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I NOW CALLED TO ORDER THE CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION THURSDAY, JULY 9TH, 2026.AN ANNOUNCEMENT OF QUORUM AT 5:34 PM WE'RE GONNA START WITH CITIZEN COMMENTS.
HAS ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? YES, SIR.
NO ONE HAS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
[a. Receive a presentation regarding apartment related complaints and city's legal authority. ]
TO A, RECEIVE A PRESENTATION REGARDING APARTMENT RELATED COMPLAINTS AND THE CD'S LEGAL AUTHORITY.UH, MAYOR AND COUNSEL, JAMIE, UH, PRUITT, CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.
AND I HAVE BEHIND ME WHAT I'M GONNA CALL A CRACK TEAM OF EXPERTS.
AND WE ARE HERE TONIGHT TO SPEAK TO AND ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT APARTMENTS, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING.
UH, THIS PRESENTATION IS SORT OF A REACTION TO THE QUESTIONS THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE HAS RECEIVED ABOUT HOW THE CITY OF BAYTOWN HANDLES, UH, COMPLAINTS WHEN WE GET THEM FROM RESIDENTS ABOUT THE GENERAL CONDITION, UH, OR MAINTENANCE OF THEIR APARTMENT OR APARTMENT COMPLEXES.
UH, THIS IS KIND OF A TRENDING TOPIC, UH, AND I ATTRIBUTE THAT TO TWO THINGS, UH, ONE OF WHICH IS SOCIAL MEDIA, AKA TIKTOK, UH, AND ALSO THE CITY OF HOUSTON RECENTLY LAUNCHED A PROGRAM, UH, CALLED THE HIGH RISK RENTAL PROGRAM, AND IT DID GRAB A LOT OF HEADLINES.
AND BEFORE WE JUST DIVE INTO WHAT, WHAT WE DO, IF YOU, IF YOU'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT THE CITY OF HOUSTON, UM, I WANNA MAKE THE POINT BEFORE WE GET STARTED THAT WHAT WE DO IN BAYTOWN IS NOT DISSIMILAR TO WHAT HOUSTON DOES, IN THAT WE USE THE SAME TOOLS, UH, TO KIND OF, UH, RESPOND TO THE COMPLAINTS THAT WE GET.
AND THOSE TOOLS ARE THINGS LIKE, UH, ANNUAL REGISTRATIONS, ANNUAL INSPECTIONS, COMPLAINT DRIVEN INSPECTIONS, UH, AND, UH, ALSO, UH, CITATIONS AND VIOLATION NOTICES.
UH, SO WE'LL KIND OF JUMP INTO THE POINT OF TONIGHT'S PRESENTATION.
UNLIKE A LOT OF OTHER WORK SESSIONS, WE'RE NOT HERE DIRECTLY ASKING FOR, FOR DIRECTION, UH, OR FROM COUNSEL ON WHAT WE SHOULD DO ABOUT THIS OR THAT.
THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THIS PRESENTATION IS TO GIVE YOU GUYS AND ALSO THE PUBLIC A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF HOW WE DO RESPOND TO APARTMENT COMPLAINTS.
AND OUR PRESENTATION IS DIVIDED INTO FOUR PARTS.
UH, THE FIRST, WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THE KIND OF COMPLAINTS WE GET, THE VOLUME OF COMPLAINTS WE GET, UH, AND THEN I'M GONNA CALL ON MR. LAMONT, WHO'S HOPEFULLY IS STILL STANDING BEHIND ME, UH, TO, TO GO OVER THE PARAMETERS OF OUR LEGAL AUTHORITY IN, UH, MATTERS OF LANDLORD TENANT DISPUTE.
UH, I HAVE A WHOLE OTHER TEAM ASSEMBLED, UH, THAT WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE RESOURCES WE DO DEDICATE, UH, TO APARTMENT COMPLAINTS.
AND THAT INCLUDES, UH, MR. SCRIBNER FROM BUILDING SERVICES.
I'VE GOT SEAN, I STILL, THEY'RE STILL THERE.
AND HE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD PROTECTION AND ENVIRONMENTAL, UH, HEALTH LENS.
AND THEN FINALLY, LIEUTENANT IN OSA IS GONNA TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE GREAT THINGS THAT THE PD IS DOING TO MAKE STRONGER CONNECTIONS, UH, WITH BOTH THE RESIDENTS AND THE MANAGERS OF DEPARTMENT COMPLEXES WITH AN EYE TOWARDS SAFETY.
SO I'M GONNA DIVE INTO THE NUMBERS, UH, WHICH IS MY FAVORITE THING.
THIS WILL PROBABLY NEVER COME UP IN A GAME OF TRIVIAL PURSUIT, BUT IF IT DOES, UH, PLEASE KNOW THAT BAYTOWN HAS 105 APARTMENT COMPLEXES, WHICH TRANSLATES INTO OVER 11,000, UH, INDIVIDUAL UNITS.
UH, AND THOSE NUMBERS ARE IMPORTANT BECAUSE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE VOLUME OF COMPLAINTS WE GET, UH, AND THE NUMBER OF INSPECTIONS THAT WE DO, THOSE KIND OF GIVE PERSPECTIVE, UH, ON THAT.
SO, DIVING INTO COMPLAINTS, UH, WE DO GET 40, WE DID GET 49 COMPLAINTS IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS.
AND THOSE ARE COMPLAINTS THAT COME TO US DIRECTLY FROM RESIDENTS.
UH, THEY COULD CALL ONE OF OUR DEPARTMENTS, CALL THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.
THEY SOMETIMES SEND EMAIL, UH, BUT MORE OFTEN THE COMPLAINTS COME IN.
NOW ON THE BETTER BAYTOWN APP, WHICH HAS ITS OWN DROPDOWN THAT'S SPECIFIC TO APARTMENT RELATED CONCERNS, UH, THEY CAME FROM 23 SEPARATE COMPLEXES.
SO IF YOU REMEMBER THE NUMBER 105, THAT'S ABOUT 20% OF THE COMPLEXES.
A RESIDENT DID SAY, HEY, WE'VE GOT A PROBLEM WITH THIS, THAT, OR THE OTHER.
UH, AND I DID LOOK TO SEE LIKE THE FREQUENCY THE DEPARTMENTS MIGHT SHOW UP.
AND EIGHT OF THOSE 23 HAD AT LEAST FOUR SEPARATE, UH, RESIDENT COMPLAINTS.
UH, I WANNA BE REAL CLEAR, THIS NUMBER DOES SEEM LOW.
UH, IF YOU DOUBLED IT, AND WE SAID WE HAD A HUNDRED PER YEAR, THAT WOULD STILL BE LESS THAN 1% OF THE TOTAL UNIT STOCK.
AND THIS NUMBER DOES NOT INCLUDE POLICE COMPLAINTS, PEOPLE WHO ARE CALLING PD FOR CRIMINAL ACTIVITY RELATED ISSUES.
THIS IS SPECIFICALLY FOR LIKE CONDITION OR MAINTENANCE OF THE APARTMENT UNITS.
UH, I LOOKED AT THESE COMPLAINTS, UH, AND I WANTED TO KNOW WHAT'S WHAT THEY'RE ABOUT, WHAT'S THE MEAT? AND IF YOU ARE REAL GOOD AT MATH AND ADD THAT COLUMN UP, YOU'RE GONNA GET A NUMBER HIGHER THAN 49.
UH, AND THAT IS BECAUSE SOMETIMES THERE'S A MULTIPLE COMPLAINT, LIKE ONE COMPLAINT WILL SAY, HEY, MY REFRIGERATOR IS NOT WORKING, AND ALSO MY SINK IS LEAKING.
SO I TRIED TO CAPTURE ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
UH, YOU WILL SEE THAT SEWER, UH, PLUMBING OR SEWER BACKUPS IS A HIGH FREQUENCY COMPLAINT AS OUR LEAKS AND PESTS.
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MY REFRIGERATOR'S NOT WORKING, MY LIGHTS ARE OUT.UH, MY NEIGHBORS ARE BEING TOO LOUD, WHICH, UM, COULD BE A PD COMPLAINT, BUT ALSO WAS REPORTED TO US, UH, IN THIS WAY.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S KIND OF HOW IT ALL BREAKS DOWN.
I'M GONNA CALL UP SCOTT TO TALK ABOUT, UM, OUR LEGAL AUTHORITY AND OUR LEGAL LIMITATION FOR DEALING WITH ISSUES THAT ARE LANDLORD TENANT.
HE'S STILL THERE, RIGHT? GOOD.
SO COUNSEL, UH, I'LL BOTTOM LINE IT FOR YOU.
THERE REALLY ISN'T A LOT OF AUTHORITY THAT WE HAVE OVER, UH, APARTMENT COMPLEXES AND LANDLORD TENANT DISPUTES.
UH, IN FACT, OUR ATTORNEY GENERAL HAS TOLD US THAT THE TEXAS PROPERTY CODE, SPECIFICALLY CHAPTER 92, PREEMPTS THE FIELD WHEN IT COMES TO LANDLORD TENANT DISPUTES, AND THEREFORE, MUNICIPALITIES HAVE NO AUTHORITY TO DRAFT OR ENFORCE ORDINANCES THAT GET INTO THE HEART OF WHAT IS AT ITS VERY CORE, A PRIVATE CONTRACT BETWEEN THE LANDLORD AND THE TENANTS.
SO WHEN THERE IS A DISPUTE, UH, THE CIVIL COURTS ARE THE PLACES THAT THOSE LEASES, THOSE CONTRACTS GET RESOLVED.
NOW, THAT SAID, WE ARE NOT TOTALLY WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO, UH, PROTECT OUR CITIZENS.
IF A PROPERTY VIOLATES OUR SAFETY, HEALTH OR ZONING ORDINANCES, THEN THEY ARE ENFORCED AS ANY OTHER ORDINANCE IN THE CITY.
AND WE'LL DO THAT THROUGH OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT.
AND OF COURSE, WE HAVE OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS AS WELL, WHEN IT RISES TO THE NATURE OF A CRIMINAL VIOLATION.
ANY QUESTIONS, CONCERNS? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.
AND WE HAVE SPACE FOR QUESTIONS AT THE END, BUT NEXT I WANT YOU TO HEAR FROM MR. SCRIBNER, AND HE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT COURT CODE ENFORCEMENT AND HIS TEAM ROLE, HIS TEAM'S ROLE IN, UH, INSPECTIONS.
SO, CURRENTLY, UM, THE APARTMENT COMPLEXES AS WE AS, UH, JAMIE HAS MENTIONED, THERE'S 105 APARTMENT COMPLEXES IN THE CITY.
UH, WE CURRENTLY HAVE ONE INSPECTOR WHO INSPECTS THOSE, UH, THOSE APARTMENT COMPLEXES ONCE A YEAR.
SO WE, WE, UH, WE DO REQUIRE A REGISTRATION, UH, ANNUALLY OF EACH ONE OF THOSE APARTMENT COMPLEXES OR WHENEVER, UH, ONE OF THOSE APARTMENT COMPLEXES IS SOLD, WHICH IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW, IS ACTUALLY A SURPRISINGLY, UH, MORE OFTEN THAN YOU WOULD THINK.
UM, SO THOSE INSPECTIONS WILL TAKE PLACE AGAIN ONCE A YEAR, OR IF THERE ARE VIOLATIONS HAPPENING, THEN WE'LL DO PERIODIC INSPECTIONS UNTIL THOSE VIOLATIONS HAVE BEEN RESOLVED.
UM, THIS REALLY INCLUDES ALL THE, THE EXTERIORS OF THE BUILDINGS, AND IT DOES INCLUDE SOME INTERIOR COMMON AREAS.
I'M GONNA GET INTO THAT JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE.
SO WHEN THE INSPECTIONS ARE DONE FOR THE REGISTRATION, SO REMEMBER THIS IS FOR THE REGISTRATION, NOT NECESSARILY FOR ANY KIND OF COMPLAINT.
WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR? UM, WE HAVE IT A VERY LONG CHECKLIST, AND THIS IS JUST KIND OF A, A SUMMARY OF THAT CHECKLIST.
SO WE'RE LOOKING FOR, AGAIN, EXTERIORS, UM, ROOFS, THE COOLING AND HEATING, UH, ANY KINDS OF STAIRWAYS OR DECKS, BALCONIES, HANDRAILS, THINGS THAT ARE GENERAL SAFETY ISSUES.
WE, UH, ANY KINDS OF SIDEWALKS AND DRIVEWAYS, ANYTHING THAT MAY HAVE SOME, UH, GENERAL SORT OF MAINTENANCE ISSUES OR MAY PROVIDE ANY ISSUES FOR, FOR SAFETY.
SO, UH, JAMIE DID KIND OF OUTLINE A FEW OF THE COMPLAINTS THAT WE GET ON A REGULAR BASIS.
THE KINDS OF THINGS WE'RE LOOKING AT, UM, UH, UNDER COMPLAINTS AND, AND I, I SHOULD STEP BACK JUST FOR A SECOND.
AGAIN, THOSE ARE EXTERIOR PARTS OF THE COMPLEX THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
WE DO LOOK AT SOME INTERIORS, BUT THAT IS WHERE THE COMMON SHARED AREAS ARE.
WE ARE NOT GOING INTO APARTMENTS.
THAT GOES AS WELL FOR COMPLAINTS, BECAUSE, AS SCOTT HAD MENTIONED, WHEN YOU GET INTO THE APARTMENTS THEMSELVES, WE'RE GETTING MORE INTO THAT, THAT LANDLORD TENANT, UM, CONTRACT TYPE OF STUFF.
SO WE CAN LOOK AT THE, THE GENERAL STUFF, THE SHARED TYPE OF FACILITIES, UM, ANY KINDA ROOF LEAKS, AGAIN, COOLING, HEATING ISSUES FROM THE OUTSIDE, ANY KINDA STRUCTURAL DEFICIENCIES.
WE DO LOOK AT THOSE BALCONIES AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE, UH, THAT THEY'RE NOT FALLING DOWN.
UM, ELECTRICAL WATER, SANITARY AND KIND OF, UH, UTILITIES, AND THEN THE PEST INFEST INFESTATIONS, UM, IN THE PUBLIC AND SHARED AREAS.
UNLESS WE SEE SOMETHING LIKE A BIG HOLE IN THE WALL THAT'S GOING IN.
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AND, AND THEN WE CAN, WE CAN KIND OF ADDRESS THAT AS A, UM, AS A STRUCTURAL TYPE OF ISSUE.YOU JUST GO, UH, SEAN COCHRAN HEALTH, UM, SO THE, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, UM, IS ABLE TO RESPOND TO MANY THINGS THAT YOU JUST SAW ON THE PREVIOUS LIST.
SOME OF OUR AUTHORITY OVERLAPS.
UH, AS FAR AS THE ORDINANCE IS CONCERNED, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO THINGS THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH THAT WE SEE THE MOST, SWIMMING POOL COMPLAINTS, SEWAGE COMPLAINTS, WE GET A LOT OF OF THOSE.
UM, WHEN IT COMES TO, UH, SWIMMING POOLS, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT WATER QUALITY.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UM, ENCLOSURES, UM, MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT THAT IS, UH, INSPECTED AND SAFE.
UM, ALL OF THE, THE SEWAGE LEAKS AND THE PROPERTY, UM, CAPS, THE, UH, EXCUSE ME, THE SEWER CAPS THAT ARE ON THE, THE, THE SEWER LINES.
UM, THOSE ARE THINGS THAT ARE EASILY REMOVED THAT, UH, ARE CLEARLY VIOLATIONS, AND WE ARE ABLE TO DEAL WITH THOSE EFFECTIVELY THROUGH OUR ORDINANCE.
UM, GRAYWATER DISCHARGE, THIS IS GONNA BE, UM, THINGS THAT PERHAPS COULD, WOULD COME OUT OF A, LIKE A LAUNDRY FACILITY ON SITE THAT'S NOT SEWAGE, BUT THAT WOULD STILL BE CONSIDERED, UM, DISCHARGE, UM, FOOD SALES FROM APARTMENT UNITS.
UM, THOSE, UH, COMPLAINTS ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN, BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN COVER UNDER OUR ORDINANCE.
UM, NEIGHBORHOOD PROTECTION, UM, THESE ARE GONNA BE ALL OF THE, UH, EXTERIOR PIECES THAT ARE, THAT WE WOULD COVER, UM, ON ANY PROPERTY.
HIGH GRASS AND WEEDS, UM, RUBBISH TRASH.
UM, WE'VE SEEN IN CERTAIN AREAS WHERE AN APARTMENT COMPLEX WOULD HAVE DUMPSTER SERVICE THAT WASN'T, UH, MAINTAINED REGULARLY, AND THEN WE WOULD NEED TO GET INVOLVED IN THAT SITUATION.
AND, UM, WE ALWAYS WANT TO LEAN INTO COMPLIANCE.
NEVER WE, THE GOAL IS NOT TO CITE ANYONE, BUT WE REALLY DO WANT COMPLIANCE.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OVERFLOWING DUMPSTERS AND NEIGHBORHOOD PROTECTION ISSUES, EVEN THINGS AS SERIOUS AS AS WATER QUALITY AND POOL COMPLAINTS, WE ARE WORKING AS HARD AS WE CAN WITH THE MANAGERS TO GET COMPLIANCE AND GIVING THEM EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO SUCCEED, UM, BEFORE WE MOVE INTO ENFORCEMENT.
SO, UM, LIKE MARTIN SAID, EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE DOING IS ON THE EXTERIOR OF THE PROPERTY.
WE ARE NOT ENTERING ANY UNITS SPECIFICALLY.
AND SO, UM, TURN THIS OVER TO, UH, LIEUTENANT HINOJOSA.
I WAS A LITTLE, UM, EXCITED ABOUT SHARING WHAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT DOES.
UH, I WAS IN INVESTIGATIONS FOR QUITE A LONG TIME, AND I RECENTLY MOVED DOWNSTAIRS TO CRIME PREVENTION, COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND STUFF.
SO WHEN I WAS ASKED TO, UH, TALK ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING, I WAS, I WAS, UH, EXCITED ABOUT IT.
UM, THE GOALS IS TO, UH, AS FAR AS OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE GOAL IS TO STRENGTHEN RELATIONSHIPS WITH RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY MANAGERS WHILE PRO PROACTIVELY REDUCING CRIME AND, UM, INCREASING RESIDENT TRUST, IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE, REDUCE OPPORTUNITIES FOR CRIME, AND CREATE SAFE FOR, UH, APARTMENT COMMUNITIES.
UM, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT COMMUNITY OUTREACH.
THERE ARE SEVERAL BULLET POINTS THERE.
CRIME PREVENTION AND OUR PARTNERSHIPS.
AND AS FAR AS COMMUNITY OUTREACH, OUR GOAL IS TO BUILD TRUST BEFORE PROBLEMS OCCURS.
WE REGULARLY MEET WITH RESIDENTS THROUGH TOWN HALLS, UNIDO EVENTS, SAFETY PRESENTATIONS, AND FAMILY ACTIVITIES.
THESE EVENTS GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO LISTEN TO RESIDENTS, EDUCATE THEM ON CRIME PREVENTION, AND DEVELOP RELATIONSHIPS THAT ENCOURAGE THEM TO REPORT CONCERNS AND WORK ALONGSIDE US TO KEEP THEIR COMMUNITY SAFE.
WE WANT RESIDENTS TO KNOW THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS BEFORE THEY, THEY'RE IN A CRISIS CRIME PREVENTION.
UM, WE FOCUS ON PREVENTING CRIME BEFORE IT HAPPENS, RATHER THAN SIMPLY RESPONDING TO IT THROUGH CRIME PREVENTION, THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN, WHAT WE CALL AT STED, WE EVALUATE APARTMENT PROPERTIES FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPROVE SAFETY.
WE MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ON LIGHTINGS CAMERA PLACEMENTS, UM, ACCESS CONTROL.
WE ENCOURAGE TO USE TRESPASS AFFIDAVITS.
UM, MANY ARE, THESE ARE SIMPLE AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE LOW COST FOR THE APARTMENT COMPLEX TO IMPLEMENT.
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ON THE PARTNERSHIP SIDE, UM, WE PARTNER WITH, UM, APARTMENT MANAGERS.UM, AND AGAIN, NONE OF THIS IS POSSIBLE WITHOUT STRONG PARTNERSHIPS.
AND IN APARTMENT COMPLEXES, WE SEE, UM, A TURNOVER ON MANAGERS QUITE A BIT, YOU KNOW, SO WHAT WE TRY TO DO IS THE MINUTE WE, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S A, A NEW MANAGER COMING, WE, WE KINDA SHOW UP AND WE INTRODUCE OURSELVES.
WE TELL 'EM WHAT WE'RE ABOUT AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
AND, UH, WE STARTED BUILDING THAT RELATIONSHIP FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.
UM, WE WORK CLOSELY WITH APARTMENT MANAGERS, PATROL, FIRE CODE ENFORCEMENT, AND OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS TO ADDRESS ISSUES BEFORE THEY BECOME LAR LARGER PROBLEMS. BY COMBINING RESOURCES AND MAINTAINING OPEN, OPEN COMMUNICATION, WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS THAT IMPROVE SAFETY AND QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
UM, ULTIMATELY OUR GOAL IS SIMPLE, STRENGTHEN RELATIONSHIPS, REDUCE OPPORTUNITIES FOR CRIME, AND CREATE SAFER OPPOR APARTMENT COM COMMUNITIES.
UM, SUCCESS ISN'T MEASURED ONLY BY ARRESTS, IT'S ALSO MEASURED BY TRUST.
WE BUILD THE PROBLEMS WE, WE PREVENT, AND THE PARTNERSHIPS WE DEVELOP WITH, UH, PEOPLE WE SERVE.
AND JUST LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT, UM, WE HOST SEVERAL EVENTS IN APARTMENT COMPLEXES AND THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, A NORTHWOOD BARBECUE ON AUGUST THE 10TH THAT WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT.
IT'S RIGHT BEFORE THE SCHOOL STARTS, SO WE'RE GONNA GET OUT THERE AND FEED EVERYBODY ON NORTHWOOD.
SO IT'S GONNA BE A, A, A NICE EVENT.
WE DO, UM, CHILD ID, WE, WE, WE TAKE OUT A LOT OF, WE DO A LOT OF THINGS.
AND SO IT'S, IT'S GONNA BE AN, UM, AN EXCITING EVENT.
AND WHEN WE'RE THERE, WE GET TO TALK TO THE PARENTS AND WE, WE START BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS AND, AND MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THAT IT, IT'S, IT'S OKAY TO CALL THE POLICE.
UH, THEY NEED TO FEEL SAFE WHEN THEY CALL THE POLICE.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE FOCUS ON WHILE WE'RE OUT HERE IN THE COMMUNITY.
I THINK HE'S IN THE RIGHT JOB.
SO, UH, THE, THE LAST SLIDE JUST IS EVEN IF WE CAN'T, UH, DIRECTLY GET INVOLVED WITH SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT COME TO US, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE ABLE TO POINT PEOPLE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
UH, SO WE DO PROVIDE INFORMATION, UM, IF THEY'RE IN HUD HOUSING OR, UM, IF IT'S BAYTOWN AREA HOUSING AUTHORITY.
UH, THE LEGAL DISPUTE RESOLUTION CENTER IS ANOTHER PLACE, UM, THAT CAN OFFER FREE LEGAL GUIDANCE, UH, TO LANDLORD, UH, TENANT TENANTS WHO ARE HAVING ISSUES WITH THEIR LANDLORDS, UH, AT YOUR PLACES.
I PUT A BOOK, IT'S THE TENANT'S, UH, RIGHTS HANDBOOK, UH, ENGLISH AND LAURA, YOU GOT SPANISH ONE TOO.
UH, WE, WE CAN MAKE THESE AVAILABLE, UM, EITHER THROUGH OUR PD PROGRAMS OR OUR PEOPLE THAT WE'RE IN TOUCH WITH THAT HAVE COMPLAINTS, UH, JUST AS FURTHER GUIDANCE, UH, TO, TO GET PEOPLE THE RESOLUTIONS THAT THEY NEED.
UH, AND WITH THAT, I'M AT MY QUESTION SLIDE.
UH, I'M NOT SURE I CAN ANSWER ANY, BUT, UH, THAT, THAT SOMEBODY IN THIS ROOM, IF YOU HAVE A, A QUESTION, WE CAN GET YOU THE ANSWER.
WHEN IT COMES TO THE TENANT RIGHTS HANDBOOK MM-HMM
IS THERE A WAY WE CAN ACTUALLY LINK THAT TO OUR WEBSITE TO WHERE IT CAN BE AVAILABLE FOR INDIVIDUALS SINCE WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY GOING HERE TO MAKE COMPLAINTS? CYNTHIA GAVE ME THE HEAD NOD.
UH, SHE'S THE MISTRESS OF, OF THIS BOOK.
AND IF IT'S AVAILABLE DIGITALLY, YES.
AND IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO PUT IT SOMEWHERE OUT HERE WHERE PEOPLE ARE COMING IN AND OUT MM-HMM
OR EVEN MAYBE AT THE, UM, UTILITY BUILDING OR THE LIBRARY.
YOU GOTTA SAVE THE BEST FOR LAST, RIGHT? AS AS MANY COPIES AS WE COULD GET OUR HANDS UP, WE, WE CAN HELP DISTRIBUTE.
UM, THANK YOU JAMIE AND OTHERS FOR, FOR COMING UP AND SPEAKING.
UM, I KNOW I TALKED TO JAY ABOUT THIS.
UM, I, I ACTUALLY WAS ONE OF THE ONES THAT FLAGGED, UH, WHAT CITY OF HOUSTON IS DOING MM-HMM
AND HE GOES, LAURA, DON'T WORRY, WE'RE ALREADY DOING THE SAME THING.
UM, THEY'RE JUST PUTTING A NAME ON IT.
UM, BECAUSE THEY HAVE SO MANY APARTMENT COMPLEXES THAT THEY EVENTUALLY HAD TO DO SOMETHING.
THEIR SCALE IS HUGE, AND THEIR, THEIR THRESHOLD LIMIT TO, TO, FOR AN DEPARTMENT TO BE KIND OF TARGETED IN THAT PROGRAM IS 10 CITATIONS IN A CERTAIN PERIOD, WHICH IS, I I WENT BACK AND LOOKED.
WE DON'T HAVE 10 CITATIONS ANYWHERE, BUT, BUT YEAH.
BUT WE HAVE, WE DO HAVE THE SAME TOOLS IN OUR TOOLBOX.
WE'VE PACKAGED AND I APPRECIATE THAT.
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TO KNOW WHEN SOMEONE GETS A CITATION OR EVEN WHEN THEY COME BACK TO REINSPECT OR WHATEVER IT IS, HOW LONG DOES IT GENERALLY TAKE FOR SOMEONE TO CORRECT AN ISSUE, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO MAYBE ANY FACADE ISSUES THAT MAY BE, YOU KNOW, DANGEROUS FOR KIDS WALKING BY PLAYING OUTDOORS AND STUFF? HOW LONG DO LIKE MARTIN'S COMING OFF THE BENCH? YEAH.AND SEAN, I WANT YOU TO TALK ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT ALSO, THE VOLUNTARY COMMENTS.
SO, UM, I THINK AS WAS MENTIONED, A LOT OF TIMES YOU HAVE, UM, PROPERTY MANAGER TURNOVER IS REALLY, REALLY HIGH IN, IN A LOT OF THESE PLACES, ESPECIALLY THE OLDER ONES.
AND SO THAT, THAT CONSISTENCY, BEING ABLE TO HAVE A PROPERTY MANAGER THAT WE CAN COMMUNICATE WITH AND GET THE WORD TO, UM, IS PRETTY KEY.
AND SO, SINCE WE MANY TIMES DON'T HAVE THAT, IT CAN TAKE SOME TIME.
BUT ALSO IF WE START, SO, YOU KNOW, WE'LL START BY JUST ADDRESSING THEM DIRECTLY, HEY, THIS IS THE COMPLAINT WE GOT.
IS THERE SOMETHING THAT YOU GUYS CAN DO ABOUT THIS? AND, AND THEY'LL, THEY'LL EITHER DO IT OR THEY WON'T.
UM, THEN WE GO, WE MOVE ON TO A VIOLATION LETTER.
THE VIOLATION LETTER BECOMES A SECOND VIOLATION LETTER, POSSIBLY A THIRD DEPENDING ON THE SEVERITY OF THE, OF THE ISSUE.
THEN, UM, BEYOND THAT, UM, WE, WE, WE TRY TO ISSUE CITATIONS WHEN WE CAN.
THERE ARE A LOT OF COMPLICATIONS THAT GO INTO ISSUING CITATIONS TO A COMPLEX THAT I, I DON'T WANT TO REALLY GET INTO THE DETAILS OF THAT RIGHT NOW MM-HMM
BUT IT DOES MAKE IT VERY, VERY DIFFICULT, UM, TO DO THAT.
ULTIMATELY, IT'S UP TO THE COURT, UH, WHETHER THEY WANT TO ISSUE THAT CITATION.
WE ISSUE SOMETHING THAT IS BASICALLY A, UM, A, HEY, WE'RE GOING TO ISSUE A CITATION.
THEN THE COURT DECIDES WHETHER TO DO THAT.
AND THAT THAT'S THE SAME FOR ANY OF THE CITATIONS THAT, THAT WE DEAL WITH, UH, FROM THE CODE ENFORCEMENT SIDE.
IN TERMS OF HOW LONG, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT JAMIE MENTIONED WAS THAT RIGHT NOW WE DON'T HAVE ANY, UH, ANY COMPLEXES THAT HAVE, YOU KNOW, A, A A TON OF CITATIONS OR A TON OF OUTSTANDING, UM, VIOLATION NOTICES.
BECAUSE WHAT'LL HAPPEN IS THEY'LL GET TO A CERTAIN POINT AND THEY'LL, I DON'T WANNA GENERALIZE, BUT, BUT A LOT OF TIMES WHAT WE'LL SEE IS THEY'LL GET TO A CERTAIN POINT AND THEY KNOW THAT THEY KNOW WHAT'S COMING NEXT.
SO THEY'LL GO AHEAD AND FIX SOMETHING.
THEY'LL FIX JUST ENOUGH TO GET IT SO THAT WE'RE NOT GONNA TAKE THEM TO COURT.
SO WE'LL GO, OKAY, THAT'S SORT OF GOOD FAITH EFFORT.
ALRIGHT, WE'RE GONNA ALLOW YOU SOME MORE TIME TO GET THESE OTHER THINGS DONE.
AND THEN, UM, AND, AND THEN MAYBE THAT'LL HAPPEN AND THEN SOMETHING ELSE WILL GO WRONG.
WE HAVE TO START OVER ON THE PROCESS.
IF THE PLACE SELLS, WHICH AGAIN, THAT HAPPENS FAIRLY OFTEN, THEN WE HAVE TO START THE PROCESS OVER.
WE COULD BE THIS CLOSE TO ISSUING A CITATION, AND IF THE PLACE SELLS, WE HAVE TO START FROM SQUARE ONE.
WE START WITH A VIOLATION LETTER.
UM, AND SO IT COULD BE SIX MONTHS WORTH, SIX MONTHS WORTH OF PROGRESS, AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN WE'RE, WE'RE BACK AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PROCESS.
SO THERE'S NO SIMPLE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION.
UM, AGAIN, IF WE, IF WE HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE MANAGERS, UM, REMEMBER THE FENCE ISSUES THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT MM-HMM
HOW LONG DID IT TAKE US TO FINALLY GET THEM SIX, EIGHT MONTHS? YES.
AND IT WAS AT A POINT WHERE WE WERE IT SOLD IN THE MIDDLE TOO.
IT YEAH, IT DID, IT DID SELL IN THE MIDDLE AND THAT AND HAD TWO SETS OF MANAGERS COME IN WITHIN A SIX MONTH PERIOD.
IN FACT, WE HAD ONE THAT WE WOULD SHOW UP AND HE KNEW OUR INSPECTOR'S CAR AND HE WOULD LOCK THE DOOR AND TURN OFF THE LIGHTS AND DUCK.
THAT SAME ONE DID THAT TO ME,
SO, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT KIDDING.
SO, UM, IT'S, IT'S PRETTY TOUGH TO GET ANYTHING DONE WHEN THOSE THINGS HAPPEN.
UM, SEAN'S CREW HAS CERTAIN THINGS THAT THEY CAN GO AND ABATE AT FROM THE BUILDING SIDE OF THINGS.
WE DON'T ABATE, ALL WE CAN DO IS ASK NICELY AND THEN THREATEN AND THEN ISSUE CITATIONS.
THAT, THAT'S THE ONLY REAL TOOL THAT WE HAVE.
UM, SO, UM, SEAN, I WANT ME TO TALK ABOUT YOUR SIDE.
SO, UH, HEALTH, UM, HEALTH IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT WHEN IT COMES TO LIFE SAFETY ISSUES.
UM, SEWAGE ON THE GROUND, THOSE ARE CLEAR PUBLIC HEALTH RISKS AND LIFE SAFETY ISSUES.
SO WE CAN SAY, HEY, I'M GONNA BE BACK HERE IN 24 HOURS AND YOU NEED TO HAVE THIS FIXED.
UM, THREATEN THE CITATION PROCESS.
GO THROUGH THAT VERY LEAN IN, HEAVY ON THE MANAGER, YOU KNOW, RESPONSIBLE PERSON ON SITE.
WE HAVE THE ABILITY AND THE AUTHORITY TO DO THAT.
UM, 98% OF THE TIME THAT GETS US WHERE WE NEED TO BE BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A, A POOL FENCE THAT WON'T LATCH PROPERLY.
UM, WATER QUALITY, THAT'S NOT WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE.
YOU CAN'T SEE THE BOTTOM OF THE POOL.
UM, SO DEPENDING ON THE SEVERITY OF THE
[00:25:01]
COMPLAINT AND THE, UH, INSPECTOR'S ASSESSMENT AT THAT TIME, WE CAN, WE CAN OFTEN SEE RESULTS WITHIN 24 TO 48 HOURS.IF IT'S SOMETHING LESS SEVERE, UM, OUR PROCESS IS VERY MUCH IN LINE WITH, UH, THE OTHER CODE ENFORCEMENT SECURITY PROCESS, NOTICE OF VIOLATION, UM, A WEEK TO CORRECT.
UH, WE'LL DO A REINSPECTION STILL OUT OF COMPLIANCE.
WE GO THROUGH THE COURT PROCESS VIA CITATION.
UM, AGAIN, WE'VE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE THAT WE'VE HAD A LOT OF COMPLIANCE AND WE'RE ABLE TO ESTABLISH THOSE RELATIONSHIPS WITH THOSE MANAGERS, THOSE LONG-TERM MANAGERS MM-HMM
AND THAT HAS BEEN MORE BENEFICIAL THAN ANY TICKET THAT WE COULD EVER WRITE, HAVING THAT FACE-TO-FACE CONTACT WITH THOSE FOLKS.
SO, UM, I'M HAPPY TO SAY THAT WE'RE, WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF COMPLIANCE AND A RELATIVELY SHORT PERIOD OF TURNAROUND, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO THE HEALTH SIDE OF THINGS.
UM, IT'S A LITTLE MORE DIFFICULT OVER THERE, BUT, UH, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SEEING.
AND, AND I APPRECIATE IT, UM, BECAUSE I KNOW SOME OF US MAY BE, UH, OR MAYBE HAVE SEEN THE VIDEO THAT IS GOING AROUND.
AND, UM, REALLY DEMEANING A LOT OF OUR APARTMENT COMPLEXES AND I KNOW THAT SOME OF THEM NEED A LOT OF HELP.
UM, BUT GOOD TO SEE AND GOOD TO HEAR THAT, UM, Y'ALL ARE WORKING ON THAT.
BUT I THINK THIS IS THE BIGGEST PART OF IT IS, UM, TENANTS REPORTING AND, UH, MAKING SURE THEY KNOW THEIR RIGHTS.
I KNOW, I REMEMBER, UH, MAYOR AND I MM-HMM
BEFORE HE WAS MAYOR, WE WOULD GO VISIT SOME COMPLEXES AND WE WOULD TALK TO THE RESIDENTS AND THEY WOULD TELL US EVERYTHING THAT'S WRONG WITH THE COMPLEX.
AND THEY'RE LIKE, AND WE WERE LIKE, WELL, WE'LL GO TALK TO THE MANAGERS.
AND HE GOES, DON'T TELL THEM IT WAS US AND I DON'T KNOW IF I WANT IT FIXED BECAUSE THEN MY RENT WILL GO UP.
UM, AND SO THEY WILL DEAL WITH THE ISSUES.
UH, INSTEAD OF HAVING THEIR RATE GO UP.
AND UNFORTUNATELY FOR FAMILIES, THIS PARTICULAR FAMILY HAD A BABY, IT WAS DURING WINTER AND THEY HAD NO HOT WATER.
UM, AND THEY SAID THAT WE'LL DEAL WITH IT BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT THEIR RENT RAISED.
UM, AND SO UNFORTUNATE, UM, THIS DEFINITELY IS GOING TO HELP THAT SITUATION, UM, MOVING FORWARD.
ANY OF 'EM THAT ARE NOW, UM, IN THAT SITUATION.
AND SO, UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? NO, WELL THANK YOU FOR THE WONDERFULLY CLEAR, UH, BIT OF INFORMATION.
I'M, I'M GLAD TO HAVE THIS TO SHARE WITH CITIZENS.
IT'S MORE JUST A BIT OF CURIOSITY.
WHEN, UM, APARTMENTS CHANGE HANDS OR OWNERSHIP, ARE THEY GOOD IN A TIMELY MANNER ABOUT, UH, CONTACTING US TO LET US KNOW? I SEE THAT NOT REALLY.
UM, IT JUST, AGAIN, IT JUST DEPENDS.
UM, SOME OF THE OLDER ONES, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT GONNA FIND OUT FOR SURE UNTIL THEIR REGISTRATION RENEWAL COMES BACK UP.
BUT OTHERWISE, YEAH, WE'RE REALLY RELYING ON THEM TO LET US KNOW.
UM, SO SOMETIMES, BUT NOT, PROBABLY NOT.
I'M PROBABLY GETTING INTO THE TRENCHES A LITTLE BIT.
I JUST, MY CURIOSITY, I WAS JUST, SO THERE'S LIKE A DATABASE AND Y'ALL JUST KEEP, WE, WE HAVE OUR OWNERSHIP RECORDS.
WELL, WE, WE KNOW WHO HAS THEIR REGISTRATIONS.
IT'S ALL IN OUR SYS IN OUR PERMITTING SYSTEM.
UM, BUT WE, WE WOULDN'T KNOW THERE WAS A CHANGE.
THERE ISN'T ANYTHING IN THE SYSTEM THAT JUST SORT OF AUTOMATICALLY SAYS, OH, BY THE WAY, THERE'S A NEW OWNER REGISTERED IN HCA OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THAT THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN.
SO ONCE WE GET TO THE RENEWAL STAGE, WHICH AGAIN IS ONLY ONCE A YEAR, THEN WE WILL FIND THAT OUT.
IT'S, IT'S, MY COLLEAGUE HAD COVERED MOST OF MY QUESTIONS.
THAT WAS JUST MORE OF A CURIOSITY, BUT THANK YOU.
ANYTHING ELSE? UH, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, I, I LIKE WHAT MAYOR JOHNSON SAID, I'D LIKE TO SEE THESE, UH, YOU KNOW, EVERYWHERE INCLUDING OUR LIBRARY WHERE I HAVE A LIBRARY CARD,
UM, QUESTION IS, IS THERE, IS THERE A WAY, ARE, ARE CITIES DOING THINGS PROACTIVELY WHEN, WHEN NEW APARTMENTS GET BUILT, UM, TO ENSURE THAT OVER TIME, UM, BLIGHT DOESN'T HAPPEN? LIKE ARE THERE, IS THERE REGULATIONS THAT DEPENDING ON NEW APARTMENT COMPLEXES YOU SHOULD STAND? SURE.
UH, BUILDING ZONING CODE DEFINITELY HAVE PROVISIONS THAT, THAT, THAT DO JUST THAT.
UM, REGULATIONS DON'T MEAN ANYTHING IF OVER TIME THEY'RE JUST NOT FOLLOWING THEM.
AND AGAIN, WHEN I, IN MY DEPARTMENT, I HAVE ONE GUY WHO DOES ALL OF THE ANNUAL INSPECTIONS AND ALL OF THE COMPLAINT INSPECTIONS THAT, THAT
[00:30:01]
HAVE TO DO WITH, UM, BUILDING OR ZONING ISSUES, UM, THE, IT, IT'S, IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN PROACTIVELY GO OUT AND, YOU KNOW, SO I DON'T HAVE A, A TEAM THAT CAN GO OUT AND INSPECT EVERYONE.WELL, WHEN, WHEN I SAY, WHEN I SAY PROACTIVELY, IS THERE, I GUESS A, A, AN ORDINANCE WE COULD PUT IN PLACE TO ENSURE, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THESE PLACES, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY STARTED OUT, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE, THEY WERE REALLY GREAT.
AND OVER TIME BECAUSE MANAGEMENT, MANAGEMENT CHANGES BECAUSE PROPERTY OWNERS CHANGES, THE STANDARD GOES DOWN AS WELL.
SO WHAT I'M ASKING IS, CAN, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE AS A LEGISLATIVE BODY COULD PROVIDE PUT IN THE CITY TO MAKE SURE THE STANDARD STAYS THE SAME NO MATTER WHAT, WHAT OWNERSHIP OR MANAGEMENT CHANGES? THAT THAT STANDARD STAYS THE SAME.
I, I THINK THAT'S ALREADY THERE.
UM, IT'S JUST COMPLIANCE AND ENFORCEMENT AND WHICH AGAIN IS, IS A REAL CHALLENGE.
THAT THAT'S THE PIECE THAT WE'RE SEEING AS A CHALLENGE.
UM, THE STANDARDS THEMSELVES HAVE PROBABLY OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF DECADES HAVE DONE NOTHING BUT GO UP.
UM, SO, BUT, BUT GAINING COMPLAINTS, IT'S A CHALLENGE.
IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A CHALLENGE.
IT'S GOTTA BE HONEST, IT'S, IT'S MARKET DRIVEN, RIGHT? YEAH.
YOU'RE GONNA, YOU'RE GONNA BE IN A NICE APARTMENT, NICER APARTMENT, THE MORE YOU'RE GONNA PAY FOR THE APARTMENT.
BUT WHEN YOU'RE, WHEN APARTMENTS GET A CHECK EVERY MONTH, THAT'S GUARANTEED FROM SOMEBODY, UH, THEY DON'T CARE.
SO I UNDERSTAND THAT'S, THAT'S A REGULATION THAT MIGHT NEED TO COME FROM OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO FIX THAT.
SO, UM, I'VE WORKED IN THE INDUSTRY, UM, FOR A WHILE AS A LEASING AGENT AND ASSISTANT MANAGER.
AND, UM, I'M NOT GONNA SAY THAT APARTMENT OWNERS DON'T CARE.
NOT, NOT ALL, BUT YOU DO HAVE SOME THAT, LIKE YOU SAY, THEY EXCHANGE HANDS SO QUICKLY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR THAT IT'S HARD TO KEEP UP WITH IT.
SO THE FEW QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE, HOW MANY CITATIONS HAVE GONE THROUGH OUR COURT THIS YEAR IN REFERENCE TO COMPLAINTS? UH, MY NEXT QUESTION IS GOING TO BE, IS THERE ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO SHORTEN THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT IT TAKES BEFORE WE GET TO THE POINT OF A CITATION? 'CAUSE I'M GONNA GO OUT ON A LIMB AND SAY THAT THE CITATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN ISSUED ARE THE ONES THAT WE'RE GETTING COMPLAINTS ABOUT.
AND IF THEY'RE REPEAT OFFENDERS AND THEY DON'T CARE, I THINK IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO DO WHAT WE CAN TO, TO BRING AWARENESS TO THEM THAT WE DO CARE AND WE WANT BETTER FOR OUR CITIZENS.
UM, THE OTHER QUESTION I HAD WAS, UM, WELL THOSE WERE THE TWO MAIN QUESTIONS.
I, I'M MEAN, I'M GONNA GO BACK TO THIS SLIDE RIGHT HERE.
AND THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT WE LOOK AT AND SAY, OKAY, LET'S, LET'S GO DOWN THE LIST, THE FENCE, WE CAN ADDRESS THAT AS A ZONING ISSUE.
UM, POWER OUTAGE, WE PROBABLY CAN'T ADDRESS THAT.
UM, NOISE POLICE WOULD, WOULD PROBABLY, WOULD HOPEFULLY BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THAT, BUT BY THE TIME THEY GET THERE, IT MAY NOT BE ANYTHING AT ALL.
SO A AS YOU GO DOWN THE LIST, UM, LEMME GO BACK TO YOUR FIRST QUESTION.
YOUR FIRST QUESTION WAS FROM A ZONING AND BUILDING STANDPOINT, WE HAVE HAD ANY CITATIONS ISSUED BY THE COURT THIS YEAR.
I THINK SEAN, SEAN HELD UP A ONE OF THESE.
SO WE'VE HAD TWO FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT SIDE.
UM, IN TERMS OF SHORTENING THE TIME, WE CAN SHORTEN THE TIME, BUT WE DON'T FIND THAT THAT'S HELPFUL.
WE WANT TO GIVE PEOPLE A, A PEOPLE, I SAY WE WANNA GIVE THESE COMPLEXES A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME TO FIX WHAT'S GOING ON.
SO IF WE GO IN AND, UM, AND THEY'RE SAY, OKAY, THE FENCE IS DOWN.
IF, IF THEY'RE WILLING TO GET THAT TAKEN CARE OF QUICKLY, THEN THEY'LL USUALLY, THEY'LL SAY TO US, OKAY, WELL WE NEED A LITTLE BIT OF TIME THAT'S GONNA COST.
WE NEED TO FIND A CONTRACTOR AND DO ALL THOSE THINGS.
AND SO WE, WE TRY TO BE REASONABLE, UM, REGARDING THOSE, THOSE TIME LIMITS.
IN, IN TERMS OF, OF THAT STUFF.
UM, IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S A SAFETY ISSUE THAT'S DIFFERENT, WE WILL, IF WE SEE A BALCONY COMING DOWN OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THEN, THEN OUR CHIEF BUILDING OFFICIAL HAS THE ABILITY TO SAY, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO FIX THAT IN THE NEXT 72 HOURS.
OR YOU NEED TO VACATE THAT APARTMENT AND, AND COORDINATE EVERYTHING OFF SO NOBODY CAN GO UNDERNEATH IT.
UM, THAT BEYOND THAT, AGAIN, WE TRY, UM, IF, IF WE GET, YOU KNOW, IN THE WINTERTIME WE GET COMPLAINTS LIKE, I DON'T HAVE ANY HOT WATER.
UM, MY HEAT'S DOWN, THINGS LIKE THAT.
IN THE SUMMERTIME WE GET MY AIR CONDITIONING ISN'T WORKING.
THOSE ARE THOSE TENANT LANDLORD AGREEMENT TYPE ISSUES THAT WE CAN'T REALLY INTERFERE IN.
[00:35:01]
BEEN TIMES WHEN WE'VE BEEN INVITED BY A TENANT INTO THEIR APARTMENT TO LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING ON AND, AND THEN WE WILL GET THERE AND THEY'LL SAY, WELL I CAN'T, I, I'M NOT LETTING ANYBODY INTO MY APARTMENT.IT, IT IS A REALLY, UM, IT'S A REALLY CAREFUL DANCE, UM, BETWEEN THOSE TWO PARTIES AND, AND THE CITY.
SO, UM, SO COULD WE SPEED IT UP? YES.
DO I THINK IT WILL REALLY MAKE A LOT OF DIFFERENCE? PROBABLY NOT.
UM, THE ANOTHER THING THAT HAPPENS TOO IS AGAIN, IT'S UP TO THE JUDGE AS TO WHETHER TO ISSUE THAT CITATION.
SO ONCE WE GET TO THAT POINT, WE REALLY HAVE TO SHOW THE JUDGE THAT WE HAVE IN GOOD FAITH, GIVEN THEM ENOUGH TIME TO HANDLE THINGS.
UM, AND THEN THEY GET TO HAVE THEIR DAY IN COURT, LITERALLY TO, UM, TO SAY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE DOING IT, WE'RE NOT DOING IT.
AND THEY NEVER SAY WE'RE NOT DOING IT.
THEY ALWAYS SAY, WE'RE GOING TO DO IT, BUT WE HAVE X, Y, Z ISSUES THAT WE HAVE TO OVERCOME FIRST.
AND THE REASON I'M ASKING ABOUT SHORTENING THE TIME, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S REPEAT OFFENDERS, 'CAUSE THOSE ARE THE ONES WHO DON'T CARE AND WE'LL JUST SELL IT OFF.
SO THEY'LL, THEY'LL, THEY'LL KEEP COMING UP WITH EXCUSES MM-HMM
UM, SO THAT THEY WON'T HAVE TO DO IT.
AND IT, IT SHOULD COME A POINT IN TIME WHERE WE'RE NOT GONNA BE TAKING EXCUSES FROM THEM WHEN THEY'RE REPEAT OFFENDERS AND WE'RE GONNA HOLD 'EM ACCOUNTABLE FOR HOW THEY'RE TREATING OUR CITIZENS.
UM, AS FAR AS THE CITATIONS, I CAN UNDERSTAND THERE BEING TOO, IF THEY HAVE TO BE ISSUED BY THE JUDGE, BUT JUST LOOKING AT OFFENSE OR TRASH, UM, OFFENSE, SOME CITIZENS, 'CAUSE I'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF THESE PHONE CALLS WHEN I WAS CAMPAIGNING.
I TALKED TO A LOT OF PEOPLE AND I THANK JASON FOR, UM, HAVING YOU ALL DO RESEARCH ON THIS.
'CAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING I ASKED FOR BACK IN JANUARY OF LAST YEAR BECAUSE I HAD HEARD FROM A LOT OF PEOPLE IN APARTMENT COMPLEXES WHAT WAS GOING ON.
THEY CONSIDER A FENCE ISSUE, A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE NOW YOU HAVE VI VAGRANTS COMING IN AND OUT.
IF THE TRASH IS OVERFLOWING AND IT'S BEEN SITTING THERE A WHILE, YOU GOT PEOPLE GOING THROUGH THE TRASH WHO DOESN'T STAY THERE.
SO THOSE THINGS ARE IMPORTANT TO THEM.
AND IF THESE THINGS ARE HAPPENING REPEATEDLY FROM THE SAME APARTMENT COMPLEX, I REALLY BELIEVE WE NEED TO TAKE THE TIME TO SEE IF WE CAN SPEED PROCESSES UP FOR REPEAT OFFENDERS, TO HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE SO THAT THE, THAT THE MANAGEMENT WON'T CHANGE IN SIX TO EIGHT MONTHS.
AND IF THERE'S A WAY THAT WE CAN TALK TO OUR STATE REPS ABOUT PASSING SOME LAWS ABOUT IF THE, IF THE, IF YOU ARE WRITTEN, IF SOMETHING'S WRITTEN TO THIS ADDRESS.
'CAUSE I KNOW THE HOA DOES IT, WHEN I MOVED INTO MY HOME, I GOT A LETTER THE NEXT DAY SAYING, CUT THE GRASS BECAUSE THE GRASS HAS BEEN HIGH AT THIS ADDRESS.
IF WE CAN LOOK AT THINGS LIKE THAT, I THINK THAT OUR CITIZENS WOULD BE VERY APPRECIATIVE AND THAT WE CAN, UM, HONESTLY TELL THEM WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO, TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE BEING TREATED FAIRLY.
I I DO, I HEAR EVERYTHING YOU'RE SAYING AND I, AND I DON'T DISAGREE.
UM, I DO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT OUR, OUR STRONGEST TOOLS THAT WE HAVE MM-HMM
ARE EITHER WRITING CITATIONS MM-HMM
OR DENYING THEM THEIR ANNUAL REGISTRATION.
NEITHER OF THOSE REMOVE PEOPLE FROM APARTMENTS.
NEITHER OF THOSE KEEP PEOPLE FROM PAYING RENT.
AND UNTIL YOU IMPACT THEIR BOTTOM LINE IN A REGULAR WAY, THEY ARE UNLIKELY.
SOME OF THEM, NOT ALL OF THEM, SOME OF THEM ARE UNLIKELY TO DO ANYTHING.
THEY'LL HAVE 10, 12, 15 CITATIONS SITTING THERE AND THEN, OKAY, WHAT, WHAT DO WE, THERE THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO BUT LEAN THEIR PROPERTY.
UM, AGAIN, THE, THE, THE FACT THAT THESE ARE ALL OWNED BY COMPANIES, OWNED BY LLCS CREATES AN EXTRA MM-HMM
BUT ALSO, LIKE I SAID, WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE A, YOUR REGISTRATION RENEWAL, UM, WHEN THAT GETS DENIED, THEY CONTINUE TO OPERATE, THEY CONTINUE TO DO WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
THAT REGISTRATION DOESN'T CARRY THE WEIGHT OF IMPACTING THEIR MONTHLY INCOME.
AND THERE, I DON'T BELIEVE THERE'S A WAY TO DO THAT.
UM, SO WE DO THAT, WE DO HOLD THAT.
THE ONLY TIME THAT THAT CREATES AN ISSUE FOR THEM IS WHEN THEY SELL.
WHEN THEY SELL, THEN THEY HAVE TO, THEY HAVE TO GO EVEN ON EVERYTHING.
UM, BUT, BUT WE HAVE TO CATCH THEM.
WE HAVE TO, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? THERE, IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A, LIKE I SAID, IT'S A CAREFUL DANCE.
AND YOU KNOW, HAVING ONE INSPECTOR, HOW MANY IS HE DOING AN INSPECTION ON ALL HUNDRED, OVER 100 APARTMENTS IN A YEAR BY HIMSELF? HE SURE IS.
THAT MAY BE SOMETHING WE MAY WANT TO DISCUSS IN, UM, DEALING WITH THE BUDGET IS MAYBE BRINGING IN ANOTHER INSPECTOR TO HELP WITH THAT.
SO THAT A HUNDRED APARTMENTS FOR ONE PERSON IS A LOT.
[00:40:01]
MAY MAYBE THAT THAT WILL HELP WITH SOME CITATIONS AND JUST PEOPLE SEEING US OUT THERE WHEN THEY CALL, UH, THE, WE HAVE 49 COMPLAINTS.I BELIEVE THE REASON WE ONLY HAVE 49 COMPLAINTS ON THE SYSTEM IS BECAUSE NO ONE KNOWS THAT THEY CAN ACTUALLY GO IN AND COMPLAIN ON AN APARTMENT IN THE BAYTOWN APP.
'CAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW THAT WE COULD DO THAT.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, THAT YOU GUYS CAN REALLY PLAY A ROLE IN IS UM, WHEN YOU GET COMPLAINTS, MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE ENTERING A, WE RECENTLY LIKE PROBABLY JANUARY OR DECEMBER, ADDED APARTMENTS AS ITS OWN CATEGORY SO THAT WE CAN PROPERLY ROUTE AND TRACK.
SOMETIMES THEY WERE GETTING LOST WITHIN IN THE OTHER CATEGORIES.
WE CALLED OUT APARTMENT SO THAT WE COULD TRACK AND SO THAT THEY WOULD GET SENT TO THE RIGHT DEPARTMENTS IN THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF TIME.
SO THAT'S AN IMPORTANT ROLE THAT YOU GUYS CAN PLAY, UH, FOR SURE IN THAT.
AND ARE WE GONNA DO ANYTHING AS STAFF IN HELPING GET THE WORD OUT ABOUT THAT? IN FACT, THOMAS IS NOT HERE TONIGHT, BUT HE IS ACTUALLY WORKING ON, UH, HIS STAFF IS WORKING ON A KIND OF A MARKETING OR GET THE WORD OUT CAMPAIGN AGAIN BECAUSE WE'RE USING BETTER BAYTOWN APP MORE EFFICIENTLY MM-HMM
AND EFFECTIVELY THAN WE WERE IN THE PAST.
IT'S TIME TO DO ANOTHER ROUND OF, HEY, THIS IS REALLY IS THE BEST WAY TO LET US KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
SO, UH, I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT.
I KNOW HIS STAFF HAS SOME CREATIVE IDEAS, SO LOOK, EXCELLENT.
ANY MORE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? OKAY.
WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION FOR SURE.
THANK, THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU ALL DONE.
THIS WAS A WONDERFUL PRESENTATION.
I HOPE WHEN THIS IS POSTED, OUR RESIDENTS GO IN AND SEE THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE, THE QUESTIONS THAT WE ALL HAVE ASKED, AND MAYBE THEY CAN START CALLING US WITH SOME MORE IDEAS AND SUGGESTIONS AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, THEY'RE GONNA GET ON THE BAYTOWN APP AND START REPORTING IT.
SO, AND THANK YOU FOR ALL FOR ADDING THAT SECTION.
YOU SAID BACK IN DECEMBER IT, IT'S BEEN A WHILE, BUT ONCE, ONCE WE STARTED REALIZING THESE COMPLAINTS WERE SPECIFIC AND NEEDED TO GO TO SPECIFIC DEPARTMENTS AND WE WANTED TO TRACK THE NUMBER TO GET THAT, THAT SCOPE, THEN YES.
HAVE AN ADJOURNED EVERYTHING ON THIS AGENDA.
I ADJOURNED THIS MEETING AT 6:16 PM WE WILL START PROMPTLY AT, LET'S SAY 6 35 TO GET PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET SETTLED.