[Press Conference: "City of Houston and HUD Disaster Recovery Announcement" on June 24, 2025. ]
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I'M THE CHIEF RECOVERY AND RESILIENCE OFFICER FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND I HAVE A BIG JOB TO DO RIGHT IN THIS MOMENT, AND THAT IS TO HARNESS MY EXCITEMENT AND, UH, TELL YOU WHAT WE'RE ABOUT HERE, ABOUT TO DO HERE TODAY.
WE'RE ABOUT TO TAKE A HUGE STEP FORWARD IN MAKING HOUSTON MORE RESILIENT.
WELCOME TO OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS, TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD MEMBERS, TO OUR NONPROFIT LEADERS, AND ESPECIALLY TO MY COLLEAGUES FROM THE CITY HERE WITH US.
AND A REALLY, REALLY WARM AND SPECIAL WELCOME TO MR. SECRETARY SCOTT TURNER, US HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT SECRETARY.
SO WE NOW, HE IS A FELLOW TEXAN AND FROM DALLAS, BUT FOR TODAY, HE'S A HOUSTONIAN IN EVERY WAY.
SO WE DIDN'T HAVE TO EXPLAIN HEAT TO THE SECRETARY AND HIS TEAM.
SO HOUSTON, HOUSTON IS AN ESSENTIAL CITY.
IT'S PORT OUR MEDICAL CENTER, OUR ENERGY PRODUCTION.
WE ARE ESSENTIAL TO THE REGION.
WE FUEL THE COUNTRY, WE POWER THE WORLD.
AND IT'S FOR THAT REASON THAT WE MUST GUARANTEE THAT WE CAN FUNCTION, COME HELL, WIND, OR HIGH WATER.
'CAUSE WE KNOW WE'LL GET ALL THREE.
AM I RIGHT? PASTOR PASTOR DAVIS GAVE ME AN AMEN.
SO WHY I CAME TO WORK WITH THIS ADMINISTRATION BEARS A MOMENT HERE.
THE THINGS THAT I KNEW I COULD COUNT ON.
MAYOR WHIT, MY FOR WAIT, MAYOR WHI MY FOR.
AND ONE OF THEM WAS COMPLETE TRANSPARENCY.
THIS IS A MAN WILLING TO TALK ABOUT OUR PROBLEMS, HONESTLY, WALK RIGHT INTO HIM.
AND THE SECOND THING IS TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR ADDRESSING THEM.
SO THAT MADE THIS A THRILLING CHALLENGE WHEN HE SAID TO ME, ANGELA, SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE ABOUT GENERATORS AND POWER PROTECTION.
WE NEED CRITICAL CITY ASSETS TO BE FUNCTIONAL.
AND I WAS HAPPY TO TAKE THAT PROJECT ON BECAUSE I'VE DEVOTED MY LIFE TO MAKING THIS CITY WORK FOR EVERYONE.
AND THAT MEANS EVERYONE IN ALL CONDITIONS.
SO IT'S REALLY A GREAT PLEASURE FOR ME TO INTRODUCE THE MAYOR WHOM YOU ALREADY KNOW SO THAT HE CAN TELL YOU MORE ABOUT WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY AND THE PROGRESS WE'RE MAKING THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATION ON RESILIENCE.
THANK YOU, ANGELA, MR. SECRETARY, AND SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE THAT ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE DAILY.
AND NOT ONLY HOUSTON'S QUALITY OF LIFE, BUT OUR REGION.
AND THAT'S THE REASON I'M EXCITED TO BE HERE.
IT'S A SPECIAL DAY FOR HOUSTON AND OUR REGION.
AND QUITE FRANKLY, WE ALL KNOW AS HOUSTON GOES, IS HOW THE STATE OF TEXAS GOES.
I WISH I COULD NAME ALL THE, I'M LOOKING OUT, I WISH Y'ALL WERE STANDING IN MY SHOES TO SEE THE PEOPLE THAT GO TO WORK EACH AND EVERY DAY.
THESE FIRST RESPONDERS, OFTEN WE DON'T KNOW THEIR NAMES, BUT WE KNOW WHY WE'RE SLEEPING.
AND WHAT BRINGS US HERE TODAY IS THE COLLABORATION THAT I'VE TALKED ABOUT DURING THE CAMPAIGN.
WE ALL KNOW HOUSTON IS A GREAT CITY WITH GREAT PEOPLE, BUT LIKE ALL MAJOR CITIES, MR. SECRETARY, WE HAVE CHALLENGES.
AND THE DIFFERENCE IS HOUSTON IS MEETING ITS CHALLENGES.
AND FROM DAY ONE I SAID, WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO FIX OUR CHALLENGES BY OURSELVES.
IT'S GONNA TAKE COLLABORATION, IT'S GONNA TAKE THE FAITH COMMUNITY, THE NON-PROFIT COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
WE ARE DEFINITELY ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.
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ME JUST PAUSE AND TALK TO EACH ONE OF YOU.I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT EVERYONE THAT CAN HEAR MY VOICE, WHETHER YOU'RE EVER ON THE BALLOT OR NOT, IS A PUBLIC SERVANT.
AND I TRULY BELIEVE SOMEDAY WE'RE GONNA BE JUDGED.
WHAT DID YOU DO WITH YOUR PUBLIC SERVICE? SO LET ME URGE ALL OF US TO CONTINUE TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY AND COLLABORATION.
MR. SECRETARY, WE'RE MAKING A STATEMENT TODAY.
DON'T COMPARE US TO OTHER LARGE CITIES THAT HAVE NOT DEALT EFFECTIVELY WITH THEIR HOMELESS CHALLENGES.
PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS HAVE DONE A FINE JOB HELPING PEOPLE GET ONE WAY HOME, BUT THEY ALSO, PART OF THAT PLAN ALLOWED PEOPLE TO LIVE ON THE STREETS.
IT'S NOT FAIR TO THE HOMELESS VICTIMS NOR THE CITIZENS.
WE ARE COMMITTED TO PUT THE HOMELESS IN SHELTERS, PROVIDE FOR 'EM, DEAL WITH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM THAT HAS NO REAL REENTRY PROGRAM.
I'VE RAISED HELL ABOUT IT MY ENTIRE LEGISLATIVE CAREER.
YOU CAN'T RELEASE PEOPLE FROM PRISON OR THE HARRIS COUNTY JAIL TO THE STREETS OF HOUSTON.
BUT LET ME SAY TODAY WE'RE ADDRESSING TWO MAJOR CONCERNS.
THE HOMELESS, AS I'VE MENTIONED.
AND THEN DURING BARREL AND DERECHO, WE DISCOVERED WHAT WE INHERITED WAS A GREAT CITY, BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE THE RESILIENCY.
WE DIDN'T HAVE THE RECOVERY IN PLACE.
YOU CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE AT THE EMERGENCY CENTER.
AND YOUR FIRE CHIEF SAYS, WE'VE GOT 10 FIRE STATIONS OUT OF OPERATION BECAUSE WE'VE LOST POWER.
AND WE ALL KNOW WHAT HOUSTONIANS IN OUR REGION WENT THROUGH A WEEK WITHOUT POWER.
AND YOU TALK TO HOUSTONIANS, WHAT WAS YOUR WORST EXPERIENCE DURING THE STORMS WAS NO POWER.
WE WERE REFERRING PEOPLE TO THIS GREAT CENTER WEST GRADE THAT SERVES A DISABLED COMMUNITY.
GREAT CITIES DO NOT HAVE A BACKUP SYSTEM.
ANGELA BLANCHARD HAS A LONG RECORD OF PUBLIC SERVICE, WORKED WITH BILL WHITE IN KATRINA RECOVERY.
SHE LEFT RETIREMENT TO SERVE IN RECOVERY AND RESILIENCY.
SHE'S HAD MEETINGS, SOME RIGHT HERE TO SEE WHAT THE COMMUNITY NEEDS IN TERMS OF RECOVERY.
SO WE'VE SET OUT AND IDENTIFIED OVER A HUNDRED STRATEGIC LOCATIONS.
CITY SERVICES, THE HUB AT CASHMERE THAT EVERYBODY TALKED ABOUT WAS A GREAT CONCEPT.
ALL OF OUR MULTI SERVICES POLICE STATIONS, FIRE STATION LIBRARIES UNDER THIS PLAN, AND THANKS TO HUD, WE'RE GONNA PUT BACKUP GENERATORS.
SO IT'S NOT ABOUT ME TODAY, IT'S NOT ABOUT ANY ONE OF US.
BOB BULLOCK TAUGHT US AS A STATE SENATOR.
IT'S AMAZING, MR. SECRETARY, WHAT YOU CAN GET DONE IF YOU DON'T WORRY ABOUT WHO GETS THE CREDIT.
CITY OF HOUSTON WANTS TO BE YOUR PARTNER.
WE'RE EXCITED WITH THE COLLABORATION THAT WE'RE PRESENTING TODAY.
YOU AND I SERVED AS PUBLIC SERVANTS IN THE LEGISLATURE.
I WISH I'D HAVE SPENT MORE TIME WITH YOU IF I'D HAVE KNOWN I WAS, YOU WERE GONNA BE THE HUDSON SECRETARY AND I KNEW I WAS GONNA BE THE MAYOR I'D, I'D HAVE BEEN A HELL OF A LOT NICER TO YOU.
BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS THE LORD BROUGHT US TOGETHER.
AND TOGETHER WE'RE GONNA MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE FOR THIS GREAT CITY AND THIS COMMITTEE.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE HELP ME WELCOME THE SECRETARY OF HUD THAT I'M SO ANXIOUS TO LISTEN TO.
YOU COULD BE NICE TO ME NOW,
NO, IT'S UH, IT'S A GREAT PRIVILEGE TO BE HERE.
THANK YOU MAYOR, AND THANK YOU ANGELA.
YOU KNOW, I AM FROM DALLAS, BUT I'M A TEXAN.
AND SO THAT MEANS I LOVE ALL OF TEXAS AND THAT MEANS HOUSTON.
AND, UH, I BRAG ABOUT BEING FROM TEXAS.
AND SO I AM TEXAS NO MATTER WHAT CITY I COME TO.
AND SO I'M REALLY PROUD, UH, TO BE HERE AT MAYOR.
THANK YOU FOR YOU AND YOUR TEAM.
UH, MYSELF AND OUR TEAM AT HUD HAVE BEEN REALLY BLESSED TO WORK WITH YOU HERE.
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PROVERBS SAYS THAT THE RIGHTEOUS FALL SEVEN TIMES AND RISES AGAIN.AND I THINK THAT VERSE WHEN I SEE IT, EXEMPLIFIES THE STRENGTH OF THE PEOPLE OF HOUSTON.
THE RIGHTEOUS FALL SEVEN TIMES, BUT RISES AGAIN.
HOW ABOUT YOU? I FAILED THE VERY FIRST TIME.
I BACKPEDALED AS A DEFENSIVE BACK.
AND I'M GONNA GET OFF MY SCRIPT FOR A MINUTE,
BUT WHEN I WAS IN COLLEGE, I PLAYED RUNNING BACK MY ENTIRE LIFE AND MY SENIOR YEAR IN COLLEGE, THEY SWITCHED ME FROM OFFENSE TO DEFENSE.
HOW MANY KNOW I WAS UNCOMFORTABLE? BUT WHEN I, WHEN I BACKPEDALED, THE VERY FIRST TIME I FELL DOWN IN FRONT OF A WHOLE STADIUM OF PEOPLE, NOT ONLY WAS IT HUMILIATING AND EMBARRASSING, BUT I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO STAY DOWN.
BUT BY GOD'S GRACE, I CHOSE TO GET BACK UP.
AND I'M STANDING BEFORE YOU TODAY, AND I BELIEVE THAT'S HOUSTON.
YOU KNOW, YOU FOLLOW IT MANY TIMES.
IT TAKES A LOT OF STRENGTH TO SURVIVE NATURAL DISASTER, STORMS, FLOODS, HURRICANES CAN BE SOUL CRUSHING EXPERIENCES TO SEE YOUR HOMES DESTROYED, YOUR BUSINESSES DESTROYED.
STREETS CHOKED BY DEBRIS, WHICH WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER TODAY.
TO SEE THE PAIN PROLONGED AFTER THE STORM.
UH, AS YOU'RE STRUCK WITHOUT ELECTRICITY, AS ANGELA, UH, SO ELOQUENTLY TALKED ABOUT PEOPLE, MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WITHOUT POWER, DRINKING WATER AND OTHER NECESSITIES, IT COULD BE DEBILITATING, IT CAN BE CRIPPLING.
AND MOST RECENTLY, HOUSTONIANS SUFFERED THROUGH THE DAMAGE CAUSED BY HURRICANE BURROW AND OF MAY IN 1924, UH, AND THE RETRO.
BUT IT'S UPLIFTING TO SEE HOW YOU AS HOUSTONIANS AND THE GREAT PEOPLE OF TEXAS HAVE MADE IT THROUGH THESE TWIN CALAMITIES BACK TO BACK WITH DIGNITY AND RESILIENCE.
AND I WANNA SAY RIGHT HERE, THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, THOSE THAT ARE STANDING BEHIND US, AND THOSE WHO LAID THEIR LIFE DOWN, UH, DURING THESE TWO STORMS. I REALLY THANK GOD FOR YOU AND WHAT YOU DO AND THE SACRIFICE THAT YOU DO MAKE.
AND IT'S THIS RESILIENCE THAT WE AT HUD THAT WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE AND THAT WE WANNA BOLSTER AND THAT WE WANT TO EMPHASIZE AND UPLIFT, IF YOU WILL.
AND THAT'S WHY WE'VE ALLOCATED $314 MILLION TO HOUSTON THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT DISASTER RECOVERY PROGRAM TO HELP YOU IN THIS RECOVERY.
AND ONE THING THAT I AM ASSURED OF AND HAVE BEEN ASSURED OF AGAIN THIS MORNING, THAT STEWARDSHIP IS IMPORTANT.
APPROPRIATE STEWARDSHIP WITH TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND INTEGRITY IS ONE THING TO GIVE MONEY, BUT IT'S ANOTHER THING TO STEWARD WELL OVER THE MONEY THAT YOU HAVE.
AND I HAVE BEEN GIVEN AS PROPER STEWARDS THAT GOD HAS CALLED US TO FOR SUCH A TIME.
SO MAYOR ANGELA, THE TEAM AT HOUSTON, THANK YOU IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE FOR YOUR STEWARDSHIP OF THESE DOLLARS THAT WILL GO TO THE PEOPLE THAT NEED IT TO MOST AND TO APPROPRIATELY AND PROPERLY REBUILD THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND THE LIVES OF THOSE WHO LIVE HERE.
RECOVERY OR RECOVER THAT WORD RECOVER.
IT LITERALLY MEANS TO TAKE OR TO GET SOMETHING BACK AGAIN.
TO TAKE OR TO GET SOMETHING BACK AGAIN.
IT'S LIKE WHEN THE RECEIVER FUMBLES AND OUR RECOVERY
I'M, I'M TAKING IT BACK FOR MY TEAM.
BUT ANYWAY, UH, THAT'S WHAT RECOVERY MEANS.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE CORE MISSIONS THAT WE HAVE AT HUD.
WE DON'T JUST HANDLE HOUSING, WE ALSO DELIVER VITAL DISASTER RELIEF SO THAT AMERICANS CAN GET THEIR LIVES BACK AGAIN AFTER SURVIVING CATASTROPHES.
WE DON'T JUST HANDLE HOUSING, BUT WE DELIVER VITAL DISASTER RELIEF.
HUD IS JUST MORE THAN HOUSING.
IT'S DELIVERING RESOURCES AND RELIEF FOR THOSE WHO HAVE GONE THROUGH, UH, NATURAL DISASTERS AND CATASTROPHES.
HOW THAT IS WELL POSITIONED TO GET YOU THE FUNDS THAT YOU NEED AS YOU KNOW.
BUT WE REALIZE THAT YOU'RE STILL THE ONES WHO KNOW BEST HOW TO USE THE FUNDS.
HOW MANY KNOW THAT GOVERNMENT DOESN'T NEED TO BE HEAVY HANDED? GOVERNMENT DOESN'T NEED TO BE THE ONE TO TELL YOU WHAT TO DO.
YOU KNOW YOUR NEEDS UNIQUELY WHAT YOU HAVE HERE IN THE CITY.
THAT'S WHY MS. ANGELA CAME BACK.
'CAUSE SHE KNOWS THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF THE CITY.
SHE'S BEEN SERVING FOR DECADES.
AND THE MANY IN THIS ROOM UNDERSTAND WHAT THE NEEDS ARE IN THIS CITY.
AND SO WHILE WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO ADMINISTER THE FUNDS, YOU UNDERSTAND WHERE THE FUNDS
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NEED TO GO.AND SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO COLLABORATING WITH YOU TO MAKE SURE THOSE FUNDS ARE USUAL.
YOU'RE THE ONES ON THE GROUND.
YOU'RE THE ONES THAT HAVE LIVED THROUGH THE DESTRUCTION.
YOU KNOW BEST, HOW TO REBUILD YOUR CITY.
YOU KNOW YOUR PEOPLE, YOU KNOW YOUR NEEDS BETTER THAN ANY BUREAUCRAT.
A HUNDRED, A THOUSAND MILES AWAY IN DC EVER COULD KNOW YOUR CITY.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT AND I BELIEVE IN THAT AND I SUPPORT YOU.
WE'RE GREAT FACILITATORS AT HUD.
WE'RE GREAT CONVENERS AT HUD, BUT THE REAL WORK IS BEING DONE HERE ON THE GROUND.
SO I'M EXCITED TO SEE WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN THE DAYS AHEAD AS WE SUPPORT YOU AND UPLIFT YOU AND BOLSTER YOU IN YOUR EFFORTS.
WE WANT TO EMPOWER COMMUNITIES TO FIND AND TO ENACT SOLUTIONS THAT THEY KNOW ARE BEST FOR THE COMMUNITY ITSELF.
HOUSTON, IN YOUR CASE, YOU'VE IDENTIFIED HOW ESSENTIAL IT IS TO HARDEN PERMANENT POWER RESILIENCE INFRASTRUCTURE TO BE READY FOR THE NEXT TIME.
HOW MANY KNOW THE NEXT TIME IT WILL COME, WE DON'T KNOW WHEN IT'S GOING TO COME.
BUT INDEED, WE WILL BE PREPARED WHENEVER THAT MIGHT BE.
FUNDS THAT HUD HAS ALLOCATED TO HOUSTON CAN BE USED FOR RESILIENCY SO THAT YOU'RE BETTER PREPARED.
HAVING MANY TO KNOW IT'S GOOD TO BE WELL PREPARED.
PERFECT PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT PERFORMANCE.
THERE'S SOMETHING TO NOT TAKING THINGS FOR GRANTED AND LEARNING FROM OUR PRIOR MISTAKES.
WE'VE ALL WISHED THAT WE WOULD'VE DONE SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
BUT AS WE STAND HERE, THIS IS THE APPOINTED TIME SO THAT WE'RE BETTER PREPARED FOR WHAT WILL COME IN THE DAYS AHEAD.
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO RECEIVING THE PLAN THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS WORKING ON AND THAT WE ARE DISCUSSING HERE TODAY.
I'D LIKE TO CLOSE BY OFFERING ANOTHER VERSE OF SCRIPTURE AS ENCOURAGEMENT TO THOSE THAT ARE HERE AND THOSE THAT ARE LISTENING, BE IT ONLINE OR IN PERSON.
IT COMES FROM THE BOOK OF PSALMS. MANY ARE THE AFFLICTIONS OF THE RIGHTEOUS.
BUT THE LORD DELIVERS HIM OUT OF THEM ALL.
MANY ARE THE AFFLICTIONS OF THOSE IN RIGHT STANDING BEFORE THE LORD, BUT GOD DELIVERS THEM OUT OF THEM.
ALL YOU HOUSTONIANS HAVE UNDERGONE HARD AFFLICTION.
IT'S NOT LOST ON THE PEOPLE OF OUR TEAM AT HUD.
IT'S NOT LOST ON THE PEOPLE OF AMERICA.
IT'S NOT LOST ON OUR, ON OUR PRESIDENT.
YOU HAVE UNDERGONE HARD AFFLICTION AND THESE SORTS OF EXPERIENCES ARE VERY DIFFICULT, IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE AT TIMES TO FULLY GET USED TO.
YOU DON'T GET USED TO AFFLICTION, YOU DON'T GET USED TO DISASTER.
BUT THROUGH WORKING TOGETHER AND COOPERATING WITH EACH OTHER, I HAVE FULL CONFIDENCE THAT YOU WILL FULLY RECOVER AND SET UP STRONGER DEFENSES TO BE READY FOR IN THE FUTURE AND TO BETTER PROTECT YOUR COMMUNITY, OUR COMMUNITY.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, WE WANNA WORK WITH YOU TO PROTECT YOUR COMMUNITY AND TO BETTER PREPARE YOUR COMMUNITY FOR THE DAYS AHEAD.
AND I WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU AS I TAKE MY SEAT, DON'T BE DISMAYED.
DON'T LET THE STORMS AND NATURAL DISASTERS TAKE YOUR JOY BECAUSE THE JOY OF THE LORD IS YOUR STRENGTH.
AND AS YOU WORK TOGETHER, UH, I BELIEVE THAT GREATER DAYS ARE AHEAD AND THE MAYOR'S DOING A TREMENDOUS JOB ALONG WITH ANGELA AND HIS TEAM.
AND Y'ALL, ONE THING ABOUT HOUSING, ONE THING ABOUT POVERTY, ONE THING ABOUT DISASTER IS THAT IT IMPACTS ALL OF US ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY.
SO YOU HAVE MY WORD, MYSELF AND MY TEAM THAT WE'RE COMMITTED ONE TO DO WHAT WE'VE BEEN CALLED TO DO.
ONE THING ABOUT HUD RIGHT NOW, WE UNDERSTAND OUR MISSION.
WE UNDERSTAND AND EVERY DAY WE'RE MISSION MINDED.
WE UNDERSTAND THE PEOPLE THAT WE'VE BEEN CALLED TO SERVE AND WE UNDERSTAND HOW WE'RE GONNA GET IT DONE, BUT WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO DO IT ALONE.
WE NEED TO FIND MEN AND WOMEN LIKE YOURSELVES AND PEOPLE AROUND OUR COUNTRY TO FULFILL THIS MISSION.
BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT EVERY AMERICAN, UH, HAS THE ABILITY TO FULFILL THEIR GOD-GIVEN POTENTIAL.
AND WE WANNA BE A PART OF THAT.
SO WHAT YOU'RE SEEING HERE TODAY IS A COLLECTION OF PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE AND UP BEHIND ME AND HERE, UH, WHO DEEPLY LOVE THE RESIDENTS OF THIS CITY, WHO DEEPLY CARE
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ABOUT YOUR WELLBEING AND WHO WANNA SEE IN THE FUTURE THE GENEROSITY THAT WE KNOW EXIST IN HOUSTON, HARNESSED IN PLACES OF REFUGE.THE GENERATORS ARE NOT ABOUT GENERATORS, ALTHOUGH I'VE NEVER, I NEVER THOUGHT I'D FIND A GENERATOR SO SEXY.
WE WE'RE SO PLEASED THAT ONE OF THE CITY'S EXISTING VENDORS, ENCHANTED ROCK, WERE KIND ENOUGH TO BRING THEIR PRODUCT ON A TRAILER OUTSIDE SO THAT YOU COULD ALL SEE WHAT THE BIG FUSS IS ALL ABOUT.
THESE ARE NOT THE GENERATORS WE ROLL UP ON AT HOME DEPOT AND PUT ON OUR PICKUP TRUCK.
IT'S CONSIDERABLY MORE COMPLICATED THAN THAT.
AND WE BROUGHT SOME TO SHOW YOU TODAY, AND WE ALSO HAVE ENCHANTED ROCK REPRESENTATIVES HERE TO EXPLAIN THE TECHNICAL PARTS OF WHAT'S BEING PURCHASED FOR YOUR PROTECTION.
BECAUSE WE BELIEVE IN AND CARE ABOUT THE RESIDENTS OF THIS CITY.
I ALSO WANNA INTRODUCE NINA SS WHO HAS BEEN OUR TECHNICAL CONSULTANT ON THIS.
UH, I'M AN ELECTRICAL, I'M NOT AN ELECTRICAL ENGINEER.
AS ONE OF MY UNIVERSITY STUDENTS SAID, YOU'RE JUST A HUMANITARIAN.
SO FALLING SHORT ON THAT FRONT, WE SAW THE EXPERT IN NINA.
UH, SHE'S DONE POWER PROTECTION FOR THE LIKES OF AMAZON AND TESLA AND WAS WILLING TO COME AND HELP THE CITY OF HOUSTON DO THE SAME.
SO SHE'S HERE ALSO TO EXPLAIN THINGS LIKE SWITCHGEAR AND OTHER EXCITING ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING TOPICS LIKE THAT.
SO WE WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE DOING.
THE MAYOR MENTIONED OVER A HUNDRED SITES THAT WE NEED TO BRING POWER PROTECTION TO.
SO YOU CAN COUNT ON ESSENTIAL CITY SERVICES IN THIS ESSENTIAL CITY IN THIS COUNTRY.
SO, UM, IT'S NOW MY JOB TO REMIND ALL OF YOU THAT THERE WILL BE PHOTOS.
AND I KNOW THAT A LOT OF YOU WANNA TAKE PICTURES WITH OUR GUESTS.
UM, AND THEN TO REMIND YOU ALSO THAT, WE'LL MANY OF US ARE WE STAYING BEHIND TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PROJECT ITSELF, WHERE IT'S GOING, HOW WE'RE GOING TO DO IT, ALL THE COMMUNITY FOLKS THAT WE CONSULTED WITH ABOUT WHERE THEY NEEDED TO GO AND WHERE PLACES OF REFUGE WERE MORE, MOST IMPORTANT.
WE'LL BE, WE'LL BE HERE TO TALK WITH YOU ABOUT THAT.
BUT MR. SECRETARY AND MAY, MR. MAYOR ARE MOVING ON TO THE HARRIS CENTER AFTER PHOTOS WHERE THEY'RE GONNA SPEND MORE TIME ON TALKING ABOUT OUR NEIGHBORS WHO LIVE ON THE STREET AND HOW WE CAN MAKE A PLACE FOR THEM AND WELCOME THEM INTO COMMUNITY IN A SAFER AND MORE, UH, GIVE THEM A PLACE OF DIGNITY TO BECOME A PART OF OUR COMMUNITY.
SO, UM, PLEASE STAY BEHIND WITH YOUR QUESTIONS.
UM, MR. SECRETARY, MR. MAYOR, THANK YOU SO MUCH.