* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:59] IS ANTONIO IN SAN ANTONIO. GOOD MORNING [ PROCEDURAL  ] EVERYONE. PLEASE TAKE YOUR SEATS. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED. TIME IS 9:06 AM ON THE FOURTH DAY OF MAY, 2023. WE'LL CALL OUR MEETING TO ORDER. MADAM CLERK, COULD YOU READ THE ROLE? COUNCIL MEMBER? COUNCIL MEMBER BRAVO HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ. PRESENT, COUNCIL MEMBER VERAN. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER CAVEO VARDA. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER CASTRO. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER PALIS. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY. HERE. MAYOR NIRENBERG. HERE. MAYOR, WE HAVE A QUORUM. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. WELCOME TO OUR CITY COUNCIL A SESSION. THE TIME IS 9:06 AM AND, UM, APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S PATIENCE AS WE GET STARTED TODAY. TO GET US STARTED, I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ TO WELCOME OUR INDICATOR. THANK YOU. I AM SUPER EXCITED. TODAY I GET TO BRING UP ONE OF MY CHURCH BESTIES. UH, DR. GILLESPIE, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND COMING UP, DR. LESTER GILLESPIE SR. IS THE ORGANIZER AND PASTOR OF THE GREATER LOVE MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS. PASTOR GILLESPIE WAS BORN AND RAISED IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS. HE IS THE SON OF THE LATE REVEREND WG GILLESPIE AND THE LATE SISTER VERNELL GILLESPIE JONES. HE'S MARRIED TO KIMBERLY ES GILLESPIE AND IS THE PROUD FATHER TO TWO SONS AND FOUR DAUGHTERS. HE'S ALSO THE GRANDFATHER OF 13. 13 Y'ALL. PASTOR GILLESPIE IS THE NATIONAL PRESIDENT OF MINISTERS UNITED FOR MINISTERIAL DEVELOPMENT, VICE PRESIDENT OF BOARDS OF THE NATIONAL MISSIONARY BAPTIST CONVENTION OF AMERICA, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE HOME MISSION BOARD OF THE MISSIONARY BAPTIST GENERAL CONVENTION OF TEXAS, AND FOUNDER OF THE REVEREND WG GILLESPIE AND VERNELL GILLESPIE JONES MEMORIAL INSTITUTE SCHOLARSHIP FUND. THAT'S A RESUME. HE RECEIVED THE 1992 PULPIT LEADERSHIP AWARD FROM THE SAN ANTONIO REGISTERED NEWS AND WAS THE OUTSTANDING PASTOR OF THE YEAR. IN 1994, PASTOR GILLESPIE RECEIVED BOTH BACHELOR AND DOCTOR OF DIVINITY DEGREES FROM THE GUADALUPE BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, A DOCTOR OF DIVINITY FROM AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL THEOLOGICAL AND SEMINARY, AS WELL AS AN HONORARY DOCTOR OF LETTERS OF URBAN MINISTRIES, DEGREE FROM AS ASPEN CHRISTIAN COLLEGE AND THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. IT'S A PRIVILEGE AND HONOR TO HAVE YOU AGAIN TAKE IT AWAY. SHALL WE PRAY ETERNAL GOD, OUR FATHER, WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WHO YOU ARE AND ALL OF YOUR GLORY. WE BOW IN HUMBLE ADORATION TO YOU AS GOD AND GOD ALONE AND INVOKE YOUR DIVINE INTERVENTION AS YOU ARE OB OMNIPOTENT. AND I'M NOT PRESENT. YOU'RE IMMUTABLE BECAUSE YOU DON'T CHANGE, AND THAT YOU ARE SOVEREIGN BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE WHOLE WORLD IN YOUR HANDS. WE HAVE ALL CREATION UNDER YOUR AUSPICES. THEREFORE, AS EVEN NOW, OUR MAYOR AND OUR CITY, COUNCILMAN JALEN KIM RODRIGUEZ, AND ALL THOSE WHO ARE THE PERSONALITIES WHO COMPRISE THIS AUGUST BODY OF LEADERSHIP MANAGERS, AS WELL AS THE STAFFERS, INCLUDING THE PERSONNEL, WE ASK YOU CONTINUE TO LEAD AND GUIDE THEM IN WAYS OF TRUTH AND RIGHTEOUSNESS, THAT THIS GREAT CITY WILL ALSO CHOOSE TO BE [00:05:01] PLEASING IN YOUR SIGHT. YOUR WORD ASSURES US THAT THE STEPS OF A GOOD MAN ARE ORDERED BY THE LORD AND HE DELIGHTS IN HIS WAY. WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD HELP US EVEN AS THEY GIVE DIRECTION TO THE CITIZENRY OF THIS CITY. BLESS ALL OF THOSE WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR LEADERSHIP AS WELL AS OUR FELLOWSHIP. WE ASK THIS IN JESUS NAME. AMEN. AMEN. THANK YOU PASTOR GILLESPIE. ALRIGHT, THE FIRST ITEM FOR BUSINESS TODAY IS THE APPROVAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES OF APRIL 5TH, SIXTH, AND 12TH. I ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THOSE MINUTES. SECOND, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES OF APRIL 5TH, SIXTH AND 12TH, 2023. ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, PLEASE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES. UH, WE [CONSENT AGENDA  ] HAVE A FULL CONSENT AGENDA TODAY. UH, WE HAVE ONE ITEM FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION. ITEM NUMBER FOUR, ARE THERE ANY OTHER ITEMS TO PULL FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION? 15. 1515. OKAY. ANY OTHERS? IF THERE ARE NONE, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA. SECOND. OKAY. THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR ALL ITEMS, SAY FOR FOUR AND 15. I'LL GO AHEAD AND ENTERTAIN DISCUSSION AT THIS POINT. THERE'S NO CITIZEN SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. SO IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? COUNCIL MEMBER GRO? YES. I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT, UH, ITEM NUMBER 17, AN ORDINANCE APPROVING THE WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS ALAMO, W S A LOCAL PLAN 2021. 2024 MODIFICATIONS. THE MODIFICATIONS ARE UPDATING THE METHOD METHODOLOGY TO DETERMINE TARGET OCCUPATIONS BY RAISING THE AVERAGE WAGE FROM $15 AN HOUR TO $17 AN HOUR, REORGANIZING IN-DEMAND INDUSTRY CLUSTERS BASED ON UPDATED LABOR MARKET INFORMATION, REDUCED IN-DEMAND INDUSTRY SECTORS FROM 11 TO NINE, REDUCED IN-DEMAND INDUSTRIES FROM 23 TO 27, AND INCREASED TARGET IN-DEMAND OCCUPATIONS FOR 62 TO 72. I JUST WANNA THANK THE READY TO WORK TEAM, UH, WORKFORCE AL, UH, SOLUTIONS ALAMO, FOR THEIR EFFORTS TO UNDERSTAND THAT AS WE TRY AND GET PEOPLE BACK TO WORK, WE ARE GOING TO NEED MODIFICATIONS. WE ARE GOING TO NEED ADJUSTMENTS AND WORKING WITH, UM, ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS IN THIS PROCESS TO BETTER SERVE THE COMMUNITY. AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE UNDERSTOOD THAT IF WE'RE, IF WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THIS SUCCESSFUL, WE NEED TO MAKE THESE KIND OF CHANGES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER VERAN. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO. THANK YOU MAYOR. I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT ITEM 18. ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE. TEAMS LIKE CORE M I H AND THE MENTAL HEALTH UNIT ARE SMART INVESTMENTS IN PUBLIC SAFETY. PLAIN AND SIMPLE, THESE PROGRAMS CONNECT FOLKS IN CRISIS FROM ALL BACKGROUNDS TO LIFE-SAVING HEALTHCARE RESOURCES. THEY ALSO REDUCE STIGMAS AND STOP THE CRIMINALIZATION OF MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS. AS PART OF THE GOOD NEIGHBOR PRESENTATION, WE LEARNED THAT ONE IN THREE CALLS FOR SERVICE INVOLVE AN INDIVIDUAL EXPERIENCING A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS. MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AFFECT OUR YOUTH AS WELL. THE RECENT TEEN MENTAL HEALTH SURVEY SHOWED THAT MORE LOCAL YOUTH ARE EXPERIENCING MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES AND SUICIDAL THOUGHTS AND IDEATIONS. THAT IS WHY IT IS CRUCIAL THAT THE CITY CONTINUE TO INVEST IN ITS COMPREHENSIVE PUBLIC SAFETY MEASURES BUILT, PROVIDING HARM, REDUCTION AND TRAUMA-INFORMED PATIENT-CENTERED CARE. I WENT ON A RIDE ALONG WITH THE MENTAL HEALTH UNIT AND SAW FIRSTHAND THE POSITIVE IMPACT THE TEAM HAS ON PUBLIC SAFETY. MOVING TO THE CONTRACT ITSELF, A TOTAL OF 10 LICENSED MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS WILL CONTINUE TO BE FUNDED FOR THE FINAL YEAR OF THE CONTRACT. UM, WITH STRAC, A BIG THANK YOU TO JORDAN GALLOWAY WITH STRAC FOR HELPING TO STRENGTHEN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY AND STRAC AND FOR YOUR PUBLIC SERVICE ON VARIOUS CITY BOARDS. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE FINAL YEAR OF THIS IS THE FINAL YEAR OF THE CONTRACT. SO I WANTED TO THANK MARIA AND HER TEAM FOR THEIR GREAT WORK IN ENSURING THAT THERE'S FUNDING FOR THE M I H PROGRAM. UM, I HAVE FULL FAITH THAT THIS IS GOING TO NOT BE THE FINAL YEAR, AND WE'RE GOING TO ENSURE THAT THESE CONTRACTS ARE ROBUSTLY FUNDED GOING FORWARD. SO I WANTED TO THANK MARIA AND TEAM, UM, AND THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? [00:10:01] OKAY. HEARING NONE, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR ALL ITEMS SAVED FOR ITEMS FOUR AND 15, PLEASE VOTE. ALL RIGHT, MOTION CARRIES. [POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE  ] OKAY, WELL THANK YOU, UH, TO ALL OF OUR GUESTS WHO ARE IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY. UH, WE DO HAVE A FEW FOLKS THAT WE WANNA RECOGNIZE, AND I'M GONNA START AND DO SOMETHING A LITTLE, UM, SOMETHING THAT I'M NOT ACCUSTOMED TO DOING, AND THAT IS TO FIRST TELL YOU THAT I HAVE HAD A NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION THAT I'VE BEEN STICKING TO FOR THE LAST, WHAT IS IT, FOUR MONTHS. AND THAT IS TO START THESE MEETINGS ON TIME. UM, FOR THOSE WHO'VE BEEN WATCHING, WE'VE BEEN WITHIN A MARGIN OF ERROR ABOUT FIVE MINUTES FOR PRETTY MUCH THE WHOLE NEW YEAR. SO VERY PROUD THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO GET TO DO THAT. BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THAT MEANT I HAD TO CUT SHORT, UH, A, UH, IMPORTANT PHOTO THAT WAS BEING TAKEN OF SOME COMMUNITY HEROES. SO I'M GONNA TAKE A A MOMENT JUST TO HELP OUR WHOLE CITY RECOGNIZE OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS. ARE YOU A, IF YOU'RE A COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER, COULD YOU PLEASE STAND UP? SO BEFORE, BEFORE I ASK Y'ALL TO COME UP TO THE FRONT AND I ASK MY MY COLLEAGUES TO COME DOWN SO WE CAN ALL TAKE A PICTURE TOGETHER WITH YOU. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY IN OUR COMMUNITY KNOWS HOW IMPORTANT, UH, THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS AND MOVING FORWARD HAS BEEN FOR OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY. UH, FOLKS, THESE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS, IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A, A, A, UM, UH, PROBABLY NOT INCLUSIVE ENOUGH OF A NAME, BUT THESE FOLKS HAVE BEEN SAVING LIVES ON A DAILY BASIS, CONNECTING PEOPLE TO THE RESOURCES, TO THE HEALTH RESOURCES, TO THE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE HOUSING RESOURCES TO THE BASIC NECESSITIES OF LIFE FOR A VERY LONG TIME, BUT HAS BEEN MADE VERY CLEAR HOW IMPORTANT THEIR JOBS ARE, UH, DURING THE PANDEMIC. UM, OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS IN SAN ANTONIO HAVE BECOME A NATIONAL MODEL. AND SO I WANT TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU TO KNOW HOW MUCH YOU ARE APPRECIATED. WE DON'T, UH, NEGLECT OR WE DON'T DISMISS THE AMOUNT OF STRESS THAT YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH FROM OTHER PEOPLE ON THE OTHER END OF THE LINE OR, OR, UH, YOU KNOW, AT A ACROSS FROM THE TABLE. UH, BUT THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING TO EASE THE SUFFERING OF PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY IS PROBABLY SOME OF THE MOST ESSENTIAL SERVICE THAT THIS COMMUNITY PROVIDES. SO, ON BEHALF OF ALL OF US, OUR FAMILIES, OUR FRIENDS, OUR NEIGHBORS, WHO HAVE IN ONE WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM, NEEDED A HAND DURING THESE LAST FEW YEARS AND CERTAINLY WILL GOING FORWARD, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU. GOD BLESS YOU. UH, WE WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE ALL THE RESOURCES AND SUPPORT THAT YOU NEED BECAUSE YOU ARE FIGHTING FOR EVERYDAY SAN ANTONIANS ON AN EVERYDAY BASIS. NOW, UM, FRED IS HERE. HE'S A BIT OF A PERFECTIONIST, SO I'M GONNA ASK FRED TO GO AHEAD AND ASSEMBLE IN THE, UH, IN THE AISLE AND, AND IF OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS CAN COME FORWARD AND OUR COUNCIL WILL COME DOWN AND WE'LL TAKE A, A PROPER PHOTO SO THAT WE CAN COMMEMORATE Y'ALL'S TIME HERE. [00:16:20] FILL IT IN. FILL IT IN OVER HERE. THERE'S YOU GUYS READY? YES, SIR. ALL RIGHT. THANK Y'ALL VERY MUCH FOR THAT. I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO COUNCIL MEMBER CASTRO TO MAKE A FEW STATEMENTS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THE COVID PANDEMIC DID MUCH TO HIGHLIGHT THE VALUABLE ROLE OF THE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS IN NURTURING OUR COMMUNITIES ON THEIR JOURNEY TO BETTER HEALTH. THEIR LIVED EXPERIENCE, CULTIVATED EXPERIENCE, AND UN UNDENIABLE PASSION FOR THE MOST UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES GIVES THEM A SKILLSET THAT MANY OTHERS LACK. WE KNOW THAT THERE IS A GREAT DEAL OF TRUST IN OUR COMMUNITIES FOR THESE HEALTH WORKERS, ALSO KNOWN AS PROMO TORES. THESE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS GO BY MANY DIFFERENT NAMES, BUT I WANNA READ TO YOU SOME OF THE PLACES THAT THEY HAVE MADE A BIG DIFFERENCE WITH. FIRST OF ALL, OUR OWN SAN ANTONIO METRO HEALTH. YOU WILL ALSO FIND 65 PROGRAMS IN LIKE HEALTHY NEIGHBORHOODS. UNLOCK, STAND UP, HEALTHY START, SA KIDS BREATHE, WIC, NUTRITIONAL PROGRAM, DIABETES PREVENTION AND IMMUNIZATIONS. THE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE, UH, IN ESTABLISHING FOOD PANTRIES, GARDENS, UH, HELPING PEOPLE TO LOOK AT HEALTHY HABITS AT SCHOOLS, HOSTING, COOKING DEMONSTRATIONS AND NUTRITIONAL CLASSES AND FARMER'S MARKETS. I MEAN, THEY HAVE DONE JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING, UM, THAT YOU CAN POSSIBLY WANT TO HAVE PEOPLE TO COME INTO YOUR HOME AND TEACH YOU TO DO. UH, A PARTIAL LIST OF OTHER PEOPLE THAT THEY HAVE SERVED WITH ARE THE DAUGHTER DAUGHTERS OF CHARITY, THE Y W C A, WHO IS HERE TODAY IN POWERHOUSE [00:20:01] PRESSA COMMUNITY CENTER, RA METHODIST HEALTHCARE MINISTRIES, BIG MAMA SAFE HOUSE, THE HEALTH COLLABORATE, UT HEALTH AND UNIVERSITY HEALTH. FOR ME, I'VE KNOWN OF THE PROMO TORA FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. WE HAVE A NUMBER OF PROGRAMS IN THE DIFFERENT COLLEGES. NORTHWEST VISTA IS ONE THAT HAS TRAINED MANY PROMOT TORAS, TEXAS A AND M HAS DONE THE SAME, BUT WE CANNOT IMAGINE WHAT LIFE WOULD'VE BEEN, ESPECIALLY DURING COVID WITHOUT THESE FOLKS THAT HAVE REALLY GIVEN THEIR ALL TO SAN ANTONIO. SO, UH, COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO THERE, THERE WAS A SPECIAL HEALTH WORKERS DAY. UNFORTUNATELY, WE MISSED THAT DATE, BUT TODAY WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE YOU HERE AND TO BE ABLE TO TELL YOU HOW MUCH WE CARE ABOUT THE WORK THAT YOU DO. THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO, AND GOD BLESS YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTRO. ALRIGHT, UH, WELL, WE HAVE, UH, SOME OTHER CELEBRATIONS TODAY AND I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND KICK THINGS OFF. UH, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THIS IS ALSO NATIONAL BIKE MONTH. I SEE SOME HELMETS IN THE BACKGROUND. SO WHEREAS DURING THE MONTH OF MAY, THE SAN ANTONIO TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT WILL OBSERVE NATIONAL BIKE MONTH AND HOST BIKE TO WORKDAY ON MAY 19TH, 2023 TO RAISE AWARENESS OF PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE MOBILITY, SAFETY, ACCESS, AND CONVENIENCE. AND WHEREAS WALKING, RIDING A BIKE AND TAKING PUBLIC TRANSIT ARE HEALTHY MODES OF TRANSPORTATION THAT CAN HELP REDUCE TRAFFIC CONGESTION, SPUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, IMPROVE AIR QUALITY, PROMOTE PUBLIC HEALTH, AND ENHANCE QUALITY OF LIFE. AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO RECOGNIZES THE USE OF BICYCLES ARE A VIABLE MODE OF TRANSPORTATION, SUCH THAT THE CITY HAS LAUNCHED A NET, A BIKE NETWORK PLAN TO PROMOTE HEALTH AND FITNESS, REDUCE TRAFFIC INGESTION, AND PARKING COSTS, AND BENEFIT BOTH EMPLOYEES AND EMPLOYERS. AND WHEREAS THROUGH THE VISION ZERO INITIATIVE, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO IS COMMITTED TO ENHANCING THE SAFETY OF OUR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM FOR OUR GROWING COMMUNITY AND TO ELIMINATE TRAFFIC FATALITIES AND SERIOUS INJURIES. AND WHEREAS THIS YEAR'S CELEBRATION INCLUDES THE SIXTH ANNUAL BIKE TO WORK DAY ENERGIZER STATIONS WHERE PARTICIPANTS CAN PICK UP VISIT TO PICK UP BICYCLE RESOURCES, BREAKFAST ITEMS, AND HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO WIN PRIZES ON THEIR MORNING COMMUTE. NOW THEREFORE, OUR RON NUREMBERG, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND RECOGNITION THEREOF DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THE MONTH OF MAY, 2023 TO BE NATIONAL BIKE MONTH AND MAY 19TH, 2023 TO BE BIKE TO WORKDAY IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS. ALRIGHT, COME ON UP, Y'ALL. I DON'T KNOW IF, UM, OUR, OUR, THE FOLKS WITH OUR BIKE ORGANIZATIONS WOULD LIKE TO COME UP AND MAKE A FEW COMMENTS BEFORE WE MOVE ON. OH, HERE WE GO. MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THANK YOU SO MUCH. I'M JOE CONGER, THE PUBLIC RELATIONS MANAGER FOR THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT. UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS KNOW THIS, BUT LIKE, MORE THAN 50% OF OUR TRIPS HERE IN THE UNITED STATES ARE UNDER THREE MILES. SO LOOKING AT BIKES AS AN ALTERNATIVE FOR TRANSPORTATION IS A REALLY GREAT IDEA. I'D LIKE TO THANK ALL THE FOLKS WHO ARE PARTICIPATING WITH US, NOT ONLY IN THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT, BUT SOME OF THE CONSULTANTS HELPING US WITH THE BIKE NETWORK PLAN THIS YEAR, WHICH IS R, S AND H AND KITSON, THOSE GROUPS ARE JOINING US AS WELL. AMPO HAS ALWAYS BEEN A GREAT, GREAT PARTNER IN OUR BIKE LANES AND BIKE FACILITY EFFORTS. WE THANK THEM FOR BEING HERE. WE HAVE SEVERAL BIKE GROUPS HERE AS WELL. WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU GUYS BEING HERE. UM, SUSTAINABILITY DEPARTMENT HAS HELPED US AS WELL. UH, OF COURSE, METRO HEALTH, BECAUSE THIS IS A HEALTH ISSUE. UM, THEY'RE HERE AND SUPPORTING US. AND IF I'VE FORGOTTEN ANYBODY, I APOLOGIZE. OH, PARKS AND REC. WE GOT PARKS AND RECS, , SAP'S, BIKE PATROL, UH, PARKS AND RECS PATROLS. WE HAVE THEIR BIKE, STU UH, THEIR, UH, THEIR, UH, STEWARDS TOO ON THE PARKS TRAILS. ALL OF THOSE FOLKS HELPING US OUT. WE WANT TO CONNECT THOSE BIKE, BIKE BIKE TRAILS TO OUR TRANSIT SYSTEMS, TO OUR STREETS AND OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU GUYS. COUNCIL MEMBER PLIE. THANK YOU. UM, I, I THINK SHE WAS GONNA MAKE A QUICK COMMENT. I JUST WANNA SHARE TAMIKA MINORVILLE, DIRECTOR OF THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET THIS KICKED OFF. RIGHT AFTER WE LEAVE HERE, WE WILL HAVE OUR FIRST TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING, AND THIS WILL BE A MEETING OF ALL OF OUR PARTNER AGENCIES TO TALK ABOUT WHAT WE ENVISION. BUT WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS CHALLENGE YOU ALL THIS BODY TO TODAY TO DO WHAT WE DID YESTERDAY, AND I'M PAYING [00:25:01] FOR IT TODAY, . UM, I, I, I THINK MY TUSH WOULD APPRECIATE ARREST, BUT WE RODE AUSTIN'S BIKE TRAILS, THEIR ROAD TRAILS, AND I WANNA SAY THAT THEY SAID WE ARE KILLING THE GAME WITH THE HOWARD WP TRAIL NETWORK. THEY SAID OFF-ROAD, WE HAVE IT. BUT I HAVE TO SAY, AUSTIN IS DOING SOME AMAZING THINGS AND I THINK ALL OF US SHOULD TAKE A BIKE RIDE TO AUSTIN. HALF OF THE PEOPLE HERE TODAY ARE KITTLE ASSOCIATES, R S N H, WE ALL RODE YESTERDAY AND IT WAS AMAZING, PERFECT DAY. A LOT OF ON STREET IMPLEMENTATION OF THINGS THAT WE ENVISION DOING HERE WITH OUR PLAN. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR SUPPORTING AND AWARDING AND GIVING US THE FUNDS TO DO THIS PLAN. BUT, UM, LET'S GET OUT HERE AND RIDE. UH, SO Y'ALL LET US KNOW WHEN Y'ALL READY TO GO. 'CAUSE AUSTIN HAS SOME ROADS FOR US TO RIDE ON. SO THANK YOU MAYOR AND THANK YOU COUNCIL. UM, YOU KNOW, IT USED TO BE SHIRLEY GONZALEZ THAT, UH, WAS THE FIRST OUTTA THE GATE TO REMIND YOU ALL THAT SHE WAS, UH, AN OLYMPIC LEVEL CYCLIST. UH, AND THAT LADY REALLY WAS QUITE, UH, THE, UM, THE CYCLIST. SHE'S AMAZING. BUT, UM, I, I GOTTA TELL YOU, I'M, UH, I I SPEND A LOT OF TIME OFF ROAD AND THE TRAILS, UM, THE STORM, I THINK IS, UH, AN ESSENTIAL PARTNER TO US. UM, AND EVERY ONE OF US HAS A PIECE OF THE TRAILS AND, UM, I, I DO HAVE TO COMMENT THAT YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN INDEFATIGABLE AND JUST A CONSTANT DRUMBEAT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE NEVER FORGET THAT. UM, BIKE TRAILS AND, AND BIKE LANES ARE WHAT, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MAKES SAN ANTONIO JUST VERY, VERY SPECIAL AND THAT WE ARE STILL NOT QUITE THERE. UH, AND THAT WE'VE GOT A LOT OF WORK TO DO. I WANT YOU, UH, TO CONTINUE TO HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE. UM, ALSO, I, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT THE BIKE COMMUNITY KNOW THAT JEFF QUAIL'S NOT STANDING WITH YOU JUST BECAUSE HE, HE'S, UH, HE'S JUST A, UH, AN AVID CYCLIST. BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT EVERY SINGLE TIME WE'VE HAD A MAJOR BIKE INITIATIVE, JEFF COYLE COMES WHISPERS IN MY EAR AND SAYS, COUNCILMAN, THIS ONE'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME. UM, HELP ME OUT, LET ME HELP YOU. AND, UH, IN MANY WAYS, UH, THERE'S A LOT OF BIKE PROJECTS AROUND TOWN THAT HAVE JEFF'S, UM, FINGERPRINTS ON IT. UH, EVEN IF Y'ALL, EVEN IF HE DOESN'T MAKE TOO MUCH NOISE ABOUT IT. SO MAKE SURE TO, UH, GIVE HIM A HIGH FIVE. AND, UH, JEFF'S BIKE IS REALLY SWEET. UH, IT'S, UH, IT'S A REALLY, REALLY BEAUTIFUL BIKE. THANKS MAYOR FOR RECOGNIZING THIS GROUP. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER PLI. COUNCIL MEMBER KURT. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I JUST WANNA SAY I APPRECIATED THE, UH, THE, UH, MEETING I HAD WITH, UH, MEMBERS OF OUR TRANSPORTATION TEAM TALKING ABOUT THIS BIKE NETWORK PLAN. I THINK IT'S GONNA BE GREAT FOR THE CITY. I WAS INSPIRED WHEN THEY SAID, WELL, THE 19TH IS A BIKE TO WORK DAY, SO I PLEDGED TO BIKE TO WORK ON THE 19TH, AND I CHALLENGE ALL THE REST OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS. FIND A WAY TO BIKE TO WORK, EVEN IF IT'S TO YOUR FIELD OFFICE, UH, ON THE 19TH. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE. COUNCIL MEMBER GRO. THANK YOU. I WANNA THANK YOUR TEAM FOR JUST ALL YOUR WORK AND YOUR EFFORT. I, Y'ALL KNOW, I CYCLE, MY SPECIALIZED IS ACTUALLY IN MY FIELD OFFICE, MY BIKE IS THERE. UH, I WANNA THANK THE VOTERS FOR VOTING FOR THE BOND AND MAKING SURE THAT WE CONNECT THOSE GREENWAYS AND THEIR TRAILWAYS. AND COUNCILMAN ROCHA GARCIA AND I WERE TALKING ABOUT OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AND I WAS LIKE, I COULD BIKE TO WORK, BUT I'D HAVE TO TAKE MISSION ALL THE WAY TO DOWNTOWN. BUT I, I'M GONNA LOOK AT IT AND THE OTHER THING I WANNA DO IS CHALLENGE ACCEPTED. I WANNA DO THAT AUSTIN RIDE WHEN IT GETS A LITTLE COOLER AND WHEN I HAVE A SHIRT LIKE THE, THE BLACK GIRLS DO RIDE FOR DISTRICT THREE, THAT'S WHAT WE NEED. SO I'LL BE THERE IN AUSTIN WITH YOU GUYS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER VIRON, COUNCIL MEMBER KEO HDA. THANK Y'ALL FOR BEING HERE. AND AND MOST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR ADVOCACY. I KNOW I'VE TALKED WITH EACH ONE OF YOU ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR BIKE, UH, SAFETY NETWORK AND, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY ABOVE ALL OF THAT BIKE SAFETY IN OUR CITY. I DON'T HAVE A FANCY BIKE. I'VE GOT A REALLY COOL BRIGHT ORANGE SCHWINN WITH A WHITE BASKET IN THE FRONT, AND I USE IT ALL THE TIME TO GO, UM, TO THE LITTLE NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, STORE. SO, UH, UH, BUT I DO SEE IT EVEN IN, IN RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS, IT CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS. SO I THANK YOU FOR YOUR ADVOCACY AND THE WORK YOU DO. WE TALK A LOT ABOUT, UM, ALTERNATIVES TO VEHICLES AT TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE, AND I HAVE TO ALWAYS REMIND PEOPLE THAT IT'S NOT, UH, BI CYCLING ISN'T ALL JUST FOR FUNSIES EITHER. IT'S NOT JUST FOR RECREATION THAT PEOPLE NEED THEIR BICYCLES TO GET TO AND FROM BUS STOPS TO AND FROM WORK TO AND FROM SCHOOL. SO I REALLY DO APPRECIATE YOUR ADVOCACY FOR ALL, UH, OF OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER EO HARVARD, THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR WHAT YOU DO. WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO ACTUALLY IMPLEMENTING A BIKE PLAN IN SAN ANTONIO. [00:30:03] ALL RIGHT, UH, IT IS ALSO PROFESSIONAL MUNICIPAL CLERKS WEEK. WE GIVE IT UP FOR OUR CLERKS, WHEREAS THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO WILL OBSERVE PROFESSIONAL MUNICIPAL CLERKS WEEK APRIL 30TH TO MAY 6TH, 2023 TO HIGHLIGHT THE VITAL ROLE AND SERVICE OF THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK. AND WHEREAS THE OFFICE OF THE PROFESSIONAL MUNICIPAL CLERK, ALSO KNOWN AS THE CITY CLERK, IS A TIME HONORED AND FUNDAMENTAL PART OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT THAT PROVIDES A PROFESSIONAL LINK BETWEEN ITS RESIDENTS, LOCAL GOVERNING BODIES, AND AGENCIES OF GOVERNMENT AT ALL OTHER LEVELS. AND WHEREAS THE OFFICE OF THE PROFESSIONAL MUNICIPAL CLERK IS THE OLDEST AMONG THE PUBLIC SERVANTS WITH MENTION OF THE POSITION IN THE BIBLE AND IN GREEK AND ROMAN HISTORY. AND WHEREAS SAN ANTONIO CITY CLERK SERVES OVER 1.4 MILLION RESIDENTS AS THE INFORMATION CENTER ON FUNCTIONS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND COMMUNITY. AND WHEREAS THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK PROVIDES A MULTITUDE OF SERVICES TO THE CO, THE COMMUNITY AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT, INCLUDING CONDUCTING ELECTIONS, CODIFYING LEGISLATIVE ACTIVITIES OF THE GOVERNING BODY, RECORDING AND PRESERVING RECORDS INCLUDING BIRTH AND DEATH RECORDS, AND SERVING AS PASSPORT ACCEPTANCE FACILITY. AND WHEREAS THIS WEEK LONG OBSERVANCE IS TO RAISE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE VITAL ROLES AND SERVICES OF THE PROFESSIONAL MU MUNICIPAL CLERK TO THEIR LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND THE COMMUNITY AS THEY STRIVE TO PROTECT RESOURCES, PROVIDE TRANSPARENCY IN ALL ASPECTS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND TO PRESERVE OUR HERITAGE WHILE PLANNING FOR OUR FUTURE. NOW THEREFORE, I RONNER INBERG MAYOR OF SAN ANTONIO IN RECOGNITION THEREOF TO HEREBY PROCLAIM APRIL 30TH TO MAY 6TH, 2023 TO BE PROFESSIONAL MUNICIPAL CLERKS WEEK IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, AND EXTEND APPRECIATION TO OUR CITY CLERK, DEBBIE ROCK SITTER AND THE CITY CLERK STAFF FOR THEIR EXEMPLARY DEDICATION AND OUTSTANDING SERVICE THEY PROVIDE TO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT ON A DAILY BASIS. DEBBIE FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AS YOUR CITY CLERK, I'M PROUD TO ANNOUNCE TODAY THAT THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO HAS BEEN AWARDED THE MUNICIPAL CLERK'S OFFICE ACHIEVEMENT OF EXCELLENCE AWARD FOR 2023 THROUGH 2025. AFTER RECEIVING FEEDBACK FROM THE TEXAS MUNICIPAL CLERKS ASSOCIATION, WE WERE NOTIFIED THAT THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK FULFILLED ALL 12 OF THE 12 GOVERNING STANDARDS WITH THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENT TO RECEIVE THE EXCELLENCE AWARD ONLY BEING NINE. SO WE WERE OVERACHIEVERS. THIS IS A TESTAMENT TO THE HARD WORK AND DEDICATION OF MY TEAM OF 39 STAFF AT THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK, ESPECIALLY THE TWO PEOPLE WHO COMPLETED THE EXCELLENCE SURVEY, WHICH REQUIRED EXTENSIVE BACKUP DOCUMENTATION TO PROVE THE ACHIEVEMENTS. JAMIE NIETO AND NANCY CONNO. THANK YOU. EVERY INDIVIDUAL IN THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK IS VALUED AND PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN PROVIDING EXCELLENT SERVICES TO OUR CITY. FROM OUR MUNICIPAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS DIVISION, WHO PRESER PRESERVES AND MAINTAINS THE HISTORY OF OUR CIVIL GOVERNMENT, LED BY MUNICIPAL RECORDS MANAGER MARY MARQUEZ, TO OUR VITAL RECORDS TEAM, LED BY ASSISTANT CITY CLERK TERRY HERNANDEZ CHAPPA, WHO DOCUMENT THE BIRTH AND DEATH OF EVERY PERSON IN BEXAR COUNTY EVERY DAY. THE VITAL RECORDS DIVISION ALSO RECEIVED A SEPARATE FIVE STAR AWARD OF EXCELLENCE, THE HIGHEST HONOR GIVEN BY THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES. JAMIE NIETO LEADS OUR ELECTIONS IF ETHICS BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AND PASSPORTS TEAM AS THE INTERIM ASSISTANT CITY CLERK. AND THIS TEAM IS SUPER BUSY RIGHT NOW, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE. FINALLY MY RIGHT HAND, AURORA PERKINS DEPUTY CITY CLERK WHO LEADS OUR LEGISLATIVE DIVISION, AURORA AND I AREN'T THE ONLY ONES HANDLING PRIME GOV, THE MINUTES AND CEREMONIALS. WE HAVE A TEAM OF GREAT PEOPLE BEHIND US IN HONOR OF MUNICIPAL CLERKS WEEK. WE ARE PROVIDING SOME SMALL TOKENS OF APPRECIATION TO THE STAFF, UM, AND I LEFT THEM OVER THERE, BUT WE HAVE A PACK OF GUM THAT SAYS YOU ARE EXTRA SPECIAL, UH, FOR BEING A MUNICIPAL CLERK. AND, UH, WE GAVE THEM SOME LITTLE GOODIES LIKE, UM, RICE KRISPY TREATS TO SAY YOU PUT THE SNAP, CRACKLE AND POP IN OUR OFFICE. SO THESE ARE JUST SOME LITTLE THINGS TO APPRECIATE THE STAFF FOR MUNICIPAL CLERKS WEEK. I WANNA THANK ERIC WALSH AND HIS TEAM FOR SUPPORTING THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK. AND I WANNA THANK YOU MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL FOR REMOVING THE INTERIM FROM MY TITLE ONE YEAR AGO THIS MONTH. SAN ANTONIO IS THE BEST CITY EVER AND BEING THE CITY CLERK IS THE BEST JOB EVER. THANK YOU. UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH DEBBIE, FOR ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK AND TO YOUR STAFF. UH, THEY DO THE WORK BEHIND THE SCENES ON A DAILY BASIS. AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DIDN'T KNOW, UH, THIS IS A THREE-PEAT FOR OUR CITY CLERK'S [00:35:01] OFFICE THREE YEARS IN A ROW NOW, THE EXCELLENCE AWARD. SO CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR CITY CLERK. ALRIGHT, NOW LET ME TURN IT OVER TO COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA FOR POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND I WANTED TO, UM, SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY IN ATTENDANCE AND, UH, THE PROMO TORES, THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE, AND JUST SO IMPRESSIVE WORK THAT, SO MUCH IMPRESSIVE WORK YOU ALL DO. MY POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE TODAY IS TO HIGHLIGHT OUR DISTRICT FOUR HEROES FI AT FIVE K AND HEALTH SUMMIT. AND THAT IS GOING TO BE HELD ON SATURDAY. SO RIGHT BEFORE YOU GO VOTE, PLEASE GO RUN IN THE FIVE K. IT'S GONNA BE AT PALO ALTO COLLEGE FROM EIGHT TO 10:00 AM WITH AN OPENING CEREMONY AT 7:30 AM THIS IS A FREE FIVE K, IT'S ONE OF THE FREE EVENTS, UH, LIMITED FREE EVENTS THAT IS OFFERED IN THE SOUTH SIDE, BUT EVERYBODY IS WELCOME. SO FOR THOSE COMPETITIVE RUNNERS, THERE IS ALSO CHIP TIMING FOR JUST $5. THIS IS THE NINTH YEAR THAT DISTRICT FOUR HAS SUPPORTED THE SAN ANTONIO SPORTS FIT FAMILY CHALLENGE AND HOSTED THE KICKOFF. SO THIS IS THE OFFICIAL KICKOFF OF THE CHALLENGE. D FOUR SUPPORTS THE FIT FAMILY CHALLENGE BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT TO MAKE FITNESS ACCESSIBLE TO ALL HEALTH DISPARITIES PREVALENT IN SOUTH SAN ANTONIO. AND SO THEY ARE DIS THEY ARE PREVALENT IN SOUTH SAN ANTONIO AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT FITNESS OPPORTUNITIES ARE THERE FOR OUR FAMILIES AND PEOPLE OF ALL AGES. SO WE WELCOME RUNNERS, WALKERS, SLEEP WALKERS, STROLLERS, EVERYONE CAN TAKE PART IN THIS FREE EVENT, WHICH INCLUDES, LIKE I SAID, A, A HEALTH SUMMIT. FOR THOSE LOOKING FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT FREE AND ACCESSIBLE HEALTH RESOURCES, THERE WILL BE VENDORS AT THE EVENT AS WELL. THERE'S GONNA BE A LIMITED NUMBER OF TREES THAT WILL BE DISTRIBUTED ON A FIRST COME FIRST SERVE BASIS AS WELL. AND I'D LIKE TO TA TAKE A A MINUTE TO RECOGNIZE AND YOU SEE SOME OF OUR SPONSORS, BUT OUR HEALTH SUMMIT VENDORS, OF COURSE, METRO HEALTH, DIABETES PREVENTION AND CONTROL, METRO HEALTH NUTRITION PROGRAM, METRO HEALTH S T D PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION, THE WIC PROGRAM, CENTRAL MED BLUE CARES, METRO HEALTH, COVID VACCINE AND FLU MOBILE UNIT, METRO HEALTH HEALTHY NEIGHBOR NEIGHBORHOODS, C P S ENERGY SAUCE, D H S SENIOR SERVICES, THE SAFE CLINIC, AND THE AREA AGENCY ON AG ON AGING. WE ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO ATTEND THIS FREE EVENT AND CONNECT WITH THE RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED. EVENT T-SHIRTS WILL BE LIMITED AND WILL BE PROVIDED AT PACKET PICKUP ON A FIRST COME FIRST SERVE BASIS AND YOU COULD STILL REGISTER DAY OF. BUT TO GIVE YOU THE FORMAL INVITATION, WE'VE INVITED JENNY KS, WHO IS A PRESIDENT, C E O OF SAN ANTONIO SPORTS, SO THAT SHE COULD TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING, MR. MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL. IT'S A BEAUTIFUL MORNING TO BE HERE WITH YOU WITH THE THE BIKING COMMUNITY. WE DID JUST HOST THE LA TAP BY TOUR DE FRANCE THREE WEEKS AGO. WE HAD NEARLY 2000 CYCLISTS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, AND WE WILL DO THAT ONE AGAIN NEXT YEAR. BUT FIT FAMILY CHALLENGE KICKS OFF THIS WEEKEND, 12 WEEKS THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER. THIS IS A FREE PROGRAM FOR OUR COMMUNITY. AND THIS PROGRAM REALLY WAS BIRTHED AFTER BRINGING THE ROCK AND ROLL MARATHON TO SAN ANTONIO IN 2008. WE WANTED TO CREATE A PROGRAM FOR OUR CITIZENS AT, WITH A NO-COST BARRIER, UM, AFFORDABLE, ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE. THIS PROGRAM IS IN THE ZIP CODES OF SAN ANTONIO WITH THE HIGHEST RATES OF OB, OBESITY AND DIABETES. WE ARE ENCOURAGING ALL TO GET ACTIVE, CREATE A HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE, AND GET THE FAMILY MOVING TOGETHER. SO IT IS A FREE PROGRAM. REGISTRATION IS OPEN RIGHT NOW AND WE WANNA KICK THAT OFF THIS WEEKEND AT THE FIVE K. YOU'VE PRETTY MUCH MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT , SO THANK YOU FOR ALL THE DETAILS, COUNCILWOMAN, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND TO ALL OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT HAVE HELPED US WITH THIS PROGRAM THROUGHOUT THE YEARS. WE'VE DONE MANY FIVE KS WITH, WITH SEVERAL OF YOU UP HERE. SO LOOK FORWARD TO WALKING, RUNNING, AND JOGGING WITH YOU THIS WEEKEND AND THEN RUNNING TO THE POLLS. GOOD LUCK. THANK YOU SO MUCH, DENNY. AND THEN, AND I HAVE A, A QUICK OTHER ONE AND THAT'S TO RECOGNIZED AN INTERN IN MY OFFICE WHO WILL BE GRADUATING ON THURSDAY. IT'S MELANIE FLORES. AND, UH, SHE HAPPENS TO BE A STUDENT OF MINE AT OUR LADY OF THE LAKE UNIVERSITY. UH, BUT MELANIE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL EARTH DAY CLEANUP ACTIVITIES, SO COORDINATING THAT. SHE'S ALSO AN ADVOCATE AT ULU FOR SUICIDE PREVENTION. SO SHE TAKES THAT JOB VERY SERIOUSLY AND HELPS ALL OF HER FELLOW CLASSMATES. UM, MELANIE HAS ALSO HELPED WITH DIFFERENT OUTREACH SUPPORT FOR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, CREATING MARKETING THAT THEY MUCH NEEDED. AND JUST, I'M SO PROUD OF HER AND HER WORK AND SHE'S GONNA GO OFF TO DO GREAT THINGS AND I JUST WANTED TO RECOGNIZE HER WORK. AND MELANIE, IF YOU COULD JUST PLEASE STAND. I I'M VERY PROUD OF YOU AND ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE FOR THE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT FOUR AND FOR YOUR FELLOW STUDENTS, SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU MA'AM. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER R GARCIA. NOW TO COUNCILMEMBER MKE RODRIGUEZ FOR POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, I HAVE SOME GUESTS IN THE AUDIENCE FROM OUR DISTRICT TWO SENIOR CENTER. I WOULD LOVE IF, UH, IF YOU GUYS COULD START TO MAKE YOUR WAY FORWARD. MAY IS OLDER AMERICANS MONTH, FORMERLY KNOWN AS SENIOR CITIZENS MONTH DESIGNATED BY PRESIDENT [00:40:01] KENNEDY IN 1963. UH, WE TAKE THIS TIME TO CELEBRATE THE CONTRIBUTIONS AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF OLDER AMERICANS, UNDERSTAND ISSUES AFFECTING THE SENIOR COMMUNITY, AND STRENGTHEN OUR EFFORTS TO ENSURE A HIGH QUALITY OF LIFE FOR, UH, ALL OLDER RESIDENTS. THIS YEAR'S THEME IS AGING UNBOUND AND IT LIFTS UP THE CONTINUED ISSUES AFFECTING OUR SENIOR POPULATION AND THE JOY AND WISDOM WE CAN ENJOY ALONGSIDE OUR SENIORS. TODAY I'VE INVITED VERY SPECIAL GUESTS FROM OUR DISTRICT TWO SENIOR CENTER TO CELEBRATE MS. STANTON, MS. PROCTOR, MS. SINE, MS. GRANT, MS. DE LA GARZA, MS. DE BRAILLE, MS. DEAN AND MS. NAPPER. WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY AND ALSO PUBLICLY THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO OUR COMMUNITIES. I ENJOY VISITING WITH Y'ALL EVERY MONTH AND LINE DANCING, SINGING IN KARAOKE, WHICH IS TODAY, UH, PLAYING BINGO AND BRINGING OUR GUESTS LIKE MANGO, MANGO, THE FLAMINGO, AND GRETCHEN THE OWL LOOKING BIRD TO MEET Y'ALL. THESE PAST TWO YEARS WE'VE BEEN, UM, AT WORK LAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR A BRAND NEW SENIOR CENTER BY FUNDING A LOCATION, STUDY AND DESIGN. AND I'M OPTIMISTIC THAT WITH SOME CREATIVITY, WE ARE CLOSER THAN EVER THAN WE'VE EVER BEEN TO MAKING THAT A REALITY. AND SO OFTEN, UM, WE CELEBRATE THE CONTRIBUTIONS SENIORS HAVE MADE IN THEIR LIVES AND ORIENT OURSELVES AROUND THEIR PAST, SEEKING WISDOM AND ADVICE, DOCUMENTING THEIR STORIES, BUT NEGLECT THE FACT THAT SENIORS DESERVE TO LIVE LIFE NOW AND STILL HAVE A BRIGHT FUTURE TO LOOK FORWARD TO ONE WHERE THEY DESERVE TO MAKE NEW MEMORIES, LEARN NEW SKILLS, EXPRESS THEIR CREATIVITY IN NEW WAYS, AND CELEBRATE NEW RELATIONSHIPS AND FRIENDSHIPS. OUR SENIORS ARE NOT JUST WHAT THEY'VE DONE, BUT THEY STILL HAVE A LOT TO DO. UM, I WANT TO TAKE, TAKE THE TIME ALSO TO THANK THE STAFF AT OUR DISTRICT TWO SENIOR CENTER, INCLUDING MS. BLANCA COOK AND MS. VALERIE RECTOR, THE DISTRICT TWO SENIOR CENTER MANAGER, AS WELL AS ALL OF THE STAFF AT EACH OF THE, AT EACH OF OUR SITES, UH, IN THE CITY THAT SERVE SENIORS AS WE CELEBRATE OUR ELDERS EVERY DAY, BUT ESPECIALLY DURING THIS SPECIAL TIME, IN THIS SPECIAL MONTH. AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO, UH, INVITE MY GUESTS UP FOR A FEW REMARKS. THANK YOU. UH, YES, WE ARE FROM THE DISTRICT TO SENIOR CENTER AND WE ARE SENIORS THAT ARE NOT SITTING DOWN ON A, ON A ROCKING CHAIR TALKING ABOUT ILLNESSES AND MEDICINES. WE ARE VERY ACTIVE AND IF YOU'RE NOT THERE, THE YOUNG PEOPLE, YOU WILL GET THERE ONE DAY, GOD WILLING. AND WE INVITE YOU TO COME BECAUSE WE DO HAVE ZUMBA GOLD, WE HAVE KARAOKE, WE HAVE ALL KINDS OF LINE DANCING, A LOT OF ARTS AND CRAFTS, ALL KINDS OF ACTIVITIES. SO WE INVITE ANYBODY 60 YEARS AND OLDER TO COME AND JOIN US. THANK YOU, THE MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL PEOPLE. SOME OF Y'ALL HAVE SENIORS AT HOME. DON'T LET 'EM STAY AT HOME, BRING THEM OUT TO THE CENTERS. EVERYBODY CAN VISIT EVERY CENTER. BUT I LOVE MY TWO TWO, BUT UH, WE HAVE FUN. IT'S NOT NOTHING BORING AND JUST, IT'S A LOT OF PEOPLE IN HERE NOW THAT CAN COME TO THE CENTERS AND MEET US AND WE CAN GO INTO YOUR CENTER AND MEET YOU AND HAVE A GREAT TIME. THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY 'CAUSE I GOT A BIG MOUTH. . THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH AND I AM WORKING ON GETTING MY ZUMBA GOLD CERTIFICATION SO I CAN OFFICIALLY TEACH Y'ALL TO, AND NOT DO ALL THE JUMPING AND STUFF, BUT WE'LL WORK ON IT. THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ NOW TO COUNCIL MEMBER VERAN FOR A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE. THANK YOU. AND THIS WEEKEND'S GOING TO BE A GREAT WEEKEND FOR FIVE K. SO TODAY I INVITED GIRLS ON THE RUN, BEXAR COUNTY TO JOIN US AS THEY END ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL YEAR WITH THEIR CELEBRATORY FIVE K. THIS CLOSING EVENT GIVES PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS OF ALL ABILITIES A SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT. AND IF YOU HAVE A YOUNG ONE, A YOUTH IN YOUR HOME THAT DOESN'T THINK THEY CAN RUN, JUST BRING A BY TO CHEER ON THE RUNNERS BECAUSE THEY WILL BE ENCOURAGED. AND I'VE BEEN THERE CHEERING ON THE RUNNERS. I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO THE FIVE K YET, BUT I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS WEEKEND WHEN THEY CROSS THE FINISH LINE. IT IS A REPRESENTATION OF COMPLETION FOR THEIR JOURNEY THROUGH THE YEAR. IT IS CRITICAL THAT WE GET OUR YOUTH AND OUR GIRLS SPECIFICALLY OUT, UM, RUNNING AND JUST BEING OUTDOORS, ACTIVATING THE OUTDOORS. IT'S GREAT FOR THEIR MENTAL HEALTH. THIS ORGANIZATION IS FOUND THROUGHOUT AT CITYWIDE AND HAS BROUGHT MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO OUR YOUTH AND LEARNED CRITICAL LIFE SKILLS. HERE WITH US TODAY IS MKA SANGJI, UH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF GIRLS ON THE RUN BEAR COUNTY. AND I'M GONNA LET HER TELL A LITTLE MORE OF THE DETAILS ABOUT GIRLS ON THE RUN AND, AND THE CELEBRATION THIS WEEKEND. THANK YOU SO MUCH, UM, COUNCILWOMAN GRO AND CITY COUNCIL FOR GIVING ME A FEW MINUTES TO SHARE WITH YOU ABOUT GIRLS ON THE RUN. SO GIRLS ON THE RUN IS ABOUT MORE THAN RUNNING AS COUNCILWOMAN. UM, JUST DESCRIBED, WE WORK WITH GIRLS IN THIRD THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE TO HELP THEM LEARN LIFE SKILLS, LIKE HOW TO STAND UP FOR THEMSELVES AND OTHERS, HOW TO MANAGE EMOTIONS, HOW TO DEVELOP HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS, HOPEFULLY ALL THE SKILLS THAT [00:45:01] WILL HELP REINFORCE THEIR BEHAVIORAL AND MENTAL HEALTH THAT WE HEARD A LITTLE BIT ABOUT EARLIER TODAY. RUNNING IS WOVEN INTO THE PROGRAM TO HELP GIRLS LEARN THE PHYSICAL TANGIBLE SENSE OF WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO SET AND REACH A GOAL. AND THAT'S WHERE THE FIVE K COMES IN. OUR PROGRAM IS ACTUALLY FACILITATED BY VOLUNTEERS AND ABOUT 80% OF OUR VOLUNTEERS ARE TEACHERS WHO BRING THE PROGRAM TO THEIR SCHOOLS OR TO THE PARKS AROUND THE CITY. THIS SEASON, THIS SPRING, 100 VOLUNTEERS ARE DONATING AND VOLUNTEERING 45 HOURS EACH TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR GIRLS GET THAT PROGRAM. THIS SUNDAY, MAY 7TH, 333 GIRLS FROM AROUND BEAR COUNTY AND TACOME AND KENDALL COUNTIES WILL BE AT COMANCHE PARK IN D THREE TO RUN OUR FIVE K. AND WE'RE EXPECTING ABOUT 1200 PEOPLE IN TOTAL. NOW, WE INTENTIONALLY CHOSE COMANCHE PARK AT D THREE FOR THE SAME REASONS WE HEARD FROM THE BIKING COMMUNITY. IT'S PART OF THE REALLY GREAT TRAIL SYSTEM AROUND THE CITY, AND WE HEAR FROM FAMILIES ALL THE TIME AFTER COMING TO OUR EVENT THAT THEY LOVE COMING OUT TO THE PARKS AND THE TRAILS BECAUSE A LOT OF THEM DON'T KNOW THAT THAT EXISTS. AND THAT GIVES THEM AN ACCESS POINT THAT THEY CAN COME BACK TO AND, AND WHEREVER THEY LIVE AROUND THE CITY TO, TO BE OUTSIDE AND TO BE HEALTHY. SO I KNOW YOU ALL HAVE A REALLY BUSY WEEKEND THIS WEEKEND, BUT IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR SOME JOY ON SUNDAY MORNING, WE'D LOVE TO SEE YOU AT COMANCHE PARK. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER GRO NOW TO COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO FOR SPECIAL RECOGNITION. THANK YOU MAYOR. A COUPLE OF THINGS I ALSO WANTED TO RECOGNIZE AND THANK OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS FOR THE CONTINUED WORK THAT YOU ALL DO IN SUPPORTING EVERYDAY PEOPLE OUT IN OUR COMMUNITIES. UH, MY TEAM AND I HAVE BEEN DIVING INTO A WEALTH OF LITERATURE WITHIN, UH, PUBLIC HEALTH, RIGHT, IN THE ROLE OF PUBLIC HEALTH IN REDUCING VIOLENT CRIME. AND, UH, CLAUDE, I CAME ACROSS THIS STUDY THAT EXAMINED BALTIMORE, SO I'LL BE REACHING OUT TO YOU BECAUSE WE FOUND THAT, UM, A PROGRAM SIMILAR TO STANDUP SA REDUCED HOMICIDE UP TO 32% WITHIN A FIVE YEAR PERIOD, UM, WHICH IS HUGE. AND I SEE TRACES OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, AND I'D LIKE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW WE CAN SCALE THEM UP TO ENSURE THAT, UH, WE CONTINUE TO TAKE THIS HOLISTIC APPROACH WITH PUBLIC SAFETY. UM, BUT UM, I ALSO WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THE FACT THAT MAY IS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH. SO FOR EVERYONE WATCHING, I KNOW MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES AND I HIGHLY ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO PRIORITIZE THEIR MENTAL HEALTH AND SEEK HELP WITH WHEN NEEDED. IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT THAT WE REDUCE THE STIGMA SURROUNDING THESE ISSUES AND BETTER SUPPORT OUR SAN ANTONIO COMMUNITY MEMBERS BEFORE THEY GET TO A POINT OF CRISIS. THANKFULLY, THIS COUNCIL HAS ALLOCATED A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN DOLLARS TOWARDS MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT FOR VULNERABLE YOUTH, SENIORS, AND THE HOMELESS. THE NEED IS GREAT. AND IN THE UNITED STATES, APPROXIMATELY ONE IN FIVE ADULTS OR ABOUT 46.6 MILLION PEOPLE EXPERIENCE MENTAL HEALTH, UH, ILLNESS IN A GIVEN YEAR. WE ALSO CANNOT FORGET THAT COVID 19 PANDEMIC HAS EXACERBATED THESE ISSUES IMMENSELY. IT IS DEMANDED. SO WE'VE DEMANDED SO MUCH FROM OUR HEALTHCARE AND FRONTLINE WORKERS CAUSING STRESS, ANXIETY, AND BURNOUT. UM, SO FORTUNATELY WE HAVE OUTSTANDING NETWORK OF ORGANIZATIONS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO WORKING WITH OUR COMMUNITIES TO EDUCATE AND ENGAGE PEOPLE AROUND MENTAL HEALTH. SO AT THIS TIME, I AM, UH, HONORED TO BRING UP, UH, AND INVITE THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF FORMED COMMUNITIES, ERIC ESTRADA AND HIS TEAM OF REPRESENTATIVES FROM VARIOUS COMMUNITY PROGRAMS, INCLUDING THE SAN ANTONIO CLUBHOUSE, TO HIGHLIGHT THE WORK THEY DO AS AN ORGANIZATION TO FOSTER HEALING AND RESILIENCY FOR INDIVIDUALS AND MAKE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON MENTAL HEALTH ACROSS THE DIVERSE COMMUNITIES OF TEXAS. ERIC, THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO, UH, MAYOR BERG AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, LIKE COUNCILWOMAN SAID, MY NAME IS ERIC ESRA. I'M THE DIRECTOR OF FORUM COMMUNITIES. I'M JOINED TODAY BY OUR BOARD CHAIR ANGIE LEWIS AND OUR VICE CHAIR, UH, TERRY CORLESS. AND, UM, SEVERAL MEMBERS OF OUR DIFFERENT TEAMS THAT REPRESENT SOME OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE'LL INTRODUCE IN JUST A MOMENT. UH, THIS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH, WE WOULD LIKE, UH, YOU ALL, UH, IN SAN ANTONIO TO CHALLENGE YOURSELVES TO THINK DIFFERENTLY ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH. YOU KNOW, YOU HEAR US TALK ABOUT THIS ALL THE TIME. WE WOULD LOVE FOR YOU, UM, TO THINK ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY. MOST OF THE TIME WHEN PEOPLE TALK ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH, THEY'RE REALLY THINKING ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES. FOR SOMEONE THAT'S EXPERIENCING ILLNESS OR CRISIS, LIKE THE COUNCILWOMAN JUST SAID, WE INVITE YOU TO THINK ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH NOT AS A SERVICE ALONE, BUT AS AN OUTCOME. UH, AS IN EVERYONE HERE AT THE DAIS, EVERYONE THAT WE LOVE, EVERYONE DESERVES ACCESS TO AN ENVIRONMENT CONDUCIVE TO PRODUCING MENTAL HEALTH AS AN OUTCOME. EVEN IF WE NEVER ENGAGE WITH MENTAL HEALTH AS A SERVICE TO ACHIEVE MENTAL HEALTH AS AN OUTCOME, WE RELY ON FOUR PILLARS IN OUR LIVES, A SENSE OF COMMUNITY, A SENSE OF PURPOSE, A SENSE OF STABILITY IN OUR HOMES, AND, UH, ACCESS TO THE HEALTH SUPPORTS THAT WE ACTUALLY NEED WHEN WE ARE ILL. THANKFULLY, WE CAN ADDRESS THESE PILLARS WITH MANY OF THE RESOURCES THAT WE ALREADY HAVE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND WITH PROGRAMS THAT CAN SCALE. YOU ARE ALREADY FAMILIAR WITH OUR FLAGSHIP PROGRAM, THE SAN ANTONIO CLUBHOUSE, BUT TODAY I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT A FEW OF THE OTHER PROGRAMS THAT FORM OPERATES THAT SUPPORT THE POSITIVE MENTAL HEALTH OUTCOMES OF OUR COMMUNITY. [00:50:01] WE HAVE OUR PEER FORCE TEAM, WHICH PROVIDES SUPPORT TO THE ENTIRE EVIDENCE-BASED PEER SUPPORT ECOSYSTEM IN TEXAS. WE'RE LITERALLY BUILDING THE WORKFORCE FOR COMMUNITY HEALTH WORK BASED ON PEER SUPPORT, BASED ON MENTAL HEALTH IN THE STATE OF TEXAS. OUR PEER ACADEMY TEAM, WHICH IS THE LARGEST TRAINER OF PEER SPECIALISTS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, OUR SAN ANTONIO CONNECTION CENTER, WHICH LOOKED LIKE SOME OF Y'ALL ALREADY KNEW, UH, DELIVERS ESSENTIAL PEER SERVICES TO INDIVIDUALS PURSUING MENTAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY AT SITES ALL AROUND THE CITY. YOU'RE GONNA RUN INTO OUR FOLKS AT LOTS OF DIFFERENT PLACES, HOPEFULLY IN YOUR COMMUNITIES. OUR RIO GRANDE VALLEY CONNECTION CENTER, UH, WHICH PROVIDES THESE SERVICES THROUGHOUT THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY AND WORKS CLOSELY WITH OUR SAN ANTONIO TEAM. AND FINALLY, OUR DIVINE WOMEN PROGRAM, OUR NEWEST PROGRAM, WHICH IS MODELED AFTER THE CLUBHOUSE TO SUPPORT THE MENTAL HEALTH OF WOMEN IN THE EAST AND SOUTHEAST SIDE OF TOWN IN D TWO AND D THREE. SO WE ARE LITERALLY WORKING TO TRANSFORM MENTAL HEALTH AT THE COMMUNITY LEVEL ALL ACROSS TEXAS. ON MAY 19TH, THE CLUBHOUSE IS GONNA BE HAVING OUR ANNUAL MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS RALLY FROM 10:00 AM TO 3:00 PM YOU'RE WELCOME TO BIKE TO IT IF YOU ARE STILL ON YOUR BIKES AT YOUR FIELD OFFICE OR OR WHEREVER YOU ARE THAT DAY. UH, IT'S OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, IT'S FREE. WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO COME BY AND TO SHARE THIS INFORMATION WITH YOUR CONSTITUENTS. IT'S A GOOD TIME AND IT'S, IT'S A UPBEAT, UH, CELEBRATION ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH. WE APPRECIATE, WE APPRECIATE THE TRUST THAT YOU HAVE INFORMED COMMUNITIES AS A RESOURCE AND ADVISOR AND AS A PARTNER IN MENTAL HEALTH IN OUR CITY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, ERIC. THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO NOW TO COUNCIL MEMBER KIO HAVADA FOR A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, MAY IS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH. IT'S A TIME DEDICATED TO RAISING AWARENESS FOR MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AND PROMOTING THE IMPORTANCE OF MENTAL WELLNESS FOR EVERYONE IN OUR COMMUNITY. THE PAST YEARS, AS WE ALL KNOW, HAVE BEEN PARTICULARLY CHALLENGING FOR OUR CITY. THE PANDEMIC HAS CAUSED IMMENSE STRESS AND ANXIETY FOR SO MANY SAN ANTONIANS, AND WE'VE BEEN FORCED TO CONFRONT DIFFICULT ISSUES FROM SOCIAL ISOLATION TO FINANCIAL INSECURITY THAT HAVE TAKEN A TOLL ON ALL OF OUR MENTAL HEALTH BEFORE THE PANDEMIC. UM, THOUGH OF COURSE YOU ALL KNOW MENTAL HEALTH WAS ALREADY A CRITICAL ISSUE AND WE NEED TO DO MORE TO ADDRESS IT, WE'LL CONTINUE TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AND WORK TO REDUCE THE STIGMA THAT SURROUNDS THEM. I, I PERSONALLY BELIEVE THAT IS THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WE HAVE IS THE STIGMA AND, UM, WHICH IS, UM, PREVENTING PEOPLE FROM TALKING ABOUT THEIR ISSUES AND, AND THE ISSUES OF THEIR FAMILIES. THIS MEANS TALKING OPENLY ABOUT OUR EXPERIENCES, UH, AND ENCOURAGING OTHERS TO DO THE SAME. THIS ALSO MEANS SUPPORTING MENTAL HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS AND ADVOCATING FOR POLICIES THAT PROMOTE MENTAL WELLNESS. AND YOU JUST NEED TO TAKE A QUICK MOMENT TO ALSO SAY THAT IT MEANS TAKING CARE OF OURSELVES. UM, SELF-CARE IS, IS NOT JUST A BUZZWORD, IT'S A REAL THING, AND EACH ONE OF US NEEDS TO TAKE TIME TO DO THAT. LAST NIGHT, THE MAYOR AND COUNCILWOMAN, GAN AND I ATTENDED THE JEWISH FAMILY SERVICES GALA AND WE HEARD THE STORY OF A YOUNG LADY, UH, NAMED GISELLE, WHO STRUGGLED THROUGH HER MENTAL HEALTH, THROUGH, UH, THROUGH THE PANDEMIC AND FOUND HEALING THROUGH J F SS, THE CITY. THE CITY RECENTLY DISPERSED 26 MILLION IN ARPA FUNDING FOR MENTAL HEALTH RECOVERY, SPEARHEADED BY OUR PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE. AND I THANK MY FELLOW COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND MARIA GOMEZ, UH, FOR RECOGNIZING THAT MENTAL HEALTH IS PUBLIC SAFETY. AND THAT'S WHY THOSE 26 MILLION THAT WENT TO PUBLIC SAFETY WERE ALLOCATED TO NONPROFITS OUT THERE DOING THE WORK EVERY DAY, UM, TO HELP OUR COMMUNITY WITH MENTAL HEALTH. SAN ANTONIO, WE'RE A CITY THAT CARES ABOUT ITS PEOPLE. SO LET'S USE THIS MONTH TO RECOMMIT OURSELVES TO SUPPORTING MENTAL HEALTH AND CREATING A COMMUNITY WHERE EVERYBODY CAN THRIVE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER KEO HDA NOW TO COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY. THANK YOU, SIR. WELL, EVERYBODY SHOULD HAVE HAD A GREAT TIME FOR FIESTA AND WE'RE KIND OF WINDING DOWN NOW FROM THAT EVENT THAT, UH, OVER A HUNDRED EVENTS, THAT WAS SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY AND THAT'S WHAT I KEEP SAYING. UH, AND, UH, IF YOU ATTENDED THE BATTLE OF FLOWERS PARADE AND GOT A PROGRAM, YOU WOULD'VE, UH, SEEN SOME ARTWORK ON THE COVER. AND I JUST WANNA RECOGNIZE THE INDIVIDUAL THAT PROVIDED THAT ARTWORK. HER NAME IS FAITH SOSA. UH, SHE'S A, UH, JUNIOR AT, UH, MACARTHUR HIGH SCHOOL AND, UH, WANNA ALSO THANK HER ART TEACHER, COREY SCHWARTZ, WHO REALLY ENCOURAGED HER TO DO THIS. BUT IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL COVER, UH, REALLY HELPED OUT THE FESTIVITIES OF THE BATTLE OF FLOWERS. UH, SHE ACTUALLY GOT $750 FOR THAT WINNING THAT ART PROJECT. AND, UM, UH, SHE'S CURRENTLY ON THE VARSITY VOLLEYBALL TEAM. SHE WANTS TO, UH, FURTHER HER CAREER IN VOLLEYBALL AND, UH, SHE WANTS TO GO ON TO BE A, A MARINE BIOLOGIST, UH, ONCE SHE GRADUATES FROM COLLEGE. SO, WAY TO GO FAITH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR, UH, THAT ARTWORK. UM, AND UM, DID YOU KNOW THAT MAY IS ACTUALLY MILITARY APPRECIATION MONTH? UH, THAT'S A MONTH THAT'S BEEN ESTABLISHED TO RECOGNIZE OUR MILITARY SERVICES AND THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE SERVED AND ARE SERVING OUR MILITARY. [00:55:01] IT WAS ESTABLISHED, UM, BECAUSE MAY HAS SEVERAL DIFFERENT, UH, OH MY GOODNESS, WHO PUT THAT PICTURE UP THERE? ? OH MY GOODNESS, I DIDN'T NEED TO SEE THAT ONE, BUT, OKAY. . YEAH, . BUT THERE'S SEVERAL DIFFERENT, UH, UH, HOLIDAYS ASSOCIATED WITH IT. IT'S, UH, MAY IS LOYALTY DAY, UM, VICTORY IN EUROPE DAY, VE DAY, AND, UM, CHILDREN A FALLEN PATRIOTS DAY AND MEMORIAL DAY. SO ALL OF THOSE, ALL OF THOSE DAYS IN MAY KIND OF SETS MAY APART AS, UH, MILITARY APPRECIATION. AND WE CERTAINLY WANT TO, UH, HONOR THOSE THAT HAVE FALLEN IN PROTECTING OUR FREEDOMS HERE FOR THIS COUNTRY. AND, UM, UM, WOW. AGAIN, THAT PICTURE AS, AS YOU CAN TELL, I WAS IN THE AIR FORCE AND I REALLY APPRECIATED AND, AND AM HONORED TO HAVE SERVED IN THE MILITARY FOR, FOR THIS COUNTRY. SO, UH, JUST REMEMBER, IF YOU SEE A VETERAN OUT THERE, DO WE HAVE ANY VETERANS OUT HERE IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY? JUST RAISE YOUR HAND. ALRIGHT, THERE'S A FEW, FEW FOLKS OUT HERE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE AND, AND IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A GREAT CAREER, ALL THE MILITARY SERVICES ARE A FANTASTIC CAREER TO SERVE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY. ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GONNA GET INTO OUR AGENDA [ACTION ITEMS FOR STAFF BRIEFING] NOW. UH, THE INDIVIDUAL ITEMS THAT WE HAVE SCHEDULED, ITEMS FOUR AND 15, WE'LL BEGIN WITH ITEM NUMBER FOUR. ITEM NUMBER FOUR IS A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE RIGHTS OF TENANTS TO LIVE IN SAFE, DECENT, AND QUALITY HOUSING, TO LIVE FREE OF RETALIATION AND DISCRIMINATION, AND TO EXERCISE THEIR RIGHTS UNDER LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL LAWS TO ENSURE THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF TENANTS AND THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO IN FURTHERANCE OF THE GOALS OF THE CITY'S STRATEGIC HOUSING IMPLEMENTATION PLAN AND APPROVING REVISIONS TO THE CITY'S NOTICE OF TENANT'S RIGHTS. ALL RIGHT, UH, DO WE HAVE A PRESENTATION? ALRIGHT, WE'LL TAKE THE PRESENTATION AND WE HAVE SOME FOLKS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. UH, WE'LL HAVE THE PRESENTATION FIRST. SO, VERONICA, GO AHEAD. GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. I'M VERONICA GONZALEZ, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR WITH NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING AND SERVICES DEPARTMENT. I'M HAPPY TO BRING THIS ITEM TO YOU THIS MORNING REGARDING THE CITY'S RESOLUTION SUPPORTING TENANTS RIGHTS. THIS CAMPAIGN IS IN LINE WITH OUR STRATEGIC HOUSING IMPLEMENTATION PLAN. THE 10 YEAR PLAN INCLUDES 36 STRATEGIES THAT GO ALONG WITH FIVE OVERARCHING GOALS FOR YOUR AWARENESS. ONE OF THESE STRATEGIES, WHICH YOU SEE HERE ON YOUR SCREEN, SPEAKS TO THE NEED OF A PUBLIC INFORMATION CAMPAIGN FOR FAIR HOUSING LAWS AND THE OVERALL IMPORTANCE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING. WE KNOW THAT IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE SPREAD KNOWLEDGE OF THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE AND THAT THERE'S COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND A FEEDBACK LOOP INVOLVED IN THE PRODUCTION OF THAT CAMPAIGN. ANOTHER SHIP STRATEGY CALLS FOR SYSTEM-WIDE EVICTION AND FORECLOSURE PREVENTION AND IDENTIFIES THE NEED FOR US TO PROACTIVELY ENGAGE WITH BOTH TENANTS AND LANDLORDS ABOUT THE RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES THAT ARE OUT THERE. IN ADDITION, THIS SPEAKS TO THE NEED OF HAVING EASY ACCESS TO THE RESOURCES AND SERVICES THAT WE HAVE. THE HIGH LEVEL PICTURE IS THAT OUR SHIP HAS SOME STRATEGIES THAT VERY CLEARLY ARTICULATE THE NEED FOR THESE PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS AS IT RELATES TO FAIR HOUSING LAWS AND TENANTS RIGHTS. TODAY'S PRESENTATION IS A CONTINUATION OF IMPLEMENTING THESE TWO SHIP STRATEGIES THROUGH THE TENANTS RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES CAMPAIGN, WHICH WE KICKED OFF ON FEBRUARY 23RD. HERE IS AN OVERVIEW OF THE THREE ELEMENTS PERTAINING TO THE CAMPAIGN DELIVERABLES. THE FIRST IN RED INCLUDES CRAFTING THE RESOLUTION SUPPORTING TENANTS RIGHTS FOR CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERATION. TODAY, THE RESOLUTION CONSOLIDATES AND AFFIRMS EXISTING TENANTS RIGHTS THAT FALL UNDER LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL LAW. WE WILL GO INTO IT THAT LOOKS LIKE IN THE NEXT SLIDE, BUT WE KNOW THAT A CITY RESOLUTION IS NOT THE MOST PRACTICAL TOOL FOR OR USEFUL DOCUMENT FOR HOUSING PROVIDERS OR TENANTS IN ACTIVE CRISIS. SO THE SECOND PIECE IN GREEN IS TO CREATE SIMPLE READER FRIENDLY MATERIALS EXPLAINING THIS RESOLUTION, THE RESOURCES AND TENANTS RESPONSIBILITIES AND RIGHTS. THIS INCLUDES CLEAR CONTACT INFORMATION FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO REPORT A VIOLATION AND WHAT ASSISTANCE IS OUT THERE. THIS DOCUMENT WAS CREATED AS PART OF THE CAMPAIGN TO INCREASE AWARENESS AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK ON OTHERS. FINALLY, THE LAST ELEMENT IN BLUE. IT'S THE EXISTING NOTICE OF TENANTS RIGHTS DOCUMENT ADOPTED IN 2020. IT HAS BEEN IN EFFECT FOR ALMOST THREE YEARS, AND WE KNOW THAT THIS DOCUMENT WAS PRODUCED TO ACCOMPLISH SOME OF THESE EDUCATIONAL GOALS BACK THEN, [01:00:01] BUT OUR APPROACH WAS TO IMPROVE THE READABILITY OF THIS DOCUMENT AND MAKE IT MORE COMPREHENSIVE OF THE RESOURCES THAT ARE OUT THERE TODAY. DIVING INTO THE RESOLUTION ON TENANT'S RIGHTS A LITTLE BIT MORE HERE ON THIS SLIDE, AS I MENTIONED, IT WILL CONSOLIDATE AND AFFIRM EXISTING LAWS AND LAYERS OF PROTECTIONS AT ALL THE GOVERNMENT LEVELS. THIS INCLUDES CITING THE LOCAL HOUSING VOUCHER INCENTIVE POLICY ADOPTED IN 2021. THE NOTICE OF TENANT'S RIGHTS ORDINANCE ADOPTED BACK IN 2020. ALSO, THE LOCAL PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE FOR LIVABLE SAFE HOUSING, AS WELL AS THE NON-DISCRIMINATION ORDINANCE ADOPTED IN 2013. I'M SORRY, HERE YOU GO. TO PROTECT AGAINST ANY DISCRIMINATION. WE ALSO INCLUDED THE RECENTLY ADOPTED PROACTIVE APARTMENT INSPECTION PROGRAM THAT LAUNCHED LAST MONTH. THE CITY HAS ADOPTED ALL THESE LOCAL PROTECTIONS AND IS FULLY BEHIND THEM AT THE STATE LEVEL. THE RESOLUTION WILL CITE THE TEXAS PROPERTY CODE THAT PROVIDES REMEDIES FOR TENANTS AND THE PROCESS TO FOLLOW. TEXAS HAS THE FAIR HOUSING ACT, WHICH MIRRORS THE FEDERAL ACT, AND IT'S AN IMPORTANT CORNERSTONE FOR ENSURING THAT THE HOUSING MARKET IS EQUAL AND FAIR AND THE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN'S ACT. IT PROVIDES HOUSING PROTECTIONS FOR SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. STAFF ALSO INCLUDED TITLE VI OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964, RELATED TO LANGUAGE JUSTICE, WHICH SUPPORTS EQUAL COMMUNICATION AND MEANINGFUL ACCESS. SO WE WANNA PUT ALL THESE EXISTING LAWS INTO ONE PLACE AND SPREAD THE KNOWLEDGE TO COMMUNITIES THAT THERE ARE PROTECTIONS AND REMEDIES ALREADY COVERED BY LAW TO ENSURE TENANTS LIVE IN SAFE QUALITY HOUSING WITHOUT FEAR OF RETALIATION OR DISCRIMINATION. WE KNOW THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE CARE VERY DEEPLY ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HEARD FROM THEM. WE ARE GRATEFUL THAT A BROAD, DIVERSE GROUP OF STAKEHOLDERS PARTICIPATED IN THIS CAMPAIGN AND SHARED THEIR PERSPECTIVES FROM RENTAL HOUSING PROVIDERS TO COMMUNITY BASED ON PROFITS, ADVOCATES. THEY ALL PLAYED A CRITICAL ROLE IN THIS ENGAGEMENT PROCESS. WE ALSO WANT TO ESPECIALLY THANK EACH AND EVERY TENANT AND TENANT LEADER WHO SPOKE UP ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF TENANT'S RIGHTS AND SHARED THEIR PERSONAL LIVED EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE. IN DOING SO, THESE STAKEHOLDERS PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN SHAPING THE CITY'S RESOLUTION, SUPPORTING TENANT'S RIGHTS. OVERALL, WE WILL CONTINUE TO KEEP ALL OF OUR STAKEHOLDERS ENGAGED AND AWARE OF THE CAMPAIGN DELIVERABLES TO PROMOTE AND SUPPORT TENANTS' RIGHTS, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND RESOURCES. IN ADDITION TO THESE VALUABLE CONVERSATIONS WITH STAKEHOLDERS, WE ALSO ENGAGED THE COMMUNITY DURING A SERIES OF RENTERS RIGHTS, POWER HOUR SESSIONS CO-HOSTED WITH TEXAS RIO GRANDE LEGAL AID AND THE FAIR HOUSING COUNCIL. WE HAD FIVE SESSIONS IN TOTAL WHERE COMMUNITY MEMBERS PROVIDED INPUT ON THE RESOLUTION AND OTHER EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS. THE EVENT LOCATIONS WERE STRATEGICALLY FOCUSED IN AREAS WHERE WE IDENTIFIED CONCENTRATIONS OF EVICTION HOTSPOTS. OUR DEPARTMENT HAS THE HONOR OF LEADING MANY OF THE RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO RENTERS, INCLUDING RENTAL ASSISTANCE, RELOCATION FOR HOUSING, EVICTION PREVENTION, AND RIGHT TO COUNSEL, WHICH IS WHY OUR HOUSING COUNSELORS WERE AT AVAILABLE AT EACH AND EVERY EVENT TO PROVIDE SUPPORT TO ANY RENTERS IN NEED. WHILE ATTENDANCE INCLUDED NEARLY 60 INDIVIDUALS IN TOTAL, THE LOCAL MEDIA COVERAGE OF THESE EVENTS PROMOTING TENANTS RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES REACHED APPROXIMATELY 230,000 HOUSEHOLDS. WE HEARD A LOT OF INFORMATION. THIS CAPTURES SOME OF THE KEY THEMES ACROSS GROUPS THAT EMERGED DURING THIS INITIAL PROCESS, INCLUDING RIGHT TO BE FREE OF RETALIATION OR DISCRIMINATION. ALTHOUGH THE RIGHT TO ORGANIZE IS CURRENTLY PROTECTED IN OUR STATE LAW, WE HEARD FROM SOME STAKEHOLDERS THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO INCORPORATE THAT SPECIFIC TERM IN OUR RESOLUTION. WE ALSO HEARD ACCESS TO INFORMATION IN PREFERRED LANGUAGE SUPPORTS EQUAL COMMUNICATION AND MEANINGFUL ACCESS, AND THAT A NOTICE OF TENANT'S RIGHT UPDATE IS NEEDED, INCLUDING FEEDBACK ON THE STAGE IT SHOULD BE PROVIDED, AS WELL AS COMPLIANCE AND ENFORCEMENT. ALSO, EDUCATION FOR RENTERS AND RENTAL HOUSING PROVIDERS ON PROTECTIONS AS WELL AS LEGAL OBLIGATIONS, RESPONSIBILITIES AND PROCESSES, ACCESS TO RESOURCES AND CONTACT INFORMATION FOR THOSE RESOURCES. AND LASTLY, ACCESS TO USER-FRIENDLY LITERATURE, DIGITAL CONTENT, AND ATTRACTIVE VISUALS AND FORMATS TO MAKE OUR INFORMATION READER FRIENDLY, I JUST WANNA EMPHASIZE THAT THESE ARE OVERARCHING THEMES AND THAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO BE LISTENING BY ENGAGING. IN THE CAMPAIGN STAKEHOLDERS SPOKE UP ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF TENANT'S RIGHTS, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND RESOURCES. SOME OF THE UPDATES WE MADE TO THE RESOLUTION HERE INCLUDES THE ADDITION OF THE PROACTIVE APARTMENT INSPECTION ORDINANCE IN RESPONSE TO LANGUAGE ACCESS RIGHTS. WE ALSO STRENGTHEN THE RESOLUTION BY INCLUDING TITLE VI OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT, WHICH ENSURES THAT PEOPLE WITH LIMITED [01:05:01] ENGLISH PROFICIENCY WHO ARE LIVING IN, IN CERTAIN FEDERALLY FUNDED DEVELOPMENTS, HAVE ACCESS TO APPROPRIATE TRANSLATIONS OF HOUSING TO MAKE THEM FEEL POWERFUL IN THE LANGUAGE THAT THEY PREFER. WE RECOGNIZE THAT THE RIGHTS TO ORGANIZE HAS BEEN CENTRAL TO THIS CAMPAIGN FOR MANY INDIVIDUALS, ESPECIALLY IN THIS ROOM. AND FOR THIS REASON, STAFF INCORPORATED THAT SPECIFIC TERM ORGANIZING INTO THE STATUTORY LANGUAGE. IN SECTION TWO OF THE PROPOSED RESOLUTION, WE CONTINUE TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO EDUCATIONAL DOCUMENTS THAT EXPLAIN THE RESOLUTION TO RENTERS IN A CLEAR AND CONCISE MANNER. LASTLY, ON THE NOTICE ATTENDANCE RIGHTS, WE ADDED QR CODES TO MAKE IT EASIER TO GET TO OUR ESSAY.GOV NEW WEBSITE WITH DETAILED INFORMATION ON RESOURCES AND OTHER HOUSING SUPPORT. WE ALSO ADDED THE CITY LOGO AND IMPROVE THE OVER OVERALL FORMAT AND FLOW TO IMPROVE READER FRIENDLINESS. THESE THREE DRAFT DOCUMENTS ON YOUR SCREEN WERE DEVELOPED OR UPDATED AS PART OF THE TWO MONTH CAMPAIGN PROCESS TO SEEK INPUT FROM STAKEHOLDERS ACROSS THE CITY. THIS INCLUDES THE DRAFT RESOLUTION SUPPORTING TENANTS RIGHTS TO THE LEFT. YOU CAN ALSO VIEW THE EDUCATIONAL DOCUMENT THAT ILLUSTRATES RENTER'S RIGHTS, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND RESOURCES IN THE MIDDLE. THIS IS AIMED AT RAISING AWARENESS ON EXISTING TENANTS PROTECTIONS IN A READER-FRIENDLY FORMAT. LASTLY, THE UPDATED NOTICE OF TENANTS RIGHTS IS SEEN ON THE RIGHT OF YOUR SCREEN. THIS ALSO INCLUDES THE QR CODE WITH HOUSING SUPPORT AND RESOURCES. AND, UH, FOR YOUR AWARENESS, THIS DOCUMENT IS REQUIRED TO BE ATTACHED TO EVERY NOTICE TO VACATE FOR NONPAYMENT OF RENT ISSUED. WE KNOW THERE'S A CONTINUED NEED TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY AND PROVIDE INFORMATION TO THOSE WHO NEED IT MOST. WE PLAN TO WORK WITH PARTNERS SUCH AS TEXAS, HOUSERS, TEXAS ORGANIZING PROJECT, AND OTHER COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO DISTRIBUTE INFORMATION. WE ALSO PLAN ON MAKING EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS AVAILABLE AT LIBRARY SENIOR CENTERS, MUNICIPAL COURTS, AND SCHOOLS, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO HOST MONTHLY AND FREE TENANTS RIGHTS WORKSHOPS FOR THE COMMUNITY. WE ALSO PROPOSE COLLABORATING WITH CODE ENFORCEMENT TO DISTRIBUTE RESOURCES DURING THEIR ENGAGEMENT WITH THE COMMUNITY. AS PART OF THE PROACTIVE APARTMENT INSPECTION PROGRAM THROUGH OUR HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, WE WILL EMAIL THOUSANDS OF LANDLORDS AND TENANTS WHO HAVE APPLIED FOR RENTAL RELOCATION, ASSISTANCE WITH TENANTS' RIGHTS, RESPONSIBILITY, AND RESOURCE DOCUMENTS. DOCUMENTS WILL BE PROVIDED IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH, AND ALSO AVAILABLE IN DIGITAL FORM ON ESSAY.GOV, WHICH WILL BE FEATURED AFTER, AFTER TODAY'S ACTION TO ENSURE THE MOST UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION. WE'RE THANKFUL FOR THE INPUT WE RECEIVED, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING OUR WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY AND PARTNERS TO BRING AWARENESS AND EDUCATION. WE HAD A RAPID BUT INTENTIONAL TIMELINE THAT PROVIDED OPPORTUNITY TO FULLY VET THE PROPOSED LANGUAGE WITH STAKEHOLDERS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS. STAFF ENGAGED THE PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE, HOUSING COMMISSION, AND RELEVANT SUBCOMMITTEES THROUGHOUT THE CAMPAIGN PROCESS TO FACILITATE DISCUSSIONS AND INVITE THE PUBLIC FOR THEIR INPUT. WE GREATLY APPRECIATE THE COLLABORATIVE LEADERSHIP AND THE, UH, THE HELP PROVIDED TO ADVANCE OUR GOALS. THE MONTH OF APRIL HAPPENED TO BE FOR HOUSING MONTH, AND AS I MENTIONED, WE HOSTED FIVE EVENTS TO PROVIDE EDUCATION AND SOLICIT FURTHER PUBLIC INPUT. WE ARE HERE TODAY FOR CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERATION IF APPROVED, THE PROPOSED RESOLUTION WOULD SERVE AS PART OF OUR ONGOING EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN TO RAISE AWARENESS AND HELP PROMOTE TENANTS RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES. FOR TODAY'S COUNCIL ACTION, STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE PROPOSED RESOLUTION SUPPORTING TENANT'S RIGHTS. THIS BRINGS ME TO THE END OF MY PRESENTATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THEIR PRESENTATION, VERONICA. WE DO HAVE SOME FOLKS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, AND THEN WE'LL GET INTO COUNCIL DISCUSSION, CALL PEOPLE. IN ORDER OF SIGNUP, WE'LL START WITH JAMES HAMILTON. MR. HAMILTON, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY KEVIN LAMEL. WHAT'S YOUR NAME, SIR? MY NAME IS KEVIN. KEVIN LAMEL. OKAY. UM, JAMES, YOU WANNA GO AFTER? OKAY, GO AHEAD, MR. LAMEL. I'M TRYING TO GET JUSTICE. MY NAME IS KEVIN LAMEL, TEXAS ORGANIZED GROUP, SECRETARY OF THE BOARD AND ORGANIZER. I LIVE IN A, IN A RENTAL PROPERTY FOR EIGHT YEARS. THE PERSON WHO OWNED THE HOUSE, THEY DIDN'T TAKE CARE OF IT PROPERLY, BUT I'M THE [01:10:01] ONE THAT TOOK CARE OF IT. THEY WOULD HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE, WITH THE FLOOR, AND I FELL ON THE CONCRETE FLOOR ON DECEMBER THE 24TH, 2001. I ALMOST DIED. UNFORTUNATELY, I STILL HAD HAD PROBLEMS LIKE RODENTS, ROACHES, AND SO FORTH. TENANT NEED TO KNOW DALE RIGHTS BECAUSE BECAUSE OF THIS 'CAUSE OF MANY PROBLEMS, THERE WERE SO MANY PROBLEMS THAT MAKE, MAKE, UM, MAKE THIS, MAKE THIS PROBLEMS, GET IT RESOLVED. WE NEED TO PROVE THE BILL OF RIGHTS TO THE BILL OF RIGHTS. THANK YOU, MR. LAMEL. JAMES HAMILTON. MR. HAMILTON, WILL YOU BE FOLLOWED BY SYLVIA FLORES? YES. UH, MY NAME IS JAMES HAMILTON. UH, I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT THREE. FOR THE LONGEST TIME WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO, UH, MAKE CHANGE IN THE HOUSING FRONT HERE. WE HAD PROTESTS IN THE, IN THE STREETS BECAUSE OF THE MISTREATMENT, WE HAD NOBODY TO GO TO. WE WAS TOLD BY MANAGERS THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY RIGHTS. RIGHT? THIS IS THE BEST THING THAT THE CITY CAME UP WITH. AND I'M ASKING Y'ALL TO SAY YES, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S KIND OF CONVENIENT THAT WE HAVING THIS VOTE TODAY BECAUSE, UH, WE GONNA BE VOTING AT THE BALLOT BOX, AND, AND, UH, UH, WHAT WE NEED IS THIS BILL OF RIGHTS. WE NEED IT BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE NOWHERE ELSE TO GO. WE COULD GO TO THE FAIR HOUSING COUNCIL, WE COULD EVEN GO TO HUD AND THEY JUST CALL THE LAWYERS IN AND WE'RE DONE. RIGHT. YOU KNOW, UH, PLEASE VOTE YES ON THE BILL OF RIGHTS. THIS IS THE BEST THING THAT Y'ALL EVER CAME UP WITH FOR HOUSING, PLEASE. THANK YOU, MR. HAMILTON. SYLVIA FLORES. MS. FLORES, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY JOHN BACHMAN. YES. CAN I HAVE YOU RETURN TO, UM, UH, THEY HAVE TO BE SIGNED IN FOR YOU TO SEED TIME TO THEM. WHO ARE, WHO WOULD YOU LIKE TO GIVE YOUR TIME TO? JOANNE, WHY DON'T Y'ALL BOTH COME UP AND MISS, UH, UH, JOANNE, IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK, YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND TAKE SYLVIA'S TIME. WHY DON'T Y'ALL BOTH COME UP THOUGH, SPEAKING AT THE SAME TIME, OR WHOEVER. OH, GO AHEAD. UH, THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK, EVEN THOUGH I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO REGISTER. UM, MY INVOLVEMENT WITH TOP HAS DEFINITELY EMPOWERED ME TO, YOU KNOW, SPEAK UP AND ORGANIZE. I THINK THAT'S BEEN THE CASE WITH A LOT OF THE OTHER RESIDENTS AT SORRENTO WHERE I'M A RENTER. UM, HOWEVER, THE LANGUAGE ISSUE, IT HAS BEEN A PROBLEM BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE RESIDENTS THERE ARE SPANISH SPEAKING, UM, AND THEY DON'T, THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO EXPRESS THEIR NEEDS OR THEY WRITES SOMETIMES. UM, SO I'M HERE ON THEIR BEHALF AS WELL, UM, THAT I WOULD LIKE FOR A LOT OF THE LITERATURE EDUCATION, AND I KNOW THAT'S BEING OFFERED, UH, TO BE INCLUDED IN THAT. UM, AND A LOT OF US, UNFORTUNATELY BEING RETALIATED AGAINST, UH, YOU KNOW, WITH, YOU KNOW, HARASSMENT, VANDALISM. AND I WOULD HOPE THAT THOSE ISSUES ARE ADDRESSED SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO ORGANIZE, EXERCISE OUR RIGHT TO EXPRESS, YOU KNOW, OUR NEEDS AND THE BILL OF RIGHTS TO, TO FOLLOW THE BILL OF RIGHTS. UM, THAT'S ALL THAT I'M ASKING, REALLY, THAT, UM, THOSE ISSUES OF RETALIATION AND THE FEARS AND THE LANGUAGE ISSUE BE ADDRESSED SO THAT PEOPLE CAN THEN, YOU KNOW, EXERCISE THEIR RIGHT TO ORGANIZE. UM, I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. UM, AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IT THE LAST TIME I SPOKE. VERY SHORT ALSO, BUT I WANTED TO JUST GET TO THAT POINT TO DEAL WITH THE FEAR OF RETALIATION, THE ACTUAL RETALIATION THAT'S GOING ON AT SORRENTO THAT'S MAKING IT PEOPLE DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE TO BE HERE. I KEEP THE ON, I'M LIKE THE ONLY ONE HERE USUALLY 'CAUSE PEOPLE ARE DEALING WITH VANDALISM, THE CAUSE OF BEING, YOU KNOW, VANDALIZED. ALL KINDS OF ISSUES ARE HAPPENING, AND THEN THE LANGUAGE ISSUE MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE TO GET UP HERE AND EXPRESS THEMSELVES THE WAY THEY LIKE TO. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. THANK YOU. GREAT. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS SYLVIA FLORES AND I'M A RENTER AT AND LEADER [01:15:01] WITH TOP. I AM HERE TODAY TO DECLARE VICTORY. WINNING THIS TENANT BILL OF RIGHTS HAS SUCH A LONG JOURNEY, AND IT IS PERSONAL FOR ME BECAUSE I WENT THROUGH VERY DANGEROUS LIVING CONDITIONS FOR THREE AND A HALF YEARS. AT SEVEN OAKS, WE STARTED ORGANIZING AND, UM, THE PROPERTY OWNER STARTED RETALIATING AGAINST US FOR ORGANIZING AND THEN COMES THE EVICTION NOTICE. SO NOW THAT I KNOW MY RIGHTS, MY FELLOW TOP MEMBERS AND I HAVE BEEN ORGANIZING AND FIGHTING FOR MORE THAN A YEAR TO GET THE TENANT BILL OF RIGHTS APPROVED. WE ARE GLAD TO SEE CITY COUNCIL CITY STAFF FOLLOW OUR LEAD TO TREAT TENANTS RIGHT RIGHTS WITH THE URGENCY IT REQUIRES. I'M SPECIALLY GLAD TO SEE THE RIGHT TO ORGANIZE WITHOUT FEAR OF RETALIATION INCLUDED, BECAUSE ORGANIZING IS HOW I LEARNED MY RIGHTS AND HOW THE TENANT BILL OF RIGHTS MADE IT THIS FAR. WHILE THIS IS THE DAY FOR A CELEBRATION, WE KNOW OUR FIGHT DOESN'T STOP HERE. IT SAN ANTONIO IS STILL IN HOW YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND FINISH YOUR SENTENCE. OKAY. UM, WHERE WAS I? SAN ANTONIO IS STILL IN A HOUSING CRISIS WHERE TENANTS CAN EASILY BE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MS. FLORES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. JOHN BACHMAN. IS MR. BACHMAN HERE? OKAY. KEISHA BROWN. MS. BROWN, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY DEBORAH WATTS. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS KEISHA BROWN AND I'M A RENTER AND A LEADER WITH TOP I AM HERE TO TODAY TO DECLARE VICTORY. WINNING THIS TENANT BILL OF RIGHTS HAS BEEN SUCH A LONG JOURNEY AND IS VERY PERSONAL FOR ME. UM, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, UH, IN THE PAST, I ACTUALLY, IN THE PAST I WAS AFFECTED BY RETALIATION BECAUSE I EXPOSED MY APARTMENT COMPLEX BECAUSE OF THE, UH, MOLD, MILDEW ISSUES. WE WERE IN A STORM AND IT TOOK OVER A YEAR FOR THEM TO EVEN FIX THE PROBLEM. I WAS A SEVEN YEAR TENANT THERE AT THE PROPERTY BECAUSE I SPOKE UP, DID A STORY. THEY DID NOT SIGN MY LEASE, WHICH LEFT ME AND MY SON HOMELESS FOR SIX AND A HALF MONTHS. UM, I'M CURRENTLY IN DISTRICT 10. I'M STILL FACING SOME PROBLEMS, BUT I'M SCARED TO SPEAK UP BECAUSE THE LANDLORDS STILL HAVE POWER AND, UM, SOME STILL TRY TO RETALIATE AND I DON'T WANNA BE HOMELESS AGAIN. SO I KEEP QUIET. BUT BECAUSE I'VE, I'VE MET LEADERS AND MEMBERS WITH TOP WHO TOLD ME NOT TO BE AFRAID, WHO PUSHED ME. I'VE MET, UM, SOME WONDERFUL PEOPLE. I'M ABLE TO BE BEFORE YOU ALL. UM, N H S D HAS HELPED ME WITH RESOURCES AND INFORMATION. IF IT WASN'T FOR ORGANIZING, I TRIED TO ORGANIZE BECAUSE OF THE MISTREATMENT I RECEIVED. THEY WERE SCARED TO SPEAK UP. UM, ALSO, UM, MY FELLOW TOP MEMBERS AND I HAVE BEEN ORGANIZING AND FIGHTING FOR MORE THAN A YEAR TO GET THE TENANT BILL OF RIGHTS APPROVED. WE ARE GLAD TO SEE CITY COUNCIL AND CITY STAFF FOLLOW OUR LEAD TO TREAT TENANTS RIGHTS WITH URGENCY IF IT REQUIRES, I'M ESPECIALLY GLAD TO SEE THE RIGHT TO ORGANIZE WITHOUT FEAR OF RETALIATION INCLUDED, BECAUSE ORGANIZES ORGANIZING IS HOW I LEARNED MY RIGHTS AND HOW THE TENANT BILL OF RIGHTS MADE IT THIS FAR. WHILE THIS IS A DAY FOR CELEBRATION, WE KNOW THE FIGHT DOESN'T STOP HERE. SAN ANTONIO IS STILL IN A HOUSING CRISIS WHERE TENANTS CAN EASILY BE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF. LIKE I SAID, I'M SCARED TO SPEAK UP NOW. UM, WE KNOW LANGUAGE JUSTICE IS NECESSARY FOR OUR COMMUNITY, AND LAST WEEK WE HEARD THE HOUSING COMMISSION COMMISSIONS WILL MAKE A PLAN TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. WE ALSO KNOW THAT TENANTS NEED TO KNOW THEIR RIGHTS WHEN THEY SIGN THEIR LEASE IN THE BEGINNING BEFORE THERE'S A CRISIS. THE CITY HAS COMMITTED TO PARTNER WITH TENANTS LIKE US TO DO AN OUTREACH. AND I'M HERE TO SAY WE WILL USE OUR POWER TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE THINGS HAPPEN. IMAGINE A WORLD WHERE TENANTS CAN GET A COPY OF THEIR RIGHTS WHEN THEY SIGN THE LEASE INSTEAD OF AT THE END. I APPRECIATE, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME TODAY, AND GOD BLESS. THANK YOU, MS. BROWN. DEBORAH WATTS. HELLO, MY NAME'S DEBORAH WATTS AND I'M A, UH, A LEADER AT TOPS. UH, I'M HERE TODAY TO DECLARE, UH, WINNING, UH, THIS TENANT, UH, BILL OF RIGHTS HAS BEEN THE LONG, LONG JOURNEY [01:20:01] AND PERSONAL FOR ME. I WAS THERE FOR FIVE, FIVE YEARS AT SEVEN OAKS, WENT THROUGH HELL, UH, RETALIATION AND DISCRIMINATION, LIVING IN SEVEN OAKS. HE NOWHERE AIR, UH, ON A MACHINE, HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, DIABETIC. UH, I WAS UPSTAIRS, UM, UH, AND TOPS HELPED, HELPED, UM, HELPED ME AND, AND US, UM, OUTTA THAT SITUATION. UH, GOD BLESS, UH, THEN GOT A LAWYER AND GOT MY MY NEW PLACE. UH, I ESPECIALLY, UM, UH, UH, GLAD THAT WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO ORGANIZE AND, UM, LEARN OUR RIGHTS ABOUT THE BILL OF RIGHTS. UH, SO, AND MADE, MADE THIS SO FAR, UH, WHILE CELEBRATING AND FIGHTING, UH, UH, TO STOP, STOP. NOT GONNA STOP HERE. UM, HOUSING CRISIS TENANT EASILY, UH, UH, TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF, UH, LANGUAGE IS NECESSARY FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, UH, WHAT THEY'RE, THEY THEY HAVE ON THE LEASE, UM, AND THEN, UM, UH, SIGNS OUTDOORS AND INDOORS. AND SO THEY THINK, YOU KNOW, UH, TO LET PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THEIR RIGHTS. AND, AND ON THE LEASE, UH, IMAGINE TENANTS, UH, RIGHTS SIGN, LEASE, UH, PHONE TENANTS CALL LANGUAGE BARRIERS, UH, AND ALSO, UH, ABOUT COMMUNITY WITHOUT WORRY OR RETALIATION. UM, EX WE ARE EXCITED TO WIN AND ALSO KNOW THE BEGINNING, ONLY BEGINNING. THIS IS THE BEGINNING. WE WILL, UM, BACK TODAY, UH, AND WE NEED TO VOTE, UH, TO PASS THE TENOR RIGHTS. BUT, UH, WE ALSO ARE GLAD THAT, UH, WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO SPEAK AND WE ARE NOT SCARED TO DO IT. AND, UH, WE, UM, GET, JUST WANNA, UM, SAY GOD BLESS YOU AND KEEP YOU IN SOME THAT THING. AND, AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET THE BILL OF RIGHTS DONE. IT'LL PASS. THANK YOU MS. WATTS. ALRIGHT, WE'RE GONNA GET INTO OUR COUNCIL DISCUSSION NOW. UH, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR ITEM FOUR. OKAY. THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM FOUR COUNCILS MEMBER PAL. THANKS. BUT BEFORE I, BEFORE I JUMP INTO IT, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE JEFF COYLE IS MAKING HIS WAY TO THE PODIUM. 'CAUSE I'M GONNA ASK YOU A QUESTION, JEFF. UM, THERE, THERE WAS A LONG TIME AGO WHEN, UH, TEXAS RURAL LEGAL AID, UH, WAS, UH, DOING FARMER'S RIGHTS AND, UM, LABOR RIGHTS DOWN IN THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY, UM, WHERE ONE SHERIFF WAS INTERVIEWED, UH, DOWN THERE. AND HIS QUOTE IS, IS REALLY QUITE AMAZING. HE SAID, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE PROBLEMS WITH THESE ORGANIZATIONS IS THAT THEY GO AROUND TEACHING PEOPLE WHAT THEIR RIGHTS ARE. UM, AND T R L A PROUDLY USED TO DISPLAY THAT ON THEIR WEBSITE. AND I THINK THAT THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO THINK THAT, UM, WHAT YOU PEOPLE IN THE GREEN SHIRTS ARE TALKING ABOUT SHOULD NOT BE SPOKEN ABOUT, RIGHT? UM, BECAUSE HOW DARE YOU EDUCATE PEOPLE ABOUT THEIR EXISTING RIGHTS AND HOW DARE YOU ADVOCATE FOR YOUR OWN DIGNITY AND, UM, AND RESPECT. AND SO, I'M, I'M HAPPY THAT YOU ALL CAME UP HERE. UM, THE, JEFF, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE KNOW IS THAT, UM, THE TEXAS PROPERTY CODE SAYS, RIGHT, THAT, UM, CITIES ARE PREEMPTED, WELL, EVERYBODY IS PREEMPTED EXCEPT FOR THE STATE FROM, UM, REGULATING THE LANDLORD TENANT RELATIONSHIP UNDER THIS SUPER PREEMPTION BILL THAT I KNOW THAT YOU AND THE TEAM ARE FIGHTING UP THERE IN AUSTIN, EVEN IF WE WANTED TO. UM, AND EVEN IF WE COULD, UM, COME ALL TOGETHER AND WRITE UP A TENANT'S BILL OF RIGHTS AND PROPOSE IT, DOES THE SUPER PREEMPTION BILL PREEMPT US, UM, FROM EVEN TOUCHING THIS TOPIC, THE PROPERTY CODE WAS ADDED TO THAT BILL AS ONE OF THE CODES THAT IS TOUCHED BY IT. UH, IN TERMS OF THE ACTUAL PREEMPTION AND IMPLICATIONS, I'M NOT SURE WE KNOW YET. I DON'T KNOW IF THE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE DOES EITHER, BUT I, I'M, I'M GUESSING NOT. THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN STUDY AND, AND LOOK INTO COUNCILMAN THE ACTUAL PREEMPTION BILL COUNCILMAN, WE COULD GET FURTHER DETAILED IN. BUT AS A MATTER OF CURRENT LAW, WE HAVE AREAS OF PREEMPTION ALREADY UNDER THE PROPERTY CODE, RIGHT? SO LET, LET ME [01:25:01] GIVE AN EXAMPLE, RIGHT? SO A, A WHILE AGO, AND LORI, I DUNNO IF YOU REMEMBER, BUT A WHILE AGO I FILED A C C R, UM, REGARDING ANIMAL RIGHTS AND, UH, I'M SORRY, SERVICE AND THE RIGHT TO C THE RIGHT TO, UH, KEEP A SERVICE ANIMAL IN AN APARTMENT, RIGHT? AND, UH, ONE OF THOSE, UH, PIECES OF, OF THAT C C R WAS DISCUSSING HOW WAY TOO OFTEN WE'RE SEEING LANDLORDS JUST SAY, OH, SERVICE ANIMAL, NOPE. WE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO VACANCY AT THE END RIGHT NOW. SO, UM, AND I WANTED TO SEE WHAT WE COULD DO. AND I, YOU KNOW, IT MAKES ME SAD IS I THINK THAT C C R MAY HAVE SHRIVELED ON THE VINE AND TOO MUCH DUST, BUT WE, UM, WE DO HEAR FROM TENANTS OFTEN, UM, THAT WHEN THEY WALK IN WITH A LEGITIMATE SERVICE ANIMAL, PARTICULARLY VETERANS WHO HAVE ANIMALS FROM ORGANIZATIONS LIKE CANINES FOR WARRIORS, UM, THAT THEY'RE JUST TOLD FROM THE OUTSET, SORRY, THAT'S NOT GONNA DO, OR YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO PAY AN EXORBITANT DEPOSIT FEE, LET'S SAY, TO KEEP A SERVICE ANIMAL, WHICH IS A VIOLATION OF A FEDERAL LAW. UM, AND THERE REALLY IS NO, UH, MECHANISM OUT THERE ORGANIZATION THAT HAS THE BANDWIDTH TO BE ABLE TO TAKE UP, BE ABLE TO TAKE UP, UH, THE DEFENSE OF THESE PEOPLE. AND SO IT'S HARDER AND HARDER AND HARDER TO HAVE A SERVICE ANIMAL AND BE DISABLED IN THE CITY AND FIND AN APARTMENT, RIGHT. NUMBER TWO, I'LL TELL, AND JEFF, THANKS FOR ANSWERING THE QUESTION. UM, NUMBER TWO, I'LL TELL YOU, UH, ONE OF THE, SOMEBODY ASKED ME THE OTHER DAY, YOU KNOW, WHAT WAS ONE OF THE MOST REWARDING MOMENTS IN, IN, DURING YOUR LAST SIX YEARS ON COUNCIL? WE HAD, UH, SOME REFUGEES FROM SOMALIA IN DISTRICT EIGHT. UM, MAMA HAD OBTAINED HER, HER DRIVER'S LICENSE RECENTLY, AND THE FAMILY HAD MANAGED TO COBBLE ENOUGH MONEY TOGETHER TO BUY A CAR. UM, AND LIKE MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE THEIR DRIVER'S LICENSE FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, SHE CRASHED THE CAR. UH, AND SHE CRASHED IT INTO THE GARAGE OF THE CONDOMINIUM THAT THEY WERE RENTING. THEY HAD SIX CHILDREN IN THAT CONDO, UH, BECAUSE OF CRASHING IN THERE. THEY, SHE ENDED UP DAMAGING THE CONDO ENOUGH TO WHERE, UM, THEY DIDN'T HAVE UTILITIES, RIGHT? AND SO THE LANDLORD CAME DOWN AND SAID, YOU OWE ME, RIGHT? YOU OWE ME, UH, YOU NEED TO FIX IT. AND THEY MADE A CLAIM ON THEIR INSURANCE, AND THEIR INSURANCE WAS MODEST. THEIR CAR INSURANCE DIDN'T REALLY COVER MUCH. WELL, THE LANDLORD HAD MADE A CLAIM ALSO, UM, ON THE SIDE WITH HIS OWN PROPERTY AND CASUALTY INSURANCE AND POCKETED THE MONEY AND APPLIED NONE OF IT TO REPAIRING THE APARTMENT, RIGHT? AND THEN WAS, WAS THREATENING TO EVICT THEM, THREATENING TO, UM, AND TO DEPORT THEM, AND A WHOLE BUNCH OF HORRIBLE THINGS. UM, AND WE STEPPED IN WHEN WE HEARD ABOUT IT. AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THANKFULLY I WAS, I WAS CONVERSANT ENOUGH, HARDLY AN EXPERT, BUT CONVERSANT ENOUGH IN, IN THE RULES TO BE ABLE TO SIT DOWN WITH 'EM AND INTRODUCE 'EM TO OUR FRIENDS AT THE WHITE COLLAR CRIME DIVISION AT THE, UH, AT THE DA, UM, AND BRING HIM TO THE CARPET TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, HE UNDERSTOOD THAT THAT'S INSURANCE FRAUD. UM, AND THAT ALSO THAT HE WAS PERPETRATING A VIOLATION, YOU KNOW, THAT HE WAS PERPETRATING CRIMES. UM, AND WE MANAGED TO GET THIS FAMILY, UM, THEIR, THEIR ELECTRICITY AND AIR CONDITIONING BACK ON AND THEIR WATER BACK ON. AND THIS WAS IN A HOT, HOT SAN ANTONIO SUMMER. THAT'S UNACCEPTABLE THAT THIS EVEN HAPPENED IS UNACCEPTABLE, RIGHT? WE HEAR WAY TOO OFTEN FROM PEOPLE WHO JUST BECAUSE THEY ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT, UM, WHAT THEIR RIGHTS ARE UNDER THE LEASE, SUDDENLY THE NEXT DAY GET EVICTION NOTICES. THAT'S UNACCEPTABLE. THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT THE WAY IT SHOULD BE. AND SO I WILL TELL YOU THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, I WOULD SAY THE MAJORITY OF LANDLORDS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO DO A PRETTY GOOD JOB. UH, THEY, AND THEY DO HONOR THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES AND MEET THEIR OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE LAW. BUT I, I HAVE WAY TOO MANY ANECDOTES OUT THERE, UH, AND, AND EXAMPLES OF SOME REALLY BAD ACTORS. AND I THINK, LORI, YOU AND YOUR DEPARTMENT AND ALL OF YOUR PEOPLE WHO WORK FOR YOU HAVE DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB AT TRYING TO CRACK DOWN ON AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO TAKE CARE OF, UH, OF THE MORE VULNERABLE SAN ANTONIANS WHO RENT. AND SO, UM, I CELEBRATE, UH, THE FACT THAT WE'RE DOING THIS JUST LIKE TEXAS RURAL LEGAL AID. IT'S OUR JOB TO TEACH PEOPLE WHAT THEIR RIGHTS ARE. I THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S ONE OF THE IMPORTANT FUNCTIONS OF THE MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT. UM, AND YOU KNOW, I CAN ALREADY TELL YOU, THERE'S GONNA BE PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO ARE GONNA BE REALLY HACKED OFF AT US TODAY FOR EVEN TALKING ABOUT TEACHING PEOPLE WHAT THEIR RIGHTS ARE. UM, AND THAT'S A FIGHT I'M PROUD TO FIGHT. SO THANK YOU. THANKS, MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER PIAS, COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, AND I, I FEEL LIKE MANNY STOLE MY THUNDER 'CAUSE I WAS SO HAPPY AND PROUD TODAY OF ALL OF THE WORK THAT EVERYBODY HAS DONE IT NOW. UM, I, I, I KIND OF, I'LL, I'LL, I'LL STEP BACK AND SAY THAT THIS IS AN INITIATIVE TO HELP BETTER INFORM PEOPLE OF THEIR RIGHTS, UH, AS AND RENTERS AS TENANTS. UM, AND JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY KNOW THAT THEY'RE EXERCISING THEIR RIGHTS, EVEN IF IT'S JUST AN INFORMATIONAL CAMPAIGN RIGHT NOW. IT'S A START. THEY DON'T KNOW THEIR RIGHTS RIGHT NOW. AND SO THAT'S EXACTLY WHERE, WHERE WE'RE, WHERE WE'RE STARTING. UM, WHEN WE STARTED THIS, THERE WAS A LOT OF CONCERN. AND, UH, THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, I ASKED THEM, OKAY, WE GET IT, BUT HOW DO WE GET THERE? AND SO LET'S FIND A CREATIVE SOLUTION. AND EVERYBODY CAME TOGETHER, DIFFERENT [01:30:01] SIDES CAME TOGETHER TO FIND OUT WHERE WE CAN HELP. AND SO I WANNA THANK STAFF SPECIFICALLY, LORI, AND, AND I ALREADY MENTIONED ANDY, THE VERONICAS AS WELL, FOR THEIR QUICK WORK ON THIS ITEM. IT'S IMPORTANT TO THE RESIDENTS WHO ORGANIZED AFTER SUFFERING A LONG HOT SUMMER TO GET THIS DONE QUICKLY. AND WE HEARD FROM RESIDENTS ALL OVER. IT WASN'T JUST IN DISTRICT SEVEN, IT WAS DISTRICTS ONE THROUGH 10 THAT WE HEARD FROM RESIDENTS, RESIDENTS THAT ARE LIVING IN THESE UNFAIR CONDITIONS. SO TODAY, IT'S A STEP TO REPRESENT ALL OF THOSE WHO HAVE SUFFERED BEFORE AND PREVENT ANY FROM FUTURE SUFFRAGE ORGANIZATIONS LIKE TOP AND TEXAS HOUSERS HAD WORKED ON A CONCEPT LIKE THIS, BUT IT WAS A PUSH ALSO OF OUR RESIDENTS FACING SUBPAR HOUSING STANDARDS THAT STANDARDS THAT HELPED GET THIS GOING. THEY ATTENDED MULTIPLE MEETINGS AND THEY PROVIDED MEANINGFUL PUBLIC COMMENT. THE PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE WHO DO NOT SPEAK ENGLISH, I WANT TO THANK THEM IN PARTICULAR FOR NOT BEING AFRAID TO COME AND SPEAK AS WELL. IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WE ARE NOT CHANGING LAWS, WE ARE NOT OVERSTEPPING OUR ROLE AS A MUNICIPALITY WITH THIS RESOLUTION. SO TO THOSE OF THE YOU WHO HAVE QUESTIONS, PLEASE COME DIRECTLY TO ME. COME DIRECTLY TO THE P C D C. WE ARE SIMPLY GATHERING RIGHTS THROUGH VARIOUS LEVELS OF GOVERNMENTS AND DOCUMENTS INTO ONE COMPREHENSIVE RESOLUTION. AND ACCOMPANYING WITH AN EXPLANATORY PAGE, THIS MAY SEEM TO SOME AS A REDUNDANT MEASURE, BUT TO FOLKS WHO ACTUALLY RENT AND HAVE SUFFERED AT THE HANDS OF NEGLECTFUL PROPERTY OWNERS, IT'S AN OFFICIAL DECLARATION OF SUPPORT FOR THEM BY THEIR CITY LEADERS. THERE'S STILL A CALL TO EXPAND LANGUAGE ACCESS BEYOND FEDERALLY SUBSIDIZED HOUSING. AND I, I HAVE ASKED THAT THE HOUSING COMMISSION TAKE UP THAT CONSORT CONCERN AND REPORT BACK TO US WITHIN A YEAR OF US LEARNING ABOUT THE UNSAFE LIVING CONDITIONS AT A COUPLE OF PROPERTIES. WE HAVE A PROACTIVE APARTMENT INSPECTION PROGRAM AND A RESOLUTION UPHOLDING THE RIGHTS OF TENANTS. THAT IS A RECORD BREAKING TIME AT CITY HALL. AND I'D LIKE TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES ON THE P C D C FOR THEIR CONTINUED SUPPORT ON HOUSING ISSUES AND COMMITMENT, DESPITE US GOING OVER TWO HOURS SOMETIMES IN OUR MEETINGS, BUT PARTICULARLY COUNCILWOMAN VERAN, COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO, COUNCILWOMAN CASTRO, AND COUNCILMAN COURAGE, WHO ALL HAVE HAD A MAJOR ROLE TO PLAY IN THE RIGHTS OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE RESIDENTS. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO PASSING THIS RESOLUTION. I LOOK FORWARD TO TAKING ANY QUESTIONS FOR THOSE OF US WHO MIGHT STILL HAVE SOME QUESTIONS. AND I JUST WANNA THANK AGAIN, MY COLLEAGUES IN ANTICIPATION OF WHAT I WOULD HOPE TO BE YOUR SUPPORTIVE VOTE. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER R GARCIA, COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ. THANK YOU. UM, I WANNA START OFF BY SAYING, YOU KNOW, SINCERELY AND DEEPLY THANKING ALL OF THE ORGANIZATIONS AND TENANTS WHO BROUGHT THIS ISSUE TO THE ATTENTION OF THE COUNCIL. UH, IN PARTICULAR, I'D LIKE TO THANK MIA LOS, UH, A D TWO RESIDENT AT TEXAS HOUSERS AND ALSO TEXAS ORGANIZING PROJECT FOR THEIR ADVOCACY ON THIS ISSUE. AND I SEE SOME D TWO RESIDENTS IN THE CROWD AS WELL. UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT INSPIRED ME TO RUN FOR A SEAT ON COUNCIL WAS MY EXPERIENCE BEING, UM, A PART OF AN ALWAYS GROWING SOCIAL JUSTICE MOVEMENT HERE IN SAN ANTONIO. AND I THINK ONE OF THE MOST INSPIRING CAMPAIGNS I'VE SEEN RECENTLY HAS BEEN, UM, THE COURAGE AND BRAVERY OF TENANTS COMING TOGETHER TO DEMAND THEIR RIGHTS AND TO ADVOCATE FOR INVESTMENTS AND PROTECTIONS AND HOUSING. THERE SHOULD BE NO MISTAKE. THIS IS A DIRECT RESULT OF ORGANIZING EFFORTS. SO I'M PROUD OF EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU, UM, FOR STANDING IN YOUR POWER AND FIGHTING FOR WHAT'S RIGHT. AND JUST IN OUR, IN OUR CITY, IT WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT WOULD HAPPEN ON OUR OWN. IT TOOK PEOPLE POWER. SO THANK YOU FOR ORGANIZING AND LEANING ON ONE ANOTHER IN THE FIGHT. TODAY IS A, UM, TODAY IS A . TODAY IS A GOOD FIRST STEP, BUT AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE HAVE MORE WORK TO DO TO ENSURE THAT TENANTS ARE TREATED FAIRLY AND ARE ABLE TO AFFORD TO LIVE A HIGH QUALITY LIFE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO. AND I'M INSPIRED BY YOU TO CONTINUE WORKING FOR HOUSING JUSTICE, AND I'M SO PROUD TO SUPPORT THE TENANT BILL OF RIGHTS TODAY. AND AS, AND TO STAND ALONGSIDE YOU. OUR TENANTS ARE BEING EXPLOITED BY BAD ACTING LANDLORDS, AND EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US HAS A ROLE TO PLAY IN, IN COMBATING TENANT ABUSE AND LETTING ABUSIVE LANDLORDS KNOW THAT WE WILL NOT STAND IDLY BY AND LET IT HAPPEN TO OUR SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS. THE, UM, THE COVID PANDEMIC EXACERBATED, UH, HOW FEW SAFETY NETS EXIST FOR OUR MOST VULNERABLE, AND HOW SO MANY OF OUR SYSTEMS PROTECT THOSE WITH CAPITAL AND WITH PROPERTY, AND FURTHER ALLOW THE HARM DONE TO OUR MOST VULNERABLE. [01:35:01] AND SO I'M REMINDED EVERY DAY WHEN, UM, YOU KNOW, I DRIVE PAST UNSHELTERED RESIDENCE IN TENTS WHEN I'M MADE AWARE OF ENCAMPMENT SWEEPS, WHEN I RECEIVE CALLS FROM RESIDENTS WHO ARE SCARED THAT THEY WILL NOT HAVE A PLACE TO LIVE TOMORROW, THAT HOUSING IS A HUMAN RIGHT, NOT A PRIVILEGE. AND I WANT TO, UH, VOICE MY, MY SUPPORT FOR LANGUAGE INCLUSION AND TO ENSURE THIS RESOLUTION IS A LIVING DOCUMENT WHICH GROWS AND EXPANDS WITH NEEDS AND CONTEXT, UH, IN A SOCIETY THAT IS CHANGING EVER SO RAPIDLY. UM, I DO HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS. ONE IS THAT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT TENANTS ARE MADE AWARE OF THEIR RIGHTS, BUT THE ONUS SHOULD NOT BE ON THEM ALONE. LANDLORDS SHOULD BE MADE AWARE OF THE RIGHTS OF THEIR TENANTS AND AWARE OF OUR COMMITMENT TO PROTECTING THEM. AND SO I'M WONDERING WHAT PART OF OUR CAMPAIGN WILL PROVIDE EDUCATION TO LANDLORDS DIRECTLY, AND IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE DOING. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER. UM, OUR RENTAL HOUSING PROVIDERS ARE A KEY PIECE OF THIS CAMPAIGN, AND WE'VE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE THAT THEY'VE ENGAGED IN OUR STAKEHOLDER PROCESS. SO THAT WAS THE SAN ANTONIO APARTMENT ASSOCIATION. A, UH, THE REAL ESTATE COMMUNITY ALSO, UH, PROPERTY, SORRY, RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY MANAGERS. BUT THEY ALL CAME TOGETHER AND I JUST WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THEY HAVE A BASELINE SUPPORT AND UNDERSTANDING FOR TENANTS RIGHTS. IT'S JUST A MATTER OF HOW DO WE DELIVER THAT IN A WAY THAT'S FLEXIBLE FOR PROPERTY MANAGEMENT GROUPS AND, AND RENT AND REALTORS AND, UM, APARTMENT COMPLEXES. SO IN SHORT, WE HAD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT THE OUTREACH WOULD LOOK LIKE, AND THEY AGREED THAT THEY WOULD PROVIDE, UM, THEY WOULD PROVIDE VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE IN TERMS OF DELIVERING OUR DOCUMENTS ASIDE FROM THE NOTICE OF TENANT'S RIGHTS, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY THAT THEY WOULD LET US CAPITALIZE ON THEIR EXISTING NETWORKS. SO WHETHER THAT'S BE ASSOCIATIONS OR DELIVERING INFORMATION THROUGH THEIR EMAIL NETWORKS, THAT THEY WOULD BE HAPPY TO SHARE THE INFORMATION YOU SAW TODAY WITH ALL OF THEIR NETWORKS. THANK YOU. I GUESS MORE SPECIFICALLY WHAT MY QUESTION IS, IS, UM, ALL OF THE STAKEHOLDERS WHO PARTICIPATED, I, I'M HAPPY THAT THEY DID, AND I'M HAPPY THAT THEY ARE AGREEING AND THAT THEY'LL VOLUNTARILY PARTICIPATE. BUT THERE'S AN, I CAN, IMA I IMAGINE THAT THERE COULD BE HUNDREDS OF SMALLER LANDLORDS WHO MAYBE WEREN'T A PART OF THIS PROCESS, AND I DON'T WANNA MAKE, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY AND THEIR TENANTS DON'T SLIP THROUGH THE CRACKS. SO WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO FOR THAT? SURE. ONE OF OUR, OUR FASTEST APPROACHES KNOWING THAT WE'RE TOWN TIME-BOUND, AND THIS IS CRITICAL, IS TO REACH OUT TO ALL OF THE SMALL MOM AND POP LANDLORDS THAT APPLY THROUGH THE HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. WE HAVE OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND CONTACTS. THE MAJORITY OF THEM ARE ALSO LANDLORDS BECAUSE THEY ARE THE ONES THAT RECEIVE THE PAYMENT. SO OUR FIRST GOAL, SINCE WE HAVE THAT EXISTING NETWORK OF CONTACTS WITH LANDLORDS, IS TO SHARE THAT WITH THEM, UM, ACT AFTER TODAY'S COUNCIL ACTION. SO THAT IS ONE QUICK APPROACH WHERE WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THEY GET THE INFORMATION THAT'S NEEDED. THANK YOU. AND I GUESS MY NEXT QUESTION IS, UM, ARE WE ALLOCATING ANY ADDITIONAL STAFF, UH, RESOURCES TOWARDS THESE EDUCATION AND OUTREACH EFFORTS? WE ARE GONNA CONTINUE TO LEVERAGE OUR GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH TRALA AND THE FAIR HOUSING COUNCIL. WE ARE NOT GONNA STOP DOING OUR MONTHLY KNOW YOUR RIGHTS TRAININGS AND WHEN APPROPRIATE, EXPANDING THAT, WHETHER IT BE WITH OUR FAIR HOUSING COUNSELORS OR OUR EVICTION INTERVENTION STAFF, DEPENDING ON THE LOCATION. PERFECT. AND IF YOU GUYS CAN GIVE ME A MONTH, A MONTH'S NOTICE, UH, WHEN YOU'RE GONNA DO IT AGAIN IN DISTRICT TWO, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO INCLUDE IT IN MY NEWSLETTER. UM, I GUESS I'LL, I'LL END BY SAYING THAT, UM, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE SEND A STRONG MESSAGE TODAY THAT WE'LL BE WATCHFUL AND READY TO SUPPORT ANY TENANTS THAT WANT TO EXERCISE THEIR RIGHTS AND PARTICIPATE IN A TENANT'S UNION OR ANY OTHER EFFORT TO PROTECT THEIR RIGHTS AS A TENANT AND TO ORGANIZE. SO AFTER TODAY, I HOPE WE'LL GET ONE STEP CLOSER TO A SAN ANTONIO WHERE TENANTS ARE RESPECTED AND GIVEN THE SAME ACCESS AND PROTECTION THAT ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS DESERVE. THANK YOU GUYS, ONCE MORE. LOVE Y'ALL. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ, COUNCIL MEMBER GRO. THANK YOU. UH, THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TODAY. UM, AND I'M SO GLAD SO MANY OF YOU CAME UP AND CLAIMED VICTORY BECAUSE YOU SHOULD, UH, KNOWLEDGE IS POWER AND YOU CAME AND YOU WERE PERSISTENT IN DEMANDING THAT WE NEEDED THIS KNOWLEDGE TO GO OUT IN A MORE WIDER FORMAT AND WITH THE CITY'S SUPPORT BEHIND IT. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING THIS HERE TODAY. I LOOK FORWARD TO THE WORK OF VERONICA AND VERONICA AND LORI AND, AND THE TEAM FOR ALL THAT YOU GUYS DID. THIS, THIS WAS NOT EASY, BUT WE GOT HERE AND I'M GLAD THAT, THAT WE ARE HERE TODAY. AND THERE WASN'T ANY, UH, FURTHER DELAYS. SO, UH, AND I'M VERY PROUD OF, UM, OUR COMMITTEE AND OUR CHAIR FOR WORKING SO HARD AND THE WEEKS AND, UH, WEEKS THAT WE SPENT AND MEETINGS THAT WE SPENT TO GET THIS RIGHT. I THINK MY ONE QUESTION, UM, IS REGARDING SLIDE SEVEN ON THE DIGITAL CONTACT CONTENT. UH, WHO ARE WE? [01:40:01] DO WE HAVE, UH, SOMEONE WITHIN N H SS D THAT'S GOING TO BE HANDLING THIS? WILL THIS BE, UH, HANDLED THROUGH, UH, ESSAY SPEAK UP? UH, HOW IS THIS GONNA BE PUT FORWARD? WE HAVE A, A VARIETY OF OPPORTUNITIES. NUMBER ONE, WE JUST LAUNCHED OUR BRAND NEW ESSAY.GOV WEBSITE, AND THAT WEBPAGE WILL CONTAIN ALL OF THE DIG DIGITAL LITERATURE. UM, AND WHAT IS BENEFICIAL ABOUT THAT IS THAT STAFF CAN MAKE SURE IT'S UP TO DATE. SO WHEN INFORMATION CHANGES, WE RIGHT AWAY HAVE THE ACCESS AND CONTROL, UM, TO UPDATE IT. UH, OF COURSE WE'LL CONTINUE TO USE ESSAY SPEAK UP WHEN WE WANNA DISTILL INFORMATION FROM THE PUBLIC TO HELP INFORM OUR ONGOING CAMPAIGN. GREAT. AND I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE MONITORING THAT BECAUSE THERE ARE SCAMMERS AND PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT MIGHT TRY AND HIJACK THAT AND TRY AND GIVE MISINFORMATION TO RESIDENTS REGARDING THEIR, THEIR RIGHTS. SO I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT THAT'S COMING. I'M GLAD THAT WE HAVE THE QR CODES. I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE TENANTS HAVE IT, UM, ACCESSIBLE IN THEIR LANGUAGE AND ALSO KNOW HOW TO USE THEIR DEVICES TO GET TO THAT. SO I, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE UPDATES ON THAT. THE OTHER THING THAT I SUPPORT IS MY CHAIR. THE CHAIRS REQUEST THAT WE GET UPDATES ON SOME OF THAT PUBLIC AND PRIVATE. I THINK WHAT WE'VE HEARD FROM THOSE THAT HAVE, UH, HAVE SPOKEN IS THERE'S, THERE'S A PRIVATE, UH, SECTOR THAT WE NEED TO WATCH, BUT WE ALSO NEED TO BE IN BETTER COMMUNICATION WITH OUR PUBLIC HOUSING AND OUR PUBLIC SECTOR, UH, AND HOW WE ARE COMMUNICATING TO THAT. AND, AND IF THERE IS, UM, IF, IF AS WE CONTINUE TO PROMOTE THIS AND, AND GET THE, THE CAMPAIGN IS SUCCESSFUL, IT WHAT HA WHAT IS THE COURSE AND HOW DO WE MONITOR, UH, ANY SORT OF RETALIATION THAT DOES COME IN, UM, BECAUSE I THINK THAT THAT'S, THAT'S A KEY ALSO. UM, THE ONE THING I THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE WE BROUGHT SO MANY STAKEHOLDERS TOGETHER. I THINK THE ONE THING WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT AFTER TODAY, WE DON'T, WE, WE CONTINUE TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON. WE HIGHLIGHT WHEN, WHEN THEY START DOING THINGS CORRECTLY, BUT WE ALSO CONTINUE TO, TO COMMUNICATE WHEN THINGS, WHEN IT'S TAKING TOO LONG OR, OR THINGS AREN'T CHANGING AT ALL. SO CONTINUE TO USE YOUR VOICE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING THIS TODAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER BIRAN, COUNCIL MEMBER TO YOU. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND I WANNA THANK ALL THE FOLKS WHO GAVE PUBLIC COMMENT, PARTICULARLY KEISHA. UM, YOUR STORY'S ONE THAT I'LL FOREVER HOLD WITH ME. UM, IT WAS THE FIRST, UH, MEETING THAT I WALKED OUT AND WOO, IT WAS HEAVY. UM, BUT I WANNA THANK YOU AND YOUR COLLEAGUES FOR YOUR ADVOCACY FOR ENSURING THAT YOU STAND UP FOR, UH, RENTERS, YOUR NEIGHBORS, AND SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS. THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO MAKES UP ROUGHLY HAS ROUGHLY 625,000 RENTERS, RIGHT? UM, SO I WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR Y'ALL'S WORK, THE CONTINUED ADVOCACY. UH, I KNOW KEVIN AND JAMES, I MET Y'ALL YEARS AGO WHEN Y'ALL WORKING ON ATTENDANCE BILL OF RIGHTS WITH THE SAN ANTO, THE THEN SAN ANTONIO HOUSING AUTHORITY. SO THANK Y'ALL FOR CONTINUING THE FIGHT AND RECOGNIZING THAT THE STRUGGLE AND THE FIGHT CONTINUES. BUT I ALSO WANT TO, UH, ENSURE THAT I HIGHLIGHT THE WORK OF THE P C D C COMMITTEE, PARTICULARLY THE WORK OF OUR CHAIR, DR. ADRIANA ROCHA GARCIA, RIGHT? FOR TAKING THE LEAD AND IZING THAT ITEM AND WORKING, UM, WITH, WITH URGENCY TO ENSURE THAT RENTERS RIGHT, WHO ARE GOING TO MAKE UP THE MAJORITY OF SAN ANTONIO, UM, ARE REPRESENTED AND HAVE ACCESS TO THOSE RIGHTS. WHEN I ORGANIZED ALONGSIDE PUBLIC HOUSING TENANTS, THERE WERE KEY PIECES WHERE THERE WAS MISINFORMATION, UM, BY LANDLORDS AND HERE, PROTECTED, RIGHT? UH, IT SAYS LEGAL PROTECTIONS ON THE DRAFT. UM, TEXAS PROPERTY CODE SECTION 92.04, YOUR REQUEST IF, IF YOU REQUEST IT, YOUR RENTAL HOUSING PROVIDER'S REQUIRED TO GIVE YOU A COPY OF THE LEASE. WE HAD SO MANY RENTERS THAT WE MET THAT DID NOT HAVE A COPY OF THEIR LEASE. FURTHER NOTICE OF ATTENDANCE RIGHTS TO CITY ORDINANCE. YOU DO NOT NEED TO IMMEDIATELY LEAVE YOUR HOME WHEN YOUR RENTAL HOUSING PROVIDER GIVES YOU A NOTICE TO VACATE. YOU WILL NOT NEED TO LEAVE UNLESS YOU ARE EVICTED. THERE ARE KEY PIECES HERE THAT WERE IMPORTANT WHEN WE WENT DOOR TO DOOR. AND I SEE MIA HERE, UM, WHO WAS ALSO GOING DOOR TO DOOR, UM, AT THE AZAZ TO LEARN THAT THERE WAS A LOT OF MISINFORMATION BEING GIVEN TO TENANTS. SO THIS DOCUMENT WILL BE KEY FOR TENANTS KNOWING THEIR RIGHTS AND MOVING FORWARD AND HOW TO NAVIGATE THAT PROCESS. WHY WOULD YOU THINK THAT FOLKS WOULD NOT WANT US TO KNOW HOW TO NAVIGATE THAT PROCESS RIGHT THERE? THERE'S A REASON THAT WE DON'T, RIGHT? I I, I'M TRYING TO NOT GO OFF TRACK, RIGHT? BUT I'M THINKING OF WHY DO WE WANNA BAN CRITICAL RACE THEORY, RIGHT? WHY DO WE WANNA BAN THIS HISTORY? 'CAUSE THEY WANNA KEEP US SUBMISSIVE AND IN THE DARK AND NOT KNOW OUR HISTORY AND OUR RIGHTS, BECAUSE WHEN WE LEARN THEM, IT CAUSES TO MOBILIZE AND ORGANIZED. UM, SO, SO WITH THAT, UM, I'M EXTREMELY GRATEFUL FOR THE WORK OF P C D C, THE TENANTS WHO HAVE BEEN COURAGEOUS IN SHARING THEIR STORIES AND FEARING AND RISKING BEING EVICTED BY SHARING THOSE STORIES, BUT ALSO RECOGNIZING THE WORK OF [01:45:01] THE INDUSTRY STAKEHOLDERS WHO CAME TOGETHER AND ARE SUPPORTIVE OF THIS AS WELL. UM, SO A, A, AGAIN, AS YOU ALL HAVE CITED, THIS IS A VICTORY. THE WORK AND THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES, AND I'M EXCITED TO, UM, VOTE IN SUPPORT OF THIS ITEM. THANK YOU'ALL. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO, COUNCIL MEMBER CAB HDA. THANK YOU MAYOR, AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. I JUST WANNA BE CLEAR, WE'RE, WE'RE HANDING THIS OUT IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT LANGUAGES, RIGHT? UM, AND SO IF WE HAVE SOMEBODY WHO IS, UM, MAYBE SPEAKS A LANGUAGE THAT WE DON'T ALREADY HAVE IT TRANSLATED IN, WHAT ARE WE DOING IN TERMS OF LANGUAGE ACCESS? UH, WHAT'S GREAT ABOUT OUR DOCUMENTS IS WE UPDATED IT BY INCLUDING VERY CLEAR CONTACT INFORMATION, SO YOU CAN CALL DIRECTLY. WE HAVE OUR DIRECT NUMBER FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. UM, SO IF ANYONE HAS ANY LANGUAGE ACCESS ISSUES, WE'RE HERE TO SERVE THE PUBLIC. OKAY? THAT, THAT'S ON THE, UM, THE RIGHT, THE, THE RENTER'S RIGHTS RESPONSIBILITIES AND RESOURCES DOCUMENT. UM, AND ALSO THE NOTICE OF TENANT RIGHTS. I SEE IT'S A DRAFT HERE, BUT I DON'T SEE A PHONE NUMBER ON HERE. I SEE A QR CODE, UM, THAT NOT EVERYBODY MIGHT BE ABLE TO ACCESS THAT. SO I'M JUST WAITING BEFORE WE HAVE THE DRAFT, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PHONE NUMBER IS AVAILABLE. DRAFT BE UP. OKAY. THANK YOU. UM, THANK YOU. THAT WAS MY ONLY QUESTION. UM, THIS RESOLUTION IS CRUCIAL IN SO MANY WAYS. I SEE THIS RESOLUTION AS A SUPPORTING DOCUMENT THAT MAKES OUR CITY SAFER FOR ALL FAMILIES IN SAN ANTONIO. THIS RESOLUTION SUPPORTS THE LONG ONGOING EFFORT OF THE HOUSING FRAMEWORK, THE SHIP ONE STEP OF A LONG MARCH TOWARDS HOUSING EQUITY THAT BEGAN AS A RESULT OF A COMMITMENT TO STRATEGY LAID OUT BY OUR COMMUNITY WITH THE SHIP. THAT'S THE STRATEGIC HOUSING IMPLEMENTATION PLAN ON ITS MERITS, AND IT'S A NEEDED STATEMENT. THIS RESOLUTION IS A STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF THE RIGHT TO SAFE AND HABIT, INHABITABLE LIVING SPACE OF THE RIGHT TO PRIVACY, TO NON-DISCRIMINATION, TO FAIR PROCESS, AND TO FREEDOM OF RETALIATION. I'LL TELL YOU, WHEN I WAS, UH, A KID, I WAS LIVING IN MY FIRST APARTMENT AND IT GOT FLOODED OUT. IT WAS A BIG FLOOD OF 1998, IF YOU Y'ALL REMEMBER. AND, UH, MY APARTMENT COMPLEX BACK THEN WOULD NOT MOVE US. AND I WAS LIVING IN WATER. UM, THE, THE, THE GROUND WAS WET. ALL MY, UH, MY FEW, UM, POSSESSIONS WERE RUINED, INCLUDING MY WEDDING PICTURES, AND NOBODY WOULD, WOULD MOVE US. SO I, I'M, YOU KNOW, I'M A A YOUNG KID WITH A LOT OF ENERGY. I START MAKING CALLS, I START FREAKING OUT. UM, I HAPPENED TO BE GOING TO ST. MARY'S AT THE TIME. THEY WOULD NOT LISTEN TO ME. SO I GO TO ST. MARY'S AND WHO LEADS ME OVER TO THE LAW SCHOOL, AND THAT'S THE ONLY REASON THEY MOVED ME OUT OF A SOAKING WET APARTMENT. BUT IT TOOK WEEKS. WE WERE LIVING IN THAT APARTMENT FOR WEEKS. UM, MOLD, UM, GOT SICK, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, MY, MY POSITIONS WERE RUINED. UM, SO I UNDERSTAND THAT STRUGGLE HEARING YOU TODAY. UM, TALK ABOUT BEING HOMELESS BECAUSE YOU SPOKE OUT. IT REALLY, IT, IT AFFECTS ME BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE THAT. I, I WAS ABLE TO GET INTO A DIFFERENT APARTMENT THAT TIME, BUT IT WAS, I REMEMBER THAT FEELING OF HELPLESSNESS, THAT FEELING OF, UM, NOT PEOPLE NOT THINKING THAT MY HEALTH AND SAFETY MATTERED. UM, SO I APPRECIATE, UH, ALL OF YOU THAT CAME UP TO SPEAK TODAY. I'LL TELL YOU, FAST FORWARD TO LAST YEAR, WHERE I TOOK CHIEF MCMANUS TO, UM, AN APARTMENT COMPLEX IN MY DISTRICT WHERE PEOPLE WERE LIVING IN SQUALOR BECAUSE THEY HAD TO, IT WAS THE MOST THEY COULD AFFORD. IT'S THE MOST THAT THEY COULD, UM, THEY COULD DO FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES. AND THESE ARE WORKING PEOPLE, AND THEY WERE LIVING, UM, IN ROACH INFESTED A VERY DANGEROUS, CRIME-RIDDEN, UM, AREA. AND, AND TO THIS DAY, WE'RE STILL WORKING ON THAT. THIS, THIS DRAFT WE'VE TAKEN OUT THERE. UM, WE'VE TALKED TO PEOPLE ABOUT IT, BUT ULTIMATELY, AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHAT EVERYBODY IS AFRAID OF, AND MANY OF YOU SPOKE TODAY, WAS ABOUT RETALIATION. UM, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT, WE HAVE TO ACCOUNT FOR. AND WHEN THAT HAPPENS, BECAUSE IT WILL, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE A RENTER'S, UH, BILL OF RIGHTS, WE WILL BE RETALIATED FOR, FOR SPEAKING OUT. YOU HAVE TO COME TO US. YOU HAVE TO LET US KNOW SO THAT WE CAN DO WHAT WE CAN TO HELP YOU. UM, SO, UH, THIS RESOLUTION IS, IS TIMELY AND IN A LOT OF WAYS WITH THE PRICE OF NEW HOMES TOO. UM, UH, COMING INTO SAN ANTONIO WHERE WE'RE NOT AS AFFORDABLE AS WE USED TO BE, THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT MORE INDIVIDUALS LIVING IN APARTMENTS. AND SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS WIDESPREAD THROUGHOUT THE CITY. AND, UM, IT HELPS ALSO RESPONSIBLE LANDLORDS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEIR RIGHTS ARE. AND NOT, NOT, I'M SORRY, NOT RIGHTS. WHAT WELL, THEY HAVE RIGHTS TOO, BUT, UM, THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES ARE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE FOLLOWING THE RULES AND THEY'RE NOT RUNNING AFOUL. UM, BECAUSE THEY, MOST APARTMENTS, UH, COMPLEXES DO WANT TO FOLLOW THE RULES AND DO WANNA BE COMPASSIONATE AND HEALTH. IT'S THE FEW THAT WE KNOW ABOUT THAT ARE, UM, THAT ARE BREAKING THE RULES AND MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT FOR ALL OF US. THIS ALSO, UM, WELL, AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS RESOLUTION, WE HAVE TO WORK TO ENSURE AWARENESS. WE ALL HERE ARE VERY AWARE OF THIS. UH, WE WALK OUT THAT DOOR AND THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT HAVE NEVER HEARD OF A RENTER'S BILL OF RIGHTS. SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE UNDERSTANDING, UH, WHAT, WHAT THEY HAVE ACCESS TO. AND THIS CAN MAKE IT VERY DIFFICULT, [01:50:01] UM, FOR TENANTS TO, TO ADVOCATE FOR THEMSELVES AND ENFORCE THEIR RIGHTS WHEN THEY DON'T KNOW IT, AS YOU ALL MENTIONED HERE TODAY. SO, AGAIN, I JUST THANK YOU FOR, FOR YOUR ADVOCACY. THANK YOU FOR THE PUSH, UH, THANK YOU TO THE COMMITTEE THAT, THAT, UM, DID THIS HARD WORK AND, UM, AND TO THE, THE, ALL THE FOLKS THAT WORKED ON THE SHIP, BECAUSE AGAIN, THIS IS ONE STEP IN THAT LONG ARC OF PROGRESS TOWARDS HOUSING EQUITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER KEO HDA, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTRO MAYOR, MAY I MAKE A QUICK CLARIFICATION FOR COUNCILWOMAN HDA, UH, THE NOTICE OF TENANTS RIGHTS DOCUMENT THAT IS REQUIRED TO BE POSTED FOR ANYONE WHO'S BEING EVICTED FOR NON-PAYMENT OF RENT. WE DO GET IT TRANSLATED IN ABOUT 10 DIFFERENT LANGUAGES AND MAKE THAT AVAILABLE TO LANDLORDS. UM, AND THEN AS VERONICA MENTIONED, UH, WE ALSO HAVE A HOTLINE WHERE THEY CAN CALL IF THEY WANNA REQUEST IT IN A DIFFERENT LANGUAGE. OKAY. I'M SORRY. I DO HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION. JUST REAL QUICK. DO WE HAVE A, A NUMBER WHERE THEY CAN CALL IF THEY'RE, THEY ARE BEING RETALIATED AGAINST? YES, THAT IS ON THE NOTICE. ATTENDANCE RIGHTS. IT'S 2 1 0 2 0 7 5 3 0 9. OKAY. IT'S KIND IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DOCUMENT. OKAY. ALL WONDERFUL. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER CABELL. COUNCIL MEMBER CASTRO. THANK YOU, MAYOR. YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT HISTORY, UM, THE STRUGGLE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS FOR HUMAN RIGHTS HAS ONLY BEEN LAW BY THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE WILLING TO STAND UP AND FIGHT FOR THAT. CAUSE I'M VERY PROUD OF THE FACT THAT THE PEOPLE OF SEVEN OAKS ORGANIZED WITH THE HELP OF COP OF TOPS TO BRING THIS FORWARD TO THE CITY. UH, THE THINGS THAT WERE HAPPENING THAT SUMMER AND PROBABLY FOR A LONG TIME WERE REALLY INEXCUSABLE. AND SO I REALLY VALUE THOSE FOLKS FROM DISTRICT SEVEN THAT BROUGHT THESE ISSUES FORWARD. AND THE FOLKS THAT HAVE ALSO DONE THAT AT SORRENTO, I FEEL THAT THIS HAS BEEN A LONG PROCESS, BUT IT'S A REALLY GREAT DAY FOR SAN ANTONIO, IF YOU LOOK AT IT IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS. ONE, BECAUSE OF THE COURAGE OF THOSE ORGANIZERS AND THOSE PEOPLE THAT HAVE SPOKEN OUT, THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE HERE AND MANY OTHERS THAT ARE NOT TECH, THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE THAT WERE INVOLVED IN BRINGING THIS TOGETHER, TOP TEXAS, HOUSERS, T L R A, BUT ALSO THE APARTMENT MANAGERS AND THE FOLKS ON KIND OF THE OTHER SIDE THAT HAVE COME TOGETHER TO WORK OUT AND SOLVE THIS PROBLEM WITH THE HELP OF A GREAT STAFF WHO HAS FACILITATED THAT PROCESS. AND THAT IS NOT ALWAYS AN EASY THING TO DO. IT STRIKES ME NOW AS WE LOOK AT THE COUNTRY AND SEE THAT PEOPLE WHO HAVE DIFFERENCES SEEM TO FIND A HARD TIME TRYING TO GET ALONG WITH EACH OTHER. BUT IN SAN ANTONIO, IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, WE HAVE HAD ALL THESE FOLKS COME TOGETHER TO SOLVE SOME PROBLEMS AND TO CREATE A BILL OF RIGHTS THAT HOPEFULLY WILL HAVE AN IMPACT ON PEOPLE'S LIVES FROM NOW ON. I'M NOT NAIVE IN THINKING THAT A BILL OF RIGHTS SOLVES ALL PROBLEMS. WE HAD A DISCUSSION AT THE COMMITTEE MEETING AFTERWARDS, UH, ABOUT THE TECHNICALITIES OF THE RIGHTS AND HOW THAT'LL BE CARRIED OUT. UM, BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE HAVE COME TOGETHER IN GOOD FAITH TO TRY TO SOLVE A PROBLEM. AND FOR THAT, UH, THE GREATNESS OF THAT, THE VIRTUE IN THAT ABILITY TO SOLVE A PROBLEM LIKE THIS IS TO ME, REALLY OUTSTANDING. IT REALLY SAYS SOMETHING ABOUT OUR CITY, ABOUT THE FOLKS THAT WE HAVE EMPLOYED, THE FOLKS THAT ARE ON THE DAAS. UM, I WANT TO THANK ALSO COUNCILWOMAN GARCIA ROCHA FOR SPEARHEADING THIS ALSO, AND FOR MAKING SURE THAT WE LOOKED AT, TRY TO LOOK AT EVERY LITTLE PIECE OF THIS TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE WILL BE PROTECTION ALL AROUND FOR EVERYONE. UM, THANK ALL OF YOU THAT ARE HERE FOR ALL THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU HAVE DONE, AND THANK YOU TOP THANK ALL THE REST OF YOU FOR LEADING THE WAY. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER CASTRO, COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I TOO AM PLEASED WITH THE RESULTS THAT WE HAVE BEFORE US TODAY. THERE WERE A LOT OF, UH, PEOPLE WHO WERE INTERACTING ON THIS. YOU KNOW, TODAY WE HAVE, UM, REPRESENTATIVES FROM OUR, OUR TENANTS AND OUR RESIDENTS. I'VE SEEN IN THE ROOM REPRESENTATIVES FROM PROPERTY OWNERS OR DEVELOPERS. [01:55:01] WE HAVE OUR CITY, UH, STAFF AND, AND COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS. AND I THINK TOGETHER, WE REALLY HAVE PUT TOGETHER A, A PRODUCT THAT IS GOING TO SERVE THIS COMMUNITY WELL. AND I WANNA SAY NO ONE SHOULD, SHOULD FEAR THIS PARTICULAR MOMENT. YOU KNOW, IF, IF I WERE A, A PROPERTY OWNER OR A HOMEOWNER WHO IS RENTING, WE SHOULDN'T FEAR THAT WE ARE EXPRESSING TO THE TENANTS AND TO THE RESIDENTS WHAT THEIR RIGHTS ARE. YOU KNOW, WHEN SOMEONE RENTS A, A HOUSE OR AN APARTMENT, IT REALLY BECOMES A PARTNERSHIP. YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT THE OWNER AND THE TENANT WHO NEED TO WORK TOGETHER SO THAT PEOPLE HAVE A DECENT PLACE TO LIVE. YOU KNOW, THE, THERE SHOULD BE RESPECT FROM THE APARTMENT OWNER OR THE HOMEOWNER TOWARD THE TENANT'S RIGHTS BECAUSE THEY DESERVE, UH, DECENT HOUSING. AT THE SAME TIME, THERE SHOULD BE RESPECT FROM THE TENANTS FOR THE APARTMENT OWNER OR THE PROPERTY OWNER SO THAT THEY CARE FOR THAT PROPERTY IN A CARING WAY. SO, YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK ANYONE SHOULD FEAR THE OUTCOMES OF THIS. I THINK EVERYBODY SHOULD BE CELEBRATING IT TOGETHER. I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION I WANTED TO ASK THE STAFF, UH, ON, UH, NOTICE OF TENANT'S RIGHTS DOCUMENT. I SEE AT THE BOTTOM OF THAT DOCUMENT, IT, UH, IT ASKS FOR THE NAME OF THE RESIDENT. UM, DOESN'T ASK FOR A SIGNATURE OR ANYTHING. WHY, WHY ARE WE ASKING FOR THAT? THANK YOU. UM, THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION, COUNCILMAN. THAT'S REALLY JUST AN ADMINISTRATIVE SECTION. SO IT'S NOT MEANT TO, UM, CREATE SOME TYPE OF RECORD IN TERMS OF, UM, A RESIDENT RECEIVING IT OR NOT, BECAUSE WE WANNA PROVIDE FLEXIBILITY FOR ALL OF OUR PROPERTY MANAGERS AND REALTORS AND, AND, UM, APARTMENT COMPLEXES. SO WHAT THEY CAN DO IS ALSO TAKE A PICTURE. IF THEY DON'T GET A SIGNATURE, THEY HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY OF, OF PROVIDING IT IN A WAY THAT IS APPROPRIATE FOR THAT THEIR INDIVIDUAL NEEDS. WELL, WHY WOULDN'T THE PROPERTY OWNER OR THE MANAGER'S NAME BE INCLUDED AS WELL? THE NAME OF THE RESIDENT IS INCLUDED. UM, BECAUSE WHEN THEY PROVIDE THE NOTICE OF THE NOTICE OF, UH, NONPAYMENT OF RENT, THE NOTICE TO VACATE DUE TO NONPAYMENT OF RENT, IT'S PROVIDING A VERY SPECIFIC TIME THAT DOES HAVE THE INFORMATION OF THE LANDLORD OR THE HOUSING PROVIDER. SO THIS DOES COME ATTACHED TO IT, BUT I THINK THAT IS A GOOD POINT. IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T CHANGE IF NEEDED. YEAH, JUST TO CLARIFY, IT CAME FROM THIS PARTICULAR UNIT AS WELL AS WITH THIS PARTICULAR RESIDENT. BUT OTHERWISE, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS JUST A QUESTION I HAD, BUT YOU KNOW, I'LL BE VERY PLEASED TO VOTE TO APPROVE THIS RESOLUTION. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE. COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ. THANK YOU. I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, BUT I WAS INSPIRED TO, UM, I WAS JUST THINKING AND LISTENING TO EVERYONE SPEAK AND, UM, I WANT TO ONCE AGAIN, UH, SPEAK TO THE ORGANIZERS. UM, THIS IS A RELATIVELY POLITICALLY CONVENIENT, POLITICALLY CONVENIENT THING FOR US TO DO. YOU DID THE ORGANIZING WORK, YOU MADE THIS EASY. WHAT YOU WERE ASKING FOR IS SOMETHING THAT IS WELL WITHIN OUR PURVIEW. IT'S EASY FOR US TO DO THIS, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE ALL EXCITED TO, EXCITED TO DO. UM, THERE'S GOING TO BE IN THIS MOVEMENT FOR HOUSING JUSTICE, FOR, UH, COMMUNITY SAFETY, FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE. THERE'S GONNA BE SO MANY MORE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE TO ASK OF US. AND I'M ASKING THAT YOU TAKE THIS WIN, BUT THAT YOU CONTINUE FIGHTING AND YOU CONTINUE HOLDING US ACCOUNTABLE TO THOSE THINGS THAT AREN'T GONNA BE AS EASY, THAT AREN'T GONNA BE AS POLITICALLY CONVENIENT, WHERE SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO GET INTO A FIGHT WITH THE STATE, OR WE HAVE TO GET INTO A FIGHT WITH SOME OTHER POWER THAT BE, BECAUSE NOT EVERY TASK AND NOT EVERY ACTION THAT THIS BODY SHOULD TAKE IS GOING TO BE POLITICALLY CONVENIENT. SO THANK YOU. BUT PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, UH, CARRY THIS VICTORY AND ALLOW IT TO MAKE YOU STRONGER IN HOLDING US ACCOUNTABLE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ. VERONICA, GO AHEAD. HI, I JUST WANNA CLARIFY COUNCILMAN COURAGE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTION. EARLIER, THE NOTICE OF TIME, THE NOTICE OF TENANT'S RIGHTS ORDINANCE DOES REQUIRE PHOTO EVIDENCE AT DELIVERY. SO THE NAME FIELDS ARE PART OF THAT. UM, HOWEVER, THERE'S ALSO A FINE ASSOCIATED, UH, DUE TO THE ORDINANCE. ALRIGHT, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? I'LL JUST MAKE A FEW CLOSING REMARKS. UM, WE HAVE ARTICULATED A VISION FOR HOUSING IN THE CITY. THAT EVERY FAMILY, EVERY FAMILY DESERVES A PLACE TO CALL HOME [02:00:01] WITH DIGNITY, SAFELY AND AFFORDABLY. NOW, WE HAVE DONE THAT COLLECTIVELY BECAUSE COMMUNITY FROM ALL CORNERS OF THE CITY HAVE GOTTEN TOGETHER TO ARTICULATE THAT VISION THROUGH SEVERAL OCCASIONS, THROUGH THE FRAMEWORK, THROUGH OUR STRATEGIC HOUSING IMPLEMENTATION PLAN AND IN MANY OTHER WAYS THAT WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO IMPLEMENT THIS. UH, IT ONLY WORKS THOUGH BECAUSE THERE IS A DEGREE OF POLITICAL FORTITUDE, UM, AND HOW THAT TAKES SHAPE CHANGES OVER TIME. UH, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO FURTHER THANK THE COMMUNITY WHO HAS SPOKEN OUT OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST DECADE ON ISSUES LIKE THIS. UH, OUR WORK TO PROVIDE FOR PROACTIVE RENTER, UH, COMMUNITY INSPECTIONS WAS NOT EASY. UH, THIS MAY SOUND EASY, BUT IT'S BEEN A LONG PROCESS FOR MANY PEOPLE. UH, THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE HAS INCLUDED COMMUNITY ALONG THE WAY. I MEAN, I THINK ABOUT, UH, THE PRESSURE THAT WAS INVOLVED FOR US TO REEVALUATE OUR INCENTIVE POLICIES FOR HOUSING, THAT IN MANY CASES WE'RE FORCING COMMUNITIES TO BE DISPLACED. I THINK ABOUT THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING IN MENTAL HEALTH AND CONNECTING RESIDENTS TO SERVICES SO THAT WE CAN GET THEM OFF THE STREET, UH, MORE, MORE EFFECTIVELY AND MORE EFFICIENTLY. I THINK ABOUT THE FACT THAT OUR COMMUNITY CAME OUT OVERWHELMINGLY TO CHANGE OUR CITY CHARTER, TO ALLOW US TO FINALLY BOND FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING. THEY CAME OUT AGAIN TO ALLOW US TO, UH, ACTUALLY, UH, SUBMIT THOSE BONDS AND NOW BEGIN TO BUILD PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, UH, AND OTHER, UH, TYPES OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING THROUGHOUT THIS COMMUNITY. EVERY STEP OF THE WAY, UH, IN A LONG MARCH TOWARDS HOUSING JUSTICE HAS INVOLVED THE COMMUNITY OF SAN ANTONIO, UH, WHICH COUNCIL MEMBER CASTRO, UH, QUITE ELOQUENTLY STATED. SO THIS IS ONE MOMENT TO MARK AGAIN, A UH, POINT OF PROGRESS. UH, BUT THERE WILL BE MORE AND I WOULD ASK ALL OF US AGAIN TO REMEMBER THAT WE HAVE DONE THIS BECAUSE WE'VE WORKED TOGETHER, UH, WITH THE STAFF, WITH OUR COUNCIL COLLEAGUES, UH, AND WITH THE COMMUNITY WHO'S ARTICULATED THOSE VERY IMPORTANT CONCERNS AND NEEDS. SO, UH, AGAIN, I'LL BE SUPPORTING THIS. UH, I LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, HOW, UH, OUR STAFF IS GONNA CONTINUE TO BRING FORWARD THE OTHER ITEMS IN OUR STRATEGIC HOUSING IMPLEMENTATION PLAN. REMEMBER, WE'RE ONLY IN YEAR TWO OF THE SHIP. WE'VE GOT A LONG WAY TO GO. AND, UH, I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO SEE SAN ANTONIO LEAD THE WAY IN WHAT IS NOW A NATIONAL HOUSING CRISIS AND SHOWING OTHER COMMUNITIES HOW WE CAN GET THINGS DONE. SO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER FOUR. PLEASE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES. ALRIGHT, MOVE [Miscellaneous  ] TO ITEM NUMBER 15. ITEM NUMBER 15, ANTONIO. BETTER QUALITY AND WITH DIGNITY. ITEM NUMBER 15 IS AN ORDINANCE APPROVING SUBSTANTIAL AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE TO THE FISCAL YEAR 2023 ANNUAL ACTION PLAN AND BUDGET FOR THE REPROGRAMMING OF FUNDS FROM THE US DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, HUD UP TO $1,400,000 IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANTS C D B G FUNDS TO THE Y W C A OF SAN ANTONIO'S WOMEN'S LIVE AND LEARN CAMPUS Y W C A W L L C AND UP TO $391,478 AND 7 CENTS IN HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM FUNDS TO THE OWNER OCCUPIED REHAB AND RECONSTRUCTION PROGRAM AND AUTHORIZING STAFF TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE FUNDING AGREEMENTS FOR THE Y W C A W L L C TOTALING UP TO $2,320,000 TO INCLUDE UP TO $1,400,000 FROM C D B G FUNDS. A $670,000 FORGIVABLE LOAN FROM THE INNER CITY INCENTIVE FUND UP TO $50,000 IN CITY FEE WAIVERS AND UP TO $200,000 IN SAS FEE WAIVERS. THANK YOU. UM, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO WOULD, WOULD YOU LIKE THE PRESENTATION? UH, NO PRESENTATION, BUT I MOVE TO APPROVE ITEM 15 SECOND. OKAY. ALRIGHT, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER 15. FLOOR [02:05:01] IS YOURS. ALL RIGHT, GREAT. IN MORGAN NEWS ON HOUSING IN SAN ANTONIO, AS WE THINK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF MENTAL HEALTH, WE MUST KEEP THE WORK ON ADDRESSING VIOLENCE IN OUR CITY IN ALL OF ITS FORMS, AND IT INCLUDES SUPPORTING VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE AS THEY TRY TO MOVE FORWARD. ITEM 15 IS A MAJOR STEP FORWARD ON TAKING THIS CHALLENGE HEAD ON. I'M VERY GRATEFUL TO SEE THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND SALAZAR COMING TOGETHER TO PROVIDE A TOTAL OF 2.3 MILLION TO CREATE TRANSITIONAL HOUSING AT THE YWCA'S. WOMEN LIVE AND LEARN CAMPUS FOR WOMEN AGES 18 TO 25, AND THEIR CHILDREN WHO ARE AT RISK OF BEING HOMELESS AND ARE FLEEING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, OR ARE AGING OUT OF THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM. FOR FOLKS TO EFFECTIVELY MOVE FORWARD FROM TRAUMATIC EXPERIMENT EXPERIENCES IN THEIR LIVES, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT THEY HAVE A SAFE AND QUALITY PLACE TO CALL HOME. WHAT'S SPECIAL ABOUT THIS INVESTMENT THOUGH, IS THAT IT'S A CAMPUS WILL NOT ONLY JUST PROVIDE 30 DEEPLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS, UM, IT'S ALSO GOING TO PROVIDE, UM, JOB TRAINING AND PLACEMENT, EDUCATIONAL SERVICES, COUNSELING SERVICES, HEALTHCARE, CHILDCARE AND ADULT EDUCATION, EVEN FINANCIAL LITERACY AND HOME OWNERSHIP AND RENTER TRAINING. THIS IS A CLEAR COMMITMENT BY OUR CITY TO EMPOWER YOUNG WOMEN AND THEIR CHILDREN WITH A STEP FORWARD TO A LIFE THAT THEY CAN LIVE AND CALL THEIR OWN. AND I COULDN'T BE PROUDER TO HAVE IT IN DISTRICT FIVE, UH, AND I FAILED TO THANK CITY STAFF ON THE LAST ITEM. WANTED TO THANK YOU ALL FOR THAT AND JUST THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING HERE IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. THOSE ARE ALL MY COMMENTS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO, COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND I I WANTED TO, AGAIN, THANK OUR, UH, PLANNING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE FOR ALL OF THE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE. BUT CONGRATULATIONS. WHY W C A AND I REMEMBER ABOUT A YEAR AGO, UM, SOME OF YOU ALL WERE OUT HERE AND YOU ALL WERE ADVOCATING IN SUPPORT, AND I'M JUST SO PROUD OF THE FACT THAT WE HAD SO MANY WOMEN THAT DAY THAT WANTED TO COME, TOOK TIME TO JUST BE AWAY FROM WORK OR BE AWAY FROM THEIR CHILDREN IN SOME CASES, AND ADVOCATE FOR OTHER WOMEN. AND I'M JUST SO INCREDIBLY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT, THAT FRANCESCA RATTER AND HER WHOLE TEAM DO ON A DAILY BASIS TO EMPOWER WOMEN AND CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THEM. UM, I'M AL ALSO VERY HAPPY. UH, EVERY TIME THAT I SEE YOUR MISSION STATEMENT, THE Y W C A IS DEDICATED TO ELIMINATING RACISM, EMPOWERING WOMEN, AND PROMOTING PEACE, JUSTICE, FREEDOM AND DIGNITY FOR ALL. AND TODAY, WE HELP YOU ALL ACHIEVE THAT MISSION. SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO A POSITIVE VOTE FROM MY COLLEAGUES. BUT AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS ON THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE THAT YOU WILL CONTINUE TO DO. AND I WANNA ESPECIALLY THANK ALL OF THE YOUNG WOMEN WHO ARE HERE TODAY WHO ARE PAVING THE PATH FOR YOUR, UH, LOVED ONES TO LIVE IN THESE WONDERFUL, BETTER LIVING CONDITIONS. AND I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU ARE HERE TODAY TO ADVOCATE FOR THOSE WHO DON'T HAVE A VOICE. SO THANK YOU, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CONGRATULATING YOU AFTER. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA, COUNCIL MEMBER GRO. THANK YOU. I WANNA CONGRATULATE YOU, UH, Y W C A IN, IN WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND HOW YOU'RE MOVING FORWARD. UM, AS YOU KNOW, UH, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS, IS IS AN ISSUE THAT I AM, UM, KEY IN ADVOCATING THAT WE CAN STOP. IT TAKES UP TO SEVEN CRITICAL INCIDENTS BEFORE A WOMAN DECIDES TO LEAVE AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP. AND YOU ARE PROVIDING THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO, TO LEARN THAT IT'S OKAY TO LEAVE. AND I'M SO EXCITED ABOUT THAT AND I WANNA CONGRATULATE IAN AND VERONICA AND THE TEAM FOR ALL THEIR HARD WORK AND EFFORT TO GET THIS DONE. AND, UM, COUNCILMAN CASTILLO FOR ALL HER WORK TO ALL HER WORK AND COUNCILMAN CAB HDA, ALSO TO MAKE SURE THAT, AND COUNCILMAN ROCHA GARCIA. 'CAUSE I THINK ALL THE WOMEN HERE HAVE ADVOCATED, AND I KNOW, UH, COUNCILMAN CASTRO HAS, HAS MADE THIS A, A MISSION OF HERS HER ENTIRE LIFE ALSO. SO WE ARE EXTREMELY PROUD FOR THE WORK YOU'RE DOING. AND THE ONLY WAY WE MOVE WOMEN FORWARD IS BY WORKING TOGETHER AND, AND THE HELP WITH OUR MALE ALLIES THAT SIT HERE ON THE DIOCESE. AND I'M SURE WE'LL VOTE THIS FORWARD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER VIVIE. COUNCIL MEMBER PAL. THANKS. AS YOU ALLALL KNOW, ONE IN THREE WOMEN IN SAN ANTONIO HAVE A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE STORY TO TELL, OR WILL HAVE A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE STORY TO TELL. UM, THAT'S AN OBSCENE NUMBER. UM, BUT IT'S OUR, IT'S OUR OBSCENE NUMBER. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I, UM, AM VERY GRATEFUL FOR IS FRANCESCA DERRY'S, UH, WILLINGNESS TO EMBRACE THIS, UH, THIS CHALLENGE AND TO FACE IT HEAD ON. UM, YOU, WE ARE ALL VERY LUCKY TO HAVE SOMEBODY LIKE HER IN SAN ANTONIO WHO, UM, TIRELESSLY FIGHTS FOR THE, FOR THE RIGHTS OF, OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE PEOPLE. AND I, I CAN'T IMAGINE ANYBODY BEING MORE VULNERABLE THAN, UH, BEING BEAT UP AND HURT AT HOME. AND, UH, HAVING VERY, VERY FEW OPTIONS AND VERY FEW PEOPLE, UM, THAT THEY KNOW WHO ARE WILLING TO, TO HELP THEM [02:10:01] OUT. UM, TODAY, WITH THIS VOTE, WE'RE, UM, WE'RE CONFIRMING THAT THERE ARE, UM, NOW TODAY MORE RESOURCES THAN BEFORE, UH, TO, UM, TO HELP ALL THE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AND GOOD PEOPLE IN SAN ANTONIO WHO WHO'VE BEEN FIGHTING THIS FIGHT FOR, FOR MANY DECADES. UM, FRANCESCA, YOU AND YOUR TEAM, YOU GUYS ARE MY HEROES. UH, AND I'M, I'M PROUD OF EVERY SINGLE ONE OF 'EM, AND I'M PROUD TO CALL YOU ALL FRIENDS AND ALLIES IN THIS FIGHT. UH, I WILL ALSO USE THIS MOMENT TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT YOU KNOW, THE, UM, THE COUNCILWOMAN IN, IN THIS DISTRICT, UM, YOU, YOU GOT A LOT OF HEAT, UH, FROM YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS, AND YOU STOOD STRONG, UM, IN THE FACE OF NIMBY. UM, THERE'S NOTHING, UH, MORE TOXIC IN, IN, UH, INSTANCES LIKE THIS THAN, THAN NIMBY UM, PEOPLE PROMISED, OH MY GOSH, IF YOU DO THIS, IT'S GONNA, WAS IT REDUCE THE VALUES OF MY HOME. AND IF YOU DO THIS, IT'S GONNA KILL US. AND, UM, I'M, UH, I HAVE A FEELING THAT THE LETTERS THAT THEY ALL GOT FROM BEXAR COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT THIS WEEK CONFIRMS THAT, UH, THE VALUES OF THEIR HOME HAVE NOT, UH, FALLEN, BUT HAVE IN FACT HAVE, HAVE RISEN. AND, UH, I, UM, I, I, I THINK THAT YOU GUYS ARE AN IMPORTANT ADDITION TO ANY PART OF TOWN. AND SO, FRANCESCA, WHEN IT'S TIME TO EXPAND, UH, YOUR PROGRAM, UH, I INVITE YOU TO, TO COME LOOK AT DISTRICT EIGHT. WE NEED, WE NEED FACILITIES LIKE THIS UP IN DISTRICT EIGHT AS WELL. AND MY, MY HOPE IS, IS THAT WHEN I'M FACED WITH, WITH A NIMBY FIGHT OVER WHETHER OR NOT TO HELP, UM, WOMEN WHO NEED THIS KIND OF HELP, UM, MY HOPE IS, IS THAT I CAN COUNT ON MY COLLEAGUES TO, UM, HELP ME FIGHT THE NIMBY FIGHT, UM, WHICH IS AN HONORABLE FIGHT TO FIGHT. SO THANK YOU COUNCILMAN MC CASTILLO FOR STANDING STRONG FOR HELPING THESE FOLKS. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER PELA, FOR TAKING THE WORDS RIGHT OUT OF MY MOUTH, UM, BECAUSE I WANTED TO SAY WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES. THANK YOU TO Y M C A FOR, OR Y W C A FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO. BUT I DO REMEMBER THAT DEBATE LAST YEAR. AND WHILE WE'RE SPEAKING ABOUT POLITICAL FORTITUDE AND THE NECESSARY, UH, OF THE, THE, THE NECESSITY IT IS AND ACHIEVING OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING GOALS, UH, IN OUR CITY, UH, EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THESE, UH, DEVELOPMENTS OR PROJECTS OR, UH, POLICY CHANGES REQUIRES, UH, THAT STEEL IN YOUR SPINE, UH, WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO SOMETIMES NEIGHBORHOOD DEBATES. AND LAST YEAR, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO DEMONSTRATED THAT FOR ALL OF US, AND RECOGNIZING THAT THIS WAS A CRITICALLY IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENT, UH, AND WE WERE GONNA FACE A LITTLE BIT OF HEAT PERHAPS, UH, BUT IT WAS CERTAINLY THE RIGHT THING TO DO. SO, UH, I THINK, UH, I WANT TO TELL YOU, CONGRATULATIONS ON THIS, UH, BOTH TO THE Y W C A, BUT ALSO TO DISTRICT FIVE AND COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO, UH, FOR THAT WORK. THESE ARE THE KINDS OF DECISIONS I THINK, THAT WE'RE GONNA BE FACED WITH FOR DECADES TO COME IF WE'RE GONNA ACHIEVE OUR VISION, UH, THAT EVERYONE DESERVES A PLACE TO CALL HOME. SO GLAD TO SUPPORT IT. AND, UM, WITH THAT, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM 15. PLEASE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES. ALRIGHT, THAT'S THE BALANCE OF OUR MORNING AGENDA. THERE, THERE ISN'T AN EXECUTIVE SESSION, UH, BUT WE DO HAVE A ZONING SESSION AT TWO O'CLOCK. UH, WE ALSO HAVE TO RECONVENE HERE AT 1 45 FOR A PICTURE OF THIS COUNCIL. AND THEN, UH, BEFORE WE DO THAT, ERIC, IS THERE A CITY [City Manager's Report  ] MANAGER'S REPORT? YES, SIR. THANK, YES, SIR. THANK YOU. UH, THREE ITEMS. UH, ONE, I WANTED TO GIVE A 2023 VITA, UH, WRAP UP. UM, REMEMBER, UH, TAX DAY JUST, UH, SURPASSED US HERE MID-APRIL AND OUR VITA PROGRAM, OUR VOLUNTEER INCOME TAX ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, WHICH OPERATED, UM, OUT OF EIGHT SITES. AND I WANTED TO SHARE THE STATS. UH, WE HELPED, UH, ALMOST 22,000 TAXPAYERS THIS LAST TAX SEASON, UH, PREPARING THEIR, THEIR TAXES. UH, UH, THOSE 20, ALMOST 22,000 TAXPAYERS RETURNED, UH, $28.3 MILLION IN TOTAL REFUNDS BACK TO SAN ANTONIO, AND AN ADDITIONAL $14 MILLION IN CHILD TAX CREDITS. UH, TO THOSE, THOSE INDIVIDUALS, IT SAVED THOSE ALMOST 22,000 INDIVIDUALS, ABOUT $5 MILLION IN TAX PREPARATION FEES. SO THAT CONTINUES TO BE A, A, UM, AN IMPORTANT EFFORT THAT THE CITY, UH, DOES EVERY YEAR, ALONG WITH UNITED WAY CATHOLIC CHARITIES AND A, A COUPLE OF OTHER COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS. UM, SECONDLY, AND YOU PROBABLY SAW THE MEDIA ON IT, BUT I DID WANNA HIGHLIGHT, UH, THAT OUR COOL PAVEMENT PROJECT HAS BEGUN, UH, PUBLIC WORKS AND THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY HAVE BEGUN, UM, IMPLEMENTING THAT YOU'LL SEE MORE AS YOU AS WE START TO ACTUALLY DO THE SURFACE TREATMENT. IT'S BEGUN, UH, IT IS IN ALL COUNT, ALL 10 COUNCIL DISTRICTS, AND WE'LL BE MONITORING, UH, BOTH HEAT IMPACT PRIOR AND AFTER. UH, AND WORKING CLOSELY WITH U T S A [02:15:01] TO STUDY THAT OVER SIX MONTHS OR THE NEXT SIX MONTHS, WE HAVE A REALLY COOL INTERACTIVE MAP ONLINE THAT SHOWS WHERE THOSE, UH, STREETS ARE AT. AND THEN WE WILL INCLUDE, UH, A GENERAL UPDATE ON THE OVERALL PROGRAM ON MAY 31ST AT THE B SESSION WHERE WE'RE GONNA UPDATE THE COUNCIL ON ALL OF OUR RESILIENCY EFFORTS. AND THEN, UH, LAST ITEM IS OUR, UH, EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT VIDEO. THIS IS ONE THAT I ASKED THE STAFF TO GO DO. I WAS, UH, WALKING INTO THE AIRPORT LAST, UH, FALL, UM, FOR A MEETING UP IN JESUS'S OFFICE. AND, UH, THERE WAS AN OFFICER THERE WHO, FROM S A P D, WHO WAS THERE, UM, HELPING A, A NUMBER OF MIGRANTS. AND AS I WALKED BY, I SAID, GOOD MORNING. AND, UM, AND HE SAID, GOOD MORNING, SIR. BUT THE WAY HE SAID IT KIND OF STRUCK ME AND I STOPPED AND I WAITED TILL HE WAS DONE. UM, AND UM, WELL, LISTEN, WATCH THE VIDEO. YOU'LL SEE, YOU'LL SEE WHY, YOU'LL SEE WHY HE CAUGHT MY ATTENTION. I'VE BEEN, UH, AN OFFICER WITH THE SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR 13 YEARS, AND I'M CURRENTLY A DETECTIVE WITH THE ROBBERY TASK FORCE. WE RESPOND TO EVERY ROBBERY THAT COMES OUT DURING OUR, OUR SHIFT. UM, WHETHER IT'S A BUSINESS OR A PERSON OR A CARJACKING, WE GO OUT TO, TO EACH SCENE. UH, AND THEN WE DO THE FOLLOW-UP INVESTIGATION AS WELL. I WAS A POLICEMAN IN LONDON, IN ENGLAND BEFORE I MOVED HERE. MY GRANDFATHER WAS A POLICEMAN IN LONDON. MY BROTHER IS A POLICEMAN, MY COUSIN'S A POLICEMAN, SO IT RUNS IN OUR FAMILY. MY GRANDFATHER WAS MY ROLE MODEL. HE WAS A POLICEMAN. SO GROWING UP, I USED TO SEE HIM IN HIS UNIFORM, USED TO SEE HIM GOING TO WORK, HE WOULD TAKE US TO HIS POLICE STATIONS AND LET US, YOU KNOW, CHECK OUT THE POLICE CARS AND TURN THE SIRENS ON AND STUFF LIKE THAT. SO ONCE I MOVED HERE, THERE WAS ONLY REALLY ONE JOB I WAS EVER GONNA DO. WASN'T ABLE TO JOIN THE DEPARTMENT RIGHT AWAY. SO I WAS A DISPATCHER FOR THREE YEARS AND THEN A C S I, CIVILIAN C S I FOR THREE YEARS BEFORE GETTING ON. SO I'VE BEEN WITH THE CITY FOR 20 YEARS, PRETTY MUCH WITH EVERYTHING GOING ON AROUND THE WORLD. IF YOU COMPARE POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR POLICE DEPARTMENT, EVEN MY OLD POLICE DEPARTMENT IN LONDON, I THINK SAN ANTONIO, UM, REALLY ARE SETTING THE STANDARDS. THERE'S ALSO A REFLECTION OF THE CITY. IT'S DEFINITELY BUSIER, IT'S GROWN, IT'S BIGGER, BEING INNOVATIVE AND, AND, AND TRYING TO KEEP UP WITH THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY, THE LATEST, LATEST INVESTIGATIVE TECHNIQUE. RIGHT NOW, FOR INSTANCE, WE HAVE A DRONE UNIT. AND SO WE'RE NOT A CITY THAT'S LOOKING TO THE PAST. WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT FALLING BEHIND. I THINK WE'RE A CITY THAT'S LEADING THE WAY. SO WHAT, WHAT DETECTIVE DREW DIDN'T SAY WAS THAT, SO HE, HE MET AND MARRIED A, A, A WOMAN FROM SAN ANTONIO, AND THAT'S HOW HE ENDED UP BACK HERE. BUT, UM, I WANTED TO, IT HAS SUCH A UNIQUE STORY. I, I, I STOOD THERE IN THE TERMINAL AND TALKED TO HIM FOR A LONG TIME AND, AND THOUGHT THAT THAT IS, THAT IS REALLY COOL. I DIDN'T KNOW THAT WE HAD SOMEBODY IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT HAD, UM, BEEN HERE FOR AS LONG AS THEY'D BEEN HERE, UM, AND HAD BEEN A POLICE OFFICER IN LONDON. SO THANKS A LOT, MAYOR. THAT'S, THAT'S IT FOR TODAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, ERIC. FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A WHILE, WE DON'T HAVE ANY BIRTHDAYS TO CELEBRATE. SO IT'S 11:22 AM ON THE FOURTH DAY OF MAY, 2023, AND OUR A SESSION IS NOW ADJOURNED. SEE EVERYBODY BACK AT 1 45. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.