* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:02] COUNSEL, PLEASE COME TO ORDER [INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] CHAIR RECOGNIZED HIS VAST MAYOR, PRO PECK FOR THE INVOCATION. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, CHAPLAIN JOHNSON, IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME UP, PLEASE. WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO HAVE CHAPLAIN JOHNSON. UM, HE'S A SERGEANT WITH THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT. DURING HIS TENURE, HE HAS SERVED AT THE NORTH PATROL MENTAL HEALTH DIVISION AND THE EMPLOYEE SERVICES DIVISION, PEER SUPPORT UNIT. CHAPLAIN JOHNSON HAS SPENT THE LAST SEVEN YEARS SERVING AS THE DEPARTMENT'S CHAPLAIN. HE IS A SPIRITUAL ADVISOR TO ACTIVE AND RETIRED MEMBERS OF THE DEPARTMENT, ALONG WITH THEIR FAMILIES. CHAPLAIN JOHNSON ALSO SERVED HIS COUNTRY HONORABLY AS A UNITED STATES MARINE AND IS A COMBAT VETERAN. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. THANK YOU ALL FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. IT'S BEEN A FEW YEARS, UH, BUT I APPRECIATE THE INVITATION. I APPRECIATE THE DIVERSITY OF THIS GREAT COUNCIL, AND I JUST LOVE THE WAY THAT IT EMBRACES THE CITY AND REFLECTS THE CITY. SO, AT THIS TIME, WOULD YOU PLEASE PRAY WITH ME? OUR FATHER AND OUR GOD, WE THANK YOU FOR ANOTHER DAY. WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR GRACE. WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR MERCY. WE THANK YOU THAT YOU ALLOWED US TO HAVE TRAVELING. GRACE, AS WE PACKED OUR PATIENCE JUST TO MAKE IT HERE THIS MORNING, WE ASK THAT YOU JUST CONTINUE TO WATCH OVER THIS WONDERFUL CITY. WE ASK THAT YOU ELIMINATE ALL DISCREPANCIES. WE ASK THAT YOU BRING EVERYONE TOGETHER. THE PSALM IS SAID IN THE 133RD PSALM, BEHOLD, HOW GOOD AND HOW PLEASANT IT IS FOR HUMANITY TO DWELL TOGETHER IN UNITY. AND WE PRAY FOR UNITY THIS MORNING. WE PRAY FOR CLARITY THIS MORNING. WE PRAY FOR, UH, JUST A GREAT SESSION THAT WILL CONTINUE TO LOOK OUT AND WATCH OVER THE PEOPLE OF HOUSTON. THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY, LORD. AND THANK YOU FOR ANOTHER DAY. THIS IS YOUR SERVANT'S PRAYER AND YOUR PRECIOUS NAME. WE PRAY AND GIVE THANKS. WOULD EVERYONE SAY AMEN. AMEN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. PLEASE RISE FOR THE PLEDGE. PLEASE CALL THE [9:00 AM - ROLL CALL] ROLL. MAYOR WHITMEYER. PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER PECK HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON. COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN. COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN WILL BE ABSENT. COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER CASTEX TATUM. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER HERE. AND COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN HERE NEED A [ADOPT MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING] MOTION TO DELAY THE ADOPTION OF MINUTES. CAST , MOVE. SECOND. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY YES. AS OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES [MAYOR'S REPORT] UNDER THE MAYOR'S REPORT. I'D LIKE TO REMIND EVERYONE OF OUR HOLIDAY THURSDAY, JUNE 19TH, JUNETEENTH DAY CITY WILL BE CLOSED. EVERYONE GETS TO RECOGNIZE THIS SIGNIFICANT HISTORICAL DAY. I WILL, UH, BE AN ACRES HOME SATURDAY MORNING WHERE I'VE PARTICIPATED IN THAT PARADE FOR MANY YEARS, HONORING MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER, WHO STARTED THE PARADE. SO IT'LL BE A CONTINUATION OF A REAL CELEBRATION. UH, BEFORE I GO ANY FURTHER, I WANT TO THANK HPD, CHIEF DIAZ, FIRE CHIEF MUNOZ. FOR EVERYONE THAT PARTICIPATED IN SATURDAY'S PEACEFUL MARCH AND PROTEST, I REALLY DO BELIEVE, UH, IT WAS A STATEMENT OF THE CITY THAT WE LIVE IN, THAT WE CAN HAVE DIFFERING VIEWS AND DO IT PEACEFULLY. DISAGREE WITHOUT BEING DISAGREEABLE. PASTOR DAVIS, WE COULD DO A SERMON ON THAT, BUT WE HAD JUST THE PROPER LAW ENFORCEMENT, HPD AND OTHER AGENCIES PRESENCE TO ASSURE THE SAFETY OF THE PARTICIPANTS AND OUR COMMUNITY. IT'S GOTTA BE UPWARDS OF 15,000. I THINK THE ORGANIZERS QUIT COUNTING WHEN THEY WENT OVER 15,000. BUT ALL OF US THAT, UH, PARTICIPATED REALLY CELEBRATED AT THE COMPLETION OF WHAT A WONDERFUL TURNOUT AND RECOGNITION OF OUR DIVERSE CITY THAT HAS CONCERNS. BUT THEY EXPRESSED THEM PEACEFULLY. THE [00:05:01] MARCH CAME OFF WITHOUT ANY DIFFICULTY, NO GRAFFITI, NO BROKEN WINDOWS. THE POLICE WERE PART OF THE COMMUNITY. I GUESS I'LL CLOSE ON THIS NOTE, THE POLICE WERE PART OF OUR COMMUNITY. WE TALK ABOUT COMMUNITY POLICING. IT WAS ON EXHIBIT SATURDAY. SO WHAT A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW THE REST OF THE WORLD. WHAT A GREAT CITY WE LIVE IN. UH, THIS MORNING, I DON'T THINK WE GIVE RECOGNITION TO SOME OF OUR TEAM ENOUGH. UH, I WANT TO THANK MIKE NICHOLS AND CYNTHIA WILSON. ANGELA BLANCHARD, JOSH SANDERS, STEVEN DAVID, FOR THE PUBLIC HEARINGS YOU'RE HAVING ON HUD FUNDING. THERE'LL BE AN ADDITIONAL PUBLIC HEARING TONIGHT AT FIVE 30 TO SEVEN 30 CAN BE FOUND ON THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT WEBPAGE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON WEBPAGE. I THINK TO PUT IT IN PERSPECTIVE OF WHY THESE HEARINGS ARE SO IMPORTANT IS WE RECEIVED LAST OCTOBER AFTER MONTHS OF NEGOTIATIONS AND REQUESTS FOR HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. WE GOT 315 MILLION FROM HUD. THE COUNTY GOT 60 MILLION. OUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE IN TALKING TO HUD IN THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION AND NOW GOING FORWARD, WAS A MATTER OF TRUST. IT WAS ALL ABOUT TRUST BECAUSE HUD HAD A NEGATIVE OPINION OF HOW HOUSTON HAD USED ITS FUNDING. THEY HAD ACTUALLY MADE HOUSTON GO THROUGH THE STATE OF TEXAS FOR ANY AWARDS WE OVERCAME THAT THEY WERE CONCERNED ABOUT AS WE DISCUSSED THE CUNY HOME AIR CONDITIONING CONTRACTS THAT HAD NEVER BEEN COMPLETED. NO REAL ANSWERS BY THE HOUSING AUTHORITY. NOW YOU DO KNOW WHEN I GOT SWORN IN, THAT'S THE FIRST THING WE DID. WE REPLACED THE ENTIRE HOUSING AUTHORITY WITH EXCEPTION OF THE TWO RESIDENTS. WE ALSO REPLACED THE HOUSING DE, UH, DEPARTMENT AUTHORITY AND DEPARTMENT TO PUT TRANSPARENCY BACK INTO THEIR OPERATIONS. SO AS WE ESTABLISHED THE TRUST, WE HAD TO GET CLEARANCE FROM THEM WHAT WE THOUGHT OUR PRIORITIES WERE. WE MENTIONED HOUSING, RESIDENTIAL, AND MULTI MULTIPURPOSE, UH, MULTIFAMILY, MULTIFAMILY HOUSING. THEY SAID, NO. THAT'S WHERE THE PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN IN THE PAST. WHAT ARE YOUR IMMEDIATE NEEDS? THAT WOULD BE QUICK AND TRANSPARENT. WE WERE COMING OUTTA THE STORM WHERE ENERGY AND GENERATORS WERE OUR HIGHEST, ONE OF OUR HIGHEST PRIORITIES THAT HAD NEVER BEEN ADDRESSED BY THE CITY. WE WENT A WEEK WITHOUT ENERGY IN BARREL, DARK COMMUNITIES FOR A WEEK. HAD TO CALL IN ADDITIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT TO POLICE OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. SO AS WE SPOKE TO THEM AND WERE MAKING OUR CASE, THEY SAID, WHAT ABOUT YOUR HOMELESS? WE WOULD LIKE TO PARTNER WITH YOU ON SHELTERING THE HOMELESS. YOU KNOW, THAT'S ONE OF MY HIGH PRIORITIES. SO AS WE DEVELOPED THE CONVERSATIONS AND THEY WANTED US TO LISTEN TO THE PUBLIC, THIS GREAT TEAM THAT I JUST RECOGNIZED, ANGELA BLANCHARD WITH RESILIENCY AND RECOVERY, WORLD RENOWNED RECOVERY, SHE WENT TO WORK WITH ROUND TABLES, OUR STAKEHOLDERS IN OUR COMMUNITY, OUR NONPROFIT, OUR FOUNDATIONS, AND THE COMMUNITY TO SAY THEIR HIGHEST PRIORITY IS PLEASE KEEP THE COOLING CENTERS WITH POWER. THE HUB THAT WE TALKED ABOUT SO MUCH AT CITY HALL HAD NO BACKUP POWER. IT WILL NOW HAVE BACKUP POWER. SO THROUGH THIS ELABORATE DISCUSSION, A GIVE AND TAKE, THEN WE CHANGE ADMINISTRATIONS. THEY CONTINUED BECAUSE OF THEIR STAFFING WITH THE SAME CONCERN. TRUST, ARE YOU GONNA USE THE MONEY WHERE YOU SAY IT WAS, IF YOU RECALL, THE FIRST THING WE HAD TO DO. AND MIKE NICHOLS LED THE WAY WE OWED THE LAND OFFICE $90 MILLION FOR MONIES THAT HAD NOT BEEN USED PROPERLY. SO WE HAD THAT HANGING OVER. SO FIRST WE HAD TO CONVINCE THE NEW SECRETARY OF HUD TURNER, WHO BY CHANCE I SERVED TWO SESSIONS WITH IN AUSTIN, THAT ONE WE'RE TRANSPARENT, WILL PUT THE MONEY WHERE WE SAY IT SHOULD GO. THEY WERE CONCERNED. THERE [00:10:01] WERE MONIES COMING OUT OF HARVEY AND PREVIOUS THE FREEZE YURI THAT COULD NOT BE ACCOUNTED FOR. A LOT OF CONTRACTORS THAT GOT PAID, THAT DID NOT HAVE A WORK PRODUCT. AND THEY REFERENCED AND SENT DOWN INSPECTOR GENERALS, THE FBI AND EPA FOLKS TO LOOK AT MIDDLE STREET, WHICH IS STILL FOLKS A HUGE, HUGE CHALLENGE. SO AS WE WENT FORWARD, WE CONVINCED THEM THAT WE WOULD BE TRANSPARENT AND USE IT FOR WHAT WE SAY IT WAS FOR. THEY, THEY WHO HAD FINAL SAY THAT BEING HUD WANTED US TO PUT IT IN GENERATORS, WHICH WE'D IDENTIFIED OVER A HUNDRED SENSITIVE LOCATIONS THAT PROVIDE ESSENTIAL SERVICES, PUT YOUR GENERATORS THERE, AND THEN ALSO WORK WITH THE HOMELESS. SO WE FINALLY GOT CLEARANCE, BUT WE ALSO TOLD 'EM WE WOULD LISTEN TO THE COMMUNITY. AND THAT'S WHAT MIKE AND HIS TEAM'S DOING, AND I WOULD URGE YOU TO CONTACT HIM, PARTICIPATE. AS A RESULT, SOME OF THE PROPOSALS ARE BEING MODIFIED. WE HAD SOME EMERGENCY VEHICLES IN THE PROPOSAL. WELL, WE DIDN'T KNOW AT THAT TIME THAT THE STATE WAS GONNA GIVE US 200 POLICE CARS. AND I CAN'T WAIT FOR Y'ALL TO HEAR JOSH'S REPORT ONCE THE GOVERNOR SIGNS THE BUDGET. 250 MILLION IN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, 10 MILLION IN 200 POLICE CARS. SO CONDITIONS CHANGE AND WE'RE RESPONDING. AND THAT'S THE REASON I'M PAUSING THIS MORNING TO THANK OUR TEAM. THERE'S NOT A BETTER EXPERIENCED, A MORE COMPASSIONATE GROUP OF PROGRESSIVE PEOPLE. AND THE IDEA THAT JOHN WHITMEYER OR ANYONE ON HIS TEAM WOULD NOT MAKE HOME REPAIRS A PRIORITY IS, WOULD BE LAUGHABLE IF IT WASN'T SO SERIOUS. THE BOTTOM LINE IS WE HAVE MORE NEEDS THAN WE DO REVENUE, BUT THE CELEBRATION OUGHT TO BE, AND WE WOULDN'T EVEN HAVE THIS DISCUSSION IF WE HADN'T GOTTEN THE 315 MILLION FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. WE WERE BLESSED TO GET THAT. AND WE'VE USED OUR BEST JUDGMENT WORKING WITH HUD. HUD HAS THE FINAL SAY. AND ONCE WE CONVINCED THEM OF THE TRUST, THEN THEY SAID, LISTEN TO THE COMMUNITY REPORT BACK TO US. AND I'M GLAD TO SAY WE'RE IN SUCH ACTIVE CONTACT WITH THE SECRETARY OF HUD'S OFFICE THAT I EXPECT HIM TO BE IN HOUSTON VERY, VERY SOON. HE WANTS TO SEE WHAT WE'RE DOING ON THE GROUND DOWN HERE. WE'RE DOING AMAZING THINGS WITH THE HOMELESS AND THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE HUD MONEY THAT THEY OVERSEE. WE HAD A LOT TO OVERCOME BECAUSE QUITE FRANKLY, THERE'S SOME FUNDS THAT CAN'T BE DOCUMENTED IN PREVIOUS DISTRIBUTIONS. AS YOU'VE SEEN ALREADY IN THE LAST YEAR, THE LAND COMMISSION OFFICE IS NOW WILLING TO WORK WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON. WE HAD NO RELATIONSHIP WITH THE STATE AND THE HUD RELATIONSHIP WAS VERY STRAINED. SO PLEASE TUNE IN TONIGHT TO ONE OF THE HEARINGS. I HOPE MOST OF YOU GOT TO HEAR THE QUALITY OF LIFE COMMITTEE YESTERDAY. SOME GOOD THOROUGH QUESTION AND ANSWERS, AND THAT'S THE WAY IT SHOULD BE CONDUCTED. WITH THAT SAID, UH, IT'S A GREAT, GREAT DAY TO BE A HOUSTONIAN. WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK LEFT TO DO, SO LET'S GO TO WORK. THANK YOU. NO NEED ANYTHING? MM-HMM. HMM. NO. OKAY. UH, COUNCILMAN IT'S NOT IN, NOT IN. OKAY. LET'S START OUR PUBLIC MAYOR, PRO MAYOR PROAM CAST MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR YOUR REPORT TODAY. I THINK THAT, UM, WE DO HAVE, UM, THIS ADDITIONAL $315 MILLION COMING FROM HUD. I DO WANT TO THANK ALL OF THE RESIDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN PARTICIPATING, ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO HAVE PUT IT IN THEIR NEWSLETTERS AND ENCOURAGE SURE. HOUSTONIANS, TO PARTICIPATE IN HOW WE ARE GOING TO, UM, ALLOCATE THESE DOLLARS. I KNOW YOU SAID THAT, UM, JOSH WAS GOING TO GIVE US A REPORT ON WHAT TRANSPIRED AT THE STATE. DO WE KNOW WHEN WE CAN EXPECT THAT REPORT? IS THAT GONNA BE IN COUNCIL MEETING OR DO WE KNOW WHEN WE [00:15:01] CAN EXPECT THAT REPORT FROM JOSH? JOSH IS WAITING FOR THE GOVERNOR TO SIGN THE BILL, BUT ALSO, UH, OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA. JOSH? UH, WE'RE WAITING FOR THE GOVERNOR. OF COURSE. YEAH. WE'LL, WE'LL DO IT NEXT WEEK. WE CAN DO IT IN THE MAYOR'S REPORT. WE CAN HAVE A HEARING. YOUR COMMITTEE WOULD BE AN EXCELLENT HEARING, UH, TO DISCUSS. BUT, UH, WE HAD A GOOD SESSION, UM, AMAZING COMING OUT OF THE FINANCE, UH, COMMITTEE IN TERMS OF REPAIR TO LAKE HOUSTON DAM LAKE LIVINGSTON DAM LIFT STATION, UH, A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS, 50 MILLION. UH, AND AT THE LAST MINUTE, I LET THE FINANCE CHAIR KNOW. I DO KNOW HOW ITEMS CAN GET ADDED TO THE BUDGET AS IT'S BEEN FINALIZED. AND I HAD JUST THAT WEEK GONE TO MCCULLOUGH ROAD SUBSTATION TO ROLL CALL AND THERE WERE 40 OFFICERS AND AFTER THE ROLL CALL, THEY GATHERED AT THE END OF THE HALL AND ASKED THE CHIEF, WHAT ARE THEY DOING? HE SAID, THEY'RE WAITING FOR THE OTHER SHIFT TO BRING THE CARS BACK. HE SAID, IF I HAD CARS, WE COULD DOUBLE THE NUMBER OF PATROL IN SOUTHEAST. SO I, I, KNOWING HOW THE CHAIRMAN OF FINANCE CAN DO ABOUT WHAT SHE'D LIKE IN THE FINAL DRAFT, I CALLED JOAN HUFFMAN AND SAID, I REALLY GOT TO HAVE 200 POLICE CARS, COST OF 10 MILLION. AND IT'S IN THIS FINAL VERSION, WHICH, YOU KNOW, I'M CERTAIN THE GOVERNOR WILL WILL SUPPORT BECAUSE WE ARE UNDERSTAFFED AND IT'S A SHAME WHEN WE GOT OFFICERS AND, AND THE CHIEF SAID THEY'LL DOUBLE UP TONIGHT BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF POLICE CARS. SO YOU CAN PUT THAT IN OUR DISCUSSION OF NEEDS. BUT WE'RE GETTING 200 POLICE CARS FROM THE CHIEF, UH, FROM THE STATE OF TEXAS. AND NOW ALSO WE NEED TO FOCUS ON AMBULANCES. WE GOT AMBULANCES WITH 500,000 MILES ON THEM AND OUR BUDGETS, INCLUDING NIP. AND ONE OF THE PROBLEMS THAT YOU'VE PROBABLY FOLLOWED WITH SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING IS WE GOT SCORES OF AMBULANCE, UH, SOLID WASTE TRUCKS IN REPAIR. UNFORTUNATELY, THE CITY IN PREVIOUS YEARS BOUGHT USED GARBAGE TRUCKS AND NOW WE'RE PAYING THE PRICE. THANK GOODNESS, RECENTLY WE APPROPRIATED MONEY FOR NEW ONES. SO WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU MA'AM. PUBLIC [9:30 AM - PUBLIC SPEAKERS] SESSION. MR. SECRETARY, LADY ORTEGA BURLA GARCIA. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS LETTI ORTEGA AND I'M A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER AND PART OF THE TEXAS ORGANIZING PROJECT. I'M HERE BECAUSE THE CITY'S DDR 24 PLAN, AS IT STANDS, DOES NOT ADEQUATELY REFLECT THE NEEDS OF THE MOST IMPACTED BY DISASTERS LIKE HURRICANE BARROW. MANY RESIDENTS, ESPECIALLY IN WORKING CLASS NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE MINE IN DISTRICT E, ARE STILL FACING UNSAFE LIVING CONDITIONS, INCLUDING UNRESOLVED HOUSING DAMAGE WITH LITTLE TO NO SUPPORT. I URGE THIS COUNCIL TO DELAY ANY VOTE ON THE DR 24 PLAN UNTIL THE JULY 22ND DEADLINE. THE CURRENT TIMELINE WITH JUST THREE DAYS BETWEEN THE CLOSE OF PUBLIC COMMENT AND A VOTE DOES NOT ALLOW FOR MEANINGFUL ADJUSTMENTS OR TRANSPARENCY. I'M ALSO ASKING YOU TO RECONSIDER CURRENT ALLOCATIONS LIKE THE MILLION SET ASIDE FOR FEMALE REIMBURSEMENTS, AND INSTEAD INVEST THOSE DOLLARS IN TARGETED HOUSING REPAIRS. WE NEED A PLAN GROUNDED IN EQUITY, ONE THAT PRIORITIZES UNMET HOUSING NEEDS OVER ADMINISTRATIVE CONVENIENCE. PLEASE STAND WITH YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND ENSURE THESE FEDERAL DOLLARS ACTUALLY REACH THE PEOPLE THAT NEED THEM THE MOST. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT PARALLEL, GARCIA, I NEED TO HOLD PEOPLE TO THEIR TIME. PERLA GARCIA. MARIA BRACE. MARIA BRACE. FRANKIE [00:20:01] DIAZ. HELLO, GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS FRANKIE DIAZ. I'M HERE WITH TEXAS ORGANIZING PROJECT. UM, LAST YEAR, ME AND MY FAMILY AND 53 OTHER FAMILIES WERE FORCED TO LEAVE A COMMUNITY IN HOUSTON. WE CALLED HOME FOR MANY YEARS, A PLACE WHERE WE BUILT FAMILIES, FRIENDSHIPS, MEMORIES, A PLACE WHERE MY CHILDREN GREW UP. WE WERE FORCED TO LEAVE BECAUSE INVESTMENT COMPANY CAME AND BOUGHT THE LAND. THE EMOTIONAL WEIGHT OF LOSING OUR HOME AND OUR COMMUNITY STILL LINGERS, BUT THE CHALLENGE DIDN'T END. THE SCARCITY OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN OUR CITY MEANT, MEANT RELOCATING WASN'T JUST A HASSLE, BUT A FINANCIAL BURDEN. MANY OF OUR NEIGHBORS WERE FORCED WITH A DECISION TO STAY AND BE HOMELESS OR TO LEAVE HOUSTON. 49 OF US HAD TO LEAVE HOUSTON. A FEW WEEKS AGO. I HEARD MAYOR WHITMEYER SPEAK ABOUT PLANS TO INVEST IN BUILDING COMMUNITIES FOR PEOPLE FROM CALIFORNIA WHO WANT TO MOVE TO HOUSTON. WHILE I UNDERSTAND THE NEED TO ACCOMMODATE NEWCOMERS, IT LEFT ME FEELING FRUSTRATED. WHY AREN'T WE FOCUSING ON FAMILIES LIKE MINE, FAMILIES WHO HAD TO LEAVE AND BE DISPLACED? WHY AREN'T WE BRINGING THEM BACK? WE ARE QUICK TO WELCOME NEW RESIDENTS, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN DISPLACED, RISING COSTS, GENTRIFICATION, LOSS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING. WHY CAN'T THE CITY USE THESE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THEY'VE RECEIVED ON FUNDS TO CREATE PROGRAMS THAT PRIORITIZE THE RETURN OF OUR FAMILIES? FAMILIES THAT NEED SUPPORT AND STABILITY. TOO MANY FAMILIES ARE BEING PUSHED OUTTA COMMUNITIES THEY CALL HOME. IT'S NOT A PROBLEM FOR DISPLACED. IT'S A PROBLEM FOR ALL OF US TODAY. I ASK Y'ALL, MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL TO STAND UP FOR YOUR DISTRICT, YOUR CONSTITUENTS, YOUR RESIDENTS OF YOUR CITY. DELAY, DELAY VOTING UNLESS THERE ARE FUNDS ALLOCATED TO ADDRESSING HOUSING UN NET NEEDS. LISTEN TO THE STORIES OF FAMILIES LIKE MINE. WE ARE NOT STATISTICS. WE ARE PEOPLE. WE ARE PARENTS, CHILDREN, NEIGHBORS, AND FRIENDS WHO DESERVE TO STAY IN THE CITY. I URGE YOU TO INVEST IN THE FAMILIES THAT HAVE HELPED BUILD HOUSTON INTO WHAT IT IS TODAY. IT'S TIME FOR HOUSTON TO TAKE A STAND AND ENSURE THAT ALL FAMILIES HAVE ACCESS TO SAFE HOMES THEY DESERVE. THANK YOU. NEXT, JUDY BLANCO. JUDY BLANCO, ASHA MCQUEEN. GOOD MORNING CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. GOOD MORNING CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYOR. MY NAME IS SENECA MARIN MCQUEEN JR. AND I LIVE IN THIRD WARD, UH, WHERE I'VE BEEN IN RESIDE SINCE 1974. I ALSO RESIDE IN DISTRICT D. I'M A LONGTIME LEADER OF THE TEXAS ORGANIZING PROJECT AND CARE DEEPLY ABOUT THE LONG-TERM RECOVERY OF OUR COMMUNITY AND CITY. I WAS PART OF A DELEGATION THAT WENT TO DC BACK IN DECEMBER WITH A LOT ORGANIZATIONS FROM FLORIDA, HAWAII, NEW JERSEY, AND NORTH CAROLINA, WHO WERE ALSO IMPACTED BY NATURAL AND MANMADE DISASTERS. IN 2024, WE ADVOCATED FOR FEDERAL DOLLARS TO MOVE OUR COMMUNITIES AND MOVE QUICKLY. I PARTICIPATED IN THAT DELEGATION AND ADVOCATED FOR FEDERAL DOLLARS TO COME TO HOUSTON WITH THE EXPECTATION THAT THESE DOLLARS WOULD BE USED ACCORDING TO COMMUNITY NEED. SO I'M HERE TODAY TO PUSH YOU MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL TO AMEND THE CURRENT ACTION PLAN TO PRIORITIZE HOUSING AND INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH, WHICH WAS THE LARGEST UNMET NEED FOR THOSE STORMS DURING THE 2024 STORMS. I LOST POWER FOR FOUR DAYS, HAD TO REPLACE MY FOOD, HAD TO RECO, RELOCATE TO A MOTEL WITH MY LITTLE GIRL. THREE DAYS I HAD TO REPLACE MY REFRIGERATOR WHEN THE POWER WAS RESTORED. I MISSED MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS DURING THAT TIME. TOOK NEARLY SEVERAL MONTHS TO RESCHEDULE. I DISAGREE WITH THE SPENDING LAID OUT IN THE CITY'S PLAN, ACTION PLAN. 'CAUSE THERE'S NO ALLOCATION FOR FUNDS FOR THOSE WHO WERE DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY LOSING THEIR HOMES, THEIR FOOD, THEIR VEHICLES. THIS PLAN DOES NOT ADDRESS THESE ISSUES. PEOPLE WERE DISPLACED AND REMAIN DISPLACED. HOUSTONIANS ARE STILL SUFFERING. THE COMMUNITY IS STILL SUFFERING. AND THIS PLAN IS GOING LITTLE TO RELIEVE THAT SUFFERING. OUR SUPPORT RECOVERY. I BELIEVE THE CITY OF HOUSTON SHOULD USE THE DR 24 FUNDING TO FIX [00:25:01] THE CONSISTENT PROBLEMS WE FACE WITH STORMS. WE HAVEN'T INVEST FULLY IN FLOODING MITIGATION. HOUSTONIANS HAVE LOST FAITH IN GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS AND SEEING EFFECTIVE QUICK ACTION TOWARDS THE COMMUNITY PRIORITIES. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. CONFIDENCE IN THE ABILITY OF THE CITY TO SUPPORT ALL HOUSTONIANS REGARDLESS OF RACE, SEX, AND ZIP CODE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND I'M PLEASED TO LET YOU KNOW, SIR, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. RIGHT HERE. THAT MIKE, UH, OUR NEW TEAM PLAN IS 50 MILLION IN THE HOUSING, 30 MILLION IN THE MULTIFAMILY, AND 20 MILLION INTO HOME REPAIRS. AND WE'RE ASKING HUD TO APPROVE THAT AND THAT'LL BE PART OF THE REQUEST FOR HIM TO, TO ALTER HIS APPROVAL OF THE PREVIOUS PLAN AND ALSO INVITE HIM TO HOUSTON. WE THANK YOU TO SEE, TO SEE FOR HIMSELF AND NOT YIELD TO THE MAYOR PRO STATE. UH, THANK YOU, UH, MAYOR FOR THAT UPDATE. MR. MCQUEEN, UH, I DID WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR GOING TO DC TO ADVOCATE. UM, IF THERE WAS SOMETHING SPECIFIC THAT YOU COULD, UM, PUT IN THE PLAN, WHAT WOULD IT BE? UH, UNMET NEEDS. TAKING CARE OF THOSE AND SENIORS, YOU KNOW, TAKING CARE OF THOSE, THAT RESTORING PEOPLE. YOU KNOW. UM, THIS MONEY DOESN'T DO, DO ANYTHING TO RESTORE THE, UH, THE SENIORS. THOSE THAT WERE IMPACTED, THOSE ARE STILL IMPACTED. SO, UH, YEAH, CRITICAL TO MEET THOSE UNMET NEEDS AS WELL, AS WELL AS INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE FUTURE. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE APPRECIATE YOUR HELP. TALK. TALKING TO THE SENIORS, THEIR HIGHEST PRIORITY WAS KEEP US WARM AND SAFE WHEN THE POWER GOES OUT. YOU KNOW, WE CAN TAKE PEOPLE TO THE MULTI-SERVICE CENTER, BUT IF IT DOESN'T HAVE A GENERATOR, UH, THE SENIOR SAID WE'RE LOST. SO WE ARE LISTENING TO SENIORS AND THEIR SECURITY DEPENDS ON POWER AND GENERATION, AND THAT'S COMING OUT OF THE HEARINGS THAT, THAT WE'RE HOLDING. BUT CERTAINLY THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. OKAY. AND FINALLY, I WANT TO ADD, YEAH, WE, WE ADVOCATE THAT THESE COMMUNITY CENTERS BE REOPENED AND, YOU KNOW, UM, PREPARED. SO TAKE CARE OF THE SENIORS AS WELL AS SOME OF THESE KIDS, YOU KNOW, DURING THE SUMMERTIME. NO, NO DOUBT ABOUT IT. WE NEED THEM FOR COOLING CENTERS. WE NEED 'EM FOR HEATING CENTERS AND CERTAINLY DURING, UH, THE LOSS OF POWER. BUT TO SOME OF OUR SURPRISE, OF COURSE, PEOPLE REPORTED THAT WE WEREN'T PREPARED. YOU CAN'T FIX SOMETHING THAT YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT. I DIDN'T HAVE A FIRE CHIEF THAT TOLD ME THAT 10 FIRE STATIONS WERE OUT OF SERVICE 'CAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE POWER. WE'RE FIXING THAT. THE MULTI-SERVICE CENTERS, UH, WITHOUT POWER, IT'S JUST WORDS. AND SO WE ARE LOOKING FOR QUALITY OF LIFE AND PUBLIC SAFETY AS OUR HIGHEST PRIORITY. AND THE SENIORS NEED METRO CAN TAKE 'EM, BUT THEY'VE GOT TO HAVE THE BACKUP POWER. AND ANGELA'S DONE A GREAT JOB OF HOLDING ROUND TABLE DISCUSSIONS AT OUR MULTI-SERVICE CENTERS. SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. IT IS MAKING A DIFFERENCE. COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABA. THANK YOU, MAYOR. GOOD MORNING. AND THANK YOU MR. MCQUEEN, FOR YOUR ENGAGEMENT. AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU COMPLETE YOUR COMMENTS. I THINK YOU DID. I PUSHED THE BUTTON WHEN THE BELL RANG TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU DID HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY, AND I BELIEVE YOU DID. AND IF NOT, YOU CAN TAKE MY TIME IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU WANNA ADD. WELL, YES. UH, I WANTED TO ADD, UH, SOME COMPASSION FOR THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE MAYOR. YOU KNOW, UH, WE ELECTED Y'ALL INTO OFFICE BASED ON THAT. YOU, YOU WANT TO TAKE CARE OF OUR COMMUNITIES. AND THIS DISASTER RELIEF IS JUST, IT'S, IT'S GOING WORSE AND IT'S GETTING WORSE AND WORSE. AND WE KNOW WHAT'S UP. UH, THE GOVERNOR AS WELL AS THE PRESIDENT IS MAKING THINGS EVEN WORSE. SO WE WOULD, WE WOULD JUST LIKE THE GEOLOGISTS FOCUS ON THOSE MAJOR THINGS ABOUT PEOPLE, MAKING PEOPLE WHOLE. AGAIN, BECAUSE I HAVE SO MANY, I LIVE IN THIRD, WELL, LIKE I SAID, SINCE 74 AND NOW I HAVE SO MANY FRIENDS SINCE AFTER THE DISASTERS, THEY BECOME HOMELESS AND, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE WORKING PEOPLE, BUT THEY THINGS THAT HAPPEN AND THEY HAVEN'T BEEN RESTORED YET. SO WE NEED, DEFINITELY NEED TO BRING BACK PEOPLE AND GIVE PEOPLE CONFIDENCE IN THE COMMUNITY. AND THAT'S BEEN LOST. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND GOOD MORNING, SENECA, AS ALWAYS, GOOD TO SEE YOU. UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND JUST CONTINUING TO WORK FOR OUR COMMUNITIES. UM, I KNOW HOME REPAIR IS LIKE THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY, MAKING SURE PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO RECOVER, UM, AFTER A STORM. UM, BUT FOLKS ARE ALSO ABLE TO APPLY FOR FEMA. SO WITH THE MEMBERSHIP AT AT TOP, WERE THERE ANY ISSUES WITH PEOPLE GETTING SUPPORT FROM FEMA? YES. UM, WHEN THEY APPLIED YES. TO GET THEIR HOMES REPAIRED. YES. YEAH. OKAY. STILL ISSUES. YEAH. YEAH. FOUR, FIVE YEARS AGO STILL. YEAH. AND SO THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE RELY ON, UM, THE [00:30:01] CITY WITH THE DISASTER RECOVERY DOLLARS TO SUPPORT US WITH HOME REPAIRS. YEAH. BECAUSE IT'S A CHALLENGE GETTING MONEY FROM FEMA, BUT THANK YOU. AND CONTINUE YOUR ADVOCACY. THANKS. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU. THANKS FOR HAVING ME. THANK YOU, SIR. NEXT RAYMOND BRACKENS TO BE FOLLOWED BY LUCINDA DAVIS. GOOD MORNING, MR. MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS RAY BRACKENS AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT D UH, BETWEEN SOUTH PARK AND SUNNYSIDE. I'M ALSO A LONG TIME LEADER OF THE TEXAS ORGANIZING PROJECT, AND WE HAVE A LONG TRACK RECORD OF RESPONDING TO THE COMMUNITY AFTER NATURAL DISASTER AND ADVOCATING WITH THE COMMUNITY FOR DISASTER RECOVERY DOLLARS. AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY. NOW, I APPRECIATE THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO ATTENDED OR SENT STAFF TO OUR PUBLIC TOWN HALL TO HEAR DIRECTLY FROM THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ARE STILL TRYING TO RECOVER FROM BARROW AND THE DERECHO. NOW, HERE ARE MY CONCERNS. UH, AND THIS WAS, UH, WITH THE PLAN FROM ITS CURRENT FORM. WHEN I FIRST HEARD IT, THIS PLAN HAD ADDRESSED ZERO OF THE ON ONGOING UNMET HOUSING NEEDS. FOLKS STILL HAVE TARPS ON THEIR ROOFS, LEAKS, WATER DAMAGE. SOME OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS CAN ATTEST TO THAT. I'M SURE CERTAINLY THEIR CONSTITUENTS CAN. I'M ALSO CONCERNED THAT THIS PLAN ASSUMES RECEIVING WAIVERS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. AND WHY ARE WE RISKING FEDERAL DISASTER RECOVERY MONEY ON THE HOPE OF GETTING WAIVERS WHEN WE HAVE DIRE NEEDS THAT COULD BE DIRECTLY ADDRESSED BY THESE DOLLARS? THE MATH ISN'T MATH IN MY OPINION. AND NUMBER THREE, YOU'RE CURRENTLY VOTING ON THIS PLAN THREE DAYS AFTER FORMAL PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD ENDS. AND BASED ON WHAT I'VE HEARD IN THESE MEETINGS, HOUSING IS A REPEATED TOPIC, WHICH THE MAYOR SAID IS BEING ADDRESSED, UM, IN THESE CONVERSATIONS. BUT WE IMPLORE YOU TO GIVE YOURSELVES MORE TIME TO ADEQUATELY CONSIDER WHAT THE COMMUNITY IS RAISING BEFORE YOU VOTE ON A FINAL PLAN. YOU HAVE UNTIL JULY 22ND TO GET THIS FORMAL PACKET TO THE FEDS. AND NUMBER FOUR, IF THIS PLAN ISN'T SUFFICIENTLY AMENDED TO ADDRESS HOUSING COUNSEL, USE YOUR VOTE AND JUST VOTE. NO. IT'S THAT SIMPLE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, COUNT. SIR. SIR. COUNCIL MEMBER. EVAN SHABBAT? NO. MAYOR PROAM CASTEX. THANK YOU. MAYOR. MAYOR PRO. MAYOR, THANK YOU, UH, MR. BRACKENS FOR, FOR COMING AND ENGAGING IN THIS. AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER SIR, JUST SAY, MR. BRACKENS. MAYOR PROTI, I HAD A A QUESTION FOR YOU. UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN TOP. I KNOW THAT, UM, THE SURVEY WENT OUT. UM, DO YOU KNOW IF WE ARE ENCOURAGING MORE PEOPLE TO FILL OUT THE SURVEY? BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THE ADMINISTRATION IS GOING TO BE REVIEWING THE SURVEYS AND ALSO TAKING THE, UM, INPUT FROM ALL OF THE MEMBERS WHO ARE PARTICIPATING IN THE, IN THE TOWN HALL MEETINGS THAT THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT IS HOSTING. UM, I HOPE THAT THE MEMBERS OF TOP WILL ALSO BE ATTENDING THE MEETING, UM, TODAY, UH, TO SHARE THEIR CONCERNS. BECAUSE WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR ARE SOME SPECIFIC ACTIONS THAT THE COMMUNITY IS ASKING FOR. WE HEAR YOU WHEN, UH, THE MEMBERS SAY WE WANT TO MEET THOSE UNMET NEEDS. UM, BUT I I I HOPE THAT RESIDENTS WILL SHARE THE SPECIFIC, UM, WHETHER THAT'S, YOU KNOW, REIMBURSEMENTS OR HOW, HOW DO YOU SPECIFICALLY WANT US TO, TO ALLOCATE THOSE DOLLARS SO WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE HEARING AND BEING ABLE TO MEET THE SPECIFIC NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY. YES. AND, UH, IF I MAY REBUT, SURE. UH, WE ARE TAKING STEPS TO ENGAGE OUR MEMBERSHIP AS WELL AS THE GREATER COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CALL OUR COMMUNITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE AWARE AND SPREAD THE WORD, THAT THERE IS PUBLIC COMMENT AND THAT THEY DO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THEIR VOICES HEARD. LIKE, YOU KNOW, MY BROTHER, MR. S MC MCQUEEN, WHO, UH, GAVE HIS PERSONAL TESTIMONY. SO RIGHT. WE ARE TRYING TO MAKE SURE WE WORK IN COORDINATION WITH THE CITY COUNCIL TO HELP Y'ALL DO Y'ALL JOB BETTER. SO THANK YOU. WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. LUCINDA DAVIS. HELLO. GOOD MORNING COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS LUCINDA. I'M AN ORGANIZER WITH THE TEXAS ORGANIZING PROJECT. I CURRENTLY LIVE IN GREENSPOINT, AND THAT'S ONLY AFTER BEING DISPLACED FROM SUNNYSIDE. [00:35:01] I'M HERE TODAY TO SPEAK FOR MYSELF AND SO MANY OTHER FAMILIES WHO HAVE BEEN FORGOTTEN WHEN DISASTER STRIKES AND RECOVERY PLANS LEAVE US BEHIND. WHEN HURRICANE BEAR HIT, IT DIDN'T JUST KNOCK OUT LIGHTS. IT REVEALED WAS ALREADY BROKEN. IT SHOWED HOW THE SYSTEMS THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO PROTECT US FELLS AGAIN AND AGAIN. POWER WAS OUT FOR DAYS, FOOD WAS SPOILED. AND FRIDGES, PEOPLE SAID, AND SW APARTMENTS WITH NO AIR, NO INFORMATION AND NO HELP. WATER POUR THROUGH LEAK, ROOF, CEILING COLLAPSE. SENIORS AND SINGLE MOTHERS WERE LEFT TO FIGURE IT OUT ON THEIR OWN. AND MANY OF US, ESPECIALLY IN NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE GREEN POINT, CENIC, WOOD ACRES, HOME CITY GAS, FIFTH WARD, SUNNYSIDE, AND SOUTH PARK ARE STILL LIVING IN UNSAFE CONDITIONS. MOW ROT WALLS, NOT REAL SUPPORT, JUST WAITING. WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR MIRACLES, WE'RE ASKING FOR FAIRNESS. WE WANT TO KNOW WHERE IS THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE BEFORE THE CAMERAS ARRIVE. WHERE IS THE FUNDING FOR NEIGHBORHOOD THAT ALWAYS GET HIT THE HARDEST? WHAT ARE THE PLANS THAT INCLUDE US? NOT IGNORE US? DISASTER SHOULD MEAN DISPLACEMENT, BUT FOR ME AND FOR TOO MANY OTHERS, IT HAS. AND THE WASTE PART, THE RECOVERY PROCESS OFTEN CAUSES MORE HARM THAN STORM ITSELF. IT'S TIME FOR CITY LEADERS FOR THIS COUNCIL TO STOP TREATING US LIKE WE'RE INVISIBLE. YOU HOLD THE POWER TO ENSURE THAT RECOVERY PLANS ARE BUILT WITH EQUITY AT THE CENTER. THESE RESOURCES REACH ALL COMMUNITIES, NOT JUST THE LOUDEST OR THE WEALTHIEST. WE DESERVE TO FEEL SAFE IN OUR HOMES. WE DESERVE TO BE HEARD THE NEXT STORM BEFORE THE NEXT STORM HITS. AND WE DESERVE MORE THAN PATCHWORK REPAIR. WE DESERVE REAL SOLUTIONS. WE HAD A COUPLE OF MEMBERS TO TRY TO SPEAK SPANISH. WE ALSO NEED SOMETHING ACCESSIBILITY FOR OUR SPANISH SPEAKING NEIGHBORS. MANY OF US WHOM ARE FRONTLINE WORKERS AND ESSENTIAL MEMBERS OF THIS CITY, ARE OFTEN LEFT OUT OF PLANNING COMMUNICA COMMUNICATION AND RECOVERY THAT HAS TO CHANGE. WE NEED SPANISH SPEAKING, COMMUNITY LEADERS AT THE TABLE HELPING SHAPE DECISIONS THAT AFFECT THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS. IF PEOPLE CAN'T UNDERSTAND THE ALERTS, CAN'T VOICE THEIR NEEDS AND CAN'T ACCESS RESOURCE, THEN THE SYSTEM IS FAILING US BY DESIGN. DISASTER SHOULDN'T BE DISPLACEMENT AS IT HAS BEEN FOR ME. AND THE TRUTH IS THE RECOVERY PROCESS CAN SOMETIMES DO MORE DAMAGE THAN AGAIN, THE STORM ITSELF. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MA'AM. NEXT, PETRA GARCIA TO BE FOLLOWED BY TIFFANY HOAG. I, OKAY. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS PEDRO GARCIA AND I'M A RESIDENT OF, UH, ZIP CODE 7 7 0 4 9. JULIO. I AM HERE AS A SURVIVAL OF MULTIPLE, UH, NATURAL DISASTERS, INCLUDING THE RECENT ONE, UM, HURRICANE BARREL. AND IT'S CAUSED A LOT OF DAMAGE TO MY HOME IN, UM, IN JULY. UM, IT WASN'T THE FIRST TIME THAT I, UH, CAME ACROSS THE SITUATION. IN FACT, THE, I HAD TO TAKE PART OF THE PROGRAM, UH, OFFERED BY THE COUNTY, UH, TO SHE TO FIND A SHELTER. BUT, UM, EVEN THOUGH I WAS, I WAS OFFERED SHELTER, UH, IT NEVER CAME. AND HURRICANE BARROW IMPACTED US IN SUCH WAYS AS ME HAVING TO SPEND, UH, FUNDS FROM OUR FAMILY THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE TO ACCOMMODATE OURSELVES WITH A AIR CONDITIONING UNIT. I AM ALSO HERE AS A MEXICAN IMMIGRANT, AND I DO NOT QUALIFY FOR SEVERAL OTHER PROGRAMS. THERE'S A LOT OF DISCRIMINATION WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO IMMIGRANTS, WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO FEDERAL PROGRAMS. [00:40:02] AND TO ME, IT SEEMS, IT SEEMS RIDICULOUS THAT WE, UH, PAY TAXES AND WE AREN'T OFFERED THE SAME SERVICES. UM, HAVING, UH, OUR CHILDREN HERE AS CITIZENS, THEY SHOULD BE ALLOWED THE SAME RIGHTS AS EVERY OTHER TAXPAYER HERE IN THE, UH, UNITED STATES. I WANT TO BE HERE TO REMIND YOU THAT WE ARE ALSO HUMAN AND WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO, UH, HAVE ACCESS TO THESE PROGRAMS, UM, IN TIMES OF NEEDS. EACH ONE OF YOU IS RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR ACTIONS, WHETHER THEY BE GOOD OR BAD, AND WE'RE HERE TO HOLD YOU ACCOUNTABLE, WHETHER IT BE POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE. , THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. NEXT, TIFFANY. HOLD. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS TIFFANY HOGUE AND I'M THE POLICY DIRECTOR AT THE TEXAS ORGANIZING PROJECT. I'M A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF SOUTHWEST HOUSTON AND DISTRICT C TOP CONDUCTS YEAR-ROUND COMMUNITY ORGANIZING AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT IN WORKING CLASS BLACK AND LATINO COMMUNITIES ACROSS HARRIS COUNTY, FORT BEND, DALLAS, AND BEARER COUNTIES, AND HAVE DONE SO FOR NEARLY 15 YEARS. WE HAVE A LONG TRACK RECORD FOR HELPING OUR COMMUNITIES RECOVER AND REBUILD AFTER NATURAL DISASTERS. I'VE PERSONALLY BEEN INVOLVED IN COMMUNITY RECOVERY EFFORTS AND ADVOCACY EFFORTS FROM IKE TO HARVEY. THE TAX DAY FLOOD, THE RECHO BARREL WITH MANY OF YOU ACTUALLY ARE ON THE, UH, DAIS. UM, AND EVERY NATURAL DISASTER EXPOSES AND LAYS BEARS, INSTABILITIES, WEAKNESSES, INEQUITIES THAT ALREADY EXIST IN OUR CITY. AND EACH INVESTMENT OF DISASTER RECOVERY DOLLARS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADJUST, AMEND, UM, AND SUPPORT LONG-TERM RESTORATION AND RESILIENCE OF OUR COMMUNITIES. UM, I'M AMENDING MY NOTES BECAUSE I HEARD THAT HOUSING THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE THAT WE'VE HEAR HEARD FROM OUR COMMUNITIES, AND YOU ASKED ABOUT IF WE'RE REACHING OUT, WE ARE, WE'RE ASKING PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SURVEY. WE'RE ASKING PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PUBLIC COMMENT. THERE'S SOME ACCESSIBILITY ISSUES WITH GETTING INTO THOSE PUBLIC COMMENT SESSIONS. I DO WANNA FLAG THAT BOTH FOR SPANISH SPEAKERS AND JUST GETTING INTO THE ACTUAL MEETING. UM, BUT THE NUMBER ONE UNMET NEED IS HOUSING. WE KNEW THAT AFTER HARVEY OR AFTER DREAD SHOW. UM, AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO SEE THAT PEOPLE HAVE TARPS ON THEIR ROOF. AND SO I DO WANNA UNDERSCORE I APPRECIATE THAT Y'ALL ARE LISTENING TO THE COMMUNITY AND IT SOUNDS LIKE AMENDING THE PLAN RIGHT NOW TO INCLUDE HOUSING. UM, AND I DO WANNA UNDERSCORE THAT, UH, THAT NECESSITY. UM, 'CAUSE IF NOT, WE'RE MISSING AN OPPORTUNITY TO INVEST IN OUR COMMUNITIES. THESE ARE THE ONLY DOLLARS THAT WE CAN USE TO REBUILD HOUSES. AND WE KNOW THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS SLASHING THIS. IT'S NOT COMING BACK WITH MORE. SO I DO WANNA UNDERSCORE THAT. UM, AND I HAVE SOME SUGGESTIONS ON WHERE YOU CAN CUT THAT. UH, I DID HEAR, MAYOR, YOU TALK ABOUT THE MULTI-SERVICE CENTERS. ABSOLUTELY. THOSE ARE, WE AGREE THAT THOSE NEED TO HAVE POWER TO BE HEATING CENTERS OR COOLING CENTERS. UM, I THINK, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ MENTIONED HE ONLY HAS ONE OR MAYBE DOESN'T HAVE ANY MULTI-SERVICE CENTERS. SO WHAT ARE OTHER FACILITIES THAT ARE CLOSE BY THAT CAN BE HEATING OR COOLING CENTERS. WE SUPPORT THAT. UM, SO I DO JUST WANNA LIFT UP, WE WANNA WORK WITH Y'ALL TO INCLUDE HOUSING AND TO THIS PLAN. UM, INCLUDE COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND THE PROCESS, UM, TO ADDRESS, UH, YOU KNOW, TO ADDRESS THEIR NEEDS. UM, SO THANK YOU COUNCILMAN CAMAN. THANK YOU. UM, TIFFANY, AS A DISTRICT C RESIDENT, I WANNA THANK YOU. AND I ALSO THOUGH WANNA THANK EVERYBODY FROM TOP. ALL OF THE MEMBERS THAT ARE PARTICIPATING. I KNOW A LOT CAN'T COME TODAY BECAUSE THEY WORK. UM, AND THE ENGAGEMENT PIECE THAT YOU BROUGHT UP THAT THERE WEREN'T TRANSLATION SERVICES AVAILABLE DURING THE PUBLIC MEETINGS. MAYOR, I DO APPRECIATE WE ADDED AN EXTRA SESSION IN THE EVENING HOURS. UM, BUT THE TRANSLATION COMPONENT, I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE NOTE OF TO MAKE SURE, ONE, THAT THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN. BUT TWO, WHAT CAN WE DO TO ACCOMMODATE? UH, HAVE YOU HEARD OF ANY BARRIERS? AGAIN, THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS STILL OPEN, RIGHT? I BELIEVE TILL THE 22ND, BUT I DON'T WANNA TO MISSTATE THAT DATE. 22ND. UM, HAVE THERE BEEN ANY BARRIERS [00:45:01] TO EMAILING COMMENTS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT TO WHERE WE AND WHAT, WHAT WE'VE TAKEN THAT'S, SORRY. OKAY. YEAH, NO, THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE GONE TO IS IF THEY COULDN'T, WE HAD A MEMBER WHO COULDN'T, THE MIC DIDN'T TURN ON. OR THERE'S TECHNICAL ISSUES, RIGHT? WHEN YOU HAVE, UH, TECHNOLOGY, RIGHT. DIGITAL, YEAH. UM, THERE WERE ISSUES FOR FOLKS TO ACTUALLY GET INTO THE COMMENT. I ACTUALLY HAD A PROBLEM GETTING INTO THE TEAMS MEETING ITSELF, AND I HAD TO GET ON MY PHONE, SO I WAS ABLE TO GET ON IT. BUT THEN THE FUNCTIONALITY ON YOUR PHONE IS NOT THE SAME AS FUNCTIONALITY ON YOUR COMPUTER. UM, SO THAT'S JUST, I MEAN, IT'S A CHALLENGE WITH DOING ONLY VIRTUAL SESSIONS, FRANKLY. UNDERSTOOD. AGAIN, I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING, UM, AND THE REMARKS THAT ARE BEING SAID TODAY. I KNOW MANY OF US ARE TAKING TO HEART. UH, MAYOR, I'M PLEASED TO HEAR THAT WE ARE ADDING IN A HOUSING REPAIR COMPONENT. I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT. UM, AND WITH THE RESILIENCY FOR OUR MULTI-SERVICE CENTERS, RIGHT? THAT IS THE CONSISTENT THING WE HAVE HEARD THROUGHOUT IS MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE THAT BACKUP POWER. I THINK THE NEXT STEP AFTER THAT IS ALSO THE HARDENING OF THOSE FACILITIES AS WELL. BECAUSE AS YOU SAID, MAYOR, SOME OF THE BUILDINGS ARE IN DISREPAIR AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THOSE ARE HARDENED AND CAN STAND UP IN TIMES OF NEED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT, DR. ADRIANA TAM. GOOD MORNING. BUENO. MY NAME IS ADRIANA TAMEZ. I'M CEO OF THE TEJANO CENTER AND SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS OF THE REPUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR SUCCESS, KNOWN AS RICE, RYSS. WHAT A COMMON THEME THIS MORNING IS, IS HOUSING. AND AS MS. HO MENTIONED, IT'S THE NUMBER ONE UNMET NEED. SO I'M HERE REGARDING ITEM AGENDA, ITEM 23, UH, TEJANO CENTER. OUR MISSION IS TO EDUCATE, TO EMPOWER, AND TO TRANSFORM LIVES, ESPECIALLY IN HISTORICALLY UNDER-RESOURCED COMMUNITIES. WE BELIEVE EVERY CHILD DESERVES ACCESS TO QUALITY, EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, A STRONG FOUNDATION THAT SHAPE SHAPES THEIR ACADEMIC AND LIFE SUCCESS. AS PART OF THAT COMMITMENT, THE HANO CENTER IS PROUD TO PARTNER IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF ANDOVER VILLAGE, A PROPOSED MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT LOCATED AT 69 35 BELFORD STREET, PROUDLY REPRESENTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER. OUR PARTNER AND FRIEND, COUNCIL MEMBER JOAQUIN MARTINEZ AND DOVER VILLAGE WILL OFFER 105 AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS HELPING FAMILIES ACCESS SAFE, STABLE HOMES. RICE, OUR LARGEST PROGRAM AT THE HANO CENTER, WILL PROVIDE THE FREE EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION FOR THREE, FOUR, AND FIVE YEAR OLDS PLACING RESIDENTS AT THE DEVELOPMENT IN AT FIRST PRIORITY. WOW. IF YOU THINK ABOUT THAT, THAT IS INNOVATIVE, THAT'S SUPPORTIVE, AND THAT'S CONVENIENT FOR THE FAMILIES WHO WILL LIVE IN THAT DEVELOPMENT. THE HANO CENTER IS BOTH A PARTNER IN THE OWNERSHIP AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE HOUSING COMPONENT AND THE OPERATOR OF THE ONSITE EARLY EDUCATION CENTER. THE TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY HAS ALREADY APPROVED, UH, THIS NEW SITE. UH, WE JUMP AHEAD AND WE THINK POSITIVELY THAT THIS WILL COME TO FRUITION. SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. THIS PROJECT EMBODIES OUR HOLISTIC APPROACH AT THE HANO CENTER TO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, AND IT HELPS US ACHIEVE OUR VISION OF REALIZING A SUCCESS STORY FOR EVERY INDIVIDUAL AND EVERY COMMUNITY THAT WE IMPACT. TODAY, COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT IN APPROVING A $4 MILLION HOME LOAN AWARDED TO THE DEVELOPMENT BY THE CITY'S HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT. THESE FUNDS ARE CRITICAL TO MOVING THIS PROJECT FORWARD AND TO BRINGING HIGH QUALITY EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO FAMILIES WHO NEED IT MOST. ON BEHALF OF THE TE HANO CENTER, GRACIAS TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED COMMITMENT TO BUILDING A MORE INCLUSIVE AND THRIVING HOUSTON. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, AND THANK YOU MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR CAYMAN. THANK YOU. NO, COUNCIL MARTINEZ. THANK YOU. NO. OKAY. COUNCILOR MARTINEZ. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, YES, DR. TAMEZ. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND ADVOCATING FOR THIS, UH, THIS ITEM. IT'S, UH, ON THE AGENDA TODAY, AS YOU MENTIONED, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO, UH, ALSO SEEING, COMING TO FRUITION. UM, ABOUT A WEEK OR SO AGO, THE CHRONICLE, UH, THEY PUT OUT A, UH, A, A NEWS ARTICLE ABOUT, UM, ACKNOWLEDGING ESSENTIALLY THAT WE'RE LOSING RESIDENTS IN THE EAST END, UH, BECAUSE OF GENTRIFICATION, OF COURSE, HOW, UH, THE HIGH COST OF HOUSING. UM, AND QUITE FRANKLY, AS A HOBBY AREA RESIDENT, YOU START SEEING THAT TRICKLE INTO THE HOBBY AREA AS WELL. UM, AND SO AS TALKING ABOUT HOUSING, UH, AFFORDABILITY AND, AND ENSURING THAT, [00:50:01] UH, HOUSTONIANS HAVE A, A, A GREAT QUALITY FIRST AND FOREMOST, UH, HOUSING PROJECT, UM, BUT THEN ALSO AFFORDABLE. THIS IS IMPORTANT TO ME, TO MY CONSTITUENCY IN THE HOBBY AREA. AND SO I APPRECIATE YOU COMING TO ADVOCATE FOR THAT. UM, AND, AND QUITE FRANKLY, YOU KNOW, JUST, UH, WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT AS WE CONTINUE TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE DR FUNDING, AND AGAIN, MARY, THANK YOU FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR, FOR, UH, ALLOWING THESE, THESE DOLLARS TO ALSO SEE THE MULTIFAMILY HOUSING AND REPAIR. UH, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS QUITE FRANKLY ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HEAR A LOT IN DISTRICT. I, UM, YOU KNOW, AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THIS PAST, UH, LATER ON TODAY. UH, AND AGAIN, JUST THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU'RE DOING WITH, UH, EARLY CHILDHOOD AS WELL. THANK YOU. IT'S JUST A GREAT ASSET TO MAKE, TO HAVE FAMILIES THAT ARE LIVING AT THIS APARTMENT COMPLEX TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A QUALITY EDUCATION AS WELL. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU COUNCILOR EVAN SHABA, THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND CERTAINLY ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO SEE MY FRIEND, DR. OT. YES, MA'AM. EZ, LIKEWISE, UH, , UH, SHE AND I SERVED TOGETHER AND SHE'S STILL THERE. UH, SHE'S A TRUSTEE AT THE HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN A STRONG ADVOCATE FOR CHILDREN IN THEIR EDUCATION. AND I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND THE GRADUATION LAST WEEK AT THE REGENCY LOSS. AND I JUST SAW, YOU KNOW, THE, THE CHILDREN AND HOW ENGAGED THEY WERE. AND I THINK IT'S SO VERY IMPORTANT TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THESE, UH, PARTNERSHIPS WITH EARLY CHILDHOOD AS WELL AS HOUSING. AND CERTAINLY, UM, YOUR PASSION IS SO EVIDENT IN EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO. AND, UM, LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING THIS ITEM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. AND SHE'S SOMEBODY THAT I LOVE TO, BY THE WAY. . THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN CASTILLO. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND DR. EZ, IT'S SO GOOD TO SEE YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE THIS MORNING. THANK YOU, SIR. YOU KNOW, TODAY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HOUSING, BUT THERE'S SO MUCH THAT THE HANO CENTER DOES AND THE COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, FROM THE EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, LIKE YOU MENTIONED TO THE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER, UH, INITIATIVE, Y'ALL PLAY SUCH A VITAL ROLE IN THE AREA. IT'S, UH, GREAT TO TO SEE YOU HERE ADVOCATING, UH, FOR THIS ITEM. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING IT. THANK YOU. MAY I HAVE A POINT OF PRIVILEGE, MR. MAYOR? JUST TO SAY VERY QUICKLY THAT HANNO CENTER IS AVAILABLE AND WILLING TO BE A WARMING COOLING CENTER. WE HAVE A HUGE, UH, THAT WAS INSTALLED SEVERAL YEARS AGO. A HUGE, UH, GENERATOR THAT'S JUST THERE. AND SO WE ARE OPEN AND WILLING. SO I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT WORKS OR HOW THAT'S WORKING, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE OPEN TO THAT SOON. THANK YOU. WE'LL MAKE IT WORK. THANK YOU. COUNCIL RAMIREZ. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND THANK YOU DR. TAMEZ, FOR ALWAYS ADVOCATING ON BEHALF OF EDUCATION AND FOR THE WORK YOU DO AT TEJANO CENTER. YES, SIR. AND IN THIS CASE AS WELL, AFFORDABLE HOUSING. THIS IS A VERY EXCITING, UH, PROPOSAL THAT WILL PROVIDE 120 UNITS, UM, 80% OF WHICH WILL BE AT 60 A MI OR BELOW. YES. AND SO TRULY WILL PROVIDE AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR A COMMUNITY THAT REALLY NEEDS IT. SO THANKFUL FOR YOUR EFFORTS ON THIS. THANK YOU MAYOR AND THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT AS WELL FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD. THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU. NEXT, DONNA RICKENBACKER. GOOD MORNING, MAYOR. MY NAME IS DONNA RICKENBACKER. THAT'S GONNA BE A REALLY DIFFICULT ACT TO FOLLOW. I'M UP HERE ON THREE AGENDA ITEMS, ACTUALLY, AND THE FIRST OF WHICH IS AGENDA ITEM 23, WHICH IS THE ANDOVER VILLAGE, UH, APARTMENT COMPLEX AND THE HOME, UH, REQUEST, UH, BEFORE YOU ALL TODAY, AGAIN, VERY DIFFICULT TO FOLLOW HER. I AM THE OWNER, DEVELOPER, IF YOU WILL, OR CO-DEVELOPER OF THIS, UH, PROJECT. AND I'M VERY PROUD TO SAY, UM, LOOKING VERY FORWARD TO WORKING WITH DR. TAMEZ ON THE PRE-K SCHOOL COMPONENT. IT'S NOT MY FIRST, I HAVE DONE NOW THREE PRIOR TO THIS ONE, AND, UH, ONE OF WHICH IS REGENCY LOSS, THAT COUNCIL MEMBER SHABBAT BOZ JUST SPOKE TO. I'M, I'M SO EXCITED TO BE PARTICIPATORY IN THESE TYPES OF DEVELOPMENTS FOR MANY REASONS. UM, I CAN'T TOUCH 'EM ALL, AND I'M NOT AN EDUCATOR, BUT I SIGN UP WITH THE BEST OF THE BEST EDUCATION, UH, OPERATOR WISE. AND I KNOW THAT THE TEJANO CENTER CAN BE A VERY, VERY, AND IS ALREADY A VERY STRONG, UH, EDUCATIONAL PROVIDER THAT WILL DO THE BEST THEY CAN WITH THESE PRE-K STUDENTS. UH, THAT BEING SAID, I HAVE TO SHOW OFF REGENCY LOFTS, UM, WHICH IS ANOTHER OPERATOR. BUT, UM, THIS WAS THE SECOND GRADUATING CLASS. UM, 22 KIDS GRADUATED, AND THEY'RE GOING INTO KINDERGARTEN. AND OF THE 2219 ARE GOING INTO KINDERGARTEN READING. YOU KNOW, HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS. THEY'RE GOING INTO KINDERGARTEN READING. I'M NOT MAKING THIS STUFF UP. TEA DOES ALL THE PERFORMANCE DATA. THIS IS A PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL AS TEJANA CENTER IS AS WELL. SO AGAIN, I'M VERY [00:55:01] PROUD TO BE, UM, UH, MOVING FORWARD, I HOPE WITH ANDOVER VILLAGE AND VERY MUCH, UM, HOPE THAT YOU ALL WILL, UH, SUPPORT US ON THIS $4 MILLION HOME LOAN. MUCH NEEDED FUNDING ASSISTANCE. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR MARTINEZ. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, AND ALSO, UH, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO SPEAK TO AS, AS DEVELOPMENT LIKE, LIKE THESE HOMES ARE, ARE ARE, UH, MULTIFAMILY, UM, SENIOR AS THEY'RE COMING TO TO, UH, COMING ONLINE. WE ARE SEEING A COST ESCALATION AS WELL. UM, AND I'VE HAD, UH, A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS, MAYOR WITH YOUR TEAM, UH, THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT AND WITHIN YOUR ADMINISTRATION. UM, AND IT'S, I THINK IT THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO ALSO JUST, UH, NOTE THAT WE ARE STILL SEEING SOME DOLLARS THAT ARE NEEDED FOR THIS PROJECT. UM, AND SO YOUR SUPPORT TO, YOU KNOW, HELP US BE ABLE TO, UM, CLOSE THAT GAP. UH, THERE'S AN INTERESTING PART ABOUT THIS, THIS SPECIFIC, UH, PROJECT IS THAT IT'S IN THE, THE TIER TWO, UM, NEAR THE AIRPORT. SO THERE'S CERTAIN SOUND MITIGATIONS THAT ARE NEEDED THAT INCREASE THE COST AS WELL. AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M DEFINITELY, UH, UM, YOU KNOW, EXCITED ABOUT THE, THE DEPARTMENT, UH, HOUSING DEPARTMENT, YOU KNOW, DOING, DOING EVERYTHING THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO DO, UH, TO SEE THIS COME TO FRUITION AS WELL. I'VE HAD SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS WITH THE DIRECTOR AND HIS TEAM, AND, UM, ULTIMATELY THE END, END PRODUCT IS GONNA BE A GREAT ASSET TO THE HOBBY AREA. UH, WE ALSO WANNA, UH, THANK THE HOUSING CHAIR. UH, I KNOW, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS HAS BEEN SUPER SUPPORTIVE OF THIS PROJECT PROJECT AS WELL, ALONG WITH AMERIPRO, TIM, UH, CASSIUS TATUM, WHO HAS A PROJECT SIMILAR TO, UH, TO THIS, UH, UH, EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION WITHIN THE APARTMENT COMPLEX. AND THIS IS JUST, IT'S A SUCH A UNIQUE PROJECT. I THINK WE, WE SHOULD DEFINITELY BE, UH, YOU KNOW, PUTTING AS MUCH EFFORT BEHIND IT AS WELL. EVAN , THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND I HAVE TO JUST, UH, ECHO THE COMMENTS OF MY COLLEAGUES. BUT DONNA, DONNA RICKENBACKER, SHE DOESN'T JUST PROVIDE HOUSING, SHE PROVIDES QUALITY HOUSING AND SHE'S SO HANDS ON AND SO ENGAGED, AND IT WAS MY PLEASURE TO ATTEND THE CEREMONY AND JUST TO WATCH THE, THE CHILDREN AND TO BE ABLE TO READ IS JUST PHENOMENAL. AND YOU ALL CONTINUE TO DO THE GREAT WORK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND ONE LAST COMMENT I SHOULD, SHAME ON ME FOR NOT DOING THIS IS THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT. THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN WITHOUT THE QUALITY HOUSING DEPARTMENT THAT YOU ALL HAVE, AND I VERY MUCH WANT TO THANK THEM FOR ALL THEY'VE DONE TO SUPPORT OUR EFFORTS. COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN, DONNA, I WANTED TO THANK YOU AND DR. TAMEZ BOTH, UM, FOR THE PASSION, COMPASSION, AND, UH, SPIRIT THAT YOU BRING TO ALL OF THESE PROJECTS. UH, IT'S BEEN SET AROUND THE HORSESHOE ALREADY, THE COMPONENT OF THE QUALITY HOUSING, BUT ALSO QUALITY EDUCATION, UH, ON SITE. IT'S JUST A BEAUTIFUL MODEL THAT WE NEED MORE OF. SO I WILL ALWAYS DO MY, MY DESPERATE PLEA FOR MORE IN DISTRICT C AS WELL. UH, WE WELCOME THIS WITH OPEN ARMS AND I VERY MUCH LOOK FORWARD, UH, TO VOTING IN, IN FAVOR OF THIS. BUT AGAIN, THANK YOU BOTH, NOT JUST FOR THIS, BUT WHAT YOU ARE DOING THROUGHOUT THE CITY, UH, TO BRING THIS TYPE OF FUTURE FOR HOUSTONIANS. THANK YOU. MEMBER MAYOR, MAYOR PRO, TIM CAST TATUM. THANK YOU MAYOR. UH, DONNA, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, AND THANK YOU FOR THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU DO IN OUR COMMUNITIES. THE EDISON PROJECT IN DISTRICT A IS ONE THAT WE CONTINUE TO TOUT, UM, HOW OUTSTANDING IT LOOKS, HOW IT FEELS, AND THE UNIQUE ASPECT OF HAVING, UM, SOLAR PANELS IN THE DETENTION POND. IT WAS THE VERY FIRST ONE, UM, IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. SO WHEN THE POWER DOES GO OUT, UM, THE RESIDENTS STILL HAVE A SAFE HARBOR ON SITE, UM, BECAUSE OF THAT UNIQUE ASPECT OF THAT PROPERTY. NOT TO MENTION, YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT ARE, ARE GRADUATING FROM PRE-K THREE AND FOUR AND GOING INTO KINDERGARTEN READING. WE'VE HAD THAT SAME SUCCESS AT EDISON. UM, TELL EVERYONE WHAT THE CHARGE IS FOR THOSE, UH, STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT PRE-K THREE AND FOUR, NOTHING MM, FREE. SO THOSE FAMILIES, FREE, FREE CHARGE, NOT ONLY GET THE BENEFIT OF LIVING IN A QUALITY, UM, AFFORDABLE UNIT WITH TOP OF THE LINE APPLIANCES AND, AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT HOUSTONIANS DESERVE, BUT TO PRO, IF YOU HAVE A CHILD AND YOU KNOW HOW MUCH CHILDCARE COSTS NOWADAYS FOR YOUR KIDS TO GO TO PRE-K THREE AND FOUR, I MEAN, THAT'S AN ADDITIONAL $1,200 FOR A LOT OF FAMILIES. AND THESE FAMILIES GET THAT SERVICE AND THEIR KIDS GOING INTO KINDERGARTEN READING AT NO, AT NO, NO ADDITIONAL COST, UH, WHEN THEY LIVE IN THESE PROPERTIES. SO, UM, I, I AM A FAN OF THE WORK THAT YOU DO ALONGSIDE WITH OUR HOUSING DEPARTMENT AND WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THIS BECAUSE WE KNOW HOW IMPORTANT THE FOUNDATION [01:00:01] IS FOR THOSE STUDENTS IN PRE-K THREE AND FOUR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MA'AM. NEXT, HARLOW DUARTE. SO ON THE OTHER TWO AGENDA ITEMS, DO I, AM I, I GUESS I'M GETTING CALLED UP ON THOSE SEPARATELY. IS THAT HOW THAT WORKS? NO, THAT WAS YOUR TIME. GO AHEAD. DID MR. MAYOR, I GOT, I APOLOGIZE. GO AHEAD. I HAVE TWO OTHER AGENDA ITEMS THAT I SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON. GO AHEAD. SO I ASSUME I WAS GETTING THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME FOR EACH, BUT ANYWAY, I'LL GO QUICKLY. 'CAUSE TWO OF 'EM, THE, THE NEXT TWO ARE REALLY THE SAME. AND IT'S AGENDA ITEMS 43 AND 44 THAT DEALS WITH THE T FUNDING. AND, UM, I FIRST OF ALL WANNA THANK, UH, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GROUP AND GWENDOLYN FOR THE GREAT, YOU KNOW, WORK THAT THEY DO. UM, EVERYBODY'S TALKING ABOUT FUNDING SOURCES FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING. AND WHAT I DID PICK UP ON IS THAT, BY THE WAY, EACH OF THESE AGENDA ITEMS ARE, UM, TAX INCREMENT REVENUE IN 24 AND 25 THAT HAS BEEN GENERATED. UM, THIS IS SIGNIFICANT REVENUE PAYMENTS AND IT APPEARS THAT NOT A WHOLE LOT OF THAT IS GOING INTO AFFORDABLE HOUSING. IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT FOR ME TO FOLLOW THE FLOW OF FUNDS, AND I'M JUST VERY HOPEFUL THAT THERE MIGHT BE A WAY TO GET SOME ADDITIONAL, UM, FUNDING MADE AVAILABLE TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING OUT OF THE, THE, THE TURS, UH, REVENUE THAT'S COMING IN. THAT'S IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. NEXT, CARLOS DUARTE. GOOD MORNING, HONORABLE MAJOR WITH MEYER COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS CARLOS DUATE AND I AM PROUD TO SERVE AS THE PRESIDENT OF ALMA, THE LOCAL ORGANIZATION, WORKING TO CREATE THE FIRST AMERICAN LATINO ARTS AND CULTURE COMPLEX IN THE NATION. TODAY, HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ALLOCATE $130,000 SERVICE FUNDS THROUGH AN IMPORTANT PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN ALMA AND THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY AT A TIME WHEN POLARIZATION DIVISION AND DISINFORMATION THREATENED TO TEAR THE FABRIC OF OUR NATION. HOUSTON EMBRACES ITS VOCATION AS A PROPHETIC CITY. ALMA'S MISSION IS TO HELP THE NATION UNDERSTAND AMERICAN LATINOS TO SHOWCASE OUR SOUL THROUGH ARTS AND CULTURE, AND TO INSPIRE NEW GENERATIONS. OUR MUSEUM COMPLEX WILL COME TO LIFE AND WILL PROVIDE IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCES OF THE AMERICAN STORY THROUGH A LATINO LENS. AND POSITION HOUSTON AS A NATIONAL EPICENTER OF AMERICAN LATINO ARTS AND CULTURE TENTATIVELY LOCATED IN THE EAST END. ALMA WILL BRING TO LIFE THE CONTRIBUTIONS, CREATIVITY, AND HERITAGE OF MILLIONS WHILE INVITE INVITING EVERYONE IN TO LEARN, REFLECT, AND CELEBRATE. THIS INVESTMENT ISN'T JUST ABOUT BRICKS AND MORTAR, IT'S A STATEMENT OF UNITY, PRIDE, AND THE SOUL OF A CITY THAT EMBRACES ALL ITS STORIES. THESE FUNDS WILL ALLOW US TO DEFINE OUR SITE, EXPAND ARTS AND CULTURAL PROGRAMMING ACROSS HOUSTON THROUGH PUBLIC LIBRARY LOCATIONS, AND GATHER INSIGHTS FROM OUR COMMUNITIES TO BETTER SERVE THEM. ON BEHALF OF OUR OUTSTANDING BOARD OF DIRECTORS, SEVERAL OF WHOM ARE HERE WITH ME TODAY, OUR TEAM AND THE THOUSANDS WHO BELIEVE IN THIS MISSION, I WANT TO EXPRESS OUR DEEPEST GRATITUDE TO OUR CHAMPIONS. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER JOAQUIN MARTINEZ, AND COUNCIL MEMBER MARIO CAST FOR HELPING US BUILD A CULTURAL HOME THAT HONORS OUR PAST AND LIGHTS THE PATH FORWARD. I ALSO WANT TO SPECIALLY THANK COUNCIL MEMBERS EDWARD POLLARD AND AMY PECK FOR THEIR LEADERSHIP AND SUPPORT. EACH REPRESENTS A DIFFERENT PART OF OUR CITY, AND THEIR JOINT COMMITMENT SENDS A POWERFUL MESSAGE. THIS IS A PROJECT THAT TRANSCENDS GEOGRAPHY, BACKGROUND, AND POLITICS. THANK YOU AS WELL TO THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY, THE FULL CITY COUNCIL AND MAYOR WHITMEYER. YOUR ENDORSEMENT DOESN'T JUST PROVIDE FUNDING, IT MAKES THE CITY OF HOUSTON A FOUNDING PARTNER IN A PROJECT THAT REPRESENTS THE BEST OF OUR CIVIC SPIRIT AND CULTURAL FUTURE. IT REFLECTS THE KINDS OF TOGETHERNESS OUR COUNTRY NEEDS AND THE KIND OF LEGACY HOUSTON IS CAPABLE OF BUILDING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND, UH, I THINK THAT LAST, SOME, THAT LAST STATEMENT, UH, CARLOS IS WHAT I WANNA FOCUS ON IS, UH, MAYOR, APPRECIATE YOU, THE ADMINISTRATION AND MY COLLEAGUES BEING SUPPORTIVE OF THIS, BUT, UH, REALLY TO HAVE THE CITY OF HOUSTON BEHIND THIS PROJECT AS WELL IS IMPORTANT. UH, WE KNOW LAST YEAR THE HARRIS COUNTY HAS ALREADY CONTRIBUTED, UM, BUT TO BE ABLE TO, UM, HAVE THIS INVESTMENT, UM, IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO HELP HIGHLIGHT, UH, SUCH AN IMPORTANT ASPECT OF OUR, OUR COMMUNITY, UH, IT'S IMPORTANT. UH, I THINK EVERYBODY [01:05:01] AROUND THE HORSESHOE, I THINK WE ALL BRING DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT THINGS TO THE TABLE. AND TO BE ABLE TO BE SEEN, TO BE ABLE TO CLAIM YOUR SPACE, IT'S IMPORTANT. UM, AND THIS, UH, THIS, UM, THIS MUSEUM WILL DO JUST THAT FOR HALF THE CITY. UM, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY FOR, AND I APPRECIATE MY COLLEAGUES, UH, YOU KNOW, POLLARD AND, AND PECK, BUT IT'S ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OTHERS TO, TO SEE WHAT A BEAUTIFUL CULTURE IT IS. UM, THE HISTORY, THE, THE, UH, WHAT, WHAT HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO THE TABLE BY LATINOS. UH, I CONSIDER MYSELF A CHICANO. UH, THAT'S HOW MY DAD RAISED ME, AND WHAT, EVEN THROUGHOUT THE CHICANO MOVEMENT, WHAT WHAT HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO THE TABLE, NOT JUST IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, BUT IN THE STATE AND THIS NATION. AND SO, UM, I'M EXCITED, I'M PROUD TO BE ABLE TO SAY THAT, UH, WE ARE OFFICIALLY GONNA BE PART OF THIS. UM, AND AGAIN, JUST WANT TO SAY, MARY, THAT THIS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT PROJECT AND TO HAVE THE CITY OF HOUSTON BEHIND IT, IT'S, UH, IT SAYS A STATEMENT AND THANK YOU AND THANK YOU TO THE BOARD AND, AND THOSE THAT ARE HERE TO SUPPORT THIS ITEM AS WELL. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN CASTILLO. THANK YOU MAYOR CARLOS. VERY WELL SAID. I WANT TO THANK YOU AND YOUR BOARD REALLY FOR ALL THE WORK THAT HAS GONE INTO THIS PROJECT, GETTING IT TO THIS POINT. IT'S A MONUMENTAL UNDERTAKING. IT'S A VERY AMBITIOUS IDEA. ONE OF THE, UM, ONE THAT'S GONNA MAKE A, A LASTING IMPACT ON HOUSTON, BUT BE THE FIRST OF ITS KIND IN THE NATION. I MEAN, THAT YOU CAN'T OVERSTATE THAT. AND SO ALL THE WORK Y'ALL HAVE PUT INTO THIS, UM, I KNOW THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT MORE AHEAD, BUT, UH, KUDOS TO Y'ALL BECAUSE BECAUSE OF YOUR LEADERSHIP AND, AND THEIR SUPPORT, WE ARE AT THIS POINT WHERE WE CAN NOW SUPPORT THIS ITEM, UH, TO HELP IT MOVE FORWARD WITH, UH, OUR SERVICE DOLLARS. AND ABSOLUTELY WANT TO THANK ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED, UH, BECAUSE THAT'S GONNA HELP GET THIS ACROSS THE FINISH LINE. AND, AND WE ARE GONNA BE ABLE TO, UH, HIGHLIGHT THE CULTURE, THE ARTS, UM, THAT THE LATINO COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, SHOWCASES SO WELL, BUT HAS BEEN SUCH AN IMPORTANT PART OF HOUSTON'S HISTORY AND STORY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN CASTILLO, COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND GOOD MORNING TO EVERYONE. CARLOS, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, YOUR, YOUR HARD WORK AND, AND PUSHING THIS FORWARD, UH, TO YOUR BOARD AND OTHER COLLEAGUES FOR THEIR LEADERSHIP. UM, YOU KNOW, THIS WAS IMPORTANT TO ME, UH, NOT ONLY BECAUSE I REPRESENT A DISTRICT THAT IS, UM, HEAVILY POPULATED BY LATINOS, BUT, UH, LATINO HISTORY IS AMERICAN HISTORY, AND LATINO HISTORY IS HOUSTON HISTORY. AND IT HAS TO BE PRESERVED, IT HAS TO BE TAUGHT. UM, WE HAVE TO FIND WAYS TO EDUCATE ALL COMMUNITIES ON THE IMPORTANCE OF IT. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN, YOUR ENTIRE BOARD. I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT. WE HAVE OUR FORMER MAYOR, ANISE PARKER, WHO'S IN THE, UH, PEWS AS WELL. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE IN YOUR LEADERSHIP. UH, AND THANK MY COLLEAGUES AS WELL FOR YOUR SUPPORT. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THIS MOVE FORWARD. GOD BLESS YOU ALL. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR BOLA. COUNCILWOMAN CAMAN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, CARLOS, I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU AND THE ENTIRE TEAM. UH, THIS WAS A LONG TIME COMING AND, UH, TO CONTINUE TO SEE ITEMS LIKE THIS COMING BEFORE US TO MOVE THIS FORWARD AND SEE THIS BECOME A REALITY IS VERY SIGNIFICANT. AS YOU MENTIONED, WE ARE AT A VERY CRITICAL JUNCTURE IN OUR HISTORY, WHERE OUR HISTORY IS TRYING TO BE ERASED. THIS STANDS AS A, UH, CRITICAL WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT NEVER HAPPENS. SO AGAIN, THANK YOU AND EVERYONE AT ALMA, UM, BUT ALSO THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY FOR COMING TOGETHER AND ALL OF THE COLLEAGUES WHO HAVE BEEN SUPPORTING THIS EFFORT. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER KIAN. THANK, THANK YOU, SIR. CARLOS, COME BACK NEXT. GERALD, DINO WISE TO BE FOLLOWED BY DOMINIQUE MAOP. TURNED IT OFF. SIT ON. YES. UM, HONORABLE MAYOR WHITMEYER AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, IT IS MY HONOR TODAY, UH, TO BE HERE AS THE CO-FOUNDER OF ALMA AND AS THE, UH, BOARD CHAIR, SOMEBODY WHO BREATHES, EATS AND DREAMS. ALMA, FOR ALL OF HOUSTON, I WAS ASKED CRITICALLY, WHO IS THIS FOR? THE ANSWER IS, IT'S FOR ALL OF AMERICA, BECAUSE IF WE DO NOT REPRESENT, IF WE DO NOT UNDERSTAND, AND IF WE DON'T SHOWCASE THE EXCELLENCE WITH WHICH WE ARE SHOWING UP, [01:10:02] THEN WE DON'T KNOW AMERICA. AND WE CERTAINLY DON'T KNOW HOUSTON. WE THINK THIS IS A SOLUTION. IT'S A SOLUTION FOR A SOCIETY THAT NEEDS TO BE JUDGED, NOT ONLY BY THE INCREDIBLE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING, AS I'VE HEARD TODAY. SO COMPASSIONATELY THINKING ABOUT HOW DO WE TREAT THE ONES THAT NEED THE MOST? BUT AS LEADERS, WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THAT AND GO FORWARD WITH BUILDING INSTITUTIONS BY WHICH WE WILL BE JUDGED. IT'S BUILDING. HOUSTON IS THE WAY I SEE IT. SO THIS IS FOR ALL, AND IT'S ABOUT AN EXCELLENCE. IF I DIDN'T BELIEVE IN THE EXCELLENCE THAT WE ARE PUTTING FORTH IN THE ARTS PATRIMONY EVERY DAY INTO AMERICA, THEN THIS WOULDN'T BE HAPPENING. I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN PART OF THIS. SO TRUST ME WHEN I TELL YOU WE HAVE EXCELLENCE, AS I CONTINUE TO TELL MY COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT WE CAN EXPORT THIS, BUT WE DON'T HAVE THE MEANS TO DO THAT. WE HOPE THAT ALMA WILL BE THAT INSTITUTION THAT WILL, WILL ATTRACT THE MEANS BY WHICH WE CAN EXPORT HOUSTON WITH EXCELLENCE. SO ALMA CONTINUES TO BE, TO SHOWCASE THE EXCELLENCE BY WHICH WE, OF WHICH WE ARE PUTTING ALREADY THE PA THE ARTS PATRIMONY INTO THE NATION TO UNDERSTAND THE US LATINO THROUGH OUR CULTURE AND ARTS, AND THEN TO INSPIRE THE NEW GENERATIONS OF AMERICANS. BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, WE KNOW THAT WE ALL NEED TO FIND OUR HOPE SOMEWHERE. AND I BELIEVE THAT WE CAN DO THAT WITH ALMA. SO THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU FOR PARTICIPATING, FOR BEING BEHIND US. AND I WANNA TELL YOU THAT THE STORY THAT IS EMERGING RIGHT NOW, OF US BEING IN EVERY CORNER OF THIS CITY AND ALL OF YOU KNOWING THAT, AND PARTICIPATING IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT AS WE GO FORWARD, TO NOT ONLY BUILD A FIRST CLASS INSTITUTION, BUT TO SAY THAT WE'RE DOING IT TOGETHER. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. THANK YOU. ONE MOMENT. UH, COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ. THANK YOU, MAYOR HEINA, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. AND, UM, WE'VE, THIS CONVERSATION HAS, UH, IT'S BEEN A WHILE, UH, THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING, AND FOR THE BOARD AND MY, MY COLLEAGUE RECOGNIZED, UH, FORMER ESE PARKER. WE ALSO HAVE FORMER AT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBER GRACIE SCIENCE. AND IF I CAN JUST TAKE A ONE PERSONAL PRIVILEGE TO HAVE THE BOARD STAND UP AS WELL, SO THAT WAY MY COLLEAGUES CAN SEE WHO'S BEEN PARTICIPATING WITH THIS WORK. UM, AND JUST KNOW THAT AS YOU, AS YOU MENTIONED, RIGHT? THIS IS, THIS IS NOT, NOT THE BEGINNING. WE'VE, IT'S STARTED A, A WHILE BACK, BUT THIS IS THE NEXT CHAPTER INTO SEEING THIS COME TO FRUITION. AND SO, UH, CONTINUE THE WORK. WE'RE HERE TO SUPPORT YOU AS WELL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR ALCORN. HAROLD, DANA, GREAT TO SEE YOU. AND NO DOUBT IN MY MIND WITH YOUR PASSION AND YOUR INVOLVEMENT, THIS WILL BE A FIRST CLASS INSTITUTION AND THERE'LL BE A HOUSTON TREASURE. AND REMEMBER, WE TALKED ABOUT IT LONG AGO, AND I WAS, HAD A PRE-PLANNED TRIP TO CHICAGO, AND I WENT TO THE MEXICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM, AND I WAS SENDING YOU PICTURES, AND IT'S GONNA BE WAY BETTER THAN THAT . AND THAT WAS A COOL PLACE. BUT THANKS FOR ALL YOU'RE DOING FOR THIS, YOUR PASSION. I MEAN, IT, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A LOT OF PASSION TO, FOR A PROJECT OF THIS SIZE, IT TAKES FOREVER. I KNOW, AND IT'S A LONG HAUL AND A SLOG, BUT IT'S GONNA BE SO GREAT ONE DAY TO BE, UH, YOU KNOW, CUTTING THE RIBBON ON THAT PLACE. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YOU VERY GOOD. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR MARTINEZ, WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE UP THIS ITEM OUTTA ORDER? YES. MAYOR, UM, MUSEUM. UH, THANK YOU MAYOR. UH, SO, UM, COLLEAGUES AND MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO, UH, MOVE ITEM 25 OUT OF ORDER, UH, TO VOTE ON NOW. SECOND. THANK YOU. MOTION MAINTENANCE, SECOND TO TAKE ITEM 25 OUT OF ORDER. IS ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY MOTION. CALL IT. YOU GONNA LET MR. SECRETARY CALL IT? GO AHEAD. ITEM 25 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. CONGRATULATIONS. OKAY, NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. DOMINIQUE MAZO. ALRIGHT, GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL. UM, COUPLE OF THINGS BEFORE I GET TO NUMBER 25. NUMBER ONE, UH, THERE IS A METRO JUST PASSED A MOU WORKING BETWEEN HPV AND MPB NEEDS TO HAPPEN AS DR I WAS TALKING TO CHIEF [01:15:01] MEYER YESTERDAY. I'M GLAD IT HAPPENS. IT'S HAPPENING. UH, CHIEF BOND AT METRO IS DOING A GOOD JOB. I'M COOPERATING WITH HIM. I HAVE A TE I HAVE HIS TE I TEXT HIM ALL THE TIME AND I GET AN ANSWER WITHIN AN HOUR. SO THINGS ARE BEING WORKED ON THERE. YESTERDAY WE HAD THE, UH, COMMITTEE WITH THE, UH, UH, HOMELESS AND, UH, QUALITY OF LIFE. THERE WAS ONE GROUP THAT WASN'T HERE. I THINK METRO SHOULD BE AT THESE MEETINGS. WHEN YOU HAVE A HOUSE THAT'S NOT A MONASTERY, THEY'RE NOT, YOU'RE NOT ENCLOSED. YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO GET OUT TO GO TO THE DOCTOR TO GO TO APPOINTMENTS AND STUFF. AND WITH, WITH A HOUSING, WHY PUT A HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ON PLACE WHERE THERE'S NO BUSES? THAT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE. METRO SHOULD BE PART OF THE SOLUTION FROM THE GET GO COLLABORATION, LIKE YOU, YOU'RE GOING WITH. AND, AND TWO, FROM THE TIME OF THE FIRST METRO ELECTION, THE, THE FIRST BOOK, THE BROWN BOOK, IN FACT, I WAS AT THE FIRST METRO MEETING EVER IN THIS CHAMBER. THERE WAS A THING ABOUT C WHAT WE CALL A COMMUNITY CONNECTOR. WE CAN, A BUS, A BUS ROUTE CANNOT COVER THIS WHOLE CITY. AND TWO, WITH THAT, UH, SOME OF OUR BUS, SOME OF THESE BUSES ARE, YOU KNOW, OUR REGULAR 40 FOOT BUSES ARE VERY HEAVY. THEY NEED TO STAY ON LIKE AIRLINE, BUT YOU KNOW, THAT'S MADE FOR TRUCKS. AND THEN YOU CAN USE A COMMUNITY CONNECTOR TO GO INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD WITH THE STREET STRUCTURE THAT CANNOT HOLD A BUS. ALSO, TOO, WITH THAT, I WILL TAKE A TRANSFER HIT. IF YOU GIMME FREE FREQUENCY, IF YOU KEEP ME MOVING, I'M VERY HAPPY. SO WITH THAT, I'VE BEEN TALKING TO THE EVOLVE PEOPLE THROUGH, THROUGH THIS, THIS THING. THEY HAVE LISTENED TO ME AS A TRANSIT USER ON THE STREET ALL THE TIME. AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT. NOT JUST SOME, YOU KNOW, INTELLECTUAL PERSON TALKING TO 'EM, SOMEBODY WHO IS ACTUALLY USING THE SYSTEM. AND SO, AND BETWEEN THAT, WITH A, WITH A LOCAL SERVICE, I DON'T CARE IF IT'S EVOLVED, USE IT. I DON'T CARE IF IT'S, UH, METRO, I DON'T CARE IF IT'S A THIRD PARTY. BUT I THINK, UH, THE THING IS, UM, WE NEED THAT FIRST LAST MILE. ALSO TOO, FROM WHAT I'M HEARING, AT METRO MEETINGS, THESE COMMUNITY CONNECTORS AND THE EVOLVE GROUP ARE PROVIDING A SERVICE, NOT JUST TO GET TO A HEAVIER BUS ROUTE, BUT SOME OF OUR COMMUNITIES ARE FOOD DESERTS AND, UH, LIKE THIRD WARD AND INTO THE SOUTHEAST OF US, THOSE THAT EVOLVE IS A CRITICAL, UH, MOTION TO GET PEOPLE FROM THEIR HOMES TO A GROCERY STORE AND BACK. LASTLY, THIS IS THIS MONEY THAT'S BEING ALLOCATED FOR, THIS IS NOT COMING FROM THE CITY BUDGET. I WAS AT THE METRO BOARD MEETING LAST, UM, AT THE END OF LAST MONTH. AND THIS MONEY IS COMING FROM METRO. SO IT'S A, IT'S PASS THROUGH, BUT I THINK WE NEED MORE. AND TWO, LASTLY, FOR NGOS AND CHURCHES AND STUFF LIKE THAT, WHY CAN'T WE HAVE AN AGREEMENT WITH A, WITH A CHURCH IN METRO AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO WHERE OKAY, A BUS OR A TRAIN COMES TO A STATION, AND THE NGO HAS A LITTLE BAND THAT CAN TAKE THE PERSON FROM THE PLACE TO THEIR CHURCH. I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE A LOT MORE. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED PIXIE COLLABORATION BETWEEN EVERYBODY. I AGREE. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. NEXT. SARAH HIRSCH. SARAH HIRSCH, MOHAMED KASHIF, MOHAMED KASHIF, LINDSEY WILLIAMS TO, TO BE FOLLOWED BY ROGER ZANDER. GOOD MORNING. HAPPY TUESDAY, . GOOD MORNING MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS LINDSEY WILLIAMS. I'M PRESIDENT OF SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 64 AND 88 GREATER EASTWOOD, LAWNDALE AND WAYSIDE, AS WELL AS THE EASTWOOD CIVIC ASSOCIATION. I USUALLY SPEAK ABOUT TRAINS, , BUT I'M COMING TO EXPRESS MY VERY GENUINE CONCERNS ABOUT THE PROPOSED CLOSURE OF POLK STREET. THE DECISION HAS BEEN RUSHED WITHOUT ADEQUATE CONSIDERATION OF ITS FAR REACHING TRAFFIC IMPLICATIONS. THIS IS NOT JUST AN EAST END ISSUE. THIS DECISION WILL IMPACT EVERYONE TRAVELING FROM DIFFERENT PARTS OF OUR CITY. DISTRICT CDFG, J, AND K ARE ALL DIRECTED TO USE THE POLK STREET EXIT WHILE COMING INTO DOWNTOWN FROM THE SOUTHEAST, THE SOUTH, SOUTHWEST, EAST, AND NORTHEAST. THESE DRIVERS WILL NOT HAVE TO, WILL NOT HAVE TO TAKE THE ALTERNATE ROUTES OTHER THAN LELAND. AND THERE IS NO LELAND EXIT. AND THERE IT WILL BE NO LELAND [01:20:01] EXIT. AFTER THE NORTH HOUSTON HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT. COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO, I DON'T NEED TO REMIND YOU THAT HARRISBURG IS ALREADY BACKED UP FOR MILES. AT RUSH HOUR. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ELIMINATING A MAJOR ARTERY IN A PART OF TOWN THAT'S ALREADY STRUGGLING WITH TRAFFIC FLOW. AND WE HAVEN'T EVEN INTRODUCED ASTROS GAMES, DYNAMO MATCHES, ROCKETS GAMES, OR THE TRAINS THAT CONTINUALLY BLOCK OUR INTERSECTIONS. THE CITY SUGGESTS LELAND IS AN ALTERNATIVE, BUT THIS RECOMMENDATION REVEALS A FUNDAMENTAL MISUNDERSTANDING OF THE TRAFFIC CAPACITY. AS OF TODAY, NO TRAFFIC STUDY SHOWS LELAND STREET CAN HANDLE THE VOLUME THAT FLOWS PRESENTLY THROUGH POLK STREET. AND THERE'S THE THING, IF WE WERE DISCUSSING LELAND CLOSING INSTEAD OF POLK, I WOULD BE MAKING THE EXACT SAME ARGUMENT ABOUT POLK STREAKS INABILITY TO ABSORB THAT TRAFFIC. NEITHER STREET WAS DESIGNED TO CARRY BOTH OF THE LOAD. COUNCILWOMAN EVAN SHABAZZ EMANCIPATION STREET WILL LIKELY BE USED AS A ROUTE FROM THE SOUTH. STILL, IT CANNOT SAFELY HANDLE THE INCREASED TRAFFIC FROM 2 88 TOWARDS DOWNTOWN DESTINATIONS. WE'RE FORCING DRIVERS ONTO INADEQUATE INFRASTRUCTURE. THIS CHANGE EXTENDS FAR BEYOND THE EAST END. WHEN YOU ELIMINATE A MAJOR TRAFFIC ARTERY, YOU DON'T JUST RELOCATE THE PROBLEM, YOU AMPLIFY IT. DRIVERS FROM MULTIPLE DIRECTIONS WILL BE FORCED TO FIND NEW ROUTES, CREATING BOTTLENECKS, BACKUPS, SAFETY CONCERNS THROUGHOUT OUR TRANSPORTATION NETWORK. AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A RIPPLE EFFECT TOUCHING MULTIPLE PARTS OF OUR CITY. I'M NOT ASKING THE CITY TO ABANDON ITS VISION, BUT I'M ASKING FOR RESPONSIBLE PLANNING. BEFORE CONSIDERING CLOSING POLK STREET, WE NEED A COMPREHENSIVE TRAFFIC STUDY EXAMINING THE REAL WORLD IMPACT ON OUR ENTIRE VEHICLE CIRCULATION SYSTEM, INCLUDING THE EFFECTS OF THE GAMES AND THE TRAINS. WE NEED INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS TO ALTERNATIVE ROUTES, AND WE NEED TO ACT ON THEM PROMPTLY, NOT PUSH THEM BACK. LIKE THE WEST BELT IMPROVEMENT PROJECT, WHICH HAS BEEN PUSHED BACK TO 2029. WE NEED A PLAN THAT CONSIDERS THE DAILY REALITY OF THOUSANDS OF COMMUTERS, NOT JUST THE IDEAL VISION ON PAPER. OUR CITY DESERVES BETTER THAN A RUSH DECISION THAT WILL GRIDLOCK OUR STREET FOR YEARS. PLEASE SLOW DOWN, STUDY THE FULL IMPACT AND DEVELOP SOLUTIONS FOR EVERYONE WHO CALLS THE CITY HOME. COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ. THANK YOU MAYOR. UH, THANK YOU LINDSEY FOR BEING HERE AND, UH, YOUR CONTINUED, UM, VOICE THAT YOU, YOU BRING TO THE TABLE. UM, JUST SO IT'S A PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THAT I WILL BE ATTENDING THE 21ST MEETING, THE CHARTER HOSTING, UH, BUT ALSO HOUSTON FIRST IS, IS HOSTING THE JULY 1ST AT FIVE 30 AT THE GEORGE R. BROWN. OKAY. UM, AND SO WE HOPE THAT YOU ALL CAN BE THERE. UM, I DO WANNA JUST PUT IT OUT THERE THAT THERE'S BEEN SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS. IT IS NOT JUST HAPPENING, YOU KNOW, I KNOW IT'S HAPPENING QUICK, BUT IT'S NOT HAPPENING BLINDLY. FOLKS HAVE BEEN ENGAGED. I'VE ENGAGED WITH FOLKS ON A PERSONAL LEVEL OVER COFFEE ON SATURDAY MORNINGS, FRIDAY MORNINGS, UH, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION UNTIL, UH, WE FIND, UH, THE BEST SOLUTION. AND I DO WANNA ALSO, UM, STRESS THAT FROM THE BEGINNING, UH, THAT ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE, UH, I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH, WITH RESIDENTS IS EAST WEST CONNECTION. AND THAT'S MY COMMITMENT TO YOU ALL. I WANNA THANK THE ADMINISTRATION, THE MAYOR, UH, FOR ALSO SUPPORTING THAT AS WELL. UM, IN, IN ADDITION TO THAT, UH, THE OTHER, THE OTHER, UM, UM, ITEM THAT I ALSO AM PUSHING FOR IS GRADE SEPARATION IN THE EAST END. UM, YEAH, THESE AREN'T PROJECTS THAT WILL HAPPEN OVERNIGHT, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, I, I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD, UM, STOP, STOP THOSE OPPORTUNITIES TO HAPPEN BECAUSE OF, OF SOMETHING THAT MIGHT HAPPEN IN THE, IN THE NEXT, YOU KNOW, SIX TO EIGHT MONTHS. I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE HAVE TO THINK LONG TERM AND INVEST IN INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS THAT WILL ULTIMATELY BRING EAST WEST CONNECTION, UM, TO THE EAST END. BUT ALSO, QUITE FRANKLY, AS YOU MENTIONED TO THE REST OF THE CITY WHO UTILIZE THESE, SOME OF THESE EXITS, UM, POLK, UM, AFTER THE TDO, UH, PROJECT WAS, UH, WAS APPROVED, WILL BE A, A, A TURNAROUND, UM, THAT WILL STILL HAVE ACCESS COMING INTO DOWNTOWN. NOT THROUGH POLK POSSIBLY, BUT MAYBE THROUGH BELL, WHICH IS ONE BLOCK OVER. AND SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS. I LOOK FORWARD TO VISITING WITH Y'ALL ON THE 21ST, AND ALSO, HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET EVERYBODY TO SHOW UP ON JULY 1ST AS WELL. YEAH. JUST TO CLARIFY, PEOPLE FOR POLK IS HOLDING THE TOWN HALL, NOT THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD. UM, BUT I, I THINK I'M JUST, I THINK I'M REALLY JUST CONCERNED BECAUSE WHEN I SAY QUICK, LIKE, WE HEARD ABOUT THIS IN FEBRUARY, AND THE PROPOSED CLOSURE IS GONNA BE IN OCTOBER AND WHEN THE NORTH HOUSTON HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT, THAT WASN'T SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN UNTIL LIKE 20, 27, RIGHT? SO WE'RE LOSING LIKE TWO YEARS AND NOTHING APPEARS TO BE HAPPENING ON LELAND TO TURN IT INTO A TWO WAY. FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, IT'S NOT BEEN REQUESTED. SO I MEAN, THERE'S, WE'RE, THERE HAS BEEN WORK, UH, FOR LELAND. SURE. AND WE'RE HOPING THAT JULY 1ST WE CAN GIVE Y'ALL MORE CONCRETE INFORMATION. UH, THE OTHER THING IS, AND AND AGAIN, THIS IS GONNA BE THE, THE I 45 CONSTRUCTION PROJECT IS GONNA BE A HEADACHE FOR EVERYONE. WE'RE ACTUALLY SEEING SOME STREET CLOSURES RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF THE TEXTILE PROJECT. UH, SO WHETHER POLK, UH, OR THE EXPANSION WOULD, WOULD CREATE THIS EXTRA, RIGHT? THERE'S ALREADY, UH, OBSTACLES THAT WE'RE FACING. AND SO WHAT I'M ASKING RESIDENTS TO ALSO TUNE INTO IS WHENEVER WE SHARE, UH, SOME OF THESE UPDATES ALSO, UH, MAKE SURE THAT, THAT EVERYBODY'S, UH, COMMUNICATING WITH TDOT BECAUSE SOME OF THESE CLOSURES ARE HAPPENING LITERALLY ONE DAY TO THE NEXT. THAT'S ONE REASON I HAD ASKED HOUSTON FIRST TO CREATE A, A PROJECTS COMMITTEE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO HAVE CONSISTENT INFORMATION BEING PUT OUT TO COMMUNITY. UH, I THINK ABOUT A WEEK OR TWO AGO, WE HAD, UH, SOME OF THE STREETS WERE CLOSED FOR UTILITY, UH, [01:25:01] UH, WORK. AND JUST, YOU KNOW, TO BE CAUGHT OFF GUARD, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE AS OPEN COMMUNICATIVE AS AS POSSIBLE WITH YOU ALL. AND SO, AGAIN, I THINK THESE, THESE OPPORTUNITIES ARE GREAT AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, THAT WE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT YOU COMING HERE AND ANYBODY ELSE, UM, YOU KNOW, TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS AS WELL. AND I DO, I DO WANNA CLARIFY THAT I AM ON BOARD WITH ADDITIONAL EAST WEST CONNECTIONS. IT'S JUST WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF OPTIONS, UM, BECAUSE WE'RE, WE'RE ALREADY LOSING SO MUCH AND WE'RE, AND IT'S JUST FEELS LIKE WE'RE JUST LOSING YET AGAIN. ANOTHER THING. AND SO LIKE, I'M, I'M FULLY ON BOARD AND I KNOW THAT YOU'VE ASKED FOR, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE ASKED FOR MY HELP ON GETTING, YOU KNOW, SUPPORT ON EAST WEST CONNECTIONS. I'M THERE WITH YOU. IT'S JUST, WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF OPTIONS. I MEAN, THERE'S ONLY, SO YOU CAN'T JUST GET, I MEAN, THERE'S ONLY SO MANY STREETS AND THERE'S ONLY SO MANY PLACES TO DO IT. YEAH. AND YOU KNOW, TWO OF THE, TWO OF THE EXISTING ROADS AFTER THIS ARE, ARE ALREADY FREE FREEWAY ON RAMPS AND ON OFF RAMPS, AND THEN HARRISBURG DOESN'T EVEN CONNECT ALL THE WAY THROUGH, AND IT'S ALREADY A NIGHTMARE. AND SO, I MEAN, THAT'S ONLY GONNA LEAVE LIKE ONE STREET OPEN. SO THE, THE CONVERSATION FORWARD THEN IS WHAT OTHER STREETS ARE ARE AVAILABLE. UM, I'VE ALREADY PRIORITIZED LELAND BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S CLOSE TO POLK. SURE. AND THAT'S GONNA BE CONTINUE TO BE MY PRIORITY. BUT AFTERWARDS, UH, WE ARE GONNA BE LOOKING AT OTHER, OTHER OPTIONS. AND I GREW UP IN THE EAST END. I, I KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENED OVER THE LAST, YOU KNOW, 40 YEARS. SO I, I GET IT. UM, AND I'M GONNA CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR THE EAST END RESIDENCE AS WELL. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT, ROGER ZANDER. ROGER ZANDER. JOCELYN LEWIS. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK TODAY. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS JOCELYN LEWIS, AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK FOR THOSE WHOSE VOICES ARE BEING IGNORED, OUR HOMELESS COMMUNITY, AND THOSE BATTLING MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES. THIS IS ME IN THE FOREFRONT OF HELPING OTHERS IN THE COMMUNITIES ON OUR STREETS. MEN AND WOMEN ARE BEING DENIED ACCESS TO RESTROOMS. THEY ARE FORCED TO WIPE THEMSELVES IN THE OPEN AND SLEEP ON BARE CONCRETE. RESTAURANTS WILL NOT ALLOW THEM IN. AND THERE ARE NO SANITATION AREAS FOR THEM TO CLEAN UP OR MANAGE HYGIENE WITH DIGNITY. THIS IS INHUMANE. AND THIS IS A COUPLE OF INTERVIEWS THAT I'VE DONE ON THE STREET. I APOLOGIZE. I'VE MET WITH PEOPLE WHO HAD TO THROW THEIR TENTS AWAY, THE ONLY SHELTER THEY HAD. THEY'RE BEING ARRESTED SIMPLY FOR SURVIVING. WHEN WE THROW AWAY THEIR TENTS, WE LEAVE THEM SLEEPING ON DIRT AND SIDEWALKS LIKE THEY ARE LESS THAN HUMANS. EVEN WORSE, I'VE BEEN, I'VE SEEN PEOPLE RELEASED FROM HOSPITALS AND GOWNS CONFUSED AND NOT MENTALLY WELL ENOUGH TO TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES OR SIGN THEMSELVES OUT. SOME ARE PUT BACK ON THE STREETS WITHOUT ANY SUPPORT. SOME BECOME A DANGER TO THEMSELVES OR OTHERS BECAUSE THEY WANT, NOT BECAUSE THEY WANT TO BE, BUT BECAUSE THEY ARE SICK AND IGNORED. HOW CAN WE WORK TOGETHER TO CHANGE THIS? CAN WE PROVIDE SANITATION AREAS WITH TOILETRY AND FEMALE PRODUCTS? CAN WE CREATE REAL SOLUTIONS WITH HOUSING VOUCHERS AND MENTAL HEALTH FOLLOW UPS? CAN CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEYS STEP UP TO PROTECT OUR SENIORS AND VETERANS, MANY OF WHOM ARE STILL SLEEPING ON THE STREETS, WHILE ARE PEOPLE EATING OUT OF DUMPSTERS? THESE ARE HUMAN BEINGS. WE NEED FUNDING, PARTNERSHIPS AND LEADERSHIP THAT TRULY SEES THEM. I'VE DONE STREET INTERVIEWS. THEY'RE TIRED OF BEING TREATED LIKE ANIMALS. THEY WANT HELP. OUR WOMEN ARE BEING SEXUALLY ASSAULTED WITHOUT PROTECTION. KATHY ROSARIO IS A VICTIM THAT'S BEEN SEXUALLY ASSAULTED THREE TIMES ON THE STREETS. I ASK YOU WILL HELP US BUILD A SAFER AND MORE HUMANE COMMUNITY FOR EVERYONE IN THE HEART OF HOUSTON. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN CARTER. COUNCILMAN CARTER. MS. LEWIS, THANK YOU FOR COMING TODAY. UM, I'D LIKE TO VISIT WITH YOU, UM, MY DANELLE IN THE BACK WILL GET WITH YOU, AND WE'LL GET A MEETING SET UP AND TALK TO YOU ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE WORKING ON BECAUSE YOU BROUGHT FORTH TODAY A SERIES OF PROBLEMS THAT WE'RE VERY MUCH AWARE OF. AND IT'S NOT ONE SOLUTION. YOU KNOW, WE NEED, UH, WE NEED PERMANENT HOUSING, WE NEED TRANSITIONAL HOUSING, WE NEED [01:30:01] LOW BARRIER SHELTERS, WE NEED SANITATION FACILITIES. WE NEED, WE, WE HAVE SO MANY NEEDS. AND I PROMISE YOU THE MAYOR IS VERY FOCUSED ON, ON WORKING ON THESE NEEDS. AND HE HAS A SOLID TEAM, AND I'M, UH, HONORED TO HAVE BEEN PART OF SOME OF THE WORK THEY'RE DOING. AND LOVE TO MEET WITH YOU AND KIND OF CONNECT WITH YOU AND, AND JUST TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON OUT THERE. SO DANELLE ON THE BACK, WE'LL GET WITH YOU AND WE'LL GET YOU GET A MEETING AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE, THANK YOU MEMBER. APPRECIATE CARTER FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. AND MA'AM, THAT'S THE REASON EVERYTHING YOU JUST DOCUMENTED IS ONE OF THE REASONS THAT HUD APPRECIATED US, APPROVED US USING SOME OF THE RECOVERY FUNDS FOR THE HOMELESS. SIR, THANK YOU. THANK YOU RAMIREZ. COUNCILOR RAMIREZ, THANK YOU JOCELYN, FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR REMARKS. IT TRULY IS A TRAGEDY. UM, HOW MANY MENTALLY ILL FOLKS WE HAVE ON OUR STREETS. AND, UM, LET ME ASSURE YOU, UM, AS, AS A CITY GOVERNMENT, WE ARE TRYING TO COME UP WITH SOLUTIONS AND ADVOCATING FOR MEASURES THAT WILL HELP ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM. UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME OUT OF THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION WAS SENATE BILL 1164, WHICH WILL MAKE IT EASIER FOR US TO MOVE SOME OF THESE FOLKS WHO ARE MENTALLY ILL AND AT RISK OF SUFFERING INJURY AND HARM INTO A HOSPITAL SETTING. AND SO THAT'S AWAITING THE GOVERNOR'S SIGNATURE. AND IF HE SIGNS, IT'LL BECOME LAW ON SEPTEMBER THE FIRST. AND WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER TOOL THAT WE, WE CAN USE TO ADDRESS THE SITUATION. UM, WE HAD AN EXTENSIVE DISCUSSION YESTERDAY IN THE QUALITY OF LIFE COMMITTEE ABOUT HOMELESSNESS AND ABOUT THE MAYOR'S HOMELESSNESS PLAN AND HOW THAT IS GOING. AND, UH, WE ARE MAKING A LOT OF PROGRESS, BUT IT STILL NEEDS A LOT OF FUNDING. AND SO WE ARE DEPENDENT ON OUR PHILANTHROPIC ORGANIZATIONS HERE IN HOUSTON AND IN THE AREA, UH, TO HELP US OUT AND, AND WE'RE WORKING, UH, TO SEE THAT THAT IS DONE. UH, BUT, UH, AND, AND YOU KNOW, AT AT THE STATE LEVEL, WE SIMPLY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH STATE MENTAL HOSPITAL BEDS, AND WE HAVEN'T FOR MANY YEARS. AND SO THAT'S ONE THING I THINK THAT HOUSTONIANS CAN DO IS, IS TO ADVOCATE WITH THEIR STATE LEGISLATORS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT. UM, WE SHOULDN'T HAVE SO MANY MENTALLY ILL HOMELESS ON OUR STREETS, AND PART OF THAT, UH, REQUIRES A STATE SOLUTION. PART OF THAT IS BEYOND OUR CONTROL TO ADDRESS, BUT YOU HIT UPON A MAJOR TRAGEDY IN OUR CITY AND AND I APPRECIATE YOUR SHEDDING LIGHT ON IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE IT. COUNCIL O DAVIS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU JOSH, FOR COMING AND CERTAINLY BRINGING THOSE ITEMS TO OUR ATTENTION, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, AT THE PRIORITY OF, OF THIS COUNCIL AND THIS ADMINISTRATION. LET ME ASK YOU, WHO DO YOU WORK WITH? DO YOU WORK WITH A PARTICULAR ORGANIZATION OR THIS IS JUST PERSONAL? UM, IT STARTED OUT AS PERSONAL. UM, I JUST GOT A RECENT MENTOR, MS. MONIQUE DAVIS WITH WOMEN'S CONNECTION INCORPORATION. SHE HELP WOMEN AND CHILDREN. MM-HMM. BUT I'M MORE OF IN THE STREETS INTERVIEWING PEOPLE, TRYING TO SEE IF I CAN GET OUR ELDERLY IN NURSING FACILITIES, UM, SEE IF THEY HAVE ROOM, EVEN IN JAILS WHEN IT GETS TOO HOT OR COLD, AT LEAST THEY CAN GET A MEAL OR A PLACE TO STAY FOR A FEW DAYS, YOU KNOW? SO I JUST PARTNERED UP WITH HER AND SHE'S KIND OF HELPING ME. GOOD. A LOT. AND THE REASON I BROUGHT THAT UP, BECAUSE THERE ARE, THERE ARE RESOURCES THAT ARE OUT THERE. THAT'S WHY I WAS GOING TO SUGGEST THAT WE HELP YOU AND MAYBE SOME THAT YOU'RE NOT AWARE OF. IT IS SUCH A BIG ISSUE, AND IT'S NOT JUST HOUSTON'S NATIONWIDE AS YOU KNOW, BUT WE JUST TRYING TO BE AHEAD OF IT. AND SO, UH, WE, IT'S REALLY, I APPRECIATE YOU COMING AND, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, EXPRESSING BECAUSE AS A VETERAN, I'M DEEPLY CONCERNED BY ALL HOMELESS, BUT VETERANS HAVE BEEN OUT THERE FOR A VERY LONG TIME. YES. UH, PROBABLY THE LONGEST AND LARGEST GROUP OF HOMELESS PEOPLE, WHICH IS A DEEP CONCERN OF MINE BECAUSE I'M A VETERAN. I COME FROM A VETERAN FAMILY. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR COMING. NO PROBLEM. AND YES, I STARTED IN ATLANTA. I EVEN WENT TO DALLAS. SO I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR A WHILE NOW. I JUST HAVEN'T HAD ANY DIRECTION ON TO GET THE HELP THAT I NEED. THE SUPPORT. OKAY, WELL, GOD BLESS YOU AND SOME OF THE COLLEAGUES HAS OFFERED AND WE'LL, WE'LL KEEP UP WITH YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS. THANK YOU, MA'AM. HOLD ON ONE, ONE SEC. I APOLOGIZE. ONE MORE. NO, ALL GOOD. WELL, YOU CAME TO THE, THE RIGHT PLACE. UH, FOR SOME DIRECTION. I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE OUR HOUSING DIRECTOR, UH, DIRECTOR NICHOLS, IF YOU CAN RAISE YOUR HAND. THAT'S THE, THE DIRECTOR YESTERDAY. UM, UH, WE HOSTED A QUALITY OF LIFE AND HOUSING COMMITTEE MEETING. AND, UM, OUR CHAIR OF QUALITY OF LIFE IS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. IT WAS A [01:35:01] ROBUST UPDATE, BUT I WANNA OFFER YOU AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO PARTICIPATE. UM, THERE IS A CALL FOR COMMUNITY LEADERS LIKE YOU THAT ARE ALREADY PARTICIPATING IN THIS WORK. THEY'RE LOOKING AT CREATING HUBS WHERE THEY CAN LAYER ON SERVICES TO EXISTING, UH, FRAMEWORKS. SO YOU'RE IN THE RIGHT PLACE. SO ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING, AND YOU SOME SAID, COME DOWN TO CITY HALL AND YOU LISTEN AND I LOOK AT YOU, RIGHT? MIRACLE. SO THE DIRECTOR WILL BE ABLE TO, UH, GET YOU DIRECTLY IN CONTACT WITH THAT GROUP. THEY'RE GONNA HOST A MEETING AND THEY WANT EVERYONE WHO'S, YOU KNOW, UH, DOING THIS, THIS WORK OF, OF MEALS, HYGIENE BAGS. THEY WANT YOU IN THE CONVERSATION. SO THIS IS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO DO THAT. AND HE'LL MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE CONNECTED. OKAY. THANK YOU. AND WE HAVE HYGIENE BAGS IN THE CAR. WE ABOUT TO GO PASS OUT. PERFECT. WONDERFUL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. BLESS YOU. THANK YOU, MA'AM. THANK NEXT. MAYOR MORA. MAYOR MORA. DENISE AUGUSTUS. DENISE AUGUSTUS. MARIA BRACEDA. OKAY. OKAY. . HELLO, MY NAME IS MARIA RA AND I AM HERE AS A RESIDENT OF THE FIFTH WARD AND MEMBER OF TEXAS ORGANIZING PROJECT. I'M WRITING THIS WITH MY HAND OVER MY HEART, NOT JUST FOR MYSELF, BUT FOR ALL OF THE FAMILIES IN MY COMMUNITY LIKE ME, WHO ARE LIVING IN FEAR. HURRICANE BARREL, WHICH HIT OUR CITY LAST YEAR, CAUSED GRAVE DAMAGE TO OUR HOME. WE LOST POWER AND WATER FOR MORE THAN SEVEN DAYS. NO ONE CAME TO HELP US. WE DID NOT RECEIVE HELP FROM ANY ORGANIZATION OR PROGRAM. WE HAD TO FACE IT OURSELVES. JUST LIKE MANY OTHER FAMILIES IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, MANY OF THEM WITH ELDERLY PEOPLE, SICKLY PEOPLE, OR PEOPLE WITH LIMITED MOBILITY. [01:40:14] THAT'S WHY I AM HERE TODAY TO USE MY VOICE AND ASK YOU AS REPRESENTATIVES, VOTE NO FOR A PLAN, BUT JUST NOT INCLUDE FUNDING TO BETTER, BETTER THE LIVING SITUATION AND HOUSING AND INFRASTRUCTURE IN COMMUNITIES LIKE MINE. I ASK THAT YOU POSTPONE ANY DECISION UNTIL YOU CAN GUARANTEE AND AS ADJUST ASSIGNATION OF THE RESOURCES THAT WILL PROTECT WORKING FAMILIES. WE ARE NOT A STATISTIC. WE ARE WORKING PEOPLE WHO CONTRIBUTE TO THE CITY AND WHO WANT SOMETHING VERY BASIC, A DIGNIFIED HOME AND A SAFE PLACE FOR OUR FAMILIES. MY COMMUNITY DESERVES TO BE HEARD AND ABOVE ALL TO BE PROTECTED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT. DANA JONES. GOOD MORNING, MAYOR. GOOD MORNING, CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS DANA JONES AND I'M, MOST OF YOU ALREADY KNOW ME. I'M THE LADY THAT EVERY TIME IT RAINS MY HOUSE FLOOD, I'M IMPACTED BY EVERY, EVERY RAIN. I WAS NOT HERE TO, UM, SPEAK AGAINST THE BUDGET THAT WAS PROPOSED 'CAUSE THAT BUDGET DOES NOT INCLUDE ME. MAY I TALK TO YOU AT THE TOWN HALL MEETING AT, UH, HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE ABOUT FUNDING THAT, UM, HELP THAT I NEEDED. AND YOU TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS NO FUNDS, UH, HARVEY FUNDS, BUT HOUSING MONEY WAS SENT. AND LAST WEEK YOU MOVE FUNDS TO OTHER PROGRAMS THAT ARE, THAT ARE NOT HELPING PEOPLE TO RE TO RECOVER. THAT MONEY SHOULD GO TO THE ALLOCATED HOME REPAIRS FOR CONSTITUENTS LIKE ME AND THOUSANDS OF OTHERS. THE NEGLECT THAT THE CITY HAS SHOWN ME HAS COST ME MY PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH. I HAVE, I HAVE BEEN LIVING IN INSTABILITY FOR A LONG TIME, AND THE, AND COUNCIL IS WELL AWARE OF IT. SAFETY WAS PROMISED TO ALL CITIZENS, AND YET SAFETY DOES NOT INCLUDE ME. THE DR 24 FUNDS ONLY TALK ABOUT SAFETY IN THE FORM OF PUTTING MONEY INTO THE POLICE BUDGET, BUT NOT FOR THE NESS OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS. WE NEED YOU TO USE THAT MONEY FOR RECOVERY PROGRAMS. MARIO, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR, UH, THIS MORNING ACKNOWLEDGING ME, BUT WE ARE STILL NOT HAVING ANY HELP COMING INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, MELROSE PARK. WE ARE SINKING AND THE CITY IS NOT LISTENING. I LIVE IN THE PARK. I LIVE IN THAT AREA BECAUSE IT IS QUIET, FREE OF CRIME. AND THE NEIGHBORS ALL GET ALONG WELL. BUT WE HAVE FOR DECADES BEEN FLOODING, FLOODING AND FLOODING. AND THE MAYOR AND ALL OF COUNCIL IS AWARE OF IT BECAUSE I MYSELF HAVE TALKED TO JUST ABOUT EVERYONE HERE PERSONALLY, TO LET YOU KNOW. AND NOW MY HOUSE MY HOUSE IS COMPLETELY, ALMOST UNLIVABLE. THEY SAID THEY'RE COMING TO HELP ME, BUT I'M STILL HAVING TO FIGHT FOR SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR HOUSING. AND I SPOKE TO YOU, MAYOR PERSONALLY, THERE IS MONEY THAT IS COMING INTO HOUSTON FOR HOUSING AND THAT MONEY SHOULD BE ALLOCATED TOWARDS HOUSING THE PEOPLE AND NOT DIRECTED TO SOME OTHER AREA. AND I JUST WANNA SAY, WE NEED HELP. WE'RE DROWNING OUT HERE. WE WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT RECOVERING, WE'RE SURVIVING. AND IT'S LIKE COUNCIL IS NOT LISTENING. NOBODY IS LISTENING. NOBODY HEARS. ONLY TIME I GET A RESPONSE FROM ANY ANYBODY IS WHEN, SO I CALLED IN AND I'M COMING TO COUNCIL. THEN THE DAY BEFORE, EVERYBODY'S CALLING ME WANTING TO KNOW, WHAT, WHAT ARE YOU COMING FOR? I'M COMING FOR THE SAME THING. THE SAME THING IS HAPPENING. MY HOUSE IS FALLING APART. I TELL ANYBODY, YOU CAN COME AND YOU CAN SEE FOR YOURSELF, BUT NOBODY'S DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT UNTIL THEY KNOW I'M COMING TO COUNCIL. I HAD A PHONE CALL SEVEN O'CLOCK THIS MORNING. I'LL BE BRIEF. MAYOR, I TALKED TO YOU. I HAD A PHONE CALL [01:45:01] SEVEN O'CLOCK THIS MORNING FROM PUBLIC WORKS ASKING ME WHAT, WHAT'S MY PROBLEM? EVERYONE KNOWS WHAT THE PROBLEM. WE HAVE PROBLEMS WITH DRAINAGE IN MELROSE PARK. IT HAS BEEN GOING ON SO LONG UNTIL THE STRUCTURES IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ARE FALLING APART. MY HOME ITSELF IS FALLING APART, NOT DUE TO LACK OF MAINTENANCE, BUT REP REPETITIVE FLOODING CAUSED BY CITY, NOT BY THE CITY NOT DOING WHAT THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO DO AND NOT PUTTING THE MONEY THAT WAS ALLOCATED FOR DIFFERENT, FOR DRAINAGE AND DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT. THEY'RE PUTTING IN DIFFERENT AREAS. AND I SPOKE TO YOU PERSONALLY, MAYOR, AND YOU SAID THAT THERE WAS NO MONEY AND THAT THERE AND THERE IS MONEY AND WE NEED HELP. VERY GOOD. COUNCILMAN CASTILLO . THANK YOU MAYOR. AND DANA, I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN DEALING WITH A LOT AND WE DO HAVE A PROJECT FOR MELROSE, FOR DRAINAGE THAT COINCIDES WITH THE COUNTY PROJECT BECAUSE THE LINE BETWEEN CITY AND COUNTY IS, IS RIGHT THERE. SO THEY'RE DOING SOME WORK TO HELP ON THE DRAINAGE. THE CITY'S DOING SOME WORK TO HELP ON THE DRAINAGE. THEIR PROJECT DID GET DELAYED A BIT, WHICH IS GONNA DELAY OURS, WHICH WAS I KNOW PART OF YOUR FRUSTRATION. AND ON THE HOUSING SIDE, YOU KNOW, MAYOR, HER HOME IS BEING REBUILT AS PART OF THE PROGRAM. UM, NO, I DIDN'T LEAVE IT OUT. I SAID NO, I DID NOT LEAVE THAT OUT. BUT ARE YOU AWARE THAT YOUR HOUSE MAY I SAID THAT, THAT I AM GETTING SOME HELP. SHE IS GETTING HELP, BUT, BUT WHERE SHE COULD USE HELP ON IS ON THE RELOCATION WHILE THE HOME IS BEING BUILT. SO I HAVE, UH, CONTACTED HOUSING. I'M GONNA ASK FOR THEIR SUPPORT ON TRYING TO FIND SOME RESOURCES, UH, FOR MS. JONES WHILE THE HOME IS IS BEING REPAIRED. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. OH, COUNCILMAN DAVIS. COUNCILMAN DAVIS. COUNCILMAN DAVIS. MS. JONES, WE'VE HAD SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS, CORRECT? YOU AND I? YES, WE HAVE. AND YOUR PASTOR? YES, WE HAVE. AND YOUR PASTOR? YEAH. UM, YES. OKAY. SO DURING THAT, SINCE THAT CONVERSATION OF A RECENT, WHAT, WHAT IS, WHAT IS, WHAT HAVE THEY DONE AFTER SPEAKING WITH YOU? LET ME, LET ME SLOW DOWN BECAUSE I AM, UM, HAVING, IF I NEGLECTED TO SAY THAT THE HOUSE IS BEING REBUILT, I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT, BUT I KNOW THAT I SAID THAT I AM GETTING SOME HELP. SURE, SURE. AND I'M ALSO SAYING THAT I, I HAVE HAD TO CONTINUE TO ALLOCATE FOR HELP. NOW, THE LAST STEP OF THE PROCESS IS, IS A PUSHBACK. AND THE LAST STEP IS GETTING HOUSING DURING THAT PROCESS IS MOVING YOUR HOUSING DURING THE PROCESS OF THE HOME BEING REBUILT. THAT'S, THAT'S MY LAST STEP. EVERY, EVERY STEP OF THE WAY I HAVE ALLOCATED FOR MYSELF. I'VE BEEN HERE AND YOU'VE ASKED OF COURSE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER, I SPOKE WITH COUNCILMAN COUNCILMAN CASTILE THIS MORNING AND HE HAS GIVEN ME SOME, SOME, UM, HE HAS GIVEN ME SOME DIRECTION AND HE'S GIVEN ME SOME, SOME HELP. RIGHT. THE 'CAUSE HIS OFFICE HAD, WE HAD SPOKE TO THEM, BOTH OF US, ABOUT YOUR SITUATION. SO NOW IT'S THE MOVE OUT, CORRECT IT. YES. DURING THE TIME, UH, COUNSEL, UH, THE HOUSE JUST FLOODED ON, UH, TUESDAY BEFORE LAST, WHILE YOU GUYS WAS UP HERE WITH THE BUDGET. I WAS AT HOME. MY HOUSE WAS FLOODING THEN. OKAY. OKAY. SO ALL I'M JUST SAYING IS I NEED SOME HELP. I SPOKE TO THE MAYOR AND I TOLD YOU THAT I, YES, THEY WERE GONNA REBUILD. AND I TOLD YOU, MAYOR, I NEEDED SOME HELP WITH HOUSING. AND YOU SAID THAT THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION HAD SPENT ALL THE MONEY. I AM GETTING TIRED MS. JONES, IF I MAY, AND I'LL BE, IF I MAY, THE, THE ISSUE OF THE FLOODING, YOU KNOW, SITUATION HAPPENED WAY BACK. OKAY. IT JUST FLOODED. THE HOUSE JUST FLOODED ON, UH, UH, MONDAY. I TOLD YOU THAT. YEAH. BUT YOU WERE SPEAKING ABOUT FLOODING CONDITIONS AS WELL AS THE REBUILD OF HOUSING. YES SIR. OKAY. ALRIGHT. WELL, WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL WORK, WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH YOU AND WITH COUNCIL MEMBER. UM, CASTILLO. OKAY. WHEN MONEY IS ALLOCATED FOR FLOODING OFF OF HOUSING, I THINK THAT THE CITY SHOULD CONSIDER TAKING THAT MONEY AND SPENDING IT, UH, ON THAT. THAT'S THE POLICING THAT WE WOULD NEED. NEXT, SHALANDA BRISBEE TO BE FOLLOWED BY ISHMA BLACKWELL. [01:50:03] GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. LET ME ASK YOU SOMETHING. WHEN A STORM IS COMING, DO YOU BUILD A STAGE OR DO YOU BUILD A SHELTER? WHEN DISASTER STRIKES, DO YOU PROTECT THE PEOPLE OR DO YOU POLISH YOUR IMAGE? LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE ARE STANDING IN THE EYE OF A DIFFERENT KIND OF STORM. ONE THAT DOESN'T BLOW DOWN TREES OR FLOOD OUR STREETS, BUT ERODES SOMETHING EVEN MORE. VITAL TRUST OUR CITY WAS GIVEN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, BLOCK GRANT DISASTER RECOVERY FUNDING MONEY MEANT FOR RECOVERY, FOR RESILIENCE, FOR REBUILDING LIVES. THE CITY ITSELF HAS REPORTED THAT THERE IS A NEED FOR OVER $200 MILLION FOR HOME REPAIR AFTER THESE STORMS. SO HOW DOES IT MAKE SENSE THAT OUR PLAN IS TO INVEST $0 INTO HOME REPAIR? LOW INCOME HOMEOWNERS LIKE MYSELF, STILL HAVE BLUE TARPS AND ARE LIVING IN INHABITABLE CONDITIONS. LIVING FROM ONE PAYCHECK TO ANOTHER MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO RECOVER. SORRY, FROM THESE DISASTERS. JUST YESTERDAY, I DROVE AROUND MY NEIGHBORHOOD IN CASHIER GARDENS AND I IDENTIFIED SIX HOUSES WITH BLUE TARPS WITHIN LESS THAN A HALF A MILE FROM MY HOME. AS I SPEAK TO YOU RIGHT NOW, THE PHOTOS OF THE HOUSES SHOULD BE IN EACH ONE OF YOUR COUNCIL DISTRICT INBOXES. ALSO, THIS MONEY WILL NOT BE SPENT ON INFRASTRUCTURE. IT WILL NOT EVEN BE SPENT ON REPAIRING OR REBUILDING HOMES FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY. HOWEVER, IT WILL BE SPENT ELSEWHERE ON PROJECTS THAT HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH DISASTER RELIEF, SUCH AS PURCHASING POLICE VEHICLES IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD. I DON'T SEE THE POLICE PRESENCE. WHAT I SEE IS POLICE IDLING INSTEAD OF PATROLLING THE AREA. I ALSO HAVE PICTURES OF THAT. THIS IS NOT JUST A MISTAKE, MISDIRECTION. THIS IS A MISUSE OF DOLLARS, AND IT ISN'T JUST ABOUT DOLLARS. THIS IS ABOUT DECENCY. EVERY RACE, ETHNICITY, GENDER, AND EVERY INCOME STATUS DESERVES DECENCY BECAUSE EVERY DIVERTED DOLLAR MEANS A PERSON LEFT MORE VULNERABLE. EVERY MISSPENT GRANT IS MISSED CHANCE TO PROTECT THE COMMUNITY. AND EVERY EXCUSE YOU MAKE IS ANOTHER REASON WHY I MUST SPEAK LOUDER. AS A DISTRICT B RESIDENT, I'M NOT ASKING FOR MIRACLES, I'M NOT ASKING FOR LUXURIES, AND I'M NOT HERE TO POINT THE FINGER. I'M ASKING FOR ACCOUNTABILITY, DEMANDING PREPAREDNESS FOR EVERY RACE, GENDER, COMMUNITY, AND NEIGHBORHOOD. SO TO OUR CITY LEADERS THAT STAND BEFORE ME, PUT THE MONEY WHERE THE NEED IS, PROTECT THE PEOPLE, NOT THE POLITICS. AND WHEN THE NEXT STORM COMES, MAKE SURE WE'RE READY BECAUSE RESILIENCE BEGINS WITH RESPONSIBILITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU NICK. ISHMA BLACKWELL. GOOD MORNING. I'M ISHMA BLACKWELL, A RESIDENT OF HOUSTON IN FONTINE SUBDIVISION, CURRENTLY RESIDING IN THE HOME. MY 92-YEAR-OLD FATHER WORKED HARD FOR AND PURCHASED FOR OUR FAMILY 59 YEARS AGO. I'M REPRESENTING NOT OUTTA SELFISHNESS FOR ONLY MY FAMILY AND HOME, BUT THE ENTIRE CITY OF HOUSTON PRESENT AND ABSENT, I HAVE BEEN A FULL-TIME CAREGIVER TO MY BED, CONFINED TOTALLY DISABLED PARENTS RECENTLY LOSING MY MOTHER IN FEBRUARY OF FOR OVER 11 YEARS. I HAVE AN ADULT SON BORN WITH NEUROFIBROMATOSIS TUMORS THROUGHOUT HIS ENTIRE BODY HAS HAD 23 SURGERIES AND OTHER SEVERE DIAGNOSIS. OUR HOME WAS DAMAGED BY HURRICANE BURL. UNFORTUNATELY FOR US, IT IS STILL WITHOUT REPAIRS. AS A TARP COVERS THE DAMAGE MOLD SITS IN AND WATER CONTINUES TO SEEP THROUGH EACH DAY WITH RAIN AND STORMS WORSENING ITS CONDITIONS. AFTER BOROUGH, I APPLIED FOR FEMA, MADE AN INSURANCE CLAIM AND WAS DENIED THROUGH BOTH RESOURCES. EVEN THOUGH MY DAMAGES WAS LESS THAN $3,000, MY ONLY REMAINING OPTION IS TO RECEIVE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FROM THE CITY'S LONG-TERM RECOVERY FUNDS. PRE PREVENTING HOMELESSNESS BEGINS WITH ENSURING ESTONIANS MAINTAIN DECENT HOUSING. THIS IS HOW MY FAMILY HAS ALWAYS LIVED, DESERVES AND DESIRES TO CONTINUE LIVING WITH FAMILIES, NOT RECEIVING ASSISTANCE THROUGH FUNDS. YOU WILL BE INCREASING HOMELESSNESS DUE TO LOW INCOME. FAMILIES ASKED MYSELF, DISABLED AND ELDERLY INDIVIDUALS ASKED MY FATHER, WHO CANNOT AFFORD TO REPAIR THEIR [01:55:01] HOMES AFTER DISASTERS, EVEN WITH INSURANCE AND FEMA DUE TO DENIALS, FEDERAL RE RECOVERY FUNDS FROM BURROUGHS DAMAGES SHOULD BE ALLOCATED AND USED FOR JUST THAT DISASTER RECOVERY TO RECOVER FROM UNEXPECTED. OFTEN UNPREDICTED, NO FAULT OF OUR OWN EVENTS, NOT DIRECTING THE FUNDS TOWARDS ITS APPROPRIATE CAUSE WILL ONLY LEAVE OUR CITY WITH MORE DEPLORABLE LIVING ENVIRONMENTS FOR LONGER PERIODS OF TIME. ADDING TO THE INCREASINGLY RAPID GROWTH OF HOMELESSNESS THAT IS PROVEN OUT OF CONTROL. ESTONIANS NEEDS FUNDS ON THE LOCAL LEVEL. DISASTER RECOVERY FUNDS ARE HERE NOW THAT THEY SHOULD BE PRIORITIZED FOR OUR COMMUNITY'S RECOVER AND NOT FOR THE CITY'S COUNTS. THE CITY'S BUDGET INITIATIVES THAT TAXPAYERS DID NOT VOTE FOR. I'M CALLING ON CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO STAND UP FOR ESTONIANS AND CARE ABOUT OUR WELLBEING AND LIVELIHOOD OVER THE BUDGET DEFICIENCIES. IF YOU ARE LISTENING TO CARE ABOUT AND ARE WILLING TO DO ANYTHING FOR YOUR CONSTITUENTS, IT WILL BE TO DELAY NEXT WEEK'S VOTE. IN FAIRNESS. SO THE, SO THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT CAN REVIEW THE SUB SUBMITTED PUBLIC COMMENTS AND AMEND THE PLAN TO REFLECT THE NEEDS AND INTERESTS OF THE TAX PAY AND CITIZENS THAT EACH OF YOU SHOULD BE REPRESENTING AS YOU ARE VOTED TO. DO. I ASK YOU, WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO HIDE THEN? WHY THE RUSH? THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT SIDNEY RAY TO BE FOLLOWED BY SAM EBENEZER. GOOD MORNING, MARY FIELD COUNSEL. MY NAME IS SIDNEY RAY AND I STAND HERE PROBABLY BEFORE YOU AS A MEMBER OF THE TOPS ORGANIZATION AND DUKE, THE ONES THAT DOESN'T KNOW WHAT TOPS STAND FOR. TOPS, AN ORGANIZATION THAT EXISTS TO EMPOWER BLACK AND LATINO COMMUNITIES IN HOUSTON. WE ORGANIZE TO, TO TRANSFORM TEXAS INTO A PLACE WHERE WORKING CLASS PEOPLE OF COLOR ARE SEEN, HEARD, REPRESENTED, NOT JUST DURING THE ELECTIONS, BUT EVERY SINGLE DAY. I SIT HERE AND WATCHED AND LOOKED AT PEOPLE AND IT'S APPARENT THERE HAVE AND HAVE NOTS IN HERE AND HAVE NOT. HOUSTON IS A WORLD CLASS CITY, BUT IT DIDN'T GET THERE BY ACCIDENT. IT GOT THERE BECAUSE OF PEOPLE LIKE US. THE MORE YOUR LUNGS, YOU CLEAN YOUR HOUSES, TAKE CARE OF YOUR CHILDREN. WE ARE WORKERS WHO KEEP THIS CITY RUNNING AND IT'S TIME OUR NEIGHBORHOODS REFLECT THAT SAME DIGNITY AND INVESTMENT. WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE JOBS. DO YOU, EXCUSE ME, I'M A LITTLE NERVOUS. YOU ALL WOULDN'T BE SITTING HERE WITH THESE JOBS IF WE HAD NOT VOTED FOR YOU ALL. MANY OF US BELIEVE IN YOUR PROMISES. WE VOTED, WE TRUSTED. NOW IT'S TIME TO DELIVER. AND TO BE FAIR, I SEE THAT SOME PROGRESS IS BEING MADE. YOU'VE OPENED COOLING CENTERS AND THE RESPONSE TO DANGEROUS HEAT. YOU'VE ADDRESSED THE NIGHTLIFE ISSUES ALONG EMANATION. YOU'VE IMPROVED APPROVED FUNDS FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, YOU'VE BEGUN PUBLIC TRANSIT IMPROVEMENT AND YOU'VE SUPPORTED COMMUNITY SAFETY EFFORTS LIKE NEIGHBORHOOD PATROLS. I'M A RESIDENT OF MIDTOWN. I'M 70 YEARS OLD. BUT THE QUESTION THAT RAISES JUST RISES IS WHERE'S THE MONEY GOING AND WHO IS SEEING OVER IT? OKAY. ONE OF MY PET , LIKE I SAID, I'M A SENIOR CITIZEN. I, I USED TO GO TO THE YMCA NOT TOO FAR FROM HERE ON P STREET TO GET FOOD. ALL THE YMC A'S PANS ARE CLOSED, MOST OF THE FOOD PANTRIES ARE CLOSED. SO WHY IS IT PEOPLE LIKE ME HAVE NOWHERE ELSE TO GO TO GET FOOD ANYWAYS? UH, MANY OF THE [02:00:01] LOW, UM, DURING THE FLOODS AND THE STORMS, MANY OF US WAS OUT OF POWER. WE WERE OUT OF FOOD. WE MISS WORK. FEMALE DENIED. MOST OF US. I'M DIABETIC. I TAKE TWO INSULIN AND TWO PILLS. AND WHEN THE INSURANCE PAY FOR IT, ONCE IN ONE MONTH, THEY'RE NOT GONNA PAY FOR IT AGAIN. COUNCIL, MA'AM. COUNCILMAN POLLEN? MA'AM. COUNCILMAN P*****K. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. UM, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT, THAT YOUR, YOUR COMMENTS ARE NOT FALLING ON DEB'S EARS AND WE DO HEAR YOU, YOUR, YOUR TESTIMONY AND YOUR YOUR EXPERIENCES. IT DOES MATTER. YOUR TIME HERE SPEAKING TO US, IT DOES MATTER TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR CIRCUMSTANCE. IT DOES MATTER. AND NOT ONLY TO YOU, BUT THE OTHER SPEAKERS AS WELL. UH, THE, THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF OF, OF HAVING THIS SESSION IS TO HEAR FROM YOU TO HOPEFULLY BE ABLE TO MAKE DECISIONS THAT BEST, UH, IMPACT YOUR QUALITY OF LIFE AND THAT HOLD YOUR INTEREST AS A PRIORITY. SO I DON'T WANT YOU TO SIT HERE AND THINK THAT THERE ARE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE SPEAKING ON OTHER TOPICS THAT ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOURS. YOURS ARE JUST AS IMPORTANT AND YOU'RE JUST AS IMPORTANT. SO, UH, I WANT YOU TO WALK AWAY FROM HERE BEING OPTIMISTIC THAT WE DO HEAR YOU AND I AM OPTIMISTIC THAT, UH, THERE WILL BE SOME, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON YOU ALL'S TESTIMONY GOING FORWARD. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. NEXT, SAM EBENEZER. SAM EBENEZER, DR. STALLONE BROWN, DR. STALLONE BROWN, INE BARNES. GOOD MORNING MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS YVES SAMSON BARNES AND I'M HERE TO REPRESENT OUR MOTHER MERCY COUNTY CHURCH IN PHIL WARD AND TMO. I LIVE IN THE CITY WOODS SUBDIVISION IN NORTHEAST HOUSTON SINCE 1976. DURING HURRICANE BARREL. IT WAS VERY CHALLENGING EXPERIENCE FOR MY FAMILY AND I BECAUSE WE WERE WITHOUT ELECTRICITY FOR 11 DAYS, WE ONLY HAD A PORTABLE BATTERY OPERATED FAN TO KEEP US COOL. AFTER SPEAKING WITH MY NEIGHBORS, THEY TWO WERE EXPERIENCING THE SAME THING. EVERYONE LOST THEIR FOOD. IT WAS CHALLENGING FOR MY NEIGHBORS AND I TO MANAGE THE DEBRIS LEFT FROM THE OCCURRENCE SUCH AS THE FALLEN TREES AND TRY SPREAD ACROSS THE NEIGHBORHOOD. THAT TOOK WEEKS FOR US TO CLEAN OFF OUR PROPERTY AND STREETS. IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE STORM, I REACHED OUT TO FEMA FOR HELP IN PURCHASING A GENERATOR. BECAUSE I SUFFER FROM ASTHMA, I EVENTUALLY RECEIVED PARTIAL HELP FROM FEMA FOR THE GENERATOR. I DIDN'T HAVE MAJOR WIND DAMAGE. I KNOW THAT MANY OF MY, OF THAT MANY LOW INCOME FAMILIES AND SENIORS IN HOUSTON HAVE DAMAGE TO THEIR HOUSES, TO THEIR HOMES, AND NEED HELP TO REPAIR ACCORDING TO THE CITY ON DISASTER RECOVERY PROPOSED PLAN, THE SINGLE GREATEST NEED FOR HURRICANE BEARER IS TO REPAIR SINGLE HOMES. THEREFORE, I SUPPORT TMO REQUESTS. CITY OF HOUSTON ALLOCATE AT LEAST $100 MILLION FOR, FROM THE FEDERAL DISASTER RECOVERY FUND TO HELP FAMILIES WHO STILL NEED HOME REPAIR FROM HURRICANE BARREL. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL FOR SHOWING EMPATHY AND UNDERSTANDING THROUGH ACTION BY ALLOCATING $100 MILLION RESOURCE TO, TO HELP LOW INCOME FAMILIES REPAIR THEIR HOMES FROM THE DAMAGE THEY SUFFER FROM HURRICANE FAROH. I THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO ME AND I HOPE, UH, THAT, UH, THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL TAKE CONSIDERATION AND, UH, [02:05:01] ALLOCATING THE $100 MILLION FOR HOME REPAIR CITY OF HOUSTON, UH, MAYOR PROAM CASTING STATE, MS. BARNES, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY. ARE YOU, ARE, ARE THERE STILL HOME REPAIRS THAT NEED TO BE DONE AT YOUR HOME? UH, I HAVE HOME REPAIRS AT MY HOME, BUT IT WAS NOT CAUSED BY HURRICANE BARREL. OKAY. HAVE YOU, UM, SPOKEN WITH THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT OR GOT ON THE LIST OF, UH, THAT WE ARE MAINTAINING FOR HOME REPAIRS? NO. OKAY. I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH IT. OKAY. AND I THINK THAT FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, WHEN THEY DO NEED HOME REPAIRS, THEY KNOW WHAT THE ACTUAL PROCESS IS TO BE ON THAT LIST TO POTENTIALLY RECEIVE THOSE RE UM, REPAIRS. I KNOW WE DO HAVE, UM, SOME STAFF FROM THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT HERE. I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO, UM, MAKE CONTACT WITH THE, WITH THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT SO THAT IF THERE ARE, UM, NEEDS AT YOUR HOME WHERE, UM, WE CAN ASSIST THAT YOU WOULD BE IN THE QUEUE AS WELL. OKAY. BUT IT'S NOT JUST ME, YOU KNOW. NO, I, I RECOGNIZE YOU'RE SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF TOP, BUT OKAY. BUT MY QUESTION TO YOU WAS SPECIFICALLY, UM, WERE THERE SOME HOME REPAIRS THAT YOU NEEDED AT YOUR HOME? YES. UM, AS WE ARE, UH, DELIBERATING ON HOW WE SPEND THIS MONEY, IT'S GOOD FOR US TO HAVE THE ACTUAL, UM, HOMEOWNERS THAT NEED SOMETHING SPECIFIC SO THAT WE CAN KNOW EXACTLY, UM, WHO'S IN THE QUEUE, HOW MANY OF HOUSTONIANS NEED, UH, THIS MONEY FOR ACTUAL HOME REPAIRS AT THEIR, AT THEIR RESIDENCE. OKAY. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY. OKAY. AND THANK Y'ALL FOR LISTENING MA'AM. ONE SECOND. UH, COUNCILOR DAVIS. THANK YOU, MA'AM. MS. BARNES MAYOR. MS. BARNES . THANK YOU MAYOR. MS. BARNES? UH, RIGHT HERE. I'M SORRY. OH, I'M SORRY. IT'S OKAY. THAT'S OKAY. DID I, I, I THINK I MISHEARD. WHAT, WHAT PART OF THE CITY DO YOU LIVE IN? I LIVE IN NORTHEAST THES WOOD AREA. NORTHEAST HOUSTON INS WOOD? YES. YES, MA'AM. AND YOU INDICATED YOU'VE BEEN LIVING THERE SINCE 1976? CORRECT. OKAY, VERY GOOD. SO, UM, I, I WOULD, UM, WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT I WILL, UH, REACH OUT TO YOU AS WELL BECAUSE AS BEN SAID, WE ARE HEARING AS TO THE CONDITIONS AND WE ALL ARE CONCERNED ABOUT IT, SO, OKAY. CERTAINLY APPRECIATE IT. YES MA'AM. THANK YOU FOR COMING. OKAY. THANK YOU HONOR. THANK YOU MA'AM. AND Y'ALL HAVE A GOOD DAY. NEXT. CI JONES. CI JONES. ART SMITH TO BE FOLLOWED BY COFFEE LBE. HELLO. HOW Y'ALL DOING? I'M HERE TODAY, UM, TO KIND OF ADDRESS WHAT'S TAKING PLACE IN, AT MY, AT MY RESIDENCE. THIS IS A CONSTANT THING. THIS IS LIKE MY FOURTH OR OR FIFTH TIME COMING DOWN HERE. I WISH THAT MY, UM, UH, THE, UH, CITY COUNCIL REP WOULD'VE STAYED SITTING THERE TULSA JACKSON. BUT I'M HERE FOR LIKE THE FOURTH OR THE FIFTH TIME. IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S FALLING ON DEAF EAR. AND, UM, IT SEEMS LIKE AT THIS PARTICULAR MOMENT IN TIME, EVER SINCE MY WIFE COFFEE ANNOUNCED THAT SHE'S RUNNING FOR THE 18TH CONGRESSIONAL VA VACANT SEAT, IT SEEMS LIKE A WHOLE TARGET HAVE COME OUT DUE TO THE FACT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS ARE CONSTANTLY, UH, BEING SO INCOMPETENT ON WHAT'S GOING ON. YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M PAYING TAXES AT THE PROPERTY. UH, DAVE MARTIN, THE MAYOR PRO TIM, UH, MAYOR SYLVESTER ATTORNEY, THEY BOTH SAW THE PAPERWORK AND DAVE MARTIN SAY, HEY MAN, ART WE GOT WITH LEGAL. UH, WHEN HE WAS THE MAYOR, UH, HE SAID, WE GOT WITH LEGAL, WE DID OUR HOMEWORK, WE DID OUR RESEARCH, WE NOT COMING BACK OUT THERE. WE SEE THAT YOU HAVE FILED WITH ADVERSE, UH, UH, ADVERSE POSSESSION, UH, FOR THE, WHICH IS A LAW IN THE STATE OF TEXAS. HE SAID, WE SEE WE THAT YOU FILED ADVERSE POSSESSION OF THE PROPERTY AT 42 25 LOWES AVENUE. SO THERE'S NO REASON FOR THE CITY DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS TO KEEP ON HARASSING ME MERIT. THIS IS DOCUMENTS FROM THAT WE FILED WITH TANISHA HU'S OFFICE. I WISH THAT THERE WAS SOME KIND OF WAY, BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE IT CONSTANTLY KEEPS FALLING ON DEAF HERE. I WISH THERE WAS SOME KIND OF WAY THAT UNDER YOUR WATCH THAT YOU CAN PUT SOME TYPE OF, UM, CITY ORNAMENT ORDINANCE IN PLACE WHERE THE CITY COMMUNICATES WITH THE COUNTY. SO IF THERE'S A PERSON THAT'S PAYING TAXES, IF THERE'S A PERSON THAT'S, UH, FILED LEGAL DOCUMENTS FOR THE STATE, THE, THEY TRY, THE DEPARTMENT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS TRYING TO ACT LIKE THEY ARE BIGGER THAN THE STATE OF TEXAS. THIS IS A LAW. WE ARE UNDER THE CARE OF FEMA. [02:10:01] I GOT CHECKS RIGHT HERE THAT FEMA HAS CUT US MONEY. UH, THE, THE, THE, THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT FOR THE STATE OF TEXAS HAS GIVEN US MONEY. WE SITTING ON MONEY THAT WE CAN'T SPEND BECAUSE THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOOD KEEPS DENYING US AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET A PERMIT TO GET THE PROPERTY FIXED. FEMA HAVE PUT US IN A, A HOTEL FOR SIX MONTHS. BUT I THINK EVERYTHING THAT'S TAKING PLACE IS IT FALLS UP UNDER THE FACT THAT WE ARE DEALING WITH INCOMPETENT PEOPLE IN THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS. AND IF THEY'RE NOT INCOMPETENT, THEN THEY ARE STILL OPERATING UNDER THE PUPPET MASTER OF SO MANY INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE, ARE BEHIND THE SCENES. OKAY. CORRUPTLY RUNNING THE CITY, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, MAYOR, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S BEING, I THIS IS MY SECOND TIME COMING DOWN HERE. UH, I, I BROUGHT THIS TO THIS, YOUR ATTENTION BEFORE WHEN RENEE WAS TRYING TO ACT LIKE HE DIDN'T KNOW THAT MAYOR TURNER SAID, HEY MAN, WE, WE ARE NOT COMING OUT THERE NO MORE. WE SEE THAT YOU HAVE ALREADY FILED AN ADVERSE POSSESSION OF PROPERTY. SO, SO IT STARTED IN 23 UNDER MAYOR TURNER. YES, SIR. WAS YOUR FIRST ENCOUNTER WITH THE CITY? YES SIR. WHAT IS THE VERY LATEST ENCOUNTER? THE VERY LATEST ENCOUNTER. NOW FIRST OF ALL, PUT IT IN THE RIGHT CONTEXT. YOU'RE IN TOUCH WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS AND THE DISPUTE IS WHETHER YOU HAVE POSSESSION OF THE HOUSE OR ARE YOU, WHAT WOULD BE NO, NO. THE THE DISPUTE IS NOT IF I HAVE POSSESSION OF THE HOUSE. NO. YOU GOT POSSESSION OWNERSHIP. YES, SIR. AND, AND, AND MY MY POINT IS, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS NOT GONNA CUT THESE MANY CHECKS. I UNDERSTAND. TO FIX THE HOUSE DUE TO, UH, THE TORNADO AND DUE TO BUREAU. THEY'RE NOT GONNA CUT THESE CHECKS. I HAD TO PROVE TO FEMA THAT I AM THE OWNER. I GOT IT. BUT THIS LATEST THING THAT I JUST RECEIVED FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS MAYOR WITH THESE TWO THINGS OUT THERE, GUESS WHAT THEY'RE SAYING? SAYING YOU STILL HAVE APPROVED OWNERSHIP. I'VE SEEN THE REPORT. THEY SAY YOU STILL HAVE APPROVED OWNERSHIP. OKAY. SO THAT, THAT FALLS UP UNDER INCOMPETENCE ON THEIR PART BECAUSE THEY DON'T, THEY NOT GOING BY THE LAW OF ADVERSE POSSESSION, WHICH IS A STATE LAW. I UNDERSTAND. DO YOU HAVE AN ATTORNEY? NO, I'M REPRESENTING MYSELF. OKAY. WOULD YOU CONSIDER AN ATTORNEY? I WOULD CONSIDER AN ATTORNEY IF I'M BEING FORCED TO, UH, HAVE AN ATTORNEY, BUT, WELL, IT'S GOTTA BE, IT IS GOTTA GET RESOLVED. BUT THE, THE ONLY THING IS, MAYOR, IF I CAN GET IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD DEPARTMENT NEIGHBORHOOD, THEY'RE, BUT THEY HAVE NO REASON NOT TO FOLLOW THE DEED AND THE INSTRUCTIONS. THEY'RE THE, THEY'RE DOING THEIR BEST. THEY NOT FOLLOWING THE LAW. THEY'RE DOING THEIR BEST. THEY'RE NO, NO, THE BEST IS NOT THE LAW. IF THEY CAN JUST GO BY PULLING UP GOOGLING, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE WORKING WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. I, I I I PUT ON MY FACEBOOK PAGE RECENTLY, MAN, I RELOADED JUST A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO WHEN THE MALE PRO TIM, DAVE MARTIN SAT RIGHT WHERE YOU SAT, HE SAID, WE GOT WITH THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT. ALRIGHT, WE ARE NOT GOING BACK OUT TO YOUR PROPERTY BECAUSE YOU ARE IN POSSESSION OF PROPERTY THROUGH ADVERSE POSSESSION, UH, FOR THE STATE OF TEXAS. OKAY, WELL GOT BUT THERE'S A TIMEFRAME ON IT. ONCE, ONCE, ONCE THAT HAS BEEN PROVEN THAT I AM UNDER THAT LAW, THERE'S A TIMEFRAME THAT THE, THE DEPARTMENT OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS CAN'T JUST COME OUT THERE AND SAY, HEY LOOK, YOUR THREE YEARS UNDERSTAND YOUR FIVE YEAR OR YOUR TENURE YEAR, YOU IN POSSESSION OF THE PROPERTY, BUT YOU STILL NOT ON THEM. BUT FEMA CAN CUT ME A CHECK FOR REPAIRS AND THEY STILL DON'T EVEN WANT ALLOW ME TO GET THEM POUNDS DONE. I'M, I'M SORRY. I'M SORRY. WE CAN'T RESOLVE IT HERE TODAY. NO, WE CAN'T. SO HOW CAN WE RESOLVE IT? I THINK YOU NEED TO MEET WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS AND I THINK I JUST MET WITH THEM, MAN. I THINK I I GOT IT. I JUST MET WITH THEM. I JUST MET WITH THEM IN THE LAST THREE WEEKS. OKAY. BUT THEY DON'T KNOW THE LAW MAN. OKAY, WELL I'M SORRY YOU DISAGREE WITH 'EM, BUT THAT'S THE WAY THE PROCESS WORKS. IF THEY NOT FOLLOWING THE ADVERSE POSSESSION OF STATE OF TEXAS LAW MAYOR, HOW ARE, HOW, HOW ARE YOU ALLOWING THIS TO HAPPEN UNDER YOUR WATCH? I CAN SHOW YOU THE FOOTAGE. WHAT, UH, MAYOR PRO TEMP SAID RIGHT THERE AND SAID HE GOT WITH LEGAL. OKAY. THEY NOT, THEY DON'T KNOW, MAN. OKAY. I, EVERYBODY, EVERYBODY THAT'S STILL ON, THAT'S STILL HERE. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU DRAINED THE BIO OR DRAINED THE SWAMP, BUT EVERYBODY'S NOT HAPPY THAT YOU ARE HERE. OKAY? YOU'RE, EVERYBODY DIDN'T VOTE FOR YOU, BUT YOU STILL HAVE TO REPRESENT ALL OF US. YOU, YOU'VE MADE YOUR POINT. EVERYBODY'S NOT HAPPY THAT YOU, I SAY, HEY MAN, DO Y'ALL LIKE THE NEW MAYOR? UH, MAN, I DON'T WANT TO HAVE NO COMMENTS ON THAT. WELL, WON'T THEY GONNA WORK FOR SOMEONE ELSE? WON'T THEY THANK YOU IF THEY DON'T LIKE YOU, WON'T THEY NOT WELL, DON'T, DON'T, DON'T, DON'T PUNISH THIS CITIZENS AND NOW YOU, IF THEY DON'T KNOW THE LAW, THEY DON'T KNOW THE LAW. THIS IS A STATE LAW. OKAY, I'LL CHECK WITH 'EM. I'M, I'M NOT ASKING YOU TO DO NOTHING OUTSIDE OF THE LAW. YOU JUST CAME FROM SENATE. YOU'VE BEEN UP THERE IN THE CAPITOL, MAN, YOU KNOW THAT THE LAW OF THE STATE OF TEXAS OUTWEIGH ANYTHING THAT'S TAKING PLACE HERE IN CORRUPT HARRIS COUNTY. MAN, I'LL, I'LL TALK WITH MR. SIMS. THANK YOU OFFICER. WE'RE FINE. THANK YOU. WHAT IS THE PROBLEM? COME ON, GO ON. THANK YOU. YOU'VE DONE A GOOD JOB BECAUSE Y'ALL HAVEN'T EVEN SAID MY TIME IS UP IN THERE. WE STILL TALKING. SO WHAT IS HE WALKING UP HERE FOR? DON'T, I'VE GOT IT UNDER CONTROL. [02:15:01] OKAY. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT MA'AM, I'M ROOTING FOR YOU, MAN. I'VE BEEN ROOTING FOR YOU. HOPEFULLY I CAN KEEP ROOTING FOR YOU, BUT EVERYBODY THAT'S WORKING ON YOU AIN'T ROOTING FOR YOU MAN. I'M JUST TELLING YOU THAT RIGHT NOW. PLEASE GET SOME PEOPLE THAT'S IN HERE. THAT'S COMPETENT MAN. I KNOW, I KNOW IT BETTER THAN YOU. PEOPLE GONNA FOLLOW. I KNOW IT BETTER THAN YOU DO, MAN. THAT'S ALL. I AIN'T ASKING FOR NOTHING ELSE. ALRIGHT. JUST ASK THEM TO FOLLOW THE LAW. THANK YOU. I'LL TALK TO ARTURO. THANK YOU. OH, YOU WELCOME. YOU'RE WELCOME. NEXT COFFEE BAY. HELLO. HOW Y'ALL DOING? I'M HERE TO ADDRESS DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS INCOMPETENT AND VIOLATION OF THE, UH, THE, THE STATE LAW AND POLICIES AND PROCEDURES AND JUST LIKE I'M BACKING MY HUSBAND ON EVERYTHING HE JUST SAID. THE CITY OF HOUSTON DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS DOES, DOES NOT HAVE ANY JURISDICTION OVER ADVERSE POSSESSION CLAIMS. OKAY. ADVERSE POSSESSION IS A LEGAL PROCESS GOVERNED BY TEXAS STATE LAW. SO BY THEM NOT HAVING ANY JURISDICTION WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS, THEY SHOULDN'T EVEN BEEN OUT THERE. LIKE THE FORMER MAYOR, THE LATE FORMER MAYOR. UH, OKAY. I, I AM TALKING AND THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT WITH INVOLVING MY FAMILY AND IT WILL AFFECT OTHER PEOPLE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. THIS WAS, UH, CONFIRMED BY THE LATE MAYOR S TURNER AND THE LATE FORMER CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, DAVE MORTON. HE SAID, ART, WE'LL NOT BE OUT TO Y'ALL ADDRESS AGAIN TO BOTHER Y'ALL BECAUSE WE HAVE NO JURISDICTION OVER THERE AND WE DON'T WANT THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO GET SUED. BUT IT APPEARS THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON WANT THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO GET SUED IN THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOOD. OKAY? THIS CONTINUOUS HARASSMENT, IT NEEDS TO STOP. YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? AND SO MY THING IS THIS PARTICULAR STATE LAW THAT INVOLVES ADVERSE POSSESSION, IT SPECIFIES THAT THE, IT'S, UH, SPECIFICALLY THE TEXAS CIVIL PRACTICE AND REMEDIES CODE HANDLED THROUGH COURTS, NOT A MUNICIPAL DEPLOYMENT LIKE THE, UH, DEPLOYMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS. SO THEY HAVE NO BUSINESS OUT THERE. WE ARE LEGALLY AND POSSESSION OF THE PROPERTY. NO, WE DO NOT HAVE AN ATTORNEYS BECAUSE ATTORNEYS WILL SELL YOU OUT, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY THINK YOU DON'T KNOW THE LAW. I'M A PRO SE LITIGANT. I REPRESENT MYSELF OR IS A PRO SE LITIGANT. HE REPRESENTS HIMSELF. WE'RE VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE OF THE LAW AND WHAT'S RIGHT WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. EVERY TIME WE FIGHT FOR THE PEOPLE WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND OURSELF, WE GET TARGETED. I KNOW Y'ALL VERY FAMILIAR WITH US AND US COMING DOWN HERE AND YEAH, LIKE I SAID, ASHA JACKSON GOT UP BECAUSE SHE JUST ONLY SITS IN THE SEAT FOR HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL, DISTRICT B. SHE, SHE DON'T GET INVOLVED WITH MANY OF ANYTHING THAT HAPPENS WITHIN THAT DISTRICT. FIRST OF ALL, SHE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT ADVERSE POSSESSION IS. SHE SAID IT TO US AND I'M PRETTY SURE, UH, WHAT, TWO YEARS LATER, SHE STILL DON'T KNOW. SO WE'RE DOWN HERE BRINGING THIS CONCERN TO THE CITY. HOW YOU MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, IF SHE WAS STILL SITTING THERE, THAT, UH, REPRESENTING THE AREA THAT WAY. FOR THE RECORD, Y'ALL CANNOT SAY THIS WAS NOT BROUGHT TO Y'ALL ATTENTION. SO ALL OF THIS, I'M GONNA GET BACK WITH YOU AND BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, AND DIE, DIE, DIE. BUT WE'RE STILL BEING AFFECTED AND IGNORED WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. AND THIS IS A SHAME BECAUSE WHEN Y'ALL RUNNING FOR ELECTION, YOU'RE SMILING ALL THEM PEOPLE FACES FOR THE VOTES. AND WHEN YOU GET IN THESE SEATS, NOBODY CAN GET IN TOUCH WITH YOU IN AN EMAIL. Y'ALL NOT RESPONDING. BUT WHAT I'M REQUESTING IS FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO DO THEY JOB OR Y'ALL GONNA GET SUED, PLEASE DON'T COME BACK TO THE PROPERTY HARASSING US. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN ADDRESSED. WE SIGNED UP LAST WEEK. WE WASN'T ABLE TO MAKE IT. WHAT DID THE DEPARTMENT NEIGHBORHOODS DO AFTER GIVING US A SUSPENSION OF TIME TO BRING MORE DOCUMENTS? THEY COME RIGHT BACK OUT THERE AND PUT ANOTHER TAG ON THE HOUSE AS IF WE'RE WRONG. THEY'RE WRONG. THANK YOU. YOU'VE DONE A GOOD JOB. I HAVE CONFIDENCE IN MR. SIMS AND I WILL BE SPEAKING WITH YOU. WELL, I SURELY HOPE SO, MAYOR. ALRIGHT. ALRIGHT. BECAUSE THIS IS REALLY GETTING OUTTA HAND. AIN'T GONNA BE NO PEACE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON WHEN THEY KEEP VIOLATING THE CITIZENS. SIR, YOU REALLY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER. THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU. COFFEE AND ART FOR COMING DOWN. I'M JUST TRYING TO GET AN UNDERSTANDING HERE. SO IT HAS BEEN DECLARED THAT DUE TO ADVERSE POSSESSION, THIS IS YOUR PROPERTY? THAT IS CORRECT. CORRECT. SO WE'RE TRYING TO NEGOTIATE THE CHECK SO THAT YOU CAN DO WHAT IS NECESSARY. YES. OKAY. MM-HMM . I WANNA ASK THE, THE, UH, CITY ATTORNEY, IF I CAN, UM, CITY ATTORNEY, CAN YOU ADDRESS DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS AND APPRISE THEM OF THE LAW IN REGARDS TO ADVERSE POSSESSIONS SO THAT POSSIBLY THIS CAN BE CLEARED UP SO THAT THEY CAN MOVE FORWARD. UM, HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH MR. SIMS AND HIS PEOPLE. I'LL DO THAT. WE HAVE CHECKS THAT WE'VE BEEN SITTING ON FOR A YEAR, 13,000, ET CETERA, AND STILL UNDER THE CARE OF FEMA AND HOMELAND SECURITY. AND WE CAN'T FIX OUR HOUSE [02:20:01] BECAUSE THE CITY OF HOUSTON, IT APPEARS THAT THEY WANT THE PROPERTY. WE ARE IN POSSESSION OF THE PROPERTY. THEY'RE CALLING IT ABANDONED. IT'S NOT ABANDONED. IT'S OUR HOME. WE ARE UNDER THE CARE OF FEMA. OKAY. RIGHT. I HAVE, I HAVE FOLLOWED, UH, WHAT YOU ALL ARE DOING FOR QUITE SOME TIME. SO THE CITY ATTORNEY IS GOING TO TALK TO DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS. I KNOW THAT YOU SAID THAT YOU DID, BUT CERTAINLY IF HE CAN ENGAGE WITH THEM AND CLEAR THIS UP, HOPEFULLY YOU CAN MOVE FORWARD. AND FEMA DON'T HELP EVERYBODY. SO IT'S A BLESSING THAT THEY'RE HELPING US. AND THE HOUSTON PERMANENT CENTER WON'T EVEN GIVE US PERMITS WITH ALL THIS MONEY WE HAVE PACKED UP FROM FEMA TO FIX THE HOUSE. IT DON'T MAKE NO SENSE. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANKS. X JOSEPH? JOSEPH SMITH. JOSEPH SMITH, KAREN HOLMES. HELLO EVERYONE. MAYOR. OKAY. HELLO EVERYONE. MAYOR, I'M KAREN HOLMES. UH, I'VE BEEN DOWN HERE MAYBE APPROXIMATELY FOUR TIMES NOW. UM, I'M HERE IN REGARDS TO THE TERRORISTIC ATTACK. UM, THAT STARTED IN 20 20TH OF APRIL DURING PALM SUNDAY. I'VE REQUESTED A MEETING WITH THE MAYOR. I WAS TOLD THAT HE WAS AN INTERESTED IN SPEAKING WITH ME AT THIS TIME. I HAVE NAMES. I DON'T WANNA DISCLOSE THAT AT THIS TIME. I'VE LEFT SEVERAL MESSAGES, EMAILS, UM, WITH MS. ASHA JACKSON ALSO, UM, WITH THE, UH, MAYOR. I'M SORRY. I DID, YES. WITH THE MAYOR. I'VE LEFT EMAILS WITH MS. SHEILA JACKSON, LATE, I APOLOGIZE. MS. SHE LATE SHEILA JACKSON WITH THE, UM, SYLVESTER TURNER. I SPOKE TO MR. ED GONZALEZ. I EVEN SPOKE TO MR. CORNELL X I'VE SPOKE TO MS. AMANDA WITH CITY HALL. THIS IS REGARDING DISTRICT B. SO I'VE SPOKE TO SEVERAL PEOPLE. I HAVE NOT GOTTEN ANY CORRESPONDENCE IN REGARDS TO THIS SITUATION. I, I SEE JUSTICE, I SEE COUNSEL, I SEE THE PEOPLE ARE THE PEOPLE ARE THE CITY. I'M THE PEOPLE. I'M LOOKING FOR JUSTICE AND I'M LOOKING FOR COUNSEL. I NEED TO SPEAK WITH SOMEONE HERE IN REGARDS TO THIS SITUATION. I HAVE QUESTIONS AND I HAVE ANSWERS, AND I WOULD LIKE TO BE ADDRESSED. I MEAN, I SEE EVERYONE THAT'S, THAT'S COME UP HERE TODAY ARE BEING ADDRESSED. AT LEAST SOMEONE SAYING, OKAY, WELL WE CAN DO THIS. WE CAN DO THAT. NOW, MR. HERNDON, WHICH HE'S NOW, UM, RETIRED, I SPOKE WITH HIM IN REGARDS TO IT. THE LAST CONVERSATION I HAD WHEN I WAS HERE, I WAS TOLD THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE UNDER INVESTIGATION. OKAY. LET ME, LET ME ASK SOMETHING. UH, SURE. TRYING TO GET TO, DO YOU HAVE FAMILY? I HAVE FAMILY. ARE THEY AWARE OF YOUR CONCERNS? I HAVE MORE THAN FAMILY THAT'S AWARE OF MY CONCERNS. AND YOU BELIEVE SOMEONE'S AFTER YOU? I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT IN FRONT OF, IN FRONT OF THIS. OKAY. I TELL YOU. I WAS JUST TRYING TO, I WAS JUST TRYING TO SEE MORE THAN JUST IF WE COULD WORK WITH YOUR FAMILY TO ADDRESS YOUR FEARS. IT'S NOT ABOUT, IT'S NOT ABOUT A FEAR. I HAVE NO FEAR. GOD DIDN'T GIVE ME THE SPIRIT OF FEAR. I HAVE POWER, LOVE, AND A SOUND MIND. THIS IS IN REGARDS TO MY FAMILY. THIS IS IN REGARDS TO JUSTICE AND THE COUNCIL, THE CITY COUNCIL. NOW, OKAY, THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MY FAMILY. NO. UNDERSTAND. THIS HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH I UNDERSTAND. I JUST THOUGHT MAYBE SOMEONE HAVING ACCOUNTABILITY ON INTO WHAT'S REGARDS TO WHAT'S GOING ON WITH ME. OKAY. AND THE SITUATION. AND IT'S NOT JUST AFFECTING ME. IT'S ACTUALLY AFFECT, UH, AFFECTING THE COMMUNITY THAT I LIVE IN. AND I LIVE IN THE COMMUNITIES OF DISTRICT B. I'VE LIVED ALL OVER THE COMMUNITIES, WHICH, OKAY, LET ME GET YOU SOME HELP, REBECCA. WOULD YOU MAKE CERTAIN THAT MR. CARR, UH, AT LEAST LISTENS THIS MORNING AND ADDRESSES THIS CONCERN? YOU, YOU SITTING IN FOR MR. CARR? WHY DON'T YOU TALK TO THIS HPD NOW? I'VE BEEN HERE. I'VE BEEN THERE. I UNDERSTAND. OKAY. BUT WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA START THIS MORNING WITH YOU TALKING TO THIS OFFICER. YES, SIR. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. MR. JOHN WHITMER. I DID VOTE FOR YOU. THAT'S NOT IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW. IT'S NOT IMPORTANT, BUT I DID VOTE, PERIOD. I APPRECIATE IT. BUT LET'S, AND I WOULD APPRECIATE, LET'S LET SOMEONE IN AUTHORITY HEAR YOUR CONCERNS. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. [02:25:01] ALL RIGHT. AND EVERYONE HAVE A BLESSED DAY. YOU TOO. THANK YOU. RIGHT. BYE-BYE. NEXT LY MONTA REVA. OH, YEAH. UM, BASICALLY, UM, THEY TOLD ME THAT HE WAS GONNA LEAVE BEFORE, UH, THAT HE WANNA ADDRESS ME. I THINK THIS IS PERSONAL. UH, GOOD MORNING. UH, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, THEY CAME LOOKING FOR US IN PRIVATE PROPERTY IN ATCA. A GUY BY THE MEMBER OF MICHAEL C POPS, UH, WITH ADDRESS 1 5 6 0 LAKE LION ROAD, APARTMENT 62 0 1, CONROE, TEXAS 7 7 3 0 4. MY EX-HUSBAND NAME IS CHRISTOPHER MICHAEL CARDENAS. WE SIMPLY ASK FOR MEASURES JOHN WITH MAR TO START PROTECTING HIM SO WE CAN GO TO TRIAL WITH A CASE. UH, WHEN, UH, THE, UM, FINAL DIVORCE WAS FINALIZED, HE HAVEN'T PAY ME. HE HAS PROTECTED HIM. MY COUNTRY WANTS HIM DEAD. I HAVE BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT NATIONAL, UH, NATIONALITIES WHO ARE HISPANICS. AND HIS JOHN IS SETTING A BAD EXAMPLE FOR PROTECTING MICHAEL AND OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE RUNG US WITH NO CHILD SUPPORT, SPOUSE SUPPORT, AND HAVING PAY US FOR YEARS. THE CASE WAS HER IN LAW ONE, LAW TWO, WITH CASE 1 2 4 8 0 8 5 1 2 5 0 6 5 2. AND THEY CAME LOOKING FOR US. SO WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO RUN THE AMOUNT. CALL HPD CALL THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, MADE PHONE CALLS. THIS IS INTERNATIONAL. I HAVE USED THE MEDIA TO ENSURE I'M SAFE. HE DOESN'T KILL ME. MY CHILDREN ARE SAFE. AND ALSO BECAUSE HE ALSO STOLE 401K, HE DID WRONG, UH, WRONG INVESTMENTS IN HIS FAMILY IN, IN MEXICO. I CANNOT GUARANTEE THAT IT WILL NOT AFFECT THEM. WHAT I CAN GUARANTEE IS THAT IF THEY COOPERATE AND THEY DON'T PUT THEMSELVES ABOVE THE LAW, THE MEDIA, INTERNATIONAL MEDIA WILL COOPERATE TOO. WE HAVE BEEN GOING BACK AND FORTH, UH, UH, WITH THIS. AND THEY, THEY CAME LOOKING FOR US. UH, UH, MA'AM, I'M TIRED OF BEING SICK AND TIRED. I MEAN, IF THEY COME LOOKING FOR ME, I HAVE A RIGHT TO CALL BACK HOME. I CALL MEXICO CITY. I MAKE A PHONE CALL FOR, UH, A COUPLE PHONE CALLS I SAY IS THEIR LIFE, OF OUR LIVES. THIS IS LIKE CIVIL WAR INSIDE OF, UH, WHAT IS IT CALLED, INSIDE THE UNITED STATES. AND, AND I HAVE GONE TO THE CIVIL COURT AND JOHN MOVES HIS INFLUENCES WITH GUADALUPE FERNANDEZ AND THE FAMILY. THEY CLOSED A FILE. THEY SAID, WE CANNOT SEE YOU. WE CANNOT ADDRESS YOU. WE CANNOT TALK TO YOU. I'M TIRED. MM-HMM . I WAS HIDING BECAUSE I WAS SIMPLY, UH, THROUGH FEMA. WERE TRYING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH OUR, UH, CIRCUMSTANCES. THERE'S AN INVESTIGATION ALSO WITH THE, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. NEXT SPEAKER. EDUARDO DURAN. EDUARDO DURAN. NEXT SPEAKER. STEVE WILLIAMS. STEVE WILLIAMS. NEXT SPEAKER. JUDY BLANCO. JUDY BLANCO. SHE'S AT THE TOP OF THE OTHER PAGE. GOOD MORNING, CITY MEMBERS, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS JUDITH BLANCO AND I'M A MEMBER OF TEXAS ORGANIZATION PROJECT. LAST APRIL, MY FAMILY AND I WERE DISPLACED FROM OUR HOME. WE DIDN'T CHOOSE TO MOVE, WE WERE FORCED TO, AND WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO FIND AN AFFORDABLE, ACCESSIBLE PLACE TO LIVE SINCE. RIGHT NOW, WE'RE SEEING WE'RE RELAT CRAMPED TOGETHER, TRYING TO MAKE IT WORK. SO WHEN I HEARD THE CITY OF HOUSTON WOULD BE RECEIVING 315 MILLION IN FEDERAL DIS DISASTER RELIEF, I WAS HOPEFUL. I THOUGHT FINALLY, THIS COULD BE WITH A BREAK FROM FAMILIES LIKE MY NEED. I ASSUME MOST OF THE MONEY WOULD GO TO RESOLVING ONE OF HOUSTON'S MOST URGENT PROBLEMS, THE LACK OF HOUSING, AFFORDABLE HOUSING. BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT'S HAPPENING. INSTEAD, THE CITY IS CONSIDERING SPENDING THE MONEY ON THINGS THAT OTHER THAN HOUSING AND INFRASTRUCTURE, LEAVING BEHIND THE VERY COMMUNITY, UH, BE BEHIND THE VERY COMMUNITIES HIT HARDEST BY DISASTER IS DEEPLY DISAPPOINTED. IT FEELS LIKE A BETRAYAL. LET'S BE CLEAR. HOUSTON IS RECOVERY NEEDS TO GO FAR. BE BEYOND THE THREE, 315 MILLION WE HAVE RECEIVED. THAT'S WHY EVERY DOLLAR MUST COUNT. EVERY DOLLAR MUST GO DIRECTLY TOWARDS REAL COMMUNITY [02:30:01] RECOVERY. NOT TO PATCH HOLES IN THE CITY BUDGETS. FAMILIES LIKE MINE DON'T HAVE TIME TO WAIT. WE NEED CITY LEADERS TO ACT LIKE URGENCY AND COMPASSION. THAT MEANS INVESTING IN AFFORDABLE AND ACCESSIBLE HOUSING, CREATING PROGRAMS AND DIRECTLY DISPLACED FAMILIES. IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THE CITY, THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, IS TRYING TO PUSH THIS ACTION THROUGH ACTION PLAN THROUGH QUICKLY. AND WE IMPLORE TO SHOW TO SLOW DOWN, DO YOUR HOMEWORK, GET YOUR POLICY AND LEGO EXPERTS. AND AS WELL AS WE LISTEN TO THE COMMUNITY TO ENSURE THAT THIS ROUND OF FEDERAL DISASTER RECOVERY MONEY GOES TO THE PROGRAM THAT INCREASED LONG-TERM NEIGHBORHOOD RESILIENCY. THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT MY FAMILY, IT'S ABOUT THE THOUSANDS OF HOUSTON RESIDENTS WHO ARE STRUGGLING TO RECOVER, REBUILD, AND RETURN TO HOME. THE MONEY IS HERE, THE NEED IS REAL. LET'S MAKE THIS PRIORITIES ARE TWO. THANK YOU MS. BLANCO. MM-HMM . DO YOU HAVE, UM, HOME REPAIR NEEDS AT YOUR CURRENT RESIDENCE? NOW, WHAT WAS THAT AGAIN? I'M SORRY? DO YOU HAVE HOME REPAIR NEEDS AT YOUR CURRENT RESIDENCE? UM, THE THING IS THAT WE WERE IN A, WE WERE LIVING IN A MOBILE HOME AND IT WAS THE LAND. THE LANDLORD SOLD THE PROPERTY. AND JUST GIVE US LIKE, ABOUT LIKE 90 DAYS TO MOVE TO A NEW HOUSE. THAT IS NOT ENOUGH PLACE TO FIND FOR ABOUT LIKE 60 PEOPLE THAT WE WERE LIVING IN THE WHOLE LAND. YEAH. OKAY. AND EVERYONE, OF COURSE, THEY HAD THEIR OWN PROBLEMS. MM-HMM . LIKE SOME PEOPLE WERE OLDER, THEY HAD TO GO TO A DIFFERENT STATE. MM-HMM . OTHERS HAD, UM, LIKE KIDS WITH AUTISM. RIGHT. OURS, WE WERE GOING THROUGH A LOT OF LIKE MONEY PROBLEMS AS WELL AS OTHER FAMILIES. AND RIGHT NOW WE'RE JUST LIVING WITH SOME FAMILY MEMBERS AS TILL WE FIND A HOME TO, TO LIVE IN. SO IF, IF YOU COULD SUGGEST A SPECIFIC WAY FOR US TO SPEND THAT MONEY, WOULD IT BE MORE FOR DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE? OR HOW, HOW WOULD YOU SUGGEST THAT THAT MONEY BE SPENT? IT WOULD, IT WOULD GO MORE INTO LIKE HELPING PEOPLE LIKE DOWN TO LIKE, GET HOUSES, AFFORDABLE HOUSES. OF COURSE, WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR HOUSES THAT ARE LIKE REALLY EXPENSIVE, BUT A HOUSE THAT IS AFFORDABLE FOR PEOPLE TO LIVE IN. LIKE A GOOD HOUSE THAT COULD HELP THEM, OR AT LEAST APARTMENT OR SOMETHING THAT COULD ACTUALLY LIKE HELP US. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS TODAY. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. KATHY GUNTHER. KATHY GUNTHER. NEXT SPEAKER. LINDA GAMBLE. LINDA GAMBLE. NEXT SPEAKER. CHIARA. DELO. HI HERE. HELLO. MR. LUNCH. GOOD MORNING. WOULD YOU LIKE A CHAIR WHILE WE'RE TALKING? NO MA'AM. IT'S TOO HARD TO GO. . THANK YOU THOUGH. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. I'M BACK AGAIN. AND I WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO YOUR STAFF IN THE BACK. THE LAST TIME I WAS HERE, THEY REALLY STEPPED UP. OKAY. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. I SEE SHE STEPPED OUT. MS. REBECCA, UM, MR. TRACY AND ALSO COUNCILMAN DAVIS. MM-HMM . REALLY STEPPED UP AT THAT TIME. I WAS A RESIDENT AT STAR HOPE. OH, I LEFT THE PAPER SINCE THEN. JUNE 9TH, STAR OF HOPE HAS GIVEN ME MY FINAL DAY OF STAY. SO YESTERDAY WAS THE FINAL DAY OF STAY. I'M BACK THE YOUNG LADY, MS. LEWIS, WITH THE PICTURES. I'M THE BEGINNING HOMELESSNESS AND THAT'S MY BIGGEST FEAR TO END UP ON THE STREET. I'M ALSO A SENIOR AND I AM ALSO A CONTINUING EDUCATION SENIOR. I AM A STUDENT AT HCC GOING, WELL, GOING FINE. UH, BEING AT THE STAR HOPE IS A VERY FINE FACILITY, BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S BEING USED TO ITS ADVANTAGE TO HELP PEOPLE, UH, THEIR NEEDS SHELTERING OR A UPLIFT GOING FORWARD, BEING THERE. UH, IF YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN IN PRISON BEFORE, THAT IS DEGRADING MENT AND TORTURE. I, UH, NOW HAVE A ROOM. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED AND I'M NEEDING, I'M, I HAVE A ROOM. I DON'T NEED FULL HELP. I JUST NEED HALF HELP TO MAINTAIN ITS ROOMS SO THAT I, I'M NOT BUILT FOR THE STREETS. NEVER WAS. AND I'M DEFINITELY NOT. NOW. I WILL BE 63 TUESDAY IN A WEEK. YES. AND MY CLASS SCHEDULE FOR THE SUMMER COURSES HAVE BEEN DROPPED DOWN TO ONE CLASS. 'CAUSE IT'S HARD BEING HOMELESS AND GETTING AN EDUCATION. I JUST NEED HELP WITH IT HALF. SO, SO HAVE YOU HAD YOUR STAY [02:35:01] EXTENDED OR, OR YOUR NO. THEY'VE GIVEN YOU A, A LAST DATE OF STAY. THEY GAVE ME A LAST DAY OF STAY. I APPEALED IT, BUT THE GUY WHO WROTE THE LAST DAY OF STAY DIDN'T SHOW UP FOR THE APPEAL. SO I HAD TO GET OUT OF THERE AS OF YESTERDAY. HE DIDN'T SHOW UP FOR THE APPEAL. UH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT WAS ALL ABOUT, BUT LIKE I SAID, I JUST NEED THE MAIN, I HAVE DO HAVE A ROOM. I WILL BE THERE UNTIL THURSDAY. I JUST CAN'T AFFORD. THAT'S EVEN WITH RENT. I JUST NEED HELP WITH THE RENT. I DON'T NEED THE WHOLE RENT TAKEN CARE OF. UH, BECAUSE IT STAR HOPE, WHEN THEY GIVE YOU THIS LAST FINAL DAY OF STAY, THEY WILL COME IN WITH THE CAVALRY, PACK UP ALL YOUR STUFF AND THROW YOU OUT THE FRONT DOOR. THERE'S A LADY IN HER LATE FIFTIES WHO'S SITTING NOW ON THE CORNER WHERE THEY JUST THREW HER OUT. SHE'S VISUALLY IMPAIRED. SHE'S IN A WHEELCHAIR. AND EVERY TIME I COME HERE, THIS IS, THIS HOMELESSNESS IS, IT'S TOUGH. YEAH. THIS HOMELESSNESS IS WORSE THAN GATHERING THIS STUFF. I DIDN'T REALIZE THERE WAS SO MANY ENTITIES OF HOMELESSNESS HERE IN HOUSTON. EVEN WITH MY OWN SELF, I DON'T HAVE TO BE IN THE CITY LIMITS. I CAN MOVE ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE CITY LIMITS IF I CAN GET, UH, DECENT ENOUGH HELP, BUT PUTTING PEOPLE UP IN THIS RENT ADJUSTED PLACES AND THEY'RE NOT LIVABLE. IT'S RIDICULOUS. BED BEDBUGS, INFESTATION, RACCOON INFESTATION, UH, ADES, CAT INFESTATION, MOLD, MILDEW, ASBESTOSIS. THAT'S WHERE MY MONEY IS GOING. I'VE MOVED THREE TIMES SINCE 22, 23, AND 24. IT'S NOT GETTING ANY BETTER. I'VE EVEN PAID TO GET ON THE WAITING LIST AS UP TO $150 JUST TO GET ON SOMEBODY'S WAITING LIST. WHAT HAPPENS TO MY MONEY? AM I STILL ON THE WAITING LIST? WHERE'S THAT $150 DOWN THE DRAIN. I CAN'T AFFORD THIS. I CAN'T AFFORD THIS. THIS JOURNEY STARTED OFF, I WAS AT 300 POUNDS. I'M DOWN TO 200, TWO POUNDS AS OF SUNDAY. MS. UH, DELO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS IS, UH, GOING TO WORK WITH YOU. THANK, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MAYOR PRO TEM. MR. DELO, GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN HERE. I I, I DID SPEAK WITH, UH, SOMEONE AT COURSE PREVIOUS AT THE STAR HALL. I THINK I HAVE ANOTHER PLACE, A FACILITY THAT I CAN RECOMMEND YOU TO. AND IN REGARDS TO YOUR, UH, THEY'RE, THEY'RE OUTING ME. MR. DAVIS. I DON'T MEAN TO CUT YOU OFF, BUT THEY'RE OUTING. THEY'RE OUT. MR. LOW, WHERE ARE YOU STAYING NOW? I HAVE A ROOM ON THE NORTH SIDE IN A HOTEL. IT'S, UH, 65 PLUS TAX. AND ON THE WEEKENDS IT GOES UP. I CAN HANDLE HALF OF IT. THURSDAY IS MY, I GOTTA FIND SOMETHING TO DO. I DON'T HAVE A ZIP CODE AND THERE'S NO SAFE TO PARK IN THE CAR. I'M IN NO SHAPE TO LIVE IN THIS CAR. SLEEP IN THIS CAR. SCHOOL STARTS NOVEMBER, UH, JULY THE SEVENTH. I, I NEED A SITUATION, SO WHERE I CAN GET BACK IN THE SCHOOL JULY THE SEVENTH. I HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO THE GRANT PROGRAM AND NO, I UNDERSTAND. RENEE, CAN YOU GET REBECCA? MA'AM, WE, WE WE'RE GONNA HAVE, UH, REBECCA AND COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS WORK WITH YOU RIGHT. TO SEE IF WE CAN GET SOME ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO HELP YOU, MR. YES, MA'AM. AND THIS, THIS IS FREE. YOU DON'T, YOU DON'T HAVE TO PAY, UM, REBECCA A BOX IN A BATHROOM. IT BE, IT'LL BE A CASTLE. NO, IT'S, IT'S VERY DECENT PLACE. IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW. AND SO, FREDDIE OLIVER, AND, UH, MS. WILLIAMS GONNA SPEAK WITH YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THAT'S WISHES TO YOU, MR. S AND YOUR TEAM BEHIND THE SCENES, UH, THEY'RE WORKING. THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT. YES. THANK YOU. UH, VICE MAYOR PRO TEM PAC FOR PROCEDURAL MOTION. THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM. I MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO ADD ANN PING PIN YANG TO THE BOTTOM OF THE, UM, ONE MINUTE SPEAKERS LIST. IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ITEM PASSES. NEXT SPEAKER. CAROLYN RIVERA. CAROLYN RIVERA. HELLO, MS. RIVERA. OKAY. I AM CAROLYN RIVERA. I LIVE IN CITY GAS DISTRICT BI HEAR WHAT YOU SAY, BUT I DO NOT AGREE. MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. WE ARE EXPECTING YOU TO OPERATE THE CITY AS A DEMOCRACY, NOT DICTATORS. THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS HUD ALLOCATED FOR HOUSTON'S MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES SHOULD BE FOR DRAINAGE HOUSING [02:40:01] HEALTH. WE EXPECT YOU TO LEAD AS ELECTED OFFICIALS, RESPECTING THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE AND HUD DO WHAT IS RIGHT, GOVERNED ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF THE MAJORITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MS. RIVERA. WE APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS TODAY. NEXT SPEAKER. BENJAMIN BROADWAY. BENJAMIN BROADWAY TO BE FOLLOWED BY STEPHANIE VALDEZ. IS GO AHEAD. OKAY. HELLO. UM, SO I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS BEFORE Y'ALL START MY TIME. WHERE'S THE MAYOR? AND WHERE IS TASHA JACKSON TASHA'S SITTING HERE AND, AND THE MAYOR HAD TO ATTEND TO SOME PERSONAL BUSINESS. HE'LL BE BACK. OH YEAH. WELL, I GOTTA FIND OUT WHO MAKES Y'ALL SHOES. 'CAUSE IT'S EITHER NIKE OR REEBOK. Y'ALL GONE? I NEED TO SPEAK WITH THE MAYOR AND MS. JACKSON. OKAY. 'CAUSE THE CITY DID A SURVEY THAT IT WAS $229 MILLION TO REPAIR FOR THIS DISASTER RECOVERY. WHY CAN'T WE PUT THAT MONEY TOWARDS DEBT? BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE, WE HAVE SO MANY NON-PROFITABLE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WORK WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. WE DO NOT HAVE TO GO OUTSIDE THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO GET PEOPLE TO REPAIR SOME OF THESE HOMES. MAN. AND THE MAYOR JUST SAID, WE GETTING 250 NEW CRUISERS. HOW ABOUT WE TAKE SOME OF HIS CRUISERS IN HIS AREA AND PUT 'EM IN THE SOUTH SIDE? PUT 'EM IN THE NORTHEAST SUBSTATION BECAUSE IT'S JUST LIKE THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN BEFORE. WE HAVE NO POLICEMEN THERE. THEY'RE IDLE AND THEY'RE DOING THEIR REPORTS. YEAH. THEY COME AND THEY SIT IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND DO REPORTS. BUT WHAT ABOUT PUTTING ACTION TO IT? HOW ABOUT PATROLLING? HOW ABOUT DOING SOMETHING LIKE THAT? LIKE YOU JUST, UH, SAID MS. JACKSON, THE LAKEWOOD, UH, COMMUNITY CENTER LOST THE AC, THE COPPER AND EVERYTHING IN IT. WHAT WAS THE POLICE THEN? NEXT THING ABOUT THIS, FLOODING WATER. DON'T KNOW. NO UNIFORM. Y'ALL WANT TO PUT ALL THESE PEOPLE, MAN, I UNDERSTAND. GIVING FIRE AND STUFF LIKE THAT. MONEY. I UNDERSTAND GIVING POLICEMEN, BUT GUESS WHAT, WHEN HARVEY HIT, MY COMMUNITY MEMBERS WERE RIDING OUT IN DUMP TRUCKS, NOT HIGH WATER RESCUE VEHICLES. THANK GOD SYLVESTER DID THAT BEFORE HE PASSED BECAUSE RIGHT THERE AT THE CORNER OF TED, WHEN AND MEA, WE FINALLY GOT A BOAT. WE FINALLY GOT A HIGH WATER RESCUE VEHICLE FINALLY, WHEN HE GOT OUTTA OFFICE. MAY. AND ONE LAST THING, IF MS. ANISE PARKER IS STILL HERE. THANK YOU. WELL, SHE LEFT TOO. OH, OKAY. WELL, I'M GONNA LET Y'ALL IN ON A LITTLE CPR. SHE, THE ONE THAT STARTED THE VALOR. THE MAYOR HAS HER TO THANK FOR THAT. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND I HOPE WE CAN WORK TOGETHER SOMETIME. THANK YOU, MR. BROADWAY. WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE TODAY. PERFECT. NEXT SPEAKER, NEXT STEP. STEPHANIE VALDEZ. STEPHANIE VALDEZ TO BE FOLLOWED BY DORIS BROWN. HELLO, MS. VALDEZ. HI. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. MY NAME'S STEPHANIE VALDEZ. I'M WITH THE COALITION FOR THE ENVIRONMENT EQUITY AND RESILIENCE. TODAY I'M HERE TO ADDRESS THE 316 MILLION COMMUNITY, UH, DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT FOR DISASTER RECOVERY THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON WILL BE RECEIVING. HOUSTONIANS ARE CONSTANTLY GETTING HIT BY STORM AFTER STORM. YOU HEARD PEOPLE LIKE MS. JONES. YOU WILL HEAR FROM MS. DO AND PEOPLE ARE STILL WAITING FOR REAL RECOVERY. THIS MONEY IS SUPPOSED TO HELP REBUILD, BUT THAT CURRENT PLAN DOESN'T REFLECT THAT PRIORITIZES POLICING INSTEAD OF ADDRESSING THE URGENT HOUSING NEEDS IN OUR COMMUNITIES, WHEN HOMES FLOODS AGAIN AND AGAIN, IT'S NOT JUST THE PHYSICAL DAMAGE, IT'S THE STRESS, THE ANXIETY, THE FEAR, AND THE TRAUMA THAT COMES WITH IT. PEOPLE ARE DEALING WITH DEPRESSION AND CONSTANT SENSE OF INSTABILITY. AND THAT ADDS UP, ESPECIALLY DURING TIMES LIKE THIS WHEN IT'S BEEN RAINING FOR WEEKS, FOR DAYS, THE PLAN IS BEING RUSHED TO COUNCIL JUST THREE DAYS AFTER PUBLIC COMMENT ENDS. AND THAT'S NOT FAIR OR TRANSPARENT. WE KNOW THAT HE HAS UNTIL JULY 20TH. JULY 20TH, USE [02:45:01] THAT TIME TO ACTUALLY LISTEN AND GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD. I'M ASKING YOU TO DELAY THE VOTE UNTIL HOUSING, HOUSING NEEDS AND ARE TRULY ADDRESSED. AND IF THE PLAN DOESN'T MEET STANDARD, VOTE NO. OUR PEOPLE DESERVE HEALING, NOT HARM. MAYOR PRO. THANK YOU. UH, MS. VALDEZ. THANK YOU. DO YOU HAVE SOME CURRENT REPAIR NEEDS AT YOUR PERSONAL HOME? NOT MY PERSONAL HOME, BUT MY FAMILY'S HOME. YES. YOUR FAMILY'S HOME. MM-HMM . HAVE THEY ALREADY, UM, FILLED OUT THE SURVEY AND YES. AND WE HAVE. YES, WE HAVE PUSHING OUT THE SURVEY IN ALL OF OUR COMMUNITIES. SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN REFER BACK TO. AND ACTUALLY, I THINK THE UNMET NEED FOR HOUSING IS 229 MILLION. MM-HMM . SO WE'D LIKE TO SEE AT LEAST A HUNDRED MILLION, 50 MILLION FROM THE POLICING MOVE TOWARDS HOUSING. THANK YOU VERY. AND JUST PRIORITIZING THE GENERATORS TO GO TO COMMUNITY CENTERS FIRST BEFORE THEY GO TO COPS AND THE POLICE STATIONS. THANK YOU FOR THOSE COMMENTS. THANK YOU. IT'S VERY VALUE ADDED FOR US AS WE'RE MAKING THOSE DECISIONS. THANK YOU. WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. NEXT, NEXT GRAND RISING, EVERYONE. MY NAME IS DARRIS BROWN. I'M A CO-FOUNDER OF NORTHEAST ACTION COLLECTIVE, NOT FOR SHORT, AND A 58 YEAR RESIDENT OF NORTHEAST HOUSTON. C-D-B-G-D-R RESIDENT ON DISASTER RECOVERY MONEY GIVEN BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BY HUD FOR DISASTER RECOVERY. AGAIN, MONEY EARMARKED FOR RECOVERY FROM STORMS TO RACHEL AND BUR ARE BEING DIVERTED. FEMA REPORTED 229,621 CLAIMS FOR SINGLE FAMILY HOME OWNERS AND 211, 151 MULTI-FAMILY RENTERS CLAIM. THESE ARE UNMET NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE THAT ELECTED YOU. THE UNMET NEEDS FOR HOUSING RECOVERY IS OVER 200 MILLION. THE MULTI-SERVICE CENTERS HAVE UNMET NEEDS FOR GENERATORS. THE MULTI-SERVICE CENTERS MUST PROVIDE A SAFE HAVEN WHEN POWER FAILS AND FLOODING PREVAILS. HUD RULES THAT FARM MUST MATCH THE BIGGEST UNMET NEEDS OR HAVE A STRONG REASON WHY NOT. WE NEED GUARANTEES OF UNMET NEEDS FOR HOUSING. MULTI-SERVICE CENTER GENERATORS AND DRAINAGE INFRASTRUCTURE ARE UNMET NEEDS. WHY MUST THE DISASTER RECOVERY MONEY BY AMBULANCES THAT ARE ALREADY IN BUDGET? AMBULANCES LIKE POLICE CARS, USE OF FRAUD, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. CANNOT HELP PEOPLE WHO HAVE REPEATEDLY FLOODED AS EVIDENCED BEFORE. I READ THIS COURT YESTERDAY AND WAS IMPRESSED BY THE QUOTE, AS ELECTED OFFICIALS, WE ARE CALLED TO SERVE ALL PEOPLE. DRIVEN BY A COMMITMENT TO IMPROVE LIVES AND UPHOLD OUR SHARED VALUES, OUR CONSTITUENTS, YOUR CONSTITUENTS ARE WATCHING. THE CDBG PLAN NEEDS AT LEAST A HUNDRED MILLION. THANK YOU FOR THE 50. BUT IT IS NOT ENOUGH FOR HOUSING REPAIRS THAT MAKE OUR COMMUNITIES MORE RESILIENT. RESILIENT AND SAFER FOR THE STORMS WE ALL KNOW WILL CONTINUE TO COME NEXT. CHRISTOPHER JENKINS. CHRISTOPHER JENKINS. ANN PENN YANG. HI. GOOD. UH, UH, GOOD MORNING. UH, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, MY NAME'S AN YANG. I CAN CALL ME AP. UH, I'M HERE TO INTRODUCE A NEW NON-PROFIT, UH, CALLED YOUNG HOMEOWNERS LEAGUE. OUR MISSION IS TO HELP YOUNG PEOPLE MORE THAN GET INTO CONSTRUCTION AND LEARN HOME OWNERSHIP STARTING FROM HIGH SCHOOL AND GET THEM TO BE ABLE TO BEAT HOMEOWNERS BY AGE 25. AND WE EMISSION 20,000 START HOMES TO BE BUILT IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. IN ORDER TO DO THAT, WE NEED TO MOBILIZE THE YOUNG PEOPLE BECAUSE THE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, THEY STILL HAVE TIME. MORE THAN HALF OF THEM DON'T WORK IN THE SUMMERS. WE LIKE TO GET 80% OF THE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WORKING IN THE SUMMER, MAKING MONEY, SAVING MONEY SO THAT THEY CAN CONTINUE WORKING AFTER HIGH SCHOOL FOR TWO YEARS. THEY HAVE THE DOWN PAYMENT ALREADY SAVED. AND WE TEACH THEM TO KEEP, KEEP UP THEIR CREDIT SCORE BY AGE 18 SO THAT BY AGE 20 THEY WOULD [02:50:01] HAVE THE GOOD CREDIT SCORE AND WHICH THE DOWN PAYMENT AND WHICH TWO YEARS OF WORKING HISTORY, THEY CAN GET A MORTGAGE TO BUY A HOME. AND WE WILL FOCUS ON START THE HOMES. THAT'S A 1000 SQUARE FEET, KIND OF A SIZE, ABOUT 150,000. THAT KIND OF NEW BUILT HOMES ARE NOT AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW, BUT THAT CAN BE BUILT IF WE WALK TOGETHER ON THAT. SO THE LAND FOR THAT $150,000 HOME, WE CAN DEVELOP THAT AT COST AT 30,000. THAT'S LESS THAN THE DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE, RIGHT? 30,000. ALL WE NEED TO DEVELOP A LAND FOR THE HOME. AND THAT'S ONLY A REVOLVING FUND. YOU DON'T ACTUALLY SPEND THE MONEY, YOU BORROW THE MONEY, AND THEN WHEN THEY BUILD A HOME, THE CONSTRUCTION LOAN WOULD BUY THAT LAND. SO YOU GET THE MONEY BACK. SO USING AS A REVOLVING FUND. SO THAT'S OUR APPROACH. SO LIKE TO TALK TO THE CITY AND OTHER NON-PROFIT LATER AND SEE HOW THAT WOULD WORK. THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU. VICE MAYOR, PRO TEAK, VICE MAYOR, PRO TEAK. THANK YOU FOR COMING TODAY. I'LL COME AND GIVE YOU MY CARD AND WE CAN GET YOU CONNECTED WITH THE RIGHT PEOPLE. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT, THIS COMPLETES THE LIST OF SPEAKERS. NOW, [CONSENT AGENDA] MR. SECRETARY, IF YOU'LL PROCEED WITH THE CONSENT AGENDA ALL [CONSIDERATION OF MATTERS REMOVED FROM CONSENT AGENDA] UNDER THE MISCELLANEOUS CATEGORY. ITEM TWO HAS BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. NEED A MOTION FOR ITEM ONE, CASTEX TATUM. MOVE SECOND. MOTION IS MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. UNDER THE PROPERTY CATEGORY. ITEM THREE NEEDS A MOTION. CASTEX TATUM, MOVE SECOND. MOTION REMAIN SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES UNDER THE PURCHASING AND TABULATION OF BIDS. CATEGORY ITEMS SIX 11. I'M SORRY, LEMME START OVER. ITEM 11 HAS NOT BEEN RECEIVED, BUT WILL BE CONSIDERED IF IT'S RECEIVED BEFORE THE END OF THE MEETING. ITEM 6, 14, 20, AND 21 HAVE BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. AGAIN, THOSE ARE 6, 14, 20, AND 21. NEED A MOTION ON THE BALANCE? CAST MOVE SECOND. MOTIONS HAS BEEN MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES UNDER THE ORDINANCES CATEGORY ITEMS 33, 37 AND 39 HAVE BEEN PULLED AND WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. A NUMBER OF ITEMS SINCE THE YOUR LIST HAS BEEN DISTRIBUTED HAVE BEEN RECEIVED. UM, ITEMS 62 AND 63 HAVE NOT BEEN RECEIVED, BUT WILL BE CONSIDERED IF THEY'RE RECEIVED BEFORE THE END OF THE MEETING. ITEMS 24, 25, 26, 32, 34, 35, 36, 43, 44 AND 57 HAVE BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. AGAIN, THOSE, THOSE NUMBERS ARE 24, 25, 26, 32, 34, 35, 36, 43, 44, AND 57. NEED A VOTE ON THE BALLOT? ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. ITEM NUMBER TWO IS THE CIP. HMM. ITEM NUMBER TWO, MR. SECRETARY, TAKE ITEM TWO NEEDS A MOTION AND IT HAS BEEN TAGGED VERY WELL. AMENDMENTS. AND THE ITEM, THE ITEM AND AMENDMENTS HAVE BEEN TAGGED. OKAY. VERY GOOD. ITEM SIX NEEDS A MOTION. CASTEX, STATE A MOVE. SECOND. MOTION IS MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED. [02:55:01] COUNCILOR CAYMAN. I'M SORRY. COUNCILOR CAYMAN. THAT'S OKAY, MAYOR. UM, I'LL BE SUPPORTING THIS, BUT I DID WANNA MAKE NOTE BOTH IN ITEM FOUR AND ITEM SIX. ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE'RE INCREASING SPENDING IS, UM, TO OFFSET THE IMPACT OF INFLATION. SO WE ARE INCREASING THESE AMOUNTS, A TOTAL OF OVER 2 MILLION, $2.7 MILLION DUE TO INFLATION. AND I JUST WANT COUNCIL TO BE AWARE OF THAT. THANK YOU. VERY WELL. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. ITEM 14 NEEDS A MOTION. CASTEX, TATUM, MOVE. SECOND. MOTIONS MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. ITEM 20 IS, ITEM 20 NEEDS A MOTION. CASTEX. TATUM, MOVE. SECOND. MOTIONS MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. ITEM 21 NEEDS A MOTION. CASTEX TATUM, MOVE. SECOND. MOTIONS MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. ITEM 24 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. ITEM 25 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. NO. OH, WE DID 25. WE DID THAT EARLIER. ITEM 26 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. I'M SORRY. OH NO, WE GOOD. ITEM 32. ITEM 32 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. COUNCIL JACKSON. COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON. HEY, MAYOR, I JUST WANTED TO BRIEFLY COMMENT, UM, ON 32, WHAT THE NEXT WHAT? 32 THROUGH 37, UM, IS ACTUALLY PHASE ONE OF, UM, DEMOLISHING THE APARTMENT COMPLEX AND GREENSPOINT THAT WE HAVE BEEN SEEING ON THE NEWS A LOT. UM, THE RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING. I MEAN, IT WAS DESTROYED DURING HURRICANE HARVEY. AND SO NOW WE'RE, WE'RE, THE BALL IS MOVING. WELL, WE'RE GONNA GET IT, UM, DEMOLISHED. AND SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT. JUST WANT THE CONSTITUENTS TO KNOW THAT, UM, WE'RE WORKING AND WE'RE MOVING FORWARD. SO THANK YOU. AND APARTMENTS OFF OF IMPERIAL VALLEY. SO IT'S ONLY ONCE. SO THANKS. NEXT ITEM. NEXT ITEM 34 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES AS OPPOSED TO NA. MOTION PASSES. ITEM 35 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. ITEM 36 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. ITEM 43 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. ITEM 44 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. ITEM 57 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. ITEM 64 NEEDS A MOTION CAST TATUM, MOVE. SECOND. MOTIONS MADE. SECONDED. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. THIS COMPLETES THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA. START WITH RAMIREZ. MM-HMM . START [NON CONSENT - MATTERS TO BE PRESENTED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS] WITH RAMIREZ. OKAY, POPOFF. COUNCILMAN RAMIREZ. THANK YOU MAYOR. UH, I WANNA BEGIN BY ENCOURAGING RESIDENTS TO CONTINUE WEIGHING IN ON THE DISASTER RELIEF, UH, FUNDING THAT, UH, WE ARE, UH, CONSIDERING AT THIS TIME. I KNOW A LOT OF FOLKS HAVE WEIGHED IN. UM, WE'VE HAD HELD SOME TOWN HALL MEETINGS. IT WAS CONSIDERED AT A COMMITTEE MEETING. I UNDERSTAND THERE'S ANOTHER TOWN HALL THAT IS GOING TO BE HELD, UH, TONIGHT. AND, UM, THESE ARE IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESIDENTS OF HOUSTON TO WEIGH IN AND MAKE THEIR VIEWS HEARD. UM, LET ME ASSURE YOU, YOU ARE BEING LISTENED TO, AS THE MAYOR POINTED OUT IN HIS REPORT EARLIER, THEY HAVE DECIDED TO, TO MAKE A CHANGE AND ALLOCATE $50 MILLION TO HOUSING AS PART OF THAT. UM, AND, UH, IT IS NOT FINALIZED YET. SO PLEASE CONTINUE TO WEIGH IN. AND I APPLAUD THE ADMINISTRATION FOR LISTENING TO WHAT RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN SAYING AND BEING WILLING [03:00:01] TO MAKE A CHANGE. UH, I WANNA SPEND THE REST OF MY TIME, UH, TALKING ABOUT THREE, UH, AMENDMENTS TO THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, UH, PLAN THAT I HAVE, UH, FILED. AND WE WILL, I KNOW WE'LL BE DISCUSSING THIS NEXT WEEK, BUT AMENDMENTS 1 0 1, 1 0 2 AND 1 0 3 ARE MEASURES THAT SEEK TO INCREASE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS BY EQUIPPING THEM WITH INFORMATION ABOUT MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE CHANGES IN EACH DISTRICT SO THAT THEY CAN EFFECTIVELY REPRESENT THEIR CONSTITUENTS. I BELIEVE THAT ENSURING THEY HAVE THIS INFORMATION WILL ALLOW THEM TO COMMUNICATE MORE EFFECTIVELY WITH THOSE THEY SERVE AND BETTER ADVOCATE FOR THEIR DISTRICT AMENDMENT. 1 0 1 WOULD PROVIDE COUNCIL MEMBERS WITH NOTICE OF MAJOR CHANGES TO CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS ALREADY APPROVED BY COUNCIL IN THE FORM OF A MONTHLY REPORT PROVIDED TO THEM. AMENDMENT 1 0 2 WOULD ALLOW THREE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO OBJECT TO AN INFRASTRUCTURE CHANGE TO BRING IT TO THE FULL COUNCIL FOR DELIBERATION AND A VOTE. THE REQUIREMENT OF THREE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO OBJECT MAKES THIS AMENDMENT CONSISTENT WITH THE REQUIREMENTS SET OUT IN PROPOSITION A. BOTH THESE AMENDMENTS BUILD ON WORK ALREADY DONE BY COUNCIL MEMBERS CAYMAN AND CASTILLO. AND COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN IS A CO-SPONSOR OF 1 0 1 AND 1 0 2. I APPRECIATE THE COLLABORATION BUILDING ON THE NOTICE PROVIDED UNDER AMENDMENT 1 0 1. AMENDMENT 1 0 3 WOULD ALLOW A COUNCIL MEMBER TO REQUEST A PUBLIC HEARING ABOUT A PROPOSED CHANGE TO ALLOW FOR THE PUBLIC TO WEIGH IN ON IMPORTANT CHANGES IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD. I KNOW I DO MY JOB BETTER WHEN I HAVE INPUT FROM THOSE THAT I SERVE. AND MY HOPE IS THAT THIS MEASURE WILL, WILL INCREASE TRUST BETWEEN RESIDENTS AND THEIR CITY GOVERNMENT. SOME MAY SEE THESE AMENDMENTS AS AN IMPLICIT CRITICISM OF OUR CURRENT MAYOR, BUT I WANNA STRESS IT IS NOT. I HAVE FOUND MAYOR WHITMEYER TO BE RECEPTIVE AND COLLABORATIVE, AND I'M GRATEFUL I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE WITH THIS ADMINISTRATION. PART OF WHY CITY COUNCIL EXISTS IS TO ENACT GOOD PUBLIC POLICY, AND I WELCOME FEEDBACK ON THESE AMENDMENTS IN THE COMING DAYS AND LOOK FORWARD TO DISCUSSING THESE AMENDMENTS FURTHER NEXT WEEK WITH THE ENTIRE COUNCIL. THANK YOU. CAN WE DO ITEM 11 AND 12? YEAH. ITEMS 11, 12 MEMBERS HAVE ARRIVED. MR. SECRETARY, IF YOU COULD DO NUMBER 11. ITEM 11 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE TAG. CASTILLO AND TAGGED. OKAY. 12. AND ITEM 12 NEEDS A MOTION TAGGED CASTILE. IT TAGGED. MM-HMM . 11 AND 12. BOTH ARE TAGGED. OKAY. PERFECT. DR. POPOFF? THANK YOU COUNCILOR THOMAS. THANK YOU. UH, SATURDAY. I HAD THE PLEASURE OF JOINING AILEY VOTES IN DISTRICT FI YOUTH LED CONFERENCE. UM, WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS, UH, SEVERAL YEARS AND I WAS JUST OVERWHELMED WITH THE LEVEL OF EXCELLENCE THAT OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, UH, CO-CREATED ON SATURDAY WHERE IT'S FOCUSED AROUND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT. UM, I WANNA SHOUT OUT SOME OF OUR PARTNERS AND SPONSORS. NONE OF THIS COULD BE, WOULD BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT YOUR SUPPORT OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE. HARRIS COUNTY CLERK TANISHA HUDSPETH HARRIS, HARRIS COUNTY ATTORNEY CHRISTIAN MENIFEE. UM, WE HAD REPRESENTATION FROM HARRIS COUNTY PRECINCT FOUR. UM, REPRESENTATIVE FLETCHER'S OFFICE, AL GREEN AND MOORE AILEY FSD AND COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ ALSO SHARED REMARKS, UM, WITH US ON SATURDAY. THE EVENT WAS THE MOST POPULAR THING, UM, POP AND MY DADDY EVEN SHOWED UP. SO THEY, WE, WE KNOW WE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. WHEN MY DADDY SHOW UP TO, UM, SOME MEETINGS, I WANNA HIGHLIGHT FOR BRIAR MEADOW THAT THE CHRIS DRIVE PROPERTY HAS BEEN APPROVED FOR DEMOLITION. THIS HAS TAKEN YEARS IN THE, IN THE MAKING FOR THIS TO HAPPEN. I WANNA APPLAUD THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS AND, UH, THE COMMISSION THAT HAS BEEN WORKING WITH US TO GET THIS ACROSS THE LINE. THIS PROPERTY, UM, HAS BEEN ABANDONED DUE TO THE OWNERS, UH, PASSING AWAY WITHOUT AN AIR OR AN ESTATE. UH, AND THIS, THIS HOME HAS EXPERIENCED FIRES AND ALL TYPES OF ATTEMPTS [03:05:01] FOR SQUATTERS. SO THIS IS AN EXCITING DEVELOPMENT. UM, AND WE WILL LET YOU KNOW ONCE THAT DEMOLITION IS SCHEDULED FOR CONSTRUCTION. I WANNA HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE, UH, SAFETY ISSUES THAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING ON THE WEST SIDE LAST WEEK OFF OF BEACH NUT AND COOK ROAD. AN ACCIDENT OCCURRED WHERE AN INFANT LOST THEIR LIFE. IT WAS A CAR ACCIDENT, AND IT JUST SPEAKS TO, UM, NOT JUST PEDESTRIAN SAFETY, BUT HOW WE REDEFINED PUBLIC SAFETY TO INCLUDE INTERSECTION INVESTMENT, STREETLIGHTS ENHANCEMENT, ALL OF THOSE THINGS. UM, ALTHOUGH I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE BINETTE IMPROVEMENT FROM DISTRICT C, J, AND F, UM, I, I HOPE THAT WE HAVE, UM, SOME POLITICAL WILL TO LOOK AT INVESTING IN OTHER STREETS SUCH AS BEACH NUT, UH, WHERE WE HAVE HIGH INCIDENTS OF NOT JUST PEDESTRIAN, UH, DEATHS, UH, BUT ALSO VEHICLE, VEHICLE, UM, CRASHES AND DEATHS AS WELL. SO MY HEART GOES OUT TO THAT. ALSO, THERE WAS AN APARTMENT, UM, AN ISSUE OFF OF SPICE AND CINNAMON AND A LEAF. UM, A YOUNG KIDS TEEN VIOLENCE, UH, ACCESS TO A GUN. AND SO AS THE SUMMER MONTHS AS WE ROLL INTO THAT, WE'RE GONNA HAVE HIGHER INCIDENTS OF CRIME. AND SO WE'RE WORKING WITH, UM, OUR PARTNERS TO MITIGATE THAT. UM, AND THEN TWO DAYS AGO, RIGHT OFF OF BEAT BELAIRE AND WILL CREST A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INCIDENT, UM, A GENTLEMAN, UH, CHASED HIS PARTNER INTO A RESTAURANT RIGHT NEXT TO CAJUN KITCHEN AND STABBED HER TO DEATH. THAT'S A RESTAURANT THAT I FREQUENT ALL THE TIME IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. UM, AND, UH, POLICE WERE CALLED AND THEY HANDLED THE SITUATION. SO FROM DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, TEEN VIOLENCE, VE VEHICLE DEATHS, UH, PEDESTRIAN SAFETY, WE REALLY JUST NEED TO FOCUS IN ON OUR ATTENTION AND OUR EFFORTS. AND WE'RE DOING THAT ON THE WEST SIDE. I DO WANT TO, UH, JOIN MY NAME, UH, WITH, UM, THOSE WHO SPOKE ABOUT C-D-B-G-D-R 24. I'LL SPEAK MORE WHEN THE ITEM COMES TO COUNCIL. UH, BUT I, I WILL LIKE TO JUST HIGHLIGHT, UM, ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE URBAN LEAGUE AND NAB AND ALL OF OUR PARTNERS, TMO, THAT HAVE BEEN AGGRESSIVELY ATTENDING THESE PUBLIC, UH, SESSIONS, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR VOICE IS ON RECORD FOR THIS WORK. UM, REGARDLESS OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IN TERMS OF HOUSING OR ANY TYPE OF PUBLIC FORM OR PARTICIPATION, PRIORITIZE THAT. AND I KNOW SOMETIMES IT FEELS AS IF WE MAKE IT DIFFICULT FOR YOU TO PARTICIPATE OR WE MAKE IT INCONVENIENT. UM, BUT IF YOU, UM, CAN MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE IN THE ROOM, THE ZOOM ROOM OR THE PHYSICAL ROOM, IT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE AND IT INFLUENCE THE DECISIONS THAT WE'RE ABLE TO MAKE. UM, AND I APPRECIATE THAT. UH, THIS THURSDAY IS JUNETEENTH AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO CELEBRATE THAT, NOT JUST WITH SYMBOLISM, BUT WITH POWER AND WITH INTENTION. UM, I REPRESENT A REMNANT OF A FREEDMAN TOWN THAT I AFFECTIONATELY SPEAK ABOUT IN THIS BODY. AND WE ARE INVESTING, UM, RESOURCES IN THIS COMMUNITY THAT WE HAVE NOT SEEN IN A VERY LONG TIME. SO I KNOW I WILL SHARE MY TIME, UM, NOT JUST IN PINEY POINT, BUT I'LL ALSO BE IN DISTRICT C, UM, UH, SHARING WITH OUR FREEMAN'S TOWN COMMUNITY AS WELL. UM, AND JUST CELEBRATING, UH, UH, LIBERATION, UH, FREEDOM, UM, AND THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO UPHOLD THOSE VALUES. AND THEN CLOSE. AND IN CLOSING, UH, I AM AWARE AS SO AS EVERYONE ELSE, THAT SOLID WASTE IS DELAYED. AND SO, UM, I HAVE LET MY DADDY KNOW THAT, UM, NO ONE HAS ANYTHING AGAINST YOU. IT'S HAPPENING CITYWIDE. UM, AS OUR INTERIM DIRECTOR SHARED DURING THE BUDGET, HEARING THAT AS THEY TRANSITION THE PROCESS FROM FOUR QUADRANTS TO TWO, UM, THERE WILL BE HICCUPS. HOWEVER, WE ALSO HAVE TRUCKS THAT ARE DOWN. UM, THEY ARE MITIGATING THAT. AND SO JUST BE PATIENT. IT IS VERY FRUSTRATING. UH, BUT BE PATIENT WITH THAT, WITH RECYCLING AND TRASH. 3 1 1 IS AWARE, SOLID WASTE IS AWARE. OUR OFFICES ARE AWARE. UM, AND SO AS THEY CLOSE THE GAP, UM, AND PREPARE AFTER JUNETEENTH WHERE THERE'S NO PICKUP, UM, JUST KNOW THAT THEY'RE WORKING TO DO THAT. AND KEEP YOUR BINS ON THE CURB. IF MY OFFICE CAN BE OF ANY SUPPORT TO YOU, PLEASE REACH OUT TO DISTRICT F AT HOUSTON, TX GEO V. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MAYOR PROAM, CASTING STADIUM. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THIS WEEKEND WE HAD A WONDERFUL TIME AT HAVILAND PARK. WE WERE WORKING ON THE LES PLAY HOUSTON PROGRAM THAT YOU HAVE IN PLACE. AND, UH, WE HAD A REALLY GOOD TURNOUT. UH, WE DO WANT TO THANK PASTOR AUGUST, UH, FROM ONE CHURCH, BETHELS FAMILY, HOUSTON PARKS BOARD, THE WESTBURY COMMUNITY LEADERS. WE HAD REPRESENTATIVES FROM BRA OAKS MANAGEMENT DISTRICT IN SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS. UM, WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO WALK HEAVY LAND PARK, UH, AND TALK ABOUT SOME IMPROVEMENTS WE'D LIKE TO SEE IN THAT PARK, UM, AS WE PARTICIPATE IN THE LETS PLAY HOUSTON PROGRAM. SO WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD [03:10:01] TO THE CHANGES THAT WE'LL MAKE, UM, AT HAVING LAND PARK. AND THEN ALSO WANT TO GIVE A BIG SHOUT OUT TO, UM, HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIVISION MANAGER BRIAN MCKENZIE. HE HAS BEEN, UM, STELLAR WITH HIS UPDATES ON THE SPRING VILLAGE APARTMENT DEMOLITION, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON, YOU'LL, YOU'LL APPRECIATE THIS BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT AN APARTMENT COMPLEX THAT'S GOING DOWN. UM, HE HAS BEEN GIVING US TWICE WEEKLY UPDATES ON THE DEMOLITION AND THE RESIDENTS ARE VERY EXCITED TO KNOW WHEN THE BUILDINGS COME DOWN. UH, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE SIX ACRES OF DETENTION IN THAT LOCATION, WHICH IS EXTREMELY HELPFUL FOR THIS WESTBURY NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE, UH, THAT PARTICULAR AREA OFF OF LUDINGTON AND CHIMNEY ROCK FLOODED OVER 10 TIMES. UM, SO THESE RESIDENTS ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT DEMOLITION BEING DONE BY JULY OF 2025, AND THEN HAVING THE COVENANTS PUT ON THAT SIX ACRES, UH, WHERE NOTHING CAN BE BUILT THERE. IT WILL ALWAYS SERVE AS DETENTION TO KEEP WATER OUT OF, UH, THE HOMES AND, UH, THE BUSINESSES IN THAT AREA. AND THEN WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT ON SATURDAY WE WILL HAVE OUR 2025 POST LEGISLATIVE DISCUSSION ON PROPERTY LAWS AND D RESTRICTIONS. UH, WE ARE HOSTING THAT IN CONJUNCTION WITH SUSIE RICE. SHE'S THE FOUNDER OF RICE AND RICE LAW FIRM AND AN EXPERT ON TEXAS PROPERTY CODE. SO I'M ENCOURAGING OUR HOA LEADERS CIVIC CLUB MEMBERS, AND ANYONE THAT HAS, UH, IS INVESTED IN THEIR PROPERTY, IN THEIR COMMUNITIES TO ATTEND. IT WILL BE AT 9:00 AM UH, AT THE NATA STATION ON, UH, 1 3 0 9 7 NATA STREET, THE HPD SUBSTATION, REALLY ENCOURAGING EVERYONE TO RSVP IF YOU PLAN TO COME SO WE CAN MAKE THE PROPER ARRANGEMENTS. UH, THEN A LITTLE BIT OF FUN AT THE LIBRARY. WE ARE CELEBRATING MAKE MUSIC DAY AT THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY, UH, ENCOURAGING RESIDENTS TO CREATE YOUR OWN CONTENT IN THE TECH LINK STUDIO TAKEOVER TOMORROW AT THE SHANNON WALKER LIBRARY. I BET THERE'S GONNA BE SOME FUN STUFF HAPPENING AT THE LIBRARY. AND THEN FINALLY, I DO WANNA WELCOME, WE DO HAVE ANOTHER INTERN IN THE DISTRICT K OFFICE. UH, RA IS A STUDENT AT TEXAS TECH. VERY HAPPY TO HAVE YOU, UH, IN THE DISTRICT K OFFICE THIS SUMMER. SHE IS, UM, PROFICIENT IN AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE MAYOR. SO, UH, ONE OF THE COUNCIL MEETINGS THIS SUMMER. I'D LOVE FOR HER TO SIGN WHAT WE'RE, WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT AT COUNCIL. SO, UH, WE'LL, WE'LL GET THAT SET UP AND I THINK THAT MAY BE AN ADDITIONAL, UM, BENEFIT AND, AND GIVE HER AN OPPORTUNITY TO PRACTICE HER CRAFT. UH, BUT HER GOAL IS TO BECOME AN ATTORNEY AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH HER THIS SUMMER IN THE DISTRICT, A OFFICE. WONDERFUL. THANK YOU. VICE MAYOR PROAM PECK. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, I ALSO WANTED TO MENTION ABOUT RECYCLING AS COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS, UM, MENTIONED AS WELL. WE HAVE, UM, A LOT OF OUR DISTRICT THAT HAS NOT HAD A RECYCLING PICKUP IN OVER A MONTH NOW. AND I KNOW THAT IT IS CITYWIDE. IT'S NOT JUST DISTRICT A. UM, AND I KNOW THAT THE, UM, INTERIM DIRECTOR IS MAKING SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN THE DEPARTMENT, AND I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THOSE CHANGES AND IT WILL TAKE TIME. UM, BUT IN THE INTERIM, AS WE'RE WORKING THROUGH ALL OF THOSE CHANGES, IF THERE'S SOMETHING WE COULD DO TO HELP MOVE THE PICKUPS ALONG, WHETHER IT'S, YOU KNOW, HIRING SOME CONTRACTORS TO GET SOME OF THIS BACKLOG OR, UM, YOU KNOW, ANY OTHER OPTIONS AVAILABLE, WE WOULD APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. COUNCIL. COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, JUST FIRST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS DO KNOW THAT WE ARE HAVING OUR SECOND COMMUNITY MEETING AT MASON PARK. IT'S HOSTED BY THE, UH, HARRISBURG TOURS. AND THIS IS TO CONTINUE TO HAVE, UH, FEEDBACK ON, ON THE, THE, UM, HEART OF THE PARK, WHICH IS PART OF, UH, THE, THE MASTER PLAN FOR MASON PARK STARTS AT 11:00 AM ALSO THE, UH, THIRD COMMUNITY MEETING HOSTED BY THE, BY HOUSTON FIRST ON THE GRB EXPANSION WILL BE, UH, JULY 1ST AT FIVE 30 AT THE GRB. UM, METRO WILL BE THERE. UH, PUBLIC WORKS WILL BE PRESENT AS WELL. AND WE'LL SHARE MORE INFORMATION AS FAR AS LOCATION. UM, AND THEN JUST LASTLY, JUST WANNA, UM, JUST THANK MY COLLEAGUES AGAIN FOR PASSING, UH, THE ITEM, UH, FOR ALMA. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING ALL THE GOOD WORK THAT CONTINUES TO HAPPEN, UH, WITH THAT PROJECT. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR POLLARD. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I REMAIN STEADFAST IN MY COMMITMENT TO ENSURING THAT ALL CHILDREN, ESPECIALLY THOSE WITH AUTISM AND SPECIAL NEEDS, HAVE ACCESS TO QUALITY AFTER SCHOOL AND SUMMER PROGRAMS THAT HELP THEM THRIVE. THROUGH A CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP WITH SOCIAL MOTION, WE ARE PROUD TO OFFER SPECIALIZED SOCIAL SKILLS CLASSES DESIGNED TO SUPPORT THE UNIQUE DEVELOPMENTAL NEEDS OF THESE CHILDREN. [03:15:01] FAMILIES RESIDING IN THE JC CITY ZIP CODES OF 7 7 0 3 6 7 7 0 7 4 AND 7 7 0 8 1 ARE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE THESE SERVICES AT NO COST. WHILE FUNDING REMAINS AVAILABLE, FAMILIES WHO DO NOT LIVE IN THESE ZIP CODES IN THE SHARPSTOWN GULFTON AREA CAN STILL RECEIVE THESE SERVICES AT AN AFFORDABLE COST. THIS INITIATIVE IS PART OF OUR BROADER MISSION TO CREATE AN INCLUSIVE AND SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY WHERE EVERY CHILD HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO SUCCEED. TO LEARN MORE AND ENROLL, PLEASE VISIT SOCIAL MOTION SKILLS.ORG, THAT SOCIAL MOTION SKILLS.ORG. AND EVERYONE, PLEASE HAVE A HAPPY JUNETEENTH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR CARTER. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, JUST WANTED TO, UH, JUST MAKE MENTION THAT MAYBE, UH, DIRECTOR NICHOLS COULD SHARE WITH THE ENTIRE COUNCIL THE DATES AND MAYBE LOCATIONS OR INFORMATION CONTACT, UH, FOR THESE GATHERINGS, FOR THOSE WHO ARE DISTRIBUTING GOODS AND FEEDING ON THE STREETS SO THAT WE CAN PERHAPS SHARE THOSE, UM, IN OUR NEWSLETTERS OR JUST EVEN SOCIAL MEDIA BECAUSE, UM, AS WE SAW TODAY, THE YOUNG MS. LEWIS WHO CAME, YOU KNOW, TO CONNECT HER TO A GROUP THAT CAN REALLY COLLABORATE AND DO THAT GOOD WORK IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. AND, UH, I CONTINUE TO REACH OUT. I, YOU KNOW, SAW THIS THIS WEEKEND OF SOME DISTRIBUTIONS FOR FATHER'S DAY AND SUCH, AND, AND JUST CONTINUE TO STRESS THAT'S WHAT'S LEFT BEHIND. SOMETIMES, UH, THOSE THAT ARE RECEIVING THE GOODS ARE, ARE GUILTY OF, OR, OR PEOPLE THINK THAT THEY'RE THE ONES WHO LEAVE THE MESS WHEN ACTUALLY THOSE WHO ARE DOING THE STREET FEEDING SHOULD REALLY TRY TO HELP KEEP THAT CLEAN. BECAUSE I KNOW DOWNTOWN HOUSTON, JUST IN THE, IN THE CITY HERE, UH, SPENDS A LOT OF TIME AND MONEY IN EFFORTS TO KEEP THAT AREA, THOSE AREAS CLEANED UP WHERE THE, THE FEEDING IS GOING ON. SO JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT. LOOK FORWARD TO THE INFORMATION. MIKE. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR. EVAN SHABBAT. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, THIS PAST WEEKEND, OUR OFFICE HAD THE HONOR OF ATTENDING SEVERAL IMPACTFUL EVENTS ACROSS DISTRICT D AND SOMETIMES OUT OF DISTRICT D . ON FRIDAY, WE JOINED COLLEAGUES, FAMILY AND FRIENDS TO CELEBRATE THE RETIREMENT OF VANESSA GRAHAM MORGAN AT HER BLOOM AND RETIREMENT CELEBRATION. VANESSA SERVED THE CITY WITH DISTINCTION, AND WE WERE PROUD TO BE PRESENT AS SHE ENTERS HER NEXT CHAPTER WITH JOY AND ANTICIPATION. ON SATURDAY, WE PARTICIPATED IN THE WEATHERING THE STORM DISASTER PREPAREDNESS WORKSHOP, HOSTED BY MOHAM MOSS NUMBER 45. THE EVENT PROVIDED TIMELY AND PRACTICAL TOOLS FOR EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, EQUIPPING RESIDENTS WITH STRATEGIES TO BETTER NAVIGATE CRISIS AND PROTECT THEIR FAMILIES. THANK YOU TO ORGANIZERS AND SISTER LANDRO MUHAMMAD FOR HER LEADERSHIP AND COMMUNITY RESILIENCE. GREAT CONCERTS ARE TAKING PLACE AT THE MILLER OUTDOOR THEATER. YOU MAY WANNA CHECK THEIR WEBSITE. THEY HAVE A WONDERFUL CONCERT COMING UP ON SATURDAY. I HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS TO GO OUT AND GREET THE PEOPLE SINCE IT IS IN THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION. AND, UH, THE GOOD PART IS NOT JUST THAT THEY'RE FREE, BUT THEY ARE VERY GOOD CONCERTS THAT CAN BRING A VERY RELAXING EVENING TO YOU IF YOU ARE ABLE TO ATTEND THEM. AND PLEASE NOTE, THE HUNDRED AND 60 OF JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION AT EMANCIPATION PARK ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED FOR JUNE 14TH WAS POSTPONED. A NEW DAY WILL BE ANNOUNCED LATER THIS WEEK, AND WE JUST LOOK FORWARD TO THAT CELEBRATION WHENEVER IT TAKES PLACE. UH, UH, GEORGE CLINTON, I THINK WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THERE, AND THAT'S BACK IN THE DAY, YOU KNOW, SHAKING A TAIL FEATHER WITH THE PARLIAMENT FUNKADELICS. SOME OF Y'ALL MAY NOT KNOW THAT, BUT AT ANY ANYWAY, UH, ANY RATE, WE, UH, ALWAYS, UH, REMAIN COMMITTED TO THE PRESENCE OF PARTNERSHIP AND PROGRESS AROUND ALONG DISTRICT D AND HAPPY JUNETEENTH. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN DAVIS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I DON'T HAVE MUCH TODAY. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE MY, UH, TWO INTERNS THAT I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT, BOTH FOR THIS, THIS YOUNG LADY AND YOUNG MAN. I DID INTRODUCE MISS, UH, UH, MELISSA LAST WEEK. PRAIRIE AND M STUDENT STANDUP MELISSA AND ALSO ZI, UH, ROSE. HE'S ALSO A HUGE COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENT, AND HE'S BACK WITH US FROM LAST YEAR. AND I AM REALLY, REALLY EXCITED, IMPRESSED, UH, WITH THEM. I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE, UH, MELISSA WITH US TO THE COCA-COLA PLANT, UH, ON YESTERDAY, UH, WITH ABOUT 13 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, UH, THAT I PRESENTED, UH, SOME CERTIFICATES TO. AND, UH, IT WAS A VERY IMPRESSIVE, UH, UH, TOUR AND EXCITED ABOUT IT. AND ONE OF THE THINGS I'LL SPEAK LATER ON IT, AND THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT THE WATER [03:20:01] THAT THEY GET FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON. AND, AND I WANT TO ELEVATE THE REASON WHY I'M SUCH A STRONG ADVOCATE ABOUT THE OUR EAST END WATER TREATMENT PLANT, BECAUSE WE SUPPLIED THE WATER FROM US. AND SO, UM, SO MAYOR, I WOULD, UH, ADVOCATE THAT WE KEEP DOING WHAT WE DOING, UH, BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH NEEDED AND WE NEED TO FIX IT. WE NEED TO COMPLETELY FIX IT. SO THANK OUR, UH, MY NEW INTERNS THAT I'M REALLY PLEASED ABOUT. THAT'S ALL I GOT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER SECONDER. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, WANNA START OFF COMPLIMENTING YOU ON OUR PREPARING FOR THE PROTESTS THIS PAST WEEKEND. I THOUGHT YOU REALLY THREADED THE NEEDLE. UH, GIVEN WHAT HAD HAPPENED OUT IN LA IT'S OBVIOUS THAT WE HAD TO BE PREPARED, YET THE PREPARATION WAS NOT OPPRESSIVE. UM, YOU KNOW, I HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS FROM CONSTITUENTS OUT IN KINGWOOD BECAUSE ONE OF THE PROTESTS WAS OUT THERE. UH, TYPICALLY ABOUT 10 OR 15 PEOPLE WILL SHOW UP FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. THEY HAD PROBABLY AT LEAST 200 THIS TIME. UM, I HAD TALKED TO, UH, LIEUTENANT GOLDWATER BEFORE AND, AND, UH, HE ASSURED ME THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE READY FOR IT AND IT WOULDN'T BE AN ISSUE. AND THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY ZERO ISSUES. SO, LIKE I SAID, I, I THOUGHT YOU DID A REALLY GOOD JOB WITH THAT. UM, KIND OF ON THAT, ONE OF THE THINGS YOU MENTIONED WAS THE POLICE BEING PART OF THE COMMUNITY. UH, WE'RE BRINGING BACK, UH, COFFEE WITH THE COP. UH, WE'VE GOT THE, THE CHANGE IN THE CAPTAINS THAT HAVE HAPPENED, UH, FOR THE DIFFERENT, UH, STATIONS. AND, UH, OUR FIRST ONE'S GONNA BE, UH, THIS COMING MONDAY IN CLEAR LAKE, UH, STARTING AT NINE O'CLOCK AT THE STARBUCKS OVER ON BAY AREA BOULEVARD. UH, SO HOPEFULLY THE RESIDENTS CAN COME OUT THERE AND, AND GET TO MEET THE, THEIR NEW CAPTAIN AND SOME OF THE POLICE OFFICERS. UM, STAYING ON THE THEME OF CRIME, UH, JUST RECENTLY THERE'S BEEN NEWS REPORTS THAT ABOUT A MONTH AND A HALF AGO, UH, RAHEEM BUSHNELL WAS ARRESTED FOR MURDER. UM, SEPTEMBER, 2023, HE WAS ACTUALLY CONVICTED IN LOUISIANA FOR FELONY THEFT GIVEN PROBATION. SEPTEMBER 24, HE'S ARRESTED IN HOUSTON FOR THE UNLAWFUL CARRY OF A FIREARM. GIVEN A BOND OF A HUNDRED DOLLARS, HE GETS OUT, MAKES THREE DIFFERENT COURT APPEARANCES, UH, IN COUNTY HARRIS COUNTY COURT NUMBER 13 WITH JUDGE UL RODRIGUEZ. BUT AN ARREST WARRANT HAD BEEN PLACED FOR HIM OUTTA LOUISIANA FOR VIOLATION OF PROBATION THREE DAYS AFTER HIS ARREST FOR THE HANDGUN. SO THOSE THREE COURT APPEARANCES HE MADE, HE HAD AN ARREST WARRANT THAT WAS ACTIVE FOR HIM. AND THEN NOVEMBER 30TH, HE'S ACCUSED OF MURDERING JOSE RODRIGUEZ. UH, YOU KNOW, TIME AND TIME AGAIN I SEE IN THE NEWS WHERE THESE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN, UH, ARRESTED FOR GUN CRIMES AND WE DO VERY LITTLE TO HOLD THEM IN JAIL FOR BOND OR ANYTHING. AND THEN THEY GO OUT AND END UP COMMITTING A, A MURDER. I MEAN, IT SEEMS TO ME, IF, IF YOU'VE BEEN CONVICTED OF A FELONY, YOU KNOW YOU'VE LOST YOUR RIGHT TO A FIREARM. IF YOU'VE GOT A FIREARM, YOU'RE UP TO NO GOOD. AND THEY NEED TO START TREATING THIS A LITTLE MORE SERIOUSLY RATHER THAN LETTING THEM OUT BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT WE END UP WITH. SO, UH, ON A LITTLE PRIOR NOTE TO END, UH, WE HAVE, UH, MEDIAN DEDICATION IN KINGWOOD THAT WAS PART OF THE COMMUNITY MATCHING GRANT. UH, OUR BEAR BRANCH TRAILS ASSOCIATION HAS REALLY DONE A NICE JOB, SPING UP ONE OF THE MEDIANS, AND, UH, WE'LL BE DOING A DEDICATION TOMORROW. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN CAYMAN. THANK YOU, MARY. BEGIN BY RECOGNIZING THIS THURSDAY MARKS THE HUNDRED AND 60TH, UM, ANNIVERSARY OF THE FINAL ENFORCEMENT OF THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION RIGHT HERE IN TEXAS WITH JUNETEENTH. UM, I KNOW MANY OF US WILL BE ATTENDING EVENTS IN THE COMMUNITY, UH, BUT WANNA START OFF BY JUST RECOGNIZING THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE DAY, BUT ALSO THE SIGNIFICANCE TO OUR CITY. AND IN DISTRICT CI WANNA THANK EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATED. WE HAD A TERRIFIC DISASTER PREPAREDNESS WORKSHOP, MAYOR AT WEST GRAY MULTI-SERVICE CENTER. UH, WE ARE BRINGING IN FOLKS THAT WEREN'T AS FAMILIAR WITH THE MULTI-SERVICE CENTER AND, UH, A LOT OF PEOPLE PARTICIPATED. BUT A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO ANNA IN OUR OFFICE, UH, HOUSTON TOOL BANK, TEXAS VOAD, SVP FOR CO-HOSTING, BUT WE ALSO HAD GLO PARTICIPATE, OEM, RED CROSS, UH, CONGRESSWOMAN FLETCHER'S OFFICE, UH, CD 18. UH, THE STAFF CONTINUES TO WORK DILIGENTLY TO DO WHAT THEY CAN TO REPRESENT THE DISTRICT, UH, AND THEY PARTICIPATED AS WELL AS COMMISSIONER BRIANIS AND ELLIS. UH, AND A REMINDER TO EVERYONE THAT NOW IS THE TIME TO PREPARE, TO BUILD YOUR KIT, PREPARE YOUR HOME, AND STAY WEATHER AWARE. UH, [03:25:01] I, I WANNA ADD THAT WE, UM, ARE ALSO AWARE, UM, AND CONTINUING TO ESCALATE ALL OF THE RECYCLING DELAYS THAT ARE OCCURRING THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT. UH, AND MAYOR, WE APPRECIATE ALL OF OUR SOLID WASTE EMPLOYEES, AND I WANNA EMPHASIZE THAT BECAUSE THEY CONTINUE TO WORK UNDER VERY, UM, CHALLENGING CIRCUMSTANCES. SO WE APPRECIATE THEM, BUT WE ARE CONTINUING TO ESCALATE THOSE. UH, AND A REMINDER TO RESIDENTS THAT BECAUSE OF THE JUNETEENTH HOLIDAY AND 4TH OF JULY, THAT THOSE PICKUP SCHEDULES WILL BE DELAYED OR ALTERED EVEN FURTHER. SO IT'S KIND OF COMPOUNDING NOW, UM, INTO A, A BIGGER CHALLENGE. I DID WANNA FLAG MAYOR. UM, I, I THINK YOU'VE BEEN OUT AND YOU'RE VERY FAMILIAR WITH HEIGHTS TOWER ON 19TH, THE SENIOR FACILITY DURING THE FREEZES, RIGHT? WE WERE OUT THERE. THEY WERE ONE OF THOSE, UH, POSTER CHILDS AS, UH, A BAT NOT TREATING OR RESPONDING EFFECTIVELY TO THEIR RESIDENTS NEEDS WHEN THE POWER WAS OUT. THEY WERE NOT GOOD CIRCUMSTANCES THERE. UH, THEY'VE BEEN FLAGGING FOR US, UH, THE SIDEWALK IN FRONT OF THE BUILDING. A LOT OF FOLKS WITH DISABILITIES, THE SIDEWALK THERE, AND I PROMISE MISS GNA GRIGGS, I'D BRING IT UP, UM, IS REALLY HARD FOR THEM TO TRAVERSE. WE'VE ESCALATED IT TO MOPD, UH, TO TRY TO GET IN THROUGH THEIR PROGRAM FOR SIDEWALK REHABILITATION, BUT I PROMISED THEM THAT TODAY I WOULD BRING UP, UM, THE NEEDS FOR SOME SIDEWALK REPAIRS ALONG 19TH, ESPECIALLY IN FRONT OF THOSE SENIOR HOMES. AND WE'RE HAPPY TO SUPPORT IN ANY WAY THAT WE CAN THERE. UH, I WANTED TO END BY THANKING, UH, EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATED PEACEFULLY, INCLUDING OUR VETERANS, UH, BUT ALSO LAW ENFORCEMENT MAYOR, TRUE TO HOUSTON FORUM, AS YOU SAID, UH, THIS PAST WEEKEND, OUR PROTESTS WERE PEACEFUL. IT WAS PEOPLE COMING TOGETHER TO, UH, VOICE THEIR OPINIONS. UH, AND I WOULD EXPECT NO LESS, BUT IT HAD ALL, IT JUST REAFFIRMS, UH, HOW WELL WE IN HOUSTON DO THINGS. SO I REALLY WANNA THANK EVERYONE IN ALL OF, ALL OF THE PARTNERS, BUT ESPECIALLY LAW ENFORCEMENT AND PARTICIPANTS. UH, WHILE RECOGNIZING THAT THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO ROOM FOR POLITICAL VIOLENCE. UH, AS MANY WERE MARCHING PEACEFULLY, WE WERE REELING. AND I HAVE FRIENDS IN MINNESOTA WHO WERE REELING FROM THE ASSASSINATIONS AND THE ASSASSINATION ATTEMPTS. AND OF MY FAMILY WAS ACTUALLY, UH, AT THE MARCHES IN SALT LAKE CITY AS, UH, GUNSHOTS RANG OUT AND SOMEBODY DIED. SO I, I WANNA REITERATE HOW PROUD I AM OF US AS A CITY, BUT THE IMPORTANCE OF ALL OF US CONTINUING TO STAND UP TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE KNOW HOW ABSOLUTELY AND UNEQUIVOCALLY UNACCEPTABLE POLITICAL VIOLENCE IS, THERE'S NO ROOM FOR IT IN OUR DEMOCRACY. THANK YOU. UH, COUNCILMAN JACKSON. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, I WANNA START OFF BY INVITING DISTRICT B RESIDENTS TO THE RELEASE OF THE DISTRICT B MASTER PLAN. UH, WE'LL BE RELEASING A PLAN NEXT WEEK ON JUNE THE 26TH AT 6:00 PM AT HCC NORTH FOREST CAMPUS, WHICH IS LOCATED AT 60 10, UM, LADY YORK ROAD. UM, THIS MASTER PLAN IS CRITICAL, UM, FOR DISTRICT B, IS BASICALLY A PLAN THAT INCORPORATE ALL THE PLANS THAT HAVE BEEN DONE, UM, ACROSS OUR DISTRICT. AND SO THE IDEA IS THAT RESIDENTS, UM, KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WE WANT. UM, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S DEVELOPMENT FLOODING, WE'VE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH PUBLIC WORKS, UM, MAKING SURE THAT, UM, FLOODING PROJECTS OR, UM, UM, UM, UM, UM, I'M SORRY, FLOODING PROJECTS OR PUT IN A PLAN. SO COME OUT, LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PLAN. UM, AND IT'S GONNA BE A GOOD TOOL SO THAT WE CAN, AS, AS CONSTITUENTS KNOW HOW WE WANT TO MOVE OUR DISTRICT FORWARD. UM, ALSO, MAYOR, I JUST WANNA POINT OUT, WE'VE BEEN GETTING QUITE A FEW CALLS ABOUT MISSING TRAFFIC SIGNS, UM, STREET SIGNS MM-HMM . AND SO, UM, SO FAR WE HAVE A TOTAL OF 103 MISSING SIGNS THROUGHOUT DISTRICT B. UM, WE HAVE OUR SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS AND CIVIC CLUBS HAVE BEEN BASICALLY, UM, DOING A TOUR OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, IDENTIFYING WHERE THESE SIGNS ARE BEING MISS WHAT, WHAT THE SIGNS ARE MISSING. AND WE WORK CLOSELY WITH PUBLIC WORKS AND INSPECTORS CAME OUT TO INVESTIGATE AS WELL. UM, AND WE WANTED TO KNOW WHY WAS THE SIGNS BEING STOLEN? AND SO WE FOUND OUT THAT THE SIGNS ARE BEING SO SOLD ON FACEBOOK MARKETPLACE, UM, AND IT COST THE CITY $534 TO REPLACE EACH SIGN. SO JUST THE SIGNS WE FOUND SO FAR IS $54,000 THAT WE HAVE TO PAY, UM, TO REPLACE THESE SIGNS. AND SO, HUH, I SAY, I KNOW, RIGHT? THEY SELL IT, THEY SELLING THEM IN MY MARKETPLACE. AND, UM, SO RIGHT NOW THE CITY HAVE NINE CITY WORKERS INSTALL, INSTALLING SIGNS PER DISTRICT, AND WE HAVE FOUR PEOPLE MAKING SIGNS FOR THE ENTIRE CITY. SO JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THAT IS A ISSUE. UM, AND OF COURSE IT'S A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE IF PARAMEDICS IS TRYING TO GET TO YOUR HOUSE AND THERE'S NO SIGN, YOU KNOW, THEY KIND OF GET, UM, REDIRECTED. LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I WANNA INVITE EVERYBODY OUT TO THE JUNETEENTH PARADE [03:30:01] THAT'S HAPPENING IN ACRES HOMES ON SATURDAY, HOSTED BY GREATER NORTH HOUSTON YOUTH ALLIANCE. UM, THE PARADE IS GOING TO TAKE PLACE AT 10:00 AM IT'S GONNA START AT THE ACRES HOME MULTI SERVICE CENTER, LOCATED AT 67 19 WEST MONTGOMERY. UM, IF YOU WANT MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT 8 3 2 6 1 9 20 57. AND LAST I WANNA RECOGNIZE, UM, WE LOST A PILLAR OF OUR COMMUNITY LAST WEEK. UM, MR. NET SMITH, UM, SHE PASSED AWAY. SHE IS THE DISTRICT MOTHER, AND SO WE WILL BE BURYING HER. HER SERVICE, HER HOMEGROWN SERVICE WILL BE THIS SATURDAY AT BETHANY BAPTIST CHURCH AT 11:00 AM AND THE ADDRESS IS 73 0 4 HOMESTEAD ROAD. UM, SHE WAS A FIERCE CHAMPION. I MEAN, FLOODING WAS HER, YOU KNOW, HER NUMBER ONE PRIORITY THAT SHE WORKED ON. AND SO SHE WOULD BE DEEPLY MISSED, UM, NOT JUST BY THE CONSTITUENTS, BUT EVEN BY OUR OFFICE BECAUSE SHE MADE SURE WE KNEW EXACTLY WHAT WAS GOING ON, UM, THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT. SO MY THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS GO OUT TO HER FAMILY, UM, AND, AND THE DISTRICT BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, SHE WAS THE MOTHER OF OUR DISTRICT, MR. NESS SMITH, WHICH SHE MAY, SHE REST IN PEACE AND HAPPY JUNETEENTH, EVERYONE. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.