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UH, WE CAN GET STARTED WITH ROLL CALL, PLEASE.
COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE PRESENT CHAIR GARCIA ROCHA GARCIA HERE, CHAIR.
WE WILL START OFF WITH, UM, IS THERE ANYONE, UH, SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? NO.
AND IF, IF WE CAN REFLECT ON THE RECORD THAT COUNCILMAN BAR BRAVO HAS WALKED IN?
[Approval of Minutes ]
YES, MA'AM.UM, WE WILL START THEN WITH THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM, UH, JANUARY 24TH, 2022.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES? I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.
THERE'S A MOTION AND THERE'S A SECOND.
ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE VOTE ON YOUR VOTING PASS.
[Briefing and Possible Action on ]
MUCH.WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER TWO, WHICH IS CONSIDERATION OF APPLICANTS TO THE BUILDING STANDARDS BOARD.
WE HAVE FOUR AT LARGE SEATS, AND, UM, WE HAVE A PRESENTATION BY MICHAEL SHANNON TO GIVE US AN UPDATE.
UM, JUST SO THAT YOU ALL KNOW, FOR THOSE WHO ARE HERE, THERE WILL BE TWO MINUTES PER APPLICANT FOR OPENING REMARKS.
UM, THEN THERE WILL BE TWO MINUTES PER COMMITTEE MEMBER FOR QUESTIONS.
UM, AND I WILL NAME THE, THE NEXT PERSON TO COME UP SO THAT WE COULD BE READY.
UH, GOOD MORNING, MADAM CHAIR.
I'M JUST GONNA GIVE A VERY QUICK OVERVIEW OF THE BUILDING STANDARDS BOARD.
I THINK, UH, MANY OF YOU KNOW ABOUT IT, BUT JUST SO THAT WE ARE ALL, UH, ON THE SAME PAGE.
SO THE BUILDING STANDARD BOARD, THERE'S A PICTURE OF OUR BOARDROOM.
UH, IT'S NOT COMPLETE VACANCIES, BUT, UH, WE DO HAVE A FEW VACANCIES.
I THINK THAT'S WHY WE TOOK THAT PICTURE OF THE EMPTY SEATS.
SO, UH, THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY TALKING ABOUT IT.
BUT THE BUILDING STANDARDS BOARD IS PART OF OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT PROCESS.
IT'S A, IT'S A 14 MEMBER, UH, BOARD OF CITIZENS RESIDENTS, UH, THAT ARE APPOINTED BY COUNCIL.
UH, AND IT ACTUALLY IS TWO DIFFERENT PANELS.
SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE A PANEL A, PANEL B, UH, SO A SEVERN MEMBER PANEL HEARS A BUNCH OF CASES ON A, ON A THURSDAY MORNING, AND THEN THE NEXT, UH, THURSDAY OR THE NEXT MEETING WILL BE THE OTHER PANEL B.
UH, AND THAT'S JUST SO, UH, THE WORKLOAD FOR THE PANEL, UH, MEMBERS IS NOT AS, UH, SIGNIFICANT.
UH, AND SO WE CAN GET, UH, GOOD, GOOD MEMBERSHIP, BUT IT'S A QUASI-JUDICIAL BOARD, AND IT REALLY HAS TWO FUNCTIONS.
IT HEARS APPEALS OF PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE ITEMS, AND IT ALSO HEARS, UH, CASES THAT ARE CONSIDERED DANGEROUS STRUCTURES IN ACCORDANCE WITH OUR CITY'S, UH, BUILDING RELATED CODES.
SO, UH, THE, THE COMPOSITION OF THIS BOARD IS THE LITTLE UNIQUE.
IT ACTUALLY HAS MEMBERS THAT ARE APPOINTED BY COUNCIL.
SO YOU HAVE APPOINTMENTS, EACH ONE OF YOU HAS APPOINTMENTS AND YOUR COLLEAGUES.
AND THEN THERE ARE SOME AT LARGE POSITIONS.
WE'RE TALKING AT LARGE POSITIONS AS WELL.
THE UNIQUE PART OF THIS ONE, THOUGH, THERE ARE CATEGORIES, UH, BECAUSE THEY'RE DEALING WITH PROPERTIES AND CERTAINLY RESIDENTS.
AND SO THE MAKEUP, UH, THAT, THAT, THAT ARE IT'S CODIFIED IS IT'S MADE UP OF ARCHITECTS, GENERAL CONTRACTORS, UH, ENGINEERS, WHICH YOU WOULD THINK OF ON A BOARD THAT DEALS WITH STRUCTURES.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS, SOCIAL WORKERS, MILITARY VETERANS, RETIREES, AND, AND POSSIBLY PROPERTY MANAGERS.
SO IT'S, IT'S DESIGNED TO BE A GOOD MIX OF THOSE THAT WE CAN DEAL WITH THE PROPERTY AND THOSE DEALING WITH PROPERTY, UH, UH, MAINTENANCE ISSUES.
THIS SLIDE JUST KIND OF SHOWS WE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ALREADY ON IT WITH THE COUNCIL DISTRICTS, UH, WHETHER THEY'RE APPOINTED OR AT LARGE.
UM, UH, THERE'S, UH, PROPOSED APPOINTMENTS THAT WE HAVE, UH, ON, ON THE LIST TODAY, UH, WHERE THE APPLICATIONS CAME FROM, A COUPLE OF VACANCIES STILL.
BUT, UH, WE'D LIKE TO, UH, MOVE FORWARD WITH SOME, UH, APPOINTMENTS TO GET MORE MEMBERS ON THE BOARD SO THAT WE HAVE A FULL BOARD.
AGAIN, I MENTIONED THE RESPONSIBILITY, UH, HEARING THE APPEALS OF PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE.
SO IF WE WORK WITH A PROPERTY OWNER AND THEY DON'T THINK THAT WE'VE MADE THE RIGHT CALL ON A PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE, I, AND THEY CAN APPEAL TO, UH, THIS BOARD AND THEY CAN HEAR THOSE CASES.
AND THEN, UH, THE OTHER, UH, MAJOR COMPONENT, OF COURSE IS THAT THEY RULE ON DANGEROUS STRUCTURE CASES.
SO IF THERE'S A DANGEROUS STRUCTURE THAT HASN'T BEEN ABLE TO BE REPAIRED, UH, THEY, THIS, THIS WOULD BE THE, THE BOARD THAT WOULD HEAR THAT IN ORDER TO REPAIR OR ORDER DEMOLITION.
IF THERE'S NO OTHER WAY, UH, TO ABATE THE HAZARD.
THE LAST THING I WILL HELP, UH, UH, I WILL, UH, IDENTIFY, WHICH IS THE THIRD BULLET, WHICH IS TIMELY.
I'VE MENTIONED TO YOU ALL ABOUT, WE'RE GOING THROUGH OUR CODE UPDATE PROCESS, UH, NOT ONLY THE UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE AS COUNCILMAN COURAGE HELPED US YESTERDAY AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION, THAT'S ONE OF HIS ROLES.
UH, WE HAVE THE BUILDING RELATED CODES.
WE HAVE THE BUILDING AND FIRE CODE, ELECTRICAL CODE.
SO WE'RE GOING THROUGH THAT IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS.
WE'LL START THE REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE SANTO SAN ANTONIO PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE.
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IS THE BOARD, UH, THAT WE EVENTUALLY BRING RECOMMENDATIONS TO.THEY HAVE SUBCOMMITTEES AND THEY'LL MAKE A RECOMMENDATION, UH, TO ME TO BRING TO YOU ALL, UH, THROUGH THE PROCESS.
SO HAVING A FULL BOARD, A FULL A BOARD IS IMPORTANT FOR THAT PROCESS, ESPECIALLY THIS YEAR.
WE DO THAT ABOUT EVERY THREE YEARS.
UH, JUST A, A VIEW OF NUMBER OF CASES.
SO, UH, LAST FISCAL YEAR, UH, TWO OVER 200 CASES THAT WE LOOKED AT, UH, SO FAR THIS YEAR, JUST OVER 50, 53.
SO THEY'RE A PRETTY BUSY BOARD, UH, WORKING THROUGH AND HELPING, UH, UH, CORRECT THESE ISSUES.
SO THAT'S JUST AN OVERVIEW OF THE BOARD.
I CAN ANSWER QUESTIONS, BUT I KNOW YOU ALSO WANT TO GET VERY, UH, INTO THE APPLICANTS.
UM, WE WILL START WITH THE INTERVIEWS FOR THE BUILDING STANDARDS BOARD, AND I BELIEVE THAT THE FIRST APPLICANT IS FOR REAPPOINTMENT AND IT'S ROBERT TAPIA, BUT THERE IS A WRITTEN STATEMENT THAT THE CLERK WILL BE READING INTO THE RECORD.
OKAY, GO AHEAD, MADAM CLERK REAPPOINTMENT LETTER TO THE PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE FOR THE AT LARGE CATEGORY FROM ROBERT TAPIA.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR INVITATION FOR THE, FOR THE REAPPOINTMENT TO THE BUILDING STANDARDS BOARD AND THE AT LARGE CATEGORY.
I EAGERLY ACCEPT AS I ACCEPT THIS APPOINTMENT.
MY HOPE IS NOTHING BUT WELL WISHES FOR A SUCCESSFUL TERM OF OFFICE WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT, CODE ENFORCEMENT SERVICES.
MY REASONS FOR SEEKING REAPPOINTMENT OR SIMPLY TO SERVE, I HAVE ALWAYS ENJOYED BEING ABLE TO APPLY MY EFFORTS TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF ALL PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY THOSE IN MY BIRTH CITY, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND THE STATE OF TEXAS.
BY BRINGING MY DIVERSE BACKGROUND IN ARCHITECTURE, ENGINEERING, BUSINESS MANAGEMENT TO FRUITION, I ALSO ENJOY WORKING WITH COLLEAGUES WITH DIVERSE PAST WORK EXPERIENCES.
AND PEOPLE KNOW HOW, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, SOME HAVE SIZABLE EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE, OTHERS DO NOT.
BUT I THINK IT WILL BE WORTH MY TIME IN FUTURE QUALITY OF LIFE RELATED ISSUES TO HAVE CITIZENS OF SAN ANTONIO BECOME ACQUAINTED WITH THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND HOW IT CAN WORK CLOSELY WITH THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS.
YES, I BELIEVE IN PARTNERING WITH OUR COMMUNITY TO BUILD AND MAINTAIN A SAFER SAN ANTONIO CORDIALLY, ROBERT TAPIA.
AND THANK YOU, UM, MR. TAPIA FOR YOUR INTEREST IN REAPPOINTMENT.
NEXT WE HAVE SHIRE GUPTE, WHO IS HERE, FOLLOWED BY MICAH HARPER, WHO I UNDERSTAND IS ALSO HERE.
UM, THEY HAVE TWO MINUTES AGAIN FOR THEIR OPENING REMARKS, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES EACH FOR COUNCIL MEMBER QUESTIONS AFTER THAT AS WE GET THE FIRST APPLICANT TO, TO COME UP TODAY.
UM, WE WILL BREAK INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO, TO FURTHER DISCUSS, BUT GO AHEAD.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US, MR. GTE.
UH, I HAVE A MASTER'S IN PHYSICS.
UH, I'VE GOT OVER 40 YEARS PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE AND WORKING AS, UH, IN VARIOUS AREAS.
I'VE SEEN CONSTRUCTION OF BUILDINGS, UH, PRIMARILY IN THE TRANSPORTATION AREA, UH, THROUGHOUT THIS COUNTRY, UH, PRIMARILY IN THE NORTHEAST, WHICH IS WHERE I LIVED FOR OVER 40 YEARS.
UH, BUT I WORKED AS CONSULTANTS, UH, FOR COMPANIES LIKE PARSONS, UH, BOOZ ALLEN.
I ALSO WORKED, UH, FOR PUBLIC, UH, UH, COMPANY.
I WORKED FOR NEW JERSEY TRANSIT FOR OVER 20 YEARS.
I WORKED FOR ANOTHER CONSULTING COMPANY CALLED SAGE MANAGEMENT, UH, WHICH IS A CANADIAN COMPANY.
AND WHEN I WAS WORKING FOR SAGE MANAGEMENT, UH, I CAME DOWN TO SAN ANTONIO AND FOR THE FORMATION OF THE VIA TRANSIT SYSTEM, AND THAT WAS OVER 30 YEARS AGO.
UH, THAT'S WHEN WE WAS IN REAL INFANCY.
THE BUSES WERE VERY OLD, THE MAINTENANCE FACILITY WAS OLD, AND WE REDESIGNED THE MAINTENANCE FACILITY, BOUGHT THEM NEW BUSES AND SO ON.
BUT I'VE BEEN, UH, UH, DOING, OVERSEEING CONSTRUCTION OF MAINTENANCE FACILITIES, OFFICE BUILDINGS, UH, FOR, UH, VARIOUS TRANSIT AGENCIES.
UM, LIKE I SAID, TRANSPORTATION IS MY PRIMARY THING, BUT I'VE DONE OFFICE BUILDINGS AS WELL AS OTHER FACILITIES FOR RAIL ADD BUS TRAINS THAT, UH, DONE ROADWAYS.
UH, BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR BUILDING THE AIRCRAFT RESCUE FACILITY AT, UH,
[00:10:01]
LAGUARDIA AIRPORT.AND THAT WAS A HUGE FACILITY, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, UH, THAT THAT NOT ONLY HOUSES THE RESCUE FACILITY FOR AIRCRAFT, BUT IT ALSO HOUSES A, UH, WORKING LOCATION FOR ONE OF THE BIGGEST DIGNITARIES IN THE UNITED STATES.
WE WILL START WITH COUNCIL QUESTIONS.
I'LL START OFF WITH THE FIRST ONE.
UM, SOME OF THE CASES THAT WE HAVE INVOLVE FAMILIES WHO ARE STRUGGLING AND THEY ALREADY FACE A MULTITUDE OF ISSUES.
WHAT WILL GUIDE YOUR DECISION MAKING PROCESS IF APPOINTED AS IT PERTAINS TO ORDERS TO VACATE, DEMOLISH, OR REPAIR? WHAT, WHAT WOULD, WHAT WILL GUIDE YOUR DECISION MAKING PROCESS AS IT PERTAINS TO ORDERS TO VACATE, DEMOLISH, OR REPAIR? WELL, THE FIRST THING IS SAFETY.
UH, IS IT SAFE FOR HUMAN BEING, UH, TO OR, OR ANYTHING ELSE? THE SECOND THING IS, DOES IT ENHANCE, UH, THE VALUE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD? UH, THAT'S THE SECOND THING.
UH, AND, UH, IF IT IS OF HISTORIC VALUE, DOES IT NEED TO BE PRESERVED OR DOES IT NEED TO BE DEMOLISHED? UH, THAT'S, THESE ARE THE CONSIDERATIONS THAT I WOULD CONSIDER.
BUT FIRST AND FOREMOST, THE SAFETY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH MR. GUPTA, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST.
I'LL START OFF WITH MY COLLEAGUES AND SEE IF THEY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
COUNCILMAN CASTILLO, FOLLOWED BY COUNCILMAN K.
THE IAN STANDARD BOARD IS A UNIQUE ENTITY AS IT HAS QUASI-JUDICIAL POWERS, WHICH DIRECTLY IMPACTS RESIDENTS HEALTH, SAFETY, AND PROPERTY.
BASED ON THE OUSTED REPORT FROM THE COHORT, FROM UT AUSTIN'S ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CLINIC, UH, ORDERS TO DEMOLISH, OUTPACE ORDERS TO REPAIR 6.5 TO ONE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
HOW WOULD YOU WORK WITH OTHER MEMBERS OF THE BOARD TO ENSURE MORE HOMEOWNERS COME BEFORE THE B S B HAVE THE ABILITY TO SAVE THEIR BIGGEST INVESTMENT, THEIR HOME? I, I WOULD, I WOULD DEFINITELY WORK.
IT'S A, IN A COOPERATIVE MANNER, CONSULTATION WITH EACH OTHER IS MOST IMPORTANT, UH, SO THAT WE CAN WORK HARMONIOUSLY.
UH, I WILL DEFINITELY, UH, SEEK THE ADVICE AND OPINION OF OTHER BOARD MEMBERS, UH, SEE THEIR FEELINGS, UH, SEEK WHAT THEIR OPINIONS ARE AND EXPERTISE THAT THEY BRING TO THE TABLE.
AND AFTER DUE CONSIDERATION, A DECISION WILL BE MADE.
I WILL NOT GO INTO ANY, UH, DECISION BASED ON MY AND MY OPINION ONLY.
I WILL LISTEN TO EVERYBODY BEFORE I MAKE A DECISION AND MAKE UP MY MIND.
WHEN COMPARED TO PEER CITIES IN TEXAS, SAN ANTONIO SEEMS TO STAND ALONE IN THE NUMBER OF DEMOLITIONS OF OCCUPIED STRUCTURES WHEN LOOKED AT IN THE CONTEXT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND THE CRISIS THAT WE'RE IN.
AND THE SAYING THAT THE MOST AFFORDABLE HOUSING STOCK IS OUR MOST, IS OUR EXISTING HOUSING STOCK.
UM, DOES THE B S B HAVE AN, THE BUILDING AND STANDARDS BOARD, HAVE AN OBLIGATION NOT ONLY TO CONSIDER DEMOLITION AS A LAST RESORT, BUT ACTUALLY PUT IT INTO PRACTICE? WELL, I THINK DEMOLITION IS NOT THE ANSWER TO EVERYTHING.
WE, UH, WE HAVE TO CONSIDER, UH, HISTORIC PRESERVATION.
UH, SAN ANTONIO IS AN OLD CITY.
IT'S, IT'S, IT HAS A LONG HISTORY.
AND I THINK, UH, DEMOLITION FOR THE SAKE OF DEMOLITION AND BUILDING A NEW CITY IS NOT AN ANSWER.
UH, PRESERVATION IS, IS DEFINITELY A REQUIREMENT.
UH, I KNOW WE WANT TO BUILD A MODERN CITY, BUT I DON'T THINK, UH, UH, DEMOLITION IS JUST, JUST NOT THE ANSWER.
IT'S, WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE HISTORY AND, UH, I'LL CERTAINLY GIVE PROPER CONSIDERATION.
COUNCILMAN COURAGE, FOLLOWED BY COUNCILMAN BRAVO.
THANK YOU MR. GUPTA, FOR OFFERING YOUR SERVICES.
UH, COULD YOU TELL ME, UH, DO YOU THINK THERE'S ANY TIME CONSTRAINTS FOR YOU TO SERVE ON THIS? UH, NO, SIR, I'M RETIRED.
UM, MY, MY ONLY CONSIDERATION IN COMING TO SAN ANTONIO, WELL, I'VE BEEN TO SAN ANTONIO BEFORE, BUT WAS TO TAKE CARE OF MY, UH, GRANDCHILDREN.
UH, BUT THEY HAVE NOW ABANDONED ME.
THEY'RE FIVE YEARS OLD,
UM, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES YOU'LL HAVE PRESENTATIONS FROM CITY STAFF ON, ON THEIR PERCEPTION OF THE SITUATION, AND YOU'LL HAVE PEOPLE WHO WILL COME AND TALK WITH YOU, UH, ABOUT THEIR PERSONAL VIEW OF THE SITUATION, PROPERTY OWNERS, ET CETERA.
[00:15:01]
UH, YOU MAY ALSO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO OUT AND LOOK AT THE FACILITY.UH, WHICH OF THOSE THREE THINGS DO YOU THINK MAY WEIGH THE MOST IN YOUR DECISION MAKING? WELL, DEFINITELY AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT A PROPERTY OR, OR SITUATION IS, DOES HELP.
UH, NUMBER TWO, TALKING TO EXPERTS.
I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM THE EXPERT WHAT THEIR FEELINGS ARE, UH, ESPECIALLY THE ENGINEERS, THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGERS, AND SO ON.
AND THEN, UH, THE, THE, ANY CONSIDERATION FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION, IF THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO, WHO, UH, HAVE STRONG FEELINGS ABOUT THAT.
AND THEN PUBLIC FEELINGS ABOUT WHAT, WHAT THEY FEEL.
YOU, YOU MENTIONED SAFETY AS A CONSIDERATION, AND I THINK SOME PEOPLE HAVE DIFFERENT STANDARDS FOR WHAT IS AND IS NOT SAFE.
AND, AND SO HOW, HOW DO YOU LOOK AT THAT VERSUS IF SOMEBODY'S LIVING THERE NOW AND THAT'S, THAT'S ALL THEY'VE GOT AND THEY FEEL LIKE IT'S SAFE FOR THEM, SAFE ENOUGH? WHERE DO YOU DRAW THE LINE ON WHAT? WELL, I MEAN, THE CODE IS NUMBER ONE.
UH, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT, UH, THE SAFETY STANDARDS FIRST AND THE CODES.
AND THEN NUMBER TWO, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT WHETHER THERE'S A POSSIBILITY OF RELOCATING THE EXISTING HOUSEHOLD OR THE EXISTING PEOPLE AND SEE WHAT THE CITY CAN DO IN TERMS OF RELOCATING, UH, THE REST, THE EXISTING RESIDENCE.
AND IF THERE IS ANY ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE TO RELOCATE THEM, THAT THAT WOULD BE THE CONSIDERATION.
UH, BUT SAFETY IS NUMBER ONE PRIORITY, AND WE HAVE TO FOLLOW THE CODES AND WE HAVE TO SEE WHAT THE STANDARDS ARE.
I LIKE THAT YOU MENTIONED, UM, THE, UM, THE SAFETY AS A PRIORITY AND RELOCATION.
UH, SO MY QUESTION IS, ARE THERE ANY OTHER, OTHER THAN HELPING WITH RELOCATION, ARE THERE ANY OTHER, UH, ROLES YOU THINK THE CITY SHOULD ENSURE IN THE HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE, UH, OF, OF POSSIBLY MOVING PEOPLE OR IN THE, IN THE DEMOLISHING OF A HOME? WELL, I MEAN, IF, IF THE, THE PEOPLE ARE UNEMPLOYED, YOU CAN LOOK AT, SEE IF WE CAN EMPLOY THEM, OR YOU CAN FIND EMPLOYMENT IF THEY NEED ANY PARTICULAR SKILLS.
SEE IF WE CAN GIVE THEM THE SKILLS BY EDUCATING THEM.
IF THERE ARE SMALL CHILDREN INVOLVED, SEE IF WE CAN FIND DAYCARE FOR THEM OR SOME KIND OF EDUCATION FOR THEM.
SO WE TRY TO, WE WOULD TRY TO REHABILITATE THE FAMILY IF WE CAN, UH, IN ANY WAY POSSIBLE.
IF THERE ARE SENIOR CITIZENS, MAYBE, UH, FIND SENIOR CITIZEN HOME, UH, FOR THEM.
UH, BUT WE CAN DO LOTS OF THINGS, WHICH USING THE EXISTING CITY RESOURCES.
UH, AND SO MY LAST QUESTION IS WHY DO YOU WANNA BE ON THE BUILDING? UH, WHY DID YOU CHOOSE BUILDING STANDARDS BOARD AND NOT ANOTHER BOARD TO, TO BE ON? WELL, I MEAN, I, I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH BUILDINGS AND, AND THAT'S ONE THING THAT I KNOW ABOUT.
I'VE SEE, I'VE ADHERED TO CODES AND BUILD BUILDINGS.
I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH CONSTRUCTION, UH, IN MY CAREER.
UH, SO THAT IS A LOBBY CHOICE.
UH, I'VE, I'VE CONSIDERED VIA AND TRANSPORTATION.
UH, I DEFINITELY, UH, LIKE THAT.
BUT, UH, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY THAT I DEFINITELY WOULD LIKE, LIKE VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN, MR. GUPTA.
THAT'S ALL OF OUR QUESTIONS FOR RIGHT NOW.
UM, WE, WE'LL PROCEED WITH THE NEXT INTERVIEWEE, AND THEN WE WILL CONVENE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION AND, AND THEN MAKE A, A FINAL RECOMMENDATION TO COUNSEL.
BUT, UH, IF WE CAN HAVE MICAH HARPER NOW COME TO THE PODIUM.
I DIDN'T PRINT TOO MANY COPIES, BUT, UH, 'CAUSE I DIDN'T WANNA WASTE A LOT OF PAPER, BUT I HAVE A COPY OF MY RESUME THAT I CAN, IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'D LIKE TO LEAVE IT WITH YOU.
WE COULD ENTER IT ON INTO THE RECORD.
THANK YOU SO MUCH AGAIN, MR. GUPTA.
[00:20:05]
WHILE, UH, MR. HARPER COMES, CAN WE GO AHEAD AND READ INTO THE RECORD? UM, ANN WEINER'S WRITTEN STATEMENT, OR ACTUALLY, MR. HARPER IS HERE.YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES FOR OPENING REMARKS, PLEASE.
UM, UH, MY NAME IS MICAH HARPER.
I OWN A PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANY, A REAL ESTATE BROKERAGE, INSURANCE COMPANY, MORTGAGE COMPANY.
I'VE BEEN ON THE BUILDING STANDARDS BOARD, I BELIEVE IT'S THREE YEARS NOW.
I WAS APPOINTED BY SHIRLEY GONZALEZ ORIGINALLY.
UM, I WAS VICE CHAIR OF THE BUILDING STANDARDS BOARD FOR THIS LAST YEAR.
UM, AND THEN I LIVE IN DISTRICT FIVE, AND SO MY SPOT WAS REAPPOINTED, AND SO I WAS GOING TO GO OFF QUIETLY INTO THE SUNSET, BUT WAS REQUESTED BY THE BOARD TO COME AND APPLY FOR A AT LARGE POSITION.
UM, I UNDERSTAND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE BUILDING STANDARDS BOARD.
UM, I UNDERSTAND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF GIVING RESPECT TO THE PEOPLE THAT COME IN FRONT OF THE BOARD.
UM, I THINK ALL OF OUR, ALL OF OUR MEETINGS ARE, ARE RECORDED AND, UH, BROADCAST SO THE PUBLIC CAN WATCH THEM.
I THINK IF ANYONE HAS WATCHED THEM, THEY SEE THAT I HAVE GIVEN RESPECT TO EVERY PERSON THAT'S COME IN FRONT OF THE BOARD.
I HAVE ALWAYS TRIED TO ERR ON THE SIDE OF GIVING MORE TIME TO THOSE PROPERTY OWNERS THAT COME IN FRONT OF THE BOARD AND ASK FOR MORE TIME AND HAVE AN INTEREST IN REPAIRING THEIR PROPERTY.
WHEN IT COMES TO DANGEROUS STRUCTURES, UM, MANY TIMES WE HAVE NO ONE COME IN FRONT OF THE BOARD.
AND CODE COMPLIANCE HAS BEEN DEALING WITH THE STRUCTURE FOR 18 TO 24 MONTHS.
AND SO AT THAT TIME, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THE BOARD MAKES A TOUGH DECISION AND PROTECTS THE PEOPLE OF SAN ANTONIO FROM, YOU KNOW, OPEN SEWER LINES OR EXPOSED WIRING OR DANGEROUS STRUCTURES THAT ARE GONNA FALL DOWN.
UM, SO I TAKE THE, THE ROLE VERY SERIOUSLY.
UM, AND I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT BOARD TO HAVE FILLED.
THERE WAS A TIME WHEN WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH FOR BOTH PANELS, AND SO EVERY BOARD MEMBER HAD TO ATTEND EVERY SINGLE MEETING, OR WE WOULD NOT HAVE A QUORUM AND CODE COMPLIANCE CASES, PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE CASES COULD NOT MOVE FORWARD.
AND SO, UH, THOSE STRUCTURES, THOSE STRUCTURES SAT THERE AND THOSE CITIZENS HAD NO WAY TO ADDRESS THEIR CONCERNS.
UM, AND SO I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT THE BOARD IS COMPLETELY APPOINTED AND FILLED OUT.
UM, THAT'S THE EXTENT OF MY, UH, COMMENTS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. HARPER.
WE'LL START OFF WITH QUESTIONS FROM EACH COMMITTEE MEMBER.
UH, SOME OF THE CASES THAT WE HAVE INVOLVE FAMILIES WHO ARE STRUGGLING AND ARE ALREADY FACING MULTITUDES OF ISSUES.
UH, WHAT WILL GUIDE YOUR DECISION MAKING PROCESS AS IT PERTAINS TO ORDERS TO VACATE, DEMOLISH, OR REPAIR SOLELY THE CONDITION OF THE PROPERTY? UM, CODE COMPLIANCE IS VERY GOOD AT PROVIDING HOMEOWNERS AND RESIDENTS WITH ALTERNATIVE HOUSING ASSISTANCE.
UM, WITH FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.
THERE ARE SOME CITY PROGRAMS THAT WILL COME AND GIVE THEM ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIRING THE STRUCTURE AND MAKING IT SAFE AGAIN.
UM, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IF THE STRUCTURE IS DANGEROUS, BOTH TO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE LIVING IN IT OR TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, AND OFTENTIMES WE HAVE NEIGHBORS OR SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT WHO COME TO THE MEETINGS AND VOICE THEIR CONCERNS.
UM, IF IT'S A DANGER TO THE CITY CITIZENS OF SAN ANTONIO, THEN THAT'S WHAT'S GONNA GUIDE MY DECISION.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY, SOME PEOPLE THERE, THERE IS NO BETTER SOLUTION.
I, I HOPE THAT THE CITY FINDS A WAY TO PROVIDE MORE RESOURCES TO THOSE RESIDENTS.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, IF THERE ISN'T AN ALTERNATIVE, THEN THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO DO.
WE'LL START WITH COMMITTEE QUESTIONS.
WE'LL START WITH COUNCILMAN CASTILLO, FOLLOWED BY COUNCILMAN RIDGE.
THE BODIAN STANDARD BOARD IS A UNIQUE ENTITY AS IT HAS THE QUASI-JUDICIAL POWERS, WHICH DIRECTLY IMPACT RESIDENTS HEALTH, SAFETY, AND PROPERTY.
BASED ON THE OUSTED REPORT FROM A COHORT FROM THE UT AUSTIN ENTREPRENEURSHIP COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CLINIC ORDERS TO DEMOLISH, OUTPACE ORDERS TO REPAIR BY 6.5 TO ONE, HOW WOULD YOU WORK WITH OTHER BOARD MEMBERS TO ENSURE MORE HOMEOWNERS COME BEFORE THE B S B HAVE THE ABILITY TO SAVE THEIR BIGGEST INVESTMENT, THEIR HOME? I THINK IT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
I, I THINK IF YOU REVIEW MY RECORD, I AM THE SINGLE PERSON WHO HAS TALKED THE BOARD INTO GIVING HOMEOWNERS MORE TIME, MORE THAN ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBER MOST OF THE TIME, OR, OR MANY TIMES, UM, THE BOARD IS ABOUT TO VOTE TO DEMOLISH A STRUCTURE.
AND, AND MY THOUGHT IS, IF A HOMEOWNER SHOWS UP, IF THEY'RE THERE TRYING, OR SOMEONE NOT EVEN THE HOMEOWNER, SOMETIMES THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, SOMEBODY SHOWS UP AND SAYS, I WANT TO FIX THIS PROPERTY.
UH, I EITHER NEED MORE TIME, I NEED HELP, I NEED ASSISTANCE, THEN I WILL ALWAYS GIVE THEM THE TIME THAT WE CAN AND POINT THEM IN THE DIRECTION OF ASSISTANCE.
THE MAJORITY OF THE TIME, NOBODY SHOWS UP.
EITHER THE PERSON HAS PASSED AWAY AND THERE ARE MULTIPLE HEIRS WHO DON'T WANT TO STEP UP AND FIX THE PROPERTY BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW FINANCIALLY WHAT THAT MEANS FOR THEM.
SO I WOULD SAY THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE TIME, NOBODY SHOWS UP.
AND IN WHICH CASE, THERE ISN'T ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO.
THERE'S, THERE'S NO OTHER OPTION.
BUT IN THE EVENT THAT SOMEONE DOES SHOW UP AND HAVE A SINCERE INTEREST IN REPAIRING THE PROPERTY, I'LL ALWAYS DO MY BEST TO GIVE 'EM THAT TIME.
WHEN COMPARED TO PEER CITIES IN TEXAS, SAN ANTONIO SEEMS TO STAND ALONE IN THE NUMBER OF DEMOLITIONS OF OCCUPIED STRUCTURES.
ONE LOOKED AT IN CONTEXT OF THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS AND SAYING THAT THE MOST AFFORDABLE HOME IS THE ONE THAT IS ALREADY BUILT.
DOES THE BUILDING AND STANDARD BOARD HAVE AN OBLIGATION NOT ONLY TO CONSIDER DEMOLITION AS LAST RESORT, BUT ACTUALLY PUT IT INTO PRACTICE? YES.
[00:25:01]
YES.AND, AND, AND I AGREE WITH YOU, THE, THE, THE BEST, THE MOST AFFORDABLE HOUSE WE HAVE IS THE ONE THAT'S ALREADY THERE THAT JUST NEEDS TO BE FIXED.
THERE JUST NEED TO BE RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO FIX IT.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, THE CHARGE OF THE BUILDING STANDARDS BOARD IS NOT TO FIX THE PROPERTY.
IF, IF IT WAS, AND WE HAD THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE, I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO TO GO DOWN THAT ROAD.
BUT THINGS ARE BROUGHT TO US WHEN ALL OTHER AVENUES ARE EXHAUSTED, AND IF THERE IS NO ONE THERE TO FIX IT, UH, THAT LEAVES US VERY LITTLE OTHER OPTIONS.
BUT I WOULD ABSOLUTELY LOVE TO HAVE ANOTHER ALTERNATIVE OR A CITY PROGRAM WHERE WE COULD DIVERT THAT RESIDENT TO THAT PROGRAM TO HAVE THAT PROPERTY FIXED.
I THINK WE HAVE A GREAT PRESENTATION ADDRESSING THAT ISSUE TODAY.
COUNCILMAN COURAGE FOLLOWED BY COUNCILMAN
UH, YOU KNOW, UM, MR. HARPER, SOMETHING YOU JUST SAID, UH, CLICKED IN MY MIND.
'CAUSE I WAS LOOKING OVER THE HANDOUT WE'VE GOT, AND IT SAYS, THE BUILDING STANDARD BOARD HEARS APPEALS TO AND VIOLATIONS OF SAN ANTONIO PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE RULES ON CASES, AND IT SAYS, CAN ORDER REPAIRS YES.
AND I THOUGHT YOU JUST SAID, WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT REPAIRS IF THERE'S NO ONE THERE WHO IS WILLING TO MAKE THE REPAIR.
WE, WE CAN'T ORDER THE CITY TO REPAIR THE STRUCTURE.
WE CAN ORDER TIME FOR THE PROPERTY OWNER TO, AND, AND WE DO IN THE EVENT THAT THEY'RE THERE.
OKAY, THEN I UNDERSTAND THAT BETTER.
UM, YOU'VE SERVED ON THE BOARD.
LET ME ASK YOU, WHAT PROCESS DO YOU USE TO EVALUATE THOSE PROPERTIES, UH, SO THAT WHEN THEY'RE PRESENTED TO THE BOARD, YOU'RE PREPARED TO MAKE A DECISION? SO THE, WE START WITH THE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER MAKING A PRESENTATION, RIGHT? AND THEY HAVE PHOTOGRAPHS.
SO THEY'LL PUT UP THE PHOTOGRAPHS AND THEY'LL GO THROUGH THEM AND DISCUSS, DISCUSS THE, THE ROTTEN MEMBERS OF THE STRUCTURE.
THEY'LL DISCUSS THE ROOF STRUCTURE, THE FOUNDATION, THE WIRING, WHAT THEY USE TO DETERMINE IN THEIR PROFESSIONAL OPINION THAT THE PROPERTY'S DANGEROUS.
UM, WILL, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO RELY ON.
UH, WE'LL ASK OF COURSE QUESTIONS OF THE CODE OFFICER TO, TO GET ALL THE INFORMATION THAT'S POSSIBLE.
AND THEN WHETHER OR NOT SOMEONE SHOWS UP IN FRONT OF THE BOARD AND IS WILLING TO REPAIR THE STRUCTURE.
MANY TIMES, SOMETIMES, I MEAN, THEY'RE GIVEN INFORMATION THAT SAYS, COME TO US WITH A SCOPE OF WORK, WITH BIDS, WITH YOUR PROOF OF YOUR FINANCIAL ABILITY TO MAKE THESE REPAIRS.
VERY RARELY DOES THAT HAPPEN, BUT IT'S GREAT WHEN THAT HAPPENS.
IT'S VERY EASY TO ORDER REPAIR.
UM, MANY TIMES NO ONE'S THERE OR THEY COME IN FRONT OF US AND SAY, HEY, I WANT TO REPAIR IT, BUT I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE ANY WAY TO DO IT, BUT I'M GONNA TALK TO FAMILY.
I'M GONNA TALK TO CITY PROGRAMS. I'M GONNA FIND A WAY.
IN WHICH CASE WE ORDER A RESET, RIGHT? AND WE TALK WITH 'EM AND SAY, OKAY, WHEN WE'RE GONNA RESET THIS, AND WHEN YOU COME BACK IN FRONT OF US, WE NEED A SCOPE OF WORK.
WE NEED YOU TO HAVE BIDS AND NOT TO MAKE THE PROPERTY BEAUTIFUL, BUT TO MAKE IT SAFE, RIGHT? SO FIX THE STRUCTURE BOARD UP THE WINDOWS BOARD, THE, WHERE NOBODY CAN GET IN AND SET FIRE TO THE STRUCTURE AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
SO THAT'S SORT OF THE PATH WE USE.
IS, IS IT A DANGEROUS STRUCTURE? IF IT IS, IS THERE SOMEONE HERE WHO HAS AN INTEREST IN FIXING IT? UM, AND IF SO, DO THEY HAVE THE ABILITY OR DO THEY, OKAY.
CAN YOU GIVE US AN EXAMPLE OF MAYBE A VERY DIFFICULT DECISION YOU FACED WHILE YOU SERVED ON THAT BOARD? UH, YEAH.
UM, WHEN A, WHEN A RESIDENT, AND ESPECIALLY AN ELDERLY RESIDENT, UM, SHOWS UP IN FRONT OF THE BOARD AND WANTS TO FIX THEIR PROPERTY AND HAS NO ABILITY TO DO IT, UM, OFTENTIMES, UNFORTUNATELY, THEY'RE STILL LIVING IN THE PROPERTY.
UM, THEY HAVE NO FAMILY MEMBERS, NONE THAT ARE WILLING TO HELP.
UM, WE'VE GONE THROUGH, JUST HEARD FROM CODE COMPLIANCE, HOW THE PROPERTY IS NOT SAFE, HOW THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THE PROPERTY IS, IS FALLING DOWN.
UM, IT'S IN, ON IMMINENT COLLAPSE OR PARTIALLY HAS COLLAPSED.
THERE'S PENETRATIONS IN THE ROOF, SO WATER'S COMING IN THE STRUCTURE, YOU KNOW, THE WA THE POWER'S NOT CONNECTED, WATER'S NOT CONNECTED.
ALL THOSE KINDS OF THINGS TO WHERE NO ONE, NO ONE SHOULD LIVE LIKE THAT.
UM, AND YET SOMEONE IS LIVING LIKE THAT AND THEY DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
UM, MANY PEOPLE ARE VERY PROUD AND THEY WANNA STAY IN THEIR HOME, AND I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THAT.
BUT THAT'S A DIFFICULT DECISION FOR THE BUILDING STANDARDS BOARD BECAUSE THAT HOME IS A DANGER TO THEIR NEIGHBORS AND IT'S A DANGER TO THEM AND A DANGER TO THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY.
UM, AND SO AT THAT POINT, WE HAVE TO MAKE A TOUGH DECISION.
USUALLY WE'LL GIVE THEM TIME TO SEE IF, IF THE CITY PROGRAMS CAN HELP, OFTENTIMES THEY'VE RUN OUT OF MONEY TO SEE IF FAMILY CAN HELP.
SOMETIMES THEY DON'T HAVE FAMILY, IN WHICH CASE, AT THE VERY END OF THE LINE, THERE IS NO OTHER CHOICE.
UM, BUT TO DO, TO, TO PROTECT THE SAFETY OF THE CITY.
DOES YOUR, UH, BOARD SET DEADLINES FOR WHEN PEOPLE NEED TO LEAVE THOSE PROPERTIES OR WHEN THEY NEED TO BE TORN DOWN? UH, YEAH.
WELL, WE CAN ORDER A DEMOLITION AND THEN THE CITY PUTS IT OUT FOR BID AND FOLLOWS THEIR PROCESS.
SO MANY TIMES THERE'S AN APPEAL AFTER US, RIGHT? SO IF WE ORDER A DEMOLITION, IT CAN BE APPEALED.
UM, IF THEY DON'T APPEAL IT, THEN THE CITY WILL SET IT FOR DEMOLITION, AND THEN IT USUALLY TAKES 30 TO 60 DAYS BEYOND THAT FOR IT TO BE ACTUALLY DEMOLISHED.
I KIND OF THOUGHT YOU WERE LIKE THE ENDING APPEALS BOARD.
WHERE COULD IT GO FOR AN APPEAL? UH, I THINK, I THINK DISTRICT COURT, UH OH, OKAY.
IT WOULD GO TO A COURT SYSTEM? YES.
COUNCILMAN REVO, FOLLOW UP BY COUNCILMAN
COUNCILMAN COURAGE ALREADY ASKED THE QUESTION I WAS GONNA ASK, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[00:30:01]
UM, THANK YOU.SO I, I STILL WANNA KNOW A LITTLE MORE BECAUSE YOU WERE ON THE BUILDING AND STANDARDS BOARD AND, UM, CAN YOU EXPAND A LITTLE ON WHY YOU'RE GOING BACK? BECAUSE IT IS A, IT IS A DIFFICULT BOARD, AND IS IT BECAUSE YOU FEEL LIKE THIS BOARD NEEDS TO BE BIGGER OR IF IT'S SMALLER? OUR, OUR BOARD MEMBERS MIGHT GET BURNED OUT.
UM, I WAS APPOINTED BY THE COUNCILWOMAN AND SHE, SHE ASKED ME TO BE ON THE BOARD.
UM, AND THEN WHEN I WASN'T GONNA BE ON THE BOARD ANYMORE, CODE COMPLIANCE, CITY STAFF, THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS, THEY ALL, UH, ASKED ME TO APPLY FOR AN OPEN POSITION.
I THINK BECAUSE I TRY TO BRING A LEVEL OF MEASURE TO THE BOARD, UM, WHERE WE GIVE EVERYONE THEIR OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AND TRY TO FIND A SOLUTION.
AND SO I THINK THERE HAVE BEEN SOME BOARD MEMBERS IN THE PAST THAT MAYBE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THE RAMIFICATIONS OF OUR DECISIONS OR THE FACT THAT EVERY RESIDENT HAS, SHOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AND, AND, AND NOT JUST TO SPEAK, BUT TO SPEAK UNTIL THEY'RE DONE SAYING WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY, EVEN IF THE OUTCOME IS, IS PROBABLY OBVIOUS TO EVERYBODY, I FEEL LIKE EVERYBODY DESERVES TO BE HEARD.
UM, WHICH IS WHY THEY, THEY PUT ME AS VICE CHAIR, WHICH MEANT I, I CHAIRED PANEL B.
UM, AND SO IT WAS AT, I, I WASN'T GOING TO, BUT AFTER EVERYONE REQUESTED THAT, UM, I SAID I WOULD.
AND, UM, WE HAVE ONE MORE APPLICANT AND THAT IS ANN WEINER, BUT WE HAVE A WRITTEN STATEMENT THAT WILL BE WRITTEN TO THE RECORD.
WRITTEN STATEMENT FROM APPLICANT ANN WEINER.
HELLO TO ALL, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CONSIDERING ME FOR THE BUILDING STANDARDS BOARD.
I HAVE LIVED IN SAN ANTONIO FOR ALMOST FOUR YEARS NOW.
I CAME TO BE CLOSER TO FAMILY, BUT NEW I LOVED SAN ANTONIO FROM MY MULTIPLE VISITS.
I AM SELF-EMPLOYED, CERTIFIED, REGISTERED NURSE AND ETHICIST, AND HAVE BEEN OVER 40 YEARS.
UNFORTUNATELY, I WAS SCHEDULED TO WORK ON FEBRUARY 24TH, MANY WEEKS AGO, AND HAVE NO WAY TO CHANGE THAT FOR THE FUTURE.
I WILL BE RETIRING AT THE END OF MAY.
MY HEALTHCARE BACKGROUND HAS FACILITATED MY INTEREST IN SAVING LIVING SPACES.
WITHOUT THOSE, IT IS DIFFICULT TO CREATE A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE AND CLEAN ENVIRONMENT.
I DO FEEL EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE A ROOF OVER THEIR HEADS, BUT IF IT IS UNSAFE, ITS PURPOSE IS MOOT.
BUILDING STANDARDS ARE DESIGNED FOR PROTECTION.
THEY MAY BE SEEN AS OVERSTEPPING BY THE CITY, BUT WITHOUT RULES, VERY, VERY LITTLE GETS DONE.
I LIVE IN THE ALTA VISTA AREA, VERY CLOSE TO SAN PEDRO PARK.
THERE ARE SMALL SHOTGUN HOUSES ACROSS FROM ME AND RENTAL ON BOTH SIDES.
I PERSONALLY SEE THE THINGS THAT LANDLORDS ARE NOT DOING FOR THEIR RENTERS, AS WELL AS EMPTY HOUSES BOARDED UP AND NOT BEING USED.
I DO NOT FEEL THAT WE SHOULD BE SO STRICT THAT THE CITY RESEMBLES AN H O A, HOWEVER, TO INCREASE THE VALUE SAFETY OF ALL SAN ANTONIO PROPERTY.
KNOWING YOUR NEIGHBORS ARE ALSO CARING FOR THEIR HOMES IS IMPORTANT.
I PERSONALLY HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH A RODENT ISSUE DUE TO MANY ABANDONED HOUSES.
TO BE CLEAR, THOUGH, I DO THINK THE CITY HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO ASSIST WITH REPAIRS IF NEEDED.
MANY OF THESE INHABITANTS OF OLDER FAILING HOMES CANNOT AFFORD THE REPAIRS OR THE SERVICES FOR PESTS.
MERELY GIVING AN ULTIMATUM DOES NOT CORRECT THE ISSUE OF CASH FLOW.
AS A BOARD, WE OWE THE HOMEOWNERS ASSISTANCE WHERE NEEDED.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
I CAN BECOME AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS IF NEEDED AT A LATER DATE.
AND LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU.
THANK YOU, UM, TO MADAM CLERK, UH, AND TO ALL THE APPLICANTS.
WE, UH, APPRECIATE AND VALUE THE TIME THAT YOU TAKE TO, TO APPLY AND, AND WANT TO SERVE THE CITY OF, OF SAN ANTONIO.
AS A REMINDER, THE CITY'S PLANNING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE IS MEETING TO GO OVER APPLICATIONS FOR APPOINTMENT TO THE BUILDING STANDARDS BOARD.
THERE'S FOUR AT LARGE POSITIONS AVAILABLE FOR APPOINTMENT, AND WE HAVE ONE APPLICANT FOR REAPPOINTMENT WITH THREE NEW APPLICANTS.
FOLLOWING A REVIEW IN AN EXECUTIVE SESSION, WE WILL RECONVENE IN THE OPEN SESSION TO DELIBERATE AND PROPOSE A SLATE FOR CONSIDERATION BY THE FULL CITY COUNCIL TO CONSIDER AND ACT UPON AT AN UPCOMING A SESSION.
THE TIME IS NOW 10:36 AM THURSDAY, FEBRUARY THE 24TH, 2022.
THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE IS RECESSING INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DELIBERATE THE APPOINTMENT OF THE BUILDING STANDARDS BOARD AT LARGE MEMBERS PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0.074 PERSONNEL MATTERS AND DISCUSS RELATED LEGAL ISSUES PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0.071 CONSULTATION WITH THE ATTORNEY.
THE TIME IS NOW 11:10 AM ON THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24TH, AND THE CITY COUNCIL PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE WILL NOW RECONVENE AN OPEN SESSION.
NO OFFICIAL ACTION WAS TAKEN DURING THE EXECUTIVE SESSION.
UM, THANK YOU AGAIN TO ALL OF THE APPLICANTS FOR YOUR INTEREST AND TO THOSE THAT ARE HERE TODAY.
UM, IT WAS A VERY DIFFICULT POSITION AS, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE.
AND SO THAT'S WHY IT TOOK US A LITTLE BIT LONGER, UM,
[00:35:01]
THAN THAN EXPECTED.SO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND EVERYBODY WHO'S HERE FOR OTHER ITEMS WILL GET MOVE IT MOVING ASAP.
UM, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR RECOMMENDATION AT THE FIRST AVAILABLE CITY COUNCIL MEETING TO ACT ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE COMMITTEE.
I MOVE THAT THE PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COM COMMITTEE RECOMMEND ROBERT OPIA FOR ARCHITECT WITH ADAPTIVE REUSE FOR THE AT-LARGE SEATS ON THE BUILDING STANDARD BOARDS FOR THE UNEXPIRED TERM THROUGH MAY 31ST, 2023.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND.
CAN YOU PLEASE VOTE ON THAT? MOTION CARRIES.
UH, MR. TAPIA, FOR NOW YOU'VE MOVED FORWARD TO, UM, CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERATION.
IS THERE A MOTION, UM, TO CONTINUE THE APPOINTMENTS? COUNCILMAN VIANA? YES.
I MOVE THAT THE PLANNING AND COMMITTEE DEVELOPMENT, THE PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE RECOMMEND, UH, SHE GUPTA FOR RETIRED OVER 64 POSITION FOR THE AT LARGE SEAT ON THE BUILDING STANDARDS BOARD FOR THE UNEXPIRED TERM THROUGH MAY 31ST, 2023.
SECOND, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THE FLOOR? OKAY, PERFECT.
IS THERE, UH, THERE'S ANOTHER MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
YES, UH, I MAKE A MOTION, I MOVE THAT THE PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE RECOMMEND MICAH HARPER FOR PROFESSIONAL PROPERTY MANAGER IN FOR, AT THE, AT LARGE SEATS ON THE BUILDING STANDARD BOARDS FOR THE UN EXPIRED TERM THROUGH MAY 31ST, 2023.
IS THERE A SECOND? IS THERE SECOND? I'LL GO AHEAD AND SECOND IT.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND.
CAN WE HAVE A VOTE PLEASE?
I MOVE THAT THE PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE RECOMMEND ANN WEINER FOR THE HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL CATEGORY FOR THE AT LARGE SEAT ON THE BUILDING STANDARD BOARDS FOR THE UNEXPIRED TERM THROUGH MAY 31ST, 2023.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR OR SORRY, TAKE PLEASE VOTE.
THANK YOU AGAIN, UM, EVERYONE FOR YOUR INTEREST.
IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED THAT WE RECOMMEND THE FOLLOWING APPLICANTS FOR THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES AND TERMS REAPPOINTMENT OF ROBERT THIA TO THE AT LARGE POSITION ARCHITECT WITH ADAPTIVE REUSE EXPERIENCE CATEGORY FOR AN UNEXPIRED TERM EXPIRING ON MAY 31ST, 2024.
APPOINTMENT OF, UH, SHISH GUPTA FOR THE AT LARGE POSITION.
RETIRED OVER 64 CATEGORY FOR AN UNEX, EXPIRED TERM, EXPIRING ON MAY 31ST, 2024.
AND TO APPOINT ANNE WENER TO THE AT LARGE POSITION HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL CATEGORY FOR AN UNEX EXPIRED TERM, EXPIRING ON MAY 31ST, 2024, MADAM CHAIR.
AND JUST TO CLARIFY, THOSE WHO GO TO THE SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL FOR FINAL APPROVAL, CORRECT? YES.
UH, AT THE NEXT AVAILABLE MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL MARCH 17TH, ON MARCH 17TH.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR INTEREST.
WE WILL, UM, NOW, UH, MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER TWO, WHICH I'M SORRY, NO, ITEM NUMBER THREE, WHICH IS A BRIEFING ON TAX INCREMENT FINANCING PROGRAM AND POTENTIAL POLICY UPDATES.
AND THIS IS A PRESENTATION BY, UM, UH, LAURIE.
I'M GONNA BE DOING THE PRESENTATION ON THE TAX INCREMENT FINANCING GUIDELINE UPDATES.
I DO WANNA STRESS THAT THIS IS GONNA BE STEP ONE OF THREE WITH THIS COUNCIL COMMITTEE.
AND SO WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING TODAY IS REALLY WE'RE JUST DOING A BRIEFING.
WE ARE GONNA BE DOING SOME STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS
[00:40:01]
AND INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL MEMBER INTERVIEWS WITH EVERYONE TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY'D, TO SEE THE TIF GUIDELINES TO REFLECT.AND THEN WE'LL ALSO, WE'LL COME BACK WITH WHAT WE HEARD WITH SOME DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS, AND THEN WE'LL GO BACK TO THE COMMUNITY, GET SOME FEEDBACK, AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK AGAIN FOR A RECOMMENDATION TO PROCEED THE CITY COUNCIL.
AND SO I JUST WANNA STRESS THIS IS STEP ONE OF THREE AND WE'LL BE DOING A VERY THOROUGH PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROCESS TO GET THESE GUIDELINES RIGHT.
BUT JUST AS THE BEGINNING OF TS TAX AGREEMENT FINANCING IS GOVERNED BY CHAPTER THREE 11 OF THE TEXAS TAX CODE.
AND THE GOAL OF A TIF IS TO SPUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN AN AREA THAT OTHERWISE WOULD REMAIN STAGNANT.
AND I THINK WE'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH THE TIF MECHANISM IS, BUT WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS COUNCIL HAS TO APPROVE A BOUNDARY.
ONCE THAT BOUNDARY IS SET, THE ACTUAL INCREMENT THAT A MUNICIPALITY RECEIVES FROM THAT BOUNDARY IS SET.
AND THEN ANY ADDITIONAL INCREMENT ABOVE THAT WILL GO INTO A SPECIAL FUND THAT WILL BE USED FOR PROJECTS BASED ON THE ELIGIBILITY PER THE CHAPTER THREE 11 OF THE TEXAS TAX CODE.
NOW TO CREATE A TS THERE'S REALLY TWO WAYS YOU CAN DO A CITY INITIATED OR A PETITION INITIATED TSS, BUT THE BASIC RULE FOR THE CREATION OF A TOUR'S BOUNDARY IS REALLY, IT MUST BE A CONTIGUOUS GEOGRAPHIC AREA THAT CONSTITUTES AN ECONOMIC OR SOCIAL LIABILITY MENACE TO PUBLIC HEALTH, SAFETY OR WELFARE IN ITS PRESENT CONDITION.
SO THERE MUST BE A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF STANDARD SLUM DETERIORATED, SUBSTANDARD SLUM OR DETERIORATED STRUCTURES, UM, POTENTIALLY PREDOMINANCE OF DEFECTIVE OR INADEQUATE INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT GROWTH, UNSANITARY OR UNSAFE CONDITIONS PROPOSED IN CONNECTION TO A REGIONAL COMMUTER OR MASS TRANSIT RAIL SYSTEM, PREDOMINANTLY OPEN OR UNDEVELOPED LAND.
AND SOMETHING ELSE THAT WE NEED TO NOTE IN HERE IS THAT NO MORE THAN 30% OF THE PROPERTY WITHIN A BOUNDARY CAN BE USED FOR RESIDENTIAL PURPOSES.
SO SETTING A TOURS BOUNDARY, YOU WOULD NEVER DO A TOURS JUST OVER A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, TYPICALLY YOU'LL SET A TOURS BOUNDARY OVER AN AREA THAT HAS VACANCIES, NO HOUSING, NO INFRASTRUCTURE, AND IT'S VERY SIMILAR.
THE, THE BEST EXAMPLE I CAN USE FOR THOSE IN THIS COUNCIL IS IN 2008 WE CREATED THE RIVER NORTH MIDTOWN TOURS.
THAT WAS BEFORE THE RIVER HAD EXTENDED.
UM, THERE WAS A LOT OF VACANCY IN THAT AREA.
THERE WAS NOT INFRASTRUCTURE IN THAT AREA.
AND THAT WAS WHY THAT TOUR WAS CREATED TO SUPPORT THAT INFRASTRUCTURE AND TO SUPPORT THAT GROWTH.
NOW FOR PETITION INITIATED TOURS, THAT IS WHEN A DEVELOPER PROPOSES AN AREA FOR REDEVELOPMENT, USUALLY IT'S HOUSING DEVELOPMENT, THEY'LL COME TO A CERTAIN AREA AND THEY HAVE TO OWN AT LEAST 50% OF THE VALUE OF THAT TOURS FOR IT TO BE CONSIDERED, UM, BY CITY COUNCIL.
NOW, THE TYPES OF TAX REINVESTMENT ZONES, I MENTIONED THIS ALREADY.
YOU HAVE CITY INITIATED OR PETITION INITIATED, CITY INITIATED.
TYPICALLY WHAT HAPPENS IS STAFF WILL MAKE A RECOMMENDATION BASED ON COUNCIL FEEDBACK ON A SPECIFIC AREA.
THEY WILL LOOK AT THE TYPES OF PROJECTS THAT NEED TO BE DONE IN THAT AREA.
AND THEN TYPICALLY WE'LL WORK WITH A DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY OR OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS ON HOW WE FUND THOSE PROJECTS.
THERE IS A FEE BY THE DEVELOPER TO SUBMIT FOR THAT PETITION.
IT'S TYPICALLY ONE TYPE OF PROJECT.
SO HOUSING IS A GREAT EXAMPLE.
WE'VE DONE SEVERAL HOUSING, UM, TIFFS IN DISTRICT THREE AND DISTRICT FOUR.
AND WHAT WE'LL DO FROM THERE IS WE TYPICALLY NEGOTIATE THE TYPES OF AFFORDABILITY WITHIN THOSE UNITS.
AND THEN WE ALSO LOOK AT THE AREA TO SEE WHAT TYPE OF UNITS DO THEY NEED.
DO THEY NEED MARKET RATE? DO THEY NEED AFFORDABILITY? DO THEY NEED RENTAL? DO THEY NEED OWNERSHIP? AND THAT TOURIST IS TYPICALLY BASED ON REIMBURSEMENT.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, A DEVELOPER WILL COME IN, THEY'LL IDENTIFY A ZONE, THEY'LL SAY, WE'RE GONNA BUILD A THOUSAND HOUSING UNITS.
25% WILL BE AT THIS AFFORDABILITY RATE, 25% AT THIS AFFORDABILITY RATE TO DEVELOP THIS AREA.
WE HAVE $10 MILLION OF PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND THEY'LL GET REIMBURSED THROUGH THE TAXES THEY PAY, UM, BASED ON THE DEVELOPMENT IN THAT AREA.
NOW, CITY INITIATED TOUR'S, PROJECT APPLICATIONS, A DEVELOPER OR A DEPARTMENT WILL SUBMIT A FUNDING REQUEST.
TIFF STAFF REVIEWS IT FOR ELIGIBILITY.
BUT THEN WE ALSO WORK WITH OUR FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT DIVISION TO LOOK AT THE, THE TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT, MAKE SURE THERE'S ENOUGH CAPACITY TO FUND THAT PROJECT REQUEST.
AND THEN STAFF DEVELOPS OUR RECOMMENDATION AND IT'S BASED ON THE EXISTING COMMUNITY PLANS, FINANCIAL NEED
[00:45:01]
OR THE PROJECT PERFORMA COMMUNITY BENEFIT AND AVAILABILITY OF FUNDING.SO FOR EXAMPLE, DEVELOPER MIGHT COME IN AND SAY, I NEED $5 MILLION IN PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE TO DO THIS PROJECT.
UM, WE MAY COME BACK AND SAY, WE DON'T HAVE ANY INCREMENT TO PAY THIS DEVELOPER OR PAY THEM BACK FOR THAT UNTIL YEAR FIVE AFTER THE DEVELOPMENT HAS BEEN DEVELOPED.
AND SO WE MIGHT GO BACK TO THEM AND THERE MIGHT BE SOME NEGOTIATIONS ON HOW THAT REIMBURSEMENT TAKES PLACE.
BUT WE LOOK AT THE RECOMMENDATION BASED ON THOSE LENS.
UM, WE LOOK AT ESSAY TOMORROW PLANS, WE LOOK AT NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS.
THERE ARE A FEW TOURIST BOARDS THAT ACTUALLY HAVE A TOUR'S MASTER PLAN, UM, MIDTOWN AS ONE OF THOSE.
AND WE MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE TIF BOARD.
IF THE BOARD APPROVES THE REQUEST, THE REQUEST MUST GO TO CITY COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION.
AND THEN IF APPROVED, THE AGREEMENT IS EXECUTED AND ELIGIBLE REIMBURSEMENTS WILL BE SUBMITTED THROUGHOUT THE TERM OF THAT AGREEMENT.
NOW PETITION INITIATED HERS, THE DEVELOPER SUBMITS THE TIF FUNDING APPLICATION AND THE FEE OUR FINANCIAL TEAM REVIEWS THE FINANCIALS.
UM, WE PRESENT TO THE TIF GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE, AND THAT IS A GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE COMPRISED OF CITY STAFF.
AND WE HAVE TO LOOK TO SEE, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST FOR US TO SERVICE THAT AREA BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO GIVE ALL OF OUR INCREMENT UP IF THERE'S GOING TO BE A BRAND NEW DEVELOPMENT THAT'S GOING TO REQUIRE TRASH SERVICE, UM, MAYBE, UM, ADDITIONAL, UM, STAFF TO SUPPORT, I WOULD SAY ANIMAL CARE OR SOMETHING.
SO WE TYPICALLY NEGOTIATE THE CITY'S CONTRIBUTION BASED ON WHAT'S NEEDED IN THAT ZONE.
WE MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO THIS COUNCIL COMMITTEE.
IF THIS COUNCIL COMMITTEE APPROVES, WE BRING IT FORWARD TO CITY COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL.
AND THEN WE HAVE OUR TOURS BOARD MEETING, UM, THAT MUST APPROVE THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, THE FINANCE PLAN, AND THE PROJECT PLAN.
AND THEN THAT HAS TO COME BACK TO COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL.
SO JUST WANNA STRESS, THERE'S TWO TYPES OF DEVELOPMENTS FOR TOUR CITY INITIATED AND PETITION INITIATED.
NOW, ELIGIBLE PROJECTS YOU HAVE, UM, PUBLIC PURPOSE OR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
SO PUBLIC PURPOSE IS INFRASTRUCTURE, PARKS AND PUBLIC SPACES, CITY FACILITIES, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, PARKING, PUBLIC ART, HISTORIC PRESERVATION, BEAUTIFICATION, UM, AND CONSERVATION.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS INCLUDE PROGRAMS, JOB CREATION AND HOUSING, OTHER REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT.
AND NOW CERTAIN PROJECTS CAN BE DONE OUTSIDE THE ZONE, LIKE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, TRANSPORTATION AND AREAS OF PUBLIC ASSEMBLY.
OFTENTIMES THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE LOCATION OF THAT PROJECT AS IT'S LOCATED NEAR THE, THE ACTUAL BOUNDARY, UM, TO MAKE SURE WE CAN JUSTIFY THE USE OF THOSE FUNDS.
NOW, ELIGIBLE PROJECT EXAMPLES.
SO CREATE JOBS AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES OR EXPAND THE TAX BASE.
SO THE ANDY ARE LONE STAR DEVELOPMENT.
THOSE ARE TWO EXAMPLES OF PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN APPROVED.
THE ANDY AND LONE STAR WERE BOTH FROM THE INNER CITY TOURS.
THEY ARE GOING TO CREATE JOBS.
THEY'LL CREATE RETAIL COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT THAT'LL BRING PEOPLE TO THE AREA.
HISTORIC AND CULTURAL PRESENTATION.
THE HISTORIC MARKET PROJECT ON THE EAST SIDE.
UM, OTHER PROJECTS MIGHT BE LA TO A MARKET SQUARE.
SO WE DID AN ALAMO PLAZA CONSTRUCTION RELIEF GRANT, UM, FOR THOSE PROJECTS IN THE AREA OF ALAMO PLAZA.
WE ALSO DID ONE FOR HOUSTON STREET, UM, AND UM, BROADWAY, WHICH WERE FUNDED THROUGH THE HOUSTON STREET PROGRAM.
AS WELL AS THE, UM, MIDTOWNS PUBLIC SPACES.
WE'VE DONE DIGNITY LOCK, LOCKWOOD PARK PROJECTS.
UM, WE ALSO PROVIDE FUNDING TO ORGANIZATIONS FOR EDUCATION AND JOB TRAINING PROGRAMS LIKE PROSPER WEST AND SAGE.
SO IF THEY'RE GOING TO HELP EDUCATE INDIVIDUALS OR DO JOB TRAINING TO PROMOTE EMPLOYERS SUCCUMB TO THAT AREA, THAT'S AN ELIGIBLE EXPENSE.
ANOTHER ONE THAT'S COMING FORWARD IN THE INNER CITY TOURS WOULD BE A, UM, YOUTH CONTENT FOR FILM.
SO TO ENCOURAGE, UM, YOUTH TO GET INVOLVED IN FILM DEVELOPMENT, WHICH WOULD LEAD TO JOB TRAINING AND THEN AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
SO TOWN TWIN VILLAGE IS A GREAT EXAMPLE.
OR MISSION REACH, I'M SORRY, THE MUSEUM REACH PROJECT.
AND THEN SUSTAINABILITY, THE MAVERICK DOG PARK.
THOSE ARE ALL JUST GREAT EXAMPLES OF TOURS, PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN FUNDED THROUGH THE CITY.
UM, A PROJECT THAT DOES NOT PROMOTE THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THE ZONE IS NOT CONSIDERED A PUBLIC PURPOSE FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
ANY PROJECT OUTSIDE THE ZONE THAT IS NOT CONSIDERED AFFORDABLE HOUSING, TRANSPORTATION OR AREAS OF PUBLIC ASSEMBLY.
UM, AND IN SOME INSTANCES IT MUST BE ADJACENT OR IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA OF THAT BOUNDARY.
AND THEN EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES OWNED BY AN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED, UM, FROM BEING A PROJECT WITHIN A
[00:50:01]
TOURS.NOW, UM, THE CITY CURRENTLY HAS 23 ACTIVE TOURS.
NINE ARE CITY INITIATED AND 14 PETITION INITIATED.
AT OUR NEXT MEETING, WE'LL GO THROUGH EACH OF THOSE, UM, TO SHOW YOU, UM, HOW THOSE TOURS ARE BEING USED.
I KNOW SOME OF THE CITY INITIATED TOURS SUCH AS BROOKS, THEY'RE STRICTLY FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS SUCH AS MIDTOWN.
IT'S STRICTLY FOR, UM, CULTURAL FACILITIES.
THAT DOES, DOES NOT MEAN THERE CAN'T BE PROJECTS AND COME FORWARD FOR INCREMENT.
AND IT DOES REQUIRE CITY COUNCIL, BUT THE PURPOSE IS TO SUPPORT THOSE TYPES OF PROJECTS.
UM, OUR TOURS ARE LOCATED WITHIN COUNCIL DISTRICTS 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, AND 10.
AND REMEMBER, THEY MUST BE, YOU KNOW, CONSIDERED SLUM OR BI.
THEY MUST HAVE UNDERDEVELOPED, UM, PROPERTIES.
THERE MUST BE OPPORTUNITIES FOR MORE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR THAT TOURS TO BE CREATED BASICALLY.
BUT FOR THOSE TOURS, THERE'D BE NO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
AND THEN MOST RECENT WE CREATED THE ROCO GARDENS NUMBER 35.
THAT WAS IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING, HOUSING TOURS.
I BELIEVE THAT WAS IN DISTRICT THREE.
UM, OR THEO MEADOWS WAS ALSO IN DISTRICT THREE.
UM, WE HAD THE NEIGHBORS TOURS THAT WAS IN DISTRICT THREE.
AND THEN SOMERSET GROVE AND VALLEY SEOUL.
TYPICALLY THESE HAVE BEEN SINGLE FAMILY HOUSING TOURS TO REALLY HELP CREATE THE HOUSING STOCK WE NEED WITHIN THIS AREA.
THIS IS A MAP THAT SHOWS YOU THE, THE ACTUAL TOURS, UM, THAT WE HAVE.
I MENTIONED WE HAVE THE 23 TOURS, NINE CITY INITIATED, 14 DEVELOPER INITIATED.
YOU CAN SEE THEY'RE SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
YOU'LL NOTICE THOUGH, UM, WHEN WE COME BACK TO GO OVER THE CITY INITIATED TOURISM, MAJORITY OF 'EM WERE, ARE WITHIN THE INNER CITY.
UM, AND THE DEVELOPER INITIATED TOURS ARE TYPICALLY ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE CITY WHERE THERE'S UNDEVELOPED PROPERTY.
NOW WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE DOING IS WE NEED TO UPDATE OUR TIF POLICY.
AND SO IF YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
THE TIF POLICY LAST TIME, IT WAS UPDATED IN 2015.
AND WE REALLY NEED TO UPDATE THIS POLICY.
ONE BECAUSE IT'S LENGTHY, IT'S CONFUSING.
UM, IT REFERS TO OUTDATED CSA PROGRAMS. THERE'S A LOT OF REFERENCES TO THE ICRP AND THE C CHIP.
WE NEED TO UPDATE THE REF, THE FEES TO REFLECT PROPOSED FEE STRUCTURE, UM, AND THEN ADDRESS PROCESS FOR HOUSING PROJECTS.
AND SO IF WE MEET WITH ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND WE HEAR THAT THERE IS A DESIRE TO HAVE A CERTAIN PROPORTION OF EACH OF THESE TOURISTS COMMITTED TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR HOUSING, WE NEED THAT FEEDBACK BECAUSE WE CAN BRING THAT FORWARD TO COUNCIL AND THAT COULD BE A CITYWIDE POLICY.
RIGHT NOW, THERE IS NO UNIFORM POLICY AS IT COMES TO PROJECTS WITHIN EACH OF THESE TERMS. NOW ON THE PROPOSED UPDATED TIF POLICY, WE WANT TO UPDATE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR APPLICATIONS.
UM, SO WHAT THEY NEED TO SUBMIT.
UM, SO WHEN, IF THEY DO GET A PROJECT, WE NEED TO BE VERY CLEAR ON THE TYPES OF DOCUMENTATION THEY SUBMIT TO US.
AND IT CAN'T BE A BUNCH OF RECEIPTS.
THAT CREATES A LOT OF WORK FOR US TO GO THROUGH.
UM, THERE'S GONNA BE UPDATED FEES AND THEN A PROCESS AND TIMELINES BECAUSE, UM, TO SOMETIMES IT'S THE CITY'S FAULT THAT'S HOLDING UP THE TURS CREATION AND IT TAKES SOME TIME AND THE DEVELOPER IS, UM, DELAYED IN ACTUALLY DOING THE PROJECT.
AND SO THERE'S CERTAIN THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE SURE THERE'S MORE, MORE CERTAINTY WITH THOSE TIMELINES.
UH, THERE NEEDS TO BE GUIDE FOR STAFF TOURS, BOARDS AND COUNCIL ON THE PRIORITIES.
SO WE WANT COUNCIL TO GIVE US FEEDBACK ON ELIGIBLE USES MEETING CITY OBJECTIVES LIKE ADOPTED PLANS AND POLICIES, PUBLIC BENEFIT AND TOURS, BOARD OBJECTIVES AND NEEDS.
AS I MENTIONED, UM, IT'S KIND OF, UM, DIFFERENT BASED ON WHAT TOURS FEEL THAT THERE MIGHT BE NEED TO BE A POLICY PER EACH TOUR'S BOARD TO REALLY CLEARLY IDENTIFY THE TYPES OF PRIORITIES WITHIN THAT TOUR THEY'D LIKE TO SEE.
AND THEN HOUSING, WE NEED AN ANALYSIS TO DETERMINE HOUSING NEED IN EACH AREA.
UM, OR IS THERE AFFORDABLE HOUSING REQUIREMENT WITHIN EACH CHURCH? AND THEN A DISPLACEMENT IMPACT ASSESSMENT IF WE'RE GOING TO FUND HOUSING PROJECTS, INSTEAD OF PUTTING IT ON EACH OF THOSE INDIVIDUAL HOUSING AGREEMENTS, SHOULD THERE BE SOMETHING REFLECTED IN OUR T POLICY THAT STATES IF WE ARE GOING TO FUND A HOUSING PROJECT, THERE MUST BE A DISPLACEMENT IMPACT ASSESSMENT AND THEN JUST STREAMLINE THE APPLICATION TO MAKE IT EASIER TO NAVIGATE AND SUBMIT.
SO THESE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING AT AND WE'LL BE TALKING TO TO, UM, EACH COUNCIL MEMBER AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE ON WHAT THEY'VE HEARD WHEN THEY'RE TALKING TO APPLICANTS WHO'D LIKE TO SUBMIT PROJECTS.
SO OUR NEXT STEPS, AS I MENTIONED, WE'RE THIS IS STEP ONE OF THREE WITH THIS COUNCIL COMMITTEE.
THIS IS A BRIEFING AND WE'D LIKE TO GET SOME FEEDBACK, BUT WE'RE GONNA BE COMING BACK TO YOU ALL IN THE MONTH OF MARCH JUST TO GET MORE FEEDBACK, LISTEN TO WHAT YOU HEAR OR WHAT YOU'D LIKE TO SEE WHEN WE BRING PROJECTS BACK TO YOU ALL.
DO SOME STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS, MEET
[00:55:01]
WITH THOSE THAT DO CREATE THOSE PETITION INITIATED TOURS AND MEET WITH THE DEVELOPERS THAT DO USE THE, THE ACTUAL, UM, TIF AS A TOOL.UM, WE ALSO WILL BE COMING BACK AND DOING MORE STAKEHOLDER AND PUBLIC MEETINGS BEFORE WE COME BACK TO THIS COUNCIL, UM, COMMITTEE IN APRIL FOR OUR SECOND MEETING.
AND WE'LL HAVE DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS AT THAT TIME BASED ON THE FEEDBACK.
AND THEN IN MAY WE'LL COME BACK WITH FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS AND HOPEFULLY THEY'LL BE ABLE TO PROCEED TO COUNCIL IN JUNE FOR CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERATION.
SO ONCE AGAIN, STEP ONE OF THREE.
BUT TOURS ARE UGLY LITTLE ANIMALS AND THEY'RE VERY COMPLEX AND LAYERED AND IT COULD BE A GREAT TOOL FOR US TO USE AS IT PERTAINS TO INFRASTRUCTURE, PUBLIC BUILDINGS, PUBLIC FACILITIES, CULTURAL FACILITIES, AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
SO THAT'S CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
WE'RE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE, AND WE WILL BE GETTING ON YOUR CALENDARS OVER THE NEXT TWO TO THREE WEEKS.
I HAVE AN AFFINITY FOR UGLY LITTLE ANIMALS
UM, BUT, UH, CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT THE AVERAGE TERM OFTS DEALS IS? I KNOW THAT THE POLICY REFERS TWO 20 YEARS, BUT WHAT HAS IT BEEN? UM, SO TYPICALLY, WE'LL, WE'LL SET A TOURS FOR 20 YEARS, BUT THERE HAS BEEN QUITE A FEW EXTENSIONS.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, UM, THE INNER CITY TOURS, I BELIEVE IT WAS CREATED IN, UM, IN, UM, 1999.
IT'S COMING ON, UM, ITS TERMINATION IN 2025.
WE ARE LOOKING AT EXTENDING THAT TOURS BECAUSE WE FEEL THERE'S A LOT MORE OPPORTUNITY WITHIN THAT AREA TO DO MORE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
UM, THE MIDTOWN TOURS, THAT ONE WAS SET TO EXPIRE IN 2031.
IT WAS A 20 YEAR TERM, BUT THERE WAS A RESET AND WE CONSOLIDATED TWO TOURS INTO ONE BOUNDARY IN 2011, THUS THE 2031 EX, UM, TERMINATION.
WELL, WE EXPENDED ALL THE CAPACITY IN THE MIDTOWN TOURS WITH THE RECENT APPROVAL OF DOING BROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS AND ST.
AND THOSE WERE TWO PROJECTS THAT WERE IN THE MIDTOWN TOURIST PLAN THAT WAS ADOPTED BY COUNCIL.
WELL, WE ALSO RECENTLY EXTENDED IT TO GO FORWARD AND HELP US FUND OUR CULTURAL FACILITY NEEDS, SUCH AS THE ZOO, THE WITTY, AND UM, THE BOTANICAL GARDENS.
UM, SO IT'S KIND OF, IT'S INCONSISTENT, UM, BUT USUALLY IT'S 20 YEARS, BUT THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF EXTENSIONS.
AND THEN I KNOW THAT YOU MENTIONED THAT STAFF WOULD EMAIL US, UH, A LIST OF THE TOUR ZONES.
UM, CAN YOU ALSO MAYBE PUT THE DATE OF ITS INCEPTION AND THE CLOSURE IF POSSIBLE? YES.
UM, AND, AND MAYBE IF YOU COULD ALSO HAVE THE BOARD MEMBERS WHO SIT ON THAT TOURS, I THINK THAT WOULD BE IMPORTANT.
UM, REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES.
SO TALK TO US ABOUT ACTUAL PROJECTS.
LIKE WHAT YOU MENTIONED RIGHT NOW WITH, WITH THE ZOO, FOR INSTANCE.
UM, WAS IT COSA DRIVEN? MM-HMM.
UM, AND THEN THE POLICY STATES THAT THE CITY MAY REQUIRE THAT A PERCENTAGE OF UP TO 30% OF THE PROPOSED HOUSING UNITS BUILT IN A CHURCH AREA BE CLASSIFIED AS AFFORDABLE.
HOWEVER, AFFORDABLE HOUSING REQUIREMENTS WILL ONLY BE DEEMED APPROPRIATE IF AN ANALYSIS INDICATES A DEFICIENCY OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THE SURROUNDING AREA OR SUBMARKET.
SO THAT'S PAGE NINE, SECTION B.
SO I KNOW THAT THIS PROGRAM PROGRAM WAS NOT DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY TO SPUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BUT OUR POLICY GOALS HAVE CHANGED.
AND SO, UM, I HOPE THAT WE COULD SEE AFFORDABLE HOUSING REFERENCED IN MORE THAN JUST ONE SENTENCE IN THAT PARAGRAPH.
SO, UM, SO, AND I KNOW YOU UNDERSTAND, UM, THE, THE NEED FOR THAT, ESPECIALLY WITH, WITH HOPEFULLY THE, THE BOND THAT'S COMING UP MM-HMM.
BUT THE MEAT OF THE CITY'S CHURCH POLICY IS A GREAT TOOL AND IT CANADIAN FASTER IMPROVEMENTS IN NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED VAST NEGLECT.
THE ABILITY TO CAPTURE FUTURE GROWTH DEPRIVED FROM PROPERTY TAXES AND HOLD AND INVEST IN NEGLECTED AREAS IS A POSITIVE POLICY IN, IN, IN MY OPINION.
HOWEVER, I THINK THAT WE NEED TO EVALUATE WHAT SUCCESSES LOOK LIKE WITH REINVESTMENT AND ALSO BETTER SCRUTINIZE OUR APPLICANTS.
WE CAN START BY PUSHING THIS POLICY THROUGH OUR ESTABLISHED FRAMEWORKS, LIKE I SAY, TOMORROW AND THE SHIP AND VIA 2040.
UM, WHAT WE SHOULD YIELD IN THAT PROCESS AND CONVERSATIONS WITH THE COMMUNITY IS AN EQUITABLE POLICY THAT SUPPORTS THE GROWTH AND THE SUSTAINABILITY MORE IMPORTANT OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO THOSE ARE MY, UM, COMMENTS.
AND I, I LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEXT PRESENTATION AND, AND TO HEAR FROM MY COLLEAGUES TODAY.
COUNCILMAN, UH, VIA GRANT HAS A, A HARD STOP AT 1145, SO I WANTED TO GIVE HER THE FLOOR TO START WITH.
ANY RECOMMENDATIONS AND THEN WE WILL GO ON TO COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
UH, NO, I'M, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE COUNCIL MEMBER INTERVIEWS.
I CHURCH HAVE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL IN MY DISTRICT AND I, I WANNA EXPLORE MORE IF POSSIBLE.
THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN ADRIANA ROCHA GARCIA.
I DO WANNA SHARE THAT WE ARE GONNA GET EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER ON THIS COUNCIL COMMITTEE A BRIEFING PACKET THAT PROVIDES YOU THE FUND BALANCE, THE ANNUAL CASH PROJECTIONS PER THOSE TOURS, AND THEN ANY PENDING PROJECTS
[01:00:01]
SO YOU CAN SEE THE CASH FLOW, SEE THE TERMINATION DATES, AND THEN SEE WHAT THE PURPOSE OF THAT TOUR'S CREATION WAS.SO EVERYTHING YOU MENTIONED THERE, YES.
AND THEN WE DIDN'T THINK ABOUT THIS, BUT YES.
PUTTING THE TOURS BOARD MEMBERS IN THAT PACKET AS WELL.
SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP.
COUNCILMAN COURAGE FOLLOWED BY COUNCILMAN CASTILLO.
LORI, I JUST WANNA, UH, KIND OF REITERATE A FEW THINGS, AND MAYBE IT'LL BE A LITTLE REDUNDANT IN WHAT WE'VE JUST HEARD FROM THE CHAIR, BUT BASICALLY, TOURISTS EXIST TO PROVIDE INFRASTRUCTURE.
WHICH YOU, WE MIGHT COMMONLY SAY OUR STREETS AND SIDEWALKS AND DRAINAGE AND LIGHTING AND, AND, UH, THAT'S TO SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF OTHER STRUCTURES.
SO THAT'S THE BASIC CONCEPT OF WHAT TOURS DO.
SO THAT INSTEAD OF THE CITY UNDERTAKING THE COST TO BUILD THESE, THE DEVELOPER UNDERTAKES THOSE COSTS AND GETS REIMBURSED FOR THOSE COSTS THROUGH THE TOURS PREDOMINANTLY.
BUT SOMETIMES THEY'RE ALSO GRANTED WITHOUT HAVING TO REPAY MM-HMM.
UM, BUT DIFFERENT TYPES OF PROJECTS, I MEAN, INFRASTRUCTURE, I MEAN, SOME COULD ARGUE THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS, IS, IS INFRASTRUCTURE.
UM, SO IT'S REALLY A CASE BY CASE BASIS.
UM, AND THEN SOMETIMES IT'S NOT DEVELOPER DRIVEN, SOMETIMES IT'S CITY DRIVEN WHERE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE, UM, IMPROVEMENTS TO MARKET SQUARE.
UM, WE BROUGHT THAT FORWARD TO A TOURIST BOARD, UM, THAT'LL BE CITY DONE AND WE'LL GET REIMBURSED OR WE'LL ISSUE DEBT BASED ON THAT NEED FOR THAT CITY FACILITY.
SO WHEN A TOURS BOARD IS FOUNDED, OR WHEN A TOURS AREA IS ESTABLISHED, IT'S USUALLY FOR A TERM OF 20 YEARS, YOU SAID? TYPICALLY IT'S BEEN 20 YEARS, BUT THERE ARE EXTENSIONS, RIGHT.
AND, UM, LET'S SAY WE'RE LOOKING AT, UM, A COMMERCIAL VENTURE THAT WANTS TO BUILD SOMETHING AND THEY, THEY WANT TO GET MONEY FROM A TOURS MM-HMM.
IS THAT A KIND OF COMMON UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THAT GOES? SOMETIMES.
SO TYPICALLY WE'LL DO A MAYBE A 10 YEAR TERM AGREEMENT WHERE THEY'LL HAVE 10 YEARS AND THEY'LL GET THE INCREMENT UP TO, LET'S SAY THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS $10 MILLION.
THEY'LL GET CAPPED AT 10 MILLION, OR THEY'LL GET CAPPED AT 10 YEARS.
SO IF THE, THE TURS, IF, IF THEIR PROPERTY VALUE DOESN'T GO UP ENOUGH TO COVER THE WHOLE $10 MILLION, BUT YOU GET TO 10 YEARS, THEN THEY JUST LIVE WITH WHAT THEY GOT, RIGHT? CORRECT.
THERE ARE SOME PROJECTS WHERE WE GIVE THEM GRANTS BASED ON JOB CREATION OR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND SO THEY MIGHT GET THAT MONEY UPFRONT FROM THE FUND BALANCE, DEPENDING ON WHAT'S AVAILABLE OR OVER A PERIOD OF TIME.
IT'S REALLY A, A CASE BY CASE BASIS.
AND I THINK THE MORE POLICY, UM, RECOMMENDATIONS WE GET FROM THESE DISCUSSIONS, IT'LL HELP US BETTER REFINE THOSE PRIORITIES SO WE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
SO WHEN A TOUR IS SET UP, HOW IS, UH, A BOARD ESTABLISHED TO MANAGE THAT TOUR? TYPICALLY, UM, WE GO OUT FOR, UM, WE, WE CREATE THE TOURS BOARD WHEN WE CREATE THE TOURS.
AND SO YOU CAN HAVE A TOURS BOARD ANYWHERE FROM FIVE TO 15 BOARD MEMBERS.
UM, WE INVITE ALL THE TAXING ENTITIES TO PARTICIPATE IN THE TOURS.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF BEAR COUNTY WANTS TO CONTRIBUTE SOME OF THEIR INCREMENT IN THE TURS, AND IF THEY DO THAT, THEY GET A SEAT ON THAT BOARD, UM, BASED ON THE STATUTE, WE DO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE THAT HAVE INTEREST IN THAT ZONE TO PARTICIPATE AND APPLY FOR THOSE.
BUT COUNCIL MUST APPROVE ALL THE TOURS BOARD APPLICANTS BEFORE THEY ACTUALLY SERVE ON THAT BOARD.
AND SO, AS OF THE DATE THE TURS IS CREATED, ANY GROWTH IN TAXES, ANY INCREMENTAL GROWTH IN TAXES BEYOND THAT DATE ARE DEDICATED TO THE TURS TO USE FOR ITS INFRASTRUCTURE, ITS DEVELOPMENT, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
UH, AND SO NOTHING, NONE OF THAT GROWTH GOES INTO THE GENERAL FUND.
OFTENTIMES, WE PARTICIPATE IN A TOURS AT A PERCENTAGE RATE, SO THE MAJORITY, IT'S AT 90%.
SO 10% OF THAT INCREMENT WILL GO INTO THE GENERAL FUND TO HELP US PAY FOR SERVICES.
WE DO GET SOME, AND WE DO AN ANALYSIS BASED ON HOW THAT'S GOING TO INCREASE THE CITY SERVICES IN THE AREA TO MAKE SURE WE'RE COVERING OUR COSTS.
SO IS THAT SOMETHING NEGOTIATED? SOMETIMES THE CITY MIGHT SAY, WE NEED 20% OF THAT INCREMENT? YES.
[01:05:01]
REVIEW, AND THE CITY DOES THAT, AND WE DO THAT WITH PETITION INITIATED TOURS AS WELL.UM, NOW WE TALKING ABOUT TOURS THAT'S BEEN USED FOR MANY DIFFERENT THINGS OVER THE YEARS.
CAN THE, THE CITY ESTABLISH A NEW PROCESS FORTS THAT, LET'S SAY, WOULD SAY WE'RE ONLY GONNA APPROVE TS, UH, FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, CORRECT? COULD WE SAY THAT WE COULD, WE COULD DO THAT.
AND THEY'RE CREATING DOCUMENTS.
UM, OR THERE COULD BE A POLICY, UM, THROUGH THE ACTUAL TIF POLICY WHERE IT SAYS A PERCENTAGE OF EACH TOURS WILL GO TOWARDS AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
SO YOU CAN DO IT ONE OF SEVERAL WAYS.
UM, MIDTOWN IS A GREAT EXAMPLE WHERE THEY DID A PLAN FOR THE BOUNDARY, AND THEN THEY IDENTIFIED THE PROJECTS THEY WANTED TO FUND, AND THEN THEY PICKED OFF THOSE PROJECTS AS FUNDING BECAME AVAILABLE.
UM, IDEALLY EACH JUROR WOULD HAVE A PLAN THAT WOULD DO THAT, BUT, UM, ABSENT OF A PLAN, THESE TYPES OF POLICY DECISIONS WOULD BE HELPFUL TO BE INCORPORATED IN THE POLICY THAT WE'RE ASKING YOU ALL TO HELP US WITH.
I MAY CHIME BACK IN AFTER THANK YOU, CHAIR.
COUNCILMAN CASTILLO, FOLLOWED BY COUNCILMAN BRA.
UM, THANK YOU, LORI, FOR THE PRESENTATION, AND I'M PLEASED WITH THE TIMELINE THAT YOU ALL HAVE LAID OUT.
UM, WILL THERE BE OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC, UH, INPUT ON THE PROCESS AND THE TIMELINE, UH, AND WILL COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, RECOMMEND PEOPLE TO THE STAKEHOLDER COMMITTEES? SO, UM, YES AND YES.
UH, WE WOULD DEFINITELY, WHEN WE MEET WITH YOU, WE'D ASK YOU TO TELL US, YOU KNOW, WHO YOU'D LIKE US TO MEET WITH AND DO THOSE INDIVIDUAL, UM, STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS.
AND WE MIGHT DO FOCUS GROUPS, WE MIGHT DO INDIVIDUAL BRIEFINGS, BUT YES, WE WANT YOUR FEEDBACK ON THAT.
AS THOSE CONTINUE TO DEVELOP, I'D LIKE TO BE LOOPED IN, UM, SO THAT WAY WE CAN LET OUR RESIDENTS KNOW TO GET INVOLVED IN THAT PROCESS.
UH, PART OF THE CURRENT POLICY STATES THAT IF THE TIFF FINDS, UH, FUNDS RATHER ARE USED INCENTIVIZED INCLUSION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN A MARKET RATE DEVELOPMENT CONSIDERATION SHOULD BE GIVEN TO RENTS AND SALES PRICES OF AFFORDABLE UNITS.
ROJA HIT ON SOME REALLY GOOD POINTS, UM, FROM THE, THE POLICY.
UM, BUT MY, MY QUESTION IS, UM, THESE ARE EQUITABLE AND STABILIZING PRACTICES THAT SHOULD BE STANDARD MM-HMM.
IF IT'S IN THE POLICY WE WANT, THEY WILL HAVE TO DO THAT, AND WE WILL BE UPDATING 'EM TO REFLECT, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE ARE DOING TODAY AND THE SHIFT.
AND WE HOPE TO GET MORE FEEDBACK FROM YOU ALL ON THOSE INDIVIDUAL INTERVIEWS.
AND I MAY HAVE MISSED IT, BUT DO WE KNOW HOW MANY TIMES, UH, THIS MAY COME TO COMMITTEE? THREE TIMES.
THREE TIMES? THIS IS THE FIRST OF THREE, AND THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE YOUR INDIVIDUAL STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS.
I, I THINK, UH, I, I REALLY APPRECIATE THIS BRIEFING.
I THINK IT IMPACTS MORE PEOPLE THAN THEY REALIZE, UM, UM, WITH THESE TOURS.
AND, UM, I, I LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING UPDATES ON THIS POLICY AND GIVING SOME RECOMMENDATIONS AS WELL.
I THINK IT WAS MAYBE NOVEMBER, NOVEMBER OR DECEMBER THAT I ASKED YOU, LORI AND ERIC WALSH, UH, FOR A FULL COUNCIL BRIEFING ON THIS.
I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT WE'RE STARTING THE PROCESS.
IT'S A LOT TO PROCESS, BUT I, I AM INTERESTED AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN SEEING HOW THESE, MAKING, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE ALIGNMENT WITH THESE TOURS AND ANY MASTER PLANS AND CITY POLICIES MAY MAYBE, LIKE MAKING SURE THERE'S ALIGNMENT WITH NEW CITY POLICIES THAT HAVE BEEN ADOPTED SINCE THESE TOURS WERE IMPLEMENTED.
UM, BECAUSE IT'S WHAT HASN'T BEEN REVIEWED, I GUESS, SINCE 2015, YOU SAID? SO IT'S BEEN SEVEN YEARS MM-HMM.
SOMETIMES TERRORIST PROJECTS ARE APPROVED BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT DEVELOPERS HAPPEN TO BRING FORWARD.
AND, UH, I WANNA JUST MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE VERY PURPOSEFUL IN, UM, WHAT'S BEING BROUGHT FORWARD AND, AND WHAT'S BEING IMPROVED.
AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THIS CONVERSATION.
ARE YOU GONNA RESPOND, LORI? NO, I JUST WAS THANKING.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN FELLOW COUNCILMAN.
YEAH, I, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THIS, AND I APPRECIATE WHAT THE COUNCILMAN JUST SAID, A LOT OF THESE TOURS WERE ESTABLISHED YEARS AGO, AND A LOT OF TIMES THEY COME UP FULL RENEWAL.
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW OFTEN THE CITY HAS, HAS SAID, WELL, LET'S RECONSIDER THE GUIDELINES FOR THIS, BUT I PRESUME THAT EVERY TIME AURS MAY GET TO ITS END DATE AND WE DECIDE TO EXTEND THAT, THAT WOULD BE THE APPROPRIATE TIME TO SAY, WE'D LIKE TO ADD SUBTRACT.
OR CHANGE SOME OF THE PROVISIONS, UH, AND THE GUIDELINES FOR THOSE TS.
BUT THERE'S ALSO OTHER WAYS TO DO IT.
SO AS WE UPDATE THE TIF POLICY, UM, WE
[01:10:01]
WILL BE BRIEFING EACH TOURS BOARD, AND WE HAVE SEVERAL COUNCIL MEMBERS ON THESE TOURS BOARDS.AND SO THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO UPDATE THE TOUR'S PRIORITIES, UM, BEFORE IT'S SET TO TERMINATE OR FOR EXTENSION.
AND SO WE WOULD REALLY LIKE TO BE ABLE TO REVISIT EACH TOUR AS THEIR PRIORITIES.
SO STAFF HAS SOME TYPE OF FRAMEWORK TO REVIEW PROJECTS AS THEY MOVE FORWARD.
BECAUSE AS COUNCILMAN BRAVO MENTIONED, OFTENTIMES IT'S WHAT THE DEVELOPER SUBMITS AND OUR JOB IS TO REVIEW, TO SEE IS IT IN LINE WITH THE CURRENT PLANNING DOCUMENTS THERE, IS THERE CAPACITY? IS THERE, PERFORM A SHOW THAT NEED THE MONEY? AND, AND THAT'S REALLY IT.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO BASE OUR, OUR RECOMMENDATION ON.
BUT IF THERE WERE OTHER PRIORITIES WHERE EVERY HOUSING PROJECT MUST HAVE X PERCENT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING, OR THE MAJORITY OF THESE TOURISTS MUST GO TOWARDS THIS TYPE OF PROJECT, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL AS WE REVIEW PROJECTS AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO THE BOARDS ACTUALLY HAVE THE RIGHT, UH, REORGANIZE THEIR OWN PLANS.
AND THEN ULTIMATELY, THAT GOES TO CITY COUNCIL, RIGHT? EVERYTHING, THE TOUR BOARD DOES FINANCIAL PLAN AND PROJECT PLANS MUST BE ADOPTED BY CITY COUNCIL.
SO IF SOMEBODY, IF A TOURIST SAYS, WE ONLY WANT TO SUPPORT AFFORDABLE HOUSING, THEY COULD DO THAT, OR THE COUNCIL COULD APPROVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
OR IF WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO, LET'S SAY, SUPPORT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MM-HMM.
WE COULD SAY, FOR EXAMPLE, WE'LL ONLY GIVE TOURISTS FUNDING TO ANY BUSINESS THAT CREATES AT LEAST 300 JOBS.
OR THAT ANY JOBS THAT THEY CREATE HAVE TO HAVE A ANNUAL, UH, INCOME OF AT LEAST $20 AN HOUR.
I MEAN, WE HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY TO DO THOSE KINDS OF, OF THINGS TO WORK ON THOSE TOURS AND, AND REDIRECT 'EM IF WE WANT TO.
UM, I HAVE HEARD BEFORE, UH, THAT SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES WHO DO NOT HAVE A TURS, UM, HAVE, UH, AND TO THANK YOU COUNCILMAN COURAGE FOR BEING SO SUPPORTIVE.
UM, HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS RIGHT AS TO, TO SOME OF THIS.
AND SO I, I WOULD, UM, LIKE TO EMPHASIZE THAT EVEN THOUGH THEY DON'T HAVE CHURCH, THEY HAVE REALLY GOOD QUESTIONS AND, AND FEEDBACK.
SO THANK YOU FOR, FOR REACHING OUT TO ALL OF THEM.
UH, WE WILL MOVE ON NOW TO ITEM NUMBER FOUR, WHICH IS A BRIEFING ON SAN ANTONIO'S AFFORDABLE HOUSING, SAN ANTONIO AFFORDABLE HOUSING INC'S OPERATION REBUILD PILOT PROGRAM.
AND I BELIEVE WE'LL KICK IT OFF TO LORI.
UM, BUT I THINK THAT THE PRESENTATION IS BY MARK CARMONA, AND I'M SURE THAT COUNCILMAN CASTILLO WILL, UH, LOVE TO KICK US OFF IN COUNCIL DISCUSSION AFTER THAT.
AND, UM, THANK YOU TO COUNCILMAN CASTILLO FOR REALLY HELPING CREATE THIS PROJECT.
AND IT IS BEING FUNDED THROUGH A GRANT FROM ONE OF OUR TOURS.
WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO YOUR FEEDBACK TODAY.
MARK CARMONA, OUR CHIEF HOUSING OFFICER, HAS BEEN DOING A LOT OF WORK OVER THE PAST COUPLE MONTHS, WORKING WITH SEVERAL DEPARTMENTS, DOING STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS, AND WE JUST WANNA STRESS, THIS IS A PILOT, UM, AND WE HOPE TO LEARN AS MUCH AS WE CAN OVER THIS TERM SO WE CAN REALLY MAKE THIS A PERMANENT PROGRAM AND A GREAT TOOL FOR US TO USE.
AGAIN, MY NAME IS MARK CARONA, THE CHIEF HOUSING OFFICER FOR THE CITY.
I'M HERE TODAY TO BRIEF THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS ON OPERATION REBUILD THE CITY'S DEMOLITION DIVERSION PROGRAM.
DURING THE ADOPTION OF THE F Y 22 BUDGET COUNCIL ALLOCATED A MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE CREATION OF THIS PILOT PROGRAM TO PREVENT THE DEMOLITION OF OWNER OCCUPIED HOMES FOR HOUSEHOLDS AT OR BELOW 80% A M I.
SO THIS PROGRAM WILL BE A MILLION DOLLAR PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN CERTAIN CITY DEPARTMENTS, NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING AND SERVICES, DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES, THE OFFICE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION, AND SAN ANTONIO AFFORDABLE HOUSING INC.
SA WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1995 BY A CITY ORDINANCE AS A 5 0 1 C THREE NONPROFIT OF OUR, UH, CITY'S URBAN RENEWAL AGENCY, R S A.
THIS PILOT PROJECT, I THINK, WILL BE ASSISTANT COORDINATION OPPORTUNITY, BOTH WITH INTERNAL CITY DEPARTMENTS AND OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
THE PROGRAM AIMS TO PRESERVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR LOW INCOME OWNER OCCUPIED HOMES THAT HAVE BEEN DETERMINED TO BE DANGEROUS PREMISES BY THE CITY.
THE PILOT AIMS TO REPAIR OR REHAB UP TO 10 SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.
THE CITY WILL PRIORITIZE SINGLE FAMILY OWNER, OWNER, OWNER OCCUPIED HOMES WITH AN EXISTING DEMOLITION ORDER OR DESIGNATED DANGEROUS PREMISE.
IT WILL NOT WORK WITH, UH, ACTIVE DART CASES OR CASES THAT HAVE PENDING LITIGATION.
THE FOCUS OF THIS PROJECT IS REALLY GONNA BE BOTH ON THE FAMILY NEEDS AS WELL AS THE OUTSIDE BUILDING NEEDS.
AND AS INDICATED IN THE SHIP, KEEPING PE PEOPLE IN THEIR HOME IS AN EFFECT
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FORM OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.SO IT'S GONNA BE IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH HOMEOWNERS IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT THEY'RE IN A BETTER POSITION TO CARE FOR THEIR HOMES LONG TERM.
SO THE FOCUS, THE WAY THAT WE'LL DO THE WORK IS, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING SERVICES WILL ASSIGN A HOUSING BENEFITS NAVIGATOR TO PROVIDE WRAPAROUND SUPPORT, INCLUDING CONDUCTING A FAMILY NEEDS ASSESSMENT TO LOOK AT FOOD, UH, INSECURITY, BENEFIT ASSISTANCE TO PROVIDE APPLICATION ASSISTANCE WITH THOSE DIFFERENT APPLICATIONS, AND ACCESS TO SERVICES AND BENEFITS.
WE'LL WANNA WORK WITH THE FAMILY EARLY ON TO IDENTIFY TEMPORARY STORAGE, TEMPORARY HOUSING, AND ASSIST WITH RELOCATION DURING THE REHAB PROCESS.
AND WE REALLY WANNA FOCUS THAT RELOCATION BE LOCATED WITHIN THE DISTRICT THAT THE INDIVIDUAL OR FAMILY LIVES.
AND THEN WE WILL WORK WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS THAT'LL BE BROUGHT IN TO ASSIST, SUCH AS THE MEXICAN AMERICAN UNITY COUNCIL, THAT'S GONNA HELP US ADDRESS ANY TITLE REMEDIATION AND SOME OTHER NON-PROFITS THAT HELP US WITH RESOURCES AROUND HOUSING, COUNSELING AND MAINTENANCE EDUCATION.
SO THE PILOT REALLY REPRESENTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASSESS WHAT'S HAPPENING INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE HOME.
WE WANT TO ENGAGE THE FAMILY AND LEARN MORE, AND WE'RE NOT ASSUMING THAT EVERY SINGLE FAMILY THAT WE APPROACH THAT WE ENGAGE WILL WANNA PARTICIPATE IN THE PILOT.
UH, WE'LL WORK WITH THE FAMILY THROUGH THE ASSESSMENT.
IT COULD LEAD TO CITY PROGRAMS LIKE SA READY TO WORK, THAT THEY WANT TO GET INVOLVED WITH SOME KIND OF BENEFITS ASSISTANCE, AND AGAIN, HELPING THE FAMILY TO BE BETTER PREPARED WHEN THEY RELOCATE BACK INTO THEIR HOME.
HOME REPAIRS, AS I INDICATED EARLIER, WILL BE CARRIED OUT BY SAW THEY'LL ASSIST THE HOMEOWNER WITH CONDUCTING HOME REPAIRS, INCLUDING PROVIDER CONTRACTING OPTIONS.
THE CONTRACTOR WILL ENTER INTO THE CONTRACT DIRECTLY WITH THE HOMEOWNER.
SA WILL PAY THE CONTRACTOR ON BEHALF OF THE HOMEOWNER FOR VERIFIED AND APPROVED WORK.
OUR IMPROVEMENTS WILL FOCUS ON HEALTH AND SAFETY, UH, COMPONENTS, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, FOUNDATION, ELECTRICAL, PLUMBING, HVAC, AND WALLS.
SA HAS EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE IN THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING SPACE THROUGH HOME REHABILITATION AND PRESERVATION, AND NEW HOME CONSTRUCTION.
TO DATE, THEY HAVE COMPLETED 130 NEW BUILDS AND REHAB PROPERTIES, AND OF THAT A HUNDRED AND THIRTY THIRTY FIVE ARE REHABS.
SO SOME ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS.
UH, AS I INDICATED EARLIER, THOSE PROPERTIES THAT HAVE EXISTING DEMOLITION ORDERS ISSUED OR ARE DETERMINED TO BE A DANGEROUS PREMISE WITH NO PENDING LITIGATION OR ACTIVE DART CASES.
UH, THE OWNER SHOULD OWN AND OCCUPY A SINGLE FAMILY HOME.
WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT MULTIPLEX OR MOBILE HOMES.
THE PROPERTY MUST BE WITHIN THE SAN SAN ANTONIO CITY LIMITS.
AND AS THE LORI INDICATED, UH, IN THE BEGINNING AS THE PILOT ENDS, THIS COULD BE A PROCESS FOR ANY NEW CASES THAT PROCEED THROUGH THE BUILDING STANDARDS BOARD AND ARE AS DESIGNATED AS DANGEROUS PREMISE.
SO, AS PART OF THIS PILOT PROGRAM, WE'RE GONNA BE DOCUMENTING WHAT WE'RE LEARNING TO HELP IN SYSTEM PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS, SUCH AS, UH, REFERRALS FROM THE B S B AROUND AFFORDABILITY AND REPAYMENT.
UH, THE AFFORDABLE, AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING LIEN AND COVENANT FOR THE VALUE OF THE REHAB.
PLUS, ANY OUTSTANDING CODE LIENS WILL BE PLACED ON THE PROPERTY FOR A DURATION OF 20 YEARS.
HOWEVER, WE'RE GONNA WORK TO RESOLVE CODE LIENS DURING THE PROJECT PERIOD.
LOANS ARE FORGIVEN AT A RATE OF ONE 20TH PER YEAR.
AND IF THE HOME IS SOLD BEFORE THE 20 YEAR PERIOD, THE HOMEOWNER WILL BE REQUIRED TO REPAY THE PROGRAM FOR THE BALANCE, NOT FORGIVEN, PLUS 2% INTEREST PER YEAR THE LOAN HAS BEEN COMMITTED.
SO OVERALL, THE PROCESS WILL WORK LIKE THIS.
WE'LL HOPEFULLY WORK WITH A, A, A TRUSTED COMMUNITY PARTNER, A TRUSTED PERSON THAT KNOWS THE FAMILY, UH, THAT CAN ENGAGE, AND WE CAN PRESENT THE PROGRAM, WHAT IT IS, WHAT IT REPRESENTS, UH, AND FIND OUT IF THE FAMILY'S INTERESTED IN, IN WHAT'S GOING ON.
THEN WE WOULD MOVE TO AN ASSESSMENT IF THEY ARE INTERESTED, WE'D ASSESS BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE WHAT'S HAPPENING.
SO SA WOULD BEGIN ITS WORK ON THE OUTSIDE.
OUR INTERNAL TEAM WOULD LOOK AT THE, THE HOUSING, UH, BENEFITS NAVIGATOR WOULD START LOOKING AT WHAT RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE.
WE'D MOVE INTO ESTIMATING, UM, SO THAT WE HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT THE AMOUNT WOULD BE, THE SCOPE OF WORK, AND THE AMOUNT OF COST THAT IT WOULD BE.
AND THEN THE CONTRACT WITH THE HOMEOWNER, THE COVENANT THAT I MENTIONED WOULD BE EXECUTED.
AND THEN FINALLY, AFTER REHAB IS COMPLETED, OF COURSE, WE'RE WITHHOLDING 10% RETAINAGE TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS DONE CORRECTLY BEFORE IT'S PAID OUT TO THE CONTRACTOR.
AND THEN THE FINAL INSPECTION AND APPROVAL BY, BY THE HOMEOWNER AND SAW, UM, TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING'S CORRECT.
AND THEN WE CAN MOVE THE HOMEOWNER IN BACK IN THE HOUSE.
SO YOU CAN SEE IN THE PROCESS WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO, UH, MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ENGAGING FAMILIES THAT ARE INTERESTED SOONER THAN LATER AROUND
UH, IN JANUARY, UH, 13TH, COUNCIL
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APPROVED FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM, UH, THE 19TH, THE SOLE BOARD, UH, APPROVED THE PROGRAM AS WELL.WE'RE LOOKING TO HIRE A PROGRAM MANAGER, A PART-TIME CONTRACT EMPLOYEE.
WE'LL FINALIZE ANY POLICIES IN OUR APPLICATION.
THEN WE'LL START REVIEWING THE SELECTION OF THE HOMES, ASSIGNING HOUSING NAVIGATORS, AND THEN START OUR BID WORK.
UM, WE'RE PROJECTING JULY TO BE A TIME FOR OWNER MOVE OUT AND REHAB TO BEGIN.
UH, PERSONALLY I'D LIKE TO SEE IF WE CAN CONDENSE THAT TO BE THAT BEFORE JUNE, BEFORE JULY, UH, BUT THEN WE WOULD MOVE INTO THE REHABS TAKING PLACE ABOUT A SIX MONTH PERIOD, DEPENDING ON THE COMPLEXITY, UM, OF THE PROJECTS.
SO THAT'S MY PRESENTATION, AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE.
AND I LIKE YOUR IDEA OF CONDENSING, RIGHT? AND TRYING TO DO THIS BEFORE JULY.
UM, BUT I KNOW THAT THERE'S A, A LOT OF MOVING STEPS.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE COL COLLABORATION BETWEEN N H S D AND D S D, WHICH I THINK IS, IS LONG OVERDUE.
AND I KNOW THAT, UM, A LOT OF TIMES YOU ALL DO, UH, THINGS, UH, UM, BEHIND THE SCENES IN WORKING TOGETHER.
BUT I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THOSE ELEMENTS THAT WE REALLY SHOWCASE TO THE PUBLIC, RIGHT? LIKE, LOOK, THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE DO.
SO HOPEFULLY SUCCESS OF THIS PROGRAM WILL MEAN, UM, ONGOING COLLABORATION, UM, AND THAT WE MEET PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE AND OFFER SOLUTIONS TO THEIR ISSUES.
AND I THINK THAT THAT'S REALLY THE DIRECTION THAT WE'RE GOING TO.
AND THEN ALSO THANK YOU TO COUNCILMAN CASTILLO FOR CON CONTINUE TO MAKE THIS A POL POLICY PRIORITY.
SO I'D LIKE TO TURN THE, THE FLOOR OVER TO HER FOR ANY OF HER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS.
AND THEN WE'LL CONTINUE WITH COUNCILMAN, UH, BAR BRAVO.
AND THANK YOU MARK FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THIS UPDATE.
UH, AS WE ALL KNOW, DEMOLITIONS ARE ONE OF THE BIGGEST AND MOST CONSTANT ISSUES THAT IMPACT DISTRICT FIVE RESIDENTS, AND WHICH IS WHY I WAS GLAD TO HAVE COUNCIL AND STAFF SUPPORT FOR THE BUDGET AMENDMENT TO INCLUDE THIS $1 MILLION FOR DEMOLITION DIVERSION.
UM, I WANNA BE SURE TO EMPHASIZE THAT THIS DOESN'T TAKE AWAY FROM THE FACT THAT WE'RE ONLY ADDRESSING A SYMPTOM OF A LARGER PROBLEM, UM, WITH CURRENT PROPERTY CODES AND OTHER POLICIES THAT DIRECTLY IMPACT THEIR MOST VULNERABLE HOMEOWNERS.
AND I WANNA BE SURE THAT WE DON'T LOSE SIGHT OF THAT.
UM, THIS IS A VERY BUT MINOR, UM, UH, CRITIQUE.
UM, BUT THE NAME CHANGE TO OPERATION REBUILD GIVES ME SOME PAUSE, UH, GIVEN THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK, I BELIEVE IT'S IMPORTANT TO INCLUDE DEMOLITION IN THE NAME FOR EASY IDENTIFICATION AND DEMOLITION DIVERSION PROGRAM DOES JUST THAT.
UM, BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, RIGHT? THE, THE LOCAL MEDIA HAS WRITTEN ABOUT DEMOLITION DIVERSION, DEMOLITION MITIGATION, UH, IN REGARDS TO THIS FUND AND PROJECT.
AND I WANNA BE SURE IT'S ACCESSIBLE.
UM, AND IT ALSO TRANSLATES WELL IN SPANISH IF IT'S DEMOLITION, UH, DIVERSION PROGRAM.
UM, BUT THAT'S A MINOR CRITIQUE.
UM, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, UM, I, I THINK IT'S GREAT TO SEE THIS PROJECT COME INTO FRUITION.
I KNOW THERE ARE SEVERAL CITY STAFFERS FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT, WHO HAD GOTTEN A PRESENTATION FROM COMMUNITY PRIOR TO ME BEING ELECTED.
UH, THE HISTORIC WEST SIDE RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION HAD BEEN RECEIVING NUMEROUS, UH, BUILDING AND STANDARDS BOARD NOTIFICATIONS, AND WE HAD RESIDENTS COMING TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS, UM, THAT WERE AT RISK OF DISPLACEMENT THROUGH DEMOLITION.
UM, AND THE HISTORIC WEST SIDE RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION, UM, STARTED COLLECTING DATA AND COMING UP WITH A SOLUTION.
AND WE TRIED MEETING, UH, WITH OUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, BUT THAT NEVER HAPPENED.
BUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT WERE ALWAYS ACCESSIBLE, UM, TO HEAR THE CONCERNS AND THE PRESENTATION AND THE SOLUTION THAT COMMUNITY PUT FORWARD.
UM, SO I, I WANNA BE SURE THAT I HIGHLIGHT RIGHT, THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT DISTRICT FIVE RESIDENTS, UH, HELPED CREATE AND HAD PUT FORWARD AND HAD BEEN WORKING ON FOR YEARS, AND HAD, UM, BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH SPECIFIC CITY STAFF IN HOPES OF GAINING SOME SUPPORT TO ENSURE THAT WE MITIGATE COMMUNITY DISPLACEMENT, UH, AND REDUCE DEMOLITIONS IN OUR DISTRICT.
SO I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SEE, AND I THINK YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB, MARK, AND I APPRECIATE, UM, THE COMMUNICATION WITH SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I'VE HAD AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING THOSE AS WELL.
UM, BUT I'M REALLY EXCITED, UH, TO SEE THIS BEING PRESENTED, UM, AND MOVING FORWARD.
I THINK IT CREATES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO CONTINUE TO INVEST IN THIS ROBUST PROGRAM TO ENSURE THAT WE CAN, UM, LEAD AS A CITY IN MITIGATING COMMUNITY THIS PLACEMENT.
I'M JUST GLAD TO SEE THIS PROGRAM MOVING FORWARD.
I THINK THIS IS GREAT PILOT PROJECT, AND I, I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING, UH, THE WORK COME FORWARD.
I HOPE EVERYBODY WHOSE HOME GETS, UH, REBUILT IS GONNA STAY THERE FOR 20 YEARS OR MORE.
BUT THE, THE TWO QUESTIONS THAT DO COME TO MY MIND IS WHAT HAPPENS IF SOMEBODY DOESN'T STAY? IF, FOR EXAMPLE, IT'S A, A FAMILY WHO, UH, LIVES IN ONE OF THESE HOMES AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WE, WE GO IN, WE, WE REBUILD
[01:25:01]
THE HOME, AND THEN LET'S SAY 5, 7, 10 YEARS LATER, JOBS CHANGE OR FAMILIES CHANGE OR THINGS LIKE THAT.UM, SO WE HAVE A ONE 20TH WRITE OFF EVERY YEAR ON THAT LOAN.
I'D LIKE TO SEE, JUST SO WE HAVE AN IDEA.
AND SO, UH, THE PUBLIC HAS AN IDEA.
WHAT WOULD THAT MEAN? AND I'M NOT ASKING FOR THAT RIGHT NOW, BUT I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT WOULD THAT MEAN IF, LET'S SAY SOMEBODY HAD TO SELL THEIR HOME IN FIVE YEARS OR 10 YEARS, WHAT WOULD THE BALANCE BE? HOW MUCH WOULD THEY HAVE TO PAY OFF, UH, WHEN THEY SELL THAT HOME? AND THE OTHER PART IS, WHAT HAPPENS IF SOMEBODY DIES? WHO OWNS A HOME? HOW DOES THAT TRANSFER OVER TO ANY, UH, NEW OWNER? UH, MAYBE IT'S A SPOUSE OR MAYBE IT'S, UH, A CHILD.
UH, AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT TO THEM WHAT BECOMES A TAX LIABILITY THAT THAT FAMILY WHO INHERITS THAT PROPERTY MAY HAVE TO TAKE ON.
BECAUSE, UH, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THOSE ARE FACTORS THAT MAYBE WE DON'T THINK ABOUT WHEN WE SAY WE WANNA REBUILD A HOUSE THAT'S FALLING DOWN.
THE OTHER THING IS, UH, I'D LIKE US TO REALLY UNDERSTAND, AND I, AND I KNOW YOU'VE KIND OF REACHED OUT TO FIND OUT ABOUT THIS, WHAT ABOUT THE, THE VALUATION CONSEQUENCE AND THE TAX CONSEQUENCE, NOT ONLY FOR THE HOUSE THAT GETS REBUILT, BUT FOR THE NEIGHBORS WHO LIVE NEXT TO THAT HOUSE.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DOING MAYBE AS MANY AS 10.
BUT IF WE GET INTO A PROGRAM WHERE WE SET A GOAL OF SETTING ASIDE $10 MILLION TO DO A HUNDRED HOUSES LIKE THAT, WHAT, WHAT ENDS UP BEING THE EFFECT ON PEOPLE WHO LIVE NEXT TO THESE HOMES THAT WENT FROM BEING VALUED AT 70,000 'CAUSE THEY WERE FALLING APART TO MAYBE 150,000.
'CAUSE THEY'VE HAD A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS PUT INTO IT.
WHAT IS THE, WHAT IS THE LIABILITY OR THE EXPECTATION OF THE OWNER OF THE HOME? AND HOW ABOUT THOSE HOMES THAT ARE ALL AROUND IT ALL OF A SUDDEN WHEN TAX VALUES GO UP FOR THEM? I JUST THINK WE NEED TO DO ENOUGH EXPLORATION OF THOSE THINGS AND BE, AND NEED TO BE ABLE TO INFORM THE PUBLIC ABOUT ALL OF THE IMPLICATIONS OF DOING THIS.
I THINK WE NEED TO DO IT, BUT IF WE DON'T REALLY MAKE SURE ALL OF THE COMMUNITY UNDERSTANDS WHAT ALL OF THE POSSIBLE IMPLICATIONS ARE, UH, THEN, YOU KNOW, WE COULD BE PUTTING SOME PEOPLE IN A POSITION THEY DON'T WANT TO BE IN.
YOU COULD THEORETICALLY HAVE SOME NEIGHBORHOODS SAY, HEY, WE DON'T WANT YOU TO DO THAT TO THAT HOUSE.
'CAUSE I'VE GOT 50 PEOPLE AROUND HERE WHO DON'T WANT THEIR TAXES TO GO UP $150 NEXT YEAR, 'CAUSE THEIR VALUES GO UP.
SO, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE IMPLICATIONS I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT AS WE GO THROUGH THIS PILOT BEFORE WE MOVE FURTHER BEYOND THAT.
BUT I, I REALLY THINK IT IS A VALUABLE PROGRAM.
AND, UH, I'M ALL FOR KEEPING PEOPLE IN THE HOMES THEY'RE IN TODAY AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
UH, AND I'M WILLING TO SEE THE CITY INVEST IN THAT.
UH, BUT I, I JUST THINK WE NEED TO KNOW ALL OF THE DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF IT.
SO, COUNCILMAN, ONE THING I DIDN'T MENTION ON THE TAX LIABILITY SIDE IS WE, WE WILL EXPLORE EVERY TAX EXEMPTION POSSIBILITY WITH, WITH THAT HOMEOWNER.
SO IT COULD BE HOMESTEAD, IT COULD BE HISTORIC, THERE COULD BE A NUMBER OF TAX EXEMPTIONS THAT MAY BE AVAILABLE TO MITIGATE SOME OF THAT TAX LIABILITY.
WE WILL TAKE A LOOK AT THE VALUATION PIECE AND TRY TO UNDERSTAND THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE.
I'M SURE WE HAVE EXPERIENCE FROM OUR OWNER-OCCUPIED REPAIR PROGRAM THAT CAN HELP INFORM SOME OF THAT.
UM, BUT I LIKE THE IDEA OF INFORMING THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORS.
AND I THINK WORKING WITH COUNCIL STAFF AND COUNCIL OFFICES TO HELP DO THAT, I THINK WILL, WILL BE A BIG HELP IN MAKING THAT HAPPEN.
AND, AND I THINK EVEN HAVING A NAVIGATOR FOR THAT PROJECT TALK TO THE NEIGHBORS SO THEY UNDERSTAND.
AND I THINK OVERALL, WE NEED TO, AS A, AS A CITY, PROMOTE SOME KIND OF TAX CHANGES IN AUSTIN THAT WILL ENABLE US TO PROTECT THE PROPERTY OWNERS AROUND THESE AREAS.
IF I COULD, UM, OVER HERE, JAMINE.
UM, CHAIR, IF I COULD JUST ALSO ADDRESS YOUR FIRST QUESTION, COUNCILMAN ABOUT THE, UM, REMEDIES TO THE CITY IN THE, IN THE EVENT OF A DEFAULT OR EARLY MOVE OUT ALL OF THE CITY'S HOUSING PROGRAMS WHERE WE PROVIDE GRANTS OR LOANS FOR PURPOSES OF REHAB.
UM, WE HAVE STANDARD, UM, THINGS THAT THE CITY DOES TO PROTECT ITS INTEREST.
AND MOST OF THE TIME THERE WILL BE RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS PLACED ON THE PROPERTY.
UM, IN THE INSTANCES WHERE WE HAVE, UH, GIVEN LOANS FOR REHAB FOR, FOR EXAMPLE, OWNER OCCUPIED REHAB, THINGS OF THAT NATURE, THE CITY WILL ATTACH A DEED OF TRUST, A REAL ESTATE NOTE, ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT WILL BE FILED IN THE PROPERTY RECORDS TO MAKE SURE THAT UNDER THE TERMS OF OUR AGREEMENTS WITH THE HOMEOWNERS, IF THEY DEFAULT, IF THEY MOVE OUT EARLY, UM, THEN THE CITY HAS THE RIGHT, IF
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IT CHOOSES TO, TO FORECLOSE ON ITS LOAN AND RECOVER OUTSTANDING AMOUNTS, UM, WE CAN CANCEL THE CONTRACT WITH THE HOMEOWNER AND SEEK TO RECOVER THE OUTSTANDING FUNDS DIRECTLY FROM THE HOMEOWNER.AND THEN AS FAR AS PROBATE PROCEEDINGS, OR WHEN THE PROPERTY IS TURNED OVER TO AN HEIR, WE ALSO ADDRESS THAT CIRCUMSTANCE IN OUR DOCUMENTS, WHICH WOULD USUALLY SAY SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT OF AN IN, UM, YOU KNOW, A PARTY TO WHICH THE PROPERTY IS DEVISED OR, YOU KNOW, OTHERWISE BEQUEATHED OR WHATEVER THAT THE, THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE PROGRAM, UH, ARE WAIVED OR THEY'RE GIVEN A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME TO COMPLY WITH THE PREVIOUS TERMS UNDER THE AGREEMENT.
SO WE HAVE LANGUAGE AND DOCUMENTS THAT ADDRESS ALL OF THOSE CONTINGENCIES.
AND, AND I EXPECTED WE WOULD, I GUESS I WAS JUST THINKING, UH, TO INFORM THE PROPERTY OWNER, UH, NOT OF WHAT THE LIABILITY IS OR THE CITY'S OPTIONS, BUT WHAT THEIR OPTIONS MIGHT BE IF THEY GO TO SELL THAT HOUSE AFTER FIVE YEARS, HOW MUCH DO THEY OWE? WHAT'S GONNA BE THE EQUITY THEY MAY GET OUT OF THAT? UH, YOU KNOW, IT COULD BE THAT THE, WHAT THEY STILL OWE AFTER FIVE YEARS, A 2% INTEREST, WHICH ACCUMULATES YEAR AND AFTER YEAR MAY MEAN THEY WALK AWAY WITH NO EQUITY AT THE END.
SO I JUST THINK THAT THOSE ARE A FEW THINGS THAT WE OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO INFORM PEOPLE ABOUT AS WELL AS WE CAN.
I KNOW CI CIRCUMSTANCES CAN CHANGE, BUT I'M CERTAIN WE'RE GONNA BE PROTECTING OUR INTERESTS.
AND, AND, AND COUNCILMAN, JUST ONE FINAL COMMENT.
YOU CAN BE ASSURED THAT THE HOUSING BENEFITS NAVIGATOR EARLIER IN THE PROCESS COVERS THAT WITH THE, WITH THE HOMEOWNER SO THAT THEY'RE AWARE OF AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
I DON'T WANT TO THROW IT AT 'EM ALL AT ONCE, BUT I WANT TO DO IT OVER A PERIOD OF TIME AS WE'RE ENGAGING THEM.
AND THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR THE, THE, THE GREAT, UM, FEEDBACK ON THIS.
[Consent Agenda ]
ON NOW TO, UH, CONSENT AGENDA, WHICH HAS SEVERAL RESOLUTIONS OF NO OBJECTION.MAY I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA, AGENDA AS PRESENTED? ITEMS FIVE THROUGH NINE IS A MOTION.
SECOND, THERE'S A MOTION A SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THE TABLE? GREAT.
ALL RIGHT, WELL WE ARE READY TO TAKE A VOTE THEN.
THAT IS THE, UM, END OF OUR AGENDA FOR TODAY.