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UM, WE'LL, WE'RE, WE'LL TRY AND STAY ON TIME.
PUNCTUALITY, RIGHT? BUT MY NAME IS JAMIE BRYANT, AND I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF SERVING AS THE CEO FOR THE HOUSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY, AND I'M SO EXCITED FOR EVERYBODY TO JOIN US HERE TODAY.
WHAT A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN HOUSTON.
UH, KICKED THIS WEEK OFF WITH A GREAT DAY OF THE MARATHON, A WIN BY THE TEXANS MONDAY NIGHT.
AND NOW WE'RE GONNA CAP IT OFF WITH, UH, OPENING UP THIS BEAUTIFUL PROJECT.
AND SO TODAY WE ARE ANNOUNCING THAT, UH, NEXT WEEK, 800, MIDDLE KNOWN AS THE POINT OF BAYOU BEND WILL OPEN FOR LEASING AND OCCUPANCY.
WE'VE RECEIVED ALL THE NECESSARY APPROVALS, AND I'LL BE BACK IN A LITTLE BIT TO GIVE A LITTLE MORE DETAILS.
UH, BUT FIRST I'D LIKE TO BRING UP THE CHAIRMAN OF THE HOUSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY, MR. JODY LER, TO SAY A FEW WORDS.
I'M JODY LER, CHAIRMAN OF THE HOUSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY BOARD, AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.
WE'RE HERE TO PROVIDE TO YOU AN UPDATE ON THE POINT AT BIO BEND AND TO OUTLINE THE NEXT STEPS AS THIS AGENCY MOVES FORWARD.
FIRST, ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD, I WANT TO THANK MAYOR WHITMEYER FOR HIS LEADERSHIP.
HIS EFFORTS HAVE BEEN CRITICAL IN STRENGTHENING GOVERNANCE AT THE HOUSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY, AND IN RESTORING PUBLIC TRUST.
WE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE HIS COMMITMENT TO ENSURING THIS AGENCY REMAINS FOCUSED ON SERVING RESIDENTS AND THE HOUSTON COMMUNITY.
I ALSO WANNA RECOGNIZE OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM, JAMIE BRYAN, WHO JOINED THE AGENCY NEARLY A YEAR AGO.
THIS TEAM STEPPED INTO A CHALLENGING ENVIRONMENT AND HAS BROUGHT DISCIPLINE AND CARE AND A STRONG COMMITMENT TO DOING THINGS THE RIGHT WAY.
LASTLY, LET ME PLEASE THANK MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS FOR THEIR SERVICE AND THEIR DEDICATION TO GOOD GOVERNANCE.
I'D ASK THOSE MEMBERS WHO ARE PRESENT, PLEASE, TO STAND AND BE RECOGNIZED.
AT THIS TIME, IT'S MY PRIVILEGE AND HONOR TO INTRODUCE THE MAN THAT EMBODIES.
LET ME, UH, STAY ON SCHEDULE, BUT LET ME TAKE SUFFICIENT TIME TO THANK SO MANY STAKEHOLDERS, LEADERSHIP TEAM THAT MAKES THIS DAY POSSIBLE.
IT STARTED WHEN I RAN FOR MAYOR.
I KNEW MANY OF THESE OPERATORS AND SUPPORTERS THAT PUT THIS TOGETHER.
IT NEVER PASSED THE SMELL TEST.
AND I WANT TO THANK THE PRESS AND EVERYONE THAT SAID, WAIT A MINUTE, DOESN'T PASS THE SMELL TEST BECAUSE IT DIDN'T PASS MY SMELL TEST.
BUT THOSE PEOPLE ARE NO LONGER INVOLVED.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, QUITE FRANKLY, HOUSTON INHERITED MY ADMINISTRATION.
I INHERITED WHEN THE FIRST THINGS I DID WAS REPLACE THE ENTIRE HOUSING AUTHORITY.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST WERE OBVIOUS.
WHO SHOULD LEAD THIS NEW BOARD? JODI PERLER HAS IMPECCABLE INTEGRITY EXPERIENCE.
HE DIDN'T LIKE THE SMELL TEST.
HE LEFT IT LARGELY OVER THIS FACILITY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COURAGE LEADERSHIP, JODY.
AND I KNOW YOU AND YOUR BOARD ARE DOING THE RIGHT THING.
YOU KNOW, I COULD BE AT CITY HALL, I COULD AVOID THE WHOLE ISSUE, BUT I RAN FOR MAYOR TO FIX HOUSTON AS MAYOR.
I COULD BE AT A HUNDRED PLACES THIS MORNING, BUT I NEEDED TO BE HERE.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, I WANTED TO BE HERE BECAUSE ULTIMATELY I KNOW
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I'M GONNA BE HELD RESPONSIBLE.AND THAT'S THE WAY IT SHOULD BE.
TO THOSE WHO'VE ALREADY TOLD ME, DON'T MOVE CHILDREN INTO MIDDLE STREET.
THEIR PARENTS MAKING 18, $20,000 A YEAR AS A HOUSEKEEPER AT THE HILTON.
WERE MAKING $14 AN HOUR UNTIL I GOT INVOLVED IN THE STRIKE.
THEY'LL MAKE 23 BEFORE THE CONTRACT'S UP.
I JUST EMPHASIZE, PUT A FACE ON WHAT WE'RE DOING THIS MORNING.
IT'S NOT ABOUT MAKING PRESS LOOK LIKE THEY'RE DOING JOBS.
THIS IS ABOUT A MOTHER WORKING MORE THAN ONE JOB MAKING 18, $20,000.
AND HER CHILDREN ARE GONNA HAVE PROGRAMS, EDUCATIONAL, HEALTHCARE, MENTAL HEALTH, CASEWORKERS.
WHY WOULDN'T I WANT TO BE HERE TO TAKE CREDIT FOR THE LEADERSHIP TEAM?
SHE'S LOOKED AT THE STANDARDS THAT ARE BEING MET, THE DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO, I COULD GO ACROSS THIS AUDIENCE.
THE PLANNING DIRECTOR IS HERE.
VRAN PUBLIC WORKS IS HERE, THE DIRECTOR.
THIS IS THE PRIORITY AND THE GUARANTEE THAT WE'RE DOING THIS, RIGHT? HPD HAS A CAPTAIN HERE THIS MORNING.
THANK YOU CAPTAIN FOR BEING HERE.
AND PUBLIC SAFETY WILL BE A PRIORITY AT THIS SITE.
NOW, UNDER, I UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNS OF THE NEIGHBORS.
THEY'VE NEVER SEEN OR HEARD SOMEONE LIKE ME BEFORE, BUT I WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW WE'RE DOING IT RIGHT.
AND TO THE NEIGHBORS THAT HAVE NEVER SEEN OR HEARD SOMEONE LIKE BEFORE, I WILL GIVE YOU A GUARANTEE BECAUSE I KNOW YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT TRA UH, INFRASTRUCTURE SAFETY TO THE NEIGHBORS.
BUT I WILL GIVE YOU MY PLEDGE THAT WE'RE NOT GONNA BUILD ANOTHER AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT IN THIS SITE.
THE PROPERTY OWNED BY THE AUTHORITY, WE WON'T BUILD ANYTHING ON IT FOR THE NEXT SIX YEARS.
SO TODAY I WANT TO THANK COMMISSIONER'S COURT, BUFFALO BIO PARTNERSHIP.
THAT'LL BE A PART OF THIS COMPLEX.
COMMISSIONER GARCIA'S BUILDING A BRIDGE OVER TO EAST RIVERSIDE.
MIKE NICHOLS, THANK YOU FOR HEADING UP THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT FOR YOU TO COME BACK OUTTA RETIREMENT WHERE YOU SUCCESSFULLY LED OUR HOME HOMELESS COALITION AND TAKE ON AN ASSIGNMENT OF A DEPARTMENT AS POOR, IMPORTANT AS HOUSING IS WHY WE'RE BEING SO SUCCESSFUL.
SO, LAST, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, HUD OUR PARTNER, MS. ES, WE'RE SO HONORED THAT YOU COME HERE.
THE REGIONAL DIRECTOR OF HUD REPRESENTING THE SECRETARY OF HUD, SECRETARY TURNER, WHO I SERVED WITH IN THE LEGISLATURE.
LET ME EMPHASIZE AGAIN, RELATIONSHIPS MATTER.
WORKING ACROSS THE AISLE GETS THINGS DONE.
THERE'S A TIME FOR POLITICS, ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER TIME.
BUT TODAY, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE THAT WILL SOON BE OCCUPYING THIS.
AND I KNOW MANY OF YOU THAT GREW UP IN PUBLIC HOUSING ARE PROBABLY SAYING, WOW, DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING LIKE THIS.
SO ANYWAY, I'M DARN PLEASED TO BE HERE.
I'M CERTAINLY, I'VE LEFT OFF SOME INDIVIDUALS THAT NEED TO BE RECOGNIZED.
BUT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US, EACH AND EVERY ONE THAT CAN HEAR MY VOICE IS A PUBLIC SERVANT.
AND I THINK SOMEDAY WE'RE GONNA BE JUDGED.
WHAT DID YOU DO WITH YOUR PUBLIC SERVICE AND THOSE THAT ARE HELPING US MEET THE STANDARDS FOR RESIDENCES HERE? YOU'RE MEETING, YOU'RE MEETING YOUR CALLING.
JAMIE, WE'RE SO DARN LUCKY TO HAVE YOU TO LEAVE A SUCCESSFUL DEVELOPMENT CAREER.
YOU HAVE IMPECCABLE INTEGRITY.
AND I'D HEARD SUCH GOOD THINGS ABOUT YOU BEFORE I MET YOU, AND
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I'VE NOT BEEN DISAPPOINTED ONE DAY AND THIS BOARD AND THE GENTLEMAN THEY HIRED, LET'S GO TO WORK.UM, AS JODY SAID, WE, WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
THANK YOU FOR SETTING A GOOD EXAMPLE OF WHAT GOOD GOVERNANCE LOOKS LIKE IN OUR CITY.
THANK YOU FOR HOLDING THIS AGENCY ACCOUNTABLE OVER THE YEARS AND PUTTING THE RIGHT PEOPLE INTO PLACE.
AS YOU MENTIONED, AND AS WE TALKED EARLY ON IN MY APPOINTMENT, UM, AS I'M COMING UP ON ABOUT A YEAR HERE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE INHERITED THIS, BUT THAT DOESN'T CHANGE THE FACT THAT WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR IT, RIGHT? AND WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH AND DO THE RIGHT THINGS.
AND NEITHER ONE OF US WAS GOING TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO MOVE INTO THIS IF WE HAD NOT BEEN CONVINCED OF THE SCIENCE.
WE'RE GONNA LISTEN TO THE FACTS, NOT THE NOISE, AND MAKE OUR DECISIONS.
AND SO I STAND HERE TODAY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE, KNOWING THE DECISIONS WE MAKE HERE TODAY ARE ROOTED IN THE SCIENCE, YOU KNOW, GROUNDED IN THE MISSION OF US SERVING THOSE IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND, AND GROUNDED IN INTEGRITY.
AND I CAN SAY THAT WITH THE UTMOST CONFIDENCE.
UM, THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY WHO CAME OUT TODAY, AND ESPECIALLY OUR, UH, OUR FRIENDS AND SUPPORTERS AT HUD.
WE CAN'T DO WHAT WE DO WITH, WITHOUT YOU AND YOUR SUPPORT FOR THOSE WHO YOU MAY NOT KNOW, UH, HUD INVESTS HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS INTO THE CITY OF HOUSTON EVERY SINGLE YEAR.
AND THEY ARE THE BACKBONE BEHIND A LOT OF THE WORK.
MOST OF THE WORK THE HOUSING AUTHORITY DOES.
MIKE'S GROUP DOES PUBLIC WORKS AND OTHER THINGS.
AND SO THANK YOU AGAIN, ASHLEY, FOR BEING HERE AND YOUR TEAM.
AND THANK YOU TO THE, UH, THANK YOU TO THE SECRETARY.
YOU KNOW, WHEN I WAS APPOINTED TO THIS POSITION, THIS WAS ONE OF THE VERY FIRST THINGS THE BOARD BROUGHT UP.
THEY SAID, WELL, JAMIE, IF YOU TAKE THIS JOB, WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO ABOUT 800 MIDDLE
WE'RE GONNA TAKE FRESH EYES AND A FRESH APPROACH ON IT.
UH, AND, AND SO WAS THERE A PATH FORWARD? WAS IT VIABLE? WAS THERE A WAY TO PUT, NOT PUT PEOPLE IN HARM'S WAY AND AT RISK? AND I DID NOT HAVE AN ANSWER TO THAT A YEAR AGO.
AND SO WE HAVE DONE THE DUE DILIGENCE.
WE HAVE WORKED WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL EXPERTS, WE HAVE SEEN THE SCIENCE.
AND, AND I'M HAPPY TO SAY, UH, AS OF ABOUT THREE OR FOUR WEEKS AGO, WE RECEIVED FULL CLEARANCE FROM TCQ, THE TEXAS COMMISSION OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY, WHO WAS THE GOVERNING AGENCY FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
THAT THIS SITE THAT, THAT WE SIT UNDER FOR THE POINT OF BAYOU BEN MEETS THE HIGHEST STANDARDS FOR RESIDENTIAL LAND USE.
AND LET ME REPEAT THAT, THE HIGHEST STANDARDS FOR RESIDENTIAL LAND USE.
AND SO I AM TRUSTING IN THE SCIENCE.
I AM TRUSTING IN THE, I AM TRUSTING IN THE FACTS.
UM, TO BE CLEAR, THERE WERE ISSUES ON THIS SITE.
HOUSTON HAS AN INDUSTRIAL PASS.
NOT EVERYTHING IN THIS CITY IS CLEAN AND PRETTY.
BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THERE ARE NOT VIABLE PATHS FORWARD.
THAT IS THE WORK THAT WE DO, UH, IN REAL ESTATE, IN GOVERNMENT, IN CIVIL SERVICE.
IT'S TO FIND WAYS TO MOVE FORWARD AND DO SO IN A, IN, IN A, IN A RESPONSIBLE WAY.
AND SO THAT WAS THE SAME CASE.
AND SO WE'RE NOT DENYING THE FACT THAT THERE WERE ISSUES WITH SITES.
I MEAN, THE CITY OPERATED AN INCINERATOR SITE 60 YEARS AGO, NEXT DOOR.
BUT THAT IS THE NATURE OF HOUSTON.
UH, BUT I DO WANNA BE CLEAR, AND I WANNA MAKE IT SUPER CLEAR THAT THIS SITE WE SIT ON HAS NEVER, NEVER HAD ASH OR MATERIALS LIKE THAT EVER FOUND ON IT.
OKAY? UH, THERE HAS BEEN MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT THAT.
YES, ASH WAS FOUND ON A SITE NEXT DOOR THAT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY ALSO OWNS.
WHEN A STORM PIPE WAS BEING INSTALLED OUT TO THE BAYOU A FEW YEARS AGO, WHICH TRIGGERED A LOT OF THIS, IT TRIGGERED THE RESPONSE FROM THE MAYOR AND TCQ TO SAY, STOP.
WE BETTER DOUBLE CHECK BE BELT AND SUSPENDERS ON THIS.
BUT WE HAVE WORKED WITH TCUQ TO CLEAR THOSE, TO CLEAR THOSE ISSUES.
AND WE ARE CONTINUING TO WORK FORWARD, AS THE MAYOR SAID, WHAT, WHAT NEXT, WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE REST OF THE LAND? THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OWNS, AS HE MENTIONED, WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT IT.
AND HE HAS ASKED ME TO SAY, LET'S PUT A MORATORIUM ON THAT SITE.
LET'S MAKE SURE THAT IT, AND IT'S NOT ABOUT SAFETY, IT'S ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT'S ABOUT CONGESTION TO SAY, LET'S SLOW DOWN.
LET'S WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY.
I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO AND OTHERS IN THIS COMMUNITY ABOUT WHAT DO WE DO NEXT THERE.
AND WE ARE DEDICATED TO WORKING WITH THIS COMMUNITY, BEING GOOD NEIGHBORS, THINKING ABOUT WHAT ELSE IS NEEDED IN THIS.
WE HAVE OUR PUBLIC WORKS AND PLANNING DIRECTOR HERE, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO BE TALKING ABOUT HOW THIS NEIGHBORHOOD GROWS.
UH, YOU KNOW, IN MY PREVIOUS CAREER THAT I LEFT TO COME TO THIS HOUSING AUTHORITY, I WAS, I WAS PART OF THE DEVELOPMENT TEAM AND ONE OF THE PARTNERS THAT KICKED OFF EAST RIVER, WHICH IS WHAT IS KICKING OFF A LOT OF THE ECONOMIC REDEVELOPMENT IN THIS AREA, AREA.
I SAT ON THE FIFTH WARD REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY BOARD FOR SIX YEARS.
AND FROM THAT STANDPOINT, WHILE YOU HEAR WORDS LIKE GENTRIFICATION
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AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT MAY BE SCARY AND MAY BE BAD, THE ECONOMIC INVESTMENT IN THIS AREA IS REAL.THE BRIDGE, THE TRAIL SYSTEM, NEW RETAIL SHOPS, I MEAN, ALL OF THAT, WHICH THE EAST END HAS DESPERATELY WANTED FOR YEARS.
BUT IT CAN'T BE AT THE EXPENSE OF OUR RESIDENTS.
IT CAN'T BE AT THE EXPENSE OF DISPLACEMENT OF THESE FAMILIES WHO HAVE LIVED HERE, GROWN UP HERE, RAISED THEIR KIDS HERE.
AND SO TODAY, THIS PROJECT, 400 UNITS, 400 AFFORDABLE HOMES THAT MIGHT HOUSE UP TO A THOUSAND RESIDENTS OF HOUSTONIAN, ALL AFFORDABLE, ALL AFFORDABLE.
THIS ISN'T A MIXED INCOME PROJECT.
AND WE ARE GONNA BE MAINTAINING THAT AFFORDABILITY IN THIS AREA FOR DECADES, DECADES TO COME.
OKAY? AND SO, BUT LAST AND NOT LEAST, AND THIS ABSOLUTELY SHOULD BE FIRST, IS WHY ARE WE HERE? WE ARE HERE BECAUSE WE ARE CALLED TO SERVE.
WE ARE HERE BECAUSE WE ARE CALLED TO, TO, TO SERVE OUR FELLOW NEIGHBORS OF THE HOUSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE CITY.
AND HUD SERVES OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND RESIDENTS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND WE ARE HERE BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY, RESIDENTS FROM CLAYTON HOMES, WHICH WAS JUST A FEW BLOCKS DOWN THE WAY ON THE OTHER SIDE OF JENSEN, LOST THEIR HOMES SEVERAL YEARS AGO WHEN THE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT TOOK THEIR PROPERTY.
THEY WERE IN THE WAY OF PROGRESS AND EXPANSION.
IT WASN'T THE HOUSING AUTHOR'S FAULT OR THE CITY'S FAULT, BUT THEY LOST THEIR HOMES.
AND THIS PROJECT WAS BUILT WITH MONEY THAT CAME OUT OF THAT DISPOSITION FROM TXDOT AS REPLACEMENT HOUSING TO HELP THESE FOLKS BE ABLE TO STAY IN THEIR COMMUNITY, HAVE HEALTHY CONDITIONS, BE ABLE TO EXPERIENCE SOME OF THE ECONOMIC INVESTMENT IN DEVELOPMENT, AND BE A PART OF THE FUTURE OF THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
UNFORTUNATELY, THEY'VE BEEN DISPLACED FOR SEVERAL, SEVERAL YEARS, UH, AND IT'S TIME TO WELCOME THEM HOME.
UH, TODAY, I WOULD LIKE TO, I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE A COUPLE OF FOLKS, AND YOU GUYS CAN JUST STAND AND BE RECOGNIZED.
MS. VANESSA BOWLES, MR. WALTER GARFIELD.
UM, THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH, UM, FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
I HAD THE HONOR OF TOURING THEM THROUGH THIS FACILITY LAST WEEK.
UH, MS. BOWLES AND MR. GARFIELD ARE SOME OF OUR FAMILIES AND RESIDENTS WHO UNFORTUNATELY WERE DISPLACED FROM CLAYTON HOMES, UH, AND HAVE BEEN WAITING PATIENTLY TO COME HOME, COME BACK TO THEIR COMMUNITY.
WE HAD A GREAT TIME LAST WEEK.
WE TOURED, WE HAD A LOT OF LAUGHS.
YOU GUYS TOLD ME YOUR STORIES.
AND THIS IS WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT.
THESE FAMILIES THAT WE ARE SERVING IS WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT.
UH, THEY'VE GROWN UP IN THIS COMMUNITY.
THEIR FAMILIES GREW UP IN THIS COMMUNITY, AND THEY WERE READY TO COME HOME.
AND WE'RE EXCITED BECAUSE THESE RESIDENTS FROM CLAYTON HOMES, THEY GET FIRST CHOICE TO BE HERE.
AND LET ME, LET ME EMPHASIZE THAT WORD CHOICE.
I, I WAS ASKED YESTERDAY, AND IT'S A FAIR QUESTION, WOULD YOU LIVE HERE? I SAID, ABSOLUTELY.
I WOULD LIVE HERE WITH MY FAMILY, AND THAT SHOULD BE THE STANDARD THAT MY AGENCY AND THE CITY SETS FOR EVERYTHING WE DO GOING FORWARD.
WE SHOULD NOT BE DEVELOPING AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND ASKING PEOPLE TO MOVE INTO PLACES THAT WE OURSELVES WOULD NOT LIVE WITH OUR OWN FAMILIES AND KIDS.
UNEQUIVOCALLY, YES, I WOULD LIVE HERE.
I WOULD BE MISS BOWLES AND MR. GARFIELD'S NEIGHBORS.
WE'D HAVE A GREAT TIME ON THE WEEKENDS HANGING OUT, AND, YOU KNOW, AND SO, BUT THE REALITY IS, IS THEY STILL GET A CHOICE.
I UNDERSTAND THERE WILL BE SKEPTICS, UH, THAT WILL NEVER GET COMFORTABLE WITH LIVING IN AN OLD INDUSTRIAL AREA, AND THAT'S OKAY.
THAT'S THEIR CHOICE, RIGHT? BUT WE'RE GONNA OPERATE ON FACTS, NOT NOISE.
UH, PEOPLE GET TO MAKE THEIR OWN OPINIONS AND DECISIONS.
BUT LOOK AROUND, FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN MAKING THE CHOICE TO MOVE INTO THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
AS NEW HOUSING HAS GONE UP, TOWN HOMES AND SINGLE FAMILY HOMES AND, AND OTHER, AND, AND NEW APARTMENT COMPLEXES.
PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY BEEN CHOOSING TO LIVE IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, KNOWING THE ATMOSPHERE OF IT.
AND SO THE FACT THAT MS. BOWLES, MR. GARFIELD GET TO, TO GET TO COME HOME, THEIR FRIENDS AND FAMILY GET TO COME BACK HOME, EXPERIENCE THIS INCREDIBLE, VIBRANT ECONOMY THAT'S GROWING ON THE EAST END, THIS CULTURALLY RICH NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND BEFORE I TURN IT OVER TO, UH, TO MY FRIEND ASHLEY, I WANT TO GIVE YOU GUYS SOMETHING REAL QUICK.
JUST WANNA WELCOME YOU AND TELL YOU WELCOME HOME.
WE LOOK SO FORWARD TO, TO SEEING YOU MOVE IN, IN THE WEEKS TO COME.
AND, AND WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I'D LIKE TO BRING UP OUR REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR FOR HUD.
UM, SHE, SHE, SHE REPRESENTS SECRETARY TURNER IN THE ADMINISTRATION, OVERSEES THE, THE SOUTHWEST REGION SIX FOR US.
THEY'VE BEEN SUCH A HUGE SUPPORT, AND, UH, THEY'RE MAKING AN INVESTMENT IN HOUSTON.
THEY'VE MADE HOUSTON A PRIORITY.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO, WE WELCOME ASHLEY TO THE, UH, PODIUM AND TO SAY A FEW WORDS.
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THANK YOU, ASHLEY.SO I APPRECIATE YOU PUTTING ME IN THIS POSITION, JAMIE.
UH, BUT AS, UM, AS JAMIE MENTIONED, UM, MY NAME IS ASHLEY ES, AND, UM, I HAVE THE ABSOLUTE HONOR OF BEING YOUR REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR FOR THE US DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT.
SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS, UM, I WAS APPOINTED BY THE PRESIDENT LAST YEAR, UM, TO REPRESENT, UM, A FIVE STATE REGION AND INCLUDING MY WONDERFUL HOME STATE OF TEXAS.
AND, UM, WE GET TO WORK, UM, SIDE BY SIDE WITH OUR HU SECRETARY, SCOTT TURNER.
AND SO I BRING GREETINGS FROM BOTH OF THEM, FROM THE ADMINISTRATION, UM, AND I BRING CONGRATULATIONS, UH, TO ALL OF YOU.
UH, SPECIFICALLY THE RESIDENTS THAT ARE GONNA MAKE THIS HOME HERE IN A FEW DAYS.
UM, I'VE BEEN PARTICULARLY, UM, EXCITED TO COME HERE TODAY BECAUSE I ALSO, MY HUSBAND AND I LIVED IN THE HOUSTON AREA FOR 12 YEARS UP UNTIL 2022.
AND SO HOUSTON HOLDS AN INCREDIBLY SPECIAL PLACE IN MY HEART.
THIS IS WHERE WE STARTED MY FAMILY.
UH, AND I'VE WORKED ALONGSIDE COUNTLESS COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS IN VARIOUS ROLES.
SO AGAIN, JUST REALLY, TRULY, GENUINELY EXCITED, UH, TO BE HERE, TO SHARE IN TODAY'S, UM, EVENT.
AND THEN YOU FAST FORWARD TO TODAY, AND MAYOR, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTNER WITH YOU.
UM, SECRETARY TURNER WAS HERE LAST YEAR, AND WE HAD SOME GREAT CONVERSATIONS AROUND WHAT THAT PARTNERSHIP CAN BE AND IS BECOMING, UM, AS WE MOVE FORWARD OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
UM, AND AS JAMIE MENTIONED, THE US DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT HAS BEEN A LONG TIME PARTNER WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND WITH THE HOUSING AUTHORITY SPECIFICALLY.
UM, EVEN DATING BACK TO CLAYTON HOMES.
SO WE'RE TALKING DECADES OF RELATIONSHIP, OF PARTNERSHIP, OF BRINGING AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPTIONS TO THE FOLKS OF HOUSTON.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT SOME OF YOU, LIKE, UH, JAMIE MENTIONED, UM, LIVED IN THE CLAYTON HOMES COMMUNITY.
SO WELCOME, WELCOME HOME, WELCOME TO YOUR, TO YOUR NEW HOME.
UM, AND WE WISH YOU, UM, ALL, ALL THE BEST.
UM, AND UNDER SECRETARY SCOTT TURNER'S LEADERSHIP, UM, YOU WON'T FIND THIS SURPRISING, BUT WE ARE MISSION MINDED.
EVERYTHING THAT WE DO EVERY SINGLE DAY, UM, IS INTENTIONAL AND IT'S FOCUSED ON OUR MISSION.
AND I'M GONNA READ OUR MISSION.
OUR MISSION AT HUD IS TO FOSTER STRONG COMMUNITIES BY SUPPORTING ACCESS TO QUALITY, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, EXPANDING THE HOUSING SUPPLY, AND UNLOCKING HOME OWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
WE'RE NOT ONLY COMMITTED TO THAT MISSION, BUT WE'RE ALSO COMMITTED TO FURTHERING THE PROMISE OF SELF-SUFFICIENCY IN EVERY AMERICAN WHILE PROMOTING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, NOT ONLY IN URBAN AREAS, BUT ALSO IN OUR TRIBAL AND OUR RURAL AREAS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.
AND I MENTIONED THAT INTENTIONALITY.
UM, AND I, WE DIDN'T, WE DIDN'T COORDINATE THIS AT ALL, BUT, UM, THE REST OF MY REMARKS FOLLOW, SPECIFICALLY THE INTENTIONALITY ON FOCUSING ON RESIDENTS.
'CAUSE AT THE HEART OF WHAT HUD DOES IS OUR RESIDENTS.
THAT IS SECRETARY TURNER'S HEART.
THAT IS EVERYONE THAT SERVES IN THIS HUD ADMINISTRATION'S HEART.
AND JAMIE, YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD IN TERMS OF WHY SHOULD ANYONE MOVE INTO A COMMUNITY THAT I MYSELF WOULD NOT LIVE IN, THAT, YOU KNOW, SECRETARY TURNER WOULD NOT LIVE IN THAT.
AMERICANS DESERVE THE VERY BEST WHEN IT COMES TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPTIONS.
AND SO, UH, WE ARE INTENTIONALLY FOCUSED, AGAIN, ON THE RESIDENTS.
BUT A A KEY PIECE OF THAT IS BEING INTENTIONALLY FOCUSED ON WORKING WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS LIKE THE CITY, LIKE THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, LIKE OUR BUSINESSES, OUR, OUR FAITH-BASED GROUPS, TO REALLY COME ALONGSIDE OUR RESIDENTS AND HELP THEM ON A PATH TO SELF-SUFFICIENCY.
AND YOU WILL HEAR A LOT OF OF THAT IN TERMS OF THAT TERM, SELF-SUFFICIENCY.
UM, AS WE MOVE FORWARD UNDER SECRETARY TURNER'S LEADERSHIP, AND AS JAMIE MENTIONED, WE HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS BEAUTIFUL NEW COMMUNITY, BUT THE INDIVIDUALS THAT WE'RE GOING TO LIVE HERE WILL BE THE COMMUNITY.
AND, UM, EACH OF YOU, EACH PERSON THAT WILL, THAT WILL LIVE HERE, THEIR, THEIR FAMILIES, THEIR CHILDREN, EACH OF THEM HAVE BEEN BORN WITH A GOD-GIVEN POTENTIAL.
AND SO YOU SEE, UH, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC HOUSING, UM, YOU SEE, UM, THAT, THAT, THAT INTENTIONALITY, YOU SEE THAT GOD-GIVEN POTENTIAL.
AND YOU'VE PROBABLY HAVE HEARD THE SECRETARY SAY, PUBLIC HOUSING IS INTENDED TO BE A TRAMPOLINE, NOT A HAMMOCK.
IT'S INTENDED TO BE HERE TO BE AVAILABLE FOR AMERICANS WHEN YOU NEED IT THE MOST.
AND SO AT HUD, WE WANT TO BE YOUR PARTNER AGAIN, WORKING ALONG, UM, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY.
UH, WE'RE WORKING WITH HOUSING AUTHORITIES ACROSS NOT ONLY MY FIVE STATE REGION, BUT ACROSS THE COUNTRY, UM, TO SUPPORT THOSE VARIOUS SELF-SUFFICIENCY PROGRAMS TO ENSURE THAT RESIDENTS HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO SKILL UP, TO HAVE ACCESS TO EDUCATION THAT THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE HAD OTHERWISE HAD, UH, TO LEARN A TRADE, UM, TO BE ABLE TO EARN A GOOD LIVING AND ACHIEVE THE AMERICAN DREAM OF HOME HOME OWNERSHIP.
BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT IS OUR GOAL AT HUD, IS TO WORK WITH OUR AMERICANS, UM, AND COME ALONGSIDE THEM TO DO THAT.
SO AGAIN, ON BEHALF OF SECRETARY TURNER, ON BEHALF OF THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, CONGRATULATE ALL OF YOU, CONGRATULATE YOU ALL, UM, AS WELL AS YOUR FUTURE NEIGHBORS.
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, I WOULD JUST LOOK FORWARD TO
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WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU IN TERMS OF, UM, TO COME AROUND AND BE ABLE TO FULLY SUPPORT THOSE SELF-SUFFICIENCY PROGRAMS, UM, TO MAKE, MAKE THIS COMMUNITY THRIVE AND, AND ALL, AND ALL OF HOUSTON THRIVE.ALRIGHT, WELL, I PROMISE WE'D BE DONE BY 10 30.
WE'RE STILL PUNCTUAL AND ON TIME.
UM, AND, AND, AND THANK YOU, ASHLEY.
UH, I ALSO WANNA THANK, UH, D DAVID HELLER, NICK, OUR TEAM AT NRP, WHO HAS BEEN PATIENT AND SUPPORTING THROUGHOUT THIS AND IS GONNA BE OPERATING THIS PLACE.
THANK YOU TO MY STAFF AT HHA FOR, FOR ALL THE DILIGENCE AND, AND WORK AND STANDING BEHIND ME THIS LAST YEAR AS WE'VE GONE THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
UM, I WANNA LEAVE YOU WITH ONE ANTIDOTE.
11 YEARS AGO, UM, 11 YEARS AGO, I HAD THE HONOR OF TAKING MY FAMILY AND MY YOUNG KIDS AT THE TIME TO HONDURAS FOR A MISSION, UH, FOR A MISSION TRIP.
AND IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE TRIP.
IT WAS A LIFE CHANGING JOURNEY WHERE WE SAW HEALING, WE SAW LIFE CHANGE.
WE SAW IMPACT NOT JUST ON THE PEOPLE WE WERE THERE WORKING WITH AND SERVING, BUT THE PEOPLE, BUT, BUT ON OURSELVES AND ON MY KIDS.
AND THEY STILL REMEMBER IT TO THIS DAY, 10 DAYS PRIOR TO US LEAVING ON THAT TRIP, A TORNADO HIT MY HOUSE.
NO ROOF, WINDOWS, FENCE, TREES, IT WAS A MESS.
AND EVERY DAY AFTER THAT, FOR THE NEXT NINE DAYS, I KEPT TELLING MY FAMILY, I DON'T THINK WE CAN GO.
AND FINALLY WE DECIDED, YOU KNOW WHAT? WE NEED TO GO.
AND I THINK ABOUT THAT IN CONTEXT OF THIS.
I THINK ABOUT THE STORMS THAT HIT THIS PLACE EARLY ON.
I THINK ABOUT THE CONTROVERSY.
I THINK ABOUT, UH, THE CONTEXT OF THAT.
UH, AND I'M SO THANKFUL TO EVERYBODY FOR WEATHERING THOSE STORMS, FOR NOT GIVING UP, FOR NOT QUITTING.
BUT WHAT I'M MORE EXCITED ABOUT, I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE LIFE CHANGE, THE IMPACT, THE STORIES WE'RE GONNA HEAR AFTER THIS.
UH, THE LIFE CHANGING IMPACT IN STORIES WE'RE NEVER EVEN GONNA HEAR, RIGHT? WE'RE PLANTING SEEDS FOR TREES OF SHADE.
WE'LL NEVER SIT UNDER, BUT THAT'S OKAY.
AND SO WITH THAT, I, I THANK EVERYBODY FOR COMING OUT TODAY.
UH, AND, AND PLEASE, YOU KNOW, ENJOY REFRESHMENTS.
GO GET, GO GET A WARM BEVERAGE.
UH, WE HAVE SOME FOLKS FROM OUR TEAM AT NRP THAT'LL BE LEADING TOURS.
UH, THE MAYOR AND I AND ASHLEY AND SOME FOLKS ARE GONNA TAKE A TOUR, I'M GONNA GET TO SHOW THEM THIS BEAUTIFUL FACILITY.
BUT AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.