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>> CASTILLO: GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE, WE'LL GET STARTED WITH A ROLL CALL.
>> THANK YOU, WE'LL START WITH THE EASY STUFF, THAT'S THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM THE FEBRUARY 24TH MUNICIPAL UTILITIES COMMITTEE MEETING.
I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTIONS? MOTION CARRIES. WE'LL MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENT. WE HAVE TWO PEOPLE SIGNED IN TO SPEAK, THE FIRST ONE IS RYAN BALDWIN, WILL BE FOLLOWED BY MARTIN GUTIERREZ, RYAN, YOU HAVE
THREE MINUTES. >> BALDWIN: >> CHAIR OF THE SAN ANTONIO APARTMENT GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS COMMITTEE, THE IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT OF THE ASSOCIATION, I'M HERE TODAY TO SPEAK ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 2, THE PREVENTATIVE MEASURES TO ELIMINATE WATER DISCONNECTIONS FOR THE MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING COMMUNITIES. WE AGREE THAT IT IS CRITICAL TO KEEP WATER ON FOR ALL OF SAN ANTONIO'S RESIDENTS, AND WITH JUST A FEW MINOR CHANGES TO THE PROCESS AND CODE, SAWS AND THE CITY CAN MAKE THAT POSSIBLE. SAWS HAS NOW AMENDED THEIR NOTIFICATION PROCESS TO BE MORE ROBUST AND CONTACTING THE PROPERTY OWNER ACCOUNT HOLDER AND MANAGEMENT. SAWS IS ALSO WORKING WITH NHSD TO GET NOTICES TO THE RESIDENTS. THE APARTMENT ASSOCIATION SUPPORTS RECOMMENDATIONS TO AMEND CHAPTER 34 TO ALLOW SAWS AND CPS TO ISSUE LIENS ON PROPERTIES THAT ARE DELINQUENT. THE APARTMENT ASSOCIATION ALSO SUPPORTS THE RECOMMENDATION FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO TO AMEND CHAPTER 6, THE PROACTIVE APARTMENT ORDINANCE TO ALLOW CODE OFFICERS TO ISSUE NOTICE OF VIOLATION IN TANDEM WITH THE SAWS NOTIFICATION PROCESS AND ISSUE A CITATION AT THE TIME OF SHUTOFF FOR NONPAYMENT. ALL OF THESE IMPROVEMENTS AND AMENDMENTS -- THE CHANGES WILL RESULT IN A BETTER SYSTEM FOR SAWS AND THE CITY TO FOLLOW WHEN IT CONCERNS MULTI-FAMILY COMMUNITIES THAT ARE DELINQUENT ON THEIR WATER
BILLS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. >> THANK YOU, MR. BALDWIN.
MARTIN GUTIERREZ? >> GUTIERREZ: GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL.
SO MARTIN GUTIERREZ, GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS DIRECTOR FOR THE SAN ANTONIO BOARD OF REALTORS, HERE TO TALK ON ISSUE NUMBER 3, I HAVE A ONE PAGE IF I CAN PASS IT OUT.
SO I JUST WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF SELLERS DISCLOSURE.
I THINK A BIGGER ISSUE BEHIND THIS, THE TEXAS REAL ESTATE COMMISSION REQUIRES SELLERS TO DISCLOSE KNOWN DEFECTS IN A PROPERTY INCLUDING PLUMBING AND SEWER SYSTEM ISSUES. UNFORTUNATELY MANY HOME BUYERS ARE AWARE THAT SEWER LATERALS ARE THE HOMEOWNER'S RESPONSIBILITY NOT THE CITY'S, MISSING OR DAMAGED SEWER LINES CAN LEAD TO COSTLY REPAIRS IF NOT DISCLOSED.
SHARE A SINGLE LATERAL OR THEY DON'T HAVE ONE AT ALL. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT ISSUE THAT I THINK OUR SABOV COMMITTED TO IS SHARING THE -- THE VALUE OF A REALTOR, THESE ARE THINGS THAT SHOULD BE DISCLOSED ACCORDING TO TEXAS PROPERTY CODE, I HERM TODAY TO SHARE THIS ONE PAGER, WHICH I CAN SHARE A COPY WITH YOU ALL, WE ARE HAPPY TO DO PRESENTATIONS, SHARE THIS WITH YOU ALL, WHEN PEOPLE ARE BUYING AND SELLING A HOME, THESE ARE THINGS THAT SHOULD BE DISCLOSED.
SO THANK YOU. >> CABELLO HAVRDA THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. GUTIERREZ, WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 2, WHICH IS CCR BY COUNCILMAN RODRIGUEZ, AND WE WILL START WITH THE PRESENTATION BY MIKE SHANNON.
I THOUGHT I SAW THE COUNCILMAN WALK IN, COUNCILMAN, DO YOU WANT TO TAKE YOUR TIME NOW OR AFTER THE PRESENTATION. OKAY.
PERFECT, MIKE, GIVE US A SEC, SORRY. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR.
AND MIKE, I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO GIVE THE PRESENTATION IN A LITTLE WHILE, SO MY MAIN PRIORITY WITH THE CCR WAS TO SAFEGUARD RESIDENTS FROM LANDLORDS WHO COLLECT RENT BUT FAIL TO PAY UTILITY BILLS PUTTING TENANTS AT RISK. I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE OF STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS.
THEY OFFER A RUN WAY TO LANDLORDS TO COURSE CORRECT BEFORE RESIDENTS ARE IMPACTED. THE PROPOSAL AIMS TO ACHIEVE THE OBJECTIVE OF PREVENTING WATER SHUTOFFS. I'M GLAD TO SEE OUR CALL FOR INCREASED COMMUNICATION WITH THE COMPLEX HAS BEEN HEARD, RECOGNIZED AND ADDRESSED. OUR OFFICE WAS REALLY HAPPY TO COLLABORATE WITH APARTMENT ASSOCIATION TO FIND A WORKING SOLUTION.
THANK YOU TO MIKE, THANK YOU TO THE DEPARTMENT ASSOCIATION, THANK YOU TO SAWS FOR HELPING COLLABORATE ON THIS. THANKS.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN, ALL RIGHT, MIKE, IT'S ALLT' YOURS.
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>> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, COMMITTEE MEMBERS, MIKE SHANNON, DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DIRECTOR, AND IF YOU REMEMBER, I WAS HERE LAST MONTH WITH SAWS, WE PRESENTED A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION ON THIS, AND WE'VE GOT SOME GREAT FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMITTEE, AND YOU ASKED US ALL TO KIND OF WORK OVER THE LAST 30 DAYS AND COME BACK WITH A FORMAL RECOMMENDATION ON THIS TOPIC.
SO I'LL QUICKLY GO OVER SOME OF THE BACKGROUND AGAIN, SO AS I MENTIONED, THIS WAS A COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUEST FROM DISTRICTS 2 AND 7.
THE IDEA WAS, YOU KNOW, WHENEVER THERE IS A APARTMENT COMPLEX AND IT'S ONE OF THOSE WHERE THE RESIDENTS PAY THEIR RENT WHICH INCLUDES UTILITIES, WATER BILLS, AND BUT THERE'S DISCONNECTION BECAUSE THE LANDLORD ISN'T PAYING THAT BILL TO SAWS, SO THE TENANTS ARE DOING EVERYTHING THEY SHOULD BE DOING, HOWEVER THEY COULD GET THEIR WATER SHUT OFF WITH SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTS THEIR ABILITY TO LIVE THERE. WE'VE HAD A FEW EXAMPLES OF THAT OVER THE PAST YEAR OR SO, SO THE REQUEST WAS CITY STAFF, SAN ANTONIO STAFF, AND SAWS, HOW CAN WE CHANGE OUR PROCEDURES AND POSSIBLY CHANGE CODE TO PREVENT THIS AND ELIMINATE THIS IN THE FUTURE, AT LEAST MINIMIZE THAT SO IT DOESN'T HAPPEN TO THE RESIDENTS.
SO THIS IS THE COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUEST A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL, WE TALKED ABOUT THE PROACTIVE INSPECTION PROGRAM, WHICH WAS CREATED TWO YEARS AGO, A CITY ORDINANCE, CAN WE DO ANYTHING TO CHANGE THAT, TO HELP OUT THIS PROBLEM? WE ALSO WANT TO WORK WITH SAWS AND THEIR NOTIFICATION PROCESS IN COLLABORATION WITH CITY STAFF, SOME OF THOSE HAVE ALREADY BEEN DONE, WE MENTIONED THAT LAST TIME. SO THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED A MONTH AGO, SAWS SPENT SOME TIME TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THEIR POLICY IMPROVEMENTS THAT THEY'VE ALREADY MADE.
A LOT OF THAT WAS COLLABORATION WITH NHSD, SOME OF OUR FINANCE STAFF, ET CETERA, EVEN COUNCIL DISTRICT STAFF WHERE THIS IS HAPPENING.
BUT IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS, THEY'VE SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED COMMUNICATION TO ALL THESE MAIN PLAYERS, CERTAINLY THE PROPERTY OWNERS, RESIDENTS, DEPARTMENTS, INCREASED COLLABORATION AND TIME TO HELP, YOU KNOW, NOT TURN OFF WATER HAS BEEN ALREADY EFFECTIVE, SO WE'RE GOING TO CERTAINLY RECOMMEND WE CONTINUE WITH THAT. WHAT YOU ASKED US TO DO WAS TO GO BACK AND WORK ON THINGS THAT COWBOYS CAMP ADDED TO THAT, FORMAL RECOMMENDATION THAT MAY INCLUDE THE LUIS OF LIENS BEFORE WATER SHUTOFF, SAWS AND THEIR BILLS, AND POSSIBLE SOME LEVEL OF USE OF THE PROACTIVE APARTMENT PROGRAM, A LOT OF DISCUSSION AND DEBATE ON WHAT WE COULD AND SHOULD DO THERE. SO I'M GOING TO QUICKLY JUST GO OVER WHAT SAWS PRESENTED SAWS IS HERE, BUT JUST TO STREAMLINE THIS, YOU HEARD THIS LAST TIME, BUT REMEMBER, ONE OF THE MAIN ISSUES WE WANT TO PREVENT WATER DISCONNECTS, NOT JUST PENALIZE THEM, IF WATER IS DISCONNECTED, FOR NONPAYMENT, BY THE LANDLORD, BUT ALL OF THIS INCREASED COORDINATION WITH NHSD, DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, AND I'LL GO OVER SOME OF THE DETAILS, BUT THIS HAS BEEN CRITICAL. WE HAVE TO GET IN TOUCH WITH THE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT, AND THE OWNERS EARLIER THAN MAYBE WE DID A YEAR AGO, SO SAWS IS DOING A LOT OF THAT, WORKING WITH THE BCAD LISTED PROPERTY OWNERS, NOTIFICATION PROCESS IS LONGER, GIVING MORE TIME WORKING CLOSELY WITH OUR NHSD, OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT STAFF THAT WORKS WITH THE APARTMENT PROGRAMS, WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE APARTMENT ASSOCIATION TO EDUCATE AND REACH OUT AS WELL, MULTIPLE SITE VISITS FOR DOOR HANGERS TO THE RESIDENTS, WE NEED TO COMMUNICATE TO THEM EARLY ON WHAT'S GOING ON, A LOT OF THIS IS HAPPENING INCLUDING PAYMENT OPTIONS, REALLY TRY TO MAKE IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE NOT TO PAY YOUR BILL, THAT'S WHAT SAWS HAS BEEN DOING, BUT KNOWING THAT WE STILL NEED TO DO MORE. THIS IS JUST ANOTHER WAY TO LOOK AT IT FROM A FIVE WEEK PROCESS. SOME OF THAT STUFF THAT'S HIGHLIGHTED IN THE BLUE ARE ALL THOSE THINGS THAT THEY'VE ADDED, SAWS HAS ADDED TO THEIR NORMAL PROCESSES OVER THE PAST SIX MONTHS TO A YEAR, CERTIFIED LETTERS TO THE IDENTIFIED BCAD OWNER, MAKING FORMAL SITE VISITS IF WE CAN'T GET IN TOUCH WITH THE OWN, BECAUSE MAYBE THEY'RE OUT OF TOWN, PHYSICALLY SAWS IS PHYSICALLY GOING TO THE PROPERTIES MAKING CONTACT WITH ANY PROPERTY MANAGERS. THAT HAS PROVED EFFECTIVE.
DOOR HANGERS ON EACH TENANTS' DOORS EARLIER, LETTING THEM KNOW THERE'S A POTENTIAL ISSUE AND THAT ALSO HELPS CAUSE A CHAIN OF EVENTS THAT HELPS MAYBE CAUSE THE WATER BILLS GET PAID. BUT THEN WORKING WITH CITY STAFF AS WELL, AND THEN THE DOOR HANGERS MULTIPLE TIMES, ALL OF THAT HAS ALREADY PROVEN EFFECTIVE. SO ABSOLUTELY WE'RE GOING TO RECOMMEND THAT WE CONTINUE THAT AND SAWS, SO THIS IS JUST ANOTHER KIND OF TIME LINE.
I THINK THIS WAS PRESENTED LAST TIME AS WELL. JUST REMEMBER IF YOUR BILL
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IS DUE, ON DAY ZERO, DAY 15, DAY 31, WE HAVE THESE PAST DUE NOTICES AND TIME LINE, AGAIN, THIS IS AWE SAWS, I WANTED TO REITERATE THAT, THERE'S A LOT GOING INTO THE COMMUNICATION TO TRY TO LET THE PROPERTY OWNERS, LANDLORDS KNOW YOUR BILLS ARE DUE, BUT THERE'S A TWO PLUS MONTHS TIME LINE THERE BEFORE WE'RE DOING ANYTHING LIKE DISCONNECT. AND THEN THERE'S A FIVE TO SIX WEEK NOTIFICATION PROCESS FOR THE OWNERS, AND THEN THREE WEEKS FOR THE RENTERS.YOU REMEMBER THIS SLIDE, MAYBE YOU DO, BUT, AGAIN, ALL OF THIS HAS BEEN LENGTHENED SO THAT SAWS CAN DO MORE WORK TO TRY TO GET THIS PAID, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE THAT'S CORRECTS -- ADDITIONAL WEEKS HAVE BEEN EFFECTIVE, AND THEY WILL BE MOVING FORWARD. SO I'M GOING TO MOVE ON TO A LITTLE BIT -- REITERATE AGAIN, WE TALKED ABOUT A CITY ORDINANCE. OUR CITY ORDINANCE WAS AGAIN TO INCENTIVIZE GOOD MANAGEMENT AND REALLY IF THERE ARE ANY OUTLIERS THAT ARE NOT DOING IT WELL, WE HAVE THIS THREE POINT RULE, IF YOU GET THREE POINTS OR THREE CITATIONS WITHIN SIX MONTHS, THEN YOU WOULD BE IN THIS PROGRAM, THE PROACTIVE, AND YOU WOULD BE SUBJECT TO THAT, YOU WOULD HAVE TO PAY ADDITIONAL FEES TO SERVICE FROM CODE ENFORCEMENT TO BE OUT THERE PROACTIVELY NOT JUST WAITING FOR CALLS.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT HERE IS CURRENTLY, IF ALL THIS HAPPENS AND WATER GETS DISCONNECTED, IT'S NOT AN AUTOMATIC POINT OR AUTOMATIC STRIKE.
WE WOULD ACTUALLY GIVE A TEN DAY NOTICE FOR THEM TO GET THE WATER TURNED BACK ON BEFORE IT'S A CODE VIOLATION ET CETERA. I THINK THE FEEDBACK FROM THE GROUP WAS VARIED, WITH BUT I THINK IT WAS CONSENSUS THAT IS NOT ENOUGH, WE NEED TO LOOK AT WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO STRENGTH THAN PART OF THE CITY'S ORDINANCE, PART OF THE PROPOSAL WILL TALK ABOUT THAT. SO SHORT AND SWEET, THIS SLIDE IS REALLY OUR RECOMMENDATION, OUR FORMAL RECOMMENDATION TO YOU HOW WE SHOULD MOVE FORWARD, THREE PARTS, THE PART ONE IS SAWS SHOULD CONTINUE TO DO WHAT THEY'RE DOING, POLICIES AND PROCEDURES HAVE ALL BEEN UPDATED IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS TO PROVIDE THAT ADDITIONAL TIME AND NOTIFICATION FOR OWNERS AND RENTERS ENHANCE COORDINATION WITH CITY STAFF THROUGH THE NHSD APARTMENT, DSD AND CITY COUNCIL OFFICES, THAT HAS TO HAPPEN, WE'LL CONTINUE TO IMPROVE ON THAT, IF AND WHEN THESE ISSUES COME UP IN THE FUTURE, BUT THE GOAL OF THAT OUCOF COURSE IS TO GET THE WATER BILL PAID SO THERE'S NO WATER DISCONNECT TO THE RESIDENTS, THEY'RE THE ONE EVENTUALLY HURT. SO WE HAVE TO CONTINUE WITH THAT, AND WE WILL.
SO THAT IS PART ONE. PART TWO, THOUGH, IS SOMETHING THAT WAS DISCUSSED IS THE OPTION OF USING LIENS, RATHER THAN AUTOMATICALLY TURNING OFF WATER BECAUSE OF A SIX OR EIGHT WEEK TRYING TO GET, YOU KNOW, THE MONIES PAID BY THE LANDLORD, WE RECOMMEND THAT WE DO CHANGE CITY CODE TO ALLOW SAWS TO UTILIZE LIENS. THIS WOULD BE AN ADDITIONAL TOOL FOR SAWS TO USE ALONG THE PROCESS YOU KNOW, NOT A PERFECT TOOL, BUT I THINK IT WILL WORK, AND WORKING WITH SAWS AND OUR TEAMS, WE PROBABLY START WITH THE LARGER DELINQUENT ACCOUNT, SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF AN APARTMENT COMPLEX, THE LANDLORD OWES OVER $50,000, CERTAINLY, THE PROCESS TO DO LIENS AND THE MONEY SPENT TO DO THAT, THE TIME, ENERGY AND EFFORT, IS WORTH WHILE. I THINK A LOT OF THE CONVERSATION WE HAD LAST MONTH, AND WE AGREE THAT WE DO NOT WANT TO CREATE A PROCESS WHERE WE'RE GOING TO SPEND SEVERAL THOUSANDS OF MAN HOURS AND PERSON HOURS TO COLLECT $500.
LIKE, THAT DOESN'T MAKE A LOT OF SENSE, I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE TOOL.
BUT HAVING THIS TOOL AVAILABLE FOR SAWS I THINK WILL HELP ON CERTAIN SITUATIONS, AND I THINK SAWS, WE'VE TALKED TO SAWS AND WE THINK THAT'S A VERY APPROPRIATE CHANGE THAT WE CAN ADD TO THIS, AND THEN FINALLY, WE DID GO BACK AND TAKE YOUR FEEDBACK. WE DO THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE TO CHANGE OUR PROACTIVE APARTMENT CODE TO ADD THAT THROUGH ALL OF THIS, IF WE DO ALL THAT EXTRA STUFF, AND NUMBER ONE, WE DO HAVE THE OPTION OF LIENS AND WE TRY TO USE THAT, AND IT STILL DOESN'T WORK, IF THERE SHOULD STILL BE A HIGHER DEGREE OF PENALTY FOR THAT LANDLORD, IF WATER DOES GET DISCONNECTED SO THAT SHOULD BE AN AUTOMATIC POINT, AND WHAT THAT WOULD DO, THAT WOULD EXPEDITE THEIR ENTRY INTO THE PROGRAM, THE PROACTIVE PROGRAM, NOW, ALL OTHER PORTIONS OF THE PROGRAM WOULD REMAIN THE SAME, WE AGREE, WE DO NOT WANT TO OPEN THAT ORDINANCE UP, AND TRY TO RECREATE EVERYTHING IN IT, BECAUSE IT'S ACTUALLY WORKING IN GENERAL, AND WE SHOWED THOSE STATS LAST TIME, AND THAT IS STILL THE CASE. SO THAT'S OUR RECOMMENDATION. SO WE WOULD LOOK FOR THE RECOMMENDATION TO MOVE THIS FORWARD TO A SESSION SO WE CAN CHANGE CHAPTER 34 AND CHAPTER 6 AS PRESENTED.
AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. I KNOW SAWS IS HERE, AND WE
CAN HELP ANSWER QUESTIONS. >> GREAT, THANK YOU, MIKE, FOR THE UPDATE, THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE CITY OFFICES, AND SAWS AND THE APARTMENT ASSOCIATION, EVERYBODY, WHO
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WORKED TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GOT CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK ON WHAT WAS BEING PROPOSED, AND I APPRECIATE OF COURSE COUNCILMEMBER. ALDERETE AND COUNCILMEMBER RODRIGUEZ. I WAS AT A CONFERENCE, I CAME BACK EARLY, BECAUSE ONE OF MY APARTMENT COMPLEXES THAT I REPRESENT WAS GOING TO BE POTENTIALLY DISCONNECTED, AND SO WE GOT EVERYONE IN THE ROOM INCLUDING SAWS, ET CETERA, AND AT THE TIME I ASKED ABOUT LIENS, AND I HAD BEEN TOLD THAT WE PROBABLY COULDN'T DO LIENS, SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT CHANGED OR HOW YOU ALL FIGURED IT OUT, BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU AGAIN FOR FIGURING IT OUT, BECAUSE THAT WAS KIND OF LIKE THE FIRST THING THAT I WOULD HAVE GONE AFTER. I APPRECIATE THAT.AND I LIKE THE COMPROMISE THAT YOU ALL HAVE. MIKE, REALLY FAST, WITH THE
LIENS (. >> ROCHA-GARCIA:) YOU MENTIONED OVER 50,000 THAT WAS DUE, RIGHT? HOW MANY APARTMENT COMPLEXES DO OWE OVER 50,000.
>> WE WORKED WITH SAWS, THEY GAVE US FROM THE FEBRUARY ACCOUNTS, I THINK IT WAS NINE, NINE IS WHAT WE GOT, NINE OUT OF THEIR OVER 600 ACCOUNTS, I THINK, SO BUT THERE WERE NINE THAT HAVE A REALLY LARGE BALANCE. I THINK SAWS WOULD START WITH THAT. IT WOULD MAKE A LOT OF SENSE.
BECAUSE THIS WOULD BE A NEW PROCESS FOR THEM. IT WOULD BE A NEW PROCESS FOR ALL OF US, WE WOULD START WITH THE LARGER ONES. AGAIN, ONLY A FEW, BUT STAFF
TO GET STARTED. >> ROCHA-GARCIA: I THINK IT'S TOO HIGH.
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE HOW MANY NUMBERS ARE AT 25 AND ABOVE, OR 15 AND ABOVE, 10 AND ABOVE, SOMETHING, RIGHT? BUT I MEAN I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE LEGAL SIDE OF IT, RIGHT, AND WHAT IT WOULD BE COSTING AS WELL. BUT I THINK 50,000 IS TOO
HIGH. >> I THINK -- JUST TO CLARIFY, I THINK WE'RE USING 50,000 AS JUST -- WE'RE GOING TO START WITH THE LARGEST ONE.
>> ROCHA-GARCIA: GOT IT. >> IF THAT WORKS, CERTAINLY, HOPEFULLY THERE'S NO MORE AT 50,000, THAT'S THE GOAL IN TALKING WITH SAWS, AND CERTAINLY, IF THAT THRESHOLD BECOMES LOWER, BECAUSE THERE'S NO MORE OVER 50, WE WOULD PROBABLY GO A LITTLE BIT LESS, THAT'S THE STRATEGY, A NEW CHANGE, NEW POLICY CHANGE, BUT THE
LARGEST, THAT'S THE IDEA, THROWING OUT 50,000. >> ROCHA-GARCIA: OKAY.
SORRY, THANK YOU, I WANTED TO DOUBLE CHECK ON THAT, I WANTED TO GO ON TO MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES, I'LL START WITH COUNCILMAN CASTILLO.
>> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, CHAIR, AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I KNOW RYAN DIDN'T MENTION IN HIS PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT HE DID GO TO EVERY APARTMENT ON THE DISCONNECTION LIST AND IDENTIFIED SEVERAL GAPS, SO I'M JUST GRATEFUL FOR THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, SAWS, AND OF COURSE APARTMENT ASSOCIATION IN ENSURES WHAT WE HAVE PRESENTED TO US TODAY REFLECT OPPORTUNITIES TO CLOSE THOSE GAPS IN TERMS OF GETTING THINGS ON THE RIGHT TRACK TO ENSURE THAT SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO WATER. IN TERMS OF THE RECOMMENDED CHANGES, I DO SHARE THE SENTIMENT THAT 50,000 MAY BE A BIT TOO HIGH.
I'M CURIOUS TO WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IN TERMS OF SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL CONNECTIONS, WHAT'S THAT THRESHOLD AND WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE IN PERCENTAGE IN TERMS OF 50,000 BEING THE CAP, BECAUSE I KNOW WE HAVE A LOT OF RESIDENTS THAT OFTEN TIMES ARE AT RISK OF DISCONNECTION FOR MUCH LOWER THAN 50,000, OF COURSE, I UNDERSTAND THE DEBS AT THIS, THERE'S MORE FAMILIES WITHIN THE STRUCTURE, BUT I'M CURIOUS TO WHAT THAT FORMULA LOOKS LIKE. IN TERMS OF THE RECOMMEND RECOMMENDATIONS, THIS IS SOMETHING IN TERMS OF COLLABORATION AND THE NEED THAT I'M SUPPORTIVE OF MOVING FORWARD, AND OF COURSE, RIGHT, I REALLY VALUE THE DIFFERENT PASSES THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED TO ENHANCE THE EFFORTS FOR NOT JUST THE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT, AND THE OWN, BUT ENSURING THAT THE TENANTS ARE ALSO GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE BROUGHT TO SPEED ABOUT WHAT THEIR SITUATION IS IN TERMS OF POTENTIAL WATER INSECURITY, THOSE ARE ALL MY COMMENTS,
THANK YOU. >> ROCHA-GARCIA: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COURAGE?
>> COURAGE: THANK YOU. I WANT TO EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION COUNCILWOMAN ALDRETE FOR PUSHING THIS MORE VIGOROUSLY, SOMETHING WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, BUT I THINK WE'VE GOTTEN TO A POINT NOW WHERE THE APARTMENT ASSOCIATION, SAWS, THE CITY HAS ALL BEEN WORKING TOGETHER TO COME UP WITH A REASONABLE WAY OF DEALING WITH THIS, AND I FEEL LIKE THIS IS VERY REASONABLE.
THE ONE QUESTION THAT I HAVE IS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF HAVING THE TOOL OF POSSIBLY PUTTING A LIEN ON PROPERTY, AND I -- WHEN I TALK ABOUT THE EFFECTIVENESS, I MEAN IT'S ONE THING TO DO IT, BUT IT'S ALSO WE NEED TO LET ANYONE WHO IS BEHIND IN THEIR PAYMENTS TO SAWS, 10,000 OR MORE, WHEN WE SEND A LETTER TO THE OWNER, I THINK IN THAT FIRST LETTER, THAT THEY'RE BEHIND AND DEMANDING PAYMENT, THERE SHOULD BE A WARNING, THAT THAT IS A TOOL THAT'S AVAILABLE FOR SAWS OR THE
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CITY TO PUT IN PLACE TO ENSURE THAT THEY RESPOND TO THE REQUEST FOR PAYMENT, AND NOT WAIT 'TIL LATER ON DOWN THE LINE. I THINK WE NEED TO LET THEM KNOW RIGHT UP FRONT, AND PARTICULARLY IT'S THE OWNS, THE MANAGERS CAN'T DO MUCH ABOUT IT. THEY DON'T HAVE CONTROL OF THE MONEY, BUT THE OWNS DO.AND SO, YOU KNOW, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT IN WHATEVER EARLY NOTIFICATIONS WE SEND OUT TO PROPERTY OWNERS, THAT THEY'RE SUBJECT TO HAVING A LIEN PUT ON THEIR PROPERTY WHICH WOULD NOT BE RELEASED UNTIL IT WAS PAID. AAND THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE, LET'S SAY WE LOOKED AT THE $50,000 EXAMPLE, BUT LET'S SAY THERE WAS ONE AT 10 OR 12 OR 15, OR WHATEVER, AND WE SEND THEM A NOTICE, AND THEN THEY DON'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT, AND WE WAIT A MONTH, OR 60 DAYS LATER, AND THEY STILL HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING ABOUT IT, YOU KNOW, LET'S FILE THAT LIEN.
AND IF 30 DAYS LATER, THEY STILL HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING, AND THE BILL'S GOTTEN EVEN MORE, CAN WE GO AHEAD AND FILE AN ADDITIONAL LIEN FOR THAT ADDITIONAL AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT THEY STILL HAVEN'T COME UP AND PAID? IN OTHER WORDS, CAN IT BE A -- A PROCESS THAT INCREASES THE LIEN AMOUNTS AGAINST THE PROPERTY, AS LONG AS THEY CONTINUE TO REFUSE TO PAY OR ENTER INTO A PAYMENT PROGRAM? SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT OUR LEGAL STAFF MIGHT SAY ABOUT THAT, OR SAWS' LEGAL STAFF, BUT A ONE TIME LIEN FOR LET'S SAY $12,000 MAY NOT BE ENOUGH, BUT IF THEY START REALIZING, OKAY, THIS MONTH WE OWE 15,000 ALTOGETHER, NEXT MONTH WE'RE GOING TO OWE 20,000, AND THEN THERE WILL BE ANOTHER LIEN ON THE PROPERTY, THEN MAYBE THEY WILL UNDERSTAND HOW RESPONSIVE THEY NEED TO BE. SO THAT'S MY QUESTION ABOUT
THAT. >> COUNCILMAN COURAGE, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. I THINK THE WAY THAT LIENS WORK IS USUALLY IT'S A TRADITIONAL LIEN, YOU WANT A FINAL STATIC AMOUNT THAT YOU'RE GOING TO FILE A LIEN ON. IT GOES ON THE PROPERTY ITSELF.
>> COURAGE: RIGHT. >> AND THEN YOU GET PAID OUT WHENEVER THERE'S A SALE OR EVEN POSSIBLY THROUGH A BANKRUPTCY. IT'S A LITTLE MORE COMPLICATED HERE, BECAUSE THIS IS A MOVING TARGET, SO BALANCES CAN GO UP, BUT THEY CANS WILL GO DOWN. AND SO IF THE BALANCE GOES DOWN, NOW YOU'RE LIEN IS FOR MORE THAN WHAT IS OWED, AND SO THAT WOULD REQUIRE AN ADJUSTMENT OR AN AMENDMENT TO THAT LIEN, SO IF IT'S -- IF YOU'RE GOING FOR A SMALLER AMOUNT, THEY ENTER INTO A PAYMENT PLAN, THEY MAKE PAYMENTS, THEY RENEGE, THEY START DEVELOPING ANOTHER DELINQUENCY. IF YOU HAVE ALREADY FILED A LIEN, YOU MAY HAVE TO REVISE AND MODIFY THAT LIEN. YOU MAY HAVE TO FILE A NEW LIEN WHEN THEY GO BACK.
SO IT'S GOING TO BE WEIGHING ALL OF THOSE FACTORS TO DETERMINE WHERE IS THE BREAK-EVEN POINT TO WHERE WE'RE NOT ACTUALLY SPENDING MORE MONEY AND MORE TIME FILING LIENS AND TRYING TO COLLECT MONEY THAN WE'RE ACTUALLY GETTING AS A
BENEFIT. >> WELL, LET US KNOW HOW MUCH IT COSTS TO FILE A LIEN OR AMEND A LIEN, IF IT COSTS 500 OR A THOUSAND, THEY OWE 25,000, DOING IT TEN TIMES
MAY BE WORTH IT TO FORCE THEM -- >> EXACTLY.
I THINK THAT'S WHY WE WANTED TO START AT THAT 50,000 THRESHOLD, WE'LL MOVE DOWN THAT LIST AND START FILING AND DETERMINE AT WHAT LEVEL WE'RE HITTING THAT BREAK-EVEN POINT. BUT JUST BECAUSE THERE ARE NINE NOW, DOESN'T MEAN IT
REMAINS AT NINE. >> COURAGE: I HEAR YOU. >> THAT NINE BUILDS ON ITSELF, ALL OF THOSE NUMBERS BUILD UP, THERE'S ROUGHLY THE 30 THAT ARE AT 25,000.
>> I THINK WE OUGHT TO START AT 25,000 AND TARGET THOSE 30, BECAUSE YOU'RE TALKING A
MILLION DOLLARS OR MORE BETWEEN THOSE 30. >> AND I THINK WE'RE WILLING TO LOOK AT ALL THIS. AGAIN, THIS IS JUST ESTABLISHING SOMETHING NEW, USING A NEW TOOL, DETERMINING HOW IT'S GOING TO WORK BEST, I THINK THAT'S WHAT THE CITY, AND SAWS HAVE BEEN WORKING TOWARD THROUGH ALL OF THESE DISCUSSIONS, AND, YOU KNOW, WE'LL SEE HOW IT'S GOING TO BE IMPLEMENT AND HIGHWAY WE'RE GOING TO
BE ABLE TO USE THIS TOOL EFFECTIVELY. >> THAT'S WHY YOU COME TO THIS COMMITTEE TO GET OUR INPUT. I THINK YOU FIND WE'RE PRETTY CONSISTENT ON THE INPUT ON DOING THIS, AND HOPEFULLY YOU GET TO FOLLOW
THAT DIRECTION. >> VERY GOOD. >> ROCHA-GARCIA: THANK YOU
COUNCILMAN COURAGE, COUNCILMAN WHITE? >> WHYTE: I WILL BE REAL SHORT. I THINK 50,000 IS MUCH TOO HIGH, I AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUES, WE SHOULD START WITH THE 25,000 NUMBER AND GO FROM THERE.
OTHER THAN THAT, I'M GOING TO SAY I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR THEIR WORK ON THIS. TO ME, THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF GOOD GOVERNMENT, RIGHT? THIS IS GOOD GOVERNMENT. COUNCILWOMAN ALDRETE AND RODRIGUEZ IDENTIFIED AN ISSUE. WEWE'VE COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT MAY NOT BE PERFECT, BUT I THINK IS A REALLY GOOD COMPROMISE, AND SOLUTION TO WHERE WE'RE AT, SO I COMMEND
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EVERYBODY FOR THEIR EFFORTS IN THIS. I LIKE TO SEE THE PROCESS WORK LIKE THIS. AND SO I'M HAPPY WITH THE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION.THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> ROCHA-GARCIA: THANK YOU, AND WE DO NEED A MOTION TO MOVE TO COUNCIL FOR A SESSION, MR. PUENTE, GO AHEAD.
>> THANK YOU. YOU KNOW, I SAW ALL OF Y'ALL'S HEADS SHAKE UP AND DOWN TO LOWER THAT LIEN THRESHOLD, AND SO IT SOUNDS LIKE $25,000 MAY BE SOMETHING THAT ALL OF Y'ALL ARE AGREE WITH. SO WE WILL START ON THAT.
I DO ALSO WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT ALL OF SAWS' ENHANCEMENTS ABOUT NOTIFICATION ARE ALSO FOR THOSE APARTMENTS THAT ARE OUT IN THE COUNTY.
SO EVERYTHING THAT Y'ALL HAVE BROUGHT UP TO US, AND THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH YOUR OFFICES, WE'RE GOING TO ALSO USE ON THE COUNTY LEVEL, WHICH IS GOOD.
THE LIEN, OBVIOUSLY IT'S A TOOL IN THE TOOLBOX. IT MAY NOT BE THE BEST LIEN -- I EXCUSE ME, THE BEST TOOL, BUT IT IS A TOOL AND USE IT WHEN APPROPRIATE.
ALSO, I DO WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT WHAT WE REALLY, REALLY NEED IS FOR THOSE OWNERS TO JUST COMMUNICATE WITH US. THEY NEED MORE TIME, WE WILL GIVE THEM MORE TIME.
IT'S NOT A QUESTION OF A BILL COLLECTOR, COLLECTION AGENCY DEMANDING SOMETHING OR OTHERWISE, IT'S JUST COMMUNICATE WITH US, REACH AN AGREEMENT WITH US, AND YOU GET OFF THAT LIST, SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION ON THESE MATTERS, AGAIN, THANK YOU TO COUNCILWOMAN AND COUNCIL DISTRICT 2, ALSO RODRIGUEZ FOR THAT, YOU OFFERED YOUR OFFICES FOR US AT DIFFERENT TIMES TO MEET WITH, AND ALL OF YOUR INPUT
IS APPRECIATED. THANK YOU. >> ROCHA-GARCIA: IS THERE
A MOTION FIRST AND WE'LL CONTINUE. >> MOTION MADE TO MOVE STAFF
RECOMMENDATION TO A SESSION. >> ROCHA-GARCIA: MOTION MADE.
GO AHEAD, COUNCILMAN COURAGE. >> COURAGE: I'LL JUST SAY THIS, BY EMPHASIZING THIS ACTION IS SOMETHING THAT THIS COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS AND I THINK THE ENTIRE COUNCIL WOULD GET BEHIND, THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO FILE A SINGLE ONE THAT EVERYBODY REALIZE THE CITY AND SAWS MEANS BUSINESS ABOUT THIS, AND THEY'LL TAKE THE ACTION OF WORKING OUT A PAYMENT PLAN, INSTEAD OF GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS OF, YOU KNOW, FILING AGAINST THEM. BUT IF WE DON'T LET THEM KNOW HOW SERIOUS WE TAKE THIS OR YOU TAKE THIS, AND JUST LET IT DELAY AND DELAY AND DELAY, IT JUST GETS WORSE. SO ANYWAY, THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COURAGE, AND THANK YOU MR. PUENTE, FOR MENTIONING, LOOK AT US HELPING THE COUNTY.
BUT I DO HAVE A QUICK QUESTION, MIKE SHANNON, REALLY FAST.
HOW MANY OF THE 39 THAT ARE OVER 25,000 ARE CURRENTLY, IF YOU LOOKED AT THE CURRENT 36 THAT ARE ON THE PROACTIVE APARTMENT INSPECTION, WAS 36 AS OF A COUPLE OF DAYS, I
HAVEN'T CHECKED IT -- >> IT'S 40 TODAY BUT -- >> OOK AT YOU --
>> I THINK THERE'S A COUPLE ON THAT LIST. IT'S -- I CAN DOUBLE CHECK
THE NUMBER, IT'S NOT LIKE ALL 40 OF THEM, SO -- >> ROCHA-GARCIA: SORRY.
THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, WELL, LET'S TAKE A VOTE ON THIS.
ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. (CHORUS OF AYES.) ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTIONS? MOTION CARRIES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE. WE'LL CONTINUE ON WITH ITEM NUMBER 3 WHICH IS THE CCR BY COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO, PROPOSING A WATER AND SEWER LATERAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM. AND I -- I DON'T KNOW WHO IS GOING TO BE THE PRESENTER ON THIS, BUT LOOKS LIKE ONE OF THE VERONICAS? GO AHEAD, VERONICA.
THANK YOU. >> GOOD MORNING, CHAIR AND COUNCILMEMBERS, GONZALES, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR WITH OUR NEIGHBOR AND HOUSING DEPARTMENT.
I'M JOINED TODAY BY SAWS LEADERSHIP, ITEM NUMBER 3 IS A BRIEF ON THE CCR ON ESTABLISHING A SEWER LATERAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM. AS BACKGROUND FOR THIS BRIEFING, THE CCR WAS SUBMITTED BY COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO ON APRIL 2ND, 2024.
SEWER LATERALS CONNECT A HOME TO THE MAIN SEWER LINE, DAMAGED OR IMPROPER SEWER LATERALS CAN PRESENT HAZARDS AND REPAIRS CAN BE COSTLY TO HOMEOWNERS.
EXPLORE A PROGRAM TO SUPPORT HOMEOWNERS WITH REPAIRS TO THEIR LATERALS, REVIEW AND UPDATE THE CHAPTER 34 ARTICLE V.
WITH MISSING OR IMPROPER LATERALS. ON MAY 17TH, THIS ITEM WAS PRESENTED AT GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE AND REFERRED TO PCDC FOR DISCUSSION, ON AUGUST 22ND, THE PCDC REFERRED THIS CCR TO THE MUNICIPAL UTILITIES COMMITTEE WHICH WE ARE HERE TODAY TO DISCUSS. I'M ALSO HERE TODAY TO SHARE WITH YOU A CURRENT ANALYSIS OF THE ISSUE AND THE PRO PROGRESS MADE TOWARD THE ESTABLISESTABLISHMENT OF A PILOT PROGRAM. THERE ARERCES
[00:30:01]
TODAY WITH QUALIFYING HOMEOWNERS WITH LATERAL RELATED NEED.PROGRAMS CAN HELP REPAIR LATERALS OR REPLACE LATERALS FOR OWN OCCUPIED PROPERTIES.
HOUSEHOLDS MUST HAVE INCOME BELOW 80% AMI, FOR A FAMILY OF THREE, THAT IS UNDER 64,000 A YEAR, IF A NEW CONNECTION ASK NEEDED, NHSD COORDINATES WITH SAWS.
SAWS ALSO HAS TWO PROGRAMS TO SUPPORT HOMEOWNERS, THE FIRST IS LATERALS TO PEOPLE, THIS PROGRAM WILL DEFER DEFECTIVE LATERALS FROM HOUSE TO PROPERTY LINE FOR HOMEOWNERS WITH INCOME UP TO 125% OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY LIMIT OR ABOUT 40% AMI, SO THAT'S ABOUT 32,000 FOR 3% HOUSEHOLD A YEAR. THE SECOND IS A LATERAL REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM FOR PEOPLE OF ANY INCOME WHO DISCOVER AN ISSUE WITH THE SAWS PORTION OF THEIR SEWER CONNECTION. THIS WOULD BE ANYTHING IN THE RIGHT OF WAY, SO A TYPICAL EXAMPLE WOULD BE A HOMEOWNER EXPERIENCING A BACKUP ISSUE AND A PAY FOR A PLUMBER TO TELESCOPE THE LINE AND DISCOVER THE ISSUE.
SAW ALSO MAKE THE NEEDED REPAIR AND REIMBURSE THE HOMEOWNER FOR THEIR PLUMBING EXPENSE. CURRENTLY SAWS DOES NOT HAVE A PROGRAM FOR MISSING LATERAL, NO DO THEY HAVE A MAP OF MISSING LATERAL SYSTEMS AVAILABLE.
THIS REQUEST DOES ALIGN WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO BUDGET PRIORITIES RELATED TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING. IT ALSO ALIGNS WITH NHSD'S HOME REHAB PROGRAMS, AS WELL WITH DSD AND METRO HEALTH'S GOALS RELATED TO HEALTH AND SAFETY FOR OUR RESIDENTS IN SAN ANTONIO. THIS SLIDE BRIEFLY COVERS THE SECTION OF THE CITY'S ORDINANCE REFERRED IN THE CR. CHAPTER 34 IS A PORTION OF THE CITY'S CODE WHICH GOVERNS WATER AND SEWERS, THE ENTITY THAT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS CHAPTER IS SAWS, AND THEY DO HAVE EDITORIAL CONTROL OVER THE SECTION OF THE CODE, BUT THEY NEED COUNCIL APPROVAL TO FINALIZE ANY EDITS. ARTICLE V, DIVISION 2 OF CHAPTER 34 REQUIRES THAT ALL RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES THAT ABUT A STREET WITH A SEWER MAIN OR WITHIN 200 FEET OF A SEWER MAIN MUST HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL DIRECT CONNECTION, SO THAT WOULDN'T ALLOW FOR A TIE IN TO A NEIGHBOR'S LATERAL FOR INSTANCE.
THE CODE ALSO SPELLS OUT THE PORTIONS OF A LATERAL THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE -- THAT ARE P RESPONSIBILITY OF THE HOMEOWNER AND WHICH ARE SAWS.
LATERALS FROM THE PROPERTY LINE TO THE HOUSE ARE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE HOMEOWNER. ON THIS SLIDE YOU CAN VIEW A GRAPHIC OF THE DIVISION AND RESPONSIBILITIES BETWEEN THE HOMEOWNER AND SAUCE, HOMEOWNER MAY BE ABLE TO GET ASSISTANCE THROUGH NHSD'S REHAB OR LATERAL TO PEOPLE PROGRAM FOR THAT FIRST PORTION OF THE LATERAL THAT IS WITHIN THEIR PROPERTY LINE.
DETERMINED RIGHT AWAY, SAWS REPAIRS EXISTING LATERALS IN THIS RIGHT OF WAY, BUT IT IS THE HOMEOWNER OR DEVELOPER'S RESPONSIBILITY TO ZEALOT RALES INITIALLY.
WHEN WE LOOK AT LEGAL DISCLOSURE THAT ARE REQUIRED WHICH WAS MENTIONED IN THE CCR, IT ISN'T ALWAYS POSSIBLE TO KNOW IF THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH A LATERAL WITHOUT A PLUMBER USING A CAMERA TO TELEVISE THE LINE, SOMETIMES IT'S NECESSARY TO DIG TO SEE THE LATERAL CONNECTS DIRECTLY TO THE MAIN, PROSPECTIVE HOMEOWNERS CAN REQUEST THAT A INSPECTION TELEVISING A LINE FOR ADDITIONAL FEE OF AROUND $600. EXPLORING A CERTIFICATE PROGRAM TO ENSURE PROPERTIES SOLD HAVE WORKING LATERALS OR CAN DISCLOSE ANY KNOWN DEFECTS WHICH MAY IMPACT THE COST. IN SHORT THERE ARE NO KNOWN LEGAL BARRIERS TO EXPLORING AN IMPROVEMENTS PROGRAM AS REQUESTED, HOWEVER ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS MAY PRESENT LEGAL CHALLENGES. SO WHEN WE LOOK AT FUNDING, THIS REQUEST WOULD REQUIRE ADDITIONAL FUNDING WHICH IS NOT CURRENTLY AVAILABLE IN EITHER THE FISCAL YEAR -- IN THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 BUDGET. LATERAL REPAIRS VARY WIDELY AND COST DEPENDING ON WHAT IS NEEDED. NHSD'S HOME REPAIR PROGRAM HAS RECEIVED ESTIMATES RANGING FROM 3,000 TO OVER 20,000, 200,000 WOULD SERVE ABOUT TEN HOMES TO SUPPORT THIS EFFORT, HOWEVER THE HOME REHAB PROGRAMS HAVE A COMBINED BUDGET OF 16.7 MILLION WHICH MAY SUPPORT HOME-TO-STREET LATERAL REPAIRS FOR QUALIFIED HOMEOWNERS, AND AGAIN WE COORDINATE WITH SAWS FOR CONNECTION TO THE MAIN. AS PART OF TODAY'S UPDATE, THE CITY WILL ALLOCATE UP TO 500,000 TO SAWS TO EXPAND REPAIR SERVICE TO HOMEOWNERS IN THEIR LATERALS TO PEOPLE PROGRAM. THIS FUNDING MAXIMIZES ASSISTANCE TO INCOME RESTRICTED HOUSEHOLDS IN NEED OF SUBSTANTIAL REPAIRS, SUCH AS A BUILDING OF A NEW LATERAL OR CONNECTING TO THE EXISTING MAIN.
THESE REPAIRS ARE OFTEN COST PROHIBITIVE FOR FAMILIES WITH LIMITED INCOME AND CAN GENERATE HEALTH OR ENVIRONMENT ISSUES FOR THE COMMUNITY.
[00:35:02]
THIS PARTNERSHIP CAN POTENTIALLY ASSIST ANYWHERE FROM 10 TO 20 HOUSEHOLDS.THE CITY WILL ALSO ALLOCATE 250,000 TO SAWS TO PROVIDE WRAP AROUND REPAIR SERVICE TO HOMEOWNERS IN THEIR PLUMBERS TO PEOPLE PROGRAM. THIS FUNDING ENSURES THAT INCOME RESTRICTED HOUSEHOLDS WHICH NEED REPAIRS ADJACENT TO PLUMBING, JUMP AS A FLOOR REINFORCEMENT OR DRY WALL REPLACEMENT, CAN ACCESS THE PLUMBERS TO PEOPLE PROGRAM AND AREN'T LEFT WITH ADDITIONAL REPAIRS AFTER THE PLUMBING IS COMPLETE.
THE ESTIMATED FUNDING CAN ASSIST AROUND 100 HOUSEHOLDS.
WE'RE EXCITED TO COLLABORATE WITH SAWS ON THESE PILOT PROGRAMS TO LEVERAGE RESOURCES AND EXPAND RESOURCES FOR CITY OF SAN ANTONIO FAMILIES.
THANK YOU. WE'RE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS AND
WELCOME YOUR COMMENTS. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, VERONICA, I WANT TO THANK COUNCILMAN CASTILLO FOR FILING THE CCR AND CITY STAFF FOR WORKING ON THIS.
CAN WE TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE CRITERIA, THE CURRENT CRITERIA FOR THE LATERALS TO PEOPLE, AND I'M WONDERING BEYOND HOW SOMEONE QUALIFIES, WHO DOES THE -- WHO CHOOSES THE CONTRACTORS? SAND LIKE ARE WE SURE THAT THEY'RE CHOOSING RESPONSIBLE
CONTRACTORS, ET CETERA? >> GOOD MORNING, I'M GREG, THE EXTERNAL AFFAIRS MANAGER AT SAWS, I OVERSEE THE LATERALS TO PEOPLE PROGRAM. LATERALS TO PEOPLE IS PART OF OUR UPLIFT SUITE OF PROGRAMS THAT WE OFFER FOR THE LOW INCOME FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE ACTUALLY DO A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL WITH PLUMBING COMPANIES IN SAN ANTONIO, THE CONTRACTS RUN ABOUT EVERY FOUR YEARS OR, SO AND THEN WE GO BACK OUT IN THE COMMUNITY TO LOOK FOR PLUMBING AGAIN, WE GO THROUGH THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS. WE HAVE -- WE GO THROUGH THE APPLICATIONS AND THEN WE SELECT A CONTRACTOR FOR THAT.
SO WE CURRENTLY HAVE JR'S PLUMBING WHO IS OUR CONTRACTOR WHO DOES ALL OF
OUR LATERALS WORK. >> ROCHA-GARCIA: GOT IT. PERFECT, THANK YOU SO MULCH.
I APPRECIATE THE ANSWER. I'D LOVE TO JUST MAKE SURE THAT AS WE EVOLVE THAT THE NHSD CONTINUES TO BE INVOLVED, OUR -- I FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE ALWAYS A GOOD VIEW FROM THE RESIDENTS' PERSPECTIVE, AND SO I APPRECIATE THAT.
AND THEN DOES SAWS ALSO HAVE ADDITIONAL FUNDING AVAILABLE OR WOULD THERE BE ADDITIONAL FUNDING AVAILABLE TO CONSIDER IF THERE'S NEED FOR MORE OR JUST CITY'S
CONTRIBUTION THAT WE'D BE LOOKING OUT FOR NOW? >> I THINK CURRENTLY, WE'RE JUST WORKING WITH THE CITY ON THE FUNDING THAT THEY'RE OFFERING, AS PART OF THIS
PROGRAM. >> GOT IT, THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, I DON'T HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO.
>> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, CHAIR, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION, WHEN THIS ITEM CAME TO THE PLANNING COMMITTEE, WE HAD A DISTRICT 5 RESIDENT WITHIN THE LONE STAR COMMUNITY WHO WAS HAVING TO BORROW WATER FROM HER NEIGHBORS, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS FREQUENT WITHIN MANY PARTS OF DISTRICT 5, WHETHER IT'S NOT BEING CONNECTED TO SEWAGE AND/OR WATER, PARCELS HAVE BEEN REPLATED AND THERE'S ONE SPECIFIC OWNER OF THE LATERAL, AND THEY HAVE THE POWER TO SHUT OFF THE WATER, RIGHT? AND/OR SOME JUST DON'T HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE, AND WHILE I'M GRATEFUL OF SAWS PROGRAM FOR LATERALS TO THE PEOPLE, THERE ARE SPECIFIC CONSTITUENTS WHO DON'T NECESSARILY QUALIFY FOR THE PROGRAM, BECAUSE IT GOES UNDER THEIR HOME, WHICH SAWS WON'T COVER, DOESN'T QUALIFY, RATHER, AND IF IT REQUIRES CUTTING INTO THE CITY'S RIGHT OF WAY, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT OFTENTIMES THE RESIDENT HAS TO COVER THE COST OF, AND IN TERMS OF THE RESIDENTS THAT WE'VE ASSISTED, THE ESTIMATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN PRESENTED RANGE FROM $3,000 LIKE THE LONE STAR FAMILY, AND THEN ON THE WEST SIDE, WE HAD A FAMILY WHERE THE COST TO GET CONNECTED TO A LATERAL WAS OVER $200,000, SO I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE PILOT.
THE $200,000, I THINK IS GOING TO BE A HUGE STRETCH GIVEN THAT WE HAD ONE RESIDENT GIVEN IN PARTICULAR THEIR ESTIMATION THAT WAS GIVEN WAS $200,000.
OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO CONTINUE TO INVEST IN THAT PROGRAM, I BELIEVE IS WITH THE IMPACT FEE WAIVER PROGRAM FOR EXAMPLE, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO HAD ROUGHLY 5 MILLION ROLL OVER FROM LAST YEAR IN TERMS OF THE IMPACT FEE WAIVER PROGRAM, AND THE LONE STAR RESIDENT WAS ABLE TO QUALIFY FOR THAT IMPACT FEE WAIVER FOR $3,000 TO GET THAT BACK TO COVER THE COST, BUT THAT REQUIRED US WORKING WITH CITY STAFF TO GET THEM CONNECTED TO THAT PROGRAM, RIGHT? UNLIKE LARGE DEVELOPERS, SINGLE FAMILY HOMEOWNERS, RESIDENTS DON'T KNOW HOW TO NECESSARILY NAVIGATE THE PROCESS TO APPLY FOR IMPACT FEE WAIVERS, SO WHILE I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE FUNDING THAT HAS BEEN ADVOCATED, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, COUNCILWOMAN, I THINK THERE IS OPPORTUNITY WITH THAT COUPLED FUNDING WITH SAWS AND THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, BY TAPPING INTO THE ROLL OVER WAIVERS WHICH LAST YEAR WAS 5 MILLION, I GUESS MY POINT, THERE'S FUNDING THAT IS NOT NECESSARILY SPENT EVERY YEAR AND GETS ROLLED OVER, AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US TAP INTO. I UNDERSTAND IT'S A PILOT, BUT I ALSO SEE OPPORTUNITY JUST GIVEN THE COST OF CONNECTING FOLKS AND LATERALS, AND AGAIN, AS MENTIONED IN THE PRESENTATION, THESE ARE PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUES, GIVEN
[00:40:04]
THAT IF A RESIDENT IS NOT CONNECTED TO SEWAGE, RIGHT, THAT'S JUST GOING INTO THEIR YARD, WHICH IS A HUGE HEALTH HAZARD, AND LASTLY I WANTED TO THANK THE SAN ANTONIO BOARD OF REALTORS, OFTEN TIMES IN DISTRICT 5, WHETHER BUYING A HOME IN DISTRICT 5, OR THEY LIVE HERE, SOMETHING THROUGHOUT THE CITY, THERE'S A LOT OF SELLING, RIGHT, OWNER TO OWNER SELLING, WHEN YOU GO OWN TO OWNER NOT THROUGH A REALTOR, A LOT OF THESE ITEMS THAT LAID OUT IN THIS INFO GRAPHIC DO NOT NEED TO BE DISCLOSED, SO WE HAVE FOLKS WHO PURCHASED SOMETHING, WE BOUGHT IT DIRECTLY FROM THE OWN, NOT THE REALTOR, WE AREN'T AWARE THEY'RE NOT CONNECTED TO LATERALS, I WANT TO THANK SABOR FOR EMPHASIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF GOING THROUGH A REALTOR TO PURCHASE PROPERTY BECAUSE YOU'RE ABLE TO MAKE SURE YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR RIGHTS ARE IN THE PROCESS OF PURCHASING PROPERTY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.BUT REALLY GRATEFUL FOR STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION. I DO SEE OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO TACK INTO THE COSA IMPACT WAIVERS TO INCREASE FUNDING. THE DEPARTMENT DOES A GREAT JOB. I WANT TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE NOT ABSORBING WHAT LITTLE RESOURCES YOU HAVE TO TACKLE THIS BIG ISSUE. LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITY TO FURTHER SUPPORT THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
>> YOU MENTIONED OPPORTUNITY, YOU MENTIONED IMPACT FEES, AND THAT IS PART OF THE PROBLEM, YOU CAN BUILD THE LINE TO THE SEWER MAIN THAT WE OWN, BUT THEN YOU HAVE TO PAY IMPACT FEES, BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT THE IMPACT FEES THAT YOU MENTIONED, $3 MILLION A YEAR, AND IT CAN GO UP TO 8 MILLION IF IT'S NOT USED, IN OTHER WORDS THAT CUSHION, THAT ROLL OVER AMOUNT, SO THESE ARE FEES THAT SAWS IS NOT RECEIVING FROM THE DEVELOPERS USUALLY, BUT OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, THE CITY, $2.3 MILLION DID NOT USE, IN OTHER WORDS, THE $3 MILLION EVERY YEAR, AND THERE'S A $5 MILLION ROLL OVER, 2.3 DID NOT GET USED, THAT IS OUT THERE AVAILABLE
NOR THIS PROGRAM. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU FOR THAT, IN TERMS OF THE .3 MILLION, I THINK THAT'S OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE MORE SERVICES, I KNOW AS WE CONTINUE TO ANNEX PROPERTY AS WELL, MANY OF THESE RESIDENTS, WHETHER IT'S ON THE NORTHSIDE IN DISTRICT 10, OR THE SOUTHSIDE IN DISTRICT 4.3, MANY OF THEM DON'T HAVE THAT INFRASTRUCTURE OF LATERAL CONNECTION, AND I THINK WE SHOULD LEAN INTO THAT 2.3 MILLION. THANK YOU.
>> ROCHA-GARCIA: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN CASTILLO, COUNCILMAN COURAGE?
>> COURAGE: I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. ONE IS THAT THE -- I THINK THAT THE 125% OF THE POVERTY LEVEL IS REALLY TOO LOW. WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IS MAYBE 32, $33,000 A YEAR FOR A FAMILY OF TWO OR THREE PEOPLE, AND I THINK IT SHOULD BE 150% OF POVERTY, WHICH I THINK WOULD GIVE A FEW MORE PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE SUPPORTED BY THIS PROGRAM. YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST -- IT'S NOT A LARGE ENOUGH AMOUNT. SO ANYWAY, I'D LIKE US TO THINK ABOUT THAT, MAKING IT 150% OF POVERTY INSTEAD OF 125%. THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE IS I THINK I HEARD FROM VERONICA THAT THE CITY IS GOING TO COMMIT $700,000 TO THIS PLAN, NOT $200,000, IS THAT CORRECT? YEAH.
>> IT'S FOR THE TOTAL 2 PILOT PROGRAMS, WE WOULD SUPPLEMENT LATERALS TO PEOPLE AS WELL AS THE OTHER REPAIR PROGRAM WITH SAWS, SO IT'S A TOTAL OVER 700,000.
>> COURAGE: OKAY, AGAIN AT THE SAME TIME, I'VE HEARD MR. PUENTE SAY THERE'S CARRY FORWARD OF PRIOR YEARS OF UNUSED FUNDS IN DEVELOPMENT THAT 2.3 MILLION OR SO, AND THAT WILL GOING TO BE PUT ON TOP OF THE 3 MILLION A YEAR, SO THERE'S FIVE MILLION IN
THAT AREA. >> THE 2.3 MILLION IS FOR IMPACT FEES ALONE.
>> IMPACT FEES, RIGHT. >> THERE'S PROBABLY CITY REQUIREMENTS THAT CAN BE USED FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM, BUT IT CAN BE USED FOR THE IMPACT FEES ONCE
THEY DO WANT TO CONNECT. >> COURAGE: I DON'T KNOW, IS THERE A WAY OF THE CITY
EXPANDING THE USE OF THAT FOR LATERALS. >> I BELIEVE IT'S ALL WITHIN Y'ALL'S PURVIEW TO DO. FOR EXAMPLE, COUNCILMAN COURAGE, THE 125%, AND 150% IS WITHIN OUR PURVIEW, AND YES, 125% CAPTURES A CERTAIN AMOUNT, 150 CAPTURES MORE.
THESE MONIES ARE FROM OUR UP LIFT PROGRAM WHICH ALSO HELPS PEOPLE ON A MONTHLY BASIS, JUST DIFFERENT PROGRAMS, SO THERE IS A LIMITED AMOUNT OF FUNDS, BUT
WE CAN SURELY LOOK AT THAT 150. >> COURAGE: RIGHT, BUT IF WE ADD 700 TO THAT, AND WE CAN LOOK AT USING THE ADDITIONAL IMPACT FEES THAT HAVE BEEN CARRIED FORWARD OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE
[00:45:04]
US EXAMINE EXPANDING THAT TO JUST AFFORD MORE PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE CARE OF THIS. WE PROBABLY DON'T HAVE ANY NUMBER TO HELP US UNDERSTAND HOW MANY HOMES MIGHT BE AFFECTED BY THIS, SO HAVE YOU HAD LIKE 10,000 PEOPLE CALL AND SAY WE'RE NOT CONNECTED OR 1,000 PEOPLE OR 500.>> Y'ALL USUALLY ARE THE ONES THAT GET THE PHONE CALLS BEFORE WE DO.
BUT I VENTURE TO SAY THAT ONCE THIS PROGRAM TAKES EFFECT, A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL SAY, HEY, I HAVE THIS PROBLEM. SO THEY DON'T WANT TO BE -- VOLUNTEER THAT INFORMATION, BECAUSE THEY'RE PROBABLY NOT ABIDING BY THE CURRENT RULES
AND REGULATIONS. >> COURAGE: AND I GUESS SINCE WE'RE REALLY SAYING THIS IS A PILOT PROJECT, THEN MAYBE WE SHOULD LOOK FORWARD THAT IF IT'S SUCCESSFUL AND WE NEED TO EXPAND IT, LOOKING AT THE OTHER RESOURCES THAT YOU SAID FOR FUTURE EXPANSION OF THE PILOT PROJECT, SO I'LL BE SUPPORTIVE OF GOING
FORWARD WITH STAFF RECOMMENDATION TODAY. >> ROCHA-GARCIA: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COURAGE, WHILE YOU WERE UP THERE, MR. PE ONE TO ASK A TEAM TO LOOK
INTO THE INCREASE OF 125 TO 150%? >> YES.
OF COURSE. AS I MENTIONED, THERE'S A SET AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT UPLIFT PROGRAMS HAVE, SO IT'S ROBBING PETER TO PAY PAUL, BUT IT'S ALL WITHIN OUR ABILITY TO INCREASE AND INCREASE THE OVERALL PIE ALSO.
>> ROCHA-GARCIA: GOT IT. THANK YOU. AND THEN I GUESS MIKE SHANNON IF YOU COULD -- I DON'T KNOW, ACTUALLY, IS IT -- WELL, WE CAN WORK WITH THE TEAM HERE TO SEE IF WE COULD REVISE THE IMPACT FEE, I GUESS.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S THE ORDINANCE OR WHAT WE WOULD HAVE TO DO, BUT I GUESS --
OH, THERE YOU GO, GO AHEAD -- >> GOOD MORNING, CHAIR, COUNCILMEMBERS, WE'LL TAKE THAT BACK AND LOOK AT THAT. YOU KNOW, JUST TO BE CLEAR, THE IMPACT FEE WAIVER PROGRAM THAT ROBERT IS TALKING ABOUT, THOSE AREN'T DOLLARS THAT WE HAVE, BUT THEY ARE DOLLARS THAT SAWS WOULDN'T RECEIVE, THEY NORMALLY WOULD GET FROM IMPACT FEES, BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY GO BACK AND LOOK AT THAT. I'M AWARE THERE'S BEEN SOME ROLL OVERS THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, WE CAN LOOK AT BALANCING AND TALK ABOUT WHETHER THERE IS AN ABILITY TO EXPAND THAT PROGRAM TO -- SO WE CAN BRING THAT BACK TO YOU.
>> ROCHA-GARCIA: CAN WE DO THAT NEXT MONTH. >> I THINK SO.
WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO THAT. >> ROCHA-GARCIA: PERFECT.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN WHYTE. >> WHYTE: SO I UNDERSTAND, WAS THERE 2.5 MILLION OF
UNSPENT IMPACT FEE MONEY LAST YEAR, IS THAT RIGHT? >> COUNCILMAN, I'M NOT -- I HAVEN'T LOOKED AT THAT PROGRAM IN A WHILE. WHAT WE CAN DO IS BRING YOU
BACK A REPORT -- >> WHYTE: BUT THERE WAS SOME MONEY.
>> I WANT TO BE CAREFUL. THERE ARE COMMITMENTS, SO PROJECTS THAT GET FILED WITH NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING SERVICES THAT WOULD QUALIFY FOR WAIVERS IN THE FUTURE, BUT SOMETIMES THOSE COMMITTED DOLLARS DON'T HAPPEN, THE PROJECT CHANGES TIME, OR MAYBE THE PROJECT FALLS THROUGH, SO THERE'S A WHOLE SPENT VERSUS COMMITTED VERSUS WHAT'S ROLLING OVER, GIVE ME A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THAT MORE AND GET BACK TO
YOU, UNLESS YOU GUYS CAN DO THAT TODAY. >> WHYTE: WHAT HAPPENS TO
THE MONEY IF IT'S NOT SPENT. >> ESSENTIALLY -- THESE ARE IMPACT FEES THAT SAWS WOULD NORMALLY COLLECT, SO THEY HAVE A BUDGET OF WHAT THEY ANTICIPATE THEY'RE GOING TO GET FROM THE WAIVERS FROM US, SO THEY WOULD ESSENTIALLY, UNDER THE PROGRAM, THERE'S SOME THAT ROLL OVER, OR ARE ELIGIBLE TO BE ROLLED OVER, THAT BUDGET WOULD ROLL THE NEXT YEAR, THEY'RE ACCOUNTING AND HOLIHOLDING FOR US, AT SOME
POINT THEY GET ADJUSTED OUT. >> WHYTE: ADJUSTED OUT. >> MEANING WE WOULD LOSE THE ABILITY TO GET THOSE WAIVERS IF WE DON'T SPEND THEM IN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME.
>> WHYTE: UH-HUH. >> JUST TO SUPPLEMENT WHAT WAS SHARED, STAFF IS CONFIRMING WE HAD 5 MILLION CARRIED FORWARD, WE WILL VERIFY THAT DATA, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE MOST ACCURATE INFORMATION. A SECOND POINT AND EARLIER COMMENT, NHSD IS WORKING ON EVALUATING OUR SAWS IMPACT FEES TO CHANGE PERHAPS THE ELIGIBILITY SO WE CAN HELP MORE FAMILIES LIKE THE GARCIA TORRES FAMILY, WHICH WE WERE ABLE TO REIMBURSE FOR THEIR SAWS IMPACT FEES, SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO EXPLORE THAT FOR THE PURPOSES OF ESTABLISHING WATER SERVICES FOR LOW INCOME FAMILIES.
>> WHYTE: DEFINITELY GOING TO NEED SOME MORE INFORMATION HERE, BUT WHILE I'M -- WHILE IT'S STILL MY TURN, I GUESS, ON THE ANALYSIS HERE FROM LEGAL, MAYBE SUBJECT TO LEGAL CHALLENGE, WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT THERE?
>> IT'S EXPANDING WHAT THE STATE ALREADY REQUIRES IS MY UNDERSTANDING, BUT I WOULD
[00:50:02]
DEFER TO LEGAL. >> WHYTE: RIGHT. IT'S EXPANDING -- I UNDERSTAND THAT. IT'S EXPANDING WHAT THE STATE ALREADY REQUIRES.
AND WE THINK WE MAY BE OVERSTEPPING OUR BOUNDS HERE TO -- I MEAN, IS IT -- SOMEWHERE IN HERE IT SAYS THERE'S NOTHING IN STATE OR FEDERAL LAW THAT WOULD PROHIBIT THE CITY FROM CREATING SUCH A PROGRAM. BUT WE STILL THINK THERE
COULD BE SOME LEGAL CHALLENGE ON WHAT GROUNDS? >> AND WE HAVE A CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, WHILE SHE WALKS UP HERE, COUNCILMAN CASTILLO HAS A LITTLE BIT
MORE CONTEXT ON THAT. >> CASTILLO: SO MY UNDERSTANDING IS WITHIN THE COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUEST WE DID HAVE A LINE WHICH WOULD REQUIRE THAT THE SELLER DISCLOSES, HOWEVER IN CONVERSATION WITH SABOR, THEY DID SHARE WITHIN THAT COMPONENT THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS SOMETHING OUR REALTORS ALREADY DISCLOSE, SO THAT IS MY INTERPRETATION, WITHIN MY COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUEST, THERE IS A REQUEST THAT THE PROPERTY OWNS DISCLOSE IT, HOWEVER THEY'RE ALREADY REQUIRED TO DISCLOSE IT. SO THE CHALLENGE WOULD BE
THAT DISCLOSURE WHICH ISN'T IN THE RECOMMENDATION. >> DO YOU WANT TO ADD TO
THAT. >> NO, THAT PRETTY MUCH IS RACQUET.
USUALLY, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A CONFLICT WITH STATE LAW, YOU KNOW, IF THE CITY TRIES TO IMPOSE STRICTER RESTRICTIONS OR REQUIREMENTS THAN WHAT THE STATE LAW ALREADY PROVIDES, THEN SOMETIMES WE ARE CHALLENGED BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL ON
THAT. >> WHYTE: YEAH, I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T HAVE A 21-27 ISSUE HERE, CERTAINLY. SO I THINK -- I GUESS MY POSITION ON THIS, I LOVE THE INTENT AND THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO, FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD, AND IT'S CERTAINLY MY HOPE THAT WE CAN DO SOMETHING TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE.
I DO THINK MAYBE WE NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION THAT I GUESS YOU'VE ASKED
FOR, CHAIR, THAT WE CAN DISCUSS AT THE NEXT MEETING. >> ROCHA-GARCIA: YES, WE CAN ADD THE FURTHER LEGAL ANALYSIS TO THE NEXT ONE FOR NEXT MONTH THEN.
>> YES, MA'AM, WE'LL COME BACK AND PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION TO THE
COMMITTEE. >> ROCHA-GARCIA: WOULD IT BE OKAY, THOUGH, DO WE MOVE FORWARD WITH SOME OF THE LOWER HANGING FRUIT TODAY? IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE
CAN IN YOUR OPINION MOVE FORWARD WITH. >> I THINK IN TERMS OF THE PILOT PROGRAM AND THE FUNDING WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, I DON'T SEE ANY ISSUE WITH MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT TODAY. I THINK WE CAN COME BACK AND TALK ABOUT I THINK THE TWO TAKE AWAYS ARE MORE INFORMATION ON THE SAWS IMPACT FEE WAIVER PROGRAM THAT WE'VE GOT IN PLACE, AND IN ADDITION, COUNCILMAN WHYTE'S QUESTION ABOUT THE SLIDE HERE THAT TALKED ABOUT POTENTIAL LEGAL CONFLICT WITH STATE LAW, AND I THINK THAT'S MORE OF A POTENTIAL. I THINK IT DEPENDS ON HOW THE ORDINANCE IS GRAFT AND WHAT WE DO, BUT WE CAN HAVE CONVERSATION ON THAT.
>> BUT YOU THINK WE CAN MOVE FORWARD TO VOTE THE PILOT PROGRAM TO A SESSION WITHOUT
THE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. >> I DON'T THINK -- THE PILOT PROGRAM IS FUNDING OUT OF THE NHSD BUDGET. YOU DON'T HAVE ANYTHING THAT -- THIS IS JUST DOLLARS THAT -- SORRY, THAT WE HAVE ALLOCATED TO OWNER OCCUPIED OR MINOR REPAIR HOME PROGRAMS TODAY, SO THOSE DOLLARS ARE THERE. WE'RE DOING A PIE LOW TEMPEPILOT PROGRAMFOR FUNDING. I DON'T THINK THERE'S AN ISSUE WITH MOVING THOSE FORWARD. WE CAN CERTAINLY COME BACK AND HAVE ADDITIONAL
CONVERSATION ON THOSE OTHER TOPICS. >> ROCHA-GARCIA: THANK
YOU, COUNCILWOMAN GARCIA? >> GARCIA: ADDITIONAL SUPPORT TO THE PILOT PROGRAM THAT ISN'T THERE BY EXPLORING THE ROLLOVER FROM THE COSA IMPACT FEE WAIVERS WITH SAWS, SO IT'S NOT THERE, WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW CAN WE POTENTIALLY SUPPORT IT, THE PILOT COULD POTENTIALLY ONLY COVER ONE PROJECT BASED OFF AN ESTIMATE THAT WE'VE RECEIVED. IF WE WANT TO HAVE THE GREATEST IMPACT THERE'S OPPORTUNITY BY EXPLORING ADDITIONAL FUNDING THAT HASN'T BEEN SPENT OR THAT POINT THERE. BUT I DID WANT TO SUPPORT COUNCILMAN COURAGE'S RECOMMENDATION TO EXPAND SO THAT WAY THERE'S A GREATER IMPACT AS I MENTIONED, I'VE SPOKEN TO FOLKS THAT ARE IN NEWLY INCORPORATED PARTS OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, AND THEY TYPICALLY WON'T QUALIFY FOR THIS TYPE OF PROGRAM, SO EXPANDING IT WOULD HAVE A GREETER IMPACT, SO I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THAT
RECOMMENDATION. >> ROCHA-GARCIA: DO YOU WANT TO MAKE A MOTION.
AGENDA, WE CAN CALL THIS LIKE EXPANSION OF THE LATERAL PROGRAM OR -- OKAY.
GOT IT. >> SO CHAIR, JUST CLARIFICATION, WE DON'T NEED SPECIFIC ACTION ON THIS, SINCE THIS IS ALREADY INCLUDED IN OUR BUDGET, AND WE'VE RECOMMENDED THE PILOT PROGRAM, SO WE WOULD MOVE FORWARD AS PRESENTED TODAY, AND THEN COME BACK TO THE COMMITTEE WITH THE FOLLOW-UP ITEMS THAT WE MENTIONED
EARLIER. >> ROCHA-GARCIA: I LOVE IT.
OKAY, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. WE APPRECIATE YOU. ITEM NUMBER 4 IS ALSO SAWS,
[00:55:04]
AND IT'S ON WATER AND SEWER CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT COSTS, AND IMPACT FEES ASSOCIATED WITH NEW DEVELOPMENT. WE DON'T HAVE TO TAKE A VOTE.THEY SAID IT'S A -- YEAH. SINCE IT'S ALREADY A PROGRAM SO -- YES.
I THOUGHT WE DID. BUT THEY SAID WE DIDN'T SO. >> ALL RIGHT. GOOD MORNING, COUNCILMEMBERS. NAME IS TRACY LAYMON, THE SENIOR DIRECTOR FOR SAWS.
I WANT TO PROVIDE A BRIEFING ON OUR IMPACT FEE PROGRAM. SO IMPACT FEES ESSENTIALLY ARE A FINANCING TOOL THAT SAWS USED UTILIZES TO ENSURE THAT WE CAN ALLOW GROWTH TO OCCUR IN OUR SYSTEM, AND WHAT THAT RESULTS TO THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY IS THAT THEY END UP PAYING A ONE-TIME FEE AS A NEW CONNECTION, AS A DEVELOPER MAKES THAT NEW CONNECTION AND PAYS FOR THAT INFRASTRUCTURE THAT IS NEEDED TO HANDLE THAT ADDITIONAL GROWTH ON OUR SYSTEM.
AND SO THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT FEATURE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY, SO THAT THEY KNOW THAT WHENEVER THEY COME TO SAWS FOR SERVICE, THEY WILL HAVE CAPACITY IN THE SYSTEM. BY PAYING THAT IMPACT FEE. AND THE IMPACT FEE IS BASED ON THE NOTION THAT WE WANT GROWTH TO PAY FOR GROWTH. WE WANT THEM TO PAY THAT SHARE OF THAT COST, AND WE DON'T PUT THAT BURDEN ON OUR RATE PAYERS, SO THAT IS -- AND IT IS SIGNIFICANT, AS YOU CAN SEE THERE, JUST LAST YEAR IN 2024, WE COLLECTED $124 MILLION IN IMPACT FEES, AND FOR THAT INFRASTRUCTURE. OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, OVER 600 MILLION THAT WE COLLECTED, AND SO THIS KEEPS OUR RATES ON LOWER SIDE, PREVENTS US FROM PASSING THAT COST ON TO OUR RATE PAYERS.
SO IMPACT FEES, THEY'RE A GREAT IDEA, THEY'RE NOT LIMITED TO SAWS OR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO IS GOVERNED BY TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE CHAPTER 395.
THEY HAVE A LOT OF REQUIREMENTS AND STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS FOR THAT ON HOW WE ASSESS THEM, HOW WE CREATE THEM, HOW WE IMPLEMENT THEM, AND WHAT WE CAN USE THE FUNDS ON. AND SO ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS IS THAT IMPACT FEES ARE UPDATED A MINIMUM OF EVERY FIVE YEARS. WE CAN DO IT MORE OFTEN.
WE PREFER NOT TO. BUT THE LAST UPDATE, HOPEFULLY MANY OF YOU REMEMBER IN M MAY OF 2024, WE DID UPDATE THAT, THOSE NEW RATES ACTUALLY WENT INTO EFFECT IN JULY OF 2024. AND ANOTHER GREAT COMPONENT OF CHAPTER 395 IS THAT IT PROVIDES FOR AN OVERSIGHT OF THE IMPACT FEE PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE IF PLACE, OUR COMMITTEE IS CALLED THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS ADVISORY COMMITTEE, IT'S OUR COMMITTEE, THEY WORK WITH SAW, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY THE CITY COUNCIL'S COMMITTEE.
THE MEMBERS ARE APPOINTED BY CITY COUNCIL. THEIR REPORT, WHILE THEY WORK WITH US DURING THE PROGRAM, THEY REPORT DIRECTLY TO CITY COUNCIL AND NOT SAWS. AND ANOTHER KEY IMPORTANT ASPECT OF THAT IS THAT DEVELOPERS ARE PAYING THESE IMPACT FEES AS THEY CONNECT AND SO A REQUIREMENT AT LEAST 40% OF THE MEMBERS MUST BE REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT OR BUILDING INDUSTRY. SO WE HAVE AN 11 MEMBER PANEL.
EACH ONE -- EACH DISTRICT NOMINATES AND ADDS A MEMBER TO THIS, AS WELL AS THE MAYOR GETS AN ADDITIONAL PERSON FOR THE ETJ, AND SO I WANT TO THANK Y'ALL VERY MUCH FOR POINTING FOLKS ON THIS COMMITTEE. THEY'VE DONE A GREAT JOB WITH US AND FOR US, AND THEY'RE VERY INSIGHTFUL, AND PROVIDE INPUT AS PART OF THIS REVIEW THAT THEY DO OF OURS. AND I WILL SAY OF ALL OF THE -- EXCEPT FOR DISTRICT 5, WE HAVE A NEW MEMBER THERE, FOR DISTRICT 5, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, THOSE REMAINING TEN WERE ON THE LAST COMMITTEE AND UPDATE OF THE IMPACT FEES. AND YOU'LL SEE THAT A LOT OF THEM ARE REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT, MORE THAN THE 40 REQUIREMENT THAT WE ARE MANDATED FOR, AND THAT SPEAKS VOLUMES TO ME, BECAUSE WHEN WE DID THAT, THAT LAST RATE INCREASE FOR IMPACT FEES WAS SIGNIFICANT, AND THE REAL ESTATE COMMUNITY WAS SUPPORTIVE OF THAT. THEY KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING THAT ABILITY TO ADD THE INFRASTRUCTURE INTO OUR SYSTEM AND TAKE ON THAT NEW. SO I -- ONE OTHER ASPECT IS THE JOB DOESN'T STOP WITH THE CIAC COMMITTEE. EVERY FIVE YEARS, WE MEET WITH THEM TWICE A YEAR, AND WE PROVIDE UPDATE WHERE WE ARE WITH THE PROJECTS LISTED IN THE CAPITAL -- AS PART OF THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PLAN AS WELL AS THE IMPACT FEES WE'VE COLLECTED THROUGH THAT, AND WHERE THE COSTS ARE.
SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THE UPDATE THAT WE DO EVERY FIVE YEARS, IT'S TWO COMPONENTS, LAND USE ASSUMPTION PLAN IS ONE OF THE CRITICAL ITEMS WE LOOK AT, WHERE IS THE GROWTH GOING TO OCCUR AND HOW MUCH? THOSE ARE THE TWO KEY COMPONENTS.
WE CAN ONLY LOOK AT TEN YEARS WORTH OF GROWTH WHENEVER WE'RE LOOKING AT
[01:00:04]
THIS, ALTHOUGH WE DO UPDATE EVERY FIVE YEARS, WE LOOK AT TEN YEARS WORTH OF GROWTH FOR THIS. AND WE -- WHILE WE WORK WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, THE COUNTY, THE STATE, OFFICIALS ON HOW THAT POPULATION, THAT GROWTH IS GOING TO OCCUR, WE END UP CONVERTING THAT POPULATION GROWTH INTO EDU EDU'S, EQUIVALENT DWELLING COMMUNITY EQUIVALENT TO A SINGLE FAMILY HOUSEHOLD. ONCE WE KNOW THE GROWTH IS GOING TO OCCUR OVER THE NEXT TEN YEARS AND WHERE IT'S GOING TO GROW, WE LOOK AT WHAT IMPROVEMENTS ARE NEEDED TO OUR SYSTEM IN ORDER TO HANDLE THAT ADDITIONAL CAPACITY, DO WE NEED TARRANT TAS OR PUMPS AND DEVELOP THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT PROCESS. IN ORDER TO CALCULATE THE MAXIMUM IMPACT FEE, WE USE THOSE TWO COMPONENTS, HIGH LEVEL, IT'S A VERY SIMPLE CALCULATION, WE LOOK AT THE COST FOR THAT INFRASTRUCTURE, OVER THE NEXT TEN YEARS, AND THEN DIVIDE THAT BY THE NUMBER OF EDUS THAT -- GROWTH THAT WE'RE EXPECTING.I WILL TELL YOU THAT NUMBER WAS ROUGHLY $1.5 MILLION WORTH OF IMPROVEMENTS OVER THE NEXT TEN YEARS, AND TO SERVE 161,000 NEW WATER EDUS, AND 148,000 NEW WASTEWATER EDUS OVER THE TEN YEAR PERIOD. THERE'S A COMPONENT IN CHAPTER SUBTRACTING OUT THE RATE CREDIT TO KEEP US FROM DOUBLE BILLING.
WE DO PAY SOME COMPONENT IN OUR TYPICAL RATES, AND THAT IS A SMALL REDUCTION, MAKE SURE WE DON'T DOUBLE BILL THERE. AS PART OF THAT.
I WILL SAY THAT IS THE MAXIMUM IMPACT FEE CALCULATION RIGHT THERE.
ULTIMATELY, CITY COUNCIL BOARD OF TRUSTEES, THEY CAN LOOK AT DO WE WANT TO RECOMMEND ZERO DOLLARS, OR ALL THE WAY UP TO THE MAXIMUM IMPACT FEE? IT'S REALLY A POLICY STATEMENT OF DO WE WANT GROWTH TO PAY FOR GROWTH OR DO WE WANT TO PUT IT ON A RATE PAYER? SO THERE IS THAT ABILITY TO DO THAT. IN THE PAST WE'VE ALWAYS GONE WITH THE MAXIMUM IMPACT FEE. AND SO OUR RATES DO VARY THROUGHOUT OUR SYSTEM.
YOU CAN SEE THE WATER AND SERVICE -- SEWER SERVICE AREAS THERE, THEY'RE BROKEN UP INTO MULTI-MILLION MULTIPLE COMPONENTS.IF YOU'RE FH BEXAR COUNTY, YOU KNOW WE'RE KIND OF ON A HILLSIDE, IF YOU GO TO THE NORTHWEST IN THE HIGH AREA, THAT'S THE HIGHEST ELEVATIONS, IF YOU GO TO THE SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST AREA, THOSE ARE LOWER ELEVATIONS, SO WE'RE ON A HILLSIDE. MOST OF OUR WATER IS INTRODUCED IN THAT LOW PRESSURE ZONE OR SERVICE AREA, EXCUSE ME THERE, SHOWN THERE, AND WE HAVE TO BOOST IT UP, ADDITIONAL PUMPS, ADDITIONAL TANKS TO MOVE IT UP TO THAT MIDDLE AND HIGHER, SO ADDITIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE, SO THERE'S MORE COST FOR THAT COMPONENT. LIKEWISE ON THE WASTEWATER SIDE, THE SEWER SERVICE AREA, WE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE DIFFERENCE IN CONTOURS, AND WE LEFT WASTEWATER FLOW BY GRAVITY, AND THAT IS THE REASON WHY OUR WATER TREATMENT PLANTS ARE ON THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF OUR SERVICE AREA.
AS YOU MOVE FURTHER OUT, IT REQUIRES MORE SEWER INFRASTRUCTURE, MORE SEWER OUTFALLS TO GET THAT SEWER DOWN TO OUR TREATMENT PLANTS, AND SO THOSE INFRASTRUCTURE COSTS ARE MORE, THAT IS WHY THE RATES VARY ACROSS OUR SERVICE AREA. CHAPTER 395 ALSO LOOKS AT ASSESSMENTS OF IMPACT FEES, AND FOR THE MOST PART, THE CITY PROCESS OF PLATTING A PROPERTY WHENEVER YOU'RE LOOKING AT DEVELOPING IT, THAT IS AN ABILITY TO LOCK IN IMPACT FEE RATES, WHENEVER PROPERTY IS PLATTED, THEY COME IN, A DEVELOPER COMES IN WITH SUBDIVISION, THEY PLAT THAT PROPERTY FOR SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL HOMES, IT WILL LOCK IN THE DAY'S RATE OR WHATEVER RATE THE PLAT IS RECORDED, YOU MAY RECORD THE PLATITUDE, BUILD THE HOUSE IN TEN YEARS, YOU WILL STILL GET TODAY'S RATES, NOT THE FUTURE RATES. THERE IS AN ASTERISK BY IT, BECAUSE THERE'S ALWAYS A LITTLE BIT OF VARIATION TO THAT, IF YOU INTENDED TO BUILD A SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL AND TEN YEARS LATER YOU'RE LOOKING AT APARTMENT COMPLEXES ON THAT SAME LOT, THAT'S A CHANGE IN USE, SO ITEMS LIKE THAT WOULD REQUIRE AND KICK IT UP TO THE CURRENT RATES, BUT OTHERWISE, IT DOES USUALLY STICK WITH THE PLAT, AND ACTUALLY CHANGES LIKE THAT THAT ARE MENTIONED ARE REALLY CAPTURED A LOT OF TIMES WITH THE CITY'S PLATTING REQUIREMENTS. IN ADDITION TO THE PLATTING REQUIREMENTS, WE DO OUR EDUS BASED ON METER SIZES AS WELL AS SEWER CALCULATIONS, AND SO AS WE ASSESS THOSE, THOSE WILL CHANGE.
AND COLLECTED, ONE OF THE ASPECTS OF CHAPTER 395 IS THEY DO ALLOW US TO DEFER THE PAYMENT OF IMPACT FEES, SO WHENEVER THIS PLAT IS RECORDED, THEY DON'T HAVE TO PAY TODAY, THEY END UP PAYING IMPACT FEES WHEN THE METER IS SET, OR THE
[01:05:07]
SERVICES -- SEWER SERVICES CONNECTED. SO LOOKING AT THIS COMPARISON OF OTHER UTILITIES WITHIN TEXAS, IMPACT FEE RATES THAT WE HAVE HERE, YOU CAN SEE SAWS, WE HAVE A VARIATION, 11,528 IS OUR HIGHEST IMPACT FEE, NOT SURPRISINGLY, THAT'S ON THAT NORTHWEST SIDE OF THE HIGHEST ELEVATION REQUIRES THE MOST INFRASTRUCTURE TO GET WATER TO THE SITE AND WASTEWATER AWAY FROM THE SITE. AS YOU GO DOWN TO THE LOWER AREAS, THE SOUTHEAST, SOUTHSIDE, IT'S 7,343 IS OUR MINIMUM IMPACT FEE, AND THEY VARY THROUGHOUT OUR SYSTEM BASED ON THOSE DIFFERENT SERVICE AREAS. SO WE ARE FAIRLY COMPARABLE TO THE AVERAGE FOR IMPACT FEES, ALTHOUGH YOU CAN SEE LIKE NEW BRAUNFELS, THEY ARE -- HAVE A VERY LARGE IMPACT FEE AS THEY'RE WORKING, THEY HAVE THE HIGHEST GROWTH -- ONE OF THE HIGHEST GROWTH RATES FOR THEIR SYSTEM, AND SO THEY ARE TRYING TO CATCH UP WITH THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE REQUIREMENTS.NOW, I MENTIONED EARLIER ABOUT THE FEE CALCULATION BEING THE MAXIMUM, AND WHILE SAWS WORKS AT THAT, AND WANTS DEVELOPMENT TO PAY FOR DEVELOPMENT, NOT ALL CITIES REQUIRE THAT. HOUSTON IS A KEY REPRESENTATION.
THEY HAVE ONE OF THE LOWER IMPACT FEES AT $2,800. $3,800.
THEY HAVE A LOWER IMPACT FEE, BUT THEY HAVE ONE OF THE HIGHEST MONTHLY BILL, SO THAT MAY BE PART OF THEIR DIRECTION IS TO ALLOW RESIDENTS TO SUPPLEMENT THAT DEVELOPMENT, AND THAT IS CURRENTLY NOT THE DIRECTION THAT SAWS OR CITY COUNCIL HAS DIRECTED US. AND SO THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT IMPACT FEE WAIVER PROGRAM, AND JUST TO PUT IT IN BULLETS HERE, SAWS RIGHT NOW THE PROGRAM IS THAT WE ALLOCATE $3 MILLION PER YEAR TO THE CITY FOR THAT WAIVER PROGRAM, THAT IS INITIATED BY THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, AND WE DO ALLOW A ROLLOVER, IF THEY DON'T SPEND THAT 3 MILLION, UP TO $5 MILLION PER YEAR. THEY DID START OUT JANUARY 2025 WITH A TOTAL OF 8 MILLION, SO THEY HAD THE $5 MILLION ROLLOVER, PLUS THE 3 MILLION ALLOCATED FOR 2025. THAT PROGRAM IS RUN BY THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, THROUGH THEIR FEE WAIVER PROGRAM, THEY ALLOCATE ALL THOSE IMPACT FEE WAIVERS TO US, AND LET US KNOW WHICH PROJECTS ARE APPLICABLE FOR THAT. AND BECAUSE CITY COUNCIL DOES APPROVE IMPACT FEES AS THEY DID MAY OF LAST YEAR, ONLY CITY COUNCIL HAS THE AUTHORITY TO WAIVE THOSE IMPACT FEES. I DO WANT TO CLARIFY THAT WE TALKED -- THERE WAS A DISCUSSION ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE ON INFRASTRUCTURE, IMPACT FEE PROGRAM ONLY INCLUDES THE LARGER PORTIONS OF PROJECTS. IT DOESN'T INCLUDE THE SMALLER DIAMETER 8-INCH WATER AND WASTEWATER MAINS, IT'S ONLY THE LARGER FACILITIES TO MOVE WATER, TRANSPORT WATER, AND GET IT OUT TOWARD THE SYSTEM.
BUT THE -- ALL THE ON SITE INFRASTRUCTURE 8 INCHES, MAINS, AND LATERALS, AND SERVICE CONNECTIONS, ARE THE COST OF THE DEVELOPERS'. ALL RIGHT?
AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, BE GLAD TO -- >> ROCHA-GARCIA: I APPRECIATE YOUR WORK ON THIS. I THINK ALL WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS MAKE SURE THAT YOU GET THE LOWEST MONTHLY BILL FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND HOW WE CAN HELP. I DO WONDER HOW MUCH OF THE IMPACT FEES ASSOCIATED WITH THE NEW DEVELOPMENT AFFECT END COST AND WHAT IT COULD BE DOING TO HOUSING, AND SO DO WE KNOW IF THERE'S ANYBODY LOOKING AT THIS OR STUDYING THE ISSUE BY ANY
CHANCE? >> ON THE IMPACT OF THE IMPACT FEES --
>> ROCHA-GARCIA: UH-HUH. ON ACTUAL COSTS. >> CERTAINLY IT IS -- WHOOPS -- A CONCERN. WE NECESSARILY I THINK THE PROGRAM FOR THE CITY HAS
LIMITATIONS ON OUR -- SORRY -- >> EXCUSE ME.
ARE YOU ASKING WHAT PERCENTAGE OF COST IMPACT FEES ARE TO A DEVELOPMENT.
>> ROCHA-GARCIA: NO, LIKE WHAT IS PASSED ON, OR ADDED TO THE HOUSING COST.
>> SMITH : WE LOOKED AT IT LAST YEAR, ABOUT 3%. >> ROCHA-GARCIA: 3%.
>> SO IT'S MINIMUM. THE NAILS COST MORE. >> ROCHA-GARCIA: THE
NAILS -- >> THE LABOR, THE MATERIALS COST A LOT MORE OBVIOUSLY
THAN THE IMPACT FEES -- >> ROCHA-GARCIA: GOT IT. 3% OF, YOU KNOW, $300,000 HOME, SO THAT'S WHY I WAS ASKING, I WAS JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW MUCH IS IT REALLY COSTING? ON THE SLIDES I SEE $128 MILLION WAS COLLECTED IN 2024. HOW MUCH OF THAT -- FOR HOW MANY DEVELOPERS OR FOR HOW
MANY BUSINESSES WAS THAT COLLECTED FROM? >> WELL, MULTIPLE BUSINESSES. SO -- AND AGAIN, WE GO BY EDUS, EQUIVALENT DWELLING UNITS, SO ROUGHLY -- WE ACTUALLY, I BELIEVE IN 2024, WAS A HIGH YEAR, JUST UNDER ABOUT 19,000 NEW EDUS, I BELIEVE IS THE NUMBER THAT WE'RE PAID FOR.
[01:10:05]
>> ROCHA-GARCIA: OKAY. THANK YOU. NOW, AND AGAIN, IT'S THE BALANCE, RIGHT? I WAS JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE THERE IS A BALANCE, I APPRECIATE IT. I'LL START WITH MY COLLEAGUES.
COUNCILMAN WHYTE? >> WHYTE: YEAH, THANK YOU, CHAIR, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION, I DON'T HAVE MUCH OTHER THAN TO SAY RECENTLY FILE A CCR WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT HOPEFULLY IF IT GETS MOVED FROM GOVERNANCE TO THE NEXT COMMITTEE, WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT THINGS JUST LIKE THIS, RIGHT? ALL THE FEES THAT ACCUMULATE THAT DO I BELIEVE, CHAIR, SOMEWHAT TO YOUR POINT, THE DEVELOPER INCURS THESE FEES, AND WE KNOW AT THE END OF THE DAY THE COST GETS PASSED ON TO THE END USER OR TO THE END BUYER, AND WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WHICH IS A PRIORITY FOR THIS CITY COUNCIL, I THINK TOO OFTEN WE FORGET ABOUT THERE'S DIFFERENT WAYS TO SKIN THE CAT HERE. AND KEEPING MORE MONEY IN PEOPLE'S POCKETS MAKES HOUSING FOR THEM MORE AFFORDABLE.
AND SO IF WE CAN LESSEN THE COST TO DEVELOP AND BUILD NEW HOMES, THE COST WILL BE LESS TO FOLKS THAT BUY THEM, AND WE'RE GOING TO KEEP MORE MONEY IN THEIR POCKET.
SO WE ARE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT THAT IN A CCR, AND THEN AT COMMITTEE HOPEFULLY COMING UP, BUT I APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION, AND -- YEAH, I DON'T THINK I
HAVE MUCH MORE ON THIS, THANKS, CHAIR. >> ROCHA-GARCIA: THANK
YOU, COUNCILMAN WHYTE, COUNCILMAN COURAGE? >> COURAGE: YEAH, I THINK THE COUNCILMAN IS RIGHT, THE MORE WE CAN MAKE THINGS MORE AFFORDABLE, THE MORE WE CAN BUILD MORE AFFORDABILITY INTO HOUSING, AND I THINK THAT'S THE WONDER OF THE CITY GRANTING THESE WAIVERS, SO WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS WE GRANT YOU, BUILDER, A WAIVER, YOU DON'T HAVE TO SPEND 3% OF YOUR COST TO BUILD, BECAUSE THE CITY IS GOING TO WAIVE THAT, WHICH MEANS YOU'RE REDUCING THE COST OF BUILDING YOUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING. SO THIS PROGRAM HAS A LOT OF VALUE WHEN IT COMES TO AFFORDABILITY AND FUTURE GROWTH SO, YOU KNOW, AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE'VE GOT MORE MONEY IN THERE. I HOPE MORE DEVELOPERS START COMING WITH MORE AFFORDABLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO GRANT THOSE WAIVERS IN THE FUTURE.
THANK YOU. >> >> GARCIA: THANK YOU,
COUNCILMAN COURAGE. COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO. >> CASTILLO: ONE THING THAT I WOULD CONTINUE TO DRIVE HOME IS ENSURING THAT IF YOU ARE A FAMILY OF FOUR, SIX, A SINGLE FAMILY HOMEOWNER THAT YOU TOO SHOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAP INTO THESE FEE WAIVERS IF YOU SEE YOURSELF IN THE SITUATION IN WHICH YOU ARE NOT CONNECTED TO SEWAGE AND/OR WATER. AND THAT'S THE VALUE OF THE CONVERSATION WE JUST HAD EARLIER, BUT ENSURING THAT AS WE HAVE THE CONVERSATION AROUND THESE IMPACT FEES, HOW WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT A SAN ANTONIO FAMILY THAT'S NOT A DEVELOPER OR A CONTRACTOR -- AND THERE IS THAT VALUE THERE, BUT IF YOU'RE A SINGLE-FAMILY HOMEOWNER THAT YOU ALSO HAVE OPPORTUNITY AND RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO YOU TO ENSURE THAT YOU CAN STAY IN HOME AND PASS ON THAT GENERATIONAL WEALTH TO YOUR CHILDREN CHILDREN. I WANT TO THANK SAWS FOR THIS PRESENTATION. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO CPS PRESENTATION AS WELL AND APPRECIATE THE FORESIGHT THAT YOU HAVE IN TERMS OF FEES AND RESOURCE AND ACCESS TO WATER. THANK YOU AND THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> GARCIA: THANK YOU. SO THIS WAS JUST A BRIEFING ITEM SO THAT CONCLUDES OUR MEETING OF THE MUNICIPAL UTILITIES COMMUNITY AT
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.