* 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. [Housing and Affordability Committee on October 21, 2025.] [00:00:16] YEAH. ALL RIGHT. IT'S OFFICIALLY 10:00 AM I OFFICIALLY CALLED THIS MEETING TO ORDER. I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME ALL OF MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES AND THEIR STAFF IN ATTENDANCE. TODAY IS TU UH, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 21ST, 2025. WE'RE HOSTING OUR OCTOBER IN-PERSON HOUSING AND AFFORDABILITY COMMITTEE. IN CHAMBERS, WE HAVE VICE CHAIR WILLIE DAVIS, OUR MAYOR, PRO TEM, MARTHA CASTEX, TATUM, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ'S OFFICE, STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN'S OFFICE AND STAFF REPRESENTING OUR VICE MAYOR PRO TEM. AND I'LL ACKNOWLEDGE OTHER STAFF AND COUNCIL MEMBERS AS THEY WALK INTO THE CHAMBER TABLE INTO THE CHAMBERS. UH, TODAY'S AGENDA IS BRIEF, BUT MIGHTY WILL HEAR PRESENTATIONS FROM PUBLIC SERVICES PRESENTED BY ASSISTANT DIRECTOR MELODY BARR, SINGLE FAMILY, PRESENTED BY ASSISTANT DIRECTOR CEDRIC SAIN MULTIFAMILY, PRESENTED BY ASSISTANT DIRECTOR RYAN BIBBS AND ENC CLOSING. WE'LL HAVE DIRECTOR'S COMMENTS. WE DO NOT HAVE, UH, PUBLIC COMMENTS, UH, SCHEDULED, BUT IF YOU ARE IN CHAMBERS AND WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK AT THE END OF THE MEETING, YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO. AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME DIRECTOR NICHOLS AND ASSISTANT DIRECTOR MELODY BARR. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIRWOMAN AND COUNCIL FOLKS. UH, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE. UH, AS YOU KNOW, AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS A VERY IMPORTANT CONCEPT FOR HOUSTON, UM, AND WE APPRECIATE BEING ABLE TO WALK THROUGH OUR PUBLIC SERVICES AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS. UH, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO IS FOR CALENDAR YEAR IN TO COME BACK TO YOU WITH A LIST OF OUR SUCCESSFUL PROJECTS, BECAUSE WE'VE HAD A VERY SUCCESSFUL YEAR. BUT I THINK WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS ONE ON ONE BY ONE. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING THAT PRESENTATION. NOW. WE'LL START WITH PUBLIC SERVICES AND, UH, BEGIN WITH MELODY BARR AND HER ORDINANCES. GOOD MORNING. UM, I'LL BE PRESENTING TWO ITEMS. SO WE'LL START WITH ITEM TWO A. THE DEPARTMENT IS PRESENTING A FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE SUB-RECIPIENT AGREEMENT WITH THE CHINESE COMMUNITY CENTER, PROVIDING UP TO AN ADDITIONAL $140,000 IN CDBG FUNDS, WHICH IS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OPERATION OF AN EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT AND OUT SCHOOL TIME YOUTH ENRICHMENT PROGRAM FOR LOW TO MODERATE INCOME FAMILIES. THIS PROGRAM OPERATES OUT OF THE CHINESE COMMUNITY CENTER, LOCATED IN WEST, UM, IN HOUSTON'S WEST END. THIS PROGRAM WILL SERVE A MINIMUM OF 250 CHILDREN THROUGH TWO PROGRAMS. THE FIRST PROGRAM IS THE EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, SERVING CHILDREN 18 MONTHS TO FIVE YEARS OF AGE WITH EVIDENCE-BASED CURRICULUM, PROVIDING EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND SOCIAL EMOTIONAL ENRICHMENT OPPORTUNITIES THAT PROVIDE DEVELOPMENTAL EDUCATION. THE SECOND PROGRAM IS SERVING SCHOOL AGED CHILDREN FROM KINDERGARTEN THROUGH 12TH GRADE. THIS PROGRAM OPERATES AFTER SCHOOL DURING THE FALL, SPRING SEMESTERS, AND ALL DAY DURING THE SUMMER, PROVIDING DAY CAMP. THIS PROGRAM PROVIDES A VARIETY OF OPTIONS. SOME OF THOSE OPTIONS INCLUDE TARGETED TUTORING, STEM ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING FIELD TRIPS, COLLEGE AND CAREER PLANNING OPPORTUNITIES, ASSISTING STUDENTS THAT HAVE DROPPED OUTTA SCHOOL TO RETURN HOMEWORK ASSISTANCE AND TRANSPORTATION AND ALIKE. THE CHINESE COMMUNITY CENTER HAS RECEIVED FUNDING FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON SINCE 2003 AND HAS NO FINDINGS AS OF AUGUST, 2025. NEARLY 80% OF THEIR CURRENT FUNDING HAS BEEN UTILIZED, AND THEY HAVE SERVED 88% OF THEIR SERVICE SCHOOL. TODAY WE HAVE LISA TOW, THE YOUTH PROGRAM MANAGER, AND JOHN STEWART, THE SENIOR GRANT MANAGER HERE IN THE AUDIENCE WITH US. ALL RIGHT. UM, MOVING ON, WE'LL GO TO ITEM TWO B. THE DEPARTMENT IS PRESENTING A FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE SUB-RECIPIENT AGREEMENT WITH CHILDCARE COUNCIL OF GREATER HOUSTON, PROVIDING UP TO AN ADDITIONAL $100,000 IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT FUNDS FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OPERATION OF AN INFANT AND EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, SERVING LOW TO MODERATE INCOME FAMILIES. THIS PROGRAM WILL CONTINUE OPERATING OUT OF THE WEST IN CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER, LOCATED IN THE HOUSTON HEIGHTS AREA. THIS PROGRAM WILL PROVIDE SERVICES TO 18 CHILDREN AGES ZERO TO, UH, TO FIVE YEARS OF AGE, AND PROVIDE SUPPORT SERVICES TO THEIR FAMILIES. ADDITIONALLY, THIS PROGRAM COLLABORATES AND PROVIDES SERVICES TO THE CHILDREN OF HOMELESS YOUTH PARENTS. PROGRAMMING INCLUDES AGE APPROPRIATE CURRICULUM FOCUSED ON PROVIDING DEVELOPMENTAL OPPORTUNITIES, LANGUAGE ASSISTANCE, AS WELL AS BREAKFAST, LUNCH, AND AFTERNOON SNACKS. SERVICES AVAILABLE TO FAMILIES INCLUDE ARE NOT LIMITED TO REFERRALS, TO SUPPORT SERVICES AND RESOURCES TO MAINTAIN HOUSING STABILITY, PARENTING [00:05:01] SESSIONS, AND ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES. CHILDCARE COUNCIL HAS RECEIVED FUNDING FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON SINCE 1994, AND AS OF AUGUST OF 2025, THE PROGRAM HAS UTILIZED 66% OF THEIR FUNDING AND SERVED 83% OF THEIR SERVICE GOAL. THEY DID RECEIVE ONE FINDING THEIR LAST MONITORING AND COMPLIANCE REVIEW. THAT FINDING INDICATED A SIGNIFICANT GAP THAT HAD BEEN IDENTIFIED IN THE PROVISION OF CASE MANAGEMENT AND SUPPORT SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUALS UNDER THE CURRENT PROGRAM. THE COMPLIANCE REVIEW LETTER WAS SENT TO CHILDCARE COUNCIL ON MAY 29TH, 2025, AND ON JUNE 12TH, 2025, CHILDCARE COUNCIL OF GREATER HOUSTON SUBMITTED TO OUR DEPARTMENT THEIR RESPONSE, WHICH INCLUDED THE SUPPORTIVE SERVICES AND RESOURCE STRENGTHENING PLAN TO SUPPORT FAMILIES IN NEED OUTSIDE OF THE CHILDCARE SERVICES PROVIDED SUCH AS EMPLOYMENT, JOB, SALES TRAINING, UM, AND THE LIKE. BASED ON THE SUBRECIPIENT MONITORING SECTIONS, PERSONNEL REVIEW OF THE RESPONSE, THEY WERE ABLE TO DETERMINE THAT THE DOCUMENTATION WAS SUFFICIENT TO RESOLVE THE ONE FINDING. MY TEAM CONTINUES TO WORK WITH CHILDCARE COUNSEL TO ENSURE THOSE RESOURCES AND INFORMATION ARE PROVIDED TODAY. WE HAVE MERLE GILNER, THE CEO, AND REBECCA CORVO, THE INFORMATION COORDINATOR IN THE AUDIENCE WITH US. AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION. THANK YOU. NO QUE UH, QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS IN THE QUEUE, AND I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ IS JOINING US IN CHAMBER AS WELL. THANK YOU SO MUCH. MM-HMM . THANK YOU. MELODY, UH, CEDRIC SAIN, IF YOU'LL JOIN ME AND WE'LL BEGIN TALKING ABOUT OUR SINGLE FAMILY ISSUES AS CEDRIC COMES FORWARD. UM, CEDRIC IS A VERY BUSY PERSON THESE DAYS. UM, AS YOU SEE HERE, THIS IS, UH, FROM THE HARVEY HOME BUYER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM 2.0, AND THAT GIVES ME A CHANCE TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT OUR STAFF IN TOTAL. UM, THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT IS VERY COGNIZANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE USE EVERY FEDERAL DOLLAR POSSIBLE BEFORE IT EXPIRES AND USES IT IN A TIME PERIOD POSSIBLE FOR IT EXPIRES. AND AGAIN, EVEN THIS PROGRAM, WHICH WAS DONE WITH THE, UH, SUPPORT AND HELP OF THE GENERAL LAND OFFICE, IS ONE MORE OF THOSE ITEMS OF TAKING THOSE EXTRA DOLLARS AND BRINGING THEM TO THE CITIZENS OF HOUSTON. UM, AND WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THIS. IT'S SOMETHING WE WORK ON DAILY IN THE DEPARTMENT AS WE LOOK AT OUR PROGRAMS, WHERE WE STAND, HOW MUCH WE'RE FUNDING. UH, CEDRIC AT THIS TIME IS STILL WORKING FORWARD ON THE SINGLE FAMILY PROGRAM UNDER THE DR 21 THAT'S BEGINNING TO COME FORWARD AND BEGINNING TO WORK ON THE $50 MILLION PROGRAM IN DR 24. SO YOU'RE A VERY BUSY PERSON, THESE TYPES. YES, SIR. GOOD MORNING, MADAM CHAIR, VICE CHAIR AND COMMITTEE. I AM PRESENTING ITEM THREE. ON BEHALF OF HOUSING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, A TDD HAS MADE A NONS SUBSTANTIAL AMENDMENT TO THE HARVEY HOME BUYER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. HBA 2.0 GUIDELINES, VERSION 3.0, UH, INCLUDES CRYPTOCURRENCY AS A NON EXCLUDED ASSET, UH, IN THE REVISED LIQUID ASSET SECTIONS, THE GENERAL LAND OFFICE REVIEWED AND APPROVED, UH, AMENDMENT ON AUGUST 15TH, 2025. JUST TO GIVE, UM, YOU GUYS, UH, ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND, HBA 2.0 PROVIDES RESIDENTS WITH FUNDING FOR DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE, CLOSING COSTS, SUBSIDIZED, UH, INTEREST RATES, AND PRINCIPAL BUYDOWN TO ELIGIBLE LMI AND URGENT NEED HOME BUYERS MEETING A DEFINITION OF FIRST TIME HOME BUYER. ALL RESIDENTS THAT WERE HERE DOING HURRICANE HARVEY, AUGUST 25TH, 2017, IS ELIGIBLE TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION. UM, BASED ON THE CRITERIA FOR THE PROGRAM, UH, THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION. I'LL GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. OKAY. YEAH. SO THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION AROUND THE QUALITY, UM, AND THE SUSTAINABILITY OF HOUSING, UH, THAT IS BEING DONE BY THE DEPARTMENT. I WANTED TO ADDRESS A LITTLE BIT OF THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD. NEXT SLIDE. UM, SO AS, UM, I HAVE COME IN AND MADE, UM, A LOT OF REVISIONS TO THE STANDARDS THAT WE PROVIDE, UH, FOR HOUSING. UH, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT HOMES IN THE FUTURE ARE SUSTAINABLE AND RESILIENT FOR FUTURE STORMS. SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE DONE IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE HOMES THAT ARE BEING BUILT WILL, WHICH STAND THE HOUSTON CLIMATE AS THEY CONTINUE TO CHANGE. UH, WE HAVE DESIGNED, UM, PLANS THAT ARE ACCESSIBLE AND SAFETY IN MINE. UH, WE HAVE CONSTRUCTED HOMES THAT ARE ENERGY EFFICIENT. UH, WE DO REQUIRE ALL OUR BUILDERS TO MEET A ENERGY STAR CERTIFICATION, UH, WITH EACH HOME THAT IS BUILT. AND RESILIENCE IS ALWAYS AT THE CORE OF OUR, OUR FUNCTION. UH, WHEN DEALING WITH CONSTRUCTION. WE KNOW THAT A LOT OF OUR LMI POPULATION, UM, NEEDS HOUSING THAT IT'S [00:10:01] GONNA BE RESILIENT, AND THAT'S GONNA WITHSTAND, UM, ESPECIALLY WITH, UM, LOW INCOME. OKAY. NEXT SLIDE. UH, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE DONE TO STRENGTHEN AND CREATE MORE DURABILITY WITH OUR HOMES, UM, AS WE KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, AS WE USE SIDING ON HOMES, IT DOES REQUIRE A MAINTENANCE UPKEEP THAT IS, YOU KNOW, THREE TO FOUR YEARS OF REPAINTING A HOME. SO, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE LOOKED AT IS PROVIDING, UH, BRICK VENEER AND CASTSTONE, UM, UM, THROUGHOUT, UH, THE HOMES THAT WE BUILD. UM, WE MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF OUR HOMES HAVE GAS AND ELECTRIC CONNECTIONS, UH, THE FOUNDATIONS ARE ENGINEERED, UM, AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY MEET THE STANDARDS FOR, UM, FLOOD PRONE AREAS. UH, WE'VE ALSO MADE SURE THAT ACCESSIBILITY IS, UM, IN EVERY HOME THAT IS BUILT, UM, AND THAT ACCESSIBILITY IS FROM ZERO, UH, STEP ENTRIES TO RAMPS, UM, AND DESIGNS FOR LIFTS ON EACH OF THESE HOMES. AGAIN, UM, WE ALWAYS LOOK FOR ENERGY START CERTIFICATION IN ALL OF OUR HOMES THAT ARE BUILT, AND THOSE ARE ALL ALWAYS AVAILABLE TO THE HOMEOWNER THAT WE PROVIDE. NEXT SLIDE. SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS, UM, WE LOOK AT SAFETY AND ACCESSIBILITY. UM, ALL OF OUR HOMES STILL, UH, COME IN AND MEET ALL OF THE STANDARD CODES, BUT WE TRY TO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND OF WHAT THOSE CODES ARE, UM, AT STANDARDS SUCH AS, YOU KNOW, THE HARDWIRED SMOKE DETECTORS AND CARBON DIOXIDE, UM, IS PROVIDED. WE LOOK AT RESILIENCE AS FAR AS, UM, DOORS AND WINDOWS THAT ARE USED THAT MEET A STANDARD THAT IS ABOVE, UM, YOUR, YOU KNOW, YOUR, UM, BASIC WINDOW THAT IS PROVIDED. UH, SO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, WE ALSO LOOK AT IS MAKING SURE THAT EACH OF THE HOMES MEET THE ENERGY STAR RESILIENCE, UH, COMPLIANCE. UM, RIGHT NOW THE INSULATION REQUIREMENTS ARE R 49, R 15 IN THE WALLS, AND R 19 WHEN WE HAVE AN ELEVATED HOME. THE WINDOWS AGAIN, UM, ARE ENERGY STAR COMPLIANT. UH, WE TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT PRODUCTS THAT ARE BEING PROVIDED IN ALL OF THESE HOMES ARE MOLD AND MILDEW RESISTANT. UH, NEXT SLIDE. UM, AND THEN THIS IS A, A BIG THING THAT, UM, HAS COME UP. WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT EACH OF THE HOMES HAVE A WARRANTY PERIOD THAT WILL LAST LONGER THAN THAT STANDARD, UM, OF ONE YEAR, WHICH IS, UM, STANDARD IN THE INDUSTRY. SO WE REQUIRE A TWO YEAR WARRANTY ON WORKMANSHIP, AND WE REQUIRE A TWO YEAR ON MECHANICALS. THAT INCLUDES YOUR ELECTRICAL, PLUMBING, UH, AND HVAC SYSTEMS. AND WE REQUIRE A 10 YEAR STRUCTURAL WARRANTY WITH ALL HOMES THAT ARE BUILT. SOME OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, WE HAVE DONE WITH OUR MINIMUM CONSTRUCTION STANDARDS IS MAKING SURE THAT WE HOLD THE CONTRACTORS AS WELL AS ANY MANUFACTURERS THAT THEY'RE USING ACCOUNTABLE, UM, WITH THE PRODUCTS THAT THEY'RE USING ON THESE HOMES. OUR COMMITMENT IS TO DELIVER A SAFE, RESILIENT, AND DURABLE HOME THAT IS BUILT TO LAST. WE'RE NOT JUST BUILDING, UH, TO BUILD HOMES. WE ARE BUILDING TO CREATE A MORE RESILIENT HOUSING IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION. THANK YOU. UH, THE, UM, UH, BOARD HAS, UH, LIT UP, UH, IN, IN TERMS OF COMMENTS. UM, BUT LET ME SAY, I'M GLAD THAT, UM, DIRECTOR AND, AND AD WAS SAYING THAT Y'ALL ADDED THESE SLIDES BECAUSE THERE HAVE BEEN SOME FLAWED ARTICLES THAT HAVE FRAMED THE WORK, UM, OF THIS DEPARTMENT, PARTICULARLY AROUND HOME REPAIR, UM, SINGLE FAMILY DEVELOPMENT. UM, AND AS SOMEONE AND DIRECTOR, YOU'LL RECEIVE AN INVITATION SOON AS SOMEONE THAT HAS A HOME CLOSE TO COMPLETION IN WEST PARK VILLAGE. IT IS THE TALK OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AT NATIONAL NIGHT OUT. EVERYONE WAS TALKING ABOUT THAT HOME FROM THE, UM, THE CITY'S DEPARTMENT. SO WE ARE EXCITED TO HOPEFULLY HAVE A, UM, UH, A RIBBON CUTTING IN DECEMBER, UM, TO CELEBRATE THAT BECAUSE, UM, IT'S DEFINITELY A JEWEL. UH, UH, VICE CHAIR DAVIS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. UH, GOOD MORNING, GENTLEMEN. S GOOD MORNING TO ALL OF YOU. GOOD. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. ONE OF MY, ONE OF MY CERTAINLY CONCERNS WAS THE WARRANTY. YOU KNOW, AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD MANY TALKS WITH CONSTITUENTS WHO HAVE CONFRONTED ME, AND WE FOLLOWED UP WITH ISSUES THAT THEY HAD IN THEIR HOME AFTER [00:15:01] THE BILL. SO THIS WARRANTY, I GUESS MY BIG, MY REALLY CONCERN IS THAT TWO YEAR WORKMANSHIP AND TWO YEAR MECHANICAL AND 10 YEAR STRUCTURAL. UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT IS THE PROCESS, UH, THAT YOU, YOU GUYS ARE ASSURING THAT THE FOLLOW UP AND THE TIME BETWEEN THAT WHEN A, WHEN A PERSON COMPLAINS ABOUT THEIR SITUATION, THE TIMEFRAME BY WHICH THAT IS, UH, DONE, THAT'S ONE CONCERN. AND THEN THE CONTRACTED THEMSELVES, UM, HOW DO YOU ENSURE THAT THEY ARE EQUIPPED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY, THAT THEY CAN RESPOND TO THOSE CALLS AND TO THOSE CONCERNS AND RAPID RESPONSE TO, TO THE, UH, HOMEOWNER? ABSOLUTELY. SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT ONCE EACH HOME CLOSED AND THE HOMEOWNER SIGNS OFF, UM, ACCEPTING THE HOME, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE REQUIRE IS THE BUILDER TO PROVIDE THEM A WARRANTY PACKET. WHAT A WARRANTY PACKET. GOT IT. AND IN THAT WARRANTY PACKET, IT HAS ALL OF THE CONTACT INFORMATION FOR THE BUILDER, THE PLUMBER, THE ELECTRICIAN, UM, AND THE HVAC COMPANY. GOT IT. WHAT WE ASK IS THAT HOMEOWNERS NOT ONLY, UM, GIVE THEM A CALL, BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, SEND AN EMAIL AND THEN ALSO NOTIFY OUR OFFICE YES. THAT THEY HAVE FILED A WARRANTY, UH, CONCERN. NOW, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, THAT WE'VE SEEN OVER THE, THE YEARS IS, UM, WHILE A HOMEOWNER MAY THINK THAT IT'S A WARRANTY ITEM, IT MAY BE A ISSUE OF NEGLECT OR ABUSE. SO WE TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GO IN AND ASSESS, UM, WHEN THE BUILDER SAYS THAT, HEY, WE'RE NOT GOING TO REPAIR THAT BECAUSE OF THIS. WE DO OUR OWN INTERNAL LOOK TO ENSURE, UM, AND MOST TIMES WE PUSH THE BUILDER TO GO AHEAD AND, UH, MAKE THOSE CORRECTIONS AS A ONE TIME, UH, OFFER TO THE HOMEOWNER. COUNCILMAN DAVIS, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS YOU SEE IN THIS DEPARTMENT IS A SENSE OF REC RECOGNITION THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH THE PEOPLE WHO ARE BOTH LOW INCOME AND, UH, SOME ELDERLY. AND WHEN PEOPLE BUY A HOME, ALL OF US KNOW WHO OWN HOMES. MAINTENANCE IS AN EXPENSIVE PART OF THAT. IT IS. AND SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS GO INTO THIS WITH OUR EYES OPEN, FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO, AGAIN, OF LIMITED INCOME, UM, RECOGNIZE THAT WE HAVE TO DO SOME THINGS THAT ARE ADDITIONAL FOR THEM MM-HMM . TO MAKE SURE THAT THE WORKMANSHIP IS OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY. AND TO MAKE SURE THOSE, THAT WE PROTECT THEM UNDER THEIR WARRANTIES. UM, IT, IT IS AN ISSUE AND, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE TALKING TO ALL OF THE, UM, RECIPIENTS SUBRECIPIENTS ABOUT AS THEY DEAL WITH THESE ISSUES. UM, AGAIN, RECOGNITION THAT THESE HOMES NEED TO LAST AND HAVE, UM, ADDITIONAL SUPPORT AND ADDITIONAL MAINTENANCE. YEAH. BECAUSE WHEN PEOPLE HAVE LIMITED INCOME, THEY CANNOT PAINT EVERY FOUR YEARS. YEAH. AND THAT'S FRONT AND CENTER. THE SECOND THING I WANNA SAY IS THAT, AND I GIVE, I GIVE CEDRIC LISSE CREDIT FOR THIS. WE HAVE LEARNED FROM OUR PAST MISTAKES. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. UM, SOME OF 'EM, SOME OF 'EM I LIKE TO BLAME ON OTHER PEOPLE BEFORE CEDRIC, BUT THAT DOESN'T COUNT. SO HE, HE'S OVER THE SIX MONTH RULE. HE TAKES RESPONSIBILITY FOR EVERYTHING THIS EVER HAPPENED IN THE HISTORY OF SINGLE FAMILY. UH, I'M THE SAME WAY. UM, BUT WE'VE LEARNED FROM THOSE AREAS AND WE'VE LEARNED FROM THE AREAS OF OUR, UH, OF OUR PARTNERS LIKE GLO, UH, ON SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY'VE DONE. SURE. SO WE HAVE, WE HAVE WORK TO DO. UM, BUT WHAT YOU SEE IN THIS NEW FO THIS ADDITIONAL FOCUS ON STRENGTH AND DURABILITY IS THAT EDUCATIONAL PROCESS AND FOR THE, FOR THE HOMEOWNERS GOING FORWARD, THERE'LL BE EVEN BETTER HOMES. THERE WILL BE EXPENSE, BUT WE HOPE TO MAKE IT UP AS WE ARE WITH THE DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE OR OTHER PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE. BUT TO GIVE SOMEONE A, UH, HOUSE THAT NEEDS TO BE MAINTAINED IN THREE YEARS YEAH. IS NOT THE WAY WE NEED TO GO. OKAY. GOOD. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU SO MUCH. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO, THANK YOU CHAIR, AND THANK YOU BOTH FOR, FOR THE INFORMATION HERE ON THE STANDARDS FOR RESILIENCY THAT YOU OVERVIEW. ARE THESE CITY OF HOUSTON STANDARDS, ARE THEY FEDERAL STANDARDS? WHERE, WHERE DO THEY COME FROM? SO IT'S OUR LOCAL CITY STANDARDS THAT WE HAVE, UH, SET UP. SO IF YOU GO TO, UH, WWW.HOUSTONTX.GOV FORWARD SLASH HOUSING, UNDER OUR COMPLIANCE SECTION, IT LISTS, UM, A SECTION THAT TALKS ABOUT OUR MINIMUM CONSTRUCTION STANDARDS. WE CONTINUE TO EVOLVE. UM, WE KNOW THAT AS MATERIALS CHANGE, WE TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE KEEPING UP WITH THAT STANDARD. SO AS THE BASIC CODE CHANGES, RIGHT, FOR HVAC UNITS, WE TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE A STEP ABOVE, [00:20:01] UM, AND, UH, PROVIDING THAT RESILIENCE. CAN YOU CLARIFY THIS, CEDRIC? I THINK THE QUESTION IS, IT DOES, THIS IS NOT AS MUCH A CITY OF HOUSTON STANDARD. IT IS OUR DEPARTMENT STANDARD. IT'S, YES. NOT, NOT WELL. SO IT'S A DEPARTMENT STANDARD AS WE ARE PROVIDING, UH, INFIELD HOUSING AS WELL AS PROVIDING, UH, RECONSTRUCTION OR REHABILITATION TO HOMES. WE TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR STANDARD IS GONNA BE THERE TO BE ABLE TO LAST. UM, SO WE CONTINUE TO EVOLVE AND, YOU KNOW, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THINGS HAPPEN. UM, AND, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST, YOU KNOW, FOR ME, I, I TAKE ACCOUNTABILITY, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR ISSUES THAT COME UP AND WE TRY TO ADDRESS THOSE, UH, HEAD ON. UM, ANY HOMEOWNER THAT HAS ISSUES, I ALWAYS INVITE THEM TO COME IN. UH, BUT ONE THING THAT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T DO THE MEDIA AND I DON'T DO ANY OF THAT. YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE AN ISSUE, WE'RE GONNA ADDRESS YOUR ISSUE HEAD ON. UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, HOMEOWNERS NEED TO KNOW THAT, UM, COME WITH A OPEN MIND AND COME WITH SOME REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS. SO THESE GO ABOVE AND BEYOND SORT OF THE MINIMUM, UH, CORRECT STANDARD THAT, THAT WE'RE REQUIRED TO BUILD TO AND REPAIR. SO IT'S NOT JUST CONSTRUCTION OF SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, IT'S ALSO AS WE REPAIR AS WELL? THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY. GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. YES, SIR. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO, FOR RAISING THAT POINT. IT'S A GOOD REMINDER THAT THE GUIDELINES CONSISTENTLY COME BACK TO COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL. SO EVERY ITERATION AND NEW INFORMATION AND PIVOT, THEY CHANGE THE AFFORDABLE, UM, UM, THE DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE GUIDELINES HAVE CHANGED. OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING PRO GUIDELINES HAVE CHANGED, AND THEY ALWAYS COME BACK UP. SO WE ALWAYS GET TO, UM, CONTRIBUTE AND SEE WHAT THE, UM, UH, THE NEW RECOMMENDATIONS MAY BE. MAYOR PRO TEM THANK YOU, CHAIR. UH, JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE ARE PROTECTING THESE ASSETS BECAUSE, UM, PEOPLE'S HOMES ARE THE BIG, MOST OF THE TIME THE BIGGEST ASSET THAT THEY WILL HAVE. UM, AND I THINK THAT WE ARE DEFINITELY DOING THE RIGHT THING BY PUSHING, UM, BETTER WORKMANSHIP, UM, FROM OUR, OUR, OUR BUILDERS. UM, HAVE YOU HAD ANY, UH, PUSHBACK OR, UM, DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE, WHAT THE DELTA IS FROM WHAT OUR REQUIREMENTS ARE, UM, TO WHAT THEY USED TO BE? UM, WHAT ARE YOU HEARING FROM THE, THE BUILDERS IN DIFFERENCE IN PRICE? SO, YOU KNOW, WE, WE CONTINUE TO PUSH THE ENVELOPE. UM, RIGHT NOW, UM, AS YOU KNOW, THE GUIDELINES STATE THAT HOMES THAT WE ARE BUILDING IS AROUND THE $250,000 MARK. UM, WE ARE HOLDING STEADY WITH ALL THE CHANGES THAT WE'VE MADE, UM, RIGHT AROUND THAT SAME AMOUNT. UM, SO, YOU KNOW, STANDARDS HAVE IMPROVED AND THE PRICES HAVE STAYED, UH, CONSISTENT. INTERESTING THOUGHT BECAUSE MM-HMM . I, I GUESS THE, THE INFORMATION WE GET FROM, FROM THE BUILDERS AND, AND THE DEVELOPERS OF COURSE IS, YOU KNOW, THE, THE PRICES CONTINUE TO RISE AND, I MEAN, EVERYTHING IS GOING UP. UM, BUT EVERY TIME WE PUT A DIFFERENT REQUIREMENT, UM, THERE'S A, AN OUTCRY OF THIS MAKES IT MORE EXPENSIVE TO BUILD AND WE CAN'T STAY AROUND THAT, THAT SAME PRICE. SO I'M HAPPY TO HEAR THAT WE'RE STILL STAYING AROUND THAT 250 K PRICE. 'CAUSE IF YOU GET ON HARD, THERE AREN'T VERY MANY HOUSES AT 250 THOUSANDS IN THE, IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. THAT'S CORRECT. UM, SO, SO AS THOSE STANDARDS CONTINUE TO, UM, TO PUSH THE ENVELOPE, UH, WE DO ASK THAT THE BUILDERS TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION. YOU'RE NOT GONNA GET RICH ON ONE JOB. UM, IT'S BASED ON VOLUME. UM, WE ARE SERVING IN THESE PROGRAMS ANYWHERE FROM 150, UH, TO 200 HOMEOWNERS. SO WE ARE CONTINUING TO PUSH VOLUME OUT. UM, OUR STANDARDS CONTINUE TO CHANGE. UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE DONE IS WE'RE GOING TO A NEW MODEL TO WHERE WE ARE DOING, UH, THE PLANS AND DESIGNS IN-HOUSE. AND ALL OF THAT IS SELECTED PRIOR TO BEING SUBMITTED TO AN ACTUAL BUILDER. UM, SO THAT'S, IT'S CONTINUING TO EVOLVE DR 24, YOU'RE GONNA SEE MORE OF IT. UH, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE ABOUT SIX DESIGNS, UH, THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR ARCHITECT FIRM ON. UM, SOME HOMEOWNERS HAVE ALREADY CHOSEN SOME OF THOSE PLANS THAT ARE THE FIRST TEST, UM, ON WHAT THOSE PRICINGS ARE GONNA BE. SO THANK YOU. YES, MA'AM. THAT'S GOOD. COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. CEDRIC, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. APPRECIATE ALL THE HARD WORK Y'ALL PUT IN. I'M JUST CURIOUS, UH, ON THIS PROGRAM, WHO SETS THE PURCHASE PRICE FOR THROUGH THESE HOMES? [00:25:01] SO THAT'S, YOU, YOU'RE SPEAKING FOR HOMES TO BE SOLD OR HOMES THAT HOMEOWNERS ARE REBUILDING, THAT WE REBUILDING TO BE SOLD, THAT ARE BEING SOLD. SO WHAT WE DO ON OUR NEW HOME DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, UM, AS WELL AS OUR A HDP CONTRACTORS, THOSE ARE ALL SET AS NEGOTIATING. CAN YOU NOT USE THE ALPHABETS? CAN YOU SAY, OH, 'CAUSE AFFORDABLE HOME DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM WHERE WE HAVE OUR BUILDER PARTNERS, THOSE CONTRACTS ARE SET, UM, AS THE NEGOTIATION GO ON, ON WHAT THEY'RE GONNA BE RECEIVING AS FAR AS, UH, FOR FUNDING FOR INFRASTRUCTURE FOR OUR NHDP OR NEW HOME DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM WHERE WE ARE BUILDING ON VACANT LAND THAT'S BEEN BLIGHTED IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS. UM, THOSE PRICES ARE SET BASED ON OUR PRIOR SALES, UM, AS WELL AS LOOKING AT A BROKER'S OPINION, UM, FOR EACH OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WE, UH, DEVELOP IN, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE LOOK AT IS, UM, WHAT CAN THE 80% BUYER, WHO IS THE CLIENTELE THAT WE DEAL WITH ON THAT PROGRAM CAN AFFORD? UM, RIGHT NOW WE KNOW THAT THAT SWEET SPOT IS SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 215 AND $228,000. AND THAT'S, THAT'S WITHOUT ANY ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE IN, IN, IN, INTO THE, UH, PROGRAM. OKAY. AND, AND TO, UH, MAYOR, PRO TEMS POINT, UM, OBVIOUSLY, UH, HIGH STANDARDS, UH, COME AT A COST, AND I'M NOT SUGGESTING THAT WE SHOULD CUT CORNERS OR ANYTHING. CERTAINLY NOT. BUT FOR INSTANCE, ENERGY RESILIENCE, UH, ON SLIDE, WHAT IS IT, 21? UM, THESE ARE HOMES THAT MUST MEET THE 2021 IECC ENERGY CODE, RIGHT? CORRECT. SO, UM, DO, DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MUCH THAT STANDARD ADDS TO THE COST OF THE HOMES THAT ARE BUILT? NO, BUT I CAN GET THAT INFORMATION FOR YOU, UM, RIGHT NOW. SO THAT'S THE STANDARD. SO WHEN, WHEN SOMEONE SAYS, HEY, I BUILT A CODE, WE SAY, GREAT, THANK YOU FOR BUILDING TO THE CODE THAT IS REQUIRED, UH, BY HPW, BUT WE HAVE A HIGHER STANDARD THAT WE PUT IN PLACE. UM, AND THESE ARE THE STANDARDS IN OUR MINIMUM CONSTRUCTION. UH, BUT I CAN GET YOU WHAT THAT DIFFERENCE IS. BUT THIS IS THE, THE 2021. UH, IECC IS THE STANDARD ACROSS THE CITY, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE LAST CHANGE TO NOW. I CAN GET THAT INFORMATION FOR YOU. O OKAY. AND WHEN YOU SAY ACROSS THE CITY, THROUGHOUT OUR HOUSING DEPARTMENT OR THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT THEY BUILD IN THE MARKET? THAT'S MARKETPLACE. THAT'S THE BUILDING. THAT'S THE BUILDING CODE ACROSS THE CITY. ACROSS THE CITY, YES, SIR. OKAY. MUNICIPAL BUILDING CODE. UH, THAT'S THE INTERNATIONAL ELECTRIC, UH, CODE COMPLIANCE. RIGHT. CODE. RIGHT. OKAY. ALRIGHT. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU. OKAY, WONDERFUL. THANK YOU. NO OTHER QUESTIONS IN THE QUEUE. THANK YOU. WE'LL GO AND WE'LL GO TO MULTIFAMILY, UH, RYAN BIBBS, I THINK, OR DEREK SELLERS GONNA COME UP AND TALK ABOUT. ALRIGHT. RYAN'S HERE. GOOD. UH, GOOD MORNING CHAIR, VICE CHAIR MAYOR, PRO TEMP COUNCIL MEMBERS AND CHIEF OF STAFF. THIS NEXT ITEM IS ELDER STREET APARTMENTS, LOCATED AT 1101 ELDER STREET IN FIRST WARD, COMPRISED OF 34 UNITS. UH, THIS BUILDING STRUCTURE WAS AN ADAPTIVE REUSE OF AN OLD JEFFERSON, UH, OLD JEFFERSON DAVIS HOSPITAL. UH, JUST BEFORE MY HISTORY BUFFS, UM, OUT THERE, JEFFERSON DAVISON HOSPITAL OPENED IN 1925, AND THIS WAS THE FIRST CENTRALIZED CITY OWNED HOSPITAL BUILT SPECIFICALLY FOR, UH, THE PUBLIC AND INDIVIDUALS WITH LOW INCOME. UM, THIS WAS, UH, REHABILITATION, PRESERVING, UM, HISTORIC ARCHITECTURE WHILE CREATING MUCH NEEDED AFFORDABLE APARTMENTS, UH, FOR LOW INCOME HOUSING INDIVIDUALS IN THE AREA. UM, THIS ORDINANCE IS IN REGARDS TO FORGIVING THE REMAINING LOAN BALANCE AND FORGIVING THE CITY, UM, CITY'S AFFORDABILITY PERIOD OF 20 YEARS IN ELDER STREET'S APARTMENTS. I'LL SPEAK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT IN THE NEXT SLIDE. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. THE DEVELOPER AVENUE CDC WAS AWARDED $500,000 IN T FUNDING IN 2005 FROM THE CITY. UH, AT THE TIME, THE AWARD, THE DEVELOPER AGREED TO AFFORDABILITY PERIOD, UH, FOR THE CITY FOR 30 YEARS, AND IT EXTENDS TO 2035. ALSO, AT THE TIME, THIS PROJECT DE ACCEPTED FUNDS FROM T-D-A-C-A STATE FUNDING. AND THAT AFFORDABILITY PERIOD FOR THE STATE FUNDING WAS FOR 40 YEARS AND EXTENDS TO 2045. NEXT SLIDE. [00:30:01] THE APPROVAL WOULD RELEASE THE REMAINING LOAN OBLIGATION WITH THE CITY, BUT WOULD KEEP THE AFFORDABLE REQUIREMENTS WITH THE STATE, WITH T-D-H-C-A. THIS APPROVAL WILL ALSO RELIEVE THE CITY OF ANY ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH COMPLIANCE AND MONITORING ACTIVITY THROUGH 2035. NEXT SLIDE. THIS IS THE SURRENDERING OF THE PROPERTY HERE. UH, BUT THE FORGIVENESS OF THE CITY AFFORDABILITY ALIGNS WITH HD'S CURRENT AFFORDABLE HOUSING OBJECTIVES, SUSTAINING AFFORDABILITY WITHOUT IMPOSING DUPLICATE RESTRICTIONS. UH, WE HAVE WITH US MARY LAWLER, CEO OF AVENUE WITH US TODAY IN THE AUDIENCE FOR ANY OTHER, UH, QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. THERE WAS A GREAT DEAL OF DISCUSSION, UH, ON THIS INTERNALLY. 'CAUSE WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UH, BY FORGIVING MS LOAN, WHAT ARE THE IMPACT IT HAS ON OTHER DEVELOPERS AND ABOUT THE LOSS OF THIS AFFORDABILITY STANDARD. IN THE END, WE THINK IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO, UM, BECAUSE THAT, UH, AVENUE CDC, THEIR PROGRAMMING IS THEY'RE GONNA LOOK FOR SOME ADDITIONAL FINANCING FOR THIS TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THE KIND OF FACILITY THAT WE WANT. UH, AND WE'RE ABLE TO DO THE FORGIVENESS OF THE LOAN AND REMOVE THE AFFORDABILITY PERIOD WITHOUT LOSING ANYTHING BECAUSE THE STATE HAS THEIR OWN AFFORDABILITY A PERIOD PERIOD. AND IT GIVES THE DEVELOPER A CHANCE TO DO SOME REFINANCING OF THIS FACILITY. AGAIN, THIS IS A GREAT PROJECT. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE GONNA HAVE TO LOOK AT AS WE GO THROUGH ANY OF THESE PROJECTS AS THEY REACH THAT 20 YEAR MATURITY PERIOD. THANK YOU SO MUCH. COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO. THANK YOU CHAIR. AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION ON THIS ITEM. I DO WANNA REITERATE MY SUPPORT FOR THIS. UH, CAN'T SAY ENOUGH GOOD THINGS ABOUT AVENUE CDC AND THE WORK THAT THEY DO IN DISTRICT H AND THE FACT THAT THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT DID SO MUCH DUE DILIGENCE ON IT, UH, TO DETERMINE THAT IT WAS THE RIGHT STEP TO TAKE REMOVING DUPLICATION, PRESERVING AFFORDABILITY FOR, FOR MANY YEARS INTO THE FUTURE. IN THE CENTER OF, OF THE CITY. THIS IS IN FIRST WARD, RIGHT NEXT TO DOWNTOWN, AND A NUMBER OF, OF GREAT AMENITIES. SO, UH, AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK Y'ALL FOR THE WORK YOU PUT INTO IT, UH, CHAIR FOR HAVING THIS AT THE COMMITTEE AND, AND JUST REITERATE MY SUPPORT FOR THIS ITEM. ABSOLUTELY. I'M DEFINITELY EXCITED TO SUPPORT THIS WHEN IT COMES UP AS WELL. UH, GREAT USE OF, UH, UH, PRESERVING EXISTING STOCK. AND I'M SURE IN DISTRICT H THERE ARE OTHER HISTORIC BUILDINGS THAT MAY BE MM-HMM . HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE TURNED INTO HOUSING IN THE FUTURE. I ALSO WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ'S OFFICE HAS JOINED US IN CHAMBERS. THANK YOU. THERE ARE NO OTHER QUESTIONS RELATED TO MULTIFAMILY. THANK YOU. I'D NOW LIKE TO CALL UP TAMIKA JONES TO DO A BRIEF SUR UH, UPDATE ON OUR FINANCIALS, PARTICULARLY DR 17 AND OTHER ITEMS THAT THE, UH, COMMITTEE NEEDS TO KNOW ABOUT. GOOD MORNING. I WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE THE COMMITTEE THIS MONTH WITH AN UPDATE OF OUR CLOSEOUT ACTIVITIES AS WE ARE NEARING THE COMPLETION OF THE DR 17 HARVEY GRANT. SO WHAT YOU'LL HEAR ME REPORT ON IN THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS WILL BE RELATED TO THOSE PROGRAMS HERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS SLIDE. SO IN OUR HOPE PROGRAM, I AM VERY PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE WE JUST RECEIVED THE FINAL SEVEN PLUS MILLION DOLLARS REIMBURSEMENT FOR SALARY COST. AND IF WE CAN'T USE, IF WE CAN USE DIFFERENT THAN ACRONYM, HOPE STANDS FOR HOMEOWNER ASSISTANCE HOMEOWNER. YEAH. HOMEOWNER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. THANK YOU. ONE, ONE OF THE FIRST PROGRAMS, UH, TO ROLL OUT WITH HARVEY. SO WE DID RECEIVE REIMBURSEMENT, UH, OF THOSE SEVEN PLUS MILLION DOLLARS OF SALARY EXPENSES. WE WORKED WITH THE GLO THAT TOOK, UM, SEVERAL MONTHS, IF NOT LONGER, BUT WE DID RECEIVE REIMBURSEMENT FOR THAT. SO WE ARE VERY HAPPY. AND SO NOW THE FOCUS IS GOING TO BE JUST, UH, SUBMISSION OF ALL THE FINAL CLOSEOUT DOCUMENTS. AND THEN THAT PROGRAM WILL MOVE INTO CLOSEOUT COMPLETED CATEGORY. OUR SMALL RENTAL, WHICH IS THE SECOND ONE LISTED IN THE MIDDLE, UM, THE CONSTRUCTION IS DONE, AND NOW WE ARE WORKING WITH THE GLO ON SOME OF THE CLOSEOUT DOCUMENTS AS WELL. SO HERE, WITHIN THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS, WE WILL BE CLOSING OUT THAT PROGRAM, SUBMITTING ALL OF THE REQUIRED DOCUMENTS TO, UM, THE GENERAL LAND OFFICE AND THEN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. UM, OUR TENTATIVE CLOSEOUT DATE IS OCTOBER 31ST. SO WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE GENERAL LAND OFFICE TO CLOSE OUT SOME OF THOSE INDIVIDUAL BUSINESS FILES, WHICH WE CALL PROJECT FILES. AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE MONTH. AND THEN AFTER, UH, ONCE WE START IN NOVEMBER, WE'LL BE SUBMITTING ALL OF THE REQUIRED CLOSEOUT DOCUMENTS FOR THAT PROGRAM AS WELL. CAN I PAUSE HERE? YES. UH, DID WE, DID THE ITEM TO A ADJUST THE GUIDELINES FOR THIS PROGRAM ALREADY COME UP BEFORE US FOR THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT? ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT? [00:35:01] I BELIEVE IT DID. IT DID. BECAUSE THIS ONE, YES, WE ARE IN FINAL COMPLETE CLOSEOUT TO, SO THERE IS NOT VERY MUCH THERE. RIGHT. OKAY, GOOD. WHAT WE ARE DOING IS, UH, WE HAVE TO, WE DID SUBMIT SOME, UH, REPAYMENT ITEMS. YEAH. OUR REPAYMENT. YES. YES. SO WE'VE ALREADY DONE THAT, ACTUALLY. THAT OKAY. I JUST SENT, SO THAT ACTION WAS ACTUALLY COMPLETED PRIOR TO THE END OF JUNE. SO GOOD. MAYBE LIKE JUNE 28TH OKAY. OR SO. PERFECT. UH, WE SENT THE GLO THAT DOCUMENTATION, UM, AND THEN REPAYMENT. AND THEN NOW IT'S JUST A MATTER OF GOING THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE FILES TO DETERMINE WHAT OTHER REPAYMENT IF NECESSARY. AND THEN WE WILL BE COMPLETELY DONE WITH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM. THANK YOU. AND I DO WANNA MENTION, AGAIN, WHEN WE HAVE TO REPAY MONEY, WE SPEND A GREAT DEAL OF TIME MAKING SURE. HOW DO WE FIX THAT SO IT'LL NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN? CORRECT. AND I JUST, YOU KNOW, WE ALL WISH, WE ALL WISH, WE DIDN'T EVER HAVE, WE HAD NEVER HAD TO REPAY MONEY, BUT AS LONG AS WE LEARNED SOMETHING FROM IT, WE'RE STEP AHEAD. AGAIN, NO WRONGDOING HERE IS JUST POOR RECORD KEEPING AT DIFFERENT TIMES. YEAH. AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN. YEAH. AND DIRECTOR, I'M GLAD THAT YOU SHARED THIS IN, IN COLLEAGUES JUST TO, UM, FOR THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PIECE, THIS IS RELATED TO THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES. THEY WERE LIKE THREE OR FOUR MEMBER BUSINESSES, MICRO BUSINESSES, AND OFTENTIMES THEY DON'T HAVE THE CAPACITY, THEY DON'T HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE. UM, AND I THINK WE WERE DOING UP TO A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS, 150,000, $150,000 TO THESE MICRO BUSINESSES IN THE DR 17, IN OUR HARVEY RECOVERY PROGRAM. SO A LOT OF WHAT IS, WE ARE, THE REIMBURSEMENT WE'RE PAYING BACK IS REALLY ON THE USER END OF THEM NOT HAVING THE CAPACITY TO GET THESE DOLLARS ON THE STREET, HAVE THE RECORD KEEPING ON THEIR, SO I THINK THE, THE, THE RESPONSIBILITY IS ON US WHEN WE'RE OUT IN COMMUNITY WORKING WITH SMALL BUSINESSES, MAKING SURE THAT WHEN THIS DISASTER STRIKES AGAIN, AND THE CITY OFFERS A ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, THAT THEY'RE NOT JUST AT THE TABLE AND READY TO COMPETE, BUT THEY CAN ACTUALLY COMPLETE THE PROJECT AND ACTUALLY REACH THE BENEFIT OF IT. BECAUSE NOW THE DEPARTMENT IS, UM, ADMINISTRATIVELY TIED TO REVERSING THAT. AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF MONEY THAT WE INVESTED IN THESE SMALL BUSINESSES, AND MANY OF THEM WERE UNABLE TO, UM, FULLY REAP THE BENEFIT. SO I THINK THAT'S JUST A, A TEACHING MOMENT FOR US. AB ABSOLUTELY. ABSOLUTELY. AND THEN THE WORK THAT WE HAVE TO DO OUT IN THE COMMUNITY ABOUT SCALING UP AND FOR THESE, YOU KNOW, 2, 3, 4 PERSON BUSINESSES, IT'S A, IT'S A LOT OF WORK. YES. YES. AND SO AS WE LOOK INTO CALENDAR YEAR 2026, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE VERY FEW DR. 17 PROGRAMS REMAINING, UH, WHICH IS FANTASTIC. I KNOW MY STAFF IS EXCITED, AND THE REST OF THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT IS EXCITED. UH, WE WILL HAVE MULTIFAMILY, UH, BUYOUT AND OF COURSE OUR HOME BUYER'S ASSISTANCE 2.0 PROGRAM IS WHAT WE LOOK FORWARD TO MANAGING IN CALENDAR YEAR 26, UH, AND THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE GRANT. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. THIS JUST GIVES THE COMMITTEE A SNAPSHOT OF WHERE WE STAND JUST WITH SOME OF THE DRAW ACTIVITY. YOU CAN SEE A LOT OF THE PROGRAMS, UM, HAVE BEEN CLOSED OUT AS I MENTIONED BEFORE. WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT HERE IS ON OUR HOME BUYER'S ASSISTANCE 2.0, WHICH IS RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE, WHAT YOU DON'T SEE IS THAT, UM, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT REFLECTED HERE BECAUSE THE DRAWS ARE ACTUALLY IN A DRAFT STATUS, BUT WE HAVE BEGUN THE PROCESS TO SUBMIT THOSE DRAWS FOR THE APPLICANTS THAT HAVE CLOSED. AND SO WE ARE WORKING WITH THE GLO THROUGH SOME OF THEIR SYSTEM ISSUES TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF THE RIGHT PROJECT CODES ARE SET UP. ALL OF THE RIGHT CATEGORIES ARE SET UP. AND I KNOW MY TEAM JUST FILLED ME IN YESTERDAY, AS WELL AS GLO IS PLANNING TO VISIT US FOR OUR, OUR QUARTERLY MEETING TOMORROW. AND THAT'S ONE OF THE ITEMS AS WELL, IS TO GO THROUGH AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO SUBMIT THE DRAWS FOR THE HOME BUYER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM 2.0 PROGRAM. AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION. THANK YOU. NO QUESTIONS IN THE QUEUE ABOUT OUR REIMBURSEMENT UPDATE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. UH, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. THE, UH, H HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOP DEPARTMENT IS VERY FOCUSED ON COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT HOUSING, BUT COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IS A BIG PART OF THAT. WE HAD ALMOST ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES WERE ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN THE NATIONAL NIGHT OUT PROGRAM. UH, I HAD A CHANCE TO SPEAK WITH, UH, COUNCILMAN DAVIS' AND THE MAYOR'S, UM, MINISTERS MEETING ABOUT HOUSING. THEY WERE VERY INTERESTED. IT'S A BIG ISSUE. UH, WE FEEL LIKE SOME OF THE MAJOR CHURCHES IN HOUSTON HAVE LAND THAT THEY WANT TO DO SOMETHING WITH. THEY WANT TO USE 'EM FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND IT WAS A GREAT MEETING. UM, AND MS. COUNCILMAN DAVIS, IF YOU WANNA ADD TO THAT. I, YES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU BROTHER CHAIR. I, I, I DO. I REALLY DO. BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I THINK COMMUNITY HAS ALWAYS BEEN INVOLVED IN, UM, WORKING WITH THE CITY AND, AND OTHERS IN REGARDS TO THAT. AND I WANT TO THANK YOU BROTHER DIRECTOR FOR COMING TO THE LARGE GROUP. WE [00:40:01] HAVE A PRETTY LARGE GROUP, 50 TO 60 PASTORS THERE, AND SEVERAL OF THEM WHO HAVE PROPERTY AND HAVE ACCESS TO THIS PROCESS OF PROVIDING HOUSING. AS YOU KNOW, THEY WERE VERY INTERESTED. ABSOLUTELY. AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE INFORMATION, UH, AND AS WELL AS THE PRESENTATION. SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO DOING MORE GOING FORWARD IN THAT AREA. AND THIS IS A REAL FOCUS OF OUR APARTMENT TO FIND WHERE THERE'S LAND AVAILABLE FOR SOMETIMES NO COST, LOW COST, AND WE NEED TO KEEP LOOKING AT THAT AS THE LAND, PARTICULARLY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. YES. BECOMES MORE AND MORE EXPENSIVE AND RARER. UH, AGAIN, COUNCILMAN DAVIS, THANK YOU FOR THE GREAT PROGRAM YOU HAD, UH, WITH OUR BANKS. UH OH. YEAH. THEY ARE, HAVE A SIGNIFICANT ISSUE ABOUT NEEDING TO INTERACT WITH THE COMMUNITY YEP. AND FIND FUNDING FOR THE COMMUNITY. YEP. THANK YOU FOR THAT. WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING CLOSELY WITH YOU. WE, WE TEND TO HAVE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE. IT'S INTERESTING FROM OUR DEPARTMENT AND FROM THE COMMUNITY WHO'VE GONE TO WORK FOR THESE BANKS. AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE WORK THOSE RELATIONSHIPS. ABSOLUTELY. NEXT SLIDE. UM, ON NOVEMBER 13TH, THERE'S A PRESENTATION AT ZURI GARDENS OF A 3D PRINTING EVENT. THIS IS A HOME THAT'S BEEN BUILT, UH, WITH A THREE DD PRINTER. UH, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE FUTURE, UM, LITERALLY MILLIONS OF HOMES ARE BEING BUILT IN, UH, IN CHINA USING 3D PRINTERS. THAT COULD BE OUR FUTURE. WE NEED TO LEARN ABOUT THAT. WE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THAT. I WAS RECENTLY AT THE HABITAT FOR HUMANITY LUNCHEON, AND THEY TALKED ABOUT, UM, HOMES THAT WERE BEING PARTIALLY MANUFACTURED IN, UH, INSIDE, IN FACTORIES AND THEN BROUGHT TO HOME SITES. AGAIN, ALL INTERESTING THINGS WE, UH, US TO WORK ON. I WILL SAY THAT MY PERSONAL VIEW IS NOT TO BE ON THE CUTTING EDGE, UH, OR THE BLEEDING EDGE, BUT WE NEED TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS AND FIND OUT ARE THERE WAYS THAT WE CAN BUILD MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT ALSO MEETS OUR STANDARDS, UH, REQUIRED. NEXT SLIDE. UH, DR. 21 UPDATE. THAT'S FROM BERYL AND THE DCIO. UH, WE ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH OUR RECOVERY PROCESS, $40 MILLION. AGAIN, LOOKING FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE HOME REPAIR PROGRAMS. WE REALLY NEED THOSE FOLKS TO COME FORWARD. WE HAVE, UH, SPENDING A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT GETTING THESE APPLICATIONS IN, MAKING SURE THEY'RE FILLED OUT. OUR STAFF IS AT COMMUNITY CENTERS, UH, AND TRYING TO MEET PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE. UH, AGAIN, I WISH THE FORMS WERE EASIER TO FILL, BUT WE'RE TRYING TO USE THOSE AND GET THEM COMPLETED SO WE ARE NOT GOING BACK TIME AND TIME AGAIN. UH, AGAIN, IMPORTANT FOR YOU AND YOUR CONSTITUENTS TO KNOW ABOUT. NEXT SLIDE. WE SPOKE EARLY TODAY ABOUT, UH, THE HOMEOWNER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM 2.0. UH, AND WE'RE PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THAT FOUR PROGRAM RECIPIENTS HAVE ALREADY SUCCESSFULLY CLOSED IN THEIR HOMES WITH SIX UNDERWAY. THIS, THIS IS A, THIS IS THE PROJECT THAT'S UP TO $125,000 IN ASSISTANCE, AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO MAKING THAT A MAJOR SUCCESS IN HOUSTON. UH, NEXT SLIDE. UH, TO TOMORROW, THERE'S A HOME BUYER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM 2.0. UH, AND AGAIN, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF OTHER DATES. NOVEMBER 18TH, THE HAVING APPLICANT WORKSHOPS. PLEASE PASS THAT AROUND. UM, IT'S, UH, IT'S, IT'S ESSENTIAL THAT PEOPLE GET A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THIS, WHO ARE LOOKING TO BUY THEIR FIRST HOME TO GET TO KNOW ABOUT THESE OPPORTUNITIES. I KNOW THERE'S SOMETIMES DISAPPOINTMENT THAT SOMEHOW PEOPLE DON'T FALL IN THE RANGE OF 80% OR LESS OR OTHERS, BUT IT'S A WORTHWHILE ITEM FOR THEM TO WORK ON AS THEY THINK THROUGH HOW TO BUY THIS FIRST HOME. NEXT SLIDE. PROGRESS UPDATES. UH, WE REMEMBER WHEN THE RUSHMORE CAME THROUGH HERE, UH, ON HIGHWAY SIX. A LOT OF, A LOT OF DISCUSSION ON THAT. IT'S A THIRD DONE. WISH IT WAS FASTER, BUT AGAIN, IT WILL BE A MAJOR SUCCESS, UH, WHEN THAT'S DONE. UH, 101 TOTAL UNITS 85 AT 30% BELOW AND 60 AND, UH, 80, 85 UNITS AT 30 TO 60% BELOW A MI. REALLY GREAT PROJECT AND A GREAT SCHOOL SYSTEM. NEXT SLIDE, BOULEVARD 81 AT 6,000 1 0 1 RICHMOND AGAINST 40% SUCCESS A HUNDRED UNITS. WE LOOK FORWARD TO THAT COMPLETION. IT'S JUST IMPORTANT TO KNOW WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT PROCESS. UM, FURTHER ALONG IS NEW HOPE HOUSING'S AVENUE C 75. 20 AVENUE C. IT'S 75% COMPLETED. 120 UNITS, ALL 120 UNITS, 30 TO 60%. UH, NEW HOPE [00:45:01] HOUSING IS A VERY IMPORTANT PARTNER OF OURS. DOES GREAT WITH SUPPORTIVE HOUSING. DOES A GREAT JOB WITH THOSE PEOPLE IN THE LOWEST A MI AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT OPENING IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE. ANOTHER ONE THAT'S BEEN LONG. NEXT SLIDE. THAT'S BEEN LONG AND COMING. UM, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS GRAND OPENING. I THINK IT'S IN NOVEMBER, DECEMBER, SUMMIT AT RENAISSANCE PARK AT 12,121 GREENSPOINT. AGAIN, IT'S ALMOST ALL COMPLETED. 325 UNITS, UM, UH, A HALF AT 30 TO 60% A MI, AGAIN, A GIANT PROJECT, $88 MILLION. UM, THIS HAS BEEN A LONG DIFFICULT PROJECT, BUT WE'RE GLAD WE'RE GETTING COMING TO AN END. IT DOES HAVE SOME MAJOR COMMUNITY OPPORTUNITIES IN THEIR RETAIL SPACE. SO LET'S LOOK AT THAT CLOSELY GOING FORWARD. UM, RICHMOND AVENUE SENIOR FACILITY, 56 1 15 RICHMOND AVENUE. A HUNDRED PERCENT COMPLETE. 125 UNITS, ALL OF THEM AT 30 TO 80% A MI. AGAIN, A BEAUTIFUL PROJECT FOR OUR CITY TO BE PROUD OF, AND TRYING TO CHIP AWAY, CHIP AWAY AT THAT 30% AND EIGHT TO 80% A MI. THAT'S THE REAL AFFORDABILITY SWEET SPOT. AND WE HAVE TO KEEP WORKING ON THAT. NEXT SLIDE. OUR COMMUNITY HOURS ARE EVERY WEEK. WE WEDNESDAY ONE TO FOUR. THOSE ARE VIRTUAL, THEY'RE IMPORTANT TO ALL OF US. UH, I WANNA MAKE A QUICK STATEMENT ABOUT, UM, FOUR 19 EMANCIPATION. FIRST, UH, CHAIRWOMAN, THANK YOU FOR COMING TO THE PRESSER YESTERDAY. UH, I I, I WISH ALL OF YOU HAD HEARD, UH, THE CHAIRWOMAN S PRESENTATION. I LEARNED A LOT BY IT AND I LEARNED THE WAY SHE HANDLED THAT AND SPOKE ABOUT OUR CORRECT TURNS, OUR RIGHT TURNS, DOING DIFFERENT ITEMS AS WE BEGIN TO DEAL WITH HOMELESSNESS. AND IT WAS VERY DEEPLY APPRECIATIVE AND VERY THOUGHTFUL. THANK YOU TO COUNCILMAN DAVIS WHO WAS ALSO THERE AND OTHERS WHO CAME. UM, THIS IS A, A COMPLEX PROJECT. THERE'S A LOT OF DISCUSSION. UH, WE WOULD LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING, HAVING MORE DISCUSSION, ANSWERING QUESTIONS. UM, THE DEPARTMENT IS NOT THE EXPERT IN RUNNING A SHELTER. UH, BUT WE ARE EXPERTS IN IS GETTING IT UP, MAKING SURE WE HAVE THE BEST PARTNERS AND THE BEST OPERATORS DOING IT, MAKING SURE IT'S VERY THOUGHTFUL, MAKING SURE THE SECURITY MEETS THE NEIGHBORHOODS ENDS. WE APPRECIATE THAT. UM, IT IS ONE OF THE THINGS, AND AGAIN, I'M LEARNING TOO. UM, WE LIKE INTERACTION WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD. IT'S IMPORTANT TO US. UM, WE LIKE EARLY ENGAGEMENT. UM, BUT IN THIS SITUATION, THERE WAS NOT AS MUCH OPPORTUNITY AS WE WANT WITH EARLY ENGAGEMENT. 'CAUSE THIS IS A REAL ESTATE TRANSACTION, WHICH MEANS YOU GRAB IT WHEN YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY AND THE FINANCING IS NOT AN EASY FINANCING GOING FORWARD. SO THAT'S WHY IT WAS MOVING QUICKLY AND WE APPRECIATE THAT. WE THINK THE NEIGHBORHOODS WILL BE SAFER AND HAVE A MORE SATISFACTORY QUALITY OF LIFE, UH, ONCE THAT'S UP AND RUNNING AND WE HAVE THE RIGHT SECURITY THERE. THANK YOU DIRECTOR FOR THAT. I, UH, APPRECIATE YOUR REMARKS AND I'M SURE WE'LL HEAR MORE TOMORROW, UM, PRIOR TO THE VOTE. SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT DISCUSSION. BEFORE WE MOVE INTO PUBLIC SPEAKERS, WE DO HAVE THREE THAT HAVE SIGNED UP. I DO WANT TO, UM, AS AN ASIDE, HIGHLIGHT YOUR TEAM. UH, JOIN THE FAITH AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING SUMMIT ON OCTOBER 11TH. UM, AD LAE AND AD BIBS WERE THERE. AND I WILL TELL YOU, UH, WE HAD FOLKS WHO HAD TWO ACRES TO 200 THAT WERE READY, UM, TO, UM, JOIN AND ALIGN WITH THE CITY A AROUND THEIR VISION. AND I, I WOULD TELL YOU WHAT REALLY CAME UP WAS THAT, UH, MANY ARE INTERESTED IN THE CITY MOVING IN THE DIRECTION OF SENIOR LIVING FACILITIES BECAUSE THE, UH, BOOMER GENERATION IS THE LARGEST. AND WE HAVE TO PREPARE FOR SENIORS CHOOSING TO AGE IN PLACE. UM, MANY WILL NOT, UM, OR CHOOSE NOT WILL NOT, WILL NOT, WILL CHOOSE NOT TO STAY IN A SINGLE FAMILY HOME IN ENCUMBER THOSE EXPENSES. UM, SO I KNOW THAT AD BBBS WAS, UH, YOU KNOW, FOLLOWING UP WITH MANY OF THEM, BUT WOULD LOVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S SOME SYNERGY SO THEY CAN BE PUT, UM, IN CONTACT WITH THE DEPARTMENT. BUT YOU KNOW, FROM TSS TO THE PEOPLE IN YOUR DEPARTMENT, DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE, EVERYONE WAS THERE. AND, UM, I THINK WE'RE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION WITH THAT. UM, I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, FOR PUBLIC SPEAKER, WE HAVE DOUG SMITH FROM THE WEST SIDE, THE BEST SIDE. IT WOULDN'T BE A HOUSING COMMITTEE WITHOUT DOUG SMITH. GOOD TO SEE YOU, DOUG. GOOD MORNING. SORRY I MISSED MELODY'S PRESENTATION, BUT PARKING WAS HORRIBLE TODAY. I'M PARKED ABOUT THREE BLOCKS AWAY. [00:50:01] WE'LL, WE'LL GET IT TO YOU. YEAH, I, UM, HAVE A FEW THINGS THAT CAME UP DURING THE MEETING THAT I JUST WANTED TO MENTION. UH, FIRST OF ALL, IN THE SINGLE FAMILY PRESENTATION THERE WAS A COMMENT ABOUT BUILDING, UH, STRONG FOUNDATIONS IN FLOOD PRONE AREAS. UH, MY QUESTION IS, WHY ARE WE BUILDING SINGLE FAMILY HOMES IN FLOOD PRONE AREAS THAT JUST SEEMS LIKE IT'S ASKING FOR TROUBLE. UH, SECONDLY, REGARDING THE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES IN A NEW, YOU KNOW, WHEN SOMEBODY'S MOVING IN AS A PRIVATE PARTY, UH, WHEN I PURCHASED A HOME, I WENT THROUGH THE HOME AND DID A, WHAT'S CALLED, I THINK A PUNCH LIST. AND I JUST LITTLE STICKERS EVERYWHERE. UH, THAT HAD TO BE FIXED BEFORE I WOULD CLOSE ON THE HOUSE. AND I WOULD ASSUME OR HOPE THAT THE SAME THING IS DONE FOR THESE HOMES, UH, TO MAKE PEOPLE HAPPY WITH WHAT THEY'RE MOVING INTO. UH, FINALLY, OR NOT FINALLY, UH, IN ADDITION TO, UH, WHERE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE ELDER STREET APARTMENTS, YOU'RE RELEASING THE CITY INCOME RESTRICTIONS ON THOSE HOMES. BUT THE STATE RESTRICTION STAYS, AND MY QUESTION IS NOT INCOME, WHAT THE DIFFERENCE? INCOME, AFFORDABILITY PERIOD, NOT INCOME AFFORDABILITY, PERIOD. MM-HMM . YEAH, I'M SORRY. AFFORD 45 YEARS, UH, OKAY, FINE. UH, 45 YEARS. SO THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE. UH, THE STATE IS STRONGER THAN THE CITY, SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I WAS AWARE OF THAT. AND THEN, UH, I HAD A CONVERSATION, UH, WITH MELODY, A VERY BRIEF CONVERSATION, UH, AFTER THE LAST MEETING AND, UH, WHERE SHE'S LISTING THESE PUBLIC SERVICES. I DON'T KNOW WHETHER YOU ALL ARE AWARE OF THE PROCESS THE DEPARTMENT GOES THROUGH IN FINALLY COMING TO THE PRESENTATION THAT YOU MADE, BUT I THINK IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, MELODY SAID THAT THERE ARE 25 DIFFERENT STEPS THAT THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH TO GET THIS APPROVED. AND, UH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THOSE STEPS ARE 'CAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO FIND OUT, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHETHER YOU KNOW WHAT THOSE STEPS ARE, BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE, UH, A VERY INTERESTING PRESENTATION TO MAKE YOU AWARE BECAUSE IT'S NOT AN EASY PROCESS. AND THEN FINALLY, UH, MELODIES HERE, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THEY HAVE A PRESENTATION ON, UH, THEIR RATING OF THE, UH, VARIOUS PEOPLE THAT RECEIVE THESE GRANTS, BUT IF NOT TODAY, HOPEFULLY SOMETIME SOON. AND ALSO, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS MADE CLEAR TO ME THE LAST TIME, UH, YOU SEE A LOT OF DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS AND MY QUESTION WAS HOW DO YOU RATE THOSE? BUT, UH, WHAT IT AMOUNTS TO IS, I THINK THAT THEY COVERED THIS FIRST. IS IT A NINE COUNTY AREA OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. AND I THINK IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL IF IN THEIR PRESENTATION THEY SHOWED WHERE THIS PARTICULAR ORGANIZATION IS LOOKING SO THAT WE REALIZE THAT, OH, IT'S NOT ALL HARRIS COUNTY. IT'S JUST SOMETHING I THINK WOULD BE WORTH CONSIDERING. AND THAT'S ALL. I APPRECIATE YOU, DOUG. AND UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WERE HERE WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE SINGLE FAMILY. UH, WE HAVE ONE IN WEST PARK VILLAGE THAT WE'RE COMPLETING AND ON THE SCHEDULE IS A PUNCH LISTS. AND THE OWNER WILL GO IN THERE AND DO ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, UM, SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION. SO YES, THAT IS BUILT IN, UH, TO THE PROGRAM. UM, THEY ARE A CO-PARTNER IN THIS. AND SO, UH, WE ARE EXCITED THAT SHE WILL DO THAT, I THINK AT THE TOP OF NOVEMBER. SO YES, THAT, THAT DOES HAPPEN. YEAH, I YOU DID MENTION THAT. I WAS HERE FOR THAT. WHERE IS THAT? I, I DON'T KNOW. WEST PARK VILLAGE. YEAH, LIKE WEST PARK, SENATE, DAIRY ASHFORD, WEST PARK VILLAGE NEXT TO ASHTON. WE'LL TALK. YEAH, WE'LL TALK. OKAY. THANK YOU. DOUG WANTS AN INVITATION. UH, NEXT MS. LACEY LUGO. HI, GOOD MORNING. UM, SO MY NAME'S LACEY LUGO AND I ACTUALLY DID ATTEND THE FAITH AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING SUMMIT. A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ME, I HAVE AN 18 YEAR BACKGROUND IN MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENT AND OPERATIONS. UH, BEEN IN REAL ESTATE FOR ABOUT 12 YEARS. I RUN ONE OF THE LARGEST OFFICES FOR OUR COMPANY. WE'RE NATIONAL BROKERAGE. SO WE, MY PASSION IS AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR SURE, UM, MORE RECENTLY IN THE LAST TWO YEARS. SO WE DO SERVICE A TON OF BUILDERS THAT SARATOGA HOMES, DR. HORTON, AND BULK CONTRACTS THAT COULD HELP WITH THESE AFFORDABLE HOUSING INITIATIVES ON THE SINGLE FAMILY SIDE. BUT ON THE SECONDARY SIDE, I OWN AN APARTMENT COMPANY CALLED THE APARTMENTS CONCIERGE. AND THIS ONE'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME BECAUSE I THINK IT'S VERY VALUABLE TO THE CITY. UM, I STARTED THIS COMPANY FOR THIRD PARTY LEASING SERVICES. IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH SECTION EIGHT OR HOMELESSNESS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. AND THEN I JUST STUMBLED INTO IT. UM, THIS YEAR ALONE, WE'VE HAD 398 PEOPLE WHO ARE HOMELESS OR NEEDED SECTION EIGHT THAT HAVE CONTACTED US DIRECTLY FOR ASSISTANCE. WE DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES TO KNOW WHERE TO SEND THEM. SO, UH, THAT'S [00:55:01] A NEED FOR MY COMPANY. ON THE BACKEND SIDE, I ACTUALLY, OUR COMPANY IS THE ONLY HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER PLACEMENT SERVICE IN THE NATION TO MY KNOWLEDGE. SO I'VE BUILT A PLATFORM WHERE WE WORK DIRECTLY WITH THE OWNERS AND DEVELOPERS. SO YOU, MY CLIENTS ARE GREYSTAR, RPM, ROCKSTAR CAPITAL, SOME OF THE BIGGEST IN THE MULTIFAMILY INDUSTRY THAT DON'T NORMALLY TAKE SECTION EIGHT ON THESE COMMUNITIES, BUT HAVE NOW STARTED TO ACCEPT IT BECAUSE MY COMPANY'S THE ONE PROCESSING IT BETWEEN HOUSING AND THE LANDLORD. THERE'S A LOT OF DOCUMENTS THAT ARE REQUIRED IN ORDER TO PROCESS AN RFTA WITH THE HOUSING AUTHORITIES. WE SERVICE, YOU KNOW, HARRIS COUNTY HOUSING, HOUSTON, VERY HEAVILY ROSENBERG. UM, AND SO I THINK WE WOULD BE LOOKING FOR ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE FROM THE CITY TO BE ABLE TO HELP FACILITATE THIS FASTER. THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE WE COULD HAVE HELPED THIS YEAR HAD WE HAD THE RIGHT RESOURCES. UM, AGAIN, IT'S STILL A NEW ENDEAVOR FOR ME, SO I'M NAVIGATING IT AS WE GO THROUGH THE PROCESS. BUT, UM, THAT'S KIND OF WHERE I'M AT. I, MY BROKERAGE ITSELF FOR THE STATE OF TEXAS HAS OVER 700 AGENTS. SO, AND THESE ARE ALL PRODUCING REALTORS THAT KNOW THE LAY OF THE LAND, HAVE LAND RESOURCES, HAVE ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT THINGS. AND SO EVERYTHING TALKS TOGETHER. SO THAT WAS REALLY MY COMMENT. WELL, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN. YES. YEAH. AND THAT YOU'RE IN THE RIGHT ROOM WITH THE RIGHT PEOPLE, SO I'M SURE YOU'LL BE ABLE TO CONNECT, UM, AND THEY CAN INTRODUCE YOU TO SOME OF OUR PARTNERS THAT ARE WORKING IN THAT SPACE AS WELL. OKAY. WONDERFUL. THANK YOU, MARK. THANK YOU. AND PING YANG. AND PING YANG. HEARING NONE, VICE CHAIR. THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR. UM, THANK YOU. LESS THAN AN HOUR. THANK Y'ALL. THANK Y'ALL. Y'ALL ARE THE M. * 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.