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WELCOME TO THE CITY COUNCIL BUDGET WORK SESSION OF AUGUST 21ST, 2018.
[1. Staff presentation on the FY 2019 Proposed Budget focusing on, but not limited to, the following City Departments and Initiatives: [Sheryl Sculley, City Manager; Justina Tate, Director, Management and Budget] A. Affordable Housing/Neighborhood and Housing Services B. Planning C. Library D. Sustainability E. Metro Health F. Human Services and Delegate Agencies G. Parks and Recreation]
>> MAYOR, WE DO HAVE A QUORUM.
>> NIRENBERG: GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.
WELCOME TO OUR CITY COUNCIL BUDGET SESSION.
TODAY WE HAVE SEVERAL DEPARTMENTS WE'RE GOING TO MOVE THROUGH, AND WE'RE GOING TO DO IT AT GOOD SPEED, SO I'LL SEND IT OVER TO OUR CITY MANAGER.
>> SCULLEY: GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
AND WE DID NOTE, BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MANY DEPARTMENTS, THAT WE ARE REVIEWING TODAY.
WE NOTED THAT IF WE CAN DEVOTE APPROXIMATELY 45 MINUTES TO AN HOUR ON EACH OF THESE DEPARTMENTS, WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET THROUGH ALL OF THEM TODAY.
IF WE DO NOT, THEN THOSE THAT ARE LEFT OVER, WE WILL PUT ON THE NEXT AGENDA, AND THAT PUSHES US BACK A LITTLE BIT, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE TO ADD MORE SESSIONS.
SO, JUST WANT TO NOTE THAT WE HAVE NUMEROUS DEPARTMENTS.
I THINK SIX OR EIGHT ON TODAY.
SO THIS IS THE THIRD BUDGET WORK SESSION FOR THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2019 BUDGET.
AND OF COURSE, FOR OUR VIEWING AUDIENCE, THE BUDGET BEGINS ON OCTOBER 1.
OUR FISCAL YEAR ENDS SEPTEMBER 30.
AND THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINS ON OCTOBER 1ST.
THIS AGENDA TODAY IS BROKEN INTO TWO SESSIONS.
IN THE MORNING WE HAVE FOUR PRESENTATIONS, BEGINNING WITH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES DEPARTMENT, FOLLOWED BY PLANNING, LIBRARY, AND THE SUSTAINABILITY OFFICE.
I KNOW A COUPLE OF YOU HAVE MEETINGS, NOON MEETINGS, AND THEN WE'LL BEGIN THE SECOND PORTION OF TODAY'S AGENDA AT 2:00 P.M.
LUNCH WILL BE PROVIDED FOR THE COUNCIL IN THE C ROOM, SO YOU WILL HAVE LUNCH BETWEEN THE TWO SESSIONS.
IN THE AFTERNOON SESSION, WE'LL BEGIN WITH AN EXECUTIVE SESSION AND THEN CONTINUE WITH BUDGET PRESENTATIONS.
THREE DEPARTMENTS ARE SCHEDULED FOR THE SECOND HALF.
METRO HEALTH, HUMAN SERVICES AND DELEGATE AGENCIES, AND THEN THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, SAVORING XAVIER BEST FOR LAST HERE, SO A LITTLE BIT MORE FUN IN THE AFTERNOON.
AND WE ARE SCHEDULED TO COMPLETE OUR WORK SESSION TODAY BY 5:00 P.M.
AND OF COURSE, WE HAVE A BUDGET OPEN HOUSE AGAIN TONIGHT.
TONIGHT'S MEETING WILL BE AT PALO ALTO COLLEGE, AND IT WILL BE IN ESPANOL, AND MARIA GOMEZ WILL BE MAKING THE BUDGET PRESENTATION THIS EVENING.
SO TODAY, WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN THIS MORNING WITH NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES.
YOU'LL RECALL THAT LAST YEAR, I RECOMMENDED THE REORGANIZATION OF CITY STAFF AND THE CREATION OF A NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES DEPARTMENT WITH EXISTING POSITIONS IN EARLY '17 TO FOCUS ON NEIGHBORHOODS, HOUSING POLICIES, AND PROGRAMS, AND THE EXECUTION OF THE 2017 HOUSING BOND THAT WAS APPROVED BY THE VOTERS IN MAY OF 2017.
WE WILL REVIEW WITH YOU TODAY IN DETAIL THE PROPOSED AFFORDABLE HOUSING SPENDING PLAN FOR NEXT YEAR, AND AS YOU KNOW FROM THE PRESENTATION ON AUGUST 9TH, I AM RECOMMENDING A $17 MILLION INCREASE IN SPENDING OVER THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR OF 8 MILLION FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAMS THAT ALIGN WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE MAYOR'S HOUSING POLICY TASK FORCE.
AND LOURDES, THE MAYOR CASTRO IS HERE THIS AFTERNOON -- OR THIS MORNING.
GOSH, I HOPE IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE THAT IN ABOUT AN HOUR.
NONETHELESS, WE HAVE VERY EXCITING PRESENTATIONS THIS MORNING, AND OF COURSE, SOTO IS GOING TO PRESENT THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SE SERSER SERVICES RECOMMENDATIONS.
THE BUDGET DOES INCLUDE 13 NEW POSITIONS FOR HOUSING AND WE'RE CONSOLIDATING HOUSING FUNCTIONS WITHIN THE CITY ORGANIZATION TO THIS NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING DEPARTMENT OVER A TWO-YEAR PERIOD.
THIS BUDGET RECOMMENDS TRANSFERRING 11 POSITIONS FROM THE FAIR HOUSING FUNCTIONS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES.
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SERVICES, AND THREE EAST POINT STAFF POSITIONS TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES DEPARTMENT FOR A TOTAL OF 11 BEING TRANSFERRED, PLUS THE CREATION OF 13 ADDITIONAL POSITIONS.THE REMAINING HOUSING FUNCTIONS THROUGHOUT THE ORGANIZATION WILL BE TRANSFERRED IN YEAR TWO, AND SO, THIS IS A TWO-YEAR PROCESS RATHER THAN JUST SAYING WE'RE MOVING ALL OF THEM AT ONCE, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S ORDERLY, PROFESSIONAL, AND THAT WE HAVE A CHANCE TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN MEETING THE PERFORMANCE METRICS FOR THE CITY ORGANIZATION.
AND I WILL ALSO BE TAKING A LOOK AT -- YOU'LL RECALL IN THE HOUSING RECOMMENDATIONS, THEY RECOMMENDED AN EXECUTIVE LEVEL HOUSING POSITION IN THE INTERIM.
DEPUTY CITY MANAGER WILL BE OVERSEEING THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND THIS TRANSITION BUSINESS PLAN THAT HE, VETO, AND STAFF WITH THE BUDGET OFFICE STAFF HAVE PUT TOGETHER.
AND DURING THE COURSE OF THE YEAR, I WILL BE EVALUATING THE CAPABILITIES OF WHAT KIND OF POSITION THAT WE NEED.
THE TASK FORCE HAD RECOMMENDED A HIGH LEVEL EXECUTIVE POSITION, AND I'LL BE STUDYING WHAT WE NEED TO DO ORGANIZATIONALLY, AND THEN BEGIN RECRUITING AS WE NEED TO AND EVOLVE THIS PROGRAM OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR.
I UNDERSTAND THAT WE NEED A SPECIFIC SKILL SET TO BE ABLE TO COORDINATE ALL OF THESE HOUSING PROGRAMS AND UNDERTAKE THE KINDS OF HOUSING COORDINATION THAT WE NEED WITH OTHER OUTSIDE AGENCIES, SO WE'LL BE EVALUATING THAT, AND I'LL BE MAKING AN ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATION TO THE COUNCIL DURING THE COURSE OF THE FISCAL YEAR ON THE LEVEL OF POSITION WE WILL NEED.
I KNOW THAT WE WILL NEED A HIGH-POWERED INDIVIDUAL TO BE ABLE TO WORK ON THIS HOUSING COORDINATION.
I THANK PETER FOR TAKING THIS ON AND WORKING ON THE TRANSITION IN THIS INTERIM CAPACITY.
HE DID THAT AS WE WORKED ON OUR PRE-K FOR SA IMPLEMENTATION.
HE'S NOT A SUPERINTENDENT, NOR AM I, BUT TOGETHER, WE WERE ABLE TO GET THAT IN MOTION AND THEN RECRUIT THE KIND OF STAFF THAT WE NEED TO ENSURE ITS LONG-TERM SUCCESS.
SO, TODAY, WE ARE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT NOT ONLY THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND HOW WE WILL IMPLEMENT SOME OF THE POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT ALSO THE 2017 HOUSING BOND PROGRAM, BECAUSE THAT IS ALSO UNDER VERO'S SUPERVISION.
I AM HAPPY TO REPORT THIS MORNING THAT OUR FIRST REQUEST FOR HOUSING DEVELOPER PROPOSALS WILL BE RELEASED THIS FRIDAY FOR THE 2017 BOND PROGRAM.
THE RFP ASKS FOR DEVELOPER PROPOSALS FOR A 1.7-ACRE SITE IN DISTRICT 5 ON THE NEAR WEST SIDE BETWEEN BUENA VISTA AND COMMERCE STREET.
WE BELIEVE THIS SITE THAT CURRENTLY WE HAVE UNDER CONTRACT CAN ACCOMMODATE AT LEAST 60 AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS, AND VETO SOTO IS GOING TO TALK MORE ABOUT THAT IN HER PRESENTATION.
SO, I'LL ASK VETO TO COME FORWARD AND REVIEW WITH YOU THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND OUR BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2019 THAT BEGINS OCTOBER 1.
VETO SOTO WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
OUR DEPARTMENT HAS A FOCUS ON STABLE AND DIVERSE NEIGHBORHOODS THROUGH THE DELIVERY OF PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE SAFE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
AS THE CITY MANAGER MENTIONED, THE DEPARTMENT WAS CREATED BY REORGANIZING HOUSING RELATED POSITIONS FROM THE PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT INTO TWO DEPARTMENTS, SO WE HAVE OUR CITY AND REGIONAL PLANNING DEPARTMENT, AND THE NEW NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
PART OF THE REASON THAT THIS DEPARTMENT WAS CREATED WAS TO FOCUS ON THOSE HOUSING RELATED PROGRAMS AND TO HAVE A GREATER INTERFACE WITH OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, TO HAVE THAT INCREASED COMMUNICATION WHEN IT CAME TO HOUSING IN NEIGHBORHOOD ISSUES, TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY NEEDS, AND TO EDUCATE OUR COMMUNITY ABOUT HOUSING AND NEIGHBORHOOD ISSUES.
AND AS MENTIONED AS WELL, THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 2017-22 NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENTS BOND PROGRAM IS PART OF WHAT IS IN OUR RESPONSIBILITY, AS WELL AS OTHER HOUSING RELATED PROGRAMS. SO LOOKING FORWARD AT 2019, THE PROPOSED BUDGET, AS HAS BEEN PRESENTED, IS THAT OUR DEPARTMENT HAVE 34.5 MILLION DEVOTED WITH A STRONG FOCUS ON HOUSING.
AS MENTIONED, THE DEPARTMENT IS PROPOSED TO GROW FROM 55 CURRENT
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POSITIONS TO 79, WITH NEW POSITIONS AND A REORGANIZATION, BUT THE FOCUS IS REALLY ON HOUSING.SO THE CITY MANAGER'S BUDGET PROPOSED $25 MILLION FOR HOUSING-RELATED PROGRAMS, BUILDING ON THE CURRENT ACTIVITY WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT.
THIS IS ACHIEVED THROUGH A COMBINATION OF THE GRANT FUNDING.
SOME OF THAT GRANT FUNDING REDIRECTED TO SUPPORT MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, SUPPORT FROM THE GENERAL FUND, AND ASKING THE HOUSING TRUST TO ONCE AGAIN CONTINUE TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO THE PROGRAMS. SO THE MAJOR PROGRAMS WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES DEPARTMENT ARE OUTLINED IN FRONT OF YOU.
WE MENTIONED OUR INTERFACE WITH NEIGHBORHOODS THROUGH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT WORK.
VERY FOCUSED ON THE DELIVERY OF HOUSING PROGRAMS FOR CITIZENS AS WE HAVE STAFF WHO ARE DIRECT DELIVERERS OF SEVERAL PROGRAMS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT, BUILDING WHAT WE'RE CALLING OUR COORDINATED HOUSING SYSTEM AND THE HOUSING POLICIES THAT ARE PART OF THAT DELIVERY SYSTEM.
WE ALSO MENTIONED THE HOUSING BOND.
WE DO ADMINISTER SEVERAL GRANTS, AND YOU HAVE SEEN PRESENTATIONS ABOUT HOW THAT MONEY IS UTILIZED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND OF COURSE, FOR NEXT YEAR, WE'RE PROPOSING THAT THE FAIR HOUSING WORK AND HOUSING NAVIGATORS ALSO BE HOUSED WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
WE ALSO ADMINISTER THE TAX INCREMENT FINANCING PROGRAM.
MANY OF OUR PROGRAMS TAKE AN EQUITY APPROACH TO OUR WORK, SO I'LL JUST TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ONE PARTICULAR EQUITY ISSUE WITH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT.
LET ME TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE WORK THERE.
WE HAVE FOUR STAFF THAT WORK WITH NEIGHBORHOODS AND NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, PROVIDING INFORMATION ON CITY POLICIES, EVENTS, AND INITIATIVES.
WE PREPARE RELEVANT PRESENTATIONS SUCH AS HOMEOWNERSHIP ASSOCIATION RIGHTS.
WE ALSO TOOK ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERSHIP ACADEMY AFTER IT HAD A GREAT START IN THE OFFICE OF EAST POINT AND EXPANDED TO THE WORLD HERITAGE AREA.
AND THIS YEAR, WE HAD 40 GRADUATES FOR THAT MULTIPLE MONTH PROGRAM AS WELL.
BECAUSE WE'RE A NEW DEPARTMENT AND BECAUSE THIS IS A NEW PROGRAM, THE EQUITY APPROACH IS ABOUT MAKING SURE WE COMMUNICATE AND SHARE INFORMATION, AND SO HAVING RESIDENTS BE AWARE OF OUR DEPARTMENT, OUR PROGRAMS, WHAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT TEAM AND THE HOUSING PRODUCTION IS IS PART OF THE SHORT-TERM GOAL.
THE LONG-TERM GOAL IS TO HAVE THE TRUST AND COMMITMENT THAT WE ARE LISTENING, THAT WE ARE RESPONDING TO THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY, AND THAT THE PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE DO MAKE AN IMPACT ON OUR FAMILIES AND THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO LET ME TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENTS BOND.
I'LL GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF THAT PROGRAM.
FOR THE FIRST TIME LAST YEAR, OUR VOTERS APPROVED THAT HOUSING BE PART OF THE CITY'S BOND PROGRAM WITH 20 MILLION ALLOCATED FOR THAT.
THIS ALLOWED US THROUGH OUR URBAN RENEWAL AUTHORITY TO LOOK AT SITES THAT WE COULD PURCHASE IN ONE OR MORE OF 12 ELIGIBLE AREAS.
AND THOSE AREAS ARE PART OF AN URBAN RENEWAL PLAN THAT WAS APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL.
WHAT THE PROGRAM DOES IS MAKE THOSE PROPERTIES THAT WE DO ACQUIRE SHOVEL READY FOR HOUSING DEVELOPMENT.
THE CITY WILL COMPETITIVELY BID OUT THE SITES SO THAT WE HAVE EITHER PRIVATE OR NON-PROFIT DEVELOPERS BE THE ACTUAL BUILDERS OF THE HOUSING.
PER THE URBAN RENEWAL PLAN, HALF OF THE HOUSING MUST SERVE FAMILIES THAT ARE AT 80% OR BELOW OF THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME.
IN THE URBAN RENEWAL PLAN, AND THROUGH CITY COUNCIL GUIDANCE, WE KNOW THAT PAR PROGRAM IS VOL.
THAT MEANS THAT WE ARE NOT USING EMINENT DOMAIN TO ACQUIRE PROPERTIES.
WE KNOW WE WILL HAVE NO DISPLACEMENT OR RELOCATION OF FAMILIES BECAUSE THAT IS THE COMMUNITY CONCERN, AND THE CITY ITSELF IS NOT GOING TO BE THE ONE TO CONSTRUCT THE UNITS.
AS THE CITY MANAGER MENTIONED, WE ARE RELEASING AN RFP THIS FRIDAY FOR THE FIRST SITE, AND PROCEEDS FROM THE SALE AS WE MAKE A SITE SHOVEL-READY FOR DEVELOPMENT CAN BE INVESTED BACK, OR WILL BE INVESTED BACK INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENTS PROGRAM.
WE'RE WORKING DILIGENTLY AS WELL TO ENSURE THERE IS COMPATIBILITY WITH THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD AS PART OF THIS PROGRAM.
SO I'M VERY HAPPY TO SHARE WITH YOU AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE'RE AT FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENTS BOND.
WE DO HAVE TWO SITES UNDER CONTRACT.
THE MAP IN FRONT OF YOU SHOWS YOU THE 12 AREAS THAT ARE PART OF THE URBAN RENEWAL PLAN.
AS WE MENTIONED, WE HAVE ONE RFP THAT IS GOING TO BE ISSUED THIS MONTH, AND LET ME GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE THAT TALKS ABOUT THAT FIRST RFP.
THE SITE, AS WAS MENTIONED, IS AT 1409 BUENA VISTA, SO THIS IS COMPLETELY VACANT, FULL CITY
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BLOCK THAT IS READY FOR DEVELOPMENT.WE DO HAVE IT UNDER CONTRACT, AND SO THE RFP FOR POTENTIAL DEVELOPERS WILL BE ISSUED THIS FRIDAY.
THE SITE IS JUST OVER 1.7 ACRES WITHIN COUNCIL DISTRICT FIVE.
WE EXPECT MORE THAN THAT, BUT AT LEAST 60 CAN BE DEVELOPED IN A MULTI-FAMILY DEVELOPMENT AT THIS SITE.
THE LOCATION IS VERY CLOSE TO DOWNTOWN WITH A LOT OF AMENITIES NEARBY.
AND IT IS A GOOD SITE FOR WORKFORCE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
THE SECOND SITE THAT IS UNDER CONTRACT IS WHAT WE'RE CALLING THE TURTLE CREEK SITE.
THIS PARTICULAR SITE IS IN COUNCIL DISTRICT 8, SO IT'S A GENERAL LOCATION MAP.
THIS ONE, IF WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, WITH SOME PROPERTY FACTS IS OVER SEVEN ACRES IN SITE.
FOR THIS, WHEN WE'RE WORKING ON AN RFP AT THE MOMENT THAT WE HOPE TO ISSUE IN LATE SEPTEMBER.
THIS IS IN THE MEDICAL CENTER REGIONAL CENTER, SO WE HAVE WORKED WITH OUR COLLEAGUES IN THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT TO FIGURE OUT WHAT KIND OF DEVELOPMENT IS APPROPRIATE FOR THAT SITE.
AGAIN, WE'RE LOOKING AT MULTI-FAMILY RENTAL DEVELOPMENT, APPROXIMATELY 200 UNITS CAN BE DEVELOPED ON THIS SITE.
SO, THE HOUSING BOND PROGRAM IS ONE OF THE PROGRAMS WHERE WE'RE FOCUSED ON DELIVERING ON HOUSING FOR THE COMMUNITY, BUT WE HAVE SEVERAL OTHER PROGRAMS THAT OUR STAFF DELIVERS ON FOR HOUSING.
SO WE HAVE DIRECT DLELIVERY AND STAFF THAT INTERACT AND DO OUTREACH WITH THE COMMUNITY TO TAKE APPLICATIONS, PROCESS THEM, AND THOSE INCLUDE THE LET'S PAINT, THE MINOR HOME REPAIR PROGRAM, OUR OWNER OCCUPIED REHAB PROGRAM, AND THE UNDER ONE ROOF PROGRAM.
IN ADDITION, WE COORDINATE WITH SEVERAL ENTITIES IN THE CITY THAT ALSO PROVIDE HOUSING AND ADDRESS AFFORDABLE HOUSING NEEDS.
THESE INCLUDE THE SAN ANTONIO HOUSING TRUST, THE SAN ANTONIO HOUSING AUTHORITY, LISC SAN ANTONIO, AND OF COURSE, SEVERAL COMMUNITY HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS CALLED CHDOS, WHICH ARE REALLY NON-PROFIT DEVELOPERS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I MENTIONED THAT OUR DEPARTMENT OVERSEES SEVERAL GRANTS THAT ARE USED TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING, SO WE ENSURE WE COMPLY WITH HUD GUIDELINES FOR THOSE GRANTS, AND OF COURSE, A PROPOSAL IS THAT NEXT FISCAL YEAR, PART OF OUR PORTFOLIO INCLUDES THE FAIR HOUSING PROGRAM.
THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE HAVE TENANT AND LANDLORD MEDIATION AS PART OF THAT WORK.
WE WORK WITH CURRENT HOMEOWNERS TO ENSURE THAT THEY RECEIVE COUNSELING OR HELP WITH LONE MODIFICATION -- LOAN MODIFICATIONS SO THAT THEY AVOID FORECLOSURES.
WE ALSO HELP RENTERS WITH RENTAL ASSISTANCE SO THAT WE CAN KEEP FAMILIES HOUSED AND THEY AVOID HOMELESSNESS.
SO IN THIS PROGRAM IS WHERE WE'RE PLACING OUR HOUSING NAVIGATORS FOR THE COMMUNITY.
SO I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE BUDGET PROPOSED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND HOW WE HAVE SEVERAL PROGRAMS THAT ADDRESS AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BUT LET ME TAKE A STEP BACK AND JUST DEFINE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WE DEFINE HOUSING THAT IS AFFORDABLE AS THAT HOUSING WHERE A FAMILY SPENDS NO MORE THAN 30% OF THEIR HOUSEHOLD INCOME TOWARD HOUSING COSTS.
WE DEFINE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AS HOUSING THAT SERVES FAMILIES THAT EARN LESS THAN 80% OF THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME.
IN SAN ANTONIO, WE KNOW THAT FOR THE AVERAGE FAMILY, 80% OF AMI IS 39,414.
THIS NUMBER IS ONLY FOR THE CITY LIMITS OF SAN ANTONIO.
IT'S NOT COUNTING THE GREATER MSA.
SO THIS IS WHERE OUR NEED IS, AND THIS GRAPHIC IS ONE OF THE GRAPHICS THAT IS INCLUDED IN THE MAYOR'S HOUSING POLICY TASK FORCE FINAL REPORT.
SO THERE ARE ISSUES WHEN IT COMES TO AFFORDABILITY THAT OUR DEPARTMENT HAS LOOKED AT OVER THE LAST YEAR IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THAT TASK FORCE, AND I'LL GO VERY QUICKLY THROUGH THEM.
WE KNOW SOMETIMES THAT WE HAVE A GROWING HOUSING AFFORDABLE GAP, THAT FAMILIES ARE SPENDING A LOT MORE OF THEIR INCOME ON HOUSING COSTS, THAT THERE IS A SUPPLY AND DEMAND MISMATCH, AND THAT WE HAVE SEEN A DROP IN HOMEOWNERSHIP RATES OVER THE LAST DECADE.
AND OF COURSE, THERE'S NEIGHBORHOOD CHANGE THAT IS ALSO UNSETTLING FOR OUR MEMBERS -- FOR MEMBERS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I'LL QUICKLY GO THROUGH SOME DATA.
YOU HAVE SEEN THIS GRAPH BEFORE AT YOUR GOAL SETTING SESSION AND FROM PRESENTATIONS FROM THE TASK FORCE THAT SHOW THAT INCOMES ARE NOT RISING AT THE SAME RATE AS HOUSING COSTS.
WE KNOW THE AFFORDABILITY GAP IS AN ISSUE, AND IF THE TREND CONTINUES TO THE FUTURE, IT WILL BE HARDER FOR AN AVERAGE FAMILY, A FAMILY MAKING 100% AMI TO BECOME A HOMEOWNER IN THE
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FUTURE.AND SO THIS IS PART OF WHAT WE HAVE LOOKED AT.
WE KNOW THAT BOTH RENTERS AND HOMEOWNERS ARE A COST BURDEN.
THAT MEANS THEY ARE SPENDING MORE OF THAT 30% OF THEIR INCOME ON HOUSING WITH ONE OUT OF EVERY FIVE HOMEOWNER BEING COST BURDEN, AND FOR RENTERS, ONE OUT OF EVERY TWO RENTERS BEING COST BURDENED.
WE KNOW THERE'S A SUPPLY AND DEMAND MISMATCH, AND WE LOOKED AT THIS BY VARIOUS INCOME LEVELS.
WE KNOW THAT WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH AFFORDABLE HOUSING AT THE LOWEST INCOME LEVELS FOR BOTH RENTERS AND HOMEOWNERS, AND SO THE NUMBERS ARE IN FRONT OF YOU.
AND THIS, AGAIN, WE SEGREGATED BY INCOME LEVELS TO SEE WHERE THE SUPPLY AND DEMAND MISMATCH IS.
AS I MENTIONED, WE HAVE SEEN A DECLINE IN THE HOMEOWNERSHIP RATE OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS.
GOING FROM 61% TO 54% IN THAT TIME.
WE KNOW THAT ALL OF THESE CONDITIONS AND THE SUPPLY AND DEMAND MISMATCH ARE CREATING DISPLACEMENT PRESSURES IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AS REDEVELOPMENT AND INVESTMENT IN NEIGHBORHOODS CONTINUES.
SO THIS IS SOME OF THE DATA THAT WE HAVE LOOKED AT WITH THE MAYOR'S HOUSING POLICY TASK FORCE.
THIS IS SOME OF THE INFORMATION THAT THEY HAVE SHARED AT A COUNCIL B SESSION RECENTLY, AND IN THE REPORT THAT WAS JUST RELEASED LAST WEEK, THEY MENTIONED THESE FACTS, THEY MENTIONED OUR COMMUNITY'S NEEDS, AND THEY MADE RECOMMENDATIONS WITH THE FOLLOWING PRIORITIES.
THEY WANT AN INVESTMENT, OR THEY ASKED FOR AN INVESTMENT IN HOUSING.
THE DEVELOPMENT OF COORDINATED HOUSING SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE ACCOUNTABILITY, THAT WE INCREASE PRODUCTION REHABILITATION AND PRESERVATION OF OUR HOUSING STOCK, AND THAT WE PROTECT AND PROMOTE NEIGHBORHOODS.
THE BUDGET THAT HAS BEEN PRESENTED TO YOU WITH 25 MILLION DEVOTED TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING WITH EIGHT MILLION IN OUR CURRENT BASE AND THE 17 NEW MONEY ALIGNS WITH THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS.
THE 13 NEW POSITIONS AND THE 11 POSITIONS TO BE REORGANIZED WILL HELP DELIVER ON THIS FUNDING.
AND SO I WANT TO SHOW THIS LIGHT THAT SHOWS WHERE THAT 25.1 MILLION DEVOTED TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS BEING IMPACTED.
WE ARE WORKING ON THE COORDINATED HOUSING SYSTEM.
WE ARE SPENDING A LOT, OR DEVOTING A LOT OF RESOURCES TO ENSURE THE HOUSING STOCK IS REHABILITATED AND PRESERVED, AND THIS IS TO HELP FAMILIES STAY HOUSED IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.
WE ARE WORKING TO ENSURE WE CREATE NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING THROUGH GAP FINANCING, AND OF COURSE, WE ARE LOOKING AT HOME BUYER ASSISTANCE AND CREATING A MITIGATION FUND TO ADDRESS THE DISPLACEMENT ISSUES.
WHEN IT COMES TO FUNDING SOURCES, THERE'S A LARGE PORTION OF THE FUNDING TOTALLING THE 25 MILLION THAT IS COMING BECAUSE OF THE SUPPORT FROM THE GENERAL FUND.
ONE THING I DO HAVE TO NOTE IS THAT WITH THE CITY BEING ABLE TO REFINANCE A SECTION 108 LOAN WITH PROPERTY-BACKED DEBT, MORE OF THE CDBG GRANT CAN BE USED TOWARDS AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
THIS IS HOW WE ARE ABLE TO DO OVER $7 MILLION IN GAP FINANCING THAT, AGAIN, WILL BE ALLOCATED THROUGH A COMPETITIVE RFA PROCESS.
BUT THESE ARE THE FUNDING SOURCES THAT ONCE AGAIN ALIGNED WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE TASK FORCE.
AND HERE'S ANOTHER LOOK AT HOW THAT NEW MONEY ALIGNS WITH THAT.
AGAIN, THE COORDINATED HOUSING SYSTEM, HAVING ACCOUNTABILITY, HAVING HOUSING PRESERVATION AND REPAIRS, MAKING SURE GAP FINANCING IS AVAILABLE AND WORKING TO ENSURE WE PROTECT AND PROMOTE NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO THIS ILLUSTRATES HOW THAT ALIGNS AND THE FUNCTIONS WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD IN HOUSING SERVICES FOCUS ON THAT.
SO LET ME TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE COORDINATED HOUSING SYSTEM.
THIS IS WHERE A LOT OF THE NEW STAFF IS PROPOSED TO BE HOUSED BECAUSE THERE ARE OVER 30 HOUSING ENTITIES THAT NEED TO COORDINATE ON HOUSING ISSUES SO THAT AS A COMMUNITY, WE LEVERAGE AND MAXIMIZE OUR EFFORTS.
THIS IS WHERE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN ONLINE HOUSING ACCOUNTABILITY DASHBOARD, SO ANYONE IN OUR COMMUNITY CAN SEE WHERE THE INVESTMENTS ARE BEING MADE AND BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT THE RESULTS OF THAT INVESTMENT ARE.
AND THIS IS THE AREA WHERE THE NEW POLICIES ARE GOING TO BE FLESHED OUT, TAKEN TO THE COMMUNITY SO THAT WE CAN VET THEM, AND ADDRESS THE HOUSING ISSUES.
WHEN IT COMES TO DIRECT PROGRAMS AND SERVICES, OUR OWNER-OCCUPIED PROGRAM IS PROPOSED TO HAVE 6.5 MILLION, AND THIS IS LIMITED TO FAMILIES AT 80% OR BELOW OF THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME.
WE DO USE AN EQUITY-BASED LOTTERY APPROACH FOR THIS, AND
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PART OF THE FUNDING HERE IS FROM OUR GRANTS.AND SO, THE WEEK AFTER THE ANNUAL ACTION PLAN FOR OUR GRANTS, WE OPENED THE FIRST LOTTERY.
SINCE WE HAD 4.5 MILLION APPROVED AT THAT POINT, THAT LOTTERY, WE'RE DOING OVER 19 EVENTS, MANY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH YOUR OFFICES, TO GET THE WORD OUT ABOUT THE AVAILABILITY OF THIS FUNDING CITYWIDE.
WE KNOW IF THIS BUDGET IS APPROVED, THAT WE'LL HAVE A SECOND LOTTERY OCTOBER 1, SO THAT ADDITIONAL FAMILIES CAN APPLY FOR THIS CITYWIDE PROGRAM.
AND YOU CAN SEE AT THE BOTTOM WHAT OUR CURRENT YEAR METRICS ARE WITH THE FUNDING FOR FISCAL YEAR 18 AND CARRIED FORWARD MONEY FROM PREVIOUS FISCAL YEARS, AND WHAT OUR PERFORMANCE METRIC FOR NEXT FISCAL YEAR IS.
I HAVE TO MENTION PART OF THIS HAS YET TO BE APPROVED FROM THE SAN ANTONIO HOUSING TRUST AS WELL, BUT THIS IS TO TAKE THIS PROGRAM CITYWIDE.
AND SO, AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE THE METRICS FOR THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, 161 ROOFS WITH 321 ROOFS PROPOSED FOR NEXT YEAR.
AND WE WANT TO MAKE THIS A LITTLE INTERACTIVE.
SO THE CITY CLERK HAS A SAMPLE OF THE ROOFING MATERIAL THAT IS UTILIZED FOR THE UNDER ONE ROOF PROGRAM.
WE KNOW THAT THIS NOT ONLY HELPS PRESERVE A HOME, BUT IT ALSO TURNS INTO REAL UTILITY COST SAVINGS FOR FAMILY THAT GETS THAT, AND YOU'LL SEE THE LINING THAT IS PART OF THE ROOFING.
TWO ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT WHERE WE DELIVER FOR THE COMMUNITY INCLUDE OUR MINOR HOME REPAIR PROGRAM AND THE LISC PAINT PROGRAM THAT IS FOCUSED IN DISTRICTS 4 AND 5.
AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE THE METRICS PROPOSED FOR NEXT YEAR.
I MENTIONED EARLIER HOW OUR DEPARTMENT IS PUTTING OVER $7 MILLION FOR GAP FINANCING, AND YOU CAN SEE THE UNITS WERE FOCUSEDSE ON TO DELIVER.
AGAIN, THIS IS THROUGH A COMPETITIVE RFA PROCESS.
WE EXPECT THE RFA FOR THIS TO BE ISSUED NEXT WEEK.
AND A PORTION OF THIS FUNDING GOES TO REPORT LI SKRFSC OF SAN ANTONIO, WHICH PROVIDES GAP FINANCING, SO WE CAN LEVERAGE WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO WHEN IT COMES TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
THE OTHER PROGRAMS IN OUR PORTFOLIO ARE THE HOME BUYER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
THIS IS PROPOSED TO INCREASE TO 3.25 MILLION.
YOU CAN SEE THAT WITH JUST UNDER 700,000 THIS YEAR, WE'LL BE ABLE TO HELP 48 FIRST-TIME HOME BUYERS, AND NEXT YEAR, WE ARE PROPOSING TO HELP OVER 240 FAMILIES BECOME FIRST-TIME HOME BUYERS.
AND THEN THERE'S 1 MILLION IN OUR RISK MITIGATION FUND TO ADDRESS RELOCATION ASSISTANCE, HOUSING NAVIGATORS, AND RAPID REHOUSING IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND WE HAVE A LIST OF POLICIES THAT WE NEED TO TACKLE.
THIS IS PART OF THE REASON WE NEED STAFF TO ADDRESS THIS.
WE WANT TO LOOK AT DISPLACEMENT ISSUES, SAN ANTONIO HOUSING TRUST, THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE TASK FORCE WHEN IT COMES TO FEE WAIVERS FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND LOOK AT ZONING FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
BUT THE WORK PROPOSED FOR NEXT YEAR IS GOING TO CARRY FORWARD THROUGH 2020, AND YOU CAN SEE THE LIST OF POLICIES THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT AS WELL.
AND FLESHING OUT HOW WE HAVE ONE-STOP HOUSING CENTER, FOR EXAMPLE, WHERE WE HAVE ALL THE ELEMENTS OVER THAT TWO-YEAR PLAN WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT.
>> SO LET ME TALK ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT AGAIN.
WE'RE PROPOSING 1 NEW POSITIONS.
PART OF THOSE POSITIONS ARE TO DELIVER ON THE PROGRAMS THAT ARE PROPOSED TO HAVE ADDITIONAL FUNDING SO THAT WE ENSURE THAT WE HAVE APPROPRIATE INTAKE STAFF THAT WE CAN PROCESS APPLICATIONS, THAT WE CAN PAY THE COMPANIES THAT DELIVER ON THE CONSTRUCTION WORK.
WE ARE PROPOSING SOME OF THAT STAFF IS ALSO GOING TO WORK ON THE COORDINATED HOUSING SYSTEM AND THE REACTION THAT WAS ALREADY MENTIONED.
WITH SEVERAL POSITIONS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES, COMING TO THE NEW DEPARTMENT, AND THREE POSITIONS FROM EACH POINT AS WELL.
SO, YOU CAN SEE WHICH ARE GENERAL FUNDED AND GRANT UNDER IFFED IN THE GRAPHIC IN FRONT OF YOU.
OVER THE SUMMER, WE HAVE WORKED ON A BUSINESS PLAN TO DELIVER ON THIS.
THIS IS A CHANGE, SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE DELIVER FOR THE COMMUNITY AND FOR YOU.
SO WE HAVE LOOKED AT EVERYTHING FROM A STAFFING PLAN TO WHAT ARE THE POLICIES BY QUARTER THAT WE NEED TO BE ADDRESSING.
AND WHEAT THE STAFF THAT NEEDS TO BE ON GOURD TO BE ABLE TO DELIVER.
I'LL GO QUICKLY THROUGH THIS SLIDE.
THIS IS ESSENTIALLY OUR WORK PLAN TO DELIVER ON THIS.
[00:30:01]
THAT REALLY IS THE END OF MY PRESENTATION, UNLESS YOU ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, VERO.
WE DO HAVE FOLKS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
WHY DON'T WE GO AHEAD AND MOVE THROUGH EACH OF THE DEPARTMENTS.
I DO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO YOU AND YOUR STAFF AND CHERYL WORKING WITH THE HOUSING TASK FORCE ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE REPORT WHICH ARE, AGAIN, A RECOGNITION THAT THERE ARE MANY THINGS THAT WE DO TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF OUR CONSTITUENTS, BUT AT THE FOUNDATION OF THAT, WE HAVE NOT BEEN TREMENDOUSLY INVOLVED IN HOUSING AS IT RELATES TO ENSURING A HEALTHY AND SUSTAINABLE MARKET, EVEN THOUGH INFRASTRUCTURE AND ALL OF THOSE OTHER THINGS WE SPEND AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF TIME AND CAPITAL ON.
FOR ME TO TAKE AWAY FROM THE TASK FORCE REPORT WAS ESTABLISHMENT OF COORDINATED SYSTEM OF VERTICALEN WITHIN THE CITY TO MORE EFFICIENTLY MANAGE THE HOUSING ENVIRONMENT, AND SO, THE FACT THAT THIS IS REFLECTIVE OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS, INCLUDING THE, YOU KNOW, HAVING A HIGH LEVEL OF EXECUTIVE POSITION THAT WOULD BE OVERSEEING ALL OF THIS ACTIVITY, AND, FRANKLY, THERE ARE FOLKS WHO WILL SAY THAT A CITY DOESN'T BELONG IN THE BUSINESS OF HOUSING, BUT EVERY PERMIT THAT'S ISSUED.
EVERY ZONING CLASSIFICATION IS THE CITY BEING INVOLVED IN THE PRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT OF OUR HOUSING SYSTEM.
SO, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE IT'S COORDINATED.
WE HAVE TO REDUCE REGULATION THAT WOULD PRESENT SUSTAINABLE HOME -- SUSTAINABLE HOUSING FROM BEING DEVELOPED.
AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE TAKING CARE OF OUR CITIZENS' MOST BASIC NEEDS WHICH IS HOUSING.
SO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL OF THE WORK THAT'S GONE INTO THIS AND YOUR STEWARDSHIP OF THE TASK FORCE HAS BEEN REMARKABLE AND GRANDE BREAKING.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO IMPLEMENTATION OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS.
WE'LL MANUFACTURE NOW TO COUNCILWOMAN GONZALES.
>> THAT IS YOUR PREROGATIVE, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO -- THIS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE BUDGET THIS YEAR, PERHAPS WE SHOULD DO THAT, SO WE CAN THEN DO THE PRESENTATIONS AND TAKE QUESTIONS AT ONCE IF THAT'S OKAY WITH THE COUNCIL? OK OKAY?
THANK YOU, VERO FOR THE PRESENTATION AND WORKING TO MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS VERY QUICKLY IN OUR DEPARTMENT.
I DON'T EVEN THINK YOU'VE BEEN HERE A YEAR.
>> AND I KNOW WE PUT A LOT ON YOU.
I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING AND ALSO THANK YOU TO LOUDS, KATHERINE AND ALL OF THE TEAM FOR THIS GREAT WORK.
I WANT TO JUST FIRST MENTION TO MY COLLEAGUES THAT THE PROPERTY IN DISTRICT 5 AT BUENA VISTA AND COMMERCE, YOU SAY YOU'RE 2.1 MILES FROM DOWNTOWN, BUT I CHECKED BECAUSE I'VE WALK FROM HERE TO THERE BEFORE.
>> GONZALES: A LITTLE CLOSER THAN WHAT YOU'RE PRESENTING.
I GUESS IT DEPENDS WHERE YOU ARE.
IT'S A GREAT LOCATION FOR HOUSING.
THOSE OF YOU OF A CERTAIN AGE WILL REMEMBER BEFORE THERE WAS WALMART THAT WAS SANTANOS.
THERE USED TO BE A GAS STATION ON THE PROPERTY.
THERE USED TO BE A CLEANERS ON THAT PROPERTY, SO THOSE OF YOU ALL KNOW THOSE PARTICULAR USES, GAS STATIONS AND CLEANERS, WERE VERY CONTAMINATING.
AND SO ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THAT PROPERTY HASN'T MOVED IN SO MANY YEARS IS BECAUSE IT WAS VERY CONTAMINATED.
IT WAS ALSO -- THERE WAS ALSO SOME OTHER ISSUES WITH IT.
BUT EVEN AS LITTLE AS TEN YEARS AGO, THE OLD SANTANOS PROPERTY WAS STILL ON THAT SITE.
SO, I'M JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO SOME ACTION ON THAT SITE.
IT'S BEEN MANY, MANY YEARS SINCE THE SANTANOS CLOSED.
AND THE OTHER USES, TOO, THE CLEANERS WAS OPEN AS RECENTLY AS MAYBE 12 YEARS AGO BUT IT'S BEEN A WHILE.
SO TIME FOR SOME NEW ACTIVITY AND ALSO ON THAT FOOTPRINT, IN THE AREA, WE ARE LOOKING FOR A NEW -- THERE'S SOME NEW ACTIVITY.
AN OLD CHURCH HAS RECENTLY BEEN RESTORED TO BE AN ARTS COMMUNITY, AN ARTS GALLERY.
NOT GALLERY, BUT OFFICES, WHERE THEY ARE DOING ALL KINDS OF REALLY COOL STUFF, AND THERE'S A NEW BUILDING THERE AND WAREHOUSE 5 IS THERE THAT ALSO HAS A NEW COVER SHOP AND LOTS OF CREATIVE SPACE.
SO, IT'S REALLY THE RIGHT LOCATIONS FOR SOME HOUSING, AND -- BUT IT PROBABLY COULD NOT
[00:35:02]
BE DONE WITHOUT THE CITY'S INVESTMENT, JUST GIVEN THE EXTENT OF THE CONTAMINATION THAT HAD BEEN THERE, AND THE NEED FOR SOMETHING TO WORK THAT PROBABLY THE MARKET COULD NOT SUPPORT AT THIS STAGE.SO, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT INVESTMENT THERE, AND ALSO, COULD YOU JUST REVIEW EXACTLY WHERE THE 17.2 MILLION COMES FROM?
>> WHILE THEY ARE PULLING UP THE SLIDE, LET ME SAY 9.5 MILLION IS RECOMMENDED FROM THE GENERAL FUND.
THE BALANCE IS FROM CDBG AND HOME FUND INCREASES.
I WILL SAY THAT REMEMBER A COUPLE WEEKS AGO AT COUNCIL, WE REFINANCED THE HUD 108 LOAN FROM 15 YEARS AGO.
AND MOVED THAT DEBT TO THE PROPERTY TAX SUPPORTED PORTION OF THE BUDGET THAT FREED UP ALMOST $5 MILLION TO ALLOW US TO MOVE THAT INTO HOUSING REHABILITATION, SO THE 17 MILLION IS A COMBINATION OF GENERAL FUNDS AND CDBG AND HOME FUNDS.
>> GONZALES: AND I KNOW THAT THEY ARE ALL WE HAVE RESTRICTED DOLLARS, SO, WHAT -- WHICH SLIDE IS THAT ONE?
SO, I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, WHERE DOES THE HONEY COME FROM AND IN WHAT WAY IS IT RESTRICTED? I KNOW GENERAL FUND MONEY IS GENERALLY NOT RESTRICTIVE.
AND SOME OF ITS BOND MONEY, FOR EXAMPLE, THE PROPERTY AT COMMERCE AND BUENA VISTA THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS BOND HONEY.
>> GONZALES: SO MAYBE YOU COULD ALSO CLARIFY THAT AS WELL SO WE UNDERSTAND FINANCIALLY WHAT IS COMING FROM WHAT POCKET.
>> SO, LET ME TALK ABOUT THE GRANTS AND SOME OF THE LIMITATIONS.
BECAUSE THIS IS HOME AND CDBG FUMD R FUNDING, THE LIMITATION IS IT CAN HELP FAMILIES AT 80 PERCENT OR BELOW OF THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME.
SO THAT'S THE LIMITATION AND THERE'S SEVERAL PROGRAMS THAT ARE FUNDED THROUGH THAT PROGRAM.
OUR GAP FINANCING HAS BOTH HOME AND CDBG FUNDING AND THAT'S FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF BOTH HOME OWNERSHIP AND RENTAL AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WE HAVE OUR HOME BUYER ASSISTANCE, GETTING SOME MONEY FROM THE HOME PROGRAM.
WE HAVE OUR OWNER OCCUPIED PROGRAM RECEIVING 4.5, AGAIN, BOTH FROM THE HOME AND CDBG PROGRAM.
OUR MINOR HOME REPAIR IS GETTING GRANT FUNDING AS WELL FROM THE CDBG PROGRAM.
WHEN IT COMES TO THE HOUSING BOND, THE LIMITATION IS ONE PLACE BY THE URBAN RENEWAL PLAN AND WHAT CITY COUNCIL APPROVED.
AGAIN, THE LIMITATION IS THAT HALF OF THE HOUSING THAT IS BUILT WITH THAT HOUSING BOND PROGRAM, HAS TO SERVE FAMILIES AT 80 PERCENT OR BELOW AMI.
IN THE RFP THAT IS TO BE DEVELOPED, WE ARE MAKING SURE THAT THERE ARE MORE POINTS FOR FAMILY-SIZED UNITS, IN THAT WE HAVE DEEPER AFFORDABILITY THAT GETS MORE POINTS.
SO WE'RE HOPING OUR DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY IS CREATIVE IN MAKING SURE THAT WE GET LARGER BEDROOMS -- OR, MORE BEDROOMS IN A UNIT AND THAT WE DO FOCUS ON DEEPER AFFORDABILITY LEVELS.
WE KNOW THAT MEANS WE HAVE TO LOOK AT MORE GAP FINANCING, AND THAT'S WHERE SOME OF THE FUNDING FROM THE BOND WILL BE ABLE TO HELP WITH THE LAND AND SITE READINESS ISSUES THERE.
WITH THE GENERAL FUND, IT WILL BE THE PROGRAMMATIC RESTRICTIONS THAT WE SET ON THOSE PROGRAMS. WE DO HAVE THE EQUITY ANALYSIS GOING FORWARD, SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE WE IMPACT WHERE THE MOST NEED IS SET.
AND SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT BOUND SOME OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE.
SO, I KNOW YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT 17.1 MILLION, BUT WHEN YOU SHOW THAT SLIDE, IT'S SHOWING DEPARTMENT BUDGET, HOUSING BUDGET.
MUCH LARGER NUMBERS THAN THAT.
SO, I GUESS FOR CLARITY, BECAUSE SOME OF IT IS NOT GENERAL FUND, I GUESS THAT'S WHAT IT IS.
GENERAL FUND IS AT 12.7 MILLION FOR DEPARTMENT, AND 9.6 MILLION FOR HOUSING, OR --
WHICH IS A LITTLE MORE THAN 17 MIL MILLION.
>> WELL, IF I COULD HELP, IN THE CURRENT BUDGET, THERE WAS BEEN 8 MILLION.
A MILLION DOLLAR INCREASE OF COMBINATION OF GENERAL FUNDS, AND INCREASE CDBG FUNDING, SO THE INCREASE IS 17 MILLION FOR
[00:40:03]
THE TOTAL OF 25 MILLION.>> GONZALES: TOTAL OF 25 MILLION.
25 MILLION FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS.
>> EXCUSE ME, PRIMARILY AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
BECAUSE, FOR EXAMPLE, NOT IN THAT NUMBER WOULD BE FUNDING FOR HAVEN FOR HOPE.
WHICH IS THE SERVICES WE PROVIDE AT HAVEN FOR HOPE FOR EMERGENCY AND TRANSITIONAL HOUSING.
>> GONZALES: IN THE 25 MILLION?
>> GONZALES: SO, I GUESS THAT'S IMPORTANT ALSO INFORMATION.
BUT THE DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET IS 35. -- 24.5?
>> SO, REMEMBER, THERE ARE ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS THAT ARE NOT ENTIRELY FOCUSED ON HOUSING.
FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE OUR TAX INCREMENT FINANCING UNIT WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT.
THAT CAN DO AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BUT IT'S MOSTLY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.
SO, THOSE ARE SOME OF THE NON-AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT.
WE ALSO HAVE THE HOUSING NAVIGATORS.
SOME OF THEIR SUPPORT OR THE FAIR HOUSING STAFF.
SOME OF THEIR SUPPORT IS THROUGH GRANTS, SOME THROUGH THE GENERAL FUND AND THEY DO WORK ON HOUSING RELATED ITEMS. BUT WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT, WE DON'T JUST FOCUS ON HOUSING.
THERE'S SOME MONITORING THAT WE DO AS WELL, PAID THROUGH THE GRANTS, BUT IT'S FOR CONTRACTS APPROVED IN PREVIOUS YEARS THAT ARE RELATED TO INFRASTRUCTURE, FOR EXAMPLE.
SO, THERE'S SOME SUPPORT WITHIN THE OVERALL DEPARTMENT BUDGET THAT IS NOT JUST AFFORDABLE HOUSING, FOR EXAMPLE.
OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT WORK TOUCHES HOUSING, BUT IT DOESN'T FOCUS ON HOUSING AS WELL.
AND THAT'S FUNDED THROUGH THE GENERAL FUND.
AND I HAD ONE OTHER QUESTION THAT I JUST ESCAPED ME RIGHT NOW.
SO, IF NOT, I'LL HAVE TO CHIME BACK IN.
I GUESS IF I THINK ABOUT IT, I'LL MENTION IT, SINCE I DIDN'T WRITE IT DOWN.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE WORK AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO -- OH, I'M SORRY.
I GUESS ANOTHER QUESTION WAS, WE JUST DISCUSSED, YOU KNOW, THIS ONE THAT WAS -- THIS ITEM THAT IS IN DISTRICT 5 THAT WENT OUT FOR RFP THAT WAS SELECTED AS PART OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD BOND.
DOES THAT NEED TO COME BEFORE THE FULL COUNCIL FOR A VOTE?
>> SO THE RFP IS ABOUT TO BE ISSUED.
WE ARE GOING TO AUDIT COMMITTEE FOR THAT AS WELL.
WE'RE GOING TO GO TO THAT COMMITTEE AND RFP SHOULD BE FRIDAY.
BE ON THE STREET FOR APPROXIMATELY 45 DAYS AND IT WILL COME BACK TO CITY COUNCIL.
>> GONZALES: IT DOES COME BACK TO CITY COUNCIL?
>> GONZALES: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN GONZALES.
>> PELAEZ: JULY OF LAST YEAR I CREATED A REGISTRY, ONE THAT WAS MORE UPDATED THAN WE ALREADY HAVE FOR THE PURPOSES OF COMMUNICATING THE NEIGHBORHOODS, THINGS LIKE EMERGENCY ANNOUNCEMENTS, RIGHT? UPCOMING BUDGET, TOWN HALL MEETINGS AND MAKE SURE ALL NEIGHBORS CAN COME OUT AND ATTEND, SPEAK UP INITIATIVES, UPDATES TO -- UPDATES TO OUR ANIMAL CARE SERVICES SHADE ORDINANCE, RIGHT? TRASH CAN RECYCLING PROGRAMS, AND REPAIRS AND CLOSURES OF STREETS.
IN AUGUST, WHICH IS THE MONTH RIGHT AFTER THAT GOVERNANCE UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED IT, RIGHT AND YOU GUYS CAME AND ASKED US FOR HONEY FOR 2018'S BUDGET TO STAFF UP IN ORDER TO GET THATTEN DO.
SO, WHERE ARE WE ON IT, AND IS MY REGISTRY UP AND RUNNING AND CAN WE USE IT?
WE HAVE THE UPDATED REGISTRATION FOR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, SO, WE HAVE DONE OUTREACH TO ALL ASSOCIATIONS TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE THE MOST UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION.
BECAUSE OF THE EFFORTS OF THE TEAM, WE ACTUALLY INCREASED TO OVER 300 NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE'RE STILL TWEAKING BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME ITEMS WITHIN THE UDC THAT DICTATE THE REGISTRATION POLICY, OR IMPLEMENT THAT POLICY, SO WE DO HAVE TO COORDINATE TO ENSURE THAT ALSO GETS DONE BUT WE HAVE DONE OUTREACH WITH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS TO GET THEIR FEEDBACK TO ENSURE THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING IS ABLE TO HELP.
WE KNOW THERE'S ALSO OTHER CCRS AND GPA HAS TAKEN THE LEAD IN MAKING SURE THERE'S WIDER COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, SO THERE'S SOME DIRECTION WITH THAT AS
[00:45:01]
WELL.BUT THE REGISTRATION, THE NEIGHBORHOOD REGISTRATION IS UPDATED.
IT IS BEING UTILIZED BY OUR DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT FOR A LOT OF PLANNING AND ZONING MATTERS AND GPA IS ALSO UTILIZING THAT FOR THE OUTREACH THAT WE DO IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS USE IT AS WELL.
>> PELAEZ: SO ARE WE USING THAT, FOR EXAMPLE, TO INVITE PEOPLE TO THE BUDGET MEETING LIKE THE ONE WE HAD LAST NIGHT AT HARDBERGER PARK OR USE IT TO UPDATE PEOPLE ON THE NEW SHADE ORDINANCE OR USING IT AT DCI TO UPDATE ADMINISTRATE CLOSURES THEEB?
>> I THINK JEFF COYLE IS COMING FORWARD TO ADDRESS THAT AS WELL.
>> PELAEZ: I DON'T BELIEVE WE E-MAILED HOA PRESENCE DIRECTLY.
YOU AND I HAD A CONVERSATION EARLIER, JEFF, WHEN WE WERE AT OUR RGR COMMITTEE MEETING AND ONE OF OUR CONCERNS IS WE'RE POSSIBLY SITTING ON A TOOL THAT'S NOT BEING USED AS EFFECTIVE YOULY AS WE COULD BE.
I GAVE YOU AN EXAMPLE LIKE THESE THINGS SPEAK UP IN BUDGET AS THIS LIST OF THAT WE'RE -- AND THIS REGISTRY, ITS PURPOSE WHEN I THROATED AND WHEN IT WAS PITCHED TO GOVERNANCE.
SO IT WAS MADE AVAILABLE TO YOU AND ALL OF THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS I THINK WE MAY BE SQUANDERING THAT OPPORTUNITY.
CONGRATULATIONS ON GETTING IT UP AND RUNNING.
IT'S NO GOOD IF IT'S JUST COLLECTING DUST.
I ENCOURAGE YOU FOR 2019 TO MAKE SURE IT'S OPEN FOR EVERYBODY.
>> I THINK YOUR POINT IS EXACTLY RIGHT.
NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS ARE ESSENTIALLY THE NETWORKS THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY TO REACH A LOT OF PEOPLE.
MORE BROADLY THAN THAT AS PART OF PUBLIC PARTICIPATION CCR THAT COUNCILMAN SANDOVAL FILED, WE ARE RESEARCHING SOFTWARE PLATFORMS THAT ALLOW US TO BRING IN ALL OF OUR COMMUNICATIONS, SO NEIGHBORHOOD CONTACTS AS WELL AS PEOPLE WHO ENGAGE THROUGH A SURVEY, THROUGH A COMMENT ON ONE OF OUR SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS.
WE ARE TRYING TO STREAMLINE ALL OF IT SO WE BUILD AND KEEP BUILDING A DATABASE OF SAN ANTONIANS IN THE COMMUNITY.
IT'S NOT SPECIFIC TO NEIGHBORHOODS BUT THAT'S A COMPONENT OF IT.
>> PELAEZ: SO, VERO, WHEN I LOOK AT YOUR THREE-YEAR BUSINESS PLAN, I THINK IT'S ALL FINE.
I DON'T HAVE ANY ISSUE WITH ANYTHING ELSE YOU PRESENTED TODAY.
BUT THE FIRST SLIDE YOU SHOWED US THAT HAD A CHAIN OR TWO LINKS OF A CHAIN, RIGHT? YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT? I'M TRYING TO LOOK THROUGH IT.
>> PELAEZ: TOWARDS THE VERY GAINING.
YEAH, NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
INNER FACE WITH NEIGHBORHOODS FOR THE PURPOSE OF COMMUNICATION SUPPORT AND EDUCATION.
THIS ONE? WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS ENCOURAGE YOU TO REALLY TAKE THIS AND INCORPORATE IT IN YOUR BUSINESS PLAN.
I WAS LOOKING AT SLIDES FOR THE VOICE PLAN YOU LAID OUT, AND I DON'T SEE ANYTHING THAT EVEN LOOKS LIKE MAKING SURE THAT YOU'RE A PLATFORM FROM WHICH WE CAN THEN DEPLOY INFORMATION TO NEIGHBORHOODS, RIGHT? AND SO IF I WERE TO -- YOU'RE GOING TO GET MY SUPPORT FOR YOUR ASK TODAY BUT IT COMES WITH A CHALLENGE THAT I REALLY WANT YOU GUYS TO TAKE THIS SORT OF SERIOUSLY BECAUSE I THINK YOU GUYS POSSIBLY ONE OF THE MOST IPORTANT TOOLS AT JEFF'S DISPOSAL --
>> JEFF POINTED OUT THEY DID USE THE LIST TO INVITE HOAS AND NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION PRESIDENTS TO THE BUDGET MEETINGS.
WE ACTUALLY -- AS WELL WITH GPA BECAUSE A LOT OF NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS THAT WE WORK WITH USE THAT AS A COMMUNICATION TOOL.
THEY DID SEND THAT INVITE TO ALL OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS AND HOAS.
>> PELAEZ: I PROMISE I'LL LET YOU TALK.
MY SECOND TO THE LAST POINT COULD YOU PLEASE COME TO MY OFFICE AND AT SOME POINT AND TALK ABOUT WHAT IS THE ENFORCEMENT MECHANISM SET UP.
RIGHT? ONE THING TO SAY, WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE REGISTERING FOLKS BUT I HAVE HOAS ON THE NORTH SIDE AND MY DISTRICT, JOHN, WHERE THE ONLY CONTACT WE'VE GOT IS THE HOA MANAGEMENT COMPANY AND QUITE HONESTLY, THEY COULD CARE LESS ABOUT WHAT WE'VE GOT TO TELL THEM.
RIGHT? THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WE WANTED THIS CREATED WAS SO WE COULD GET STRAIGHT TO THE BOARD MEMBERS AS OPPOSED TO HAVING TO GO THROUGH THE MILTER OF MANAGEMENT COMPANIES.
I'M DONE THERE, BUT GO AHEAD, JEFF.
>> I WANTED TO CORRECT THAT BECAUSE I LEFT VERO HANGING ON THAT.
MY STAFF TEXTED ME AND SAID WE E-MAILED EVERY HOA PRESIDENT AND PAST PRESIDENT THROUGH THE WILLS I THAT DEVELOPED.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PELAEZ.
>> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR PRESENTATION AND LOUDS, FOR ALL OF THE WORK YOU'VE DOAN FOR REIGNING THIS AND FAVRE GATING THIS.
WE'RE GLAD TO HAVE EXPERTISE AND
[00:50:04]
DEADATION ON THAT.THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
YES, I THINK THE CASE HAS EVIDENTLY DN MADE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING ISSUE HERE IN THIS NATION AND HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND I DO BELIEVE THE CASE HAS BEEN MADE THAT IF SOMETHING -- IF WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS, WE DO NEED A COORDINATOR IN ORDER TO, AGAIN, WRANGLE AND MAKE SURE SOMETHING IS HAPPENING, MAKING SURE EVERYTHING IS IN LINE, AND WE'RE NOT LETTING ANYTHING FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS, IF YOU WILL.
I DO HAVE QUESTIONS, THOUGH, OPERATION FACELIFT, THAT WAS A PROGRAM IN THIS AREA, AND IT HAS BEEN SUNSETED.
SO, WHAT WAS THE BUDGET OF OPERATION FACELIFT LAST YEAR, AND WHERE DID THAT HONEY GO?
THAT'S FUNDED THROUGH OUR CDBG PROGRAM.
I'M LOOKING FOR MY 2018 BUDGET.
>> SO, OPERATION FACELIFT FOCUSED ON STORE FRONTS IN COMMERCIAL AREAS, AND LAST YEAR, THERE WAS 300,000 ALLOCATED FOR THAT PROGRAM.
THAT DID WORK IN PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOODS.
THERE WAS NO FUNDING PROPOSED FOR NEXT FISCAL YEAR FOR THAT PROGRAM.
WE DO HAVE SITES THAT WE CAN FOLLOW UP AND SHARE WITH ALL OF THE COUNCIL WHERE CONTRACTS WILL BE MADE OF -- ARE IN THE WORKS AND BEING MADE AVAILABLE.
SO WE'RE SPENDING DOWN THE FISCAL YEAR '17 MONEY, WORKING ON THE 2018 SO WE HAVE CONTRACTORS READY FOR THAT WORK.
BUT WE DID NOT PROPOSE ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR NEXT FISCAL YEAR FOR THAT PROGRAM BECAUSE WE HAD PROGRAMS FROM '17 WE WERE FINISHING OFFER AND '18 IS THE IN THE PROCESS.
BUT I'LL SHARE THE LIST OF PROPERTIES.
WE DID FOCUS ON AREAS THAT HAD THOSE COMMERCIAL STORE FRONTS THAT NEEDED TO BE REHABBED OR THE FACELIFT, AS YOU WILL.
ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT TO MAKE SURE WHEN YOU'RE EVERYTHING A COORDINATOR AND LOOKING AT THIS, IS DURING SOME OF OUR COMMITTEE MEETINGS LAST YEAR.
SOME OF US RECALL THE APPLICANT, THE COMMUNITY MEETINGS THAT APPLICANTS WITH THE 9 PERCENT TDHCA TAX CREDIT SUBMITTED AND THE CITY STAFF WAS THERE FOR SOME OF THE MEETINGS BUT NOT ALL OF THE MEETINGS.
SO, WILL WE HAVE A STAFF MEMBER THAT IF WE CONTINUE TO MOVE THIS FORWARD WITH THESE COMMUNITY MEETINGS, THAT WE'LL BE THERE, AND ALSO, SEVERAL RESIDENTS WERE UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT BECAUSE SOMEBODY IS SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION, THAT ALL OF THEM WERE A DONE DEAL.
SO, I THINK EDUCATION ALSO NEEDS TO BE A PART OF THIS AND WE'RE TALK ABOUT IT.
AND WITH THE STAFFING PROPOSALS, CAN WE MAKE SURE THAT THE STAFF WILL BE THERE FOR ALL OF THESE COMMUNITY MEETINGS IF WE CONTINUE TO MOVE THIS FORWARD?
>> WE DO HAVE OUR HOUSING POLICY MANAGER ON BOARD NOW.
WE HAVE THE PLANNING COORDINATOR THERE AS WELL.
SO, THEY'RE PART OF THE COORDINATING HOUSING SYSTEM AND WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT IF WE CONTINUE WITH THE PUBLIC MEETING, THAT WE DO HAVE THE STAFF AT ALL OF THE MEETINGS.
THIS YEAR IN JANUARY, THERE WERE EVENINGS WHERE THERE WERE THREE TO FOUR MEETINGS SCHEDULED AT THE SAME TIME AND WE TRIED TO GO TO MOST BUT YOU'RE RIGHT, WE DID NOT GO TO ALL BUT THE NEW STAFF WILL BE ABLE TO ENSURE THAT WE DO ATTEND THE MEETINGS AND MAKE SURE THAT EDUCATION AND THAT PEOPLE THOUGH IT'S A VERY COMPETITIVE PROCESS, BECAUSE JUST SOMEBODY IS APPLYING IN JANUARY, DOES NOT MEAN THAT IN JULY THEY'LL RECEIVE THE AWARD AS PART OF WHAT THEY SHARE.
>> VIAGRAN: ALSO IF THERE CAN BE FOLLOW-UP COORDINATION.
BECAUSE SOME MEMBERS, OR APPLICANTS, HOLD ON TO THE LAND, SOME DO NOT.
BUT THERE IS THIS LINGERING UNCERTAINTY AND DOUBT THAT THE NEIGHBORS STILL LIVE WITH AND WE HAVE TO HAVE THAT CLARIFICATION TO ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I WOULD WANT TO SEE ONE OF THE STAFF TO DO.
>> WE'LL FOLD THAT INTO OUR APPROACH TO THE LOW INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDITS AS WELL.
FINALLY, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HOME BUYER ASSISTANCE AND RISK MITIGATION, FUND TO MITIGATE DISPLACEMENT IMPACTS PROVIDING RELOCATION, REHOUSING, HOUSING, NAVIGATION, EQUITY.
ONE OF THE THINGS I ALSO WANTED TO TALK ABOUT IS HOW ARE WE, OR CAN WE, ALSO -- SO, IS THIS GOING TO BE JUST A GENERAL OPEN CALL FOR EVERYONE, OR ARE WE GOING TO HAVE TARGETED OPPORTUNITIES? BECAUSE I'M GOING TO TELL YOU A STORY AND YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR
[00:55:03]
IT MANY TIMES DURING THIS BUDGET WORK SESSIONS.LIVES IN AN AREA THAT'S A DESTRESSED AREA THAT THEY DID A STUDY ON AND IS ONE OF THE AREAS THAT'S CHANGING.
CITY EMPLOYEE BASKETBALL HERE MANY YEAR, ALREADY MAXED OUT ON THE STEP PLAN, CAN'T MAKE ANY MORE MONEY, BUT HIS APPRAISAL WENT FROM $67,000 LAST YEAR TO 65 LAST YEAR TO $97,000 THIS YEAR.
THEY CONTESTED IT, BROUGHT IT DOWN TO $95,000.
BY THE WAY, THEY ALSO SAID YOU NEED TO TALK TO THEIR COUNCIL MEMBER BECAUSE THEY ARE DOING THIS, TOO.
BUT ANYWAY, HIS ISSUE IS, HE CANNOT MAKE ANY MORE MONEY WITH THE CITY.
HE'S BEEN HERE -- BUT HE'S STILL TOO YOUNG TO RETIRE FROM THE CITY.
BUT NOW HE KNOWS THAT HIS BUY-BACK WHICH WENT STRAIGHT TO THE TAXES, IS NOW NO LONGER GOING TO COVER WHAT HE NEEDS TO PAY FOR TAXES.
SO, HOW ARE WE HELPING OUR OWN CITY EMPLOYEES TO FIND THAT GAP, TO FILL THAT GAP, WITH THE MITIGATION THAT IS HAPPENING WITH THE APPRAISALS? SO, MY QUESTION IS, IS THERE A WAY THAT WE CAN EVEN SEE HOW MANY OF OUR OWN CITY EMPLOYEES ARE LIVING THROUGH THIS TRANSITION THAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH RIGHT NOW, AND IS THAT SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO COME TO THE CITY TO LOOK AT? THAT'S THE QUESTION.
IS THAT -- SOMETHING LIKE THAT, SOMETHING THAT EVERYONE IN SAN ANTONIO IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO COME TO THE CITY AND LOOK AT?
>> WELL, FIRST, LET ME SAY THAT ANY OF OUR CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES THAT ARE TOPPED OUT AT THE STEP 10, THEY DO GET AN INCREASE.
YOU RECALL LAST YEAR FOR THOSE AND FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, THOSE THAT WERE TOPPED OUT DID RECEIVE --
>> VIAGRAN: AND THAT'S A TAXABLE INCOME AS WELL?
WE HAVE NOT -- I DON'T KNOW OF THOSE, AND THERE'S MORE THAN 1,000 EMPLOYEES THAT ARE AT STOP 10.
OF COURSE WE ALSO OFFER THEM THE OPPORTUNITY FOR TRAINING SO THAT THEY CAN MOVE ON TO ANOTHER POSITION AT A HIGHER PAY LEVEL, AND WE'RE CONSTANTLY WORKING WITH THEM ON TRAINING PROGRAMS SO THAT THEY CAN ACHIEVE A BETTER POSITION AND MORE INCOME.
HAVING SAID THAT, WE DON'T HAVE A SPECIAL PROGRAM TO HELP THEM IF THEY, UPSIDE-DOWN ON THEIR MORTGAGE AS YOU JUST DESCRIBED.
>> VIAGRAN: IT'S FOOT A MORTGAGE.
AND AS YOU STATED, WE DO NOT SET THE APPRAISALS ON THE HOMES THAT IS DONE BY THE BEXAR APPRAISAL DISTRICT.
THEY GIVE US THE TAX ROLLE IN JULY OF EACH YEAR AND THE CITY IN TOTAL RECEIVES ONLY 20 PERCENT OF THE PROPERTY TAX BILL TO GO INTO OUR GENERAL FUND.
WE HAVEN'T SURVEYED OUR EMPLOYEES TO SEE HOW MANY ARE IN THAT POSITION OF THOSE THAT ARE TAPPED OUT AT STEP 10.
THAT IS SOMETHING WE CAN STUDY.
BUT OF COURSE THEN WOULD BE AN ADDITIONAL COST IN THE BUDGET, IF WE WERE TO ASSIST THEM FINANCIALLY.
OR WE COULD TAKE SOME OF THE 17 MILLION AND HELP WITH THIS IN SOME WAY, SHAPE OR FORM FROM THE GENERAL FUND.
THAT COULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE LOOK AT.
BUT, SO MY QUESTION, TOO, IS, IS THIS MITIGATION FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE SPILLING THE STRESS, DO WE HAVE A TARGET OF RISK MITIGATION, OR RISK OF EVERYONE? OR THE SPECIFIC PROJECTS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT?
>> FIRST, LET ME SAY, AND VERO, YOU CAN ADD TO THIS.
WE'LL HAVE TO DEVELOP THE POLICY AND BRING THAT TO CITY APPROVAL DURING THE COURSE OF THIS FIRST YEAR, IMPLEMENTING THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE TASK FORCE.
IT IS CURRENTLY, AS THEY'VE DISCUSSED, AND VERO, YOU CAN CORRECT ME IF I AM WRONG, FOR ONE-TIME EVENTS.
WE TALKED ABOUT SOAP WORKS, AS AN EXAMPLE, WHERE PEOPLE WERE PRICED OUT OF BEING ABLE TO STAY IN THEIR HOME.
THIS IS SOMETHING WE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT, NOT JUST FOR CITY EMPLOYEES, BUT ANYONE WHO IS NOT EARNING MORE BUT HAS THEIR TAXES GOING UP EACH YEAR.
>> AND WE WERE LOOKING AT THE IMMEDIATE DISPLACEMENT ISSUES, BUT THE POLICIES, ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS WE HAVE TO COME BACK TO COUNCIL AND SAY THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE HEARD.
THIS IS WHAT IS IN THE REPORT, AND THIS IS HOW WE THINK WE CAN IMPLEMENT IT.
BUT WE CAN LOOK AT ADDITIONAL, NOT JUST ONE-TIME EVENTS AS WELL.
>> VIAGRAN: AND THE RECOMMENDATION IS JUST $1 MILLION? FOR THIS --
[01:00:01]
AND OF COURSE THE COUNCIL COULD REALLOCATE SOME OF THE -- WHAT'S RECOMMENDED HERE THROUGH YOUR DISCUSSION ABOUT THE BUDGET.BUT THIS IS WHAT THE RECOMMENDATION IS AT THIS TIME.
SO WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT MORE.
LET ME ADD, TOO, THAT WE HAVE ABOUT IS 100 EMPLOYEES OF OUR CIVILIAN WORKFORCE THAT ARE AT STEP 10, BUT THEY ALSO RECEIVE A COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT ANNUALLY.
SO, IN ADDITION TO THE LUMP SUM, THEY ALSO GET THE C.O.L.A.
WE'LL TALK MORE ABOUT THAT DURING THE EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION AND WAGES NEXT WEEK.
BUT MY THOUGHT IN ALL OF THAT WAS, WE HAVE THE ONE-TIME EVENTS THAT WE DON'T WANT TO HAPPEN AGAIN AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE HONEY TO MITIGATE THAT BUT I'M ALSO THINKING OF THESE EVENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN MANY PEOPLE'S LIVES THAT THEY CANNOT MAKE TAXES ANYMORE BECAUSE OF THE APPRAISAL AS THAT ARE GOING UP.
IS THAT SOMETHING THE CITY EVEN WANTS TO GET INTO IN? I THINK IT'S SOMETHING WE WANT TO LOOK AT AND WE NEED TO FILL THAT GAP TO SEE IF WE NEED TO INCREASE THAT MILL DOLLARS AND REALLOCATE TO SOMETHING ELSE EVEN IF WE HAVE OUR OWN CITY EMPLOYEES WHO ARE WORKING WITH THAT.
THAT'S A COMMENT I WANT TO MAKE.
I DON'T KNOW IF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ANY MORE COMMENTS ON THAT.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN.
I WANTED TO KIND OF VERIFY A FEW THINGS YOU TALKED ABOUT WHEN IT COMES TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WHAT QUALIFIES IN HOUSING COSTS TO A POTENTIAL RENTER OR BUYER WHEN WE TALK ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING? AND WE SAY THAT THEY CAN'T HAVE MORE THAN 30 PERCENT OF THEIR INCOME BE FOR HOUSING? SO, WHAT ARE THE INGREDIENTS THAT GO INTO THAT?
>> INTO THE 30 PERCENT CALCULATION?
>> YOU LOOK AT THE OVERALL INCOME LEVEL, AND YOU LOOK AT U TAT COST, THE MORTGAGE FOR THE RENTAL COSTS.
SO YOU LOOK AT ALL OF THOSE COSTS FOR HOUSING.
>> COURAGE: JUST U TAT, WATER, GAS, ELECTRIC --
>> COURAGE: -- MORTGAGE PAYMENT.
I'M GLAD TO SEE THE DIRECTION YOU'RE HEADING IN HERE AND I WAS LOOKING AT PRO JEBZS ON PAGE 19 ABOUT THE AMI FOR SAN ANTONIO AREA BEING $39,414.
AND THAT'S 80 PERCENT OF WHAT THE --
AND THAT EQUATES TO ABOUT $19 AN HOUR, IF YOU WORK A FULL JOB, 2,088 HOURS A YEAR WHICH IS THE ANNUAL NUMBER OF HOURS.
SO, THAT COULD BE GOOD FOR AN INDIVIDUAL OR MAYBE ONE PERSON IS EARNING 10, ONE'S EARNING 9.
>> AND I KIND OF CALCULATED THIS OUT TO SEE IF WE'RE STILL ON THE SAME PAGE.
AND THEN, YOU BREAK THAT DOWN INTO 12 MONTHS, AND THEN YOU DIVIDE THAT BY 30, AND THAT'S HOW YOU WOULD GET TO WHAT THE MAXIMUM PERCENTAGE IS THEY COULD DEVOTE FOR HOUSING.
SO THAT WILL BE A PROCESS THE BUILDER WILL BE LOOKING AT IF THEY DECIDE TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH US TO DEVELOP, FOR EXAMPLE, THIS LAND THAT WE WORKED OUT THROUGH THE BONDS THAT WE'LL PUTTING AN RFP OUT FOR.
THERE ARE MARKET STUDIES THAT INDIVIDUALS DO TO SEE WHAT RENTS CAN BE BOURNE BY FAMILY, BY DEMOGRAPHICS.
HUD, EVERY EYEAR, SETS OUT THE STANDARDS AND LIMITS AS WELL, SO IT DEPENDS ON THE FUNDING SOURCE WHAT THE DEVELOPER LOOKS AT TO MAKE SOMETHING PENCIL OUT AND WHERE THE GAP IS AND WHERE THEY NEED THE GAP FINANCING.
>> COURAGE: BUT WILL THIS BE WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE INSISTING ON ON THOSE PIECES OF PROPERTY THAT WE'VE BEEN REDEVELOPING TO RESALE TO DEVELOPERS?
>> IT'S GOING TO -- EVERY YEAR THE AMI, AREA MEDIAN INCOME, DOES VARY, SO WE'LL BE LOOKING AT THE AMI FOR THAT PARTICULAR YEAR.
OUR AMI FOR 2018 IS GOING TO BE DIFFERENT THAN NEXT YEAR, SO WE ALWAYS USE THAT, 80 PERCENT OF AMI METRIC.
>> COURAGE: CAN DEVELOPER'S RENT INCREASE EACH YEAR AS AMI GOES UP?
IF THEY CAN RECEIVE HOME FUNDING, FOR EXAMPLE, AND THEY PROPOSE THAT THE RENTS GO UP, THERE'S A GAP TO HOW MUCH THE RENTS CAN INCREASE BY AND THEY HAVE TO ASK IF THEY HAVE A CONTRACT OR A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT EVERY YEAR FOR, YOU KNOW, MY RENTS ARE GOING TO BE THIS RATE NOW, AND IT HAS TO BE APPROVED SO THAT IT MEETS THE CONTRACT.
>> COURAGE: SO WILL THOSE THINGS
[01:05:01]
GO THROUGH YOUR OFFICE FOR REVIEW?>> THEY CURRENTLY DO FOR HOME AND CDBG FUNDING AND IT'S THE GRANT ADMINISTRATOR WHO APPROVES THOSE AT THE PRESENT TIME.
NOW, WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT MINOR HOME REPAIR GRANT MONEY, DOES THAT USUALLY COVER ALL OR A PERCENTAGE OF THE COSTS UP TO 25,000? FOR EXAMPLE, DO WE SAY, WELL, WE'LL GIVE 20 PERCENT TOWARDS THAT OR 50 PERCENT TOWARDS THAT, OR YOU CAN USE THE WHOLE 25,000.
IF IT COSTS MORE THAN THAT, YOU GOT TO COME UP WITH THE MONEY.
>> THAT ONE, WE DON'T USE SOMETHING HALF WAY DONE.
SO WE SAY, WE'LL WORK IN THE FOUNDATION.
WE WORK 100 PERCENT ON THAT FOUNDATION, THE CAP IS 25,000.
IF THERE ARE OTHER REPAIRS THAT ARE NEEDED.
WE EVALUATE IF THEY ARE BETTER SUITED FOR THE OWNER OCCUPIED PROGRAM, FOR EXAMPLE, BUT THERE ARE OTHER SMALLER NEEDS THAT CAN BE ADDRESSED, 100 PERCENT, WHATEVER THE ISSUE IS, BECAUSE THEY WOULD WANT TO LEAVE SOMETHING HALFWAY DONE, OR TO CHANCE IF THE FINANCING OR THE MONEY FOR THE REST OF IT DOES NOT COME THROUGH.
WHAT ARE THE PLANS OR THE EXPECTATIONS FOR DEVELOPING ADDITIONAL PUBLIC AND PRIVATE OR PRIVATE FINANCE RESOURCES THAT WILL EXPAND A DEVELOPMENT OF WORKFORCE OR AFFORDABLE HOUSING OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS.
BECAUSE WE'RE TAKING A ONE-YEAR SHOT RIGHT NOW AT $25 MILLION.
BUT, WE'VE HEARD FROM THE MAYOR'S TASK FORCE THAT THIS IS A LONG-TERM SITUATION THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS, AND IT'S GOING TO COST MANY HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO CATCH UP TO WHERE WE SHOULD BE.
SO, WHAT ARE THE -- WHAT'S THE THOUGHT OF THE PLANS FOR BRINGING IN MORE PARTNERS TO HELP IN THAT EFFORT?
>> SO, PART OF IT -- OUR BUSINESS PLAN THAT IS TOWARD THE END OF THE PRESENTATION, TAKES A TEN-YEAR OUTLOOK BUT IS VERY FOCUSED ON THE DELIVERABLES OF THE FIRST THREE YEARS.
PART OF IT IS THAT OUTREACH TO GET MORE INVESTORS WHO CAN LEVERAGE WITH US, SO, LET'S SAY SAN ANTONIO IS ONE OF THOSE PARTNERS.
WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT HOW THEY CAN BRING FUNDING FROM OUTSIDE OUR COMMUNITY AND ENSURE THAT WE CAN LAYER THAT AND LEVERAGE MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN OUR COMMUNITY AND THEY ARE A BIG PART OF THAT GAP FINANCING, SO FUNDING OTHER ENTITIES LIKE THIS TO BRING MONEY FROM OUTSIDE THE COMMUNITY IS KEY.
YOU'LL NOTICE IN THE BUSINESS PLAN THAT WE TALK ABOUT POTENTIAL CHARTER AMENDMENT AS WELL.
IT'S ALSO ECHOED IN THE MAYOR'S HOUSING POLICY TASK FORCE FINAL REPORT.
CURRENTLY, WE ARE LIMITED BECAUSE WE HAVE TO UTILIZE OUR URBAN RENEWAL AUTHORITY, SO, VERY FOCUSED AREAS, VERY LIMITED IN TERMS OF WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO, ONLY THE SIDE ACQUISITION, SITE READINESS.
IF WE HAD MORE AUTHORITY THROUGH POTENTIAL CHARTER AMEND THE.
THEN WE COULD USE THAT MONEY DIFFERENTLY AND WE WOULDN'T HAVE THE SAME STATION, SO THAT'S A LONGER TERM LOOK AT THAT AS WELL.
>> COURAGE: HAS THE COMMITTEE IN ITS WORK, OR HAS YOUR DEPARTMENT LOOKED AT BANKING RELATIONSHIPS RIGHT HERE IN BEXAR COUNTY? FOR EXAMPLE, EVERY BANK NEEDS TO PROVIDE COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT ACCORDING TO FEDERAL REGULATIONS.
ARE WE LOOKING AT THE INVESTMENTS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT LOCAL BANKS HAVE MADE OR ARE WE GOING TO OUTREACH TO THEM TO SEE IF THEY CAN MAKE GREATER COMMITMENTS IN THE COMMUNITY FOR LOWER COST FINANCING, OR MORE AFFORDABLE, YOU KNOW, PROJECTS THAT THEY WILL DEVELOP?
>> THAT'S PART OF OUR WORK AS WELL.
FOR THE HOME BUYER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, FOR EXAMPLE, THERE ARE SEVERAL BANKS THAT WORK US ON THAT END, AND THEY MEET OUR REQUIREMENTS BY HELPING FAMILIES IN CERTAIN ARIAS.
SO THEY PULL RESOURCE, THEY, TOO, DO THAT.
AS PARDON OF THE COORDINATED SYSTEM, WE LOOK AT HOW WE CAN BE MORE CREATIVE AND LEVERAGE EVEN MORE GOING FORWARD.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF WORK IN THAT AREA AS WELL.
>> COURAGE: ALSO, WE TALK ABOUT TRYING TO EXPAND THE CITY'S ROLE IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
BUT, HASN'T THE CITY ALREADY STARTED TO DO THAT YEARS AGO WHEN IT SET UP THE HOUSING TRUST CORPORATION AND HOUSING TRUST FUND? I BELIEVE I UNDERSTAND, MAYBE 20 YEARS AGO THE CITY INVESTED $10 MILLION IN THAT, BUT OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS THE CITY REALLY HASN'T DONE ANYTHING MORE TO GROW THAT, TO PUT MONEY INTO IT, WHICH CAN BE USED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
IS THAT WHAT YOU'VE DISCOVERED, TOO?
>> SO, WE DO HAVE THE SAN ANTONIO HOUSING TRUST.
IT'S A TOOL THAT OTHER CITIES DO NOT HAVE.
THEY DO PROVIDE GAP FUNCTIONING IN OUR COMMUNITY.
BUT JUST LIKE THE CITY IN OUR DEPARTMENT CAN DO MORE, PROBABLY THE TRUST COULD DO MORE AS WELL.
THERE IS A NEED FOR THAT CORPUS
[01:10:04]
TO GROW AS WELL.SO WE WILL BE TALKING WITH SAN ANTONIO HOUSING TRUST HOW TO DO THAT AND PERHAPS DO A STRATEGIC HOUSING PLAN ABOUT WHAT ELSE CAN BE DELIVERED THROUGH THAT CORPUS.
>> COURAGE: FOR EXAMPLE, THE CITY COMMIT MORE MONEY TO THE HOUSING TRUST CORPORATION OUT OF ITS GENERAL FUND?
>> THAT COULD BE A.BUT IT WOULD BE A POLICY DECISION MOVING FORWARD.
>> COURAGE: BUT THAT HAS GENERATED ABOUT HOW MANY UNITS OVER THE YEARS THAT IT HAS EXITED?
>> I HAVE TO LOOK AT OUR STAFF.
THIS IS VERY MUCH A TEAM EFFORT TO SEE IF WE HAVE THOSE NUMBERS.
I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE THEM IN THE BACK-UP BUT WE'LL GET YOU THAT.
BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN REACHING OUT TO GET THE NUMBER OF UNITS.
>> COURAGE: YEAH, I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE THE EXPANSION OF THAT.
THAT'S SOMETHING THE CITY CAN PUT MONEY INTO OR GET OTHER PEOPLE TO COMMIT TO, BECAUSE THAT TRUST CORPORATION CAN ACCEPT FUNDS FROM OTHER ENTITIES, TOO.
BANKS OR OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT WANT TO COMMIT TO IT AS A FINANCIAL INVESTMENT.
>> THEY DO HAVE THE FOUNDATION THAT CAN RECEIVE THAT KIND OF SUPPORT AND RECEIVE DONATIONS LIKE THAT.
WELL, I HOPE SOME OF THOSE THINGS WILL BE PURSUED, BECAUSE IT'S A LONG-TERM RESOLUTION AND IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LOT OF MONEY COMMITTED NOT JUST BY THE CITY AND OUT OF OUR GENERAL FUND OF OUR TAXPAYERS BUT THE BUSINESS AND FINANCE COMMITTEE, TOO.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU COUNCILMAN COURAGE, COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL.
>> SANDOVAL: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
THANK YOU, VERO FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND LOURDES FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND WORK AS WELL.
JUST A COUPLE OF POINT ON THIS.
I WANT TO ECHO COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN'S CONCERNS ABOUT EDUCATING THE PUBLIC, AS FAR AS NOT JUST ON THE TAX CREDIT PROPERTY PROCESS, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, FAIRLY COMPLICATED BUT ALSO ON THE NEED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN GENERAL.
I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT MOST OF US ON THE COUNCIL ARE AWARE OF, AND SUPPORT DOING SOMETHING ABOUT.
BUT THAT'S NOT ALWAYS THE CASE IN OUR COMMUNITIES, ESPECIALLY IN COMMUNITIES THAT ARE NEW TO SEEING AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS.
I THINK FOR A LONG TIME, MAYBE THE HOUSING TRUST IS COMPRISE OF COUNCIL MEMBERS 1 THROUGH 5 BUT FOR A LONG TIME A LOT OF THE DEVELOPMENTS WERE INSIDE 410 AND NOW THAT WE'RE SEEING, YOU KNOW, SOME INCENTIVES FOR DEVELOPING AFFORDABLE HOUSING OUTSIDE OF 410, THIS IS SOMETHING NEW.
SO, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT PLANS DO YOU HAVE FOR EDUCATING COMMUNITIES OR NEIGHBORHOODS ABOUT THE NEED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING?
>> SURE, SO, PART OF IT IS THROUGH THE HOUSING NAVIGATION, AND ONE-ON-ONE COUNSELING THAT CURRENTLY OUR STAFF IN FAIR HOUSING DOES.
SO, THAT'S VERY ONE-ON-ONE LEVEL.
BUT WE DO HAVE OUTREACH WITH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, WE TALK TO SEVERAL ASSOCIATIONS AS WELL.
WHAT ARE THE THINGS IN OUR BUSINESS PLAN IS TO HAVE AN EDUCATION CAMPAIGN THAT WILL TALK IN DEPTH ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND SO WE KNEE THAT THE NEED FOR THE CONVERSATION, WHAT IT IS, WHAT IT ISN'T, IS THERE.
SO THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS IN OUR WORK PLAN, THE THREE-YEAR BUSINESS PLAN INCLUDES THAT.
WE NEED TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION, SO THAT IS BUILT INTO THE THREE-YEAR BUSINESS PLAN.
WE MAKE SURE HOUSING NAVIGATORS AND NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT TEAM ARE PART OF THAT.
WE'RE DOING THAT RIGHT NOW WITH ALL THE OUTREACH FOR OWNER OCCUPIED PROGRAM, USING STAFF IN THAT PROGRAM AS WELL AS NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT TO MAKE SURE ALL OF THEM HAVE THE INFORMATION TO SHARE AND ARE ABLE TO TALK TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS ABOUT OUR PROGRAMS. BUT THAT'S BUILT INTO OUR THREE-YEAR BUSINESS PLAN, BECAUSE THAT CONVERSATION NEEDS TO CONTINUE BEYOND WHAT THE TASK FORCE HAS DONE AND AS IMPLEMENT MOVES FORWARD.
>> SANDOVAL: SO WHERE IN THE TIMELINE IS THAT, IN THE BUSINESS PLAN?
>> I'M LOOKING -- IS IT PAGE 41? AND PART OF THAT IS ALSO THE DASHBOARD, THE ACCOUNTABILITY DASHBOARD TO SHARE INFORMATION.
SO PAGE 42, YOU'LL SEE IMPLEMENT CITYWIDE PUBLIC EDUCATION CAMPAIGN, DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO THAT'S IN YEAR TWO WHERE WE FOCUS ON THAT.
>> SANDOVAL: SO WE SEE THAT UNTIL CALENDAR YEAR 2020.
I WISH IT WERE SOONER, BUT I'M GLAD IT'S THERE.
AND I DO HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION.
[01:15:02]
HOUSING THAT WE SEE DEVELOPED, WE MOSTLY SEE MULTI-FAMILY AND, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THE UNITS ARE REALLY BIG.THERE'S ONE THAT'S GOING UP IN DISTRICT SEVEN RIGHT OUTSIDE OF LEON VALLEY, WE'RE LOOKING AT 296 UNITS.
AND THAT ALSO IS A BIG CONCERN TO COMMUNITIES THAT ARE MOSTLY SINGLE FAMILY IN THE AREA.
HOW ARE WE GOING TO ENCOURAGE DEVELOPMENT THAT'S SOMEWHERE BETWEEN THAT AND SINGLE FAMILY?
>> SO THAT'S PART OF THE EDUCATION AS WELL.
I KNOW OUR PLANNING DEPARTMENT HAS ALLOWED WHAT COMES TO REGIONAL CENTERS.
THEY'LL TALK ABOUT GROWTH AND DENSITY.
BUT IT IS COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS, VERY SITE-SPECIFIC.
MANY TIMES, ZONING QUESTIONS ARE PART OF THAT AS WELL.
I THINK WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT THE BY RIGHTS ZONING, ALL OF THOSE KIND OF CONVERSATIONS AND DESIGN ELEMENTS WILL BE PART OF THAT, BECAUSE YOU DO WANT TO MAKE SURE IF YOU HAVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT IT FITS INTO THE FABRIC OF A NEIGHBORHOOD.
SOME THINGS, IF THEY'RE GETTING FUNDING FROM THE CITY, YOU HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE CONTROL, BUT IF IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT NEEDS GAP FINANCING OR IF THERE'S NO ADDITIONAL CONTROLS, THAT'S WHEN MORE DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS HAPPEN.
BUT, PART OF THE BY RIGHTS ZONING CONVERSATION THIS COMING FISCAL YEAR IS GOING TO TALK ABOUT DESIGN ELEMENTS AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD ISSUES AND THE FIT OF THAT DESIGN AS WELL.
ONE OTHER THING I'D LIKE TO SEE -- THIS DOESN'T REALLY MATTER WHETHER IT'S AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR NOT, BUT IN TERMS OF HOMEOWNERSHIP, OUTSIDE OF DOWNTOWN, WE REALLY ONLY SEE SINGLE FAMILY EXCEPT FOR SOME CONDO DEVELOPMENTS HERE AND THERE.
BUT I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO PROVIDE A VARIETY OF TYPES OF HOMEOWNERSHIP, YOU KNOW, OWNING AND MANAGING AND MAINTAINING A WHOLE HOME.
THAT'S A LOT OF WORK, RIGHT? AND MAYBE THAT DOESN'T FIT FOR EVERYONE, BUT WE STILL WANT AN OPPORTUNITY FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES TO BUILD WEALTH AND WHEN YOU INVEST IN A HOME, WHETHER IT'S A CONDO OR A SINGLE FAMILY, THAT ALLOWS YOU TO DO THAT.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, US ALSO PROMOTE THAT AS WELL.
AND I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT THIS MIGHT ALL BE FALLING UNDER ONE CONSOLIDATED DEPARTMENT.
I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON IN HOUSING, AND IT'S HARD TO KEEP TRACK OF WHO DOES WHAT, SO HOPEFULLY THIS WILL HELP US BE MORE FOCUSED OR MORE EFFECTIVE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION, VERO.
>> NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL.
I DO HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS HERE.
YOU SAY THAT'S A 24-PERSON INCREASE OVERALL.
IS THAT WHAT I'M UNDERSTANDING?
AND WHAT'S THE TOTAL BUDGET INCREASE ON MANPOWER.
WHAT'S THE TOTAL INCREASE MONEY-WISE?
>> OF THE 24 POSITIONS, 13 ARE NEW.
THE BALANCE ARE TRANSFERRED FROM OTHER DEPARTMENTS WHERE THERE ARE HOUSING FUNCTIONS AND WE'RE MOVING THEM UNDER NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES.
SO THE INCREASE IN THE BUDGET IS -- WHERE IS YOUR BUDGET FROM LAST YEAR IN TOTAL? THE INCREASE LAST YEAR ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE, THE HOUSING BUDGET, 8 MILLION TO 25 MILLION OR AN INCREASE OF 17.
WHERE'S THE TOTAL BUDGET? NO, TOTAL BUDGET.
IT'S THE NUMBER -- JUSTINA IS PULLING IT.
THE NUMBER COMPARED TO THE 34 NUMBER.
>> PERRY: THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO FIND OUT, WHAT IS THE DOLLAR INCREASE ON THE POSITIONS? YOU SAID IT'S 13 ADDITIONAL, RIGHT?
ACTUALLY, TEN FUNDED THROUGH THE GENERAL FUND, THREE THROUGH CDBG.
AND THOSE ARE THE NUMBERS I'M WANTING TO SEE.
[01:20:02]
THREE?>> PERRY: AND THEN IN THE SECOND CHART, YOU HAVE THE GENERAL FUND INCREASE, AND I THINK YOU ANSWERED THIS BEFORE.
WHERE DOES THE GRANT MONEY COME FROM, THE 8.9 INCREASE?
SO FOR THE GRANT, IT'S A REDIRECTION OF THE CDBG AND HOME FUNDING.
SO, FIRST, WE WILL NOT HAVE THE 4.2-4.8 PAYMENT FOR THE SECTION 108 LOAN.
SO THAT -- REFINANCING THAT ALLOWS THIS TO BE UTILIZED FOR GAP FINANCING.
THIS IS THE LAST YEAR OF THE COMMITMENT TO THE EAST POINT PROMISE ZONE AREA, SO THERE WAS A LITTLE OVER TWO MILLION FREED UP, AND THERE WAS A ONE-TIME FACILITY INFRASTRUCTURE AS WELL.
WE'RE NO LONGER DOING THE STORE FRONT, FOR EXAMPLE.
NO LONGER DO YOU THINK THE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR EAST POINT.
THAT ALLOWS THE CDBG BUDGET TO BE UTILIZED TOWARDS AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
SO THAT'S WHERE AROUND 8 MILLION IS BEING -- IS COMING FROM, THAT IS NOW BEING REDIRECTED TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING ON THE GRAND SITE.
>> PERRY: AND WHERE DOES THE HOUSING TRUST MONEY COME FROM?
>> THE HOUSING TRUST COMES FROM THE HOUSE INTEREST CORPUS.
THIS IS REFLECTED IN THE BUDGET.
AS I NOTED, THERE IS AN ASK TO HAVE THEM ASSIST AS THEY DID THIS CURRENT YEAR.
YOU CAN SEE THAT IN THIS CURRENT YEAR, THERE WAS 1.3 THAT THEY ALLOCATED.
THAT'S GROWTH FROM THE INTEREST THAT THEY HAVE ACCUMULATED IN THAT CORPUS, SO THAT'S MONEY THAT SITS IN THAT TRUST, MANAGED BY THE CITY, AND CAN BE UTILIZED FOR DIFFERENT PROGRAMS. SO FISCAL YEAR 18, THAT PROVIDED ABOUT 1.3 FOR THE UNDER ONE ROOF PROGRAM.
AND WHERE DOES THE INCREASE COME FROM? THE .7 FOR THE '19 PROGRAM.
>> THE INCREASE IS YET TO BE APP APPROVED.
>> PERRY: PETER, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING?
>> DID YOU GET THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION ON WHERE THE TRUST DOLLARS COME FROM? THE HOUSING TRUST DOLLARS COME FROM INTEREST ON THAT $10 MILLION CORPUS AS WELL AS THE PUBLIC FACILITIES CORPORATION, SUBSET OF THE HOUSING TRUST.
WHEN THEY DO A DEVELOPMENT DEAL FOR A MULTI-FAMILY AFFORDABLE HOUSING, THERE'S A ONE-TIME PAYMENT FROM THE DEVELOPER TO THE HOUSING TRUST, AND THEN THEY ALSO GET SOME OF THE PROCEEDS IN THE DEVELOPMENT ITSELF, FROM THE RENTAL UNITS.
>> TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT, WE DID GET THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE NUMBER OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS EARLIER.
THERE'S AROUND 6,000 AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS SINCE 1988 OR SO THAT THE SAN ANTONIO HOUSING TRUST HAS LEVERAGED.
SO PETER ALSO HANDED ME THIS INFORMATION.
>> AND OUR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR CALCULATED WHAT THE COST FOR THE TEN-YEAR POSITIONS WOULD BE, AND IT'S AROUND 870,000 FOR THE TEN NEW OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND.
IN LOOKING AT THAT LEFT PIE CHART AGAIN, IS THAT -- WHAT PERCENTAGE OF ALL OF THAT MONEY WHICH IS ABOUT $35 MILLION GOES TO SALARIES FOR THE 79 PROPOSED POSITIONS?
>> OKAY, WE'LL HAVE TO CALCULATE THAT.
>> THE BUDGET STAFF WILL GET THAT NUMBER.
GOING TO SLIDE 17, SO WE'VE GOT ALL OF THESE PROGRAMS, WE'VE GOT THE GRANT -- GIVE ME THE TOTAL NUMBER OF DOLLARS THAT COMES TO SAN ANTONIO, WHETHER IT'S FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL, THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT FUNDING FOR 2019, THE TOTAL PROGRAM, TOTAL HOUSING PROGRAM.
>> THE BIGGEST FUNDING SOURCE IS OUR HUD ENTITLEMENT GRANT.
SO THE TWO PROGRAMS ARE HOME AND CDBG PROGRAMS. SO THIS YEAR -- LOOK TO THE RIGHT TAB.
DID RECEIVE AN INCREASE IN CDBG,
[01:25:01]
SO THIS YEAR, OR NEXT FISCAL YEAR AVAILABLE 12.74 IN THE CDBG PROGRAM.IT DID INCREASE BY ABOUT 1 MILLION.
THE HOME PROGRAM IS 5.49, AND THEN WE HAVE OUR OTHER PROGRAMS. ESG IS FOR HOME LESSER VISES.
SO THAT'S THE ENTITLEMENT GRANTS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
THE LOW INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDITS ARE DELIVERED BY THE STATE.
FOR THAT ONE, WE'LL HAVE TO CHECK HOW MUCH WILL BE AVAILABLE.
THOSE NUMBERS WILL BE AVAILABLE AROUND NOVEMBER OF THIS YEAR, BUT IT HAS BEEN AROUND 3.2, 3.5 AVAILABLE FOR OUR COMMUNITY, FUNDS ABOUT THREE TO FOUR DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE AFFORDABLE.
THOSE ARE THE MAIN FUNDING SOURCES.
THERE ARE AVAILABLE GRANTS FROM HUD TO SUPPORT HOME LESSER VISES.
THERE'S A SMALL GRANT OF AROUND $30,000 AS WELL.
AND SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE SOURCES.
BUT PRIMARILY, IT'S OUR CDBG AND HOME BUDGET THAT HELPS WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSING AS WELL AS LOW INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDIT PROGRAM.
AND I WAS JUST ADDING THOSE UP IN MY HEAD.
THAT'S ABOUT $25 MILLION ALTOGETHER?
>> YES, THAT'S AROUND $25 MILLION.
>> PERRY: AND WE'RE LOOKING AT INCREASING THAT BY ANOTHER, LET'S SAY, $10 MILLION AND THAT'S COMING FROM OUR GENERAL FUND, RIGHT?
>> THE INCREASING 17.1 OVERALL.
17.1 INCREASE, BUT FROM THE GENERAL FUND --
SO ALTOGETHER, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT $32.5 MILLION GOING TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
>> PERRY: AND OUT OF THAT INCREASED FUNDING, YOU'RE SAYING YOU'RE NEEDING AN ADDITIONAL 20 -- NO, 13 ADDITIONAL PEOPLE.
>> PERRY: BECAUSE YOU'RE MOVING SOME PEOPLE OVER FROM YOUR EXISTING PROGRAM.
>> SO THE THREE GRANT FUNDED POSITIONS ARE ALL RELATED TO HOUSING PRODUCTION AS WE HAVE INCREASED, FOR EXAMPLE, THE GRANT SUPPORT FOR THE OWNER OCCUPIED PROGRAM.
THAT'S 4.5 OUT OF OUR GRANTS, AND SO THERE'S A STAFF POSITION THAT IS GOING TO BE WORKING ON THAT PROGRAM BECAUSE WE HAVE THE INCREASE CAPACITY THAT IS EXPECTED.
THERE'S THREE GRANT FUNDED POSITIONS THAT ARE ALL ON THE INTAKE PRODUCTION SIDE, BECAUSE THERE'S MORE MONEY ALLOCATED OUT OF THE GRANTS TO DELIVER, SO THOSE ARE THREE GRANT FUNDED POSITIONS.
WITH THE INCREASE, THE 7.5 OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND, SOME OF THAT GENERAL FUND MONEY IS GOING TO THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE, SO, AGAIN, WE'RE LOOKING AT BOTH INTAKE AND PRODUCTION STAFF.
TO HELP WITH THE COORDINATED HOUSING SYSTEM AS WELL.
SO THAT'S WHERE THE NEW STAFF IS COMING FROM.
TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO ASSIST RESIDENTS, ASSIST PEOPLE REQUIRING THE ASSISTANCE, PROCESS THEM, AND NOT HAVE DELAYS WHEN THEY'RE ELIGIBLE.
>> PERRY: SO WE'RE ALREADY GETTING 25 MILLION FROM OTHER FUNDING SOURCES, AND THIS HOUSING TASK FORCE WANTS ADDITIONAL FUNDING FROM THE CITY GENERAL FUND TO AUGMENT THAT $25 MILLION, IN ESSENCE.
>> COUNCILMAN, THE TOTAL BUDGET FOR THE DEPARTMENT IS 34.5 MILLION.
WITHIN THAT AMOUNT, WE HAVE A HOUSING ALLOCATION OF 25.1.
SO THAT IS ALREADY PART OF THE TOTAL BUDGET.
SO THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ALIGN WITH THE HOUSING TASK FORCE, THE MAYOR'S HOUSING TASK FORCE IS 25.1.
IT'S ALREADY INCLUDED IN THAT.
>> PERRY: WELL, I WAS TRYING TO GET A FEEL FOR THE WHOLE PROGRAM, WHICH INCLUDES FEDERAL, STATE, AND OTHER LOCAL FUNDING THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE, WHICH ADDING UP IN MY MIND WAS ABOUT $25 MILLION CURRENTLY.
>> SO THE 25 MILLION THAT YOU SEE ON THE TABLE FOR 2019, THAT INCLUDES, AS YOU SAID, THE GENERAL FUND, THE GRANTS THAT IS CDBG AND HOME, AND ALSO THE HOUSING TRUST.
SO THAT IS A COMBINATION OF FEDERAL GRANTS AND OPERATING FUNDS.
MAYBE I WAS ADDING THOSE NUMBERS UP WRONG OR SOMETHING.
BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT I ADDED UP INITIALLY.
[01:30:05]
>> THIS IS ANOTHER SUMMARY THAT WAS IN THE PRESENTATION.
8 MILLION WAS IN THE BASE BUDGET.
17 MILLION IN NEW FUNDING FOR A TOTAL OF 25 FOR HOUSING CONSISTENT WITH THE MAYOR'S HOUSING POLICY TASK FORCE.
SO, MARKET ANALYSIS, I SAW THE PROJECTION FOR NEW HOMES COMING IN TO SAN ANTONIO THIS NEXT YEAR, AND IT'S QUITE -- IT'S AN INCREASE OF THE REQUIREMENT, AND THEN VERSUS WHAT'S BEING BUILT OUT THERE.
ARE PEOPLE STILL BUYING HOMES HERE IN SAN ANTONIO?
>> WE DO HAVE PEOPLE BUYING HOMES.
WE WORK WITH THE REAL ESTATE COMMUNITY AS WELL TO GET INFORMATION ON THAT.
BUT WE KNOW THAT THE PRICE OF A MEDIAN HOME HAS INCREASED SUBSTANTIALLY.
THERE IS AN ARTICLE JUST RECENTLY THAT SHOWED THAT THE MEDIAN HOME ROSE 5% TO 229,000.
>> COUNCILMAN, TO THE QUESTION OF PEOPLE BUYING HOMES.
OVER THE PAST YEAR, 3,275 HOMES IN THE MSA AREA WERE SOLD IN SAN ANTONIO.
THAT'S AN 11% INCREASE ON THE PRIOR YEAR.
SO THE HOUSING MARKET IS BOOMING.
>> THE HOUSING MARKET IS BOOMING.
>> PERRY: AND PEOPLE ARE STILL BUYING THEM?
>> PEOPLE ARE BUYING THEM AND PRICES ARE GOING UP.
>> PERRY: AND PRICING IS GOING UP, BECAUSE THERE'S PROBABLY -- THE MARKET CAN'T KEEP UP WITH THE DEMAND.
>> PERRY: OKAY? SO LOOKING AT THAT, WHAT'S OUR FORECLOSURE RATE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO?
>> DO YOU HAVE THAT, VERO? WE'LL HAVE TO GET YOU THAT.
I SAW IT RECENTLY IN A NEWSPAPER ARTICLE.
>> PERRY: WE'VE GOT TO LOOK AT THIS AS A WHOLE.
I'M A FREE MARKET TYPE OF GUY.
IF THERE'S A SHORTAGE, PRICES ARE GOING TO GO UP.
WHEN THAT SHORTAGE GETS OVERCOME WITH AN ABUNDANCE OF HOMES, THAT PRICE WILL COME DOWN.
RIGHT NOW, WE DON'T HAVE THAT SITUATION.
BUT HOUSING IS STILL BEING PURCHASED.
AND I HAVEN'T HEARD THAT THERE'S AN INCREASE IN FORECLOSURE.
SO OBVIOUSLY, PEOPLE ARE BEING ABLE TO AFFORD THOSE HOUSES THAT THEY ARE PURCHASING.
>> CAN YOU GUYS FIND OUT WHAT SLIDES THE GAP IS? SO, ONE IN TWO PERSONS THAT RENT HOMES ARE PAYING MORE THAN 30%.
ON THE HOMEOWNER SIDE, IT'S ONE IN FIVE PERSONS A COST BURDEN.
SO PEOPLE ARE STILL BUYING HOMES, BUT SPENDING MORE THAN 30% ON THEIR MORTGAGE OR ON THEIR RENT PAYMENT, WHICH MEANS THEY'RE SPENDING LESS ON OTHER THINGS, TO INCLUDE POTENTIALLY HEALTHCARE, FOOD, EDUCATION, TRANSPORTATION.
AS THEY SPEND MORE AND MORE ON HOUSING, THEY HAVE LESS AND LESS ON OTHER BASIC NECESSITIES.
>> PERRY: I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THAT.
ON HOW EXPENSIVE OF A HOUSE YOU THINK YOU CAN AFFORD.
WITH THE RISE OF TAXES, AS COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN POINTED OUT -- AND BY THE WAY, WE HAD A CHANCE TO INCLUDE A HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION FROM THE CITY, WHICH WOULD HAVE REDUCED OUR TAX BURDEN TO OUR CITIZENS OF HOMEOWNERSHIP.
THE CITY, WHAT WE DO ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS IN HOUSING, YES, WE ARE INVOLVED IN HOUSING WITH THE PERMITTING ORDINANCE.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT ORDINANCES ARE BEING FOLLOWED AND RULES AND REGULATIONS SO THAT IT DOESN'T IMPACT OTHER HOMES OUT THERE.
AND THAT'S HOW WE GET INVOLVED IN THAT.
BUT NOT INTO THE ACTUAL FUNDING AND -- OR, IN MY OPINION, WE SHOULDN'T BE GETTING INTO HOUSING FUNDING AND CONSTRUCTION AS A GOVERNMENT ENTITY HERE LOCALLY.
WE ARE GETTING FUNDING FROM THE FEDERAL AND STATE LEVELS, WHICH WE DO EXECUTE, BUT THAT'S ALL FUNDED THROUGH THE GRANT PROGRAMS. AND I TOTALLY SUPPORT THAT THROUGH THOSE AGENCIES.
BUT, YEAH, TO BE FUNDING THIS OUT OF OUR GENERAL FUND THAT IS MEANT FOR SERVICES TO THE CITY, I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO BE ANNEXED BY THE CITY, IS BECAUSE OUR TAX BURDEN IS THAT MUCH MORE, AND WE'RE LOOKING AT TAKING OUT MORE FROM OUR BASE OF THE GENERAL FUND THAT PROVIDES THOSE SERVICES TO PAY -- NOW PAY FOR HOUSING IN ADDITION TO WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING.
SO, YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE MY QUESTIONS.
I THINK WE NEED TO DO SOME MORE RESEARCH AS FAR AS THE MARKET
[01:35:02]
ANALYSIS AND WHAT PEOPLE ARE AFFORDING AND WHAT THEY'RE NOT AFFORDING, AND IF THEY SAY, HEY, I WANT TO BUY A MORE EXPENSIVE HOUSE, RIGHT ON THE EDGE OF SAN ANTONIO, OR EVEN OUTSIDE OF SAN ANTONIO, MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT CHEAPER, THAT'S THEIR CHOICE.SO THAT'S ALL MY QUESTIONS, SIR.
>> NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PERRY.
FIRST, I'LL JUST -- I WANT TO KIND OF GO OFF OF THE PROPERTY TAX ISSUE, BECAUSE THIS IS ONE WHERE I THINK SOME COMMUNICATION WILL BE VERY HELPFUL.
IN FACT, I WAS JUST WORKING WITH COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN ON THAT PARTICULAR CASE, AND THERE'S SOME CONFUSION ABOUT WHAT ASSESSED VALUE AND MARKET VALUE IS.
AND THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF CONFUSION ABOUT HOMESTEAD OVER 65 EXEMPTIONS AND SO FORTH.
WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS THAT IN LOOKING AT IT, THE PERSON THAT HAS THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION IS NOT AT 90, WHICH IS ACTUALLY AT 64.550, WHICH IS 10% ABOVE THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
WHAT DOES THAT TELL US? IT TELLS US THAT THE HOMESTEAD IS WORKING THE WAY IT SHOULD.
I THINK IT'S VERY CLEAR FOR US, TO TRY TO COMMUNICATE THAT TO AS MANY CONSTITUENTS AS POSSIBLE, BECAUSE THOSE THAT DON'T TAKE THE HOMESTEAD OR THE OVER 65 -- AND THIS IS A UNIQUE THING ABOUT SAN ANTONIO, IS THAT WE OFFER A UNIQUE OVER 65 EXEMPTION, WHICH KNOCKS OFF AN ADDITIONAL $60,000 OFF THE CITY TAXES AND CAPS YOUR PAYMENT.
BUT THIS IS SOMETHING, SHERYL, YOU MIGHT EVEN WANT TO SPEAK TO THIS.
WE'VE DONE SOME COMMUNICATIONS ON THIS WITH JEFF, AND I GUESS I WOULD GUESS THAT MAYBE THIS IS ONE WHERE WE CONNECT JEFF'S DEPARTMENT WITH HOUSING IN NEIGHBORHOODS TO HELP DISSEMINATE MORE OF THIS INFORMATION ABOUT PEOPLE'S RIGHTS TO PROTEST AND, OF COURSE, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET THEIR EXEMPTIONS SO THAT IT PROTECTS THEM IN THEIR HOME.
>> COUNCILMAN, WE CAN CERTAINLY WORK ON THAT, AND JEFF COYLE HAS HELPED US IN THE PAST.
IN FACT, YOU EVEN PREPARED AN INFOGRAPHIC OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS THAT WE'VE USED AS WE EXPLAIN THIS IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE'LL, OF COURSE, START WITH OUR CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES, SO THAT THEY HAVE THAT INFORMATION, BUT ALSO PUBLISH THAT THROUGH THE CITY'S WEBSITE SO THAT THE GENERAL PUBLIC HAS MORE INFORMATION AND USE IT AS WE TALK IN OUR BUDGET MEETINGS AND OUT IN THE COMMUNITY IN NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS SO THAT THEY ARE FULLY AWARE OF THEIR APPEAL RIGHTS.
AND, AGAIN, THIS PROPOSED BUDGET DOES NOT INCLUDE A PROPERTY TAX RATE INCREASE, AND OF THE TOTAL PROPERTY TAXES PAID BY OUR RESIDENTS, MORE THAN HALF OF THAT GOES TO THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM.
MORE THAN A QUARTER OF THAT GOES TO THE COUNTY, THE UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL SYSTEM, THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT, AND THE SAN ANTONIO RIVER AUTHORITY.
AND THEN 20% OF THE TAX BILL COMES TO THE CITY'S GENERAL FUND TO SUPPORT OUR BASIC SERVICES.
>> TREVINO: THANK YOU, SHERYL.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO CLEAR THAT UP, BECAUSE THIS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT TOPIC THAT WE HEAR ABOUT YEAR AFTER YEAR, AND I THINK THE MORE PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT IT, THE BETTER -- THE MORE STABLE OUR COMMUNITIES WILL BE, BECAUSE OF THAT INFORMATION.
SO, LET ME JUST -- I'LL BE BRIEF.
NUMBER ONE, THANK YOU FOR THE UNDER ONE ROOF.
I KNOW YOUR DEPARTMENT IS WORKING VERY, VERY HARD.
IT IS AN IMPORTANT PROGRAM FOR ME, AND I'M REALLY PROUD TO SEE THAT IT'S NOW GOING CITYWIDE AND THE FOCUS WILL BE NEEDS-BASED, AND THERE'S JUST -- THERE'S A LOT OF NEED OUT THERE.
I MEAN, IT JUST SHOWS THE POWER OF REPLACING A ROOF ON THESE HOMES.
AND I WILL JUST BASICALLY ALSO MENTION WITH REGARDS TO PROPERTY TAXES, BECAUSE PEOPLE WILL SAY, WELL, IF I REPLACE MY ROOF, MY PROPERTY IS ACTUALLY GOING TO GO UP.
PROPERTY TAXES DO NOT GO UP ON MAINTENANCE ITEMS. AND PLEASE KNOW THAT THIS IS A NECESSITY, ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECES IN YOUR HOME IS YOUR ROOF.
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS PROGRAM.
SO, OFF OF THIS, I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT GETTING THE BIGGEST AMOUNT OF IMPACT FOR OUR DOLLARS.
FOR ME, I JUST -- I THINK THAT AS WE'RE APPLYING THIS, WE'RE TRYING TO GET AS MUCH IMPACT, AND AS YOU CAN SEE THERE, WE'VE DONE 161 ROOFS IN FY2018.
I THINK IT'S A TOTAL OF 28184 S
[01:40:01]
FAR, AND TO ADD 321 ROOFS IS REALLY GREAT.AND SO WHEN WE LOOK AT OTHER PROGRAMS, YOU KNOW, I GUESS I WOULD ASK THAT MAYBE WE COULD SHOW SOME OF THAT KIND OF INFORMATION, THAT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS MAXIMIZE THE DOLLAR.
SO IF I LOOK AT THE HOME BUYER ASSISTANCE AND RISKED MITIGATION, THE COST OF THAT PER HOUSEHOLD IS ABOUT THE SAME AS THE ROOF PROGRAM.
AND SO THE ONLY REAL QUESTION I HAVE ON THIS PIECE IS AS WE ARE TRYING TO GET MORE HOMEOWNERS IN PLACE, WE WANT TO BALANCE THAT WITH PROTECTING THE EXISTING HOMEOWNERSHIP; IS THAT CORRECT?
>> TREVINO: AND SO, I THINK WE KIND OF NEED TO SHOW THAT CORRELATION.
BUT I'D ALSO LIKE TO KNOW, BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID WITH THE ROOF PROGRAM IS WE'RE MONITORING THE ROOF PROGRAM.
WE MONITOR THE HEAT, WE MONITOR THE OCCUPANTS, AND WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT THE ROOF IS GOING TO BE IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE AND KIND OF WRITTEN IN SOME LANGUAGE TO HELP PROTECT THEM, AS SOME PEOPLE MIGHT SEE THIS AS ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY THAT WE THINK MAY NOT LAYER ON SO WELL.
SO, I GUESS WHAT I WOULD ASK IS I'D LIKE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE HOMEOWNERS AND HOW THEY'RE IMPACTED, OR HOW THEY CONTINUE TO BE -- TO EXIST IN THOSE HOMES WITH THIS KIND OF HELP.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE VERY, VERY HELPFUL TO DEMONSTRATE KIND OF THE SEEDS WE'RE PLANTING IN DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS.
>> AND THAT WOULD BENEFIT -- WITH THAT LAYER, THAT MAKES THE ROOF ENERGY EFFICIENCY, IS THAT WE HAVE A QUANTIFIABLE DIFFERENCE IN THE ENERGY USE.
SO WE HAVE SEEN A REDUCTION IN ENERGY USE FOR HOMEOWNERS, AND THIS IS BECAUSE WE DID DO A STUDY TO MONITOR THE ROOFS.
TO DATE, WE HAVE COMPLETED 176 ROOFS, AND WHAT WE HAVE FOUND THROUGH SAMPLING THROUGH A STUDY WITH UTSA IS THAT THE AVERAGE REDUCTION IN ENERGY USE IS 7.3.
SO, WHEN WE STARTED AROUND 25 HOMES WERE MONITORED AND HAD THOSE MEASUREMENTS.
WE'RE CURRENTLY HAVING AN ADDITIONAL 30 HOMES OUT OF THE NEW FUNDING MEASURED AS WELL, SO IT'S A QUANTIFIABLE DIFFERENCE FOR THE HOMEOWNER.
NOT ONLY ARE WE PRESERVING THE HOUSING STOCK FOR THAT FAMILY, BUT WE'RE ALSO GENERATING SAVINGS FOR THEM IN ENERGY USE.
I MEAN, THERE'S BEEN INTEREST NATIONALLY IN THIS PROGRAM.
THERE WAS JUST A WEBCAST THAT EPA HOSTED NATIONWIDE A FEW WEEKS AGO THAT TALKED ABOUT THIS PROGRAM.
AND SO WE'VE BEEN GETTING UNCHOIRRIES FROM OTHER CITIES ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM.I ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM.
WE MADE IT CLEAR WE WANT TO SHARE THIS WITH OTHER COMMUNITIES.
BUT IN THAT SAME SPIRIT, I'M ASKING THAT FOR THE HOME BUYER ASSISTANCE, THAT WE CREATE SOME KIND OF A METRIC TO SHOW SOME DATA THAT WE CAN FOLLOW WITH THESE HOME ANDERS AND HOW THEY'RE BEING IMPACTED.
LASTLY, WE TALK ABOUT HOMEOWNERSHIP, BUT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT RENTERS.
WE HAVE THE SLIDE UP THERE ABOUT THE COST, ONE OUT OF FIVE HOMEOWNERS ARE COST BURDENED.
BUT ONE OUT OF TWO RENTERS ARE COST BURDENED.
THERE'S OTHER COMMUNITIES LIKE SEATTLE THAT HAVE CREATED A RENTERS COMMITTEE TO HELP WITH A LOT OF THE MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES IN REGARDS TO RENTAL ISSUES.
I THINK IT'S TIME TO TALK ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO FOR RENTERS AS WELL.
NOT JUST HOMEOWNERS, BECAUSE I THINK WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT NOT EVERYBODY IS GOING TO BECOME A HOMEOWNER.
AND SO WE NEED TO FIND KIND OF A MEANINGFUL RESPONSE TO ISSUES THAT ARE COMING UP, AND YOU AND I WORKED ON THE ISSUES OF SOAP WORKS AND TOWN CENTER AND THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE.
WE ALSO CREATED A RENTAL ASSISTANCE --
>> SHORT-TERM RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
>> AND IT'S IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.
IT'S A GREAT START, BUT I'D LIKE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT OTHER COMMUNITIES ARE DOING AND HOW WE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT A RENTER'S COMMITTEE AT SOME POINT, ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES
[01:45:02]
TO A LOT OF THE PROJECTS' IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE'RE DOING IN THE CITY, AND HOW IT IMPACTS A LOT OF COMMUNITIES, LARGE COMMUNITIES OF RENTERS AS WELL.I HAVE NO ISSUE WITH THE BUDGET.
I THINK IT'S EXACTLY WHY WE GOT YOU HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE, AND JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU.
BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THEY WORK REALLY, REALLY HARD.
>> TREVINO: ON GETTING ALL THESE PEOPLE QUALIFIED, AND BELIEVE ME, I'M ALREADY TELLING PEOPLE THAT THERE'S MORE MONEY AVAILABLE, AND WE SENT OUT A BUNCH OF APPLICATIONS JUST YESTERDAY.
SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING MANY MORE OF THOSE.
>> NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN TREVINO.
>> BROCKHOUSE: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
THANK YOU, VERO FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I THINK THE KEY TO MY STRESS CONTROL IS TO JUST WAIT TO THE VERY END TO ASK QUESTIONS, BECAUSE I HAVE PRACTICALLY NONE LEFT.
COUNCILMAN PERRY AND COUNCILMAN COURAGE TOOK A LOT OF MY POINTS UP.
I'LL JUST GO THROUGH A COUPLE OF THINGS REAL QUICK JUST SO I CAN MAKE SURE I'M CLEAR ON SOME ITEMS. THE YEAR TWO AND THREE FUNDING ASK, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY -- I MEAN, WE'RE FOCUSING A LOT ON YEAR ONE AT 25 MILLION, BUT ONCE YOU JUMP IN THE FIGHT, YOU GET INVOLVED IN IT, THERE'S MANY YEARS AFTER THIS.
WAS IT SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 45 AND $55 MILLION A YEAR EVERY YEAR FROM HERE ON OUT COMING OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND?
>> ARE YOU REFERRING TO THE TASK FORCE?
>> BROCKHOUSE: THE TASK FORCE YEAR TWO AND THREE.
RIGHT NOW, WE'RE FOCUSING A LOT AND BEAT THE HECK OUT OF THE 25.1 MILLION.
BUT GOING INTO YEAR TWO AND THREE, IF I REMEMBER RIGHT, IT WAS SOMETHING LIKE 45 AND 52.
I'M NOT SAYING IT WAS ALL OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND, BUT THERE WAS A RAMP-UP IN SPENDING, WASN'T THERE?
>> THERE WAS -- THAT WAS PART OF THE B SESSION PRESENTATION THAT WAS PRESENTED IN JUNE, AND SO THERE WAS A ONE-YEAR ASK, BUT THEY HAD A TEN-YEAR PLAN AS WELL.
>> BROCKHOUSE: RIGHT, AND STARTING TO GET NORTH OF 50 MILLION A YEAR WITH THE ASK OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND STARTING TO INCREASE DRASTICALLY, CORRECT? I JUST DON'T WANT TO GET HUNG UP THAT THIS IS A ONE-YEAR ASK.
THERE'S ALSO A TEN-YEAR PROGRAM HERE THAT IS ULTIMATELY FROM MULTIPLE REPORTS GOING TO COST BILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
SO I JUST WANT TO START BY SAYING, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THE SECOND AND THIRD YEAR, JUST SO I CAN -- THE NEW FUNDING.
SO THE TOTAL IN 2020 IS GOING TO BE 42 MILLION.
IN 2022, IT'S GOING TO BE 52 MILLION, AND FROM THERE ON OUT, $52 MILLION.
>> SCULLEY: WELL, PETER IS COMING UP, IF I COULD, MAYOR -- COUNCIL MEMBER.
THERE WAS A TEN-YEAR PLAN PREPARED BY THE HOUSING TASK FORCE.
WE HAVE A RAMP-UP TO GET TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THAT PLAN OVER THREE YEARS WITH A BIG PIECE OF THAT IN THIS FIRST YEAR.
BUT OF COURSE, BY CHARTER, THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPTS THE BUDGET ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, SO THERE WILL ALWAYS BE DIALOGUE.
AND YES, WE ARE PRESENTING A LONGER RANGE PLAN TODAY, BUT IT IS SUBJECT TO ANNUAL APPROPRIATION BY THE CITY COUNCIL.
>> BROCKHOUSE: I APPRECIATE THAT, SHERYL, THANK YOU.
BUT I GUESS THE POINT I'M TRYING TO MAKE IS THIS ISN'T A ONE-YEAR PROGRAM.
IT IS A TEN-YEAR PLAN, THAT IS THE PLAN THAT WAS WRITTEN, AN OVERALL FUNCTION LOOKING AT AN ENTIRETY OF MULTIPLE ISSUES WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS.
IT WAS $485 MILLION OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND OVER THE NEXT TEN YEARS WAS THE ASK, OF WHICH WE'RE KICKING IT OFF RIGHT NOW.
I KNOW THAT CITY STAFF CAME BACK AND RE-ADJUSTED THOSE.
THEY WANTED AN EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP POSITION.
AND THAT HAS BEEN RATCHETED BACK IN THIS CYCLE.
WE ASK THAT WE HIRE THESE PEOPLE NOW, WE'RE IN THIS FOR THE LONG HAUL.
SO WE HAVE TO THINK IN LARGER CONVERSATION AS A COUNCIL, JUST BEYOND YEAR ONE.
$485 MILLION OVER TEN YEARS IS A LOT OF MONEY CONSIDERING THE BASIC CORE NEEDS WE HAVE.
I'M ON THE RECORD ALREADY THAT THIS ISN'T A CORE FUNCTION OF CITY GOVERNMENT.
DID YOU WANT TO JUMP IN ON THAT ONE? DID YOU HAVE AN UPDATE? OH, OKAY.
AND THEN YOU COUPLE THE FACT THAT -- YOU MENTIONED IT YOURSELF -- ABOUT A CHARTER POSITION TRYING TO USE BONDING MONEY IN THE HOUSING FOCUS.
[01:50:02]
SO HAS THERE BEEN CONVERSATION IF YOU DON'T EVER GET AROUND TO THAT, WHEN YOU'RE WORKING THE TASK FORCE, THE PUBLIC DOESN'T APPROVE IT IN THE FUTURE, WE DON'T GET TO USE BOND DOLLARS OR BONDING CAPACITY ON HOUSING.HAVE YOU EVEN SCRATCHED THE SURFACE OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE? PART OF YOUR PLAN FROM THE HOUSING POLICY TASK FORCE INCLUDES UP TO $250 MILLION IN BOND MONEY.
HAS THERE BEEN CONTINGENCY PLANNING IF THAT DOESN'T GET APPROVED?
>> SCULLEY: NOT YET, COUNCILMAN.
BUT WE DO HAVE 20 MILLION THAT WAS VOTER APPROVED IN THE 2017 BOND PROGRAM THAT IS FOR INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF HOUSING BY PRIVATE AND NON-PROFIT HOUSING DEVELOPERS.
SO THAT PROGRAM COULD CONTINUE IF WE DID NOT HAVE A CHARTER AMENDMENT THAT WOULD ALLOW THE CITY TO BE MORE INVOLVED IN HOUSING.
THE PROGRAM APPROVED BY THE VOTERS IS TO ACQUIRE VACANT LOTS, TO ACTUALLY ACQUIRE SOME DETERIORATED STRUCTURES, REMOVE THEM, MAKE THE SITE READY FOR PRIVATE AND NON-PROFIT DEVELOPERS TO BUILD HOUSING WHERE THE CITY WOULD THEN PROVIDE INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS, WHETHER IT'S STREETS, SIDEWALKS, UTILITY CONNECTIONS TO MAKE THE PROPERTY SITE READY.
THAT WILL BE A FUTURE CONVERSATION WITH THE COUNCIL AND THE COMMUNITY AS TO WHETHER OR NOT TO AMEND THE CHARTER TO ALLOW FOR AN EXPANDED ROLE OF CITY GOVERNMENT IN THE FIELD OF HOUSEING.
>> BROCKHOUSE: THAT WAS MY CONCERN I WANTED TO PUT ON THE TABLE.
WE HAVE A TEN-YEAR PLAN THAT CONSISTS OF MULTIPLE FUNDING MECHANISMS, WHICH APPARENTLY A LOT OF THEM ARE UP IN THE AIR.
IN ENVIRONMENTS LIKE THIS, LET'S SAY WE DON'T GET $250 MILLION IN BOND MONEY, ARE WE REDUCING -- I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT THAT COMES OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
I GET THAT, AND THESE ARE DEBATED ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
BUT WHEN WE'RE SITTING HERE FACING THE BUY-IN RIGHT NOW, THIS IS THE BUY-IN, RIGHT? WE'RE STARTING TO PUT OUR CHIPS IN THE TABLE.
THERE'S SO MUCH MORE THAT COMES AFTER THIS THAT IS CLEARLY UNDEFINED THAT THAT SHOULD CONCERN EVERY CITIZEN, RIGHT? I MEAN, YOU'RE TALKING BILLIONS OF DOLLARS ULTIMATELY AT THE END WITH ALL OUR GRANT FUNDING, EVERYTHING THAT'S COMING IN.
800 SOMETHING MILLION DOLLARS OF OUR MONEY.
LIKE, WE NEED TO -- THIS IS RISING TO A SUBJECT THAT REALLY THE VOTERS SHOULD MAKE THE DECISION.
THAT'S $735 MILLION OVER TEN YEARS.
I THINK THE VOTERS DESERVE A VOICE IF THAT'S EVEN WARRANTED.
IF THIS IS A ROLE OF THE GOVERNMENT, PERIOD.
I'D LIKE FOR YOU, IF YOU COULD, TO DEFINE YOUR VISION OF BY RIGHTS ZONING.
>> WELL, THAT ACTUALLY IS IN THE REPORT.
PART OF THE VISION IN THE REPORT FROM THE TASK FORCE WAS THAT THAT WOULD ENTAIL A LOT OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND BUY-IN AS WELL.
SO THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO SEND A GROUP THAT WOULD HAVE ALL THOSE CONVERSATIONS, ENSURE THAT THERE'S COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, THAT THE COMMUNITY IS AWARE OF WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED SO THAT THE IMPACTS OF WHAT IT COULD LOOK LIKE ARE TALKED ABOUT AT THE FOREFRONT, AND THEN SOMETHING MOVES FORWARD.
IT'S IN THAT TASK FORCE REPORT THAT CALLS FOR A LOT OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
YOU'VE SEEN THE MODEL THAT THE TASK FORCE THEMSELVES UTILIZE WITH PUBLIC INPUT MEETINGS AND OPEN MEETINGS AS WELL.
AND I WAS JUST CURIOUS OF YOUR PART OF ANY OF THOSE DISCUSSIONS YOURSELF, AND THESE FOLKS THAT ARE -- WHEN I LOOK AT A LOT OF THESE PROCEDURAL PIECES, THE BY RIGHTS ZONING IS SCARY.
YOU HAVE TO FIND THE RIGHT BALANCE.
I UNDERSTAND THAT BALANCE IS THE PROBLEM, BUT WE HAVE TO PROTECT THE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE IN PLACE NOW, AND BY RIGHTS ZONING IS A VERY SCARY PROPOSITION.
EVERYTHING HE HIT WAS EXACTLY RIGHT, WHETHER IT'S CRA OR BANKS OR THE LENDERS.
I DON'T HEAR ANY TALK FROM THE COUNTY HERE.
THIS IS A LOT OF SPENDING AND MONEY AND OPPORTUNITY.
HOW ARE WE ENGAGING THINGS TO BRING OTHER SOURCES IN? IF OTHER SOURCES COME IN, THERE'S OTHER PEOPLE IN THE GAME, THAT'S GOING TO FIND WAYS.
THESE HIGH LEVEL CHARTS OVER THE NEXT COUPLE WEEKS, WE'LL DIG INTO IT, BECAUSE I'D LIKE TO FIGURE OUT A LITTLE BIT MORE, WHETHER IT'S ITEMS THAT I CAN BE SUPPORTIVE OF IN THIS.
I'M NOT VERY SUPPORTIVE OF FIXING PEOPLE'S ROOFS WHEN THE HOMEOWNER NEGLECTED IT.
WE'VE GOT TO BE CAREFUL WHAT KIND OF WORLD WE'RE LIVING IN WHEN WE'RE STEPPING IN AND DOING HOUSING REHAB AND WE'RE DOING
[01:55:03]
THINGS FOR PEOPLE WHO IT'S JUST NOT THE CORE FUNCTION OF CITY GOVERNMENT.WE'RE ALREADY INHOUSING BECAUSE WE DO ZONING AND PERMITTING -- THAT'S ABSOLUTELY NOT TRUE.
WE DO THAT, YES, BUT WE'RE TALKING LENDING, WE'RE TALKING -- WE'RE GETTING INTO THE WEEDS OF BASICALLY TURNING THIS INTO A REAL ESTATE CORPORATION.
I LEFT THE REAL ESTATE BUSINESS TEN YEARS, AND LO AND BEHOLD I'M BACK IN IT NOW AS A MEMBER OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
IT'S A LOT OF WORK THAT'S WELL BEYOND -- YOU'RE TALKING LENDING, YOU'RE TALKING HOUSING REHAB.
THAT'S NOT PERMITTING AND LAND USE.
PERMITTING AND LAND USE SETS THE -- THAT DOESN'T PUT US IN THE REAL ESTATE BUSINESS.
THIS IS FULL-ON IN, AND I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE EXAMINE EXACTLY WHO WE ARE AND WHY WE'RE DOING THIS IN THE FIRST PLACE AND THE PUBLIC DESERVES THE INPUT ON THAT.
AND IT'S BEYOND THE HOUSING POLICY TASK FORCE.
IT'S RISING TO THE PUBLIC'S NEED TO HAVE A VOICE.
THAT'S WHY I LOOK FORWARD TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A PUBLIC VOTE ON A BONDING CAPACITY OR A CHARTER, BECAUSE THAT WOULD TELL US, RIGHT? HOW THEY SUPPORT THAT OR NOT.
I THINK I'LL JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT, OTHER THAN TO SAY LET'S MAKE SURE WE DIG FURTHER INTO IT.
IT LOOKS FANTASTIC, BUT I WANT TO FIGURE OUT FROM A DETAIL PERSPECTIVE WHERE YOU'RE AT ON EACH ONE OF THESE LINE ITEMS THAT CAN BE SUPPORTED, AND I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE A DEEPER DIVE IN JUST TO SEE WHAT THE HECK WE'RE DOING FROM A CORE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT.
AND TO ECHO COUNCILMAN PERRY'S POINT, THE HOUSING MARKET AND EVERYTHING IS DOING FANTASTIC.
IT'S NOT FANTASTIC FOR EVERYBODY.
BUT NOT EVERYBODY SHOULD BE A HOMEOWNER.
THERE'S MULTIPLE THINGS THAT GO INTO THAT.
I THINK WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL HOW YOU DIG INTO THAT AND WHAT PIECES -- THAT'S WHY I WANT TO LEARN WHERE YOU'RE SEEING AND THE HOUSING CENTER AND ALL THOSE LITTLE THINGS WHERE YOU'RE HELPING PEOPLE QUALIFY, CREDIT, AND ALL THAT.
THERE'S A LOT THAT GOES INTO IT SO. IF WE CAN CONTINUE DOWN THAT PATH, WE'LL DIG MORE INTO IT AFTERWARDS.
I THINK IT'S A LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR ME TO FIGURE OUT HOW YOU SEE IT AS YOUR ROLE COMING FORWARD.
BECAUSE IT'S EXPANDING A LOT, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.
I DO APPRECIATE YOUR BRIEFING TODAY.
>> NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN BROCKHOUSE.
I'LL JUST CLOSE BY REITERATING THANKS TO OUR STAFF, BUT ALSO THE TASK FORCE FOR SOME VERY DIFFICULT WORK.
THIS WAS NOT A FIGHT, BUT IT CERTAINLY WAS DIFFICULT WORK.
THE TASK FORCE PROCESS WAS OVER A YEARLONG AND INCLUDED HUNDREDS OF MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, EXPERTS, PUBLIC CITIZENS WHO CAME OUT TO THE TASK FORCE MEETING.
SO THE PUBLIC IS WHO DROVE THIS PLAN AND THIS RECOMMENDATION, AND IT'S A RECOGNITION THAT FOR THE LAST 30 YEARS OR MORE, WE'VE BEEN FACING A HOUSING CRISIS THAT HAS GRIPPED SO MANY CITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE'VE SEEN THE EFFECTS OF IT.
AND IN THE PROCESS, MORE AND MORE OF OUR CITIZENS ARE LEFT OUT OF THE LOCAL ECONOMY BECAUSE THEY'RE INCREASINGLY COST-BURDENED BY THEIR HOUSING.
AND THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PELAEZ, FOR POINTING OUT THE FACT THAT SINCE 2011, EVICTION RATES, AS REPORTED IN THE EXPRESS NEWS, HAVE DOUBLED.
SO INCREASINGLY, THE ISSUE OF HOMEOWNERSHIP AND RENTAL AND FINDING A ROOF OVER YOUR HEAD HAS BECOME A CONCERN FOR MORE AND MORE OF SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS, AND THAT CREATES NEGATIVE RAMIFICATIONS FOR EVERYONE THROUGHOUT THE ECONOMY.
SO I APPLAUD THE WORK OF THE TASK FORCE, THE STAFF FOR GETTING INVOLVED IN THIS, FOR UNITING THE COMMUNITY.
THIS IS THE PUBLIC DIRECTING OUR BODY TO ACT ON A PROBLEM THAT TOO MANY CITIES HAVE FACED, AND WHILE THERE MAY BE SOME KINKS TO WORK OUT IN TERMS OF EXACTLY WHAT POLICIES AND PROGRAMS ARE IMPLEMENTED, IT'S OUR JOB TO LISTEN TO THE COMMUNITY, AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THIS PROCESS.
SO THANK YOU FOR BEARING WITH US AS WE'VE TAKEN OVER THREE DECADES TO COME AROUND TO THIS POINT, BUT WE ARE HERE, AND I APPLAUD THE COUNCIL FOR MOVING THIS FORWARD.
SHERYL, WE'RE WAY OVER TIME IN TERMS OF OUR PACING OF THE DAY, BUT LET'S TRY TO GET ONE MORE IN BEFORE LUNCH.
>> SCULLEY: YES, BRIDGET WHITE IS HERE, OUR PLANNING DIRECTOR.
>> GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
BRIDGET WHITE, DIRECTOR OF THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
MY PRESENTATION THIS MORNING WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH AN OVERVIEW OF THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT'S PROPOSED FISCAL 19 BUDGET.
THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT CURRENTLY INCLUDES 20 FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES AND TWO DIVISIONS, CITYWIDE PLANNING AND REGIONAL PLANNING, THE DEPARTMENT REMAINS FOCUSED ON IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SA TOMORROW COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, WHICH IS THE LAND USE DOCUMENT FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
AS WELL AS OVERSIGHT OF OUR CITY'S ANNEXATION EFFORTS.
WE WORKED TOWARDS FOSTERING STRONG PARTNERSHIPS WITH BOTH EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL ENTITIES AS WE PLAN FOR THE SPOTTY OF OUR CITY.
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DISCUSSION WITH NEIGHBORING CITIES AND REGIONAL ENTITIES SUCH AS VIA, THE NPO, THE MILITARY, THE ALAMO AREA COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS ON TOPICS THAT IMPACT OUR QUALITY OF LIFE.WITH ADOPTION OF THE SA TOMORROW CONFERENCE, THE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN WORKING ON DEVELOPMENT OF 30 SUB AREA PLANS THAT IMPLEMENT THE CITYWIDE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN VISION AND GOALS.
IN THE PAST, ATTEMPTING TO PLAN IN A MEANINGFUL AND TIMELY MANNER FOR OVER 300 NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOMEOWNER ASSOCIATIONS PROVED CHALLENGING.
THIS NEW APPROACH USES THE REGIONAL CENTERS IDENTIFIED IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AS WELL AS COMMUNITY PLAN AREAS, WHICH GROUP TOGETHER MULTIPLE NEIGHBORHOODS WITH SIMILAR CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES, TO COMPLETE PLANNING FOR THE ENTIRE CITY ACROSS JUST 30 GEOGRAPHIES.
THIS WOULD ALLOW THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT TO MORE REGULARLY UPDATE THESE PLANS TO ADDRESS LAND USE AS WELL AS HOUSING, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, MOBILITY, PARKS AND OPEN SPACE, AND OTHER TOPICS IDENTIFIED IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PLAN ELEMENTS.
$1.1 MILLION WAS ALLOCATED FOR MASTER PLAN DEVELOPMENT IN FISCAL YEAR 17, AND WE'RE CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING PLANS FOR BIREGIONAL CENTERS AND ONE COMMUNITY PLANNING AREA.
THE BROOKS MIDTOWN UTSA MEDICAL CENTER AND DOWNTOWN REGIONAL CENTERS AND THE WEST SIDE COMMUNITY PLANNING AREA.
FUNDS ALLOCATED IN FISCAL 2018 ARE FOR FOUR REGIONAL CENTERS AND TWO COMMUNITY PLANNING AREAS NOTED HERE ON THE SLIDE.
NORTHEAST I-35 LOOP 416, HIGHWAY 151 LOOP 1604, PORT SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS A&M SAN ANTONIO REGIONAL CENTERS, AS WELL AS THE EAST SIDE AND SOUTHEAST COMMUNITY PLAN AREAS.
THROUGHOUT THIS YEAR'S BUDGET OPEN HOUSES, WE HAVE BEEN ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY ON SA TOMORROW, AND ALSO OBTAINING CONTACT INFORMATION FOR RESIDENTS IN THE VARIOUS PLANNING AREAS IDENTIFIED.
IN ADDITION TO SUB AREA PLANNING, WE'LL CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT IN ORDER TO MORE ACTIVELY CONNECT WITH THE COMMUNITY AS WE IMPLEMENT THE SA TOMORROW PLAN.
EACH PLANNING PROCESS WILL ALLOW FOR BROAD RANGE OF STAKEHOLDERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO GET INVOLVED AT THE LEVEL THAT'S MOST APPROPRIATE TO THEM, AND THAT'S SPECIFIC TO A CERTAIN AREA.
THIS IS BEING LAYERED WITH A CITYWIDE EFFORT TO BRING AWARENESS AS TO WHY WE NEED TO PLAN FOR OUR FUTURE.
CONTINUED COLLABORATION ON OTHER PLANNING INITIATIVES ENABLES US TO ENSURE THAT PROJECTS INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL TO THE CITY WORK TOWARDS IMPLEMENTATION OF OUR CITY'S GUIDING POLICY AND LAND USE DOCUMENT.
FINALLY, WE'LL BUILD UPON THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY CREATED LAST YEAR FOR PHASE ONE PLANS AND COORDINATE EFFORTS WITH THE GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT AS WELL AS WITH THE VARIOUS COUNCIL OFFICES.
THIS SLIDE PROVIDES A STATUS OF THE PHASE ONE AND PHASE TWO PLANS.
ALL SIX PHASE ONE PLANS ARE ANTICIPATED TO BE COMPLETED IN LATE FALL OF 2019.
AND A KICKOFF MEETING IS PLANNED FOR THE PHASE TWO PLANS IN THE FALL OF THIS YEAR.
THE GOAL, OF COURSE, IS TO COMPLETE 30 SUB AREA PLANS THAT PLAN FOR THE ENTIRE 514.3 SQUARE MILES OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, SO THAT WE HAVE ONE CONSISTENT CITYWIDE LAND USE PLAN AND MAP FOR OUR CITY.
A LAND USE PLAN THAT SERVES AS A REGULATORY GUIDE AND DECISION-MAKING TOOL FOR ZONING AND DEVELOPMENT AND ONE THAT IS USED BY CITY STAFF, BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, AND CITY COUNCIL.
AND WHILE THE GOAL OF A CONSISTENT LAND USE MAP FOR THE CITY IS IMPORTANT, THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT'S INVOLVEMENT IN THE CITY'S EQUITY IMPACT ASSESSMENT INITIATIVE HAS HELPED US OUTLOON A F -- OUTLINE A FRAMEWORK FOR PROACTIVE PLANNING ACROSS THE CITY, WITH THE ULTIMATE VISION OF INCREASING QUALITY OF LIFE FOR RESIDENTS ACROSS SAN ANTONIO.
THERE ARE CURRENTLY OVER 300 NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOMEOWNER ASSOCIATIONS REGISTERED WITH THE CITY.
AND WHILE THAT'S A VERY LARGE NUMBER, THERE'S STILL MANY RESIDENTIAL AREAS THAT ARE NOT REPRESENTED BY AN ORGANIZED ASSOCIATION.
SINCE 1988, THE CITY HAS ADOPTED ABOUT 40 INDIVIDUAL NEIGHBORHOOD AND COMMUNITY PLANS WITH 12 UPDATED SINCE THEY WERE FIRST COMPLETED.
ADDITIONAL VICINITY, CORRIDOR, AND SECTOR PLANS WERE ALSO ADOPTED OVER THE YEARS.
EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE ADOPTED OVER THE YEARS, MUCH OF THE CITY WAS LEFT UNPLANNED WITH EVEN MANY OF THE REGISTERED NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOMEOWNER ASSOCIATIONS NOT ENCOMPASSED BY ONE OF THE CITY'S ADOPTED PLANS.
SO WITH ADOPTION OF THE SA TOMORROW COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, IT DIRECTED A CHANGE IN OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING PROGRAM, RESULTING IN THE CREATION OF NEW SUB AREA PLANS THAT FOLLOWED THE GOALS AND POLICIES OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, USING CONSISTENT METHODS AND LANGUAGE TO CREATE A COMPLETE FUTURE LAND USE MAP FOR THE CITY.
AND SO AS IT RELATES TO PLANNING, WE RECOGNIZE WE NEED TO PLAN FOR THREE DIFFERENT TYPES OF GEOGRAPHIES.
RESIDENTS, REGISTERED NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS THAT ARE WITHIN AN ADOPTED LAND USE PLAN, RESIDENTS IN REGISTERED NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE NOT WITHIN ANY ADOPTED PLAN, AND
[02:05:01]
THIRD, RESIDENTS IN NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE NOT PART OF ANY REGISTERED ASSOCIATION OR WITHIN ANY ADOPTED PLAN AREA.BASICALLY, THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN TYPICALLY NOT REPRESENTED OR UNDERREPRESENTED IN PAST PLANNING PROCESSES.
BY INTEGRATING PLANNING IN ALL SCALES, THE SUB AREA COMMUTING CORRIDOR SCALES, WE NEED TO NOT ONLY UNDERSTAND THE VARIOUS NEEDS OF THE CITY, BUT ALSO EDUCATE AND INFORM STAKEHOLDERS AS TO WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO PLAN FOR A CITY GROWING BY 66 PEOPLE PER DAY.
LONG-TERM, WE'RE PLANNING FOR A CITY WHERE ALL RESIDENTS WITH HAVE ACCESS TO CITY SERVICES, OPPORTUNITIES, AND AMENITIES IN ORDER TO ENHANCE THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE.
THE PROPOSED FISCAL 19 BUDGET TOTALS $4.7 MILLION, AN INCREASE OF 300,000 FROM FISCAL 18 AS WELL AS THREE ADDITIONAL POSITIONS.
IN REGARDS TO DEPARTMENT ENHANCEMENTS FOR FISCAL 19, FUNDS PROPOSED WILL BE FOR SA TOMORROW IMPLEMENTATION, RELATED TO SUB AREA REZONINGS, SPANISH TRANSLATION AND VIDEOGRAPHY.
FUNDS ARE ALSO PROPOSED TO CONDUCT A CORRIDOR STUDY FOR BANDERA ROAD.
THE FIRST ENHANCEMENT IS WHAT WE'RE CALLING A SECOND STEP IN IMPLEMENTATION OF SA TOMORROW.
REZONING AREAS WITHIN A SUB AREA TO ALIGN WITH ADOPTED LAND USES.
THIS FUNDING REQUEST OF $244,000, OUR EXPENSES RELATED TO PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND REQUIRED LEGAL ADVERTISING AND NOTIFICATION, AS WELL AS ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS AND THREE FULL-TIME POSITIONS.
PAST PLANNING PROGRAMS WERE NOT FOLLOWED WITH REZONING EFFORTS, MEANING MUCH OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PLANS WERE LEFT TO PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS AND WHERE IMPLEMENTATION DID OCCUR, IT WAS DONE IN A PIECEMEAL FASHION.
FISCAL 19 WILL BE DEDICATED TO HIRING AND TRAINING STAFF TO MANAGE THE REZONING EFFORT, ESTABLISHING THE PROCESS, IDENTIFYING PRIORITY AREAS WITHIN THE PHASE ONE SUB AREA PLANS, AND ENSURING COORDINATION WITH THE CITY'S 2020 UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE UPDATE PROCESS.
LARGE SCALE REZONINGS MAY INCLUDE DOZENS OR EVEN HUNDREDS OF PARCELS.
IT'S ENVISIONED THAT PROPERTIES INCLUDING IN THE REZONING EFFORT WILL BE THOSE THAT STABILIZE NEIGHBORHOODS, ARE CURRENTLY UNDERDEVELOPED AND IMPROPERLY ZONED FOR THE EXISTING DEVELOPMENT, OR THOSE THAT CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF AN AREA AS IDENTIFIED THROUGH THE SUB AREA PROCESS.
ONCE AREAS ARE IDENTIFIED, WORK INCLUDES STAFF ANALYSIS AS WELL AS FIELD WORK, BEXAR COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT ANALYSIS AND MAP CREATION, MEETINGS WITH RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY OWNERS AND BUSINESS PROPERTY OWNERS, AS WELL AS MEETINGS WITH COUNCIL OFFICES FOR REVIEW AND FEEDBACK AND PRESENTATIONS TO NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS.
THE SECOND ENHANCEMENT IS FOR TRANSLATION OF THE PHASE ONE SUB AREA PLANS INTO SPANISH AT OVER $116,000.
THIS INCLUDES TRANSLATION OF ALL PLANNED CONTENT AS WELL AS THE PRODUCTION OF TRANSLATED E-PLAN WEBSITES.
THESE FUNDS WILL ALLOW THE SPANISH SPEAKING POPULATION MORE ACCESS TO THE CITY'S SUB AREA PLANS.
A RELATED ITEM IS VIDEOGRAPHY TO BE FUNDED AT $54,000.
THESE ARE FOR THE PLANNING TEAM MEETINGS FOR THE SIX PHASE TWO SUB AREA PLANS.
THE RECORDINGS WILL ENABLE US TO MAKE THE MEETINGS AVAILABLE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC VIA THE CITY'S WEBSITE.
HOW WE CURRENTLY DO VIDEOTAPE THE COMMUNITY MEETINGS WITH FUNDS APPROVED IN THE FISCAL 18 BUDGET.
FINALLY, 600,000 IS BEING REQUESTED TO CONDUCT A STUDY FOR THE BANDERA ROAD CORRIDOR FROM LOOP 410 TO LOOP 1604, AS WELL AS FROM ONE TEMPORARY POSITION.
THIS STUDY SUPPORTS A MAJOR DISTRICT 7 AND TXDOT INITIATIVE AND WILL RESULT IN THE FIRST SA TOMORROW CORRIDOR PLAN.
KEY CORRIDOR PLAN ELEMENTS INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, LAND USE AND REDESIGN, MULTI-MODAL MOBILITY IMPROVEMENTS FOR CONSIDERATION IN THE DESIGN OF BANDERA ROAD, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND AN IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY.
OF COURSE, THERE WILL BE A ROBUST COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EFFORT ASSOCIATED WITH THIS PROJECT AS WELL AS CONTINUED COORDINATION AMONG CITY DEPARTMENTS, TXDOT, AND THE CITY OF LEON VALLEY AS PRINCIPAL STAKEHOLDERS IN THIS PROJECT.
THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION ON THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT'S FISCAL 19 BUDGET AND I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE.
>> THANK YOU, BRIDGET, VERY MUCH.
WE'LL GO FORWARD AND START WITH JOHN COURAGE.
>> COURAGE: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I'VE GOT A COUPLE OF THOUGHTS IN MY MIND.
YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW, LAND USE CHANGES ARE BEING PRESENTED, AND I'D LIKE TO KNOW HOW HAS YOUR WORK BEEN INTEGRATED WITH THOSE
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PLANS THAT HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED.>> COURAGE: WELL, UDC CODES ARE BEING REDEVELOPED AND I'D LIKE TO KNOW HOW YOUR WORK HAS BEEN INTEGRATED WITH THAT.
>> WELL, THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT AS WE'RE GOING THROUGH DEVELOPMENT OF THE SUB AREA PLANS, ONE COMPONENT OR HUGE COMPONENT IN DEVELOPMENT OF THOSE SUB AREA PLANS IS LAND USE PLAN AND MAP.
SO CURRENTLY, WHILE WE HAVE OVER 40 ADOPTED LAND USE PLANS FOR DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE CITY, THEY DIFFER IN DEFINITION, THEY DIFFER IN WHAT PARTICULAR ZONING DISTRICTS CAN BE APPLIED IN THOSE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES.
SO PART OF THAT PROCESS IN TERMS OF LAND USE, THAT'S ACTUALLY BEING BROUGHT FORWARD BY THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, IS TO AMEND JUST A PARTICULAR CHAPTER AS IT RELATES TO LAND USE CATEGORIES IN THE UDC.
SO THAT IN THE END, WE HAVE ONE PALETTE, SO TO SPEAK, OF LAND USE CATEGORIES.
SO AS WE MOVE FORWARD, ALL 30 SUB AREA PLANS WILL BE USING THE SAME LAND USE CATEGORY, PALETTE DEFINITIONS, ZONING DISTRICTS THAT APPLY.
WE'RE ALSO -- AND WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT IN TERMS OF MOVING FORWARD AS THEY LOOK AT THE 2020 -- TO PROPOSE UDC AMENDMENTS RIGHT AFTER THE ADOPTION OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
WE WANTED TO SEE HOW THE PROCESS WAS PLAYING OUT AS FAR AS WHAT WAS COMING OUT OF THE SUB AREA PLANNING PROCESS.
SO AS PART OF OUR 19 WORK PLAN, WE'LL BE LOOKING AT A UDC DIAGNOSTIC TO SEE WHAT'S IN THE CODE NOW, WHAT MAY NEED TO CHANGE TO ALINE WITH SA TOMORROW COMPREHENSIVE PLAN MOVING FORWARD.
SO WE'LL MAKE THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS AS PART OF THE UDC PROCESS.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I WAS HOPING TO HEAR.
SO FAR, YOU'VE UNDERTAKEN WORKING ON 12 OF ABOUT THE 30 COMMUNITIES THAT ARE IN THE SA TOMORROW PLAN; IS THAT RIGHT?
>> WE'RE CURRENTLY IN PHASE ONE, AND WE'LL BE KICKING OFF THE PHASE TWO, WHICH IS ANOTHER SIX PLANS LATE FALL.
>> COURAGE: I'VE JUST BEEN CONCERNED THAT WE'RE CONSIDERING CHANGES IN LAND USE AND UDC, WHEN THERE'S MORE THAN HALF OF THE SA TOMORROW RESEARCH THAT HASN'T EVEN BEEN UNDERTAKEN.
AND SO I HOPE THAT WE'RE NOT PUTTING THE CART BEFORE THE HOUSE AS WE START TALKING ABOUT MAKING CHANGES TO LAND USE AND UDC, UNTIL WE REALLY DEVELOPED MORE OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND HEARD MORE FROM A LOT OF THESE OTHER COMMUNITIES WHERE DIFFERENT AREAS MAY HAVE DIFFERENT EXPECTATIONS FOR THE LAND USE IN THEIR COMMUNITY AND HOW THAT FITS INTO AN OVERALL PLAN.
SO I HOPE THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE MOVING TOO FAST ON THAT, AND THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I WANTED TO SEE IS HOW YOUR WORK SHOULD FIT IN TO THAT FUTURE DEVELOPMENT.
I DON'T KNOW, JUST SEEMED TO MED MAYBE WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE DO ALL THE RESEARCH AROUND THE ENTIRE CITY AND MAKE SURE WE'RE LOOKING AT THE ENTIRE SA TOMORROW PLAN BEFORE WE START SETTING THOSE LAND USE GOALS AND UDC CHANGES.
>> IF I MAY, WITHIN THE SIX SUB AREA PLANS, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF ADOPTED LAND USE PLANS.
IF WE DON'T, AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE PROCESS, HAVE EVERYBODY ON THE SAME PAGE, WHAT YOU'LL FIND IS THAT AS YOU GO THROUGH THE PROCESS, THE CATEGORIES AND CLASSIFICATIONS FOR A NUMBER OF NEIGHBORHOODS WITHIN A SUB AREA PLANNING PROCESS.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, WITHIN, SAY, FOR THE MIDTOWN REGIONAL CENTER, YOU ACTUALLY HAVE ABOUT SIX OR SEVEN NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS.
AND THEY DON'T ALL HAVE CATEGOR.
AND WHILE IN OTHER AREAS, FOR EXAMPLE, THE WEST SIDE, EVEN THOUGH WEST SIDE IS, SAY, 17 SQUARE MILES, ONLY A QUARTER OF THAT AREA HAS NEIGHBORHOODS ACTUALLY COVERED BY A LAND USE PLAN.
SO FROM THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE PROCESS, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY IS USING THE SAME THING.
WHAT WE DID DO VERY EARLY ON WITH THE LAND USE PROCESS AS PART OF THIS OVERARCHING SA TOMORROW SUB AREA PLANNING PROCESS, WE MET WITH FIVE STAKEHOLDER GROUPS, INCLUDING NEIGHBORHOODS, DEVELOPERS, INTERNAL CITY DEPARTMENTS, OUR PARTNER AGENCIES, TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE CONCERNS ARE AS IT RELATES TO THE CURRENT UDC CATEGORIES.
BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN HEARING THAT OVER THE COURSE OF A NUMBER OF YEARS.
SO TAKING THAT INPUT, WE THEN ALSO HAD A COMMUNITY-WIDE LAND USE CATEGORY MEETING.
SO WE SENT INVITATIONS THROUGH NEXT DOOR.
I EMAILED ALL THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS.
IN FACT, WE USED THE REGISTRATION PROCESS THAT NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING SERVICES HAD TO DO THAT.
SO WE NOTIFIED EVERYONE OF THE PROPOSED CHANGES.
WE'VE ALSO BEEN GOING OUT MEETING WITH DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, AND AS WE'RE GOING THROUGH OUR SUB AREA PLANNING PROCESS, ASKING
[02:15:02]
THOSE QUESTIONS, TALKING TO NEIGHBORHOODS WHO HAVE ADOPTIVE PLANS THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF THE SIX PLANS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON NOW, SO THAT WE HAVE INPUT ON ONE SET OF CATEGORIES.NOW, ONCE WE ARE ABLE TO ADOPT THESE LAND USE CATEGORIES, WE STILL HAVE THE 2020 UDC AMENDMENT PROCESS.
SO WE CAN ALSO THEN TAKE A LOOK AT THE CATEGORIES.
SO IT'S REALLY IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE'S ON THE SAME PAGE, THAT WE HAVE A NUMBER OF CATEGORIES THAT DON'T MEAN THE SAME THING, THAT CAN BE CLASSIFIED COMPLETELY DIFFERENTLY.
IF WE'RE ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO VERSUS THE NORTH SIDE.
SO IT'S REALLY TO MAKE EVERYONE HAVE A CONSISTENT LAND USE STOP.
SO IN THE END, WE HAVE MORE OR LESS A PALETTE, A QUOTE, SO TO SPEAK.
ONCE WE PUT THOSE TOGETHER, WE HAVE ONE LAND USE.
>> COURAGE: I CAN UNDERSTAND CONCEPTUALLY WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT FORCING ON DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE CITY, THIS IS HOW YOU NEED TO DO THIS IN THE FUTURE.
THIS IS ACCEPTABLE, AND WHAT YOU MAY WANT OR WHAT YOUR COMMUNITY MAY WANT OR THINK THEY NEED IS NO LONGER ACCEPTABLE.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THINGS DON'T GET LOST IN THE TRANSLATION BETWEEN NEIGHBORHOODS AND THEIR PLANS AND WHAT THE CITY IS GOING TO BE IMPLEMENTING.
>> NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
SO ON YOUR EXPLANATION, BRIDGETT, I THINK COMES MOST OF MY CONCERNS NOW.
FIRST, I BELIEVE THAT TWO BUDGET SEASONS AGO, I STRONGLY ADVOCATED FOR THE BROOKS REGIONAL CENTER PLAN TO BE INCLUDED AND PROPERLY FUNDED INTO IMPLEMENTATION.
BECAUSE TWO YEARS AGO, WHEN WE FIRST DID THE PHASE ONE, NOWHERE ON THE SOUTH SIDE WAS INCLUDED.
BROOKS WAS INTENDED TO BE THE FIRST REGIONAL CENTER TO BE COMPLETED OUT OF THE GATE.
IT'S ALSO ONE OF THE AREAS THAT HAS AN OPPORTUNITY ZONE IN AND AROUND IT.
IT HAS BEEN MEETING FOR OVER A YEAR.
AND ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT THE BROOKS REGIONAL CENTER PLAN WAS THAT MANY PEOPLE IN AND AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOODS, DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS, NOT JUST BROOKS, BUT THE OTHER NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS IN AND AROUND THE AREA, WERE THERE, THEY MET TOGETHER, THEY WORKED TOGETHER.
THEY CAME TO A CONSENSUS ON THIS BROOKS REGIONAL PLAN.
IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THE FIRST ONE TO MOVE FORWARD OUT OF THE GATE.
THEY WORKED TOGETHER, AND ONE OF THE THINGS, IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE A STAFF MEMBER ON THIS FOR THE COMMUNITY PLAN PLANNING EFFORT IS BECAUSE IT HELPS BUILD THAT CONSISTENCY IN THE COMMUNITIES.
BECAUSE ALL OF THE RESIDENTS -- WHAT I SAW -- BECAUSE I DID ALSO GO TO THOSE MEETINGS -- WHAT I SAW WAS THE RESIDENTS BUILT RELATIONSHIPS WITH THOSE STAFFERS FROM THE PLANNING TEAM.
AND THEY CALLED THEM AND THEY WERE ON IT AND THEY HELPED BUILD THAT CONSISTENCY.
THAT IS WHY WE CAME TOGETHER, AND THAT EVEN AT THE LAST COMMUNITY INPUT MEETING, GOOD LUCK INPUT MEETING, BECAUSE WE HAD THE PLANNING TEAM, AND THEN WE HAD THE PUBLIC TEAM, THAT MEETING, HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE SHOWED UP AND THEY WERE THERE TOGETHER, AND THEY SAID, YES, LET'S MOVE FORWARD.
IT'S AN ECONOMIC GENERATOR FOR THE ENTIRE REGION.
AND SO THEY WERE READY TO GO AND IT WAS ON THE AGENDA.
WE PUSHED IT BACK, BUT NOW IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S GOING TO BE PUSHED BACK EVEN MORE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, A PLAN -- WE CAN'T JUST -- WE HAVE TO U IMPLEMENT THESE PLANS.
SO MY CONCERN IS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WAIT LONGER.
SO IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY, OR CAN WE SEE AN OPPORTUNITY, BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY WORKED FOR OVER A YEAR.
WE HAD THIS AGREEMENT COMING TOGETHER.
IS THERE A WAY -- AND I UNDERSTAND MY MEMBERS IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING COMMITTEE HAD CONCERNS.
BUT IS THERE A WAY THAT WE COULD MOVE FORWARD WITH THE RESIDENTS AND THE BUSINESSES AND THE AREAS -- THEY'RE READY TO GO, AND THEY'RE READY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN IMPLEMENT A PART OF THIS SA TOMORROW PLAN.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT IN THE PLANNING MEETINGS WAS WHAT IS AN OBSTACLEAL? WHAT DOES THE SOUTH SIDE NEED? SO IS THERE A WAY THAT WE CAN BRING FORWARD THE PLAN BEFORE GIVING EVERYBODY ELSE ONBOARD WITH THESE PUBLIC MEETINGS, IF THERE ARE GOING TO BE FOUR OTHER PUBLIC MEETINGS? BECAUSE WE'VE HAD OUR PUBLIC MEETINGS AND WE'VE MOVED TOGETHER IN THIS.
A GOOD EXAMPLE OF WHAT CAN HAPPEN.
SO, EXPLAIN THAT TO ME, PLEASE.
>> SO, AS A MATTER OF BAC BACKGROUND, WE ARE GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS OF AMENDING CHAPTER
[02:20:03]
35 TO UPDATE THE LAND USE CATEGORY.PRIOR TO THE AUGUST 15 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN COMMITTEE, WE HAD FOUR COMMUNITY MEETINGS, WELL-ATTENDED, BASICALLY THE FEEDBACK FROM THOSE MEETINGS, IT'S ON EITHER SIDE OF THE COIN.
SO IN WORKING LOOKING AT THE FEEDBACK THAT WE RECEIVED, ALSO WORKING WITH THE COUNCIL OFFICE, WE MADE ONE RECOMMENDATION.
THAT WAS TO MOVE ZONING FROM ONE OF THE LAND USE CATEGORIES.
AT THE MEETING ON THE 15TH, COUNCILMAN TREVINO NOTED THAT AIA HAS FOUR MEETINGS RELATED TO LAND USE CITY POLICY, EQUITY, AND REINVESTMENT.
AND SO THE REQUESTER MADE THE MOTION THAT THE LAND USE CATEGORIES COME BACK TO COUNCIL AT THE OCTOBER 11TH MEETING.
SO WITH THAT ACTUALLY, YOU'RE CORRECT.
IN FACT, BROOKS WILL NOT GET TO CPC UNTIL FEBRUARY, WHICH MEANS ALL THE PLANS REALLY WON'T GET TO BE ADOPTED BETWEEN MAY AND OCTOBER OF NEXT YEAR.
THAT WAS A VOTE MADE BY THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN COMMITTEE.
WE ANTICIPATE COMING BACK TO COUNCIL OCTOBER 11TH.
ONE OPTION WOULD BE IF THE COUNCIL WERE TO DISCUSS THE MEETINGS THAT AIA IS HAVING -- I KNOW THE FIRST ONE IS LAND USE.
AND SO COULD IT BE BROUGHT BACK TO COUNCIL PRIOR TO THAT, BUT THAT WOULD BE A COUNCIL DISCUSSION.
>> VIAGRAN: WELL, I WANT TO ASK MY COLLEAGUES WHO WERE ON THAT COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER THAT, AND TO MOVE THAT FORWARD.
BECAUSE I DO BELIEVE EVEN AT THE LARGE MEETINGS THAT WE HAVE, EVERYBODY CAN PARTICIPATE IN THESE LARGE OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS; IS THAT CORRECT?
>> VIAGRAN: SO AIA COULD HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THOSE LARGE OPEN MEETINGS AS WELL, CORRECT?
>> WE DID HAVE SOME AIA REPRESENTATIVES AT THE COMMUNITY MEETINGS.
IN FACT, WE SPOKE TO A FEW OF THEM.
>> VIAGRAN: SO MY CONCERN IS, YOU KNOW, EVEN SOME COMMENTS THAT WERE JUST MADE IN THE LAST PRESENTATION ABOUT WE'VE HAD COMMUNITY PUBLIC INPUT FOR SO LONG, AND ALSO THAT WE HAVE A PLAN THAT WE'RE WANTING TO IMPLEMENT, AND WE HAVE WORKED TOGETHER ON THIS IN THIS AREA FOR SO LONG.
AND WE KNEW -- THE BROOKS AREA KNEW WE WERE GOING TO BE THE FIRST OUT OF THE GATE.
WE KNEW THAT WE WERE GOING TO BE A QUOTE UNQUOTE GUINEA PIG OF SORTS.
AND NOW, WE'RE BEING TOLD TO WAIT AGAIN.
AND THAT'S REALLY DIFFICULT FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO TAKE IN.
AND I WAS FINE POSTPONING UTE IN JUNE BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE ONE COMMITTEE MEETING, AND THEN WE MOVE FORWARD WITH BROOKS.
SO I'M ASKING MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES IF WE COULD LOOK AT THIS AND LOOK AT OTHER CREATIVE WAYS TO MOVE THIS BROOKS REGIONAL CENTER FORWARD, AND GET THE SPIRIT OF WHAT YOU WANT TO DO WITH MORE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND INPUT, BUT NOT THEN DELAYING IT AND DELAYING IT, THAT WE NEVER MOVE FORWARD AND IMPLEMENT SOMETHING.
BUT EVEN WITH WHAT YOU'RE DO YOU THINK HERE WITH THE PLANNING AND THE CORRIDOR STUDY, ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I WOULD BE ONE, OF COURSE, YOU THINK WE NEED THE SPANISH TRANSLATION SERVICES, BECAUSE IT HAS COME IN HELPFUL.
BUT ALSO, THOSE POSITIONS ARE IMPORTANT BECAUSE, AGAIN, IT BRINGS THAT CONSISTENCY.
AND AS WE MOVE FORWARD, WHICH I DO HOPE WE MOVE FORWARD, DUO NEED TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH THAT CONSISTENCY OF THE CITY STAFF TO BUILD THOSE RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO WITH THAT, THANK YOU, MAYOR.
>> NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN.
>> SANDOVAL: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
THANK YOU, BRIDGETT, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
JUST A COUPLE OF QUICK COMMENTS.
I WANT TO JUST GIVE MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND REGGRARDING THIS REQUEST ON BANDERA ROAD THAT MAY SEEM OUT OF PLACE.
SO, WHAT WE'RE REALLY DOING ON BANDERA ROAD IS ADVANCING THE WORK THAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IN YEAR FOUR OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING PROCESS.
AND WE'RE BRINGING IT UP NOW BECAUSE WE HAVE THE PARTNERSHIP OF TXDOT AND A NUMBER OF OTHER ENTITIES RIGHT NOW.
SO IF WE WAITED UNTIL YEAR FOUR, WE WOULD BE TAKING ON THE FULL COST OF THAT CORRIDOR STUDY AT UPWARDS OF A MILLION DOLLARS, BUT BY PARTNERING WITH TXDOT, THEY WILL TAKE ON THAT AMOUNT.
NOT ONLY THAT BUT IT PUTS US IN QUEUE FOR STATE FUNDING TO ACTUALLY DO THE CAPITAL WORK ON THE BANDERA CORRIDOR.
[02:25:01]
WHEREAS IF WE DID THAT WORK OURSELVES, EITHER WE'D HAVE TO WAIT AND GET THAT MONEY FROM OUR OWN BOND IN A FUTURE TIME, OR TXDOT WOULD HAVE DONE THE WORK WITHOUT OUR INPUT ON IT.SO I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO THINK THAT THIS IS MONEY THAT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN SPENT ANYWAY.
IT'S MONEY THAT'S ACTUALLY BEING LEVERAGED AND GOING TO SAVE US MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, POSSIBLY HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS BECAUSE TXDOT WILL BE PICKING UP THE COST FOR THE ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION WORK ON THIS CORRIDOR.
IN ADDITION, I DID WANT TO MENTION THAT MY OFFICE HAS BEEN COLLABORATING WITH OUR CITY STAFF, BUT IN ADDITION, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION IN ORDER TO COORDINATE THIS WORK AS WELL AS THE CITY OF LEON VALLEY.
THEY WILL BE PITCHING IN AS WELL, AND THE OFFICE OF THE STATE REPRESENTATIVE AND THE OFFICE OF THE STATE SENATOR WERE ALL REALLY UNIFIED IN OUR APPROACH.
AND IF YOU'VE NEVER TRAVELED ON BANDERA CORRIDOR, LET ME TELL YOU, YOU WILL SIT IN TRAFFIC IN THE EVENINGS.
IT IS ARGUABLY THE MOST CONGESTED CORRIDOR THAT'S NOT A FREEWAY.
IT HAS ABOUT 60,000, WHICH IS GREAT ER THAN A LOT OF OUR OTHE CORRIDORS THAT ARE IN SA TOMORROW.
ABOUT TEN OR 12 YEARS AGO, THERE WAS PROPOSED CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS ON IT.
TOLL ROADS WERE PROPOSED AND AN OVERPASS FREEWAY WERE PROPOSED.
AND SINCE THEN, WE HAVEN'T REALLY MADE ANY SIGNIFICANT -- OR TXDOT HASN'T MADE ANY SIGNIFICANT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.
THERE HAS BEEN SOME SIGNAL OPTIMIZATION, BUT THAT'S ABOUT AS FAR AS IT'S GOTTEN.
IN THE MEANTIME, THE COMMUNITY IS GROWING.
WE REALLY HAVE TO GET MOVING, LITERALLY, ON DOING SOMETHING ABOUT THIS CORRIDOR.
AS WE KNOW, THE CITY IS GROWING, AND THERE IS SOME SIGNIFICANT UNDEV UNDEVELOPED LAND ALONG THAT CORRIDOR, AND THAT MEANS THERE WILL BE MORE CONGESTION, SO THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT REALLY CAN'T WAIT, BECAUSE -- I KNOW I'M RAMBLING, BUT THERE'S SO MANY POINTS TO MAKE HERE.
IN ADDITION, ONCE WE HAVE THAT PLAN IN PLACE, THEN WE CAN BE IN LINE FOR CAPITAL FUNDING, AND, YOU KNOW, THE LONGER WE WAIT THAT PLAN, THE LONGER WE'RE GOING TO WAIT ON THE CAPITAL FUNDING FROM THE STATE.
SO THAT'S WHY I'VE ASKED STAFF TO REALLY HELP US MOVE ON THIS.
WE ALSO HAVE THE NPO COLLABORATING WITH US.
I THINK COUNCILMAN BROCKHOUSE AND COUNCILMAN PELAEZ MAY HAVE SOMETHING TO ADD, I HOPE, AS THIS CORRIDOR DOESN'T JUST RUN THROUGH DISTRICT SEVEN.
IT RUNS THROUGH DISTRICT EIGHT.
IT CONNECTS THE DISTRICT 6 RESIDENTS OUTSIDE OF 410 AS WELL.
AND A LOT OF THE OUTLYING AREAS INTO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
SO IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, I'M REALLY HAPPY TO TALK ABOUT THOSE.
BUT I'M GLAD TO HAVE THE COUNCIL'S SUPPORT ON THIS.
>> NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL.
THERE ARE A COUPLE -- TWO MORE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY ONE QUICK THING WITH REGARD TO THE SCHEDULING OF THE COMMUNITY AREAS.
I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE ARE MINDFUL OF THE PROCESS IN MOVING THESE FORWARD.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I REMEMBER AS WE PASS THE SA TOMORROW PLAN WAS A RECOGNITION THAT WE ARE GOING TO COME BACK TO THE PLAN IN FIVE YEARS AND MAKE UPDATES.
AND WE WANTED TO BE COMPLETE WITH THE COMMUNITY AREA PLANS BY THEN.
ALL THAT BEING SAID, THERE ARE SOME -- THE COUNCILWOMAN GONZALES HOSTED A MEETING LAST NIGHT WITH SEVERAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND THEY VOICED SOME PRETTY SPECIFIC CONCERNS THAT I THINK ARE ABLE TO BE ADDRESSED.
WE JUST NEED TO COMMUNICATE WITH YOU, BRIDGETT, AND YOUR TEAM TO CLOSE THAT GAP SO WE CAN BEGIN TO MOVE THESE THINGS FORWARD QUICKLY.
BUT I DO RECOGNIZE WHAT COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN SAID ABOUT BROOKS AND THE IMPORTANCE OF GETTING THAT ONE OUT OF THE CHUTE QUICKLY BECAUSE OF THE OPPORTUNITY ZONE AND THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE WITHIN THAT PROGRAM TO MAKE REALIZED.
I ALSO WANT TO MAKE A QUICK ANNOUNCEMENT THAT AFTER THIS DEPARTMENT BRIEFING, WE WILL BREAK FOR LUNCH AND RECONVENE AT 1:30.
THE COUNCIL WILL HAVE A BRIEF EXECUTIVE SESSION IN THE C ROOM.
SO AFTER LUNCH, JUST RECONVENE AS COUNCIL IN THE C ROOM FOR A BRIEF EXECUTIVE SESSION, AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK OUT FOR THE REST OF THE DEPARTMENT BRIEFINGS.
JUST LOOKING AT YOUR BUDGET REQUEST HERE, IT'S ASKING FOR A $300,000 INCREASE.
WHAT IS THAT INCREASE FOR? I MEAN, WE'RE DOING THE SAME
[02:30:01]
SCOPE.YOU SAID THAT YOU HAVE TEMPLATES ESTABLISHED.
THERE SHOULD BE SOME STREAMLINING THAT Y'ALL HAVE DONE OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS HERE.
SO I'M NOT SURE -- AND JUST LOOKING AT YOUR TIMELINE HERE ON SLIDE FOUR, YOU'RE DOING BASICALLY THE SAME PACKAGES, AS FAR AS THE FOUR CORRIDORS AND THE TWO COMMUNITY PLANS.
SO, WHY THE $300,000 INCREASE?
>> THE ENHANCEMENTS THAT WE'RE REQUESTING WERE NOT PART OF THE INITIAL SCOPE OF WORK.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, THE SUB AREA REZONINGS IS ACTUALLY, AS I MENTIONED, THE SECOND PHASE OF IMPLEMENTATION.
SO THAT LOOKS AT ACTUALLY GOING -- ONCE THE SUB AREA PLANS ARE ADOPTED, ALIGNING ZONING THAT MAY BE ON THE GROUND NOW WITH ADOPTED LAND USES.
THE SPANISH TRANSLATION SERVICES IS TO TRANSLATE THE SUB AREA PLANS ONCE COMPLETED FROM ENGLISH TO SPANISH.
SO WE'LL HAVE BOTH THE ENGLISH AND SPANISH VERSION ON THE WEBSITE, BECAUSE THERE WILL BE E-PLANS, AND VIDEOGRAPHY WOULD BE FOR THE PLANNING TEAM MEETINGS.
WE CURRENTLY VIDEO THE COMMUNITY MEETINGS, SO THOSE ARE THE LARGER MEETINGS THAT COUNCILMAN VIAGRAN MENTIONED, BUT THERE WAS A REQUEST TO VIDEOTAPE THE PLANNING TEAM MEETINGS.
SO WE HAVE SUIX PLANNING TEAM MEETINGS.
THE FUNDING REQUEST IS ASSOCIATED WITH THESE PARTICULAR ITEMS ARE IN ADDITION TO KIND OF THE DAY-TO-DAY SUB AREA PLANNING PROCESS THAT WE'RE DOING.
>> PERRY: YEAH, AND THAT'S WHERE I'M CONFUSED, BECAUSE THAT ALL ART ADDS UP TO MORE THAN $300,000.
YOUR TOTAL IS FROM 4.4 TO 4.7 IN THE 2019 PROGRAM.
>> COUNCILMAN, THE 600,000 BANDERA ROAD, THAT IS INCLUDED IN THE CAPITAL BUDGET.
WE HIGHLIGHTED IT IN THIS PRESENTATION TO TALK ABOUT THE WORK THAT THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT WILL BE DOING, BUT THAT IS INCLUDED IN THE CAPITAL BUDGET AND IN THE OPERATING.
SO THAT'S NOT PART OF THIS BUDGET REQUEST.
>> PERRY: SO THOSE OTHER THREE STILL ADD UP TO MORE THAN $300,000.
>> WE HAD SOME CHANGES IN THE BASE BUDGET FOR THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, SO THE NET IMPACT IS THE 300,000 THAT YOU SEE ON THE DOCUMENT.
>> SPECIFICALLY WORKING WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD DEPARTMENT.
THE PERRIN BEITEL CORRIDOR THAT WE DO, A PORTION OF THAT IS FUNDED IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
SO A REDUCTION IN THIS BUDGET THAT WAS INCLUDED IN NEIGHBORHOODS.
I'M JUST TRYING TO MAKE THE NUMBERS BALANCE HERE.
JUST SHOW ME WHERE ALL OF THAT IS COMING FROM TO SHOW WHAT THAT NET -- I WANT TO ECHO COUNCILMAN COURAGE'S COMMENTS ON PUSHING SOMETHING THROUGH.
YOU KNOW, WE JUST WENT THROUGH IN DISTRICT THREE AND COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN'S DISTRICT, THE CHANGES IN LAND USE AND ZONING, ISSUES DOWN IN THAT AREA.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE GOT TO TIGHTEN THIS UP TO KEEP THAT FROM HAPPENING ON THESE FUTURE PLANS.
BECAUSE I CAN SEE WHERE IT'S GOING TO CONTINUE TO CREATE ISSUES WHERE WE'RE SAYING THIS DOESN'T FIT IN THIS NEW CATEGORY.
SO WE'RE GOING TO CHANGE IT, AND THAT'S GOING TO CHANGE YOUR USE OF THAT LAND WITH ZONING OR WHATEVER THAT'S GOING TO CREATE ISSUES FOR PROPERTY RIGHTS OF INDIVIDUALS AND IN BUSINESSES.
SO, WHATEVER WE NEED TO DO, THAT -- I'M GOING TO REALLY BE WATCHING THAT CLOSELY, BECAUSE EITHER WE NEED TO GO AND BLOCK WALK, OR WHATEVER, TO MAKE SURE THAT EACH INDIVIDUAL KNOWS WHAT THE IMPACTS ARE GOING TO BE ON THESE FUTURE LAND USE CHANGES, OR ZONING CHANGES, MORE IMPORTANTLY, FOR THEM INDIVIDUALLY.
>> COUNCILMAN PERRY, I WILL SAY THIS.
AS PART OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE LAND USE CATEGORIES, WHILE WE HAVE A LAND USE CATEGORIES PALETTE, HOW IT'S APPLIED ON A MAP, WE ACTUALLY WORK WITH THE PLANNING TEAM MEMBERS, AND THEN WE ALSO MEET WITH INDIVIDUAL NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS.
SO WE TALK WITH THEM IN TERMS OF WHAT LAND USE CATEGORIES WOULD WORK.
SO WE EVEN TAKE ADOPTED LAND USE PLANS NOW, AND IT'S PART OF AN EQUATION.
SO WE LOOK AT THE ADOPTED LAND USE PLAN, PLUS THE ZONING THAT'S ON THE GROUND NOW, IF THEY DON'T HAVE A PLAN.
PLUS THE INPUT THAT WE RECEIVE FROM THE PLANNING TEAM AND THE COMMUNITY, PLUS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS TO EQUAL THAT LAND USE MAP FOR THAT SUB AREA.
SO IT'S A PROCESS WHERE WE HAVE DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT AND THOSE WHO ARE IMPACTED OR AFFECTED BY THE LAND USE CATEGORIES.
[02:35:01]
KEEPING IN MIND, LAND USE CATEGORIES ARE VERY BROAD.WITHIN EACH OF THOSE CATEGORIES, YOU HAVE THE INDIVIDUAL OR A NUMBER OF ZONING DISTRICTS.
WE ARE NOT CHANGING ZONING DISTRICTS.
WE ARE JUST LOOKING AT THE LAND USE CATEGORIES, MAKING SURE THAT THE 40-PLUS LAND USE CATEGORIES THAT ARE BEING USED ACROSS THE VARIOUS LAND USE PLANS NOW, HOW CAN WE HAVE ONE PALETTE THAT EVERYONE CAN USE, BUT KEEPING IN MO MIND THAT WE USE THOSE AS A STARTING POINT.
>> PERRY: SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT THOSE CHANGES WON'T EVER AFFECT ZONING?
>> WITHIN THE LAND USE CATEGORIES ARE VARIOUS ZONING DISTRICTS.
IN SOME INSTANCES, IF YOU WERE TO COMPARE THE LAND USE CATEGORIES AND WHAT THE ZONING IS NOW VERSUS WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING WITH PLANNED USE AND ZONING, VERY MINOR CHANGES.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, WE TOOK OUT THE RM4 ZONING DISTRICT FROM ONE OF THE CATEGORIES, AND THAT WAS BASED ON FEEDBACK THAT WE HEARD.
THERE IS ANOTHER ZONING DISTRICT BASED UPON RESEARCH AND LOOKING AT ADOPTIVE PLANS, IT'S IN ABOUT 24 DIFFERENT PLANS, BUT FOR WHATEVER REASON, WHEN THE UDC WAS DONE, IT WAS LEFT OUT.
AND SO WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS COMPARE, WHAT'S ON THE GROUND, AND THEN AS WE GO -- AND WHEN YOU MENTIONED THE ZONING, THE ZONING OR REZONING PROCESS WON'T BE COMPLETED UNTIL A PLAN IS ACTUALLY DONE.
AND WITH THAT PARTICULAR PROCESS, WE DO WORK WITH PROPERTY OWNERS.
WE DO WORK WITH BUSINESS OWNERS.
SO THAT'S A VERY DETAILED, TEDIOUS PROCESS.
AND IN SOME CASES, THE PROPERTY OWNER MAY NOT MOVE FORWARD.
WE MEET WITH THE COUNCIL OFFICES.
WE MEET WITH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS.
SO THAT'S A SEPARATE PROCESS IN ACTUALLY CHANGING THE ZONING ITSELF ON THE GROUND.
I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO MEET WITH YOU TO GO OVER THE LAND USE CATEGORIES.
>> PERRY: I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
>> I'LL REACH OUT TO YOUR OFFICE SO WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT.
COMMUNICATION IS KEY ON ALL OF THIS STUFF.
I WANT TO PIGGY BACK ON WHAT COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL IS REQUESTING FOR BANDERA ROAD.
I HAVE A LOT OF RESIDENTS IN DISTRICT SIX.
WHILE IT DOESN'T CUT THROUGH THERE, WE USE IT FREQUENTLY AND IT'S BEEN A TRAIN WRECK FOR AS LONG AS I'VE BEEN RUNNING UP AND DOWN.
IT'S JUST A DIFFICULT PLACE TO OPERATE ON.
I KNOW WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS ON IT OVER AT THE NPO.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I ECHOED MY SUPPORT THAT BANDERA NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED FOR THE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THAT USE THAT ROAD DAILY.
AND I WANT TO ALSO ECHO COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN'S ISSUE FOR BROOKS.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO GO FORWARD NOW.
I HAD THE PLEASURE OF VISITING THAT LOCATION.
TO ME, I WANT TO SEE THAT GET UP AND OUT OF THIS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE AND ELEVATE IT.
IT SETS A TONE FOR WHAT CAN HAPPEN ACROSS THE REST OF THE CITY.
I'M INTERESTED IN SEEING THAT SUCCESS OUT THERE MORE.
SORT SAN ANTONIO IS WHAT I SEE GOING IN THAT DIRECTION IN THE FUTURE, TOO.
IT'S A GREAT EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE CAN DO.
SO THESE LAND USE CATEGORIES, THAT'S THE ONLY THING I HEARD THE BIGGEST COMPLAINTS ON, PEOPLE JUST CONCERNED ABOUT THE LAND USE, RIGHT? AND THE QUICKER WE CAN GET THOSE THINGS UP AND INTO COMMUNITY INPUT AND OUT OF THE PROCESS AND PUSH BROOKS FORWARD, I THINK THE BETTER OFF WE ALL ARE.
BROOKS IS ON THE OTHER END OF WHERE I'M AT FROM DISTRICT SIX, BUT I THINK IT HAS A WIDE RANGING IMPACT AS A PERFECT MODEL, FROM EVERYTHING THEY'VE DONE WITH THE INFILL DEVELOPMENT.
THEY'RE IN THE HOTEL BUSINESS OUT THERE.
THEY'RE BRINGING IN SPORTS, TRAINING COMPLEXES.
IT'S A GREAT TOOL THAT I THINK OTHER AREAS AND NODES OF DISTRICTS CAN LATCH ONTO AND LEARN FROM.
SO LET'S PUSH THAT OUT AND GET AFTER THAT AS QUICK AS WE CAN, BECAUSE IT SETS A TONE THAT THAT CAN BE DONE ANYWHERE.
AND I'M LOOKING TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT OFF OF PE TTRANKO ROA.
A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT MODEL, PORT SAN ANTONIO A LITTLE DIFFERENT MODEL, BUT THE SUCCESS OF HOW THEY'VE CREATED THAT ECOSYSTEM, WE NEED TO BE COPYING THAT.
SO I'D LIKE TO PUSH AS MUCH AS I CAN FOR BROOKS AS WELL TO BE GIVEN SPECIAL CONSIDERATION OF THE ENTIRE PROGRAM.
BECAUSE IT'S A SUCCESS STORY ALREADY IN THE MAKING.
SO LET'S ELEVATE THAT AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN.
I'LL STAND WITH THE COUNCILWOMAN ON THAT WHEN THE TIME COMES.
>> IN TERMS OF THE TIMELINE, AS I MENTIONED, THE LAND USE IS ANTICIPATED TO GO TO COUNCIL OCTOBER 11TH AFTER THE FOUR AIA MEETINGS.
IT WOULD BE A DECISION BY COUNCIL IF YOU WANTED TO FOLLOW ONE OF THOSE LAND USE MEETINGS.
>> BROCKHOUSE: YOU SAID FOUR AIA MEETINGS? I MISSED THAT PART.
WE'VE HAD FOUR MEETINGS PRIOR TO GOING BACK TO CPC ON AUGUST 11 15TH.
AT THE CPC MEETING LAST WEEK, THERE ARE -- WE WERE TOLD -- AND
[02:40:04]
WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH AIA MORE FROM A NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING STANDPOINT OF HOW NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS FOUR MEETINGS RELATED TO THE FIRST ONE ON SEPTEMBER 6TH ON LAND USE, BUT MORE A LARGER DISCUSSION ON LAND USE, NOT REALLY SPECIFIC TO SAN ANTONIO.THE SECOND ONE ON THE 15TH WOULD BE CITY POLICY.
THE ONE ON THE 24TH IS EQUITY AND REINVESTMENT.
AND THEN ON SEPTEMBER 26TH, DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS.
>> BROCKHOUSE: SO WE'RE HOLDING THIS UP BECAUSE OF AIA?
>> THAT WAS A DECISION THAT WAS MADE AT CPC.
>> BROCKHOUSE: MY OPINION, BAD DECISION.
I DON'T REALLY CARE -- I MEAN, THE AIA -- YEAH, I GET IT, THEY'RE PART OF THE CONVERSATION.
MY MAIN CONCERN IS THE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICTS AND HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT THEIR COMMUNITY.
I CAN GET A PLANNER OUT THERE IN AIA ALL DAY LONG, BUT THEY SHOULD NOT BE HOLDING THAT UP.
AGAIN, MAYBE I'M A LONESOME DOVE ON THIS ONE, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THEY SHOULD BE HOLDING UP ANYTHING.
THE DRIVING FACTOR IS THE COMMUNITY AND THE RESIDENTS, NOT THE AIA PUSHING BACK A PROCESS THAT NEEDS TO MOVE FORWARD IMMEDIATELY.
SO, I'LL JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT, BUT THAT'S MY FINAL -- I DIDN'T REALIZE IT WAS FOUR.
WHEN YOU SAID THAT, I WAS LIKE, WHOA, THAT'S PRETTY EXCESSIVE FOR A LOT OF MEETINGS THAT SEEMS TO BE PUSHING BACK AND HOLDING UP THE PROCESS.
COULD BE WRONG, BUT I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE ANOTHER DIRECTION.
WE FOLLOW THE LEADS OF OUR RESIDENTS, NOT THE PLANNERS.
>> SHAW: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN.
JUST REAL QUICK, FOR MY COLLEAGUES, ZONING AND PLANNING IS VERY COMPLICATED PART OF THE CITY.
AND I DON'T EXPECT -- WE SHOULDN'T EXPECT TO TRY TO LEARN IT DURING A BRIEFING SESSION.
IT'S MORE THAN JUST THIS, WHAT YOU'RE PRESENTING TO US.
I SAT ON PLANNING, I SAT ON ZONING FOR YEARS BEFORE I COULD ACTUALLY COME TO UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPTS AND HOW THIS WORKS.
SO I WOULD ASK MY COLLEAGUES TO REALLY TAKE A DIVE, TAKE A COUPLE OF WEEKS TO GET INTO WHAT ZONING AND PLANNING IS AND HOW IT WORKS AND HOW IT WORKS STATUTORILY, BECAUSE THE CITY DOES HAVE THE STATUTORY ABILITY FROM THE STATE TO ZONE.
SO WE CAN GET INTO PROPERTY RIGHTS AND THAT ISSUE, BUT I THINK IT'S KIND OF NAIVE FOR US TO SIT IN FRONT OF OUR TEAM AND TRY TO PICK IT APART AND UNDERSTAND IT, BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, IT'S VERY COMPLICATED.
SECONDLY, REGARDING THE BROOKS PLAN MOVING FORWARD, IS THERE A WAY THAT WE CAN SEPARATE BROOKS FROM THE SA TOMORROW PLAN THAT WE HAVE NOW AND PUSH THAT FORWARD?
>> ALL SUB AREA PLANS WILL NEED TO HAVE A LAND USE COMPONENT.
SO, IN ORDER FOR BROOKS TO GO FORWARD, WE NEED TO HAVE THAT LAND USE CATEGORY PALETTE ADOPTED BY COUNCIL, SO THAT WHEN WE PRESENT THE BROOKS PLAN TO THE PUBLIC, WE HAVE AN ADOPTED LAND USE.
IF WE DON'T DO THAT, WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS WHAT WE HAVE NOW, WE'LL HAVE A NUMBER OF PLANS WITH DIFFERENT LAND USE CATEGORIES AND YOU HAVE A KIND OF MISMATCH.
>> SHAW: CAN WE ADOPT IT AT THE SAME TIME?
>> WE WOULD NEED TO HAVE T HHE BROOKS PLAN OUT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW.
SO, THE ANTICIPATED TIMELINE IS WE HAVE THE LAND USE CATEGORIES ADOPTED.
WE FINALIZE THEM WITH THE BROOKS PLANNING TEAM.
WE PUT IT OUT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW.
BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT OCCURRED WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, THERE WAS CONCERN THAT IT WASN'T OUT IN THE PUBLIC WITH ENOUGH TIME FOR THEM TO REVIEW THAT.
SO WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE BUILDING IN ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND FEEDBACK TIME PRIOR TO HAVING AN ADMINISTRATIVE DRAFT COMPLETE.
THAT ADMINISTRATIVE DRAFT WILL BE THE ONE THAT WORKS ITS WAY THROUGH THE PROCESS.
CPC PLANNING COMMISSION AND CITY COUNCIL.
>> SHAW: AND I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS THE PROPER VENUE TO BE DISCUSSING THIS, BUT I AM SUPPORTIVE OF COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN'S PUSH TO GET THIS THING TAKEN CARE OF, AND I WILL AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN BROCKHOUSE AS WELL FOR ONCE REGARDING THE ISSUES ON BANDERA AS WELL AS SUPPORTING COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN.
I REMEMBER THAT FROM WHEN I SAT ON ZONING, AND IT WAS A VERY DETAILED CONVERSATION AND WE HAD TONS OF COMMUNITY INPUT, AND I HATE TO SEE IT BEING HELD BACK BECAUSE OF, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, MORE MEETINGS.
I'M NOT SURE IF WE CAN GET CREATIVE IN FIGURING OUT A WAY TO PUSH THAT FORWARD.
BUT IF Y'ALL CAN PUT YOUR HEADS TOGETHER AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO, I THINK THAT WOULD BE APPRECIATED.
>> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER.
JUST FOR THE RECORD, I WANT TO MAKE SURE [INAUDIBLE] THAT COUNCILMAN CRUZ AND I AGREE WITH MR. BROCKHOUSE, ENTHUSIASTICALLY.
[LAUGHTER] NO, SERIOUSLY, GREG, YOU'RE RIGHT.
I LOVE DISTRICT 8 AND I LOVE DISTRICT 7 AND I JUST HATE VISITING THAT ONE STRETCH OF BANDERA WHERE DISTRICT 8 AND DISTRICT 7 TOUCH BECAUSE IT'S JUST SO FRUSTRATING.
AND SO I DO SUPPORT THIS BANDERA ROAD CORRIDOR STUDY.
AND COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL IS NOT HERE TO BE THANKED FOR BRINGING THIS UP, BUT THIS WAS A NO-BRAINER FOR ME.
[02:45:02]
THANK YOU.>> VIAGRAN: COUNCILWOMAN GONZALES.
FOR THE BENEFIT OF MY COLLEAGUES WHO ARE NOT IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING COMMITTEE, THE AIA WAS NOT THE ONE INITIATING THE DELAYS FOR THE PLANNING.
IT CAME BECAUSE THERE WERE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT CAME TO SPEAK ON IT THAT HAVE BEEN CONTACTING, AT LEAST THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE THAT THEY WERE NOT PREPARED TO MOVE FORWARD.
AND THE AIA, I THINK IT'S JUST MORE OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND.
SO LAST NIGHT, THERE WAS A MEETING THAT WAS ORGANIZED BY SOME OF THE WEST SIDE NEIGHBORHOODS BECAUSE ALSO OF THEIR CONFUSION, FOR WHAT ALL THIS PLANNING MEANS, HOW THE WEST SIDE PLAN WILL BE IMPLEMENTED.
THERE IS A LOT OF CONFUSION ABOUT IT.
AND I THINK WE ALL UNDERSTAND AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, ULTIMATELY, WHAT THE CONSTITUENT WANTS THE KNOW IS WHAT DOES THAT PLAN OR THAT ZONING OR THAT BUDGET MEAN FOR THEM? THEY REALLY DON'T -- I MEAN, PERSONALLY, HOW DOES THAT IMPACT THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD? AND SO THAT HAS BEEN PART OF THE REASON FOR THE DELAY, AND AS COUNCILMAN CRUZ MENTIONED, THESE ARE VERY COMPLICATED.
EVEN I AS THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE WHO HAD MULTIPLE BRIEFINGS BEFORE PRESENTED IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING OFTEN ASKED THE STAFF TO PLEASE START OVER.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND WITH A YOU'RE SAYING.
IF I DON'T UNDERSTAND IT, HOW ARE THE RESIDENTS GOING TO UNDERSTAND IT? AND SO IT HAS BEEN A VERY LONG AND REALLY COMPLICATED PROCESS WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS AND THE LAND USE AND THEN THE REGIONAL CENTERS AND THE GLOBAL PLAN.
SO THAT REALLY WAS THE REASON FOR THE DELAY, NOT THE AIA.
IT'S BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE SAID THEY WERE NOT READY.
BUT IN FAIRNESS, I DON'T THINK ANY OF THOSE PEOPLE WERE FROM DISTRICT 3.
IT WAS LARGELY WEST SIDE, A LOT OF MIDTOWN, AND SO I'M NOT AWARE OF HOW FAR ADVANCED THE BROOKS PLAN IS, IF THAT'S READY TO ROLL OUT.
THE COUNCILWOMAN SEEMS TO THINK IT DOES, AND SHE WOULD KNOW BEST IF HER COMMUNITY IS READY TO HAVE THEIR PART ROLL OUT.
SO, I DO THINK IF THERE IS A WAY THAT WE CAN MOVE PART OF IT ALONG WITHOUT DELAYING SOME OF IT, AND ALLOWING THE PEOPLE IN MY COMMUNITY WHO ARE SAYING WE HAVE -- THAT WE'RE -- AND WE DON'T WANT TO APPROVE IT, WE DON'T WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITHOUT DELAYING.
PERHAPS THEY'VE JUST BEEN FURTHER ALONG.
PERHAPS PEOPLE HAVE BEEN MORE ENGAGED ALL ALONG.
PERHAPS BECAUSE YOU DO HAVE BROOKS, THAT IT'S AN AREA THAT HAS SEEN A LOT OF PROGRESS AND A LOT OF SUCCESSES, AND THEREFORE PEOPLE ARE ENGAGED BECAUSE THEY SEE THAT MOVING.
IF THERE'S A WAY THAT WE COULD DO THAT, I THINK WE SHOULD.
AND, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE WITH THE MEETINGS THAT THE AIA WAS HOSTING AND CONTINUE -- I KNOW THAT I'VE GOT TO HAVE MORE WEST SIDE COMMUNITY MEETINGS.
EVEN THOUGH WE'VE HAD A LOT OF -- AND IT'S NOT EVEN A REFLECTION OF THE FACT THAT THERE HAVE NOT BEEN MEETINGS.
BUT PEOPLE ARE STILL NOT UNDERSTANDING.
AND I'VE HAD MULTIPLE MEETINGS MYSELF AND SOMETIMES I STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND.
SO, WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A DIFFERENT WAY TO COMMUNICATE WITH OUR CONSTITUENTS.
NOT BY -- BUT A DIFFERENT WAY OF ACTUALLY PRESENTING THE INFORMATION.
NOT NECESSARILY A DIFFERENT WAY OF INVITING THEM, BUT ONCE WE DO HAVE THEM, A DIFFERENT WAY OF EXPLAINING IT, BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT THE CONSTITUENT -- AT LEAST FROM THE PEOPLE THAT I'VE HEARD OF, THEY THOUGHT THE MEETINGS WERE BORING, THEY FELT LIKE THEY WEREN'T BEING HEARD, THEY FELT LIKE -- THEY WERE JUST LOST.
ALMOST LIKE YOU'RE SPEAKING A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT LANGUAGE.
AND SO THAT'S WHY WE WERE INTENT TO DELAY IN THE COMMITTEE, CERTAINLY NOT BECAUSE THE AIA ASKED US TO DO THAT.
SO, THAT BEING SAID, I HOPE IT ALLOWS THEM TO MOVE ALONG IF THEY'RE READY, BUT ALLOW THOSE OF US THAT ARE STILL HAVING A LOT OF QUESTIONS TO TAKE TIME.
>> SO I WOULD LIKE TO, IF IT'S OKAY, TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE POINTS THAT YOU BROUGHT UP, COUNCILWOMAN GONZALES.
SO IN REGARDS TO AIA, THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT WAS REQUESTED BY COUNCILMAN TREVINO TO REACH OUT THE AIA REGARDING SA TOMORROW AND HOW THEY FIT WITH NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS.
SO THIS WAS PRIOR TO LAND USE GOING TO COUNCIL.
WE WERE IN THE PROCESS OF WORKING WITH THEM ON NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING AND SA TOMORROW.
HOW DO NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS FIT IN, HOW ARE THEY INTEGRATED, HOW DO WE WORK WITH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS WITH ADOPTED PLANS.
[02:50:04]
THROUGHOUT THAT PROCESS, WE LITERALLY JUST STARTED COLLABORATING WITH THEM ON THAT.THE MEETINGS HAS BEEN EXPANDED TO HAVE MEETINGS WITH FOUR DIFFERENT TOPTOPICS.
HOWEVER, IT'S NOT SPECIFIC TO SAN ANTONIO IN TERMS OF DISCUSSING THE LAND USES THAT WE HAVE.
SO THE AIA MEETINGS ARE FOUR MEETINGS THAT ARE GOING TO BE HELD IN SEPTEMBER.
THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT WENT ON ABOUT HAVING FOUR COMMUNITY MEETINGS.
WE DID HAVE ONE ON THE WEST SIDE, ABOUT 15 INDIVIDUALS ATTENDED.
SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE SPREAD THEM OUT.
THAT WE HAD CONVERSATIONS SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO THE LAND USE, AND HOW THEY IMPACT VARIOUS NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO WE'RE HAVING DISCUSSIONS ON LAND USE AND HOW THEY APPLY.
SO THOSE TWO -- THE TWO OTHER MEETINGS I MENTIONED WERE IN ADDITION TO THE FOUR MEETINGS THAT WE HAD.
WE RECOMMENDED REMOVING THE RM4.
IN REGARDS TO CONCERNS RAISED THAT YOU'VE BEEN HEARING, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WILL EXPRESS TO COUNCIL IS WHAT WE'RE FINDING IS A LOT OF TIMES NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS WILL GO TO COUNCIL DISTRICTS.
BUT THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT ISN'T MADE AWARE OF THOSE CONCERNS.
AND SO THERE'S A DISCONNECT ON WHAT WE'RE HEARING AND WHAT YOU'RE HEARING.
SO ONE OF THE ASKS THAT I MAKE IS THAT IF NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS REACH OUT TO YOU, THAT YOU LET US KNOW, SO THAT WHEN WE COME BEFORE YOU, WE'RE ACTUALLY ON THE SAME PAGE IN TERMS OF WHAT WE'VE HEARD.
A LOT OF TIMES, WE'RE BEING HEARD THAT YOU HEARD THIS, BUT OVER HERE, WE'RE HEARING THIS, AND WHEN WE HAVE COMMUNITY MEETINGS, THOSE FOLKS YOU'RE HEARING FROM COME TO THE MEETING, BUT THEY DON'T TELL US THAT.
AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE HEARING EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE HEARING, SO THAT WHEN WE COME BEFORE YOU, AS THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT PRESENTING YOU SOMETHING, WE ARE ACTUALLY ABLE TO SAY WE'VE HEARD ALL THE INPUT AND THIS IS WHY WE'RE PRESENTING WHAT WE'RE PRESENTING.
WITH THE WEST SIDE, WE'VE ACTUALLY BEEN MEETING WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS.
THOSE THAT WE JUST TRY TO SAY LET'S MEET, LET'S TALK ABOUT AND UNDERSTAND.
BUT IF THERE'S A GROUP NOT UNDERSTANDING, DEFINITELY REACH OUT TO US, SO THAT WE CAN REACH OUT TO THEM AND HELP THEM UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE DOING.
>> GONZALES: I THINK WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET AT IS CAN WE MOVE FORWARD.
>> GONZALES: SO THE QUESTION, CAN WE MOVE FORWARD ON SOME THINGS, WHICH, YOU KNOW, I -- THAT'S AN UNFORTUNATE ANSWER, BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT YOU COULD MOVE FORWARD WITH.
>> THE REASON WE CANNOT MOVE FORWARD THE BROOKS PLAN, IS BECAUSE ALL PLANS HAVE A LAND USE COMPONENT.
IF WE WERE TO JUST TAKE THE TWO COMMUNITY PLANS THAT EXIST IN BROOKS, THEY'RE JUST ON THE NORTHERN PORTION OF BROOKS, THE REST OF THE BROOKS AREA DOES NOT HAVE AN ADOPTIVE LAND USE PLAN FOR NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN, COMMUNITY PLAN, WHAT HAVE YOU.
AND SO WE NEED TO ADOPT A SET OF LAND USE CATEGORIES, AND THEN THOSE ARE THE LAND USE CATEGORIES THAT WOULD BE APPLIED.
SO, IF YOU MOVE FORWARD WITH BROOKS, YOU CAN MOVE WITHOUT -- MOVE FORWARD WITHOUT IT -- MOVE FORWARD WITH IT WITHOUT A LAND USE PLAN.
AND THAT'S A PROBLEM, BECAUSE THIS IS AN IMPLEMENTATION TOWARD A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND LAND USE COMPONENT.
SO WE CANNOT MOVE FORWARD WITH THE BROOKS PLAN WITHOUT HAVING AN ADOPTED SET OF LAND USE CATEGORIES.
I THINK THOSE ARE THE QUESTIONS.
I STILL FEEL LIKE -- I'M SURE THERE'S A WAY WE CAN WORK SOMETHING OUT.
I MEAN, THE PLANS ARE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE COMMUNITY.
THEY'RE NOT FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT TO HAVE A PLAN.
SO IF THE COMMUNITY IS SAYING WE'RE READY TO MOVE ON CERTAIN PARTS OF IT, I FEEL LIKE WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO THAT BECAUSE THAT'S -- I MEAN, THAT'S WHY WE'RE DOING THIS FOR A COMMUNITY'S BENEFIT.
SO, YOU KNOW, I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT.
>> VIAGRAN: COUNCILMAN TREVINO.
I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT WE DIDN'T ASK FOR A DELAY, OR THE AIA DID NOT ASK FOR A DELAY.
[02:55:03]
THE COMMUNITY -- THE DISTRICT ONE COMMUNITY DID.THIS IS REALLY CUTTING TO SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE ALL EXPERIENCE IN OUR OFFICES, AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, HOW WE CAN TRY TO GET THROUGH SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE FACING, ESPECIALLY IN THE PARTS OF THE CITY WHERE WE'RE FEELING A LOT OF PRESSURE, AND I THINK THAT THE -- AND BY THE WAY, I WANT TO THANK THE AIA, BECAUSE THEY OFFERED TO COME IN AND HELP KIND OF MAYBE WITH SOME OF THE TRANSLATION OF SOME OF THESE ISSUES, BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT ALL OF THE -- ALL OF MY NEIGHBORHOODS IN DISTRICT ONE REQUESTED THIS AND EXPANDED INTO NEIGHBORHOODS ON THE WEST SIDE, AND THERE'S JUST A LEVEL OF CONFUSION REGARDING SOME OF THIS.
NOW, I WOULD SAY WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO ADDRESS THOSE CONCERNS WITH THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, AND CERTAINLY WE FEEL THAT THERE'S A LOT OF CLARIFICATION THAT WE STILL NEED TO MAKE, BUT THERE'S A REALITY HERE THAT THE COMMUNITY, WHEN THEY DON'T FEEL THAT THEY FULLY UNDERSTAND SOMETHING, YOU CAN'T JUST -- YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T JUST MOVE FORWARD WITHOUT ADDRESSING THAT.
BUT I THINK WE CAN FIND A SOLUTION TO GET US THERE.
WE ARE HAVING A COUPLE MEETINGS TO HELP OUR CONSTITUENTS WITH SOME OF THAT.
A LOT OF THAT INCLUDES, YOU KNOW, HOW WE CATALK TO -- HOW W CAN TALK THROUGH SOME OF THOSE ISSUES AT THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
AND SOME OF THE PLANNING, YOU THINK THE WAY IT TIMES OUT, AND I WOULD ASK THAT THAT'S PART OF WHAT WE'RE SAYING HERE TODAY TOO IS THAT WE SAY IT'S NOT GOING TO BE IMPLEMENTED ON THIS DAY, BUT AS OPPOSED TO BEING IMPLEMENTED IN DECEMBER?
>> ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE BROOKS PLAN?
>> THE BROOKS PLAN, IF TOWN SULLY APPROVE-- COUNCIL APPROVES THE BROOKS PLAN, IT WOULD GET TO CPC IN FEBRUARY, MEANING IF EVERYTHING GOES TO SCHEDULE, IT WOULD BE AT THE CITY COUNCIL FOR ADOPTION ON MAY 2ND.
>> TREVINO: BUT WHAT I'M SAYING IS IF WE DIDN'T HAVE -- IF WE DIDN'T HAVE THIS DELAY, YOUR PROPOSAL IS THAT WE WOULD HAVE THIS -- AT CPC IN DECEMBER?
>> IF CPC HAD MOVED THE LAND USE CATEGORIES FORWARD, WE ANTICIPATED GOING TO CITY COUNCIL ON AUGUST 30TH, WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN NEXT WEEK.
THEN THING E IBROOKS PLAN WOULD BEEN AT CPC THE SECOND WEEK OF NOVEMBER.
>> TREVINO: SECOND WEEK OF NOVEMBER?
>> SO IT'S CREATED MORE OR LESS A TWO-MONTH DELAY AND WE HAVE TO BUILD IN KIND OF THAT PUBLIC REVIEW PROCESS AS WELL.
SO TWO MONTHS TO GET US SOME CLARIFICATION WITH SOME OF THESE NEIGHBORHOODS.
THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THEY'VE BEEN ASKING.
WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR COMMUNITIES HAVE SOME ANSWERS TO A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS THEY HAVE.
WE KEEP HEARING -- IN FACT, I WENT TO THIS MEETING ON THE WEST SIDE NEIGHBORHOODS NOT IN DISTRICT ONE, BUT THEY EXPRESSED A LOT OF THE SAME CONCERNS, AND IT'S JUST A MATTER OF HOW CAN WE PROVIDE SOME CLARIFICATION AND SOME SENSE OF UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT'S HAPPENING.
WE DON'T WANT TO ADD AN EXTRA LAYER OF FEAR THAT PEOPLE HAVE WHEN IT COMES TO WHY WE'RE CREATING A PLANNING PROCESS.
THE IDEA IS TO TRY TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER ON A DOCUMENT OR A PLAN THAT'S GOING TO HELP GUIDE THE CITY FORWARD FOR MANY, MANY YEARS TO COME, AND I THINK ASKING FOR A LITTLE DELAY TO HELP WITH SOME OF THAT CLARIFICATION IS CRITICAL.
WE DO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE'S OTHER AREAS OF TOWN THAT ARE NOT GOING TO SEE THIS UNTIL MUCH LATER, BUT THIS IS AN IMPORTANT PART IN DISTRICT 1 THAT WE WANT TO ADDRESS.
>> VIAGRAN: COUNCIL MEMBER BROCKHOUSE.
I APPRECIATE WHAT COUNCILWOMAN GAZ GONZALES IS SAYING.
I HEAR THAT FROM MY RESIDENTS AS WELL.
BUT WHAT YOU EXPLAINED WITH THE ROLE OF THE AIA, SO THE QUESTION IS, IS THE AIA HOLDING UP THE PROCESS WITH THEIR FOUR ADDITIONAL MEETINGS?
>> THE REQUEST WAS MADE AT CPC THAT BEFORE WE GET BACK TO CITY COUNCIL, THAT AIA COMPLETE THE FOUR MEETINGS.
THERE ARE FOUR MEETINGS HELD IN SEPTEMBER ON FOUR DIFFERENT TOPICS.
THE FIRST ONE IS LAND USE, BUT THE MOTION MADE AT CPC WAS FOR THEM TO HAVE THOSE FOUR MEETINGS COMPLETED BEFORE WE GET BACK TO CITY COUNCIL ON OCTOBER 11TH.
[03:00:04]
>> THEY ARE BEING NOW BUILT INTO THE PROCESS, SO THERE IS A TWO-MONTH DELAY.
SO, IN MY OPINION, AIA SHOULDN'T BE HOLDING ANYTHING UP.
IF ANYTHING GETS HELD UP, IT'S AT THE WILL OF THE RESIDENTS AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION SO WE CAN ANSWER THE QUESTIONS THAT I'M HEARING, WHICH COUNCILWOMAN GONZALES DESCRIBED CLEARLY.
AND THANK YOU FOR CLEARING THAT UP, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I'M GETTING.
I DON'T EVEN UNDERSTAND WHY AIA IS CARRYING THIS KIND OF WEIGHT TO SLOW ANYTHING DOWN.
BUT IN MY OPINION, I COULD BE SOLO ON THAT.
BUT I'M MOST CONCERNED ABOUT THE DESCRIPTION OF RESIDENTS SAYING I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON, THIS IS CONFUSING TO ME. I HEAR IT A LOT.
AND IT IS WORRISOME TO A LOT OF RESIDENTS.
ESPECIALLY THOSE IN THE WEST SIDE THAT ARE GOING TO BE LAYEREDED IN ON A PRETTY BIG-TIME PLAN YOU'VE GOT GOING ON OVER THERE.
SO JUST NOTE THAT THAT COMES FROM DISTRICT 6 AS WELL.
AND IT'S AROUND PEOPLE COMPLETELY LOST IN THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE LANGUAGE AND HOW THINGS WORK.
IT'S JUST A LOT FOR RESIDENTS.
SO I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF REITERATE THAT THAT'S WHAT I'M HEARING AS WELL.
>> I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO CLARIFY, AS I MENTIONED, AIA HAS FOUR DIFFERENT TOPICS THAT THEY'RE DISCUSSING.
WHEN COUNCIL POSTPONED THE LAND USE, THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT HOSTED FOUR MEETINGS SPECIFIC TO LAND USE.
AND SO THAT'S WHY WHEN WE WENT TO THE CPC ON AUGUST 15TH, WE ANTICIPATED GOING TO CITY COUNCIL AUGUST 30TH WITH THE LAND USES, BECAUSE WE CONSIDERED THOSE FOUR MEETINGS SPECIFIC ON LAND USE AS PART OF WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO AND AS PART OF THE REQUEST FROM CITY COUNCIL.
AND SO, YES, COUNCILMAN TREVINO ASKED THAT WE REACH OUT TO AIA TO WORK ON SA TOMORROW AND NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING.
THOSE MEETINGS EXPANDED AND COVER FOUR DIFFERENT TOPICS THAT WILL BE HELD IN SEPTEMBER.
>> BROCKHOUSE: THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I THOUGHT WAS OCCURRING.
SO I APPRECIATE THE CLARITY ON THE ANSWER THERE AND THE WRAP-UP THERE.
BUT, AGAIN, I DON'T THINK THEY SHOULD HAVE HELD ANYTHING UP.
>> TREVINO: I'VE GOT TO BE CLEAR.
IF THE AIA IS NOT THE ONE HOLDING IT UP, I WAS THE ONE THAT MADE THE REQUEST.
SO TO BE CLEAR, FOR THE RECORD, I MADE THE REQUEST, NOT THE AIA.
NOW, JUST FINALLY, I THINK, BRIDGETT, YOU HEARD SOME COMMENTS, ET SCETERA, BUT YOU ALSO HEARD SOME PEOPLE LOOKING TO DO SOME SORT OF A RESOLUTION OR SOMETHING WHEN IT COMES TO BROOKS AND THE REGIONAL CENTER, SHERYL.
BUT, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN ABOUT THIS AND MOVING BROOKS FORWARD, IF THERE'S OPTIONS THAT WE CAN LOOK AT TO MAYBE HAVING REDUCED NUMBER OF PUBLIC MEETINGS WITH THE AIA AT OPTIONS THAT WAY, OR WHAT WE CAN, BECAUSE THIS IS ABOUT OUR LAND USE, AND AS ONE OF MY CONSTITUENTS SAID, WE'RE PRESERVING OUR PAST TO PLAN THE FUTURE, BUT WE CANNOT WAIT FOREVER IN THIS, OR MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE 100% CONSENSUS BECAUSE WE HAVE 1.5 MILLION PEOPLE IN THIS CITY, AND IN THIS AREA.
AND WE WANT TO PLAN FOR OUR FUTURE.
AND WONE OF THE THINGS THAT I D TAKE ISSUE WITH IS HOW THIS IS ALL CONNECTED.
WE WANT TO DO OUR BEST TO REPRESENT OUR COMMUNITY, YES, BUT ALSO THAT A SMALL GROUP CAN ALSO DELAY IT FOR A LARGER AREA WITH AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OTHER THINGS, IS SOMETHING THAT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IF WE COULD SEE SOMETHING FOR REDUCING THIS TIMELINE THAT WOULD PUSH THIS TO MAY, SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR A YEAR.
LET'S TRY AND WORK TOGETHER TO FIND THAT SOLUTION.
I ASKED MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES THAT IF THEY'RE GOING TO BE WANTING TO DO ANYTHING THEY CAN, LET'S TRY AND DO THAT.
SO, WITH THAT, THE TIME IS NOW 12:20 P.M. ON THIS 21ST DAY OF AUGUST, 2018.
PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORITY GRANTED BY CHAPTER 551 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE, BTCS, THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT, THE CITY COUNCIL WILL NOW RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSS LEGAL ISSUES RELATING TO DELEGATE AGENCY REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551-071, CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY.
>> WE'RE ACTUALLY ADJOURNING NOT RIGHT NOW, BUT AT 1:30 INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
SO I NEED TO MAKE THAT CHANGE?
>> SCULLEY: JUST SO THAT WE CLARIFY.
WE'RE RECESSING AND WILL RETURN AT 1:30.
>> VIAGRAN: WE ARE RECESSING RIGHT NOW AND ADJOURNING INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AT 1:30.
>> VIAGRAN: P.M. IN THE C ROOM.
THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.