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Annual Summary
Report 2013
Mailing Address:
Gulf Coast Interfaith
c/o St. Patrick’s Catholic Church
1010 – 35th
Street
Galveston, Texas 77550
Contact Telephone: 409 939-8017
Email: [email protected]
Web-Site: www.gulfcoastinterfaith.org
GCI
Gulf Coast Interfaith (GCI)1 accomplished a great deal in 2013. Working in the key areas of democracy, disaster recovery, housing, healthcare, Latino community outreach, employment, and education we are proud to say many steps were taken to advance social, economic and health opportunities for the residents of Galveston and Galveston County, and the Gulf Coast. Collaborating with local congregations and community advocacy groups, we are constantly working to fulfill our goal to produce tangible, sustainable solutions to the issues facing the Gulf Coast community. Utilizing our office at 2728 28th Street, Galveston and the efforts of many, our hard work and passion for social justice has paid off in many ways. GCI was successful at conducting 1-on-1 meetings with government officials and political leaders as one tactic to obtain solutions to social and political stalemate. Although no longer a member of The Metropolitan Organization (TMO)1 GCI remains a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and uses a hybrid, rather than a strict IAF1, approach to providing assistance, empowerment, advocacy, and leadership in the community to achieve social change. We have maintained contact with the IEF and attend meetings of the Houston IAF affiliate - The Metropolitan Organization.
Website and plans for 2014 GCI launched its updated website on August 13th at www.gulfcoastinterfaith.org. GCI also held a series of steering committee meetings on April 13th, May 9th, September 16th, 18th, and 21st where restructuring, organizational direction and priorities were discussed by founding members. An important part of our community organizing effort is educating the public. We have been fortunate to receive positive media coverage over the years in the Houston Chronicle, Galveston County Daily News, Guidry News Service, Texas Observer, Wall Street Journal, and New York Times. These articles can be found at our website.
Galveston County Collaborating Organizations
GCI made its office at 2728 Ave Q available to the Collaborating Organizations for meetings in 2013. There were
wide ranging discussions covering critical topics facing our neighbors and how best to prioritize the needs of the
community and the available volunteer time.
1 http://www.gulfcoastinterfaith.org/ 2 http://tmohouston.org/ 3 IAF organizations are basically broad-based, multi-issue, non-partisan organizations of institutions that advocate for the
empowerment and leadership of individuals through a democratic process. http://www.industrialareasfoundation.org/
Annual Summary Report 2013
EMPLOYMENT
Living Wage
The ongoing recovery work from Hurricane Ike that triggers Davis-Bacon and Sec. 3 requirements along with the announced recovery of the summer tourist industry and growing use of foreign workers prompted GCI to create a subcommittee to begin studying issues surrounding a living wage in Galveston for workers. The sub-committee had its first monthly meeting on September 8, 2012 around the dinner table in the home of GCI leaders Steve McIntyre and Maria Mercado. After several monthly meetings the membership of the group dramatically expanded and the meetings were moved to alternating months at Live Oak Baptist Church and St. Patrick Catholic Church. On February 11th GCI leaders Joe Compian and Steve McIntyre attended a meeting of the Galveston County AFL-CIO Labor Council to discuss the living wage campaign. GCI leader Laura Murrell made a Living Wage presentation on July 14th at the Unitarian Universalist Church that was well received by its membership. Father Maynard Tetreault, Ashley Hernandez with the Restaurant Opportunities Centers (ROC), Joe Compian, and Steve McIntyre worked together during the summer to draft a GCI Employment Survey to circulate among Galveston low wage workers to identify the best place to work. It was translated into Spanish by Helen Ayachi and Mary Ramirez and distribution and posting at the GCI website began on September 14th.1 A Living Wage Study Group meeting was held on August 1, 2013 at Live Oak Baptist Church that was attended by GCI leaders Murrell, Mercado, and McIntyre. Ana Arrendono with the US Department of Labor presented a 30 minute outline on worker’s rights to their wages. Another Study Group meeting was held at St. Patrick Catholic Church on September 7th where planning for the September 30th larger presentation by DOL were discussed and confirmed.
On September 30th over 85 Galveston residents attended a two hour conference at Live Oak Baptist Church on
the rights of workers. Information about signing up for Obamacare beginning on October 1st was presented by
Andrea Hypolite, Program Director for The Children’s Center. Detailed and important information about wages
was presented by Ana Arrendondo from the US Department of Labor. There were also presentations by
Galveston City Councilmember Cornelia Banks on voter registration, Maria Luisa Mercado on obtaining free legal
services at Lone Star Legal Aid, and Ashley Hernandez on the research activities of the Restaurant Opportunities
Center. The audience was provided a copy of the GCI Employment Survey that will gather information that will be
reviewed to determine the best employer in Galveston and be posted at the GCI website on Labor Day. At the end
of the conference everyone was polled as to what they would like to have presented at the next public meeting
hosted by the Living Wage Study Group. The conference at Live Oak Baptist was supported by Gulf Coast
Interfaith, NAACP Galveston Unit 6180, The Children’s Center Inc. Outreach & Assistance Program, LULAC
Galveston Council 151, Galveston County Coalition for Justice, Galveston Northside Task Force, and Gulf Coast
Homeless Coalition.
4 The membership of the coalition known as the Galveston County Collaborating Organizations varies depending on the issue.
Generally the CO is comprised of: NAACP Galveston Unit 6180, LULAC Galveston Council 151, Galveston County
Coalition for Justice, Galveston Northside Task Force, Gulf Coast Interfaith, Barbour’s Chapel Community Development
Corporation, NAACP Mainland Branch Unit 6201, NAACP Dickinson/Bay Area Branch Unit 6280, LULAC Texas City
Council 255, and Gulf Coast Homeless Coalition. 5 http://www.gulfcoastinterfaith.org/news/employment_news
GCI Annual Summary Report 2013
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A Living Wage Study Group meeting was held on October 19th at St. Patrick Catholic Church and November 21st at Live Oak Baptist Church. The meeting at Live Oak was attended by Lloyd Criss, Chairman of Galveston County Democratic Party and Democratic Party Congressional candidate Buck Willis who made increasing the minimum wage one of his campaign issues for the March primary. A “house meeting” was held on November 17th at St. Patrick Catholic Church’s auditorium for Spanish speaking parishioners. It was attended by ten members of the Study Group and a small group of parishioners who told stories about working for wages in Galveston off the clock, no benefits, and no overtime. Plans for a second meeting of Spanish speaking parishioners as well as house meetings at Moody Methodist Church and Shiloh AME and other churches were discussed. After exchanging several phone calls with Service Employees International Union (SEIU) organizer Steve Stokes and his later attendance at two monthly meetings in Galveston, Steve McIntyre met with SEIU staff on December 18 th in their Houston office to discuss the conditions of low wage workers in Galveston and what must be done in 2014.
Sec. 3 On Feb.14th the Galveston city council approved a resolution adopting a Sec. 3 program modeled after the strong program adopted in the Rio Grande Valley after a complaint had been filed by Valley community groups and Texas Appleseed and Texas Low Income Housing and Information Service (TLIHIS) aka Austin Housing Advocates. Galveston’s Sec. 3 program will be administered by URS for the Round 2 housing recovery and by city staff for its annual CDBG and other housing programs. The Collaborating Organizations have repeatedly stressed to public officials their desire to have a “robust” Sec. 3 program in Galveston.
GCI Annual Summary Report 2013
Page Three
The monthly meeting of the Living Wage Study Group held at Live Oak Baptist Church on Nov. 21st was attended by community leaders such as- David Miller (NAACP), Frank Benavidez (LULAC), Father Maynard Tetreault (Holy Family Parish), Joe Compian and Steve McIntyre (GCI), Andrea Hypolite (Gulf Coast Homeless Coalition), Lloyd Criss (Chairman Galveston County Democratic Party), Buck Willis (Congressional candidate), Leon Phillips (Galveston County Coalition for Justice), and Richard Batie (Dist. 2 City Council candidate).
6
DEMOCRACY
Open Meetings at Galveston City Council and Housing Authority
GCI and Collaborating Organizations (CO) attended the Galveston city council meeting on January 29th that was almost exclusively a one hour executive session. At the conclusion of the executive session the mayor announced no action had been taken because no reply had been received from the GLO concerning the amended letter sent to GLO on January 24th. The lengthy executive session resulting in nothing prompted an editorial by the Daily News about open meetings. GCI scheduled a meeting with Daily News Editor Heber Taylor. GCI leaders Joe Compian, Barbara Crews and Steve McIntyre had a long visit with Heber Taylor on January 31st to discuss public meeting issues. During the meeting Joe Compian reminded Taylor of GCI's deep concern about GHA's recently imposed restricted access to the Island Community Center. On February 2nd Taylor ran an editorial questioning the ID requirement by GHA prior to being able to enter the building to attend a public GHA meeting or the federal health clinic. The picture accompanying the editorial was forwarded to Taylor by Joe Compian after the January 28th GHA meeting. The sign-in process requiring a signature and ID was totally eliminated a few days later and replaced by a security guard sitting in the front hallway. GCI leaders Crews and McIntyre drafted a letter to the editor on January 31st that was signed by former Galveston mayors Jaworski, Thomas, Crews and Coggeshall. The letter appeared in the Daily News on February 3rd and called for the City Council to make a better effort to conduct its business in public rather that in executive session.
Galveston City Council
The most precious right we have as a citizen of the United States is our right to vote. On Thursday, July 11, 2013, some members of the Galveston city council including the mayor seemed to suggest they were willing to diminish that sacred right by rushing, if possible, to take advantage of the recent 5-4 Supreme Court decision in Shelby County, Alabama v. Holder that gutted the preclearance requirement of the Voting Rights Act. Some council members appeared to savor the possibility of changing the current 6-1 district election system to a 4-2-1 election system with two at-large districts despite the apparent and understandable caution of their attorney. This caution was understandable since the 4-2-1 plan was rejected three previous times as discriminatory when it was submitted for preclearance to the Department of Justice under President Clinton, President Bush and President Obama and the city’s election attorney had previously admitted adopting a 4-2-1 plan would reduce the number of minority districts at the same time the number of minorities in Galveston was growing. It was unclear from the council discussion whether the City of Galveston would be attempting another charter amendment election or some other action in May or November, 2014 before the Voting Rights Act is amended. In nearby Pasadena similar action to change some of the districts to at-large positions, apparently in an attempt to maintain Anglo power in a city growing increasingly Latino, had caused outrage in the minority community. Since the future of the voting rights of minority citizens in Galveston appeared to once again be threatened but it was unclear how and when the City of Galveston intended to proceed, the Collaborating Organizations decided to voice its opposition and sent a letter to the Galveston City Attorney on August 22nd asking seven questions for clarification of the intent of the current city council and posted the letter at the GCI website.6
http://gulfcoastinterfaith.org/yahoo_site_admin/assets/docs/CO_objection_to_changing_COG_to_421_election_system_42213.23
573343.pdf
http://gulfcoastinterfaith.org/yahoo_site_admin/assets/docs/JP-
Supreme_Court_decision_prompts_Houston_area_redistricting_fights_-_Houston_Chronicle_82313_1.23574652.pdf .
GCI Annual Summary Report 2013
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7
LULAC and NAACP Forum Steve McIntyre made a presentation at the July 19th LULAC and NAACP Forum concerning the Status of Galveston 5 years after Hurricane Ike. He discussed the Voting Rights Act and the past and present voting rights work of the Collaborating Organizations in Galveston County since Hurricane Ike. The past work included challenging Galveston’s 4-2-1 plan and supporting the adoption of Map R2 for the 2012 election. The past work also included objecting to the redistricting plan of Galveston County for Constables and JPs and for the Commissioners Court. The present work included opposition to Galveston’s renewed desire to revise the charter to adopt a 4-2-1 election plan. After the Forum a small group gathered to discuss their concerns about the new Voter ID law being used in the upcoming GISD election, voting rights of the 569 displaced GHA residents, and GOTV.
Galveston County redistricting of JP Courts and Constables The Collaborating Organizations proposed a settlement process for the redistricting of the Constables and JPs in a March 12, 2012 letter to the Galveston County Commissioners Court.7 The CO letter was ignored. Galveston County posted a notice late on Friday, August 16, 2012 that there would be a public meeting on Monday morning August 19th at 10:00 concerning the JPs. The public meeting had little participation and there was a 4-1 vote to change the system. A law suit was filed a few days later challenging the actions of Galveston County. The CO forwarded a copy of their proposed settlement to the Houston Chronicle and Galveston County Daily News on September 7, 2013 and on September 12th the Houston Chronicle wrote a scathing editorial about the way Galveston County was handling the changes in the JP Courts.5 The case was scheduled for trial on January 14, 2014.
LATINO COMMUNITY OUTREACH Citizenship The six week classes and graduation events were relocated to a GISD facility in 2012 through the efforts of Joe Compian and Steve McIntyre working with Mayor Joe Jaworski and GISD Superintendent Larry Nichols. GCI leaders Joe Compian, Steve McIntyre and Maria Luisa Mercado attended and participated as speakers and celebrants at some of the SER/HACER citizenship graduation ceremonies in 2013.
Diez y Seis de Septiembre Celebracion Group The Diez y Seis Group was founded around the dinner table in the home of GCI leaders Steve McIntyre and Maria Mercado on September 15, 2012. GCI leaders Joe Compian, Steve McIntyre and Maria Luisa Mercado met with LULAC leaders that day to establish a Diez y Seis celebration in Galveston. Mercado, Compian, and McIntyre met with other community activists on January 10, 2013 at the Children’s Center to discuss the creation of a Diez y Seis de Septiembre Celebracion in 2013. Compian met with LULAC on March 5th and was informed by Miguel Aleman that the Parks Board might provide seed money for a Hispanic Festival/Fiesta Patrias. Aleman is a Parks Board commissioner and the former LULAC council president. The Diez y Seis meetings continued through 2013 but the celebration was postponed until 2014.
http://gulfcoastinterfaith.org/yahoo_site_admin/assets/docs/Collaborating_Organizations_proposed_settlement_of_of_objectio
ns_to_JP_and_constable_redistricting_31212.208171332.pdf 8 http://www.gulfcoastinterfaith.org/yahoo_site_admin/assets/docs/JP-Trashing_justice_in_Galveston_County_-
_Houston_Chronicle_91213.292183015.pdf
GCI Annual Summary Report 2013
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GCI Annual Summary Report 2013
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HEALTH CARE UTMB GCI and Free Care Monitoring Project requested a meeting with Ben Raimer9 on February 1, 2013. The meeting was finally scheduled for March 8th and GCI and Free Care Monitoring Project met with Beverly Dowling,10 Charles Worthen,11 and Cissy Yoes12 from UTMB to discuss Charity Care. The meeting was not productive without Raimer and UTMB’s failure to produce requested documents. Shortly thereafter articles by Harvey Rice appeared in the Houston Chronicle on March 23rd and April 1 about access to health care at UTMB by the poor.13 No additional meetings with UTMB have been scheduled.
Galveston County Indigent Health Care The Galveston County Commissioners Court held a health care workshop on March 19th where County Indigent Health Care, Charity Care, UTMB, 1115 waiver, Medicaid and related health matters were discussed and considered. During the course of the workshop Dr. Mark Guidry, director of the Galveston County Health District, mentioned that a concern had been raised by Gulf Coast Interfaith about the 6 month residency requirement that is used when GCHD administers and processes the Indigent Health Care applications for Galveston County. Dr. Guidry questioned GCI leader Steve McIntyre who was in attendance and in the audience. McIntyre repeated his position that durational residence requirements were declared unconstitutional 3-4 decades ago by the Supreme Court and that Galveston should stop illegally denying health care. After the meeting Dr. Guidry reaffirmed his desire to work with GCI to resolve the problem. GCI leader Joe Compian testified at the Galveston County Commissioners Court on June 25th concerning an agenda item to reduce the eligibility level for County Indigent Health Care to 21%. Compian also suggested considering innovative new ideas for the provision of health care that might be available in Obamacare. The Commissioners voted to lower the level to 35% and directed Connie Nicholson, Director of Community Services, to meet with GCI to review innovative ways to provide services. Compian wrote a guest column on June 27th in the Galveston County Daily News that questioned the plans of the Galveston County Commissioners Court to reduce the qualifications from 100% of poverty to 35%.14 McIntyre and Compian met with Nicholson on July 30th at the GCI office to discuss indigent health care and the privatization of social services by Galveston County. Nicholson informed McIntyre that he had been recommended to serve on the Galveston County Review Committee for the Financial Assistance RFP that will make recommendations to the Galveston County Commissioners Court concerning the privatization of county welfare. The first meeting was on September 24th at the Galveston County Courthouse.
9 Senior Vice President, Health Policy & Legislative Affairs, UTMB
10 Assistant Vice President, Community Health Network, UTMB
11 Director, County Relations, Health Policy & Legislative Affairs, UTMB
12 Director, Health Policy & Legislative Affairs, UTMB
13 http://www.gulfcoastinterfaith.org/yahoo_site_admin/assets/docs/NEWS-UTMB_charity_policy_talks_break_down_-
_Houston_Chronicle_32313.116151754.pdf
http://www.gulfcoastinterfaith.org/yahoo_site_admin/assets/docs/State_takes_charity_care_money_from_UTMB_-
_Houston_Chronicle_Harvey_Rice_1_April_2013.202113318.pdf
http://www.gulfcoastinterfaith.org/yahoo_site_admin/assets/docs/County_sets_a_low_threshold_for_help_with_indigent_care
_GDN_Joe_Compian_27_June_2013.187192620.pdf
On October 4th Joe Compian and Steve McIntyre met with Commissioner Ryan Dennard and Connie Nicholson in the Galveston County Health District Board Room in Texas City to discuss the provision of Indigent Health Care and Social Services by Galveston County. McIntyre was appointed to represent the public on the Galveston County Review Committee for the Financial Assistance RFP that was required to make recommendations to the Galveston County Commissioners Court concerning the privatization of county welfare. The first meeting on September 24th was followed by meetings on October 2nd and 17th at the Galveston County Courthouse. On November 17th the Houston Chronicle reported that the Galveston County Commissioners Court unanimously approved contracts the previous week to four social service agencies that resulted in an increase of $25,000 in services to the poor. Interfaith Caring Ministries in League City received $33,000 for the northern part of Galveston County; $49,500 was awarded to M.I. Lewis Social Services in Dickinson for mid-county; the Salvation Army in Texas City received $55,000 for south Galveston County; and St. Vincent’s House in Galveston received $22,000 for the island. There was $5,500 set aside for administration.15
Galveston County Emergency Response Collaborative
McIntyre attended the Galveston County Emergency Response Collaborative on September 6th at the San Luis where government, private, and non-profits gather to discuss disaster issues. A presentation about water borne diseases and the upcoming flu season in Galveston and Texas was discussed.
DISASTER RECOVERY AND FAIR & AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Round 2 in Galveston
GCI leaders Compian and McIntyre met with Kevin Hamby (URS) and Kenna Bush (United Way director) on December 17, 2012 to discuss ways of helping the outreach for Round 2 be successful. On January 30th, February 20th and March 27th GCI and CO members attended the morning City of Galveston Needs Assessment Committee meetings administered by URS. GCI and CO leaders and members also attended the February 20th public hearing at the Galveston County Court House where URS notified the public of the proposed outreach effort in Galveston and a later March 27th public hearing at the Island Community Center. During the morning Needs Assessment committee meetings it was repeatedly stressed there will be a need to overcome the negative effects from the problems in Round 1. It was suggested that local residents be hired and that waivers and alternative solutions be developed to address problems such as: rental and storage, warranty enforcement, taxes, insurances, and applicant rollover from Round 1.
Galveston Ike Round 2 Needs Assessment At the City of Galveston R2 Needs Assessment meeting conducted by URS on March 27th GCI leaders McIntyre and Compian raised a concern about poor families facing condemnation and demolition by the City of Galveston simply selling out and moving out of desperation just as the R2 process targeting LMI families was about to start in a few months. It was suggested by McIntyre that a moratorium was needed to stop the city from any further residential condemnation/demolition efforts until the completion of the R2 Outreach. The consensus seemed to be that GCI should make an effort to pursue a moratorium from Galveston.
15 http://gulfcoastinterfaith.org/yahoo_site_admin/assets/docs/New_twist_on_Galveston_County_emergency_aid_-
_Houston_Chronicle_Nov_17_2013.116141123.pdf
GCI Annual Summary Report 2013
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GCI Annual Summary Report 2013
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Galveston County Ike Round 2 Needs Assessment
At the City of Galveston R2 Needs Assessment meeting on March 27th GCI leaders McIntyre and Compian complained about the Galveston County “demand” letters that were being sent to R1 homeowners warning them about the need to purchase insurance during the second year or face losing their homes. The Galveston County “demand” letters were misleading and terrifying elderly poor families. GLO staff person Joe Anguiano promised to review the language in the Galveston County letter. At the April 9th Galveston Needs Assessment committee meeting he reported that the letter had been softened and changed to address the problems.
City of Galveston annual GDBG public hearing GCI leader Steve McIntyre testified at Galveston’s CDBG public hearing on March 26th requesting the city consider using a portion of the annual $1.5 million for a fund to assist low income home owners with rent and storage fees during the upcoming Round 2 rebuilding. It would be similar to the fund established by the city during Round 1.
Northside redevelopment GCI and CO and Friends met on January 3rd at Moody Mansion to plan a January strategy for the redevelopment of the Northside of Broadway in Galveston.16 GCI leaders Compian, Murrell, McGaskey, and McIntyre attended a January 17th meeting at Galveston City Hall to discuss the proposed Land Development Rules (LDR) with the Planning Director. The meeting was also attended by members of the Collaborating Organizations: David Miller (NAACP), Leon Phillips (Galveston County Coalition for Justice), Lillian McGrew (Northside Taskforce), Eva Martinez (LULAC) and others. The CO stressed its concern about the proposed boundary lines for urban neighborhoods on the Northside of Broadway and the restrictions on rebuilding after six months. On January 21st GCI and the CO sent a third letter to GLO that repeated the request that the CO be designated as the Advisory Committee to GLO for the redevelopment of the Northside community, and also pointed out a concern that the new LDR of the City of Galveston will devastate the redevelopment of the historic Northside as a residential neighborhood. The letter also included copies of proposed plans for the Northside and community around Magnolia Homes.
$500,000 HUD planning grant GCI and CO members met with John Henneberger (TLIHIS) and Maddie Sloan (Texas Appleseed) and their staff on January 29th at the Childrens Center to discuss the status of the struggle between the City of Galveston and GLO over the $500,000 planning grant from HUD. On January 30th GCI and CO members attended the morning City of Galveston Needs Assessment Committee meeting administered by URS. Before the meeting at Moody Mansion ended GCI and CO along with Texas Appleseed and TLIHIS left to attend an afternoon meeting at City Hall with the Galveston city manager and attorney to discuss the $500,000 HUD planning grant and the upcoming new LDR for Galveston. During the meeting there were negotiations concerning allowing several significant infrastructure projects to proceed before the completion of
16 The “Friends” include three former Galveston mayors Joe Jaworski, Lyda Ann Thomas and Barbara Crews (GCI leader) and
three former GHA Chairpersons Betty Massey, Paula Neff and Art Mabasa, and the co-chairs of the Galveston Recovery
Committee, Chula Sanchez and Laura Murrell.
the study. In order to do so, it was suggested by the Austin and Galveston Housing Advocates17 that : 1) the problem with the lack of a Sec. 3 program must end, 2) removal of all the water tanks on 31st Street to 59th Street, 3) redrawing the “urban neighborhood” zoning lines to run from Broadway to Church, and 25th to 46th Streets, 4)participation in the decision making on any non-housing infrastructure, 5) focus on funding to address flooding on the Northside, and 6) moratorium on any further metal buildings or other buildings being built on the Northside until the LDR is adopted. The city agreed to redraw the urban neighborhood lines and a moratorium on building until the LDR was completed.
Round 2 in Galveston County
GCI and CO members participated in a private meeting with Horne on February 26th concerning Galveston County’s Round 2 housing program. During the private meeting there was advocacy about the need for waivers to assist and broaden access to recovery assistance for the LMI community. A letter requesting four waivers was drafted and circulated among some members of the CO on March 3rd. Prior to sending the letter to GLO Compian and McIntyre were informally advised by Kevin Hamby that a waiver had been secured to expand the size of the Freddiesville outreach zone to include several streets across Hwy 6. Hamby also advised that another waiver had been granted to create flexibility in the designated areas for targeted service so that small neighborhoods not eligible for participation in Round 2 might receive assistance by setting aside 10% of the funds for targeted discretionary service which would allow service to the Latino and Vietnamese communities in San Leon and other small neighborhoods.
Waivers and discretionary action
The Galveston County Collaborating Organizations approved six letters that were sent on May 6 th to different entities controlling the recovery of Galveston and Galveston County. GLO-requested 4 waivers for the Galveston County recovery:1)expand the outreach in Freddiesville from the northeast side of Hwy. to 6 to include several blocks on the southwest side of Hwy. 6; 2) set aside 10% of the funds to provide service to underserved communities such as the Latino and Vietnamese community in San Leon; 3) roll over eligible Round 1 families even though they do not now reside in the targeted Round 2 areas; and 4)set aside a temporary relocation fund capped at $3000 for families seeking shelter and storage assistance during the 45-90 days while their home is actually being built. URS-requested the contractor handling the City of Galveston in Round 2 to create a temporary relocation fund capped at $3000 for families seeking shelter and storage assistance during the 45-90 days while their home is actually being built. Galveston Planning Commission-requested the Planning Commission delay the construction of any further metal buildings on the Northside until after the LDR were adopted by the city council and rezone the Northside community to be strictly urban neighborhood rather than a combination that includes light industrial areas. GLO-requested that the Collaborating Organizations have a seat at the table concerning the recovery of the Northside community.
17 The Austin Housing Advocates are Texas Appleseed and Texas Low Income Housing and Information Services and the Galveston
Housing Advocates usually refers to: NAACP Galveston Unit 6180, LULAC Galveston Council 151, Galveston County Coalition
for Justice, Galveston Northside Task Force, and Gulf Coast Interfaith. Lone Star Legal Aid has also participated in some housing
advocacy because it filed and obtained the Settlement Agreement with GHA in March, 2009 obligating GHA to rebuild the 569
housing units.
GCI Annual Summary Report 2013
Page Nine
Galveston City Manager-requested consideration of a moratorium of condemnation and demolition to ensure that LMI families not be excluded from participating in Round 2. Galveston Grants & Housing Department-requested creation of temporary relocation fund out Galveston’s annual CDBG award that would be capped at $3000 for families seeking shelter and storage assistance during the 45-90 days while their home is actually being built in Round 2. On May 20th the Collaborating Organizations met with Texas Appleseed and Texas Low Income Housing Information Services at the GCI office to discuss shared concerns about the successful recovery of Galveston. On May 25 th the CO sent a letter to Galveston City Manager Kovacs, Galveston Grants and Housing Department Director Patrick and Galveston City Attorney Palumbo requesting information about Galveston’s good faith effort to resolve six items that were discussed on January 30th as well as four additional matters.18 On June 4th Galveston City Manager Kovacs responded in writing to the 10 outstanding matters and requested a meeting with the Collaborating Organizations.
Texas General Land Office The Collaborating Organizations met with Galveston City Manager Kovacs at the GCI office on July 2nd and July 8, 2013 as a follow-up to the CO’s May 25th letter cancelling the scheduled meeting concerning ten items affecting the Northside Community. After the two days of meetings the CO decided to support limited release of CDBG funds by GLO and sent a letter to GLO on July 8th supporting the release of $40M in infrastructure funds19. At the request of Mayor Rosen the CO met with Mayor Rosen in GCI’s office on July 9th in a meeting where he also included City Attorney Palumbo and Councilmember Banks. After a lengthy discussion the CO advised him the letter of support had already been forwarded to the GLO. Two weeks later, Galveston City Councilmember Norman Pappous wrote an angry guest column in the Galveston County Daily News on July 25th that concluded by stating-
It appears to this councilman that the GLO has covertly transferred the governance of Galveston’s recovery from Galveston’s duly elected and appointed officials to a group of local advocates whose legal authority is, at best, unclear.
Heber Taylor, editor of the Daily News responded to Mr. Pappous on August 2nd in an editorial that said in part-20
Rumors have been floating around Galveston that local groups that have advocated to rebuild public housing have used their influence to tie good-hearted city officials in knots. Actually, the fact that the Texas General Land Office promised to release some of the federal disaster recovery money that it had put on hold argues against that view. The promised release of the money is evidence that the advocates have been using their influence to help the city, not hurt it. The advocates wrote a letter to the General Land Office arguing for the limited release of some funds earmarked for infrastructure. The letter was signed by representatives of the NAACP, the Galveston County Coalition for Justice, the League of United Latin American Citizens, the Galveston Northside Taskforce and Gulf Coast Interfaith.
18 http://gulfcoastinterfaith.org/yahoo_site_admin/assets/docs/Collaborating_Orgnaization_letter_to_Galveston_re-
negotiations_52513.20681423.pdf
19 http://gulfcoastinterfaith.org/yahoo_site_admin/assets/docs/Collaborating_Organizations_letter_to_GLO_re-
CDBG_infrastructure_funds_release_7813.20681322.pdf
20 http://gulfcoastinterfaith.org/yahoo_site_admin/assets/docs/Local_advocates_aren%E2%80%99t_the_problem_on_isle_-
_The_Galveston_County_Daily_News___Editorials_8213.213182543.pdf
GCI Annual Summary Report 2013
Page Ten
The local advocates aren’t the problem. … The advocates have been the grownups in this case. Tired that nothing was getting done for the people who really need help in recovering from Hurricane Ike, they were willing as a sign of good faith, to ask for the state to release some money so the city could get on with some its infrastructure projects. State officials considered the level of trust the city deserved and said: Nah, they deserve about half that. The local advocates are the least of the city’s problems.
The following week the CO met with Galveston City Manager Kovacs on August 2nd to obtain further clarification about the rebuilding of Galveston’s infrastructure and concerns about the Northside. Another meeting was scheduled on August 8th to discuss another rumored termination of Kovacs by some members of the city council.
Taxes
GCI made arrangements for two residents of Galveston to travel to Austin on April 18th to testify before the House Ways & Means committee concerning HB835 (SB 835 in Senate), sponsored by Galveston’s Rep. Craig Eiland, which would limit tax increases to 10% each year after a disaster for homes repaired or rebuilt with government disaster funds. A support letter addressed to Gov. Perry was prepared by GCI leader Steve McIntyre and was signed by all former mayors of Galveston. It was then presented at the City Council meeting on June 13th by GCI leader Joe Compian with a request that Mayor Rosen join the other mayors and then immediately forward it to Governor Perry. The Galveston City Council raised no objection and Mayor Rosen sent a letter to Governor Perry supporting SB 835. Governor Perry did not veto SB 835 and it became law.
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GCI hosted a number of closed-door meetings on April 15th and 16th at the GCI office in an attempt to resolve the impasse created by the Galveston City Council and Galveston Housing Authority. Galveston council members and staff and GLO representatives were in and out of the GCI office over two days. The Collaborating Organizations presented powerful testimony on April 17th at the city council meeting and the Galveston City Council voted 5-2 to reverse itself and eliminate the contingency language attached to the resolution approving the GHA plan on February 28th. Later in the council meeting Mayor Rosen requested GHA to hold a special meeting as soon as possible to reconsider its refusal to sign the contract proposed by GLO. GHA scheduled a special meeting on April 23rd and voted 4-1 to agree to sign the GLO contract.
GOGP v. HUD, #3:13-cv-00439 (S.D. Texas filed 12/3/13) The Galveston Open Government Project and several individuals filed a federal lawsuit on December 13th seeking an injunction against the building of public housing in Galveston. The law suit named Galveston, Galveston Housing Authority, HUD, Texas General Land Office, TDHCA, State of Texas, and various public officials as defendants. The Collaborating Organizations discussed possible responses to the law suit and it was agreed that a letter should be sent by the CO to all defendants advising them they should proceed with their duties since no TRO had been requested and no hearings were scheduled. McIntyre drafted the letter that was sent to all the defendants on December 12th.
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Future disaster housing recovery GCI along with H-GAC, Houston Endowment, Texas Low Income Housing and Information Service, Texas Organizing Project, Texas Southern University, Center for Sustainable Development, and others hosted a forum at H-GAC on May 13th to discuss a large scale Rapid Housing Recovery Housing Program for survivors of federally declared natural disasters. The program is funded through the terms of the Conciliation Agreement that was the result of a discrimination complaint filed by Texas Appleseed and TLIHIS with HUD against the State of Texas after Hurricane Ike and Hurricane Dolly in 2008.
FEMA On July 24th Joe Compian and Steve McIntyre from GCI and Leon Phillips and Michael Jackson from St. Vincent’s House were interviewed by researchers from University of Houston-Clearlake working under a FEMA grant to determine why faith-based organizations were better able to act after a disaster to provide services.
GHA’s Human Capital Plan In a meeting of the Galveston United Way board of directors at the Rosenberg Library on July 23rd, Joe Compian presented a plan for local agencies to provide services and United Way provide the management of those services in response to an RFP posted by the Galveston Housing Authority. GHA was seeking to fulfill its desire to provide social services to the 569 returning residents and future residents of the mixed income housing and scattered site public housing units. The submission was to be made by United Way to GHA on August 9th. However, an emergency meeting was posted by GHA for August 8th that was attended by the Collaborating Organizations. During the emergency meeting Vice Chair Tony Brown declared a suspension of the RFP process because of undisclosed allegations by unnamed persons of undescribed acts of nonspecific wrongdoing that would be turned over to unidentified authorities. A press release by United Way after the odd GHA meeting requested that all matters concerning an investigation be turned over to the HUD Inspector General and that all decisions about the RFP be forwarded to HUD or GLO. An investigator with the HUD Inspector General office voluntarily appeared on her own at an August 27th GHA meeting and advised those in attendance that no complaint had ever been forwarded to her office by GHA and that she only knew what had been published in the newspaper. On September 3rd GHA notified the public that it was once again accepting RFPs for the Human Capital Plan by October 4th. United Way presented its proposal to GHA on October 30th and on November 4th GHA decided to fund the United Way proposal after a contract was negotiated.
Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs GCI leaders Joe Compian and Steve McIntyre traveled to Austin on August 12th to testify at the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) hearing on awarding Low Income Tax Credits (LITC) to McCormack Baron Salazar (MBS) for the construction of the Cedar Terrace mixed income units. Another hearing was scheduled on October 10th when more public testimony was received and TDHCA would vote on the LITC. Compian and McIntyre returned to Austin on October 10th to testify again at the TDHCA hearing on awarding Low Income Tax Credits (LITC) to MBS for the construction of the Cedar Terrace mixed income units. Prior to the hearing Compian and McIntyre drafted letters for City Manager Kovacs and Rep. Craig Eiland to sign in support of the tax credit award. The LITC was passed subject to MBS securing information about power lines and AFFH. McIntyre later assisted MBS in making arrangements with CenterPoint Energy concerning the power lines.
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HUD GCI joined with other members of the CO to submit a public comment to HUD’s proposed AFFH rule on September 17th.
Hurricane Sandy On October 29, 2013 Anna E. Fogel, Jonathan Hayes, and Tiana N. Thomas interviewed GCI leaders Joe Compian, Steve McIntyre, Laura Murrell and Maria Luisa Mercado. The three are graduate students at the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton University and are working with the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency to develop recommendations for allocating funds received after Hurricane Sandy. In particular, they are focused on the allocation of CDBG-DR funding for affordable multifamily rental housing and special needs housing. As part of their work, they are traveling to other parts of the U.S. that have received disaster relief funding to gather information on lessons learned and best practices that can be applied to the New Jersey context. They traveled to Galveston, Houston and Austin to speak with different individuals and organizations.
Flood Insurance Galveston City Councilmember Terrilyn Tarlton attended the October 18th meeting of the Collaborating Organizations and presented information about flood insurance and its effect on the Northside of Galveston and Round 1 and 2 housing recovery in Galveston.
Galveston March GCI leader Steve McIntyre and NAACP president David Miller acted as team leaders in the organizing effort to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Great March on Washington on August 28, 1963.21 The Galveston effort started on August 12th when John Henneberger, co-director of the Texas Low Income Housing and Information Services, suggested a Galveston celebration seemed appropriate. The Galveston event was held 17 days later on August 29th.
21 It was officially titled “The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.”
The celebration started at 5:30 pm at Ashton Villa where, on June 19, 1865, Union General Gordon Granger and 2,000 federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to take possession of Texas and enforce the emancipation of its slaves after Granger read the contents of General Order No. 3. After a prayer and a speech a large group led by Spurgon Wynn, member of the Galveston sit-in at McCrorys and Star Drug Store on April 5, 1960, marched from Ashton Villa to Ave L. Missionary Baptist Church, the oldest African-American church in Texas.22
After a prayer and singing of the “Battle Hymn of the Republic” a proclamation drafted by Steve McIntyre and adopted by the City of Galveston was read by Galveston Councilmember Cornelia Harris-Banks.23 The proclamation stated, in part- WHEREAS, community members will be invited to participate and march and speak about civil rights, rebuilding housing, voting rights, access to health care, employment, the history and significance of Dr. King's speech then, now and in the future, as well as struggle, forgiveness, and non-violence; and
WHEREAS, Galveston's civil rights, faith-based and minority community organizations, joined by people of all races and ethnicities and backed by the federal and state government have demanded for five years the rebuilding of all the homes that were destroyed by Hurricane Ike; and
WHEREAS, all members of the Galveston City Council support the Fair Housing Laws of Texas and the United States and the obligation of the City of Galveston to affirmatively further fair housing, and the City Council now supports the rebuilding of mixed income and scattered site housing as set forth in the September 28, 2012 plan submitted to the Texas General Land Office; and
WHEREAS, the work to rebuild Galveston for all our people, regardless of their race, national origin or income is a continuation of the struggle for Freedom and Civil Rights, and that Galveston’s commitment to “The Dream” is to rebuild for all; and
WHEREAS, Thursday, August 29, 2013, at 5:30 p.m. is a time for us to gather near Ashton Villa and honor the brave men and women who marched and still march for Civil Rights;
22 http://gulfcoastinterfaith.org/events
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22 http://gulfcoastinterfaith.org/events 23 http://www.gulfcoastinterfaith.org/events/50th_anniversary_march_on_washington
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After the proclamation was read there were two hours of speeches and songs and prayers by-Rev. E.R. Johnson, David Mitchell, Diane Moore, Rev. Walter Jones, Cornelia Harris-Banks, Terrilyn Tarlton, Rev. Kevin L. Hodge, Michael Jackson, Rabbi Jimmy Kessler, Dr. Ahmed Ahmed, Father Maynard Tetreault, Lynn Ellison, Miguel Aleman, and David Miller. The Galveston march and celebration was supported by many organizations and individuals including: NAACP Galveston Unit 6180, LULAC Galveston Council 151, Galveston County Coalition for Justice, Northside Task Force, Gulf Coast Interfaith, Barbour’s Chapel Community Development Corporation, NAACP Mainland Branch Unit 6201, NAACP Dickinson/Bay Area Branch Unit 6280, LULAC Texas City Council 255, Gulf Coast Homeless Coalition, The Children’s Center, Jesse Tree, National Action Network, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Galveston Gulf Coast Black Nurses Association, Nia Cultural Center, Galveston County Restorative Justice, Holistic CDC, Restaurant Opportunities Center of Houston, Service Employees International Union of Texas, Chris's Platinum Cutz, Wynn Funeral Home, Island Brainworks LLC, Sullivan Land Services, Galveston Chamber of Commerce, Galveston Historical Foundation, Coastal Community Credit Union, Insurance Junction, Barbara Crews, Stephen Holmes, Richard Batie, Raymond Lewis, Rev. Nathaniel Brown, David O’Neal, Sue Johnson, Lillian McGrew, Patricia Toliver, Annie Mae Charles, Rev. Timothy Allen, God’s Kingdom and Restoration Ministries, Gospel Missionary Baptist Church, and Mount Calvary Baptist Church.
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GULF COAST INTERFAITH
c/o St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, 1010 – 35th Street, Galveston, TX 77550 • Phone: 409 939-8017
[email protected] • www.gulfcoastinterfaith.org
