[00:00:01]
[9:00 A.M. INVOCATION & PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
MEMBER JACKSON FOR THE INVOCATION.HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY AND FOR THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING THE PEOPLE OF OUR GREAT CITY.
LORD, WE ASK FOR WISDOM AND GUIDANCE AS WE CONDUCT BUSINESS TODAY.
GIVE US THE WISDOM IN EVERY DECISION, GRACE WHEN WE DISAGREE, AND COMPASSION FOR THE PEOPLE WHO LIVES ARE IMPACTED BY THE DECISIONS WE MAKE.
LORD BLESS OUR MAYOR, MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES, OUR CITY, EMPLOYEES, FIRST RESPONDERS, AND ALL THOSE WHO WORK EACH DAY TO SERVE OUR, SERVE OUR COMMUNITIES.
HELP US TO LEAD WITH HUMANITY, INTEGRITY, AND A HEART FOR SERVICE.
OUR DECISIONS BE JUST, AND OUR WORK.
ALWAYS FOCUS ON THE PEOPLE WE HAVE BEEN CALLED TO SERVE.
CONTINUE TO BLESS THIS CITY AND EVERYONE IN IT.
PLEASE RISE FOR THE PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY FOR JUSTICE, PLEASE
[ROLL CALL & MINUTES]
CALL THE ROLL.MR. SECRETARY MAYOR WHITMEYER, PRESENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER INGER WILL BE ABSENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN PRESENT.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN HERE NEED A MOTION TO ADOPT THE MINUTES OF SEPTEMBER 29TH AND 30TH.
[MISCELLANEOUS (CATEGORY) – NUMBER 1]
SECRETARY, LET'S TAKE ITEM NUMBER ONE OUT OF ORDER.UH, MEMBERS, I HAVE THE, UH, PLEASURE THIS MORNING OF INTRODUCING KEVIN BERRY.
I BELIEVE HIS WIFE ANNA, IS WITH HIM THIS MORNING.
UH, KEVIN IS OUR NEW CHIEF OF INFORMATION OFFICER FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
HE'LL BE OVERSEEING THE HOUSTON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICE, A HUGE RESPONSIBILITY THAT HE'S BEEN IN THAT POSITION FOR OVER A MONTH NOW.
UH, HE WAS IN PUBLIC WORKS DOING TECHNOLOGY, SO HAS NOT MISSED A STEP IN THIS NEW POSITION.
AND, UH, WE'RE REALLY FORTUNATE TO HAVE YOU, KEVIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC SERVICE.
UH, MS. BERRY, UH, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING YOUR FAMILY TO BE PART OF OUR TEAM.
IT'S, UH, CERTAINLY MAKING A DIFFERENCE AS WE CONTINUE TO UPDATE THAT DEPARTMENT TO VOTE ON IT ALL IN COUNCIL MEMBER AFTER THE VOTE.
ALL IN FAVOR OF THIS APPOINTMENT, I SAY, AYE.
WHY DON'T WE, WHY DON'T WE GO AHEAD AND HAVE A ROLL CALL.
I THINK THAT WOULD REALLY BE KIND OF NEAT TO SEE EVERY MEMBER VOTE.
MS. YOU WANNA LET MR. SECRETARY CALL THE ITEM? YEAH, CALL THE ITEM UP.
THOSE OPPOSED MADE ITEM ONES BEFORE THE APPOINTMENT OF MR. BERRY.
WHERE HE AT? COUNCIL MEMBER PANZA.
WHERE HE AT? COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN.
COUNCIL MEMBER CASTECH TATUM? YES.
I WANTED TO DO THAT FOR THE FAMILY HISTORY.
I'LL YIELD, UH, KEVIN, IF YOU'D LIKE TO, UH, SPEAK.
UH, IT'S A GREAT HONOR SPEAKING TO THE MIC.
[00:05:01]
WE ARE.LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ALL.
I JUST WANT TO TAKE A BRIEF MOMENT TO THANK MY WIFE HANNAH, FOR JOINING ME ON THIS JOURNEY.
UH, ALSO THE LEADERSHIP TEAM FROM FROM HITS IS HERE.
IF YOU ALL WANNA STAND BRIEFLY, UH, THANK THAT TEAM FOR ALL THE WORK THEY DO EVERY DAY.
UH, REPRESENTATION OF THE GREAT PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE WORKING TECHNOLOGY THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
UH, HAVE SOME FOLKS FROM THE FEDERATED IT DEPARTMENTS AS WELL.
UH, AND ALSO I SEE SOME, UH, PUBLIC WORKS TEAM MEMBERS IN HERE.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT, AND AGAIN, I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ALL.
UM, ARE YOU OUR FIRST AGGIE HITS DIRECTOR? ACCORDING TO MY RESEARCH,
I WANNA MAKE SURE THE RECORD SHOWED THAT AS IT'S A, THAT'S A MILESTONE.
UM, BUT YOU'VE BEEN SO GREAT TO, TO WORK WITH, UM, IN YOUR INTERIM PHASE.
YOU BROUGHT A BREATH OF FRESH AIR TO THE, TO THE ROLE, AND LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK WITH YOU AND YOUR TEAM, UH, MOVING FORWARD.
AND COUNCILOR CASTILLO LET'S, UH, OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE YOU A SHOUT OUT AS YOU WORK WITH MR. BERRY FOR YOUR RECOMMENDATION OF FORMING A IT, UH, COUNCIL COMMITTEE.
AND YOU'VE BEEN VERY ACTIVE IN PROVIDING LEADERSHIP, MOVING US FORWARD WITH OUR, UH, TECHNOLOGY, WHICH, UH, IS SO IMPORTANT IN TODAY'S WORLD.
SO THANK YOU AND SHOUT OUT TO YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER.
[MAYOR'S REPORT]
REPORT, MIKE NICHOLS AND YOUR TEAM.UH, RYAN, Y'ALL WANNA COME FORWARD.
UH, MIKE, I'M GONNA RECOGNIZE YOU IN A MOMENT.
UH, I NOTE LARRY SATTER WHITE'S HERE, UH, MEMBERS OF TODAY IS A, A REALLY OUTSTANDING DAY FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON WITH THIS ANNOUNCEMENT THAT WE'RE GONNA MAKE.
AS WE ALL KNOW, O HOMELESS, HOMELESS POPULATION IS ONE OF OUR HIGHEST PRIORITIES.
IT WAS ONE OF THE REASONS I RAN FOR MAYOR.
WHEN ASKED TO CONSIDER WHAT WOULD GET ME TO, TO STEP FORWARD, IT WAS TO DEAL WITH THE HOMELESS POPULATION, WHICH QUITE FRANKLY OCCUPIES A LOT OF MY TIME AND THOUGHT.
UH, I THINK THE COUNCIL FOR ALLOWING US TO GO TO EMANCIPATION.
WE STILL HAVE SO MUCH WORK TO DO WITH THE HOMELESS POPULATION TO GET THOSE INDIVIDUALS INTO THE CARE AND FACILITIES THEY NEED, BUT ALSO TO PROTECT OUR NEIGHBORHOODS FROM INDIVIDUALS THAT NEED TO BE SOMEWHERE ELSE.
I STILL LEAVE THE CITY HALL AT SEVEN O'CLOCK MOST EVENINGS, AND THERE'LL BE A COUPLE HUNDRED HOMELESS BEING FED AT THE CENTRAL LIBRARY, WHICH WE'VE GOT TO ADDRESS.
WE'RE UNDER A FEDERAL COURT ORDER TO ALLOW 'EM TO EAT THERE, BUT WE'RE ALLOWING THE FEDERAL JUDGE TO KNOW WE HAVE OTHER OPTIONS.
BUT WHILE WE'RE DOING MULTI-FRONT, UH, EFFORT, MIKE NICHOLS, LARRY SATTERWHITE HAVE BEEN.
AND, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH TO HARRIS CENTER HARRIS HEALTH FOR PROVIDING THE CARE AT THE EMANCIPATION SITE.
IT'S WORKING AS IT WAS DESIGNED, BUT NOW WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THOSE THAT ARE READY TO LEAVE EMANCIPATION? THERE WAS ANOTHER PIECE THAT WAS SO BADLY NEEDED.
I SEE OUR HEALTH DIRECTOR, DR. TRAN AND HOUSTON ENDOWMENT.
I'M GONNA LET MIKE MENTION ALL OF OUR PARTNERS, BUT THIS IS A HUGE STEP FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO NOW HAVE THE PARTNERSHIP AND THE FUNDS FROM OTHER PARTNERS.
CERTAINLY THE NONPROFITS, THE FOUNDATION, THE COUNTY IS REPRESENTED.
UH, SO IT'S JUST A HUGE STEP FORWARD.
I THANK YOU, MIKE, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
CHIEF SATTERWHITE, THE MIXTURE OF THE HOMELESS, UH, THE, THE HOUSING, UH, THE DIRECTOR OF HOUSING DEPARTMENT WITH A FARMER, UH, UM, VETERAN OF OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, A FORMER CHIEF OF OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, THAT BRINGS THE PASSION AND THE
[00:10:01]
COLLABORATION TOGETHER.SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS ANNOUNCEMENT.
AND MIKE, I WAS CERTAINLY YIELD TO YOU AND YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, I, I DO NOT WANNA STOP, UH, DON'T WANNA EVEN START BEFORE.
I WANT TO THANK THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL FOR MAKING HOMELESSNESS AND MAKING HOMELESSNESS RARE, BRIEF AND NON-REOCCURRING A MAJOR, MAJOR PART OF YOUR WORK.
IT TAKES A LOT OF COLLABORATION AND IT TAKES A LOT OF FUNDING.
UM, THE MAYOR HAS PUT IN AND ALLOCATED, UH, AND PLANNED TO ALLOCATE MORE THAN $80 MILLION OF, OF FUNDS THAT WE HAVE TOWARD MAKING HOMELESSNESS, RARE, BRIEF AND NON-REOCCURRING.
THE MAYOR MENTIONED FOUR 19 EMANCIPATION, WHICH IS A BOLD MOVE.
BUT WHAT WE DO TODAY IS THE PART OF THE NEXT STEP OF HOW DO YOU MOVE PEOPLE ALONG.
UH, BEHIND ME IS, ARE THE GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS WHO COLLABORATE ON MAKING THIS HAPPEN.
IT DOESN'T WORK WITHOUT PHILANTHROPY.
HARRIS COUNTY, HARRIS CENTER, HARRIS HEALTH, UM, UM, THE HOUSTON RECOVERY CENTER, SALVATION ARMY, STAR OF HOPE.
AND IF I MISS SOMEBODY, I GO ON AND ON AND ON, I'M GONNA MAKE A MISTAKE.
UM, BUT TODAY IS A, IS SOMETHING WE'VE WORKED ON FOR TWO AND A HALF YEARS.
THE MAYOR'S WORKED ON HOW DO YOU INVOLVE PHILANTHROPY IN THE SYSTEM OF MOVING FORWARD AND MAKING HOMELESSNESS, RARE, BRIEF AND NON-REOCCURRING.
UM, INTRODUCE THE SERAFIN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, RYAN DEVO APPRENTICE NAME.
UM, AND HE'S A REALLY GREAT GUY, GREAT LEADER IN THE PHILANTHROPIC COMMUNITY.
UM, ALONG WITH, UM, UH, MAGNI GO SWAMI OF THE HOUSTON ENDOWMENT WHO ARE WITH US TODAY.
THESE FOLKS REALLY DO PUT TOGETHER A GROUP.
AND MAYOR AGAIN, YOU'VE ALWAYS TALKED ABOUT COLLABORATION.
YOU ALWAYS TALK ABOUT WORKING WITH ALL THE ENTITIES, FEDERAL, STATE, COUNTY, GOVERNMENT, BUT PHILANTHROPY HAS ALWAYS BEEN TOP OF YOUR LIST.
AND THIS IS A VERY WONDERFUL DAY FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
RYAN, THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR CITY COUNCIL.
UH, IT'S JUST SUCH A PLEASURE TO BE WITH YOU AGAIN THIS MORNING.
MY NAME IS RYAN DEVOY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT SERAPHIM FOUNDATION.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS COMING SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10TH IS WORLD HOMELESSNESS DAY.
AND SO THE TIMING IS PERFECT TO ANNOUNCE THIS UNPRECEDENTED INITIATIVE THAT INCLUDES A $48 MILLION INVESTMENT FUND THAT BUILDS ON THE CITY AND COUNTY'S INCREDIBLE MOMENTUM IN ENDING STREET HOMELESSNESS.
SO THIS MORNING, ON BEHALF OF THE TEAM THAT'S GATHERED HERE, WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO INTRODUCE PATHWAYS TO INDEPENDENCE, A REGIONAL ACTION PLAN THAT BRINGS IN NEW LEVEL OF COLLABORATION AMONG THE CITY, THE COUNTY, THE COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS PHILANTHROPY, AND OUR LOCAL NONPROFIT AND BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
EVERY YEAR, MORE THAN 11,000 PEOPLE IN OUR REGION FACE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT COULD LEAD TO HOMELESSNESS.
WHAT WE SEE ON THE STREETS IS ONLY A FRACTION OF THE NUMBER OF OUR NEIGHBORS WHO ARE IN NEED.
PATHWAYS TO INDEPENDENCE ARE WHAT WE'RE CALLING P TWO I IS A COMPREHENSIVE MODEL THAT DRAMATICALLY ENHANCES THE SYSTEMS, THE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES FOR THOSE FACING HOMELESSNESS.
AND FOR THOSE WHO ARE ALREADY LIVING ON OUR STREETS THROUGH P TWO I, THE STREETS WILL NO LONGER BE THE WAITING ROOM FOR HOMELESS SERVICES.
OUR GOAL IS TO RESOLVE HOMELESSNESS FOR ANYONE ENTERING THE SYSTEM.
WITHIN 90 DAYS, CO-CREATED WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HARRIS COUNTY, AND THE COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS P TWO, I WILL ACCOMPLISH THIS MISSION.
MAYOR, YOU AND YOUR TEAM AND THOSE THAT ARE GATHERED HERE TODAY, ALONG WITH THE COUNTY, HAVE LED THE WAY IN CREATING THESE NEW INTERVENTIONS THAT FORM THE CORE OF THE PATHWAYS TO INDEPENDENCE APPROACH.
AND WE ARE SO, SO GRATEFUL FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
IN SHORT, P TWO, I BUILDS ON OUR EXISTING HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM BY ADDING FASTER, MORE FLEXIBLE INTERVENTIONS, BETTER ACCESS TO GETTING HELP, STRONGER HEALTHCARE AND LAW ENFORCEMENT COORDINATION, AND GREATER COLLABORATION AMONG THOSE WHO ARE ON THE FRONT LINE OF THIS WORK.
THIS MODEL IS TRULY UNPRECEDENTED, AND SO IS THE FUNDING SOURCE.
TODAY I'M PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THE LAUNCH OF A $48 MILLION STRATEGIC PHILANTHROPIC FUND THAT MAKES PATHWAYS TO INDEPENDENCE POSSIBLE.
ALREADY, LOCAL PHILANTHROPY HAS RAISED OVER $34 MILLION, 70% OF OUR THREE YEAR GOAL TO SHOW OUR COLLECTIVE SUPPORT FOR THIS INITIATIVE.
THIS MARKS THE SINGLE LARGEST COORDINATED PHILANTHROPIC INVESTMENT IN HOMELESSNESS IN OUR CITY'S HISTORY.
THE FUND IS BEING HOUSED AT THE GREATER HOUSTON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION AND ALONG WITH THE SERAFIN FOUNDATION, I WANT TO THANK BROWN FOUNDATION, CULLEN FOUNDATION, DOVETAIL IMPACT FOUNDATION, CLAIRE AND JOE GREENBERG, HOUSTON ENDOWMENT, KINDER FOUNDATION, AND THE MD ANDERSON FOUNDATION FOR PROVIDING THESE CRITICAL FIRST DOLLARS
[00:15:01]
OF SUPPORT.THE PHILANTHROPIC COMMUNITY IS STEPPING UP BECAUSE WE SEE HOW CITY AND REGIONAL AGENCIES HAVE COME TOGETHER AND A SPIRIT OF COLLABORATION TO ADDRESS AN ISSUE THAT IMPACTS ALL OF US.
THIS, WE BELIEVE, IS A WISE INVESTMENT COMBINED WITH CITY, COUNTY, AND FEDERAL RESOURCES.
PHILANTHROPY CONNECT IS A MULTIPLIER TO HELP US MOVE FASTER AND WITH MORE FLEXIBILITY TO PROVIDE SOLUTIONS THAT ACTUALLY WORK THIS MORNING.
WE CALL ON INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, CORPORATIONS, AND OTHER FOUNDATIONS TO JOIN US.
FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE AND ENGAGE MEANINGFULLY IN SOLVING HOMELESSNESS IN OUR REGION, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO INVEST IN PATHWAYS TO INDEPENDENCE.
THIS IS AN INVESTMENT MAYOR THAT WE ARE PROUD TO MAKE.
IT'S ONE THAT OUR AREA CAN'T AFFORD NOT TO MAKE.
THIS IS AN INVESTMENT IN OUR REGION'S FUTURE THAT IS COLLABORATIVE, EXPANSIVE, AND SUSTAINABLE.
THIS IS AN INVESTMENT THAT WILL ENSURE OUR STREETS ARE NO LONGER THE WAITING ROOM FOR HOMELESS SERVICES.
TOGETHER WE CAN HELP MORE OF OUR NEIGHBORS RETURN TO PRODUCTIVE LIVES AND CONTRIBUTE TO THIS PLACE WE ALL CALL HOME.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME THIS MORNING.
IT'S A HUGE STEP AND, UM, THANK ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS AND CERTAINLY, MIKE, YOU'RE CORRECT.
THE COLLABORATION IS HOW WE'RE SOLVING SO MANY OF OUR ISSUES, AND IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST SO GRATIFYING AND IT'S, IT'S ONE REASON, UH, THAT WE RUN FOR OFFICE AND LOOK FORWARD TO COMING TO WORK EACH DAY.
I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK WITH YOU.
WE'LL HAVE, UH, AN ANNOUNCEMENT IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS.
I, I'LL SEE DR. TRAN THERE AND SHE, I, I DON'T WANT TO HER HER PROGRAM TO COMPETE WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING TODAY, BUT SHE'S PRETTY EXCITED ABOUT HER RESPITE PROGRAM OF WHERE WE'RE GONNA HELP PEOPLE LEAVE IN THE HOSPITALS AND EMERGENCY ROOMS TO HAVE A PLACE TO, UH, SAFELY STAY.
BUT THAT'S GONNA BE ANNOUNCED IN A COUPLE WEEKS.
THANK YOU TO THE COUNTY, HARRIS HEALTH, THE HARRIS CENTER.
THIS IS WHAT MAKES HOUSTON SPECIAL.
UH, RYAN, AND, UH, EVERYONE THAT'S UP.
I JUST WANNA SAY THANK Y'ALL FOR Y'ALL COLLABORATION WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON, UM, ESPECIALLY THE COUNTY.
UH, ONE THING THAT I'VE NOTICED, UM, AND I KNOW IT COMES, MEMBER THOMAS, UH, SHE'S BEEN LEADING THE EFFORT ON THE HOUSING SIDE.
YOU KNOW, HOUSING FIRST HAS ALWAYS BEEN AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE THE MODEL, BUT, UH, WHAT WE'VE NOTICED OVER THE LAST HANDFUL OF YEARS THAT IS THE HARDEST TO HOUSE THAT ARE NOW BEING, UH, FOCUSED ON.
AND WHAT, WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN DISTRICT, I SPECIFICALLY IS THAT WHERE WE HAVE, WE ARE IN THE CORE, WHETHER IT'S DOWNTOWN OR EAST DOWNTOWN, IT'S ACTUALLY HAVE GONE OUT PAST THE SIX 10 LOOP NOW MM-HMM
UM, AND I, QUITE FRANKLY, I THINK OUR, MY COLLEAGUES AROUND THE HORSE, YOU HAVE STARTED NOTICING MORE AND MORE THAT HAS BEEN GOING OUT.
I THINK EVEN MAYOR PRO TIM KEATUM HAS MENTIONED IT'S GONE OUT TO DISTRICT K.
SO AS, AS WE'RE SEEING THIS BECOME MORE OF A, OF A CHALLENGE, UH, REALLY, UM, REGIONALLY NOW, UH, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE DO HAVE THAT PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP.
SO I APPRECIATE THE MAYOR'S LEADERSHIP IN THIS, AND OF COURSE, EVERYBODY THAT'S DOING ALL THE HEAVY LIFTING AND THE WORK.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR THE WORK Y'ALL ARE DOING, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING HOW IT COULD BE HELPFUL AS WELL.
JUST WANTED TO, UM, SAY THIS WORK IS HARD.
UM, FOR AVERAGE HOUSTONIANS THAT SEE HOMELESS PEOPLE ON THE STREET, UM, FOR MANY OF THEM, YOU KNOW, THEIR, THEIR HEART GOES OUT TO WHAT THEY SEE.
IT IS NOT ONLY YOUR HEART GOING OUT TO WHAT YOU SEE, BUT KNOWING WHAT IT TAKES TO ACTUALLY MOVE SOME OF OUR, UM, UNHOUSED POPULATION INTO A PATHWAY TO INDEPENDENCE.
IT TAKES A LOT OF PEOPLE, IT TAKES A LOT OF MONEY.
UM, SO WHAT I LOVE HEARING IS THAT WE HAVE SOME PHILANTHROPIC, UH, PARTNERS THAT ARE HELPING US WITH THIS WORK BECAUSE FOR, I KNOW FOR MY CONSTITUENTS, THEY, THEY ARE SAYING, WE'VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING TO GET THESE PEOPLE RIGHT OFF THE STREETS.
UM, AND IT'S GOING TO TAKE MORE THAN JUST GOVERNMENT TO DO THAT.
UM, AND IT TAKES THESE TYPES OF PARTNERSHIPS AND IT TAKES THIS TYPE OF MONEY AND IT'S NOT ENOUGH MONEY AND IT'S NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE, AND IT'S JUST NOT ENOUGH TO REALLY GET EVERY PERSON OFF OF OUR HOUSTON STREETS.
YOU KNOW, AND I, WHEN I THINK ABOUT IT, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT, IT'S KINDA LIKE, I FEEL LIKE WE TAKE TWO STEPS FORWARD AND THEN WE GET THREE STEPS BACK.
BECAUSE NOW IT SEEMS LIKE, OKAY, THIS PART OF TOWN, WE KIND OF DEALT WITH IT MM-HMM
NOW WE SEE A MIGRATION OF OUR UNHOUSED POPULATION IN OTHER PARTS OF TOWN.
HOW DO WE REALLY GET OUR ARMS AROUND
[00:20:01]
THE MAGNITUDE OF THIS, OF THIS ISSUE? AND IT'S HARD WORK.SO THANK YOU FOR, UM, THE STEPS THAT YOU ARE TAKING.
UM, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO SOURCE ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
UM, MORE GRANTS, MORE FOUNDATIONS.
UH, I THINK SUCCESS BREEDS SUCCESS.
AND WE HAVE TO NOT BE SHY ABOUT TALKING ABOUT WHAT WORKS AND WHAT HASN'T WORKED, WHAT CAN WE IMPROVE? UM, BUT WE NEED TO BE TOOTING OUR HORN ABOUT THE THINGS THAT HAVE WORKED, UM, SO THAT WE CAN SOURCE ADDITIONAL FUNDING SO THAT WE CAN TALK TO MORE FOUNDATIONS TO GIVE US MORE MONEY TO HELP US GET, UM, OUR UNHOUSED POPULATION ON THAT PATHWAY TO INDEPENDENCE.
SO THANK YOU FOR DOING SOME VERY HEAVY LIFTING.
UM, IT TAKES ALL OF US TO MAKE OUR CITY THE GREAT CITY WE CAN ALL BE PROUD OF TO LIVE IN.
IT, IT'S VERY HARD AND COMPLEX AND THIS, THESE RESOURCES WILL ALLOW US TO ADDRESS HOW FOLKS GOT IN THAT SITUATION, MENTAL HEALTH, THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.
SO IT'S, IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO LET FOLKS GRADUATE OUT OF EMANCIPATION INTO ONE WAY HOME AND OTHER, UH, PERMANENT HOUSING.
AND I CAN'T, EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER'S PLAYED A VITAL ROLE, BUT I HAVE TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO COUNCILMAN CARTER, WHO ACTUALLY FIND, FOUND THE LOCATION FOR EMANCIPATION HAS DONE SO MUCH WORK, UH, WITH THE FOUNDATIONS, BEEN IN ALL THE MEETINGS, AND, UH, WE'VE GOT OUR EYE ON OTHER SITES BECAUSE WE'VE GOT A MODEL NOW THAT'S WORKING WITH THIS ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
UH, WE ARE GONNA BE THE MODEL FOR LARGE CITIES.
UH, CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT CHAIRMAN THOMAS AND HER COMMITMENT TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND HOUSING IN GENERAL.
UH, WE JUST HAVE A GREAT TEAM COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN.
I JUST WANNA SAY THAT FUNDING, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE MONEY
UM, THIS, THIS IS THE HOUSTON WAY.
THIS IS HOW HOUSTON HAS ALWAYS SOLVED BIG CHALLENGES, A COMBINATION OF GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE INDUSTRY AND, AND PHIL PHILAN PHILANTHROPY.
IT MAY IT GO, IT'LL MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
[9:30 A.M. – PUBLIC SPEAKERS]
MR. SECRETARY, LET'S, UM, START WITH OUR PUBLIC SESSION DARL HARPER, TO BE FOLLOWED BY CAMERON WHITFIELD.HOUSTON, LACK OF COMPREHENSIVE ZONING RAISES SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT EQUAL PROTECTION DUE PROCESS, DEMOCRATIC ACCOUNTABILITY AND THE PROTECTION OF HISTORICALLY UN UNSERVED NEIGHBORHOODS, INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL ACTIVITIES NEAR HOME CAN HARM RESIDENTS HEALTH, SAFETY, QUALITY OF LIFE, AND PROPERTY VALUE.
I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST AN INDEPENDENT EXAMINATION OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, RELEVANT FINANCIAL ACCOUNT DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE PERMITS, CONTRACT AND ENFORCEMENT PRACTICE TO DETERMINE WHETHER PUBLIC FUNDS ALL POLICIES HAS CONTRIBUTED TO CIVIL CONSTITUTION, HUMAN OR PROPERTY RIGHTS VIOLATION.
PROPERTY TAX FRAUD MAY BE RESPONSIBLE FOR DEMOCRACY BEING CALLED INTO QUESTION TO HAVE THE CITY OF HOUSTON FINANCIAL ACCOUNT EXAMINED.
I CALL THIS A BLACK WALL STREET LAW BECAUSE THE SYSTEM PRESENTED AS PROMOTING OPPORTUNITY MAY INSTEAD IMPOSE ITS UNEQUAL BURDEN AND DIMINISHED COMMUNITY WEALTH.
I ASK THE CITY FOR TRANSPARENT, EQUAL ENFORCEMENT, AND MEANINGFUL PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.
UM, CAN YOU GIVE US A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND OF, OF, OF WHY YOU ARE PRESENTING THIS AND IF THERE ARE ANY SPECIFICS ASSOCIATED WITH IT? I'M PRESENTING THIS BECAUSE OF THE, UH, CITY OF HOUSTON IN NO ZONING, BUT NO ZONING HAS, UH, UH, HAS BEEN A BURDEN ON, UH, UH, MY, UH,
[00:25:01]
RICES AS A, UH, UH, RESIDENT.UH, IT, UH, DEPRIVES THE, UH, QUALITY OF LIFE.
IT DEPRIVES PROPERTY AND IT DE IT, IT DEPRIVES THE, UH, COMMUNITY OF, UH, UH, RESPECTFUL SATISFACTION.
AND I ASKED THE CITY IF THEY WOULD TO, UH, TO LIFT THOSE SANCTIONS OF NO ZONING SANCTION AGAINST THE CITY GAS COMMUNITY.
I DON'T BELIEVE THIS WOULD'VE HELD UP HAD WE HAD EFFECTIVE ASSISTANCE IN COUNCIL.
I DON'T BELIEVE THE CITY, UH, CITY GAS COMMUNITY HAVE EFFECTIVE ASSISTANCE OF COUNCIL FOR THIS TO HAPPEN LIKE THIS HERE AND TO GO ON.
AND MR. HARPER, THANK YOU FOR COMING IN.
UM, WHAT NEIGHBORHOOD, WHAT, WHAT PART OF CITY GAS DO YOU LEAVE LIVE IN? DO Y'ALL HAVE D RESTRICTIONS? I BELIEVE THAT IT DOES HAVE D RESTRICTION.
UM, BECAUSE, UH, ZONING IS, YOU KNOW, THE, THE VOTERS VOTED ON ZONING, BUT IF YOU HAVE D RESTRICTION, I CAN GET WITH YOU AND JUST TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT ISSUES THAT YOU'RE HAVING WITHIN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
A LOT MORE ISSUES THAN THAT, MA'AM.
I I MEAN, YOU HAVE A INDUSTRIAL BUSINESS THERE THAT'S COMING IN AND THEY, UH, THEY HAVE A SCRAP METAL BUILDING, UH, BUSINESS RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY MM-HMM
AND NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE ABOUT IT.
IT'S, IT'S TRUCKING COMPANIES, I GUESS.
AND WHY ALL THESE, WHY ALL THESE COMPANIES BEING ISSUED PERMITS MM-HMM
WHEN THEIR BUSINESS IS DETRIMENTAL TO MY HEALTH AND THE HEALTH TO THE PEOPLE OF THE COMMUNITY.
WHILE THESE PEOPLE RECEIVING THESE PERMITS TO DEPRIVE ME OF MAYBE MY HEALTH, MY LIFE, AND AMONG OTHER ISSUES.
UM, EARLIER THIS YEAR, UM, AN INCIDENT HAPPENED AND OVER IN ONE OF MY DISTRICTS CONCERNING THE VERY TOPIC THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
NOW, ALL OF US IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON UNDERSTANDS THAT DEEP RESTRICTIONS HAS VERY LITTLE POWER IN REGARDS TO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT GO ON WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES, AND PARTICULARLY IN SOME OF OUR VERY, UM, UH, LARGER MINORITY COMMUNITIES.
ZONING IS AN ISSUE THAT WAS PASSED YEARS AGO, YEARS AGO, PRIOR TO WHAT WAS GOING ON.
I'VE BEEN IN THIS CITY ALL MY LIFE TO HELP PEOPLE AND JUST GET HERE.
AND WE'VE WATCHED HOW OUR COMMUNITIES HAVE DRASTICALLY CHANGED, PARTICULARLY WHEN IT COMES TO WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT, THINGS COMING INTO OUR COMMUNITY, CHANGING IT LITERALLY REDUCING, UH, THE VALUE OF OUR COMMUNITIES.
SO I THINK YOUR, YOUR TOPIC IS VERY IMPORTANT.
I THINK WE NEED TO START HAVING MORE DISCUSSION.
SO WE ALL CAN'T AFFORD TO LIVE IN CERTAIN COMMUNITIES.
AND SO THE REALITY OF IT IS PEOPLE ARE SUFFERING WITH A LOT OF THIS, THIS, THESE PARTICULAR COMPANIES JUST OVER HERE, UH, A YEAR AGO DOWN IN DISTRICT D THAT WAS AN ISSUE THAT CAME UP IN REGARDS TO, UH, A FACILITY THAT WAS A PIECE OF LAND THAT WAS TRYING TO BE USED.
AND THE COMMUNITY HAD NO IDEA WHAT IT WAS UNTIL WE WERE REACHED OUT TO, AND WE WENT DOWN AND DEALT WITH IT.
THIS HAPPENS QUITE A BIT AND IT'S LIKE OVERNIGHT THEY COME IN.
NOW I'M NOT SAYING THAT EVERYONE IS, IS AGREEMENT WITH ZONING, I DON'T KNOW, BUT I THINK IT'S A TOPIC THAT NEED TO BE REALLY LOOKED AT AND CONSIDERED.
THERE ARE A LOT OF RESIDENTS WHO CALLED AND EXPRESSED TO ME ABOUT THIS ISSUE, AND I THINK IT'S TIME THAT WE TAKE A REAL GOOD LOOK AT IT.
'CAUSE A LOT OF THINGS ARE HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND COURSE MANY OF OUR COMMUNITY IS DEEP RESTRICTIONS DON'T HAVE ANY POWER ANYMORE.
AND UH, I'D LIKE TO GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO YOU MORE, UM, ABOUT THAT SCENARIO.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCILMAN THOMAS.
HAVE YOU, UH, ATTENDED A PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING? ARE ARE YOU PREFERRING TO, AS LIKE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD? NO.
AT THE CITY'S PLANNING COMMISSION? UH, NO, I HAVE NOT.
I WANNA INVITE YOU TO DO THAT WHEN YOU FOLLOW UP, WHEN COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON'S OFFICE FOLLOWS UP WITH YOU, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THAT ON YOUR AGENDA.
THE, UH, A VERY SIMILAR SITUATION IN ONE OF MY NEIGHBORHOODS, PINEY POINT, UH, HISTORICAL NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THEY'RE SURROUNDED BY AUTO MECHANIC SHOPS.
[00:30:01]
THAT THE MECHANIC SHOPS WERE OPENING ON RESIDENTIAL LAND.SO THE LAND WAS NEVER REP PLOTTED FOR RE PLATTED FOR COMMERCIAL.
SO SOME OF THEM ARE UNAUTHORIZED AND THEY'VE BEEN GRANDFATHERED IN 'CAUSE IT WAS HAPPENING OVER TIME.
'CAUSE IT WASN'T A FIRM HAND MONITORING THAT ABOUT A YEAR AGO, WE CONTINUED TO EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY.
THEY PUT THEIR EYES ON THOSE ISSUES AND THEY SHUT IT DOWN.
SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PAUSE A LOT OF THOSE, UM, AUTO MECHANIC SHOTS.
AND IT'S HAPPENED AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
SO, UM, I, YOU MAY HAVE, UM, THEY HAVE, UM, A, A LOT OF AUTHORITY IN WHAT THEY'RE DOING AROUND OUR ORDINANCE THAT GUIDES OUR NON ZONING DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLES.
AND THERE MAY BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO RAISE YOUR CONCERN THERE FOR THEM TO OFFER A RESOLUTION.
'CAUSE WE HAVE SEEN SUCCESSES.
MY, MY THING OF IT IS, I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY DID IT EVER HAPPEN? I'M WITH YOU.
BUT WHAT WE CAN'T ADDRESS, WE CAN INTERRUPT WHAT'S CURRENTLY HAPPENING NEXT.
I DUNNO HOW WE'VE ADDRESSED WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING OVER THE DECADES AND THE EROSION OF YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
BUT WE CAN DEFINITELY INTERRUPT WHAT'S HAPPENING.
BUT THERE'S, BUT THERE IS NO REASON TO DISRESPECT HUMAN DECENCY THOUGH.
CAMERON WHITFIELD, ALEX O'MALLEY, GLADYS HOUSE L TO BE FOLLOWED BY KIMBERLY WALTERS.
I JUST NEED COUNSEL SUPPORT ON GETTING THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT TO BEGIN HONORING THE COMPLAINTS OF CITIZENS.
YOU KNOW, A VERY GOOD CHIEF WAS LET GO.
PART OF THAT WAS PART OF THE REASON NOT ADDRESSING THE COMPLAINTS OF CITIZENS.
AND SO IT'S EVEN WORSE NOW, AND I'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET HP D'S SUPPORT ON JUST MERELY PROVIDING A POLICE REPORT.
UH, THAT WAS ALLEGEDLY DONE BY DETECTIVE HUERTA.
I HAD TO KEEP CALLING TO GET SOME, GET HP OUT.
AND THEN THEY SENT ON IT FOR TWO MONTHS.
AND YOU HAVE TO CONSTANTLY CALL AND FOLLOW UP.
YOU GO IN IN PERSON, NOBODY CARES TO TALK TO YOU.
IT, IT'S JUST REALLY FRUSTRATING.
THIS IS WHAT, IT'S STILL THE FOURTH FLOOR OF THE CITY AND I JUST EXPECTED MORE FROM OUR POLICE FORCE.
AND, YOU KNOW, YOU PAY THE FEES TO HAVE YOUR REPORT PRODUCED.
IN FACT, THEY MADE ME PAY TWICE.
BUT I, I WENT AHEAD AND DID THAT, BUT I STILL HAVEN'T GOTTEN THE REPORT YET.
SO I JUST WANT THIS BODY TO HELP ME GET THE REPORT THAT WAS ALLEGEDLY DONE BY DETECTIVE HUERTA BECAUSE THE DA IS WORKING WITH ME ON THIS.
'CAUSE THEY'RE CONCERNED THAT HPD NEVER FILED IT WITH THEM, NEVER BROUGHT IT TO THEIR ATTENTION.
SO ANYWAY, IF YOU ALL CAN ASSIST ME WITH THIS MINOR, UH, ISSUE, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER JOE, HE HAS ALL OF THE BACKUP INFORMATION IF, IF YOU NEED IT.
THANK YOU GLADYS, FOR, FOR COMING TODAY, UH, AND FOR ADDRESSING, YOU KNOW, BRINGING THIS ISSUE TO US.
WE, I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH HERE AND I'LL MAKE SURE OUR STAFF ESCALATES HPD AND WE CAN GET THIS ALL SORTED.
I APPRECIATE THE TIME OF, OF THE ESSENCE, MS. HOUSE.
IF YOU WILL TALK TO MS. WILLIAMS, WE'LL GET YOU IN CONTACT WITH THE PROPER HPD AUTHORITIES.
I THINK IT'D BE VERY, UH, BENEFICIAL IF YOU TALK SPECIFICALLY ABOUT WHAT INCIDENTS, UM, THAT YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT.
UH, REBECCA GI MS. HOUSE'S CONTACT, WHICH OKAY.
AND, UH, CONNECT HER WITH HPD FOR A RE REVIEW OF, OF HER CONCERNS.
NEXT KIMBERLY WALTERS TO BE FOLLOWED BY SERRANO BENEDICTO.
I'M A CITY EMPLOYEE AND A PROFESSIONAL WITH OVER 20 YEARS OF LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE.
I'M HERE TO EXPOSE HOW THE ERNST AND YOUNG $1.3 MILLION STUDY IS BEING WEAPONIZED BY HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS LEADERSHIP AS A SHIELD TO RETALIATE AGAINST
[00:35:01]
EMPLOYEES AND DEPRIVE THEM OF THEIR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO DO PROCESS.AS THE ARCHITECT BEHIND THE HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT SURVEY, I KNOW THE DATA REVEALS A WORKFORCE TERRIFIED OF LEADERSHIP RETALIATION.
THIS IS NOT A PRIVATE PERSONNEL ISSUE.
THIS IS A COORDINATED PUBLIC INTEGRITY CRISIS THAT STRIPS CITY EMPLOYEES OF THEIR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO DO PROCESS.
BECAUSE THIS INVOLVES ADMINISTRATIVE COVERUPS AND THE FALSIFICATION OF HEARING RECORDS.
I'M ENTERING THIS INTO THE PUBLIC RECORD AND RESPECTFULLY DEMAND AN INTERNAL INVESTIGATION BY THE HARRIS COUNTY DA'S PUBLIC INTER INTEGRITY DIVISION INTO CIVIL SERVICE KAREN CLARK'S, UM, CLARK KAREN FORWARD FOR THE MANIPULATION OF PUBLIC RECORDS.
I'M ALSO CALLING FOR THE IMMEDIATE REMOVAL OF COMMISSIONER SHELLY KENNEDY FOR BLATANT BIAS DURING A APPEAL HEARING.
AFTER THE EMPLOYEE STATED, UM, THEIR RIGHTS HAVE BEEN VIOLATED AND REQUESTED LEGAL COUNSEL, COMMISSIONER KENNEDY'S RESPONSE WAS, IT DOESN'T MATTER.
I'M ALSO DEMANDING AN EXTERNAL INVESTIGATION BY THE US DEPARTMENT OF LABOR INTO THE HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS LEADERSHIP WEAPONIZATION OF THE EY STUDY AND RETALIATION FOR FMLA, UM, RIGHTS.
I'M ALSO REQUESTING FULL TRANSPARENCY INTO HOW THE EY STUDY IS BEING UTILIZED.
I'M ALSO REQUESTING A THIRD PARTY AUDIT OF ALL EMPLOYMENT DECISIONS DEMOTIONS AND APPEALS MADE UNDER THE GUISE OF THIS STUDY.
I'M ALSO REQUESTING AN INDEPENDENT THIRD PARTY INVESTIGATION INTO HOPE REPRESENTATIVE AKITA BATTLES AND UNION LEADERSHIP.
I DO HAVE SPECIFIC CASE STUDY WITH MORE DETAILS AND I CAN PROVIDE THE DOCUMENTATION UPON REQUEST.
I UNDERSTAND MS. CHEEKS IS IN CONTACT WITH YOU AND SHE'S REVIEWING THE PROCESS.
I'VE NOT SPOKEN WITH, UH, MS. CHEEKS.
MS. CHEEKS IS REVIEWING YOUR CASE.
I WOULD LIKE TO SUBMIT A FULL RECORD TO BE AS ADMITTED SECRETARY.
AND YOU CAN GIVE THAT TO MS. WILSON AS WELL.
ALRIGHT, NEXT, SERRANO BENEDICTO, MIGUEL.
EVA TO BE FOLLOWED BY MARY WALLACE.
UH, WITH YOUR PERMISSION, CAN I HAVE THE NEXT SPEAKER ALSO, SINCE WE'RE HERE ON THE SAME SUBJECT? NO.
OH, WITH YOUR PERMISSION, IS IT OKAY TO BRING THE NEXT SPEAKER SINCE WE ARE HERE ON THE SAME SUBJECT AND SHE'S, UH OH.
I'M EMPLOYED WITH, UH, ENVOY AIR AT THE HOUSTON HOBBY AIRPORT.
UH, WE ARE HERE TO EXPRESS OUR CONCERN REGARDING THE EXECUTIVE ORDER CONCERNING THE LIVING WAGES FOR AIRLINE EMPLOYEES AT HOUSTON AIRPORTS.
WE BELIEVE THE INTENT OF THE ORDER IS IMPORTANT IN ENSURING THAT WORKERS WHO PROVIDE ESSENTIAL SERVICES TO OUR CITY ARE TREATED FAIRLY.
BUT WE ARE CONCERNED THAT OUR COMPANY HAS NOT FULLY IMPLEMENTED OR COMPLIED WITH THE ORDER.
WE RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE IN ENSURING THAT THE EXECUTIVE ORDER IS PROPERLY ENFORCED AND THAT AFFECTED EMPLOYEES HAVE A CLEAR WAY TO ADDRESS THEIR CONCERNS AND RECEIVE THE WAGES AND PROTECTIONS INTENDED BY THE ORDER.
WE WILL DEFINITELY, UH, I'M AWARE OF THE SITUATION WE'RE WORKING WITH AIRPORT DIRECTOR AND LEGAL TO PROTECT YOUR RIGHTS.
I'M AN EMPLOY, I'M EMPLOYED BY ENVOY AIRLINES AT JAVIER AIRPORT.
I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF MY CONSTITUENTS AS WELL AS MYSELF TO GET RESOLUTION IN REGARDS TO THE EXECUTIVE ORDER I 64, PUT IN EFFECT AUGUST 12TH, 2026.
IT SEEMS THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE ENTITIES AT HOU ARE RECEIVING THE PAY INCREASE OR ABOUT TO ON THEIR NEXT PAYCHECKS.
ENVOY INSISTS THAT WE ARE NOT ENTITLED TO SUCH A PAY INCREASE.
THE EX EXCUSE, THE EXCUSE THAT HAS BEEN PROVIDED IS THAT ENVOY DOES NOT HAVE CON A CONTRACT WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
THEY ARE OWNED BY AA, WHICH IS AMERICAN AIRLINES.
WELL THEN I DIRECTED, UM, HOLD ON.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT ENVOY
[00:40:01]
AT IAH IS RECEIVING THE PAY INCREASE.MAN, I LOST MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT HERE.
UM, OKAY, SO I POINTED OUT SO KINDLY THAT IN THE CASE, IF THAT'S THE CASE, WHY DID WE, WE RECEIVED THE IN INCREASE ON THE PREVIOUS EXECUTIVE ORDER THAT WAS PUT IN PLACE TO RAISE THE WAGE TO $15 AN HOUR.
NOTHING HAS CHANGED FROM THE TIME THAT THAT EXECUTIVE ORDER WAS PUT INTO EFFECT TO THE EXECUTIVE ORDER THAT WAS ISSUED ON THE 12TH OF AUGUST.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT ENVOY AT IH IS RECEIVING THE PAY INCREASE AND WE ARE NOT.
THEN I WAS DIRECTED THAT THE UNION HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT.
SO I CONTACT, I TOOK
MY PURPOSE OF BEING HERE IS TO ADDRESS THE EXECUTIVE ORDER I 64 THAT WAS PUT INTO EFFECT BY MAYOR WHITMEYER ON 12TH OF AUGUST, 2026.
AND TO GET A RESOLUTION FOR ALL THE EMPLOYEES AT HOU.
NO ONE CAN LIVE ON A $15 AN HOUR TODAY.
IN TODAY'S ECONOMY, OUR FAITH LIES IN YOUR HANDS.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT I HAVE, I HAVE BEEN WITH ENVOY, AMERICAN, AMERICAN EAGLE FOR 32 YEARS, AND DURING THAT 32 YEARS BEING EMPLOYED WITH THEM, I'M BARELY MAKING OVER $18 AN HOUR.
WHEN I TOOK THE JOB 30 SOMETHING YEARS AGO, I WAS MARRIED.
MY HUSBAND HAD HIS OWN BUSINESS.
I TOOK THIS JOB FOR MEDICAL BENEFITS, BEEN MARRIED 36 YEARS, RECENTLY DIVORCED.
I HAVE NOW HAD TO REALIZE YOU CANNOT LIVE ON THE PAY WAGES THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO GIVE THE EMPLOYEES.
NOWADAYS, OUR EMPLOYEES ARE HAVING TO WORK 60 TO 80 HOURS A WEEK TO TRY TO MAKE ENOUGH MONEY TO PAY THEIR CAR RENT, TO PAY THEIR, THEIR APARTMENT, TO PAY THEIR INSURANCE.
IT'S, IT'S AN UNLIVABLE WAGE AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THEY AGREED TO GIVE IT TO INTERCONTINENTAL AND NOT US OTHER THAN THAT WE'RE UNIONIZED AND THAT THEY'RE NOT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, FOR, LET ME, LET ME, UH, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
UH, WE'RE, WE'RE IN CONTACT WITH THE AIRPORT DIRECTOR AND THE VENDOR, YOUR EMPLOYER, AND WE EXPECT THEM TO FOLLOW THE EXECUTIVE ORDER AS MOST VENDORS HAVE.
WE WILL DEFINITELY DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO GIVE YOU SOME RELIEF.
HAROLD SCOTT ARD CHALA, GEORGE LE BLANCHE LATOYA DAVIS TO BE FOLLOWED BY SAR SARAVA PAGE.
UM, YES, PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHEN MY THREE MINUTES HAVE STARTED.
I AM HERE BECAUSE I WAS CELEBRATING MY BIRTHDAY ON AUGUST 27TH IN HOUSTON, TEXAS.
AND MY CAR WAS TOWED AND, UM, IT WAS AT NIGHT.
AND SO THE SIGN THAT SAID I COULD NOT PARK THERE WAS NOT LIT UP.
UM, MY CAR WAS HERE AND THE SIGN IS FAR AWAY FROM WHERE I WAS PARKED AT NIGHTTIME.
IF THERE'S NO LIGHT, HOW CAN YOU SEE? SO THERE'S, WELL, MY CAR WAS, AND THIS IS WHERE THE SIGN IS.
SO, UM, I WAS CHARGED $310 AND I WOULD LIKE TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THAT BECAUSE I AM PLANNING TO GO TO MEDICAL SCHOOL TO BE ONE OF THE BEST DOCTORS IN THE WORLD AND I NEED ALL MY DIMES AND NICKELS.
AND SO BASICALLY, UM, HERE ARE PICTURES THAT CAN BE PRESENTED AND I HAVE RECEIPTS BECAUSE KARMA KEEPS RECEIPTS.
AND SO, UM, IF YOU WOULD LIKE THIS ENTERED AND AS WELL, I HAVE RECEIVED A PARKING CITATION FOR $70, WHICH I SHOULD HAVE NOT RECEIVED BECAUSE MY CAR SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN TOWED BECAUSE HAD THAT SIGN HAD LIGHT ON IT SO I COULD SEE WITH MY TWO EYES, I WOULD HAVE NOT PARKED THERE.
SO, UM, YES, I'M GONNA PUT THAT IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO REIMBURSE ME, ANYBODY WITH AUTHORITY, I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE THAT BECAUSE, AND ALSO I ONLY FOUND OUT THAT THERE WAS A SIGN THERE SAYING I COULD NOT PARK THERE AFTER MY CAR WAS TOWED.
BUT UPON DISCOVERING THAT, I NOTICED THERE WAS SOMEBODY THERE WATCHING PEOPLE AS THEY PARKED THERE CALLING IT IN, MEANING THAT IS A MONEY GRAB, MEANING SOMEBODY LOVES
[00:45:01]
MONEY, THAT THEY PAID THIS PERSON TO SIT AND WAIT FOR PEOPLE TO PARK THERE AND GET THEIR CAR TOWED.SO WHEN I CAME OUT AND I SAW MY CAR TOWED, I WAS VERY UPSET BECAUSE I SAID, HAVE I SEEN THAT SIGN? I WOULD'VE KNOWN I CANNOT PARK THERE.
HOW CAN I KNOW I CANNOT PARK THERE IF I DID NOT SEE THE SIGN IN THE DARK? OKAY.
IF YOU EVER CELEBRATED CHRISTMAS, THAT IS A FAKE HOLIDAY.
THE REAL BIRTHDAY OF KING JESUS CHRIST IS NOVEMBER 19TH.
HOW DO I KNOW THAT? BECAUSE GOD TOLD ME.
WE'LL TALK TO PUBLIC WORKS ABOUT BETTER SIGNAGE, BETTER LIGHTING.
I'VE ACTUALLY BEEN A VICTIM OF EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
WHEN THE SIGNS IN THE NEXT BLOCK, IT, UH, IT IS NOT A GOOD SERVICE.
AND ALSO MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR CELEBRATING DR.
OUR SENIOR PASTOR RAYMOND E. WRIGHT.
I DID HAPPEN TO SEE YOU AT HIS CELEBRATION.
UM, YOU GAVE HIM A CITY PROCLAMATION FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND I HOPE THAT YOU WILL HONOR KING JESUS CHRIST AND MAKE NOVEMBER 19TH A DAY OF THE BIRTH OF KING JESUS CHRIST.
WOULD YOU LIKE THIS ENTERED INTO EVIDENCE? NOW YOU CAN LIVE.
GIVE THEM TO MS. WILLIAMS. AND WHO IS THAT? MS. WILLIAMS? THAT BY THE DOOR, REBECCA.
I HAVE A LOT MORE TO SAY, BUT I'M NOT GONNA SAY IT TODAY.
NEXT SARVA PAGE TO BE FOLLOWED BY ANTONIO HENDERSON.
UM, FOR A JOB WELL DONE FOR HELPING THE HOMELESS AND, UM, DOING SOME OF THE STREETS THAT THANK YOU MAYOR FOR A WELL DONE JOB FOR HELPING SOME OF THE HOMELESS PEOPLE AND REDOING SOME OF THE STREETS THAT NEED TO BE DONE OVER 20 YEARS.
I AM ONE OF THE PERSONS THAT YOU HELP HOUSE ME FROM OUTTA MY VEHICLE INTO A PROPERTY WHICH IS CALLED WESTHEIMER GARDENS.
UM, WHICH IS IN THE GALLERIA AREA.
UH, I'VE BEEN LIVING THERE NOW FOR A YEAR, BUT I WAS TOLD BY A CASEWORKER FROM SEARCH SAYING THAT YOUR TIME IS UP AND THAT I GUESS YOU GOTTA GO BACK TO THE STREETS.
ALSO, MY CAR, MY TRAILBLAZER HAS BEEN TOWED FROM THERE, WHICH I HAVE BEEN LIVING THERE FOR A YEAR.
I DID NOT GET NO SIGN OR NOTICE SAYING TO REMOVE OR MOVE MY VEHICLE.
THE PREVIOUS MANAGER WAS THERE, ASKED ME TO JUST MOVE IT AROUND.
UM, I HAVE STILL HAVE BEEN, I HAVE BEEN WORKING ALL MY LIFE, BUT I HAVE BEEN UNDER THE MENTAL HEALTH, UH, SYSTEM BASED ON MY DADDY AS A MILITARY ARMY.
SO I HAVE, UH, WORKED VOLUNTEER AT MENTAL HEALTH WHEN IT WAS M-H-M-H-R FOR 10 YEARS.
I WORKED FOR THE VA HOSPITAL FOR 27 YEARS, VOLUNTEERING.
NOW THAT I'M, UH, REACHED THE AGE OR RE RE RECEIVING RETIREMENT, I CAN'T GET IT.
EVERY TIME I REACH THE AGE THEY GO UP FROM 55 TO 60 TO 62, 9 65.
MY CHILDREN DAD HAVE WORKED FOR THE RAILROAD, HAVE NOT GOTTEN MY BENEFITS FROM THEM.
MY DAD IS A MILITARY SOLDIER, UH, WHO RECEIVED ASIAN ORANGE WHEN THEY GAVE UP ON HIM THREE MONTHS.
WHEN I TOOK, I STOPPED WORKING TO TAKE CARE OF HIM.
HE LIVED ADDITIONAL SEVEN YEARS HE PASSED AWAY.
AND WHEN HE PASSED AWAY, HE DIED OF OLD AGE AT 82.
AND THEY SAY COVID, I CALLED THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
WHEN, UH, SYLVESTER TURNER WAS IN OFFICE, THEY DID NOT COME AND COLLECT MY DADDY BODY.
I CALLED THE CITY, I CALLED THE VA.
NOW I HAVE BEEN CHARGED WITH THOSE SERVICES.
WHEN I WAS IN WASHINGTON, THEY EXPEDITED ME BACK TO TEXAS.
THAT'S HOW I GOT THE APARTMENT IN THE GALLERIA AREA.
AND I'VE BEEN LIVING THERE AND I APPLIED FOR JOBS WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON, THE VA HOSPITAL.
AND I HAVE NOT RECEIVED NO RESPONSE, BUT NONE OF THE JOBS I APPLIED FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON HAVE A REENTRY PROGRAM, WHICH I AM A PART OF TOO AS WELL.
THEY HAVE HOUSED MEN THAT STAND IN SHELTER, REHAB HOUSES.
THEY HAVE GOTTEN THE JOBS, BUT FAR AS WOMEN, THEY HAVE NOT GIVEN THEM NO JOBS FOR AS IN THE REENTRY PROGRAM.
NOW, I WAS HERE JUST LISTENING TO THESE PEOPLE SPEAK ABOUT THEY HAVE HOMELESS PEOPLE.
ARE YOU REALLY HELPING HOMELESS PEOPLE? ONLY BECAUSE THEY GOT GRANT MONEY.
LOOK AT THE PEOPLE THAT WAS STANDING UP HERE.
ARE THEY REALLY HELPING? ARE Y'ALL GOING TO THE STREETS AND HELPING THESE PEOPLE? Y'ALL IN THE OFFICE BUSINESS PUSHING THE PEN IN PAPER.
YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED BECAUSE OF THE MONEY.
YOU GETTING GRANT MONEY OR YOU REALLY HELPING THE HOMELESS PEOPLE? I WAS TOLD
[00:50:01]
YOU PAY MY RENT, NOW I GOTTA GO BACK TO THE STREET.I'M NOT TRYING TO ASK FOR NOTHING FOR FREE.
BUT THE CITY, THE STATE, THE GOVERNMENT, THE GALLERIA, EVEN IN NEIMAN MARKET, YOU GOT ALL FOREIGN PEOPLE IN NEIMAN'S MARKET.
EVEN IN THE FOOD COURT, IT'S ALL MEXICAN AND CHINESE.
NOT EVEN ONE AFRICAN AMERICAN IN THERE IN THE GALLERIA.
AND I LIVE RIGHT DOWN THE STREET AND CAN'T GET A JOB.
SO HOW CAN Y'ALL HELP ME AT THIS POINT? MY VEHICLE GOT TOWED.
I CAN'T MOVE MY STUFF OUT THE APARTMENT.
YOU ALL PLACED ME THERE WITH HOUSING THROUGH SEARCH.
THEY TOLD ME, I GUESS YOU GOTTA GO BACK TO THE STREETS AND THEY HAVE ALL THESE GRANTS TO HELP HOMELESS PEOPLE.
HOW MANY ARE YOU HELPING? REALLY? YOU PICK AND CHOOSE WHO YOU HELP.
THE LAST TIME I WAS HERE, YOU HAD A LEGAL PERSON THAT WAS GOING TO HELP ME.
I ILLEGALLY GOT ARRESTED BECAUSE A COURT APPOINTED LAWYER DIDN'T TELL ME ABOUT A COURT DATE.
THE JUDGE LITERALLY, YOU SIT THERE AND POST BOND ALL THE MONEY THAT YOU LOOKED INTO MY ACCOUNT THAT I DID HAVE.
I DON'T HAVE IT NO MORE BECAUSE I WHAT HAD TO PAY THE CITY MA'AM, HAD TO PAY YOUR TO GET OUTTA JAIL WHEN I SHOULDN'T EVEN BEEN IN JAIL.
I, I WANT YOU TO VISIT WITH THE CHIEF OF STAFF.
MS. WILSON'S GOING TO LOOK AT YOUR RECORDS.
ANTONIO HENDERSON, JOE HOLSON TO BE FOLLOWED BY RUBEN GARZA.
GOOD MORNING MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS JOE HOLSON AND I'M A 25 YEAR HOMEOWNER IN, IN THE DREW DENNIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
I'M HERE AGAIN, UH, REGARDING LANE FOR GROCERIES.
PROPOSED NEW BUSINESS LOCATION LOCATED AT 90 DENNIS AND MIDTOWN.
BEFORE I BEGIN, I WANT TO REMIND THE CITY COUNCIL THAT THIS PROPERTY HAS DOCUMENTED COMPLIANCE ISSUES.
AS THE PROPERTY UNDERWENT SUBSTANTIAL REMODELING WITHOUT ANY OF THE REQUIRED PERMITS, THAT HISTORY RAISES SERIOUS CONCERNS FOR SURROUNDING HOMEOWNERS ABOUT COMPLIANCE WITH CITY ORDINANCES.
TODAY I WANT TO FOCUS ON TWO PRACTICAL ISSUES, PARKING AND COMMERCIAL DELIVERIES.
CURRENTLY THIS POTENTIAL NEW BUSINESS HAS NO PARKING AVAILABLE TO ITS CUSTOMERS.
AGAIN, ZERO PARKING AS THIS WAS ONCE A RESIDENTIAL HOME.
WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT LANGFORD MAY HAVE SECURED PARKING MORE THAN TWO BLOCKS AWAY, BUT HOW REALISTIC IS, IS IT TO EXPECT CUSTOMERS THAT USE A LOT RATHER THAN PARK ALONG OUR RESIDENTIAL STREETS? MORE IMPORTANTLY, REMOTE PARKING DOES NOT, DOES NOTHING TO ADDRESS COMMERCIAL DELIVERIES.
RESTAURANTS REQUIRED REGULAR DELIVERIES OF FOOD, BEVERAGES, COOKING, OIL SUPPLIES, AND WASTE COLLECTION.
THOSE TRUCKS MUST ACCESS THE RESTAURANT, YET 90 DENTISTS HAS NO DEDICATED LOADING AREA.
SO WHERE WERE THESE COMMERCIAL VEHICLES? STOP AND UNLOAD.
YESTERDAY I SHARED A VIDEO WITH MANY OF YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS ILLUSTRATING THIS VERY CONCERN.
TWO VE TWO VEHICLE COMMERCIAL VEHICLES WERE UNL ILLEGALLY PARKED AND UNLOADING ON THE STREET NEAR A BUSY FOUR-WAY INTERSECTION WHERE PEOPLE WERE GOING TO WORK IN THEIR EARLY MORNING HOURS AS WELL AS CHILDREN GOING TO SCHOOL.
ESSENTIALLY, OUR RESIDENTIAL STREETS ARE BEING TURNED INTO COMMERCIAL LOADING ZONES.
AND BECAUSE OF THIS AS A BRE BREAKFAST OPERATION, THESE ACTIVITIES BEGIN EARLY IN THE MORNING DIRECTLY OUTSIDE OUR HOMES.
IF THIS PROPERTY CANNOT ACCOMMODATE ITS OWN COMMERCIAL OPERATIONS, THEN THE NEIGHBORHOOD BECOMES THE PARKING LOT AND OUR ORIGINAL DIGITAL STREETS BECOME THE LOADING DOCKS.
MAYOR, RECENTLY, OUR MAYOR RECENTLY POSTED VIDEO HIGHLIGHTING YOUR EFFORT, HIS EFFORTS IN MIDTOWN TO ENSURE BUSINESS COMPLY WITH SYDNEY ORDINANCES.
MY NEIGHBORS ARE ASKING FOR THAT SAME LEVEL OF ATTENTION AND ENFORCEMENT, GIVEN THE HISTORY OF SUBSTANTIAL CONSTRUCTION PROCEEDING WITHOUT THE REQUIRED PERMITS.
WHAT ASSURANCES DO RESIDENTIAL RESIDENCES HAVE THAT PARKING, COMMERCIAL DELIVERIES AND OTHER OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS WILL BE PROPERLY ADDRESSED, PARTICULARLY WHEN WE ARE ALREADY SEEING THESE CONCERNS TODAY.
THEREFORE, RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT NO PERMIT CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY OR OTHER CITY APPROVAL NECESSARY TO BEGIN RESTAURANT OPERATIONS BE ISSUED UNTIL LANGFORD DEMONSTRATES HOW PARKING COMMERCIAL DELIVERIES WILL BE HANDLED SAFELY, LEGALLY, AND WITHOUT TRANSFERRING THOSE BURDENS INTO THE SURROUNDING RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, JOE, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND THANK YOU FOR EXPRESSING THESE CONCERNS.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT ALL BUSINESSES ARE COMPLYING WITH THE LAWS ON THE BOOKS WHILE ALSO CONTINUING TO SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES.
UM, I UNDERSTAND MY STAFF HAS BEEN, UH, FOLLOWING UP ON THE PERMITS THAT THEY'RE REQUESTING OVER THE SUMMER, AND WE'LL MAKE SURE TO STAY ON TOP OF IT AS WELL.
AND PLEASE CONTINUE TO REACH OUT TO OUR OFFICE, UH, AS THIS DEVELOPS.
UH, I, AGAIN, I DO WANNA POINT OUT I SENT A VIDEO TO MOST EVERYBODY YESTERDAY, TWO COMMERCIAL VEHICLES BLOCKING A FOUR-WAY INTERSECTION, AND THAT'S IN THE WHERE IT IS NOW.
THIS IS NOT EVEN TALKING ABOUT THE NEW BUSINESS TO BE OPENED.
YEAH, IT'S THE IT'S A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD.
[00:55:01]
FOR COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY.NEXT SPEAKER CHRISTINE KING TAYLOR.
CHRISTINE KING TAYLOR TO BE FOLLOWED BY LIO LES.
MORNING MAYOR JOHN WITH MEYER AND DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS OF HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS CHRISTINE KING TAYLOR, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HOPE FOR THE FUTURE GENERATIONS INCORPORATED, AND I AM HONORED TO INTRODUCE HOPE HAVEN TRANSITION HOUSING PROGRAM IN THE A ACRES HOME COMMUNITY, WHICH PROVIDES SAFE, SUPPORTIVE TRANSITION HOUSING FOR YOUNG WOMEN AGES 18 TO 25, INCLUDING THOSE AGING OUT OF FOSTER CARE AND EXPERIENCING HOUSING INSTABILITY.
HOPE HAVING IS MORE THAN A PLACE TO LIVE.
IT IS A BREACH TO INDEPENDENCE, PROVIDING CASE MANAGEMENT EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT READINESS, EMPLOYMENT READINESS, LIFE SKILLS TRAINING, FINANCIAL LITERACY, MENTORSHIP, MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES, AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT.
MAYOR MEYER, I HAVE ATTENDED SEVERAL HOUSTON HEIGHTS ROTARY CLUB EVENTS WHERE I HEARD YOU ENCOURAGE YOUR STUDENTS TO GET INVOLVED AND SERVE OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE HEARD THAT CALL AND RESPONDED.
WE BROUGHT SOME PICTURES, BUT UNFORTUNATELY WE CANNOT SHOW THAT WE WILL BE WILLING TO SHARE WITH YOU THROUGH EMAILS, BUT THESE PICTURE REPRESENTS OUR COMMITMENT TO SERVICE, INCLUDING GOING OUT IN THE COMMUNITY MONTH AFTER MONTH TO NEAR THE D STADIUM PARK TO PROVIDE MEALS TO INDIVIDUAL EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
WE DID NOT WAIT UNTIL WE HAD EVERYTHING.
WE STARTED WITH WHAT WE HAD AND WE SERVE WHERE WE SAW A NEED.
THAT SAME COMMITMENT TO SERVICE LED US TO ESTABLISH HOPE HAVEN.
TODAY I AM ASKING THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO STAY WITH US AND PARTNER WITH HOPE HAVEN THROUGH REFERRALS, RESOURCES, EMPLOYMENT AND EDUCATION, CONNECTIONS, MENTORSHIP, PHONE OPPORTUNITIES, AND OTHER PARTNERSHIP THAT WILL HELP THESE YOUNG WOMEN ACHIEVE STABILITY AND INDEPENDENCE.
I'M ALSO RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING THE MAYOR WITH MEYER AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON CONSIDER ISSUING A PROCLAMATION, RECOGNIZING HOPE FOR THE FUTURE GENERATION INCORPORATED AND HOPE HAVEN TRANSITION HOUSING PROGRAM FOR OUR COMMITMENT TO SERVING VULNERABLE YOUNG WOMEN AND STRENGTHENING OUR HOUSTON COMMUNITY.
WE ARE MEYER YOU CHALLENGE HISTO HOUSTONIANS TO SERVE.
WE HEARD YOU, WE STEP FORWARD AND WE ARE SERVING NOW.
WE ARE ASKING THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO STEP FORWARD WITH US.
TOGETHER WE CAN GIVE YOUNG WOMEN NOT ONLY A SAFE PLACE TO LIVE, BUT HOPE, DIGNITY, OPPORTUNITY, STABILITY, AND A PATHWAY TO A SUCCESSFUL FUTURE.
THANK YOU MAYOR WHITMEYER AND A MEMBER OF CITY COUNCIL FOR YOUR SERVICE AND CONSIDERATION OF OUR REQUEST.
GOD BLESS YOU AND GOD BLESS THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
THANK YOU FOR STEPPING UP AND, UM, PROVIDING A NEED.
UM, AND I KNOW IT'S A LOT OF KIDS COMING OUT OF THE JUSTICE SYSTEM AND, UM, CPS IS TRANSITIONING OUT AND NEED SOMEWHERE TO STAY AND SO THANK YOU FOR, YOU KNOW, TAKING THE LEAD ON THAT.
UM, IF YOU CAN PROVIDE ME WITH ANY INFORMATION, I WOULD, YOU KNOW, LOVE TO, YOU KNOW, CONNECT WITH YOU, YOU WITH SOME OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE WORK WITH, THAT WORK WITH YOUNG PEOPLE THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THE SYSTEM.
AND SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
I ALSO, UM, CONTACTED YOUR OFFICE, SO I'M WAITING FOR THEM TO GET BACK WITH ME SO WE CAN SEE HOW WE CAN VISIT YOU AND TELL YOU MORE OF OUR PROGRAM.
AND WE GONNA BE AT THE COMMUNITY MEETING NEXT WEEK OKAY.
TO MEET WITH YOU IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND YOU, YOU AND WE'LL HAVE MARY, UM, COME OUT AND CONNECT WITH YOU.
NEXT BA LIO LES LISA HUNT TO BE FOLLOWED BY TARA DE.
I'M LISA HUNT WITH MIGRATION, UM, WITH DIGNITY.
I WANNA THANK THE MAYOR FOR WITHDRAWING THE APPLICATION FOR THE MODEL CITIES GRANT.
UM, OUR FAITH TRADITIONS TEACH THAT WE ARE TO CARE FOR THE VULNERABLE AND STRANGER GOD'S
[01:00:01]
BRAIN IS NOT ZERO SUM.WE KNOW THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON NEEDS MONEY TO MEET OUR EVER INCREASING EXPENSES.
HOWEVER, GRANTS WHICH SEEK TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF OUR HOMELESS NEIGHBORS WHILE FURTHER TERRORIZING UNDOCUMENTED NEIGHBORS IN THEIR FAMILIES IS MONEY NOT WORTH HAVING.
PRINCIPLES AND VALUES MATTER, ESPECIALLY WHEN RESOURCES ARE RESTRICTED AND LIMITED.
THIS GRANT WAS APPLIED FOR WITHOUT PUBLIC DISCUSSION OR FULL COUNSEL INVOLVEMENT.
A GRANT OF THIS MAGNITUDE WITH SUCH EMBEDDED VALUES REQUIRES GREATER DISCERNMENT, WHICH PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND FULL COUNCIL DISCUSSION WOULD ALLOW MIGRATION WITH DIGNITY SEEKS TO FURTHER SUCH MORAL DISCUSSION WITH HONESTY AND TRANSPARENCY.
MAYOR MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL.
I'M A SURVIVOR OF FAMILY VIOLENCE AND A PRO CELL LETTER.
I'M HERE FOR EVERY WOMAN WHO WALKS INTO A HARRIS COUNTY COURTROOM ALONE.
WHEN A SURVIVOR CANNOT AFFORD A LAWYER, SHE DOES NOT STOP NEEDING PROTECTION, SHE BECOMES INVISIBLE.
MY STORY IS NOT IS ONE EXAMPLE.
I MARRIED PAIGE OTHER ON WITH LOVE AND GOOD FAITH, HOPING TO BUILD A FAMILY.
I PUT HORMONES INTO MY BODY AND WENT THROUGH PAINFUL, EXPENSIVE IVF PAIN, PRAYING TO BECOME A MOTHER.
I BELIEVE HE MARRIED ME WITH DECEPTION LIES.
I INJURED INFIDELITY, CRUELTY, RACE, CONSTRUCTION, FRAUD, UH, INVOLVING COMMUNITY STATE.
I WAS ABUSED THROUGHOUT MY MARRIAGE.
NOW I'M BEING ABUSED THROUGHOUT THE COURTS.
HIS CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY MATTHEW HOAK, IS NOW HIS DIVORCE ATTORNEY.
I BELIEVE THIS IS A CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
IN ONLY SIX MONTHS, ABOUT 43,000 OF OUR COMMUNITY MONEY HAS GONE HOAK ABOUT ABOUT 12,000 OF ITS TO ATTACK MY PROTECTIVE ORDER.
I BELIEVE MY ABUSER IS USING THAT MONEY TO CHANGE EVERY NARRATIVE AND EVERY FACT OF OUR MARRIAGE TO HIS OWN BENEFIT, TO PROTECT HIS IMAGE, AND TO BUY AWAY MY PROTECTION WHILE MY RIGHTS ARE IGNORED.
YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED THIS TIME.
I'M ASKING FOR A FAIR HEARING BEFORE THE ADMINISTRATIVE JUDGE.
NO BIAS, NO LECTURING A FAIR HEARING UNDER THE LAW.
PRO SE DOES NOT MEAN POWERLESS.
WOMAN RIGHTS ARE HUMAN RIGHTS.
UM, I JUST WANT TO ADDRESS THAT, UH, IN THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS I HAVE GONE TO, THROUGH, UH, LOTS OF LOCAL, UH, LEADERS AND POLITICIANS TO SHOW, UH, SUPPORT AND SOLIDARITY.
AND YET, UM, I THINK THERE HAS BEEN A GAP OR UNDERSTANDING.
THEY'RE NOT UNDERSTANDING WHY.
SO, UM, IT'S NEVER TO REALLY CAUSE ANY DISRESPECT, BUT IT WAS ABOUT, UH, GIVING THE FAMILY, LAUREN'S A FAMILY, AND THE FAMILY THAT HAS SUFFERED AND EVERY FAMILY WATCHING SOMETHING, GOVERNMENT HAVING AND CANNOT TAKE AWAY THEIR DIGNITY AND SOMETHING THIS COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, YET TO PROVIDE.
UH, AND IGAS KNOW WE HAVE TRIED EVERY AVENUE POSSIBLE TO MAKE SURE THAT IGAS WERE CHANGING THE VOTES AND I DON'T THINK IT'S GONNA COME TO PLAY.
SO, UM, EVEN WHEN THE SYSTEM FAILS AND EVEN WHEN THE JUSTICE IS GONNA COME SHORT DURING TRIAL DUE TO IMMUNITY, YOUR, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
UM, THEY COULD SAY THAT AT LEAST WE DIDN'T ABANDON THEM AND THE LEADERS DIDN'T ABANDON THEM.
AT LEAST THEY WERE HERE AND BROUGHT THE COMMUNITY UNITED AND WHICH IS LIKELY MIGHT.
NEXT, THIS CAN PLEASE THE LIST OF SPEAKERS.
[CONSENT AGENDA – NUMBERS 1 through 37]
MOVE TO OUR CONSENT AGENDA UNDER THE MISCELLANEOUS CATEGORY, ITEM ONE HAS BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.UNDER THE PURCHASING AND TABULATION OF BIDS, CATEGORY ITEM TWO HAS BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION UNDER THE ORDINANCES CATEGORY, SINCE YOUR LIST WAS DISTRIBUTED, ITEMS FOUR, FIVE, AND 23 HAVE BEEN RECEIVED.
AGAIN, ITEMS FOUR, FIVE, AND 23 ARE NOW IN ITEM 25 HAS NOT BEEN RECEIVED AND BUT WILL BE CONSIDERED IF IT'S RECEIVED BEFORE THE END OF THE MEETING.
[01:05:02]
13 AND 20 HAVE BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES AS OPPOSED NAY.
NEXT I NEED TO CORRECT ON THE ORDINANCES CATEGORY ITEMS REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.
THIS IS A ITEM THAT WE VISITED A FEW WEEKS AGO IN YOUR, YOUR OFFICE.
UH, RESPECTFULLY, UH, WITHDREW IT TO LOOK AT IT AND DO A RE-REVIEW OF THE INTENDED USE OF SOME OF THE DEDICATED DOLLARS THAT WERE GOING TOWARDS CAR WASH SERVICES FOR VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS.
UM, I SEE IT BACK ON THE AGENDA AND IT'S NOW RAISED AS A MOTION.
MY ISSUE WITH THIS IS WE HAD GOTTEN NOTICE FROM THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE THAT HE DID NOT CERTIFY THESE DOLLARS.
NOW I UNDERSTAND THAT HE MAY CERTIFY THE OVERALL BUDGET, BUT THAT'S JUST TO SAY THAT WE HAVE MONEY AS A CITY FOR THE APPROPRIATIONS OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
BUT THESE INDIVIDUALIZED ITEMS THAT COME BEFORE COUNCIL SHOULD BE GOING THROUGH THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE TO BE CERTIFIED.
I THINK WE ARE GOING DOWN A VERY SLIPPERY SLOPE AND SETTING A BAD PRECEDENT IF THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE DEEMS ITEMS, UH, NOT CERTIFIABLE.
UM, AND THEN WE AS A COUNCIL STILL BRING THESE ITEMS FOR AND VOTE ON THEM.
I THINK IT, IT LEADS THE CITY OPEN FOR LIABILITY WHEN IT COMES TO FUNDING AND PAYING OUT ON VENDORS AND CONTRACTS IF THE, IF THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE DID NOT INITIALLY CERTIFY AND THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYMENT.
AND WHEN THERE'S LEGIT CAUSE FOR, UM, THE RATIONALE BEHIND WHY THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE DID NOT CERTIFY.
AND IN THIS CASE IT'S BECAUSE THERE ARE DEDICATED DOLLARS THAT ARE GOING TOWARDS, UH, CAR WASH SERVICES THAT ARE COMING FROM STORM WATER FUNDS OR THE WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM OPERATING FUND THAT HAVE NOT BEEN DEEMED BY HIS OFFICE AS, UH, PROPER USE OF FUNDS.
AND SO I, I DO THINK WE NEED TO REALLY LOOK AT THAT.
THESE AREN'T HIGH DOLLAR ALLOCATIONS, AS YOU'VE MENTIONED IN THE PAST.
YOU KNOW, ALL OF THIS MONEY THAT'S SITTING IN DIFFERENT ACCOUNTS IS CITY DOLLARS.
UM, BUT WHEN YOU TAKE MONEY OUT OF ONE POT, YOU STILL HAVE TO FEEL THAT FROM MONEY FROM ANOTHER POT FOR THOSE SAME SERVICES.
AND SO IT WOULD SEEM REASONABLE TO ME THAT WE WOULD JUST USE MONEY FROM THE GENERAL FUND ON THESE APPROPRIATIONS AND NOT TAKE IT FROM THE STORM WATER DOLLARS.
UM, AND THAT'S SOMETHING I WOULD LIKE YOU TO LOOK AT AND REVISIT.
WE, I DON'T THINK IT'S GOOD POLICY OR GOVERNANCE TO HAVE THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE ADVISE US AS A COUNCIL ONE WAY, AND THEN WE FIND ANOTHER, UM, TECHNICAL WAY TO GET AROUND THAT RULING AND THEN STILL VOTE ON THE ITEM.
SO I DID WANT TO BRING THAT UP FOR THE BODY TO CONSIDER.
I APPRECIATE YOUR, UH, AS YOU WELL KNOW, THE CONTROLLER'S JOB IS TO CERTIFY THAT THE FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE NOT TO SET POLICY.
AND WHILE I APPRECIATE HIS COMMENTS, UH, THIS IS THE PROPER USE OF FUNDING CERTAINLY OUTTA THE DRAINAGE.
'CAUSE THE DRAINAGE EMPLOYEES HAVE TO HAVE THEIR EMPLOYEES.
WE HAVE A DUTY TO PROTECT AND MAINTAIN CITY ASSETS.
UH, THE CONTROLLER APPROVED THE SAME USE IN JULY, AND HE CERTAINLY CERTIFIED THE BUDGET AND A CONTINUING APPROPRIATION.
SO WE HAVE CERTAINLY BEEN VERY, UH, PROTECTIVE OF THE CITY FUNDS AND, UH, WE'VE GOTTA MOVE ON AND TAKE CARE OF CITY ASSETS.
SO IT'S LEGAL, IT WAS PART OF THE BUDGET AS A CONTINUING ITEM, AND, UH, IF HE CHOSE NOT TO CERTIFY AS DUE TO HIS POLICY, THAT'S NOT REALLY HIS DUTY.
UH, IF YOU OPPOSE IT, I'D SUGGEST YOU VOTE.
NO, I, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS.
[01:10:01]
UH, HE DID SEND OUT A LETTER FOR US ALL TO REVIEW, AND IN THAT, IN THAT, IN THAT LETTER, IT SAID THAT UNDER ARTICLE TWO SECTION 19, NO CONTRACT MAY BE ENTERED INTO UNTIL AN APPROPRIATION HAS BEEN MADE FOR SUCH CONTRACT AND NO CONTRACT IS BINDING UPON THE CITY UNLESS IT HAS BEEN COUNTERSIGNED BY THE CONTROLLER.IT ALSO, IT ALSO STATES THAT IT, ARTICLE TWO SECTION 19 A EXPLICITLY PROVIDES THAT NO ORDINANCE RESOLUTION OR MOTION FOR THE MAKING OF ANY CONTRACT AGREEMENT OR OTHER OBLIGATION REGARDING OR REQUIRING THE EXPENDITURE OF MONEY SHALL BE PASSED BY CITY COUNCIL UNLESS THE CONTROLLER FIRST CERTIFY TO THE COUNCIL.
AND I, AND I DO THINK THAT WE SHOULD HEED TO, UM, THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE WHEN IT COMES TO DOLLARS THAT HAVE TO BE CERTIFIED BY THE CITY BEFORE WE GET INTO THESE CONTRACTS THAT COULD OPEN US UP TO NOT ONLY LITIGATION, BUT ALSO CONFLICTS FROM HIS OFFICE OF HAVING TO MAKE PAYMENTS WITHOUT SURE HIS OFFICE INITIALLY CERTIFYING.
I, I APPRECIATE YOUR OPINION, CERTAINLY THE CONTROLLERS, BUT HE CERTIFIED THE BUDGET, WHICH IS A CONTINUING APPROPRIATION FOR FISCAL YEAR 27.
SO, UH, THE, THE LEGAL OPINION CAME OUT OF, UH, CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
THE FISCAL DIRECTOR, UH, REVIEWED IT.
AND QUITE FRANKLY, WE'VE DONE THIS, UH, ON OTHER OCCASIONS, BUT THE CONTROLLER'S GOT A DUTY TO MAKE CERTAIN THE FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE, BUT CERTAINLY NOT TO SET POLICY.
AND, AND THAT THE QUESTION OF THE MOTION VERSUS THE, THE OTHER WAY WE WERE DOING IT, THAT'S, I GUESS, BEEN RESOLVED BY LEGAL AND, AND THAT WAS ALL ON BOARD.
IF I COULD ASK THE CITY ATTORNEY TO JUST TALK ABOUT THAT.
UM, UH, THE MOTION IS A PERMISSIBLE WAY TO APPROVE THIS ITEM.
IT WAS, AS THE MAYOR POINTED OUT, HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE CONTROLLER ALREADY EARLIER THIS YEAR.
UM, AND SHOULD ANY LEGAL CHALLENGE BE BROUGHT? I'M VERY COMFORTABLE WITH THE POSITION OF THE ADMINISTRATION.
THE CONTROLLER'S DUTIES ARE TO CERTIFY THAT THERE ARE AVAILABLE SUFFICIENT FUNDS IN A FUND THAT'S BEING USED, AND HE HAS AUDIT RESPONSIBILITY.
SO I'M, I'M CERTAIN THE COURT WOULD FIND, UH, WOULD AGREE WITH THE, WITH THE CITY'S POSITION ON THIS.
AND AS TO THE F THE STORMWATER FUND, UM, YOU KNOW, I LOOKED TO THE ACTIVITY, LIKE I SAID, LAST WEEK, I LOOKED TO THE ACTIVITY.
I MEAN, MAYOR, YOU AND I DIDN'T AGREE ON THE DANGEROUS BUILDING ACTIVITY, BUT I DO AGREE THAT WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN OUR EQUIPMENT AND VEHICLES ASSOCIATED WITH DRAINAGE.
AND, AND THAT'S, THAT'S THE FUND THAT, THAT SHOULD BE USED FOR THE CAR WASHES.
UH, THIS IS MORE OF A GENERAL QUESTION, EITHER FOR YOU OR FOR COUNCILMAN ALCORN WITH THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.
IS THIS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE DONE IN THE PAST WHERE TO KIND OF FUND A CERTAIN ACTIVITY, WE WILL PULL FROM VARIOUS DIFFERENT BUDGETS, EVEN IF POTENTIALLY WATER AND SEWAGE METRO FUND DON'T NECESSARILY EXPLICITLY PERTAIN TO WASHING VEHICLES? IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE PAST? WELL, IT'S, IT'S TO MAINTAIN THE, THE PUBLIC WORKS VEHICLES THAT WORK IN THE DRAINAGE DEPARTMENT.
AND QUITE FRANKLY, WE HAVE A HUGE RESPONSIBILITY TO MAINTAIN THESE VEHICLES.
UH, IT'S NOT ONLY WASHING, BUT OIL AND GAS AND THE, UH, VEHICLES THAT ARE IN SERVICE.
UM, CAN THE CITY ATTORNEY EXPLAIN WHY THIS WAS CHANGED TO A MOTION, UH, TO OBTAIN APPROVAL? BUT A MOTION IS A PERMISSIBLE MEANS TO DO THAT? NO.
NO, BUT WE, IT WAS PREVIOUSLY PUT ON THE AGENDA AS A DIFFERENT MECHANISM.
SO A DECISION WAS MADE AT SOME POINT TO CHANGE IT TO A MOTION.
WHY WAS THAT DECISION MADE AND WHY DID WE THINK THAT THE PRIOR MECHANISM WAS INSUFFICIENT? THE, THE DECISION WAS MADE SO THAT THE ITEM COULD MOVE FORWARD AND BE APPROVED? WE HAVE DONE THIS BEFORE.
IT'S NOT AN UNUSUAL PROCEDURE.
UH, I DON'T THINK YOU'RE ANSWERING MY QUESTION.
WHY DID WE CHANGE THE MECHANISM TO OBTAIN APPROVAL? SO WE DIDN'T THINK WE COULD OBTAIN APPROVAL UNDER THE PRIOR MECHANISM? CORRECT.
NOW, ALTHOUGH THE, THE CONTROLLER CERTIFIES THE OVERALL BUDGET, JUST STATING THAT THE CITY HAS ENOUGH MONEY FOR WHAT'S IN THAT, UH, PROPOSAL EVERY WEEK WE, WHEN WE COME TO COUNCIL, WE SEE ITEMS AS OF TODAY THAT SAY NOT IN.
AND THAT MEANS THAT HE DID NOT CERTIFY THOSE ITEMS TO COME TO COUNCIL SO THAT WE COULD GO FORWARD WITH A VOTE.
SO WE ARE NOW SETTING A PRECEDENT WHERE THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE THROUGH ORIGINAL ORDINANCE WAS NOT ABLE TO BRING
[01:15:01]
THAT ITEM FORWARD FOR US TO VOTE ON.SO NOW WE ARE CHANGING IT TO A MOTION SO THAT IT CAN COME TO THIS BODY FOR US TO VOTE ON THIS WITHOUT HIS CERTIFICATION.
I DO THINK THAT IS A DANGEROUS PRECEDENT THAT WE'RE TAKING.
AND I THINK WE'RE GOING DOWN A SLIPPERY SLOPE BY DOING THAT, NOT ONLY AS A BODY, BUT ALSO IN UNDERMINING THAT OFFICE'S PURPOSE.
UM, AND WHAT THE HOUSTONIANS WHO HAVE VOTED FOR HIM TO BE IN THAT OFFICE HAS PUT HIM THERE TO DO.
WE HAVE TO START TO, I THINK, UNDERSTAND THAT THE, THE WHOLE FUNCTION OF THAT OFFICE IS TO GIVE FINANCIAL ADVICE AND INSIGHT TO WHAT WE CAN AND CAN DO AS CITY FINANCES.
NOW, OF COURSE, WE MAKE THE ULTIMATE DECISION, BUT IN EVERY OTHER AREA OF OUR LIVES, WHEN IT COMES TO OUR OWN PERSONAL FINANCES, WE LISTEN TO OUR FINANCIAL ADVISOR.
AND SO I THINK WE HAVE TO HAVE THE SAME MINDSET IN THIS CASE AND UNDERSTAND THAT HE'S PUT FORTH IN WRITING HIS RATIONALE FOR WHY HE DOES NOT BELIEVE THIS IS CERTIFIABLE.
THAT WE ARE CHANGING THAT, UH, MECHANISM FROM AN ORDINANCE TO A MOTION TO COME FORTH BEFORE THIS BODY.
THESE ARE RELATIVELY LOW DOLLAR AMOUNTS IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS.
AND I THINK THAT WE REALLY NEED TO BE, UM, CAREFUL IN HOW WE GO ABOUT VOTING ON THESE TYPE OF ITEMS THAT DON'T GET CERTIFIED BY THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE.
I DON'T THINK YOU WERE HERE LAST WEEK WHEN WE VISITED ON THIS.
UH, WE ACTUALLY SHOWED A DOCUMENT THAT THE CONTROLLER APPROVED THE EXACT EXPENDITURE IN JULY WITH HIS SIGNATURE.
SO IF YOU WANT TO DIRECT QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT'S CHANGED, IT'S HIS POSITION, BUT I'M NOT GONNA DEBATE IT BECAUSE IT'S A CRITICAL NEED FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
THE FUNDS ARE THERE, THE DRAINAGE DEPARTMENT NEEDS IT.
WE HAVE A DUTY TO PROTECT AND SERVICE OUR VEHICLES.
OPPOSED NAY PASS, SALINAS NO SHALL SALINAS POLLARD.
THANK YOU MAYOR AND COLLEAGUES.
I WANTED TO, UM, TALK ABOUT ITEM FOUR AND FIVE, UH, LENDING MY SUPPORT OF THESE ITEMS. THIS, UH, REPRESENTS A REAL IMPORTANT INVESTMENT IN HOME OWNERSHIP IN NOT ONLY DISTRICT K, BUT UM, FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
UH, WE ALL SPEND A LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT HOUSING AFFORDABILITY.
UM, AND WE CAN AGREE THAT PURCHASING A HOME REMAINS ONE OF THE MOST MEANINGFUL OPPORTUNITIES TO BUILD GENERATIONAL WEALTH.
A LOT OF TIMES WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HOME AFFORDABILITY, UM, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT, UH, MULTIFAMILY.
UM, BUT WE ARE, WE HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY FOR SOME SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.
WE ARE LOOKING AT 144 NEW SINGLE FAMILY HOMES ON THIS ACTUAL PROPERTY WITH 89 OF THESE HOMES BEING AFFORDABLE.
UH, YOU MAY REMEMBER THIS WAS ONE OF THE PROPERTIES, UH, THAT WE WERE INITIALLY GOING TO, UM, SEND BACK TO THE GLO, UH, MAYOR.
YOU, UH, STEPPED IN, UH, WITH, UH, THE HELP OF OUR HOUSING CHAIR, AND WE TALKED ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT THIS, UH, PROPERTY WAS FOR US TO HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL SINGLE FAMILY HOMES IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
UM, IN MY TIME AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, THIS IS GOING TO BE PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST SUBSTANTIAL SINGLE FAMILY HOME DEVELOPMENTS IN DISTRICT K.
UM, WE'VE HAD MULTI-FAMILY HOMES BEING BUILT, UM, AND FOR A COMMUNITY THAT'S MADE UP OF 95 CIVIC CLUBS AND HOAS AND A LOT OF TRADITIONAL NEIGHBORHOODS, FOR US TO BE ABLE TO BRING THESE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES IN THE, AND I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT LOCATION, UM, RIGHT OFF OF STELLA LINK IN MAINE.
THIS GIVES ACCESS TO PEOPLE THAT ARE WORKING IN THE MEDICAL CENTER.
PEOPLE THAT NEED TO HOP ON SIX TEN TWO EIGHTY EIGHT.
I MEAN, THE LOCATION IS JUST ABSOLUTELY PERFECT.
UM, AND THE MIXED USE, UM, WITH AFFORDABLE HOMES, MARKET RATE HOMES, WE COULD NOT HAVE CURATED THIS, UH, ANY BETTER.
UM, AND SO I AM, UH, EXPRESSING MY FULL SUPPORT OF ITEMS FOUR AND FIVE, UH, AND REALLY WANT TO AMPLIFY THIS AVAILABILITY TO HOUSTONIANS THAT ARE LOOKING FOR SINGLE FAMILY LIVING IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
UH, THESE AFFORDABLE HOMES WILL RANGE BETWEEN TWO 10 AND 300,000 NEXT TO SOME MARKET RATE TOWN HOMES BUILT BY THE EXACT SAME BUILDER.
[01:20:01]
UM, IT SPEAKS VOLUMES TO THE PARTNERSHIPS THAT THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT HAS, UM, PUT IN PLACE.IT TOOK US A WHILE TO FIND THE RIGHT PERSON TO ACTUALLY DEVELOP THIS.
AND THERE WERE A LOT OF MOVING PARTS AND A LOT OF PEOPLE PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THIS.
BUT AMER, I, I REMEMBER WHEN YOU FIRST TOOK OFFICE AND YOU TALKED ABOUT MAKING HOUSTON ONE OF THE MOST AFFORDABLE CITIES IN THE COUNTRY.
THAT'S NOT EASY TO DO WHEN YOU TRAVEL AROUND THE COUNTRY.
EVERYBODY'S TALKING ABOUT HOME AFFORDABILITY AND HOW AFFORDABILITY IS SLIPPING AWAY.
UM, AND THE AMERICAN DREAM OF OF OWNING A HOME AND PASSING A HOME DOWN TO YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS, UM, IS GETTING HARDER AS PRICES INCREASE.
AND, UM, WE SHOULD BE CELEBRATING, UH, WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH ITEM FOUR AND FIVE, UM, COLLEAGUES ASKING FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THIS.
UM, THIS WAS A GOOD USE OF OUR CDBG, UM, DR 17 FUNDS.
UM, AND I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THESE 12 ACRES BECOMING A SIGNIFICANT PART OF OUR AFFORDABILITY PORTFOLIO IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
WELL, LEMME JUST TELL YOU THANK YOU AND THANK YOU AGAIN.
THIS IS WHY WE RUN FOR OFFICE IS WHY WE COME TO WORK.
COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS, I'M GONNA CALL ON YOU IN A MOMENT.
UH, I DO RECALL PROTECTING THIS PIECE OF REAL ESTATE FOR HOUSING AND WITH YOUR ADVICE AND COUNSEL AND LEADERSHIP AND COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS, WITH HER KNOWLEDGE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO HAVE 144.
NOT APARTMENTS UNITS, BUT DETACHED HOUSES.
I MEAN, THE AMERICAN DREAM, AS YOU JUST MENTIONED IT.
SO 144 NEW HOUSES WITH 89 OF 'EM BEING AFFORDABLE.
THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO BE TALKING ABOUT TODAY.
THE SUCCESS OF PLACING HOUSTONIANS IN THEIR OWN HOME.
AND IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT GONNA GET THE COVERAGE THAT IT DESERVES BECAUSE IT'S NOT CONTROVERSIAL.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS, QUITE FRANKLY, A CELEBRATION.
BUT IT'S WHY MOST OF US COME TO WORK EACH AND EVERY DAY TO HAVE THESE KIND OF RESULTS AND BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE SOMEDAY.
WHAT'D YOU DO FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING? WELL, HERE IT IS, COUNCILOR THOMAS.
I JUST WANNA TELL YOU A FUNNY STORY.
SO I REMEMBER WHEN, UM, THE STELLA LINK ITEM CAME UP.
SO AS YOU AS MAYOR PROTE MENTIONED, UH, UH, STELLA LINK WAS ONE OF THE THREE LARGE TRACK SITES PURCHASED WITH OUR DR 17.
AND WE WERE HAVING TROUBLE MEETING VERY STRINGENT DEADLINES OF, OF HUB.
SO THE MAYOR AND I WERE FIGHTING, RIGHT? UM, YOU CAN CHECK THE RECORD ON THAT.
AND SO I REMEMBER MAYOR PRO TEM CALLING ME AND SHE SAID, LISTEN, Y'ALL GOTTA MAKE UP 'CAUSE I NEED THESE HOUSES.
I GOTTA FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET THESE HOUSES.
YOU NEED TO, I REMEMBER I WAS GONNA PUT IT IN THE BOOK, BUT I'M GONNA PUT IT ON THE RECORD.
AND SO I SAID, OKAY, WE'LL MAKE UP.
AND SO I REMEMBER, UM, UH, US ALL HAVING A MEETING, TALKING ABOUT HOW WE WERE GOING TO REALLY STRIKE TO MAKE STELLA LINK A MODEL AND DEMONSTRATE WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO.
AND THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT WAS ABLE TO PIVOT.
I DEFINITELY SHOUT OUT TO THEM AND THEIR TEAM FOR, UH, PUTTING OUR DR 17 FUNDS, PUTTING THE TURS DOLLARS TOGETHER, AND THEN BEING REALLY INTENTIONAL, MEETING WITH DEVELOPERS, ASKING THE QUESTION, LIKE, HOW CAN WE MAKE THIS PENCIL EVEN IN THE MIDST OF HIGH INTEREST RATES AND ALL OF THAT, INCREASING DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE.
AND MAYOR PRO TEM WAS LIKE, I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU GOT GOING ON.
OKAY? AND SO TODAY, THIS IS A HUGE CELEBRATION, AND IT, IT ALSO JUST SPEAKS TO LIKE, THIS WORK IS HARD, RIGHT? AND, AND, AND FOR THE BETTERMENT OF HOUSTONIANS, UH, WE, UH, UH, PUT OUR ISSUES TO THE SIDE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN MAKE THE MOVES AND IT SHOWS UP ON THE AGENDA EACH AND EVERY WEEK.
SO I JUST WANNA THANK Y'ALL FOR Y'ALL'S SUPPORT IN ADVANCE OF FOUR AND FIVE.
ARE YOU GONNA BUY ME LUNCH?
AND, UM, JUST WANT TO COMMEND, UM, UH, MAYOR PRO TIM, AND, UH, CERTAINLY YOU MAYOR AND OUR HOUSING CHAIR.
I'M GLAD THAT, UH, MAYOR PRO TE ALSO REFEREED THE ISSUE BETWEEN YOU AND, AND CHAIRMAN THOMAS AND ALL.
BUT I DO WANT TO COMMIT THIS BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE, FROM AN AT LARGE PERSPECTIVE, AS WE KNOW, AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS WHAT ALL OF US WANT FOR HOUSTON.
AND, UH, FOR SO MANY YEARS WE HAD NEGATIVE REPORTS ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THE CITY.
AND ALSO IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRING PEOPLE BACK INTO THE CITY,
[01:25:01]
AS THE MAYOR SAY ALL THE TIME.WE HAVE 700,000 PEOPLE, UH, COMING INTO THE CITY OF HOUSTON, GOING IN, OUT ON A DAILY BASIS.
AND THIS MEETS A GOAL, UM, THAT I'VE LEARNED BY BEING VICE CHAIR, UH, UNDER, UH, WORKING WITH, UH, CHAIRMAN THOMAS AND HER EFFORTS.
AND I THINK THIS IS A GREAT, UH, EFFORT AND CELEBRATION THAT ALL OF US OUGHT TO BE PROUD OF, UH, FOR THAT TO BE HAPPENING EVERY DISTRICT, YOU KNOW, ACROSS OUR CITY.
WE NEED TO VOTE ON NUMBER FOUR MEMBERS, UH, VOTE ON ITEM FOUR.
ITEM FIVE IS, IS AN ORDINANCE.
ITEM 13 IS IN ORDINANCE, JUST NEED A VOTE.
T 21 IS MAKING SOME SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENTS IN THE NEAR NORTH SIDE.
THEY'RE DOING, UM, A NUMBER, A NUMBER OF SIDEWALKS THROUGHOUT THEIR BOUNDARIES.
THEY ARE PARTICIPATING IN THE EQUIPMENT STREET PROJECT, WHICH IS ALMOST, UH, COMPLETE.
AND THEY'RE ALSO WORKING TO FACILITATE THE COOL CORRIDOR PILOT ON CAVALCADE.
I WANNA HIGHLIGHT ALL THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING AND APPRECIATE THEM AS A PARTNER.
AND, UM, APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT FOR THIS ITEM TODAY.
ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES, THOSE POST NAY.
UM, THIS ITEM IS FOR THE APPROVAL OF REAL ESTATE MARKETING AGREEMENT FOR SALE OF PROPERTIES LOCATED AT SIX 11 WALKER AND 1200 TRAVIS.
I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT THESE SALES LATELY, UM, AND JUST WANTING TO ENSURE THAT WE'VE DONE ALL OF OUR DUE DILIGENCE IN EVALUATING IF THIS IS A LONG-TERM BENEFIT TO THE CITY.
AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT SIX 11 WALKER AND 1200 TRAVIS, UH, THE CONDITIONS OF THOSE BUILDINGS, UM, ARE WELL UNDER PAR FOR WHERE THEY NEED TO BE.
UM, BUT I WANTED TO ENSURE THAT WE LOOKED AT A REAL, UM, ANALYSIS OF THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN JUST SELLING THOSE PROPERTIES OR DOING MAYBE A LONG-TERM GROUND LEASE, SOMETHING FOR 75 YEARS, 99 YEARS, WHERE WE ACTUALLY STILL OWN THAT PROPERTY, UH, ALLOW SOME DEVELOPER TO COME IN, BUY IT, MAYBE TEAR DOWN THOSE BUILDINGS, BUT THEN PAY US, UH, MONTHLY OVER TIME OR STRUCTURE IT HOWEVER WE, UH, PUT IT TOGETHER AND THEN STILL OWN THAT LAND AND THAT ASSET DOWNTOWN.
UM, I KNOW THAT THE DIRECTOR DID A PRESENTATION SHOWING US THE CURRENT CONDITIONS OF THOSE BUILDINGS, AND I HAVE SPOKEN WITH THE DIRECTOR, UH, REGARDING REALLY LOOKING AT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN JUST SELLING THOSE PROPERTIES AND MAYBE DOING A LONG-TERM LEASE.
AND AS SOME OF THE MOST VALUABLE PIECES OF PROPERTY AT THE CITY.
I DO THINK, UM, THAT DISCUSSION SHOULD BE HAD.
NOW, I'VE SPOKEN TO THE DIRECTOR PRIVATELY ABOUT THIS.
I KNOW HE'S HERE, AND I KNOW HE GAVE ME HIS INSIGHT ON THAT.
SO MAYOR, IF IT WAS APPROPRIATE TO YOU, WE COULD HAVE HIM COME FORWARD.
BUT I DO THINK THOSE, UM, QUESTIONS AND SOME OF HIS INSIGHT AND AND MY PERSPECTIVE, UH, CAN BENEFIT THE COUNCIL AS WELL.
YOU SAID YOU VISITED WITH HIM INFORMATION, SO I MEAN, I, I'VE, YEAH, I I HAVE NOT SEEN THE ANALYSIS THAT HE SAID HE HAS PERFORMED REGARDING THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE, THE LONG-TERM LEASE AND A, UM, OUTRIGHT SALE.
HE SAID HE HAS PERFORMED, IT HAS THOSE NUMBERS, SO SURE, LET'S CALL HIM.
LET ME, LET ME JUST TELL YOU, WE'VE ALL DONE OUR DUE DILIGENCE, CERTAINLY IN DISCUSSION.
I THINK IT'S THE, UH, COST OF, UH, MAINTAINING WALKER.
IT DOES A DISSERVICE TO OUR EMPLOYEES AND THE FINANCES WORK, BUT I'M GONNA LET, UH, THE EXPERT SPEAK IN TERMS OF IT.
BUT, UH, I JUST REALIZE THE, THE TERRIBLE CONDITIONS IS WE OUGHT TO BE OUT OF IT, LIKE BEFORE SOME OF US EVEN GOT ELECTED.
AND I AGREE, I AGREE WITH YOU.
UH, THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET SOME REVENUE FROM IT TO APPLY TOWARDS SMITH IS AN ALSO ADVANTAGE, BUT RIGHT NOW, UH, WE DON'T HAVE THE MONIES TO REPAIR IT.
IT WOULD BE WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA SAVE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WITH THIS DECISION.
RANDY, WHY DON'T YOU, UH, ANSWER COUNCIL MEMBERS.
[01:30:01]
UM, I'M GONNA TRY AND KEEP IT AS SUCCINCT AS I CAN BECAUSE I COULD REALLY TALK ABOUT THIS MOVE AND THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING FOR A VERY LONG PERIOD OF TIME BECAUSE OF THAT'S HOW MUCH TIME WE SPENT ON GETTING READY FOR THIS.UM, I'LL REMIND YOU, OF COURSE, THE MOVE TO 1600 SMITH IS GONNA TAKE EVERYBODY OVER AT SIX 11 WALKER, EVERYBODY AT 1200 TRAVIS, AND THEN A FEW OTHERS FROM ACROSS THE CITY AS WELL.
RIGHT NOW, OUR CURRENT HEAD COUNT STANDS THAT WE'LL PROBABLY HAVE A LITTLE OVER 4,400 EMPLOYEES IN THAT BUILDING.
SO IT'S A TREMENDOUS UNDERTAKING IN WHAT WE'RE DOING.
IT ALSO MEANS THAT THE COST OF THAT BUILD OUT IS SIGNIFICANT.
NOW, WE WERE, WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE WE GOT 1600 SMITH FOR A STEAL OF A DEAL AT 55 MILLION.
UM, IN FACT, I WAS FRANKLY SURPRISED THAT THERE WASN'T MORE PRESS COVERAGE ABOUT THAT BECAUSE IT'S A HALLMARK REAL ESTATE TRANSACTION FOR THE CITY.
AND WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO GET AND WHAT THAT VALUE LOOKS LIKE, THE BUILD OUT HOWEVER, IS GONNA BE EXPENSIVE, AND IT'S GONNA GO, UH, AND IT'S GONNA TAKE US SOME TIME, ALTHOUGH WE'RE WELL INTO THIS ALREADY.
CURRENT ESTIMATES RIGHT NOW IS IT'S ABOUT FIVE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS PER FLOOR ON THAT BUILD OUT.
YOU MULTIPLY THAT OVER 51 FLOORS AND YOU GET A PICTURE THAT WE'LL SPEND ABOUT $300 MILLION ON THAT BUILDING.
NOW, THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY, BUT REMEMBER, WE WERE GONNA HAVE TO SPEND ALMOST 500 MILLION JUST ON SIX 11 WALKER ALONE, PLUS ANOTHER NEARLY 500 MILLION ON 1200 TRAVIS, AS THOSE CONDITIONS HAVE DETERIORATED.
SO AT THE END, THIS IS A BIG BOON TO THE CITY FROM A FINANCIAL STANDPOINT, ESPECIALLY THE GENERAL FUND, WHICH BEARS THE BURDEN ON 1200 TRAVIS ALONE.
SO WE HAVE LOOKED AT THESE MODELS.
I WILL SAY THIS, THIS PARTICULAR ITEM, AND I WANNA BE REALLY CLEAR ABOUT THIS, THIS PARTICULAR ITEM DOES NOT PRECLUDE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A GROUND LEASE.
SO AFTER YOU AND I TALKED COUNCIL MEMBER, I WENT BACK AND I CHECKED WITH OUR REAL ESTATE FOLKS AND COUNCIL, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE AGREEMENT ALLOWED THAT I CHECKED WITH OUR BROKER.
IN FACT, A A GROUND LEASE IS STILL A POSSIBILITY, BUT THE REALITY IS, UM, THERE ARE DEVELOPERS WHO HAVE EXPRESSED INTEREST IN THE SIX 11 WALKER SIDE, ESPECIALLY ARGUABLY ONE OF THE MOST DESIRABLE SITES IN ALL OF DOWNTOWN.
ITS LOCATION ACCESS TO THE FREEWAY UNOBSTRUCTED VIEW IS SOMETHING THAT IS HIGHLY DESIRABLE IN A MARKET RIGHT NOW THAT IS PARTICULARLY VOLATILE.
AND WHILE THERE'S A LOT OF FOLKS IN DOWNTOWN, ESPECIALLY INCLUDING SOME MAJOR TENANTS THAT ARE ACTIVELY LOOKING TO RELOCATE, AND SO THERE ARE SOME DEVELOPERS THAT ARE HIGHLY INTERESTED IN THIS AND INTERESTED IN DEVELOPING SOMETHING THAT IS ACTUALLY SKYLINE REDEFINING.
NOW, TO BE SKYLINE REDEFINING IS GONNA COST A LOT OF MONEY.
AND WE'RE PROBABLY LOOKING AT SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA BE IN EXCESS OF A BILLION DOLLAR BUILD.
AND THE REALITY IS, IS IT'S UNLIKELY WE'RE GONNA FIND ANY PARTNER THAT WOULD BE WILLING TO INVEST A BILLION DOLLARS IN A PIECE OF PROPERTY WHERE THEY DON'T UN OWN THE UNDERLYING PIECE OF LAND.
UM, SO I SAY THAT BOTH WAYS, RIGHT? WE HAVE THAT POSSIBILITY OUT THERE.
THIS IS GONNA BE A PROCESS TO FIND THE RIGHT DANCE PARTNER FOR US, BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA BE DILIGENT IN PROTECTING THE CITY'S ASSETS, YOU KNOW, DILIGENT IN PROTECTING OUR DOWNTOWN AND THE WAY IT'S PRESENTED.
WE DON'T WANNA DO WHAT MAKES SENSE AND IS RIGHT.
BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE IDEA OF A GROUND LEASE, WE'RE TALKING A FEW MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR, AND EVEN OVER 99 YEARS, UM, WE MAY OR MAY NOT BE ABLE TO RECRUIT WHAT WE COULD POTENTIALLY SELL SIX 11 WALKER BY ITSELF FOR THAT DOESN'T EVEN FACTOR INTO THE ACCOUNT OF WHAT I MENTIONED ABOUT THE COST OF BUILDING 1600 SMITH.
WE WOULD INTEND TO TAKE ALL THE MONEY ON THE SALE FROM WALKER AND PUT IT DIRECTLY BACK INTO SMITH.
THE COMBINED UTILITY SYSTEM IS THE OWNER OF BOTH SIX 11 WALKER.
IT IS THE OWNER OF, OF 1600 SMITH.
THE MONEY THAT WOULD COME FROM THE SALE OF 1200 TRAVIS WOULD GO TOWARDS HPDS PORTION OF THE BUILD OUT.
BECAUSE AS THINGS GO, WE STILL HAVE TO CHARGE DEPARTMENTS RENT, THERE HAS TO BE EXPENSES AND GO, AND THINGS THAT GO INTO THAT.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN, UM, REDUCE THE BURDEN ON AS MANY ENTITIES AS POSSIBLE UPFRONT WHILE WE MOVE FORWARD.
NOW, THE GOOD NEWS IS THIS, UH, THIS TIME NEXT YEAR, WE WILL HAVE ALREADY MOVED THE FIRST GROUPS OF PEOPLE INTO 1600 SMITH.
SO WE'RE MOVING REALLY QUICKLY.
AND IN FACT, THERE WILL BE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT, UH, ITEMS COMING TO COUNCIL OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS AS WELL RELATED TO CONTINUING EFFORTS ON THE BUILD OUT OF 1600 SMITH.
EVERYTHING FROM THE CONSTRUCTION EFFORTS TO FURNITURE EFFORTS TO OTHER THINGS, BUT THAT WILL ALSO BE INCLUSIVE OF EFFORTS CITYWIDE TO IMPROVE OUR FACILITIES FOR EMPLOYEES IN ALL SORTS OF PLACES.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT AFTER HAVING JUST SPENT A COUPLE OF MONTHS LOOKING AT OUR SOLID WASTE FACILITIES, AND IT WOULDN'T BE ANY SURPRISE TO YOU, THEY'RE ABOUT AS SORRY OF THINGS AS I'VE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE.
AND JUST BECAUSE OUR EMPLOYEES ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR REMOVING THE TRASH DOESN'T MEAN THEY SHOULD WORK IN TRASH.
AND SO WE NEED TO MAKE AS A, AS A, AS A BODY, A CONCERTED EFFORT TO IMPROVE ALL OF THOSE FACILITIES.
BUT TO DO IT, WE'VE GOTTA BE SMART WITH THOSE FINANCES.
I APPRECIATE YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON THAT COUNCIL MEMBER.
I THINK IT'S AN UNLIKELY ONE, BUT IT IT, IT DOES EXIST.
THANK YOU, DIRECTOR MAYOR DAVIS.
UH, MAC, I, UH, COUNCILMAN POLL.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE APPROACH PROACTIVELY
[01:35:01]
THINKING ABOUT THE INVESTMENT BECAUSE WE DO INVEST IN A LOT LIKE WE DID IN THE HOMELESS BUILDING, BUT I THINK ON THE HEELS OF THAT, UM, WHEN I TOURED THIS BUILDING WALKER, UH, ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP OF THE ROOF, IT, THE BUILDING IS JUST UNBELIEVABLY, UM, IN, IN DIRE SITUATION FOR THE, THE, THE PEOPLE ON EVERY FLOOR.WE WENT UPSTAIRS, ELEVATORS THE WHOLE BIT.
I MEAN, THERE'S JUST HORRIBLE IN REGARDS TO WHAT THE SERVICE WE EXPECT FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE BUILDING.
THE OTHER ISSUE IS IF WE WENT INTO A LEASE CONTRACT, MY QUESTION WOULD BE WHAT KIND OF RESPONSIBILITY WOULD THEY GIVE TO THE CITY? UH, IF WE ON THE GROUND LEASE WITH PEOPLE, WE WOULD KNOW WHAT THAT DOLLAR AMOUNT WOULD BE.
UH, AND I'M SURE THEY WOULD PROBABLY REQUIRE, I DON'T KNOW, COUNCIL POLL FOR US TO DO CERTAIN THINGS EVEN IN THE LONG TERM LEASE.
AND THAT WOULD BE, COULD WE AFFORD IT? UH, WOULD IT BE ME, YOU KNOW, FEASIBLE FOR A DOLLAR SITUATION.
UH, SO THOUGH, THE ISSUE THAT I THINK WE HAVE TO REALLY LOOK AT IN REGARDS TO TRYING TO LEASE IT AND THEN TO FIND A DEVELOPER WHO WOULD EVEN TAKE IT.
I MEAN, THAT PROCESS COULD GO ON FOREVER AND A DAY.
I DON'T KNOW WHO WOULD, YOU KNOW, WOULD DO IT BASED ON EVEN THE AIR CONDITIONING HEATING SYSTEM, ALL OF THE, UH, UH, CIRCUITS AND STUFF IN THERE.
YEAH, WHEN I, WHEN I, WHEN I WAS, UH, SPEAKING WITH THE DIRECTOR, AND YOU MAKE REALLY GOOD POINTS ON A TRADITIONAL LEASE, BUT RIGHT.
WHAT I WAS, UH, ALSO INQUIRING ON IS IF WE DID A GROUND LEASE TO WHERE A DEVELOPER COMES IN, TEARS DOWN THOSE BUILDINGS ALTOGETHER, AND THEN THEY, THEY BUILD UP A WHOLE NEW BUILDING, BUT WE STILL OWN THE LAND.
SO THEY, THEY GET A NEW STRUCTURE, THEY CAN HAVE THAT FOR 75 YEARS, 99 YEARS, WHATEVER WE, UH, UM, NEGOTIATE, BUT WE STILL EARN, WE STILL OWN THAT LAND, THAT ASSET, RIGHT? AND THEN THEY PAY US MONEY YEAR AFTER YEAR, AFTER YEAR, HOWEVER WE STRUCTURE IT.
SO IT'S JUST TWO WAYS TO LOOK AT IT.
AND I JUST WANT TO ENSURE THAT AS A DEPARTMENT, WE WERE LOOKING AT BOTH OF THOSE COMPARABLES, UM, BECAUSE ONCE THAT ASSET IS GONE, IT'S GONE.
AND SO WE WANT TO KNOW FROM A LONG-TERM FINANCIAL STANDPOINT WHAT MAKES MORE SENSE AND HAVE THOSE MODELS.
AND SINCE I HAD NOT SEEN THOSE BROUGHT FORTH BEFORE, I THOUGHT IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO SEE THAT BECAUSE ON BOTH OF THOSE PIECES OF PROPERTY, YES, THE BUILDINGS TODAY ARE IN BAD CONDITION, BUT IF SOMEONE, IF THEY'RE SO ATTRACTIVE AND THEY'RE SUCH GREAT LOCATIONS, THEY CAN COME IN, TEAR DOWN, THOSE BUILDINGS, BUILD UP, BUT WE STILL ACTUALLY OWN THE UNDER UNDERLYING LAND.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, LET ME ADD TO THIS AS WELL TOO.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS A SALES AND MARKETING AGREEMENT.
THIS, THE ABILITY OF CUSHMAN WAKEFIELD TO ACTUALLY MARKET THE BUILDINGS TO GO AND FIND ATTRACTIVE BUYERS, ANY ADDITIONAL ACTION THAT ACTUALLY TAKES PLACE ON THE REAL PROPERTY ITSELF IS GONNA REQUIRE COUNCIL ACTION.
SO I, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE, THERE'S NO WORRIES THAT WE'RE GONNA ENTER INTO SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE NOT GONNA HAVE A OPPORTUNITY TO FULLY REVIEW.
I WILL SAY ALSO, AND I THINK YOU ALL KNOW THIS WELL, REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS CAN BE INCREDIBLY CREATIVE, RIGHT? SO ALTHOUGH OUR DISCUSSIONS AND OUR MODELING SHOW THAT I THINK IT'S UNLIKELY THAT WE'LL GET A DEVELOPER TO BUILD WHAT WE THINK COULD BE BUILT THERE WITHOUT OWNING THE UNDERLYING LAND.
IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT'S NOT POSSIBLE, BECAUSE YOU'RE RIGHT, THERE COULD BE SOME CREATIVE SOLUTIONS REGARDLESS OF THAT.
WE WON'T BE ABLE TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS UNTIL WE CAN GET THOSE BUYERS ON THE HOOK.
AND WE NEED SOMEONE TO HELP US MARKET, UH, PROPERTY, TO HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS.
AND SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO THAT ONCE IT COMES BACK.
AND, AND THAT'S WHY I'D HOPE YOU'D CONSIDER, UH, APPRO THIS ITEM TODAY.
AND THANK YOU COUNCILMAN POLLARD, UH, ON ITEM 20.
[NON-CONSENT AGENDA]
ITEM 38 IS A MOTION ITEM 38 NEEDS A MOTION.ITEM 39 IS A MOTION TO SET A COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO.
I MOVE TO SET THE HEARING DATE FOR 9:00 AM WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21ST, 2026.
ITEM 40 IS A MOTION TO SET A PUBLIC HEARING DATE.
CASTEX STATE A MOVE TO SET THE PUBLIC PUBLIC HEARING DATE AT 9:00 AM WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28TH, 2026.
[01:40:01]
I SECOND MOTIONS MADE.THOSE OPPOSED NAME, MOTION PASSES.
THIS COMPLETES THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA VERY WELL.
[MATTERS TO BE PRESENTED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS]
COUNCILOR DAVIS.UM, JUST WANTED REAL BRIEFLY TO, UH, MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT THAT, UM, WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD, UH, IN, WITH WORKING WITH, UM, HOUSING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, UH, AS WELL AS, UH, HOSTING, PARTNERING WITH, UH, MAYOR PRO TEM, UH, MARTHA CASTEK TATUM, UH, AT THE, UM, COMMUNITY MEETING SCHEDULE, UH, WHICH IS THE FALL MEETING, UH, FOR HOUSING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
UM, AND WE ARE LOOKING TO DO THIS, OF COURSE, UH, OCTOBER THE 12TH, UH, AT FIVE 30 TO 8:00 PM UH, I AM CERTAINLY EXCITED TO JOIN, UH, TO WORK WITH, UH, MAYOR PRO TIM, UH, IN THIS HOSTING, UH, OF THE HOUSING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
OUR COMMUNITY ABSOLUTELY NEED TO HEAR WHAT IS GOING ON.
AND AS YOU KNOW, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN, UH, ONE OF MY GOALS, UH, OVER THE YEARS NOW, UM, TO HOST, UH, TOWN HALL MEETINGS.
WE'VE DONE A COURSE NOW, 14 OF THEM OVER THE TWO AND A HALF YEARS, AND WE'RE PROUD OF THAT.
SO WE DO WANT AND HOPE THAT EVERYBODY WOULD COME OUT.
UH, THEY CAN, UH, OCTOBER THE 12TH, MONDAY, OCTOBER 12TH, 5 38 O'CLOCK.
IT WILL BE HELD AT THE FOUNTAIN LIFE CENTER IN DISTRICT K.
UH, AND, UH, WE HAVE FLYERS, UH, 14 0 8 3 SOUTH MAIN STREET.
UH, COME EARLY AND CONNECT WITH EVERYBODY.
AND, UH, AS USUALLY WE WILL ALWAYS HAVE, UH, FOOD, UH, TO GIVE TO EVERYBODY AND SUPPLY THAT.
AND WE'LL KNOW THAT WE'LL GET A LOT OF GOOD INFORMATION ON, UH, ON OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND HOUSING PROCESS.
UH, MAYOR, I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR, UH, THE PRESENTATION TODAY OF PATHWAYS TO INDEPENDENCE.
UH, NOT JUST FOR THE VALUES OF COMPASSION THAT WE ARE BRINGING TO THE UNHOUSED PROBLEM THROUGHOUT HOUSTON, BUT ALSO THE WAY IN WHICH YOU ARE DOING IT, AND COLLABORATION WITH HARRIS COUNTY AND WITH NONPROFITS AND ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS.
THAT'S REALLY COMMENDABLE AND, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING THAT.
I ALSO JUST WANNA HIGHLIGHT, UH, ON SUNDAY, I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND THE FESTIVAL OF FAITHS WITH THE MAYOR AT THE MILEY CENTER.
FOR THOSE OF Y'ALL THAT HAVE NOT BEEN, UH, THE MILEY CENTER IS A REMARKABLE INSTITUTION, AN AMAZING GYM IN HOUSTON, AND I REALLY RECOMMEND VISITING IT.
UH, AND MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO, UM, UPLIFT THE MANY DIFFERENT RELIGIONS THAT ARE CELEBRATED THROUGHOUT HOUSTON.
UM, I WANT TO JUST GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO ALL THE CIVIC CLUBS AND SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS WHO HOSTED, UM, NATIONAL NIGHT OUT LAST NIGHT.
UM, GOT A CHANCE TO VISIT QUITE A FEW LOCATIONS.
UM, I'M GET A SHOUT ABOUT, SHOUT OUT TO NORTHWOOD MANOR.
WE HAD HOUSTON GARDEN CIVIC CLUB, UM, ROBINS LANDING, HOAA WHITE OAK TERRACE, UM, CONCERNED CITIZENS OF ACTION OF NORTHWOOD MANOR, YORKDALE CIVIC CLUB, WILLOW RUN, PLEASANTVILLE, GREATER FIFTH WARD, SHEPHERD PARK TERRACE, CASHMERE GARDEN, AND TRINITY GARDEN.
I'M SURE THERE WAS OTHERS ON VILLE THAT I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO CONNECT WITH, BUT IT WAS A GREAT NIGHT.
I MEAN, IT SEEMED LIKE EVERYBODY HAD SAUSAGE ON THE STICK AND HOT DOGS.
AND SO, UM, I GOT A REFRIGERATOR FULL OF, UM, LEFT LEFTOVERS
SO IF Y'ALL WANT A SAUSAGE ON THE STICK, LOOK ME UP.
BUT I JUST WANT TO THANK THEM FOR, UM, JUST FOR PARTICIPATING.
UM, AND, AND GOOD, YOU KNOW, GOOD TIME.
FELLOWSHIP CHEF FELLOWSHIPPING, UM, WITH OUR CONSTITUENTS.
AND SO, UM, AGAIN, SHOUT OUT TO 'EM.
I JUST WANNA SAY THANKS TO ALL THE NEIGHBORHOODS WHO PARTICIPATED IN NATIONAL NIGHT OUT LAST NIGHT.
UM, I MADE IT TO ABOUT EIGHT LOCATIONS.
STAFF WENT TO A FEW OTHERS, BUT IT WAS JUST SUCH A GREAT EVENT.
AND TO SEE OF R IN THE COMMUNITY, SUPPORTING LAW ENFORCEMENT AND GETTING TO KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS ALSO, COUNCIL MEMBER PECK AND I ON OCTOBER 17TH WILL BE HOSTING MORNING AT THE MARQUEE.
THIS IS A FAMILY FRIENDLY EVENT.
IT'S GOING TO BE AT THE MARQUEE, UM, FROM NINE TO 11.
I TOO WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO ALL THE CIVIC, UH, ORGANIZATIONS THAT HELD NATIONAL NIGHT OUT EVENTS, UH, AS AN AT LARGE OFFICE, UH, IT'S A BIG CITY.
WE TRIED TO MAKE AS MANY AS WE CAN.
UH, WE WERE ABLE TO VISIT 12 YESTERDAY EVENING, ALL ACROSS THE CITY.
AND IT'S A WONDERFUL OCCASION TO TRY TO, UH, BRING OUR FIRST RESPONDERS OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY, TO BUILD
[01:45:01]
TRUST AND, UH, TO GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER.ALSO, HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TOUR THE HOUSTON FURNITURE BANK, WHICH IS A CHARITABLE OPERATION THAT'S EXISTED FOR MANY YEARS.
IT PARTNERS WITH, UM, SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES TO HELP PROVIDE, UM, FURNITURE TO, UM, FOLKS WHO ARE FORMERLY HOMELESS OR FOLKS WHO HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OR POVERTY OR DISASTERS.
AND THEY HAVE HELPED TENS OF THOUSANDS OF HOUSTONIANS OVER THE YEARS.
UH, THEY CONTINUE ON THEIR MISSION OF SERVICE, AND I WANT HOUSTONIANS TO KNOW ABOUT IT.
THEY'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR DONATIONS.
THEY ALSO, UM, HAVE A MATTRESS REFURBISHING OPERATION THERE THAT IS QUITE, UH, REMARKABLE.
AND, UM, THEY HAVE HELPED SO MANY.
THEY'VE GOT AN INITIATIVE RIGHT NOW CALLED THE NO KIDS SLEEP ON THE FLOOR, UH, PROGRAM WHERE THEY BUILD, UH, BUNK BEDS AND OTHER TYPES OF BEDS FOR CHILDREN SO THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO SLEEP ON COLD HARD FLOORS IN OUR CITY.
SO IF YOU'RE, IF YOU'RE, UH, OF A MIND TO GIVE TO A, A CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION, I'D ASK YOU TO CONSIDER THE HOUSTON FURNITURE BANK IF YOU'RE IN THE MARKET FOR, UH, FURNITURE FROM A RESALE SHOP.
THEY ALSO OPERATE A RESALE SHOP THAT HELPS FUND THEIR OPERATIONS, AND THEY HAVE A, A LARGE SELECTION OF USED FURNITURE AS WELL.
UM, SO I THANK MR. OLI, MOHAMMAD, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR THERE FOR HIS TOUR, AND, UM, HAVE A GREAT WEEK.
Y'ALL, UM,
SO I JUST WANNA THANK EVERYONE FOR TAKING THE TIME TO PRIORITIZE ENGAGING WITH YOUR NEIGHBORS.
UM, WE EVEN HAD A CAPTAIN TROLL METER FROM THE WEST SIDE DOWN THE SOUL TRAIN LANE, SO SOUL TRAIN LINES, SO, YOU KNOW, EVEN THE COPS DANCE TOO.
UM, I WILL SAY THE TWO CONSTITUENT CONCERNS THAT WE HEARD WHILE WE WERE CELEBRATING WERE STREET LIGHTS AND WATER BILLS.
WE DID RUN INTO CONSTITUENTS THAT ARE ON THE LIST FOR DISCONNECTION.
SO WE HAVE, UM, ADVISED THEM TO REACH OUT TO US SO WE CAN HELP GET THAT TOGETHER.
IF YOU MISSED US, PLEASE REACH OUT TO OUR OFFICE AT DISTRICT F AT HOUSTON TX DO GOV SO WE CAN ADDRESS THAT.
IN TERMS OF STREET LIGHTING CENTER POINT, I WILL BE REACHING OUT TO YOU.
THIS NEIGHBORHOOD HAS REPEATEDLY REACHED OUT REGARDING, UH, TURNING THE LIGHTS ON AND, AND, UM, THEY ARE EXPERIENCING THE RUNAROUND OF WHO OWNS WHAT, THE COUNTY, THE CITY CENTER POINT.
SO MY OFFICE WILL TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THAT TO RESOLVE THAT.
'CAUSE STREET LIGHTING, STREET LIGHTS IS A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE.
I DO WANNA REMIND YOU THAT THE THIRD ANNUAL FAITH AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING SUMMIT IS ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10TH.
WE HAVE EXTENDED THE DEADLINE DUE TO THE DEMAND, UM, AND PLEASE REGISTER.
TODAY IS THE LAST DAY WE WILL HAVE LIMITED ONSITE REGISTRATION.
UH, DO NOT MISS THE OPPORTUNITY TO NOT JUST WRITE YOUR VISION, BUT MAKE IT PLAIN.
AND ALTHOUGH THIS IS NO COST TO YOU, WE HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF SPONSORS THAT HAVE PARTNERED WITH US TO UNDERWRITE THIS, TO CREATE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO HELP THE CITY OF HOUSTON MEET OUR MISSION FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
THE MORNING SUMMIT WILL INCLUDE A CONVERSATION FROM THE RICE KINDER INSTITUTE AS THEY RELEASE THEIR STATE OF HOUSING REPORT.
UM, YOU'LL HEAR REMARKS FROM CONGRESSMAN CHRISTIAN MENIFEE, REPRESENTING THE 18TH DISTRICT, AND OUR VERY OWN MAYOR, PRO TEM MARTHA CASTEX TATUM, AS WE WILL BE IN DISTRICT K.
UH, ONE ISSUE I DO WANNA RAISE AROUND CONSTITUENT ISSUE IS, UH, TREE TRIMMINGS.
IT MAY SOUND, UH, VERY MUNDANE, BUT IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE THAT COMES UP.
AND I KNOW THE COUNCIL, THERE'S BEEN A, A LONG BACKLOG, AND WE APPROVED A, A BUDGET SUPPLEMENTAL CONTRACT A WHILE AGO TO ADDRESS THIS.
WE HAVE 106 OPEN TREE TRIMMING CASES AND 46 OPEN TREE REMOVAL CASES DATING BACK FOR SIX YEARS.
AND SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE CLIMATE, WINDSTORM, RAIN, HURRICANE, YOU NAME IT, UM, BUT EVEN JUST THE EYELINE SITE OF DRIVING DOWN THE STREET, A SIMPLE BRANCH AND TREE IN ITS WAY CAN CAUSE DANGER, UM, AND, AND, UH, RESTRICT MOBILITY.
SO WE HAVE, UM, ENCOURAGED RESIDENTS TO CONTINUE TO REACH OUT TO OFFICE AND CALL 3 1 1, BUT I KNOW PARKS HAS A REDUCED STAFF CAPACITY.
BUT MAY, I WANTED TO JUST TO RAISE THIS TO YOUR ATTENTION.
UM, AND IF WE CAN GET A, A SUPPLEMENTAL CONTRACT, BECAUSE I KNOW IF IT'S HAPPENING ON THE WEST SIDE, IT'S ALSO HAPPENING THROUGHOUT, UH, THE CITY TREE TRIMMING.
AND SO PLEASE, UH, UH, CALL 3 1 1, SEND IT TO THE DISTRICT
[01:50:01]
F OFFICE WITH A PHOTO SO WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT ONCE THE FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE, THAT YOUR REQUEST IS ALREADY IN THE QUEUE.UM, LATER TODAY, I WILL, UH, BE DEPARTING THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO PHILLY FOR THE ASSET FUNDERS NETWORK TO TALK ABOUT OUR WORK AROUND HEIRS PROPERTY, UM, AND, AND WHAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS DOING.
AND I WILL BE BACK ON, UH, THURSDAY, UM, TO CELEBRATE THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF THE LATE STATE REPRESENTATIVE GARNET COLEMAN.
AND THEN I'LL SEE THE REST OF YOU ON SATURDAY.
UH, WANTED TO, OF COURSE, UH, THANK ALL OF THE RESIDENTS AND NEIGHBORS AND, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS WHO HOSTED NATIONAL NIGHT OUT EVENTS ON LAST EVENING.
THE DISTRICT A TEAM, UH, WAS OUT AND ABOUT.
UM, WE'VE GOT LOTS OF PICTURES THAT WE WANNA POST AND CELEBRATE WITH OUR NEIGHBORS.
IT WAS A WONDERFUL TIME, UM, TO INTERACT WITH OUR PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICERS AND JUST REALLY GET TO KNOW OUR NEIGHBORS, UM, AND KEEPING OUR NEIGHBORHOODS SAFE.
UH, THEN I WANT TO, UM, REALLY CELEBRATE EVERYONE WHO HELPED US PARTICIPATE IN THE LIFE HOUSTON CITYWIDE FORMULA DRIVE.
UH, THANKS TO EVERYONE'S GENEROSITY, IT WAS A MASSIVE SUCCESS.
WE RAISED OVER $45,000 WORTH OF INFAMIL DONATIONS.
UM, AND THAT TOTALS OVER 4,100 CANS OF INFAMIL, WHICH WILL HELP SUPPORT, UH, CLIENTS AND FAMILIES.
AND IT REALLY DOES TAKE A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD, ESPECIALLY WHEN I SAW THE COST OF THAT INFAMIL.
UM, SO IT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITH ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO DONATED FOR THAT CITYWIDE, UM, EVENT.
AND THEN WANT TO JUST AMPLIFY THAT A RP AND THE HARM.
CLARK UHT 25 IS HOSTING A WALKABILITY AUDIT ON OCTOBER THE EIGHTH AT 3:00 PM AND OCTOBER THE 10TH AT 8:30 PM REALLY EXCITED TO SEE THE HARM.
CLARK AND FORT BEND COMMUNITY WAS RECENTLY AWARDED AN A A RP COMMUNITY CHALLENGE GRANT.
UM, AS PART OF THIS WORK, TURS 25 IS HOSTING THIS WALKING AUDIT, UM, TO REALLY LOOK AT WALKABILITY IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO WE WANNA LOOK AT HOW, UH, SAFE AND ACCESSIBLE OUR STREET SIDEWALKS AND CROSSWALKS REALLY ARE.
UM, AND THEN WANT TO INVITE EVERYONE ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER THE 29TH AT 6:00 PM TO OUR DEVELOPERS NETWORKING EVENT ON, UH, AT THE FOUNTAIN LIFE CENTER.
UM, THIS IS A PRIME OPPORTUNITY FOR BOTH COMMERCIAL AND REALIST RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE DEVELOPERS TO CONNECT AND DISCUSS FINANCIAL STRATEGIES FOR INFIELD DEVELOPMENT.
SO THIS WILL BE A GOOD ONE IF YOU ARE LOOKING AT DOING SOME DEVELOPMENT IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE'D LOVE TO SEE YOU AT THE DEVELOPERS NETWORKING EVENT ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER THE 29TH AT 6:00 PM AT THE FOUNTAIN LIFE CENTER.
AND THEN, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS TALKED ABOUT OUR, UM, HOUSING FALL COMMUNITY MEETING ON, UH, OCTOBER THE 12TH, WHICH IS NEXT MONDAY AT 6:00 PM AT THE FOUNTAIN LIFE CENTER.
VERY EXCITED TO HAVE OUR HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, UM, HOSTING THIS IN DISTRICT K, UM, AND PARTNERING WITH COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS AND I, COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS.
I DON'T THINK I'VE, I'VE REALLY EXPRESSED TO YOU HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE YOU HOSTING THOSE TOWN HALL MEETINGS, BECAUSE THAT'S ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY THAT, UM, WE CAN JUST INVITE PEOPLE TO THAT EVENT AND NOT HAVE TO ACTUALLY PUT ON THAT TOWN HALL EVENT AS A DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBER.
UM, AND THAT IS VALUE ADDED FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
I'VE, I'VE HAD A COUPLE OF CONSTITUENTS SAY HOW MUCH THEY, UM, FOUND THEM TO BE VALUABLE.
SO, UM, AS AN AT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBER, WE APPRECIATE YOUR PARTNERSHIP.
UM, OTHER THAN THAT, UM, THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IN AND AROUND DISTRICT A THANK YOU, UM, EVERYONE FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION, YOUR CONTINUE TO BE KIND TO EACH OTHER AND MAKE IT A GREAT DAY.
UM, I ALSO WANT TO THANK ALL OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS IN DISTRICT A THAT PARTICIPATED IN NATIONAL NIGHT OUT LAST NIGHT.
UM, THE DISTRICT, A TEAM AND I VISITED 22 LOCATIONS, SO WE WERE OUT AND ABOUT IN THE DISTRICT AND HAD A GREAT TIME DOING THAT.
UM, OUR, OUR NEXT PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING WILL BE TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13TH AT 10:00 AM THERE WILL BE A PRESENTATION FROM THE HOUSTON PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION AND UT HEALTH.
IT WILL BE ABOUT THE TEXAS FIREFIGHTER CANCER STUDY OVERVIEW AND UPDATE.
SO PLEASE JOIN US FOR THAT MEETING.
AND I WANT TO ANNOUNCE THAT OUR NEXT OFFICE HOURS AT OUR SATELLITE OFFICE AT FREE PARK WILL BE ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29TH FROM NINE O'CLOCK TO 11:30 AM.
UM, NO NEED TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT, JUST STOP BY THE OFFICE.
AND, UM, THE DISTRICT, A TEAM, AND I WILL BE THERE TO ANSWER ANY CITY RELATED QUESTIONS.
UM, AGAIN, THAT'S AT FREE PARK SATELLITE OFFICE, 6 8 1 8 SHADY VILLA.
I JUST WANNA JUMP ON THAT BANDWAGON OF,
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UH, THANKING ALL THE COMMUNITIES WHO MET YESTERDAY DURING NATIONAL NIGHT OUT.IT'S ALSO ONE OF MY FAVORITE, UH, EVENINGS OF THE YEAR, IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT WITH COMMUNITY.
UH, WANNA GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THE EAST SIDE SUBSTATION, NORTHEAST, UH, SOUTHEAST, SOUTH CENTRAL, UH, DISTRICT.
I HAD SEVERAL SUBSTATIONS WITHIN, UH, THE DISTRICT AND ALL OF THEM WERE ALL, UH, THERE AND PRESENT.
ALSO, WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO CONSTABLE, UH, SYLVIA TINO AND CONSTABLE JERRY GARCIA FOR ALWAYS STAYING ENGAGED IN THE COMMUNITY AS WELL.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, ONE THING THAT WAS NOT DISCUSSED AS MUCH, UH, THIS YEAR, OR ACTUALLY I DIDN'T GET ANY, ANY COMPLAINTS, WAS ON, UH, SOLID WASTE, UH, OPERATIONS.
UH, USUALLY THE LAST TWO YEARS, I WOULD ALWAYS GET, HEY, HEAVY TRASH, RECYCLE, WHATNOT.
AND SO I'M GONNA TAKE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS KNOW ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS, UH, COMMITTEE MEETING THAT'S GONNA BE TODAY.
UH, AND IT'LL BE ON SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT INTEGRATION, PROGRESS ACCOUNTABILITY, AND WHAT COMES NEXT.
UH, I THINK A LOT OF THE FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY HAVE REALIZED THAT THE WORK, GOOD WORK HAS BEEN DONE OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS TO, TO RIGHTSIZE THAT DEPARTMENT.
UH, AND THEN LASTLY, I JUST WANT TO, UH, IF BRIAN'S, UH, SO I CAN STAND UP, IF Y'ALL CAN HELP ME, WELCOME BRIAN.
HE'S A NEWEST TEAM MEMBER TO DISTRICT.
YEAH, A RECENT GRADUATE FROM TEXAS A AND M.
SO MARIO, YOU GOT A, GOT A COLLEAGUE THAT WORKS WITH, ALONGSIDE WITH YOU.
HE HAS A BS IN POLITICAL SCIENCE, A MINOR IN HISTORY.
UH, BRIAN IS ALSO ALUMNUS, ALUMNUS OF MILBY HIGH SCHOOL IN THE EAST END.
AND PART, UH, PART OF A GROUP THAT MY OFFICE USUALLY WORKS WITH IS CALLED RAA STUDENT ALLIANCE.
UH, HE WAS A PART OF, HE'S A PART, HE WAS A PART OF THAT ORGANIZATION AS WELL.
SO, UH, MORE RECENTLY HE'S WORKED WITH HARRIS COUNTY PRECINCT TWO NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION, FOCUSING ON COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
WE'RE HAPPY AND WE'RE BLESSED TO HAVE HIM ON BOARD.
UH, THIS ULTIMATELY, YOU KNOW, REALLY SOLIDIFIES THE DISTRICT I TEAM SO MUCH MORE.
SO, UH, COME BY, SAY HI TO BRIAN AND WELCOME TO THE, THE COUNCIL FLOOR.
UH, YESTERDAY, UH, MY OFFICE AND I WENT ALL OVER JAY CITY, UM, FOR THE NATIONAL NIGHT OUT AS WELL.
UM, BIG SHOUT OUT TO THE MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS, ALL OF THE VOLUNTEERS, THE VENDORS WHO MADE EACH OF THE, UH, NATIONAL NIGHT OUT EVENTS A SUCCESS.
ALL OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS WHO COLLABORATED AND THREW THE BLOCK PARTIES.
UM, IT WAS GREAT TO SEE SO MANY PEOPLE COME OUT.
UM, AND I WANT US TO ALL REMEMBER THE REAL REASON FOR THE NATIONAL NIGHT OUT IS TO, UH, GIVE APPRECIATION TO OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL, OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, UH, THE FIREFIGHTERS.
UH, THEY WERE AT EACH OF THE EVENTS, AND IT WAS GOOD TO SEE THEM ENGAGING WITH THE RESIDENTS, UH, WHEN THERE WASN'T A TIME OF NEED OR, OR A INCIDENT THAT WAS OCCURRING.
UM, BIG SHOUT OUT TO CAPTAIN DONOVAN.
HE, UM, CAME WITH ME TO MA MANY OF THE, UH, STOPS THAT I HAD LAST NIGHT AND WAS ABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS, UH, DIRECTLY FROM THE RESIDENTS.
UM, ON ANOTHER NOTE, I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT MY OFFICE IS PARTNERING WITH THE HOUSTON AREA URBAN LEAGUE AND WITH CAREER GEAR, UH, TO PROVIDE EMPLOYMENT TRAININGS FOR DIFFERENT ROLES WITHIN THE ENERGY SECTOR.
AND SO THESE PRE-EMPLOYMENT TRAININGS WILL BE TO HELP INDIVIDUALS GET CERTIFIED IN PIPELINE SAFETY, UH, DIFFERENT FIELDS WITHIN THE POWER INDUSTRY, UH, ALTERNATIVE INDUSTRY OR ALTERNATIVE ENERGY, FALL PROTECTION, SAFETY, OSHA 30 AND AND MORE, UH, FOR PEOPLE WHO MAY BE INTERESTED IN GETTING THOSE CERTIFICATIONS, UH, SO THAT THEY CAN GO INTO THOSE FIELDS.
UH, PLEASE REACH OUT TO, UM, CAREER GEAR.
UH, THEY ARE LOCATED AT 7 8 3 0 WEST GLEN DRIVE.
UM, THEY WILL BE ABLE TO GIVE MORE INFORMATION.
THE PHONE NUMBER, UH, THAT YOU CAN UTILIZE IS 2 8 1 2 2 0 6 0 2 2.
MY OFFICE WILL PUT OUT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THESE, UH, INFORMATIONALS AND ALSO UPDATE WHEN THE TRAININGS WILL START.
BUT WE REALLY WANNA PUSH PEOPLE TOWARDS, UM, SOME OF THESE JOB POSITIONS THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO GET AN ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE OR A BACHELOR'S DEGREE.
YOU CAN GO GET A CERTIFICATION AND STILL HAVE A REALLY, UH, GOOD PAYING JOB.
AND ON THE JOBS NOTE, I STILL WANT PEOPLE TO VISIT MORE JOBS HOUSTON.COM.
THAT IS OUR ONE STOP JOBS WEBSITE FOR JOB SEEKERS IN THE GREATER HOUSTON AREA.
EVERY SINGLE WEEK WE UPDATE THAT WEBSITE WITH OPENINGS, UH, ALL OVER, UH, THE REGION.
AND REGARDLESS IF IT'S A ENTRY LEVEL POSITION OR SOMETHING THAT REQUIRES A POSTGRADUATE DEGREE, YOU CAN GO ON MORE JOBS HOUSTON.COM AND SEE WHAT IS AVAILABLE.
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RESOURCES ON THE WEBSITE FOR INTERVIEW TECHNIQUES FOR RESUME BUILDING.WE UPDATE WHEN THERE ARE JOB FAIRS AND OTHER, UM, JUST PERTINENT INFORMATION THAT YOU MAY NEED AS YOU GO ABOUT YOUR JOB SEARCH.
BUT EVERYTHING THAT, UM, HELPS BENEFIT OUR CITY IS GONNA BE, UH, CORRELATED WITH HOUSTONIANS HAVING GOOD PAYING JOBS, RIGHT? THAT'S GONNA IMPACT PUBLIC SAFETY, THAT'S GONNA IMPACT HOMELESSNESS, HOUSING, MENTAL HEALTH.
AND THE MORE MONEY WE PUT IN PEOPLE'S POCKETS, NOT ONLY CAN THEY PROVIDE FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES, BUT THEN THEY CAN GO OUT AND SPEND THAT MONEY.
THAT MONEY THEN COMES BACK TO THE CITY, AND THEN WE PROVIDE SERVICES OFF THE TAXES THAT THEY PAY.
SO, MORE JOBS HOUSTON.COM FOR ANYONE THAT'S LOOKING FOR A NEW EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY.
I'LL PASS COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABA.
I WANNA TAKE A MOMENT, UH, TO RECAP WHAT HAS BEEN A VERY BUSY AND VERY EXCITING WEEK ACROSS DISTRICT D, THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION.
ON LAST THURSDAY, I WAS PROUD TO JOIN YOU, MAYOR, UH, THE HOUSTON PARKS BOARD, THE HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, COMMUNITY LEADERS, PHILANTHROPIC PARTNERS, PARTICULARLY THE KINDERS, UH, AND THE RESIDENTS.
AS WE OFFIC OFFICIALLY BROKE GROUND ON THE TRANSFORMATION OF MCGREGOR PARK.
THIS IS A HISTORIC INVESTMENT, APPROXIMATELY 75 MILLION.
IF ONE OF HOUSTON'S MOST HISTORIC AND BELOVED PARKS, THE RENOVATION WILL BRING NEW AND IMPROVED TENNIS AND PICKLEBALL FACILITIES, TRAILS, PLAYGROUNDS, RECREATION, AMENITIES, THOUSANDS OF NEW TREES, PUBLIC ART, AND SO MUCH MORE WHILE HONORING THE HISTORY AND LEGACY THAT MAKES MCGREGOR PARKS SPECIAL.
UH, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BEING THERE, FOR MAYOR AND FOR CONTINUING TO RECOGNIZE THAT INVESTING IN OUR PARKS IS INVESTING IN THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
UH, CERTAINLY MANY ATHLETES HAVE COME THROUGH MCGREGOR PARK.
I'M NOT AN ATHLETE, BUT I CERTAINLY WAS ONE THAT RAN THROUGH IN A SWIMSUIT AND A BETTER DAY, UH,
I WANT TO ALSO SAY THAT WE HONORED, I WAS HONORED TO PRESENT A CITY PROCLAMATION TO DR.
ERNEST PUGH BILLBOARD CELEBRATION AT THE WESLEY CHAPEL, A ME CHURCH.
EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE MOVED OFF OF EMANCIPATION, THEY ARE STILL IN DISTRICT D, AND I'M SO VERY HAPPY FOR THAT.
PEW EARNS HIS SEVENTH NUMBER ONE GOSPEL RADIO SINGLE WITH YOUR GLORY TO SEE YOU REACHING NUMBER ONE ON BOTH THE BILLBOARD GOSPEL AIRPLAY, AND MEDIA-BASED CHARTS.
AND CERTAINLY, AS ALWAYS, AN HONOR TO BE IN HIS, IN HIS HUMBLE PRESENCE, UH, AND TO HIGHLIGHT HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE GOSPEL MUSIC.
UM, ALSO, I WAS PROUD TO CELEBRATE OUR ARTISTS WHILE THEY'RE BEING, WHILE I'M PROUD TO CELEBRATE OUR ARTISTS WHILE THEY'RE DOING THE WORK, MAKING HISTORY, ADDING TO THE RICH CULTURAL FABRIC OF OUR CITY, UH, THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON, AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDIES JAZZ JAM WITH THE R AND B TWIST.
AND ON SATURDAY, I WAS DELIGHTED TO SUPPORT THE UNIVERSITY, THE, NO, I'M SORRY, AT THE FOUNTAIN OF PRAISE LIFE CENTER.
IT WAS A WONDERFUL CELEBRATION OF CULTURE, MUSIC, IT WAS REALLY GOOD.
I REALLY ENJOYED MYSELF IN DISTRICT K THAT DAY.
UH, WHILE SUPPORTING THE IMPORTANT WORK OF AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON, I WANNA CONGRATULATE THE DEPARTMENT, ITS LEADERSHIP, THE HONOREES WERE ALL FROM DISTRICT D BY THE WAY.
UH, PERFORMERS, SPONSORS, VENDORS.
IT WAS JOY SEWING, UM, CERTAINLY, UM, LAWSON FROM WALLOP, CHERYL LAWSON.
AND, UM, IT WAS JUST A GREAT TIME.
OUR, OUR AFRICAN AMERICAN AND, AND ALSO ED PETIT, DON'T LET ME LEAVE HIM OUT.
HE CALLS ME, I CALL HIM MY THORN.
HE CALLS ME THE ROSE, BUT WE GET THE WORK DONE, AND I APPRECIATE HIM FOR THAT.
UM, CERTAINLY I WAS THE PROUD GUEST OF THE PASTOR ELECT OF BRENTWOOD BAPTIST CHURCH, DR. ALEXANDER JOHNSON AND HIS FAMILY.
I SHOOK A LITTLE TAIL FEATHER IN THERE.
ANYWAY, UH, CERTAINLY NATIONAL NIGHT OUT 2026, UH, WAS A PHENOMENAL EXPERIENCE OF RUNNING THROUGH DISTRICT D.
AND IF I'M TELLING YOU JUST TO SEE THE PEOPLE THAT CAME OUT, UH, TO ENGAGE IN, IN THOSE ACTIVITIES, REALLY WARM MY HEART.
I CERTAINLY WANNA THANK CONSTABLE JAMES, SMOKEY PHILLIPS IN PRECINCT SEVEN, THE METRO POLICE, OUR UNIVERSITY POLICE DEPARTMENTS, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, AND ALL OF THE LEADERS WHO ORGANIZE THESE EVENTS.
I HAVE MADE A, A CHALLENGE THAT NEXT YEAR, I'M GONNA GO IN THE REVERSE BECAUSE I RAN UNTIL I RAN OUT OF TIME.
[02:05:01]
WITH THOSE THAT I DIDN'T MAKE IT TO THIS YEAR AND, AND WIND BACK AROUND IN THE OTHER WAY THAT, UH, FOR NEXT YEAR.BUT CERTAINLY WE DID MAKE, UH, CONTRIBUTIONS TO SUPPORT AND I DID HAVE, UH, STAFF TO GO OUT AND, AND GO TO THOSE THAT I WAS NOT ABLE TO ATTEND.
AND ON A SAD NOTE, I CERTAINLY WANNA HIGHLIGHT THAT THE SERVICES FOR THE HONORABLE, UH, GARNET COLEMAN WILL ACTUALLY BE THIS FRIDAY.
UH, THE MEMORIAL SERVICE WILL BE AT 11:00 AM AT CHRISTCHURCH CATHEDRAL, 1117 TEXAS AVENUE WITH A REPAS FOLLOWING ON HORIZON ON SUNSET, SUNSET 25 0 1 SUNSET BOULEVARD.
AND THEN IN AUSTIN ON OCTOBER THE 22ND.
HE WILL LIE IN STATE IN HONOR, WELL, IT'LL BE LYING IN HONOR FROM 9:00 AM TO NOON TEXAS STATE CAPITOL ON CONGRESS.
AND HIS BURIAL WILL BE AT THE TEXAS STATE CEMETERY ON THAT DAY AT 2:00 PM CERTAINLY HE WILL BE SORELY MISSED.
I'VE KNOWN HIM ALL OF HIS LIFE.
UH, HIS FAMILY, UM, HIS DAD WAS ACTUALLY MY DOCTOR, DR. JOHN B. COLEMAN.
AND SO, UH, I CERTAINLY WANNA GIVE MY CONDOLENCES TO THAT FAMILY.
AND CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, WE ARE BUILDING STRONGER NEIGHBORHOODS IN DISTRICT D AND THAT'S, UH, THESE EVENTS AND COMING OUT TO SUPPORT ARE CERTAINLY THOSE THINGS THAT MAKE, UH, DISTRICT D THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION.
I WANT TO ALSO ECHO ALL THE ACCOLADES FOR EVERYONE WHO WAS CELEBRATING AND ORGANIZING EVENTS FOR NATIONAL NIGHT OUT.
WE HAD A GREAT TIME GOING ACROSS THE DISTRICT.
UM, THE STAFF AND I COVERED 20 EVENTS AND THERE WERE SO MANY, UH, GROUPS FROM CIVIC CLUBS TO RESOURCES TO ALL THE FIRST RESPONDERS THAT WERE OUT AND BUILDING COMMUNITY AND, AND HELPING TO, TO CONNECT WITH EACH OTHER AND CELEBRATE, UH, SAFE NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND, UH, IT WAS A GREAT EFFORT ACROSS THE DISTRICT.
SO I WANNA THANK EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATED AND LOOK FORWARD TO, TO DOING IT AGAIN NEXT YEAR.
RECENTLY, I WAS IN THE NORTH LYNDALE NEIGHBORHOOD WITH CENTER POINT.
ONE OF THE HOMES OUT THERE WAS RECEIVING SOME ENERGY EFFICIENCY UPGRADES, UH, THANKS TO THEIR PROGRAM THAT THEY HAVE.
AND WE WERE ACTUALLY GOING DOOR TO DOOR DOWN THAT STREET AS WELL.
UH, LETTING RESIDENTS KNOW THIS PROGRAM IS AVAILABLE FOR ELIGIBLE HOMES.
THEY CAN RECEIVE ENERGY EFFICIENCY UPGRADES AT NO COST TO THE HOMEOWNER.
EVERYTHING FROM INSULATION, AIR INFILTRATION REDUCTION, DUCT CEILING ENERGY STAR CONNECTED THERMOSTATS, SOLAR SCREENS CAN ALL BE PROVIDED.
UM, IF YOU ARE INTERESTED OR, OR WANNA KNOW IF YOU QUALIFY, REACH OUT TO HOUSTON, DISTRICT H@HOUSTONTX.GOV.
UM, WE CAN GET YOU THAT INFORMATION.
BUT THE HOMEOWNER WAS SO APPRECIATIVE.
UM, THEY WERE VERY CREW THIS MORNING.
TAKING CARE OF A SERIOUS PROBLEM.
THAT BREAKING NEWS FROM THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION OVER HERE.
UM, THE HOMEOWNER WAS SO APPRECIATIVE AND, UH, I WANNA THANK CENTERPOINT FOR THE PARTNERSHIP AND FOR GETTING OUT THERE WITH ME, UM, GOING DOOR TO DOOR, TALKING TO THE NEIGHBORS.
FINALLY, DURING THE MONTH OF OCTOBER, WE ARE ALL REQUIRED TO COMPLETE CYBERSECURITY TRAINING.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY IS AWARE OF THIS.
WE'VE GOT A NEW IT DIRECTOR, HE'S GONNA BE CHECKING THE LIST TO MAKE SURE WE ALL COMPLETE IT.
UM, BUT IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT THROUGH THE MONTH OF THE YEAR.
CITIES ARE THREATENED BY THIS ALL THE TIME, AND IT'S, IT'S NOT GOOD WHEN, WHEN SOMETHING BAD HAPPENS.
AND NOW WITH AI AND THE DIFFERENT WAYS THEY'RE TRYING TO DUPE AND FAKE, UM, IT'S HARDER AND HARDER TO DETECT.
SO COMPLETE YOUR TRAINING YOU HAVE UNTIL THE END OF THE MONTH.
ANYTHING ELSE? IF NOT, WE STAND, ADUR.