Houston City Council Meeting – April 28, 2026

The Houston City Council convened on April 28, 2026, for a regular session that included public testimony, financial updates, and votes on numerous agenda items. The meeting began with an invocation and pledge, followed by a series of public comments addressing local housing, transportation, infrastructure, and public safety. Later, the council received the monthly financial report from the Controller and Finance Director, highlighting significant budget pressures, particularly in the fire department and unrealized savings. Several ordinances were approved, including funding for the Trinity East Senior Apartment Complex.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of traffic calming devices citywide.
• Items 2, 3, 5, 6, and 7 were approved en bloc.
• Numerous ordinances (Items 8, 11, 16, 17, 21) were received and approved.
• Items 9, 10, 11, 20, 22, and 24 were removed for separate consideration and later voted on individually.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Trinity East Senior Project (Support): Ken Rogers, Rev. Melinda Owens, Dr. Marilyn White, Herbert Green, and Dolores Rogers spoke in strong support of the Trinity East Village Senior Apartment Complex, emphasizing the need for affordable housing for seniors in the Third Ward and the project’s role in keeping residents from the CUNY Homes community in their familiar neighborhood. Councilmember Evans-Shabazz voiced her full support.
• Blodgett Street Bike Lanes (Opposition): A large group of residents and community leaders spoke against the bike lanes on Blodgett Street. Ken Rogers, Maya Tyler, Arva Howard, Lionel Howard, Sister Mama Sonia, Margaret Samuel, A. Keith Edwards, and Thomas Dale described the lanes as dangerous, underused, and imposed without community engagement. They cited congestion, emergency vehicle access issues, drainage problems, and negative impacts on Texas Southern University. Many requested the removal of the bike lanes and restoration of the original four-lane configuration. Councilmember Evans-Shabazz and others expressed solidarity, noting the project was a county initiative lacking proper council approval.
• Cesar Chavez Street Renaming (Support): A series of speakers – retired Brig. Gen. Joe Ramirez Jr., Brittany Ramirez, Rick Noriega, Richard Vega, Daniel Veloz, Melissa Gallegos, and former Councilmember Robert Gallegos – advocated for renaming Cesar Chavez Street in the East End after Master Sergeant Joe E. Chaco Ramirez, a Korean War POW and community hero. They described his military service, community contributions, and the broad support from local veterans’ groups and the Magnolia Park neighborhood. Councilmembers Martinez, Davis, and Ramirez acknowledged the strong community backing.
• Wastewater Consent Decree (Concerns): Representatives from Bayou City Waterkeeper (Guadalupe Fernandez, Kristen Schlemmer, Danielle Newton, Usman Mahmood) and Stephanie Valdez from the Coalition for the Environment, Equity, and Resilience detailed delays in the consent decree projects, rising costs ($9 billion), and inequitable distribution of sewage overflows in districts B, D, F, H, and I. They called for greater transparency, data access, and accountability from Public Works.
• People’s Budget and Flooding (Advocacy): Several speakers (Uniqua Parker, Leola Cornett, Haven Bale, Taylor Brown, Bonnie Austin Whitley, Ikra Tariq) urged the council to prioritize funding for drainage, ditch re-establishment, public works staffing, and social services over police budgets. They shared personal experiences of flooding and called for investment in infrastructure and community services.
• HPD/ICE Cooperation (Mixed Views): Matthew Graf and Jay Boost spoke on the city’s immigration enforcement ordinance. Graf urged council to ensure crime victims feel safe reporting, while Boost expressed disappointment that the revised ordinance backed away from stronger protections.
• Other Comments: Lee Mercer proposed a crime prevention program, Shelton Modellas raised a personal dispute with an “illegal alien,” Ridwan Kwanda suggested an app for emergency gate access, and Lakshmi Ravendrin promoted a teacher appreciation event. A resident, Sunny Moss and Farron Manual, highlighted dangerous traffic conditions at Pierce and Emancipation after a fatal crash.

Discussion Items

• Monthly Financial Report (March 2026): Controller Melissa reported a projected ending fund balance of $276.1 million (10.4% of expenditures), $76.9 million above the 7.5% target. She noted a $39.6 million increase in expenditure projections from the prior month, including $22.2 million in the fire department ($11.8 million from an arbitration ruling, $10.4 million in other costs) and $17.2 million in general government due to unrealized category management savings. The combined utility system operating transfers decreased by $15 million due to delays in the roadside ditch reestablishment program. Controller also criticized the administration for withholding information about the arbitration ruling.
• Finance Director’s Report: Director Debowski presented the 9+3 report. Revenue projection was $12.2 million above adopted budget; expenditure projection was $117 million higher. The ending fund balance was estimated at $299.9 million (11.3% of expenditures). She explained that the $17.2 million general government variance stemmed from lower-than-anticipated savings from the category management initiative, which had been a budget placeholder. She also noted that the fire department’s holiday buyback program contributed to overtime costs.
• Councilmember Pollard’s Questions: Councilmember Pollard pressed for details on the category management savings and the fire department overtime plan. Controller reiterated that the budget relied on unrealistic assumptions.
• Councilmember Alcorn’s Comments: Acknowledged the categorization of savings struggles but noted operational benefits from the consultant’s dashboard. Called for a different approach to overtime budgeting in the upcoming fiscal year.

Key Outcomes

• Financial Report Accepted: Council voted to accept the quarterly financial report for the period ending March 31, 2026.
• Trinity East Senior Project Approved: Item 11, supporting the Trinity East Village Senior Apartment Complex, was approved by voice vote. Councilmember Evans-Shabazz and Thomas praised the project for promoting affordability and community stability.
• Consent Agenda Approved: Items 1-7, 8, 11, 16, 17, 21, and others were adopted en bloc or after separate votes.
• Other Ordinances Approved: Items 9, 10, 20, 22, and 24 were approved after individual consideration.
• Ongoing Issues: Councilmember Carter raised continued concerns about 11th Street bike lanes, while Councilmember Huffman noted that her community listening session on 11th Street showed overwhelming support for the project. No vote was taken on bike lane removal.
• Next Steps: The city’s budget for FY2027 is expected to be released next week. The apartment ordinance is anticipated to reach the council agenda soon.