[FY 2026 Budget Workshop: Department of Neighborhoods on May 16, 2025.]
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OKAY.I'D LIKE TO WELCOME, UM, STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER TIFFANY THOMAS'S OFFICE, AND I THINK EVERYBODY ELSE WAS HERE AT THE LAST WORKSHOP.
UM, GREAT TO HAVE DIRECTOR SIM SOME CHANGES AT THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND EXCITED TO HEAR YOUR PRESENTATION AND, UM, THANK YOU FOR THE GOOD WORK YOU AND YOUR TEAM DO.
GOOD MORNING, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO START BY RECOGNIZING MY LEADERSHIP TEAM BEHIND ME WHO, UM, DRIVE THE DAY-TO-DAY WORK FOR THE DEPARTMENT AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD STAKEHOLDERS.
AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE A SMALL DEPARTMENT AND WE WEAR MANY HATS, SO WE COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT THE BOOTS ON THE GROUND AND THE PEOPLE THAT MANAGE THEM.
FIRST OF ALL, UM, IT IS AN HONOR.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT MANY OF YOU HAVE BEEN ONGOING PARTNERS WITH OUR DEPARTMENT, AND I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
UM, IT IS OUR HONOR TO SERVE THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND TO WORK WITH THEM TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR THEM TO PARTICIPATE IN GOVERNMENT ACCESS RESOURCES, REMOVE OBSTACLES, AND TO IMPROVE THEIR LIVES AND COMMUNITIES.
AS YOU KNOW, OVER THE PAST YEAR, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH PUB HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS TO CONSOLIDATE OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM, UM, INTO THEIR DEPARTMENT.
UM, WE'LL MISS WORKING WITH THE DEDICATED CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND THEIR ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF WHO TOGETHER CREATE BETTER NEIGHBORHOODS FOR RESIDENTS.
I KNOW THEY'RE IN GOOD HANDS WITH DIRECTOR MACKAY, UM, DEPUTY DIRECTOR MORENO, UM, DEPUTY ASSISTANT DIRECTOR SHANAHAN, AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THEM AND THEIR TEAM FOR MAKING IT SO EASY TO WORK WITH.
WE'LL ALSO CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER TO CREATE A SEAMLESS CONSOLIDATION FOR THE PROGRAM SO YOUR RESIDENTS, UM, DON'T SEE AN EFFECT ON THE SERVICE.
AS THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOOD MOVES FORWARD AND BUILDS ON THE PARTNERSHIPS AND OUTREACH WE'VE ESTABLISHED, WE WILL CONTINUE TO SHARPEN OUR FOCUS AND FINDING WAYS TO HELP RESIDENTS FEEL HEARD INCLUDED AND EMPOWERED.
HOUSTON IS AN EVER-CHANGING CITY FROM DEMOGRAPHICS TO DEVELOPMENT.
OUR TEAM IS COMMITTED TO PARTNERING AND SUPPORTING COMMUNITIES AND, AND COMMUNITY INITIATIVES THROUGH THESE CHANGES TO THIS EFFECT.
WE'LL ALSO BE ABSORBING THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF VETERANS AND MILITARY AFFAIRS.
WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO BEGIN THE FY 26 PRESENTATION.
IF YOU DON'T MIND, COULD YOU PLEASE SKIP TO THE STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT SLIDE? THANK YOU SO MUCH.
SO YOU CAN SEE ON THIS SLIDE, OUR WORK IS CENTERED AROUND PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATING WITH COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS.
AS YOU SEE FROM THE FIRST SLIDE, MOST OF OUR PROGRAMS ALIGN WITH THE MAYOR'S QUALITY OF LIFE PRIORITY, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND GANG PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION, WHICH FALL ONTO PUBLIC SAFETY.
THE GOVERNMENT THAT WORKS PRIORITY IS ABOUT 45% OF THE BUDGET BECAUSE IT INCLUDES INDIRECT RESTRICTED AND DEPARTMENT-WIDE COSTS THAT SUPPORT ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS. NEXT SLIDE.
A TOTAL OF 83 FTES WERE MOVED TO HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS AS A PART OF THE CONSOLIDATION EFFORT BETWEEN OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER DIVISIONS.
OF THOSE 83, FTES 44 WERE GENERAL FUND 39 WERE PREVIOUSLY FUNDED BY HUD'S COMMUNITY BLOCK DEVELOPMENT GRANT AND WILL BE FUNDED BY HPW GOING FORWARD AS WELL.
THE CONSOLIDATION ALLOWS CODE ENFORCEMENT TO GAIN SUPPORT AND IMPROVES THE OVERALL EFFICIENCY OF THE CITY'S CODE ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM.
AS PER THE VOLUNTARY MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT PAYOFF, WE HAD FIVE OF NINE ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEES ACCEPT THIS OFFER.
THIS FIGURE IS ROUGHLY 10% OF THE REMAINING PERSONNEL THAT EXCLUDES CODE ENFORCEMENT WHO ARE PAID THROUGH THE GENERAL FUND.
AS WITH THE PREVIOUS SLIDE, WE REMOVED THE EMPLOYEES FROM OUR FORMER CODE ENFORCEMENT DIVISION SO THAT THE CURRENT SPAN OF CONTROL IS COMPARED TO THE SAME DIVISIONS AS WHAT OUR PROPOSED SPAN OF CONTROL IS FOR 26.
PRIOR TO THE EY REPORT, 45% OF OUR SUPERVISORS HAD FOUR OR FEWER DIRECT REPORTS HEADING INTO THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR.
ALL OUR MANAGERS WILL HAVE AT LEAST FOUR DIRECT REPORTS TO MEET THE GOAL.
WE ARE REQUESTING ABOUT FOUR RECLASSIFICATION OF EMPLOYEES AS A RESULT OF THE CODE ENFORCEMENT CONSOLIDATION AS WELL AS OUR OWN REORGANIZATION.
WE DO NOT HAVE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR NEW CLASSIFICATIONS.
THE CITY'S EXISTING JOB CLASSIFICATIONS CURRENTLY WORK WELL FOR OUR DEPARTMENT'S NEEDS.
ON THIS SLIDE, YOU WILL SEE THAT OUR FY 26 PROPOSED BUDGET IS 49% SMALLER THAN OUR PREVIOUS FY 25 BUDGET.
THIS VARIANCE REFLECTS THE IMPACT OF CODE ENFORCEMENT DIVISION MOVING TO PUBLIC WORKS.
SLIDE EIGHT ILLUSTRATES THE 49% DECREASE AS MENTIONED IN THE PREVIOUS SLIDE.
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FROM OUR GENERAL FUND BUDGET, 63% IS ALLOCATED TO PERSONNEL WHILE THE REMAINING 37% IS ALLOCATED TO SUPPLIES, SERVICES, AND RESTRICTED ACCOUNTS.THIS SLIDE ILLUSTRATES THE EXPENDITURES BY PROGRAM.
MOST PROGRAM BUDGETS INCREASE DUE TO HOPE AND PENSION OBLIGATIONS.
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES ARE DECREASED DUE TO THE CON DUE TO THE CONSOLIDATION OF REORGANIZATION.
NEIGHBORHOOD INITIATIVES INCREASE, UM, DUE TO THE ADDITION OF A CUSTOMER SERVICE REP.
THIS POSITION WILL ASSIST THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH VOL AND VOLUNTEER INITIATIVES PROGRAM AS THE CITY DEPARTMENTS MOVE TO STREAMLINE AND CONSOLIDATE VOLUNTEER EFFORTS.
THERE IS A TYPO ON THE FIRST PROGRAM SLIDE.
THE, UM, LEASE FOR 6 0 1 SAWYER HAS BEEN EXCLUDED FROM THIS PROGRAM AND HAS BEEN TRANSFERRED TO HPW.
THE SLIDE ALIGNS WITH THE MAYOR'S GOVERNMENT THAT WORKS.
AS MENTIONED EARLIER, ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT INCLUDES THE DIRECTOR'S OFFICE AND FUNDING FOR OUR DEPARTMENTS AS WELL AS RESTRICTED, AS WELL AS RESTRICTED ACCOUNTS.
THE FUNDS BENEFIT ALL OUR DIVISIONS AND PROGRAMS, AND IT INCLUDES THIS YEAR THE MATCHING GRANTS PROGRAM AS WELL.
FOR THOSE DIVISION COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT ARE FAMILIAR WITH THAT PROGRAM, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ALIGNS WITH THE QUALITY OF LIFE PRIORITY, UM, THE SIGNIFICANT BUDGET ITEMS INCLUDING FUNDING FOR PERSONNEL, UM, OBLIGATIONS AND SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD SUPPORT.
UM, THE REFERENCE ACCOUNT FOR THIS FUND IS 1000 AND IT'S ABOUT $1.56 MILLION.
AS YOU CAN SEE THERE, UM, THE 1.56 MILLION.
UM, WE ESTIMATE TO BE ON TRACK, UM, TO EXCEED OUR PERFORMANCE MEASURES FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, ESPECIALLY IN THE NUMBER OF RESIDENTS SERVED THROUGH OUR CIVIC ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS. NEXT SLIDE.
GANG PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION ALIGNS WITH MAYOR'S PUBLIC SAFETY PRIORITY.
SIGNIFICANT BUDGET ITEMS INCLUDE FUNDING FOR PERSONNEL AND PENSION OBLIGATIONS AS STATED BEFORE, AS WELL AS FUNDING FOR GANG OUTREACH AND INTERVENTION COUNSELORS.
IT'S ABOUT $675,000 AND THIS PROGRAM ALONE LOST ABOUT A THIRD OF ITS STAFF TO THE VOLUNTEER RETIREMENT PROGRAM, INCLUDING THEIR DIVISION MANAGER.
THEY'RE ON TRACK TO GET HIT THEIR KPIS.
UM, THE ONE THAT, UM, MAY FALL SHORT IS THE EDUCATIONAL AND GANG AWARENESS PRESENTATION PROVIDED TO YOUTH AND PARENTS AND PROFESSIONALS.
HOWEVER, AS I STATED BEFORE, IT'S ONLY, IT WAS ONLY A DIVISION OF EIGHT AND IT LOST ABOUT THREE OF THEIR EMPLOYEES, INCLUDING THEIR DIVISION MANAGER.
NEIGHBORHOOD INITIATIVES LINES WITH QUALITY OF LIFE, UM, FUNDS AND OBLIGATIONS, UM, INCLUDE FUNDING FOR YOUTH LEADERSHIP, CONSTITUENT IN EDUCATION AND VOLUNTEER INITIATIVES.
THE REFERENCE SLIDE IS ABOUT $84,000.
NEXT SLIDE, WE ESTIMATE TO EXCEED THE NUMBER OF HOURS VOLUNTEERED BY RESIDENTS COMPARED TO THE REFLECTION OF THE LAST YEAR, AS WELL AS THE NUMBER OF PROJECTS COMPLETED USING VOLUNTEER LABOR AND THE NUMBER OF VOLUNTEER PARTICIPANTS.
UM, WE CONTINUE TO, UM, LOOK AT OUR KPIS AND THIS IS ONE OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE CONTINUE TO DIG DEEP TO GIVE YOU THE BEST, UM, NUMBERS POSSIBLE THAT ILLUSTRATES WHAT THEY'RE DOING IN THE COMMUNITY.
ALL OUR PROGRAMS ARE DOING GOOD WORK, BUT WE WANNA SHOW WHERE WE'RE MOVING THE NEEDLE AND HOW WE'RE MEASURED AND THE METHODOLOGY IN WHICH WE USE.
SO WE'RE CONTINUING TO LOOK INTO THAT AND WE HAVE A STAFF ANALYST THIS YEAR TO HELP US AND ASSIST US WITH THOSE CHANGES IN OUR KPIS.
NEW AMERICANS, SIGNIFICANT BUDGET ITEMS INCLUDE FUNDING FOR PERSONNEL AND PENSION, BUT AS WELL AS TRANSLATION AND INTERPRETATION SERVICES.
THE RELATIVE BUDGET IN FUND 1000 IS 3,380 $6,000.
NEXT SLIDE, WE ESTIMATE TO MEET OUR PERFORMANCE MEASURES HERE, BUT ANOTHER PROGRAM WHERE WE'RE LOOKING VERY CLOSELY AT THE KPIS, UM, ALONG WITH, UM, THE DIVISION MANAGER O'NEILL, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE SHOWING A FULL PICTURE OF THE SERVICES BEING PROVIDED BY THE DIVISION, BUT WE'RE ON TRACK.
WE ALSO HIRED A FULL-TIME, UM, GRANT, FUND AND EMPLOYEE TO HELP US IN THE AREA OF A LANGUAGE ACCESS TRAINING WHERE WE FALL SHORT.
HUMAN TRAFFICKING FALLS UNDER THE MAYOR'S PUBLIC SAFETY PRIORITY, SIGNIFICANT, UM, WHERE WE HAVE OUR PERSONNEL AND PENSION OBLIGATIONS THERE.
THE PROGRAM IS FUNDED THROUGH POLICE SPECIAL SERVICES FUND.
UM, THE REFERENCE FUND IS TRANSFERRED INTO THE, UM, GENERAL FUND FUND, 1000 IN THE AMOUNT OF $243,000.
THIS PROGRAM BEGAN REPORTING TO OUR DEPARTMENT IN OCTOBER, 2024 WITH THE DEPARTURE OF ITS DIRECTOR.
IT'S, IT WILL BE FULLY CONSOLIDATED INTO THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS IN FY 26, AND WE PLAN TO TAKE A DIRECT SERVICES APPROACH IN, IN THE PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR LOCAL STAKEHOLDERS.
UM, MOVING FORWARD, NEXT SLIDE.
VETERANS AFFAIRS ALIGNS WITH QUALITY OF LIFE AS WELL.
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UM, THEY ALSO INCLUDE PERSONNEL AND PENSION OBLIGATIONS AS WELL AS OPERATING SMALL OPERATING COSTS, SUPPLIES FOR OUTREACH AND ASSISTANCE CONNECTING WITH VETERANS AND FAMILY, UM, RESOURCES.IT ACCOUNTS FOR ABOUT $271,000 ON FUND 1000.
AS STATED BEFORE WITH THE PREVIOUS PROGRAM, THIS PROGRAM WOULD ALSO BE CONSOLIDATED INTO THE DEPARTMENT FULLY IN FY 26.
WE ESTIMATE THAT THEY'RE ON TRACK TO MEET THEIR PERFORMANCE MEASURES FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR.
FOR EDUCATION, THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS WILL PROVIDE GENERAL FUND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT IN FY 26.
THE ADMINISTRATIVE OVERSIGHT WILL CONTINUE TO BE PROVIDED BY THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.
EDUCATION INITIATIVES DOES FALL UNDER THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND, AND WE'RE OBLIGATED FOR PENSION AND PERSONNEL, BUT THEY ALSO HAVE A SMALL SUPPLY AND OPERATION BUDGET THAT THEY HAVE ACCESS TO FOR EDUCATION AND JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH.
IT'S ABOUT $213,000 IN FUND 1000.
YOU CAN SEE THEIR PERFORMANCE MEASURES THERE.
THEY'RE ON PAR TO MEET THOSE FOR FY 25 AND THEIR GOALS FOR 26.
SO REVENUE HAS CHANGED QUITE A BIT.
THE 2 MILLION THAT IN REVENUE GENERATED BY THE RESIDENTIAL CODE ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM WAS TRANSFERRED TO HPW DUE TO THE CONSOLIDATION, HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PROGRAM IS FUNDED VIA SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT FROM FUNDS HPD PAID BY THE SEXUAL ORIENTED BUSINESSES, TOTALING ABOUT $243,000.
IN THE NEXT TWO SLIDES, YOU'LL SEE THE DROP IN REVENUE ILLUSTRATED, I SHOULD SAY CHANGE IN REVENUE.
IT'LL JUST BE REPORTED BY HPW.
AND IN HERE YOU CAN SEE THE SAME AGAIN WITH THE $243,000 THAT WE RECEIVE FROM HPD FOR HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
SO ANY QUESTIONS? THAT'S MY PRESENTATION.
I'M HAPPY TO ACCEPT YOUR QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME.
THANK YOU CHAIR, UH, DIRECTOR.
UM, THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT Y'ALL DO.
UM, AND IT SEEMS LIKE YOU'RE GONNA BE TAKING ON OTHER, OTHER AREAS NOW AS WELL.
UM, AND SO APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, BEING ABLE TO TAKING THOSE, THOSE, UM, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S EDUCATION, HUMAN TRAFFICKING, UM, KNOW THAT WE WE GOT YOU AS WELL.
UM, I AM CONCERNED WITH, UH, REDUCTION IN THE GANG PREVENTION.
UH, VICTOR WAS A HUGE ASSET, UM, AND THEN LOSING TWO OTHERS ASIDE FROM HIM.
AND, AND I KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, DAVIS HAS HAD SOME INITIATIVES WHEN IT COME TO PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON AS WELL.
UM, BUT WE'VE BEEN SEEING AN INCREASE IN, IN YOUTH CRIME SPECIFICALLY SHOOTINGS.
UM, MARCH, I HELD A PRESS CONFERENCE THAT VICTOR WAS AT AND THAT WEEKEND, AND WE HAD ABOUT FOUR KIDS, UH, 16 YEARS OLD ON AVERAGE, UH, DIED ON WITH GUN VIOLENCE.
AND SO, UM, I THINK IT'S IN, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT, UM, A LOT OF THIS CAN BE DONE, UH, WORK THAT, YOU KNOW, CAN BE DONE AFTER THE FACT, BUT A LOT OF IT CAN BE PREVENTATIVE.
AND SO HOWEVER YOU CAN LEVERAGE THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE SURE THAT Y'ALL ARE THERE, UH, MAKE SURE KIDS ARE AT THE PARKS.
UM, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I WAS TALKING TO VICTOR ABOUT IS SIMPLE AS A THREE ON THREE TOURNAMENT IN NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER GROWING UP THEY USED TO HAVE THOSE IN IN THE EAST END AND YOU KNOW, IT, IT, A LOT OF THOSE, AND I DON'T LIKE USING THE WORD AT RISK, BUT A LOT OF THOSE, THOSE YOUNG FOLKS THAT DIDN'T HAVE THE RESOURCES, THEY FOUND A AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY, UH, GET ENGAGED.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I'D LIKE TO TALK TO YOU MORE ABOUT WHAT THAT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE, UM, WHAT PARTNERSHIPS, YOU KNOW, WHO, UH, WHAT OTHER ORGANIZATIONS Y'ALL COULD BRING AS WELL, UH, TO HELP OUT WITH THAT, WITH THAT FRONT.
UM, AND THEN, UH, JUST ON, ON THE, ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, INITIATIVES.
UM, YOU KNOW, Y'ALL ARE DOING GREAT.
UH, BUT I THINK, AGAIN, THERE'S ALWAYS OPPORTUNITIES WHERE COMMUNITY CAN STEP UP.
UM, AND SO HOWEVER Y'ALL CAN CONTINUE TO, UH, BUILD OUT THOSE RELATIONSHIPS, UH, NOT JUST IN DISASTER RECOVERY, BUT JUST ON AN ONGOING BASIS.
UH, I KNOW CAREER IN RECOVERY WAS, UH, IT WAS A MOU THAT, UH, DISTRICT EYE OFFICE AND DISTRICT B OFFICE WORKED ON ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO.
UM, THEY'VE BEEN A GREAT ASSET AND THEY'VE TAKEN ON A LOT.
AND I THINK THERE'S, THERE'S MORE THAT THEY CAN OFFER AS WELL.
UM, I THINK THE PARKS DEPARTMENT'S HAVING A FUNDRAISER FOR THEM.
UM, AND SO HOWEVER, UH, WE CAN CONTINUE TO SUPPORT, UH, YOU ALL THROUGH, THROUGH THAT ORGANIZATION, UH, WHETHER IT'S, UM, YOU KNOW, IT, IT COULD BE IN THE DISASTER RECOVERY WHERE YOUR WHOLE TEAM IS OUT AND ABOUT, UH, OR JUST IN, IN ANY OTHER CHALLENGES THAT THAT MIGHT BE COMING FORWARD AS WELL.
SO JUST AGAIN, UH, YOU ARE DOING MORE WITH LESS, UH, I KNOW IT'S TOUGH, BUT KNOW THAT THERE'S, THERE'S FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT ALREADY STEP UP AND I KNOW Y'ALL KNOW THAT AS WELL.
AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH CR THROUGH NEIGHBORHOOD INITIATIVES AND THE GOOD NEIGHBOR PROGRAM WILL CONTINUE IN DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS, THE PROGRAM THAT ASSISTS, UM, IN THE CUTTING AND MAINTAINING OF YARDS OF SENIORS, VETERANS, UH, WIDOWS AND WIDOWS OF VETERANS, AS WELL AS, UM, DISABLED RESIDENTS IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO WE'LL CONTINUE THAT AND DITTO ON, UH, GANG PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION.
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AS YOU KNOW, I STARTED THERE AND I WORKED FOR, FOR VICTOR, UM, BEFORE COMING OVER TO THE DIRECTOR'S OFFICE.SO I, I TAKE THE SAME SENTIMENT.
SO Y'ALL ARE STILL DOING THE, THE WEED LOTS AND STUFF.
WE WILL BE DOING THE GOOD NEIGHBOR PROGRAM FOR THE WEEDED LOTS.
SO THE, THE ACTUAL ABATEMENT OF WEED LOTS WILL GO TO PUBLIC WORKS.
WHO DOES EVERYBODY CALL WHEN THEY HAVE A CODE ENFORCEMENT? THEY, YOU, YOU'LL NOW, UH, CALL PUBLIC WORKS.
UH, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, DEPUTY ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, CHRIS SHANAHAN OVERSEES THAT PROGRAM.
IF YOU REMEMBER, REGGIE HARRIS, DEPUTY ASSISTANT DIRECTOR SHANAHAN IS NOW THE REGGIE HARRIS OVER CODE ENFORCEMENT FOR LACK OF A BETTER COMPARISON.
MADAM CHAIR, BROTHER DIRECTOR, THANK YOU FOR, UH, YOUR PRESENTATION THIS MORNING.
BUT, UM, ALONG WITH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ, I WANTED TO, UH, HAVE TWO CONCERNS WITH ME.
AND THAT IS, OF COURSE, THE GROWING NUMBER OF TEENAGE, YOU KNOW, CRIME IN OUR CITY.
UM, OVERALL, MATTER OF FACT, I'M GOING TO BE ATTENDING A FUNCTION OF HOPE AT MILBY HIGH SCHOOL AS WELL AS SOME OTHER SCHOOLS.
AND THIS IS A A A 5 0 1 C3 PROGRAM OF WORKING WITH, UH, OUR IMMEDIATE HIGH SCHOOLS AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS IN THAT NATURE AS RELATES TO ACTIVITY IN OUR PARKS.
AND I KNOW YOU HAVE AN ELEMENT WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT, YOU KNOW, WITH CRIME AND, AND THAT EMPHASIS ON GANGS AND OTHERS.
AND THAT'S A DEEP CONCERN BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE DONE WITH THE MINISTRY ADVISORY BOARD THAT WE'VE INITIATED AND WE'VE RECREATED, IT'S NOTHING REALLY A CREATION.
IT'S MORE OF A RESURRECTION BECAUSE THE GROUP OF PASTORS AND OTHER AFFILIATION AFFILIATES IN OUR CITY WHO WANNA WORK WITH REDUCING CRIME AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE, UM, THIS INITIATIVE THAT WE'VE STARTED CALLED PPP, WE'RE TRYING TO GET IT UP AND GOING.
SO WE WORK WITH HPD PARKS AND OTHERS IN ORDER HOW WE COULD COME UP WITH MORE PROGRAMS FOR OUR YOUNG TEENAGERS.
'CAUSE THE NUMBERS ARE GOING UP, RIGHT? AND SO, UM, WE RAN THE STATISTICS AND, UM, AND THAT'S THE CONCERN OF ALL, ALL OF US AT COUNCIL OR CONCERN WITH THAT.
SO WHATEVER WE CAN DO, WE KNOW THAT FUNDS WILL BE CERTAIN LIMITED AMOUNTS, BUT CERTAINLY WANT TO PUT EFFORTS ON THAT, HOW WE CAN HELP TO ASSIST THAT.
MY SECOND ASK IS ABOUT VETERAN AFFAIRS HAS NOW BEEN JOINED WITH THE DEPARTMENT.
SO IS THERE GOING TO BE, WHAT'S GOING TO BE THE PROCESS IN TERMS OF WHAT VETERANS MILITARY VETERAN AFFAIRS DO ON THE DEPARTMENT? I KNOW WE'VE SLICED IT DOWN TO ONE PERSON.
IS IT IN, IN, IN THE BUDGET? THERE'S STILL TWO FTES.
SO THE PROCESS SHOULDN'T CHANGE.
YOU SHOULDN'T SEE A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN THE PROCESS.
AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO MAKE THAT FOR, FOR ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS, UM, FOR FTES OR TO, TO, TO ENSURE THAT THE SERVICE, YOU KNOW, CAN BE MAINTAINED AT, AT, AT THE MINIMUM.
WE, WE'LL CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR THAT.
DIRECTOR SIMS, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
YOU HAVE A VERY BROAD MANDATE AND, UH, APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT YOU AND OTHERS IN YOUR DEPARTMENT DO.
I HAD A COUPLE QUESTIONS, UH, ONE HAVING TO DO WITH, UH, WHAT Y'ALL DO, UH, REGARDING HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
SO I WAS NOTICING UNDER THE PROGRAM DESCRIPTION, PART OF IT IS IMPLEMENTING HUMAN, UH, COLLABORATING WITH DEPARTMENTS TO IMPLEMENT HUMAN TRAFFICKING PREVENTION PROGRAMS. CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT Y'ALL DO IN THE WAY OF, UH, TRYING TO PREVENT HUMAN TRAFFICKING? WELL, WE DO HAVE STAFF THAT, AND CURRENTLY WITH, WITH THAT, WITH THAT PROGRAM, THERE'S ONLY ONE FTE THAT'S, IT'S NOT THAT IT WILL REMAIN ONE TO FT BUT WE GOT SOME VACANCIES TO FILL THERE.
BUT, UM, THEY ARE CURRENTLY DOING PRESENTATIONS.
THEY WORK CLOSELY WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND IDENTIFYING, UM, FOLKS THAT ARE BEING HUMAN TRAFFICKED WILL ALSO HAVE THEM TRAIN OUR ANTI-GANG STAFF TO IDENTIFY AND WORK WITH, WITH POPULATIONS THAT MIGHT POTENTIALLY SEE THINGS THAT ARE SIGNS.
AS YOU KNOW, HUMAN TRAFFICKING IS AN UNDER-REPORTED, UM, STATISTIC.
AND SO A LOT OF TIMES IT'S BECAUSE WE DON'T RECOGNIZE IT.
ONE OF THE MOST EYE-OPENING STATISTICS I SAW LAST WEEK WAS THAT 57% OF THOSE TRAFFICKED ARE MALE.
AND SO A LOT OF TIMES WE'RE NOT LOOKING FOR MALES TO BE TRAFFICKED SO THAT THAT EDUCATION ALONE HELPS PREVENT, UM, THE CONTINUED TRAFFICKING OR TAKING ADVANTAGE OF, UM, OUR RESIDENTS, WHETHER IT BE FOR LABOR OR OR FOR SEXUAL ORIENTED CRIMES.
AND, UH, REGARDING NEW AMERICAN SERVICES.
SO, UH, JUST INFORMATIONAL FOR ME, UH, I'M AWARE OF, UH, A, UH, AN EVENT COMING UP THAT'S GONNA OFFER HEALTH SERVICES TO REFUGEES.
AND SO, UH, IF I WANTED TO MAKE YOUR DEPARTMENT AWARE OF THAT OR SOMEONE IN NEW
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AMERICAN SERVICES, WHO SHOULD I REACH OUT TO? YOU SHOULD REACH OUT TO TERRANCE O'NEILL.AND I THINK HE'S BEHIND ME IF HE WANTS TO RAISE HIS HAND.
AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A COMMENT.
UH, DIRECTOR SIMS, I JUST WANNA THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM, UH, YOU HAVE A HUGE MANDATE, BUT YOU ALL ARE ALSO ALWAYS VERY RESPONSIVE TO, UM, DISTRICT D AND THE CONSTITUENTS AND AS WELL AS THE DISTRICT D STAFF.
AND I WANTED TO JUST THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR THAT PUBLICLY.
SO ANYWAY, CONTINUE THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU ALL DO.
I KNOW THAT IT SOMETIMES BECOMES VERY CHALLENGING, UH, BECAUSE, UH, THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED, UH, IN DISTRICT D, BUT YOU ALL ALWAYS RESPOND AND DO YOUR BEST TO RISE TO, TO THE CHALLENGE.
I SEE NO OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS IN THE QUEUE, BUT, UM, WE DO HAVE SOME PUBLIC COMMENTERS THAT SIGNED UP.
MY ONLY REQUEST IS THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS CONTINUES TO WORK WITH THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, WITH COORDINATOR.
UM, SO THAT WE HAVE A SMOOTH SORT OF INTERACTION WITH THE CITY.
UM, AND THAT THE PROGRAM OF GRANTS CONTINUES AND THE PROGRAM OF ADMINISTRATIVE COST CONTINUES AND, UH, BECAUSE THAT, BECAUSE WE NO LONGER CAN CHARGE FEES FOR, FOR OUR MEMBERS, WHICH UNDERSTANDABLY MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.
AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING UP THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, WE DIDN'T REALLY ADDRESS THAT DIRECTOR, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S SO IMPORTANT, UM, FOR US TO GET INFORMATION DOWN AND FOR THEM TO BRING INFORMATION UP.
THAT SYSTEM HAS REALLY WORKED WELL.
AND, AND I KNOW YOU HAVE STRONG REPRESENTATION AT THOSE MEETINGS ALL ACROSS TOWN.
RHONDA, I SEE YOU OUT THERE AND, AND EVERYBODY THAT GOES AND, AND THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR THAT AND, AND CONTINUES ON.
HTV SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE.
OKAY, EVERYBODY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS, YOU AND YOUR STAFF DO AMAZING DIRECTOR AND YOUR STAFF DO AMAZING WORK OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY AND FOR SO MANY PEOPLE IN HOUSTON.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE A FIVE MINUTE BREAK AND WE WILL, OR NO, WE'RE GONNA ACTUALLY WAIT TILL 11:00 AM TO START WITH THE FLEET PRESENTATION.
SO YOU HAVE A 20 PLUS MINUTE BREAK.