[00:00:05]
LET ME GET THIS OUT OF THE WAY PROMINENCE IN THE PRESS CONFERENCE, HUH? OKAY.
WELL, I'D LIKE TO WELCOME EVERYBODY HERE TO THIS PRESS CONFERENCE ON, UH, AN AMENDMENT TO THE TENANT RELOCATION ORDINANCE THAT IS BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL TODAY.
AND I'D LIKE TO THANK, UH, BASTA, A TENANTS RIGHTS GROUP FOR HELPING US SO MUCH FOR CONNECTING US WITH THE TENANTS WHO ARE STRUGGLING TO FIND HOUSING, UH, FOR ORGANIZING THEM, UH, AND FOR JUST HELPING WORKING CLASS TENANTS IN AUSTIN.
UH, AND OF COURSE I WANT TO, UH, THANK, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER AND KITCHEN, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, KATHY TOVO AND COUNCIL MEMBER
AND IN PARTICULAR, I HAVE TO THANK, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, HIS OFFICE AND, UH, HER STAFF FOR ASHLEY RICHARDSON FOR HELPING US SO MUCH.
UH I'M UH, I'M IN MY THIRD MONTH OF, UH, BEING A COUNCIL MEMBER AND THEY WERE EXTREMELY HELPFUL IN, UH, GETTING, UH, THE ORDINANCE DRAFTED AND GETTING IT ON THE AGENDA FOR TODAY.
UM, BY STA INITIALLY, UH, CONTACTED US ABOUT A DISPLACEMENT THAT WAS OCCURRING IN DISTRICT FOUR.
UH, APPARENTLY SOMEONE HAD RECENTLY BOUGHT A PAIR OF APARTMENTS, UH, RIGHT OFF OF CAMERON ROAD, ACTUALLY VERY CLOSE TO, UH, TO MY HOUSE.
AND THEY WERE BASICALLY PUSHING THE TENANTS OUT AS THEY WERE REMODELING THE BUILDING, YOU KNOW, ONE BY ONE, UH, WHEN, UH, BOSTON BECAME INVOLVED AND THE TENANTS BEGAN ORGANIZING THAT, UH, SEEMED TO REALLY RILE UP THE PROPERTY OWNERS WHO STARTED TO THREATEN THEM, WHO STARTED TO SEND THEM, UH, EVICTION NOTICES, UH, AND WHO THREATENED RETALIATION FOR ANY POLITICAL ACTIVITY OR ORGANIZING THAT THEY WERE DOING.
AND THAT'S WHEN, UH, WE GOT INVOLVED IN, AND THAT REALLY, I THINK JUST ILLUSTRATES WHY THE TENANT RELOCATION ORDINANCE IS SO IMPORTANT.
UM, AND I JUST WANT TO MENTION THAT THIS IS THE TENANT RELOCATION ORDINANCE WAS PASSED IN 2016.
UH, THIS IS, TODAY'S JUST A CLARIFICATION THAT, UH, WILL MAKE IT, UH, EASIER AND, AND, AND CLEAR THAT A SITUATION LIKE THIS, WHICH WAS JUST KIND OF, UH, AN INTERIOR REMODEL, NOT, NOT A MAJOR KIND OF RECONSTRUCTION OF THE ENTIRE, UH, APARTMENT COMPLEX, BUT WE'LL JUST CLARIFY THAT AN INTERIOR REMODEL, SUCH AS THIS DOES QUALIFY FOR, UH, PROTECTION UNDER THE TENANT RELOCATION ORDINANCE AND THE OWNER WOULD BE REQUIRED TO GIVE THEM ADDITIONAL TIME TO, UH, FIND A NEW APARTMENT AS A, UH, WHEN, UH, BEFORE THE, THE REMODEL, UM, UH, HAPPENS TALKING TO THE TENANTS IS THEY WERE TELLING ME STORIES ABOUT HOW IT'S AT THIS POINT IN AUSTIN, TEXAS, TODAY, IT'S VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND AN APARTMENT IN 30 DAYS, PARTICULARLY IF YOU'RE A LOW INCOME PERSON.
UH, THEY, I HEARD STORIES ABOUT, YOU KNOW, TAKING A FEW DAYS OFF WORK TO GO AND SEE APARTMENTS AND TO GO, YOU KNOW, HERE AND THERE AND TRY TO FIND A PLACE.
AND THEY WERE SAYING, YOU KNOW, IN JUNE, YOU KNOW, WE'LL HAVE SOMETHING IN JUNE.
SO WE REALLY DON'T WANT TO SEE PEOPLE OUT IN THE STREETS.
WE, WILLIE DON'T WANT TO SEE PEOPLE DISLOCATED LIKE THIS, WHERE, WHEN I SPOKE TO THE TENANTS, WHAT THEY WANTED WAS A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME, MORE THAN ANYTHING.
THEY JUST, THEY NEEDED MORE TIME TO FIND A PLACE.
AND SOME OF THEM HAD RENTED THERE FOR YEARS, BUT LET ME LET THE TENANT SPEAK IN THEIR OWN VOICE.
UH, I WANT TO PRESENT, UM, NOW ABOUT THREES, UH, GARCIA AND CLAUDIA DOMINGEZ ARE HERE TO, UH, TO SPEAK AND WE HAVE INTERPRETATION AS WELL.
FAMILY HAS BEEN LIVING HERE IN AUSTIN, TEXAS 20 YEARS.
UM,
WE WERE ALWAYS ON TIME PAYING OUR RENT AND WE WERE NEVER LATE ON THE PAYMENTS.
I HAVE A LOT OF NEIGHBORS AND A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT I KNOW AROUND AND
IT'S WHEN I COME ON THAT 40
[00:05:07]
OUT OF THE BLUE.THERE WAS A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY BECAUSE WE WERE GOING TO BE EVICTED.
I WAS VERY WORRIED AND STRESSED, BUT COULD YOU
MY FAMILY WAS VERY WORRIED BECAUSE WE WERE GOING TO BE FACING AN EVICTION IN AT THE SAME TIME, ONE OF OUR KIDS GET SICK AND HE HAD A PROGRAM SURGERY.
WE WERE FRUSTRATED EVEN MORE 'CAUSE WE W WE DID NOT WANT TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE SCHOOLS AND AWAY FROM THE DOCTORS THAT OUR KIDS GO TO IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO FIND SOMETHING SIMILAR IN, AROUND PRICE FOR THE RENT THERE WASN'T TOO EXPENSIVE.
WE HAD TO SPEND A LOT OF MONEY.
COMPARING IT WITH THE RENT THAT WE USED TO PAY.
I AM STILL VERY WORRIED ABOUT MY NEIGHBORS.
BECAUSE THEY ARE STILL SUFFERING THE UNCERTAINTY, BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT THE YOU'RE GOING TO BE EVICTED AND YOU'RE KNOW, SORRY, I DON'T DO ONE A YEAR.
THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO GO AND HOW THEY'RE GOING TO GO THERE.
SOME OF THEM ARE WORRIED ABOUT THE SCHOOL OF THEIR KIDS AND
I WAS ABLE TO FIND SOMETHING NEARBY THE
I HOPE THAT THIS ORDINANCE, THAT THE CITY COUNCIL IS CONSIDERING I DO THE HIGHEST THAT'S FAMILIAR.
THIS FAMILIES ARE BEING EVICTED.
OH, WHEN WAS THE
I HAVE BEEN IN TEXAS 32 YEARS.
I AM HERE FOR THE CHANGE IN THE AMENDMENT OF THE ORDINANCE.
I AM VERY STRESSED BECAUSE THERE'S A NEW OWNER.
THEY'RE SAYING THAT THEY WANT TO EVICT THE TENANTS.
IS IT EVER GOING TO MAKE THEIR APARTMENTS NOW? CONDOS AND THEY ARE ALREADY WITHOUT I HAVEN'T SPENT TWO WEEKS WITH A HOT WATER.
THE
I NEED MORE TIME IN ORDER TO MOVE, BUT I
AND THE FACT THAT THIS NEW OWNER IS DOING ALL THIS WORK, HAVING TENANTS IN THE PROPERTY.
[00:10:01]
AND I JUST WANTED TO ASK OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, BEGINNING WITH COUNCIL MEMBER TOBO TO SAY A FEW WORDS.I REALLY WANT TO I'M COUNCIL COUNCIL MEMBER, KATHY TOBY.
I REPRESENT CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT NINE.
I WANT TO START BY, BY THINKING, UM, ALL OF THE TENANTS WHO HAVE BEEN HERE TODAY, WHO, WHO REALLY SPOKE UP AND SHARED THEIR STORIES AND, AND SOUNDED THE ALARM.
UM, YOU KNOW, THAT IS UNFORTUNATELY THE WAY IN WHICH WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE CHANGES AND PROVIDE FOR TENANT PROTECTION THROUGH THE YEARS, BECAUSE PEOPLE WHO ARE IMPACTED BY THE CHANGES TAKING PLACE AND BY THE, UM, BY WHAT WAS HAPPENING AT THEIR INDIVIDUAL, PLACES OF RESIDENCE, UM, SPOKE UP AND, AND GOT ATTENTION TO THAT.
YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE FIRST MEETINGS I, I REMEMBER TAKING AS A BRAND NEW COUNCIL MEMBER, KIND OF LIKE YOU, I THINK I HADN'T EVEN BEEN ON THE JOB A MONTH, UM, WAS WITH SOME TENANTS AND SOME ADVOCATES WHO WERE, WERE FACING DISPLACEMENT BECAUSE OF A RECENT ZONING CASE.
AND THE COUNCIL AT THAT TIME, RIGHT BEFORE I HAD GOTTEN THERE HAD NEGOTIATED A DEAL WITH THAT INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPER.
IT REALLY WASN'T UNTIL, UM, THE WORK THAT YOU DID, COUNCIL MEMBER AND DATA RENTER RENTERIA TO HAVE, UM, THE TENANT, THE TENANT, UM, DISPLACEMENT ORDINANCE THAT WE REALLY HAD PROVISIONS IN PLACE THAT WOULD PROVIDE FOR, FOR SOME RELIEF FOR END, UM, AND MEASURES, UM, FOR PEOPLE WHO WERE FACING DISPLACEMENT BECAUSE OF DEVELOPMENT OR BECAUSE OF OTHER KINDS OF SITUATIONS.
AND SO THANK YOU, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER VELA FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR WORK AND MAKING SURE THAT THIS APPLIES TO MULTIPLE DIFFERENT KINDS OF, OF SITUATIONS.
YOU KNOW, AUSTIN IS UNDERGOING TREMENDOUS DEVELOPMENT AND REDEVELOPMENT, AND WE KNOW THAT THAT IMPACTS FAMILIES.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER TALKED ABOUT THE IMPACT ON KIDS IN SCHOOLS.
HOUSING WORKS HAS LONG BEEN, BEEN RAISING ATTENTION AND GROUPS LIKE AUSTIN VOICES HAVE AS WELL.
AND OUR FAMILY RESOURCE CENTERS THROUGH THE AISD CAN SHOW EVIDENCE OF HOW IT IMPACTS FAMILIES WITH KIDS AND HOW IT IMPACTS SCHOOLS.
WHEN YOU HAVE FAMILIES WHO ARE FACING DISPLACEMENT AND ARE HIGHLY MOBILE AND MOVING FROM SCHOOL TO SCHOOL, WE KNOW THAT HAS AN IMPACT ON STUDENT EDUCATION.
SO EVERY FAMILY WHO IS, IS IN THE KIND OF SITUATION THAT YOU HEARD DESCRIBED, UM, WOULD HAVE AN IMPACT FROM DISPLACEMENT.
AND AS A COUNCIL, WE HAVE A ROLE AND A ROLE RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, THAT WE ARE ADOPTING PROVISIONS, PASSING PROVISIONS, THAT THAT WILL HELP PREVENT THAT.
AND WE'LL HELP MAKE SURE THAT THE FAMILIES WHO LIVE HERE IN AUSTIN HAVE EVERY ABILITY TO STAY AND PREFERABLY TO STAY WITHIN THEIR, THEIR, UM, CURRENT HOUSING.
AND IF NOT, TO GET SOME ASSISTANCE IN FINDING OTHER HOUSING WITHIN CLOSE PROXIMITY, REMEMBER, THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER VILLA.
UH, MY NAME IS
AND, UH, THE ATTENDANCE RELOCATION CAME INTO EFFECT BECAUSE WE WERE HAVING A LOT OF, UH, RESIDENTS, ESPECIALLY MOBILE HOME RESIDENTS, LOW INCOME, MOBILE HOME RESIDENTS, UH, GETTING DISPLACED.
AND, UH, WE SAID, THIS IS NOT TOTALLY, THIS IS TOTALLY UNFAIR.
AND THAT WOULD, AND WE PASSED THIS TENANT RELOCATION.
AND, UH, AND I WAS VERY HAPPY AND EXCITED ABOUT IT BECAUSE I FINALLY, WE WERE GOING TO GET TENANT PROTECTION, BUT, UH, OBVIOUSLY THERE MUST BE A LOOPHOLE IN THERE.
AND WE'RE HERE THIS WEEK TO CLOSE THAT LOOPHOLE, BECAUSE IF THE INTENTION WAS ALWAYS TOTAL PROTECTION FOR A TENANT, ESPECIALLY OUR LOW-INCOME TENANTS.
I KNOW THERE WAS A LOT OF PRESSURE OUT THERE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF THE, UH, THE WAY THAT AUSTIN IS GROWING, BUT THAT'S NO EXCUSE FOR HAVING, UH, OWNERS, PEOPLE COMING IN AND BUYING LOW INCOME APARTMENTS, AND THEN EVICTING PEOPLE.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO STAND BY AND TOLERATE THESE TYPE OF ACTIVITIES.
SO THIS IS JUST, UH, ANOTHER, UH, A WARNING TO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE BUYING THESE PLACE, THAT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE KICKING OUT OUR TENANTS WITHOUT HAVING SOME KIND OF PROTECTION.
AND YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU WORK WITH THESE TENANTS AND, UH, AND, AND FIND A SOLUTION AS WE DONE ALL THE PREVIOUS, UH, DISLOCATION.
WE, I HAD ONE IN, IN, UH, MAIN CACTUS ROSE IN MONTOPOLIS, AND WE FINALLY GOT EVERYONE RESETTLED.
AND WHEN PEOPLE CAME IN AND TO REDEVELOP SITES LIKE THESE, WE WERE WORKING TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE TENANTS WERE PROTECTED AND WERE ABLE TO FIND OTHER LOCATIONS, OTHER SITES TO LIVE AT.
AND, UH, AND THAT'S WHAT I'M JUST REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT.
THAT IF THERE'S, THERE'S SOMETHING OUT THERE THAT IT'S NOT THAT, THAT SOMEBODY YOU OWNERS ARE COMING IN, IF THEY'RE NOT AWARE OF THAT, UH, THEY BETTER MAKE SURE BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO PASS THIS AND CLOSE THIS TODAY.
AND I WANT TO REALLY TAKE BASTA AND ALL THE TENANTS HERE BECAUSE OF ALL THE OUTSTANDING WORK I HAVE DONE, I HAD WORKED WITH Y'ALL GUY FOR, FOR YEARS
[00:15:01]
SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE COUNCIL AND, AND, UH, THESE PEOPLE ARE NOT GONNA BE PUSHED AROUND THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT WHERE WE KNOW OUR RIGHTS NOW.SO, UH, WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET A GOOD MOOD OUT WITHOUT SOME KIND OF A RELOCATION BENEFITS.
COUNCIL MEMBER AND COUNCIL MEMBER AND KITCHEN.
I'M THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBER FOR DISTRICT FIVE IN SOUTH AUSTIN.
I JUST WANT TO ADD MY VOICE TO THE WORDS OF MY COLLEAGUES, UM, AND THE TENANTS WHO ARE HERE IN BUSTA.
I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR SPEAKING UP.
AND, UM, I ALSO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT BOSTON.
BOSTON DOES AMAZING WORK IN OUR COMMUNITY, UH, TO HELP BRING THESE THINGS TO OUR ATTENTION, TO WORK WITH TENANTS, TO PROTECT TENANTS SO THAT THEY HAVE A VOICE.
UM, I'VE BEEN PLEASED TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH BOSTON AND THE TENANTS MOST RECENTLY, UH, WITH THE CASE ALONG TO ME A ROAD WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO, UH, PROTECT THOSE, UM, THOSE TENANTS.
AND SO, UM, I THINK MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SAID IT WELL, UH, THAT WE'RE JUST NOT GOING TO, UM, WE'RE NOT GOING TO STAND FOR TREATING PEOPLE, UH, THIS WAY.
UH, WE, THESE PROTECTIONS SHOULD COVER ALL THESE CIRCUMSTANCES.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER OF, FOR IDENTIFYING THIS, THIS LOOPHOLE, AS, AS YOU SAID, UM, IN THE LAW THAT WE'RE GOING TO CLOSE TODAY AND, UH, THE BOTTOM LINE IS, UH, PEOPLE HAVE A RIGHT TO LIVE IN THEIR HOMES AND, UH, TO BE PROTECTED FROM THIS KIND OF EVICTION.
AND SO I'M PROUD TO ADD MY VOICE TODAY AND, UH, PROUD THAT THE COUNCIL IS GOING TO CLOSE THIS LOOPHOLE, UH, TODAY.
UH, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT JUST IN MY CONVERSATIONS WITH THE TENANTS, UH, THEY WANTED TIME.
UH, MANY OF THEM, AND THERE'LL BE AVAILABLE TO TAKE QUESTIONS IN JUST A SECOND, HAD BEEN ON YOU MONTH TO MONTH, UH, LEASE RENEWAL FOR YEARS.
UH, AND THEN IT JUST, WHEN THE HAMMER COMES DOWN AND YOU'VE GOT 30 DAYS IN THE RENTAL MARKET THAT WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW WITH, YOU KNOW, 97%, 98% OCCUPANCY RATES AND APARTMENTS, IT'S JUST VERY, VERY DIFFICULT.
YOU PUT THEM IN A, IN A REALLY DIFFICULT POSITION.
UH, AND THEN THAT WAS WHEN, WHEN I TALKED TO THEM, THEY UNDERSTOOD THEY'RE THERE.
THEY UNDERSTOOD THE DEPARTMENTS WERE DETERIORATING.
THEY UNDERSTOOD THAT THE APARTMENTS NEEDED TO GET REMODELED.
THEY WANTED TIME TO FIND A NEW APARTMENT.
SO, UH, WITH THAT, UH, ON THE 10TH SERVE, HAPPY TO TAKE QUESTIONS.
AND WE'RE ALSO HAPPY TO TAKE QUESTIONS CLARIFIES THE PREVIOUS ITERATION OF THE ORDINANCE ONLY APPLIED TO PROPERTIES THAT WERE BEING FULLY DEMOLISHED.
CAN YOU CLARIFY HOW THIS CHANGES IT, THERE WAS SOME BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN A CITY STAFF AND, UH, AND MYSELF AND, UH, BOSTON REGARDING THE SCOPE OF THE ORDINANCE AND QUESTIONS, WHETHER INTERIOR REMODELING WOULD TRIGGER THE ATTENDANT RELOCATION ORDINANCE.
HONESTLY, WHEN I READ THE OLD, UH, ORDINANCE OR THE CURRENT ORDINANCE, I SHOULD SAY, I THINK IT DOES, BUT JUST TO BE CERTAIN, WE WANTED TO MAKE THIS CLARIFYING AMENDMENT, UH, AND MAKE IT ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN THAT YES, WHEN THERE IS SOME TYPE OF INTERIOR REMODEL THAT RESULTS IN THE EVICTION OF THE TENANT AND THE, IT SAYS FIVE, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT JUST ONE, BUT IF THERE'S MORE THAN FIVE INTERIOR REMODELS IN A COMPLEX THAT RESULTS IN THE EVICTION OF THE TENANTS, THEN THE PROVISIONS OF THE TENANT RELOCATION ORDINANCE KICK IN TO PROTECT THE TENANTS, WILL THIS CHANGE AFFECT, UH, THAT THE TENANTS THAT WE HEARD FROM HERE OR, UM, BECAUSE IT'S TOO LATE TO AFFECT THEIR SITUATION? NO, IT, IT, IT SHOULD.
UH, AND, UH, I SAID, I WOULD STILL ARGUE THAT THE PRIOR ORDINANCE, UH, PROTECTED THEM AND I WOULD NOT CONCEDE THAT IT DIDN'T, BUT AGAIN, JUST TO BE CERTAIN, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE TO, UH, UH, TO, TO CLARIFY ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT, BUT I BELIEVE THEY SHOULD BE PROTECTED.
UH, UM, AND, UM, AND THE, THE REMODELING IS ONGOING ALSO, UH, BECAUSE THEY'VE ONLY, THEY'VE KIND OF BEEN, I THINK ONE BY ONE HAVE BEEN, UH, MOVED OUT.
AND SO THERE'S STILL MANY, UH, UNITS THERE, AND THERE'S STILL A LOT OF TENANTS.
I KNOW SOME PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY MOVED OUT, UH, BUT, UH, THERE'S STILL A LOT MORE UNITS LEFT AND WE WANT TO MAKE ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN THAT ANY, UH, AGAIN, IN THE WORST CASE SCENARIO THAT ANY, UH, FUTURE EVICTIONS FALL UNDER THE TENANT RELOCATION ORDINANCE.
SO IF, UH, SORRY, IF A TENANT BELIEVES THAT THEIR LANDLORD MIGHT BE RUNNING A FOUL OF THIS PART OF CODE, WHAT OPTIONS DO THEY HAVE OR HOW SHOULD THEY GET IN TOUCH WITH THE CITY TO TRY AND FIX THEIR SITUATION?
[00:20:01]
MEMBER? UH, I WOULD ALSO SAY BOSTON IS A GREAT RESOURCE AND, UH, HAS A EXTREMELY STRONG CONNECTIONS WITHIN AUSTIN.AND THEY WERE REALLY THE ONES THAT BROUGHT THIS TO OUR ATTENTION.
UH, SO, SO I WOULD SAY DIRECTLY CONTACT YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER OR CONTACT A COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS BOSTON TO MAKE THEM AWARE OF WHAT'S GOING ON.
I ALSO WOULD JUST WANTED TO NOTE THAT A TRIAL AT TEXAS RIO GRANDE LEGAL AID IS ALSO, UH, REPRESENTING AT LEAST ONE OF THE TENANTS, UH, IN A, UH, IN A SUIT REGARDING I BELIEVE, UH, RETALIATION, UH, BUT, UH, BUT, UH, THEY CAN SPEAK TO THAT IN JUST A SEC AND THE AUSTIN TENANT'S COUNCIL, UH, AS WELL, THAT'S ANOTHER, THAT WILL, UH, ADVOCATE FOR TENANTS AND, AND, AND, UH, HELP CONNECT THEM WITH, UH, WITH RESOURCES.
CAN YOU JUST EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT MORE, SO YOU MENTIONED THE CURRENT ORDINANCE, YOU BELIEVE THAT IT WOULD COVER A SITUATION LIKE THIS, BUT AT ANY POINT, CAUSE, CAUSE I BELIEVE THIS ORDINANCE HAS TRIGGERED WHEN, WHEN A LANDLORD FILES A PERMIT.
SO WAS THERE A QUESTION WHEN IT CAME TO STAFF'S ATTENTION, LIKE WHO YOU SEEM CERTAIN THAT IT WOULD COVER THIS, BUT WHO WAS UNSURE AND WHAT, WHAT NECESSITATED THIS TRUE? SO THAT WAS ANOTHER, UH, ISSUE IS THAT THERE IS UNPERMITTED RENOVATIONS GOING ON AND THE QUESTION WAS, DOES A TENANT RELOCATION ORDINANCE APPLY WHEN THE PERSON HAS NOT APPLIED FOR A PERMIT TO DO THE RENOVATIONS THAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY PERFORMING.
AND THAT SEEMS LIKE YOU SHOULD NOT BENEFIT FROM, YOU KNOW, BEING A SCOFFLAW, UH, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER YOU APPLY FOR A PERMIT OR NOT, IF YOU'RE, UH, EVICTING PEOPLE BECAUSE OF RENOVATIONS TO THE APARTMENTS, THE PROTECTION SHOULD APPLY.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE ISSUES ALSO THAT, THAT, THAT CAME UP WHERE THEY WERE LIKE, WELL, THEY HAVEN'T APPLIED FOR A PERMIT.
AND SO THE, THE, THE PROTECTIONS DON'T KICK IN AND IT WAS LIKE, WELL, THEY'RE EVICTING PEOPLE AND DOING UN-PERMITTED, UH, RENT, UH, RENOVATIONS.
SO THAT WAS ANOTHER ONE OF THE CONCERNS.
SO THIS AMENDMENT, UM, UH, ALLOWS FOR THIS ORDINANCE WILL APPLY TO UNPERMITTED WORK AS WELL.
WELL, THIS ORDINANCE ALSO GIVE THEM THE TIME THAT THEY NEED TO MOVE.
I KNOW I'VE SPOKEN TO SEVERAL OF THEM WHO SAID THAT, YOU KNOW, PLACES SOMETIMES WON'T EVEN OPEN UNTIL JUNE OR JULY.
UM, AND WE ALSO WANT TO KEEP THEM WITHIN THEIR SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND THEIR, UH, WITHIN PROXIMITY TO THEIR DOCTOR'S OFFICES IN PLACES LIKE THAT.
UH, AND, OH LORD, MY MEMORY MAY, UH, MAY BE IMPERFECT HERE, BUT I BELIEVE IT'S 120 OR 180 DAY.
I CAN'T REMEMBER OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD SO MUCH.
UM, IT IS A, I BELIEVE IT'S 120 DAY, UH, EXTENSION, UH, WHERE THEY HAVE THAT TIME TO SEARCH FOR AN APARTMENT IN THIS TYPE OF SITUATION.
AND THAT SHOULD BE SUFFICIENT TO ALLOW FOLKS TO FIND A PLACE, BUT LIKE YOU WERE SAYING, I MEAN, TWO MONTHS, EVEN THAT WOULD BE TIGHT.
UH, AND, AND AGAIN, THEY CAN TELL STORIES ABOUT HOW, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WERE REQUIRING, YOU KNOW, REALLY EXTRAORDINARY, UH, UH, DEPOSITS, UH, THE PAYCHECK STUB.
IT WAS A VERY WITH SO MANY APARTMENTS AT CAPACITY RIGHT NOW, AND THEY'RE ABLE TO HIKE GRANTS AND THEY'RE ABLE TO REALLY DEMAND A LOT OF DOCUMENTATION FROM, UH, THEIR TENANTS.
IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR FOLKS, UH, TO, UH, TO FIND PLACES.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT, ESPECIALLY I SAID LOW FOLKS, UH, ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, UH, IMMIGRANTS WHO MAY NOT HAVE, UH, THE NECESSARY PAPERWORK TO QUALIFY FOR A LOT OF APARTMENTS.
SPEAKING TO THE ISSUE OF FOLKS, JUST NEEDING A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME, UM, CANCELED JUST THE OTHER MONTH, STARTED THE PROCESS OF A POSSIBLE CODE UPDATE RELATED TO NOTICE OF EVICTION AND TIME TO CURE.
UM, I THINK THE DEADLINE FOR THAT HAD PASSED ALREADY, BUT I WAS WONDERING IF YOU KNEW KIND OF WHEN THAT MIGHT BE COMING UP FOR Y'ALL'S CONSIDERATION, I CANNOT SPEAK TO THAT.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY, YEAH, WE CAN FOLLOW UP WITH THAT.
UM, SINCE THIS ORIGINALLY PASSED IN 2016, DO YOU KNOW HOW OFTEN IT'S BEEN USED OR LANDLORDS HAVE, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE BEEN FORCED TO GIVE PEOPLE CERTAIN NOTICE, UM, PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE.
DO WE KNOW HOW MANY COMPLEXES OR HOW MANY TENANTS HAVE BENEFITED FROM THIS? UH, I, I, I DO NOT, I CAN SPEAK TO STUFF ABOUT THAT.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON THAT, BUT MY, IN MY INTERACTIONS WITH STAFF THAT WAS ONE OF THE CONCERNS WERE, IF THE INTERPRETATION IS VERY NARROW, THEN THAT'S GOING TO BE EXCLUDING A LOT OF THE PEOPLE WHO SHOULD BE BENEFITING ONE OF THE OTHER KIND OF UNRESOLVED, UH, UH, QUESTIONS.
[00:25:01]
CLARIFICATION IS THAT THERE WAS KIND OF LIKE THIS ONLY APPLIED, IF THERE WAS A COMPLETE KIND OF EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR, KIND OF ALMOST A COMPLETE TEAR DOWN OF THE APARTMENTS.AND THAT WAS NOT THE INTENT OF THE ORDINANCE IN 2016.
AND IT SHOULD NOT BE READ THAT NARROWLY.
SO THIS WAS TO, TO MAKE SURE MY SENSE IS THAT IT HAS NOT APPLIED TO AS MANY SITUATIONS AS IT SHOULD APPLY TO.
UH, AND SO WE WANT TO, UH, CLARIFY THAT TO MAKE SURE TO APPLY TO ANY SITUATION WHERE, UH, FIVE OR MORE UNITS ARE FORCED TO IVIG BECAUSE OF REMODELING.
UM, BUT ONE OTHER THING, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER, AVAILA, AND COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN, YOU BOTH HAVE EXPRESSED INTEREST IN POSTPONING, A BASIC INCOME, UH, PROGRAM PILOT TODAY.
UM, OBVIOUSLY THAT SEEMS LIKE SOMETHING THAT MIGHT BENEFIT FOLKS WHO ARE IN FRONT OF US HERE, BOTH CLAUDIA AND BE AT PEACE, TALKED ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, STRUGGLING TO FIND ANOTHER APARTMENT THAT THEY COULD AFFORD.
UM, SO I WANT TO UNDERSTAND WHY YOU BOTH ARE INTERESTED IN POSTPONING THAT TODAY FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS, THERE ARE FIRST, ONE OF OUR COLLEAGUES IS NOT GOING TO BE ON THE DIAS TODAY.
AND I THINK AS A COURTESY, I WOULD LIKE TO POSTPONE IT TO WHEN SHE'S BACK SECOND, THERE ARE NOT IN THE BACKUP MATERIALS THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT CLEAR GUIDELINES AS TO WHAT THE, WHO WILL BE ABLE TO RECEIVE.
WHAT ARE THE INCOME GUIDELINES? WHAT ARE THE ASSET GUIDELINES I, THAT I HAVE NOT SEEN.
AND, UH, THAT IS A, A CONCERN WE I'D LIKE TO SEE WHO EXACTLY IS GOING TO BE QUALIFYING FOR.
UH, THE, UM, THE UBI BENEFITS.
I DO SUPPORT THE PILOT PROGRAM.
UH, I WILL ULTIMATELY ONCE WE GET THOSE, CLARIFICATION'S BE A VOTING IN FAVOR OF IT, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO GET THOSE CLARIFICATION BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD.
AND, AND AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW IF THE, THE, THE ATTENDANTS AND SO SORRY, MATT, BECAUSE SAS, SAS, SAS, I BELIEVE, IS BEING REPRESENTED BY TEXAS RIO GRANDE LEGAL AID RIGHT NOW.
AND, UH, IN A, THE, BECAUSE OF THE RETALIATION, THERE WAS A RETALIATION CLAIM, RIGHT? YES.
UM, MY NAME IS SAS S A S S MY PRONOUNS ARE THEY THEM? UM, I AM A TENANT AT CLAYTON LANE APARTMENTS, UH, AND I AM ON THE STEERING COMMITTEE FOR THE CLAYTON LANE, THE SANTA FE, UM, UH, TENANTS UNITED OR UNITED TENANTS ASSOCIATION.
UM, AND, UH, WE'VE ALL BEEN WORKING TOGETHER COLLECTIVELY TO TRY TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES.
UM, I DO HAVE PART OF A PREPARED STATEMENT, I THINK, BECAUSE I WANT TO MAKE SURE I GET THESE DETAILS, RIGHT.
UM, WHEN PATRICK DUKE BOUGHT OUR SISTER APARTMENT COMPLEXES, UH, COMMUNICATION WAS SPARSE AND UNCLEAR.
UM, GIVEN THE ENVIRONMENT THAT THIS HAPPENED IN, INCLUDING THAT EVERY TENANT HAD ALREADY BEEN TRANSITIONED TO MONTH TO MONTH CONTRACTS.
UH, WE COLLECTIVELY FEARED THE WORST THAT WE WOULD BE PUSHED OUT OF OUR APARTMENTS SO THEY COULD BE DEMOLISHED.
UM, AND AS AN, AS IT TURNS OUT, UH, WE WERE RIGHT.
AND INSTEAD OF MEETING WITH US TO WORK OUT THE DETAILS AND OFFER A REASONABLE RELOCATION PACKARD PACKAGE, UM, PATRICK DUKE HAS CONTINUED HIS STREAK OF BULLYING THOSE WITH LESS POWER AND SKIRTING AROUND THE LAW.
UM, WHILE IT SEEMS THAT HE'S GOTTEN AWAY WITH THIS BEFORE, UH, INCLUDING IN OTHER STATES, UM, IT ENDS HERE TODAY, UH, TODAY WHERE WE ARE HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR, UH, FOR THE CLARIFICATION AND ENFORCEMENT OF AUSTIN'S EXISTING RELOCATION ORDINANCE, UM, PAC PATRICK DUKE'S COMPANY, UM, HAS LONG SINCE BEGUN DEMOLITION WORK IN THE APARTMENT COMPLEX.
UM, IF YOU INCLUDE ALL THE TENANTS WHO HAVE, UH, BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO FIND A PLACE TO MOVE IN THE LAST, UH, YOU KNOW, FEW MONTHS, UM, THEY'RE PROBABLY ABOUT 60 UNITS OCCUPIED, AND MOST OF WHAT'S LEFT IS A, THE FLOORS ARE BEING TORN UP, DRY WALLS BEING REPLACED, UH, THERE HOLES IN THE RUSE.
UM, IT'S AN ACTIVE CONSTRUCTION ZONE.
IT'S VERY UNSAFE, DANGEROUS, LOUD.
THERE ARE KIDS AROUND, UH, THEY'VE GOT THESE, THESE BIG, UM, UH, THE OVERSIZED DUMPSTERS THAT THEY'RE THROWING MATERIAL INTO OVER BALCONIES, UM, FILLING UP OUR PARKING SPACES.
UM, AND, UH, WE'VE GOT KIDS PLAYING AROUND IN THE RUBBLE.
UM, IT'S REALLY, REALLY UNSAFE, UH, AND, UH, WE DESERVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO LIVE.
UM, FOR MY CASE SPECIFICALLY, UH, I HAVE BEEN SINGLED OUT, UH, AND I WAS RETALIATED AGAINST, DIRECTLY FOR PARTICIPATING IN THE TENANTS ASSOCIATION, UM, AND SOME NASTY EMAILS, UH, AMONG OTHER THINGS.
[00:30:01]
TOWARD THE END OF MARCH, UM, MANY OTHER TENANTS RECEIVED A LETTER STATING THAT THEY WOULD SELECT SEVEN UNITS PER COMPLEX EVERY WEEK OR EVERY MONTH, UM, TO GIVE NOTICES TO VACATE, UM, FOR THE DEMOLITION WORK.WHAT I RECEIVED INSTEAD WAS A PERSONALIZED NOTICE TO VACATE FROM PATRICK DUKE'S LAWYER.
UM, FORTUNATELY, UH, TEXAS RIO GRANDE LEGAL AID, UH, HAS BEEN THERE TO ASSIST ME, UM, BECAUSE, UH, THERE'S ANOTHER PART OF TEXAS PROPERTY CODE THAT VERY EXPLICITLY SAYS THAT, UH, I, THAT, THAT PACKARD, YOU CAN NOT RETALIATE AGAINST US FOR PARTICIPATING IN ATTENDANTS UNION.
UM, AND, UH, MY NOTICE TO VACATE DIDN'T HAVE A REASON LISTED, SO WE COULD ONLY ASSUME IT WAS FOR THAT.
UM, AND, UH, AND I THINK THAT MAKES, IT'S VERY OBVIOUS, VERY CLEAR IT'S A TEXTBOOK CASE.
AND, UM, SO NEGOTIATES ARE ONGOING.
THERE'S LIMITED, I'M LIMITED AS TO WHAT I CAN TALK ABOUT RIGHT NOW, BUT, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE DEALING WITH THIS.
AND WHEN WE WERE, WHEN I MET WITH THEM COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO NOW, UH, THEY FELT THAT THEY PRINTED UP THE SIGNS THAT Y'ALL SEE IN FRONT OF THEM.
UH, AND A LOT OF THEM PASTED THOSE IN THEIR WINDOWS AND, UH, THEY FEEL LIKE THE PEOPLE WHO HAD A SIGN IN THEIR WINDOWS THEN GOT THE EVICTION NOTICE.
UH, SO, UM, BUT ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, CAUSE ACTUALLY WE HAVE A COUNCIL MEETING HERE IN A FEW MINUTES.
IF ANYONE HAS A QUESTION FOR THE TENANTS, UM, WHO CAME ALL THE WAY OUT HERE, THAT'D BE GREAT, BUT WHATEVER.
WELL, THANK Y'ALL VERY, VERY MUCH.
I APPRECIATE THE TENANT'S, UH, ACTION AND WILLINGNESS TO STAND UP AND FIGHT SO MUCH.
AND AGAIN, I APPRECIATE MY, UH, MY CON MY COLLEAGUES, UH, SUPPORT ON THIS CLARIFICATION.