[Proposition A Committee on September 16, 2025.]
[00:00:21]
IT IS 2 0 2, AND I'D LIKE TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
AS OF RIGHT NOW, WE DON'T HAVE A QUORUM, SO WE CAN'T TAKE ACTION ON THIS ITEM TODAY, BUT WE WANNA HEAR ABOUT THIS ORDINANCE, AND MAYBE WE WILL GET SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS TRICKLING IN.
WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN HAS JOINED US, AND LET'S GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.
UH, I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON MM-HMM
TO KIND OF INTRODUCE US TO THIS ORDINANCE AND TELL US WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR.
AND THANK YOU ALL FOR, UM, ALLOWING ME TO PRESENT OR, UM, TO SHARE MY, UM, BACKGROUND ON THIS ORDINANCE.
UM, BUT BEFORE WE GET THE PUBLIC WORKS PRESENTATION, I'D LIKE TO GIVE A SHORT EXPLANATION ON WHY I BROUGHT THIS MEASURE FORWARD.
UM, IN MY DISTRICT, WHEN A COMMERCIAL BUILDING IS VACANT, IT BECOMES A MAG FOR ILLEGAL DUMPING, GRAFFITI, SQUATTING, DRUG BILLING.
AND I'VE SEEN IN OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS WHEN BUSINESS SHUT DOWN, THEIR FENCE SHUT DOWN AND FENCE THE PROPERTY OFF.
AND SO THIS, WHEN YOU, WHAT YOU WOULD HEAR DURING THIS PRESENTATION IS THE CHALLENGES THAT THIS ORDINANCE WILL BRING, UM, UH, WHAT THE CHALLENGES THAT, UM, PUBLIC WORKS WILL HAVE ON WITH THIS ORDINANCE.
I ALSO WANT US TO CONSIDER AS PUBLIC WORKS PRESENT, UM, THE CHALLENGES THAT OUR COMMUNITIES FACE WITH THESE BUILDINGS BEING OPEN.
UM, AND SO IN YOUR HANDS, YOU WILL SEE SOME PICTURES OF SOME BUILDINGS THAT'S IN DISTRICT B.
AND, UM, THESE ARE EXAMPLES OF VACANT PROPERTIES THAT HAS BECOME A HEADACHE FOR, UM, THE RESIDENTS WITHIN OUR DISTRICT.
AND WE'VE HAD TO CLEAN UP THE TIRES.
WE SPEND MILLIONS ON CLEANING UP.
AND SO, UM, WE DON'T HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS, BUT I THINK THIS IS A CRITICAL, IT'S IMPORTANT ORDINANCE FOR OUR COMMUNITIES, ESPECIALLY THE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE DEALING WITH THE ILLEGAL TIRE DUMPINGS AND JUST THIS TYPE OF BLIGHT IN, IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND SO, UM, JUST CONSIDER THAT AS WE TALK ABOUT THE CHALLENGES, EVERYTHING THAT WE COME IN CONTACT WITH OR WE TRY TO DO IS GONNA BE A CHALLENGE.
BUT HOW DO WE MOVE THIS FORWARD, UM, FOR THE RESIDENTS IN MY DISTRICT AND OTHER DISTRICTS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON THAT'S FACING THE SAME CHALLENGES? SO, THANK YOU.
JOINING US IS VICE MAYOR, PRO TEM PECK AND STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS'S OFFICE.
SO, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, WHO WOULD WE LIKE TO HEAR FROM? FIRST COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON.
UM, I THINK WE HAVE YOU HAN OF THE HOUSTON PERMITTING DEPARTMENT.
WELCOME, AND PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELVES.
I'M THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR WITHIN HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS.
I'M ACCOMPANIED TODAY BY CHRIS, MR. CHRISTOPHER SHANAHAN, THE INTERIM DEPUTY ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OVER C COMMUNITY CODE ENFORCEMENT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALLOWING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT AND SPEAK, UH, TO THE PROP A COMMITTEE CONCERNING THE PROPOSED VACANT BUILDING ORDINANCE.
I'M GONNA ASK THAT CHRISTOPHER SHANAHAN PR UH, DO THIS PRESENTATION, AND THEN WE WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.
WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND COMMITTEE COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING US TODAY.
UM, IF I CAN GET, UH, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
SO, AS AN OVERVIEW OF THIS PROPOSAL, IT REQUIRES THE PROPERTY OWNER TO FENCE THE PERIMETER OF THE PROPERTY WITHIN 10 DAYS OF THE, OF THE COMMERCIAL PROPERTY BECOMING VACANT.
SOME OF THE EXCEPTIONS IDENTIFIED THROUGH THE ORDINANCE DRAFTED ARE WHETHER THERE COULD BE AN ACTIVE PERMITTING, UH, WITH THE PROJECT TO, UH, PERHAPS REHABILITATE THE BUILDING OR MAKE MODIFICATIONS TO THE BUILDING, OR IF THERE'S A, A DETERMINATION MADE BY CODE ENFORCEMENT THAT THERE IS ACTIVE WORK UNDERWAY TO IMPROVE THE PROPERTY.
UM, OR I GUESS, UH, PERHAPS MAYBE THERE'S A VIABLE LEASE, A TENANT THAT WOULD BE MOVING INTO REMOVE THAT VACANT FACTOR FROM THE PROPERTY.
AND THEN THIRDLY, THERE'S, UH, WHETHER THERE'S CO, UH, COUNCIL OR MERRILL, UH, UNANIMOUS DETERMINATION TO, UH, UH, GRANT AN EXCEPTION OF FROM THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS ORDINANCE.
SO, PAST PRACTICES WITHIN BUILDING AND COMMUNITY CODE ENFORCEMENT,
[00:05:01]
THERE HAS NOT BEEN A FENCING REQUIREMENT FOR COM OR FOR VACANT COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS.UM, YOU KNOW, ROUTINELY WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, THE THOUSANDS OF BUILDINGS THAT WE HAVE, WHETHER COMMERCIAL AND OR RESIDENTIAL, UM, I DON'T THINK WE COULD ACTUALLY MEASURE HOW MANY BUILDINGS ARE ACTUALLY VACANT.
UM, BUT WE HAVE NOT HAD A, AN ORDINANCE OR PROCEDURE IN PLACE TO REQUIRE A, A VACANT PROPERTY OR VACANT COMMERCIAL PROPERTY TO, TO BE FENCED OFF.
AND SO, MOVING FORWARD, WE'LL LOOK AT SOME POTENTIAL ORDINANCE IMPACTS.
SO, SOME OF THE CHALLENGES, IF THE OWNER DOES NOT INSTALL A FENCE AROUND THE PROPERTY.
UM, SO ONE OF THE FIRST FACTORS TO DETERMINE IS THE VACANCY STATUS OF THE PROPERTY.
SO IDENTIFIED IN THE ORDINANCE, WE WOULD'VE TO ESTABLISH SEVEN NON-CONSECUTIVE DAYS WITHIN A 30 DAY PERIOD TO DETERMINE THAT THE BUILDING IS DEEMED VACANT.
UM, SO THAT THERE'S A CHALLENGE THAT COMES ALONG WITH THAT TO MEASURE THAT, RIGHT, AND THAT I'M LOOKING AT RECURRING SITE VISITS WITHIN THAT 30 DAY PERIOD, UH, WHICH IS A ALLOCATION OF MY STAFFING AND MY RESOURCES.
UM, AND THEN DOCUMENTATION OF VI WITH VIOLATION NOTICES.
SO WE WOULD HAVE TO ACTUALLY DETERMINE THAT THE PROPERTY IS VACANT WITHIN AT LEAST SEVEN DIFFERENT DAYS WITHIN THAT 30 DAY PERIOD, UH, AND FOLLOWED UP WITH APPROPRIATE DOCUMENTATION IN THE EVENT THAT WE NEEDED TO PRESENT THIS TO A, A HEARING OFFICIAL.
UH, THE, THE NEXT SECTION TALKS ABOUT PROPERTY PERIMETER.
SO MULTIPLE STRUCTURES ON THE SAME PROPERTY OR PARCEL.
UM, WE HAVE THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF HOUSTON, WE HAVE NUMEROUS PROPERTIES THAT HAVE MULTIPLE COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS ON THE SAME PIECE OF PROPERTY, THE SAME PARCEL.
AND I COULD USE FOR AN EXAMPLE, IN AN APARTMENT COMPLEX, YOU MAY HAVE 20 BUILDINGS ON THE SAME PARCEL.
THEY'RE ALL ADDRESSED TO THE SAME, UH, SAME PHYSICAL PARCEL ADDRESS IDENTIFIED BY DIFFERENT BUILDING NUMBERS.
UM, THE WAY THIS ORDINANCE IS, IS WRITTEN, UH, DESCRIBES FENCING OFF THE ENTIRE PERIMETER OF THE PROPERTY.
SO WHAT I COULD, YOU KNOW, AN EXAMPLE I CAN GIVE THERE IS, FOR INSTANCE, WE HAVE FIVE COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS ON ONE, ONE PARCEL.
FOUR OF THOSE BUILDINGS ARE OCCUPIED AND IN GOOD STATUS, AND WE HAVE ONE BUILDING PERHAPS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PROPERTY THAT HAS BECOME VACANT FOR SEVEN CONSECUTIVE OR SEVEN NON-CONSECUTIVE DAYS OUTTA THE THIRD DAY PERIOD.
BY DEFINITION, THIS WOULD BE REQUIRED FOR US TO FENCE OFF THAT PROPERTY.
UM, AND SO THEN YOU CAN SEE THAT IF, IF WE'RE FENCING OFF THE ENTIRE PROPERTY, NOW WE'RE RESTRICTING ACCESS TO THOSE OTHER OCCUPIED, UH, BUILDINGS ON, ON THE PREMISES.
SO I THINK IT, SOME OF THE VALUE WOULD BE TO ESTABLISH PROPERTY BOUNDARIES OR, UH, MAYBE CLARIFY THE LANGUAGE IN THE ORDINANCE AS TO A SPECIFIC BUILDING.
UM, ANOTHER CHALLENGE THAT THIS IS SOMETHING WE ROUTINELY DEAL WITH ON A DAILY BASIS WITHIN A COMMUNITY CODE ENFORCEMENT AND BUILDING CODE ENFORCEMENT IS, UH, THE CHALLENGE TO IDENTIFY THE OWNERS.
A LOT OF THESE BUILDINGS AND PROPERTIES ARE, UH, IN LLCS.
SO YOU'LL HAVE REGISTERED AGENTS THAT MAY BE NOT LOCAL TO THE AREA.
THEY COULD BE OUTTA STATE IN SOME INSTANCES, THEY'RE OUT OF THE COUNTRY.
UM, AND THEN, UH, TRACKING DOWN THOSE OWNERS TO MAKE OUR LEGAL NOTIFICATION TO ALLOW THAT DUE PROCESS TO SAY, THERE'S A PROBLEM.
WE NEED YOU TO, TO FIX THAT PROBLEM.
UM, IT CERTAINLY DOES POSE AN ISSUE, UH, FOR EXEMPTION GUIDELINES.
UH, NEED DOCUMENTED CRITERIA FOR EXEMPTIONS, UH, AND NEED A PROCESS FOR REQUESTING AN EXEMPTION.
AND AGAIN, UH, FURTHER COLLABORATION WITH THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT AS WE EXPLORE DIFFERENT ALTERNATIVES, UH, FOR EXEMPTIONS SPECIFICALLY LAID OUT WITHIN THE ORDINANCE.
UM, AND LASTLY, WE HAVE FENCING.
UH, WE WOULD HAVE TO IDENTIFY VENDOR SOURCING OR A VENDOR TO INSTALL FENCING.
RIGHT NOW, WITHIN COMMUNITY CODE ENFORCEMENT, WE DON'T HAVE A VENDOR OR VENDORS THAT WE ROUTINELY WOULD USE TO INSTALL FENCES AROUND A PROPERTY.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT SOME, UH, FUNDING IDENTIFICATION.
WHERE, WHERE'S THAT FUNDING GONNA COME FROM IN THE, IN THE EVENT THAT PUBLIC WORKS HAS TO INSTALL THAT FENCE AROUND THE PROPERTY, ASSUMING THAT WE DO NOT GET OWNER COMPLIANCE.
AND THEN THERE'S THE ONGOING FENCE MAINTENANCE.
SO, UM, IN THE EVENT THAT THE CITY PUBLIC WORKS HAS TO INSTALL A FENCE AROUND THE PROPERTY, UM, IF THE FENCE BECOMES CUT, FALLING OVER FROM A STORM OR MAYBE A VEHICLE DAMAGE TO IT, THEN IT'S BACK ON THE DEPARTMENT, BACK ON THE CITY TO MAKE SURE THAT FENCE IS MAINTAINED AND TO SECURE THE, THE, THAT PROPERTY, UM, WHICH AGAIN, IS ANOTHER,
[00:10:01]
UH, IT'S MORE RESOURCES, MORE STAFFING, MORE PERSONNEL.AND IT'S, AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE HOW THAT COULD EXPONENTIALLY GROW DEPENDING ON HOW MANY FENCES OR FENCED COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES WE HAD THAT THE CITY WAS REQUIRED TO FOLLOW UP AND MAINTAIN.
SO WITHIN OUR DANGEROUS BUILDING TEAM, WE HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL WORKLOAD.
UM, AS, AS I BELIEVE EVERYBODY HERE IS AWARE THAT PUBLIC WORKS AS OF JULY 1ST JUST TOOK ON THE DAWN IPS TEAM, WHICH IS NOW REFERRED TO AS COMMUNITY CODE ENFORCEMENT.
UH, WE ARE NOW, UH, RESPONSIBLE FOR OVERSEEING AND FOLLOWING THROUGH WITH THE DANGEROUS BUILDINGS FOR RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES.
UH, THAT TEAM IS CURRENTLY STAFFED.
UM, WE HAVE 14 OUT OF 18 FUNDED POSITIONS CURRENTLY.
UM, AND WE'VE IDENTIFIED THE NEED FOR AT LEAST 10 MORE INSPECTORS TO FILL TO WORK IN THE DANGEROUS BUILDING CAPACITY.
UM, ADDING THIS ORDINANCE WOULD INCREASE AN ADDITIONAL WORKLOAD TO ADDRESS CONCERNS WITH FENCING, AS I COULD CERTAINLY SEE IT COULD BE, UH, A BIG PROBLEM ACROSS THE CITY IN THE NEEDS THAT WE HAVE.
MULTIPLE VACANT COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS.
COST RECOVERY, UM, THE, THE ORDINANCE IDENTIFIES THE ABILITY TO ISSUE CITATIONS DAILY.
$500 PER DAY WOULD CONSTITUTE A NEW VIOLATION.
UM, THOSE CITATIONS OR MONIES RECOUPED FROM THOSE, THOSE CITATIONS GO BACK INTO THE MUNICIPAL COURT.
UM, PUBLIC WORKS DOESN'T HAVE A MEANS TO RECOVER THAT MONEY.
OF COURSE, THAT GOES BACK INTO, I BELIEVE, GENERAL FUND.
UM, WE WOULD, IF THE CITY DID HAVE TO INSTALL A FENCE, WE COULD ENGAGE OR, UH, APPLY A LIEN TO THE PROPERTY.
UM, AGAIN, THAT'S, UH, WORKING WITH THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT ON THAT PROCESS.
UH, WE WOULD HAVE TO, UH, INCREASE OUR COOPERATION WITH HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT ON ISSUING OF WARRANTS TO GET ON PROPERTY.
IN THE EVENT THAT WE HAVE NO TRESPASSING SIGNS POSTED, OR, UM, SAFETY CONCERNS FOR OUR STAFF AND INSPECTORS, AN ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCIAL STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES WOULD NEED TO BE IDENTIFIED FOR THE DEPARTMENT.
UM, SOMETHING OF NOTE OF COMPETING PRIORITIES.
RIGHT NOW WITH THAT, WE ARE ACTIVELY WORKING ON A, A, AS I MENTIONED WITH THE RECENT MERGER OF DON IPS IN, UH, PUBLIC WORKS.
UM, WE HAD INHERITED A, A MASSIVE BACKLOG OF CODE ENFORCEMENT ISSUES.
UM, I THINK EVERYONE HERE IS WELL AWARE OF, YOU KNOW, THE HIGH GRASS COMPLAINTS AND THE, THE, THE TRASH AND THE DEBRIS COMPLAINTS THROUGHOUT THE DIFFERENT COUNCIL DISTRICTS.
AND I PROMISE YOU, WE HEAR YOU, WE SEE YOU.
UM, AND, AND WE ARE CHASING OUR TAILS, IF YOU WILL, WITH THE STAFF THAT WE HAVE TO TRY TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES TO ISSUE NOTICES.
UM, AND THAT NUMBER JUST EXPONENTIALLY GROWS DAILY.
ESPECIALLY RIGHT NOW IN THE SUMMERTIME WE'RE IN, WE'RE IN THE GRASS GROWING SEASON, AND THE RAIN HASN'T BEEN HELPING.
UM, PROHIBITED YARD PARKING IS A VERY, ANOTHER, UH, HOT TOPIC OF CONCERN.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THAT.
WE ARE WORKING, UH, WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT, DEPARTMENT LEADERSHIP, AND THERE'S DISCUSSIONS ALONG WITH HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT AS WELL.
UM, THERE'S AN ADDITIONAL, ADDITIONAL ITEM THAT HAS BEEN ADDRESSED THROUGH A, A PROP A THAT WE ARE WORKING ON IN CONCERT WITH EVERYTHING ELSE TO ADDRESS STORAGE CONTAINERS, UH, STORAGE CONTAINERS ON, UH, PROPERTIES THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
UM, AND ONE OF A, OF A VERY, UH, HOT TOPIC, IF YOU WILL, OF THE APARTMENTS, THE APARTMENT STANDARD ENFORCEMENT COMMITTEE KNOWN AS ASEC.
WE'RE ACTIVELY WORKING ON THAT.
UH, THAT'S A MULTI-DEPARTMENT INITIATIVE WHERE WE ARE IDENTIFYING WHAT IS, UH, BEING CONSIDERED AS A HIGH RISK RENTAL BUILDING.
UM, SO HPW IN CONJUNCTION WITH CITY OF HOUSTON LEGAL, HOUSTON FIRE SOLID WASTE, HOUSTON HEALTH, UM, ARE WORKING, UH, ON THAT ORDINANCE.
WE'VE BEEN SEVERAL MONTHS WITH THAT AND TO GET THAT THING UP OFF THE GROUND RUNNING, OR WE CAN START CHASING DOWN THESE HABITUAL OFFENDERS WITH THESE APARTMENT COMPLEXES THAT ARE, UH, CAUSING A LOT OF GRIEF FOR THE TENANTS IN THE CITY.
AND THEN LASTLY, WE HAVE THE AFTER HOURS TASK FORCE.
UH, SO BUILDING CODE ENFORCEMENT, WHICH IS ANOTHER TEAM WITHIN OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT GROUP.
UH, WE ARE WORKING WITH HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT, HOUSTON HEALTH, A RA, UM, ON THE APARTMENT, OR EXCUSE ME, THE, THE NIGHTCLUBS AND BAR, UH, ENFORCEMENT FOR THE, A LOT OF THESE BAD ACTORS FOR THESE CLUBS UP AND DOWN WASHINGTON, UM, EMANCIPATION ALAMEDA.
[00:15:01]
OF BEEN THE INITIAL FOCUS RIGHT NOW.AND SOME OF THE DIFFERENT AREAS IN THE HEIGHTS.
ANOTHER STRAIN ON RESOURCES, UH, EXEMPTION GUIDELINES.
WE, UH, NEED DRAFTED CRITERIA FOR EXEMPTIONS, WHAT EXEMPT, WHAT EXEMPTION DOCUMENTATION WOULD BE REQUIRED, AND NEED A PROCESS TO REQUEST SET EXEMPTIONS, AND THEN IDENTIFYING CONSISTENCIES IN THE USAGE OF THE APPLICATION OF THIS ORDINANCE.
AND SO THIS SLIDE IS, UH, IDENTIFYING OUR CURRENT RESOURCES WITHIN THE COMMUNITY CODE ENFORCEMENT TEAM.
UH, WE HAD REFERRED TO THIS SLIDE, UH, I BELIEVE A WEEK, TWO WEEKS AGO, AND THE SERVICE DELIVERY COMMITTEE MEETING WHERE WE IDENTIFIED THE NEEDS FOR, UH, POSITIONS.
IF YOU FOCUS TO THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THIS SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE THE LAST TWO COLUMNS OF NUISANCE ABATEMENT.
WE HAVE CURRENTLY HAVE 35 FIELD POSITIONS, 13 VACANT FOR UNFUNDED, AND WE'VE IDENTIFIED A NEED FOR 51 ADDITIONAL POSITIONS JUST TO ADDRESS THE NUISANCES THROUGHOUT ALL THE COUNCIL DISTRICTS IN THE CITY.
UM, WITH THIS MODEL THAT WE WORK TOGETHER TO PROPOSE, UM, IDEALLY THAT WOULD PUT ONE TO ONE AND A HALF CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, UH, BOOTS ON THE GROUND IN EVERY COUNCIL DISTRICT, OR EXCUSE ME, EVERY SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO YOU COULD IMAGINE WITH HOW MANY SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS YOU HAVE IN YOUR RESPECTIVE COUNCIL DISTRICTS, WE WOULD HAVE ACTIVE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ON THE GROUND.
UM, AND THAT WOULD BE A MUCH MORE PROACTIVE APPROACH, I BELIEVE, TO CODE ENFORCEMENT CITYWIDE AS OPPOSED TO BEING SOLELY REACTIVE OR RESPONSIVE TO COMPLAINTS THAT ARE RECEIVED.
AND THEN THAT LAST COLUMN THERE REFERS TO OUR DANGEROUS BUILDINGS TEAM.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE 14 FILLED FOUR VACANT THREE WERE UNFUNDED AS PART OF THE, UH, VOLUNTARY RETIREMENT.
AND WE'VE IDENTIFIED THE NEED FOR AN ADDITIONAL 10 MORE POSITIONS JUST TO, UH, COMBAT OUR DANGEROUS BUILDING PROBLEMS, COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
AND THE NEXT SLIDE MOVES US INTO QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
WE WILL TAKE SOME QUESTIONS FROM THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND THEN ALSO, IF YOU'D LIKE TO BE A PUBLIC SPEAKER ON THIS, THE SIGNUP SHEET IS ON THAT FRONT TABLE.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO WELCOME STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO'S, OFFICE COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ'S, OFFICE MAYOR PRO TIMM CASSICK TATUM'S OFFICE AS WELL.
SO, TALKING ABOUT THIS, AND MAYBE THIS QUESTION IS MORE FOR COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON, BUT TYPICALLY WANTS A BUILDING HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT IT'S VACANT, THEN THE PROPERTY OWNER WOULD BE REQUIRED TO PUT UP THE FENCE, AND SO THAT COST WOULD GO TO THE PROPERTY OWNER, HOPEFULLY, INITIALLY.
UM, HAVE YOU REACHED OUT TO THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, OR WHAT ORGANIZATIONS OR GROUPS HAVE YOU TALKED TO? UM, OR HAVE YOU TALKED TO ANY STAKEHOLDERS ABOUT THIS? JUST COMMUNITY? UM, WE'VE ONLY, YES, MA'AM.
WE'VE ONLY SPOKE WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
UM, AND I KNOW OUR OFFICE HAS BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH LEGAL AND, UM, PUBLIC WORKS, UM, ON THIS, ON THE LANGUAGE.
BUT AS FAR AS, UM, BUSINESSES, NO, WE HAVEN'T TALKED WITH BUSINESSES.
AND, UM, SPEAKING WITH HPD, DID THEY INDICATE THAT THEY THOUGHT THAT THIS WOULD HELP REDUCE CRIME? NO.
YEAH, ANTHONY, UM, WAS HANDLING THIS, AND Y'ALL KNOW, HE LEFT ME.
SO, UM, HE WAS, UM, TALKING CLOSELY WITH, UM, THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, BUT, UM, THEY DID NOT IN INSINUATE THAT IT WILL REDUCE CRIME, BUT IT'S COMMON SENSE THAT IT, IT WILL REDUCE CRIME.
UM, AND AGAIN, ILLEGAL DUMPING.
'CAUSE WE, WE SPENDING MILLIONS, UM, IN TACKLING ILLEGAL DUMPING, AS YOU GUYS CAN SEE FROM THE PHOTOS AND PICKING UP TIRES.
AND SO, UM, HAVING TALKED WITH HPD, BUT AGAIN, IT'S COMMON SENSE.
WE'VE HAD SOME, UM, BUSINESSES IN DISTRICT G WHERE THE BUSINESS WAS VACANT, AND THEN THERE WAS DESTRUCTION TO THE PROPERTY, GRAFFITI, THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND SO THE BUSINESS OWNER ERECTED A FENCE.
YOU KNOW, PROBABLY THINKING INTO THE FUTURE THAT MAYBE WE WOULD BE DOING AN ORDINANCE LIKE THIS MM-HMM
UM, BECAUSE, AND IT DID DETER PEOPLE FROM, YOU KNOW, RIGHT.
DESTROYING THE PROPERTY WHILE, WHILE IT WAS VACANT.
UM, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE, AT SLIDE NUMBER TWO, AND IT SAYS IT REQUIRES A PROPERTY OWNER TO FENCE A PERIMETER WITHIN 10 DAYS OF VACANCY.
SO ONCE CODE ENFORCEMENT DETERMINES THAT THE PROPERTY'S VACANT, THEN WITHIN 10 DAYS, HOW IS THAT NUMBER ARRIVED UPON? DO YOU KNOW? I WOULD'VE TO DEFER TO THE COUNCIL
[00:20:01]
MEMBER'S OFFICE.I I THOUGHT YOU GUYS CAME UP WITH THAT NUMBER.
NO, SO I'M THINKING, I MEAN, I'M THINKING 10 DAYS IS TOO QUICK.
WHEN I SAW IT WAS LIKE 10 DAYS, YOU KNOW, A PERSON, THEY STILL MOVING WITHIN 10 DAYS.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, COMING UP WITH A REALISTIC NUMBER, 30 DAYS, UM, 60 DAYS, UM, WHEN DANGEROUS BUILDINGS RECOGNIZE THAT IT'S VACANT AND THEY NEED TO BE SOON AS THEY'RE NOTIFIED THAT IT NEED TO BE, UM, FENCED OFF.
UM, BUT THAT WILL COME ONCE SOMEBODY RECOGNIZE THAT IT'S VACANT, YOU KNOW, OR THEY KNOW THAT THEY'RE GONNA BE VACANT AND THEY ARE, THEY, UM, FENCE IT OFF ON THEIR OWN.
SO, UM, I THINK THE 10 DAYS IS, IS A LITTLE QUICK.
I AGREE WITH YOU ON THAT, BUT COMING UP WITH A REALISTIC AND THEN TIMEFRAME ON THAT OKAY.
AND THEN YOU MENTIONED, UM, ON SLIDE SIX ABOUT COST RECOVERY AND HOW POTENTIALLY A LIEN COULD BE PUT ON THE PROPERTY TO HELP RECOUP THOSE COSTS.
BUT JUST TO CLARIFY, YOU SAID THAT EVEN IF A LIEN GOES ON THE PROPERTY AND THE COSTS OF RECOUP, IT WOULD GO BACK TO THE GENERAL FUND AND NOT SPECIFICALLY PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT? CORRECT.
SO IF, IF THE DEPARTMENT, IF, IF, IF THE, IF THE CITY TOOK ACTION, WE, WE FENCED THE PROPERTY, WE WOULD APPLY A LIEN TO THE PROPERTY.
UM, AND I'M PROBABLY NOT THE RIGHT PERSON TO TALK ABOUT THE, THE FUNDING WHEN A LIEN IS PAID BACK.
BUT I'M UNDER THE, UH, AT LEAST THE ASSUMPTION THAT WHEN THAT MONEY WOULD COME BACK INTO THE FUND IN WHICH THE DEPARTMENT PAID FOR, UH, MY REFERENCE, I BELIEVE WAS ON, ON CITATIONS, THE, THE ISSUANCE OF CRIMINAL CITATION FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE ORDINANCE.
SO, UM, AS IT'S WRITTEN, WE COULD, EVERY DAY, EVERY 24 HOUR PERIOD WOULD CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION.
THAT DEFENSE WAS NOT INSTALLED BY THE PROPERTY OWNERS.
SO WE WOULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO ISSUE A CITATION FOR NON-COMPLIANCE AT $500 PER DAY.
UM, NOW THOSE FI THOSE FEES ARE THEN CAPTURED AND TAKEN ON BY MUNICIPAL COURTS, WHICH THAT MONEY DOES NOT REPLENISH BACK TO THE DEPARTMENT.
UH, VICE MAYOR, PROTON PAK, THANK YOU CHAIR, AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION TODAY.
AND THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON, FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
UM, SO WE ALREADY HAVE AN ORDINANCE IN PLACE FOR HEALTH REASONS WHY WE WOULD REQUIRE A FENCE TO BE PLACED ON, ON A PROPERTY.
WOULD IT MAKE SENSE TO JUST ADD SOME OF THESE NUISANCE ISSUES TO THAT ORDINANCE RATHER THAN CREATING A WHOLE NEW ORDINANCE THAT INCLUDES, YOU KNOW, GOING BACK OUT THERE MULTIPLE TIMES TO SEE IF THE PROPERTY IS VACANT? LIKE, COULD WE SAY SOME OF THESE, YOU KNOW, LEGAL DUMPING OR OTHER NUISANCE ISSUES VIOLATES A HEALTH REASON WHY WE WOULD THEN REQUIRE THE FENCE TO GO UP? I, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT CERTAINLY COULD BE EXPLORED.
UM, I'M NOT FAMILIAR SPECIFICALLY WITH THAT.
THE HEALTH ORDINANCE THAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO.
I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW ABOUT THE ORDINANCE TOO, BECAUSE WE SPOKE WITH SEVERAL PEOPLE ABOUT OFFENSE ORDINANCE.
WE'LL, WE'LL LOOK INTO THAT TOO, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WE'VE HAD, UM, PROPERTIES IN DISTRICT A WHERE, YOU KNOW, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT WOULD GO OUT, OR PUBLIC WORKS WOULD GO OUT AND SAY THAT THERE'S A HEALTH CONCERN THERE AND THEN REQUIRE THEM TO PUT UP A FENCE.
SO WHERE THEY'RE GETTING THAT REQUIREMENT FROM, I'M NOT SURE, WE'LL, WE'LL LOOK INTO THAT SOME MORE, BUT IF THAT IS ALREADY THE CASE, THAT THERE'S SOME KIND OF REQUIREMENT OUT THERE, IT MIGHT MAKE SENSE TO JUST ADD THIS TO IT RATHER THAN, YOU KNOW, REINVENT THE WHEEL HERE.
SO WE'LL, WE'LL WORK ON IT WITH YOU.
YEAH, I WAS GONNA ASK MR. NORRIS THAT.
SO, SO, YEAH, SO THE, THE CURRENT DANGEROUS BUILDING, UH, THE CURRENT DANGEROUS BUILDING PORTION OF THE CODE, UH, REQUIRES THAT THEY SECURE THE BUILDING.
IT DOESN'T REQUIRE A FENCE, IT REQUIRES TO SECURE THE BUILDING.
UH, IT CAN BE, IT CAN BE SECURED BY A FENCE, BUT IT DOESN'T SAY FENCE SPECIFIC.
SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, SECURING THE BUILDING IS BASICALLY, YOU CAN EITHER BOARD IT UP, YOU, YOU CAN FENCE IT, YOU CAN DO A NUMBER OF THINGS.
I'M ASSUMING THAT WHEN YOU GUYS ARE, WHEN YOU GUYS ARE CHECKING OUT, BUT IT DOES REQUIRE, IT REQUIRES SECURING, DOESN'T REQUIRE A FENCE.
UH, A PREVIOUS VERSION DID HAVE A FENCING.
UH, THEY GOT RID OF THAT FOR SOME REASON, 15 YEARS OR SO AGO.
UH, WHY US, THOSE OF US IN THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT, MAYBE WE HAVE A DISCUSSION WITH PUBLIC WORKS ABOUT WHAT CHANGED 15 YEARS AGO.
BUT, UH, BUT IT DOES NOT REQUIRE FENCING SPECIFICALLY, SO THAT THAT'S THE, YOU KNOW, IT IS REQUIRED TO BE SECURED FOR DANGEROUS BUILDINGS, BUT IT DOES NOT HAVE TO HAVE A FENCE SPECIFICALLY.
SO I THINK, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON IS LOOKING FOR FENCES SPECIFICALLY TO KEEP, KEEP PEOPLE OFF THE PROPERTY, UH, TO KEEP FROM DUMPING OTHER THINGS.
AND CHAIR, IF I MIGHT, THAT, UM, THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING WORTH LOOKING INTO TO SEE IF, INSTEAD OF JUST SECURING THE BUILDING, IF WE COULD ADD THAT BACK IN TO ACTUALLY FENCE IT OFF INSTEAD.
DID YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, COUNCIL? WELL, YEAH, I MEAN, 'CAUSE I, I'M JUST LOOKING AT, EVER SINCE, JUST SINCE THE VICE MAYOR PRO TEMP BROUGHT IT UP, I, I AM FINDING SOMETHING THAT SAYS BUILDINGS THAT ARE UN OCCUPIED AND UNSECURED FROM UNAUTHORIZED ENTRY MUST BE SEALED TO PREVENT ACCESS BY SQUATTERS CHILDREN
[00:25:01]
AND OTHER UNINVITED PEOPLE.SO, I DON'T KNOW, THERE MUST BE SOMETHING SOMEWHERE, UM, ABOUT FENCING, UM, AND I WAS JUST GONNA ASK YOU, OH, COULD IT BE, AND, AND THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON.
UM, I WAS JUST AT, AT COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN'S EVENT OVER OFF HIGHWAY SIX AND MANY, UM, THE PEOPLE COMPLAINED ABOUT AN ABANDONED KOHLS RIGHT THERE VERY NEAR WHERE WE WERE MEETING.
SO I DROVE BACK THERE, UH, RIGHT AFTER THE MEETING TO SEE IT.
THERE WAS LIKE AN ALLEYWAY AND THIS BIG ABANDONED KOHLS.
AND SURE ENOUGH, EVERYTHING YOU'RE DESCRIBING WAS EVERYTHING THAT THE NEIGHBORS WERE, WERE COMPLAINING ABOUT, UH, A A GREAT NUMBER OF, OF HOMELESS, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE THERE WERE AS ILLEGAL DUMPING, THERE WERE, IT WAS JUST A, IT WAS JUST GROSS.
AND RUDY, I WANNA ASK YOU ABOUT YOUR HIRING.
LIKE, IS THAT GOING ANY BETTER? ARE WE STILL TAKING FOUR MONTHS TO HIRE PEOPLE? WHAT, WHAT'S WHAT? I MEAN, WE NEED TO GET SOME PEOPLE ON BOARD BECAUSE THIS IS GONNA BE A CONTINUOUS CONVERSATION OF GREAT IDEAS, INABILITY TO EXECUTE, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE PEOPLE.
SO CAN YOU BRING ME UP TO SPEED ON HOW THE HIRING'S GOING IN CODE ENFORCEMENT? AND WHEN YOU SAY THREE UNFUNDED, DOES THAT JUST MEAN THREE LEFT BECAUSE OF THE VOLUNTARY RETIREMENT, OR ARE THOSE EXTRA 10 NOW FUNDED? YOU HAVE THE, YOU HAVE THE, UH, PERMISSION OR WHATEVER TO, TO HIRE THOSE 10 AND FUNDING.
SO YES, THEY WOULD BE UNFUNDED.
THEY THOSE LEFT BECAUSE OF THE RETIREMENT.
BUT SO, SO DO YOU, YOU NEED 10 ONLY, OR DO YOU NEED 10 PLUS THE THREE FOR, FOR THE BUILDINGS? WELL, THE PERFECT WORLD, WE NEED 10 PLUS THE THREE.
AND NOW ARE THOSE FUNDED POSITIONS, LIKE DO YOU HAVE THE GO AHEAD TO HIRE THOSE? NO, THEY'RE UNFUNDED POSITIONS.
WELL, I MEAN, THEREIN LIES THE PROBLEM.
WE HAVE A LOT OF REASONS, CHALLENGES, WHY THERE'S NO WAY WE COULD DO IT RIGHT NOW.
UM, I WONDER IF THERE WAS A, A, UM, INSTEAD OF JUST LIKE A REQUIREMENT, ALL VACANT BUILDINGS, THAT THERE COULD BE, YOU KNOW, AFTER A CERTAIN NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS.
I MEAN, WE'RE NOT GONNA GO PROACTIVE, LOOK FOR VACANT BUILDINGS THAT AREN'T HAVING ANY PROBLEMS, BUT IF THERE WAS A CERTAIN NUMBER OF CITATIONS WHICH COULD TRIGGER, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, 25 RED TAGS, YOU'RE BUILDING A FENCE, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER, WHATEVER THAT NUMBER IS.
I DON'T KNOW, UM, MR. NORRIS, IF SOMETHING LIKE THAT COULD BE EXPLORED, UM, BUT YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S A BIG PROBLEM.
THIS IS THE WAY WE'RE, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO TALK THESE THINGS THROUGH AND TRY TO SOLVE IT.
AND, AND MAYBE UNTIL WE GET THE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES THAT WE COULD LIMIT IT TO, UM, THE WORST OF THE WORST, THE ONES WITH THE MOST, UM, YOU KNOW, EGREGIOUS VIOLATIONS THAT WE COULD REQUIRE THEM TO HAVE.
UM, AND OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A PROBLEM.
UH, I MEAN, YOUR PICTURES DEMONSTRATE IT.
UH, I OCCASIONALLY DRIVE THROUGH YOUR DISTRICT AS MY KIND OF ALTERNATIVE TO TRAFFIC IN 59 IS BAD.
UH, AND I, I'VE SEEN SOME OF THIS.
UH, ALSO THERE'S A, BEEN A BENNIGAN'S AT GULF GATE AND 45 THAT HAS FOREVER BEEN A PROBLEM THAT I THINK IS ACTUALLY GETTING CLEANED UP RIGHT NOW.
IF SOMEONE WERE TO CALL YOU TODAY, WHAT TOOLS DO YOU HAVE TO GET RID OF THIS? SO WE WOULD ACTUALLY GET OUT TO THE SITE.
WE WOULD'VE TO DOCUMENT, PROVIDE NOTICE TO THE PROPERTY OWNER, UM, GIVE THEM DUE PROCESS TO REMOVE THAT VIOLATION.
AND DUE PROCESS IS THE, THAT A COMPLIANCE PERIOD, SO YOU 15 DAYS TO REMOVE THE PROBLEM.
YOU'VE GOT 15 DAYS TO REMOVE THE PROBLEM.
AND IF THEY DO NOT, WE, OUR, OUR NEXT COURSE OF ACTION WOULD BE ISSUING CITATIONS, WHICH TYPICALLY HAS VERY LITTLE EFFECT, ESPECIALLY IF WE'RE WRITING TO SOMEONE THAT WE'VE NEVER MET.
IF IT'S AN OUT-OF-STATE PROPERTY OWNER, UM, THEN THE ALTERNATIVE IS ABATING THE PROBLEM OURSELF, HIRING A CONTRACTOR TO GO OUT THERE AND PICK UP THE DEBRIS, REMOVE IT, DISPOSE OF IT, AND THEN FILE A LIEN AGAINST THE PROPERTY.
SO WE FILE A LIEN AGAINST THE PROPERTY.
AND DO WE ACTIVELY FILE THESE LIENS? IS IT'S A PROCESS THAT'S FILED? YES.
I MEAN, UH, IF I WERE TO DUMP ON YOUR PROPERTY TONIGHT, WITHOUT YOUR PERMISSION, I ASSUME I'VE COMMITTED A CRIME.
AND YOU'VE BEEN A VICTIM OF CRIME, ME PERSONALLY, IF I DUMPED ON YOUR PROPERTY.
SO TO A CERTAIN EXTENT, THESE PEOPLE ARE VICTIMS OF CRIMES AS WELL, RIGHT? YES.
I, I MEAN, I, I THINK IT'S A HUGE PROBLEM AND IT OBVIOUSLY NEEDS TO BE CLEANED UP, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, YOU KNOW, I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF SYMPATHY FOR THESE PEOPLE CONSIDERING THE FACT THAT THEY'RE
[00:30:01]
ACTUALLY THE VICTIM OF A CRIME AS WELL.SO HOW GOOD ARE WE AT COLLECTING ON THESE LIENS WHEN THE PROPERTY'S SOLD? SO AT LEAST FROM MY EXPERIENCE, IT'S, I I DON'T REALLY KNOW HOW TO MEASURE THAT.
UM, DOES ANYBODY MEASURE IT? WE HAVE NOT MEASURED IT SINCE WE TOOK OVER THAT PROCESS WITHIN COMMUNITY CODE ENFORCEMENT.
SO DON, IPS HAD BEEN APPLYING LIENS TO PROPERTIES FOR NUISANCE ABATEMENT.
SO THAT'D BE A QUESTION FOR DON AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THEY'VE BEEN MEASURING IT.
UM, NOW WE WOULD ASSUME THAT ONCE A, IF A PROPERTY'S FOR SALE AND THEN SOMEBODY GOES TO SELL IT, OR THEY DO A TITLE SEARCH ON IT, THAT'S WHEN THE LIENS WILL COME OUT.
AND THEN AGAIN, BEFORE A SALE IS DONE, THAT LIEN HAS TO BE THEN PAID BACK.
UM, THIS SEEMS LIKE A KIND OF AN OBVIOUS PLACE THAT WE COULD WORK WITH HARRIS COUNTY, YOU KNOW, THESE VACANT PROPERTIES, ASSUMING THEY'RE STILL PAYING TAXES.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT, IT SEEMS THAT UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU WOULD PUT A LIEN ON 'EM, AND WE DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE COLLECTED AND ALL THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, IT, I, IT JUST, I WOULD BE CURIOUS TO SEE HOW MANY OF THESE, UH, HIGH, I MEAN, THESE KIND OF HIGH RISK ABANDONED PROPERTIES, WHAT THEIR TAX ROLES LOOK LIKE, WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE ON THE RULES, WHAT THEIR RECORDS LOOK LIKE, BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT CLEARLY, UM, IF THEY'RE PAYING TAXES ON THE PROPERTY, THERE'S AN ARM THERE TO, UM, WORK WITH THE COUNTY TO ENFORCE WHATEVER, UH, ORDINANCES WOULD BE IN PLACE, WHETHER IT'S FENCING, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER REGARDING, YOU KNOW, VICTIM OF CRIME, BUT WE KNOW CLEARLY WE'RE TRYING TO TACKLE PROBLEMS. AND DON'T WORRY, RUDY, I HAVEN'T FORGOTTEN ABOUT YOU ON MY, UH, DEMO OF MY BUILDING OVER THERE, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW WE'RE TRYING TO TACKLE THESE ISSUES AS RELATES TO SPECIFICALLY HOMELESSNESS, RIGHT? WE'VE GOT PEOPLE HANGING OUT OVER THERE THAT WE DON'T WANT EITHER GOING INTO THE BUILDING, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THAT TEXTILE OWNS THE PROPERTY.
HOW DO WE TACKLE THAT? IS IT TEXTILE? WHATEVER.
BUT I THINK IT SEEMS TO ME IT'S A, A NATURAL WORK WITH HARRIS COUNTY.
UH, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY'S EVER INVESTIGATED THAT.
MAYBE WE SHOULD, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE A NATURAL, YOU'RE HOLDING HANDS WALKING HAND IN HAND, SO WHY NOT DO IT? WELL, I KNOW SOME OTHER STATES, AT LEAST ONE OTHER STATE, UM, THAT, UH, WE LOOKED INTO, THERE WAS A, IT WAS SOMETHING PASSED BY THEIR STATE LEGISLATURE THAT SAID, YOU KNOW, IF YOU ARE BASICALLY A VICTIM OF A CRIME AND YOU HAVE TO REMEDIATE YOUR PROPERTY, LIKE PUT UP FENCING, THINGS LIKE THAT, THERE COULD BE A ONE TIME, UM, TAX, UM, ABATEMENT, ABATEMENT TO RECOUP THOSE COSTS.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THAT GOES THROUGH THE STATE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, SO I HAVE QUESTION FOUR, OUR CITY ATTORNEY NORRIS, UM, IN LOOKING AT THE TEXT OF THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE ARE, ARE THERE ANY LEGAL ISSUES OR PROOF PROBLEM, POTENTIAL PROOF PROBLEMS THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY? THE, WITH REGARDS TO WHETHER IT'S LEGAL OR NOT, IS HAS WELL, THE, THE ONLY THING THAT WE DISCUSSED A LITTLE BIT WITH, WITH, UH, MR. KARIE BEFORE HE LEFT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON'S OFFICE, I THINK, UH, WAS ABOUT THE HEARING.
UM, THERE, THERE PROBABLY, ACCORDING TO STATE LAW, THERE MAY NEED TO BE A HEARING AND THAT, AND THERE IS A HEARING PROCESS FOR DANGEROUS BUILDINGS CURRENTLY.
I THINK THAT, BUT WE, WE KIND OF DISCUSSED WITH THEM A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE HEARING ITSELF.
BUT, UH, THE, UH, THAT IS, THAT WAS THE ONLY DISCUSSION ABOUT THE LEGALITY OF IT, I THINK AT THIS POINT IS MORE OR LESS, UM, THE BIGGER ISSUE IS THE PRACTICAL, UH, BEING MAKE SURE THAT, UM, THAT, THAT THE DEPARTMENTS CAN ACTUALLY WORK WITH, YOU KNOW, DO ACTUALLY GET IT DONE IN A, IN A TIMELY MANNER.
SO THAT'S WHY, UH, USUALLY WHEN YOU GUYS SUBMIT THINGS TO US, UH, FIRST THING WE LOOK AT IS LIKE, IS IT LEGAL? CAN YOU DO IT? PERIOD.
THEN THE SECOND THING IS, HAVE YOU TALKED TO THE DEPARTMENTS? AND THEN WE, SOMETIMES WE'LL HAVE A DISCUSSION WITH THE DEPARTMENTS, SAY, IS THIS EVEN FEASIBLE? BECAUSE IF, UH, IF THIS LANGUAGE IS GONNA REQUIRE YOU TO DO X, Y, Z THING AND YOU YOU'RE SAYING YOU CAN'T DO IT, THEN WE NEED TO KNOW THAT BEFOREHAND.
UM, AND, AND SO WE CAN KIND OF FLUSH OUT THINGS.
SO THAT'S TYPICALLY THE PROCESS.
BUT I THINK THE, I THINK LEGAL LEGALLY, UH, THE, THE, YOU KNOW, I THINK, UH, I FORGOT WHAT IT, UH, IS IT THE, UM, THE PROPERTY CODE I THINK MAY REQUIRE, REQUIRES A HEARING BEFORE YOU CAN DO CERTAIN THINGS AS A LOCAL, IT WAS A LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE.
BUT I THINK THAT WAS THE ONE QUESTION WE HAD.
I THINK WE DISCUSSED THAT WITH MR. COLLIER.
[00:35:01]
AT THIS REQUIREMENT, UM, NOT USED FOR ANY LEGAL BUSINESS ACTIVITY, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S REQUIRING THE PROOF OF A NEGATIVE.UM, AND I THINK AS, AS WAS MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, THIS WOULD REQUIRE PUBLIC WORKS TO GO OUT PROBABLY DAILY TO SEE IF IT STILL QUALIFIES AS VACANT.
AND THAT'S DIFFICULT GIVEN THE LACK OF RESOURCES THAT YOU HAVE IN, IN PUBLIC WORKS.
UM, AND SO MAYBE TO MAKE PROOF OF THAT EASIER, WE JUST TAKE OUT THE REQUIREMENT OF NOT USED FOR ANY LEGAL BUSINESS ACTIVITY AND JUST GO ON THE FACT THAT IT'S BEEN UNOCCUPIED.
BUT, UH, CONCERN I HAVE IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE MIGHT BE LEGITIMATE REASONS WHY A PROPERTY IS UNOCCUPIED.
MAYBE THEY'RE, MAYBE THEY'RE TRYING TO LEASE IT, THEY'RE TRYING TO GET A TENANT, YOU KNOW, AND, AND OR REMAIN UNOCCUPIED FOR A TIME.
SHOULD, SHOULD WE PENALIZE THEM FOR, AND MAKE 'EM MAKE 'EM PUT UP A, A FENCE IN IN THAT CIRCUMSTANCE.
I'M CURIOUS, AND I'LL DIRECT THIS TO EITHER, UH, CITY ATTORNEY NORRIS OR A COLLEAGUE, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON, IS THIS PARTICULAR, UH, PROPOSED ORDINANCE MODELED ON ANY PARTICULAR ORDINANCE SOMEWHERE? SO, SO YEAH, IT'S, IT'S, UM, A LOT OF THE LANGUAGE USED IS FROM THE DANGEROUS BUILDING SECTION.
UH, IT, IT'S, AND IT'S, I THINK IT'S PROPOSED TO GO LIKE PRETTY MUCH RIGHT AFTER IT IN THAT AREA.
SO THERE IS A, UH, THERE IS CURRENTLY A DANGEROUS BUILDING.
I MEAN, CURRENTLY A DANGEROUS BUILDING.
AND WHEN THE CONVERSATION WE'VE HAD WITH, WITH PUBLIC WORKS IS THAT TYPICALLY THE DANGEROUS BUILDINGS, THE ONES THAT ARE, THAT ARE GONE AFTER PRIORITIZE ARE THE ONES THAT ARE BASICALLY FALLING OVER.
THE ONES THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, I GUESS TRULY STRUCTURALLY DANGEROUS.
AND, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE POTENTIAL PROBLEMS WHERE SOMEBODY MIGHT ACTUALLY GET HURT.
I THINK, UH, WE'RE LOOKING, THIS IS MORE FORWARD FACING, UH, BEFORE YOU START GETTING INTO THE, THE DUMPING AND THE, AND THE, UM, YOU KNOW, OTHER, YOU KNOW, VAGRANT OR WHATEVER OTHER ISSUES THAT COME WITH, WITH VACANT BUILDINGS, GENERALLY, I THINK THIS IS A LITTLE BIT MORE FORWARD THINKING AND I DON'T, I DON'T THINK THAT HAS BEEN THE, THE, THE BIGGEST PRIORITY.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE.
SO, ALRIGHT, I'LL, I'LL GO BACK IN THE QUEUE.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE ENACTED A SIMILAR ORDINANCE THAT YOU KNOW OF WITH, I, WE, I HADN'T SEEN ANYTHING SPECIFICALLY ON, FROM ANOTHER, ANOTHER CITY.
I MEAN, A LOT OF PEOPLE DO HAVE DANGEROUS BUILDING, UH, PROVISIONS.
THIS ONE I HAD NOT, UM, SEEN ANY OTHER, I HADN'T SEEN ANY OTHER MODEL THAT WAS, THAT THIS WAS, YOU KNOW, TO BASE THAT ONE ON SPECIFICALLY.
SO NO, A STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS'S OFFICE.
UM, IT'S GOOD SEEING YOU GENTLEMEN.
UH, WE'VE, UH, COUNCILMAN DAVIS ON BE BEHALF HIS BEHALF AT LARGE TOO.
YOU'VE HELPED US WITH A COUPLE OF CONSTITUENTS AS WELL AS THE CIVIC NE UH, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD AND CIVIC CLUB.
UM, BEFORE I ASK MY QUESTION, ONE OF THE THINGS COUNCIL MEMBER ALWAYS SAY, I KNOW YOUR JOB IS SOMEWHAT CHALLENGING CODE ENFORCEMENT AS WELL AS PERMITTING BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ZONING AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, MAKE THINGS CHALLENGING.
PERHAPS WE HAVE TO REVISIT THAT ISSUE.
BUT MY QUESTION IS, UM, COUNCILMAN DAVIS, WAS THAT A CONCERN, UM, CITIZENS IN ACTION MEETING AND HE WAS JUST THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX, I KNOW MONEY IS STRAPPED, BUT HAVE YOU GUYS EVER LIKE, KIND OF COLLABORATED WITH HPD, YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE TO MAYBE GET DRONES, UM, THAT WAY YOU CAN SEE WHO'S COMMITTING ILLEGAL DUMPING THE VAGRANCY ISSUE AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, FOLK COMING IN, PEOPLE COMMUNITIES, UH, PUTTING UP BUILDINGS AND WHATNOT THAT THEY DON'T WANT THERE AND THAT KIND OF THING.
SO HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT COLLABORATING WITH HPD FOR DRONES? SO WITH RESPECT TO DRONES, I'M NOT SURE THAT WE'VE GOTTEN TO THAT POINT, BUT THERE'S CONSTANT, UH, COLLABORATION BETWEEN US AND HPD, UM, MAINLY THE PS UM, DANGEROUS BUILDINGS, NUISANCE ABATEMENTS.
SO WE ARE CONSTANTLY IN DISCUSSION WITH THEM.
WE CAN ADD DRONES AND IF WE NEED TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION RELATED TO THAT, WE WILL.
UM, AND AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR, UM, THE PRESENTATION AND FOR WORKING WITH US ON THIS.
UM, I DO WANNA POINT OUT THAT, YOU KNOW, AS A HOMEOWNER, WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO KEEP OUR YARDS UP.
SO AS A BUSINESS OWNER, YOU HAVE, THEY HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO KEEP THEIR PROPERTY UP IN NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND SO, UM, I DON'T THINK IT'S ASKING TOO MUCH TO PUT A FENCE UP IF YOUR PROPERTY IS GOING TO BE VACANT FOR TWO YEARS OR YOU KNOW, YOU'RE TRYING TO SELL IT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S YOUR PROPERTY AND YOU SHOULD TAKE PRIDE IN YOUR PROPERTY AND, AND WANT YOUR PROPERTY TO BE SAFE, JUST LIKE WE WANT OUR NEIGHBORHOODS TO BE SAFE.
SO JUST TRYING TO BE PROACTIVE, UM, TO PUT SOMETHING ON THE BOOKS.
[00:40:01]
IN OUR DISTRICT, THEY'RE, THEY PUT UP THESE YELLOW CONES, BARRICADES, AND THEY JUST MAKE IT WORSE.YOU KNOW, IT JUST, IT'S NOT VERY NICE LOOKING.
UM, IT MAKES THE, THE NEIGHBORHOODS LOOK WORSE THAN WHAT IT ALREADY DOES.
AND SO, BUT I DID WANNA POINT OUT ON THE MULTIPLE OWNERS, LIKE IF IT'S A PROPERTY THAT HAVE MULTIPLE BUSINESSES, UM, OF COURSE I THINK THOSE PROPERTIES WOULD BE EXEMPT BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE MULTI FIVE BUSINESSES ON ONE PROPERTY AND THE FOUR PROPER BUSINESSES ARE OPERATING, FULLY OPERATING AND ONE BUSINESS IS NOT FULLY OPERATING, THEY DO NOT QUALIFY, THEY WOULD, THERE'S, THERE WOULDN'T BE A REQUIREMENT TO PUT A FENCE AROUND YOUR, UM, ESTABLISHMENT.
BUT FOR THE STANDALONES LIKE THIS FAMILY DOLLAR HAS THAT HAS BEEN VACANT FOR OVER A YEAR, YOU KNOW, HOW ARE WE HAVING THOSE BUSINESSES JUST, HEY, JUST PUT UP A FENCE AND WHEN YOU SELL IT, TAKE IT DOWN SIMPLE.
UM, SO I JUST THINK THIS IS CRITICAL FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND JUST TO KIND OF KEEP OUR NEIGHBORHOODS INTACT AND, AND OF COURSE HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE WHEN THEY OWN PROPERTY IN THE CITY.
WHAT EXACTLY QUALIFIES AS VACANT? SO, UM, AS DEFINED IN THIS ORDINANCE, UH, A STRUCTURE PLATTED OR USED FOR COMMERCIAL PURPOSES THAT HAS BEEN UN UNOCCUPIED AND NOT USED FOR ANY LEGAL BUSINESS ACTIVITY FOR SEVEN NON-CONSECUTIVE DAYS IN A 30 DAY PERIOD.
SO IF I'M CLOSED SATURDAY AND SUNDAY, I GUESS THAT'S ONE WAY TO LOOK AT IT.
I'M NOT SURE WHY WE'VE USED NON-CONSECUTIVE.
IT WOULD MAKE SENSE TO ME THAT, YOU KNOW, IF WE THINK OF VACANT, IT'S GONNA BE CONSECUTIVE DAYS, RIGHT? IT'LL BE VACANT.
SO I, I THINK WE SHOULD CERTAINLY CHANGE, CHANGE THAT PIECE OF IT.
KINDA GOING BACK TO THIS PICTURE OF THIS POPEYE'S.
SO IF WE PUT UP A FENCE AND IT DETERRED THE DUMPING FROM OCCURRING THERE, DO WE THINK THE PERSON OR PERSONS THAT DUMPED THESE TIRES WOULD DISPOSE OF THEM PROPERLY? OR ARE WE PLAYING WHACK-A-MOLE? TO BE HONEST, I THINK YOU'RE PLAYING WHACK-A-MOLE.
UM, IN A PERFECT WORLD, YOU WOULD HOPE THAT SOMEBODY WOULD DO THE RIGHT THING AND DISPOSE OF IT PROPERLY.
UM, BUT WHAT'S TO SAY THAT THAT'S JUST, YOU'RE GONNA DETER YOU, DETER YOU FOR DUMP FROM DUMPING ON THIS PROPERTY AND THEN JUST MOVE NEXT DOOR? I MEAN, I WOULD THINK IF THIS IS MY BEHAVIOR, IT'S MY BEHAVIOR, RIGHT? I MEAN, YEAH, IF YOU'RE A CRIMINAL, YOU'RE A CRIMINAL, IT JUST, YOU OR YOU HAVE THAT CRIMINAL MINDSET TO GO DUMP ON SOMEONE'S PROPERTY.
AND ALTHOUGH I, I THINK IT WOULD PROBABLY LOOK BETTER DISPERSED EVERYWHERE THAN THIS LARGE ACCUMULATION, YOU STILL GOT THE SAME PROBLEM JUST SPREAD OUT, RIGHT? UM, I JUST REALLY THINK THAT WITH THE TOOLS WE HAVE TODAY, GETTING OUTSIDE VENDORS TO COME CLEAN IT UP, PUTTING LIENS ON THE PROPERTY, COLLECTING THOSE LIENS, I THINK MAY BE OUR BEST BET.
I MEAN, AND I'M CURIOUS AS TO HOW LONG THESE TIRES HAVE BEEN HERE AT THIS POPEYE'S.
THAT'S JUST, THAT WAS JUST, DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG THEY WERE THERE? OH, THEY WERE THERE FOR, UM, MICROPHONE.
THEY WERE THERE FOR HOW LONG THOSE TIRES WERE THERE.
PROBABLY ABOUT A GOOD, YEAH, BECAUSE WE, THEY KEPT DUMP, WE'LL CLEAN 'EM UP AND THEN THEY'LL DUMP 'EM AGAIN.
SO IT WAS LIKE ONGOING FOR YEARS, A COUPLE OF YEARS.
WHEN YOUR HOT TEAMS DO THAT, DO WE CHARGE THROUGH A LIEN? NO.
AND I THINK THEN WE, YEAH, THEY DON'T CHARGE THROUGH A LIEN, BUT IT SHOULD BE A LIEN
SO WE SHOULD MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S AN ORDINANCE.
THANK YOU COUNCIL MAYOR RAMIREZ.
AND, UH, JUST A QUESTION FOR MY COLLEAGUE, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON.
SO, UM, THIS, THIS PROPOSED ORDINANCE WOULD ADDRESS VACANT COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS, UM, BUT I KNOW THAT IN MANY AREAS VACANT, UH, LOTS AND VACANT RESIDENCES ARE, ARE ALSO AN ISSUE.
ANY, ANY, UH, PARTICULAR REASON YOU'RE GOING AFTER COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS AND NOT VACANT LOTS OR VACANT RESIDENCES? WELL, BECAUSE WE'RE, WE'RE TALKING COMMERCIAL, BUT COMMERCIAL VACANT LAND WOULD, BECAUSE THE GRASS CAN BE OVERGROWN, CAN BE INCLUDED.
WE WASN'T JUST EXCLUDING IT JUST BECAUSE, UM, BUT WE WERE JUST THINKING ABOUT THE BUILDINGS.
UM, BUT I THINK IT MAKES SENSE TO ADD BUSINESS LAND.
AND THEN AS FAR AS RESIDENTIAL, WE DIDN'T GET INTO THE RESIDENTIAL.
I DON'T, 'CAUSE I'M SURE IT'S SOMETHING ALREADY IN PLACE, UM, FOR RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, SO WE WERE JUST FOCUSING ON THE BUSINESSES AND, AND IF THE OTHER TYPES OF PROPERTIES VACANT PROPERTIES ARE AND THEY ADDED TO IT OR ISSUES AS WELL, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, UH,
[00:45:01]
I THINK WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT WHERE WE WOULD DRAW THE LINE.UM, YOU KNOW, SHOULD WE REQUIRE OWNERS OF LOTS THAT HAVE BEEN VACANT FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME TO ERECT FENCE ACROSS THE CITY, YOU KNOW, WHERE, WHERE SHOULD THOSE LINES BE DRAWN? BUT ANYWAY, THANK YOU STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO'S OFFICE.
YOU MENTIONED, UH, ABOUT ESTABLISHING AN AFTER HOURS TASK OR THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT YOU HAD, UH, ISSUES WITH.
WANTED TO ASK IF YOU, UM, WHEN YOU'RE REQUESTING THE 51 ADDITIONAL POSITIONS FOR NUISANCE ABATEMENTS AND THE 10 POSITIONS FOR DANGEROUS BUILDINGS, COULD ANY OF THOSE BE REQUESTED POSITIONS TO BE DESIGNATED FOR THOSE THAT TASK FORCE? UM, THE REASONING BEING IS 'CAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF ISSUES LIKE WITH VIOLATIONS OF CHAPTER 42, UM, WHERE CONSTITUENTS ARE SENDING PICTURES, VIDEOS, UH, TO OUR OFFICE WHEN WE REPORT THEM TO THE DEPARTMENT, OR THE DEPARTMENT SAYS THAT ALTHOUGH THE ISSUES ARE BEING WITNESSED, PICTURES AND VIDEOS TO OUR OFFICE, THAT THEY STILL CAN'T BE ENFORCED BECAUSE IT HAS TO BE, UH, PERSONALLY INVESTIGATED BY THE DEPARTMENT STAFF.
SO THEN THAT IS LIKE AN ISSUE WHERE STAFF DOESN'T GO AFTER HOURS, THE ISSUE IS PERSISTENT.
AND SO WOULD THAT BE SOMETHING THAT COULD HAPPEN? YES.
AND, UH, SPECIFICALLY TO, UH, ON THE CONCERN IN WHICH YOU'RE SPEAKING ON, UM, I KNOW I DID PROVIDE AN ANSWER.
UM, AND I, I BELIEVE DIRECTOR MAC, I MET WITH YOUR OFFICE, WAS THAT LAST WEEK? MM-HMM
UM, 'CAUSE ONE, I THINK THAT WAS ONE OF THE QUESTIONS POSED ABOUT PRO PROVIDING AN AFTER HOURS, UH, CODE ENFORCEMENT.
UM, AND THAT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT WE'RE OPEN TO, RIGHT? SO WE ARE, WHAT I WAS REFERENCING IN HERE ON THIS AFTER HOURS TASK FORCE, UM, SPECIFICALLY GEARED TOWARDS THE, UH, WITH HPDS CLUB UNIT FOR THE BARS AND NIGHTCLUBS THAT HAVE BEEN HABITUAL BAD ACTORS THROUGH THE CITY, WHICH YOU HAVE A LOT OF INCREASED CRIME, UM, AND SEVERAL OTHER NEFARIOUS ISSUES THAT ARE CURBED FROM THAT.
UM, BUT YEAH, I MEAN, SO ADDING THIS NUMBER OF STAFF WOULD INCREASE OUR EFFECTIVENESS IN CODE ENFORCEMENT HOLISTICALLY WITHIN COMMUNITY CODE ENFORCEMENT TO ADDRESS YOUR HIGH GRASS WEEDS, TRASH ON PROPERTY DANGEROUS BUILDINGS, UH, JUNK MOTOR VEHICLES, UM, WITH THE EVOLUTION OF PYP WHERE THAT RESPONSIBILITY ENDS UP FALLING, I CAN'T SPEAK TO TODAY.
UM, HOWEVER, WITH THE DIFFERENT MULTIPLE INITIATIVES, WE'VE IDENTIFIED THE NEED FOR AT LEAST 61 MORE, MORE BODIES, UM, IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN THE VOLUME OF COMPLAINTS THAT ARE COMING THROUGH 3 1 1 EVERY DAY, UM, TO BE EFFECTIVE AND THEN PROVIDE MORE OF A PROACTIVE APPROACH TO CODE ENFORCEMENT.
AND THEN I'M NOT SURE IF THE QUESTION WAS ASKED OR IF I JUST DIDN'T HEAR IT PROPERLY, BUT YOU GET A 10 DAY WINDOW TO FENCE THE PROPERTY AFTER IT'S BEEN REPORTED VACANT, OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO WORK OUT.
SO ONCE, ONCE THEY HAVE QUALIFIED AS A VACANT COMMERCIAL BUILDING AND THEY'VE BEEN VACANT FOR SEVEN NON-CONSECUTIVE DAYS IN A 30 DAY PERIOD, NOTICE IS THEN PROVIDED TO OWNER OR OWNERSHIP OF THE PROPERTY.
THEY HAVE 10 DAYS TO FENCE THE PROPERTY.
SO THE, ON THE 11TH DAY, THEN THE ENFORCEMENT WOULD START WITH THE ISSUANCE OF CITATIONS.
UM, AND THEN THE, OF COURSE, AT WHAT POINT DO YOU DRAW THE LINE AND SAY, NOW THE CITY NEEDS TO TAKE ACTION, RIGHT? BECAUSE I KNOW WE HAD A PROPERTY ON JENSEN THAT JUST GOT CLEANED UP AND IT TOOK ROUGHLY TWO TO THREE WEEKS ON A CITY OWNED PROPERTY TO GET A FENCE UP
SO ON A CITY OWNED PROPERTY, IT TOOK TWO TO THREE WEEKS TO GET A FENCE UP THROUGH A DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW THE 10 DAYS PRETTY FEASIBLE.
I I DON'T JUST WANTED TO ASK THAT QUESTION.
AND THIS QUESTION IS, UH, MORE FOR LEGAL, BUT IN THE ORDINANCE LANGUAGE UNDER SECTION 10 DASH 1 0 0 3, IT SAYS THE FENCING REQUIREMENT IN THIS ARTICLE MAY BE WAIVED FOR A, A SPECIFIED PROPERTY OR PROPERTIES IF THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY APPROVE A WRITTEN RESOLUTION.
GRANTING SUCH AN EXEMPTION, UM, UNANIMOUSLY SEEMS LIKE A, A PRETTY HIGH BAR.
ARE THERE OTHER, UM, WRITTEN RESOLUTIONS OR APPROVAL OF WRITTEN RESOLUTIONS THAT REQUIRE A UNANIMOUS VOTE BY COUNCIL AND, UH, N NO.
UH UH AND I THINK, I CAN'T REMEMBER IF
[00:50:01]
I THINK THAT LANGUAGE WAS, WAS UH, THERE ONE OF THE, I THINK ONE OF THE SUGGESTIONS WHEN DISCUSSING WHAT, WHAT, UM, WITH MR. COLLIER WAS POSSIBLY, INSTEAD OF EVEN HAVING COUNCIL VOTE, EVEN THE COUNCIL VOTE ITSELF, MAYBE EVEN POSSIBLY HAVE A DIRECTOR.I GUESS THE CITY APPROVAL, I GUESS IS THE IDEA WHETHER IT HAS TO COME THROUGH COUNCIL, WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT BE THE, THE THING TO DO, OR MAYBE, UH, IT COMES THROUGH, UH, THE, THE, THE DEPARTMENTS THAT ACTUALLY HAVE TO, UH, THAT ACTUALLY HAVE TO DO THE ADDRESSING OF IT.
UM, THAT, THAT'S STILL UP FOR DISCUSSION OF WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED CITY APPROVAL ON, ON ALLOWING, UH, THE LACK OF FENCING IN THIS REGARD.
SO, BUT YEAH, UH, JUST CITY APPROVAL I THINK WAS THE IDEA.
SO WITH MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE TO BE THE COUNCIL, IT COULD BE WHAT, IT COULD BE A DIFFERENT, IT COULD BE DEPARTMENT SPECIFIC.
'CAUSE I KNOW YOU GUYS GETTING VOTES IS ALWAYS TRICKY.
SO ESPECIALLY FOR INDIVIDUAL PROPERTIES, BUT IT COULD, IT COULD GO THROUGH, UM, COULD GO THROUGH DIRECTORS OR WHOEVER, WHOEVER ELSE WOULD BE THE, THE, THE MOST IDEAL VERSION, THE CLOSEST TO THE PROBLEM TO ACTUALLY ADDRESS IT FROM THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBER.
I, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I HAVE ALL THE STAFFING STUFF STRAIGHT.
'CAUSE I WAS AT THE MEETING A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER, UH, ALL THE DIFFERENT, UM, YOU CAN PUT UP THE STAFFING SLIDES AGAIN.
UM, I THINK IT, I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT SLIDE IT IS, BUT I'M ON YOUR ONE FROM A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, UH, WHEN YOU WERE AT SERVICE DELIVERY COMMITTEE.
UM, BUT OF ALL THESE NEEDED, CAN WE PUT THAT ONE UP JAMES, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND THAT SLIDE? IT DOESN'T MATTER.
UM, JUST ON OF ALL THOSE STAFFING NEEDS, I THINK SOME ARE FUNDED, RIGHT? SOME ARE YOU'RE HIRING FOR, RIGHT? LIKE ON THE NUISANCE AND ABATEMENT ONES REMIND ME, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE LIKE WHAT'S NOT LIKE ON ALL THOSE BOTTOM ONES.
ARE THOSE, ARE YOU HIRING FOR THOSE? SO THOSE ARE ADDITIONAL NEEDS.
THE 13 THAT YOU'RE SEEING, 13 VACANT, WE ARE ACTIVELY PURSUING FILLING THOSE POSITIONS.
OKAY, SO THE VACANT ONES FOR NUISANCE ABATEMENT AND DANGEROUS BUILDINGS YOU'RE HIRING? THAT'S CORRECT.
IT'S THE, FOR THE PROCESS, IT'S THE ADDITIONAL NEED 51 NEED 10 NEED ONE THAT YOU'RE NOT FUNDED FOR.
BECAUSE THEY, THESE AREN'T REALLY POSITIONS THAT ARE PAID FOR WITH LIKE PERMIT FEES THAT YOU OPERATE ON, RIGHT.
I MEAN THIS IS LIKE, NOBODY APPLIES TO
YOU'RE NOT PAYING, YOU DON'T HAVE THE, Y'ALL ARE KIND OF AN ENTERPRISE FUND WITH THE BUILDING INSPECTION FUND AND THERE'S NO REALLY, WE, WE MOVED EVERYTHING OVER HERE TO GET THING, GET THIS OFF THE GENERAL FUND LEDGER.
BUT
UM, THIS HAS BEEN A REALLY GOOD DISCUSSION AND UM, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT IDEAS OUT THERE AND THAT THIS ORDINANCE NEEDS SOME WORK.
AND JUST TO CLARIFY, YOU KNOW, YOUR POSITION, YOU'RE NOT HERE SPEAKING AGAINST THIS ORDINANCE OR IN FAVOR OF THIS ORDINANCE.
YOU'RE JUST LAYING OUT WHAT SOME OF THE CHALLENGES MAY BE, YOU KNOW, AT THIS POINT IF WE GO FORWARD AT THIS POINT.
IS THAT RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT, YES.
SEEING NOBODY ELSE IN QUEUE, I NOW WANT TO OPEN UP TO PUBLIC SPEAKERS BECAUSE THE PEOPLE ARE THE CITY.
WELL THEN, UM, WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ORDINANCE FROM THE PUBLIC? OKAY.
SEEING NONE, I WANNA THANK EVERYONE FOR YOUR ATTENDANCE AND YOUR PARTICIPATION IN TODAY'S MEETING.
THE TIME IS NOW 2:56 PM WE ARE OFFICIALLY ADJOURNED.
PLEASE LOOK FOR COMMUNICATION FROM MY OFFICE FOR THE NEXT SCHEDULED MEETING.
AND AS A REMINDER, THIS COMMITTEE MEETS ONLY UPON RECEIVING ITEMS FOR CONSIDERATION.