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>> GARCIA: GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. WELCOME TO THE PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING FOR AUGUST 22. WE'LL START OFF WITH A ROLL CALL.
>> CLERK: MA'AM, WE HAVE A QUORUM. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND THE FIRST ITEM IS PUBLIC COMMENT.
AND WE HAVE TWO PEOPLE WHO ARE SIGNED UP -- OH. WE'LL START OFF WITH THE
[Approval of Minutes ]
APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FOR JUNE 27, 2024. AND I HOPE YOU ALL HAVE HADA CHANCE TO REVIEW THEM. >> COURAGE: I MOVE THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM
JUNE 27TH. >> GARCIA: THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND.
[Public Comment ]
ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> NOW IT'S PUBLIC COMMENT. WE HAVE TWO PEOPLE WHO ARE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
KYLE WARD ON AGENDA ITEM NO. 3, FOLLOWED BY MARTA TORRES ON AGENDA ITEM NO. 5.
KYLE. >> GOOD MORNING. THE SAN ANTONIO APARTMENT ASSOCIATION, SAAA, IS A NONPROFIT TRADE ASSOCIATION THAT REPRESENTS AND SERVES THE MULTIFAMILY AND RENTAL HOUSING INDUSTRY. OUR MISSION IS TO ENGAGE IN THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS, PROMOTE PROFESSIONALISM THROUGH EDUCATION, FOSTER COMMUNICATION AMONG OUR MEMBERS, AND SUPPORT THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES.
LAST YEAR, THE DISTRICT 2 CITY COUNCIL OFFICE REACHED OUT TO SAAA FOR FEEDBACK ON AN INITIATIVE AIMED AT SUPPORTING FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE RENTING THEIR HOMES OR APARTMENTS AND ARE INTERESTED IN FOSTERING OR ADOPTING A DOG.
WE WERE EXCITED TO BE INVOLVED AND TO OFFER OUR INSIGHTS ON THIS IMPORTANT PROPOSAL. WE UNDERSTAND THE CITY IS FACING SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES, INCLUDING THE CRISIS OF STRAY AND ROAMING ANIMALS, HIGH EUTHANASIA RATES DUE TO SHELTER CAPACITY ISSUES, AND THE INCREASING COST OF LIVING.
OUR MEMBERS RECOGNIZE THE NEED TO SUPPORT RENTERS WHO WISH TO FOSTER OR ADOPT A DOG AS THEY STRIVE TO LEAD FULFILLING LIVES THAT SOMETIMES INCLUDES A FOUR-LEGGED FAMILY MEMBER. A PROGRAM LIKE THIS CAN PROVIDE CRUCIAL RELIEF TO VULNERABLE POPULATIONS WHO WISH TO FOSTER OR OWN A PET WHILE REMAINING COMPLIANT WITH RENTAL PROPERTY REGULATIONS. UNFORTUNATELY, SOME RENTERS BRING PETS INTO THEIR HOMES WITHOUT PERMISSION, RISKING EVICTION IF THEY FAIL TO ADHERE TO PET DEPOSIT PROCEDURES. THIS PROPOSED PROGRAM COULD OFFER MUCH-NEEDED ASSISTANCE, ALLOWING RESIDENTS TO CONTINUE LIVING IN THEIR HOMES WITH THEIR PET COMPANIONS. WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE THE CITY TO COLLABORATE WITH DISTRICT 2, THIS COMMITTEE, AND STAKEHOLDERS SUCH AS THE SAN ANTONIO APARTMENT ASSOCIATION TO DEVELOP A PET DEPOSIT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
THIS INITIATIVE WOULD AID RENTING RESIDENTS WHO CHOOSE TO FOSTER OR ADOPT A PET FROM THE CITY'S ANIMAL CARE SERVICES SHELTER OR PARTNER SHELTERS.
PROVIDING RESIDENTS WHO MAY HAVE UNDISCLOSED PETS A PATH TO COME INTO COMPLIANCE WITHOUT FEAR OF EVICTION. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND WE LOOK
FORWARD TO WORKING TOGETHER ON THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, MR. WARD. MARTA TORRES.
>> GOOD MORNING. I WAS ASKED TO SPEAK BECAUSE OF A SITUATION THAT HAPPENED TO US ON JUNE 20, 2022. WE HAD A BUILDER BUILDING FIVE THREE STORY HOMES.
HIS EMPLOYEES BROKEN THE WATER LINE THAT LED TO OUR HOUSE.
IT WAS ON THE EASEMENT . THEY CHARGED US $2,000 IF WE WANTED TO HAVE THE WATER TURNED ON BECAUSE THEY WENT TO SAWS AND SAWS GAVE THEM THE WATER METER.
AFTER WE HAD BEEN WITH THAT WATER METER OVER 30 YEARS. WITHOUT ASKING US OR DEBATING ANYTHING ABOUT IT. WHEN WE CALLED SAWS, THEY SAID THIS IS NORMAL BECAUSE THE WATER METER IS IN THE EASEMENT IN FRONT OF THEIR PROPERTY THAT THEY PURCHASED. WE CAN GIVE IT TO THEM. SO WE WERE WITHOUT WATER FOR
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FIVE MONTHS. FOR US TO BE ABLE TO INSTALL WATER FROM ONE DAY TO THE NEXT, THE LANDLORD NEXT DOOR SAID YOU HAVE TO PAY ME $2,000 AND I'LL TURN THE WATER ON. WE PAID HIM THE $2,000. IN THREE DAYS HE SENT US A CONTRACT AND SAID I GIVE YOU 24 HOURS TO SIGN MY CONTRACT.YOU'RE GOING TO SHOW ME YOUR WATER BILL AND YOU'RE GOING TO PREPAY ME FOR YOUR WATER EVERY MONTH OUR COMPANY. THE COMPANY IS MR. BETO SEPULVEDA.
HE HAS CONTINUED TO BUILD THERE. WE PAID OUR $2,000.
HE SENT US THAT CONTRACT SAYING WE WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL WATER BILLS. WE DID NOT SIGN IT SO HE DID TURN OFF THE WATER.
AND SO BEGAN OUR JOURNEY OF TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE GET A WATER METER.
WE'RE LIVING IN THE MIDDLE OF DOWNTOWN. THE PRICING WAS RIDICULOUS.
SAWS CHARGED US $4,500 JUST FOR THE WATER METER ALONE. THIS DID NOT INCLUDE THE PLUMBERS THAT HAD TO COME AND CONNECT. AND THEN BECAUSE OUR STREET IS RATED A 96 POINT INDEX, WHICH MEANS IT IS PRETTY NEW.
IT WAS JUST REPAVED TWO YEARS AGO, WE HAD TO PAY AN ADDITIONAL 30 TO $40,000 JUST TO BE ABLE TO CUT A PIECE OF THE STREET TO GET INTO THE MAIN LINE.
THIS HAS BEEN VERY CHALLENGING. WE HAVE KNOCKED ON MANY DOORS AND THE CITY AND MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVE COME TOGETHER TO HELP US BUT MY DILEMMA IS THAT HOW CAN SAWS JUST GIVE AWAY A WATER METER? THEY SAID THEY DO THIS ALL THE TIME. THAT MANY PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING THROUGH A DIVORCE CAN JUST CALL AND SAY, HEY, I'M MOVING.
CLOSE MY WATER AND OPEN A NEW ONE. THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE.
WE WERE CLIENTS WITH THEM FOR 30 YEARS AND THEY JUST CLOSED OUR ACCOUNT.
SO I THINK SOMETHING NEEDS TO CHANGE. HOW CAN WE LIVE DOWNTOWN AND NOT HAVE A WATER METER AND BE COLLECTING WATER WHEN IT RAINS IN BUCKETS?
>> GARCIA: THANK YOU, MS. TORRES.
>> COULD COMMENT SO I WAS KIND OF GOING TO TAKE THAT ACTION UP.
[Briefing and Possible Action on ]
WONDERFUL. THANK YOU. WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM NO. 2, WHICH IS BRIEFING AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON A CCR REGARDING THE CREATION ON ACODE COMPLIANCE STRATEGIC PLAN THAT I SUBMITTED. >> HOUSTON: BEFORE AMIN STARTS, I WANT TO MENTION THAT THIS IS AN ITEM THAT THANKS TO YOUR CCR WAS BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION. IN 2012 WHEN WE MERGED CODE COMPLIANCE AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, WE DID DO A SIMILAR PROCESS WHERE WE DID A STRATEGIC PLAN, DID A COMPLETE REVIEW OF ALL OF OUR CODES, IDENTIFIED IMPROVEMENTS THAT NEED TO BE DONE. BUT THAT WAS IN 2012. AND SO IT'S TIME FOR US TO REVIEW THAT AGAIN AND DO SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THAT PROCESS.
AND SO THIS CCR THIS IS SOMETHING WE HAD DONE IN 2012 AS A RESULT OF THAT MERGER.
WE HAVE DONE A LOT OF THOSE IMPROVEMENTS BUT IT IS TIME FOR A REFRESH OF THAT AND SO --Y INCLUDED IN OUR FISCAL YEAR '25 PROPOSED BUDGET, SO IT IS, HOPEFULLY, FUNDED.
BUT I'M GOING TO PASS IT OVER AMIN TO JUST KIND OF BRAG ABOUT HOW FAR THEY'VE COME SINCE 2012, SINCE THAT MERGER AND WHAT THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH.
>> THANK YOU, LORI. ANY QUESTIONS? [LAUGHTER]
THAT IS THE PRESENTATION. >> MOTION TO APPROVE. >> GOOD MORNING, CHAIR, COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS AMIN TOHMAZ. WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE CODE ENFORCEMENT STRATEGIC PLAN. CHAIR ROCHA GARCIA DID SUBMIT A CCR IN 2023 AND THE MAIN REASON WAS CODE ENFORCEMENT WAS ADDED AS A HIGH PRIORITY IN THE BUDGET. WE HAD ABOUT 50% OF THE RESPONDENTS, THEY SAID THAT CODE ENFORCEMENT NEEDS WERE NOT MET OR PARTIALLY MET. SO OBVIOUSLY WE NEED TO DO SOME WORK THERE. THE REQUEST IS TO CREATE A MULTI-PHASE STRATEGIC PLAN
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FOR CODE ENFORCEMENT AND DEFINITELY TO INCLUDE THE STAKEHOLDERS, THE COMMUNITY, AND NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS. SOME OF THE ITEMS TO CONSIDER IN THE CCR IS DEFINITELY COMMUNITY INPUT. SO OBVIOUSLY THE STRATEGIC PLAN PROCESS WILL SEEK COMMUNITY INPUT. THAT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST ONES. THE GOAL HERE IS TO REEVALUATE CURRENT OPERATION PROCEDURES TO ALIGN THEM WITH NEW GOALS AND TECHNOLOGY.AGAIN, THROUGHOUT THE YEARS THINGS CHANGE AND WE WANT TO LINE UP EVERYTHING WE DO WITH NEW TECHNOLOGY OR NEW GOALS THAT WE COME UP WITH. STREAMLINE THE PROCESS.
THAT IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST ONES AS WELL. WE WANT TO MAXIMIZE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN CODE ENFORCEMENT, RESIDENTS, AND COUNCIL OFFICES.
CREATE EDUCATION MATERIAL FOR COMMON CODE VIOLATIONS, TOOLS AVAILABLE FOR CITIZENS TO UTILIZE, AND HOW THE PROCESS WORKS. THOSE ARE ALL BIG ITEMS THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON. REVIEW BEST PRACTICES FROM OTHER CITIES AND TO BALANCE THE PROACTIVE AND REACTIVE CASES.
AS LORI SAID IN 2012 CODE ENFORCEMENT MERGED WITH DSD AND WE KIND OF WENT THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND WE GOT RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WERE APPROVED BY COUNCIL.
MOST OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS OR ALL OF THEM WERE IMPLEMENTED.
IN REGARDS TO COMMUNITY INPUT, FOR EXAMPLE, WE DID CREATE A NEIGHBORHOOD CODE ENFORCEMENT TASK FORCE IN 2012 AND THE GOAL WAS TO CREATE THAT COMMUNICATION AND COLLABORATION WITH, YOU KNOW, NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION LEADERS ACROSS THE CITY. IT WASN'T ONE DISTRICT, IT'S THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE CITY.
AND THAT TASK FORCE HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL THROUGHOUT THE YEARS.
THIS LAST YEAR WE KIND OF PAUSED. WE DIDN'T CANCEL IT, WE JUST PAUSED IT FOR NOW BECAUSE WE KNOW WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH THE STRATEGIC PLAN TO SEE DO WE WANT TO KEEP IT, DO WE WANT TO MODIFY IT, ANY CHANGES.
SO JUST FYI ON THAT. WE DID IMPLEMENT A HARDSHIP APPLICATION IN 2016.
AND THAT WILL HELP ANY CITIZENS THAT THEY LIVED IN THEIR PROPERTY FOR OVER 20 YEARS OR IF THEY'RE ELDERLY OR IF THEY HAVE HARDSHIP, FINANCIAL NEEDS.
WE GIVE THEM BASICALLY A PROCESS SO THEY CAN APPLY AGAIN IN NINE MORE MONTHS.
BASICALLY WE KIND OF PAUSE THE PROCESS FOR ANY DP CASE WE HAVE AND ALLOW THEM NINE MONTHS TO GET THEIR ACT TOGETHER AND FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO AS FAR AS NEXT STEPS. VACANT LOTS. THERE WAS A QUESTION ABOUT PRIORITIES FOR VACANT LOTS. VACANT LOTS, THE GOAL IS ALWAYS THREE THINGS: CUT, CLEAN, AND SECURE. THAT'S WHAT WE NORMALLY DO. WHEN WE SEE A VACANT LOT THAT NEEDS TO BE SECURED, GRASS NEEDS TO BE CUT AND NEEDS TO BE CLEANED.
THERE'S NO ILLEGAL DUMPING OR OUTSIDE PLACEMENT. NOW WE DO HAVE SOME PRIORITIES FOR THAT SO IF THE GRASS IS TALLER THAN 48 INCHES, THAT BECOMES A PRIORITY. WE TAKE CARE OF THAT. IF IT'S NEAR A SCHOOL, WE TAKE CARE OF THAT AS WELL. WE HAVE SOME PROPERTIES THAT WE EXPEDITE THE VACANT LOT PROCESS IF WE HAVE CONDITIONS. AGAIN, SCHOOLS OR REALLY TALL GRASS OR IF IT'S INSECURE. THAT'S ONE OF THE KEYS.
IN REGARDS TO FORMALIZING ANNUAL NOTICES TO COUNCIL OFFICES.
AGAIN, THAT'S A BIG ONE. I KNOW I WANT TO CALL IT INFORMAL COMMUNICATION.
WE DO THAT ALL DAY LONG EVERY DAY WITH EVERY COUNCIL OFFICE, IF WE NEED TO.
WE HAVE BEEN ACTUALLY LOOKING INTO IT AND WE ARE LOOKING AT CREATING A DASHBOARD THROUGH POWER BI THAT DOES LIST ALL THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE ALL THE CODE CASES SO IT WILL BE VERY TRANSPARENT FOR COUNCIL OFFICES AND FOR THE CITIZENS. THAT'S KIND OF IN THE WORKS. THAT WILL DEFINITELY BE ONE OF THE ITEMS FOR THE STRATEGIC PLAN. EDUCATION-WISE AND MATERIALS THAT WE DO PROVIDE, WE DO HAVE, AGAIN, BROCHURES, DOOR HANGERS, FLIERS.
WE DO HAVE THE FLIER FOR THE TOOL SHED TO TELL PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE A TOOL SHED.
WE HAVE SOME TOOLS AVAILABLE FOR THEM TO UTILIZE. SO, AGAIN, EVERY COUPLE OF YEARS WE GO THROUGH THOSE AND WE UPDATE THEM, SPECIFICALLY, FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE A DOCUMENT THAT GIVES INFORMATION ABOUT HELP.
SAWS CONTACT, CPS CONTACT, NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING SERVICES, ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES, AND SO ON. WE DO GO THROUGH THAT LIST EVERY COUPLE OF YEARS BECAUSE SOME OF THE CONTACTS CHANGE. BUT WITH THIS STRATEGIC PLAN THAT WILL BE A BIG ITEM THAT WE'RE GOING TO REVAMP AND HOPEFULLY COME UP WITH BETTER SOLUTIONS. BALANCING THE PROACTIVE AND REACTIVE CASES.
IN 2013 WE DID THAT. WE CREATED THE PERFORMANCE MEASURE FOR PROACTIVE CASES AND IT WAS AT 50%. AND THROUGHOUT THE YEARS IN 2019 AND 2020 WE DID CHANGE THAT TO 65%. AND, AGAIN, THAT WILL BE REVIEWED DURING THIS PROCESS TO SEE IF THAT GOAL IS STILL ALIGNED WITH THE PRIORITIES WE HAVE.
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THE LAST ONE IS REVIEW BEST PRACTICES FROM OTHER CITIES. WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF THAT. WE STARTED THAT PROCESS THE MINUTE WE GOT THE CCR SO WE ARE WORKING ON THAT. OBVIOUSLY WE WILL BRING THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS TO YOU ONCE WE ARE READY. I WANT TO BRAG ABOUT CODE ENFORCEMENT.I KNOW LORI SAID THAT BUT WE ARE THE FIRST IN TEXAS, CODE ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT THAT RECEIVED AN ACCREDITATION FROM INTERNATIONAL ACCREDITATION SERVICES AND WE ARE THE FOURTH NATIONWIDE , SO I THINK WE ARE THE LEADERS IN THIS.
WE GOT THAT CERTIFICATION IN 2018. BASICALLY IAS IS AN ORGANIZATION, IT'S AN INDEPENDENT ORGANIZATION THAT REVIEWS ALL THE PROCESSES WE HAVE, PROCEDURES, TO MAKE SURE WE ARE CONSISTENT WITH WHAT WE DO, THE QUALITY OF THE STANDARDS WE HAVE, AND WE ARE FOLLOWING LOCAL LAWS, ORDINANCES, STATE LAW, AND ANYTHING RELATED WITH PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODES.
SO, AGAIN, WE WENT THROUGH THAT REVIEW IN 2018. WE WERE AWARDED THAT CERTIFICATION. SO, AGAIN, WE ARE REALLY PROUD OF IT.
EVERY THREE YEARS THEY GO THROUGH THE PROCESS TO EITHER RENEW IT OR TAKE IT AWAY, SO WE HAVE DONE IT IN '21 AND WE STILL HAVE IT AND NOW THEY ARE GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS IN 2024 AND I DON'T SEE A REASON WHY WE'RE NOT GOING TO KEEP IT.
AGAIN, WE WERE THE FIRST IN TEXAS, FOURTH IN THE NATION. TALKING ABOUT THE BUDGET SURVEY. SO WE DID A BUDGET SURVEY FOR FY25 RECENTLY, SEVERAL MONTHS AGO. LEVEL WENT UP TREMENDOUSLY SO WE'RE AT 72%.
COMPARED TO ANY OTHER CITY IN TEXAS, EVERYBODY ELSE IN THE 30S.
SO THE SATISFACTION RATE FOR CODE ENFORCEMENT PROCESSES IS CURRENTLY REALLY GOOD.
COMPARE THAT RESULT FROM FY23, SO IN '23 WE WERE AT THE 57% AS THE CCR MENTIONED. WE WERE IN THE 50S. BUT AS I SAID NOW, SEVERAL MONTHS AGO WE DID ANOTHER SURVEY AND WE JUMPED UP 15%. WE WENT TO 72%.
SO I THINK WE ARE DOING AWESOME BUT GOING THROUGH THE STRATEGIC PLAN WILL DEFINITELY HELP US TO STREAMLINE EVERYTHING AND MAKE SURE WE ARE ON THE RIGHT TRACK. SO BASICALLY OUR RECOMMENDATION IS TO UNDERGO ANOTHER REVIEW AND UPDATE SIMILAR TO WHAT WE DID IN 2012.
AND IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET, WE DID PUT $50,000 TO HIRE A CONSULTANT TO ASSIST US WITH REVIEWING AND UPDATING EXISTING PROCESSES, GOALS, PERFORMANCE MEASURES, BASED ON THE FEEDBACK WE OBTAIN FROM THE COMMUNITY AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS.
DEFINITELY WE WILL BE COMING BACK TO PCDC TO PROVIDE UPDATES THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS. THAT'S EVERYTHING I HAVE. ANY QUESTIONS?
>> GARCIA: THANK YOU, AMIN. AND THANK YOU.
I'M EXCITED ABOUT BEING ABLE TO HAVE A REVIEW. A MUCH-NEEDED REVIEW.
IT'S ALWAYS IMPORTANT TO CONTINUE TO SEE WHERE WE CAN CONTINUE TO IMPROVE AND I WANTED TO MAKE SURE I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT I DIDN'T WANT TO GIVE THE IMPRESSION THAT OUR CODE OFFICERS WEREN'T DOING THEIR JOB. I THINK THEY DO A WONDERFUL JOB. AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE HAD OUR BUDGET TOWN HALL MEETING ON MONDAY EVENING AND WE HAD THE CODE TEAM HEAR ABOUT A CASE, A DUMPING CASE, AND THEY WENT OUT AND TOOK CARE OF IT AND ADDRESSED IT. AND SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR BEING SO RESPONSIVE. AND THEN I ALSO KNOW THAT THERE WAS SOMEWHAT OF A LOWER PUBLIC APPROVAL RATING A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, SO I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT THAT IS INCREASING. BUT, WITH THAT, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO THINK ABOUT SOLUTIONS AND ABOUT HOW TO HELP THOSE THAT MAYBE ARE IN NEED OF GUIDANCE WHEN TO FOLLOW THE CODE AND PAY SOME OF THE FINES THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
I THINK IT'S GOING TO GREATLY HELP US AS WE MODERNIZE AND REVIEW AND REVAMP THE CODE TO WORK WITH PEOPLE WHO LIVE THROUGH THIS EVERY SINGLE DAY.
AND HELP OTHERS GET THROUGH IT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS SO I'LL OPEN IT UP TO
COMMENTS FROM MY COLLEAGUES. COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. CAN WE GET A LIST OF THE VACANCIES THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN CODE COMPLIANCE, WHETHER IT'S THE INSPECTORS, DANGEROUS PREMISES OFFICERS, THINGS LIKE THAT? THE OTHER IS CODE IS SO IMPORTANT TO SO MANY OF MY RESIDENTS AND THEY'RE VERY POPULAR ON BOTH SIDES.
BUT I THINK THIS IS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR US, NOT JUST TO REVAMP AND LOOK AT THE STRATEGIC PLAN BUT ALSO TO SEE HOW WE CAN WORK WITH MUNICIPAL COURT AND THE
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JUDGES. BECAUSE THE ONE THING THAT I HEAR MEETING AFTER MEETING IS CODE DOESN'T DO ANYTHING. AND I THINK THEY'RE MISSING THAT MUNICIPAL COURT PIECE.AND WE BROUGHT THE JUDGES OUT ONCE BUT, OF COURSE, THE JUDGES -- THE MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGES THAT GOT MOST OF THE ATTENTION AT THAT TIME WERE OUR ACS JUDGES.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT CODE COMPLIANCE AND TALK ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO WORK WITH MUNICIPAL COURTS ALSO IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY PROVIDE FOR PEOPLE IN TERMS OF TIME TO ADDRESS THEIR VIOLATIONS. I'M SO EXCITED ABOUT THE ACCREDITATIONS AND ARE ALL THE POSITIONS REQUIRING THIS ACCREDITATION OR IS IT JUST
CERTAIN POSITIONS WITHIN CODE? >> THE ACCREDITATION, IT LOOKS AT THE DEPARTMENT AS A WHOLE. IT'S NOT INDIVIDUAL.
>> VIAGRAN: OKAY. >> ON AN INDIVIDUAL LEVEL WE CALL IT ICC, INTERNATIONAL CODE COUNCIL CERTIFICATIONS. INDIVIDUALS DO GET THOSE CERTIFICATIONS.
>> VIAGRAN: AND I THINK THAT'S SO IMPORTANT TO PROPLEASE VOTE, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE CITY AND UPWARD MOBILITY AND THE FACT THAT YOU CAN MOVE FROM POSITION TO POSITION AS WE TALK ABOUT WITHIN THE CITY AND WE TALK ABOUT READY TO WORK AND UPWARD MOBILITY THAT THERE IS OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOU TO GET DIFFERENT ACCREDITATIONS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT AND THE DEPARTMENT ITSELF IS ACCREDITED. I THINK WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB OF PROMOTING THAT. THANK YOU. I LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING THE UPDATES AND SEEING HOW WE MOVE FORWARD AND MAKING SURE WE FILL ALL OF OUR
VACANCIES HERE. THANK YOU. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU,
COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN. COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU, AMIN FOR THE PRESENTATION.
15% INCREASE IN SATISFACTION IS VERY IMPRESSIVE AND I KNOW THERE'S A NUMBER OF MOVING PIECES AND WHAT COMES TO MIND IS THE MULTIFAMILY INSPECTION TEAM AND THE WORK THEY DO. PRIOR TO THAT TEAM BEING ESTABLISHED, I HEARD FROM SO MANY CONSTITUENTS ABOUT THE LACK OF ENFORCEMENT WITHIN THEIR APARTMENT COMPLEX.
AND NOW WE'RE ENSURING THAT THEIR CONCERNS ARE ALSO BEING TAKEN CARE OF AS WELL AS THE SENIOR ASSISTANCE FUND. WHENEVER OUR CODE OFFICERS SHARE THAT PROGRAM AT NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETINGS, THERE'S A SIGH OF RELIEF, WHETHER IT'S SOMEONE WHO CAN USE THE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM OR KNOWS A NEIGHBOR THAT CAN. I THINK THESE THINGS HELP IMPROVE FOLKS' RELATIONSHIP WITH CODE. BUT ULTIMATELY I'M PLEASED TO SEE THAT THE UPCOMING BUDGET DOES INCLUDE FUNDING FOR A CONSULTANT TO EXPLORE HOW WE CAN CONTINUE TO IMPROVE PRACTICES. I WOULD ALSO HOPE TO SEE AN INCREASE IN THE SENIOR ASSISTANCE FUND. I KNOW IN DISTRICTS 1 THROUGH 5 OUR FUNDS WE GO THROUGH THOSE REALLY QUICKLY. I UNDERSTAND THAT ON Y'ALL'S END Y'ALL MOVE PIECES AROUND TO MAKE SURE WE TAKE CARE OF ANY FOLKS THAT MAY NEED THE PROGRAM. AND JUST ENSURING THAT THERE'S MORE FUNDING AVAILABLE TO HELP PROVIDE THAT SUPPORT. WHEN I HEAR IT SHARED AT NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETINGS AND I KNOW WE'RE AT ZERO, I'M LIKE, I HOPE WE'RE MANAGING EXPECTATIONS. I DON'T WANT SOMEONE TO THINK THEY CAN QUALIFY BUT WE'RE ZEROED OUT. I THINK THOSE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO CONTINUE TO IMPROVE THE SATISFACTION RATINGS FOR CODE COMPLIANCE.
AT THE SAME TIME, TOO, WHAT WE HEAR FROM CONSTITUENTS AS WELL IS THAT THEY WILL REPORT A CODE CASE TO WHETHER IT'S OUR OFFICE OR THE 311 APP AND OTHER THINGS GET TAGGED. YOU KNOW, I WILL HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH SOME OF OUR CONSTITUENTS ABOUT, OKAY, IF YOU'RE CALLING CODE, MAKE SURE YOUR HOME IS UP TO STANDARD BECAUSE YOU MAY GET TAGGED WITH SOMETHING SO DON'T BE SURPRISED. OFTENTIMES BECAUSE OF THE PROACTIVE PIECE, OTHER THINGS DO GET TAGGED. I JUST CALLED ABOUT THIS ONE THING.
I WASN'T EXPECTING MY NEIGHBOR TO GET HIT WITH ALL THESE OTHER VIOLATIONS.
DID YOU TRY TALKING TO YOUR NEIGHBOR BEFORE MAKING THE REPORT? OFTENTIMES IT'S NO. BUT THEY TALK TO THEM AFTER THE FACT WHEN THEY HAVE ALL THE VIOLATIONS AND DON'T KNOW HOW TO NAVIGATE IT. I THINK ENCOURAGING OUR CONSTITUENCY TO TALK TO THEIR NEIGHBORS ABOUT CONCERNS, OFFER HELP.
I THINK IS A REALLY BIG PIECE. AND THEN ALSO JUST SHARING WITH CONSTITUENTS THAT ULTIMATELY -- I KNOW I'M PREACHING TO THE CHOIR HERE -- THE ROLE OF CODE OFFICERS IS TO IMPLEMENT THE PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE.
THEY HAVE A JOB AND EXPECTATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS THAT THEY'RE REQUIRED TO DO AS AN OCCUPATION. SO AT THE SAME TIME HOW CAN WE LOOK AT THE STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES IN A WAY THAT REWARDS OR INCENTIVIZES CODE CONNECTING FOLKS TO NHSD PROGRAMMING OR THE SENIOR ASSISTANCE PROGRAMMING? I KNOW THEY ARE DOING THAT BUT IN A WAY THAT IT'S TRACKED AND MONITORED AND INCENTIVIZED FOR THEM DOING THAT GREAT WORK.
BUT ULTIMATELY WHAT I WOULD HOPE TO SEE -- AND I KNOW THE FUNDING IS THERE FOR THE CONSULTANT. AS IT MOVES ALONG, AND TO YOUR POINT ABOUT VACANT LOTS, HOW CAN WE EXPLORE METHODS TO HOLD ABSENTEE LANDLORDS AND LLCS
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ACCOUNTABLE. I KNOW IN DISTRICT 5 EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETING THEY ARE RESPONDING TO VACANT LOTS AND WHETHER IT'S AN ENCAMPMENT, FOLKS MOVE TO A DIFFERENT VACANT LOT AND WITHOUT SOMEONE SIGNING THE NO TRESPASSING AFFIDAVIT THERE'S NO ACCOUNTABILITY. I HOPE AS THE CONSULTANT GOES THROUGH THEIR PROCESS THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THEY FOCUS ON.THOSE ARE ALL MY COMMENTS. THANK YOU, AMIN. >> THANK YOU.
IN REGARDS TO THE SENIOR ASSISTANCE, WE CALLED A PILOT PROGRAM LAST YEAR.
WE ARE PROPOSING IN THE BUDGET ANOTHER $100,000 THIS YEAR.
THE IDEA IS TO HAVE IT ALL IN ONE BUCKET AND FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE.
IT'S NOT DIVIDED BY DISTRICTS. SO IF IT'S APPROVED, WE WILL
HAVE THAT. >> CASTILLO: WONDERFUL. WITH THE BUDGET FOR LAST
YEAR, WE STILL HAVE FUNDING IN THERE AVAILABLE? >> WE ARE DOWN TO LESS THAN
$2,000 RIGHT NOW. LIKE $1900. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU.
>> GARCIA: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO. COUNCILMAN PELAEZ.
>> PELAEZ: HEARING A LOT ABOUT IS -- AND YOU WERE THERE WITH ME. THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT SHORT-TERM RENTALS AND WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE INSPECTED, WHETHER THEY ARE.
YOU GUYS ARE ONLY ON THE DAY SHIFT. AND THEN WE RELY ON SAPD IN THE EVENINGS. TO WHAT EXTENT DOES YOUR DEPARTMENT WORK WITH SAPD WHERE SAPD WILL REFER A CODE VIOLATION TO YOU GUYS FOR FOLLOW UP?
>> WE WORK WITH THEM HAND IN HAND. OBVIOUSLY, WE DON'T GET REFERRALS FROM THEM ON EVERY SINGLE CASE BUT IN THAT CASE WHEN THEY HAD CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES AT STR, SHORT-TERM RENTAL, THEY IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED US AND
WE DISPATCHED OUR CODE OFFICER OUT THERE. >> PELAEZ: I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. THE -- POOR MIKE SHANNON IS SICK AND TIRED OF HEARING THIS. ON DONALDSON AND FREDERICKSBURG THERE'S THIS BUS STOP, THIS COVERED THING WITH STONE. LET'S ASSUME A POLICE OFFICER SAW IT. THERE WAS A CAR ACCIDENT, THE THING LOOKS LIKE IT'S GOING TO FALL DOWN PRETTY SOON. DOES THE POLICE OFFICER WHO SEES THAT AT NIGHT HAVE A WAY TO SAY, HEY, CODE ENFORCEMENT, I SEE A PROBLEM HERE. MAYBE SOMETHING YOU WANT TO CHECK IN THE MORNING?
>> YES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND POLICE DEPARTMENT, IF THEY SEE ANY STRUCTURE THAT LOOKS LIKE IT COULD FALL OR IN BAD CONDITION, THEY DO REFER THAT TO US AND WE DO DISPATCH A CODE OFFICER TO REVIEW IT AND WE DO DISPATCH A SENIOR OR THE CHIEF OF BUILDING INSPECTIONS TO LOOK AT IT.
WE HAVE BOTH OF THEM LOOK ASSEST SITUATION. >> PELAEZ: ONE IS YES THEY CAN REFER. IS IT ONLY DURING THE DAY OR CAN THEY DO IT FROM THEIR
SYSTEM IN THE CAR? >> IT'S NOT DURING THE DAY. WE HAVE STAFF THAT IS ON
CALL ALL THE TIME. SO THEY DO GET THAT CONTACT. >> PELAEZ: 24 HOURS A DAY?
>> FOR THE DP CASES, DANGEROUS PREMISES, YES. WE DON'T HAVE CODE TO DO THE REGULAR STANDARD PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE BUT IF THERE IS ANY DANGEROUS STRUCTURE, THEY DO REFER THAT TO US AND WE HAVE FOLKS ON CALL THAT THEY CAN
RESPOND TO THESE CASES. >> PELAEZ: TELL ME WHY THIS WOULD BE A BAD IDEA? IF IT'S A BAD IDEA I'LL OWN IT. I'M TOLD UPSTAIRS BY MY STAFF THAT I'M A LIMITLESS FOUNT OF BAD IDEAS. WOULD YOU WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECEIVE, FROM SAPD, JUST FROM THE COMFORT OF THEIR CAR, REPORTS REALTIME? IN OTHER WORDS, CHECK A BOX. HERE'S THE ADDRESS.
IT'S SOMETHING WORTH YOU GUYS CHECKING OUT. IS THAT SOMETHING YOUR
DEPARTMENT WOULD WELCOME? >> THAT'S A VERY GENERAL QUESTION.
WE NEED TO LOOK AT IT AND IT DEPENDS ON WHAT SITUATIONS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
IF IT'S MAINLY, AGAIN, THE DANGEROUS SITUATIONS, STRUCTURES THAT MIGHT FALL, I DON'T THINK THAT'S AN ISSUE AT ALL. IF IT'S ANYTHING ELSE, THEN MAYBE IT'S AN ISSUE. IT DEPENDS BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE CODE ENFORCEMENT AT NIGHT AND THE REASON FOR IT IS THEIR SAFETY. WE ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH ANY WEAPONS. WE ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH ANY WAY TO PROTECT OURSELVES.
SO THAT'S WHY WE DON'T WORK OVERNIGHT OR DURING THE NIGHT SHIFT.
>> PELAEZ: AND I UNDERSTAND THAT AND I APPRECIATE THAT.
I'M DOING A BAD JOB OF TRYING TO EXPLAIN MYSELF. FORGIVE ME.
I'M UNCAFFEINATED. SO IS THERE -- HERE'S ANOTHER EXAMPLE.
A POLICE OFFICER PULLS UP TO A SHORT-TERM RENTAL. IT'S BEING USED AS A PARTY HOUSE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. DOES THE POLICE OFFICER HAVE THE ABILITY TO SEE ON THEIR COMPUTER SCREEN THAT IT'S A SHORT-TERM RENTAL OR THE
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PROPERTY HAS RECEIVED MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ABOUT CODE?>> I'M NOT SURE IF THEY CAN. I DON'T BELIEVE SO. MELISSA KNOWS MORE ABOUT
SHORT-TERM RENTALS. >> COUNCILMAN, SO WE DO, AS AMIN MENTIONED, WE DO GO BACK AND FORTH AND WORK HAND IN HAND WITH FIRE AND SAPD. AND THE SITUATIONS FOR THE SHORT-TERM RENTALS. THERE'S NOT AN AUTOMATIC BUTTON THAT SOMEONE PRESSES THAT SENDS A NOTIFICATION TO OUR STAFF. BUT WE DO GET COMMUNICATION.
THERE IS COMMUNICATION BACK AND FORTH. AND THERE IS ACTION TAKEN IMMEDIATELY. AND WE HAVE A DEDICATED TEAM THAT GOES IN AND INVESTIGATES THESE THINGS. AND WITH THIS NEW BUDGET THAT WE'RE PROPOSING IN FY2025, WE'RE ALSO DEDICATING A NEW SHORT-TERM RENTAL CODE OFFICER.
SO THAT PERSON WILL BE HANDS ON ON ALL OUR SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
>> PELAEZ: NOT TO OPERATE AT NIGHT? >> NOT TO OPERATE AT NIGHT.
THEY CAN'T DO WHAT SAPD CAN DO. >> PELAEZ: IT SEEMS TO ME THAT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY HERE AND THAT OPPORTUNITY IS TO ARM POLICE OFFICERS WITH INFORMATION, CODE-RELATED INFORMATION ON THEIR COMPUTER.
SOMETHING THAT'S EASILY ACCESSIBLE. MORE CONTEXT IS BETTER.
BUT, NUMBER TWO, PROVIDE THEM A WAY IN THEIR COMPUTER TO TALK TO YOU GUYS AT NIGHT. YOU DON'T HAVE TO NECESSARILY BE READY TO RECEIVE REALTIME BUT I DO THINK IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT. THERE ARE EYES AND EARS ON THE STREET AND WHEN YOU GUYS AREN'T AVAILABLE THERE'S NO REASON WHY OFFICERS -- OFFICERS ARE VERY SMART. SOME OF THE SMARTEST PEOPLE I KNOW AND THEY KNOW A CODE VIOLENCE WHEN THEY SEE ONE AND OUR DOG WATCH TEAM IS, YOU KNOW, NOT GOING TO WAIT UNTIL THE MORNING TO BE LIKE I'M GOING TO REMEMBER THAT ADDRESS AND CALL AMIN'S TEAM. IT SEEMS SOMETHING LIKE AN INNOVATION DEPARTMENT/SAPD OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY WORK WITH YOU GUYS. I KNOW YOU'RE WORKING HAND IN HAND BUT IT DOESN'T SOUND TO ME LIKE THAT HAND REACHES INTO THEIR COMPUTER INTO
THEIR CAR. >> I'LL LOOK INTO IT -- >> PELAEZ: I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO LOOK INTO IT. I'M ASKING YOU TO. THAT'S GOING TO BE MY FOLLOW-UP WITH THE CITY MANAGER TO SEE WHERE WE ARE ON THOSE CONVERSATIONS BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE SUCH LOW-HANGING FRUIT AND IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR IMPROVEMENT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOU GUYS AND THE PRESENTATION.
>> GARCIA: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PELAEZ. I WANT TO SAY I ASKED FOR COORDINATION OF SYSTEMS FOUR YEARS AGO. CHIEF GARCIA HAD A SOLUTION WHERE PD AND CODE ENFORCEMENT COULD TALK TO EACH OTHER.
BECAUSE MY WORRY WAS THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE CODE VIOLATIONS MIGHT ALSO, YOU KNOW, BE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE BORDERLINE IN NEED OF MORE HELP AND SPECIFICALLY EVEN MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT FOR EXTENDED FAMILY, ET CETERA. AND FOOD HELP FROM THE FOOD BANK. I DON'T REMEMBER THE SYSTEM THAT CHIEF GERALDINE WAS WORKING WITH BUT I THINK YOU ALL WERE SUPPOSED TO LOOK INTO IT.
THANK YOU FOR REMINDING ME, COUNCILMAN. I THINK THAT WE NEED TO PITCH THAT AGAIN AND WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT IF THERE'S OTHER SYSTEMS THAT HAVE CONNECTED. I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS THAT THE INTERACTION WASN'T THERE WITH PD. THERE WAS A REASON THAT THE SYSTEM WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO WORK
SOLUTION. >> PELAEZ: AND THEN TO ADD ONE MORE CHALLENGE TO YOU GUYS, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S TIME. IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE THIS IS ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO BENCHMARK WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING AND IF THEIR PDS ARE TALKING TO THEIR CODE ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENTS OR IF THEY'RE ABLE TO RECEIVE DATA AND YOU GUYS ARE ABLE TO RECEIVE DATA AND SHARE SOME OF THAT, MAYBE WE DON'T HAVE TO INVENT SOMETHING. MAYBE WE NEED TO BUY SOMETHING OFF THE SHELF OR COPY WHAT THEY'VE GOT. MY CHALLENGE FOR YOU GUYS IS AT A FUTURE HEARING CAN WE GET A PRESENTATION ON WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING ALONG THESE LINES, INTERDEPARTMENTAL COMMUNICATIONS TO HELP EACH OTHER OUT AND BRINGING THAT BACK TO US TO SEE WHERE WE'RE ABLE TO IMPROVE.
>> SURE. WE CAN MAKE THAT PART OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN BECAUSE WE ARE CHECKING WITH OTHER CITIES ON BEST PRACTICES, SO WE WILL INCLUDE THAT QUESTION AND WE'LL TRY TO GET THAT INFORMATION AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO IMPLEMENT THAT. I THINK IT'S PERFECT TIMING TO BE WITHIN THIS PROGRAM OR
THIS CCR. >> PELAEZ: I DO TOO BUT I ALSO THINK THAT PERFECT TIMING WAS FOUR YEARS AGO WHEN THE COUNCILWOMAN ASKED FOR IT.
IS THAT FAIR? I THINK SO. THANKS.
>> GARCIA: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PELAEZ. COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
>> COURAGE: THANK YOU. I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT DEVELOPING A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR CODE COMPLIANCE. I'D LIKE TO ASK IS THERE A LEAD CODE COMPLIANCE OFFICER FOR EACH COUNCIL DISTRICT THAT THAT COUNCIL DISTRICT
CAN CALL THAT PERSON ABOUT A CODE COMPLIANCE ISSUE? >> YES.
FOR EACH DISTRICT WE HAVE A SUPERVISOR THAT NORMALLY IS IN CONTACT WITH YOUR
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OFFICES. AND WE DO HAVE -- WE CALL IT A LEAD OFFICER, IF THE SUPERVISOR IS OUT OF THE OFFICE THEN THE LEAD OFFICER WILL TAKE OVER THATRESPONSIBILITY. >> COURAGE: THEY DO MULTIPLE COUNCIL DISTRICTS
OR IS THERE ONE FOR EACH ONE? >> SOME DISTRICTS THEY HAVE -- WE HAVE ONE SUPERVISOR MANAGING TWO DISTRICTS BECAUSE THE AMOUNT OF CODE OFFICERS, YES.
>> COURAGE: ONE OF THE THINGS I HEAR FROM PEOPLE WHO HAVE REPORTED THINGS THROUGH THE 311 SYSTEM IS THAT THEY GET A MESSAGE BACK SAYING IT'S CLOSED.
BUT THERE'S NO CLEAR RESOLUTION OF WHAT WAS DONE. AND MANY TIMES, TO THE PEOPLE WHO MADE THE REPORT, IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE ANYTHING WAS DONE.
AND SO I THINK THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT MAKING A CLEAR RESOLUTION AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC ON EXACTLY WHAT WAS DONE AND WHEN IT WAS DONE AND WHAT STEPS WERE TAKEN.
I KNOW THAT'S MORE WORK BUT I THINK THAT THE PUBLIC IS NOT VERY HAPPY A LOT OF TIMES -- NOT MOST OF THE TIME BUT A LOT OF THE TIMES -- THAT THEY'RE NOT GETTING THE FEEDBACK THAT THEY EXPECT TO GET. WELL, IT'S CLOSED.
AND MY STAFF HAS CALLED A FEW TIMES AND SAID WHY IS THIS CLOSED.
I HOPE YOU CAN COORDINATE THAT MORE WITH 311, WITH THAT SYSTEM .
I WANT TO SAY THAT I REALLY DON'T AGREE WITH THE IDEA THAT WE SHOULD NOT HAVE CODE COMPLIANCE OFFICERS WORKING AT NIGHT. AND I WOULD LIKE YOU, AS YOU HEARD FROM COUNCILMAN PELAEZ SAY WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING.
DO THEY HAVE CODE COMPLIANCE AT NIGHT IN CHICAGO OR PHOENIX OR SAN DIEGO OR MANY OF THE CITIES THAT WE KIND OF MEASURE OURSELVES AGAINST.
AND HOW DO THEY DEAL WITH THAT. I STILL HEAR FROM PEOPLE ABOUT NOISE, ABOUT ILLEGALLY-PARKED VEHICLES, ABOUT LIGHTING THAT'S SHINING INTO THEIR HOME FROM A NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE. CONSTRUCTION AFTER THE CITY'S ORDINANCE SAYS YOU SHOULD BE DOING CONSTRUCTION.
AND MOST OF ALL SHORT-TERM RENTALS AND PARTIES. AND THE POLICE CAN'T BE EVERYWHERE. WE WANT THEM LOOKING OUT FOR DANGEROUS SITUATIONS, NOT BECAUSE A LIGHT IS SHINING IN SOMEBODY'S HOUSE OR THERE'S A COMMERCIAL TRUCK PARKED ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET. AND SO THAT'S THE JOB OF CODE COMPLIANCE. AND A LOT OF THOSE THINGS HAPPEN AT NIGHT.
SO I'D LIKE TO SEE WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING AND I'D LIKE US TO REALLY EVALUATE WHAT IS THE SAFETY FACTOR BECAUSE WHAT CODE COMPLIANCE DOES TO MY UNDERSTANDING IS THEY JUST VERIFY THAT THERE IS SOMETHING OUT OF COMPLIANCE.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IF THERE'S ILLEGALLY-PARKED VEHICLES, ALL THEY NEED TO DO IS GO AND TAKE A PICTURE. THEY DON'T NEED TO KNOCK ON A DOOR AND SAY SOMETHING TO THE PROPERTY OWNER. OR IF A LIGHT IS SHINING THROUGH FROM A NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE INTO SOMEBODY'S HOUSE BECAUSE THEY'RE SET UP WRONG, THEY JUST NEED TO GO BY AT NIGHT AND TAKE A LOOK AND SEE IT. BUT THEY CAN'T DO THOSE THINGS DURING THE DAYTIME AND IF THERE'S A SHORT-TERM RENTAL PARTY, YOU KNOW, UNLESS THE NEIGHBORS COMPLAIN -- AND MANY TIMES THEY DO BUT SOMETIMES THEY DON'T. OR THEY COMPLAIN TOO LATE, YOU KNOW, THOSE THINGS ARE HAPPENING AT NIGHT. THOSE ARE THE KIND OF VIOLATIONS THAT WE SHOULD HAVE PEOPLE PREPARED TO RECOGNIZE, IDENTIFY. AND WHAT DO WE USUALLY DO? WE GIVE A WARNING OR WE GO AHEAD AND GIVE A CITATION. AND THAT ISN'T YOU WALK UP AND HAND IT TO THEM IN PERSON WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO PUNCH YOU IN THE MOUTH OVER IT. THERE CAN BE A PROCESS THAT WE CAN DO THE EVENING WORK OR THE NIGHTTIME WORK ON LOOKING FOR CODE VIOLATIONS THAT WOULD RELIEVE THE POLICE OF HAVING TO DO THAT AND LET THEM LOOK FOR THE BAD GUYS OUT THERE COMMITTING CRIME. I HOPE THAT, AS PART OF THIS STRATEGIC PLAN, YOU REALLY LOOK AT THAT AND IF ANYONE ELSE IS DOING IT, SEE HOW THEY HANDLE THAT IF YOU CAN.
LET US KNOW. THANK YOU. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COURAGE. THAT BRINGS US TO THE END OF OUR DISCUSSION ON ITEM NO.
2. AND SO THAT WAS JUST A BRIEFING SO WE DON'T NEED ANY ACTION ON IT, CORRECT? WONDERFUL. WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM NO. 3.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, AMIN. BRIEFING AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON A CCR ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A PET DEPOSIT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. THIS ONE WAS SUBMITTED BY MY COLLEAGUE IN DISTRICT 2, COUNCILMAN MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ. I BELIEVE HE HAD A STATEMENT THAT YOU WERE GOING TO READ OUT. GO AHEAD.
>> I WILL NOTE THIS IS HIS LETTER AND HOW HE ADDRESSES THE COUNCIL.
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HEY, BESTIES, I WANT TO THANK THE COUNCIL FOR HEARING MY CCR AND FOR YOUR CAREFUL CONSIDERATION. I WANT TO SEND MY GRATITUDE TO THE APARTMENT ASSOCIATION. WITH RENTERS REPRESENTING NEARLY HALF OF ALL HOUSEHOLDS IN SAN ANTONIO, PET OWNERSHIP CONTINUES TO BE INACCESSIBLE TO MANY COST-BURDENED INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITY .FEES SUCH AS PET DEPOSITS FOR RENTERS SOLIDIFY THE BARRIER OF INACCESSIBILITY WHILE FURTHERING OUR ANIMAL CRISIS. I FILED THIS REQUEST HOLDING IN MY HEART AND DOZENS OF HEALTHY ADOPTABLE DOGS BEING EUTHANIZED FOR SPACE EACH WEEK. AS WE WAIT FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF OUR ACS HOSPITAL AS WELL AS THE EAST AND WESTSIDE SPAY AND NEUTER HUBS, IT WOULD BE A DISSERVICE TO NOT SERIOUSLY CONSIDER THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT INCREASE THE NUMBER OF POTENTIAL PET OWNERS WHO ENGAGE WITH ACS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERSHIP AND RELEASE HEALTHY AND ADOPTABLE PETS TO THEIR NEW FOREVER HOMES. CONSIDERING THE HEALTH AND SAFETY IMPLICATIONS OF OUR ANIMAL CRISIS, I REQUEST THAT THE COMMITTEE MOVE TO REQUEST STAFF IDENTIFY FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR A PILOT OF THE PROGRAM. FUNDING COULD INCLUDE A SMALL PORTION OF THE REMAINING ARPA DOLLARS AND WORK WITH THE SAN ANTONIO APARTMENT ASSOCIATION TO DETERMINE A PATH TO MITIGATE ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS OF THE PROGRAM. EVENTUALLY THE FUNDS SHOULD BE SELF-REPLENISHING AS PET DEPOSITS ARE RETURNED TO THE FUND RATHER THAN TO THE RENTER.
>> GARCIA: THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE WILL HEAR A PRESENTATION FROM VERONICA GONZALEZ. OH, LORI. I'M SO SORRY, LORI.
>> HOUSTON: BEFORE VERONICA STARTS, FOR ITEMS 3, 4, AND 5, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A NEW FORMAT FOR A PRESENTATION. WHAT WE'VE LEARNED, AS THESE ITEMS GO THROUGH GOVERNANCE, IT GETS KICKED TO PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE AND WE GO STRAIGHT TO RECOMMENDATION. WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS HAVE A DISCUSSION WITH THE COMMITTEE, BETTER UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, WHAT DIRECTION THEY'RE WANTING US TO TAKE, AND THEN GO AND DEVELOP THE POLICY IF THE COMMITTEE SO CHOOSES. SO WE'RE NOT COMING BACK WITH YOU FOR SOMETHING YOU HAVE THE NO INPUT ON AND WE'RE HAVING TO GO BACK AND START OVER.
THAT IS A NEW PROCESS WE'LL PROBABLY START DOING FOR ALL CCRS, UNLESS THE ITEM WAS BUDGETED AND IT WAS ALREADY READY TO GO FORWARD OR SOMETHING IN ONE OF OUR STRATEGIC PLANS. HOPE YOU LIKE IT. I'LL BE TAKING RECOMMENDATIONS ON A SOME OTHER THINGS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN THESE RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT YOU'RE OUR TEST TO SEE HOW WE'RE DOING.
THIS IS POLICY REVIEW AND ANALYSIS 101 AND I'M EXCITED TO GET YOUR RESPONSE.
SO, VERONICA. >> THANK YOU, LORI FOR THE INTRODUCTION.
GOOD MORNING, CHAIR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. VERONICA GONZALEZ, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR WITH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
I'M JOINED TODAY BY ACS DIRECTOR, MICHAEL SHANNON. ITEM NO. 3 IS A BRIEFING ON THE CCR BY COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ REQUESTING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A PET DEPOSIT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. I'M HERE TODAY TO PROVIDE YOU WITH INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE COLLECTED AND REQUEST DISCUSSION FROM THE COMMITTEE FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH NEXT STEPS. AS BACKGROUND FOR THIS BRIEFING, THE PET DEPOSIT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM CCR WAS AUTHORED BY COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ ON FEBRUARY 16, 2023. THE CCR REQUEST PROPOSES THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A PET DEPOSIT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AIMED AT REDUCING THE BURDEN OF PET ADOPTION FOR RENTERS.
ON APRIL 17, 2024 THE CCR WAS PRESENTED TO THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE AND ASSIGNED TO PCDC FOR FURTHER REVIEW. THE CITY DOES NOT HAVE A PROGRAM THAT PAYS FOR PET DEPOSITS SO THAT A RESIDENT CAN FOSTER OR ADOPT AN ANIMAL. WE ARE NOT AWARE OF ANY SAN ANTONIO ORGANIZATION OFFERING THIS TYPE OF ASSISTANCE. CURRENTLY ACS PROVIDES AFFORDABLE PET ADOPTION OPTIONS FOR INDIVIDUALS LOOKING TO ADOPT AN ANIMAL.
HOWEVER, INDIVIDUALS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING PET DEPOSITS AND FEES.
THE RESIDENT RELOCATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM OFFERED THROUGH NHSD COVERS PET DEPOSITS FOR ELIGIBLE RENTERS WHO ARE AT RISK FOR EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS OR HOUSING INSTABILITY. RESIDENTS MUST BE AT OR BELOW 80% OF THE AMI AND FACING FINANCIAL HARDSHIP SUCH AS UNEMPLOYMENT. THE PROGRAM DOES PROVIDE UP TO $3,000 FOR REASONABLE MOVING EXPENSES WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS, INCLUDING SECURITY DEPOSIT, APPLICATION FEE, MOVING COMPANY FEES, TEMPORARY LODGING, PET DEPOSIT AND UTILITY SECURITY DEPOSIT. THE PROGRAM IS FUNDED
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THROUGH A $100,000 ANNUAL GENERAL FUND ALLOCATION. A PET DEPOSIT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM ALIGNS WITH COMMUNITY NEEDS IDENTIFIED IN THE COMMUNITY SURVEY.THE ANIMAL CARE SERVICES STRATEGIC PLAN INCLUDES THE SUPPORT OF PLACEMENT OF PETS FOR LIFE. THIS INCLUDES AN INCREASE IN FOSTER AND PET ADOPTIONS.
REGARDING SERVICE ANIMALS, THE FAIR HOUSING ACT MAKES IT UNLAWFUL FOR LANDLORDS TO CHARGE ADDITIONAL RENT, DEMAND A PET DEPOSIT, OR CHARGE ANY FEES FOR AN ASSISTANCE ANIMAL. IN TEXAS, LANDLORDS HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO ESTABLISH PET POLICIES AND INCLUDE THEM IN THE LEASE AGREEMENT. LANDLORDS CAN RESTRICT PETS, SPECIFY ALLOWABLE BREEDS AND SIZES, AND REQUIRE PET DEPOSITS.
THERE ARE NO KNOWN LEGAL BARRIERS THAT WOULD PREVENT THE CITY FROM EXPLORING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A PET DEPOSIT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. A PET DEPOSIT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM WOULD REQUIRE FUNDING, WHICH IS NOT CURRENTLY AVAILABLE IN FISCAL YEAR '24 OR THE PROPOSED CITY BUDGET. THE AVERAGE DEPOSIT IN SAN ANTONIO DOES VARY. WE HAVE SEEN $200 TO $500.
AS I MENTIONED, WE ARE REQUESTING INPUT FROM THE COMMITTEE TO DETERMINE NEXT STEPS FOR THE CCR. WE ARE SHARING A FEW QUESTIONS HERE ON YOUR SCREEN FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. FOR EXAMPLE, WILL FAMILIES THAT RENT BE MORE LIKELY TO ADOPT OR FOSTER IF THE PET DEPOSIT IS PAID FOR? SHOULD GENERAL FUNDS BE UTILIZED TO SUPPORT THE PROGRAM? WHICH STAKEHOLDERS SHOULD BE ENGAGED? SHOULD SUCH A PROGRAM BE INCOME BASED? WHAT AMI CATEGORY? COULD A NONPROFIT OR OTHER PARTNERS OPERATE AND ADMINISTER THE PROGRAM? WE WELCOME YOUR ADDITIONAL
COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU SO MUCH, VERONICA. I SIGNED ON TO THIS AS WELL. AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S NO FUNDS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE. BUT I REALLY THINK THAT THIS IS A GREAT PROGRAM AND CONSIDERING THAT MY APPOINTEE TO THE ACS COMMITTEE IS THE CHAIR AND I KNOW SHE BELIEVES IN THIS AS WELL.
SHE'S HERE TODAY. I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE RITA.
I THINK AS WE WORK ON MORE MULTIFAMILY AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WE SHOULD ALSO CONSIDER HOW WE BUILD THAT INTO OUR POLICIES. AND SO I THINK THAT WE CAN ALSO BRING IT UP IN OUR OTHER AREAS OF DISCUSSION. AND THEN I DO AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ IN THE FACT THAT THERE MIGHT BE THE AVAILABILITY OF ARPA FUNDING TO MOVE. I KNOW WE HAD $2.7 MILLION. I ALREADY MADE A PITCH FOR $600,000 BUT THERE'S STILL 2.1 THAT'S AVAILABLE AND I WOULD LOVE TO SEE HOW WE COULD INTEGRATE THAT. YOU HAVE ON HERE WILL INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES -- ARE THEY MORE LIKELY TO ADOPT OR FOSTER A PET IF THE PET DEPOSIT IS PAID FOR? I WAS RIDING DOWN THE ELEVATOR WITH MY STAFFER, EDWARD, AND HE REMINDED ME HOW DIFFICULT IT IS FOR SOMEONE, YOU KNOW, OF MAYBE HIS AGE.
SO I'LL SAY UNDER 30. TO BE ABLE TO HELP AND BRING A PET INTO THEIR APARTMENT AND THEN HAVE TO PAY THE PET INSURANCE ON TOP OF IT. WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE LOVE PETS AND WANT TO HOUSE THEM SO I DO THINK THAT INDIVIDUALS THAT RENT WOULD BE MORE LIKELY TO DO SO IF WE PROVIDED A PROGRAM LIKE THIS.
AND THEN I DO THINK THAT THE ENGAGEMENT SHOULD BE WITH FOLKS LIKE THE APARTMENT ASSOCIATION. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, MR. WARD, WITH OUR ACS FOLKS. BUT THEN ALSO MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE SOMEONE EVEN FROM AARP. AS WE START THINKING ABOUT SENIOR LIVING AND THE DIFFERENT OPTIONS THAT WE HAVE, COMPANIONSHIP IS IMPORTANT FOR OUR SENIORS WITH SOCIAL ISOLATION BEING SO REAL. I THINK THAT THIS MIGHT WORK OUT WONDERS IF WE PARTNER UP WITH ACS AND, FOR INSTANCE, AARP OR A PROGRAM THAT IDENTIFIES A COMPANION FOR A SENIOR. AND SO THINK ABOUT THE POSSIBILITIES THERE AND HOW MANY PETS WE CAN HOUSE IF WE DO HELP HERE.
SO I DO THINK THAT IT SHOULD BE INCOME BASED OR MAYBE IT'S JUST, AGAIN, A FOCUS ON CERTAIN MAYBE DEMOGRAPHICS. BUT I KNOW THAT WE MIGHT GET INTO SOME LEGALITIES THERE.
BUT YOU ALL ARE GOING TO DO THE RESEARCH BUT I THINK THAT IT'S GREAT.
I THINK WORKING WITH A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION IS GOING TO BE KEY AND IF WE CAN JUST FOCUS IN, FOR INSTANCE, ON AARP OR SOME OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS THAT FOCUS ON SENIORS OR PETS. SO WE DEFINITELY HAVE TO INCLUDE THEM.
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THOSE ARE MY THOUGHTS AND I'D LOVE TO HEAR WHAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE TO SAY.START WITH COUNCILMAN COURAGE. >> COURAGE: THANK YOU, CHAIR. I'M VERY RELUCTANT TO SEE SOMETHING LIKE THIS MOVE FORWARD. I'M AN ANIMAL LOVER. I HAVE HAD DOGS MANY, MANY YEARS. I LOVE THEM AND TAKE CARE OF THEM.
BUT I THINK THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT A LOT OF UNANSWERED QUESTIONS AND SO I GUESS THAT'S THE REASON WHY WE'RE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION TODAY.
I THINK THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WE HAVE IN SAN ANTONIO WITH ANIMALS IS THE IRRESPONSIBILITY OF OWNERS WHO AREN'T CARING OR TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR PET AND THAT PET GETS OUT ON THE STREET AND CREATES PROBLEMS FOR THE CITY, COSTING US MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT A PET PROGRAM, MY GRANDDAUGHTER HAS RABBITS AND PARAKEETS. ARE THOSE PETS? ARE WE GOING TO GIVE A PET DEPOSIT FOR RABBITS AND HAMSTERS AND PARAKEETS? THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY IS GOING TO SAY THEY WANT A PET DEPOSIT BUT WHAT DOES THAT DO TO HELP US WITH OUR PROBLEM OF STRAY DOGS AND CATS? NOTHING, REALLY.
DOGS, CATS, RABBITS, HAMSTERS, PARAKEETS, ET CETERA, WHERE DO WE DRAW THE LINE OR ARE WE GOING TO DRAW THAT LINE IN OUR PROPOSAL? I WOULD HOPE WE WOULD.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS MENTIONED WAS THAT PEOPLE WHO PAY OR WHO RECEIVE THE FUNDING FOR THE PET DEPOSIT WOULD BE THE PROPERTY OWNER OR MAYBE IT WOULD GO THROUGH THE RENTER AND IT WAS MENTIONED THAT, WELL, WHEN THEY FINISH AND THEY GET READY TO MOVE OUT, THEY'LL JUST GO AHEAD AND PUT THAT MONEY BACK IN THE FUNDS SO THE FUND WOULD PERPETUATE ITSELF. BUT WHAT HAPPENS IF THE PET CREATES DAMAGE IN THAT PROPERTY? THAT MONEY IS NOT GOING TO GO BACK TO THE FUND, IT'S GOING TO STAY WITH THE PROPERTY OWNER TO TAKE CARE OF THE DAMAGE. I HAVE HAD DOGS AND THEY DO CREATE DAMAGE AND I HAD TO TAKE CARE OF IT MYSELF AS A PROPERTY OWNER. WHAT ABOUT TENANTS WHO ARE FACING THAT? YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT IF WE DID THIS FOR 100 ANIMALS OR 1,000 ANIMALS, DOES THAT REALLY MAKE A BIG IMPACT ON THE PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE ROUNDING UP 30-PLUS THOUSAND ANIMALS EVERY YEAR AND EUTHANIZING THOUSANDS OF THEM? SO I DON'T KNOW IF THE ACTUAL VALUE IS GOING TO MAKE A DENT IN THE PROBLEM WE HAVE. AND I WOULD THINK THAT IF WE'RE GOING TO DO A FEW THINGS WE NEED TO THINK, AS WAS SAID BY OUR CHAIR ABOUT SENIORS, I AGREE THAT A PET WOULD BE GREAT FOR A SENIOR BUT THEY STILL NEED TO TAKE CARE OF THAT ANIMAL. THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO FEED IT.
THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO PAY THE HEALTH COST. THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO TAKE IT OUT AND LET IT WANDER OR WALK OR WHATEVER. UNLESS IT'S A PARAKEET OR A HAMSTER, SOMETHING LIKE THAT. BUT I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ALSO NEED TO EXPLORE WHAT ARE THE UNANTICIPATED COSTS THAT SOMEONE WOULD INCUR IF THEY CAME TO US AND SAID WE WANT TO DO THIS. AND I THINK IF WE DO GO THROUGH WITH A POTENTIAL PILOT PROJECT, WE NEED TO GO AHEAD AND GO THROUGH ACS.
THAT ANY ANIMAL THAT GOES THROUGH THIS PROJECT, PARTICULARLY A DOG OR A CAT, SHOULD COME FROM ACS AND HELP THE CITY HELP WITH ITS PROBLEM.
I THINK THAT SHOULD BE PART OF THE CONSIDERATION FOR THE PILOT PROJECT.
AND ANY ANIMAL THAT COMES OUT OF ACS SHOULD BE SPAYED OR NEUTERED SO IF THEY EVER GET LOOSE WE KNOW THEY'RE NOT GOING TO CREATE MORE ANIMALS OUT IN THE STREET.
THOSE ARE SOME OF MY THOUGHTS I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THOROUGHLY EXPLORED BY CITY STAFF AS THEY LOOK AT PREPARING A PROPOSAL. IT'S NOT THAT I'M AGAINST IT, I JUST DON'T KNOW HOW IT CAN WORK AND THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS I THINK WE NEED
TO ANSWER. THANK YOU. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU,
COUNCILMAN COURAGE. COUNCILMAN PELAEZ. >> PELAEZ: I LOVE THE IDEA. I THINK IT COMES FROM THE RIGHT PLACE AND NOW IS THE TIME TO ADDRESS THIS, SINCE THE TOPIC OF OVERFLOWING SHELTERS IS FRONT AND
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CENTER. I THINK AN EASY WAY TO START IS SMALL.WE CAN'T BE ALL THINGS TO ALL PEOPLE AND SO HERE'S AN IDEA THAT I PROPOSE.
WE LIMIT IT TO SEEING-EYE DOGS, SERVICE ANIMALS THAT ASSIST PEOPLE WITH EPILEPSY AND VETERAN SERVICE ANIMALS THAT HAVE THEM FOR THE PURPOSE OF HANDLING THEIR PTSD AND SUICIDE PREVENTION. WE WOULDN'T BE THE FIRST CITY IN THE WORLD THAT DOES THIS AND IT'S LEGAL SO LONG AS THE ORDINANCE SPELLS OUT THIS DOESN'T INCLUDE PARAKEETS, RABBITS, OR MINIATURE HORSES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
THE SECOND THING IS AS FAR AS THE AGENCIES THAT COULD SERVE BEST IN THIS SCENARIO, YES ACS, BUT THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE FRONTLINE CONTACT WITH THE FOLKS I JUST SPELLED OUT WOULD BE LIGHTHOUSE FOR THE BLIND, MAYBE, MEALS ON WHEELS WHO CHECK IN ON A LOT OF THESE VULNERABLE FOLKS, AND ALSO OUR FRIENDS OVER AT ENDEAVORS WHO WORK ON GETTING HOMELESS VETERANS APARTMENTS AND GETTING VETERANS WHO HAVE DOGS, YOU KNOW, INTO APARTMENTS AND THEN FINDING THEM ALL SORTS OF ASSISTANCE.
I THINK THE WAY TO EAT AN ELEPHANT IS ONE BITE AT A TIME AND IN THIS INSTANCE
THIS COULD BE A FIRST BITE. >>
>> HOUSTON: COUNCILMAN, THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT PROGRAM ALREADY EXISTS.
AND SO BASED ON THE FAIR HOUSING ACT, THE LANDLORDS DO NOT -- THEY CANNOT REQUIRE A DEPOSIT FOR A PET THAT IS A SERVICE ANIMAL. THEY MUST PROVIDE THAT FREE OF CHARGE IF IT IS A REGISTERED SERVICE ANIMAL. THE ISSUE IS MAKING SURE PEOPLE ARE AWARE OF THAT. AND SO THAT'S MORE OF A MARKETING EFFORT.
>> PELAEZ: I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT. >> HOUSTON: BUT WE WOULD NOT HAVE TO PUT DOLLARS TOWARDS THAT BECAUSE IT'S A FEE THAT'S ALREADY EXEMPT BY
SOMEBODY WHO HAS A SERVICE ANIMAL. >> PELAEZ: I LOVE IT.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP. I HADN'T REMEMBERED THAT.
I WILL REMIND YOU ALL THAT MEALS ON WHEELS HAS A PROGRAM CALLED ANIWHEELS WHERE THEY DO VISIT VULNERABLE FOLKS WHO HAVE ANIMALS AT THEIR APARTMENTS.
AND THAT WOULD BE JUST AN EASY WAY TO START. BUT TO YOUR POINT, LORI, I REMEMBER YEARS AGO I HAD FLOATED A CCR THAT KIND OF WENT NOWHERE.
I DON'T THINK IT WENT INTO EFFECT. IT WAS -- IT PROPOSED AN ORDINANCE AROUND EDUCATION AND SERVICE ANIMALS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY KNEW HOW TO ADVOCATE FOR THEMSELVES WITH REGARD TO THEIR SERVICE ANIMALS.
AND IT ALSO PROPOSED AN ORDINANCE THAT WOULD PROHIBIT WHAT IS ALREADY PROHIBITED BY FEDERAL LAW. NOT SURPRISINGLY I GOT A CALL FROM SOME APARTMENT COMPLEX OWNERS SAYING BUT PEOPLE BRING IN THEIR BOA CONSTRICTOR OR POTBELLY PIG AND SAY THAT'S A SERVICE ANIMAL. I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT CCR BUT THERE ARE THOSE FOLKS OUT THERE THAT DO HAVE LEGITIMATE NEEDS FOR SERVICE ANIMALS AND THEIR ANIMALS FILL THAT FUNCTION.
THEY JUST DON'T KNOW THEY CAN GET THEM CERTIFIED. THEY DON'T KNOW THAT THEY'RE ENTITLED TO THIS. AND SO IN MANY WAYS, MAYBE WHAT WE COULD DO IS AN EDUCATION CAMPAIGN. AND THAT WOULD SAVE PEOPLE A TON OF MONEY.
YOU'RE PROBABLY GOING TO GET SOME BAD LANDLORDS WHO LOVE TAKING MONEY FROM PEOPLE WITH SERVICE ANIMALS. I DO THINK THAT THERE'S A LIMITED UNIVERSE OF FOLKS TO WHOM WE COULD PROBABLY BENEFIT THE MOST. WE JUST NEED TO BE CREATIVE.
>> GARCIA: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PELAEZ. COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO.
>> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AS WELL, VERONICA. A COUPLE OF THINGS.
I SIGNED ON TO THE CCR BECAUSE I SUPPORT THE SPIRIT OF IT.
A CONCERN THAT I DO HAVE IS THAT IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES NECESSARY FOR A PET DEPOSIT, DO YOU HAVE THE RESOURCES TO PROVIDE THE CARE FOR AN ANIMAL COMING OUT OF THE SHELTER THAT THEY REQUIRE AND DESERVE. ENSURING YOU HAVE RESOURCES TO TAKE YOUR PET TO THE VET, WHETHER YOU'RE FOSTERING OR ADOPTING, TO PROVIDE JUST THE FOOD AND THE TOYS AND THE BED. ALL THESE THINGS, COSTS ADD UP. AND I THINK IN TERMS OF FOSTERING, OFTENTIMES MOST APARTMENTS YOU PAY $500, DEPENDING ON THE APARTMENT AND THE OWNER.
IT'S A FLAT FEE PER YEAR AND IF IT'S FOSTERING, WOULD THE APARTMENT ASSOCIATION BE AMENABLE TO HAVE IT ON A MONTHLY BASIS RATHER THAN A YEARLY BASIS.
I THINK REDUCING THE ADOPTION DAYS WOULD REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF DOGS AT RISK
[01:00:06]
OF BEING EUTHANIZED. I KNOW I WAS AT A NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETING AND A GENTLEMAN WAS TALKING ABOUT HOW HE LOVES DOGS AND THAT MONEY COULD BE USED TO BUY THE FIRST ROUND OF FOOD AND TOYS AND STUFF. AND I TOLD HIM THAT'S SOMETHING I WOULD SHARE IS MORE REDUCED DAYS. BUT THAT COSTS MONEY TO ACS BECAUSE WE'RE STILL HAVING THE COST OF SPAYING AND NEUTERING AND THE VACCINING.I'M A LITTLE HESITANT GIVEN THE COST. I WAS A RENTER AND I ADOPTED TWO DOGS FROM ACS AND, YOU KNOW, IT WAS A $500 FEE. BUT I WANTED THEM SO WE PAID THE FEE. AND I THINK THERE'S JUST OPPORTUNITY TO PARTNER WITH NONPROFITS THAT ARE SPAY AND NEUTERING AND HAVING FAIRS TO ADOPT PETS TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE FOREVER HOMES. WHAT I HEAR FROM FOLKS SOMETIMES IS THEY FOSTER AND THEN THEY'RE READY TO RETURN THE PET AND THEN THAT'S COST FOR THE POTENTIAL DEPOSIT AND THEN ALSO THE GOAL IS TO HAVE THEM A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN JUST LIVE.
SO I JUST AM A BIT HESITANT. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE DATA FROM THE APARTMENT ASSOCIATION, IF YOU CAN SHARE WHAT THE DEPOSITS LOOK LIKE BY PROPERTY.
AND IF THEY WOULD BE AMENDABLE FOR A MONTHLY RATHER THAN AN ANNUAL DEPOSIT BASIS TO REDUCE COST, IF THE GOAL IS FOR FOSTERING RATHER THAN ADOPTION. THANK YOU, CHAIR. I WAS GOING TO ADD THAT I WOULD BE SUPPORTIVE OF THE CHAIR'S RECOMMENDATION TO WORK SOME OF THIS INTO PROJECTS THAT RECEIVE CITY FUNDING. AND IF THERE'S A WAY TO WAIVE THE PET DEPOSIT FEES AND REDUCE THOSE FEES FOR FOLKS WHO ARE FOSTERING.
>> GARCIA: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO. COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN.
>> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU. SO I'M GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME.
I'VE GOT TWO DOGS AT HOME, RASCAL -- AND HE'S GOING BY RIZZO NOW, MY SECOND DOG.
HE'S A BIT OF A DIVA. THE THING IS THEY DID NOT END UP AT ACS.
THESE WERE SOMEBODY PICKED THEM UP AND I HAVE THESE TWO DOGS.
AND THE PROCESS IS IF YOU TAKE DOGS AT HOME THEN I'M AFTER THE FACT MAKING SURE THEY'RE CHIPPED, MAKING SURE THEY'RE FIXED AND THEY'VE GOT ALL THEIR SHOTS.
THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT IF WE COULD INCREASE THE ADOPTION AND THE FOSTERING THROUGH ACS SPECIFICALLY, BECAUSE THEN WE, AS A CITY, KNOW WHO THESE DOGS ARE, KNOW WHO THEY'RE WITH. SO THAT'S WHAT I REALLY LIKE ABOUT THIS PLAN.
I THINK I DEFINITELY WANT TO BRING IN STAKEHOLDERS BECAUSE I THINK WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT WHAT I LIKE TO CALL FROM THE HELLO TO THE GOOD-BYES WITH OUR PETS.
I KNOW THERE ARE OTHER AGENCIES, SNIPSA THAT HOW DO WE TELL THE PET OWNERS, YES, WE LOVE THE HELLOS AND WELCOMES BUT YOU HAVE TO SAY GOOD-BYE AT SOME POINT.
THIS IS EITHER WITH IF YOU'RE FOSTERING YOU MAY NEED TO LET GO BECAUSE IT FOUND A FOREVER HOME. IF YOU TRAVEL, YOU MAY NEED TO REHOME.
HOW DO YOU MANAGE THAT AND SAY GOOD-BYE TO YOUR PET. AND THEN BECAUSE OF ILLNESS OR AGE. THERE ARE TIMES THAT YOU HAVE TO MAKE HARD DECISIONS.
I THINK WE NEED TO KIND OF LOOK AT THAT TOO AND THAT COULD BE THE EDUCATION PIECE. BUT I DO -- THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE THAT IN APARTMENTS THAT LOVE APARTMENT LIVING THAT THE DEPOSIT BECOMES THEIR EXCUSE NOT TO SAY YES TO A PET. THEY KNOW THEY HAVE THE TIME.
THEY KNOW THEY WANT IT BUT THE DEPOSIT JUST BECOMES THE EXCUSE.
SO DO I THINK WE NEED TO DO AN AMI CATEGORY? YES.
AT LEAST BETWEEN 30 TO 80% AMI. THE OTHER THING IS I THINK WE NEED TO WORK WITH DOG TRAINERS AND OUR STAKEHOLDERS TO INFORM.
BUT WHERE THE DOGS NEED TO COME FROM NEEDS TO BE ACS. THEY NEED TO BE ADOPTED DIRECTLY FROM ACS IF THEY WANT TO BE PART OF THIS PROGRAM.
I WOULD LOVE TO GET A COST IN TERMS OF WHAT A PILOT WOULD LOOK LIKE, HOW MUCH WE WOULD NEED TO START. AND I KNOW THAT I WOULD BE WILLING TO WORK WITH DISTRICT 3 IS THE HOME OF PILOTS. SO I WOULD WORK WITH ACS, WITH COUNCILMAN MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ TO SEE IF THERE ARE FUNDS, WHETHER IT'S WITHIN OUR CCPF FUNDS, WITHIN OUR BUDGET TO PILOT THIS PROGRAM BEFORE WE COME FOR A GENERAL FUND ASK. SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I KNOW WE NEED.
WE JUST HAD A -- DAISY CARES WAS IN OUR PARKING LOT AT THE FIELD OFFICE PASSING OUT
[01:05:04]
PET FOOD FOR DOGS AND CATS . I HAVE GOT MY D3 AMBASSADORS THAT ARE MONTHLY -- HAVE A LIST AND ARE GETTING DOGS SPAYED AND NEUTERED. DISTRICT 3 IS COMMITTED TO THIS AND I THINK WE NEED THE ACTUAL NUMBERS IN TERMS OF COST OF WHAT THIS WOULD COST US AND MAKE SURE THAT WHERE WE WANT TO START IS EVENTUALLY, YES, GET PEOPLE IN COMPLIANCE BUT WHERE WE WANT TO START IS PEOPLE THAT ARE ACTUALLY TAKING DOGS FROM ACS AND ADOPTING THEM. AND FORMER COUNCILWOMAN REBECCA VIAGRAN GOT HER DOG FROM ACS, HIS NAME IS BILLBO, COURTESY OF COUNCILMAN REY SALDANA WHO LEFT IT IN HER OFFICE. THERE WAS THAT HESITANCY FOR HER BUT IT TOOK SOMEBODY SAYING THIS IS YOUR DOG AND I THINK US SAYING YOU DON'T HAVE TO PAY FOR THAT PET DEPOSIT, WE'RE GOING TO SEE MORE PEOPLE TRY THIS. BUT I DO WANT THEM TO BE CONSULTED ABOUT WHAT THAT MEANS. AND I THINK THEY'LL LOOK AT -- WE'LL GET MORE PEOPLE TO SAY, HEY, CAN I TELL THEM ABOUT PET INSURANCE? HEY, CAN I TELL THEM ABOUT THIS TRAINER CLASS? AND REALLY LOOK AT THEM.BECAUSE I GET -- WE ALL GET IT BECAUSE WE'RE THERE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
WE GET THE LIST WHEN OUR ACTIVIST COMMUNITY MEMBERS COME UP EVERY MONTH.
I THINK ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO REDUCE THAT LIST WOULD BE A GREAT IDEA.
SO THAT'S WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE AND THAT'S WHERE I WOULD LIKE TO EXPLORE WAYS
TO PILOT. THANK YOU. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? GO AHEAD, LORI.
>> HOUSTON: I'M SO EXCITED BECAUSE THIS WAS SUCH A GREAT CONVERSATION.
AND WE HAVE ENOUGH DIRECTION TO BE ABLE TO COME BACK TO YOU WITH SOMETHING THAT YOU REALLY WANT. WHAT I'M HEARING, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES, WE NEED TO ENGAGE ANIMAL CARE SERVICES AND ENGAGE THE ANIMAL CARE BOARD ALONG WITH THE APARAPARTMENT ASSOCIATION AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS AND COME BACK WITH A RECOMMENDATION. ONE THING I DO WANT TO MENTION, AND I'M GLAD YOU TALKED ABOUT THE USE OF NONPROFITS. ADMINISTERING SUCH A PROGRAM COULD BE EXPENSIVE, ESPECIALLY IF WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING A REVOLVING LOAN FUND. ARE WE GOING TO MONITOR FOR THE AMOUNT OF TIME SOMEBODY'S IN THIS APARTMENT AND FOR $500 THAT WE MAY HAVE GIVEN THEM FOR A DEPOSIT. I WOULD SAY NO. BUT THERE MIGHT BE OTHER WAYS TO DO IT. THOSE ARE THE THINGS WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT AS WELL AS HOW READMINISTER THIS. AND IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING BEST THAT WE SUPPORT A NONPROFIT PERFORMING FOR US BUT WE'LL LOOK AT ALL THOSE OPTIONS AND COME BACK TO YOU WITH SOME ALTERNATIVES. NONPROFIT OUTSOURCE, INTERNAL, WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE. THAT'S WHAT THIS TOOL IS REALLY DESIGNED TO DO. WE HEARD A LOT. I'M GRATEFUL FOR THIS CONVERSATION AND WE'LL COME BACK, PROBABLY IN TWO MONTHS, WITH A
RECOMMENDATION. >> GARCIA: COUNCILMAN PELAEZ.
>> PELAEZ: LORI, THANK YOU FOR ALL THIS. I REALLY DO APPRECIATE IT.
THE ONE THING I WANT TO MAKE SURE, MAYBE WE WOULD BE SAVING EVERYBODY A LOT OF WORK IF WE COULD ANSWER QUESTION NO. 1 FIRST. WILL FAMILIES THAT GET THIS DEPOSIT OPT FOR -- ARE MORE LIKELY TO OPT FOR ADOPTION. I WOULD HATE FOR US TO JUST MOVE FORWARD, ASSUMING THAT'S TRUE. I HAVE NO EMPIRICAL DATA TO SHOW THAT'S TRUE. THIS IS WHERE SA SPEAKUP COMES IN OR MAYBE WE ASK THE FOLKS WHO WALK AWAY AFTER LOOKING AT DOGS AT ACS, ONE OF THE REASONS THEY WALKED AWAY WAS THE IMPEDIMENT OF A PET DEPOSIT. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THAT ANSWER BEFORE Y'ALL START INVESTING TIME AND GOING AND TALKING TO STAKEHOLDERS AND PUTTING A PLAN TOGETHER. ARE WE SOLVING FOR A PROBLEM THAT DOESN'T EXIST OR DOES
THE PROBLEM EXIST. >> HOUSTON: THAT'S WHY A PILOT MIGHT WORK BETTER IN THIS CASE TO REALLY UNDERSTAND IF THERE IS A PROBLEM.
BECAUSE WE COULD DO A SURVEY BUT ARE WE REALLY HITTING THE RIGHT PEOPLE? HOW DO WE GET THAT. THAT WOULD BE PART OF OUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
BUT, YES, WE NEED TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE THE DATA OUT THERE TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER THAT. AND THAT'S WHY A PILOT MIGHT
HELP US DO THAT. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, LORI.
COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO. >> CASTILLO: ANOTHER POINT I WANTED TO RAISE IS IF WE COULD CHECK IN WITH THE APARTMENT ASSOCIATION ON HOW MANY APARTMENTS HAVE A ONE-TIME PET DEPOSIT AND HOW MANY ARE ANNUALLY. THAT INCREASES THE COST AND MAY SHIFT THE BURDEN BACK TO THE CONSTITUENT WHO CAN'T AFFORD THE PET DEPOSIT.
I ALSO WANTED TO THANK KAREN, OUR DISTRICT 5 APPOINTEE FOR BEING HERE AS WELL AND PRESENT, WHETHER IT'S A BUDGET MEETING OR ACS MEETING, WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR
[01:10:05]
HER COMMITMENT TO ACS. THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU,
COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO. COUNCILMAN COURAGE. >> COURAGE: IT PROBABLY GOES WITHOUT SAYING THAT ACS NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO LET US KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, HOW MANY PETS COME BACK THAT THEY HAVE ADOPTED OUT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THAT'S ALSO A CONCERN. PEOPLE START TO REALIZE IT'S MORE THAN THEY THOUGHT THEY
COULD HANDLE. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
AND SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITIES AS WELL AND I WANT TO THANK COUNCILMAN MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ AND WHEN EVERYBODY'S INPUT COMES IN, YOU CAN SEE HOW THIS WILL WORK BEST. AND SO I LOVE ALL THE IDEAS. I APPRECIATE COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO MENTIONING THE MONTHLY BASIS VERSUS ANNUAL AND TRYING TO SEE HOW WE COULD WORK WITH THE APARTMENT ASSOCIATION WITH BRINGING IN THE PILOTS, LIKE COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN WAS TALKING ABOUT. AND THEN MEALS ON WHEELS IS -- YOU'RE RIGHT, COUNCILMAN PELAEZ, AN IDEAL CANDIDATE FOR THIS.
I WANT TO CIRCLE BACK TO THE POINT THAT COUNCILMAN COURAGE BROUGHT UP EARLIER ABOUT HOW WE WANTED TO FOCUS ON ACS AND SPECIFICALLY CATS AND DOGS.
AND THAT WAS IN THE ORIGINAL CCR BY COUNCILMAN MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ AS WELL.
SO I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT I HAD LEFT THAT OFF OF MY NOTES WHEN I HAD SIGNED ON THE CCR. I KNEW THAT. APOLOGIES TO COUNCILMAN MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ THERE. BUT THANK YOU ALL. I THINK IT'S A GREAT CONVERSATION. THANK YOU SO MUCH, LORI. AND THANK YOU TO VERONICA AS WELL. THAT BRINGS US TO THE CONCLUSION OF THAT ITEM AND WE'LL TAKE UP ITEM NO. 4, WHICH IS A BRIEFING AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON A CCR ON THE CREATION OF A TEACHER HOMEBUYER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
THIS WAS ALSO INITIATED BY COUNCILMAN MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ AND THERE'S ALSO A SMALL
LETTER OF SUPPORT THAT I WILL READ INTO THE RECORD. >> CLERK: HI, YA YOU WILL.
IT'S JALEN AGAIN. THANK YOU FOR YOUR DILIGENCE AND CARE WHEN CONSIDERING THESE PROPOSALS. DURING MY FIRST YEAR AS A HIGH SCHOOL MATH TEACHER IN 2018 MY HUSBAND AND I WERE ABLE TO SAVE UP TO PURCHASE OUR FIRST HOME .
IT WAS A MILESTONE I WAS PROUD TO REACH. UNFORTUNATELY, AS YEARS HAVE PASSED AND WE HAVE EXPERIENCED A NATIONWIDE HOUSING CRISIS, TEACHERS IN THEIR FIRST SEVERAL YEARS OF TEACHING AND I OFFER THIS PROPOSAL AND HOPE FOR A PROGRAM THAT WOULD BE MORE ACCESSIBLE AND TRUST WORTH HE THAN SIMILAR PROGRAMS. I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE REALITY ANY NEW PROGRAM WILL BE SCRUTINIZED FOR THEIR RETURN ON INVESTMENT AND AS ORIGINALLY DRAFTED WE MAY NOT FIND AS MUCH VALUE AS WE HAVE HOPED PARTICULARLY AS WE NAVIGATE A POTENTIALLY YEARS-LONG LUNCH ETHICS REVIEW BEV SIT. MY FIRST REQUEST IS EXPLORE THE POTENTIAL REPURPOSING OF UNUSED FUNDS AS A FIRST STEP TO EXPAND PROGRAM SLATS FOR TEACHERS AND PARTNERING WITH THE SAN ANTONIO ALIGNS OF TEACHERS AND SUPPORT UNION TO ADVERTISE AND IDENTIFY QUALIFIED APPLICANTS. I ASK STAFF TO COME BACK WITH A RECOMMENDATION FOR CHANGES TO EXISTING PROGRAMS OR ADOPTION OF LESS EXPENSIVE PROGRAMS THAT ACHIEVE THE STATED GOAL OF INCREASING HOUSING ACCESSIBILITY AND PROVIDING SUPPORT FOR TEACHERS AS A PRIORITY.
THANK YOU. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, AURORA.
THIS ONE WILL ALSO BE PRESENTED BY VERONICA AND LORI.
ARE WE GOING TO KICK THIS OFF? >> HOUSTON: LORI HAS IT.
>> GARCIA: I'LL PROVIDE YOU INFORMATION WE'VE SELECTED AND REQUEST DISCUSSION FROM THE COMMITTEE SO WE MAY MOVE FORWARD WITH NEXT STEPS.
AS BACKGROUND FOR THIS PRESENTATION, A CCR WAS AUTHORED BY COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ ON JULY 31, 2023. THE CCR PROPOSED EXPANDING THE CITY'S HOMEOWNERSHIP INCENTIVE PROGRAMS TO INCLUDE ESTABLISHING A TEACHER HOMEBUYER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. THE CCR REQUESTED THE PROGRAM BE GUIDED BY STAKEHOLDER EVENLY GAUGEMENT THAT INCLUDES SCHOOL WORKER UNION, SCHOOL SUPPORT PERSONNEL AND SCHOOL LEADERSHIP AT MINIMUM. M THE CCR WAS HEARD BY THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE ON MARCH 20, 2024 AND IS ASSIGNED TO PCDC FOR DISCUSSION. CURRENTLY THE CITY DOES NOT OFFER AN H.E.B. ASSISTANCE PROGRAM SPECIFICALLY TRAILERED FOR EDUCATORS.
HOWEVER INCLUDING THE FIRST RESPONDERS HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM OR FRAP.
THIS IS A RETENTION TOOL THAT THE CITY USES TO RECRUIT FULL-TIME ELIGIBLE UNIFORMED POLICE AND FIREFIGHTERS ORCA DEATHS. THE HOPE PROGRAM IS ALSO RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION TOOL OFFERED TO ALL CIVILIAN FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES
[01:15:05]
INCLUDING PRE K FOR SA EMPLOYEES. BOTH PROGRAMS PROVIDE DOWNPAYMENT ASSISTANCE UP TO 40,000. ADDITIONALLY THE CITY OFFERS THE HIP 80 AND HIP 120 PROGRAM TO HELP SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS WITH AN A MI UNDER 120% IN PURCHASING THEIR FIRST HOME. HIP 80 OFFERS ASSISTANCE OF UP TO 30,000 AND HIP 120 PROVIDES UP TO 15,000 OF ASSISTANCE.BOTH ARE AVAILABLE TO ALL INCOME ELIGIBLE CITIZENS OF SAN ANTONIO.
ALL THESE HOMEOWNERSHIP PROGRAM OFFERS A FORGIVABLE ZERO PERCENT INTEREST LOAN BASED ON CURRENT HIP PROGRAMS, ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA, SOME TEACHERS MAY QUALIFY FOR THESE PROGRAMS. THE STARTING PAY OF A NEW TEACHER IS AVERAGED AT 58,000, WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY BELOW THE 100% AMI HUD LIMITS FOR A HOUSEHOLD SIZE OF ONE. SAN ANTONIO HOME BUYERS ARE REFERRED TO EXISTING HOMEOWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AND RESOURCES. TEACHERS ARE TARGETED THROUGH THE HOME FOR HEROES WHICH PROVIDES UP TO 5% DOWNPAYMENT ASSISTANCE AND THE TEACHER NEXT DOOR. THIS ORGANIZATION PROVIDES GRANTS UP TO 8,000 AND DOWNPAYMENT ASSISTANCE UP TO 10,681. LASTLY, NHSD CONNECTS HOMEBUYERS TO A VOTER OF MORTGAGE LENDERS SUCH AS BANKS AND CREDIT PROGRAMS THAT AID FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYERS. INCLUDING CLOSING COST ASSISTANCE, DOWNPAYMENT ASSISTANCE, AND FLEXIBLE MORTGAGE OPTIONS TO LOWER MONTHLY PAYMENTS. PROVIDING DOWNPAYMENT AND CLOSING COSTS ASSISTANCE TO TEACHERS IS NOT A PRIORITY IDENTIFIED IN THE COMMUNITY SURVEY.
THE GOAL OF THE REQUEST ALIGNS WITH NHSD HOMEOWNERSHIP PROGRAMS BY MAKING HOMEOWNERSHIP MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR RESIDENTS BETWEEN 80 TO 100% AMI.
THERE ARE NO KNOWN LEGAL BARRIERS THAT WOULD PREVENT THE CITY FROM EXPLORING THE TEACHERS HOMEBUYERS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. ESTABLISHING A TEACHER HOMEBUYER PROGRAM WOULD REQUIRE FUNDING WHICH IS NOT CURRENTLY AVAILABLE IN FISCAL YEAR '24 OR THE PROPOSED CITY BUDGET. APPROXIMATELY 580,000 WOULD BE REQUIRED TO SUPPORT TEN EDUCATORS WITH LOANS EQUIVALENT TO A TEACHER'S ANNUAL SALARY. HIP 120 INCLUDES QUALIFYING INCOME LEVELS APPROPRIATE FOR AN EDUCATOR AND COUNSELOR SUPPORT STAFF SALARIES BUT IT IS DEPENDENT ON THE HOUSEHOLD SIZE. AGAIN AS I MENTIONED, WE ARE REQUESTING INPUT FROM THE COMMITTEE TODAY TO HELP US DETERMINE NEXT STEPS FOR THIS CCR.
I'M SORRY. THE FIRST QUESTION WE HAVE AS AN EXAMPLE, SHOULD A PROGRAM SPECIFICALLY TARGET TEACHERS BE FUNDED AND ADMINISTERED BY THE CITY? SHOULD AGAIN FUNDS SUPPORT SUCH A PROGRAM AND THANK YOU AND WE WELCOME YOUR
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS. >> GARCIA: GREAT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. I SIGNED ON TO THIS CCR BECAUSE I'M A FELLOW EDUCATOR ON COUNCIL AND I CAN'T STRESS ENOUGH THAT WE HAVE A MAJORITY COUNCIL THAT IS -- THAT OR OR HAVE BEEN EDUCATORS. SO I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO TALK ABOUT EDUCATORS AND HOW THE CITY CAN ASSIST BECAUSE THEY ARE BUILDING OUR FUTURE ESSENTIALLY. WE HAD AN INSPIRATIONAL TEACHER SO WE CAN THINK OF ONE OF OUR TEACHERS. THE PRESENTATION TODAY SAYS TEACHERS DON'T GET PAID WHAT THEY SHOULD EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE CRITICAL AND I APPRECIATE THAT THERE'S PROGRAMS THAT REFER TO THEM AS HEROES BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S WHAT THEY ARE.
CAN INCORPORATE TEACHERS ON IT. I'M TRYING TO ALSO THINK, IS THERE LIKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO USE THIS ALSO AS AN EDUCATION CAMPAIGN TO REMIND FOLKS OR CAN WE PARTNER UP WITH THE TEACHERS ASSOCIATIONS AND THE TEACHERS UNION, UNIONS, OR ANY OF THE LIKE TO JUST LET THEM KNOW WHAT KIND OF INFORMATION OUT THERE? DO THEY ALREADY DO THAT? I'VE NEVER ASKED.
DO YOU KNOW? >> GARCIA: WELL, I DON'T HAVE THE SPECIFIC DATA.
WE DO CONDUCT DIFFERENT EVENTS AT DIFFERENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
THIS INCLUDES LOPEZ MIDDLE, SAM HOUSTON HIGH, CAMERON MILLION DOLLARS AND PRE K FOR SA. THIS IS 23 EVENTS. THIS YEAR ALONE WE'VE
REACHED OVER 1800 AT THESE EVENTS. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU.
[01:20:06]
I'LL START WITH COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU.
I SIGNED ON TO THIS ALSO BECAUSE AS A FORMER EDUCATOR, I KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS THAT A TEACHER IS THERE AND THAT THEY LIVE IN AND AROUND THEIR DISTRICT. SO I THINK THERE'S OPPORTUNITY HERE TO WORK WITH THE COUNTY AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
BECAUSE I KNOW WE HAVE SOME SCHOOLS THAT HAVE OPPORTUNITIES NOW BECAUSE OF REALIGNMENT AND SCHOOL CLOSURES AND TRYING TO FIND THAT AND AS WE GO INTO THE SESSION THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF CONVERSATION. ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, I LIKE THE AMI, BUT SIMILAR TO WHAT WE DID AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE STILL DO IT WITH FIRST RESPONDERS THAT WE LOOK AT ZIP CODES OF THE SCHOOL THAT THE TEACHERS WORK IN AND THEN WE LOOK AT THE ZIP CODES OF WHERE THEY ARE LOOKING AT PURCHASING THEIR HOME. THE ONE THING I HEAR FROM BOTH THE SUPERINTENDENTS AND THOSE THAT ARE RUNNING CHARTER SCHOOLS IN MY AREA IS THEY WOULD REALLY LIKE THE TEACHERS TO LIVE IN AND AROUND THE COMMUNITY. SO I THINK THAT IF WE WORK TOGETHER WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, ESPECIALLY THOSE IN SCHOOL DISTRICTS WHERE WE --E THAT'S FROM -- IT'S HARDER TO WORK AT THAT SCHOOL, WHERE THE POPULATION FACES MORE STRUGGLES.
AND IF THE EDUCATOR IS THERE AND LIVING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND TEACHING AT THOSE SCHOOLS BUT NEEDS TO -- NEEDS MORE -- NEEDS ASSISTANCE, MAYBE WE CAN DO THAT. AND MAYBE THAT CAN BE DEPENDENT ON, YOU KNOW, OUR ASSISTANCE TO THEM FOR THAT DEPOSIT. IF THEY ARE WORKING AT A SCHOOL THAT THEY ARE FINDING IT A HARD TIME TO FIND TEACHERS BECAUSE MAYBE AT THAT SCHOOL IN PARTICULAR THE STUDENTS, THERE'S A LOT OF TRANSFER STUDENTS MIDYEAR AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE COMMUNICATE WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS ALSO TO SEE HOW WE CAN -- HOW WE CAN HELP AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ASSISTING THEM IN THAT PROCESS. AND THEN ALSO THE COUNTY BECAUSE I -- SPECIFICALLY FOR ME, I HAVE TWO AREAS OF TOWN, THE EAST CENTRAL AND THE SOUTH SIDE THAT IT'S CITY AND COUNTY. SO I HAVE SOME SCHOOLS, BUT THE HIGH SCHOOLS ARE OUT IN THE COUNTY. SO I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE CAN KIND OF BRING IN THE COUNTY AND THEIR HOUSING PROGRAM AND ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AND SEE IF THEY CAN HELP WITH THAT. SO I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE. I THINK I WOULD LIKE TO SEE AS WE WORK TO TRY AND GET PEOPLE IN HOMES AND TRY AND GET PEOPLE IN NEW HOMES, TEACHERS ARE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY AND THAT WE DO NEED TO KIND OF MEASURE HOW MANY TEACHERS THOUGH ARE ALSO DOING THE APARTMENT LIVING. WE KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE THE ABILITY TO MOVE INTO A HOME BUT WOULD MUCH RATHER BE IN AN APARTMENT BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT THAT RESPONSIBILITY. SO I THINK THIS IS ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF SURVEY THE TEACHERS OR SURVEY THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO SEE WHERE THEIR TEACHERS WANT TO LIVE AND WHAT THEY DESIRE AND IF WE'RE PROVIDING THAT FOR THEM IN OUR DIFFERENT AREAS OF TOWN. THANK YOU.
>> GARCIA: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN. ANY OTHER COMMENTS?
COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE. >> COURAGE: YEAH, I WAS A TEACHER HERE FOR 25 YEARS AND I UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF KNOWING YOUR COMMUNITY.
NOW, I NEVER REALLY LIVED IN SAN ANTONIO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT WHEN I WAS TEACHING. I LIVED THERE A LITTLE BIT BEFORE.
BUT I WENT THERE ABOUT 200 DAYS A YEAR FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
SO YOU GET TO KNOW YOUR COMMUNITY. I WOULD ALSO SAY IT'S GOOD TO LIVE NEAR, IF YOU CAN. BUT THEN AGAIN, KNOWS ARE -- --S A LOT OF CHALLENGES A TEACHER MAKES WHEN THEY MAKE A DECISION WHERE THEY ARE GOING TO LIVE, SO I DON'T KNOW THAT I WOULD WANT TO MAKE IT REQUIREMENT THAT A TEACHER LIVE IN AN AREA THAT WE WOULD BE WILLING TO HELP THEM FINANCIALLY. BUT I WILL SAY I WAS LOOKING AT SOME OF THE NUMBERS AND THE ONE NUMBER THAT STOOD OUT TO ME WAS TO HELP TEN PEOPLE IT WOULD BE $580,000. I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THAT CAME ABOUT.
>> AND SO WHAT THE PROPOSAL OF THE CCR SAYS IS THAT THE GRANT OR THE LOAN WOULD BE UP TO -- IT WOULD BE EQUAL TO THEIR SALARY. AND SO A FIRST-YEAR TEACHER
[01:25:07]
IS MAKING 58,000. POTENTIALLY. >> COURAGE: I DIDN'T HEAR
THAT. >> GARCIA: SO TEN LOANS AT $58,000 IS $580,000.
AND I WANT TO STRESS THAT NUMBER IS FOR SOMEBODY FIRST YEAR AND IT'S RIGHT BELOW 100% AMI. SO I KNOW THAT WE'VE REQUESTED INFORMATION ABOUT THE AMI. I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO GET THAT FEEDBACK FROM THIS COMMITTEE BECAUSE NOT HAVING AN A MI CAP WOULD SEND US ANOTHER DIRECTION.
THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO UNDERSTAND AND ALSO UNDERSTAND THE FIRST-YEAR TEACHER, THEY WOULD QUALIFY FOR THE 120%, 120 HIP PROGRAM, BUT THAT FUNDING IS LIMITED. AND THAT FUNDING IS CAPPED AT 40,000 -- IS IT UP TO 40
OR 30? >> 215. >> HOUSTON: HIP 120.
>> HIP 120 IS UP TO 15,000. >> HOUSTON: 50 OR 15? >> 15.
>> HOUSTON: THAT IS UP TO 15,000 IN A GRANT AND THAT'S THE PROGRAM THAT WE OPERATE.
I JUST WANT TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION, BUT IT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL IF WE GOT SOME DIRECTION ON THE AMI AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, IS THIS A PROGRAM THAT SHOULD BE MANAGED BY THE CITY OR A NON-PROFIT. THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE
REALLY NEED SOME FEEDBACK ON. >> COURAGE: WELL, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES TODAY WHEN PEOPLE GO TO BUY A HOME, THEY ARE PUTTING IN AROUND A 10% DOWNPAYMENT. SOME PLACES YOU HAVE TO PUT A 20% AND THAT DEPENDS ON HOW MUCH YOU EARN AND WHAT YOUR CREDIT SCORE IS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
IF YOU GO AND GET AN F.H.A. OR VA LOAN IF YOU ARE A VETERAN BECOMING A TEACHER OR YOU ARE QUALIFIED FOR AN F.H.A. LOAN, IT'S MUCH LESS TO ACQUIRE THE HOME, PLUS CLOSING COSTS AND THIS AND THAT. I THINK ONE YEAR SALARY IS A LOT FOR THE CITY TO SAY IT COULD BE SUPPORTIVE OF. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE CITY STAFF LOOK AT WHAT CAN BE COMBINED WITH SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING FROM THE CITY AS A PACKAGE THAT WE COULD PROMOTE TO TEACHERS THAT MIGHT HELP.
AND MAYBE WE WOULD BE SPENDING HALF OF THAT OR MAYBE WE WOULD BE SPENDING A QUARTER OF THAT IN LINE WITH SOME OTHER FUNDING. AND AGAIN, IT ALMOST -- TO ME IT'S ALMOST LIKE SAYING LET'S DO A PILOT PROJECT ON THIS.
I SAY THAT BECAUSE WE'VE OFFERED FUNDING FOR POLICE AND FIRE AND EMPLOYEES TO LIVE WITHIN THE CITY FOR YEARS, AND THERE HASN'T BEEN A RUSH OF PEOPLE SAYING THEY WANT THAT. THEY WANT TO LIVE WHERE THEY WANT TO LIVE EVEN IF IT'S OUTSIDE THE CITY. SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE PROBABLY OUGHT TO LOOK AT HOW WE CAN COMBINE AS MANY FUNDING SOURCES AS WE CAN AND OFFER IT AS A PACKAGE TO INDUCE TEACHERS TO STAY IN SAN ANTONIO. I THINK THAT'S THE KEY.
NEW TEACHERS NEW TEACHER, BUT I THINK WE ALSO WANT TO KEEP PEOPLE STAYING IN SAN ANTONIO.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO EXPLORE IT SOME MORE, BUT, YOU KNOW, IF WE WERE DOING IT THIS WAY, HELPING TEN TEACHERS HELPS TEN FAMILIES. BUT THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF TEACHERS IN THIS CITY AND I DON'T KNOW IF OVER HALF A MILLION DOLLARS IS A GOOD INVESTMENT, ESPECIALLY IN THE SITUATION WE'RE IN. BUT I DO WANT TO CONTINUE DOING WHAT WE CAN TO SUPPORT TEACHERS TO GET THEIR DEGREE, TO GO TO WORK IN THE SCHOOLS HERE AND TO STAY HERE. THANK YOU.
>> GARCIA: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE. COUNCILMEMBER PELÁEZ.
>> PELÁEZ: I LIKE THE CCR, I SUPPORTED IT FROM THE OUTSET.
I DO THINK LIKE AGAIN WITH THE PREVIOUS CCR WITH THE ANIMALS, IF WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS, I THINK IT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO LIMIT THE SCOPE OF THE UNIVERSE OF PEOPLE WHO WOULD -- THIS WOULD APPLY TO. BUT ALSO TEN TEACHERS, THIS WILL BE A LIFE-ALTERING OPPORTUNITY FOR TEN TEACHERS, BUT I WOULD RATHER ALTER MANY MORE LIVES THAN JUST TEN. IT OCCURS TO ME, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, MY BROTHER IS A REALTOR SO HE TOLD ME THIS, I THINK THE AVERAGE CLOSING COSTS IN TEXAS ARE SOMETHING LIKE $4,500.
IF THE MONEY WERE TO GO JUST TO ABSORB CLOSING COSTS FOR A LIMITED NUMBER OF TEACHERS WHO MEET CERTAIN CRITERIA, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO TOUCH A LOT MORE FAMILIES' LIVES.
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CLOSING COSTS, SOMETIMES CAN BE AN IMPEDIMENT TO PIING A HOME.I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN SEE HOW WE CAN STRETCH THOSE DOLLARS FURTHER OUT THAN JUST SAYING HEY, HERE'S TEN CHECKS, HAVE A NICE LIFE. AND I'M NOT TRYING TO BE DISMISSIVE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THOSE LIVES, BUT I DO THINK THERE'S A WAY TO BE MORE IMPACTFUL ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU CONSIDER THE NEEDS OF SAN ANTONIANS ECLIPSE THE VERY LIMITED SOURCES WE HAVE TO HELP. THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS.
>> HOUSTON: I WANT TO STRESS THIS IS A DISCUSSION AND REVIEW, AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE, WE'RE NOT RECOMMENDING 580,000. THE GOAL WAS JUST TO SHOW YOU HOW MUCH A PROGRAM COULD COST JUST FOR TEN TEACHERS SO WE COULD BE THINKING ABOUT THAT. BUT STRESS, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY WOULD LIKE DIRECTION
ON AMI AND NON-PROFIT VERSUS THE CITY ADMINISTERING THIS. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU.
COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO. >> CASTILLO: I JUST WANTED TO ECHO COUNCILMAN'S COMMENTS. I THINK IF WE CAN GET BRIEFED ON WHO IS CURRENTLY ADMINISTRATOR SIMILAR PROGRAMS THAT COULD BE HELPFUL.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF THAT PIECE BEFORE GIVING RECOMMENDATION
>> GARCIA: COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN. >> VIAGRAN: BETWEEN 80 AND 100% AMI AND I DO THINK WE NEED A THIRD PARTY. I WOULD WANT SOMEONE ELSE TO
ADMINISTER IT. THANK YOU. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN. I WOULD AGREE ON THE THIRD PARTY AS WELL.
I WAS ALSO HOPING THAT MAYBE WE CAN HAVE A FOCUS LIKE ON THE DOWNPAYMENT PORTION, ON THE CLOSING COSTS, IF YOU WILL, SO WE CAN IMPACT AS MANY PEOPLE.
I THINK I WOULD AGREE WITH COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN ON THE AMI AND I THINK SOME OF OUR TEACHERS ARE ALREADY QUALIFIED -- THEY DON'T QUALIFY AT THE $58,000 SALARY LEVELS. I THINK WE NEED TO GET CREATIVE WITH THAT AND I DON'T KNOW THAT WE CAN WAIVE REQUIREMENTS BECAUSE THEN THAT WOULD BE TREATING ONE CERTAIN SEGMENT DIFFERENT FROM ANOTHER. BUT I THINK THAT WE CAN GET CREATIVE IN HOW WE DO ALLOW TEACHERS TO PARTICIPATE IN SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS AND MAYBE LOOKING BACK AT SOME OF THE DATA THAT WE HAVE AND FIGURING OUT WHERE WE NEED
TEACHERS, ET CETERA. THANK YOU, LORI. >> HOUSTON: THANK YOU.
YOU ARE GOING TO INTRODUCE THE NEXT ITEM, I DO WANT TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THE NEXT
ITEM. >> GARCIA: WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 5, WHICH IS A BRIEFING AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON A CCR ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE WATER AND SEWER LATERAL IMPROVEMENTS PROGRAM. AND THAT WILL BE PRESENTED TODAY BY THE OTHER VERONICA GARCIA, BUT I'LL TURN IT OVER TO LORI.
>> HOUSTON: COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR SUBMITTING THIS BECAUSE IT WAS QUITE THE EDUCATION ON THIS ISSUE. ONCE VERONICA AND I WERE TALKING WE KIND OF DUG INTO IT. WHAT WE SEE BEING THE CRUX OF THE MATTER, THERE WASN'T A CODE REQUIRING LATERALS UNTIL 1988.
ANY HOME BUILT IN 1988 OR BEYOND HAS THIS INFRASTRUCTURE AND [INAUDIBLE] FROM SAWS TO HELP WITH THOSE REPAIRS. BUT PRIOR TO 1988, THERE ARE A LOT OF HOMES THAT DON'T HAVE ANY LATERALS AND THERE'S A GAP IN ASSISTANCE FOR HOMES THAT ARE COMPLETELY MISSING THOSE LATERALS.
THE CITY DOES HELP WITH THAT GAP THROUGH OUR MINOR AND MAJOR REHAB PROGRAMS, BUT IT HELPED US HONE IN ON WHAT ARE WE REALLY FOCUSED ON AND WHAT IS THE ISSUE, AND THE ISSUE IS THESE HOMES BUILT BEFORE 1988, THEY WEREN'T REQUIRED.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE NEED TO FOCUS WHERE WE PUT OUR PROGRAM DOLLARS.
SO VERONICA, I'LL PASS IT ON TO YOU. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU.
I WILL PROVIDE SOME INFORMATION ON THE CCR SUBMITTED BY COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO ABOUT THE SEWER LATERALS. THE LATERALS CONNECT A HOME TO THE MAIN SEWER AND DAMAGED AND IMPROPER LATERALS CAN REPAIRS CAN BE VERY COSTLY FOR THE HOMEOWNER. SO THE CCR ASKED THAT THE CITY EXPLORE A PROGRAM TO SUPPORT HOMEOWNERS WITH THESE REPAIRS, ALSO TO REVIEW AND UPDATE CHAPTER 34, ARTICLE 5, DIVISION 2 OF OUR CITY CODE OF ORDINANCES WHICH SPEAKS TO SEWERS AND LATERALS SPECIFICALLY, AS WELL AS LOOK AT DEVELOPING A
[01:35:04]
MAP OF RESIDENTS WITH MISSING OR IMPROPER LATERALS.THE ITEM WAS PRESENTED AT GOVERNANCE ON MAY 17TH AND REFERRED TO PCDC FOR DISCUSSION. WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION TODAY.
SO THERE ARE LIMITED RESOURCES AVAILABLE TODAY, AS LORI MENTIONED, FOR HOMEOWNERS THAT ARE NEED LATERAL-RELATED REPAIRS. OUR MAJOR AND MINOR REHAB PROGRAMS DO HELP WITH LATERALS AND SPECIFICALLY REPLACING [INAUDIBLE] WHEN THE PROPERTY IS OCCUPIED BY THE HOMEOWNER. SO OUR PROGRAMS DO NOT APPLY IF RENTERS ARE IN THE PROPERTY. IN ADDITION, HOUSEHOLDS MUST BE BELOW 80% OF THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME. FOR A FAMILY OF THREE, THAT'S JUST UNDER $64,000 A YEAR. WHAT WE DO FIND IN OUR MAJOR AND MINOR REHAB PROGRAMS, IF A BRAND-NEW CONNECTION TO THE LATERAL IS NEEDED, WE NEED TO COORDINATE WITH SAWS FOR THAT PIECE. SAWS, AND THEY HAVE JOINED US TODAY, SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THEIR TEAM.
WE DO HAVE -- HE'S BEEN GREAT IN HELPING US UNDERSTAND THE SYSTEM, BUT MR. GREG IS HERE TODAY IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS SPECIFICALLY ABOUT SAWS PROGRAMS. THEY HAVE LATERALS TO PEOPLE WHICH DOES HELP REPAIR DEFECTIVE LATERALS FROM THE HOUSE TO THE PROPERTY LINE, BUT THAT IS ONLY FOR HOMEOWNERS UP TO 125% OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL. WE USUALLY TALK IN AMI OR MEDIAN INCOME, SO FOR A THREE-PERSON HOUSEHOLD, THAT'S ABOUT 32,000 OR 40% OF OUR AREA MEDIAN INCOME. MORE OF THAT DEEPER AFFORDABILITY LEVELS CAN APPLY FOR THIS PROGRAM. THE SECOND PROGRAM IS THE LATERAL REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM FOR PEOPLE OF ANY INCOME WHO DO DISCOVER AN ISSUE WITH THE SAWS PORTION OF THE SEWER CONNECTION. THIS WOULD BE ANYTHING IN THE RIGHT-OF-WAY, SO A TYPICAL EXAMPLE WOULD BE A HOMEOWNER WHO IS EXPERIENCING A BACKUP ISSUE AND THEN THEY PAY FOR A NEEDED REPAIR, THEY PAY FOR THE PLUMBER TO TELESCOPE THE LINE AND THEY DISCOVER IT IS IN THE RIGHT-OF-WAY ON THE SAWS SIDE.
SO THEN THEY WOULD SUBMIT THAT INFORMATION TO SAWS AND SAWS WOULD MAKE THE REPAY AND REIMBURSE THE HOMEOWNER FOR THEIR PORTION OF THE PLUMBING EXPENSE.
SAWS DOES NOT HAVE A PROGRAM FOR LATERALS THAT ARE MISSING ENTIRELY NOR DO THEY HAVE A MAP OF MISSING SYSTEMS. THIS REQUEST DOES ALIGN WITH CITY BUDGET PRIORITIES RELATED TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING WHICH WAS A TOP PRIORITY IN THE SURVEY RESPONSES THAT WE RECEIVED THIS YEAR.
AND THE GOALS OF THE REQUEST ALIGN BOTH WITH NHSD'S HOME REHAB AND PRESERVATION PROGRAMS AND WELL AS METRO HEALTH FOR SAFETY OF RESIDENTS.
I'LL BRIEFLY COVER THE SECTION OF THE CITY'S CODE OF ORDINANCES WHICH IS REFERENCED IN THE CCR. CHAPTER 34 IS THE PORTION OF THE CODE WHICH GOVERNS WATER AND SEWER SYSTEMS SPECIFICALLY. THE ENTITY RESPONSIBLE IS SAWS. AND THEY DO HAVE EDITORIAL CONTROL OVER SECTION OF THE CODE BUT THEY NEED COUNCIL TO APPROVE IN ORDER TO FINALIZE ANY EDITS.
ARTICLE 5, DIVISION 2 REQUIRES ALL RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES THAT ARE NEAR A STREET WITH A SEWER MAIN OR WITHIN 200 FEET OF A SEWER MAIN MUST HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL DIRECT CONNECTION, SO THAT WOULD NOT ALLOWED FOR A TIE-IN TO A NEIGHBOR'S LATERAL AND THIS IS ONLY BEEN IN THE CODE SINCE 1988. IT COULD BE A LITTLE BIT EARLIER, BUT RIGHT AROUND THAT TIME, THAT'S A NEW REQUIREMENT, SO HOMES BUILT IN THE '70S, '60S AND BEFORE THAT MAY HAVE AN ISSUE AND THAT IS WHAT WE HAVE SEEN IN SOME OF OUR PROJECTS AS WELL. SO THIS IS JUST KIND OF A GRAPHIC OF THAT SHOWING THE HOMEOWNER'S RESPONSIBILITY IS FROM THE PROPERTY LINE TO THE HOUSE. THEN ALL OF THE SAWS ELEMENTS OF THE SYSTEM ARE WITHIN THE RIGHT-OF-WAYS UNDER THE STREET. AGAIN, HOMEOWNERS MAY BE ABLE TO GET ASSISTANCE THROUGH NHSD'S HOME REHAB OR SAWS LATERAL TO PEOPLE PROGRAM FOR THAT FIRST SECTION WITHIN THE HOMEOWNER RESPONSIBILITY AND SAWS CAN PROVIDE ASSISTANCE AND REIMBURSE THE HOMEOWNER FOR ANY EXPENSES UNCOVERING AN ISSUE WITHIN THE STREET. WHEN WE LOOK AT LEGAL DISCLOSURES, HOME SELLERS MUST DISCLOSE WHAT TYPE OF UTILITY THEIR HOME HAS AS WELL AS ANY KNOWN DEFECTS TO THOSE SYSTEMS. IT ISN'T ALWAYS POSSIBLE TO KNOW IF THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH A LATERAL WITHOUT A PLUMBER USING A CAMERA AND SOMETIMES IT'S NECESSARY TO DIG TO SEE IF THE LATERAL CONNECTS DIRECTLY TO THE MAIN.
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PROSPECTIVE HOME BUYERS CAN REQUEST INSPECTION INCLUDE TELEVISING A LINE, THAT ADDITIONAL FEE MAY BE AROUND $600. AND REQUESTING A NEW CERTIFICATE PROGRAM THAT WOULD HELP ENSURE PROPERTIES SOLD HAVE WORKING LATERALS OR THAT THEY DISCLOSE ANY OF THESE DEFECTS WHICH WOULD IMPACT COST.IF THEY KNOW ABOUT IT UNDER CURRENT LAWS, THEY HAVE TO DISCLOSE THAT.
IN SHORT, THERE ARE NO KNOWN LEGAL BARRIERS TO EXPLORING A PROGRAM THAT FOCUSES ON THE NEW CONNECTIONS AS REQUESTED. THERE MAY BE ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENT LEGAL CHALLENGES THAT JUST KIND OF WOULD DEPEND ON WHAT ADDITIONAL OBLIGATIONS WE PUT ON A PROPERTY OWNER WHEN THEY WANT TO SELL THEIR HOUSE AND THE ODD -- ADDED COSTS FOR THAT. THIS REQUEST WILL REQUIRE SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING. THE COST FOR LATERAL REPAIR CAN BE ANYWHERE 300 TO $20,000. JUST TO GIVE AN ESTIMATE ON THE HIGH END, $200,000 MAY SERVE ABOUT TEN DIFFERENT HOMES. THE MAJOR AND MINOR REHAB PROGRAMS TOGETHER HAVE A COMBINED BUDGET OF ABOUT $16.7 MILLION FOR NEXT YEAR AND WE HAVE ABOUT THE SAME FUNDING LEVELS THIS YEAR AS WELL.
AGAIN, WE CAN SUPPORT THE REPAIRS NEEDED FROM THE HOME TO THE STREET AND WE COORDINATE CLOSELY WITH SAWS TO CONNECT DIRECTLY TO THE MAIN.
SO AGAIN OPENING UP THE ITEM FOR THE DISCUSSION TODAY, WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU ON ITEMS SUCH AS SHOULD THIS PROGRAM IF IT WERE TO BE OFFERED BE INCOME BASED AND WHAT AMI CATEGORY, GENERAL FUNDS TO SUPPORT THE PROGRAM, IS THERE A NON-PROFIT PARTNER TO HELP US ADMINISTRATE AND OPERATE THE PROGRAM AND WHETHER ADDING SEWER LINE INSPECTION REQUIREMENTS WOULD HELP OR HURT THE HOMEOWNER AND BUYER
IN HOME SALES. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU SO MUCH, VERONICA. I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND THANK SAWS FOR BEING REPRESENTED TODAY. AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK MS. DOP HER STRUGGLE.
AND SO WE WILL BE -- I THINK SAWS ALREADY REACHED OUT OR THEY WILL BE CONNECTING OR GETTING YOUR INFORMATION, MS. TORRES. WE'LL FOLLOW UP ON THAT.
THIS ISSUE HAS COME UP BY MY COLLEAGUES IN DISTRICTED 3 AND 5 AND I WANT TO THANK COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO. I'M GOING TO START WITH HER BECAUSE SHE'S GOT A BINDER THAT SAYS LATERALS AND THAT'S JUST SAW SOME. ANYWAY, THERE'S A SMALL SECTION IN MY DISTRICT, HUNTER'S POND, THEY WERE THEY WERE BUILT WITH SEPTIC TANKS. SOME OF THOSE RESIDENTS CAN'T AFFORD TO CONNECT.
I APPRECIATE THE FACT THIS WAS BROUGHT UP. I ALSO THINK WE COULD WORK WITH SAWS AND SEE HOW WE COULD GET A PILOT PROGRAM. I FEEL LIKE TODAY, IT'S LIKE THE PILOTS COMMUNITIES DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE. IT'S GOOD CONVERSATIONS TO HAVE AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WHAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE TO SAY.
I'LL START OFF THE CONVERSATION WITH COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO.
>> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, CHAIR, AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
MARTHA, FOR SHARING HER STORY. I'M GRATEFUL THAT NHSD DO INCLUDE ASSISTANCE WITH LATERALS, HOWEVER, MANY OF THE CONSTITUENTS LIKE MARTHA WHO RUN INTO THIS ISSUE AREN'T GOING THROUGH THAT PROGRAM.
THE GOAL IS TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW CAN WE EXPAND AND CREATE A PILOT PROGRAM WITH SAWS THAT WILL HELP TACKLE SOME OF THESE CONSTITUENT SERVICES CASES WHERE THEY ARE RUNNING INTO THE ISSUE OF NOT BEING CONNECTED OR HAVING A LATERAL. AND SIMILAR TO LORI, WE WENT ON A DEEP DIVE OF LATERALS.
I HAVE THE METRO HEALTH CODE AND ALL THESE CODES ON HOW FAILING TO BE CONNECTED TO A SEWER SYSTEM THE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE HOMEOWNER BECAUSE IT'S ALSO A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE BECAUSE IT'S ALSO -- IF YOU ARE NOT HAVING A CLEAR PATH WAY FOR THAT. A COUPLE OF THINGS, I WANTED TO THANK RACHEL TUCKER WHO MET WITH ME TO SHARE HER FRUSTRATION THAT SHE WAS RUNNING INTO A LOT OF THESE CASES AND THERE WASN'T A SOLUTION. WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO WORK THROUGH SOME, BUT ULTIMATELY IF IT GOES UNDER THE HOUSE OR BREAKS THROUGH CITY RIGHT-OF-WAY, THERE AREN'T NECESSARILY ANY RESOURCES TO HELP COVER THOSE COSTS.
AS MARTHA SHARED, IT'S TO 30 TO $40,000 BECAUSE DEPENDING ON THE QUALITY OF THE STREET AND SIDEWALK THAT'S BEING IMPACTED. FOR MANY OF THE OLDER PARTS OF THE CITY AS CITED IN THE PRESENTATION BY LORI, THE CODE WAS DIFFERENT PRIOR TO
[01:45:02]
1988. AND MANY OF OUR OLDER PARTS THAT DON'T KNOWSLY WERE DEVELOPED PRIOR TO THEN, THEY'VE EITHER BEEN REPLATTED SO THEY DON'T KNOW THEY ARE NOT CONNECTED TO THE LATERAL OR THE PRIMARY OWNER OF THE LATERAL AND THERE IS SOMEONE THAT HAS THE ABILITY TO SHUT THEIR WATER OFF.YOU HAVE TO HAVE ROUGHLY $60,000 TO TACKLE THAT ISSUE WHICH MANY TOMORROWS IN THE INNERCITY DON'T HAVE THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY OR COLLATERAL TO TAKE OUT A LOAN. I'M GRATEFUL SAWS HAVE PLUMBERS TO THE PEOPLE AND LATERALS TO THE PEOPLE, BUT IT'S LIMITED IN SCOPE. SO I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION AND IDEALLY HAVE A PILOT THAT MIRRORS PLUMBERS TO THE PEOPLE WITH THE SAME AMI, AND ALSO TAPPING INTO SIMILAR FUNDING YOU ALL USE FOR PLUMBERS TO THE PEOPLE TO HELP COVER THIS PILOT PROGRAM. OF COURSE, WITH THE SAME AMI THAT'S REQUIRED FOR PLUMBERS TO THE PEOPLE, BUT TO HELP TACKLE THOSE ISSUES WHETHER UNDER THE HOME OR CONNECTING TO THE RIGHT-OF-WAY, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE SEEING A HIGH NEED OF RESOURCES AND SUPPORT. OUR TEAM, WE ALSO WORK WITH THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT SO I THINK THEY WOULD BE A GOOD PARTNER TO PLUG IN IS PUBLIC WORKS ON HOW WE CAN WORK COLLABORATIVELY TO ENSURE THERE IS A PILOT THAT CAN CONNECT CONSTITUENTS TO RESOURCES TO HELP GET THEM COME INTO CODE.
BECAUSE THERE'S FOLKS THAT HAD NO IDEA THAT THEY WEREN'T CONNECTED TO A SEWER SYSTEM AND LUCKILY WITH SOME OF THOSE CASES SAWS HAS BEEN AMAZING AT PROVIDING RESOURCES AND SUPPORT, BUT THERE'S ALSO THESE CASES WHERE WE HAVE TO TELL THEM NO. AND BECAUSE OF US HAVING TO TELL THEM NO IS WHY WE FILED A CCR AND HOW WE CAN DEVELOP A PILOT TO PROVIDE RESOURCES TO MANY FAMILIES NOT
CONNECTED TO LATERALS. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE.
>> COURAGE: I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT WE NEED TO WORK TO HELP RESOLVE. NO ONE SHOULD FIND OUT THAT THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO WATER OR SEWER. YOU KNOW, WE GET 4% OF SAWS'S REVENUE TO THE CITY GOES INTO OUR GENERAL FUND LIKE WE GET SOME FROM CPS ENERGY.
I'M WONDERING IF WE CAN'T LOOK AT THE POSSIBILITY, I KNOW IT AFFECTS OUR BUDGET, BUT MAYBE ALLOCATING PART OF THAT 4% FROM SAWS INTO A FUND THAT CAN BE USED TO HELP REMEDY SOME OF THESE SITUATIONS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT 4% IS GOING TO BE THIS YEAR. WE PROBABLY DON'T HAVE A FINAL ESTIMATE FROM THEM.
BUT I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE COULD MAYBE EXPLORE AND THAT WAY IT'S NOT A DIRECT TAP ON OUR GENERAL FUND AND IT WOULD BE MAYBE UNDER THE AUSPICES OF SAWS, WHO ALREADY HAS A LATERAL PROGRAM WHO KNOWS HOW TO HELP PEOPLE, BUT THAT WAY IT'S NOT REALLY COMING OUT OF THEIR GENERAL FUND, IT'S COMING OUT OF THAT TRANSFER OF MONEY THAT COMES TO THE CITY AND MAYBE DESIGNATE A PART OF THAT TO GO INTO FUNDING AT LEAST A PILOT PROGRAM. MAYBE IT'S, YOU KNOW, HALF A MILLION DOLLARS OR SOMETHING. SO I'D LIKE TO SEE THE CITY STAFF TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND SEE IF THAT MIGHT BE A REVENUE SOURCE FOR A PILOT PROJECT THAT SAWS CAN MANAGE, UNDERSTANDING WHAT IT TAKES TO GET THE JOB DONE. THAT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, A THOUGHT THAT COMES TO MY
MIND. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE.
COUNCILMEMBER PELÁEZ. >> PELÁEZ: THIS IS A NEED TO HAPPEN.
WE NEED TO FIX THIS. I HAD NO IDEA THIS WAS A SERIOUS PROBLEM IN SAN ANTONIO AND THIS IS ONE OF OUR CORE FUNCTIONS IS MAKING SURE PEOPLE GET WATER. AND SO THE ANSWER TO ALL THREE OF THE QUESTIONS ON THAT SLIDE IS YES. AND THEN HOW WOULD ADDITIONAL SEWER AUDIO] I DON'T KNOW. BUT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A SECONDARY QUESTION TO HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT MRS. MARTINEZ IN YOUR DISTRICT DOESN'T HAVE HER WATER CUT OFF AND FINDS THE ONLY WAY TO GET THE WATER TURNED BACK IS IS IF SHE COUGHS UP $60,000. THAT'S AN UNACCEPTABLE SITUATION.
WHATEVER WE NEED TO DO TO REMEDY THAT, WE NEED TO DO IT QUICKLY.
>> GARCIA: COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN. >> VIAGRAN: HOW COME SAWS DOESN'T HAVE A HAPPEN OF THE RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES WITH MISSING LATERAL CONNECTIONS?
DO WE HAVE AN ANSWER FOR THAT? >> I THINK JUST SINCE THEY ARE MISSING AND BECAUSE OF THE REPLATTING THROUGH THE YEARS, IT'S HARD TO ANYONE TO REALLY IDENTIFY WHAT'S THERE. SO WE CAN WORK WITH THEM AS THESE ISSUES ARE UNCOVERED LIKE OVER TIME, BUT TODAY THERE'S NO MAP OF THE
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MISSING LATERALS. >> VIAGRAN: I HAVE -- THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE.
I MEAN, [INAUDIBLE] AND JOHN WAYNE CAN GET INTO MY SYSTEM AND TELL ME EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING WRONG AND SAWS HAS NOT FOUND WHERE THE MISSING LATERALS ARE.
>> HOUSTON: COUNCIL, IF I COULD ADD, THEY CAN TELL YOU WHERE THE LATERALS WILL, THEY CAN'T TELL YOU WHERE THEY AREN'T. THAT WAS DONE BEFORE PLATTING AND EVERYTHING ELSE. AS THEY GET INFORMATION, THEY WILL MAP IT OUT, BUT THEY CAN'T DELL YOU WHAT THEY DON'T KNOW.
>> VIAGRAN: YOU ALL ARE WORKING ON WHEN THE PROBLEMS OCCUR --
>> LIKE IN THE '50S, '60S, MIGHT NOT HAVE BRAWN IT IN.
THEY CAN TELEVISE, BUT CAN'T TELL WHEN THE ALREADY MAKES IT ALL THE WAY TO THE -- LATERAL MAKES IT ALL THE WAY TO THE PROPERTY LINE. IT'S BASED ON THE RECORDS WE
HAVE BECAUSE THE SYSTEM SPANS SO MANY DECADES. >> VIAGRAN: AND THE OTHER ISSUE I HAVE WHICH IS WHY I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE THIS TO THE MUNICIPAL COMMITTEE OR MUNICIPAL UTILITIES COMMITTEE THAT HAS BEEN FORMED IS THE FACT THAT WHEN BEXAR MET WAS ACQUIRED, THERE WAS NO RESEARCH DONE ON WHERE THE BEXAR MET LINES WERE. SO IN THE SOUTHERN SECTOR OF SAN ANTONIO, WE'RE RUNNING INTO THIS AND MY RESIDENTS ONLY KNOW WHEN, LIKE MARTHA CAME UP AND TALKED, WHEN THEY RUN INTO AN ISSUE AND THEY HAVE SOMEBODY THAT IS THREATENING TO TURN OFF THEIR WATER. THE OTHER THING THAT I FIND THAT WE NEED TO DIG DEEPER INTO IS AN ANSWER OF THIS IS HOW WE'VE DONE IT BEFORE IS NOT A POLICY ANSWER.
SO WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE MUNICIPAL UTILITIES COMMITTEE EXPLORE AND ALSO, VERONICA AND LORI, WHAT SORT OF POLICIES IS SAWS WORKING UNDER THAT PERMITS THIS PROCESS FOR SOMEONE TO OWN. BECAUSE IF YOU ARE AN UNSCRUPULOUS PROPERTY OWNER, YOU JUST FIND OUT WHERE THE MISSING LATERALS ARE, YOU GO BUY THAT UP AND YOU HAVE WATER ACCESS AND YOU CAN CHARGE WHATEVER YOU WANT. AND YOU CAN DECIDE THAT IF THE RESIDENT GIVES ME A WATER BILL THAT SAYS $200, WELL, I THINK YOU ARE GOING TO USE MORE SO YOU HAVE TO GIVE ME $400. THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE AND WE NEED TO DIG DEEPER INTO THESE POLICIES BECAUSE IT IS THE SOUTHERN SECTOR, THE OLDER HOMES, IT'S WHAT WAS NOT SAN ANTONIO PROPER, WHICH WAS THE HARLANDALE COMMUNITY AND THE HIGHLANDS AREA AND SUNNY SLOPE. ALL THESE THINGS IN DISTRICT 3 THAT ARE BEING IMPACTED THAT OUR LEGACY FAMILY HOMES THAT WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP AND WE KNOW -- BECAUSE COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO ALWAYS SAYS THAT THE MOST VULNERABLE HOUSING STOCK IS THE HOUSING STOCK EXISTING. THIS CAN'T EXIST IF OUR HOMEOWNERS ARE HAVING TO PAY 60-PLUS TO GET WATER. AND TO GET SEWER.
I AM IN SUPPORT, OF COURSE, OF THIS ITEM AND MAKING SURE WE TAKE A LOOK AT IT, BUT I THINK IT WILL START WITH THE MUNICIPAL UTILITY COMMITTEE. FROM THERE THIS NEEDS TO GO TO THE CITY AND I HAVEN'T MET YOU BEFORE, BUT TAKE THIS MESSAGE BACK TO SAWS AND YOUR PEOPLE THERE THAT WE'VE GOT LOTS OF QUESTIONS THAT THEY NEED TO ANSWER.
THANK YOU. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN.
COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE. >> COURAGE: YES, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT THIS COMMITTEE REFER THIS TO THE MUNICIPAL UTILITIES COMMITTEE, THAT THE CITY STAFF STILL CONTINUE TO WORK ON THIS AND WORK WITH THE MUC ON TRYING TO FIND MORE
SOLUTIONS TO THIS. >> GARCIA: THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND TO FORWARD THIS FOR THE MUNICIPAL UTILITIES TO WORK ON.
AND SO I APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION AND I THINK THAT IT'S A GREAT SPOT.
I DIDN'T WANT TO REFER IT TO MY OWN OTHER COMMITTEE. IT WOULD BE SELF-SERVING.
SO THANKS FOR MAKING THAT MOTION. WE'LL -- YES, THANK YOU FOR THAT. WITH NO FURTHER ITEMS, THE MEETING IS -- WAIT, SORRY, WE HAVE TO VOTE ON THAT. THERE'S A MOTION ON THE TABLE.
ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY AYE. ANY OPPOSED? SORRY, NO ABSTENTIONS.
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MOTION CARRIES. WE ARE ADJOURNED* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.