* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:02:00] WOW. Y'ALL MUST HAVE A, UH, SLOW DAY . THANK Y'ALL. UM, AND I HAVE ASKED THE, UM, COALITION THAT CAME FORWARD TODAY IN COUNCIL. CERTAINLY THE FOUNDATIONS THAT ARE MAKING REALLY A MAJOR CONTRIBUTION TO ADDRESSING HOMELESS CHALLENGES ACROSS HOUSTON. IT'S A HIGH PRIORITY OF MINE, UH, IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, AND I COULD SPEND A LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT THE IMPROVEMENT, BUT IT'S ALWAYS BEEN A RESOURCE CHALLENGE. SO TODAY, I ALMOST WANNA SAY WE'RE MAKING HISTORY. I THINK THAT WOULD BE ACCURATE IN TERMS OF HOUSTON MAKING A STATEMENT AND ALSO, UH, EXPERIENCING MAJOR PARTNERSHIP WITH SO MANY OUTSTANDING INSTITUTIONS. SO IT'S ONE OF THOSE DAYS THAT YOU LOOK FORWARD TO COMING TO WORK, AND I'VE BE GLAD TO YIELD TO ANYONE, CERTAINLY MIKE NICHOLS. UH, I'VE SAID MANY TIMES, THE THING I'M MOST PROUD OF IS MAYOR IS A TEAM THAT WE HAVE RUNNING OUR DEPARTMENTS. AND MIKE CAME OUTTA RETIREMENT TO RUN THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT AND CONTINUE HIS HARD WORK, UH, WITH THE CHALLENGES OF REMOVING HOMELESS FROM THE STREETS OF HOUSTON. CHIEF SATTERWHITE, OF COURSE, BRINGS HIS PASSION AND HIS FAITH AND HIS LAW ENFORCEMENT BACKGROUND. SO THAT'S A, THAT'S AN OUTSTANDING STATEMENT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MIKE. I'LL BE GLAD TO YIELD. BUT ALSO AT THE SAME TIME, FOR US TO APPROVE, UH, 144 INDIVIDUAL RESIDENTIAL HOUSES FOR HOUSTONIANS TO HAVE A 89 OF 'EM WILL BE AFFORDABLE HOUSING DETACHED. I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE TALKED ABOUT FOR YEARS, BUT NOW WE ACTUALLY SEE IT BECOME A REALITY. AND THANK YOU TO THE MAYOR, PROTE ASTIC, STATE OF THAT WHEN WE HAD THAT GLO PROPERTY, SHE WOULD NOT ALLOWED TO GET AWAY FROM THE CITY. AND CERTAINLY COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS WORKS. SO, MIKE, IF YOU WOULD, I'M RIGHT, I'M RIGHT HERE. I'LL, TO JUST AMPLIFY A LITTLE OF WHAT I SAID. ABSOLUTELY. AGAIN, UM, WHEN THE MAYOR ASKED ME TO COME ON AND BE DIRECTOR OF HOUSING AND WORK ON HOMELESSNESS, ONE OF THE THINGS HE DID WAS PUT ME WITH CHIEF LARRY SATTERWHITE. AND THE IDEA THAT WHEN YOU LOOK AT HOMELESSNESS, IT IS A LAW ENFORCEMENT ISSUE. IT'S A HOUSING ISSUE, IT IS A HEALTHCARE ISSUE, IT'S A MENTAL HEALTHCARE ISSUE, AND IT REALLY IS MUCH BROADER THAN THAT TOO. UM, PHILANTHROPY HAS STEPPED UP AND, UM, AND THIS [00:05:01] IS A COALITION OF PHILANTHROPISTS, AND THAT'S UNIQUE IN HOUSTON. IT'S NOT EVERY, VERY FEW CITIES HAVE A GROUP THAT ACTUALLY WORKED TOGETHER TO PUT THEIR DOLLARS SYSTEMATICALLY INTO IMPROVING THE SITUATION. UM, AND I'M VERY, VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE FIN FOUNDATION. AND RYAN AND HIS LEADERSHIP IS REALLY THE LEADER OF THAT GROUP. UM, PUTTING TOGETHER DOLLARS IS WHAT I'VE FOCUSED ON IN MY TENURE. UM, THE CITY WILL HAVE PUT AND IS PUTTING MORE THAN $80 MILLION INTO MAKING HOMELESSNESS, RARE, BRIEF AND NON-REOCCURRING. UM, ADDING THESE DOLLARS ON TOP OF THAT, ADDING THE METRO DOLLARS ON TOP, ADDING THE GREAT OTHER PHILANTHROPIC AND NON-PROFITS ON TOP OF THAT, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT. WE'RE VERY LUCKY TO HAVE THE COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS AS PART OF THIS PROCESS. UH, RYAN MAY, MAY TALK A LITTLE BIT AND ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW THE MONEY WILL BE SPENT, HOW MONEY WILL BE DETERMINED TO BE SPENT, IS REALLY WHERE IT IS. AND GLAD TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS TOO. UM, AGAIN, HOUSTON IS UNIQUE, NOT ONLY BECAUSE OF THE GOOD WORK THAT IT GETS DONE, BUT BECAUSE OF THIS COLLABORATION. UM, AND WE CAN KEEP TALKING ABOUT IT, BUT IT IS, AND THE WORK IS STILL ONGOING. I KNOW YOU SEE A LOT OF FOLKS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS. I KIND OF DRIVE EVERY DAY DOWN, UH, FANIN AND MAINE, AND IT BREAKS MY HEART. IT'S, YOU KNOW, A SERIOUS PROBLEM. WE'RE LOOKING THROUGH THAT. WE'RE GONNA SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO MOVE PEOPLE MORE RAPIDLY INTO HOUSING SITUA SITUATIONS, EITHER PERMANENT HOUSING, TRANSITIONAL HOUSING. SO WE'RE LOOKING MORE, WE'RE GONNA HAVE LEARN HOW TO DO THAT AND DO THAT MORE RAPIDLY. UM, WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE THAT FOUR 19 EMANCIPATION IS FULL WITH OVER 200 PEOPLE THERE RIGHT NOW, RECEIVING SERVICES AND TREATMENT AND TRANSITIONING OUT OF THAT FACILITY. UM, THE NAVIGATION CENTER HAS ALMOST A HUNDRED PEOPLE THERE WHO ARE MOVING INTO HOUSING, WHERE THESE ARE IMPORTANT PLACES, BUT REALLY THE END RESULT IS GETTING THEM INTO SUSTAINABLE LIVES. AND THAT'S THE BIG PART ABOUT THIS PHIL PHILANTHROPY. AND I WANT TO ADD ONE OTHER THING. YOU KNOW, GOVERNMENT MONEY IS VERY COMPLEX TO SPEND. IT HAS LOTS OF RULES, REGULATIONS, AND YOU CAN'T SPEND IT ON EVERYTHING. THIS PHILANTHROPIC MONEY USED THE WAY IT'S GONNA BE USED LEVERAGES THOSE DOLLARS, BUT ALLOWS THE SYSTEM TO GET PEOPLE OFF THE STREET MORE QUICKLY AND MORE EFFICIENTLY. AND, UH, THAT'S A BIG DEAL. SO, I'LL ANSWER QUESTIONS, MAYOR AND MAYOR WHITE, OR I THINK, I THINK WE'VE CERTAINLY ADDRESSED, UH, OUR, OUR VICTORY TODAY IN BRINGING THIS GREAT COALITION TOGETHER. UH, WHAT ELSE IS ON YOUR MIND? THERE'S A MENTION OF, UH, MOVING PEOPLE WITHIN 90 DAYS. UH, WHAT EXACTLY IS THAT LOOKING LIKE FOR YOU? ALL RIGHT, I'LL ANSWER. AND, AND, AND KELLY YOUNG FROM THE COALITION, THAT IS OUR GOAL, UH, TO GET PEOPLE INTO ANOTHER HOUSING SITUATION IN 90 DAYS. IN FACT, RIGHT NOW AT THE FOUR 19 EMANCIPATION, THE GOAL IS 60 DAYS. BUT AGAIN, EVERY, THESE ARE INDIVIDUALS AND SOME OF THEM CAN MOVE VERY QUICKLY INTO A, ANOTHER, ANOTHER LOCATION, INTO TRANSITIONAL HOUSING, INTO OPEN DOOR MISSION IF THEY WANT TO BECOME SOBER. I MEAN, THERE'S MANY, MANY PLACES, BUT THAT IS THE GOAL. UM, SOME PEOPLE ARE GONNA TAKE LONGER. THESE ARE INDIVIDUALS WITH INDIVIDUAL ISSUES THAT HAVE TO BE SOLVED. BUT I WOULD SAY THAT'S THE GOAL. UH, I WAS ASKED ABOUT IS, IS YOUR GOAL TO END HOMELESSNESS? AND MM-HMM . I'VE SAID THAT. 'CAUSE THAT'S MY GOAL. THAT'S MY ASPIRATION THAT HOUSTON WILL BE ABLE TO DO THAT. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO ME? WHAT IT MEANS TO ME IS WHEN SOMEONE ENTERS INTO HOMELESSNESS, THEY CAN BE IN A MORE STABLE SITUATION, HOUSING SITUATION WITHIN 60 TO 90 DAYS. SO THAT'S MY GOAL. UM, AND WOULD BE GREAT TO DO IT. WE'D LIKE TO HAVE NO ONE HAVE TO LIVE ON THE STREET. THAT'S ABSOLUTELY TRUE. BUT AGAIN, PEOPLE ARE COMING IN ALL THE TIME, UM, ALL THE TIME INTO HOMELESSNESS AS WE, YOU KNOW, HAVE ISSUES WITH EVICTIONS. WE, AS YOU, AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE ABOUT 10,000 INDIVIDUALS LEAVING STATE PRISONS EVERY YEAR. SOME OF THEM WILL FALL INTO HOMELESSNESS. WE HAVE LOTS OF WORK TO DO. CAN YOU JUST EXPLAIN REAL QUICK, HOW, HOW IS THE MONEY GONNA BE SPENT? WHAT PROGRAMS IS IT AND WHY, AND HOW IS THIS DIFFERENT FROM ANYTHING, EITHER THE CITY OR OTHER PLANTS? SO I LIKE KELLY YOUNG TO COME UP WHO'S HEAD OF THE COALITION SURE. FOR HOMELESSNESS. YES. THANK YOU. AND I WANTED TO MENTION THE 90 DAYS IS A SELF-IMPOSED DEADLINE TO MAKE US WORK HARDER, SMARTER, FASTER, UM, AND REALLY CREATE MORE OF AN EXPEDITING [00:10:01] SYSTEM. SO THE WAY THOSE DOLLARS ARE BEING SPENT IS THAT THE FEDERAL DOLLARS THAT WE GET, THAT PAY FOR MOST OF THAT, UM, HOMELESSNESS WORK HITS A CERTAIN GROUP, BUT IT DOESN'T HIT EVERYBODY. AND SO THESE FLEXIBLE DOLLARS ARE HELPING US BE ABLE TO HELP SOMEONE WHO MIGHT HAVE JUST ENDED UP ON THE STREET YESTERDAY AND TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT NEXT FIRST STEP IS FOR THAT PERSON AND MOVE THEM ALONG MORE QUICKLY. THEY DON'T HAVE TO WAIT A YEAR TILL THEY'RE ELIGIBLE FOR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING. WE CAN MOVE THEM MORE QUICKLY. UM, IT MIGHT BE THAT IT'S A STABILITY PROGRAM, YOU JUST NEED A LITTLE EXTRA MONEY, LIKE YOU NEED ANOTHER JOB OR YOU NEED MORE SHIFTS. AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE A CASE MANAGER WORK AND EXPEDITE YOU TO GET MORE OF THOSE SHIFTS, GET MORE WORK. AND THAT TAKES SOME TIME. BUT THE IDEA BEHIND IT IS THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT TILL THE FEDERAL DOLLARS, WHICH ARE VERY RESTRICTIVE, UM, FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET OFF OF THE STREET. SO THIS IS SOLVING FOR THOSE THAT ENDED UP THE STREET LAST NIGHT, THE FIRST NIGHT ON THE STREET. LET'S FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET YOU A BED AND A PLACE TO SLEEP CASE MANAGER TO GET YOU ON YOUR WAY. SO THE DOLLARS CREATE THAT FLEXIBILITY BECAUSE WE CAN ADDRESS THE PERSON INDIVIDUALLY WITH WHAT THEIR HOMELESSNESS IS CREATING FOR THEM, AND BE ABLE TO RESOLVE THAT QUICKLY. MAYOR FOUR 19 IS FULL, AND HPD IS STILL ISSUING CITATIONS TO PEOPLE FOR BEING ON THE SIDEWALK. IN FACT, ON A MONTHLY BASIS. YEAH. MORE CITATIONS ARE ISSUED THAN PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY MOVED ON TO TREATMENT THROUGH FOUR 19. HOW CAN YOU JUSTIFY ISSUING A CITATION IF THERE'S NOWHERE FOR THEM TO GO? WELL, DEPENDS ON THE CIRCUMSTANCES. AND YOU'LL GIVE ME THE NAME AND THE COMMUNITY THAT YOU'RE SPEAKING OF. WE'LL ADDRESS IT. UH, THE NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE ASKED, AND WE'VE PASSED AN ORDINANCE THAT YOU CAN'T SLEEP ON THE SIDEWALK IN NEIGHBORHOODS. MANY OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS ARE NOT HOMELESS. AND SO IT'S REALLY A DIFFERENT POPULATION. THEY'RE LISTED AS HOMELESS ON THEIR ADDRESS BY HPDI. I UNDERSTAND. BUT MANY OF THEM, UH, HAVE COME AND GO INTO THAT COMMUNITY. I CAN CITE YOU EXAMPLES AND IF YOU'LL GET ME THE NAME AND THE CIRCUMSTANCES, WE'LL GET YOU. I GUESS WHAT'S THE JUSTIFICATION? WHAT'S THE ALTERNATIVE? JUSTIFICATION IS THE NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE ASKED PEOPLE TO NOT SPEND THE NIGHT ON THE SIDEWALK. UH, AND THEY CALL HPD QUITE FRANKLY. AND THAT'S A JUSTIFICATION THAT WE HAVE A CITY ORDINANCE AGAINST THAT. AND IT'S USUALLY, UH, NEARLY ALWAYS THE ACTIONS OF THE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION OR NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, CIVIC GROUPS. AND, UH, WE RESPECT THEM AND WE RESPOND. MAYOR, MAY I SWITCH GEARS? SURE. I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE, UH, WHAT HPD DESCRIBES AS A LIVE IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVE DEVICE FOUND AT BUSH AIRPORT, UH, ON THE NINE 11 ANNIVERSARY. WERE YOU AWARE OF THIS INCIDENT BEFORE OUR STORY HERE AT THE, UH, TIME IT WAS HAPPENING AND THEY WERE CALLING OUT THE BOMB SQUADS? I WASN'T NOTICED, BUT I DID SEE YOUR REPORT. THANK YOU. UH, EVERYTHING'S UNDER REVIEW. WE RUN A VERY SAFE AIRPORT. WE JUST HAD A HUGE POPULATION COME THROUGH FOR FIFA, GETS GOOD REVIEWS. UH, YOU SPOKE TO SOMEONE THAT WAS UNHAPPY AND, UH, YOU TRIGGERED A REVIEW THAT'S OBVIOUSLY ONGOING. WE WILL INVOLVE THE TSA, THE AIRPORT ADMINISTRATION AND FOR CERTAIN THE CHIEF'S ON TOP OF IT. SO YOU'VE DONE A GOOD JOB BASED ON WHAT YOU KNOW OF THE INCIDENT, HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE H HP D'S RESPONSE TO THE, I THINK HPD RESPONSE? YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SINCE IT BECAME AN ISSUE OR BEFORE? I'M TALKING ABOUT THAT DAY. THAT DAY IS UNDER REVIEW. UM, I THINK AN OFFICER MADE JUDGMENT CALLS THAT HE PROBABLY SHOULDN'T HAVE. UH, WE TAKE EVERY, UH, ITEM, EVERY INCIDENT, SIR. UH, I THINK HE RULED, YOU'RE, YOU'RE USING YOUR TERM. THE POLICE OFFICER USED THE FIRECRACKER TERM, WHICH IS INAPPROPRIATE. THAT'S NOT HIS JUDGMENT CALL. HE SHOULD HAVE REACTED QUICKER. AND, UH, IT'S ALL UNDER REVIEW. AND IF I MAY ONE MORE, A CANINE SERGEANT WHO MADE THE SCENE WAS QUOTED AS SAYING THE LACK OF GUIDANCE WAS APPALLING FOR THE SEVERITY OF THE EVENT. WELL, HE'S ENTITLED HIS OPINION, LIKE I JUST SAID, WE RUN A VERY SAFE AIRPORT. BUT THOSE ARE STRONG WORDS. I, I, I UNDERSTAND. IT IS, AND TAKEN OUTTA CONTEXT, IT DOESN'T SOUND WORTH A DARN, UH, WE RUN A VERY SAFE AIRPORT. FIFA HAS ACTUALLY GIVEN US COMMENDATION FOR OUR SAFETY. TSA IS INVOLVED IN THE REVIEW. THE POLICE CHIEF'S ON TOP OF IT, AND SOME POOR JUDGMENT WAS USED BY AN INDIVIDUAL OFFICER THAT IS BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE. SO THANK YOU. GOOD, GOOD WORK. UH, WITH THE, WITH THE ADDITION OF EXTRA DOLLARS, HAVE THERE BEEN ANY CHANGES IN THE WAY THE CITY APPROACHES HOMELESSNESS? UM, COULD YOU GIVE US A RUNDOWN OF THE PLAN? WELL, WE, WE, WE GET CERTAINLY C MORE COMPASSIONATE EVERY DAY. I GET CALLS ON A REGULAR BASIS BECAUSE OF MY CONCERN FROM FAITH GROUPS THAT WANT ME TO COME SEE THEIR OPERATION. THERE'S A [00:15:01] LARGE ONE RIGHT OFF OF HOUSTON AVENUE BORDERS I 10. THEY FEED MANY PEOPLE, UH, BRED NOT BOMBS OR FEEDING PEOPLE AT THE LIBRARY. SO NEIGHBORHOODS GROUP, BECAUSE THE HOMELESS FILTER INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. SO WHAT WE'VE DONE IS JUST BE DILIGENT. IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A DRIVING CONCERN OF ALL OF US. UH, WE HAVE HBD HOT TEAMS THAT GO OUT. WE MADE SUCH A COMMITMENT TO SECOND WARD IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ WORKED WITH US TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT EMANCIPATION IS SAFE AND IT DOESN'T BECOME A GATHERING LOCATION FOR THOSE WAITING TO GET IN. SO AS MIKE NICHOLS POINTED OUT, WE GOT THE NAVIGATION CENTER, WE'VE GOT THE SOBRIETY CENTER, AND WE HAVE THE BASE FACE. WE HAVE OUR OTHER PROVIDERS, STAR OF HOPE. YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S A HUGE CHALLENGE. HARD AS THE MAYOR PRO TEM SAID, I USED THE WORD COMPLEX. UH, I WAS IN CONTACT WITH TDCJ THIS WEEKEND ABOUT THEIR RE LACK, LACK OF REENTRY PROGRAM. HOW WILL THIS, AND THEY'RE WORKING WITH US. WE, WE GO TO AUSTIN. WE HAD COMMITTEE HEARINGS, SAT, CHIEF SAT, TESTIFIED BEFORE COMMITTEE. WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER. THE GOOD NEWS IS WE'VE GOT THE COUNTY, WE'VE GOT THE FOUNDATIONS, WE GOT THE HOMELESS COALITION. NEVER BEFORE. NEVER BEFORE. AND LET ME ALSO, AND I'D LOVE TO NAME THE CITY, I HAD A VERY LARGE CITY MAYOR CALL ME WANTING TO KNOW HOW HAVE WE BEEN SUCCESSFUL WITH THE HOMELESS POPULATION. AND THAT WAS NICE, EXCEPT I KNOW WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK LEFT TO DO. IT DRIVES ME NUTS TO LEAVE HERE AT SEVEN O'CLOCK AT NIGHT, AND THERE'D BE 200 OR MORE MEN AND WOMEN EATING AT THE CENTRAL LIBRARY. SO WE'RE REVIEWING THAT POPULATION. ARE THEY HOMELESS? ARE THEY LIVING REALLY FOR A MEAL? SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION IS, WE NEVER, WE NEVER LET UP. AND I WANT TO JUST CONGRATULATE THE COUNCIL. IT'S, IT'S A VERY UNIFIED GROUP OF COUNCIL AND CITY OFFICIALS THAT ARE WORKING ON IT. AND IT'S SAD, BUT AS WE REMOVE PEOPLE, THERE'S OTHERS REPLACING 'EM BECAUSE OF THE ECONOMY. IT'S A NATIONAL PHENOMENON, BUT WE'RE REALLY DOING A GOOD JOB, BUT WE'RE NOT SATISFIED. MAYOR, WHAT CITIES DO YOU LOOK TO AS EXAMPLES OF HOW TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS? YOU MENTIONED HOUSTON. I START, I LOOK AT HOUSTON. ANY OTHERS? EVEN BEFORE I GOT HERE. ONE WAY HOME. WE'VE GOT NATIONAL RECOGNITION. THE CHALLENGE IS THOUGH, WAITING FOR A HOME IS A BACKLOG. AND THEY LIVED ON THE STREET. SO THIS, THIS INITIATIVE ADDRESSES MY FRIENDS THAT EAT OUT AT THE LIBRARY A COUPLE OF NIGHTS A WEEK. UH, BUT IF YOU JUST REALLY DRILLED ME FOR ANOTHER CITY, YOU KNOW, I'VE SPENT YEARS WORKING IN AUSTIN. THEY'VE GOT A MAJOR CHALLENGE. MAJOR CHALLENGE. ANYWHERE YOU GO IN AMERICA, THAT'S WHAT'S SO SAD. IT'S A NATIONAL PROBLEM. AND WHY HASN'T SOME ADMINISTRATION, AND WE KNOW THEY SPEND MONEY PRETTY FREELY IN WASHINGTON, WHY HAVEN'T THEY MADE THIS A NATIONAL PRIORITY? THE MENTAL HEALTH COMPONENT. SO MANY OF OUR HOMELESS ARE SUFFERING FROM MENTAL HEALTH. THEIR FAMILIES HAVE GIVEN UP ON 'EM. SUBSTANCE ABUSE, I CAN GO ON, ON AND ON. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. WOMEN LEAVE A DANGEROUS SITUATION WITH THE WOMEN DURING THE WARMING CENTER. LAST WINTER, THERE WAS A LADY AT THE DOOR HAD TWO CHILDREN STILL IN A CAR, LITTLE EIGHT, NINE EURO. THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHERE TO TURN. THEY CAME TO OUR WARMING CENTER, A COUPLE OF US REACHED IN OUR POCKET AND GAVE THEM OVERNIGHT HOUSING. BUT IT'S, IT'S A SERIOUS PROBLEM. AND YOU KNOW WHAT? IT, IT'S A REGIONAL PROBLEM. IT'S A STATE PROBLEM. AND HAVE YOU NOTICED HOW SO MANY OF OUR ADJOINING JURISDICTION SEND PEOPLE TO HOUSTON KELLY? BECAUSE WE ARE RECOGNIZED AS DOING A GOOD JOB. I DON'T WANNA START NAMING OUR NEIGHBORS, BUT I COULD. THEY DON'T HAVE A HOMELESS ISSUE. YOU KNOW WHY THEY REFER 'EM TO HOUSTON? AND IT'S NOT ONLY A REGIONAL, I VISITED WITH HOMELESS AND I SAY, WHERE WERE YOU BEFORE YOU GOT HERE? NACODOCHES. WHY, WHY'D YOU COME FROM NACODOCHES HOUSTON? MY SOCIAL WORKER SUGGESTED I COME TO HOUSTON. 'CAUSE THEY PROVIDE HOMELESS SERVICES. AND SO, YOU KNOW, AS I SAID, WE REMOVE PEOPLE IN THE STREET AND THEY'RE REPLACED BY OTHERS. A HUGE PART OF IT IS THE ECONOMY. PEOPLE LIVE CHECK TO CHECK, THEY LOSE THEIR JOB. THEY HAVE AN ILLNESS AND THEY BECOME HOMELESS. YES, MA'AM. I'M SORRY. HOW DO YOU EXPECT THIS NEW, HUH? MAYOR, HOW DO YOU EXPECT THE NEW EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE OF [00:20:01] THE PATHWAYS TO INDEPENDENTS TO WORK? YOU KNOW, THERE'S A MIX OF CITY LEADERS AND PHILANTHROPISTS AND NONPROFITS. HOW MUCH INPUT WILL YOU HAVE? FAIR, FAIR QUESTION. WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THEY'RE ALL PROFESSIONALS. SO NO ONE NEEDS TO, ON THE JOBB TRAINING, THEY HAVE BEEN MAKING A DISTRICT DIFFERENCE FOR YEARS. NOW THEY'RE PARTNERING WITH THE CITY, THE COUNTY, THE FOUNDATIONS TO GET ADDITIONAL RESOURCES. HOW DO I EXPECT THEM TO OPERATE WITH THE PASSION THAT THEY'VE SHOWN BEFORE THE SERAFIN FOUNDATION? I MEAN, THESE, I CAN GO ON AND ON HOUSTON ENDOWMENT, THEY'RE GONNA PROVIDE THE RESOURCES FOR THE PROFESSIONAL AND THE PASSIONATE CASEWORKERS TO GO INTERVIEW THE PEOPLE. SEE, EMANCIPATION WAS NOT DESIGNED TO BE LONG-TERM HOUSING. IT'S TO GET YOU STABILIZED WITH A HOLISTIC APPROACH. THANK GOODNESS FOR HARRIS HEALTH HARRIS CENTER, THERE'S PEOPLE OVER THERE THAT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THEIR MEMORY, SOMEBODY'S LOOKING OUT FOR THEIR HEALTH, CLEANLINESS, MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, AND THEY'RE SAFE. SO NOW WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO WITH THE RESOURCES? WE'RE GONNA TRANSITION THEM INTO A MORE, EVEN, EVEN A MORE STABLE ENVIRONMENT. AND HOW CAN WE SEE THAT? WHAT'S THE VISION THAT MAYBE MS. YOUNG CAN SPEAK ON THIS? IS IT GONNA BE DIFFERENT SI MEAN, HOW ARE YOU, WHAT'S THE VISION DO WITH I CERTAINLY YIELD TO MS. YOUNG. UH, YES. I WANNA ANSWER REALLY QUICKLY THOUGH AS WELL, HOW THE CITY WILL SEE THIS GO INTO ACTION. ONE IS THAT WE'VE ACTUALLY DEVELOPED WHAT ARE CALLED SMART TEAMS, WHICH ARE MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAMS TO HELP WITH SOME OF THE ISSUES OF THE MORE COMPLEX INDIVIDUALS THAT WE HAVE, SO THAT WE CAN GET THEM OFF THE STREET MORE QUICKLY. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE CITY HAS NEEDED FOR A LONG TIME, AND THIS FUNDING HAS BEEN ABLE, UM, TO HELP US DO THAT. THE SECOND THING IS REALLY LOOKING AT THAT REENTRY PIECE OUT OF JAIL. UM, ALTHOUGH THAT'S A COUNTY FUNCTION, IT ENDS UP IN THE CITY. SO THE TWO OF THEM BEING IN PARTNERSHIP, AND THEN US BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE THE RESOURCES TO HELP SOMEBODY MAYBE MOVE THROUGH THAT SYSTEM MORE QUICKLY OR OUT OF THE SYSTEM INTO A HOMELESS, UH, INTO A HOUSING SITUATION, WOULD BE A MUCH BETTER RESULT FOR THE CITY. SO THOSE ARE JUST SOME GOOD EXAMPLES. I THINK THE OTHER PART FOR, UM, THE POSITION THAT WE LOOK AT HOW SOME OF THIS IS GONNA WORK OUT IS THAT WE WANT TO HAVE FOUR 19 AND FOUR 19 HAS BEEN A HUGE PART OF THE PLAN BECAUSE IT PROVIDES THE SHELTERING SPACE IN THE, IN THE TRIAGE, IN THE TRANSITION. BUT OUTSIDE OF DOWNTOWN, YOU HAVE AREAS THAT THAT'S NOT AS WORKABLE. AND SO HAVING A HUB THAT'S PART OF A UNITED WAY OR A COMMUNITY, UH, SERVICES CENTER WHERE THAT PERSON CAN GET IN AND EXPEDITED THROUGH AND ONTO A DIFFERENT PATH AND NOT JUST HAVE TO KEEP SHOWING UP FOR FOOD OR SOMETHING ELSE, IS REALLY WHAT WE WANNA SEE ACROSS THE CITY. IT'S MORE COST EFFECTIVE. IT ALLOWS US TO USE OUR PARTNERSHIPS BETTER. AND THEN IT CREATES AN ACTUAL SERVICE MODEL WHERE THAT PERSON IS LIKE A MEDICAL HOME. IT'S MY SERVICE HOME. I CAN ALWAYS GO BACK TO THAT LOCATION AND GET THE ADDITIONAL SERVICES I NEED. SO WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT EXPAND OVER THE NEXT YEAR. UM, WE ALSO WILL NEED TO DO THAT ACROSS THE COUNTY BECAUSE THE COUNTY'S SO LARGE. CAN WE TALK ABOUT 48 MILLION, $48 MILLION OVER THREE YEARS? AND SO WE HAVE THAT BUDGETED OUT BY, WE RAN OUR, OUR WHAT'S CALLED A STELLA MODEL, WHICH IS JUST BASICALLY WHO NEEDS WHAT KIND OF SERVICE, UM, WHO'S BEEN ASKING FOR IT. WE DEVELOPED THE INTERVENTIONS FOR THAT AND THEN APPLY THE DOLLAR AMOUNTS TO IT. SO WE'LL TEST IT OUT. IF THEY'RE NOT WORKING, WE WILL ADJUST. THAT'S WHERE THE ELC BECOMES VERY IMPORTANT. THAT EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE SITS THERE AND SAYS, THAT'S NICE, KELLY. BUT NO, UH, WE NEED TO SEE BETTER OUTCOMES. I GO BACK TO MY TEAM, WE FIGURE OUT A DIFFERENT OPTION. THIS HAS BEEN INCREDIBLY GREAT WORK BECAUSE THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AND THE COUNTY AND THE JAIL SYSTEM HAVE BEEN THE BEST PARTNERS WE'VE HAD IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS TO REALLY MOVE THE NEEDLE ON SOME THINGS. SO WE HAVE SHERIFF GONZALEZ AND DIRECTOR SATTERWHITE ON THAT COMMITTEE, AND THEY'RE GONNA SAY, YEAH, THIS IS GREAT, BUT YOU'RE NOT MOVING FAST ENOUGH ON THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO SEE. ARE THE 48 READILY AVAILABLE OR WE HAVE 34 MILLION THAT HAS BEEN, UM, UM, RAISED AND SECURED. UH, AND WE'RE GOING FOR THE REST OF IT THERE ON THE MODEL CITIES INITIATIVE. YEAH. UM, IS IT COMMON FOR GRANT APPLICATIONS TO BE SUBMITTED BEFORE THEY'RE APPROVED? AND WHY, WHY DID THE OFFICE KEEP IT SECRET FOR SO LONG? WELL, I, I WANNA STRONGLY DISAGREE WITH YOU. NOTHING SECRET ABOUT IT AT ALL. IT WAS HANDLED AS WE DO HUNDREDS OF GRANTS AND WHY YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SECRECY. I NOTICE YOU HAVEN'T ASKED. IT, QUITE FRANKLY WASN'T EVEN A CITY APPLICATION. IT WAS A COALITION APPLICATION TO BEAT A DEADLINE. AND YOU HAVE FAILED TO MENTION THAT THERE WERE OTHER MAJOR ELECTED OFFICES, SUCH AS THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY SIGNED THE APPLICATION. THE SHERIFF SIGNED THE APPLICATION. SO I UNDERSTAND YOU'D LIKE TO FOCUS ON MY WORK, BUT REALLY IT WAS A COALITION HANDLED, LIKE WE DO HUNDREDS OF GRANTS TO DEAL WITH HOMELESS AND CRIME FIGHTING. SO I, I REALLY AM DISAPPOINTED WHEN YOU MISREPRESENT, [00:25:01] YOU MAKE IT DIFFICULT. AND WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN IS WE'RE NOT GONNA GET $150 MILLION FOR THE HOMELESS OR FOR VICTIM SERVICES OR PUBLIC SAFETY BECAUSE IT'S BEEN MISREPRESENTED, STRONGLY MISREPRESENTED. THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY ASKS FOR THE APPLICATION, THE SHERIFF, THE FOUNDATIONS. AND SO IT BECAME SO POLITICIZED BY SOME CANDIDATES FOR HIGHER OFFICE THAT IT WAS MY JUDGMENT TO GO AHEAD AND PULL BACK THE APPLICATION BECAUSE IT WAS DOING MORE HARM THROUGH REPORT SOME REPORTING THAN THE GOOD THAT IT WAS GONNA RECEIVE. BUT WE COULDN'T FUNCTION IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON WITHOUT FEDERAL GRANTS. OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT, OUR EDUCATION DEPARTMENT. AND SO ONE OF OUR OTHER SISTER CITIES, YOU FAILED TO MENTION, DALLAS, APPLIED FOR IT. JACKSON MISSISSIPPI'S ALREADY RECEIVED IT. SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT MAKES THIS JOB FRUSTRATING, MORE DIFFICULT THAN IT SHOULD BE. A GROUP OF COALITION CAME TOGETHER. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT HAS HOMELESS FUNDING, AND IT WAS APPLIED. SO, YOU KNOW HOW I FEEL ABOUT IT. IT WAS TOTALLY MISREPRESENTED. GENERALLY SPEAKING, IS IT YOUR UNDERSTANDING, YOU, YOU MENTIONED, SIR, GENERALLY SPEAKING, YOU MENTIONED HUNDREDS OF FEDERAL GRANTS THAT THE CITY RELIES ON. GENERALLY SPEAKING, IS IT YOUR UNDERSTANDING THAT WE, THAT YOU DO NEED COUNCIL APPROVAL BEFORE APPLYING? NO, WE DON'T. WE, WE, WE APPLY FOR HUNDREDS OF GRANTS. AND SO WHAT HAPPENED WAS TO MEET THE DEADLINE, THE COALITION ALONG WITH THE SHERIFF, THE DA AND THE FOUNDATIONS APPLIED FOR IT. IT'S AN APPLICATION. AND NOT $1 WOULD'VE BEEN RECEIVED, ACCEPTED WITHOUT COUNCIL APPROVAL. SO IT'S REALLY A PRETTY ROUTINE EFFORT THAT HAS BEEN TOTALLY POLITICIZED BY THOSE THAT HOLD THEMSELVES OUT, IS CARING, BUT THEY'RE ACTUALLY HARMING THE PEOPLE THEY CLAIM THEY'RE TRYING TO HELP. IT'S JUST POLITICS, THE WORST FORM OF POLITICS. AND YOU KNOW WHAT? PEOPLE WOULD DIE BECAUSE OF IT. VICTIM SERVICES, PROTECTION OF HUMAN BEINGS. THAT'S WHERE THE 150 WOULD'VE GONE FOR TO GET THE PEOPLE OFF THE STREET. SO THERE WAS A RUSH TO APPLY BECAUSE WE'RE COMPETING WITH OTHER CITIES AND, UH, BUT WE ARE, WE DON'T GIVE UP. WE'LL, WE'LL CONTINUE TO FIND RESOURCES AS WE ANNOUNCE TODAY, BUT, UH, THERE WERE A LOT OF, LOT OF PEOPLE APPLYING FOR THAT GRANT BESIDES THE CITY OF HOUSTON. IT WAS A COALITION, NOT GOOD. CLICK BAIT. I UNDERSTAND, MAYOR, BUT THE FACTS, BUT THE FACTS QUESTION ON THE AIRPORT, WHO IS THE LEAD INVESTIGATING AGENCY? HPD? IS IT TS A OR IS IT THE F-B-I-H-P-D? AND THEN INVESTIGATORS SAID THEY IDENTIFIED A ROUGHLY 300 PASSENGERS. WHAT INVESTIGATOR? UH, THE HPD INVESTIGATORS. WHAT'S THE NAME? WHAT'S THE NAME? WHO, SO I CAN BE SURE TO HAVE CONTACT WITH HIM. UH, ACCORDING TO THE RECORDS, DETECTIVE VARELA AND MAJOR OFFENDERS, WELL, IT'S GOING OVER HIS HEAD AND IT'S THE CHIEF, UH, HANDLING HIS OFFICE. THE REVIEW, MY QUESTION IS, NEARLY A MONTH LATER, INVESTIGATORS IDENTIFIED ABOUT 300 PEOPLE WHO WENT INTO THAT RESTROOM AFTER IT WAS, I UNDERSTAND FIRST CLEAN. I UNDERSTAND WHAT'S THE, WHAT'S THE STA HAS ANY SUSPECTS BEEN IDENTIFIED A MONTH LATER? IT'S AN ONGOING INVESTIGATION. AND, UH, THAT WOULD INVOLVE LOOKING AT VIDEO HOLDING PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE. YOU'VE DONE YOUR JOB. NOW, LET H HP DO THEIR JOB. IS HPD LOOKING AT ANY POLICY CHANGES IN RESPONSES? NO. WE HAVE, WE HAVE ALL THE PROTOCOLS IN PLACE. IT WAS A, UH, POOR JUDGMENT ON SOMEONE'S PART. AND, UH, THAT PERSON HAS BEEN HELD ACCOUNTABLE. ALL THE AGENCIES INVOLVED ARE REVIEWING PROTOCOLS. BUT WE HAVE A SAFE AIRPORT. WE HAVE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE GO THROUGH WEEKLY. FIFA GAVE US SUCH PASSING GRADES. SO YES, THERE WAS A MISTAKE MADE, MADE, AND IT'S BEING REVIEWED. IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN, CERTAINLY BY THOSE INDIVIDUALS. THE MISTAKE BY THE INITIAL OFFICER, THE MISTAKE BY THE SERGEANT, IT'S UNDER REVIEW. IT'S UNDER REVIEW. I'M NOT GONNA BE THE JUDGE. THAT'S THE POLICE CHIEF'S RESPONSIBILITY. WELL, I YOU SAID THERE WAS A MISTAKE. HOW, WHAT MISTAKE? I THINK THAT OFFICER, IT'S OBVIOUS HE USED HIS INTERPRETATION OF THE ITEM. AND OF COURSE YOU'VE USED INFLAMMATORY TERMS AND YOUR EXPERTS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY. YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND THAT'S WHAT'S BEING DONE RIGHT NOW ON YOUR MODEL CITY GRANT. HOW CAN YOU SAY IT WAS MISREPRESENTED WHEN YOUR OFFICE NEVER RECEIVED CLARIFICATION FROM THE DOJ? [00:30:03] WE PULLED THE APPLICATION BECAUSE OF THE POLITICS AND THE MISREPRESENTATION AND THE HARM IT WAS DOING TO THE PROCESS. YOU'VE HEARD MY EXPLANATION. IT WAS AN ACCURATE EXPLANATION THAT WE APPLIED FOR HUNDREDS OF GRANTS, HEALTH, PUBLIC SAFETY, PUBLIC WORKS, AND THE COALITION APPLIED. SO WHEN YOU SAY I DID SUCH AND SUCH, IT WAS IN COLLABORATION WITH ALL THE PARTIES THAT APPLIED. VERY TRANSPARENT, VERY OPEN COUNCIL MEMBERS WERE BRIEFED. I PUT IT ON THE AGENDA TWICE. YOU CAN'T GET MUCH MORE TRANSPARENT, SO I UNDERSTAND YOUR AGENDA, BUT WE HAD IT ON THE COUNCIL MEMBER'S DESK. I PULLED IT SEEKING CLARIFICATION. ONE OF THE REASONS WE PULLED IT, WE WERE STILL SEEKING CLARIFICATION. ALSO, I HAD TO MAKE A JUDGMENT CALL OF WHAT'S THE GREATER GOOD. YOU, YOU PRETTY MUCH RUINED THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET $150 MILLION FOR THE HOMELESS PUBLIC SAFETY, VICTIM SERVICE STAR, HOPE, YOU NAME IT. OTHER CITIES WILL RECEIVE IT. DOES TODAY ANNOUNCEMENT REPLACE ANY FUNDING THAT YOU WERE HOPING TO GET THROUGH THE MODEL ? NO, THIS IS CERTAINLY SEPARATE AND APART EXCEPT THE COALITION WITH THIS ANNOUNCEMENT TODAY. WERE PARTNERS, ABSOLUTE PARTNERS IN SEEKING OUT THAT GRANT BECAUSE THAT GRANT WAS PRIMARILY FOR THE HOMELESS. AND, UH, NOW WE WILL, WE'LL GO FORWARD. NOTHING'S GOING TO STOP US, BUT, UH, THAT'S THE, THE MODEL CITY APPLICATION'S A DEAD ISSUE. THERE'S ONLY A COUPLE PEOPLE THAT WOULD LIKE TO KEEP IT OPEN FOR POLITICAL REASONS. OBVIOUSLY. I KNOW WE TALKED AND I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR POLITICS, YOU KNOW, WE'LL HAVE A, WE'LL HAVE A GOOD HEALTHY CAMPAIGN SOMEDAY, BUT RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A CAN-DO TEAM OF ADDRESSING THE HOMELESS AND PUBLIC SAFETY. I KNOW WE DISCUSSED A LOT OF THE, UH, LIKE THE PROGRAMMING THAT WILL BE INVOLVED WITH THIS. ANY PHYSICAL LIKE, INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT? WHICH ONE'S THAT, WHICH, OR I'M JUST ASKING LIKE FOR NO, WHAT SUBJECT ARE YOU OH, REGARDING THE HOMELESS, UM, AND THE $48 MILLION. SURE, SURE. WE'RE, WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR ADDITIONAL BEDS AND UH, I GAVE TO CARTER A SHOUT OUT. SHE'S ALWAYS TRAVELING THE STREETS AND NETWORKING. IT, IT'S AN ONGOING, IT'S AN ONGOING CHALLENGE, BUT WE'RE MEETING THAT CHALLENGE AND, AND WE'RE BEING RECOGNIZED AROUND THE COUNTRY. SO ANYWAY, LET'S GO TO WORK. THANK Y'ALL. COOL. THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.