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I WAS TEACHING[Environmental and Community Advisory Board on May 11, 2022.]
SCHOOL WHO, WHAT DO RECORDING DO A ROLL CALL.JAMES JIM DOBBINS, DISTRICT ONE DA DEAN, DISTRICT TWO, SHABU SIDE MOTOR DISTRICT THREE EURO VILLA PONDO.
KEN RISSER, ROME APPOINTEE HERE.
UM, THAT EVERYBODY READ THE MINUTES.
ANYBODY GOT ANY COMPLAINTS? NO.
THAT'S, UH, MAKE A MOTION WEEK AFTER MINUTES AS PRESENTED.
WHAT DO WE HAVE GOING ON HERE? RICK? WHERE'D RICK GO? THERE HE IS.
RICK, I THOUGHT YOU DROPPED YOUR CARD OVER HERE AND JUST TOOK OFF.
HERE'S, HERE'S, HERE'S YOUR MOMENT.
COURSE ALL APPRECIATE BEING HERE TONIGHT.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF CODE COMPLIANCE AND SO I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BE HERE.
UM, I'VE GOT, I DO HAVE A PRESENTATION.
UH, I'VE BEEN DIRECTED BY
UH, I WILL GO THROUGH THE PRESENTATION.
IT'S PRETTY MUCH JUST AN OVERALL ORIENTATION AND, AND OF OUR DEPARTMENT.
BUT AS I UNDERSTAND IT, I THINK IN THE LAST YEAR OR SO, WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF OUR REPRESENTATIVES COME SPEAK TO YOU BEFORE.
SOME OF IT MAY BE REPETITIVE, BUT THAT THAT'S OKAY.
UM, AND OBVIOUSLY AN OPPORTUNITY TO QUESTIONS BEFORE WE GET STARTED.
I HAVE PLACED IN OF, PRIMARILY IN OUR RESIDENTIAL AREAS AND IT'S, IT'S CALLED OUR TRACK DOCUMENT.
AND IT'S, IT'S TEACHING RESIDENTS ABOUT CODE.
UH, IT'S JUST SOME OF OUR MORE COMMON VIOLATIONS THAT WE BEEN INVOLVED IN.
AND SO I WANTED TO BRING THAT TO YOU TONIGHT JUST, JUST FOR YOUR VIEWING PLEASURE.
I'M ALSO PLACE SOME EXTRA ON THE BACK TABLE BACK HERE IF YOU WANNA GRAB, IF YOU NEED TO TAKE WITH YOU, YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO DO THAT.
UM, THIS IS ONE DOCUMENT THAT WE ALSO USE WHEN WE GO OUT AND, AND, UH, DO OUR, OUR OUTREACH.
UM, CAUSE WE, WE DO LIKE TO GET INTO THE COMMUNITY AND, AND VISIT HOMEOWNER ASSOCIATION MEETINGS OR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETINGS, CRIME WATCH MEETINGS WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
SO, UM, IF, IF ANY OF YOU ARE HEAVILY INVOLVED IN IN YOUR, YOUR COMMUNITY LIKE THAT, PLEASE OUT TO US.
YOU GOING OUT AND, AND TALKING TO THE COMMUNITY, UH, AND, AND, AND, AND TEACHING RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS ABOUT CODE AND WHAT DO, SO, UM, WITH THAT, I'LL START SHOW.
SO IT'S, I'M ASSUMING, SHOWING UP ON YOUR MONITORS AND YOU CAN SEE YES.
AND AGAIN, SOME OF THIS MAY BE REPETITIVE AND I APOLOGIZE, BUT, UM, I JUST WANTED TO GO OVER SOME OF THIS.
GIVE YOU A PERSPECTIVE OF WHAT WE, WHAT WE BASICALLY HAVE FOUR DIVISIONS WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT.
WE HAVE OUR BUSINESS OPERATIONS, UH, DIVISION, WHICH IS, IS PRIMARILY OUR, OUR FRONT OFFICE LADIES, UH, EMPLOYEES THAT, THAT ANSWER OUR PHONES.
UM, DO ALL OF THE, UM, THE, THE COG WORK THAT, THAT SUPPORTS OUR WHOLE OPERATION.
UH, ANY CLERICAL TYPE OF BUSINESS.
WE DO, UH, APPLICATION, UM, PROCESSING, UH, ANY, ANY ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE, ACCOUNTS PAYABLE, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
UH, IN THAT, IN THAT DIVISION, WE HAVE FIVE SQUARE EMPLOYEES AND THEN ONE SUPERVISOR.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE A DIVISION KNOWN AS OUR NEIGHBORHOOD STANDARDS DIVISION.
UH, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD STANDARDS DIVISION IS, IS PRIMARILY OUR RESIDENTIAL DIVISION, UH, WHERE WE, UM, GO OUT INTO THE RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS AND DO OUR TYPICAL, UH, CODE COMPLIANCE WORK.
UM, WE, WE BASICALLY HAVE THAT NEIGHBORHOOD STANDARD DIVISION, UH, BROKEN INTO TWO, TWO AREAS.
WE HAVE A NORTH, NORTH AREA AND A SOUTH
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AREA.UM, WE HAVE A TOTAL OF SIX, UM, OFFICERS, UH, IN THAT NORTH AREA, UH, WITH ONE MANAGER IN THE SOUTH DIVISION, THE SOUTH SIDE OF THAT DIVISION.
UH, WE HAVE SEVEN OFFICERS AND ONE MANAGER.
AND THEN, UH, OUR HOUSING STANDARDS, UH, DIVISION, WHICH IS OUR MULTIFAMILY, UH, RENTAL RENTAL PROGRAM, OUR SINGLE FAMILY RENTAL PROGRAM.
AND THEN OUR, ALSO OUR LODGING, OUR HOTEL MOTEL ORDINANCES AND INSPECTIONS ARE, UM, ARE DONE BY OUR HOUSING STANDARDS DIVISION.
WE HAVE A TOTAL OF SEVEN OFFICERS IN THAT AREA.
UH, TWO OF THOSE SEVEN ARE PRIMARILY THE SINGLE FAMILY RENTAL, UH, WITH FIVE OF THE, UH, OTHER OFFICERS PRIMARILY TAKING CARE OF OUR, OUR MULTI-FAMILY, OUR APARTMENT COMPLEXES.
AND OUR, OUR, WE CALL 'EM QUADS, YOU KNOW, LIKE A TOWNHOUSE THAT HAS FOUR UNITS IS CONSIDERED A MULTI-FAMILY BY DEFINITION.
SO, UH, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE ONE MANAGER THAT MANAGES THAT DIVISION AS WELL.
OUR COMMERCIAL STANDARDS DIVISION.
UH, WE CURRENTLY HAVE FOUR INSPECTORS, FOUR OFFICERS IN THAT DIVISION.
UM, PRIMARILY WE JUST HAVE THREE.
UM, ONE OF OUR, UM, COMMERCIAL STANDARDS OFFICERS, UH, IS HEAVILY INVOLVED IN THE HOMELESS TASK FORCE.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL HEARD ABOUT THE HOMELESS TASK FORCE THAT'S MADE UP OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UM, IN IN MURIEL'S TEAM, UH, STORM WATER, UH, VISITING THESE HOMELESS CAMPS, UM, IN CLEANING UP THOSE HOMELESS CAMPS ON A, ON A ROUTINELY BASIS.
UH, WE HAVE ONE, UH, COMMERCIAL, UM, INSPECTOR, UH, THAT'S PRIMARILY DESIGNATED TO THAT TASK FORCE.
UM, BUT THE GOOD THING IS, AND THIS IS, UM, SOMETHING I WANTED TO SHARE WITH Y'ALL.
WE ARE, UH, GOING TO REQUEST AN ADDITIONAL COMMERCIAL STANDARDS OFFICER.
UM, IT'S MR. BRADFORD IN A FEW MONTHS.
UM, I'M NOT SURE IF I'LL GET IT, BUT WE'RE CERTAINLY GONNA ASK FOR IT.
UM, CAUSE WE'VE BEEN, WE'VE BASICALLY BEEN, UM, OPERATING WITH ONE LESS INSPECTOR IN THAT AREA.
SO WE REALLY WANT TO TRY TO, UH, AND I KNOW THE TASK FORCE IS, IS, IS VERY, UH, THERE'S A HIGH DEMAND FOR THAT AND A BIG NEED.
AND SO WE, AND OUR, OUR ROLE IN THAT IS, UM, WE'RE INVOLVED IN, IN, IN NOTIFICATIONS, UM, WITH THE PROPERTY OWNERS AND, AND DOING A LOT OF OUTREACH, UH, WITH THE PROPERTY OWNERS TO LET THEM KNOW, HEY, THERE'S, THERE'S A HOMELESS CAMP ON YOUR PROPERTY.
AND SO WE'RE GENERALLY INVOLVED IN THAT SIDE OF IT.
I KNOW ARIEL'S TEAM IS INVOLVED IN, IN PROVIDING THE EQUIPMENT AND, AND, AND LABOR FOR, FOR THOSE CLEANUPS.
UH, BUT THEN THE OTHER, OTHER PARTS OF THAT TASKFORCE EFFORT IS, IS COMPRISED OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND OUR, UH, COMMERCIAL STANDARDS INSPECTOR.
SO HOPEFULLY, WE'LL, WE'LL GET ANOTHER EMPLOYEE.
IF NOT, WE'LL, WE'LL DO THE BEST WE CAN.
SO, UH, AND THEN ALSO WE HAVE A, UM, A GROUNDSKEEPER, UM, ONE, ONE GROUNDSKEEPER THAT BASICALLY DOES LITTLE SMALL ME, UH, TASK FOR US.
UM, AN EXAMPLE IF WE GET A, UM, AN AREA THAT, THAT MIGHT HAVE TRASH OR, UM, JUST, JUST A, THIS SOMETHING THAT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S EASIER FOR US TO JUST GO DO AND CLEAN UP IMMEDIATELY AND TRY TO GET, GET IT DONE, UH, AS OPPOSED TO REALLY GOING THROUGH A, A NOTIFICATION PROCESS WITH, YOU KNOW, GO THROUGH THE DUE PROCESS.
IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN JUST TAKE CARE OF IMMEDIATELY, UH, WE USE THIS GROUNDSKEEPER TO TAKE CARE OF THAT.
THIS GROUND KEEPER, UH, TAKES CARE OF SOME GRAFFITI ABATEMENTS FOR US.
UM, UM, SHOPPING CART REMOVALS, UH, ILLEGALLY, PLACE SIGNS AND RIGHT OF AWAYS AND FAIR AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
UM, SO, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO GET A, A PERSON A FEW YEARS AGO, UH, AND IT, IT'S REALLY BEEN A BIG BENEFIT FOR OUR DEPARTMENT.
SO, UM, AS I SAID EARLIER, OUR, OUR BUSINESS OPERATION, UH, DEPARTMENT, THEY HANDLE ALL OF OUR LICENSING, UH, PROCESSES FROM APPLICATIONS TO INVOICING, UH, ACCOUNTS PAYABLE AND RECEIVABLES.
UH, FROM TIME TO TIME, AS YOU KNOW, WE, WE MIGHT HAVE TO GET INTO AN ABATEMENT TYPE SITUATION WITH A PROPERTY OWNER WHERE WE HAVE CREATE A WORK ORDER, GO OUT AND ACTUALLY REMOVE THE VIOLATION.
UH, THEY HANDLE ALL THE PROCESSING OF THAT IN THE TIME IT GOES TO OUR CONTRACTOR TO, TO A TIME THE, THE PROOF OF WORK COMES BACK AND THEN THE INVOICING TO THE PROPERTY OWNER.
UM, ALL OF OUR NOTIFICATIONS, UH, ANY ENFORCEMENT LIKE CITATIONS, UH, AND OUR LICENSE RENEWAL NOTIFICATIONS ARE HANDLED BY OUR, OUR FRONT OFFICE.
OBVIOUSLY, WE ANSWER THE PHONES, UM, WE ANSWER EMAILS AND THE, THE FAMOUS EIST UH,
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UH, OPERATION THAT, THAT, THAT CITIZENS CAN USE TO, TO REPORT THINGS TO US, UH, THEY OFFER THE E ASSISTS ISSUE THAT WE GET.AND THEN ALSO WE DO, UH, BUDGET PREP AND ANALYSIS AS WELL.
UH, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD STANDARDS DIVISION, AGAIN, WE DO PROACTIVE IN IN COMPLAINT INSPECTIONS.
UM, IF YOU WERE TO ASK WHAT PERCENTAGE OF OUR IS OUR, IS OUR WORK PROACTIVE, UH, WE CAN SAFELY SAY ABOUT 85 TO 90% OF OUR WORKLOAD IS, IS PROACTIVE.
UM, WE STARTED OUR PROACTIVE PROGRAM, I DON'T KNOW, 15 YEARS AGO.
UM, AND IT'S, IT'S REALLY, UH, IT'S REALLY BENEFITED THE CITY.
UH, WHEN, WHEN WE FIRST GOT OVER TO CODE COMPLIANCE, WHEN I FIRST GOT TO CODE, UH, SOME 18 YEARS AGO, WE DIDN'T REALLY HAVE A PROACTIVE PROGRAM.
WE WERE BASICALLY JUST ANSWERING COMPLAINTS, UH, AND WE JUST REALLY WEREN'T, YOU KNOW, HAVING A GOOD IMPACT IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND, AND, AND, UH, SO WE JUST, WE, WE TRIED TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO HOW, HOW CAN WE SYSTEMATICALLY GET IN THESE NEIGHBORHOODS AND, AND, AND PROACTIVELY ADDRESS CONCERNS AND ISSUES.
WE HAD A MODEL, UM, WE BUILT, BUILT ON THE MODEL.
AND, UM, IT'S, IT'S BEEN PRETTY EFFECTIVE TODAY.
WITH, WITH COVID, OBVIOUSLY COVID KIND OF SET US BACK A LITTLE BIT.
UM, WHEN, WHEN THINGS, UH, YOU KNOW, PROPERTY OWNERS AND BUSINESSES STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS AND HARDSHIPS FINANCIALLY AND, UH, JUST PEOPLE AS A WHOLE, UH, WE ALL FELT THE, THE BRUN OF COVID, UH, IT MADE US, IT MADE US THINK OF, UH, TRYING TO THINK OF DIFFERENT WAYS TO, TO, TO, TO GO ABOUT OUR, OUR DAILY, UH, BUSINESS.
AND SO, UH, WE'VE, WE'VE KIND OF, UH, CHANGED SOME OF OUR PROTOCOLS, OUR OUR THOUGHT PROCESSES, OUR STRATEGIES, UH, I'LL GET INTO SOME OF THAT IN JUST A MINUTE.
BUT, UH, MORE THAN MOST OF THE TIME WE'RE, WE'RE HANDLING OUR TYPICAL VIOLATIONS YOU SEE, OR HIGH GRASS, UH, IMPROPERLY STORED ITEMS. UM, TRASH OBVIOUSLY IS A, IS A BIG THING.
UM, WE, WE, WE, UH, HANDLE THOSE VEGETATION ENCROACHMENTS FOR SEVERAL REASONS.
UM, FOR, FOR VEHICLE OR TRAFFIC IN, IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, ON OUR CITY STREETS.
UM, YOU DEFINITELY DON'T WANNA GET A WINDSHIELD BROKEN OUT BY A LITTLE HANGING LIMB OR WHATEVER.
BUT, UM, AND THEN WE ALSO, UH, ADDRESS JUNK MOTOR VEHICLES THAT ON PRIVATE PROPERTY.
AND THEN ALSO WE ADDRESS MINIMUM HOUSING STANDARDS, UH, PRIMARILY WEATHERPROOFING AND, AND SOME STRUCTURAL CONCERNS ON HOUSES AND ACCESSORY BUILDINGS.
UH, THE PARKING ENFORCEMENT, WE USED TO DO PARKING, UH, BUT TWO OR THREE YEARS AGO, THE, UH, THE COUNCIL, UH, WANTED TO, UH, ALLOW THE
UM, SOME PRIVATE PROPERTY PARKING, UH, THEY HANDLE LIKE PARKING ON THE GRASS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT, UH, WE STILL GET COMMUNICATION FROM, FROM FOLKS ABOUT PARKING CONCERNS, AND WE RE RELAY THOSE TO THE, UH, TO THE MARSHALLS.
AND SO WE'RE JUST PRETTY MUCH A CONDUIT OF INFORMATION FOR THEM ON PARKING ISSUES AND PARKING CONCERNS.
UH, OUR HOUSING STANDARDS DIVISION, UH, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID EARLIER, WE, WE HAVE SINGLE FAMILY RENTAL PROGRAM, UH, THAT REQUIRES A, A PROPERTY OWNER TO, TO GET A LICENSE IN ORDER TO HAVE A RENTAL PROPERTY HERE IN GARLAND.
UH, TO THIS DATE, WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 9,600 RENTAL PROPERTIES.
UM, THAT FLUCTUATES, YOU KNOW, FROM TIME TO TIME.
UM, AND WE'VE SEEN A LITTLE BIT OF DECREASE IN THE, IN THE SINGLE FAMILY RENTAL, UH, PROPERTIES.
AND WE THINK THAT'S ATTRIBUTED TO THE, TO THE MARKET.
YOU KNOW, THE SALES MARKET THAT'S CURRENTLY GOING ON, THE HOT SALES MARKET, FOLKS ARE JUST, THEY'RE ACTUALLY JUST, YOU KNOW, WHEN THE TENANT MOVES OUT, THEY'RE, THEY'RE SELLING THEIR PROPERTY AND MAKING A PRETTY GOOD PRODUCT.
BUT THAT, THAT NUMBER DOES FLUCTUATE.
BUT ON AVERAGE, IT'S LITTLE, YOU KNOW, 9,500 TO 9,800, SOMEWHERE THAT RANGE.
UM, OUR MULTIFAMILY, UH, WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 233 PLUS, UH, APARTMENT COMPLEXES AND, AND, AND, AND QUADS.
WE CALL 'EM, UH, IN OUR CITY THAT WE, THAT WE, UH, INSPECT ANNUALLY.
AND THEN THAT NUMBER IS GROWING.
DO YOU KNOW, HAVE YOU SEEN ANY OF THE, THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION WORK? UH, AND THE COUNCIL ACTIVITY APARTMENT COMPLEXES ARE, ARE GOING UP EVERYWHERE.
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CONTINUE TO RISE, PROBABLY.UM, BUT WE HAVE TWO 30 THAT WE INSPECT, UH, LODGING ESTABLISHMENTS.
UM, WE, YOU KNOW, THOSE, THOSE ARE ALSO, UM, REGULATED BY, BY LICENSE.
UH, WE HAVE 23 HOTELS AND MOTELS HERE IN GARLAND.
UH, AND WE ALSO HAVE, UH, TO THIS DATE, WE HAVE 17 SHORT TERM RENTALS THAT ARE REGISTERED WITH US.
UH, SEVERAL YEARS AGO, COUNCIL, UM, PUT INTO PLACE A, UM, SOME GUIDELINES AND REGULATIONS, UH, REGULATING SHORT TERM RENTALS.
UM, THERE'S STILL SOME WORK TO DO THERE, UM, BUT WE'RE GETTING THERE.
THERE'S STILL SOME THINGS THAT, THAT, UH, THAT POP UP EVERY NOW AND THEN, AS YOU KNOW, IF YOU, IF YOU WATCH THE NEWS AND, AND KEEP TRACK OF THE MEDIA, UH, SOME SHORT TERM RENTALS IS A VERY HOT TOPIC THROUGHOUT, THROUGHOUT NORTH TEXAS AND, AND JUST ABOUT EVERYWHERE.
UM, WE CURRENTLY HAVE 17 OF THOSE.
AND, UM, AND THAT FLUCTUATES AS WELL.
UM, JUST ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO, WE HAD UP, WE HAD UP TO 22 RESTROOM.
UH, AND AGAIN, THOSE, THOSE ARE BEING SOLD OFF AS WELL, SO THAT, THAT NUMBER, UH, CHANGES, UH, RANDOMLY.
DO YOU, BY THAT, DO YOU MEAN LIKE AIRBNBS AND STUFF LIKE THAT? YES, YES.
UH, THE, WHAT, WHAT, UH, THE ORDINANCE THAT WAS ESTABLISHED, UH, COUNCIL PUT IN PLACE, LIKE I SAY, SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
UM, THEY, THEY LUMPED IT IN THE LODGING ORDINANCE, UH, PRIMARILY, UH, DUE TO THE FACT THAT A, A, UH, SHORT TERM RENTAL BY LAW IS REQUIRED TO PAY HOTEL MOTEL TAX.
SO THAT'S WHY THEY LUMPED IT INTO THE, TO THE LODGING ORDINANCE, UH, OF OUR, OF OUR CITY ORDINANCES.
UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, AND BY DOING SO, THERE'S, THERE'S SOME, THERE'S SOME ISSUES AND SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE THINGS WE'RE SEEING THAT, YOU KNOW, LIKE IF YOU'VE SEEN ON THE NEWS, AND SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS, THIS, I KNOW, UH, MS. DEAN, AND I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THIS ALREADY, UH, BUT THESE, THESE AIRBNBS, SOMETIMES THEY, THEY'VE BECOME PARTY HOUSES AND, UH, AND THEY DO CAUSE SOME ISSUES AND CONCERNS FOR THE NEIGHBORS.
ARE THESE, UH, IN LIKE CERTAIN AREAS OR ARE THEY SCATTERED ALL OVER TOWN? UH, THEY'RE, THEY'RE SCATTERED ALL OVER TOWN.
SO IF PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW IF THERE'S AN AIRBNB IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, IS THERE A WAY TO, WELL, WE CAN, UH, YOU CAN FILE AN OPEN RECORDS REQUEST UHHUH, UH, THROUGH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, UH, AND, AND TRY TO GET INFORMATION.
UH, I KNOW THERE'S SOME, THERE'S SOME GUIDELINES THAT WE HAVE TO GO BY ON, ON REGISTRIES.
UH, BUT I WOULD GO, I WOULD START THERE.
UH, YOU COULD FILE AN OPEN RECORDS REQUEST AND THEN, UH, WHAT INFORMATION WE HAVE.
UM, WE ALWAYS SUBMIT THAT TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, AND THEN THEY, THEY, THEY, THEY VENT THAT, VET THAT AND MAKE SURE, UM, WHAT, WHAT CAN GO OUT, CAN GO OUT.
BUT, UH, THAT, THAT'S WHERE I WOULD START.
BETTY, YOU CAN JUST GOOGLE AIRBNBS AND PUT YOUR ZIP.
WELL, YOU CAN DO THAT, YOU KNOW, BUT I'M JUST, THERE'S 22 AVAILABLE IN GARLAND RIGHT NOW FOR TODAY.
WHICH ISN'T IT, IS THERE, I THOUGHT THERE, WAS THERE ANYTHING THAT WOULD, HOA DIDN'T ALLOW THAT? WELL, THERE WAS A, THE CHANGE IN THE HOA THING LAST YEAR THAT, THAT KIND OF, ITS IN ON THE TECHNICALITY RIGHT NOW.
MAYBE YOU CAN EXPLAIN THAT A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
UM, SOME HOAS, MOST HOAS HAVE, HAVE MORE STRICT GUIDELINES LIKE SUBLETTING THAN WE AS THE CITY DO.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE USE THE TERM MINIMUM, MINIMUM STANDARDS, UH, WHERE HOAS CAN, CAN HAVE DIFFERENT STANDARDS.
NOW, I KNOW, I KNOW SOME HOAS HAVE DIFFICULTY, UM, ENFORCING, ENFORCING THOSE MM-HMM.
I'VE SEEN, I'VE SEEN THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN ASSESS FINES TO PEOPLE AND, AND ALL THAT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, AND, AND I GUESS THEY CAN ACTUALLY TAKE PROPERTY OWNERS TO COURT, YOU KNOW, AND IN A CIVIL MATTER, UH, AND, AND THEN TRY TO FORECLOSE ON PROPERTIES.
UH, I'M NOT AN ATTORNEY, BUT I, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT THAT'S, THAT'S SOME OF THE, THE AVENUES THAT HOA HAVE TAKEN OR LEAN ON THE PROPERTY.
IT'S, IT'S GOTTEN HARDER THOUGH, BECAUSE THAT SENATE BILL THAT PASSED, OR HOUSE BILL THAT PASSED LAST YEAR MADE IT MUCH TOUGHER FOR HOAS TO ENFORCE STUFF LIKE THAT.
IT WAS REALLY TOUGH CUZ ALL OF THE, ALL THE HOAS IN THE CITY WERE UPROAR ABOUT IT.
BECAUSE THEY CAN'T ENFORCE THAT ANYMORE.
BUT, UH, IN SUMMARY, UH, AGAIN, UH, OUR COUNCIL IS, IS AWARE, UH, OF SOME OF THE SHORTCOMINGS
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OF, OF THAT AND, AND, AND THE, AND THE HARDSHIPS, UH, TO GET REGULATIONS, UM, UH, TO, TO REGULATE THESE.AND, AND SO I KNOW THERE'S GONNA BE MORE DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT.
AND, AND COUNSEL WILL BE PROBABLY HEAVILY INVOLVED IN, IN LOOKING AT, AT THE CURRENT ORDINANCE AND TRYING TO DO EVERYTHING THEY CAN, GOING BACK TO A SINGLE FAMILY RENTAL, UM, WILL REQUIRED LICENSE.
ARE THEY ALSO REQUIRED IF THEY HAVE HOA, UH, TO GET THE PERMISSION FROM THE HOA FOR RENTING? UH, SOME, SOME DO, SOME DON'T.
YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THAT'S, THAT'S, ITS ON THE BYLAWS.
UM, BUT AGAIN, I DON'T, I DON'T REALLY KNOW THAT TO, TO THE, TO THE, OF THAT QUESTION.
I GUESS IT JUST DEPENDS ON AN INDIVIDUAL HOA I'VE SEEN, I'VE SEEN DEED RESTRICTIONS, YOU KNOW, IN OTHER SITUATIONS THAT, THAT WILL NOT ALLOW THAT.
BUT AGAIN, THAT'S, THEY'RE, THEY'RE ALLOWED AS IN THE CITY, YOU KNOW, SO NOW THE HOA HAS MORE STRICT GUIDELINES THAT THAT'S UP TO THEM.
SO WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS TO GET THE, UM, LICENSE? IS IT JUST BEING HOMEOWNER AND THAT'S IT? AND YOU CAN, FOR A SHORT TERM YES.
FOR SHORT TERM RENTALS, UM, YEAH, YOU JUST, YOU, YOU APPLY, THERE'S AN APPLICATION YOU FILL OUT.
UM, THERE'S CERTAIN INFORMATION THAT'S REQUIRED ON THE APPLICATION.
UM, AND THEN ONCE YOU APPLY AND, AND PAY THE FEE, UH, YOU ARE ADMINISTERED A LICENSE, UH, FOR THAT.
AND THEN, UH, WE, WE, THE CO DEPARTMENT ARE REQUIRED TO DO AN ANNUAL, WE DO AN ANNUAL INSPECTION.
UH, NOW IF WE GET, IF WE GET COMPLAINTS OR, UH, AND WE DO OUR PROACTIVE WORK IN NEIGHBORHOODS AND WE SEE EXTERIOR VIOLATIONS AT THE PROPERTY, THEN WE, WE MIGHT ADDRESS THOSE FROM OUR, FROM OUR NEIGHBORHOOD STANDARDS DIVISION, YOU KNOW, DRIVING THROUGH, IF THE GRASS SEEMS TO BE HIGH MM-HMM.
BUT, UH, BUT THE LICENSING REQUIREMENT IS AN ANNUAL INSPECTION.
UH, WITH THE FOLLOW UP, IF THERE'S ANY VIOLATIONS FOUND, UM, THEN, YOU KNOW, WE'LL FOLLOW UP AND MAKE SURE IT'S ALL IN COMPLIANCE.
UH, AND THEN, UH, IF YOU'RE, IF YOU'RE REGISTERED WITH THIS AND, AND YOUR PROPERTY'S BEEN INSPECTED AND, AND EVERYTHING IS, IS MET REQUIREMENTS, THEN YOU'LL, YOU'LL RENEW THE NEXT YEAR.
WE'LL DO THAT SAME THING AGAIN, VERY, VERY SIMILAR TO THE, UH, TO THE NORTH FAMILY.
AND HAVE YOU DENIED ANY OF THE SHORT TERM RENTALS OR ALL OF THEM, FOR THE MOST PART HAVE BEEN ALL APPROVED.
ALL OF THEM HAVE BEEN APPROVED, UH, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, YOU KNOW, THE PROPERTIES THAT, THAT GET REGISTERED THROUGH THE SHORT TERM RENTALS, THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE PRETTY NICE PROPERTIES.
UH, NOW, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE BYPRODUCT OF, OF WHAT OCCURS THERE, UM, SOMETIMES BECOME POLICE MATTERS.
UH, BUT AS FAR AS THE, UH, THE THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR, YOU KNOW, THE LIFE SAFETY, UH, SMOKE DETECTORS, ANY, ANY, ANY SAFETY HAZARDS, UH, WE, WE JUST REALLY DON'T FIND VERY MUCH AT ALL.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE USUALLY IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE.
AND ONE LAST THING, OR DO YOU WANT ME TO ASK, WAIT TO THE END.
I DON'T MIND THE, THE QUESTION AND ANSWERED, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE PROBABLY SEEN AND HEARD A LOT OF THE STUFF I WAS GONNA TALK ABOUT.
SO I, I DON'T MIND ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS AS WE GO, IS ABOUT THE OCCUPANCY.
DO YOU, DID YOU GET AN ANSWER IN REGARDS TO LIKE, THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT CAN OCCUPY THE SPACE? WELL, THE ANSWER I GOT WAS, I DIDN'T GET REALLY GOOD ANSWER.
UH, AND THAT'S, THAT'S THE PART THAT I KNOW WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD ON TRYING TO GET SOME TYPE OF REGULATION IN THERE TO REGULATE, YOU KNOW, UH, OCCUPANCY LIMITS OF, OF THESE SHORT TERM RENTALS.
UM, CURRENTLY THERE'S, THERE'S JUST NOT A WHOLE LOT OUT THERE.
UH, AND, AND COUNCIL IS AWARE, SO THAT THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE GONNA BE MOVING FORWARD.
I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA TRY TO REGULATE SOME OCCUPANCY LEVELS.
CAUSE, YOU KNOW, IN, IN A, IN A NORMAL SINGLE FAMILY HOME, UM, THE CAPACITY, UH, IT DEPENDS ON FAMILY SHIP RELATIONS.
AND THEN IT ALSO IS INVOLVING THE NUMBER OF, THE AMOUNT OF LIVING SPACE THAT THAT'S AT THE, AT, AT THE RESIDENCE.
SO, UH, OBVIOUSLY A LARGER HOUSE WOULD, WOULD ALLOW FOR MORE OCCUPANTS.
SO IT, IT IS KIND OF A CASE BY CASE THING.
UM, A SMALLER HOUSE, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GONNA MEET THAT CAPACITY LIMIT A LOT MORE QUICKER
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THAN YOU WOULD A LARGER, LARGER, IN THE CASE OF THE SHORT TERM RENTAL.UM, YOU KNOW, SOME, SOME OF THOSE, SOME OF THOSE PLACES ARE, ARE REALLY, REALLY LARGE, YOU KNOW, AND THEY CAN, CAN ACCOMMODATE A LOT MORE PEOPLE THAN THAN OTHERS.
SO WE HAVE A SIMILAR SITUATION.
OUR HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION, ONE OF THE SINGLE FAMILY HOUSE, MORE THAN 15 TO 15 PEOPLE'S DAY.
IS THERE A, CAN I SAY ANYTHING TO THAT? A FORMULA? YEAH.
I MEAN, 3000 SQUARE FOOT HOUSE.
HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE, WELL, I MEAN, AGAIN, IT DEPENDS ON THE AMOUNT OF LIVING SPACE.
NO MORE THAN THREE FAMILIES, NO MORE THAN THREE FAMILIES.
AND THAT'S FOR A SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING FOR SINGLE FAMILY.
IT'S NOT FOR THE RENTAL, THE SHORT TERM RENTALS.
THIS IS FOR THE SINGLE FAMILY AND SINGLE FAMILY PROGRAM, YOU KNOW, SINGLE FAMILY RENTAL.
THE SHORT TERM RENTALS ARE, ARE, ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THIS CAUSE IT'S, IT'S LUMPED INTO THE LODGING ORDINANCE AT THIS TIME IN SINGLE FAMILY, FAMILY RENTALS.
IS IT LIKE SIX MONTHS OR MORE? LIKE WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SINGLE FAMILY RENTALS AND IN THE SHORT TERM? IS IT JUST THE LENGTH OF TIME? IS THAT THE DIFFERENCE? WELL, THE, UM, A SHORT TERM RENTAL IS BEING RENTED OUT LIKE A HOTEL.
SO IT, IT'S THE LENGTH OF TIME THAT'S THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE TWO.
WELL, THE LICENSING, THERE'S A LITTLE DIFFERENCE IN THE LICENSING.
A SINGLE FAMILY RENTAL PROPERTY, UM, YOU GO THROUGH IF YOU'RE A CERTIFIED LANDLORD MM-HMM.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU GO THROUGH OUR TRAINING CLASS, KINDA A LITTLE PERK, UM, IT ALLOWS YOU TO NOT HAVE TO RENEW YOUR, YOUR LICENSE FOR THREE YEARS.
IF YOU'RE A NON-CERTIFIED LANDLORD, YOU HAVE TO RENEW IT EVERY YEAR.
SO THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF A FINANCIAL GAIN BY BEING A CERTIFIED LANDLORD.
BUT LIKE I SAID, THE SHORT TERM RENTALS, UM, THOSE ARE JUST A, A LITTLE SEPARATE, SEPARATE THING.
AND IT'S JUST CAUSE OF THE, THE LODGING.
AND I KNOW THERE'S ONLY 17 OR LIKE 20, IT FLUCTUATES, BUT HAS IT BEEN LIKE REALLY LUCRATIVE FOR THE CITY WHEN IT COMES TO, UM, THE TAXES AND REVENUE, OR NOT REALLY? THAT'S THE THING.
UH, THE TAX DEPARTMENT COLLECTS THE, COLLECTS THOSE, AND I THINK BY LAW WHAT I'VE BEEN TOLD IS LIKE THESE ORGANIZATIONS LIKE AIR AIRBNB, RIGHT.
AND, AND, AND THESE PLACES THAT, UH, THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE, OR REQUIRED BY LAW TO REPORT THOSE.
AND SO THE, THE TAX COLLECTION GOES THROUGH OUR, OUR TAX OFFICE MM-HMM.
AND SO I KNOW FOR A FACT THE CITY IS COLLECTING TAXES ON SHORT TERM RENT.
SO IF I WANTED TO KNOW THE AMOUNT, JUST CALL THE TAX DEPARTMENT.
BUT I THINK IT'S, I THINK IT'S WHATEVER THE HOTEL MOTEL TAX IS.
IT'S THE SAME PERCENT, I DUNNO WHAT THAT IS.
IS IT EIGHT OVER 8%? WELL, THAT'S MORE THAN THAT.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO BREAK THAT OUT FOR YOU, CUZ WHEN THEY REPORT IT, IT JUST KIND GETS ALL CO-MINGLED TOGETHER BETWEEN THE, THE REGULAR HOTELS IN THE SHORT TERM MM-HMM.
BUT, BUT, BUT TO ANSWER, AND I'M SORRY, I'VE KIND OF, DID I, DID I ANSWER YOUR QUESTION ABOUT THE FORMULA? IS THERE, IS THERE SOME SEMBLANCE OF A FORMULA? WELL, THE, WHEN, WHEN YOU GET INTO THE, TO THE RELATIONSHIPS AND THE FAMILY, UH, YOU CAN KIND OF, IF THEY'RE UNRELATED, UH, YOU CAN KIND GO THAT ROUTE.
BUT AS FAR AS NOW YEARS AGO, YEARS AGO, WE HAD A FORMULA WHERE YOU CAN BASE IT OFF OF A BEDROOM, YOU KNOW, THE NUMBER OF BEDROOMS. UM, BUT THE ORDINANCE WAS REVISED, UM, SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
BUT IT USED TO, IF YOU HAD LIKE A FOUR BEDROOM HOUSE, YOU COULD SAY FOUR TIMES TWO PLUS ONE.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT'D BE LIKE NINE PEOPLE COULD NINE, NINE PEOPLE COULD ACTUALLY OCCUPY FOUR BEDROOM HOUSE.
VERY NOW, UH, WITH THE THREE UNRELATED FAMILY SITUATION, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT NUMBER HAS GROWN.
SO IT ACTUALLY GOT LOT MORE PEOPLE TO OCCUPY A HOUSE.
SEE THE COMPLICATION IS THAT LIKE THEY WERE ALLUDING TO WITH THE 11 PEOPLE LIVING IN THE FOUND, THAT'S HOW MANY CARS ARE PARKED IN THAT, IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE THE DRIVEWAY AIN'T HOLD, IS NOT GONNA HOLD 11 CARS.
THEY'LL START PARKING ON STREET.
IS THAT THE MARSHALL'S OFFICE THAT ENFORCES THAT COMPLETELY.
[00:30:01]
ENDS.MARSHALL'S HAND IS ALL THE TIME.
AND, BUT, AND HERE'S THE PROBLEM WITH THAT TOO, IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT CAR CAN SIT THERE ON THE STREET FOR 48 HOURS AND, AND BE OKAY.
ONCE IT EXCEEDS THAT 48 HOUR TIME LIMIT LIMIT, THAT'S WHEN IT BECOMES A VIOLATION BY LAW.
I GUESS MORE SPECIFICALLY, IS THERE A LIMIT TO THE NUMBER OF VEHICLES PER HOME? NO, NOT AT ALL.
THAT WOULD BE VERY UNPOPULAR IN GARLAND.
BUT NINE CARS OUT IN FRONT OF ONE HOUSE IS A LITTLE EXTRA DIFFICULT FOR US TO ENFORCE.
CAUSE YOU'D HAVE TO LOOK UP AND SEE IF THE HOUSE WAS REGISTERED, THE CARS WERE REGISTERED TO THAT ADDRESS.
UM, AGAIN, BASICALLY OUR, OUR COMMERCIAL DIVISION, UH, WE, WE DO THE SAME THING PROACTIVELY IN, IN COMPLAINT INSPECTIONS.
UH, WE LOOK FOR NUISANCE UH, VIOLATIONS AS WELL.
UH, WE, WE LOOK AT ZONING VIOLATIONS, WE LOOK AT THE CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCIES, UM, ON THE, ON THE ZONING VIOLATIONS.
UH, WE ALSO DO, UH, PROPERTY EXTERIOR INSPECTIONS.
UH, WE'VE BEEN WORKING VERY HANDILY WITH THE, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UM, ON THE FACADE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.
UM, SO WE'VE WORKING THE NEIGHBORHOOD VITALITY, WE'RE, WE'RE HEAVILY INVOLVED IN A LOT OF THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS AS FAR AS, UH, WHAT RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE TO, UH, IMPROVE THEIR PROPERTIES.
CAN I ASK YOU A QUESTION ON THAT? YES.
UM, I'M JUST CURIOUS WHAT DETERMINES IF THEY NEED, IF THE PROPERTIES NEED HELP? GRANTED, THEY'RE NOT FALLING DOWN, BUT FOR EXAMPLE, IN MY NECK OF THE WOODS, THERE IS A OLD, MUCH OLDER SHOPPING CENTER.
I'VE HATED THAT SHOPPING CENTER FOR THE LAST 26 YEARS THAT I'VE LIVED IN THIS HOUSE.
I JUST THINK THERE'S GOTTA BE SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DONE.
BUT I GUESS THAT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE WELL, AND AGAIN, IT GOES BACK TO THE MINIMUM STANDARDS.
UM, NOW WITH, WITH THE FACADE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, UM, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UM, IS IN, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE THE CHAMPIONS OF THAT.
UM, THE WAY I UNDERSTAND IT, THERE'S A, THERE'S A MATCH PROGRAM OUT THERE UP TO A CERTAIN DOLLAR AMOUNT MM-HMM.
UH, THEY'LL CONTACT US AND WANNA KNOW AN ENFORCEMENT HISTORY IF WE'VE HAD ANY PARTICULAR ISSUES OUT THERE, AND IF, IF THE PROPERTY'S IN CURRENT VIOLATION.
UM, AND THEN IF IT IS, THEN THAT MIGHT BE A MOTIVATION FOR SOME, A PROPERTY OWNER TO, UH, POSSIBLY GET SOME FUNDS.
AND HONESTLY, IT, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY, THEY MAY REACH OUT TO THAT SHOPPING CENTER ANYWAY JUST TO SEE IF THEY'RE, IF THEY WOULD BE INTERESTED.
BECAUSE THE WAY I UNDERSTAND IT WORKS IS IF, IF THE PROPERTY OWNERS CAN APPLY FOR THESE FUNDS UP TO A CERTAIN AMOUNT, UH, AND IF THEY'RE GRANTED THOSE FUNDS, THEN THE CITY WILL, THEY CAN GO AHEAD AND, AND HIRE A CONTRACTOR, GET THE WORK DONE, AND THEN THE CITY WILL, WILL, WILL MATCH THAT.
AND PAY FOR THAT UNDER PROGRAM.
IT'S, IT'S REALLY INCENTIVE WORKING WITH, UH, ABOUT THE LAST, I DUNNO, FOUR OR FIVE MONTHS IN.
THERE'S HER ADDRESS, SOMETHING THAT RELATES TO HER.
SOME OF THESE PLACES ARE JUST, I SOURCE EXACTLY.
THAT'S ONE OF YOURS, HUH? THAT'S YOUR, BUT I MEAN, I'M TALKING ABOUT LIKE ORCHARD HILLS AND PLACES IN RIDGEWOOD.
I MEAN, THE AREA THAT I LIVE IN, AND SOME OF 'EM ARE OLDER, YOU KNOW, WELL, VERY MUCH OLDER.
UM, BUT I GUESS FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE AS, AS LONG AS IT'S MEETING THE MINIMUM STANDARD AND IT'S, IT'S WELL APPROVED AND YEAH.
AS, AS OUR CITY COUNCILMAN SAID, THERE'S NO LAW AGAINST UGLY.
I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
BUT, BUT THERE'S BEEN A REAL PUSH AND I, AND THERE'S, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF PROGRESS.
AND I THINK, UM, ONCE THAT PROGRAM REALLY GETS, UM, THAT'S WHAT IT WAS PROMOTED AND PEOPLE START SEEING THE RESULTS, IT'S GONNA BE REALLY, REALLY GOOD FOR, WE GOT ALL THAT CLEANED UP.
WE ALSO, UM, EACH QUARTER WE WE'RE RIDING THE DARK, THE DARK, DARK TRAIN, UM, THROUGH TOWN, AND WE LOOK FOR GRAFFITI WHILE WE'RE RIDING THAT DART TRAIN.
UM, KINDA NEAT LITTLE THING TO DO.
THEN AGAIN, I MENTIONED THE HOMELESS TASK FORCE.
WE'RE HEAVILY INVOLVED IN THAT.
THE COMMERCIAL SIDE, OUR SINGLE FAMILY RENTALS, UH, THOSE INSPECTIONS ARE DONE OFF
[00:35:01]
OF A CHANGE IN TENDENCY.UH, ANYTIME THERE'S A CHANGE IN A TENANT, UH, WHEN THE, WHEN THE NEW TENANT GOES DOWN TO GET THEIR UTILITIES TURNED ON, UH, CU CUSTOMER SERVICE WILL ALERT US AND, HEY, THERE'S A, THERE'S A NEW TENANT GOING INTO THIS PROPERTY.
UM, WE, WE GET THAT WAY WE CAN CONTACT THE OWNER.
UH, SOME OWNERS ARE VERY GOOD.
THEY'LL NOTIFY US, HEY, I'VE GOT A NEW TENANT.
UH, AND THEN WE'LL, WE'LL GO DO A CHANGE IN TENANT INSPECTION.
UH, WE ALSO DO COMPLAINT INSPECTIONS FOR, FOR THE, FOR THE TENANTS.
UH, IF THE LANDLORD'S NOT TAKING CARE OF THEIR PROPERTY, PROPERTY VERY WELL, OR MEETING THEIR NEEDS, THEY'LL CONTACT US AND WE'LL GO OUT AND DO AN INSPECTION.
UH, AND ALSO WE, UH, A RESIDENT MAY CALL US, OR EVEN A PROPERTY OWNER MAY CALL US.
AND AS FOR A COURTESY INSPECTION, JUST TO SURE.
THEY'RE CODE, WE'LL DO THAT AS WELL.
OUR MULTI-FAMILY AND LODGING ESTABLISHMENTS, UM, AGAIN, WE DO THE ANNUAL INSPECTIONS.
UH, WE DO A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE EXTERIORS.
UH, THEN WE DO A RISK ASSESSMENT, UH, TO DETERMINE HOW MANY INTERIORS, UH, THAT WE'RE GONNA DO AT A PROPERTY.
IT'S BASED OFF OF THE AGE OF THE COMPLEX, UH, HOW WELL THEY DID ON THEIR PREVIOUS INSPECTION, UH, TO DETERMINE HOW MANY INTERIOR UNITS WE'RE GONNA, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA INSPECT AT, AT, AT AN APARTMENT COMPLEX.
AND THEN WE ALSO DO COMPLAIN INSPECTION COURTESY INSPECTIONS AS WELL.
OUR MULTI-FAMILY INSPECTIONS ARE BREAK THOSE DOWN INTO THREE CATEGORIES.
WE HAVE THE LIFE SAFETY, UM, VIOLATION CATEGORY.
UH, SOME OF THE VIOLATIONS INCLUDES SMOKE DETECTORS.
ANY, ANY KIND OF HAZARD, UH, WOULD BE CONSIDERED A LIFE SAFETY, UH, VIOLATION.
WE REQUIRE THOSE TO BE CORRECTED WITHIN 24 HOURS.
AND THEN WE HAVE OUR CRITICAL VIOLATIONS, UH, 72 HOURS TO CORRECT.
AND THEN OUR NON-CRITICAL, UH, ALLOW FOR 30 DAYS OUR INSPECTION RESOURCES AND THE CHAPTERS, UH, THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND, AND THE STATE THAT WE, UH, THAT WE, UH, GO BY AND WE REFERENCE IN OUR SOURCES.
UH, WE DO THE, UH, OBVIOUSLY IN THE CITY OF GARLAND ORDINANCES, THE GARLAND DEVELOPMENT CODE.
UM, WE, WE DO, UH, WE HELP HEALTH IN BUILDING INSPECTIONS.
UM, OTHER, OTHER RELATED FORCES OF THE ORDINANCE, RESIDENTIAL BUILDING CODES, INTERNATIONAL, UM, RESIDENTIAL CODE, THE INTERNATIONAL PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE, INTERNATIONAL FIRE INTERNATIONAL BUILDING CODE, AND THE, UH, NATIONAL ELECTRIC CODE.
SO WE, UH, WE, WE GET INVOLVED IN A LOT OF CODES, UH, AND SOME OF THOSE CODES ARE REFERENCED IN OUR ORDINANCES THAT MAY NOT BE SPECIFIC TO OUR ORDINANCE, BUT IT REFERENCES THAT WE FOLLOW THESE GUIDELINES.
SO WE'VE GOT A LOT OF
UH, THIS IS PRETTY MUCH TYPICAL, OUR MINIMUM HOUSING STANDARDS.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE CERTAIN REQUIRED STANDARDS, UH, EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR CONDITION, OUR ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS, UH, PLUMBING AND WASTE DISPOSAL, H V VCS, UM, STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS, PRETTY MUCH GENERAL SAFETY AND SANITATION.
AND THEN IN NEIGHBORHOOD NUISANCE.
AND WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? NEIGHBORHOOD NUISANCE? UH, JUST LIKE YOUR TYPICAL TRASH, HIGH GRASS, THAT NATURE.
AND THEN, UH, SOME OF OUR COMMUNITY PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE INVOLVED IN, UM, WE'RE VERY PROUD OF OUR CODE CARES PROGRAM.
UM, IT'S A COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, UH, THROUGH VOLUNTEERS.
UM, WE HAVE RESIDENTS REACH OUT TO US ALL THE TIME THAT HAVE HARDSHIPS, FINANCIAL HARDSHIPS, UH, HEALTH ISSUES, AND THEY JUST CAN'T TAKE CARE OF THEIR PROPERTY.
OR THEY MAY HAVE GOTTEN A CODE VIOLATION NOTICE AND THEY JUST, THEY PHYSICALLY AND FINANCIALLY CAN'T, CAN'T DO IT.
AND SO THROUGH OUR CODE CARES PROGRAM, UH, I KNOW YOU GUYS KNOW A GUY NAMED OZ RODRIGUEZ.
UM, OS DEVELOPED THIS PROGRAM ABOUT 15 YEARS AGO.
UM, AND IT, IT WAS, IT STARTED OUT REALLY SMALL.
IT WAS JUST A GROUP OF CODE, UH, CODE EMPLOYEES GETTING TOGETHER WITH THEIR FAMILIES ON A SATURDAY AND GOING OUT AND HELPING PEOPLE.
UH, AND THEN IT EVOLVED TO COMMUNITY, UH, ORGANIZATIONS WANTING TO VOLUNTEER AND, AND HELP, UM, PEOPLE.
SO, UH, OUR, OUR LIST GOT BIGGER AND OUR VOLUNTEERS GOT BIGGER AND, AND WE GOT MORE VOLUNTEERS.
AND TO THIS DAY, WE STILL HAVE THAT PROGRAM.
SO IF YOU KNOW OF ANYBODY OR, OR HEAR OF ANYBODY THAT, THAT NEEDS HELP WITH, WITH THE PROBLEM, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR.
WE'RE TRYING, WE'RE HERE TO TRY TO SOLVE PROBLEMS AND HELP PEOPLE.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE A COUPLE OF HUD GRANTS, UM,
[00:40:01]
THAT WE APPLY FOR EACH YEAR.UH, WE, WE DO A LAWN CARE PROGRAM THROUGH THE CDG.
UH, IT'S HUD SPONSORED, UH, AND HUD QUALIFICATIONS.
UH, WE APPLY FOR MONEY EVERY YEAR.
UH, AND WE USUALLY GET ABOUT 20 TO 25,000.
UH, AND WE, WE ACCEPT APPLICATIONS FOR OUR LAWN CARE PROGRAM.
UH, YOU HAVE TO QUALIFY FINANCIALLY TO, TO, TO BE ON IT.
UH, BUT WE USUALLY HAVE ABOUT 50 TO 55 PEOPLE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO MOW THEIR YARDS.
UM, AND I'M GLAD WE'RE ABLE TO, TO HELP PEOPLE THIS WAY.
AND CDBG STANDS FOR, UH, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT.
UH, AND AS A MATTER OF FACT, RIGHT NOW AT COUNCIL LEVEL, THEY'RE, THEY'RE GOING THROUGH THE ALLOCATION OF ALL THOSE FUNDS.
SO WHEN YOU, UM, SORRY TO INTERRUPT, BUT ON THAT LAWN CARE PROGRAM, DO YOU GUYS CONTRACT IT OUT TO GET IT CUT? OR DO YOU GUYS NO, WE, WE HAVE A CONTRACTOR YEAH.
UM, AND THEN WE ALSO, WE ALSO APPLY FOR, UH, CDBG FUNDS FOR OUR INSPECTOR PROGRAM.
WHEN I FIRST STARTED IN CODE ABOUT 18 YEARS AGO, UH, WE WERE BASICALLY GETTING FUNDING FOR ABOUT TWO INSPECTORS THROUGH THIS PROGRAM.
AND SO OVER THE YEARS, UM, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO INCREASE THE, THE MONEY THAT WE'VE APPLIED FOR AND THAT WE'VE ACTUALLY GOTTEN.
UM, SO WE, WE GET ABOUT $250,000 ANNUALLY THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, UH, TO, TO HELP, UM, SPONSOR AND HELP FINANCE SOME OF OUR INSPECTORS.
SO, UM, HOPEFULLY THAT MONEY WILL NEVER GO AWAY.
IF IT DOES, THEN WE'LL, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO ASK MR. BRADFORD BEFORE HE GOING, SO MM-HMM.
UM, AND THEN WE ALSO, UM, THE GARLAND HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION, UH, GENEROUSLY, UH, DONATES SOME MONEY, UH, LAST YEAR, UH, TO HELP WITH, UM, PROPERTY OWNERS.
AND SO, UH, WE, WE, UH, ONE OF THE STIPULATIONS ON THEIR DONATION TO THE, TO THE CITY WAS THAT IT, THAT SOME OF IT GO TO THE CODE CARES PROGRAM.
SO WE HAD, WE HAD A LIST OF, OF PROPERTIES, UH, THAT NEEDED, UH, PAINTING AND, AND, AND MORE SUBSTANTIAL REPAIR WORK.
UM, AND SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH, WITH THE, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD VITALITY GROUP, UH, WHO'S ADMINISTERING THIS, THIS GARLAND HOUSING FINANCE PROGRAM.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THEM ON OUR CODE CARES.
SO THAT, THAT'S BEEN A VERY POSITIVE THING.
I'VE GOT SOME STATISTICS IN ANOTHER SLIDE HERE DOWN THE ROAD THAT'LL, IT'LL KINDA SHOW YOU HOW, HOW EFFECTIVE THAT'S BEEN.
BUT, UM, JUST SOME OF OUR GOALS AND INITIATIVES FOR THIS YEAR.
UM, AND, AND, AND GOING INTO NEXT YEAR AS WE WE'RE WORKING CLOSELY WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UH, AGAIN ON THE POTENTIAL RE REVITALIZATION OF OUR OLDER COMMERCIAL AND MULTIFAMILY COMPLEXES, THE AVERAGE AGE OF A, AN APARTMENT COMPLEX IN GARLAND IS ABOUT 42 YEARS.
SO, UM, TWO THINGS YOU CAN TAKE FROM THAT IS THAT OUR, OUR PROGRAM WORKS PRETTY GOOD.
UH, YOU CAN CALL IT PUTTING LIPSTICK ON A PIG ON SOME OF OLDER, OLDER S
UH, BUT, UM, BUT THEY, THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO STAY AROUND FOR A LONG TIME.
UM, AND ALSO, UM, WE WORK CLOSELY WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD VITALITY GROUP.
UM, YOU NEED FOR ANY RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS THAT THEY HAVE GOING ON OR WHATEVER.
UM, AND THEN WE'VE ALSO, I I MENTIONED EARLIER THAT WE'RE, WE'RE FOCUSING ON SOME OF THE BIGGER ISSUES IN NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, LIKE HOME ILLEGAL, HOME OCCUPATIONS, PROHIBITED TO HOME OCCUPATIONS, SHORT TERM RENTALS, UH, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
THEY HAVE A REALLY NEGATIVE IMPACT ON NEIGHBORHOODS.
WE WE'RE WANTING TO INITIATE A MORE PROACTIVE ZONING INSPECTION PROGRAM.
UH, WE DO PROACTIVE ZONING NOW.
UH, WE WANT TO IMPROVE THAT WITH OUR, IMPROVING OUR KNOWLEDGE AND, AND, UH, INCREASED TRAINING ON, UM, WE, UM, WE CURRENTLY HAVE A CODE SYSTEM, UM, THAT'S OUTDATED.
AND WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET A NEW SYSTEM FOR SOME TIME.
UH, UM, WE FOUND OUT, UH, SEVERAL MONTHS AGO THAT WE'RE GONNA BE IN LINE FOR A NEW SYSTEM.
UH, WE'RE GONNA TRY TO INCORPORATE THAT THROUGH THE, UM, SHARE THAT SYSTEM WITH THE BUILDING INSPECTION DEPARTMENT.
CAUSE WE DO OVERLAP IN A LOT OF AREAS AND, AND THERE'S A LOT OF COMMUNICATION THAT GOES BETWEEN US AND BUILDING INSPECTIONS.
AND SO WE'RE HOPING TO GET A NEW SYSTEM THAT'LL BE COMPATIBLE WITH THEIR PERMITTING SYSTEM AND THE THINGS THAT THEY DO ALONG WITH WE DO.
SO I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
UM, AGAIN, ON THE SHORT TERM RENTALS, UH, WE HAVE A SOFTWARE PROGRAM CALLED MUNI REV THAT PRETTY MUCH GOES
[00:45:01]
OUT IN SEARCHES FOR ADVERTISEMENTS.AS YOU WERE LOOKING UP A WHILE AGO, YOU SAID THERE WAS 22 SHOWING UP IN RIGHT NOW WITH THE, WITH THE RESOURCE OF THIS MUNI REV, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO LOCATE SOME OF THOSE PROACTIVELY, IF NOT, NOT RELYING ON NEIGHBORS TO CALL US AND SAY, HEY, THERE'S A PROBLEM HERE.
UH, SO THAT, THAT'S BEEN, THAT'S BEEN SOMEWHAT EFFECTIVE.
UH, WE'RE ABOUT TO KICK THAT OFF, REALLY.
UH, WE'RE KIND OF IN THE INFANT STAGES OF THAT.
UM, BUT WE'RE HOPING THAT'S GONNA BE A BIG RESOURCE FOR US MOVING FORWARD.
AND THEN ALSO, UM, SEVERAL YEARS AGO WE WERE, WE WERE A DIVISION OF THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, SO WE GOT MORE IN LINE WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT OF, UH, UH, THEIR, THEIR CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS. AND WE KIND OF GOT AWAY FROM CODE.
SO, UH, WE HAD REJOINED SEAT, THE CODE ENFORCEMENT, UM, AGENCY OF TEXAS.
UH, AND SO WE, BY, BY GETTING BACK INVOLVED WITH SEAT, THAT GIVES US MORE, UH, TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES, CERTIFICATION AND EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR EMPLOYEES.
AND REALLY LOOKING TO THE BENEFIT OF THAT.
JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT ARE KIND OF, UH, HOT TOPICS RIGHT NOW THAT ARE THAT COMMITTEE LEVEL, UH, THAT WE'RE INVOLVED IN.
UH, SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE HEARD ABOUT THESE AND KNOW ABOUT THESE, BUT, UH, THERE'S TWO AT COMMITTEE LEVEL RIGHT NOW THAT WE'VE BEEN HEAVILY INVOLVED IN, UH, PROVIDING INFORMATION AND, AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION.
BUT, UH, MOBILE FOOD TRUCKS, UH, VERY POPULAR HERE IN GARLAND.
UM, PRIMARILY AS A SECONDARY LAND USE.
UH, THESE ARE THE, THESE ARE THE ONES THAT YOU SHOW UP IN AT A CONVENIENT STORE.
THEY SET UP SHOP AND THEY'RE SELLING POTS AND BARBECUE, THINGS OF THAT NATURE AS A SECONDARY LAND USE.
UH, THAT, THAT PARTICULAR, UH, DISCUSSION IS AT THE COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE AND, UH, WORKING THROUGH SOME ISSUES, TRYING TO COME UP WITH A, WITH A VIABLE ORDINANCE FOR COUNSEL TO APPROVE ON THAT ALONG THE SIDE.
THAT IS, WE'VE GOT THE FOOD TRUCK COURTS OR FOOD TRUCK PARKS, UH, THAT ARE BEING DISCUSSED AT THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES COMMITTEE.
AND THAT, THAT'S USUALLY, UH, THAT'S THE PRIMARY LAND USE.
WE'RE A, WE'RE A, THAT'S, THAT'S THE, THEY WILL HAVE A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY FOR THAT PARTICULAR LAND TO HAVE A FOOD TRUCK COURT PARK.
THIS IS GONNA BE LIKE YOUR AREAS THAT HAVE MADE MAYBE, I DUNNO, JUST HYPOTHETICALLY, EIGHT OR 10 FOOD TRUCKS AT ONE LOCATION, UH, AS A PRIMARY LAND USE.
SO THAT'S, THOSE, THOSE TWO COMMITTEES ARE RUNNING KIND OF PARALLEL WITH ONE ANOTHER ON FOOD TRUCKS AND FOOD TRUCK COURTS.
SO, UH, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY THE SHORT TERM RENTAL THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT.
SO THOSE ARE JUST SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE, SOME OF THE CODES, UH, THAT'S BEING DISCUSSED, REVITALIZED, UM, WITH THE SHORT TERM RENTALS.
TO YOUR KNOWLEDGE, IS IT COUNSEL, THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT MAKING, UM, LIKE THE NEW LEGISLATIONS, LIKE GRANDFATHERED IN FOR LIKE, THE PEOPLE WHO ALREADY HAVE THEM? OR WOULD IT BE LIKE RETRO AGGRESSIVE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM? YOU KNOW, YEAH.
UM, I JUST, I JUST ANTICIPATE A LOT OF DISCUSSION AND, AND MOVEMENT ON THAT IN THE FUTURE.
UM, THEN I, I THINK MY LAST SLIDE IS JUST SOME ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT OUR DEPARTMENT HAS, HAS, HAS MADE OVER THE, UH, LAST YEAR OR SO.
IS IT? CAN I, OUR HOUSING STANDARDS DIVISION, UM, YOU KNOW, I TALKED ABOUT OUR LOSS SAFETY CRITICAL VIOLATIONS THAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR WHEN WE DID THESE INSPECTIONS.
UH, WE WOULD GO TO THESE LOCATIONS AND IF THEY DIDN'T HAVE SMOKE DETECTORS, UM, AT THE TIME WE WERE WALKING AWAY FROM A, FROM A APARTMENT COMPLEX, UH, AND RELYING ON APARTMENT MANAGEMENT, UH, TO GET THAT DONE WITHIN 24 HOURS.
AND SO WE REALLY DIDN'T HAVE A, A REALLY GOOD METHOD OF TRACKING THAT, UH, AT THE TIME.
UH, BUT THEN WE ALSO CHANGED OUR PROTOCOL WHERE WE, WE, WE COMMUNICATED AND EDUCATED THE, THE DEPARTMENT COMPLEX COMMUNITY SAYING, HEY, IF YOU, IF YOU HAVE A BUCKET OF SMOKE DETECTORS AS YOU GO THROUGH, AS WE GO THROUGH THESE APARTMENT COMPLEXES AND YOU GET THOSE INSTALLED WHILE WE'RE THERE AND, AND WE CAN LEAVE KNOWING THAT THAT APARTMENT HAS A SMOKE DETECTOR, UH, THEN NUMBER ONE, IT WON'T COUNT AGAINST YOU.
AND NUMBER TWO, UH, WE, WE CAN WALK AWAY KNOWING THAT, THAT THAT APARTMENT IS SAFER.
AND SO BY DOING SO, WE WERE ABLE TO TRACK THAT.
[00:50:01]
THE LAST INSPECTION CYCLE, UH, WE HAD, WE HAD RAN ACROSS 318 OF THOSE LIFE SAFETY CRITICAL ISSUES THAT WERE RESOLVED IMMEDIATELY.SO THAT, THAT, TO ME, THAT WAS A BIG ACCOMPLISHMENT.
WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE SURE WHEN WE LEFT THAT COMPLEX, THAT, THAT THAT COMPLEX IS MUCH SAFER THAN WHEN WE GOT THERE.
UM, ALSO, UM, I MENTIONED OUR GROUNDSKEEPER, UH, SOME OF THE LITTLE THINGS THAT, THAT HE DOES FOR US.
UH, WE REMOVED 3000, ABOUT 3,500 ILLEGALLY PLACED SIGNS, 538 ABANDONED SHOPPING CARTS, UH, ABATED, 47 GRAFFITI INCIDENTS, AND COMPLETED 158 MISCELLANEOUS TASKS SUCH AS CLEANING UP TRASH AND ILLEGALLY DUMPED THE ITEMS THAT, THAT WERE ON THE GROUNDS.
WHAT DO YOU GUYS DO WITH THE OLD SHOPPING CARTS? UH, WE TAKE THOSE DOWN TO THE, UH, THE WAREHOUSE HAS THE LOCATION, AND I THINK WE TAKE THEM TO YOU GUYS TOO.
WE USED TO TAKE THEM TO THE WAREHOUSE.
SO WHAT DO Y'ALL DO WITH THEM? WE HOLD 'EM FOR THE OWNERS.
IF THEY DON'T GET COLLECTED, THEN THEY GO TO THE SCRAP METAL.
DO YOU CALL THE OWNERS? LIKE IF YOU HAVE THE GREEN? NO, CUZ WE DON'T KNOW A WAY OF, UH, KNOWING WHO THEY BELONG TO.
THE GREEN ONES ALL BELONG TO DOLLAR TREE.
BUT IF YOU GET OUT A LETTER FROM CODE, NOW YOU KNOW WHY IT'S IN THE GARAGE.
I KNOW IN THIS, IN THE RECYCLING BUSINESS, AND I KNOW THAT SOME OF THE SCRAPYARDS IN DIFFERENT CITIES REFUSE TO TAKE SHOPPING CARTS BECAUSE IT WAS A BIG REVENUE STREAM FOR PEOPLE TO JUST GO STEAL SHOPPING CART, DROP IT OFF.
AND THEY STARTED FINDING THE COMPANIES THAT IF THEY WERE FINDING FIESTA SHOPPING CARTS SOMEWHERE, THEN THEY'D START FINDING THEM UNLESS THEY CAME AND GOT THEIR CARTS.
REALLY HELPED CLEAR THAT UP QUITE A BIT.
WELL, I SAW TWO IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD TODAY JUST SITTING ON THE SIDE OF THE STREET.
HAVE YOUR GUY COME PICK HIM UP.
UM, AND ALSO OUR, UM, ONCE WE, AGAIN, WE COVID WAS UM, UH, A TRANSITIONAL PERIOD FOR US.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE WERE TRYING TO, TO WORK THROUGH THE COVID, UH, PANDEMIC.
UH, AND ONCE WE KIND OF GOT PAST THAT, THEN UM, WE TOOK A LOOK AT WHAT WE WERE REALLY DOING AND WHAT, WHAT OUR ROLE WAS.
AND SO WE, WE'VE TAKEN ON THE INITIATIVE OF, YOU KNOW, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT SAYS THAT THEY'RE A COMMUNITY COMMUNITY POLICING DEPARTMENT.
AND SO WE, WE WANT TO BE A COMMUNITY CODE DEPARTMENT.
AND SO WE WANT BE ACTIVE IN THE PRESENT, AND WE ALSO WANT TO SOLVE PROBLEMS AND HELP PEOPLE SOLVE THEIR PROBLEMS, EDUCATE THEM.
YOU KNOW, WE CAN, WE CAN GO WRITE TICKETS ALL DAY LONG, YOU KNOW, WE CAN, UH, WE CAN BE, BUT I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY, IF WE CAN TALK TO PEOPLE, PEOPLE, AND WORK WITH PEOPLE AND, UH, I THINK WE GET MORE ACCOMPLISHED THAT WAY.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
UM, WE'RE ENCOURAGING OUR INSPECTORS, UM, TO, TO TO MEET PEOPLE, TO TALK TO PEOPLE AND, UH, AND, AND GET TO KNOW, GET TO KNOW THE PEOPLE.
UM, THEY'RE, THEY'RE ASSIGNED AREAS.
AND SO, UM, THE BENEFIT OF THAT IS, IS KNOWING THEIR AREAS AND KNOWING, YOU KNOW, KNOWING WHAT PROBLEMS ARE THERE.
UM, KNOWING, UM, I'LL CALL 'EM THE RISK RISKIER AREAS OF, OF TRYING TO GET THINGS DONE AND, AND
UM, OUR, OUR COMMERCIAL, UH, STANDARDS INSPECTORS GOT, WE GOT INVOLVED IN THE COUPLE OF PROJECTS, SEVERAL PROJECTS.
UM, THEY INCLUDED, UH, KNOW, IDENTIFYING THE AUTOMOTIVE, UH, CEO COS UH, IN THE DOWNTOWN DISTRICT.
UH, AND, AND DOING AND HELPING OUT WITH THE AUDIT ON THAT.
UH, AND I SAID, LIKE I SAID EARLIER, ASSESSING THE BUILDING FACADE AND THEN REVIEWING, UH, EXPIRED ISSUE KEYS FOR RADIO TOWERS.
UH, AND WE'VE GOTTEN, WE'VE GOTTEN MORE HEAVILY INVOLVED IN, UM, WHEN SUS EXPIRE, UH, BECOMING THE ENFORCEMENT ARM OF THAT.
[00:55:03]
MINES BLANK.UH, IF THOSE GO BEFORE COUNSEL AND, AND GET IT AND DO NOT GET RENEWED, THEN YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY SOMEBODY HAS TO GO OUT AND ENFORCE THAT, MAKE SURE THAT, UM, WHAT WAS REQUIRED OF THAT AND, AND, AND MAKE SURE THAT THAT THAT GOES AWAY.
SO WE, WE GOT HEAVILY INVOLVED IN THAT.
UH, AND THEN OUR, OUR BUSINESS OPERATION DIVISION, WE ISSUED 6,000 PERMITS FOR SINGLE FAMILY, UH, MULTI-FAMILY AND LODGING PROGRAMS. UM, WE COLLECTED OVER $740,000 IN REVENUE.
AND FROM OUR PROGRAMS, WHICH ARE PRIMARILY SELF-FUNDED, UH, WE'RE NOT IN IT TO MAKE MONEY, WE'RE JUST IN IT TO SUPPORT THE, THE EMPLOYEES THAT DO THE WORK.
UM, AND THEN, UH, WE, WE ADDRESSED OVER 4,000 COMPLAINTS AND THEN, UH, THE E ASSIST, UH, PROGRAM WE ADDRESSED 1,326, UH, SERVICE REQUEST, UM, BEHIND THE MARSHALL'S OFFICE AND S TEAM OF ENVIRONMENTAL WAYS.
SO, OH, I BE, AND THEN WE, AGAIN, WE PARTNER WITH NEIGHBORHOOD VITALITY, UH, THE GARDEN HOUSING FINANCE, UM, PROGRAM THAT I WAS TELLING ABOUT EARLIER.
UH, THEY WERE ABLE TO ASSIST, UH, SEVEN PROJECTS, SEVEN PROPERTY OWNERS IN GETTING THEIR PROPERTIES REPAIRED.
AND THEY CURRENTLY HAVE TWO PENDING TODAY.
SO, AND THAT'S A CONTINUING PROGRAM UNTIL THE MONEY GOES AWAY.
UH, AGAIN, I APOLOGIZE IF I RE REPEATED A LOT OF THINGS THAT YOU ALREADY KNEW, BUT, UM, AGAIN, I, I WAS ABLE TO ANSWER SOME OF THE QUESTIONS.
IF YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS, I'LL ANSWER THOSE CAR CAR REPAIR SHOPS.
WHY DO THEY HAVE LIKE 6,000 CARS PACKED ON A LITTLE TINY PIECE OF PROPERTY? WELL, THEY COME IN IN THE MORNING AND MOVE THEM INTO THE STREET SO THEY CAN GET A FEW MORE IN, AND THEN AT NIGHT THEY'RE ON SIDEWALKS AND CURBS AND NOTHING CAN DO ABOUT THAT.
UH, YES, THERE IS, UH, OBVIOUSLY, I MEAN, IT'S LIKE A FULL-TIME JOB IN GARLAND.
THERE, THERE'S, THERE'S, THERE'S TIMELINES FOR THOSE VEHICLES TO BE THERE.
UH, MOST OF THEM, THOSE, THOSE VEHICLES HAVE TO BE, YOU KNOW, MOVED AND GONE WITHIN 90 DAYS.
UM, AND AGAIN, IT IS A DIFFICULT TASK TO, TO KNOW, YOU KNOW, IF THOSE CARS ARE MOVING, HOW LONG THEY'VE BEEN THERE.
UH, IT, IT IS A VERY DIFFICULT TASK.
UM, BUT, UH, AGAIN, WE, WE TRY TO DO, WE DO THE BEST WE CAN.
I KNOW IT'S A DIFFICULT THING.
UH, WE TRY TO LEAST KEEP EM OFF THE STREET.
I KNOW SOMETIMES THAT'S EVEN A CHALLENGE.
AND WE WORK THE OFFICE AND YOU'LL BE AMAZED, YOU'LL GO OUT AND TALK TO AN AUTO SHOP AND THEY'LL SAY, WELL THAT'S, DUNNO WHO THAT CAR BELONGS TO.
UM, THEY KNOW GOOD AND WELL, IT'S, IT'S MAYBE ONE OF THEIR CUSTOMER.
YOU CAN'T JUST TOW IT RIGHT ON THE SPOT.
SO THAT'S WHEN WE GET INVOLVED WITH THE MARSHALS AND SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT SOME CARS ON THE STREET OUT HERE, TAG, THEY'LL GO AWAY.
BUT NOT, IT IS A, IT IS A GOOD, GOOD POINT.
UH, DO THE RESIDENTS NEED A, UH, CITY LICENSE APPROVAL FOR THE ROOF REPLACING IT? IT DEPENDS.
IT DEPENDS ON HOW FAR YOU TO GO.
IF YOU HAVE TO GET INTO YOUR, THE DECKING, UH, AND YOU HAVE TO REPLACE SOME OF THE, THE DECKING OF THAT ROOF, THEN YOU MAY HAVE TO GET A PERMIT FOR THAT.
UH, CALL BUILDING INSPECTIONS, UH, AND THEY CAN HELP YOU WITH THAT.
BUT JUST YOUR TYPICAL SHINGLE REPLACEMENT, YOU DON'T, YOU DON'T HAVE TO GET PERMIT FOR THAT.
IF YOU GET DOWN INTO, LIKE I SAY, REPLACING OR REPLACE.
RECENTLY, YOU KNOW, WE HAD FROM HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE RESIDENTS REQUESTING ABOUT THE ROOF REPLACING.
SO ONE OF THE QUESTION WAS ASKING BY THE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION, DO YOU HAVE THE PERMIT FROM THE CITY? DO THEY NEED PERMIT FROM THE CITY TO, FOR ROOF OF A ROOF ROOF REPLACING, LETS SAY, JUST DEPENDS ON HOW, WHAT THEY'RE, WHAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY DOING.
IF THEY'RE, IF THEY'RE GETTING DOWN IN, YOU KNOW, PAST THE TAR PAPER AND THE, THEY'RE GETTING INTO THE ACTUAL, THE ACTUAL COMPLETE OKAY.
BUT IF YOU'RE JUST DEALING A TYPICAL SHINGLES, YOU'RE OKAY.
BUT I WOULD ALWAYS ENCOURAGE 'EM TO REACH OUT TO BUILDING INSPECTIONS.
JUST TO MAKE SURE I HAD A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
UH, DO YOU EVER ROTATE YOUR OFFICERS WITHIN THE AREA, DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE CITY? UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S A GOOD
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QUESTION.CAUSE WE'VE ASKED THAT I THINK TO SOME OF THE OTHER REPRESENTATIVES BEFORE.
I, I, I, I'VE BEEN AT CODE FOR 18 YEARS.
UM, WHEN I FIRST GOT THERE, UH, WE TRIED THAT, UH, WE TRIED ROTATING INSPECTORS AND IT JUST REALLY WASN'T SUCCESSFUL.
UM, PRIMARILY BECAUSE A LOT OF THE WORK THAT WE DO IS, IS ON, ON A, IT'S TIME, IT'S TIME BASED, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE CASES OPEN AND THEN, YOU KNOW, AN OWNER HAS A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME TO COMPLY.
UH, AND THERE JUST REALLY WASN'T A GOOD TRANSITION FROM WHEN YOU DO THAT.
NOW, UH, THE OTHER THING TOO, IT KIND OF GOES AGAINST OUR, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH NOW WITH, WITH TRYING TO GET INSPECTORS TO, TO REALLY KNOW THEIR AREAS, ALL THAT.
SO, UM, THERE, THERE'S BENEFIT BOTH WAYS.
UM, BUT I THINK IN, IN, IN TODAY'S SOCIETY AND, AND WHERE WE ARE, UM, I THINK IT, IT'S BETTER WE'RE SEEING BETTER RESULTS BY, BY, UM, THE RESIDENTS KNOWING THEIR INSPECTOR AND HAVING THAT RELATIONSHIP.
UM, UH, I'M, I'M AMAZED AT WHEN, WHEN WE, WHEN WE ARE COMMUNICATING AND TALKING TO OUR INSPECTORS AND, UH, THEY, THEY KNOW PEOPLE BY THEIR FIRST NAME AND THEY SAY, YEAH, I KNOW HE'S, THEY KNOW THEIR STORIES, YOU KNOW, THEY KNOW THEIR, THEY KNOW THEIR HARDSHIPS.
AND SO, SO DO YOU GUYS EVER SEND OUT GOOD LETTERS?
WE, WE WOULD, UH, WE WOULD SEND OUT A NOTICE TO, OR NOT A NOTICE, BUT A THANK YOU BASICALLY.