHILANTHROPY AND CORPORATIONS? I WOULD SAY WE'RE DOING VERY GOOD ON PHILANTHROPY.
AND THEY ARE, THEY ARE EXTREMELY, UM,
[00:20:01]
BULLISH ON US.UM, THE FIRST INSTANCES THAT THEY, AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SIGNIFICANT DOLLARS, RIGHT? MAYBE 20 MILLION A YEAR DONE.
IT IS CONTINGENT AMONG BY, AND IT'S CONTINGENT BY THE CITY AND THE COUNTY.
BOTH WORKING TOGETHER, BOTH COMMITTING TO THE, NOT ONLY ENDING STREET HOMELESSNESS, BUT CONTINUING TO HOUSE PEOPLE IN PERMANENT HOUSING OFF THE STREETS.
UM, AND OF COURSE, LIKE THEY ALWAYS DO, THEY WOULD LIKE SOME SAY OVER HOW THAT MONEY IS GOING.
THEY, THE LAST PIECE IS THEY ARE VERY FOCUSED ON A SUSTAINABLE SOURCE OF FUNDING FOR HOMELESSNESS.
AND THE NICE THING IS THEY SAID, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW IT CAN'T BE DONE TOMORROW.
MAYBE IN THE NEXT, YOU KNOW, THREE YEARS, WE WILL FIND THAT SUSTAINABLE SOURCE.
AND THAT IS, THAT IS THEIR OTHER FOCUS.
AND, UH, GOOD TO SEE BOTH OF YOU.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, PICKING UP ON HOMELESSNESS THERE, UH, DIRECTOR, YOU MENTIONED PHILANTHROPIES WAITING TO SEE CITY AND THE COUNTY'S COMMITMENT TO PERMANENT HOUSING.
UH, ARE THERE ANY BENCHMARKS THAT YOU'RE AWARE OF THAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR? UM, I WOULD SAY THE BUDGET THAT WAS PUT TOGETHER, UM, THAT WE SAW WAS A $70 MILLION ASK.
THEY'RE LOOKING FOR THOSE KINDS OF RESPONSES.
I THINK THE CITY HAS DONE ITS FAIR, ITS FAIR SHARE ON THAT.
UM, WE'RE HOPING THE COUNTY WILL GET TO THEIRS AND I FEEL OPTIMISTIC ABOUT IT.
UM, AND THEN IT'S A MATTER OF THE COMMITMENTS TOWARD THE SUSTAINABLE FUNDING AS WELL AS THE, UM, COMMITMENTS TOWARD, UM, UH, CONTINUAL HOUSING FUNDING.
ARE, ARE WE, LOOK, I KNOW LEGISLATURE'S ALMOST DONE.
ARE WE LOOKING FOR HELP FROM THE STATE? FROM SOME FUND THAT MIGHT BE STATEWIDE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? WE HAD LOOKED FOR THAT AND WE, I DO NOT EXPECT IT TO COME FORTH WITH DURING THIS SESSION.
UM, THERE WAS A, THERE WAS A LOT OF INTEREST IN IT THAT WOULD'VE BEEN VERY HELPFUL TO US, BUT I DO NOT SEE IT COMING FORWARD IN THIS SESSION.
THE BIGGER I ASK, AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THIS PROGRAM, THERE ARE OTHER PARTS OF IT THAT ARE VERY IMPORTANT THAT ARE NOT IN THE 70 MILLION.
AND I'M VERY OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE MENTAL HEALTH, UM, COMPONENT THAT IS COMING OUT OF THE STATE.
I HAD A MEETING THIS MORNING WITH THE HARRIS CENTER AND THEY WERE LOOKING AT A NUMBER OF GRANTS COMING FORWARD THAT WOULD HELP OUR ON OUR HOMELESS MENTAL HEALTH EFFORTS.
UM, UH, SECONDLY, WE ARE STILL CONFIDENT THAT THE CONTINUUM OF CARE FUNDING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF $70 MILLION WILL BE FORTHCOMING AGAIN FOR THIS YEAR, UH, 2026.
WE'LL HAVE TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS IN THE FUTURE.
UH, BUT I DO, I'M NOT OPTIMISTIC ABOUT ADDITIONAL STATE FUNDING FOR THIS TERM.
NOW, BACK TO SORT OF THE MORE CONVENTIONAL, UH, HOUSING.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALWAYS INTERESTED IN OUTCOMES METRICS.
UH, DO YOU HAVE AN ESTIMATE ON HOW MANY NEW UNITS, EITHER SINGLE OR MULTIFAMILY, UH, WE HOPE TO CREATE THIS YEAR? I, I, I I DO NOT.
THAT IS, I DID NOT, I SHOULD HAVE PREPARED FOR THAT QUESTION AND I'M SMILING.
'CAUSE YOU ALWAYS ASK ME THE ONE QUESTION I SHOULD HAVE PREPARED FOR AND I'LL GET BACK TO YOU.
THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DO.
THIS IS A PROCESS, SO THAT'S FINE.
THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DO.
WHAT ABOUT, UM, OUTCOME METRICS FOR, UH, HOMELESSNESS? ARE THERE CERTAIN NUMBER OF FOLKS WE, WE HOPE TO HOUSE? AND THAT MAY BE RELATED TO THE PRIOR QUESTION.
I, I, I WOULD SAY IT'S RELATED TO THE PLAN.
UH, OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS, WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE NOBODY, NO ONE SLEEPING ON THE STREETS, AND WE'D LIKE TO HAVE PEOPLE IN A HOUSING OR, OR IN A HOUSING PROGRAM OR IN A, UM, SERVICES PROGRAM, UH, 30 DAYS AFTER THEY, UH, COME INTO THE HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM.
UH, THAT'S REALLY THE WORK WE'RE LOOKING AT.
THE NUMBERS, UM, ARE IN AGAIN, UM, LET ME, LET ME GIVE YOU EXACT NUMBERS INSTEAD OF GIVING YOU WHAT I REMEMBER.
AND THANK Y'ALL FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, YOU KNOW, THIS JUST SEEMS LIKE ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE DEPARTMENTS THAT, UM, POTENTIAL CONSOLIDATION IS WITH HARRIS COUNTY IN A BIG WAY BECAUSE AS, AS, AS EVERYONE KNOWS, IT TAKES THE, THE SUPPORT SERVICES, THE WRAPAROUND SERVICES, AND IT'S THE OVERLAP IN ALL DIRECTIONS IS, IS CLEAR.
AND IT JUST SEEMS LIKE THAT, THAT, UM, YOU WORK SO MUCH WITH THEM THAT THIS IS ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE, UM,
[00:25:01]
AREAS WHERE I THINK WE SHOULD LOOK AT POTENTIAL CONSOLIDATION.AND SINCE YOU WORK CLOSELY WITH HARRIS COUNTY, SO JUST, WELL, THEY ARE DEFINITELY OUR PARTNERS.
UM, AND, AND ALONG WITH A NUMBER OF OTHER ENTITIES, THE HOUSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY, UM, I, I WANT TO DO A MAJOR SHOUT OUT TO THAT REORGANIZATION.
IT HAS BEEN A REMARKABLE TURNAROUND.
I THINK YOU'LL SEE THAT BEING ONE OF THE PRIDES OF HOUSTON IS OUR HOUSING AUTHORITY.
AGAIN, HARRIS CENTER, UH, HARRIS HEALTH, UM, THESE ARE ORGANIZATIONS ALONG WITH, UH, UM, HARRIS COUNTY, HCD.
THEY ARE OUR PARTNERS GOING FORWARD.
WE REALLY TRY TO MOVE TOGETHER.
UM, COUNCILMAN CARTER, ONE OF THE THINGS YOU WILL SEE THIS YEAR IS A CITY COUNTY HOUSING PLAN, UH, THAT IS FUNDED BY PHILANTHROPY.
UM, IT'S BEING, THERE'S AN RFP OUT FOR THE SUPPORT SERVICES FOR BUILDING THAT PLAN.
AND THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS YOU'LL HAVE AT COUNCIL.
AND AGAIN, IT WILL NOT JUST BE A CITY PLAN, IT'LL BE A CITY COUNTY PLAN.
THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK YOU DO.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION DIRECTOR.
UH, THE SLIDE THAT BROKE DOWN ALL THE FUNDS FROM FEDERAL STATE TO LOCAL, THE T DOLLARS CATEGORIZED AS LOCAL FUND, WAS THAT FUND ESTABLISHED BY CITY COUNCIL? THE DOLLARS FROM THE SPECIFIC CHURCHES THAT GO TO HOUSING? YES.
SO THAT THE, AND ARE YOU ON SLIDE 14? JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THIS, UM, THERE WAS A DIFFERENT, IT WAS A DIFFERENT SLIDE I HAD.
SO THIS IS, YES, THIS IS THE TURS FUND.
THIS IS THE ONE THAT WAS ESTABLISHED.
SO THE, IT IS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
SO THERE ARE SIX TURS THAT HAVE AN AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY WHERE, UM, THE CITY MANAGES THE T'S AFFORDABLE HOUSING INCREMENT MM-HMM
WHERE THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING INCREMENT IS PASSED TO THE CITY.
AND WE MANAGE THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING INCREMENT FOR THAT, EACH OF THOSE INDIVIDUAL TOURS.
AND IS IT A SET PERCENTAGE FOR IT IS ONE THIRD? IT IS ONE THIRD OF THE INCREMENT FOR EACH ONE OF THOSE TS.
SO ALL SIX OF 'EM, IT'S A THIRD OF THEIR INCREMENT? CORRECT.
AND THAT CAME FROM COUNCIL? CORRECT.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT IT, IT'S AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE TURS AND THE CITY.
WHERE THE, WHERE A THIRD OF THE INCREMENT IS SET ASIDE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND THE CITY MANAGES THE, THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING INCREMENT.
DID I ANSWER THAT CORRECTLY? OKAY.
THANK YOU BOTH FOR THE PRESENTATION, UM, FOR THE END STREET HOMELESSNESS, UM, SPECIAL REVENUE FUND.
SO I KNOW YOU'VE TALKED IN THE PAST ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO SPEND MONEY OVER MULTIPLE YEARS.
I'M JUST WONDERING FOR THE AMOUNT, UM, PROPOSED IN THIS NEXT FISCAL YEAR, ARE WE PLANNING ON SPENDING THAT FULL AMOUNT? AND IF NOT, IS THAT SPECIAL REVENUE FUND SUBJECT TO THE CLAWBACK ORDINANCE? I KNOW THAT THE HOUSING SPECIAL REVENUE FUND WAS, BUT I WASN'T SURE, I COULDN'T REMEMBER IF THIS ONE WAS SUBJECT TO THAT AS WELL.
I DO NOT THINK IT IS SUBJECT TO IT IF YOU, IF YOU KNOW, BUT I DO NOT, NOT THAT I'M PROPOSING THAT IT SHOULD BE.
NO, I DO NOT THINK IT IS DAN AND THE EX, THE EXPECTATION IS THAT WILL BE SPENT SOONER IN THE NEXT YEAR.
AND THE REASON IS BECAUSE THE PHILANTHROPIC FUNDING WILL BE COMING IN LATER YEARS.
NOT THE FIRST YEAR, BUT THE, UM, END OF THE FIRST SECOND.
UM, AND WE DON'T NOT HAVE CONTROL OVER WHEN THAT FUNDING COMES IN.
UH, SECONDLY, THE, UM, THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE FACING OVER THIS YEAR ABOUT ENDING THE STREET HOMELESSNESS AND GETTING PEOPLE OFF THE STREET WILL BE MORE FOCUSED OVER THE NEXT 12 MONTHS.
BUT WE'LL KEEP SAYING WE HAVE TO SAVE OUR POWDER TO MAKE SURE WE CONTINUE TO HOUSE PEOPLE.
IF WE JUST MOVE THEM INTO SHELTERS AND THEN THEY DON'T HAVE OUTWARD INTO HOUSING, MOVE THEM INTO MENTAL HEALTH CARE, DON'T HAVE OUT OUTWARD INTO HOUSING, IT BECOMES A FAILURE.
SO, UM, THAT THAT PLAN IS ONGOING.
IT IS A, SO, YOU KNOW, IT IS A NEGOTIATED PLAN.
WE, THAT'S, WE HAVE TO WORK WITH OUR NONPROFITS TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE STAFFED TO HANDLE THIS AND THAT THERE'S, UH, ADEQUATE HOUSING.
UH, SOME OF IT WILL DEPEND ON THE NUMBER OF VOUCHERS THAT WE RECEIVE FROM THE HOUSING AUTHORITY.
AND WE'RE NEGOTIATING WITH THEM FOR THAT, THAT NUMBER OF VOUCHERS ALSO.
SO I WISH I COULD SAY EXACTLY HOW IT WAS DONE, BUT THERE IS A BUDGET IN PLACE THAT MUCH OF THAT MONEY WILL BE SPENT DURING 2026.
[00:30:02]
COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER, WHO HAS JOINED US SOMETIME AGO.THANK YOU, DIRECTOR, APPRECIATE PRESENTATION.
UM, IF I HEARD YOU CORRECTLY, YOU TALKED ABOUT THE COUNTY ALLOCATING MONEY TOWARDS EVICTION PROTECTION.
WHAT DOES EVICTION PROTECTION INCLUDE?
UM, BUT IT'S, I WOULD, MY, MY HOPE FOR THEM IS THAT THEY WILL, THEY WILL DESCRIBE IT IN VERY BROAD WAYS.
SO IT MEANS SOMETHING MORE THAN JUST WHAT THE FUNDING WAS DONE DURING COVID.
AND WE REALLY FOCUS ON THOSE FOLKS WHO ARE, HAVE ENTERED THE, UH, HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM AND NEED WHAT I WOULD CALL DIVERSION TO KEEP THEM HOUSED AS OPPOSED TO THAT.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE SAW IN THE OTHER EVICTION PROTECTION PROGRAMS IS BY THE TIME PEOPLE GOT TO A PROGRAM, THEY OWED SU SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF BACK PAY, BACK RENT, AND FOR RENT THAT WAS ONE AND TWO THAT SOMETIMES THE LANDLORDS JUST DIDN'T WANT THOSE FOLKS THERE.
AND I ASSUME IT'S QUITE A BIT CHEAPER TO ACTUALLY KEEP 'EM IN A PLACE RATHER THAN FINDING A PLACE AFTERWARDS.
I ALWAYS, I ALWAYS THINK IT IS.
AND I THINK, AND WHAT I KNOW FROM THE LANDLORD COMMUNITY, THEY THINK THAT TOO.
THAT IT IS A LAST RESORT FOR THEM.
UH, THE RENT THAT YOU HAD FOR YOUR BUDGET GOING FORWARD VERSUS THE PREVIOUS, WHAT WAS THE DRIVER IN THE REDUCTION OF THAT? SO WE USE, UM, OUR FEDERAL SOURCES TO GET REIMBURSED FOR THE MAJORITY OF OUR RENT.
AND WE KEEP A LITTLE OF OUR RENT THERE.
THERE IS SOMETHING THAT IS NOT FEDERALLY REIMBURSABLE, TYPICALLY EVERYTHING IS, UM, IN THE OFF CHANCE THERE'S SOMETHING COMES UP THAT IS NOT FEDERALLY REIMBURSABLE.
UM, THEN WE, WE KEEP A LITTLE THERE JUST IN THE CASE OF AN EMERGENCY OR SOME SOMETHING ELSE THAT HAPPENS THAT IS NOT THERE.
AND IF SOMETHING DOES NOT HAPPEN, THEN WE CAN ALWAYS DO A BUDGET AMENDMENT TO MOVE THE MONEY OUT OF RENT INTO ANOTHER LINE ITEM IN CASE SOMETHING DOES COME UP THAT'S NOT FEDERALLY REIMBURSABLE.
SO WHEN WE, WHEN WE GOT OUR GENERAL FUND CUT, WE SAID, WHAT, WHAT DO WE DO? AND WE THINK WE CAN USE MORE AS, MORE FEDERAL FUNDS THIS YEAR TOWARD THE RENT.
UM, HOW MANY HOMELESS DO WE THINK WE HAVE RIGHT NOW? WE, WE DO NOT.
WE WILL HAVE THE RESULT OF THE POINT IN TIME COUNT SHOULD BE ALREADY
UH, THE NUMBER I'VE BEEN USING, WHICH IS BOTH PICASSO VISUALLY AND WHAT WE LEARNED DURING THE FREEZES IS ABOUT 1500 PEOPLE ON THE STREET.
AND WE KNOW THERE'RE ABOUT 15 OR 1600 INCH TEMPORARY OR TRANSITIONAL SHELTERS.
AND THAT INCLUDES DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHELTERS.
SO SOMEWHERE IN THE BALLPARK OF DEALING WITH ABOUT 3000 PEOPLE.
ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT LAST YEAR FINISH THIS, UM, WAS TERMINATION PAY.
DO WE KNOW WHAT THAT'S GONNA COST US? SO WE HAVE AN ESTIMATE.
UM, AND AS YOU CAN NOTICE, THAT WAS THE SHARP DECREASE IN OUR PERSONNEL COST, UH, FOR THIS YEAR.
AND OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS WE'VE HAD QUITE A FEW RETIREMENTS, WHICH IS WHY OUR TERMINATION AND PERSONNEL COSTS HAVE BEEN ALMOST RELATIVELY FLAT OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.
UM, WE ARE NOT ANTICIPATING A LARGE AMOUNT OF RETIREMENT SINCE WE'VE HAD QUITE A FEW OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.
SO WE HOPE OUR EMPLOYEES STAY.
UM, AND WE ARE ESTIMATING TO BE RIGHT RELATIVELY WHERE WE ARE.
UM, HOWEVER, WITH THE VOLATILITY IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, I CANNOT BE FOR CERTAIN.
AND THAT IS SIMPLY DUE TO, DEPENDING ON WHAT ANNOUNCEMENTS ARE MADE AT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND WITH OUR HOPE MEET AND CONFER CONTRACT, WE HAVE TO GIVE EMPLOYEES NOTICE AND, AND ALL THE THINGS THAT TRICKLE DOWN WHEN WE RECEIVE NOTICE.
WHAT, WHAT'S OUR FORECAST FOR THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR FOR THAT EXPENSE ITEM? UH, RIGHT NOW THE 217,000 IS WHAT WE HAVE BUDGETED.
STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN'S OFFICE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
UH, WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK.
UH, YOU DIRECTOR NILES OF THE WHOLE TEAM, UH, ESPECIALLY ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING HERE IN HOUSTON, WE'D LOVE TO SEE SOME MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN DISTRICT.
C MONTROSE HAS SOME OF THE HIGHEST EVICTION RATES IN THE CITY, SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO THAT.
UM, BUT A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
I THINK YOU MENTIONED THIS, UH, IN THE PRESENTATION, BUT JUST TO MAKE SURE I HAVE THE NUMBER RIGHT.
WHAT PERCENTAGE AND AMOUNT OF FUNDING DO YOU RECEIVE FROM FEDERAL GRANTS? TOTAL AS, I GAVE TWO DIFFERENT NUMBERS.
WOULD YOU GET THE CORRECT NUMBER PLEASE? YES, YES.
[00:35:01]
FEDERAL, FROM FEDERAL SOURCES, WE ARE 98.7% FEDERALLY FUNDED.THAT'S OVER ALL OF OUR FUNDING THAT'S CONSIDERING, THAT'S CONSIDERING ALL FUNDS THAT WE RECEIVE.
AND THAT INCLUDES FEDERAL GRANTS? CORRECT.
UM, YOU REVIEWED THIS GENERALLY, I THINK, UM, BUT HOW MANY PERSONNEL IN YOUR DEPARTMENT ARE FUNDED IN FULL OR IN PART BY FEDERAL FUNDING OR FEDERAL GRANTS? SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE 183 FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES.
AND IF YOU CONSIDER, IF, LET'S FLIP BACK TO, UH, SLIDE TWO IF YOU WOULD.
SO IF YOU SEE WE HAVE 183 EMPLOYEES.
WE HAVE 25 THAT ARE COVERED IN OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS FOR A TOTAL OF 2 0 8.
WE HAVE 2 0 7 0.75 THAT ARE COVERED BY FEDERAL AWARDS.
I, UH, I, WHEN GLANCING THROUGH, I SAW THAT THIS IS STILL, UH, ALL THE AWARDS STILL IN PLACE.
HAVE ANY GRANTS BEEN CANCELED? UM, OR HAVE ANY FEDERAL FUNDING SOURCES BEEN IDENTIFIED SPECIFICALLY AS QUESTIONABLE OR AT RISK AT THIS TIME? SO, NO, NOT AT THIS TIME.
SO WHAT YOU SEE HERE LISTED AND IF WE GO TO ON THE TABLE TO THE RIGHT, ALL OF THE AWARDS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF DR 24.
SO YOU'LL SEE THAT DR 24, WHICH HAS A AUTHORIZED AMOUNT OF 314 MILLION MM-HMM
THAT HAS AN ASTERISK, WHICH IS THE GRANT AGREEMENT IS PENDING.
SO WE DO NOT HAVE A GRANT AGREEMENT FOR THAT AWARD YET.
ALL OTHER AWARDS WE HAVE A GRANT AGREEMENT FOR MEANS THEY'RE NOT, WHICH MEANS THAT WE ARE, WE ARE, WE ARE ACTIVELY WORKING.
I CANNOT SAY THAT THEY ARE AT RISK 'CAUSE OTHER DEPARTMENTS HAVE HAD GRANT AGREEMENTS AND THOSE GRANT AGREEMENTS HAVE BEEN CANCELED.
WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS THAT WE HAVE A GRANT AGREEMENT AND WE ARE ACTIVELY WORKING ON THAT GRANT AGREEMENT.
WE ARE ACTIVELY WORKING TO CLOSE OUT SEVERAL OF OUR AGREEMENTS AND, AND WORKING TO CLOSE THOSE SO THAT WE HAVE VERY LITTLE AT RISK AT ANY ONE GIVEN MOMENT.
HOWEVER, OUR DR 24 GRANT IS A BRAND NEW AWARD.
WE ARE IN THE PLANNING STAGES FOR THAT AWARD.
AND THAT AWARD WE DO NOT HAVE A GRANT AGREEMENT FOR.
IT ALSO MAKES UP A VERY SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF THE OPEN AWARDS BALANCE THAT YOU SEE.
UM, YOU MENTIONED THAT Y'ALL ARE PLANNING FOR THIS, BUT BASED ON YOUR ASSESSMENT, HOW WOULD A PAUSE, AND I'M GONNA FINISH THIS ONE.
UH, HOW WOULD A PAUSE OR REDUCTION IN FEDERAL FUNDING SUCH AS THOSE GRANTS OR REIMBURSEMENTS AFFECT YOUR DEPARTMENT'S OPERATIONS, SERVICE DELIVERY OR PLAN PROJECTS? AND HOW ARE YOU PREPARING FOR THAT? I KNOW Y'ALL MENTIONED THAT YOU ARE, BUT ANY DETAILS THERE? LEMME JUST STATE THE OBVIOUS THAT SIGNIFICANT REDUCTIONS IN FEDERAL GRANTS WOULD NEGATIVELY IMPACT THE PROGRAMS WE OPERATE THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON WE SERVE AND OUR EMPLOYEES.
UM, IT WOULD BE, IT WOULD BE DRASTIC.
UM, BECAUSE, AND IT'S A, AND IT'D BE, AND IT'D BE COMPLEX FOR THIS ENTITY TOO, IF YOU SAID THERE WAS NO FEDERAL FUNDS, YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOME EMPLOYEES TO, TO DISPENSE THE DR 24 GRANTS MM-HMM
BUT IT FINISHED DOING THIS AND IT WOULD BE, IT WOULD BE A SERIOUS ISSUE FOR THE CITY.
AND, UM, I CERTAINLY HOPE THAT IT DOES NOT COME TO THAT.
UM, REMEMBERING THAT THESE GRANTS HAVE, A PORTION OF THEM ARE ADMINISTRATIVE FOR ADMINISTRATIVE FEES, WHICH IS, WOULD GO TO THE EMPLOYEES, BUT ALSO A HUGE PORTION GO DIRECTLY TO OUR CITIZENS.
I HAVE ONE MORE SO I CAN GO IN QUEUE.
UH, DIRECTOR BACK TO PERFORMANCE METRICS.
SO LAST YEAR WE BROUGHT UNITED WAY TOGETHER WITH THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT AND WHAT RESULTED WERE SOME WORKSHOPS IN, UH, GEARED TOWARDS HELPING NONPROFITS IMPROVE THEIR PERFORMANCE METRICS ON THEIR, ON THEIR CONTRACTS.
ARE, ARE THOSE WORKSHOPS ONGOING? IS THAT EFFORT STILL UNDERWAY? THEY ARE NOT, BUT THE EFFORTS TO IMPROVE THE OUTCOMES WITH THEM ARE, AND I WILL GO BACK AND I THINK THAT'S, IT WAS A GREAT PROGRAM EARLIER LAST YEAR AND I WILL GO BACK AND MAKE SURE, UH, AMANDA MCMILLAN AND I, I MAKE SURE THOSE ARE CONTINUED AND MOVE FORWARD.
IT'S, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO DO THAT.
AND, UM, I THINK WE ALSO BROUGHT METRO TOGETHER WITH, UH, HOUSING DEPARTMENT REGARDING SOME LAND THAT METRO HAD AVAILABLE THAT THEY MIGHT BE WILLING TO, UH, USE FOR HOUSING.
WHAT, UH, WHAT'S THE STATUS OF THAT? WE, WE HAVE NOT SUCCESSFULLY WORKED THROUGH THAT, BUT WE STILL, WE STILL VISIT WITH THAT.
WE STILL TALK TO 'EM ABOUT IT AS WE DO WITH HISD AND OTHER AREAS TOO.
[00:40:01]
UM, IT'S THOSE IMPORTANT DISCUSSIONS TO HAVE.UH, UNFORTUNATELY ALL OF THE AGENCIES, UH, WOULD LIKE, FOR THE MOST PART WOULD LIKE TO GET FULL MARKET VALUE FOR ANY LAND, AND THAT MAKES THIS A MORE DIFFICULT PROCESS.
UM, BUT IF THERE'S EVER, IF THERE'S EVER ELIGIBLE LAND THAT HAS A OFF MARKET RATE, WE WANT TO DO THAT.
UM, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS I'M ON, NOT AS MUCH ON MULTIFAMILY, BUT ON SINGLE FAMILY REALLY PRESSING THE, UH, HOUSTON LAND BANK TO SPEND A LOT MORE TIME LOOKING AT THOSE TAX PROPERTIES THAT YOU CAN GET UNDER THE MARKET VALUE.
AND WITH REGARD TO THE METRO, UM, PART OF THAT, UM, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT METRO LAND, RIGHT? THAT THEY MIGHT BE WILLING TO, TO DONATE OR, OR ARE YOU SAYING THEY WOULD EXPECT TO VALUE FOR FOR THAT, THAT THAT WOULD BE A GREAT THING FOR THEM TO DO? WE HAVE NOT NEGOTIATED ANY OF THAT SUCCESSFULLY YET, BUT AGAIN, THAT PARTNERSHIP IS A STRONG PARTNERSHIP AND THEY TOO WANT AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
SO IT'S A, UH, IT, IT STILL IS A GOOD IDEA AND A GOOD PROGRAM.
AND LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT, UH, DISASTER RECOVERY FUNDING.
FROM WHAT HAPPENED LAST SUMMER.
ARE WE, ARE WE TRYING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SOME OF THE FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR THAT? ARE WE GONNA APPLY FOR, FOR SOME OF THAT DISASTER? SO THE DR 24 FUNDING, WHICH IS BARRELL AND THE DRE MM-HMM
IS THE $314 MILLION THAT WAS GRANTED TO THE CITY.
AND AS I SAID, THAT WILL BE COMING BACK TO THIS COMMITTEE ON JUNE 3RD TO TALK ABOUT, TO DISCUSS HOW THAT WILL BE SPENT AND UTILIZED.
SO WE'LL HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT VERY SHORTLY.
AND THAT'S A OF COURSE, A VERY IMPORTANT ITEM FOR THE WHOLE CITY AND SOMETHING WE'RE THE SUCCESS AND HOW WE SPEND, THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
AND I WAS COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN'S OFFICE.
I JUST GOT ONE MORE THANK YOU CHAIR.
UM, HOW IS THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT INCORPORATING CLIMATE RESILIENCE SUSTAINABILITY OR EMISSIONS REDUCTION INTO ITS BUDGET THIS YEAR WITH THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN, THE HOUSTON RESILIENCE PLAN, IT'S MORE AFFORDABLE, HOUSING COMES ONLINE, ET CETERA.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT'S BEING CONSIDERED? IT ABSOLUTELY IS BEING CONSIDERED.
WE ARE, UM, IT'S, UH, UM, IT'S BEEN A DIFFICULT TIME WITH THAT.
UM, THE WORST EXAMPLE THAT WE HAVE KIND OF GOING THE WRONG DIRECTION, AND I'LL START WITH THAT IS THAT, UM, THANK YOU.
I'VE HAD, I HAVE A CORRECTION ALREADY, THANK, UM, BUT I'LL COME BACK TO THAT, WHICH I'M GLAD I HAD THESE BRILLIANT PEOPLE WORKING FOR ME BECAUSE I'D BE IN TROUBLE.
UM, ON THE RESILIENCE ISSUE, OBVIOUSLY D 24 IS GONNA BE LOOKING AT THAT A GREAT DEAL.
D 21 FROM THE, UH, WINTER STORM URI, UH, ABOUT TEN NINE MILLION WENT TO GENERATORS AND OTHER ITEMS. SO THAT WAS A PART OF RESILIENCE.
UM, AND UH, BUT TO GIVE YOU KIND OF THE NEGATIVE SIDE, NEW HOPE HOUSING WAS, HAD BEEN GRANTED AN $8 MILLION GRANT THROUGH AN ENERGY GRANT THROUGH HAPPY TO HAVE HUMANITY.
UM, THAT GRANT WAS SENT OUT AND THE ADMINISTRATION CLAWED THAT BACK.
UM, AND, UH, THEY HAD TO FIND SOME OTHER WAY TO BUILD THEIR HOUSING, THE WHEATLEY HOUSING WITHOUT THAT.
UH, OVERALL THOUGH, WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME WITH OUR, UM, DEVELOPERS AND MULTI-FAMILY DISCUSSING WHAT KIND OF GENERATORS THEY SHOULD HAVE.
UH, I THINK THE CITY'S COME UP WITH A REALLY GOOD PROGRAM THAT DOESN'T ADD HUGE EXPENSE FOR GENERATORS FOR MULTI-FAMILY.
BUT SAYS WHEN YOU BUILD A NEW MULTI-FAMILY, YOU SHOULD HAVE A ONE WORKING ELEVATOR IN A COMMON ROOM THAT PEOPLE CAN USE FOR OXYGEN OR PHONES OR OTHER ITEM, AND THAT WOULD BE COOLED.
SO OVERALL, IT'S SOMETHING VERY INTERESTING.
WE'RE GOOD PARTNERS WITH ANGELA BLANCHARD AS SHE WORKS THROUGH THAT TOO.
THE CORRECTION I HAD IS HHCD IS STILL PROMOTING PARTICIPATION IN THE LOGIC MODEL AND PROVIDER MEETINGS THAT WERE HELD.
AND THE LAST ONE WAS HELD ON UNITED WAY ON 3 28.
SO I APOLOGIZE ABOUT THAT ERROR.
UM, WE'RE SO LUCKY TO HAVE YOU HERE AND REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENTATION AND ALL THE GOOD WORK AND ALL THE GOOD WORK OF YOUR TEAM BACK THERE.
I HATE MISSING THE HOUSING COMMITTEE MEETINGS 'CAUSE OF HGAC, BUT KEEP UP WITH THEM THROUGH JORDAN AND JUST REALLY APPRECIATE ALL YOUR GOOD WORK FOR THE RESIDENTS OF HOUSTON.
I THINK THERE WERE A, YOU, WE, I BELIEVE WE ANSWERED THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAD SUBMITTED.
THERE WAS ONE THAT WE DID NOT ANSWER AND THAT WAS ABOUT THE
[00:45:01]
VACANCY ON THE RETIREMENT.THERE WAS ONE VACANCY DUE TO THE, UH, RETIREMENTS THAT, UH, WILL REQUIRE BACK FILLING.
ONE HAS BEEN THE ONE VACANCY HAS BEEN FILLED BY AN INTERNAL CANDIDATE THAT WILL LEAVE A SUBSEQUENT VACANCY, BUT IN FINANCE.
WE DO HAVE A COUPLE PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
WE WILL FIRST HEAR FROM GUADALUPE FERNANDEZ.
UH, MY NAME IS GUADALUPE AND I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF BAYOU CITY WATERKEEPER.
UH, I APPRECIATE THE DEPARTMENT'S SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT IN HOMELESSNESS ASSISTANCE, PARTICULARLY RAPID REHOUSING.
HAVING SERVED ON THE HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY HOUSING STABILITY TASK FORCE DURING THE PANDEMIC, I UNDERSTAND THE CRITICAL NEED TO SUPPORT OUR MOST VULNERABLE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH THE CRUCIAL CAVEAT THAT THESE EFFORTS GENUINELY PROVIDE RESOURCES AND SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY NOT POLICING OR CRIMINALIZING OR HARMING THE MOST VULNERABLE.
FURTHERMORE, IN MY CAPACITY WITH BAYOU CITY WATERKEEPER, I CALL FOR THE RESPONSIBLE ALLOCATION OF SIGNIFICANT FUNDING SOURCES CDBG, UH, DR 24, AND THE CORE CDBG PROGRAM.
GIVEN THE PRIMARY OBJECTIVES OF THESE FUNDS IS DISASTER RECOVERY AND JUST SUPPORTING RESILIENT COMMUNITIES, WE STRONGLY ADVOCATE FOR PRIORITIZING PROGRAMS THAT ADDRESS THE FUNDAMENTAL NEEDS OF HOMEOWNERS IMPACTED BY DISASTERS AND THOSE PHASING HOUSING INSTABILITY.
THIS NECESSITATES ROBUST INVESTMENT IN COMPREHENSIVE HOME REPAIR PROGRAMS. THIS IS LOOKING AT ONE OF THE MANY ROOT CAUSES OF HOMELESSNESS, AS WE'VE DISCUSSED, UH, A CRITICAL AND OFTEN OVERLOOKED ASPECT OF HOME REPAIR, PARTICULARLY IN THE CONTEXT OF LONG-TERM RECOVERY AND PREVENTING FURTHER HARDSHIP IS THE ISSUE OF PRIVATE SEWER LATERALS OR PSLS, WHICH YOU HEARD ME HEAR ABOUT A MONTH AGO, TALKING ABOUT, UM, ABOUT A MONTH AGO.
YOU HEARD US HERE ADVOCATE FOR A DEDICATED 20 MILLION FUND FOR A PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO LOW INCOME RESIDENTS TO PROVIDE PRIVATE SEWER LATERAL REPAIRS.
LEVERAGING THOSE FEDERAL RESOURCES WOULD BE A RESPONSIBLE AND IMPACTFUL USE OF DISASTER RECOVERY FUNDS OR CDBG FUNDS AS WELL.
BY ADDRESSING THESE OFTEN COSTLY PSL REPAIRS, WE CAN ENSURE RECOVERY EFFORTS TRULY REACH THE MOST NEED AND PREVENT FURTHER DE DETERIORATION OF HOUSING CONDITIONS.
THIS ALIGNS DIRECTLY WITH THE INTENT OF C-D-B-G-D-R AND CDBG FUNDING TO FOSTER RESILIENT AND HEALTHY COMMUNITIES, PARTICULARLY LOW AND MODERATE INCOME RESIDENTS.
WE BELIEVE THAT INVESTING IN THESE ESSENTIAL HOME REPAIRS, INCLUDING PSLS, IS A PROACTIVE AND RESPONSIBLE USE OF THESE FUNDS CONTRIBUTING TO LONG-TERM STABILITY AND PREVENTING FUTURE CRISES.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE DEPARTMENT.
UH, YOU'LL SEE US BACK HERE IN JUNE, UH, FOR THE EFFECTIVE AND EQUITABLE ALLOCATION OF THESE VITAL RESOURCES.
NEXT WE'LL HEAR FROM SARAH SAEED.
I SERVE AS THE POLICY MANAGER FOR WOODY JUNTOS, A LOCAL ORGANIZATION SERVING MULTILINGUAL COMMUNITIES.
AGAIN, WE ENGAGE WITH YOU AT EVERY BUDGET WORKSHOP.
UH, WE'RE HERE AGAIN TO JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF FEEDBACK ABOUT THE, UH, PROPOSED BUDGET FOR 26 AND JUST SOME, UM, OBSERVATIONS THAT WE HAVE AS WELL.
I'M ACTUALLY GOING TO START BY JUST POSING A FEW QUESTIONS THAT HAVE COME FROM SOME OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS WHEN GOING THROUGH, UH, THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT D 24 AS IT RELATES TO RETROACTIVE DISASTERS, BUT WHAT WE DID SEE, UM, NOT NECESSARILY MISSING, BUT UH, THE NEED FOR IS HOW WE'RE LOOKING INTO INVESTING INTO DISASTER PREPAREDNESS, RIGHT? SO WE, WE HAVE A LOT OF FOCUS ON RECOVERY AND RESPONSE, WHICH IS EXACERBATED BY CLIMATE AND EMERGENCY DISASTERS AND ALREADY BAD INFRASTRUCTURE.
BUT WHAT ARE WE DOING TO PREPARE COMMUNITIES, ESPECIALLY MULTILINGUAL COMMUNITIES? UH, ANOTHER POINT I JUST WANTED TO BRING UP WAS THE END STREET HOMELESS FUNDS STATES THAT IT REQUIRES $70 MILLION TO EFFECTIVELY FUND IT.
UH, BUT IT ONLY SHOWS A BUDGET OF $32 MILLION.
IS THERE? WELL, WHAT COMMUNITY MEMBERS WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IS IF THERE'S A PLAN TO CLOSE THAT CURRENT GAP.
UM, IF NOT, YOU KNOW, WITH ONLY HALF OF THE NECESSARY FUNDING ALLOCATED, WHAT TYPE OF REDUCTION IN TARGET OUTCOMES ARE WE EXPECTING? AND THEN THANK YOU FOR ANSWER, ANSWERING THE TR TRZ QUESTION.
[00:50:01]
I ALSO HAD, UH, WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT PREPARING FOR LOSING, UH, FEDERAL FUNDING, UM, I THINK WHAT COMMUNITY MEMBERS WANNA KNOW IS, UH, FUNDING IS ALREADY REALLY, UM, THE WORD I'M GONNA USE IS SCARS BECAUSE OF THAT, RIGHT? 'CAUSE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, UM, ON TOP OF WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE STATE LEVEL.UH, WE ALSO WANT YOU TO CONSIDER LAWS LIKE SENATE BILL 17 THAT IMPACT, UH, THAT CAN IMPACT, UM, AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS, PARTICULARLY DEPART THE DEPARTMENT'S ABILITY TO SECURE FUNDING AND PARTNERSHIPS FOR HOUSING INITIATIVES IF CERTAIN COMMUNITIES ARE BEING TARGETED.
SO THAT'S JUST SOMETHING TO KEEP IN MIND WHEN YOU'RE MAKING DECISIONS, UH, ABOUT THE BUDGET, UM, AS WELL.
AND THEN THE LAST THING I WILL LEAVE IS, UH, BACK TO FUNDING TO INCLUDE MULTILINGUAL PERSONNEL THAT CAN COORDINATE WITH OUR LOW INCOME APARTMENT COMPLEXES, ESPECIALLY WITH SENIOR LIVING CENTERS AND APARTMENTS.
I DIDN'T HEAR THAT, UH, TODAY.
UH, BUT THAT'S ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT AND A CRITICAL NEED.
UM, AS SOMETIMES THE STAFFING DOESN'T REALLY REFLECT LANGUAGES SPOKEN OF THOSE RESIDENTS.
AND SOMETIMES DURING, UH, DISASTERS, AS WE'VE SEEN WHEN THE POWER GOES OUT, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ABANDONED IN THIS COMMUNITY.
UH, FOLKS, UM, HAVEN'T RECEIVED THE RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED BECAUSE OF LACK OF GENERATORS OR LACK OF SUPPORT.
THAT'S ALSO SOMETHING TO KEEP IN MIND.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR TODAY, BUT I AM HERE FOR QUESTIONS OR ANY COMMENTS.
CHAIR AND, AND SARAH JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW, UM, FROM LAST YEAR'S BUDGET PROCESS, MYSELF, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO AND COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ CONTRIBUTED SOME MONEY TOWARDS, UH, FUNDING A LANGUAGE ACCESS COORDINATOR.
HAPPY TO REPORT THAT ACCORDING TO DIRECTOR HERBERT SIMS OF DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS, UM, THAT WAS USED TO RECEIVE SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDS, UH, TO THE TUNE OF $270,000 FROM THE HOUSTON ENDOWMENT TO HELP WITH, WITH LANGUAGE ACCESS.
SO WE'VE ALREADY RECEIVED THE FIRST INSTALLMENT OF THAT AND WE'VE EMPLOYED SOMEONE.
SO HOPEFULLY GOING FORWARD, UH, WE'LL BE ABLE TO USE THAT PERSON TO HELP, UH, PROVIDE LANGUAGE SUPPORT, UH, FOR OUR RESIDENTS DURING AN EMERGENCY.
THAT WOULD BE LOVELY, ESPECIALLY, UM, AS IT RELATES TO HOUSING PROJECTS, UM, ESPECIALLY AFFORDABLE, UH, HOUSING.
UM, I THINK PEOPLE WOULD REALLY BENEFIT FROM, UM, UNDERSTANDING THE LANGUAGE GAPS AND HAVING STAFF THERE TO SUPPORT THEM DURING THOSE SITUATIONS.
ANYHOW, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.
AND ANY OTHER PUBLIC SPEAKERS, EITHER ONLINE OR IN THE CHAMBER.
SEEING NONE, COLLEAGUES, WE WILL BREAK UNTIL AIRPORTS AT THREE 30.