[PRESENTATIONS]
[00:00:06]
COUNCIL, PLEASE COME TO ORDER.
I'M GONNA ASK THE VICE MAYOR PROTE PECK TO PRESIDE.
THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER, MEMBER RAMIREZ FOR A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING YUM HASHOA HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY.
TODAY I STAND WITH MY COLLEAGUE, COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CAYMAN, AS WELL AS THE VICE MAYOR PRO TEM AMY PECK.
WE'RE JOINED BY REPRESENTATIVES OF THE JEWISH FEDERATION, THE JEWISH ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE, THE HOUSTON HOLOCAUST MUSEUM, 3G, WHICH IS THE THIRD GENERATION HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR GROUP, THE AMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE, AND MANY REPRESENTATIVES OF A NUMBER OF SYNAGOGUES.
AS WE OBSERVE YAM HASHOA, THIS HOLOCAUST, REMEMBRANCE DAY IS AN OCCASION TO HONOR THE MEMORY OF THE MORE THAN 6 MILLION JEWS AND OTHER VICTIMS WHO WERE MURDERED DURING THE HOLOCAUST.
FOR THE SURVIVORS AND THEIR DESCENDANTS, IT IS A POIGNANT REMINDER OF THE ANTISEMITISM, HATRED, AND BIGOTRY THAT LED TO THE DEATHS OF THEIR LOVED ONES.
IT'S ALSO A SOBERING REMINDER THAT NOT ONLY DO THESE ATTITUDES STILL PERSIST TODAY, TOO OFTEN THEY LEAD TO ATROCITIES COMMITTED AGAINST THE INNOCENT.
THIS IS A REMINDER THAT WE'RE ALL CALLED UPON TO TELL THE TRUTH, TO REMEMBER THEIR PAIN, AND TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST HATRED.
LEST THE TRAGEDIES OF THE PAST BE REPEATED, I EXPRESSED MY APPRECIATION TO THE MEMBERS OF THE JEWISH COMMUNITY, UH, COMMUNITY WHO ARE HERE TODAY, AND TO YOU, MAYOR, FOR ISSUING THIS IMPORTANT PROCLAMATION.
AND IF WE COULD RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN AT THIS TIME.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, UH, IN BRINGING THIS PROCLAMATION FORWARD.
UH, AND ALSO TO THANK MY COLLEAGUE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER PECK FOR HER LEADERSHIP AND PARTNERSHIP.
UM, AND OF COURSE, MAYOR FOR BRINGING THIS PROCLAMATION FORWARD.
YOM HASHOAH IS A DAY TO HONOR THE STRENGTH, RESILIENCE, AND COURAGE OF THOSE NOT ONLY, UH, WHO LOST LOVED ONES OR WHO LOST THEIR LIVES, THE 6 MILLION, UH, DURING THE SHOW OFF.
BUT THOSE WHO CARRY THEIR MEMORY FORWARD AND STANDING WITH US ARE AN INCREDIBLE GROUP OF COMMUNITY LEADERS.
UH, WHETHER THAT'S THE HOLOCAUST MUSEUM, THE ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE, THE JEWISH FEDERATION, A JC, OUR PUBLIC SAFETY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS WHO REPRESENT OUR COMMUNITY AND THE ENTIRE HOUSTON COMMUNITY AND OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
UH, AND THERE'S A LOT OF FOLKS IN THE AUDIENCE THAT ARE HERE TODAY AS WELL.
UH, WHO PARTNER IN THIS SPACE.
I KNOW, UH, JAY MICHAEL TREVINO IS HERE.
UM, DIRECTOR NICHOLS MAYOR HAS BEEN, UH, VERY VOCAL AND AN ADVOCATE IN ENSURING THAT THE MEMORY OF THE 6 MILLION IS NOT FORGOTTEN.
ANTISEMITISM AND HOLOCAUST DENIAL CONTINUES TO RISE HERE AT HOME AND ACROSS THE GLOBE.
THE A DL REPORTS THAT 46% OF ADULTS WORLDWIDE, 24% OF AMERICANS NOW HARBOR SIGNIFICANT ANTI-SEMITIC BELIEFS.
20% OF 18 TO 29 YEAR OLDS BELIEVE THE HOLOCAUST IS A MYTH.
NOW, 20% OF 18 TO 29 YEAR OLDS BELIEVE THE HOLOCAUST IS A, IS A MYTH.
63% OF MILLENNIALS AND J GEN Z DON'T KNOW THAT 6 MILLION JEWS LOST THEIR LIVES IN THE HOLOCAUST.
AND WE KNOW THAT SOCIAL MEDIA AND AI CONTINUES TO RAMP UP.
THE HATE THAT WE SEE, UH, AND HATE AGAINST ONE COMMUNITY IS HATE AGAINST ALL.
WE SAY THAT ANTISEMITISM IS THE CANARY IN THE COAL MINE.
AND THAT RINGS TRUER NOW MORE THAN EVER.
UH, I'LL CLOSE WITH THIS IS LA YEL ONCE SAID, WE MUST TAKE SIDES.
NEUTRALITY HELPS THE OPPRESSOR, NEVER THE VICTIM.
SILENCE ENCOURAGES THE TORMENTOR.
COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN, COUNCILOR RAMIREZ, AND EVERYONE THAT IS PRESENT REPRESENTING OUR COMMUNITY.
[00:05:03]
I'M NOT SURE WORDS CAN DESCRIBE ADEQUATELY THE NECESSITY FOR REMEMBRANCE DATE OF HOLOCAUST.HAM CHOA GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO PAUSE REDEDICATE OURSELF TO SPEAKING OUT AGAINST ATROCITIES.
AND THE STARTLING NUMBERS THAT COUNCIL MC CAYMAN DECIDED IT WAS REALLY ALL OF OUR FAULT.
BECAUSE IF YOUNG PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW THE STORY, IF THEY'RE NOT TAUGHT THE STORY IN SCHOOLS AND IN THEIR FAMILIES AND IN OUR SYNAGOGUES, AND SHAME ON US AS A SOCIETY 'CAUSE NOTHING COMPARES WITH THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE HOLOCAUST.
AND IT SHOULD SHAPE US GOING FORWARD.
AND I WOULD THINK THAT'S WHAT THE BENEFIT OF TODAY'S GATHERING IS, A REDEDICATION OF REMEMBRANCE.
SO THEREFORE, I JOHN WHITMEYER, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROCLAIM APRIL 14TH, 2026.
JEAN SHOAH REMEMBRANCE DAY IN HOUSTON, TEXAS.
I AM THE SENIOR REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR A DL TEXAS, AND I'M HONORED TO BE INVITED HERE TODAY WITH MY COLLEAGUE FROM JEWISH ORGANIZATIONS AND JEWISH LIFE ACROSS HOUSTON.
AND THANK YOU COUNCIL FOR YOUR RECOGNITION OF SUCH AN IMPORTANT REMEMBRANCE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
WHEN I STAND HERE, I AM REMINDED THAT TOGETHER WE ARE THE FOUNDATION THAT CAN STUDY A SOCIETY.
WHEN FEAR AND DIVISION THREATEN TO PULL US APART, WE'RE GATHERED TODAY NOT JUST TO REMEMBER THE 6 MILLION JEWISH LIVES THAT WERE LOST IN THE HOLOCAUST AND THE MANY OTHER LIVES LOST DURING THIS TIME AS WELL, INCLUDING THE WOMAN THAT I AM NAMED AFTER RAHAL.
BUT TO REAFFIRM OUR SHARED INVESTMENT IN A SOCIETY THAT IS JUST EQUITABLE AND WORTHY OF OUR HIGHEST IDEALS.
I SPEND A LOT OF TIME THINKING ABOUT HOW WE HAVE TENDENCIES TO BUCKET PEOPLE BETWEEN USS AND THEMS. AND THESE ARE CERTAINLY TROUBLING AND TURBULENT TIMES WITH ITS CHALLENGES OF THE MOMENT.
THE ONE THING THAT AS I ENCOUNTER THE CHALLENGES CONTINUES TO CAPTURE MY IMAGINATION, IS THE IDEA THAT AS PEOPLE, WE ARE THE ONLY SPECIES THAT CAN FEEL THE PAIN OF A STRANGER AND DECIDE THAT IT IS OUR OWN.
I WANNA REPEAT, WE ARE THE ONLY SPECIES THAT CAN FEEL THE PAIN OF A STRANGER AND DECIDE THAT IT IS OUR OWN.
SO FOR HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY, MY HOPE LIES IN THE FACT THAT MAYBE WE CAN EXTEND WHO WE THINK OF AS THE US AND EXTEND OUR COMPASSION TO ENCOMPASS EVERYONE AND THE STRUGGLES AND PLYS THAT WE SEE IN SO MANY COMMUNITIES AS WELL.
THIS IS OUR CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY.
TODAY, WE FACE A HISTORIC SURGE IN ANTI-SEMITIC INCIDENTS, THE HIGHEST A DL HAS RECORDED SINCE 1979.
AND WE KNOW THAT HATE DOES NOT BEGIN WITH VIOLENCE.
IT BEGINS WITH THE SLOW EROSION OF THE NORMS AND INSTITUTIONS THAT HOLD OUR COMMUNITIES TOGETHER.
A DL IS MEETING THIS MOMENT TOGETHER WITH OUR PARTNERS AND IN COMMUNITY TO TURN INTELLIGENCE AND TECHNOLOGY INTO ACTIONABLE JUSTICE THAT SERVES COMMUNITY.
WE PROVIDE CRITICAL DATA AND INTELLIGENCE TO LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES TO IDENTIFY EXTREMIST ACTIVITY BEFORE IT CAUSES PHYSICAL HARM.
WE TRAIN EDUCATORS TO RECOGNIZE BIAS, ENSURING SCHOOLS REMAIN PLACES OF LEARNING RATHER THAN PLATFORMS FOR CONSPIRATORIAL THINKING.
AND WE MOBILIZE LEGAL PROFESSIONALS TO ENSURE THE LAW REMAINS A FORCE FOR PROTECTION AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
I HOPE TODAY THAT AS WE REMEMBER TOGETHER, THAT WE COME TOGETHER AND WE CONTINUE TO BUILD A HOUSTON WHERE EVERYONE CAN THRIVE FREE FROM DISCRIMINATION OR SYSTEMIC BARRIERS.
I WANNA OFFER, AS SHARED WITH ME BY MY COLLEAGUE OVER AT FEDERATION, A YARD SITE CANDLE, A REMEMBRANCE CANDLE FOR YMHA SHOAH.
AND PLEASE INVOKE THAT MY GREAT GRANDPARENTS, WHOSE MEMORY IS A BLESSING FOR TODAY, WOULD BE REALLY PROUD THAT I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE
[00:10:01]
IN MY CITY TOGETHER WITH PEOPLE FROM SO MANY PARTS OF HOUSTON TO RECOGNIZE THAT HOUSTON IS NO PLACE FOR HATE.UH, MY NAME IS GARY WEISMAN AND I AM THE VERY PROUD CEO OF HOLOCAUST MUSEUM.
I WANNA THANK YOU FOR SPONSORING THIS RESOLUTION.
IT SPEAKS VOLUMES ABOUT OUR CITY, OUR COMMUNITY, AND YOUR LEADERSHIP THAT WE'VE TAKEN THE TIME TO COMMEMORATE THE 6 MILLION JEWS WHO WERE MURDERED IN THE HOLOCAUST AND THE MILLIONS OF OTHER VICTIMS OF NAZI PERSECUTION WE'RE HERE TODAY IN GRIEF, IN REVERENCE, BUT MOST OF ALL IN RESPONSIBILITY.
YAHA SHUAH ASKS SOMETHING OF US.
IT'S A SACRED ACT OF MEMORY, BUT IT'S ALSO A REFUSAL, A REFUSAL TO ALLOW THOSE WHO ARE MURDERED TO BE REDUCED TO NUMBERS.
WE REMEMBER THEM AS HUMAN BEINGS WITH NAMES, FAMILIES, AND LIVES INTERRUPTED.
BUT REMEMBRANCE ALONE IS NOT ENOUGH.
OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO TRANSFORM MEMORY INTO MORAL ACTION.
AT HMH, WE OFTEN SPEAK ABOUT THE FIVE UNIVERSAL LESSONS OF THE HOLOCAUST, NOT AS ABSTRACTIONS, BUT AS URGENT TRUTHS.
FIRST, THAT THE HOLOCAUST WAS NOT INEVITABLE.
IT HAPPENED BECAUSE GOVERNMENTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND INSTITUTIONS MADE CHOICES, ACTIVE AND PASSIVE.
THAT ENABLED GREAT EVIL COURAGE AND CONSCIENCE CAN PREVENT IT FROM HAPPENING AGAIN.
SECOND IS THAT DEMOCRACY IS FRAGILE.
HITLER AND MUSSOLINI BOTH CAME TO POWER THROUGH DEMOCRATIC MEANS, AND THEN THEY USED THAT POWER TO DISMANTLE THE SYSTEMS AROUND THEM.
DEMOCRATIC SOCIETIES CAN ERODE NOT ONLY THROUGH FORCE, BUT THROUGH FEAR.
THIRD, UNCHECKED HATE INEVITABLY LEADS TO VIOLENCE.
THE HOLOCAUST DID NOT BEGIN WITH GAS CHAMBERS AND MURDER.
IT BEGAN WITH WORDS NORMALIZED, REPEATED, INTENDED TO DEHUMANIZE AND LEFT UNCHALLENGED.
FOURTH, DECISIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES.
AND DOING NOTHING IS A DECISION OF ITS OWN.
IT'S A CHOICE WITH REAL IMPACT.
WE EACH HAVE AGENCY, AND EVERY ACT WE DO REQUIRES US TO CHOOSE WHETHER TO BE AN UPSTANDER, A BYSTANDER, OR A PERPETRATOR.
AND FINALLY, THAT ANTISEMITISM IS NOT JUST A JEWISH PROBLEM LEFT UNCHECKED.
IT CORRODES THE VERY FABRIC OF A FREE AND PLURALISTIC SOCIETY.
IT OPENS THE DOOR TO BROADER FORMS OF HATRED AND INSTABILITY.
THESE AREN'T LESSONS FROM THE PAST.
THEIR WARNINGS FOR THE PRESENT.
THE MACHINERY OF THE HOLOCAUST BEGAN WITH EXCLUSION, WITH DEHUMANIZATION, WITH NORMALIZATION OF VIOLENCE, AND WITH LAWS THAT STRIPPED PEOPLE OF DIGNITY STEP BY STEP UNTIL CRUELTY BECAME POLICY AND INDIFFERENCE BECAME COMPLICITY.
YMAA, THIS HOLIDAY INSISTS THAT WE STOP, LISTEN, AND BEAR WITNESS, BUT ALSO THAT WE ACT.
THE QUESTION IS NOT ONLY WHAT WE REMEMBER, BUT WHAT WE DO WITH THAT MEMORY.
IT MEANS SPEAKING TRUTH TO EVIL EVEN WHEN IT'S DIFFICULT.
IT MEANS CONFRONTING ANTISEMITISM WHEREVER IT APPEARS.
IT MEANS REJECTING HATRED AND DEHUMANIZATION IN EVERY FORM.
IT MEANS CHOOSING COURAGE OVER COMFORT AND REFUSING ABOVE ALL TO NORMALIZE CRUELTY.
THE RESPONSIBILITY BELONGS TO EVERY GENERATION.
IT DOESN'T LIVE ONLY IN MUSEUMS OR IN CITY COUNCIL HALLS.
IT LIVES IN CHOICES AND HOW WE SPEAK.
WHAT WE CHALLENGE AND WHAT WE'RE WILLING TO DEFEND TO OBSERVE YAHA, SHAAH IS TO AFFIRM SOMETHING ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL THAT REMEMBRANCE IS NOT ENOUGH, UNLESS IT LEADS TO RESPONSIBILITY.
THAT WE HONOR THOSE WHO WERE MURDERED BY REMEMBERING THEM.
THAT WE HONOR THOSE WHO SURVIVED BY LISTENING TO THEM, AND THAT WE HONOR ALL OF THEIR LEGACY BY THE WORLD.
WE HELP CREATE A WORLD WHERE HATRED IS CONFRONTED, WHERE DIGNITY IS DEFENDED, AND WHERE SILENCE IS NEVER MISTAKEN FOR NEUTRALITY.
THANK YOU ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY FOR THIS RESOLUTION.
COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ AND COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN.
MAYOR WHITMEYER, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BRINGING THIS PROCLAMATION FORWARD.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
MY GRANDPARENTS WERE HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS, AND I TRULY UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF REMEMBRANCE AND CARRYING ON THE LEGACY AND HONORING EVERYONE WHO CAME BEFORE US WITH ALL OF THOSE MESSAGES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL OF THE, THE GREAT WORDS SPOKEN TODAY.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, THANK YOU AND THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS CAYMAN AND RAMIREZ.
I CANNOT REMEMBER MORE BEAUTIFUL SPEECHES THAN I JUST HEARD THOSE TWO SPEECHES.
THANK YOU FOR REMINDING US ALL WHAT WE NEED TO BE DOING.
[00:16:57]
OKAY.THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN FOR A PROCLAMATION, RECOGNIZING DEVONTE METRO ROBBINS FOR HIS KINDNESS TO HIS NEIGHBORS.
WE, UH, HOW YOU DOING? WE MOVE, UH, FROM SUCH AN EMOTIONAL PROCLAMATION, UM, TO SOMETHING IN TERMS OF CELEBRATING LEADERS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, DEVONTA METRO, AS HE GOES BY ROBINS, UM, IS A VERY SPECIAL GUEST TODAY.
UH, THOSE WHO HAVE HAD TO TALK TO HIM CONSISTENTLY, SAY HE'S ONE OF THE KINDEST PEOPLE THAT YOU WILL EVER MEET.
UH, AND YOU MAY RECOGNIZE HIM FROM THE NEWS OR SOCIAL MEDIA WHERE HE HAS RECENTLY GONE VIRAL FOR VOLUNTEERING AS A CROSSING GUARD IN DISTRICT C EVERY SINGLE WEEKEND SINCE OCTOBER.
LET'S GIVE IT UP FOR THE, AND, UH, I'VE EVEN BEEN DRIVING DOWN WESTHEIMER AND SEEN HIM IN ACTION TO WHERE I HAD TO STOP, PULL OVER AND TALK TO HIM TO GET HIS STORY.
AND I KNOW THAT, UH, METRO, AS WE FONDLY SAY, UH, DOES NOT DO THIS FOR ATTENTION.
HE HAS HIS OWN PERSONAL STORY, UM, WHEN HE WAS ACTUALLY, UH, STRUCK BY A VEHICLE.
AND I'LL SHARE MORE ABOUT THAT IN A MINUTE.
UH, BUT AFTER AN INCIDENT LIKE THAT, MANY PEOPLE WOULD AVOID PLACING THEMSELVES IN FRONT OF SPEEDING VEHICLES AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
BUT HE HAS DONE JUST THE OPPOSITE.
SO IT IS MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE THOSE THAT MAY NOT KNOW HIM, UH, TO DEVONTA METRO ROBBINS, AND PRESENT HIM WITH THIS PROCLAMATION THAT I'LL GO AHEAD AND READ.
MR. ROBBINS, AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN AS METRO, HAS BECOME A BELOVED PRESENCE AT THE INTERSECTION OF WESTHEIMER ROAD IN MONTROSE BOULEVARD, WHERE HE HAS VOLUNTEERED HIS TIME AND ENERGY SINCE OCTOBER, 2025 TO HELP PEDESTRIANS CROSS SAFELY.
HE COMMUTES FROM SPRING BY BUS EACH FRIDAY, SATURDAY, AND SUNDAY, BRINGING THE NEON VEST AND FLASHLIGHT THAT HE PURCHASED HIMSELF TO SERVE AS THE COMMUNITY'S, I'LL SAY, OFFICIAL, UH, CROSSING GUARD, OFFERING PROTECTION, KINDNESS, AND A CALMING PRESENCE AT ONE OF THE CITY'S BUSIEST INTERSECTIONS IN 2021, HE SURVIVED A DEVASTATING COLLISION ON FOOT, HAVING BEEN STRUCK BY A DRIVER WHO WAS FLEEING POLICE, WHICH LEFT HIM HOSPITALIZED WITH LASTING INJURIES.
RATHER THAN ALLOWING THIS EXPERIENCE TO DISCOURAGE HIM, HE HAS USED IT AS AN INSPIRATION FOR HIS MISSION TO PREVENT OTHERS
[00:20:01]
FROM ENDURING SIMILAR TRAUMA METRO'S, CONSISTENCY, BRAVERY, AND COMPASSION HAVE MADE HIM A LOCAL CELEBRITY IN MONTROSE AND IN DISTRICT C AND A SYMBOL OF SELFLESS SERVICE.HIS DEDICATION HAS NOT GONE UNNOTICED.
PROMPTING A GROUNDSWELL OF COMMUNITY SUPPORT AND A SERIES OF VIRAL VIDEOS ONLINE.
HE STANDS AS A POWERFUL REMINDER OF THE URGENT NEED FOR PEDESTRIAN SAFETY, DEMONSTRATING THE RESPONSIBILITY WE ALL SHARE TO PROTECT OUR FELLOW HOUSTONIANS, BUILD COMMUNITY, AND SPREAD KINDNESS IN RECOGNITION OF HIS DEDICATED SERVICE.
THE CITY OF HOUSTON JOINS HIS FRIENDS, NEIGHBORS, RESIDENTS, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN COMMENDING AND CELEBRATING DEVONTA METRO ROBBINS AT HOUSTON CITY HALL.
HIS SELFLESS COMMITMENT TO ENSURING THE SAFETY OF OTHERS IS TRULY ADMIRABLE AND WORTHY OF EMULATION BY ALL HOUSTONIANS.
COUNCILMAN CAYMAN AND MR. METRO.
THANK YOU TO, FOR BEING AT YOUR CITY HALL AND YOU NEED TO BE SAFE.
CAN WE GET AN AGREEMENT ON THAT? YES, SIR.
UH, AND YOU SET A VERY HIGH STANDARD FOR ALL OF US.
'CAUSE YOU'RE A PUBLIC SERVANT, WHETHER YOU'RE EVER ON THE BALLOT OR NOT.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC SERVICE.
TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF AND, UH, LET'S RECRUIT SOME MORE.
I'VE BEEN DOING IT SINCE I WAS 19.
CAN I ASK YOU, ARE YOU IN SCHOOL? UH, I GRADUATED FROM NORTH SHORE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL 2 5 25.
WHAT DO YOU GONNA BE DOING FIVE YEARS FROM NOW? UM, RIGHT NOW I WORK IN MCCORRY SHEET AND METAL.
AND, UM, IT'S A GREAT JOB, BUT I'M TRYING TO WORK ON MY LICENSE RIGHT NOW.
HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE A FIRST RESPONDER? UH, WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT.
WE TRYING WORK IN METRO
DO WE'LL, WE'LL TALK ABOUT IT.
YOU GOT A LOT OF PUBLIC SERVICE IN FRONT OF YOU, THEREFORE, I, JOHN WHITMEYER, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROCLAIM APRIL 14TH, 2026, IS DEVONTA METRO ROBIN STATE ACROSS THIS GREAT CITY.
I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO CA UH, COUNSELOR MEMBER CAYMAN AND THE MAYOR, UH, THAT WAS INVITED BY.
AND I JUST WANNA SAY, Y'ALL STAY SAFE IN THESE CITY STREETS.
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? UH, Y'ALL, IF Y'ALL FAMILIAR WITH REST TIMER AND MONTROSE MM-HMM
THAT CAT'S CROSSWALK COMING AROUND THAT CURVE.
SO I TRY MY BEST, YOU KNOW, TO LIKE, HELP OUT PEOPLE AS MUCH AS I CAN.
'CAUSE I WORK MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, BUT I TAKE TIME OFF ON THURSDAYS WHEN I GET OFF FRIDAYS AND SATURDAY AND SUNDAY AS WELL.
SO I JUST WANNA SAY THANK Y'ALL.
YOU TAKE OFF YOUR, WHERE'S YOU SIGN MAN? YOU GONNA HOLD IT? THERE YOU GO.
STAY RIGHT THERE WHEN WE'RE HERE.
THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES MAYOR WHITMEYER FOR A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING THE HOUSTON FURNITURE BANK FOR THEIR NO KIDS SLEEP ON THE FLOOR MULTI-YEAR INITIATIVE.
ALI, THANK YOU MEMBERS, UH, HONOR, QUALITY OF LIFE, LOOKING AT ALL YOUR VOLUNTEERS.
QUALITY OF LIFE IS SO ESSENTIAL AND TO SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH OTHERS.
AND YOUR MOTIVATION IS EVERYTHING.
AND BY THE WAY, YOU DID COME UP TO ME ABOUT A WEEK AGO AT A GRILL AND INVITE ME TO YOUR GALA, WHICH I THINK YOU SHOULD INVITE ALL MY COLLEAGUES, BECAUSE NOT ONLY HAVE I BEEN TO YOUR LOCATION, UH, I'VE SPREAD THE WORD.
AND I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ, ACTUALLY, I WAS LOOKING FOR YOU, UH, TOOK ME TO YOUR LOCATION.
AND YOU, AND I'LL GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO DESCRIBE WHAT YOU DO, BUT YOU TAKE DONATED FURNITURE, IMPROVE IT, AND THEN GIVE IT TO LESS FORTUNATE INDIVIDUALS.
SO WE'RE ALL BLESSED TO BE HERE TODAY TO RECOGNIZE SOMEBODY THAT QUIETLY GOES ABOUT WITH YOUR TEAM OF
[00:25:01]
REFURBISHING, REPAIRING, AND SPREADING FURNITURE.SO NO CHILD, I KNOW YOUR GOAL, OUR GOAL SLEEPS ON THE FLOOR, AND COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ IS SO PROUD THAT YOU'RE LOCATED IN HIS COMMUNITY AND, UH, HE ROUTINELY TAKES INDIVIDUALS THERE.
I'M GONNA YIELD ACTUALLY TO MY COLLEAGUE WHO DOES SO MUCH GOOD WORK WITH YOUR ORGANIZATION.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, JUST, JUST A FEW WORDS.
UM, SO THE, THE ACTUAL PROGRAM, THE NO KIDS, UH, NO KIDS SLEEPING ON THE FLOOR INITIATIVE THAT KICKED OFF A FEW YEARS BACK.
AND TO BE ABLE TO TAKE THE MERIT TO HELP HIGHLIGHT AND ELEVATE THIS MESSAGE, UM, IT HIT PERSONAL TO ME.
UM, MANY OF Y'ALL MIGHT NOT KNOW, BUT, UH, I GREW UP IN A BIG FAMILY.
UH, I KNOW
UH, BUT AT ONE POINT IT WAS NINE OF US IN A ONE BEDROOM APARTMENT, SO YOU CAN'T HAVE NINE BEDS, PLUS MY MOM AND MY DAD.
SO IT HIT PERSONAL TO ME, UH, WHEN OLLIE, WHO'S, UH, YOU KNOW, HAS BEEN IN DISTRICT I PRIOR TO THEIR NEW LOCATION AND, AND SO NOW, AND SO, UM, BEING ABLE TO ELEVATE THIS MESSAGE TO, TO A POINT WHERE FOLKS KNOW THE GOOD WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING, BUT ALSO HOW DO, HOW DO MORE FOLKS GET INVOLVED AND, AND PARTICIPATE IN MAKING SURE THAT, UH, KIDS HAVE A, A BED? BECAUSE WE KNOW WITH FOLKS SLEEP WELL, THEIR MENTAL HEALTH IS BETTER, THEIR PHYSICAL, UH, HEALTH IS BETTER ALL AROUND.
AND SO THEN FROM THERE, YOU KNOW, SCHOOL'S BETTER.
UH, AND THEN THEY, THEY LIVE A BETTER, BETTER LIFE AS WELL.
AND SO, UH, MARY, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THEM, UH, HERE AS WELL.
AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE HERE TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT, UH, THE WORK THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING.
AND WHAT'S THE DATE OF YOUR GALA? THE 14TH.
IT HAS BEEN, UH, REESTABLISHED NOW FROM MAY 14TH TO SEPTEMBER THE NINTH.
LEE, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
AND THEREFORE, I, JOHN WHITMEYER, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROCLAIM APRIL 14TH, 2026, IS THE FURNITURE BANK DAY IN HOUSTON, TEXAS.
THANK YOU, MAYOR WHITMEYER, JOAQUIN MARTINEZ, YOUR, UH, YOUR SPECIAL FOR US.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO FOR US.
UH, ON BEHALF OF, UH, THE BOARD, THE EMPLOYEES, AND, UH, FRIENDS OF THE FURNITURE BANK, AND AS THE, UH, FURNITURE BANK CHAIR, WE WANT TO THANK YOU MAYOR WHITMEYER.
UH, WE'RE BLESSED TO HAVE YOU AND COUNCIL.
AND, UH, THIS PROCLAMATION GIVES US MORE CREDIBILITY, UH, AWARENESS AND VISIBILITY, UH, TO THE COMMUNITY HERE, WHICH WE DESPERATELY NEED.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.
AND I'D LIKE TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME IF I COULD, TO INTRODUCE OLIE MUHAMMAD.
WHICH JOAQUIN SAID, WHICH HAS BEEN THE, HE IS THE FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR OF THE FURNITURE BANK FOR THE LAST 33 YEARS.
AND I'D LIKE HIM TO, UH, TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE FURNITURE BANK MISSION AND THE IMPACT, POSITIVE IMPACT THAT WE'VE GOT, UH, FOR HOUSTON MAYOR.
WHAT AN HONOR FOR AFTER 33 YEARS TO STAND HERE IN FRONT OF THE COUNCIL AND TALK ABOUT SOMETHING THAT WE HAD BEEN WORKING TIRELESSLY.
SO, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO REALLY RECOGNIZE THE BOARD MEMBERS THAT ARE PRESENT HERE, DR.
SCHNEE, LARRY CREST, GLORIA, GLORIA AINO, AND EVERYBODY ELSE.
I'M MICHAEL IS, IS A REALLY PUTTING A PATH FOR US.
BUT WITH THE, UH, ROADMAP FOR RETAILERS, A PROGRAM WHERE ALL THE RETAILERS IN HOUSTON, ALL THE FURNITURE RETAILERS CAN BECOME A PART OF THIS INITIATIVE SO THAT HOUSTON CAN BECOME THE FIRST CITY IN THIS GREAT NATION WHERE NO CHILD WILL EVER HAVE TO GO TO SLEEP ON THE FLOOR.
IT IS NOT A PIPE DREAM BECAUSE IN THIS CITY, IF YOU GUYS KNOW OR DON'T, OVER 750,000 MATTRESSES GOES TO THE LANDFILL EVERY YEAR, YOU CAN LINE THEM UP FROM DOWNTOWN HOUSTON TO DOWNTOWN DALLAS, COME BACK, GO BACK, COME BACK AGAIN.
EVERY YEAR THAT'S WHAT WE ARE DOING.
ON THE OTHER HAND, 300,000, A MINIMUM, 300,000 CHILDREN GOES TO SLEEP ON THE FLOOR EVERY NIGHT IN THIS GREAT CITY.
WHILE WE CAN RECYCLE, REFURBISH, AND MAKE THIS CITY A CITY WHERE NO CHILD GOES TO SLEEP ON THE FLOOR, WITH YOUR SUPPORT, WITH THE COUNCIL, SUPPORT WITH THE MAYOR WHO HAS TAKEN FURNITURE BANK IN HIS HEART WITH A CITY COUNCILMAN THAT IS REALLY PULLING THE FURNITURE BANK FORWARD, WE CAN MAKE THIS A CITY AND WE CAN, IN FACT, YOU GUYS CAN SET A DATE THAT WILL MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THIS CHAMBER THAT HOUSTON
[00:30:01]
IS A CITY WHERE NO CHILD WILL EVER HAVE TO GO TO SLEEP ON THE FLOOR.AND WE WILL DO IT RESPONSIBLY.
WE'LL DO IT IN A WAY THAT THAT MAKES TOTAL SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SENSE.
SO THE 23 CUBIC FEET PART MATTRESS GOING INTO A LANDFILL, IT'S, AND, AND STAYING THERE FOR A HUNDRED YEARS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ATTENTION.
WE'LL, WE'LL MAKE IT HAPPEN WITH YOUR SUPPORT.
WE'LL SEND YOU, SEND YOU AN INVITATION TO THE, UH, TO OUR GALA.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN MAYOR, WE DO HAVE A, WE DO HAVE A COUNCIL MEMBER IN Q COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN, VERY QUICKLY.
UM, I USED TO DONATE FURNITURE TO THE INNOCENCE PROJECT, UM, AND THAT I FELT WAS SUCH A WORTHY CAUSE.
CAN YOU JUST EXPLAIN VERY BRIEFLY HOW RESIDENTS CAN DONATE FURNITURE AND SUPPORT IN THAT WAY? THE GALA IS VERY IMPORTANT, BUT HOW DO PEOPLE, UM, ACTUALLY START PARTICIPATING? SURE.
WE, WE, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS TO GO TO THE FURNITURE BANK WEBSITE, AND THE WEBSITE EXPLAINS VERY CLEARLY HOW YOU CAN DONATE IF IT'S A, IF IT'S A DONATION THAT YOU NEED TO HAPPEN IMMEDIATELY 'CAUSE OF OUR LACK OF RESOURCES, THAT MIGHT, THAT MIGHT COST YOU A FEW BUCKS.
BUT THERE IS ALSO ANOTHER PICKUP THERE, WHICH IS NOT PRIORITY.
ANOTHER THING IS WE HAVE THREE DIFFERENT OUTLET STORE WHERE WE SELL FURNITURE TO RAISE FUNDS.
IT'S ON, UH, 1960 AND CHAMPIONS FOREST, AND RIGHT IN FRONT OF GALLERY FURNITURE AND ON OUR FURNITURE BANK LOCATION.
SO PLEASE COME AND SHOP FROM US.
UH, I FIT RIGHT HERE THIS WAY.
NEXT, THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS, WHO WILL COMMEMORATE FAIR HOUSING MONTH.
WHO IS THIS? SOMEONE LEFT THEIR PHONE.
DON'T ACT LIKE Y'ALL AFRAID TO COME TO THE, THE WAY Y'ALL TRY TO BUM RUSH ME.
Y'ALL BETTER COME OVER TO THIS.
IS EVERYONE SITUATED? UH, MAYOR, COLLEAGUES, IF I COULD HAVE YOUR ATTENTION INTO, UM, OUR VIEWING AUDIENCE AND THOSE IN CHAMBER.
APRIL MARKS THE 56TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FAIR HOUSING ACT OF 1968.
UH, FAIR HOUSING WAS SOMETHING THAT THE LATE DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, UH, JR.
ADVOCATED FOR, UNFORTUNATELY WAS UNABLE TO SEE THIS REALIZED, UM, DUE TO HIS ASSASSINATION.
BUT TODAY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, I'M OVERJOYED AND HUMBLED TO HAVE BEFORE YOU A LIMITED REPRESENTATION OF OUR PARTNERS IN CHAMBERS THAT HELP US DO THIS WORK EVERY DAY.
UH, FAIR HOUSING, WHICH MEANS ACCESS TO SAFE AND STABLE.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS A FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT AND A CORNERSTONE OF THRIVING COMMUNITIES IN HOUSTON.
MANY LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS WORK TO MEET THIS NEED AND SUPPORT RESIDENTS IN ACCESSING HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES.
[00:35:01]
I'M GRATEFUL FOR EVERYONE WHO HELPS US LIVE OUT THIS MISSION EACH AND EVERY DAY.THE ORGANIZATION TODAY THAT ARE REPRESENTED INCLUDE THE HOUSING ALLIANCE, HTX, OF COURSE, OUR WONDERFUL HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT THAT PROVIDES WONDERFUL VISIONARY LEADERSHIP TO OUR PARTNERS.
THE HOUSTON LAND BANK, THE HOUSTON COMMUNITY LAND TRUST THAT CONTINUES TO PROMOTE PERMANENT AFFORDABILITY.
THE COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS, THE HOUSTON AREA URBAN LEAGUE, THE HOUSTON HOUSING COLLABORATIVE, THE HOUSTON HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION, THE HOUSTON APARTMENT ASSOCIATION, THE TEXAS HOUSERS.
AND LAST, BUT DEFINITELY, DEFINITELY NOT LEAST, THE HOUSTON ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS.
SOME ORGANIZATIONS PROVIDE DIRECT ASSISTANCE.
THE HOUSING ALLIANCE OFFERS AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPTIONS, RENTAL ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES.
OUR AMAZING HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT AND THE HOUSTON LAND BANK SUPPORT SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT ACROSS THE CITY.
THE HOUSTON COMMUNITY LAND TRUST HELPS PRESERVE LAND AND CREATE PERMANENT AFFORDABILITY OF HOUSING, ENSURING LONG-TERM ACCESS TO SAFE AND QUALITY HOMES, AND TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS.
IT WAS JUST SOMETHING DEAR TO ALL OF US.
THE COALITION FOR HOMELESS AND THE HOUSTON AREA URBAN LEAGUE PROVIDES SERVICES, CONDUCTS RESEARCH AND SUPPORTS POLICY SOLUTIONS TO REDUCE AND PREVENT HOMELESSNESS.
AND AS A COURTESY, I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE IN CHAMBER DO WE HAVE OUR, UH, JOHNSON ROBINSON.
AND YOU KNOW THAT, UH, ONCE YOU'RE A COUNCIL MEMBER, YOU'RE ALWAYS A COUNCIL MEMBER IN THESE CHAMBERS.
AND I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UM, HIS PRESIDENTS, WE, WE KNOW HIM AS THE CEO OF THE URBAN LEAGUE, BUT HE IS ALSO IN THE FRATERNITY OF COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT HAVE REPRESENTED THIS CITY.
THE HOUSTON HOUSING COLLABORATIVE WORKS TO ADDRESS SYSTEMIC BARRIERS THROUGH PARTNERSHIP, ADVOCACY AND COMMUNITY-BASED SOLUTIONS.
THE HOUSTON HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION SUPPORTS AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT THROUGH FUNDING AND ASSISTANCE TO COMMUNITIES IN NEED.
AND SO, MR. MAYOR, I'M SO EXCITED TO PRESENT THIS GROUP TO YOU.
SO, IN RECOGNITION OF THESE EFFORTS AND THE 56 ANNIVERSARY OF THE FAIR HOUSING EIGHT ACT OF 1968, THE CITY OF HOUSTON OBSERVES FOR HOUSING MONTH TO HONOR THESE ORGANIZATIONS WORKING EVERY DAY TO EXPAND ACCESS TO SAFE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
MR. MAYOR, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS.
YOU DID A GREAT JOB OF NAMING THE STAKEHOLDERS.
I'M SURE THERE'S STILL SOME STAKEHOLDERS THAT, THAT WERE NOT ABLE TO BE HERE TODAY, BUT I JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT FAIR HOUSING DIDN'T JUST HAPPEN.
I CAN LOOK AROUND JUDGE'S, FATHER, MOTHER, THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE THAT WERE STANDING ON THEIR SHOULDERS.
AND I'LL GIVE YOU EVEN A PERSONAL STORY TO VERIFY THE IMPRESSION THAT I'VE GOT FIGHTING FOR FAIR HOUSING IN 1968 MEMBERS.
I WAS A SENIOR AT WALTER HIGH SCHOOL, NORTHWEST HOUSTON.
HOUSTON WASN'T AS INCLUSIVE AS IT IS TODAY.
WHAT DO YOU THINK THE MAIN ISSUE IN 1968 FOR GEORGE BUSH, PRESIDENT 41, HIS REELECTION AS A CONGRESSMAN, AND OBVIOUSLY I WAS WATCHING PUBLIC AFFAIRS A SENIOR HELL, FOUR YEARS LATER I WAS IN THE LEGISLATURE.
THE MAIN ISSUE, THE CONTROVERSY WAS HE VOTED FOR OPEN HOUSING, FAIR HOUSING ACT, AND IT WAS A REAL HOT CAMPAIGN.
SO WE HAVE SO MANY TO THINK AND WE CAN CELEBRATE THAT WE'VE COME SO FAR FROM THE DAYS WHERE THAT CAMPAIGN TOOK PLACE, THE UGLINESS OF THAT CAMPAIGN, BUT IT ALSO MEANS WE'VE GOT A LOT OF WORK LEFT TO DO.
SO THANK YOU INDEED, EVERYONE THAT'S PRESENT TODAY.
THEREFORE, I, JOHN WHITMEYER, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROCLAIM APRIL, 2026 IS FAIR HOUSING MONTH IN HOUSTON, TEXAS.
FIRST OF ALL, A HEARTFELT THANKS TO COUNCIL MEMBER TIFFANY THOMAS FOR HER CONTINUED ADVOCACY AND LEADERSHIP IN ADVANCING HOUSING INITIATIVES THAT STRENGTHEN OUR HOUSTON COMMUNITIES.
HER SUPPORT AND PARTNERSHIP HAVE BEEN DEEPLY, DEEPLY MEANINGFUL.
AND NOT ONLY THAT, HER EXPERTISE.
I ALSO WANNA MAKE SURE WE TAKE TIME TO THANK THE ADMINIS MAYOR WHITMEYER, AND THE ENTIRE WHITMEYER ADMINISTRATION FOR ITS CONTINUED STRONG COMMITMENTS TO HOUSING INITIATIVES.
IT IS AN HONOR FOR ME TO ACCEPT THIS PROCLAMATION ON BEHALF OF THIS WHOLE GROUP.
I'M ONE AMONG MANY, AND AS WE HEAR, AS WE SEE EVERY DAY, HOUSTON STRENGTH.
ITS STRENGTH IS IN ITS COLLABORATION OF POLITICAL ORGANIZATION, NONPROFITS, UM, SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS, AND WE SEE IT RIGHT BEHIND US.
[00:40:01]
WITH THIS COLLABORATION.NOW, TAKE A MINUTE JUST TO THINK ABOUT WHAT FAIR HOUSING MEANS TO ME.
IT'S ABOUT MORE THAN WHERE A PERSON LIVES.
IT'S ABOUT DIGNITY, OPPORTUNITY, AND THE ABILITY FOR EVERY RESIDENT TO ACCESS HOUSING WITHOUT BARRIERS OR DISCRIMINATION.
IT IS A PRINCIPLE THAT REMAINS CENTRAL TO THE STRENGTH AND FUTURE OF THIS ENTIRE CITY.
AT HCD, WE ARE COMMITTED TO DOING OUR PART TO ADVANCE THAT VISION EVERY DAY, FROM EXPANDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES TO INVESTING IN RESOURCES TO HELP FAMILIES MAINTAIN AND PRESERVE THEIR HOMES, TO SUPPORTING THE GROWTH AND REVITALATION OF THRIVING NEIGHBORHOODS, TO MOVING PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, TO INDEPENDENT SUSTAINABILITY.
OUR WORK AND YOUR WORK IS GROUNDED IN THE BELIEF THAT HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES SHOULD BE AFFORDABLE AND ACCESSIBLE.
WE ARE VERY PROUD TO STAND ALONG THE MANY CRITICAL STAND ALONGSIDE THE MANY CRITICAL PARTNERS WHO HELP UPHOLD FAIRNESS IN HOUSING ORGANIZATIONS, ADVOCATES, COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS, AND AGENCIES WHO WORK EVERY DAY TO ENSURE RESIDENTS ARE INFORMED, PROTECTED, AND SUPPORTED.
AGAIN, THIS WHOLE GROUP OF PARTNERS, AND IF WE MISS SOMEBODY, TELL ME NOW, I'LL, I'LL MAKE MENTION, I'LL MENTION YOUR NAME.
THIS IS JUST THE GROUP THAT STANDS BEHIND ALL OF THESE HOUSING INITIATIVES.
COUNCILMAN AND I, I, I WAS REMISS IN ACKNOWLEDGING NEIL RADCLIFFE, FORMER DIRECTOR OF THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
AND I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR NEWEST BOARD CHAIR OF THE HOUSTON HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION.
UH, THANK YOU ALL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK FOR YOU.
I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE HOUSTON HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION, WAS RECENTLY INDUCTED BY MAYOR WHITMEYER.
AND I DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE TO SAY IT OVER THERE, BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR CONFIDENCE.
IT'S A TRUE HONOR TO BE ABLE TO SERVE IN THIS ROLE.
UH, TO BE HONEST, I HAD A SPEECH PREPARED, BUT I HAVE NEVER SET IN A PROCLAMATION DAY.
AND WHAT I SAW TODAY IS ACTUALLY A TESTAMENT TO THE IMPORTANCE OF FAIR HOUSING.
I HAVE SEEN SEVERAL GROUPS COME UP HERE AND RECEIVE THEIR FLOWERS.
AND THE ONE COMMONALITY IS DIVERSITY.
AND JUST FOR REFERENCE, I'M 43 YEARS OLD.
SO 58 YEARS AGO, FAIR HOUSING ACT WAS PASSED.
1989, THE TEXAS FAIR HOUSING ACT WAS PASSED.
I GREW UP IN A CITY THAT WAS FRAMED AND DEFINED BY DIVERSITY AS A STRENGTH IS OUR ECONOMIC DRIVER, IS THE PLACE WHERE MY FATHER, A MEXICAN AMERICAN FROM THE VALLEY, WAS ABLE TO RISE TO GREAT, GREAT HEIGHTS IN HIS PROFESSIONAL CAREER.
THIS CITY IS NOTHING WITHOUT ITS DIVERSITY.
THIS DEUS IS A REPRESENTATION OF THAT.
UM, I AM SO GRATEFUL TO TO BE HERE, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, THAT WE'RE DOING IS AFFORDABILITY.
YOU KNOW, I'M PROUD TO LIVE IN A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN'T BE DISCRIMINATED ON WHERE YOU WANNA LIVE BASED ON RACE, COLOR, CREED, SEXUAL, UH, UH, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, FAMILIAL STATUS, DISABILITY.
UM, YET TODAY WE HAVE NEW CHALLENGES.
UM, CONSTRUCTION STARTS AT AN ALL TIME LOW.
AFFORDABILITY IS DISAPPEARING WHILE RENTS WERE FLAT OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, PROJECTED THEY'RE GONNA BE INCREASING THREE TO 5% EVERY YEAR FROM 20, UH, 20, 27 THROUGH THE NEXT DECADE.
THAT'S GONNA CREATE A LOT OF STRESS.
UM, WHAT WE'RE SEEING NOW IS BUILDING OF LUXURY HIGH RISES, INFILL COMMUNITIES, AND THERE'S A PLACE FOR THAT.
AND IT IS IMPORTANT FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, I, I THINK OF WHAT COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ JUST SAID, GROWING UP IN A FAMILY OF NINE, SLEEPING ON THE FLOOR OF A ONE BEDROOM APARTMENT.
UH, I WENT TO U OF H, IT WAS A PROUD MEMBER OF THE HISPANIC BUSINESS STUDENT ASSOCIATION.
MANY OF MY FRIENDS AND MY WIFE SHARED THAT EXACT SAME EXPERIENCE WHEN THEY CAME TO THIS COUNTRY AND JUST WENT THROUGH THEIR PARENTS AND THEIR HARD WORK.
THE REALITY IS, IS THAT THEY WOULD'VE EVEN HAD THAT OPPORTUNITY AT ONE POINT IN THEIR LIFE TO SHARE THOSE BEDROOMS. SO I THINK THAT SPEAKS TO THE IMPORTA OF THE FAIR HOUSING ACT AND THE BRAVERY OF THE PEOPLE THAT WERE THERE IN A TUMULTUOUS TIME IN OUR COUNTRY'S HISTORY TO PASS THIS, IT SHOWS UP WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
UH, IT MAKES ME PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN AND PROUD TO BE A HOUSTONIAN AND EXTREMELY PROUD TO REPRESENT THE HOUSTON HOUSING, UH, FINANCE CORPORATION IN THIS CHAMBERS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
I'D LIKE TO YIELD SOME OF MY TIME TO FORMER MEMBERS.
THAT'S WHAT I WAS GETTING READY.
BECAUSE HE NOT ONLY WAS A MEMBER, BUT HIS FATHER WAS A TRAILBLAZER.
WHEN I GOT ELECTED LEGISLATURE IN 72, JUDGE'S, FATHER WAS THE ONLY PERSON OF COLOR ON CITY COUNCIL.
MEMBERS, THE 50 50TH, THE ONLY PERSON, AND THAT WAS IN 72.
AND, UH, AS COUNCIL MEMBER JUST MENTIONED, IT WAS 55 YEARS AGO.
SO IT'S A WHAT A GENTLEMAN, VERY HISTORIC YEAR IN OUR HISTORY AS A CITY, UH, IN OUR TESTAMENT
[00:45:01]
TO DIVERSITY AND TO THE REFLECTION OF WHAT WE SEE HERE ON CITY COUNCIL TODAY.UH, WHAT A FANTASTIC CITY, WHAT FANTASTIC LEADERSHIP WE HAVE WITH YOU MAYOR AND WITH YOU COUNCIL MEMBER.
UH, BUT THESE ARE HARD FOUGHT CIVIL RIGHTS MM-HMM
THAT WE ARE SLOWLY SEEING EVAPORATING, UH, AS WE SPEAK.
AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT TODAY TO RECOGNIZE NOT ONLY WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT THIS VERY SECOND, BUT ALL THE OTHER SPEAKERS THAT CAME BEFORE US AND WHAT THEY'RE FIGHTING FOR AND WHAT THEY'RE MAKING SURE THAT WE RECOGNIZE AS PART OF OUR UNIQUE HISTORY AS A CITY, AS FOR THE INDIVIDUAL THINGS THAT THEY'RE DOING AND THE IMPACT THAT IT'S HAVING ON PEOPLE.
WHAT THIS IS A FEDERAL LAW THAT MADE SURE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FAIRNESS IN HOUSING AND IT'S SOMETHING WE CAN LET SLIP AWAY.
SO MAYOR, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MAKING SURE THAT THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS SPECIAL TODAY.
THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN THIS SPACE.
AND TO ALL MY PARTNERS WHO SERVE IN THIS AREA, NEIL, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT, IS MAKING SURE WE COME TOGETHER.
SO WE'LL HAVE A GREAT CITY TODAY AND INTO THE FUTURE.
AND THANK YOU TO MAYOR, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS, ALL THE LEADERSHIP THAT'S HERE.
YOU SAID A LIMITED REPRESENTATION, BUT A VERY A-LIST GROUP.
THEY COME OUT FOR ME, OTHERS, GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL.
UM, THE MAYOR MENTIONED 1968 AND, AND THE HOT BUTTON ISSUE THAT HOUSING WAS AT THE TIME.
AND FAIR HOUSING AND A FIGHT AGAINST DISCRIMINATION AND UPHOLDING WHAT MAKES OUR CITY GREAT, WHICH IS OUR DIVERSITY.
AND IT WASN'T BECAUSE, UH, PEOPLE JUST ROLLED OVER AND ALLOWED IT TO HAPPEN.
PEOPLE HAVE TO SEE THE IMPORTANCE OF BRINGING EVERYONE UP, REALLY FOCUSING ON THE WORD FAIRNESS AND ENSURING THAT WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, THERE WAS LEADERSHIP THERE.
UH, DID THAT, DID THAT COWER TO OTHERS THAT WERE TRYING TO PUSH AGAINST THAT.
AND SO THIS IS A GREAT TESTAMENT, UH, TO BE ABLE TO CELEBRATE THAT, BUT ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT SOME OF THOSE SAME STRUGGLES ARE STILL PRESENT TODAY.
AND YOUR LEADERSHIP IS NEEDED MORE THAN EVER, UH, TO ENSURE THAT, UH, FAIRNESS IS UPHELD.
THE DIVERSITY OF OUR CITY IS SOMETHING THAT WE STAND ON AND THAT WE PUSH BACK AGAINST ANY FORCES THAT ARE LOOKING TO DERAIL THAT.
SO I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL, UH, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND YOUR TIME HERE TODAY.
UM, THANK YOU TO COUNCIL MEMBER TIFFANY D. THOMAS, AS WELL AS TO THE MAYOR AND, AND YOU, WE AND OUR DISTINGUISHED GUESTS.
I AM A REAL ESTATE BROKER WHO MAKES NO MONEY BECAUSE OF MY CURRENT GIG
YOU KNOW, HOME OWNERSHIP CHANGED THE TRAJECTORY OF A PERSON'S LIFE.
UH, BUT I ALSO WANTED TO LIFT UP, UH, UH, HONORABLE, UH, PERSON THAT'S AMONG US.
UH, SHE'S NOT ONLY MY SORROW, BUT SHE'S ALSO AN ELECTED TRUSTEE IN SPRING ISD AND I CONGRATULATE HER AND CERTAINLY JUDSON ROBINSON FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN CHOOSING HER, UH, AS THE DIRECTOR OF THE HOUSTON AREA URBAN LEAGUE FUND DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING AND WE'RE GONNA MAKE IT DO WHAT IT DO.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS, FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD TO THE MAYOR.
AND EVERYONE, UH, WE SAY IT ALL THE TIME IN GOVERNMENT, WE CANNOT DO THIS WORK ALONE.
AND WE ALL CAN AGREE THAT, UM, THE PLACE THAT PEOPLE CALL HOME IMPACTS SO MANY ASPECTS OF THEIR LIVES.
SO WE CAN NEVER GROW TIRED OF THE FIGHT FOR FAIR HOUSING IN OUR CITY AND ACROSS OUR COUNTRY.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU CONTINUE TO DO.
AND MAYOR, IF I CAN JUST SHARE WITH YOU, ERIC GOODY, ONE OF THE EXECUTIVES WITH THE URBAN LEAGUE IS HERE.
HE'S CELEBRATING 27 YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE HOUSTON AREA URBAN LEAGUE OF FIXTURE AT 1301 TEXAS.
SO WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR AND CONGRATULATIONS OUR COMMUNITIES AND CHANGE THE LIVES.
CAN, CAN WE GO INSIDE MAYOR? OKAY.
I, I FORGOT TO ACKNOWLEDGE ANOTHER, UH, HONORABLE, UH, ELECTED.
AND THAT WOULD BE LALU DAVIES, RIGHT THERE WITH THE HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE, YOU KNOW, EXCUSE ME.
[00:52:45]
NEXT, THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES MAYOR WHITMEYER FOR A PROCLAMATION HONORING DAVID D. MEDINA FOR HIS DISTINGUISHED 35 YEARS OF SERVICE TO RICE UNIVERSITY.CHIEF MARTIN, WHAT ARE YOU DOING? JUST BRINGING THIS UP.
UM, DAVID, THIS IS LONG OVERDUE.
I DON'T KNOW WHY IT TOOK THIS BODY SO LONG TO BRING AN OUTSTANDING MENTOR TO THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS AND YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THIS GREAT CITY AS A DIRECTOR OF MULTICULTURAL COMMUNITY RELATIONS AT RICE UNIVERSITY, AND AS WE WERE CITING SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT OUR COMMUNITY HAS GONE THROUGH, CERTAINLY TO HAVE OPEN HOUSING, YOU'VE SEEN IT ALL AS WELL.
AND YOU WERE STEADFAST USING IT TO MOTIVATE YOUR STUDENTS, SERVING ON THE MAYOR'S HISPANIC ADVISORY BOARD FOR I THINK, 18 YEARS.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT DON'T GET MUCH BETTER.
AND THAT'S WHY WE WANT YOU TO BE HERE TODAY TO REMIND ALL OF US THAT THERE ARE HOUSTONIANS LEADERS THAT ARE KIND OF QUIETLY DAY IN AND DAY OUT, MAKING THIS THE GREAT CITY THAT IT IS.
AND IT'S AN HONOR FOR ME TO SPONSOR THIS PROCLAMATION.
AND THEREFORE, I, JOHN WHITMER, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROCLAIM APRIL 14TH, 2026, IS DAVID D. MEDINA DAY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
HOW'S THAT PROCLAMATION? THANK YOU PARTNER.
WE, WE, WE'D DEFINITELY LOVE TO HEAR FROM MR. MEDINA.
[00:55:01]
WELL, THANK YOU.THANK YOU, MAYOR WHITMEYER AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M GREATLY HONORED TO BE RECOGNIZED WITH THIS PROCLAMATION, ESPECIALLY TO BE RECOGNIZED IN THIS ROOM, FILLED WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE STRIVING TO MAKE THE CITY OF HOUSTON BETTER.
I WORKED AT RICE UNIVERSITY FOR 35 YEARS BECAUSE I LOVE MY JOB OF BRINGING DIVERSE COMMUNITIES TOGETHER TO HELP THEM MOVE FORWARD.
I GREW UP IN SECOND WARD, A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WAS LARGELY POPULATED BY HISPANIC IMMIGRANTS.
AND ALTHOUGH WE FACED MANY CHALLENGES, MANY OF US WERE GIVEN OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPROVE OUR LOT.
I AM FOREVER GRATEFUL FOR THIS HELP.
AND DOING OUTREACH AT RICE WAS ONE WAY TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY TO ASSIST OTHERS FIND SUCCESS.
SO THANK YOU FOR THIS AWESOME AWARD.
DAVID, UH, MAYOR FIRST, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING DAVID HERE TO, FOR US TO BE ABLE TO HEAR HIS STORY AS WELL.
AND DAVID JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK YOU'VE BEEN DOING.
UM, AS AM MAYOR SAID, THERE'S NOT, THERE'S A LOT OF FOLKS THAT ALWAYS TRY TO GET IN THE FRONT OF THE, IN THE, OF THE CROWD TO SAY, HEY, I'M DOING THIS.
UH, RARELY HAVE FOLKS SEEN YOU, UH, IN THAT SPACE.
UH, BUT THAT JUST PROVES THAT THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING IS, IT'S INTENTIONAL, IT'S MEANINGFUL.
AND I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE.
AND QUITE FRANKLY, I THINK THERE'S, THERE'S MORE THAT WE NEED TO BE HEARING ABOUT YOU.
UH, SO THAT WAY OTHER, OTHER YOUNG LATINOS, ESPECIALLY FROM THE SECOND WARD TO IN THE AREA, CAN SEE THAT THEY, THEY HAVE A PLACE AS WELL, SIMILAR TO YOU.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ.
[2:00 P.M. - INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
UM, UH, CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS FOR THE INVOCATION.YES, IT IS MY HONOR TO WELCOME MY PASTOR KEATON KING OF ST.
PHILIP PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH TO LEAD US IN PRAYER.
THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN SALINAS.
ON BEHALF OF THE COMMUNITY OF ST.
PHILIP PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF HOUSTON, I BRING GREETINGS AND A WORD OF GRATITUDE FOR YOUR CIVIL SERVICE AS HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYOR WHITMEYER.
THESE ARE CHALLENGING TIMES, BUT IT IS FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS, THAT YOU HOLD PUBLIC OFFICE.
HOUSTONIANS APPRECIATE YOU AND YOUR BEST EFFORTS TO FAIRLY GOVERN AND VALUE PEOPLE OVER PARTISANSHIP.
I THANK YOU FOR THE INVITATION TO OFFER THE INVITATION THIS DAY.
HOLY ONE, OUR GOD, OUR HELP IN AGES PAST OUR HOPE FOR YEARS TO COME.
WE GIVE YOU THANKS FOR THE GIFT OF THIS DAY, FOR THE EXERCISE OF DEMOCRACY, FOR THE PRIVILEGE OF PUBLIC SERVICE, AND FOR GOVERNMENT, WHICH ORDERS CIVIC LIFE TO ENSURE THE FLOURISHING OF ALL PEOPLE.
WISE RULERS STILL SEEK YOU, OH GOD.
AND SO WE ASK YOUR BLESSING UPON HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AS THEY SERVE A PUBLIC TRUST.
HELP THEM AS LEADERS TO SUMMON THE MORAL COURAGE TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT WHEN IT ISN'T POLITICALLY EXPEDIENT OR POPULAR.
GRANT TO EACH OF THEM WISDOM, MERCY INTEGRITY, AND DEEP COMPASSION FOR THEIR CONSTITUENTS.
GRANT TO ALL OF THEM, MUTUAL FORBEARANCE, OPENNESS TO LEARN FROM EACH OTHER, AND AN UNWAVERING DESIRE TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF HOUSTONIANS, PARTICULARLY THOSE MOST VULNERABLE, THE SICK, THE INCARCERATED, THE UNHOUSED, THE UNDOCUMENTED, THE HUNGRY, AND THE POOR.
[01:00:01]
GOD, WE SEEK YOUR PRESENCE IN THE BUSINESS BEFORE CITY COUNCIL, THAT ALL DIALOGUE AND DECISIONS MADE TODAY WILL MAKE HOUSTON A BEACON OF KINDNESS IN A COUNTRY HELD CAPTIVE BY RAGE.A HAVEN OF DIVERSITY IN A WORLD POISONED BY PREJUDICE AND A MODEL OF INCLUSION IN A TIME WHEN WE MOST URGENTLY NEED TO BECOME NEIGHBORS TO ONE ANOTHER.
WE PRAY IN YOUR STRONG NAME, CREATOR REDEEMER, AND ADVOCATE ONE GOD NOW AND FOREVER.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG, THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC WHICH STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVIDUAL WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE LAW.
[ROLL CALL AND ADOPT MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING]
PLEASE CALL THE ROLE MR. SECRETARY, MAYOR WHITE.COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN PRESENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN PRESENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO WILL BE ABSENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS PRESENT AND COUNCIL MEMBER ELKHORN HERE NEED A MOTION TO ADOPT THE MINUTES OF MARCH 31ST AT APRIL 1ST AND APRIL 7TH AND EIGHTH.
AND SECOND IT ALL IN FAVOR, SAY YES.
[PUBLIC SPEAKERS]
PROCEDURAL MOTIONS.SALINAS FIRST COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS? YES.
I'D LIKE TO MOVE TO ADD DUSTIN RENER, JENNIFER CANALES AND DAVID TI TO THE TOP OF THE THREE MINUTE NON-AG AGENDA LIST.
I'D LIKE TO MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO ADD MARIAN WRIGHT TO THE BOTTOM OF THE ONE MINUTE.
UH, NON AGENDA FOR TWO MINUTES.
THANK YOU MAYOR MOOD TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO ADD, UM, IVY MCGREGOR, STEVEN TAYLOR AND CRAIG HAWKINS AT THE BOTTOM AFTER FELICIA.
EY UNDER THE THREE MINUTE NONE AGENDA LIST.
ANYONE ELSE? IF NOT, PLEASE CALL A FIRST SPEAKER ARIANNE WHITTLE TO BE FOLLOWED BY DEWAN CARTER.
MY NAME IS ARIANNE WHITTLE AND I AM COMING UP AS A MENTEE REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE CA FOUR Y CREDIBLE MESSENGER PROGRAM.
AND THERE ARE MANY REASONS THAT LED UP TO ME BECOMING A PART OF THE CA FOUR Y CREDIBLE MESSENGER PROGRAM BACK IN AUGUST OF 2025.
DURING RECENT OBSTACLES, I EXPERIENCED AN UNFORTUNATE SERIES OF EVENTS RESULTING IN IT BEING ONE OF THE LOWEST POINTS OF MY LIFE, BUT IT WAS ALL A PART OF A SEASON THAT CHALLENGED ME IN WAYS I NEVER EXPECTED.
AS AN ALABAMA NATIVE RESIDING HERE IN TEXAS, I FOUND MYSELF WITHOUT MY FAMILY NEARBY VERY FEW FRIENDS AND LITTLE TO NO RESOURCES.
I WAS NAVIGATING THROUGHOUT A JOB LOSS, STRUGGLING WITH EFFECTS OF MY BACKGROUND AND FACING INSTABILITY IN MY LIVING SITUATION.
AT ONE POINT, I BEGAN RELYING ON THE KINDNESS OF FRIENDS, JUST TO HAVE A PLACE TO LAY MY HEAD.
AND WHILE ALSO TRYING TO RECOVER FROM UNEMPLOYMENT AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO REBUILD MY LIFE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE UNCERTAINTY I KNEW I NEEDED MORE PURPOSE.
SO CA FOUR Y CRITICAL MESSENGER PROGRAM, I CAN ONLY SAY HAS BEEN A POSITIVE TURNING POINT IN MY LIFE, CONSIDERING THAT IT BROUGHT ME TO CONNECTIONS SUCH AS MEDICAL ASSISTANT CAREER TRAINING, SKILLS AND PREPAREDNESS, LEGAL ASSISTANCE, THERAPEUTIC PRACTITION SESSIONS AND ADVOCACY GROUP INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITY AND DRASTIC LIFE CHANGES.
NOT ONLY HAVE I SEEN A DIFFERENCE IN MYSELF, BUT THE PEOPLE AROUND ME NOTICE A DIFFERENCE IN MY SITUATION AND THE WAY I SHOW UP.
THIS PROGRAM HAS GIVEN ME A DIFFERENT OUTLOOK ON LIFE.
I'VE SEEN DIFFERENT LEVELS OF GROWTH ELEVATION, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, I'VE BEEN SURROUNDED WITH PEOPLE WHO SAW MY POTENTIAL.
EVEN WHEN I STRUGGLE TO SEE IT MYSELF THROUGH THIS JOURNEY, I'VE GAINED MORE THAN JUST RESOURCES.
I'VE GAINED A RENEWED SENSE OF WHO I AM AND WHAT I'M CAPABLE OF BECOMING.
I STAND HERE NOT JUST AS SOMEONE WHO HAS EXPERIENCED HARDSHIP, BUT AS SOMEONE WHO IS GROWING, REBUILDING, AND MOVING FORWARD SUCCESSFULLY.
AND FOR THAT, I'M MORE THAN GRATEFUL.
[01:05:01]
COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNCIL MEMBER TARSHA JACKSON FOR FUNDING THIS ORGANIZATION IN ORDER FOR THEM TO SUPPORT INDIVIDUALS LIKE ME.AND THANK YOU MS. WITTY FOR COMING IN AND SHARING YOUR STORY.
UM, I KNOW THE CREDIBLE MESSENGER PROGRAM HAS BEEN A GREAT ASSET FOR A LOT OF YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE BEEN AT RISK OF GOING INTO THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE OR JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM.
YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE UNEMPLOYED.
AND SO, UM, WE JUST EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO FUND THIS PROGRAM.
THIS ACTUALLY, UM, COLLEAGUES, THIS IS ON THE AGENDA TOMORROW.
UM, AGENDA NUMBER 35, WHERE WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO SUPPORT, UM, THE CREDIBLE MESSENGER PROGRAM.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JUST STICKING WITH IT.
YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE WE CAN CREATE THE PROGRAMS, BUT WE NEED THE YOUNG PEOPLE, THE PARTICIPANTS, TO STICK WITH IT AND FOLLOW IT THROUGH.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING AND SHARING YOUR STORY.
NEXT THAT GOT, OH, GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY.
I'M ALSO COMING ON BEHALF OF THE CREDIBLE MESSENGER GROUP.
UM, I JUST WANNA SPEAK ON FIRST.
I MET MY MENTOR JACE AT A, UM, A ROOF I WAS WORKING ON.
AND, UM, HE WAS SPEAKING TO A MENTEE THAT HE, I WASN'T EVEN WORRYING ABOUT BEING IN THE PROGRAM, I WAS JUST LISTENING.
AND HE CAUGHT MY ATTENTION WITH GRAPHIC DESIGN.
AND FOR ME, GOING THROUGH GRAPHIC DESIGN, I MIGHT NOT.
I, I, I FINISHED THE PROGRAM, I GRADUATED AND I'M ALSO WORKING ON BEING A MENTOR.
I'M LOOKING INTO THAT 'CAUSE I DO LOVE KIDS.
I HAVE A 5-YEAR-OLD SON OF MY OWN.
AND I DO WANT TO LEAVE BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE IT'S, LIKE I SAID, IT'S BIGGER THAN ME.
I, UM, I GREW UP IN PROGRAMS LIKE THIS.
FOOTBALL, BASKETBALL, BASEBALL.
I JUST LOOK A LITTLE ROUGH AROUND THE EDGES.
SO, UM, I ALSO HAVE A AI YOUTUBE CHANNEL.
AND I SAY THAT TO SAY THAT COMES FROM ME DOING GRAPHIC DESIGN AND JUST THINKING OUT THE BOX.
I ACTUALLY HAVE TWO THAT JUST STARTED AS OF TWO WEEKS GENERATING MONEY.
IT'S NOT NO LIFE CHANGING MONEY, BUT IT IS MONEY.
AND THAT CAME FROM ME DOING THE, UH, JOINING THE PROGRAM AND TRYING TO START DOING GRAPHIC DESIGN.
AND IT MADE ME JUST THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX.
BUT PROGRAMS LIKE THIS ARE NEEDED IN THE INNER CITY.
YOUNG MEN THAT LOOK LIKE ME NEED THIS PROGRAM.
I DON'T, I DON'T YOU WANNA CALL IT THE HOOD OR THE GHETTO, WHATEVER YOU WANNA CALL IT.
I'M FROM NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, AND I WAS IN A PROGRAM BEFORE KATRINA.
AND, UM, IT WAS A MALE MENTORING PROGRAM AND THEY TAUGHT US CARPENTRY.
I LEARNED HOW TO MAKE A DOG HOUSE AND BUILD A BIRD HOUSE.
AND, UM, FROM THAT THEY SOLD THEM AND PUT MONEY IN OUR POCKET.
AND THAT KEPT ME STRAIGHTFORWARD.
'CAUSE I, I'M AN ONLY CHILD AND MY MOTHER WORKED GOOD JOBS.
SHE WORKED ALL MY LIFE FROM SIX IN THE MORNING, SIX IN THE EVENING.
SO I HAD NOTHING BUT TIME TO BE IN TROUBLE.
BUT FROM PROGRAMS AND JUST MENTORS IN GENERAL IN THE URBAN AREAS, I, I, I STAYED OUTTA TROUBLE.
THEY, THEY DIRECTED ME TO SPORTS.
SO I, I, WITH ALL THAT BEING SAID, PROGRAMS LIKE THIS ARE NEEDED IN THE INNER, INNER CITY.
IT DOESN'T MATTER COLOR, IT DOESN'T MATTER.
THEY HAVE ALL COLORS IN THE INNER CITIES, IN THE GHETTO, IN THE HOODS, WHATEVER YOU WANNA LABEL THEM.
SO PLEASE DON'T FORGET ABOUT US.
THANK YOU MR. CARTER FOR COMING AND SHARING YOUR, UM, STORY.
AND AGAIN, THANK YOU COLLEAGUES FOR VOTING TO SUPPORT OUR CREDIBLE MESSENGER FUNDING ON TOMORROW SO THAT WE CAN KEEP THIS PROGRAM GOING SO WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT OUR YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN HAVE OPPORTUNITIES LIKE GOOD JOBS AND PLACES TO STAY AND JUST TO MENTOR TO GUIDE THEM.
UM, ONE OF ONE, I KNOW THIS IS LIKE VERY IMPORTANT TO ME BECAUSE MY SON, WHEN BEFORE HE GOT CAUGHT INTO THE SYSTEM, UM, HE DIDN'T HAVE A MENTOR AND THIS IS A MENTOR WOULD'VE HELPED REDIRECT HIM.
AND SO JUST MAKING SURE WE HAVE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES LAID OUT FOR THESE YOUNG MEN IS WHAT WE NEED.
I MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULE TO ADD, UH, NATHANIEL LEONARD TO THE TOP OF THE ONE MINUTE AGENDA LIST.
THOSE OPPOSED IN MOTION PASSES.
TO BE FOLLOWED BY ELSA FLORES.
STEP UP MR. ONE OF THE MICROPHONES.
[01:10:02]
THERE YOU GO.WOULD YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT MY, UH, CASE IS OR, OKAY.
WELL, I JUST HAD A SITUATION WITH BEING TARGETED AND SABOTAGED BY THIS, UH, BIGOT SHERIFF FOR A LITTLE OVER 20 YEARS, 22, 23 YEARS WHERE I COULD NOT WORK.
AND I WAS BASICALLY KNOCKED OUT, KIDNAPPED AND BRAINWASHED AND KEPT FROM WORKING.
THE NUMBER ONE THING WAS KEPT FROM WORKING.
IF YOU CAN WORK, YOU CAN TAKE CARE OF YOUR LIFE OR, OR FAMILY OR SOMETHING AND PAY BILLS.
AND THEN ALSO BEING KNOCKED OUT, KIDNAPPED AND BRAINWASHED WHO HE WANTED TO CONTROL MY LIFE AND SEND ME PLACES AND STUFF.
BEEN AROUND ALL OVER HOUSTON AND A FEW PLACES IN TEXAS.
UH, YOU KNOW, DALLAS, DEFINITELY AUSTIN.
UH, AND, UH, I GUESS YOUR, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
SAN ANTONIO? HUH? THAT, THAT, IS THAT IT? MR. WOODMORE? YEAH.
WHO DO I GET BACK WITH? RENEE.
REBECCA, WILL YOU GET THE INFORMATION? PLEASE TALK TO THIS LADY RIGHT HERE.
REBECCA WILLIAMS. OVER BY THE DOOR OR RENEE, YOU CAN HELP.
I'M THE PRESIDENT OF SCIU TEXAS AND I AM HERE TODAY ON BEHALF OF THE HOUSEKEEPERS AND SERVICE WORKERS AT THE CONVENTION AND ENTERTAINMENT CENTER, WHO HAVE NOT RECEIVED THE RAISE SINCE 2023.
THREE YEARS THAT RENT GOES UP.
THREE YEARS THAT GROCERIES GOES UP.
GROCERIES AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT YOU CAN THINK OF.
BUT WORKERS' SALARIES HAVE NOT GONE UP.
WORKERS ARE STRUGGLING AFTER PAYING RENT AND BASIC EXPENSES.
THEY HAVE NOTHING LEFT TO SURVIVE ON.
WORKERS ARE MAKING IMPOSSIBLE CHOICES.
DO THEY BUY FOOD OR DO THEY GET BUY GAS SO THAT THEY CAN ACTUALLY GET TO WORK? WORKERS ARE NOT ASKING FOR ANYTHING EXTRAORDINARY.
HOUSTON FIRST ALREADY SUPPORTED HIGHER WAGES FOR THE HILTON AMERICAS.
THOSE WORKERS NOW HAVE $20 MINIMUM WAGE, AND THEY'RE GETTING RAISES TO UP TO $22 FOR SOME CASES.
THESE WORKERS AT GEORGE HARBAN CONVENTION CENTERS DO THE SAME WORK IN THE SAME CONVENTION DISTRICT.
THANK YOU ELSA, FOR BEING HERE, YOUR MEMBERS.
AND CERTAINLY YOU'RE GONNA BE RECEIVING EQUIVALENT TO THE GEORGE BROWN.
IT'S ALREADY IN THE PROCESS THROUGH OUR CONVERSATION, SO EXPECT THAT BENEFIT IMPROVEMENT IS LONG OVERDUE.
AND THANK YOU FOR BEING MEMBERS.
UH, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TO THE MEMBERS OF SEIU.
UM, YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS IS A, A SIMILAR CONVERSATION WE HAD NOT TOO LONG AGO WITH UNITE HERE.
AND I AM COMMITTED AND WILL BE CONSISTENT WITH THE SAME MESSAGING AS IN, UM, AS DOWNTOWN IS DOING BETTER, THAT NEEDS TO TRICKLE DOWN TO THE FOLKS THAT ARE IN THE HOSPITALITY SPACE.
UH, WE, WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO HAVE, UH, 50,000, UH, VISITORS AND NOT MAKE SURE AND NOT MAKE SURE THAT THE FOLKS THAT ARE TAKING CARE OF THOSE VISITORS ARE NOT HAVING A, A FAIR WAGE AS WELL.
AND SO, UH, THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO SPEAK UP.
UM, IF, IF THERE'S ONE THING THAT'S IMPORTANT TO ME IS MAKING SURE THAT FOLKS, UM, CAN HAVE A DECENT PAY SO THAT WAY THEY'RE NOT WORKING TWO OR THREE JOBS BECAUSE YOU NEED TO BE AT HOME WITH YOUR FAMILIES AS WELL.
AND ALL THAT MATTERS, UH, IN MAKING THE CITY A STRONGER AND THRIVING CI CITY AS WELL.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ELZA TO THE, TO THE SEIU GROUP.
AND LET, LET ME JUST SAY, UM, YOU KNOW, TODAY I'M HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT GEORGE HEART BROWN CONVENTION CENTER, BUT I KNOW I'VE SPOKEN TO SOME OF YOU THAT WE NEED TO LIFT UP ALL CITY SUBCONTRACT WORKERS IN THE CITY AND WE'LL BE BACK TO BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
[01:15:01]
YOU, MAYOR.UM, ELSA, I TOO WANTED TO THANK YOU ALL OF SCIU.
I SEE EVEN SOME OF OUR AIRPORT WORKERS STANDING TOGETHER IN SOLIDARITY ON THIS.
UM, SO THANK YOU ALL FOR TAKING THE TIME TO BE HERE, UM, TO USE YOUR VOICE.
I, ELSA, IT SOUNDED LIKE YOU MAY HAVE GOTTEN CUT OFF.
WAS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANTED TO SAY? JUST, UH, HOW EXTREMELY PROUD I AM OF THIS CITY.
OUR MEMBERS ARE THE BACKBONE OF THE CONVENTION CENTER.
WE'RE ABOUT TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD WORLD CLASS EVENTS, WHETHER IT'S A CONVENTION OR WHETHER IT'S A SPORTS EVENT.
OUR MEMBERS ARE THE BACKBONE OF THOSE EVENTS AND MAKE OUR CITY EVEN GREATER.
SO WE APPRECIATE THE CALLS TO, UH, HOUSTON FIRST TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE NOT LEFT BEHIND YOU.
COUNCILMAN SALINAS, THANK YOU ELZA, SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY.
DO YOU HAVE ANY SPECIFIC ASK OF MYSELF AND MY COLLEAGUES THAT WE CAN DO TO SUPPORT YOU IN THIS FIGHT? AGAIN, UH, YOU KNOW, WE UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS HOUSTON FIRST THAT PUTS OUT THE CONTRACTS.
THEY'RE THE ONES WHO DECIDE HOW MUCH MONEY GOES INTO THIS CONTRACT.
SO A CALL TO, UM, THAT COMMITTEE OR THAT BOARD AND THE CEO WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.
THESE ARE BOOTS ON THE GROUND.
AND WE CERTAINLY NEED TO SUPPORT THEM IN THEIR EFFORTS.
IT CERTAINLY TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A, A LIVABLE WAGE AND TO BE ABLE TO, TO LIVE AND SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES.
SO I'VE ALWAYS BEEN ON BOARD WITH SEIU AND I WILL CONTINUE.
OLGA VALGAS VALGAS S TO BE FOLLOWED BY MAORI BIRD.
LUCAS, WHEN I STARTED A, MY NAME IS OLA VIEGA AND I WORK AS THE CLEANER HOUSEKEEPER AT THE GEORGIA BROWN CONVENTION CENTER.
I'M PROUD TO KEEP OUR CONVENTION CENTER AND CLEAN AND WELCOME IN PLACE, BUT I CANNOT SURVIVE ON MY SALARY OF $15 AN HOUR.
FOR ME, THAT ADDS UP TO ABOUT $2,000 A MONTH.
I USE HALF OF MY SALARY TO PAY MY RENT.
THAT MEANS I HAVE NOTHING LEFT TO PAY FOR MY MEDICINE.
DO I RISK GOING WITH MY MEDICATION? DO I MISS ONE OF MY BILLS? DO I PUT ON MY CREDIT CARD AND GO DEEPER IN DEBT? WE CANNOT SURVIVE WITH OUR CURRENT SALARIES.
FOOD WORKERS IN GRB AND HOTEL WORKERS ALREADY GOT A RAISE AND WE NEED TO ONE AS WELL.
WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT ON HIGHER PAYS AT THE GRB AND FOR ALL CITY CONTRACTOR WORKERS.
THIS IS THE SECOND TIME WE'RE HERE AND WE HAVE NOT HEARD A RESPONSE.
[01:20:56]
MAORI BIRD LUCAS TO BE FOLLOWED BY MARIAN WRIGHT.I'M MARI BIRD LUCAS, A CONSTITUENT IN DISTRICT C.
THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS CAYMAN, SALINAS AND POLLARD.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN WORKING TO FOLLOW THE CONSTITUTION AND TO KEEP HOUSTONIANS SAFE.
THANK YOU MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR VOTING TO STAY TRUE TO THE CONSTITUTION AND LIMIT HPDS COOPERATION WITH ICE.
SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO MY FELLOW HOUSTONIANS FOR STANDING UP AND DEMANDING ACTION BY OUR ELECTED CITY OFFICIALS.
GOVERNOR ABBOTT NOW THREATENS TO DEFUND POLICE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES SHAME.
I EXPECT YOU MAYOR WHITMEYER AND COUNCIL MEMBERS TO STAND STRONG AND FIGHT ABBOTT'S OVERREACH.
FIGHT TO DEFEND OUR HOUSTON LAWS AND WORK TO KEEP ALL HOUSTONIANS SAFE.
HI, MY NAME'S MARIAN WRIGHT AND I'M HERE TO ASK ALL OF Y'ALL TO STAND TOGETHER TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE HOUSTON SAFER.
IS HOUSTON SAFER WITH THE ORDINANCE THAT WAS JUST PASSED, WE JUST LOST $110 MILLION.
IS THAT SAFER? IS IT, DID THE ORDINANCE ACTUALLY EVER CHANGE ANYTHING? ACCORDING TO COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ, HE SAID THE ORDINANCE REALLY DIDN'T DO MUCH MORE HAS TO BE DONE.
WHAT HAS TO BE DONE? HOW CAN WE MAKE HOUSTON SAFER? WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO WHEN SOMEONE COMES IN WITH A MISSION AND THEY HAVE A MISSION AND THEIR MISSION IN THREE WEEKS HAS ACTUALLY CAUSED A RIFT BETWEEN HOUSTON POLICE, JOHN MAYOR WHITMEYER, AND ANY RELATIONSHIP WE MAYBE HAD WITH AUSTIN.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? IS THAT THE DIRECTION WE WANNA GO IN? IS THERE A WAY THAT WE CAN ALL COME TOGETHER AND MEET AND SPEAK AND FIGURE OUT SOMETHING? COULD THIS HAVE BEEN DONE WITHOUT PASSING AN ORDINANCE? IF WE TURNED AROUND AND ASKED HPD IF Y'ALL WOULD REPORT TO US QUARTERLY, WOULD THEY HAVE DONE THAT? IS ANYTHING DIFFERENT? NO.
THE ONLY THING THAT'S DIFFERENT RIGHT NOW THAN WHAT IT WAS, IS NOW WE HAVE A GIANT SPOTLIGHT AND EVERYONE'S TURNED AROUND AND IT'S CAUSING DIVISION.
IT'S NOT BRINGING US TOGETHER.
DO WE WANNA COME TOGETHER AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO HIT KEEP HOUSTONIANS SAFER OR DO WE WANNA GO AHEAD AND PUSH SOMEONE'S MISSION? SOMEONE WHO IS THIS HELPING HOUSTON? IS IT ASK YOURSELF THAT.
WE DID ASK OURSELVES THAT THIS PRE PREVIOUS WEEK, AND WE, AND WE VOTED AND WE VOTED ON AN ORDINANCE THAT PASSED OVERWHELMINGLY TO KEEP HOUSTONIANS SAFE.
THEY GOT BIPARTISAN SUPPORT TO KEEP HOUSTONIANS SAFE, THAT THAT ITEM WAS VETTED THROUGH CITY LEGAL.
THEY WERE SHOWN TO BE NO CONFLICT WITH STATE OR FEDERAL LAW.
THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WE HAD TALKED ABOUT AMONGST OURSELVES AROUND THE HORSESHOE.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE RECEIVED PUBLIC TESTIMONY FROM, FROM HOUSTONIANS.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE RECEIVED CALLS, EMAILS, AND LETTERS ABOUT.
THERE HAD BEEN PROTESTS AND OUTWARD APPEARANCES OF ACTIVATIONS OF INDIVIDUALS SAYING THAT THEY WANTED TO SEE SOMETHING, SOME ACTION FROM THIS
[01:25:01]
COUNCIL, FROM THIS CITY.AND THE CONSEQUENCE OF THAT SEEMS TO BE THAT THERE'S LEADERSHIP IN AUSTIN THAT WANTS TO NOW, UM, INTERVENE ON MATTERS THAT WE HAVE ALREADY SETTLED HERE IN HOUSTON.
I AM TO THE BELIEF THAT, UH, FOR THOSE WHO SUPPORTED THIS ITEM SHOULD REMAIN SUPPORTIVE OF THIS ITEM.
WE SHOULD REMAIN HOUSTON STRONG.
WE SHOULD REMAIN A CITY THAT IS WELCOMING, A CITY THAT IS DIVERSE, A CITY THAT IS FAIR.
ALL THE THINGS THAT WE HOLD OUR HAT ON, IT COMES DOWN TO OUR ACTIONS NOW AND OUR ACTIONS HAVE TO SPEAK LOUDER THAN OUR WORDS.
AND SO ALL OF THE, UH, ASSERTIONS THAT YOU HAVE JUST PUT FORWARD, WE HAVE ALREADY DISCUSSED.
WHEN PEOPLE FEEL SAFE AND PEOPLE HAVE COME TO US ASKING US TO PUT FORTH POLICY THAT WILL MAKE THEM FEEL SAFE, WE CAN'T DETERMINE WHAT THE STATE LEVEL OR LEADERSHIP IS GONNA DO WITH THEIR FUNDS.
I WOULD HOPE THAT THEY WOULD NOT DEFUND THE POLICE.
I WOULD HOPE THAT THEY WOULD MAKE SURE THAT RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND FIRST RESPONDERS.
WE WANT THAT, BUT WE DON'T HAVE CONTROL OVER EVERY DOLLAR FROM THE STATE LEVEL.
WE CAN CONTROL HOUSTON MATTERS.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE DONE THIS PAST WEEK.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE CONTINUE, UH, TO DO EACH WEEK THAT WE COME FORWARD ON YOUR BEHALF.
SO THANK YOU FOR COMING FORWARD AND I APPRECIATE YOUR INPUT AND YOUR ENGAGEMENT AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THE DISCUSSION GOING FORWARD.
MAY I RESPOND NOW, LET EVAN SHABA YES, THANK YOU, MAYOR.
I AM REALLY TRYING TO HOLD MY MU BUT I'M JUST GONNA SAY, ARE WE SAFER WITH OUR POLICE OFFICERS STANDING ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WAITING ON ICE? THAT MAY OR MAY NOT COME.
AND IT REALLY DISTURBS ME THAT WE ARE ELECTED OFFICIALS HERE AND WE ARE CLOSER TO THE PEOPLE THAN THE PEOPLE THAT ARE TRYING TO STOP US FROM DOING OUR JOBS.
AND WE LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE AND THAT ORDINANCE IS LEGAL.
AND SO TO SAY THAT WE SHOULD BE STRONG ARMED INTO DOING WHAT ANOTHER PERSON OR PERSONS THINK THAT WE SHOULD DO BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE NOT SUPPORTED BY THEIR LEGISLATURE.
THEY ARE COMING FORTH AS INDIVIDUALS IN THEIR CAPACITY TO TELL US WHAT WE NEED TO BE DOING.
WE, WE WERE VERY, VERY THOUGHTFUL IN THIS PROCESS AND I AM ONE THAT WILL CONTINUE TO STAND TO SUPPORT THAT.
AND WHAT ELSE IS IT? BUT HYPOCRISY THAT YOU WANNA TAKE MONEY FROM PEOPLE IN PUBLIC SAFETY.
BUT YET YOU SAY THAT YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY, BUT WE ARE GONNA PUT YOUR ARM BEHIND YOUR BACK AND TAKE THE MONEY BACK TO STOP YOU FROM BEING ABLE TO SUPPORT THOSE THAT THEY SAY THAT THEY SUPPORT OUR MEN AND WOMEN IN BLUE.
SO I DON'T NEED A RESPONSE FROM YOU.
IF ANYBODY ELSE DOES, THEN CARRY ON.
COUNCILMAN FLICKINGER? YES MA'AM.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANTED TO ADD? YES, THANK YOU.
FIRST OF ALL, WHEN THIS CAME UP, WE'RE SITTING HERE HEARING THAT WE SPOKE TO HOUSTONIANS.
IT WAS NEVER BROUGHT TO THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS.
IT WAS NEVER BROUGHT TO THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
SOMEONE CAME IN WITH A MISSION AND THEY CLAIM THAT IT WAS A MISSION AND THAT'S WHAT IT WENT THROUGH.
IF WE ALL WOULD'VE COME TOGETHER AND SPOKEN, WE WOULD'VE COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT POSSIBLY WOULD'VE BEEN BETTER.
BUT WE DON'T KNOW IF WE COULD HAVE DONE THAT OR NOT, BECAUSE SOMEONE CAME IN WITH A MISSION AND THE MISSION WAS TO PUT A SPOTLIGHT.
AS THEY LAUGH AT ME, THEY LOOK AT EACH OTHER AND LAUGH.
IT'S REALLY NOT AMUSING AND IT'S NOT FUNNY.
YOU MIGHT THINK IT'S FUNNY, BUT IT'S NOT.
THIS IS AFFECTING ALL HOUSTONIANS.
AND EVERYONE DESERVES TO BE HEARD.
WHAT HAPPENED WHEN Y'ALL HAVE THE PUBLIC SESSIONS AT NIGHT IS Y'ALL TURN AROUND AND Y'ALL HAVE THESE PUBLIC SESSIONS AT NIGHT AND THERE ARE CALLS THAT GO OUT TO CERTAIN GROUPS TO COME HERE AND THEY ORGANIZE AND THEY COME OUT AND THEY SPEAK.
YOU ARE NOT HEARING FROM ALL HOUSTONIANS, YOU'RE HEARING FROM SELECT GROUPS AND THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE HEARING.
AND IF THAT'S HOW THE CITY WANTS TO RUN, SO BE IT.
I DON'T KNOW WHY WE CAN'T SLOW DOWN, LISTEN, COME UP WITH A SOLUTION THAT WOULD WORK AND DO IT IN A WAY THAT IT'S NOT HARMING HOUSTON, WHERE IT'S NOT PUTTING FRICTION IN BETWEEN GROUPS.
[01:30:01]
IT.DID YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH HPD AND HOW THEY WERE CONDUCTING BUSINESS AND WHAT THEY WERE DOING BEFOREHAND? DID Y'ALL, AND I DON'T WANNA, I LIKE YOU COUNCIL MEMBER SHABAZZ.
AND I'D LIKE TO SIT DOWN AND TALK TO YOU PRIVATELY, IF YOU WILL.
NEXT DUSTIN REERS TO BE FOLLOWED BY JENNIFER CANALES PEREZ.
GREETINGS MAYOR WHITMEYER AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M THE LEGAL DIRECTOR AT THE TEXAS CIVIL RIGHTS PROJECT.
I'M HAPPY TO BE WITH YOU HERE TODAY AS SOMEONE WHO'S PRACTICED CIVIL RIGHTS AND CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS LAW IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON FOR OVER 20 YEARS.
AND I'M HERE TO TELL YOU ONE THING I'VE LEARNED IN THAT TIME IS THAT THE SUREST WAY TO LOSE A FIGHT WITH THE STATE IS TO REFUSE TO FIGHT.
UM, BUT WHEN YOU FIGHT, YOU OFTEN WIN.
AND THE ISSUE WE HAVE BEFORE US IS SO INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.
LIKE OTHER MAJOR CITIES IN TEXAS, THE CITY OF HOUSTON, THANKS TO MANY OF YOU RECENTLY TOOK A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION TO CLARIFY THE ROLE THAT LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT PLAYS IN COLLABORATING WITH FEDERAL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT.
THE ACTION COMES AFTER SEVERAL REPORTS OF HPD OFFICERS VIOLATING THE CONSTITUTIONAL AND FOURTH AMENDMENT RIGHTS OF HOUSTONIANS.
OUR COMMUNITY RIGHTFULLY DEMANDED ACTION BECAUSE NONE OF US WANNA LIVE IN A CITY WHERE POLICE DETAIN US WITHOUT CAUSE.
THAT IS WHAT THE FOURTH AMENDMENT IS ABOUT AND WHAT IT'S ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT.
AND THE ACTION YOU TOOK HELPED STOP THAT VIOLATION SO YOU CURED THE ILLEGAL ACTIONS THAT WERE HAPPENING.
UM, ONCE WE IMPLEMENT THIS ORDINANCE, UH, TO RESOLVE THOSE ISSUES, THE FIRST PART OF YOUR ORDINANCE CLARIFIES THAT OFFICERS TEMPORARILY DETAIN AN INDIVIDUAL ONLY AS LONG AS REASONABLY NECESSARY TO COMPLETE THE LEGITIMATE PURPOSE OF THE INITIAL STOP OR INVESTIGATION.
AND THAT AN ICE ADMINISTRATIVE WARRANT IS CIVIL IN NATURE AND ALONE DOES NOT JUSTIFY A STOP ARREST OR CONTINUED DETENTION.
THAT REQUIREMENT JUST ENSURES COMPLIANCE WITH THE FOURTH AMENDMENT.
THAT MEANS IF YOU DON'T IMPLEMENT YOUR ORDINANCE, YOU ARE FORCING HPD TO CONTINUE THE MARCH POLICY THAT CONTINUES TO VIOLATE THE FOURTH AMENDMENT RIGHTS OF HOUSTONIANS.
THAT'S NOT HOW I WANT TO LIVE.
IT'S NOT HOW OTHER PEOPLE WANNA LIVE.
SO TO ANSWER THE QUESTION THAT WAS JUST ASKED, DO YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH WHAT WAS HAPPENING BEFORE? FOR ME, THE ANSWER IS ABSOLUTELY.
I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH WHAT WAS HAPPENING BEFORE AND WHAT IS STILL HAPPENING.
UNTIL WE IMPLEMENT THAT ORDINANCE, CONVENIENTLY, WE'RE LOCATED SO CLOSE TO A COURTHOUSE WITH A LOT OF GOOD ELECTED HOUSTON JUDGES, YOU CAN REQUEST A TRO TO STOP THOSE FUNDS FROM BEING CUT.
YOU CANNOT LOSE STATE FUNDING FOR REFUSING TO VIOLATE THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS OF HOUSTONIANS.
YOU HAVE GOOD ARGUMENTS TO MAKE.
I HOPE YOU SHOW BOLDNESS AND MAKE THOSE ARGUMENTS.
UM, I'LL ALSO JUST NOTE THAT, UM, THERE'S BEEN GOOD SUCCESS WHEN, WHEN CITIES FIGHT AND REQUEST TROS.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, JUST, JUST A FEW QUESTIONS.
AS AN ATTORNEY, UH, IN THE CIVIL RIGHTS SPACE LEADING A CIVIL RIGHTS LEGAL ORGANIZATION, UH, ONE IS IT YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE ORDINANCE THAT WAS PASSED THAT UH, IF SOMEBODY POSES A PUBLIC SAFETY RISK, HPD IS STILL ABLE, UH, TO THE, TO DETAIN THEM AS NECESSARY? THAT'S RIGHT, BECAUSE THE, THE LANGUAGE IN THE ORDINANCE, IT SPECIFICALLY SAYS ONLY AS LONG AS REASONABLY NECESSARY TO COMPLETE THE LEGITIMATE PURPOSE OF THE INITIAL STOP OR INVESTIGATION.
SO IF SOMEONE'S A A A RISK AT THAT MOMENT, AN OFFICER CAN'T ARREST THEM FOR ANY NUMBER OF REASONS.
AND THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
'CAUSE I THINK THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF INFORMATION, UM, AND MISINFORMATION OUT THERE ABOUT WHAT THIS ORDINANCE DOES AND DOESN'T DO IN TERMS OF CLARIFYING WHAT IS ALREADY IN THE LAW.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
WHAT WE PASSED IS ALREADY LAW, BOTH IN THE STATE OF TEXAS AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND IN THE UNITED STATES.
AND IF YOU'D LIKE ME TO CLARIFY ON ONE POINT THERE, PLEASE, ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE BIGGEST PROTECTIONS IN THE FOURTH AMENDMENT IS THAT THE WARRANT IS SUPPOSED TO BE REVIEWED BY A NEUTRAL PERSON.
THAT'S USUALLY A JUDGE, RIGHT? SO THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN ADMINISTRATIVE WARRANT IS, IT MEANS IT WAS NEVER REVIEWED BY ANYONE.
WELL, THE FOURTH AMENDMENT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN REQUIRED IF ENGLAND HAD HAD NEUTRAL FOLKS BEFORE THEY WERE, UM, BEFORE THEY WERE GOING INTO TO PEOPLE'S HOUSES.
RIGHT BEFORE THAT THEY WERE CONDUCTING SEARCH, SEIZURES AND ARRESTS.
[01:35:01]
THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF THE FOURTH AMENDMENT IS IT'S A HALLMARK OF OUR DEMOCRACY TO HAVE THAT KIND OF PROTECTION FROM THE GOVERNMENT TERRORIZING ORDINARY FOLKS WITHOUT ANY PROOF THAT'S REVIEWED BY A NEUTRAL PERSON, A JUDGE.AND SO NONE OF THESE ADMINISTRATIVE WARRANTS HAVE BEEN REVIEWED BY A JUDGE.
NONE OF THEM HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED BY A NEUTRAL PERSON.
SO TO ALLOW THEM TO HAVE THE IMPACT OF ALLOWING ARREST COMPLETELY ALLOWS THE GOVERNMENT TO TERRORIZE ORDINARY HOUSTONIANS.
AND AGAIN, I'M FOCUSED ON THE LOCAL PUBLIC SAFETY RESOURCES, KEEPING THE COMMUNITY SAFE AND THE INTENT I THINK WE ALL HAVE AROUND THE HORSESHOE OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND THE INTEGRITY OF THE RULE OF LAW AND THE RESPECT FOR THE LAW.
MY LAST QUESTION, I THINK YOU BRIEFLY COVERED IT, BUT TO BE CLEAR, WHAT ARE, IN YOUR OPINION, SOME OF THE OPTIONS THAT THE CITY HAS OTHER THAN JUST BOWING OUT AND SAYING WHATEVER YOU WANT TO THE STATE? WELL, YOU KNOW, I, I'M A BIG FAN OF REQUESTING A TRO.
SO THE CITY COULD HAVE ITS LEGAL DEPARTMENT, UM, FILE A REQUEST FOR A RESTRAINING ORDER.
UM, YOU COULD WALK TO THE COURT FROM HERE, YOU COULD GET A HEARING TOMORROW.
YOU COULD HAVE IT IN EFFECT BY TOMORROW NIGHT.
UM, SO YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I'D DO IF I WAS REPRESENTING THE CITY, BUT I NOT OFFERING TO REPRESENT THE CITY REPRESENT INDIVIDUAL CIVIL RIGHTS PLAINTIFFS.
AND THANK YOU FOR COMING FORWARD AND, AND EVERYTHING YOU LAID OUT I THINK IS SOMETHING THAT WE ALL HAVE THE ABILITY TO REVIEW AND TO VET OURSELVES AS PROFESSIONALS.
UM, ON THIS HORSESHOE, INCLUDING THE CITY ATTORNEY, UH, THERE'S SEVEN ATTORNEYS WHO LEMME SAY 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, ALL THE ATTORNEYS EXCEPT FOR ONE, SAW THIS AS A LEGAL ITEM AND VOTED FOR IT AS SUCH.
AND THIS HAS NOW COME DOWN TO A LEGAL QUESTION.
AND I THINK IT, YOU'RE, YOU'RE RIGHT, I DO THINK IT WOULD BE PRUDENT FOR THE CITY TO LOOK AT TAKING LEGAL MEASURE TO GET, UH, AN ANSWER ON THAT.
AND A A A TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER COULD BE SOMETHING THAT COULD BE, UM, VERY USEFUL.
AT LEAST IT COULD GIVE US SOME CLARIFICATION.
YOU, WE HAVE, WE HAVE LEGAL OPINIONS HERE.
WE HAVE A CITY ATTORNEY WHO'S MADE HIS LEGAL REVIEW THAT WE'VE TRUSTED AND WE'VE VOTED UPON, UH, THAT LEGAL REVIEW.
THEN WE HAVE, UM, UH, FOLKS AT THE STATE LEVEL THAT HAVE A, A, A DIFFERENT LEGAL OPINION, RIGHT? BUT IT'S ALL OPINION.
AND SO YOU WOULD THINK IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITY, WHEN WE HAVE CITY ORDINANCES THAT ARE PASSED BY CITY COUNCIL WITH AN OVERWHELMING MAJORITY THAT WE WOULD USE EVERY, UH, TOOL IN THE TOOLBOX THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO US, UH, FOR LEGAL RECOURSE.
AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUGGESTION, COUNCILMAN ING CHAIR.
SO IF WE GOT A TRO, WE COULD, IF WE WIN, WE COULD PREVENT THE STATE FROM CUTTING OFF THE FUNDS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN ALLOCATED, CORRECT? YEAH.
IF, IF YOU WIN, UM, IF YOU WIN, THAT WOULD BE CORRECT.
AND OF COURSE YOU GO THROUGH THE APPEALS PROCESS AND, AND YOU KNOW, I'LL SAY THE THREATS FROM OUR STATE.
THERE, THERE ARE ACTIVE EFFORTS AS I THINK MANY OF US KNOW, UM, AT OUR STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL TO CONSOLIDATE POWER AND CONSOLIDATING POWER IN A WAY THAT KEEPS THOSE CLOSEST TO THEIR CONSTITUENTS FROM ACTING, DEFENDING THEM, HAVING A ROLE IN OUR GOVERNMENT STILL.
SO THE QUESTION IS, DO YOU STAND UP AND ON WHAT ISSUES? AND I'M NOT TO SUGGEST THAT EVERY SINGLE ISSUE MATTERS ENOUGH THAT YOU, YOU GO TO THE COURTHOUSE, OKAY, SO THIS ONE NOT, IF WE GET THIS, WE WIN THE TRO, IT GOES TO COURT, WE WIN, WE GET THAT MONEY, WE GOT A COUPLE HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS LAST SESSION FOR A NUMBER OF THINGS HERE.
I BELIEVE WE'VE GOT $50 MILLION TO REPLACE THE PUMPS AT THE LYNCHBURG PUMP STATION.
IS THAT CORRECT MAYOR? IS THAT MILLION A HUNDRED MILLION 100? WOULD THE STATE NEXT SESSION HAVE TO GIVE US MONEY LIKE THAT OR WOULD THEY BE ABLE TO SAY, NO, WE DON'T LIKE YOU, WHAT YOU'VE DONE, WE'RE NOT GONNA GIVE YOU MONEY.
POLITICAL PROCESSES, YOU KNOW, POLITICAL PROCESSES ARE FICKLE, BUT I'LL SAY SO THEY'D BE ABLE TO SAY NO.
BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF HISTORY OF CITIES THAT HAVE CHALLENGED THE STATE AND HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SUSTAIN THEIR CITIES AND CONTINUE TO RECEIVE FUNDING FROM THE STATE.
I I DON'T THINK WE'VE HAD A LOT OF HISTORY OF CITIES GETTING A COUPLE HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS IN ONE SESSION.
YEAH, THAT'S SOMETHING I UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE TO CONSIDER.
COUNCILOR EVAN
[01:40:01]
IS THE PERSON THAT CREATED THIS PROBLEM CARES NOTHING ABOUT THE CONSTITUTION YET.THEY, SO THEREFORE THEY HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH VIOLATING THE RIGHTS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE IMPACTED BY THIS.
AND YOU KNOW, I WAS ASKED, YOU KNOW, DO I TRUST THE POLICE? WELL, YEAH, I TRUST MY PARENTS, BUT THEY DON'T MAKE ALL MY DECISIONS.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, I I KINDA SEE IN LINE THAT SOME PEOPLE ARE TAKING A VICTORY WALK, BUT I WANNA SAY 5,400 POLICE UNION OFFICERS, WE'VE BEEN THREATENED, YOU KNOW, WHO ARE FREETHINKING.
I THINK I'LL TAKE MY CHANCES ON THE 50 ORGANIZATIONS THAT DO SUPPORT THE ORDINANCE.
AND SO CERTAINLY AGAIN, I, I LOVE PEOPLE THAT COME WITH SOLUTIONS AND IT'S UP TO THE MAYOR WHERE WE GO IN TERMS OF THAT SOLUTION AFTER WE MEET ON FRIDAY TO MAKE A DETERMINATION AS TO WHETHER WE WILL CONTINUE TO STAND.
DO YOU MIND IF I, UH, FOLLOW UP ON SOMETHING YOU SAID, YOU KNOW, I TRUST THE POLICE SO MUCH THAT I BELIEVE WE SHOULD GIVE THEM DISCRETION ABOUT WHETHER TO CALL ICE IN THE FIRST PLACE ON AN ADMINISTRATIVE WARRANT.
SO COUNCILMAN POLLARD, THANK YOU MAYOR AND I, AND I WANT TO CLARIFY THAT THE, THE MONEY THAT HAS BEEN UM, I GUESS USED AS A TOOL FOR US TO RECONSIDER THIS A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS.
THEY HAVE THE DISCRETION TO DO WHAT THEY WANT WITH THEIR MONEY.
IF THE STATE WANTS TO DEFUND THE POLICE OVER A CIVIL MATTER, THAT'S THEIR DECISION.
THOSE GRANT DOLLARS THAT ARE UNDER THE DISCRETION OF THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE, THAT'S HIS DISCRETION, HIS DETERMINATION AND HIS DECISION ON WHERE THOSE DOLLARS GO FOR FLOOD MITIGATION PARKS OR ANYTHING ELSE, THAT'S HIS DECISION.
SO IF HE WANTS TO GO ON THE RECORD OF DEFUNDING POLICE, HE WANTS TO GO ON THE RECORD OF NOT GIVING THE CITY FUNDS OUT OF THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
THAT'S NOT A DECISION FROM THIS COUNCIL.
WE WANT ALL THE RESOURCES AND MONEY AVAILABLE FOR OUR OFFICERS AND OUR FIRST RESPONDERS.
I WOULD HOPE HE WOULD NOT GO THROUGH WITH THOSE THREATS TO ACTUALLY DEFUND THE POLICE OF A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS.
THAT THAT MAKES ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE WHEN YOU PRIORITIZE PUBLIC SAFETY AND YOU WANT TO KEEP COMMUNITIES SAFE.
BUT WE HAVE NO AUTHORITY OVER DOLLARS AT THE STATE LEVEL THAT COME FROM A GRANT OR FROM THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
SO I WOULD HOPE THAT UH, ANYONE AT THE STATE LEVEL WOULD RECONSIDER TAKING BACK OR USING ANY DOLLARS TO DE APPROPRIATE FOR OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND FIRST RESPONDERS BECAUSE THOSE DOLLARS ARE NECESSARY.
WE WANT THEM BUT WE HAVE NO DIS WE HAVE NO CONTROL OVER WHETHER THOSE DOLLARS GET ALLOCATED OR NOT.
THAT WILL BE THE SOLE DISCRETION OF THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE.
COUNCILOR FLICKINGER, IS THE GOVERNOR SAYING WE CAN'T SPEND THE MONEY ON LAW ENFORCEMENT OR IS HE JUST SAYING WE CAN'T SPEND THE STATE'S MONEY? TO MY UNDERSTANDING, BASED ON THE LETTER THAT WAS PRESENTED, IT WAS A UM, NOTICE THAT IF WE DO NOT REPEAL OUR CURRENT ORDINANCE THAT WE PASSED LAST WEEK, THAT HE WOULD BE, UH, WITH WITHDRAWING OR DEMANDING US TO REFUND UH, GRANT DOLLARS THAT COME FROM HIS OFFICE THAT WOULD GO TOWARDS PUBLIC SAFETY.
SO WE'RE STILL FREE TO SPEND OUR MONEY, WE CAN SPEND OUR MONEY, OKAY, FROM FROM, SO IT'S NOT REQUIRING ANY DEFUNDING OF THE POLICE, IT'S JUST SAYING YOU'RE NOT GONNA FUND IT WITH OUR DOLLARS.
IT IS DEFUNDING DOLLARS THAT WOULD GO TOWARDS THE POLICE THAT COME FROM HIS OFFICE THAT OUR CITY DEPENDS ON IF YOU DEALLOCATE THOSE, THOSE DOLLARS OR YOU NO LONGER FUND THEM OR YOU ASK FOR A REIMBURSEMENT OF THOSE DOLLARS OR YOU'RE DEFUNDING, WE'RE STILL FREE TO, YOU'RE DEFUNDING COUNCILMAN FLICKINGER.
OBVIOUSLY A LITTLE BIT OF KNOWLEDGE IS DANGEROUS.
HE CLOSED OUR FUNDING YESTERDAY AT THREE O'CLOCK.
HPD IS CURRENTLY RECALCULATING THEIR SERVICES ADDRESSING OVERTIME AND OTHER MATTERS.
WE MUST HAVE THE FUNDING FOR FIFA TO PREVENT HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
AND I COULD GIVE YOU, WHICH I'LL BE GLAD TO SHARE THE FUNDING THAT COMES OUT OF AUSTIN AS WELL AS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
[01:45:01]
FIRST STEP BY THE GOVERNMENT BECAUSE WE SIGNED WITH HIS OFFICE IN AGREEMENT OF CERTIFICATION FOR THE GRANT MONEY YOU ARE LISTING LEGISLATIVE MATTERS AND OF COURSE THAT'LL BE NEXT SESSION.BUT THIS IS NOT AN IMAGINARY CITY.
THIS IS REALLY HOUSTON AND WE DEPEND ON THE STATE, THE FEDERAL AND TO SOME EXTENT THE COUNTY IS PARTNERS.
THE GENTLEMAN'S LEGAL OPINION IS JUST THAT A LEGAL OPINION.
THE GOVERNOR CONTROLS THE PURSE STRINGS FROM HIS CRIMINAL JUSTICE OFFICE.
HE HAS A DIFFERENT OPINION, HIS TEAM HAS A DIFFERENT OPINION.
SO YOU CAN PLAY CHICKEN IF YOU WANT.
MY RESPONSIBILITY, OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS THE SAFETY OF HOUSTON.
I GET CALLS ON THE WEEKEND FOR EXTRA POLICE DUTY AND WE USE THIS MONEY FOR THAT.
SO THE PUBLIC, EVERYONE'S DISTRICT AT LARGE IS URGING US MORE PATROL, MORE EQUIPMENT.
WE'RE FIXING TO HAVE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF GUESTS.
WE HAVE TO PROVIDE SAFETY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
THIS IS NOT A TIME TO PLAY POLITICS.
I'VE BEEN TRYING TO PROVIDE OVERTIME.
THE BOTTOM LINE IS FOR MY DISTRICT, THE, EXCUSE ME, COUNCILMAN RIGHT, YOU INTERRUPTED.
THE BOTTOM LINE IS THE GOVERNOR MEANS BUSINESS.
I TOLD MEMBERS THIS, I WAS ACTUALLY TOLD BY ONE OF THE PROPOSALS THAT IF WE LOST FUNDING SHE WOULD RESCIND THE PROPOSAL.
SO ALL I'M SAYING IS I WASN'T GONNA ENGAGE OUR GUESTS BECAUSE QUITE FRANKLY WE'VE ALREADY LOST SOME MONEY.
AND FURTHERMORE, IF YOU'RE IN STATE COURT, I HOPE YOU'VE LOOKED AT THE STATE SUPREME COURT MAKEUP.
THIS IS SERIOUS BUSINESS AFFECTING EVERY HOUSTONIAN, EVERY HOUSTON AND OUR REGION.
IT IS PUBLIC SAFETY THIS TIME IN A COUPLE OF DAYS IT'LL BE PUBLIC HEALTH PARK MONEY TDOT'S PARTICIPATION.
THEY TOLD US THIS, THEY MEANT IT.
AND SO NOW'S THE TIME FOR US TO DO WHAT IS RESPONSIBLE AND NOT PLAY POLITICS.
WE DO NOT HAVE LOCAL MONIES FOR THIS REPLACEMENT OF GRANT MONEY.
SO YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA, I'VE BEEN SITTING HERE BEING TOLERANT BUT IT IS A TIME TO QUIT PLAYING POLITICAL GAMES AND HAVE AN OUTSIDE SOURCES COME IN AND GIVE US THEIR LEGAL OPINION.
IN ALL DUE RESPECT, A LEGAL OPINION IS JUST THAT.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU SIR SALINAS MAYOR, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE LAY OUT SOME OF THE FACTS, UNDERLINE ALL THE RHETORIC AND I THINK FIRST AND FOREMOST WE NEED TO STOP THINKING THAT THERE IS A DEBATE AMONG COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR OR COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THE DEBATE IS BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND THE STATE GOVERNMENT.
THEY ARE THE ONES THAT ARE PITTING, THAT ARE TRYING TO PUNISH THE CITY FOR DOING THE RIGHT THING.
AND WE NEED TO STOP THE FALSEHOOD THAT THE CHOICES ARE REPEAL THE ORDINANCE OR ACCEPT THE POOLING OF $110 MILLION OF FUNDING.
THERE IS A THIRD OPTION THAT HAS BEEN LAID OUT AND WE SHOULD ABSOLUTELY TAKE IT, WHICH IS TOMORROW THE CITY ATTORNEY COULD WALK OVER TO THE HARRIS COUNTY COURTHOUSE AND FILE A TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER AND A DECLARATORY JUDGMENT.
AND THAT SAME DAY WE COULD GET A JUDGMENT FROM THE COURT THAT SAYS THE STATE CANNOT PULL FUNDING IT.
THE GOVERNOR CANNOT SUPERSEDE AN ORDER BY THE COURT AND THE COURT WOULD SAY THAT THEY CANNOT PULL FUNDING AND THEY CAN MAKE A DETERMINATION THAT OUR ORDINANCE IS LAWFUL THE ORDINANCE THAT YOU VOTED FOR, THAT OUR CITY ATTORNEY DEEMED LAWFUL, LET'S STAND BY OUR CITY ATTORNEY, LET'S STAND BY OUR VOTE.
AND IF THE COURT RULES AGAINST US, THEN WE HAVE THE INFORMATION WE NEED TO CONSIDER A REPEAL ON FRIDAY.
BUT THERE IS NO REASON, NO REASON WHATSOEVER NOT TO GO TO COURT TOMORROW TO SEE IF WE CAN GET A RULING BY A COURT TO PROTECT THE CONSTITUTION, THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO HOUSTONIANS IT WOULD BE A GRAVE MISTAKE TO DO ANYTHING ELSE.
THE GOVERNOR'S LETTER SAYS WE HAVE UNTIL APRIL 20TH TO MAKE A DECISION SO WE CAN GO TO COURT TOMORROW, THE NEXT DAY WE COULD EVEN GO TO COURT ON MONDAY AND GET A RULING FROM THE COURT.
AND IF WE LOSE THAT RULING THEN I AGREE MAYOR, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PROTECT HOUSTONIANS BUT WE'RE NOT THERE YET.
WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET A COURT TO VERIFY WHAT ALL OF US KNOW TO BE TRUE,
[01:50:01]
WHICH IS WE HONOR THE CONSTITUTION AND THE GOVERNOR'S ATTEMPT TO NOT HONOR THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS OF HOUSTONIANS IS WRONG.AND AS HOUSTON'S LEADERSHIP WE NEED TO STAND UP TO THAT.
I RESPECTFULLY DISAGREE AND I WOULD ALSO, I MEANT TO CORRECT SOMETHING LAST WEEK WHEN YOU WENT WHEN OF COUNSEL AND SAID IT'S TICKET IN RELEASE.
YOU KNOW THAT THE LAW REQUIRES YOU TO LOOK FOR WARRANTS WHETHER IT'S FROM MONTGOMERY COUNTY, TRAVIS COUNTY OR EVEN ICE.
THEN YOU LOOK AT THE ADMINISTRATIVE WARRANT AND YOU SEE IF THERE'S ANOTHER OUTSTANDING WARRANT, MAYBE A MURDER CHARGE FROM HONDURAS AND ADDITIONAL FACTS.
THAT PART MAKES UP PART OF THAT ADMINISTRATIVE WARRANT THAT YOU MENTIONED ROUTINELY AS A GENTLEMAN DID.
SURELY, SURELY AS KNOWLEDGEABLE AS YOU ARE, YOU REALIZE THE COURT CERTAINLY AS YOU GO AS FAR AS THE STATE SUPREME COURT, ARE NOT GONNA FAVOR OUR OPPOSITION BASED ON HISTORY AND THEIR PREVIOUS RULINGS.
MAYOR, THAT IS NOT WHAT I SAID WE'RE, WE'RE A INSTRUMENT OF STATE GOVERNMENT MAYOR, THAT THAT IS INACCURATE AND THE GOVERNOR CONTROLS HIS FUNDING.
SO IT'S REALLY NOT A LEGAL ISSUE AS IT IS WHAT THE GOVERNOR WANTS TO DO WITH HIS GRANT MONEY THAT THE LEGISLATURE'S GIVEN TO HIM TO USE HIS DISCRETION.
AND THAT'S WHAT'S BEEN WITHDRAWN IN THE TIME THAT YOU'RE CLAIMING WE OUGHT TO GO TO BE THE COURT.
WE'RE MAKING HOUSTON UNSAFE EVERY MINUTE THAT WE DENY HPD THEIR RESOURCES.
THIS IS TOO IMPORTANT TO PLAY POLITICS MAYOR, WHAT YOU JUST SAID IS FALSE.
I DID NOT MAKE SUCH A STATEMENT.
ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS READ THE ORDINANCE TO UNDERSTAND NOT ONLY WHERE I STAND BUT WHERE YOU STAND.
AND THIS COUNCIL STANDS WHICH IS WE ARE HONORING THE CONSTITUTION AND IT IS NOT TRUE.
THAT IS SIMPLY THE WILL OF THE GOVERNOR.
THE GOVERNOR CANNOT SUPERSEDE THE CONSTITUTION.
AND THAT IS WHAT A COURT OF LAW COULD DECIDE TOMORROW IF WE HAVE THE WILL TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND STAND UP FOR THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS OF HOUSTONIANS.
THERE IS NOTHING TO LOSE BY FILING A TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER AND A MOTION FOR DECLARATORY JUDGMENT WITH THE COURT.
THE GOVERNOR'S LETTER SAYS WE HAVE UNTIL APRIL 20TH, LET'S TAKE THAT FIGHT.
LET'S STAND WITH OUR CITY ATTORNEY.
LET'S STAND BY THE VOTE THAT YOU MADE MAYOR.
I WOULD PROUDLY STAND WITH YOU AND WALK THAT MOTION OVER TO THE COURT AND HAVE IT HEARD SO WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT A THIRD PARTY CAN DECIDE A JUDGE WHO IS, WHO IS VERSED IN THIS.
BUT IT IS WRONG TO SAY THAT IT'S SIMPLY A DECISION BY THE GOVERNOR.
IT IS A DECISION BY THE COURT TO SAY WHETHER THE GOVERNOR CAN SUPERSEDE THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS OF HOUSTONIANS COUNCIL MEMBER.
WE HAVE ALREADY LOST OUR FUNDING EVERY MINUTE THAT WE DID NOT.
THAT'S WHAT THE GOVERNOR SAID.
HIS LETTER GOVERNOR CONCERN WE'RE LEAVING HOUSTON UNSAFE.
THAT IS NOT WHAT THE GOVERNOR SAID IN HIS LETTER MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBER.
WE LOST OUR MONEY AT THREE O'CLOCK YESTERDAY.
THE ACCOUNTS HAVE BEEN CLOSED.
SERVICES ARE NOT BEING PROVIDED TODAY THAT WERE SERVED YESTERDAY BY HPD IRREFUTABLE.
SO WE CAN DRAG THIS OUT IN THE COURT AND YOU'RE A VERY CAPABLE LAWYER ONE DAY MA'AM, YOU BRING YOUR TEST, YOU BRING YOUR EXPERT WITNESS BUT THAT'S NOT GOING TO CHANGE THE STATE OF MAYOR.
WE ONLY HAVE ONE GOVERNOR AND ONE FUND OF GRANT.
I'M ASKING FOR ONE DAY TO GO TO COURT.
UM, I WANNA BE RESPECTFUL OF THE FACT THAT WE HAVE MANY SPEAKERS THAT ARE COMING.
WE ARE NOT AS A CITY, THE INSTRUMENT OF THE STATE.
WE ARE THE INSTRUMENT OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND THE PEOPLE OF HOUSTON.
THAT BEING SAID, I DO BELIEVE THAT COLLEAGUES HAD REQUESTED A LIST OF THE GRANTS THAT HAVE BEEN SUSPENDED OR FROZEN.
WE HAVE YET TO MY KNOWLEDGE SEEN THAT LIST AND THE REASON WHY THAT LIST IS IMPORTANT.
ONE, I BELIEVE COUNSEL HAS THE RIGHT TO THAT INFORMATION.
I THINK THAT'S FAIR AS WE CONTINUE THIS CONVERSATION.
THERE HAS BEEN UH, STATEMENTS MADE THAT SOME OF THE FUNDING PERTAINS TO FIFA THAT IS FEDERAL FUNDING THAT THE GOVERNOR DOES NOT NECESSARILY HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO FREEZE.
THERE IS A LOT OF NUANCE WHEN IT COMES TO ALL OF THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF FUNDING.
SO I'M MAKING A RESPECTFUL REQUEST.
IF WE COULD PLEASE HAVE A LIST OF THE GRANTS THAT WE HAVE BEEN TOLD HAVE BEEN SUSPENDED, THAT WOULD BE EXTREMELY HELPFUL DURING THESE CONVERSATIONS.
THE FIFA MONEY DID COME THROUGH THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE AND IT'S ON THE LIST OF MONIES THAT'S BEEN FROZEN.
IT'S IRREFUTABLE, IT'S DOCUMENTED SERVICES THAT NEED RESOURCES ARE NOT BEING FUNDED THIS AFTERNOON.
AND MAY I UNDERSTAND THAT SOME OF THE FIFA MONEY WHILE IT COMES THROUGH THE STATE COMES FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THERE'S DIFFERENT
[01:55:01]
SI UNDERSTAND.SO, AND I KNOW YOU UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'RE VERY NUANCED IN THAT.
SO AGAIN, IF WE COULD PLEASE HAVE A LIST AND I SEE STEVEN DAVID RIGHT HERE.
AND I HOPE YOU ALSO KNOW THAT SURELY AUSTIN IS TALKING TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SO WE CAN PLAY CHECKIN, WE CAN GAMBLE WITH HOUSTON'S VITALITY AND OUR SAFETY.
BUT IT'S TOO IMPORTANT TO DO SO IN MY OPINION.
AND I'M CERTAIN HOUSTONIANS SUPPORT THAT CONCERN ABOUT GAMBLING WITH THEIR SAFETY COUNCIL POLLARD COUNCIL POLL.
NEXT, JENNIFER CANALES PEREZ TO BE FOLLOWED BY DAVID TI.
GOOD AFTERNOON COUNCIL MEMBERS MAYOR WHITMEYER.
MY NAME IS JENNIFER CANALES ELAS AND I'M A POLICY ATTORNEY AND STRATEGIST AT THE IMMIGRANT LEGAL CENTER RE RESOURCE CENTER.
BUT I'M ALSO A NATIVE HOUSTONIAN AND LIKE MANY IN OUR DIVERSE CITY OF HOUSTON, I AM ALSO THE DAUGHTER OF IMMIGRANTS WHO CAME FROM EL SALVADOR FLEEING THE CIVIL WAR IN THE EIGHTIES.
AT 11 YEARS OLD, I DISCOVERED THAT MY FATHER WAS IN DEPORTATION PROCEEDINGS AND AT THAT AGE I ADVOCATED FOR HIS CASE TO THE PRESIDENT AT THE TIME GEORGE W. BUSH.
UNFORTUNATELY, WHEN I WAS 14 YEARS OLD, MY FATHER WAS DEPORTED AND MY FAMILY WAS PERMANENTLY SEPARATED.
FOR ALMOST A DECADE I WORKED AND VOLUNTEERED WITH NONPROFIT ORGANIZA ORGANIZATIONS REPRESENTING CHILDREN, ADULTS, AND SURVIVORS OF GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE.
MOST SOUGHT ASYLUM BECAUSE THEY FLED INCREDIBLE PERSECUTION AND VIOLENCE.
PLEASE HEAR ME WHEN I SAY THE FEAR THAT A SIMPLE INTERACTION WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT WILL PERMANENTLY SEPARATE THEM FROM THEIR FAMILIES IS REAL.
IT PAINS ME TO THINK OF THE FEAR AND ANXIETY THAT OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE FEELING RIGHT NOW.
AND DESPITE THE GOVERNOR'S LETTER THAT STATE THAT THIS ORDINANCE, UH, VIOLATES SB FOUR, IT DOES NOT RATHER, IT ENSURES THAT HPD DOES NOT VIOLATE THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS OF HOUSTONIANS.
AND TRUST ME, THAT WAS HAPPENING.
HOW DO I KNOW I SAW THOSE REPORTS.
I ACTUALLY SENT SOME OF THOSE REPORTS TO SOME OF YOU ON THIS WORSHIP.
AS A REMINDER, EVERYONE, NO MATTER THEIR IMMIGRATION STATUS HAS CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS.
AND DESPITE THE GOOD INTENTIONS OF THE MARCH 11TH DIRECTIVE, RUBBER STAMPING POTENTIAL FOURTH AMENDMENT VIOLATIONS BY ALLOWING HPD TO WAIT 30 MINUTES FOR ICE TO COME, OPENS THE DOOR TO COSTLY LITIGATION.
COUNCIL MEMBERS MAYOR, LAST WEEK SOME OF YOU STATED THAT THIS ORDINANCE IS CONSISTENT WITH STATE AND FEDERAL LAW.
I URGE YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS MAYOR WHITMEYER, NOT TO REPEAL THIS ORDINANCE TO STAND WITH ALL HOUSTONIANS AND FIGHT FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
TO THE 12 MEMBERS WHO STOOD WITH HOUSTONIANS AND VOTED TO PASS THE IMMIGRATION ORDINANCE, I COMMEND YOU AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR BRAVERY.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO US AND THIS IS A GREAT FIRST STEP AND WE HOPE THAT YOU CONTINUE TO PUSH FOR SOLUTIONS THAT WILL PROTECT ALL HOUSTONIANS.
ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU MA'AM.
CARTER HAS A PROCEDURAL MOTION.
COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER HAS A PROCEDURAL MOTION.
UM, I MOVE TO ADD DOUG GRIFFITH FOLLOWING TO FOLLOW DAVID DENTI MOTION.
I WALKED IN HERE DURING THE PROCLAMATIONS AND IT WAS QUITE REMARKABLE TO SEE EVERYTHING THAT OUR CITY HAS TO OFFER, THE THINGS THAT MAKE US GREAT.
AND AS I WAS WALKING IN, THERE WAS A SPEECH WHERE THE SPEAKER EX TOLD US TO CHOOSE COURAGE OVER COMFORT, TO DEFEND DIGNITY AND TO AB BORE EXCLUSION.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THE CHOICES HERE ARE IMMENSE AND PROFOUND.
HOWEVER, IT IS AN ENTIRELY MANMADE CRISIS.
LET'S BE PRECISE ABOUT WHAT THE ORDINANCE THAT YOU PASSED DOES.
IT PRESERVES FULL COMPLIANCE WITH TEXAS LAW.
IT MANDATES FULL COMPLIANCE WITH ICE DETAINERS.
AND IT CODIFIES WHAT THE FOURTH AMENDMENT ALREADY REQUIRES.
THAT A CIVIL ADMINISTRATIVE IMMIGRATION WARRANT, WHICH IS NOT SIGNED BY A JUDGE, NOT BASED ON PROBABLE CAUSE OF A CRIME, BUT ISSUED BY AN ICE OFFICER, CANNOT BY ITSELF JUST JUSTIFY DETAINING SOMEONE DURING A TRAFFIC STOP.
NOW READ THE GOVERNOR'S LETTER.
AND I KNOW MR. MAYOR, I TAKE THE CONCERN THAT IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT MY LEGAL OPINION IS, IT MATTERS WHAT THE GOVERNOR'S OPINION IS.
BUT WE HAVE A RULE OF LAW IN THIS COUNTRY AND WE HAVE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE STATE.
AND WE ELECTED Y'ALL AND REPRESENT US.
AND THERE ARE INDEED LIMITATIONS ON WHAT GOVERNOR ABBOTT CAN COMPEL.
THOSE LIMITATIONS COME FROM THE GRANTS THEMSELVES,
[02:00:01]
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY THEY COME FROM THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION.THE GOVERNOR'S LETTER SAYS THAT THE ORDINANCE PROHIBITS HPD FROM COOPERATING WITH ICE.
THE ORDINANCE INCLUDES AN EXPLICIT PROVISION STATING THAT IT SHALL NOT BE CONSTRUED TO PROHIBIT OR MATERIALLY LIMIT COOPERATION WITH FEDERAL IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES.
THE GOVERNOR IS DESCRIBING AN ORDINANCE THAT DOES NOT EXIST IF ANYONE IS PLAYING POLITICS.
IT IS THE GOVERNOR WHO IS THREATENING TO WITHHOLD $110 MILLION FROM PUBLIC SAFETY ACCOUNTS.
LET'S BE CLEAR ABOUT WHAT AN ICE ADMINISTRATIVE WARRANT IS.
IT IS NOT SUPPORTED BY PROBABLE CAUSE.
AS THIS COUNCIL AND MR. MAYOR YOU WELL KNOW LAST YEAR THE ADMINISTRATION LOADED 700,000 OF THESE INTO THE NATIONAL CRIMINAL WARRANT DATABASE.
THAT CREATED A HUGE ADMINIST PROBLEM TO SAY NOTHING OF A CONSTITUTIONAL PROBLEM FOR OUR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT WHO HAVE TO FIGURE OUT THE BOUNDARIES BETWEEN WHAT MAY WE DO PURSUANT TO THESE AND WHAT MUST WE NOT DO IN ORDER TO COMPLY WITH THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION.
THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CHIEFS OF POLICE, SUPREME COURT PRECEDENT AND THE PLAIN TEXT OF THE FOURTH AMENDMENT MAKE CLEAR THESE ADMINISTRATIVE WARRANTS, WHICH ARE NOT ISSUED BY A NEUTRAL MAGISTRATE, DO NOT AUTHORIZE A LOCAL OFFICIAL TO DETAIN SOMEONE.
THEY ARE NOT PROBABLE CAUSE OF A CRIME.
THE GOVERNOR IS TRYING TO BLUR THAT LINE.
AND THE STAKES HERE ARE ACTUALLY ENORMOUSLY HIGH.
IT'S I STAND UP FOR ANY QUESTION.
NEXT, DOUG GRIFFIN TO BE FOLLOWED BY, FOLLOWED BY CAROLYN RIVERA COUNCIL MEMBERS.
WE HAVE HAD A REALLY GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH ALMOST EVERY SINGLE ONE OF Y'ALL.
FOUR YEARS, EXCEPT FOR MS. SALINAS WHO'S NEW.
AND I HOPE AT SOME POINT WE'LL GET TO HAVE THAT RELATIONSHIP.
WHICH THIS IS THE REASON THAT DUN FOUNDS ME.
THAT NONE OF Y'ALL CALLED ME PRIOR TO ENACTING THIS.
THE ONLY PERSON I SPOKE WITH WAS MAYOR.
AND I HONESTLY BELIEVE Y'ALL DUPED IT.
THIS IS NOTHING MORE THAN YOU PLAYING POLITICS.
COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD, COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN.
Y'ALL ARE PLAYING POLITICS WITH OUR OFFICERS.
OUR OFFICERS ARE OUT THERE DOING A JOB EVERY FREAKING DAY WORKING THEIR BUTTS OFF TO PROTECT THIS CITY.
WE HAD OVER 2 BILLION CONTACTS WITH CITIZENS LAST YEAR.
LESS THAN 250 CITIZEN COMPLAINTS.
WE HAD OVER 2 MILLION CONTACTS WITH CITIZENS LAST YEAR.
AND WE ONLY HAD 74 INCIDENTS WHERE WE HAD ICE DETAINERS ON SOMEONE AND WE TURNED 'EM OVER TO ICE.
DON'T TELL ME WE DON'T HAVE BIGGER ISSUES IN THE CITY.
WE CAN'T GET OUR WATER STEEP, WE CANNOT GET OUR HEAVY TRASH PICKED UP.
WE CAN'T GET A FAIR HOUSING MARKET.
WE GOT ALL KINDS OF ISSUES THAT CITY COUNCIL SHOULD BE DEALING WITH AND KNOW WE ARE WORRIED ABOUT THIS.
IT'S NOT ABOUT POLITICS FOR US, IT'S ABOUT MAKING SURE OUR PEOPLE ARE SAFE.
YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THOSE WARRANTS ARE FOR, MA'AM.
YOU HAVE NO CLUE WHAT THOSE WARRANTS ARE FOR.
THAT GUY COULD HAVE BEAT HIS WIFE THREE OR FOUR TIMES AND THEY FILED ON HIM AND SENT HIM BACK.
THAT MAY BE WHAT THAT ADMINISTRATIVE WARRANT IS FOR.
AND MISS SHABAZ, SEE THAT'S IT RIGHT THERE.
YOU KEEP TALKING ABOUT HOW YOU SUPPORT LAW ENFORCEMENT.
SAY THAT AGAIN BECAUSE YOU LAST WEEK YOU SAID WE WERE RACIST.
SEE THAT'S THE ATTITUDE RIGHT THERE THAT YOU GIVE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THIS CITY AND YOU SIT THERE LAST WEEK YOUR COMMENTS WERE THAT WE WERE RACIALLY PROFILING PEOPLE.
AND 5 5400 OFFICERS TAKE OFFENSE TO THAT.
SO DON'T SIT THERE AND SAY YOU SUPPORT US.
NOW AGAIN, I DON'T WANNA PLAY POLITICS HERE.
I WANT OUR OFFICERS TO BE PROTECTED OUT THERE.
IF SOMETHING HAPPENS AND WE DON'T TAKE SOMEBODY IN ON ONE OF THESE WARRANTS AND THEY GO AND KILL SOMEBODY TOMORROW OR RAPE OR ROB SOMEBODY, GUESS WHAT? WE'RE UNHOOK.
AND SO IS THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
'CAUSE Y'ALL ARE THE ONE ENACTED DISORDERS.
I'M ASKING YOU TO PLEASE CONSIDER, GET POLITICS OUT OF THIS.
QUIT CHASING ABOUT NATIONAL POLITICS BECAUSE WE DON'T CARE.
DOUG, YOU WANT TO COMMENT? OH YES I DO.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, I WAS ELECTED BY THE PEOPLE AND YOU APPLIED FOR A JOB.
SO THAT MEANS THAT WE HAVE A DIFFERENT MANDATE.
I WANT TO TELL YOU, TILL YOUR FACE WAS DISRESPECTFUL LAST WEEK, I'M SURPRISED YOU DIDN'T KICK THE BENCH.
BUT CERTAINLY YOU THEN YOU GET ON SOCIAL MEDIA
[02:05:01]
AND YOU THREATEN I DIDN'T GET THE SU THE POLICE SUPPORT WHEN I RAN THE FIRST TWO TIMES.EITHER I IT'S OKAY BECAUSE YOU ARE ONE PERSON AND YOU DON'T EVEN REPRESENT THE PAC.
OKAY? AND YOU HAVE 54 MEMBERS WHO THINK FOR THEMSELVES 5,400.
I'M NOT REALLY SURE THAT THEY WANT TO BE IMMIGRATION OFFICERS.
THAT'S NOT WHAT THEY WERE HIRED TO DO.
SO, CERTAINLY, DO I NEED A COMMENT AFTER TIME? DID I COMMENT EVERY TIME YOU SAID SOMETHING? YEAH, YOU DID.
BUT CERTAINLY YOUR BEHAVIOR HAS BEEN REALLY INAPPROPRIATE AND I HOPE THE OTHER OFFICERS DON'T ACT AND SPEAK AS YOU DO BECAUSE THAT MAY BE WHY WE HAVE A PROBLEM HERE.
BUT I'M GLAD YOU CAME BECAUSE I DON'T TALK BEHIND PEOPLE'S BACKS.
THAT'S WHY I'M HERE TALKING TO YOUR FACE TO YOU.
JUST TO LET YOU KNOW THAT YOUR BEHAVIOR IS TOTALLY OUTTA LINE.
AND WE AND YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT ART TRULY OFFLINE BY THE, BY MORE PEOPLE THAN HIRED YOU.
OKAY? SO YOU HAVE A GREAT DAY EVERY DAY.
BUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING HERE BY TELLING US WHAT WE SHOULD AND SHOULDN'T DO IS TOTALLY OUTTA LINE.
WELL MAYBE YOU SHOULD CONTACTED US BY, YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR JOB IS.
YOUR JOB IS TO DO WHAT WE APPROVE.
OH, DON'T WORRY, MY HISTORY SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.
COUNCILOR SALINAS, COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS.
SAY DOUG, HE MIGHT PUSH YOU DOWN.
SEE COMMENTS LIKE THAT? THAT'S OKAY.
COMMENTS LIKE THAT? GO AHEAD MA'AM.
SO MR. GRIFFIN, I WANNA CLARIFY AGAIN SOME FACTS.
I HAVE REPEATEDLY TOLD YOU TO CALL MY OFFICE AND I'M HAPPY TO SIT DOWN FOR A MEETING.
I HAVE NEVER LET ME FINISH MY COMMENTS.
AND IF YOU WANNA RESPOND, YOU'RE WELCOME TO.
YOU HAVE NEVER TAKEN ME UP ON THAT OFFER.
AND I CONTIN STANDS HERE TO CONTINUE TODAY.
I'M HAPPY TO HAVE A CONVERSATION AND EXPLAIN THE ORDINANCE.
I WISH YOU WOULD'VE TAKEN ME UP ON IT RATHER THAN MAKING ALL THOSE STATEMENTS SO I COULD HAVE EXPLAINED ALL OF YOUR MISUNDERSTANDINGS REGARDING THE ORDINANCE.
SECOND, YOU KEEP TALKING ABOUT HOW WE'RE PUTTING ALL OF OUR OFFICERS AT RISK REGARDING DISCRETION.
YOUR OFFICERS EXERCISE DISCRETION EVERY SINGLE DAY.
EVERY SINGLE DAY THEY MAKE DETERMINATIONS ABOUT WHETHER TO ISSUE A TICKET OR TO ARREST SOMEONE.
YOU'RE NOT HERE COMPLAINING TO US ABOUT THAT BECAUSE YOU TRUST YOUR OFFICERS.
JUST LIKE WE TRUST YOUR OFFICERS TO EXERCISE DISCRETION EFFECTIVELY, WE ARE HERE TO EMPOWER THEM, NOT DISEMPOWER THEM.
THIRD, YOU MADE A COMMENT TO HOUSTON, PUBLIC MEDIA TELLING US TO SHUT UP AND RUN THE CITY.
YEAH, WE ARE RUNNING THE CITY.
WE'RE ENSURING THAT HPD FOLLOWS THE CONSTITUTION.
AND I HOPE YOU WILL DO EVERYTHING IN YOUR POWER TO ENSURE THAT OUR OFFICERS FOLLOW THE CONSTITUTION.
AND LASTLY, YOU ACCUSE US OF PLAYING POLITICS TODAY.
YOUR OFFICE RELEASED A CARTOON OF MYSELF, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN AND COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD.
IS THAT NOT PLAYING POLITICS? I HAVE NOT RELEASED A CARTOON OF YOU, SIR.
DO YOU THINK THAT, DO YOU THINK WE SHOULD REDUCE OUR DISCOURSE TO POP TO CARTOONS OF ONE ANOTHER? YES.
SOME CITY COUNCIL MEMBER THOUGHT WAS FUNNY, BUT THAT'S A DIFFERENT STORY.
I WOULD EXPECT BETTER OF THE POLICE.
I WOULD EXPECT BETTER OF THE, THE POLICE OFFICERS UNION AND I BET YOUR MEMBERS WOULD AS WELL.
YOU SAID THERE WAS OVER 2 MILLION STOPS LAST YEAR, IS THAT CORRECT? 2 MILLION INTERACTIONS WITH CITIZENS.
AND HOW MANY OF THOSE RESULTED IN A DEPORTATION BY ICE? 74.
AND WERE THERE MORE THAN 74 ICE WARRANTS THAT CAME UP AS HITS? YES.
THERE WERE ANOTHER 98 THAT WERE UH, RELEASED BECAUSE THE IMMIGRATION CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT DID NOT WANT THEM.
SO THE MAJORITY OF THE TIME WHEN THERE WAS AN ICE WARRANT THAT WAS FOUND, ICE SAID NO, WE'RE NOT GOING TO DEPORT THESE INDIVIDUALS.
WE DON'T WANNA TAKE CUSTODY OF THEM.
THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD.
YOU YOU'VE HAD A, UM, A GOOD RELATIONSHIP I CAN SAY WITH ME.
AND, UM, WE DON'T AGREE ON THIS ISSUE AND WE HAVE TALKED OVER THE PHONE.
BUT I WILL SAY THAT THERE HAS TO BE A LEVEL THOUGH OF RESPECT FOR, FOR THE COUNCIL.
[02:10:01]
ELECTED BODY AND ELECTED MEMBERS WHO ARE VOTED UPON TO BE IN THESE SEATS TO REPRESENT THEIR CONSTITUENTS.EVERYONE HAS DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS, DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES, DIFFERENT IDEOLOGY, DIFFERENT PARTIES.
WE'RE ALWAYS NOT GONNA AGREE ON EVERYTHING.
BUT I THINK THE MANNER IN WHICH WE COMMUNICATE IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE ARE ALL IN LEADERSHIP POSITIONS.
THE ENTIRE CITY IS LOOKING AT US AS LEADERS.
AND THAT'S WHY, UM, I TRY NOT TO TAKE THINGS PERSONAL FROM, FROM THE CARTOONS TO TO, TO ANY OF THE RHETORIC THAT'S OUT THERE.
BUT I ALSO RESPECT YOUR LEADERSHIP POSITION AND WOULDN'T COME AT YOU A CERTAIN WAY.
AND I AM ASKING ON BEHALF OF MY COLLEAGUES WHO DON'T NEED ME TO COME TO THEIR DEFENSE, BUT SPECIFICALLY MY SPELMAN SISTER, THAT WE, THAT THERE IS A LEVEL OF DECORUM THAT I THINK IS, IS, IS DUE AND THAT WE SPEAK AND COMMUNICATE TO EACH OTHER RESPECTFULLY AND AS PROFESSIONALS AND UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE ALWAYS NOT GONNA AGREE ON THINGS.
AND YOU HAVE YOUR ASSIGNMENT TO DO AND SO DO WE.
AND SO I DO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR COMING FORWARD, BUT I DO WANT TO MAKE THOSE POINTS CLEAR AND I HOPE GOING FORWARD THAT THE DISCOURSE DOES NOT BECOME DIVISIVE JUST BECAUSE WE DISAGREE.
UH, BUT WE CAN DO THINGS THAT WE FEEL IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF OUR CITY, EVEN IF WE'RE NOT ALWAYS ON THE SAME PAGE.
AND TO BE FAIR, COUNCIL SHABA, TO BE FAIR, MA'AM, YOU'RE RIGHT.
I SHOULDN'T HAVE ADDRESSED YOU LIKE THAT AT COUNSEL, BUT THE WAY I DID, I JUST APOLOGIZED THE WAY, THE WAY YOU MADE COMMENTS LAST WEEK.
IT WAS VERY DISPARAGING OF MY OFFICERS AND I TOOK IT PERSONAL.
UH, THAT'S WHY I GOT UP AND LEFT.
'CAUSE I WAS SO MAD I WALKED OUTTA HERE.
OKAY, SO THE THE MAYOR HAS APOLOGIZE.
I, I ACCEPT, BUT I JUST WANNA SAY, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT PLAYING POLITICS, WHAT ARE YOU DOING WHEN YOU GO ON SOCIAL MEDIA SAYING THAT YOU'RE NOT GONNA SUPPORT ANYBODY THAT RUNS FOR OFFICE? IS THAT NOT PLAYING POLITICS? NO.
THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE ALWAYS, WHAT YOU'RE ALSO DOING, YOU'RE MUDDYING THE WATERS.
NOBODY IS SAYING THAT PEOPLE WILL NOT BE ARRESTED IF THERE'S A CRIMINAL WARRANT.
THAT IS NOT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE.
BUT, AND THEN WHILE WE ARE COUNTING THE STOPS, GEORGE FLOYD WAS ONE STOP.
YOU CAN'T LIKE TO BE FOLLOWED BY RODERICK GRIS.
I'M CAROLYN RIVERA FROM SET GAS.
I'M HERE ABOUT THE FLOOD ZONE CHANGE.
WE WENT FROM NO FLOOD ZONE TO A HUNDRED YEAR FLOOD ZONE.
WHY? FOR YEARS THE CITY REFUSED TO UPDATE THE MAIN AND MAINTAIN OUR DRAINAGE SYSTEM WITH AVALOR FUNDS DESIGNATED FOR DRAINAGE INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH COULD SAVE LIVES.
AND THEN YOU TAKE THE FUNDS AND DO WHAT YOU WANT TO DO WITH THEM.
THERE IS MORE MONEY, I BELIEVE, AVAILABLE FOR DRAINAGE THAN YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH.
SO YOU DO WHAT YOU WANNA DO WITH IT.
I SUGGEST YOU STOP SAYING THAT YOU HAVE NO FINES AND DO THE RIGHT THING.
I MAY DIE IN SET OF GAS FROM DRAINING IN FLOOD WATERS, BUT BECAUSE OF YOUR UNFAIRNESS AND LACK OF JUSTICE OVER THE YEARS, NOT JUST THIS GROUP, OTHER GROUPS LIKE YOU, IGNORE US.
LIKE WE DON'T, ARE NOT HUMAN BEINGS.
AND I HOPE, I HOPE YOU HAVE NO PEACE, PEACE UNTIL YOU FOCUS ON CORRECTING OUR DRAINAGE PROBLEM.
MS. RIVERA, THANK YOU FOR COMING IN AND, UM, SHARING
[02:15:01]
YOUR CONCERNS ABOUT THE, THE FLOODING.I KNOW THAT'S A MAJOR ISSUE, UM, WITHIN DISTRICT B.
UM, BUT I CAN SAY THAT WE HAVE QUITE A FEW PROJECTS, SWAT PROJECTS THAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.
AND SO, UM, WE WILL BE FOLLOWING UP WITH KNOCK, WE'LL BE HAVING A, A CONVERSATION WITH THEM TO GIVE THEM A UPDATE ON THE DITCH MAINTENANCE ORDINANCE AS WELL AS THE SWAT PROJECTS.
JUST ALL THE WORK WE HAVE QUITE A LOT OF DRAINAGE PROJECTS IS HAPPENING, UM, IN THE NORTHEAST SIDE OF TOWN.
SO WE JUST NEED TO SIT DOWN AND GO OVER THESE PROJECTS WITH YOU AND THEN WE'LL DISCUSS THE NEW MAP, THE FLOOD MAPS.
IT'S NOT SAYING THAT WE'RE NOW IN THE FLOOD ZONE, WE'RE ALREADY IN THE FLOOD ZONE.
AND SO WE'LL SIT DOWN AND DISCUSS THAT WITH YOU.
BUT THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR CONTINUAL ADV ADVOCACY, UM, FOR THE AREA.
AND MAY I SAY SOMETHING IN RESPECT TO WHAT YOU'VE SAID? YES MA'AM.
WE ARE ALWAYS PROMISED SOMETHING THAT'S NEVER DONE AND NEVER COMPLETED AND ALWAYS AN EXCUSE.
SO I WILL BELIEVE IT WHEN I SEE IT.
NEXT BRO GRIS JOSEPH BALLARD FROM HUMBLE TO BE FOLLOWED BY FELICIA GALLOWAY.
ALSO A HUMBLE, CAN I GET USED TO RIGHT? YOU GO ON BOTH SIDES.
THIS, I APOLOGIZE FOR YOUR SISTER 'CAUSE HE RAN ME HOT BEING DISRESPECTFUL.
CAN'T LET, UH, UH, ABBOT TRY TO TAKE OVER THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
THAT THAT AIN'T WHAT I COME DOWN HERE FOR.
I WOKE UP SUNDAY MORNING, THIS PAST EASTER, COULDN'T EVEN LEAVE OUT MY DRIVEWAY.
I'VE BEEN THERE 30 YEARS, NEVER HAD, I LIVE IN THE BACK OF THE COMMUNITY.
I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE ALL THESE CARS IS COMING FROM.
IT DON'T TAKE ME, BUT TWO SECONDS TO GET FROM MY DRIVEWAY TO THE FRONT OF MY COMMUNITY.
YOU GOT ALL THESE CARS COMING THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD TRYING TO GET TO THE CHURCH.
WHEN I MOVED OUT THERE WITH NUMBER WOODS, NOW WE GOT THE FEDERAL DISPOSABLE COMPANY THAT NEED TO BE CHECKED ON.
'CAUSE THEY OUTTA COMPLIANCE MUD EVERYWHERE.
AND NOW YOU GOT THESE NEW WAREHOUSES WITH AMAZON.
THEY GOT ANOTHER 10 WAREHOUSES COMING UP.
THEY GOT ANOTHER 10 WAREHOUSES COMING UP BEHIND US.
WHEN I MOVED THERE WAS WAS WOODS.
IT TOOK ME THREE HOURS TO GET FROM MY HOUSE TO 59.
IF YOU LOOK AT THOSE PICTURES, I GOT PLENTY OF PICTURES.
IF IT AIN'T THE TRUCKS, IT'S AMAZON AT THREE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING.
WHEN PEOPLE GOING TO WORK ON SUNDAYS, IT'S THE CHURCH, THE LIGHTHOUSE.
I'VE BEEN DOWN HERE BEFORE MAYOR ABOUT THIS SAME ISSUE.
WE PAY TAXES, WE GOTTA KEEP OUR COMMUNITY CLEAN AND, AND NICE.
THAT'S WHERE WE, THAT'S WHERE WE LIVE.
THAT THIS CHURCH IS DISRESPECTFUL.
THE THE TRUCKING COMPANY IS DISRESPECTFUL.
NOW WE GOT AMAZON, THEN WE FINNA HAVE 10 MORE.
SO, AND THEN YOU GOT HPD OFFICERS WORKING AT THE CHURCH, STOPPING OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS FROM, FROM GOING TO CHURCH, EVEN COMING OUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD WANTING TO ARREST THEM.
YOU KNOW, WANTING TO BULLY 'EM.
WE'VE BEEN HERE, WE WAS HERE FIRST.
WE CAN'T GET, WE CAN'T, WE CAN GET OUT OUR COMMUNITY.
YOU GOT AMAZON EVERY MORNING AND YOU GOT THE, THE TRUCKING COMPANY EVERY DAY.
I, I CAN SHOW YOU PICTURES IN MY PHONE WHERE I'M TALKING MUD.
I'M TALKING ABOUT THE WHOLE STREET.
WE GOT TO REPLACE OUR FLOWERS DOWN OUR, OUR TO KEEP OUR BEAUT OUR COMMUNITY WITH DUST AND MUD EVERY DAY.
THEY DON'T, HEY, WE IN HOUSTON, WE PAY CITY TAXES, UTILITIES, WHATEVER.
OUR NEXT STEP, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO FILE A LAWSUIT.
WE NEED TO HAVE A MEETING WITH THE CHURCH, NEED TO HAVE A MEETING WITH AMAZON, WHOEVER OWNED THAT AND THE TRUCKING COMPANY, THEY ARE DISRESPECTFUL AT THAT CHURCH.
I DON'T WANT TO HEAR NOTHING ABOUT WHAT THE, THEY TALK TO THE PASTOR, WHATEVER, WHATEVER THEY TRYING TO GET THEIR DOLLAR.
WE TRYING TO GET OUT TO ENJOY OUR LIFE, OUR SUNDAYS OR OUR EVERYDAY LIFE.
[02:20:01]
THANK YOU MAYOR.AND THANK YOU MR. UM, BALLARD FOR COMING IN.
AND I KNOW THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU'VE BEEN LIKE, I'M SICK OF IT ON, I'M SICK OF IT.
MY PHONE AND ON THE PHONE CALLING MY OFFICE AND, UM, ABOUT THE TRAFFIC.
I TOLD YOU I REACHED OUT TO PASTOR KEON AND WE DID MEET WITH, UM, THE CHURCH MEMBERS, A COUPLE OF HIS TEAM MEMBERS IN JANUARY, UM, TO LOOK AT EXPANDING THE ROAD AND EXPLORING PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE OTHER DEVELOPMENTS THAT'S HAPPENING AROUND THERE.
AND SO, UM, I DID LET HIM KNOW ABOUT EASTER SUNDAY AND PASTOR KEON SENT A COUPLE OF REPRESENTATIVES HERE THAT'S IN THE, UM, AUDIENCE THAT'S GONNA ADDRESS, UM, THE COUNCIL ABOUT THIS ISSUE.
AND OF COURSE, UM, AFTER THE ADDRESS COUNCIL, I WOULD LOVE TO CREATE, YOU KNOW, HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THE, THE COMMUNITY, UM, AS WELL AS THE CHURCH MEMBERS, THE LEADERSHIP OF THE CHURCH TO SEE WHAT WE CAN COME UP WITH TO MITIGATE THIS ISSUE.
I KNOW IT'S FRUSTRATING, UM, BUT WE ARE GONNA HAVE TO COME UP WITH A WAY TO COEXIST.
THERE'S THERE, THERE'S ALREADY A FOUR LANE STREET.
IF YOU LOOK AT THOSE PICTURES AND, AND THE PICTURES IN MY PHONE.
I HAD TO GO DOWN TO MEDIA JUST TO GET TO THE FREEWAY.
WHEN I GOT TO THE CHURCH, I WAS AT A STANDSTILL.
THE POLICE OUT THERE LOLLYGAGGING ON THEIR PHONES OR WHATEVER.
YOU HAD TRAFFIC FROM, FROM RANK AND ROAD TO JFK.
I HAD VIDEOS ON THE, ON THE, ON THE WESTBOUND SIDE.
ON THE EASTBOUND SIDE FROM RANKING TO THE BELTWAY.
PEOPLE COULDN'T EVEN, I'M SAYING YOU COULDN'T GET BY.
I GOT VID PEOPLE SEND ME VIDEOS ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
BUT THE, THE POINT IS, WE WANT, WE NEED TO HAVE A DISCUSSION AND HOW, HOW MANY TIMES WE GONNA HAVE TO HAVE THIS DISCUSSION IS MY THIRD TIME COMING DOWN HERE ABOUT THESE SAME INDIVIDUALS.
YOU KNOW, IT, IT, WE, WE DON'T HAVE A QUALITY OF LIFE NOW.
THEY BUILDING, LIKE I SAY, BUILDING, THEY GOT WAREHOUSES ALL, ALL THE WAY AROUND US.
THEY'RE TRYING TO PUT US, RUN US OUT.
SO WE, AGAIN, WE HAVE SOME REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE CHURCH HERE THAT'S GONNA SPEAK RIGHT AFTER YOU.
AND THEN THEY'LL LET YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO ABOUT IT? AND WE ARE GONNA HEAR FROM THEM.
AND THEN EVENTUALLY WE'LL COME UP WITH THE, AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THE CITY TO THE MAYOR TO HELP THE OFFICERS.
YOU KNOW, YOU GOT HPD OFFICERS ARE SO DISRESPECTFUL TO THE COMM, TO OUR COMMUNITY, TRYING TO GET OUT OUR COMMUNITY TO GO ENJOY THEY SUNDAY, ENJOY THEIR DAY.
YOU KNOW, WE, HEY MAN, WE GOT, IT'S GOT TO STOP.
I, I, I CAN'T KEEP COMING DOWN HERE EVERY DAY, UH, EVERY TUESDAY OR EVERY MONTH TO, TO TALK ABOUT THIS.
I, I HAVE STUFF I HAVE TO DO TOO.
LOOK AT SOME OF THE PICTURES IN MY PHONE.
THEY DON'T THINK WE, THEY DON'T THINK WE ARE A PART OF HOUSTON.
THEY THINK WE, WE THINK, THINK WE IN HUMBLE.
YOU JUST MADE A REALLY IMPORTANT POINT.
HAVE YOU TALKED TO THE HUMBLE CITY, MAYOR AND COUNCIL? WE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
WE ARE IN HUMBLE, BUT WE ARE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
SO WE NEED TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH PLANNING AND THE DEPARTMENT, UM, PUBLIC WORKS.
WE NEED, WE NEED A MEETING WITH THE, WITH, WITH THE, THE CITY, THE CHURCH, AMAZON, THE TRUCKING COMPANY AND, AND, AND THE SURROUNDING BUILDINGS THAT'S COMING UP.
IF I SHOW YOU SOME OF THESE PICTURES AND YOU WOULDN'T BELIEVE IT, I LOOKED AT HIM.
NEXT, FELICIA GALLOWAY OF HUMBLE.
IVY MCGREGOR TELL JOE TO STAY TO BE FOLLOWED BY STEVEN TAYLOR.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
IT IS, UH, NOT A COINCIDENCE THAT WE ARE TOWARDS THE END OF THE DOCKET TODAY BECAUSE I, WE REPRESENT LIGHTHOUSE CHURCH AND MINISTRIES, WHICH IS A SAFE PLACE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
LIGHTHOUSE CHURCH AND MINISTRIES VERY QUICKLY SERVES OUR COMMUNITY RICHLY.
WE SERVE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE HOUSING INSECURE.
WE SERVE INDIVIDUALS THAT TAKE CARE OF CHILDREN THAT HAVE NEEDS OF SENSORY SPACES.
WE ALSO HAVE A SENIOR COMMUNITY THAT IS VERY, VERY VIBRANT AND WE HAVE A TAGLINE THAT WE LIVE BY.
THAT WE ARE A LIGHT THAT LOVES LIFTS AND LEADS.
WE ARE SERVING THE GREATER HOUSTON AREA AND PEOPLE ARE COMING BY THE THOUSANDS AND WE'RE HONORED TO SERVE THEM.
WE ARE HERE TODAY TO GALVANIZE THE SUPPORT OF THE CITY TO SAY HELP US AS WE CONTINUE TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY.
I MET WITH MY COLLEAGUES STEVEN, UH, WHO WILL COME AND SHARE.
HOW YOU DOING, MAYOR? THANK YOU, MS. JACKSON.
LIKE MS. IVY SAID, WE ARE A LIGHT THAT LEADS AND, AND PEOPLE HAVE BEEN LED TO THE LIGHTHOUSE
[02:25:01]
CHURCH IN THAT COMMUNITY BY THE DROVES.AND YES, IT WAS EASTER SUNDAY, SO WE DO ADMIT THAT THERE WAS, UH, ABNORMAL TRAFFIC, BUT WE HIRED, WHICH WE KNOW ARE GREAT POLICE OFFICER, WHO WE PARTNER WITH EVERY SUNDAY AND EVERY DAY THAT HELPED US WITH THE TRAFFIC.
WE, WE BROUGHT IN THREE EXTRA POLICE OFFICERS JUST TO DEAL WITH THE TRAFFIC ON RANKIN ROAD.
AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
AND WE'VE CONTINUED TO DO IMPROVEMENTS AS FAR AS, UH, ADDING ONTO OUR PARKING LOTS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
SO WE WANT TO BE A BEACON IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE WANNA WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY ISSUES.
AND WE DID PARTNER EVEN WITH THE BUSINESS ACROSS THE STREET TO PROVIDE MORE PARKING, WHICH IS OVER 200 PARKING SPACES.
SO WE'VE MITIGATED SOME OF THOSE THINGS.
YOU CAME IN, YOU ENJOYED THE EXPERIENCE, NO TRAFFIC ON RANKIN ROAD.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE TO DO, IS TO WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY AND TO PROVIDE SERVICES.
SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUED SUPPORT AND WE ARE WILLING TO MEET WITH THEM.
AND I JUST WANT TO INTRODUCE MY COLLEAGUE, CRAIG HAWKINS, WHO'S THE DIRECTOR OF FACILITIES.
UH, MR. MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
UM, I JUST WANNA REITERATE WHAT, UH, MY COLLEAGUE SAID THAT WE ARE.
UH, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO US THAT WE ARE COMMITTED TO WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY.
SO WE ARE DEFINITELY LOOKING FOR, OR WE WILL NOT SHY AWAY FROM THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIT DOWN AND HAVE CONSTRUCTIVE CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO FOR THIS, FOR THIS, UH, ENTIRE COMMUNITY TO INCLUDE THE CHURCH.
SO, UM, AGAIN, FOR ME, UH, I'VE BEEN THERE ABOUT A YEAR NOW.
SO IT'S, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT I FULLY UNDERSTAND IF I WANTED TO COME DOWN TODAY AND SIT DOWN AND LISTEN TO THE COMMUNITY AND THEIR CONCERNS SO THAT WE CAN ADDRESS THEM ACCORDINGLY.
THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING DOWN.
AND THANK YOU FOR SITTING THROUGH, UM, UM, THE SESSION.
I KNOW IT'S, WE HAVE A LOT OF, LOT OF STUFF HAPPENING HERE.
UM, BUT I DID HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO CHURCH ON SUNDAY AND IT WAS SMOOTH.
I GOT, YOU KNOW, GOT THERE A LITTLE EARLY AND THE LINE WASN'T LONG.
AND I MEAN, THE PROCESS WAS REALLY SMOOTH, BUT I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU ALL FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE DOING AND JUST FOR COMING DOWN TO SPEAK WITH THE COMMUNITY.
LET THEM KNOW THAT YOU HEAR THEM, THAT YOU'RE DOING EVERYTHING YOU CAN TO MITIGATE THE ISSUES.
BUT YOU'RE DOING A LOT OF GREAT WORK IN THE COMMUNITY.
I KNOW THEY HAVE A MOTHER'S DAY, UM, BABY SHOWER THAT'S COMING UP AND SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO VOLUNTEERING FOR THAT.
UM, BUT JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU AND JUST ANYTHING THAT MY OFFICE CAN DO TO SUPPORT YOU.
BUT EVENTUALLY WE WILL PULL A MEETING TOGETHER WITH PUBLIC WORKS, UM, PLANNING DEPARTMENT AND OF COURSE THE NEIGHBORHOOD, SOME OF THE LEADERS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD BEHIND, UM, THE CHURCH SO THAT WE CAN COME UP WITH, WITH A, A SOLUTION AND A WAY THAT WE CAN COEXIST.
UM, 'CAUSE YOU GUYS ARE DOING GREAT WORK AND SO I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
YOUR CHURCH WAS GOOD, THE SPIRIT.
I'M FEELING IT RIGHT HERE NOW.
THANK YOU FOR COMING DOWN AND, UM, LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU.
THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING AND CERTAINLY EXPRESSING IT.
JUST WANTED TO UPLIFT THE QUESTION.
HAVE YOU ALL HAD ANY ENGAGEMENT WITH PRIOR TO TODAY ABOUT THE ISSUES THAT HAS BEEN BROUGHT FORTH IN THE COMMUNITY? HAVE YOU ALL HAD ANY ENGAGEMENT AT ANY TIME WITH ANYONE THAT REPRESENT THE COMMUNITY IN THE PROBLEMS THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT? YES, I HAVE.
I'VE BEEN, UH, UM, THERE AS DIRECTOR OF SECURITY, UH, FOR OVER 15 YEARS SINCE THE CHURCH HAS BEEN THERE.
AND, UH, I'VE ENGAGED WITH, UH, A NUMBER OF, UH, PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITY AND THAT'S WHEN WE ADDED THE EXTRA OFFICERS.
WE WENT OVER AND TALKED TO THE BUSINESS ACROSS THE STREET MM-HMM
AND THEY ALLOWED US TO HAVE ADDITIONAL PARKING THERE AND WE'VE DID EVERYTHING WE, WE'VE PARTNERED WITH TEXDOT NEXT DOOR TO COME UP WITH A SYSTEM TO PLACE CONES AND THINGS ON SUNDAYS AND SIGNS.
SO WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THEM.
SO THOSE PEOPLE THAT YOU SPOKE TO, WERE THEY COM CIVIC CLUBS? WERE THEY, YOU KNOW, ANYONE, THE ELECTED OFFICIALS OR WHATEVER? HAD YOU SPOKE TO ANYONE DIRECTLY IN A CONVERSATION AS WELL AS THE PASTOR? YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE WE HEARING THAT AS THAT HAPPENED.
THIS IS ONE, THIS IS PROBABLY THE INITIATIVE THAT PASTOR HENDERSON AND FIRST LADY HAVE PUT FORTH FOR US TO DO.
WE'VE ALSO, WE'VE ENGAGED IN OUR STAFF MEETING, WE'VE PUT TOGETHER A TEAM OF ABOUT EIGHT PEOPLE TO SPECIFICALLY WORK ON THE TRAFFIC ISSUES OR ANY ISSUES COMING FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD SPECIFICALLY.
SO THAT'S WHY, UM, LAST SUNDAY YOU SEE THAT IT WAS INITIATED AND IT WORKED WELL.
SO PASTOR HENDERSON, THIS IS FIRST ON HIS LIST AND I WAS OUT THERE ALL SUNDAY AND UH, MADE SURE EVERYTHING RAN SMOOTHLY.
I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE MITIGATED THE SITUATION AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO SO.
HAPPY TO HEAR THAT AND WE'LL, WE'LL FOLLOW UP.
[02:30:08]
AND NEIL AKINO.THANK YOU TO THE PEOPLE OF HOUSTON FOR PROVIDING THIS FORUM.
UM, I WANT MY REMARKS PLEASE TODAY AND TO BE THE CONTEXT OF MAYOR WHITMEYER SAYING EARLIER TODAY, THERE'S ONLY ONE OPINION THAT MATTERS AND THAT'S THE GOVERNOR'S.
SO YOU'RE TOLD RIGHT OFF, THERE'S NO RULE OF LAW.
YOU'RE TOLD RIGHT OFF THAT THERE'S NO RULE OF LAW.
THANK YOU TO THE HOUSTONIANS WHO CREATED THE POLITICAL CLIMATE WHERE PASSAGE OF THE ICE ORDINANCE WAS POSSIBLE TO COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS CAME IN AND POLLED FOR SPONSORING AND FOR THE 12 WHO VOTED YES, COUNCIL MUST STICK TO THE VOTE IT MADE.
WHITE SUPREMACISTS AND AUTHORITARIANS ARE EASABLE.
ABBOTT AND PAXTON ARE EASABLE.
THE POLICE AND FIRE UNIONS ARE EASABLE.
WE BUST THE BUDGET FOR THEM AND THEY TURN AROUND AND ENDORSE POLITICIANS WHO THREATEN US.
THANKFULLY, RECENT COUNCIL ELECTIONS ARE SHOWING THAT THE POLICE UNION IS ENDORSEMENT IS INCREASINGLY A LIABILITY.
LET'S WORK TO CONTINUE THAT IN 2027.
DO WE HAVE ANY CHANCE AS HOUSTONIANS THROUGH THE CONVENTIONAL POLITICAL PROCESS HERE AT CITY HALL TO MITIGATE THE CRUELTY OF ICE OR TO STAND UP AGAINST ABBOTT'S PROMISE? 2026 HARRIS COUNTY ELECTION INTERFERENCE.
HE SAYS OUR ELECTION SHOULD BE TAKEN OVER.
TANISHA HUDSPETH SAYS IT ALL THE TIME THAT SHE EXPECTS IT.
THIS IS A QUESTION FOR EACH OF US.
IT'S A QUESTION THAT PATRIOTS IN MINNESOTA ANSWERED WHEN THEY NECESSARILY TOOK PART IN DAILY PROTEST AND PEOPLE IN HUNGARY ANSWERED IN VOTING ORBAN OUT.
MAYOR WHITMEYER, YOUR VIEW THAT A MUTED OPPOSITION TO EVIL IS SOME TYPE OF CIVIC VICTORY OR VIRTUE, OR, OR, OR, OR, OR VIRTUE IS AWFUL.
YOU'VE TOLD ME, MAYOR, THAT YOU'VE SEEN OUR WEEKLY TUESDAY PROTEST OUTSIDE OR SENATOR CORN'S OFFICE.
WE WERE THERE TODAY, WEEK 479.
EVERY TUESDAY, 1130 TO 1 5300 MEMORIAL DRIVE.
WE TREAT YOU WITH FULL RESPECT AND YOU COULD SEE WHAT IT WOULD BE TO BE WITH PEOPLE WHO WILL STAND UP FOR YOUR RIGHTS.
WE ARE LESS THAN CONFIDENT THAT YOU WILL STAND UP FOR OUR RIGHTS.
WE ARE WILLING TO STAND ON THAT CORNER AND GET STUFF THROWN AT US FOR SYSTEMS THAT HAVE SUSTAINED YOU LUCRATIVELY AT TIMES FOR 50 YEARS.
WE FIGHT FOR THE SYSTEMS THAT SUSTAIN YOU.
WE HAVE NO CONCEPT THAT YOU WILL.
FOR US, THIS ORDINANCE WAS ALWAYS MORE, FAR MORE THAN JUST ABOUT ICE IS MEANINGFUL PRO PROGRESS POSSIBLE AT CITY HALL? I HOPE SO.
COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER SAYS, ALL OUR CONCERNS ARE A LITTLE MORE THAN A ROUNDING ERROR.
A LITTLE KID IN SOME MEASLES RIDDEN DETENTION CENTER IS A ROUNDING AREA ERA.
HOW DO YOU MAKE PROGRESS WHEN PEOPLE HAVE SUCH HARD HEARTS? TO MY FELLOW HOUSTONIANS, LET'S BUILD THE CAPACITY FOR MINNESOTA TYPE OPPOSITION AND RELENTLESS POLITICAL PRESSURE.
EVERY DAY, RANK AND FILE VOLUNTEERS MUST CONTINUE TO STEP UP.
THERE'S NO ANTIFA, MS. CARTER.
FOLKS, IF YOU WANTED THE MOST LAW ABIDING FOLKS WHO USE TURN SIGNALS, VOTE IN EVERY ELECTION AND RETURN LIBRARY BOOKS ON TIME, YOU'D HOLD AN ANTI-TRUMP PROTEST.
IT IS, IT IS THE EMBODIMENT OF LAWLESSNESS RATHER THAN THE AGGRESSION YOU SAW FROM THE POLICE UNION EARLIER TODAY.
THE NEXT ACTION IS WHEN YOU ORGANIZE IT.
THE FIRST AMENDMENT IS YOUR PERMIT.
THE ONLY CREDENTIAL NEEDED IS YOUR PRESENCE.
THE DATE OF THE NEXT PROTEST IS FRIDAY, APRIL 17TH, 9:00 AM HERE AT CITY HALL.
HAS YOU VOTE TO REPEAL THIS ORDINANCE WITHOUT A FIGHT AND STRIP US OF ANY HOPE THAT WE CAN HAVE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS.
NEXT BERNADETTE CAGNEY REEVES TO BE FOLLOWED BY OZA JOHNSON.
GOOD AFTERNOON MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS, IS BERNADETTE CAGNEY REEVES AND I'M A PARTICIPANT IN THE HPD HOMELESS OUTREACH TEAM OR THE HOTS TEAM.
I'M HERE TO FORMALLY REQUEST A PERFORMANCE AUDIT BECAUSE A RECENT INCIDENT EXPOSED TO CRITICAL FAILURE.
THE PROGRAM DOES NOT PROVIDE REAL TIME VERIFICATION AND PARTICIPANT STATUS DURING ACTIVE SITUATIONS.
ON GOOD FRIDAY, I WAS SUBJECTED TO A NON-CONSENT TOW BY A NEIGHBORING AGENCY WHILE I WAS PRESENT AND ABLE TO MOVE MY VEHICLE.
BECAUSE HPD HOT WAS CLOSED FOR THE HOLIDAY, THERE WAS NO MECHANISM FOR OFFICERS TO VERIFY MY STATUS.
I LATER CONTACTED HPD AND, UH, WAS TOLD BY A LIEUTENANT THAT THE PROGRAM IS ESSENTIALLY A MALE ONLY SERVICE.
AS A RESULT, I WAS LEFT STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF A STRIP MALL WITH NO ASSISTANCE.
THIS IS NOT JUST A SINGLE INCIDENT, IT'S
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A SYSTEMATIC FAILURE.A PROGRAM DESIGNED TO SUPPORT VULNERABLE INDIVIDUALS CANNOT DEPEND ON BUSINESS HOURS TO FUNCTION WITHOUT REAL TIME VERIFICATION.
PARTICIPANTS ARE NOT RECOGNIZED IN THE FIELD AND THE PROTECTIONS THE PROGRAM IS SUPPOSED TO PROVIDE BREAKDOWN AT THE POINT OF CONTACT.
THIS RAISES SERIOUS CONCERNS THAT WARRANT A PERFORMANCE AUDIT.
FIRST VERIFICATION, UH, FAILURE.
WHY IS THERE NO 24 7 SYSTEM TO CONFIRM PARTICIPANT STATUS DURING ACTIVE ENCOUNTERS? SECOND, TRAINING AND CONSISTENCY.
WHY IS THERE A DISCONNECT BETWEEN THE PROGRAM'S INTENDED PURPOSE AND HOW IT IS UNDERSTOOD BY HPDS LEADERSHIP AND OTHER AGENCIES, ESPECIALLY NEIGHBOR NEIGHBORING JURISDICTIONS.
THIRD, PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS IF PARTICIPANTS CANNOT BE RECOGNIZED OR SUPPORTED IN REAL TIME, IS THE PROGRAM MEETING ITS STATED OBJECTIVES.
THIS IS A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE.
WHEN COORDINATION FAILS, VULNERABLE INDIVIDUALS ARE PLACED AT RISK AND CITY RESOURCES ARE USED INEFFICIENTLY.
I'M ASKING THE CITY COUNCIL TO DIRECT A PERFORMANCE AUDIT THROUGH THE CITY COUNCIL, UH, CONTROLLER'S OFFICE TO EVALUATE THESE GAPS AND ENSURE THE HOT PROGRAM DELIVERS THE CONSISTENT REAL-TIME SUPPORT IT PROMISES.
NO HOUSTONIAN SHOULD BE LEFT STRANDED BECAUSE A SAFETY PROGRAM ONLY WORKS DURING BUSINESS HOURS.
NEXT ELLE JOHNSON, JOCKED HENLEY, MELISSA RORO TO BE FOLLOWED BY JOHN NICKS MAYOR.
WHITMEYER CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, I'M MELISSA ROW.
$174 MILLION SHORTFALL IS SIGNIFICANT AND THE PUBLIC DESERVES TO UNDERSTAND WHAT CAUSED IT AND HOW IT WILL BE ADDRESSED WITHOUT RAISING TAXES.
LIKE MILLIONS OF HOMEOWNERS, THE CITY MUST LIVE WITHIN ITS MEANS AND SPEND RESPONSIBLY.
YOUR CREDIT RATING OUTLOOK WAS REVISED TO NEGATIVE DUE TO SHRINKING RESERVES AND FINANCIAL PRESSURES.
A LOWER RATING MEANS HIGHER BORROWING COSTS, NOT JUST FOR THE CITY, BUT FOR REGIONAL PARTNERS.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE NORTH HARRIS COUNTY REGIONAL WATER AUTHORITY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR APPROXIMATELY 34% OF THE NORTHEAST WATER PURIFICATION PLAN EXPANSION.
HIGHER BORROWING COSTS COULD ULTIMATELY IMPACT RATE PAYERS ACROSS THE REGION.
THE MAYOR HAS MENTIONED ELIMINATING WASTE, FRAUD AND DUPLICATION.
WHAT EFFICIENCIES ARE BEING IMPLEMENTED? IS THERE A TEAM ASSIGNED TO THIS EFFORT? WHAT IS THE TIMELINE? ADDITIONALLY, RECENT REPORTING ABOUT POTENTIAL PCARD ABUSE IN HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS RAISES CONCERNS ABOUT INTERNAL CONTROLS.
WHAT CORRECTIVE ACTIONS HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED ARE DEPARTMENT MANAGERS APPROVING PURCHASES AND INVOICES MORE CLOSELY.
THE PUBLIC IS LOOKING FOR TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND A CLEAR PLAN FORWARD.
NICKS, JOHN NICKS TO BE FOLLOWED BY MICHELLE EOR FROM HOCKLEY.
I MEAN, GOOD AFTERNOON MAYOR AND UH, AND FELLOW CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M A STILL RESIDENT OF DISTRICT A AND SPRING BRANCH AND ONE MINUTE IS TOUGH, BUT I WANNA SEE MY CITY DO BETTER WITH GETTING MORE AND MORE FIBER INTO LIKE BUILDINGS AND NEIGHBORHOODS THAT DON'T HAVE HIGH SPEED INTERNET OPTIONS.
LIKE THEY DON'T HAVE XFINITY OR AT AND T TO GO INTO AND GIVE LIKE A BLANKET APPROVAL TO THESE COMPANIES.
LIKE EASY FIBER TO COME IN OR THE CITY ITSELF BUILDS THE WIRE.
AND THEN WE HAVE DIFFERENT COMPANIES SELL THE INTERNET OFF THEIR WIRE SIMILAR TO HOW WE HAVE WITH CENTERPOINT AND ALL THESE DIFFERENT POWER COMPANIES AS WELL.
OTHER ISSUES? I BELIEVE EVERY SINGLE SPEAKER THAT REGISTER SHOULD HAVE THREE MINUTES.
I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE MY CITY FIGHT THIS ICE ISSUE IF I HAD TO TOOTH AND NAIL, TOOTH AND NAIL.
GET THE TARO AND PRETTY MUCH GO TO THE CITY, SAY, HEY, STOP YOUR HONOR, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
ARE YOU THROUGH? ALMOST? AND HAVE THE CITY STOP SENDING MONEY TO THE STATE IN RETALIATION AND SAY, HEY, WE DON'T HAVE, WE NEED THE MONEY HERE.
WE NEED, YOU KNOW, AND THEN INCLUDING BECOMING, STARTING THE TALKS TO BECOME AN INDEPENDENT STATE AWAY FROM THE PEOPLE, THE TYRANTS IN AUSTIN, LIKE WE'RE ALLOWED TO DO IN THE AM NATION AGREEMENT.
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TO WELCOME ALL DAY TO STRANGERS.NEXT, MICHELLE IOR OF HACKLEY.
I DON'T SEE JOSEPH AM THIS COMPLETES THE LIST OF SPEAKERS.
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RECESS.RECESS TILL NINE IN THE MORNING.