[00:00:03]
I'M GONNA ASK VICE MAYOR PRO TO P TO PLEASE PRESIDE, AND HERE'S THE INFORMATION ON THE PROX CASE.[PRESENTATIONS]
RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS FOR A PROCLAMATION TO TORO THE TEXANS MASCOT, WHO IS BEING, UM, INDUCTED INTO THE MASCOT HALL OF FAME.VICE MAYOR, PRO TIM, AND TO OUR COLLEAGUES.
HOW ARE YOU? I'M, I'M SURE THAT I DON'T HAVE TO, UH, OVEREMPHASIZE WHO WE HAVE TODAY TO PRESENT THIS, WHO WE PRESENT THIS PROCLAMATION TO, ESPECIALLY AT THE, THE SEASON THAT WE ARE IN, IN HOUSTON WITH OUR GREAT, UH, TEXAS FOOTBALL TEAM, TORRO, THE HOUSTON, TEXAS MASCOT HALL OF FAME.
WHEREAS TORRO, THE MASCOT OF HOUSTON TEXANS WILL BE INDUCTED INTO THE MASCOT HALL OF FAME AT THE TEXANS GAME AT NRG STADIUM ON DECEMBER 14TH, 2025.
AND WHEREAS TORO HAS SERVED AS THE TEXANS MASCOT SINCE 2001, CAPTIVATING FANS WITH HIGH FLYING ARROW STUNTS, PLAYFUL ANTICS ON THE FIELD, AND PRANKS SHARED WITH MILLIONS OF FOLLOWERS ONLINE, MAKING HIM ONE OF THE MOST BELOVED MASCOT IN THE COUNTRY.
AND WHEREAS IN ADDITION TO HIS GAME DAY APPEARANCE, TORO MAKES MORE THAN 400 APPEARANCE EACH YEAR ACROSS HOUSTON, THE STATE OF TEXAS, THE UNITED STATES, AND INTERNATIONALLY, INCLUDING HONG KONG, MEXICO, CANADA, ENGLAND.
HE PIONEERED VIRTUALLY CLASSROOMS VISIT AT START OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, REACHING NEARLY 10,000 STUDENTS THROUGH 200 VIRTUAL VISITS, A MODEL LATER ADOPTED BY SPORTS MASCOTS NATIONWIDE.
AND WHEREAS TORO'S MOST MEANINGFUL CONTRIBUTION EXTENDS BEYOND ENTERTAINMENT THROUGH HIS SCHOOL ASSEMBLY PROGRAM, TORRO TAKES THE BULL OUTTA BULLYING.
HE TEACHES STUDENTS HOW TO RESPOND TO BULLYING USING THE BULL ACRONYM, BE YOURSELF, USE YOUR VOICE, LEAVE AND LOOK OUT FOR OTHERS.
HE IS ALSO THE AUTHOR OF THE CHILDREN'S BOOK, MADE TO BE A MASCOT, INSPIRING YOUNG PEOPLE TO EMBRACE WHO THEY ARE.
AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF HOUSTON PROUDLY CELEBRATES TORO FOR HIS INDUCTION INTO THE MASCOT HALL OF FAME, HONORS HIS POSITIVE INFLUENCE, UH, ON TEXAS FANS AND ALL HOUSTONIANS, YOUNG AND OLD, RECOGNIZING HIM AS A SYMBOL OF JOY, CONGRATULATING HIM ON THIS WELL-DESERVED ACHIEVEMENT.
MAYOR WINMARK, THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS FOR GIVING US THIS OPPORTUNITY TO CONGRATULATE TORO AND WHATEVER YOUR REAL NAME IS,
UH, CHILDREN, THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING.
TIME DOES ALLOW US TO JUST ENUMERATE ALL THE JOY YOU BRING TO OUR CITY.
I KNOW YOU GO TO CHILDREN'S HOSPITALS, SCHOOLS, IT JUST GOES ON AND ON AND IT'S AMAZING.
IT'S SUCH A SIMPLE THING THAT YOU CAN DO TO MAKE SOMEBODY FEEL IMPORTANT.
THE IDEA THAT BULLYING JUST SHOULD NOT EXIST IN OUR SOCIETY.
AND YOUR TEXANS ARE LOOKING PRETTY DARN GOOD RIGHT NOW.
THANK YOU FOR THAT WINNING SEASON.
THEREFORE, I, JOHN WHITMEYER, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROCLAIM DECEMBER 14TH, 2025 AS TORO, THE HOUSTON TEXAN MASCOT DAY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
BEFORE WE DO PHOTOS, WE DO HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER KINGMAN IN THE QUEUE YOU WANT TO SAY, CAN YOU TALK THAT OUT? NO.
TOROS TORO, MAYOR TORO TORO, THANK YOU SO MUCH AND A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS TO THE ENTIRE TEXANS FAMILY.
[00:05:01]
UH, EVERY SINGLE GAME YOU BRING JOY.EVEN WHEN US, AS FANS ARE FRUSTRATED, YOU'RE THERE TO LIFT OUR SPIRITS.
BUT HOPEFULLY IT'S GETTING A HELL OF A LOT EASIER.
WHAT A GAME, UH, IN KANSAS CITY.
BUT WE'RE BRINGING THE GAME HOME ON SUNDAY.
SO LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING, UH, WHAT YOU HAVE IN STORE FOR US NEXT, AGAIN, TO THE ENTIRE TEXANS TEAM, TEXANS FAMILY, WE LOVE YOU.
ALRIGHT, CHAIR RECOGNIZES, COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER FOR A PROCLAMATION TO THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE PRESIDENT.
AND AS MY FINAL PROCLAMATION, I FELT THAT IT WOULD BE REALLY IMPORTANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE FOUNDATION OF OUR CITY'S COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP, AND THAT'S OUR SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD CUP PRESIDENTS.
SO IF I COULD HAVE THEM COME UP, I WOULD REALLY BE GRATEFUL.
UM, LETITIA GRANT, TAMARA BELL, MICHAEL HUFF MASTER, JACKIE MAHORN, UH, CHERYL O'BRIEN, DAVID ROBINSON, JUAN SOTO, JANE WEST, AND THEN, UH, CINDY CHAPMAN.
THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE PRESIDENTS OF HOUSTON, WHEREAS TAMARA BELL, CINDY CHAPMAN, LETITIA GRANT, MICHAEL HUFF MASTER, JACKIE MAHORN, CHERYL O'BRIEN, DAVID ROBINSON, JUAN SOTO, AND JANE CASTLE.
WESTHILL CAHILL, CAHILL WEST HAVE SERVED THE CITY OF HOUSTON WITH DISTINCTION AS PRESIDENTS OF THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE.
THE CITY'S OFFICIAL ADVISORY BOARD COMPOSED OF PRESIDENTS AND CHAIRS FROM THE RECOGNIZED SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCILS, WHERE A SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE PLAYS A VITAL ROLE IN ELEVATING THE CONCERNS, GOALS, AND ASPIRATIONS OF HOUSTON'S DIVERSE NEIGHBORHOODS.
AS PRESIDENTS AND CHAIRS, THESE CIVIC LEADERS PROVIDE GUIDANCE, FOSTER COLLABORATION AMONG SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCILS, AND PROMOTED EQUITABLE ACCESS TO CITY SERVICES AND PROGRAMS ACROSS ALL COMMUNITIES.
WHEREAS THEY STRENGTHEN THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN NEIGHBORHOODS AND CITY GOVERNMENT, ENSURING THEIR COMMUNITY VOICES REMAINED CENTRAL TO POLICY DISCUSSIONS, RESOURCE ALLOCATIONS, PUBLIC SAFETY EFFORTS, INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING, AND BROADER CITY INITIATIVES.
AND WHEREAS THROUGH THEIR COMMITMENT TO CITY ENGAGEMENT, TRANSPARENCY, AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT, THEY HAVE ADVOCATED FOR COORDINATED WITH AND ENCOURAGED RESIDENTS ACROSS GEOGRAPHIC, CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC LINES TO SHARE INFORMATION, BUILD CONSENSUS, AND SUPPORT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ACTION PLANS THROUGHOUT HOUSTON AND ADVANCE THE VALUE OF RESILIENCE, SAFETY, AND QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL HOUSTONIANS.
WHEREAS THE CITY OF HOUSTON RECOGNIZES AND EXPRESSES ITS GRATITUDE FOR THE DEDICATED SERVICE OF SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE PRESIDENTS, TAMARA BELL, CINDY CHAPMAN, LETICIA GRANT, MICHAEL HUFF MASTER, JACKIE MAHORN, CHERYL O'BRIEN, DAVID ROBINSON, JUAN SOTO, AND JACKIE CAHILL WEST,
[00:10:01]
WHOSE EFFORTS HAVE STRENGTHENED THE FABRIC OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, DEEPEN THE TRUST BETWEEN RESIDENTS AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT, AND EMBODIED THE SPIRIT OF COMMUNITY DRIVEN PROGRESS THAT DEFINES HOUSTON.THANK YOU COUNCILMAN PLUMMER FOR BRINGING THESE PUBLIC SERVANTS TO OUR CITY COUNCIL.
UH, THANK YOU FOR BEING THE VOICE OF OUR DIVERSE COMMUNITIES.
UH, WE ALL KNOW THE ROLE YOU PLAY, AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW THE ROLE YOU PLAY, YOU GET ELECTED MAYOR OR COUNCIL
DAVE, WELCOME BACK TO YOU CHAMBER.
YEAH, SO THEREFORE, I, JOHN WHITMEYER ON A SERIOUS NOTE THOUGH, AND THAT WAS SERIOUS.
UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC SERVICE BECAUSE I DO KNOW THE RESPONSIBILITY THAT YOU CARRY OUT AND YOU HELP US WITH OUR RESPONSIBILITIES.
THEREFORE, I, JOHN WHITMORE, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROCLAIM DECEMBER 9TH, 2025, IS SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE PRESIDENT IN HOUSTON, TEXAS.
I'M GONNA LET PATRICIA AND ONE OF Y'ALL CAN SPEAK FOR ALL OF YOU.
WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE.
THANK YOU GUYS FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
UM, AS STATED BY OUR MAYOR, JOHN, WE ADMIRE THIS JOB IS NOT A JOB FOR THE FAINT
UM, THAT'S HOW, HOWEVER, WE DO THIS, BECAUSE OF OUR LOVE FOR THE COMMUNITY, WE DO THIS BECAUSE OF OUR LOVE FOR THE CITY.
SO WE'RE DEFINITELY GRATEFUL TO BE HERE TODAY, AND WE ARE GRATEFUL TO BE HONORED BY YOUR THANK YOU.
UH, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH.
YOU KNOW WHAT WE DO? THEY GIVE YOU TWO CHOICES IN LIFE TO CHOOSE HOW YOU DO WHAT YOU DO.
AND THAT IS FOR PAID OR FOR LOVE.
WE GOTTA PAY FOR OUR PARKING WHEN WE COME DOWN HERE, BUT WE DO IT BECAUSE WE CARE AND WE LOVE THE CITY, AND WE WANNA MAKE IT BETTER FOR ALL.
BEING SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE CHAIR, YOU GET TO MEET PEOPLE FROM ALL AREAS AND SOME OF THE AREAS YOU'VE NEVER BEEN IN IN YOUR LIFE.
AND YOU, THROUGH TRAGEDY AND THROUGH TRIUMPH, YOU CELEBRATE EACH OTHER.
DURING HURRICANE HARVEY, THE KINGWOOD SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD WAS LITERALLY OBLITERATED.
HOW DO YOU REACH OUT TO THE GOVERNMENT TO GET ASSISTANCE, BECAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING THEY NEVER DID.
THEY CONTACTED ME, I TOLD THEM, THIS IS WHO YOU CALL.
THIS IS WHERE YOU GO WITHIN 72 HOURS.
GOVERNOR AVENUE WAS FLYING OVER IN A HELICOPTER OVER THERE, BECAUSE I'M TELLING YOU, FLOODING AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE DIFFICULTIES THAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY, THEY TOUCH EVERYBODY.
'CAUSE THE NEXT TIME IT RAIN, YOU MIGHT FIND OUT.
SO I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR THIS HONOR, AND I APPRECIATE YOU ALL ANSWERING THE PHONE WHEN I CALL, IT MEANS SO MUCH TO ME.
TAKE A PICTURE, TAKE OFF PICTURE.
WE HAVE A FEW, UM, COUNCIL MEMBERS IN THE QUEUE BEFORE YOU TAKE PHOTOS.
FIRST UP, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, THANK YOU.
AND THANK YOU, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER FOR BRINGING THESE WONDERFUL PEOPLE.
IT'S GREAT TO SEE DAVID ROBINSON, FORMER COLLEAGUE HERE.
UH, ANYWAY, I HAD A GREAT TIME AT THE PARTY.
I WENT TO THE SUPER NAME AT ALLIANCE CHRISTMAS PARTY AND A LEAF LAST NIGHT, AND IT WAS A BLAST.
BUT SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS ARE SO IMPORTANT, REALLY OUR WAY TO GET INFORMATION DOWN AND FOR MORE IMPORTANTLY, FOR Y'ALL TO GET INFORMATION AND NEEDS UP TO US.
I REALLY AM GRATEFUL TO ALL OF YOU FOR TAKING ON THE CHARGE.
IT'S NOT, NOT EVERYBODY THINKS THE SAME, NOT AREA, EVERY AREA NEEDS THE SAME, BUT YOU GUYS ALL USE THAT MECHANISM TO KIND OF PULL TOGETHER AND, AND FOCUS ON THE ISSUES IMPORTANT TO THE WHOLE CITY.
WE ARE VERY, VERY, VERY GRATEFUL.
YOU DO IT FOR LOVE AND NOT FOR MONEY.
COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN AGAIN, COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER, FIRST AND FOREMOST, UH, RECOGNIZING THIS IS YOUR LAST, UH, PROCLAMATION HERE.
I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE THAT.
UM, AND THEN I THINK IT'S FITTING THAT THIS IS ABOUT THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE AND LIFTING UP ALL THAT THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE DOES.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROBINSON, IT IS SO WONDERFUL TO HAVE YOU BACK, UM, CHERYL IN DISTRICT C AS WELL.
UM, BUT ALL OF YOU, AND TOMORROW, YOU, I MEAN, YOU SAID IT BEST AS, AS DID OTHERS.
THIS IS ABOUT COMMITMENT TO THE CITY.
UH, I WAS A SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD MEMBER, UH, BEFORE I WAS ON COUNCIL.
UH, YOU HAVE YOUR CIVIC CLUBS AND YOU HAVE YOUR SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD, AND Y'ALL HAVE, TAKE IT ANOTHER STEP FURTHER WITH YOUR TIME, WHICH IS THE ALLIANCE.
AND NOT MANY PEOPLE UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH TIME THAT IS, HOW MUCH PASSION THAT TAKES, AND HOW MUCH KNOWLEDGE EXISTS, AND HOW YOU HAVE BROUGHT NEIGHBORHOODS TOGETHER TO PROVIDE, UH, I WANNA SAY MOST OF THE TIME, A UNIFORM VOICE, BUT MANY, MANY PERSPECTIVES TO LEAD ON BEHALF OF ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE COMMITMENT THAT YOU HAVE TO EACH OF THE INDIVI, UH, INDIVIDUAL AREAS YOU REPRESENT, BUT THE CITY AS A WHOLE.
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO.
[00:15:03]
LET'S DO A GROUP ONE.YOU WANNA HOLD YOUR OWN? CAN YOU, UM, WE GOT, LET'S PUT OUT A LITTLE BIT.
[2:00 P.M. - INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
FOR THE IMPLICATION.I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE DR. BURT PALMER, WHO IS A 14 YEAR HPD VOLUNTEER CHAPLAIN, BUT EQUALLY AS IMPORTANT.
HE IS MY PASTOR FROM KINGWOOD METHODIST CHURCH.
THERE HE IS PRIVILEGED TO BE HERE.
AND THOSE OF YOU SERVE, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIRELESS SERVICE IN THE LIFE OF THE KINGDOM.
IT'S GONNA BE LIKE AN ADVENT WORKSHOP.
BE LOTS OF NOISE, BUT GOD HEARS IT ANYWAY.
THE LORD, LOVING, CREATOR AND REDEEMER OF ALL YOUR CREATION THROUGH THE HOPE CRADLED AND MARY'S ARMS AND BETHLEHEM'S MAJOR, I PRAY THAT YOU'LL GRANT THESE ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES, YOUR PEACE.
SO THEY MIGHT FULFILL THEIR DUTIES AND SERVICE TO THE WELFARE OF ALL PEOPLE.
PROTECT THEM FROM THE TEMPTATIONS OF SELF-SERVICE, THE CORRUPTING INFLUENCE AND DESTRUCTIVE DEVICE.
AND THIS IS SO PREVALENT IN MANY, MANY WAYS.
GRANT THEM RESILIENCE IN THE FACE OF SCRUTINY, ALLOWING THAT UNLIMITED SOCIAL MEDIA CRITICISM AND KEYBOARD WARRIORS, BUT HEALTH AND OH GOD, TO TAKE ALL OF THAT ENERGY, TO HARNESS IT FOR GOOD AND CONVERSATION.
AND FOR THIS EXTRAORDINARY CALLING OF SERVICE YOU'VE PLACED ON THEIR HEARTS.
WE ASK THAT YOU GRANT THEM WISDOM FOR DISCERNMENT TO GOVERN AND MAKE DECISIONS THAT SERVE THE FRIENDS AND THE FOREIGNERS, THE NEIGHBOR AND THE STRANGER, THE OFFENDER AND THE OFFICER, THE HUNGRY, AND THE SATISFIED.
BECAUSE COMMUNITY DOESN'T JUST HAPPEN, IT IS CREATED.
I THANK YOU FOR THOSE WHO ARE ON THIS COUNCIL, THEIR TIME, THEIR EFFORT, THE SACRIFICES THAT THEY MAKE, THAT NO ONE ELSE SEES, THAT THEY WOULD SERVE THIS COMMUNITY, BLESS THEM THAT THEY MIGHT BE A BLESSING.
MAKE YOUR FACE TO SHINE UPON THEM AND GIVE THEM YOUR PEACE.
LIKE ONLY YOU CAN GRANT, AND ALL THESE THINGS I ASK IN THE NAME OF THE ONE WHO IS THE PRINCE OF PEACE, EMMANUEL.
THE LORD OF THE LORDS, THE MESSIAH, THE ONE WHO WOULD CHANGE THE WORLD CRADLED IN MARY'S ARMS. CHRIST THE LORD, AS ALL OF GOD'S PEOPLE SAID.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD.
WE GOT ANY PROCEDURAL MOTIONS? NO.
[ROLL CALL AND ADOPT MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING]
SECRETARY, YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN PRESENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER PRESENT.
I'M GONNA ASK, UH, VICE MAYOR PROTE TO PRESIDE WHILE I ATTEND A MEETING AND I HOPE TO RETURN.
[00:20:22]
OKAY.NEED A MOTION TO ADOPT THE MINUTES OF DECEMBER 2ND AND THIRD.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.
ARE THERE ANY PROCEDURAL MOTIONS? COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO.
[PUBLIC SPEAKERS]
THANK YOU.I MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO ADD KAUR RAMESH TO THE THREE MINUTE NON AGENDA LIST TO FOLLOW CLAY SANDS.
ALL IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.
ANY OTHER PROCEDURAL MOTIONS? CASE NONE.
UM, MR. SECRETARY, IF YOU COULD READ THE FIRST SPEAKER, JULIA ORA, TO BE FOLLOWED BY NATISHA MILES.
MY NAME IS JULIA ORA, REGIONAL DIRECTOR AT TEXAS HOUSERS.
THE MATTER OF HOUSING IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS TO EVERYBODY.
YOUR HEALTH, YOUR EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT, YOUR SALARY, YOUR LIFE EXPECTANCY, ALL DEPEND ON WHERE YOU LIVE AND THE OPPORTUNITIES AND OBSTACLES PRESENTED TO YOU.
THE ORDINANCE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SET THE PRECEDENT FOR WHAT DIGNIFIED HOUSING LOOKS LIKE IN HOUSTON.
YOUR TENANT CONSTITUENTS DESERVE A DECENT PLACE TO LIVE.
THEY SPEND THEIR HARD EARNED DOLLARS IN OUR LOCAL ECONOMY, AND THEY MAKE OUR SOCIETY TURN.
TENANTS ARE BUS DRIVERS AND HOSPITALITY WORKERS.
THEY ARE THE GROCERY STORE CLERKS AND THE YOUNG PROFESSIONALS.
THEY ARE THE ABUELAS AND THE BABAS.
WE OWE IT TO THEM TO ENSURE THAT HABITABILITY OF THEIR HOME, WHICH IS CONTROLLED BY DEVELOPERS AND OWNERS AND PROPERTY MANAGERS AND INVESTORS, IS LEGAL ACCORDING TO THE PROPERTY CODE.
AND THAT THOSE BUSINESS OWNERS ARE COMPLYING WITH THEIR OB OBLIGATION TO HABITABILITY STANDARDS AS OUTLINED IN THE LAW AND IN THEIR LEASE CONTRACTS.
WE HAVE BEEN VOCAL ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF THIS ORGAN OF AN ORDINANCE LIKE THIS AND HAVE SEEN EFFECTIVE PROGRAMS SUCH AS THIS IN OTHER TEXAS CITIES, TEXAS HOUSERS HAS MET WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, AND WE ARE COMMITTED TO PARTICIPATING IN A PUBLIC INPUT PROCESS THAT ENSURES THAT THE INTEGRITY AND THE INTENT OF THIS ORDINANCE IS AT THE FOREFRONT OF ITS EXECUTION.
WE KNOW THAT THE LAST FEW MONTHS HAVE BEEN A WHIRLWIND FOR ALL THE PARTIES INVOLVED, ESPECIALLY WITH THE SUDDEN CHANGES IN ORDINANCE LANGUAGE.
WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE HOUSTON APARTMENTS ASSOCIATION'S PARTICIPATION AND SHAPING THIS ORDINANCE THAT ENSURES THAT FAIR HOUSING LAWS ARE NOT PUNISHING PROPERTY OWNERS, BUT REGULATING THE BAD ACTORS WHO MAKE POOR FINANCIAL DECISIONS.
THIS ENSURES THAT TENANTS ARE NOT NEEDLESSLY PUNISHED BY PRIVATE BUSINESS OWNERS.
I HAVE TOUCHED BASE WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS AND TENANT ORGANIZATIONS ABOUT THE CONTINUED COLLABORATION AND THE SUPPORT FOR THIS ENGAGEMENT PROCESS.
EVERYONE IS COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING THIS EFFORT, AND I AM ENCOURAGED BY THIS PROCESS AND READY TO SUPPORT WHAT IS BEST FOR DIGNIFIED LIVING FOR ALL HOUSTONIANS.
AND AS USUAL, PLEASE CALL UPON ME IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT OUR STANCE ABOUT THE WORK IN SAN ANTONIO AND ABOUT 10 INSTABILITY AT LARGE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS.
UM, IS IT YOURS OR TEXAS HOUSER'S POSITION THAT THE ITEM THAT'S BEFORE US TOMORROW, UM, IS WHAT YOU SUPPORT? OR ARE YOU ASKING FOR ADDITIONAL DIALOGUE, UM, AND INPUT TO MODIFY IT FURTHER? I'M HAPPY TO SUPPORT THE, THE ADDITIONAL DIALOGUE.
THE DOCUMENT THAT IS IN Y'ALL'S AGENDAS PACKAGE IS THE DOCUMENT THAT WE SAW IN OCTOBER, WHICH I THINK WAS THE MOST, UH, CONFUSING BECAUSE OF, OF THE PROCESS THAT WE HAVE SEEN CURRENTLY.
UM, SO I THINK THE BEST WE COULD DO IS BRING EVERYBODY TO THE TABLE.
AND I KNOW THIS HAS BEEN KIND OF RUSHED AND, AND QUICKLY DONE BECAUSE WE DO WANT TO SEE THIS REALLY BROUGHT TO THE TABLE AND, AND STARTED WORKING.
BUT WE WANT IT TO BE A GOOD PRODUCT.
AND SO WE'RE HAPPY TO ENGAGE IN AND CONTINUED CONVERSATIONS.
[00:25:01]
MANY OF US ARE VERY ANXIOUS, UM, TO SEE SOMETHING, UH, TO, TO GET THIS THROUGH.AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE LISTENING TO THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THE PROCESS AND STEPS WE NEED TO TAKE TO MAKE SURE IT'S WHAT IS GOING TO BE THE MOST EFFECTIVE.
AND AND IT SEEMS THAT THE PROCESS RIGHT NOW IS THAT THE, THE DOCUMENT HAS BEEN PRETTY INTERNAL AND THE ONLY TIMES THAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO LOOK AT IT AND REACT TO IT HAVE BEEN WHEN THE ITEM COMES TO MOTION.
AND WE NORMALLY JUST HAVE THREE TO FIVE DAYS TO ACTUALLY LOOK AT THIS DOCUMENT.
SO I THINK A MORE COLLABORATIVE EFFORT WOULD BE REALLY GOOD.
AND, AND I THINK WE HAVE BEEN SUBMITTING OUR COMMENTS.
I'M HAPPY TO SHARE WITH EVERYBODY THE DOCUMENTS WE HAVE SHARED, UM, ON ALL THREE RENDITIONS OF, OF DOCUMENTS THAT WE HAVE SEEN.
UM, SO I'M, I'M HAPPY TO SHARE THOSE WITH EVERYBODY AS WELL.
AGAIN, I APPRECIATE, I APPRECIATE THE WORK.
I JUST WANNA EMPHASIZE KIND OF THE URGENCY BEHIND THIS, BUT THAT WE NEED IT TO HAVE, UM, TO, TO BE EFFECTIVE.
SO YOUR FEEDBACK AGAIN, IS SOMEONE IN THIS SPACE IS VERY HELPFUL.
VICE MAYOR PRO TIM, AND GOOD AFTERNOON TO EVERYONE.
UH, SO YOU OR YOUR ORGANIZATION OR ANY STAKEHOLDER GROUPS THAT YOU KNOW OF HAVE NOT BEEN REGULARLY CONSULTED REGARDING THE LANGUAGE OF THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE THUS FAR SINCE IT WAS FIRST PRESENTED A FEW WEEKS, UH, SEVERAL WEEKS AGO.
SO THE, THE PROCESS THAT WE HAVE PARTICIPATED IN AND, AND SO WE SAW IT IN MAY WITH, UH, THE PROP A COMMITTEE.
UM, FROM THERE, THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SEVERAL WEEKS FOR TENANTS AND, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO SUBMIT COMMENTS BACK TO DR.
SO WE DID ENGAGE ON THAT FIRST RENDITION IN WHICH THEN WE SAW THE OCTOBER DOCUMENT.
AND SO THAT WAS A VERY DRASTIC CHANGE FROM THE ORIGINAL DOCUMENT THAT WE SAW.
UM, WE HAVE ALSO SUBMITTED COMMENTS TO THAT, UH, DOCUMENT.
AND THEN BETWEEN, UH, NOVEMBER TO NOW, WHICH WAS THE LAST TIME THAT THIS ITEM HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP, WE HAVE TALKED TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.
UM, WE KNOW THAT A DOCUMENT THAT WAS CIRCULATED TO YOU ALL AT THE BEGINNING OF LAST WEEK IS NOT THE FINAL PRODUCT.
UM, SO WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE STILL CHANGES OR OPPORTUNITIES TO CONTINUE TO DISCUSS WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE.
UM, I HAVE BEEN SUGGESTING TO LOOK AT THE SAN ANTONIO PROJECT OR, UH, THE PROGRAM, UM, WHICH HAS ALREADY GRADUATED 54 PROPERTIES FROM THEIR PROGRAM SINCE IT INITIATED.
SO I THINK IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE COULD MODEL AS WELL.
AND THE REASON I BRING IT UP IS 'CAUSE WE BROUGHT THIS PROPOSAL TO COUNCIL, UH, SEVERAL WEEKS AGO.
WE TABLED IT AND THERE WAS COMMENTARY THAT WE'RE ALMOST CLOSE.
WE JUST NEED TO, UH, GET THIS THROUGH THE FINAL STAGE BY CHANGING A FEW THINGS, AMENDING X, Y, Z, ENGAGING WITH THE STAKEHOLDERS MORE, AND WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE A FINISHED PRODUCT TO PRESENT SEVERAL WEEKS LATER.
NOW WE'RE HERE SEVERAL WEEKS LATER AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE STILL KIND OF IN BASICALLY THE SAME POSITION THAT WE WERE.
UM, WHICH TO ME, IT JUST SEEMS LIKE THERE'S NOT GETTING ANY REAL PROGRESS ON A DOCUMENT THAT EVERYONE IS CONFIDENT IN AND HAS LANGUAGE THAT WE SUPPORT AND THEY THINK THAT IS TRULY ENFORCEABLE AND HAS THE TEETH, UH, TO MAKE A REAL IMPACT.
SO, YOU KNOW, MY CHALLENGE IN CHARGE IS LIKE WHEN WE DO POSTPONE THINGS AS A BODY AND WE'RE SAYING THAT WE WANT TO, UH, MAKE SOME CHANGES TO MAKE THIS EVEN BETTER, THEN COLLECTIVELY WE HAVE TO DO THAT BECAUSE IF NOT, THEN WE JUST REMAIN IN THE SAME SITUATION, UM, AND NOTHING GETS DONE.
UH, BUT, UM, I THINK IT DOES NEED TO BE MORE PRESSURE FROM THIS BODY AND FROM THE STAKEHOLDER GROUPS TO ENSURE THAT, UM, THERE IS CONTINUOUS ACTIVITY AND ATTENTION BEING PAID TO THIS, THIS ISSUE.
AND, AND WHATEVER WE CAN DO, UM, TO CONTINUE SUPPORTING AND COLLABORATING, I THINK THAT JUST THE DOCUMENT THAT IS IN THE AGENDA, UNLESS THERE WERE AMENDMENTS TO BE BROUGHT TO THE TABLE TOMORROW, UM, THE DOCUMENT IS STILL THE OCTOBER VERSION THAT YOU ALL HAVE BEFORE YOU CORRECT.
THANK, AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO.
YOU KNOW, I'VE WORKED WITH TEXAS LOW INCOME HOUSING FOR BEFORE I WAS A COUNCIL MEMBER, AND SO I KNOW YOU DO AMAZING WORK.
UM, YOUR FOCUS IS AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE A QUALITY, UM, PLACE TO LIVE.
AND SO MY QUESTION TO YOU, THE OCTOBER DOCUMENT, DO IT INCORPORATE ANY OF YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS? IT DID.
UM, BUT I THINK IT, IT KIND OF STARTED TAKING A TOTALLY DIFFERENT ROUTE, PARTICULARLY WITH THE 3 1 1 CALLS AND, AND KIND OF HOW THAT STARTED CREATING A LITTLE MORE CONFUSION IN THE PROCESS.
UM, WE DID SUBMIT FURTHER COMMENTS AND THERE ARE SOME THINGS ABOUT CLARITY,
[00:30:01]
UM, JUST KIND OF SEPARATING WHAT IS REGULAR HABITABILITY TO THIS HIGH RISK INSPECTION PROGRAM THAT IS BEING ADDED INTO ARTICLE 10.UM, SOME OF THOSE LITTLE THINGS.
BUT, UM, I DO THINK THAT IT'S WORKING TOWARDS THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
WE, WE HAVE SEEN A COUPLE OF OUR, UH, COMMENTS BE PUT INTO THAT RIGHT.
SO YEAH, BECAUSE FROM MY EXPERIENCE, I KNOW WE, WE HAVE A DOCUMENT, UH, ORDINANCE, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT GONNA ALWAYS GET EVERYTHING WE WANT IN IT.
UM, BUT BEING ABLE TO IMPLEMENT A ORDINANCE THAT'S GOING TO PROTECT RESIDENTS, THAT'S BEEN, YOU KNOW, LIKE THIS WOULD BE, WE HAVE SO MANY APARTMENT COMPLEXES THAT'S CONSTANTLY, AND WE DEALING WITH, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE THAT LIVING IN MODE, ET CETERA, YOU KNOW, AND SO HAVING SOMETHING ON THE BOOKS, I THINK IT'S WHAT WE REALLY NEED RIGHT NOW.
I FEEL THAT IF WE PASS SOMETHING, IT SHOULD, WE WANT IT TO BE 100, BUT WE NEVER GONNA GET 100.
BUT WE DO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO REVISIT AND AMEND AND, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, MAKE IT A GREAT PRODUCT.
UM, I DON'T SUPPORT REFERRING IT BACK TO THE ADMINISTRATION.
UM, I SUPPORT IT, REFERRING IT BACK, YOU KNOW, A FEW WEEKS A, A MONTH AGO.
BUT ONCE IT COME UP TO TOMORROW, I REALLY WANT TO SUPPORT THIS ORDINANCE BECAUSE THE FOLKS IN DISTRICT B, THEY NEED IT.
UM, WE NEED TO START HOLDING, UM, LANDLORDS ACCOUNTABLE.
AND THIS IS ONE OF THE WAYS WE CAN DO THAT.
SO, UM, JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW MY POSITION, BUT I AGREE WITH WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, THAT WE WANNA HAVE A PRODUCT THAT, THAT ACTUALLY HAVE TEETH.
UM, AND SO, BUT WE KNOW AS A BABY, THE BABIES GROW WITHOUT TEETH.
THEY BORN WITHOUT TEETH, BUT EVENTUALLY THOSE TEETH COME IN.
AND SO WHEN YOU HAVE COUNSEL THAT'S WILLING TO, UM, REVISIT AND ADD TO IT, UM, I, I WAS, I, I'M, I'M WITH THAT.
AND, AND I DEFINITELY, AND WHERE WE WERE LAST MONTH WAS, CAN WE PASS SOMETHING SO WE CAN START SEEING HOW THIS WORKS AND AMEND IT AS NECESSARY? UM, FROM WHAT I HAVE HEARD FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE IS THEY'RE WILLING TO, UH, CONTINUE THIS AND SEE IT COME TO FRUITION.
I THINK THE BIG SCARE WAS ALSO, UM, ONCE DR.
PLUMMER LEAVES HER SEAT, WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN TO THIS ORDINANCE? AND SO IF THERE IS A COMMITMENT FROM THE ADMINISTRATION TO SEE THIS THROUGH AND ENSURE THAT IN JANUARY WE ARE BRINGING THIS BACK AND FORMALIZING SOMETHING, UM, THAT, THAT IS THE CONFIDENCE THAT I'M TAKING, THAT I'M ENCOURAGED BY.
BUT I DO THINK THAT THE FASTER WE CAN GET SOMETHING ON THE BOOKS SO WE CAN START PROTECTING TENANTS AND, AND REALLY TALK ABOUT WHAT IS THIS CONSUMER PROTECTION, BECAUSE HABITABILITY IS A PART OF A LEASE AGREEMENT.
AND IF LANDLORDS ARE NOT MAKING THEIR LEASE AGREEMENT, UH, IF THEY'RE BREACHING THEIR LEASE AGREEMENT AND STILL ALLOWED TO EVICT PEOPLE, THEN THAT'S WHERE WE START SEEING A LOT OF PROBLEMS. OKAY.
JAMES ZUMWALT TO BE FOLLOWED BY SHAMEIKA SHAMEIKA FORD.
I'VE BEEN SPEAKING ON THE BEHALF OF, UH, THE PETTY CAB REGULATIONS WITH A RA AND CONTEMP CLEARING THINGS UP.
I'VE BEEN IN PETTY CABS FOR 29 YEARS.
I HELPED START THE PETTY CAB INDUSTRY HERE IN, IN HOUSTON BACK IN 2003.
AND WHERE THE PETTY CAB INDUSTRY NOW IS NOT WHAT WE WANTED BACK WHEN WE FIRST STARTED THIS OUT.
WE WANTED TO HAVE SOMETHING THAT WE COULD WORK WITH THE CITY AND MAKE THE CITY PROUD AND NOT, UH, BE A DETERRENT.
AND, UH, RIGHT NOW WE FEEL LIKE WE'RE MORE OF A DETERRENT AND WE WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR WITH A RA, UH, WITH THE REGULATIONS THAT THEY'VE KIND OF BROUGHT UPON US.
WE, THEY NEED TO THE FOLLOW UP FAR AS DOING THE REGULATIONS.
UH, WE SEE THEM OUT MAYBE ONCE OR TWICE A YEAR, MAINLY DURING RODEO.
AND THEY CHECK PERMITS AND THEN THEY, THEY LET US GO.
THERE'S NO, UM, NOTHING FOR YOUR, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
COUNCIL MEMBER CAMAN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING.
WHEN YOU'RE ASKING A RA TO ENFORCE, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THOSE PETTY CAPS THAT DO NOT HAVE PERMITS? SO YES, Y'ALL ARE THE ONES FOLLOWING THE RULES.
AND THEN THERE ARE THOSE THAT ARE NOT FOLLOWING THE RULES.
AND ONE OF THE CHALLENGES WE HAVE IS A RA DOES NOT HAVE, UH, ONLY HPD CAN ENFORCE CERTAIN THINGS REGARDING THAT.
SO IS THAT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT? GENERALLY SPEAKING, RIGHT? YES.
BECAUSE WE HAVE PETTY CABS THAT ARE OUT THERE DRIVING RECKLESSLY, ENDANGERING THE PUBLIC.
AND IT, IT'S A DISTRACTION FOR THE POLICE TO WORRY ABOUT US.
[00:35:01]
HAVE TO BABYSIT PITY CABS.WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO BE PROFESSIONAL AT WHAT WE DO.
I JUST, WE'VE TALKED, WE, UH, ABOUT PETTY CABS A LOT IN THE PAST, AND I JUST WANNA EMPHASIZE THE SAFETY COMPONENT.
UM, BECAUSE THOSE THAT DO NOT HAVE A LICENSE ARE NOT REGISTERED WITH THE CITY, THOSE RESIDENTS THAT MAY BE RIDING IN, THAT ARE NOT PROTECTED.
UM, IT, IT'S A VERY DANGEROUS SCENARIO.
UM, WITH, UH, UH, WITH LIABILITY IMPLICATIONS.
I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF MAKE SURE WE WERE CLEAR ON WHAT YOU WERE SPEAKING TO, WHICH IS THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE REGULATIONS, BECAUSE YOU'RE FOLLOWING THE RULES.
THEY'RE PROFITING, BUT THEY'RE ENDANGERING OTHERS.
NEXT SPEAKER, SHAMEIKA FORD TO BE FOLLOWED BY JULIE MARUCCI.
I'M SHAMEIKA FORD, UM, ONE OF THE CO-FOUNDERS OF COLOSSAL MUSEUM, A NEW MUSEUM IN HOUSTON.
SO I'M PASSING AROUND SOME OF THE, UM, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH OUR NEW TOURIST ATTRACTIONS AT MY TWIN SISTER AND I, COME ON.
MY TWIN SISTER AND I, UM, CREATED, SO WE JUST WANTED TO SEE, WE, WE ARE LOOKING TO PARTNER WITH DIFFERENT, LIKE, YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS JUST TO SEE IF THERE ARE ANY COMMUNITY RESOURCES FOR, UM, THAT HOUSTON HAS, OR ANY EX HOW CAN WE ACCESS, GAIN ACCESS TO, LIKE, RESOURCES, UM, TO SUPPORT LIKE THE UNDERSERVED YOUTH, THE INDIFFERENT, UM, DISTRICTS AS WELL, SPECIAL NEEDS.
'CAUSE THAT WAS ONE OF THE INCLUSION PIECES THAT WAS A PART OF THE, THE SPACE WHEN WE CREATED EVERY PIECE INTENTIONALLY.
SO WE'RE JUST BASICALLY LOOKING FOR SUPPORT ON HOW TO GIVE THE OUTREACH AND ALSO ALSO TO SUPPORT, LIKE, THE PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO PROVIDE FOR THE COMMUNITY.
IT IS SIMILAR TO, FOR EXAMPLE, LIKE WE'RE DOING LIKE A YOUTH, UM, EMPOWERMENT THING.
WE, WE'VE BEEN SPONSORING LIKE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, ALLOWING PEOPLE TO HOST LIKE EVENTS THERE FOR FREE.
WE'RE AN EVENT, AN EVENT CENTER AS WELL AS, UM, JUST THE MUSEUM OVERALL.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER CUMAN REALLY QUICKLY, UH, MS. FORD IS A DISTRICT C RESIDENT.
UM, I JUST WANTED YOU TO KNOW, I DON'T WANNA, WE'RE HAPPY TO CONNECT OFFLINE.
WE, OUR OFFICE TRIED TO CALL ON THE NUMBER LISTED, BUT IT WAS DISCONNECTED AND WE WERE HAPPY TO CONNECT YOU WITH, UM, WHAT CITY PROGRAMS THERE ARE AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
SO CERTAINLY, I BELIEVE YOU'VE BEEN EMAILING ALL OF COUNCIL.
I JUST WANTED TO FLAG, WE, WE TRIED TO GET A HOLD OF YOU AS A DISTRICT C RESIDENT, UM, TO SEE HOW WE CAN HELP, BECAUSE I NEED TO SEE WHAT NUMBER THAT WAS.
'CAUSE THE NUMBER, OH, IT MAY HAVE BEEN, UM, SUBMITTED TO THE CITY THE WRONG WAY.
BUT AGAIN, FEEL FREE VIA EMAIL TO REACH OUT.
VICE MAYOR PROTO, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR INFORMATION.
I'M, I'M, I MAY HAVE MISSED THE EMAIL THAT YOU PREVIOUSLY SENT, BUT IF YOU CAN SEND ANOTHER EMAIL WITH THIS INFORMATION IN A DIGITAL FORMAT.
AND, UM, MY OFFICE WILL SEND IT OUT IN OUR NEWSLETTER, UM, TO BE ABLE TO HIGHLIGHT THE THINGS THAT YOU ALL ARE ABLE TO OFFER AND THAT PEOPLE WOULD KNOW ABOUT THIS NEW SPACE THAT THEY CAN GO ENJOY.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ.
THAT'S DISTRICT D, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.
WELL, NO, WE'RE, WE'RE IN, WE'RE IN THE HEIGHTS IN 15 OH, 2-YEAR-OLD.
OH, SO THAT'S NOT YOUR BI, THAT'S NOT YOUR ADDRESS.
WELL, I'M GONNA LET THE COUNCIL MEMBER OVER THEIR HANDLE HAM.
CONNECT WITH ALL DISTRICTS, THOUGH.
AND IF YOU COULD SEND THAT AGAIN TO ALL OF US ON COUNCIL, WE WOULD APPRECIATE THAT.
AND, AND WE WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE ANY SUPPORT.
WAYNE TUBBS TO BE FOLLOWED BY GENEVA COLBERT.
UH, GOOD AFTERNOON FROM
I'M STILL HAVING TROUBLE LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO LIVE IN HOUSTON
[00:40:01]
FROM.AND, UM, AND, UM, ALL I GET IS, I'M SORRY, IT, I WROTE UP MY DISABILITY CHECK AND I'VE TRIED EVERY CALLING THE HOUSTON FAIR HOUSING PROGRAM AND, UH, ALL THEY GOT ME WAS SENIOR APARTMENTS.
AND ONE OF THEM SAYS, I'M SORRY THAT MY DI IT'LL RUN UP MY DISABILITY CHECK.
AND THE OTHER TWO PLACES ARE TOO FAR AWAY FROM PLACES I NEED TO GO.
AND, AND I, I NEED TO MOVE THE HOUSTON TO GETAWAY FROM THE CRIME IN, IN CROCKETT, TEXAS WHERE I'LL BE SAFE.
AND ALSO I NEED A PEACE OF MIND SECURITY AND TRANQUILITY WHEN I'M IN HOUSTON.
I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DRIVE AND I CAN'T DRIVE.
AND IT'S GETTING HARDER FOR ME TO BE ON MY OWN AND LIVE IN A SMALL TOWN.
I NEVER HAD A CRIMINAL RECORD IN MY LIFE.
AND I'M NOT HAPPY LIVING IN CROCKETT, TEXAS BECAUSE I CAN'T HANDLE BEING HARASSED, DISCRIMINATED AND THREATENED BY PEOPLE THAT ARE HARASSING ME.
I'VE TRIED TO LOOK FOR A PLACE OVER A YEAR AND I FAILED.
AND THEY DIDN'T PUT ME ON THE WAITING LIST BECAUSE I'M ON A S UH, BECAUSE I'M DISABLED AND I'M ON SSDI.
AND I DIDN'T GET A REFUND ON MY MONEY ORDER, ON THE APPLICATION FEE AND RE AGENCY LOVES APARTMENTS ON 32 30 DIXIE DRIVE, NEVER CALLED BACK AND ANSWERED THE CALLS.
THANK YOU IN ADVANCE TO, TO PLEASE HELP ME BECAUSE YOU'RE MY LAST RESORT TO LIVE IN A HAPPY LIFE AND FACING HARD TIMES RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THE COST OF LIVING IS BAD RIGHT NOW.
AND WITH EVERYONE'S HELP, I CAN COME AHEAD AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS.
I NEED TO LIVE IN A SAFE AREA.
UM, SIR, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ONE FOR COMING FORWARD.
UH, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY.
IT TAKES A LOT TO BE ABLE TO SHARE A PERSONAL STORY ABOUT YOUR CIRCUMSTANCE.
UM, RENEE, ARE WE ABLE TO, UM, SPEAK WITH HIM OFFLINE AND GET HIM CONNECTED TO SOMEONE WITHIN, UH, HOUSING? OR DE SORRY TO INTERRUPT.
SHE HAS, UH, HOUSING CONTACT, BUT WE'RE GONNA TRY AREA AGENCY ON 18 12TH.
SO THEY'RE GONNA TRY AN ADDITIONAL AGENCY TO CONTACT TO SEE WHAT THEY CAN DO TO HELP YOU.
SO THEY'LL BE IN TOUCH WITH YOU, UH, AFTER YOU SPEAK TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO PROVIDE SOME MORE RESOURCES FOR YOU.
ARE YOU A VETERAN? UH, NO SIR.
I THOUGHT YOU MILITARY ARMED FORCE VETERAN? UH, NO SIR.
WELL, WE, THEY'RE GONNA HELP YOU OUT.
COLBERT LAFAYETTE, RICKS TO BE FOLLOWED BY BRITTANY LACEY.
GOOD DAY LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
MY NAME IS LAFAYETTE RICKS A CONCERNED CITIZEN.
BEFORE I GET INTO WHAT I NEED TO DISCUSS, UH, DISCUSS THAT LATER, I WANTED TO READ SOMETHING TO YOU.
A LEADER HAS FORESIGHT, A VISION OF THE FUTURE.
A FOOL ON THE OTHER HAND, CAN'T POSSIBLY SEE BEYOND HIS OWN EYES, BUT I JUST NOW SAID THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE LEADERSHIP AND CONCERN.
I'VE HEARD A LOT OF THINGS THAT I AGREE WITH HERE, ESPECIALLY CONCERNING HOMELESSNESS.
BUT TO SEE THAT SITUATION LOOK LIKE THERE NEED TO BE MORE DONE.
I WALK AMONG THOSE PEOPLE AND I'VE WORKED WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE IN MY TIME.
I WORKED OUT IN SAN FRANCISCO WITH THE HOMELESS AND VETERANS.
AND I'M NOT A VETERANS, BUT ALL OF MY FAMILY ARE MILITARY PERSON.
BUT I DID THAT BECAUSE IT WAS PART OF MY MINISTRY.
I HAVE A HOMELESS PROBLEM AS FAR AS WITH GETTING PROPER ATTENTION WITH THE OWN HOMEOWNERS.
THE HOMEOWNERS HAS NO WAY OF BEING CHASTISED FOR WHAT THEY DO.
THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE PROPER STATISTIC, UH, CERTIFICATES.
THEY DON'T HAVE THE PROPER THINGS THAT MEETS THE COMMANDING THINGS THAT A PERSON THAT PAYS HIS RENT OR HER RENT, IT CAN BE PUT OUT.
[00:45:01]
THERE MUST BE SOME STIFF LEGS INTO THIS TO GIVE THOSE PEOPLE OUT THERE LIKE THAT SOMEWHERE AND SOMEBODY THEY CAN TURN TO.THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE TO COME DOWN HERE.
I I WRITE ON FACEBOOK AND ANYTHING ELSE, I SPEAK MY MIND.
WE'LL BE IN ANOTHER COUPLE OF MONTHS.
MY POINT IS, WORK WITH THE LOCAL PEOPLE, WORK, GET IN, FIGHT THEM.
I DON'T LOOK FOR NOBODY TO PAY ME ANYTHING.
I'VE BEEN OUT HERE VOICE MY OPINION EVER SINCE I WAS 18 YEARS OLD IN THE CIVIL RIGHTS STRUGGLE.
FIRST TIME I VOTED IN MY LIFE WAS WITH MAYOR KENNEDY, A GIBSON OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.
I'VE HAD SOMEBODY TO TELL ME THAT I WAS A WELFARE PERSON.
AND I GOT THAT MESSAGE ON MY PAGE.
WHO ARE THE BIGGEST WELFARE RECEIVERS? THE FARMERS, THE INDUSTRY, CORPORATE WORLD.
IF YOU DON'T MAKE A MILLION DOLLARS, EVERYBODY'S A SECTION EIGHT.
IN TODAY'S WORLD, I'M HERE TO TELL YOU THAT I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT IN ORDER TO GET SOMETHING DONE, YOU GOT TO SPEAK YOUR VOICE.
'CAUSE IF YOU DON'T, PEOPLE GONNA RUN ALL OVER YOU AND DISRESPECT YOU.
I PAID MY DUES AND I'M NOT HERE TO LECTURE YOU AND YOU SOMETHING THAT YOU DON'T KNOW.
BUT I'M GOING TO TELL YOU SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO DO AS PEOPLE IS TO COME TOGETHER.
THIS COUNTRY IS GOING TO HELL, AND I'M DOWN HERE TO TELL YOU.
AND IF YOU DON'T DO SOMETHING TO HELP ONE ANOTHER, TO THE SMALLEST, TO THE HIGHEST OR THE GREATEST, PUT YOUR PART IN, PUT YOUR PART IN YOUR COMM COMMUNITY WORK.
UM, MR. RICKS, I'M GLAD YOU CAME DOWN HERE TODAY.
I THINK YOU MAY HAVE SPOKEN WITH, UM, INGRAM IN MY OFFICE.
AND YOU, YOU NEED A, YOU'D LIKE AN INSPECTION OF YOUR PROPERTY, CORRECT? YES.
AS A MATTER, SHE'S, SHE'S RIGHT OVER THERE, I THINK.
WHO IS INGRAM OVER THERE? OH, THERE SHE IS.
IF YOU'LL MEET WITH THE LADY IN THE DOOR, WE'LL SEE IF WE CAN GET THAT DONE FOR YOU.
BRITTANY LACEY, MARIAN WRIGHT, DANTE PRADA TO BE FOLLOWED BY GIANA MABA.
UM, GOOD AFTERNOON TO EVERYBODY AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
UH, MY NAME IS DANTE PERRA AND I'M THE OWNER OF LIGHTHOUSE CORPORATE HOUSING.
UM, WE OFFER FULLY FURNISHED APARTMENTS TO FAMILIES COMING TO HOUSTON FROM MANY COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD AND ALSO FROM OTHER STATES INSIDE THE US COUNTRY.
UM, OUR APARTMENTS COME FULLY EQUIPPED AND FULLY FURNISHED, AND WE CURRENTLY OFFER 50 APARTMENTS THAT ARE DISTRIBUTED IN FIVE DIFFERENT BUILDINGS.
THOSE BUILDINGS ARE HANOVER, RICE VILLAGE, HANOVER OVER RIVER OAKS, ANDOVER, SOUTH HAMPTON, ANDOVER BOULEVARD PLACE, AND CHELSEA MUSEUM DISTRICT.
UM, WE DON'T PROMOTE OUR APARTMENTS THROUGH ANY ONLINE BOOKING PLATFORM.
WE ALWAYS KNOW WHO'S COMING TO OUR APARTMENTS.
AND AS I SAID AT THE BEGINNING, MOST OF OUR TENANTS ARE PEOPLE COMING TO HOUSTON FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT OR SECOND OPINIONS AT MD ANDERSON OR HOUSTON METHODIST OR TEXAS CHILDREN'S.
UM, 85% OF OUR TENANTS WILL STAY LONGER THAN 30 NIGHTS WITH AN AVERAGE OF 65 NIGHTS PER STAY.
SOMETIMES THESE FAMILIES THAT ARE COMING BACK TO HOUSTON FOR A CHECKUP OR JUST FOR A SECOND OPINION, THEY STAY LESS THAN 30 NIGHTS.
HOWEVER, AGAIN, WE DON'T PROMOTE ANY OF OUR APARTMENTS THROUGH ANY BOOKING PLATFORM LIKE AIRBNB OR VRBO.
UM, SINCE 2019, WE HAVE PAID, HOWEVER, FOR THOSE FAMILIES THAT STAYED LESS THAN 30 NIGHTS, WE HAVE PAID HOTEL TAXES TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON FOR ALMOST $100,000.
[00:50:01]
CONCERN, BUT MY QUESTION IS, WE WANT TO BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SHORT TERM RENTAL REGULATION THAT EXPIRES ON THE 31ST OF DECEMBER.AND WE HAVE BEEN REVIEWING ALL THE REGULATION, WE WANNA COMPLY, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT OUR COMPANY AND OUR COLLEAGUES THAT HAVE THE SAME TYPE OF SERVICE NEED TO REALLY GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS OR NOT.
WE HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH THE BUILDINGS WHERE WE HAVE APARTMENTS AND THEY DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS REGULATION.
THERE'S A FORM THAT WE NEED TO SUBMIT AS PART OF THE PROCESS THAT THE OWNER NEEDS TO SIGN SAYING THAT WE ARE ALLOWED TO DO THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL.
THAT AGAIN, IT'S ONLY 15%, BUT THEY DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS REGULATION.
AND THE INFORMATION THAT I'M LOOKING AT HERE SHOWS THAT, UM, ONLY LONG-TERM RENTALS OVER 30 CONSECUTIVE DAYS ARE EXEMPT FROM IT.
BUT LET'S GET, UM, THE A RA DEPARTMENT TO DISCUSS IT WITH YOU FURTHER TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE HAS ALL THE CORRECT INFORMATION.
SO IN THE BACK, IF YOU COULD GO TALK TO HER, UM, SHE'S WITH A RA, THAT WAY WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE HAS ALL THE CORRECT INFORMATION FOR YOU.
JUA MALARI TO BE FOLLOWED BY MICHAEL LORE.
GOOD AFTERNOON AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
I'M A MEMBER OF THE INTERFAITH ENVIRONMENTAL NETWORK OF HOUSTON.
SO WE COME, WE TRY TO COME WITH ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS THAT WE HAVE.
UM, THERE IS STRONG EVIDENCE, OF COURSE THAT GREENHOUSE GASES ARE BAD FOR OUR HEALTH.
UM, THE NATION'S LEADING SPECIFIC SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD MENTIONED THAT VERY RECENTLY, AGAIN IN SEPTEMBER OF 2025.
YET PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS PROPOSED TO CANCEL THE GOVERNMENT 16-YEAR-OLD FINDING THAT CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSIONS AND DANGER PUBLIC HEALTH.
WE ARE NOT GOING TO GET ANY HELP FROM OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, AT LEAST NOT FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS.
SO WE, IT BEHOOVES US TO WORK AT THIS AT OUR LOCAL CITY LEVEL.
HOUSTON CURRENTLY RANKS THIRD OUT OF 15 LARGE METRO CITIES FOR THE WORST COMPUTER CONGESTION.
WE, WE PROMOTE CARS AND THAT'S WHAT WE, WE ARE TRYING TO, UH, GET YOU TO HELP US GET PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.
MORE BUS ROUTES, MORE BICYCLES, MORE DIFFERENT MODES OF TRANSPORTATION TO GET OUR CITIZENS TO WHERE, WHERE THEY ARE, UH, SUPPOSED TO GO.
THE EXCESS TIME SPENT SITTING IN CARS CONTRIBUTES TO SEDENTARY LIFESTYLES AND CHRONIC DISEASE RISK.
OVER 27% OF ADULTS IN HARRIS COUNTY REPORT NO LEISURE TIME FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY BECAUSE THEY ARE ALWAYS SITTING IN, IN TRAFFIC.
ALMOST 26% OF LAND IN HOUSTON IS DEDICATED TO PARKING.
INTENTIONAL CHANGES TO BUILT ENVIRONMENT HAVE BEEN SHOWN TO INCREASE UPTAKE OF ACTIVE TRANSIT WHILE REDUCING CHRONIC DISEASE BURDEN.
THE PROMOTION OF PUBLIC TRANSIT AS WELL AS MODES OF ACTIVE TRAVEL LIKE WALKING AND CYCLING, IS THUS AN IMPORTANT STRATEGY FOR IMPROVING HOUSTON'S AIR QUALITY AND CARBON FOOTPRINT AND FOR THE HEALTH AND QUALITY OF LIFE OF OUR RESIDENTS.
THE CITY, THIS CITY ADMINISTRATION IS THOUGH IS NOT IN FAVOR OF INCREASED BUS ROUTES.
WE'VE HAD LOT OF BUS ROUTES THAT HAVE BEEN CANCELED, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, DUE TO PUBLIC DEMAND, ONE OF THEM, ESPECIALLY THE GULFTON ONE WAS REIMPLEMENTED MAY MAYOR OF WHITMEYER HAS REPEATEDLY DOWNPLAYED THE IMPORTANCE OF NON-CAR FORMS OF TRANSPORTATION AND REMOVED SAFETY INFRASTRUCTURE THAT HAD BEEN DESIGNED TO PROTECT, PROTECT PEDESTRIANS AND CYCLISTS.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE TWO LANE BIKEWAY CHANGED TO ONE LANE ON AUSTIN STREET.
MEDIANS WERE REMOVED ON HOUSTON STREET, WHERE PEDESTRIANS COULD, UH, KIND OF WALK TO THE MEDIAN AND, AND REST YOUR, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING AND I REALLY AM A PROPONENT OF ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION, SO I APPRECIATE THE WORK AND RESEARCH YOU DID FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
UH, I SIT ON THE BOARD OF THE TRANSPORTATION POLICY COUNCIL AT THE HOUSTON GALVESTON AREA COUNCIL.
WE'RE MEETING A WEEK FROM FRIDAY.
[00:55:01]
TO COME AND, AND, AND TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE LIMITED FUNDS HERE, BUT THERE'S ALSO FUNDS THAT COME THROUGH THE STATE, UM, FOR ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION.SO I INVITE YOU TO COME TO ONE OF THE TRANSPORTATION POLICY COUNCIL MEETINGS HELD OVER AT THE HOUSTON GALVESTON AREA COUNCIL TO, TO READ YOUR COMMENTS AS WELL.
HOW, HOW WOULD I GET INFORMATION ON THAT? I'M GONNA MEET YOU RIGHT OUT HERE AND WE'LL GET IT TO YOU.
MICHAEL LO TO BE FOLLOWED BY FRANK PIPKIN.
LEMME THANK THE CITY COUNCIL, UH, AND THE MAYOR TO LISTENING TO OUR VOICES.
BEEN A PETTY CAB FOR THE LAST NINE YEARS AND MADE A HOUSTONIAN.
EVEN THOUGH WE FOLLOW THE RULES AND ALL THE REGULATIONS THAT Y'ALL IMPLEMENT, WE APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT Y'ALL DO TO HELP US, BUT WE NEED TO HAVE THEM INCREASED.
UNFORTUNATELY, THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT COME FROM OUT OF TOWN WHEN YOU HAVE RODEO AND FIFA COMING UP NEXT YEAR.
UM, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE PEOPLE THAT COME NON PERMITTED, NON-INSURED, JUST TO MAKE A BUCK.
BUT IT PUTS PEOPLE'S SAFETY AT RISK.
SO WE ASK THAT YOU INCREASE THE REGULATION EVEN THOUGH YOU HAVE IMPLEMENTED THE TOWING PROCEDURE.
WE ASK THAT YOU RAISE IT TO A WEEK INSTEAD OF ONE DAY.
'CAUSE WHAT HAPPENS IS ONE PETTY CABER GETS TOWED, THEY PAY THEIR $200 AND GET IT OUT, AND THEN THEY'RE RIDING THE NEXT DAY.
IT'S STILL RIDING WITH NO INSURANCE, NO PERMIT.
SOME OF THESE BIKES HAVE NO BRAKES, NO LIGHTS OR NO SA OR NO SAFETY BELTS AS WELL.
SO WE ASK THAT YOU IMPLEMENT A LONGER TOWING SENTENCE.
NOT ONLY WILL IT SHOW THAT THE CITY IS, YOU KNOW, TAKING CARE OF WHAT THEY NEEDED TO TAKE CARE OF, BUT ALSO IT WHEN IT WILL GET AROUND TO OTHER PETTY CAVERS ALL AROUND THE COUNTRY THAT IF THEY COME TO HOUSTON, THEY DO NOT FOLLOW THE PROCEDURE, OBEY THE LAW FOR NOT ONLY FOR THE SAFETY OF ANY PEOPLE THAT ARE RIDING, BUT ALSO THE SAFETY OF, YOU KNOW, UM, THEM AS WELL.
THE OTHER THING IS, BACK IN THE DAY WHEN Y'ALL STARTED, WHEN PETTY CABERS FIRST STARTED, THEY IMPLEMENTED A DRUG TESTING PROCEDURE AND THEY HAD DRUG TESTING WHEN THEY STARTED.
WE ASK THAT YOU START THAT AGAIN PRIOR TO GETTING A PEDICAB LICENSE.
THE REASON BEING IS NOT ONLY DOES IT SHOW THAT WHEN I'M PROUD, WHEN I RIDE, I SAY WE HAVE INSURANCE, WE'RE INSPECTED.
WE CAN ALSO SAY WE TOOK DRUG TESTS SO THAT ANYBODY WHO RIDES WITH US KNOWS THAT WE'RE DOING THINGS SAFE.
THE OTHER ISSUE IS THE A RA IS WHEN THEY TOW, WE'VE SEEN THIS MULTIPLE TIMES.
SOMETIMES THEY ONLY COME OUT ONCE A MONTH.
AN EXCUSE THEY HAVE IS, OH, WELL, WE DON'T HAVE ANYBODY TO WORK NIGHT SHIFT.
WHEN AS IN LAST SATURDAY WHEN I WAS, WHEN THEY CLOSED DOWN ONE OF THE NIGHTCLUBS FOR UNDERAGE DRINKING, THE A RA WAS OUT AT THAT TIME.
BUT THEY'RE NEVER OUT CHECKING PETTY CABS OR DOING, YOU KNOW, AND WE'RE NOT TRYING TO BE NEGATIVE HERE.
WE'RE JUST ASKING THAT THE A A DOES MORE TO HELP US OUT BECAUSE THE MORE POLICING THEY DO, NOT ONLY DOES IT KEEP UNSAFE PETTY CABS OFF THE ROAD, US GOOD PETTY CABERS THAT, YOU KNOW, WANNA FOLLOW THE RULES AND REGULATIONS AND BE SAFE AND MAKES IT EASIER FOR US AS WELL.
THE OTHER THING WE ASK IS THAT WHEN ALSO THE THING IS A LOT OF THESE PETTY CABS, WE HAVE PEDAL ASSISTED DEVICES.
MINE, MYSELF, I'M HANDICAPPED MYSELF WITH A BAD KNEE AND USE A, USE A MOTOR TO HELP ME ALONG.
BUT THE OTHER THING IS, SOME OF THESE PETTY CABS HAVE MOTORS THAT THEY DON'T EVEN PEDAL.
AND WE ASK THAT DURING AN INSPECTION PROCESS, YOU ASK 'EM TO SHOW THAT THEY CAN PEDAL AT LEAST A HUNDRED YARDS DURING AN INSPECTION PROCESS.
UM, THOSE ARE THE MAIN THINGS WE JUST ASK.
IF YOU MAKE SOME SMALLER CHANGES BEFORE RODEO, WE WOULD APPRECIATE IT.
SIR, THANK YOU FOR COMING FORWARD.
YOU ACTUALLY LAID OUT IN A VERY SUCCINCT WAY, UH, UM, WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN IMPROVE THE ORDINANCE.
AND THOSE SMALL BUT IMPACTFUL CHANGES, I THINK COULD GO A LONG WAY.
AND SO, UM, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE'LL BE ABLE TO COLLABORATE ON.
SO WE'LL SPEAK FURTHER AFTER, AFTER THE DAY'S MEETING.
AND WE, LIKE I SAID, WE, IF WE CAN GET THAT DONE BEFORE THE RODEO, BEFORE ANY BIG EVENTS WE APPRECIATE.
NEXT SPEAKER, FRANK PIPKIN TO BE FOLLOWED BY CLAY SANDS.
MY NAME IS FRANK PIPKIN AND I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF, UH, OPERATING A PICO BUSINESS HERE IN HOUSTON FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
UH, IN THAT TIME, THIS CITY HAS BECOME A BLESSING TO MY FAMILY IN WAYS I NEVER COULD HAVE IMAGINED.
MY WIFE AND I, WHO HAVE RECENTLY CELEBRATED OUR 15TH ANNIVERSARY THIS YEAR, AND OUR THREE DAUGHTERS OFTEN RIDE THROUGH DOWNTOWN AND JOIN DISCOVERY GREEN AND EXPERIENCES, UH, AND EXPERIENCING HOUSTON'S BEAUTY UP CLOSE.
BEFORE SHARING MY CONCERNS, I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THE TREMENDOUS PROGRESS HOUSTON HAS MADE IN RECENT YEARS.
THE CITY'S COMMITMENT TO IMPROVING PUBLIC SPACING AND ENHANCING SAFETY
[01:00:01]
AND ELEVATING THE OVERALL HOUSTON EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN FELT BY RESIDENTS, FAMILIES, AND SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS LIKE MYSELF.HOWEVER, I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE THE PETTY CAB INDUSTRY IS FACING A GROWING CHALLENGE.
ONE THAT THREATENS BOTH PUBLIC SAFETY AND THE LIVELIHOOD OF LOCAL OPERATORS.
EACH YEAR, ESPECIALLY DURING MAJOR EVENTS LIKE THE RODEO, HOUSTON SEES A SIGNIFICANT INFLUX OF TRAVELING PEDICAB OPERATORS.
MANY OF THESE INDIVIDUALS DISREGARD CITY ORDINANCES, OVERLOOK ENFORCEMENT, AND OPERATE STRICTLY FOR SHORT TERM, SHORT TERM GAIN.
COLLECTIVELY, THEY TAKE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OUT OF HOUSTON ANNUALLY WITHOUT CONTRIBUTING TO THE LONG-TERM WELLBEING, REPUTATION, OR SAFETY OF OUR CITY.
THIS INFLUX CREATES SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERNS.
THE NUMBER OF PERMITTED PER CAPS CONTINUE TO RISE IN MANY OF THE AREAS WHERE WE OPERATE.
BUSY EVENT, EVENT ZONES AND ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT ARE OFTEN, UH, TIGHT AND, UH, CONGESTED.
MEANWHILE, THOSE OF US WHO CALL HOUSTON HOME, WHO FOLLOW THE RULES AND WHO VESTED IN COMMUNITY YEAR-ROUND ARE FINDING IT INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TO OPERATE SAFELY AND RESPONSIBLY.
FOR THESE REASONS, I'M RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING THAT THE COUNCIL CONSIDER PLACING A CAP ON A NUMBER OF PETTY CABS PERMITS ISSUED, AND THAT THESE PERMITS BE RESERVED FOR HOUSTON BASED BUSINESSES.
THIS WOULD, THIS WOULD SUPPORT LOCAL OPERATIONS, ENHANCE PUBLIC SAFETY AND HELP PRESERVE THE INTEGRITY OF AN INDUSTRY THAT CON THAT CONTRIBUTES MEANINGFULLY TO THE HOSPITALITY AND TERRORISM ECOSYSTEM OF OUR CITY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
NEXT SPEAKER, CLAY SANDS TO BE FOLLOWED BY KAUR.
RAMESH, UH, THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SPEAK TODAY.
UH, MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL, UH, MY NAME IS CLAY SANDS.
I'M FOUNDER OF THE FIT WILLING ENABLED PARENT FOUNDATION, AND I'M HERE TO ASK CITY COUNCIL, UH, TO, TO HELP ME ADVOCATE WITH THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND OTHER COUNTY LEADERS, UH, TO SPECIFICALLY, UH, ADVOCATE FOR ENFORCEMENT OF TEXAS.
PENAL CODE 25 0 3, TEXAS PENAL CO 25 0 3 IS INTERFERENCE WITH CHILD CUSTODY.
UH, OUR FAMILY COURT SYSTEM IS BROKEN AND IT NEEDS TO BE FIXED, AND I ADVOCATED THE LEGISLATIVE LEVEL FOR MODERNIZING OUR FAMILY CODE TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF KIDS AND GOOD PARENTS ALL ACROSS THE STATE.
BUT I'M HERE TODAY TO URGE THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR TO WORK WITH THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY, SEAN TIER AND OTHERS AT THE COUNTY LEVEL TO ENFORCE A CRIMINAL VIOLATION THAT HAPPENS OVER AND OVER AND OVER IN THE, IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND ACROSS THE STATE WHERE, UM, UH, PARENTS DON'T EXCHANGE THEIR CHILDREN, UH, WHEN THEY'RE ORDERED TO BY THE COURT.
IT IS A FELONY AND IT'S NEVER ENFORCED.
AND BECAUSE IT'S NEVER ENFORCED, KIDS DON'T GET TO SEE THEIR DADS.
94% OF THE TIME, DADS ARE THE NON-CUSTODIAL PARENTS.
SO WHEN THEY'RE NOT HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS FELONY, UH, THEY DO IT AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN.
AND, AND STUDIES SHOW THAT CRIME RATES ARE SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED.
MURDER, SUICIDE, ASSAULT, THEFT, AND SOCIETAL PROBLEMS LIKE SUICIDE, UM, UH, DEPRESSION, UH, UH, UH, ADDICTION.
ALL OF THESE ISSUES ARE SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED BECAUSE NOBODY IN LAW ENFORCEMENT OR IN THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TAKES CRIMINAL VIOLATIONS OF THE TEXAS FAMILY CODE SERIOUSLY FOR DECADES.
IT'S ALWAYS PUSHED BACK INTO FAMILY COURT, AND THAT FORCES THE NON-CUSTODIAL PARENT TO, TO ACT AS THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE PROSECUTOR.
OFTENTIMES, THE, THE DADS, BECAUSE THEY'RE THE NON-CUSTODIAL PARENTS, 94% OF THE TIME, DON'T HAVE THE MONEY, DON'T HAVE THE, UH, THE ENERGY, THEY DON'T HAVE THE EXPERTISE TO, UH, FORCE, UM, SOMEBODY TO HOLD, UH, THESE, UH, UH, PARENTS ACCOUNTABLE FOR NOT EXCHANGING THEIR KIDS.
THERE'S ALSO A HUGE PROBLEM IN OTHER AREAS OF THE FAMILY CODE THAT IS NOT ENFORCED, THAT INCREASES THE CRIME RATE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
THERE'S, THERE'S A MASSIVE PROBLEM WITH FALSE ALLEGATIONS TO CPS AND FAMILY AND THE, AND FAMILY COURTS.
THERE ARE BAD JUDGES AND BAD LAWYERS THAT ARE CORRUPT AND ARE REALLY DESTROYING THE LIVES OF MANY HOUSTONIANS.
I WOULD STRONGLY URGE, STRONGLY URGE ON BEHALF OF THE KIDS THAT ARE BEING AFFECTED AND, AND THE MANY, MANY LIVES THAT ARE BEING DESTROYED THAT, THAT THAT COUNCIL WORKED WITH.
UH, THIS, THE DA TO, YOU KNOW, SAVE LIVES.
SO WHAT, WHAT'S HAPPENING IS, IS IT THAT WHEN TIME FOR CUSTODY EXCHANGE IS OCCURRING AND IT DOESN'T TAKE PLACE AS, UM,
[01:05:01]
PERMITTED BY THE COURT, SOMEONE IS CALLING HPD AND THEY'RE NOT COMING? WELL, YEAH, IT, IT'S THE WHOLE GAMUT.UH, BECAUSE ARE YOU SAYING THAT THE CURRENT DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS WILLING TO ACCEPT CHARGES OR THEY'RE NOT ACCEPTING CHARGES? THEY'RE NOT, BECAUSE THE WAY IT'S BEEN DONE FOR DECADES IS IT'S A FAMILY COURT ISSUE.
THE LAW SPECIFICALLY SAYS, UH, ADDRESSES INTERFERENCE WITH CHILD CUSTODY, MAKING IT A STATE JAIL FELONY FOR A PERSON TO TAKE OR KEEP A CHILD UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE IN VIOLATION OF A COURT ORDER.
THIS OFFENSE CAN RESULT IN PENALTIES INCLUDING IMPRISONMENT FOR UP TO TWO YEARS.
SO WHEN YOU TALK TO THE DA'S OFFICE, WHAT, WHAT IS THEIR RESPONSE? WELL, I'VE HAD PROBLEMS HAVING, YOU KNOW, TALKING TO THE DA'S OFFICE.
THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I'M HERE.
AND, AND, AND THERE'S, THERE'S LOTS OF STUDIES THAT HAVE SHOWN THAT THAT CRIME IS, IS, YOU KNOW, EVERY WEEK IN THE CITY, SOMEBODY UNFORTUNATELY, YOU KNOW, LOSES IT WHEN THESE THINGS HAPPEN OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S YOUR KID.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE FREAK OUT AND THEY KILL THEMSELVES.
WELL, THIS IS, I'M GONNA GIVE YOU A HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT.
SO WHAT I WANT YOU TO DO IS YOU'RE GONNA, YOU'RE GONNA LAY THIS OUT IN THE EMAIL TO US, BUT I ALSO WANT YOU TO WRITE A FORM LETTER THAT YOU THINK THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO SIGN ONTO THAT WE COULD ADDRESS TO THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE REGARDING THIS.
AND THEN WE WILL REVIEW IT AND WE'LL SEE WHAT WE CAN DO.
UH, YOU KNOW, IF, IF WE COULD RECOGNIZE THE KIDS THEY'RE IN DIVORCE, MAYBE, YOU KNOW, MEN AND BOYS ARE BEING MARGINALIZED IN A BIG WAY BECAUSE OF OUR LAWS.
I KNOW YOU GUYS CAN'T CHARGE CHANGE THE LAWS, BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THOUSANDS OF KIDS AND DADS THAT ARE JUST DEVASTATED BECAUSE SOCIETY DOESN'T TAKE WHAT'S HAPPENING.
THIS HAS TO CHANGE GUYS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UH, I, ALONG WITH, UH, COUNCILMAN POLLARD, I, I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO SEND THAT INFORMATION AND I WOULD, WOULD LOVE TO SEE IT AS WELL, BECAUSE ARE YOU, ARE YOU THAT HAVE EVIDENCE OF THE FACT THAT THE, IF THE EXCHANGE IS NOT MADE, HPD IS SUPPOSED TO EXERCISE THE PEN CALL? WELL, THEY, THEY'VE BEEN TRAINED, UM, OVER THE YEARS TO JUST REFER IT TO FAMILY COURT.
SOME, SOME OFFICERS TAKE IT SERIOUSLY, SOME OFFICERS DON'T.
AND SO IF THEY COME OUT, THEY, THEY WON'T DO ANYTHING.
AND IF THEY DO DO SOMETHING, THE DAS DON'T TAKE THE CHARGES.
AND SO IT'LL HAPPEN AGAIN TWO OR THREE MONTHS DOWN THE ROAD, TWO OR THREE MONTHS DOWN THAT ROAD, OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
UH, THEY, THEY JUST OPERATE IN THIS WORLD, UH, WITH NO ACCOUNTABILITY AND, AND THEY'RE COMMITTING CRIMINAL OFFENSES THAT ARE DESTROYING PEOPLE.
I, I, I BECOME WELL AWARE OF THAT SITUATION DUE TO THE FACT THAT THERE ARE EVIDENCE AND A LOT OF DATA EVIDENCE IN REGARDS TO SOME OF THE PIECES THAT YOU LAID OUT IN REGARDING TO THE CONNECTION WITH YOUNG PEOPLE AND CRIME NUMBERS.
SO I WOULD BE INTERESTED TO, UM, UH, FOLLOW UP AS WELL TO SEE, UH, BY WAY OF WHY THIS IS NOT TAKING PLACE, TAKING PLACE, AND I'LL EXTEND IT AS WELL.
AND AGAIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
PRO TE THANK YOU, SIR, FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
UM, I, I UNDERSTAND THE, THE DIFFICULTIES INVOLVED, UH, FROM A PROSECUTOR'S PERSPECTIVE, THOSE ARE DIFFICULT CASES TO MAKE AND, UH, ARE POLICE ARE OVERBURDENED ALREADY WITH, UM, CASES THEY NEED TO INVESTIGATE.
LET ME ASK YOU, HAVE YOU, UM, GOTTEN INVOLVED WITH, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, MR. RAMIREZ, A LOT OF TIMES THE CASES ARE NOT HARD TO INVESTIGATE.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE JUST BLACK AND WHITE.
UM, I WAS GONNA ASK YOU, UM, HAVE YOU, UH, MADE PEOPLE AWARE THAT HALF THE JUDGES IN THE COUNTY ARE UP FOR ELECTION NEXT YEAR, WHICH I ASSUME THAT INCLUDES ALL THE FAMILY COURT JUDGES.
I, I, I HAVE, AND I'VE WORKED FOR MANY OF THESE NEWLY ELECTED JUDGES, UM, BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT ALL CREATED EQUAL.
AND THERE ARE SOME BAD ONES OUT THERE.
BUT, AND, AND SO MY POINT IS, UM, IF YOU'RE WANTING TO HOLD SOMEBODY ACCOUNTABLE AND THE FAMILY COURT JUDGES AREN'T DOING ANYTHING ABOUT THESE SITUATIONS, THEN UH, THE BALLOT BOX IS WHERE JUDGES ARE HELD ACCOUNTABLE, UH, IN, IN TEXAS.
WELL, THAT IS TRUE, BUT WHEN THEY COMMIT CRIMINAL OFFENSES, WHEN WHILE THEY'RE ACTING JUDGES AND, AND, AND THOSE OFFENSES ARE NOT PROSECUTED OR INVESTIGATED BY A LAW ENFORCEMENT OR THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, THEY GET AWAY WITH IT.
THE COURT RECORD IS OFTEN USED AS A WAY TO COVER UP FOR, UH, UNETHICAL AND ILLEGAL BEHAVIOR INSIDE
[01:10:01]
OF A COURTROOM, BECAUSE YOU CAN'T AFFORD IT IF YOU'VE BEEN IN COURT FOR 10 YEARS.AND THAT IS THE EVIDENCE BY WHICH, YOU KNOW, JUDGES, UH, PROTECT THEMSELVES.
IT'S THE COURT RECORD AND IT'S, IT'S NOT ACCESSIBLE.
WELL, MAYBE THAT'S WHAT YOU NEED TO BE TALKING ABOUT TO THE VOTERS.
NEXT SPEAKER, KAUR RAMESH TO BE FOLLOWED BY TERRY WALTER.
UM, GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL.
SIR, CAN YOU STEP IN FRONT OF THE MICROPHONE? THANK YOU.
UH, MY NAME IS RAMESH KAUR AND I'M SENIOR CITIZEN, 84 YEARS OLD.
I'M HERE BECAUSE I WAS ILLEGALLY REMOVED FROM MY HOME AND BUSINESS AT 9 0 2 2 BEVERLY HILL STREET.
I HAVE LOST EVERYTHING WITHOUT ANY EVICTION CASE, WITHOUT ANY NOTICE, WITHOUT ANY ORDER FROM THE JUSTICE OF PEACE COURT FOR FORCIBLE DINNER ACTION, OR FOR ANY EVICTION ACTION.
I ORIGINALLY LEASED THIS PROPERTY FROM MS. LULA JACKSON, WHO PASSED AWAY IN SEPTEMBER, 2011.
SINCE HER DEATH, I HAVE REMAINED IN CONTINUOUS PEACEFUL POSSESSION, AND I HAVE PAID THE PROPERTY TAXES EVEN BEFORE SHE DIED.
THE TAXI WERE OLD AND I WENT TO HER BROTHER, BROTHER SAID, I DON'T GET ALONG WITH MY SISTER.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO, AND I'M NOT PAYING A ARM.
THEY SAID, YOU, YOU'LL BE THROWN OUT UNLESS YOU ARE WILLING TO PAY.
AND I DID PAY, I PAID 18,001 TIME, 6,000, AND ALL THE TAXES WERE PAID, UH, UM, EXCEPT FOR A SMALL PORTION TO PREVENT FORECLOSURE AND TO MAINTAIN THE PROPERTY MYSELF.
IN 2019, JUSTICE OF PEACE CODE PRECINCT FIVE PUT PLACE ONE UNDER CAUSE NUMBER 1 9 5 1 0 0 3 6 3 3 5 8 CONFIRMED MY LAWFUL POSSESSION.
AND LATER A MAN NAMED JAMES PORTER CLAIMED TO BE LEGAL HERE AND BEGAN TO HARASS ME.
THE POLICE WERE CALLED AND THE POLICE TOLD HIM VERY CLEARLY, IT'S A CIVIL MATTER, GO TO COURT.
IF WE SEE YOU HERE HARASSING THIS MAN, WE'LL PUT YOU IN JAIL OR ARREST YOU.
OKAY? WHILE THIS CASE WAS PENDING, HE FILE LAWSUIT WHILE THIS CASE WAS PENDING.
UM, THE COME HE, HE SOLD THIS PROPERTY.
JAMES PORTER, THE GENTLEMAN WHO CLAIMED THAT HE, HE'S THE LEGAL HERE, THAT THEY, A COMPANY BY THE NAME CAMINO NOVO.
HE, THAT THE, HE BOUGHT THE PROPERTY, MR. PORTER, ABSOLUTELY UNDER THE LAWS OF TAX UNITED STATES.
UNLESS YOU ARE THE OWNER OR YOU HAVE INTEREST IN THE PROPERTY, OR YOU HAVE SOME STANDING, YOU CANNOT SELL ANY PROPERTY TO ANYBODY ELSE THAT PROPERTY.
OKAY? WHILE, UH, WHILE THIS CASE WAS PENDING, CAMINO NVO WENT TO YOUR TIME, HAS EXPIRED DIFFERENT CODE AT EACH ORDER.
ORDER, SIR, NO NOTICE TO ME, SIR.
COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD, THANK YOU, SIR, FOR COMING FORWARD.
IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE IN A, A DIFFICULT SITUATION.
YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER IS TIFFANY THOMAS AND DISTRICT F AND I WOULD, I WOULD HAVE YOU TO REALLY HOLD HER ACCOUNTABLE TO ENSURE THAT YOU GET ALL THE REPRESENTATION THAT YOU NEED.
WHAT HER? I AM ON THIS STREET, A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS DISTRICT.
MY BUSINESS IS TIFFANY THOMAS IS GONNA TAKE CARE OF YOU.
THEY TOOK ALL MY STUFF FROM INSIDE.
THE COUNTRY COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS.
HOW ARE YOU? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I'M GLAD, I'M GLAD YOU'RE DOING WELL.
SO WE KNOW, AND COLLEAGUES, I WANNA DIRECT YOUR ATTENTION TO ARON ARTICLE THAT WAS PUBLISHED THIS SUMMER IN 2025 ABOUT A SQUATTING ISSUE IN PINE POINT.
YOU REMEMBER THAT YEAR IN THERE THEY WERE LOOKING FOR YOU.
AND SO MY FRIEND, WE KNOW THAT THIS PROPERTY HAS BEEN, UM, UH, IN CONFLICT BETWEEN THE FAMILY, THE HEIRS OF THE PROPERTY, AND
[01:15:01]
YOU WHO ABSORBED, WHO ESTABLISHED TENANT RIGHTS AFTER MS. JACKSON PASSED AWAY, RIGHT? AND SO WE KNOW THAT THERE HAVE BEEN ROUTINE REQUESTS, UH, FOR YOU TO DO IT FOR A VARIETY OF THINGS YOU'VE BUILT ON THE PROPERTY WITHOUT PERMITS.MY FRIEND DAWN'S BEEN OUT THERE, MY FRIEND.
MS. LULA, MAYOR JACKSON, MS. JACKSON PASSED AWAY, MY FRIEND, AND MS. JACKSON.
NOW, YOU KNOW, MS. JACKSON AIN'T GIVE YOU THAT HOUSE.
NOW YOU KNOW, MS. JACKSON AIN'T SIGNED THAT HOUSE.
RIGHT? SO WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS SARIAH ON MY TEAM, SHE'S HERE.
SHE'S GONNA WORK WITH YOU, AND I'M GONNA MEET YOU IN THE BACK AND WE GONNA TALK ABOUT IT, OKAY? BECAUSE I DON'T WANT YOU TO TELL THE REST OF YOUR BUSINESS ON THIS MIC.
AND I'M GONNA SEE YOU OUT IN THE HALLWAY.
I'M, I'M GONNA SEE YOU IN THE HALLWAY.
I DIDN'T WHAT? I'M GONNA SEE YOU IN THE HALLWAY.
I'M GONNA MEET YOU IN THE HALLWAY.
THE ONLY THING I IS EXPLAINING, I WE KNOW, I KNOW MY FRIEND.
I'M ABOUT TO MEET YOU IN THE HALLWAY.
NEXT SPEAKER, THE HOSPITAL, TERRY WALTER PROPERTY TO BE FOLLOWED BY CARRIE CASE.
UM, I'M A RESIDENT HERE IN THE MEMORIAL AREA IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
I WAS ADVISED TO ATTEND THIS MEETING BY SUNNYSIDE MAYOR, UH, SANDRA HINES, UM, IN REFERENCE TO AN ASSAULT THAT I WAS ASSAULTED AT THE STOP AT THE SHOP AND GO AT 12, LOCATED AT 1222 BISSONNET STREET, IN WHICH, UM, I'M A HAIR AND MAKEUP ARTIST IN THE FILM ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY, AS WELL AS, UH, FREELANCE JOURNALIST FOR TMZ.
AND ALSO, UM, I WORK IN CARPET MARKET FOR OVER 10 YEARS.
AND, UH, THESE ARE, THIS IS ONE OF THE STORE LOCATIONS THAT I WENT TO, IN WHICH I FELT THE POLICE WERE VERY BIASED AND TREATED ME AS IF I WAS THE, UH, AGGRESSOR.
BUT, UM, I WAS REFERRED TO AS A N****R, WHICH IS VERY OFFENSIVE, AS WELL AS BEING HIT BY THE STORE CLERK.
THIS IS WHEN I, THE INCIDENT OCCURRED.
I SHOWED THE POLICE OFFICER MY PAPERWORK THAT I WAS, IT WAS A LOCATION THAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO GO TO.
IT WAS VERY OFFENSIVE, AND I DIDN'T LIKE THE WAY THAT THE POLICE HANDLED THE INCIDENT, HANDLED THE SITUATION.
UM, I HAVE INCIDENT NUMBER JUST AS WELL AS I HAD TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL AFTER THE INCIDENT DUE TO SWELLING THAT OCCURRED IN MY WRIST.
UM, I HAVE TO SEEK FURTHER MEDICAL ATTENTION DUE TO NERVE DAMAGE, BUT NOTHING WAS DONE ABOUT IT.
IT'S BEEN NOW, THE INCIDENT OCCURRED ON, UM, LET ME SEE.
UH, THAT MORNING MY PHONE WAS CRACKED.
AND, UM, I WAS JUST ONLY TRYING TO DO MY JOB AT THE TIME.
AND, UH, AT THE TIME I WAS REFERRED TO AS A N****R.
I WENT TO PICK UP MY PHONE AND THE CLERK CAME ACROSS THE STORE, SLAPPED MY PHONE OUTTA MY HAND, UM, VERY IRATE AND NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE ABOUT IT.
SO, UH, I WAS TOLD BY THE POLICE OFFICERS THAT IT WAS GOING TO BE SENT TO THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
I HAVEN'T HEARD BACK ANYTHING, WHICH I SPOKE TO.
THE INCIDENT REPORT WAS TAKEN BY, UH, OFFICER FAN V OR V FAN UNIT 1 9 6 4 4 D.
THE INCIDENT INCIDENT REPORT NUMBER IS 1 5 2 1 9 2 4 2 5 N.
SO IT'S VERY UNACCEPTABLE IN TODAY'S CLIMATE WITH WHAT'S GOING ON.
IT, IT'S VERY, VERY UNACCEPTABLE.
AND, UH, I DIDN'T LIKE THE WAY THAT I WAS TREATED BY THE OFFICERS.
I DIDN'T LIKE THE WAY THAT I WAS TREATED BY THE STORE CLERK TO THE POINT THAT I HAD TO TELL THE OFFICER I'D ALREADY BEEN APPROACHED AGGRESSIVELY.
AND I ASKED THE OFFICER AT THE TIME TO SHOW COMPASSION.
AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, I STILL DON'T FEEL COMPASSION BECAUSE MY PHONE HASN'T RINGED.
SIR, I'M SORRY THAT THAT SITUATION HAPPENED TO YOU.
NO ONE DESERVES TO BE TALKED TO OR TREATED THAT WAY.
UM, I'M GONNA SPEAK TO YOU OFFLINE ABOUT SOME, UH, IDEAS I HAVE, UH, FOR YOU AND, AND, UH, HOPEFULLY WE CAN FIND SOME RESOLUTION FOR YOU.
[01:20:05]
TO BE FOLLOWED BY IVY SHERMAN.I AM THE MANAGER AND OPERATOR FOR MOVING WATERS HOUSTON.
UH, WE ARE THE MOBILE SHOWER SERVICE SERVING THE UNHOUSED THROUGH FOUR LOCATIONS ACROSS HOUSTON.
WE PARTNER WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO PROVIDE HOT IDS, MEALS, HOUSING ASSESSMENTS, VETERAN SERVICES, HYGIENE DRIVES, AND CLOTHES.
AT THIS TIME, IN 2025, MOVING WATERS HAS PROVIDED 6,329 SHOWERS.
OUR WARMING CENTER CRITERIA IS WHAT BRINGS ME HERE TO YOU TODAY.
CURRENTLY HOUSTON HAS ONE OF THE LOWEST, UH, THRESHOLDS AT 24 DEGREES, OR A SUSTAINED WINDCHILL OF 15 DEGREES, WHICH HAS TO BE MAINTAINED FOR TWO HOURS.
DALLAS AND LUBBOCK OPENED THEIR WARMING CENTERS AT 32 DEGREES WITH DRY CONDITIONS AND 36 DEGREES WITH WET.
AUSTIN OPENS THEIRS AT 35, OR WHEN THE REAL FEEL IS 32 DEGREES.
SAN ANTONIO IS THE CLOSEST TO OURS, BUT SIX DEGREES HIGHER AT 30 DEGREES.
THE UNHOUSED PEOPLE ARE OFTEN UNABLE TO HAVE MANY BELONGINGS, AND THEY USUALLY OPT ADDRESSED IN LAYERS.
INSTEAD OF HAULING LARGE BLANKETS THAT TAKE UP SPACE, IT'S ALREADY A CHALLENGE TO STAY CLEAN AND DRY, BUT A DAUNTING TASK TO STAY WARM AND THREATENING WEATHER.
THE BODY CAN START TO EXPERIENCE SYMPTOMS OF HYPOTHERMIA AT 40 DEGREES.
THIS IS WHEN THEIR BLOOD PRESSURE DROPS, THEY BECOME DIZZY, FATIGUE SITS IN, AND IT HURTS TO BREATHE.
A MAN FROZE TO DEATH AT A METRO BUS STOP DURING THE 2025 SNOW.
WE CAN'T ATTRIBUTE ALL THE DEATHS FROM THE STORM TO THAT, BUT DEFINITELY, UM, WHENEVER YOU LIVE OUTSIDE, IT DEFINITELY PLAYS A FACTOR IN IT.
SO, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE COUNCIL, I ASK THAT WE PUT OURSELVES IN THEIR POSITION EXPOSED TO THE ELEMENTS UNDER CLOTHES ALONE AND OUR BODIES FIGHTING FOR WARMTH.
MY PROPOSAL IS SETTING OUR WARMING CRITERIA TO BE IN LINE WITH THE OTHER MAJOR CITIES IN TEXAS.
AND 2025 HOUSTON EXPERIENCED TWO DAYS BELOW 24 DEGREES, BUT NINE DAYS BELOW FREEZING TEMPERATURES, HOUSTON LEADS THE WAY IN HANDLING HOMELESSNESS.
AND IT'S HONESTLY SOMETHING I'M VERY PROUD OF.
UM, AND A LOT OF CITIES FOLLOW OUR EXAMPLE ON HOW WE HANDLE THIS, BUT, UM, WE COULD ADJUST THIS SMALL AREA TO ALLEVIATE SUFFERING AND SUPPORT OUR UNHOUSED CITIZENS OF HOUSTON.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS, THE MICROPHONE.
UM, THIS IS SOMETHING WE'VE LOOKED AT AS WELL AND, UH, WE'LL BE FOLLOWING UP WITH, WITH OEM.
NOW, THE INDIVIDUAL WHO, UM, DIED FROM EXPOSURE AT THE METRO BUS STOP MM-HMM
WAS THAT A CASE WHERE THERE WAS NOT A WARMING CENTER AVAILABLE OR WAS IT THAT THE INDIVIDUAL WAS NOT CAPABLE OF UNDERSTANDING? HE HE NEEDED TO BE IN A SHELTER? IT DIDN'T SAY OR SPECIFY IN THE ARTICLES THAT I'VE READ, BUT I WILL SAY THAT WITHIN THE WARMING CENTERS, THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE INFORMATION GETTING OUT TO UNHOUSED PEOPLE IN TIME.
IT, UH, ALSO US REACHING THAT TEMPERATURE AND THEN ALSO THEY ARE FAIRLY SPACED OUT.
I APPRECIATE YOUR CONCERN AND WE'LL BE FOLLOWING UP.
NEXT SPEAKER IVY SHERMAN TO BE FOLLOWED BY GREGORY MCAFEE.
OKAY, UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, CITY COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS MS. SHERMAN AND I LIVE IN THE GREENLAND GROVE SUBDIVISION OF HOUSTON, TEXAS.
I'M COMING TO TO REPORT A SAFETY CONCERN REGARDING A VACANT HOUSE BEHIND MY PROPERTY.
THE TREES IN THE YARD ARE EXTREMELY OVERGROWN AND HANG OVER MY ROOF, AND I'M ALWAYS CONCERNED WHEN HURRICANE AND TORNADO SEASON ARE APPROACHING THAT ONE OF THE TREES COULD FALL AND CAUSE DAMAGE TO MY PROPERTY.
THERE'RE ALSO LOOSE WIRES HANGING AROUND THE BACK, MY BACKYARD, MY FENCE.
THERE ARE LOOSE WIRES JUST HANGING FROM THIS VACANT HOUSE THAT MAY PRESENT ANOTHER SAFETY HAZARD.
I'VE CALLED AT AND T I'VE CALLED COMCAST, I'VE CALLED PHONE COMPANIES.
THEY SAID THE WI THE WIRES ARE NOT, UM, LIKE, THEY'RE NOT LIVE WIRES, BUT STILL, IT JUST DOESN'T
[01:25:01]
LOOK GOOD.IT'S JUST A, IT, IT, IT'S JUST AN EYESORE.
I WHO, WHO WANTS LOOSE WIRES HANGING AROUND IN THEIR BACKYARD? I DON'T.
SO AT THIS POINT I'VE CALLED, UM, ALL OF THESE PEOPLE.
I'VE CALLED DISTRICT D I'VE ASKED, NOW DISTRICT D DID SEND, I DON'T KNOW, THEY DID WITH COMMUNITY, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS, AND THEY WENT OUT AND THEY CUT THE GRASS AND OKAY, THAT'S FINE.
MY CONCERN IS THE LONG, THE TALL TREES GROWING OVER MY ROOF.
GUESS WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT? NONE OF THESE TREES ARE IN MY BACKYARD.
AND IT'S A VACANT HOUSE ALSO, RECENTLY, IT WAS ON THE NEWS OR ON A NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS, SOMEBODY, THEY FOUND SOMEBODY'S BONES IN THERE.
WHEN SOME OF THE CITY PEOPLE WENT OUT THERE, THEY FOUND DEAD BONE, YOU KNOW, BONES IN THERE.
SO SOMEONE'S DIED IN THERE, YOU KNOW, SO IT'S A, THIS HOUSE IS A NUISANCE.
AND YOU, YOU COME INTO CITY COUNCIL IS MY LAST RESORT BECAUSE I NEED SOME HELP.
IT'S GOING OVER MY HOUSE, IT'S GOING OVER MY N NEIGHBOR, THE NEIGHBORS, THEY JUST BUILT A HOUSE THERE.
I'M SURPRISED THEY DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING BEFORE BUILDING.
THEN IT'S GOING OVER MY OTHER NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE.
I'M THE ONE THAT'S, I'M UPSET.
OKAY? SO I GUESS IT JUST TAKES ONE PERSON.
BUT I'M HERE AND I NEED SOME HELP.
I'M REQUESTING THAT AN INSPECTION BE CONDUCTED AND THAT THE NECESSARY MAINTENANCE AND SAFETY MEASURES BE TAKEN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
THIS IS MY PROPERTY, YOU KNOW, AND I, I'M, I'M CONCERNED FOR MY SAFETY IN THERE.
AND SOMETHING HAPPENS AND THE TREE FALLS IN.
I'VE HEARD SOMETHING RECENTLY IN THE LAST STORM THAT, THAT HAPPENED.
I'VE CALLED A TREE CUTTING PLACE TO TRY TO TAKE CARE OF IT MYSELF, TO HAVE IT CUT BACK OFF, YOU KNOW, PRUNED OFF OF MY HOUSE.
BUT OF COURSE IT WAS A LITTLE BIT TOO MUCH AND I CAN'T AFFORD THAT RIGHT NOW.
SO I'M ASKING THAT THE PERSON THAT OWNS THIS PROPERTY BE ACCOUNTABLE AND CUT BACK THESE TREES.
I'VE ALSO LEARNED ABOUT A NEW, UM, THING, AND IT'S CALLED RAT HARBORAGE.
I'VE HAD, UH, I'VE HAD TO CALL OUT PEST CONTROL TO COME AND TAKE CARE OF THE RATS THAT ARE COMING FROM THE TREES AT THE TOP INTO MY ATTIC.
I DO SEE HERE THAT, UM, A CHECK BACK INSPECTION IS ACTUALLY SCHEDULED FOR THE PROPERTY FOR TODAY.
AND CHRIS, UM, WITH PUBLIC WORKS, HE'S THERE IN THE BACK.
HE CAN GIVE YOU SOME MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT.
BUT FIRST, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS.
UH, MS. SHERMAN, I'M SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR SITUATION, BUT THANK YOU FOR COMING DOWN AND BRINGING IT TO ATTENTION.
YOU HAVE NO, YOU HAVE, YOU DON'T KNOW WHO THIS PERSON, THE OWNER OF THE VACANT HOUSE IS.
SO, UH, I THINK WITH THE PUBLIC WORKS SEEKING INTO IT, WE'LL FIND OUT.
WELL, I MEAN, I LOOKED IT UP YEARS AGO, BUT HE NEVER RESPONDED TO MY REQUEST FROM HIM.
BUT SOMEBODY ELSE TOLD ME THAT IT'S BEEN SOLD RECENTLY.
THAT I'M WOULD ASSUME THAT IT'S PROBABLY NO LONGER UNDER THAT.
BUT MY THING IS, I DON'T WANT TO JUST COME AND DO THIS AND NOTHING IS DONE.
I NEED SOME, I NEED, IT'S, IT'S JUST EVERY, AND THEN SOME.
AND I SPOKE TO SEAN THE OTHER YESTERDAY AND HE TOLD ME THAT, UH, WELL WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING TO THE HEALTHY IT, IT NEEDS TO BE HEALTHY ON HIS PROPERTY.
AND IT'S COMING FROM HIS BACKYARD.
OKAY, WELL, WE'LL DEFINITELY PURSUE IT.
HE'LL, HE'LL GET PUBLIC WORKS.
THANK, I'M NOT, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME VENT.
I'M SO GLAD WE HAVE THIS, YOU KNOW, OPPORTUNITY.
WHAT WE'RE FEELING IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND CHRIS, UM, IS GOING TO MEET WITH YOU.
NEXT SPEAKER, GREGORY MCAFEE TO BE FOLLOWED BY ATDA SAL COLLINS.
I'M HERE BECAUSE OF A VIOLATION NOTICE GIVEN TO MY 99-YEAR-OLD FATHER FOR A LOT THAT HE OWNS IN, UH, UM, HERE IN THE CITY.
UH, I TRIED ALL OTHER MEANS BEFORE COMING TO COUNCIL TO PRESENT THIS BEFORE YOU TODAY, I CUT THE LIGHT ON NOVEMBER THE SEVENTH, 2024.
ON NOVEMBER THE 14TH, I RETURNED TO THE PROPERTY AND THERE WAS A VIOLATION NOTICE DATED NOVEMBER THE EIGHTH, 2024, STATING THAT THE GRASS NEEDED TO BE CUT, REMOVED THE TRASH IN THE RUBBISH, AND THE PICTURE WAS TAKEN BY THE INSPECTOR.
THAT'S THE FIRST PICTURE THAT, THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT THERE.
I DON'T SEE THE TRASH IN THE RUBBISH THERE, BUT NEVERTHELESS, IT WAS THERE.
UH, HE STATED ON THE VIOLATION NOTICE WITH THAT, YOU SEE, SO THAT'S LESS THAN THE 24 HOURS AFTER I CUT IT.
THE VIOL, THE VIOLATION NOTICE ALSO STATE, IF YOU LOOK FOR THE CORRECTION DATE, THE CORRECTION DATE SAYS THAT IT NEED TO BE CORRECTED BY NOVEMBER THE 15TH, 2025.
UH, MY FATHER RECEIVED A CITATION IN THE TICKET IN MARCH OF 2125.
NEVERTHELESS, MY 99-YEAR-OLD FATHER HAD TO
[01:30:01]
GO DOWN TO COURT BECAUSE IF HE DIDN'T, HE WOULD'VE BEEN ISSUING A WARRANT FOR NOT APPEARING IN COURT.AN ABATEMENT WAS DONE IN JULY OF 2025.
UM, WE DIDN'T KNOW WHO CUT THE LOT.
AN ATTEMPT WAS, UH, MADE THIS YEAR.
SOMEBODY TRIED TO STEAL THE PROPERTY, FORGED MY FATHER'S SIGNATURE ON A DEED.
SO WE WERE THINKING THAT SOMEBODY WAS TRYING TO PROCEED WITH THAT PROCESS.
IT WASN'T UNTIL NOVEMBER THE FIFTH, 2025 WHEN WE REC, MY FATHER RECEIVED THE ABATEMENT FROM THE CITY THAT WE KNEW THAT THE CITY HAD THE PROPERTY CAUGHT CUT IN A LIEN AND ASSESSMENT THAT ALREADY HAD TWO MONTHS OF INTEREST ON IT.
UM, THE CONTRACTORS THAT PERFORMED THE ABATEMENT LEFT SO MUCH TREE DEBRIS THAT I CAN NO LONGER CUT IT WITH A LAWNMOWER.
WHEN I CALLED THE CITY AND ASKED ABOUT WHO CUT IT, IF THEY WOULD COME BACK AND CLEAN UP THE PROPERTY, THEY TOLD ME THAT I WOULD HAVE TO CONTACT THE CONTRACTOR AND ASK THEM TO CLEAN IT.
I SAID, I CONTRACTED THAT THE CITY SECURED TO CUT.
I SAID, CAN I GET THAT INFORMATION? AND THEY TOLD ME THE CASE WAS CLOSED.
WHAT I WANT IS THE LIEN ON THE PROPERTY TO BE REMOVED.
THE BILL FOR THE ABATEMENT TO BE CANCELED.
THE TREE, UH, THE TREE DEBRIS LEFT BY THE CONTRACTOR TO BE REMOVED.
SO THE PROPERTY, THE PROPERTY CAN BE CUT WITH A LAWNMOWER.
UM, IT NEVER SHOULD HAVE GONE THIS FAR.
THE VIOLATION NOTICE STATED THAT THE CORRECTION DATE WAS NOVEMBER THE 15TH, 2025.
I CAN PRODUCE DOCUMENTATION THROUGHOUT THE YEAR WHERE I MAINTAINED THE PROPERTY WITH PICTURES.
UH, THIS HAS CAUSED NECESSARY STRESS TO MY FATHER AND ME, ME WATCHING HIM AND LISTENING TO HIM WORRYING ABOUT IT.
UH, IT IS CAUSED EXPENSE FOR MY 99-YEAR-OLD FATHER.
I REALLY WANNA SEE HIM REACH HIS 100TH BIRTHDAY.
UH, PLEASE HELP ME WITH THIS MATTER SO I CAN TELL MY FATHER IT'S TAKING CARE OF AND STOP WORRYING ABOUT IT.
SIR, I'M SORRY TO HEAR THAT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH THIS.
UM, IT LOOKS LIKE THIS, UM, IS GOING TO BE RECOMMENDED FOR A LEGAL REVIEW AND THAT THE LIEN IS GOING TO BE CONSIDERED FOR DISMISSAL DUE TO THE INCORRECT NOTICE.
AND, UM, I BELIEVE CHRIS FROM PUBLIC WORKS IS STILL OUTSIDE.
HE CAN GIVE YOU SOME MORE INFORMATION.
BUT FIRST, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN.
'CAUSE THIS SOUNDS LIKE A SERIES OF MISTAKES AND I APPRECIATE YOUR COMING DOWN HERE AND I APPRECIATE ALL YOU'VE DONE TO MAINTAIN THE PROPERTY.
AND I'M SO SORRY YOU AND YOUR FATHER HAVE HAD TO GO THROUGH THIS.
AND RENEE, CAN YOU MAKE SURE THAT HE GETS IN TOUCH WITH CHRIS OUTSIDE? THANK YOU.
THAT'S WHY I HAVE, I I'M HAVING YOU GUYS SAY IT.
MY NAME IS COLLINS, FOUNDER AND OWNER OF GAMES, UH, FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON WORLD CUP BUDGETS.
SO THE US CITY OF HOUSTON IS SPENDING A LOT OF MONEY FOR THE WORLD CUP.
SO FOR THE WORLD CUP BUDGET, CAN SOME FUNDS BE APPROPRIATED FOR THESE GAMES RIGHT HERE? BECAUSE SOME BASED THERE IN HOUSTON.
CHAIRS HAS BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME.
THEY'VE SOLD MILLIONS OF GAMES.
MONOPOLY HAS SOLD 275 MILLION UNIT OF GAMES.
THIS CAN BE THE NUMBER ONE BOARD GAME IN THE WORLD RIGHT HERE IN HOUSTON.
THESE ARE THE GAMES, THE BIGGEST SPOTS IN AMERICA, AND THE BIGGEST SPOTS IN THE WORLD.
AND, UM, THIS, THIS GAME CAN HOST 300 PLAYERS IN 50 MINUTES.
THERE'S NO SPOT ON IT THAT CAN HOST 300 PLAYERS.
IN 50 MINUTES, THERE'S GONNA BE A REFEREE AND THERE'S GONNA BE WHISTLE.
AND THE TOP THREE WINNERS GET PRIZES.
UM, THIS GAME IS GOING TO LAST FOR GENERATIONS AND FOREVER, LIKE THE GAME OF CHESS.
WE CAN SELL OVER 350 MILLION UNITS OF THIS GAME, UH, AND BECOME THE BESTSELLING BOARD GAME IN THE WORLD.
THIS IS GOING TO GENERATE BILLIONS OF TAX RECEIPTS OR TAX REVENUE FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND ECONOMIC ACTIVITY FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
IN A WORLD OF SOCIAL MEDIA, SMARTPHONES AND SCREAM, UH, THERE ARE JUST TOO MANY BROKEN HOMES, FAILED MARRIAGES, FAILED RELATIONSHIP STRESS, DEPRESSION,
[01:35:01]
ISOLATION, SLEEP DEPRIVATION, BLOOD VISION, UH, DIGITAL EYE STRAIN AND LONELINESS IN OUR WARD TODAY.AND, UH, ACCORDING TO WHAT, UH, CLAY, SANDY WAS TALKING ABOUT, ABOUT CRIME, WE FEEL THAT THIS GAME CAN REDUCE ALL THE CRIME IN THE, IN THE WORLD, ESPECIALLY HERE IN AMERICA.
THIS IS THE GAME BECAUSE WHEN YOU FIX RELATIONSHIP, EVERYTHING IS ALL GONNA FALL IN PLACE.
CRIME, EVERYTHING IS GOING TO REDUCE.
UH, SO THIS, THE GAME CALLED TOING IS THE DIFFERENCE MAKER.
IT IMPROVES THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND SOCIETAL WELLBEING IN TODAY'S DIGITAL WORLD.
IT FIGHTS THE EPIDEMIC OF LONELINESS IN OUR WORLD TODAY.
SIR, REALLY QUICKLY, YOU WANNA TELL US HOW THE GAME WORKS? OH, YES.
SO, UH, YOU SCORE TOUCHDOWN AND GO, YOU SCORE TOUCHDOWN AND GO.
AND THERE'S GOING TO BE A REFEREND.
THE TOP THREE IN OUR WILL EMERGE.
AND, UH, WE KNOW THAT, UM, THE, THIS GAME RIGHT HERE IS FOR EMPLOYEES.
SO 164 MILLION EMPLOYEES IN THE US.
UH, YOU HAVE A WEBSITE? I HAVE A WEBSITE.
WHAT'S YOUR WEBSITE? SO THIS IS EMPLOYEES BOARD GAME.COM.
SO EMPLOYEES ON THE WORLD, TEENAGERS BOARD GAME.COM.
TEENAGERS ON THE WORLD, SIX TO 18.
260 MILLION AND 5 MILLION WORLDWIDE.
AND SO, UH, THE FUNDS FOR THE WORLD CUP, SOME OF IT CAN BE APPROPRIATE TO THIS BECAUSE THIS FIXES A LOT OF THE ISSUE WE ARE HAVING IN THE SOCIAL MEDIA ERA, SMARTPHONE ERA AND SCREEN ERROR.
TEXT THOSE LINKS TO THE WEBSITES, TO OUR EMAIL.
AND I WOULD LOVE IF, IF I CAN HAVE ALL THE MEMBERS EMAIL, I WANT TO SEND EVERYONE MORE INFORMATION.
GO ONLINE AND TYPE IN HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND YOU'LL YOU'LL FIND ALL OF OUR, UM, SORRY.
WELL, WHAT DID YOU SAY? GO TO WHERE YOU'RE GONNA, YOU'RE GONNA GOOGLE HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
AND YOU'LL FIND ALL OF OUR BIOS WITH OUR WEBSITES TO OUR, I MEAN EMAILS TO OUR OFFICES ON THERE.
NEXT SPEAKER, JOSEPH ED HENLEY, LEMME TAKE TO BE FOLLOWED BY STEVE WILLIAMS. YES, MA'AM.
THANK YOU CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR HAVING ME AGAIN FOR THE FOURTH TIME, UH, UM, ADVOCATING YOUR HEALTH, UH, AND SAVING THE OIL WELL LOCATED AT THE 3,300 BLOCK OF MONTROSE.
THIS RESOURCE IS A DIVINE GIFT FROM GOD.
I, UH, MENTIONED THAT I AM NOT FROM HERE.
I WAS SENT FROM THE CARIBBEAN, NO CLUE, BUT TOOK A STEP OF FAITH, TRUSTING IN THE LORD.
AND HE SHOWED ME THAT THERE IS AN OIL WELL NOW THE LORD WENT TO THIS EXTENT TO SEND ME.
THAT MEANS IT HAS FAR REACHING IMPLICATIONS AND, UH, UH, RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT IS NOT THE BEST FOR THIS PROPERTY.
THE RESOURCE, THE OIL, WHICH IS A DIVINE GIFT, SHOULD BE USED FOR ITS INTENDED PURPOSES.
NOT A RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT.
YOU DON'T PUT A BUILDING ON TOP OF A NATURAL RESOURCE.
AND AS I MENTIONED, I AM SENT, I TOOK A STEP OF FAITH BECAUSE I WAS LED HERE BY GOD, OUR HEAVENLY FATHER.
AND IT HAS FAR REACHING IMPLICATIONS THAN, UH, UH, UH, A BUILDING BEING, UH, UH, USED FOR THE PROPERTY.
THE OIL SHOULD BE USED FOR ITS INTENTIONAL PURPOSES.
[01:40:01]
CLUE.THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING TODAY.
STEVE WILLIAMS. I DON'T THINK HE'S HERE.
JOSEPH AMARI TO BE FOLLOWED BY JACOB CLEMENT.
I TALKING STRAIGHT TO STRAIGHT TALK.
UH, BEING THAT I'M A BLACK AMERICAN MAN AND HETEROSEXUAL WHO HAVE BEEN TARGETING, FACING DISCRIMINATION BY THE SAME POLITICAL LEADERS ELECTED BECAUSE I OPPOSE, I OPPOSE AND DISAGREE RIGHTFULLY WITH THEIR POLITICAL CONDITION.
I JUST WANT PEOPLE TO COME TO AMERICA THE RIGHT WAY.
I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO BE EXPLOITED WITHOUT BEING, TO RECEIVING JUST COMPENSATION OR END UP IN, UH, SERVITUDE OR END UP IN FORCED LABOR TRAP MATCHED BY COYOTES AFTER THEY JUST ARRIVED IN AMERICA AS A HUMAN TRAFFICK BUILDING.
THERE'S TWO WAYS TO BECOME AMERICA CITIZEN REAL FAST.
ONE WAY TO MARRY MIRACLE CITIZEN, OTHER WAY TO BE ADOPTED BY BE BORN A CHILD OR ADOPTED BY MIRACLE CITIZEN.
THAT'S BECAUSE YOU WERE BORN IN AMERICA.
THAT DON'T MAKE YOU A AMERICAN CITIZEN.
BOTH THE PARENTS' CHILD REMAIN LEGAL CITIZEN, THEIR HOMELAND, EVEN AFTER A CHILD IS BORN MIRACLE.
I WANT EVERY CHILD BORN IN AMERICA TO RECEIVE A BIRTH CERTIFICATE.
ESTABLISHED TE ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR NATIONAL ORIGIN OF PARENTS, CHILD AND FAMILY.
AND THEY COME FROM MANY A BLACK AMERICA, FORMER EX SLAVE DESCENDANTS WHO ANCESTORS EXPERIENCED BEING SOLD IN SLAVERY EVEN BACK THEN BY AFRICAN AMERICAN, AFRICAN GOVERNMENT LEADERSHIP.
AMERICA ENGLISH, SLAVE TRADER.
WE HAVE A, WE HAVE SOME MORE SPEAKERS TODAY, SO NOT TODAY, BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING.
OKAY, WE JUST ADD TO NEXT WEEK.
WHY WOULD WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.
ADD TO ME WHY YOU JUST CAME BA SEE Y'ALL.
WHAT, SIR? WE HAVE MORE SPEAKERS, SO WE NEED TO MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT SPEAKER.
WE HAVE MORE SPEAKERS ON THE LIST, SO WE NEED TO MOVE ON.
JACOB CLEMENT TO BE FOLLOWED BY IKA FORD.
WELL THAT IS TO, UH, THE MAIN OFFICES OF DYNAMO AND CHARITIES WHERE I DARE DONATED MY LIFE SOME OF MY LIFE TO OTHERS SO THEY COULD LIVE LIKE CANCER PATIENTS.
UM, THAT IS, UH, I'M THE ANDERSON CANCER CENTER.
NOW I COME HERE ALSO TO HARASS, UM, TWILA CARTER BECAUSE WHERE IS MY, UH, UM, UH, ASTRO, UH, UM, KNOW THAT, UH, CLOTH THAT SAYS ABOUT THE WORLD SERIES AND, UH, NOT THE WORLD SERIES, BUT THE, UM, UM, THE, THE NOT WORLD CUP, UM, THE, THE, THE, UH, UH, ALLSTAR GAME, THE STAR GAME.
I MEAN, YOU SAID YOU WOULD GIVE IT TWO THOUSANDS TO SIGN.
I'VE, I'VE GOT MY EYE ON 'EM, I PROMISE.
AND NOW I'M GOING TO GIVE A AGGIE JOKE.
WHY DID AGGIE GRAMMAR INSTRUCTOR NOT WANTING TO HAVE A COLONOSCOPY, BUT THEN HE THOUGHT HE WOULD TO REMOVE A A
AGGIES THINK SHE LEFT SHYLA SALAS TO BE FOLLOWED BY SEBASTIAN LONG.
CAN EVERYBODY HEAR ME OKAY? HI.
I WAS HERE LAST WEEK ON BEHALF OF OUR PETTY CAP COMMUNITY.
I JUST SIMPLY WANTED TO REITERATE TO OUR COUNCIL TODAY THAT I'VE BEEN PUTTING A LOT OF WORK IN.
AND I REALLY, REALLY HOPE TO MEET WITH AT LEAST ONE OF YOU SOMETIME FROM DECEMBER TO JANUARY.
THIS IS OUR SLOW SEASON AND I JUST WANT EVERYBODY TO KNOW THAT I HAVE SEVERAL DRAFTS, UM, OF MY WORK THAT I'VE DISSECTED ON CHAPTER 46, ARTICLE THREE PETTY CAB.
SO I JUST HOPE TO HAVE SOME TIME WITH YOU OFFLINE.
[01:45:01]
I'M HAPPY TO MEET WITH YOU AS WELL.UM, YES, COUNCILOR POLLARD, VICE MAYOR.
SO, UH, MY OFFICE WILL REACH OUT TO YOU TO COORDINATE A TIME.
AND I SENT YOU AN EMAIL EARLIER TODAY.
NEXT SPEAKER, SEBASTIAN LONG TO BE FOLLOWED BY THEODORE CARRERO.
I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE TEXAS SHORT-TERM RENTAL ASSOCIATION AND CEO OF LODGE, A SHORT TERM RENTAL AND CORPORATE HOUSING COMPANY WITH 135 APARTMENTS.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT ONGOING PROBLEMS WITH THE SHORT TERM RENTAL ORDINANCE ROLLOUT.
SINCE APPLICATIONS WENT LIVE, THE IMPLEMENTATIONS HAVING UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES THAT ARE NOW SPOOKING LARGE APARTMENT COMMUNITY OWNERS AND MANAGERS ACROSS THE CITY.
I RECENTLY SPOKE TO A COMPANY OPERATING ACROSS 18 APARTMENT BUILDINGS.
THE PROPERTY OWNERS RECEIVE LETTERS FROM THE CITY THAT CREATED FEAR OF LIABILITY AND TAX EXPOSURE AS A DIRECT RESULT.
THEY'VE HAD LEASE NON-RENEWALS AND EVICTION AND A BAN ON ANY STR ACTIVITY, EVEN THOUGH THEY'VE BEEN OPERATING INCIDENT FREE FOR YEARS.
THIS COMPANY SERVES A LARGE NUMBER OF M MD ANDERSON PATIENTS AND STAFF.
WE WARN THE CITY ABOUT THIS RISK.
THE CORE PROBLEM IS THAT A RA IS NOT ACCEPTING DOCUMENTATION SPECIFIED BY THE ORDINANCE, LEAVING PROFESSIONAL OPERATORS WITH NO LAWFUL WAY TO COMPLY.
THEY ARE MAKING UP REQUIREMENTS NOT IN THE ORDINANCE NEARLY TWO MONTHS IN SUPPLYING.
WE STILL DON'T HAVE A PERMIT PERMIT.
SO WE ASKED THE CITY DELAY, GO, DELAY, GO LIVE TO GIVE A RA TIME TO LINE APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS TO THE ORDINANCE.
COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD, YOU CAN HAVE ANOTHER MINUTE OF MY TIME TO FINISH UP 'CAUSE I WANNA KNOW MORE ABOUT, UH, THE ISSUES THAT YOU ALL ARE HAVING.
UH, BASICALLY IF THERE'D BEEN ANY STUDIES AROUND THE POTENTIAL MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN, IN TAX REVENUE, THE CITY WILL LOSE AS A RESULT OF THE FRICTION OF THE SHORT TERM RENTAL ORDINANCE.
BUT ESSENTIALLY IT ALL COMES AROUND WHO NEEDS TO APPLY FOR A PERMIT UNDER THE, THE LEGAL TEXT AND OWNER INCLUDES THOSE WITH A EQUITABLE INTEREST.
SO THAT COULD MEAN A LEASE, A MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT.
UM, SO WE ARE ABLE TO APPLY, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO APPLY AND SELF-CERTIFY, WHICH IS WHAT IS IN THE APPLICATION.
HOWEVER, A RA IS SAYING THE LEGAL PROPERTY OWNER IS ONE THAT HAS TO SIGN, UH, DOCUMENTATION OR WE HAVE TO PROVIDE DOCUMENTS THAT PROVE THAT WE'RE NOT BAD ACTORS AND HAVE THE RIGHT TO RENT OUT THESE PROPERTIES.
AGAIN, THAT IS NOT IN THE TEXT.
THEY ALSO TRY TO INTRODUCE LIABILITY LANGUAGE, UH, IN, IN THE FORM WHICH HAD BEEN SPECIFICALLY REMOVED FROM THE ORDINANCE.
SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING, UM, ALSO WITH THE HOUSTON APARTMENT ASSOCIATION.
THE CORPORATE HOUSING PROVIDERS ASSOCIATION HAS ALSO WRITTEN, UH, TO THE CITY AND TO A RA ON THESE ISSUES.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TRYING TO BE GOOD ACTORS HERE.
THEY'RE MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT.
THEY'RE CREATING WORK FOR THEMSELVES.
SEBASTIAN, I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS AND WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS WITH YOU FURTHER.
MY RECOLLECTION HAD BEEN THAT, UM, ALTHOUGH THERE WAS DISCUSSION OF REQUIRING LIABILITY INSURANCE, PROOF OF LIABILITY INSURANCE TO, TO REGISTER, THAT HAD BEEN REMOVED FROM THE FINAL VERSION THAT WE PASSED MM-HMM
UH, BUT I'M HEARING THAT WAS REINTRODUCED.
IT WASN'T, UH, LIABILITY INSURANCE.
IT WAS RATHER THAT THE LEGAL PROPERTY OWNER WOULD ACCEPT LIABILITY FOR ANYTHING THAT THE HOST OR THE GUEST MAY DO.
NOW THAT WAS LATER REMOVED FROM THE APPLICATION FORM.
BUT THE FACT IS, IS THESE LARGE PROPERTY OWNERS ARE GETTING SPOOKED BY THESE THINGS.
AND SO THEY'RE LIKE SAYING, WELL, WE'RE JUST NOT GONNA BOTHER ANYMORE.
WE'RE NOT GONNA RENEW YOUR LEASES.
AND SO THAT'S GONNA REDUCE, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A EXISTENTIAL THREAT TO COMPANIES LIKE MINE THAT WORK WITH THESE LARGE APARTMENT COMMUNITIES.
AND AND HOW MANY INSTANCES OF THAT HAVE YOU SEEN OR HEARD OF? WELL, YOU SAW THE GENTLEMAN EARLIER CAME TO SPEAK ALSO ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM.
UM, I SPOKE TO ANOTHER CORPORATE HOUSING COMPANY, UM, UH, THIS WEEK THAT WAS ALSO REPORTING.
THEY WERE GETTING KICKED OUTTA BUILDINGS THEY'D BEEN OPERATING IN FOR UP TO 10 YEARS WITHOUT INCIDENT.
AND ANOTHER ISSUE YOU RAISED WAS, UM, THE INTERPRETATION OF THE DEFINITION OF OWNER.
AND SO, UM, I READ AN EMAIL FROM BROOKE MM-HMM
UM, ARGUING THAT, UM, I, IF YOU ARE RENTING MM-HMM
UNITS WITHIN A, A BUILDING, UH, THAT GIVES YOU AN EQUITABLE OR LEGAL INTEREST IN THE PROPERTY.
UH, WHICH IS MY UNDERSTANDING AS WELL MM-HMM
UH, WHICH QUALIFIES AS AN OWNER UNDER THE STR ORDINANCE.
AND AN OWNER CAN SELF-CERTIFY BY SIGNING A PROPERTY OWNER AUTHORIZATION FORM.
HOWEVER, A RA IS ASKING FOR US TO PROVE THAT WE HAVE THE RIGHT AGAIN, WHICH IS NOT IN THE ORDINANCE.
AND, AND, UH, I DON'T MEAN TO CATCH YOU OFF GUARD, RANDY, OR IF YOU CARE TO OFFER ANY, UM, COMMENT AT THIS POINT.
MY, MY UNDERSTANDING OF IT IS ALRIGHT.
THAT A RA UH, DOES NOT SEE, DOES NOT BELIEVE THAT SOMEONE WHO'S LEASING A A A UNIT AND THEN RERELEASING THAT TO SOMEONE ELSE
[01:50:01]
AS SOMEONE WHO HAS EQUITY IN A BUILDING.I THINK THAT'S THE STANCE THEY'RE TAKING AT THIS TIME.
UM, SEBASTIAN, WE, WELL, LET'S TALK FURTHER OFFLINE ABOUT IT.
SPEAKER THEO CARRERO TO BE FOLLOWED BY JAMES AUTHOR.
UH, TODAY'S, UH, PRESENTATION IS JUST A, ACTUALLY A EMERGENCY, UM, BY, UH, IT'S, IT'S MORE OF A COMMENT AND A, AND A QUESTION BASED ON PERMITTING AND CODES FOR ST.
SURREAL OF ALEXANDRIA LOCATED AT 1 0 5, 0 3 WESTHEIMER ROAD IN DISTRICT FI BELIEVE I GAVE THE, UH, THE GENTLEMAN THAT, UH, WORKS WITH, WELL, I GAVE THE, THIS GENTLEMAN ONE OF THE, UM, ONE OF THE BULLETINS FOR YOUR, UH, PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
BASICALLY, UM, THERE'S NO HEAT IN OUR CHURCH AND IT'S BECAUSE OF PERMITTING AND CODES.
WE HAVE THE HEATING, THE, THE HEATING, UH, EQUIPMENT.
THE CITY IS NOT ALLOWING US TO INSTALL IT.
SO ALL THE PARISHIONERS THAT COME TO CELEBRATE THEIR BAPTISM AND WORSHIP, THEY HAVE TO WEAR COATS AND SWEATERS.
SO, UH, AND ALSO THERE'S, UH, NO KITCHEN.
SO THE, THE CITY IS, AND OR THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT OR ONE OF THEM ARE STOPPING US FROM CELEBRATING EACH OTHER AT BREAKFAST AND THERE'S NO HEAT.
AND SO I, I WAS, I, I WAS GONNA TALK ABOUT BATHROOMS AND PUBLIC BATHROOMS AND SOMETHING ELSE, BUT I WAS, UH, ASKED BY MY, UH, MY, UH, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED, MY PRIEST TO COME AND SEE IF, UH, MRS. THOMAS OR THE GENTLEMAN IN THE BACK HAD ACTUALLY HELP US INSTALL OUR HEATING AND, UM, GET THE KITCHEN UP TO CODE IF POSSIBLE.
IF YOU COULD MEET WITH CHRIS FROM PUBLIC WORKS IN THE BACK.
AND WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE GET ALL THE RIGHT INFORMATION.
HAPPY, HAPPY HOLIDAY TO EVERYBODY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR, FOR WHAT YOU DO FOR OUR CITY.
I'M HERE TO RELAY INQUIRIES FROM TWO GROUPS.
THE FIRST GROUP COMPRISES DESIRES HOMELESS SERVICE PROVIDERS WHO HAVE SUBMITTED PROPOSALS IN RESPONSE TO THE REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST.
SOME OF THE PROPOSALS DATE BACK TO SEPTEMBER, PAGE 11 OF THIS AREA, SAYS THAT PROPOSALS RECEIVED BY SEPTEMBER 30TH WILL BE REVIEWED ON THE THIRD FRIDAY OF OCTOBER.
THERE IS NO NUMBER FOR THOSE WHO SUBMITTED THEIR PROPOSALS TO CALL TO GET THE STATUS ON THEIR SUBMISSIONS.
AND THEY'RE ASKING A SIMPLE QUESTION, WHY HAS THE CITY NOT ACTED ON THEIR PROPOSALS? THE SECOND INQUIRIES FROM JOHNNY, A HOMELESS PERSON, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD, YOU HAVE MY MINUTE.
THE SECOND INQUIRIES FROM JOHNNY, A HOMELESS PERSON.
HE FOUND A PERMANENT, A PERSONAL CARE HOME WITH BEDS THAT IS WILLING TO TAKE HIM IN, PROVIDED THE CITY CAN BE 1600 A MONTH.
JOHNNY WANTS TO KNOW WHY THE CITY IS NOT HELPING HIM AND OTHERS WHO DO NOT HAVE A NIGHTTIME RESIDENCE.
MR. MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, WHAT ARE YOUR ANSWERS TO THESE INQUIRIES? WHAT, WHAT DEPARTMENT WAS THAT? THAT HAD A, UM, SIR HERE, WHAT DEPARTMENT WAS THAT THAT HAD THAT, UH, PROPOSAL? THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS? IT SAYS, UM, WE SHOULD SUBMIT IT TO THE CITY OFFICE AND THEY GIVE AN EMAIL ADDRESS OKAY.
THEY GIVE AN EMAIL ADDRESS AND THEN TO, UH, THE HOMELESS COALITION.
WHAT WAS THE PROPOSAL FOR? THERE ARE 12 PROGRAMS IN HERE.
AND BY THE WAY, UH, I'VE SEEN THE PATIENT THAT A LAW, UH, YOU DID, I VISITED WITH COUNCILMAN DAVIS.
I SEE THAT PEOPLE REALLY WANT TO PROVIDE THE SERVICE, BUT IT OCCURS TO ME THAT, UH, THEY DO NOT HAVE TOO MUCH IDEA AS OUGHT TO BE ABOUT IT.
I'VE BEEN, UH, HELPING OUT, I'VE SENT THIS PROPOSAL TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.
IT SAYS, UM, UH, WE JUST WANT TO, UH, HELP OUT.
I SEND THIS SECOND PROPOSAL TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, A CALL TO ACTION ON THE EXECUTION OF THE HOMELESSNESS.
SO WHAT I, WHAT WHAT I'M GONNA DO, I'M GONNA GIVE YOU MY CARD.
THE, THE PROPOSAL THAT PEOPLE WERE SUPPOSED TO GET BACK TO YOU IN OCTOBER THAT YOU HAVEN'T HEARD BACK FROM MM-HMM
I'LL, I'LL GET YOU A RESPONSE.
[01:55:01]
YOU, BUT IT'S, IT'S NOT JUST ME THERE ABOUT, I KNEW ABOUT EIGHT DIFFERENT, THE CERTAINLY IS THAT, THAT SOME PEOPLE PRO, UH, SELF PROVIDED DON'T EVEN WANT TO EVEN TRY AND, UM, TURN IN APPLICATIONS ANYMORE BECAUSE THEY SAY IT'S NOT.I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
I'M GONNA GET YOU THE RESPONSE AND YOU CAN, YOU CAN DELIVER THE MESSAGE.
NEXT SPEAKER, THIS COMPLETES THE LIST OF SPEAKERS.
[RECESS]
STAND IN RECESS UNTIL 9:00 AM TOMORROW.[RECONVENE]
MONTHLY[ADMINISTRATION REPORT]
FINANCE REPORT, RECOGNIZE CONTROLLER CHRIS HOLS.HONORABLE MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, UH,
UH, I'M HERE TODAY TO PRESENT THE MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT FOR THE MONTH ENDING OCTOBER, 2025.
THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE PROJECTING AN ENDING FUND BALANCE OF $336.8 MILLION OR 13.2% OF EXPENDITURES, LESS DEBT SERVICE AND PAY AS YOU GO FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026.
THIS IS $17.5 MILLION LOWER THAN THE PROJECTION OF THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT DUE TO A LOWER REVENUE PROJECTION THAN FINANCE.
BASED ON OUR CURRENT PROJECTIONS, THE FUND BALANCE WILL BE APPROXIMATELY $145.8 MILLION ABOVE THE CITY'S TARGET OF HOLDING 7.5% OF TOTAL EXPENDITURES, EXCLUDING DEBT SERVICE AND PAY AS YOU GO IN RESERVE.
THE FISCAL YEAR 2026 BEGINNING FUND BALANCE IS $67.4 MILLION HIGHER THAN THE FY 2025 ENDING FUND BALANCE REPORTED IN THE JUNE 30TH, 2025 MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT.
THE INCREASE IS DUE TO YEAREND ADJUSTMENTS TO REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES THAT WILL NOT BE FINAL UNTIL THE FY 2025 ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT IS PUBLISHED.
WE HAVE INCREASED OUR REVENUE PROJECTION BY $6.8 MILLION FROM THE SEPTEMBER, 2025 REPORT AS FOLLOWS.
INTERGOVERNMENTAL INCREASED BY $4.9 MILLION DUE TO HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED CHARITY CARE PROGRAM REIMBURSEMENT.
MISCELLANEOUS INCREASED BY $2 MILLION DUE TO HIGHER RECOVERIES AND REFUNDS FROM CENTER POINT ENERGY.
WE'VE INCREASED OUR EXPENDITURE PROJECTION BY $4.2 MILLION FROM THE SEPTEMBER, 2025 REPORT WITH SIGNIFICANT CHANGES AS FOLLOWS, AN INCREASE OF $3.3 MILLION IN CITY COUNCIL DUE TO PRIOR YEAR ROLLOVER ALLOCATION AND AN INCREASE OF $0.6 MILLION IN VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS.
DUE TO PRIOR YEAR UNSPENT CITY COUNCIL FUNDS IN OUR ENTERPRISE FUNDS, WE ARE PROJECTING NO CHANGES FROM THE PREVIOUS MONTH'S AMOUNTS.
AND FOR OUR COMMERCIAL PAPER AND BONDS, THE CITY'S PRACTICE HAS BEEN TO MAINTAIN NO MORE THAN 20% OF THE TOTAL OUTSTANDING DEBT FOR EACH TYPE OF DEBT IN A VARIABLE RATE STRUCTURE, WHICH IS IN LINE WITH RATINGS AGENCY GUIDANCE OF 25% FROM TIME TO TIME.
THE CITY'S ENTERPRISE CREDITS HAVE EXCEEDED THIS THRESHOLD ON AN INTERIM BASIS AS THEY HAVE UNDERTAKEN LARGE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS OR MAJOR EXPANSIONS.
AS OF OCTOBER 31ST, 2025, THE RATIO OF UNHEDGED VARIABLE RATE DEBT FOR CONVENTION AND ENTERTAINMENT WAS 48.28%.
THE YOUNG HEDGE VARIABLE RATE DEBT FOR OTHER TYPES OF OUTSTANDING DEBT WAS WELL BELOW THE 20% THRESHOLD.
UH, AS YOU KNOW, HOUSTON FIRST IS GOING THROUGH, UH, A MAJOR EXPANSION OVER AT THE CONVENTION CENTER, AND YOU'LL HEAR FROM THEM, UH, A LITTLE BIT LATER THIS MORNING.
MAYOR AND COUNCIL DECEMBER HAS A WAY OF HOLDING TWO TRUTHS AT ONCE.
JOY FOR MANY FAMILY AND STRAIN FOR FAR TOO MANY OTHERS.
ACROSS HOUSTON, PARENTS ARE WORKING OVERTIME TO PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE, PAY RISING BILLS, AND STILL CREATE A HAPPY HOLIDAY THAT THEIR CHILDREN CAN REMEMBER.
AND WHILE THE SEASON HIGHLIGHTS GENEROSITY, IT ALSO EXPOSES WHERE SYSTEMS FALL SHORT.
THIS SEASON, THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE HAS BEEN INTENTIONAL ABOUT SHOWING UP FOR HOUSTONIANS, NOT JUST IN ABSTRACT WAYS, BUT IN WAYS THAT FAMILIES CAN FEEL.
JUST BEFORE THANKSGIVING, MY OFFICE JOINED AN INCREDIBLE TEAM OF COMMUNITY PARTNERS, INCLUDING CJ STROUD, DIKA RYANS, AND BUN B FOR HUDDLE UP FOR HUNGER.
TOGETHER WE DISTRIBUTED MORE THAN 500 TURKEYS AND FULL THANKSGIVING MEAL KITS TO FA FAMILIES FACING FOOD INSECURITY.
WE GREETED FAMILIES AT THE HOUSTON TEXANS, YMCA AND SOUTHEAST HOUSTON DELIVERED MEALS TO RESIDENTS AT CUNY HOMES IN THIRD WARD AND WORKED ALONGSIDE HUNDREDS OF VOLUNTEERS SUPPORTING THE BASKET GRADE TO FEED THOUSANDS ON THANKSGIVING DAY.
WHAT STAYED WITH ME WERE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT RESILIENCE AND GRATITUDE, BUT COMBINING THOSE WITH A QUIET WORRY OF FAMILIES, UNSURE HOW THEY'LL MAKE IT THROUGH THE MONTH.
THE HOLIDAYS REMIND US HOW ESSENTIAL IT IS TO SHOW UP FOR ONE ANOTHER.
VOLUNTEERS, NONPROFITS, SMALL BUSINESSES AND PUBLIC SERVANTS
[02:00:01]
STOOD SHOULDER TO SHOULDER SO THAT NO FAMILY HAD TO CHOOSE BETWEEN A HOLIDAY MEAL AND A HOUSEHOLD BILL.AND WE'RE NOT DONE IN THE DAYS AHEAD.
MY OFFICE WILL HOST OUR ANNUAL TOY GIVEAWAY AND JOIN COMMUNITY EVENTS ACROSS THE CITY TO HELP FAMILIES BRING JOY TO THEIR LOVED ONES WITHOUT STRETCHING BUDGETS THAT ARE ALREADY UNDER STRAIN.
I'M GRATEFUL TO EVERY PARTNER WHO MAKES THOSE EFFORTS POSSIBLE.
UH, YOU ARE SHOWING HOUSTON AT ITS BEST.
WE AS A COMMUNITY MUST ALSO FACE THE MOMENTS WHEN POLICY IS MOVING US IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, BECAUSE WHILE HOUSTONIANS ARE STEPPING UP FOR ONE ANOTHER, STATE LEVEL DECISIONS ARE PULLING US BACKWARD AND CLOSING DOORS FOR THOUSANDS OF SMALL BUSINESSES.
EARLIER THIS MONTH, THE TEXAS COMPTROLLER ISSUED EMERGENCY RULES DISMANTLING THE LONGSTANDING HISTORICALLY UNDERUTILIZED BUSINESS PROGRAM, COMMONLY KNOWN AS HUB.
HUB ELIGIBILITY FOR WOMEN AND MINORITY OWNED FIRMS VANISHED.
THE ROUGHLY 17,000 CERTIFIED BUSINESSES COLLAPSED TO FEWER THAN 500 WITH ZERO ZERO OWNED BY WOMEN.
WOMEN AND MINORITY BUSINESSES EMPLOY 55,000 HOUSTON AREA RESIDENTS AND SUPPORT NEARLY 120,000 JOBS IN TOTAL.
THE GREATER HOUSTON PARTNERSHIP ESTIMATES THAT HOUSTON MBS GENERATE MORE THAN A BILLION DOLLARS ANNUALLY IN LOCAL TAX REVENUE.
IF YOU UNDERMINE THESE BUSINESSES, YOU ARE UNDERMINING HOUSTON'S ECONOMY.
NOW, TO BE CLEAR, HUB CERTIFICATION HAS NEVER GUARANTEED ANYONE A CONTRACT, BUT IT DID GUARANTEE A SHOT ERASING THAT CHANCE WITH THE STROKE OF A PEN HAS CONSEQUENCES MEASURED IN LOST JOBS, STALLED GROWTH, AND SHRINKING OPPORTUNITY.
THIS WEEK MY OFFICE CONVENED LEADERS FROM ACROSS OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY, INCLUDING GHP, THE GREATER HOUSTON BLACK CHAMBER, THE HOUSTON HISPANIC CHAMBER, THE ASIAN AMERICAN CHAMBER, AND THE GREATER HOUSTON LGBTQ PLUS CHAMBER.
TO CHART A PATH FORWARD, WE DISCUSSED THE IMMEDIATE OPERATIONAL CHALLENGES, THE ECONOMIC RISKS, AND THE NEED FOR A UNIFIED STRATEGY TO PROTECT SMALL BUSINESSES FROM BEING SHUT OUT OF A FAIR CHANCE TO COMPETE FOR OPPORTUNITY.
HOUSTON CANNOT AFFORD TO LOSE THE INNOVATION JOBS AND ECONOMIC STRENGTHS THAT THESE SMALL BUSINESSES CREATE, AND WE WILL NOT SIT ON THE SIDELINES.
WHILE THAT HAPPENS, WE WILL CONTINUE WORKING WITH BUSINESS LEADERS, GATHERING AND PUBLISHING DATA, ELEVATING THE ECONOMIC STAKES AND EXPLORING POLICY BEST PRACTICES AT BOTH THE CITY AND STATE LEVEL.
BECAUSE IN THE MOST DIVERSE CITY IN AMERICA, EQUITABLE ACCESS IS NOT OPTIONAL.
AND THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT, DIRECTOR DE COUNCIL.
THIS IS THE FOUR PLUS EIGHT FINANCIAL REPORT FOR THE PERIOD ENDING OCTOBER 31ST, 2025.
FISCAL YEAR 26 PROJECTIONS ARE BASED ON FOUR MONTHS OF ACTUAL RESULTS AND EIGHT MONTHS OF PROJECTIONS FOR THE GENERAL FUND.
OUR REVENUE PROJECTION IS 44.5 MILLION LOWER THAN THE ADOPTED BUDGET, AND 45.7 MILLION LOWER THAN THE PRIOR MONTH.
THE VARIANCE FROM THE PRIOR MONTH PROJECTION IS PRIMARILY DUE TO A 53 POINT 52.6 MILLION DECREASE IN PROPERTY TAX DUE TO THE, UM, PROPERTY TAX RATE THAT WAS ADOPTED EARLIER THIS YEAR.
WE'RE ALSO SHOWING A $4.9 MILLION INCREASE IN INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUE DUE TO HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED CHARITY CARE PROGRAM REIMBURSEMENT, AS WELL AS A $2 MILLION INCREASE IN MISCELLANEOUS AND OTHER REVENUE DUE TO HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED REIMBURSEMENT FROM CENTER POINT ENERGY RELATED TO SALES TAX.
WE'RE NOT MAKING ANY CHANGES TO OUR PROJECTIONS AT THIS TIME, BUT AS AN UPDATE FOR THE LATEST MONTH, THE SALES TAX RECEIPTS FOR THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER WERE $78.1 MILLION, WHICH IS ABOUT 1.23% HIGHER THAN THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR.
IN ORDER TO MEET THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT'S CURRENT ESTIMATE OF 902 MILLION, THE REMAINING PERIODS NEED TO COME IN 2.6% BELOW PRIOR YEAR.
SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THOSE TRENDS.
MOVING OVER TO THE EXPENDITURE SIDE, THE PROJECTION IS 6.1 MILLION HIGHER THAN THE ADOPTED BUDGET AND 4.2 MILLION HIGHER THAN THE PRIOR MONTH.
THE VARIANCE FROM THE PRIOR MONTH IS PRIMARILY DUE TO A $3.3 MILLION INCREASE IN CITY COUNCIL BUDGET TO REFLECT PRIOR YEAR COUNCIL DISTRICT SERVICE FUND ROLLOVERS AS WELL AS 555,000 INCREASE DUE TO UNSPENT COUNCIL FUNDS FROM PRIOR YEAR.
WE'RE CURRENTLY PROJECTING THE ENDING FUND BALANCE TO BE 354 MILLION, WHICH IS ABOUT 19.2 MILLION LOWER THAN THE PRIOR MONTH, AND REPRESENTS 13.9% OF ESTIMATED EXPENDITURES NOT INCLUDING DEBT SERVICE AND PAY AS YOU GO.
THAT FUND BALANCE PROJECTION REPRESENTS $163 MILLION ABOVE THE TARGET OF HOLDING 7.5% IN THE ENTERPRISE SPECIAL REVENUE AND OTHER FUNDS.
WE'RE NOT PROJECTING ANY FORECAST CHANGES FOR THIS MONTH.
[02:05:01]
IS THERE A MOTION MOVE TO ACCEPT, ACCEPT THE MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT, UM, FOR THE PERIOD ENDING OCTOBER 31ST, 2025.[PUBLIC HEARINGS]
MOVE TO PUBLIC HEARINGS.ITEM ONE IS A PUBLIC HEARING TO PROVIDE A RESOLUTION OF NO OBJECTION FOR AN APPLICANT SEEKING 4% HOUSING TAX CREDIT FOR THE NEW CONSTRUCTION OF THE PRESERVE AT DOMINION PARK.
MORNING MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBERS, MY NAME IS PAUL UNIMARK WITH HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
UH, A CDD RECOMMENDS A RESOLUTION FOR NO OBJECTION FOR THE PROPOSED THE PRESERVE AT DOMINION PARK SENIOR DEVELOPMENT, UH, THE SENIOR DEVELOPMENT ALIGNS WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UH, POLICY FOR SENIOR HOUSING WILL CONTRIBUTE TO ADDITIONAL AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNIT UNITS.
THE RESOLUTION CONFIRM, UH, PROJECTS COMPLIANCE WITH THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE 2306 0.67071 AND T-D-H-C-A REGULATIONS ENABLING THE DEVELOPER TO PROCEED WITH THE NON-COMPETITIVE 4% HOUSING TAX CREDIT APPLICATION.
THE HOUSING COMMITTEE WENT ON 1118 TO 2025, REQUESTED FOR HEARING ON 1119 AND PUBLIC PUBLIC HEARING IS TODAY.
UH, VOTE FOR RESOLUTION WILL BE 12 17 20 25.
UH, A LITTLE BIT ON THE PROPERTY.
UH, PROPERTY SUMMARY INCLUDES MOUNTAINTOPS DEVELOPMENT BY WILLIAM DREW.
HE'S THE EXECUTIVE, UH, DIRECTOR, AND THIS WILL BE 134.
LOW INCOME HOUSING, UH, HOUSING UNITS INCLUDE 44 EFFICIENCY, 72 1 BEDROOM 18 TWO BEDROOMS. UH, IT'S LOCATED APPROXIMATELY ON 13,100 KIRKENDAL ROAD IN ETJ, UH, PRECINCT ONE.
IT'S THE CLOSEST DISTRICT IS DISTRICT B.
UM, IT'S A SMALL SCALE COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT ALONG THE KIRKDALE ROAD.
UM, TO PROVIDE TO THIS PURPOSE IS TO PROVIDE AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR SENIOR EARNING AT BELOW 80% OF AREA MEDIAN A MI AREA MEDIAN INCOME ADDRESSING THE DEMAND FOR SENIOR HOUSING IN THE AREA.
THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
ANYONE PRESENT WOULD LIKE TO TESTIFY? WE DO NOT HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP.
CASTEX TATUM, MOVE TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
[MAYOR'S REPORT]
UH, WE LOST A, UH, HOUSTON HERO FOR THE PASSING OF DR.RESPECTED EDUCATOR AND, UH, A MENTOR TO MANY OF US.
UH, I'VE HEARD COMMISSIONER ELLIS, SPEAKING OF ROD PAGE WHEN HE WAS, UH, DEAN OF THE TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF EDUCATION.
UH, RODNEY SPEAKS THAT ROD PAGE REALLY GAVE HIM AN OPPORTUNITY AS AN INTERN AND THEN AS AN EMPLOYEE.
UH, HE WAS SOMEONE THAT I WOULD RECEIVE ADVICE AND COUNSEL FROM.
UH, IT'S A REAL LOSS PERSONALLY AND CERTAINLY FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
THERE'S MANY, UH, HATS HE WORE IN HIS ICONIC CAREER.
UM, I RECALL AMONG OTHER THINGS, HIS STEADY HAND AT HISD, REALLY A STEADY LEADER.
UM, HISD WASN'T ON THE FRONT PAGE BACK WHEN ROD WAS THE SUPERINTENDENT, AND THEN OF COURSE BECOMING THE US SECRETARY OF EDUCATION.
SO IT'S WITH, UH, GRATITUDE FOR THE IMPACT THAT HE HAD ON MY CAREER.
AND SO MANY OF US, CERTAINLY THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY AS A, AS
[02:10:01]
A MODEL OF INCLUSION AND, UH, JUST A CAN-DO ATTITUDE.I CERTAINLY HAVE TALKED TO STEPHANIE AND THE FAMILY.
KEEP THEM IN YOUR PRAYERS AND AS SOON AS WE KNOW THE ARRANGEMENTS, UH, WE'LL NOTIFY YOUR OFFICER.
[CONSENT AGENDA (Part 1 of 2)]
MS. SECRETARY, YOU WANNA START WITH THE CONSENT UNDER THE MISCELLANEOUS CATEGORY SINCE YOUR LIST WAS DISTRIBUTED.ITEMS SEVEN AND EIGHT HAVE BEEN RECEIVED.
ITEM FIVE HAS BEEN PULLED BY THE ADMINISTRATION AND WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.
ITEMS THREE, FOUR, AND SEVEN HAVE BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.
IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEMS 2, 6, 8, AND NINE CAST SIX TATU? MOVE I SECOND.
MOTION PASSES UNDER THE ACCEPT WORK CATEGORY, IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM 10? CAST? SAY A MOVED SECOND.
MOTION PASSES UNDER THE PROPERTY CATEGORY.
IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM 11? CAST TATUM MOVE.
MOTION PASSES UNDER THE PURCHASING AND TABULATION OF BIDS.
CATEGORY ITEM 12 HAS BEEN, HAS BEEN PULLED BY THE ADMINISTRATION AND WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.
ITEMS 13 AND 20 HAVE BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.
IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEMS? 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, AND 19.
THOSE OPPOSED DATE MOTION PASSES UNDER THE ORDINANCES CATEGORY SINCE YOUR LIST WAS DISTRIBUTED.
ITEMS 35, 37, 40 AND 46 HAVE NOT BEEN RECEIVED, BUT WILL BE CONSIDERED IF THEY'RE RECEIVED BEFORE THE END OF THE MEETING.
AGAIN, THOSE NUMBERS ARE 35, 37, 40 AND 46 HAVE NOT BEEN RECEIVED.
ITEMS 31, 33, 34, 36, 38, 41, 42, 45, 47 AND 49 HAVE BEEN RECEIVED.
AGAIN, THOSE NUMBERS ARE 31, 33, 34, 36, 38, 41, 42, 45, 47 AND 49.
ITEMS REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION ITEMS. 25, 27, 31, 33 AND 46.
AGAIN, ITEMS REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.
ITEMS. 25, 27, 31, 33 AND 46 IS THEIR VOTE ON THE BALLOT? VOTE.
[CONSIDERATION OF MATTERS REMOVED FROM CONSENT AGENDA (Part 1 of 2)]
SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM THREE? CAST TATUM.
I DO, UM, SEE THAT WE HAVE TWO MEMBERS OF THE BRAY OAKS MANAGEMENT DISTRICT BOARD HERE.
UM, I WOULD ACTUALLY LIKE FOR THEM TO COME, UH, TO THE PODIUM.
UM, BECAUSE I THINK THAT FOR SO MANY OF THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN DISTRICT K, THE WORK THAT THE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT DOES IS SOMETIMES INVISIBLE TO EVERYDAY LIFE.
BUT I WANNA AMPLIFY THE WORK THAT THEY DO BECAUSE, UM, BUT FOR A LOT OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT TAKE PLACE IN THE BRAY OAKS AREA, UM, OUR COMMUNITY WOULD LOOK A LOT DIFFERENT.
THE BRAY OAKS MANAGEMENT DISTRICT IS PICKING UP THOUSANDS OF POUNDS OF TRASH IN OUR ESPLANADES.
UM, THEY ARE PICKING UP BANDED SIGNS.
UH, AND I WAS HAPPY TO HEAR CINDY SAY THEY SEE A LOT LESS OF THOSE BANDED SIGNS.
UM, THEY ARE WORKING ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
MANY OF YOU HAVE HEARD US TALK ABOUT THE NEW STARBUCKS THAT CAME TO THE BRAZE OAKS
[02:15:01]
MANAGEMENT DISTRICT.UM, THEY HAVE JUST, THEY'RE DILIGENT MONTH AFTER MONTH.
UM, THE ESPLANADE, UH, LANDSCAPING, IF YOU RIDE DOWN WEST BELFORT, YOU CAN IMMEDIATELY DETECT WHICH ONES ARE MAINTAINED, UH, BY THE BRAZE OAKS MANAGEMENT DISTRICT BECAUSE OF THEIR DILIGENCE AND THE EFFORT THEY PUT IN MONTH AFTER MONTH.
AND I KNOW IT'S A LOT OF HARD WORK, AND I KNOW IT TAKES A LOT OF YOUR PERSONAL TIME, UM, THAT YOU ARE DEDICATING TO OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, AND THESE ARE LONG TERM SERVING COMMUNITY LEADERS, UM, THAT NOT ONLY SERVE ON BRAYS OAKS MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, BUT ALSO THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD AND ALSO THE WESTBURY CIVIC CLUB.
UM, SO I REALLY WANTED TO JUST KIND OF TAKE SOME TIME TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE APPRECIATE YOUR WORK.
WE SAY IT ALL THE TIME THAT GOVERNMENT CANNOT DO THIS WORK ALONE.
WE HAVE TO HAVE, UM, THOSE TYPES OF PARTNERSHIPS WITH OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
AND, UM, SYLVIA AND CINDY ARE JUST TWO OF OUR REAPPOINTMENTS, BUT THE ENTIRE BRAY OAKS MANAGEMENT, UM, BOARD DOES A STELLAR JOB.
AND I WANTED YOU TO HEAR IT FROM ME AND SAY IT IN FRONT OF ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES, HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU DO MONTH AFTER MONTH ON BEHALF OF THE BRAY OAKS MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, UM, AND DISTRICT A THANK YOU MARTHA.
AND THANK YOU MR. REVIS, MR. CHAPMAN, FOR BEING PUBLIC SERVANTS AND VERY MUCH THE SENSE OF THE WORD.
SO I ECHO, UH, THE MAYOR PROM'S WORDS WITH YOU ARE PUBLIC SERVANTS.
AND GOOD MORNING TO EVERYONE, TO YOU BOTH.
BUT, UH, MORE IMPORTANTLY, JUST THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
UH, YOU ALL GO ABOVE AND BEYOND, UH, IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE COULDN'T DO A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO AS OFFICE HOLDERS WITHOUT YOUR EFFORTS.
AND SO, UM, LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK WITH YOU GOING FORWARD.
NEXT, IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM FOUR? I
ALL IN FAVOR, SAY, COUNCILOR MARTINEZ.
UM, I ALSO WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, RECOGNIZE OUR CHAIR, UH, FOR THE HOBBY MANAGEMENT DISTRICT.
WE CAN STAND, UH, WE CALL ON FOFO, BUT IT'S, UH, MR. ICK.
UM, HE'S BEEN THE CHAIR FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS, GO, GOING ON TWO YEARS, AND JUST REALLY WANNA HIGHLIGHT THE HOBBY MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, I THINK IS, YOU KNOW, IN, IN LIGHT OF WHAT, UH, MAYOR PRO TEM HAS SAID, THESE MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN OUR DISTRICTS, UH, SPECIFICALLY IN THE HOBBY AREA.
UM, IT'S, UH, IT'S ONE OF THE LARGE LARGER MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS, AND WHEN IT COMES TO PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, THE MAINTENANCE RIGHT OF WAY.
AND THEN OF COURSE, JUST MAKING SURE THAT THOSE BUSINESSES ARE BEING SUPPORTED.
UH, JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR, UH, YOUR LEADERSHIP, UH, FOFO AND CONTINUING TO DO GOOD WORK.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO, YOU KNOW, AN EXCITING, UH, VERY IMPACTFUL YEAR IN THE, IN THE DISTRICT.
SO, UH, I JUST WANTED TO RECOGNIZE HIM AND APPRECIATE MY CO MY COLLEAGUE SUPPORT AS WELL.
DOES NAY MOTION PASSES? IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM SEVEN CAST TO MOVE? I SECOND POLL.
JUST HAD, UH, A CLARIFYING QUESTION ON THIS.
I SEE WITH THIS ITEM THAT, UH, WE ARE INCREASING, UM, THE HOUSTON EMERGENCY CENTER'S BUDGET BY A LITTLE MORE THAN $8 MILLION, THIS $8 MILLION INCREASE, UM, WILL IT BE AFFECTED BY OUR GENERAL FUND OR WHERE, WHERE, WHERE WILL THESE DOLLARS BE COMING FROM SPECIFICALLY? I BELIEVE, I'LL VERIFY IT, BUT I BELIEVE THAT COMES FROM FEES IS THE WAY IT'S SET UP.
YOU WANT TO, YOU WANT TO VERIFY THAT? WELL, YEAH, I'LL VERIFY IT FOR YOU, BUT OKAY.
LIKE ALL THE EMERGENCY CALL, WHETHER IT'S THE POISON CENTER OR THE 9 1 1, THEY ARE, UH, ACTUALLY, I THINK THERE'S A LITTLE FEE ON YOUR PHONE BILL IF YOU LOOK FOR IT, BUT I'LL, I'LL LET YOU KNOW, COUNCILMAN, BUT I'LL VERIFY IT FOR YOU.
UM, I WASN'T PLANNING TO SPEAK ON THIS, BUT SINCE WE'RE HAVING A CONVERSATION, I DID ALSO WANNA POINT OUT, UM, GREATER HARRIS COUNTY 9 1 1 REIMBURSES THE CITY, A PORTION OF IT, I BELIEVE APPROXIMATELY 21.3 MILLION, UH, OTHER REGIONS.
AND MAYOR, GIVEN YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH PUBLIC SAFETY, I'M SURE YOU'RE FAMILIAR IN OTHER REGIONS WITH THEIR 9 1 1, UM, ENTITIES, THEY GIVE MORE BECAUSE THEY INTERPRET THEIR SERVICE GOING BEYOND THE INTAKE OF THE CALL.
IT'S ACTUALLY GETTING, UH, THE SERVICE RIGHT TO DISPATCH.
SO, THE WAY IN WHICH GREATER HARRIS COUNTY 9 1 1, THEY'RE A TERRIFIC PARTNER.
THEY'VE HELPED FUND CERTAIN THINGS THAT WE'VE NEEDED AT HEC, LIKE DESKS AND EQUIPMENT, BUT I DO BELIEVE THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES
[02:20:01]
FOR GREATER PARTNERSHIP WHERE WE CAN BE GETTING MORE FUNDING, UH, AS OTHER REGIONS DO FROM THEIR REGIONAL 9 1 1 PARTNERS IN THIS.SO I JUST WANNA RAISE, THEY ARE CONTRIBUTING, BUT THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE CITY TO BE WORKING MORE CLOSELY IN TANDEM TO GET ADDITIONAL FUNDING, UH, WHICH I BELIEVE IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR EMERGENCY RESPONSE.
DO YOU WANNA COME BACK? HM? CAN WE PROCEED WITH THE VOTE OR YOU WANT TO? I'M NEARLY, I'M NEARLY CERTAIN.
I'M, I'M FOLLOW YOUR, YOUR LEAD ON THIS AND, AND, AND OH, THANK YOU.
AND, UH, YEAH, WE CAN GO FORWARD.
NO, IT, IT'S, IT'S DISCUSSED AT THE LEGISLATURE WHEN IT'S CREATED AND THE, UH, AS COUNCILMAN CAME AND SAID, IT'S A COUNTYWIDE CO-OP AND DISTRICT, AND, UH, IT'S, IT'S FEE, FEE DRIVEN.
IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM 13 CAST? SAY TO MOVE NEXT SECOND.
YEAH, I'M NOT GONNA DEAL WITH THAT.
IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM 20? CAST SIX ITEM.
UM, I'M SUPPORTING THIS, BUT I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF HIGHLIGHT THE WORK THAT OUR PURCHASING DEPARTMENT IS DOING.
UM, THE PROCUREMENT, THE CHIEF PURCHASING OFFICER, AYA GREENFIELD, UH, IS USING THE, UH, GOV MOVEMENTS COOPERATIVE PURCHASING FRAMEWORK.
I GUESS IT WAS FORMERLY KNOWN AS THE LEAD AGENCY MODEL.
AND THAT IS ACTUALLY ALLOWING US TO GET UP TO A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR FOR THIS, UH, WHEN OTHER ENTITIES, UH, USE BASICALLY OUR CONTRACT THAT WE SET UP.
AND I KNOW A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR DOESN'T SOUND LIKE A HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY, BUT A HUNDRED THOUSAND HERE AND A HUNDRED THOUSAND THERE, ALL OF A SUDDEN, IT, UH, MAKES A DIFFERENCE.
SO, JUST WANTED TO THANK HIM FOR THE WORK HE'S DOING, AND, UH, HIGHLIGHT THAT.
UM, I'LL BE SUPPORTING THIS ITEM BECAUSE ONE, IN TERMS OF UPGRADING OUR TECHNOLOGY, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
WE HAVE CAMERAS THAT ARE, UH, I BELIEVE IN SOME PLACES OVER A DECADE OLD.
UH, SO THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT IN TERMS OF UPGRADING OUR PUBLIC SAFETY VIDEO NETWORK.
UH, HOWEVER, I DO WANNA FLAG, FOR SEVERAL YEARS WE HAD BEEN WORKING INTERNALLY WITH HPD TO UPDATE, UM, GENERAL ORDERS ON TECHNOLOGY POLICIES.
SUR I DON'T LIKE THE WORD SURVEILLANCE BECAUSE IT'S NOT WHAT'S HAPPENING, BUT WITH VIDEO RELATED POLICY, UH, THE CITY OF HOUSTON DOES NOT DO FACIAL RECOGNITION AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, BUT WE DON'T HAVE UPDATED POLICIES.
THE LAST TIME THEY, THIS WAS UPDATED WAS IN 2021.
SO I DON'T WANNA HOLD THIS UP BECAUSE IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE GET THE UPGRADES NEEDED TO ENSURE SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY.
BUT I DO WANNA FLAG THAT WE, THERE'S BEEN MULTIPLE DRAFTS BOUNCING AROUND NOW FOR ALMOST, UH, TWO TO THREE YEARS AS IT RELATES TO UPDATING INTERNAL POLICIES ON THIS.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT MOVING FORWARD, UH, AND NAILED DOWN, BECAUSE AGAIN, THE TECHNOLOGY IS COMING.
WE NEED THE, THE GUARDRAILS IN PLACE TO KEEP EVERYONE SAFE.
I, I'LL BE SUPPORTING THIS ITEM, BUT I DID WANNA CALL OUT, UH, SOMETHING THAT WAS A PROBLEM.
THIS WAS A BACKING ACCIDENT, AND THERE WAS A SECOND EMPLOYEE ON THE TRUCK.
SO THERE'S NO REASON THAT THAT EMPLOYEE COULDN'T HAVE GOTTEN OUT OF THE TRUCK TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WAS CLEAR AND THEY WERE ABLE TO BACK UP.
UM, WHEN I WAS IN LOGISTICS, WE CONSISTENTLY HAD PROBLEMS WITH BACKING ACCIDENTS.
WE TYPICALLY WOULD AVERAGE ABOUT SIX A MONTH THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.
UH, WE FINALLY IMPLEMENTED A POLICY THAT IF YOU HAD A SPOTTER ON THE TRUCK OR SOMEONE THAT WAS ABLE TO BE A SPOTTER ON THE TRUCK, AND YOU GOT INTO A BACKING ACCIDENT, YOU WERE TERMINATED.
WE WENT FROM HAVING SIX A MONTH TO NOT HAVING A SINGLE ONE IN SIX MONTHS.
[02:25:01]
ALL ABOUT, UH, YOU KNOW, GETTING OUT, BEING SAFE.UH, AND I KNOW IT KIND OF SOUNDS TRIVIAL WITH THE BACKING BECAUSE TYPICALLY THERE AREN'T INJURIES OR SOMETHING.
BUT ACTUALLY THE INCIDENT THAT PROMPTED US TO IMPLEMENT THAT POLICY WAS THERE WAS A COMPETITOR OF OURS IN DENVER WHO HAD A DRIVER BACK OVER TWO OLD WOMEN GOING OUT TO THEIR MAILBOX ONE DAY, UH, AND ACTUALLY ONE OF 'EM UP BEING A FATALITY.
AND THAT'S WHEN THE COMPANY BASICALLY SAID, YOU KNOW, NOW THAT WE'VE GOT TWO PEOPLE ON THE TRUCK, YOU'VE GOT A SPOTTER AVAILABLE.
THOSE OPPOSED ANY MOTION PASSES.
[MATTER'S HELD]
IS AN ORDINANCE.MA'AM, BEFORE WE TAKE ACTION ON, UH, ITEM 50, SOME OF OUR FRIENDS REFER TO THEIR COMMENTS AS PERSONAL PRIVILEGE.
UH,
COUNCILMAN PLUMMER, I APPLAUD YOU.
UH, I'M SORRY YOU HAD TO WAIT SIX YEARS, BUT THAT'S REALITY.
SINCE YOU BROUGHT THIS AS A PROP A IN I THINK JUNE, SCOTT, NOT A A LOT OF DISCUSSION ATTENTION.
I KNOW A COUPLE TIMES ACTUALLY WITH YOUR GUIDANCE, UH, TODAY.
I UNDERSTAND WHAT, THERE'S A PROPOSAL THAT IS REFERRED TO AS THE MAYOR'S PRODUCT, UH, I'VE LEARNED SINCE I GOT HERE.
THAT'S JUST THE HONOR THAT COMES WITH THIS POSITION.
UH, I OBVIOUSLY CONSIDER ALL OF OUR PRODUCTS.
I THINK Y'ALL WITNESSED REBECCA WILLIAMS LEAVING COUNSEL AND GOING AND VISITING A SITE BECAUSE I PERSONALLY TAKE IT SO SERIOUS.
I CAN REMEMBER HARVEY CLEMENTS FACILITY, UH, WITH MOLD COMING THROUGH THE ROOF CAVING IN, AND I WAS PREPARED TO USE THE STRONG ARM OF CITY GOVERNMENT BY NOT APPROVING THE TURS BUDGET THAT HE SAT ON, BUT IT WAS NOT THE WILL OF THIS BODY.
CERTAINLY IN COUNCILMAN EVAN SHABAZZ'S DISTRICT, WE WENT OUT THERE WHERE SENIORS COULD NOT TOLERATE THEIR CONDITION.
IT IS AN URGENT MATTER, UM, IN RECENT DAYS.
IT'S NOT JUST THE STAKEHOLDERS, IT'S THE CITIZENS.
UH, YOU KNOW, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, DR. TRAN IS JUST OUTRAGED WHAT SHE'S FOUND AS A DIRECTOR OF HEALTH.
UH, I THOUGHT I'D SEEN AND HEARD EVERYTHING TILL WE HEARD THAT IN SOME OF THE TERRIBLE CONDITIONS, PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY RENTING THEIR BACK PORCH TO ANOTHER FAMILY.
IT'S, UH, SOME OF THE SAME POPULATION THAT'S HIDING FROM AUTHORITIES THAT HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO LIVE IN THESE CONDITIONS.
I'VE WITNESSED IT AS A CASEWORKER FOR THE FOOD STAMP PROGRAM.
WHEN YOU MAKE CALLS AND YOU ASK THE LADY WHY HER LIGHT BILL IS SO HIGH, AND SHE SAYS, I KEEP IT ON 24 7 TO KEEP THE RATS FROM BITING THE BABY'S MILK BOTTLE, DESTROYING THE NIPPLE.
UM, THERE IS A PROPOSAL THAT HAS BEEN DRAFTED THAT HASN'T HAD PUBLIC COMMENTS.
I PERSONALLY THINK IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL NOT TO DELAY IT WITH A COMMITMENT FROM, FROM ME THAT WE'LL EXPEDITE IT HOPEFULLY IN JANUARY.
I UNDERSTAND YOUR TIMING IS, IS ESSENTIAL FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, ALTHOUGH WE, I KNOW YOU'RE DESIRING TO PROVIDE FUTURE LEADERSHIP, BUT ON THIS ISSUE
[02:30:01]
AND THIS COUNCIL, THERE IS A, UH, PROPOSAL THAT THE TEXAS HOUSERS ASSOCIATION WITH THEIR, UH, CLIENTELE BELIEVED IS CERTAINLY A BETTER PRODUCT.THEY WOULD LIKE ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITY TO WORK ON IT.
UM, THE OWNERS OF THE APARTMENT WOULD LIKE TO BE INVOLVED ADDITIONALLY, BUT CERTAINLY I THINK, YOU KNOW, I'M A BIG BELIEVER IN OUR COMMITTEE SYSTEM.
I THINK OUR COMMITTEE SYSTEM COULD BE A LOT MORE EXTENSIVE.
SO THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE ECONOMIC, UH, COMMITTEE AND THE HOUSING COMMITTEE TO, UH, MAKE CERTAIN THIS IS THE RIGHT APPROACH.
AND, UH, I'LL CERTAINLY, UH, GOVERNED BY THE WILL OF THIS BODY.
BUT THIS IS A LONG TIME OVER OVERDUE.
UH, I DON'T KNOW HOW SOME HOUSTONIANS IN THEIR COMFORT
SOME FOLKS JUST NEVER SEE THE CONDITIONS THAT WE KNOW EXIST EXISTS.
SO WE NEED TO TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO SHARE WHAT WE KNOW WE'RE TRYING TO CORRECT.
SO WITH THAT SAID, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER, UH, WE ALL APPLAUD YOU, YOUR PUBLIC SERVICE, YOUR INITIATIVE ON THIS ISSUE AND YOUR LEADERSHIP.
SO I WILL YIELD TO YOUR COMMENTS.
AND, UM, I'M NOT SURE COLLEAGUES IF YOU RECEIVED, BUT I SENT YOU KIND OF A SIDE BY SIDE OF WHAT WE PRESENTED IN OCTOBER AND THEN WHAT'S CURRENTLY HERE.
AND HONESTLY, THE GOOD DOCUMENT, UM, I'M REALLY PLEASED WITH HOW IT'S SHAPING UP.
UM, I THINK FINALLY EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THE URGENCY OF THIS.
UM, THIS PARTICULAR WHAT WE SEE, WHAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU NOW, IT REALLY GIVES THE CITY THE ABILITY TO INTERVENE BEFORE TRAGEDY OCCURS.
IT CREATES HIGH RISK DESIGNATION, UM, MANDATORY CORRECTIVE TIMELINES, UM, DOCUMENTED REPAIRS, FOLLOW UP INSPECTIONS, REAL TANGIBLE PENALTIES FOR LANDLORDS WHO WERE REPEATEDLY, UM, DOING THE WRONG THING TO OUR RESIDENTS.
UM, IT PROTECTS TENANTS WITHOUT RAISING RENTS, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING THAT WE WANT WHEN IT COMES TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UM, AND IT PROTECTS FIRST RESPONDERS WHO ARE ROUTINELY CALLED TO THESE BUILDINGS, UM, THAT SHOULD REALLY NEVER BE IN THESE OCCUPIED SITUATIONS AND CONDITIONS.
SO, UM, OBVIOUSLY FROM A, FROM A, YOU KNOW, SELFISH PERSPECTIVE, I WANTED TO VOTE ON THIS, BUT, UM, IT'S NOT ABOUT THAT.
IT'S ABOUT PEOPLE AND IT'S ABOUT US DOING THE RIGHT THING.
AND SO, UM, I'M PREPARED TO REFER THIS BACK TO THE ADMINISTRATION AND ALLOW US TO GET THIS RIGHT.
AND I PROMISE YOU I'LL BE AT ALL THE MEETINGS RIGHT THERE IN THE AUDIENCE, UM, TO MAKE SURE THIS THING GETS DONE.
AND I WILL CALL ALL OF YOU TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE SUPPORT IN THIS ITEM.
AND I'M LOOKING FOR UNANIMOUS VOTE WHEN THIS COMES IN JANUARY.
AND IF I COULD SAY ONE MORE THING TOO, I WANNA THANK, UM, ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS.
I WANNA THANK, UM, THE ADMINISTRATION.
UM, AND I REALLY WANNA THANK LEGAL, UM, THERESIA HAS JUST BEEN, AND DANNY GOT US STARTED, RIGHT? I MEAN, I KNOW THAT WE HAD TO PUSH THIS THROUGH PROP A JUST TO GET THE ATTENTION OF EVERYONE TO GET AND TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN'T PLAY AROUND WITH ANYMORE.
BUT I WANNA JUST CALL THOSE TWO, UM, MEMBERS IN THE, IN THE LEGAL TEAM OUT BECAUSE THEY'VE REALLY WORKED CLOSELY WITH US AND THEY'VE HEARD US, AND I THINK THAT THEY BELIEVE IN THIS DOCUMENT.
AND, UM, AND SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING IT DONE IN JANUARY.
AND I, I WANTED TO EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION TO COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER.
UM, I DO, WE JUST FOR THE RECORD, MAYOR, AND I UNDERSTAND YOUR COMMITMENT, AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR THAT IN TERMS OF IT COMING TO COMMITTEE IN JANUARY.
UM, DO WE HAVE A TIMELINE THEN OF WHEN IT CAN COME BACK TO THE MAIN BODY, EXCUSE ME, FOR A VOTE? AND THE REASON I'M ASKING, UM, AND YOU'RE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THIS, I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH YOUR TEAM.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, DEVASTATING APARTMENT COMPLEX, AND I WANNA THANK STEVEN DAVID FOR WORKING WITH OUR OFFICE ON THIS AS WELL.
BUT LAST THURSDAY, I RESPONDED TO AN APARTMENT FIRE IN DISTRICT C AND AT THE SHELTER WE LEARNED IT WAS THE SAME APARTMENT COMPLEX THAT WE HAD FILED A CHAPTER 1 25 AGAINST.
THEN WE LEARNED FROM RESIDENTS THAT THIS WAS NOT THE FIRST FIRE IN TWO MONTHS, IT WAS THE THIRD.
WE LEARNED THAT THE SMOKE DETECTORS HAD NOT GONE OFF.
THERE WERE LITTLE CHILDREN THAT HAD RUN OUT WITH THE FIRE AND ACTUALLY RUN BACK IN TO START KNOCKING ON DOORS TO WAKE UP GRANDPARENTS TO GET THEM OUT.
THE FACT THAT NOBODY DIED IS A MIRACLE.
BUT THEN WE WENT BACK ON SITE.
AND, UH, EVEN FROM THE PREVIOUS FIRES, THINGS WERE NOT SECURED, UH, WERE NOT BOARDED UP PROPERLY.
THERE WERE BROKEN WINDOWS IN OTHER UNITS.
THEY HAD NOT HAD AIR CONDITIONING FOR
[02:35:01]
TWO MONTHS.THE HEATER WAS NOT WORKING IN OTHER BUILDINGS.
THE LIST GOES ON, RAT INFESTATIONS, ROACH INFESTATIONS, AND WITH CHAPTER 1 25, THAT IS ONE TOOL, BUT THAT FOCUSES ON PUBLIC SAFETY, NOT NECESSARILY, NOT NECESSARILY HABITABILITY.
AND THAT'S WHAT THIS ORDINANCE, I BELIEVE, IS ALSO ABOUT.
UM, SO I PROMISED RESIDENTS THAT I'VE BEEN SPEAKING TO, THAT I'VE BEEN VISITING IN THE SHELTERS, THAT WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THIS THROUGH ASAP.
SO DO WE KNOW TIMELINE WISE? YES, IT'LL COME TO COMMITTEE IN JANUARY WHEN IT WILL COME BACK TO THE BODY.
I HAVE TOTAL CONFIDENCE IN THE TWO CHAIRS TO EXPEDITE THINGS AND GET IT BACK BEFORE US AS, AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE ENTERING THE HOLIDAY SEASON.
BUT, UH, WE WILL GET TOTALLY FIRED UP 1ST OF JANUARY AND DO IT AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE.
SO DO WE EXPECT BY FEBRUARY IT CAN, I, I DON'T, I DON'T THINK I, I NEED TO DIRECT THESE TWO CHAIRS TO DO IT IN A VERY TIMELY WAY.
IT'S NOT ABOUT DIRECTING THE CHAIRS, MARY, I WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THEM.
IT'S ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT IT COMES BACK TO THE BODY.
WE'LL DO IT AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE.
JUST WANNA SAY, UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK.
I KNOW MONTHS BACK WE SPOKE AS WELL, UH, KNOWING THAT THIS IS A SIX YEAR PROCESS, UM, AT THAT POINT, UM, THAT I WAS COMMITTED TO MAKING SURE THAT THIS WAS CROSSED THE LINE AS WELL.
UM, IN THE, IN DISTRICT, I SPECIFICALLY, WE HAVE A HIGH DENSITY OF APARTMENT COMPLEX ALONG BROADWAY, UM, IN THE NORTHEAST.
UH, AND IT, FOR ME, IT'S, IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT THAT WE SEE THIS GET, GET DONE.
AND AFTER SPEAKING TO THE APARTMENT ASSOCIATION AND ALSO TEXAS HOUSERS, UH, I FEEL VERY COMMITTED, UM, TO ENSURING THAT WE GET TO THAT POINT.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, WITH THE MAYOR SUPPORT, UH, YOU KNOW, MY HOPE IS THAT YOU ARE HERE WHENEVER WE PASS IT.
AND AGAIN, JUST THAT COMMITMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT GETS DONE.
UH, KNOW THAT, UH, AS A DISTRICT GUY COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, I'M COMMITTED TO THAT.
COUNCIL ALCORN, THANK YOU MAYOR, AND THANK YOU COLLEAGUE, DR.
THIS IS, THIS IS GREAT WORK, AND IT'S GONNA CROSS THE FINISH LINE, AND YOU ARE LOOKING OUT FOR THE LEAST OF US, AS YOU HAVE CONTINUOUSLY DONE IN THIS SEAT ON COUNCIL.
UM, HOUSTON HAS THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY OF ANY OF THE MOST POPULOUS CITIES.
A RATE OF 21.2%, 31% OF OUR CHILDREN IN HOUSTON LIVE IN POVERTY.
AND THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE LIVING IN APARTMENT COMPLEXES OFTEN THAT ARE NEGLECTED.
AND I BELIEVE IT'S OUR ROLE AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND YOU'VE CERTAINLY LED THIS CHARGE, UM, TO, TO LOOK OUT FOR THEM.
AND THIS, THIS ORDINANCE WILL GO A LONG WAY.
I KNOW, AS I KNOW A LOT OF YOU HAVE ON, ON OVER THE LAST YEAR OF APARTMENTS.
RATS, MOLD, ROACHES, NO HEAT, NO AIR, UH, YOU KNOW, OVERFLOWING TRASH.
JUST THE LIST GOES ON AND ON AND ON.
AND YOU THINK ABOUT HOW FORTUNATE WE ARE TO BE ABLE TO LIVE IN CONDITIONS THAT, THAT ARE NICE.
THANK YOU, MAYOR, TO YOUR ADMINISTRATION FOR YOUR WORK.
WE WILL ABSOLUTELY CARRY THIS OVER THE FINISH LINE, AND HOPEFULLY THIS WILL BE MEAN, REAL RELIEF FOR THE PEOPLE THAT REALLY NEED IT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR REMARKS, JACKSON.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER PLUM FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, UM, ON THIS ORDINANCE.
YOU KNOW, DISTRICT B DEALS WITH A LOT OF, UM, ISSUES.
WE HAVE A LOT OF ISSUES WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO APARTMENT COMPLEXES, WHAT, 61%, OVER 61% OF OUR, UM, RESIDENTS LIVE, UM, RENT PROPERTIES OR, AND WE HAVE A LOT OF APARTMENTS, UM, IN THE DISTRICT.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF BAD LANDLORDS.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH STERLING SHAW CARPENTRY.
NOT SAYING THAT THEY'RE BAD, BUT THEY'RE BAD.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN HAVING ISSUES NOW, BAD PEOPLE, BUT THEY, YOU KNOW, NOT HANDLING THEIR BUSINESS WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO THE DEPARTMENT COMPLEXES.
AND SO THIS ORDINANCE IS REALLY GOING TO GIVE, UM, THE RESIDENTS GIVE THE CITY A TOOL TO HOLD THESE, UM, LANDLORDS ACCOUNTABLE.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT AND JUST YOUR CONSISTENCY.
YOU'VE BEEN WORKING ON IT FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
UM, AND JUST KNOW THAT, UM, I SUPPORTED A HUNDRED PERCENT.
AND, UM, MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR, UM, YOUR LEADERSHIP, YOU KNOW, AND JUST YOUR, YOUR, YOUR STAFF, YOU KNOW, GETTING INVOLVED.
AND YOU HAVE YOUR, YOUR ORDINANCE, YOUR YOUR VERSION HERE.
AND SO I'M READY FOR IT TO GO BACK TO, UM, COMMITTEE AND GIVE MY INPUT AND, UM, MAKE IT HAPPEN.
AND I CERTAINLY WANNA CHIME IN AND, UH, LIFT UP MY COLLEAGUE, MS. SPELMAN'S SISTER, UM, WHO CERTAINLY HAS LED THIS CHARGE ALL THE WAY BACK TO 2020.
[02:40:01]
AND CERTAINLY WE HAVE SEEN SOME APPALLING CONDITIONS.CERTAINLY, I'M SURE YOU ALL SAW THE VIDEO OF ME KICKING MY LEGS UP, UH, TO AVOID A RODENT THAT WAS COMING TO SPEAK TO ME.
AND SO CERTAINLY I, IT WAS MY PLEASURE TO SUPPORT THIS PROP A AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO SPEAK OUT.
BUT I AM VERY CERTAIN THAT THE MAYOR IS GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT NOW WE HAVE TEETH, BECAUSE THERE MUST BE CONSEQUENCES.
YOU CANNOT JUST COLLECT RENT FROM PEOPLE EVERY MONTH AND HAVE THEM LIVING IN SQUALOR.
AND SO, AGAIN, I THANK YOU, UH, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
UM, AND YOU ARE STILL MY CONSTITUENT, AND WE WILL CERTAINLY, UH, HAVE MANY CONVERSATIONS REGARDING THIS AND OTHER THINGS.
SO THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, AND THANK YOU AGAIN, MAYOR.
UM, DO WE HAVE A POTENTIAL DATE THAT WILL, THE COMMITTEE MEETING WILL BE IN JANUARY? CAN WE SAY IT'LL BE MID-JANUARY? I THINK YOU JUST HAVE TO TRUST MAYOR.
AND I'M SITTING HERE TELLING YOU, I'M ASKING THEM TO EXPECT, BUT I KNOW THEY'RE AS COMMITTED THAT AS WE ARE.
I MEAN, THEY'RE SOME OF OUR BEST OF OUR BEST.
SO I, I DON'T HAVE A CALENDAR IN FRONT OF ME.
UH, I KNOW WE'RE GOING INTO HOLIDAY SEASON.
WE'LL HIT THE FLOOR RUNNING IN JANUARY.
I PERSONALLY, I'M BELIEVE THAT THE PUBLIC, I MEAN, WHEN YOU HAVE A NEW PROP PROPOSAL, THE PUBLIC SHOULD HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME FORWARD, WHETHER IT BE THE OWNERS, THE, THE RESIDENTS, UH, OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS.
I MEAN, THIS IS SIGNIFICANT AS YOU KNOW.
SO I'M, I DON'T THINK I OUGHT TO PUT A, A DATE ON THEM OTHER THAN WE EXPECT IT TO BE AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE.
WELL, I WOULD LIKE TO DO THIS THOUGH.
I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT A FINAL ORDINANCE WILL BE PRESENTED 30 DAYS AFTER THE COMMITTEE MEETING.
I THINK IT'S, UH, WHAT, WHAT IF IT'S NOT READY, BECAUSE IT REALLY IS READY, I PROCEED AND WE COULD REALLY VOTE.
WE COULD REALLY VOTE ON THIS ITEM TODAY, AND THEN YOU ALL COULD MAKE YOUR CHANGES AND EDITS AND ALL THAT IN THE FUTURE.
I MEAN, IT REALLY IS A GOOD, IT'S A REALLY GOOD DOCUMENT.
SO, I MEAN, I, I UNDERSTAND THE TIMING AND THE TIMING'S OVER NEXT WEEK'S, MY LAST MEETING.
SO I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT THE TIMING.
SO I'M WORRIED ABOUT RESIDENTS COUNCIL.
WE ARE, YOU'VE HEARD THE HEARTFELT SPREAD.
SO I'M SAYING THAT IT SHOULD BE, I SHOULD, I, I, I WANT A COMMITMENT THAT THIS ORDINANCE WILL BE ON THE AGENDA 30 DAYS AFTER THE COMMITTEE MEETING.
I MEAN, PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY COME AND TALKED TO US.
WE'VE HAD PLENTY STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS.
I MEAN, EACH OF US HAVE TALKED TO FOLKS.
I MEAN, THERE'S, I'M, I'M GOING TO PERSONALLY DON'T BELIEVE IT'S FAIR OR PROPER FOR YOU TO TELL TO EXPERIENCE COMMITTED COUNCIL MEMBERS HOW TO RUN THEIR COMMITTEE.
I'M SAYING THAT THEY CAN CHOOSE THE DATE ON THEIR COMMITTEE MEETING.
I'M SAYING THAT THE ADMINISTRATION AND LEGAL CAN SAY THAT, THAT, WELL, I'VE ALREADY GIVEN YOU MY COMMITMENT THAT IT'S GONNA BE DONE AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE.
AND THEY KNOW THE PURPOSE IN THE HEARINGS IS TO HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC.
MAYOR, I JUST DON'T THINK THAT'S GOOD ENOUGH, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.
I THINK, LIKE I SAID, THIS DOCUMENT'S IN FRONT OF US IS A GOOD DOCUMENT.
I MEAN, I'M WILLING, I'M, LOOK, I'M CONCEDING HERE.
I'M WILLING TO REFER THIS BACK TO THE ADMINISTRATION, BUT I'M SAYING THAT THERE SHOULD BE A TIMELINE THAT WE BRING SOMETHING BACK.
THIS DOCUMENT CAN BE VOTED ON TODAY, UNDER ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES.
SO I'M JUST SAYING THAT WE NEED TO SAY THAT IF YOUR MEETING IS ON THE, THE 13TH, 15TH OF JANUARY, THAT WE'VE GOT 30 DAYS TO BRING SOMETHING BACK ON THE AGENDA.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S TOO MUCH TO ASK FOR.
AND THAT'S NOT DICTATING WHAT, WHAT THE CHAIRS OF THE COMMITTEES, WHAT THEY'RE DOING AT ALL.
IS THAT, BECAUSE REALLY THE WORK IS BEING DONE THROUGH THE ADMINISTRATION, THROUGH ASAC.
WHY DON'T YOU MAKE A MOTION? WELL, AND I'LL, IF YOU GET A, I, YEAH, I MAKE A MOTION.
I MAKE A MOTION TO BRING THIS ITEM BACK 30 DAYS AFTER THE COMMITTEE MEETING.
SECOND THIS ITEM CALL A QUESTION, THIS ITEM OR THE ITEM THAT COMES OUT OF COMMITTEE.
OUT OF COMMITTEE, THE ITEM, THE ITEM THAT COMES OUTTA THE COMMITTEE HAS TO COME TO THE AGENDA 30 DAYS AFTER A COMMITTEE MEETING.
WHE WHETHER THE TWO CHAIRMAN HAVE COMPLETED THEIR WORK OR NOT, THE CHAIRS ARE GONNA COMPLETE THEIR WORK.
THIS WORK IS REALLY BEING DONE TO THE ADMINISTRATION, LEGAL AND ASAC.
[02:45:01]
WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.WE ALL UNDERSTAND THE URGENCY.
IF YOU WANNA MOVE TO VOTE IT OUT TODAY, THAT'S, THAT'S YOUR CALL.
NO, I WANNA, I WANNA VOTE ON MY, ALL I'M SAYING IS I WANNA VOTE ON MY MISSION.
I DON'T THINK IT'S REASONABLE TO TELL TWO COMMITTED, EXPERIENCED COLLEAGUES HOW TO RUN THEIR COMMITTEE IF THEY'RE MAKING PROGRESS AND THINGS ARE ACTUALLY IMPROVING.
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW WE CAN JUDGE THAT TODAY.
AND IT WOULD BE EASY FOR ME TO SIT HERE AND SAY, DONE DEAL.
UH, MY VICE MAYOR PRO TEM HIM.
I, I, I THINK IT WOULD BE PRUDENT TO SAY THAT WHEN YOU ARE REFERRING THIS BACK TO THE ADMINISTRATION, THIS IS GONNA GO TO A JOINT MEETING WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND HOUSING, UM, DEALING WITH THE OWNERS OF APARTMENT COMPLEXES, AS WELL AS THE TENANTS THAT ARE, UM, DEALING WITH THESE DIFFICULT, UM, LIVING CONDITIONS.
I DO AGREE THAT EVERYONE IS ON THE SAME PAGE, AND THAT WE ARE GOING TO TRY TO EXPEDITE THIS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
HOWEVER, THE, WE, WE DO HAVE TO BE REALISTIC THAT THE, THE GOAL OF EVEN REFERRING IT BACK WAS FOR US TO HAVE A, THE, LEMME JUST SAY THIS.
MY GOAL OF REFERRING IT BACK WHEN I DID WAS FOR US TO HAVE A JOINT MEETING OF THESE STAKEHOLDERS.
UM, THERE WAS NO ADDITIONAL CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN THE GROUPS.
AND THAT WAS THE INITIAL INTENT OF REFERRING IT BACK TO GET US TO THE 10TH.
THERE WAS NO JOINT MEETING OF THE STAKEHOLDERS.
THERE WAS CONVERSATIONS, I GUESS, FROM THE ADMINISTRATION THAT CAME UP WITH THIS DOCUMENT.
THAT IS THE DOCUMENT THAT EVERYONE'S PLEASED WITH.
BUT MY INITIAL INTENT OF REFERRING THIS BACK TO THE 10TH WAS FOR THE JOINT MEETING.
BECAUSE EVERY PERSON THAT CAME HERE, UM, THE WEEK PRIOR TO MAKING THAT MOTION WAS SAYING THEY DIDN'T HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THEIR VOICES HEARD.
THAT OPPORTUNITY STILL HASN'T HAPPENED.
FRIDAY PRIOR WITH THE ADMINISTRATION.
THEY HAD, THEY, THEY, THE ADMINISTRATION EMAILED THEM, GOT A CALLED MEETING, AND THEY WENT OVER THE DOCUMENT TOGETHER.
SO THE PUBLIC CAME AND MET WITH THE ADMINISTRATION.
FRIDAY THE PUBLIC, NOT FOR THE PUBLIC, JUST, THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
I'M TALKING ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THESE APARTMENTS.
WELL, THEY, TO US FOR SUCCESS, COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER, THEY HAVE NOT COME TO US FOR SIX YEARS.
WE'VE HAD PROBLEMS FOR SIX YEARS, BUT THERE HAS NOT BEEN A MEETING WHERE THE STAKEHOLDERS AND THE PUBLIC HAVE HAD THEIR SAY ABOUT THIS DOCUMENT.
I MEAN, WE, WE'VE HEARD FROM, UH, HOUSERS THE APARTMENT ASSOCIATION, UM, AND THE PEOPLE THAT COME HERE.
AND I THINK THAT IT, IT IS NOT, I GOT IT.
LET'S HAVE THE JOINT MEETING MM-HMM
WHERE THE PUBLIC, THE STAKE, ALL OF THE STAKEHOLDERS, THE HOUSERS AND APARTMENT ASSOCIATION ARE NOT JUST THE STAKEHOLDERS.
SO THEY SHOULDN'T BE THE ONLY ONES THAT HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET THE PUBLIC SHOULD ALSO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAY WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE IN THIS DOCUMENT.
I THINK THAT WAS THE INITIAL INTENT FOR YOU.
UM, I MEAN, I FELT LIKE THEY WERE THE BIGGEST DRAW MM-HMM
UM, AND THEY HAVE NOT HAD THEIR OPPORTUNITY TO COME AND SAY THEIR SAY ON THIS DOCUMENT.
UM, IF YOU'RE SAYING THEY MET FRIDAY, I, I DON'T THINK THAT THE PUBLIC HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET ON FRIDAY.
IT WAS ONLY THE HOUSERS AND THE APARTMENT ASSOCIATION.
AND DURING THE COMMITTEE MEETING, EVERY, WE WILL HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO ADVERTISE THIS SO WE CAN GET THIS DONE.
UM, I, I, I THINK IT, IT'S, IT'S GONE ON LONG ENOUGH.
AND IF OUR GOAL WAS TO HAVE EVERYONE COME TO THE TABLE, THAT STILL HAS NOT HAPPENED.
I, I THINK WE CAN ACCOMMODATE EVERYONE'S INTEREST.
UH, I'M DISAPPOINTED THAT WE TRY TO TIE THE HANDS OF TWO COMMITTED EXPERIENCED CHAIRS, BUT WE'LL LET THEM DO THEIR WORK.
WE WILL ASK THEM FOR A 30 DAY TIMELINE.
THEY CAN ALWAYS COME BACK AND ASK FOR ADDITIONAL TIME IF WE'RE ACTUALLY IMPROVING THINGS.
I'VE ONLY BEEN HERE TWO YEARS, ALONG WITH ABOUT HALF THE COUNCIL.
THIS DISCUSSION HAS BEEN GOING ON SIX YEARS.
AND IT ONLY SHOWED UP IN JUNE WITH YOUR PROPOSAL.
AND THEN I WAS HANDED THE FOOTBALL WITH VERY LITTLE INPUT
[02:50:02]
FOR MOST NOT, I AIN'T WORRIED ABOUT THE OWNERS.THEY'RE BIG ENOUGH TO TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES.
THE RESIDENTS, THOSE THAT ARE IMPACTED, THE DIFFERENT COUNCIL MEMBERS.
SO, YOU KNOW, I'M SORRY THAT YOU'VE BEEN BUSY ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL, THAT WE COULDN'T ALWAYS HAVE THE PRODUCT THAT, OKAY.
NO, I'M NOT DOING, I'M TELLING YOU THE HONEST TRUTH.
AND WE'RE GONNA ACCOMMODATE YOU.
NO, I'M NOT DOING THAT AT ALL.
I'M SAYING YOU NEED TO APOLOGIZE.
IT IS WHAT? IT'S UNACCEPTABLE.
THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL.
IF YOU WANT A 30 MINUTE, 30 DAY TIMELINE, YOU'VE GOT IT.
SECOND, CALL THE QUESTION AS WELL.
ALL IN FAVOR SAY TO BRING IT BACK TO COUNCIL.
AFTER, AFTER THE, THE AFTER COMMITTEE.
THE COMMITTEE MAKES THE DECISION AFTER THE COMMITTEE MEETING.
AFTER THE AFTER COMMITTEE MEETING.
THEY WILL THEN BRING IT BACK WITHIN 30 DAYS.
YOU WANNA MAKE THE MOTION TO REFER IT BACK, PLEASE? WITH A 30 DAY REQUIREMENT, UM, I MAKE A MOTION TO REFER BACK TO THE ADMINISTRATION WITH THE EXPECTATION THAT THIS ORDINANCE WILL COME BACK TO THE COUNCIL 30 DAYS AFTER THE COMMITTEE MEETING.
AND IT'LL BE REFERRED TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND HOUSING.
AND I WOULD REALLY WANT, UM, I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE COUNCILOR RAMIREZ A PART OF THIS CONVERSATION AS WELL.
I'M JUST SAYING SPECIFICALLY THOUGH.
[PROPOSITION A COUNCIL MEMBER ITEM]
UP ORDINANCE, UH, ITEM 51.UH, I WAS MAKING, UH, AN AMENDMENT TO THE AGENDA ITEM TO CHANGE THE EVENING SESSION FROM MONTHLY TO QUARTERLY.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE FOUND IN THE EVENING SESSIONS IS A LOT OF THE SPEAKERS, OR THE SAME SPEAKERS THAT WE HAVE DURING THE DAY AS WELL.
I MEAN, I'D KIND OF HOPED WHEN WE DID THIS THAT IT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE WHO HAD NEVER BEEN UP HERE TO BE ABLE TO GO UP THERE.
AND I THINK, ALTHOUGH THERE'S BEEN SOME OF THAT, THE VAST MAJORITY OF 'EM HAVE BEEN, UH, PRETTY MUCH THE SAME PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE DURING THE DAY.
UH, ALSO, I THINK THIS WOULD KIND OF RELIEVE SOME OF THE ADDITIONAL BURDEN BROUGHT ON BY STAFFING IT IN THE EVENING AND THAT TYPE OF THING.
SO I'D LIKE TO SEE ABOUT, UH, CHANGING THESE FROM MONTHLY TO QUARTERLY.
VERY WELL, COUNCILMAN CASTILLO.
THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COLLEAGUES.
AS OUR PILOT, UH, COMES TO AN END THIS MONTH, UH, THIS ITEM HAS BEEN RESUBMITTED FOR CONSIDERATION TO MAKE IT A PERMANENT PART OF OUR MEETING STRUCTURE.
UM, ONE OF THE BIGGEST TAKEAWAYS I HAVE FROM OUR EVENING PUBLIC SESSIONS IS THAT, UM, THEY'VE BEEN PRETTY POPULAR.
OUR FIRST ONE, WE HAD 77 SPEAKERS, 198 TOTAL MINUTES ARE SECOND, 105 SPEAKERS, 257 TOTAL MINUTES.
THIRD, 44 SPEAKERS, 100 TOTAL MINUTES.
FOURTH, 91 SPEAKERS, 222 TOTAL MINUTES.
AVERAGE OF 80 SPEAKERS, AVERAGE OF 195 MINUTES.
SO, SO TO ME, THAT'S A SUCCESS.
AND I DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE THE SAME EXPERIENCE AS COUNCILMAN FLICKINGER, WHERE IT'S THE SAME PEOPLE IN THE DAY COMING AT NIGHT.
I JUST, FROM MY RECOLLECTION, THAT HASN'T BEEN THE CASE.
UM, SO THIS ITEM HAS COME BACK WITH SOME TWEAKS TO MAKE IT A LITTLE MORE AMENABLE TO THE BODY.
UH, THE TIME GOES FROM 6:00 PM TO 5:00 PM PROCLAMATIONS ARE ELIMINATED SO THAT WE ACTUALLY START AT FIVE AND NOT AT SEVEN WHEN WE HAVE FOUR PROCLAMATIONS IN AN EVENING MEETING.
UM, AND WE CLARIFY THAT THE FINAL PUBLIC SESSION THAT'S EVENING IS EIGHT NON-CONSOLIDATED MEETING.
SO WE DON'T HAVE THAT ISSUE WITH THE HOLIDAYS AT THE END OF THE MONTH, UH, CAUSING CONFUSION ON DO WE HAVE AN EVENING OR DO WE NOT? UM, SO THAT'S THE PROPOSAL THAT WE HAVE BROUGHT BACK FOR FOLKS TO CONSIDER.
[02:55:01]
THAT'S THE PROPOSAL THAT, THAT I'LL SUPPORT.AND, UH, I APPRECIATE COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER MAKING HIS AMENDMENTS.
AND WE WILL, UM, YOU KNOW, HAVE THE CONVERSATION HERE AT THE, AT THE TABLE.
UM, AND I, I REALLY WANNA APPLAUD COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO FOR THIS EFFORT.
UM, IT DISTRICT, SEE, THE FEEDBACK WE HAVE GOTTEN, UM, HAS BEEN VERY, VERY WELCOMING.
UH, PEOPLE THAT NOW DON'T HAVE TO TAKE TIME OFF OF WORK.
AND I RECOGNIZE THAT MAYBE THIS WOULDN'T BE NEEDED IF WE HAD VIRTUAL ACCESS FOR PEOPLE.
UM, BUT THAT PRESENTS, ITS A NOVEL, ITS OWN SET OF CHALLENGES, RIGHT.
UM, I, I DO WANNA EMPHASIZE THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON HAS SOME OF THE MOST OPEN PUBLIC INPUT OPPORTUNITIES OF ANY MAJOR CITY IN THE COUNTRY ALREADY.
UM, THERE ARE, AND IT HAS NOT BEEN MY EXPERIENCE.
FOR EXAMPLE, ONE WEEK WE HAD A, A GROUP OF PARENTS COMING ABOUT, UH, SAFETY CROSSINGS.
THEY DID NOT COME THE NEXT WEEK OR THE FOLLOWING.
I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, REGARDLESS OF WHEN WE HAVE PUBLIC SESSION, THAT WE ARE ENFORCING, UH, THE RULES OF NESS OF TIME, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
BECAUSE SOME OF THE REASON WHY WE'RE HAVING SOME OF THESE CHALLENGES WITH PUBLIC SESSION IS BECAUSE WE'RE NOT ENFORCING THE RULES THAT ARE ON THE BOOKS.
UM, THAT BEING SAID, I FULLY SUPPORT, UH, PUBLIC MEETINGS IN THE EVENINGS BECAUSE THAT GIVES PEOPLE ADDITIONAL ACCESS TO CITY HALL.
I WOULD ASK, UM, THAT IF WE'RE DOING THEM MONTHLY OR QUARTERLY, THAT WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT, UM, HOLIDAYS, UH, THE SAME WAY THAT WE DO FOR WHEN WE VOTE ON OTHER, UH, OUR, OUR COUNCIL CALENDAR AT THE, DURING THE YEAR.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE NEXT PUBLIC SESSION IN THE EVENING IS NEXT WEEK, AND IT'S OVER HANUKKAH.
AND HANUKKAH IS AN EVENING OBSERVANCE.
UH, THE SAME THING WITH RAMADAN AND FASTING.
UH, BREAK FAST OVER RAMADAN IS IN THE EVENING.
SO I WOULD ASK FOR SENSITIVITY FOR ALL, UM, FAITHS AND OBSERVANCES.
UH, ADDITIONALLY, IF WE ARE DOING EVENING SESSIONS, I WOULD ASK THAT WE'RE, AND MAYBE THIS IS IN THE FUTURE, CONSIDERING, UH, RATHER THAN A 9:00 AM A 10:00 AM START DATE ON WEDNESDAYS, UH, TO ALLOW US TO TAKE IN ALL OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT, TO GO BACK TO REVIEW WHAT WE ARE VOTING ON BASED ON PUBLIC INPUT, BECAUSE THAT IS THE PURPOSE OF PUBLIC INPUT.
SO THERE ARE THINGS I THINK, THAT WE CAN DO TO EASE THE BURDEN ON CITY STAFF.
UH, BUT THE SPIRIT OF THIS, AND I THINK THE SUCCESS OF THIS IS A TESTAMENT TO THE FACT THAT RESIDENTS WANT MORE ENGAGEMENT FROM THE CITY.
AND I APPLAUD COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO, UM, FOR REALLY CHAMPIONING THIS 'CAUSE WE'RE HEARING GREAT FEEDBACK IN DISTRICT C.
AND THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO.
I WAS PROUD TO JOIN THIS PROP A WITH COUNCIL MEMBER PECK AND, AND COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO.
IT'S BEEN OVERWHELMINGLY, UH, SUCCESSFUL.
I THINK I'VE GOTTEN GREAT FEEDBACK FROM IT.
I'M ALWAYS GONNA ERR ON THE SIDE OF MORE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.
I UNDERSTAND IT PRESENTS A PROBLEM FOR SOME, FOR, UM, CIVIC CLUB MEETINGS THAT ARE SET.
BUT I THINK THESE TWEAKS THAT WE'VE MADE ON THE FIVE O'CLOCK START, UM, KEEP IT ROLLING.
KEEP IT VICE MAYOR PRO TEM, AMY PECK, ROLL IN THOSE MEETINGS,
AND, UM, AND SO HOPEFULLY PEOPLE CAN GET OUT TO MAKE IT TO SOME OF THESE CIVIC CLUBS.
UH, SO I'M, UH, UH, WELL, I APPRECIATE YOUR AMENDMENT COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER, I AM DEFINITELY FOR THE, FOR THE MONTHLY MEETING.
I, I HAVE REALLY GOTTEN GOOD FEEDBACK.
IT'S SOMETHING WE'VE TALKED ABOUT FOREVER.
LIKE, OH MY GOSH, WHY DO WE MEET AT TWO O'CLOCK? AND THEN YOU FINALLY DID IT, AND IT'S BEEN SUCCESSFUL.
AND, AND I'LL BE, I'LL BE IN FAVOR OF THE MONTHLY MEETING.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO, FOR THOSE, UH, NUMBERS.
I DO WANNA AMPLIFY THE NUMBERS FOR, UH, DISTRICT A.
UH, I THINK IN TOTAL, WE HAD 13 PEOPLE COME IN THE, UM, SIX MONTH TIMEFRAME.
UM, BUT ONLY TWO ACTUALLY TALKED ABOUT ISSUES IN DISTRICT A AND WEREN'T PART OF A GROUP THAT WAS COMING.
AND I BRING THAT UP BECAUSE, UM, WHETHER IT'S AT TWO O'CLOCK, FIVE O'CLOCK, SIX O'CLOCK, IT'S DIFFICULT TO COME TO CITY HALL.
AND I DO WANT TO SAY AGAIN THAT I THINK IF OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE MORE PEOPLE PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC SESSION, THAT WE SHOULD UTILIZE OUR VIRTUAL TECHNOLOGY THAT WE'VE HAD IN PLACE, UM, SINCE COVID.
UM, HOWEVER, I, I WILL DEFINITELY SUPPORT THE WILL OF THE BODY, BUT I'D LIKE TO SHARE THAT ONE OF THE CONSTITUENTS
[03:00:01]
THAT CAME TO PUBLIC SESSION, UM, WAS A SENIOR.SHE TOOK AN UBER AND IT WAS $100 BECAUSE OF THE SURGE PRICING AT SIX O'CLOCK.
UM, SURGE PRICING, OF COURSE, AT FIVE O'CLOCK.
UM, SHE STAYED FOR THE ENTIRE MEETING SO THAT I COULD DRIVE HER HOME, BECAUSE FOR HER TO COME HERE 18 MILES FROM, UH, DISTRICT K WAS A $100 IN AN UBER.
UM, AND SHE WANTED TO COME AND BE ON THE RECORD TO TALK ABOUT HER CONCERNS ABOUT, UH, OF COURSE, TRASH PICKUP.
HOWEVER, UM, I DO THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, FOLKS COMING FROM, FROM FORT BEND, HOUSTON, WHETHER IT'S, YOU KNOW, FIVE O'CLOCK OR SIX O'CLOCK, REALISTICALLY, IT'S A, IT, IT IS A JOURNEY TO COME TO CITY HALL.
AND SO I'M GOING TO, ON THE RECORD AGAIN, SAY I THINK THAT, UM, UTILIZING OUR TECHNOLOGY ALSO IS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE CAN ACCESS US AT CITY HALL, UM, AS WELL.
THANK YOU, COUNCILOR MARTINEZ.
AND I ALSO WANNA, UH, COMMEND YOU, UH, COUNCILOR CASTILLO FOR THIS, THIS PROP A AND, AND MOVING FORWARD AND MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE MORE ACCESS.
UM, AND I WILL FOLLOW THE WILL OF THE BODY AS WELL.
BUT I, I WANNA ALSO REITERATE THAT THOSE EIGHT MONTHS THAT WE ARE COMING HERE TUESDAY EVENINGS, ESPECIALLY FOR THE DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT HAVE CIVIC CLUBS, AND USUALLY THOSE ARE THE HEAVIEST DAYS FOR CIVIC CLUBS, AT LEAST IN DISTRICT.
I, UH, AT SOME, SOME POINT THERE'S ALMOST FOUR CIVIC CLUBS.
AND SO IF WHEN I, AND I'VE MISSED, YOU KNOW, USUALLY, UM, MY FIRST YEAR I WAS ABLE TO MAKE ALMOST EVERY CIVIC CLUB FOR MY DISTRICT I CIVIC CLUB TOUR.
AND IT'S ABOUT A TWO MONTH PROCESS.
UH, THIS YEAR, UNFORTUNATELY, BECAUSE OF THE EVENING MEETINGS, I WAS, I WASN'T ABLE TO COMPLETE THAT.
UM, AND, AND SO I DO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT AS WE PROVIDE MORE ACCESS, UH, HERE AT CITY HALL, UM, FOR ME, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT I'M OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, IN THE DISTRICT, UH, TALKING TO THOSE CONSTITUENTS.
UM, AND SO I APPRECIATE, UH, COUNCILOR FLICKINGER, UH, AMENDMENT.
I WOULDN'T BE OPPOSED TO, UH, MOVING IT TO A QUARTERLY, UH, BECAUSE OF, OF THE NEED TO WANT, OR THE WANT TO WANT TO BE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.
I DO, UH, APPRECIATE YOU TAKING OFF PROCLAMATIONS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE, WE STAY ON TASK DURING THE PUBLIC SESSIONS.
UH, THIS, THIS YEAR WAS A HEAVIER, UM, PUBLIC SESSION FOR ME 'CAUSE OF AGENDA ITEMS THAT WERE ON THE, ON THE COUNCIL.
UM, BUT NORMALLY
UM, BUT NORMALLY, UH,
BUT NORMALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF FOLKS THAT HAVE HISTORICALLY HAVE COME, UH, FROM DISTRICT.
I, UH, I'VE ALWAYS ENCOURAGED MORE FOLKS TO COME TO PUBLIC SESSION.
I'LL CONTINUE TO DO THAT, WHETHER IT'S AT TWO OR IN THE EVENING.
UM, I JUST THINK THAT, UH, AS WE MOVE FORWARD, IT'D BE JUST BE COGNIZANT OF THE MEETINGS THAT WE DO HAVE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, AGAIN, I, I, I APPRECIATE COUNCILOR FLICKINGER AND I BE SUPPORTIVE OF THE WILL OF THE BODY WAS SUPPORTIVE OF THE QUARTERLY AS WELL.
UM, BUT, BUT WITH THAT, JUST, UH, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR EFFORTS AS WELL.
AND THANK YOU COUNCIL MAYOR CASTILLO, UM, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS.
I WAS HAPPY TO JOIN WITH YOU ON THIS ORDINANCE.
I THINK ANY TIME THAT WE CAN HAVE MORE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, THAT'S ALWAYS A GOOD THING.
UM, I HAVE HEARD FROM A NUMBER OF OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT, UM, IT IS DIFFICULT TO GET TO OUR CIVIC CLUB MEETINGS.
WE ALSO HAVE, UM, PIP MEETINGS FOR HPD ON TUESDAYS, AT LEAST IN DISTRICT DAY THAT I'VE HAD TO MISS.
UM, SO I DO SUPPORT THE QUARTERLY MEETINGS.
I THINK IT'S KIND OF A BALANCE AND BEST OF BOTH WORLDS WHERE THERE'S STILL PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT FOR PEOPLE WHO CAN'T GET HERE DURING THE DAY, BUT STILL ALLOWS US TO GET TO CIVIC CLUB MEETINGS.
SO I THINK IT'S A GOOD BALANCED APPROACH.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, HAPPY TO BE HERE WHENEVER OUR, OUR, UM, NIGHT PUBLIC SESSION MEETINGS ARE.
AND, UM, I THINK THAT SWITCHING TO QUARTERLY MEETINGS WOULD BE A GREAT COMPROMISE.
UM, JUST LIKE COUNCIL, UH, VICE MAYOR PRO TEAK SAID, I ALSO AGREE WITH MAYOR PRO TEM THAT, YOU KNOW, UTILIZING OUR TECHNOLOGY FOR SOME OF THESE SESSIONS, MAKING IT MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR PEOPLE.
BUT MY CONCERN, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALWAYS UNDER BUDGET CONSTRAINTS AT CITY HALL, AND WE WANNA BE RESPONSIBLE.
AND SO SOME OF THOSE BUDGET CONSTRAINTS HAVE HAS LED TO, YOU KNOW, NOT HAVING SECURITY IN, IN THE BASEMENT AT THE CITY HALL ANNEX, UM, DURING CERTAIN HOURS.
ONE NIGHT AFTER THE PUBLIC NIGHT SESSION, COUNCIL MEMBER PECK AND I WERE FOLLOWED TO OUR CARS BY TWO MEN, AND THERE WAS NOBODY IN THE BASEMENT.
THERE WAS NO SECURITY DOWN THERE, AND HE WAS TOTALLY HARMLESS.
IT WAS FINE, BUT WHAT, WHAT IF SOMETHING DIFFERENT HAPPENED? AND SO, YOU KNOW, IF WE HAVE TO MAKE CHOICES BASED ON HOW, YOU KNOW, MUCH MONEY WE
[03:05:01]
HAVE OR HOW WE CAN EMPLOY SECURITY GUARDS, I THINK THE ONCE A OR ONCE A QUARTER OPTION IS A GREAT COMPROMISE FOR THAT.UM, YOU KNOW, I'M ALL ABOUT PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND CERTAINLY WANT TO HEAR WHAT, UH, THE CONSTITUENTS HAVE TO SAY, BUT I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND SAY THAT IN ORDER TO HEAR WHAT THE CONSTITUENTS HAVE TO SAY, THE COUNCIL MEMBERS NEED TO BE HERE.
AND THE LAST MEETING THAT WE HELD, I, I SHOULD GO BACK AND LOOK.
I WASN'T PREPARED, BUT ONE OF THE LAST TWO MEETINGS, THE EVENING SESSION, I HAD SOMETHING TO DO, BUT I COULDN'T DARE WALK OUT WHEN THERE WAS LIKE THREE, FOUR OF US LEFT IN THE ROOM.
AND SO, IN ORDER TO, I MEAN, I REALLY, I RESPECT, UH, THE IDEA AND THE, THE TRIAL PERIOD.
YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THAT'S GREAT, BUT I WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF MOVING, BUT I WOULD ALSO BE IN FAVOR OF A COMMITMENT FROM THIS BODY TO BE HERE TO LISTEN TO THE CONSTITUENTS.
UM, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S WHY WE DID THAT.
AND I UNDERSTAND THE COMMUNITY MEETINGS AS A, YOU KNOW, AS AT LARGE, THERE ARE MANY COMMUNITY MEETINGS THAT, THAT WE GO TO ACROSS THE CITY.
BUT, UM, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF CONSTITUENTS WHO SHOW UP, I THINK WE ALSO LOOK AT THE NUMBER.
WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE, AND WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, BECAUSE I KNOW EVERYONE'S BUSY, WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO ACTUALLY SHOW UP AND STAY FOR THE ENTIRE MEETING.
UM, JUST WANTED TO, UH, ALLUDE TO THE COUNCILMAN CASTILLO'S EFFORTS, AND I THINK IT WAS ADMIRABLE.
I REALLY DO, BUT I CERTAINLY, UH, HAD MADE EARLIER STATEMENTS ABOUT THE SAFETY WHEN THIS CAME BEFORE THE COUNCIL.
UM, AND THE ENGAGEMENT, I THINK IS PRIMARILY THE RESPONSIBILITY OF ENGAGEMENT.
I THINK ALL OF US EMBRACE ENGAGEMENT, BUT MOST OF THAT IS DIRECTLY FROM THE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO THEIR PARTICULAR DISTRICTS.
AND THEN FROM THAT LARGE AREA, WE TRY TO DO AS MUCH ENGAGEMENT AS POSSIBLE, BUT THAT COULD OCCURS WHEN YOU ENGAGE WITH THE PEOPLE ONE-ON-ONE.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, UH, JOAQUIN MENTIONED MISSING SEVERAL CIVIC ASSOCIATION MEETINGS, WHICH WE TRY TO ATTEND MANY OF THEM, AND A LOT OF 'EM I DO.
UH, AND SO I THINK, UH, I WOULD SUPPORT THE QUARTERLY.
UH, I DID NOT SUPPORT THE, UH, MONTHLY AND, UM, AND WOULD NOT, SO, UH, I THINK IT WOULD NOT, AND I THINK BECAUSE THOMAS WAS LIKE, HOW'S DAVID? HE'S GOING ALL THE WAY.
AND SO I, BUT MY CONCERN WHEN I WAS NOT IN AGREEMENT WITH IT, WAS DUE TO THE FACT OF THE SAFETY OF THE PEOPLE COMING DOWN HERE.
SO, AND I STILL FEEL THAT WAY, BUT I DO COMMEND, UH, COUNCILMAN CASTE FOR THE EFFORT, BUT I, I WOULD SUPPORT A QUARTERLY THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER, EVAN SHABAZZ.
UM, IS THERE A POSSIBILITY OF A COMPROMISE WHERE WE HAVE THE VIRTUAL AS WELL AS THE QUARTERLY MEETINGS, THEN THAT WAY PEOPLE CAN ACCESS WHICHEVER MEETING WORKS FOR THEM VIRTUALLY, BECAUSE IT IS A LOGISTICAL LIGHT NIGHTMARE FOR PEOPLE TO COME FROM A DISTANCE.
SO WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO MAKE A MOTION TO, UM, DO QUARTERLY AS WELL? SHUT UP.
UH,
YOU, YOU NOT THE BOSS OF ME ANYWAY.
UH,
AND SO, AND WE WANNA MAKE IT EASY FOR THEM AS WELL.
YOU KNOW, WE ALL HAVE OBLIGATIONS, BUT I THINK IF WE DO THAT COMPROMISE WITH THE, UH, QUARTERLY AS WELL AS OFFERING THE OPPORTUNITY FOR VIRTUAL, I THINK THAT COULD BE A GOOD RESOLUTION.
UH, I WAS REMISS IN NOT THANKING, UH, COUNCILMAN CASTILLO FOR THE ORIGINAL WITH THE EVENING.
I SUPPORTED THAT, AND I, I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO ADD EVENING TO GIVE PEOPLE MORE OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, BUT AT THIS TIME, NONETHELESS, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE ABOUT, CALL AND VOTE.
IF THE VOTE WAS, JUST CALL BACK THEN ON THAT.
ON THE FLICKING YOUR AMENDMENT.
I THOUGHT WE WERE PRETTY CLEAR WHAT WE WERE ALL TALKING ABOUT.
UH, SIR, I WAS GONNA SPEAK ON THE AMENDMENT.
[03:10:01]
OKAY, GO FOR IT.UM, I APPRECIATE ALL THE, THE DISCUSSION AND THE DIALOGUE AROUND IT.
UM, I THINK THERE'S A CLEAR CONSENSUS HERE FOR SHIFTING TO QUARTERLY.
DO YOU WANT TO EXPLAIN ONE MORE TIME YOUR INTENT? THE, THE INTENT IS TO MAKE ALL THE CHANGES THAT COUNCILMAN CASTILE WANTS WITH THE ONE ADDITIONAL CHANGE OF QUARTERLY RATHER THAN MONTHLY.
SO WE NEED TO VOTE ON THE FLICKING JUROR AMENDMENT LANGUAGE TO YOUR AMENDMENT.
I'LL RESERVE MY COMMENTS THEN.
OKAY, SO THE ITEM WAS COUNCILOR FLICKING? YES.
DO YOU WANNA DO IT ONE MORE TIME AGAIN? MY MOTION IS TO ONLY CHANGE THE MOTION OF CASTILLOS TO QUARTERLY RATHER THAN MONTHLY.
EVERYTHING ELSE THAT HE HAS LAID OUT IS THE CASTILLO LANGUAGE.
THAT YOU'RE ADDING, YOU'RE QUARTERLY TO HIS.
SO THAT'S THE VOTE MEMBERS? YES, MA'AM.
NO PLUMBER, NO ALOR, NO JACKSON.
WELL, FIRST OF ALL, WE WOULDN'T HAVE HAD ALL THIS DISCUSSION, BUT FOR THERE WAS AN INDICATION, PEOPLE WERE FOR IT.
HAVE A ROLL CALL ON THE AMENDMENT.
ON THE AMENDMENT, ON THE AMENDMENT, ON THE FLICK OF YOUR LANGUAGE.
COUNCIL MEMBER CASTEX TABLE? NO.
I'M CERTAIN WE'LL HAVE A FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS MATTER.
NO, THAT WAS ON THE FLICKING FLICKINGER.
NOW WE'RE BACK ON THE CASTILLO LANGUAGE.
THE FLICKINGER LANGUAGE TO MOVE IT QUARTERLY.
NOW WE'RE ON THE CASTILLO CHANGES.
YOU YOU WANT TO CALL? I'LL CALL THE QUESTION ON THE, ON THE ITEM, SIR.
ON THE MAIN ITEM, I WOULD LIKE TO CALL THE QUESTION ON THE MAIN ITEM.
DOES EVERYONE UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY'RE FIXING TO VOTE ON? YOU WANNA MENTION YOUR CHANGES? SURE, SURE.
SO COLLEAGUES, THIS IS THE PILOT PROGRAM BEEN RESUBMITTED, BUT THE START TIME MOVES FROM 6:00 PM TO 5:00 PM NO PROCLAMATIONS WILL BE ALLOWED ON EVENING PUBLIC SESSION DAYS.
AND THE LANGUAGE AROUND THE FINAL TUESDAY IS CLARIFIED SO THAT IF THE FINAL TUESDAY IS A CONSOLIDATED MEETING, THE PRIOR TUESDAY IS THE EVENING SESSION.
UM, AND I AM HAPPY TO, UH, FURTHER REVISE IT FOR HOLIDAYS TO YOUR, TO YOUR POINT.
WE HAVE Q WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER, I'M SORRY.
COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK.
I DID WANNA, UM, ENTERTAIN A QUICK CONVERSATION IF COLLEAGUES WOULD BE OPEN TO, OR IF STATUTORILY, IT WOULD BE PERMISSIBLE THE WEDNESDAY MORNING FOLLOWING AN EVENING SESSION.
IF THE START TIME OF COUNSEL COULD BE MODIFIED TO 10:00 AM RATHER THAN 9:00 AM WITHDRAW
SO IT'S NOT GONNA BE A, WE CAN'T
[03:15:01]
ACCOMMODATE EVERYONE.I'D LIKE TO MAKE A TABLE AMENDMENT TO ALLOW VIRTUAL MEETINGS, UH, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY'RE AT TWO OR AT FIVE.
NO, I'M SAYING REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY'RE AT TWO O'CLOCK OR FIVE, MAKE A SECOND.
THAT MEANS WE'LL HAVE THAT DIALOGUE.
THIS IS WHY WE NEED A REAL EFFECTIVE COMMITTEE SYSTEM.
RIGHT? THERE'S A, THERE'S A PROP, A COMMITTEE WE CAN
THIS IS WHAT YOU DO IN A COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
THIS IS WHAT YOU CALL IMPROMPTU LEGISLATION.
SO CURRENTLY IN FRONT OF US IS THE AMENDMENT TO ALLOW TO ALLOW BEFORE US ALLOW VIRTUAL MEETINGS ON TUESDAYS FOR PUBLIC SESSION.
WHAT YOU WANNA RESTATE YOUR MOTION AMENDMENT TO THE, I I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THAT, UH, THE MEETINGS BECOME VIRTUAL AS WELL TO ALLOW ACCESS FOR PEOPLE WHO CAN'T BE HERE, UH, DURING THE DAY, AS WELL AS FOR PEOPLE WHO WOULD HAVE A LOGISTICAL NIGHTMARE IN THE AFTERNOON, JUST TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR EVERYONE TO ENGAGE.
SO, SO THEY VIRTUAL AND STARTING WHEN? DISCRETIONARY, UH, STARTING IN JANUARY.
UM, I'M NOT SURE THE EQUIPMENT THAT'S IN CERTAINLY A NEW PROPOSAL.
COUNCIL MEMBER MAYOR PROCAST STATE, STARTING IN FEBRUARY, IF YOU FEEL BETTER.
MAYOR, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CHAVEZ.
I, I, FIRST LET ME JUST SAY THANK YOU FOR MAKING THAT MOTION BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN AN ADVOCATE FOR VIRTUAL MEETINGS.
I DO THINK THAT WE, YOU KNOW, MY INTENT WAS, UM, VIRTUAL MEETINGS, BUT I, I FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO FLESH THAT OUT.
UM, PRIOR TO MAKING THIS VOTE AT THE TABLE, WE GOT A LOT OF MOVING PARTS TODAY.
FOR HOW WE WILL ALLOW MORE ACCESS FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS AND FOR HOUSTONIANS.
UM, I DO THINK THAT I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO KIND OF, UH, HUDDLE AND TALK ABOUT THE BEST WAY.
I WANT TO HEAR FROM, YOU KNOW, CONSTITUENTS, WHETHER THEY WANT TO CALL AT TWO, CALL AT FIVE.
IS IT A, YOU KNOW, ONCE A MONTH? HOW DO WE REALLY MAKE IT, UM, EFFECTIVE FOR HOUSTONIANS TO PARTICIPATE? OKAY.
UM, SO I WITHDRAW MY MOTION AT THIS TIME.
AND I THINK ONE OF THE KEYS THAT YOU JUST MENTIONED IS FOR HOUSTONIANS, I THINK WE NEED A REVIEW OF ALL THE PRACTICES, WHETHER YOU HAVE TO BE A HOUSTONIAN, UH, I THINK A CARD AS AUSTIN HAS, WHERE YOU GIVE YOUR NAME IDENTIFICATION, SWEAR THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS THE TRUTH, UH, WE COULD UPDATE THE PROCESS.
AND ON THE VIRTUAL, I THINK WE NEED TO RESEARCH THE BEST TECHNOLOGY AND THE COST.
COUNCILMAN, COUNCILMAN KAMAN? UH, I JUST FOR, UH, POINT OF INFORMATION, UH, WHEN COUNCILMAN CASTILLO PRESENTED HIS, UH, AMENDMENT, UH, EXCUSE ME, HIS ITEM RELATED TO HOLIDAY SCHEDULES, DO WE NEED TO TWEAK ANY OF THE LANGUAGE? I BELIEVE THE LANGUAGE IS ALREADY COVERED UNDER ONE A.
THAT COUNCIL MAY, UM, ALTER ANY OF THOSE TIMES FOR DIFFERENT PURPOSES.
SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT RELATED TO, UM, SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES AND HOLIDAY OBSERVANCES, UH, THAT'S ALREADY INCLUDED, OR IF WE, WE NEEDED TO CHANGE ANY OF THE LANGUAGE ON THE MAIN ITEM.
ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MAIN ITEM? SAY YES.
THOSE OPPOSING A MOTION PASSES.
CAN I HAVE MY ANSWER QUE MY QUESTION ANSWERED BY CITY LEGAL PLEASE? I, I BELIEVE THAT'S RIGHT, BUT, UH, I'LL HAVE TO CHECK.
WE CAN CLEAN IT UP AT A LATER MEETING IF NEED BE.
WHAT? OH, WE HAVE, UH, WE HAVE ITEMS THAT COME THAT CAME IN.
[CONSENT AGENDA (Part 2 of 2)]
35, 37, 46 HAVE COME IN DURING OUR MEETING, MR. SECRETARY.WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT.
[03:20:02]
JUST NEED A VOTE.ARE YOU OKAY, COUNCILOR? AND KEVIN, YOU SAID, HOLD ON.
I'M STILL HOLDING YOU OKAY? YES.
[CONSIDERATION OF MATTERS REMOVED FROM CONSENT AGENDA (Part 2 of 2)]
IS AN ORDINANCE.UM, I'M GONNA BE TAGGING THIS ITEM.
UH, THIS IS FOR A STANDARD OVERLAY CONTRACT.
HOWEVER, WHEN WE ASKED ABOUT THE PROJECTS, ONE INCLUDED IN DISTRICT C IS PATTERSON FOR OVER, I WANNA SAY FOUR YEARS.
IT WASN'T JUST PUBLIC MEETINGS, CIVIC CLUBS IN THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD OF SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 22, THE WEST END CIVIC CLUB.
WERE MEETING OVER AND OVER AGAIN WITH PUBLIC WORKS FOR INPUT ON THE DESIGN OF PATTERSON.
UH, THAT PROJECT WAS THEN PAUSED FOR REVIEW, UH, FOR TWO YEARS, AND WE JUST WITHOUT NOTICE SAW THAT IT IS COMING UP.
AND I'M ASSUMING THERE ARE CHANGES INCLUDING THE LENGTH OF WHAT'S BEING DONE.
THERE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE IMPROVEMENTS TO SAFETY CROSSINGS, INCLUDING A LONG WASHINGTON AVENUE AT PATTERSON.
UM, SO I WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION.
MORE IMPORTANTLY, I WOULD LIKE THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO BE ENGAGED IN UNDERSTANDING.
WE JUST HAD A COMMITTEE MEETING YESTERDAY, UH, OR WAS IT YESTERDAY? YEAH, YESTERDAY.
DISCUSSING THE IMPORTANCE OF NOTIFICATION TO DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBERS TO THE COMMUNITY WHEN THERE ARE CHANGES TO DESIGN TO THE WORK THAT'S BEING DONE.
UH, THIS NEIGHBORHOOD SAW INCREASED ENGAGEMENT IN THEIR CIVIC CLUB, SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE OF THIS PROJECT, AND IT TOOK YEARS OF THEM WORKING WITH THE DEPARTMENTS.
AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE GETTING THE INFORMATION, OUR OFFICE IS GETTING THE INFORMATION, AND THAT THE PROJECT THAT THEY WERE PROMISED IS BEING DELIVERED TO THE COMMUNITY.
UM, BUT THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW IF THIS HAS BEEN CHANGED.
SO I'LL BE TAGGING THIS ITEM, UH, AND WOULD ASK THE DEPARTMENTS, UH, NOT ONLY TO WORK WITH OUR OFFICE, BUT TO WORK WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, AS IT RELATES TO THE PATTERSON INTERSECTION, PATTERSON STREET, THIS IS A CRITICAL CROSSING, UH, FROM I 10 TO CONNECT THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO THE BAYOU TRAILS.
AND THEY HAVE PUT A LOT OF HARD WORK INTO THIS CAME IN TAGS.
SO 46 IS TAGGED BY ANYTHING ELSE.
THIS SECRETARY, THIS COMPLETES THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.
[NON CONSENT - MATTERS TO BE PRESENTED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS]
POLLARD PASS.UM, TODAY ON ITEM 25, THIS WAS A, THIS WAS ONE OF THE GOOD THINGS THAT, UM, ABOUT HOUSTON GALVESTON AREA COUNCIL IS THE PEOPLE YOU MEET.
AND, UM, MAYOR JOE GARCIA FROM PATTERSON, TEXAS.
I THINK HE'S ALSO THE BAILIFF.
THE, THE TOWN HAS ABOUT 500 PEOPLE IN IT.
AND HE CAME TO ME WITH THIS IDEA THAT THE, THE AIRPORT HAD THIS EXTRA LAND OUT AT, UM, WHERE WE WERE PLANNING TO DO AN AIRPORT.
WE ENDED UP OUT IN WEST HOUSTON, OUT IN WALLER COUNTY.
WE, WE USED SOME OF IT FOR WETLANDS, UM, FOR, FOR SOME OF THE WETLANDS PROTECTION BASED ON OUR IMPROVEMENTS UP AT IAH.
WE HAD TO HAVE SOME, SOME MITIGATING WETLANDS PROTECTION, BUT WE DON'T USE A TON OF THAT LAND.
SO HE WAS LIKE, I'D LIKE TO HAVE SOME HORSE TRAILS AND I'D LIKE TO DO SOME STUFF WITH IT AND HAVE SOME PARK LAND.
SO ANYWAY, THAT'S KIND OF HOW THIS GOT STARTED.
WE WENT OUT THERE IN OUR SNAKE BOOTS AND APPARENTLY THERE'S A BUNCH OF WILD HOGS OUT THERE.
WE DIDN'T SEE ANY, BUT WE WALKED AROUND THE LAND, THE AREA.
AND ANYWAY, THEN WALLER COUNTY GOT INVOLVED BESIDES THE CITY OF PATTERSON.
AND ANYWAY, CITY AIRPORTS MAKING $20 MILLION ON THE DEAL, SO, YAY.
UM, ON YESTERDAY AT BFA, WE DID TALK ABOUT THE AMENDMENTS.
'CAUSE WE HAD HOUSTON FIRST BUDGET, SO WE KIND OF RAN, WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT THE, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ'S TRANSPARENCY AMENDMENT.
AND THEN WE ALSO QUICKLY VOTED.
UM, MAYOR I KNOW, AND I AGREE WITH YOU, OUR COMMITTEE SYSTEM COULD BE SO MUCH BETTER.
WE, WE WORKED THESE THINGS THROUGH COMMITTEE.
I THINK THAT'S THE RIGHT WAY TO DO IT.
AND WE TALKED, UM, SO WE TALKED ABOUT LENGTH, ABOUT, UH, SOME OF THE FEEDBACK ON THE TRANSPARENCY ORDINANCE, BUT WE DID HAVE UNANIMOUS OF THE NINE PEOPLE THAT WERE THERE.
SO IT WAS A QUORUM THAT WE WANT THAT BROUGHT TO THE FULL COUNCIL AGENDA.
ALSO ON COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN'S AMENDMENT, DEALING WITH THE BUDGET STABILIZATION FUND AND THE, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER PECK, VICE MAYOR, PROTON PECKS AMENDMENT, DEALING WITH THEM, ESTABLISHING A WORK GROUP TO LOOK AT MORE EQUITABLY, UM, DISTRIBUTING THE CIP FUNDING.
SO, GREAT MEETING YESTERDAY AND, AND LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THOSE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.
JUST WANTED TO, UH, HIGHLIGHT THAT WE'RE STILL HAVING OUR COAT DRIVE.
COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN FOR YOUR, UH, DONATION COATS FOR A CAUSE WHICH BENEFITS THE HARMONY HOUSE NAVIGATION CENTER FOR THOSE EXPERIENCING HOMELESS AND GOING THROUGH THAT PROCESS, UH, AS THE WEATHER TURNS COLD,
[03:25:01]
UM, THEY ARE IN NEED OF JACKETS, COATS, AND JACKETS, SO GENTLY USED OR NEW COATS YOU CAN DONATE IN THE, UH, LOBBY OF THE ANNEX.ALSO, TOO, JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT SOME, UH, WORK I'VE BEEN DOING.
I WAS, UH, A KEYNOTE SPEAKER LAST FRIDAY FOR THE OAKS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, WHICH IS A, AN ORGANIZATION THAT HAS FOUR GROUP HOUSES FOR WOMEN WHO ARE EXITING THE PRISON SYSTEM.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THE NEED IS, IS STRONG AND WE JUST, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO, AS A CITY CONTINUE TO ADDRESS THOSE, UM, YOU KNOW, REENTRY SINCE WE RECEIVED SO MANY OF THE, UM, EX-OFFENDERS COMING INTO HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY.
SO, UM, JUST CONTINUE TO WORK ON OUR EFFORTS TO HELP THOSE WHO COME ON THE BUS AND, AND NEED A PLACE TO GO AND JOBS AND SEEKING A SECOND CHANCE.
UH, DISTRICT D HAD A STRONG START TO THE WEEK WITH TWO IMPACTFUL EVENTS FOCUSED ON HOUSING, INTERGENERATIONAL INVESTMENT AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
ON, UH, MONDAY MORNING, I WAS HONORED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE WALLOP SENIOR RESIDENCE EXPANSION GROUNDBREAKING AT 51 20 SCOTT STREET.
THIS TRANSFORMATIONAL TRANSFORMATIVE PROJECT WILL BRING 102 NEW AFFORDABLE UNITS TO THE EXISTING SENIOR COMMUNITY, WHICH HAS SERVED FAMILIES IN DISTRICT D FOR MORE THAN TWO DECADES.
I CERTAINLY WANT TO THANK CHERYL LAWSON FOR HER DILIGENCE, HER PERSISTENCE AND HER PASSION, AND THE LEGACY OF BILL LAWSON CONTINUES.
UH, HE DIDN'T WANT TO BE CALLED REVEREND A DOCTOR, WHATEVER.
SO I'M GONNA, UH, SAY, EVEN THOUGH I NEVER SAID IT TO HIS FACE, BILL LAWSON, HE, I JUST, WHO EVERYONE LOVES IN THE COMMUNITY, HIS LEGACY CONTINUES.
UH, LATER THAT EVENING, WE HOSTED OUR 2025 FALL COMMUNITY MEETING AT THE THIRD WARD MULTI-SERVICE CENTER IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
THIS EVENING INCLUDED AN OPEN HOUSE WITH RESOURCE TABLES, PRESENTATIONS, BREAKOUT SESSIONS, AND PUBLIC COMMENT FOCUSED ON NEIGHBORHOOD INVESTMENT AND ENGAGEMENT.
AND CERTAINLY IT WAS A WONDERFUL EVENT.
UH, WE ARE TRYING TO HELP PEOPLE TO BE ADEQUATELY HOUSED IN SAFE AND SECURE ENVIRONMENTS.
AND THAT IS AN EFFORT THAT WAS AN EFFORT TO GET INPUT FROM THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY FROM ALL OVER.
UH, WE HAVE AN UPCOMING EVENT THIS SATURDAY AT THE HOUSTON TEXANS YMCA.
IT'S OUR ANNUAL HOLIDAY FIXINGS FOOD DISTRIBUTION.
IT WILL BE SATURDAY FROM 10:00 AM TO NOON, UH, AT THE TEXANS, UH, YMCA 52 0 2 GRIGGS ROAD, A ANNUAL HOLIDAY FOOD DISTRIBUTION EVENT, PROVIDING GROCERIES AND MEAL ESSENTIALS TO FAMILIES ACROSS DISTRICT D.
UH, I WANT PEOPLE TO ENGAGE, YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE HAVE SHAME OR WHATEVER WITH COMING TO THESE EVENTS.
PLEASE, PLEASE KNOW THAT THESE EVENTS ARE FOR YOU AND THAT WE WELCOME YOU TO COME OUT.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, NOBODY WANTS TO HAVE A PARTY AND NOBODY COMES.
SO WE CERTAINLY WANT YOU TO COME AND KNOW THAT YOU ARE LOVED, AND WE WANT YOU TO HAVE ACCESS TO NUTRITION AND FOOD.
AND I, I WANNA THANK MY COLLEAGUE SALLY ALCORN LAST NIGHT.
WE HAD A GREAT TIME WITH THE WOMEN OF COUNCIL.
UH, WE FOUND OUT A LOT OF THINGS ABOUT EACH OTHER, UH, AND WE HAD JUST A WONDERFUL TIME.
AND SO THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS OPENING YOUR HOME AND HOSTING THAT EVENT.
AND THIS CONCLUDES WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION.
I WANNA HIGHLIGHT A FEW THINGS GOING ON IN DISTRICT H THIS WEEKEND.
SATURDAY FROM TWO TO FOUR FRIENDS OF MOODY PARK IS HOSTING A NATURE WALK AROUND THE PARK, FOLLOWED BY A PERFORMANCE AT THE GAZEBO AT 37 25 FULTON STREET.
UM, THEY HAVE BEEN MAKING TREMENDOUS PROGRESS, UH, BRINGING MORE PROGRAMMING AND ACTIVITY TO MOODY PARK.
UH, I WANNA CONGRATULATE THEM ON THAT.
AND, AND THIS IS JUST ANOTHER, UH, STEP IN THEIR EFFORTS, UM, AS THEY TRY TO GET MORE FAMILIES ENGAGED, UH, IN ONE OF OUR SIGNATURE PARKS IN THE CITY.
ALSO, SATURDAY, THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM WILL BE HOSTING WINTER FAMILY FUN, UH, FROM TWO TO FOUR AT CARNEGIE AND FLORES LIBRARY AND DISTRICT H.
YOU CAN, UM, JOIN THEM FOR, UH, SOME HOLIDAY CHEER AT BOTH OF THOSE LIBRARIES.
UH, FA FAMILY FUN EVENTS, UH, FROM TWO TO 4:00 PM AND THEN FINALLY, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 13TH IS ELECTION DAY.
I WANNA REMIND, UH, EVERYONE TO GET OUT AND VOTE FROM 7:00 AM TO 7:00 PM AND, UH, THANK YOU.
UH, REAL SHORT, UH, CLEAR LAKE.
WE'RE HAVING OUR ELECTRONIC RECYCLING THIS SATURDAY,
[03:30:01]
UH, STARTING AT, UH, NINE O'CLOCK UNTIL THREE, OR UNTIL THE TRUCKS FILL UP.UH, FIRST WE'LL BE JOINING, UH, DISTRICT C WILL BE JOINING LULAC CLUBHOUSE 60, UH, TODAY, UH, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THEM, UH, ON THE RESTORATION OF THEIR HISTORIC CLUBHOUSE, WHICH IS A PROTECTED LANDMARK.
AND, UH, DISTRICT SERVICE DOLLARS, UH, WE'RE USED ON SECURITY COMPONENTS FOR THE CLUBHOUSE.
SO WE'LL BE EXCITED TO BE JOINING THEM, UM, TO CELEBRATE THE PROGRESS THERE.
UH, I'VE ALREADY SPOKEN AND DISCUSSED DURING THE APARTMENT ORDINANCE CONVERSATION, UM, ABOUT THE DEVASTATION.
UM, THE DEVASTATING CIRCUMSTANCES THAT I SAW LAST WEEK IN DISTRICT C.
UM, AND I WANNA SPECIFICALLY CALL OUT, UH, THE OWNERSHIP OF LIFE OF JACKSON SQUARE.
UH, WHAT THEY ARE DOING WITH OVER A THOUSAND UNITS IS DEPLORABLE.
UH, IT'S DISTURBING, IT'S DISGUSTING.
UM, WHEN I WENT OUT THERE, NOT ONLY TO THE SHELTER TO VISIT WITH RESIDENTS AND LITTLE CHILDREN, AND I WANNA THANK OEM FOR JOINING ME, UH, WHEN WE WENT THERE, HAD WE NOT GONE THERE, WE WOULD NOT HAVE NECESSARILY KNOWN THAT IT WAS IN FACT, LIFE OF JACKSON.
WE WOULD NOT HAVE KNOWN THAT THERE WERE MULTIPLE FIRES.
UH, MY OFFICE, UH, BROUGHT IN FOR THE KIDS TO BRING THEM COMFORT TOYS AND ACTIVITIES.
THE SHELTER HAS STILL STOOD UP BECAUSE, UH, THESE FOLKS DON'T HAVE ANYWHERE TO GO.
UH, BUT THE UNITS THEMSELVES, EVEN THOSE THAT WERE NOT, UH, STRUCTURALLY DAMAGED, ARE DEPLORABLE.
UH, I REALLY WANT TO LIFT UP THE WORK OF OEM, ESPECIALLY MEL BARTIS, UM, CHIEF MASON, AGAIN, THE RED CROSS, EBONY, EDWARD AND THEIR TEAM, THE CHURCHES THAT HAVE BEEN OFFERING SHELTER, I'M NOT GONNA NAME THEM.
UH, SO THAT WE DON'T BRING ATTENTION TO WHERE RESIDENTS ARE BEING, UH, SHELTERED RIGHT NOW.
'CAUSE I DON'T WANT THEM DISTURBED.
UM, BUT WE APPRECIATE THOSE CHURCHES, METRO FOR PROVIDING ASSISTANCE, INCLUDING TRANSPORTATION, UH, FOR THE KIDS, AND WORKING WITH HISD TO GET THEM STILL TO SCHOOL, TO REMAIN SOME, KEEP SOME SENSE OF NORMALCY.
UM, PARTNERS COMING TOGETHER, THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT, UH, VOAD, MANY, MANY MORE.
UH, BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE KEEPING THE PRESSURE UP, UM, ON THESE SLUMLORDS TO DO THE RIGHT THING TO TAKE CARE OF RESIDENTS, AND THAT THE CITY IS USING ALL WEIGHT, INCLUDING, AND I WANNA THANK THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT AS WE CONTINUE, UM, TO PUSH THE CHAPTER 1 25 SUIT.
UM, BUT MUCH, MUCH MORE IS NEEDED.
INSPECTIONS ARE NEEDED, AND THEY NEED RELIEF THERE.
UH, ON A LIGHTER NOTE, I DO WANNA WISH EVERYONE IN DISTRICT C AND THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF HOUSTON, A VERY HAPPY HANUKKAH.
HANUKKAH STARTS SUNDAY EVENING, UM, AND WE, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL TIME OF CELEBRATION, NOT JUST IN THE JEWISH COMMUNITY, BUT FOR EVERYONE THROUGHOUT THE HOLIDAY SEASON, UH, AND THROUGH THE NEW YEAR.
SO, HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND PLEASE VOTE.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN RAMIREZ.
UH, EARLIER YOU MENTIONED HOW IMPORTANT THE COMMITTEE SYSTEM IS, AND I COMPLETELY AGREE.
I WANT TO THANK, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN FOR A VERY WELL RUN, UH, COMMITTEE MEETING YESTERDAY WHERE WE TALKED ABOUT THE TRANSPARENCY AMENDMENTS AND OTHER AMENDMENTS OFFERED BY COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN AND PECK.
UM, UM, I'M GRATEFUL THAT THE, THAT ALL OF THOSE AMENDMENTS WERE, UM, VOTED OUT OF COMMITTEE, UM, TO COME TO THIS FULL COUNCIL.
UH, REGARDING THE AMENDMENTS I OFFERED.
I WANNA THANK ALL THOSE WHO HAVE OFFERED FEEDBACK AND PARTICIPATED IN THE DRAFTING OF THEM, UH, ESPECIALLY COUNCIL MEMBERS, CAYMAN AND CASTILLO FOR GETTING IT, GETTING IT STARTED.
UM, FEEDBACK FROM COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN RESULTED IN SOME CHANGES.
UM, DIRECTOR MACKAY AND STEVEN DAVID TOOK A MEETING WITH ME, UH, WHICH RESULTED IN SOME ADDITIONS AS WELL.
I APPRECIATE ALL THE QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS FROM YESTERDAY, ESPECIALLY THOSE FROM MY COLLEAGUE, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS.
UM, WE WILL SEE, HOPEFULLY THOSE AMENDMENTS COME BEFORE THE COUNCIL IN A FEW WEEKS, AND, UH, IT'S NOT, NOT TOO LATE TO OFFER FEEDBACK, UH, IN, IN THE PROCESS.
UH, LAST THING I WANNA MENTION IS I PARTICIPATED IN A, IN A, UH, BIKE RIDE ON SATURDAY IN DISTRICT F, UM, HIGHLIGHTING, UH, ONE OF THE HIKING BIKE TRAILS.
AND, UH, I WANT TO THANK THE HOUSTON PARKS SPORT FOR ALL THE WORK THAT THEY DO IN, IN HELPING TO PROVIDE HOUSTONIANS WITH SOME GREAT, UH, TRAILS TO, UH, CONNECT NEIGHBORHOODS AND PROVIDE, UH, WALKABLE SPACES AND BIKEABLE SPACES AS WELL.
BIKE HOUSTON WAS THERE AS WELL.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR INVOLVEMENT IN THAT.
COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, THOMAS, THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH, COLLEAGUES, I JUST WANNA EXTEND APPRECIATION AND THANKS TO YOU FOR YOUR UNANIMOUSLY, UH, SUPPORTING ITEM 47.
[03:35:01]
ASHTON VILLAGE DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.UM, WE COMMONLY, UM, REFER TO THIS AS A SWAT.
IT'S A $6 MILLION MEGA PROJECT.
NORMALLY, UH, THIS PROJECT WOULD'VE BEEN SPLIT INTO TWO.
UH, WE INITIATED THIS IN FISCAL 23, AND THIS IS NOW ON THE LINE, UM, IN FISCAL 26, EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROJECT.
AND JUST A REMINDER TO RESIDENTS THAT ARE WATCHING THIS, UH, THIS CITYWIDE PROGRAM PROVIDES CONSTRUCTION AND RE IN INVESTMENT TO RESOLVE LOCALIZED STORMWATER DRAINAGE, PROB PROBLEMS, AND REHABILITATE THE STREET TO FURTHER IMPROVE THE DRAINAGE.
ASHTON VILLAGE WAS DEVELOPED BEFORE THAT PART OF THE DISTRICT WAS ANNEXED INTO THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND HAS HISTORICALLY HAD DRAINAGE ISSUES.
THANK YOU TO ASHTON VILLAGE, MS. SUSAN, MR. KYLE, WE ARE COMING WITH SOLUTIONS.
I ALSO WANT TO, UH, UPDATE YOU ALL.
I SHARED WITH YOU LAST WEEK THAT I WAS HOSTING A SMALL ROUND TABLE BREAKFAST ON THE WEST SIDE TO TALK ABOUT HOMELESSNESS AND WHAT'S REALLY HAPPENING ON THE WEST SIDE, UM, WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS, LAW ENFORCEMENT, FAITH LEADERS, UNITED WAY PRACTITIONERS AND MORE.
WE HAD A ROBUST DISCUSSION TO CO-CREATE, UH, SOLUTIONS ON THE WEST SIDE SO WE CAN BE PREPARED FOR THE OPPORTUNITY WHEN AN OPPORTUNITY MEETS US WITH FUNDING.
MAYOR, I LOOK FORWARD TO, UM, PROVIDING TAKEAWAYS ON THE WEST SIDE IN TERMS OF, UH, HOMELESSNESS.
MANY OF THOSE IN ATTENDANCE, UH, DEFINITELY HAD AN APPETITE FOR HAVING SOME TYPE OF FACILITY OR FRONT DOOR ON THE WEST SIDE, SO WE CAN WARMLY TRANSFER OUR UNHOUSED FAMILY MEMBERS, UM, TO A NAVIGATION CENTER, TRANSITIONAL LIVING SERVICES, YOU NAME IT.
SO THAT'S IN THE QUEUE AND MORE DETAILS TO COME.
I ALSO WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN AND VICE CHAIR DAVIS FOR JOINING AND CONTRIBUTING TO THAT CONVERSATION AND KEEPING Y'ALL, UH, LOOPED INTO WHAT'S HAPPENING ON THE WEST SIDE.
THERE'S DEFINITELY, UH, AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO TRANSFORM, UM, IN, IN THE SPIRIT OF HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS.
UH, ALMOST 20 MONTHS AGO, MY OFFICE INTERVENED, UM, WITH THE RESIDENT IN WEST PARK VILLAGE.
UH, WITHOUT US STEPPING IN WORKING WITH THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE COMPLETED OUR VERY FIRST FULL HOME RECONSTRUCTION PROJECT THAT KEYS WERE HANDED OVER ON MONDAY.
UH, WE CELEBRATED WITH THE CONSTRUCTION TEAM, UH, MAYBERRY SINGLE FAMILY HOME REPAIR, AND ALL OF OUR PARTNERS, IHOA, UH, TO CELEBRATE THIS RECONSTRUCTION IS TRANSFORMED NOT JUST THE, THE ST THE STREET, BUT IS LITERALLY TRANSFORMING A LIFE OTHERWISE SHE HAD WOULD'VE BEEN HOMELESS.
I WANNA THANK THE DEPARTMENT, UM, FOR WORKING WITH MY OFFICE AND ALL OF OUR PARTNERS, HARRIS COUNTY JUDGE'S OFFICE, LENA HILDAGO, ISAAC, MY FORMER CHIEF OF STAFF, UH, WORKING TO MAKE SURE THAT MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES WERE PROVIDED.
AND WE ARE FINALLY ACROSS THE FINISH LINE.
UM, ALSO, UH, THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE FIRST REPORTED THE POPULATION LOST IN, LOST IN ALE.
AND I, I'VE HAD A SERIES OF CONVERSATIONS ON THAT, AND I DO WANNA SAY THAT ALE STILL REMAINS ONE OF THE MOST HIGHLY POPULATED NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
BUT WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED IN OUR HOMELESS BREAKFAST, OUR DISCUSSION LAST WEEK, WAS THAT MANY OF THE FAMILIES AND THE STUDENTS THAT HAVE BEEN LOST, THEY'RE BEING MET WITH EVICTION NOTICES.
UH, ZIP CODE 7 7 0 7 2, WHERE I LIVE, 7 7 0 9 9 AND 36, STILL HAVE SOME OF THE HIGHEST EVICTION RATES IN THE CITY.
WE SAW THAT FRONTLINE DURING THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC.
UM, AND SO WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE APARTMENT ORDINANCE, I THINK WAS GONNA BE REALLY IMPORTANT, IS MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE CAN STAY IN THESE HOMES AND THESE UNITS, UM, SO THEY CAN STAY HOUSED AND STAY IN THEIR BELOVED COMMUNITY.
SO, MORE INFORMATION COMING AROUND THAT, UM, ESPECIALLY AS WE ADVOCATE FOR MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN ON THE WEST SIDE.
THURSDAY, UH, WE ARE ACTUALLY HAVING A GROUNDBREAKING RIGHT THERE IN 7 7 0 7 2 ACROSS FROM THE ALE NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER FOR OUR, ONE OF OUR VERY FIRST 9% LITECH DEALS ON DASHWOOD.
REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS IS WHAT'LL BE NEXT TO, UM, ALE MIDDLE SCHOOL ACROSS THE STREET FROM HASTINGS NINTH GRADE CENTER.
AND SO WE'RE KEEPING FAMILIES ON THE WEST SIDE.
HAPPY TO JOIN THE DASHWOOD TEAM AND MEMBERS OF THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT ON, UH, TOMORROW.
UH, UH, MAYOR ALSO WANNA, UH, UH, JOIN, UH, YOU IN ACKNOWLEDGING DR.
ROD PAGE, LEGENDARY LEADER IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, AND NOT JUST IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, BUT AS THE FIRST BLACK US SECRETARY OF EDUCATION, UM, UNDER THE GEORGE W. BUSH ADMINISTRATION.
UH, HE IS DEFINITELY A LEADER AND SOMEONE THAT WE ALL LOOKED UP TO.
AND I WANT TO EXTEND MY CONDOLENCES TO HIS WIFE STEPHANIE, HIS DAUGHTER DANIELLE, UH, TO HIS, UH, PHI BETA SIGMA FRATERNITY BROTHERS, MEMBERS OF THE BOULE.
UM, ALSO, UH, HE WAS A CONNECTING LINK IN HIS JACKSON STATE ALUMNI FAMILY.
UH, WE LOOK FORWARD TO CELEBRATING HIS LIFE AND HIS LEGACY IN THE COMING DAYS.
JUST A COUPLE OF ANNOUNCEMENTS, UM, THINGS HAPPENING AROUND THE DISTRICT.
OUR, UH, YEARLY, UH, SENIOR DRIVE THROUGH TURKEY GIFT
[03:40:01]
AWAY, AND DISTRICT K IS ON DECEMBER THE 18TH.UM, WE'VE GOT LOTS OF, UM, VOLUNTEERS SCHEDULED TO JOIN US IN THAT FUND AND EXCITING DAY.
UM, WE'LL HAVE HUNDREDS OF SENIORS COMING THROUGH FOR THAT CELEBRATION ON DECEMBER THE 18TH AT THE FOUNTAIN LIFE CENTER FROM 10 TO 12.
WE ARE ASKING OUR SENIORS IN DISTRICT A TO PLEASE SIGN UP.
THEY CAN EMAIL US AT DISTRICT K@HOUSTONTX.GOV, OR, UH, CALL THE OFFICE AT (832) 393-3016.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO KICKING OFF THE SEASON WITH GRATITUDE, GENEROSITY, AND OF COURSE, PLENTY OF DISTRICT K LOVE.
AND THEN ALSO WANT TO, UH, HIGHLIGHT AN EVENT WE ARE HOSTING, UH, WITH ROASTS MAGAZINE.
UH, WE'RE PARTNERING WITH THE MAGAZINE AT THE NEW FAITH BAPTIST CHURCH ON DECEMBER THE 13TH AT 4:00 PM IT WILL BE AN EVENT THAT WILL ENTAIL LOTS OF, UM, FUN FREE TOYS FOR CHILDREN, HOT MEALS FOR FAMILIES.
IT'S LIVE MUSIC, UM, AND A SPECIAL HOLIDAY EDITION OF THE ROAST ROAST MAGAZINE.
SO LOOKING FORWARD TO RESIDENTS COMING TOGETHER AND JOINING IN ON THAT EVENT AND CELEBRATING A MIRACLE OF GIVING.
AND THEN WANT TO ENCOURAGE DISTRICT K RESIDENTS, ESPECIALLY THOSE IN THE HI CLARK AREA, WE WILL HAVE A COMMUNITY INFORMATION SESSION THAT WILL BE HOSTED BY NATIONAL CORE.
UM, AND THIS MEETING WILL BE TO, UM, ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS TO COME OUT TO LISTEN TO THE PROPOSED AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT.
UH, THE HEATHER IS PLANNED FOR 39 31 WEST FUKE WAY STREET, AND THIS MEETING WILL TAKE PLACE ON MONDAY AT 5:00 PM AT THE HI CLARK MULTI-SERVICE CENTER.
THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR DIRECTLY FROM THE DEVELOPMENT TEAM, ASK QUESTIONS AND PROVIDE COMMUNITY FEEDBACK.
IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN COMING TO THAT MEETING.
AGAIN, IT'S ON MONDAY AT 5:00 PM AT THE HI CLARK MULTI-SERVICE CENTER.
AND THEN ANOTHER MEETING THAT WE WANT RESIDENTS TO PARTICIPATE, OF COURSE, IS THE HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS, IS GOING TO BE HOSTING A VIRTUAL COMMUNITY MEETING ON CDBG MITIGATION, UM, PROJECTS ON NEXT TUESDAY, DECEMBER THE 17TH FROM, UH, 5:30 PM AND I'M ENCOURAGING RESIDENTS SPECIFICALLY IN THE CAMBRIDGE VILLAGE PARK RAMBLEWOOD AREA.
THAT'S THE PROJECT IN DISTRICT A THAT WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT.
UM, SO HOPE THAT RESIDENTS WILL JOIN IN ON THAT VIRTUAL MEETING SO WE CAN HEAR THEIR CONCERNS ON THIS PHASE TWO OF, UH, THIS PROJECT.
UM, I'D LIKE TO END MY COMMENTS, OF COURSE, WITH MY CONDOLENCES, UM, TO THE FAMILY OF DR.
AND, UH, WE APPRECIATE ALL OF THE GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT HE HAD DURING HIS LIFETIME, AND WE KNOW THAT, UM, WE WILL CELEBRATE HIS LIFE, BUT WANT TO LET HIS FAMILY KNOW THAT THEY ARE DEFINITELY IN OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS.
UM, FIRST OUR END OF THE YEAR NEWSLETTER IS OUT NOW.
UM, WE HIGHLIGHTED, UM, ALL OF THE, SOME OF THE MANY ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO THIS YEAR, AND WE HIGHLIGHTED, UM, PUBLIC SAFETY, INFRASTRUCTURE AND QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES IN DISTRICT A.
SO IF YOU DID NOT RECEIVE THE EMAIL OF THE END OF THE YEAR NEWSLETTER, EITHER SEND US AN EMAIL AND WE'LL SEND IT TO YOU, OR YOU CAN FIND IT ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES.
UM, YESTERDAY, MAYOR AT BFA, WE PASSED THE AMENDMENT AFFIRMING SUPPORT TO RE-LOOK AT THE WAY WE CHOOSE FLOODING, MITIGATION AND STREET PROJECTS IN THE CITY.
UM, AND AS I TALKED ABOUT YESTERDAY AT THE COMMITTEE, I SUPPORT OUR DATA-DRIVEN MODEL, BUT THE WAY WE'RE USING THE DATA DOESN'T ALWAYS RESULT IN THE WORST PROJECTS ACTUALLY GETTING DONE.
SO I APPRECIATE MY COLLEAGUES SUPPORTING THIS MEASURE, AND MAYOR, I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU FURTHER ON THIS.
UH, FIRST WANNA START OFF BY, UH, UH, JUST HIGHLIGHTING SOMETHING IN THE MEADOWBROOK NEIGHBORHOOD.
I JUST GOT A NOTE FROM BRENT AT HFD, UH, PART OF CHIEF MUNOZ'S TEAM, UH, THAT CURRENTLY THERE'S A, UH, THAT THEY'RE ADDRESSING A VACANT BUILDING FIRE IN THE MEADOWBROOK NEIGHBORHOOD ALONG HOWARD, UH, THANKFULLY NO INJURIES, UH, NO TRANSPORTS, BUT THE WIND CONDITIONS ARE, ARE, ARE MAKING THE, AND THE BUILDING CONSTRUCTION ARE MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO FIGHT.
UM, MAYOR, I, I BROUGHT SOMETHING TO, TO, UH, YOUR TEAM AND I APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, YOUR LEADERSHIP AND ALSO INCREASING FUNDING FOR DEMO OF VACANT BUILDINGS.
UM, IF YOU REMEMBER, UH, MARCELO WHO PASSED AWAY, UM, A YEAR AGO, IT WAS DUE TO BASICALLY A VACANT BUILDING WHERE SOMEONE WAS SQUATTING AND FIRE STARTED.
UM, IT, IT RAISED A LOT OF CONCERNS FOR ME, AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DEMO A FEW BUILDINGS ALONG THE CORRIDOR 45 CORRIDOR.
BUT, UM, HOW WE, WE'VE ALLOWED OURSELVES TO KIND OF RUN THROUGH THESE, UH, CIRCLES BECAUSE OF GAPS IN, IN SOME OF THE, WHETHER IT'S FUNDING, WHETHER IT'S
[03:45:01]
POLICY ON HOW TO ADDRESS VACANT, UH, DANGEROUS BUILDINGS.AND SO I KNOW WE'VE, WE'VE ALLOCATED ABOUT $50 MILLION.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE THOSE DOLLARS ARE AT THE MOMENT.
UM, BUT I DEFINITELY WANNA HIGHLIGHT THAT.
UM, CURRENTLY WITH THIS, UH, VACANT BUILDING ON ALONG HOWARD DRIVE IT, IT JUST REMINDS ME OF THE CONCERNS OF, OF US PUTTING OUR FIREFIGHTERS IN DANGER WHEN WE SHOULD PROBABLY BE MORE PROACTIVE ABOUT, UH, DEMOING A LOT OF THESE VACANT BUILDINGS.
UH, SO I WANT FIRST AND FOREMOST, UH, KEEP OUR FIREFIGHTERS AND OUR PRAYERS, AND THEN THOSE NEIGHBORING, UH, RESIDENTIAL HOMES THAT ARE, UH, ADJACENT ON THE BACKSIDE OF, UH, OF HOWARD, UH, JUST TO BE SAFE AND ALLOW FIREFIGHTERS TO DO THEIR JOB.
UH, SO I'D LOVE, LOVE TO, UH, CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION.
I KNOW YOUR TEAM WAS TALKING ABOUT SOME LEGISLATION AS WELL IN AUSTIN, BUT I THINK WE'RE ABLE TO ADDRESS THIS, UH, WITHIN THE CITY.
UH, I THINK BIG, THE BIGGEST PART WAS FUNDING.
AND SO HOWEVER WE CAN SEE THOSE DOLLARS COME TO FRUITION, UH, QUICKER WOULD BE WOULD BE HELPFUL, MAYOR.
UM, ALSO, UH, YESTERDAY MARKED THE ONE YEAR, UH, ONE YEAR, UH, ANNIVERSARY TRAGICALLY, UH, WHERE WE LOST SERGIO RODRIGUEZ, A MOB HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT.
UM, AND THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS, UH, YESTERDAY.
UH, I'M THANKFUL FOR SENATOR ALVARADO SECURING, UH, FUNDING, UH, AT THE STATE LEVEL FOR PEDESTRIAN, UH, UH, OVERPASS THERE AT, UM, BROADWAY.
UH, WANTED TO JUST HIGHLIGHT THAT THE CURRENT PROJECT IS AT 30% DESIGN.
UH, THE EXPECTATION IS THAT THE, THE WE'LL BE ABLE TO BREAK GROUND IN THE SUMMER OF 2026.
THIS IS, UH, DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT NORMALLY DOESN'T HAPPEN THIS QUICKLY.
UH, BUT BECAUSE OF THE URGENCY, UNDERSTANDING THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, IN THE EAST END WE SEE A HIGH DENSITY OF TRAINS CONVERGING TOWARDS THE PORT, UH, PORT HOUSTON.
UH, THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN, UH, UH, CHALLENGES.
SO I JUST WANNA, UM, IN, IN, UH, IN MEMORY OF SERGIO RODRIGUEZ, WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE, UM, HONOR HIM IN A WAY WHERE, WHERE WE'RE ABLE TO ENSURE THAT NO ONE ELSE, YOU KNOW, FACES THIS KIND OF TRAGEDY AS WELL.
AND SO, THANKING SENATOR ALVARADO AND THOSE THAT, UH, THAT WERE IN AUSTIN TO HELP PUSH THIS LEGISLATION AS WELL.
UM, I WANNA FINALLY JUST, UH, UH, THANK, UH, FIREFIGHTERS AS WELL.
UH, WE'RE THIS YEAR WE'RE, WE'RE HELPING HOST THE, UH, OPERATION STOCKING SOFTWARE ALONG WITH COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, CASTILLO AND COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER.
THE TOY DISTRIBUTION WILL AGAIN TAKE PLACE SATURDAY IN THE MORNING.
UM, AND I WANTED TO ALSO THANK DR. FRANCIS VRAN, WHO IS THE PRESIDENT OF HCC SOUTHEAST FOR WELCOMING, UH, US TO BE ABLE TO HOST THIS, THIS EVENT, UH, THIS SATURDAY.
AND, UH, APPRECIATE THE FIREFIGHTERS FOR THEIR PARTNERSHIP WITH THIS PROJECT AS WELL.
ANYONE ELSE? WE STAND RECESS TILL NINE IN THE MORNING.