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YOU HAVE THAT PREROGATIVE.SO THIS IS LOGGED INTO MY SYSTEM.
THE TIME IS 10:17 AM GO AHEAD AND CALL OUR GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE MEETING TO ORDER WITH OUR ROLL CALL.
WELCOME TO THE JANUARY 15TH, 2020, GOVERNANCE CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE MEETING.
COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE PRESENT.
UM, WE HAVE THREE ITEMS ON OUR AGENDA TODAY.
[1. 20-1314 Approval of the minutes from the City Council Governance Committee Meeting on December 12, 2019.]
UH, FIRST ITEM IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MEETING MINUTES FROM THE CITY COUNCIL GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE MEETING OF DECEMBER 12TH.THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES OF DECEMBER 12TH.
[2. 20-1296 A briefing and discussion on a Council Consideration Request (CCR) from Councilmember Trevino for the establishment of a Renters’ Commission. [Lori Houston, Assistant City Manager; Verónica R. Soto, Neighborhood and Housing Services Department Director]]
CARRIES.ITEM TWO IS A BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION ON THE RENTER'S COMMISSION.
THE IKA SOTO WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
THE ITEM BEFORE YOU IS A CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUEST BY COUNCIL MEMBER TREVINO, WHO SUBMITTED THIS BACK IN JUNE FOR DISCUSSION OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A RENTER'S COMMISSION, IF ESTABLISHED AS SUCH, A COMMISSION WOULD TO BE COMPRISED OF RESIDENTIAL RENTERS FROM DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS TO ADVISE CITY COUNCIL ON MATTERS RELATED TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING, ACCESSIBILITY, TRANSPORTATION, GREEN AND OTHER PUBLIC SPACES, LAND USE, RENTERS LOST RIGHTS, PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY EDUCATION, ECONOMIC GROWTH IN LIFE IN SAN ANTONIO.
THE C C R DID NOTE FROM THE, UM, AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY 20 20 12 20 16, THAT RENTERS OCCUPY APPROXIMATELY 46% OF THE HOUSING UNITS IN SAN ANTONIO.
THAT THE MEDIAN RENT FOR SAN ANTONIO HAS INCREASED BY NEARLY 18% SINCE 2010.
THAT THE MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME FOR RENTERS IS AROUND 33,600 COMPARED TO 63,700 FOR, FOR HOMEOWNERS.
AND THE FACT THAT 50% OF RENTERS IN SAN ANTONIO SPEND MORE THAN 30% OF THEIR GROSS INCOME ON RENT, THEIR COST BURDEN.
WE DO HAVE A HOUSING COMMISSION THAT WAS RECONSTITUTED IN JANUARY OF 2019 THAT OVERSEES THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE HOUSING POLICY FRAMEWORK.
UM, THE REPORT THAT I BROUGHT, UM, WHILE SPECIFICALLY RENTERS AND HOMEOWNERS ARE NOT NOTED IN THE CHARGE FOR THE HOUSING COMMISSION, VARIED, VARIED HOUSING NEEDS, UH, FOR SAN ANTONIO SOHO ARE ADDRESSED.
AGAIN, THIS FRAMEWORK WAS DESIGNED TO LOOK AT AFFORDABILITY HOUSING ISSUES COMPREHENSIVELY.
AND SO IT DOESN'T CALL OUT THAT, BUT THERE ARE MENTIONS, UM, SINCE THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH.
AND, UM, IN THAT COMPREHENSIVENESS SPECIFICALLY OVER THE LAST SIX MONTHS, THERE HAVE BEEN ISSUES THAT ARE OF IMPORTANCE TO RENTERS THAT THE HOUSING COMMISSION HAS BEEN VERY INVOLVED IN.
UM, SO THIS INCLUDES THE RISK MITIGATION FUND THAT SPECIFICALLY WAS SET UP TO HELP RENTERS.
AND THEY ALSO, UM, ARE LOOKING AT ISSUES HERE AND ISSUES OF DISPLACEMENT
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FROM SAN ANTONIO HOUSING AUTHORITY EVICTIONS.SO IN THE COMPREHENSIVE VIEW, THEY HAVE, UH, TAKEN A DEEPER DIVE FOR SOME ISSUES RELATED TO RENTERS.
THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND THE HOUSING COMMISSION ARE WORKING ON DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR THE HOUSING POLICY FRAMEWORK.
UM, VERY IMPORTANT TO IDENTIFY THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITY OF EACH OF THE HOUSING PARTNERS.
IT IS ONE OF THE WAYS IN WHICH THE HOUSING COMMISSION WILL HELP HAVE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS WORK SO THAT THE CITY, THE SAN ANTONIO HOUSING TRUST, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY HOUSING COMMISSION, AND OTHER PARTNERS EACH KNOW THEIR ROLE IN HELPING TO DELIVER ON THIS HOUSING POLICY FRAMEWORK.
AND SO IN DOING THAT IMPLEMENTATION PLAN OF WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT, WE WILL ALSO LOOK AT THE NEEDS AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT PERHAPS ARE NOT BEING ADDRESSED AND HELP RECOMMEND THE APPROPRIATE ENTITY FOR ACTION.
BUT IT IS THE HOUSING COMMISSION THAT WILL WORK ON THIS IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR THE HOUSING POLICY FRAMEWORK.
AND AT THAT POINT, THAT'S WHEN THE RENTER'S COMMISSION CAN BE ADDRESSED SO THAT IT TOO CAN HAVE A CHARGE AND SOMEONE RESPONSIBLE, UH, TO LOOK AT IT IN DETAIL.
AND THEN WE WOULD SUGGEST WE RETURN TO THE APPROPRIATE, APPROPRIATE CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE WITH IMPLEMENTATION, THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, AND THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THAT IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.
AND AGAIN, THE RENTER'S COMMISSION WILL BE FOLDED INTO THAT LARGER IMPLEMENTATION PLAN SO THAT ALL THE ITEMS THAT HELP US WITH THE HOUSING POLICY FRAMEWORK HAVE AN ENTITY RESPONSIBLE FOR MOVING ITEMS FORWARD.
AND THAT CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATION, BUT I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION, VERO.
UM, THIS WAS A, UH, C C R AUTHORED BY COUNCIL MEMBER TREVINO.
SO COUNCIL MEMBER, IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME UP AND, UM, OFFER SOME STATEMENTS.
AND, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST THERE'S, THERE'S QUITE A FEW PEOPLE HERE TODAY AND, UH, IF, IF IT'D BE ALLOWED BY, BY THIS, UH, COMMITTEE AND YOURSELF, UH, MAYBE SOME TIME FOR SOME CITIZENS TO, TO SPEAK SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THIS ISSUE, I KNOW THAT WE HAVE 'EM FROM BOTH SIDES.
UH, CERTAINLY WE WELCOME SOME OF THE, THE, THE, UH, COMMENTS.
AND, UH, THEN OF COURSE, I, I CAN COME BACK UP AND, AND TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHY WE SUBMITTED THIS BACK IN JUNE.
THERE'S A NUMBER OF PEOPLE HERE, HERE TODAY.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING.
UM, WE DON'T HAVE ANY NAMES UP HERE, SO IF ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES OR YOU WOULD LIKE TO CALL ANYBODY UP, PLEASE FEEL FREE AND WE'LL, WE'LL PUN ON A, ON A TIMER.
UM, I GUESS I WOULD JUST SIMPLY ASK THOSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK SIMPLY RAISE YOUR HAND.
SO, UH, IF WE CAN JUST, UH, I THINK WE CAN TAKE THEM ONE AT A, GO AHEAD AND WELL GO AHEAD AND DISCUSS THE C C R AND THEN WE'LL HAVE FOLKS RECOGNIZE.
UH, FIRST I WANNA THANK YOU FOR, UH, ALLOWING US TO, UH, TO HEAR THIS A GOVERNANCE.
UM, I THINK TODAY'S A UNIQUE GOVERNANCE MEETING IN THAT, UH, THE TWO ITEMS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY ARE, ARE TIMELY.
AND, UH, THEY'RE ALSO ABOUT, UH, THE VERY PRINCIPLES THAT WE ALL ADOPTED, UH, AUTHORED BY, UH, COUNCILMAN SANDOVAL, UH, YOU KNOW, REGARDING PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE, ARE LISTENING TO AS, AS, AS MANY VOICES AS POSSIBLE, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT ARE MOST AFFECTED.
UH, SO THAT'S AT THE HEART OF THIS, UH, RENTER'S COMMISSION.
UH, WE ASK THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE'S SOME OF THE STATS RIGHT UP ON THE, ON, ON THE MONITOR.
UH, THIS IS, THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT IS IMPACTING US IN, IN A MAJOR WAY.
UM, I CERTAINLY ALSO WANNA SAY THAT I RESPECT, UH, THE, THE HOUSING COMMISSION AND THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING, AND CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THE, THE WORK, UH, OF THE MAYOR'S HOUSING TASK FORCE AS IT'S PRESENTING, UH, MORE AND MORE DATA.
WHAT, WHAT I GET GATHERED FROM THE ISSUE IS THAT IT IS, IT IS REALLY, TRULY A BIG, BIG ISSUE.
AND, UH, I THINK YOU SAID IT YOURSELF, MAYOR, AND YOU HAVE AN ENTIRE COUNCIL THAT'S BEHIND YOU ON THIS SAYING, YES, LET'S TACKLE THIS.
THIS IS, THIS IS NOT A ZERO SUM GAME.
THIS IS REALLY ABOUT HOW WE ALL GET INVOLVED, HOW WE ALL, UH, BECOME MORE INCLUSIVE OF, OF HEARING WHAT THE ISSUES ARE, UNDERSTANDING MAYBE THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT WE HAVE NOT THOUGHT ABOUT.
MAYBE THERE'S SOME OPPORTUNITIES THAT, THAT WE COULD DEPLOY TODAY.
AND SO AT THE HEART OF THIS IS, IS MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE, UH, DEALING WITH THIS AS COMPASSIONATELY AND COLLABORATIVELY AS POSSIBLE.
THAT'S WHO WE ARE AS A COUNCIL.
UH, YOU KNOW, I ALSO BELIEVE THAT, UH, THE MAKEUP OF THIS COUNCIL OF, OF THIS, UH, COMMISSION, UH, SHOULD BE REPRESENTED AS A SINGLE MEMBER REPRESENTATION, MUCH LIKE OTHER COMMISSIONS.
I WAS JUST JOKING, UH, A LITTLE WHILE AGO ABOUT, UM, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, THE, THE HISTORIC DESIGN
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REVIEW COMMISSION THAT'S BEEN AROUND SINCE THE SIXTIES.UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE REPRESENTATION FOR, UH, HISTORIC PROPERTIES AND HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS, WHICH IS A GOOD THING.
BUT HERE'S AN EXAMPLE OF WHERE WE CAN HAVE REPRESENTATION OF PEOPLE.
UH, AND I THINK THAT THAT'S IMPORTANT TOO, AND MAKING SURE THAT HAVING SOMETHING LIKE THIS, I THINK IS VERY MUCH ALIGNED WITH, WITH, UH, OUR CHARGE WITH, UH, ALL THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED IN TERMS OF HOW WE ARE MORE INCLUSIVE OF, OF THE COMMUNITY, HOW WE TACKLE SUCH A COMPLEX ISSUE.
UH, AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING ON, UH, RIGHT TO COUNSEL, WHICH IS A, A GREAT PROGRAM THAT WE BELIEVE IS GONNA HELP, UH, MANY PEOPLE FACING EVICTIONS EVERY SINGLE DAY.
THERE'S ALMOST A THOUSAND EVICTIONS BEING FILED A MONTH.
THAT'S NOT TO MENTION THE NOTICES TO VACATE THAT PEOPLE ARE FACING.
UM, QUITE FRANKLY, UH, I THINK THAT THERE'S A LOT OF CREATIVE OPPORTUNITY, CREATIVE SOLUTIONS THAT CAN BE ATTACHED TO, UH, ESTABLISHING SOMETHING LIKE THIS THAT COULD HELP US, UH, YOU KNOW, CREATE POLICY, POLICY THAT IS GONNA MOVE OUR CITY FORWARD POLICY ON, ON SUCH A MAJOR ISSUE.
HOUSING INVOLVES MANY, MANY, UH, DIFFERENT, UH, UH, LEVELS OF, OF, OF THOUGHTFUL, UH, POLICY DISCUSSION.
AND I BELIEVE THAT, UH, MOVING THIS FORWARD TO A, A COUNCIL COMMITTEE SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A ROBUST DISCUSSION IS THE PROPER, PROPER THING TO DO.
SO I ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT TO, TO CONTINUE THIS CONVERSATION, TO GET IT GOING.
I, UH, RESPECTFULLY DISAGREE WITH THE, UH, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION OF WAITING TILL JUNE FOR, UH, FOR US TO ADDRESS THIS.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN WAITING, UH, FOR QUITE SOME TIME NOW.
WE, WE NEED TO MOVE THIS FORWARD.
SO, I, I, AGAIN, I RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT, UH, THIS COMMISSION OR THIS COMMITTEE, UH, LOOK AT MOVING THIS COMMISSION IDEA FORWARD TO COUNCIL COMMITTEE.
COUNCIL MEMBER TREVINO COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS? WELL, I, WE DON'T HAVE NAMES, SO IF ANYONE HERE WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE SOMEONE TO SPEAK, PLEASE GO AHEAD AND DO SO.
WE'LL START WITH COMMENTARY NOW.
UM, UM, I CAN GO AHEAD AND START.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
AND, AND COUNCIL MEMBER TREVINO AND I HAVE, HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS, UH, A FEW TIMES.
UM, WE ARE GUIDED BY THE HOUSING POLICY TASK FORCE AND THE WORK OF THE HOUSING COMMISSION.
UH, AND I THINK EVERYONE HERE WANTS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING IT IN, IN A FAIR WAY TO EVERYONE.
UM, ONE OF THE CONCERNS THAT WAS ADDRESSED, ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WAS ADDRESSED, UH, THROUGH THE MAYOR'S HOUSING POLICY TASK FORCE AND NOW, UH, IN THE POLICY ITSELF, IS THAT A MAJOR CHALLENGE WITH OUR HOUSING ECOSYSTEM IS THAT THERE'S JUST A LOT OF BUREAUCRACY, A LOT OF DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, A LOT OF ENTITIES THAT ARE INVOLVED IN HOUSING AND COORDINATING IN THEM ALL BECOMES A FIRST ORDER CONCERN.
UM, TELL US ABOUT THAT AND HOW WE CAN ACCOMMODATE THAT WITH, WITH THIS.
SO I MENTIONED THAT THE HOUSING COMMISSION, ALONG WITH OUR DEPARTMENT AND THE PARTNERS WHO DELIVER ON HOUSING AND, AND HELP TO HOUSE OUR COMMUNITY, THAT'S THE SANTANA HOUSING TRUST.
THE HOUSING AUTHORITY ARE WORKING ON THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR THE POLICY FRAMEWORK.
UM, AND THAT IS ONE OF THE WAYS IN WHICH THE COORDINATION IS GOING TO COME INTO PLAY.
UM, IT IS CLEAR THAT THE CITY CANNOT DO IT ALONE, AND THEREFORE PARTNERS ARE NEEDED.
AND THAT IMPLEMENTATION IS IN MANY WAYS, THE BODY THAT DICTATES THE COORDINATION.
IT STATES WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT PORTION OF THIS POLICY FRAMEWORK AND WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO DELIVER FOR THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO THAT ALSO ALLOWS US TO BE COORDINATED BECAUSE THERE'LL BE, UH, GROUNDING PRINCIPLES BASED ON THE POLICY FRAMEWORK THAT WE ARE WORKING TOWARDS.
AND SO THERE'S, UM, A DEVELOPMENT THAT IS IN LINE WITH THAT IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, WHICH IS FROM THE TASK FORCE.
AND SO THIS COORDINATION, UM, THROUGH THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN IS, IS HOW THE ISSUE OF, UM, A USER TRYING TO GET THE COMPLEX, UM, SERVICES THAT THEY MIGHT NEED.
AND IS PART OF THAT, UM, THE COORDINATION'S GONNA COME A LOT, UM, THROUGH THIS IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, ALL THE PARTNERS BEING AWARE OF WHAT THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR AND HELPING TO DELIVER, AND IT GOES THROUGH THE CHARGE OF ACCOUNTABILITY AGAIN.
AND I ALSO WANNA ADD, AS WE DO THIS IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT THE EXISTING BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THAT ARE CURRENTLY ADDRESSING HOUSING ISSUES.
SO WE HAVE THE NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENTS ADVISORY COMMITTEE, ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
WE HAVE THE OFFICE OF URBAN RENEWAL, SAN ANTONIO, AND WE ALSO THE HOUSING COMMISSION.
AND THEN WE HAVE SEVEN TASK FORCES THAT ARE FOCUSED ON HOUSING ISSUES AS
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WELL.AND THAT INCLUDES THREE SUBCOMMITTEES FROM THE REMOVING BARRIERS, UM, EFFORT, AS WELL AS THE, UM, FOR EVERY HOME INITIATIVE, RISK MITIGATION EVALUATION COMMITTEE, AND THE COMMUNITY HEALTH DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS, THE CHODA MEETINGS THAT WE HAVE MONTHLY.
SO WE WANT TO GO AHEAD AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT EACH OF THOSE EFFORTS DURING THIS IMPLEMENTATION PLAN TO MAKE SURE WE ARE CLEAR ON WHAT THEIR CHARGE AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING, AND ALIGN 'EM WITH OUR OTHER PARTNERS.
SO THIS IMPLEMENTATION PLAN WILL BE COMPREHENSIVE.
IT'LL LOOK INTERNALLY AT THE ENTITIES THAT ARE ADDRESSING HOUSING, BUT ALSO LOOK EXTERNALLY AT OUR PARTNERS, THE HOUSING TRUST, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
UM, IN TERMS OF THE RECOMMENDATION, CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT YOU'RE RECOMMENDING TO US THERE? WE'RE RECOMMENDING THAT THE RENTER'S COMMISSION BE LOOKED AT AS WE DEVELOP THIS IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR THE HOUSING POLICY FRAMEWORK TO DETERMINE WHERE THE BEST, UM, THE OWNER OF, OF SUCH AN ISSUE SHOULD BE.
UM, THE, THE DELIBERATION ABOUT SHOULD THERE BE SOMETHING SEPARATE, IS THE HOUSING COMMISSION, THE APPROPRIATE BODY WILL BE ADDRESSED IN THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.
SO THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO CONTINUE THIS IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FROM THE HOUSING COMMISSION TO MOVE FORWARD AND HAVE THIS ISSUE BE ADDRESSED.
UM, BEFORE THE MEMO GOT POSTED ON FRIDAY, THE HOUSING COMMISSION WAS HAVING ALL ALL DAY RETREAT.
SO WE HAD ALREADY SUBMITTED OUR INFORMATION, AND IT WAS LATE IN THE DAY THAT THEY STARTED TALKING ABOUT IS THEY DIDN'T TAKE FORMAL ACTION, UM, BUT THEY DID TAKE ACTION ON THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN BEING THEIR HIGHEST, ONE OF THE HIGHEST PRIORITIES FOR THAT COORDINATION.
AND SO THE RECOMMENDATION IS THAT THE RENTERS COMMISSION BE FOLDED INTO THAT DISCUSSION OF THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN SO THAT THE HOUSING COMMISSION, ALL THE ENTITIES CAN HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT IS THE PROPER PLACE A NEW COMMISSION OR IS THE PROPER PLACE THE HOUSING COMMISSION ITSELF, BUT IT WOULD BE PART OF THAT IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.
SO THE, THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO CONTINUE, UH, CONTINUE TO LOOKING AT IT TO DISCUSS AND VET THE, THE, THE BEST WAY TO GO FORWARD.
I DON'T DISAGREE WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBER THAT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO HAVE INPUT FROM OTHERS AS WELL ON THE COUNCIL AS THEY DELIBERATE.
UM, SO I'M, YOU KNOW, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF, OF A CONTINUED CONVERSATION AT THE COUNCIL WHILE THAT VETTING HAPPENS.
I DO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE VET IT THOUGH, BECAUSE THERE ARE, AGAIN, CONCERNS OVERALL ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT WE, UH, COORDINATE A SYSTEM, STRENGTHEN A COORDINATED SYSTEM.
SO TO THAT END, I DO WANNA UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT BETTER ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW OTHER CITIES ARE TACKLING THIS.
AND I DO UNDERSTAND, UM, THAT THIS WAS A MODELED, UM, THAT MODELED REQUEST.
UM, AND SO I'D, I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND IN TERMS OF THE, OF THE RENTER'S COMMISSION OR THIS BODY THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, IS THERE ANY OVERLAP BETWEEN WHAT THE INTENT IS THERE WITH WHAT THE HOUSING COMMISSION IS ALREADY CHARGED WITH? AND MAYBE ROBERT COULD SPEAK TO THAT AS WELL, AND, AND VERONICA VERO CAN SPEAK TO THAT.
PAUL FARA, WHO'S CURRENTLY SERVES ON THE HOUSING COMMISSION, BUT WE, WE, FIRST, THERE'S A NEED FOR A RENDERS COMMISSION, SOMEONE TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES.
THE HOUSING COMMISSION OVERSEES THE MAYOR'S HOUSING POLICY TASK FORCE, UM, REPORT THE FRAMEWORK PLAN.
IT DOES ADDRESS RENTER'S ISSUES.
IT DOESN'T TALK ABOUT A RENTER'S COMMISSION.
UM, BUT THE HOUSING COMMISSION HAS BEEN TAKING ON SEVERAL RENTER ISSUES LIKE THE RISK MITIGATION FUND.
THE DISPLACEMENT STRATEGY, THE HOUSING MISSION AS IT WAS ORDAINED, SHOULD BE TACKLING ALL ISSUES.
SO I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT AS WE LAYER IN, ARE THE THINGS THAT WE'RE NOT DUPLICATING EFFORTS.
SO IF YOU COULD SPEAK TO HOW THAT WOULD PLAY OUT, AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE RECOMMENDING TO GO THROUGH THIS IMPLEMENTATION EFFORT.
SO WE CAN CLEARLY ALIGN WHAT COMMITTEE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT CHARGE TO INCLUDE THE HOUSING COMMISSION, THE RENTER'S COMMISSION, THE NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENT ADVISORY COMMISSION TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE NOT DUPLICATING EFFORTS.
AND THEN WE IDENTIFY THE APPROPRIATE ENTITY THAT'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT COMMITTEE.
SO IT'LL BE, THAT'LL BE DONE THROUGH THIS EXERCISE.
AND IT'S, WE ARE GONNA BE DOING THAT IMMEDIATELY, AND WE PLAN ON MAKING A RECOMMENDATION TO A COUNCIL COMMITTEE IN JUNE.
SO THE CONVERSATION IS STARTING.
UM, IT'S NOT GOING TO START IN JUNE.
WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A RESOLUTION AND A RECOMMENDATION IN JUNE.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF ROBERT, YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE SOME COMMENTS ON THAT.
AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO CALL UP PAUL, UH, FROM THE HOUSING COMMISSION.
IF YOU COULD MAYBE SPEAK TO THAT, MARY.
AND SO I JUST WANNA ADDRESS, UH, YOU AND I SPOKE ABOUT THIS.
I MEAN, I THINK THAT THERE IS LOGICAL OVERLAP, LIKE THERE'S OVERLAP IN A LOT OF OUR COUNCIL COMMITTEES AS WELL.
SO IT'S, I THINK IT'S IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO COLLABORATE AND TO HELP ONE ANOTHER.
UH, I SEE THIS AS A BENEFIT TO THE HOUSING COMMISSION, AND THAT'S HOW WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT THIS.
IN FACT, UH, WHAT I THINK THAT THEY ULTIMATELY BRING IS A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE BECAUSE THEY ARE RENTERS AND WE NEED TO BE LOOKING AT IT IN, IN THOSE TERMS. AND I CAN LIST OFF SEVERAL THINGS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN ADDRESSED, LIKE RIGHT TO COUNCIL.
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CAME ABOUT BECAUSE OF THE CITY COUNCIL.UH, WE ALSO HAVE THE EXPANSION OF, FOR EXAMPLE, THE UNDER ONE ROOF PROGRAM TO, TO RENTAL PROPERTIES, UH, THAT STILL HASN'T BEEN ADDRESSED AND COULD BE ADDRESSED AND COULD BE A WAY TO HELP, UH, STABILIZE, UH, HOUSES, HOUSING, AND NEIGHBORHOODS AND, AND STABILIZE RENTS AS WELL.
SO, UH, THESE ARE THE KINDS OF EXAMPLES THAT I THINK, UH, BRINGING A RENTER'S COMMISSION FORWARD COULD ACTUALLY HELP BRING.
AND OF COURSE, IT'S TIMELY, UH, YOU KNOW, THESE THINGS TAKE TIME.
IF WE WAIT TILL, TILL JUNE TO, TO START ADDRESSING THESE THINGS, UH, YOU KNOW, I'M AFRAID THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'LL GET WRAPPED UP IN, IN MANY OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, ULTIMATELY WILL NOT SEE THE LIGHT OF DAY.
WELL, AND I, AND I'M, I'M HEARING COMMON REFRAIN THAT WE'RE NOT GONNA, WE'RE NOT GONNA STOP, UM, AND WAIT TILL JUNE, BUT COULD I, COULD I ASK PAUL TO COME AND SPEAK FROM THE HOUSING MEETING? AND MAYOR, I WANT TO, I JUST WANNA POINT OUT, THERE'S A LIST HERE OF PEOPLE THAT'D LIKE TO SPEAK.
I'D WANT LIKE TO SUBMIT THAT TO THE, TO THE CITY CLERK.
IF YOU CAN JUST SHARE THAT WITH THE COUNCIL TOO.
UH, MEMBERS OF THE GOVERNANCE, UH, COMMITTEE.
THERE ARE THREE POINTS, UH, THAT I'D LIKE TO, UH, PRESENT.
ONE IS THAT, UH, WITH A NEW COMPOSITION OF THE HOUSING COMMISSION, WE NOW HAVE TWO OF THE FIVE AT LARGE MEMBERS THAT HAD BEEN, UM, NOMINATED BY THE VARIOUS, UH, DISTRICTS WHO ARE RENTERS, WHO ARE CURRENTLY RENTERS.
THERE ARE SEVERAL OF US, UH, WHO HAVE BEEN, ALTHOUGH WE CURRENTLY ARE, UH, HOMEOWNERS, WE HAVE BEEN RENT RENTERS IN SAN ANTONIO IN THE PAST, IN FACT, OF THE FIVE DIFFERENT PLACES WHERE I HAVE LIVED, UH, PART OF THE TIME AS ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY, UH, THREE OF THE FIVE HAS HAVE BEEN AS A RENTER.
SO I HAVE SOME EXPERIENCE IN THAT WAY, IN THAT ASPECT.
THE OTHER PART IS THAT AS A COMMISSIONER, I REALIZE I WEAR SEVERAL HATS.
UH, NOT ONLY AM I A HOMEOWNER, UH, BUT I'M ALSO, UH, A RESIDENT OF, UH, DISTRICT NINE.
I'M ALSO, UH, SOMEONE WHO CAN, UH, SPEAK IN TERMS OF HIS EXPERIENCE AS A PERSON OF COLOR.
I CAN ALSO REFLECT ON MY EXPERIENCE AS A VETERAN.
IT SEEMS TO ME THAT REMEMBERING THAT I'M, I'M WEARING A NUMBER OF HATS AS ARE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMISSION.
IT'S A VERY HELPFUL, UH, WAY OF MAKING SURE THAT WE DON'T LOOK AT ISSUES NARROWLY, BUT VERY BROADLY.
AND THIS, THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I SUPPORTED THE IDEA OF CONTINUING TO LOOK AT THE ISSUE OF, UH, THE RENTER COMMISSION, UH, AS PART OF OUR HOUSING COMMISSION RESPONSIBILITIES.
UM, AND I, IT'S MUSICAL CHAIRS HERE, IF IT CAN COME BACK UP, VERO.
UM, AND I'M, I'M COGNIZANT AND I THINK EVERYONE, UH, WHO IS, UH, TALKING ABOUT HOUSING IN THIS COMMUNITY, IT'S NOT SIMPLY ABOUT COUNTING SEATS.
THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE AFTER HERE.
WE'RE AFTER ELEVATING THE CONVERSATION ABOUT RENTERS, TENANTS RIGHTS AND SO FORTH, UH, TO THE TOP OF OUR HOUSING AGENDA.
AND I DON'T WANT TO IMPLY, UH, IN ANY OF THIS, THAT THE HOUSING COMMISSION IS SOMEHOW NOT TACKLING RENTER'S ISSUE.
IT'S, AS I HEAR COUNCIL MEMBER TREVINO STATE, WE WANT TO DO IT IN A COLLABORATIVE WAY.
WE WANT IT TO DO IT, UH, IN THE BEST WAY WE CAN.
COULD YOU SPEAK THOUGH TO THE WAYS, UM, N H S D IS INVITING RENTERS TO BE PART OF THE POLICYMAKING DISCUSSION? YES.
UH, I COULD SPEAK AT LENGTH, BUT I'LL BE BRIEF.
UM, BECAUSE WE ARE HAVING A LOT OF EFFORTS AROUND, UM, RENTERS THAT ARE ULTIMATELY PRESENTED TO THE HOUSING COMMISSION.
SO ONE OF THE WAYS IN WHICH WE'RE ENGAGING AND GETTING COMMUNITY INPUT WITH RENTERS IS THROUGH THE ASSESSMENT OF THE RISK MITIGATION FUND.
ONE OF THE COMMITMENTS WE MADE TO THE HOUSING COMMISSION AND THE COMMUNITY WAS THAT SIX MONTHS AFTER HELPING AN INDIVIDUAL, WE WOULD CHECK IN AND SEE WHERE THEY WERE DOING.
AND ALL THE INDIVIDUALS BEING ASSISTED ARE RENTERS.
AND SO WE HAVE THAT ENGAGEMENT AND THAT POST SERVICE SURVEY, IF YOU WILL, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR, UM, ASSISTANCE MADE A DIFFERENCE.
AND THERE IS A COMMUNITY GROUP LED BY A, A RECIPIENT OF THE RISK MITIGATION FUNDS THAT IS MAKING SURE THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, CONTINUES TO BE IMPLEMENTED IN A BETTER WAY TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY OUT OF THAT WORK.
WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO COUNSEL THAT ITEM IS ACTUALLY ABOUT TO BE PRESENTED TO THE HOUSING COMMISSION AT THEIR REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING NEXT MONTH.
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AND SO THAT'S ANOTHER ISSUE WHERE WE HAVE, AGAIN, HAD A LOT OF STAKEHOLDERS, NOT JUST PEOPLE WHO ARE FACING THAT ISSUE, BUT THE FOLKS THAT SERVICE THEM.UM, THE HOUSING COMMISSION ALSO WEIGHED IN ON THE POLICY THAT ULTIMATELY CITY COUNCIL ADOPTED FOR THE HOUSING TAX CREDITS, WHICH IS AN ITEM THAT COMES FORWARD AROUND THIS TIME TO Y'ALL.
AND SO WITH THAT, UM, THERE WAS A LOT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT THE PROVIDERS FOR HOUSING, FOR RENTAL HOUSING.
AND SO THEY WAITED ON THAT POLICY THAT ULTIMATELY MADE ITS WAY TO CITY COUNCIL AS A BODY AND WAS ADOPTED.
UM, WE HAVE AN INITIATIVE THAT IS LOOKING AT ANTI-DISPLACEMENT EFFORTS.
THAT ONE IS VERY GRASSROOTS ORIENTED.
IT'S CALLED FOR EVERYONE HOME.
WE HAVE REGULAR UPDATES TO THE COMMISSION.
IN FACT, TWO OF THE HOUSING COMMISSION MEMBERS ARE PART OF THAT STEERING COMMITTEE.
IT IS ONE OF THE COMMITTEES WE WORK WITH.
AND THAT ONE IS VERY GRASSROOTS ORIENTED.
IT INCLUDES SAGE, UM, AS A PARTNER.
IT INCLUDES THE ESPERANZA PEACE AND JUSTICE CENTER.
AND SO THEY REPRESENT THE ISSUES FOR THAT STEERING GROUP THAT IS LOOKING AT DISPLACEMENT PRESSURES IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO THOSE ARE JUST SOME OF THOSE HIGH LEVEL WAYS.
UH, AND IN FACT, IN OUR OFFICE, THROUGH OUR FAIR HOUSING SERVICES, OUR OTHER RENTAL ASSISTANCE, UTILITY ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, WE DO HAVE RENTERS BEING SERVED, UM, IN OUR GROUP.
UM, BUT WE DO A LOT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH RENTERS, WITH THE WHOLE COMMUNITY TO INFORM HOUSING ISSUES THAT ULTIMATELY END UP IN FRONT OF THE HOUSING COMMISSION.
AND MANY OF THEM DO END UP IN FRONT OF CITY COUNCIL AS A WHOLE.
AND, AND WE KNOW THAT WELL, UM, THE, UH, CONCERNS WE GET FROM, FROM RESIDENTS OF, UM, ALL TYPES ARE, ARE VERY FREQUENT.
AND SO, UM, I DO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD, WE'RE FINDING A, A SOLUTION HERE, UH, AND NOT, UM, RUNNING CONTRADICTORY TO SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS WITHIN THE HOUSING, HOUSING POLICY FRAMEWORK.
I, AGAIN, UM, WANNA HEAR FROM MY COLLEAGUES ON THIS ISSUE.
UH, AS YOU AND I DISCUSSED COUNCIL MEMBER, I'M, I'M, UH, INTERESTED IN AND SUPPORTIVE OF US MOVING THIS TO A, A FULLER DISCUSSION.
UM, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHEN WE REACH THAT RESOLUTION, I JUST WANNA BE VERY CLEAR THAT THE HOUSING COMMISSION HAS TO CONTINUE TO BE ABLE TO DO ITS WORK COMPREHENSIVELY, OTHERWISE WE END UP BACK IN A FRAGMENTED SYSTEM THAT, THAT WE FOUND OURSELVES NEEDING A HOUSING, UH, FRAMEWORK TO BEGIN WITH.
AGAIN, I'M, I'M INTERESTED IN HEARING MY COLLEAGUES' DISCUSSION ON THIS.
SO MOVE NOW TO COMMENT FROM MY COLLEAGUES, COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL, I'D, I'D ACTUALLY LIKE TO CALL THE PEOPLE WHO WANNA SPEAK BEFORE, BEFORE I, UM, GIVE A DIALOGUE.
SO THE LIST THAT THEY PROVIDED ME WAS, UH, RICH ACOSTA AND AM AMELIA AMELIA ADAMS ARE HERE.
UH, AND SHE'LL BE FOLLOWED BY RICH.
AND THEN AMELIA, DO YOU WANT YEAH.
CAN YOU DO IT? AND ASHLEY, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES, AND THEN I'LL CALL THE NEXT PERSON IN LINE, AND THEN WE'LL GO ON FROM THERE.
I AM REPRESENTING TEXAS ORGANIZING PROJECT, AND I JUST WANTED TO TALK ABOUT SOME STATISTICS.
SO DISTRICT FOUR, THERE'S 13,300 RENTAL UNITS, 37% OF THE DISTRICT'S HOUSING POPULATION, AND 52% OF THOSE RENTER HOUSEHOLDS INCLUDE CHILDREN.
AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT DISTRICT FIVE, UM, 43% OF THE DISTRICT'S POPULATION ARE RENTERS, 48% ARE CHILDREN.
DISTRICT SEVEN, THERE ARE 47% OF THE DISTRICT'S POPULATION THAT ARE RENTING 42% OR NO, 32.5% OF THEM ARE CHILDREN.
AND DISTRICT NINE, WE HAVE 35.
NO, 25% OF THOSE, UM, RENTERS ARE CHILDREN.
AND I JUST WANNA TALK ABOUT WHO'S REALLY IMPACTED WHEN WE TALK ABOUT EVICTIONS.
UM, COUNCILMAN VINNO TALKED ABOUT OVER 989 EVICTIONS A MONTH THAT, UM, THAT RESONATES A LOT WITH ME.
I GREW UP WITH, UM, SINGLE MOM.
SHE, YOU KNOW, DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF MONEY.
AND WHEN I TALK, WHEN WE TALK, WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT IT AS A FAMILY, YOU KNOW, TALKING ABOUT EVICTIONS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO CUT BACK ON CERTAIN THINGS.
IT AFFECT AFFECTED ME GROWING UP.
AND, UM, I THINK AS A CHILD, THAT SHOULDN'T BE SOMETHING THAT YOU SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT.
YOU SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT GOING TO SCHOOL, YOU KNOW, BURYING YOURSELF, YOU KNOW, PLAYING AROUND IN A PARK, YOU KNOW.
SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO TAKE THESE MATTERS SERIOUS.
[00:30:01]
NEED TO PUSH THIS BACK ANYMORE.TEXAS ORGANIZING PROJECT HAS SUBMITTED A LETTER TO, TO Y'ALL, AND, UM, I HOPE YOU ALL READ IT.
AND, YOU KNOW, THESE ANTI HARASSMENT PROTECTIONS FOR TENANTS, EVICTION NOTIFICATION ORDINANCES FOR MASS DISPLACEMENT REQUIRE REQUIRING LANDLORD PARTICIPATION AND FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION FOR DISPLACEMENT.
THE PLACE CONDITIONS OF ALL RENTAL PROPERTIES, RECEIVING CITY FUNDS OR SUPPORT, YOU KNOW, PROACTIVELY MONITORING MULTI-FAMILY BUILDINGS, PROVIDING FINANCIAL SUPPORT AND CITY COOPERATIONS FOR TENANT ENGAGEMENT AND EDUCATION OFFER GUARANTEED RIGHTS TO COUNCIL ON EVICTION CASES.
WE NEED THIS, YOU KNOW, WE COULD DEFINITELY HAVE THE HOUSING COMMISSION AND STAY IN PLACE AND THEN HAVE A RENTERS, UM, COMMISSION AS WELL.
MR. COSTA, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY AMELIA ADAMS, RICH ACOSTA, PRESIDENT OF MIS MIKASA.
A, UH, MY HOUSE RESIDENT OF DISTRICT NINE IN MY OFFICE IS IN DISTRICT FIVE.
SO WE HAVE A SETTING IN BOTH OF YOUR DISTRICTS, AND WE ARE CALLING FOR YOU GUYS TODAY TO NOT HAVE TO CHOOSE WHETHER OR NOT YOU'RE FOR AGAINST THE RENTER'S COMMISSION.
UM, THAT, LIKE, I'M NOT, I'M NOT, WE ALREADY DID THE DATA AND EVERYTHING.
YOU, I SENT YOU GUYS ALL THE EMAILS, YOU GUYS HAVE ALL THE RECORDS, RIGHT? THIS, THERE'S A, THERE'S A, A DISAGREEMENT ON WHETHER OR NOT THIS RENTER'S COMMISSION SHOULD EXIST CURRENTLY.
WELL, CAN WE HAVE THAT DEBATE? CAN YOU GUYS ALLOW THIS TO SIMPLY GO TO THE NEXT STEP TO ALLOW THE, YOUR FULL COUNCIL MEMBERS WHEN 50% OF OUR POPULATION, IF NOT NOW, SEABOARD JUST DID A FORECAST.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? THAT MEANS THE RENTERS ARE GOING TO INCREASE, THE POPULATION IS GOING TO BE THE MAJORITY OF RENTERS IN SAN ANTONIO, AND WE ARE ASKING FOR A COMMISSION TO START WORKING ON THEIR RIGHTS.
THE HOUSING COMMISSION IS A GREAT ENTITY.
I MEAN, I HAVE THE BOOK, I CARRY THE BOOK.
I'M A, I'M A, UH, A PROPONENT.
I, I WORK FOR, I I, THIS NONPROFIT WON'T EVEN EXIST WITHOUT MY CITY'S, UH, WITHOUT THE FRAMEWORK.
UM, UH, MARIA AL, SHE CHALLENGED US.
IT'S GO AND START THIS, UH, ORGANIZATION AND, AND WE STARTED IT, RIGHT? AND THE SAME PEOPLE THAT YOU'RE GONNA TURN TO, TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THIS MAYOR'S HOUSING POLICY, TASK FORCE, AND A SAN ANTONIO FRAMEWORK.
THESE ARE THE SAME PEOPLE THAT HAVE LOOKED AT THAT NOW THAT THE DUST HAS SETTLED AND, UH, AND IT'S MOVING FORWARD.
AND WE GOT N H S D THAT'S DOING A GREAT JOB TRYING TO IMPLEMENT IT.
WE'RE FINDING HOLES, AND WE'RE HERE TODAY TELLING YOU, HEY, WE'RE TRYING TO HELP YOU PATCH UP SOME HOLES WHERE THE RENTERS ARE FALLING BEHIND.
THE HOUSING COMMISSION HAS A HUGE PLATE ON THEIR HANDS.
THEY HAVE TO IMPLEMENT THAT 10 YEAR PLAN.
THERE'S A LOT TO GO ON THAT WE NEED.
THERE'S A LOT OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE GAVE TO YOU GUYS THAT THEY'RE NOT HANDLING, NOT BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO, BECAUSE THEY GOT A LOT MORE STUFF TO DO AS WELL.
WE GAVE THAT RECOMMENDATION TO THE HOUSING COMMISSION DIRECT.
I GAVE IT TO THEM, EACH OF THEM IN MY HAND LAST YEAR WHEN WE SENT IT OUT TO ALL OF YOU GUYS.
UM, AND THEY HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO WORK ON THAT, AND THAT'S FINE.
I DON'T HOLD THAT AGAINST THEM.
TWO RENTERS ON THE HOUSING COMMISSION CANNOT HOLD BURDEN.
THE 50% OF THE ISSUES THAT ARE GOING ON, WHEN ALSO TWO PEOPLE ON THAT HOUSING COMMISSION REP USED TO OR CURRENTLY REPRESENTS THE SAN ANTONIO HOUSING AUTHORITY, WHICH WE, AGAIN, ARE PUSHING BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT HANDLING SOME OF THEIR PUBLIC HOUSING, WHICH, IN OUR OPINION, IN A GOOD WAY.
SO PLEASE ALLOW THIS CONTINUED CONVERSATION.
AMELIA ADAMS, MS. ADAMS, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY GRACIE SANCHEZ.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR HAVING THIS CONVERSATION TODAY.
I'M A COMMUNITY EQUITY ANALYST WITH THE ORGANIZATION, TEXAS HOUSERS, AND I WORK HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
SO I'M TOTALLY FOCUSED ON WHAT'S GOING ON WITH FAIR HOUSING AND RENTER'S RIGHTS AND HOMEOWNER STABILITY HERE IN TOWN.
BUT I HAVE COLLEAGUES ALL OVER THE STATE, AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT SAN ANTONIO ACTUALLY REALLY DESERVES TO GIVE SOME SPECIAL ATTENTION TO RENTERS RIGHT NOW.
THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE FACING HERE ARE REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND ACTUALLY, THIS IS A HISTORICAL MOMENT FOR US TO ACT ON THAT.
SO OUR, WE KNOW, WE'VE SAID IT, THE EVICTION RATES HERE ARE THROUGH THE ROOF.
THERE ARE APARTMENT BUILDINGS, UH, THAT HAVE EVICTED, UH, SORRY, HAVE FILED EVICTIONS ON OVER 60% OF THE HOUSEHOLDS IN THEIR BUILDING IN A SINGLE YEAR.
THAT THAT'S NOT A SITUATION THAT WE CAN ABIDE.
UH, RENTERS ARE DEALING WITH CONDITIONS THAT REALLY THREATEN THEIR HEALTH AND SAFETY.
BASIC THINGS LIKE UTILITIES AND, UH, HAVING ACCESS TO
[00:35:01]
SECURITY IN THEIR HOME.UM, THERE HAVE BEEN BUILDINGS SHUT DOWN FOR HAVING INADEQUATE UTILITIES AND NOT BEING SAFE FOR PEOPLE TO LIVE IN.
UM, SO I, I WON'T REPEAT TOO MUCH OF THE STATISTICS THAT WE'VE SENT YOU ALL, UH, BUT DR.
ROCHA GARCIA, YOU KNOW, YOUR DISTRICT HAS A 7.3% EVICTION RATE THAT'S WELL ABOVE THE CITY'S AVERAGE.
UM, THAT'S ONE IN EVERY 14 HOUSEHOLDS BEING EVICTED EVERY YEAR.
UM, COUNCILWOMAN GONZALEZ, UH, 48% OF YOUR RENTER HOUSEHOLDS HAVE CHILDREN COMPARED TO ONLY 35%, UH, CITYWIDE.
SO THAT, THAT'S, YOUR DISTRICT IS FULL OF KIDS LIVING IN RENTAL HOUSING.
AND YOUR EVICTION RATE'S ALSO WELL ABOVE, NOT YOUR EVICTION RATE, YOUR DISTRICT'S EVICTION RATE.
UM, COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL IN YOUR DISTRICT, THERE ARE 32 APARTMENT BUILDINGS THAT HAVE FILED EVICTIONS ON OVER A HUNDRED TENANTS IN ONLY SINCE 2010.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S A HUGE NUMBER.
UM, AND YOUR DISTRICT ALSO ACCOUNTED FOR 12.4% OF THE EVICTION FILINGS IN 2018.
COUNCILMAN COURAGE, YOUR DISTRICT DOESN'T HAVE AS HIGH OF AN EVICTION RATE, DOESN'T HAVE AS MUCH, UH, SECTION EIGHT TENANTS.
UH, THAT, WHICH IS A WHOLE OTHER PROBLEM IN ITSELF.
BUT YOUR DISTRICT HAS A LOT OF SENIOR HOUSING, AND WE KNOW THAT THAT DESERVES A LOT OF SPECIAL ATTENTION.
UM, AND IT SHOULD BE A, A BIG FOCUS OF THIS RENTER'S COMMISSION.
SO I UNDERSTAND THAT N H S D IS DOING AN AMAZING JOB MAKING PROGRESS TO ENGAGE TENANTS AND BRING THEM AND THEIR VOICES TO THE FOREFRONT.
AND THE HOUSING COMMISSION HAS, UH, SOME COMMISSIONERS WHO TAKE THESE ISSUES VERY SERIOUSLY AND HAVE MADE A REAL EFFORT TO, TO FOREFRONT THEIR VOICES TOO, AND ADVOCATE FOR US AS RENTERS.
UH, BUT IN THIS CITY, WE REALLY NEED A BODY THAT IS CONCERNED ENTIRELY WITH RENTER'S ISSUES, AND IS COMPRISED ENTIRELY OF THOSE RENTERS WHO KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS.
SO REALLY, I URGE YOU TO LET US HAVE THIS CONVERSATION AND BRING THIS TO THE NEXT COMMITTEE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MS. ADAMS. GRACIE SANCHEZ, FOLLOWED BY LINDA ORTEGA.
BUENO AND FEL, SINCE I HAVEN'T SEEN SOME OF YOU SINCE LAST YEAR, UH, MY NAME IS GARCIA LA SANCHEZ.
I REPRESENT THE ESPERANZA AND A LOT OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
UM, ESPERANZA HAS BEEN INVOLVED AROUND HOUSING ISSUES SINCE THE MISSION TRAIL ISSUE CAME ABOUT.
AND WE HELPED AND SUPPORTED AND PRESSURED CITY COUNCIL TO CREATE A LOT OF THESE HOUSING ENTITIES, HOUSING COMMISSIONS THAT EXIST.
AND I THANK ALL OF YOU, THANK THE COUNCIL, THE MANY COUNCIL MEMBERS FROM THE PAST, AND THE STAFF WHO HAS WORKED REALLY HARD TO TRY TO COME UP WITH THE RIGHT SOLUTIONS.
I'M A MEMBER ALSO OF THE FOR EVERYONE HOMES, AS VERONICA MENTIONED, LAST SEPTEMBER, WE WERE, YOU KNOW, ORGANIZING A, A GATHERING WITH THE TESOROS, OUR ELDER WOMEN.
AND ONE OF OUR PANCHO, ONE OF OUR TRIO MEMBERS, WAS BEING EVICTED BY THE SAN ANTONIO HOUSING AUTHORITY AT THE ZA.
AND THEY WERE LIKE, OH, WHAT AM I GONNA DO? YOU KNOW, HE CALLED ME AS HE WAS GETTING EVICTED, AND WE CALLED ON SHIRLEY'S OFFICE, AND WE ALL SAT TO TRY TO STOP THAT FROM HAPPENING.
THE CITY PUT, YOU KNOW, THAT RISK MITIGATION MONEY.
IT STOPPED IT FOR TWO WEEKS, AND TWO WEEKS LATER, HE GOT ANOTHER EVICTION NOTICE FROM SAHA.
IT WAS LIKE, HOW CAN THE CITY BE SPENDING $3,500 TO STOP THIS EVICTION? AND THEN TWO WEEKS LATER, SAHA IS STILL DOING THAT THREATENING EVICTIONS.
AND THEN WE MET OLGA, AND THEN WE MET MAR UH, MONICA AND KAYLA AND MARY, AND DEREK, AND KARE, CARRIE, AND MANY, MANY MORE, ALL JUST OUT OF THE ANA PACHE COURTS.
AND SO WE WENT BEFORE THE HOUSING COMMISSION IN OCTOBER, AND ALL THEY COULD DO WAS LISTEN, BECAUSE IT WASN'T PART OF THE AGENDA.
AND IN NOVEMBER, THEY LISTENED A LITTLE BIT MORE, AND THANK GOODNESS, BUT IT WASN'T ENOUGH, BECAUSE NOTHING'S CHANGED.
AND WE WENT BEFORE MR. NICHA IN, IN NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER, AND NOTHING HAS CHANGED.
THESE PEOPLE ARE GOING HOMELESS BECAUSE THEY OWN, THEY OWE 80, $58, AND I'M HAVING TO PUT MONEY TO HELP THEM MOVE TO THE MOTEL SIX AND GIVE THEM, UH, SOMETHING TO HOLD THE, YOU KNOW, ICE UP THEIR FOOD BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE A REFRIGERATOR AT MOTEL SIX.
PLEASE, SERIOUSLY CONSIDER THIS RENTER'S COMMISSION.
DON'T PUT US REPRESENTING THEM.
THEY'RE SMART ENOUGH AND THEY KNOW THEY'RE WHAT THEY'RE STRUGGLING WITH.
[00:40:01]
OF THEM OUT OF 12, MAKING DECISIONS FOR THEMSELVES.LINDA ORTEGA, FOLLOWED BY IRMA HOFFMAN.
AND VARDE SUPPORTS THIS COMMISSION.
I AM A HOMEOWNER SURROUNDED BY RENTERS IN MY BLOCK.
THERE MIGHT BE MAYBE POSSIBLY 10 HOUSEHOLDS.
THERE'S ONLY, I WOULD SAY THREE, UH, HOMEOWNERS.
SO I'M, I'M, I'M, I'M SURROUNDED BY THEM.
AND I KNOW SOME OF THE STORIES IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, EVEN THOUGH WE ARE A WORKING CLASS NEIGHBORHOODS, THE RENTS ARE ALL OVER 800, $900 AND CONSTANTLY GOING UP.
THE RENTS GO UP, BUT THE HOUSES ARE NOT FIXED.
MOST OF THESE HOUSES DO NOT HAVE CENTRAL AIR HEAT.
THEY DEPEND, FOR EXAMPLE, IN WINTER WITH ELECTRIC HEATERS.
THANK GOODNESS WE HAVE NOT HAD A COLD WINTER.
BUT THIS, IT'S CONSTANT, CONSTANT THEM.
EVERY TIME, EVERY YEAR, THEY GET A RAISE OF THE RENT.
SO AGAIN, VIVA WOULD LIKE TO ADD THEIR SUPPORT TO THIS COMMISSION, MR. MAYOR.
AND, UM, SO THAT WE CAN DO RIGHT BY THESE PEOPLE.
OKAY, MS. HOFFMAN, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY CYNTHIA SPIELMAN.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL PEOPLE.
UM, THANK YOU FOR GIVING US THIS TIME.
AND AGAIN, I COME ALSO TO REPRESENT, UH, HISTORIC WEST SIDE RESIDENT ASSOCIATION, AND ALSO, UM, ALL THE CITIZENS OF SAN ANTONIO.
AND YOU ALREADY KNOW, I'M JUST GONNA MAKE THIS SHORT AND SWEET THAT HALF OF SAN ANTONIO RENTS.
I DO NOT KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE HERE ARE RENTERS, BUT IF, IF WE TAKE ACCOUNT, I THINK THAT WE CAN, UH, EASILY SAY THAT THE RENTS WILL CONTINUE TO GO UP.
NOW, I DO NOT KNOW WHETHER THE SALARIES WILL GO UP.
I KNOW THERE WAS A PROPOSED, UH, $15 RAISE FOR EVERYONE, MINIMUM WAGE.
I DO NOT KNOW WHETHER THAT HAS REALLY BEEN FOLLOWED BY EMPLOYERS OR NOT.
BUT, UH, WITH SALARIES BEING VERY LOW IN RENT GOING UP, UM, THE CAUSE AND EFFECT IS ALREADY THERE.
SO, UM, I ALSO DO WANT TO MENTION THAT, UM, I KEEP A CLOSE WATCH ON THE NEXTDOOR.COM WEBSITE, AND THERE ARE VARIOUS PEOPLE WHO HAVE, UH, POSTED THAT, UM, THEY'RE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH EVICTIONS OR ALSO PEOPLE THAT ARE LOOKING FOR A SMALL HOME THAT THEY CAN RENT REASONABLY.
BUT WHEN I SEE A HOME THAT, SAY, EVEN ON THE NORTHWEST SIDE, THAT IS PRACTICALLY FALLING DOWN, UH, AND, UH, BOUGHT BY THE, I WILL BUY YOUR HOUSE FOR CASH PEOPLE, AND THEY ARE SELLING IT FOR OVER $97,000.
UH, I JUST, IT'S A, IT'S AN OMEN OF THINGS TO COME, OR, OR WHEN I SEE, UH, WHEN I WAS PARKING, UH, THIS MORNING, A MAN WALKING DOWN COMMERCE WITH A BLANKET, COVERING HIMSELF, WALKING DOWN, I THOUGHT, OKAY, IS THIS ANOTHER OMEN OF THINGS TO COME? SO WE REALLY HAVE TO LOOK AT OURSELVES AND, AND SEE, ASK WHAT IS, WHAT RESPONSIBILITY DO WE HAVE FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND FOR EACH OTHER? SO, THANK YOU.
UM, YOU KNOW, USUALLY I'M HERE AS A NEIGHBORHOOD ADVOCATE.
AND JUST IN THAT ROLE REALLY QUICKLY, ONE OF THE THINGS I CONSTANTLY HEAR FROM PEOPLE IS, WELL, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO RENT, OR, WE DON'T WANT THEM IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, OR WE DON'T WANT THEM TO BUILD THINGS THAT WILL BRING RENTERS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
OFTEN, IN MY EXPERIENCE IN THE INNER CITY, THAT IS NOT ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO RENT, BUT ABOUT THE SLUMLORDS.
AND, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO NOT ONLY EXPLOIT THEIR TENANTS, THEY'RE EXPLOITING THEIR COMMUNITIES.
AND I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS, THE, THE GOOD THINGS THAT COULD HAPPEN WITH THIS KIND OF COMMISSION IS SOME OF THOSE ISSUES WOULD BE, UM, ADDRESSED.
I'D LIKE TO CHANGE HATS AND TALK TO YOU ABOUT BEING A LANDLORD.
I'M A LANDLORD IN MY OWN INNER CITY NEIGHBORHOOD, AND I KNOW THERE'LL BE PEOPLE THAT SAY, WELL, LANDLORDS DON'T WANT THIS, OR, PROPERTY OWNERS DON'T WANT THIS.
I WOULD WELCOME A COMMISSION LIKE THIS.
[00:45:01]
LANDLORDS WOULD WELCOME THIS.THIS GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO UNDERSTAND, UM, PEOPLE WHO OFTEN DON'T KNOW THEIR TENANTS VERY WELL, IT GIVES THEM A CHANCE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT ARE THE ISSUES, WHAT ARE WAYS THAT TENANTS AND LANDLORDS CAN COME TOGETHER TO MAKE, UM, TO MAKE IT EASIER AND BETTER FOR THE PEOPLE THEY RENT? EVICTIONS ARE VERY DIFFICULT TO GO THROUGH AS LANDLORDS.
IF PEOPLE USE, IF THIS COULD BE A PLATFORM WHERE AN UNDERSTANDING COULD BE REACHED, YOU WOULDN'T HAVE PEOPLE EVICTED FOR $58.
MOST LANDLORDS DON'T WANNA GO THROUGH THAT KIND OF PROCESS.
UM, AND I THINK THIS IS A PLACE, UM, THAT EDUCATION COULD TAKE PLACE.
I'M ALSO HOPING THAT THIS IS A PLACE FOR LANDLORDS THAT WE START TALKING ABOUT HOW TO MAKE SMALL INNER CITY LANDLORDS WHO ARE NOT SLUMLORDS, BUT WANT TO CONTINUE TO OFFER 60% A M I FOR THEIR RENTS CAN CONTINUE TO DO SO IN THE FACE OF RISING TAXES AND THE PRESSURES THAT ARE ON THESE LANDLORDS.
SO I'M HOPING THAT YOU'LL CONSIDER, UM, UH, MOVING THIS FORWARD SO WE CAN HAVE THAT KIND OF PUBLIC DEBATE.
MARK ROSS, MR. ROSS, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY COURTNEY GILL.
MEMBERS OF COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR.
UH, ONE IS, I'D LIKE TO COMMEND YOU FIRST FOR THE WHOLE HOUSING POLICY AND COMMISSION, AND ITS UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES.
SO AS, AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE APARTMENT ASSOCIATION, WHAT WE'VE SEEN IS WE'VE BEGUN TO HAVE DIALOGUE WITH PEOPLE LIKE SARAH ABOUT HOW WE COME UP WITH SECOND CHANCE RENTAL PROGRAMS AND HAVING, UH, DISPLACEMENT DISCUSSIONS WITH THE, UH, PROVIDERS THAT, THAT, THE NONPROFITS THAT DO THAT.
AND WE'VE ALREADY HAD MEETINGS WITH THEM.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE GOOD THINGS THAT HAS COME OUT OF THIS WHOLE PROCESS.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE APARTMENT INDUSTRY AND THOSE GROUPS IS, IS VERY POSITIVE.
AND WE HAVE A GREAT RELATIONSHIP.
WE'RE WORKING ON A, UH, BASICALLY AN INSPECTION FOR BAD OPERATOR ORDINANCE WITH THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICE.
AND I BELIEVE WE WILL BE COMING HAND IN HAND WITH A JOINT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GONNA MAKE A RECOMMENDATION.
AND BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN CRAFTED IN A WAY THAT'S FAIR, WE'RE MOST LIKELY GONNA SUPPORT IT, WHICH IS A GOOD THING.
CONTRAST THAT TO WHAT'S GOING ON IN SEATTLE, WHICH KEEPS GETTING HELD UP WHERE THEY HAVE THIS.
AND THE RENTER'S COMMISSION HAS BASICALLY BECOME A VENUE FOR, UH, OCCUPY WALL STREET KIND OF TACTICS AGAINST THE LANDLORDS OF SEATTLE.
OKAY? AND, AND PORTLAND HAS THE SAME KIND OF THING WHERE AT THEIR RENTER COMMISSION, THEY, THEY PLOT STRATEGIES TO PROTEST AT, AT TRADE ASSOCIATION EVENTS THAT THE APARTMENT ASSOCIATION HAS.
AND, AND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE GROUPS IS TERRIBLE BECAUSE IT'S MADE UP OF, IT'S NOT BALANCED.
IT'S 100%, YOU KNOW, TENANT ADVOCATES.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S BECOME VERY JUST CONFRONTATIONAL TO THE POINT WHERE CAPITAL HAS BEGUN.
MY OTHER ROLE, IT'S, YOU KNOW, I SOME TEASE THAT I DO VOLUNTEER WORK FOR A LIVING.
I AM THE 2016 CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF THE NATIONAL APARTMENT ASSOCIATION.
SO I HEAR MY COLLEAGUES SITTING UP THERE TALKING ABOUT HOW THEY'RE DIVESTING THEMSELVES FROM ALL THEIR HOLDINGS IN SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, BECAUSE OF THAT KIND OF, YOU KNOW, JUST, IT'S NOT A GOOD PLACE TO DO BUSINESS.
THE NET EFFECT IS, IS THAT STARTS ON NEW HOUSING ARE DECLINING AND OF WHAT THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN, WHICH MEANS THE SUPPLY IS GOING DOWN, RENTS ARE GOING UP.
IT'S PROBABLY THE FIRST OR SECOND MOST EXPENSIVE PLACE.
WE WHOLEHEARTEDLY SUPPORT RENTERS BEING REPRESENTED.
THEY SHOULD BE ON EVERY BOARD AND EVERY COMMISSION.
BUT THERE DOESN'T NEED TO BE A SEPARATE COMMISSION.
IT SHOULD JUST BE MELDED INTO THE FABRIC OF THE CITY WHERE IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE SAYING, OKAY, WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA FORM A LANDLORD COMMITTEE MADE UP OF ALL LANDLORDS TO MAKE RECOMMENDATION ON DEVELOPMENT FOR SAN ANTONIO.
COURTNEY GILL, RENTERS ON ALL COMMISSIONS.
MS. GILL, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY MARK HUTCHINSON.
I'M A MEMBER OF THE SAN ANTONIO BOARD OF REALTORS.
I'M FORMERLY A PART OF THE EXECUTIVE TEAM OVER THERE.
AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO BRING TO SOME LIGHT ISSUES THAT AREN'T BEING DISCUSSED FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF A PROPERTY MANAGER, WHICH IS I'VE BEEN FOR THE PAST 17 YEARS.
THE CONCERN WE HAVE IS MANY OF US HAVE BEEN THROUGH THE EVICTION PROCESS.
I DON'T RECOGNIZE A LOT OF FACES IN THIS ROOM THAT HAVE ACTUALLY WALKED THROUGH AN EVICTION, AND THE COURTS
[00:50:01]
HAVE BECOME VERY FAIR WHEN IT COMES TO WORKING OUT SOME SORT OF AGREEMENT.IN FACT, THE JUDGES ADVOCATE, YOU GO INTO A ROOM AND TRY AND MEDIATE SMALL DIFFERENCES BEFORE IT ACTUALLY GOES TO THE COURT.
OUR CONCERN IS PROPERTY MANAGERS IS, IF YOU FOLLOW THE SEATTLE MODEL, IT'S EXPECTING TO TAKE 180 DAYS TO GET A TENANT OUT OF A PROPERTY IF THEY FAIL TO PAY THEIR RENT FIRST MONTH OUT.
IT ALSO PUTS A MORATORIUM ON EVICTIONS DURING THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER THROUGH MARCH BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER.
IT'S 70 DEGREES OUTSIDE HERE TODAY.
SO AS A LANDLORD, I'M EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TO PAY MY PROPERTY TAXES, YET I'M NOT ALLOWED TO GENERATE ANY INCOME AGAINST A PROPERTY.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, HAVE TO ALSO COMPLETE REPAIRS AND MAKE SURE THAT THE PROPERTY IS STAYING IN GOOD CONDITION.
THE OTHER CONCERN THAT AS A MEMBER OF SAN ANTONIO BOARD OF REALTORS WE'D LIKE TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION IS THIS REALLY DOES GO AGAINST THE MAYOR'S HOUSING FOR, UH, POLICY FRAMEWORK THAT WE'VE BEEN KEY A PART OF AND SUPPORT OF THIS IS YET ANOTHER COMMISSION, AS OPPOSED TO TRYING TO INTEGRATE THESE RENTERS IN ALREADY EXISTING COMMISSIONS THAT WOULD ALLOW THEM TO HAVE A VOICE IN THE PROCESS, UM, AND MAKE SURE THAT IT'S FAIR ON BOTH SIDES.
SO, JUST SOMETHING WE'D LIKE TO POINT OUT.
I DID WANNA CORRECT A STATEMENT THAT WAS MADE EARLIER BY SOMEBODY ELSE.
AS SOMEBODY WHO SERVED ON THE HOUSING FORECAST FOR THE SAN ANTONIO BOARD OF REALTORS THE LAST FOUR YEARS.
THE SAN ANTONIO MARKET IS ACTUALLY STEADY.
IT IS NOT FAVORING ONE PARTY AT THIS TIME.
AND WE DO HAVE A BALANCED MARKET, UM, AS SOMEBODY WHO ALSO HAS ABOUT A 200 DOOR RENTAL POOL RIGHT NOW.
WE DO HAVE A FAIR AMOUNT OF RENTERS THAT ARE OUT THERE, AND WE ALWAYS TRY AND ABIDE BY ALL THE FAIR HOUSING ISSUES THAT ARE COMING INTO CONCERN.
SO TO CONCLUDE, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THAT WHILE THERE ARE TIMES AND CASES AND SITUATIONS WHERE RENTERS ARE DISPLACED INCORRECTLY, THERE IS A LEGAL SYSTEM THAT CURRENTLY DOES PROTECT THEM.
AND WE DO HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT THE PROPERTY TAXES AND THE INSURANCE THAT ARE BEING PAID BY THESE HOMEOWNERS HAVE TO CONTINUE TO BE PAID REGARDLESS OF THE SITUATION.
MR. HUTCHINSON, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY JESSICA GUERRERO, MR. MAYOR COUNCIL PEOPLE, THIS IS ABOUT MONEY BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT SAN ANTONIO IS GROWING AND IT'S DOING SUCH AN EXCELLENT PLACE.
HOWEVER, IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT HAS HAPPENED UP IN SEATTLE, YOU'RE ALSO GONNA NOTICE THAT IN THE PAST, PER THE FBI'S 2017 STATISTICS, NEW YORK CITY TODAY HAS A PROPERTY CRIME RATE OF 101,448 PER THOUSAND CITIZENS, WHILE SEATTLES IS 5,258 PER THOUSAND, A HUNDRED THOUSAND MEMBERS.
SO WHAT HAS HAPPENED IS THAT WHEN YOU HAVE A GOOD HEALTHY COMMUNITY, YOU HAVE A GOOD HEALTHY COMMUNITY.
BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT THE PEOPLE ARE OUT THERE AND THEY'RE MAKING A GOOD LIVING.
IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT EVICTIONS, I WAS IN EVICTION COURT ON TUESDAY.
I GAVE THE PERSON AS MUCH POSSIBLE CREDIBILITY AS POSSIBLE.
THEY HAD $3,500 THEY WERE BEHIND.
THERE ARE LANDLORDS OUT THERE IN WHICH WE EXTEND AND EXTEND AND EXTEND, AND IT DOESN'T HAPPEN.
PEOPLE DON'T KNOW HOW TO SELF-MANAGE THEIR OWN FINANCES.
SO THERE ARE OTHER THINGS OUT THERE JUST BESIDES THAT.
I'VE GONE INTO RENTAL PROPERTIES IN WHICH I SEE AN 82 INCH FLAT SCREEN TV SET, AND I'M THINKING TO MYSELF, MY GOD, NO WONDER THEY CAN'T PAY RENT BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT SPENDING THEIR MONEY APPROPRIATELY.
WHAT'S HAPPENED IN SEATTLE, AND THIS IS BEING USED AS AN EXAMPLE, IS THAT SEATTLE HAS A HIGH CRIME RATE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S HAPPENED, BECAUSE THEY HAVE HAD THIS RENTAL COMMISSION GO IN PLACE, THEY'VE BECOME LAXED ON A LOT OF THEIR ISSUES.
THEY HAVE PERMITTED INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE GONE TO RENTAL PROPERTIES THAT SHOULDN'T GO INTO RENTAL PROPERTIES.
I WANT TO SEE, AND I'M SURE THAT EACH OF Y'ALL WANNA SEE THE COMMUNITY TO GROW AND TO BE BETTER IN THE FUTURE.
WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAUTIOUS AND CAREFUL WITH HOW WE PROCEED WITH THIS.
THANK YOU, UM, FOR OPENING UP TODAY'S MEETING TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
UH, MY NAME IS JESSICA GUERRERO.
I'M A MEMBER OF THE HOUSING COMMISSION, AND I'VE BEEN, UM, AN ADVOCATE AROUND HOUSING JUSTICE ISSUES, UM, SINCE MISSION TRAILS HAPPENED.
I DON'T HAVE A HUGE DISAGREEMENT WITH WHAT'S BEEN SAID SO FAR IN SUPPORT OF A RENTER'S COMMISSION, BUT I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE IMPLICATIONS OF SORT OF DIPPING INTO A CONVERSATION RATHER THAN JOINING IT.
UM, COUNCILMAN TINO HAS KNOWN FOR A GOOD WHILE ABOUT SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT RENTERS, UM, FACE.
[00:55:01]
UH, SINCE HIS KNOWLEDGE AND INVITATION FROM TENANTS TO WORK WITH RENTERS AT SOAP WORKS AND TOWN CENTER, UM, HE HAS KNOWN SOME OF WHAT THE ISSUES, SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT COME UP FOR RENTERS, AND IT'S TAKEN THIS LONG TO KIND OF GET TO THIS PLACE NOW OF PROPOSING A SOLUTION, A POTENTIAL SOLUTION OF RENTER'S COMMISSION.SO I THINK THAT HE CAN ATTEST TO THE FACT THAT THESE THINGS TAKE TIME, WHERE ALL, I THINK AS A COMMUNITY AND, UH, WITH CITY HALL SORT OF ON A LEARNING CURVE, TO CONTINUE TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS GOING ON, WHAT THE IMPLICATIONS ARE, THE IMPACTS ARE ON PEOPLE, AND WHAT POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS MIGHT BE.
UM, THESE SOLUTIONS I AND MANY PEOPLE HAVE, UM, PROMOTED, PURPORTED, AND ARE ACTIVELY WORKING ON SHOULD BE, UH, SHOULD COME FROM COMMUNITIES, FROM COMMUNITIES DIRECTLY IMPACTED.
RIGHT? UM, YOU ALL KNOW THAT I'M PARTICIPATING IN SOME EFFORTS.
I I'M SURE THAT, UH, OTTO SPOKE TO SOME OF THOSE, SOME, UM, ADVOCATES ARE ALSO INVOLVED IN THOSE EFFORTS.
UM, WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO IMPROVE THOSE PROCESSES BY WHICH WE ENGAGE COMMUNITY IN BUILDING THESE SOLUTIONS.
UM, BEFORE SORT OF RUSHING INTO, UM, QUICK, SEEMINGLY QUICK AND EASY BANDAID, UM, UH, SOLUTIONS.
A RENTER'S COMMISSION IN ITSELF IS NOT A BAD IDEA, BUT, UM, TO SORT OF POSITION SUPPORT A RENTER'S COMMISSION OR YOU DON'T SUPPORT RENTERS IS ABSOLUTELY SIMPLIFYING THE ISSUE.
THIS, THIS IDEA NEEDED TO COME OUT OF COMMUNITY.
IF IT WAS PROPOSED TO COMMUNITY, THEN IT NEEDED TO INVOLVE RENTERS AND TENANTS IN DEVELOPING THE IDEA.
I, UM, AS SOMEONE WHO'S BEEN, UM, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO IMPACT, YOU KNOW, POLICY FROM, YOU KNOW, INSIDE PROCESSES AT CITY HALL WHILE STILL MAINTAINING MY, UM, GROUNDING AND BEING INFORMED BY PEOPLE IMPACTED IN THE COMMUNITY, I SEE HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO MOVE THROUGH THESE PROCESSES.
WE, I BELIEVE, ARE NOT IN A PLACE YET WHERE I WOULD FEEL COMFORTABLE INVITING A RENTER TO BE PART OF A RENTER'S COMMISSION IF WE DON'T HAVE ALL MANY OTHER THINGS IN PLACE TO ACTUALLY FACILITATE THEIR PARTICIPATION.
SO I THINK THIS IDEA NEEDS MUCH MORE, UM, CONVERSATION THAT WON'T HAPPEN AT THE DAAS AT A VOTE NEXT WEEK OR IN A COUPLE WEEKS.
IT NEEDS SOME MORE, UM, COMMUNITY CITY HALL, UH, EXCHANGE AND DIALOGUE ON IT.
AND I, I THINK THAT'S EVERYONE, UH, WHO ROSE RAISED THEIR HAND AND THANK YOU TO, UH, COUNCILMAN TREVINO STAFF FOR IDENTIFYING EVERYBODY OUT THERE THAT WANTED TO SPEAK.
UM, BEFORE I GIVE IT BACK TO, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL, I, I JUST WANNA SAY, UM, I APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S INPUT ON THIS.
I APPRECIATE THE, THE SERVICE OF THE HOUSING COMMISSION, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN REALLY DIGGING INTO THIS.
I GOT A CHANCE TO SPEND SOME TIME WITH THE FOLKS WHO ARE IN THE, THE, THE MOST DIFFICULT ASPECT OF IT, WHICH IS THE RI RISK MITIGATION FUND.
AND JUST KNOW, KNOWING WHAT FAMILIES ARE GOING THROUGH, WHO ARE AT THE VERY EDGE OF POSSIBLE EVICTION OR LOSING THEIR HOMES, AND WHAT WE HAVE DONE AS A CITY OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS TO REALLY PROVIDE SOME LIFELINES AND ULTIMATELY CHANGE POLICY SO PEOPLE DON'T FIND THEMSELVES ON THE EDGE.
AND WE ARE FIGHTING AGAINST THE CLOCK, AS WE KNOW.
UM, AND WE'VE SEEN THE, WE'VE SEEN THE FAMILIES COME TO THE HOUSING COMMISSION AND, AND TALK ABOUT SAHA AND TALK ABOUT THE FACT THAT THE, THE DECK IS STACKED AGAINST THEM WITH REGARD TO FEES, THE TOP ON FEES, THE TOP ON RENT THAT'S BACK PAID.
AND, AND THEY ULTIMATELY DON'T HAVE A WAY OUT EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE PUTTING A BEST FAITH FOOT FORWARD.
AND THEN WE'RE ASKING THEM ON TOP OF THAT TO BE PART OF A CONVERSATION THAT'S HELPING US SHAPE POLICY THAT SOMETIMES TAKES FOUR HOURS IN A MEETING.
AND WE DON'T PROVIDE THINGS LIKE CHILDCARE OR TRANSPORTATION.
THEY'RE GIVING US THAT TOO, WHILE THEY COULD BE EARNING A WAGE THAT IS SO DESPERATELY NEEDED.
SO THEIR DECK IS STACKED AGAINST THEM.
SO I UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHERE THIS CONVERSATION COMES FROM, AND I THINK WE'RE ALL IN AGREEMENT THAT WE'VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT.
AND I HOPE THAT THE HOUSING POLICY WORK THAT'S BEING DONE IS THE FIRST STEP, SIGNIFICANT STEP IN THAT DIRECTION.
BUT I, I WANTED TO REFLECT ON THAT FOR A MOMENT BECAUSE JESSICA WAS AT THE VERY FIRST CONVERSATION I HAD WITH ANYBODY WHEN WE SAID WE NEED A COMPREHENSIVE COMPASSIONATE HOUSING POLICY FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
IT CAME AFTER THIS CITY'S TRAVAILS ON NOT HAVING A PREPARED WAY OF DEALING WITH A ZONING CASE THAT ENDED UP DISPLACING MANY FAMILIES AT THE EDGE OF TOWN.
WE ALL KNOW IT AS MISSION TRAILS.
THAT WAS A MA THAT WAS A WATERSHED MOMENT FOR THE CITY.
AND THROUGH THE BEST EFFORTS OF FOLKS UP ON THE DAIS TO TRY TO CREATE SOMETHING ON THE FLY THAT PROVIDED A SOFT LANDING, WE KNOW IN HINDSIGHT YEARS LATER THAT SOME FOLKS HEALTH DETERRED
[01:00:01]
TO THE VERY END.AND SO THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING HERE AND THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A VERY WELL VETTED NATIONAL MODEL, COMPREHENSIVE COMPASSIONATE HOUSING POLICY THAT SAYS ONE OF YOUR PROBLEMS IS YOU'VE GOT A DISCOMBOBULATED LAYERED ON TOP OF LAYERED BUREAUCRACY, THAT EVERYBODY'S GOT SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT, BUT NOBODY'S COORDINATED.
THAT IS ONE OF THE CHIEF RECOMMENDATIONS OF THAT HOUSING REPORT.
AND SO I AGREE WHOLEHEARTEDLY WITH THE, WITH THE GOALS OF THE C C R AND THE IMPORTANCE OF MAKING SURE THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HOUSING, WE KNOW THAT IT'S ABOUT A RENTER'S CONVERSATION MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE IN THE CITY.
UM, AND I BELIEVE WE CAN GET THERE TO A, A GOOD PLACE WHERE WE ADDRESS THE CONCERNS OF THE HOUSING POLICY TASK FORCE.
WE DON'T WORK CROSSWISE FROM IT.
AND THAT IT GOES BACK TO THE VERY CONVERSATION THAT I HAD WITH JESSICA SAYING THAT WE DON'T WANT TO FIND OURSELVES EVER AGAIN IN A MISSION TRAILS.
SO THANK YOU, JESSICA, FOR REMINDING ME OF THAT WHEN YOU CAME UP TO SPEAK.
UM, I'M, I'M GONNA MAKE A MOTION AND THEN, UM, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND, AND, UH, SHARE MY COMMENTS.
FIRST, I MOVE THAT CONSIDERATION OF THE CREATION OF A HOUSING COMMISSION BE REFERRED TO THE NEW COMMITTEE ON CULTURE AND NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES.
UM, I HEARD TWO SECONDS, BY THE WAY, SO THAT'S GREAT.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, UH, WELL, SECONDLY, UH, I WANNA THANK EVERYONE WHO CAME OUT.
I THINK A LOT OF US, UH, OR SOME FOLKS WERE SURPRISED HOW QUICKLY THIS GOT ON THE AGENDA.
SO I'M, I'M VERY GLAD TO SEE, UH, PEOPLE MOBILIZED.
AND I REALLY DO WANNA THANK THOSE OF YOU WHO SENT, UH, COMMENTS AND EMAILS, UM, BOARD OF REALTORS, UH, I ALSO HEARD FROM THE APARTMENT ASSOCIATION, AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING UP TO SPEAK BECAUSE THAT REALLY CLARIFIED FOR ME WHAT THE CONCERN IS, THIS COMPARISON TO WHAT'S HAPPENING IN SEATTLE.
UM, I THINK AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS CONVERSATION IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD HAVE VERY PRESENT, IS HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMISSION, IF AND WHEN IT'S FORMED, UM, THAT'LL BE DECIDED LATER IN COMMITTEE, IF AND WHEN IT'S FORMED, HOW DO WE MAKE SURE IT'S, UH, PRODUCTIVE AND USEFUL, NOT JUST FOR RENTERS, BUT FOR OUR WHOLE HOUSING, UH, FRAMEWORK.
SO THANK YOU FOR, FOR SHARING THOSE CONCERNS, UH, WITH US.
UM, UH, SECONDLY, I THINK WHEN THIS DOES GO, I DON'T KNOW WHY I KEEP SAYING, SECONDLY, I'M LOSING TRACK OF HOW MANY, UH, POINTS I'M MAKING, BUT, UM, ANOTHER COMMENT IS, UH, I WANNA BE CLEAR.
I, I THINK THERE ARE STILL A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW THIS COMMISSION WOULD WORK, THAT THAT STILL NEED TO BE ANSWERED.
AND THOSE SHOULD BE HAD, UH, IN DISCUSSION, UM, YOU KNOW, WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
UM, BUT ULTIMATELY THEY, IT SHOULD COME TO SOME SORT OF FORMAL DISCUSSION AT A COMMITTEE.
UM, PRECISELY THE QUESTIONS THAT STAFF IS ASKING IS HOW, UM, HOW IS POLICY GOING TO FLOW FROM ONE BODY TO ANOTHER? I'M NOT SURE, UH, THAT WE FIGURED THAT OUT YET FOR THE BODIES THAT WE HAVE ALREADY.
UM, SO WE'VE GOT NI A, WE HAVE THE P F C I, I DON'T KNOW HOW THOSE INTERACT WITH THE HOUSING COMMISSION RIGHT NOW.
UM, HOWEVER, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THAT'S A REASON, UH, TO HOLD OFF ON THE RENTER'S COMMISSION DISCUSSION.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT STREAMLINING HOW WE MAKE POLICY, MAKING THAT CLEARER, UH, WHERE PEOPLE CAN GO FOR WHAT.
BUT WE'VE NEVER TALKED ABOUT STREAMLINING THE VOICES IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I, I CAN'T SUPPORT NOT HAVING A FORUM FOR VOICES THAT HAVE BEEN HISTORICALLY UNDERREPRESENTED.
UM, I WOULD SAY, UH, THE WOMAN FROM, UH, WAS IT AMELIA WAS HERE TELLING US THAT THINGS ARE CHANGING IN SAN ANTONIO RIGHT NOW.
AND I WOULD CONCUR WHEN IN THE PAST WE MIGHT COME ACROSS PEOPLE WHO WERE RENTING BECAUSE THEY WERE PASSING THROUGH SAN ANTONIO.
MAYBE THEY WERE HERE ON ASSIGNMENT WITH, WITH THE MILITARY OR WITH THEIR JOB, BUT THEY NEVER EXPECTED SAN ANTONIO TO BE THEIR HOME FOREVER AND EVER.
THAT'S A VERY DIFFERENT SITUATION FROM SOMEONE WHO'S RENTING.
AND THAT'S, THEY, THEY MAY NEVER HAVE A A HA PROPERTY THAT THEY BUY, BUT THIS IS STILL THEIR HOME.
UM, SO I THINK THE, THE DEMOGRAPHIC OF OUR RENTERS IS, I KNOW THE DEMOGRAPHIC OF OUR RENTERS IS CHANGING, AND I THINK THAT DOES REQUIRE A, A FORUM THAT'S SPECIFIC TO RENTERS ISSUES.
UH, WE DO HAVE THESE MANY OTHER COMMITTEES, AND I, I THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE, AND I COMMEND THAT THEY ARE INTEGRATING RENTERS AS MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE BEEN BEHIND ON.
UM, BUT NONE OF THOSE COMMITTEES WERE
[01:05:01]
DESIGNED TO HEAR ISSUES, UH, SPECIFICALLY FOR, FOR RENTERS.UM, I THINK THE OTHER COMMITTEES COULD REALLY GET BOGGED DOWN IF THEY DECIDED TO HEAR THAT.
AND THERE'S GONNA BE MINUTIA THAT THAT COMMISSION, IF IT'S FORMED, WILL HAVE TO LISTEN TO THAT.
PROBABLY THE HOUSING COMMISSION DOESN'T WANNA GET BOGGED DOWN IN, SO I, UH, LET THEM SORT IT OUT.
I DO THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT, AND WHEN THIS GOES TO COMMITTEE, IS TO TALK ABOUT IS IT JUST GOING TO BE RENTERS? ARE WE GOING, HOW CAN WE INCLUDE LANDLORDS IN THAT DISCUSSION, EITHER AS EX-OFFICIAL MEMBERS OR AS, UH, MEMBERS? BECAUSE LIKE CYNTHIA SAID, YOU KNOW, SHE HAS SOMETHING TO, TO CONTRIBUTE TO THAT DISCUSSION.
UM, SO, UH, SO I, I DO ALSO THINK THIS IS AN ISSUE OF, UH, PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND EQUITY.
THESE ARE VOICES THAT HAVE BEEN UNDERREPRESENTED, UH, IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I, I DON'T WANT THE DIALOGUE TO COME ACROSS AS, OH MY GOD, WE'RE SCARED OF ALL THOSE RENTERS GET TOGETHER.
THEY MIGHT HAVE POWER OR, OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
UH, TWO HEADS ARE BETTER THAN ONE.
MAYBE THEY'LL COME UP WITH, WITH SOME SOLUTIONS.
UH, LIKE THE MAYOR SAID, IF WE'D HAD SOMETHING LIKE THIS, WE MIGHT'VE, UM, DONE A BETTER JOB WITH MISSION TRAILS.
WE MIGHT HAVE HAD A HEADS UP ABOUT SOME OF THESE TREMENDOUS EVICTION, UH, NUMBERS THAT, THAT WE'RE SEEING.
UM, I MEAN, THE, THE NEWS COVERAGE, UH, THE IN-DEPTH NEWS COVERAGE THAT WE SAW OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS IS, UH, IS FRIGHTENING.
IT SHOULD CALL US TO COMPASSION.
AND I THINK A FORUM LIKE THIS IS, UH, IS A PLACE WHERE WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET A HEADS UP ABOUT THOSE ISSUES BEFORE THEY GET AWAY FROM US.
UM, SO, UH, I, I SUPPORT THE CONTINUED DISCUSSION.
AGAIN, I DO THINK WE NEED TO SORT OUT HOW IT'S GONNA COORDINATE WITH THE HOUSING COMMISSION AND, UH, AND HOW, UM, JUST LIKE JESSICA SAID, AND UH, I, I DO THINK IT ALLOWS US WE HAVE TIME TO DO THAT, THOUGH.
OUR STAFF WOULD HAVE TIME TO DO THAT, BECAUSE HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR US TO CREATE A COMMITTEE? UM, IT GOES TO ANOTHER COMMITTEE.
WE PUT A POSTING ON BY THE TIME WE GET THE APPLICANTS, WE VET THEM, WE APPOINT THEM.
I MEAN, THAT'S BASICALLY LIKE FOUR TO SIX MONTHS.
SO, UM, I THINK, UH, YOU KNOW, COUNCILMAN TRULIO IS NOT GONNA BE WITH US FOREVER, SO IT'D BE GREAT IF, UH, IF HE WAS ABLE TO, TO, TO SEE IT, UH, TO SEE IT HAPPEN.
SO, UH, I'LL BE SUPPORTIVE OF, OF THIS MOVING TO COMMITTEE FOR, FOR IMPLEMENTATION ULTIMATELY.
AND, AND IF I CAN ASK YOU JUST TO CLARIFY THE MOTION, 'CAUSE I BELIEVE YOU SAID HOUSING COMMISSION, NOT RENTER'S COMMISSION.
UM,
YOU MOVE, I MOVE THAT THE TOPIC OF THE C C R, UH, GO TO, UH, THE NEW COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON CULTURE AND NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES.
AND, UH, THAT WAS SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE, EITHER ONE.
ALRIGHT, COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE.
UM, THIS WHOLE DISCUSSION IS VERY, I, I THINK IMPORTANT, UH, ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, EVEN IN MY OWN DISTRICT, UH, DISTRICT NINE, I, I'VE BEEN SURPRISED BY RESEARCH BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION BY MY STAFF AND BY OTHERS.
UH, 43% OF THE RESIDENTIAL UNITS IN MY DISTRICT ARE RENTAL UNITS, UH, OVER 25,000 RENTAL UNITS IN MY DISTRICT, UH, OVER 54,000 RENTERS.
AND THEY HAVE THE SAME RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES AS ANYONE ELSE WHO'S A HOMEOWNER OR A RENDER IN OUR AREA.
UH, WHAT WHAT REALLY GETS ME IS THERE WERE 803 EVICTIONS FILED IN MY DISTRICT IN 2018.
UH, AND I'VE GOT, AS YOU MENTIONED, UH, UH, MANY APARTMENT COMPLEXES THAT EVICT A HUNDRED PEOPLE OR MORE.
I'VE GOT SEVEN IN MY DISTRICT APARTMENT COMPLEX THAT HAVE EVICTED OVER A HUNDRED PEOPLE OVER THE LAST, WELL, 10 YEARS, BUT SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF PEOPLE.
SO, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A CONSIDERATION FOR ALL OF US ON THE COUNCIL.
EVERY AREA IS AFFECTED, AND IT'S SIGNIFICANT.
BUT I DO WANNA SAY THAT, UH, I'M REALLY PUT OFF WHEN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CRIME RATES
[01:10:01]
AND RENTERS IS CITED AS A CAUSE OR A SYMPTOM OF PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE OR THAT PROPERTY OWNERS MAY HAVE OR THAT A COMMUNITY MAY HAVE.UH, TO ME, IF SOMEONE HAS A TINY TV IN THEIR RENTAL, IT SHOULDN'T REFLECT THEIR PROBLEM IN PAYING THEIR RENT OR AN 82 INCH SCREEN.
I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT THIS CONSIDERATION BASED ON WHERE OUR SAN ANTONIO HOUSING COMMISSION IS AND WHERE IT'S HEADED.
YOU KNOW, ARE THE ISSUES AND PRIORITIES REGARDING RENTERS DISTINCT AND COMPLEX ENOUGH FOR THOSE LISTED IN THE HOUSING FRAMEWORK THAT THE CREATION OF ANOTHER COMMITTEE COULD BE JUSTIFIED? AND I THINK THEY MAY BE, IF THE ISSUES RENDERS FACE ARE COMPLEX ENOUGH AND DISTINCT ENOUGH THAT THE HOUSING COMMISSION COULD NOT PROPERLY ADDRESS THEM WITHOUT CONFLICTING WITH OTHER HOMEOWNER PRIORITIES, THIS MIGHT JUSTIFY THE NEED FOR A RENTER'S COMMISSION, OR A RENTER'S COUNCIL OR A RENTER'S COMMITTEE.
UH, WILL, WILL THIS LESSON, THE WORKLOAD OF THE HOUSING COMMISSION, IF WE SET UP, UH, A SUBCOMMITTEE OR ANOTHER COMMITTEE ADDRESSING RENTERS, YOU KNOW, HAVING THE HOUSING COMMISSION AND A RENTER SUBCOMMITTEE WORKING UNDER THE SAME FRAMEWORK CAN ENSURE COHESIVENESS AS BOTH TO WORK, WORK TO ADDRESS THE PRIORITIES OF RENTERS AND HOMEOWNERS ALIKE.
I THINK ADDING A SUBCOMMITTEE DEDICATED TO RENTING CAN HELP FILL THE GAPS IN ADDRESSING RENTER ISSUES THAT ARISE IN SAN ANTONIO.
AS WE GROW AND AS THE COMMITTEE CONTINUES TO PRIORITIZE THE VARIOUS HOUSING ISSUES THAT THEY FACE IN THIS CITY, ULTIMATELY RENDERS WOULD BE THE ONES AFFECTED OR UNAFFECTED BY THE DECISION.
DO THEY FEEL THE HOUSING COMMISSION OFFERS A COMPREHENSIVE AVENUE TO THEIR ADDRESS, TO THEIR NEEDS BEING ADDRESSED? MY THOUGHTS ON A SUBCOMMITTEE OF THIS, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE COMMITTEE THAT REVIEWS THIS FURTHER, CONSIDER SETTING UP A SUBCOMMITTEE THAT WOULD BE COMPRISED OF TWO OF THE HOUSING COMMISSION MEMBERS THAT WOULD BE COMPRISED OF THREE TO FIVE RENTERS, PEOPLE REPRESENTING VETERANS WHO RENT L B G T Q COMMUNITY, RENTERS, PEOPLE WHO RENT BASED ON VOUCHERS, PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN APARTMENTS, PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, SO THAT WE HAVE A VARIETY OF RENTERS TALK ABOUT THE ISSUES THEY FACE.
AT THE SAME TIME, STAKEHOLDERS NEED TO HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE, NOT BE BROUGHT IN TO GIVE TESTIMONY, BUT LITERALLY BE THERE TO HEAR AND TO SHARE THEIR CONCERNS.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK PROPERTY OWNERS, PARTICULARLY SINGLE FAMILY, HOMEOWNERS OR APARTMENT OWNERS, OR MANAGEMENT COMPANIES THAT DEAL WITH THE DIFFICULTIES THAT EVERYBODY FACES, SHOULD ALSO HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE AND BE PART OF THIS SUBCOMMITTEE ON RENTALS.
AT THE SAME TIME, I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME KIND OF A, AN EXPERT, SOMEONE EXPERIENCED IN LESSEE AND LESSOR LAW LAWS AND RIGHTS, KIND OF LIKE A RENTAL OMBUDSMAN TO BE PART OF THAT COMMITTEE.
AND THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE EXPLORED SO THAT WE HAVE MORE BALANCE, BUT REAL ATTENTION PAID TO THE CONCERNS OF RENTERS IN OUR CITY.
SO FOR THAT REASON, I SUPPORTED, UH, THE C C R GOING FORWARD, AND I WILL CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR THESE THINGS.
AND THANK YOU COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
I'M, I'M HAPPY THAT I'M ON THAT COMMITTEE WITH YOU BECAUSE I THINK YOU'VE BROUGHT UP SOME EXCELLENT POINTS.
AND, UH, I WANNA THANK COUNCILMAN TREVINO AS WELL, AND LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOUR COMMITTEE ON, ON LOOKING AT SOME OF THE ISSUES, ESPECIALLY THE ONES THAT COUNCILMAN COURAGE HAS BROUGHT FORWARD TODAY.
UM, AND THANK YOU, MAYOR, FOR BRINGING THIS, UH, TO, UM, TO GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE.
I THINK THAT, UM, SHAME ON SAN ANTONIO FOR THIS, THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE THE SEVENTIES.
AND SO, UM, I AM HAPPY THAT I'M ON THIS, UH, COUNCIL, THAT I'M ON THIS GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE AND THAT I'M ON THE COMMITTEE THAT WILL BE LOOKING AT THIS BECAUSE I DO THINK THAT THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BECOME A MODEL, UH, FOR OTHER CITIES.
I NEVER BELIEVE IN JUST LOOKING AT ONE CITY.
SO I KNOW THAT THE EXAMPLE CITED WAS SEATTLE.
UM, THERE'S OTHER CITIES THAT ARE DOING A GREAT JOB AS WELL, UH, THAT HAVE SOME, UH, OPPORTUNITY, UH, FOR US TO LOOK AND LEARN FROM THEM.
AND SO, AND I'LL BE DISCUSSING THIS LIKE ROCKVILLE AND BURBANK WHEN, WHEN WE COME TO THE COMMITTEE, BUT
[01:15:01]
WE HAVE BEEN DOING OUR OWN RESEARCH COUNCILMAN.SO, UM, LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT DISCUSSION.
I DO WANT TO APPRECIATE ALL OF THE INFORMATION THAT WAS SENT FROM BOTH, UH, ORGANIZATIONS REPRESENTING RENTERS FROM RENTERS THEMSELVES, AND FROM SABOR AND THE SAN ANTONIO APARTMENT ASSOCIATION.
UM, THE MORE KNOWLEDGE THAT I HAVE, THE MORE I AM, UH, PREPARED TO MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION.
AND I WANNA LET YOU KNOW THAT I'VE HEARD BOTH SIDES OF THE STORY.
ALSO WANNA THANK COUNCILMAN TINO, BECAUSE OVER CHRISTMAS HE GAVE US A BOOK CALLED EVICTED.
AND SO, UM, IN READING THE STORIES, IT BECOMES VERY REAL.
UM, BUT GUYS, I'VE GROWN UP WITH THIS ALL ALONG.
YOU SAW THE STATS, THE STATS THAT CAME TO ME, UM, THAT WERE PREPARED.
I KNEW PEOPLE WHO WOULD GET EVICTED.
I I KNEW KIDS THAT HAD TO MOVE, KIDS THAT JUST SUDDENLY DIDN'T SHOW UP TO SCHOOL BECAUSE THEY WERE MOVED.
AND SO I'VE LIVED THROUGH THIS, AND THAT'S WHY I'M SAYING THAT SHAME ON US FOR TAKING SO LONG TO REALIZE THIS.
I ALSO DO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE'S A LOT OF REALLY GOOD PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT ARE WELL INTENTIONED.
AND I WANNA HIGHLIGHT SOMEONE WHO RECENTLY DID SOMETHING.
AND YOU SEE, AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE, WE GET TO DO SOME REALLY COOL STUFF.
WE ALSO GET TO DO FUN THINGS LIKE FEED THE HIPPOS AND, YOU KNOW, OTHER FUN THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT EVERY SINGLE DAY THERE'S A CASE IN MY OFFICE ABOUT SOMEONE WHO'S GONNA HAVE THEIR C P S ENERGY, UM, DISCONNECTED OR SAWS OR THAT NEEDS HELP WITH RENT.
AND A FEW WEEKS AGO, AND RIGHT BEFORE THE CHRISTMAS TIME, AND THIS WAS WHY I WAS SO, UM, SO INVOLVED IN WHY I WANTED TO MENTION THIS TO YOU ALL TODAY, THERE WAS A, A YOUNG WOMAN WHO HAD BEEN LIVING, UH, FOR TWO MONTHS AT A HOTEL OR A MOTEL WITH HER KIDS.
AND SO THERE WAS A, UM, A CERTAIN LANDLORD, A COMPASSIONATE LANDLORD, UM, BY THE NAME OF SAM OU, WHO IS PROBABLY WATCHING THIS TODAY, UM, WHO DECIDED HE WAS GONNA STEP IN AND JUST ACCEPT A HUNDRED DOLLARS TO TAKE HER AND HER FAMILY AND IN TIME FOR THE HOLIDAYS.
AND I WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT BECAUSE THERE'S CASES OF VERY COMPASSIONATE LANDLORDS, AND I APPRECIATE THAT.
AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, WE DON'T ONLY GIVE RECOGNITION TO THE SLUM LORDS THE SLUMLORDS WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, ABOUT THEM, BUT THAT WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THE FOLKS THAT ARE DOING REALLY WELL FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S FRAUD AND INTIMIDATION AND COERCION PRACTICES THAT, UM, HAVE BEEN TRADITIONALLY, UNFORTUNATELY USED TO MAKE TENANTS LIVE, UH, UH, LEAVE.
UM, AND I THINK THAT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HELP OUR, OUR MOST VULNERABLE POPULATIONS, THE UNDOCUMENTED POPULATIONS THAT FOLKS WHO DON'T SPEAK ENGLISH, UM, FOLKS LIKE MY NEIGHBORS, FOLKS LIKE MY PARENTS, FOR FOLKS LIKE MY FAMILY.
I THINK THAT, UM, WE ARE AT A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO DO THIS.
UM, BY THE WAY, IT'S DREAM WEEK, AND I, UM, WANT TO POINT OUT THAT WE NEED TO HAVE AN ISSUE LIKE THIS IN DREAM WEEK FOR 2021.
UM, I, I DIDN'T SEE TOO MANY, UM, ISSUES THAT FOCUSED ON, ON HOUSING.
I, I DON'T THINK THAT I SAW AN EVENT, BUT I WOULD LOVE TO MAYBE WORK WITH, UH, TOGETHER WITH THE GROUPS THAT ARE HERE WITH MAYBE GRACIE SANCHEZ, UM, WITH MOVE AND ALSO WITH SAVOR AND THE SAN ANTONIO, UM, APARTMENT ASSOCIATION TO REALLY COME TOGETHER AND, AND WORK ON SOMETHING, UM, TO THE POINT OF PUBLIC INPUT.
I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR ERIC.
UH, I ALWAYS HAVE QUESTIONS, RIGHT? AND SO, UM, HAVE WE DONE A SURVEY, UH, REGARDING, UH, I'M JUST GONNA ASSUME THAT WE HAVE, BUT LATELY MY ASSUMPTIONS HAVE BEEN NOT FOUNDED, SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE, HAVE WE DONE A SURVEY OF SOME SORT THAT TALKS ABOUT RENTER'S ISSUES SPECIFICALLY AND, AND, AND THE NEED FOR A RENTER'S COMMISSION? UH, UH, NO, MA'AM.
I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE, CAN WE? SURE.
SO I THINK THAT WOULD BRING TO LIGHT, AND OF COURSE I'M ALWAYS THE FIRST TO SAY, YEAH, TRADERS VILLAGE IN DISTRICT FOUR, IT'S GREAT PARTICIPATION.
UH, WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT GO TO THE OLGA, SO THERE'S OTHER OLGAS AROUND.
SO PLEASE, UM, CONSIDER GETTING SOME IDEAS THERE, SOME PARTICIPATION FROM FOLKS THERE.
UM, BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT WE NEED A, UH, SURVEY.
I ALSO, UM, WANT TO, UM, POINT OUT THAT, UH, PEDRO ALANIS IS HERE.
HE'S THE INTERIM, UM, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE SAN ANTONIO HOUSING TRUST.
AND WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT SOME PRACTICES.
WE DID RECEIVE A LETTER FROM THE SAN ANTONIO HOUSING AUTHORITY.
I HAVE LOTS OF QUESTIONS, AND I'LL BE ASKING THEM, UM, LATER ON, UH, IN, IN A DIFFERENT VENUE.
I DON'T THINK THIS IS A PROPER VENUE, BUT IT DOES ADDRESS SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS THAT, UH, RENTERS HAVE BEEN BRINGING UP.
AND I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING, THAT YOU'RE WORKING WITH US AND YOU'RE LISTENING TO, UM, THE FOLKS THAT ARE RENTERS.
YOU'VE BEEN GOING OUT AND YOU'VE BEEN LISTENING TO THEIR STORIES, YOU'VE BEEN SEEING FIRSTHAND WHAT HAPPENS TO THEM.
AND I WANTED TO SAY THAT I JUST APPRECIATED YOU FOR BEING HERE, PEDRO.
UM, SO, UM, SO THANK YOU PETE.
UM, SO I ALSO WANTED TO ASK ABOUT THE CHIEF HOUSING OFFICER.
ERIC, DO WE KNOW, OR I KNOW, YOU KNOW, BUT CAN YOU TELL US WHEN, WHEN SHE OR
[01:20:01]
HE'S GOING TO BE APPOINTED? SURE.UH, SO THE POSTING CLOSED, UM, LAST FRIDAY, UM, I THINK THE LAST REPORT I GAVE TO COUNCIL, I SHARED WITH YOU THAT I HIRED A, UM, A COMPANY TO DO THE RECRUITMENT.
UH, THE ADVERTISEMENT CLOSED ON MONDAY, OH, I'M SORRY, LAST FRIDAY.
I'M ANTICIPATING GETTING AN UPDATE FROM THAT HEADHUNTER, UM, OR THAT RECRUITER, UH, BY THE END OF THIS WEEK.
UM, THE IDEA WOULD BE THAT WE, UM, HAVE THAT PERSON HIRED AND STARTED ON THE GROUND BY APRIL.
AND I GAVE AN UPDATE TO THE HOUSING COMMISSION AT THEIR, UH, AT THEIR RETREAT LAST FRIDAY AS WELL.
THE ONLY REASON THAT I'M ASKING IS BECAUSE I'M ALSO GONNA ASSUME THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE INVOLVED IN WHATEVER IT IS THAT THE COMMITTEE BRINGS FORWARD, AND WE'RE HIRING AN EXPERT IN HOUSING.
SO I I'D HOPE THAT THEY'D BE INVOLVED.
AND, AND WE'RE HIRING AN EXPERT.
I MEAN, THE IDEAL CANDIDATE, UM, WILL HAVE A, A ROLE NOT ONLY ON THE HOUSING FRONT, UH, BUT ALSO, UH, IN TERMS OF HOMELESSNESS.
AND SO THERE'S A DIRECT CONNECT BETWEEN THOSE TWO AND, UM, THE, THE JOB DESCRIPTION.
AND THEN THAT'S THE REASON WHY I HIRED, UH, AN OUTSIDE FIRM TO HELP US WITH THE RECRUITMENT BECAUSE, UM, THAT THAT'S, UH, THOSE ARE UNIQUE QUALITIES, UH, THAT, UH, THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
SO BOTH, BOTH ITEMS. THANK YOU, ERIC.
UM, AND YOU BROUGHT UP SOMETHING AND DEFINITELY, UM, THIS AFFECTS SINGLE MOMS GREATLY.
AND SO, UM, AS, AS A SINGLE MOM, I UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS TO HAVE ONE PAYCHECK OR HAVE TO WORK TWO JOBS, I'VE ALWAYS WORKED TWO JOBS MM-HMM.
AND SO I APPRECIATE, UM, THAT THIS, UM, THIS ADDRESSES MAYBE SOME, SOME RENTER'S CONCERNS, UH, BECAUSE IT AFFECTS, UH, FOLKS DIFFERENTLY.
I ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, UM, LOOK AT NOT NOT ONLY OTHER CITIES, BUT, UH, WHAT THEY'RE DOING, BUT ALSO, UM, LEGALLY IF THEY'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW, UM, UH, HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR CERTAIN THINGS THAT THEY IMPLEMENTED OR IF THEY'RE IN DELIBERATION, ET CETERA.
SO, UM, SO I'M SURE ANDY WILL KEEP US ON TRACK WITH THAT.
BUT I JUST WANTED HAD TO SAY THAT, UH, ON STRENGTHENING THE, SO I KNOW THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR, WE'RE LOOKING TO SEE WHERE WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO HAVE THIS POTENTIAL RENTERS COMMISSION.
UM, AND SO I, I KNOW THERE'S SIX OR SO COMMITTEES, UM, THAT ALREADY DEAL WITH HOUSING.
I DON'T KNOW IF IN THE INTEREST OF MOVING FORWARD FAST, IF WE CAN CREATE AN AD HOC OR SUBCOMMITTEE OF ONE OF THOSE COMMITTEES, OR IF THEY'RE ALREADY EVEN LOOKING AT IT.
SO I'LL BE COMPLETELY HONEST, I HAVEN'T LOOKED AT THE MINUTES FOR THE HOUSING COMMISSION OR THE NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENTS ADVISORY COMMITTEE IN A WHILE, SO I WANNA SEE WHAT THEY'RE SAYING.
SO I'LL GO BACK AND I'LL MAKE THAT COMMITMENT TO LOOK AND TO SEE WHAT THE CONVERSATION HAS BEEN.
BUT I DO THINK THAT IN COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL'S SUBCOMMITTEE OF, OF, IN GOVERNANCE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SUNSETTING A LOT OF COMMITTEES.
SO, UM, WHERE CAN WE MAYBE TO THE MAYOR'S POINT, UH, LEVERAGE WORK THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE? UM, UH, BUT TAKE INTO MIND THAT WE NEED REPRESENTATION FROM EVERY COUNCIL DISTRICT.
WHEN I RECEIVED THE INFORMATION, UM, THAT THERE WAS ONE, ONLY ONE RENTER, THEN THAT'S CAUSE FOR PAUSE, RIGHT? AND SO, BUT SAME IF WE HAVE ALL RENTERS AND NO LANDLORDS, AND THAT'S ALSO, UM, CAUSE FOR PAUSE.
SO I THINK THAT WE SHOULD ALWAYS BE, UH, TRY TO BE AS EQUALLY REPRESENTATIVE OF EVERY POPULATION AS POSSIBLE.
SO I'M IN SUPPORT OF, OF MOVING THIS, OBVIOUSLY TO THE COMMITTEE.
AS I STATED, I DO HAVE, UM, SOME ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS AND CONSIDERATIONS THAT I'LL BE BRINGING.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA, COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ.
UM, THANK YOU, UH, UH, COUNCILMAN TINO, UM, FOR THE C C R, LET ME JUST ASK, UM, SOME QUESTIONS TO THE STAFF.
UH, I, UH, I DID HAVE A CHANCE TO ATTEND THE, THE RETREAT ON FRIDAY, UM, FOR THE HOUSING COMMISSION.
WAS THIS DISCUSSED IN THE, ON, IN THE RETREAT, THE, UH, THE, UM, POTENTIAL FOR A RENTER'S COMMISSION? YES.
UM, SO IT CAME UP AT THE END OF THEIR, THE RETREAT, UHHUH
UM, I KNOW YOU COMMENTED ABOUT THAT EARLIER, RIGHT? BUT IF YOU COULD PLEASE JUST REITERATE, SO THE CHAIR ASKED, UM, THEY SAID, WE KNOW THIS ITEM IS COMING FORWARD TO GOVERNANCE.
UM, WHAT ARE THE SENSE, UM, OF THAT, UH, I THINK COMMISSIONER AWA UA MENTIONED SOME OF THE, THE CONVERSATION AROUND THAT AND THE FACTS THEY MENTIONED, UM, BUT THERE WAS MORE TALK ABOUT THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.
UM, BUT THEY DID START THE CONVERSATION LAST FRIDAY AT THE END OF THE DAY.
AND SO, UM, HOW, IT JUST SEEMS TO ME THAT IT WOULD MAKE THE MOST SENSE TO HAVE THEM INTEGRATED INTO THE HOUSING COMMISSION, UM, UH, COMMITTEE OR, UM, THE COMMISSION TO HAVE THE RENTER'S COMMISSION WITH THE HOUSING COMMISSION, NOT SEPARATE COMMISSIONS.
[01:25:01]
VERY REDUNDANT.WAS THERE OPENNESS TO BRINGING THAT IN TOGETHER? AND THAT IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE RE RECOMMENDING BRINGING FORWARD IN JUNE? OUR RECOMMENDATION ON THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN WOULD BE FOR THAT CONVERSATION TO TAKE PLACE WITH THE HOUSING COMMISSION AND THE PARTNERS.
UM, AND SO THAT WAS OUR RECOMMENDATION.
UM, AND THEN GO WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN TO COMMITTEE, THE COMMISSION DID START A CONVERSATION, UM, BUT IT WASN'T POSTED FOR DEFINITIVE ACTION, JUST THEIR IMPLEMENTATION PLAN MOVING FORWARD.
UM, SO THEY'RE VERY AWARE, THEY'RE AWARE OF THIS, UH, MEETING TODAY.
SO THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH JESSICA AND MR. UH, PAUL, UM, FOR BRINGING HERE TODAY.
UH, I GUESS THAT, THAT'S JUST, UH, AND MAYBE COUNCILMAN NU, I DO HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU, IF YOU DON'T MIND, UM, REGARDING, UH, THE C C R, ARE YOU OPEN TO THE IDEA OF COMBINING THE RENTER'S COMMISSION WITH THE HOUSING COMMISSION AND JUST MAKING IT ONE YOU COULD CALL? WE MAY, I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW IF PERHAPS IT HA ENDS UP WITH A DIFFERENT NAME, BUT AT LEAST IT INCORPORATES THEM.
SO WE'RE NOT DUPLICATING EFFORTS.
I, I THINK, I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE, THE IDEA IS TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION.
IT, IT MAY ULTIMATELY END UP BEING SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THAT.
BUT WHAT I CAN SAY IS THAT STRUCTURALLY, I, I DO HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THE HOUSING COMMISSION AS IT'S SET UP NOW, BECAUSE WE, IT'S NOT A SINGLE MEMBER REPRESENTATION.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT MEMBERS THAT WE APPOINT AS COUNCIL MEMBERS.
AND THE WAY I'VE STATED IN THE C C R IS THAT I'D LIKE TO SEE US EXPLORE, UH, APPOINTING, UH, MEMBERS FROM EACH DISTRICT.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE HOUSING COMMISSION RIGHT NOW, UH, THERE, THERE IS LARGE AREAS OF OUR CITY THAT ARE NOT REPRESENTED GEOGRAPHICALLY.
UH, WE THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT.
THAT'S HOW OUR ENTIRE CITY COUNCIL'S MADE UP.
I BELIEVE THAT THAT'S THE WAY IT SHOULD BE IN, IN THIS NEW COMMISSION.
AND CERTAINLY, I, I WILL, UH, BE OPEN TO HAVING THESE BROAD DISCUSSIONS ABOUT HOW THE, THE, THE COMMISSION IS MADE UP AND, AND THE PURVIEW OF THE, UH, OF THE COMMISSION AT THE COMMITTEE LEVEL, AND, AND THEN ULTIMATELY HAVE A, A FULL CITY COUNCIL DISCUSSION ABOUT IT.
I MEAN, I THINK THE, THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS, I THINK THAT THERE'S, THERE'S ROOM TO TACKLE SUCH A BIG ISSUE.
THE, THE, THE, THE BIGGEST PROBLEM I SEE IS THIS TIME, YOU KNOW, WE FILED THIS BACK IN JUNE.
I MEAN, THESE, THESE ISSUES HAVE CONTINUED TO PILE AND PILE ON, UH, YOU KNOW, TO, TO THINK ABOUT A FEW MEMBERS OF THE HOUSING COMMISSION TACKLING SUCH A BIG ISSUE.
UH, WE NEED AS MANY PEOPLE TO HELP AS POSSIBLE.
AS ERIC JUST MENTIONED, UH, GETTING, UH, THE HOUSINGS ARE ONBOARDED IS ALSO CRITICAL.
SO, I MEAN, THIS IS A MATTER OF, OF GETTING AS MANY PEOPLE IN SUPPORT AS POSSIBLE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT, BECAUSE I DO, UM, I, I AGREE THAT IT, IT IS, IT'S ONE OF THE IMPORTANT ISSUES THAT WE HAVE, UM, ON THIS COUNCIL AND WHAT YOU'VE HEARD ME SAY OVER AND OVER AGAIN IS WHAT PEOPLE CARE THE MOST ABOUT IS ABOUT THEIR OWN HOMES.
WHETHER YOU'RE RENTING OR WHETHER YOU'RE THE OWNER WHERE YOU LIVE, UH, IS WHAT EVERYBODY CARES ABOUT THE MOST.
SO WHEN YOU GO TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND YOU SAY, YOU KNOW, I'M SHIRLEY GONZALEZ, I'M YOUR COUNCILWOMAN.
WHAT THEY REALLY WANNA KNOW IS, BUT WHAT DID YOU DO FOR ME? THEY DON'T REALLY CARE ABOUT ALL THESE POLICY DECISIONS WE'RE MAKING.
AND SO, UM, I, I DO THINK IT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING.
AND WE KNOW THAT, THAT OTHER ISSUES ARE GONNA COME UP AS WELL, WHERE I KNOW THAT THE HOMELESSNESS ISSUE HAS BECOME, UM, A BIG PRIORITY FOR US BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE UNHOUSED.
UH, AND THAT'S NOT RENTERS OR HOMEOWNERS.
IT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT POPULATION THAT WE IN OTHER CITIES ARE TRYING TO ADDRESS.
UM, AND IN FACT, MAYBE THAT'LL GIMME THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK THE QUESTION, WHERE DO THEY FIT IN TO THE HOUSING DISCUSSION? I DUNNO IF THAT GOES TO LORI OR VETO THE ISSUE REGARDING HOMELESSNESS, IS THAT, DOES THAT STAY WITH, SO THE CHIEF HOUSING OFFICER WILL OVERSEE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF BOTH THE, THE HOMELESS STRATEGIC PLAN AND THE HOUSING IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.
AND SO THEY WILL BE ENGAGED IN BOTH TOPICS.
AND THE CHIEF HOUSING OFFICER COMES ON IN APRIL.
WE KIND OF SCHEDULED OUR IMPLEMENTATION PLAN DEVELOPMENT TO ALLOW THEM ABOUT THREE MONTHS TO BE ABLE TO ENGAGE IN THAT PROCESS.
WE'RE IN PHASE ONE OF THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, WHICH IS THE RESEARCH, AND THEN WE'RE GONNA START THAT ENGAGEMENT, THAT PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT EFFORT WHEN THE HOUSING OFFICER COMES ON.
BECAUSE ONE OF THE DISCUSSIONS AT THE RETREAT WAS TO REALLY GET MORE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT ABOUT THE HOUSING IMPLEMENTATION PLAN AND ELEVATING THE PUBLIC'S VOICES IN THIS EFFORT.
SO, UM, UH, THANK YOU FOR THAT.
I JUST, UM, I THINK THE ISSUES RELATED, AND ESPECIALLY TO THE HOMELESS, ARE GONNA GO FALL UNDER THAT UMBRELLA.
AND I FEEL LIKE THAT'S WHERE WE HAVEN'T EVEN SCRATCHED THE SURFACE OF WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO WITH PEOPLE THAT ARE ENTIRELY UN UNHOUSED.
UH, SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I CAN SUPPORT MOVING TO COMMITTEE AT, UM, AT WHATEVER PACE IS, UM, NECESSARY.
[01:30:01]
MY ONLY HESITATION IS A DUPLICATION OF SERVICES, WHICH THEN UNINTENTIONALLY DELAY IMPLEMENTATION.UH, BECAUSE THERE'S TOO MANY SEPARATE THINGS GOING ON.
IT'S VERY HARD FOR THE STAFF TO ORGANIZE, UM, ALL OF THE DIFFERENT MEETINGS AND ALL OF THE DIFFERENT COMMITTEE MEETINGS, AND THEN THE STAFF HAS TO SORT THROUGH ALL AND SOME, SOMEHOW COMPREHENSIVELY REPORT IT TO US.
UM, YOU KNOW, MY, MY CONCERN IS, IS IN FACT THAT BY ACCELERATING THE RENTER'S COMMISSION, WE ACTUALLY DELAY IMPLEMENTATION, WHICH IS WHAT I KNOW I'M MOST CONCERNED ABOUT, IS TO GET AFFORDABLE HOUSING AT THE 30% LEVEL, LIKE ONLINE IN MY DISTRICT, AND GET PEOPLE IN HOMES, UH, WHETHER THEY'RE RENTING OR HOMEOWNERS OR OWNER OCCUPIED REHAB, HOWEVER WE DO IT, UM, THAT IT'S DONE QUICKLY, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE I FEEL LIKE WE SPEND TOO MUCH TIME, UH, ON THIS COUNCIL VETTING AND VETTING AND TALKING ABOUT THINGS AND DOING THINGS OVER AGAIN.
WE LIKE TO SIT HERE AND DISCUSS POLICY, BUT WHEN WE TALK TO OUR CONSTITUENTS, THEY WANT ACTION TODAY.
UH, AND SO THAT'S WHY I HOPE THAT WE CAN EXPEDITE IT TO MAKE, GET TO SOME IMPLEMENTATION PART, UM, SO THAT WE CAN GET PEOPLE IN HOMES, UH, OR APARTMENTS OR MULTIFAMILY OR WHATEVER THAT IS.
SO THIS IS, UM, A VERY GOOD START TO THE CONVERSATION, I BELIEVE, AND I WANNA THANK EVERYONE AGAIN FOR COMING OUT, UH, THIS AFTERNOON.
UM, WHAT I WOULD ALSO ADD IS THAT I WOULD, I WOULD LIKE FOR THE HOUSING COMMISSIONER TO CONTINUE TO DISCUSS AND PROVIDE SOME INPUT ON THIS.
UM, AND I WOULD ASK THAT YOU ALL, UM, SPECIFICALLY CALL RENTERS, UM, TO COME AND PROVIDE SOME INPUT AS WELL.
UH, I THINK THAT CAN ONLY ENRICH THE PROCESS OF, OF INPUT AND MAKE SURE THAT WE END UP IN THE RIGHT PLACE.
SO, UH, I BELIEVE NOW WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO MOVE, UH, THIS C C R DISCUSSION TO COMMITTEE, AND I BELIEVE IT WAS THE, UH, COMMUNITY AND NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES COMMITTEE, CULTURE AND NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES COMMITTEE.
UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
COUNCIL MEMBER TREVINO, WE DO HAVE ONE ME, ONE MORE ITEM.
UM, COUNCILMAN IF, UH, IT'S YOUR ITEM TWO, SO I'LL CALL YOU UP IN JUST A SECOND.
[3. 20-1109 A briefing and discussion on a Council Consideration Request (CCR) from Councilmember Roberto Treviño and Councilmember Adriana Rocha Garcia on the Ethics Code Amendments. [Andrew Segovia, City Attorney]]
WE'LL MOVE TO ITEM THREE.ITEM THREE IS A BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION ON A COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUEST FROM COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERTO TINO.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER ADRIANA ROCHA GARCIA ON THE ETHICS CODE AMENDMENTS.
ALRIGHT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, WHO'S MAKING THE PRESENTATION? ANDY, YOU'RE UP, ANDY.
AND, UH, KEVIN BARTOL THE, UH, CITY AUDITOR WILL FOLLOW UP, UH, UH, TO CLOSE IT OFF.
UH, WHAT WE PLAN TO DO THIS MORNING IS PROVIDE A PATH FORWARD, UH, TO HAVE THE IDEAS THAT ARE INCORPORATED IN THE C C R, UH, THAT THEY BE ANALYZED, CONSIDERED, AND ULTIMATELY THAT SOME REAL, UH, ROBUST RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, BE SUBMITTED TO THE COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATIONS.
UH, A NUMBER OF THE IDEAS, UH, THAT ARE INCORPORATED INTO THE C C R WILL REQUIRE EITHER CHANGES TO THE ETHICS CODE, THE CAMPAIGN FINANCE CODE, OR INDEED EVEN TO THE CITY CHARTER.
UH, THAT BEING SAID, UM, WE DO HAVE FORUMS, UH, THAT DO CONSIDER THESE CHANGES AND, AND CAN, UH, AND CAN START THE PROCESS IN TERMS OF STUDYING THEM.
UM, MANY OF THE ITEMS THAT ARE IN THE C C R IN TERMS OF THE IDEAS AND RECOMMENDATIONS HAVE BEEN REVIEWED AND CONSIDERED BEFORE, UH, BY THE ETHICS REVIEW BOARD OR BY A CITY CHARTER COMMISSION.
UH, THAT BEING SAID, BOTH KEVIN AND I, UH, FULLY UNDERSTAND AND SUPPORT, UH, THE COUNCIL'S, UH, EFFORTS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE STAY AT THE FOREFRONT WHEN IT COMES TO ETHICS AND BEST PRACTICES AND SOUND GOVERNANCE.
UH, IF THERE'S ANYTHING WE WANT TO BE AT THE FOREFRONT OF IT'S, IT'S THE, IT'S THE ETHICS PORTION.
UM, SO WHAT WE, UH, ARE RECOMMENDING IS THAT, UH, WE TAKE THE IDEAS AND RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE C C R.
UH, WE SUBMIT THEM, UH, IMMEDIATELY TO THE ETHICS REVIEW BOARD FOR ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATION AND REVIEW.
UH, THE GOOD NEWS IS, EVEN THOUGH THEY'VE BEEN REVIEWED BEFORE, I MEAN, BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN REVIEWED BEFORE, WE DO, WE DON'T, WE AREN'T STARTING FROM GROUND ZERO.
UH, WE HAVE A LOT OF GOOD INFORMATION.
UH, AND I DO WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT RIGHT NOW TO COUNCILMAN ROCHA GARCIA.
'CAUSE WHEN SHE WAS, UH, THE CHAIR OF THE ETHICS REVIEW BOARD ON HER OWN, SHE DID A LOT OF VERY GOOD RESEARCH, UH, AND STUDY ON A LOT OF THE, UH, ITEMS AND ISSUES AND RECOMMENDATIONS IN
[01:35:01]
THE C C R.SO, COUNCILWOMAN WILL START FROM THERE.
UH, WE'LL REFRESH IT, OBVIOUSLY.
AND, UM, AND ONCE AGAIN, HAVE THAT THE ETHICS REVIEW BOARD, CONSIDER THOSE, ANALYZE IT AND AGAIN, UH, HAVE THEM, UH, COME WITH RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE COUNCIL.
UM, WE KNOW THAT THERE'S RIGHT NOW NOT A CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION IN PLACE.
UH, HOWEVER, THERE WILL, UH, AGAIN, THE ITEMS WILL REQUIRE COORDINATION BETWEEN THE ETHICS REVIEW BOARD, THE COUNCIL, AND THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION.
THEREFORE, WE BELIEVE, RATHER THAN DELAY THOSE THAT WOULD REQUIRE CHARTER CHANGES, THAT WE ONCE AGAIN ASK THE ETHICS REVIEW BOARD TO START THE CONSIDERATION OF REVIEWING THOSE ITEMS AS A WHOLE PACKAGE.
'CAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, AGAIN, THERE WILL BE QUITE A BIT OF, OF COORDINATION AND COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE ETHICS REVIEW BOARD, UH, AND THE, UH, CHARTER COMMISSION ONCE IT'S FORMED.
UH, WHEN WE DO MOVE THAT TO THE CHARTER COMMISSION, I'M SORRY, TO THE ETHICS REVIEW COMMISSION, WE WILL ASK THEM TO PROVIDE A VERY DETAILED PLAN AND TIMELINE.
AGAIN, WE DON'T WANT ANY DELAY ON THIS RECOGNIZING, UH, IT'S ONE THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO THE COUNCIL.
ALL THESE ITEMS. UH, SO WE WILL ASK THEM TO INITIALLY DEVELOP A PLAN FOR REVIEW AND WHO THEY PLAN TO, UH, REACH OUT TO.
UH, IT WILL INCLUDE, OBVIOUSLY, UH, LOOKING AT HOW OTHER CITIES AND LOCAL ENTITIES HANDLE, UH, ETHICS ISSUES AND THEIR ETHICS REVIEW BOARD SELECTION PROCESS.
UH, SO WITH THAT, UH, WE WILL RECOMMEND IT GO TO THE ETHICS REVIEW BOARD.
AND AS I SAID, UH, OUR PLAN IS TO COME BACK TO EITHER THIS COMMITTEE, UH, OR TO WHOEVER, UH, YOU DIRECT US TO, UH, TO PROVIDE, UH, CONTINUAL UPDATES ON THEIR REVIEWS, UH, AND WHO, UH, AND THE PROCESS AND AT LEAST INITIALLY TO PROVIDE YOU THE PLAN AND TIMELINE FOR THE REVIEW.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO KEVIN VM AND, AND REALLY COUNSEL OR COMMITTEE, JUST TO ADD TO THAT, I DID, UH, REACH OUT TO, UH, PATRICK LANG, WHO'S THE CHAIR, CURRENT CHAIR OF THE ETHICS BOARD LAST WEEK.
HE'S CERTAINLY AWARE OF THIS, UH, C C R AND IS CERTAINLY SUPPORTIVE OF, OF TAKING THAT ON AS AN ETHICS REVIEW BOARD.
UH, AND IS, UH, ANDY MENTIONED A LOT OF RESEARCH WAS DONE TWO, TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO.
AND IT'LL BE A MATTER OF REFRESHING THAT AND RECONSIDERING AND ALSO A NOTE, WHILE IT WAS DONE JUST TWO YEARS AGO, THE ETHICS REVIEW BOARD COMPOSITION OR MEMBERSHIP HAS CHANGED, UH, OVER THAT TIMEFRAME.
SO OF THE MEMBERS THAT WERE IN THAT PROCESS, TWO AND A HALF YEARS, THREE OF THEM ARE STILL ON THE BOARD, BUT THERE'S SEVEN NEW MEMBERS ON THE BOARD.
SO IT WOULD BE A FRESH LOOK, UH, AT THIS, AT THIS PROCESS, AND AT THE, THE TOPIC OF THE C C R.
UM, THIS WAS A, UH, C C R CO-AUTHORED BY COUNCIL MEMBER TREVINO AND COUNCIL MEMBER ROJA GARCIA.
SO, COUNCIL MEMBER TRU, IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME UP.
AND, UH, I WANT TO THANK, UH, MY, MY PARTNER IN THIS ONE.
ADRIANA ROCHA GARCIA, WHO WAS, UH, PART OF THAT E R B.
SO THERE'S, THERE'S, UH, WE, WE, UH, USE THAT HISTORY.
WE'RE ABLE TO, TO LEARN FROM THAT.
AND, UH, I ALSO WANT TO TAKE THIS TIME TO THANK ANDY SEGOVIA.
AND OF COURSE, UM, OUR, OUR, OUR CITY AUDITOR, UH, KEVIN, UH, BARTOLD.
UH, I REALLY, I REALLY THINK THAT THIS IS A, A GOOD FIRST STEP.
AND MAYOR, YOU AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS.
UH, WE DID FILE THE ORIGINAL, UH, ETHICS, UH, C C R THAT WOULD REQUIRE A A, A CHARTER AMENDMENT.
WE BELIEVE THAT THE C C R IS WRITTEN DOES NOT DO THAT.
AND, UH, THE, BUT I THINK IT'S A GREAT STEPPING STONE, UH, TO HELP INTRODUCE THE IDEA OF, OF GREATER INDEPENDENCE, UH, FROM, FROM, FROM CITY STAFF, FROM CITY CITY COUNCIL, UH, TO HELP PROVIDE THAT, THAT, THAT THING THAT WE ULTIMATELY WANT.
AND, AND CERTAINLY WE, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN, UH, COUNT ON ME TO SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGE THAT WE CONTINUE TO REVIEW, UH, AND THE CHARTER CHARTER REVIEW, COMMISSION REVIEW THAT POTENTIAL, UH, UH, CHANGE IN, IN TERMS OF OUR ETHICS SYSTEM.
UM, YEAH, I WANNA POINT OUT AGAIN, STRUCTURALLY, THIS DOES, WE BELIEVE THIS DOES NOT REQUIRE CHARTER CHANGE BECAUSE, UH, WE'RE ASKING PEOPLE TO PROVIDE A PROPOSED, UH, MEMBER TO SERVE ON E R B.
ULTIMATELY, CITY COUNCIL STILL RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SELECT, UH, WHO THEY FEEL SHOULD BE ON THAT BOARD.
WHEN YOU HEARD ME SAY IN THE PREVIOUS, UH, UH, ITEM THAT THIS IS ANOTHER ONE WHERE THOSE, WHERE I BELIEVE THAT HAVING REPRESENTATION FROM, FROM THE COUNCIL OFFICE WHERE WE, WE GET TO APPOINT SOMEBODY IS, IS CRITICAL.
UM, SO, SO THIS KEEPS THAT IN PLACE.
UH, ULTIMATELY, WE DO BELIEVE THAT THERE, THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR, FOR GREATER INDEPENDENCE WHEN IT COMES TO ETHICS, THAT THAT REMOVES THAT ENTIRELY AND ALLOWS THE COMMUNITY TO GET TO BE EVEN MORE INVOLVED.
THAT DOES REQUIRE CHARTER CHANGE.
BUT I GET, LIKE I SAID, AS WRITTEN IN THE C C R, WE BELIEVE IT DOES NOT, UH, WE CERTAINLY WELCOME THE E R B TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE C C R AND PROVIDE SOME MORE RECOMMENDATIONS.
UH, AT THIS POINT, I'D, I'D LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO MY, MY PARTNER, UH, MS. UH, UH, GARCIA, COUNCIL MEMBER GARCIA, TO, TO EXPLAIN SOME MORE ABOUT HOW WE,
[01:40:01]
UH, CRAFTED THIS PARTICULAR C C R IN THE LANGUAGE THAT WE FEEL CAN BE IMPLEMENTED, UH, IMMEDIATELY.THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN TREVINO.
AND, AND MAYOR, IF I WILL, IF I MAY, UH, I WANNA FIRST COMMEND THE STAFF, BECAUSE YOU GUYS DID A REALLY GOOD JOB OF DISSECTING OUR, UM, WHAT THREE OR FOUR PAGE AND INPUTTING BACKGROUND INFORMATION INTO FIVE KEY BULLET POINTS.
AND SO I AGREE WITH THE FIVE KEY BULLET POINTS.
SO THE SELECTION APPOINTMENT OF THE CITY'S COMPLIANCE AUDITOR BY THE ETHICS REVIEW BOARD SOLELY IS CLEARLY IMPORTANT.
UM, THE THIRD PARTY NOMINATION OF ETHICS REVIEW BOARD CANDIDATES FOR CONSIDERATION, WE PUT TOGETHER A LIST OF RECOMMENDED ENTITIES.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT WASN'T MEANT TO BE PRESCRIPTIVE.
UH, WE STILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY, THE ETHICS REVIEW BOARD WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS.
WE MIGHT HAVE MISSED AN ORGANIZATION THAT THE ETHICS REVIEW BOARD FEELS IS IMPORTANT.
AND SO I DID WANT TO, UH, JUST POINT THAT OUT, THAT THOSE ARE JUST SOME RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, ALSO THE ETHICS TRAINING, WHICH BY THE WAY, I THINK THAT CAM KUNOW DOES A GREAT JOB WITH ETHICS TRAINING.
AND SO I REALLY, I, I HAVE REFERRED MANY PEOPLE TO, UH, CAM, UM, THAT IT, IT CONTINUES TO BE, UM, DONE WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, AND SPECIFICALLY THROUGH THE COMPLIANCE, UM, OFFICE.
UH, WE ALSO RECOMMENDED STAFFING AND BUDGETING.
AND SO, AND I, I WILL BE COMPLETELY HONEST WITH YOU, WHEN COUNCILMAN TRIVIO CAME TO ME WITH THIS, UM, WITH SOME OF THE THINGS I JUST FLAT OUT DIDN'T AGREE, RIGHT? BUT IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT DISAGREEMENT.
IT'S ABOUT, WELL, HERE'S WHAT WE HAD RESEARCHED AND HERE, SO WE CAME TO A HAPPY MEDIUM ON A LOT OF THESE.
AND SO, AND THAT'S WHY I FELT THAT I COULD BE SUPPORTIVE OF THIS.
AND, AND IN TALKING OR TAKING THE CONVERSATION BACK UP AGAIN, UM, BECAUSE FROM A COUNCIL PERSPECTIVE NOW, NOW THAT I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL, UH, FOR A WHOLE SIX, ALMOST SEVEN MONTHS, RIGHT? I COULD SEE, UH, WHERE, WHERE THERE MIGHT BE SOME OPPORTUNITIES FOR EFFICIENCIES OR FOR SPECIFIC, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS THAT MIGHT ADD TO THE PERCEPTION, WHICH WAS THE WHOLE CASE THAT WE TOOK UP THESE THINGS TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO, BECAUSE IT WAS THE PERCEPTION AND THE PERCEPTION OF ETHICS.
SO I DIDN'T WANNA CLARIFY THAT, UM, THE SUPPORT, UH, LIKE ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS INITIALLY, LIKE, LET, LET'S GET THIS GOING ASAP.
AND THEN I FELT BAD FOR ERIC BECAUSE WHERE WAS HE GONNA COME UP WITH THIS MONEY, RIGHT? AND SO FOR AN OFFICE, AN ETHICS OFFICE, AN ENTIRELY, UM, NEW ETHICS OFFICE.
AND SO WE GAVE HIM A SHOT AND WE SAID, OKAY, SO WE'LL GIVE HIM A FEW MONTHS TO, TO CREATE THIS.
AND SO THE ETHICS REVIEW BOARD WILL, WILL OF COURSE DISCUSS IF, IF THAT'S EVEN POSSIBLE.
UM, IN THE MEANTIME, I'D ALSO BEEN REVIEWING SOME ADDITIONAL, UM, CITIES AND TO THE ONES THAT I HAD ALREADY BEEN REVIEWING.
AND I HAVE A WHOLE BINDER OF, UM, MORE CITIES THAT I THINK, UM, ADDRESS SOME ITEMS, UH, THAT I THINK SHOULD ALSO BE CONSIDERED.
BUT I'LL, I'LL GIVE THOSE TO YOU ALL.
UM, I DO HAVE A QUESTION, THOUGH.
UH, THERE WAS IN THE, IN THE ISSUE STATEMENT OF YOUR, UM, AGENDA MEMO MEMO, IT SAYS THAT IT WOULD REQUIRE SOME, SOME, IT MIGHT ALSO REQUIRE SOME, WE KNOW THAT IT'S GONNA HAVE CHANGES TO THE ETHICS CODE.
AND I HAVE MY CITY CHARTER WITH ME, AND I HAVE A COPY AT ALL TIMES WITH ME, AND I HADN'T READ OVER TODAY, SO I WAS DISAPPOINTED IN MYSELF.
I GOT, SO, UM, CAN YOU HELP ME? I, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND WHAT PART OF THE CHARTER WOULD REQUIRE.
AND SO THAT WAY I CAN FULLY UNDERSTAND BECAUSE THE WAY THAT, UM, THE C C R WAS DRAFTED, THE, UH, THE COMPOSITION OF THE E R B BOARD WOULD STILL BE APPOINTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL.
UH, BUT THESE ENTITIES ESSENTIALLY WOULD MAKE THE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
SO I JUST, I, IF I CAN THAT, AND THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION, COUNCILMAN, I'LL, AND I'LL TRY TO ADDRESS THAT.
AND THAT'S, AND PART OF THAT WOULD BE THE DISCUSSION WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE WITH, WITH YOU AND THE COUNCILMAN AND THE E R B IF YOU WOULD LIKE.
BUT THE WAY WE INTERPRETED, UH, YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE WANTED, UH, WE WANTED THESE ORGANIZATIONS OR WHATEVER ORGANIZATIONS ARE ULTIMATELY IDENTIFIED TO HAVE, UH, REAL SUBSTANTIVE INPUT, NOT, UH, FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM, DISCRETIONARY.
SO, IN OTHER WORDS, TODAY, YOU'RE CORRECT.
THERE'S NOTHING THAT'S PROHIBITING COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO APPOINT MEMBERS TO THE E R B FROM CONSULTING ANY GROUP THEY WANT IN TERMS OF WHO SHOULD BE THE NOMINEE.
THE WAY I INTERPRETED THIS, UH, RECOMMENDATION WAS THAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR SOMETHING THAT HAS SOME MORE MEAT TO IT THAN JUST THAT.
AND SO, THEREFORE, UM, AS YOU LOOK AT THE SELECTION PROCESS FOR THE E R B THAT'S OUTLINED IN THE CITY CHARTER MM-HMM.
BUT THAT WOULD REQUIRE, AS I SAID, SOME DISCUSSION AS TO, AS TO HOW, HOW MUCH, UM, MEAT ON THE BONE, AGAIN, FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM, WE WANNA PUT ON, UH, THE NEED AND, UM, THE, THE REQUIREMENT TO HAVE INPUT FROM THESE GROUPS.
[01:45:01]
OKAY, GREAT.AND I THINK THEN THAT'S FAIR BECAUSE IT'S ALL ABOUT INTERPRETATION, RIGHT? RIGHT.
SO THAT'S WHY I LOVE DIVERSITY OF OPINION AND DIVERSITY OF EXPERIENCE, BECAUSE WE GET TO LEARN.
AND, UM, I DON'T HAVE ANY FURTHER THINGS.
AND I ACTUALLY WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THAT THIS COMMITTEE DIRECT TO STAFF TO FOLLOW, UM, UH, THE GENERAL ADVICE PROVIDED BY THE C C R, UM, TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE, AND THAT WE, UM, DIRECT STAFF TO FOLLOW ALL BEST PRACTICES THAT ARE BEING USED TO ACHIEVE THESE GOALS, SOME WHICH ARE ALREADY OUTLINED IN THE C C R AND USING CREATIVE EFFORTS TO INCREASE GREATER INDEPENDENCE.
UH, MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA, AND JUST UNDER THE WIRE BEFORE COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL WAS COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE
UM, AND SO COUNCIL MEMBER TRUVIO, YOU WANTED TO ADD SOMETHING JUST BRIEFLY? UH, I JUST REALLY WANT TO THANK JED MAUS FOR ALL HIS HARD WORK.
UH, WE KNOW HE HAD A, HE HAD A, SUFFERED AN ACCIDENT LAST WEEK, CONTINUED TO WORK OUT OF HIS HOME, PROVIDED US A LOT OF INFORMATION, A LOT OF NOTES.
UH, THIS HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN YEARS IN THE MAKING.
AND I JUST WANT TO THANK JED MAUS FOR, FOR ALL THIS HARD WORK ON THIS, UH, THIS, THIS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT TOPIC FOR ALL OF US, UH, ESPECIALLY FOR JED MAUS.
COUNCIL MEMBER TREVINO, UH, ROCHA GARCIA, ANDY, AND KEVIN.
UH, I HAVE LONG SUPPORTED, UH, AN INDEPENDENT ETHICS REVIEW, INDEPENDENT ETHICS REVIEW BOARD, AS WELL AS AN INDEPENDENT AUDITOR AND MORE SPECIFIC INDEPENDENT ETHICS REVIEW OFFICER, UH, AS WELL AS AN INDEPENDENT ETHICS REVIEW BOARD THAT HAS ACTUAL SANCTION AUTHORITY.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BATTLED WITH.
UM, AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, IN MY VIEW, THE GOAL OF THE ETHICS REVIEW BOARD SHOULD BE TO OFFICIATE THE BODY ON BEHALF OF THE PUBLIC.
AND IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO EXPLAIN TO THE PUBLIC THAT THAT BODY IS DOING THAT IN INDEPENDENT MANNER WHEN THE COUNCIL ULTIMATELY SELECTS WHO THEY WANT.
NOT ONLY THAT, BUT UNDER OUR CITY CHARTER PROTOCOL, THE, THE CITY COUNCIL, BECAUSE THE ETHICS CODE IS WITHIN ORDINANCE AND NOT IN THE CHARTER ITSELF.
CITY COUNCIL ALSO HAS THE ABILITY TO WRITE THE RULES.
SO NOT ONLY ARE WE CHOOSING THE REFEREES, BUT WE'RE ALSO IN MANY CASES GETTING TO VETO THEIR BALLS AND STRIKES CALLS.
AND THAT'S NOT A SYSTEM THAT MAKES ANY SENSE.
AND SO I WANNA THANK, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE ACTUALLY, UH, IN, IN A FEW MONTHS THAT HE WAS COUNCIL MEMBER.
UM, A COUPLE YEARS AGO, UH, WE WORKED TOGETHER, UH, WITH AN ORGANIZATION CALLED COMMON CAUSE TO, UH, REALLY BRING IN SOME VERY GOOD RECOMMENDATIONS.
IN FACT, WE MADE IT PART OF THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION CHARGE THAT WORKED ALL THE WAY UP AND THROUGH 2018, AND WAS PREPARED TO BRING SOMETHING FORWARD, UH, MORE PERMANENT.
BUT OBVIOUSLY WE KNOW WHAT HAPPENED WITH REGARD TO A DIFFERENT CHARTER ELECTION CALLED.
SO THAT WORK HAS BEEN SIDELINED.
AND I WANT TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, TREVINO AND ROCHA GARCIA FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD, BECAUSE THIS IS, THIS IS, AS YOU SAID, A POTENTIAL INTERIM STEP WHERE WE DON'T HAVE TO WAIT ALL THE WAY UNTIL AN ELECTION, BUT WE CAN DO BOTH CONCURRENTLY, WHICH I HOPE WE WILL DO.
UH, SO I'M FULLY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS.
UH, I DO HOPE THAT, UM, WE GET SOME GOOD RECOMMENDATIONS BACK FROM THE ETHICS REVIEW BOARD.
UH, BUT ALSO THAT, UH, MY OFFICE WILL BE VISITING WITH ALL THE COUNCIL OFFICES HERE VERY SOON BECAUSE WE, UH, ARE GOING TO, UH, RECONVENE THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION.
AND THIS WILL REMAIN PART OF THE CHARGE FOR THE LONG TERM, BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS, UH, AGAIN, A STEP TOWARDS A PERMANENT SOLUTION THAT WOULD GIVE THE PUBLIC, AGAIN, CONFIDENCE IN AN INDEPENDENT ETHICS PROCESS.
SO, UH, WITH THAT, I WILL TURN NOW TO COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE.
UH, I KNOW THAT YOU AND I LOOK AT THIS AND FIND THIS VERY REWARDING BASED ON OUR INTERESTS OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
AND, UH, I WANT TO THANK COUNCILMAN TREVINO AND COUNCILWOMAN ROCHA GARCIA.
UH, AND I WANT TO JOIN THEM IN THE EFFORT TO AMEND OUR ETHICS ORDINANCES, BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT THESE CHANGES ARE IMPORTANT AND WILL INCREASE THE TRUST THAT THE CITIZENS OF SAN ANTONIO HAVE IN THEIR CITY GOVERNMENT, WHICH IS WHY I'VE SECONDED THIS MOTION.
I'VE COME TO THESE IDEAS, UM, AND CONCLUSIONS AND TO THIS POSITION, PARTLY BASED ON MY SERVICE AS A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER.
BUT IN ADDITION, I STRONGLY BELIEVE IN THESE PROPOSALS BECAUSE OF MY PAST CONNECTION TO COMMON CAUSE.
COMMON CAUSE EXISTS PARTLY TO PROMOTE ETHICS AND GOVERNMENT.
SO IN CLOSING, I'LL JUST, UH, I'D LIKE TO QUOTE FROM COMMON CAUSE TEXAS WEBSITE.
VERY FEW CITY GOVERNMENTS IN TEXAS HAVE EFFECTIVE INDEPENDENT ETHICS COMMISSIONS IN PLACE TO OVERSEE AND REGULATE CITY OFFICIALS AND STAFF CREATE EFFECTIVE INDEPENDENT LOCAL ETHICS COMMISSIONS.
IT'S WHAT THEY STAND FOR, AND I THINK WHERE
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WE'RE MOVING TO NOW.THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE.
THAT WAS THE LONGEST MOTION I THINK I'VE EVER HEARD IN THE CITY HALL BEFORE.
THAT'S WHY, WHY I WAS GONNA ASK THE COUNCILMAN TO REPEAT IT, BECAUSE AGAIN, THE, THE RECOMMENDATION WAS THAT WE, UM, IMMEDIATELY SUBMIT THESE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE R B N.
WE COME BACK AND, AND PROVIDE YOU A PLAN FOR REVIEW.
UH, I MOVE THAT THE COMMITTEE DIRECT STAFF TO FOLLOW A GENERAL POLICY TO MAKE OUR ETHICS REVIEW BOARD COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT OF ELECTED AND HIRED CITY OFFICIALS TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE AND TO ACHIEVE OTHER GOALS SET FORTH IN OUR C C R AS WELL AS ALLOW BEST PRACTICE, FOLLOW BEST PRACTICES THAT ARE BEING USED TO ACHIEVE THESE GOALS, SOME WHICH ARE OUTLINED IN THE C C R, AND USING THE ALL BEST CREATIVE EFFORTS TO ACHIEVE GREATER INDEPENDENCE.
AND THAT WE MOVE FORWARD TO THE ETHICS REVIEW BOARD FOR FURTHER CONSIDERATION.
I SEE EYEBROWS RAISED BY THE ATTORNEY.
SO IS THERE A QUESTION? THE, THE, THE, THE ISSUE WE'RE SEEING WITH THAT MOTION COUNCILMAN, IS THAT YOU'RE DIRECTING US TO DO SOMETHING THAT WOULD PROBABLY REQUIRE, THAT WILL REQUIRE FULL COUNSEL.
I MOVE THAT WE REFER THE C C R TO THE ETHICS REVIEW BOARD.
HOW'S THAT? AND THAT, AND THAT THE STAFF COME BACK TO THIS COUNCIL WITH A, WITH A PLAN FOR REVIEW AND, AND RECOMMENDATIONS AND THAT THE STAFF COME BACK WITH A PLAN TO THIS COUNCIL FOR REVIEW, RECOMMENDATION, AND A TIMELINE.
THAT'S A READER'S DIGEST VERSION OF THE EARLIER MOTION.
UH, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND TO MOVE THIS TO THE E R B AS STATED.
UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.