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I AM EXCITED THIS MORNING BECAUSE WE ARE WITNESSING A PILOT PROJECT WITH THE GOAL OF COMPLETING THE PROCESS FOR RESIDENTIAL PERMIT IN 30 DAYS.
I HAVE JUST VISITED WITH THE DEPARTMENT.
I APPLAUD THEM FOR THEIR SERVICE TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON, AND I TOLD THEM THAT I WOULD BE BACK IN 30 DAYS FOR A CELEBRATION TO SHOW THAT THIS MODEL COULD BE CARRIED OUT THROUGHOUT THIS BUILDING INTO OTHER APPLICATIONS.
FOR YEARS, THIS SYSTEM HAS BEEN UNNECESSARILY COMPLICATED AS I'M EITHER ACTUALLY ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL.
IT WAS A HIGH CONCERN OF THE PUBLIC.
IT AFFECTS QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
IT AFFECTS AFFORDABILITY AND IT DEFINITELY IMPACTS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
I'VE HAD NUMEROUS HOME BUILDERS TELL ME IN MEETINGS THAT THEY WILL NOT WORK INSIDE THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
SUCCESSFUL HOME BUILDERS THAT ARE TRYING TO BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING SAID THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS IMPACTED BY THE PERMITTING PROCESS.
SO THROUGH THE LEADERSHIP THAT'S IN PLACE, AND I'VE SAID REPEATEDLY, I THINK THAT'S ONE OF MY MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS MAYOR IN 18 MONTHS.
IF YOU LOOK AT THESE DEPARTMENT HEADS, THEY ARE COMPASSIONATE, EXPERIENCED, COMPETENT, AND THEIR EMPLOYEES ARE ALSO APPRECIATED, AND THE MORALE HAS NEVER BEEN HIRED.
I WANT TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN.
THIS HAS BEEN A HIGH PRIORITY FOR HER SINCE SHE'S BEEN ON COUNCIL.
THROUGH HER HARD WORK AND MOTIVATION TO EVERYONE THAT WILL LISTEN TO HER.
WE REACH THIS POINT IN THE PROCESS.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A GREAT CITY WITH GREAT PEOPLE, BUT WE HAVE CHALLENGES LIKE ALL MAJOR CITIES, BUT WE'RE MEETING OUR CHALLENGES.
WE HEAR REGULARLY ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR FIRST RESPONDERS.
NORMALLY PEOPLE THINK WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FIRE AND POLICE, AND CERTAINLY WE DO SUPPORT OUR FIRE AND POLICE.
BUT SINCE I TOOK OFFICE, I'VE INCLUDED PUBLIC WORKS AS FIRST RESPONDERS, I COULD GO ON TO THE EMERGENCY CENTER.
WE JUST HAVE AN OUTSTANDING GROUP OF CITY EMPLOYEES.
THAT'S THE REASON WHEN WE LOOK AT THEIR BENEFIT PACKAGE, WE REMEMBER THEY PAY BILLS TOO.
THIS BUILDING I'M IN REALLY, REALLY MAKES THE CITY WORK ON A DAILY BASIS.
THE RANK AND FILE WILL BE BACK IN 30 DAYS.
THERE WILL BE, THERE WILL BE SOME SPEED BUMPS, THERE'LL BE SOME, SOME CHALLENGES, BUT WE'VE GOTTA TEAM IN PLACE THAT'S GONNA MONITOR THINGS.
CERTAINLY I WILL STAY ENGAGED BEFORE WE GO TO WORK.
I WANNA SPEAK TO THE LOSS OF LIVES IN KERRVILLE.
THE LOSS OF LIES OF HOUSTONIANS ARE 4,000.
AS WE GO ABOUT OUR WORK TODAY AND THE FOLLOWING DAYS, JUST REALIZE HOW BLESSED WE ARE THAT WE GOT UP WITH OUR FAMILIES THIS MORNING.
I SAID IT FRIDAY NIGHT AT THE FREEDOM OVER TEXAS.
GREAT CELEBRATION, SPECIAL EVENTS DIRECTOR.
RICARDO DID AN OUTSTANDING JOB.
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BUT IT WAS WITH MIXED EMOTIONS THAT I SAT THERE AS A MAYOR OF HOUSTON, WATCHING FAMILIES ENJOY THE CELEBRATION OF OUR INDEPENDENCE, KNOWING THAT THERE WERE FAMILIES, TEXANS, HOUSTONIANS, AND GREAT DESPAIR BECAUSE THEIR CHILDREN WERE MISSING.SO WE'RE VERY BLESSED TO BE HERE.
WE HAVE WORK TO DO CHALLENGES.
WE'RE DEFINITELY KEEPING OUR EYE ON WEATHER REPORTS.
WE'VE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE THUS FAR, BUT WE HAVE TO BE DILIGENT, BE PREPARED, THE EMERGENCY CENTER, OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, INCLUDING PUBLIC WORKS, PREPARED FOR THE WORST AND HOPING FOR THE BEST.
SO TODAY'S PROJECT IS A NEW BEGINNING.
PERMITTING WILL MAKE ALL THE PLAYERS, STAKEHOLDERS I MENTIONED EARLIER, ABLE TO DO THEIR JOB BETTER.
COUNCILMAN ALCORN, I'LL BE GLAD TO RECOGNIZE YOU AS HOW YOU'VE MADE THIS DAY BECOME POSSIBLE, BECAUSE I HAVE MET AND LISTENED TO YOU AS A CANDIDATE AND CERTAINLY AS AN OUTSTANDING CHAIRMAN OF FINANCE OF CITY COUNCIL.
AND THIS IS A GREAT DAY, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN SAYING LET'S GET IT DONE IN 30 DAYS.
WE'VE DONE A TON OF STUFF ON PERMITTING IN OUR OFFICE AND WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE CHRIS BUTLER, WHO WORKED SO HARD OVER HERE TOO ON WITH ME ON SO MANY THINGS.
RUDY, RANDY, YOU GUYS ARE ON IT.
UM, WE'VE BEEN JUST TRYING INCREMENTALLY TO MAKE PRO PROGRESS IN, IN STREAMLINING PROCESSES AND MAKING THAT TIMEFRAME SHORTER.
IT SAVES MONEY, IT MAKES PLACES MORE AFFORDABLE, IT MAKES PEOPLE WANNA BUILD IN THE CITY.
AND AFTER ALL, IT BRINGS MORE MONEY TO THE CITY.
WE GET THE SALES TAX REVENUE WHEN PEOPLE OPEN UP THEIR RETAIL STORES.
WE GET PROPERTY TAX REVENUES WHEN PEOPLE MOVE IN.
SO THIS IS AN ALL AROUND GREAT THINGS.
I'M GLAD WE'RE STARTING IN RESIDENTIAL.
WE PROVED THIS CONCEPT AND THEN I HOPE WE CAN MOVE IT TO SOME COMMERCIAL.
UM, WE HEAR COMPLAINTS CONTINUOUSLY AS, AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE'VE MADE A LOT OF INCREMENTAL STEPS TO GET TO THIS POINT.
BUT THANK YOU MAYOR FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, FOR JUST TELLING, GIVING THE DIRECTION, LET'S GET IT DONE IN 30 DAYS AND GIVING PEOPLE LIKE A GOAL.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT WAS REALLY MISSING.
AND, AND WHILE I'M LISTENING TO COUNCILMAN ALCORN, I'M REMINDED IT'S AMAZING WHAT YOU GET DONE IF YOU DON'T WORRY ABOUT WHO'S GETTING CREDIT FOR IT.
THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT GET CREDIT FOR THIS DAY, STARTING WITH COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN.
SO IT ALSO SHOWS WHAT TEAMWORK CAN DO.
YOU KNOW, IN MY OFFICE, EVERYONE, AND WHEN YOU WALK THE HALLS, I WAS BACK IN THE FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE, POLICE DEPARTMENT, PLUMBING, EVEN WRECKERS PERMITTING.
WE'RE ALL A TEAM UNDER MY ADMINISTRATION.
SO THANK Y'ALL FOR BEING HERE.
I ASK YOU TO DO YOUR JOB TO LET HOUSTONIANS KNOW WE'RE ADDRESSING QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES.
OUR GOAL, ONCE ACCOMPLISHED, WILL THEN BE TAKEN TO OTHER DEPARTMENTS IN PERMITTING.
WITH THAT SAID, ANYONE ELSE WOULD LIKE RUDY? THANK YOU VAUGHN.
RANDY, MARLENE, YOUR EXPERIENCE, EXPERIENCE IS SO VALUABLE.
UH, YOU WANNA SPEAK FOR DEPARTMENT HEADS, YOU ARE THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR.
NO, I, I JUST, UH, I CAN'T ECHO ENOUGH.
EVERYTHING THAT THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN HAVE SAID HERE ABOUT HOW EXCITED WE ARE TO KICK THIS OFF.
THIS WILL SERVE AS THE MODEL FOR US ACROSS ALL OTHER DISCIPLINES MOVING FORWARD.
BUT YOU GOTTA START SOMEWHERE.
AND THERE'S NO MORE IMPORTANT PLACE TO START HERE IN THE CITY THAN IN, IN RESIDENTIAL.
SO WE'RE VERY, VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
AS THE MAYOR SAID, WE'RE GONNA LEARN A LOT OF LESSONS ALONG THE WAY.
THOSE LESSONS ARE GONNA EMPOWER US TO BE EVEN BETTER AS WE CONTINUE TO ROLL IT OUT LATER ON.
UH, 30 DAYS IS SOMETHING THAT WHEN WE FIRST STARTED TALKING ABOUT THIS PUBLICLY, MAYOR, SOME, SOME FOLKS ACTUALLY LAUGHED AT US.
THEY SAID IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE.
SOME, SOME PEOPLE CALLED IT A TEASE.
I HAD AN ENGINEER TELL ME TO STOP TELLING PEOPLE WE WOULD DO IT IN 30 DAYS, ACTUALLY, 'CAUSE IT COULDN'T BE DONE.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THIS BECAUSE WE KNOW IT CAN BE DONE, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE'RE SO GRATEFUL FOR OUR TEAM MEMBERS THAT ARE HERE.
NOT JUST THE FOLKS STANDING UP HERE RIGHT NOW, BUT THOSE THAT ARE THROUGHOUT THIS BUILDING.
AND UPSTAIRS, WE SPENT SOME TIME WITH THEM THIS MORNING, UH, TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR SERVICE BECAUSE IT'S GONNA BE A HUGE SERVICE
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TO GET THIS DONE.AND SO FOR THAT, MAYOR, I THANK YOU FOR YOUR VISION.
I THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND FOR PROVIDING US ALL THE TOOLS NECESSARY TO GET THIS DONE.
BILL, IF YOU COULD TELL US HOW THE CITY IS HELPING WITH YOUR EFFORTS.
WE'RE IN CONSTANT CONTACT WITH THE STATE EMERGENCY CENTER.
WE HAVE, UH, HOUSTON FIRE, UH, ON THE SCENE.
IN FACT, LAST NIGHT WE SENT ADDITIONAL RESOURCES.
UH, LARGELY WE WERE ADVISED THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS PRETTY MUCH TAKEN OVER THE RESCUE WITH THE COAST GUARD, THE NATIONAL GUARD, AND OTHER, UH, AGENCIES.
BUT CERTAINLY WE'RE A PHONE CALL AWAY AND WE'RE IN CONSTANT TOUCH WITH NIM KIDD, FREE FREEMAN MARTIN, A DIRECTOR OF DPS.
SO THEY KNOW ALL OF HOUSTON'S FIRST RESPONDERS ARE AVAILABLE, CERTAINLY OUR DIVE TEAMS. AND, UH, THERE'S A LIST OF, OF RESOURCES, BUT CHIEF MUNOZ, CHIEF DIAZ, RON MASON, ALL THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT IN CONSTANT TOUCH.
CAN YOU ENATE THOSE RESOURCES? LIKE HOW MANY FIRE TRUCKS, HOW MANY MONTHS? YEAH, IT, IT'S, IT IS CHANGING.
UH, I'LL GIVE, WHEN WE GET THROUGH HERE, I'LL GET YOU A COUNT, BUT AS OF LAST NIGHT, I KNOW CHIEF MUNOZ WAS SENDING ADDITIONAL, UH, RESOURCES.
UH, WE TRYING TO OBVIOUSLY IT, YOU CAN IMAGINE THE, THE CHAOS AND THEY'RE TRYING TO DO IT.
AND IT'S AN ORGANIZATION STARTING AT THE TOP IN, IN AUSTIN.
OF COURSE, YOU HAVE SEEN THE PRESIDENTS OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
UM, SO WE'LL GET YOU, I DON'T WANT TO NOT GIVE YOU A CURRENT NUMBER, BUT, UH, AS OF LATE LAST NIGHT, HPD WAS ASKED JUST TO BE ON STANDBY BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT THEY HAD ADEQUATE, UH, RESOURCES FROM FIRST RESPONDERS.
IT'S, IT'S THE TIME THAT WE NEED, BUT TIME IS RUNNING SHORT, AS WE ALL KNOW.
IT'S, IT'S A VERY STRESSFUL, IN FACT, HELL, THEY WERE WARNED ABOUT MORE FLOODS TODAY.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S PROBABLY AS BAD A TRAGEDY AS I'VE SEEN IN MY 50 PLUS YEARS OF, OF PUBLIC SERVICE.
UH, IT'S A TIME FOR EVERYONE TO COME TOGETHER.
YOU KNOW, PARTISANSHIP WHERE YOU LIVE, YOUR ETHNICITY, ANY THING THAT PEOPLE USE TO DIVIDE US NEEDS TO BE CONDEMNED.
WE ARE HOUSTONIANS, WE'RE TEXANS, WE'RE HUMAN BEINGS AND WE'RE PARENTS.
AS I SAID, I I WAS REALLY STRUGGLING FRIDAY NIGHT.
MY DAUGHTER WAS DROPPING OFF THE 11 YEAR OLDEST GRANDSON YESTERDAY AT A EAST TEXAS CAMP.
I'M LIVING AND WATCHING THE ANXIETY OF FAMILIES, BUT MY FAMILY IS VERY BLESSED AS MOST OF US ARE.
BUT AS MAYOR OF HOUSTON, I WANT EVERYBODY TO, TO RECOGNIZE THAT IT'S TIME TO HUG ONE ANOTHER.
BE AND DON'T LET ANYBODY ANYBODY DIVIDE US AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
SHOULDN'T EVER BUT LORD, NOT DURING THESE DAYS OF SUFFERING BY SO MANY FAMILIES.
AND SO THE NEXT FEW DAYS WE'LL BE MONITORING THINGS VERY CAREFULLY.
CERTAINLY ANY RESOURCES THAT THE TRAGEDY AND A CRISIS NEEDS OUT OF HOUSTON, WE STAND READY TO SERVE.
AND I'LL BE TALKING TO COUNCIL AND MY TEAM TO SEE ARE THERE OTHER STEPS WE CAN TAKE TO ASSIST THE FAMILIES THAT HAVE LOST SO MUCH.
BUT RIGHT NOW, I THINK WORDS MATTER.
UNLESS LET'S, UH, LET'S BE UNITED ON ON THIS SUFFERING WITH OTHER FAMILIES.