Houston City Council Quality of Life Committee Meeting – September 14, 2026

Vice Chair Amy Peck called the meeting to order on September 14, 2026. The committee received two presentations: the Housing Department’s public services agenda items on homeless services and housing funding agreements, and the Houston Parks Board’s presentation on ParkScore, park access, and parks funding.

Discussion Items

Housing Department – Public Services Items

• 2A – Search Homeless Services: The department presented a second amendment to the subrecipient agreement extending the agreement period through April 30, 2027. Staff noted council previously approved the full 24-month funding period and reported that 53 households had been served to date.
• 2B – The Beacon of Downtown Houston: A first amendment would add up to $485,000 in Community Development Block Grant funds for case management and related services. Asked about outcomes, staff said HUD "negative exits" can include moves to transitional housing or medical services, and cited insufficient housing units and changing HUD guidance, including the Housing First model, as factors.
• 2C – Family Endeavors Inc. (OPH): A first amendment would reallocate funds among approved line items to add new program positions without changing the scope of service. Staff explained that because council approves all budget line items, adding a new line item requires returning to council. Discussion covered coordinated entry, disabling conditions, uncertainty about whether all clients initially referred to OPH were appropriate, and the possible need for other interventions for clients who become incarcerated.
• 2D – TDHCA HHSP Agreements: The department presented two agreements with the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs to accept fiscal year 2027 Texas Homeless Housing and Services Program funds. Staff described these as the second step of a three-step process that began when council authorized the city to apply for the funding.
• 2E – Access Care of Coastal Texas (ACCT): A first amendment would add up to $1,276,825 in HOPWA funding for case management, nutritional services, medical transportation, and other services supporting housing stability, access to care, and independent living.
• The housing director had no formal comments but thanked staff for moving "complex dollars from very complex sources" to people in need.

Houston Parks Board Presentation

• The Parks Board presented Trust for Public Land’s ParkScore rankings across acreage, access, amenities, equity, and investment. Houston scored around the middle in four categories and generally below peer cities in most metrics.
• Public funding for Houston parks was described as not matching peer cities. Looking only at the parks department, Houston ranked worse nationally per capita; even including county and management district funding, Houston only rose to 87th per capita nationally. The speaker also said Houston was second in one comparison and almost doubled third place.
• The Parks Board is working with city partners on improving 25 neighborhood parks and on a trail project with Harris County Precinct 4 and the International Management District. The trail project will give over 8,000 people new access to a park. Including county and MUD parks, Houston has more than 700 parks.
• The Parks Board urged increased parks department funding through the annual budget process, citing a survey in which 70% of Houstonians said they would pay additional money each month if it was guaranteed to go to parks. It also referenced upcoming Chapter 42 open space ordinance updates and a proposed fee increase expected in late October before going to council.
• Councilmembers and committee staff discussed not removing existing parkland, the different ways parks are used, operating budgets, and user fees. Staff from Councilmember Ramirez’s office expressed concern that the city subsidizes private uses such as tennis, golf, and pavilion rentals and said fees should be fair without pricing people out.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Lance Gilliam spoke in support of the process to rename a park. He said he had spoken with the mayor and had received an email about signs in the park and public comment on the renaming, and he asked what steps were needed to move forward. Vice Chair Peck agreed to work with Councilmembers Alcorn, Ramirez, and Huffman and with Mr. Gilliam on the matter.
• No other public speakers were present.

Key Outcomes

• The committee received both presentations; no vote was taken during the meeting.
• Vice Chair Peck committed to working with council members and Lance Gilliam on the park renaming process.
• The next Quality of Life Committee meeting was scheduled for Monday, October 5, 2026, at 2:00 p.m.