* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.
          [District F Deed Restrictions Workshop on April 18, 2026.]
          [00:00:09]
          GOOD MORNING RISING. 
          SEAN, THANK Y'ALL FOR JOINING US FOR THE THIRD ANNUAL DEED RESTRICTION WORKSHOP. 
          I AM TIFFANY D. THOMAS. 
          I'M YOUR HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL MEMBER REPRESENTING DISTRICT F ON THE WEST SIDE. 
          THAT'S RIGHT. 
          THAT'S RIGHT, THAT'S RIGHT. 
          REPETITION IS IMPORTANT. 
          I WANNA THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO JOIN US, UH, FOR THE THIRD ANNUAL DEED RESTRICTION. 
          THIS WORKSHOP, THIS WAS ACTUALLY BIRTH OUT OF A SERIES OF EMAILS THAT WE WOULD RECEIVE AT THE OFFICE, AND WE WERE NOTICING TRENDS. 
          UM, LEADERS LIKE YOURSELF WERE EMAILING, ASKING US ABOUT PARKING, PERMITTING STRUCTURES THAT YOU MAY NOT HAVE BEEN AWARE IF THEY WERE EVEN APPROVED. 
          UM, WHICH, UH, ALERTED ME TO, YOU KNOW, AS A HOMEOWNER MYSELF, HEY, WE NEED TO, UM, OFFER RESOURCE TO HOUSTONIANS AND HOMEOWNERS, UM, ESPECIALLY SO THEY CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT THE CITY IS OBLIGATED TO DO, UM, WHAT OUR ROLE IS IN PROTECTING AND PRESERVING YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS, BUT THEN ALSO AS A HOMEOWNER, THE TOOLS THAT YOU NEED TO HAVE. 
          AND SO, I'M SO GRATEFUL THAT WE HAVE AMAZING PARTNERS IN THE ROOM TO DO THIS, UH, WORK WITH US. 
          AND I ALSO WANNA THANK YOU FOR, UH, JOINING US. 
          I DO, BEFORE I FORGET, I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE MY EXCEPTIONAL TEAM. 
          CAN WE PUT YOUR HANDS TOGETHER FOR MY STAFF? SARAY IN THE BACK? JESSICA GREETED YOU, MONIQUE, WHO KEEPS US ON TV AND INFORMATION TO COMMUNITIES. 
          CHRIS, WHO TAKES ALL OF OUR PHOTOS AND PHOTO SHOTS, ME ON THE VIDEOS, SARAI, WHO HELPS YOU WITH ALL OF YOUR CONSTITUENT SERVICES. 
          IF YOU HAVE NOT MET HER, PLEASE MEET HER. 
          SHE'S YOUR FRONTLINE IN TERMS OF YOUR CONSTITUENT SERVICES. 
          AND I WANNA, UH, THANK Y'ALL FOR, UM, PUTTING THIS TOGETHER. 
          UM, ALSO, JUST AS AN ASIDE, BEFORE I INTRODUCE OUR SPEAKER, UH, UH, SUSIE RICE, THERE ARE TWO PARTICULAR ISSUES. 
          WE ARE VERY WELL AWARE OF, UH, ILLEGAL DUMPING AND THE GROWING HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS ON THE WEST SIDE. 
          UM, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE OUR PULSE ON, AND, BUT WE NEED YOUR HELP. 
          AND SO WITH THAT, THOSE TWO ISSUES, UH, Y'ALL HAVE BEEN VERY HELPFUL IN HELPING US IDENTIFY KNOWN ENCAMPMENTS ON THE WEST SIDE. 
          WE STARTED AT SIX, WENT TO EIGHT, NOW WE HAVE 17 IDENTIFIED. 
          AND JUST YESTERDAY, WE RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM THE BRYAN MEADOW COMMUNITY ABOUT A GROWING ONE OFF OF RICHMOND AND HILLCROFT OVER IN THAT AREA. 
          SO WE'RE WORKING ON THAT. 
          BUT THIS IS HOW, UM, I NEED YOUR HELP. 
          3 1 1 IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT. 
          I KNOW YOU HEAR THAT ALL THE TIME, BUT WE, WE NEED ALL OF THAT IN THE SYSTEM. 
          CALL 3 1 1. 
          WE NEED THE SERVICE REQUEST NUMBER, AND WE WANT YOU TO USE YOUR WONDERFUL EXPENSIVE SMARTPHONE. 
          TAKE A PHOTO AND SEND THAT TO THE OFFICE. 
          THAT ALLOWS US TO DO A COUPLE OF THINGS. 
          MONITOR, UM, ADD THAT TO OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AND OUR NONPROFIT PARTNERS WHO ARE WORKING WITH US TO CANVAS THOSE INDIVIDUALS TO ACTUALLY, ACTUALLY GET THEM THE RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED. 
          SO WE CAN START THEM ON A, A DIFFERENT PATHWAY. 
          BUT WE NEED TO KNOW WHERE THEY'RE AT. 
          UH, JOE, WHERE DID JOE WALTON GO? THERE GOES JOE. 
          SO JOE WALTON'S ON THE HUNTINGTON VILLAGE, UH, BOARD, I'M GONNA SAY THIS IN THE LOVING WAY. 
          DON'T BE LIKE, JOE, JOE WILL WALK UP ON THE ILLEGAL DUMPERS AND TAKE THE PHOTO. 
          AND I'M LIKE, JOE, JUST TAKE THE PHOTO FROM AFAR. 
          UM, JUST, YOU KNOW, JOE IS OUR WARRIOR, UM, BUT WE REALLY DO NEED YOUR HELP IN THAT. 
          OUR EXCEPTIONAL HOTSPOT TEAM, THEY CLEARED THAT DEBRIS WITHIN 72 HOURS. 
          UM, AND A LOT OF THAT WORK THAT'S HAPPENING, UM, IS BECAUSE Y'ALL ARE NOTIFYING US IN 3 1 1. 
          SO I JUST WANNA, I NEED YOUR HELP ON THAT. 
          I WANNA, UH, IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR ME TO DO THIS. 
          UM, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE HEAR A LOT OF, UH, ISSUES AROUND PERMITTING, PARKING, LAND USE, BLIGHTED HOMES, AND WE HAVE ALL OF OUR CITY DEPARTMENT REPRESENTATIVES, THEY ARE PARTNERS WITH US IN THIS. 
          UH, WE WORK TOGETHER FOR THE SAME GOAL TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE A ENHANCED QUALITY OF LIFE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD. 
          SO YOU'LL HEAR FROM THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT RELATED TO HOME REPAIR. 
          A LOT OF THE ISSUES WHEN YOU CALL THE OFFICE, UM, THERE MAY BE A SENIOR OR A HOME THAT MAY NOT BE, UH, ENTRUSTED. 
          THEY NEED SUPPORT AND THE RESOURCES TO REPAIR THAT HOME SO YOU DON'T EXPERIENCE BLIGHT. 
          UM, YOU'LL HEAR FROM PUBLIC WORKS THAT'LL TALK ABOUT THE DANGEROUS BUILDINGS. 
          MANY OF YOU CALL INQUIRING ABOUT HOMES THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED A FIRE, THE STRUCTURES LEANING, EVEN COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS THAT SURROUND YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD. 
          THEY'LL PROVIDE, UM, UH, UPDATES AND INFORMATION AROUND THAT AND PERMITTING. 
          UM, WE'LL ALSO HEAR FROM, UM, HARRIS COUNTY TAX ASSESSOR, RIGHT? THAT'S SO IMPORTANT. 
          AND THEY'RE DOING A NEW THING IN THAT OFFICE. 
          LOT, LOTS OF ENHANCED TECHNOLOGY AND INFORMATION THAT'S GONNA BE IMPORTANT FOR YOU AS A HOMEOWNER AND YOUR NEIGHBORS AROUND YOUR TAXES. 
          AND THEN ALSO PROTECTING, UH, US FROM FRAUD. 
          WE KNOW TECHNOLOGY AS IT ENHANCES, SO DO THE CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR. 
          AND EVERYONE'S LOOKING FOR A SCHEME AND A SCAM. 
          AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UH, WHEN YOU'RE PAYING 
          [00:05:01]
YOUR TAXES, IT'S GOING TO THE RIGHT, UM, ORGANIZATION. 
          AND THEN WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA OF COURSE, TALK ABOUT PARKING. 
          WE KNOW THAT THAT'S AN ISSUE AS WELL. 
          I'M GONNA STEP TO THE SIDE AND I WANT TO INTRODUCE SUSIE RICE. 
          UM, SHE'S BEEN WITH US FROM DAY ONE FROM THE BEGINNING. 
          UM, SHE'S THE ALL STAR OF, UH, TECH. 
          PUT YOUR HANDS TOGETHER. 
          THAT'S RIGHT. 
          SHE'S THE ALL STAR OF TEXAS PROPERTY RIGHTS. 
          UM, SHE HAS HER PULSE ON WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, AND SHE HAS BEEN WORKING WITH, UH, SEVERAL OF YOU, CROWN COLONY. 
          TROY'S HERE FROM CROWN COLONY. 
          HE'S A TESTIMONY OF WHAT CAN HAPPEN. 
          WE HAVE WEST HOLLOW IN THE HOUSE AS WELL. 
          ROBINDALE CREEK, UM, WHERE THEY HAVE TRANSFORMED THEIR COMMUNITY BECAUSE THEY UPDATED THEIR, THEIR COVENANTS. 
          I'M GOING TO, AND AS, LET ME, THIS IS MY LAST ASIDE. 
          UM, SO WE HAVE THREE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT DO NOT HAVE HOAS, TANGO, WILD WESTMONT, AND PINEY POINT, WHICH PRESENTS AN ISSUE OFTENTIMES BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE, UH, THAT APPARATUS FOR ENFORCEMENT. 
          THEY ARE LED BY CIVIC CLUBS. 
          AND ALTHOUGH THOSE CIVIC CLUBS ARE DEEPLY COMMITTED TO MEETING AND STAYING CONNECTED, THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT HOAS HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO. 
          UM, I HAVE BEEN TALKING WITH CITY LEGAL FOR PROBABLY TWO YEARS, UM, TO ALLOW ME TO USE, UH, COUNCIL DISTRICT SERVICE FUNDS AS A PILOT FOR THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS TO ENHANCE THEIR DEED RESTRICTIONS. 
          UH, WE, UH, DON'T SEE EYE TO EYE ON THE INTERPRETATION OF PERSONAL BENEFIT. 
          I DON'T BELIEVE IT WILL BE A PERSONAL BENEFIT TO THE HOMEOWNER. 
          AND I THINK IT WILL RELIEVE, UM, EXPENSES ON THE CITY BECAUSE THEN WE WON'T BE DEPLOYED TO DEAL WITH THINGS. 
          OUR, UM, OUR HOME, OUR DEEP RESTRICTIONS WE'LL BE ABLE TO COVER. 
          SO WE'RE STILL WORKING ON THAT. 
          WE KNOW NEIGHBORHOOD PROTECTION IS SO IMPORTANT TO THE WORK THAT WE DO. 
          UM, AND IT'S ONE OF THE FIVE THINGS THAT I RAN ON AND THAT WE CONTINUE, CONTINUE TO DEPLOY. 
          SO, INTRODUCING SUSIE. 
          SHE'S GONNA, UH, YOU KNOW, DO HER PROGRAM AND BE AVAILABLE FOR SOME QUESTIONS. 
          I'LL BE AVAILABLE IN THE BACK. 
          HTV IS RECORDING THIS. 
          AND ALL THE PRESENTATIONS THAT YOU SEE TODAY WILL BE INCLUDED IN THAT PRESENTATION. 
          YOU WILL RECEIVE THE VIDEO AND THE PRESENTATION NEXT WEEK. 
          SO FOR YOUR COLLEAGUES, WE'RE NOT HERE, PLEASE SHARE. 
          YOU CAN ADD THIS TO YOUR HOA WEBSITE. 
          GET THIS TO YOUR PROPERTY MANAGEMENT SO THEY CAN SHARE THIS AS WELL. 
          AND THEY'LL ALSO PLAY IT ON CHANNEL 16 ON THE CITY STATION AS CONTENT. 
          SO THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. 
          SO IF YOU DON'T WANNA BE IN THE CAMERA SHOT, YOU KNOW, JUST, YOU KNOW, LET KEITH KNOW. 
          PUT YOUR HANDS TOGETHER FOR SUSIE WRIGHT. 
          I WANNA THANK, UH, COUNCILWOMAN TIFFANY THOMAS. 
          SHE'S, SHE DOES A GREAT JOB FOR Y'ALL. 
          AND, UH, WE ENJOY WORKING WITH HER AND PARTNERING, PARTNERING WITH HER IN, UH, SPEAKING TO YOU AND TRYING TO EDUCATE YOU ON WHAT'S GOING ON WITH YOUR HOA WITH DEED RESTRICTIONS WITH THE LEGISLATURE. 
          AND I BROUGHT MY FAVORITE SIDEKICK, WHO IS GARRETT. 
          HE'S MY SON. 
          AND GARRETT HAS BLESSED ME WITH GRANDCHILDREN. 
          SO GARRETT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO ME. 
          UM, SO LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS I'M JUST GONNA GIVE YOU A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF WHAT GOVERNING DOCUMENTS ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO HOMEOWNER ASSOCIATIONS. 
          AND I'M GONNA TAKE YOUR QUESTIONS. 
          'CAUSE WE FOUND THAT THAT HELPS PEOPLE MORE THAN ANYTHING TO TRY TO ANSWER SOME OF THE QUESTIONS AND DEAL WITH HELP YOU DEAL WITH SOME OF THE PROBLEMS YOU'RE HAVING IN YOUR HOA. 
          WHEN THEY TALK ABOUT GOVERNING DOCUMENTS, THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT YOUR RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS. 
          AND THEY MAY BE CALLED DECLARATIONS OF COVENANTS, CONDITIONS AND RESTRICTIONS, OR JUST CALLED RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS. 
          THOSE ARE YOUR COVENANTS THAT WE CALL RUN WITH THE LAND. 
          THAT MEANS WHOEVER OWNS THAT PROPERTY, THOSE COVENANTS RUN WITH THAT LAND, NO MATTER WHO THE OWNER IS. 
          THEN YOU'RE GONNA HAVE BYLAWS FOR YOUR HOMEOWNER ASSOCIATION. 
          AND THE BYLAWS TELL YOU HOW TO RUN YOUR ASSOCIATION, HOW TO HAVE YOUR ELECTIONS, YOUR ANNUAL MEETINGS, YOUR SPECIAL MEETINGS, HOW TO ELECT YOUR OFFICERS PRESIDENT, VICE PRESIDENT, ET CETERA. 
          AND THEN YOU HAVE ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION. 
          AND NOW IT'S CALLED CERTIFICATE OF FORMATION BY THE STATE OF TEXAS. 
          AND THAT BASICALLY IS WHAT SET YOUR CORPORATION UP. 
          THAT HAD TO BE FILED WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE, SET UP YOUR NONPROFIT CORPORATION. 
          THEN WHAT'S IMPORTANT ALSO TO YOU IS THE PROPERTY CODE. 
          WE HAVE SECTIONS OF THE PROPERTY CODE THAT APPLY TO SINGLE FAMILY AND TOWN HOMES. 
          AND THEN WE HAVE A SECTION THAT APPLIES TO CONDOMINIUMS. CONDOMINIUMS ARE TOTALLY SEPARATE FROM TOWN HOMES AND SINGLE FAMILY. 
          THEY HAVE DIFFERENT LAWS THAT APPLY. 
          AND THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT. 
          WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE CASE LAW, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE STATUTE, YOU CANNOT, FOR, FOR EXAMPLE, 2 0 9 OF THE PROPERTY CODE DOES NOT APPLY TO CONDOMINIUMS. AND IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT STATUTE, BUT IT DOES NOT APPLY TO THEM. 
          IT ONLY APPLIES TO SINGLE FAMILY AND TOWN HOMES. 
          [00:10:01]
SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO KEEP THAT DIFFERENTIATION. 
          AND WHAT YOU WANNA DO IS, IF YOU'RE GONNA GO LOOK AT THE STATUTE YOURSELF, WHICH I ADVISE YOU TO DO THAT, READ THIS FIRST PART OF THE STATUTE. 
          'CAUSE IT WILL TELL YOU WHO IT APPLIES TO AND HOW IT APPLIES TO YOU. 
          THE DEFINITIONS AND THE DESCRIPTION OF THE STATUTE ARE VERY IMPORTANT BEFORE YOU GET INTO THE MEAT OF IT, LOOK AND SEE WHO IT APPLIES TO. 
          'CAUSE IF IT DOESN'T APPLY TO YOU, JUDGES WILL NEVER APPLY IT TO YOU AND NEITHER WILL THE ATTORNEYS. 
          SO PAY ATTENTION TO THAT. 
          NOW, I WANNA JUMP INTO, DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY PROBLEMS OR ANY QUESTIONS THAT THEY WANT TO THROW AT GARRETT AND AT ME THAT IS GOING ON IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS? AND WE DON'T CARE WHAT THEY ARE? YES, SIR. 
          QUESTION? YEAH. 
          HOLD ON JUST A MINUTE. 
          WE'LL BRING YOU A MIC, SIR. 
          OKAY. 
          UH, I'M, I'M WITH, I'M ASSOCIATED WITH MEADOWS AND WITH BROOKFIELD EAST MEADOWS. 
          THE, UH, THE INSPECTORS OVER THERE HAVE QUIT ENFORCING A LOT OF THE, UH, THE RESTRICTIONS DUE. 
          THE STATE LAWS THAT HAVE BEEN PASSED, LIKE COLORS FOR, UH, HOUSES, ROOF COLORS, AND UH, DEED RESTRICTIONS IN GENERAL. 
          IS THIS, UH, IS, UH, WHAT ARE OUR RESTRICTIONS NOW THAT THE STATE HAS LEGISLATED AGAINST THE, THE, UH, HOAS, THE STATE HAS NOT PASSED ANYTHING WITH REGARD TO COLORS OF HOMES OR ANYTHING ELSE. 
          OH, REALLY? THEY HAVE NOT. 
          THAT'S JUST, I, I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY'RE USING THAT EXCUSE, BUT THAT'S A PRETTY FLIMSY EXCUSE. 
          IT'S BASICALLY, YOUR RESTRICTIONS STILL DEAL WITH COLOR OF HOMES, A CC RESTRICTIONS WITH REGARD TO THEM GETTING APPROVAL FOR CHANGING SOMETHING ON THE EXTERIOR. 
          THE, THE LEGISLATURE'S NOT, THEY HAVEN'T DIVED INTO THAT, THAT DEEP, AND I DON'T THINK THEY WILL BECAUSE EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD IS DIFFERENT. 
          I MEAN, YOU HAVE SOME NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE THEY'RE BUILT ON LET STAMPS OTHERS. 
          THEY'RE ON WHAT, FIVE ACRE TRACKS. 
          SO THEY REALIZE THAT THEY CAN'T DIVE THAT DEEP AND COVER EVERYBODY AND BE FAIR TO EVERYBODY. 
          'CAUSE NEIGHBORHOODS ARE SO DIFFERENT. 
          WHAT STATUTE WAS THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT A MINUTE AGO? THE STATUTE, UH, WITH REGARD TO 2 0 9 OF THE PROPERTY CODE. 
          OKAY. 
          LOOK AT 2 0 9. 
          AND WITH REGARD TO CONDOMINIUMS, IT'S 81 SECTION, 81 OF THE TEXAS PROPERTY CODE APPLIES TO EVERYTHING BEFORE JANUARY 1ST, 1994. 
          82 APPLIES TO EVERYTHING AFTERWARDS, BUT THERE ARE SECTIONS OF 82 THAT ALSO APPLY TO THE ONES BEFORE 1994. 
          THE EIGHT, THE, THE CHAPTER 81 OF THE CONDOMINIUM ACT IS ALMOST WORTHLESS. 
          IT REALLY IS. 
          IT, IT, IT, IT NEEDS TO BE BEEFED UP AND SAY THE SAME THING AS 82. 
          YES, SIR. 
          I NOT ADVOCATING FOR THIS, BUT WHAT ARE HOAS? UH, THIS GENTLEMAN HAS BASICALLY SAID, THERE'S SOME PEOPLE WHO HAVE, WHO ARE ADVOCATING ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND MAYBE ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS TO ABOLISH HOAS. 
          HOAS SERVE A PURPOSE. 
          WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, WE REALLY DIDN'T HAVE HOAS. 
          WE HAD COUNTIES AND CITIES THAT HAD TAXES AND THEY WOULD APPLY, THEY WOULD KEEP UP THE NEIGHBORHOOD POOLS OR THE PARKS AND EVERYTHING ELSE. 
          HOAS TAKE ON THAT RESPONSIBILITY. 
          THEY EVEN APPLY, YOU KNOW, THEY'LL EVEN SPEND MONEY ON HAVING EXTRA POLICE PATROL THE NEIGHBORHOOD. 
          SO IT WOULD BE DEVASTATING TO A NEIGHBORHOOD TO LOSE. 
          ITS HOA AND I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T LIKE 'EM, BUT I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, YOU'D START SEEING, SEEING MORE, UH, MOTORS HANGING IN THE FRONT YARD AND EVERYTHING ELSE, WASHING MACHINES ON THE PORCH. 
          'CAUSE WE EVEN FIGHT THAT NOW WITH HOAS. 
          THEY ARE BENEFICIAL TO KEEPING THE CURB APPEAL UP. 
          AND I CAN TELL Y'ALL, YEARS AGO, I TRIED A CASE AND I HAD A REALTOR TESTIFY. 
          AND THIS REALTOR BASICALLY SAID THAT WHEN PEOPLE COME TO HOUSTON AND THERE'S NO ZONING, THEY'RE LIKE, WHAT? BECAUSE THEY COME FROM PARTS OF THE COUNTRY WHERE THEY'RE ZONING AND THE HOAS DON'T HAVE TO DO WHAT THE ZONING DOES. 
          SO THEY, THEY'RE LIKE, HOW DO WE PROTECT US? 
          [00:15:01]
HOW DO, WHAT DO WE, HOW DO WE BUY A PIECE OF PROPERTY AND NOT HAVE A STOP AND GO, GO IN RIGHT NEXT TO US? THEY SAID BUY AN HOA THAT ENFORCES THEIR RESTRICTIONS. 
          SO THEIR, THOSE PROPERTY VALUES STAY HIGH BECAUSE THEY'VE GOT GOOD CURB APPEAL AND THEY ENFORCE THEIR RESTRICTIONS. 
          AND THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE COMING FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY ARE LOOKING FOR. 
          YES, MA'AM. 
          SORRY. 
          OH, THIS LADY. 
          QUICK QUESTION. 
          UM, SO OUR DUES HAVE NOT BEEN RAISED SINCE THE LATE SEVENTIES WHEN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WAS BUILT. 
          WE ARE STRUGGLING. 
          SORRY. 
          NOT OKAY. 
          OUR DUES HAVE NOT BEEN RAISED SINCE THE LATE SEVENTIES WHEN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WAS BUILT. 
          AND WE'RE STARTING TO STRUGGLE. 
          I BET WITH BUDGETING, WE'RE TRYING TO GET PEOPLE TO SIGN ON TO PAYING MORE SO THAT WE CAN CHANGE, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR DOCUMENTS, OUR GOVERNING DOCUMENTS. 
          HOWEVER, IT'S A STRUGGLE. 
          WE DO HAVE A LOT OF RENTERS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. 
          IT'S HARD TO REACH OWNERS SOMETIMES. 
          UM, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE, THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO SPEND 30 MORE DOLLARS. 
          UM, WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF WE RAN OUTTA MONEY? UH, I, I UNDERSTAND THERE MIGHT BE SOME CITY STUFF THAT MIGHT COME INTO PLAY. 
          UH, COULD YOU EXPLAIN THAT TO US? I, I'M NOT, WE'LL ASK SOME OF THE CITY PEOPLE WHAT, WHAT MONEY IS AVAILABLE IF THAT HAPPENS. 
          BUT WHAT Y'ALL MAY NEED TO DO IS JUST BUCKLE DOWN AND RAISE YOUR ASSESSMENTS. 
          I MEAN, EVERYTHING ELSE HAS GONE UP. 
          SO YOU AND I KNOW IT'S HARD ON PEOPLE, BUT STILL THAT THEIR HOUSE IS THEIR BIGGEST EXPENSE IN THEIR WHOLE LIFE. 
          AND SO THEY'VE GOT TO SPEND SOME MONEY TO KEEP THE NEIGHBORHOOD UP SO THEIR VALUE OF THEIR HOME STAYS UP. 
          SO Y'ALL MAY JUST HAVE TO BITE THE BULLET. 
          AND THERE'S A SECTION OF 2 0 4, THE PROPERTY CODE, IF YOU'RE IN HARRIS COUNTY, THAT BASICALLY ALLOWS YOU TO, IF YOU HAVEN'T RAISED YOUR ASSESSMENTS TO ACCUMULATE AND, AND BASICALLY YOU CAN GO BACK AND SAY, OKAY, WE HAVEN'T RAISED THEM FOR FOUR YEARS, SO WE'RE GONNA RAISE IT UP TO THIS AMOUNT. 
          EVEN IF YOU'VE GOT IT IN YOUR RESTRICTIONS THAT IT SAYS YOU CAN ONLY RAISE IT 10% EVERY YEAR, THAT SECTION OF THE PROPERTY CODE ALLOWS YOU TO DO IT. 
          SO YOU MAY JUST HAVE TO BITE THE BULLET THE AMOUNT. 
          RIGHT. 
          THAT'S WHAT INCREASE. 
          SO THEY, YOUR DOCUMENTS SAY NO MATTER WHAT KIND OF INCREASE IT IS, YOU NEED TWO THIRDS. 
          WELL, YOU'RE IN A DIFFERENT SITUATION, BUT YOU COULD STILL, I MEAN, YOU MAY NOT GET IT PASSED IF TWO THIRDS ARE SAYING THAT. 
          RIGHT. 
          SO WE'RE PEOPLE TO AGREE, TRYING TO PERSUADE THEM WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'LL TAKE OFF, YOU KNOW, A LATE FEE OR WE WILL GIVE YOU A FREE POOL PASS SINCE YOU DIDN'T COME TO FREE REGISTRATION. 
          ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO, YOU KNOW, ENCOURAGE THEM TO AGREE TO THIS. 
          YEAH. 
          BECAUSE WE JUST, WE'RE ABOUT TO BECOME BANKRUPT AT SOME POINT. 
          RIGHT. 
          AND WHAT YOU MAY WANNA DO, I DON'T KNOW, IF YOUR DOCUMENTS REQUIRE TWO THIRDS TO AMEND IT, I WOULD GET THAT AMENDED. 
          THEY DO. 
          TO GET, TO GIVE YOU MORE POWER. 
          AND SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO EVERY YEAR BANGING ON DOORS AND BEGGING PEOPLE FOR MONEY. 
          RIGHT. 
          AMEND IT TO WHERE YOU CAN RAISE IT AT LEAST 10% MM-HMM . 
          AND THEN IF IT SAYS SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THEN YOU CAN ACCUMULATE IT IF IT HASN'T BEEN RAISED IN TWO OR THREE OR FOUR YEARS. 
          WE RECENTLY USED THAT, UM, IN ONE OF OUR ASSOCIATIONS. 
          YES. 
          YES MA'AM. 
          YES MA'AM. 
          WE'LL GET TO, I AM NOT QUITE SURE HOW WE DID IT. 
          UH, BUT WE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND OUR DOCUMENTS. 
          THEY THE SAME THING. 
          SO WE WENT TO OUR LITTLE TEAM AND THEY, UH, FIGURE OUT HOW WE COULD INCREASE. 
          SO WE HAVE ANOTHER ASSESSMENT ADDED FOR $50. 
          SO WE DIDN'T ACTUALLY INCREASE THE ANNUAL FEE. 
          WE ADDED $50 IN A SEPARATE THING. 
          WELL, UNDER 2 0 4, THE PROPERTY CODE, IT SAYS THAT YOU CAN CHARGE FOR SERVICE FEES FOR SERVICES. 
          YEAH, CORRECT. 
          LIKE IF YOU HAVE, BUT YOU NEED TO BE PROVIDING A SERVICE, OTHERWISE SOMEBODY'S GONNA FILE A LAWSUIT. 
          NO, AND WE DID, LOOK, WE HAVE THE POOL AND WE HAVE THE COMMUNITY CENTER CENTER. 
          SO WE USED THOSE TO PUT UP WITH THE OTHER $50. 
          SO IN THAT WAY WE, WE DIDN'T GET THE VOTES TO INCREASE THE FEES, BUT THEN WE ADDED $50. 
          SO NOW WE, WE ARE KIND OF BALANCING A LITTLE BIT. 
          SO YOU CAN USE 2 0 4 IF YOU'RE PROVIDING. 
          YEAH, WELL YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO 
          [00:20:01]
FIND, UNLESS YOUR DOCUMENTS SAY YOU CAN FIND, THEN YOU CAN ADOPT A FINE POLICY. 
          LEMME GET THIS LADY AND THEN I'LL GET Y'ALL BACK THERE. 
          YES, MA'AM. 
          THANK YOU. 
          GOOD MORNING. 
          TWO PART QUESTION. 
          WHEN AN HOA STARTS TO DO A SPECIAL ASSESSMENT WITHOUT A VOTE, UM, AND TRIES TO COLLECT ON THAT QUOTE SPECIAL ASSESSMENT WITHOUT A VOTE, CAN YOU ADDRESS THE, HOW THAT WORKS, WHAT THE CONSEQUENCES ARE? THAT'S PART ONE. 
          SECONDLY, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN AN HOA IS DOING THINGS THAT THEY SHOULDN'T BE DOING? WHAT, WHAT OVERSIGHT IS THERE? WHAT WHAT HELP IS THERE? WHAT HELP IS THERE TO GOVERN HOAS THAT ARE JUST KIND OF DOING WHAT THEY WANT? OKAY, THIS LADY BASICALLY SAID, WHAT IF AN HOA, UM, STARTS CHARGING AN ASSESSMENT AND DIDN'T DO IT? RIGHT? WELL, IT'S NOT A VALID ASSESSMENT. 
          IF THEY TRY TO, UH, COLLECT IT AND FILE A LAWSUIT AGAINST YOU. 
          A JUDGE IS NOT GONNA ENFORCE THAT BECAUSE THEY'RE GONNA, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS SHOW THE JUDGE THEY DIDN'T USUALLY SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS. 
          YOU HAVE TO HAVE TWO THIRDS OF THE MEMBERS APPROVE IT. 
          AND IF THEY, THEY CAN'T PROVE THAT TO THE JUDGE, THEN THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO COLLECT IT. 
          IF THE HOA IS DOING OTHER ILLEGAL STUFF, THERE IS NO GOVERNMENTAL OVERSIGHT. 
          ESSENTIALLY A JUDGE IS, YOU FILE A LAWSUIT AGAINST THEM. 
          AND THE JUDGE IS ESSENTIALLY THE OVERSIGHT BECAUSE THEY WILL STOP THEM FROM DOING WHATEVER THEY'RE DOING THAT'S ILLEGAL. 
          IF THEY, FOR INSTANCE, IF THEY HAVEN'T HAD ELECTIONS IN A WHILE, THE JUDGE WILL MAKE THEM HOLD AN ELECTION AND A THIRD PARTY WILL OVERSEE IT. 
          AN INDEPENDENT ATTORNEY WILL OVERSEE THE ELECTION AND MAKE SURE THE ELECTION IS DONE. 
          SO THERE ARE WAYS TO TAKE CARE OF THAT PROBLEM. 
          IT WILL COST MONEY TO GET THERE, BUT IT'LL STRAIGHTEN EVERYTHING OUT IN THE PROCESS. 
          YES, MA'AM. 
          GOOD MORNING. 
          UM, I'M FROM THE SUNNYSIDE SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS, SO WE'RE AT A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT STARTING POINT. 
          THERE'S NO HOA, THERE'S NO INCENTIVES FOR A POOL PASS. 
          UM, SO IN SUNNYSIDE, UH, WE'RE WORKING TO DEVELOP CIVIC CLUBS TO GET EVERYBODY UP TO SPEED. 
          UM, OUR NEXT STEP IN OUR NEXT MEETING IS TO TAKE WHAT I LEARNED HERE TODAY ABOUT CREATING DEED RESTRICTIONS, UM, AND SETTING THOSE UP. 
          I JUST WANNA CLARIFY, DO WE NEED AN HOA IN ORDER TO DO THAT? 'CAUSE WHAT I'M HEARING TODAY IS HOAS ARE VERY POWERFUL, BUT I THINK BECAUSE WE'RE IN A DIFFERENT STARTING POINT IN SUNNY SIDE, WE'RE KIND OF TARGETING FROM A CIVIC CLUB STANDPOINT. 
          WHAT YOU NEED TO DO IS, UM, IF YOUR CIVIC CLUB IS SET UP LIKE AN HOA NONPROFIT CORPORATION, IT'S REFERRED TO IN YOUR RESTRICTIONS, YOU HAVE MANDATORY ASSESSMENTS. 
          THEN IF YOU LOOK AT 2 0 4 AND 2 0 9 OF THE PROPERTY CODE, THEN THEY SAY NO MATTER WHAT YOU'RE CALLED, THEY'RE GONNA SAY THAT YOU ARE LIKE AN HOA, THEREFORE YOU ARE CONSIDERED UNDER THOSE LAWS. 
          LIKE ONE YOU NEED TO BE SET UP AS A NONPROFIT CORPORATION, HAVE MANDATORY ASSESSMENTS. 
          OTHERWISE, THOSE STATUTES ARE NOT GONNA APPLY TO YOU. 
          AND YOU WANT THEM TO APPLY TO YOU BECAUSE THEY'VE GOT SOME GOOD THINGS IN THERE. 
          GOOD PROTECTIONS FOR HOMEOWNERS, GOOD PROTECTIONS FOR HOAS OR PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATIONS, OR EVEN CIVIC CLUBS. 
          BUT, SO IF YOU, I HAVE AN ASSOCIATION THAT CALLED A CIVIC CLUB, BUT IT STILL FITS ALL THE LEGAL REQUIREMENTS. 
          SO THEREFORE 2 0 9 AND 2 0 4 ARE APPLICABLE. 
          YOU'RE WELCOME. 
          OKAY. 
          I HAVE A, I HAVE A STATEMENT. 
          I GUESS I KNOW SOME PEOPLE WANNA DEMOLISH HOAS, BUT, UM, SOME CONDOMINIUMS, THE WATER, THEY PAY FOR THE WATER, WHICH IS PART OF THE ASSESSMENT. 
          SO THAT'S SOMETHING YOU GUYS SHOULD THINK ABOUT. 
          I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO LIKE FORECLOSING ON HOMEOWNERS THAT ARE NOT PAYING AND JUST LIVING THERE FOR FREE, WHY DOES IT TAKE SO LONG FOR THE COURT SYSTEM TO FORECLOSE IT? UM, AND THEN VERSUS WHEN THE COUNTY, THEY DON'T PAY THE TAXES, THEY GET A JUDGMENT FAST AND THEN THE HOA LOSES MONEY IF THEY'RE DOING FORECLOSURE OR BECAUSE THE COUNTY FORECLOSES FIRST AND THEN THE HOA IS NOT ABLE TO COLLECT MONEY AND SOMETIMES DUES ARE LIKE 20, $30,000 AND THE HOA HAS TO, YOU KNOW, DEAL WITH THAT BURDEN BECAUSE THE MONEY IS LOST. 
          'CAUSE THE COUNTY TOOK IT. 
          RIGHT. 
          UM, WELL, MORTGAGE COMPANIES AND TAXES ARE ALWAYS SUPERIOR TO HOAS. 
          SO YOU COULD EVEN HAVE A JUDGMENT AGAINST THEM AND BE READY TO GO FORECLOSE ON THAT CONDO. 
          AND THE TAXING ENTITY'S GOING TO STEP ON YOUR TOES, UM, BECAUSE THEY HAVE SUPERIORITY OVER YOU. 
          SECONDLY, IN HARRIS COUNTY, WE ARE IN THE, WHEN, WHEN A 
          [00:25:01]
TAXING ENTITY FILES A LAWSUIT, THEY ARE BASICALLY PUT IN A DIFFERENT COURT SYSTEM. 
          THEY'RE STILL IN THE DISTRICT COURTS, BUT ALL THE TAX CASES ARE MOVED TO LIKE A TAX MASTER, THEREFORE THEY GO QUICKER THAN WE DO BECAUSE OUR JUDGE IN OUR COURTS USUALLY HAVE 5,000 OR MORE CASES. 
          AND THE SUPREME COURT HAS RECENTLY SAID TO ALL THE JUDGES, GET THOSE OLD CASES OFF THE DOCKET. 
          SO IF YOUR CASE IS 24, 25 AND NOW 26, THEY AREN'T EVEN TALKING TO YOU. 
          THEY'RE STILL DEALING WITH 20 21, 22, AND 23. 
          THEY'RE TRYING TO GET THEM OFF THE DOCKET 'CAUSE THEY'VE GOT A REPORT TO THE TEXAS SUPREME COURT AT THE END OF THE YEAR. 
          THAT'S WHY THE TAXING ENTITIES CAN FLY THROUGH THEIR COURTS. 
          AND WE DON'T EVEN HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE IN THERE WHEN WE FILE ON BEHALF OF HOAS. 
          RIGHT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          SO MY QUESTION IS, UH, RECENTLY A HOMEOWNER CONSTRUCTED AN EDIFICE IN THEIR BACKYARD. 
          AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS A VERY, VERY, VERY LARGE SHED PURCHASED AT LOWE'S OR HOME DEPOT, BUT WHATEVER IT WAS, I, WE SAW THEM PUTTING SORT OF A FULL FOUNDATION AND THEN THEY PUT THE THING ON TOP, BUT THEY DID IT SO QUICKLY, LIKE WITHIN A WEEK WE JUST, WE JUST DIDN'T THINK THAT THEY HAD PULLED A PERMIT. 
          SO WE CONTACTED OUR CITY AND SOMEONE FROM CODE ENFORCEMENT CAME OUT AND INSTRUCTED THE HOMEOWNER TO TAKE THAT THING DOWN. 
          THAT WAS LIKE THREE WEEKS AGO, MAYBE FOUR WEEKS AGO. 
          IT'S STILL THERE. 
          SO MY QUESTION IS AT THIS POINT, IS IT, IS IT, IS IT A MATTER OF OUR HOA GETTING INVOLVED OR DO WE JUST CALL THE CITY BACK OUT AND SAY, LOOK, IT'S STILL THERE SINCE THE CITY WAS ON IT. 
          CALL THE CITY AND SEE IF THEY'LL DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. 
          IF, IF THEY END UP NOT DOING SOMETHING, THE HOA HAS THE RIGHT TO ALSO SEND LETTER AND SAY, GET RID OF THAT, GET RID OF THAT. 
          'CAUSE YOU HAVE SEPARATE CAUSE OF ACTION. 
          BUT I'D GO BACK TO THE CITY AND SAY, OKAY, WE NEED TO FIND OUT WHEN ARE Y'ALL GONNA MAKE THESE PEOPLE TAKE THIS DOWN? SO KEEP ON THAT AVENUE. 
          THAT'S JUST FOR YOU RIGHT NOW, SUZY? UH, THIS IS JOE WALTON. 
          UH, WE, UH, ARE AN HOA AND LIKE MANY OF THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE SPOKEN BEFORE US, UH, ALL OF OUR COVENANTS AND DOCUMENTS WERE DONE IN THE EARLY SEVENTIES, LIKE 1971. 
          AND WE ALL REQUIRE THE TWO THIRDS, UH, TO CHANGE ANYTHING. 
          IS THERE ANY POSSIBILITY AT THE LEGISLATIVE BODY AT, IN THE TEXAS TO CHANGE, TO MAKE SOME TYPE OF PROVISION FOR THOSE OF US THAT WERE MADE WAY BACK, YOU KNOW, BEFORE ANY OF THE DOCUMENTS THAT, THAT TO LOWER THE RATES, SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, IN ORDER TO CHANGE YOUR DOCUMENTS, IF YOU WERE INCORPORATED IN IN 1971, YOU NEED 20%? OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DONE AT THE STATE LEVEL? IT COULD. 
          I MEAN, WHAT WE RUN INTO IS WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO GET THE BLESSING OF THE MORTGAGE COMPANY LOBBYIST OF THE TEXAS REAL ESTATE COMMISSION, GET THEIR BLESSING. 
          THERE'S A LOT OF DEVELOPERS, THEIR LOBBYISTS. 
          WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO GET A LOT OF BLESSINGS. 
          SO TO GET IT THROUGH THE FIRST TIME, THAT WOULD BE A MIRACLE. 
          BUT I UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM AND I KNOW THERE'S MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE. 
          GARRETT WORKS WITH REPRESENTATIVE RENTALS, UM, AND THEY'RE GONNA ADDRESS SOME OTHER THINGS IN THE TEXAS BUSINESS ORGANIZATION CODE THAT DEAL WITH HOAS. 
          BUT WE'LL DEFINITELY PUT THAT OUT THERE TO HIM AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS. 
          IT'LL PROBABLY DIE IN COMMITTEE FOR, YOU KNOW, THREE OR FOUR LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS AND THEN IT MAY GET SOME TEETH AND START GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS. 
          BUT WE'VE GOTTA GET THE BLESSINGS OF SO MANY OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. 
          UM, AND IF ONE OF THEM SAYS NO, THEN WE'RE DEAD IN THE WATER. 
          UM, YOU KNOW, OFTENTIMES WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO COME TO CITY HALL ON TUESDAYS FOR PUBLIC SESSION, BUT THIS IS THE NEXT OPPORTUNITY FOR ENGAGEMENT AT THE STATE LEVEL. 
          A LOT OF, UH, THE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, BIND DOESN'T HAPPEN DURING THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION. 
          THAT HAPPENS EVERY ODD YEAR. 
          AND SO IF WE'RE ABLE TO GET A PIECE OF LEGISLATION, IF A STATE REP OR STATE SENATOR IS WILLING TO CHAMPION THAT, THEN THAT MEANS WE NEED TO GET TO AUSTIN AND COMMITTEE AND TESTIFY, OR WE NEED TO SEND WRITTEN CORRESPONDENCE TO THOSE STATE REPS. 
          SO THAT'S A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO, TO FAMILIARIZE OURSELVES WITH OUR STATE REPS, INTRODUCE TO THEM THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE HAVING. 
          SO WHEN THEY GET READY TO GO IN 2027, THEY HAVE OUR PRIORITIES. 
          AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO ROLL OUT AND REGARDLESS IF YOU'RE IN DISTRICT F OR NOT, BUT THAT IS THE NEXT STEP OF ADVOCACY AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT. 
          YES. 
          AND, AND COUNCILWOMAN 
          [00:30:01]
THOMAS MADE A GOOD POINT. 
          IF YOU'RE, IF SOMETHING IS WRITTEN UP AND IT GOES TO COMMITTEE, WE CAN SEND BLA EMAIL BLASTS. 
          AND LET ME TELL Y'ALL, THE MORE PEOPLE SHOW UP TO TESTIFY, THEY WILL LISTEN TO YOU AND THEY TAKE EVERYBODY'S TESTIMONY. 
          I'VE BEEN THERE TILL THREE AND FOUR IN THE MORNING WHILE THEY'RE STILL TAKING TESTIMONY FROM EVERYBODY AND THEY LISTEN MORE TO PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT PROFESSIONALS, PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING IN THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS TRYING TO KEEP THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS UP MORE SO THAN THEY LISTEN TO ATTORNEYS AND LOBBYISTS AND EVERYTHING ELSE. 
          SO THE MORE PEOPLE SHOW UP, THE MORE PEOPLE SEND EMAILS AND CALL, GO TO THE HEARINGS, THEY WILL KNOW THAT IT MATTERS TO Y'ALL. 
          IF YOU DON'T, THEN THEY'RE LIKE, EH, DOESN'T MATTER TO ANYBODY. 
          YES, SIR. 
          BACK WHEN, UH, WE WERE FORCED TO, UH, WRITE POLICIES FOR PAYMENT PLANS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE BEHIND ON THEIR ASSESSMENTS, UM, WE WERE, UH, ALLOWED TO CHARGE INTEREST RATES AND, UH, INTEREST AND, AND LATE FEES ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT, AND NONE, NONE OF OUR DOCUMENTS HAD THAT IN THERE. 
          SO THEN WE HAD TO GO BACK AND WRITE A COLLECTION POLICY. 
          UH, SO, SO WE COULD CHARGE INTEREST AND LATE FEES. 
          AND THEN WE, UH, IN, IN REVIEWING THAT POLICY, UH, OUR ATTORNEY SAID, YEAH, BUT THERE'S A LAWSUIT PENDING IN, I BELIEVE IT WAS FORT WORTH. 
          YOU CANNOT CHARGE THE MAXIMUM OF 10%, YOU CAN ONLY CHARGE 6%. 
          UH, SO, SO WE FINALLY GOT AROUND THAT. 
          SO WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A GOOD COLLECTION POLICY AND WE HAVE A GOOD, UM, PAYMENT PLAN POLICY. 
          SO, UH, THAT IS ONE WAY THAT YOU CAN GO AND, UM, UH, MAKE, MAKE YOUR HOA CAN MAKE MONEY BECAUSE, UH, SOME PROPERTY OWNERS GET IT, UH, IN THEIR HABIT OF NOT PAYING THEIR, UH, ASSESSMENTS. 
          WELL, ONCE THEY'RE, UH, YOU GET A PAST DUE LETTER WITH EIGHT TO 10 YEARS OF $30 A YEAR, LATE FEES AND 10% INTEREST COMPOUNDED, IT'S SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS. 
          AND SO THAT WAKES 'EM UP, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU FILE A LIEN AGAINST IT. 
          BECAUSE IF THEY HAVE A, UH, SAY A SECOND MORTGAGE OR SOMETHING, UH, THE, THE PEOPLE THAT HOLD THE SECOND MORTGAGE LOOK AT THE, THE LIENS ON THE PROPERTY THAT THEY HAVE. 
          AND SO, RIGHT. 
          SO THAT'S ONE WAY OF GETTING, UH, ALSO THE, UH, UH, HCA, UH, WE, UM, OTHER STATES HAVE GOT ESSENTIALLY PROPERTY CODES THAT REQUIRES THE PROPERTY OWNERS TO, UH, REGISTER, UH, WHEN THE, THE, THE PROPERTY IS SOLD, THEY HAVE TO REGISTER IT WITH THE, UH, UH, LIKE HCA, THE TAX AUTHORITY THING, THINGS LIKE THAT. 
          WE HAVE NO SUCH REQUIREMENT, UH, IN THE STATE OF TEXAS. 
          SO WHEN, WHEN IS OUR LEGISLATURE GONNA ADD THAT TO THE PROPERTY CODE? SO, SO IF YOU DO A PRIVATE SALE AND YOU GO FILE THE WARRANTY DEED, THEN WHOEVER FILES THAT WARRANTY DEED HAS GOT A SPECIFIC AMOUNT OF TIME, LIKE 60 OR 90 DAYS TO, UH, TO REPORT IT TO HCA OR, OR HC TAX.NET, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING LIKE THAT. 
          SO I THINK THAT'S A VERY GOOD IDEA BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES YOU'LL CHECK HCA. 
          YEAH. 
          AND THEY'RE STILL LISTING TWO OWNERS BACK. 
          RIGHT. 
          AND YOU LOOK AT THE WARRANTY DEED. 
          SO BECAUSE OF THAT, I DON'T RELY ON HCAI LOOK, I GO AND LOOK AT THE WARRANTY DEED. 
          SO I WISH THE LEGISLATURE WOULD, BECAUSE NOT ONLY DO WE FIND THAT PROBLEM IN HARRIS COUNTY, IT'S EVERYWHERE IN EVERY COUNTY YOU RUN INTO THE SLOWNESS OF HCA OR ANYTHING ELSE CATCHING UP WITH WHAT'S BEEN WHERE THAT PROPERTY'S TRANSFERRED TO. 
          OKAY, THANK YOU. 
          AND I'M SORRY, BUT THIS WILL BE OUR LAST QUESTION RIGHT HERE, HEATHER, LET ME GRAB THIS LADY REAL QUICK. 
          UM, YEAH, MY QUESTION IS, I LIVE IN A, UM, A FOUR HOUSE ENCLAVE. 
          THERE'S NO HOA AND WE HAVE A TENANT, WELL, A HOMEOWNER WHO HAS TENANTS AND HE'S RENTING ROOMS. AND HE'S ACTUALLY, THERE'S A COMMON AREA, A COMPENSATORY AREA THAT'S OWNED BY ALL THE FOUR, UM, OWNERS. 
          BUT HE HAS BUILT A STRUCTURE, KIND OF LIKE THE LADY WAS SAYING, THAT HER NEIGHBOR BUILT A STRUCTURE IN HIS BACKYARD. 
          SO HE'S TAKEN THE COMMON AREA AND BUILT A STRUCTURE THERE. 
          AND, AND HE'S ALSO PARKING HIS CARS, OR HIS TENANTS ARE PARKING HIS CAR, THEIR CARS ON THE GRASS. 
          AND WE'VE SENT, UM, DEMAND LETTERS. 
          WE'VE ACTUALLY HIRED A LAWYER, UM, TO SEND DEMAND LETTERS. 
          AND HE CONTINUES TO DO IT. 
          SO MY QUESTION IS, UM, AS ONE OF FOUR OWNERS, DO I HAVE THE RIGHT TO SUE HIM? UM, AND ALSO DO I DO IT IN, UM, THE DI DISTRICT COURT OR A JUSTICE COURT? UM, AND DO I DO AN INJUNCTION, A DECLARATORY JUDGMENT OR BOTH? AND, UM, THE, IS IT ENFORCED AS A CONTEMPT? UM, AND IF HE, 
          [00:35:01]
IF I DO WIN, AM I ABLE TO ENFORCE IT? LIKE, IF, IF THEY DO CONTINUE TO PARK THERE, UM, AM I ABLE TO TOW THEM? AND IF HE DOESN'T TAKE DOWN THE STRUCTURE AFTER I WIN, UM, AM I ABLE TO TAKE DOWN THE STRUCTURE AND LIKE HOW DO I ENFORCE IT IF I WIN? YEAH, I HAVE. 
          YEAH. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          UH, WHAT BASICALLY WHAT THIS LADY CAN DO IS, YES, YOU HAVE AN INTEREST IN IT, THEREFORE YOU HAVE WHAT WE CALL STANDING, WHICH MEANS YOU CAN BRING A LAWSUIT AGAINST THAT PARTICULAR INDIVIDUAL. 
          YOU WOULD FILE IT, I WOULD FILE IT IN DISTRICT COURT. 
          AND YOU, YOU CAN ASK, UH, YOU MAY NOT NEED A DECLARATORY JUDGMENT. 
          YOU'VE GOT A CONTRACT. 
          THEREFORE, SINCE YOU'VE GOT RESTRICTIONS, SO YOU CAN RECOVER YOUR ATTORNEY'S FEES FOR BREACH OF CONTRACT, UM, AND THAT'S UNDER 38.001 OF THE TEXAS CIVIL PRACTICE AND REMEDIES CODE, AND THEN 5.006, THE PROPERTY CODE ALLOWS FOR RECOVERY OF ATTORNEY'S FEES WHEN IT'S A DEED RESTRICTION VIOLATION. 
          AND YOU WOULD GET AN INJUNCTION. 
          YOUR INJUNCTION NEEDS TO BE VERY SPECIFIC WITH REGARD TO WHAT THESE PEOPLE NEED TO DO WITH DEADLINES FOR THEM TO DO IT. 
          BECAUSE OTHERWISE, THE COURT OF APPEALS IS GOING TO SAY, WHEN YOU, IF THEY DON'T TAKE THAT STRUCTURE DOWN, THAT JUDGMENT NEEDS TO STAY, THIS STRUCTURE NEEDS TO COME DOWN BY APRIL 30TH, 2026, REMOVED COMPLETELY AND NEVER COME BACK. 
          IF THEY DON'T REMOVE IT, YOU CAN GO BACK TO THE JUDGE, DO A MOTION FOR CONTEMPT, AND, BUT A COURT OF APPEALS WILL NOT UPHOLD A CONTEMPT ORDER UNLESS THAT JUDGMENT WAS VERY SPECIFIC. 
          SO THAT PERSON KNEW EXACTLY WHAT THEY NEEDED TO DO. 
          AND IF THEY DIDN'T DO IT, THEY COULD GO TO JAIL. 
          BUT, AND YOU CAN ASK THE JUDGE, AND I'VE, I'VE DONE THIS BEFORE TO WHERE WE HAD A GUY THAT PUT UP, YOU KNOW, LEWD, BIG LEWD PICTURES AT THE ENTRANCE OF A SUBDIVISION ON HIS PROPERTY. 
          HE REFUSED TO TAKE 'EM DOWN EVEN THOUGH THE ORDER SAID TO TAKE HIM DOWN. 
          SO WE WENT BACK TO THE JUDGE, I SAID, PUT HIM IN JAIL. 
          THE JUDGE PUT HIM IN JAIL. 
          AND I SAID, NOW SIGN AN ORDER THAT WE CAN GO ON THERE AND TAKE HIM DOWN. 
          AND THE JUDGE DID, SAID, Y'ALL CAN GO. 
          YOU'LL NEED THE JUDGE SAYING THAT YOU CAN. 
          'CAUSE YOU DON'T WANT THEM FILING TRESPASS CHARGES AGAINST YOU OR ANYTHING ELSE. 
          SO YEAH, YOU FOLLOW THOSE PROCEDURES AND YOU CAN GET IT CLEANED OUT. 
          YOU CAN STOP 'EM FROM PARKING THE CARS AND EVERYTHING. 
          ALL RIGHTY. 
          ONE OF THE CHALLENGES FOR OUR HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION, EXCUSE ME, IS GETTING ENOUGH PEOPLE A QUORUM TO, UH, ATTEND THE MEETING. 
          AND FOR YEARS AND YEARS, IT'S NEVER BEEN ENOUGH. 
          SO, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T REALLY CHANGE ANYTHING. 
          SO, UH, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND WHAT'S BEEN EXCHANGED HERE THIS MORNING. 
          SO REALLY IN A CASE LIKE THAT WHERE YOU CAN'T GET ENOUGH PEOPLE TO ATTEND A QUORUM VOTES, WHATEVER, YOUR ONLY OPTIONS THEN WOULD BE A HOA VIOLATION SENT OUT OR A CITY VIOLATION, OR AS EVERYBODY WAS TALKING ABOUT EARLIER, ESCALATING IT TO A HIGHER, UH, GOVERNMENT AUTHORITY TO CHANGE SOME RULES. 
          IS THAT ABOUT IT? WELL, DO YOU MEAN A QUORUM? LIKE FOR A MEETING? YEAH, LIKE A QUORUM FOR A MEETING SO THAT YOU CAN TALK ABOUT CHANGING THINGS. 
          SO IF YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE THERE AT THE ANNUAL MEETING, YOU CAN'T REALLY DO ANYTHING. 
          WHAT KIND OF QUORUM DO YOU, DO YOU NEED LIKE 10%? I BELIEVE IT'S 10%. 
          Y'ALL GO OUT AND GET PROXIES BEFOREHAND. 
          SO IN OTHER WORDS, YOU HAVE TO BE WILLING TO GO KNOCK ON YOUR AND, AND TAKE YOUR PROXY AND SAY, HEY, MM-HMM . 
          WOULD YOU GIMME YOUR PROXY SO THAT WE CAN HOLD A MEETING MM-HMM . 
          AND MAYBE DO SOME ELECTIONS AND TRY TO MAKE SOME CHANGES. 
          GOOD CHANGES. 
          AND THEN IF, UM, YOU KNOW, WE AS INDIVIDUAL HOMEOWNERS ARE HESITANT TO GO KNOCK ON STRANGER'S DOORS AND MAYBE IF THE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT THAT WE PAY A LOT OF MONEY TO ISN'T DOING THAT AS WELL, THEY PROBABLY WON'T DO IT. 
          YEAH, EXACTLY. 
          YEAH. 
          OKAY. 
          I THINK I HAVE THE ANSWER TO MY QUESTION, BUT, BUT DO EMAIL BLASTS CALLS. 
          MM-HMM . 
          SEE IF YOU CAN CALL AND GET 'EM STIRRED UP THAT WAY AND DO EMAILS TO 'EM. 
          THANK YOU. 
          YES. 
          UM, I'M GONNA ELABORATE ON THIS LADY'S QUESTION IN THE BACK WHEN SHE WAS ASKING ABOUT FORECLOSURES. 
          UM, SO TWO THINGS YOU WANNA CHECK FOR, UM, TO PROTECT YOUR INTERESTS AS AN HOA IS THAT, ONE, MAKE SURE THAT YOU FILE A NOTICE OR LIEN ON WHOEVER HAS BEEN PASSED DUE AND ASSESSMENTS IN ORDER TO PROTECT YOUR INTEREST. 
          AND WHENEVER, SAY THE TAXING ENTITY OR THE MORTGAGE LENDER FORECLOSES ON THE HOME, YOUR INTEREST IS THEN PROTECTED AS AN HOA, YOU CAN RECOUP WHATEVER MONEY IS LEFT OVER 
          [00:40:01]
TO PAY, TO PAY BACK THE HOA FOR THOSE PAST DUE ASSESSMENTS THAT THAT OWNER NEVER PAID. 
          SECONDLY, YOU WANT TO CHECK YOUR DOCUMENTS FOR POWER OF SALE LANGUAGE. 
          AND SO IN ORDER FOR FORECLOSURE LAWSUITS TO MOVE MORE EXPEDITIOUSLY THROUGH THE COURT SYSTEM, YOU WANT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE A AUTHORITY TO FILE APPLICATIONS FOR EXPEDITED FORECLOSURE. 
          THOSE MOVE SO MUCH FASTER THAN A NORMAL LAWSUIT TO COLLECT PAST DUE ASSESSMENTS. 
          AND WITH THE APPLICATION FOR EXPEDITED FORECLOSURE, THEY GET SERVED BY CERTIFIED MAIL AND IT MOVES REAL QUICKLY AND YOU CAN FORECLOSE ON THE HOUSE JUST LIKE A, LIKE A MORTGAGE LENDER CAN. 
          AND, UM, YEAH, THAT WAS IT. 
          I JUST WANTED TO EXPOUND, CAN WE PUT OUR HANDS TOGETHER FOR RICE AND RICE? GREAT INFORMATION, GREAT ADVICE. 
          THEY'LL HANG, THEY'LL, THEY'LL HANG IN THE BACK FOR A LITTLE BIT. 
          I WANNA ENCOURAGE YOU TO MAKE SURE YOU FOLLOW UP AT YOUR SEAT. 
          YOU SHOULD HAVE THEIR CONTACT INFORMATION A FOLDER WITH SOME INSERTS IF YOU DO NOT HAVE ONE. 
          I THINK WE HAVE SOME EXTRAS IN THE BACK. 
          UM, DULY NOTED. 
          SO CLEARLY THERE'S SOME SHARED EXPERIENCES HERE AND THERE'S SOME UNIQUE EXPERIENCES RELATED TO OUR COVENANTS. 
          DO WE HAVE HOAS? DO WE JUST DO A CIVIC CLUB? UM, RIGHT. 
          ALL THAT'S UP FOR INTERPRETATION FOR YOU AND YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD. 
          UH, AND NEXT I WANNA BRING UP CITY LEGAL. 
          THERE WAS A QUESTION, UH, THAT ALLOWS US TO GO RIGHT INTO THAT CONVERSATION. 
          PAUL BAR BARNES, EXCUSE ME, PAUL BARNES WITH CITY LEGAL WILL JOIN US AND TALK ABOUT THE FIVE ISSUES, FIVE AREAS THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS OBLIGATED TO ENFORCE. 
          HI Y'ALL. 
          I BROUGHT A POWERPOINT. 
          I'M GONNA TRY TO RUSH THROUGH IT BECAUSE THERE'S GONNA BE SOME OVERLAP, BUT I WANT TO GO THROUGH IT BECAUSE IT MIGHT FILL IN GAPS FOR SOME OF Y'ALL AND PUT US ALL ON THE SAME PAGE. 
          UM, SO I'M PAUL BARNES. 
          I'M WITH, I'M AN ATTORNEY WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON. 
          UM, AND YOU KNOW, SUSIE KIND OF TALKED ABOUT THIS DEED RESTRICTIONS THEIR COVENANTS. 
          IT'S A CONTRACT, IT'S BETWEEN PROPERTY OWNERS, UM, AND IT AFFECTS THE USE OF THE PROPERTY. 
          YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE THERE. 
          WHERE ARE THEY? THEY'RE IN YOUR DEED, POSSIBLY. 
          THEY MIGHT BE IN THE PLAT, WHICH IS JUST A MAP THAT'S CREATED WHEN LAND IS SUBDIVIDED. 
          UM, IT MIGHT BE IN A SEPARATE INSTRUMENT. 
          IT'S ALL IN THE PROPERTY RECORDS. 
          SO, UM, THE CITY DOES NOT MAINTAIN THE PROPERTY RECORDS IN HARRIS COUNTY. 
          THE COUNTY CLERK MAINTAINS THEM. 
          SO IF YOU WANNA SEE YOUR PROPERTY RECORDS, YOU GO TO THE COUNTY CLERK. 
          UM, SOMETIMES CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS DISTRIBUTE UNOFFICIAL COPIES OF THEM, BUT I'VE SEEN WHERE THAT GETS PEOPLE IN TROUBLE BECAUSE I'VE SEEN WHERE CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS PARAPHRASE THINGS AND THAT, UM, CAN LEAD PEOPLE TO THINK THEY HAVE RESTRICTIONS THAT SAY ONE THING WHEN THEY DON'T. 
          SO BE CAREFUL WITH THAT. 
          YOU WANNA SEE WHAT YOUR ACTUAL DEED RESTRICTIONS SAY IN THE PROPERTY RECORD. 
          YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. 
          UM, SO THEY'RE CREATED BY DEVELOPERS. 
          WHEN YOU OWN A LOT OF LAND AND YOU WANNA SUBDIVIDE IT, CREATE A SUBDIVISION, YOU CAN CREATE DEED RESTRICTIONS. 
          UM, IT USED TO BE THAT WAS THE ONLY WAY THAT THEY COULD BE CREATED. 
          YOU HAD TO OWN ALL THE LAND OR HAVE PERMISSION OF EVERYONE WHO OWNED THE ENTIRE SUBDIVISION. 
          UH, LATER, I THINK IT WAS IN THE EIGHTIES, UH, WE PASSED CHAPTER 2 0 1 AND LATER 2 0 4 OF THE TEXAS PROPERTY CODE, THAT THESE ARE ALTERNATIVE MEANS BY WHICH YOU CAN CREATE OR CHANGE YOUR, YOUR DEED RESTRICTIONS IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE AGREEMENT OF 100% OF THE PEOPLE. 
          UM, AND IT, IT ALL DEPENDS. 
          IT GETS VERY, IT GETS VERY TECHNICAL ABOUT WHAT DO YOUR DEED RESTRICTIONS SAY CURRENTLY, IF YOU HAVE ANY, YOU'RE NOT. 
          UM, SO, YOU KNOW, IF, IF YOU'RE TRYING TO GO DOWN THIS PATH OF CHANGING YOUR DEED RESTRICTIONS OR MAKING NEW DEED RESTRICTIONS, I HIGHLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO SPEAK TO AN ATTORNEY ABOUT IT. 
          UM, I'VE SEEN NEIGHBORHOODS THAT TRY TO DO IT ON THEIR OWN AND, AND THEY DON'T DO IT CORRECTLY, AND IT REALLY MESSES THEM UP. 
          YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. 
          WHO CAN ENFORCE THEM? SO IT, THEY'RE CREATED FOR NEIGHBORS TO BE ABLE TO ENFORCE THEM AGAINST EACH OTHER BECAUSE IT'S TO PROTECT THE LAND. 
          UM, CITY ASSOCIATIONS, HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATIONS CAN USUALLY ENFORCE THEM AS WELL. 
          UM, THE CITY CAN ENFORCE SOME DEED RESTRICTIONS. 
          WE WERE GIVEN AUTHORITY TO ENFORCE SOME DEED RESTRICTIONS. 
          NOT ALL. 
          I'M GONNA TALK MORE ABOUT THAT IN A MOMENT. 
          UM, UH, RIGHT NOW, SO THE , SO BASICALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, HOUSTON, AS WE'VE SAID, DOESN'T HAVE ZONING. 
          YOU KNOW, WE TRIED TO GET ZONING, I THINK IN THE TWENTIES AND THE SIXTIES. 
          MOST RECENTLY IN THE NINETIES, WE COULDN'T GET IT PASSED BY REFERENDUM. 
          SO THE STATE LEGISLATURE GAVE US A CONSOLATION PRIZE, WHICH IS THE ABILITY TO ENFORCE SOME DEED RESTRICTIONS. 
          UH, YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. 
          UH, WE, WE'VE KIND OF TALKED ABOUT THIS. 
          WHAT KIND OF THINGS ARE 
          [00:45:01]
IN DEED RESTRICTIONS? I THINK A LOT OF YOU HAVE SEEN SOME OF THEM, THINGS LIKE SETBACKS USE, YOU KNOW, IS IT COMMERCIAL OR RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURAL THINGS? YOU KNOW, HEIGHT OF A HOUSE CANNOT BE MORE THAN TWO STORIES, OR A HOUSE CAN'T BE MORE THAN 40 FEET, WHAT HAVE YOU. 
          UM, YOU, THERE CAN BE A LOT OF THINGS. 
          THERE'S LEAD RESTRICTIONS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T HAVE ANY NOXIOUS OR LEWD ACTIVITY ON THE PROPERTY. 
          I'VE SEEN OLD ONES THAT SAY, YOU CAN'T HAVE MORE THAN TWO HORSES ON THE PROPERTY. 
          I MEAN, IT CAN BE VERY SPECIFIC, IT CAN BE VERY ODD. 
          SOMETIMES YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT ONE. 
          THE CITY CANNOT ENFORCE ALL KINDS OF DEED RESTRICTIONS. 
          THERE'S FIVE KINDS THAT WE CAN ENFORCE. 
          UM, SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU HAVE A DEED RESTRICTION THAT SAYS ALL HOUSES HAVE TO HAVE A BRICK FACADE, UM, THAT, THAT, THAT'S FINE. 
          YOU CAN HAVE THAT IN YOUR DEED RESTRICTIONS, BUT THE CITY CAN'T ENFORCE THAT. 
          IT WOULD BE UP TO EITHER YOU PRIVATELY OR YOUR CIVIC ASSOCIATION. 
          THE ONES THAT THE CITY CAN ENFORCE ARE USE. 
          SO AGAIN, COMMERCIAL VERSUS RESIDENTIAL USE, SETBACKS, STRUCTURAL STUFF LIKE THE SIZE OF THE BUILDING, THE SIZE OF THE LOT, THE TYPES OF STRUCTURES THAT CAN BE ON A LOT. 
          WE GET INTO THIS SOMETIMES WHERE NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE DEED RESTRICTIONS THAT REQUIRE YOU TO HAVE A GARAGE OR ALLOW YOU TO HAVE A GARAGE, BUT DON'T REQUIRE YOU TO HAVE A GARAGE. 
          THAT CONFUSES SOME PEOPLE. 
          THERE'S, IT GETS A LITTLE TECHNICAL ORIENTATION OF A STRUCTURE. 
          NOT ALL NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE THIS, BUT SOME SAY THE HOUSE HAS TO FACE A CERTAIN DIRECTION. 
          UM, AND WE, I'VE SEEN FIGHTS ABOUT THAT. 
          FENCES ARE, ARE WEIRD. 
          SO THE CITY CAN ENFORCE DEED RESTRICTIONS THAT HAVE TO DO WITH FENCES, BUT ONLY IF THAT FENCE IS TALL ENOUGH TO REQUIRE A PERMIT. 
          SO WHAT HAPPENS A LOT IS, LET'S SAY A PROPERTY OWNER BUILDS A FENCE RIGHT UP TO THE EDGE OF THEIR PROPERTY LINE, AND THAT VIOLATES DEED RESTRICTIONS. 
          SO I GET A CALL, I SEND A LETTER TO THEM, I SAY, YOU HAVE TO MOVE THIS FENCE BECAUSE IT VIOLATES SEED RESTRICTIONS. 
          INSTEAD OF MOVING IT, THEY JUST CUT IT TO BELOW, RIGHT BELOW EIGHT FEET. 
          AND NOW I CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT BECAUSE EIGHT FEET IS THE LINE ABOVE THAT REQUIRES A PERMIT. 
          IF IT'S MASONRY, IT'S FOUR FEET. 
          SO CONCRETE BRICK, IT'S FOUR FEET, BUT ANYTHING ELSE IS EIGHT FEET. 
          WE CAN'T ENFORCE RESTRICTIONS ABOUT THE MATERIAL THAT THE FENCE IS MADE OF. 
          HOWEVER, SO, YOU KNOW, I'LL, I'LL HAVE PEOPLE CALL ME AND SAY THEY'RE MAKING A FENCE OUT OF, UM, SHEET METAL, AND THEY CAN'T DO THAT UNDER RD RESTRICTIONS. 
          AND I HAVE TO TELL THEM, THE CITY CAN'T ENFORCE THE MATERIAL OF THE FENCE JUST WHERE IT IS, IF IT'S TALL ENOUGH. 
          UM, NOW PERMITTING IS A DIFFERENT STORY. 
          OBVIOUSLY, IF A FENCE DOES REQUIRE A PERMIT AND AND DOESN'T HAVE ONE HPW GETS INVOLVED. 
          THAT'S NOT ME. 
          THAT'S AN ORDINANCE THING. 
          A BUILDING CODE THING, YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. 
          UM, COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY CAN GET NUANCE. 
          SO IT'S NOT JUST RUNNING A BUSINESS ON THE PROPERTY. 
          IT MIGHT BE STORING COMMERCIAL VEHICLES ON THE PROPERTY. 
          I, I HAD A, A CASE WHERE A GUY WAS STORING A FLEET, I MEAN, THREE VANS FOR HIS AC REPAIR BUSINESS. 
          HE WASN'T REPAIRING AC IN HIS HOME, BUT HIS EMPLOYEES WERE COMING THERE AND BEING DISPATCHED FROM THERE. 
          SO THAT WAS COMMERCIAL USE. 
          UM, IF, IF A TRAILER IS OVER 20 FEET, UH, GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. 
          IF A TRAILER IS OVER 20 FEET, ACTUALLY YOU CAN HIT NEXT AS WELL. 
          UM, THAT CAN BE COMMERCIAL USE PER SE. 
          SO SOMEONE CAN'T SAY, OH, I USE THIS TRAILER JUST FOR PERSONAL REASONS. 
          IF IT'S OVER 20 FEET. 
          SO, UH, WE CAN'T DO BOATS THOUGH. 
          UM, USE CAN GET REALLY SPECIFIC. 
          SO THERE'S RESIDENTIAL USE OR THERE'S SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL USE. 
          AND THIS, THIS GETS CONFUSING TOO BECAUSE THE BUILDING CODE SAYS A HAVING TWO UNITS, LIKE A DUPLEX OR A HOME WITH A GARAGE APARTMENT IS SINGLE FAMILY. 
          BUT THE BUILDING CODE AND, AND YOUR DEED RESTRICTIONS ARE DIFFERENT. 
          SO YOUR DEED RESTRICTIONS CAN HAVE A SEPARATE DEFINITION OF SINGLE FAMILY, OR MAYBE THEY WERE WRITTEN IN THE 1920S AND THEY DIDN'T THINK THEY NEEDED TO DEFINE SINGLE FAMILY. 
          SO THAT WOULD NOT INCLUDE A DUPLEX GENERALLY. 
          UM, SO, UM, SOME PEOPLE TRY TO BUILD IN NEIGHBORHOODS A DUPLEX WHERE THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO BECAUSE THEY THINK THE BUILDING CODE LETS THEM, THEY DON'T REALIZE THE DEED RESTRICTIONS ARE SEPARATE AND OUR BUILDING CODE CAN'T CHANGE WHAT'S IN YOUR DEED RESTRICTIONS. 
          THE MOST RESTRICTIVE THING APPLIES. 
          SO LET'S SAY, UM, THE BUILDING CODE SAYS YOU HAVE TO HAVE A FIVE FOOT SIDE SETBACK, BUT YOUR DEED RESTRICTIONS SAY 10 FEET. 
          10 FEET CONTROLS NOT THE BUILDING CODE. 
          YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. 
          UM, I, I KIND OF TALKED ABOUT THIS. 
          WE, THERE'S THINGS WE CAN'T ENFORCE FROM A DEED RESTRICTION STANDPOINT, BUT WE CAN 
          [00:50:01]
AS A CITY ENFORCE THEM WITH ORDINANCES. 
          SO, UM, PARKING, UH, CARS ON GRASS, THERE'S A, A, A PARKING ON GRASS ORDINANCE. 
          I DON'T ENFORCE THAT. 
          I I'M JUST ON THE DEED RESTRICTION SIDE OF THINGS, BUT SOMEONE IN THE CITY DOES , THAT'S ANOTHER STORY, RIGHT? UM, HIGH, HIGH WEEDS. 
          SO IF, IF, IF THE GRASS OR WEEDS ON A PROPERTY HAVE BECOME OVERGROWN PAST A CERTAIN POINT, I BELIEVE HPW GOES OUT THERE, OR THEY, THEY DON'T GO THEMSELVES, THEY CONTRACT SOMEONE TO GO OUT THERE AND MOW IT. 
          AND THE COST OF THAT MOWING IS THEN PLACED AS A LIEN ON THAT PROPERTY. 
          SO AGAIN, THAT'S NOT ME, THAT'S NOT DEED RESTRICTION ENFORCEMENT, BUT WE HAVE OTHER ORDINANCES THAT DO OTHER THINGS. 
          YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. 
          UM, WE, WHEN WE ENFORCE THE RESTRICTIONS, WE DON'T REPRESENT THE HOA OR THE CIVIC CLUB. 
          WE, WE REPRESENT THE CITY. 
          SO, UM, UH, THAT SOME PEOPLE GET, UM, CONFUSED ABOUT THIS. 
          THEY'LL SAY, OH, WE DON'T, WE ACTUALLY DON'T HAVE A CIVIC CLUB. 
          WE DON'T HAVE AN HOA. 
          THAT DOESN'T MATTER FOR THE CITY'S PURPOSES. 
          AS LONG AS YOU HAVE VALID DEED RESTRICTIONS, WE CAN ENFORCE THEM. 
          WE DON'T NEED YOU TO HAVE ANYTHING, ANYTHING ELSE. 
          UM, YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. 
          SO THE, THE WAY YOU MAKE COMPLAINTS ABOUT DEED RESTRICTIONS IS NOT THROUGH 3 1 1. 
          UM, EVERYTHING ELSE IS THROUGH 3 1 1 MOSTLY. 
          BUT, UM, WE HAVE A DEED RESTRICTION HOTLINE. 
          THIS IS THE NUMBER HERE. 
          I, I'M, I'M TOLD THIS WILL BE PROVIDED TO Y'ALL, BUT THERE'S A, THERE'S A NUMBER AND THERE'S ALSO AN EMAIL ADDRESS. 
          AND IF, IF FOR WHATEVER REASON YOU, UM, YOU DON'T GET THIS LATER, IF YOU JUST GOOGLE HOUSTON DEED RESTRICTION ENFORCEMENT, I THINK IT'S THE FIRST PAGE THAT COMES UP IS A CITY PAGE WITH ALL THIS INFORMATION, CALL US. 
          YOU'LL TALK TO ONE OF OUR LAWYERS OR ONE OF OUR PARALEGALS FIRST POSSIBLY, AND WE'LL TALK TO YOU ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT IT IS WE CAN DO FOR YOU OR NOT. 
          WE'LL DO AN INVESTIGATION AND IF WE CAN ENFORCE, WE WILL, UM, GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. 
          THESE, RIGHT NOW, THESE ARE THE LAWYERS THAT ENFORCE DEED RESTRICTIONS. 
          IT'S BY COUNCIL DISTRICT. 
          SO, YOU KNOW, DISTRICT F IS LESHAWN WATTS. 
          SHE COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY, BUT I HAVE HER BUSINESS CARDS THAT I'M GONNA MAKE SURE ALL OF Y'ALL WHO WANT ONE GET ONE. 
          YOU CAN REACH OUT TO HER DIRECTLY AT THAT NUMBER AND IT'LL BE ON THE CARD AND THAT EMAIL ADDRESS. 
          SO SHE'LL BE THE ONE THAT, THAT, UM, LEADS THE INVESTIGATION AND, AND FILES THE LAWSUIT IF NECESSARY TO ENFORCE YOUR DEED RESTRICTIONS. 
          YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. 
          I MENTIONED THIS. 
          WE DO AN INVESTIGATION. 
          WE HAVE A LEGAL INVESTIGATOR. 
          IF, UM, YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. 
          IF, IF WE FIND THAT THERE IS A VIOLATION AND WE CAN ENFORCE YOUR DEED RESTRICTIONS, WELL FIRST WE'LL SEND A WARNING LETTER JUST TELLING THE PROPERTY OWNER TO FIX IT OR STOP WHATEVER IT IS. 
          OFTEN THAT'S ENOUGH, OFTEN THAT GETS THEM GOING. 
          IF THAT'S NOT ENOUGH, UH, WE, WE, WE USUALLY SEND A SECOND ONE JUST TO BE SAFE TO LET THEM KNOW WE'RE SERIOUS AND THEN WE FILE A LAWSUIT. 
          NOW THE LAWSUIT CAN TAKE TIME. 
          UM, IT'S NOT GONNA BE AN IMMEDIATE FIX. 
          I'VE HAD ONE, UH, I HAD ONE ABOUT A DUPLEX THAT LASTED OVER A YEAR. 
          BUT, UH, BECAUSE THEY WERE REALLY FIGHTING IT, THEY REALLY WANTED TO BUILD THE DUPLEX, BUT FINALLY THEY REALIZED THAT THEY COULDN'T. 
          AND, AND WE WON. 
          AND, AND IT'S NOT A DUPLEX ANYMORE. 
          YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. 
          UM, AND I MENTIONED THIS TOO, YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. 
          SO WHAT YOU NEED TO DO AS PROPERTY OWNERS IS, YOU KNOW, KNOW WHAT YOUR DEED RESTRICTIONS SAY AND ENFORCE THEM REGULARLY. 
          BECAUSE IF, IF, UM, ENOUGH PROPERTIES IN A NEIGHBORHOOD HAVE THE SAME KIND OF VIOLATION, A COURT MIGHT DETERMINE THAT THAT NEIGHBORHOOD HAS WAIVED THAT RESTRICTION. 
          SO I'VE SEEN THAT WHERE, YOU KNOW, IT'S A SMALL NEIGHBORHOOD AND THEY HAVE, I DON'T KNOW, 10 DUPLEXES AND, AND THERE ISN'T A, UH, AN EXACT PERCENTAGE. 
          THE COURTS, UM, DIFFERENT COURTS HAVE GIVEN DIFFERENT PERCENTAGES, BUT YOU RUN THE RISK OF A JUDGE SAYING, LOOK, YOU GUYS HAVE ALLOWED TOO MANY DUPLEXES. 
          NEW BUILDERS CAN'T BE EXPECTED TO THINK YOU DON'T ALLOW THEM. 
          NOW YOU'VE WAIVED IT. 
          SO YOU WANNA BE REGULARLY REGULAR IN ENFORCEMENT. 
          UM, IF YOU THINK YOUR DEED RESTRICTIONS ARE NEED TO BE CHANGED, PLEASE TALK TO A LAWYER. 
          UM, THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, WE CAN'T PROVIDE YOU GUYS LEGAL ADVICE. 
          MY ONLY CLIENT IS THE CITY AND I CAN ONLY GIVE LEGAL ADVICE TO THE CITY. 
          BUT, UM, THERE ARE A LEGAL AID ORGANIZATIONS, IF YOU DON'T THINK YOU CAN AFFORD AN ATTORNEY, I I WOULD NOT ASSUME THAT. 
          I MEAN, TALK TO AN ATTORNEY FIRST. 
          MAYBE YOU'LL FIND OUT YOU CAN. 
          BUT, UM, THERE ARE LEGAL AID ORGANIZATIONS AND I THINK THERE'S MORE LISTED, UH, LATER. 
          UM, THIS IS JUST SOME CONTACT INFORMATION FOR OTHER ORGANIZATIONS WITHIN THE CITY, 
          [00:55:01]
LIKE PARKING, UM, BANDIT SIGNS, ANIMALS AS BARK. 
          YEAH, YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. 
          SO I, YEAH, I WANTED TO GET, OF COURSE, AND AGAIN, YOU GUYS WILL GET THIS. 
          YEAH, I, I, THAT'S WHAT I'M TOLD IS YOU GUYS ARE GONNA GET ALL THESE SLIDES SENT TO YOU. 
          SO, UM, SO YEAH, IF, IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS YEAH, GO AHEAD. 
          OKAY, HOLD ON. 
          LET'S FOLLOW UP. 
          SURE, SURE. 
          OKAY. 
          YOU CAN HEAR ME NOW BY GOLLY. 
          OKAY. 
          TANGLE WILD. 
          TANGLE WILD IS A DIFFERENT BEAST, AS WE ALL KNOW. 
          IT HAS A CIVIC CLUB, IT'S A VOLUNTARY CIVIC CLUB. 
          NO, HOA WE ARE COVENANTED BY DEED RESTRICTIONS. 
          YOU MENTIONED THAT IF WE HAD ALLOWED ALL THESE THINGS TO HAPPEN, LIKE THE BED AND BREAKFAST, THE, UH, BOARDING HOUSES, THE MULTIPLE, YOU KNOW, DUPLEXES BEING CHANGED, YOU KNOW, HOUSES, CONSTRUCTION BEING CHANGED, WE DIDN'T ALLOW IT. 
          IT JUST KIND OF HAPPENS AND WE'VE ALWAYS COME TO THE CITY TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, GET HELP TO KEEP IT FROM HAPPENING. 
          BUT WE FEEL LIKE WE ARE GETTING JUST PUSHED ASIDE SINCE ARVA HOWARD, I HAVE HAD A HARD TIME TRYING TO GET ANYBODY TO EVEN ADDRESS ANYTHING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. 
          SURE. 
          SO I'VE SPOKEN TO YOU ASIDE FROM YOU BECAUSE I KNOW YOU PERSONALLY, BECAUSE I REMEMBER THAT NAME. 
          I, AND YES MA'AM, WE, WE HAVE HAD GOOD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT TRYING TO GET BUSINESSES CLOSED, BUT WHAT DO WE DO ABOUT THAT? WE DON'T WANT THAT TO HAPPEN TO WHERE THEY, THE JUDGE WOULD HAVE THE CAPABILITY OF SAYING, WELL, YOU'VE ALLOWED IT TO HAPPEN. 
          WELL, NO WE DIDN'T. 
          RIGHT, RIGHT. 
          AND, AND I'VE SEEN THAT BEFORE WHERE, UM, THERE, THERE, THERE ARE NEIGHBORHOODS I'VE DEALT WITH WHERE THEY HAVEN'T HAD A CIVIC CLUB FOR A LONG TIME. 
          NO ONE'S BEEN ENFORCING ANYTHING. 
          AND, AND NOW THEY'RE TRYING TO BE MORE PROACTIVE. 
          THEY'RE TRYING TO CREATE A NEW CIVIC CLUB. 
          UM, AND IT MIGHT BE THAT SOME THINGS IT'S JUST TOO LATE FOR THEM, BUT, OR IT MIGHT BE THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE A CHANGE IN THE DEED RESTRICTIONS TO ADDRESS WHAT'S ALREADY HAPPENED AND, AND, BUT MAKE SOMETHING NEW TO GO FORWARD. 
          I, I CAN'T GET INTO SPECIFICS BECAUSE AGAIN, I CAN'T GIVE YOU LEGAL ADVICE, BUT, BUT THERE MIGHT BE A SOLUTION. 
          SO DEFINITELY TALK TO A LAWYER. 
          UM, LONE STAR LEGAL AID IS, HA HAS SOMETHING, I THINK SOME OF THE LAW SCHOOLS NOW HAVE DEED RESTRICTION CLINICS WHERE THEY CAN HELP PEOPLE FOR FREE. 
          YES. 
          AND, AND THERE'S THREE IN HOUSTON, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THURGOOD MARSHALL, UH, UH, U OF H HAS A LAW SCHOOL AND SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW. 
          YEAH. 
          AND LEMME JUST ADD HERE AS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING IN TANGO WILD TANGO WILD ON THE CORNER OF GESNER AND RICHMOND, THERE WAS A HOME, UM, AND THEY HAVE SPLIT THE HOME. 
          THEY RENTING ROOMS TO STUDENTS, RIGHT? AND THEY WERE PARKING ALL THE CARS ON, ON THE LAWN. 
          NOW, IN THE DEED RESTRICTIONS, THERE WAS NOTHING IN THE LANGUAGE THAT RESTRICTED WHERE TO PARK YOUR CAR, RIGHT? SO THERE WAS A CURE FOR THAT. 
          AS HE MENTIONED, THE ORDINANCE PROHIBITED YARD PARKING ORDINANCE. 
          WE HAVE NINE NEIGHBORHOODS IN DISTRICT F THAT HAVE APPLIED FOR THAT. 
          SO WE WERE ABLE TO RESTRICT PARKING ON THE FRONT YARDS WITH THE ORDINANCE. 
          HOWEVER, THERE WAS A PIVOT LAST YEAR, UH, THE FUNCTIONALITY THAT IT LIVED WITH HPD. 
          NOW IT'S WITH, IS IT DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS OR PUBLIC WORKS? IT'S WITH PUBLIC WORKS NOW, RIGHT? SO A PART OF THE ENFORCEMENT CHANGE AND, AND IT WAS ATTRACTIVE AS AN ORDINANCE BECAUSE LAW ENFORCEMENT, YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY TENSIONS CAN BE HIGH BETWEEN NEIGHBORS. 
          AND OFTENTIMES WE DON'T WANNA CONFRONT OUR NEIGHBORS IF WE'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW, TALKING TO THEM ABOUT CAN YOU MOVE YOUR CAR? CAN YOU, YOU KNOW, CAN, YOU KNOW, MOVE YOUR TRASH CAN? ALL THOSE THINGS. 
          SO THAT HAS TRANSITIONED, UM, TO PUBLIC WORKS, WHICH HAS MANY NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE NOT DECIDED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT BECAUSE IT'S NO LONGER A ATTRACTIVE FOR THAT. 
          BUT THEY WERE ABLE TO INS, UM, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO APPROVE THAT AT COUNCIL. 
          THEY WERE THE MOST RECENT NEIGHBORHOOD, TANGO WILD, TO GET THAT AUTHORIZED. 
          AND IT A ADDRESSED THE ISSUE WHEN THE NEIGHBORHOOD YES, JOHN. 
          OH, I HAVE THAT GEORGE. 
          IS THAT THE CITATION WENT WITH THE TICKET, NOT THE PROPERTY OWNER. 
          RIGHT. 
          OKAY. 
          SO WHO, WHO GETS THE SUMMONS? WELL, UH, THE, UH, HPW IS HERE AND SO WE'RE GONNA HOLD THAT QUESTION WHEN THEY GET HERE. 
          THEY'RE HERE. 
          OH, OKAY. 
          YEAH, THEY'RE HERE. 
          WE'RE GONNA HEAR FROM, UH, PUBLIC WORKS WE'RE GONNA HEAR FROM, BUT THAT'S JUST AN EXAMPLE OF WHEN YOUR DEED RESTRICTIONS, UH, DON'T, UM, HAVE THE LANGUAGE THAT EXPLICITLY RESTRICTS USE OF THE PROPERTY OR DOESN'T DEFINE. 
          WE HAVE ORDINANCES FOR THAT. 
          NOW, HERE'S A CHALLENGE ON OUR END, THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE ORDINANCE, WE HAVE A LOT OF ORDINANCES ON THE BOOKS. 
          I WAS LOOKING AT THE TRAILERS AND I WAS THINKING OF PARK GLEN. 
          I MEAN, THEY ARE INUNDATED WITH 20 FOOT TRAILERS. 
          IT'S A PUBLIC 
          [01:00:01]
SAFETY ISSUE. 
          THEY'RE OUT IN THE, THE DRIVEWAY. 
          YOU KNOW, IT PROHIBITS SOLID WASTE FROM COMING IN, PICKING UP TRASH, YOU NAME IT. 
          SO SOME OF THOSE PHOTOS ARE VERY FAMILIAR OF WHAT WE SEE. 
          SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON. 
          SO ANYTHING RELATED TO THOSE ORDINANCES WILL HAVE OUR DEPARTMENT REPRESENTATIVES GET, UH, TALK TO US ABOUT THAT. 
          YES, MA'AM. 
          I'LL REPEAT THE QUESTION. 
          SO, YES. 
          UM, LAST YEAR WE, TO ADDRESS THAT, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP. 
          UH, CITY COUNCIL APPROVED AN ORDINANCE TO ADDRESS SHORT-TERM RENTALS, AIRBNBS, UH, WE LIVE AT A DIFFERENT AGE WHEN PEOPLE ARE RENTING OUT THEIR HOMES. 
          HOUSTON'S A CONVENTION CITY. 
          WE'RE GETTING READY FOR FIFA. 
          YOU CAN ANTICIPATE SOME ACTIVITY IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD ALL THE WAY ON THE WEST SIDE, SOUTH SIDE, ALL OF THAT. 
          SO WHAT, UH, MANY HO MANY DEED RESTRICTIONS DO NOT ADDRESS SHORT TERM RENTALS. 
          SO WHAT OUR ORDINANCE DOES, IT CREATES, UM, UH, A DIRECTORY OF SORTS WHERE THEY, THERE'S ESSENTIALLY A PERMIT FOR THEM TO DO THAT. 
          WE DO, I THINK THE LAST NUMBER WE HAD OF THOSE THAT WERE DOCUMENTED IN DISTRICT F OR AROUND 600, UM, WE WERE PROBABLY THE LOWEST ON THE LINE WHEN YOU LOOK AT ALL OF OUR 11 COUNCIL DISTRICTS. 
          BUT THERE IS A WAY FOR US TO REPORT OUT AND WE KNOW WHERE THEY'RE AT. 
          UH, THAT IS INFORMATION WE'VE SHARED ONCE OR TWICE. 
          WE CAN DO THAT ROUTINELY. 
          UM, I WOULD ENCOURAGE IF YOU HAVE EXCESSIVE SHORT-TERM RENTALS TO THE POINT OF LIKE THEIR PARTY HOUSES, THEN, THEN WE CAN ENGAGE LAW ENFORCEMENT. 
          THERE'S A TRIGGER FOR THAT. 
          BUT ALSO, WHEN YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT THE LANGUAGE YOU NEED TO ADD TO YOUR DE RESTRICTIONS, I WOULD HIGHLY ENCOURAGE SOMETHING ABOUT RESTRICTING THE USE OF THOSE HOMES. 
          WE HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS IN THE BACK FOR ME OR CITY LEAGUE. 
          MY QUESTION IS TO THE GENTLEMAN REGARDING THE WARNING LETTER YES, MA'AM. 
          THAT YOU REFERENCED. 
          YES, MA'AM. 
          CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT YOUR PROCEDURE IS FOR WHO, WHO YOU'RE DIRECTING THAT WARNING TO? IS IT JUST THE, UH, ADDRESS IN QUESTION? NO, MA'AM. 
          SO WE WILL S LOOK UP WHO OWNS THE PROPERTY. 
          UM, IF THERE'S A SITUATION WHERE THERE'S A DIFFERENT OWNER AND A, AND A TENANT, WE'LL GET IT TO BOTH. 
          I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT. 
          YES. 
          'CAUSE I THINK YEARS AGO, PERHAPS THE PROCEDURE WAS DIFFERENT AND WE HAVE A RENTAL PROPERTY AND ALL OF A SUDDEN WE GET A LETTER NOTICE OF ARRAIGNMENT, UH, YOU KNOW, PAY OR DIE OR GO TO THE, YOU KNOW, THING. 
          AND LONG STORY SHORT, WHEN I CALLED, BECAUSE THERE WAS NO INFORMATION, UH, ABOUT WHAT IT SPECIFICALLY WAS FOR, AND I GUESS ONE OF OUR TENANTS HAD PUT OUT A, A LAWN BAG OF CUTTINGS A FEW DAYS TOO EARLY. 
          SURE. 
          AND WE NEVER GOT THE LETTER. 
          SURE. 
          SO, I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT, UH, YOU HAVE IT IN PLACE NOW THAT YOU'RE SENDING TO. 
          OH, YES, ABSOLUTELY. 
          UH, AND I'LL, I'LL TELL YOU THAT THE PERSON TENANT, UM, FROM, FROM A DEED RESTRICTION STANDPOINT, UM, OUR, A LETTER FROM ME WILL NEVER BE ABOUT LAWN CLIPPINGS. 
          BUT, BUT, UM, BUT YES, IF, IF YOU HAVE A TENANT THAT VIOLATES A DEED RESTRICTION AND YOU GET A LETTER FROM US, WE WE'RE HAPPY TO GIVE YOU TIME TO, TO TAKE SOME ACTION TO CURE IT YOURSELF. 
          I MEAN, IF IT'S EVICTION OR WHATEVER IT NEEDS TO BE, YOU KNOW, WE WE'RE, WE'RE HAPPY TO WORK WITH YOU IF YOU WANT TO, IF YOU WANT TIME AND YOU WANNA WORK WITH US, IT, IT ONLY GOES FURTHER FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T WANNA WORK WITH US, WHO WANT TO FIGHT ABOUT IT, THEN IT GOES FURTHER. 
          NEXT QUESTION. 
          RIGHT HERE. 
          I'M SORRY. 
          WE HIT TO FOLLOW THE ORDER. 
          HELLO? UM, IF, I'M SORRY, I HAVE A QUESTION. 
          IT, IT SAYS IN THERE, LIKE BEF BEFORE THAT SLIDE, IT SAYS, NUISANCE AND PARKING IS THE, UH, I GUESS THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. 
          BUT WHEN YOU CALL THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, YOU WAIT LIKE THERE FOR THE NON-EMERGENCY LINE. 
          AND THERE'S BEEN A CONTINUAL ISSUE WHERE YOU HAVE THESE CARS THAT PARK IN THE CITY STREETS FOR MONTHS AND MONTHS AND MONTHS AND MONTHS. 
          AND POLICE OFFICERS DRIVE THROUGH THROUGH THE SAME STREET AND THEY, THEY DON'T DO ANYTHING. 
          SO, OH, NO, THAT'S WHAT WAS MY QUESTION? WHO, WHO WILL YOU ADVISE TO CONTACT? 3 1 1. 
          SO PARK, WELL, 3 1 1 CLOSES THE CASES I CALLED. 
          NO, IT'S 3 1 1. 
          SO ALL THEY DO IS CLOSE THE CASE. 
          IT'S 3 1 1. 
          WE ARE GONNA START WITH 3 1 1. 
          YOU'RE GONNA GET A SERVICE REQUEST NUMBER THAT GOES TO PARK HOUSTON, NOT HPD PARK HOUSTON. 
          AND HERE'S THE, HERE'S THE CONTEXT AROUND THAT. 
          YOU HAVE DILAPIDATED CARS, CARS WITH EXPIRED, BRAKE TAGS, ALL OF THAT. 
          YOU SEE THAT ALL THE TIME. 
          TAKE A PHOTO. 
          THERE'S EXPLICIT INFORMATION THAT PARK HOUSTON NEEDS IN ORDER TO DO THAT. 
          THEY'RE GONNA DISPATCH THEIR INVESTIGATOR. 
          THEY'RE GONNA MARK THE TIRE, THEY'RE GONNA COME BACK. 
          IF THAT TIRE HAS MOVED, THE CLOCK HAS STARTED OVER. 
          IF THE, IF THE CAR HAS NOT MOVED, THEY WILL COME AND TOW IT IMMEDIATELY. 
          WHAT, UH, WE HAVE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WE PUT ON PILOT PROGRAMS, PINEY POINT'S, THE LATEST ONE. 
          'CAUSE THEY'RE SURROUNDED BY MECHANIC SHOPS. 
          UH, BEL AIR WEST IS IMPERIAL 
          [01:05:01]
IS, I MEAN, INUNDATED. 
          UH, THOSE ARE ON OUR PILOT LIST, AND THEY HAVE SWEPT THOSE AREAS. 
          WE'VE HAD OVER 300 CITATIONS OF PARKING. 
          SO IT'S NOT HPD, IT'S PARK HOUSTON, AND THEN SEND THAT TO THE DISTRICT OFFICE. 
          SO THEN WE CAN ESCALATE THAT. 
          BUT THERE ARE PARTICULAR DETAILS YOU NEED IN ORDER TO REPORT, UM, A, A CAR THAT'S PARKED AND THEN TO PARK ON THE CITY STREET. 
          IT'S ALLOWABLE TO PARK ON THE CITY OF HOUSTON STREET FOR 24 HOURS. 
          YEAH. 
          BUT THOSE CARS HAVE BEEN THERE FOR I GOT IT. 
          SO HOW DID YOU GET ON THE PILOT PROGRAM? BECAUSE I CALLED THE CITY OF HOUSTON. 
          WE NEED TO, THEY OPENED THAT REPORT, REPORT FIRST, AND THEN THE NEXT DAY IS CLOSED. 
          SO LET'S, SO LET ME EDUCATE ON WHAT 3 1 1, UH, THE LANGUAGE MEANS. 
          SO YOU'LL OFTEN SEE CLOSED. 
          CLOSED DOES NOT MEAN RESOLVE CLOSE MEANS THEY SENT THAT TICKET TO THE APPROPRIATE DEPARTMENT. 
          IF YOU HAVE CONTACTED 3 1 1, YOU HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION WE GET TO SEE ON THE BACK END. 
          YOU CAN ROUTINELY CHECK THAT SERVICE REQUEST AND YOU'LL SEE ALL OF THE UPDATES THAT YOU EMAIL THE OFFICE. 
          AND WE PUSH BACK OUT. 
          NOW WITHIN THE PROTOCOL, BECAUSE THERE'S A PARTICULAR TIMEFRAME WE HAVE TO LET THE PROTOCOL WORK. 
          IF THE, IF THEY ARE OUTSIDE THAT PROTOCOL, FOR INSTANCE, LIKE A WATER LEAK, 10 TO 14 DAYS, THE MINIMUM ON A REGULAR LEAK, THAT'S A REGULAR EASY LEAK. 
          IF YOU SEE FLAGS OUT THERE, THAT MEANS PUBLIC WORKS HAS BEEN THERE AND THEY HAVE TO ORDER, THEY HAVE TO DO THE WORK ORDER. 
          SOMETIMES THERE'S A SUPPLY CHAIN WITH THE PARTS. 
          YOU GOT TO GIVE THEM GRACE. 
          IF IT FALLS OUT OF THE PROTOCOL, IT'S A MONTH. 
          IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S 45 DAYS. 
          WE CAN ESCALATE TO GET THAT DONE. 
          BUT IT'S, WE, BUT THERE'S A RESPONSIBILITY ALSO AS RESIDENTS TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO DOCUMENT THE EXACT INFORMATION. 
          AND AS A FOLLOW UP, WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT THE EXPLICIT DETAILS YOU NEED IN ORDER TO DO THAT WILL BE IN THE FOLLOW UP, UH, INFORMATION HERE. 
          UH, SARAI, WHO DOES, UH, OUR CONSTITUENT SERVICES CONSISTENTLY MONITORS THE, UH, PARKING VIOLATIONS AND GETS THAT BACK TO PARK HOUSTON. 
          AND THEY ARE DILIGENTLY ADDRESSING THAT. 
          BUT THEY'LL MARK THE TIRE. 
          IF IT MOVES, IT STARTS BACK OVER. 
          THAT'S WHAT IT IS, RIGHT? IT STARTS RIGHT OVER. 
          SO THIS IS HOW WE NEED YOUR HELP. 
          TAKE PHOTOS, THEY NEED LICENSE PLATES, ALL THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. 
          PUT IT IN 3 1 1, GIVE THEM THE EXACT MODEL OF THE CAR, GET THAT TO THE OFFICE. 
          WE WILL ROUTE THAT UP. 
          I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH PARK HOUSTON TO TRY TO USE SOME OF MY COUNCIL DISTRICT SERVICE FUNDS FOR US TO HAVE OUR OWN TOW SERVICE. 
          HP D'S, THE ONLY ONE. 
          AND THEY WON'T ALLOW ME TO DO THAT. 
          BUT THAT HAS BEEN IN CONVERSATION FOR OVER A YEAR AND A HALF FOR US TO MOVE QUICKLY, UM, TO SWEEP THESE CARS THAT WE KNOW ARE DILAPIDATED. 
          WHEN I GO WALK IN THE MORNING TO GET MY STEPS, I'M ALWAYS TAKING PICTURES OF PEOPLE'S CARS AND SAYING, OKAY, YOU'VE BEEN HERE. 
          IT, YOUR BREAK TAG IS FROM 2019. 
          THIS CAR HAS NOT MOVED. 
          LET'S TAKE THAT PHOTO AND PARK HOUSTON HANDLES AND DOES THAT. 
          AND WE'VE SEEN SUCCESSES WITH THAT. 
          BUT WE NEED YOUR HELP. 
          IT'S NOT JUST A SIMPLE, YOU NEED MORE INFORMATION IN ORDER TO GET THAT DONE. 
          OKAY. 
          WE HAVE ONE MORE. 
          HOW MANY MORE QUESTIONS? TWO MORE. 
          AND THEN WE'RE GONNA GET TO DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS. 
          OKAY. 
          EARLIER, EARLIER YOU MENTIONED, UH, ABOUT, UH, SHORT, SHORT-TERM RENTALS AND AIRBNBS, THAT THEY HAVE TO HAVE A PERMIT. 
          HOW DO WE FIND OUT IF THE PERSON HAS A PERMIT AND KNOW? I DON'T KNOW IF THIS HAS BEEN ADDRESSED, BUT, UM, OH, OKAY. 
          SO IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, I'VE NOTICED A, A LARGE AMOUNT OF CHICKENS, . 
          AND HOW ABOUT A DOMESTICATED ANIMALS? AND THEN, UM, IN SOME PLACES, SOME, UH, ONE TIME SOMEONE HAD A PIG, AND I'M THINKING, WHAT DO WE DO TO STOP THAT? SO CHICKENS ARE ALLOWABLE. 
          THEY ARE ALLOWABLE. 
          THAT'S STILL A 3 1 1. 
          UM, BUT I'M THINKING LIKE WHEN THEY HAVE LIKE CERTAIN DISEASES THAT COULD BE PASSED ON TO LIKE THE DOMESTICATED ANIMAL, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT WILL COME OUT. 
          BUT IT NEEDS TO BE REPORTED. 
          I I, I WANNA SAY AN IMPERIAL NO, IN CATALINA SQUARE, IN CATALINA, SOMEONE HAD CHICKEN. 
          THEY HAD BIRDS AND CHI. 
          SOMEONE HAD CHICKENS TOO. 
          AND THEY'RE ALLOWABLE. 
          THEY HAVE TO BE CAGED A PARTICULAR WAY. 
          THERE'S GUIDANCE. 
          YEAH, THERE'S GUIDANCE AROUND THAT. 
          SO LET'S GET THAT REPORTED IN. 
          SO THAT CAN BE INVESTIGATED. 
          SO IF THERE'S CERTAIN GUIDANCE THAT THAT RESIDENT NEEDS THAT CAN BE PROVIDED, AND THEN WE CAN SHARE THAT WITH THE HOA. 
          BUT YEAH, CHICKENS, IT'S ALLOW, THEY'RE ALLOWABLE ROOSTERS. 
          I BELIEVE A ROOSTERS ARE ALLOWABLE TOO. 
          YEAH. 
          YEAH. 
          SO, UM, AND YOU KNOW, YOU COULD DESIGNATE YOUR LAWN TO, YOU COULD BE LIKE A ARBORIST AND DEDICATE YOUR LAWN TO GROW. 
          I MEAN, THERE'S SOME THINGS YOU COULD DO AT THE CITY THAT PERHAPS YOUR NEIGHBORS MAY NOT BE IN VIOLATION. 
          IT JUST MAY BE AN ANNOYANCE. 
          YOU RIGHT. 
          YES, JOHN. 
          OKAY. 
          YES, SIR. 
          I GOT IT. 
          ATTORNEY, RIGHT? YES, SIR. 
          THANK YOU. 
          RENT, 
          [01:10:10]
YOU GOT PUNCH AT THE BOTTOM OF IT. 
          OF IT. 
          OKAY. 
          UH, HAD A RENTER WHO SUBDIVIDED THE BEDROOMS AND CREATED A BOARDING HOUSE. 
          YES. 
          YES, SIR. 
          MANY COMPLAINTS CAME INTO THE HOA AND WE CALLED OUR CITY COUNCIL PERSON. 
          AT THE TIME, IT WASN'T THIS LADY, IT WAS SOMEONE ELSE. 
          OKAY. 
          AND, UH, , UH, WE GOT THE CI THAT THAT COUNCIL PERSON GOT THE CITY ATTORNEY INVOLVED. 
          AND, UM, THAT CITY ATTORNEY USED THE HOTEL TAX. 
          RIGHT. 
          OKAY. 
          AND, UM, UH, FROM THE TIME THAT THE PRESENT OWNER BOUGHT THE PROPERTY, UH, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS A RENTER, IT WAS RENTAL PROPERTY. 
          UH, AND THE ADDRESS OF RECORD ON HCAD WAS THE ADDRESS OF THE, OF THE PROPERTY. 
          SO ALL OF THE THINGS FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON TRYING TO COLLECT HOTEL TAX WENT IN THE TRASHCAN. 
          RIGHT. 
          IT WAS ONLY WHEN THE CITY FILED A LIEN AGAINST THE PROPERTY. 
          AND, UH, UH, HIS, UH, FINANCIAL INSTITUTION SENT HIM A, A, AN INQUIRIES SAYS, WHAT'S GOING ON? WHY ARE YOU RUNNING, UH, A HOTEL IN, IN A, IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA THAT HE, THAT THE OWNER ACTUALLY GOT INVOLVED? UH, SO, UH, THAT'S ONE WAY THE LADY THAT HAS LIVED IN A QUADRANGLE. 
          OKAY. 
          UH, YOU, IF YOU'RE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, THERE'S YOUR MAN THERE TO TRY TO GET THE HO UH, HOTEL TAX FROM EVERY PERSON IN THAT'S, THAT'S IN THERE EXCEPT THE, THE OWNER AND STUFF. 
          AND, AND THE QUESTION FOR YOU, MR. BARNES, UH, LOT PLATS. 
          YES, SIR. 
          OKAY. 
          OUR SUBDIVISION, AT LEAST PART OF IT, WAS CREATED IN 1966. 
          AND THE LAST SECTION, SECTION FIVE WAS PROBABLY 1972. 
          OKAY. 
          WHERE CAN WHERE CAN PROPERTY OWNERS GET CORRECT COPIES OF THEIR PLAT? YES, SIR. 
          AND WHAT COST? SO, UM, ALL THE, ALL THE ORIGINAL PLATS ARE MAINTAINED IN THE COUNTY MAP RECORDS, WHICH IS THE DISTRICT CLERK, I MEAN, EXCUSE ME, THE COUNTY CLERK. 
          COUNTY CLERK, COUNTY CLERK, UH, HARRIS COUNTY CLERK. 
          EXACTLY. 
          UM, THERE, HOW YOU CAN SEE, UH, HOW THE PLAT LOOKS NOW, IF YOU JUST GO TO, IT'S CALLED HA PARCEL VIEWER. 
          IT'S A WEBSITE, HCA MAINTAINS IT, IT HAS THE WHOLE CITY ON THERE. 
          YOU CAN ZOOM IN ON YOUR HOUSE AND SEE YOUR LOT AND ALL THE LOTS AROUND IT, AND THE PLAT LIKE BORDERS. 
          AND IT'S REALLY GREAT. 
          UM, THERE, THERE'S SOMETHING, BEFORE I'M DONE, THERE'S SOME TWO THINGS I I REALLY WANT YOU GUYS TO KNOW, UM, THAT'S KIND OF UNRELATED TO THAT. 
          BUT NUMBER ONE IS, UM, WHEN PEOPLE WE'RE COMPLAINT BASED. 
          SO WHEN PEOPLE BUILD, IF THEY GET A BUILDING PERMIT, LET'S SAY A BUILDING PERMIT TO BUILD A DUPLEX, THE FACT THAT THEY GOT A PERMIT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THEY'RE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE DEED RESTRICTIONS. 
          THE PERMITTING PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AT THE BUILDING CODE, AND THEY DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW WHAT THE DEED RESTRICTIONS ARE IN THAT AREA. 
          WE, WE, WE RELY ON COMPLAINTS. 
          SO IF YOU SEE SOMEONE BUILDING SOMETHING, IF YOU SUSPECT IT VIOLATES RESTRICTIONS, MAKE A COMPLAINT. 
          AND THAT'S HOW WE'LL KNOW AND WE'LL INVESTIGATE IT. 
          OKAY. 
          WELL, AND TAKE ACTION. 
          WE, WE ALL KNOW WHAT EASEMENTS ARE. 
          OKAY? YES, SIR. 
          THE TERM OF OUR CLASS IS BUILDING LINES AND SETBACKS. 
          YES. 
          ARE THOSE TERMS FROM THE 1960S STILL VALID TODAY? YES, SIR. 
          THOSE ARE SEPARATE THINGS. 
          SO A BUILDING LINE, A PROPERTY LINE, AN EASEMENT, UM, THESE ARE ALL SEPARATE THINGS, RIGHT? I DON'T, AS, AS THE, A CITY ATTORNEY WHO ENFORCES DEED RESTRICTIONS, I'M NOT ENFORCING EASEMENTS, BUT I AM ENFORCING SETBACKS OR BUILDING LINES. 
          THOSE ARE SO WHAT ABOUT BUILDING LINES FROM PROPERTY LINES? RIGHT, EXACTLY. 
          THAT'S WHAT I MEAN. 
          WE ENFORCE THOSE. 
          YOU DO. 
          OKAY. 
          YES, SIR. 
          BUT, UH, ANOTHER THING I WANT YOU GUYS TO KNOW BEFORE I GO IS, UM, I, YOU KNOW, I MENTIONED WAIVER. 
          SO LIKE, IF YOU'VE ALLOWED TOO MANY DUPLEXES, LET'S SAY ANOTHER THING IS, IS IN ONE INSTANCE, IF YOU'VE SAT ON IT TOO LONG, LIKE LET'S SAY THERE'S ONLY ONE DUPLEX IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT THEY BUILT IT FIVE YEARS AGO, THE JUDGE WILL PROBABLY SAY, YOU WAITED TOO LONG. 
          UM, THERE'S ACTUALLY A FOUR YEAR STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS ON ENFORCING DEED RESTRICTIONS. 
          SO IF, IF IT'S BEEN SITTING THERE TOO LONG, IT'S, IT MIGHT BE TOO LATE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. 
          AND THEN I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A GROUP HOME AND A BOARDING HOME. 
          UH, THOSE DEFINITIONS AND THE FUNCTIONS ARE DIFFERENT. 
          A RA, THAT DEPARTMENT MANAGES THE PERMIT APPLICATION PROCESS FOR THAT. 
          AND WE HAVE A RUNNING LIST OF THE AUTHORIZED ONES IN DISTRICT FI THINK THE LIST WAS 28, BUT YOU AND I BOTH KNOW WE HAVE MORE THAN 28 OF THOSE. 
          YEAH. 
          RIGHT. 
          SO AS 
          [01:15:01]
I WAS SHARING WITH LYNN THIS MORNING, I NEED YOUR HELP ON THAT AS WELL. 
          WE ARE CONSISTENTLY MONITORING, UH, THOSE LOCATIONS. 
          BUT IF YOU'RE ON THE TEAM THAT DRIVES THE NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU KNOW, AND ISSUES THE CITATIONS OR THE WARNINGS, WE NEED YOU, WE NEED THE ADDRESSES OF THE, UH, PERCEIVED LOCATIONS OR GROUP, UH, OR BOARDING HOME. 
          SO THEN WE CAN CHECK AGAINST THE MASTER LIST. 
          SO THEN WE CAN INITIATE WITH THE APPROPRIATE DEPARTMENTS. 
          OTHERWISE, WE WON'T KNOW. 
          WE'VE HAD, I THINK IN PARK GLEN WEST, THERE WAS A FIRE, UH, TWO YEARS AGO, UM, SOME DISABLED INDIVIDUALS, SOME ANIMALS CAUGHT, AND IT WAS A, A GROUP HOME, BUT IT WASN'T ON THE LIST. 
          RIGHT. 
          AND SOMEONE LOST THEIR LIFE. 
          SO, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE, UM, THOSE INSTANCES HAPPEN IF WE DON'T KNOW WHO'S IN THE HOME, IF THEY HAVE SMOKE DETECTORS, IF THEY'RE IN COMPLIANCE, ALL OF THAT IS IMPORTANT, RIGHT? 'CAUSE THAT FIRE CAN CATCH ONTO YOUR HOUSE. 
          UH, BUT WE NEED YOUR HELP ON THAT. 
          SO IF YOU CAN JUST MAKE A NOTE, IF THERE'S SOME ISSUES TO GET THAT TO US, JOHN, I GOTTA GET TO DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS, BUT, UH, MR. PAUL'S GONNA BE HERE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          I'M GONNA MAKE SURE WE ALL GET CARDS. 
          YES. 
          AND YEAH. 
          AND SHE'S WITH, SHE WAS WITH US LAST YEAR, AND WE MAKE HER CONTACT, UM, INFORMATION AVAILABLE. 
          ALL THE SLIDES THAT YOU SEE, UM, WE'LL, RIGHT. 
          WE'RE GONNA FLIP THIS BACK OVER TO EVERYONE WHO REGISTERED VIA EMAIL. 
          SO IF YOU DID ON SITE AND WE HAVE YOUR EMAIL, YOU'LL GET THIS AS WELL. 
          IT'LL ALSO BE IN THE, UH, UH, UH, VIDEO WITH HOUSTON TV. 
          WONDERFUL. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          UH, DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS IS NEXT. 
          VERONICA HERNANDEZ. 
          SHE IS A FAMILIAR FACE, ALL RIGHT. 
          TO ALL OF US AND TO ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. 
          AND SHE'S GONNA TALK ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS. 
          WELCOME. 
          THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER. 
          GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. 
          I WANNA APPLAUD COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS FOR HER LEADERSHIP AND FOR, UH, WE HAVE A FULL HOUSE. 
          THANK YOU FOR YOUR ENGAGEMENT WITH THE COMMUNITY AND BEING OUT THERE FOR US. 
          SO, UH, DEPARTMENT NEIGHBORHOODS, A LOT OF, OF THE COMMUNITY, THE CIVIC CLUBS, THE HOAS ARE FAMILIAR WITH US. 
          THERE HAVE BEEN SOME RECENT CHANGES TO OUR DEPARTMENT. 
          SO OUR DEPARTMENT'S MISSION IS TO WORK WITH RESIDENTS AND COMMITTEE PARTNERS TO ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ESTONIANS, FOSTERING STRONG, INCLUSIVE, AND EMPOWERED COMMUNITIES THROUGH OUTREACH, STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS, RESPONSE, UH, TO SERVICE REQUESTS. 
          WE ADDRESS COMMUNITY NEEDS THROUGH OUR DIVISION. 
          SO WE HAVE DIFFERENT DIVISIONS WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT. 
          UH, WE DO NOT HAVE THE CODE ENFORCEMENT, UH, DIVISION NO LONGER WITH OUR DEPARTMENT. 
          SO THAT WAS A BIG DIVISION. 
          SO NOW, UH, MAYOR'S ASSISTANCE OFFICE, WHICH I REPRESENT, WHICH IS NOW THE, UH, THE LARGEST DIVISION OF THE, THE DEPARTMENT OFFICE OF GANG PREVENTION, INTERVENTION, OFFICE OF NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT, OFFICE OF NEW AMERICANS, AND LANGUAGE ACCESS, OFFICE OF VETERANS AND MILITARY AFFAIRS OFFICE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, OFFICE OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. 
          SO OUR COMMITMENTS TO LEAD POSITIVE CHANGE IN OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS, UH, ADVOCACY EDUCATION TO ENSURE ALL HOUSTONIANS HAS, UH, HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO THRIVE IN SAFE, SUPPORTIVE, AND CONNECTED COMMUNITY. 
          UH, OUR GOALS. 
          THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. 
          UM, TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR RESIDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN GOVERNMENT AND ENGAGE ON NEIGHBORHOOD AND CITYWIDE LEVEL. 
          UH, CREATE POSITIVE CHANGE THROUGH CO COLLABORATION TO CONNECT RESIDENTS TO PROGRAMS AND SERVICES WHICH SOLVE PROBLEMS. REMOVE OBSTACLES TO HELP RESIDENTS PARTICIPATE IN CIVIC LIFE AND IMPROVE THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE. 
          MAKE A GOVERNMENT SERVICES MORE ACCESSIBLE, ESPECIALLY THROUGH THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY AND DATA RIBBON OUTREACH. 
          SO, UH, MAYOR'S ASSISTANCE OFFICE, OUR OFFICE HAS BEEN IN PLACE SINCE, UH, UH, MAYOR HOFFINS. 
          UH, WE'VE BEEN THROUGH A LOT OF CHANGES, BUT NOW WE'RE PART OF DEPARTMENT NEIGHBORHOODS. 
          SO WE CREATE, UH, COORDINATE WITH CITY DEPARTMENTS TO FOLLOW UP ON SERVICE REQUEST AND SUPPORT CIVIC PARTICIPATION BY PARTNERING UP WITH, UH, COMMUNITY GROUPS. 
          SO WE OVERSEE THIS, THE NEIGHBOR SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD INITIATIVE PROGRAM, UH, WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON. 
          WE COLLABORATE WITH COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS OF ALL TYPES FOLLOW UP REQUESTS WITH CITIES, SERVICES FOR RESIDENTS, HELP COORDINATE NEIGHBORHOOD CLEANUPS AND INFORMATIONAL SWEEPS. 
          SO WE DO, UH, WORK WITH HOA CIVIC CLUBS AND DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS TO GO OUT THERE AND DO INFORMATIONAL, UH, SWEEPS AND ALSO CLEANUPS TO INFORM THE COMMUNITY. 
          UH, WE HAVE A, NOT A LOT OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND LAB TENANTS WHO ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH SOME OF THE CITY'S, UM, REQUIREMENTS FOR THEM TO TAKE CARE OF. 
          SO, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD INITIATIVE PROGRAM. 
          UH, 
          [01:20:01]
IT'S A GROUP OF RESIDENT STAKEHOLDERS FROM SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD AREAS THAT WERE DESIGNATED BY THE, UH, CITY OF HOUSTON. 
          AND THEY WERE FORMED TO SERVE AS A FORUM TO DISCUSS ISSUES DEVELOPED SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ACTION PLANS, UH, IDENTIFY PRIORITY PROJECTS WITH CITY STAFF. 
          HOW MANY OF Y ACTIVE IN YOUR BEEN ON HIATUS. 
          BUT WE DO HAVE SOME SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 20 FOLKS IN THE ROOM. 
          WE HAVE TANGO WILD, UH, A PINEY POINT IS WESTMONT IN THE HOUSE, WESTMONT HERE. 
          WHO ELSE IS IN THE 41? RIGHT? BUT IN DISTRICT F, RIGHT. 
          WE HAVE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 17, THAT'S OUR ELDRIDGE, WEST OAKS, ASHTON VILLAGE, THAT PORTION. 
          AND THEN WE HAVE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 25, WHICH IS ALE. 
          THERE WAS ONE FORMERLY OF WEST CHASE THAT CAN BE REACTIVATED. 
          UM, BUT I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU, IF YOUR SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD HAS BEEN DEACTIVATED, THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO ACTIVATE THAT BECAUSE WE REALLY DO LEAN ON OUR SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS TO DISSEMINATE INFORMATION THAT'S COMING FROM CITY HALL. 
          AND THEN WE PARTNER FOR OTHER NEIGHBORHOOD ACTIVITIES. 
          AND VERONICA CAN TALK MORE ABOUT THAT. 
          YEAH. 
          SO AS, AS COUNCIL MEMBER WAS STATING, UH, REACTIVATION, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH REACTIVATING SOME OF THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS. 
          SO THERE'S ANY INTEREST IN ANY OF THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE NOT ACTIVE TO REACTIVATE, UH, REACH OUT TO US AND WE'LL TRY TO HELP YOU TO, UH, GATHER SOME OF THE STAKEHOLDERS IN THE, IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT CAN, UH, BRING BACK THAT SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD. 
          BECAUSE IT'S VERY IMPORTANT, LIKE THE COUNCIL MEMBER WAS SAYING, UH, MANY OF THE SERVICES OR PROGRAMS THAT COME INTO PLAY, UH, YOU KNOW, THE CITY REACHES OUT TO ALL THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS FIRST TO GET THEIR OPINION, TO GET THEIR FEEDBACK, TO OUTREACH TO THE, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD NEIGHBORS, UH, IN THAT COMMUNITY. 
          UM, NOW CAN I GO TO THE NEXT, BUT THEY'RE COMING TO THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS FIRST, IS WHAT I'M SAYING. 
          TO HER POINT, THAT'S THE SPRINGBOARD. 
          WHEN WE THINK ABOUT, UH, UM, ORDINANCES, WHEN WE LOOK AT INITIATIVES, THEY GO TO THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS FIRST, BECAUSE THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD IS ALMOST LIKE THE ONLY CITY RECOGNIZED ENTITY, THIRD PARTY ENTITY THAT WORKS IN COLLABORATION TO INFORM PROJECTS. 
          WE'VE HAD STREET REPAIR, WE'VE HAD SIDEWALK PROJECTS BECAUSE THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZED AND SAID, HEY, WE DOCUMENTED THIS. 
          WE WANNA ROUTE THIS UP. 
          BECAUSE IT THERE, THE COMPLAINTS WAS COMING TO THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD. 
          SO IF YOUR COMMUNITY HAS NOT MET OR HAS BEEN ON HIATUS, I WOULD, I WOULD, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO. 
          AND NO ONE NEEDS ANOTHER MEETING, TRUST ME. 
          I GET IT. 
          BUT I WOULD STRONGLY ENCOURAGE TO PARTICIPATE IN YOUR SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD. 
          UM, WE TRY OUR BEST TO SHARE CIVIC NA UM, CIVIC CLUBS AND HOA MEETINGS WITH THE CITY DEPARTMENT, SO THEY CAN ATTEND THOSE. 
          BUT IN, YOU KNOW, LARGE FOOT, THEY'RE GONNA GO TO THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD. 
          'CAUSE THAT'S THE OFFICIAL PARTNER OF THE CITY. 
          YES. 
          YES, THAT'S RIGHT. 
          CHANNEL CODE. 
          YES. 
          SO NOW, UH, OFFICE OF GANG PREVENTION INTERVENTION. 
          SO THEY PROMOTE MENTORING AND CASE MANAGEMENT TO TEENS AT RISK OF JOINING GANGS, AS WELL AS EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS AND OUT OF SCHOOL ACTIVITIES. 
          SO THIS OFFICE HAS BEEN AROUND FOR SEVERAL YEARS TOO. 
          UH, USED TO BE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF ANTI-GANG. 
          UH, SO THEIR KEY PROGRAM IS TO GANG AND DELINQUENCY INTERVENTION, INTERVENTION CASE MANAGEMENT, FOOD, POLITO IN THE CITY, AND LADIES CHOICE GIRLS PROGRAM, YOUNG FATHERS PROGRAM, AND PEACE ON THE STREETS. 
          SO THERE'S ANOTHER PROGRAM THAT CAN ASSIST SOME OF OUR YOUTH OFFICE OF NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT IS THE NEXT ONE. 
          SO, UH, THEY CREATE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS THAT PROVIDE INFORMATION, ENGAGE, ENGAGES WITH THEIR RESIDENTS IN CIVIC ACTIVITIES, WITH THE GOAL OF INCREASING CIVIC PARTICIPATION. 
          SO THEY DO OUR, OUR DIFFERENT FORMS FOR THE DEPARTMENT. 
          THEY ALSO DO THE, UH, FREE LEGAL SERVICES, THE WILL SERVICES ESTATE. 
          AND THEY DO THAT THROUGHOUT THE, THROUGHOUT THE CITY. 
          YES, MA'AM. 
          ANY TYPE OF RESOLUTION FOR, UH, WE DO WORK WITH THE DIFFERENT, UH, THEY USED TO DO THE GRAFFITI ABATEMENT, BUT IT'S NO LONGER THROUGH, UH, THE, UH, ANTI-GANG OFFICE. 
          SO IT'S NOW THROUGH, UH, THE DIFFERENT, UH, MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS. 
          AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON ALSO HAS, YOU KNOW, ALL THAT IS DOCUMENTED ON, ON THE GRAFFITI. 
          YEAH. 
          AND, AND, UM, Y'ALL DON'T HAVE A, UM, A MANAGEMENT DISTRICT. 
          THEY'RE ON THE BORDER OF WESTCHASE. 
          UM, BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE A, UH, A MANAGEMENT DISTRICT LIKE PINEY POINT DOESN'T HAVE ONE. 
          Y'ALL ARE ON THE BACKSIDE. 
          YEAH. 
          Y'ALL DON'T HAVE A MANAGEMENT DISTRICT. 
          OUR HOTSPOT TEAM ADDRESSES THAT. 
          SO THAT'S STILL LIKE ILLEGAL DUMPING. 
          BUT OUR INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, WE HAVE WESTCHASE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, AND WE HAVE THE SOUTHWEST MANAGEMENT DISTRICT IN DISTRICT F. 
          SO IF YOU FALL WITHIN THAT FOOTPRINT, 
          [01:25:01]
THEY HAVE A CONTRACT WITH SMC, AND THEN THEY DEPLOY OF THAT. 
          BUT PLEASE DEFINITELY DOCUMENT IT. 
          AND OUR HOT TEAM TAKES THAT. 
          BUT WE DO ENCOURAGE YOU TO TAKE PICTURES, BECAUSE WE CAN SEND THAT OVER TO HPD SO THEY CAN DOCUMENT THE GANG ACTIVITY. 
          UM, OFFICE OF NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT. 
          SO THAT'S THE OFFICE THAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT. 
          THEY DO THE VOLUNTEER INITIATIVE PROGRAM, HOUSTON EMPLOYEES, UH, RESPONSE TEAM. 
          SO, UH, RECENTLY WE HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TO WORK, UH, DIRECTLY WITH OEM OFFICE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TO HANDLE WHEN THERE IS A FREEZE, WHERE THERE'S ANY, UH, HURRICANE. 
          SO WE'RE GONNA BE HELPING AT THE DIFFERENT CENTERS WE'VE WORKED WITH, UH, DURING THE, UH, YOU KNOW, WHEN THE, IT WAS REALLY COLD, WE WERE OUT THERE AND, AND HELPING THE HOMELESS. 
          UH, ALSO THE MAYOR'S YOUTH COUNCIL, UH, A MONTH OF SERVICE WHEELS CLINICS, REFERRALS, MATCHING GRANT PROGRAM, AND CITY HALL TOURS. 
          SO, MATCHING GRANT, UH, PROGRAM OPENS UP AND THERE'S, UH, OPPORTUNITIES FOR CIVIC CLUBS AND HO UH, TO, UH, APPLY FOR MONEY THAT'S AVAILABLE TO DO DIFFERENT PROJECTS IN YOUR COMMUNITY. 
          BEAUTIFICATION AND DIFFERENT THINGS. 
          UH, I THINK THERE'S ALREADY AN OPENING, SO I CAN PROVIDE INFORMATION AFTER THE MEETING. 
          YOU HAVE TO SPEND THE MONEY WHERE YOU GET THE MONEY. 
          OH, COME ON. 
          YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. 
          RECEIPT. 
          SO THAT'S A MATCHING. 
          AND THE OTHER THING ABOUT SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS, WE ALSO HAVE, UH, FUNDING FOR SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS SO THAT, UH, THEY DON'T HAVE TO DO A MATCHING FOR THOSE. 
          UM, AND THEN OFFICE OF NEW AMERICANS AND IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES, UH, WHICH IS A BIG, A BIG, UH, UH, RIGHT NOW WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING. 
          UH, THEY WELCOME IMMIGRANTS, REFUGEES TO HOUSTON THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS TO HELP THEM BECOME CITIZENS, UH, IN FORMS OF THEIR RIGHTS AND RESOURCES, AND PROMOTES CULTURAL SHARING ACROSS OUR CITY. 
          SO WHAT THEY DO, THEY HAVE THE LANGUAGE ACCESS INITIATIVE. 
          NEXT SLIDE. 
          UH, THEY HAVE THE CITIZENSHIP ASSISTANCE WHERE THEY DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT FORUMS THROUGHOUT THE CITY TO ASSIST THOSE TO BECOME CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES. 
          IMMIGRATION LEGAL CONSULTATIONS, WORLD REFUGEE DAY, CITIZENSHIP MONTH. 
          AND THEY HAVE AN OFFICE AT THE A LEAF COMMUNITY CENTER. 
          SO IF YOU WANNA COME OUT AND, UH, AND USE THEIR SERVICES, THEY ALSO HAVE LEGAL SERVICES, UH, AVAILABLE ON THERE AT THE A LEAF COMMUNITY CENTER OFFICE OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING. 
          THEY, THEY HAVE LEGAL SERVICES AT THE A LEAF COMMUNITY CENTER, WHICH IS OUT HERE ON, ON BELAIRE. 
          AND THEN OFFICE OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. 
          UH, THEY WERE PART OF AN OFFICE THEMSELVES, BUT THEY'RE NOT PART OF DEPARTMENT NEIGHBORHOODS. 
          SO TO PREVENT HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE THROUGH COORDINATION, OUTREACH, VICTIM-CENTERED SERVICES AND PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN. 
          SO THAT'S THEIR, UH, ROLE IN THE COMMUNITY. 
          UH, THEIR KEY FUNCTIONS IS DIRECT VICTIM ADVOCACY AND CASE MANAGEMENT, UH, INTER-AGENCY COORDINATION WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT, SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES AND NONPROFITS. 
          COMMUNITY EDUCATION TRAINING AND AWARENESS PROGRAMS, DATA COLLECTION AND REPORTING FOR 10 ANALYSIS AND RE AND RESOURCE ALLOCATION. 
          UM, AND THEN WE HAVE THE OFFICE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. 
          UH, SO, UH, ENSURE EQUITABLE AS ACCESS ADVOCACY AND SUPPORT SERVICES FOR ALL HOUSTONIANS WITH DISABILITIES. 
          AND THEY DO, UH, ACCESSIBILITY ASSESSMENTS. 
          A DA COMPLIANCE CONSULTING, UH, COMMUNITY LIAISON, STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT FOR AS, AS ASSISTIVE SERVICES AND RESOURCES, PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS OUTREACH CAMPAIGNS. 
          AND THEY ALSO DO THE, UH, WHERE YOU CAN APPLY FOR THE SIDEWALKS PROGRAMS THROUGH THIS OFFICE. 
          AND I KNOW, UH, UH, DISTRICT F HAS WORKED A LOT WITH THEM. 
          YEAH. 
          AND JUST AS AN ASIDE, IF THERE'S SOMEONE THAT HAS THAT NEEDS THAT MEETS THE A DA COMPLIANCE, UM, THEIR APPLICATION, IF THEY COMPLETE THAT APPLICATION, IT'S, IT'S ESSENTIALLY PRIORITIZED. 
          THE FUNDING COMES THROUGH THE GENERAL FUND, OFTENTIMES IN THE LAST TWO FISCAL YEARS. 
          DISTRICT F WE HAVE, UM, PAID FOR THOSE SIDEWALKS. 
          SO, UM, MOST OF OUR SIDEWALKS ARE THREE FEET WIDE. 
          WE EXPAND TO FIVE FEET AND WE ADD THE RAMPS. 
          SO WHERE YOU'LL NOTICE WITH OUR NEW SIDEWALKS, YOU'LL HAVE THE ENTRANCE RAMP, UM, FOR THE SIDEWALKS. 
          WE'VE DONE A SERIES OF THOSE REPLACEMENTS. 
          WE HAVE ONE ON WESTHEIMER AND FONDANT COMING UP, ONE IN ASH OFF OF ASHLAND PARK COMING UP SOON. 
          NOT FOR THE A DA. 
          YEAH, JUST FOR THE, THE APPLICATION PROCESS. 
          AND SO IF YOU HAVE A NEIGHBOR THAT MEETS THIS QUALIFICATION, TALK TO THEM ABOUT APPLYING, WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS A PART OF THE FOLLOW-UP PROTOCOL AS WELL. 
          SO Y'ALL CAN KEEP THAT IN YOUR COMMUNICATIONS WITH 
          [01:30:01]
RESIDENTS. 
          AND THEN OUR, OUR LAST, UH, DIVISION IS OFFICE OF VETERANS AND MILITARY AFFAIRS. 
          SO DR. JONES IS ONE PERSON, AND SHE DOES SO MUCH FOR, FOR, FOR THE VETERANS, AND I REALLY APPLAUD HER. 
          SO THEY HONOR AND SERVE VETERANS ACTIVE DUTIES, MILITARY AND THEIR FAMILIES BY PROVIDING S ACCESS TO BENEFITS, RESOURCES AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT, UH, BENEFITS, N NAVIGATION, REFERRAL SERVICES, OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT AT VETERAN FOCUSED EVENTS, PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT WITH THE VA AND VETERAN SERVICES ORGANIZATION TRAINING AND, UH, CAPACITY BUILDING FOR STAFF ON MILITARY CULTURE AND RESOURCES. 
          SO THAT'S A, A, A GREAT OFFICE THAT THEY'RE WORKING OUT WITH THE COMMUNITY. 
          SO WE HAVE DIFFERENT DIVISIONS, A LOT OF DIFFERENT RESOURCES AND PROGRAMS AND A LOT OF, UH, OUR COMMUNITY ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH. 
          SO I'M HERE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. 
          UH, I KNOW I USED TO GET A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT ENFORCEMENT, BUT NO LONGER ENFORCEMENT'S PART OF US. 
          WE STILL HAVE ACCESS TO THEIR SYSTEM WHERE THE INSPECTOR GOES AS INSPECT. 
          AND SO WE'RE ABLE TO VIEW, UH, WHEN THEY DO THEIR INSPECTIONS, UH, AND FOLLOW UP ON THE DIFFERENT PROCESSES. 
          THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER. 
          SURE. 
          ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS? GO AHEAD. 
          PUBLIC WORKS. 
          PUBLIC WORKS PUBLIC PUBLICLY. 
          PUBLIC WORKS. 
          YEAH. 
          THEY'RE COMMON. 
          YES. 
          AND THEY CHANGED THEIR NAME. 
          THEY'RE NOT IN, IN, UH, INSPECTIONS, PUBLIC SERVICES ANYMORE. 
          THEY'RE THE, UH, COMMUNITY, UH, CODE ENFORCEMENT NOW. 
          OKAY. 
          BUT THEY'RE NOT SET UP TO HANDLE THE PUBLIC. 
          OH, NO. 
          THEY DO IT. 
          YES, THEY DO. 
          . 
          THEY DO IT. 
          YOU'LL HEAR FOR THEM SOON. 
          THEY'LL TALK ABOUT THE TRANSITION. 
          ANY PARTICULAR QUESTIONS RELATED TO THE CONTENT THAT WAS PROVIDED? I THINK THERE'S . 
          HOLD ON. 
          DR. 
          MENNET? YES. 
          OH, I, I JUST, MINE'S REALLY QUICK. 
          I JUST WANNA KNOW, IS THE NEIGHBORHOOD TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT PROGRAM PART OF NEIGHBORHOOD OR DOES DIFFERENT? THE NEIGHBORHOOD MATCHING, UH, GRANT NEIGHBORHOOD TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS. THAT'S SPEED BUMP. 
          THAT'S SPEED BUMPS. 
          OH, OKAY. 
          SO THAT'S NOT NEIGHBORHOOD. 
          NO. 
          OKAY. 
          I JUST WANTED, THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION. 
          IT USED TO BE THAT WE COULD, WHEN WE FILED A 3 1 1 COMPLAINT, SEND IT TO DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS IF IT WAS STUBBORN AND WITH OF COURSE, THE INTAKE NUMBER. 
          ARE YOU GUYS STILL ALLOWING THAT? YES. 
          YES. 
          OKAY. 
          YES. 
          AND WE WORK CLOSELY WITH OUR COUNCIL OFFICE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BOTH ON THE SAME. 
          YES. 
          THIS WILL BE OUR LAST QUESTION. 
          ANOTHER QUICK QUESTION. 
          YOU MENTIONED ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD MATCHING GRANT PROGRAM. 
          DO YOU KNOW IF THERE IS GONNA BE ONE FOR 26? AND IF SO, WHAT? THERE THOSE DEADLINES? UH, WHAT THE DATES ARE? YES. 
          LET ME, UH, LOOK IT UP AND I'LL GIVE YOU THE INFORMATION. 
          OKAY, GREAT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          YOU HAVE TO MOVE QUICKLY ON THAT BECAUSE THE MATCHING BRAND COMES. 
          YEP. 
          THANK YOU. 
          AND YEAH. 
          YEAH. 
          AND Y'ALL'S MONEY IS IN , SO Y'ALL CAN DO IS 5,000. 
          YES. 
          AND YOU HAVE TO, THE MOST YOU CAN DO IS 5,000 SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD. 
          25 CONSISTENTLY WOULD APPLY FOR THAT, UM, FOR TREE PLANTING AND OTHER BEAUTIFICATION PROJECTS. 
          SO I WANNA ENCOURAGE YOU TO MOVE QUICKLY, BECAUSE WE ALREADY HAVE PROJECTS SLATED FOR FISCAL 27 THAT ARE SIGNIFICANT. 
          BRASSWOOD ESTATES. 
          THEY HAVE STREET PANEL REPLACEMENTS COMING. 
          BRAISE VILLAGE EAST, WE'RE DOING SIDEWALKS AND STREETS. 
          SO THAT'S LIKE A QUARTER MILLION EACH POP. 
          SO $5,000 COMES HARD. 
          IT'S RICHMOND. 
          RICHMOND IS A, A, A LONG THOROUGHFARE RICHMOND. 
          AND WHAT IT IS, IT'S ON THE CIP. 
          YEAH. 
          WELL, NO, LET ME BACK UP. 
          THERE'S AN, UM, IT'S ON THE CIP WE REQUESTED FOR THEM TO ESCALATE THAT. 
          THEY'RE DOING AN ENGINEER STUDY TO LET US KNOW OUR OPTIONS, BUT IT HAS BEEN, IT'S IN THE QUEUE. 
          SO WE'RE JUST WAITING ON THE RESULTS OF THE, OF THAT STUDY. 
          BUT THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH A MATCHING GRANT. 
          THAT'S NOT THAT, UM, THE CD, THAT'S A CAPITAL, A BIG CAPITAL PROJECT. 
          WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, YOU KNOW, SIDEWALKS, THINGS THAT WE CAN DO, YOU KNOW, 60,000 HERE, A HUNDRED THOUSAND HERE. 
          CONCRETE REPLACEMENT OF YOUR STREET IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD THAT COMES OUT OF THE COUNCIL OFFICE. 
          NO, MA'AM. 
          NO, MA'AM. 
          THAT'S A PRIVATE PROPERTY SITUATION. 
          AND, AND, AND WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE TAKE THE GUIDELINES AND IT'LL TELL YOU WHAT QUALIFIES. 
          'CAUSE YOU HAVE TO HAVE QUOTES AND PROVIDE THAT TO CITY LEGAL, AND THEY'LL TELL YOU WHAT'S AUTHORIZED, AND THEN YOU HAVE TO SPEND THE MONEY AND THEN YOU GET REIMBURSED. 
          SO JUST TAKE YOUR TIME WORKING WITH THE CITY. 
          IT MAY TAKE A WHILE. 
          SO IF YOU'RE BEATING FOR 5,000, YOU'RE RIGHT, RIGHT. 
          YOU'RE BEATING FOR 5,000. 
          IT MAY NOT, UH, MS. VERONICA WILL BE WITH US IN THE BACK, AND WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE THESE SLIDES. 
          CAN WE PUT OUR HANDS TOGETHER FOR MS. VERONICA? YEAH. 
          OKAY. 
          UM, I DON'T, OH, YES, I DO. 
          I SEE YOUR MS. ANNIKA PORTER WITH THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT. 
          SHE'S GONNA TALK TO YOU ABOUT THEIR HOME REPAIR PROGRAM, WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT AS MANY OF US, 
          [01:35:01]
UH, DECIDE TO AGE IN PLACE. 
          IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT YOU TAKE ADVANTAGE OF REPAIRS TO YOUR HOME, UM, THAT YOU QUALIFY FOR. 
          UM, AND WE KNOW THAT THE APPLICATION PROCESS CAN BE DAUNTING, BUT THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT HAS DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB OF MAKING SURE THAT THE APPLICATION PROCESS IS SEAMLESS. 
          AND IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN, UH, WE WERE IN WEST PARK VILLAGE IN DECEMBER. 
          UM, A CONSTITUENT WA HAD A HOME THAT WAS IMPACTED BY HARVEY. 
          SHE WAS LIVING IN POOR CONDITIONS. 
          UH, SHE QUALIFIED FOR THE HOME RECONSTRUCTION PROGRAM. 
          IT WA IT WAS A, A, IT WAS A BEAUTY OF A SITE. 
          DEFINITELY ELEVATED THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, AND UP TO 300,000 FOR HOME RECONSTRUCTION. 
          UM, AND UP TO REPAIR VARIES DEPENDING ON THAT. 
          SO WELCOME THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT. 
          GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. 
          GOOD MORNING. 
          THANK YOU FOR HAVING US. 
          GOOD MORNING. 
          THANK YOU FOR HAVING US. 
          SO WE'RE GONNA GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY OFFERING. 
          UM, ONE IS, UH, WELL, THIS IS OUR DIRECTOR. 
          HIS NAME'S MR. MICHAEL NICHOLS. 
          AND, UM, OKAY, THAT'S OUR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, MS. UH, MR. CEDRIC SAIN. 
          AND THAT'S MYSELF, ONIKA PORTER. 
          AND THIS IS LATASHA SMITH. 
          UM, SO WE'RE GONNA GO OVER THE PROGRAM TO THE NEXT ONE. 
          SO WE'RE GONNA GO OVER OUR WINTER STORM, UM, URI 2021. 
          UM, IF YOU GUYS REMEMBER, THAT WAS, THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT IMPACTED THE ENTIRE CITY. 
          AND SO WE HAVE A PROGRAM WHICH A HOME REPAIR FOR WINTER STORM URI, IF YOU RECEIVED ANY DAMAGES DURING THAT STORM. 
          UM, SO THE PURPOSE OF THIS, UM, THE WINTER STORM URI IS, IS TO, IT IS TO HELP THE PEOPLE THAT WERE AFFECTED DURING THAT STORM. 
          I, I KNOW THIS BY HARD, SO I'M JUST NOT GONNA READ IT. 
          SO IT'S TO HELP THE PEOPLE THAT WERE AFFECTED BY THAT STORM AND DO, IF YOU ARE AFFECTED, WE HAVE TWO PATHWAYS FOR TO ASSIST YOU. 
          FOR EXAMPLE, THE FIRST PATHWAY IS IF YOU DID REPAIR YOUR HOME ALREADY AND YOU, WE ARE GIVEN A REIMBURSEMENT UP TO $10,000. 
          SO IF YOU'VE ALREADY DONE THE REPAIRS OR YOU'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF DOING REPAIRS, AND SOMETIMES IT MAY TAKE A LITTLE LONGER, WE CAN'T SAY, OH, THE REPAIRS HAD TO BE DONE BY A CERTAIN TIME BECAUSE SOMETIMES WE KNOW, YOU KNOW, FINANCES, YOU MAY STILL BE WORKING ON IT. 
          IF YOU CAN PROVIDE RECEIPTS, LETTING US KNOW THAT YOU ARE WORKING ON IT. 
          THIS WORSE DAMAGES DURING WINTER STORM URI, WE ARE PROVIDING A REIMBURSEMENT FOR UP TO $10,000. 
          SO THAT'S OUR FIRST PATHWAY, OUR SECOND PATHWAY. 
          GIVE AN EXAMPLE OF REPAIR ISSUE. 
          THE ROOF CAME IN. 
          YES, IT'S A WATER PIPE FIRST. 
          AND YOUR DRYWALL WAS DAMAGED. 
          YES. 
          THAT ANY OF THAT YOU LIKE, OH, I TOOK CARE OF THAT. 
          I DON'T NEED TO DO IT. 
          YOU QUALIFY FOR THIS. 
          MY DADDY'S WHOLE CAME DOWN AFTER THE ON FOR THIS. 
          YES. 
          AND IT'S SO IMPORTANT. 
          KEEP RECEIPT, KEEP THIS PAPERWORK. 
          YOU TAKE PHOTOS BECAUSE, UH, ONCE WE RECEIVE THE MONEY, THIS IS A $50 MILLION ALLOCATION. 
          WE ARE ON A, WE ARE ON A CLOCK TO SPEND THIS. 
          THESE ARE YOUR TAX DOLLARS RETURNING BACK TO YOU. 
          SO MAKE SURE YOU TAKE ADVANTAGE IF YOU QUALIFY. 
          DON'T, DON'T, DON'T LET, DON'T PASS THIS UP. 
          NO, I, I, YES. 
          AGAIN, THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THAT YOU TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS BECAUSE IT'S NOT GONNA BE HERE FOREVER. 
          AND WE HAVE THE MONEY, WE HAVE TO SPEND IT. 
          WE, WE DON'T WANNA KEEP THE MONEY. 
          SO WE, AND WE DO HAVE A SPENDING DEADLINE THAT WE NEED TO MEET. 
          SO WE ENCOURAGE YOU GUYS TO APPLY TO, TO GET THIS FUNDING OUT IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS. 
          SO THE SECOND PATHWAY IS IF YOU HAVE NOT, IF YOU DID HAVE DAMAGES AND YOU HAVE NOT COMPLETED ANY OF THE REPAIRS, SO WE, WE GIVE UP TO A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IN RE REHABILITATION ON HOMES. 
          AND IF THE HOME, IF THE, IF THE REPAIRS ARE OVER A CERTAIN AMOUNT, $80,000 IN REPAIRS, IF IT'S, IF THAT EXCEEDS THAT AMOUNT, WE GIVE UP TO $300,000 IN RE IN RE UM, RECONSTRUCTION. 
          SO THAT'S WHEN, REMEMBER COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS WAS TALKING ABOUT THE HOME THAT WE RECONSTRUCTED, WHICH, WHICH BECAME A GORGEOUS HOME. 
          SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING. 
          WE ARE, WE ARE RECONSTRUCTING A HOME IF IT'S OVER A CERTAIN AMOUNT, AND THAT'S $80,000 IN HOME REPAIRS. 
          SO IF YOU HAVE ANY DAMAGES TO YOUR HOME, PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO REACH OUT TO US, BECAUSE AGAIN, MONEY IS THERE AND WE JUST WANT TO GET THE MONEY SPENT. 
          SO IF, UH, IF YOU MAY KNOW SOMEONE, IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE DAMAGES AND YOU KNOW, SOMEONE SEND THEM OUR WAY BECAUSE WE WANNA ASSIST THEM. 
          AND IF, AND LIKE SHE SAID, THE APPLICATION IS EXTREMELY LONG. 
          SO WE DO HAVE PEOPLE IN PLACE THAT WILL COME OUT AND EVEN ASSIST THEM WITH THE APPLICATION, WALK THEM THROUGH IT. 
          BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES THE STUFF IN THE APPLICATION IS REPETITIVE AND, AND IT CAN BE CONFUSING. 
          SO WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT'LL HELP THEM COMPLETE THE APPLICATION. 
          OKAY. 
          AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW, AND I'M GONNA SAY THIS BECAUSE MY DADDY, I, I HAD TO, I'M THE PERSON WHO, I'M THE DESIGNEE ON HIS APPLICATION. 
          UM, SO THE DEPARTMENT WORKS WITH ME TO GET, 'CAUSE HE'S NOT GONNA ANSWER THE PHONE. 
          UM, HE HAD RESISTANCE IN PROVIDING 
          [01:40:01]
BANK STATEMENTS. 
          HE HAD RESISTANCE IN PROVIDING ID AND PASSPORT. 
          SO IF, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE A CARETAKER, IF YOU ARE A CARETAKER, TAKE THE TIME TO WALK THROUGH THE APPLICATION. 
          'CAUSE IT IS SLIGHTLY INTRUSIVE. 
          BUT WHAT I LIKE TO SAY IS THAT, DADDY, THEY JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S YOU. 
          THAT NO ONE IS APPLYING FOR FEDERAL FUNDS IN YOUR NAME ON YOUR DEED. 
          AND THERE'S FRAUD. 
          SO, AND WE KNOW THAT THERE'S DEED THEFT HAPPENING ALL THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THOSE, PARTICULARLY OUR SENIORS AND THOSE WITH LIMITED INCOME ARE NOT TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF. 
          SO THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT WILL DROP THE APPLICATION OFF. 
          THEY WILL COME PICK IT UP. 
          YOU CAN DO VIRTUAL, UM, OFFICE HOURS, BUT IT IS LONG THAT, THAT YOU NEED TO PROVIDE A LOT OF INFORMATION, BUT IT'S DEFINITELY WORTH IT. 
          'CAUSE THESE ARE YOUR DOLLARS. 
          YES, ABSOLUTELY. 
          I'M, I'M GONNA PIGGYBACK OFF OF WHAT YOU SAID. 
          IT'S IMPORTANT. 
          LIKE IF, IF THEY CAN'T COME TO US, THEY CAN, OR IF THEY CAN, YES. 
          WE OFFER VIRTUAL OPEN HOUR AND WE ALSO HAVE SOMEONE EVERY DAY THAT WILL COME DOWN AND THEY, THEY'RE ASSIGNED TO ASSIST WALK-INS. 
          SO EVEN IF YOU ARE NOT THERE DURING THE VIRTUAL OPEN HOURS, WE HAVE SOMEONE ASSIGNED EVERY DAY TO ASSIST WALK-INS. 
          SO PLEASE TAKE NOTE OF THAT. 
          AND IF YOU HAVE NEIGHBORS, LET THEM KNOW THAT AS WELL. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          ALSO, IN ADDITION TO, UM, WHAT MS. PORTER STATED, UM, WE DO COME TO, UM, DIFFERENT THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS. 
          WE ALSO COME TO CIVIC, UM, ASSOCIATIONS AND TALK TO THEM PERSONALLY ONE-ON-ONE ABOUT THE PROGRAM. 
          SO IF YOU WANT THAT FOR YOUR ASSOCIATION OR YOUR SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD, PLEASE GET WITH US. 
          OUR INFORMATION IS ON THE BACK, SO YOU COULD DEFINITELY GIVE US A CALL AND WE CAN ARRANGE THAT. 
          SO WE'RE GONNA KEEP MOVING. 
          UM, ON THE NEXT PROGRAM THAT WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT IS OUR HOME BUYER'S ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. 
          OUR HOME BUYER'S ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IS TO HELP THOSE THAT ARE LOW TO MODERATE INCOME TO OBTAIN THAT HOME OWNERSHIP DREAM. 
          AND THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM, YOU CAN GET UP TO $50,000 TO PURCHASE YOUR FIRST HOME. 
          OR IF YOU HAVE NOT HAD A HOME IN THE LAST THREE YEARS. 
          WE ALSO, EACH PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE, THEY DO HAVE A INCOME REQUIREMENT. 
          UM, ALSO WHAT I DID BRING, I BROUGHT A FEW OF OUR FLYERS. 
          EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY, IT IS IN THIS PACKET. 
          AND YOU CAN PICK IT UP ON THE SIDE OVER THERE. 
          IF THE YOUNG LADY, THE ASSISTANT RIGHT OVER THERE WITH ALL THE MERCHANDISE, SHE'S WAVING HER HAND. 
          SHE, UM, IF YOU WANNA GO OVER THERE AND GET THE INFORMATION, YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO DO SO. 
          AND OUR NUMBER IS IN THE PACKET AS WELL. 
          BUT, UM, TO CHECK YOUR ELIGIBILITY, WE'RE JUST GONNA GO OVER A FEW OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PROGRAM. 
          YOU MUST BE A US STUDENT OR A, A CITIZEN OR A, UM, PERMANENT RESIDENT. 
          ALSO, AS I STATED BEFORE, YOU, UM, TO QUALIFY FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM, YOU, UM, HAVE TO HAVE NEVER HAD A HOME OR HAVE NOT HAD A HOME IN THE LAST THREE YEARS. 
          ALSO, THERE IS A INCOME REQUIREMENT. 
          WHAT I STATED BEFORE, IT IS BASED ON 80%. 
          AND, UM, A MI THE CHART IS WITHIN THE PACKET THAT I HAVE PROVIDED FOR YOU ALL. 
          UM, ALSO YOU MUST BE ABLE TO QUALIFY FOR A ELIGIBLE FIXED RATE MORTGAGE. 
          YOU CAN FIND YOUR OWN LENDER. 
          HOWEVER, WE TRY TO ASSIST, WE HAVE LENDERS THAT HAVE BEEN THROUGH OUR PROGRAM. 
          THEY HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH OUR, OUR PROGRAM ON OUR WEBSITE. 
          WE HAVE A LIST OF THOSE LENDERS. 
          UM, AND ALSO YOU MUST OBTAIN A EIGHT HOUR HUD APPROVED AGENCY, UM, HOUSING COURSE. 
          YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH A HUD APPROVED AGENCY. 
          UM, WE ALSO HAVE A LIST OF THOSE AGENCIES THAT OFFER THAT CLASS. 
          UM, SOME OF THEM OFFER IT IN PERSON, SOME OF THEM OFFER IT VIRTUAL, UM, SPANISH SPEAKING, UM, FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT NEED THAT ASSISTANCE. 
          BUT THERE'S A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT AGENCIES THAT OFFER THAT CLASS. 
          ALSO, MOVING ON, UM, YOU MUST CONTRIBUTE AT LEAST THREE 50 TO THE TRANSACTION. 
          THAT MEANS THAT THE MONEY DOES NOT COME TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON. 
          OUR DEPARTMENT. 
          THIS CAN BE IN THE, UM, FORM OF A APPRAISAL, UH, INSPECTION, BUT THE MONEY WILL NOT GO DIRECTLY TO US. 
          OKAY. 
          ALSO, YOU MUST SELECT A ELIGIBLE PROPERTY. 
          [01:45:01]
THIS CAN BE A SINGLE FAMILY HOME, A TOWN HOME, A CONDOMINIUM, BUT ALSO IT CAN BE A MANUFACTURED HOME ON A PERMANENT FOUNDATION. 
          AND LIKE I STATED BEFORE, YOU PICK YOUR OWN HOME WHEREVER IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, BUT IT HAS TO BE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. 
          UM, MOVING ON, WE ALSO ASK THAT, UM, WHEN YOU PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM, UM, BECAUSE OUR GOAL IS FOR YOU TO STAY IN THE HOME, UM, WE PUT A SECOND LIEN ON THE HOME, WHICH WE WILL ASK YOU TO STAY IN THE HOME FOR AT LEAST FIVE YEARS, UM, FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM. 
          UM, AND ONCE YOU FINISH WITH THOSE FIVE YEARS, THEN THAT HOME BELONGS TO YOU. 
          IT HAS NO MORE ATTACHMENT TO THE CITY. 
          IT WILL BE CONSIDERED A GRANT VERSUS A LOAN. 
          UM, ALSO YOU CANNOT BE A REGISTERED SEX OFFENDER. 
          AND ALSO THE LAST ONE REQUIREMENT FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM IS THAT YOU MUST BE CURRENT ON YOUR CHILD SUPPORT PAYMENT. 
          IF YOU'RE A, IF YOU ARE NOT CURRENT, WE ASK THAT YOU GET ON A PAYMENT, A PAYMENT PLAN AND BEGIN DO MAKING THOSE PAYMENTS. 
          MOVING ON, JUST TO GO OVER THE STEPS SO YOU HAVE A IDEA OF HOW THE APPLICATION PROCESS WORKS. 
          WE'RE JUST GONNA GO OVER THE BEGINNING STEPS. 
          THERE'S THREE STEPS THAT WE ASK OF YOU BEFORE YOU MAKE THAT INITIAL CALL TO OUR OFFICE STATING THAT YOU WANT TO APPLY. 
          NUMBER ONE, WE ASK THAT YOU GET A REALTOR. 
          WHY DO I NEED A NEED A REALTOR IS BECAUSE THIS PROCESS IS VERY TEDIOUS AT TIMES AND IT CAN BE DISCOURAGING. 
          UM, HOWEVER YOU CAN MAKE IT THROUGH IT, ESPECIALLY WITH SOMEONE THAT HAS EXPERIENCED THAT WENT THROUGH IT ALREADY. 
          SO THAT WE, SO WE ASK THAT YOU GET A REALTOR, LIKE I STATED BEFORE, WE ASK THAT YOU TAKE THAT EIGHT HOUR COURSE, YOU'LL RECEIVE A CERTIFICATE. 
          YOU HAVE TO HAVE THAT CERTIFICATE IN HAND WHEN APPLYING. 
          LAST BUT NOT LEAST, GET A PRE-APPROVAL FROM A LENDER OF YOUR CHOICE. 
          ONCE YOU HAVE COMPLETED THOSE THREE STEPS, NOW IT IS TIME TO GIVE US A CALL AND TELL US THAT YOU'RE READY TO BECOME A HOMEOWNER AND THEN YOU MAKE THAT INITIAL CALL TO OUR OFFICE. 
          SO JUST SOME INFORMATION IF YOU NEED TO CONTACT US, THIS IS OUR WEBSITE. 
          YOU ARE MORE THAN WELCOME TO, UM, GO TO OUR WEBSITE. 
          WE HAVE A LOT OF GREAT INFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITE AND ESPECIALLY FOR EVENTS THAT WE ARE HAVING THAT IF YOU HAVEN'T MADE UP IN YOUR MIND OR YOU KNOW, SOMEONE THAT POTENTIALLY THEY'RE NOT JUST THERE YET WITH THAT DECISION, THEY CAN DEFINITELY, UM, BE A PART OF THE DIFFERENT WORKSHOPS THAT WE OFFER TO HELP THEM MAKE THE BEST DECISION FOR THEM AND THEIR FAMILY. 
          WE HAVE OUR PHONE NUMBER HERE, WHICH IS (832) 393-0550. 
          THEY CAN CALL THIS NUMBER AT ANY TIME AFTER THEY APPLY TO GET CHAT, UM, STATUS UPDATES AS WELL AS IF THEY HAVE GENERAL QUESTIONS ABOUT ANY OF OUR PROGRAM. 
          BUT LAST BUT NOT LEAST, THEY CAN ALSO SEND US AN EMAIL TO SINGLE FAMILY ELIGIBILITY@HOUSTONTX.GOV AND WE WILL ANSWER THEM WITHIN 24 TO 48 HOURS. 
          AND THAT IS IT. 
          THAT'S, THAT'S ALL THAT WE HAVE. 
          BUT LIKE I STATED BEFORE, WE HAVE INFORMATION ABOUT ALL THE PROGRAMS THAT WE SPOKE OF TODAY, AS WELL AS SOME GOOD MERCH FOR YOU SO YOU COULD TAKE ONE CHER. 
          SO, UM, AND WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY FOR, UM, BEING ABLE TO COME AND TALK TO YOU. 
          SO I'M GONNA GIVE THIS BACK OVER TO MS. PORTER TO CLOSE US OUT AGAIN. 
          AGAIN, IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO REACH OUT TO US. 
          UM, AND THIS IS ANOTHER NUMBER THAT YOU CAN CALL 8 3 2 3 9 4 6200. 
          PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO REACH OUT TO US. 
          TASHA AND I ARE TYPICALLY AVAILABLE TO SPEAK TO PEOPLE ON A REGULAR BASIS AND WE'RE ALWAYS OUT IN THE COMMUNITIES AND TALKING TO PEOPLE. 
          SO, AND IF YOU KNOW SOMEONE THAT WANT US TO COME OUT AN ORGANIZATION, WE WANT TO COME OUT BECAUSE WE WANNA GET THE WORD OUT OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE, WE OFFER BECAUSE WE WANNA SPEND THE MONEY. 
          OKAY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          OKAY, AND NEXT UP IT'S TIME TO TALK PROPERTY TAXES. 
          ALL 
          [01:50:01]
RIGHT. 
          OKAY, THE ROOM SAID BOO. 
          OH, WE HAVE FROM HARRIS COUNTY TAX ASSESSOR OFFICE MAILING LYNN AND FREDDIE GOMEZ, COME ON UP. 
          UH, NEXT, UH, AND THIS WILL BE THE TOPIC, BUT TODAY, UH, SINCE I ONLY HAVE 20 MINUTES, SO I'M GONNA JUST, UH, BRIEFLY, UH, BRIEFLY SOME OF THE, UH, SLIDE I WILL, I WILL JUST PASS BY. 
          UH, TODAY I WILL LIKE TO FOCUS ON MAJORLY THE DETER CURRENTLY ON THE HOT TOPIC OF PROTEST. 
          OKAY. 
          AS WELL AS, ALRIGHT, , I THINK WE ARE ALL JUST RECEIVING OUR APPRAISAL VALUE NOTICE. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          UH, WE ARE NOT HAPPY ABOUT THAT. 
          LET'S GO WITH THE NEGOTIATOR WITH EDUCATE. 
          UH, ALSO I WANT TO TALK ABOUT A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT OVER 65 EXEMPTION. 
          AS I CAN SEE, UH, I THINK I GOT GOOD INFORMATION FOR THIS SPECIFIC AREA. 
          UM, AND UH, THIS IS JUST AN, UH, BRIEF INTRODUCE VIEWS ABOUT, UH, HOW THE TAX OFFICE BASED SURVEY FOR THE COMMUNITY, UH, NOT JUST UH, UH, PROPERTY TAX. 
          TODAY, UH, WE ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT, WE ALSO, UH, MAINTAIN OUR VOTER REGISTRATION ROLE. 
          UH, YOUR VOTER REGISTRATION, YOU COMES TO TAX OFFICE. 
          ALSO SOME OF THE AUTO SERVICE, UH, OUR ANNUAL REGISTRATION STICKER, THAT ONE YOU COME TO TEXT OFFICE OR IF YOU NEED ANY, LIKE A TEMPORARY OR PERMANENT, HOPEFULLY NOT PERMANENT, NO TEMPORARY, LIKE, UH, HANDICAP PRO, YOU COME TO TEXT OFFICE TOO. 
          ALRIGHT? UH, AND THIS IS JUST OUR, UM, OKAY, CURRENTLY, UH, JUST ANNOUNCEMENT AND MANY PEOPLE BY ALREADY KNOW, BUT SOME OF THEM MIGHT NOT, UH, BE BECAUSE WE STILL SEE THE PEOPLE COME TO OUR OFFICE ON WEDNESDAY. 
          SO THIS FOR SPECIFICALLY FOR THE BRANCH OFFICE, UH, FOR THE ORDER SERVICE. 
          UM, WE ARE ACTUALLY, UH, CLOSED SO FAR UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. 
          UH, EVERY WEDNESDAY WE ARE CLOSED. 
          UH, WE CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC, BUT OUR EMPLOYEE, WE ARE STILL WORKING INSIDE THE BUILDING. 
          OKAY, UH, NEXT ONE JUST A LITTLE BIT. 
          INTRODUCE, UH, HARRIS COUNTY, ALMOST 2 MILLION, UH, TAX ACCOUNTS. 
          AND THE TAX OFFICE WE COLLECT 8.2 ANNUALLY AND, UM, WITHIN HARRIS COUNTY, UH, HARRIS COUNTY TAX OFFICE, WE OWN, WELL, 82 IS THE TAX JURISDICTION WE COLLECT. 
          BUT WITH THE HARRIS COUNTY, THERE'S MORE THAN 600 TAX. 
          YES. 
          . 
          YEAH. 
          TAX JURISDICTION. 
          SO YOU MIGHT WONDER WHAT ABOUT THOSE OUT OUT OF THIS 82. 
          SO THE HOMEOWNER, YOU WILL RECEIVE THE EXTRA BILL FROM THE SPECIFIC, UH, TAX JURISDICTION. 
          I RECEIVED TWO BECAUSE MY MUD, UH, THEY DIDN'T, UH, WELL TAX, TAX OFFICE DIDN'T COVER ME WITH THAT ONE. 
          SO I RECEIVED TWO. 
          SOME OF THE HOMEOWNER, I KNOW THEY RECEIVED THREE OR EVEN FOUR. 
          OKAY. 
          UH, NEXT ONE. 
          SO ACTUALLY YOU, HOW MUCH YOU PAY FOR YOUR PROPERTY TAX HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH TAX OFFICE ACT. 
          OKAY? WE JUST RESPONSIBLE TO COLLECT THE BILL, ALL RIGHT? BUT HAVE EVERYTHING WITH ET CAT. 
          AND SO I'M GOING TO TAKE, UH, A LITTLE BIT TIME TO TALKING ABOUT THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR HCA. 
          SO EDGE EDUCATE, THEY ACTUALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR GETS BACK, UH, APPRAISAL PROTEST AND THEY ARE ALSO THE ONE MANAGE THE EXEMPTION. 
          SO FOR THE APPRAISAL VALUE, UH, WE JUST RECEIVE IT. 
          ALL RIGHT? SO APPRAISAL VALUE HAVE EVERYTHING TO DO, HOW MUCH WE ARE GONNA GOING TO PAY WITH OUR PROPERTY TAX. 
          SO IF WE DON'T LIKE IT, WE DON'T THINK IT'S JUSTIFIED. 
          UH, WE ACTUALLY AS A HOMEOWNER, WE ARE ABLE TO FILE A PROTEST CLAIM. 
          AND, UH, LA LATER ON, UH, LARRY IS, UH, DEADLINES REMEMBER TO APPLY WITH YOUR PROTEST BY THE DEADLINE. 
          OKAY? AND, UH, UM, I DON'T KNOW AT THIS TIME WE ACTUALLY HAVE TWO DIFFERENT WAY. 
          ONE IS BY ELECTRONICAL FILE, THE OTHER IS BY TRADITIONAL. 
          BUT YOU CAN MAIL IN OR IN PERSON GOING TO THEIR OFFICE. 
          HOW MANY PEOPLE ALREADY FILE WITH ELECTRONICALLY BEFORE. 
          OKAY? SO ANY ONE OF YOU TRY IS SETTLE THIS FEATURE. 
          NO. 
          OKAY. 
          ALRIGHT, SO I'M GOING TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT TIME TALKING ABOUT THE PROTEST. 
          NOW THERE ARE TWO WAYS YOU CAN FILE ELECTRONICALLY. 
          ALSO, JUST LIKE I TOLD YOU, UH, IT IS A TRADITIONAL ONE, BUT I HIGHLY RECOMMEND EVERYBODY YOU CAN FILE ELECTRONICALLY INTO THE, WHAT THEY CALL THE I FILE SYSTEM. 
          ALRIGHT? ON YOUR APPRAISAL NOTICE THERE IS A I FILE NUMBER THAT YOU CAN JUST 
          [01:55:01]
FILE ELECTRONICALLY, CREATE YOUR ACCOUNTS. 
          WHEN YOU GET INTO THE I FILE SYSTEM, IF YOU FILE ELECTRONICALLY, HOMEOWNER GOT A CHANCE TO USE WHAT WE CALL THE FEATURE CALLED I SETTLE. 
          SO THIS IS SETTLE IS ALLOW HOMEOWNER, WE CAN JUST NAME OUR PRICE, PRICE, PRICE TAG. 
          ALRIGHT? AND YOU CAN JUST, UH, PUT YOUR NUMBER OVER THERE, SUBMIT TO THE EDUCATE, EDUCATE WILL JUST REVIEW YOUR NUMBER BASED ON THEIR EVIDENCE MATERIAL. 
          IF THEY ACCEPT CONGRATULATIONS, I REALLY ACTUALLY RUN INTO SEVERAL HOMEOWNER, THEIR FIRST TRIBE EDUCATED, JUST A ACCEPT BIT DONE WITH EURO PROTEST. 
          THAT'S A NICE ONE. 
          EASY BREEZY. 
          IF IF EDUCATED DOESN'T AGREE, THEY WILL COUNTER BACK WITH ANOTHER NUMBER. 
          SO NOW THE BOARDS COME BACK TO THE HOMEOWNER, WE ARE THE ONE TO SEE. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          NOW IT IS REALLY GETTING INTO A NEGOTIATION PHASE IF I AGREE WITH THAT DONE WITH YOUR PROTEST. 
          BUT IF WE DON'T AGREE, I STILL FEEL THIS IS TOO HIGH. 
          I STICK WITH THE NUMBER I WANT AT THIS POINT, THE WHOLE PROCESS WILL MOVE INTO INFORMAL HEARING. 
          AT THIS TIMES INFORMAL HEARING, YOU ARE TALKING TO ONE OF THE APPRAISER FROM EDUCATE, TALKING TO THEM, ALL RIGHT? AND AT THIS POINT, IF IT NOBODY, UH, AGREE WITH THIS NUMBER, THEN IT WILL MOVE INTO FORMAL HEARING THROUGH THE HOMEWORK, FORMAL HEARING, YOU ARE GOING TO ADD ANOTHER, WHAT WE CALL THE A RB BOARD. 
          YEAH, A RB BOARD WILL BE BECOME LIKE MORE LIKE A JUDGE TO DETERMINE THE DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN YOU AND APPRAISER. 
          ALRIGHT? OKAY. 
          SO FOR THIS A RB, UH, YOU CAN CHOOSE EITHER ONE PERSON OR THREE MEMBER OF THE PANEL. 
          UH, WE ALWAYS RECOMMEND TO DO THREE. 
          OKAY? SO YOU GOT A DIFFERENT OPINION RATHER THAN ONE PERSON DICTATE THE, UH, THE THE FINAL RESULT. 
          SO AT THIS POINT, UH, WELL HOPEFULLY MOST, MOST OF THE TIMES, UH, EVERY CASE IS SUPPOSED TO STOP RIGHT HERE, SETTLE RIGHT HERE. 
          UH, IF, IF HOMEOWNERS STILL NOT HAPPY WITH THAT, UH, RARELY, THEN THIS CAN ESCALATE TO THE STATE LEVEL, UH, BARELY. 
          UH, BUT THAT WHAT WE CALL THE ARBITRATION. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          BUT WE WILL JUST SKIP THAT ONE. 
          ALRIGHT, SO, UH, CAN WE GO BACK A LITTLE BIT? YES. 
          . 
          SO FOR, FOR THE PROTEST. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          UH, AND FOR THE PROTEST, THE, THE, FOR THE TRADITIONAL WAY, IT'S IMMEDIATELY GO INTO THE INFORMAL HEARING AND THEN FORMAL HEARING. 
          OKAY. 
          SO, UH, EVERYONE HERE, I, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND TO TRY IT. 
          MAYBE THIS YEAR WE WILL, WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL SEE HOW, HOW IT GOES. 
          UH, I WILL SAY, UH, GIVE, GIVE YOURSELF A LITTLE BIT, UH, LIKE, UH, WIGGLE ROOM TO NAME YOUR PRICE TAG. 
          THAT WILL BE, UH, VERY GOOD IF EXPERIENCE. 
          IF YOU CAN JUST, UH, PASS WITH THE FIRST TRIAL AND ALSO, UH, EDUCATE ALSO THE ONE, UM, TO DO THE EXEMPTION. 
          SO LATER ON, ALL THE EXEMPTION HOMEOWNER WILL APPLY TO EDUCATE FOR THEIR APPROVAL. 
          YES, NEXT ONE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          AND ANOTHER ONE IS THE, UH, PROPERTY TAX DATABASE. 
          THIS IS A DATABASE, THAT'S WEB WEBSITE ACTUALLY. 
          UH, THIS ONE WILL START FROM AUGUST AFTER MOST OF, UH, UH, THE PROTEST FI, UH, CASE HAS ALREADY SETTLED. 
          THIS WILL BE THE TEXT JURISDICTION TOCO, UH, RE-RECORDED POST ANY KIND OF, UH, TEXT RATE STATUS DURING AUGUST THROUGH OCTOBER. 
          OKAY. 
          I PERSONALLY FIND, FIND THIS, THIS WEBSITE IS REALLY, UH, RESPONSIVE. 
          UH, THE, ALL THE DIFFERENT STATUS, UH, VERY MUCH UPDATED VERY QUICKLY. 
          SO IN THIS ONE, IT WILL HAVE ALL THE TAX JURISDICTION THAT CHARGE YOU ON YOUR PROPERTY. 
          THEY WILL HAVE LISTED ALL THE PROPOSED RATE TAX RATES OR, OR IT HAS BEEN PASSED. 
          IT ALSO UPDATED. 
          THEY ALSO HAVE THE HEARING DATE. 
          SO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANT TO GO IN PERSON, TALK TO YOUR TAX JURISDICTION AUTHORITY. 
          THIS IS A GOOD WEB WEBSITE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF. 
          OKAY, NEXT. 
          ALRIGHT, SO THIS IS JUST A SMALL LITTLE, UH, FORMULA, AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE TEXT, UH, ON THE RIGHT SIDE IS THAT THE FINAL TEXT BILL? BUT YOU KNOW, FROM THE VERY BEGINNING YOU CAN SEE THE TAXABLE VALUE IS THE FIRST ELEMENT. 
          AND THIS TAXABLE VALUES IS EQUAL TO APPRAISAL VALUE MINUS THE EXEMPTION. 
          WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? WE WANT OUR APPRAISAL VALUE AS LOW AS 
          [02:00:01]
POSSIBLE AND OUR EXEMPTION AS HIGH AS POSSIBLE. 
          RIGHT? OKAY. 
          AND FOR THIS PART, IT'S THE GO TO TECH, UH, IN HERE  FROM JANUARY THROUGH JULY. 
          THE SECOND PART, AS I WAS TALKING ABOUT THE TAX RATES AND AUGUST THROUGH OCTOBER AT THE VERY END. 
          YES, GO AHEAD. 
          I WANNA DO A POP A POP QUIZ. 
          HOW MANY, HOW MANY OF YOU THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S TAX RATE  POP QUIZ? IT'S WHAT? OH WOW. 
          . 
          IT'S EIGHT AND A QUARTER. 
          THAT'S THE SALES TAX. 
          THAT'S YOUR STATE SALES TAX. 
          1.13. 
          OKAY. 
          YES, 4%. 
          UM, IF THIS WAS THE PRICE IS RIGHT, I WILL CALL YOU DOWN . 
          YOUR, YOUR CITY OF HOUSTON TAX RATE IS 0.51 9.519. 
          AND YOU CAN LOOK UP YOUR ENTIRE TAX BILL AND SEE EVERY ENTITY. 
          THE CITY OF HOUSTON HAS THE LOWEST TAX RATE WE DID NOT INCREASE YOUR TAX RATE THIS PAST FALL, OCTOBER OF 2026 IS WHEN WE MAKE THAT VOTE. 
          SO YOU PAY, UH, 0.5 1 9 2 9 0 PER EVERY HUNDRED DOLLARS. 
          THAT'S HOW WE CALCULATE YOUR TAX RATE. 
          SO IT'S 0.519 AND WE HAVE A CAP. 
          SO WE CAN ONLY GO UP SO MUCH. 
          YES, SIR. 
          SINCE EVERY YEAR IT GOES UP, EVERY GOVERNMENT TAXING ENTITY APPROVES THEIR TAX RATE. 
          THE RATE GOES UP A HUNDRED PERCENT EVERY YEAR. 
          I THINK THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION TO BRING TO THE HCC TRUSTEES THAT YOU ELECT. 
          I WENT FROM $27 TO 49. 
          I WENT TO 64. 
          YEAH, I THINK THAT'S A, WHEN THEY, WHEN THEIR TAX RATE IS ON THE BALLOT AND THERE'S PUBLIC SESSION, I WANNA ENCOURAGE YOU TO GET THERE TO ASK THOSE QUESTIONS. 
          AND THEN YOU HAVE ELECTED HCC TRUSTEES WHO SHOULD BE AVAILABLE TO YOU TO EXPLAIN WHEN AND HOW THEY CALCULATE THAT. 
          BUT AS FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON, WE ARE 0.519. 
          SO IF ANYONE POP QUIZZES, Y'ALL, AGAIN, , WE ARE NOT 8 2 5. 
          8.25 IS YOUR SALES TAX. 
          UH, WHEN YOU SWIPE YOUR CARD FOR AMAZON, WHEN YOU GO TO CHILI'S TO DINNER, WHEN YOU DO ALL OF THOSE THINGS, YOU'LL SEE AN 8.25 SALES TAX. 
          THAT'S THE SENIOR'S DISCOUNT. 
          UM, AND I KNOW, I KNOW I, I CAN'T SPEAK ON THAT, BUT I, I WANT YOU TO KEEP YOUR EYES ON OUR TAX RATE AND THEN IN THE FALL, AND WE NORMALLY INFORM YOU OF WHEN THIS COMES UP TO VOTE, UM, IN THE NEWSLETTER, SO WE CAN HAVE YOU TO PARTICIPATE. 
          AND SO WHEN YOU THINK OF ALL OF YOUR, YOUR PUBLIC SCHOOL ENTITIES, SO IF YOU'RE AN A-F-H-I-S-D, AL, DEAN, K-D-I-S-D-H-C-C, HARRIS COUNTY, HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL HOSPITAL DISTRICT, THERE'S A TAXING ENTITY. 
          SO I WANNA ENCOURAGE YOU IN ORDER, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO MASTER OUR MONEY. 
          AND ALTHOUGH THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S, UM, SERVICES ARE MORE PUBLIC FACING IN TERMS OF THAT, UM, ALL EVERYONE'S CONTRIBUTING TO ALL OF THE, UH, TAXING ENTITIES. 
          AND SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT AS YOU UNDERSTAND YOUR TAXES, YOU UNDERSTAND YOUR RATES AND HOW THEY'RE CALCULATED. 
          OKAY. 
          OKAY. 
          SO, UH, JUST ONE INFORMATION FOR THE GENTLEMAN. 
          YEAH. 
          EVERY, EVERY TAX ADDICTION, THEY ARE ALLOWED TO RAISE UP TO 3.5% EVERY YEAR. 
          IF IT IS MORE THAN THIS THRESHOLD, THEN UH, AN ELECTION IS SUPPOSED TO, UH, RAISE FOR THE VOTER APPROVAL. 
          SO YES, THEY, THEY CAN KEEP INCREASING THE RATES. 
          YES. 
          YES. 
          IT'S, IT'S ALSO ONE OF THE INDIVIDUAL TAX JURISDICTION, NOT, I DON'T THINK IT IS. 
          GO UP 100%. 
          YEAH, . 
          OKAY. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          BUT YOU KNOW, ALL THE TEXT TAX RATE, YOU ACTUALLY CAN GO FOUND ON THE EDUCATE WEBSITE. 
          IF YOU HAVE A PHONE RIGHT NOW, YOU GO TO EDUCATE HCAD.ORG, THEY HAVE A TAB CALLED JURISDICTION AND YOU PUT INTO TEXT JURISDICTION NAME, YOU CAN SEE THE TAX RATE. 
          SO SAME AS THE CITY OF HOUSTON. 
          ALRIGHT? SO, UH, THIS IS JUST FROM LAST YEAR. 
          AND, UH, THIS INCREASED WITH THE, UH, HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION HAS ALREADY FACTORED IN AS WELL AS OVER 65. 
          SO A HOMEOWNER WHO IS OVER 65 START FROM LAST YEAR IS ALREADY, UH, ALREADY ENJOYED FOR THE SCHOOL TAX FOR $200,000 EXEMPTION. 
          ALRIGHT, LET'S WAIT TO GO NEXT. 
          UM, THIS IS JUST A LAYOUT OF, UH, UH, EDUCATE 
          [02:05:01]
OUR TAX JURISDICTION, TAXING JURISDICTION, OKAY. 
          ON YOUR BILL. 
          SO WHEN YOU GET YOUR BILL, IT'LL SAY TAXING JURISDICTION, AND THEN IT'LL SAY YOUR EXEMPTIONS, HOW MUCH YOU THEY'RE GONNA EXEMPT YOU. 
          THEN THE VALUE OF WHAT'S EXEMPTED, AND THEN PER 100. 
          SO AS AN EXAMPLE, HOUSTON, ISD IS 0.86 HARRIS COUNTY 0.38. 
          NOW, AS A CAVEAT, WHEN THERE'S A NATURAL DISASTER, DERECHO BARREL, THERE'S A STATE STATUTE IN THE STATE TO ALLOW US TO ACCOMMODATE THAT UP TO 8%, I BELIEVE. 
          MM-HMM . 
          I BELIEVE IT'S UP TO 8%. 
          UM, HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL THE PORT OF HOUSTON. 
          I MEANT, I DIDN'T MENTION THAT ONE. 
          HARRIS, HARRIS COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT IS 0.16, PORT AUTHORITY, 0.006, HARRIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 0.004 HCC 0.096, CITY OF HOUSTON, 0.519. 
          AND THEN THAT'S THE TOTAL, THAT'S WHAT YOU WOULD ULTIMATELY PAY 56, 88 0.72 IF THIS IS YOUR CALCULATION, AND IF YOU'RE NOT A SENIOR. 
          RIGHT. 
          SEE, I, I REALLY CAN'T SEE YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER REALLY CARE HOW MUCH YOU GET, YOU KNOW, GET CHARGED. 
          YOU KNOW,  WELL, THEY CALLED ME MY, MY, MY DADDY WHEN I WAS ELECTED TO THE SCHOOL BOARD, UH, LIKE OVER 10 YEARS AGO. 
          UM, MY, MY, MY DADDY SAID, YOUR NUMBER ONE JOB IS MAKE SURE I DON'T PAY NO MORE TAXES. 
          I DON'T HAVE NO KIDS IN SCHOOL. 
          AND I WAS LIKE, NO, DADDY, THAT'S NOT HOW THAT WORKS. 
          , RIGHT? I'M LIKE, DADDY, NO, NO, NO, WE NEED TO FUND. 
          ALL RIGHT, SO THIS IS JUST A LOWER PART OF THE BILL AND FOR THIS ONE, YES. 
          IS IT A QUESTION? YEAH. 
          YES. 
          LET'S GET, SO I, I DON'T WANNA SEEM LIKE I'M DISORGANIZED, BUT I HAVE SEVERAL PROPERTIES AND I DON'T ALWAYS GET MY TAX BILL. 
          SO OF COURSE I'M NOT ALWAYS PROTESTING MY TAXES. 
          SO THE SITE THAT YOU GAVE US ON ONE OF THE SLIDES, CAN I GO TO THAT SITE TO JUST GET ALL MY TAX BILLS SO I CAN JUST PROTEST EVERYTHING? OR IS THERE A SITE THAT I CAN GO TO TO PULL UP ALL MY TAX BILLS, , UM, SO I CAN JUST GO AND PROTEST ALL OF THEM? UH, WELL THAT SITE IS JUST, UH, LIST ALL THE TAX JURISDICTION, YOU KNOW, UH, CAN YOU GO BACK TO EARLIER, UH, I WAS TALKING ABOUT ACTUALLY THOSE TAX JURISDICTION IS ONLY COVERED BY TAX OFFICE, RIGHT? SO THIS MIGHT NOT NECESSARY ALL YOUR PROPERTY TAX BILL INCLUDED, BECAUSE YOU MIGHT, YOU MIGHT ALSO RECEIVE OTHER TEXT JURISDICTIONS BILL, RIGHT? UH, BUT FOR THAT SITE EARLIER I WAS TALKING ABOUT ONE MORE. 
          YES. 
          THIS IS ONE, IT WILL LIST ALL OF THEM. 
          OKAY. 
          BUT THIS SITE ONLY GET, UH, VERY ACTIVATED, UH, START FROM JUNE, END OF JULY, YOU KNOW. 
          YES. 
          IT'S, IT'S ALREADY PASSED. 
          THIS ONE IS ONLY GOOD FOR THE TAX RATE. 
          OKAY. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          RIGHT. 
          BUT IF YOU WANT TO SEE THE WHOLE, UH, TAX JURISDICTION ON THE PROPERTY, ON, ON THE SPECIFIC PROPERTY, YOU CAN GO TO EDUCATE.ORG. 
          WHEN YOU DO SEARCH PROPERTY, YOU PULL THE, EITHER YOUR ADDRESS OR HOMEOWNER'S NAME, UH, FOR THAT SPECIFIC ONE, IT WILL LIST ALL OF THEM. 
          SAME AS THIS ONE. 
          YEAH, IT'S JUST TEXT OFF BASE. 
          WE ONLY CAN COVER 82 OUT OF MORE THAN 600. 
          WE DIDN'T COVER ALL OF THEM. 
          SO IF YOU WANT TO A FULL LIST, GO TO EDUCATE.ORG OR, UH, THIS, THIS TEXT, TEXT RATE WEBSITE WILL ALSO HELP. 
          AND THEN MS. MAILING, WE HAVE A QUESTION BACK HERE, RIGHT? UH, YES. 
          CAN WE GO BACK TO WHERE SHE WAS EXPLAINING ALL THESE DIFFERENT ENTITIES AND WHAT THEY DIFFERENT ENTITY? UH, ONE MORE. 
          RIGHT THERE. 
          OKAY, GO BACK RIGHT THERE. 
          SO, SO WHEN YOU ADD ALL THOSE UP, IS THAT WHERE WE GET THE 5.19? DOES ALL THAT EQUAL NO, NO, NO, NO. 
          I, OKAY. 
          NO, THAT'S JUST THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S TAX RATE. 
          OKAY. 
          SO IT'S GONNA SHOW YOU EACH JURISDICTION, SOME OF YOU MAY LIVE IN MUDS, RIGHT? SO YOU MAY HAVE A MUD THAT SHOWS UP, RIGHT? SO THIS IS GONNA SHOW YOU EACH ENTITY THAT, THAT YOUR HOME AND WHAT THEY CHARGE AND WHAT THEY CHARGE, THE RATE, THE VALUE OF WHAT THEY CAN DO. 
          AND THE RATE PER 100. 
          AND THEN THE TOTAL, SO AT THE 56, 6 56 88 AT THE BOTTOM IS THE TOTAL TAX BILL. 
          SO WHEN YOU PAY YOUR TOTAL TAX BILL, IT'S A CULMINATION OF ALL OF YOUR TAXING, UH, JURISDICTIONS. 
          DOES IT SHOW THE TOTAL TAX RATE? YES. 
          ON EACH ONE EXHIBITION? THE TOTAL, NOT, NOT THE INDIVIDUAL. 
          THE TOTAL. 
          THE TOTAL, YES. 
          SO HAVE TO TOTAL HAVE TOTAL, RIGHT? YOU'LL HAVE TO TOTAL, BUT IT'S YOUR, IT'LL GIVE YOU YOUR TOTAL TAXES. 
          I KNOW IT'LL GIVE YOU THAT. 
          I WANNA KNOW WHAT THE TOTAL TAX RATE, RIGHT? SO THEN TWO SLIDES BEFORE SHE TALKED ABOUT HOW TO CALCULATE YOUR TAX RATE, RIGHT? OKAY. 
          WELL IT SHOULD, IT SHOULD SHOW THAT IT'S SHOWING ALL THE INDIVIDUALS, YOU JUST 
          [02:10:01]
ADD 'EM TOGETHER. 
          JUST TOTAL, RIGHT? YOU JUST ADDED, IT'S JUST 0.51. 
          IT'S JUST, WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT AFTER THE SECTION. 
          NOT A PROBLEM. 
          . 
          OKAY, LET'S, LET'S KEEP GOING ON. 
          OKAY, SO, UH, HOMESTEAD, I BELIEVE EVERYBODY'S SUPPOSED TO HAVE THAT AT LEAST ONE FOR YOUR HOMESTEAD. 
          ALRIGHT, I WAS TALKING ABOUT FOR THE SCHOOL TAX, NOW IT'S FROM LAST YEAR. 
          IT IS ALREADY INCREASED TO $140,000. 
          UH, ANOTHER PERK ABOUT THE HOMESTEAD, IF YOU HAVE THIS IS THE SECOND ONE IS 10% APPRAISAL INCREASE CAP. 
          WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? THAT MEANS, OKAY, ON OUR APPRAISAL NOTICE WE CAN SEE THERE ARE TWO NUMBER MARKET VALUE AND APPRAISAL VALUE. 
          AND MOST LIKELY YOU MIGHT SEE THERE IS A GAP IN BETWEEN. 
          HAVE YOU AND ANYONE UNDERSTAND WHAT'S THIS TWO DIFFERENCE ON THE PRICE? OKAY, SO THE MARKET VALUE, MARKET VALUE IS THE NUMBER THAT'S AROUND YOUR AREA. 
          ALL THE RECENT TRANSACTION IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD FROM LAST YEAR. 
          OKAY? SO IF YOU ARE GOING TO SELL YOUR HOUSE, THE MARKET VALUE, PRETTY MUCH THAT WHAT YOU CAN REFER TO AS FOR THE APPRAISAL VALUE, THAT'S SPECIFICALLY FOR THE PROPERTY TAX CALCULATION. 
          A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY, OH, I DON'T WANT TO, UH, PROTEST MY, UH, APPRAISAL NOTICE TO THE EDUCATE BECAUSE I DON'T WANT MY APPRAISAL VALUE LOWER. 
          AND THEN WHEN I SELL THE HOUSE, THEN I HAVE A LOWER MARKET VALUE. 
          NO, THIS IS TWO DIFFERENT NUMBER. 
          IF YOU WANT TO SELL THE HOUSE, THAT'S BASED ON YOUR MARKET VALUE. 
          BUT WHEN YOU PAY THE TAX, IT'S, IT'S BASED ON THE APPRAISAL VALUE ALL. 
          SO HOMEOWNER, UH, I'M A HOMEOWNER. 
          I PROTEST EVERY YEAR. 
          OKAY, . 
          ALRIGHT, SO THIS 10%, CAN WE GO BACK, UH, 10%. 
          SO AS WE ALL KNOW, UH, MARKET VALUE CAN GO INCREASE, ESPECIALLY LIKE A CRAZY DURING COVID TO 20, 30% EVERY YEAR. 
          HOWEVER, WITH THE HOMESTEAD, THIS 10%, THAT MEANS EDUCATE CAN ONLY REPLACE YOUR VALUE NO MORE 10% FROM PREVIOUS YEAR. 
          SO THAT'S HOW THE HOMEOWNER CAN BE PROTECTED BY THIS SKYROCKETING HOUSING MARKET. 
          OKAY? SO THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT ONE. 
          IF THE HOMEOWNER HAVE THIS, UH, 10% CAP, AND THEN THAT'S THE REASON EVERY YEAR HOMEOWNER, UH, EDUCATED CAN ONLY INCREASE 10%, BUT MARKET VALUE CAN GO 20, 30, 50 OVER YEARS. 
          THAT'S THE REASON WHY THE GAP IS GETTING GET BIGGER AND BIGGER. 
          YES. 
          PRICE ALMOST 30,000 MORE THAN WHAT THE MARKET, OUR PRICE VALUE IS THE TAXES WITH CASE THERE'S A WHOLE HOUSE. 
          OKAY? SO I WILL, I WILL TALK ABOUT A LOT, UH, LITTLE BIT ABOUT IF YOU ARE DOING YOUR REMODELS. 
          IF IF IT'S INCREASE YOUR, ARE YOUR, YOU MEAN HOMEOWNER INSURANCE INSURER? HOMEOWNER IN INSURANCE. 
          OKAY. 
          RIGHT. 
          SO, SO YOU NEED TO, YOU NEED TO, YOU NEED TO TALK TO YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY. 
          HOW, HOW THEY BASED ON, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THEY ARE PRIVATE. 
          I, I DIDN'T KNOW THEY MIGHT, THEY MIGHT REFER TO EDUCATE INFORMATION OR MAYBE THEY HAVE ACCESS ABOUT WHAT'S THE CURRENT MARKET VALUE YOU NEED TO CALL YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY. 
          HOW THEY, BASED ON THAT  OKAY. 
          , YEAH. 
          SO, SO THIS, THIS, UH, GOES TO YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY FOR YOUR HOMEOWNER INSURANCE, OKAY? AND THIS IS JUST AN EXAMPLE. 
          UH, HOW MUCH EXEMPTION CAN SAVE HOMEOWNER ME? UM, THREE SCENARIO. 
          UH, THIS, THIS IS JUST BASED ON THE $400,000, OKAY? BUT THIS IS NOT LIKE A, I MEAN, THIS IS $400,000. 
          THEY MIGHT STILL GET A DIFFERENT FEEL BASED ON THE LOCATION, BUT THIS IS JUST, UH, THAT THE WHOLE SIDE, THEY JUST GIVE EVERYBODY HOW MUCH EXEMPTION CAN SAVE HOMEOWNER MONEY ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE WHEN THERE IS NO EXEMPTION, 8,500 WHEN IN THE, IN THE MIDDLE, WHEN THE HOMESTEAD KICK 
          [02:15:01]
IN, IMMEDIATELY SAVE YOU ALMOST 3000 IN ADDITION TO ON THE HOMESTEAD, IF A HOMEOWNER ALSO QUALIFY FOR FIVE OR DISABILITY, YOU CAN SAY ALMOST 7,000. 
          AND THE FINAL BILL IS ONLY 1500. 
          IT'S, IT'S LESS THAN ONE FOURTH OF THE ORIGINAL ONE. 
          OKAY? SO, SO IS HOMESTEAD IS A EXCEPTION ONLY FOR USA RESIDENTS OR USA CITIZENS OR UNDOCUMENTED PEOPLE THAT ALSO HAVE PROPERTY THAT PAY TAXES? ARE THEY ALLOWED TO GET HOMESTEAD CENTRAL? OKAY, SO, SO FOR THE HOMESTEAD, THERE ARE TWO CRITERIA. 
          THE HOMEOWNER NEED TO HAVE THE OWNERSHIP. 
          THE SECOND ONE IS THE HOMEOWNER SHOULD STAY PHYSICALLY LIVE IN THAT SPECIFIC PROPERTY. 
          OKAY? IT'S, IT'S MAJOR, THESE TWO, UH, IT, IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU ARE CITIZENSHIP OR, OR YOU ARE A GREEN CAR. 
          'CAUSE ON THE APPLICATION, IT, IT REQUESTS YOU TO HAVE A TEXAS ID OR DRIVER'S LICENSE. 
          YES. 
          AND AS YOU KNOW, YES, UNDOCUMENTED PEOPLE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO GET A STATE ID OR DRIVER'S LICENSE . 
          SO HOW ARE THEY ABLE TO APPLY FOR HOMES AND EXEMPTIONS? IF THAT'S, IF YOU DID, IF THEY DON'T HAVE THAT, THAT'S THE TRICKY PART YOU'RE SAYING? YES. 
          THAT'S THE TRICKY PART. 
          IT HAS TO ESCALATE TO THE STATES, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE STATE REGULATION AND THEY APPLY OR THEY CANNOT APPLY. 
          YOU NEED TO, SO, NO, BUT, SO THE QUESTION IS NO, I MEAN, I MEAN, THE ANSWER IS NO, YOU DON'T HAVE, YES. 
          IF YOU, YOU DON'T HAVE A DRIVER LICENSE WITH THAT PROPERTY, YOU WANT TO CLAIM AS A HOMESTEAD, NO, YOU CANNOT DO THAT. 
          YOU CANNOT APPLY FOR THAT SPECIFIC ONE. 
          OKAY. 
          UH, ALRIGHT. 
          OVER OVER 65. 
          SO THIS IS ONE, UH, I, I WILL TAKE A LITTLE BIT TIME. 
          SO THE FIRST ONE, HOMEOWNER, IF YOU ARE TURNING 65 FOR THIS YEAR, UH, YOU CAN START TO APPLY. 
          YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL YOU FULLY TURN. 
          UH, 65, FOR EXAMPLE, IF, IF A HOMEOWNER, UH, TURN OVER, TURN 65 OFFICIALLY IN DECEMBER 1ST, UH, THIS HOMEOWNER ACTUALLY CAN START TO APPLY, UH, THIS OVER 65 EXEMPTION START FROM JANUARY BECAUSE THIS EXEMPTION IS APPLIED TO THE WHOLE ENTIRE YEAR. 
          ALL RIGHT? SO IT DOESN'T MATTER WHEN YOU WON IN WHICH MONTH YOU CAN START TO APPLY. 
          ALL RIGHT? THE SECOND ONE, UH, IS FOR THE DISABILITY. 
          OF COURSE, THE PEOPLE, UH, IS ALREADY UNDER THE FEDERAL, UH, DISABILITY PROGRAM. 
          YOU, YOU CAN HAVE THAT ALSO ANOTHER MUCH MORE, UH, DETAILED. 
          IF YOU NEED DOCTOR'S PRESCRIPTION, I ADVISE EVERYONE YOU CAN VISIT EDUCATE.ORG. 
          THEY HAVE ALL THE CRITERIA, YOU KNOW, INFORMATION, APPLICATION FORM, VERY DETAILED. 
          I WILL SAY, JUST GO BY WITH THEIR INSTRUCTION, YOU WILL BE FINE. 
          UH, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR THE OVER 65 AND DISABILITY FROM YEAR, UH, FROM LAST YEAR OR, UH, SCORE TAX ALREADY INCREASED TO $60,000. 
          THE SECOND ONE, UH, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS FOR THE NEXT ONE, TAX CEILING AND THE TAX DEFERRAL. 
          CAN WE GET THAT? YES. 
          SO THIS TAX CEILING TAX DEFERRAL OR WHAT WE SEE RIGHT HERE, TAX LIMITATION, THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT THE SAME THING. 
          ALRIGHT? HOW DOES THAT WORK? FOR EXAMPLE, THE HOMEOWNER GET APPROVED WITH OVER 65 THIS YEAR. 
          IF SHE OR HE, UH, PAY SCHOOL TAX, SAY $1,000 THIS YEAR GOING FORWARD, THIS HOMEOWNER'S SCHOOL TAX WILL NEVER, EVER GO ABOVE 1000. 
          IT CAN GO LOWER, BUT IT WON'T GO HIGHER. 
          HOWEVER, MANY HOMEOWNER ACCIDENTALLY BREAK THIS CEILING BY ACCIDENT. 
          JUST LIKE I SAY, IF THE HOMEOWNER, UH, HAVE A BIG REMODEL, ADDING A SWIMMING POOL, ADDING A TENNIS SCORES THAT SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASE YOUR PROPERTY VALUE, EDUCATE WILL COME TO RESET THIS CEILING. 
          THE NEXT ONE I WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS TAX DEFERRAL SPECIFICALLY. 
          AGAIN, UH, NOT EVERYBODY QUALIFIED, BUT OVER 65 DISABILITY OR DISABLED VETERAN. 
          THIS IS THE ONES, UH, WE WILL ENCOURAGE OUR HOMEOWNER, IF YOU QUALIFY, TAKE THIS ONE AS AN INSURANCE POLICY, BECAUSE FOR THIS TAX DEFERRAL, IF YOU GET APPROVE IT, YOU ARE LEGALLY ALLOWED TO POSTPONE YOUR PS AT 5% PRICE FOR THE WHOLE ENTIRE YEAR. 
          AND THEREFORE, SINCE IF YOU DO HAVE A DIFFICULTY TO PAY YOUR PROPERTY, THIS IS THE ONE CAN PREVENT, UH, FOR THE FORECLOSURE, SINCE YOU ARE LEGALLY TO DELAY, TO POSTPONE YOUR PAYMENTS. 
          ALL RIGHT, SO THIS IS THE ONES, UH, I JUST WANT TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW SPECIFICALLY FOR OVER 65 AND, 
          [02:20:01]
UH, HOW MANY MINUTES I HAVE, IF I CAN TAKE ONE OR TWO ZERO. 
          OKAY. 
          YOU KNOW WHAT, I WILL STAY. 
          SO IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION. 
          1, 1, 1, 1 QUESTION. 
          OKAY. 
          ONE QUESTION. 
          HERE'S MY QUESTION. 
          IT'S REGARDING THE FREEZE, OKAY? OKAY. 
          SO LET'S SAY ONE OF THE SPOUSES IS OVER 65 AND THEY HAVE THE, UH, EXEMPTION IN PLACE, RIGHT? AND LET'S JUST SAY THE FREEZE IS FOR A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS MM-HMM . 
          OKAY? SO THEN LET'S SAY THAT SPOUSE PASSES AWAY, OKAY? AND THE SECOND SPOUSE IS OVER 65. 
          SO MY QUESTION IS, NUMBER ONE, WOULD THE NEW SPOUSE NOW A SURVIVING SPOUSE, WOULD THEY HAVE TO FILE FOR ANOTHER OVER 65 EXEMPTION? AND THE SECOND QUESTION IS, WOULD THAT FREEZE AMOUNT CHANGE? YOU SEE WHAT I'M SAYING? MM-HMM . 
          YES. 
          OKAY. 
          SO THERE ARE DIFFERENT SITUATION FOR THE SURVIVING SPOUSE, YOU KNOW, AS, UH, TEXAS, WE TAKE MARRIED COUPLE AS ONE. 
          SO IF THE HOMEOWNER, ONE OF THE SPOUSE PASSED AWAY AND THE, YOU KNOW, HE OR SHE ALREADY HAVE OVER 65, THE SURVIVING SPOUSE, IF OVER 65, NOT, SORRY, OVER 55, THEY ARE ALLOWED, CONTINUE WITH THAT ONE. 
          OKAY. 
          SO THAT'S A PROTECTION FOR THE SURVIVING SPOUSE. 
          YES. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          SO OVER, OVER 55, OKAY? IF ONE OF THE SPOUSES PAYS AWAY AND HE OR SHE ALREADY HAVE OVER 65 EXEMPTION, THE OTHER SPOUSE, THE SURVIVING SPOUSE, IF THEY ARE OVER 55, 5 5, THEY ARE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE WITH THIS EXEMPTION. 
          OKAY? YEAH. 
          AND I WILL STAY ON THE BACK, YOU KNOW, AFTER THAT, IF YOU DO HAVE A QUESTION, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION LATER ON. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          OKAY, EVERYONE, SO AT THIS TIME WE'RE GONNA HAVE ARTURO BISON FROM HOUSTON, FROM HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS, UM, AND HE'S GONNA BE GOING OVER THE CODE ENFORCEMENT PROCESS. 
          SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND GIVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR HIM. 
          THANK YOU. 
          GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. 
          UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WAITING FOR US. 
          UM, JOINED HERE BY MY, UH, ESTEEMED COLLEAGUE. 
          UM, UH, CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? LOUDER. 
          OKAY, I'LL SPEAK A LITTLE LOUDER. 
          , I'M TRYING TO USE MY INDOOR VOICE. 
          I'M SO SORRY. 
          UM, I NORMALLY WORK OUT IN THE FIELD. 
          UM, MY ASSOCIATE HERE, UM, MR. ALMER, DAVID ALMER, HE'S A ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, A HE WORKS ON ALSO, UM, AT OUR OFFICE IN PUBLIC WORKS. 
          AND, UM, TODAY WE'RE, UH, TASKED WITH, UH, INFORMING YOU WITH, UM, WHAT WE DO. 
          I THINK A LOT OF YOU ALREADY ARE FAMILIAR WITH WHAT, WHAT WE DO AND IN A CERTAIN CAPACITY THAT WE TEND TO, UH, SHOW UP AND, UH, INSPECT PROPERTIES THAT ARE, UM, UH, IN VIOLATION OF CITY ORDINANCE. 
          AND, UM, PARTICULARLY CHAPTER 10 IS WHAT WE MAINLY HANDLE. 
          THAT'S OUR, OUR WHEELHOUSE THAT WE HANDLE. 
          AND, UH, ONE OF OUR MAIN THINGS THAT WE, UH, ENFORCE IS, UH, DANGEROUS BUILDINGS, DANGEROUS BUILDINGS, OR CAN BE ANY BUILDING THAT'S, UH, IN ANY CONDITION THAT'S UNSECURED FROM UNLAWFUL ENTRY. 
          IT CAN BE A NEW CONSTRUCTION THAT WAS ABANDONED, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, NOT FENCED IN PROPERLY, THAT SORT OF THING. 
          THAT'S WHAT WE DO. 
          AND WE TRY TO, YOU KNOW, UH, KEEP THESE BUILDINGS SECURE. 
          'CAUSE, UM, WHETHER THEY'RE, UH, BIG OR SMALL, COMMERCIAL, RESIDENTIAL, IT DOESN'T MATTER. 
          WE, WE, WE RE RELY ON THE PUBLIC'S, UH, COMPLAINTS TO COME IN AND, AND, UH, WE GO OUT AND INVESTIGATE THEM AND NOTIFY THE OWNERS AND, AND, UH, HOPEFULLY GET THEM SECURED, UH, WITHOUT, YOU KNOW, UM, ASSESSING ANY FINES. 
          SO IN SOME CASES, WE'LL, WE'LL DO AN EMERGENCY ABATEMENT IF IT CALLS FOR IT, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S IN, YOU KNOW, DIRECTLY IMPACTING, UH, SENIOR CITIZENS, FOR EXAMPLE, OR RIGHT NEXT TO AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, THAT SORT OF THING. 
          THAT'S, YOU KNOW, A MAJOR HAZARD. 
          AND SO WE, UM, YOU KNOW, LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR COMPLAINTS ON THAT. 
          UM, ALONG WITH, UM, UM, OUR BREAD AND BUTTER, I CALL IT OUR NUISANCE INSPECTIONS IS WHAT WE HANDLE THE MAJORITY OF THE TIME. 
          UH, WE GET CALLS FROM, UH, 3 1 1, 
          [02:25:01]
WE'RE COMPLAINT DRIVEN JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE. 
          WE CAN'T GO DOOR TO DOOR. 
          WE GO WHERE THEY SEND US AND WE SHOW UP TO ASSESS WHETHER OR NOT THERE'S ANY KIND OF UNSAFE CONDITIONS, YOU KNOW, TO THE, UH, YOU DO THE NEXT SLIDE, PAUL. 
          YEAH. 
          THE, UM, THE SOIL OF THE GROUND. 
          YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S ANY CONTAMINATED WATER, POLLUTED AIR, UNSAFE, SPOILED FOOD, YOU KNOW, WHAT DOES THAT ALL THAT MEAN? YOU KNOW, I WAS JUST AT A VACANT LOT, UH, OVER IN, UH, THIRD WARD YESTERDAY THAT SMELLED LIKE, UH, SOMEBODY JUMPED OFF THEIR, UH, POST CRAWFISH BOIL LEFTOVERS. 
          OH, YES, I LOVE THAT SMELL IN THE MORNING . 
          IT'S NOT MY FAVORITE, BUT IT'S PART OF MY JOB. 
          BUT YEAH, IT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S, IT'LL, UH, IT'LL SPOIL YOUR LUNCH IF YOU LET IT, BUT WE'RE THERE TO ASSESS IT AND MAKE SURE THAT THE OWNER KNOWS WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THEIR PROPERTY. 
          AND IN MOST CASES, IF THEY'RE TOTALLY ABANDONED, WE WILL STEP IN AND, AND DO A, AN ABATEMENT. 
          AND THAT'S WHY I WAS THERE COMPLETING A SURVEY TO MEASURE IT OUT AND MAKE SURE THAT IT'S, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, READY FOR CONTRACTOR ABATEMENT. 
          AND SO WE LOOK ALSO, UM, ABSOLUTELY, YES. 
          AND WE ALSO HANDLE, UH, RUBBISH. 
          RUBBISH IS PRETTY MUCH BASICALLY ANY BIT OF MATERIAL THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY, YOU KNOW, BREAK DOWN SO EASY. 
          UM, ANYTHING, UH, YOU KNOW, USUALLY HOUSEHOLD ITEMS THAT ARE SCATTERED ABOUT, UM, SCRAP TIRES ONE OF MY FAVORITES BECAUSE THOSE HARDLY EVER  DECOMPOSED, THEY'RE, THEY TEND TO STAY AROUND FOREVER, AND THOSE ARE HEAVILY REGULATED BY THE STATE. 
          SO THAT'S WHY WE TEND TO FIND THEM, YOU KNOW, ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BECAUSE NOT EVERYBODY WANTS TO, UH, DISPOSE OF THEM PROPERLY. 
          AND SO WE, YOU KNOW, WE, WE TEND TO DEAL WITH, WITH THAT ALONG WITH CERTAIN PROPERTIES. 
          LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, UP IN FIFTH WARD, THERE'S A LOT OF RENTALS, UM, VACATES HAPPEN. 
          YOU KNOW, LANDLORD SAYS, HEY, DON'T PUT THIS STUFF FROM YOUR PREVIOUS TENANT ON THE CURB IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE. 
          I DON'T WANNA GET A TICKET FROM SOLID WASTE, JUST PUT IT ON IN FRONT OF THAT LOT ACROSS THE STREET. 
          MY NEIGHBOR WON'T MINE. 
          LET THE CITY GET IT. 
          THAT JUST SEEMS LIKE THERE'D BE THE, UH, ONGOING, UH, YOU KNOW, ATTITUDE THAT I GET OVER THE YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN DOING THIS IS, YOU KNOW, JUST PUT IT ON THE CURB, LET THE CITY GET IT . 
          SO IT'S JUST LOOKS AWFUL. 
          AND THAT'S JUST NOT THE PROPER WAY OF DISPOSING THINGS. 
          YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF RESOURCES AVAILABLE, UM, AND A LOT OF OPTIONS, UH, DISPOSING OF, OF, UM, RUBBISH IN THIS CITY. 
          AND, UH, YOU KNOW, ANYBODY CAN CALL 3 1 1 AND, AND, UH, ACCESS THOSE WHENEVER POSSIBLE. 
          UM, OUR FAVORITE THING TO DO, ESPECIALLY WHEN, UH, SUMMERTIME HITS RAIN, GETS THE, UH, WEEDS TO SPROUT, AS WE WELL ARE AWARE OF, ALONG WITH ALL THE ALLERGIES THAT COME WITH IT. 
          UM, I CALL IT MOSQUITO SEASON. 
          I DON'T REALLY ENJOY IT . 
          IT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS WE DO IS WE TRY TO TACKLE A LOT OF THESE, UH, WEEDED LOTS, ESPECIALLY, UH, UH, NEAR, YOU KNOW, ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. 
          UM, ALSO, UM, YOU KNOW, IMPACTING ANY, UH, SENIOR CITIZENS THAT'S, WE TRY TO LOOK OUT FOR THEM AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. 
          AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE TEND TO GO AFTER, YOU KNOW, WHOEVER, UM, IS NOT MAINTAINING THE PROPERTY. 
          AND THAT ALSO INCLUDES, UM, YOU KNOW, KEEPING THE GRASS, YOU KNOW, LESS THAN NINE INCHES, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING TALLER, NINE INCHES IN VIOLATION OF THE ORDINANCE. 
          AND, UH, IT ALSO INCLUDES YOU NOTICE THE, UH, TRIMMING THE SHRUBS, WHICH IS KIND OF A STRANGE ONE BECAUSE NOT EVERYBODY PAYS ATTENTION TO SHRUB ERY, I DO, BECAUSE IT TENDS TO CREATE THESE HIDING SPOTS FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, UNSAVORY PEOPLE TO HIDE IN  AND DO ALL SORTS OF THINGS. 
          SO I TRY TO ENCOURAGE THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY TO, YOU KNOW, UM, CULTIVATE IS THE WORD WE LIKE TO USE, BECAUSE WHEN WE WRITE IT ON THE PLAQUE, WE SAY, UM, YOU KNOW, PLEASE, UH, YOU KNOW, TAKE CARE OF THE UNCULTIVATED, UM, UM, SHRUBS IN YOUR PROPERTY. 
          AND THAT WAY YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, KIND OF CREATE SOME VISIBILITY, WHICH IS IMPORTANT. 
          UM, FOR A LOT OF REASONS. 
          SAFETY BEING THE MAIN THING IS, UM, YOU WANNA BE ABLE TO CREATE A LOT OF VISIBILITY, YOU KNOW, FOR YOU AND YOUR NEIGHBORS TO KEEP AN EYE ON EACH OTHER, YOU KNOW, WHETHER YOU'RE 
          [02:30:01]
IN TOWN OR NOT, YOU KNOW, YOU WANNA BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON OUT THERE. 
          AND, UH, A LOT OF TIMES I DISCOURAGE PEOPLE FROM BUILDING, YOU KNOW, PRIVACY FENCES. 
          I KNOW IT CREATES PRIVACY FOR A LOT OF FOLKS, BUT IT TENDS TO TAKE AWAY THEIR VISIBILITY AND MAKE THEM MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO GETTING DUMPED ON IN FRONT OF THEIR PROPERTY, WHICH IS STILL THE RESPONSIBILITY TO MAINTAIN. 
          ALSO, YOU KNOW, SOME, YOU KNOW, UH, ASPIRING GRAFFITI ARTISTS MAY DECIDE, HEY, THAT FENCE LOOKS LIKE IT'S READY. 
          IT LOOKS LIKE A BLANK CANVAS. 
          LET'S GO AHEAD AND TAG THAT FENCE UP. 
          AND GUESS WHO GETS WRITTEN UP FOR IT? YOU DO, BECAUSE YOU'RE THE OWNER OF THE FENCE . 
          SO ANYWAY, SO IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY TO EACH HIS OWN. 
          BUT, YOU KNOW, I TRY TO KIND OF POINT THESE, UH, THINGS OUT TO, YOU KNOW, TO, UH, INFORM THE PUBLIC OF WHAT THEY CAN DO TO SORT OF, UH, DETER, UH, NUISANCE VIOLATIONS IN THE FUTURE. 
          UH, SO NEXT SLIDE. 
          THIS IS ONE OF OUR LEAST FAVORITE  UH, VIOLATIONS, BECAUSE THIS ONE IS, CAN BE VERY COMPLICATED, YOU KNOW, IT CAN TAKE A WHILE, YOU KNOW, SORT OF LIKE THE DANGEROUS BUILDINGS, BUT JUNK MOTOR VEHICLES ARE REGULATED BY THE STATE OF TEXAS, AND WE ENFORCE IT THROUGH CITY ORDINANCE. 
          NOW, UH, JUNK MOTOR VEHICLE IS, YOU KNOW, IT HAS A CERTAIN DEFINITION, YOU KNOW, FOR MOST OF US, YOU KNOW, WE SEE A CAR, IT'S GOT A FLAT TIRE, YOU KNOW, IT'S GOT AN EXPIRED TAG, MORE THAN LIKELY IT'S, YOU KNOW, EITHER AN ABANDONED VEHICLE ON THE STREET OR IF IT'S ON PRIVATE PROPERTY, IT'S INOPERABLE. 
          BUT LET US FIGURE OUT WHETHER OR NOT IT'S, UH, IN VIOLATION OF CITY ORDINANCE. 
          SO CALL IT IN, WE'LL CHECK IT OUT FOR YOU. 
          NOW, WHETHER IT'S IN OUR WHEELHOUSE, MEANING THAT IF IT'S ON PRIVATE PROPERTY, IT'S, UM, HAS THESE DEFECTS, WHETHER IT'S INOPERABLE, DOESN'T HAVE A BATTERY, IT'S MISSING PARTS, THAT SORT OF THING THAT'S BEEN SITTING THERE, WE CAN ASSESS AS CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS WHETHER OR NOT THAT VEHICLE IS IN VIOLATION CITY ORDINANCE. 
          WELL THEN OUR JOB IS TO NOTIFY THE PROPERTY OWNER. 
          AND IF IT'S AN OCCUPIED PROPERTY, SOMETIMES WE'LL, WE'LL ASK THEM PERMISSION TO GO AHEAD AND TAG THAT VEHICLE. 
          AND WHEN WE DO GET PERMISSION TO TAG THE VEHICLE, WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING A STEP FURTHER. 
          SO WE'RE NOT ONLY NOTIFYING THE PROPERTY OWNER FOR ALLOWING THAT VIOLATION TO HAPPEN ON THEIR PROPERTY AS OPEN STORAGE, WE'RE ALSO NOTIFYING THE REGISTERED OWNER OF THAT VEHICLE, WHOEVER THAT MAY BE. 
          IT MIGHT BE THE PREVIOUS OWNER WHO KNOWS. 
          BUT WE'RE STILL DOING THE, THE, WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS. 
          SOMETIMES THERE'LL BE LIEN HOLDERS INVOLVED, WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHICHEVER INTERESTED PARTY THEY'RE GONNA GET THEIR NOTICE. 
          SO WHEN IT COMES TIME FOR TOWING, WHICH WE ARE DOING, UM, IT WILL HAVE ALREADY GONE THROUGH ITS PROCESS, IT'S DUE PROCESS WE CALL IT, AND WE CAN RIGHTFULLY TOW, REMOVE THAT VEHICLE AND, UH, DISPOSE OF IT, WHICH MEANS THEY'RE NOT GETTING IT BACK. 
          , IT'S GOING. 
          CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN INCARCERATING AND ? RIGHT, AND THAT'S WHAT I'M, I'M GLAD YOU ASKED, UM, THAT QUESTION BECAUSE IT'S PART OF THE SAME LAW IS WHAT WE COVER IS THE NUISANCE PART, WHICH IS ON PRIVATE PROPERTY. 
          THE ABANDONED VEHICLE IS THE OTHER HALF OF THAT. 
          THE OTHER EDGE OF THAT SWORD, WHICH IS COVERED BY PARK HOUSTON. 
          PARK HOUSTON, USUALLY HANDLES THE VEHICLES THAT ARE ON THE STREET. 
          THAT MEANS THAT, THAT THEY, YOU KNOW, OUT THERE WITH SOME DEFECTS LONGER THAN USUALLY 24 HOURS IS WHEN THEY START REALLY, REALLY LOOKING AT IT. 
          THEY'LL COME OUT, CHALK UP THE TIRES, SEE IF THEY'VE MOVED AFTER 24 HOURS, THEY COME BACK, SITE IT, AND THEN AFTER THE SECOND CITATION, THEY CALL IN HPD TO COME AND TOW IT, AND THEY IMPOUND THE VEHICLE, MEANING THEY GET TO GO BAIL IT OUT OF THE, UH, IMPOUND LOT. 
          NOW, THERE'S A CERTAIN GRAY AREA THAT NO ONE REALLY PAYS ATTENTION TO UNTIL WE GET CALLED OUT IS THESE SAVVY, UH, PEOPLE WHO ARE TRYING TO AVOID CITATIONS FOR PARKING OUT ON THE STREET. 
          THEY'RE TRYING TO AVOID THE VEHICLE BEING TAGGED ON THE PRIVATE PROPERTY BY US. 
          THEY'LL GET SMART AND DECIDE, WELL, LET'S JUST PARK IT ON THE EASEMENT. 
          I DON'T CARE IF I'M BLOCKING THE SIDEWALK, LET'S JUST PARK IT IN THIS GRAY AREA BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS KIND OF A SAFE SPOT, WHETHER THEY KNOW THIS OR NOT. 
          WE 
          [02:35:01]
CAN STILL ENFORCE IT AS OPEN STORAGE. 
          WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO TOW IT, BUT WE GET HPD INVOLVED AND THEY WILL HELP THEM OR ENCOURAGE THEM TO MAKE UP THEIR MIND. 
          EITHER THEY'RE GONNA PARK IT OR THE STREET, PARK IT SOMEWHERE ELSE, OR PARK IT BACK ON THE PROPERTY, HOPEFULLY WITHIN, YOU KNOW, AN ENCLOSED GARAGE, HOPEFULLY, OR OUT OF, YOU KNOW, THE PUBLIC'S VIEW. 
          SO THERE'S DIFFERENT WAYS OF REGULATING VEHICLES IN THE CITY, BUT WE HAVE TO BE INVOLVED TO KIND OF ASSESS WHERE IT NEEDS TO GO TO, YOU KNOW, UH, PARK HOUSTON VERY HELPFUL. 
          YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY DO THEIR PART, THEY HAVE THEIR HANDS FULL, AND SO DO WE, AND HPD, THEY REALLY DON'T LIKE TO BE BOTHERED UNLESS IT'S LIKE SOMETHING REALLY SERIOUS. 
          AND I USUALLY DON'T LEAN ON THEM UNLESS I HAVE TO. 
          SO I TRY MY BEST TO DO, UM, OUR ENFORCEMENT WITH OUR NOTICES AND, AND TRY TO, YOU KNOW, GET SOME MOVEMENT, YOU KNOW, FROM THE, UH, PROPERTY OWNER. 
          SO WHEN WE YES, SIR, YOU HAVE A QUESTION? MM-HMM . 
          MM-HMM . 
          AND THEY ARE, UH, THEY'RE NEITHER ONE HAVE TAGS ON 'EM. 
          WE, WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET 'EM TOWED. 
          THEY BACKED OFF AND WE TURNED IN THROUGH 3 1 1. 
          MM-HMM . 
          AND THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T DO ANYTHING BECAUSE THEY'RE IN HIS DRIVEWAY. 
          MM-HMM . 
          AND WITH THEM BEING IN HIS DRIVEWAY, IS THAT STORAGE? IS THAT WHERE I NEED TO CALL YOU? AM I CALLING THE WRONG PEOPLE, IS WHAT I'M ASKING? NO, SIR. 
          YOU, YOU'RE DOING THE RIGHT THING. 
          UM, 3 1 1, KEEP IN MIND, THEY'RE, THEY'RE DOING THEIR JOB AS FAR AS CREATING SERVICE REQUESTS FOR US. 
          AND OUR JOB IS TO, TO SEE YOU, YOUR DEPARTMENT RATHER THAN, UH, RATHER THAN, UH, UH, IT'S NOT HPD, IT WAS, UH, PARKS PARK. 
          YEAH. 
          UH, PARK, YEAH, PARK HOUSTON. 
          YES. 
          PARK, YEAH. 
          . 
          YEAH. 
          YEAH. 
          SO JUST TO ANSWER THE QUESTION THAT YOU'RE ASKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT WORKING ON CARS IN YOUR DRIVEWAY, THAT IS NOT A COMMUNITY CODE ENFORCEMENT, UH, ENFORCEABLE. 
          IT'S A, IT'S A BUILDING CODE VIOLATION. 
          SO THAT REQUIRES THEM TO OBTAIN A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY TO RUN A BUSINESS FROM THEIR HOME, TWO CARS PARKED IN YOUR DRIVEWAY. 
          RIGHT? AND HE ALSO, SO HE ALSO SAID THAT THEY'RE WORKING ON THEM. 
          SO THE WORKING ON THEM PART NO, AREN'T YOU HPD THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ANY BUILDING CODE ENFORCEMENT. 
          SO THE PART THAT I'M ADDRESSING WITH HIM IS, IS I CAN GET THEM ON A TOTALLY DIFFERENT VIOLATION, WHICH IS UNDER THE BUILDING CODE THAT SAYS THEY NEED A CERTIFICATE OXY, TO RUN THAT BUSINESS OUTTA THAT HOME. 
          AND I'LL MAKE 'EM MOVE THEIR CARS EITHER WAY. 
          THAT'S THE EASIEST WAY TO DO IT. 
          CAN YOU REPEAT THAT? REPEAT THAT PLEASE. 
          SO WHAT, WHAT PART DO YOU NEED ME TO REPEAT? OH, SO WHEN THE BUILDING CODE, THEY HAVE TO HAVE A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY TO RUN A BUSINESS FROM THEIR HOUSE. 
          NOW THAT IS PROVIDED THAT THERE IS NO DEED RESTRICTIONS TOO, RIGHT? SO THERE'S A BUNCH OF KEY FACTORS THAT PLAY INTO THAT IF THERE'S DEED RESTRICTIONS. 
          BUT AS THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT, IF THEY COME IN AND APPLY FOR THAT CERTIFICATE OF, OBVIOUSLY WE DON'T GO IN AND LOOK AT THEIR DEED RESTRICTIONS 'CAUSE THEY'RE GONNA SIGN A PAPER WITH US, AN AFFIDAVIT THAT STATES THAT THEY'RE AGREEING THAT THERE'S NO DEED RESTRICTIONS THAT GETS THIS PROPERTY. 
          NOW THIS IS WHERE THEY'RE GONNA GET IT. 
          THEY'RE GONNA GET THAT CERTIFICATE OF, I'M NOT SAYING THEY WILL, BUT IF THEY DO GET IT, WE'RE NOT GONNA GO INTO THEIR DEED RESTRICTIONS AND LOOK AT IT. 
          THE DEED RESTRICTION IS GONNA HAVE TO FILE A CLAIM AGAINST THEM TO TRY TO ARGUE THAT FACT. 
          HOLD ON ONE SECOND. 
          OKAY. 
          HAD AN INDIVIDUAL OPERATING, UM, AN AUTO REPAIR SHOP FROM HIS HOME. 
          YOU COULD CLEARLY SEE IT, UM, IN THE DRIVEWAY. 
          SOME CARS PARKED ON THE STREET, ET CETERA. 
          HPD WAS CALLED NUMEROUS TIMES AUTO DEALERS. 
          UH, THE PEOPLE THAT I THINK THEY'RE HOUSED ON WASHINGTON, IF I'M NOT YEAH, THEY'RE AT 1002. 
          YEAH, . 
          UH, OKAY, SO I, I, I KNOW I DON'T WORK IN THAT BUILDING, I'M JUST GONNA TELL EVERYBODY RIGHT NOW. 
          I, I KNOW THE DRILL CALLED ON THEM NUMEROUS, NUMEROUS TIMES, SENT PICTURES, EMAILS TO THE HOA, IT WAS A NUISANCE, ET CETERA. 
          HPD. 
          ALL THEY SAID WAS, WELL, I GOTTA SEE HIM ACTUALLY DOING IT THOUGH. 
          WELL, YOU DON'T COME OUT WHEN I CALL YOU. 
          SO, NO, WE, WE, IT'S A LONG PROCESS. 
          WE WILL COME OUT. 
          NOT YOU ALL, NO, NO, EVEN H-P-D-H-P-D HAS. 
          SO THEY HAVE TO BE WI FIRSTHAND WITNESS TO THE VIOLATION THEY HAVE TO, THAT THAT'S THE ONLY WAY THAT THEY CAN, THEY CAN ACT. 
          THE ONLY WAY 
          [02:40:01]
THE BUILDING CODE ENFORCEMENT TEAM CAN ACT ON WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS WE HAVE TO HAVE VISUAL SIGNAGE. 
          THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING THAT SAYS, OR I CAN GO ON IF I CAN FIND THEM ONLINE, WHICH I FIND YOU'D BE SURPRISED HOW MANY PEOPLE, PEOPLE I FIND ADVERTISE ONLINE. 
          I MEAN, I HAVE, I HAVE SOCIAL MEDIA THINGS THAT, HEY, A GUY AS OLD AS ME SHOULDN'T EVEN HAVE, I ONLY DO IT TO TRACK THESE COMPANIES AND THESE BUSINESSES AND THESE NIGHTCLUBS AND ALL THESE THINGS. 
          THAT'S THE ONLY REASON I EVEN HAVE 'EM. 
          BUT IF THEY'RE ADVERTISING, I CAN GET 'EM. 
          IF THEY'RE NOT ADVERTISING AND WE WALK UP THERE AND THERE'S NOBODY OUT THERE WORKING, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S THE HOMEOWNER'S WORD AGAINST THE COMPLAINANT'S WORD. 
          THAT'S WHERE IT GETS KIND OF UNBALANCED. 
          BUT YOU HAVE DOCUMENTATION, PICTURES, ET CETERA OF IT. 
          AND NOTHING WAS EVER RESOLVED UNTIL ONE PERSON ON THE HORSE CAME AND PUT HIM IN CHECK FROM HPD BECAUSE HE KNEW A SERGEANT, I WON'T CALL HIS NAME. 
          HE DID, HE CAME OUT AND PUT HIM IN CHECK AND TOLD HIM TO STOP OPERATING THE BUSINESS. 
          BUT THAT'S GOOD. 
          I MEAN, IF HE CAN CATCH HIM AND HE, AND HE HAS TO DO IT, I'M GONNA TELL YOU WHAT, HPD DEFINITELY HAS MORE AUTHORITY ON THAT SIDE OF THINGS. 
          THEN THE BUILDING CODE ENFORCEMENT TEAMS DO. 
          IT'S JUST THE WAY THAT IT IS, UNFORTUNATELY. 
          BUT I WANT THE HOMEOWNERS TO BE AWARE THAT THE PERSON OPERATING THE SHOP CAN ALSO COME AGAINST THE PERSON REPORTING HIM. 
          AND IT'S DANGEROUS. 
          OKAY. 
          RETALIATION IS REAL. 
          I MEAN, THERE'S NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT, THAT I PERSONALLY KNOW THAT, I MEAN, I AGREE. 
          I I, I HEAR PEOPLE COME TO MY OFFICE ALL THE TIME. 
          THEY WANT TO TELL ME THE STORIES. 
          I HEAR A LOT OF STORIES ABOUT THIS IS WHY, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T REALLY DO ANYTHING BECAUSE THE PERSON THAT THIS ADDRESS IS GONNA FLATTEN MY TIRES OR BUST OUT IN MY WINDOW, I, I HEAR A LOT OF THINGS ABOUT A LOT OF, I MEAN, IT RANGES FROM THEIR CARS TO THEIR HOUSES TO BREAK-INS, TO, THEY'RE HACKING MY PHONES. 
          I MEAN, I HEAR I HEAR A LOT OF THINGS THAT HAPPEN THAT PEOPLE DO TO PEOPLE FOR RETALIATION EFFORTS. 
          WE HAVE A COUPLE MORE QUESTIONS RIGHT HERE. 
          LET, LET ME GIMME, GIMME ONE SECOND. 
          I'M, I'M JUST GONNA, ONE, LET ME START WITH, HI, I AM DAVID ALMER. 
          I AM THE ASSISTANT CHIEF FOR BUILDING CODE ENFORCEMENT. 
          UM, I HAVE A TEAM OF 12 PEOPLE. 
          I'M DOWN FIVE, UH, JUST SO STRAIGHT OUT THE GATE. 
          I JUST LIKE TO BE HONEST WITH PEOPLE, WE'RE DOING THE BEST JOB THAT WE CAN. 
          THE COMMUNITY CO CODE ENFORCEMENT TEAM'S DOING THE BEST JOB THAT THEY CAN. 
          I AM ALSO OVER THE JUNK MOTOR VEHICLE TEAM. 
          I'M ALSO OVER THE PROHIBITED YARD PARKING TEAM. 
          AND I AM ALSO OVER THE UP AND COMING GRAFFITI TEAM. 
          I SAID UP AND COMING, SO DON'T HIT ME TOO HARD. 
          IT'S COMING. 
          IT'S NOT OUT YET. 
          BUT, UM, SO, BUT I WOULD, I'LL SAY THAT IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS FOR ME SPECIFICALLY IN LIEU OF TIME, BECAUSE MY TIME MANAGER IS BACK IN THE BACKPACK THERE AND HE LIKES TO MAKE SURE THAT I STAY ON TIME. 
          SO IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION FOR ME, PLEASE JUST MEET ME IN THE BACK SO YOU CAN GET MY BUSINESS CARD. 
          I'LL ANSWER YOUR QUESTION TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY. 
          AND IF I DON'T HAVE A AN ANSWER FOR YOU RIGHT NOW, I PROMISE YOU, IF YOU GIMME AN EMAIL ADDRESS OR YOU EMAIL ME, I WILL GET YOU THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION. 
          DEAL. 
          DEAL. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          THANK YOU MR. ALMER. 
          APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. 
          ALRIGHT, SO THAT HOPEFULLY, UM, SATISFIES THE, UH, JUNK MOTOR VEHICLE PORTION OF THIS, UH, PRESENTATION. 
          LET'S MOVE ON TO GRAFFITI. 
          UM, WHICH IS PRETTY BASIC. 
          UM, WE'RE IN THE, UH, PROCESS OF REVAMPING THE, UH, THE ABATEMENT PROCEDURE. 
          WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO, UH, INCLUDE A HEARING AS LONG AS, UH, THE, UH, OWNER'S WILLING TO SHOW UP OF COURSE, BUT ALSO WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT MURALS ARE, UM, EXEMPT FROM, UM, YOU KNOW, THE GRAFFITI ORDINANCE. 
          'CAUSE THEY TEND TO LOOK A LOT NICER AND THEY DISCOURAGE THESE, THESE, UH, THESE TAGGERS. 
          SO THAT'S ONE THING THAT, THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT'S HELPFUL. 
          UM, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          OKAY. 
          SO THERE'S A, A LIMITED TOOL THAT WE USE AS, YOU KNOW, A CITATION. 
          UH, A LOT OF TIMES WE, WE GENERALLY DON'T GET A SIGNATURE FROM THE RECIPIENT, WHICH MAKES IT A LITTLE HARDER TO ENFORCE, BUT AT LEAST GETS THEIR ATTENTION BECAUSE IT'S ANOTHER FORM OF NOTICE TO GET THEM TO GO TALK TO A JUDGE ABOUT THEIR VIOLATION ON THEIR PROPERTY THAT THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR. 
          AND, UH, A LOT OF TIMES, YOU KNOW, UH, IF THEY WANNA FIGHT THE TICKET, THEN THEY INVITE US TO COME INTO COURT, AND THEN WE GET TO PRESENT OUR EVIDENCE OF WHAT WE FOUND ON THE PROPERTY AND COMPARE IT WITH THE, UH, WHAT'S BEING PRESENTED AND WHETHER OR NOT IT NEEDS TO GO TO TRIAL. 
          UH, A LOT OF TIMES THESE CITATIONS ARE RESOLVED IN A MUNICIPAL COURT, UM, UH, WITH THE PROSECUTOR. 
          UM, WE TEND TO, UH, RESOLVE IT, YOU KNOW, WITH, UM, SOME KIND OF A PLEA AGREEMENT SOMETIMES, OR, OR WE'LL DO A, UH, DISMISSAL BECAUSE 
          [02:45:01]
BY THE TIME THIS GETS TO, UM, THAT POINT, THE OWNER HAS DECIDED TO GO AHEAD AND CORRECT THE VIOLATION, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S A WIN-WIN FOR, FOR ALL OF US. 
          SO, UM, BUT THIS, YOU KNOW, TYPE OF CITATION IS JUST A, UH, IT'S A CLASSY MISDEMEANOR. 
          IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S KNOW BASICALLY A TRAFFIC TICKET. 
          IT'S, IT'S NOT AS, UM, IT DOESN'T CARRY JAIL TIME. 
          I MEAN, SO WE, WE TEND TO, UH, YOU KNOW, USE IT SPARINGLY, BUT WE DO USE IT AND IT GETS PEOPLE'S ATTENTION. 
          SO, UM, ON THE, UH, REPORTING SIDE TO THE 3 1 1, LIKE, UH, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN USE THE 3 1 1. 
          YOU CAN ALSO, UM, REPORTING SYSTEM THERE. 
          UM, I KNOW WE WERE TALKING ABOUT FENCE LINES EARLIER. 
          I THINK THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT THE EIGHT FOOT RULE. 
          UH, IT'S A LIMIT. 
          YOU KNOW, THAT'S A REGULATED, IT'S MAINLY, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE OF THE, THE WIND, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S ANYTHING TALLER THAN THAT, WE ENFORCE, UM, ON THE COMMUNITY CODE, WE ENFORCE FENCES THAT ARE IN DISREPAIR, UM, OR IN DANGER OF FALLING ON SOMEONE. 
          SO WE WILL WRITE 'EM UP FOR IT, AS WE CALL IT, A, UH, MINIMUM STANDARD CODE. 
          AND WE WILL GET THEM TO EITHER REPAIR IT OR REMOVE IT. 
          SO GET IT OUTTA THE WAY. 
          AND WE ALSO, UM, I WANTED TO MENTION THAT WE, WE DO ENFORCE OPEN STORAGE OF REFUSE MATERIALS. 
          SO IF YOUR NEIGHBOR'S GOT A BUNCH OF PAINT BUCKETS OR, YOU KNOW, LEFTOVER MATERIAL FROM A JOB OR WHATEVER, WE WILL GET THEM TO, YOU KNOW, STORE IT PROPERLY, PREFERABLY OFF THE GROUND OR INSIDE A GARAGE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, OUT OF PLAIN VIEW. 
          UM, WANNA TOUCH A LITTLE BIT ON, UH, THE WHOLE OVERCROWDING. 
          I THINK WE KIND OF ALREADY, UM, SORT OF ADDRESSED THAT WITH THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT THAT, YOU KNOW, IS HAPPENING ALL OVER TOWN. 
          YOU GOT MULTI-GENERATIONAL PEOPLE LIVING IN ONE HOME. 
          WE'VE GOT ALL THESE EXTRA VEHICLES. 
          THEY'RE ALL IN A WAY AND CAUSING A WHOLE LOT OF, UH, HEADACHES FOR EVERYONE. 
          AND SO, YOU KNOW, JUST ALL YOU CAN DO IS JUST, YOU KNOW, KEEP CALLING IT IN. 
          AND IF YOU'VE GOT A DIRECT LINE TO YOUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, YOU CAN ALWAYS GET, GET IN TOUCH WITH THEM. 
          AND LIKE, I ALWAYS TELL 'EM, YOU KNOW, GET ON A FIRST NAME BASIS WITH 'EM, AND, UH, THAT WAY THEY KNOW THAT YOU'RE CALLING AGAIN AND, AND LET 'EM KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING. 
          THAT WAY THEY CAN HELP YOU, UM, ACCORDINGLY. 
          UM, SO, YOU KNOW, THE, UM, REPORTING SYSTEM'S PRETTY BASIC. 
          I MEAN, YOU CAN CALL IT IN OR YOU CAN USE, IF YOU'RE TECH SAVVY, YOU CAN USE THE, UH, THE, THE APP IN 3 1 1. 
          UM, I DO WANT TO GIVE YOU THIS ONE POINTER IS TO HANG ON TO YOUR SERVICE REQUEST NUMBER. 
          YOU KNOW, WHETHER THEY GIVE IT TO YOU VERBALLY OR THEY SEND IT TO YOU ON AN EMAIL, KEEP TRACK OF IT. 
          UM, BECAUSE THAT NUMBER WILL STAY IN THE SYSTEM, YOU KNOW, FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE. 
          I MEAN, PREFERABLY NOT TOO LONG THAT YOU CAN GIVE RESOLUTION, BUT WHAT YOU CAN DO IS CALL BACK AFTER A MONTH AND SAY, HEY, I NEED TO ESCALATE THIS COMPLAINT. 
          AND THEIR JOB IS TO HAVE A SUPERVISOR CALL YOU WITHIN TWENTY FOUR FORTY EIGHT HOURS AND, AND GIVE YOU A DIRECT RESPONSE WHY SOMETHING HASN'T BEEN DONE OR WHAT THEY HAVE DONE, WHICH IS ALWAYS GOOD. 
          SO I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT. 
          AND IT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE WHOLE PROCESS, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, TAKES A WHILE, YOU KNOW, TO GET IT THROUGH THE SYSTEM, BUT IT'S THERE FOR A REASON. 
          IT'S TO KEEP TRACK OF IT SO WE CAN HAVE A RECORD OF IT. 
          AND, UH, I THINK THE NEXT SLIDE IS, THIS IS OUR FORM OF NOTICE. 
          WE DO, UH, YELLOW PLACARDS, WHICH YELLOW PLACARDS. 
          AND, UH, WE ALSO DO A MAIL, UH, MAILIN FORM OF, UM, NOTICE TO THE, UM, OWNER OF RECORD WITH HCA, WHEREVER THEY MAY BE, WHETHER IT'S UP TO DATE OR NOT. 
          IT'S PART OF OUR PROCESS. 
          WE, WE KEEP RECORDS OF ALL THESE. 
          SO WE, WE, UM, WE HAVE PHOTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE OR OF THE YELLOW PLACARDS IN THE YARD. 
          AND SO IT DOESN'T MATTER IF THEY GET REMOVED BY, YOU KNOW, WHOEVER. 
          UM, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, UH, THE NOTICE THAT THEY'VE RECEIVED IN THE MAIL. 
          THAT'S ALL WE NEED TO PROCEED FORWARD WITH OUR LEGAL ACTIONS IS, IS WHAT OUR NEXT, UM, REMEDY IS. 
          SO THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE SEEING THERE. 
          AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE USE DIFFERENT TOOLS. 
          YOU'LL SEE US OUT THERE EITHER MEASURING OR TAKING PHOTOS, YOU KNOW, UM, UH, FOR A BRIEF TIME WE WERE DOING A LOT OF, UH, WHAT WE CALLED EMERGENCY CUTS AND UM, WE WOULD USE THIS MEASURING SCALE TO MEASURE ANYTHING OVER 48 INCHES TO, UM, TO DO AN IMMEDIATE CUT, UM, 
          [02:50:02]
TO A LOT THAT, AND JUST SKIP THE WHOLE NOTICE PROCESS. 
          AND, UH, WE'RE ALLOWED TO DO THAT BY STATE LAW. 
          ALRIGHT, WELL, UM, WE'RE LOCATED AT 6 0 1 SAWYER. 
          IF YOU EVER FEEL LIKE YOU WANNA DROP BY AND, AND UH, ASK US MORE QUESTIONS, FEEL FREE TO CONTACT US. 
          UH, OUR PHONE NUMBER'S THERE IS AT EIGHT THREE TWO THREE NINE FOUR ZERO SIX HUNDRED. 
          UM, YOU CAN UM, ALSO, UH, CONTACT US THROUGH OUR UM, UM, THROUGH OUR UM, I GUESS SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS IF YOU FEEL SO. 
          AND UM, I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WAITING FOR ME AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. 
          UM, I GUESS I'LL TAKE, NO, WE'RE GONNA, UH, CLOSE THE PROGRAM AND THEN ALLOW THEM YES, TO COME TO Y'ALL DIRECTLY. 
          YOU CAN COME TO ME DIRECTLY AND ASK US SOME QUESTIONS IN THE BACK. 
          WONDERFUL, THANK YOU. 
          PUT YOUR HANDS TOGETHER FOR PUBLIC WORKS. 
          THEY'RE NOT LEAVING, THEY'RE GONNA BE RIGHT THERE IN THE BACK. 
          WE JUST WANTED TO CLOSE THE PROGRAM SO Y'ALL CAN NETWORK WITH EACH OTHER AND THEN TALK TO THE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES, THE TAX ASSESSOR. 
          UM, I THINK HOUSING LEFT SOME INFORMATION. 
          YOU HAVE THE INFORMATION FROM RICE AND RICE POP QUIZ. 
          WHAT'S THE ONLY DEPARTMENT, UM, THAT YOU DO NOT REPORT? 3 1 1 2. 
          NO. 
          CITY LEGAL. 
          CITY LEGAL CITY LEGAL CITY LEGAL. 
          THIS IS MY FACULTY HAT COMING ON, I'M GONNA PUT MY TENURE PROFESSOR ON POPCORN. 
          SO ANYTHING RELATED TO LEGAL COMPLIANCE OF YOUR DEEDS? THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT HAS THEIR PARTICULAR EMAIL. 
          THAT INFORMATION HAS BEEN LEFT. 
          ANY OTHER CONSTITUENT CONCERN? IT'S 3 1 1 FOR DISTRICT F RESIDENTS. 
          ROLL THAT BABY UP TO US. 
          USE YOUR SMARTPHONE. 
          TAKE A PHOTO. 
          UM, AND THEN NEXT WEEK WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE ROLL OUT THE, UH, VIDEO, ALL THE PRESENT POWERPOINT PRESENTATIONS AND THE CONTACT INFORMATION OF OUR SPEAKERS. 
          AGREE TO. 
          I WANNA CONCLUDE THE PROGRAM. 
          I WANNA APPRECIATE MY STAFF. 
          RICE AND RICE CUY. 
          DID Y'ALL ENJOY THE BREAKFAST? THAT IS A DISTRICT F BUSINESS RIGHT THERE OFF THE ELRIDGE AND WEST TIMER. 
          I CATER USE THEM FOR CATERING FOR CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST. 
          UM, SO PLEASE PATRONIZE LOCAL BUSINESS NETWORK WITH EACH OTHER. 
          MANY OF Y'ALL ARE RESOURCES TO EACH OTHER, SO PLEASE SHARE YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION 'CAUSE WE ARE BETTER AND STRONGER AS NEIGHBORS. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH.
* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.