OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Killeen City Council Special Meeting – July 15, 2025

City Council & CommissionsTuesday, July 15, 2025
BodyKilleen, Texas
SessionCity Council & Commissions
DateTuesday, July 15, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record

STREAMING COPY IN PREPARATION — RECORDING AVAILABLE FROM THE ORIGINAL SOURCE

Transcript — Verbatim
0:19

Thank you.

0:19

I'd like to call our special council meeting to order.

0:23

It is 556.

0:26

Um PM.

0:27

Let the record show that uh all council members are present except uh Mayor Pro Tim Adams.

0:37

Uh Madam Secretary, whenever you're ready.

0:40

We only have one other person that will be speaking, and the gentleman that's with you right now.

0:46

This he was up there before I got started.

0:49

All right.

0:49

Do we need to uh do the approval of agenda?

0:53

Uh oh, yes.

0:54

Can I get a motion to approve the agenda?

0:56

Councilmember Gonzalez.

0:59

I make a motion to approve the agenda.

1:02

Councilmember Sigar.

1:04

All in favor, yes, all opposed, no.

1:09

Ms.

1:09

Kendrick Andy Day.

1:17

Uh Councilwoman Call.

1:20

Okay, the motion passed four to zero.

1:22

Let the record uh uh note that council member Solomon and Councilmember Alvarez uh has taken a break.

1:32

All right, whenever you're ready.

1:34

Uh Madam Secretary.

1:40

PH 25037.

1:43

Hold a public hearing and consider an ordinance authorizing a substantial amendment to annual action plans for program years 2017-2021, 2022, and 2023 to reprogram home funds to provide for affordable housing activities and to remove the city's requirement under the 2024, excuse me, 2020-2024 consolidated strategic plan for HUD certified housing counseling to provide services to recipients as a provision of the home program tenant-based rental assistance, TBRA.

2:19

The caption of the ordinance reads an ordinance adopting a substantial amendment to community development annual action plans for FY 2017, 2021, 2022, and 2023 for the reprogramming of home program funds to tenant-based rental assistant program activities, and the removal of the requirement from the 2020-24 consolidated plan for the use of HUD certified housing counselors to provide services to tenant-based rental housing assistant assistance recipients as a provision to receiving assistance, providing a severability clause, and providing an effective date.

3:04

Thank you for the short suspense between the meetings, ma'am.

3:07

I appreciate it.

3:09

Okay.

3:11

So a substantial amendment occurs when there is a change in this purpose, scope, location, or beneficiaries of an activity or project.

3:19

Home grants remain from previously eligible projects that were completed or canceled without utilizing the entire amount allocated, or when CHOTO funds are converted into entitlement funds.

3:31

Reprogramming is necessary to maintain compliance with HUD and home expenditure regulations.

3:36

Home funds, you have eight years to spend, or they uh recapture those every year September 30th.

3:43

If you have those monies from eight years ago, they take the money back.

3:49

That's the community development advisory committee met April 4th to discuss a substantial amendment reprogram uh reprogramming of access home funds and the timely expenditure of home.

3:59

Reprogramming home funds will allow for the use in the home housing program, specifically tenant-based rental assistance program, which will achieve timely performance with regulatory expenditure requirements of home funds.

4:14

The HUD certified housing counseling is not required under tenant-based rental assistance program unless the jurisdiction elects to include it as part of their program.

4:23

Colleen has only one agency certified to provide um certified housing counseling.

4:43

Removing this requirement under the goals and objectives of the TIPA program consolidated plan is recommended, and this will allow the city to assist households expeditiously and address the immediate need for assistance.

5:02

Annual action plan amendments to make maintain compliance with HUD as we pre- as I previously stated.

5:15

Fiscal year 2017, 1,573 cents, 21, 73,683 and 30 cents, 22, 88, 376.25 cents, and 23, 456, 7.68 cents for a total of $619,641.03 cents.

6:03

And we did discuss with uh finance about putting it in utility bills, but their July uh mailers were already decided upon, and there's a two-page maximum, so we weren't able to do that, but we can plan for that next year.

6:20

The availability of the substantial amendment draft was here at City Hall with the City Secretary, the community development department, both public libraries, Lions Club, uh Park Senior Center, and then online.

6:35

Um, when I get to the next two, I these are the same places for the sake of time.

6:40

I won't repeat that for you.

6:41

Um, next steps, if approved, we will submit the substantial amendment to HUD no later than August 15th of 2025.

6:49

And staff recommends that City of Clean Council approve an ordinance for the substantial amendment to reprogram home funds to home housing programs, particularly the TIBA program for program years 2017, 21, 22, 23, and to the 2020 to 2024 consolidated plan and removing the requirement for the HUD certified housing counseling as a provision of eligible how for eligible households to receive assistance.

7:18

Thank you.

7:18

There are no questions for you.

7:21

We will hold a public hearing.

7:27

If I mispronounce your name, please correct it.

7:37

Madam Mayor Council.

7:39

Sir, I'm the president of the Central Texas Home Builders Association, and um we are really starting to look at our county is more and get into more of the affordable housing and fixing some of the downtown areas in these areas.

7:54

And um I feel like if we could come together and put some teams together throughout the council, throughout the city man, the management and stuff like that, we can really come together as a community to fix some of these things and get more affordable housing and address the the house the distressed housing in our in our northern area of uh clean.

8:18

And I just wanted to um really just bring unity in these decisions as we we move forward uh from home builders to develop to developers to council to city members, and um that's really all I had to say, but thank you, sir, for uh warning to join the team and work together to help the North Side.

8:44

Thank you.

8:45

Uh Council uh members, do anybody have any comments on this?

8:50

Any questions?

8:52

Okay.

8:52

Melissa Brown.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Affordable Housing███████████████████████████████████████████43%
Community Engagement█████████████████████████████████33%
Homelessness█████████████13%
Procedural██████████10%
Budget Equity Analysis1%
Summary of Proceedings

Killeen City Council Special Meeting – July 15, 2025

The Killeen City Council held a special meeting on July 15, 2025, at 5:56 PM to conduct three public hearings and take action on items related to affordable housing funds, the consolidated plan, and the citizen participation plan. All council members were present except Mayor Pro Tempore Tim Adams. The agenda was approved 4-0 (with Councilmembers Solomon and Alvarez on break).

Consent Calendar

  • Approval of the agenda: motion by Councilmember Gonzalez, second by Councilmember Sigar, passed 4-0.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • President of the Central Texas Home Builders Association expressed support for affordable housing and unity among city officials, developers, and community members, particularly for the North Side.
  • Melissa Brown spoke on multiple items:
    • On PH25037, she objected to the lack of accessible and timely meetings for the Hispanic population and recommended postponing the substantial amendment to incorporate the HOP (Homeless Outreach Program) rather than the TBRA program. She suggested sending a comprehensive amendment to HUD instead of multiple revisions.
    • On PH25038, she urged continued funding for the KPD Community Engagement Unit (CEU) and suggested using HOME-ARP funds for Hilltop Recovery Ministries, which had been denied because of its inpatient nature. She also criticized the city’s citizen participation efforts, citing insufficient notice and inaccessible meeting materials.
    • On PH25039, she criticized the city for not following its own citizen participation plan, noted a blank page in the CAPER (Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report), and argued that public hearing comments should be counted and that meeting materials should be readily available online.

Discussion Items

PH25037 – Reprogramming HOME Funds and Removing Housing Counseling Requirement

  • Staff (Ms. McNair) presented a substantial amendment to reprogram $619,641.03 in unspent HOME funds from FY2017, 2021, 2022, and 2023 into the Tenant-Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) program. The amendment also removes the requirement for HUD-certified housing counseling for recipients.
  • The Community Development Advisory Committee (CDAC) met April 4 to discuss the reprogramming. The draft amendment was available at City Hall, libraries, and online.
  • The city cannot use HOME funds for the police homeless outreach team; funds are restricted to affordable housing development activities.
  • Councilmember Alvarez asked about using funds for tiny homes; staff confirmed feasibility with underwriting requirements.
  • A motion to approve PH25037 was made by Councilmember Sigar, seconded by Councilmember Solomon, and passed 6-0.

PH25038 – 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan and FY2025-26 Annual Action Plan for CDBG, HOME, and HOME-ARP Funds

  • Staff presented the five-year consolidated plan and first-year action plan, which allocate $1,390,445.09 in CDBG funds (including $40,375.09 reprogrammed) and $545,001.73 in HOME funds.
  • CDAC Chair Johnny Frederick read the committee’s recommendations, which included funding for public services, code enforcement (three-year commitment), housing rehab, park improvements (Condor Park and Marlboro Park), and administrative costs. The total for public services was $202,510.50.
  • Hilltop Recovery Ministries’ request for $108,000 for an inpatient chemical-dependency facility was not funded because HOME-ARP funds require outpatient services.
  • Staff recommended approving the plan but excluding the HOME-ARP recommendation for the KPD Community Engagement Unit (CEU) due to an earlier council vote to postpone the reunification center.
  • Councilmember Sigar clarified that the homeless outreach team social worker ($100,145.93) is separate from the CEU and was not affected.
  • Motion by Councilmember Sigar to approve PH25038 as per staff recommendation (excluding HOME-ARP for KPD CEU), seconded by Councilmember Alvarez, passed 6-0.

PH25039 – Revised Citizen Participation Plan

  • Staff explained that the revisions clarify CD staff and CDAC responsibilities, update substantial amendment criteria, change contact points to positions rather than names, and add language ensuring public hearings do not start before 5:00 PM.
  • The draft was available at the same locations as the previous items.
  • Councilmember Alvarez asked about the public hearing start time; staff confirmed compliance with the citizen participation plan.
  • Public comment from Melissa Brown alleged that the city had not followed the plan (e.g., blank page in CAPER, insufficient notice, lack of outreach to non-English speakers). Staff defended the process, noting a mailing list of over 700 recipients, publication in the Killeen Daily Herald, and materials available at multiple locations.
  • Motion to adopt the revised citizen participation plan (memorandum/resolution) was made, seconded, and passed 6-0.

Key Outcomes

  • PH25037 (Substantial Amendment to Reprogram HOME Funds) – Ordinance approved 6-0. The amendment will be submitted to HUD by August 15, 2025.
  • PH25038 (Consolidated Plan & Annual Action Plan) – Ordinance approved 6-0, excluding the HOME-ARP recommendation for the KPD Community Engagement Unit. Submission to HUD by August 15, 2025, with HUD approval expected by September 1, 2025.
  • PH25039 (Citizen Participation Plan Revisions) – Resolution adopted 6-0.
  • Meeting adjourned by motion.

Note: Agenda and minutes were not provided; all information comes from the transcript.

Meeting Transcript

Thank you. I'd like to call our special council meeting to order. It is 556. Um PM. Let the record show that uh all council members are present except uh Mayor Pro Tim Adams. Uh Madam Secretary, whenever you're ready. We only have one other person that will be speaking, and the gentleman that's with you right now. This he was up there before I got started. All right. Do we need to uh do the approval of agenda? Uh oh, yes. Can I get a motion to approve the agenda? Councilmember Gonzalez. I make a motion to approve the agenda. Councilmember Sigar. All in favor, yes, all opposed, no. Ms. Kendrick Andy Day. Uh Councilwoman Call. Okay, the motion passed four to zero. Let the record uh uh note that council member Solomon and Councilmember Alvarez uh has taken a break. All right, whenever you're ready. Uh Madam Secretary. PH 25037. Hold a public hearing and consider an ordinance authorizing a substantial amendment to annual action plans for program years 2017-2021, 2022, and 2023 to reprogram home funds to provide for affordable housing activities and to remove the city's requirement under the 2024, excuse me, 2020-2024 consolidated strategic plan for HUD certified housing counseling to provide services to recipients as a provision of the home program tenant-based rental assistance, TBRA. The caption of the ordinance reads an ordinance adopting a substantial amendment to community development annual action plans for FY 2017, 2021, 2022, and 2023 for the reprogramming of home program funds to tenant-based rental assistant program activities, and the removal of the requirement from the 2020-24 consolidated plan for the use of HUD certified housing counselors to provide services to tenant-based rental housing assistant assistance recipients as a provision to receiving assistance, providing a severability clause, and providing an effective date. Thank you for the short suspense between the meetings, ma'am. I appreciate it. Okay. So a substantial amendment occurs when there is a change in this purpose, scope, location, or beneficiaries of an activity or project. Home grants remain from previously eligible projects that were completed or canceled without utilizing the entire amount allocated, or when CHOTO funds are converted into entitlement funds. Reprogramming is necessary to maintain compliance with HUD and home expenditure regulations. Home funds, you have eight years to spend, or they uh recapture those every year September 30th. If you have those monies from eight years ago, they take the money back. That's the community development advisory committee met April 4th to discuss a substantial amendment reprogram uh reprogramming of access home funds and the timely expenditure of home. Reprogramming home funds will allow for the use in the home housing program, specifically tenant-based rental assistance program, which will achieve timely performance with regulatory expenditure requirements of home funds. The HUD certified housing counseling is not required under tenant-based rental assistance program unless the jurisdiction elects to include it as part of their program. Colleen has only one agency certified to provide um certified housing counseling. Removing this requirement under the goals and objectives of the TIPA program consolidated plan is recommended, and this will allow the city to assist households expeditiously and address the immediate need for assistance. Annual action plan amendments to make maintain compliance with HUD as we pre- as I previously stated. Fiscal year 2017, 1,573 cents, 21, 73,683 and 30 cents, 22, 88, 376.25 cents, and 23, 456, 7.68 cents for a total of $619,641.03 cents. And we did discuss with uh finance about putting it in utility bills, but their July uh mailers were already decided upon, and there's a two-page maximum, so we weren't able to do that, but we can plan for that next year. The availability of the substantial amendment draft was here at City Hall with the City Secretary, the community development department, both public libraries, Lions Club, uh Park Senior Center, and then online. Um, when I get to the next two, I these are the same places for the sake of time. I won't repeat that for you. Um, next steps, if approved, we will submit the substantial amendment to HUD no later than August 15th of 2025. And staff recommends that City of Clean Council approve an ordinance for the substantial amendment to reprogram home funds to home housing programs, particularly the TIBA program for program years 2017, 21, 22, 23, and to the 2020 to 2024 consolidated plan and removing the requirement for the HUD certified housing counseling as a provision of eligible how for eligible households to receive assistance. Thank you. There are no questions for you. We will hold a public hearing.

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