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OKAY, EVERYONE, WELCOME TO THE PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING FOR MONDAY, DECEMBER 13TH.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO ADJUST OUR TIME.
WE, UM, WE'RE ALL WITH THE SAN ANTONIO FOOD BANK THIS MORNING.
UM, ELDA, CAN YOU GO AHEAD AND TAKE A ROLL CALL, PLEASE? YES, MA'AM.
COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE PRESENT CHAIR ROCHA GARCIA.
HERE, MA'AM, WE HAVE A QUORUM.
AND I'M PRETTY SURE COUNCILMAN CASTILLO IS ON HER WAY.
[Approval of Minutes ]
START OFF WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM NOVEMBER THE EIGHTH AND NOVEMBER THE 15TH OF THE PLANNING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT MEETING.I HOPE YOU HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK THEM OVER.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES? SO MOVED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FOR BOTH.
SO THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES.
ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTIONS? OKAY.
[Briefing and Possible Action on ]
IF IT'S OKAY WITH MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES, I'D LIKE TO PROPOSE THAT WE MOVE AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FOUR UP.THAT'S THE TOPIC, UH, THAT WE HAVE SEVERAL FOLKS SIGNED UP TO DISCUSS, AND THEN JUST TO BE RESPECTFUL OF THEIR TIME.
AND I KNOW IT'S AROUND THE LUNCHTIME EVENTUALLY.
SO LET'S TAKE THAT UP IF YOU ALL ARE OKAY WITH IT.
SO WE'LL MOVE AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FOUR UP, WHICH IS A RESPONSE TO OUSTED THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO'S DISPLACEMENT OF RESIDENTS THROUGH CODE ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS.
IT'LL BE PRESENTED BY, UM, MICHAEL SHANNON, AND I BELIEVE ROD SANCHEZ.
BUT BEFORE THAT WE DO HAVE SIX RESIDENTS SIGNED TO SPEAK.
AND SO I'D LIKE TO CALL THOSE RESIDENTS RIGHT NOW.
UM, THE FIRST PERSON THAT SIGNED UP TO SPEAK IS LETICIA SANCHEZ.
LETICIA, YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES AND THEN FOLLOWED BY AMY CALEY.
THE, THE FLOOR IS YOURS AND YOU CAN TAKE THE PODIUM PLEASE.
HI, MY NAME IS LETICIA SANCHEZ AND I'M THE CO-CHAIR PERSON OF THE HISTORIC WEST SIDE RESIDENCE ASSOCIATION, WHICH IS IN DISTRICT FIVE IN THE NEAR WEST SIDE.
UM, I'M HEARING, I'M HERE SPEAKING ON AGENDA ITEM FOUR.
UM, SO FOR OUR ASSOCIATION, THE INFORMATION THAT CAME OUT IN THE UT OUSER REPORT WAS NO SURPRISE.
WE'VE BEEN LIVING THIS EXPERIENCE.
THE DISPROPORTIONATE NUMBER OF CODE VIOLATIONS LEADING TO DEMOLITIONS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE THAT OUR ASSOCIATION HAS BEEN DEALING WITH SINCE OUR FORMATION IN 2017.
AND EVEN BEFORE, UH, WHEN WE WERE WORKING WITH THE WEST SIDE PRESERVATION ALLIANCE AND THE ESPERANZA PEACE AND JUSTICE CENTER.
UM, AND IN FACT, THE WEST SIDE PRESERVATION ALLIANCE WAS FORMED IN RESPONSE TO THE NUMBER OF DEMOLITIONS TAKING PLACE IN OUR HISTORIC WEST SIDE BASED ON CODE VIOLATION AND DEMOLITION DATA COMPILED BY THE ESPERANZA BACK IN 2015.
WE ALSO PUT TOGETHER A POWERPOINT PRESENTATION WITH ADDITIONAL AND MORE RECENT AND, UH, DATA.
UM, YOU, I DID HAND THAT OUT TO THOSE OF YOU HERE.
UM, I'LL BE, UH, SENDING AN ELECTRONIC COPY BECAUSE THIS BLACK AND WHITE DOES NOT SHOW, UH, THE DIFFERENT COLORS ON THE HEAT MAP.
UM, AND, AND IN THIS, THIS PRESENTATION, WE, UH, TALKED ABOUT THE IMPACTS ON THE EXCESSIVE NUMBER OF CODE, UH, CITATIONS AND DEMOLITIONS, UH, ISSUED TO OUR DISTRICT.
WE ALSO PROVIDED RECOMMENDATIONS ON IMPROVING THE PROCESS TO HELP PREVENT DEMOLITIONS AND ULTIMATELY THE DISPLACEMENT OF OUR RESIDENTS AND, AND JUST, UH, HOW THIS WOULD, UH, IMPACT THE FABRIC OF OUR COMMUNITY.
WE REACHED OUT TO MAYOR NUREMBERG, THE CITY MANAGER, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND OTHER CITY STAFF ON MARCH 24TH, 2020 AS THE PANDEMIC HIT TO REQUEST A MORATORIUM ON DEMOLITIONS OF OWNER OCCUPIED HOMES.
AND WE RECEIVED ONLY TWO RESPONSES, ONE FROM COUNCILMAN, UH, SANDOVAL, AND, UH, THE OTHER FROM, UH, FORMER COUNCILMAN ROBERTO TINO.
AT THAT TIME, CITY COUNCILWOMAN CHARLI TINO WAS IN PLACE.
WE'VE ALSO MET WITH, UH, MICHAEL SHANNON AND, UH, THE D S D STAFF TO EXPRESS OUR CONCERN, TO SHARE OUR DATA AND TO PRE PRESENT RECOMMENDATIONS ON CHANGING THE PROCESS.
DESPITE WHAT MIGHT BE SAID TODAY ABOUT, UM, THE DATA THAT WAS PRESENTED IN THE ERT REPORT, UM, TO REFUTE THE DATA, OUR LIVED EXPERIENCES TELL US THAT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IS UNDER ATTACK.
UM, COENEN ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT DOES CONDUCT SWEEPS, AND I'VE PERSONALLY WALKED,
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UH, AND SEEN IT IN BLOCKS OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.UH, WHEN I'VE BEEN OUT, UH, CANVASSING OUR, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, OUR, OUR ASSOCIATION GOES DOOR TO DOOR, UM, ESPECIALLY DURING THE PANDEMIC.
UM, ANYWAY, THE, THE, IF YOU, EVEN IF YOU REFUTE THE DATA, SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THE PROCESS, THE NOTICES TO VACATE ARE JUST WRONG.
UM, AND, AND THE ENTIRE PROCESS IS INCORRECT.
NEXT IS AMY CASTLEY, FOLLOWED BY GRACIELA SANCHEZ.
UH, RAY MORALES WILL FOLLOW YOU THEN.
I KNOW MANY OF YOU AND, UM, I HAVE DONE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF, UH, PRO BONO LEGAL WORK FOR VARIOUS COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS.
UM, AND I'M NOW WORKING WITH THE ESPERANZA, AS WELL AS WITH THE, UM, HISTORIC WEST SIDE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS FIGHTING, STRIVING TO, TO SAVE OUR WEST SIDE.
WE'RE ALL EAGER TO HEAR FROM MICHAEL SHANNON.
UM, BUT REGARDLESS OF ANY MISUNDERSTANDINGS BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES AND THE LEGAL SCHOLARS WHO WROTE THIS REPORT, IT'S CLEAR THAT OUR PROCESSES AND POLICIES GOVERNING CODE, CODE ENFORCEMENT AND DEMOLITION ARE NOT TRANSPARENT.
IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY ARE.
AND, AND I KNOW THAT THESE LEGAL SCHOLARS WORKED HARD, SO I'M INTERESTED TO HEAR WHAT MR. SHANNON HAS TO SAY.
THE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY MATTERS SO MUCH BECAUSE THIS AREA MATTERS SO MUCH.
CODE COMPLIANCE IS A BURDEN TO THE RESIDENTS IN THE WEST SIDE.
CITATIONS CALLS, CONVERSATIONS CONSTANT, UM, CONSTANT INQUIRIES AND REQUESTS TO, UM, TO APPEAR.
WHEN WE LOSE A RESIDENCE, WE LOSE A HOUSE, A FAMILY, AND FOR FAMILIES, IT'S CLEARLY A TRAUMATIC, TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE.
CHILDREN HAVE TO LEAVE THEIR SCHOOLS, FAMILIES DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY'RE GONNA BE LIVING, BUT IT'S ALSO A BLOW TO THE COMMUNITY, A BLOW TO THE COHERENCE.
WE LOSE THE NEIGHBORS THAT WE DEPEND UPON, AND WE LOSE THE UNIQUE CHARACTER OF THE WEST SIDE.
FROM A PERSPECTIVE OF A WEST SIDE RESIDENT, IT LOOKS LIKE A LAND GRAB.
IT LOOKS LIKE THE LAND THAT FAMILIES HAVE BEEN LIVING ON FOR GENERATIONS IS NOW DESIRABLE TO OTHERS IN THE CITY.
AND SO WE GET A RAFT OF CODE COMPLIANCE ORDERS TO VACATE AND THE LIKE.
SO WHAT I WOULD ASK OF YOU ALL
I'M NOT SURE IT OUGHT TO BE HANDLED BY THE SAME DEPARTMENT THAT IS INVOLVED IN, UH, DEVELOPING PROJECTS TO BUILD NEW CONSTRUCTION, TO CHANGE THE CHARACTER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
I THINK IT OUGHT TO GO SOMEWHERE ELSE WHERE PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT MAKING SURE RESIDENTS CAN STAY IN THEIR HOMES, THAT THESE HOMES CAN BE PRESERVED AS OUR MOST AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UM, AND IT, THIS PROCESS NEEDS TO BE TRANSPARENT AND ACCESSIBLE BY, BY RESIDENTS.
UH, I'M A RESIDENT OF D 10 DISTRICT 10.
I OWN THE HOUSE ON, UH, DISTRICT FIVE.
AND, UH, RECENTLY, THE PAST TWO YEARS I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH, UH, SOME OF THESE HOUSING DEMOLITIONS, UH, TRYING TO HELP THE RESIDENTS, UH, UH, STAVE OFF A DEMOLITION.
UM, I'D LIKE TO START FIRST, UH, WITH A QUOTE BY MS. VANDERAU.
UH, I'M, I'M A LICENSED ARCHITECT, SO I, I RELATE TO THIS VERY WELL.
AND I, I'VE LISTENED TO, UH, THE DEPARTMENT, UH, THE, UH, D S D DEPARTMENT AND THE B S B DEPARTMENT, UH, TALK ABOUT DISAGREEING WITH THE STUDY, THE OPPOSITE, UH, STUDY.
HOWEVER, THERE HAS BEEN NO SPECIFICS PROVIDED, UH, ON THAT, UH, TO REFUTE THOSE, THAT STUDY AND THE NUMBERS PROVIDED IN THAT STUDY.
UH, THERE, THERE HAS BEEN, UH, YOU KNOW, HOW HOW MANY PEOPLE AND FAMILIES HAVE BEEN
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DISPLACED BY THE POLICY OF DEMOLITION THAT WAS OSTENSIBLY CREATED FOR, UH, UNOCCUPIED BUILDINGS.UH, WE DON'T KNOW THAT, UH, THE ONLY WAY WE GO, WE GO BY OR THE ONLY THING WE GO BY IS BY THE AUSTIN STUDY AND, AND PREVIOUS RESEARCH THAT WE HAVE DONE THAT WE HAVE ASKED THE DEPARTMENT TO PROVIDE FOR US, THE DEPARTMENT OF D D S D TO PRO PROVIDE TO US.
UM, MICHAEL AND THE D S D, UH, TALK ABOUT DEEP PROCESS.
AND, UH, I'VE LISTENED TO A LOT OF THE, UH, THE PRESS CONFERENCES, UH, THAT, UH, THIS DEPARTMENT HAS HAD.
AND, UH, THIS DUE PROCESS IS, IS NOT REALLY ACCESSIBLE TO THE RESIDENTS OF, OF, UH, OF THE WEST SIDE OR THE EAST SIDE OR THE SOUTH SIDE.
UM, UH, RESIDENTS WHO HAVE BARELY ACCESS TO, UH, WIFI ACCESS.
SO THESE B S B UH, MEETINGS ARE CONDUCTED, UH, VIDEO VIA VIDEO CONFERENCE BECAUSE OF THE, UH, THE COVID.
UH, AND, AND SO THESE RESIDENTS DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THAT.
NOT ONLY THAT, BUT THEY'RE TREATED WITH DISRESPECT AT THE MEETINGS.
I'VE WITNESSED SOME OF THESE MEETINGS AND, AND, AND THEY'RE BELITTLED BY NOT UNDERSTANDING THE PROCESS, BY NOT UNDERSTANDING WHAT IS BEING ASKED.
THERE'S THREE THINGS THAT THE DEPARTMENT ASKED AND VERY CLEAR TO AN ARCHITECT, TO AN ENGINEER, BUT THEY'RE NOT CLEAR TO MOST OF THE RESIDENTS OF SAN ANTONIO.
UH, SO THE THREE THINGS THAT SCOPE OF WORK, UH, FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND THE SCHEDULE FOR REPAIRS DURING THE C O V D, HOW MANY CONTRACTORS ARE AVAILABLE? HOW MANY REGISTERED ENGINEERS ARE AVAILABLE? UH, MOST OF THESE RESIDENTS DO NOT EVEN HAVE A, A BANK ACCOUNT.
HOW CAN THEY GAIN SOME FINANCIAL, UH, DOCUMENTS? UH, SO WE HAVE ASKED FOR A MORATORIUM DURING, UH, FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS.
AND, UH, WE HAVE NOT GOTTEN A MORAL TERM, ESPECIALLY DURING COVID.
SO HOW IS THIS A FAIR PROCESS? UH, THE OTHER THING THAT I HEAR ABOUT IS, UH, THE CONCERN OF THE DEPARTMENT IS HEALTH, SAFETY, AND WELFARE.
UH, THAT'S, THAT'S A CATCHPHRASE.
I KNOW ABOUT HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE, BUT HOW IS THROWING SOME OF THESE PEOPLE OUT INTO TO, TO BEING HOMELESS? HOW IS THAT ENSURING THE HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE? UH, SO, SO THOSE ARE JUST A FEW THINGS THAT, UH, DETAILS THAT WE HAVEN'T HEARD ABOUT, UH, WITH THESE DEMOLITIONS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. MORALES.
SO, MR. SHANNON, IF YOU'RE NOT GONNA ACCEPT THE KNOWLEDGE FROM LEGAL SCHOLARS AND PEOPLE OF INTELLIGENCE THAT HAVE A WEALTH OF EDUCATION ON THE STATISTICAL DATA UNOPINIONATED STUDY OF THE CODE ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS PLACED, DISPLACING HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE, YOU'RE NOT GONNA TAKE THEIR WORD.
YOU'RE NOT GONNA TAKE WORD OF INDIVIDUALS OF EXPERIENCE, BUT NOW MY NAME IS MOLLY.
I AM A CHRONICALLY HOMELESS PERSON.
DURING THE YEARS WHEN I WAS HOMELESS IN SAN ANTONIO STREETS, SOMEBODY GAVE ME A CAR, SO IT MADE ME MORE MOBILE.
SO I WAS ABLE TO OBTAIN STORY AFTER STORY AFTER STORY FROM INDIVIDUALS THAT GOT VIOLATED OUT OF THEIR HOMES BY CODE COMPLIANCE THAT ARE NOW ON THE STREETS.
THE TREE WAS TOO BIG, THE LAWN WAS TOO LARGE.
IT WAS INSANE REASONS THAT Y'ALL DISPLACED ALL THESE PEOPLE IN THE STREETS.
I AM MOLLY, I'M RECOGNIZED BY THE SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT AS BEING ONE OF THE CITIZENS AWARDS WHERE I HELPED THE POLICE DEPARTMENT CATCH A HIT AND RUN DRIVER.
OKAY? SO IF YOU CAN'T BELIEVE THAT, AND I'M RECOGNIZED BY THE SS A P D FOR THAT MOLLY WRIGHT, LOOK IT UP, AT LEAST BELIEVE ME, I AM HERE TO SAY, I'VE INTERVIEWED AND TALKED TO SO MANY FAMILIES ON THE STREETS THAT HAVE BEEN DISPLACED BY YOUR DEPARTMENT, A DEPARTMENT CITY OF SAN ANTONIO THAT BEATS OUT ANY OTHER CITY IN TEXAS.
CONGRATULATIONS, SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS.
YOU WIN BY DISPLACING AND CREATING HOMELESSNESS BEYOND NUMBERS.
IT'S LIKE YOU WOULD NOT BELIEVE.
WHAT IS THAT ONE CITY THAT ONLY GOT 15 IN A WHOLE YEAR? I MEAN, WHEN, I MEAN, WHAT IS THIS? 2020? ARE YOU LIVING IN A WORLD OF FANTASY? LISTEN TO YOUR LEGAL SCHOLARS.
MR. SHANNON, PLEASE LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE OF EXPERIENCE THAT ARE TELLING YOU THAT YOUR OFFICERS ARE GIVING OUT LEFT AND RIGHT, NOT JUST THIS YEAR, BUT FOR DECADES NOW.
I'VE BEEN HELPING SENIOR CITIZENS FIGHT YOUR DEPARTMENT FOR YEARS.
NOW, DO YOU REMEMBER THE DELGADO'S? YOU JUST OBLITERATED THEIR HOUSE.
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ONE DAY TO A PLATFORM OF CONCRETE, AND THEY NEVER TOLD ANYBODY THEY WERE LIVING OUT OF THEIR VAN ON THEIR PROPERTY.THEY MADE CRATES BUILDING WALLS SO THEY CAN GO TO THE BATHROOM IN PRIVATE, BECAUSE THANKFULLY, YOUR DEPARTMENT SMOTHERED THEIR HOUSE TO NOTHING.
SO 690 HOUSES AND D FIVE, D TWO D ONE, THAT'S THE MOST OF THEM.
IT'S LIKE YOU INTENTIONALLY KICK THE ALL THESE PEOPLE OUT SO THAT YOU CAN REHOUSE HOMELESS PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN HOMELESS FOR A WHILE WITH THESE PROGRAMS. YOU'RE RECYCLING HOMELESS PEOPLE, RECYCLING HOUSES, THAT IT'S WHAT IT FEELS LIKE.
I'M ONLY SAYING WHAT I OBSERVE.
UH, WHO IS DELIVERING THE PRESENTATION? WE'LL, WE'LL TAKE UP THE PRESENTATION AND THEN WE'LL TAKE UP COUNSEL.
UH, THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN AND COUNCIL COLLEAGUES, UM, OR COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, AND I'LL BE, UM, KIND OF GOING THROUGH A PRESENTATION, UH, ENTITLED THE CITY'S RESPONSE TO THE OUSTED REPORT, UM, THE CITY'S OF SAN ANTONIO DISPLACEMENT OF RESIDENT THROUGH CODE ENFORCEMENT.
UH, WE RECEIVED THIS REPORT, UM, UH, A FEW WEEKS AGO AND HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT IT.
SO THERE'S A FEW THINGS WE WANT TO GO OVER TODAY, UH, BUT THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE, VERY CHALLENGING ISSUE.
AND, UM, WE'D LIKE TO GO THROUGH A FEW, UH, BITS OF INFORMATION.
SO LEMME START WITH JUST AN OVERVIEW, UH, OF THE REPORT.
UH, THE REPORT IS NOT A SCIENTIFIC OR ACADEMIC STUDY, UH, AS HAS BEEN REFERENCED, UH, THROUGHOUT, UH, THE MEDIA OVER THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS.
UM, SO, UH, IT, IT, IT DOESN'T MEET ANY OF THOSE STANDARDS, UH, THINGS LIKE, UM, YOU KNOW, GIVING ALL THE DATA, PEER REVIEW, ET CETERA.
UH, SO IT'S NOT A SCIENTIFIC OR ACADEMIC STUDY.
UH, AND IT'S NOT A PRODUCT OF UT UH, UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS.
UH, IT IS, UH, PREPARED BY, UH, PEOPLE THAT WORK THERE.
UH, BUT IT'S NOT A PRODUCT OF UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, AND IT KEEPS, UH, BEING REFERRED TO THAT.
SO I'M JUST KIND OF THROWING THAT OUT THERE.
I, I THINK THE REPORT IS FUNDAMENTALLY FLAWED.
UM, IT HAS SEVERAL KEY ISSUES THAT, THAT WE HAVE FOUND IN JUST OUR QUICK, UH, REVIEW OF IT.
UH, THINGS LIKE THE DATA, UH, THAT THEY, UH, USE.
A COUPLE OF THAT WAS ALREADY MENTIONED.
UH, THE METHODOLOGY, UH, IS, IS UNSUNG.
UM, IT SAYS THAT THE CITY, THE REPORT SAYS THE CITY DOESN'T, UH, PROVIDE RELOCATION AND ASSISTANCE, UH, TO HELP PEOPLE, UH, IN THESE, UH, ACTUALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION.
AND I'M GONNA GO THROUGH THAT A LITTLE BIT.
UH, THE REPORT MAKES, UH, COMMENTS AND, AND REALLY GOES ON TO SAY, AS ONE OF THEIR FINDINGS, THAT CODE ENFORCEMENT ACTUALLY TARGETS PEOPLE IN CERTAIN AREAS AND ONLY DOES SWEEPS IN CERTAIN AREAS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
BUT, UH, I CAN ASSURE YOU, CODE ENFORCEMENT DOES NOT TARGET ANYONE.
UH, WE ACTUALLY ARE OUT IN OUR ENTIRE CITY, UH, DOING BOTH PROACTIVE AND, AND REACTIVE CODE ENFORCEMENT.
UM, AND, AND TO HELP THOSE CODE, UH, CODE VIOLATIONS AND PEOPLE WITH THOSE, UH, THE REPORT MAKES, UH, SOME, SOME CLAIMS THAT WE DON'T FOLLOW THE LAW.
THE CITY DOESN'T FOLLOW THE LAW.
SO, UH, AND I, AND I THINK PART OF THIS IS, UH, YOU KNOW, THE AUTHORS, I THINK THEY DID A LOT OF RESEARCH AND THEY GOT SOME DATA THROUGH OUR OPEN RECORDS, AND THEY TALKED TO SOME STA CITY STAFF, UH, BUT THE CITY, THEY DID NOT HAVE ANY MEANINGFUL DISCUSSION WITH, UH, THE CITY STAFF LEADERSHIP, UH, PEOPLE LIKE ME THAT ACTUALLY IMPLEMENT THESE PROGRAMS ALONG WITH OUR PARTNERS AND, AND THE LEADERS IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS THAT THIS ALL WORKS TOGETHER.
SO I THINK THAT IS, UM, A BIG PIECE OF WHY WE SEE A LOT OF THESE, UH, MIS MISCONCEPTIONS OR FLAWS.
AND, AND LASTLY, I MEAN, JUST A PART OF THE OVERVIEW IS, YOU KNOW, I THINK WHAT'S MISSING IN THE REPORT IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THE SAFETY AND WELLBEING OF OUR RESIDENTS, UH, WHEN WE FIND THESE DANGEROUS SITUATIONS, DANGEROUS STRUCTURES, UH, THIS IS OUR TOP PRIORITY, THE SAFETY OF OUR, OF OUR RESIDENTS.
SO LET'S, LET'S JUST TAKE A STEP BACK AND SAY, WHAT ARE WE, WHAT ARE WE ACTUALLY TALKING ABOUT TODAY? SO LET'S, WE USE A TERM IN CODE ENFORCEMENT CALLED DANGEROUS STRUCTURES, OR DANGEROUS SITUATIONS WHEN WE'RE DEALING WITH, UH, BUILDINGS AND STRUCTURES AND STUFF THAT WE SEE.
UH, DANGEROUS STRUCTURES ARE JUST THAT A HAZARD, UH, TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH, SAFETY, WELFARE.
THEY POSE AN IMMEDIATE THREAT OR A THREAT, UH, TO PEOPLE IN AND AROUND THEM, WHETHER YOU'RE LIVING, WORKING, UH, IN AND AROUND THEM.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS, IT, IT, IT DOESN'T, UH, DO A GOOD JOB EXPLAINING THE REPORT IS DEMOLITIONS ARE THE LAST RESORT.
BUT FOR, AND EVEN IN THE CASE SOMETIMES, BUT, BUT FOR AN EMERGENCY, DEMOLITION, A FIRE HAPPENS AND IT'S TERRIBLE, A FIRE HAPPENS AND BURNS 80 OR 90% OF THE STRUCTURE, MANY OF THEM HOMES.
THAT IS A, A UNIQUE SITUATION, AND IT'S JUST, WE CALL THAT AN EMERGENCY DEMOLITION.
BUT THE OTHERS GOES THROUGH A VERY LONG PROCESS, UH, WHERE WE WORK WITH AND IDENTIFY ANYONE WHO'S ASSOCIATED WITH THAT HOME,
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WHETHER IT'S OCCUPIED OR UNOCCUPIED, TO TRY TO FIND ANOTHER SOLUTION BEFORE THE HAZARD HAS TO BE ABATED THROUGH DEMOLITION.AND THE CITY DOES ALWAYS ATTEMPT, WE ALWAYS ATTEMPT THE CODE OFFICERS, UH, DIFFERENT STAFF AND, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING SERVICES DEPARTMENT, UH, DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES.
WE ARE ALWAYS TRYING TO HELP RESIDENTS IN THESE DANGEROUS CONDITIONS.
SO THAT'S WHAT IT, THAT'S WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE.
HERE'S A, HERE'S JUST SOME PHOTOS.
THIS IS A VERY CHALLENGING ISSUE.
WE, WE ROLL UP ON THIS WHEN WE GET CALLED TO A PROPERTY, OR WE ACTUALLY SEE IT AS PART OF OUR NORMAL PROACTIVE ENFORCEMENT.
UH, HERE IS JUST SOME PHOTOS THAT MAY BE DIFFICULT TO SEE.
UH, WE HAVE UN, YOU KNOW, UNSAFE, STRUCTURAL, YOU KNOW, THINGS LEANING A SECOND STORY COULD POTENTIALLY FALL ON SOMEONE IN AND AROUND IT.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, INTERIOR CONDITIONS THAT ARE UNLIVABLE.
UH, WE HAVE SEWER, UH, SYSTEMS THAT ARE BACKED UP OR, OR, OR JUST LEAKING ALL OVER UNSANITARY CONDITIONS.
UM, SO THOSE ARE JUST A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES THERE.
AGAIN, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE, A VERY SMALL NUMBER OF THE CODE CASES THAT WE WORK ON.
HOWEVER, THESE ARE VERY DIFFICULT AND DANGEROUS SITUATIONS FOR ANYONE TO LIVE IN, AND THAT'S THE HARD PART THAT WE DEAL WITH, UM, ON A DAY-TO-DAY, WEEK TO WEEK BASIS.
SO, AGAIN, UH, AS I MENTIONED, I BELIEVE THE REPORT IS, UH, FUNDAMENTALLY FLAWED.
UM, IT DOES NOT IDENTIFY, THE REPORT DOES NOT IDENTIFY, UH, WHO WAS CONTACTED IN COMPARISON TO THE OTHER CITIES, UH, THE MEANS BY WHICH THEY GATHERED THIS DATA.
I MEAN, IS IT OPEN RECORDS REQUEST? IS IT CONVERSATIONS? IS IT SURVEYS, ET CETERA.
UH, SO WE REALLY HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO ANALYZE ALL THAT.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS IT DOES ABSOLUTELY IDENTIFY IN THE REPORT, AND THEN STILL GOES ON TO MAKE COMPARISONS AND FINDINGS, IS THAT IT DOES IDENTIFY VERY CLEARLY, AND I HAVE A PICTURE HERE OF A REPORT.
I JUST KIND OF TOOK IT, IT'S FROM THE REPORT.
IT CLEARLY STATES, CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND, UH, DALLAS, HOUSTON, FORT WORTH, AUSTIN.
WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ON THIS.
CALLS IT OUT, AND THEN IT MAKES A COMPARISON OF WHAT WE DO AND HOW WE DO IT, AND SOME OF THE DATA THAT THEY PRESENT.
SO I BELIEVE THAT'S A BIG FLAW IN THE REPORT TO SAY THAT ONE, WE'RE VERY DIFFERENT, BUT THEN MAKE A COMPARISON, UH, TO THOSE.
SO I THINK, I THINK EVERYBODY CAN SEE THIS.
I'LL TRY TO, I DON'T THINK WE CAN BLOW IT UP, BUT I THINK IT'S THERE.
SO ONE OF THE QUESTIONS WE'VE BEEN GETTING, AND I THINK WE QUICKLY IDENTIFIED WAS I, THE DATA IS NOT ACCURATE.
THE REPORT, THE REPORT STATES THAT THERE WERE 626 NOTICE TO VACATE AND DEMOLITIONS IN A FIVE YEAR PERIOD.
IN ANOTHER SECTION OF THE REPORT, IT SAYS ALMOST A THOUSAND.
UH, SO EVEN THEIR NUMBERS ARE A LITTLE BIT, UH, A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT AMONGST THEMSELVES.
UH, BUT THAT, THOSE, WHICHEVER ONE YOU TALKED ABOUT, THOSE NUMBERS ARE NOT ACCURATE HERE.
HERE'S THE DATA IN CODE ENFORCEMENT, UH, FROM FISCAL YEAR 15 TO 20.
AND WHAT YOU'LL SEE IS, UH, THERE ARE, UH, 404 TOTAL INSTANCES.
AND HOW WE GET THAT IS, THERE'S 331 NOTICES TO VACATE NOT 500 OR 600 OR A THOUSAND AS NOTIFIED IN THE REPORT.
UH, THERE ARE 73 BUILDING STANDARDS BOARD, UH, ORDERS FOR DEMOLITIONS OF OCCUPIED PROPERTIES.
UH, AND IF YOU'LL LOOK, THAT'S ABOUT 15% OF THE CASES THAT WE DEAL WITH OF DANGEROUS STRUCTURES THAT END UP GOING TO BUILDING STANDARDS BOARD.
ABOUT 15% OF THOSE ARE OCCUPIED AT, AT THE TIME WE RUN INTO THEM AN 85 OR THE VACANT.
I KNOW ONE OF THE GENTLEMEN SAID SOMETHING ABOUT VACANT PROPERTIES.
YES, THAT IS CLEARLY MOST OF WHAT WE DO WHEN YOU PUT THIS IN CONTEXT.
UH, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT IT IN CONTEXT OF A COUPLE OF THINGS, THAT IS LESS THAN 0.01% OF WHAT WE DO IN CODE ENFORCEMENT, I'M SORRY, 0.1% OF WHAT WE DO, UH, OF CODE ENFORCEMENT CASES.
SO, WHILE IT IS A VERY SMALL NUMBER, THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT TOPIC, VERY CRITICAL ISSUE, BUT IT IS, UNFORTUNATELY, WE RUN INTO SOME VERY DANGEROUS CONSI, UH, SITUATIONS WITH RESIDENTS AND PROPERTIES THAT ARE UNFIT FOR HUMAN OCCUPANCY, UNSAFE AND DANGEROUS.
AND I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT THAT.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS IN THE REPORT THAT IS NOT PRESENTED WELL AT ALL, I, I DON'T THINK AT ALL, IS CONTEXT, UH, TO WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
SO IN THE REPORT, IT MAKES REFERENCE OF NOTICE TO VACATE.
AND YOU'RE RIGHT, NOTICE TO VACATE IS A VERY SERIOUS ISSUE.
IT'S ACTUALLY ONE OF THE HARDEST THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO DO IN CODE ENFORCEMENT.
IT'S TO TELL SOMEONE THE SITUATION THAT YOU'RE CURRENTLY RESIDING IN IS UNSAFE AND DANGEROUS, BUT WE HAVE DIFFERENT TYPES OF NOTICES TO VACATE.
SOME OF THOSE, ABOUT A QUARTER OF THEM ARE RELATED TO, UH, DART ASSESSMENTS.
WE CALL THEM DART, DANGEROUS ASSESSMENTS FOR RESPONSE TEAMS. SOME OF YOU HAVE HEARD OF THAT.
THAT IS A PROPERTY THAT FOR OVER TWO YEARS HAS HAD SIGNIFICANT
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NUISANCE AND DANGEROUS SITUATIONS.AND SOME OF THOSE ARE CODE ENFORCEMENT FIRE CODE ISSUES.
SOME OF THEM ARE, UH, CRIMINAL ISSUES, RIGHT? WITH SS A P D, UH, VAGRANT, THOSE TYPE OF THINGS WHERE, WHERE A QUARTER OF THE CASES THAT I IDENTIFIED ARE IN THAT AND NO CONTEXT WAS GIVEN IN THE REPORT TO, TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
EMERGENCY DEMOLITIONS, EMERGENCY DEMOLITIONS, WHEN THEY'RE DANGEROUS, WE HAVE TO TELL PEOPLE, YOU CAN'T GO BACK INTO THAT BECAUSE IT'S DANGEROUS FOR YOU TO GO INTO THAT UN UN STRUCTURALLY SOUND, NON STRUCTURALLY SOUND STRUCTURE.
UH, SOME OF THOSE NOTICES OF VACATING ARE ACTUALLY DUE TO ILLEGAL, UH, OCCUPANCY BASED ON ZONING ISSUES, OKAY? AND SOME OF THEM ARE ACTUALLY JUST RELATED TO CRIMINAL ACTIVITY.
BUT IN THE FIRST BULLET THERE IS THE UNSAFE HOUSING.
WE, WE, WE'VE SEEN, I SHOWED YOU SOME PICTURES, UH, THE FIRE HAZARD WAITING TO HAPPEN.
ELECTRICAL HAZARDS, UH, WATER AND SEWER, UH, UNSANITARY CONDITIONS, STRUCTURAL HAZARDS, ET CETERA.
UH, THESE ARE VERY, VERY DANGEROUS.
SO, UH, LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE NOTICE TO VACATE PROCESS.
UH, YOU'RE RIGHT, THE CITY DOES, AND MY, MY STAFF AND I, WE HAVE TO ISSUE NOTICE TO VACATE SOMETIME.
BUT THIS GOES THROUGH THE PROCESS A LITTLE BIT.
AND THE FIRST THING WE DO IS IF WE'RE CALLED OUT TO A STRUCTURE, UH, BY A CALL INTO THREE ONE ONE, WHICH SOMETIMES IS ANONYMOUS, SOMETIMES IS NOT, OTHER TIMES IT'S A PROACTIVE MEANING THE CODE OFFICER SEES IT IN THEIR NORMAL COURSE OF BUSINESS, UH, UH, WORKING THEIR ASSIGNED AREA, EXCUSE ME.
WE ASSESS THE STRUCTURE, RIGHT? AND IF THE STRUCTURE IS DANGEROUS AND THERE IS SOMEONE LIVING THERE, THEN WE'LL ISSUE A NOTICE THAT THERE'S A PROBLEM.
IT DOESN'T MEET OUR SAFETY CODES, OUR PROPERTY MAINTENANCE AND SAFETY CODES.
AND THERE'S A POSSIBLE NOTICE TO VACATE IF THE OCCUPANTS ARE IN A HIGH RISK OF DANGER OF BEING THERE.
AND AT THAT POINT, THE CODE OFFICER WILL, WILL, WILL TALK TO THE RESIDENT, GIVE THEM INFORMATION ABOUT AVAIL AVAILABLE RESOURCES, AND THEN START COORDINATING WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
WE HAVE, WE HAVE STAFF MEMBERS IN DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES, NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING SERVICES DEPARTMENT TO HELP FIND THOSE RESIDENTS A SAFER PLACE TO BE.
AND I'LL TALK ABOUT THAT IN A LITTLE BIT.
SO, UH, WE TALK ABOUT THAT WE REINSPECT AND IF, IF NOTHING IS CORRECTED, IF IT IS NOT CORRECTED AND MEETS ONE OF THOSE DANGEROUS, UH, CONDITIONS THAT I TALKED ABOUT OVER A PERIOD OF TIME, WE COULD END UP AT THE, EXCUSE ME, THE BUILDING STANDARDS BOARD.
NOW, LET'S TALK ABOUT THE DEMOLITION PROCESS.
AND I THINK THE REPORT DOES A POOR JOB OF TALKING ABOUT OUR DEMOLITION PROCESS BECAUSE IT MAKES THIS CLAIM, OR MAKES IT SEEM, OR THIS FINDING THAT, OR THIS HAS THIS OPINION THAT WE ARE JUST GOING OUT AND DEMOLISHING, UH, PROPERTIES LEFT AND RIGHT.
AND, AND THAT'S CERTAINLY NOT TRUE.
THE DEMOLITION PROCESS IS A LONG DRAWN OUT PROCESS BECAUSE WE ARE REQUIRED BY, AND IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO TO TRY TO FIND EVERY POSSIBLE WAY TO FIND ANOTHER SOLUTION TO DEMOLITIONS.
BUT IF WE HAVE A HAZARDOUS STRUCTURE, UH, WE WILL IDENTIFY THAT THERE'LL BE AN INSPECTION BY A CODE OFFICER.
AGAIN, THE CODE OFFICER EITHER CALLED TO THE SITE THROUGH 3 1 1, OR THEY ARE ACTUALLY SEE IT AS PROACTIVE.
UM, SO WE WILL ISSUE AND LET THAT PRO WE'LL ISSUE WHAT'S CALLED A NOTICE OF VIOLATION ON THOSE.
UM, GIVE THEM TIME TO FIX THE PROBLEM.
UH, IF THEY DO NOT HAVE THE MEANS OR METHODS RIGHT NOW TO DO IT, WE ACTUALLY ARE ALLOWED TO GIVE AND, AND REGULARLY GIVE WHAT'S CALLED A HARDSHIP EXCEPTION.
SO WE HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH THAT, UH, PROPERTY OWNER, IF IT'S OCCUPIED OR IF EVEN IF IT'S A NON OCCUPIED, BUT SOMEONE OWNS IT, UH, BUT WANTS TO TRY TO FIX IT, WE GIVE THEM TIME THROUGH A HARDSHIP EXCEPTION.
UH, WE MEET WITH THE OWNERS TO WALK THEM THROUGH THE PROCESS, UH, SAYING, THIS IS WHAT YOU NEED.
THIS IS HOW YOU WOULD TALK TO, UH, THE BUILDING STANDARDS BOARD IF YOU GET THERE.
THESE ARE THE THREE THINGS I KNOW ONE OF THE GENTLEMEN MENTIONED.
THERE ARE SOME CRITERIA, SOME THINGS THAT YOU HAVE TO BRING IF YOU DO HAVE ONE OF THOSE CASES.
SO OUR CODE OFFICERS, UH, SIT DOWN WITH THEM OR HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THEM.
IF THERE IS NO, UH, REPAIR OF THAT DANGEROUS CONDITION OR THAT DANGEROUS STRUCTURE, WE WILL PRESENT THE CASE, UH, TO THE BUILDING STANDARDS BOARD.
THE BUILDING STANDARDS BOARD HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR THE CASE.
THOSE ARE RESIDENTS APPOINTED BY CITY COUNCIL TO HEAR THE CASE, UH, VIEW THE EVIDENCE, VIEW THE CONDITION OF THE STRUCTURE, AND MAKE A RECOMMENDATION OR OF AN ORDER OF REPAIR OR AN ORDER OF DEMOLITION, UH, BASED ON THE FACTS OF THE CASE.
SO ONE OF THE OTHER ITEMS IN THE REPORT THAT, UH, IS ACTUALLY COMPLETELY WRONG IS, UM, IT, IT ACTUALLY SAYS THE CITY DOESN'T HELP PEOPLE AND PROVIDE ASSISTANCE FOR THE SITUATION.
ACTUALLY, IT ACTUALLY SAYS WE HELPED EIGHT PEOPLE IN A FEW YEAR TIME.
UH, BUT ACTUALLY THAT'S COMPLETELY INCORRECT.
UH, SO SINCE 2015, I HAVE SOME NUMBERS HERE, UH, THE CITY HAS ACTUALLY, UH, PROVIDED OVER A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS, $526,000 OF, UH, FINANCIAL RELOCATION ASSISTANCE TO 169 HOUSEHOLDS.
OF THAT 402,000 OF THAT AND 124 HOUSEHOLDS WERE RELATED TO THOSE 331 NOTICES TO VACATES THAT I TALKED ABOUT EARLIER.
SO AGAIN, I THINK, AGAIN, THIS IS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE, A CHALLENGING ISSUE, AND THERE'S A BIG NEED.
BUT THE CITY HAS AND WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE
[00:30:01]
ASSISTANCE.UH, AND THE, THE REPORT DOES NOT MAKE MENTION OF THAT.
UH, THE REPORT, UH, ONLY REFERENCES ACTUALLY, ONE FUND.
AND IT, YOU KNOW, AND WHAT WE'VE LOOKED AT IS THEY, THEY, THEY ACTUALLY HAD LOOKED FOR ONE OPEN RECORDS REQUEST AND ASKED A QUESTION ABOUT ONE FUND CALLED THE CITY'S RISK MITIGATION FUND.
IT'S ONE OF ONLY A NUMBER OF FUNDS USED BASED ON THE SITUATION TO PROVIDE SOME ASSISTANCE, UH, TO, UH, TO, UH, RESIDENTS IN THIS.
IT COULD, IT COULD LOOK LIKE CONNECTING THEM UP WITH FAMILY MEMBERS THAT WILL HELP OUT, UH, PROVIDING THEM HOTEL, UH, UH, OR MOTEL STAYS, UH, TO GET THEM IMMEDIATELY OUT OF THAT.
UH, WE'VE ACTUALLY MOVED PEOPLE INTO AND PROVIDED FIRST MONTH, LAST MONTH, DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE FOR NEW HOUSING, UH, AREAS, APARTMENTS, OR THOSE TYPE OF THINGS.
WE'VE EVEN MOVED MOBILE HOME, MOBILE HOMES FROM DANGEROUS CONDITIONS TO A SAFER MOBILE HOME PARK, UH, AS PART OF THIS RELOCATION EFFORT.
SO AGAIN, I THINK THIS WAS A, A, A, A BIG ERROR IN THE REPORT.
UH, AND I WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT HERE.
SO, ONE THING, UH, AGAIN, I THINK I'LL, I'LL, I'LL JUST MENTION THIS.
THERE'S A, THERE'S A FINDING IN THE REPORT OR OR OPINION IN THE REPORT THAT SAYS THAT WE TARGET THIS, THE CODE ENFORCEMENT TARGETS, UH, INDIVIDUALS.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS IT MENTIONS IS, WELL, WE DO SWEEPS IN CERTAIN AREAS, WHETHER IT'S DISTRICT TWO OR DISTRICT FIVE, OR DISTRICT THREE, WHATEVER THAT MAY BE.
SO THEREFORE, WE MUST TARGET PEOPLE.
WELL, THAT'S NOT TRUE, BECAUSE I HAVE HERE A SLIDE THAT SAYS, WE, WE ACTUALLY DO THE SWEEPS PROGRAM, THE CODE ENFORCEMENT SWEEP PROGRAM, WHICH HAS BEEN AROUND FOR A WHILE.
IT'S A, IT'S A PROACTIVE TOOL, UH, THAT WE HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH NEIGHBORHOODS.
UH, WE GO TO NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS.
WE, WE TALK TO AREAS AND COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS, AND ACTUALLY WE DO 'EM IN ALL 10 COUNCIL DISTRICTS ALL THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
AND THERE'S NOT, THERE'S NOT ONE, IT'S NOT ONLY FOR ONE OR TWO COUNCIL DISTRICTS AS, AS ALLUDED TO IN THE REPORT.
UM, THE OTHER, UH, ITEM THAT'S NOT ADDRESSED IN THE REPORT IS THE CRITICAL FACT OF, UH, THE, THE OLDER HOUSING STOCK HAS, UH, TO THESE NUMBERS.
I, I, I THINK IT'S VERY CLEAR.
AND, AND THOSE OF US IN, IN, IN BUILDING, UH, BUILDING CODE OFFICIAL OR CODE OFFICIAL, UH, CODE ENFORCEMENT, UH, WORLD, WE KNOW THAT IT IS MUCH MORE DIFFICULT, UH, TO MAINTAIN AN OLDER HOUSE THAN IT IS A NEWER HOUSE.
UM, I DON'T THINK WE NEED A REPORT TO SAY THAT, BUT THAT'S A LOT OF WHAT WE FOUND.
WE HAVE A LOT OF OLDER HOUSING STOCK IN THIS CITY.
AND SO IF YOU'RE NOT GONNA ANALYZE AND PUT, UH, UNDERSTAND HOW THAT FACTOR, UH, COMES INTO PLAY, I THINK WE'RE, I THINK THE REPORT MISSED A, A HUGE PART TO CONSIDER.
UH, AND, AND, AND HOW THAT AFFECTS, UH, KIND OF WHAT WE DO.
AND AGAIN, WE, WE KNOW, WE UNDERSTAND, UM, THAT DISPARATE RESULTS WILL REQUIRE A ROBUST ANALYSIS.
UM, AND, AND, UH, NEAR THE END OF THIS, ONE OF THE CLAIMS IN THE, IN, IN THIS REPORT IS THAT THE CITY DOES NOT PROVIDE DUE PROCESS.
AND, UM, WELL, THAT'S, THAT'S NOT TRUE.
BUT WE PROVIDE DUE PROCESS IN EVERYTHING WE DO.
UH, DIFFERENT CASES AND DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE DO IN CODE ENFORCEMENT, I THINK IN OTHER AREAS OF OUR CITY, UH, UH, UH, PROCESSES, UH, BUT DO DUE PROCESS IS, UH, WE FOLLOW THE LAW.
UH, NOTICE AND OR APPEALS OF ANYTHING WE DO IS, IS AVAILABLE TO ANYONE.
UH, NOW, AGAIN, VIOLATIONS WITHOUT AN IMMEDIATE THREAT, A LOT OF TIMES THEY GET THE NOTICE.
THERE WILL BE A HEARING IN FRONT OF A JUDGE OR A BOARD.
UM, AND, AND THAT HAPPENS AS PART OF THE NORMAL.
BUT WHEN THERE IS A IMMEDIATE THREAT, AN IMMEDIATE DANGER, AND I'LL TALK ABOUT THIS, OUR CODE SAYS THAT THAT IS, IS, IS NOT SAFE.
IT'S UNFIT FOR HUMAN OCCUPANCY.
UM, AND THAT RESIDENT SAFETY IS A TOP PRIORITY.
NOW, YOU STILL HAVE ANYONE STILL HAS DUE PROCESS.
THEY CAN APPEAL THAT DECISION.
UM, AND, AND AGAIN, REMEMBER THIS, THESE ARE ONLY ISSUED, UH, WHEN THE HOME IS UNSAFE, OR, AND IT'S, AND IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT SUBJECTIVE.
AND I'M, I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT THAT.
AND ONE THING I DON'T THINK THAT THE REPORT REALLY TALKED ABOUT, UM, IS THAT THE CITY, RARELY, PROSECUTORS REMOVES PEOPLE FOR FAILURE TO COMPLY.
THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE THAT DON'T LISTEN TO THIS BECAUSE THEY, THEY, THEY BELIEVE THEY'RE SAFER IN THAT DANGEROUS STRUCTURE.
WE'LL CON WE CONTINUE TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.
WE TRY TO, UM, BUT WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT ACTUALLY PROSECUTING THEM FOR THAT, UH, AND REMOVING THEM, UH, AGAINST THEIR WILL.
SO I WANTED TO, I, I'VE TALKED ABOUT OUR CODE.
THESE ARE THE CODES THAT WE'VE ADOPTED, UH, TO, TO, TO MAINTAIN YOUR, YOUR PROPERTY, TO MAINTAIN YOUR STRUCTURE.
THESE ARE JUST SOME PROVISIONS, BUT THEY'RE IMPORTANT PROVISIONS.
AND I HATE PUTTING UP SLIDES THAT ARE JUST A LOT OF WORDS.
BUT IT'S CRITICAL WHEN IT TALKS ABOUT OUR SAN ANTONIO PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE, IT HAS SOME GENERAL PROVISIONS, UM, THAT SAYS, WHEN EQUIPMENT IS FOUND, UH, BY THE CODE OFFICIAL TO BE UNSAFE, UH, OR WHEN IT'S, UH, UH, FOUND TO BE UNFIT FOR HUMAN OCCUPANCY,
[00:35:01]
UM, THE STRUCTURE SHALL BE DEEMED TO BE THREATS TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH, HEALTH SAFETY, AND WELFARE UNDER THAT COMMENT CAME UP EARLIER.WE DEFINE WHAT A STRUCTURE UNFIT FOR HUMAN OCCUPANCY.
I ACTUALLY SHOWED YOU SEVERAL PHOTOS.
UH, WE HAVE A DEFINITION OF IT THERE.
AND THEN PROHIBITED OCCUPANCY.
OUR CODE ACTUALLY SAYS THIS, YOU CAN'T OCCUPY UNSAFE STRUCTURES.
I, YOU KNOW, AND UNFORTUNATELY WE RUN INTO THAT SOMETIMES, BUT IT ACTUALLY SAYS, AN OCCUPIED STRUCTURE DETERMINED BY THE CODE OFFICIAL TO BE A THREAT TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH SAFETY WELFARE SHALL BE VACATED AS ORDERED BY THE CODE OFFICIALS.
SO AGAIN, WE HAVE GUIDANCE IN OUR CODE.
AND, AND I WOULD LIKE TO JUST LET EVERYBODY KNOW OUR SAN ANTONIO PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE THAT HAS BEEN ADOPTED BY CITY COUNCIL, ALONG WITH A, A BUNCH OF OTHER, UH, BUILDING RELATED AND SAFETY CODES, UH, THAT'S BASED OFF THE INTERNATIONAL CODE COUNCIL'S, UH, PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE, THE INTERNATIONAL PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE.
SO IT IS A, IT IS THE NATIONAL STANDARD, UH, FOR CODES IN THIS ARENA IN TERMS OF PROPERTY MAINTENANCE.
UH, SO AGAIN, I JUST HIGHLIGHT THAT THERE BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT OUR CODE SAYS TODAY.
AND, AND AGAIN, I THINK THE REPORT, UM, LEADS, LEADS THE READER TO BELIEVE THAT THE CITY DOES NOT PROVIDE HOUSING ASSISTANCE.
UH, AND, AND THAT'S CLEARLY NOT TRUE.
ANYONE IN THE HOUSING, UH, UH, DISCUSSIONS RECENTLY AND FOR A LONG TIME, AS MANY OF MANY OF US HAVE BEEN, UH, THE CITY HAS A, A COMMITMENT TO HOUSING ASSISTANCE.
THE CITY HELPS MANY, UH, OTHERS, OTHER RESIDENTS AT RISK.
UH, I PUT UP SOME INFORMATION HERE.
UH, JUST A REMINDER, THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES PROVIDE HAS PROVIDED MORE THAN 19 MILLION IN UTILITY BILL ASSISTANCE THROUGH C P S AND OTHER MILLION INSTALLS OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS.
UH, WE HAVE THE HOME REHAB PROGRAMS THAT WILL HELP A COUPLE THOUSAND, UH, HOMES WITH FUNDING COMMITMENTS SINCE 2016.
NOW, RECENTLY, UM, AND I KNOW, UH, COUNCILWOMAN MC CASTILLO, WE, WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF THIS, BUT WE ADDED, UH, UH, THE CITY ADDED A MILLION DOLLARS TO DEVELOP A RESIDENTIAL DEMOLITION DIVERSION PROGRAM.
AGAIN, THIS IS, THIS HAS ALREADY BEEN PUT INTO IT, AND WE'RE WORKING TO DEVELOP THIS PROGRAM, UH, BECAUSE I AGREE, WE, WE NEED MORE FUNDING, AND THIS IS THE CITY PUTTING MORE FUNDING INTO IT.
UH, BUT THAT'S FOR OWNER OCCUPIED HOMES DESIGNATED AS DANGEROUS, AND, UH, MEETING SOME THRESHOLDS OF 80% OR UNDER A M I, UH, OR LIVE WITHIN SOME TOUR BOUNDARIES.
UH, AND THEN OF COURSE, WE'RE CURRENTLY DEVELOPING THE, THE, THE 20 20 22 27 BOND PROGRAM, WHICH FOR THE FIRST TIME HAS $150 MILLION, UH, ASSIGNED TO HOUSING ASSISTANCE.
AND I WAS AT, UH, THOSE MEETINGS WITH A LOT OF YOU, AND, AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THOSE THAT THAT ATTENDED, AND WERE, WERE PART OF THAT.
BUT THERE, THERE'S, THERE, THERE'S MONEY THAT THE, THE, THE, I THINK IT WAS LAST WEEK THAT THE, THE BOND COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED WE NEED MORE MONEY FOR THESE PROGRAMS TO HELP.
AND AND I AGREE, UH, BUT THAT'S WHAT THE CITY IS COMMITTED TO.
I TALK A LITTLE BIT JUST, UH, AS I WRAP UP HERE, UH, SOME OF THOSE REPAIR PROGRAMS, AGAIN, FUNDING HAS BEEN ADDED OVER THE YEARS AND INCREASED OVER THE YEARS, WHETHER YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE OWNER OCCUPIED REHAB, MINOR REPAIR, OR UNDER ONE ROOF.
SO I THINK THE CITY IS PROVIDING MORE RESOURCES.
IS THERE MORE NEEDED? WELL, I THINK, SO THE CONVERSATIONS IN THE HOUSING BOND, UH, UH, PROGRAM, UH, DEFINITELY, UH, UH, CONFIRMED THAT.
UH, BUT AGAIN, WE HAVE AN INCREASING, UH, AS A CITY, UH, RESOURCES, UH, TO MAKE AVAILABLE.
SO, AGAIN, UH, MY SUMMARY, THIS IS JUST A KIND OF A REPEAT OF WHAT I SAID, SO I'LL GO THROUGH IT QUICKLY.
AGAIN, UH, IT'S NOT A SCIENTIFIC OR ACADEMIC REPORT.
UH, I'VE, I'VE SHOWED YOU SOME OF THE DATA IS NOT ACCURATE.
UH, WE DO FOLLOW THE LAWS AND, AND AGAIN, I, I'LL CONTINUE TO SAY WE MAY HAVE SOME DISAGREEMENTS ABOUT, UH, SOME OF THE NUMBERS OF THE DATA.
AND, AND, AND LIKE YOU ALL SAID, THIS IS A CRITICAL ISSUE.
WE, WE, WE DO AND WILL CONTINUE TO PUT THE SAFETY AND WELLBEING OF OUR RESIDENTS AS OUR TOP PRIORITY, UM, IN CODE ENFORCEMENT.
AND I THINK OF THE CITY AS A WHOLE.
SO, I'LL, I'LL JUST FINISH OFF WITH BY SAYING, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I'VE REVIEWED THIS REPORT A NUMBER OF TIMES AND HAD SOME CONVERSATION.
UH, I BELIEVE THIS REPORT WAS, WAS, UH, PREPARED WITH THE INTENT TO REALLY INCITE CONTROVERSY RATHER THAN HELP US, UM, AND HELP BY ATTAINING A CLEAR UNDER UNDERSTANDING OF THE NOTICE TO VACATE, UH, OR OUR, UM, UH, BUILDING STANDARDS, BOARD DEMOLITION PROCESS.
UH, HOWEVER, WE DO WELCOME, THE CITY DOES WELCOME A ROBUST, UH, STUDY, A ROBUST ACADEMIC STUDY OF OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITY AS IT RELATES TO DISPLACEMENT.
AND IN FACT, THE CITY MANAGER HAS, HAS ALREADY ASKED US TO WORK WITH, UH, U T SS A HERE IN TOWN ON A TRUE ACADEMIC STUDY OF CODE ENFORCEMENT'S DATA PRACTICES AND, AND IMPACT.
SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.
AND, UH, THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
I KNOW I HAVE, UH, SEVERAL TEAM MEMBERS HERE, UH, THAT, AND I CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE.
UH, SO THAT GETS ME TO THE END.
THANK YOU MIKE, UH, FOR THE PRESENTATION.
AND, UM, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND, UH, JUST FLAG ME IF, IF YOU, UM, WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK AND, AND THEN I'LL CALL ON YOU.
I WANNA START OFF JUST WITH SOME, UM, GENERAL COMMENTS, BUT I WANNA, THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT TOPIC, AND I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE, THERE, THERE WAS TWO
[00:40:01]
FOLKS WHO WALKED WHO WERE NOT HERE WHEN WE TOOK UP THE PUBLIC COMMENT.UM, AND I JUST WANNA GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY IF THEY'D STILL LIKE TO TAKE UP THEIR THREE MINUTES.
I HAVEN'T SEEN, I, I, UH, MIA LOAF, IF SHE'S HERE ALSO, THOSE ARE THE TWO THAT, UM, WERE NOT HERE.
BUT IF, UH, IF YOU ELA, WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE YOUR THREE MINUTES NOW? OKAY.
THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME MY TIME.
AND APPARENTLY MIA THOUGHT THAT SHE COULD CALL IN, SO THAT'S WHY SHE'S NOT HERE.
UM, MY NAME IS GRACIA SANCHEZ, AND I WORK FOR THE ESPERANZA PEACE AND JUSTICE CENTER.
I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF THE WEST SIDE PRESERVATION ALLIANCE AND THE HISTORIC WEST SIDE RESIDENCE ASSOCIATION.
AND, UM, I'M ANGRY
WHAT THE LAW SCHOOLS, WHAT HEATHER WAY'S RESEARCH HAS DONE IS AT LEAST BRING LIGHT ON A CITYWIDE LEVEL, SOMETHING THAT MANY OF US IN THE COMMUNITY HAVE BEEN RAISING.
WHEN JULIAN CASTRO WAS THE MAYOR, WHEN IVY TAYLOR WAS THE MAYOR, AND RON NUREMBERG WAS THE COUNCILMAN, JUST LIKE YOURSELF, RIGHT? AND WE WERE RAISING THE CONCERNS BECAUSE THE NUMBERS WERE HIGH, AND IT WAS IN 20 13, 14, AND 15.
AND WHAT WAS HAPPENING AT THE SAME TIME WAS THE WHOLE DEMOLITION OF THE WHEATLEY COURTS.
AND, AND WE SAW WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN MISSION REACH IN DISTRICT THREE, AND PEOPLE BEING PUSHED OUT.
AND WE SAW THAT DISTRICT FIVE WAS COMING ON, AND I ASKED THE TEXAS A AND M STUDENT TO DO RESEARCH SO THAT IT WOULDN'T JUST BE AN ASSUMPTION OF ELLAS OR THE COMMUNITY, BUT LET'S TAKE THOSE NUMBERS AND USING THE CITY'S OWN DATA, WE TOOK THOSE NUMBERS AND WE SAW THAT, AND THEN WE SAW THE SHIFT FROM DISTRICT TWO TO DISTRICT FIVE WITH ONE, AND THEN THREE COMING IN SECOND AND THIRD AND FOURTH.
AND WE'RE SEEING THAT THAT IS, AS THE CITY IS BRINGING IN MORE PEOPLE, BUT ALSO, UM, MAKING THE MISSION REACH A VIABLE AREA.
THOSE HISTORIC HOMES ARE ALSO COMING.
AND THESE ARE TTAS THAT ARE NOT ABLE AT 85, 90 TO CUT THEIR GRASS.
AND $300 MEANS A LOT TO THEM WHEN THEY'RE ON A SIX OR $700 MONTHLY, YOU KNOW, UH, SALARY.
UM, AND, AND I APPRECIATE COUNCILMAN, UH, CASTILLO, WHO AS SOON AS SHE CAME ON, GOT HELP AND STARTED GETTING PEOPLE TO GO AND CUT GRASS FOR A LOT OF THE NEIGHBORS.
AND I JUST REMEMBER YEARS AGO WHEN IT WAS A C P S POLL AND CODE COMPLIANCE WAS HARASSING SOMEBODY IN DISTRICT FIVE ON BUENA VISTA STREET.
AND WE WENT, AND SHE DIDN'T EVEN CALL IT A C P SS POLL, BUT WE GOT THERE AND IT'S LIKE, YOU'RE CHARGING.
AND BY THAT TIME, IT WAS TWO OR $3,000, THIS WOMAN WAS BEING CHARGED, AND WE TOOK A PHOTO AND IT WAS A C P S POLL.
SO THERE'S JUST SO MANY THINGS, AND THE CITY REALLY NEEDS TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
AND I'M ASHAMED TO SAY THAT WHEN OTHER CITIES IN THIS STATE ARE DOING BETTER TO TRY TO PROTECT THEIR COMMUNITY, WE NEED TO BE THERE.
AND WE NEED TO THE BE THE BEST.
AND I'M GLAD WE'RE GETTING THIS MONEY THERE, BUT IT IS BECAUSE OF THE PRESSURE OF COMMUNITY IN INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT WERE THERE.
SO, ES AND I APPRECIATE YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, VISION, UH, THIS BEING THE DECADE OF THE, OF THE COMMUNITY.
SO LET'S PLEASE CONTINUE AND WE'RE HERE TO HELP, RIGHT? WE'RE NOT HERE.
AND, AND, AND YOU KNOW THAT, RIGHT? WE'VE BEEN HARASSING YOU FOR A LONG TIME,
SHE'S THE ONLY OTHER ONE THAT I HAD, UM, UH, SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH, UM, ALL OF OUR, UH, SPEAKERS FOR YOUR VALUABLE INPUT, AND THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR, UH, ALLOWING US TO TAKE UP THIS, THIS INFORMA, THIS ITEM FIRST.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF DISAGREEMENTS WITH THE DATA IN THIS REPORT, AND, AND IT'S IN ITS CONCLUSIONS, BUT WE DO HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF WORK TO DO, UM, IN PARTICULAR IN REGARD TO SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THERE.
AND I APPRECIATED THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT CAME OUT OF, UM, THIS, I'M ACTUALLY INTERESTED AND ALSO, I, I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT THERE HAD BEEN A REPORT BY TEXAS A AND M THAT MS. GARCIA JUST REFERENCED.
SO I'D LOVE TO IF DID, DID YOU KNOW THERE WAS ONE MIKE? UH, I MEAN, Y'ALL HAVE BEEN A LITTLE LONGER THAN I HAVE.
WELL, IF WE HAVE IT ANYWHERE, I'D LOVE TO SEE IT, UM, BY THE WAY.
BUT ALSO, UM, IF WE, UM, CAN CONNECT, CONTINUE CONNECTING THIS TEAM WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAMS AND APPLICATIONS THAT THE CITY IS OFFERING, I THINK THAT'S GONNA BE, UH, CON WE HAVE TO
[00:45:01]
DO THAT.THERE'S JUST NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.
WE HAVE TO CONTINUE DOING THAT.
AND IT'S ALSO NOT THE LAST DISCUSSION ON THE REFORMING OF THE PROCESS ITSELF.
AND SO THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING.
UM, AND I'M GONNA ASK D S D OF COURSE, TO COME BACK ON A FUTURE DATE, UM, ESPECIALLY WITH THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE U D C, UM, THAT WE TAKE ALL OF THIS INTO CONSIDERATION.
AND I DO THANK LORI HOUSTON FOR, UM, ALLOWING THIS TO TAKE PLACE TODAY.
I THOUGHT THAT IT WAS VERY TIMELY.
WE HAD PROJECTED TO SPEAK ABOUT SOMETHING, UH, SIMILAR IN JANUARY ON THE AGENDA.
UM, BUT, UH, DUE TO, TO WHAT HAPPENED, WE DECIDED TO, TO MOVE THIS UP TO, SO THANK YOU ALSO TO MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES, UM, BECAUSE YOU ALL HAD, HAD HEARD THAT WE WERE GONNA TAKE SOMETHING UP IN JANUARY AND WE WERE ABLE TO MOVE IT UP.
I'LL START WITH, WITH MY QUESTIONS NOW.
MIKE, CAN YOU HELP ME, UM, ELABORATE ON THE DIFFERENCES AND THE INTERSECTIONALITY OF NOTICES TO VACATE AND DEMOLITION ORDERS? SURE.
SO NOTICES TO VACATE ARE JUST THAT THEY ARE, UH, THE CODE OFFICER OR ONE OF OUR TEAM MEMBERS FIND SOMEONE, UH, IN OR AROUND A DA A DANGEROUS STRUCTURE.
AND AGAIN, THE B S B OR THE BUILDING STANDARDS BOARD PROCESS.
AND WE HAVE SOME, UH, BUILDING STANDARDS BOARD MEMBERS HERE TODAY.
I FORGOT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEM, UH, IN THE FRONT ROW FOR US.
BUT, UH, SO BEFORE WE EVEN GET THERE, THERE COULD BE A DANGEROUS SITUATION, UM, THAT WE HAVE TO ADDRESS.
IMMEDIATE MEANING IT'S UNSAFE.
I, I, I KIND OF PUT UP THE CODE, CODE LANGUAGE.
IT, IT'S UNSAFE FOR YOU TO BE HERE.
UH, YOU KNOW, LACK OF WATER AND SANITARY SYSTEMS, ELECTRICAL FIRE HAZARDS, STRUCTURAL FIRE HAZARDS, HOLES IN, IN THE ROOF HOARDING EXAMPLES, FOR EXAMPLE.
AGAIN, SOME OF THEM ARE, ARE RELATED TO THE DARK CASES, WHICH ARE MULTI-TEAM APPROACH.
UH, COULD BE A NUMBER OF ISSUES THERE.
UM, UH, ILLEGALITIES AND UNSAFE.
SO WE, WE WOULD ISSUE THAT NOTICE TO VACATE, UH, THAT WOULD TELL THEM THAT THEY HAVE, UH, UP TO 72 HOURS TO VACATE, UH, THE STRUCTURE DUE TO ITS UNSAFE CONDITION.
UH, WHILE, YOU KNOW, WE ALSO COMMUNICATE WHAT THE ISSUES ARE, IF IT'S ELECTRICAL OR STRUCTURAL OR, YOU KNOW, PLUMBING HAZARDS, UH, WHAT THOSE, WHAT THOSE COULD LOOK LIKE AND HOW TO FIX 'EM.
UH, CERTAINLY IF IT'S IN THE DART SCENARIO, THEY'RE, THEY'RE WORKING WITH OUR CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, UH, AND PROSECUTION ON THAT BECAUSE, UH, IT, IT COMES THROUGH THAT, UH, THAT OFFICE.
SO THE BUILDING STANDARDS BOARD, THOUGH, IS THE PROCESS THAT WE WOULD GO TO IN CODE ENFORCEMENT.
IF IT, IF, IF IT, IF IT HASN'T BEEN FIXED AFTER THAT 12 TO 18 PLUS MONTHS OF A PROCESS, UH, AND, AND TRYING TO WORK WITH THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY OR THE OCCUPANT, UH, TO FIX IT.
IF, IF NO, UH, IF IT'S STILL DANGEROUS AND, AND MEETS THAT, UH, SECTION OF THE CODE, WE WILL PRESENT IT TO THE BUILDING STANDARDS BOARD.
THEY WILL HEAR THE CASE TO HEAR THE FACTS OF IT.
THEY WILL, THEY WILL SEE THE EVIDENCE.
WE WILL, WE WILL SHOW THE CONDITIONS OF THE STRUCTURE, WHAT, WHAT THE STEPS WE'VE GONE THROUGH, AND IS IT A DANGEROUS STRUCTURE? YES, THEY WILL CONFIRM THAT OR NOT, AND THEN WILL IT, IS IT SUBJECT TO REPAIR OR DEMOLITION? UH, AND UNFORTUNATELY, IF IT'S, IF THERE'S, IF THERE'S NO MEANS OR, OR OR WAY TO, TO ABATE THE HAZARD OTHER THAN DEMOLITION, THEN IT WILL BE A, A DEMOLITION ORDER.
THE OWNER WILL BE RE REQUIRED AT THAT POINT TO DEMOLISH IT.
AND IF THEY DON'T IN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME, UM, THEN, THEN, THEN THE CITY WILL DO IT AND, AND BILL THE PROPERTY.
UM, FINALLY, IF THAT THAT'S NOT PAID, THERE WILL BE A LIEN ON THE PROPERTY.
UH, ONE THING TO CONSIDER THERE, THE CITY NEVER TAKES THE PROPERTY.
THERE WAS SOME INFERENCE IN HERE, UH, AND SOME OF THE DIALOGUE WE'VE HEARD OVER THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS IS, WELL, THE CITY, THE CITY'S JUST TAKING THE PROPERTY AWAY FROM THE OWNER.
AND THAT'S ABSOLUTELY NOT TRUE.
WE, WE DON'T, WE DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DO THAT.
UH, THE GOAL IS TO CORRECT THE HAZARD, UH, ON THAT PROPERTY.
SO THAT WAS KIND OF THE LONG ANSWER TO YOUR SHORT QUESTION.
I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT, BUT I WANTED TO GIVE IT THE CONTEXT, UH, THAT IT DESERVED.
MIKE, YOU ACTUALLY TOUCHED ON SOMETHING THAT I HAVE A QUESTION ON IN THE REPORT.
UM, THE B S B HEARINGS, UM, IT SAYS THAT THEY WERE OBSERVED.
I, I'M NOT ENTIRELY SURE WHICH ONES WHAT DATE.
THAT'S NOT DOCUMENTED, SO MY APOLOGIES FOR NOT BEING ABLE TO BE MORE CLEAR ON THAT.
BUT IT SAYS THAT, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY WERE OBSERVED EITHER.
UM, IT SAYS THAT PROPERTY OWNERS RARELY APPEARED AT THE HEARING.
UM, I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND WHY NOT.
WHAT DO WE DO TO CONTACT THOSE OWNERS? IS THERE REASONS? IS, TELL ME AT WHAT TIME THE B S B UM, UH, MEETINGS TAKE PLACE? HELP ME UNDERSTAND.
I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE WHY.
WELL, THE, THE ME THE EASY QUESTION.
UH, THE, THE MEETINGS TAKE PLACE ABOUT THE TIME YOU'RE, YOU'RE STARTING YOUR COUNCIL MEETINGS ON THURSDAYS, SO, UM, A COUPLE TIMES A MONTH, UH, NINE O'CLOCK, UH, IN, AT THE, AT THE, UH, THE D S D ONE-STOP CENTER, WE HAVE A BOARDROOM, UH, SAME PLACE AS ZONING COMMISSION AND PLANNING COMMISSION, ET CETERA.
UH, SO 9:00 AM USUALLY RUNS, DEPENDING ON THE CASELOAD, A COUPLE HOURS, A FEW HOURS.
UH, YOU'RE RIGHT, THERE ARE MANY CASES THAT GET BROUGHT THERE THAT ARE, THAT, THAT DON'T HAVE THE OWNER SHOW UP.
IT'S A VARIETY OF REASONS, BUT WE ACTUALLY GO THROUGH, UH, FOR THAT YEAR, YEAR AND A HALF, UH, TRYING, I MEAN, SOME, SOME PROPERTIES DON'T HAVE AN OWNER.
WE GO THROUGH A LEGAL PROCESS TO IDENTIFY ANYONE WHO IS ASSOCIATED OR HAS A RIGHT TO
[00:50:01]
THAT PROPERTY.BUT SOME PEOPLE DON'T SHOW UP BECAUSE THERE IS NO OWNER.
UM, BUT WE DO HAVE A LOT THAT DO SHOW UP AND, AND THEY, THEY TALK ABOUT THEIR PLAN TO EITHER, HEY, THIS IS WHAT I NEED.
THEY ASK FOR MORE TIME, OR THEY SAY, THEY SHOW HOW THEY'RE GONNA FIX IT, MEANING GET, GET, GET REPAIRS DONE WITH THEIR CONTRACTOR.
I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBER OF HOW MANY ACTUALLY HAVE THE OWNERS THAT SHOW UP, UM, AND DON'T, BUT, UH, BUT IT'S A NUMBER THAT DO AND A NUMBER THAT DON'T.
AND WE COULD CERTAINLY GET THAT INFORMATION FOR YOU.
AND THEN ALSO, MIKE, SINCE, UM, YOU, YOU MENTIONED THE D SS D TEAM OFFERS, UM, VARIOUS PROGRAMS OR THEY TALK ABOUT, SO EVERYBODY ON YOUR CODE TEAM IS INFORMED OF EVERY SINGLE PROGRAM OUT THERE.
WELL, THAT'S A, THAT'S A
I SAID, BUT WHEN, WHEN WE BRING IN OFFICERS AND OUR CONTINUOUS TRAINING ON THESE ISSUES IS, IS THIS, WE, WE TRAIN OUR OFFICERS, UH, CERTAINLY TO BE EXPERTS ON CODE ENFORCEMENT IN TERMS OF, UH, ANY TYPES OF CODE VIOLATIONS THAT WE HAVE.
SOME ARE NOT RELATED TO DANGEROUS STRUCTURES AND WHAT HAVE YOU.
BUT AS PART OF OUR, OUR NEW EMPLOYEE AND CONTINUOUS TRAINING IS IDENTIFICATION WHEN THERE IS NEED.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, UH, WHEN WE KNOW SOMEONE OR, OR WE SUSPECT SOMEONE MAY NEED SOME ASSISTANCE, WE'RE HANDING OUT INFORMATION, WE HAVE A KIND OF A RESOURCE GUIDE, UH, WE ACTUALLY GIVE IT TO THEM OR PUT POST IT ON THE PROPERTY.
UM, AND THEN WHEN WE HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM, WHEN THEY CALL US BACK OR MEET WITH THEM, WE'RE TALKING TO THEM ABOUT THE CITY HAS MULTIPLE PROGRAMS. IT'S ALSO THAT THERE'S ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS OUTSIDE OF THE CITY.
WE KNOW OF SOME NONPROFITS THAT HAVE AND WILL HELPED, UH, IN THE PAST ON DIFFERENT CODE ITEMS. UH, SO WE HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.
EVERY ONE OF OUR CODE OFFICERS KNOWS THAT.
UH, BUT I CAN'T SAY, UH, THAT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM KNOWS THE DETAILS OF THE OWNER OCCUPIED REHAB OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
SO, UH, BUT WE DO SPEND A LOT OF TIME, AND THE, AND THE CODE OFFICER DOES ACTUALLY CONNECT WITH OUR SUPERVISOR TO CONNECT WITH THOSE OTHER CITY RESOURCES WHEN WE RUN INTO THOSE.
BUT THAT'S KEY BECAUSE I THINK IF, IF IT WAS JUST US DOING NOTHING BUT ISSUING NOTICES OR GOING THROUGH A DEMO PROCESS, UH, YES, THAT WOULD BE WRONG.
THE CASE IS THAT OUR CODE STAFF CONNECT AS BEST WE CAN WITH OTHER CITY RESOURCES OR OTHER NONPROFITS.
AND, AND EVEN, YOU KNOW, I THINK, UH, THAT WAS MENTIONED TO COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO RECENTLY AND HER TEAM MOWING THE GRASS OF RESIDENTS THAT HAD A HARD TIME DOING IT THEMSELVES.
OUR CODE OFFICERS HAVE DONE THAT AND DO THAT ON THEIR OWN TIME SOMETIMES WHEN THEY RUN INTO IT.
SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK, UH, AGAIN, ANOTHER LONG-WINDED ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION.
SO, UM, WHEN WE DO IDENTIFY AN ISSUE, LIKE AN UNSAFE STRUCTURE, DO WE AT LEAST PROVIDE INFORMATION ON HOW TO ACCESS TOOLS THAT MAY BE ABLE TO HELP MAYBE, UM, WITH, UH, ACCESS TO, UM, I DON'T DUNNO, HELP THAT WOULD KEEP THEM FROM HAVING THEIR THE HOME DEMOLISHED? YES.
SO YOU CAN GUARANTEE THAT YES.
LIKE EVERY SINGLE TIME IT HAPPENS, LIKE A CHECK THE BOX, YES.
WE GIVE THEM, WE GIVE THEM INFORMATION ABOUT RESOURCES, AND THEN WHEN WE HAVE CONVERSATIONS, WE LET THEM KNOW ABOUT ADDITIONAL CITY STAFF THAT ARE THE, WE USE THE TERM, I USE CASE MANAGERS AS THE TERM, BUT VERONICA'S NAVIGATORS, RIGHT? NAVIGATORS, WE HAVE OTHER TEAM MEMBERS LIKE CODE.
WE ARE NOT EXPERTS ON SOME OF THIS.
SO WE, WE WILL MAKE THAT CONNECTION AND GIVE THEM THAT INFORMATION.
AND I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT UP THE HOUSING NAVIGATORS.
UM, I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT MORE, AND I'D, I'D PROBABLY RECOMMEND, UM, AS AN OPPORTUNITY FROM THIS THAT WE HAVE A CHECKLIST, RIGHT? AND SO BEFORE WE DO X, THIS HAPPENS, OKAY.
AND WE MAKE SURE THAT SOMEONE IS ASSIGNED, RIGHT, A NAVIGATOR TO THIS CASE, ET CETERA.
IT MIGHT TAKE A LITTLE BIT MORE.
I DO SEE THE NEW CHIEF HOUSING OFFICER, I SAW HIM EARLIER IN HERE.
SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'D LIKE TO MAYBE SEE IF, IF THE CHIEF HOUSING OFFICER CAN, CAN UNDERTAKE, BUT TO ASSIST AND INCENTIVIZE OWNERS AND RENTERS TO PRESERVE, UM, THEIR HOME IS GOING TO BE CRITICAL, I THINK.
AND THEN ALSO, UM, TO HELP THEM FIND ASSISTANCE, RIGHT? BEFORE WE, UM, WE, WE, WE TAKE ANY OF THOSE, THOSE NEXT STEPS, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A PERIOD, UM, THAT WHERE WE TRY TO REACH OUT TO THEM AND I'D LOVE TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.
THAT'S WHY I'D LIKE TO INVITE YOU HERE WITH SOME IDEAS ON HOW TO DO THAT.
BUT I DO THINK THAT A CHECKLIST WOULD BE IMPORTANT AND THEN SPECIFICALLY TO MONITOR AND REPORT STATISTICS, UH, IN REGARD TO DISPLACEMENT AND EVICTION AND GENTRIFICATION ISSUES, UM, HOUSING REPAIRS AS WELL.
I'D LOVE TO SEE KIND OF LIKE HOW MANY PEOPLE DID WE HELP WITH REPAIRS? HOW MUCH WERE THOSE REPAIRS? HOW MANY PEOPLE DID IT HELP DISPLAY, ET CETERA.
SO I LOVE THE FACT THAT WE, UM, ARE WORKING OR ARE THINKING OF WORKING WITH U T S A SINCE WE ALREADY CONTRACT WITH THEM.
AND THERE ARE LOCAL, UM, STUDENTS, BUT I ALSO THINK THAT IT'S GONNA TAKE WORK FOR THE HOUSING, THE CHIEF HOUSING OFFICER TO DO WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND NONPROFIT AGENCIES BECAUSE THERE ARE BOOTS ON THE GROUND, RIGHT? AND SO THEY SEE THIS EVERY SINGLE DAY.
[00:55:01]
THE, THE REPORT, UM, HAS SOME GOOD IDEAS THAT I'D LIKE TO, UH, CONTINUE ADDRESSING.BUT SO THAT WE CAN GET TO COUNCIL DISCUSSION, I'LL HOLD OFF ON SOME OF MY QUESTIONS.
UM, WE, ONE OF THE ONES, UH, SPECIFICALLY THAT I'LL ASK AND THEN WE'LL MOVE ON, IS, CAN YOU PLEASE ADDRESS THE 337 ORDERS TO VACATE OUTSIDE OF A HEARING PROCESS? TELL ME MORE ABOUT THAT.
YEAH, SO IT'S, IT'S ACTUALLY 3 31 AS I MENTIONED.
UH, AND AGAIN, I THINK I TOUCHED ON IT.
SO, UM, THE, THE CODE AS, AS WE HAVE OUR LAWS SAY, WHEN WE RUN INTO A VERY IMMEDIATE, UH, DANGEROUS SITUATION, AND IT CAN BE A NUMBER OF THOSE THAT I MENTIONED, I KINDA SHOWED SOME OF THEM.
UH, WE WILL, WE WILL, THE FIRST PRIORITY IS TO GET THAT RESIDENT AWAY FROM THE DANGER.
SO WE WILL ISSUE A NOTICE TO VACATE.
NOW THAT NOTICE TO VACATE GENERALLY HAS UP TO 72 HOURS, UH, FOR THAT PERSON, IT, IT CREATES A DIALOGUE.
AND, AND WHILE WE DON'T HAVE A PROCESS, WHEN I ISSUE THAT IN TERMS OF A HEARING BEFORE IT, THE PROCESS IS, UH, THERE CAN BE AN APPEAL.
AND IT'S ALSO THE TIME THAT WE'RE STARTING TO WORK WITH THE NEEDS OF THAT RESIDENT TO TRY TO IDENTIFY THE ASSISTANCE.
BUT, UM, SO I THINK THAT IT'S MY ANSWER.
WE'LL START WITH COUNCILMAN VRAN.
I WANNA THANK THE B S V MEMBERS THAT ARE HERE TODAY.
I KNOW THAT IT'S NOT AN, AN EASY BOARD TO SIT ON, AND, BUT I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME, UM, BECAUSE YOU ARE MAKING THESE DECISIONS, AND I'M GLAD THAT YOU ARE, UM, THE PROFESSIONALS AND THE EXPERTS TO LOOK AT THESE STRUCTURES.
UM, IN REFERENCE, I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT THE CITY IS GOING TO MOVE TOWARDS AN ACADEMIC STUDY AS A, AS A, UM, AS A FORMER GRADUATE, BECAUSE I GOT MY MASTER'S IN STUDY AND RESEARCH PAPERS WE'RE BIG, I AM GONNA HAVE SOME CERTAIN QUESTIONS THAT I WOULD LIKE AS PART OF THAT STUDY WHEN WE PUT THAT TOGETHER.
UM, BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE TO GET A BREAKDOWN BY DISTRICT, AND I WOULD LIKE US TO LOOK AT THE ISSUES THAT LEAD TO THIS PROCESS, ISSUES THAT I SEE IN MY DISTRICT, WHICH IS A SINGLE FAMILY HOME BEING USED AS A MULTI-FAMILY HOME STRUCTURE.
UM, CONCERNS ABOUT THE CODE AND OFFICE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION LEADING TO AN INCREASE IN ANY HOME IMPROVEMENTS.
SO INSTEAD OF, UH, A A BATHROOM BILL, IT BECOMES A BATHROOM BILL THAT LOOKS TO, IT NEEDS TO LOOK 1920S, UM, DIFFICULTIES WITH THE TAXES.
AND ESPECIALLY AS WE, AS YOU MENTIONED, UM, HOMES THAT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN, UM, ARE INHERITED AND MAYBE THE OWNERSHIP RIGHTS HAVEN'T BEEN DIFFICULTIES POSSIBLY WITH THE REHAB PROGRAMS THAT WE DO HAVE AND THAT ARE OUT THERE, UH, LANGUAGE DIFFICULTIES, THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO WHEN WE DO A STUDY, I WANT THAT TO BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF MEANS THAT GET PEOPLE TO THE POINT AS THE PHOTOS.
YOU'VE, YOU'VE SAID THE OTHER THING, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT O OCCUPIED, UM, DEMOLITIONS, I WANNA KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BEFORE WHAT WAS OWNER OCCUPIED VERSUS RENTAL.
BECAUSE WITH THE 73 CASES THAT WERE OCCUPIED, DOES SAN ANTONIO HAVE A LANDLORD ISSUE OR DO WE HAVE ISSUES WITH HOMEOWNER OCCUPATION? BECAUSE THAT, THAT, THEN THAT TAKES US DOWN TWO DIFFERENT REALMS. I KNOW SOME OF THE EXAMPLES, UH, WE HEARD FROM THE PUBLIC WERE, WERE RENTERS, UH, STORIES NOT HOMEOWNER OCCUPIED THINGS.
AND I'M VERY, AS WE MOVE FORWARD, AND I KNOW OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT AREN'T HERE TODAY, WHERE WE IN, UM, PUT FORWARD OUR, WHERE WE FLEX ON HOMEOWNERS, UH, AND PROPERTY OWNERS IS, IS A VERY, UH, FINE LINE.
THE OTHER THING I'D LIKE TO KNOW IS GEOGRAPHICALLY, WHEN THE GROUP THAT WAS TALKING, UM, IF I WOULD LIKE TO, AND THE GROUP THAT WAS REPRESENTED IN THE PAPER, UH, THAT I FELT WAS REPRESENTED IN THE PAPER GEOGRAPHICALLY, WHAT GEOGRAPHICALLY, WHAT WAS THE WEST SIDE, WHAT AREA WE WERE TALKING ABOUT? SO IF I CAN GET, IF, IF THIS IS THE HEAT INDEX THAT, THAT, UM, THE, THE WEST SIDE IS SHOWING US, IF WE CAN GET, UM, EXACTLY WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE STREET-WISE, UH, GEOGRAPHICALLY, AND IF I CAN SEE IF THEY'RE, WHAT NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS ARE IN THAT AREA, UM, I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL TOO, BECAUSE I KNOW, AND I DON'T SEE A LOT OF HEAT INDEX IN DISTRICT THREE, BUT I KNOW MY CALLS ON, EVEN ON SOME, UH, OCCUPIED HOMES COME FROM THE RESIDENTS AROUND THERE.
AND SO THAT'S A CONVERSATION I NEED TO GO BACK IN THE
[01:00:01]
DISTRICT AND HAVE, IF WE'RE GONNA MAKE CHANGES LIKE THIS.UM, BECAUSE MY AREA, MY DISTRICT, MANY OF MY HOMEOWNERS WANT MORE CODE OFFICERS.
UM, SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE OTHER THING, UM, THAT I'D LIKE TO SEE.
UM, SO, UM, THE, THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE IS, I THINK OR COMMENT IS I THINK WE NEED TO ASSUME THAT WHAT WE, WHEN WE GET, AND I WAS ON A DARK CALL, UH, AT A HOME, IS THAT WE NEED TO ASSUME THAT THERE ARE UNDERLYING ISSUES THAT THEY'RE GOING TO NEED HELP FROM, UM, POSSIBLY MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, METRO HEALTH, THINGS LIKE THAT.
BECAUSE I WAS THERE AND I HAD A SENIOR CITIZEN THAT DIDN'T GRASP WHAT WAS GOING ON.
HE, HE FOUND OUT I WAS THE COUNCILWOMAN AND HE WANTED ME TO PUT A TRAFFIC LIGHT UP ON HIS STREET CORNER.
SO I THINK THAT WE NEED TO ASSUME THEY'RE, THEY'RE GONNA NEED HELP.
AND MAYBE CODE OFFICERS, ESPECIALLY IN SOME CASES, TAKE SOME HOUSING NAVIGATORS OR SOME, SOME METRO HEALTH WORKERS TO COME AND HAVE CONVERSATIONS, OR THESE EV EVERYBODY WHO WANTS TO BE SO HELPFUL, VOLUNTEER TO GO OUT THERE AND HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THEM ABOUT WHAT GOT THEM TO THIS POINT.
AND, BECAUSE I THINK ONCE WE GET TO KNOW THEIR STORIES, AND FROM THE NUMBERS, IT, IT LOOKS LIKE 73 STORIES AND 49, BECAUSE SOME OF THEM WERE ASSISTED, UH, ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS THAT 49 STORIES ARE OUT THERE OVER THE PAST SIX YEARS WHERE WE NEED TO FIND OUT THEIR STORIES, TRY AND GET THEM HELP.
UM, SO MY, MY ONE, UH, BIG, BIG, UM, QUESTION IS, UH, I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS.
ONE, BECAUSE THIS IS IN THE PUBLIC HEALTH, AND THIS IS WHAT BOTHERS ME A LOT, AND THE FECES NOT BEING DISPOSED OF CORRECTLY, AND THEN ESPECIALLY THE AREAS OF IMPACT ARE, IS THERE ANY WAY WE'RE KEEPING TRACK OF THAT? OR METRO HEALTH IS KEEPING TRACK OF THAT BECAUSE I'M SO AFRAID THAT IT'S GOING TO START TO IMPACT THE ENVIRONMENT.
SO, UM, WELL, WE, WE IDENTIFY A SOLUTION I'LL HAVE TO GET WITH METRO HEALTH ON WHAT THEY'RE CAPTURING OR NOT.
UH, I CAN RECALL A VERY LARGE, UH, SITUATION THAT WE HAD A FEW YEARS BACK THAT METRO HEALTH WAS VERY INVOLVED WITH NOT ONLY ADDRESSING THAT CONCERN AND GETTING IT CLEANED UP PROPERLY, BUT WE DID, AND WE DID REQUIRE THAT PROPERTY OWNER TO CLEAN IT UP, REMEDIATE IT THROUGH THE HEALTH STANDARDS AND SUCH, UH, INDIVIDUALLY THOUGH, IN TERMS OF IF IT'S A SINGLE PROPERTY WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH SEWAGE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, I'LL HAVE TO GET BACK WITH YOU ON THAT, WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH MENTAL HEALTH.
AND THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE IS, UH, WHEN WILL YOU COME WITH US ON A TIMELINE FOR THIS ACADEMIC STUDY THAT THE CITY MANAGER HAS ASKED STAFF TO WORK ON? YEAH, I, I DON'T KNOW.
UM, I'LL HAVE TO WORK WITH THE CITY MANAGER AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I ASSUME IT'LL BE FAIRLY QUICK, BUT AN ACADEMIC STUDY TAKES SOME TIME.
I THINK THE REPORT THAT THAT, THAT WE'RE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT REFERENCED A COUPLE YEARS WORTH OF WORK.
UH, I DON'T THINK IT'LL BE YEARS.
I THINK IT'LL BE MONTHS, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE MONTHS OR SO.
BUT I'LL, WE'LL HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU AND I, AND I THINK, BUT I THINK WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY, WE KNOW IT'S IMPORTANT.
UH, WE'VE KNOWN IT'S IMPORTANT, BUT, UM, I, I THINK IT'LL BE A FAIRLY QUICK THING, BUT WE HAVEN'T EVEN, I DON'T THINK EVEN TALKED WITH U T S A YET, WHICH IS, WE KNOW WE HAVE AN INTERLOCAL WITH THEM.
AND, AND THAT CAN DO STUFF LIKE THIS FOR US, BECAUSE WHAT I THINK THE CITY HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO IS TO ADDRESS, UM, TO KEEP PEOPLE FROM POVERTY OR GET PEOPLE OUT OF POVERTY.
BUT THAT DOESN'T HELP WITH, THAT DOESN'T START WITH ONE DEPARTMENT.
IT HAS TO BE A BUY-IN BY ALL, ALL THE DEPARTMENTS THAT, THAT ARE GONNA HELP IN THIS PROCESS AND THE CITY COUNCIL.
BUT IN ORDER TO DO THAT, IT, IT'S ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY, NOT JUST ACCOUNTABILITY FOR US, BUT ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THOSE THAT WE'RE GOING OUT THERE TO HELP AND SETTING OUR EXPECTATIONS WHEN WE GO OUT THERE.
SO, UM, I, I MEAN, I LOOK FORWARD TO FURTHER DISCUSSIONS.
I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED, AND WE'RE GONNA NEED TO TAKE A HOLISTIC VIEW IF WE'RE GONNA, IF WE'RE GONNA REALLY, UH, ADDRESS THIS CRISIS SO WE DON'T END UP WITH MORE HOMELESSNESS.
AND, UM, I DON'T HAVE THE Q N WHO DID SOMEBODY, GO AHEAD.
UH, I WAS LOOKING AT WHAT YOU PRESENTED AND, UH, ON THE SLIDE THAT SHOWS THE NOTICES TO VACATE AND THE DEMOLITION ORDERS BY D S D, UH, IT SAYS THAT THERE WERE 331 NOTICES TO VACATE, BUT THE BUILDING STANDARDS BOARD, UH, ORDERED THE DEMOLITION OF 474 PROPERTIES.
[01:05:01]
THERE'S 143 DIFFERENT, HOW, HOW IS THAT DIFFERENT? WERE THOSE LIKE REQUESTS FROM PROPERTY OWNERS THAT THEY WANTED TO DEMOLISH THEIR OWN PROPERTIES OR SOMETHING? NO, NO, NO.SO, UH, A LITTLE BIT TO THE COUNCIL WOMAN'S QUESTION EARLIER, THE DATA, I JUST PUT THAT UP THERE.
UH, CERTAINLY, UH, NOTICES TO VACATE, I THINK, ARE THERE, I EXPLAINED HOW THOSE COME ABOUT.
UM, THOSE ARE KIND OF AN IMMEDIATE THREAT, IMMEDIATE NEED.
NOW, THE BUILDING STANDARDS BOARD, THEY HEAR A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT CASES.
UH, WHAT WE, THE REPORT ADDRESSED OCCUPIED HOMES, UH, AND, AND DEMOLITIONS.
BUT THE 474 CASES HEARD THROUGH DEMOLITIONS THROUGH THE BUILDING STANDARD BOARD PROCESS.
UH, 73 OF THOSE WERE OCCUPIED STRUCTURES WHEN WE, WHEN WE GOT THERE, UM, OR OCCUPIED PROPERTIES.
AND IT WAS 401 THAT WERE UNOCCUPIED.
SO THINK OF A VACANT STRUCTURE THAT, UH, MAYBE IS NOT PROPERLY BOARDED UP.
IT'S, UH, DETERIORATED SO BAD THAT IT'S DANGEROUS.
UH, AND AND SO THAT, SO THEY'RE, THAT'S NOT, THEY'RE NOT ONE LEADS TO ANOTHER, ALTHOUGH SOME OF THOSE CASES ARE FROM THE 331 NOTICE OF THE VACATE, UM, THAT I MENTIONED THERE.
WELL, I'M JUST, WHERE DID THE OTHER 443, UH, YOU KNOW, DEMOLITIONS COME FROM WITH IF, IF YOU DIDN'T ASK FOR THEM? WHO DID? WELL, NO.
THE, THE BUILDING STANDARDS BOARD CASES ARE PRESENTED BY DEVELOPMENT SERVICES STAFF.
MANY OF THEM ARE REACTIVE, MEANING WE, FIRST, WE FIRST GOT TO THAT PROPERTY, UH, THROUGH A 3 1 1 CALL.
RIGHT? IT CAME ON THE OFFICER'S LIST.
OTHERS WERE JUST US GETTING, UH, IN THAT AREA.
WE, WE, WE NOTICED A VERY DANGEROUS LOOKING STRUCTURE.
WE STARTED OUR ANALYSIS, AND IT EVENTUALLY LED THAT WAY.
BUT WE, AS CODE ENFORCEMENT PRESENT THE CASE, UH, SOMETIMES WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF SS A P D, IF IT HAS SOME OTHER ISSUES RELATED TO IT AS WELL, UH, THAT ARE DEFINED IN OUR DANGEROUS CODE.
UM, BUT WE PRESENT IT, AND THEN THE BUILDING STANDARDS BOARD HEARS THOSE.
I, I DON'T, I, I DON'T, I'M NOT SURE I'M ANSWERING YOUR QUESTION CORRECTLY.
WERE THE OTHER 143 NOT GIVEN NOTICES TO VACATE? 'CAUSE THEY WERE EMPTY, NO ONE WAS LIVING THERE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
YEAH, SO THINK OF, THINK OF THE, ACTUALLY IT'S THE 401 YEAH.
IF, IF WE KNOW IT'S NOT OCCUPIED OR VACANT STRUCTURE, WE DON'T ISSUE A NOTICE TO VACATE.
UNLESS IT'S ONE OF THOSE WHERE WE SEE, UH, PEOPLE GETTING INTO, UH, A STRUCTURE THAT THEY SHOULDN'T.
HOW CAN SOMEONE DEMOLISH THEIR OWN PROPERTY? DOES THAT GO THROUGH THE BUILDING STANDARDS BOARD? IT DOES NOT.
UH, IF YOU, SO FOR EXAMPLE, I'LL GIVE YOU THE EXAMPLE.
YOU CAN REQUEST A DEMOLITION PERMIT THROUGH THE CITY UHHUH, MEANING MY DEPARTMENT.
UH, WE WILL REVIEW IT FOR COMPLIANCE WITH OUR DEMOLITION CODES.
UH, EVERY DEMOLITION REQUEST THOUGH, ALSO GETS A REVIEW BY HISTORIC PRESERVATION, UH, EVEN FOR THOSE THAT ARE NOT DESIGNATED AS A HISTORIC STRUCTURE YET, UH, BECAUSE IT MAY POTENTIALLY BE, SO THERE'S A REVIEW PROCESS.
WE WILL REVIEW IT AS A CITY, UM, AND THEN ONCE WE VERIFY IT'S OKAY TO ISSUE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT, WE WILL THEN ISSUE THAT TO YOU, OF COURSE, AFTER WE CONFIRM THAT THERE'S NO UTILITIES AND YOU CAN SAFELY DEMOLISH IT AND SUCH, BUT, OKAY.
UH, BUT YOU COULDN'T JUST DO IT ON YOUR OWN WITHOUT A DEMOLITION PERMIT.
AND I KNOW THAT'S PART OF THE CONCERN THAT, THAT WE HERE EXPRESS THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING OUT AND THEY'RE BUYING THESE OLDER PROPERTIES, NOT MUCH, AND THEN THEY'RE DEMOLISHING THEM TO BUILD SOMETHING NEW AND GENTRIFYING A NEIGHBORHOOD.
BUT ALL OF THAT NEEDS TO GO THROUGH YOUR OFFICE AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION.
BUT IF IT'S A PERFECTLY SUSTAINABLE BUILDING THAT SOMEBODY COULD LIVE IN, SOMEONE COULD JUST TEAR IT DOWN TO BUILD A $300,000 PROPERTY ON THAT LOT, RIGHT? YES.
OUR, OUR, THE STATE OF TEXAS PROPERTY RIGHTS STATE AND OUR CODES, UH, IF YOU, IF YOU MEET THE, THE STANDARDS, IF YOU, IF YOU PRESENT ME A DEMOLITION PERMIT APPLICATION, AND IT MEETS ALL THE DEMOLITION CRITERIA, ALL THE SAFETY CRITERIA, I'M REQUIRED BY LAW TO GIVE YOU THAT PERMIT.
BUT WE, WE HAVE THOSE STEPS IN THERE, UH, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S POTENTIALLY HISTORIC OR HISTORIC, BUT POTENTIALLY HISTORIC, UM, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH HISTORIC PRESERVATIONS.
AND I SHOULD ADD THAT HISTORIC PROPERTIES, ANYTHING THAT'S DESIGNATED HISTORIC AS AN ADDED HAS TO GO TO THE HISTORIC DESIGN REVIEW COMMISSION.
THERE'S A SEPARATE PROCESS FOR THOSE.
UM, A LOT OF, UH, A LOT OF PROTECTIONS AGAINST DEMOLITION OF THOSE HISTORIC PROPERTIES BUILT IN.
DOES MIKE HAVE ONE? I HEARD AN ALARM GO OFF.
I'LL COME BACK WITH MORE LATER.
I'LL, I'LL PUT YOU BACK ON THE QUEUE.
YOU KNOW, UM, WHETHER THIS REPORT IS COMPLETELY FACTUALLY CORRECT OR ACCURATE OR NOT, I'M REALLY GLAD THAT WE'RE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION.
UM, AND MIKE, I'M CURIOUS, UM, ON ONE OF YOUR FIRST SLIDES, YOU SAID THAT THIS REPORT IS
[01:10:01]
NOT A PRODUCT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS.AND THEN WHEN I GO AND LOOK AT THE REPORT ON THE FIRST PAGE, THERE'S THE SEAL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN, AND IT SAYS, ENT, ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CLINIC, SCHOOL OF LAW FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS.
SO, HOW DO YOU DISTINGUISH WHETHER OR NOT IT IS A PRODUCT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS? YEAH, I KNOW HE'S GONNA GIMME, YEAH, I THINK, UH, I THINK WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, AND THAT'S PART OF THE CONFUSION, I THINK, UH, BUT THE REPORT ITSELF, UH, I GUESS ON THE PAGE TWO, PAGE TWO, UH, IT SAYS THE REPORT REFLECTS THE RESEARCH AND VIEWS OF THE INDIVIDUAL AUTHORS.
IT DOES NOT REPRESENT THE VIEWS OF UT LAW SCHOOL OR THE UT TEXAS AT AUSTIN.
SO I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE COMING FROM THERE.
AND THEN, UM, IN THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT SECTION OF THE REPORT, IT SAYS, UH, SPECIAL THANKS TO CITY STAFF ACROSS THE STATE WHO RESPONDED TO OUR MANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THEIR CODE ENFORCEMENT OPERATIONS.
DID, DID THEY NOT REACH OUT TO ANY OF YOUR STAFF? NO, THEY ACTUALLY, WHILE DOING THE RESEARCH, PERFORMING THE RESEARCH FOR THIS REPORT, I'M SORRY,
CAN YOU REPEAT THE QUESTION? I, I, I THOUGHT YOU WERE REDUNDANT.
I, I SAID, DID THE AUTHORS OF THIS STUDY, OR ANYBODY WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE RESEARCH OF THIS STUDY, TO YOUR KNOWLEDGE, REACH OUT TO ANY OF YOUR STAFF? YES, THEY DID.
SO I THINK WHAT WE'RE, WHAT, WHAT HAPPENED WAS THEY, THEY FILED, UH, SEVERAL OPEN RECORDS REQUESTS.
AND IN DOING SO, WHICH IS NORMAL FOR WHAT WE DO, IS WE, WE, WE PRESENT THEM THE DATA FIRST.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE GIVING THEM THE DATA THEY'RE ASKING FOR IN ACCORDANCE WITH ALL THE OPEN RECORDS.
SO THEY HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH SOME OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS GATHERING THAT DATA.
UH, BUT, BUT WHAT I'M, WHAT I'M SAYING IS I THINK SOME OF THE MISUNDERSTANDING IS, UH, YOU KNOW, I'VE, I'VE PUT UP SOME, SOME, SOME, SOME FACTS THAT, THAT ARE, THAT ARE DIFFERENT THAN THEIR FACTS.
UM, BUT THEY DID NOT MEET WITH ME AND MY LEADERSHIP TEAM THAT OVERSEES AND IMPLEMENTS THE PROGRAM IN ACCORDANCE WITH OUR LAWS, UM, ALONG WITH THE LEADERS OF THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS, FOR EXAMPLE, N H S D AND D H SS.
UH, AGAIN, THEY ASKED FOR SOME INFORMATION ON, UH, HOW MUCH, HOW HOW MUCH MONEY FOR RELOCATION WAS USED OUT OF THE RISK MITIGATION FUND, FOR EXAMPLE.
UH, THAT DATA WAS GIVEN TO THEM.
HAD THEY HAD A CONVERSATION, I THINK, WITH OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM AND, AND REALLY WANTED TO KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY AND HELP WE'VE GIVEN THE HOUSEHOLDS, WE WOULD'VE GIVEN THEM THE DATA THAT I SHARED WITH YOU TODAY.
SO I THINK THEY HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH SOME, SOME PEOPLE GATHERING THE DATA, BUT THAT ONLY THEY HAD, I KNOW THEY DIDN'T HAVE GOOD CONVERSATION WITH US TO UNDERSTAND THE DATA.
DO YOU, DO YOU THINK THAT PART OF THE REASON WE'VE ENDED UP WHERE WE ARE IS THAT MAYBE SOME OF THE INFORMATION IS NOT MORE EASILY OF THE CITY'S INFORMATION? IT'S NOT MORE EASILY ACCESSIBLE? I, I DON'T KNOW.
I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, USUALLY WHEN I GET THAT QUESTION, UH, I WOULD SAY YES.
WE, WE ALWAYS WANT AN OR INCREASING THE AVAILABILITY OF OUR DATA, UH, JUST LOOK AT ALL THE DATA WE'VE BEEN PUTTING ON OPENGOV FOR THE PAST, UH, SEVERAL YEARS NOW.
SO, UH, I THINK THAT'S, THAT COULD BE PART OF IT.
UM, AND CERTAINLY SOMETHING I THINK THE ACADEMIC STUDY THAT WE'RE GONNA COMMISSION, UH, OR ASK FOR THROUGH U T SS A WILL HELP US WITH.
AND THEN SINCE, SINCE THIS STUDY WAS, OR SINCE THIS REPORT WAS PUBLISHED, HAVE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE CITY REACHED OUT TO THE AUTHORS TO TRY TO CORRECT THE RECORD OR UNDERSTAND WHERE, WHERE THEY, YOU KNOW, WHERE, WHERE THE CITY DISAGREES WITH THEIR DATA? I, I, NOT YET.
UM, I THINK WHAT THE, WHAT, WHAT'S HAPPENED OVER THE, I MEAN, WE'VE HAD THIS NOW FOR ABOUT THREE WEEKS OR SO, RIGHT? RIGHT.
UH, WE'VE BEEN WORKING TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND, AND, AND WE KNEW VERY QUICKLY THAT THIS DATA DIDN'T LOOK RIGHT.
UH, SO WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING IS LOOKING AT OUR DATA AND TRY TO UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, JUST WHAT THEY, WHAT THEY HAVE WRITTEN DOWN AND HOW IT COMPARES.
BUT, UH, THAT DIALOGUE HASN'T HAPPENED YET.
UH, BUT IT'S CLEAR THAT, YOU KNOW, THE DATA AS I, AS I'VE SHOWN, IS, IS NOT, NOT FACTUAL, UM, AND NOT CORRECT.
AND SO ON, ON THAT NOTE OF NOT FACTUAL, YOU KNOW, UM, YOU'RE CLAIMING THAT WE'VE HAD 330, FROM 2015 TO 2020, WE'VE HAD 331 NOTICES TO VACATE OCCUPIED HOMES, SEVEN THREE ORDERS FOR DEMOLITION.
SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT'S A TOTAL OF 404 WHILE THEY'RE, WHILE THEY'RE CLAIMING 626, BUT THEN THEY'RE ALSO CLAIMING NO MORE THAN 16 ORDERS TO VACATE OR DEMOLISH IN HOUSTON, AUSTIN, DALLAS, AND FORT WORTH COMBINED.
SO HAVE YOU ALL LOOKED INTO OR QUESTIONED THOSE NUMBERS? BECAUSE EVEN IF IT'S 16 AND ALL THOSE OTHER CITIES COMBINED, AND OURS IS 404, THEN WE STILL HAVE A PROBLEM HERE.
RIGHT? WELL, I, AGAIN, I, I, I QUESTION THAT DATA.
WELL, FIRST AND FOREMOST, BECAUSE I, I THINK IT'S CLEAR THAT THE DATA THEY REPORTED ABOUT SAN ANTONIO IS INCORRECT.
WE HAVE BEEN SPENDING THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS LOOKING AT OUR DATA TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE COULD PRESENT TO YOU AND COUNCIL AND, AND THE PUBLIC WHAT, WHAT THE REAL DATA IS FOR SAN ANTONIO.
I DO KNOW, AS I MENTIONED, THAT THE CITIES ARE DIFFERENT IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS.
UH, BUT WE HAVE NOT DUG INTO THE CITY, THE OTHER CITY DATA, UH, AND HOW THEY GOT
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IT AND HOW THEY GET THAT INFORMATION.UH, BUT I DO KNOW THAT, THAT THEIR PROCESSES AND CODES ARE DIFFERENT.
UM, AND JUST FOR THE RECORD, WE RECEIVED THIS PRESENTATION AT 9:08 PM WHEN WE ARE ON THE STEPS FOR A PRESS CONFERENCE.
AND MANY OF US ON THIS COMMITTEE, WE WERE ON OUR WAY TO DISTRIBUTE FOOD TO OUR SENIORS.
UM, SO 9 0 8, UM, IS WHEN WE RECEIVED THIS PRESENTATION.
UM, SO I WANNA THANK COMMUNITY AS WELL AS DR.
WE, AND I'M DISAPPOINTED THAT THIS PRESENTATION WAS MORE AN ATTACK ON THE PRESENTATION, AND LESS ABOUT HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER, UM, TO COME UP WITH SOLUTIONS TO ENSURE THAT WE MITIGATE THE DISPLACEMENT OF FOLKS, WHETHER IT'S ONE OR 400 FAMILIES WHO ARE BEING ISSUED NOTICES TO VACATE AND ARE BEING DISPLACED.
SO, YOU KNOW, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH AS A COMMUNITY.
AND, YOU KNOW, THE FACT THAT WE'RE HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT ANOTHER STUDY GIVES ME PAUSE.
I THINK WE NEED TO TRUST THE COMMUNITY VOICE IN AND INPUT AND VOICE THAT HAS BEEN COMING FORWARD FOR YEARS, HIGHLIGHTING THIS AS AN ISSUE.
UM, SO IT GIVES ME GREAT PAUSE IF WE'RE GOING TO LOOK TO CONDUCT ANOTHER STUDY.
IF THERE IS, I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE THAT DR.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, WITH THE U D C DEADLINE COMING UP, WE COULD BE HAVING DISCUSSION ON HOW TO FIX THAT.
UH, AS COUNCILMAN MARIO BRAVO HAS POINTED OUT, WE, WE HAVE, UH, AN ISSUE HERE.
LET'S, LET'S TALK ABOUT THE SOLUTIONS RATHER THAN A TIT FOR TAT, UH, ON, ON, UH, STUDIES.
SO FOR THEIR, YOU KNOW, I, I, I WOULD HAVE HOPED THAT YOU ALL WOULD'VE HAD A CONVERSATION WITH DR.
WE, UM, OR THAT SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN INVITED TO GIVE A COMMENT ON HER STUDY.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO READ A LETTER INTO THE RECORD THAT SHE SENT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE MAYOR, UH, DEAR MAYOR BERG AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND THIS IS A LETTER FROM DR.
I'M WRITING TO FOLLOW UP ON THE REPORT THAT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SCHOOL OF LAW, ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CLINIC RELEASE LAST MONTH REGARDING THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO'S USE OF DEMOLITIONS AND VACATE ORDERS AGAINST RESIDENTS OF SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.
THE ISSUES SURROUNDING CODE ENFORCEMENT AND THE DISPLACEMENT OF VULNERABLE RESIDENTS ARE VERY IMPORTANT ISSUES TO EXPLORE AS A CITY.
WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE HELPED SHINE SOME LIGHT ON THE CITY'S POLICIES AND PRACTICES, AND ARE THANKFUL THAT THE REPORT HAS SPURRED ADDITIONAL DIALOGUE IN THE CITY ABOUT THESE PRACTICES AND WHAT TYPE OF REFORMS MIGHT BE APPROPRIATE.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT HAS RAISED A NUMBER OF ISSUES REGARDING THE REPORT, AND WE WELCOME THAT OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND TO THEM AND EXPLAIN OUR METHODOLOGY MORE IN DEPTH.
FOR INSTANCE, IN REGARD TO QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER OUR DATA CAME FROM WHERE OUR DATA CAME FROM, OUR FINDINGS REGARDING THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO'S ORDERS AND RELOCATIONS ASSISTANCE RELIED UPON DATA PROVIDED BY WHICH THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES DEPARTMENTS HAVE PROVIDED THROUGH OPEN RECORDS REQUEST.
SO, HER STUDY CITES CITY DATA, AS WELL AS CONVERSATIONS WITH STAFF.
WE, UH, WE CAN SHARE THIS DATA UPON REQUEST.
WE ALSO STAND BEHIND THE DATA WE OBTAINED FROM OTHER CITIES, WHICH WAS OBTAINED THROUGH OPEN RECORDS REQUESTS, ALONG WITH IN-DEPTH INTERVIEWS WITH SENIOR CITY CODE STAFF.
WE HOPE WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO FURTHER EXPLAIN OUR FINDINGS.
IN THE END, REGARDLESS OF THE EXACT NUMBERS OF ORDERS TO VACATE AND DEMOLISH, WE HOPE THAT THERE'S RECOGNITION THAT HUNDREDS OF FAMILIES HAVE BEEN DISPLACED FROM THEIR HOMES IN SAN ANTONIO BECAUSE OF SUBSTANDARD LIVING CONDITIONS.
AND THOUSANDS MORE ARE LIVING IN SUBSTANDARD LIVING CONDITIONS AND VULNERABLE TO BEING DISPLACED.
MUCH WORK REMAINS TO BE DONE IN OUR COMMUNITIES TO PREVENT DISPLACEMENT AND HELP OUR MOST VULNERABLE RESIDENTS ACCESS SAFE AND AFFORDABLE HOME.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ON THESE CHALLENGES.
WE CONTINUE TO WELCOME YOUR QUESTIONS AND FEEDBACK ON OUR WORK, AND REMAIN AVAILABLE TO MEET, TO DISCUSS OUR FINDINGS.
SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT, YOU KNOW, THOSE CONVERSATIONS DO TAKE PLACE.
UM, BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, UM, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE CONVERSATIONS THAT, UH, THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL CITY COMMISSION STUDIES THAT HAVE HIGHLIGHTED THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CODE ENFORCEMENT AND THE INCREASING NUMBERS OF DEMOLITIONS.
SO, SO AGAIN, I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT THOSE STUDIES THAT WE'VE ALREADY SPENT PUBLIC DOLLARS TO STUDY AND EXAMINE AND WORK TOWARDS THOSE SOLUTIONS.
UH, AGAIN, WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT THESE PRACTICES EQUATE TO MODERN DAY REDLINING, AND WHEN WE CAN, AND, AND WE CAN CONTINUE TO DEFEND WHAT WE'RE DOING AS A CITY, OR WE CAN DO BETTER TO ENSURE WE AREN'T IMPLEMENTING THESE PREDATORY PRACTICES.
SO, A, A, AGAIN, THE NEIGHBORHOODS WITH THE HIGHEST CONCENTRATION OF DEMOLITION AND VACATE ORDERS, PARTICULARLY THOSE ON THE EAST AND WEST SIDE, ARE THE SAME NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE BEEN HISTORICALLY SHAPED BY DECADES OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE DISINVESTMENT AND RACIALLY DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES AND LAWS SUCH AS BANK REDLINING.
SO, YOU KNOW, MOVING FORWARD, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE TO PROPOSE SOLUTIONS WHEN WE LOOK AT THE DATA OF ASSISTANCE THAT HAS BEEN PROVIDED, UH, TO FAMILIES THROUGH THE SERVICES THAT
[01:20:01]
EXIST, BUT ARE, WE KNOW, ARE SEVERELY UNDERFUNDED.AND AGAIN, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THOSE DOLLARS THAT WE'RE HAVING CONVERSATIONS AROUND, AROUND THE BOND COMMUNITY HAD TO MAKE SURE THEY TOOK TIME OFF OF WORK TO GIVE PUBLIC INPUT, TO LET THEIR VOICES KNOW THAT THIS IS A PRIORITY, THAT THESE RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE FOR FOLKS AT RISK OF DEMOLITION.
UH, WE'VE LISTED, UH, 474, UH, PROPERTIES DEMOLISHED IN THE CHART.
UM, HOW MANY WERE NOT DEMOLISHED THAT WENT BEFORE THE BUILDING STANDARDS BOARD? IN OTHER WORDS, OTHER SOLUTIONS WERE BROUGHT FORWARD? UH, DO WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION OVER THE SAME PERIOD OF TIME? I, I HAVE IT.
I DON'T HAVE IT FOR YOU TODAY.
UM, SO I CAN GET THAT FOR YOU, COUNCILMAN, IN THE COMMITTEE.
WELL, WOULD YOU SAY IT'S AN EQUAL NUMBER OR TWICE AS MANY, OR HALF AS MANY? ARE THEY DEMOLISHING 90% OF WHAT COMES BEFORE THE BOARD, OR 50%? I DON'T WANNA PUT PERCENTAGE TO IT, BUT A MAJORITY OF THE ONES THAT END AT B S B, UM, END UP WITH A DEMOLITION ORDER.
AND THE REASON I SAY THAT IS BECAUSE MOST OF THE TIMES, IF THERE IS A WAY TO NOT EVEN GET TO THE B S B, WE DO THAT.
WE WORK WITH THE, THE O, THE OWNER OR THE PROPERTY OWNER TO UNDERSTAND WHAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED, WHAT NEEDS TO, WHAT, WHAT REPAIRS NEED TO BE MADE TO KEEP IT OUT OF THE DANGEROUS STRUCTURE CATEGORY.
IT MAY START AS A DANGEROUS STRUCTURE, BUT THEY WORK AND HAVE THE MEANS, AND, AND THEY WORK WITH A CONTRACTOR.
WE SIT DOWN WITH THEM, UH, SO THEY DON'T END UP ON A B SS B HEARING BECAUSE THEY'VE ALREADY, UH, FOUND THAT WAY TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM.
THERE ARE SOME THOUGH, THAT DO GET THAT FAR, AND WE DON'T FIND THE MEANS UNTIL THE END.
THE BOARD HEARS THE CASE, AND WHEN THERE'S A, THERE'S A POTENTIAL FOR IT TO BE, UH, FIXED RATHER THAN DEMOLISHED TO ABATE THE HAZARD, THEY WILL GRANT EITHER ADDITIONAL TIME AND OR A REPAIR ORDER THAT WILL GRANT MONTHS TO DO THE REPAIRS OR START THE REPAIRS AND MAKE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS.
SO, BUT I COULD GET THAT DATA FOR YOU COUNCIL.
YEAH, I THINK THAT WOULD BE GOOD TO HEAR ALSO THE NUMBER OF, UH, OF CODE VIOLATIONS OF A SERIOUS NATURE THAT ARE, UH, ABLE TO BE FIXED INSTEAD OF GOING TO THE BUILDING STANDARDS BOARD.
AND THERE MAY BE HUNDREDS OR THOUSANDS OF THOSE, BECAUSE I AGREE, THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF PROPERTIES THAT ARE EITHER UNSAFE OR DANGEROUS OR HAVE A LOT OF HAZARDS FOR PEOPLE TO LIVE IN, BUT PEOPLE WHO LIVING THERE AND HAVE BEEN FOR YEARS, AND THEY MAY WANT TO CONTINUE.
AND IF THERE ARE STEPS THAT YOUR DEPARTMENT'S BEEN TAKING TO KEEP PEOPLE IN THERE, I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE.
HOW IS A CODE VIOLATION REVIEWED BY THE D S D STAFF AFTER A CODE OFFICER SAYS THERE'S A MAJOR VIOLATION, IT MAY BE UNSAFE.
WHAT'S THE PROCESS THROUGH YOUR OFFICE THEN? SURE.
SO, WELL, THE CODE OFFICER, WHEN THEY, UH, WHEN THEY VISIT THE SITE, THEY INSPECT THE SITE, UM, AND THEY, THEY PUT UP THEIR REPORT, WHICH IS IF THEY IDENTIFY, UH, VIOLATIONS, THAT IS A FORM THAT IS A CHECKLIST THERE, UM, OF ALL THE COMPONENTS THAT RELATED TO THE PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE, UH, THEY WILL THEN REVIEW THOSE CASES AFTER THEY ISSUE NOTICES TO THE PROPERTY OWNER THAT YOU HAVE VIOLATIONS.
I'M GONNA, YOU KNOW, THERE'S 30 DAYS TO, TO, TO FIX OR START FIXING THEM.
UH, BUT THEN THAT THO EACH OF THOSE CASES GETS REVIEWED BY THE SUPERVISOR, AND THEN EVENTUALLY THE FURTHER IT GETS ALONG, AS WE GET CLOSER TO A POTENTIAL BUILDING STANDARDS BOARD HEARING, UH, WE'VE ACTUALLY REQUESTED A MEETING WITH THE OWNER TO SIT DOWN AND GO OVER AND HAVE THAT CONVERSATION SO THEY FULLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PROCESS IS, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
SOME DO NOT ATTEND THAT MEETING.
SOME DO, RIGHT? NOT EVERYBODY A HUNDRED PERCENT WANTS TO MEET WITH US.
UH, BUT WE MAKE THAT ATTEMPT ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS.
AND THEN EVEN BEFORE WE EVEN GET TO B S B, THERE'S A REVIEW BY THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF, OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES AND OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT MANAGERS REVIEWING THE CASE THAT THE CODE OFFICER HAS PUT, AND ALL THE DETAILS THAT I JUST DESCRIBED, AND THE TIMELINES ALONG WITH HISTORIC PRESERVATION STAFF.
SO WE HAVE THAT MEETING TO DETERMINE IF THIS IS ACTUALLY GONNA MOVE FORWARD.
UH, AND THERE'S NO OTHER HELP THAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FIND WITH THIS PROPERTY.
SO, AGAIN, I'VE, I'M, I'VE GAVE YOU A VERY QUICK SUMMARY OF THE MAJOR POINTS OF EMPHASIS, UM, THAT WE, THAT WE HAVE.
SO ONE, ONE LAST QUESTION, IF I MAY.
UH, WHEN YOU ISSUE A NOTICE TO VACATE, WHAT HAPPENS IF THE PEOPLE DON'T VACATE? WHAT IF THEY SAY, WE HAVE NO PLACE TO GO, WE'RE GONNA STAY HERE? WELL, AS I MENTIONED IN HERE IS, YOU KNOW, WE, WE DON'T, UH, WE DON'T TAKE THEM TO COURT.
UM, WE, UH, WE COULD, WE, WE, WE ACTUALLY JUST CONTINUE TO TRY TO, TRY TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO GET OUT OF THIS, UH, DANGEROUS CONDITION.
I THINK THE EFFORTS OF OUR OTHER TEAMS IN TERMS OF OUR, OUR, UH, I CALL 'EM CASE MANAGERS, AGAIN, I'M SORRY, THE NAVIGATORS OR OTHER, UH, DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES
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OR NEIGHBORHOOD STAFF, WE ARE THERE TRYING TO WORK WITH THAT, UH, RESIDENT, UH, TO, TO GET THEM OUT OF THERE AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO FIND THEM AT LEAST A TEMPORARY SOLUTION.EVEN IF IT'S THOSE MOTEL STAYS OR HOTEL STAYS WHILE A REPAIR CAN HAPPEN OR SOMETHING, WE CAN FIGURE SOMETHING OUT.
BUT, UM, THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S TYPICALLY WHAT WE DO ON A VICTIM.
'CAUSE THE NOTICE YOU GIVE SAYS YOU'VE GOT 72 HOURS, AND THAT'S CERTAINLY NOT ENOUGH FOR MANY, MANY PEOPLE.
SO YOU DON'T ACTUALLY EVICT THEM.
NO, I'VE BEEN, YOU CONTINUE TO PRO PROVIDE SERVICES THAT YOU HOPE THEY'LL TAKE.
YEAH, I, I'VE BEEN, UH, I'VE BEEN THE DIRECTOR NOW FOR COMING UP, UH, WELL, FOUR YEARS IN SOME, AND WE'VE NEVER PHYSICALLY DRAGGED ANYBODY OUT.
UH, BUT OUR GOAL IS TO ENCOURAGE THEM AND HELP THEM GET OUT OF THE IMMEDIATE DANGER AND THEN WORK WITH THEM TO TRY TO FIND IT, UM, IF, IF WE, IF WE CAN.
I THINK WHAT, UH, COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO SAID REALLY RESONATED ME WITH ME ABOUT, UH, GETTING AWAY FROM, UH, CRITICIZING REPORTS AND PROPOSING NEW STUDIES AND FOCUS ON HOW DO WE MAKE THE SITUATION BETTER HERE WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING.
AND I WANTED TO ASK, UH, HOW LONG DO OWNERS HAVE TO MAKE REPAIRS IF ORDER TO DO SO BY THE BUILDING STANDARDS BOARD? WELL, IT, IT RANGES.
UM, IT NORMALLY IT'S 30 TO 60 DAYS, DEPENDING UPON WHAT THE ISSUES ARE.
AND, AND A LOT OF TIMES, UM, IF, IF THE, UH, IT, IT CAN BE LONGER, UH, BUT WHAT THEY'LL DO IS THEY'LL, THEY'LL GIVE THEM 60 DAYS OR SO, OR 30 OR 60 DAYS TO OBTAIN THE PERMITS, START THE PROJECT, AND THEN COME BACK TO THE BOARD WITH REALLY, THE CODE OFFICER OR THE CODE TEAM WILL REPORT BACK THE PROGRESS, AND THEN THAT TIMELINE WILL BE EXTENDED.
SO, AND AT WHAT POINT ARE ANY KIND OF ASSISTANCE NAVIGATORS, UH, BROUGHT INTO THE PROCESS AND, AND INTRODUCED TO THE, THE BUILDING OCCUPANTS? AS, AS, AS SOON AS WE IDENTIFY, THERE'S A PERSON THAT, THAT MAY HAVE NEED, RIGHT? SO IF WE ROLL, IF, IF WE, IF WE, UH, RUN INTO A, A SITUATION WHERE, UH, CLEARLY IT'S OCCUPIED, CLEARLY IT'S DANGEROUS, UH, MY CODE OFFICER AT THAT POINT IS STARTING THEIR REPORTS, HAVING CONVERSATIONS AND VERBALLY LETTING THEM KNOW THE CITY HAS RESOURCES.
THE CITY HAS SOME PEOPLE THAT ARE EXPERTS OF CONNECTING YOU, WHETHER IT BE HELPING YOU FIND YOUR, YOUR FAMILY TO PROVIDE SOME ASSISTANCE.
'CAUSE THAT'S HAPPENED SOMETIMES, WHETHER IT BE, UH, THROUGH ONE OF THE PROGRAMS IDENTIFIED, UH, PREVIOUSLY, UH, AND JUST KIND OF CONNECTING THEM WITH THAT NAVIGATOR OR CASE MANAGER.
THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN MONTHS DOWN THE ROAD.
UH, THAT HAPPENS EARLY ON WHEN THAT NEED IS.
AND WE, WE ATTEMPT TO MAKE THAT CONNECTION, SO.
AND THEN ARE, ARE THOSE BUILDING, ARE THE BUILDING STANDARDS BOARD MEETINGS CURRENTLY BEING HELD VIRTUALLY? ARE THEY BEING HELD IN PERSON? NO, THEY'RE IN PERSON.
AND HAVE, HAVE THEY BEEN IN PERSON, LIKE HOW LONG HAVE THEY BEEN IN PERSON NOW? OR WERE THEY IN VIRTUALLY FOR A WHILE DURING COVID? DID THEY, WERE THEY PAUSED DURING COVID? ABOUT THREE, ABOUT THREE MONTHS.
UH, IF YOU, AS YOU, AS YOU MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW, JUST LIKE THE, THE COUNCIL MEETINGS, THERE WAS A PERIOD OF TIME LAST YEAR WHERE ALL OF OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS WENT VIRTUAL, BUT THEY'VE BEEN BACK IN PERSON ABOUT THREE MONTHS SINCE AUGUST.
SO HOW DID YOU HANDLE THAT PROCESS WHEN, YOU KNOW, GIVEN THAT IF SOMEBODY CAN'T EVEN TAKE CARE OF THEIR OWN HOME, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE UNLIKELY TO HAVE INTERNET ACCESS MM-HMM.
SO HOW WERE THEY SUPPORTED IN BEING ABLE TO, TO, TO HAVE ACCESS TO THOSE MEETINGS? WELL, WE HAD, UH, WE, WE HAD A WHOLE, UH, STRATEGY DURING COVID TO HELP PEOPLE THROUGH THE CODE ENFORCEMENT PROCESS, WHETHER IT'S A DANGEROUS STRUCTURE OR NOT.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND WE, WE DID HAVE, THERE WAS NO DEMOLITIONS ALLOWED BY THE STATE AT THAT TIME.
SO, UH, BUT WE HELD MEETINGS, UH, PEOPLE DID ATTEND, UH, VIA, UH, THE INTERNET.
SO, UM, I'D, I'D HAVE TO LOOK TO MY FRIENDS.
OH, AND THAT'S THE OTHER THING.
THEY COULD CALL IN, UH, IT WASN'T JUST ABOUT INTERNET.
IT WAS THE, THE, THE, THE VIRTUAL MEETINGS, IF YOU WILL, UH, WERE, WERE, YOU WERE ABLE TO CALL IN AND PARTICIPATE AS THE OWNER, AS THE NEIGHBOR THAT WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE CASE, ET CETERA.
SO CALLING IN WAS, UH, WAS, WAS UTILIZED QUITE A BIT.
COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO, THANK YOU CHAIR.
UM, I, I ALSO, UH, WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THE DISTRICT FIVE CODE COMPLIANCE OFFICERS WHO ON THEIR FREE TIME ABATE, UH, MANY OF THESE PROPERTIES.
YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT THE PROCESS, YOU KNOW, ISN'T RIGHT, UH, IN PRACTICE.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT RE-IMAGINING THE WAYS IN WHICH WE ENFORCE THE CITY CODE TO WHERE OUR OFFICERS CODE OFFICERS DON'T HAVE TO DO IT ON THEIR FREE TIME TO HELP THESE FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, I WANNA, UH, UH, UH, POINT TO THE CITY'S OPPORTUNITY AT RISK STUDY, WHICH HAS FOUND THAT IN A CITY LIKE SAN ANTONIO, WHICH LACKS COMPREHENSIVE PROPERTY LEVELS,
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UH, VACANT BUILDING DATA AND RENTAL PROPERTY INSPECTIONS, DEMOLITIONS CAN OCCUR SIMPLY BECAUSE OF THE PROPERTY'S OWNER OWNER'S FAILURE TO RESPOND TO CODE COMPLIANCE, NOT NECESSARILY BECAUSE THE BUILDING IS NOT SALVAGEABLE.AND I KNOW YOU'VE MENTIONED THAT THERE ARE WRAPAROUND SERVICES, AND I KNOW PRIOR TO ME BEING ELECTED, YOU AND I HAD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT THOSE WRAPAROUND SERVICES SHOULD LOOK LIKE.
I'M STILL WAITING ON THE PAMPHLET THAT YOU ALL SUPPOSEDLY PROVIDE TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
IF I COULD GET THAT, I'M STILL WAITING ON IT AND WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, WHO YOU, YOU, YOU MENTIONED THAT THERE ARE SERVICES BEING PROVIDED.
WHICH DEPARTMENT IS PROVIDING THOSE SERVICES? UH, WE UTILIZE, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
WE UTILIZE, UH, SOME OF D H S.
UH, AND DEPENDING ON THE CIRCUMSTANCES, IF WE NEED TO PULL IN METRO HEALTH OR ANYBODY ELSE, WE WILL.
WHO, WHO'S GOING TO THE HOMES TO ISSUE THIS INFORMATION FROM THESE DEPARTMENTS? UH, IT'S EITHER THE CODE OFFICER OR THE SUPERVISOR.
YEAH, I'D LIKE NAMES, UM, NOT DEPARTMENTS.
DO YOU HAVE THOSE? WELL, I HAVE 117 CODE OFFICERS.
WITH THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, UH, BLOCK GRANTED CODE COMPLIANCE OFFICERS THAT ARE RESTRICTED BY CENSUS TRACK AND INCOME LEVELS, WHERE FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS HAS THAT CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER FUNDED BY C B D G FUNDS HAS BEEN LOCATED.
WHERE, WHERE WAS THE PRIMARY AREA OF WE HAD, UH, WE HAD TWO CODE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS FUNDED BY C D B G.
WE HAD ONE IN DISTRICT FIVE, AND THE OTHER ONE IN DISTRICT TWO WHERE WE'RE SEEING THE INCREASE TO DEMOLITIONS.
WE JUST MOVED THEM INTO, INTO DISTRICT THREE.
THROUGH THE CONVERSATIONS WE'VE HAD, UH, ONE OF THEM WAS MOVED TO DISTRICT THREE.
SO, SO WHERE WE'RE SEEING THE, THE, THE CONCENTRATION OF DEMOLITIONS DISTRICT FIVE AND TWO IS WHERE THE C D B G FUNDED CODE COMPLIANCE OFFICERS WERE? IS THAT WHAT I JUST HEARD? YES.
I JUST SAID THEY WERE IN DISTRICT FIVE AND DISTRICT TWO.
AND THE DATA SHOWS THAT, THAT'S WHERE, WHERE THE INCREASED DEMOLITIONS ARE.
UM, SO HOW OFTEN ARE, UM, FOLKS GRANTED EXTENSIONS WHEN THEY'RE AT THE, UH, BUILDING AND STANDARDS BOARD? UM, IT'S COMMON.
HOW OFTEN ARE EXTENSIONS? OKAY.
UM, WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK AHEAD OF US.
UM, MIKE, I THINK WHAT THE AMOUNT OF QUESTIONS THAT HAVE COME HAVE SHOWN THAT WE DO NEED THAT U T SS A STUDY.
WE DO NEED THE COUNCIL'S INPUT.
AND IF ERIC'S WATCHING, WE DO NEED THE TIMELINE PROBABLY AT THE FIRST OF THE YEAR OF WHEN THIS IS GONNA HAPPEN.
UM, THE ONE THING I WANTED TO CLARIFY IS, I, I ASKED FOR THIS.
I, I WAS ONE OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT ASKED FOR THIS RESPONSE.
UM, IT WAS AN ARPA MEETING, AND IT WAS, IT WAS VERY DISTURBING.
IT WAS DIFFICULT FOR ME BECAUSE I WANTED THE CITY'S RESPONSE BECAUSE NOT JUST IN DEFENSE OF, OF MIKE AND HIS TEAM AND THE CODE OFFICERS THAT I KNOW ARE WORKING, BUT I HAVE AN INCREDIBLE STAFF TEAM THAT FOLLOWS UP ON THOSE DARK CASES, FOLLOWS UP ON THOSE CODE CASES, AND DOES EVERYTHING THAT THEY COULD.
SO THIS REPORT TO ME, WAS NOT JUST AN ATTACK, UM, WAS AN ATTACK ON MY STAFF, WHICH WORKS VERY HARD.
SO, UM, THE ONE THING I WANT LOOK AT AND, AND CONTINUE TO REMIND IS DART SENDS ME UPDATES OF WHEN THEY'RE DOING, UH, SOMETHING OUT IN MY DISTRICT.
UH, THE, THE TEAM'S REALLY GOOD ABOUT REACHING OUT.
I KNOW, AND I CAN SIT HERE, AND I, AND I TELL YOU, I KNOW, AND THIS IS WHY I NEED THE DATA, IS THAT MANY OF THESE COMPLAINTS ARE, ARE INITIATED FOR, AT LEAST IN DISTRICT THREE BY MY RESIDENTS.
AND I, I WOULD LIKE THE PROOF TO, TO SHOW MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES, BUT I, I NEED THAT DATA.
UM, BECAUSE I HEAR IT AT THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETINGS, UH, I'M THANKFUL, UH, AND I KNOW, UM, AT BUDGET I WAS OFFERED MORE CODE OFFICERS, AND I'LL TAKE AS MANY CODE OFFICERS AS I CAN BECAUSE IT, IT'S, WHILE THAT 474 FROM B SS B TOTAL, UH, OVER, WHAT IS IT, SIX YEARS, THAT 331 IS, IS NOT WHERE WE DON'T WANNA BE THERE.
BUT AGAIN, I GO BACK TO HOW DID WE GET THERE? HOW DID WE GET THERE? AND, AND THAT'S WHERE MY NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, HOUSING SERVICES, MY NONPROFITS THAT ARE DOING WORK, UH, THAT TRULY ARE WORKING TO TRY AND BRING PEOPLE OUT.
BUT I, I JUST WANTED TO SAY, I KNOW I WAS ONE OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT ASKED FOR THIS REPORT, IS WHY WE'RE DOING IT TODAY.
I'M NOT SURE IF THERE WERE OTHERS, BUT I WANNA THANK, UH, MARIA VIA GOMEZ, WHO WAS AT THAT MEETING WITH ME, AND I TOLD HER, I NEED THIS AND
[01:35:01]
I NEED IT FOR THE COMMITTEE, LIKE NOWAND, AND YES, SO WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO.
UM, I THINK THAT THIS IS, UH, SOMETHING THAT, THAT HAS BEEN IN THE, IN THE WORKS.
UM, I ALSO WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU AND COUNCILMAN CASTILLO MENTIONED SOMETHING AND, AND I THINK THAT I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, DEFINITELY CONSIDER THIS.
AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS, UM, AND WE RECEIVED THAT EMAIL FROM HEATHER WAY AT LIKE 10:00 AM OR SOMETHING.
UH, SO I HADN'T SEEN IT UNTIL COUNCILMAN CASTILLO REFERENCED IT.
UM, BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE IF YOU ALL CAN DEFINITELY REACH OUT.
AND ONE OF THE, THE MAJOR CONCERNS THAT I HAD WITH THE REPORT, UM, WAS SPECIFICALLY THAT THE OTHER CITIES, UH, ONLY ISSUED 16 ORDERS TO VACATE.
HOWEVER, THERE WAS A NOTE THAT SAID SAN ANTONIO'S ORDERS TO VACATE REPORTED ONLY INCLUDED ORDERS TO VACATE THAT WERE NOT COUPLED WITH A DEMOLITION ORDER.
SO DEFINITELY, I I WAS HOPING THAT MAYBE SHE COULD SHED SOME LIGHT ON THE COMPARISON THERE.
UM, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE COMPARING APPLES TO APPLES, UH, ON THAT.
AND THEN SPECIFICALLY, I, I, I DID NOTICE THAT OUR CITY, IT SOUNDS LIKE FROM THE REPORT, DOES NOT TRACK VACATE ORDERS THAT ARE INCORPORATED INTO A DEMOLITION ORDER.
AND SO IT'S NOT DISTINGUISHABLE THEN BETWEEN OCCUPIED AND UNOCCUPIED HOMES WHEN TRACKING DEMOLITION ORDERS ARE GIVEN.
WE HAVE THE DATA FOR, UM, BOTH, UH, NON, I THINK IT'S NON B, S B CASES AND B S B CASES.
SO I'M, I'M, SO THEN, SO DEFINITELY I'D, I'D LOVE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION THEN, UM, WITH, UH, WITH, WITH THE FOLKS WHO, WHO PUT TOGETHER THE REPORT.
UM, AND I WANTED TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING UP ANYTHING ELSE.
UM, AND, AND I WOULD BE HAPPY TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION, UM, AND, AND ASK PURELY FROM A RESEARCH PERSPECTIVE.
THERE WAS SOME THINGS THAT, UM, I WAS CONCERNED WITH SPECIFICALLY.
AND I, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY HAS ACCURATE INFORMATION.
AND, UM, I, I PULLED UP THE EMAIL, UH, DURING THE MEETING, AND SO SHE WANTS TO CLARIFY SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE SAID THAT I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT.
SO IF WE GIVE, YOU CAN GIVE HER THE OPPORTUNITY TO CLARIFY IT, I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL, UM, TO MOVE FORWARD.
BUT THEN MORE IMPORTANTLY, YES, LIKE MY COLLEAGUE SAID, THERE'S JUST A WHOLE LOT THAT, THAT WE NEED TO DO.
UM, THERE, I WOULD LIKE TO MAYBE TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT A MORE ROBUST PROCESS OF DATA COLLECTION, UM, WITH SOME RECOMMENDATIONS.
THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WERE IN HERE, LIKE I SAID, WERE, WERE GREAT.
SOME OF THEM WE'RE ALREADY DOING IT SOUNDS LIKE BY, BY WHAT YOU ALL ARE SAYING, BUT I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A CLEAR DEFINITION OF HOW WE'RE DOING THEM.
THE INFORMATION THAT YOU PROVIDED TO TODAY, I THINK WAS HELPFUL, BUT THERE'S STILL A LOT THAT CAN BE DONE.
SO I DEFINITELY THINK THAT, UM, COMMISSIONING A STUDY WOULD BE IMPORTANT, BUT HOW DO WE COMPARE WITH OTHER 300 YEAR OLD CITIES? HOW OLD IS OUR HOUSING STOCK IS ONE OF THESE THINGS.
WHERE ARE OUR OLDEST HOMES IN THE CITY LOCATED? DO THEY HAPPEN TO BE, UH, LOCATED IN, IN, IN THE COUNCIL DISTRICTS THAT HAVE THE MOST CASES? AND WHAT ARE WE DOING TO PREVENT, RIGHT.
AND WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE OTHER COUNCIL DISTRICTS THAT ARE GETTING UP IN AGE AS FAR AS THEIR HOUSING STOCKS.
SO WHAT DO WE DO NOW, BE IT TO PREVENT THIS SO THAT IT DOESN'T BECOME, UM, INTO, UH, THE, THE SAME THING, RIGHT? FOR, FOR THOSE OTHER DISTRICTS.
AND THEN, UM, ALSO I'D LIKE TO SEE, DO YOU ALL HAVE A COMPARISON SPECIFICALLY OF, UM, ISSUES OR ORDERS TO VACATE, UH, THAT, THAT COMPARE WITH, HAVE YOU ALL EVER DONE THAT STUDY WITH OTHER CITIES AND HOW WE COMPARE? NO.
SO THEN DEFINITELY THE NEED TO, TO DO THAT WOULD BE IMPORTANT.
AND THEN, UM, I DO, UH, I DO THINK THAT THERE'S, UM, THERE, THERE WAS ONE PART OF THE REPORT THAT WAS, UM, CONCERNING TO ME IN PARTICULAR.
AND, UM, IT, IT TALKED ABOUT, UH, UM, TARGETING AND, AND CODE ENFORCEMENT SWEEPS AND, AND AGGRESSIVE CODE ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS.
AND I DO SEE THAT WE HAVE SOME CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS HERE, UH, PRESENT.
AND SO I, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, UH, ARE TALKING TO OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AS WELL.
THERE WAS A COMMENT EARLIER BY ONE OF OUR PUBLIC SPEAKERS THAT SAID THAT THE WAY THAT THEY ARE TALKED TO IS, IS DEMEANING.
UM, I DON'T THINK THAT THERE'S, THAT EVERY SINGLE CODE OFFICER MIGHT BE, UH, SPEAKING IN THAT MANNER.
IT MIGHT BE A STANDALONE CASE.
IT, IT MIGHT BE SEVERAL, BUT WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHO'S DOING IT AND FIX IT.
RIGHT? AND SO MAYBE CUSTOMER SERVICE.
UM, I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF TRAINING OUR CODE OFFICERS, UM, DO GO THROUGH, BUT I KNOW THAT THE CODE OFFICERS IN DISTRICT FOUR IN PARTICULAR, UM, WORK WITH OUR COUNCIL DISTRICT STAFF EVERY, UH, EVERY, ALMOST EVERY DAY, THEY'LL STOP BY AND THEY'LL CHECK IN.
AND, UM, WE WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR NEIGHBORS AREN'T DISPLACED.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S A STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE THOUGH FOR THE CODE OFFICERS ACROSS THE DISTRICTS.
IS THERE SOMETHING LIKE, DO THEY ALL DO THE EXACT SAME THING? WELL, WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF SOPS, UM,
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BUT WE DON'T HAVE ROBOTS.SO THAT TO SAY THEY DO THE EXACT SAME THING.
I MEAN, WE ALL DO, BUT THE KEY ITEMS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY, THEY'RE TRAINED TO ALL DO THE SAME THING ON THOSE KEY ITEMS. SURE.
AND I SAW ANDY, I THINK ANDY WAS TRYING TO, WERE YOU TRYING TO STAND UP EARLIER? AND I THINK, UH, MIKE TOOK, UM, TOOK, TOOK SOMETHING OR TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY FROM YOU.
SO I WANTED TO GIVE YOU THE CHANCE AS WELL.
I WANTED TO ADDRESS THE, UH, UH, THE COMMENT ON REDLINING BECAUSE THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
UH, REDLINING, WE ALL KNOW, WAS AN OVERTLY PURPOSEFUL, HEINOUS DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICE.
THE TRAGEDY WAS THAT WAS SANCTIONED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
UH, THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT'S BEEN DECLARED ILLEGAL.
IN FACT, ANY OVERTLY DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICE, WHETHER IT BE CODE ENFORCED FOR ANYTHING WE DO IS PATENTLY ILLEGAL.
UM, SO, UH, TO SUGGEST THAT OUR CODE OFFICERS ARE OUT THERE WITH THEIR CLIPBOARDS DETERMINING WHETHER THEY WRITE ORDERS TO VACATE DEPENDING ON THE COLOR OF THE SKIN OF THE OWNER, THERE'S NO BASIS IN FACT FOR THAT.
AND, UH, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I MADE THAT VERY CLEAR SINCE THIS IS A VERY PUBLIC MEETING AND IT HAS TO DO WITH COMPLIANCE WITH THE LAW.
UM, MIKE, UH, WERE YOU GONNA ADD SOMETHING? NO.
WELL, UM, SO THANK YOU ALL AND, AND YES, IF WE CAN, WHEN CAN WE HAVE AN UPDATE OR WHEN DO YOU THINK THAT WE CAN, UM, REACH OUT AND CONNECT WITH, UH, U T S A AND, AND ALSO WITH, UM, WITH, UH, HEATHER WAY? WELL, I'LL BE, I'LL BE TALKING WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE TODAY BASED ON NOT ONLY THE FEEDBACK YOU HAD, BUT CERTAINLY UNDERSTANDING THE TIMELINE OF SOME OF THESE KEY NEXT STEPS.
SO, UM, I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER FOR YOU TODAY, BUT I, I'M SURE BY THE END OF THE WEEK, WE'LL, UH, WE'LL, WE'LL GET YOU SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON WHAT THAT CAN LOOK LIKE.
AND I AGREE, WE, WE WILL NEED TO LOOK AT, UM, OUR, OUR POLICIES, AND I THINK THIS IS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY WITH THE SHIP COMING UP WITH THE HOUSING BOND COMING UP.
UM, IT'S, UH, IT'S TIME, HIGH TIME THAT WE DO THIS, ESPECIALLY AFTER SO MANY, UH, PREVIOUS COUNCILS HAVE FAILED TO ACT ON SOME OF THESE, UM, POLICIES THAT COULD HELP OUR RESIDENTS.
SO THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR, FOR BEING HERE.
WE'LL MOVE ON IF, IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO STAY FOR THE REST OF THE AGENDA ITEMS, YOU'RE FREE TO WALK OUT AT THIS POINT.
BUT THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING.
UH, WE'LL MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER THREE, WHICH WE DO HAVE TO GET TO.
AND IT'S AT LARGE APPOINTMENTS TO THE BUILDING RELATED AND FIRE CODE'S APPEAL AND ADVISORY BOARD.
AND IS THAT PRESENTED BY, UH, I DON'T SEE, DEBBIE, IS THAT YOU ALSO, MIKE? OKAY, GO AHEAD, MIKE.
THANK YOU FOR SWITCHING GEARS TO THIS ITEM AS WELL.
UM, SO, UH, AGAIN, MIKE SHANNON, DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, AND I'M GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT TODAY VERY QUICKLY, ABOUT AN IMPORTANT BOARD THAT WE HAVE, UH, CALLED THE BUILDING RELATED AND FIRE CODE APPEALS AND ADVISORY BOARD.
UH, IT WAS MENTIONED A LITTLE BIT AGO ABOUT OUR CODE UPDATES THAT ARE HAPPENING.
SO I'M GONNA WALK THROUGH THIS VERY QUICKLY, UM, AND, UH, LET YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND I APOLOGIZE, THIS IS A LITTLE BIT LIGHT, UH, ON THE FONT SIZE.
UM, BUT THE BUILDING AND FIRE BUILDING AND FIRE CODES APPEALS AND ADVISORY BOARD, UH, IT'S A BIG NAME.
WE CALL IT THE CONSTRUCTION BOARD.
UH, BUT IT IS OUR BOARD THAT HELPS US LOOK AT NOT THE U D C CODE AMENDMENTS, BUT THE BUILDING RELATED CODE.
SO THE BUILDING CODE, THE ELECTRICAL CODE, THE FIRE CODE, THE PLUMBING CODE, ET CETERA.
SO WHEN YOU'RE BUILDING OR RENOVATING, WE ADOPT NATIONAL STANDARDS, UH, THAT GET UPDATED EVERY THREE YEARS, AND WE LOOK TO, UH, ADOPT THEM.
THIS BOARD, UH, ACTUALLY IS THE BOARD THAT SETS SUBCOMMITTEES AND WE GO THROUGH THE PROCESS.
AND REMEMBER, U D C I'VE TALKED TO YOU ABOUT THIS GOES THROUGH THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE COMMITTEE AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION, ET CETERA.
BUT, UH, IT, THIS BOARD IS 17 MEMBERS WITH 17 ALTERNATES.
AND, UH, THEY'RE NOT CITY EMPLOYEES.
UM, AND THEY'RE WORKING MEMBERS OF DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS OR INDUSTRIES, UH, THAT MAKE UP THE BOARD.
AND I'LL, I'LL WALK YOU THROUGH THAT.
WE'RE HERE TODAY BECAUSE I HAVE SOME MEMBERS THAT NEED TO BE REAPPOINTED AND THEN SOME NEW MEMBERS THAT NEED TO BE APPOINTED TO IT, BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA GET STARTED AFTER THE FIRST OF THE YEAR, UH, LOOKING AT OUR CODES.
SO, UH, THE BOARD ACTUALLY DOES TWO THINGS REALLY.
UH, THIS BOARD IS AN APPEALS BOARD.
SO IF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, UH, OR THE FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, IF WE DENY A PERMIT BECAUSE WE BELIEVE IT DOESN'T MEET OUR BUILDING CODE OR OUR FIRE CODE OR ELECTRICAL CODE, UH, THE APPLICANT CAN APPEAL TO THE BOARD AND SAY, I THINK THE CITY EARNED ON THAT DECISION.
NOW, I WILL TELL YOU THE BUILDING CODES, UH, AND, AND THE ELECTRICAL CODES AND THE FIRE CODES ARE, UH, ARE NOT AS, UM, INTERPRETIVE, IF YOU WILL.
THEY'RE A LITTLE MORE BLACK AND WHITE THAN SOME OF OUR OTHER, YOU KNOW, WE'VE ALL DEALT WITH U D C ISSUES, THE PROPERTY MAINTENANCE ISSUES, OTHER CODES.
UM, BUT THIS IS, WE DON'T HEAR A LOT OF THOSE APPEALS BECAUSE USUALLY IF THIS TYPE OF WIRE IS NOT ALLOWED IN HOUSES BE, YOU KNOW, OR, OR, OR IN COMMERCIAL STRUCTURES, THEY JUST PICK THE RIGHT WIRE AND MOVE ON.
UH, SO WE DON'T HEAR A LOT OF THOSE.
UH, ALTHOUGH THERE'S A FEW, THE BIG THING THAT THEY DO IS THEY HELP US THROUGH THIS PROCESS OF LOOKING AT OUR BUILDING RELATED CODES AND
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SIGN CODE, WHICH WE'RE GONNA BE DOING NEXT YEAR.SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE, UH, APPLICANTS, UM, UH, READY TO GO.
SO, UH, HERE'S THE FAMILY OF CODES.
WE ADOPT THE INTERNATIONAL CODE COUNCIL.
UH, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THE PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE IS BASED ON THE INTERNATIONAL PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE.
UH, BUT THESE ARE OUR OTHER CODES, UM, AND, UH, THERE'S 10 OF THEM, UH, INCLUDING ENERGY CODE, ET CETERA.
SO, UH, WE, WE ANTICIPATE AT THE END OF NEXT YEAR, UH, TO BRING YOU ALONG WITH THE U D C A SET OF UPDATED BUILDING RELATED CODES, UH, SO THAT THE, THE CITY, UH, HAS THE LATEST AND GREATEST IN OUR SAFETY CONSTRUCTION CODES.
UH, SO WHAT WE HAVE, UH, SOME POSITIONS HERE, I THINK THEY'RE ON YOUR PACKET, YOU CAN LOOK AT YOUR SCREEN.
UH, BUT WE ACTUALLY HAVE SIX NEW MEMBERS AND EIGHT REAPPOINTMENTS.
AND THE KEY HERE IS, UH, THIS BOARD IS ACTUALLY, IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
THEY'RE NOT ZONING COMMISSIONERS.
SO YOU EACH GET ONE TO APPOINT.
IT'S NOT THE PLANNING COMMISSION THAT ONLY HAS NINE MEMBERS THAT GOES THROUGH GOVERNANCE AND THEN TO CITY COUNCIL THROUGH THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE.
THIS, THIS BOARD WAS WRITTEN SO THAT THE INDUSTRY ASSOCIATIONS, THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS GETS THE ARCHITECT POSITION, THE STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS OF TEXAS GET THE STRUCTURAL ENGINEER POSITION, AND WE GO DOWN THE LIST FOR PLUMBERS, ELECTRICIAN, THOSE INDUSTRY ORGANIZATIONS NOMINATE A PERSON OR PERSONS TO BE ON THIS BOARD.
WE REVIEW THEM IN MY DEPARTMENT JUST TO MAKE SURE THEY MEET THE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS, BUT I BRING THEM TO YOU, UH, SO THAT WE CAN HAVE, UH, APPROPRIATE MEMBERS, UH, THOSE THAT ARE DESIGNING AND BUILDING THESE BUILDINGS ARE THE ONES THAT HEAR APPEALS, UH, OR, OR LOOK AT OUR CODES, UH, MOVING FORWARD.
SO, UH, THOSE ARE THE MEMBERS, UH, I'VE LISTED THEM THERE.
I THINK YOU ALL RECEIVED THEIR RESUMES, I THINK, WITH ALL THEIR QUALIFICATIONS AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
BUT, UH, SO I JUST RECOMMEND THAT WE, UH, WE MOVE FORWARD TO CITY COUNCIL WITH THE REAPPOINTMENTS AND THE NEW MEMBERS SO THAT WE CAN START OUR CODE UPDATE PROCESS, UH, AFTER THE FIRST OF THE YEAR, STARTING TO LOOK AT ELECTRICAL CODE AND PLUMBING CODES AND BUILDING CODE AND, UH, ENERGY CODE, ET CETERA.
UH, SO THAT CAN BRING SOMETHING TO YOU ALL AT THE END OF NEXT YEAR WITH THE U D C.
SO, THAT'S ALL I HAVE, AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
UH, COUNCILMAN COURAGE HAS SOME QUESTIONS.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
I, I PRESUME, MIKE, THAT IF, IF THIS COMMITTEE APPROVES THESE, WILL IT THEN GO TO COUNCIL FOR ADDITIONAL APPROVAL? THE, YES.
SO THIS, THESE APPOINTMENTS HAVE TO BE, UH, AT A, AT A NORMAL COUNCIL RECOMMENDED FROM OUR COMMITTEE YES.
SO THE ACTION WOULD BE WE RECOMMEND, UH, THESE 14, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS FROM INDUSTRY GROUPS AND ME, UH, TO YOU.
NOW, IF FOR WHATEVER REASON THIS COMMITTEE WERE TO WANT TO SAY NO TO A PERSON MM-HMM.
WE REALLY DON'T HAVE MUCH OF A SAY.
IT'S WHOEVER THEY WANNA MOVE FORWARD, RIGHT? AND, AND WE EITHER SAY YES OR NO.
WELL, THE WAY THE CODE IS WRITTEN NOW IS THAT THE INDUSTRY MAKES THE RECOMMENDATION, RIGHT.
AND THEN WE BRING IT TO YOU, RIGHT? SO I COULD, I COULD LOOK TO OUR LEGAL DEPARTMENT, UM, WHETHER YOU COULD DO A VARIANCE, UH, AT THE COUNCIL MEETING, UH, LIKE, UH, WITHIN THE, THE MOTION ITSELF, OR WE WOULD LOOK TO CHANGE THE CODE TO GIVE, TO GIVE THAT FLEXIBILITY THAT ADDED, UM, IT'S IT'S BEEN LIKE THIS NOW FOR, I THINK IT'S BEEN ABOUT EIGHT OR 10 YEARS.
WE'VE DONE THIS A FEW TIMES, SO WE HAVEN'T HAD THAT OPPORTUNITY YET.
BUT, UM, I'M NOT SURE WHICH ONE OF THOSE TWO OPTIONS IT WOULD BE.
EITHER YOU COULD MAKE AN EXCEPTION ON THE FINAL DAIS OR, UM, WE WOULD CHANGE THE CODE AS PART OF IT TO ALLOW THAT.
SO, HAVE, HAVE YOU HAD ANY COMMUNITY NEGATIVE INPUT ON PRIOR APPOINTMENTS OR ACTIONS BY THIS BOARD? UM, ACTIONS BY THIS BOARD.
I MEAN, WE'VE HAD SOME PEOPLE DIDN'T LIKE THE DECISIONS OF THE BOARD, MEANING THEY DIDN'T GET THEIR APPEAL, UH, APPROVED OR, I MEAN, HECK, SOMETIMES THEY OVERRULE OUR DECISION, RIGHT? THEY DON'T ALWAYS AGREE WITH US OR THE FIRE MARSHAL.
SO, BUT I HAVEN'T, LIKE, THIS HAS NOT, UM, HAD THE, UH, I GUESS, UH, ANY NEGATIVE FEEDBACK.
UH, BECAUSE ONE, I THINK, I THINK THE WAY IT WORKS IS THESE COMMUNITY MEMBERS FROM THESE INDUSTRY ORGANIZATIONS, UH, I THINK THEY'VE DONE A GOOD JOB PUTTING FORTH RESPECTABLE ARCHITECTS THAT DO A GOOD JOB AND THEY'RE ENGAGED WITH WHAT WE DO HERE.
UH, PLUMBERS, BUILDING OWNERS, ELECTRICIANS GOING DOWN ALL THE WAY DOWN THE LIST TO, YEAH.
IN THAT CASE, I, I WOULD MOVE THE APPROVAL OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THOSE BEING REAPPOINTED AND NEW APPOINTEES.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THE TABLE.
IS THERE ANY MORE COUNCIL DISCUSSION? COUNCILMAN CASTILLO? THANK YOU, CHAIR.
THANK YOU, MICHAEL, FOR THE PRESENTATION.
OR MR. SHANNON?
AND, UM, MY, MY ONLY, UH, QUESTION IS I UNDERSTAND THAT THESE ARE INDUSTRY EXPERTS.
UH, HAS THERE BEEN CONVERSATION OR CONSIDERATION ABOUT A POTENTIAL SLOT FOR A TENANT OR RESIDENT, AND SINCE THEY LIVE IN THESE STRUCTURES, UM, TO GIVE INPUT, UH, ON THIS PROCESS? WELL, ANYONE CAN GIVE INPUT TO THE PROCESS, BUT, UH, NO ONE HAS,
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UH, ADDED, UH, ANOTHER SLOT.SO THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE COULD CONSIDER IF SO MOVED, UH, BY COUNSEL, WHETHER YOU'D LIKE US TO LOOK AT THIS THROUGH THE, THROUGH THE PROCESS OR, UH, GIVING US SOME DIRECTION TO CHANGE THE CODE, TO ADD A, UH, AN 18TH SLOT AND, AND AN ALTERNATE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, OR TO REMOVE A SLOT IN LIEU OF, WE'D HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT.
BUT I WILL TELL YOU, MANY OF THESE, NOT EVERYBODY THAT'S ON THIS LIST, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, LIVES IN THEIR OWN HOME OR THERE'S RENTERS IN HERE AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
SO, UH, BUT I'VE NEVER DONE THAT ANALYSIS, UH, YOU KNOW, WHERE THEY LIVE VERSUS A OWNER OR TENANT.
BUT, UH, BUT THAT HAS NOT BEEN BROUGHT UP BEFORE.
'CAUSE THERE ARE EXPERTS WITHIN THOSE REALMS THAT ARE HOUSING ORGANIZERS.
SO, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND EVERYONE LIVES IN SOMETHING, RIGHT.
BUT TO PROVIDE THAT LENS, THANK YOU.
UH, YOU KNOW, THE TWO CATEGORIES THAT STAND OUT TO ME ARE THE CATEGORIES THAT DON'T HAVE A PRIMARY OR AN ALTERNATE.
LIKE, ONE OF 'EM IS, UH, UNIONIZED HVAC CONTRACTORS, WONDERING IF, IS THERE A SHORTAGE OF UNIONIZED HVAC CO COMPANIES IN SAN ANTONIO? I, I DON'T THINK THERE'S A SHORTAGE, BUT, UH, IT HAPPENS EVERY NOW AND THEN, YOU KNOW, AND I LOOK AT THAT ONE AND I LOOK AT THE, UH, COMMERCIAL BUILDING CONTRACTOR.
THOSE ORGANIZATIONS WE'RE VERY INVOLVED WITH.
WE JUST, WE'VE JUST HAD A HARD TIME GETTING IT.
I, I THINK, UH, COUNCILMAN
AND THE COMMERCIAL, UH, CONTRACTOR GROUP, UH, ASSOCIATED BUILDER, UH, BUILDERS CONTRACTORS OF SAN ANTONIO, THEY JUST HAD SOME LEADERSHIP CHANGES.
SO I'VE ALREADY TALKED WITH THEIR NEW PRESIDENT, C E O, AND THEY'RE WORKING TO GET US SOMEONE SO GREAT.
UH, IT, YOU'RE RIGHT, EVERYBODY, WE NEED EVERYBODY REPRESENTED AND, UH, BUT OCCASIONALLY WE GET THIS, UH, PRIMARY ALTERNATE VACANCY, SO IT HEIGHTENS OUR, OUR PUSH.
UM, COUNCILMAN VERAN, DID YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? UH, GO AHEAD.
NO, I, I WANNA THANK THAT AND YES, I THINK IF, IF YOU KNOW SOMEONE I, I REACHED OUT TO THE UNION, I NOTICED THAT TOO, AND, UH, THEY'RE WORKING ON IT TO GET SOME REPRESENTATION THERE.
AND I DO HAVE TO SAY THAT THERE'S SIX NON-RESIDENTS ON HERE OF SAN ANTONIO.
SO WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO, TO PUSH FOR MORE SAN ANTONIO REPRESENTATION, THERE'S ONLY ONE FEMALE.
UM, AND I KNOW YOU AND I TALKED ABOUT THAT, AND THAT'S ALWAYS OF CONCERN TO ME, RIGHT? I, I KNOW WE'RE TRYING TO DO A LOT MORE TO GET FEMALES INTO THE TRADE, UM, AND, AND IT'S DIFFICULT, BUT JUST AS IF WE CAN GO ABOUT, MAYBE WORK WITH THE WOMEN GROUPS MM-HMM.
AND THEN, THEN THEY ARE ALL, UM, REPRESENTED, UH, DISTRICT 7, 8, 9, AND 10 ARE THE ONLY ONES WITH REPRESENTATION.
SO THAT'S, UH, UH, ALWAYS, UH, SOMETHING THAT, THAT I THINK THAT WE SHOULD BE MINDFUL OF AND SEE HOW WE CAN GET SOME SOUTHERN REPRESENTATION.
AND, AND, AND THANK YOU COUNCILMAN, WE'VE HAD THAT CONVERSATION NOW FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS AS YOU ALL ON COUNCIL HAVE, AND, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, ATTEMPTING WITH THOSE INDUSTRY ORGANIZATIONS, THEY'VE HAD CONVERSATION WITH THEIR GROUPS AT THEIR MEETINGS.
YOU KNOW, WE WANT, WE, WE WANT GOOD, UH, PARTICIPANTS, BUT WE ARE LOOKING TO GET AS MUCH DIVERSITY, BOTH, UH, BOTH GENDER, ETHNICITY AND, AND GEOGRAPHIC, AND ALL OF OUR BOARDS ARE COMMISSIONED.
WE STILL HAVE SOME WORK TO GO.
I KNOW THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY SPECIFICALLY, THEY HAVE SOME CHALLENGES.
IT'S HEAVILY MALE DOMINATED, FOR EXAMPLE.
BUT, UH, THERE ARE, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE, WE CAN'T DO A BETTER JOB GETTING A MORE DIVERSE PANEL LOOKING AT OUR CODES.
AND I JUST, YOU REMINDED ME, I ATTENDED A WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION MM-HMM.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THE TABLE.
I DO WANNA SAY THAT, UM, I SAW MIKE'S EYES LIGHT UP WHEN ALL THE I C C CODES, UH, HE WAS REFERENCING SOME OF THEM.
THANK YOU, MIKE, FOR YOUR PASSION ON, UH, ALL THE CODES.
UM, IS THERE, CAN WE GO AHEAD AND TAKE UP A, A VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTIONS? OKAY.
UH, WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER FIVE, WHICH IS THE, UM, USE OF THE HOME AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN PROGRAM FUND.
UH, AND WE HAVE A STAFF PRESENTATION TODAY.
AND LORI, IT, LORI AND VERONICA? OR ACTUALLY IT LOOKS LIKE, UH, YEAH.
OR WHO, WHICH ONE ARE YOU INE? VERONICA GARCIA.
AND THEN JUST A TIME CHECK OR, WE HAD TILL 1230, BUT ARE ANY OF OUR COLLEAGUES, UH, OKAY, PERFECT.
VERONICA GARCIA WITH NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING SERVICES.
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RECOGNIZE WE ALSO, UM, THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PLAN FOR THESE HALLMARK FUNDS HAS BEEN IN CLOSE COOPERATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT FOR HUMAN SERVICES.AND WE HAVE THEIR LEADERSHIP FROM THEIR DEPARTMENT HERE.
AND WE HAVE ALSO COORDINATED CLOSELY WITH METRO HEALTH.
WE DO HAVE STAFF FROM METRO HEALTH, AS WE AS WELL.
SO THE, UH, AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT ALLOCATED $5 BILLION THROUGH A HUD THROUGH THE HOME PROGRAM.
AND OUR CITY RECEIVED $20 MILLION OF THOSE FUNDS FOR OUR USE, AND THEY MUST BE SPENT BY SEPTEMBER, 2030, AND THEY MUST BE SPENT, UNLIKE THE OTHER HUD HOME FUNDS THAT WE RECEIVE, WE MUST USE THE FUNDING PRIMARILY TO BENEFIT CERTAIN QUALIFYING POPULATIONS.
SO I'LL GO THROUGH WHAT THOSE ARE.
THIS INCLUDES ANYONE CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS OR THOSE AT RISK OF HOMELESSNESS.
WE ALSO CAN USE THE FUNDING TO BENEFIT ANYONE WHO IS FLEEING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND OTHERS THAT ARE REQUIRING ASSISTANCE IN ORDER TO PREVENT HOMELESSNESS.
SO THESE ARE NOT THE TRADITIONAL HOME FUNDS THAT WE HAVE THAT CAN BENEFIT ANYONE WHO NEEDS AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
THIS IS REALLY TARGETED FUNDING SPECIFICALLY FOR THESE POPULATIONS.
THE FUNDING WE CAN USE TO ACQUIRE, CONSTRUCT, OR REHAB AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING.
WE CAN ALSO USE THE FUNDS TO PROVIDE TENANT-BASED RENTAL ASSISTANCE, AS WELL AS PROVIDE SUPPORTIVE SERVICES TO HELP WITH HOMELESSNESS, PREVENTION, CASE MANAGEMENT, LEGAL SERVICES, ALL THOSE TYPES OF SERVICES.
AND THE FUNDING CAN ALSO BE USED TO PROVIDE NON CONGREGATE EMERGENCY SHELTERS.
THE FUNDING THAT WE HAVE IS, UM, IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE STRATEGIC PLAN TO RESPOND TO HOMELESSNESS.
SPECIFICALLY, THESE FUNDS CAN HELP OUR CITY INCREASE AFFORDABLE AND SPECIALTY HOUSING OPTIONS, AND THEN WE CAN ALSO USE THE FUNDS TO HELP CONNECT THE UNSHELTERED THROUGH LOW BARRIER HOUSING OPTIONS.
IT IS ALSO THE FUNDING USES ARE IN ALIGNMENT WITH OUR STRATEGIC HOUSING IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, WHERE THE PLAN SPECIFICALLY MENTIONS THAT WE SHOULD BE LOOKING TO ADD 1000 SITE-BASED PRIMITIVE SUPPORTIVE HOMES IN OUR CITY.
THIS IS PERMANENTLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING WITH ONSITE SUPPORTIVE SERVICES FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE EXPER EXITING HOMELESSNESS.
AND WHAT WE KNOW FROM SPEAKING WITH OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPERS AND OUR PROVIDERS, IS THAT THIS IS DEFINITELY, UH, BECAUSE OF THE PERMANENT AND DEEP AFFORDABILITY AND THE WRAPAROUND SERVICES THAT P S H PROVIDES, THIS IS CERTAINLY THE MOST DIFFICULT TO FUND AND DEVELOP.
SO IT IS VERY EXCITING THAT WE HAVE, UH, FUNDING.
THIS IS ONE OF OUR ONLY FUNDING SOURCES WE HAVE RIGHT NOW THAT CAN DEVELOP P S H.
SO BECAUSE OF THAT, UH, UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY THAT WE HAVE, WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT OF THE $20 MILLION THAT OUR CITY HAS RECEIVED, UM, THAT 10 AND A HALF MILLION, SO JUST OVER HALF OF IT BE SET ASIDE FOR THE PURCHASE AND RENOVATION OF A HOTEL, SPECIFICALLY TO PROVIDE P S H SET ASIDE WOULD INCLUDE TWO YEARS OF OPERATING COSTS FOR THAT FACILITY, WHICH COULD PRODUCE 80 TO A HUNDRED ROOMS OF P S H IN OUR CITY.
WE ARE ALSO RECOMMENDING THAT $5.2 MILLION BE SET ASIDE FOR RENTAL ASSISTANCE, SPECIFICALLY FOR THOSE THAT ARE A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SURVIVORS AND THE UNSHELTERED HOMELESS.
THIS WILL, UM, ADD TO OUR CURRENT MODEL RAPID REHOUSING MODEL THAT WE CURRENTLY ARE USING E S C CARES FUNDS.
THOSE FUNDS RUN OUT AT THE END OF THIS FISCAL YEAR.
SO WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT WE SET ASIDE SOME OF OUR HALLMARK ALLOCATION SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THIS, UH, RAPID REHOUSING RENTAL ASSISTANCE.
NEXT, WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT $2.3 MILLION OF OUR ALLOCATION BE SET ASIDE, UM, TO PREVENT HOMELESSNESS AND TO PROVIDE CASE, PROVIDE CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES.
UM, WE KNOW, UH, IT'S MUCH EASIER LEASE, UM, LEAST INVASIVE IF WE GET IN TO HELP PREVENT HOMELESSNESS BEFORE IT EVEN STARTS.
IT'S MUCH EASIER FOR US TO DO THAT.
SO WE ARE RECOMMENDING, AND WE HAVE HEARD THAT THROUGH OUR PUBLIC OUTREACH, THAT WE SHOULD, UM, SET ASIDE SOME FUNDS FOR THAT AS WELL.
AND THEN FINALLY, UM, 10% OF OUR ALLOCATION IS RECOMMENDED TO BE SET ASIDE FOR ADMINISTRATIVE AS WELL AS TO PROVIDE TO SOME OF OUR SERVICE PROVIDERS AND HELP THEM WITH NON-PROFIT CAPACITY BUILDING TO GET TO THIS RECOMMENDATION.
WE'VE HAD, UM, A LOT OF STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT.
WE HAVE A PUBLIC PROCESS GOING ON RIGHT NOW, BUT WE'VE ALSO HAD INDIVIDUAL MEETINGS AND STAKEHOLDER SESSIONS WITH MANY OF OUR PARTNERS, INCLUDING SOUTH ALAMO REGIONAL ALLIANCE FOR THE HOMELESSNESS.
WE'VE SPOKEN WITH OUR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE TASK FORCE, MANY OF OUR FAITH-BASED AND VETERAN SERVICE PROVIDERS.
WE'VE SPOKEN WITH OUR DELEGATE AGENCIES AND MANY OTHERS THAT YOU SEE LISTED HERE.
ALL OF THEM HAVE GIVEN A LOT OF INPUT AND WE'VE LISTENED TO THEM AND HELP TAKE THEIR PRIORITIES INTO ACCOUNT.
AS WE'VE DEVELOPED THIS DRAFT FUNDING PLAN, WE'VE ALSO, UM, HAD SOME PUBLIC MEETINGS.
WE HAVE, UH, ESSAY, SO OUR PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS OPEN NOW THROUGH JANUARY 10TH.
AND WE HAVE AN ESSAY SPEAKUP SURVEY
[02:00:01]
ONLINE RIGHT NOW.UM, I'M HAPPY TO SAY WE HAVE OVER 70 RESPONSES THAT WE'VE RECEIVED TO THAT ONLINE SURVEY SO FAR, AND OVER 250 ONLINE COMMENTS.
AND AGAIN, IT IS STILL OPEN, UM, THROUGH EARLY JANUARY.
WE'VE HAD TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS SO FAR, AND, UH, WE'VE DISCUSSED THE FUNDING OPTIONS, WHAT OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS ARE THESE ELIGIBLE USES, AND WE'VE HEARD FROM THE PUBLIC THAT WAY AS WELL.
WE DO HAVE ONE MORE, UH, PUBLIC HEARING THIS WEDNESDAY DURING THE USUAL CITIZENS TO BE HEARD.
WE'LL HEAR FROM ADDITIONAL COMMENTS FROM OUR PUBLIC.
AND THEN WE HAVE, UM, PROPOSING TO TAKE THIS FUNDING PLAN FOR FULL COUNCIL CONSIDERATION ON JANUARY 13TH.
IT'S A VERY BRIEF OVERVIEW, BUT HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
AND AS I MENTIONED, WE DO HAVE A LEADERSHIP FROM D S H AND, UH, METRO HEALTH IS ALSO HERE AS WELL.
I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS, BUT I'M GONNA LET COUNCILWOMAN VRAN GO FIRST.
I HAVE A STAFF MEETING AFTER THIS.
UH, SO WHEN THE PROPOSED FUNDING PLAN IS THERE, HOMELESS PREVENTION AND CASE MANAGEMENT, I REALLY, UM, I'D LIKE TO SEE MORE SPECIFICS WHERE THAT'S CONCERNED, BECAUSE I THINK WE HAVE SOME PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT ARE ONE, UH, ILLNESS, ONE LOSS OF A JOB, UH, ONE CHILD GETTING SICK AWAY FROM LOSING THEIR HOMES, ESPECIALLY OUR SINGLE MOTHERS, IF WE LOOK AT OUR POVERTY RATE AND OUR HEAD OF HOUSEHOLD.
SO I REALLY WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE VERY THOUGHTFUL WITH THAT 2.3 MILLION MM-HMM.
UM, BUT THE ONE THING I DO WANNA SAY IS PERMANENT SUP.
UH, THE OTHER, BUT ABOUT THIS PLAN THAT I LIKE IS PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING WORKS IT TO HELP ADDRESS THIS ISSUE.
SO I'M GLAD WE'RE DOING THAT HERE.
AND, UH, ONCE WE COME BACK WITH A BOND, AND I DON'T WANNA GET TOO OFF ON ANOTHER SUBJECT, I'D LIKE TO HAVE MORE CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH OUR HOUSING.
MARIA AGRAN, UM, VERONICA ON THE $10.5 MILLION FOR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, IT'S THE PURCHASE AND RENOVATION OF A HOTEL WHO WILL BE RUNNING EVENTUALLY THE HOTEL I'LL DEFER TO D H S.
I KNOW THAT THEY'VE, UM, IDENTIFIED A SITE FOR THAT AND THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY ON A PLAN OF WHO WILL BE OPERATING THAT.
AND SO WE ARE, WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT HOTELS AND ARE NARROWING DOWN, UM, TRYING TO IDENTIFY A SITE WE WOULD NOT BE OPERATING THAT WE, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKELY THAT, UM, WE WOULD EITHER WORK WITH A CURRENT PROVIDER THAT WE WORK WITH OR WE COULD POTENTIALLY ISSUE A COMPETITIVE PROCESS FOR THAT, DEPENDING ON THE INTEREST IN DOING IT.
I JUST WANTED TO, TO ASK THAT QUESTION.
UM, I'D LIKE TO, UH, FEEL A LITTLE MORE UNDERSTANDING ABOUT THE INPUT THAT YOU'VE GOTTEN.
I THINK, UH, IT WAS MENTIONED THERE WERE, UH, SEVEN OR EIGHT DIFFERENT, UH, STAKEHOLDERS.
COULD YOU PUT THAT BACK UP AGAIN? SURE.
IT'S ONE THING TO SAY, YES, WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THESE THINGS AND TO GET THEM SOME INPUT, BUT HOW MANY OF THESE GROUPS WOULD ACTUALLY ENDORSE THIS PLAN? UH, HOW MANY WOULD SAY, YES, I AGREE THAT'S HOW THE MONEY SHOULD BE SPENT.
NOT JUST INPUT SAYING, WELL, I THINK THIS IS IMPORTANT, OR, THAT'S IMPORTANT.
SO COULD YOU TELL US, HAVE ALL OF THESE GROUPS, GIVEN THEIR BLESSING TO THIS PARTICULAR PLAN? WE HAVE NOT PUBLICLY SHARED THE FUNDING PLAN YET.
WE CAN SAY THAT BASED ON THEIR COMMENTS IS HOW WE GOT TO THIS PLAN.
WE HEARD A LOT FROM THE PUBLIC AS WELL AS THE STAKEHOLDERS THAT WE DEFINITELY NEED SITE-BASED P S H.
SO THAT IS WHY, UH, JUST OVER HALF OF THE FUNDS, 'CAUSE THAT WAS A BIG REQUEST FROM OUR STAKEHOLDERS.
SO THAT'S WHY WE PUT THAT AS MORE THAN HALF THE FUNDS FOR THAT.
WE'VE, UM, DEFINITELY HEARD ABOUT NEEDING FOR AGELESS A THE AGING HOMELESS POPULATION.
WE HEARD A LOT, OUR ORIGINAL DRAFT PLAN DID NOT INCLUDE A SET ASIDE, UH, FOR HOMELESS PREVENTION AND CASE MANAGEMENT, BUT THROUGH OUR STAKEHOLDER DISCUSSIONS, WE HEARD THAT NEED COME UP OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
SO WE ADDED, UM, A SET ASIDE SPECIFICALLY FOR THAT USE.
SO OUR NEXT STEP WILL BE AS WE CONTINUE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, WE'LL BE GOING BACK TO THOSE SAME GROUPS THAT WE'VE TALKED WITH, SHARE THIS FUNDING.
DEFINITELY WANNA GET YOUR FEEDBACK TODAY AND, UM, AND, AND GET BACK WITH EVERYONE ON IF THIS, IF THIS IS, IF THAT FUNDING ALLOCATION MAKES SENSE, RIGHT.
THAT, THAT'S WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, IS THAT THESE GROUPS, UH, APPROVE OR BELIEVE THE PLAN MEETS WHAT THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT.
AND SO I HOPE THAT WE HEAR THAT.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
UH, SO I SEE THAT THE PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING PORTION OF THE BUDGET IS 10.5 MILLION.
AND I'M JUST WONDERING, DOES THAT INCLUDE, IT
[02:05:01]
SAYS INCLUDES TWO YEARS OF OPERATING EXPENSES.DOES THAT INCLUDE THE WRAPAROUND SERVICES? YES.
SO WHAT, WHAT IS THE PLAN TO FUND THIS? IF WE PURCHASE A HOTEL AND RENOVATE IT? WHAT'S THE PO WHAT'S THE LONG-TERM FUNDING PLAN TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THOSE SERVICES? OKAY, WELL, I'LL LET MOLLY ANSWER THAT.
SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF, OR A FEW, UH, FUNDING SOURCES FOR, FOR THIS KIND OF WORK.
SO, HUD, UM, PUTS OUT THE, THEIR C O C DOLLARS SO COM CONTINUUM OF CARE, HOMELESS DOLLARS.
THAT'S PROBABLY WHERE MOST OF OUR, UM, PERMANENT HOUSING AND PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING DOLLARS COME FROM.
BUT IT TAKES, YOU KNOW, THE, THE CYCLE IS OFF.
AND SO IF WE WERE TO, UM, PURCHASE A FACILITY, GET IT RENOVATED, WE'RE READY TO START OPERATING IT, THE PROVIDER WOULD BE PROBABLY A YEAR TO A YEAR AND A HALF FOR BEING ABLE TO GET A PROJECT INTO THAT FUNDING.
SO THAT'S WHY WE DID THE TWO YEARS OF OPERATING FUNDING TO, TO SUPPORT THAT.
THERE'S ALSO EMERGENCY SHELTER GRANT FUNDING THAT COULD SUPPORT, UH, RAPID REHOUSING VOUCHERS THAT GO INTO THAT.
UM, SAHA POTENTIALLY COULD INVEST VOUCHERS INTO PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
AND THEN ALSO THE VETERANS, UM, VASH, UH, VOUCHERS COULD ALSO SUPPORT THE HOUSING PLUS.
UM, A LOT OF TIMES, UH, PEOPLE WHO ARE IN PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING MAY HAVE A DISABILITY OR A, A VETERAN DISABILITY, UH, REVENUE SOURCE.
AND SO SOME OF THAT FUNDING WOULD ALSO, SOME OF THAT, THEIR INCOME WOULD GO INTO RENT PAYMENTS.
SO, AND WHAT, WHAT'S THE TIMELINE FOR, FOR IMPLEMENTING THIS? FOR BEING ABLE TO PURCHASE THE HOTEL, GET IT RENOVATED, UH, CONTRACT WITH A SERVICE PROVIDER AND STAND UP THE WHOLE? RIGHT.
A LOT OF THAT DEPENDS ON THE CONDITION OF THE PROPERTY WE SELECT AND HOW MUCH WORK NEEDS TO BE FINISHED.
BUT I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE, IF WE'RE PURCHASING A BUILDING IN GOOD CONDITION, UM, WE'LL NEED TO MAYBE ADD KITCHENETTES OR, OR TAKE OUT SOME WALLS.
WE COULD DO THAT PRETTY QUICKLY.
I THINK POTENTIALLY IN A YEAR, WE COULD BE OPERATING A YEAR FROM LIKE FEBRUARY WHEN WE, WHEN COUNCIL FINALIZES THIS, OR, WELL, IT WOULD BE, UM, WHEN WE COME TO COUNCIL, WE'LL BE SUBMITTING, GETTING AUTHORITY TO SUBMIT THE PLAN TO HUD.
AND SO IT WOULD BE ONCE HUD APPROVES THAT PLAN.
UM, I, I THINK THOSE WERE ALL MY QUESTIONS.
COUNCILMAN CASTILLO, THANK YOU FOR, UH, COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS.
I KNOW YOU'VE MENTIONED THE SAN ANTONIO HOUSING AUTHORITY.
UM, GIVEN THAT THERE ARE OVER 45,000 FAMILIES, UH, OR INDIVIDUALS ON SA HA'S WAITING LIST, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO BE INCLUDED, UH, AS A STAKEHOLDER IN THIS CONVERSATION.
UM, WITH THE PROPOSED FUNDING PLAN, DOES THE CITY INTEND TO LAYER THIS WITH POTENTIAL HOUSING BOND DOLLARS? OR WOULD THIS BE A SEPARATE PROJECT? UM, WHAT CONVERSATIONS ARE Y'ALL HAVING? WELL, I MEAN, IT DEFINITELY COULD BE LAYERED.
WE SET ASIDE ENOUGH FUNDING TO, FOR THE HOTEL AND THE OPERATING COSTS FOR, THAT'S A STANDALONE PROJECT.
'CAUSE WE DON'T KNOW FOR CERTAIN THAT THE HOUSING BOND HAS BEEN APPROVED.
SO WE WANNA MOVE FORWARD FOR SURE THAT WE CAN GET AT LEAST ONE SITE GOING 'CAUSE IT IS SO DESPERATELY NEEDED.
UM, BUT DEFINITELY OUR RENTAL BASED ASSISTANCE, OUR PREVENTION PROGRAM, THAT CAN ALSO BE LAYERED WITH ANY HOUSING BOND DOLLARS THAT WE RECEIVE.
UM, FOR THE FUNDING FOR, UH, RENTAL ASSISTANCE DOMESTIC, UM, FOR IN GENERAL, RIGHT, WITH THE PROPOSED FUNDING PLAN, IS THERE OPPORTUNITY TO SUPPORT PSYCHIATRISTS POTENTIALLY WITH THESE FOLKS? AND IS THERE OPPORTUNITY TO POTENTIALLY HAVE A FLOOR DEDICATED FOR HOSPICE SO OUR UNHOUSED FOLKS CAN, YOU KNOW, PASS WITH DIGNITY, UH, WITHIN ONE OF THESE SHELTERS? UH, IS THAT A CONVERSATION THAT Y'ALL HAD OR HAD CONSIDERED? I SO HOSPICE AND, UM, NURSING, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, MEDICAL CARE FOR HOMELESS WHO HAVE SEVERE MEDICAL ISSUES IS CERTAINLY A GAP.
AND WE HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, AS A PROJECT, COULD, COULD THERE BE A FACILITY THAT'S DEDICATED, UM, TO THAT IT WOULD REQUIRE ADDITIONAL, A MUCH HIGHER STAFFING RATIO AND SKILLED STAFFING.
AND SO WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE TALKED TO HOSPITALS, WE'VE TALKED TO, UM, A, YOU KNOW, AGENCY, ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES ABOUT HOW DO WE MEET THAT NEED BECAUSE IT'S REALLY, UM, TIED TO MEDICAL NEED ALMOST AS MUCH AS IT IS TO HOMELESSNESS NEEDS.
AND SO THAT'S NOT REALLY A POPULATION WE'RE LOOKING AT FOR THE, THIS FIRST PROJECT THAT THAT'S REALLY FOCUSED ON, UH, CHRONICALLY
[02:10:01]
HOMELESS.ALTHOUGH SOME OF THEM MAY NEED SOME MEDICAL ATTENTION.
WE DON'T ANTICIPATE THAT BEING FOR HOSPICE YET.
BUT IT IS A CONVERSATION THAT'S ONGOING AND TRYING TO DETERMINE REALLY WHO'S THE, UM, WHO'S THE RIGHT ENTITY TO PROVIDE THAT.
UM, I, I KNOW WITHIN OUR, UM, DISTRICT, UM, WELL THANKS THAT, THANKS TO YOUR DEPARTMENT FOR ALL THE WORK THAT Y'ALL HAVE BEEN PROVIDING AND ASSISTANCE TO OUR DISTRICT FIVE FIELD OFFICE.
UM, WE DO HAVE, UM, SOME FOLKS WHO ARE LOOKING FOR HOUSING ASSISTANCE, BUT THEY DON'T QUALIFY 'CAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE.
UM, AND I, I LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING MORE CONVERSATIONS ON HOW WE CAN, UM, LOOK TO POTENTIALLY INCLUDING, UM, FOR, UH, TO, FOR FOLKS YOU KNOW, WHO DON'T HAVE THOSE RESOURCES.
UM, AGAIN, WE HAVE A LOT OF FOLKS WHO COME TO OUR OFFICE, THEY'RE CURRENTLY IN A SHELTER, BUT THEY'RE, THEY'RE WAITING TO GET INTO THE SAN ANTONIO HOUSING AUTHORITY AND THE LETTER THAT THEY'RE RECEIVING SAYS, YOU KNOW, A ONE TO TWO YEAR WAIT.
UM, AND THEY'RE, UH, ONLY ALLOWED TO BE AT THEIR SHELTER FOR A SPECIFIC TIMEFRAME.
SO WE HAVE FOLKS IN SHELTERS, BUT THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT POTENTIALLY FALLING, UH, OUT OF THE SYSTEM GIVEN THE WEIGHT AND THE POTENTIAL EXPIRATION OF THE TIME THEY HAVE AT THE CURRENT SHELTER THEY'RE PLACED AT.
BUT, UH, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR WORK.
SO JUST, UM, JUST REAL QUICK, UM, SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO IN THE HOMELESS WORLD WHEN WE'RE, UM, LOOKING AT HOUSING PEOPLE IS WE PRIORITIZE, THERE'S A SYSTEM CALLED COORDINATED ENTRY THAT WE FOLLOW.
IT'S, IT'S ACTUALLY A HUD MANDATE ALSO, AND IT MAKE, IT ENSURES THAT THE MOST VULNERABLE RATE GO TO THE TOP OF THE LIST.
SO WE HAVE A PRIORITY POOL, IT'S A POOL OF INDIVIDUALS THAT, THAT MEET THAT HIGHEST LEVEL OF VULNERABILITY, AND THAT'S WHO OUR PROVIDERS PULL.
THAT'S WHERE OUR PROVIDERS PULL FROM WHEN THEY'RE HOUSING PEOPLE.
AND THIS P S H UNIT WOULD FOLLOW THAT AS WELL.
SO IT WON'T MATTER IF THEY'VE BEEN ON A WAITING LIST FOR AT SAHA FOR TWO OR FIVE YEARS.
IF THEY ARE, IF THEY MEET THAT VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT, YOU KNOW, LEVEL THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO HOUSE, THEY WOULD GO INTO A HOUSING PLACEMENT.
UH, THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES.
I, I WANNA RECALL THERE WAS A C C R THAT I SIGNED THAT COUNCILMAN AYAS DID SPECIFICALLY ON HOSPICE AND OUR HOMELESS FOLKS.
AND IT, I JUST REMEMBERED THAT, I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT WENT.
SO WHEN COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO BROUGHT THAT UP, UM, MAYBE WE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT, AT WHAT WAS INCLUDED IN THERE AND, AND WHAT WE'VE DONE IN REGARD TO THAT.
UM, BUT I DON'T EVEN REMEMBER IT GOING TO GOVERNANCE NOW THAT I THINK ABOUT IT.
SO, UM, WELL LET'S JUST FOLLOW UP ON THAT 'CAUSE I KNOW HE HAD, UH, BROUGHT THAT UP.
UM, AND THEN FINALLY WE HAVE AN UPDATE ON THE EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AND EVICTION PREVENTION UPDATE.
IT LOOKS TO BE A QUICK UPDATE, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE IT UP BECAUSE THERE'S A FUNDING OPPORTUNITY THAT HAS A DEADLINE OF JANUARY THE SEVENTH.
SO WE HAVE TO, UM, TAKE IT UP.
SO IF WE CAN GET MAYBE A QUICK RUN THROUGH AND THEN FOCUS ON THAT FUNDING OPPORTUNITY.
VERONICA SOTO WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
SO THIS IS A PRESENTATION ABOUT THE EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
I WILL GO QUICKLY THROUGH THIS ONE.
UM, YOU'RE AWARE THAT WE HAVE HAD OUR PROGRAM SINCE APRIL OF 2020 AND IT IS NOW A COUNTYWIDE PROGRAM.
WE DO HAVE A DASHBOARD AS OF DECEMBER 7TH.
THIS IS THE, UM, FUNDING AMOUNT THAT HAS BEEN EXPENDED 163.6.
UM, AS OF FRIDAY, THE NUMBER HAS CHANGED.
SO, UM, FRIDAY AFTERNOON, FRIDAY EVENING, IT WAS 165.3.
'CAUSE EVERY DAY WE DO PROCESS, UM, ABOUT HALF A MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF APPLICATIONS.
SO THIS IS HOW MUCH FUNDING HAS BEEN EXPENDED.
UH, WE ALSO TRACK THE APPLICANTS THAT HAVE GONE THROUGH THE TEXAS RENTAL RELIEF PROGRAM.
NOW THIS PROGRAM DID CLOSE THEIR PORTAL BECAUSE THEY HAD A LOT OF, UH, APPLICATIONS IN THE QUEUE, BUT SO FAR THEY'RE STILL PROCESSING ANYONE IN THE QUEUE.
SO FAR AS OF DECEMBER 7TH IN BEXAR COUNTY, THEY HAD ASSISTED 23,800 WITH OVER 133 MILLION.
SO THIS NUMBER, AGAIN, WILL, WILL CHANGE AS THEY CONTINUE PROCESSING APPLICATIONS RECEIVED IN THE QUEUE.
AND FOR OUR ALLOWANCES, THIS HAS BEEN, UM, BASICALLY WHAT WE PROVIDE SINCE THE, UH, FEBRUARY OF 2021.
WE DO FOCUS ASSISTANCE, MORE ASSISTANCE TO THOSE WITH LOWER INCOMES.
AS YOU CAN TELL ANYONE UNDER 50% A M I GETS UP TO NINE MONTHS OF ASSISTANCE.
WE STILL PROVIDE RENT, MORTGAGE, AND UTILITY.
AND OUR AVERAGE A M I FOR THE PROGRAM IS, UM, UNDER 30%.
YOU CAN SEE THE NUMBER OF FAMILIES THAT HAVE BEEN HELPED BY DISTRICT.
WHAT THE A M I IS, WHAT THE AVERAGE SIZE.
[02:15:01]
WE'RE IN PHASE FOUR.UM, AND SO WHEN YOU DO THE MATH, I JUST SHARED THAT WE HAVE SPENT ABOUT 165.
WE ARE STARTING TO RUN OUT OF THE CURRENT FUNDING, UH, PARTICULARLY THE E R A, THAT'S THE US TREASURY EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE MONEY.
SO WE WE'RE PROJECTED TO HAVE THAT THROUGH, UM, JANUARY.
THIS IS JUST SHOWING THE DIFFERENT FUNDING SOURCES.
SO YOU CAN SEE WHAT I REFERENCED, THE TREASURY FUNDS, C R A ONE E R A TWO, UM, AND THE ADDITIONAL FUNDING THAT IS PROVIDING RENTAL, MORTGAGE AND OTHER HOUSING ASSISTANCE.
UM, WE ALSO CONCURRENTLY, UM, LAUNCHED OUR EVICTION INTERVENTION PROGRAM.
THIS ONE WAS LAUNCHED JUNE, 2020.
AGAIN, A RESPONSE TO THE COVID PANDEMIC AND THE FOCUS IS TO PREVENT AND MITIGATE EVICTION.
WE HAVE OUR FOLKS AT THE COURT THAT ARE TRACKING EVICTION HEARINGS.
UM, YES, THERE WAS A MORATORIUM, BUT EVICTION FILINGS FOR OTHER ISSUES OTHER THAN NON-PAYMENT OF RENT COULD STILL BE FILED.
AND OF COURSE, UH, WE'RE TRACKING TO SEE HOW WE'RE DOING NOT JUST THE OUTCOMES, BUT HOW MANY FILINGS, UM, AND THE JUDGMENTS BY TYPE, UM, BECAUSE THIS IS THE IMPACT TO COMMUNITY.
SO, UM, THIS IS COMPARING DIFFERENT, UH, JUDGMENT TYPES OVER, UM, THE TIME WE HAVE TRACKED IT.
AND THIS IS COMPARING TO 2019, UM, BOTH 2020 AND 2021.
WE HAVE SEEN A SLIGHT UPTICK SINCE THE C D C EVICTION MORATORIUM, UH, WAS LIFTED, UM, IN EVICTION FILINGS.
AND THIS IS SHOWING EVICTION FILINGS IN BEXAR COUNTY OVER TIME.
SO FROM 2011, UM, THROUGH 2021, YOU CAN SEE HOW, UM, THE LAST TWO YEARS COMPARED TO PREVIOUS FILINGS, THE FUNDING OPPORTUNITY, WELL, THIS IS JUST SHOWING, UM, HOW PEOPLE CAN GET ASSISTANCE.
I'LL SKIP OVER THAT AND GO TO THE FUNDING OPPORTUNITY.
UM, SO WE DID NOT RECEIVE THE, UH, EVICTION GRANT PREVENTION GRANT WE APPLIED FOR FROM HUD.
BUT HERE'S ANOTHER, UH, FUNDING OPPORTUNITY FROM THE STATE, THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS.
AND THIS IS SPECIFIC TO HOUSING STABILITY SERVICES.
THEY'RE UTILIZING SOME OF THAT US TREASURY E R A MONEY, UM, THE EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE.
BUT THIS IS FOCUSED ON OUTREACH SERVICES, SHELTER SERVICES, RELOCATION SUPPORTS, EVICTION DIVERSION AND OTHER SOCIAL SERVICES.
SO MORE OF THE CASE MANAGEMENT THAT WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS MORNING.
AND SO WE ARE WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS SPECIFIC, UH, T R L A TO SEE IF WE CAN CONTINUE TO OFFER OUR, UM, UM, RIGHT TO COUNCIL PROGRAM AND ALL THE OTHER CASE MANAGEMENT.
THERE IS A QUICK DEADLINE, UM, AND THE AWARDS ARE FROM A HUNDRED THOUSAND TO 12 MILLION.
SO WITH OUR PARTNERS, WE'LL DEVELOP THAT OPPORTUNITY.
UM, AND THAT'S THE END OF THE PRESENTATION UNLESS YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU, VERO, FOR THE PRESENTATION.
DO MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? COUNCILMAN? CORRECT.
HAVE WE HEARD ANYTHING ELSE FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ABOUT RELEASING ANY OF THAT UNEXPENDED, UH, HOUSING MONEY FROM OTHER STATES? WE HAVE NOT, SIR.
THESE ARE THE REALLOCATION REQUESTS AND IT'S FUNDING THAT IF OTHER CITIES ARE NOT SPENDING QUICK ENOUGH, UM, THEY WOULD REALLOCATE TO THOSE LIKE US WHO ARE SPENDING QUICKLY.
DID WE REQUEST A CERTAIN AMOUNT? YES, SIR.
WE REQUESTED $60 MILLION FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
DO ANY OF MY, UH, COUNCILMAN CASTILLO? THANK YOU CHAIR.
UM, DO WE KNOW HOW MUCH WE HAVE IN THE RIGHT TO COUNCIL FUND AVAILABLE? UM, THE RIGHT TO COUNCIL IS A CONTRACT.
SO IT'S A CONTRACT WE HAVE WITH, UM, TWO ENTITIES AND STAA, I THINK.
SO DO WE STILL HAVE RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO HELP MORE FAMILIES? Y YES.
UH, BUT WE HAVE IT JUST FOR THIS, UH, FISCAL YEAR.
UM, A CONCERN THAT I HAVE, UM, WELL, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, A AGAIN, AND I KNOW I'VE MENTIONED IT'S A MODEL THAT YOU ALL WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES IMPLEMENTED AT THE ONSET OF COVID, GOING DOOR TO DOOR SERVING FOLKS TO SEE IF THEY HAD BEEN FINANCIALLY IMPACTED BY C OVID 19 AND IF THEY NEEDED RENTAL OR UTILITY ASSISTANCE.
AND WHILE MANY FOLKS AT THE DOOR SAID THAT PRIOR TO COVID THEY NEEDED RENTAL AND UTILITY ASSISTANCE, UM, THERE WAS A LARGE AMOUNT OF FOLKS WHO DID NEED ASSISTANCE.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, YOU KNOW, I KNOW NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, UH, WERE COMMISSIONED TO GO OUT AND DO THIS OUTREACH WORK, WHICH I THINK WAS A GREAT MODEL THAT YOU ALL IMPLEMENTED.
UM, BUT IS THERE OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO POTENTIALLY USE ARPA DOLLARS TO GO BACK OUT AND DO THE SAME, BUT RATHER THAN SURVEYING, UM, WE ARE COMPLETING
[02:20:01]
THE APPLICATION AT THE DOORS.'CAUSE THOSE IPADS HAD, YOU KNOW, THE CAMERA, UH, THE WIFI AND THERE'S OPPORTUNITY TO DO AT THE DOOR.
UM, I I DO UNDERSTAND ON THE, UNDER THE OTHER SIDE, RIGHT, OF ALL THESE APPLICATIONS IS OUR, OUR INDIVIDUALS, RIGHT, DOING THE WORK AND SHIFTING THROUGH APPLICATIONS.
UM, SO IS THERE OPPORTUNITY WITH OPPA DOLLARS TO COMMISSION FOLKS TO GO THROUGH THESE APPLICATIONS? BECAUSE IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT IT'S TAKING UP TO 45 DAYS TO GO THROUGH EAP APPLICATIONS.
AND WITH THAT, IF THE APPLICANT DOESN'T RESPOND WITHIN, UH, ONE TO THREE DAYS, THEY'RE DENIED.
UH, AND WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS, PARTICULARLY WITHIN DISTRICT FIVE, THERE IS THE DIGITAL DIVIDE THAT EXISTS.
UM, MANY OF MY RESIDENTS, UM, DON'T HAVE VOICEMAILS SET UP.
UM, BECAUSE SOME STILL FUNCTION OFF OF LANDLINES AND DON'T HAVE A, A VOICEMAIL.
UM, MANY DON'T HAVE EMAIL ADDRESSES.
SO IF WE'RE GIVING FOLKS THREE DAYS TO RESPOND, AND WE DON'T HAVE THOSE METHODS TO, TO COLLECT THAT MESSAGE, I, I, I'M, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE FAMILIES THAT ARE FALLING THROUGH THE CRACKS, POTENTIALLY GETTING DENIED BECAUSE THEY AREN'T RESPONDING WITHIN THOSE TWO TO THREE DAYS.
UM, SO, SO AGAIN, I THINK WE SHOULD SERIOUSLY CONSIDER, UH, GOING BACK TO THAT MODEL OF GOING TO THE DOORS.
UM, IT WAS, YOU KNOW, IT, IT WORKED OUT.
UM, AND I THINK WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO BACK, UH, AND HELP FOLKS WALK THROUGH THAT APPLICATION PROCESS AS WELL AS LOOK AT, UM, COMMISSIONING FOLKS TO FILTER THROUGH THE APPLICATIONS.
WELL, SO WE NEED TO TAKE ACTION TO MOVE THIS FORWARD TO COUNCIL FOR THE GRANT, FOR THE GRANT OPPORTUNITY SPECIFICALLY.
IS THERE A MOTION TO MOVE FORWARD TO COUNSEL? YES.
I'LL SO MOVE TO MOVE THAT FORWARD TO COUNSEL.
IS THERE A SECOND? THERE'S A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN KURT.
SECOND BY COUNCILMAN CASTILLO.
THANK YOU TO MY COUNCIL, COLLEAGUES AND, UH, TO ALL THE STAFF ARE PRESENTING.