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ON TO OUR NEXT BUDGET WORKSHOP.THIS TIME, HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
SO WE ARE JOINED BY HOUSING DIRECTOR MIKE NICHOLS AND CFO TAMIKA JONES.
WE'VE ALSO BEEN JOINED BY COUNCIL MEMBER TIFFANY THOMAS, WHO WAS HERE THE LAST PART OF THE LAST MEETING TOO.
AND I THINK THAT COVERS EVERYBODY THAT HAS BEEN HERE.
SO, WITH THAT DIRECTOR, THE FLOOR IS YOURS.
I WANNA THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
ALTHOUGH WE ARE NOT THE BIGGEST USERS OF GENERAL FUNDS, UH, WE DO HAVE AN IMPORTANT DEPART DEPARTMENT, AND WE FEEL THAT THE FINANCE AREA IS ONE OF OUR STRENGTHS.
SO, UH, WE'LL ANSWER ALL SORT OF QUESTIONS, BUT THE FIRST SET SHOULD BE FAIRLY EASY.
UM, ON PAGE ONE IS THE WHO'S CONTROLLING AREAS IS OUR CURRENT ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE.
COMPARED TO LAST YEAR'S PRESENTATION, HCD HAS REDUCED ITS STAFF FROM 183 FULL-TIME FTES TO 156.
THE REDUCTION OF 27 PEOPLE IN FUNDING POSITIONS WITHIN OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS FROM 25 TO NINE, A REDDIC REDUCTION OF 16.
THESE REDUCTIONS ARE PRIMARILY ATTRIBUTED TO THE CLOSEOUT OF OUR DISASTER GRANTS AND ASSOCIATE PERSONNEL, AND I HOPE HAS TO DO WITH SOME EFFICIENCIES IN OUR VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS.
WE REALLY TOOK THIS TO HEART AS WE REDUCE STAFF.
UM, WE'RE STILL LOOKING AT THAT AND SEEING IF IT IMPACTED OUR, UM, TIMELINESS OF OUR WORK, BUT WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK THROUGH THAT.
UM, I WILL TURN THIS OVER NOW TO TAMIKA JONES, TJ, AND, UM, WHO AGAIN, I'M HIGHLY INDEBTED TO, UM, BECAUSE AS I'VE COME INTO THIS DEPARTMENT, HAVING A STRONG CFO'S BEEN VERY IMPORTANT TO ME.
MOVING INTO OUR PRESENTATION, WE WILL MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
WHAT WE WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT HERE FOR THE COMMITTEE IS OUR STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT WITH BOTH OUR GENERAL FUND ALLOCATION AS WELL AS OUR SPECIAL REVENUE FUND.
SO, TAKING A LOOK AT, AND THESE AMOUNTS ARE IN THOUSANDS, TAKING A LOOK AT OUR 1.2 MILLION, ALMOST 1.3 MILLION IN GENERAL FUND, YOU WILL SEE WE HAVE ALIGNED THAT WITH THE MAYOR'S PRIORITY OF GOVERNMENT.
THAT WORKS AS WELL AS THE, OR JUST OVER 37 MILLION FOR OUR SPECIAL REVENUE FUND.
WE HAVE ALIGNED THAT WITH THE QUALITY OF LIFE.
WHAT WE WANTED TO ALSO HIGHLIGHT TO THE COMMITTEE IS THE HOUSING DEPARTMENTS.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'RE REALLY TALL, BUT I'M THE SHORTEST ONE IN MY HOUSE.
SHE'S JUST THE SHORTEST IN HER HOUSE.
UH, WE WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT FOR THE COMMITTEE PLANS TO ELIMINATE THE GAP.
SO WHAT THIS DOES SHOW IS OUR DEPARTMENT'S CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS THE CITY'S INITIATIVE, UM, WITH DEPARTMENTAL REDUCTIONS OF ABOUT 10%.
SO, DUE TO OUR LIMITED GENERAL FUND ALLOCATION, WE UNFORTUNATELY DO NOT HAVE A FULL 10% TO GIVE.
UH, HOWEVER, WHAT WE DO HAVE AVAILABLE TO GIVE IS THE REDUCTION OF OUR LINE ITEM RELATED TO RENT.
RENT IS AN ELIGIBLE ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO SEEK REIMBURSEMENT FOR THROUGH EITHER OUR FEDERAL OR STATE AWARDS, UH, BECAUSE IT IS AN ADMINISTRATIVE LINE ITEM.
SO WE ARE ABLE TO, UH, REDUCE THAT AMOUNT ON OUR GENERAL FUND ALLOCATION.
IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AMOUNT, UM, AS A TOTAL PERCENTAGE, IT'S JUST OVER 8%.
SO NOT A FULL 10%, UH, BUT IT IS ABOUT AN 8% REDUCTION.
NOW, MOVING INTO OUR GENERAL FUND AND SPECIAL REVENUE FUND EXPENDITURES, WHAT YOU CAN SEE HERE IS A COMPARISON BETWEEN FISCAL YEAR 25 ACTUALS, ALONG WITH FISCAL 26, WHERE WE WORK WITH OUR BUDGET, WHERE WE BELIEVE WE WILL END UP AT THE END OF FISCAL YEAR 26, ALONG WITH WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING OUR FISCAL 27 TO BE, ALONG WITH JUST A VARIANCE.
SO, AS YOU CAN SEE, FOR OUR GENERAL REVENUE, OUR GENERAL FUND, EXCUSE ME, WE ARE ESTIMATING A 1.2, ALMOST 1.3, UM, MILLION DOLLAR ALLOCATION.
AND THEN FOR OUR SPECIAL REVENUE FUND, WHICH DOES SUPPORT OUR IN STREET HOMELESSNESS INITIATIVE, WE ARE ESTIMATING AND PROPOSING A $37.3 MILLION,
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UH, FUND BALANCE FOR A FISCAL YEAR 27.AND WE ARE PROJECTING TO SPEND THE FUND BALANCE FOR BOTH OF THOSE FUNDING SOURCES BY THE END OF EACH FISCAL YEAR.
AND WE TYPICALLY DO A GOOD JOB OF EXPANDING THE FULL FUND BALANCE.
LET'S TALK THROUGH WHAT SOME OF THOSE CATEGORIES ARE WITHIN EACH ONE OF THOSE FUNDS.
SO WITH THE GENERAL FUND, YOU CAN SEE, UM, AND THIS IS JUST A COMPARATIVE ALSO TO SHOW YOU SOME OF THOSE PRIOR FISCAL YEARS.
SO WITH THE LIMITED GENERAL FUND, WE DO COVER, UM, PERSONNEL.
THAT PERSONNEL DOES INCLUDE A PORTION OF OUR DIRECTOR'S TIME, AS WELL AS EMPLOYEE EXIT COSTS THAT ARE NON-REIMBURSABLE WITH SOME OF OUR OTHER FUNDING SOURCES.
IF YOU RECALL, WE ARE VERY HEAVILY, UH, GRANT FUNDED, UH, 99.9% GRANT FUNDED.
SO THIS IS OUR LIMITED ALLOCATION.
AND SO A PORTION OF OUR DIRECTOR'S SALARY IS COVERED UNDER THE GENERAL FUND, AS WELL AS OUR EMPLOYEE EXIT COSTS.
UH, WE ARE ELIMINATING THE OFFICE RENT, AS I TALKED ABOUT A FEW MINUTES AGO.
UH, RESTRICTED ACCOUNTS, UH, RESTRICTED ACCOUNTS ARE THOSE INTERFUND ACCOUNTS THAT WE, UM, HAVE AT THE COST OF BEING A CITY DEPARTMENT.
THAT MAKES UP THE MAJORITY OF OUR GENERAL FUND ALLOCATION.
AND THEN OUR OTHER SERVICES AND CHARGES.
THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE JUST TO REFLECT THE PORTION OF EXPENDITURES, UM, THAT ARE NON-REIMBURSABLE WITH OUR GRANT FUNDS.
IT'S JUST THOSE WE, WE HAVE KEPT IT RELATIVELY FLAT OVER THE PRIOR FISCAL YEARS.
UM, AND THOSE COME IN HANDY FOR THINGS THAT WE JUST CAN'T USE OUR, UH, FEDERAL OR STATE GRANT FUNDS FOR.
AND THEN FOR OUR SPECIAL REVENUE FUND AT THE BOTTOM, WE HAVE EVERYTHING IN MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS.
UM, AND AGAIN, THOSE DOLLARS WILL FLOW DIRECTLY TO THOSE, UM, AGENCIES THAT HELP US SUPPORT OUR IN STREET HOMELESSNESS INITIATIVE.
THIS SLIDE IS JUST A VISUAL REPRESENTATION OF WHAT I DESCRIBED ON THE PRIOR SLIDE.
YOU CAN SEE BY FISCAL YEAR THE COMPARISON, UM, FOR BOTH THE GENERAL FUND AND THEN THE SPECIAL REVENUE FUND.
THIS SLIDE DOES SHOW, UM, PERSONNEL VERSUS NON-PERSONNEL BREAKDOWN OF THE EXPENDITURES BY FUND.
FOR THE SPECIAL REVENUE FUND, WE ARE PROJECTING THE ENTIRE FUND BALANCE BE USED FOR NON-PERSONNEL COSTS.
AND THEN FOR OUR GENERAL FUND, YOU CAN SEE THE PROPOSED SPLIT IS GOING TO BE 17% PERSONNEL COSTS, AND THEN THE 83% IS GOING TO BE NON-PERSONNEL, PRIMARILY DUE TO OUR RESTRICTED ACCOUNTS.
NOW LET'S TALK THROUGH THE REVENUE SIDE.
THE REVENUE SIDE FOR OUR GENERAL FUND, UM, IS GOING TO LOOK VERY SIMILAR TO OUR EXPENDITURES 'CAUSE WE ARE PROJECTING EVERY DOLLAR WE RECEIVE IN THAT WE ARE GOING TO SPEND IT.
AND SO THE, THE COMPARISON WILL BE VERY SIMILAR.
UM, AS I MENTIONED, NEXT SLIDE IS A VISUAL REPRESENTATION OF WHAT I JUST COVERED, BOTH INCLUDING THE IN STREET HOMELESSNESS AS WELL AS THE GENERAL FUND.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS THUS FAR BEFORE WE MOVE INTO SOME OF THE SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION WE HAVE TO PROVIDE? GO AHEAD IF YOU'VE GOT MORE.
IF YOU HAVE MORE INFORMATION, WE DO HAVE, WE WILL HAVE QUESTIONS.
BUT GO AHEAD AND GO THROUGH EVERYTHING FIRST.
SO DIRECTOR, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COVER OUR DEMOGRAPHICS OF OUR DEPARTMENT? REALLY JUST FO IF, IF YOU JUST WANNA FOCUS, IF YOU HAVE SOME, UH, FINANCIAL INFORMATION, WE CAN READ THIS OKAY.
STUFF, BUT ANY FINANCIAL INFORMATION IN, IN THE, SO YEP, LET'S GO THROUGH.
I THINK THIS IS THE SLIDE THAT WE TYPICALLY GET THE MOST QUESTIONS ABOUT.
HERE'S THE SLIDE I WAS LOOKING FOR.
HERE'S THE SLIDE THAT EVERYONE WANTS TO SEE AND EVERYONE'S ALWAYS INTERESTED IN.
SO THIS IS OUR FISCAL 27, UM, OUR ESTIMATED NEW AWARDS.
NOW REMEMBER, THIS IS NOT OUR ENTIRE PORTFOLIO.
THIS IS JUST THE AWARDS THAT WE ARE ESTIMATING THAT WE'RE GOING TO RECEIVE HERE IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
SO COMPARED TO LAST YEAR, OUR FISCAL 26, THE ONLY DIFFERENCE YOU WILL NOTICE IS DR 24.
DR 24 HAS BEEN ACCOUNTED FOR IN FISCAL 26.
OTHERWISE, ALL OF THE OTHER AWARDS ARE THE SAME.
THE DOLLAR AMOUNTS OF EACH INDIVIDUAL ONE MAY HAVE INCREASED OR DECREASED, BUT ALL THE OTHER AWARDS ARE THE SAME.
THIS WAS A, A PLEASANT SURPRISE FOR US IN THAT WITH ALL THE COMMENTS COMING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT WE END UP WITH, UH, ESSENTIALLY THE SAME TOTAL DOLLAR AMOUNT IS, UH, WAS A VERY PLEASANT SURPRISE.
AGAIN, HOPPER WAS A LITTLE HIGHER IN 27 THAN OTHER YEARS, AND WE'VE HAD, AND, UM, CDBG WAS A LITTLE HIGHER, BUT HOME WAS A LITTLE LESS.
SO OVERALL IT'S BEEN A, UM, WE WE'RE PLEASANTLY SURPRISED WITH THAT COMING IN.
AND AGAIN, THE BIG, THE BIG DIFFERENCE IS THAT OF COURSE IN FY 26, WE ACCOUNTED FOR THE $314 MILLION IN
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DR 24 FUNDING FOR OUR TOTAL OF AMOUNTS.AND OTHERWISE, THAT CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION.
ACTUALLY, THE HOUSING CHAIR ANSWERED THE QUESTION FOR ME, SO I'M GOOD.
SO I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS ON, ON HOW YOU PAY, UM, ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.
UH, OUT OF THIS, OUT OF THESE BUCKETS, I THINK THERE'S A PERCENTAGE THAT YOU HAVE LIMITATION.
REMIND ME OF WHAT THAT IS IN CECD, IS IT THE SAME FOR ALL OF THESE PROGRAMS? NO.
SO OUR DISASTER AWARDS, UM, WE'LL ALL BE DIFFERENT BY GRANTOR.
SO, UM, IF YOU TAKE OUR DR 17 AWARD, THAT WILL BE DIFFERENT.
UM, NOW FOR OUR D 24, IT WILL BE 5%.
SO IT'S 5% OF THE TOTAL AWARD.
SO YOU, YOU HAVE TO SUPPLEMENT THAT, CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.
AND YOU DO THAT BY TS FUNDING? THAT IS CORRECT.
SO THAT IS THE, WE THE ONLY PLACE FROM WHICH YOU CAN, WE WILL HAVE TO SUPPLEMENT IT, UM, THROUGH A LOCAL FUNDING MECHANISM.
SO THEIR LOCAL FUNDING MECHANISM IS EITHER GOING TO BETS OR GENERAL FUND.
BUT AS YOU SEE WHAT WE JUST COVERED, WE HAVE $200,000, WHICH HAS TO COVER A PORTION OF OUR DIRECTOR'S SALARY FOR TIME THAT HE DOESN'T SPEND WORKING ON RIGHT.
GRANTS, UM, AS WELL AS EMPLOYEE EXIT COSTS.
'CAUSE THOSE EMPLOYEE EXIT COSTS APPROVE, LET IBLE, HOW DO YOU PAY FOR STAFF? THAT GOES ON.
SO LET'S, LET'S TAKE, LET'S TAKE DR 24 AND THEN WE CAN TAKE OUR CDBG GRANT, UM, BECAUSE THOSE WILL BE DIFFERENT.
BUT THEN ALSO THEN LET'S TALK HARVEY, BECAUSE THOSE ALSO, THAT ONE WILL ALSO BE DIFFERENT JUST DEPENDING ON WHO THE GRANTOR IS.
SO OUR DR 24 GRANT, NUMBER ONE, THOSE THREE GRANTS THAT I JUST GAVE, C-D-B-G-D 24 AND OUR DR 17 AND OUR HARVEY GRANT, ALL OF THOSE ARE GOING TO BE REIMBURSABLE, MEANING REIMBURSEMENT ONLY GRANTS.
WE ONLY, WE SPEND OUR MONEY FIRST.
AND THEN, SO WHAT ABOUT REIMBURSEMENT? WE SPEND OUR MONEY FIRST AND THEN WE, WE SPEND OUR MONEY FIRST AND WE ASK FOR REIMBURSEMENT.
DOES IT WORK OUT? DOES THE TIMING WORK OUT? SO IT IS VERY, SOMETIMES AND DEPENDING ON WHO THE GRANTOR IS, IT CAN BE CHALLENGING TO SEEK REIMBURSEMENT.
UM, YOU CAN RECALL DURING HOUSING COMPANY PRESENTATIONS WHERE WE TALKED ABOUT THE DIFFICULTY IN RECEIVING REIMBURSEMENT.
UM, BUT WE MANAGED TO WORK IT OUT WITH OUR GREAT PARTNERS AT THE GLO ON TRYING TO GET REIMBURSEMENT FOR STAFF COSTS.
AND IT TOOK SOME TIME, BUT WE ULTIMATELY, YOU KNOW, WERE SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING REIMBURSED FOR MAJORITY OF THOSE COSTS.
IS THERE LIKE AN, I KNOW IT'S PROBABLY DIFFERENT WITH EACH GRANT, BUT HOW MUCH EXTRA? I MEAN, IF YOU WERE GONNA HAVE IT ALL PAID FROM THE GRANT, LIKE IF IT PAYS 5% AND WE HAVE TO TAKE FROM TURS FUNDING, DO WE NEED ANOTHER 5%? I MEAN, I'M TRYING TO GET A SENSE OF HOW MUCH, SO IT IS GOING TO DEPEND.
AND SO IT'S A DIFFICULT QUESTION TO ANSWER.
'CAUSE WE HAVE EMPLOYEES THAT WORK ON A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT GRANTS MM-HMM
SO YOU HAVE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE GOING TO WORK SPECIFICALLY ON CERTAIN GRANTS AND CERTAIN ACTIVITIES WITHIN A GRANT.
SO YOU'LL HAVE SINGLE FAMILY PERSONNEL AND DEPENDING ON WHAT THEIR ACTIVITIES ARE FOR THE NEXT SIX MONTHS.
RIGHT NOW THEY ARE FOCUSED VERY HEAVILY ON DR 21 AND OUR HBA 2.0 PROGRAMS. OKAY.
THAT'S, IT'S TOO COMPLICATED OF A, IT'S, IT IS EXTREMELY COMPLICATED TO TRY TO SUMMARIZE.
I GUESS WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET AT IS, IS YOU, IT'S GREAT TO GET THIS MONEY, BUT I, IF IT'S, YOU KNOW, AND, AND THEN WE, WE ARE ALWAYS HAPPY TO GET THE, HAVE THE TOURS AFFORDABLE HOUSING MONEY, BUT IT'S, YOU KNOW, WE WANNA SEE, YOU KNOW, AS ANOTHER HOUSING CHAIR, WE'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO SEE MORE DONE WITH THAT.
BUT WE UNDERSTAND YOU GOTTA PAY PEOPLE TO EXECUTE THESE GRANTS.
SO KIND OF LIKE HOW MUCH MORE, I MEAN, WHAT'S A REASONABLE ADMIN COST? YES.
AND SEE, AND, AND ADMIN IS AGAIN, JUST ONE, ONE CALCULATION BECAUSE WHEN YOU LOOK AT, SO DR 24, IT'S A 5% ADMIN, BUT YOU ALSO HAVE STAFF COSTS THAT ARE ALLOWED WITHIN EACH INDIVIDUAL PROGRAM IN ADDITION TO, BLESS YOU, THE 5% ADMIN.
BUT THEN WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR HARVEY GRANT, IT WAS A 1.8% AD IN COSTS ONE.
SO IT'S A $15 MILLION ADMIN THAT HAS TO LAST, WHAT, EIGHT YEARS NOW.
AND THAT WAS AFTER IT WAS ADJUSTED 50%.
BUT YOU LOOK AT OUR CDBG, OUR CDBG IS 20%, SO IT CAN GO UP TO 20%.
HOWEVER, DO THE MATH, 20% OF $24 MILLION IS, YOU KNOW, $5 MILLION WHEN YOU INCLUDE PROGRAM INCOME.
SO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT $5 MILLION PER YEAR, AND IT'S, IT'S A VERY, IT'S A, IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A COMP
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COMPLICATED, UH, PROCESS TO BE ABLE TO TRY TO SUMMARIZE IT FOR YOU.BUT I'M WELCOME TO MEET WITH YOU SO THAT WAY WE CAN KIND OF TALK.
NO, I'D LIKE TO, I'D LIKE TO ADD TO THAT.
BECAUSE IT'S, UM, I KNOW THIS SOUNDS LIKE THE SAUCE IS BEING MADE, BUT THE WAY IT ACTUALLY WORKS IS TJ CANNOT GO IN AND CHANGE EVERYBODY'S HOURS.
IT'D BE NICE IF WE COULD EACH INDIVIDUAL, THESE ARE HUD RULES, HAS TO PUT IN THEIR OWN HOURS.
SO IT IS A MANAGEMENT, UM, UH, FOCUS AND WE HAVE TO FOCUS ON IT ALL THE TIME.
ARE YOUR EMPLOYEES PUTTING IN THE RIGHT CODE FOR YOUR HOURS? AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENS IS ONCE THEY RUN OVER, THEY JUST START HITTING CDBG ADMIN AND THAT MONEY'S GONE.
UM, OR WHAT'S HAPPENING IN DR 21? WE HAVE TO BE SO CAREFUL BECAUSE WE'RE SPENDING A LOT OF MONEY NOW GETTING SET UP.
BUT AGAIN, THAT MONEY HAS THE LAST SIX YEARS.
ADMIN HAS TO LAST SIX YEARS, 'CAUSE SIX YEARS FROM NOW, THIS IS AN ISSUE.
IT IS NOT THE MOST EFFICIENT PROCESS OF GETTING MONEY FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO US.
IT'S WHAT WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME DOING.
WE HAVE, IF YOU LOOK AT OUR DEPARTMENTS, WE HAVE A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN COMPLIANCE.
AND A LOT OF THAT IS JUST MAKING SURE WE'RE DOTTING EVERY I CROSSING EVERY T UH, FINANCE, AS WE TALKED ABOUT, HAS PROBABLY GOT CUT TOO THIN.
WE MAY HAVE TO ADD SOME PEOPLE BACK THIS YEAR, UM, BECAUSE WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S DONE.
BUT IT IS, YOU KNOW, WITH 160 EMPLOYEES, GETTING THEM TO FILL IN THE RIGHT CODE.
IS IT MANUAL OR DO THEY GO ONLINE AND DO IT? I MEAN, IS IT'S ONLINE SO GOOD? IT'S, WE'RE NOT LIKE FILLING OUT.
SO THIS IS, SO YOU WHERE YOU HAVE EMPLOYEES ACROSS THE CITY? WE ARE IN SOME DEPARTMENTS WE'VE LEARNED, SO EMPLOYEES ACROSS THE CITY ARE, ARE, ARE NORMALLY ACCUSTOMED TO ONLY USING MY COH TO REQUEST TIME OFF.
OUR EMPLOYEES HAVE TO RECORD EVERY HOUR HOW IT'S SPENT EVERY DAY.
SO WE RECORD A FULL EIGHT OR NINE HOUR WORKDAY AND WE HARP ON THAT BECAUSE THAT TRULY DOES.
IT'S LIKE, UM, FOR THE ATTORNEYS IN THE ROOM, LIKE ATTORNEYS BILL, IT'S BILL CALLS.
OR YOU KNOW, FORMER CONSULTANTS, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE REQUIRING OF OUR EMPLOYEES PER DAY.
AND I WOULD SAY WE'RE MUCH MORE EFFICIENT AT THAT IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, ESPECIALLY SINCE TJ GOT HERE.
THEN WE WERE IN EARLY IN, UH, IN DR 17 IN THE HARVEY FUNDING.
AND AGAIN, THAT WAS PART OF THE ISSUES.
AND, AND SO HOW MUCH OF THE 17.2 MILLION, I MEAN, I KNOW YOU DON'T KNOW EXACTLY, UM, IN TURS FUNDING, WE WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO SUPPLEMENT IF YOU JUST BASE IT ON WHAT WE'VE BEEN SUPPLEMENTING IN OTHER YEARS.
SO LAST YEAR WHAT WE DID, IF WE TAKE A LOOK, LAST YEAR'S TOURS, APPROPRIATION, WE USED ABOUT A THIRD OF IT TO, TO COVER ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES.
SO, AND THAT'S BEEN PRETTY CONSISTENT YEAR OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.
TO BE ABLE TO COVER AND SUPPLEMENT SUB SUPPLEMENTS SOME OF OUR ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES.
I WANNA WELCOME COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER TO THE HORSESHOE AND WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, YOU STARTED TALKING ABOUT HOW THE SAUSAGE IS MADE, RIGHT? UM, IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR COMMUNITY AT LARGE TO UNDERSTAND THIS.
UM, A LITTLE BIT OFF OF WHAT, UH, OUR CHAIR CHAIRWOMAN WAS SPEAKING TO THAT ADMIN COST.
WHAT OTHER POSSIBILITIES ARE WE, ARE WE EVEN LOOKING AT OTHER THINGS? 'CAUSE RIGHT NOW I THINK WE'RE MOSTLY DR FUNDED FOR THE LAST, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY YEARS.
SOME, IT'S AN UNFORTUNATE, UH, UH, SITUATION THAT HAPPENS.
BUT THEN THAT'S WHERE THE MONEY COMES IN TO BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF HOUSING AND SO ON.
ONE OF THE CONVERSATIONS I'VE, I'VE SHARED WITH THE, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, UH, DIRECTORS, UM, WHAT OTHER REVENUE SOURCES COULD COME IN? UH, WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA BE SPENDING A LOT OF MONEY ON HOMELESS, UH, INITIATIVES.
RIGHT? UM, ARE THERE TALKS WITH THE, YOU KNOW, HARRIS COUNTY, UH, HOSPITAL DISTRICT TO HELP SOLIDIFY SOME REVENUE SOURCE THAT COULD BE MORE STABLE, MORE CONSISTENT? UM, BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS IS, ALTHOUGH IT'S IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, QUITE FRANKLY, WE'RE IN HARRIS COUNTY AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE START SEEING THAT SUPPORT.
UH, SO IS THAT AN OPPORTUNITY WHERE WE CAN START HAVING SOME REAL STRUCTURAL REFORMS IN THE, IN THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT AS WELL? IF I CAN FOCUS ON HOMELESSNESS, JUST BECAUSE YOU STARTED WITH THAT, OBVIOUSLY THAT WAS A HUGE EXPENSE THIS YEAR.
IT'S A, WE PAID 16 MILLION TO FOOT A NEW FACILITY.
WE HAVE OWE ABOUT 13 THREE A YEAR FOR, UH, OPERATING FOUR 19.
WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THE 10 MILLION FOR THREE YEARS FOR THE DR 24, BUT THAT DOESN'T PAY FOR THE WHOLE THING.
UM, SO WE DO HAVE OTHER FUNDING THAT WERE COMING IN.
WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THE MAYOR OF, OF MOVING THE FUNDING THERE.
WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE MORE FEDERAL FUNDING FOR HOMELESSNESS.
AND I'VE BEEN TO WASHINGTON TWICE, UM, THE MAYOR'S
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RIGHT? WE GET A LOT OF LOVE, BUT WE HAVEN'T SEEN THE DOLLARS YET.YOU'LL GET A CHANCE TO SEE HOW THEY DO WHEN THEY PUT THE NEW NOFA OUT FOR THE CONTINUUM OF CARE THAT DOESN'T COME TO THE CITY, BUT IT'S TO OUR LOCATION.
UM, I WOULD SAY THE COUNTY WILL BE WEIGHING IN.
I FEEL VERY CONFIDENT ABOUT THAT.
UM, FOR EXAMPLE, AT FOUR 19, HARRIS HEALTH IS PAYING FOR AND, AND, AND FUNDING AND, AND, UH, HAVE THE EMPLOYEES FOR THE HEALTH DEPART DEPARTMENT OF FOUR 19, WHICH IS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT THAT WOULD'VE COME OUT OF THE CITY'S POCKET AND DOESN'T, UH, THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT IS WORKING THERE ON THE HOT TEAM.
I MEAN, ON THE, UH, HOT IDS AND HOMELESS IDS.
AND THAT'S GONNA BE AN IMPORTANT PART.
OVER TIME, WE ARE LOOKING, AND I SPEND, AGAIN, WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME WITH COUNTY OFFICIALS TALKING ABOUT THEIR INVESTMENT, PARTICULARLY IN EXIT HOUSING, WHICH IS GOING TO BE OUR REAL WEAKNESS GOING FORWARD.
AND SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO THEM PLAYING THAT ROLE.
UM, THAT'S THE COUNTY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
UM, WE, AGAIN, WE WILL KEEP VISITING WITH THEM.
UM, THERE'S CHANCES THAT THERE'S FUNDING THROUGH THE H HS S, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.
WE HAVEN'T SEEN THOSE DOLLARS YET.
WE HAVE APPLICATIONS FOR GRANTS.
AND AGAIN, IT'S, WE HAVE TO HAVE MORE THAN FINGERS CROSSED.
WE JUST HAVEN'T SEEN THOSE DOLLARS YET.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE, AGAIN, LIKE IF, IF THESE FUNDING, UH, IS TIED TO CERTAIN STRINGS, RIGHT? WHETHER IT'S AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL OR STATE LEVEL, HOW DO WE BECOME SELF-SUFFICIENT TO SOME EXTENT MM-HMM
AND HAVING THAT REALISTIC CONVERSATION WITH THE COMMUNITY, IF YOU WANNA END HOMELESSNESS OR IF YOU WANNA MOVE TOWARDS HOUSING.
SPECIFICALLY, UM, HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT IF IT'S A PRIORITY WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HOW DO WE ENSURE THAT COMMUNITY ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THOSE TAX DOLLARS NEED TO GO SOMEWHERE? OR WHERE DO WE FIND THAT EXTRA FUNDING STREAM AS WELL? SO CHAIRWOMAN THOMAS HAS CONTINUED TO ASK THE QUESTION ABOUT OUR BONDING CAPACITY FOR HOUSING.
UH, THAT'S WHAT OTHER BIG CITIES HAVE DONE, AND WE HAVE TO LOOK AND SEE IF THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES THERE PUT THROUGH THE CITY OR THROUGH THE HOUSTON HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION OR THROUGH THE HOUSING ALLIANCE, HOUSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY.
WE NEED ADDITIONAL DOLLARS ON HOUSING.
THERE'S NOTHING, I MEAN, I'M, YOU'VE HEARD ME PREACH THIS BEFORE.
HOUSTON IS NUMBER TWO IN THE NATION FROM THE BOTTOM FOR HOUSING FOR PEOPLE WITH 30% BLOW AMIS.
WE'VE GOTTA MAKE SOME CHANGES.
UM, I I I I'M NOT OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HELPING IN THAT AREA.
SO WE HAVE TO KEEP LOOKING TO DO THAT, BUT IT'S GONNA BE ESSENTIAL TO FORWARD.
SO WE DON'T HAVE THIS AN ADDITIONAL PEOPLE NOT HAVING HOUSING AVAILABLE.
UH, YOU'RE RIGHT ABOUT THE TURS WE SPEND AND NOT THE TURS AND THE OTHER DOLLARS.
THE BATTLE THAT TJ REALLY LEADS IS WHEN YOU SPEND MONEY ON AN EMPLOYEE, ARE YOU TAKEN AWAY FROM SOMEBODY WHO NEEDS HOUSING? MM-HMM
AND SO THAT'S AN ONGOING BATTLE WITH, WITH, AS YOU KNOW, WITH CITY EMPLOYEES, THEY FEEL LIKE THEY MAY NEED EXTRA HELP, EXTRA HAND.
UM, HAVING EFFICIENCY IN MY DEPARTMENT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO ME.
AND, UH, WE'LL KEEP DOING THAT.
ONE OF THE THINGS YOU'VE LOOKED AT IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS SAYS THAT THEY CUT, WE HAVE DONE THE CUTS THAT ARE NECESSARY.
AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO THAT BECAUSE EVERY DOLLAR WE SPEND INSIDE IS NOT A DOLLAR WE CAN SPEND OUTSIDE.
UM, I REALLY WAS SUPPOSED TO BE HERE IN SUPPORT FOR A 25 MINUTE MEETING, BUT I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ RAISES A GOOD POINT.
AND JUST TO REITERATE, HOUSTON'S AN ENTITLEMENT CITY.
WE RECEIVED THIS DIRECT ALLOCATION, UM, FROM HUD, SO DOES HARRIS COUNTY.
THEY ARE AN ENTITLEMENT, UH, MUNICIPALITY AS WELL.
AND I THINK FROM AN ELEVATED PERSPECTIVE, AS ELECTED OFFICIALS, WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE EXISTING FUNDING STAYS IN PLACE.
THE PRESIDENT'S FISCAL 27 PROPOSES A ZERO OUTTA CDBG, IT PROPOSES A ZERO OUT OF HOME.
THAT'S HOW WE DO AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO THEN GET IT TO THE STATE.
SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, AS ELECTED OFFICIALS, WE HAVE CURRENCY AND WE HAVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH CONGRESSIONAL MEMBERS TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO MOVE BIPARTISAN LEGISL LEGISLATION.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, TO MAKE SURE THAT THE DIRECT ALLOCATIONS THAT COME STAY, AND WE DON'T HAVE TO GET IN A SITUATION WHERE WE'RE GOING TO A THIRD PARTY STATE OR ANOTHER ENTITY TO GET OUR FUNDING TO DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
AND I MEAN, I THINK THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT IS AN EXAMPLE OF, UH, MAKING BRICK WITH NO HAY,
AND, AND CHAIRWOMAN, YOU'RE RIGHT.
YOU KNOW, WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE 17 MILLION GO TO PRODUCTION AND BRICKS AND STICKS.
BUT, UM, IT DOES THAT AND MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE STAFF AND THE TALENT NECESSARY TO DO THAT, TO DO THIS WORK.
THERE'S A LOT OF DEMAND ON THIS DEPARTMENT TO PUSH OUT A LOT FOR HOUSTONIANS.
UM, THEY HAVE TO MEET A HUGE NEED, NOT JUST OUR, OUR ENTITLEMENT PROGRAMS, BUT DISASTER.
THERE'S A STORM, A FREEZE, A FLOOD, AND THEN
[00:25:01]
THEY HAVE TO DEPLOY THAT AS WELL.SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, FOR WHERE WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE DOING A YEOMAN'S JOB AND IT WILL BE GREAT TO HAVE THEM ON THE GENERAL FUND, RIGHT? TO ALLOW US TO MATCH OUR MONEY WITH OUR MISSION.
RIGHT? WE GOTTA GET TO A POINT WHERE WE MATCH OUR MONEY WITH OUR MISSION.
BUT RIGHT NOW, THIS IS OUR, THE SITUATION WE HAVE.
AND I THINK ONCE THE CITY AND THE COUNTY'S CO UM, COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DEPLOYS, THERE MAY BE SOME OPPORTUNITIES OF HOW WE FUND THINGS MOVING FORWARD AND HOW WE ALIGN OUR WELL-INTENTIONED AGENCIES LIKE OUR FINANCE CORPORATION, OUR LAND TRUST, OUR LAND BANK, ALL THESE ENTITIES THAT KIND OF, YOU KNOW, DANCE TOGETHER, BUT A LITTLE BIT IN SILOS.
THEY'RE DOING A LITTLE, SOME SOLO WORK.
AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO GET THAT ALL COORDINATED AND FACILITATED, UM, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DEPARTMENT.
WE'RE VERY OPTIMISTIC AND I THINK REALLY THE WORK THAT GWEN TILLISON'S DOING, GETTING THE COUNTY TO HAVE THEIR WORK AND HAVE THEIR OWN TOURS, BUT A BIG PART OF THAT IS, YOU KNOW, LET'S USE THAT MONEY FOR HOUSING.
UM, THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE NOT ONLY FOR THEIR RESIDENTS IN UNINCORPORATED THE COUNTY, THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PEOPLE HERE.
UM, AND, UH, AND AND CHAIR, UM, ANOTHER PLACE WHERE I WAS IN A MEETING JUST AN HOUR AGO AND THEY, AND THEY SPENT SOME TIME TALKING ABOUT HGA, YOU KNOW, THIS FUNDING THERE ON, ON EMPLOYMENT AND OTHER THINGS THAT WE'VE GOT TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MOVE THAT IN A, UM, WAY THAT MEETS THE POPULATION NEEDS.
UM, AND THE SAME THING WITH STATE GOVERNMENT.
THE RURAL, THE RURAL COUNTIES AND CITIES HAVE BEEN TAKEN CARE OF.
AND I THINK WITH THAT, AND THERE'S NO ONE ELSE IN THE QUEUE, DO WE HAVE ANY FUN FROM THE PUBLIC? DOUG? DOUG, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME ON UP? WHO'S DOUG? HE'S HERE.
THANK YOU DIRECTOR AND THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR EVERY, EVERYBODY IN THE DEPARTMENT.
UM, I JUST HAVE TO ECHO WHAT MIKE SAID ABOUT TAMIKA BECAUSE I GO TO MOST OF THE HOUSING COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND AS A FINANCE PERSON MYSELF TO SEE WHAT SHE HAS DONE, PARTICULARLY AS IT RELATES TO THE STATE AND ESTABLISHING A RELATIONSHIP TO GET REIMBURSEMENT FOR ALL OF THE GRANT FUNDS THAT WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH.
AND UH, I JUST WANTED YOU ALL TO KNOW THAT YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO CALL THESE KIDS.
DOUG DOES NOT GIVE A LOT OF COMPLIMENTS OUT.
AND THE OTHER THING THAT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT, UH, HOUSING HAD A MEETING, UH, AT THE FANTASTIC NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER, I DUNNO, A MONTH AND A HALF AGO OR SO TO TALK ABOUT THE 27 BUDGET.
AND I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT THEY SAID AFTER THE MEETING THAT WE HAD ONE OF THE BIGGEST, IF NOT THE BIGGEST TURNOUTS FOR ANY MEETING THEY'VE EVER HAD.
UH, AND I'M REALLY PROUD TO BE ABLE TO SAY THAT, UH, ALE CARES AND ALE GETS INVOLVED WITH THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON.
UH, AND AT THAT MEETING, THIS IS A PERSONAL ASK RIGHT NOW, THAT MEETING OCCURRED, UH, ON A TUESDAY I THINK.
AND ON THE PRIOR SUNDAY, UH, 60 MINUTES HAD A PRESENTATION ON FACTORY BUILT HOUSING.
AND IT'S NOT WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT IT USED TO BE.
THINGS HAVE IMPROVED DRAMATICALLY AND IT'S REALLY GOOD STUFF.
AND I THINK IT WOULD BE A REALLY GOOD WAY TO START GETTING A LOT OF HOMES BUILT VERY RAPIDLY.
AND MAYBE WHAT WE START DO IS, IS START WITH A, A DEMONSTRATION AND MAYBE SOME OF THE THIRD WARD LOTS THAT ARE THERE, BUT I THINK IT'S REALLY SOMETHING I'M PUSHING IT.
'CAUSE I WANT YOU ALL TO BE AWARE OF IT.
UH, AND I'M GONNA KEEP PUSHING IT AT HOUSING COMMITTEE MEETINGS, UH, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S AN ANSWER TO SOME OF THE STUFF WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
NO, I, I'VE SEEN SOME OF THAT AND IT HAS, IT HAS WAY IMPROVED.
UM, SO YOU'RE ONTO SOMETHING THERE, DOUG.
YOU WOULDN'T KNOW THAT IT WAS A FACTORY BUILT HOME RIGHT.
BY THE TIME IT GETS DONE AND THINGS HAPPEN SO MUCH FASTER BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE THE WEATHER DELAYS YOU HAVE FOR A STICK BUILT HOME AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
SO HOPEFULLY YOU'LL ALL PUSH THAT.
I'M GONNA BE PUSHING IT AT EVERY HOUSING COMMITTEE MEETING, SO.
THANKS FOR YOUR CONTINUED ENGAGEMENT.
I GUESS IT'S THE TWO OF US TODAY.
UM, I HAVE BEEN CURIOUS ABOUT SEEING THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR HOW THE EXPENSES ARE
[00:30:01]
THAT, IS IT CALLED, STILL CALLED HOUSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY OR IS IT CALLED SOMETHING ELSE? IT'S STILL HOUSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY.I'VE ASKED TO SEE THOSE FINANCIALS AND I HAVEN'T BEEN GIVEN THEM.
IS THERE A, AM I DOING SOMETHING WRONG OR ARE THEY NOT PUBLIC OR, WE CAN CERTAINLY INQUIRE ABOUT THAT.
I I I WOULD ASSUME IT'S A PUBLIC ORGANIZATION AND COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ.
UH, IT'S NOT A CITY AGENCY OR DEPARTMENT, LAURA.
AND UM, YOU KNOW, I WOULD DIRECT YOUR, YOUR QUESTIONS TO THE WEBSITE THAT'S LISTED IN THE RESPONSE TO YOUR QUESTION.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE SEEN THAT, BUT IT'S, IT'S NOW ALLIANCE, HTX.
INSTEAD OF, UH, HOUSING AUTHORITY.
SO THAT'S WHY I COULDN, I COULDN'T FIND IT UNDER, UNDER NEW LEADERSHIP, SO.
AND I, WE DID GET SOME RESPONSES TO YOUR QUESTIONS, LAURA, SO WE'LL SEND THOSE ON TO YOU.
UM, AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE QUESTIONS AND THEY HAVE IT IN THE ANSWERS ALLIANCE H TECHS.
ALRIGHT, NOW I THINK WE'RE AT THE END, UNLESS ANYONE ELSE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON HOUSING.
REALLY APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION AND THE GOOD WORK OF THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT AND WE WILL TAKE A BREAK AND, UM, FINISH UP WITH THE AIRPORTS.
WE ARE, WE'RE AHEAD OF SCHEDULE, SO WE PROBABLY HAVE TO WAIT FOR, UH, THE AIRPORT DIRECTOR A LITTLE A WHILE, BUT HE'S, OH, HE'S HERE.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, FIVE OR 10 MINUTE BREAK AND THEN WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK AT IT.