Council, please come to order.

I'm gonna ask the Vice Mayor Pro Tim Peck to preside.

The Chair recognizes Councilmember Member Ramirez for a proclamation recognizing Yom Hoshua Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mayor.

Today I stand with my colleague, Councilmember Abby Kamen, as well as the Vice Mayor Pro Tem Amy Peck.

We're joined by representatives of the Jewish Federation, the Jewish Anti-Defamation League, the Houston Holocaust Museum, 3G, which is the third generation Holocaust Survivor Group, the American Jewish Committee, and many representatives of a number of synagogues as we observe Yom Hoshua.

This Holocaust Remembrance Day is an occasion to honor the memory of the more than six million Jews and other victims who were murdered during the Holocaust.

For the survivors and their descendants, it is a poignant reminder of the anti-Semitism, hatred, and bigotry that led to the deaths of their loved ones.

It's also a sobering reminder that not only do these attitudes still persist today, too often they lead to atrocities committed against the innocent.

This is a reminder that we're all called upon to tell the truth, to remember their pain, and to speak out against hatred, lest the tragedies of the past be repeated.

I express my appreciation to the members of the Jewish community uh community who are here today, and to you, Mayor, for issuing this important proclamation.

And if we could recognize Councilmember Cayman for sure.

Councilmember Ramirez, first and foremost, I want to thank you for your leadership in bringing this proclamation forward, uh, and also to thank my colleague uh Councilmember Peck for her leadership and partnership.

Um, and of course, Mayor, for bringing this proclamation forward.

Yomha Shoah is a day to honor the strength, resilience, and courage of those not only uh who lost loved ones or who lost their lives, the six million uh during the Shoah, but those who carry their memory forward.

And standing with us are an incredible group of community leaders, uh, whether that's the Holocaust Museum, the Anti-Defamation League, the Jewish Federation, AJC, our public safety and law enforcement partners who represent our community and the entire Houston community, and other community members.

Uh and there's a lot of folks in the audience that are here today as well who partner in this space.

I know uh J.

Michael Trevino is here, uh Judson is here.

Um Director Nichols Mayor has been uh very vocal and an advocate in ensuring that the memory of the six million is not forgotten.

Anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial continues to rise here at home and across the globe.

The ADL reports that 46 percent of adults worldwide, 24 percent of Americans now harbor significant anti-Semitic beliefs.

Twenty percent of 18 to 29-year-olds believe the Holocaust is a myth.

So let that sink in.

Now, 20 percent of 18 to 29-year-olds believe the Holocaust isn't is a myth.

Sixty-three percent of millennials and J Gen Z don't know that six million Jews lost their lives in the Holocaust.

And we know that social media and AI continues to ramp up the hate that we see.

Uh, and hate against one community is hate against all.

We say that anti-Semitism is the canary in the coal mine.

And that rings truer now more than ever.

Uh I'll close with this.

Is Ellie Wizell once said, we must take sides.

Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim.

Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Kamen.

Councilmember Ramirez and everyone that is present representing our community.

And I'm not sure words can describe adequately the necessity for remembrance day of Holocaust.

Gives us an opportunity to pause.

Rededicate ourselves to speaking out against atrocities.

And the starting numbers that Councilman Cayman cited.

Really all of our fault.

Because the young people do not know the story.

In schools and in their families and in our synagogues.

And shame on us as a society.

Because nothing compares with the circumstances of the Holocaust.

And it should shape us going forward.

And I would think that's what the benefit of today's gathering is a rededication of remembrance.

So therefore, I, John Whitmar, Mayor of the City of Houston, hereby proclaim April 14th, 2026, Jean Ha Shoah Remembrance Day in Houston, Texas.

Thank you.

My name is Randy Sunenshein.

I am the Senior Regional Director for ADL Texas, and I'm honored to be invited here today with my colleagues from Jewish organizations and Jewish life across Houston.

Thank you, Mayor, and thank you, Council, for your recognition of such an important remembrance within the community.

When I stand here, I am reminded that together we are the foundation that can steady a society when fear and division threaten to pull us apart.

We're gathered today not just to remember the six million Jewish lives that were lost in the Holocaust and the many other lives lost during this time as well, including the woman that I am named after her, Rahul, but to reaffirm our shared investment in a society that is just, equitable, and worthy of our highest ideals.

I spend a lot of time thinking about how we have tendencies to bucket people between uses and thems.

And these are certainly troubling and turbulent times with its challenges of the moment.

The one thing that, as I encounter the challenges, continues to capture my imagination, is the idea that as people, we are the only species that can feel the pain of a stranger and decide that it is our own.

So for Holocaust Remembrance Day, my hope lies in the fact that maybe we can extend who we think of as the us and extend our compassion to encompass everyone and the struggles and plights that we see in so many communities as well.

This is our civic responsibility.

Today we face a historic surge in anti-Semitic incidents, the highest ADL has recorded since 1979, and we know that hate does not begin with violence.

It begins with the slow erosion of the norms and institutions that hold our communities together.

ADL is meeting this moment together with our partners and in community to turn intelligence and technology into actionable justice that serves community.

We provide critical data and intelligence to law enforcement agencies to identify extremist activity before it causes physical harm.

We train educators to recognize bias, ensuring schools remain places of learning rather than platforms for conspiratorial thinking.

And we mobilize legal professionals to ensure the law remains a force for protection and accountability.

Thank you.

It speaks volumes about our city, our community, and your leadership.

That we've taken the time to commemorate the six million Jews who were murdered in the Holocaust and the millions of other victims of Nazi persecution.

We're here today in grief, in reverence, but most of all in responsibility.

But remembrance alone is not enough.

Our responsibility is to transform memory into moral action.

At HMH, we often speak about the five universal lessons of the Holocaust, not as abstractions, but as urgent truths.

First, that the Holocaust was not inevitable.

It happened because governments, individuals, and institutions made choices, active and passive, that enabled great evil.

Courage and conscience can prevent it from happening again.

Second, is that democracy is fragile.

Hitler and Mussolini both came to power through democratic means, and then they used that power to dismantle the systems around them.

Democratic societies can erode not only through force, but through fear.

Fourth, decisions have consequences, and doing nothing is a decision of its own.

Silence is not neutral.

It's a choice with real impact.

We each have agency, and every act we do requires us to choose whether to be an upstander, a bystander, or a perpetrator.

And finally, that anti-Semitism is not just a Jewish problem.

Left unchecked, it corrodes the very fabric of a free and pluralistic society.

It opens the door to broader forms of hatred and instability.

These aren't lessons from the past.

They're warnings for the present.

The machinery of the Holocaust began with exclusion, with dehumanization, with normalization of violence, and with laws that stripped people of dignity, step by step until cruelty became policy and indifference became complicity.

Yomha Shoah, this holiday, insists that we stop, listen, and bear witness, but also that we act.

The question is not only what we remember, but what we do with that memory.

It means speaking truth to evil, even when it's difficult.

It means confronting anti-Semitism wherever it appears.

It means rejecting hatred and dehumanization in every form.

It means choosing courage over comfort and refusing above all to normalize cruelty.

The responsibility belongs to every generation.

It doesn't live only in museums or in city council halls.

It lives in choices and how we speak, what we challenge, and what we're willing to defend.

To observe Yomha Shoah is to affirm something absolutely essential.

That remembrance is not enough unless it leads to responsibility, that we honor those who were murdered by remembering them, that we honor those who survived by listening to them, and that we honor all of their legacy by the world we help create, a world where hatred is confronted, where dignity is defended, and where silence is never mistaken for neutrality.

Thank you on behalf of the entire community for this resolution.

Councilmember Ramirez and Councilmember Cayman, Mayor Whitmeyer, thank you so much for bringing this proclamation forward.

Um I stand with all of you.

Um thank you for the work that you do.

My grandparents were Holocaust survivors, and I truly understand the importance of remembrance and carrying on the legacy and honoring everyone who came before us with all of those messages.

Thank you so much for all of the great words spoken today.

Um, Councilmember Alcorn.

Thank you.

And thank you, Councilmembers Cayman and Ramirez.

I cannot remember more beautiful speeches than I just heard those two speeches.

Thank you so much for coming.

Thank you for reminding us all what we need to be doing.

Thank you.

Thank you all.

The chair recognizes Councilmember Cayman for a proclamation recognizing Devante.

Metro Robbins for his kindness to his neighbors.

Um to something in terms of celebrating leaders in our community.

Uh Devonta Metro, as he goes by Robins, um is a very special guest today.

Uh those who have had to talk to him consistently say he is one of the kindest people that you will ever meet.

Uh, and you may recognize him from the news or social media where he has recently gone viral for volunteering as a crossing guard in District C every single weekend since October.

Let's give it up for the and uh I've even been driving down West Timer and seen him in action to where I had to stop, pull over and talk to him to get his story.

And I know that uh Metro, as we fondly say, uh does not do this for attention.

He has his own personal story when he was actually uh struck by a vehicle, and I'll share more about that in a minute.

Uh but after an incident like that, many people would avoid placing themselves in front of speeding vehicles as much as possible.

But he has done just the opposite.

So it is my pleasure to introduce those that may not know him uh to Devonta Metro Robbins and present him with this proclamation that I'll go ahead and read.

Mr.

Robbins, affectionately known as Metro, has become a beloved presence at the intersection of West Timer Road and Montrose Boulevard, where he has volunteered his time and energy since October 2025 to help pedestrians cross safely.

He commutes from spring by bus each Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, bringing the neon vest and flashlight that he purchased himself to serve as the community's I'll say official uh crossing guard, offering protection, kindness, and a calming presence at one of the city's busiest intersections.

In 2021, he survived a devastating collision on foot, having been struck by a driver who was fleeing police, which left him hospitalized with lasting injuries.

Rather than allowing this experience to discourage him, he has used it as an inspiration for his mission to prevent others from enduring similar trauma.

Metro's consistency, bravery, and compassion have made him a local celebrity in Montrose and in District C and a symbol of selfless service.

His dedication has not gone unnoticed, prompting a groundswell of community support and a series of viral videos online.

He stands as a powerful reminder of the urgent need for pedestrian safety, demonstrating the responsibility we all share to protect our fellow Houstonians, build community, and spread kindness.

In recognition of his dedicated service, the City of Houston joins his friends, neighbors, residents, and community members in commending and celebrating Devonta Metro Robbins at Houston City Hall.

His selfless commitment to ensuring the safety of others is truly admirable and worthy of emulation by all Houstonians.

Mayor.

Thank you, Councillor Cayman and Mr.

Metro.

Yes, sir.

Thank you to for being at your city hall.

You need to be safe.

Okay, can we get an agreement on that?

Yes, sir.

Uh and you set a very high standard for all of us.

Because you're a public servant, whether you're ever on the ballot or not.

So thank you for your public service.

Take care of yourself and uh let's recruit some more, Mr.

Metros.

Okay?

Yes, sir.

Your role model.

How old are you?

I'm 20.

I've been doing it since I was nine.

You're 20?

Yes, sir.

Can I ask you?

Are you in school?

Uh I graduated from North Shore Senior High School to 525.

Okay.

What do you want to be doing five years from now?

Um right now, I work in McCormick Middle.

Okay.

And um it's a great job, but I'm trying to work on my license right now.

I have a permit right now.

I would like to be a first responder.

Uh working.

We'll we'll talk about it.

You take care of it, be safe.

Yes, sir.

You got a lot of public service in front of you.

Therefore, I, John Whitmaier, Mayor of the City of Houston, hereby proclaim April 14th, 2026, Devonta Metro Robins Day across this great city.

Thank you.

Thank you.

You want to say anything?

Hello, I just want to say thank you to Kes uh Councilor Member Cayman.

Cayman and the mayor that I was invited by, and I just want to say y'all stay safe in the city streets.

You know, I was in uh y'all familiar with rest time and Metros.

That cats crosswalk coming around that curve.

Yes, it's real dangerous at night.

So I try my best, you know, to like help out people as much as I can.

Because I work my do Friday, but I take time off on Thursdays when I get off Fridays and Saturdays and Sundays will.

So I just want to say thank you.

I just stay safe.

Thank you.

You want to take off your time, man?

You're gonna hold it?

There you go, Mayor.

We will get you good right here.

One, two, three.

Thank you, ma'am.

The chair recognizes Mayor Whitmeyer for a proclamation recognizing the Houston Furniture Bank for their no kids sleep on the floor multi-year initiative.

Thank you, members.

Um, all your volunteers.

Quality of life is so essential and to share your experience with others and your motivation is everything.

And by the way, you did come up to me about a week ago at a grill and invited me to your gala, which I think you should invite all my colleagues, because not only have I been to your location uh I've spread the word.

And I think Councilmember Martinez actually, I was looking for you, uh, took me to your location.

And uh it's a game changer.

And you and I'll give you an opportunity to describe what you do, but you take donated furniture, improve it, and then give it to less fortunate individuals.

So we're all blessed to be here today to recognize somebody that quietly goes about with your team, uh, refurbishing, repairing, and spreading furniture.

So no child, I know your goal, our go, sleeps on the floor.

And Councilman Martinez is so proud that you're located in his community, and uh he routinely takes individuals there.

So thank you.

I'm gonna yield actually to my colleague who does so much good work with your organization.

Thank you, Mayor.

And uh, you know, just a few words.

Um the the actual program, the no kids, uh no kids sleeping on the floor initiative that kicked off a few years back, and to be able to take the mayor to help highlight and elevate this message.

Um, it hit personal to me.

Um might not know, but uh group in a big family.

Uh I know Chancellor Fred and I we always talk about it.

Uh, but at one point it was nine of us in a one-bedroom apartment.

So you can't have nine beds, plus my mom and my dad.

So it hit personal to me.

Uh when Ollie, who's uh you know, has been in District I prior to their new location and and so now, and so uh being able to elevate this message to to a point where folks know the good work that they're doing, but also how to how do more folks get involved and and participate in making sure that uh kids have a bed because we know with folks sleep well, their mental health is better, their physical uh health is better all around, and so then from there, you know, school's better, uh, and then they leave they live a better, better life as well.

And so uh Mayor, I just want to say thank you for bringing them uh here as well, and you know, we're here to continue to support uh the work that y'all are doing.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And what's the date of your gala?

The 14th?

It has been uh re-established now from May 14th to September the 9th.

Okay at the Hilton Post.

Yeah, we thank you for your leadership.

Thank you, sir.

And therefore, I John Whitmore, mayor of the city of Houston, hereby proclaim April 14th, 2026 is the furniture bank day in Houston, Texas.

Thank you, ladies and gentlemen.

Thank you, Mayor Whitmeyer.

Joaquin Martinez, your uh your special for us.

We really appreciate everything that you do for us.

Uh on behalf of uh the board, the employees, and uh friends of the furniture bank, and as the uh furniture bank chair, we want to thank you, Mayor Whitmeyer.

Uh we're blessed to have you and council, thank you very much.

And uh this proclamation gives us more credibility, uh awareness and visibility uh to the community here, which we desperately need.

So thank you so much for that.

And I'd like to take a little bit of time, if I could, to introduce Oli Mohammed, which Joaquin said, which has been the he is the founder and director of the furniture bank for the last 33 years, and I'd like him to uh tell you a little bit about the furniture bank mission and the impact, positive impact that we've got uh for Houston.

Mayor, what an honor for uh after 33 years to stand here in front of the council and talk about something that we had been working tirelessly.

So, first of all, I want to really recognize the board members that are present here Dr.

Schnee, Larry Cress, Gloria Gloria Needle, and everybody else.

I've Michael is uh really putting a path for us with the uh roadmap for uh retailers, a program where all the retailers in Houston, all the furniture retailers can become a part of this initiative so that Houston can become the first city in this great nation where no child will ever have to go to sleep on the floor, and that is possible.

It is not a pipe dream because in this city, if you guys know or don't, over 750,000 mattresses goes to the landfill every year.

You can line them up from downtown Houston to downtown Dallas, come back, go back, come back again every year.

That's what we are doing.

On the other hand, 300,000, a minimum, 300,000 children goes to sleep on the floor every night in this great city.

That is a shame for us.

While we can recycle, refurbish, and make this city a city where no child goes to sleep on the floor.

With your support, with the council's support, with the mayor who has taken furniture bank in his heart, with a city councilman that is really pulling the furniture bank forward.

And we can, in fact, you guys can set a date that will make an announcement from this chamber that Houston is a city where no child will ever have to go to sleep on the floor, and we'll do it responsibly.

We'll do it in a way that that makes total social and environmental sense.

So the 23 cubic feet bar mattress going into a landfill.

It's and staying there for a hundred years is not acceptable.

So thank you very much for your attention.

We will make it happen with your support.

Thank you.

And you're all invited.

We'll send you uh send you an invitation to the uh to our gala.

I hope you guys can make it.

Thank you very much again.

Uh Councilmember Cayman.

Mayor, we do have a we do have a council member in queue.

Councilmember Kiman.

Very quickly, first, thank you all so much.

Um, I used to donate furniture to the Innocence Project.

Um, and that I felt was such a worthy cause.

Can you just explain very briefly how residents can donate furniture and support in that way?

The gala is very important, but how do people um actually start uh participating?

Sure.

We we all you have to do is to go to the furniture bank website, and the website explains very clearly how you can donate.

If it's uh if it's a donation that you need to happen immediately because of our lack of resources, that might that might cost you a few bucks, but uh there is also another pickup there, which is not priority.

So we'll do that.

Also, another thing is we have three different outlets for where we sell furniture today's funds.

It's on the 1960 champions forest, and right in front of gallery furniture and on our furniture bank location.

So please come and shop from us.

Thank you very much.

Uh bit right here.

Next, the chair recognizes Councilmember Thomas, who will commemorate Fair Housing Month.

Who's this?

Someone left their phone.

Someone left their phone.

Don't act like y'all afraid to come to the way y'all try to bum rush me.

Y'all better come over to this.

Yeah.

Uh mayor, colleagues, if I could have your attention into um our viewing audience and those in chamber.

April marks the 56th anniversary of the Fair Housing Act of 1968.

Uh, fair housing was something that the late Dr.

Martin Luther King uh Jr.

advocated for, unfortunately was unable to see this realized um due to his assassination.

But today in the city of Houston, I'm overjoyed and humbled to have before you a limited representation of our partners in chambers that help us do this work every day.

Uh fair housing, which means access to safe and stable affordable housing is a fundamental right and a cornerstone of thriving communities in Houston.

Many local organizations work to meet this need and support residents and accessing housing opportunities.

I am grateful for everyone who helps us live out this mission each and every day.

The organizations today that are represented include the Housing Alliance HTX, of course, our wonderful housing and community development department that provides wonderful visionary leadership to our partners, the Houston Land Bank, the Houston Community Land Trust that continues to promote permanent affordability, the Coalition for the Homeless, the Houston Area Urban League, the Houston Housing Collaborative, the Houston Housing Finance Corporation, the Houston Apartment Association, the Texas Houses, and last but definitely definitely not least, the Houston Association of Realtors.

Some organizations provide direct assistance.

The Housing Alliance offers affordable housing options, rental assistance, and support of services.

Our amazing housing and community development department and the Houston Land Bank supports sustainable development across the city.

The Houston Community Land Trust helps preserve land and create permanent affordability of housing, ensuring long-term access to safe and quality homes, and to address homelessness.

It's just something dear to all of us.

The Coalition for Homeless and the Houston Area Urban League provides services, conducts research, and supports policy solutions to reduce and prevent homelessness.

And as a courtesy, I would like to acknowledge in chamber.

Do we have our uh Judson Robinson?

There we go.

Former council member, and you know that uh once you're a council member, you're always a council member in these chambers.

And I just want to acknowledge his presidents.

We we know him as the CEO of the Urban League, but he is also in the fraternity of council members that have represented this city.

The Houston Housing Collaborative works to address systemic barriers through partnership, advocacy, and community-based solutions.

The Houston Housing Finance Corporation supports affordable housing development through funding and assistance to communities in need.

And so, Mr.

Mayor, I'm so excited to present this group to you.

So, in recognition of these efforts and the 56th anniversary of the Fair Housing Act of 1968, the City of Houston observes Fair Housing Month to honor these organizations working every day to expand access to safe and affordable housing.

Mr.

Mayor.

Thank you, Councilmember Thomas.

You did a great job of naming the stakeholders.

I'm sure there's still some stakeholders that were not able to be here today, but I just want to emphasize that fair housing didn't just happen.

I can look around.

There's so many people that were standing on their shoulders.

And I'll give you even a personal story to verify the impression that I've got fighting for fair housing.

In 1968, members, I was a senior at Walter Pass School, Northwest Houston.

Houston wasn't as inclusive as it is today.

What do you think the main issue in 1968 for George Bush, President 41, his re-election as a congressman?

And obviously, I was watching public affairs, a senior.

Hell, four years later, I was in the legislature.

The main issue, the controversy was he voted for the open housing, fair housing act.

And it was a real hot campaign.

So we have so many to thank.

And we can celebrate that we've come so far from the days where that campaign took place, the ugliness of that campaign.

But it also means we've got a lot of work left to do.

Everyone is present today.

Therefore, our John Whitmer, Mayor of the City of Houston, hereby proclaim April 2026 is Fair Housing Month in Houston, Texas.

Thank you.

First of all, a heartfelt thanks to Councilmember Tiffany Thomas for her continued advocacy and leadership in advancing housing initiatives that strengthen our Houston communities.

Her support and partnership have been deeply, deeply meaningful.

Thank you.

And not only that, her expertise.

I also want to make sure we take time to thank the Mayor Whitmeyer and the entire Whitmire administration for its continued street strong commitments to housing initiatives.

It is an honor for me to accept this proclamation on behalf of this whole group.

I'm one among many.

And as we hear as we see every day, Houston's strength.

Its strength is in its collaboration of political organizations and nonprofits, service organizations, and we see it right behind us.

Government only works with this collaboration.

I take a minute just to think about what fair housing means to me.

It's about more than where a person lives.

It's about dignity, opportunity, and the ability for every resident to access housing without barriers or discrimination.

It is a principle that remains central to the strength and future of this entire city.

At HCD, we are committed to doing our part to advance that vision every day.

From expanding affordable housing opportunities to investing in resources to help families maintain and preserve their homes to supporting the growth and revitalization of thriving neighborhoods, to moving people experiencing homelessness to independent sustainability.

Our work and your work is grounded in the belief that housing opportunities should be affordable and accessible.

We are very proud to stand along the many critical stand alongside the many critical partners who help uphold fairness in housing, organizations, advocates, community stakeholders, and agencies who work every day to ensure residents are informed, protected, and supported.

Again, this whole group of partners, and if we miss somebody, tell me now, I'll make your name.

This is just the group that stands behind all of these housing initiatives.

Thank you, Mayor.

Thank you, Councilwoman.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilman, I I was remiss in acknowledging Neil Ratcliffe, former director of the housing and community development department, so thank you for your leadership.

And I'd like to introduce our newest board chair of the Houston Housing Finance Corporation.

Thank you, Councilman.

Uh, Councilwoman Thomas.

Uh thank you all for the opportunity to speak for you.

My name is Ryan Mendez.

I'm the president of the Houston Housing Finance Corporation, was recently inducted by Mayor Whitmeyer, and I didn't have a chance to say it or there, but thank you so much for your confidence.

It's a true honor to be able to serve in this role.

Uh to be honest, I had a speech prepared, but I have never said in a proclamation day.

And what I saw today is actually a testament to the importance of fair housing, and here's why.

I have seen several groups come up here and receive their flowers, and the one commonality is diversity.

It's unbelievable to me, and just for reference, I'm 43 years old.

So 58 years ago, Fair Housing Act was passed, 1989, the Texas Fair Housing Act was passed.

I grew up in a city that was framed and defined by diversity as a strength as our economic driver, is the place where my father, a Mexican American from the Valley, was able to rise to great, great heights in his professional career.

This city is nothing without its diversity.

This dais is a representation of that.

I am so grateful to be here, but one of the things that we're doing is affordability.

That's the new challenge.

You know, I'm proud to live in a place where you can't be discriminated on where you want to live based on race, color, creed, sexual or uh sexual orientation, familiar status, disability.

Um, yet today we have new challenges.

Um struction starts at an all-time low, affordability is disappearing, while rents were flat over the last two years, projected they're going to be increasing three to five percent every year from 2027 through the next decade.

That's going to create a lot of stress.

Um what we're seeing now is building of luxury high-rises, infill communities, and there's a place for that, and it is important for our community.

Um I think of what Councilman Martinez just said growing up in a family of nine sleeping on the floor of a one-bedroom apartment.

Uh I went to U of H.

I was a proud member of the Hispanic Business Student Association.

Many of my friends and my wife shared that exact same experience when they came to this country, and just went through their parents and their hard work.

The reality is that they would have even had that opportunity at one point in their life to share those bedrooms.

So I think that speaks to the importance of the Fair Housing Act and the bravery of the people that were there and in tumultuous time in our country's history to pass this.

It shows up where we are today.

Uh, it makes me proud to be an American and proud to be a Houstonian and extremely proud to represent the Houston Housing Finance Corporation in this chambers.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to speak.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

To yield some of my time to former members of Judge.

That's what I was getting ready to be on the same page.

Wonderful.

Because he not only was a member, but his father was a trailblazer.

I got elected legislature in 72.

Judge's father was the only person of color on City Council, correct me, Judge.

Correct.

Yeah, my members.

The 55th year.

The only person, and that was in 72.

Elected in 71.

And uh as councilmember just mentioned, it was 55 years ago, so it's a what a gentleman.

Very historic year in our history as a city.

Uh, in our testament to diversity, and to the reflection of what we see here on City Council today.

Uh what a fantastic city.

What fantastic leadership we have with you, Mayor, and with you, Councilmember.

Uh, but these were hard fought civil rights that we are slowly seeing evaporating uh as we speak.

And so it's important today to recognize not only what we're doing right this very second, but all the other speakers that came before us and what they are fighting for and what they're making sure that we recognize as part of our unique history as a city, as for the individual things that they are doing and the impact that it's having on people.

But this is a federal law that made sure that we're talking about fairness in housing.

And it's something we can't let slip away.

So, mayor, thank you so much for making sure that this was something that was special today.

Thank you, Councilmember, for your leadership in this space, and to all my partners who serve in this area, Neil.

Uh, you know, this is what it's all about.

Let's make sure we come together so we'll have a great city today and into the future.

Very good.

Thank you, Joe.

Thank you much.

Councilmember Pollard.

Thank you, Mayor Pro Tim, and thank you to Mayor uh Councilmember Thomas, all the leadership that's here.

This is a star study group.

You said a limited representation, but a very A-list group, Mr.

Edwards and others.

Good to see you all.

And upholding what makes our city great, which is our diversity.

And it wasn't because uh people just rolled over and allowed it to happen.

People had to fight for it.

People have to see the importance of bringing everyone up, really focusing on the word fairness, and ensuring that within the city of Houston there was leadership there did not cower to others that were trying to push against that.

And so this is a great testament uh to be able to celebrate that, uh, but also recognize that some of those same struggles are still present today.

Right.

And your leadership is needed more than ever uh to ensure that uh fairness is upheld, the diversity of our city is something that we stand on and that we push back against any forces that are looking to derail that.

So I want to thank you all uh for your leadership and your time here today.

God bless you.

Councilmember Evan Shabbaz.

Thank you, Mayor Pro Tim.

Certainly um thank you to Councilmember Tiffany D.

Thomas as well as to the mayor and and you we and our distinguished guest.

I am a real estate broker who makes no money because of my current duty.

But certainly I know how important it is.

You know, homeownership changed the trajectory of a person's life.

Uh, but I also wanted to lift up a uh honorable uh person that's among us, Kelly P.

Hodges.

Uh, she's not only my thora, but she's also an elected trustee in Spring ISD, and I congratulate her and certainly Judson Robertson for your leadership in choosing her uh as the director of the Houston Area Urban League Fund Development and Communications.

So thank you all for coming.

We're gonna make it do what it is.

Thank you.

Thank you very much, Councilmember Thomas, for bringing this forward to the mayor and everyone.

Uh we say it all the time in government, we cannot do this work alone, and we all can agree that um the place that people call home impacts so many aspects of their lives.

So we can never grow tired of the fight for fair housing in our city and across our country.

So thank you for the great work that you continue to do.

Thank congratulations.

Thank you.

And Mayor Pro Tim and Mayor, if I can just share with you, Eric Goody, one of the executives with the Urban League is here.

He's celebrating 27 years of service to the Houston Area Urban League, a fixture at 1301, Texas.

So we want to thank you for congratulations.

None of this work is easy.

Can we go and change?

Can we go inside?

Yeah.

Come inside.

Sure, sure.

I I forgot to acknowledge another uh honorable uh elected, and that would be Lalu Davies right there with the Houston Community College.

You don't excuse me, Houston City College College.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I got your council.

There we go.

Next, the chair recognizes Mayor Whitmeyer for a proclamation honoring David D.

Medina for his distinguished thirty-five years of service to Rice University.

What do you do?

Thank you, members.

David, this is long overdue.

I don't know why it took this body so long to bring an outstanding mentor to thousands of students and your contributions to this great city.

As a director of multi-cultural community relations at Rice University.

And as we were citing some of the challenges that our community has gone through, certainly to have open housing.

You've seen it all as well.

And you were steadfast, using it to motivate your students, serving on the mayor's Hispanic Advisory Board for I think eighteen years.

Medina.

Well, thank you.

Thank you, Mayor Whitmeyer and City Council members.

I'm greatly honored to be recognized with this proclamation, especially to be recognized in this room filled with people who are striving to make the city of Houston better.

I worked at Rice University for thirty-five years because I love my job of bringing diverse communities together to help them move forward.

And although we face many challenges, many of us were given opportunities to improve our lot.

I am forever grateful for this help.

And do we not reach out right with some way to give back to the community to assist others find success?

So thank you for this awesome award.

Thank you.

Thank you, Member Tim.

David Mayor, first thank you for bringing David here for us to be able to hear his story as well.

And David, you just want to say thank you for all the work you've been doing.

As the mayor said, there's not there's a lot of folks that always try and get in the front of the in the of the crowd to say, hey, I'm doing this.

Uh rarely have folks seen you uh in that space.

Uh but that just proves that the work that you're doing is it's intentional, it's meaningful, and I just want to say thank you for all your work that you've done, and quite frankly, I think there's there's more that we need to be hearing about you.

Uh so that way other other young Latinos, especially for the second word in the radio area, can see that they have a place as well similar to you.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilman Monthness.

Congratulations.

Yes, it is my honor to welcome my pastor Keaton King of St.

Philip Presbyterian Church to lead us in prayer.

Thank you, Councilwoman Salinas.

On behalf of the community of St.

Philip Presbyterian Church of Houston, I bring greetings and a word of gratitude for your civil service.

As Houston City Council members and Mayor Whitmeyer.

These are challenging times, but it is for such a time as this that you hold public office.

Houstonians appreciate you and your best efforts to fairly govern and value people over partisanship.

I thank you for the invitation to offer the invocation this day.

Let us pray.

Holy one, our God, our help in ages past, our hope for years to come.

We give you thanks for the gift of this day, for the exercise of democracy, for the privilege of public service, and for government which orders civic life to ensure the flourishing of all people.

Wise rulers still seek you, O God, and so we ask your blessing upon Houston City Council members as they serve a public trust.

Help them as leaders to summon the moral courage to do what is right when it isn't politically expedient or popular.

Grant to each of them wisdom, mercy, integrity, and deep compassion for their constituents.

Grant to all of them mutual forbearance, openness to learn from each other, and an unwavering desire to improve the lives of Houstonians, particularly those most vulnerable, the sick, the incarcerated, the unhoused, the undocumented, the hungry, and the poor.

Gracious God, we seek your presence in the business before City Council.

That all dialogue and decisions made today will make Houston a beacon of kindness in a country held captive by rage, a haven of diversity in a world poisoned by prejudice, and a model of inclusion in a time when we most urgently need to become neighbors to one another.

We pray in your strong name, creator, redeemer, and advocate, one God, now and forever.

Amen.

Please rise to the pledge.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic, which stands one nation under God, individual with liberty and justice law.

Please call the role, Mr.

Secretary.

Mayor White, Mayor President, Mayor Whitmeyer.

Present.

Councilmember Peck.

Here.

Councilmember Jackson.

Here.

Councilmember Cayman.

Present.

Councilmember Evans of Oz.

Here.

Councilmember Flickinger.

Councilmember Thomas?

Here.

Councilmember Huffman.

Present.

Councilmember Castillo will be absent.

Councilmember Martinez.

Here.

Councilmember Pollard.

Councilmember Castax Tatum.

Here.

Councilmember Ramirez.

Here.

Councilmember Davis.

Councilmember Carter.

Councilmember Salinas.

And Councilmember Alcorn.

Yeah.

Need a motion to adopt the minutes of March 31st and April 1st and April 7th and 8th.

Castex Tatum move.

Second.

Motion made and seconded.

All in favor say yes.

Those opposed nay.

Motion passes.

Procedural motions.

Councilmember Salinas.

Yes, I'd like to move to add Dustin Reiders, Jennifer Canales, and David Donati to the top of the three-minute non-agenda list.

Second.

Motion made and second.

All in favor say yes.

Those opposed, nay.

Motion passes.

Councilman Carter.

Thank you, Mayor.

I'd like to move to suspend the rules to add Marion Wright to the bottom of the one minute non-agenda for two minutes.

Motion made and second.

All in favor say yes.

Those opposed nay.

Motion passes.

Councilmember Jackson.

Thank you, Mayor.

I move to suspend the rules to add um Ivy McGregor, Stephen Taylor, and Craig Hawkins at the bottom after Felicia Kizzy under the three-minute non-agenda list.

Motion made in second.

All in favor say yes.

Those opposed, nay.

Motion passes.

Anyone else?

If not, please call our first speaker.

Ariane Whittle.

To be followed by DeWan Carter.

Good afternoon.

My name is Ariane Whittle, and I am coming up as a mentee representative for the CA4Y Credible Messenger Program.

And there are many reasons that led up to me becoming a part of the CA4Y credible messenger program back in August of 2025.

During recent obstacles I experienced an unfortunate series of events, resulting in it being one of the lowest points of my life.

But it was all a part of a season that challenged me in ways I never expected.

As an Alabama native residing here in Texas, I found myself without my family nearby, very few friends, and little to no resources.

At one point I began relying on the kindness of friends just to have a place to lay my head, and while also trying to recover from unemployment and figure out how to rebuild my life.

In the middle of the uncertainty, I knew I needed more purpose.

So CA4Y credible messenger program, I can only say has been a positive turning point in my life, considering that it brought me to connections such as medical assistant career training, skills and preparedness, legal assistance, therapeutic practitioning sessions, and advocacy group internship opportunity and drastic life changes.

Not only have I seen a difference in myself, but the people around me noticed a difference in my situation in the way I show up.

This program has given me a different outlook on life.

I've seen different levels of growth, elevation, and more importantly, I've been surrounded with people who saw my potential, even when I struggled to see it myself.

Through this journey, I've gained more than just resources.

I've gained a renewed sense of who I am and what I am capable of becoming.

Today I stand here not just as someone who has experienced hardship, but as someone who is growing, rebuilding and moving forward successfully, and for that I'm more than grateful.

Thank you to Councilmember.

Council member Tarsha Jackson for funding this organization in order for them to support individuals like me.

Thank you, ma'am.

Councilman Davis.

Just a second, ma'am.

Councilman Dallas Davis.

Councilman Jackson.

Thank you, Mayor.

And thank you, Miss Wheedy, for coming in and sharing your story.

Young men and women who are unemployed.

And so we're just excited to be able to fund this program.

This actually, um, colleagues, this is on the agenda tomorrow.

Um, agenda number 35, where we're gonna continue to support the credible messenger program.

Young people like you, so thank you so much for just sticking with it.

Thank you.

You know, because we can create the programs, but we need the young people, the participants to stick with it and follow it through, and you have.

So thank you so much for coming in and sharing your story.

I appreciate it.

Thank you, ma'am.

Next.

Oh, he's got a good one.

Good afternoon, everybody.

I'm the one called I'm also coming on behalf of the credible messenger group.

Um, I just want to speak on first.

Um it's bigger than me.

Um, I started the program.

I met my mentor, Jace at a um a roof I was working on, and um he was speaking to a mentee that he I wasn't even worrying about being in the program, I was just listening, and he caught my attention with graphic design.

And for me going to do graphic design, I might not uh I I finished the program, I graduated, and I'm also working on being a mentor.

I'm looking into that because I do love kids out with five-year-old son of my own, and I do want to leave because I feel like it's like I said it's bigger than me.

Uh um, I grew up in programs like this.

I played sports all my life, I'm a full sport athlete, football, basketball, baseball, and I ran track.

I just look a little rough around the edges.

And um, it's art.

I like art.

So um, I also have an AI YouTube channel, and I say that to say that comes from me doing graphic design and just thinking out the box.

I actually have two that just started as of two weeks generating money.

It's not no life-changing money, but it is money, and that came from me doing the uh joining the program and trying to start doing graphic design, and it made me just think outside the box.

But programs like this are needed in the inner city.

Young men that look like me need this program.

I don't I don't you want to call it the hood or the ghetto, whatever you want to call it.

We need programs like this.

I'm from New Orleans, Louisiana, and I was in a program before Katrina.

It was called St.

Mark's, and um, it was a male mentoring program.

And they taught us carpentry.

I learned how to make a dog house and build a bird house.

I learned how to paint.

And um, from that they sold them and put money in our pocket, and that kept me straightforward because I I'm a only child, and my mother worked good jobs.

She worked all my life from six in the morning to six in the evening.

So I had nothing but time to be in trouble.

But from programs and just mentors in general in the urban areas, I'll I I stayed out of trouble.

I played football.

They they directed me to sports.

So I with all that being said, programs like this are needed in the inner city.

It doesn't matter color, it doesn't matter black, brown, or white.

They have people all colors in the inner cities in the ghetto in the hoods, whatever you want to label them.

And we are needed.

They are needed, so please don't forget about us.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilman Jackson.

Thank you, Mr.

Carter, for coming and sharing your um story.

And again, thank you, colleagues, for voting to support our credible messenger funding on tomorrow so that we can keep this program going so we can make sure that our young men and women have opportunities like the jobs and places to stay, and just a mentor to guide them.

Um y'all know this is like very important to me because my son went before he got caught into the system.

Um, he didn't have a mentor.

And this is a mentor would have helped redirect him.

Um and so just making sure we have those opportunities laid out for these young men is what we need.

So thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Counselor Davis.

Thank you, Mayor.

I move to suspend the rule to add uh Nathaniel Leonard to the top of the one-minute agenda list.

Move.

Yes.

Motion passes.

Nathaniel Leonard.

To be followed by Elsa Flores.

Uh okay.

Oh, yeah, I see.

For a little over 20 years, 22, 23 years where I could not work.

And I was basically knocked out, kidnapped, brainwashed, and kept from work.

Number one thing was kept from work, and if you can work, you can take care of your life or or family or something and pay bills.

And I wasn't able to do that, and then also been knocked out, kidnapped, and brainwashed to be one of to control my life and send me places and stuff.

Been around all over Houston and a few places in Texas.

Uh you know, Dallas, definitely Austin.

Uh and uh I guess your time has expired.

Huh?

Is that it, Mr.

Woodmark?

Yeah.

Okay.

Thank you, sir.

Okay.

Who do I get back with?

Renee.

If you can talk to Renee.

Talk to Renee or Rebecca.

Rebecca, will you get the information, please?

Talk to this lady right here, Rebecca Williams.

Over by the door.

Thank you, Ms.

Mr.

Goodmark.

Next.

Elsa Flores.

Good afternoon, uh members of City Council, good afternoon, Mayor.

Uh, my name is Elsa Flores.

I'm the president of SCIU Texas.

And I am here today on behalf of the housekeepers and service workers at the convention and entertainment center who have not received the raise since 2023.

That's three years.

Three years that rent goes up, three years that groceries go up, groceries and everything else that you can think of, but workers' salaries have not gone up.

Workers are struggling.

After paying rent and basic expenses, they have nothing left to survive on.

Workers are making impossible choices.

Do they buy food or do they get buy gas so that they can actually get to work?

Workers are not asking for anything extraordinary.

They are asking for fair pay.

Houston First already supported higher wages for the Hilton Americas.

Those workers now have $20 minimum wage and they're getting raises to up to $22 for some cases.

Thank you, Elsa, for being here.

Thank you so much, sir.

Have a good day.

Just a second.

Elsa.

Councilman Martinez.

Thank you, Mayor.

Thank you for being here to the members of SEIU.

Um, th this is a a similar conversation we had not too long ago with Unite here.

And I am committed and will be c consistent with the same messaging as then.

Um as downtown is doing better, that needs to trickle down to the folks that are in the hospitality space.

Uh we we cannot continue to have uh 50,000 uh visitors and not make sure and not make sure that the folks that are taking care of those visitors are not having uh a fair wage as well.

And so uh thank you for continuing to speak up.

Um there's one thing that's important to me is making sure that folks um can have a decent pay so that way they're not working two or three jobs because you need to be at home with your families as well, and all that matters uh in making the city uh stronger and thriving c city as well.

So thank you for your leadership as uh to the to the SEIU group.

Uh CG con la lucha aquí stock on the let me just say uh you know today I'm here to speak about George Hart Brown Convention Center, but I know I've spoken to some of you that we need to lift up all city subcontract workers in the city, and we'll be back to be able to talk about that.

Yes, Councilman Cayman.

Thank you mayor um Elsa I too wanted to thank you all of SCIU I see even some of our airport workers standing together in solidarity on this so thank you all for taking the time to be here to use your voice I Elsa I it sounded like you may have gotten cut off was there anything else you wanted to say just uh how extremely proud I am of the city our members are the backbone of the convention center we're about to have you know we've had world class events whether it's a convention or whether it's a sports event our members are the backbone of those events and make our city even greater so we appreciate the calls to uh Houston first to make sure they're not left behind.

Thank you Elsa so much for being here I just wanted to give you the opportunity do you have any specific ask of myself and my colleagues that we can do to support you in this fight.

Again uh you know we understand that it is Houston first that puts out the contracts they're the ones who decide how much money goes into this contract so I call to um that committee or that board and the CEO would be greatly appreciated.

Be glad to do it thank you.

Counselor Ever thank you Mayor thank you Elsa these are boots on the ground that's right and we certainly need to support them in their efforts certainly to be able to have a a livable wage and to be able to to live and support their families so I've always been on board with SEIU and I will continue thank you we appreciate it I'll be safe next to be followed by Marie Bird Lucas Olga Villegas soy una trabajadora soy una trabajadora del centro de convenciones limpio listo para receber assistents my name is I work as a cleaner housekeeper at the George Robern Convention Center.

I'm proud to keep our convention center in clean and welcoming place but I cannot survive on my salary of fifteen dollars an hour significantly for me that adds up to about two thousand dollars a month I use half of my salary to pay my rent no puedo medicine decided si compro medicina or pagum bill in my target that means I have nothing left to pay for my medicine I need every month I have to choose do I risk going with my medication do I miss one of my bills do I put on my credit card and go deeper in debt con todos no podemos sobrevivir con estos salarios los trabajadores del the banquete del GRB los trabajadores del hotel receiver un aumento andamos un aumento we cannot survive with our current salaries food workers in GRB and hotel workers already got a raise and we need to one as well for losers del GRB todos los trabajadores contratados por la ciudad we need your support on higher pays at the GRB and for all city contractor workers thank you thank you so this is the second time we're here and we have not heard a response thank you council martinis ma'am thank you mayor olga uh recibirlo entonces a darlo uh uh houston first uh no the rato conversation con los que trabajaron in el Hilton is ustedes tenendo un pago uh the un trabajo no uh

Compartando con todos los que están aquí es important porque no se uh uh Houston first, but explique con el says que aquí stockes.

Uh no we to move the mismo conversation conoske trabajar in Hilton.

And most important is ustedes ten un pago de un trabajo, no uh muchos you know, those or three trabajos, but veneer.

Uh muscles.

To be followed by Mary and Wright.

Uh good afternoon.

I'm Mari Bird Lucas, a constituent in District C.

Thank you, Council Members Cayman, Salinas, and Pollard.

Thank you for your leadership in working to follow the Constitution and to keep Houstonians safe.

Thank you, Mayor and Council members for voting to stay true to the Constitution and limit HPD's cooperation with ICE once a lawful stop is over.

Special shout out to my fellow Houstonians for standing up and demanding action by our elected city officials.

Governor Abbott now threatens to defund police and emergency services.

Shame.

I expect you, Mayor Whitmeyer and Council members to stand strong and fight Abbott's overreach.

Fight to defend our Houston laws and work to keep all Houstonians safe.

Thank you.

Good.

Thank you.

Hi, my name's Marion Wright, and I'm here to ask all of y'all to stand together to figure out how to make Houston safer.

Is Houston safer with the ordinance that was just passed?

We just lost a hundred and ten million dollars.

Is that safer?

Is it?

Did the ordinance actually ever change anything?

According to Councilmember Martinez, he said the ordinance really didn't do much.

More has to be done.

What has to be done?

How can we make Houston safer?

What do we need to do?

When someone comes in with a mission and they have a mission, and their mission in three weeks has actually caused a riff between Houston police, John Mayor Whitmaier, and any relationship we maybe had with Austin.

Does that make sense?

Is that the direction we want to go in?

Is there a way that we can all come together and meet and speak and figure out something?

Could this have been done without passing an ordinance?

If we turned around and asked HPD if y'all would report to us quarterly, would they have done that?

Is anything different?

No, the only thing that's different right now than what it was is now we have a giant spotlight and everyone's turned around and it's causing division.

It's not causing unity, it's not bringing us together.

So we have a choice.

And we did that.

And the consequence of that seems to be that there's leadership in Austin that wants to now intervene on matters that we have already settled here in Houston.

I am to the belief that uh for those who supported this item should remain supportive of this item.

We should remain Houston strong.

We should remain a city that is welcoming, a city that is diverse, a city that is fair.

All the things that we hold our hat on, it comes down to our actions now, and our actions have to speak louder than our words.

And so all of the uh assertions that you have just put forward, we have already discussed.

And we are a safe city when people feel safe.

And people have come to us asking us to put forth policy that will make them feel safe.

We can't determine what the state level or leadership is going to do with their funds.

I would hope that they would not defund the police.

I would hope that they would make sure that resources are available for law enforcement and first responders.

We want that.

But we don't have control over every dollar from the state level.

We can control Houston matters.

And that's what we have done this past week, and that's what we continue uh to do each week that we come forward on your behalf.

So thank you for coming forward, and I appreciate your input and your engagement, and I look forward to continuing the discussion going forward.

Thank you.

May I respond to Evan Shabazz?

Thank you, Mayor.

I'm really trying to hold my mute, but I'm just gonna say, are we safer with our police officers standing on the side of the road waiting on ice that may or may not come?

I don't think we're safer.

And it really disturbs me that we are elected officials here and we're closer to the people than the people that are trying to stop us from doing our jobs.

And we listen to the people, and that ordinance is legal.

And so to say that we should be strong armed into doing what another person or persons think that we should do, because they're not they're not supported by their legislature.

They are coming forth as individuals in their capacity to tell us what we need to be doing.

We we were very, very thoughtful in this process.

And I am one that will continue to stand to support that.

And what else is it but hypocrisy that you want to take money from people in public safety?

That's exactly what it is.

But yet you say that you are concerned about public safety, but we're gonna put your arm behind your back and take the money back to stop you from being able to support those that they say that they support.

Our men and women in blue.

So I don't need a response from you.

If anybody else does, then carry on.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Yes, ma'am.

Councilman Flick and sure.

Do you have anything else you wanted to add?

Yes, thank you.

I do.

First of all, when this came up, we're sitting here hearing that we spoke to Houstonians.

It was never brought to the super neighborhoods.

It was never brought to the neighborhoods.

Someone came in with a mission, and they claimed that it was a mission, and that's what it went through.

If we all would have come together and spoken, we would have come up with something that possibly would have been better.

But we don't know if we could have done that or not, because someone came in with a mission, and the mission was to put a spotlight as they laugh at me.

They look at each other and laugh.

It's not funny.

It's really not amusing, and it's not funny.

You might think it's funny, but it's not.

This is affecting all Houstonians.

It is.

And everyone deserves to be heard.

What happened when y'all have the public sessions at night?

Is y'all turn around and y'all have these public sessions at night, and there are calls that go out to certain groups to come here and they organize and they come out and they speak.

You're not hearing from all Houstonians.

You're hearing from select groups.

And that's what you're hearing.

And if that's how the city wants to run, so be it.

I don't know why we can't slow down, listen, come up with a solution that would work, and do it in a way that it's not harming Houston.

Well, it's not putting friction in between groups.

Did you have a problem with HPD and how they were conducting business and what they were doing beforehand?

Did you all?

And I don't want I like you, Councilmember Shabaz, I do, and I'd like to sit down and talk to you privately, if you will.

Okay.

I mean, but let's talk.

That's all.

Let's talk instead of fight.

That's it.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next.

Dustin Reinders.

To be followed by Jennifer Canales Pereyas.

Greetings, Mayor Whitmeyer and Council members.

My name is Dustin Reinders.

I'm the legal director at the Texas Civil Rights Project.

I'm happy to be with you here today as someone who's practiced civil rights and constitutional rights law in the city of Houston for over 20 years.

And I'm here to tell you one thing I've learned in that time is that the surest way to lose a fight with the state is to refuse to fight.

But when you fight, you often win.

And the issue we have before us is so incredibly important.

Like other major cities in Texas, the City of Houston, thanks to many of you, recently took a step in the right direction to clarify the role that local law enforcement plays in collaborating with Federal Immigration Enforcement.

The action comes after several reports of HPD officers violating the constitutional and fourth amendment rights of Houstonians.

Our community rightfully demanded action because none of us want to live in a city where police detain us without cause.

That is what the Fourth Amendment is about and what it's always been about.

And the action you took helps stop that violation.

So you cured the illegal actions that were happening once we implement this ordinance.

The first part of your ordinance clarifies that officers can temporarily detain an individual only as long as reasonably necessary to complete the legitimate purpose of the initial stop or investigation, and that an ICE administrative warrant is civil in nature and alone does not justify a stop, arrest, or continued detention.

That requirement just ensures compliance with the Fourth Amendment.

That means if you don't implement your ordinance, you are forcing HPD to continue the march policy that continues to violate the Fourth Amendment rights of Houstonians.

That's not how I want to live.

Yes.

Thank you.

Happy to answer any questions.

Kmart.

Thank you, Mayor.

In the civil rights space, leading a civil rights legal organization.

One, is it your understanding of the ordinance that was passed that uh if somebody poses a public safety risk, HPD is still able uh to the to detain them as necessary.

That's right, because the the language in the ordinance specifically says only as long as reasonably necessary to complete the legitimate purpose of the initial stop or investigation.

So if someone's uh uh a risk at that moment, an officer can't arrest them for any number of reasons, right?

Depending on the kind of risk they're they're posing.

Right.

And thank you for that clarification, because I think there's been a lot of information and misinformation out there about what this ordinance does and doesn't do in terms of clarifying what is already in the law.

Is that correct?

What we passed is already law, both in the state of Texas and the city of Houston and in the United States.

That's right.

And if you'd like me to clarify on one point there, one of the one of the biggest protections in the Fourth Amendment is that the warrant is supposed to be reviewed by a neutral person.

That's usually a judge, right?

So the difference between an administrative warrant is it means it was never reviewed by anyone.

Well, the Fourth Amendment wouldn't have been required if England had had neutral folks before they were um before they were going into to people's houses, right?

Before that they were conducting search seizures and arrests.

The whole purpose of the Fourth Amendment is it's a hallmark of our democracy to have that kind of protection from the government terrorizing ordinary folks without any proof that's reviewed by a neutral person, a judge.

And so none of these administrative warrants have been reviewed by a judge.

None of them have been considered by a neutral person.

So to allow them to have the impact of allowing arrest completely allows the government to terrorize ordinary Houstonians.

Well, you know, I I'm a big fan of requesting a TRO.

So the city could have its legal department file a request for a restraining order.

You could have it in effect by tomorrow night.

So yeah, that's what I'd do if I was representing the city, but I am not offering to represent the city, represent individual civil rights plaintiffs.

But yeah.

Thank you.

Councilman.

Councilmember Pollard.

Thank you, Mayor, and thank you for coming forward.

And everything you laid out, I think is something that we all have the ability to review and to vet ourselves as professionals.

On this horseshoe, including the city attorney, uh there's seven attorneys who let me say one, two, three, four, five, six, and maybe all the attorneys except for one saw this as a legal item and voted for it as such.

And this has now come down to a legal question.

And I think you you're you're right.

I do think it would be prudent for the city to look at taking legal measure to get uh an answer on that.

And uh a temporary restraining order could be something that could be um very useful.

At least it could give us some clarification.

You we have we have legal opinions here.

We have a city attorney who's made his legal review that we've trusted and we voted upon uh that legal review, then we have um uh folks at the state level that have uh a different legal opinion, right?

But it's all opinion.

And so you would think in the best interest of the city when we have city ordinances that are passed by city council with an overwhelming majority that we would use every uh tool in the toolbox that we have uh available to us uh for legal recourse, and I want to thank you for your suggestion.

Council.

Thank you.

So if we got a TRO, we could if we win, we could prevent the State from cutting off the funds that have already been allocated, correct?

Yeah, if you win, um if you win, that would be correct.

And of course you go through the appeals process and and you know I'll say the threats from our state, there there are active efforts, as I think many of us know, um, at our state and federal level to consolidate power and consolidating power in a way that keeps those closest to their constituents from acting, defending them, having a role in our government still.

And the threats won't stop.

So the question is do you stand up and on what issues?

And I'm not to suggest that every single issue matters enough that you you go to the courthouse.

Okay.

So this one we win the TRO, it goes to court, we win, we get that money.

We got a couple hundred million dollars last session for a number of things.

Here's one example.

I believe we got fifty million dollars to replace the pumps at the Lynchburg Pump Station.

Is that correct, Mayor?

Is that 100 million?

Would the state next session have to give us money like that?

Or would they be able to say, no, we don't like you what you have done, we're not gonna give you money.

Political processes, you know, political processes are fickle, but I'll say no.

They they could, but we have a lot of history of cities that have challenged the state and have been able to sustain their cities and continue to receive funding from the state.

I I don't think we've had a lot of history of cities getting a couple hundred million dollars in one session.

Yeah, that's something I understand you have to consider.

Thank you, and thank you so much for coming.

I guess the bottom line is the person that created this problem cares nothing about the Constitution.

Yet they so therefore they have no problem with violating the rights of people who are impacted by this.

And you know, I was asked, you know, do I trust the police?

Well, yeah.

I trust my parents, but they don't make all my decisions.

And so, you know, I I kind of see in line that some people are taking a victory walk.

But I want to say 5400 police union officers we've been threatened, you know, who are free thinking.

I think I'll take my chances on the 50 organizations that do support the ordinance.

So let's do the math.

And so certainly, again, I I love people that come with solutions, and it's up to the mayor where we go in terms of that solution after we meet on Friday to make a determination as to whether we will continue to stand.

Thank you.

Do you mind if I uh follow up on something you said?

You know, I trust the police so much that I believe we should give them discretion about whether to call ICE in the first place on an administrative warrant.

So thank you, Mayor.

And I and I want to clarify that the money that has been, I guess, used as a tool for us to reconsider this $100 million, those are State dollars.

They have the discretion to do what they want with their money.

If the State wants to defund the police over a civil matter, that's their decision.

Those grant dollars that are under the discretion of the Governor's office, that's his discretion.

His determination and his decision on where those dollars go.

For flood mitigation, parks, or anything else, that's his decision.

So if he wants to go on the record of defunding police, he wants to go on the record of not giving the city funds out of the next legislative session, that's not a decision from this council.

We want all the resources and money available for our officers and our first responders.

I would hope he would not go through with those threats to actually defund the police of a hundred million dollars.

That makes absolutely no sense when you prioritize public safety and you want to keep communities safe.

But we have no authority over dollars at the state level that come from a grant or from the legislative session.

So I would hope that anyone at the State level would reconsider taking back or using any dollars to de-appropriate for our law enforcement and first responders because those dollars are necessary, we want them, but we have no dis we have no control over whether those dollars get allocated or not.

That will be the sole discretion of the Governor's office.

Councillor Flickinger.

Is the Governor saying we can't spend the money on law enforcement, or is he just saying we can't spend the State's money?

To my understanding, based on the letter that was presented, it was a notice that if we do not repeal our current ordinance that we passed last week, that he would be uh withdrawing or demanding us to refund uh grant dollars that come from his office that would go towards public safety.

So we're still free to spend our money.

We can spend our money from from So it's not requiring any defunding of the police.

Just saying you're not gonna fund it with our dollars.

It is defunding dollars that would go towards the police that come from his office that our city depends on.

If you deallocate those those dollars, or you no longer fund them, or you ask for a reimbursement of those dollars, or you're defunding.

We're still free to spend dollars.

You are defunding counselor and flickinger, obviously a little bit of knowledge is dangerous.

He closed our funding yesterday at 3 o'clock.

It's not a threat.

It happened yesterday.

HPD is currently recalculating their services, addressing overtime and other matters.

We must have the funding for FIFA to prevent human trafficking.

And I could give you, which I'll be glad to share, the funding that comes out of Austin, as well as the Federal Government.

So this is the first step by the government because we signed with his office an agreement of certification for the grant money.

You were listing legislative matters, and of course that will be next session.

But this is not an imaginary city.

This is really Houston, and we depend on the State, the Federal, and to some extent the County as partners.

It's not a threat.

The gentleman's legal opinion is just that a legal opinion.

The governor controls the purse strings from his criminal justice office.

He has a different opinion.

His team has a different opinion.

So you can play chicken if you want.

My responsibility, our responsibility is the safety of Houston.

I get calls on the weekend for extra police duty.

And we use this money for that.

So the public, everyone's district at large, is urging us more patrol, more equipment.

We're fixing to have hundreds of thousands of guests.

We have to provide safety in the city of Houston.

This is not a time to play politics.

I've been trying to provide the city.

Excuse me, Councilman Roger, you interrupted.

The bottom line is the governor means business.

I was actually told by one of the proposals that if we lost funding, she would rescind the proposal.

Many members heard that.

So all I'm saying is I wasn't going to engage our guests, because quite frankly, we've already lost the money.

We can't go to get a TRO.

And furthermore, if you're in State Court, I hope you've looked at the State Supreme Court makeup.

This is serious business affecting every Houstonian, every Houstonian, and our region.

Park money, tech stats participation.

They told us this, they meant it, and so now is the time for us to do what is responsible and not play politics.

Houston's safety depends on it.

We do not have local monies for this replacement of grant money.

So, you know, I'm gonna I've been sitting here being tolerant, but it's a time to quit playing political games and having outside sources come in and give us their legal opinion in all due respect.

A legal opinion is just that.

So thank you for your questions.

Mayor, I think it's important that we lay out some of the facts underlying all the rhetoric.

And I think first and foremost, we need to stop thinking that there is a debate among council and the mayor or council members.

The debate is between the city of Houston and the state government.

They are the ones that are pitting that are trying to punish the city for doing the right thing.

And we need to stop the falsehood that the choices are repeal the ordinance or accept the pooling of a hundred and ten million dollars of funding.

That is a false choice.

There is a third option that has been laid out, and we should absolutely take it, which is tomorrow, the city attorney could walk over to the Harris County Courthouse and file a temporary restraining order and a declaratory judgment, and that same day, we could get a judgment from the court that says the state cannot pull funding.

The governor cannot supersede an order by the court.

And the court would say that they cannot pull funding, and they can make a determination that our ordinance is lawful.

The ordinance that you voted for, that our city attorney deemed lawful.

Let's stand by our city attorney, let's stand by our vote, but we can do this tomorrow.

And if the court rules against us, then we have the information we need to consider a repeal on Friday.

But there is no reason, no reason whatsoever not to go to court tomorrow to see if we can get a ruling by a court to protect the Constitution, the constitutional rights of Houstonians.

It would be a grave mistake to do anything else.

The governor's letter says we have until April 20th to make a decision.

So we can go to court tomorrow, the next day we could even go to court on Monday and get a ruling from the court.

And if we lose that ruling, then I agree, Mayor, we have to make sure that we protect Houstonians.

But we're not there yet.

We have the opportunity to get a court to verify what all of us know to be true, which is we honored the Constitution and the Governor's attempt to not honor the Constitutional rights of Houstonians is wrong.

And as Houston's leadership, we need to stand up to that.

I respectfully just agree, and I would also, I meant to correct something last week when you went out of council and said it's ticket and release.

You know that the law requires you to look for warrants, whether it is from Montgomery County, Travis County, or even ICE.

Then you look at the administrative warrant and you see if there's another outstanding warrant, maybe a murder charge from Honduras.

And additional facts that makes up part of that administrative warrant that you mentioned routinely, as a gentleman did.

Surely, surely, as knowledgeable as you are, you realize the courts certainly as you go as far as the State Supreme Court are not going to favor our position based on history and their previous rulings.

Mayor, that is not what I said.

Mayor, that is.

And the governor controls his funding.

So it's really not a legal issue, as it is what the governor wants to do with his grant money that the legislature's given to him to use his discretion.

And that is what's been withdrawn.

In the time that you are claiming we ought to go to be the court, we're making Houston unsafe every minute that we deny HBD their resources.

You know it and I know it.

This is too important to play politics.

Mayor, what you just said is false.

I did not make such a statement.

All you have to do is read the ordinance to understand not only where I stand, but where you stand and this council stands, which is we are honoring the Constitution.

And it is not true that it is simply the will of the Governor.

The Governor cannot supersede the Constitution.

And that is what a court of law could decide tomorrow if we have the will to do the right thing and stand up for the constitutional rights of Houstonians.

There is nothing to lose by filing a temporary restraining order and a motion for declaratory judgment with the court.

Nothing to lose.

The governor's letter says we have until April 20th.

Let's take that fight.

Let's stand with our city attorney.

Let's stand by the vote that you made, Mayor.

I would proudly stand with you and walk that motion over to the court and have it heard so we can make sure that a third party can decide.

A judge who is versed in this, but it is wrong to say that it is simply a decision by the governor.

That is wrong.

It is a decision by the court to say whether the governor can supersede the constitutional rights of Houston.

We have already lost our funding.

Every minute that we do not have to be able to do that.

That is not what the governor said in his letter.

That is not what the governor said in his letter, Mayor.

Councilmember, it's irrefutable.

We lost our money at 3 o'clock yesterday.

The accounts have been closed.

Services are not being provided today that were served yesterday by HPD.

Irrefutable.

So we can drag this out in the court, and you are very capable lawyer.

You bring your expert witness, but that's not going to change the state of the way.

We only have one governor and one fund of grant.

We have one constitution, and I am asking for one day.

I'm asking for one day to go to court.

I respectfully disagree.

Thank you, Mayor.

I want to be respectful of the fact that we have many speakers that are coming.

I do want to clarify we are not as a city the instrument of the State.

We are the instrument of the City of Houston and the people of Houston.

That being said, I do believe that colleagues had requested a list of the grants that have been suspended or frozen.

We have yet, to my knowledge, seen that list.

And the reason why that list is important.

One, I believe Council has the right to that information.

I think that's fair as we continue this conversation.

There has been statements made that some of the funding pertains to FIFA.

That is federal funding that the Governor does not necessarily have the authority to freeze.

There is a lot of nuance when it comes to all of the different types of funding, so I'm making a respectful request.

If we could please have a list of the grants that we have been told have been suspended, that would be extremely helpful during these conversations.

Thank you.

The FIFA money did come through the Governor's office, and it's on the list of monies that's been frozen.

The monies have been frozen.

It's irrefutable.

It is documented.

Services that need resources are not being funded this afternoon.

And Mayor, I understand that some of the FIFA money while it comes through the State comes from the Federal Government.

There's a government.

So and I know you understand that you're very nuanced in that.

So again, if we could please have a listen, I see Stephen David.

So we can play check-in, we can gamble with Houston's vitality and our safety, but it's too important to do so, in my opinion.

And I'm certain Houstonians support that concern about gambling with their safety.

Councillor Pollard.

Next.

Jennifer Canales Perez.

To be followed by David Donati.

Good afternoon, Councilmembers, Mayor Whitmeyer.

My name is Jennifer Canales Belaies, and I'm a policy attorney and strategist with the immigrant legal center resource center.

But I am also a native Houstonian.

And like many in our diverse city of Houston, I am also the daughter of immigrants who came from El Salvador fleeing the civil war in the 80s.

At 11 years old, I discovered that my father was in deportation proceedings, and at that age, I advocated for his case to the president at the time, George W.

Bush.

Unfortunately, when I was 14 years old, my father was deported, and my family was permanently separated.

For almost a decade, I worked and volunteered with nonprofit organizations representing children, adults, and survivors of gender-based violence.

Most sought asylum because they fled incredible persecution and violence.

Please hear me when I say the fear that a simple interaction with law enforcement will permanently separate them from their families is real.

It pains me to think of the fear and anxiety that our community members are feeling right now.

And despite the governor's letter that state that this ordinance uh violates SB4, it does not.

Rather, it ensures that HBD does not violate the constitutional rights of Houstonians, and trust me, that was happening.

How do I know?

I saw those reports.

I actually sent some of those reports to some of you on this worship.

As a reminder, everyone, no matter their immigration status, has constitutional rights.

And despite the good intentions of the March 11th Directive, rubber stamping potential Fourth Amendment violations by allowing HPD to wait 30 minutes for ICE to come opens the door to costly litigation.

Council members, mayor, last week some of you stated that this ordinance is consistent with state and federal law.

Nothing has changed.

I urge you, Council members, Mayor Whitmeyer, not to repeal this ordinance, to stand with all Houstonians and fight for our community.

To the 12 members who stood with Houstonians and voted to pass the immigration ordinance, I commend you.

And thank you for your bravery.

Thank you for listening to us.

And this is a great first step.

And we hope that you continue to push for solutions that will protect all Houstonians.

Any questions?

Thank you, ma'am.

Councilmember Carter has a procedure motion.

Thank you, Mayor.

I moved to Doug Griffith following to follow David Donati.

Good afternoon, Mr.

Mayor, Councillors.

I walked in here during the proclamations, and it was quite remarkable to see everything that our city has to offer, the things that make us great.

And as I was walking in, there was a speech where the speaker extold us to choose courage over comfort, to defend dignity, and to abore exclusion.

However, it is an entirely man-made crisis.

Let's be precise about what the ordinance that you passed does.

It preserves full compliance with Texas law.

It mandates full compliance with ICE detainers, and it codifies what the Fourth Amendment already requires.

That a civil administrative immigration warrant, which is not signed by a judge, not based on probable cause of a crime, but issued by an ICE officer, cannot by itself justify detaining someone during a traffic stop.

That's it.

That's the ordinance.

Now read the governor's letter.

And I know, Mr.

Mayor, I take the concern that it doesn't matter what my legal opinion is, it matters what the governor's opinion is.

But we have a rule of law in this country.

And we have relationships between the city and the state, and we elected y'all to represent us.

And there are indeed limitations on what Governor Abbott can compel.

Those limitations come from the grants themselves, but more importantly, they come from the United States Constitution.

The governor's letter says that the ordinance prohibits HPD from cooperating with ICE.

It does not do that.

The ordinance includes an explicit provision stating that it shall not be construed to prohibit or materially limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities.

The governor is describing an ordinance that does not exist.

If anyone is playing politics, it is the governor who is threatening to withhold 110 million dollars from public safety accounts.

Yes, indeed, defunding the police.

Let's be clear about what an ICE administrative warrant is.

It is not signed by a judge, it is not supported by probable cause, as this council and Mr.

Mayor, you well know.

Last year the administration loaded 700,000 of these into the National Criminal Warrant Database.

That created a huge administrability problem, to say nothing of a constitutional problem for our local law enforcement who have to figure out the boundaries between what may we do pursuant to these and what must we not do in order to comply with the United States Constitution.

The International Association of Chiefs of Police, Supreme Court precedent, and the plain text of the Fourth Amendment make clear these administrative warrants, which are not issued by a neutral magistrate, do not authorize a local official to detain someone.

They are not probable cause of a crime.

The governor is trying to blur that line, and the stakes here are actually enormously high.

Thank you very much.

I stand open for any questions.

Thank you.

Next Doug Griffin.

To be followed by followed by Carolyn Rivera.

Council members.

We have had a really good working relationship with almost every single one of y'all for years.

Four years.

Except for miscellaneous who's new.

And I hope at some point we'll get to have that relationship.

Which this is the reason it done founds me that none of y'all called me prior to enacting this.

The only person I spoke with was the mayor.

And I honestly believe y'all duped it.

But that's on me.

That's what I believe.

This is nothing more than you playing politics.

Councilmember Pollard?

Councilmember Salinas.

Councilmember Cayman.

Y'all are playing politics with our officers.

That's what you're doing.

Our officers are out there doing a job every freaking day.

Working their butts off to protect this city.

We had over two million contacts with citizens last year, less than 250 citizen complaints.

We had over two million contacts with citizens last year, and we only had 74 incidents where we had ICE detainers on someone and we turn them over to ICE.

Don't tell me we don't have bigger issues in this city.

We can't get our water cheap.

We cannot get our heavy trash picked up.

We can't get a fair housing market.

We get all kinds of issues that city councils should be dealing with, and no, we're worried about this.

74 traffic stops last year.

It's not about politics for us.

It's about making sure our people are safe.

You don't know what those warrants are for, ma'am.

You have no clue what those warrants are for.

That guy could have beat his wife three or four times and they filed on him and sit him back.

That may be what that administrative warrant is for.

You don't know.

And Ms.

Shabazz, see, that's it right there.

You keep talking about how you support law enforcement.

Don't ever let me catch you say that again.

Because you last week you said we were racist.

You are really out of loyalty.

I may be.

You can speak.

See, that's the attitude right there that you give people that live in this city.

Oh my God.

And you sit there last week.

Your comments were that we were racing profiling people.

I take a fist of that, and 5400 officers take a fist of that.

So don't sit there and say you support us, because I disagree with you.

Now, again, I don't want to play politics here.

I want to do our job.

I want our officers to be protected out there.

If something happens and we don't take somebody in on one of these warrants, and they go and kill somebody tomorrow or rape or rob somebody.

Guess what?

We're on hook, and so is the city of Houston.

Because y'all are the one enacted the disorders.

I'm asking you to please consider get politics out of this.

Quit chasing about national politics because we don't care.

Thank you.

Just a segment.

Doug.

You want to comment?

Oh, yes, I do.

Please do.

Okay.

First and foremost, I was elected by the people.

And you applied for a job.

No, I don't know.

So that means that we have a different mandate.

Your behavior, I want to tell you to your face was disrespectful last week.

I'm surprised you didn't kick the bench.

But certainly you then you get on social media and you threaten.

I didn't get the sub the police support when I ran the first two times.

In the future either.

It's okay because you're one person and you don't even represent the pack.

Okay?

And you have 54 members who think for themselves.

54 members.

I'm not really sure that they want to be immigration officers.

That's not what they were hired to do.

And they're not.

So certainly.

Do I need a comment after did I comment every time you said something?

Yeah, you did.

No, I did not.

But certainly, your behavior has been really inappropriate, and I hope the other officers don't act and speak as you do.

Because that may be why we have a problem here.

So anyway, we're good, but I'm glad you came.

Because I don't talk behind people's backs.

Oh, neither do I.

That's why I'm here to talk to you.

Just to let you know that your behavior is totally out of line.

And we make comments about our all-offline.

By the by more people than hired you.

Okay?

So you have a great day.

But what you're doing here by telling us what we should and shouldn't do is totally out of line.

Well, maybe should have contacted us.

Your job is to do what we approve.

So you get busy.

Oh, don't worry.

My history speaks for itself.

Busy.

Time's up.

Council.

Councilmember Salinas.

I'm sorry, you want the witness.

Yes, come back, Mr.

Griffin.

Sorry, Doug.

If I push you down, be careful.

See comments like that.

That's okay.

So it's like ma'am.

So, Mr.

Griffin, I want to clarify again some facts.

I have repeatedly told you to call my office, and I'm happy to sit down for a meeting.

I have never, let me finish my comments, and if you want to respond, you're welcome to.

You have never taken me up on that offer.

And I continue stands here to continue today.

Call my office.

I'm happy to have a conversation and explain the ordinance.

I wish you would have taken me up on it rather than making all those statements so I could have explained all of your misunderstandings regarding the ordinance.

Second, you keep talking about how we're putting all of our officers at risk regarding discretion.

Your officers exercise discretion every single day.

Every single day they make determinations about whether to issue a ticket or to arrest someone.

Third, you made a comment to Houston Public Media telling us to shut up and run the city.

Yeah.

We are running the city.

We're ensuring that HPD follows the Constitution, and I hope you will do everything in your power to ensure that our officers follow the Constitution.

And lastly, you accuse us of playing politics.

Today, your office released a cartoon of myself, Councilmember Cayman, and Councilmember Pollard.

Is that not plain politics?

I have not released a cartoon of you, sir.

Feel free.

Do you think that's do you think we should reduce our discourse to pop to cartoons of one another?

Yes, some city council members thought it's funny, but that's a different story.

I would expect better of the police.

I would expect better of the police officers union, and I bet your members would as well.

Nothing further.

Thank you.

Councilmember Flickinger.

Thank you, Doug.

You said there was over two million stops last year, is that correct?

To be in interactions with citizens, yes, sir.

And how many of those resulted in a deportation by ICE?

74.

And were there more than 74 ICE warrants that came up as hits?

Yes, there were another 98 that were uh released because the immigration customs enforcement did not want them.

So the majority of the time when there was an ICE warrant that was found, I said, no, we're not going to deport these individuals.

We don't want to take custody of them.

Correct.

Okay.

Thank you.

Councilmember Pollard.

Thank you, Mayor.

Doug, you're right.

You you've had a um a good relationship, I can say, with me.

And um, we don't agree on this issue.

And we have talked over the phone.

Um, and we just don't agree.

But I will say that there has to be a level though of respect for for the council.

That that's an elected body and elected members who are voted upon to be in these seats to represent their constituents.

Everyone has different backgrounds, different perspectives, different ideology, different parties.

We're always not going to agree on everything.

But I think the manner in which we communicate is extremely important because we are all in leadership positions.

The entire city is looking at us as leaders.

And that's why I try not to take things personal from the cartoons to any of the rhetoric that's out there.

But I also respect your leadership position and wouldn't come at you a certain way.

And I am asking on behalf of my colleagues who don't need me to come to their defense, but specifically my spellman sister, that we that there is a level of decorum that I think is due, and that we speak and communicate to each other respectfully and as professionals, and understand that we're always not going to agree on things.

You have your assignment to do, and so do we.

And so I do want to thank you for coming forward, but I do want to make those points clear.

And I hope going forward that the discourse does not become divisive just because we disagree, uh, but we can do things that we feel is in the best interest of our city, even if we're not always on the same page.

Thank you.

And to Mr.

Bazaar, to be fair, ma'am, you're right.

I should have dressed you like that at council.

But the way I did.

I just apologize.

The way the way you made comments last week, it was very disparaging by officers, and I took it personal.

I really did.

Uh that's why I got up and left, because I was so mad.

I walked out of here.

So the mayor apologized.

I I accept.

But I just want to say when you talk about playing politics, what are you doing when you go on social media saying that you're not gonna support anybody that runs for office?

Is that not playing politics?

No, no, no.

What you're also doing, you're muddying the waters.

Nobody is saying that people will not be arrested if there is a criminal warrant.

That is not what we're talking about here.

But and then while we're counting the stops, George Floyd was one stop too many.

Okay.

Yeah.

So wrap.

Sure.

I can leave, right?

Yeah.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Carolyn Rivera.

He gotta check that though.

You can't like to be followed by Broderick Grisant.

Thank you.

I'm Carolyn Rivera from SETI Gas.

I'm here about the flood zone change.

We went from no flood zone to a hundred-year flood zone.

Why?

For years the city refused to update the main and maintain our drainage system with advalorium funds, designated for drainage infrastructure, which could save lives.

And then you take the funds and do what you want to do with them.

There is more money, I believe, available for drainage than you know what to do with.

So you do what you want to do with it.

I suggest you stop saying that you have no funds and do the right thing.

I may die in set of gas from training in flood waters.

But because of your unfairness and lack of justice over the years, not just this group, other groups like you.

Ignore us.

Like we don't are not human beings.

Yes.

And I hope.

You have no peace until you focus on correcting our drainage problems.

Ma'am.

Ma'am, Councilmember Jackson.

Thank you, Mayor.

Ms.

Rivera, thank you for coming in and um sharing your concerns about the flooding.

I know that's a major issue within District B.

Um, but I can say that we have quite a few projects, SWAT projects that's happening right now.

And so um we will be following up with Knock.

We'll be having a conversation with them to give them an update on the ditch maintenance ordinance as well as the SWAT projects, just all the work.

We have quite a lot of drainage projects is happening um in the northeast side of town.

So we just need to sit down and go over these projects with you, and then we'll discuss the new map, the flood maps.

It's not saying that we're now in the flood zone, we were already in the flood zone.

It's just the updated map.

And so we'll sit down and discuss that with you.

But thank you again for your continued advocacy um for the area.

I really appreciate you.

Okay.

May I say something in respect to what you've said?

Yes, ma'am.

We're always promised something that's never done and never completed, and always an excuse for a year.

So I will believe that when I see it.

Okay.

Thank you, ma'am.

Next broad grasset.

Joseph Ballard from Umble.

To be followed by Felicia Galloway Kizzy, also of Umble.

Can I get these to the both sides?

Okay.

That's the side is good.

I apologize for your sister because he ran me hot.

Be a disrespectful.

Uh Abbott try to take over the city of Houston.

That ain't what I come down there for.

That's another story.

I woke up Sunday morning this past Easter.

Couldn't even leave out my driveway.

I've been there 30 years.

Never had, I live in the back of the community.

I'm trying to figure out where all these cars is coming from.

It don't take me but two seconds to get from my driveway to the front of my community.

You got all these cars coming through the neighborhood trying to get to the church.

When I moved out there, with number wood.

Now we got the federal disposable company that need to be checked on because they out of compliance, mud everywhere.

And now you got these new warehouses with Amazon.

They got another 10 warehouses coming up.

They got another 10 warehouses coming up behind us.

When I moved there, it was was Wood.

It took me three hours to get from my house to 59.

If you look at those pictures, I got plenty of pictures.

If it ain't the trucks, it's Amazon at three o'clock in the morning when people go on to work.

On Sundays, it's the church, the lighthouse.

I've been down here before, Mayor, about this same issue.

We pay taxes.

We got to keep our community clean and nice.

That's what we that's where we live.

This church is disrespectful.

The trucking company is disrespectful.

Now we got Amazon.

Then we finna have 10 more.

So then you got HPD officers working at the church.

Stopping our community members from going to church or even coming out of the neighborhood.

Want to arrest them.

You know, want to bully them.

Come on, man.

We've been here.

We was here first.

Look at the pictures.

We can't get out.

We can't, we cannot get out of our community.

You got the church on Sunday, you got Amazon every morning, and you got the trucking company every day.

I can show you pictures in my phone with mud.

I'm talking about the whole street, just muddy.

We got to replace our flowers down our our to keep our beautiful community with dust and mud every day.

They don't, hey.

We in Houston.

We pay city taxes, utilities, whatever.

Your time has humble.

Something's got to be done.

Our next step, we're gonna have to file a lawsuit.

We need to have a meeting with the church, need to have a meeting with Amazon, whoever owned it, and the trucking company.

They are disrespectful at their church.

I don't want to hear nothing about what the talk to the pastor, whatever, whatever.

They trying to get their dollar.

We're trying to get out to enjoy our life, our Sundays, our everyday life.

It's beautiful, man.

I got pictures to show it.

Thank you.

Counselor and traction.

Thank you, Mayor, and thank you, Mr.

Um Bollow, for coming in.

And I know this is something that you've been like I'm sick of on my phone.

On the phone and calling my office and um about the traffic.

And I did reach out, told you I reached out to Pastor Keon.

And we did meet with um the church members, a couple of his team members in January to look at expanding the road and exploring partnerships with the other developments that's happening around there.

And so I did let him know about Easter Sunday, and Pastor Keon sent a couple of representatives here that's in the um audience that's gonna address um the council about this issue, and of course, um after the address council, I would love to create, you know, have a conversation with the community um as well as the church members, the leadership of the church to see what we can come up with to mitigate this issue.

I know it's frustrating, um, but we're gonna have to come up with a way to coexist.

There's already a four-line streak.

If you look at those pictures and the pictures in my phone, I had to go down the media just to get to the freeway.

When I got to the church, I was at a standstill.

The police out there lollygagging on their phones or whatever.

You had traffic from from rank and road to JFK on the on the on the westbound side.

On the eastbound side, from ranking to the Bellway.

People couldn't even, I'm telling you, couldn't get by.

Yeah.

I saw the videos.

I got video people sending videos from social media, but the the point is we want to we need to have a discussion.

And how many times we're gonna have to have this discussion?

This is my third time coming down here about these same individuals.

You know, it we we don't have a quality of life.

Now they build, like I say, building they got warehouses all our way around us.

It's what they're trying to put us run us out.

Okay.

So we again we have some representatives from the church here that's gonna speak right after you, and then they'll let you know.

What are we gonna do about it?

And we're gonna hear from them, and then we eventually we'll come over to hopefully we can get the city to the merit and help.

The officers so uh so disrespectful.

You know, you got HPD officers so disrespectful to the commute to our community, trying to get out our community to go and enjoy their Sunday, enjoy their day.

You know, we mean we got it's got to stop.

I I I can't keep coming down here every day, uh every Tuesday or every month to talk about this.

I have I have stuff I have to do too.

You know, it's unsafe.

Look at some of the pictures in my phone.

You you wouldn't believe it.

They don't think we it don't think we're a part of Houston.

They think we are they think we're in humble.

We're a part of Houston, we pay taxes.

You just made a real important point.

You're talking about umble.

Yes.

The church is in Umbo.

Yes.

Have you talked to the humble city mayor and council?

We in the city of Houston.

Okay.

We're in Umble, but we're in the city of Houston, utilities.

Okay.

Yeah.

Thank you for being here.

Yeah, so we need to have a conversation with planning and the department.

Um publicity.

We need a meeting with the with with the the city, the church, Amazon, the trucking company, and and the surrounding buildings that's coming up.

If I show you some of these pictures, then you wouldn't believe it.

I looked at them.

Thank you.

Next Felicia Galloway Kizzy of Umble.

No.

Tell Joe to stay.

To be followed by Stephen Taylor.

Good afternoon, Mayor and Council.

It is uh not a coincidence that we are towards the end of the docket today, because I we represent Lighthouse Church and Ministries, which is a safe place in our community.

Lighthouse Church and Ministries very quickly serves our community richly.

We serve individuals that are housing insecure.

We serve individuals that take care of children that have needs of sensory spaces.

We also have a senior community that is very, very vibrant, and we have a tagline that we live by, that we are a light that loves lifts and leads.

We are serving the greater Houston area, and people are coming by the thousands, and we're honored to serve them.

We're here today to galvanize the support of the city to say help us as we continue to serve our community.

I met with my colleague Stephen who will come and share, and Craig.

Thank you.

I know, mayor.

Thank you, Miss Jackson.

Yes, like Miss Ivy said, we are a light that leads, and and people have been led to the lighthouse church in that community by the droves.

So we do admit there there was uh abnormal traffic, but we hired, which we know our great police officer who we partner with every Sunday and every day that helped us with the traffic.

We we brought in three extra police officers just to deal with the traffic on Rankin Road, and we will continue to do that.

And we've continued to do improvements as far as uh adding on to our parking lots and things of that nature.

So we want to be a beacon in the community.

We want to work with the community to see if there's any issues, and we did partner even with the business across the street to provide more parking, which is over 200 parking spaces.

So we've mitigated some of those things.

Last Sunday was great.

You came in, you enjoyed the experience, no traffic on Rankin Road.

So that's what we're here to do is to work with the community and to provide services.

So we look forward to continued support, and we are willing to meet with them.

And I just want to introduce my colleague Craig Hawkins, who is the director of facilities.

Good afternoon.

Thank you, uh Mr.

Mayor and City Councilman.

Um I just want to reiterate what uh my colleague said that we are uh it's very important to us that we are committed to working with the community.

So we're definitely looking for we will not shy away from the opportunity to sit down and have constructive conversation about what we can do for this for this uh entire community to include the church.

So um again, for me, uh I've been there about a year now, so it's it's very important that I fully understand if I wanted to come down today and sit down and listen to the community and their concerns so that we can address them accordingly.

Thank you.

Uh Councilman Jackson.

Thank you, Mayor, and thank you.

Thank you all for coming down and thank you for sitting through um the session.

I know that we have a lot of a lot of stuff happening here.

Um, but I did have our opportunity to go to church on Sunday, and it was smooth.

It was really smooth.

I got, you know, got there a little early and the line wasn't long, and I mean the process was really smooth.

But I just want to say thank you all for everything that you're doing and just for coming down to speak with the community.

Let them know that you hear them, that you're doing everything you can to mitigate the issues.

But you're doing a lot of great work in the community.

I know they have a Mother's Day um baby shower that's coming up, and so I'm looking forward to volunteering for that.

Um, but just want to say thank you and just anything that my office can do to support you, but eventually we will pull a meeting together with public works, um, planning department, and of course, the neighborhood, some of the leaders in the neighborhood behind um the church, so that we can come up with a uh a solution and a way that we can co-exist.

Um because you guys are doing great work, and so I'm really excited about the church.

The church was good.

The spirit I'm feeling it right here now.

So thank you all.

Thank you for coming down and um look forward to working with you.

Counselor Davis.

Thank you, Mayor.

Thank you all for coming and certainly expressing it.

Just wanted to uplift the question.

Have you all had any engagement with prior to today about the issues that has been brought forward in the community?

Have you all had any engagement at any time with anyone that represents the community and the problems they're talking about?

Yes, I have.

I've been uh um there as director of security uh for over 15 years since the church has been there, and uh I've engaged with uh number of uh people from the community, and that's when we added the extra officers.

We went over and talked to the business across the street, and they allowed us to have additional parking there, and we've did everything with we've partnered with TextDot next door to come up with a system to place cones and things on Sundays and signs.

So we have been working with them.

Yes.

Right.

So those people that you spoke to, were they civic clubs, were they, you know, anyone elect official or whatever, had you spoke to anyone directly in a conversation, as well as the pastor, uh, you know, because we hear that as that happened.

Oh, yes, definitely.

This is one this is probably the initiative that Pastor Henderson and First Lady have put forth for us to do.

We've also we've engaged in our staff meeting.

We put together a team of about eight people to specifically work on the traffic issues or any issues coming from the neighborhood specifically.

So that's why um last Sunday you see that it was initiated and it worked well.

So Pastor Henderson, this is first on his list, and I was out there all Sunday and uh made sure everything ran smoothly.

So we did engage with them.

I believe that we have mitigated the situation and will continue to do so.

Good deal.

Well, I'm happy to hear that, and we'll we'll follow up.

Yes, sir.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next Delphina Sparks, Robert Singer, Jeanette Spencer of Spring.

Oshroff, Mahmood of Katie.

Neil Aquino.

Thank you to the people of Houston for providing this forum.

Um, I want my remarks, please, today in the be the context of Mayor Whitmeyer saying earlier today.

There's only one opinion that matters, and that's the governors.

So you're told right off there's no rule of law.

You're told right off that there's no rule of law.

Thank you to the Houstonians who created the political climate where passage of the ICE ordinance was possible, to Councilmember Salinas Cayman and Pollard for sponsoring, and for the twelve who voted yes.

Council must stick to the vote it made.

White supremacists and authoritarians are unappeasable.

Abbott and Paxton are unappeasable.

The police and fire unions are unappeasable.

We bust the budget for them, and they turn around and endorse politicians who threaten us.

Thankfully, recent council elections are showing that the police union is endorsement is increasingly liability.

Let's work to continue that in 2027.

Do we have any chance as Houstonians through the conventional political process here at City Hall to mitigate the cruelty of ICE or to stand up against Abbott's promised 2026 Harris County election interference?

He says our elections should be taken over.

Denisha Hudspeth says it all the time that she expects it.

This is a question for each of us.

It's a question that Patriots in Minnesota answered when they necessarily took part in daily protest, and people in Hungary answered in voting Orbon out.

Mayor Whitmeyer, your view that a muted opposition to evil is some type of civic victory or virtual or virtue is awful.

You've told me, Mayor, that you've seen our weekly Tuesday protest outside of Senator Corden's office.

We were there today, week 479, every Tuesday, 11 30 to 1, 5300 Memorial Drive.

You should come join us.

We treat you with full respect, and you could see what it would be to be with people who will stand up for your rights.

We are less than confident that you will stand up for our rights.

We are willing to stand on that corner and get stuff thrown at us for systems that have sustained you lucratively at times for 50 years.

We fight for the systems to sustain you.

We have no concept that you will for us.

This ordinance was always more, far more than just about ice.

Is meaningful progress possible at City Hall?

I hope so.

Councilmember Flickinshire says all our concerns are little more than a rounding error.

A little kid in some measles-ridden detention center is a rounding area era.

How do you make progress when people have such hard hearts?

To my fellow Houstonians, let's build the capacity for Minnesota type opposition and relentless political pressure.

Every day rank and file volunteers must continue to step up.

There's no Antifa, Ms.

Carter.

I promise it's everyday folks.

If you wanted the most law-abiding folks who use turn signals, vote in a re-election, and return library books on time, you would hold an anti-Trump protest.

It is the embodiment of lawlessness rather than the aggression you saw from the police union earlier today.

The next action is when you organize it.

The First Amendment is your permit.

The only credential needed is your presence.

The work ahead is ours.

The date of the next protest is Friday, April 17th, 9 a.m.

here at City Hall, as you vote to repeal this ordinance without a fight and strip us of any hope that we can have constitutional rights.

Thank you.

To be followed by Ozel Johnson.

Good afternoon, Mayor and Council, and my councilman Fleckinger.

My name is Bernadette Cagney Reeves, and I'm a participant in the HPD homeless outreach team or the Hotz team.

I am here to formally request a performance audit because a recent incident exposed a critical failure.

The program does not provide real-time verification and participant status during active situations.

On Good Friday, I was subjected to a non-consent tow by a neighboring agency while I was present and able to move my vehicle.

Because HPD Hot was closed for the holiday, there was no mechanism for officers to verify my status.

As a result, I was left stranded on the side of a strip mall with no assistance.

This is not just a single incident.

It's a systematic failure.

A program designed to support vulnerable individuals cannot depend on business hours to function.

Without real-time verification, participants are not recognized in the field, and the protections the program is supposed to provide breakdown at the point of contact.

This raises serious concerns that warrant a performance audit.

First, verification failure.

Why is there no 24-7 system to confirm participant status during active encounters?

Second, training and consistency.

Why is there a disconnect between the program's intended purpose and how it is understood by HPD's leadership and other agencies, especially neighbors neighboring jurisdictions?

Third, program effectiveness if participants cannot be recognized or supported in real time.

Is the program meeting its stated objectives?

This is a public safety issue.

When coordination fails, vulnerable individuals are placed at risk, and city resources are used inefficiently.

Jacobed Hindley.

To be followed by John Nixon Mayor Whitmore City Council members, I'm Melissa Rao.

A 174 million dollar shortfall is significant, and the public deserves to understand what caused it and how it will be addressed without raising taxes.

Like millions of homeowners, the city must live within its means and spend responsibly.

Your credit rating outlook was revised to negative due to shrinking reserves and financial pressures.

A lower rating means higher borrowing costs, not just for the city but for regional partners.

For example, the North Harris County Regional Water Authority is responsible for approximately 34% of the Northeast Water Purification Plan expansion.

Higher borrowing costs could ultimately impact ratepayers across the region.

The mayor has mentioned eliminating waste, fraud, and duplication.

What efficiencies are being implemented?

Is there a team assigned to this effort?

What is the timeline?

Additionally, recent reporting about potential peacard abuse in Houston Public Works raises concerns about internal controls.

What corrective actions have been implemented?

Are department managers approving purchases and invoices more closely?

The public is looking for transparency, accountability, and a clear plan forward.

Thank you.

Thank you, ma'am.

John Nix.

To be followed by Michelle Aigenbor from Hockley.

Good morning.

I mean good afternoon, Mayor and uh and fellow city council members.

I'm John Nix.

I'm a still resident of District A and Spring Branch.

And one minute is tough.

But I want to see my city do better with getting more and more fiber into like buildings and neighborhoods that don't have high-speed internet options, like they don't have Xfinity or ATT to go into and give like a blanket approval to these companies like Easy Fiber to come in or the city itself builds the wire, and then we have different companies sell the internet off the wire, similar to how we have with Center Point and all these different power companies as well.

That's one of my main issues.

I came today.

Other issues, I believe every single speaker that registers should have three minutes.

One minute is too narrow.

So that's number two.

Number three, I want this I would like to have my city fight this ICE issue.

Get the TRO and pretty much go to the city and say, hey, stop your time has expired.

Go ahead.

Are you through?

No, no, it's and have the city stop sending money to the state in retaliation and say, hey, we don't have we need the money here.

We need you know, and then including becoming starting the talks to become an independent state away from the people the tyrants in Austin, like we're allowed to do in the anti nation agreement.

ICE is completely unbiblical.

It's even in the Bible to welcome all day to strangers.

And I'm out of time.

Very good.

Thank you.

Next.

Michelle Eigenborough.

Of Hawking.

Joseph Mamari.

This completes the list of speakers.

We stand recessed till nine in the morning.

Mayor's report members.

I've already been visiting with several of you about fleet week, which probably we didn't discuss enough earlier in the week, but it's upon us.

It kicks off this evening.

I would encourage all of us to enjoy the reception at 4 o'clock this afternoon.

I've invited our city employees to come.

See the Navy ban, a flyover of two F-18s.

We'll have two Admirals here to join us.

Navy Rock Brass Band.

Tomorrow at 9.25.

Certainly.

It would be quite a sight to see the Blue Angels fly over City Hall at 9.25.

I understand they'd be coming from the northeast in this direction.

There'll be a large number of sailors and Marines here this afternoon, tomorrow.

Then of course, there's a reception tonight at the Maritime Museum.

Everyone's welcome, your staff, your family.

It should be an exciting fleet week, culminating Monday night with a dinner.

So as busy as we are, I would still certainly let you know everyone's welcome.

Certainly there's seats at the reception outside at four for council, elected officials, and I think some of our county commissioner friends will be there.

So that's a great opportunity.

It's the first time we've had one in Texas, and we know we've got a number of ports, but none compare with the Houston port.

They're in Galveston right now, headed this way.

I understand there's going to be a flotile of small craft going up to Sabine, up by One.

Our friend Chris Newport is living a kid's dream.

He's right in the middle of it.

And we sure need to thank him and Rita Hicks for their volunteer work of making this a success.

The Navy's excited to be here.

We're fortunate to have them.

So put that under your to-do list.

Oh, Councilman Cayman's in the chair.

Councilman Cayman.

Thank you, Mayor, and congratulations, really, to you, to the City of Houston, and of course, you know, Chris and others for bringing Fleet Week here.

And I saw a message yesterday that I thought really stood out as a moment in time when we have our Navy and other military branches in harm's way.

Very well said.

I think it's an opportunity for a great Navy to meet a great city.

And we're certainly supportive and with all the turmoil in the world, it's it's really great that we can have a peaceful reception and honor uh this great group of soldiers, uh Naval Sailors, and the Marines, the Coast Guard.

Let's not forget the Coast Guard, our partners in safety up and down the Houston Ship Channel.

So I agree with you.

It's a great opportunity for us to show our appreciation.

Ready, Martha?

Since your list was distributed, all items are now in under the miscellaneous category.

Item three has been removed for separate consideration.

Need a motion for items one and two.

Tech move.

Martin second.

Motion made in the segment.

All in favor say yes.

Those opposed, nay.

Motion passes.

From the two boards.

We do have them here.

Mr.

Brown.

Bill.

Cleveland.

Kayla Ringler.

And for here, Cameron West and Robert Connell.

On the arts alliance, I saw our director, Michelle Leal.

Welcoming Cameron West and Robert Gondo.

Thank you for your presence.

Dan let us thank you for your service.

Thank y'all.

Thank y'all.

Under the accept work category, item five has been pulled and will now be considered.

Need a motion for item two.

Tech move.

Martinez second.

Motion made in the second.

All in favor say yes.

Those opposed nay.

Motion passes.

Under the purchasing and tabulation of bids category, need a motion for item six through 15.

Pack move.

Martina second.

Motion made and second.

All in favor say yes.

Those opposed nay.

Motion passes.

Under the you want to square item 30?

Yes.

Okay, concluding.

Under the resolutions category, item 16 has been removed for separate consideration.

Item 17 needs a vote.

All in favor say yes.

Those opposed, nay.

Motion passes.

Under the ordinances category.

Items removed for separate consideration are 19, 21, 23, 26, 29, 30, 35, 37, and 43.

Again, those numbers are 19, 21, 23, 26, 29, 30, 35, 37, and 43.

Need a vote on the balance.

All in favor say yes.

Those opposed, nay.

Motion passes.

Items removed for separate consideration.

Need a mo.

Need a motion for item three.

Motion made.

Councilman Jackson.

Thank you, Mayor.

This item is the designation.

It's the designated honorary street marker for Rev ML Holiday, located at the intersection of 40 9400 block of Maybury Street and the 8500 block of Parquet Street.

And so I just want to congratulate the pastor and the entire church for their decades of service.

Well deserved.

Just need a vote.

Thank you.

All in favor, say yes.

Those opposed nay.

Motion passes.

Item 16 is a resolution.

Just need a vote.

All in favor say yes.

Those opposed nay.

Motion passes.

Councilmember Jackson.

Thank you, Mayor.

I just want to highlight this.

Um this 4% tax credit.

It's an investment in the Sterling Shaw apartments.

You know, we had a lot of issues with Sterling Shaw apartments over the years, um, dealing with the deplorable um conditions.

Um Fairstead has come in, stepped up and they answered the call.

Um they recently, a year ago, um, invested in Copper Tree apartments, what which was also an issue in the um district B community.

So I just want to just thank them for just answering the call.

They see that we have an issue, they're stepping forward and they doing what they can do to rehab some of these apartments that are issued.

So thank you, and I fully support this item.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next.

Next item 19 is an ordinance.

Just need a vote.

All in favor say yes.

Those opposed, nay.

Motion.

Before, after Tiffany, before after.

After the vote, Martinez after.

After, sorry.

Yes, sir.

Motion passes.

Councilmember Thomas.

I'll defer the Council Member Martinez.

Thank you.

Councilman Martinez.

Um, and and you know, I just want to say thank you first and foremost, uh, Councilmember Thomas for leading these efforts as well.

Uh we all know that homelessness and our unhoused community has been needing some uh extra support.

We we have been focused on housing first, and I think we could continue to look at that as a pathway.

But understanding that the over the last ten years we have been seeing folks at our hardest to house, and so this moving these moving in this direction with disaster recovery funds, uh, you know, specifically at 419.

It was good to have the director here and knowing that Harris Health will be help uh leading leading the charge out of the Harris uh out of 419 emancipation.

And so we are committed to this work.

I want to thank my colleagues for supporting it as well.

It's never an easy decision to find ways to uh support folks, specifically when it is in your backyard.

Uh but quite frankly, uh I think it's important work for the entire city of Houston.

So I just want to again just lift up the administration mayor and of course, Councilmember Thomas, for taking the lead on this.

Thank you.

Uh Councilman Thomas.

Thank you for your leadership on this being a success.

Uh there's already uh if I could have a moment, Councilman Martinez, I know your district was concerned about public safety.

HPD already has its hot team based out of there with a sergeant, and there should be around the clock public safety working out emancipation.

So we're really addressing the community's concerns.

But as soon as it opens in the very, very near future, uh, when I leave at 6:30 or 7 most evenings, the feeding at the library.

Uh it's just unfortunate that that is where the feeding is located in terms of the homeless population and workers downtown.

They will be fed the same population at emancipation.

So it's going to be a real victory for addressing quality of life issues.

And thank you for being there at the uh opening uh the ribbon the dedication, I guess, announcing it and made a difference to have the chair of housing there.

So thank you very much.

And I yield to you.

Thank you, Mayor, and thank you, Councilmember Martinez, and to uh colleagues for your support of this.

Um it's not often we we get the flexibility of Federal dollars to address the the homeless population, and so this gives us an opportunity to enhance our continuum.

And as Councilmember Martinez mentioned, of course, you know, we want to get folks sheltered.

And I like to offer that.

I think we have done such an exceptional job with that, is that we're now able to focus on the hardest to house, right?

Those that need a firm hand and need uh targeted attention, and really this becomes a pilot in the region of how we move people through the entire continuum.

So I'm excited about 419.

I know on the west side uh uh stakeholders are interested in having a facility, a front door uh where it individuals can be presented to move them through um services, and so I am looking forward to the successes what is happening on the East Side so we can duplicate that on the west side, and as we can continue to talk about what we have done um in Houston with collaboration with our partners, I think this is a huge great step for us.

So definitely more to come.

And it's definitely a first step.

I can't not recall the discussion how we arrived at the monies for this after your leadership and others on home repairs for single families, multifamilies, and the victory of generators at all of our strategic locations, first responders, and ultimately libraries and all the essential services.

So you are right, we did get from HUD the uh FEMA the flexibility to use these funds, and we all came together and came up with a very acceptable plan.

So thank you.

Councilman Carter, who thank you for your leadership.

Well, thank you.

And you know that this is the first step, because you know we have got our eye on several other locations that is going to really make it a holistic approach.

Thank you, Mayor.

I just wanted to uh give a shout out for Councilmember Thomas.

The work that you have been doing in your district um to address the needs, boots on the ground there is is impressive.

And and uh and that is what it takes all around the city, and you have to address the homeless where they are.

Yesterday I had a conversation with uh a group of young leaders at Boma.

Um, and you know, to hear these building owners and managers talk about the problems on their front doorsteps in downtown Houston.

Um, you know, they talk about people getting off the train and and you know all kinds of things happening right at their doorsteps, and it's it's something that I think will be a game changer for our city, and as you say, it is the first of many, but uh I think it is a great step, but it takes everybody making sure that you know we are accessing the funding and we provide the resources that that are necessary.

So thank you, Councilmember Thomas, for what you are doing and certainly your work on the housing.

Certainly want to give a shout out to Metro, who became our partners in funding, and it is improving their service lines to address the homeless issues, certainly in midtown.

And this is just the start.

We still have a lot of work left to do, but uh it's becoming the administration, uh Josh and a group got back from Washington yesterday.

They're very impressed with our effort in the homeless area, holistic approach.

Councilman, Councilmember Alcorn.

Thank you.

At the committee meeting, I was impressed at all of the services that are going to be provided for 160 dollars a day.

That was pretty, I mean, meals, place to sleep, counseling, the list goes on and on.

And I think that is a really uh good price, and it's a lot more expensive to have somebody on the streets.

And while we're um while we're talking about Councilmember Thomas, I was pretty much blown away by your efforts on the Saturday.

And I know I have talked to you personally about it, but for her to go and get basically get people from encampments and give them the dignity of everything you did, the showers, the haircuts, the services.

That was uh the true meaning of Easter right there.

So thank you for your work on that.

And I think that Harris Center has got such a great reputation, this is the right group.

I really think the Manipation site will be a model, and hopefully we will start giving tours of its operation to our foundations and a philanthropic community, corporate Houston appreciates what we are doing.

Uh I saw a poll by one of our major corporations during working at home experience.

What would it what was it take to get the workers to want to work back at their corporate headquarters?

Their number one concern, they didn't want to engage with the homeless.

So while we are taking care of homeless, we are also addressing the concerns of our neighborhoods, Councilman Thomas and uh downtown Houston is noticeable difference in the cleanliness.

If you go the bio place overhang, look at what Bagbeet used to look like, what it looks like now, and of course, Tranquility Park, it's fixed and go through a complete transformation.

Those walls around Tranquility are going to be removed.

It will be open space and enhance the hobby center tremendously, and the city plans to start having events on Tranquility, which had been kind of forgotten and disrepair.

So it's a great day.

Next.

Next item.

Item 21 is an ordinance, just need a vote.

All in favor, say yes, Councilman Carter.

All in favor, say yes.

Those opposed, nay.

Motion passes.

Carter.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um, you know, I just wanted to to highlight that uh the amount of money that we are spending on these special elections.

It's just astronomical.

Um the last vacant seat, Councilmember Plummer, now Councilmember Selena's seat, I think we spent seven million.

And those are heavy duty numbers for as few people that vote.

It seems to me, I mean, we have got this runoff backing up to the runoff for the primaries.

Like it's just add it all up, and and it's it's a big number.

And it seems like we should be able to work somehow at the state level to, you know, through the county to get that get that rectified because it is across the board.

It's, I mean, it's the City of Houston, Harris County, but the the expense is substantial.

Thank you, Mayor.

And Councilmember Carter, thank you.

Um I don't I don't disagree at all.

And one of the challenges, right, in that you referred to as state law.

So when you want to have elections on the same date, state law precludes that because it is different types of elections, and it puts not only the workers in a tough place because they are working back-to-back weeks.

It puts uh strain on voters.

It's not easy.

And then you go to other municipalities in Harris County, and on the same election day, they are having different elections at different locations.

So a school board race is taking place at a different place than the municipal elections on the same day.

So I I a hundred and ten percent agree with you.

And we have to, again, provide as much access and openness for elections as possible, and do so in a way that works for the voters and makes fiscal sense.

Just to tag on to that, Mayor, um the runoff we had a couple of years ago up in the Kingwood area.

There's actually one poll in Montgomery County.

And the dollars we spent per voter was just insane.

So yeah, I think it would be nice if maybe we get the State to take a look at this, see if we can do something a little better and still give everybody access.

Very good.

Next item.

Next.

Item 23 is an ordinance, just need a vote.

All in favor, say yes, those opposed, nay, motion pass.

Item 26 is an ordinance, just need a vote.

All in favor, say yes, those opposed, nay, motion passes.

Item 29 is an ordinance, just need a vote.

All in favor, say yes, those opposed, nay, motion pass.

Item 30 is an ordinance, just need a vote.

All in favor, Councilman Jackson.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um, and this item, of course, is a very important item.

First, I want to just thank the Health Department for their partnership on the um in helping us move the Credible Messenger Program Um forward.

Um, this program since we launched it in 2021.

We have trained more than 125 credible messengers, and these are individuals, huh?

Okay.

Well, I was ready to roll.

I'll put it in the queue.

Okay.

I was I was fixing to agree with you.

I was following your lead.

I was going to talk about you, though.

I was going to talk about re-entry.

And we were going to give you a shout out.

Now let's get back to a little more construction, a drier subject.

Counselor Evans Shabbaz.

Thank you, Mayor.

It's one of those days.

Okay.

Uh thank you, Mayor and colleagues.

And today marks an important milestone for the residents of District D and the Edgewood community as we move forward with the appropriation for the new Edgewood Park Community Center.

I want to extend my sincere gratitude to you, Mayor, for your leadership and for listening to the voices of this community, which has long advocated for this investment.

And I believe, Mayor, that this is the first new community center initiated under your administration, and that is a meaningful accomplishment that reflects your commitment to improving quality of life in neighborhoods across our city.

And I also want to thank the dedicated teams at the City of Houston General Services Department and Houston Parks and Recreation Department whose hard work, planning, and coordination have brought this project to this pivotal moment.

And this new facility represents more than just a building.

It is an investment in families, youth, seniors, and the future of District D.

The District of Destination.

The Edgewood Park Community Center will become a place where residents gather, learn, connect, and thrive.

And to the Edgewood community, we heard you, we fought for you, and today we are one step closer to delivering on that promise.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And I could have told some of our recent witnesses before Council, don't mess with Evan Shabbat.

Okay.

So that's you get the credit for making it a priority and making it happen.

You got it covered.

Thank you for bringing this to our attention.

Councilman.

Oh, on that one?

Got it.

All in favor of 30.

Say yes.

Those opposed, no.

Motion passes.

Councilmember.

Item 35 is an ordinance.

Just need a vote.

Yeah, I read the button.

Here we go.

Okay.

So this item is funding to continue our credible messenger program through our partnership with Collection Action for Youth.

As I was saying earlier, since launching this initiative in 2021, we have trained more than 125 credible messengers.

And these are individuals who are deeply rooted in our communities and uniquely positioned to reach mentor and guide our young people.

This program is not just an investment.

It is a service.

It is an investment of people, relationships, and learned long-term change.

And so this past Saturday, we saw the impact firsthand during the Stop the Violence basketball tournament that was led by the Credible Messengers.

It was a powerful, it was very powerful to witness these young men and women choosing purpose, leadership, and community over conflict.

And this is exactly the kind of type of transformation this program is designed to inspire.

So thank you all for your continued support as we continue to support this program.

And I just want to go on record, we're going to be having a fundraiser in August to continue to try to raise money to keep this credible messenger program active.

Because as you heard yesterday, it's really touching and changing a lot of young men and women's lives.

And so thank you all for your support.

Continued support.

Thank you for your vote.

This is just one of many that I could point to, having worked with you in the criminal justice reform area for maybe 20 years or longer.

Thank you.

For uh your re-entry programs.

And uh I recall you come to Austin many times.

Certainly.

Thank you.

Councilman Kamen.

And the Health Department.

We need to give a shout out to the Health Department for seeing the wisdom of funding this.

Councilman Kaman.

I just wanted to thank you, Councilmember, for your persistence, your passion, and your commitment to this program and being in the community.

As we, you know, I got so excited yesterday.

We had a great presentation at public safety on SafeWatch Houston and the rise of uh firearm injuries uh throughout the city.

And to see how we can partner in overlap, but also to know what it takes to work that many years to see something through is really remarkable.

So I just want to say thank you for everything you continue to do uh to bring this and other programs to the forefront.

Thank you.

That's mayor pro team pick.

Thank you, Mayor.

Thank you, Councilmember Jackson, for this program.

When we had the public safety committee meeting about this, I was really blown away by the people you brought forward and how much they have changed their lives because of this program.

You we all talk about supporting our communities and ways to do it, and you have really done it through this program.

So congratulations.

Thank you for your work.

Chairman Thomas.

Uh congratulations, uh, Councilmember Jackson.

You know, this is more than a public safety initiative.

It's more than investing community.

When you listen to the individuals come, you really have given uh young men and women permission to dream again and to reconnect with the vision that they possibly didn't know.

It still they could pursue.

Um I have engaged with credible messengers all throughout this city in various ways, and every single one of them have been proud to say I'm a credible messenger.

Um I think that speaks to your vision uh and the infrastructure of the program and the value they feel contributing as credible messengers, but also recipients who come to say, I'm a mentee.

I heard what they did for someone else, and I want them to do that for me.

So I, you know, congratulations on sticking to your vision and holding fast to it.

And kudos to the health department for taking on uh uh you know a council members' initiative.

We know we that we come to the departments with a variety of things of what we want to do all the time.

Um and the fact that they were willing to create space and integrate it to their work only makes us better as a city.

Thank you, Mayor.

I certainly want to commend uh councilmember Jackson.

I remember when she first came with the idea, and I was able to attend the graduation, and I saw so many excited faces.

And so it's no wonder that you went you tried to get ahead of yourself on the item because you are so excited about it, and this is your baby, and it's made a tremendous difference throughout the city.

So thank you for your steadfast diligence, your and your compassion, and and your vision of seeing everyone move forward and prosper.

So thank you.

All in favor say yes.

Those opposed, no, motion pass.

Congratulations.

Good job.

Item 37 is an ordinance, just need a vote.

All in favor, say yes, those opposed, nay, motion passes.

Item 43 is an ordinance, just need to vote.

All in favor, say yes.

Those opposed, nay, motion passes.

Item 48 is an ordinance, just need to vote.

Councilman Cayman.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um, this item pertains to the Montrose Tours uh budget.

And Mayor, if you recall several weeks ago, um I had said we had some outstanding questions.

There were very basic questions relating to um costs, scope of certain projects, as well as following up on prior projects and understandings we had had with the TURS.

Uh we had tagged it for a week, still didn't have a response.

I understand the Chair was needed some additional time for personal reasons, so we delayed again.

To certainly work with you.

Uh I'm certainly you have been down Montrose.

They're really moving the dirt and improving things, and uh we've been in touch with the TURS to tell them to be very transparent with your office.

And I appreciate that, Mayor.

Um, again, these are just they're very specific questions.

I'm happy to go through them now, or I can again submit them to you.

I don't want to have that out, but I I'd like to refer this back to the administration until we do have those answers.

Again, I think as a district council member, we've been extremely gracious in time.

We've been working with the departments when the chair wasn't available, but we have still not, after almost three weeks, received those responses back.

So I would like to move to refer this back to the administration.

Councilman Cavan moves to refer it back to administration.

Motion made in a second.

All in favor say yes, those president.

Good job.

This completes the items on the agenda.

Members uh pop off.

Uh everybody's being so nice.

I hate to leave, but I've got fleet week activities.

I must represent the city at.

So I'm going to ask the Vice Mayor Pro Tim to please preside.

And I hope to see y'all sooner than later this afternoon at the event.

Four o'clock.

We're welcome at 3 30, but the event starts at 4.

Thank you all.

Thank you.

Councilmember Martinez.

Pass.

Councilmember Pollard.

Councilmember Alcorn.

Well, not passing.

We are sending out the budget survey.

It's getting to be budget time.

May 6th will be the release of the budget.

So today we'll go out.

My budget survey, please.

District Council members and at-large council members feel free to share far and wide.

Once again, the Kinder Institute at Rice has helped me to further refine the budget survey.

So that's going on.

We're also holding a couple budget town halls Saturday, May 16th at 10 at Bondi with Councilmember Castillo, and Wednesday, May 20th, they'll be virtual.

And anyway, give me your two cents on the your two cents budget survey.

Thank you very much.

Councilmember Salinas.

I just want to take a moment to recognize my newest policy fellow, Demetrius.

Demetrius joins us from Case Western.

He is a Houston native, and he just uh was admitted to the University of Texas Law School.

He's doing phenomenal work, and we're so lucky to have him at City Hall.

So thank you.

Please join me in welcoming Demetrius.

Councilmember Carter.

Councilmember Evan Shabaz.

The Houston Mayor's Youth Council Elementary and Middle School Book Fair at the Sunnyside Multi-Service Center.

This free community event brought together families, students, and partners from across our city for a day focused on literacy, learning, and opportunity.

Young people receive free books, participated in writing and math workshops, heard from guest speakers, and enjoyed educational activities designed to inspire a love of reading and academic success.

I want to thank the Department of Neighborhoods, the Office of Neighborhood Engagement, Houston Public Library, University of Houston Kindred Stories, Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation, and all of the partners who helped to make this event possible.

This is exactly the kind of investment that strengthens our neighborhoods and empowers the next generation.

And I am proud that District D, the district of destination, continues to be a place where our children can learn, grow, and thrive.

And on this Friday, the OST Elmita Corridors Redevelopment Authority, TURS 7, will have a meeting concerning the live Oak Street improvements.

This is something that has long been waited for.

They've long waited for it, rather.

And I may be able to be friends again with one of the pastors on that street, because he was ready to get those improvements done.

And so I'm very thankful that we are moving forward.

The meeting is on Friday at 6 p.m.

at Trinity United at Methodist Church.

That's not the pastor that I'm speaking of.

Just to be clear.

And certainly come out.

They're going to talk about new sidewalks, roadway reconstruction, and storm sewer drainage.

So a very important meeting.

Hopefully, the community can come out and get the information and give feedback.

Thank you.

And that concludes what's going on in the district of destination.

Councilmember Flickinger.

Thank you.

This Saturday we're having another meeting madness.

This is going to be our last one for the year until we get to what's a little cooler.

That's uh over at uh Trailwood Village on Kingwood Drive.

Uh this is in conjunction with the Trailwood Village Community Association who's applied for the matching grant.

Uh we're also going to have uh BOPA the following Saturday, the 25th at Kingwood uh Metro Park and Ride.

So uh you can come out there and get rid of your batteries, oil, paint, and anti-freeze.

Uh as far as the South part of my district, wanted to talk a little bit about uh the Artemis.

And I was lucky enough to go out there for the launch and it was quite a sight to see.

Uh hopefully Sally can get out there for one of them that actually goes off.

Um but uh you know it's really neat.

This is the first time in 50 years that we've been back to the moon, although we didn't land on the moon, the first time we've been back, and it was the furthest that we've ever gone away from planet Earth.

Uh and and really is a testament to everyone uh who was involved in that project, certainly the astronauts, but all the support staff at NASA down in the Clear Lake area.

Uh it's just an incredible job they did, and uh I think uh although it wasn't flawless as far as the issues with toilets and whatnot, uh it was pretty pretty well.

I mean, uh there was very little issues whatsoever.

So I mean it's really uh a testament to everything that we can can be done.

Um the spaceport uh down uh at Ellington uh is really uh got a lot of stuff going on there that adds to the economic activity to the to uh the city, the state, and the nation, and just shows that Houston is still at the forefront of space exploration.

Councilmart came in.

I couldn't agree more.

Uh it was just absolutely special uh to sit there with my son and my father, multiple generations uh watching the rocket take off, all of us holding our breath as the pod was coming back down.

Uh but to see Houston at the forefront again uh just emphasizes that we're Space City and to all the workers behind the scenes.

Uh it's just incredible.

So thank you, Councilmember Flickinger.

And I'm so glad you got to be there.

Uh but yes, Councilmember Alcorn, you're gonna have to make it to one.

But for all of us space nerds, uh this was you know uh just incredible, absolutely incredible.

Uh on a more somber note, I would ask that we adjourn today in memory of Ambassador Schechter um who passed away.

Uh the Houston community, his memorial services today.

Um the community as a whole has lost a visionary leader.

Ambassador uh Schechter served as ambassador to the Bahamas under President Clinton.

He was chair of MTA under Mayor Brown.

Uh he served as President of the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston and on the United States Holocaust Memorial Council.

But in addition to that, he was uh extraordinary and exceptional maritime attorney and actually argued a case before the Supreme Court um in the 70s.

So he, of course, leaves behind a lasting legacy uh and our thoughts are with his wife Joyce, uh their beautiful children and grandchildren in the community.

Uh, but may his memory be a blessing, and I would ask that we honor uh his life and legacy today.

And in addition to that, just I'm gonna pivot and say a few uh constituent items.

Um, again, we had the Safe Watch Houston presentation yesterday, uh, the update on that, and I want to thank all the doctors and uh health care professionals that came to speak about the impact that this data dashboard through the city of Houston is having on informing how they are saving lives every single day and allowing us to be in the community in prevention efforts.

So again, colleagues, uh, but also for the community, we have free gun locks, free gun safes, and material educational materials for anyone that would like one because we can all do our part uh to stem the tide of gun violence and especially of unintentional shootings.

I want to thank Public Works.

Uh we had a sewer overflow problem uh that persisted for multiple days in front of uh one of our businesses in Rice Village to where they could not uh it was hindering their operations uh within an hour of them contacting our office and escalating to public works.

HPW was out there to fix it.

So we just appreciate the team at Public Works for getting that handled.

Um and I want to also thank Denise Witherspoon, Nicole Welch, and Chris Sandoval.

Um I I had brought forward an issue on 21st Street in between Durham and Shepherd, where all the cars were bottlenecking uh head to head.

We now have no parking signs on both sides of the streets.

It was a for that short of a stretch, it was a Herculean effort, so thank you to them for getting to work on that with our team.

Um and then we have two new locations for safe crossings in front of schools that are coming.

Uh Waltrip High School.

We are adding a pedestrian refuge and safe crossing.

There was literally no safe crossing designated in front of Waltrip High School across 34th Street.

Uh so we are funding that as well as in front of uh Roberts Elementary at Green Briar and Swift.

There'll be a new safe crossing coming as well.

So more projects on the way.

Uh and thank you to everyone, but especially to my team and district constituents who continue to work with our office.

Councilmember and happy birthday to Councilmember Jackson this weekend.

Councilmember Jackson, happy birthday.

Thank you.

I'm going to be 35.

I know I was 35.

Yeah.

And I want to thank everyone who joined us on Thursday for our first be successful job fair of the year.

We had more than 50 employers as well as over 600 job seekers.

It was exciting to see the energy in the room and to see job seekers and employers connecting to one another.

I also want to thank Workforce Solutions of Gov Coast for being a steadfast partner and sharing our commitment to helping find helping people find jobs.

And also to Integra, who not only bring brought hundreds of jobs to the job fair, but they also donated laptops and they donated tablets to our job seekers.

And so if anyone is looking for a good paying job, please contact our office at 832-393-3009 or email us at district B at Houston TX.gov.

Thank you.

Councilmarmer Huffman.

I just want to say congratulations to everyone who completed the Tour Day Houston over the weekend.

On Saturday, I was at Westside High School, which was the halfway point before they the bikers headed back.

And we had we saw over 3,000 bikers come through.

So what a great event.

Councilmember Ramirez was one of the riders there.

I saw assistant Fire Chief Brown.

It was a great event.

So thank you to Apache, Houston First, everybody who participated.

Also, last week I took a tour of Texas Works.

And Texas Works is up.

They're housed or gallery furniture, Mattress Mack gives space to Texas Works.

And they have a program not just for high school students who can't complete high school traditionally because they have to work jobs or they have to take care of family members, things like that.

They have a program for high schoolers, but they also have one for adults if you want to go back and get your high school diploma.

Other programs they offer, they do certifications.

They partner with HCC and do certifications in uh welding, electrical.

I think next year they'll have HVAC.

Speaking with Texas Works, they uh expressed interest in coming to City Council to a committee meeting just to give council more information, and so um that might be a good thing to come in front of economic development.

Thank you.

Councilmember Ramirez.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Well, first of all, salute to the Artemis crew.

Um can't say enough about how well that mission went.

Great job.

Um I'm so impressed with their courage and also by the way they work together as a team and seem to have so much fun doing it.

But we're all very proud of you and looking forward to what's next in the Artemis program.

Um had the good fortune to be asked to speak at the U.H.

uh hobby school of public affairs Friday over the lunch hour in their civic engagement boot camp.

Uh and it was nice to interact with uh approximately 50 students there at the hobby school.

We have had interns from that school before, and they do a wonderful job of training them.

There are many graduates of that program that work here at City Hall.

So thank you for that.

Friday evening, I was at the Korean American Chamber of Commerce Biennial Gala.

Uh wonderful affair.

Uh thank you to Vivian Kwan, the President, and Ethan Lee, the board chair, for the invitation, and thank all of the members of that chamber for what they do for our economy and keeping Houston a place of opportunity.

Saturday afternoon, I was in District F.

I must have just missed my district council member colleague.

Uh, but I was at the Taiwan Yes Festival in the afternoon in A-Leaf.

They did a wonderful job as well.

At both of those events, I saw G.

G.

Lee, the Mayor's Chief of the Office of International Affairs.

And I just want to give a shout out to Gigi Lee uh for the wonderful work she does.

She was is always so impressive and seems to be everywhere.

Houston is such an international city with so many cultural things going on.

She presented proclamations on behalf of Mayor Whitmire at both the Korean Chamber event and the Taiwan Yes Festival.

Sunday morning, as my colleague uh Councilmember Huffman mentioned.

I was at uh road in the tour to Houston, and uh saw Councilmember Huffman and her staff uh assisting by passing out uh refreshments, much needed refreshments there.

Had had a great uh time doing that.

I want to give thanks to Apache Corporation for sponsoring.

It was a benefit event, and so um proceeds will go to benefit uh Houston Parks and Recreation Department programs, thanks uh to them.

And also glad I didn't get a flat tire.

Um I don't have to tell you guys the quality of our streets, and you just feel it a lot more when you're riding on uh on a bicycle, but uh we need to keep working on that.

And I should mention also Saturday afternoon.

Uh I went out to Ellington and I saw my colleague uh Councilmember Fred Flickinger there.

The occasion was to present uh a combat infantryman badge uh delayed to Major Retired Larry Weir for his service in Vietnam.

So I was happy to be a part of that and to thank him on behalf of the City of Houston.

So that's all I got.

Thank you.

Councilmember Thomas.

I pass.

Councilmember Evan Shavaz.

Yes.

I'm sorry.

I was remiss.

I wanted to congratulate uh Troy Fenner, who is now the police chief in Missouri City.

We certainly wish him well.

It was a great loss to the city, and we know that Missouri City will be well protected.

And I just wanted to congratulate him.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember.

Um I have one comment for the mayor's office, so hopefully they are listening right now.

There is recently a story on KHOU about the broken street lights along our freeways.

Um, and I want to thank Director Mackeye for working on this.

I know he's been working on it for a few months now and is working out a plan to get all of those streetlights fixed.

I thought now would be a good time since it was brought up in the news to remind the mayor's office about the budget amendment that I've had I think the last two years about renegotiating the contract that we have with TechSot about the street lights.

In the last um this this budget, this current budget, we um allocated $981,100 just for the lights, um just for lighting the street lights.

So we're spending almost a million dollars just in light, so anything we could do to renegotiate that um with TechSot would be appreciated.

Um we stand adjourned today in honor of Ambassador Schector.