Houston City Council notes, prepared by Emily J Hynds.
Agenda
- A Public Hearing
- Mayor’s Report
- Consent Agenda (items that require a vote, like purchases, resolutions, ordinances, etc)
- Council Member Pop-Off
A Public Hearing + A Vote on the Tax Rate
Today’s public hearing regarded the new proposed property tax rate. Because of the revenue cap, the city is lowering the property tax rate from $0.533640 (per taxable $100) to $0.519190. One public speaker complained the city wasn’t doing enough to spread the word about the proposed property tax change.
Mayor Turner complained about the revenue cap and gave examples of how much money the city has missed out on, and will miss out on in the future. He explained that the city’s property tax rate is lower now than when the revenue cap was enacted in 2015, even though expenses and Houston’s population have both increased.
CM Martin complained about the state imposing revenue caps on cities but its lack of action to curb actual property tax appraisals. He encouraged people to get involved with school boards, even if just by voting, because that is where the majority of property tax goes.
After the public hearing, the new property tax rate of $0.519190 was approved. CMs Peck, Huffman, Knox, and Kubosh voted no.
Mayor’s Report
- Houston Travel Fest starts Friday at the George R. Brown Convention Center.
- TSU homecoming is on Saturday; the parade starts at 9am.
- CM Cisneros was absent today; her mother passed away yesterday evening and many condolences were shared.
Agenda Items, Selected Works
- Item 9 approved $59K to renew Adobe Creative Cloud licenses for the library system.
- Item 10 approved $2.4M for 186 in-car video systems for HPD.
- Item 17 approved election precincts and polling places for the election on November 7, 2023. Early voting starts October 23.
- Item 19 re-established the roadside ditch maintenance program. Previously the city’s responsibility, in 2001 the city began forcing residents to maintain their own ditches and are now taking back the responsibility.
- CM Peck began a similar program (since deactivated) using District A Service funds. She appreciates the reactivation of the program but said most of the money will be used in one part of town (District B, presumably). She understands that this part of town is historically underserved, but said this new program is not equitable or data driven. She asked, at the very least, to be allowed to reactivate her District A ditch maintenance program.
- Mayor Turner said today’s agenda item does not restrict funding; it only reactivates the city-wide ditch maintenance program. He encouraged CMs to work with Houston Public Works to identify areas that need help.
- CM Kamin said District C has the most ditches. She said it is important to focus on the areas with the greatest need first, but emphasized that the program will be expanded. “This is the first bite of a much bigger apple.” All open ditches will be evaluated over the next two years, and then all ditches will be on a five year maintenance cycle. She wants to do sidewalks next, which would be great!
- Items 20 and 21 accepted grant funding from the state ($1.1M and $369K) for programs addressing homelessness.
- Item 23 awarded a $323K construction contract to begin work on Evella Park in District B. The park will get a new playground, walkways, benches, grading, draining, and underground water detention.
- Item 26 approved a contract with the Houston Community Toolbank. Funding is provided by Districts A, B, C, D, F, and G, who can also make requests for tools to be purchased by the toolbank. This funding will allow the toolbank fee to be waived in some cases.
- Item 27 approved using $2.6M of an equipment purchasing fund for HPD to buy laptops, body cameras, miscellaneous hardware and software, cloud services, and A/V equipment. Item 28 approved using $1.8M from the same fund to replace body armor vests and rifle plates.
- Item 42 approved using $5.6M of the Dedicated Drainage and Street Renewal Fund (DDSRF) for “project management and staff augmentation, technical services and support, and engineering design services.” CM Knox made his usual objection to using the DDSRF to pay for anything other than construction. CMs Knox and Kubosh voted no. The item passed.
Item 29 – A Bailout for the Houston BCycle Bike Share Program
- Houston Bike Share, the nonprofit which runs the BCycle program that allows bike rentals from stations across the city, is struggling. METRO will integrate the program, using a new vendor, into their transit system starting next summer. Item 29 approved $500K to maintain the remaining 60 BCycle stations (down from 150) until then.
- CM Knox characterized this as a bailout for a failing corporation.
- CM Gallegos clarified that METRO only plans to start maintaining 20 stations and increase from there. He also said the bike share program will keep dockless bike share businesses out of Houston, which are a nuisance because people leave those bikes everywhere. “It would have been very shameful if we lost this.”
- CM Martin said “no one likes riding bikes in the summertime” but the upcoming, nicer weather will increase ridership. Martin alleged people would start leaving the remaining BCycles all over the city if this transition funding is not provided.
- CM Peck took issue with charging BCycle users a fee when taxpayer dollars support the program. Mayor Turner explained that the $500K alone is not sufficient for BCycle to continue.
- CM Thomas supported this item even though the west side has no bike share stations, which she hopes will change once METRO takes over.
- CM Pollard asked, “Is the end user actually using the bikes?” A resounding YES was heard in the chamber. He then asked why BCycle was failing. Mayor Turner couldn’t offer a solid answer but did agree the current model isn’t working. Pollard said, “Ima follow your lead on this one,” but he didn’t sound happy about it.
- CM Evans-Shabazz took this opportunity to “go on record giving a pro bike message.” This received many loud lol’s.
- CM Alcorn advocated for corporate sponsorship of the bike share program.
- CM Gallegos said 300K people used BCycle bikes last year. When some CMs complained about defunct BCycle stations being an eyesore, Gallegos encouraged them to be patient because it makes no sense to rip them out and reinstall them later. He also said that CMs pushed BCycle to install stations in their districts, perhaps contributing to unsustainable growth.
- CMs Huffman, Kubosh, Peck, and Knox voted no. The item passed.
Item 46 – Updates to the Building Code … Finally!
- Item 46 approved updates to Chapter 42 of the building code. The planning department has been working with the Livable Places Action Committee for three years to provide a wider variety of homes with a wider variety of price-points, focusing on affordability, equity, and walkability. The updates address four main areas: (1) second dwelling units like garage apartments, (2) multi-unit homes like fourplexes, (3) courtyard style development, and (4) narrow lot development which encourages the use of alleyways and shared driveways.
- CM Kamin remarked on the protection of the public realm, which includes streets. She advocated for future code updates to address parking on streets, a public safety concern that also damages roadways. She praised the ability of accessory dwelling units (ADUs) to help people stay in their homes who might not be able to afford them otherwise.
- CM Kubosh cryptically warned of unintended consequences.
- CM Thomas praised this code update that will allow different housing options for those who need it. She shared a quote; “Public service is difficult, and it’s supposed to be, because it forces us to be deliberate in how we offer resolution.”
- CM Kubosh voted no. The item passed.
Item 48 – Money to relocate people out of the Fifth Ward Cancer Cluster
- Item 48 established a $5M fund to help voluntarily relocate residents living above the creosote plume in Kashmere Gardens and in a three block radius around the Union Pacific Railroad site. From the supporting document: “The Plan may include an offer to purchase property at fair market value, along with relocation assistance services to help find a comparable replacement dwelling. Relocation assistance may include advisory services, replacement housing payments, rental assistance payments, and moving expenses.”
- CM Plummer heartily supported this item and advocated for decisions going forward to be made with community involvement.
- Mayor Turner outlined the backstory of the Fifth Ward Cancer Cluster and said this voluntary relocation program has been in the works for about a year. He said, “Houston has a moral obligation to provide people with an option.” The details of the plan will be worked out in collaboration with the community. Turner and others cast aspersions at Union Pacific, who has not accepted responsibility for the harm caused.
- CM Thomas applauded this nationally unprecedented action and said American mayors should take note. They have power to leverage and should use this action as a model going forward. The people who choose to relocate will be able to retain equity in their homes, still live in their city, and have an improved quality of life.
Council Member Pop-Off
Many CMs wished Mayor Turner a happy birthday.
- CM Castex-Tatum plugged National Night Out events on 10/3.
- CM Robinson plugged a Love Our Parks festival in Independence Heights on Saturday
- CM Evans-Shabazz looks forward to TSU homecoming on Saturday but is concerned about traffic problems the Blodgett bike lanes might present. Regarding National Night Out events, she said she wishes she could clone herself so she could attend them all.
Who took these notes? And what resources did they use?
My name is Emily Hynds and I am a writer, producer of the monthly storytelling series Grown-up Storytime, and lifelong Houstonian. I am not a journalist or government official. I am a local government enthusiast who believes meaningful change starts at home. These notes are presented from my point of view and with my framing, and are not comprehensive. Your notes will certainly be different, and I would love to read them if you attend.
While compiling these notes I used the following sources:
https://houston.novusagenda.com/agendapublic/
https://houwatch.com
https://www.houstontoolbank.org/
You can find your City Council Member and their contact info at: http://www.houstontx.gov/council/whoismycm.html
Thank you to Houston In Action and ACLU TX for supporting these notes.
My Patreon is patreon.com/emilytakesnotes.
