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THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT TONIGHT.
UH, WANTED TO THANK MY STAFF, FIRST OF ALL, FOR PUTTING ALL THIS TOGETHER.
AND MY STAFF'S MAIN JOB IS TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, I DON'T MESS UP TERRIBLY.
UH, SO WHENEVER I DROP THE BALL, HOPEFULLY THEY'RE THERE TO CATCH THE FUMBLE.
UH, DUSTIN HODGES, MY CHIEF OF STAFF IS HERE.
DAMARI PEREZ, DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF DAMARI.
UH, SLOAN SWEENEY, WHO, YES, SLOAN OBVIOUSLY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS AREA.
UH, ARI RAMIREZ IS HERE IN THE FRONT.
ADRIAN GARCIA, WHO'S WORKING FOR US NOW.
AND THAT'S NOT THE ACTUAL COMMISSIONER.
HE'S, HE'S AN INTERN, JERRY GARCIA'S SON.
SO, AND THEN OUR NEWEST EDITION, ANNIE COOK IS HERE AS WELL.
AND, UH, I CAN'T FORGET MY WIFE WHO'S HERE AND, UH, HAS HELPED OUT QUITE A BIT.
I SEE DAMARI JUST MADE IT BACK OUT.
MAIN THING WE WANTED TO DO TONIGHT WAS TO GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH THE DEPARTMENTS THAT YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH REGULARLY.
AND, UH, HOPEFULLY THEY CAN GIVE YOU SOME ASSISTANCE AND, AND KIND OF HELP YOU OUT.
UH, WE HAVE TABLES HERE FROM 3 1 1 3, 1 1 IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.
THAT'S WHAT KIND OF DRIVES ALL THE FIXES THAT GET DONE.
UH, A LOT OF TIMES WE DON'T EVEN KNOW SOMETHING IS BROKE UNTIL IT'S CALLED INTO 3 1 1.
SO PLEASE MAKE SURE IF YOU SEE AN ISSUE, YOU CALL IT INTO THEM.
DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS SOLID WASTE.
AND ALSO WITH SOLID WASTE IS OUR RECYCLING COMPANY WHO ACTUALLY DOES THE SORTING, UH, AT THE RECYCLING FACILITY.
IN FACT, UH, MYSELF AND MY STAFF WENT OUT AND VISITED THAT FACILITY, I THINK ABOUT A MONTH AGO NOW.
UH, IT'S, UH, A PRETTY KIND OF AMAZING THING THE WAY THEY DO IT.
UH, A LOT OF IT IS, IS ACTUALLY DONE, YOU KNOW, THROUGH COMPUTERS AND AUTOMATION AND, AND AIR, UH, MOVING THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF, UH, RECYCLABLE MATERIALS AROUND.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS TOO YOU CAN DO, HELPING US WITH THAT, WHAT HAPPENS IS THEY SORT ALL THE MATERIAL THAT COMES IN, AND THEN WHAT IS LEFT IS CALLED CONTAMINATION, AND THEY HAVE TO TAKE THAT TO THE DUMP.
UH, AND ACTUALLY THE CITY PAYS QUITE A BIT TO GET IT OVER TO THE RECYCLING FACILITY.
THEY SORT IT, AND THEN TO TAKE THAT TO THE DUMP, IT, IT'S PRETTY EXPENSIVE.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU GET ONLY RECYCLABLE MATERIALS IN THE RECYCLING BINS.
AND IF YOU'VE GOT ANY QUESTIONS ON WHAT'S RECYCLABLE AND WHAT'S NOT, THEY'RE OVER THERE AND, AND THEY CAN ANSWER IT FOR YOU.
SO THAT WOULD REALLY HELP US OUT.
UH, PARKS AND RECREATION IS HERE.
WHERE'S TERRANCE AT? TERRANCE? THERE HE IS, BACK IN THE BACK CORNER.
TERRANCE, UH, AND I WERE WORKING SATURDAY ON A MEDIAN, AND TERRANCE WAS A HUGE HELP, SO THANK YOU.
UH, OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IS HERE.
UH, THE RECYCLING, WHO I PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, PUBLIC WORKS, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, FIRE DEPARTMENT, HOUSTON HEALTH, UH, WE HAVE US CONGRESS IS CONGRESSWOMAN SYLVIA GARCIA.
DID YOU MAKE IT? AH, HER REPRESENTATIVE.
AND THEN WE HAVE STATE SENATOR ALVARADO, WHO IS HERE, STATE REPRESENTATIVE PEREZ, WHO JUST HAD A THREE ONE ONE CALL WITH SOME WATER THAT WAS AN ISSUE.
SO, AND I UNDERSTAND IT'S ALREADY FIXED, SO, UM, ALSO, UH, OUR BOOTH IS HERE.
THE DISTRICT EBO, IF YOU DO NOT GET OUR NEWSLETTER, PLEASE SIGN UP FOR IT.
UH, WE SEND THE NEWSLETTER OUT ONCE A MONTH.
WE'LL SEND OUT UPDATES ON THINGS LIKE THE TOWN HALLS.
UH, WE DON'T BOMB YOUR EMAIL WITH SOMETHING EVERY DAY, SO IF YOU'RE NOT SIGNED UP, PLEASE GET SIGNED UP FOR IT.
OH, WANTED TO GIVE YOU SOME UPDATES ON, ON CITY HALL.
UH, WANTED TO TALK ABOUT, WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT, BEFORE I DO THAT, I'VE GOT A FEW OTHERS.
UH, TILA CARTER, COUNCILMAN AT LARGE, POSITION THREE IS HERE.
I, AND WE'RE ACTUALLY IN JOAQUIN'S DISTRICT AS WE SIT HERE.
ACROSS THE STREET IS DISTRICT E.
SO THIS IS RIGHT ON THE BORDER.
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AND I HAVE DONE A COUPLE OF THINGS TOGETHER, AND, UH, SO WANTED TO INVITE HIM OUT FOR THIS AS WELL.AND, UH, STATE, I'M SORRY, UH, HARRIS COUNTY COMMISSIONER JERRY GARCIA, WHERE'S HE? THERE GO.
THE MOST POPULAR GUY IN THE ROOM.
SO, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE, UH, STAFF FOR COMMISSIONER GARCIA THAT IS OUT HERE.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR SHOWING UP.
UH, ANYWAY, THE CITY, WE JUST SET THE TAX RATE AND THE CITY CUT THE SAME TAX RATE AS THE PREVIOUS YEAR, AND THAT WAS ALSO THE SAME AS THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
AND WHENEVER ELECTED OFFICIALS TALK ABOUT TAXES, THEY ALWAYS LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE TAX RATE RATHER THAN ACKNOWLEDGING THE FACT THAT YOUR TAXES ARE A MATH PROBLEM.
ONE BEING THE TAX RATE, THE OTHER ONE BEING YOUR VALUATION.
AND WHEN THE VALUATIONS GO UP, EVEN IF YOUR TAX RATE STAYS THE SAME, YOUR PROPERTY TAXES INCREASE.
UH, YEARS AGO, THE CITY OF HOUSTON VOTED TO LIMIT THE AMOUNT THAT YOUR TAXES CAN INCREASE WITHOUT YOUR APPROVAL BY THE RATE OF INFLATION, PLUS THE RATE OF GROWTH.
SO ESSENTIALLY, IT KEEPS THE CITY IN THE SAME PLACE THAT IT WAS THE YEAR BEFORE.
AS FAR AS BUYING POWER, WE ACTUALLY REDUCED YOUR TAXES QUITE A BIT LESS THAN THAT THIS YEAR.
UM, EVEN THOUGH THE RATE STAYED THE SAME, THE VALUATIONS DIDN'T CHANGE MUCH.
THE CITY'S GETTING ABOUT $40 MILLION MORE IN REVENUE THAN IT DID THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
ALL BUT ABOUT 10% OF THAT WAS ACTUALLY DRIVEN BY NEW CONSTRUCTION.
SO I, I REALIZE YOUR INDIVIDUAL SITUATION MAY BE DIFFERENT THAN THAT, BUT THE CITY HAS DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB AT KEEPING YOUR TAXES DOWN.
UH, THERE ARE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT HOW THE FINANCES ARE GONNA BE IN THE OUT YEARS.
UH, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE WITH THAT IS, AND IT WAS A NURSE ERNST AND YOUNG STUDY THAT WAS COMPLETED.
UH, WE'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF EFFICIENCIES FROM THAT.
THE CITY HAS ACTUALLY COMBINED SOME DIFFERENT CALL CENTERS AND DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS.
UH, ERNST AND YOUNG ALSO SAID THAT, UH, YOU'VE GOT TOO MANY EMPLOYEES FOR THE POPULATION AND THE SIZE CITY YOU HAVE.
UM, WITH THAT, THEY HAD THE EARLY RETIREMENT PROGRAM.
APPROXIMATELY A THOUSAND PEOPLE TOOK THAT EARLY RETIREMENT PROGRAM.
UH, I BELIEVE IT SAVED ABOUT A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS.
IS THAT RIGHT? I KNOW SALLY'S OFFICE WILL HAVE THAT NUMBER, UH, SAVED ABOUT A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS THROUGH THAT.
SO THE CITY'S LOOKING TO BE MORE EFFICIENT.
UM, YOU KNOW, I TELL EVERYBODY, I THINK THE MAYOR'S DOING A GREAT JOB.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFETIME I CAN REMEMBER, UH, A A SIGNIFICANT EFFORT BEING MADE TO BE MORE EFFICIENT.
AND HE HAS ABSOLUTELY DONE THAT.
UH, AND IT'S GONNA CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
AND, YOU KNOW, IF WE HAVE TO COME BACK AND, AND ASK FOR MORE IN TAXES, UH, I THINK EVERYONE CAN BE CONFIDENT THAT HE'S REALLY WORKED HARD TO TRY AND, AND GET EVERYTHING AS, AS LEAN AS THEY CAN.
A COUPLE THINGS ELSE THAT WE, WE'VE DONE THE, UH, CONTRACT WITH THE FIREFIGHTERS.
THAT WAS A LONGSTANDING ISSUE WITH THE PREVIOUS MAYOR.
UH, WE ALSO GOT A CONTRACT WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UH, WE WERE LOSING MORE POLICE OFFICERS THAN WHAT WE WERE BRINGING ON SINCE THAT NEW CONTRACT THAT HAS ALL CHANGED.
AND, UH, THERE WAS ACTUALLY A, A NUMBER OF POLICE OFFICERS THAT WERE SCHEDULED TO EXIT AND GO SOMEWHERE ELSE THAT RESCINDED THE OTHER OFFER AND DECIDED TO STAY WITH HPD.
SO THE NUMBER OF OFFICERS MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE.
SO THAT, THAT'S BEEN A BIG DEAL WITH THIS ALSO.
UH, ALSO THE MAYOR'S DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB AT GETTING FUNDS FROM OTHER PLACES.
UH, WE GOT A LOT OF MONEY FROM THE STATE.
UH, THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY PAID FOR THE NEW PUMPS AT THE LYNCHBURG PUMPING STATION.
UH, WE TOOK A TOUR OUT THERE, I THINK ABOUT TWO OR THREE MONTHS AGO.
AND THAT IS QUITE THE FACILITY.
THEY ACTUALLY PUMP A BILLION GALLONS OF WATER A DAY.
UH, IT PRETTY MUCH SUPPLIES ALL OF HOUSTON AND A LOT OF THE SURROUNDING AREAS.
ALL THE COMMERCIAL INTEREST AROUND THE SHIP CHANNEL, ALL, ALL PURCHASE WATER FROM 'EM.
UH, SO THOSE NEW PUMPS ARE, ARE A HUGE DEAL.
UM, LEMME SEE, WHAT ELSE HAVE WE GOT HERE? OH, THEY ALSO GOT QUITE A BIT OF MONEY FOR NEW POLICE CARS AND, UH, MONEY FOR PARKS.
IN FACT, MARIANNE PEREZ WAS OUR REPRESENTATIVE FOR THIS AREA, WAS INVOLVED IN GETTING, UH, A BUNCH OF MONEY FOR, FOR A PARK FOREST.
AND, UH, HE'S REALLY BEEN DOING GOOD WITH THAT.
THE, UH, FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ALSO AFTER, UH, BARRELL AND DERECHO, UH, THE CITY'S TEAM WENT UP TO WASHINGTON.
DC UH, THEY ASKED FOR $310 MILLION.
SO THAT'S PART OF THE REASON WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO WHAT WE'VE DONE WITH THE TAXES.
AND, UH, I THINK THE MAYOR'S REALLY GOOD AT THAT.
AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO SO.
SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS WE'VE DONE, UH, IN AUGUST, WE HAD THE DOING BUSINESS WITH THE CITY EVENT
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HERE, AND WE'RE GONNA BE DOING THAT AGAIN.WE'RE ALSO GONNA BE PARTNERING WITH THE COUNTY.
SO HOPEFULLY, UH, SOME PEOPLE WANTING TO DO BUSINESS WITH, WITH THE GOVERNMENT AND, UH, EXPAND THEIR BUSINESS CAN HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.
AND, UH, SHOULD BE DOING THAT HERE IN, UH, THE, THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS.
SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT, UH, OUR DISTRICT HAS SPENT OUR MONEY ON, A LOT OF IT IS DEALING WITH, UH, POLICE AND PAYING FOR OVERTIME FOR THE POLICE OFFICERS.
WE'VE ALSO PURCHASED, UH, QUITE A BIT OF EQUIPMENT.
WE PURCHASED A POLARIS VEHICLE FOR THE DEPARTMENT DOWN HERE.
WE ALSO DID THE SAME THING FOR IN KINGWOOD.
UH, WE'VE, UH, PAID FOR OVERTIME IN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT AREAS.
UH, ALSO WE SPENT, UH, $50,000 ON MOWING, EDGING, AND TRIMMING.
THE CITY'S CYCLE FOR MOWING IS EVERY 28 DAYS.
WHEN IT RAINS DURING THE SUMMER, THAT'S NOT ENOUGH.
UH, SO WE HAVE TO TRY AND SUPPLEMENT THAT.
AND, AND WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT.
AND, UH, THE METRO FUNDS THAT WE GET, THAT WE'VE ALSO DONE ABOUT $300,000 IN PANEL REPLACEMENTS.
SO IN SPECIFICALLY, WE HAD SOME AT SOUTH RICHIE AND QUEENS ROAD, UH, OVER ON, UM, BEDFORD STREET FROM HALIFAX TO, TO LOUISVILLE STREET.
SO WE'RE CONTINUING TO DO THAT.
SO THE NEXT THING I'D LIKE TO DO IS JUST TO INVITE COUNCIL MEMBER JOAQUIN MARTINEZ UP HERE FOR A MINUTE.
UM, AS COUNCIL MEMBER FRED FLICKINGER MENTIONED, UH, MY NAME IS JOAQUIN MARTINEZ, AND I'M THE DISTRICT I COUNCIL MEMBER WHERE YOU CURRENTLY ARE LOCATED AT THE MOMENT.
BUT I THINK WHAT'S IMPORTANT, AND I APPRECIATE, UH, COUNCILOR FLICK ANDER'S INVITATION, BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, UH, REPRESENTATION, IT SHOULDN'T BE BOUNDARIES.
IT SHOULDN'T BE A STREET OR A NEIGHBORHOOD.
I THINK WHEN, AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHEN, WHEN YOU HAVE ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT CAN WORK, UH, CLOSELY TOGETHER, UH, TO ENSURE THAT ALL OF HOUSTON, UH, IS BEING TAKEN CARE OF, UH, THAT'S WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT.
AND SO, I, I WANT TO FIRST JUST THANK, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER FOR THE INVITATION.
UM, THE OTHER THING, UM, AND I'LL TALK JUST BRIEFLY ABOUT THE MACRO LEVEL THAT COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER, UM, HAS BROUGHT UP, WHETHER IT'S THE, THE TAX RATE, UM, HE DIDN'T MENTION THE TRASH FEE, BUT I WILL
WHAT I WOULD LOVE TO SAY, JUST, JUST IN SAYING THAT, IS THAT, UM, I AM VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THE PARTNERSHIP THAT I HAVE WITH COUNCILOR FLICKINGER BECAUSE, UM, LIKE ANY FAMILY, THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT WE AGREE WITH, AND I THINK WE AGREE WITH A LOT OF THINGS, BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOUR TRASH CAN ISN'T RED OR BLUE, IT'S BLACK AND GREEN, AND WE DIDN'T MAKE YOUR MAKE SURE YOUR TRASH TANK, YOUR TRASH GETS PICKED UP.
AND SO WE ARE IN ALIGNMENT ON A LOT OF, UH, A LOT OF THINGS.
UH, THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT, UM, THAT I'M APPRECIATIVE OF THE MAYOR AS WELL, UM, ON WITH THE EFFICIENCY STUDY.
AND WE'RE ON BOARD WITH MAKING SURE THAT WE PUSH THROUGH EVERY OPTION, EXHAUST, EVERY OPTION THAT WE CAN, WHEN IT COMES TO, UM, GIVE, MAKING SURE THAT THE SERVICES THAT YOU DESERVE AS A RESIDENT OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, THAT YOU'RE SEEING THAT.
BUT I ALSO, AND I, I HAVE TO DO THIS BECAUSE THIS IS JUST BEING HONEST AND TRANSPARENT.
WE HAVE TO GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT THAT COST ACTUALLY IS.
WHETHER IT'S SOLID WASTE, WHETHER IT IS, UM, YOU KNOW, TO HAVE A FULLY FUNCTIONAL POLICE DEPARTMENT.
RIGHT NOW WE HAVE FIVE CADET CLASSES.
WE'VE HAD THAT FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
UH, BUT WE NEED MORE OFFICERS ON THE STREETS.
A MAJOR PART OF EVERY COST AND EVERY BUDGET THAT WE HAVE AT THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS PERSONNEL, IS PEOPLE.
THAT IS THE HEAVIEST LIFT FOR US TO BE ABLE TO PAY FOR.
AND SO HAVING THESE HONEST CONVERSATIONS, UM, I KNOW FRED AND I, WE, WE, WE, WE, UM, PUSH EACH OTHER IN A GOOD WAY AS COLLEAGUES TO MAKE SURE THAT ULTIMATELY WE'RE REPRESENTING EVERYONE.
AND SO, AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO, AT THAT MA MACRO LEVEL, LET YOU KNOW THAT YOU HAVE A DEDICATED ELECTED OFFICIAL IN DISTRICT E THAT IS WORKING ALONGSIDE FOLKS THAT MIGHT HAVE DIFFERENT OF WAYS TO MOVE FORWARD.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'RE ALL LOOKING FORWARD TO MAKING SURE THAT YOU'RE BEING SERVED, UM, AT, AT A MICRO LEVEL FOR DISTRICT I, WHICH IS JUST LITERALLY ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FREEWAY.
AND I WANNA FOCUS ON HOBBY AIRPORT AREA.
UM, THAT'S WHERE I'M ONE OF YOUR NEIGHBORS.
UM, BEEN THERE FOR ABOUT 10 YEARS.
AND WHAT WE'VE BEEN FOCUSED ON IN THAT AREA IS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
SO WHEN THE COUNCIL MEMBER INVITED ME TO COME TO THIS TOWN HALL MEETING, UM, IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS A CORE BELIEF IN, IN ME AND MY TEAM TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE COMMUNICATING WITH YOU ALL, THAT WE ARE ENGAGING YOU ALL AND INFORMING YOU AS WELL.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANNA HIGHLIGHT IS THAT WE ARE LOOKING TO, UH, RE OR ACTIVATE OUR SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE HOBBY AREA.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE A SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD, KNOW THAT YOU BUILD MORE CAPACITY AS A COMMUNITY, AS YOU START, UH, AGAIN, WORKING BEYOND YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, BEHI BEYOND YOUR DISTRICT TO ULTIMATELY SEE WHAT'S, WHAT'S THE BEST FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
THE OTHER TWO THINGS IN THIS AREA THAT WE'VE BEEN FOCUSED ON IS ILLEGAL DUMPING.
UH, WHICH IS, GOES BACK TO THAT SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT.
AND WHAT IS IT THAT WE HAVE DOLLARS FOR? UH, BY STATE LAW, WE ARE COMMITTED TO THE BLACK TRASH CAN 100%.
EVERYTHING ELSE HAS BEEN AN ADDED SERVICE, UH, OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS, WHETHER IT'S BEEN HEAVY TRASH PICKUP, BULK WAYS, OR TREE WASTE.
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UH, RECYCLE YARD WASTE.AND WE HAVEN'T BEEN REALLY, UH, FORWARD THINKING AS TO HOW DO WE PAY FOR THIS AS THE CITY OF HOUSTON HAS INCREASED POPULATION.
SO WITHIN THE LAST FOUR TO FIVE YEARS, WE'VE INCREASED THE NUMBER OF, OF, UH, CUSTOMERS FOR SOLID WASTE, ABOUT 45,000 NEW HOMES THAT WE'RE PICKING UP TRASH FOR.
SO I'M HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER AND COUNCIL MEMBER TWILA, CARTER CARTER FOR, TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT THESE THINGS ON HOW WE'RE GONNA ULTIMATELY BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THESE SERVICES.
THE OTHER THING, UM, WHICH I WANT TO DEFINITELY HIGHLIGHT, UH, CONSTABLE GARCIA IS THE UNHOUSED COMMUNITY.
UM, I REPRESENT DOWNTOWN AND EAST DOWNTOWN, WHICH IS REALLY THE, THE DENSE POPULATION FOR, UH, THOSE THAT ARE HOMELESS.
UH, BUT WHAT WE'VE BEEN SEEING IS BECAUSE OF DEVELOPMENT, THEY'VE REALLY BEEN COMING PAST SIX 10 NOW.
UM, WE'VE SEEN 'EM ALONG THE BAYOU.
WE SEE 'EM UNDERNEATH FREEWAYS.
I WAS A FORMER STAFFER FOR THE DISTRICT EYE OFFICE, AND I WORKED CLOSELY WITH CONS CONSTABLE GARCIA, TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE ENCAMPMENTS UNDERNEATH 45 WERE TAKEN, WERE ADDRESSED.
WE, UH, PROVIDED LIGHTING, BETTER LIGHTING TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, IT DETERRED FOLKS FROM WANTING TO STAY UNDERNEATH THE FREEWAYS AS WELL.
THESE ARE ONGOING CHALLENGES THAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING, BUT WE'RE GONNA DO IT, UM, IN A WAY WHERE WE'RE, WE'RE BRINGING EVERYONE TO THE TABLE THAT THAT IS HERE.
UM, AND THEN MY LASTLY, I JUST WANT TO DEFINITELY GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO YOU, UH, SENATOR ALVARADO AND STATE REPRESENTATIVE MARIANNE PEREZ.
UM, AS COUNCILOR FLICKINGER MENTIONED, WE RECEIVED ABOUT $250 MILLION UNHEARD OF FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
PRIOR TO THIS ADMINISTRATION RECEIVED $250 MILLION, ROUGHLY TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON FROM THIS LAST LEG LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
AND IT'S ONLY BEEN BECAUSE OF RELATIONSHIPS AND LEVERAGING, UM, OUR, ALL OF OUR, UH, UM, UH, INFLUENCE AND POWER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN BRING YOUR STATE TAXES BACK INTO THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
SO I DEFINITELY WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO OUR STATE ELECTED OFFICIALS.
AND QUITE FRANKLY, EVEN WITH HUD, THE $314 MILLION THAT WE RECEIVE FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THOSE ARE DOLLARS THAT, THAT COME FROM YOUR POCKET, ULTIMATELY, THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ADVOCATING FOR HER.
AND SO, UH, LAST SHOUT OUT IS TO MAYOR WHITMEYER, THE WORK THAT HE'S BEEN DOING.
UM, HE'S STAYING FOCUSED HEAD DOWN, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE FULFILLING OUR COMMITMENT TO Y'ALL WITH CORE SERVICES.
SO, UH, WITH THAT, AGAIN, JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU.
UH, I WAS ABOUT TO CLOSE, BUT FRED TELLS ME WHAT TO DO SOMETIMES, SO I'LL TAKE IT
YOU NOTICE HE DIDN'T SAY HE LISTENS.
I TRY TO, SOMETIMES WE'VE GOT SOMETHING FOR THE CHURCH HERE.
PASTOR MR. AND MRS. VARNER, THEY DID MAKE IT, DIDN'T THEY? AH, THERE THEY ARE.
IF YOU'RE WONDERING WHY IT MAY TAKE 'EM A LITTLE WHILE TO GET HERE.
WE'VE GOT A PROCLAMATION FORM.
AND THIS IS WHEREAS FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS, ONE MOVEMENT BIBLE CHURCH HAS BEEN UNDER THE FAITHFUL AND DEDICATED LEADERSHIP OF DR.
IVORY L VARNER, WHO HAS GUIDED THE CHURCH WITH SPIRITUAL VISION AND UNWAVERING COMMITMENT.
AND WHEREAS ONE MOVEMENT, BIBLE CHURCH HAS CONTINUOUSLY TAUGHT THE BODY OF CHRIST TO LIVE ACCORDING TO THE DIVINE PRINCIPLES OF THE HOLY BIBLE, NURTURING SPIRITUAL GROWTH AND DISCIPLESHIP WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
AND WHEREAS IN DECEMBER, 1979, PASTOR VARNER FOUNDED WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY CALLED BIBLE WAY BAPTIST CHURCH WITH FELLOWSHIP IN HIS HOME IN DICKINSON, TEXAS.
THE CHURCH GREW STEADILY MOVING TO MCWHIRTER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN WEBSTER, TEXAS, AND THEN TO VERY VARIOUS COMMUNITY LOCATIONS.
AND WHEREAS THE CHURCH GREW STEADILY MOVING FROM THE VARNER HOME TO MCWHORTER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN WEBSTER, TEXAS, AND THEN TO VARIOUS, OH, DID I JUST READ THAT? I AM SORRY.
UH, WHEREAS IN 1994, THE PURCHASE OF THE CHURCH'S FIRST DEDICATED PROPERTY ON FRY ROAD IN HOUSTON, TEXAS, AND EXPANSION EXPANSION OF FULL-TIME PASTORAL LEADERSHIP, INCLUDING THE ADDITION OF REVEREND ALTON IVORY AS ASSISTANT PASTOR, MARKED A SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE IN THE CHURCH'S DEVELOPMENT.
AND WHEREAS UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF PASTOR VARNER ONE MOVEMENT, BIBLE CHURCH HAS BEEN BLESSED TO PLANT MULTIPLE CHURCHES, EXPAND OUTREACH EFFORTS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, AND EXTEND MISSION WORK INTERNATIONALLY TO COUNTRIES INCLUDING KAZAKHSTAN, COSTA RICA, TAIWAN, HONDURAS, ETHIOPIA, AND ISRAEL.
AND WHEREAS ONE MOVEMENT BIBLE CHURCH EMBODIES THE POWERFUL VISION OF ONENESS, ONE CHURCH, ONE SOUND, ONE POWERFUL MOVEMENT INSPIRED BY PHILIPPIANS TWO, TWO, EMPHASIZING UNITY, LOVE, AND SHARED PURPOSE, AND FULFILLING THE GREAT COMMISSION.
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WHEREAS IN 2023, TO MORE ACCURATELY REFLECT ITS MISSION AND UNITY, THE CHURCH OFFICIALLY CHANGED ITS NAME FROM BIBLE WAVE FELLOWSHIP BAPTIST CHURCH, TO ONE MOVEMENT BIBLE CHURCH SYMBOLIZING ITS UNSTOPPABLE COMMITMENT TO SPIRITUAL MATURITY AND IMPACTFUL MINISTRY.AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF HOUSTON CONGRATULATES ONE MOVEMENT, BIBLE CHURCH ON FOUR DECADES OF FAITHFUL SERVICE, SPIRITUAL GROWTH, AND IMPACT ON ITS CONGREGATION.
THEREFORE, JOHN WHITMEYER, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROCLAIM OCTOBER 21ST, 2025 AS ONE MOVEMENT BIBLE CHURCH DAY.
THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING Y'ALL DO.
NEXT UP WE HAVE SENATOR CAROL ALVARADO.
THANK YOU FOR HOSTING THIS AGAIN, AND FOR INVITING MANY OF US.
AND THANK YOU TO YOUR TEAM THAT'S IN THE BACK FOR ACCOMMODATING US.
AND, UH, MY COLLEAGUES, OF COURSE, REP MARIANNE PETTI, UH, MY COLLEAGUE IN THE HOUSE, AND, UH, COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ AND TWILA.
I DON'T KNOW IF DAVIS IS HERE YET, BUT IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO BE WITH OUR PARTNERS IN GOVERNMENT.
I'M GONNA TIME MYSELF AND IT'S REALLY HARD 'CAUSE I DON'T KNOW HOW I'M GONNA PACK IN A REGULAR SESSION AND TWO LEGIS SPECIAL SESSIONS IN 10 MINUTES.
I'M GONNA GIVE YOU SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS.
SO, YOU KNOW, GOING INTO THIS SESSION, UH, WE WENT IN WITH ABOUT A 24, UH, BILLION DOLLARS SURPLUS.
SO IT'S ALWAYS HARDER WHEN YOU HAVE A LOT OF EXTRA MONEY TO SPEND.
'CAUSE YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY, YOU JUST TELL EVERYBODY, NO.
BUT WE HAD TO SET SOME PRIORITIES.
YOU KNOW, PASSING A BILL IS VERY HARD.
IT'S VERY EASY TO KILL A BILL.
SO THERE WERE ABOUT 87, LITTLE OVER 87 BILLS THAT WERE FILED, AND OF THAT, ABOUT 1200 PASSED.
SO YOU CAN SEE THERE AREN'T A WHOLE LOT OF BILLS THAT PASSED.
THE GOVERNOR VETOED 28, THANK GOD NONE OF THEM WERE MINE.
SO HE WASN'T AS, UM, ANGRY IS LAST TIME BECAUSE HE ONLY VETOED 28 VERSUS 74.
WE PASSED A BUDGET FOR TWO YEARS, AND OUR BUDGET WAS THE LARGEST IN THE STATE'S HISTORY.
UH, WE SECURED, I'LL GIVE YOU SOME HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE BUDGET.
SOME THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT FOR THIS AREA, $10 MILLION FOR THE SAN JAS COLLEGE CENTER FOR BIOTECHNOLOGY.
THIS IS A MASSIVE WIN FOR OUR COMMUNITY COLLEGE IN, IN THIS AREA.
WE, UH, WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE STAYING ON THE CUTTING EDGE WHEN IT COMES TO INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY, AND THAT WE CAN ALSO ENHANCE THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE IN MANY WAYS.
WE, UH, ALSO BROUGHT IN ABOUT $30 MILLION FOR MD ANDERSON INSTITUTE FOR CELL THERAPY.
AS Y'ALL KNOW, HOUSTON IS THE MEDICAL CAPITAL OF THE WORLD, AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE, CONTINUE TO STAY ON THE CUTTING EDGE OF LIFE SAVING RESEARCH.
UM, IT WAS MENTIONED EARLIER BY THE COUNCILMAN ABOUT THE LYNCHBURG FERRY.
AND THESE ARE THINGS THAT YOU DON'T SEE ON THE NEWS.
IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, THE HOT TOPIC OR GLAMOROUS TOPIC, BUT IT'S SO IMPORTANT.
BUT THIS WAS A BIG INVESTMENT BE, AND IT WAS NEEDED BECAUSE ABOUT 60% OF HOUSTON'S WATER COMES FROM THE LYNCHBURG PUMP STATION.
WE WORKED A LOT TO, UM, ACCOMMODATE WHAT THE CITY'S NEEDS WERE.
AND I, AGAIN, TIP MY HAT TO MAYOR WHITMEYER.
HE CERTAINLY, YOU KNOWS HIS WAY AROUND THE CAPITOL.
AND THOSE GREAT RELATIONSHIPS DID MATTER WHEN IT CAME TO INVESTMENT IN MANY INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS.
WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO, UH, SECURE MONEY FOR FLOOD MITIGATION, UH, PROJECTS IN THE REGION, 2.5 MILLION FOR THE LOCAL STORM WATER RETENTION, AND 4.5 MILLION FOR THE GULF COAST PROTECTION DISTRICT CONSTRUCTION OF, UH, COASTAL STORMS, UH, SURGE BARRIERS.
SO WE'RE NOT JUST, UM, YOU KNOW,
WE'RE TRYING TO BE AS PROACTIVE AS WE CAN.
SO A LOT OF THESE THINGS ARE IMPORTANT TO THIS AREA.
THIS WAS MY FIRST TIME TO SIT ON THE SENATE FINANCE, UH, COMMITTEE.
AND SO BEING A PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS WAS VERY IMPORTANT.
WE WERE ABLE TO, UM, DO A COUPLE OF THINGS
[00:25:01]
TO KIND OF RESPOND TO SOME THINGS THAT HAPPENED.UH, ANY MILBY BUFFS IN THE AUDIENCE, I KNOW REP EZ MYSELF.
UH, WE HAD A, A TRAGEDY WITH YOUNG GIO RODRIGUEZ WHO, UH, DIED, UM, DUE TO THE A TRAIN BLOCKAGE.
AND WE WERE ABLE TO GET $10 MILLION TO BUILD A PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE OVER BROADWAY AND, UM, OLD GALVESTON ROAD THERE.
AND WE ARE NAMING IT AFTER HIM.
UH, AND IN, IN THAT ALSO REGARD, WE WERE, WE WORKED ON A $250 MILLION GRANT PROGRAM.
Y'ALL KNOW THAT OUR TRAINS HERE ARE JUST, YOU KNOW, IT'S A CHALLENGE.
WE HAVE OVER 9,000 GRADE CROSSINGS IN TEXAS, AND WITH THAT COMES A LOT OF BLOCKAGES.
SO THIS 250 MILLION GRANT PROGRAM WILL GO FOR CITIES AND COUNTIES TO APPLY FOR THIS MONEY TO GET GRADE SEPARATIONS BUILT.
UH, WE'RE BRINGING A $1 MILLION GRANT TO FUND THE MEMORIAL HERMANN'S HEALTHCARE WORKFORCE APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM.
THIS IS ALSO IMPORTANT BECAUSE WHILE WE PUT A LOT OF EFFORT ON RECRUITING DOCTORS AND PUTTING MONEY INTO, UH, NURSING, WE ALSO HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE WORKFORCE THAT SUPPORTS THOSE IMPORTANT JOBS IN HEALTHCARE IS ALSO BEING INVESTED.
SO THIS WILL HELP THAT AS WELL.
PUBLIC SAFETY, CRIMINAL JUSTICE.
I, I KNOW, UH, I KNOW COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER, SHE RAN ON, BUT WE REALLY, I THINK, PUT A LOT OF WELL-DESERVED ATTENTION ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE.
AND SOME OF THESE THINGS YOU'LL SEE ON YOUR BALLOT.
THERE WAS A SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION THAT WAS SPONSORED BY SENATOR HUFFMAN.
THIS DIRECTLY ADDRESSES, WE'VE HEARD A LOT OF ISSUES ABOUT BAIL REFORM.
I SEE MY PARTNERS HERE IN, IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, BUT THIS NOW REQUIRES THAT JUDGES DENY BAIL IN CASES OF MURDER, AGGRAVATED ASSAULT WITH SERIOUS BODILY INJURY, AGGRAVATED KIDNAPPING, AGGRAVATED SEXUAL ASSAULT, TRAFFICKING OF PERSONS, UH, IN INDECENCY WITH THE CHILD AND OTHER SERIOUS VIOLENT FELONIES.
IT WILL BE ON YOUR NOVEMBER BALLOT, ALONG WITH 16 OTHER PROPOSITIONS.
SOME OF THE THINGS I WORKED ON DIRECTLY THAT WERE MY BILLS RELATED TO PUBLIC SAFETY.
WE RECALL DURING BARREL AND THE DEAD ETHEL CONTRACTORS THAT WERE COMING IN FROM OTHER STATES TO HELP CENTER POINT, THEY WERE GETTING HARASSED AND ASSAULTED.
AND SO NOW WE'VE PUT THEM IN THE SAME CATEGORY WITH OUR FIRST RESPONDERS.
SO IF THEY'RE GETTING ATTACKED OR ASSAULTED DURING, DURING THEIR LINE OF DUTY, THOSE, UH, PENALTIES AND PUNISHMENTS ARE LIFTED, THOSE ARE GONNA BE EVEN MORE SEVERE.
ALSO, UM, IN PUBLIC SAFETY, I PASSED A, A BILL WITH, UM, REPRESENTATIVE FLORES IN THE HOUSE.
WHO CAN USE A PSEUDONYM? UH, YOU KNOW, EACH TIME WE WE'RE ENGAGING, WE'RE SEEING THAT THERE ARE NEW CATEGORIES, NEW CRIMES, BUT THIS WILL ALLOW, UM, SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL ASSAULTS.
SO IF SOMEONE HAS BEEN VICTIMIZED, THEY HAVE TO, THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE AFRAID TO COME FORWARD, THEY CAN USE A PSEUDONYM.
THIS IS, UM, CONCERNING THE CRIME OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN FILMED INTIMATELY WITHOUT THEIR CONSENT.
I MENTIONED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT AND THE $250 MILLION GRANT PROGRAM.
UH, I CAN'T EMPHASIZE THIS ENOUGH, AND I'M HOPING THAT A LOT OF OUR CITIES IN THE AREA, SOUTH HOUSTON AND PASADENA AND OTHERS, ALONG WITH THE CITY AND THE COUNTY, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS PROGRAM.
BECAUSE, AS I SAID, WITH THOSE 9,000 RAIL CROSSINGS, WE HAVE, UH, MORE COMPLAINTS THAN ANY OTHER STATE THAT THE FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION HAS NOTED OVER 7,300 IN A 12 MONTH PERIOD, 21% OF THOSE INCLUDED INSTANCES WHERE OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, FIRE AND POLICE WERE BLOCKED BY THE TRAINS.
23% OF THOSE REPORTS CONSISTED OF PEOPLE THAT HAD TO JUMP OVER OR CRAWL UNDER A STALL TRAIN.
I'LL GO THROUGH SOME OF THAT QUICKLY.
WE, UH, INVESTED ABOUT $8.5 BILLION.
AND I'LL GIVE YOU JUST A RUNDOWN HOW SOME OF THAT WAS BROKEN UP.
4 BILLION WILL GO TOWARDS AN ACROSS THE BOARD PAY INCREASE FOR TEACHERS AND STAFF, WHICH IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES THE SUPPORT STAFF, THE, UH, BUS DRIVERS, THE PEOPLE WHO WORK IN THE KITCHEN, THE JANITORS, THEY WEREN'T GETTING ANY OF THOSE RAISES.
SO NOW THIS WAS AN ACROSS THE BOARD FOR ALL OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
150 MILLION TO EXPAND CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES.
430 MILLION FOR, UM, SCHOOL SAFETY, 1.3 BILLION FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
THESE ARE ANOTHER SET OF COSTS THAT WE'RE GOING UP FOR OUR SCHOOL
[00:30:01]
DISTRICTS.THIS MEANS LIKE INSURANCE, UH, UTILITIES AND TRANSPORTATION.
AND THEN WE ALSO INCREASE THE BASIC ALLOTMENT, UH, BY $55.
SO ANYBODY IN EDUCATION HERE, UH, YOU'LL UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT WITH THAT.
UH, ASIDE FROM THE INCIDENT WE HAD WITH THE MILBY STUDENT, WE ALSO HAD A, AN INCIDENT WITH, UH, A YOUNG MAN AT MARSHALL MIDDLE SCHOOL IN THE NEAR NORTH SIDE WHERE HE COLLAPSED IN THE GYM.
TWO THINGS HAPPENED THAT MAY HAVE SAVED, THAT COULD HAVE, UH, ENHANCED HIS SURVIVAL, BUT THE DEFIBRILLATORS WERE NOT WORKING.
AND NO ONE IN THE GYM, INCLUDING THE NURSE AND THE GYM TEACHER, DID NOT KNOW CPR.
ONE IS NOW THAT THE DEFIBRILLATORS WILL BE INSPECTED BY OUR FIRE INSPECTORS WHEN THEY COME AND DO THEIR ROUTINE.
AND THEN THE OTHER BILL IS MAKING SURE THAT THE SCHOOL STAFF, THE COACHES, THE NURSES THAT THEY KNOW HOW TO CONDUCT CPR, UH, SERVING ON NATURAL RESOURCES AND THE ENVIRONMENT.
I GOT A COUPLE OF BILLS PASSED THAT ARE A LITTLE CONSUMER AND ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY REGARDING, UH, CONCRETE BATCH PLANTS.
AND WE, THAT'S NOT A REAL BIG THING HERE, BUT IN THE ALDEAN AREA OF OUR DISTRICT.
AND, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT DUST AND THE AIR THAT, THAT DOES TRAVEL.
SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN.
ANOTHER GROUNDBREAKING CUTTING EDGE THING THAT WE DID WAS CREATED THE, UM, DEMENTIA PROGRAM.
THIS IS ADDRESSING A REALLY, UM, CHALLENGE THAT I'M SURE MANY OF US HAVE.
FAMILY MEMBERS, SOMEBODY THAT WE KNOW DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY THAT HAS SUFFERED FROM ALZHEIMER'S.
THERE ARE ABOUT 460,000 TEXANS THAT HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH ALZHEIMER'S.
THAT'S ABOUT 12% OF THE STATE'S POPULATION OVER 65.
THIS IS A $3 BILLION INVESTMENT.
THIS ALSO IS PART OF THE, ONE OF THE PROPOSITIONS THAT'S ON YOUR BALLOT.
THE LAST THING I WILL LEAVE YOU WITH, 'CAUSE THIS IS ALSO ON YOUR BALLOT IN NOVEMBER AND EARLY VOTING HAS STARTED, THIS IS PROPERTY TAX RELIEF.
WE'VE MADE ABOUT A $51 BILLION INVESTMENT GIVING BACK TO THE TAXPAYERS.
LAST TIME WE RAISED A HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION TO A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
THIS TIME IT'S BEING RAISED TO 140.
IF YOU ARE OVER 65 OR DISABLED, THAT JUMPS TO $200,000.
SO AGAIN, THOSE THINGS I MENTIONED, YOU HAVE TO GO OUT AND VOTE FOR THOSE IN NOVEMBER.
THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY COUNCIL MEMBER.
NEXT UP WE HAVE OUR STATE REP, MARIANNE PEREZ.
OKAY, JUST A WARNING, WE WERE AT THE SAME LEGISLATURE.
SO IF SOME THINGS ARE A LITTLE DUPLICATE, THE GOOD THING IS I ONLY HAD FIVE MINUTES, SO, SO YOU MAY HEAR A COUPLE THINGS THAT WERE DUPLICATE, BUT NOT EVERYTHING.
MY NAME IS MARYANNE PEREZ AND I REPRESENT TEXAS HOUSE DISTRICT 1 44, WHICH INCLUDES ALL OF SOUTH HOUSTON AND PARKS OF HOUSTON, PASADENA, AND DEER PARK.
FIRST, I'D LIKE TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER FOR ORGANIZING THIS TOWN HALL AND BRINGING OUR COMMUNITY TOGETHER.
THANK YOU, SIR, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, HARD WORK AND DEDICATION IN SERVING DISTRICT D.
I'M HONORED TO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TONIGHT.
FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT I HAVEN'T HAD THE PLEASURE OF MEETING YET, I'D LIKE TO BRIEFLY INTRODUCE MYSELF AND SHARE A LITTLE ABOUT MY WORK.
I WAS FIRST ELECTED TO THE TEXAS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES IN 2012, AND I AM PROUDLY SERVING MY SIXTH TERM IN THE LEGISLATURE.
I CURRENTLY SIT AS VICE CHAIR OF THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE, THE PERMANENT STANDING SUBCOMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION FUNDING AND THE LICENSING AND ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES COMMITTEE.
IN THE TRANSPORTATION ROLE, I WORKED WITH MY COLLEAGUES TO ADVANCE LEGISLATION THAT IMPROVES OUR TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE.
IF THAT'S ONE PLACE WE REALLY NEED HELP, IT'S, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE.
TOO MANY PEOPLE MOVING TO TEXAS AND NOT ENOUGH LANES, SO WE'RE NOT MAKING THE ROADS FAST ENOUGH TO KEEP UP WITH THE GROWTH.
THE, UM, TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE OVERSEES OUR HIGHWAYS, OUR RAILROADS, OUR AIRWAYS AND OUR SEAS.
THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION FUNDING OVERSEAS, THE FUNDING OF THOSE HIGHWAYS, RAILROADS, UH, AIRWAYS AND SEAS.
THE LICENSING COMMITTEE OVERSEES EVERYTHING AND ANYTHING THAT REQUIRES A LICENSE TO CONDUCT BUSINESS SUCH AS PLUMBERS, COSMETOLOGY, ELECTRICIANS, BOXING MATCHES, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, BUT IF YOU WANNA BOX IN TEXAS, YOU NEED A LICENSE ANYWAY, AS YOU ALREADY KNOW.
AS YOU MAY ALREADY KNOW, THE LEGISLATURE MEETS EVERY TWO YEARS ON ODD NUMBER OF YEARS FOR 140 DAYS.
SOMETIMES THE GOVERNOR WILL CALL A SPECIAL SESSION, BUT IT NEEDS TO BE FOR A SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEM OR ITEMS. IT CAN BE MULTIPLE
[00:35:01]
SPECIAL SESSIONS, CANNOT LAST MORE THAN 30 DAYS, BUT THE GOVERNOR CAN CALL AS MANY SPECIALS AS HE DEEMS NECESSARY ALL THE WAY UP TO THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION.AFTER THIS PAST SESSION ENDED IN JUNE, WE RETURNED TO AUSTIN FOR TWO SPECIAL SESSIONS.
DURING THE REGULAR SESSION, I WORKED ON SEVERAL IMPORTANT BILLS THAT HELP PROTECT CONSUMERS, STRENGTHEN OUR COMMUNITIES, AND KEEP OUR ECONOMY MOVING FORWARD.
SO WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THAT FOR A BIT.
IN 2021, THE FINANCIAL CRIMES INTELLIGENCE CENTER, KNOWN AS THE FCIC, 'CAUSE THAT'S WAY TOO LONG TO SAY QUICKLY, WAS ESTABLISHED TO COMBAT CARDS GIVING AT GAS PUMPS.
EVERYBODY REMEMBER WHEN EVERY, THAT WAS THE BIG DEAL CARD, GIVING IT THE GAS PUMPS, WATCH YOUR, WATCH YOUR CREDIT CARDS ANYWAY, AND O OTHER FINANCIAL CRIMES AS WELL.
BUT SINCE BECOMING OPERATIONAL IN JANUARY OF 2022, THE FCIC IS ALMOST UP TO $411 MILLION IN THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF LOSS PREVENTED OR RECOVERED.
HOWEVER, AS FINANCIAL CRIMES CONTINUE TO EVOLVE IN COMPLEXITY AND SCOPE, SO TOO HAS THE F'S WORKLOAD.
THIS SESSION WE BUILT ON THAT PAST PROGRESS WITH SEVERAL NEW LAWS TO CRACK DOWN ON FUEL THEFT CARD AND PAYMENT FRAUD, CRYPTOCURRENCY SCAMS AND GIFT CARD SCAMS. SEE HOW IT'S GROWING? IT'S JUST EVOLVING INTO A LOT MORE THAN IT ALWAYS USED TO BE.
SO WE EXPANDED THE F'S AUTHORITY TO BETTER COMBAT CARD SKIMMING, WHETHER IT'S AT GAS PUMPS, ATMS, OR CRYPTOCURRENCY KIOSK.
TOGETHER THESE MEASURES GIVE LAW ENFORCEMENT THE NECESSARY TOOLS TO STOP THE FINANCIAL CRIMES AND PROTECT HARDWORKING TEXANS.
NEXT SESSION, I AM AGAIN LOOKING FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK ON THESE CRITICAL ISSUES.
NOW WE'LL TALK ABOUT IMPRO IMPROVING SAFETY INFRASTRUCTURE AND SUPPORTING THOSE WHO SERVE THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION PASSED LAWS TO IMPROVE PUBLIC SAFETY.
FROM MY WORK WITH SENATOR ALVARADO IN CALLING FOR A PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE NEAR MILBY HIGH SCHOOL TO FUNDING NEW RAILROAD GRADE SEPARATION PROJECTS, AS THE SENATOR DISCUSSED AS WELL, TO PROTECTING FIRST RESPONDERS WITH THEIR HEALTHCARE AND UPDATING THE HOUSTON FIREFIGHTERS RELIEF AND RETIREMENT FUND, WE ALSO STRENGTHENED DARK COASTAL PROTECTIONS THROUGH THE GULF COAST PROTECTION DISTRICT.
WE KEPT MORE FUNDING IN OUR SHIP CHANNEL PROJECTS TO SUPPORT LOCAL JOBS AND GAVE CITIES MORE TOOLS TO CLEAN UP ILLEGAL BANDIT SIGNS, RIGHT
AND FINALLY, THE STATE BUDGET, WHICH, UM, SENATOR ALREADY DISCUSSED, BUT WE INVESTED 8.5 BILLION IN MORE PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR TEACHER PAY, PRE-K AND CAMPUS SAFETY.
WE PROVIDED 51 BILLION IN PROPERTY TAX RELIEF AND WE FUNDED KEY PRIORITIES LIKE WATER, ENERGY, HEALTHCARE, AND WORKFORCE TRAINING.
AND AS WITH EVERYTHING ELSE IN LIFE, THERE'S STILL MORE WORK TO BE DONE.
BUT I'M PROUD OF SOME OF THE LEGISLATION WE WERE ABLE TO PASS THIS SESSION AND LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK ON THE IMPORTANT ISSUES THAT MATTER MOST TO YOU.
SO PLEASE REMEMBER, IF THERE'S EVER ANYTHING YOU NEED, MY DOOR IS ALWAYS OPEN.
YOU CAN REACH OUT TO MY DISTRICT OFFICE IN PASADENA OR MY CAPITAL OFFICE IN AUSTIN.
AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME TO JOIN Y'ALL THIS EVENING, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU AS WE MOVE OUR COMMUNITIES FORWARD.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, REPRESENTATIVE PEREZ.
NEXT UP WE HAVE AT LARGE COUNCILWOMAN TWILA CARTER.
I DON'T KNOW IF I WANT TO TOUCH THIS MIC.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER FOR HAVING, UH, THIS TOWN HALL AND CERTAINLY FOR INVITING ME.
I AM A, A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT D ON THE OPPOSITE END, A NEIGHBOR OF FRED'S, BUT I DO SERVE AS YOUR HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL MEMBER AT LARGE IN POSITION THREE.
UM, AND IN THE AT LARGE POSITION, WE'RE ABLE TO FOCUS MORE ON KIND OF THE BIG PICTURE FOR THE CITY, SOME OF THE TACKLE, SOME OF THE, UM, OBSTACLES THAT WE'RE FACING.
SO TWO THAT I'VE BEEN WORKING ON CERTAINLY ARE HOMELESSNESS AND THE OTHERS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ON THE HOMELESSNESS SIDE.
TO GIVE YOU AN ESTIMATE, UM, IN THIS AREA, JUST ACROSS THE THREE ZIP CODES THAT I KIND OF PULLED, WHICH WOULD BE 7, 7 0 4 5, 4 7, AND FIVE ONE ESTIMATED ON THE PIT COUNT THIS YEAR IS ABOUT A HUNDRED.
SO THE BROADER PICTURE WAS PROBABLY IN THIS AREA.
AND, AND CHIEF SATTERWHITE CAN SPEAK MORE SPECIFICALLY TO THIS MAYBE IS PROBABLY THREE TO 500 IN THIS WIDE AREA.
YOU DO SEE A LOT MORE, PROBABLY A LOT MORE PEOPLE THAN REALLY, THEY'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, STREET HOMELESSNESS.
MAYBE THEY'RE PANHANDLING, MAYBE THEY'RE JUST FROM AROUND THE AREA, YOU KNOW, KIND OF MOVE ABOUT.
BUT, BUT THE, THE NUMBERS, UH, ON THE PIT COUNT THIS, THIS YEAR INDICATED THAT THERE'S ABOUT THREE TO 500 IN THIS KIND OF SOUTHERN END OF DISTRICT E, WHICH IS PRETTY BROAD.
UM, SO I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH CHIEF SATTERWHITE AND THE MAYOR'S TEAM TO IDENTIFY SORT OF HOW I CAN HELP EITHER ADDRESS THE NEEDS, FIND SPECIFIC LOCATIONS
[00:40:01]
TO REALLY ADDRESS THE, THE HOMELESS POPULATION WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.SOME OF THE THINGS THAT CERTAINLY, UM, OR HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED, CERTAINLY DOWN IN THE, UM, THE EAST END OF TOWN, THERE'S A, THAT'S KIND OF THE GROUND ZERO THEY TERM OF THE HOMELESS POPULATION.
UM, AND SO WE'RE REALLY FOCUSED ON, ON THAT AREA FIRST.
BUT THERE ARE CERTAIN NEEDS FOR RESPITE CARE.
YOU SEE PEOPLE WALKING AROUND IN HOSPITAL GOWNS AND SUCH.
SO REALLY, UH, WORKING WITH THE MAYOR'S TEAM CLOSELY TO REALLY ADDRESS THOSE POPULATIONS IN THE AREAS WHERE THEY ARE.
UM, THE OTHER, UH, ONE OF MY CAUSES OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, 70% OF ALL CALLS MADE TO LAW ENFORCEMENT IN HARRIS COUNTY ARE FAMILY VIOLENCE RELATED ACROSS THE STATE.
LAST YEAR, UH, FATALITIES WENT DOWN IN HARRIS COUNTY.
THEY WENT UP, UM, ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS IN 2023.
WE HAD 106, 205 FATALITIES THIS PAST YEAR.
IN 2024, THERE WERE 161 IN HARRIS COUNTY.
UM, IN 2023, I ALWAYS DO THIS BACKWARDS, 2023, THERE WERE 37, 38 FATALITIES.
UM, SO REALLY TO BRING IT, TO BRING TO, UH, THE FOREFRONT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS IN THE WAY OF RESOURCES AND NEEDS.
UM, IF YOU'VE SEEN A PURPLE BILLBOARD, I'M SORRY I WASN'T PREPARED.
I WALKED OUT WITHOUT MY LABELS TONIGHT.
BUT AN AWARENESS CAMPAIGN THAT SAYS BRIEF MESSAGE, I'M OKAY, YOU ARE YOU OKAY? IT'S GOT A QR CODE AND YOU CAN HIT THAT AND FIND THE RESOURCES IN THE AREA TO SEEK THE HELP, UH, THAT VICTIMS NEED TO BE.
SURVIVORS CERTAINLY LAUNCHED THAT, UH, LAST YEAR AS A CITYWIDE CAMPAIGN WITH, UH, CLEAR CHANNEL.
SO YOU'VE SEEN THE BILLBOARDS, IF ESPECIALLY THERE'S ONE ON 45, HEADED A LITTLE BIT FURTHER SOUTH THAT PEOPLE TELL ME ALL THE TIME.
WELL, WE TOOK THAT CAMPAIGN STATEWIDE ON OCTOBER 3RD IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE TEXAS COUNCIL ON FAMILY VIOLENCE, CLEAR CHANNEL COMM COMMUNICATIONS AND THE TEXAS OUTDOOR ADVERTISING ASSOCIATION.
AND THANK YOU SENATOR ALVARADO AND, AND, UH, STATE REP PEREZ LEFT.
BUT THE WORK COLLECTIVELY DONE IN AUSTIN TO ADDRESS FAMILY VIOLENCE IS ESSENTIAL BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY, FRIENDS HARRIS COUNTY HAS THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF FATALITIES ANNUALLY.
AND LIKE I SAID, 70% OF ALL CALLS MADE TO LAW ENFORCEMENT WITH IT ACROSS HARRIS COUNTY ARE FAMILY VIOLENCE RELATED.
SO THOSE ARE A COUPLE OF THE, UM, KEY, UH, FOCUS POINTS.
I HAVE CERTAINLY WORKED WITH COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER CLOSELY AND SUPPORT HIS EFFORTS IN ANY WAY.
WE CAN HELP YOU FROM MY OFFICE.
DON'T HESITATE TO REACH OUT AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR HAVING ME.
UM, SOMETHING TO KEEP IN MIND, ALTHOUGH I AM THE, THE DISTRICT COUNCILMAN FOR THIS AREA, THERE ARE FIVE AT LARGE.
UH, COUNCILWOMAN CARTER IS ONE.
UH, WE HAVE COUNCILWOMAN ALCORN, COUNCILMAN RAMIREZ, COUNCILMAN DAVIS, AND THEN, UH, COUNCILWOMAN PLUMMER WHO, UH, IT WAS MENTIONED EARLIER ABOUT THE ELECTION.
UH, SHE IS RUNNING FOR COUNTY JUDGE, THEREFORE HER POSITION WAS VACATED.
SO SHE IS ON THE, OR HER REPLACEMENT IS ON THE BALLOT.
SO PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU GO OUT AND VOTE IN NOVEMBER AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WE NEED, UH, SOMEBODY TO GO TO FILL THAT SEAT.
SO HOPEFULLY Y'ALL ELECT SOMEBODY.
NEXT UP WE HAVE DIRECTOR SATTERWHITE.
SO I'M GONNA TAKE, I HAVE A POWERPOINT, SO I'M GOING TO UH, BE ABLE TO HAVE TO GET A CHANCE TO LOOK AT.
ALRIGHT, SO, UM, I'M DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY.
SO I DO A LOT OF THINGS IN THE CITY IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, IF YOU READ THE JOB DESCRIPTION, IT'S PREVENTION OF TERRORISM AND THERE'S A WAY WE DO THAT AND, AND THERE'S EMERGENCY PLANNING AND, AND ALL THOSE THINGS.
VOLUNTEERISM, A WHOLE BUNCH OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT'S ON THE JOB DESCRIPTION.
UH, BUT RIGHT AFTER I TOOK OVER, UH, LAST YEAR IN THIS POSITION, I RETIRED FROM HBD AND TOOK OVER, UM, THE MAYOR AND I HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT HOMELESSNESS.
WE SAID WE'RE GONNA WORK ON THAT.
SO I WILL TELL YOU THAT THAT ACTUALLY TAKES UP PROBABLY 70, 80% OF MY DAY EVERY DAY.
IT'S NOT AN EASY THING TO DEAL WITH, BUT WE ARE MAKING PROGRESS.
SO I JUST VERY QUICKLY, UM, SO THIS IS WHAT OUR GOAL IS.
THIS IS WHAT THE MAYOR'S GOAL IS, RIGHT AFTER HE GOT ELECTED.
AND BY THE WAY, THERE'S A LOT OF SLIDES, BUT I'M GONNA MOVE VERY FAST 'CAUSE I UNDERSTAND THERE'S A QUE Q AND A AFTER THIS IS OVER WITH.
BUT, UM, THE MAYOR SAID, YOU KNOW, ROD CREEK GOT ELECTED.
THE ONE THING HE WANTED TO WORK ON, THIS IS EVEN BEFORE I CAME ON INTO THAT PICTURE OF WORKING ON IT, WAS HE WANTED TO END STREET HOMELESSNESS IN HOUSTON, ADDRESS MENTAL HEALTH, AND DO ALL THOSE THINGS.
NO OTHER MAJOR CITY IN THE COUNTRY'S DONE THAT.
UH, AND WE, WE ARE GOING TO BE THE FIRST TO ACCOMPLISH THAT.
AND HOW ARE WE GONNA DO THAT VERY QUICKLY? WELL, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF REASONS FOR IT.
WE'VE DONE A LOT OF GOOD WORK IN THE SPACE, BUT THE REALITY IS, IS WE STILL HAVE A LONG WAYS TO GO COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER HAS BEEN MY PARTNER, RIGHT THE WAY, ALL
[00:45:01]
THE WAY THROUGH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ WAS WITH ME TODAY.WE WERE TALKING TO GROUPS, EVERYBODY, HPD, CONSTABLE GARCIA, I MEAN, I CAN'T TELL YOU, EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM IS WORKING ON THIS.
YOU HAVE A FANTASTIC TEAM OF DEDICATED PUBLIC SERVANTS TRYING TO SOLVE THIS BECAUSE I KNOW Y'ALL HAVE A PROBLEM DOWN HERE.
WE HAVE A PROBLEM ALL OVER THE CITY AND IT'S A TRAVESTY FOR EVERYBODY.
SO WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS ALL THE COLLABORATION RIGHT THERE, THERE'S A WHOLE BUNCH OF PEOPLE LISTED ON THAT FROM THE CITY TO THE COUNTY TO METRO TO A LOT OF OUR MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS.
HARRIS CENTER FOR I MENTAL HEALTH AND IDD HARRIS HEALTH, UH, UT HEALTH, THEY'RE ALL INVOLVED DOWNTOWN HOUSTON PHILANTHROPY, ALL OF THAT'S GONNA BE REQUIRED.
EVERYBODY COMING TOGETHER, WE'RE TRULY GONNA SOLVE THIS.
BUT I TELL YOU AGAIN, WE CAN RIGHT NOW, JUST TO GIVE YOU A SNAPSHOT OF WHAT'S ON THE STREET IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, PROBABLY THE NUMBER IS AROUND 15 TO 1800 PEOPLE ON OUR STREETS RIGHT NOW.
NOW, COUNCIL MEMBER SAID A HUNDRED IN THIS AREA ON THE PIT COUNT, BUT THAT'S THE ONES THAT THEY SEE.
THEY DO THIS COUNT EVERY JANUARY.
THEY GO OUT A WHOLE BUNCH OF VOLUNTEERS AND THEY ENGAGE AND THEY TRY TO TALK TO PEOPLE.
YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU KNOW, DO YOU HAVE A HOUSE? WHERE, HOW'D YOU END UP HERE ON THE STREET? BUT AGAIN, THAT IS THE ONES THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO SEE AND ENGAGE IN.
YOU ALL KNOW, BECAUSE I KNOW I HAVE COMPLAINTS FROM THIS AREA ABOUT WOODED AREAS WHERE PEOPLE HAVE GONE INTO THE WOODS TO HIDE AND HAVE THEIR ENCAMP ENCAMPMENTS, AND THEN OF COURSE THEY COME OUT AND DO THE THINGS THAT THEY DO AND THEN THEY GO BACK IN.
AND SO THE NUMBER'S ACTUALLY A LITTLE BIT HIGHER.
AND I THINK CONSTABLE WOULD PROBABLY, HE'S, HE IS REALLY LOCKED INTO THIS AREA.
I KNOW HE COULD PROBABLY SPEAK TO THAT.
I, AS A PROFESSIONAL AND SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT, UH, I WON'T PASS THAT UP.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S, WE JUST NEED, WE NEED, UH, IT'S GONNA TAKE A LOT OF WORK BY EVERYBODY.
ONCE WE STARTED THIS INITIATIVE, WE STARTED IN EARNEST ABOUT, UM, THE RIGHT AT THE END OF THE YEAR.
AND WE STARTED WITH ALLEN'S LANDING WITH OUR LARGE PARTNERSHIP.
WE HAVE, WE HAVE LAW ENFORCEMENT AND OPERATIONS, WE HAVE MEDICAL, WE HAVE MENTAL HEALTH, WE HAVE THE COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS, KELLY YOUNG, WHICH IS A LOT OF NONPROFITS.
AND WE MIGHT HAVE, UH, THE HOUSING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE ULTIMATELY MIKE NICHOLS, ULTIMATELY OUR GOAL IS TO GET EVERY PERSON THAT'S ON THE STREET INTO SOME TYPE OF STABLE HOUSING, RIGHT? IT IS A TRAVESTY THAT RIGHT NOW WE ARE LOSING HUNDREDS EVERY YEAR.
SOME OF YOU PROBABLY HAVE KNOWN SOMEBODY THAT, YOU KNOW, HAS PASSED AWAY.
SOMEBODY YOU'RE USED TO SEEING THAT NO LONGER THERE BECAUSE LIVING ON THE STREETS HAS A TRAGIC END.
IT'S A TRAGIC LIFE WITH A TRAGIC END.
AND ALONG THE WAY IT IMPACTS EVERYBODY ELSE'S LIFE.
IT IS, IT IS ABSOLUTELY THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
'CAUSE YOU'RE SAVING LIVES IF WE GET 'EM OFF THE STREET.
IT'S ABSOLUTELY, UM, THE BET RIGHT THING TO DO FOR YOUR OWN QUALITY OF LIFE AND FOR THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF YOUR FAMILIES AND EVERYTHING ELSE, BECAUSE THOSE SITUATIONS CAN TURN VOLATILE.
AND WE'VE SEEN THAT IT'S ABSOLUTELY THE RIGHT THING FINANCIALLY TO DO BECAUSE THE AVERAGE COST OF EVERY PERSON LIVING ON THE STREETS RIGHT NOW IN HOUSTON COSTS BETWEEN 80 AND A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS CONSERVATIVELY TO ALL OF, TO THE TAXPAYER.
THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO HA ARE SICK, THEY'RE MENTALLY ILL, THEY'RE SU, THEY, THEY ABUSE SUBSTANCES.
THEY'RE BOTH THE VICTIM AND THEY'RE ALSO THE, THE PERPETRATOR THAT THOSE THINGS HAPPEN ON THE STREET.
WE HAVE ABOUT 10% FEMALE, MAYBE, MAYBE SLIGHTLY HIGHER.
THERE'S A LOT OF SEXUAL ASSAULT ON THE STREET AND NOT JUST OF WOMEN.
ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE HAPPENING ON THE STREETS.
WHETHER YOU SEE IT OR NOT, YOU SEE IT.
BUT TRUST ME, SO MUCH MORE IS HAPPENING THAT YOU DO NOT SEE, THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE, WE WANT TO HAVE IN OUR CITY AND THIS IS WHY WE HAVE TO STEP UP AND SOLVE IT.
AND AGAIN, IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
FOR ALL THOSE REASONS WE SOLVE THIS.
UH, SO WE STARTED WORKING OUR FIRST INITIATIVE BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THAT MUCH FUNDING RIGHT NOW.
AND UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE, BECAUSE OUR MODEL, AND YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD IT PUBLICLY, IS THAT WE ALWAYS FIRST GO IN WITH OFFERS OF HELP AND, AND A BED.
SO WE DO NOT WANT TO DISPLACE ANYBODY FROM WHERE THEY ARE INTO SOMEBODY ELSE'S NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND TO DO THAT, WE HAVE TO HAVE A PLACE FOR THEM TO GO.
BECAUSE IF WE SIMPLY GO IN AND SAY, HEY, YOU CAN'T BE HERE.
AND, AND WITH NO OFFERS OF HELP BEYOND THAT, WHAT ARE THEY GONNA DO? THEY'RE GONNA LEAVE.
ALMOST ALL OF THEM SAY, OKAY, THEY LEAVE THERE AND THEY GO SOMEWHERE ELSE AND NOW THEY'RE M ELSE'S PROBLEM.
MAYBE YOUR PROBLEM, RIGHT? SO WE DON'T WANT THAT.
THE IDEA IS TO LIFT THEM OFF THE STREETS, NOT TO DISPERSE THEM ANYWHERE ELSE.
SO WE STARTED WITH ALICE LANDING BECAUSE WE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF FUNDING AND WE HAD SOME BEDS AND WE WENT IN WITH OUTREACH OFFERING HELP.
SOME OF THEM TOOK IT, SOME OF THEM DIDN'T.
BUT THE ONES THAT DIDN'T, THEN WE CAME IN AND SAID, OKAY, WE'RE SORRY YOU CAN'T BE HERE.
AND THIS STARTED, IT HAPPENED AT THE END OF THE YEAR AND WE CLEANED UP ALICE LANDING AND IT IS A REALLY, IF YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT IT, IT IS A BEAUTIFUL SPACE ALONG THE BAYOU DOWNTOWN.
BEFORE WE WENT IN TO WORK, THERE WAS ABOUT 40
[00:50:01]
PEOPLE THERE AND NOBODY WENT TO ALLEN'S LANDING.SO IT WAS A WONDERFUL PLACE THAT NO ONE COULD USE BECAUSE EVERYBODY WAS AFRAID.
THEN WE MOVED OVER TO THE WEST SIDE OF HOUSTON AROUND CITY HALL TRANQUILITY PARK.
'CAUSE WE WERE STARTING WORKING IN THE PARKS BECAUSE YOU CAN'T BE IN THE PARKS OVERNIGHT.
WE HAD THE ABILITY TO DO THOSE ENFORCEMENTS.
SO AGAIN, CONSTANTLY, HEY, YOU LOOK LIKE YOU NEED SOME HELP.
WE HAVE A BED FOR YOU, WE HAVE SOME SERVICES, WE HAVE ALL THOSE THINGS.
AND THEN, OKAY, YOU DON'T HAVE TO TAKE OUR HELP.
THOSE THAT DIDN'T WE'RE SORRY, YOU CAN'T BE HERE ANYMORE 'CAUSE YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE IN A PARK OVERNIGHT.
THEN WE WENT TO THE E TO THE EAST SIDE AROUND SHARPES AND 59, RIGHT AROUND DAIKIN PARK, RIGHT AROUND DYNAMO STADIUM, RIGHT AROUND THE GEORGE R. BROWN CONVENTION CENTER.
ALMOST EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM HAS BEEN THERE.
I'M SURE THAT USED TO BE A DISASTER ALL DAY LONG WITH, WITH, WITH HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE UNDER THE FREEWAY.
WE WENT IN THERE AND WE STARTED WORKING AND WE GOT THAT CLEANED UP, GOT A LOT OF PEOPLE INTO HOUSING AND TO HELP THEM OUT.
THEN WE WENT TO THE SOUTH, WE WENT TO, UH, PIERCE ELEVATED, DID THE SAME THING.
AND NOW WE'RE KIND OF WORKING THE MIDTOWN AREA, BUT WE ARE STILL SHORT AGAIN WITH EVERY PLACE WE GO WORK.
WE'VE DECOMMISSIONED ENCAMPMENTS.
I MADE THE NEWS POINT IS THE, UH, THE, UH, THE THING IS, IS THAT AGAIN, THE GOAL IS TO GET THEM OFF THE STREETS BECAUSE IF YOU LEAVE 'EM ON THE STREET, THEN YOU'RE, WE'RE LEAVING THEM TO DIE.
AND AGAIN, IT'S GONNA MI BE MISERY FOR EVERYBODY HERE AND EVERYBODY THAT'S AFFECTED BY THAT ALONG THE WAY.
AND IT IS A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE.
IT IS NOT SOLELY A POLICE ISSUE.
IT'S NOT JUST LAW ENFORCEMENT'S JOB TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM.
YES, LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS A HUGE ROLE.
BUT IT'S GONNA TAKE THE WHOLE PUBLIC, OUR ELECTED AND APPOINTED OFFICIALS AND EVERYBODY ELSE IF WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA SOLVE THIS.
UH, SOME, SOME OF THE THINGS REAL QUICK THAT WE'RE DOING THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO YOU ALL IS, UH, WE HAVE HAD TO CHANGE SOME LAWS.
YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT THE CIVILIAN ORDINANCE, UH, IN THE CITY.
AND, UH, ARE, IS THERE A CIVILITY ZONE DOWN HERE? I SURE, I'M SURE THERE.
ANYWAY, SO WE HAVE DIFFERENT PLACES IN THE CITY WHERE WE DO HAVE CIVILITY ZONES.
WE DID CHANGE THE LAWS BECAUSE THEY USED TO BE ONLY 11 TO SEVEN AND OR 7:00 AM TO 11:00 PM AND WHAT THAT IT PREVENTED IS FOR PEOPLE TO SIT DOWN, LIE DOWN OR SLEEP ON OUR, ON THE SIDEWALKS, DROP ALL YOUR, YOUR BELONGINGS.
IT'S REALLY BIG IN THE DOWNTOWN EDO, EAST END, UH, NORTH, ALL THOSE OTHER AREAS, BUT PROBABLY LESS SO DOWN HERE, BUT STILL A PROBLEM WITH A LOT OF THE STUFF THAT THEY HAVE WITH THEM.
AND WE SAID, YOU CAN'T DO THAT ANYMORE.
WELL, IT USED TO BE THAT YOU COULD DO THAT FROM 11:00 PM TO 7:00 AM SO IT REALLY JUST, IT WAS A LIMITING FACTOR ON ANY TYPE OF ENFORCEMENT.
WE CHANGED IT 24 7 IN CERTAIN AREAS AND WE'RE GONNA EXPAND IT ACROSS THE CITY ONCE WE HAVE BEDS, ONCE WE HAVE FUNDING AND RESOURCES TO TAKE CARE OF EVERYBODY.
ANOTHER LAW THAT WE CHANGED AT THE STATE LEVEL IS OUR HEALTH CODE.
IT USED TO BE A, IT TOOK A PERSON TO BE IN IMMINENT DANGER TO THEMSELVES OR OTHERS BEFORE WE COULD PICK THEM UP AND TAKE THEM TO THE HOSPITAL AND GET THEM SOME CARE.
WELL THAT MEANT THAT, YOU KNOW, IMAGINE SOMEBODY SITTING ON THE 10TH FLOOR OF A PARKING GARAGE GETTING READY TO JUMP OR HAVE A KNIFE TO SOMEBODY ELSE.
THAT KIND OF IMMINENT, RIGHT? WE DID GET THE LENGTH, THE DEFINITION CHANGED.
SO NOW FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE HOMELESS, WHO HAVE A DIAGNOSED MENTAL ILLNESS, SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH THAT A PHYSICIAN SAYS SO, UM, THAT THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW THEIR OWN STATE OF MIND AND ALL OF THOSE, A WHOLE BUNCH OF FACTORS COME INTO PLAY THAT NOW WE CAN GO AND TAKE THEM AND TAKE THEM BEFORE A JUDGE AND WE CAN GET THEM SOME HELP TOO.
BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE NOT IMMINENTLY TRYING TO HURT THEMSELVES, RIGHT THEN WE KNOW THAT THEIR PATH IS ONE OF DESTRUCTION AND DEATH AT THE END.
SO NOW WE'RE DOING THAT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR THEM AND AGAIN, FOR EVERYBODY ELSE BECAUSE YOU SEE WHAT GOES ON.
UH, ALRIGHT, I WANTED TO FACE SPEED UP TO GET TO THIS.
AND, AND BY THE WAY, I'LL TAKE QUESTIONS AFTER, BUT WHAT'S BEEN IN THE NEWS LATELY IS FOUR 19 EMANCIPATION.
IT'S THE FIRST, IT'S THE CITY'S FIRST BIG MOVE TO CREATE MORE BEDS.
ONE OF OUR BIGGEST PROBLEMS HAS BEEN A LACK OF BEDS.
WE WERE ABLE TO GET SOME PEOPLE HOUSING, BUT THE PROBLEM WAS, UH, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE NOT READY FOR HOUSING.
ALL OF OUR, ALL THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AND FIRE, Y'ALL DEFINITELY KNOW YOU, THEY'RE, THEY'RE ON THE STREETS, THEY'RE MENTALLY ILL.
YOU COULDN'T PUT THEM IN A NICE APARTMENT TODAY AND HAVE THEM STAY THERE BY THE EVENING.
THEY'LL BE OUTTA THERE BECAUSE THEY DON'T TRUST IT AND THEY'RE NOT USED TO THAT.
WE NEEDED A LOW BERRY FACILITY TO TAKE CARE OF THEM, BEDS TO OFFER THEM SO THAT WE COULD ACTUALLY WRAP SOME SERVICES, MENTAL HEALTHCARE, PHYSICAL HEALTHCARE, ALL KINDS OF THINGS AROUND THEM AND GET THEM READY FOR THAT STEP.
SO WE NEED, WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT.
AND ARE ALL OF OUR NON-PROFITS, THEY'RE AWESOME.
UH, YOU KNOW, SALVATION ARMIES DOWN HERE, THEY'RE ALL OVER THE CITY.
YOU KNOW, MISSION OF YAHWEH, OPEN DOOR MISSION.
[00:55:01]
'EM.THEY'RE ALL FANTASTIC PEOPLE, BUT THEY'RE NOT EQUIPPED TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE, THAT POPULATION EITHER.
SO WE HAD TO HAVE SOME WAY TO DO THAT.
SO WE'VE COLLECT, WE'VE BROUGHT IN ALL OF OUR PARTNERS, ALL OF, FROM THE MEDICAL SIDE, FROM THE CASE MANAGEMENT SIDE, FROM THE OUTREACH SIDE, FROM FIRST RESPONDER SIDE, EVERYBODY TOGETHER AND UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF THE MAYOR.
AND NOW WE ARE, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF ACQUIRING A FACILITY THAT WILL GIVE US 240 BEDS, MAYBE MORE, BUT A BUT A WAY TO GET, START GETTING MORE PEOPLE OFF THE STREETS AND INTO CARE SO THAT WE CAN GRADUATE THEM TO THAT BETTER PLACE.
THINK OF IT AS A MASSIVE TRIAGE FACILITY NEAR THE DOWNTOWN AREA WHERE, WHICH IS GROUND ZERO RIGHT NOW FOR ALL OF OUR HOMELESS IN TERMS OF CONCENTRATION.
WE'RE GONNA GET 'EM OFF THE STREET.
WE'RE GONNA GET 'EM IN A PLACE WHERE WE CAN TAKE CARE OF 'EM.
WE'RE GONNA GET 'EM, GET 'EM CLEANED UP, WE'RE GONNA GET 'EM SLEEPING IN A BED AGAIN AND GET 'EM USED TO SLEEPING IN A BED AGAIN.
WE'RE GONNA GIVE 'EM THE PROPER KIND OF NUTRITION THAT WON'T END UP ON THE STREETS IN FRONT OF EVERYBODY, BUT THEY'LL HAVE IT AND THE RIGHT KIND OF HEALTHCARE TO HOPEFULLY GET THIS POPULATION TO A BETTER PLACE IN THEIR LIFE.
IS IT, IS IT A LOT OF WORK? AND IS THERE A LOT OF RISK? ABSOLUTELY.
IT'S STILL BETTER THAN LEAVING 'EM ON THE STREET BECAUSE WE KNOW WHERE THAT GOES AND WE KNOW ALL THE LIVES THAT ARE DESTROYED BECAUSE OF THAT.
SO THIS IS STILL THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
UH, IT'S, THIS IS BIGGER THAN, THIS IS NOT A SHELTER.
A LOT OF PEOPLE CALL IT SHELTER, NOT A SHELTER.
'CAUSE EVERYBODY THINKS OF A SHELTER AS JUST A PLACE FOR SOMEBODY TO GO IN AND GET OUTTA THE COLD, GET OUTTA THE RAIN, GET, YOU KNOW, GET SOME SLEEP AND GET SOME FOOD, AND THEN THEY'RE OFF AGAIN.
IT'S NOT WHAT THIS IS, THIS IS A CARE AND WELLNESS CENTER.
THE MAYOR CALLS IT A LIVING CENTER, AND THAT MAY BE WHAT IT'S CALLED, BUT IT TRULY IS A PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO ACTUALLY COME OUT AND, AND, AND, AND, AND LEAVE THEIR PROBLEMS BEHIND, INCLUDING THE STREETS, AND ACTUALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR THEIR LIVES.
THERE'S A LOT OF WAYS TO DO THAT.
I DON'T WANNA TAKE TOO MUCH MORE TIME, NO AMOUNT OF TIME ALREADY, BUT THERE'S AN INTAKE AND AN OUTFLOWS, AND THERE'S A LOT OF WAYS THAT PEOPLE WILL BE IN, YOU KNOW, ADMITTED.
WE DO HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE ON THE STREETS RIGHT NOW THAT ARE FROM OTHER PLACES, AND THEY JUST HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET BACK HOME.
SO WE HAVE DIVERSION COM COMPONENT TOO, BECAUSE IF SOMEBODY SAYS, HEY, I'M HERE.
I LIVE IN, YOU KNOW, I'M IN OHIO, I JUST WANNA GET HOME, WE'RE GONNA HELP GET THEM THERE.
A FEW HUNDRED DOLLARS AND A AND A TICKET TO GET 'EM BACK HOME IS FAR BETTER THAN, THAN HAVING THEM ON OUR STREETS.
SOME PEOPLE ARE SO SEVERELY ILL, ILL, THEY NEED TO BE IN HOSPITALS.
WE'RE GONNA SEE THAT AND MOVE THEM INTO HOSPITALS.
SOME PEOPLE, THEY JUST NEED A LITTLE BIT OF RENT.
WE CAN DO SOME THINGS TO GET THEM OUTTA THAT PRECARIOUS SITUATION AND BACK ON THE PATH TO, TO BEING ABLE TO BE A PRODUCTIVE MEMBER OF SOCIETY.
AND THAT'S WHAT IT'S GONNA TAKE.
AND THEN SOME PEOPLE, WELL THEY'RE NEED, THEY'RE GONNA NEED TO STAY WITH US FOR A FEW DAYS, BUT THE PLAN IS TO GET THEM READY TO GRADUATE THEM TO WHERE THEY NEED TO BE.
AND THAT'S SO THAT EVERYBODY WINS.
AND WE EVENTUALLY OVERCOME STREET HOMELESSNESS IN OUR CITY.
UH, THIS IS JUST A MAP OF THE CITY.
THIS IS, UH, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE INVOLVED.
YOU KNOW, NAVIGATION CENTER IS A PART OF IT.
RECOVERY CENTER IS A PART OF IT.
ED EMMETT 61 60, THE HARRIS CENTER, ALL PART OF THIS TO THIS WHOLE PROCESS.
UM, THERE'S A WAY THAT WE'VE ALL COME UP WITH A PLAN TO WORK ON THIS.
IT'S GONNA COST A LITTLE BIT, BUT AGAIN, STILL FAR BETTER THAN WHAT WAS COSTING US.
NOW THIS IS FOUR 19 EMANCIPATION.
THE BUILDING I'M TALKING ABOUT.
IT'S GOT ABOUT, IT'S GOT 80 BEDROOMS WITH THREE OR 80 ROOMS WITH THREE BEDS TO A ROOM.
EACH ONE OF 'EM HAS ITS OWN BATHROOM, INCLUDING SHOWER.
IT'S GOT, UH, LEMME GET TO THE PICTURES.
SO, YEAH, SO LEMME SEE IF I CAN DO THIS.
THAT'S A PICTURE OF IT DOWNTOWN ON EMANCIPATION.
THAT'S WHERE IT IS IN RELATION TO THE WHOLE CITY.
YOU CAN SEE IT'S CLOSE TO DYNAMO STADIUM.
THIS IS IN PICTURES OF THE INSIDE.
YOU CAN SEE THE THREE BEDS OF THE ROOM, THE LOCKERS.
IT'S GOT THE BATHROOMS. YOU CAN SEE THE COMMON AREA.
YOU CAN SEE THE BOTTOM RIGHT, YOU CAN SEE A LARGE COURT AREA.
THE KIDS SECTION IS NOT THERE ANYMORE.
NO KIDS WILL BE IN THIS FACILITY.
THIS WILL BE, THIS WILL ONLY BE ADULTS.
UH, THE KITCHEN WILL SERVE, IT'S A, IT'S A COMMERCIAL KITCHEN, UH, THAT'S EQUIPPED TO SERVE AT LEAST THREE, 400 MEALS AT A TIME EVERY DAY.
SO WE'RE GONNA DO IT THREE TIMES A DAY, OBVIOUSLY FOR THREE MEALS A DAY.
UM, IT'S GOT A LAUNDRY FACILITY, COMMERCIAL LAUNDRY.
IT'S REALLY SET UP FOR THIS VERY PURPOSE, UH, TO TAKE CARE OF PEOPLE THAT ARE UNHOUSED, THAT ARE HOMELESS.
SO IN THIS, IT'S KIND OF MORE THE COMMON AREA.
IT ACTUALLY HAS ITS OWN MEDICAL WING, AND WE WILL HAVE PHYSICIANS, DOCTORS, MEDICAL PERSONNEL THERE, OR PERSONNEL THERE, 24 7, UH, AS YOU CAN SEE.
AND IT ACTUALLY HAS A FRONT CENTER, WHICH IS BASICALLY GONNA BE OUR COMMAND AND CONTROL CENTER, WHERE WE'LL ACTUALLY HAVE PERSONS THERE THAT CAN TAKE CALLS AND TRIAGE, EVEN WHEN AN OFFICER OR A, A PARAMEDIC OR SOMEBODY OR MAYBE THE PUBLIC RUNS INTO
[01:00:01]
SOMEBODY OUT THERE AND THEY MAY NEED TO CALL AND SAY, WHAT DO I DO WITH THIS PERSON? WE'LL HAVE ONSITE, UM, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE THAT WILL HAVE THE INFORMATION AND WE CAN GET THAT TO YOU BECAUSE TRY CALLING ANYBODY AT FIVE 30 ON A FRIDAY AFTERNOON.YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ALL GREAT, THEY'RE ALL GREAT.
WE KNOW ALL THEIR OUTREACH AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
BUT I HAVE BEEN IN THAT POSITION MANY TIMES BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL CALL ME AND SAY, CHIEF, I'VE GOT A MOTHER AND FOUR KIDS, AND THEY ARE, AND I'M WRAPPING UP RIGHT NOW.
I'VE GOT A MOTHER AND FOUR KIDS.
ANY PLACE TO GO? AND YOU, YOU CAN'T FIND A PLACE.
SO WE'RE PUTTING UP IN A, ANYWAY, SO THAT'S IT.
LEMME JUST WRAP IT UP AND I'LL TAKE QUESTIONS LATER.
WE WERE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF THAT WAS THE LAST SLIDE OR NOT.
UH, YEAH, IN FACT, UH, THE DIRECTOR AND I WERE TOGETHER AT EIGHT O'CLOCK THIS MORNING, UH, TOURING THE FACILITY.
UH, SO IT'S REALLY SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
I, I KNOW THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF COMPARISONS MADE TO, TO OTHER PROGRAMS IN OTHER CITIES AND THIS IS DIFFERENT.
AND THEY'RE REALLY TRYING TO SOLVE THE HO HOMELESS PROBLEM RATHER THAN, UH, MOVE THEM AROUND AND DISPLACING 'EM GOING ONE PLACE OR ANOTHER.
NEXT WE HAVE CAPTAIN SMALL THANK YOU.
I AM DEREK'S MOM, THE CAPTAIN AT THE CLEAR LAKE DIVISION.
UM, I'VE BEEN OUT HERE FOR ABOUT FOUR AND A HALF MONTHS, AND WE'RE GONNA GO OVER THE, SOME OF THE CRIME STATS THAT WE'VE HAD.
THIS IS THE, OH, THIS IS A PHOTO FROM ONE OF THE, UM, AFTER HOURS CLUBS WE HAD ON EDGEBROOK THAT WE SHUT DOWN.
AND THAT'S ACTUALLY ONE OF ABOUT SEVEN AFTER HOURS CLUBS THAT'S BEEN SET DOWN, UH, SHUT DOWN IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS.
UM, OUR DIFFERENTIAL RESPONSE TEAM, UM, ALSO HAS, UM, IF, UH, FOUR, ABOUT FOUR NUISANCE BUSINESS AND PROPERTIES.
THEY'VE HAD, UH, 13 ENCAMPMENT CLEANUPS IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS.
SO IT'S BEEN A VERY ACTIVE GROUP AND, UH, IT'S AN ISSUE MOST DEFINITELY ALL OVER THE CITY.
UH, THESE ARE THE CRIME STATS THAT WE KIND OF LOOK AT 'EM.
UM, WE PLOT 'EM, UM, FROM MONTH TO MONTH.
YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE THINGS CAN KIND OF VARY DEPENDING ON WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE POPULATION, BUT IT GIVES US A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF SEE WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE AREA.
OVERALL, THE MEAN, NEITHER THE CALLS FOR SERVICE, BUT OVERALL OVER THE COURSE OF THE, THIS YEAR YOU'LL SAY THE VIOLENT CRIME'S BEEN DOWN 24% AND THE NONVIOLENT CRIME'S DOWN ABOUT 10%.
UH, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS IN COMPARISON, WE ALSO GRAPH OUR AREA BASED UPON A HEAT MAP AND IT KIND OF SHOWS A DENSITY, UH, TO WHERE THE CALLS ARE.
AND A LOT OF TIMES WHEN WE DO THE CRIME STATS AND WE PLOT IT OUT ON THE CHART, A LOT OF TIMES IT'S BASED UPON A POPULATION DENSITY.
SO IF PEOPLE ARE BREAKING INTO CARS, IT'S GONNA BE WHERE WE HAVE A LARGE PARKING LOTS AND A LOT OF VEHICLES.
SO WE'LL SEE A LOT OF STUFF UP AND DOWN 45 AT ALAMEDA MALL, BAYBROOK MALL, AND A LOT OF OUR SHOPPING STRIPS.
AND ALSO WITH CRIMES AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND OTHER INCIDENTS, YOU SEE THAT MORE CONFINED TO WHERE WE HAVE A LOT OF APARTMENT COMPLEX AND WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE COMING INTO CONTACT WITH ONE ANOTHER.
UM, THESE ARE THE NUMBERS AS FAR AS THE, UH, VIOLENT AND THE NONVIOLENT CRIME OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS.
AND AGAIN, OVERALL THE NUMBERS HAVE BEEN TRENDING WELL, THE VIOLENT CRIME'S BEEN DOWN.
UM, 24% OF THE NONVIOLENT CRIMES BEEN DOWN 10.
AND AGAIN, WE USE THIS INFORMATION TO TRY TO TARGET WHAT'S GOING ON IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO WHEN WE PLOT OUR VIOLENT CRIME, IT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY WITH OUR CRIME SUPPRESSION TEAMS AND OUR DIFFERENTIAL RESPONSE TEAMS TO GO INTO THAT AREA TO GET AN IDEA OF WHAT'S GOING ON.
I KNOW SOME OF YOU HAVE BEEN SEEING IN THE NEWS, UH, THE JOGGINGS, WHICH IS LIKE, UH, FOLLOWING PEOPLE FROM THE BANKS.
AND OUR CST HAS ACTUALLY ARRESTED 20 PEOPLE FOR THAT IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS.
SO IT IS SOMETHING THAT'S GOING ON HERE.
IT IS SOMETHING WE'RE ACTIVELY MONITORING.
IT IS SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO, UH, TO, TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT.
UH, THIS IS A, A MAP OF OUR NONVIOLENT CRIME.
AND AGAIN, YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF CONSISTENCY WHERE YOU'LL SEE BAYBROOK MALL AND YOU'LL SEE ALAMEDA MALL WHERE WE HAVE A LOT OF STORES AND A LOT OF SHOPPING STRIPS.
'CAUSE A LOT OF THAT NONVIOLENT CRIME IS PROPERTY CRIMES WHERE THEFTS OR PEOPLE TRYING TO STEAL CARS OR STEALING FROM STORES ALL.
I'M GONNA LET CHIEF GARCIA, UH, CAPTAIN GARCIA COME UP HERE AND I'LL BE HERE AFTER US TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS FOR YOU GUYS.
ALRIGHT, WHICH IS THE BUTTON? AH, RIGHT.
I'M THE CAPTAIN OF EAST SIDE DIVISION.
UH, WELL THANK YOU FOR THE INVITATION COUNCIL MEMBER.
I APPRECIATE YOU INVITING EAST SIDE HERE TO GIVE SOME INFORMATION TO SHARE SOME INFORMATION, UH, WITH ALL OF YOU, UH, HERE THIS EVENING.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK, UH, EAST SIDE'S TEAM, OUR DRT UH OFFICERS, OUR DIFFERENTIAL TEAM OFFICERS.
THEY'RE HERE WITH SOME INFORMATION IN CASE Y'ALL ARE INTERESTED IN ANY, ANY FURTHER, UH, INFORMATION THAT I GIVE HERE TODAY.
THEY'LL BE ABLE TO ANSWER SOME OF YOUR QUESTIONS THAT, UH, THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
UM, I WANTED TO START, FIRST OF ALL WITH A MAP.
OF COURSE, THE COUNCIL MEMBER KNOWS
[01:05:01]
THIS BECAUSE IT, THIS COUNCIL, UH, THIS IS WHAT IT REPRESENTS, COUNCIL OR DISTRICT EI WANNA GIVE THIS TO SHOW YOU A COMPARISON BETWEEN WHAT EXACTLY DISTRICT E LOOKS LIKE.AND WHEN I COME UP HERE AND TALK ABOUT EAST SIDE, WHAT EXACTLY I'M TALKING ABOUT WHEN, WHEN I TALK ABOUT EAST SIDE, THIS IS NARROWING IT DOWN.
YOU'LL SEE SOME OF THE MAJOR STREETS, LAWNDALE, UM, ALLEN GENOA, UH, GALVESTON ROAD, WINKLER, RICHIE.
THIS IS WHAT WE CALL BEATS IN HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT.
WE HAVE A DISTRICT, AND IN EAST SIDE IN PARTICULAR, WE HAVE FIVE BEATS, 10, 20, 30, 40, AND 50.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT DISTRICT E, DISTRICT E REPRESENTS 40 AND 50 BEATS.
SO IT'S 11 HENRY FORTIES AND 11 HENRY FIFTIES.
SO WHEN I GIVE YOU SOME INFORMATION, I GIVE YOU SOME STATS AND SOME OTHER STUFF ABOUT WHAT'S OCCURRING HERE IN THE AREA.
THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT IS FORTIES AND FIFTIES BEATS, AND THAT'S WHAT'S BEING REPRESENTED IN COUNT IN, UH, DISTRICT E IF YOU NARROW THAT DOWN A LITTLE, A LITTLE, UH, UH, SMALLER FORTIES BEAT.
YOU CAN SEE HERE YOU HAVE THE LAPORTE FREEWAY HERE ON THE TOP.
SOME OTHER BOUNDARIES ALONG THE SIDES.
AND IF YOU LOOK ON THE BOTTOM, THERE'S FIFTIES BEAT THERE.
THE COUNCIL MEMBER THAT WAS HERE EARLIER, COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ, WAS TALKING ABOUT BOUNDARIES.
EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE THESE THAT ARE BOUNDARIES, LIKE I MENTIONED, THEY'RE DESCRIBED AS FORTIES AND FIFTIES BEAT.
IT'S JUST REALLY ONE BIG AREA.
UH, WE DON'T REALLY LOOK AT IT AS A, YOU KNOW, A BOUNDARY, A SPECIFIC DISTINCT BOUNDARY.
THIS IS, THIS JUST HAPPENS TO BE FORTIES BEAT, IF YOU CAN SEE THAT.
IF YOU LOOK ON THE TOP, 40 SPEED IS RIGHT ABOVE IT.
SO, LIKE I SAID, IT'S A AREA THAT GOES DOWN.
IF YOU SEE THE PART OF THE BOTTOM THAT'S GOING TO BE, UH, 45 GULF FREEWAY.
CAPTAIN PREVIOUS WAS TALKING ABOUT HEAT MAPS.
HEAT MAPS WE USE TO SEE WHERE THE ACTUAL ACTIVITY ARE IS INCIDENTS, WHAT'S GOING ON, WHERE ARE THE CALLS FOR SERVICE BEING GENERATED FROM? SO IN THE LAST 60 DAYS, IN PARTICULAR WITH FORTIES BEAT, YOU CAN SEE THE CLUSTER OF A YELLOW BLOB ON THE BOTTOM THAT REPRESENTS CALLS FOR SERVICE.
THAT CALL THAT REPRESENTS INCIDENTS THAT HAVE OCCURRED, HAS BEEN REPORTED TO THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THAT IS A CLUSTER OF APARTMENT COMPLEXES, 4 8 0 1 4 800 ALLENDALE, THAT AREA THERE, ALONG WITH SOME CONDOS.
YOU, IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THAT AREA, THERE'S A BUNCH OF A, UH, APARTMENT COMPLEXES.
UH, OUR CALLS FOR SERVICE, OUR SERVICE, UH, WHERE WE IS GETTING GENERATED FROM THAT AREA, AS YOU CAN SEE THAT CLEARLY ON THIS MAP, FIFTIES BEAT IN THE LAST 60 DAYS.
THE BLOBS UP ON THE FRONT OR ON THE TOP.
THAT'S STILL THE APARTMENT COMPLEXES FROM DALE'S.
IF YOU NOTICE THE ONES ON THE BOTTOM, THAT'S FIFTIES BEAT.
THE SERVICE ROAD, WE HAVE THE ISSUES, UH, AND IT'S SHOWING UP THERE DISTINCTLY, AS YOU CAN SEE THERE.
IT'S THE HOTELS ALONG THE SERVICE ROADS.
IT'S THE PARKING LOTS WITH THE BUSINESSES ON THE SERVICE ROADS IN PARTICULAR, THE, THE BURGLARY OF MOTOR VEHICLES, THE AUTO THEFTS.
YOU CAN SEE THIS DISTINCTLY HERE.
AGAIN, UH, THAT'S GENERATING THE COST FOR SERVICE.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE INCIDENTS THAT WE'RE GETTING AT THAT AREA.
THIS WILL SHOW YOU A SATELLITE VIEW.
YOU CAN SEE THERE'S A CLUSTER HERE OF APARTMENT COMPLEXES.
AGAIN, 4,800 ALLENDALE, 48 0 1 ALLENDALE.
THERE'S WILL, THERE ARE THE WILLOW TREE APARTMENTS, UM, THE SILVER CREEK APARTMENTS, THE OAK SHADOW APARTMENTS, AND A BUNCH OF OTHER CONDOS THERE IN THE AREA.
THE HEAT MAP THAT YOU SAW EARLIER, THAT'S WHAT'S, THAT'S WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.
OKAY? THIS IS THE HEAT MAP AS A SATELLITE VIEW WITH THE SERVICE ROAD, THE GULF FREEWAY, YOU CAN PUT SOME PERSPECTIVE TO IT.
THE TOWN PLOT, WHERE THE TOWN PLAY SUITES, IT'S UP ON THE TOP.
THE HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS IS ON THE BOTTOM IN BETWEEN.
THERE'S ANOTHER HOTEL HERE, UH, IN THE MIDDLE ALONG WITH SOME BUSINESS PARKING LOTS.
THAT'S A BIG ISSUE FOR US IN FIFTIES.
BEAT BECAUSE THERE'S A BUNCH OF BURGLARY MOTOR VEHICLES IN THERE.
THERE'S A BUNCH OF AUTO THEFTS IN THERE.
IT'S A PICTURE OF THE HOLIDAY INN.
JUST TO GIVE YOU A PERSPECTIVE, IT'S NOT A VERY BIG BUILDING.
[01:10:01]
THE PARKING LOT'S, NOT VERY BIG.UH, THEY ACTUALLY DO A VERY GOOD JOB, SECURITY WISE.
THERE'S A SECURITY GUARD THERE.
THE LIGHTING, THE LIGHTING IS GOOD.
UM, BUT THERE'S STILL AN ISSUE THERE.
AND WHAT WE'RE THINKING IS THAT WHEN THE CROOKS, WHEN YOUR, WHEN YOUR JOB IS TO GO LOOK FOR CARS AND TO BREAK INTO CARS AND LOOK FOR VALUABLES AND STEAL VALUABLES, ESPECIALLY GUNS THAT ARE LEFT IN THE VEHICLES, THEY TEND TO COME BACK TO WHERE THEY GET THE MOST BANG FOR THEIR BUCK.
IT JUST HAPPENS TO BE THE AREA BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE CONTINUOUSLY LEAVING STUFF IN THEIR VEHICLES, UH, AS GUNS AND OTHER VALUABLES.
THIS IS THE TOWN PLAY SUITES, AGAIN, NOT A VERY BIG BUILDING, ACTUALLY VERY SECURED.
THERE'S A SECURITY GUARD THERE ALSO.
UH, AGAIN, THEY COME BACK BECAUSE THEY GET A BIG RESULT WHEN THEY GO AND BREAK INTO CARS.
THEY COME BACK SOME STATS SPECIFIC TO 11 HENRY FORTIES.
YOU CAN SEE THE BURGLARY MOTOR VEHICLES AND THE AUTO THEFTS ARE UP.
IF YOU SEE THE ONE ON THE, ON THE END SAYS 200%.
THERE'S A TOTAL OF SIX INCIDENTS.
OKAY? THIS CHART SHOWS FROM JANUARY 1ST, 2024 TO OCTOBER THE EIGHTH OF 2024, COMPARING JANUARY 1ST TO THIS YEAR, 2025 TO OCTOBER 8TH, 2025.
OKAY? SO IT'S A YEAR TO DATE COMPARISON FROM THE FIRST OF THE YEAR TO OCTOBER THE EIGHTH.
THERE'S A SIX TOTAL INCIDENTS.
OKAY? THAT'S WHERE YOU GET THE 200%, BECAUSE THE YEAR PRIOR, THERE WERE TWO.
SO PUT THAT, YOU CAN PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE.
THE AMOUNT OF INCIDENTS IS NOT GOING TO BE HIGH, OF COURSE ONE IS TOO MANY.
UH, BUT WHEN YOU TAKE THE TOTALITY OF IT, IT'S NOT GONNA BE, UH, SHOWING A LOT IN TERMS OF VIOLENT CRIME FOR THE SAME FORTIES BEAT IN THE SAME TIMEFRAME.
ALL THE MAJOR CATEGORIES FOR VIOLENT CRIME ARE ALL DOWN.
TAKE THE INFORMATION FOR 11 HENRY FIFTIES.
YOU CAN SEE THERE DISTINCTLY THE BUR BURGLARY MOTOR VEHICLES UP 43%, 44%.
THAT'S THAT AREA OF THE HOTELS AND THE BUSINESS PARKING LOTS THERE ON THE FEEDER ROAD.
WE'RE SEEING THAT ON THE HEAT MAP.
AND WE'RE ALSO SEEING THAT ON THE STATS.
VIOLENT CRIME AND FIFTIES BEAT ALL DOWN.
EVERY SINGLE CATEGORY, MAJOR CATEGORY, VIOLENT CRIME IS DOWN.
SO WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO? WELL, WE APPRECIATE THE FUNDING THAT YOU PROVIDED FOR US.
UH, THAT FUNDING THAT WE'RE GONNA GET FROM MEMBER FLICKINGER, UH, OFFICE WILL PROVIDE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE INITIATIVES IN THOSE SPECIFIC AREAS.
UH, WE'LL PROBABLY START WITH AN EDUCATION PIECE WHERE WE GET WITH THE, UH, PA APARTMENT COMPLEX, UH, OWNERS, UH, THE BUSINESS OWNERS ALONG THE FEEDER, AND SEE WHAT THEY'VE BEEN DOING, WHAT HAVE THEY NOT BEEN DOING TO SEE WHAT'S WORKS, UH, AND UTILIZE OUR, UH, COMMUNITY SERVICE OFFICERS AND OUR, AND OUR, AND OUR CRIME SUPPRESSION TEAMS. UH, WE'LL START, UH, WITH THAT, UH, WITH THE MONEY, UH, THAT THE COUNCIL MEMBER HAS, HAS, HAS, UH, HAS GIVEN US.
SO, UH, WE'LL WORK ON IT, UH, AND HOPEFULLY, WE'LL, WE'LL MAKE SOME, SOME, SOME STRIDES INTO GETTING THESE DOWN.
UH, BUT, UH, APPRECIATE THE INVITATION.
I APPRECIATE, APPRECIATE BEING HERE.
AND FROM ONE GARCIA TO THE NEXT, NOW, CONSTABLE JERRY GARCIA.
WHERE'S ADRIAN? ADRIAN, WHERE YOU AT? HE'S WORKING.
OH, I, I, I WANTED TO EMBARRASS HIM.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK COUNCILMAN FLICKINGER, UM, IN FRONT OF EVERYBODY, AS YOU ALL KNOW, CITIZENS AND RESIDENTS HERE.
UM, I HAVE SEEN COUNCILMAN FLICKINGER MORE THIS YEAR AND HIS FIRST YEAR THAN I SAW THE OTHER GUY IN FOUR YEARS.
UH, AND, AND SO FOR THAT, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR CARING ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY, NOT JUST THE COMMUNITY UP NORTH.
SO WE REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE YOU.
I MADE SOME NOTES, UH, FOR THE CITIZENS AND RESIDENTS.
YOU, YOU GUYS, Y'ALL HAVE A DREAM TEAM HERE.
YOU'VE GOT A BUNCH OF REALLY, REALLY GOOD POLITICIANS, A LOT OF, UH, PEOPLE WHO, WHO
[01:15:01]
ARE, ARE REALLY GOOD AND EFFECTIVE.SO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF US, OKAY? WE REALLY WANT TO HELP.
UH, I ALWAYS LIKE COMING HERE BECAUSE Y'ALL ARE ALWAYS ONE OF THE MOST HIGHLY ATTENDED CIVIC CLUB MEETINGS.
AND SO, UH, WHENEVER YOU COME AND YOU SHOW UP THE WAY YOU DO, THAT KIND OF, UH, HOLDS US ACCOUNTABLE.
SO PLEASE CONTINUE TO COME OUT, UH, TO ALL THESE MEETINGS, BECAUSE AGAIN, YOU'VE GOT A GROUP OF PEOPLE HERE THAT ARE DOING A REALLY, REALLY GOOD JOB.
UH, I WANTED TO THANK OUR PARTNERS HERE AT HPD, UH, THE DEPUTIES, THE MEN AND WOMEN.
UM, I DON'T HAVE ANY OF MY GUYS HERE, BUT, UH, BUT THEY'RE AN AMAZING, AMAZING GROUP OF PEOPLE.
AND I KNOW I SAY IT ALL THE TIME, BUT I WANNA SAY IT AGAIN, JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF, OF WHAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE HAVING TO DEAL WITH.
CHICAGO HAS A SIMILAR POPULATION AS HOUSTON.
THEY'VE GOT 13,000 POLICEMEN AND WOMEN.
HPD AS OF LAST, ABOUT 10 DAYS AGO, I TALKED TO THE CHIEF, AND I BELIEVE IT'S ABOUT 5,250.
SO THAT'S WHY EVERY TIME I TELL YOU GUYS, UH, IF YOU HAVE AN ISSUE WHEN YOU CALL HPD, AS SOON AS YOU HANG UP, GIVE US A CALL.
BECAUSE WE HAVE A GREAT PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM.
WE HAVE A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM, AND, AND WE WORK OFF EACH OTHER.
IF THERE'S A CITY ORDINANCE THAT WE CAN, AS AS COUNTY DEPUTIES, WE CAN ENFORCE, WE JUST CALL THE GUYS AND THEY COME OUT AND, AND THEY TAKE CARE OF THE ISSUE.
SO, AGAIN, YOU, UH, AS SOON AS YOU HANG UP WITH HPD, GIVE US A CALL.
UH, WE AS LAW ENFORCEMENT ARE ONLY AS STRONG AS OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR CITIZENS AND RESIDENTS.
AND YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN SUPER, SUPER AMAZING.
THAT'S WHY I TRY TO GO TO EVERY SINGLE CIVIC CLUB MYSELF, BECAUSE I WANNA STAY ENGAGED.
I WANNA STAY CONNECTED WITH YOU.
AND WE HAVE TO HAVE THAT STRONG RELATIONSHIP BECAUSE WE ARE SO UNDERSTAFFED.
WE HAVE TO RELY ON YOUR EYES AND EARS TO HELP US DO OUR JOB.
AND YOU GUYS AND GALS, THE RESIDENTS AND CITIZENS, Y'ALL HAVE BEEN SUPER, SUPER AMAZING AND SUPPORTIVE BECAUSE A LOT OF THE STUFF WE DO IS BECAUSE OF YOU, BECAUSE YOU CALL ME, UH, YOU, YOU LET ME KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND SO I REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
I CANNOT, AND I KNOW HPD CANNOT DO IT WITHOUT YOUR SUPPORT.
SO LET'S MAKE SURE THAT WE MAINTAIN THAT SUPER STRONG RELATIONSHIP THAT WE HAVE.
UM, TWO MORE THINGS, UH, 600 GIL.
AND I KNOW THAT'S BEEN A MAJOR, MAJOR ISSUE HERE, UH, JUST TODAY, I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT OUR CAPTAIN, MARCO AL WENT OUT AND MADE PAID ANOTHER VISIT, AND, WHICH I THINK IT'S THE FOURTH VISIT.
UM, THE GENTLEMAN WHO LIVES THERE, THE ELDERLY GUY, HE'S, HE'S, OKAY.
WE JUST, TODAY WE SPOKE WITH, UH, ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES AND THEY HAVE FOUND NOTHING WRONG AS OF RIGHT NOW.
AND ALSO JUST TODAY WE SPOKE TO HIS, UM, THE PROVIDER THAT COMES OUT FROM THE STATE.
THEY SEND A, THE THERAPIST AND THE THERAPIST ALSO LET US KNOW THAT EVERYTHING IS GOOD.
I KNOW THERE'S A, A SHADY CHARACTER THAT LIVES THERE, BUT HE'S ALLOWING HIM TO LIVE THERE.
BUT EVERYTHING ELSE IS LOOKING, LOOKING PRETTY GOOD.
AND I'LL CLOSE BECAUSE I KNOW WE WE'RE KIND OF, UH, WENT OVER TIME.
WE ARE HAVING OUR ANNUAL TRUNK OR TREAT EVERY YEAR.
IT'S GETTING BIGGER AND BIGGER AND BIGGER.
WE HAVE 37 DIFFERENT VENDORS THIS YEAR, AS OF RIGHT NOW.
SO IF Y'ALL HAVE KIDS OR GRANDKIDS, UH, AND Y'ALL WANT TO JOIN US AT SCARSDALE AND BEAMER AT OUR OFFICE, UH, AT OUR SOUTH OFFICE, WE'D LOVE TO HAVE YOU.
IT STARTS AT FOUR 30 AND IT GOES TO SEVEN.
SO AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.
I APPRECIATE YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU.
UM, AND I CANNOT THANK THE CONSTABLE ENOUGH.
IN FACT, HE'S BEEN A HUGE HELP FOR US IN DEALING WITH THE HOMELESS.
UH, IN FACT HAS EVEN TAKEN CARE OF SOME STUFF THAT IS NOT IN HIS PRECINCT.
UH, WE NEEDED SOME HELP AND HE WENT AHEAD AND HELPED.
ANYWAY, UH, NEXT UP WE HAVE BRITTANY JOHNSON FROM HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS.
I'M WITH THE HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT DEPARTMENT.
UM, AND SO I AM HERE TO TELL YOU ABOUT DIFFERENT, UM, PROJECTS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN YOUR COMMUNITY.
AND SO THE FIRST ONE THAT WE HAVE IS ARLINGTON HEIGHTS.
IT'S A DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT, AND IT'S, UH, PROJECT
[01:20:01]
ONE.AND SO IT WILL START IN, IT STARTED IN SPRING OF 2 20, 24 24.
AND IT SHOULD BE COMPLETED BY WINTER OF 2026.
AND WINTER FOR US IS, UM, DECEMBER, JANUARY, FEBRUARY.
SO IT SHOULD BE FINISHING UP AROUND THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.
THE NEXT ONE WE HAVE IS AUDITS AND HEIGHTS.
CURRENTLY IT'S IN A DESIGN PHASE.
AND SO THE DESIGN SHOULD BE COMPLETED IN SPRING OF 26, AND HOPEFULLY IT'LL BE STARTING IN FALL OF 2026.
AND LASTLY, WE HAVE THE, UM, C 1 0 6 10 CHANNEL IMPROVEMENT, WHICH IS STRICTLY DRAINAGE.
SO IT'S, UM, IMPROVING THE DRAINAGE ALONG HEARTS.
UH, THIS STREET RIGHT HERE THAT WE'RE ON HEARTS, HAR SHOOK, HEART SHOOK, I'M SORRY.
AND, UM, THAT SHOULD BE COMPLETED IN SUMMER, OR SHOULD START SUMMER 2029 AND BE COMPLETED IN FALL OF 2031.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ANY OF THE PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING ON IN YOUR COMMUNITY, YOU CAN ALWAYS, UM, VISIT US AND ENGAGE HOUSTON.ORG.
AND THAT WILL GIVE YOU, YOU CAN ALSO SUBSCRIBE TO ENGAGE HOUSTON.ORG TO GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ANY OF THE PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING ON IN YOUR COMMUNITY.
UM, AND THEN IF YOU SUBSCRIBE, YOU'LL ALSO GET THOSE EMAILS AS UPDATES COME.
NOW I HAVE DIRECTOR SIMS. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.
WELL, I WAS THAT DIRECTOR YOU GUYS WOULD CALL FOR YOUR RESIDENTIAL CODE ENFORCEMENT VIOLATIONS OR COMPLIANCE WITH GOVERNMENT, LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE CHAPTER TWO 14, OR CITY CODE OF ORDINANCES, CHAPTER 10.
AND WE'RE HERE TO TELL YOU TODAY THAT THE MAYOR HAS LOOKED AT THE CITY OPERATIONS, ALIGNED THEM BETTER, WHERE WE CAN BE MORE EFFICIENT AND INCREASE, UM, THE AMOUNT OF SERVICE WE'RE DELIVERING TO OUR CUSTOMERS.
AND SO WHAT HE'S DONE IS WE'VE PLACED RESIDENTIAL CODE ENFORCEMENT WITH, UH, MULTI-FAMILY CODE ENFORCEMENT OR COMMERCIAL CODE ENFORCEMENT.
SO NOW THEY'RE BOTH ALIGNED UNDER HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS, HOUSTON PERMITTING CENTER AS COMMUNITY CODE ENFORCEMENT.
SO AS YOU REPORT THOSE HIGH WEEDS, POTENTIAL DANGEROUS BUILDINGS, UM, IN YOUR COMMUNITY, THEY'LL, THEY'RE BEING ROUTED TO HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS COMMUNITY CODE ENFORCEMENT.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN'T CALL ME FOR AN UPDATE.
WE HAVE ELDRIDGE PUGH HERE, IF YOU HAVE, IF YOU WANT TO KNOW THE STATUS OF A REQUEST THAT YOU'VE SENT TO 3 1 1 THAT HE CAN HELP YOU WITH.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO COME OUT AND LET YOU KNOW THERE'S BEEN A TRANSITION.
'CAUSE YOU'LL STILL SEE THE, UM, DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS ON THE VEHICLE.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE TRYING TO USE YOUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS, UM, AS BEST AS POSSIBLE.
AND WE ARE NOT JUST GONNA RIP OFF THAT DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS AND THROW, UM, HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS ON 'EM RIGHT AWAY.
BUT LIKE I SAID, WE'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO HELP YOU WITH THOSE TO GUIDE YOU.
I KNOW ONE OF 'EM THAT I, UM, WE RECEIVED CONTINUOUS CALLS ABOUT AND SOME, UM, SQUATTING IN THE AREA THAT WE'LL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO HELP YOU WITH.
LIKE I SAY, RIDGE IS YOUR, UM, COMMUNITY LIAISON FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS.
THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS IS STILL WORKING, GUYS.
UM, WE STILL HAVE MANY OFFICES THAT ARE WORKING FOR YOU.
WE HAVE A COFFIN CONVERSATION THIS WEEK AT PALM CENTER AT 53 30 GRIGGS, WHERE WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT CREATING CIVIC CLUBS, HOW TO REVIVE CIVIC CLUBS.
UM, WE ALSO HAD A, UM, UM, VETERANS STAND DOWN OVER, UM, IN SOUTHWEST HOUSTON ON SELL A LINK THIS WEEK WHERE, UH, DR. JONES HAD MANY VENDORS OUT THERE, HER AND HER CO-CHAIR TO HELP VETERANS.
SHE ALWAYS TELLS ME WE HAVE THE LARGEST POPULATION OF VETERANS IN THE, UM, NATION IN HARRIS COUNTY.
UM, WE HAVE OTHER SERVICES THAT, UM, WE CAN PROVIDE YOU THROUGH OUR PEOPLES WITH DISABILITY OFFICE.
THEY HAD THEIR YCA EVENT AT U OF H THIS WEEK PROVIDING, UM, SAFETY AND AWARENESS FOR THOSE WITH, UM, HEART OF SEEING ISSUES.
SO WE AT THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS ARE DEFINITELY WORKING AND WE'RE WORKING FOR YOU.
IF YOU WANT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT VOLUNTEERING, ABOUT BECOMING MORE INVOLVED ABOUT YOUR SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE HAVE 79 AND EIGHTIES IN THIS AREA.
SO YOU CAN SEE ELDERS ABOUT HELPING YOU GET THOSE ACTIVE AGAIN AND WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO GET THOSE ACTIVE AGAIN.
BUT YOU CAN VISIT US AT HOUSTON TX.GOV/NEIGHBORHOODS IF YOU WANT MORE INFORMATION.
UH, AND LASTLY, WE'RE GONNA DO SOME QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.
UH, WE HAD, UH, SOLICITED QUESTIONS HERE OVER PROBABLY ABOUT THE LAST 30 DAYS.
AND, UH, MAKE SURE I'VE GOT ALL THOSE.
[01:25:04]
UH, HERE WE GO.UM, IT SAYS, I WOULD LIKE HPD TO ADVISE OF THE MANY STOP SIGNS BEING SHOT WITH BULLETS.
THE MANY HOMES NOW BECOMING CAR SALES LOTS THROUGH GRAFFITI ON SHOPPING STRIPS FOR MONTH AFTER MONTH.
AND THE CRIMINALS PORTRAYING A POLICE OFFICER IN END UP BEING SHOT DEAD IN FRONT YARDS.
AND IT'S, UH, ASKING ABOUT POLICE VISIBILITY.
I'M NOT SURE ALL THAT'S FOR THE POLICE.
UM, I THINK SOME OF THAT IS, IS ACTUALLY FOR DIRECTOR SIMS. BUT, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS WE, WE GOT IN, IN GATHERING UP THE ANSWER IS, UH, THAT, UH, THE COMPLAINTS THROUGH THE DRT AND PATROL OFFICERS IS, IS WHERE THAT NEEDS TO GO.
WHEN REPORTS ARE RECEIVED, OFFICERS INVESTIGATE AND TAKE ENFORCEMENT OR CORRECTIVE ACTION WHEN VIOLATIONS ARE CONFIRMED.
UH, THE MEN AND WOMEN OF DRT HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB RESPONDING TO COMMUNITY CONCERNS, INCLUDING THE INVESTIGATION OF, OF GRAFFITI AND, AND THOSE TYPE OF ISSUES.
THE NEXT QUESTION WAS, HOW LONG WILL OUR HPD BE AT THE GREYHOUND BUS STATION INSTEAD OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS? UM, HPD STARTED AN INITIATIVE, UH, ABOUT A YEAR AGO FOCUSING ON QUALITY LIFE'S ISSUES AROUND WHERE THE GREYHOUND STATION IS.
UH, I THINK PROBABLY MOST EVERYBODY'S FAMILIAR, THE GREYHOUND STATION MOVED, UH, FROM DOWNTOWN OVER TO THE EAST SIDE.
YOU MAY KNOW EXACTLY WHERE THAT IS.
HARRIS, HARRISBURG, HARRISBURG, HARRISBURG ARE AND ARE YOU? I AM OKAY.
IF YOU LIKE I I'LL, I'LL, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
SO THE HARRISBURG CORRIDOR, GREYHOUND BUS STATION, THAT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE COMPLAINTS.
THE BIGGEST COMPLAINT, THE MOST COMPLAINTS THAT I GET AT EAST SIDE IS THE GREYHOUND BUS STATION.
AND SO LET ME JUST START WITH, UH, NUMBER ONE WITH THE QUESTION.
UH, WHEN ARE WE GOING TO, UH, STOP HAVING HPD OFFICERS AT THE BUS, AT THE BUS STOP? WE HAVE NEVER HAD HPD OFFICERS ASSIGNED AT THE BUS STOP.
UH, THERE ARE, THERE ARE, THERE ARE, UH, SOME FOLKS THAT HAVE, THAT HAVE SAID THAT, UM, THAT I, THAT THE EAST SIDE HAS REALLOCATED RESOURCES BECAUSE THEY'RE SITTING INTO THE BUS STOP.
THE RESOURCE IS STILL IN YOUR INDIVIDUAL AREAS AND THE INDIVIDUAL NEIGHBORHOODS.
UH, WE SU WE, WE SUPPORT, UH, THE RESOURCES BY ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FROM THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, FROM THE CITY, FROM THE DEPARTMENT, UH, AND WE HAVE SPECIAL INITIATIVES THAT WE HAVE AT THE BUS STOP.
THE BUS STOP IS NOT THE ONLY ISSUE IN THAT CORRIDOR.
UH, THERE'S QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES.
UH, THERE'S THE HOMELESS ISSUE.
UH, THERE ARE MULTIPLE BUSINESSES THERE.
UH, SO IT'S, IT'S A COMBINATION OF ALL THAT.
AND IT'S A, IT'S A COMPLICATED ISSUE.
IT'S NOT JUST THE GREYHOUND BUS STATION.
THE GREYHOUND BUS STATION IN DEER OF THE FENCE HAS A PRETTY GOOD SECURITY SYSTEM.
THEY HAVE A SECURITY, UH, UH, COMPANY.
THEY HAVE, UH, ENCLOSURE ON THEIR GATES.
YOU CAN'T GO IN OR OUT IF YOU HAVE NO BUSINESS ON THE PROPERTY, THEY'RE GONNA MAKE YOU LEAVE.
UH, SO IT'S NOT ALL ON THE, ON, ON, ON THE GREYHOUND, BUT I WANNA ANSWER THAT QUESTION SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE WE HAVE NEVER REASSIGNED RESOURCES AWAY FROM ANY OF THE COMMUNITIES TO GO TO THE BUS STATION.
SO I, I, I WANTED TO GET MAKE THAT CLEAR.
THE NEXT QUESTION WAS ABOUT HEAVY TRASH.
IT SAYS, WHY IS HEAVY TRASH NOT BEING PICKED UP MONTHLY AS IT HAS IN THE PAST? UM, AND IT ASKED IF THE ONLY WAY TO GET THIS PICKED UP WAS BY CALLING 3 1 1.
UH, SOLID WASTE HAS HAD SOME ISSUES FOR ABOUT A YEAR.
UH, THEY HAVE GOTTEN A CONSIDERABLY NUMBER OF NEW TRUCKS.
IN FACT, UH, WE JUST PUT, UH, 16 INTO THE FLEET A WEEK AGO.
AND, AND THAT HAS HELPED OUT QUITE A BIT.
AND WITH THAT, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO CATCH UP ON THE TRASH COLLECTIONS WHERE THE TRASH IS ACTUALLY BEING PICKED UP ON TIME PRETTY MUCH EVERY DAY.
UH, THE RECYCLING, UH, WAS THE NEXT THING TO, TO KIND OF, UH, INCREASE OR IMPROVE THE, UH, PERFORMANCE ON THAT.
AND IT'S PRETTY MUCH ON TIME OR A DAY LATE, UH, AT THE MOST.
UH, THE LAST PIECE OF IT IS THE HEAVY TRASH AND, AND WE ARE STILL BEHIND ON THAT.
AND, UH, THE HEAVY TRASH IS QUITE A BIT MORE COMPLICATED.
IT ACTUALLY TAKES A MINIMUM OF TWO PIECES OF EQUIPMENT, UH, TO GO OUT THERE AND PICK THAT UP.
BOTH A PICKER AND A LARGE, UH, UH, TRUCK TO TEAR IT AWAY.
AND ACTUALLY THEY LIKE TO HAVE THREE OF THEM OUT THERE AT THE SAME TIME.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE TRYING TO GET UP TO SPEED AND,
[01:30:01]
AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE THAT UP PRETTY QUICK.IT ASKS ABOUT THE, UH, WATER DEPARTMENT'S, UH, WEBSITE AND, AND WHY IT, UH, CAN'T KEEP, UH, UP AND RUNNING TO WHERE YOU CAN SEE YOUR USAGE EVERY DAY.
UH, IF YOU'VE GOT ONE OF THE NEWER METERS, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO READ THE DAILY USAGE.
I KNOW THEY'RE ALSO IN THE PROCESS OF REPLACING QUITE A FEW HERE, UH, IN THE NEXT, UH, SIX TO 12 MONTHS.
SO IF, IF IT'S NOT, UH, ABLE TO READ IT EVERY DAY, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO HERE SHORTLY.
UH, WHO IS THE DEPARTMENT RESPONSIBLE TO HELP KEEP VEHICLES OFF YARDS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD? UH, HPD TOLD ME THEY DON'T HANDLE THAT ANYMORE.
AND 3 1 1 TELLS ME TO CONTACT HPD.
UH, ACTUALLY HPD CAN'T ENFORCE CARS PARKED IN THE GRASS.
UH, THE REASON FOR THAT IS IT'S ACTUALLY A STATE LAW AND, UH, WE'VE HAD SOME, UH, UH, ATTEMPTS WHERE WE'VE MADE TO ACTUALLY CHANGE THAT.
SO HOPEFULLY WE WILL, WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET A LITTLE BETTER LUCK WITH THAT.
YOU ACTUALLY HAVE TO SEE THE DRIVER, UH, AND SPEAK TO THE DRIVER IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO CITE 'EM FOR THAT IS, IF I RECALL THAT CORRECTLY.
IS THAT RIGHT? HBD FOR THE CITATION? YOU'RE NOT SURE.
IT SAYS THERE'S BEEN SEVERAL BUSINESSES CLOSED IN THE NORTH SHORE UVALDE AREA, UH, OVER THE YEARS WITH NO SIGN OF NEW DEVELOPMENTS.
ARE THERE ANY NEW BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT PLANS FOR THE VALDI NORTH SHORE AREA? UH, WE'VE STARTED WORKING WITH THE, UH, NORTH CHANNEL AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, AND, UH, HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET SOMETHING GOING WITH THAT.
IN FACT, UH, WE'RE DOING A COMMUNITY GRANT PROJECT WHERE, UH, THEY'RE GONNA MAKE, UH, SOME BEAUTIFICATION TO THE AREA AND THE CITY IS GONNA MATCH WHAT THEY SPEND.
SO WE ARE LOOKING AT, UH, THAT AREA AND, AND TRYING TO DO SOMETHING, UH, A LITTLE BETTER WITH IT.
AND, AND HOPEFULLY, UH, THAT AREA WILL GET A LITTLE MORE ECONOMIC GROWTH HERE IN THE NOT TOO DISTANT FUTURE.
UH, THE NEXT QUESTION WAS ABOUT VALDI.
UH, VALDI ROAD HAS BEEN PATCHED UP FOR OVER 20 YEARS, WHICH IS CAUSING WEAR AND TEAR ON OUR VEHICLES DUE TO THE CONSTANT, UH, HOLES ON OUR ROAD.
LIKE TO KNOW WHEN THERE ARE PLANS TO FIX THAT.
UH, STREET MAINTENANCE DOES NOT HAVE A CURRENT PROJECT TO REPAIR VALDI, BUT, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED IN THE LAST YEAR, ALSO, UH, THE CITY WAS INVOLVED IN A LAWSUIT FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
YOUR DRAINAGE FEE THAT WAS MEANT TO PAY FOR, UH, DRAINAGE AND FOR STREETS.
THE CITY HAD NOT BEEN SPENDING ALL OF THAT MONEY TOWARDS THOSE GOALS.
AND, UH, THAT LAWSUIT, WHICH HAS SETTLED LAST YEAR.
SO THE CITY IS GONNA HAVE TO BE SPENDING MORE MONEY ON BOTH YOUR DRAINAGE AND YOUR STREETS.
SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET SOMETHING, UH, ELSE DONE ON YOU VALDI HERE PRETTY SOON.
NEXT ONE IS, UH, WHAT IS THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND OUR DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVES GOING TO COMMIT TO DOING REGARDING VACANT AND ABANDONED HOMES? UH, THIS ONE'S A LITTLE EASIER FOR ME TO ANSWER 'CAUSE I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH IT QUITE A BIT.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, WE DO TRY AND MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE SQUATTERS IN THE HOUSES, UH, THAT WE CAN GET 'EM OUT.
UH, WE'VE WORKED VERY HARD ON WHEN, UH, EVERYONE IN THE HOUSEHOLD IS DECEASED TO TRY AND ENSURE THAT THAT, UH, HOME IS EITHER PASSED ON OR IF THERE'S NO HEIRS, UH, GETTING IT SOLD AT THE TAX AUCTION SO WE CAN GET A NEW OWNER.
WE JUST HAD SOME LUCK WITH ONE RECENTLY.
I THINK WE'D BEEN WORKING FOR YEARS ON THAT, YOU KNOW, BEFORE I GOT INTO OFFICE.
UH, I ALSO, UH, WORKED WITH PAUL BENTON COURT AND, UH, WE, HE WANTED TO, OR HE PROPOSED LEGISLATION THAT WAS GOING TO REQUIRE A NOTIFICATION OF THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT WHEN THE LAST, UH, OWNER THAT HAD THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION PASSED AWAY, MUCH LIKE SOCIAL SECURITY DOES NOW.
UH, RIGHT NOW, IF YOU PASS AWAY, THE SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICE IS NOTIFIED SO THAT THEY KNOW THAT YOU PASSED AWAY.
UH, THERE IS NOTHING THAT NOTIFIES, UH, HCAD THAT YOU'VE PASSED AWAY, AND THERE'S NOBODY ALIVE THAT HAS THAT HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION.
WHAT YOU END UP HAVING IS, UH, THESE HOUSES WHERE, UH, NOBODY IS ALIVE, THAT QUALIFIES FOR THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION.
IT KEEPS THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION.
AND AS WE JUST DISCUSSED EARLIER, THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONS FOR THE ELDERLY ARE SIGNIFICANTLY LARGER.
AND WHEN THERE'S NO MORTGAGE ON THE HOUSE, THE HOUSE JUST SITS THERE VACANT.
A LOT OF TIMES THAT LEADS TO PROBLEMS WITH SQUATTERS COMING IN.
AND THE ISSUE WE THEN HAVE IS THAT, UH, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR THE POLICE TO REMOVE THE SQUATTERS BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO HAVE A NO TRESPASS ORDER, AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOMEBODY THAT HAS AN OWNERSHIP CLAIM IN ORDER TO GET A NO TRESPASS ORDER.
UH, SO THAT'S WHY WE'VE HAD SO MUCH PROBLEMS WITH IT.
BUT, UH, I'M WORKING WITH, UH, SENATOR BENTON COURT.
HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE SOME LEGISLATION HERE, UH, AT THE NEXT SESSION THAT WILL ACTUALLY REQUIRE
[01:35:01]
A NOTIFICATION OF HCAD.SO, SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN, WE CAN DO AWAY WITH THAT.
UH, NEXT ONE IS, AND THE LAST ONE AS WELL.
UH, A LARGE PROBLEM WE'VE SEEN IS THE INCESSANT HEAVY TRUCK TRAFFIC THAT RUNS THROUGHOUT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
DESPITE CLEAR SIGNAGE INDICATING THAT HEAVY HAUL VEHICLES ARE NOT ALLOWED ON OUR ROADS, THESE VEHICLES ARE LIKELY CONTRIBUTING TO THE DAMAGE OF THE AGING DRAINAGE SYSTEM BENEATH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
WHAT WILL BE DONE TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE? WILL LEOS COMMIT TO TICKETING OFFENDERS AND ENFORCING THE POSTED SIGNAGE? UH, PARKING ENFORCEMENT IN HPD CAN ENFORCE THE HEAVY VEHICLE TRAFFIC THROUGHOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD WITH NOTIFICATIONS TO 3 1 1.
UH, WE ALSO CAN, CAN, UH, GIVE THEM A HEADS UP ON IT.
UH, ALTHOUGH OBVIOUSLY IF THERE'S CONSTRUCTION IN THE AREA, UH, THEY, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE SIGHTING THOSE VEHICLES FOR THAT.
UM, THE OTHER THING IS, UH, AT OUR HPD PIP MEETINGS, PLEASE ATTEND THOSE.
UH, WHAT DAY IS THE, THE MONTH IS THIRD.
SO THE HPD DOES A PRESENTATION THIRD MONDAY AT GRACE CHURCH.
AND COME ON DOWN THERE AND, AND YOU CAN SEE WHAT'S GOING ON AND, AND WHAT'S HAPPENING, AND LET THE POLICE OFFICERS KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, GIVE THEM FEEDBACK AND THAT HELPS OUT QUITE A BIT.
SO WITH THAT, THAT WAS THE LAST ONE WE HAD.
UH, I WANNA THANK EVERYBODY FOR COMING OUT.
UM, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY, ALL THE RESIDENTS AND ALL THE DEPARTMENT HEADS AND THE POLICE, EVERYBODY, CONSTABLE.
SO AGAIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.