[Quality of Life Committee on September 14, 2026.]
[00:00:16]
GOOD.UM, I'M AMY PECK, THE VICE CHAIR OF THE QUALITY OF LIFE COMMITTEE, AND I'M CALLING THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
WE ARE JOINED TODAY BY STAFF FROM, UM, CHAIR RAMIREZ'S OFFICE AND COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER'S OFFICE.
WE HAVE TWO PRESENTATIONS TODAY.
THE FIRST WILL BE FROM THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT, AND THE SECOND PRESENTATION WILL BE FROM HOUSTON PARKS BOARD.
SO, DIRECTOR, IF YOU'D LIKE TO BEGIN.
COMING FROM BOTH, BOTH OF MY OLD AREAS.
UM, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY.
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF ITEMS TO GO THROUGH AND PUBLIC SERVICES, AND I'D LIKE, UH, MELODY BARR TO BEGIN HER PRESENTATION AND WE'LL BE ANSWERING QUESTIONS AS WE GO THROUGH MS. BARR.
SO FOR ITEM TWO A, THE DEPARTMENT'S PRESENTING A SECOND AMENDMENT TO THE SUBRECIPIENT AGREEMENT WITH SEARCH HOMELESS SERVICES EXTENDING THE AGREEMENT PERIOD THROUGH APRIL 30TH, 2027.
THE CURRENT AGREEMENT INCLUDES $1.1 MILLION IN EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANT, RAPID UNSHELTERED SURVIVOR HOUSING, UH, COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS ESG, RUSH EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANT AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT FUNDS FOR THE OPERATIONS OF A RAPID REHOUSING CASE MANAGEMENT AND RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM SERVING A TOTAL OF 48 HOUSEHOLDS.
THIS AMENDMENT WILL PROVIDE SEARCH ADDITIONAL TIME TO EXPEND THE REMAINING FUNDS AND CONTINUE PROVIDING RAPID REHOUSING SERVICES.
ESG RUSH IS A SPECIAL ESG GRANT ADMINISTERED BY THE US DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT FOR AREAS IDENTIFIED AS ELIGIBLE FOR FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY INDIVIDUAL ASSISTANCE, OR FEMA IA.
FOLLOWING A MAJOR DISASTER DECLARATION, HUD AWARDED THE CITY ESG RUSH FUNDING IN RESPONSE TO THE TEXAS SEVERE STORM STRAIGHT LINE WINDS, TORNADOES AND FLOODING, WHICH WE COMMONLY REFER TO AS DERECHO.
47 98, TEXAS, WHICH IS TEXAS HURRICANE BARREL.
IN MARCH OF 2025, THE CITY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH HARRIS COUNTY AND THE COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS ISSUED A REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST FOR RAPID REHOUSING ACTIVITIES.
SEARCH WAS SELECTED FROM THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT SUBMITTED PROPOSALS.
THERE WERE NO FINDINGS OR CONCERNS IN OUR MOST RECENT COMPLIANCE MONITORING AND SEARCH HAS RECEIVED FUNDING FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON SINCE 1996.
TODAY WE HAVE LARRY KRAUSE, THE VICE PRESIDENT OF GOVERNMENT GRANTS, PHOEBE WONG, DIRECTOR OF HOUSING, AND LENA ALKA, THE COMPLIANCE SPECIALIST HERE IN THE AUDIENCE.
WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO CONTINUE OR DO YOU WANT ME TO PAUSE BETWEEN EACH ONE? UM, IF YOU'D LIKE TO PAUSE, WE DO, UM, HAVE A QUESTION FROM CHAIR RAMIREZ'S OFFICE.
UM, OKAY, SO THIS IS AN EXTENSION AND NOT MORE MONEY, IS THAT RIGHT? CORRECT.
WHAT'S THE REASON FOR THE EXTENSION? SO WHEN WE WENT TO COUNCIL THE FIRST TIME, WE WENT FOR THE, FOR A FULL 24 MONTH OF FUNDING, AND THEN WE ONLY WENT FOR 12 MONTHS OF THE ACTUAL CONTRACT.
THAT GAVE US AN OUT IN THE EVENT THAT EITHER THE AGENCY WASN'T PERFORMING OR MAYBE IT WAS COMING WAY UNDER BUDGET.
WE DIDN'T WANT TO CONTINUE WITH THAT.
WE WANTED AN OUT AND WE WANTED TO BE ABLE TO COME AND DO AN EXTENSION AT COUNCIL.
SO, UH, SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE ALREADY SERVING THE 48 HOUSEHOLDS ON THE CONTRACT, IT'S JUST SERVING FOR A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME? CORRECT.
AND IF AND IF SOME EXIT, THEN THEY CAN, UM, BACKFILL.
AND SO THE, THE MILLION OR SO OF THE CONTRACT, HOW MUCH IS GOING DIRECTLY TO RENT ASSISTANCE OR TO DIRECTLY TO THE FAMILIES EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS VERSUS TO CASE MANAGER OR ADMINISTRATIVE? OKAY, GIMME ONE SECOND.
'CAUSE I DO HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
SO ABOUT, UM, UNDER THE RUSH TWO FUNDING, WE HAVE $117,867 GOING TO RENTAL ASSISTANCE UNDER RAPID REHOUSING.
AND THEN UNDER THE REGULAR ESG PROGRAM, THAT'S $34,000.
AND THEN FOR CASE MANAGEMENT, THAT WAS YOUR OTHER QUESTION.
SO UNDER ESG, UM, WE HAVE A, WE HAVE $27,700 COMING OUT OF OUR CDBG, UM, ADMINISTRATIVE COST.
AND THEN UNDER THE RUSH IT'S ABOUT $49,000.
THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE FRENCH.
SO THE FRENCH, YOU WOULD ADD AN ADDITIONAL $7,000 TO EACH ONE OF THOSE, UM, NUMBERS THAT I GAVE YOU.
SO IT'S LIKE 200,000 OR, OR SOMETHING.
[00:05:01]
DOING THE ROUGH, SUPER ROUGH AMOUNT IN MY HEAD.SO, SO ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS COME OUT TO $35,000.
THE ESG PROGRAM COSTS, WHICH IS, WHICH IS YOU HAVE A 720 2004 RENTAL ASSISTANCE OF THE FIRST OH, I SEE.
7 22 UNDER THE RENTAL ASSISTANCE TO WRAP REHOUSING PARTICIPANTS.
AND THEN WE HAVE ABOUT $700,000 FOR ALL THE PROGRAM.
THAT'S THE ANNUAL AMOUNT OF WHAT IT COSTS.
SO IT'S ABOUT 700 THAT'S GOING DIRECTLY TO RENTAL ASSISTANCE FOR CARS.
IS THAT RIGHT? OKAY, THANK YOU.
AND THEN I DO WANNA CLARIFY 'CAUSE IT IS, WE DO HAVE THAT NUMBER, BUT THE NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS SERVED TO DATE IS 53.
AND SO AT TIMES PEOPLE DON'T ALWAYS NEED THE SAME AMOUNT OF RENTAL ASSISTANCE.
SOMETIMES IT'S JUST THREE MONTHS, SOMETIMES IT'S SIX, SOMETIMES IT'S 18 MONTHS.
BEFORE WE CONTINUE TO THE NEXT PRESENTATION, WE WERE JOINED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN AND STAFF FROM MAYOR PRO TEM, CAST SIX EXCEED'S OFFICE IF YOU'D LIKE TO CONTINUE.
SO ITEM UH, TWO B, THE DEPARTMENT'S PRESENTING A FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE SUB-RECIPIENT AGREEMENT WITH THE BEACON OF DOWNTOWN HOUSTON, PROVIDING UP TO AN ADDITIONAL $485,000 IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT FUNDS FOR CASE MANAGEMENT AND DIVERSION, RAPID RESOLUTION SERVICES FOR HOUSEHOLDS EXPERIENCING OR AN IMMINENT RISK OF HOMELESSNESS.
SO THIS IS FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
THE BEACON WILL SERVE AS A CENTRALIZED DAY CENTER AND ACCESS POINT PROVIDING INDIVIDUALIZED WRAPAROUND CASE MANAGEMENT TO CONNECT HOUSEHOLDS WITH HOUSING SUPPORT SERVICES AND COMMUNITY-BASED RESOURCES, RESOLVE HOUSING IN STABILITY QUICKLY, AND REDUCE RELIANCE ON EMERGENCY SHELTER AND LONG-TERM HOMELESSNESS OR HOMELESS SERVICES.
THIS PROGRAM WILL PRIORITIZE RAPID INDIVIDUALIZED INTERVENTIONS AND AIM TO ASSIST AT LEAST 50 HOUSEHOLDS IN ACHIEVING AND MAINTAINING STABLE HOUSING WHILE REDUCING THEIR NEED FOR ONGOING ASSISTANCE ALONG WITH INCREASING FUNDING.
THE FIRST AMENDMENT WILL EXTEND THIS AGREEMENT IN ADDITIONAL 12 MONTHS THROUGH NOVEMBER 30TH, 2027.
THE CITY SELECTED THE BEACON THROUGH A MARCH, 2025 REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST FOR DIVERSION SERVICES.
UH, AND THIS AGAIN WAS WITH HARRIS COUNTY AND THE COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS.
THE BEACON HAD NO FINDING IN ITS MOST RECENT ANNUAL COMPLIANCE AND MONITORING.
AND YOUR COVERAGE SHEET WILL SAY AS OF MAY, BUT THE NUMBERS HAVE BEEN UPDATED.
SO AS OF JUNE OF 2026, THEY HAVE UTILIZED 65% OF THEIR FUNDING.
AND TODAY I BELIEVE WE HAVE, UH, SURGEON ADA, SENIOR ACCOUNTANT, AND STEPHANIE TRON, CPO IN THE AUDIENCE.
AND WE WERE ALSO JOINED BY STAFF FROM COUNCIL MAR SALINAS'S OFFICE, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ'S OFFICE.
SO, UM, SO IT'S AN ADDITIONAL, ALMOST HALF A MILLION DOLLARS AND AN EXTENSION MM-HMM
SO FROM THE FIRST PART OF THE CONTRACT OR FROM OTHER SIMILAR CONTRACTS WE HAVE WITH THIS PROVIDER, ANY PERFORMANCE DATA ON, DID FOLKS STAY HOUSED AFTER THE FACT, KIND OF OUTCOMES MEASURES? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
SO THE NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS SERVED, AND THESE ARE ENROLLED, THESE ARE ENROLLED RECEIVING ASSISTANCE AND ENROLLED ALSO NOT RECEIVING ASSISTANCE.
SO THIS IS A TOTAL OF 195 HOUSEHOLDS.
UM, THEY'VE SERVED THE NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS RECEIVING DIVERSION SERVICES, WHICH IS USUALLY, UM, UM, SOME OF THE CASE MANAGEMENT AND IT CAN BE SOME FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.
UP TO THREE MONTHS IS 96 FAMILIES.
THE NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS WE RECEIVED, WRAPAROUND AND NAVIGATION CENTER, I'M SORRY, NAVIGATION SERVICES.
NAVIGATION SERVICES IS THE CASE MANAGEMENT THAT HOLDS THEIR HAND TO THEIR NEXT STEP.
A LOT OF TIMES THAT'S ENTRY INTO EITHER A HOUSE, LIKE A HOUSING UNIT OR A REUNIFICATION WITH FAMILY.
AND THEN THE NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS THAT EXITED INTO PERMANENT HOUSING.
SO, UM, THIS IS LONG-TERM PERMANENT HOUSING WITH SUBSIDY IS 14.
I DO NOT HAVE THE NUMBER OF WHAT IS NON-PERMANENT.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT OUR SYSTEM IS LOOKING AT BECAUSE WHAT WE HAVE ARE LIKE POSITIVE EXITS AND THE NEGATIVE EXITS.
AND TRADITIONALLY NEGATIVE EXITS UNDER HUD, UM, ARE TRANSITIONAL HOUSING OR ANY TYPE OF LIKE MEDICAL SERVICES.
SO IF THEY WENT TO LOOK AT ADDITIONAL LONG-TERM HOUSING OR, UM, MAYBE LIKE A, UH, LIKE A RECOVERY CENTER, WE WOULDN'T HAVE THAT NUMBER QUITE YET.
UM, AND THEN THE NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS THAT EXITED BUT DID NOT COMPLETE THE PROGRAM WAS SEVEN.
AND, UM, A NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS WHO HAD A DECREASE IN HOUSING BARRIERS.
AND ARE THOSE, DO YOU FEEL LIKE THOSE NUMBERS ARE PRETTY STANDARD FOR THE FIELD? I, I WOULDN'T SAY STANDARD BECAUSE THIS IS A NEW HOUSING MODEL, SO I CAN'T ANSWER THAT.
UM, WE ARE REALLY LOOKING AT, UM, A NEW PROGRAM INTERVENTION, SO WE'RE TRYING TO GET SOME BASE DATA.
CAN YOU JUST EDUCATE ME A SENTENCE, WHAT IS THE NEW MODEL? SO TRADITIONALLY, UM, WE, WE HADN'T DONE DIVERSION TYPE OF PROGRAM
[00:10:01]
UNTIL ABOUT 20 22, 20 23.WHAT WE DID IS ALMOST ALL OF OUR FUNDING WENT INTO RAPID REHOUSING OR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
AND SO WHAT WE HAVE FOUND IS THAT, ONE, THERE'S NOT ENOUGH HOUSING UNITS FOR EVERYONE.
AND THEN TWO TIMES CHANGE, UM, HUD CHANGES AND THE DIRECTION OF WHAT THE MODEL OF HOUSING, LIKE HOUSING FIRST, THAT CHANGES.
AND SO IN ALIGNMENT WITH THAT, IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY, WHAT WE FIND IS THAT IF WE CAN DIVERT SOMEBODY FROM SHELTER, UM, THAT CAN HELP THEM RIGHT IN, IN A, IN A BETTER WAY.
LIKE LET'S, LET'S GET YOU, BEFORE YOU ENTER THAT FRONT DOOR, LET ME HELP YOU WITH EITHER REUNIFYING YOU WITH FAMILY, OR IF YOU ONLY NEED, UM, MAYBE A DEPOSIT BECAUSE YOU'RE WORKING, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH FOR THAT DEPOSIT FOR THAT FIRST MONTH'S RENT, OR YOU HAVE SOME BARRIERS FROM PAST EVICTIONS, YOU MIGHT NEED A HIGHER LEVEL OF DEPOSIT, THEN WE CAN HELP YOU WITH THAT AND GET YOU INTO HOUSING.
AND SOMETIMES, UH, OR MANY TIMES, MANY OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS STABILIZE.
SO THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DIVERSION AND RAPID HOUSING IS THAT, I MEAN, I'M SORRY.
UH, RAPID RESOLUTION IS THAT, UH, IT'S VERY SIMILAR EXCEPT THAT RAPID RESOLUTION ISN'T NECESSARILY DIVERTING THEM FROM THE SHELTER.
THEY MAY ALREADY BE IN THE SHELTER AND THEY'RE TAKING A LONG TIME TO GET OUT BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THAT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE OR THEY HAVEN'T HAD THAT INTENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT.
AND SO THAT IS A VERY NEW PROGRAM.
WE'RE ALSO JOINED BY STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS'S OFFICE AND STAFF FROM, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ'S OFFICE.
UM, IF YOU'D LIKE TO CONTINUE, PLEASE.
THE DEPARTMENT IS PRESENTING A FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE SUB-RECIPIENT AGREEMENT WITH FAMILY ENDEAVORS INCORPORATED FOR ITS OTHER PERMANENT HOUSING INITIATIVE, OPH.
WE LOVE OUR ACRONYMS. UH, OPH IS A HOUSING ASSISTANCE CATEGORY THAT PROVIDES ONGOING RENTAL SUPPORT TO FORMERLY HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES WITHOUT REQUIRING A QUALIFYING DISABILITY OR INTENSIVE SUPPORT SERVICES.
SO THIS IS DIFFERENT FROM YOUR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, WHICH REQUIRES THAT DISABILITY.
THIS AMENDMENT WILL MODIFY THE 24 MONTH BUDGET WITHOUT CHANGING THE TOTAL FUNDING AMOUNT OF $7.4 MILLION, WHICH CONSISTS OF HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM, AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN, WHICH IS HOME A RP AND IN STREET HOMELESSNESS FUND 2012 FUNDING.
THE BUDGET MODIFICATION WILL REALLOCATE FUNDS FROM APPROVED LINE ITEMS TO ADD NEW PROGRAM POSITIONS AND WILL NOT CHANGE THE SCOPE OF SERVICE.
THE PROGRAM WILL CONTINUE TO SERVE APPROXIMATELY 150 HOUSEHOLDS WITH HOUSING STABILITY, CASE MANAGEMENT, HOUSING NAVIGATION, UTILITY DEPOSITS, RENTAL ASSISTANCE PAYMENTS FOR HOUSEHOLDS PLACED IN PERMANENT HOUSING AND OTHER SUPPORT SERVICES.
SO ONE THING I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT IS THAT WITH OUR GRANT AGREEMENTS, WHEN COUNCIL APPROVES A BUDGET, IT DOES APPROVE ALL THE LINE ITEMS WITHIN THAT BUDGET.
SO IF WE ADD A LINE ITEM, UH, WE HAVE TO COME BACK TO CITY COUNCIL TO DO THAT.
AND THAT'S WHAT THIS IS DOING.
ENDEAVORS, OTHER PERMANENT HOUSING INITIATIVES SERVES INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE CURRENTLY LIVING UNSHELTERED AND MAY HAVE SIGNIFICANT MENTAL HEALTH, PHYSICAL HEALTH, OR SUBSTANCE USE RELATED ISSUES THAT AFFECT THEIR ABILITY TO REMAIN STABLY HOUSED.
REFERRALS WILL STILL COME THROUGH THE WAY HOME COORDINATED ENTRY SYSTEM CASE MANAGERS MEET WEEKLY WITH HOUSEHOLDS, ASSIST IN LOCATING HOUSING UNITS AND MOVING HOUSEHOLDS INTO HOUSING, CONNECTING THEM TO AVAILABLE BENEFITS AND DEVELOP HOUSING STABILITY PLANS TO HELP MAINTAIN THEIR HOUSING AFTER ASSISTANCE THROUGH THE PROGRAM ENDS.
THIS AGREEMENT PERIOD IS FROM AUGUST 1ST, 2025 THROUGH JULY 31ST, 2027.
AND THIS FIRST AMENDMENT DOES NOT EXTEND THE TERM ENDEAVORS WAS SELECTED THROUGH MARCH, 2025.
THE REI, WHICH IS THE REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST, CONDUCTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH HARRIS COUNTY AND THE COALITION ENDEAVORS PREVIOUSLY RECEIVED FUNDING FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON IN 2020.
AND THERE WERE NO FINDINGS OR CONCERNS IN OUR MOST RECENT COMPLIANCE AND MONITORING.
AND TODAY WE HAVE STEPHANIE LAC, THE REGIONAL DIRECTOR, AND JERRY THOMAS, DIRECTOR OF HOUSING OF COMMUNITY HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
SO THIS AMENDMENT IS SIMPLY ADDING AND CHANGING THE LINE ITEMS WITHIN THE BUDGET.
WE WERE ALSO JOINED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS.
UM, UP IN THE QUEUE IS, UM, STAFF FROM CHAIR RAMIREZ'S OFFICE.
UM, SO OF THE 7.5 MILLION, DO YOU KNOW APPROXIMATELY HOW MUCH IS DIRECTLY GOING TO RENT ASSISTANCE VERSUS OTHER COSTS? I DO.
UNLESS I DID NOT PRINT THE BUDGET.
[00:15:01]
A QUESTION IN MY BE YEAH.SO I WILL HAVE TO GET THAT NUMBER BACK TO YOU.
SPONSOR'S GONNA COME TO THE, OH, SEE, I JUST LOVE MY STUFF.
COULD YOU SEND US WHAT THE BREAKDOWN OF THE REST OF THE HALF IS OF THE MONEY AFTERWARDS? THE BREAKDOWN OF THE MONEY OF LIKE WHAT STAFF IS THAT KIND OF BREAKDOWN? YEAH.
'CAUSE IF 3.5 OF 7.5 IS GOING, IT'LL ALSO BE IN THE CONTRACT WHEN IT'S, UH, LOADED IN NOTICE.
UM, AND SO WHERE, SO WE'RE WE ALLOCATING MONEY FROM ONE LINE ITEM TO ANOTHER? WHERE ARE WE TAKING IT FROM THAT? I WILL HAVE TO GET TO YOU 'CAUSE I DON'T, IT'S NOT A, IT'S NOT IT SINCE IT'S NOT A BUDGET.
UM, SO DURING THE YEAR WHEN WE CHANGE BUDGETS AND WE, WE, WE DO PLUS AND MINUS WHEN WE BRING AN AMENDMENT TO COUNCIL, IT'S THE FULL BUDGET.
SO I'LL HAVE TO GET THAT TO YOU.
I GUESS LAST QUESTION, UM, SIMILAR TO THE OTHER CONTRACT.
SO WE'RE ABOUT A YEAR INTO THIS ONE.
SO ANY DATA ON, DID FOLKS WHO WENT THROUGH THE PROGRAM ABSOLUTELY GET IN A STABLE FASHION OR ARE THEY BACK ON THE STREET OR WHAT'S THE STATUS? YEAH, SO, UM, THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM HAS SERVED 158 HOUSEHOLDS.
WHAT'S REALLY INTERESTING ABOUT THIS PROGRAM IS THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO DO HOUSING PLACEMENTS WITHIN 30 DAYS OF ENROLLMENT AS 155.
UH, THREE OF THOSE, UM, PLACEMENTS HAPPENED AFTER 30 DAYS.
I CAN'T TELL YOU EXACTLY HOW LONG THOSE TOOK, BUT THE SYSTEM IN GENERAL TAKES ABOUT 107 DAYS FROM, UM, ENROLLMENT TO PLACEMENT.
UM, THERE WAS 54 HOUSEHOLDS THAT EXITED THROUGH SEPTEMBER, UM, 13TH.
AND THEN THERE WERE A NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS THAT EXIT DUE TO NON-COMPLIANCE, AND THAT WAS ABOUT 49.
SO THEY EITHER CHOSE TO LEAVE OR THEY WEREN'T COMPLIANT WITH THE PROGRAM.
AND THEN WE HAD FOUR HOUSEHOLDS THAT HAVE COMPLETELY EXITED INTO PERMANENT HOUSING.
AND WE DO HAVE ENDEAVORS HERE, SO THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO ANSWER THAT ONE MORE.
WHO'S HERE?
LET'S GET, WE WERE LOOKING AT NUMBERS.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
I'M THE REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR ENDEAVORS.
SO THESE ARE THE NUMBERS THAT I REPORTED.
SHE WANTS TO KNOW IF THIS IS INSIDE OF THAT.
SO I GUESS, WHAT'S YOUR THOUGHT ABOUT THE 49 FOLKS WHO, WHO EXITED 49 HOUSEHOLDS WHO EXITED EITHER DUE TO NON-COMPLIANCE OR, WELL, WE KNOW, THE DATA GENERALLY TELLS US THAT THE MAJORITY OF THAT IS WHEN A CLIENT'S INCARCERATED, WE CANNOT HOLD THEM OPEN.
AND SO THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE ONES THAT WE'VE EXITED NEGATIVELY IS, IS BECAUSE OF THAT.
THERE'S ALSO, UM, A PART OF THAT ARE THOSE THAT ARE NOT COMPLIANT WITH US.
THERE WERE, UM, WE GO THROUGH A PROCESS WITH THE COALITION BEFORE WE DISCHARGE SOMEBODY AND WE'VE EXHAUSTED ALL REASONABLE EFFORTS BEFORE DOING THAT.
UM, DO WE HAVE TIME FOR ME TO KEEP ASKING QUESTIONS OR SHOULD I STOP? OKAY.
SO HOW DOES THE, THE FOLKS WHO YOU WORKED WITH WERE ALREADY INCARCERATED OR EXPLAIN NO, WE, WE HOUSE THEM AND THEN AFTER THEY'RE HOUSED, THEY SOMETHING INCARCERATED? IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? OKAY.
SO DO, I GUESS, SO 54 EXITED AND 49 OF THOSE WERE LIKE AN INCOMPLETE RIGHT? OR IT DIDN'T CORRECT.
SO WHAT'S YOUR, DO YOU HAVE A PLAN TO SORT OF, OR IS THAT NORMAL FOR, FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, OR, UM, LIKE MS. BARR STATED EARLIER, THIS IS A NEWER PROGRAM, SO WE DON'T HAVE THAT MUCH OF A BASELINE TO COMPARE TO.
IT'S NOT UNUSUAL IN A HOUSING PROGRAM FOR A CLIENT TO EXIT DUE TO INCARCERATION.
'CAUSE WE CAN ONLY HOPE HOLD IT OPEN IN THE PROGRAM FOR SO LONG.
UM, BUT AGAIN, WE TRY TO EXHAUST ALL REASONABLE EFFORTS BEFORE WE GET TO THAT POINT.
IF IT LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE GONNA BE, UM, RELEASED, THEN YOU KNOW, WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THEM.
SO IT'S HARD TO SAY IN OTHER PERMANENT HOUSING IF THAT IS NORMAL.
THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR WE'VE DONE, UM, OTHER PERMANENT HOUSING.
SO WE'VE ALWAYS DONE, OR FOR A LONG TIME, WE'VE DONE RAPID REHOUSING AND PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
AND SO WITH, WITH BOTH OF THOSE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE, UM, YOU, YOU, YOU, YOU GO THROUGH COORDINATED ENTRY, BUT THERE'S USUALLY SOME TYPE OF DISABLING CONDITION.
THERE'S UM, THERE'S USUALLY A HISTORY WITH WORKING WITH OUR HOMELESS SERVICE PROVIDERS.
AND SO OPH IS REALLY WHERE WHEN WE WERE GOING OUT TO DO, UM, DECOMMISSION OF ENCAMPMENTS, WE WOULD FIND NEWLY HOUSED INDIVIDUALS, OR I'M SORRY, NEWLY UNHOUSED INDIVIDUALS, PEOPLE THAT HAD VERY, UM, HIGH BARRIERS THAT WOULDN'T NORMALLY GET INTO PROGRAMS. AND THAT'S WHAT OPH WAS DESIGNED TO DO.
AND SO TO A POINT, WE'RE NOT SURE IF EVERYBODY
[00:20:01]
WE FIRST SENT OVER TO OPH WAS THE RIGHT CLIENT, WE WERE TRYING TO HOUSE THEM.AND SO AS WE ARE CONTINUE TO DO THIS TYPE OF PROGRAM, WE'RE FINDING WHAT WORKS AND WHAT DOESN'T WORK.
OR MAYBE SOME OTHER PARTNERSHIP CONSTELLATION WITH, I DON'T KNOW, BUT LIKE IF SO MANY FOLKS ARE GETTING INCARCERATED AFTER THEY'RE ALREADY IN CASE MANAGEMENT, MAYBE THERE'S SOME OTHER INTERVENTION.
NO, MAYBE WE, YEAH, BECAUSE I DON'T WANNA SAY THEY'RE THE WRONG CLIENT.
THEY COULD BE THE RIGHT CLIENT.
IT'S JUST WHAT'S THE, HOW CAN WE INTERVENE TO SUPPORT THEM? RIGHT.
AND I HAVE TO ADD THE, THE 49, THE NON-COMPLIANCE, THE MAJORITY OF IT WAS INCARCERATION, BUT I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT BREAKDOWN.
I CAN GET THOSE NUMBERS, BUT THERE'S ALSO THE PIECE IN THERE THAT IT WAS NON-COMPLIANCE DISCHARGE FOR VARIOUS OTHER REASONS.
THERE'S NO ONE ELSE IN THE QUEUE.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO CONTINUE THE PRESENTATION, PLEASE.
WHERE AM I AT? OKAY, SO I'M ACTUALLY GONNA PRESENT ITEMS 2D AND TWO E TOGETHER.
UH, THE DEPARTMENT IS PRESENTING THE TWO AGREEMENTS WITH THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS, T-D-H-C-A TO ACCEPT FISCAL YEAR 2027, TEXAS HOMELESS HOUSING AND SERVICES PROGRAM FUNDS, HHSP.
AGAIN, WE LOVE OUR ACRONYMS. RIGHT.
THESE ITEMS REPRESENT THE SECOND STEP OF A THREE STEP PROCESS FOR ADMINISTERING THE CITY'S HHSP FUNDING.
THE FIRST STEP OCCURRED EARLIER THIS YEAR WHEN THE DEPARTMENT CAME BEFORE CITY COUNCIL TO REQUEST AUTHORIZATION TO APPLY FOR THE HHSP FUNDING.
THIS STEP IS A REQUIREMENT FROM T-D-H-C-A.
THE CITY HAS NOW BEEN AWARDED $1.2 MILLION IN HHSP GENERAL SETASIDE FUNDS AND $409,258,000 IN HHSP YOUTH SETASIDE FUNDS FOR COMBINED TOTAL OF $1,689,313.
ITEMS 2D AND TWO E ASKED COUNSEL TO AUTHORIZE THE CITY TO EXECUTE THE AGREEMENTS WITH T-D-H-C-A AND ACCEPT THESE FUNDS.
THE GENERAL SET ASIDE FUNDS MUST BE USED FOR ACTIVITIES THAT ELIMINATE OR PREVENT HOMELESSNESS.
ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES INCLUDE THE CONSTRUCTION DEVELOPMENT OR ACQUISITION OF HOUSING FOR PERSONS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, REHABILITATION OF STRUCTURES, SERVING PERSONS EXPERIENCE, OR AT RISK OF HOMELESSNESS, DIRECT SERVICES AND CASE MANAGEMENT, EMERGENCY SHELTER OPERATIONS, AND OTHER HOMELESS RELATED ACTIVITIES APPROVED BY T-D-H-C-A.
THE GENERAL SET ASIDE HAS A PERFORMANCE PERIOD OF SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2026 THROUGH AUGUST 31ST, 2027.
THE YOUTH SET ASIDE MUST BE USED SPECIFICALLY FOR ACTIVITIES THAT ELIMINATE AND PREVENT HOMELESSNESS AMONG YOUTH HEADED HOUSEHOLDS.
SO THAT'S FOR INDIVIDUALS 18 TO 24 YEARS OF AGE.
ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES INCLUDE ESSENTIAL SERVICES, STREET OUTREACH, TRANSITIONAL LIVING, DIRECT SERVICES, AND CASE MANAGEMENT, AND OTHER HOMELESS RELATED ACTIVITIES APPROVED BY T-D-H-C-A.
AND AGAIN, THEIR PERFORMANCE PERIOD IS AS WELL AS SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2026 THROUGH AUGUST 31ST, 2027.
THE THIRD AND FINAL STEP OVER WILL OCCUR OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS WHEN THE DEPARTMENT WILL RETURN TO CITY COUNCIL WITH AN ORDINANCE TO ALLOCATE THE HHSP FUNDS TO LOCAL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.
THIS WILL ALLOW THE CITY TO MOVE FROM ACCEPTING THE STATE FUNDING TO PUT THOSE RESOURCES DIRECTLY INTO PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT SUPPORT INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES EXPERIENCING OR AT RISK OF HOMELESSNESS.
HHSP WAS ESTABLISHED BY THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE TO PROVIDE FUNDING TO MUNICIPALITIES WITH POPULATIONS OF 285,500 OR GREATER.
THERE ARE CURRENTLY NINE TEXAS CITIES RECEIVING HHSP FUNDING, AND OF COURSE THAT'S HOUSTON AS ONE OF 'EM.
UM, AND THAT, THAT ENDS THAT PRESENTATION.
THERE IS NO ONE IN THE QUEUE IF YOU'D LIKE TO CONTINUE.
THE DEPARTMENT IS PRESENTING A FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE SUB-RECIPIENT AGREEMENT WITH ACCESS CARE OF COASTAL TEXAS OR A CCT PROVIDING UP TO AN ADDITIONAL $1,276,825 IN HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PERSONS WITH AIDS OR OUR HOPWA FUNDING TO SUPPORT THE SECOND YEAR OF A PRO OF A PROJECT, PROVIDING HOUSING ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES TO A MINIMUM OF 149 VERY LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS LIVING WITH HIV OR AIDS HOUSING ASSISTANCE WILL INCLUDE TENANT BASED RENTAL ASSISTANCE, SHORT TERM RENT, MORTGAGE UTILITY ASSISTANCE, AND PERMANENT HOUSING PLACEMENT SERVICES.
SUPPORT SERVICES WILL INCLUDE CASE MANAGEMENT, NUTRITIONAL SERVICES, MEDICAL TRANSPORTATION, AND OTHER SERVICES DESIGNED TO PROMOTE HOUSING STABILITY, IMPROVE ACCESS TO CARE, AND REINFORCE OPPORTUNITIES TOWARDS INDEPENDENT LIVING.
THIS INITIAL AGREEMENT BEGAN NOVEMBER 1ST, 2025, AND THIS FIRST AMENDMENT WILL EXTEND THE AGREEMENT AND PROVIDE FUNDING THROUGH OCTOBER 31ST, 2027.
[00:25:01]
SELECTED A CCT THROUGH MARCH, I'M SORRY, THROUGH, YEAH, THROUGH A MARCH, 2025 NOTICE OF FUNDING AVAILABILITY FOR HOPWA SERVICES, WHICH INCLUDED A ONE YEAR RENEWAL OPTION AT THE CITY'S DISCRETION.NOW, A CCE IS LOCATED IN GALVESTON, TEXAS, AND PRIMARILY SERVES THE SOUTHEAST PORTION OF THE HOPWA ELIGIBLE METROPOLITAN STATISTICAL AREA, WHICH INCLUDES THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND, UM, THE COUNTIES OF AUSTIN, BRAZORIA CHAMBERS, FORT BEND, GALVESTON, HARRIS, LIBERTY, MONTGOMERY, AND WALLER.
UM, SO WE DO HAVE A NINE COUNTY REGION, AND AS OF JULY, 2026, A CCT HAS EXPENDED APPROXIMATELY 76% OF ITS ALLOCATED FUNDING AND SERVED APPROXIMATELY 81% OF ITS OVERALL CLIENT GOAL.
AND A CCT HAS RECEIVED FUNDING FROM THE CITY SINCE 2006 AND HAD NO FINDINGS ON THEIR LAST MONITORING AND COMPLIANCE REVIEW.
WE WOULD'VE HAD TWO INDIVIDUALS FROM A CCT HERE, HOWEVER, THEY HAD A FLAT TIRE ON THE WAY FROM GALVESTON TO HOUSTON.
THEY DID CALL AND THEY ARE SAFE.
AND WE TOLD THEM TO TAKE THEIR TIME.
AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
I DON'T SEE ANYONE IN THE QUEUE.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO DIRECTOR'S COMMENTS.
I I HAVE NO DIRECTOR'S COMMENTS TODAY OTHER THAN THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO THIS, UH, COMMENT THAT OFTEN COMMENT THAT THIS TEAM DOES A GREAT JOB IN MOVING MONEY, COMPLEX DOLLARS FROM COMPLEX, FROM VERY COMPLEX SOURCES TO THE PEOPLE WHO CAN GET SOME HELP.
AND YOU SEE THIS AS YOU LOOK THROUGH THIS.
UM, WE APPRECIATE THE STATE MONEY THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
HOWEVER, WE CERTAINLY THINK THAT THEY COULD DO MUCH MORE IN THIS AREA AND OTHER AREAS ON PEOPLE WHO HAVE NEED THESE KINDS OF HELP IN THE SAFETY NET AREA.
THANK YOU BOTH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
WE'LL MOVE ON NOW TO OUR SECOND PRESENTATION BY THE HOUSTON PARKS BOARD.
JUSTIN, IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME UP, JUSTIN SCHULTZ, UM, HOUSTON PARKS BOARD PRESIDENT AND CEO HOLD ON.
OKAY, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR INVITING US.
UM, DO YOU WANNA SIT OR DO YOU WANNA STAND? WE'LL RAISE IT UP IF YOU WANT TO STAND.
LET RAISE THAT UP AND IF YOU WANNA TALK IN FRONT OF ONE OF EITHER ONE.
THIS IS A, A VERY HEAVY PIECE OF EQUIPMENT FOR Y'ALL TO BE MOVING AROUND.
EVERYONE CAN HEAR ME? OKAY, GREAT.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO COME AND TALK TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE COMMITTEE ABOUT A REALLY IMPORTANT ISSUE FOR I THINK MOST HOUSTONIANS, WHICH IS OUR PARK SYSTEM.
UM, I'M JUSTIN SCHULTZ, I'M THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF HOUSTON PARKS BOARD.
WE ARE A NONPROFIT THAT EXPANDS, IMPROVES, AND PROTECTS PARKS AND GREEN SPACE THROUGHOUT OUR REGION.
UM, AND REALLY WHAT I WANT TODAY'S PRESENTATION TO FOCUS ON IS JUST EDUCATING THE PUBLIC AND OF COURSE, COUNCIL ON PARKS SCORE.
AND SOME OF YOU MAY BE FAMILIAR WITH WHAT PARK SCORE IS.
SOME OF YOU MAY BE, YOU KNOW, SCRATCHING YOUR HEAD, BUT DON'T WORRY, WE'RE GONNA GO THROUGH ALL OF IT.
UM, PLEASE DO INTERRUPT ME IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS.
NOW, FOR SOME OF YOU, YOU MAY SAY, WELL, WHO IS THE PARK SPORT? ARE YOU ASSOCIATED WITH THE CITY? ARE YOU PART OF THE PARKS DEPARTMENT? YOU MAY NOT KNOW WHO WE ARE, BUT YOU PROBABLY HAVE SEEN OUR WORK.
SO THE PARKS, UH, BOARD FOR THE LAST 50 YEARS HAS WORKED BEHIND THE SCENES TO HELP IMPROVE HOUSTON'S PARK SYSTEM.
WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO BUILD OUT THE BAYOU GREENWAYS NETWORK.
THAT NETWORK IS NOW ONE OF THE NATION'S LARGEST URBAN TRAIL NETWORKS.
WE ALSO, OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, HAVE PARTNERED WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON, INCLUDING THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION AND MAYOR WHITMEYER AND AS WELL AS THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
I WILL NOTE THAT DIRECTOR ALLEN IS IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY, A HUGE, UH, PARTNER OF OURS ON ALMOST ALL OF THE WORK THAT WE DO WITH THE CITY.
BUT WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON IMPROVING 25 NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
THAT'S PART OF OUR LET'S PLAY HOUSTON PROGRAM.
AND THEN THE HOUSTON PARKS BOARD ALSO HELPS TO UPLIFT THE OVERALL SECTOR, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT NONPROFITS, NO MATTER WHAT PART OF TOWN THAT THEY COVER, NO MATTER WHAT INTEREST THAT THEY HAVE, THEY ARE ABLE TO HAVE A VOICE AND THAT WE COLLECTIVELY CAN ENSURE THAT OUR PARK SYSTEM IS GOOD AS WE WANT IT TO BE.
SO YOU SEE HERE, OUR MISSION AND VISION, IF WE MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE, AND THANK YOU FOR WHOEVER IS, UH, DOING THE SLIDE MOVING.
[00:30:01]
HOUSTON PARKS BOARD IS A LITTLE UNIQUE IN THAT UNLIKE A LOT OF CONSERVANCIES, WHICH JUST FOCUS ON A SINGLE PARK OR SPECIFIC GEOGRAPHIC AREA, WE FOCUS ON OUR REGION AS A WHOLE.NOW THAT MEANS THERE'S A LOT MORE PARKS THAT WE GET TO SUPPORT.
IT ALSO MEANS, THOUGH, THAT WE HAVE A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE WHEN IT COMES TO OUR PARK SYSTEM.
WE REALLY LOOK AT THE OVERALL REGION AND THINK ABOUT WHAT IS IMPORTANT REGIONALLY AND OVER A LONGER TIME HORIZON IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE THAT THERE'S QUALITY PARKS AND ACCESS TO THOSE PARKS.
SO HOUSTON PARKS BOARD, OFTEN, UH, PEOPLE THINK OF US AS A GREEN DEVELOPER.
SO WE WILL BE INVOLVED WITH THE PROJECT FROM PLANNING THROUGH DESIGN CONSTRUCTION AND INTO OPERATIONS IN SOME CASES.
WE HAVE A REALLY STRONG CONSERVATION PROGRAM ALONG THE BAYOU GREENWAYS.
AND ALSO ALL OF THE WORK THAT WE DO, SIMILAR TO A LOT OF CONSERVANCIES IN THE HOUSTON AREA ARE PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS.
I THINK ONE OF HOUSTON'S SECRET INGREDIENTS TO OUR PARK SUCCESS OVER THE LAST FEW DECADES IS OUR PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS AND THE REALLY STRONG PHILANTHROPIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR SUPPORT THAT WE HAVE FOR OUR PARK SYSTEM.
I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE SEEN OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS IS WHILE OUR PRIVATE SECTOR SUPPORT FOR PARKS CONTINUES TO BE UNBELIEVABLY STRONG, YOU'LL SEE A LITTLE LATER IN THE PRESENTATION, ONE OF THE TOP IN THE COUNTRY, OUR PUBLIC SECTOR IS NOT KEEPING PACE.
THE FUNDING COMING FROM THE PUBLIC SECTOR INTO OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT DOES NOT MATCH OUR PEERS AND IS SOMETHING THAT WE DESPERATELY WOULD LIKE TO SEE IMPROVED.
SO IF YOU MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE, HOUSTON PARKS BOARD.
OVER THE LAST 50 YEARS, WE'VE INVESTED ABOUT A HALF A BILLION DOLLARS, $500 MILLION IN PARKS AND GREEN SPACE.
WE'VE WORKED ON OVER 250 PARKS, OVER 500 PROJECTS, AND WE'VE ADDED ABOUT 14,000 ACRES OF GREEN SPACE TO OUR PARK SYSTEM.
AGAIN, NONE OF THIS WORK HAPPENS ALONE.
ANYONE WHO WANTS TO MAKE HOUSTON'S PARKS BETTER, WE WILL WORK WITH YOU.
THAT INCLUDES, OF COURSE, THE CITY OF HOUSTON, NOT ONLY THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, BUT THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.
PUBLIC WORKS, THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, BUT IT ALSO INCLUDES OUR PARTNERS AT THE COUNTY T MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS, THE STATE AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, AS WELL AS A NUMBER OF OTHER GOVERNMENTAL AND COMMUNITY GROUPS.
OUR WORK WE HAVE WORKED ON PROJECTS, THOSE, THOSE 250, UH, PROJECTS OR PARKS THAT I TALKED ABOUT SPREAD ALL ACROSS HOUSTON.
AND THEN IF YOU FLIP TO THE NEXT SLIDE, OUR PROGRAM THAT WE ARE MOST WELL KNOWN FOR IS THE BAYOU GREENWAYS PROGRAM.
AGAIN, A WONDERFUL PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
STARTED ABOUT 15 YEARS AGO NOW, OVER 150 MILES OF LINEAR PARKS AND TRAILS ALONG EIGHT OF HOUSTON'S BAYOU.
THROUGH THAT PROCESS, WE ACQUIRED ABOUT 450 DIFFERENT PARCELS OF LAND TO ADD INTO GREEN SPACE.
AND AS OF 2026, OVER 1.5 MILLION HOUSTONIANS ARE WITHIN A MILE AND A HALF OF A BAYOU GREENWAY, WHICH IS PRETTY AMAZING.
SO WITH THAT INTRODUCTION OUT OF THE WAY, I WANNA TALK ABOUT PARK SCORE.
SO WHAT IS PARK SCORE? PARK SCORE IS AN ANNUAL RANKING PUT OUT BY THE TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND, WHICH IS A NATIONAL NONPROFIT THAT'S FOCUSED ON PARKS AND GREEN SPACE.
AND IT LOOKS AT THE TOP 100 LARGEST CITIES IN THE COUNTRY AND RANKS THEM EVERY YEAR.
AND IT RANKS THEM ACCORDING TO A SET OF METRICS THAT WE'LL WALK THROUGH.
I WILL, UM, CAVEAT THAT PART OF A CITY'S PARK SCORE IS SORT OF PREDETERMINED.
AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS A LOT OF IT HAS TO DO WITH HOW THE CITY HAS DEVELOPED OVER TIME IN CITIES IN THE NORTHEAST AND IN THE RUST BELT THAT ARE MUCH SMALLER, MUCH MORE COMPACT CITIES, THEY WILL OFTEN SCORE BETTER ON SOME OF THE METRICS OF PARK SCORE BECAUSE THEY ARE SMALLER.
HOUSTON, AS WE ARE ALL VERY LUCKY TO, UH, LIVE IN IS BIG.
IT TAKES A LONG TIME TO GO FROM ONE SIDE OF HOUSTON TO THE OTHER, AND THAT MEANS THAT OUR PARK SYSTEM IS MUCH MORE SPREAD OUT THAT COMES WITH A SET OF INHERENT CHALLENGES AND THAT ACTUALLY AFFECTS OUR PARK SCORE IN A NEGATIVE WAY.
PARK SCORE IS NOT THE END ALL, BE ALL, IT IS THE BEST NATIONAL RANKING OF PARK SYSTEMS, BUT WE SHOULD NOT BE GUIDED SOLELY BY PARK SCORE.
WHAT WE SHOULD BE GUIDED BY IS PROVIDING ACCESS TO QUALITY OPEN SPACE FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
AND PARK SCORE IS A GOOD PROXY FOR US TO LOOK AT HOW WE'RE DOING WHEN IT COMES TO THAT, UH, METRIC.
I WILL ALSO SAY THAT PARK SCORE IS ONLY FOCUSED ON PARKS WITHIN THE CITY LIMIT THAT ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
SO HOA PARKS WOULD NOT BE COUNTED AS PART OF PARK SCORE,
[00:35:01]
JUST, UH, FYI IT REALLY IS A VILLAGE WHEN IT COMES TO HOUSTON AND OUR PARK SYSTEM.YOU CAN SEE ON THE SCREEN HERE, ALL OF THE DIFFERENT GROUPS THAT COME TOGETHER TO HELP MAKE OUR PARK SYSTEM A REALITY.
AGAIN, IT'S THE CITY, IT'S THE COUNTY, IT'S T'S MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS, AND A WHOLE HOST OF CONSERVANCIES INCLUDING THE HOUSTON PARKS BOARD.
SO HOW DOES PARK SCORE GET DEVELOPED? IT'S FIVE DIFFERENT METRICS THAT ARE RANKED FOR EACH OF THE 100 LARGEST CITIES.
SO IT'S ACREAGE ACCESS, EQUITY, INVESTMENT, AND AMENITIES.
AND THERE ARE DIFFERENT, UH, CALCULATIONS WITHIN EACH OF THESE FIVE.
I'M NOT GONNA GO INTO THE DETAILS.
ALL OF THIS INFORMATION, UH, TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND MAKES AVAILABLE ON THEIR WEBSITE AND IT'S A WONDERFUL, UM, SOURCE OF INFORMATION.
IF YOU EVER CAN'T SLEEP AT NIGHT AND YOU WANNA FIND SOMETHING WHERE YOU CAN REALLY GO DEEP, PARK SCORE IS THE PLACE FOR YOU.
UM, IN 2026, HOUSTON'S RANKING AND PARK SCORE, WE WERE NUMBER 69TH IN THE COUNTRY.
SO WE WERE NUMBER 69 OUT OF THE TOP 100 LARGEST CITIES IN THE COUNTRY.
IF YOU DIG A LITTLE DEEPER INTO THE FIVE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES, YOU CAN SEE HERE FOR FOUR OF THE CATEGORIES, ACREAGE, ACCESS, EQUITY, AND AMENITIES, WE'RE RIGHT AROUND THE MIDDLE.
WE'RE GETTING ABOUT 50 OF 100 POSSIBLE POINTS.
THE PLACE THAT WE SCORE SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER IS IN OUR INVESTMENT, AND THAT'S WHERE I WANT TO FOCUS A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TODAY.
ALSO, BECAUSE THIS IS DONE EVERY YEAR, WE CAN SEE HOW OUR, UH, OUR SCORE CHANGES YEAR TO YEAR.
AND YOU CAN SEE FROM LAST YEAR TO THIS YEAR, WE WERE 66TH LAST YEAR, AGAIN, 69TH THIS YEAR, AND WE STAYED ABOUT THE SAME ON MOST OF OUR SCORES.
WE DID GO DOWN ON OUR INVESTMENT FROM 38 POINTS TO 35 POINTS.
SO WHILE WE OF COURSE WANT TO BE THE NUMBER ONE PARK CITY IN THE COUNTRY, AT A MINIMUM, I THINK WE KNOW WE WANT TO BEAT OUR PEERS IN TEXAS, ESPECIALLY DALLAS.
WE WOULD NOT BE GOOD HOUSTONIANS IF WE WERE NOT COMPETITIVE TO OUR, UM, SIBLINGS UP NORTH.
AND SO WHAT YOU SEE HERE IS A RANKING ACROSS THOSE FIVE DIFFERENT AREAS BETWEEN HOUSTON IN THE YELLOW DALLAS, IN THE DARK GREEN AUSTIN AND THE BLUE, AND THEN THE MEDIAN TEXAN TEXAS CITY IN THE, UH, LIME GREEN.
AND AGAIN, WHAT YOU CAN SEE HERE IS ACROSS A LOT OF THE DIFFERENT METRICS, WE ARE NOT TOO FAR APART FROM OUR PEERS ACROSS THE STATE, BUT CERTAINLY IN INVESTMENT WE SCORE THE LOWEST ACROSS THE STATE.
AND IF WE GO DEEPER INTO THE INVESTMENT ON THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU CAN REALLY SEE THE STARKNESS OF OUR SITUATION COME INTO VIEW.
SO THIS IS THE INVESTMENT ACROSS THE 14 CITIES THAT RANK IN THE TOP 100 LARGEST CITIES IN THE COUNTRY, THE 14 CITIES IN TEXAS THAT ARE SCORED.
AND YOU CAN SEE FROM FRISCO, THEY ARE, UH, INVESTING AN AVERAGE OF $304 PER CAPITA.
SO PER RESIDENT IN THEIR PARK SYSTEM, LUBBOCK IS THE, UH, 14TH AT ONLY $47 PER CAPITA INVESTMENT OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS.
NOW, THE REALLY INTERESTING THING TO NOTE HERE IS NOT JUST WHERE HOUSTON IS, HOUSTON'S IN THE MIDDLE, WHICH OF COURSE IS NOT WHERE WE'D LIKE TO BE.
BUT WHAT'S REALLY INTERESTING IS YOU LOOK AT HOW OUR, UH, $137 PER CAPITA IS BROKEN OUT.
AND YOU SEE THAT THAT FIRST GREEN COLOR, WHICH IS OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT, THAT'S WHAT THE GREEN COLOR REPRESENTS IN ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT BARS.
WE ARE SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER THAN EVERYONE EXCEPT FOR LUBBOCK IN TERMS OF OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT FUNDING FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS.
THE ONLY REASON THAT WE ARE AT $137 AND NOT SIGNIFICANTLY WORSE IS BECAUSE OF THAT YELLOW.
AND THAT YELLOW REPRESENTS ALL OF THE CONSERVANCIES.
IT REPRESENTS ALL OF THE PRIVATE FUNDING THAT GOES INTO OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT.
AND AGAIN, OUR SUCCESS IN HOUSTON WITH AMAZING PARKS LIKE BUFFALO BAYOU PARK AND DISCOVERY GREEN AND MEMORIAL AND HERMAN PARK AND THE BAYOU GREEN WASTE PROGRAM IS BECAUSE OF THE PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS.
BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE BOTH OF THOSE IN ORDER FOR IT TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
AND WHAT WE'RE SEEING HERE IS WE ARE SIGNIFICANTLY LOW ON OUR PUBLIC FUNDING.
IF YOU LOOK AT THIS, THIS IS A BREAKOUT OF JUST ON A PERCENTAGE BASIS WHERE OUR FUNDING COMES FROM.
YOU CAN SEE ONLY 44% OF ALL OF THE FUNDING FOR PARKS COMES FROM THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
AND THAT IS VASTLY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE SEE IN SOME OF OUR OTHER PEER CITIES WHERE IT IS OVER AND ABOVE 90% OF ALL FUNDING.
UM, HOUSTON AGAIN, IS UNIQUE IN THAT WE HAVE
[00:40:01]
A NUMBER OF CONSERVANCIES.WE HAVE THE COUNTY FUNDING OF PARKS WITHIN OUR CITY LIMITS.
WE HAVE OUR TSS AND MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS.
THESE ARE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ANNUALLY THAT GO TO PARK FUNDING, BUT STILL FOR ONLY 44% TO COME FROM THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
BUDGET TRULY IS AN ANOMALY ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
NOW, WHEN YOU RANK US AS COMPARED TO OTHER CITIES, JUST LOOKING AT OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT FUNDING, THE NUMBERS ACTUALLY SEEM WORSE.
91ST OUT OF 100 IS WHERE OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT FUNDING IS VERSUS OTHER CITIES.
AND EVEN IF YOU INCLUDE ALL OF THE OTHER PUBLIC FUNDING COUNTY T MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS, WE STILL ONLY GO UP TO 87TH IN THE COUNTRY ON A PER CAPITA BASIS.
OUR PRIVATE SPENDING THOUGH, IS NUMBER SIX IN THE COUNTRY.
WE ARE IN THE TOP 10 IN TERMS OF OUR PRIVATE SPENDING IN HOUSTON, UM, RECENTLY FOR PARKS, WHICH IS JUST INCREDIBLE.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, A TESTAMENT TO OUR PARTNERS AT THE KINDER FOUNDATION AND THE BROWN FOUNDATION, HOUSTON ENDOWMENT AND THE SERAPHIM FOUNDATION.
THE LIST GOES ON AND ON AND ON.
YOU CAN SEE HERE, IF YOU DON'T LOOK AT PER CAPITA AND YOU JUST LOOK AT THE ACTUAL DOLLARS, NEW YORK CITY, UNSURPRISINGLY, IS WAY AHEAD OF THE CLASS.
WE'RE SECOND AND WE ALMOST DOUBLE THIRD PLACE, WHICH IS UNBELIEVABLE.
SO OUR PRIVATE SPENDING IS, IS REALLY DOING AMAZING.
IF WE MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU CAN SEE WHERE WE ARE OVER TIME.
THIS IS OUR OVERALL PARK SCORE RANKING OVER THE LAST ABOUT 12 YEARS.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT WE CONTINUE TO BE WAY BELOW AVERAGE AROUND 65 70 IN TERMS OF OUR RANKING.
AND AGAIN, COMPARING THAT TO AUSTIN AND DALLAS, WHICH ARE SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN US.
THIS IS NOT WHERE WE SHOULD BE.
THIS IS NOT WHERE WE WANT TO BE AND THIS IS NOT WHERE WE HAVE TO BE.
AND SO ENOUGH OF THE DOOM AND GLOOM WE'RE NOW GONNA PIVOT TO, WELL, HOW DO WE MAKE OUR PARK SYSTEM BETTER? WHAT CAN WE DO AS NOT ONLY A CAPITAL C CITY OF HOUSTON, BUT ALSO THE CITY OF HOUSTON, UH, A LOWERCASE C.
BUT BEFORE I MOVE ONTO THAT, DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE DATA THAT I PRESENTED? COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, UH, I'LL WAIT TILL YOU'RE DONE.
OKAY, SO WHAT CAN WE DO? THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT WE CAN DO, BUT FOUR THINGS THAT WE THINK ARE SORT OF HIGH PRIORITIES.
WE KNOW THAT RIGHT NOW WE SIT BEHIND OUR NATIONAL PEERS WHEN IT COMES TO THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON THAT CAN WALK TO A PARK OR GREEN SPACE IN 10 MINUTES.
SO BY IMPROVING ACCESS, NOT ONLY WOULD WE INCREASE OUR PARK SCORE, BUT WE ARE IMPROVING THE LIVES OF RESIDENTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
SECOND IS BETTER DATA COLLECTION.
NOT SUPER EXCITING, BUT INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT PEOPLE THAT ARE HELPING TO MAKE UP OUR PARK SCORE.
MAKING SURE THAT EVERYONE IS ACCURATELY SUBMITTING DATA, ESPECIALLY ALL OF THE NON-CITY PARTNERS IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
INCREASING OUR PARK AMENITIES.
WE KNOW THAT GOOD PARK SPACE ISN'T JUST GREEN SPACE, BUT IT'S SPACE THAT HAS DIFFERENT KINDS OF ACTIVITIES, DIFFERENT PLAYGROUNDS FOR DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS AND OTHER AMENITIES THAT PEOPLE NEED TO USE IN A PARK SYSTEM.
AND FINALLY, AND PROBABLY MOST OBVIOUSLY, WE NEED TO INCREASE OUR PARK FUNDING.
AND WE HAVE A VARIETY OF STRATEGIES THAT WE CAN DO, UH, TO, TO GET THERE.
SO WHAT YOU SEE ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE IS THIS, UM, MAP THAT THE TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND PUTS OUT.
EVERYTHING THAT YOU SEE IN GREEN ACROSS THE CITY OF HOUSTON ARE PLACES THAT ARE WITHIN A 10 MINUTE WALK OF A PARK GREEN SPACE.
AND WHAT YOU SEE IN PURPLE ARE PLACES THAT CURRENTLY DO NOT HAVE A 10 MINUTE WALK TO GREEN SPACE.
65% OF HOUSTONIANS LIVE WITHIN A 10 MINUTE WALK THAT COMPARES TO A NATIONAL AVERAGE OF 75%.
WE SHOULD CERTAINLY BE AT IF NOT ABOVE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.
NOW PARKLAND, NEW PARKLAND COSTS A LOT OF MONEY.
WHAT DOESN'T HAVE TO COST AS MUCH MONEY ARE NEW TRAILS.
AND SO IF YOU MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE, I'M JUST GONNA SHOW YOU AN EXAMPLE.
THIS IS IN THE A LEAF NEIGHBORHOOD.
THIS IS AN AREA THAT IS AS, UH, MANY OF YOU KNOW, VERY DENSE.
IT HAS HIGH SOCIAL VULNERABILITY.
THIS IS REALLY AN AREA WHERE IMPACT CAN GO SOME OF THE FURTHEST IN OUR WHOLE CITY.
AND YOU CAN SEE ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE THERE'S A BUNCH OF PURPLE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SLIDE.
AND THAT ARE, AGAIN, THAT'S AREAS WITHIN ALE THAT DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO A PARK TODAY.
AND ALE IS A REALLY INTERESTING EXAMPLE OF OUR CITY BECAUSE LIKE MANY COMMUNITIES, A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN A LEAF LIVE IN APARTMENT COMPLEXES.
THAT MEANS THEY DON'T HAVE A FRONT OR A BACKYARD.
PARKS ARE THEIR FRONT AND BACKYARD.
THEY HAVE NO OTHER PLACE TO GO AND PLAY TO EXERCISE TO
[00:45:01]
ENJOY THE FEW MONTHS OF BEAUTIFUL WEATHER THAT WE HAVE, WHICH I REALLY HOPE COMES SOON.UM, WHAT YOU SEE ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE AND THAT PINK LINE THAT GOES THROUGH THE CENTER IS A TRAIL PROJECT THAT THE HOUSTON PARKS BOARD IS WORKING ON WITH, UH, HARRIS COUNTY PRECINCT FOUR AND THE INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT DISTRICT AND A NUMBER OF OTHER PARTNERS THAT IS GOING TO CREATE FIVE MILES OF NEW TRAIL THROUGH THE CENTER OF ALE.
SO IF YOU LOOK ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE, ALL OF THE AREA THAT IS SHADED IN YELLOW WILL BE AREA THAT NOW HAS ACCESS TO A PARK OR TRAIL WITHIN A 10 MINUTE WALK.
THESE ARE NEW RESIDENTS WHO WILL HAVE ACCESS TO A PARK.
OVER 8,000 PEOPLE WILL NOW HAVE ACCESS TO A PARK WHEN THEY DIDN'T BEFORE.
SO IMPROVING ACCESS IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.
IT CHANGES LIVES AND IT IMPROVES OUR PARK SCORE.
NEXT IS BETTER DATA COLLECTION.
THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT PARTNERS.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING TO DO IS IMPROVE THE DIGITALIZATION OF OUR DATA.
SO THERE ARE PLAYGROUNDS, SWING SETS, BENCHES, AND GARBAGE CANS ALL OVER THE CITY.
THE CITY PARKS DEPARTMENT HAS ALMOST 400 PARKS.
IF YOU ADD IN COUNTY PARKS AND MUD PARKS AND OTHER PARKS, WE'RE AT OVER 700 PARKS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
THAT'S A LOT OF INFORMATION TO KEEP TRACK OF.
AND BECAUSE FUNDING IS TIGHT, OFTENTIMES THAT DATA IS NOT DIGITIZED.
SO WE THINK IMPROVING THE COLLECTION AND GETTING ALL OF THAT IN A DIGITAL, UH, FORMAT IS GOING TO HELP US TO UNDERSTAND WHERE WE NEED TO IMPROVE CERTAIN AMENITIES AND ADD OTHER AMENITIES.
NEXT, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE RECORDING THE VOLUNTEER, UH, HOURS THAT CONSERVANCIES ARE ALREADY SPENDING.
THAT CAN GO IN TPL TO OUR PARK SCORE.
SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE, AGAIN, WE'RE JUST RECORDING ALL OF THE DATA THAT WE'RE ALREADY, UH, THAT WE'RE ALREADY DOING.
THIS IS AN AREA WHERE WE'RE WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH DIRECTOR ALLEN AND THE PARKS DEPARTMENT AS WELL AS THE MAYOR'S OFFICE TO IMPROVE PARKS THROUGH OUR LET'S PLAY HOUSTON INITIATIVE.
AGAIN, ABOUT $65 MILLION INVESTMENT IN 25 NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS.
UM, WE ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO BE GROUNDBREAKING THE FIRST OF THOSE NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS NEXT WEEK AT LAWRENCE PARK IN THE HEIGHTS.
WE'RE SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS, BUT JUST UNDERSTANDING THAT WE, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE KEEPING UP TO DATE WITH PLAYGROUNDS, MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE SAFE AND THAT THEY, UM, ARE ACCESSIBLE AS WELL.
AND THEN LASTLY, IT'S THE PARK FUNDING.
AND THIS IS REALLY WHERE WE CAN MAKE THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE.
AND THERE ARE A VARIETY OF WAYS THAT WE CAN INCREASE PARK FUNDING.
ONE IS JUST THROUGH THE ANNUAL BUDGETING PROCESS THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON GOES THROUGH.
EVERY, UH, SPRING, WE CAN, UM, DIRECT MORE FUNDING TO THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
NOW THE CITY IS STRETCHED TIGHT.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S IMPORTANT, UH, SERVICES THAT THE CITY MUST PROVIDE.
I THINK IN THE PAST THOUGH, OFTEN A PARK SYSTEM HAS BEEN SEEN AS A PIECE OF QUALITY OF LIFE, SOMETHING THAT'S NICE TO HAVE.
THE WAY THAT WE VIEW PARKS ARE AS A KEY PIECE OF CIVIC INFRASTRUCTURE.
PARKS ARE A RESPITE FOR PEOPLE WHO DO NOT HAVE GREEN SPACE OF THEIR OWN.
THEY OFFER A PLACE FOR SOCIAL COHESION.
THEY HELP REDUCE HOSPITALIZATION IN OTHER DISEASES BY GIVING PEOPLE, UH, ABILITY TO BE IN FRESH AIR.
THEY REDUCE THE TEMPERATURE OF OUR EVER INCREASING HOT CITY BY PROVIDING SHADE IN REDUCTIONS IN THE URBAN HEAT ISLAND.
SO FOR ALL OF THESE REASONS, WE THINK THAT INCREASING FUNDING FOR THE PARKS DEPARTMENT THROUGH THE ANNUAL BUDGETING PROCESS IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
THERE ARE OTHER WAYS THAT WE COULD DO THIS THAT ARE SORT OF, YOU KNOW, UH, BUDGET NEUTRAL FOR THE CITY'S BUDGET.
THE OPEN SPACE FEE COULD BE INCREASED.
OUR OPEN SPACE FEE HAS NOT BEEN INCREASED ONCE SINCE IT WAS ENACTED OVER 15 YEARS AGO.
NOW I KNOW THAT COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN EARLIER THIS SUMMER, ALONG WITH THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND, UH, DIRECTOR ALLEN AND THE PARKS DEPARTMENT HELPED TO PROVIDE SOME UPDATES TO THE OPEN SPACE ORDINANCE THAT CLEANED UP SOME THINGS IN IT THAT MAKE IT MORE FLEXIBLE, MAKE IT EASIER TO USE FUNDING, BUT IT'S STILL THE ACTUAL DOLLAR AMOUNT FROM DEVELOPERS IN LIEU OF, UH, PARK DEDICATION HAS NOT GONE UP SINCE I BELIEVE 2007 OR 2009.
OUR, UH, PEER CITIES IN AUSTIN, DALLAS, AND SAN ANTONIO.
OUR LAST PARKS BOND WAS IN 2022.
BONDS PROVIDE INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT FUNDING FOR CAPITAL INVESTMENT IN OUR PARK SYSTEM.
[00:50:01]
IN DEFERRED MAINTENANCE OF OUR PARK SYSTEM.THIS COULD GO AWAY TO HELPING THAT WE COULD ALSO INCREASE USER FEES.
OUR U USER FEES, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF GOLF, HAVE NOT BEEN ADJUSTED SINCE 1994.
I WAS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN 1994 AND I COULD GO AND PLAY TENNIS FOR THE SAME PRICE THAT I COULD WHEN I WAS 11 YEARS OLD.
AS ALL OF Y'ALL KNOW, THE PRICE OF MOST THINGS HAS GONE UP A LOT SINCE 1994, BUT NOT THE PRICE TO USE OUR FACILITIES.
WE DO NOT THINK THAT THEY SHOULD BE PRICED IN A WAY THAT MAKES IT UNACHIEVABLE FOR FOLKS OF ALL INCOMES TO BE ABLE TO USE OUR FACILITIES.
BUT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT GOES INTO THE PROGRAMMING, THE OPERATIONS, THE MAINTENANCE OF OUR FACILITIES, WE ARE NOT KEEPING UP WITH WHAT WE ALL WANT.
AND FINALLY, SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED BEFORE, A DEDICATED PARK FEE.
THE KINDER INSTITUTE A FEW YEARS AGO AS PART OF THEIR HOUSTON AREA SURVEY SURVEYED RESIDENTS OF HOUSTON AND THEY SAID, WOULD YOU PAY MORE IN TAXES IF IT WAS DEDICATED TO PARKS? 70% OF HOUSTONIANS SAID THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO PAY ADDITIONAL MONEY EVERY MONTH IF IT WAS GUARANTEED TO GO TO PARKS.
AND OVER 50% SAID THAT THEY WOULD PAY AT LEAST $5 A MONTH IN ADDITIONAL FEES IF IT WENT TO PARKS.
THERE ARE STRATEGIES THAT WE CAN USE TO HELP THE SITUATION THAT WE HAVE FOUND OURSELVES IN.
WE NEED TO DO IT NOT ONLY FOR TODAY, BUT WE NEED TO DO IT FOR OUR CHILDREN AND OUR CHILDREN'S CHILDREN.
DECISIONS THAT ARE MADE IN 2026 WILL IMPACT US FOR GENERATIONS.
AND TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE OUR PARK SYSTEM BETTER, NOT ONLY TO INCREASE OUR PARK SCORE, BUT TO ACTUALLY IMPROVE THE LIVES OF HOUSTONIANS ALL AROUND OUR CITY.
SO WITH THAT, I WELCOME ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU CHAIR AND THANK YOU JUSTIN.
I'VE BEEN SAYING THIS A LOT LATELY, GUYS.
UM, EVERYBODY'S HEARD ME TALK ABOUT THIS, BUT EVERYTHING YOU SAID TODAY JUST REALLY BACKED UP.
WHAT WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO, WE OWN THESE PARKS, WE OWN THESE OVER 400 PARKS, AND WE DO NOT GIVE KENNETH ALLEN THE SUPPORT THAT HE NEEDS.
AND AND I UNDERSTAND AFFORDABILITY, I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU KNOW, NOBODY, IT'S NOT POPULAR TO RAISE TAXES OR RAISE FEES.
BUT WE OWN THESE PARKS AND I I WILL BRING PICTURES.
WE'VE BEEN TAKING PICTURES AROUND OF PARKS ALL OVER THE CITY THAT REALLY, REALLY DO NEED AN NEED TO BE UP UPGRADED.
UM, WE'RE NOT DOING THE RESIDENTS OF THESE NEIGHBORHOODS ANY FAVORS BY LETTING THE GRASS GROW, LETTING THE FENCE BALL, LETTING THE BASKETBALL COURT NOT, YOU KNOW, FALL DOWN, YOU KNOW, THE BASKETBALL PAVILION LETTING THE, THE THE PLAYGROUND GET RUSTY.
UH, WE, WE MUST AS A CITY INCREASE OUR INVESTMENT IN PARKS.
I'M MAKING, I'M JUST GETTING ON A SOAPBOX.
I'M NOT REALLY ASKING YOU A QUESTION.
BUT I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU SAID VERY MUCH ABOUT, UM, PARKS, OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.
UM, WE, IT THEY'RE NOT, I THINK WE ALL LEARNED IN COVID, THEY'RE NOT A NICE TO HAVE.
SO I LIKED THE WAY YOU PHRASED IT, THAT THIS IS, UH, PARKS ARE A PIECE OF, OF CIVIC INFRASTRUCTURE.
UH, WE, UM, WE ARE STILL, UM, MOVING FORWARD WITH INCREASING THE OPEN SPACE FEE.
UH, IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT IN OCTOBER, I BELIEVE IN LATE OCTOBER IN THE, AT THE, AT THE, UM, PLANNING COMMISSION, UH, THERE WILL BE AN ANNUAL REPORT.
YOU KNOW, PART OF THE ORDINANCE IS TO BRING A REPORT OF HOW ALL OF THE MONEY HAS BEEN SPENT.
AND SO THAT WILL COME IN LATE OCTOBER, COLLEAGUES.
AND THEN, UM, UM, I CERTAINLY WILL BE AND, UM, UH, PROPOSING AN INCREASE TO THAT FEE, WHICH HAS NOT BEEN INCREASED SINCE, SINCE 2009.
IN ORDER TO BRING MILLIONS OF MORE DOLLARS, UH, TO, TO OUR PARK IMPROVEMENTS.
WE'RE DEFINITELY GONNA BE DOING A PARKS BOND.
I MEAN, WE'LL BE, THAT WILL COME IN THE NEXT, YOU KNOW, YEAR OR TWO.
I HAVE TALKED TO THE FINANCE DIRECTOR ABOUT THAT.
I HOPE IT'S BIG AND, AND BEAUTIFUL.
AND YOU KNOW, WE'VE WORKED ON A DEDICATED PARK FEE.
UM, WE WERE WORKING ON A FEE, UM, THAT REALLY LEGAL WAS HAVING LEGAL HAD TROUBLE WITH BECAUSE IT WAS MORE OF A TAX.
UM, SO SOMEHOW WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO BE STRATEGIC ABOUT HOW THAT IS.
I KNOW SAN FRANCISCO'S OTHER CITIES HAVE KIND OF LIKE WE DO IN THE DRAINAGE FEE, HAVE A PIECE OF THEIR AD VALOREM PROPERTY TAX, UM, DEDICATED TO PARKS.
UM, THAT'S, THAT'S A LITTLE BIT, UM, MORE DOWN THE ROAD.
BUT RIGHT NOW, THE OPEN SPACE CERTAINLY WILL ADVOCATE, UH, DURING BUDGET TIME.
[00:55:01]
BUT, UH, AT LEAST THIS YEAR, KENNETH, WE DIDN'T GET ANYTHING CUT OUT OF THE PARK'S BUDGET.WE WILL FIGHT EVERY CUT TOOTH AND NAIL AND, UM, I DON'T WANNA BE ON PAR WITH LUBBOCK.
NO OFFENSE TO ANYBODY FROM LUBBOCK.
I THINK WE CAN DO A LOT BETTER THAN LUBBOCK.
AND I HOPE, UM, I I REALLY THINK THIS PARK SCORE AND THE WOR THE, THE, THE, THE PRESENTATION YOU'VE MADE TODAY, UM, MAKES A BIG IMPACT.
WE ARE NOT LIVING UP TO OUR WORLD CLASS CITY, UM, MONIKER IF WE'RE NOT INVESTING IN OUR PARKS.
AND FIRST, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN SAY, OH, BUT THE TZA DO, OR, OH, THE KINDERS DO OR ALL.
BUT EVEN WITH THAT, EVEN WITH THAT, WE'RE BEHIND, EVEN IF YOU ADD ALL THE T MONEY AND ALL THE GOVERNMENT MONEY, WE'RE STILL AT THE BOTTOM.
SO WE NEED TO START TREATING OUR PARKS LIKE THEY MEAN SOMETHING.
AND UM, AND, AND THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT IS, IS TO, UM, SUPPORT, SUPPORT INCREASES IN FUNDING FOR THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
THAT, UH, UH, ONE QUESTION I DO HAVE NOW THAT I'VE GONE ON A, ON A RAMP RANT, UM, ON THE DATA COLLECTION, JUSTIN IS SOMEBODY LEADING THAT EFFORT.
IT'S PRETTY BALKANIZED RIGHT NOW.
UM, THE TRUST FOR PUBLIC LANDS ISSUES INDIVIDUAL, UH, REQUESTS TO ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT GROUPS THAT I HAD ON THE SCREEN.
SO THE PARKS DEPARTMENT GETS A REQUEST.
THE COUNTY, EACH OF THE PRECINCTS GET THEIR OWN REQUEST.
IT IS SOMETHING THAT HOUSTON PARKS BOARD WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A, UH, MORE OF A HELPING HAND IN MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN COORDINATE.
ONE OF THE, I THINK, BIGGEST CHALLENGES IS ENSURING THAT THE DATA IS NOT, THAT THE DATA ISN'T SUBMITTED, BUT THAT IT'S ACCURATE.
AND PART OF THAT IS BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER, UH, PRIORITIES EVERY YEAR THAT OFTENTIMES IT JUST GETS PUT TO, YOU KNOW, A LAST MINUTE THING.
SO JUST MAKING SURE THAT EVERYONE IS AWARE OF WHAT THE DEADLINES ARE AND THAT TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND WILL PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IF ASKED.
UM, AND IS THAT SOMETHING PARKS BOARD KIND OF COORDINATES OR WHO'S SENDING THAT? LIKE, GET YOUR STUFF IN? UH, WE USUALLY SEND REMINDERS YOU TO YOU, TO OUR COLLEAGUES.
THANKS FOR YOU GUYS FOR LISTENING TO ME.
UH, I'M BEATING A, BEATING THIS, THIS DRUM FOR A, FOR A WHILE NOW, BUT, UH, I THINK WE'RE ON THE WAY TO GETTING MORE PUBLIC INVESTMENT IN PARKS AND I THANK YOU AND TO THE PEOPLE FOR AT TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND, WHO I'VE MET WITH TOO, UM, FOR REALLY, UH, PUTTING IT IN CONTEXT WHERE WE ARE, UM, AS FAR AS PARKS FUNDING, UM, WITH, WITH THE, WITH OUR PEERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
AND IT'S, IT'S A PLACE WHERE WE HAVE A LOT OF ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT.
SO THANKS FOR, THANKS FOR YOUR HELP.
THANK YOU JUST FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
AND UM, AS WE KNOW, PARKS ARE CERTAINLY SOMETHING OF BEST INTEREST FOR A CITY AT OUR STATUS, BUT I GUESS I WAS, AS I WAS LISTENING TO YOUR PRESENTATION, WHICH WAS VERY, VERY HELPFUL, UM, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE AN AVERAGE OF WHAT, UH, 400, HOW MANY PARKS? ABOUT 380 SOMETHING I, YEAH, BECAUSE I REMEMBER DIRECTOR ALLEN WHEN WE WAS OVER AT CRESTMONT 3 85, 385 WHEN WE WAS AT THE CRESTMONT AREA.
NOW THE THING IS, OF COURSE WE DO KNOW SOME OF THESE CITIES DEFINITELY DON'T HAVE THE LAND MASS THAT HOUSTON HAS.
SO THAT'S ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE.
THEY DON'T HAVE LUBBOCK AND SOME OF THESE CITIES ARE NOT AS LARGE AS WE ARE, 600 AND ALMOST 70 SQUARE MILES OF PARKS.
NOW, DO WE HAVE A NUMBER, AND MAYBE THIS IS A QUESTION FOR DIRECT ALLEN, WHAT IS THE, THE MONITORING OF THE PARTICIPATION IN A LOT OF THESE PARKS? I MEAN, WE HAVE A BUNCH OF PARKS, BUT I'M, I'M SAYING THAT SPEAKING TO WHAT MY COLLEAGUE, UH, WAS TALKING ABOUT, WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO, IN MY MIND, TO BRING THESE PARKS UP TO WHERE THERE ARE SUFFICIENT.
SO, AND THERE ARE SMALL PARKS.
I MEAN, I GREW UP IN HOUSTON, BORN HERE, AND THERE'RE SMALL PARKS.
THERE ARE PARKS THAT YOU DON'T SEE AS MUCH ACTIVITY, YOU DON'T SEE AS MUCH, UM, YOU KNOW, FROM A COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION THAT SOME PARKS ARE SMALL THAN LAND.
SO WHAT WE THINK, CONSIDERING THAT, UM, WOULD REDUCE THAT AMOUNT SO THAT MORE DOLLARS CAN BE FOCUSED ON THE PARKS THAT ARE MORE, YOU KNOW, UH, ATTENDED AND THE PARKS THAT ARE MORE PEOPLE ARE ARE IN, WHICH MEANS WE CAN GET MORE THINGS IN THE PARK.
UH, HAS THAT BEEN PART OF WHAT THE BOARD HAS LOOKED AT? IF YOU, YOU DEFINITELY DO NOT WANT TO REMOVE ANY EXISTING PARKLAND FROM THE SYSTEM
[01:00:01]
THAT WOULD NOT ONLY LOWER OUR PARK SCORE, BUT THAT WOULD ALSO IMPACT, YOU KNOW, INDIVIDUAL'S ABILITY TO GO TO PARKS.BUT YOU BRING UP A REALLY GREAT POINT, WHICH IS DIFFERENT PARKS ARE USED IN DIFFERENT WAYS.
AND THAT'S PART OF THE REASON THAT WE DON'T THINK, AND I, I THINK DIRECTOR ALLEN WOULD COMPLETELY AGREE IT, THERE'S NOT A ONE SIZE FITS ALL FOR PARKS AND PARK IMPROVEMENT.
SOME PARKS, AND WE HAVE LEARNED THIS, UM, OVER THE LAST 50 YEARS.
BUT CERTAINLY RIGHT NOW AS WE'RE DOING THE 25 PARK RENOVATIONS AS PART OF LET'S PLAY HOUSTON, WE GO OUT TO THE COMMUNITY AND WE SAY, WHAT DO YOU WANT IN YOUR PARK? RIGHT NOW YOU HAVE TWO TENNIS COURTS.
ARE Y'ALL USING THOSE TENNIS COURTS ANYMORE? AND SOMETIMES WE HEAR, NO, WE HAVEN'T USED, NO ONE USES THOSE TENNIS COURTS FOR YEARS.
WE PLAY SOCCER THERE OR YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THIS BASKETBALL PAVILION, BUT WHAT WE REALLY WANT IS A SPLASH PAD.
UM, AND SO WE LISTEN TO THE COMMUNITY AND WE ALWAYS BELIEVE THAT THE RIGHT INVESTMENTS ARE THE ONES THAT EACH OF THOSE COMMUNITY MEMBERS IS LOOKING FOR AND WHAT THEY WANT.
BUT YES, WHAT THAT MEANS ON A SORT OF LARGE SCALE IS SOME PARKS MAY NOT NEED A HUGE AMOUNT OF INVESTMENT.
MAYBE SOME PARKS JUST THEY WANT QUALITY GREEN SPACE WITH THE, THE GRASSES CUT AND THE GARBAGE IS PICKED UP IN OTHER PARKS LIKE MCGREGOR PARK, WHICH, UH, WE ARE EMBARKING ON A $75 MILLION RENOVATION OF.
THOSE ARE PARKS THAT HAVE A LOT MORE HEAVY ACTIVE ABSOLUTELY ACTIVE USE.
SO YES, I MEAN, IT, IT'S A LOT I GREW UP IN, YEAH.
NEW AUSTIN COMPLEX THAN IT MAY SEEM ON THE SURFACE.
AND THEN THERE ARE SOME PARKS, UM, THAT ARE SMALLER AND I, AND, AND DON'T, I'M NOT TRYING TO INSIST THAT WE ELIMINATE THE PARKS, BUT I'M JUST TRYING TO LOOK AT IT FROM A DOLLAR PERSPECTIVE.
BECAUSE, UH, I FORGET THE NAME OF THE PARK THAT'S RIGHT THERE.
UH, 16 SOUTH LOOP GOING WAYSIDE.
IT IS A VERY, BETWEEN LIKE GOING TO TELEPHONE ROAD, IF YOU GO SIX 10 TO WAYSIDE AND YOU KNOW, UH, BETWEEN LONG DRIVE AND IN THAT PARTICULAR COMMUNITY, VERY SMALL PART.
UH, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S MORE THAN WHAT TWO ACRES OR ACRE OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE, BUT I'M JUST SAYING, UM, THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK BECAUSE YOU SAID IN ELIMINATING THE PARKS, IS THERE, OKAY.
ARE WE AT A STANDARD OF PARKS AND EQUAL TO WHAT? TO WHAT? IF YOU BASE IT ON CITY OR BASED IT ON POPULATION OR WHAT, WHAT IS THE SCALE? I'M NOT SURE I UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION.
IN OTHER WORDS, WE'VE GOT 385 PARKS MM-HMM
SO YOU WERE SAYING THAT WE DON'T WANT TO ELIMINATE MM-HMM
SO, BUT THEN BECAUSE WE ARE BEING, BECAUSE COMPARED RIGHT.
SO, SO IS THAT BASED ON POPULATION? SO IT'S ALL, UH, THEY ACCOUNT FOR POPULATION DIFFERENCES, BUT IT'S HOW MANY ACRES OF PARK, WHERE THOSE PARKS SIT, WHAT NEIGHBORHOODS THEY SIT IN, ARE THEY SITTING IN PREDOMINANTLY WHITE NEIGHBORHOODS OR PREDOMINANTLY? UH, I WOULD THINK BLACK OR, UH, BROWN NEIGHBORHOODS.
IT ALSO LOOKS AT WHAT THE AMENITIES.
SO THEY TRY TO REGULARIZE ACROSS ALL THOSE DIFFERENT VARIABLES.
BUT BASICALLY FOR ALMOST ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT METRICS, WE ARE SCORING BELOW OUR PEERS.
EVEN WHEN IT IS, WHEN THE NUMBERS ARE, UH, SORT OF YOU ARE ACCOUNTING FOR POPULATION.
ALRIGHT, WELL THAT ANSWERS, UM, 'CAUSE I CERTAINLY DEFINITELY SUPPORT PARKS
JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT OUR DIRECTOR, UH, HAS WHAT HE NEEDS IN ORDER TO MEET THAT AND WORKING WITH THE BOARD.
AND I, I WILL SAY THAT EVEN THOUGH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET HAS BEEN CUT IN RECENT YEARS, ALTHOUGH NOT NECESSARILY LAST YEAR, THE WORK AND THE PASSION THAT DIRECTOR ALLEN AND HIS TEAM SHOW DAY IN AND DAY OUT IS UNMATCHED.
I MEAN, THEY STAY UP LATE, THEY WORK THE WEEKENDS.
THEY ARE DOING EVERYTHING THAT THEY CAN WITH THE LIMITED DOLLARS THAT THEY HAVE.
AND THAT JUST GOES TO ME, IT SAYS IF THEY HAD THE AMOUNT OF FUNDS THAT THEY DESERVED, OUR PARK SYSTEM COULD JUST BE UNBELIEVABLE STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ'S OFFICE.
UM, CURIOUS QUESTION FOR COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, SINCE YOU BROUGHT UP, UH, POTENTIAL FEE, UH, STRATEGY.
CAN YOU EDUCATE US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT? SURE.
THE, THE, UM, THE MAX WE COULD GO TO IS LIKE 1,265.
THE, THE STATE LEGISLATURE PUT A CEILING ON IT.
WE'RE, RIGHT NOW IT'S $700 A DOOR.
THIS IS ON SINGLE AND MULTIFAMILY, UH, RESIDENCES.
AND I BELIEVE CPI HAD IT AT ABOUT
[01:05:01]
1100.EVEN IF YOU JUST WENT ON INFLATION ALONE SINCE 2009, THAT OUR FEE WOULD BE ABOUT $1,100.
AND, UH, SO WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA GO SOMEWHERE NORTH OF $700.
UM, THE, UM, THE, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT IS MY UNDERSTANDING AND PLANNING ARE WORKING ON A PRESENTATION TO GIVE TO THE PLAN TO, TO THE, UH, IT HAS TO GO TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION FIRST.
'CAUSE THIS IS A CHAPTER 42 OPEN SPACE ORDINANCE IS ALL PART OF CHAPTER 42.
SO, UH, FROM THERE, UM, THE INCREASE WILL, UH, THAT IS RECOMMENDED, WILL BE PROPOSED IN LATE OCTOBER, AND THEN IT'LL COME TO COUNCIL.
UM, ONE OTHER QUESTION FOR YOU, JUSTIN.
UM, YOU'D MENTIONED ABOUT BONDS.
I THINK, AND I COULD BE WRONG, BUT I THINK VOTERS HAD AUTHORIZED BONDS THAT WEREN'T ISSUED A COUPLE TIMES IN THE PAST FOR PARKS.
ANY THOUGHTS ABOUT THAT? UM, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE BONDS WERE UNABLE TO BE ISSUED BECAUSE OF OTHER DEBT THAT THE CITY HAD ISSUED.
THEY JUST, THE CITY DIDN'T HAVE THE BONDING CAPACITY.
I AM NOT A MUNICIPAL FINANCE EXPERT.
UM, SO I WILL LEAVE, UH, THE DETAILS OF THAT TO SOMEONE ELSE.
BUT YES, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT A, THE, THE RESIDENTS APPROVING BONDS, IT'S THE ABILITY TO ACTUALLY USE THEM.
AND SORT OF HAVING ENOUGH REVENUE AND WHAT DO WE PRIORITIZE.
UM, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE ACREAGE FOR THE SCORING, ARE WE ALSO TAKING INTO ACCOUNT DUAL AREAS WHERE IT'S FLOODING MITIGATION, BUT IT'S ALSO GREEN SPACE? SO FOR EXAMPLE, THE INWOOD FOREST DETENTION BASIN, THAT'S 226 ACRES, THAT'S KIND OF DUAL.
AND THEN CULLEN PARK, WHERE IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S A PARK, BUT THERE'S ALSO DETENTION AND THAT'S OVER 9,000 ACRES.
SO IS THAT ALL BEING TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION TOO? IT IS, IT IS A WONDERFUL QUESTION AND IT SHOWS THE UNIQUENESS THAT IS HOUSTON AND HOW WE DEVELOP NEW PARKS IN GREEN SPACE.
BUT YES, IT IS COUNTED AND PLACES LIKE CULLEN PARK ACTUALLY PROVIDE HUGE BOOSTS FOR OUR PARK SCORE BECAUSE THEY ARE SO LARGE.
SO YES, WE CAN CREATE NEW PARKS LIKE AT INWOOD FOREST, LIKE AT THE HILL AT SIMS THAT ARE BOTH FLOOD DETENTION AND RECREATION.
THEY SERVE MULTIPLE BENEFITS, INCREASE OUR PARK SCORE, AND ALSO HELP TO PROTECT OUR CITY FROM EXTREME WEATHER.
AND THEN WHAT ABOUT SCHOOLS, UM, AND OUR SPARK? SO I KNOW WE'RE LOSING SOME SPARKS PARK, SO IS THAT GOING TO AFFECT OUR SCORING? IT WILL.
UH, SPARK PARKS DO COUNT AS PART OF, UH, PARKS.
AND SO I THINK WE'RE LOSING FOUR OF THEM SOON.
AND YES, THAT WILL GO, I MEAN, THE ACREAGE ISN'T LARGE, ALL OF THEM AT PLAYGROUNDS, THOSE WILL ALL BE DEDUCTED.
I MEAN, EVERY YEAR LOTS OF THINGS MOVE A LITTLE BIT AND THAT'S OKAY.
AND YOU KNOW, I THINK PART OF WHAT WE'VE SEEN, WHICH IS REALLY INTERESTING, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY THAT HOUSTON IS GETTING WORSE, IT IS THAT WE ARE NOT KEEPING PACE WITH OTHER CITIES.
SO THEY MAY BE IMPROVING JUST AT A FASTER RATE THAN WE ARE, BUT THAT STILL WILL HAVE OUR SCORE GO DOWN.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, JUST BECAUSE I CAN'T MISS THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THIS, UH, YOU KNOW, IN WORKING WITH DIRECTOR ALLEN ABOUT HIS NEEDS, JUST A QUICK RUNDOWN ON, ON THE NEEDS THAT THE CURRENT NEEDS THAT WE HAVE.
CURRENT UNMET NEEDS TOTAL $780 MILLION, $34 MILLION IN CRITICAL UNMET IMMEDIATE NEEDS.
THINGS ARE BROKEN AND NEEDS FIXED RIGHT AWAY.
$105 MILLION FOR PLAYGROUNDS, $210 MILLION FOR COMMUNITY CENTERS, $120 MILLION FOR AQUATIC FACILITIES.
OUR POOLS, $90 MILLION FOR BASKETBALL, PAVILIONS $70 MILLION FOR PARK AMENITIES.
UH, SO BASICALLY IF WE TOTAL ALL THAT UP FROM JUST THE NUMBERS, I'M HERE, THAT'S ALMOST ROUGHLY A BILLION DOLLARS, UH, WITH IF YOU, SPEAKING OF IN TERMS OF, OF, UH, EQUIPMENT AND EVERY, ALL THE, ALL THE, ALL THE CAPITAL NEEDS.
THAT ARE, THAT ARE, THIS IS DEFERRED MAINTENANCE.
I MEAN, IT'S OBVIOUSLY NOT SOMETHING WE'RE GONNA GET DONE REAL QUICKLY.
IT'D HAVE TO BE SPREAD OUT WITH BONDS AND, YOU KNOW, OVER TIME FOR A WHILE.
BUT THAT'S, BUT THAT 34 MILLION IN KIND OF IMMEDIATE, IMMEDIATE NEEDS, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THEY, THESE ARE NOT FUNDED.
THIS IS, IT'S NOT ANYTHING THAT'S FUNDED RIGHT NOW.
UM, WE HAVE TO, I MEAN, WE'RE MAKING STRIDES.
I, IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE DOING NOTHING.
WE'RE JUST, UH, IT'S A BIG, BIG PROBLEM.
AND IF WE JUST KEEP, UM, IGNORING IT, IT'S JUST GONNA GET BIGGER.
AND THEN YOU MADE, YOU, YOU DID YOU ALSO STATE THE NUMBER OF THE, OF THE FEES WHEN THEY WAS ASKED ABOUT THE FEES, RIGHT? RIGHT.
[01:10:01]
LIKE FOR TENNIS FEES, RENTAL RENTING, RIGHT.COMMUNITY CENTER ROOM, ALL, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THAT KIND OF STUFF.
A LOT OF THOSE THINGS HAVE NOT BEEN CHANGED IN DECADES.
AND SOME ANALYSIS HAVE BEEN DONE ON INCREASING FEES AND I THINK, UM, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, DIRECTOR, SOMETHING LIKE AN EXTRA $4 MILLION ANNUALLY WE COULD COLLECT AND JUST, YOU KNOW, FEES.
AGAIN, LIKE JUSTIN SAID, WE DON'T WANNA OVERCHARGE OR, YOU KNOW, WE WANT EVERYBODY TO BE ABLE TO ENJOY OUR PARKS, BUT IT IS COMPLETELY UNREALISTIC TO NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT, UM, HOW PRICES HAVE INCREASED SINCE 1994.
AND THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT, AND WE'RE SURE PAYING OUR STAFF A LOT MORE THAN WE DID IN 1994.
STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ'S OFFICE.
ONE QUICK QUESTION ON THE FEES, NOT THE DEVELOPER OPEN SPACE FEE, BUT YOU HAD MENTIONED LIKE GOLF FEES.
UM, ARE THERE OTHER TYPES OF FEES THAT Y'ALL ARE THINKING ABOUT? OR, I MEAN, USER FEES, WHICH NOT ONLY HAVE THEY NOT BEEN INCREASED SINCE THE NINETIES, BUT THERE ARE SOME SPORTS THAT DID NOT EXIST IN THE NINETIES.
I'LL LET Y'ALL VENTURE TO GUESS.
UM, OR MAYBE, MAYBE IT DID EXIST IN THE NINETIES, BUT IT CERTAINLY WASN'T POPULAR.
UM, THERE'S NO FEE THAT I AM AWARE OF THAT IS CURRENTLY CHARGED FOR PICKLEBALL.
UM, SO IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT ENSURING THAT WE'RE SORT OF KEEPING UP WITH THE TIMES IN, IN TERMS OF INFLATION, BUT WE ARE ALSO JUST THINKING ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE SPORTS TODAY? YOU KNOW, PEOPLE PLAYING TENNIS, PLAYING GOLF, RENTING PAVILIONS, ALL OF THESE THINGS COST THE CITY STAFF TIME, COST THE CITY OPERATIONAL COSTS, AND YET WE'RE SUBSIDIZING THESE PEOPLE WHO ARE USING OUR PARK SYSTEM, YOU KNOW, FOR ESSENTIALLY PRIVATE USE.
AND AGAIN, I AM NOT SUGGESTING THAT WE SHOULD BE PRICING OUT ANYONE, BUT IT SHOULD BE A FAIR AMOUNT TO USE THESE FACILITIES SO THAT THE CITY IS NOT HAVING TO DIG DEEPER INTO A HOLE.
WE DON'T WANT THAT $780 MILLION TO BECOME 900 OR $1.1 BILLION.
JUST ONE OTHER QUESTION, AND IT'S NOT MONEY RELATED.
UM, I MEANT TO ASK YOU, YOU KNOW, THE, THE MAP YOU SHOWED US WITH THE TRAILS AND THE, LIKE, HOW CLOSE YOU ARE, YOU'RE 10 MINUTES OR 10 MINUTE WALKING FROM, FROM A PARK? UM, YOU KNOW, ALL, I THINK THERE'S A NAME FOR IT, BUT I DON'T KNOW THE NAME.
ALL THE SPACES THAT ARE SORT OF UNDER THE UTILITY LINE, WHETHER IT'S NOT A CAR LANE, RIGHT? THERE'S JUST LIKE SPACES HANGING OUT.
DO Y'ALL HAVE A STRATEGY FOR HOW WE CAN LEVERAGE THOSE SPACES? THAT, UH, TRAIL THAT I SHOWED IN A LEAF ACTUALLY SITS UNDERNEATH CENTER POINT UTILITIES AND IT IS ONE OF WHAT WE CALL OUR, UH, EASEMENT TRAIL PROJECTS IN SPRING BRANCH.
WE'VE BUILT SEVERAL MILES OF TRAIL IN CENTER POINT, UH, TRANSMISSION EASEMENTS IN ALE IN SHARPSTOWN.
WE VIEW THESE AS GREAT OPPORTUNITIES FOR UNDER LEVERAGED LAND RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR CITY.
THAT WORKING WITH CENTER POINT AND WORKING WITH THE CITY AND THE COUNTY, WE CAN BUILD TRAILS THERE AND HAVE A PLAN, UH, RIGHT NOW TO BUILD ABOUT 35 MILES OF TRAILS ALL THROUGH CENTER POINT EASEMENTS.
SORRY, ONE MORE THING ON OPERATING BUDGETS.
YOU KNOW, I KNOW THE PARK SCORE KIND OF COMBINES, UM, INVESTMENT, YOU KNOW, AS BOTH IS OPERATING AND CAPITAL, CORRECT? YES.
SO IS THERE ANY, UH, UH, DATA THAT, UH, WOULD, UH, RANK US ACCORDING TO JUST OPERATING BUDGETS, YOU KNOW, WHERE, WHERE WE KIND OF STAND ON? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
YOU DON'T SEE ANYONE ELSE IN THE QUEUE.
JUSTIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION AND THANK YOU DIRECTOR ALLEN FOR BEING HERE AS WELL.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES, UM, FOR THEIR COMMENTS.
FIRST UP IS LANCE GIL, I'M CHEATING TODAY, SO I APOLOGIZE.
I ACTUALLY WROTE IT ON MY, UH, IPHONE.
IF YOU COULD SPEAK IN FRONT OF ONE OF THE MICROPHONES, WE CAN HEAR YOU.
I'M A RESIDENT OF REBA DRIVE, UH, IN THE RIVER OAK SUBDIVISION AND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN'S DISTRICT.
I ALSO SERVE ON, I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT FOR 25 YEARS AT LEAST, AND A MEMBER OF THE RIVER OAKS PROPERTY OWNERS BOARD FOR THE LAST, UH, FIVE YEARS.
UM, OUR FAMILY IS BLESSED TO LIVE ON ONE OF THE, UM, THE HOMES THAT FACES ONE OF HOUSTON'S GREEN SPACES.
UH, ONE OF THE ESADE PARKS THAT IT'S MAINTAINED BY THE RIVER OAKS PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION HAS BEEN FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF DECADES.
UM, AND WE PROVIDE ALL THE IMPROVEMENTS AS, AS WELL FOR THAT PARK.
UH, TO THE POINT OF WHY I'M HERE.
UM, MORE, UH, JULY 4TH, 2025, MORE THAN 135 RESIDENTS, PROBABLY TEXANS WERE LOST IN HILL
[01:15:01]
COUNTRY FLOODS.OF THOSE 135 OR MORE LOST, UH, 27 OF THEM WERE CAMPERS AND COUNSELORS AT CAMP MYSTIC.
UH, ONE OF THOSE CAMPERS, UH, WAS ELLEN TON.
ELLEN TON IS A RESIDENT, WAS A RESIDENT OF OUR STREET.
UH, THE DAUGHTER, 9-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER OF, UM, DOUG AND JENNY TON AND ELLEN TON'S SISTER.
UH, I'M STEVE GWEN, TON'S SISTER.
UH, WE HAVE, UM, UM, UH, COLLECTIVELY, THOSE, THOSE LITTLE GIRLS, YOUNG WOMEN ARE REFERRED TO AS HEAVENS 27.
UM, UH, ELLEN GREW UP IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD PARK.
WE, WE MISS SEEING HER EVERY DAY.
UH, IN JANUARY, OUR BOARD ASKED MAYOR WHITMEYER TO CONSIDER RENAMING THE PARK IT'S CURRENTLY NAMED, UM, IN HONOR OF REBECCA MEYER, WHO WAS, UH, A, UH, UH, RELATIVE OF THE FAMILY THAT SOLD THE PROPERTY TO THE RIVER OAKS CORPORATION FOR DEVELOPMENT ABOUT A HUNDRED YEARS AGO.
UH, RENAMED THE PARK FROM, UM, REBECCA MEYER PARK TO ELLEN TON PARK.
UH, THAT REQUEST HAS BEEN PENDING WITH THE SUPPORT WHERE DIRECTOR ALLEN LEFT.
UM, UH, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THAT, OUR COMMUNITY WILL BE SELF-FUNDING.
IT'S ABOUT $50,000 IMPROVEMENTS TO THE PARK.
THAT INCLUDES A GATHERING AREA, INCLUDES, UH, REPLACING A TREE THAT WAS LOST RECENTLY, ANOTHER LANDSCAPING THAT WILL ALSO, UH, PROVIDE A HISTORICAL MARKER, UH, THAT CELEBRATES THE HISTORY OF THE PARK.
WHAT'S IRONIC ABOUT THIS IS NONE OF US AS RESIDENTS ON THE STREET, MANY OF US THAT LIVED THERE FOR DECADES KNEW WHERE, WHO REBECCA MEYER WAS OR WHERE THIS CAME FROM.
TURNS OUT THE MEYER FAMILY WE WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL WITH, I MEAN, THEY'RE OUR FRIENDS, BUT WE NEVER KNEW WHERE IT CAME FROM.
SO WE'RE WRECKING A HISTORICAL MARKER.
UM, THAT REQUEST WAS MADE UNANIMOUSLY BY THE BOARD OF RIVER OAKS PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION WITH THE SUPPORT OF RIVER OAKS FOUNDATION, UNANIMOUSLY BY OUR STREET.
UM, WE HAVE, WE'RE RULE FOLLOWERS.
GOD KNOWS WE HAVE ENOUGH ATTORNEYS ON OUR STREET, INCLUDING ELLEN'S DAD, UH, AND THEN WE HAVE REAL ESTATE GUYS LIKE ME, AND THE REST OF THEM ARE DOCTORS, I GUESS.
UH, BUT WE'VE TRIED TO FOLLOW THE RULES AND I, AND I SPOKE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ THIS MORNING, ALIYA, AND OUR SIMPLE REQUEST AND IS, THERE APPEARS TO BE SOME UNCERTAINTY AND IT APPEARS WE NEED YOU AS A COMMITTEE OR A SUBCOMMITTEE TO CONVENE A PARK RENAMING COMMITTEE.
IRONICALLY, A QUORUM OF THAT COMMITTEE, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE ME, WAS IN THIS ROOM A MOMENT AGO.
AND, UM, THERE'S JUST UNCERTAINTY IN THE PARKS DEPARTMENT ABOUT IT.
AND WE, WE LOVE THE DEPARTMENT, BUT IF YOU WOULD SIMPLY REACH OUT AND ASK THAT COMMITTEE BE CONVENED, IT WILL KEEP US.
UH, WE HAVE COMMITTED TO, UH, UH, CELEBRATE THESE IMPROVEMENTS ON DECEMBER 5TH, AND WE WOULD LIKE TO MEET THAT DATE.
SO MY SIMPLE ASK IS IF YOU WOULD ASK THE COMMITTEE TO BE CONVENED, UM, LEAH, WHEN I TALKED TO COUNCIL MEMBER, HE ASKED WHAT THE RULES WERE THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT.
I THINK THEY WERE GIVEN TO US BY THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, BUT I'M A, THEY HAVE MY HANDWRITTEN NOTES ON 'EM.
SO I'M GONNA LEAVE THESE FOR YOU IF YOU'D LIKE, IF HE ASKED ME TO PROVIDE THESE.
THAT'S, AND SALLY, I KNOW THAT YOU'VE BEEN VERY HELPFUL AS HAVE ALL OF, ALL OF YOU AS MEMBERS, SO THANK YOU.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER ALQUAN, THANKS LANCE, AND THANKS FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS.
AND, AND YEAH, WE DO WANNA GET THIS GOING.
I'VE SPOKEN TO THE MAYOR ABOUT IT AND WE'RE GOING TO, UH, I DON'T, I NOT SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE, THE RENAMING COMMITTEE, BUT THE PROCESS, UM, TO GET THE, THE, UH, THE PARK RENAMED WE ARE SUPPORTIVE OF.
AND SO LET ME JUST ASK WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
I MEAN, HAVE THEY TOLD YOU, I MEAN, WHAT HAVE THEY TOLD YOU WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN OR, SO IT'S JUST A MATTER OF JUST HAVING A MEETING? YEAH.
IT, IT'S, THE ONLY REASON I CAME IN AND POSED UPON YOUR TIME TODAY IS I GOT ANOTHER EMAIL LAST WEEK THAT SIGNS UP IN THE PARK RENAMED, AND WE'VE ASKED FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
YEAH, I'VE SEEN ALL THESE GOOD THINGS HAPPENING, RIGHT? BUT I GOT AN ODD EMAIL FROM PARKS DEPARTMENT SAYING, WELL, LET'S SEE WHERE WE ARE THEN.
WE, AS I RESPONDED TO THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, YOU HAVE A PROCESS.
WE WILL HONOR AND FOLLOW THAT PROCESS.
BUT DON'T TELL ME WHEN WE FINISH THIS, WE'LL GET BACK TO IT AND TELL ME WHAT HAPPENS THEN.
BY THE WAY, GUYS, UH, WE'RE EXTREMELY BLESSED TO LIVE WHERE WE ARE AND DO NOT TAKE ANYTHING FOR GRANTED.
YEAH, WE CAN, I CAN WORK WITH COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ, AND WE CAN SEE WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
AND LIKE I SAID, THERE'S A, THERE'S A PROCESS THAT JOE ALLEN PUT OUT MORE THAN A DECADE AGO, AND IF WE'RE FOLLOWING THAT PROCESS, THEN LET'S FOLLOW THAT PROCESS.
SO ANYWAY, AND LANCE, I'LL WORK WITH, UM, WITH YOU AND COUNCIL MEMBER ALKO, COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ AND YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN, TO SEE WHAT WE NEED TO DO FROM THIS COMMITTEE TO MOVE FORWARD.
NO, Y'ALL, Y'ALL, Y'ALL HAVE ALL BEEN GREAT.
IT'S JUST SOME, YOU KNOW, IT IS WHAT IT'S SO, BUT THANK YOU.
THAT'S, I, LIKE I SAID, I SPOKE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ, AND HE ASKED ME TO COME DOWN THIS AFTERNOON.
SO HERE I AM AND NORMALLY WEAR A COAT.
AND YOU SAW ME THIS MORNING, COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS, AND I'M STILL WEARING WHAT I WAS WEARING THEN, EXCEPT I GOT A JACKET ON.
[01:20:01]
THANK YOU.HERE, LEE, YOU WANT ME TO STICK THIS UP HERE? IS THAT IT? OH, WE'RE GOOD.
OH, SOMEBODY FORGOT THEIR CELL PHONE HERE.
I'M COVERING SEVERAL TOPICS TODAY.
NUMBER ONE, THE, THE PICTURE I HAVE TAKEN THAT IS AN ILLEGAL MERCHANT BLOCKING THEIR ACCESS BETWEEN THE RAIL LINE AND THE BUS BAYS OVER AT NORTHLINE TRANSIT CENTER.
AND THEY ARE SELLING GOODS WITHOUT PERMITS.
NOW, I'VE BEEN TALKING TO AFTER ABOUT THIS, BUT I THINK THIS IS, SOME OF THIS IS ON CITY OF HOUSTON'S WATCH, AND WE NEED TO HAVE, IF YOU WANT PEOPLE TO RIDE TRANSIT, I KNOW, SALLY, YOU'VE, YOU'VE RIDDEN, YOU'VE, I KNOW YOU TOLD ME YOU'VE RIDDEN THE BUS AND THE TRAIN SEVERAL TIMES, AND ALL, ALL Y'ALL DO IS THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE ALL THESE AREAS CLEAR FROM POINT A TO POINT B SO THAT PEOPLE CAN TRANSFER AND THEY'RE USING THE CITY'S PROPERTY WITHOUT PAY, UH, YOU KNOW, PAYING FEES AND STUFF.
UH, SECOND OF ALL, WE TALKED ABOUT THE PARKS.
AND I THINK THERE IS SOMETHING ON THE NEGATIVE SIDE WHEN WE IMPROVE THINGS LIKE PARKS OR FIXED ROADS OR SAY PUT BRT IN, IN THE GULFTON AREA, IT LOOKS GOOD UNTIL ONE OTHER THING, TAX TIME ON PROPERTY TAXES AND STUFF.
IF YOU DON'T IMPROVE THESE PARKS OR, OR IMPROVE STREETS OR WHATEVER, THERE'S GONNA BE A TENDENCY FOR THE PROPERTY TAXES TO GO UP.
AND FOR SOME AREAS OF TOWN, THE THING THAT IS GOING IS HELPING THEM IS ACTUALLY GONNA DRIVE THEM OUT BECAUSE OF INCREASED PROPERTY TAXES.
FOR INSTANCE, IN PORTLAND, OREGON, THEY TRIM HAS A VERY GOOD, STRONG SYSTEM, BUT BECAUSE OF IT, PROPERTY TAXES AND PEOPLE WERE MOVED IN TO BE, TO BE ON A TRANSIT LINE.
AND THAT ACTUALLY PRICED OUT PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY NEEDED TO TRANSIT BECAUSE OF HIGHER COST AND HIGHER, UM, TAXES.
AND I THINK ANYTHING WE DO ON SOMETHING LIKE THIS, I KNOW IT'S A CINDERELLA THING OR A GOLDILOCK THING, WHAT IS THE RIGHT BALANCE? BUT WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL THAT THE CURE IS WORSE THAN THE DISEASE.
UH, AND ONE OTHER, UH, ISSUE I HAVE, AND I'M SEEING THIS THROUGHOUT THE CITY OR THE MORON CHURCH, THE LATTER DAY SAINTS, THEY ARE PROMOTING THEIR RELIGION ON CITY PROPERTY.
AND I THINK THAT'S WRONG ON A SEA SIDEWALK.
OUR CONSTITUTION INDICATES THAT, UH, IN SO MANY WORDS, UH, THE GOVERNMENT IS NOT TO ESTABLISH OR PUSH A PARTICULAR RELIGION.
IF THEY WANNA DO THEIR OUTREACH, THEY CAN USE ADVERTISEMENTS AND THAT SORT OF THING, BUT THEY SHOULD NOT BE ON A C.
SO SIDEWALK WALK, AND AGAIN, THE PLACES WHERE THEY ARE SOMETIMES IS AT A BIG, AT A CORNER WHERE PEOPLE HAVE TO GET FROM POINT A TO POINT B ACROSS THE INTERSECTION, GET THE METRO, WHATEVER I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT.
AND I KNOW YOU'RE PROBABLY GONNA TELL ME I MY TIME IS UP.
THERE ARE NO OTHER PUBLIC SPEAKERS TODAY WE WILL CONCLUDE OUR MEETING.
OUR NEXT QUALITY OF LIFE COMMITTEE MEETING WILL BE ON MONDAY, OCTOBER 5TH AT 2:00 PM WE STAND ADJOURNED.