Houston City Council Notes, prepared by Emily J Hynds

Agenda

1. Monthly Financial Report
2. Mayor’s Report
3. Consent Agenda (items that require a vote, like purchases, resolutions, ordinances, etc.)
4. Council Member Pop-Off

Monthly Financial Report

Controller Hollins and Finance Director Dubowski both made their respective remarks. A few things of note:

• Controller Hollins referenced the City budget’s current $230M “structural shortfall.” He said the next budget needs to “close or eliminate this gap to avoid dropping below our target for reserves.” He said, “I stand by my commitment to work with each of you in whatever way is helpful.” The Controller’s annual report for 2024 is available at houstontx.gov/controller.
• Director Dubowski said that the projected end-of-year fund balance is higher than previously thought because of a “collaboration with METRO … assisting with the electricity for the street lights and the traffic signals as well as the HPD.”
• CM Kamin brought up $382M in grant funding the City can look forward to from the federal government and asked if that funding was included in the Finance Director’s report. Dubowski said no, her report did not include that funding, which will be a boost to the City’s finances as well.

Mayor’s Report

Mayor Whitmire invited Housing Director Mike Nichols to remark on today’s Item 16, which approved an $18M Hurricane Harvey-related homebuyer down payment assistance program funded by grant money from the federal government. Whitmire emphasized that affordable housing and home ownership are top priorities. He criticized the previous administration’s relationship with the Texas General Land Office (GLO). On his “renewed collaboration” with the GLO, Whitmire said, “And as you all witnessed firsthand, it was pretty historic. Not really covered very extensively, but it made a difference.”

• Director Nichols explained that Item 16 will allocate $18M of Harvey-related grant funding for a down payment assistance program over the next two years. The program will offer $50K-$125K grants to people who are already approved for a mortgage. They must “maintain the affordability” for up to ten years, meaning they can’t flip and sell the house for a higher price or they will have to repay the grant. The grants are only available to people at low-moderate income levels who were here during Hurricane Harvey.
• Mayor Whitmire praised Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham as “an outstanding Republican” and said, “Politics should not matter.”
• CM Pollard asked if this program will assist with escalating property taxes. Director Nichols said no, but that any lender approving a mortgage will take the buyer’s ability to sustain escalating property taxes into account. (Basically, this is the bank’s responsibility to mitigate)
• CM Alcorn asked if there are people in queue for the program. Director Nichols said there are 47 people already waiting.
• CM Martinez requested data on homebuyer assistance by Council District. He encouraged robust outreach and said that District I has not historically benefited from assistance like this.

• CM Plummer asked about financial literacy assistance to help homebuyers with property taxes and insurance. Director Nichols made vague remarks on how the City plans to incorporate these ideas. She clarified that these funds cannot be used to tear down and rebuild Harvey-damaged homes—there is a separate fund for that.
• CM Jackson asked if this program can help people pay down an existing mortgage. Director Nichols said yes, but the primary focus is to assist new homebuyers.
• CM Thomas remarked on how difficult it is to save for a down payment. She said, “This is a huge deal for the city; and I hope the media really takes interest in this story because this puts Houston on the national map.” This program will be detailed at a forthcoming Housing Committee. She encouraged CMs to share the news at smaller neighborhood meetings.

Next, Mayor Whitmire remarked on efforts to get homeless people into shelters ahead of cold weather.

• He said that some people refuse help and there are no statutory rules in place to allow the City to help people against their will [if their life is in danger, I presume]. He remarked on the 24-degree threshold rule reported on last week as a possible explanation for why the City has not opened warming centers yet, saying that policy was instituted in 2020 (aka not under his watch) and that his administration has not used it as a guiding policy. “No one will be on the streets if they want shelter.”
• Regarding the man who died in a bus shelter last Monday from the cold, Whitmire reiterated that the City attempted to get him to a shelter but he refused. He said it was “obviously a mental health case.” He concluded his remarks on the need to “remove the homeless from our public spaces.”
• Director Nichols agreed with the Mayor that the City’s hands are tied by legislation that does not allow them to forcefully remove people from the streets “if you’re not a danger, immediate danger to yourself or others.” He hopes the Stage legislature takes it up. He said the Housing Department is working with the GLO on a possible $10M grant for Houston homeless initiatives.
• CM Martinez explained some reasons why people might refuse to go to a shelter, like being unwilling to leave their partner when the available shelter is male or female only, or being worried about losing their belongings. He strongly recommended using the Magnolia Multi-Service Center as a warming shelter and outreach hub, especially considering it’s proximity to the Harrisburg corridor. He would like to see the City advocate for mental health and sobriety funding at this legislative session.
• (my stream interrupted at this time, I missed a few things)
• CM Castillo requested that shelters and warming centers allow pets, which will encourage more people to use them.

Finally, Mayor Whitmire talked about HPD surges at crime hotspots, mentioning one downtown last Saturday. “It was so exciting to go to roll call at 9:00 and see an additional hundred officers made up of the collaboration from surrounding agencies,” including METRO, constables, TABC, the DPS. Whitmire hopes to take the team to other areas of Houston as well.

Agenda Items, Selected Works

• Item 3 adopted the City’s legislative principles for the Texas legislative session that kicked off on Tuesday. “The Principles will serve as the guiding document to instruct the City of Houston Intergovernmental Relations staff and lobby team in Austin.” The principles are attached to the agenda support doc if you want to check them out.
  • CM Pollard asked what the plan is regarding City lobbyists.
    • Whitmire leaned on his experience and connections at the lege, implying the City won’t need as many lobbyists as in past years. In a shot against the former administration, he said, “We’re not going to have 17 members, as you voted on two years ago … most identified as friends of the mayor.” Whitmire implied that the lege will take up anti-lobby legislation this year to restrict public entity lobbying anyways.
    • CM Pollard said that if the State restricts municipal lobbyists, they should also restrict them for corporations and advocacy orgs.
  • CM Castex-Tatum complained about bandit signs, a pet peeve of hers, and hopes to see legislation restricting them.
• Item 4 approved a final contract amount ($989K) for completed ditch maintenance in Districts B, C, D, and K. CMs Kamin and Peck referred to their district-specific ditch maintenance program being held up and asked that it be moved along.
• Item 6 would have approved $91K for a consulting firm to evaluate the City’s certification application process for Minority and Women-owned Small Business Enterprises (MWBE), but it was tagged by CM Carter.
• Item 7 approved $238K for ambulance cots for the Fire Department.
• Item 12 approved $1.9M and $7.8M for fire hydrants over the next three years.
• Item 14 would have approved $8.2M through 2027 for miscellaneous purchases from Amazon, but it was tagged by CMs Kamin and Jackson.
• Item 16 approved the aforementioned homebuyer assistance program, $18M over the next two years for down payment assistance.
• Item 20 increased the City’s spending authority with the Houston Toolbank by $465K. Many CMs praised the Toolbank for helping after disasters and outlined their plans to use this funding in their districts.
• Item 21 approved $487K over the next three years for radio systems and repairs for HPD’s Air Support Division.
• Item 34 approved $669K for waterline work in Districts C and H. CM Kamin said this will impact roadways and that there is a public engagement schedule to get the word out.

Council Member Pop-Off

• CM Jackson plugged the next District B Briefing on 1/25 at 10am at the Kashmere Gardens Multi-Service Center.
• CM Huffman highlighted a KPRC investigation about financial abuse at the Houston Housing Authority. The board has been overhauled but she suggested inviting the chairman to Council for an update.
• CM Castex-Tatum plugged a celebration at Simon Minchen Park on 1/18 from 11am-1pm. She wished all a happy MLK Day and encouraged acts of service to commemorate.
• CM Martinez shared a Know Your Rights Resource Fair on 1/17 at 9:30am at the Magnolia Multi-Service Center.
• CM Pollard plugged the District J newsletter, reflected on the meaning of MLK Day, and protested a forthcoming proposition to reduce the number of Council meetings.
• CM Alcorn highlighted the news about HPD’s property storage room being compromised by rodents (please google “rats in the marijuana”) and said she’s glad to see movement on dealing with that. She and CM Peck will be running the half marathon on Sunday.
• CM Carter said, “Pray for our country as, as we face Inauguration Day with a new president taking leadership on Monday”
• CM Evans-Shabazz praised today’s Item 19, which approved $734K for Edgewood Park. She plugged a deed restriction workshop at the Sunnyside Multi-Service Center this Saturday from 10am-12pm and a cleanup of the Columbia Tap Trail on Sunday from 2pm-6pm. She advocated for the reduction of council meetings.
• CM Castillo plugged his next Town Hall on 1/25 at the Woodland Park Service Center. He encouraged people to protect people, pets, pipes and plants during the upcoming freeze and to check on your neighbors, especially seniors.
• CM Davis says he has a list of churches willing to act as shelters and warming centers.
• CM Flickinger plugged Median Madness, a day to clean up medians in Kingwood and Clearlake. He didn’t share dates but said to email districte@houstontx.gov to sign up.
• CM Kamin shared that construction on I-10 has reduced 5 lanes to 3 from Taylor street to the Heights. Expect it to last through 2028. She commended the HFD, especially the wildland division, which has deployed to the LA area. She encouraged attention to trusted news sources leading up to the freeze, such as the National Weather Service and Space City Weather and said, “Fingers crossed that the lights stay on this time.” She recommended checking the marathon website for associated street closures.

Who took these notes? And what resources did they use?

My name is Emily Hynds. I am a writer, small business owner, producer of the monthly storytelling series Grown-up Storytime, and native 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.

I watched this City Council meeting via HTV: https://www.houstontx.gov/htv/

While compiling these notes I used the following sources:
https://houston.novusagenda.com/agendapublic
https://houwatch.com
https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/city-of-houston/2025/01/06/509876/city-of-houston-doesnt-open-warming-centers-despite-freezing-temperatures-heres-open-shelters/
https://www.click2houston.com/topic/Houston_Housing_Authority/

You can find your City Council Member and their contact info at: http://www.houstontx.gov/council/whoismycm.html

Thank you to the friends who proofread these notes.
My Patreon is patreon.com/emilytakesnotes.