Cosmic Water
Exploring the history, mythology, and future of the sacred land called San Antonio
Cosmic Water
Grassroots Policymaking w/ San Antonio Councilwoman Teri Castillo
Have you ever wondered how the rich tapestry of San Antonio's past shapes its present? This episode, we're joined by San Antonio Councilwoman Teri Castillo, a product of San Antonio’s complex history. She’s here to share her family's unique story, dating back 8 generations. We take a deep-dive into the city’s history and the blending of cultures that make up the Mexican American communities. We also address the urgent issue of affordable housing and share touching narratives highlighting the human impact of public housing demolitions.
As we move forward, the discussion navigates through pressing issues such as school closures and housing affordability. Teri shares her journey in supporting her constituents, especially in the heart of District 5. We delve into the potential of community organizing to shape vital policies. We underline the significance of making your voices heard to ensure the representation of our community’s best interests.
Wrapping up our conversation, we analyze the profound impact of housing issues and the role of community. We dissect how absentee landlords and land speculators can disrupt neighborhoods' property values, affecting unhoused individuals' lives. We reflect on Teri's journey from grassroots organizer to City Council, and how her tireless work led to her success.
The discussion takes a turn towards the housing bond, the power of public comment, and the government funding's role in fostering gentrification. We leave you with a challenge to claim your place in public spaces.
As the cosmos connects the universe, water connects life. At the Cosmic Water Podcast, we're exploring the history, mythology and future of the sacred land known as San Antonio.
Speaker 2:Alright, welcome to Cosmic Water Podcast. I'm Maureen, I'm Angela and today we have Terry Castillo with us, our Councilwoman Castillo. I wanted to start off by talking about. So this podcast is about, like the history of San Antonio, the far history of San Antonio and how it's become what it's become, and one of the conversations that Angela and I seem to keep having is about how like I didn't learn this until college about how Mexican Americans and like Latinos in general all over, are a mixture of indigenous people and colonizers, which seems obvious when you think about it, but a lot of people don't see it that way. Right, and so, with regard to like history and place and land, if you could share with us your family history to this land or wherever they come from.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so thank you all for having me on this podcast. Really exciting to be here. I am a depending on what side of the family we're talking about, right, I have a different history. For example, my dad's side. They fled during the Mexican Revolution and found a home in West Side San Antonio, whereas my mom's side is eighth generation San Antonio resident, going way back, so she has more.
Speaker 3:She calls like Chicano roots, right, but also acknowledging that I didn't know till high school, community college, right, that the state of Texas was at one point Mexico and the whole. You know we didn't cross the border, the border crossed us. And so my family history is my dad's side, my grandmother and my great-grandmother. They were born here in the United States but their parents were the ones that fled during the Mexican Revolution. And my great-grandparents on my mother's side have lived within the same neighborhood where I live till today, which is really nice that my uncles live like two houses away and it's always been like that, like a community where it's theos and theos living right next to each other, and we're very grounded and rooted in that place, which is the inner West Side, like off of Guadalupe and Trinity, and you know it's not unique. Many of my neighbors have the same story and have, you know, the same family members who live right next door.
Speaker 2:Eight generations, that has. How far back is that?
Speaker 3:I don't know off the top of my head, but at San Fernando Cemetery, one which is one of the oldest. Like I, have family there.
Speaker 2:Yeah, where's that?
Speaker 3:one. It's off of Guadalupe, it's near Guadalupe and Veracruz, it's one of, like, our West Side historic cemetery and it's yeah.
Speaker 4:Is it close to the creek? Yep, right, yeah, it's right there.
Speaker 2:Well, I didn't know that, so you have roots in the West Side. When I first met you, what was at one of those Fabiola was putting together those sessions. It was about housing. How long had you been like doing housing? Because I felt so bad. Right, I thought that you worked for Esperanza. I was used to young people, young activists, right, working for an organization, but you were working for your neighbors, like for the community.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and I remember was with the For Everyone Home Initiative and I was recently talking about that, because I we're talking about how do we get more folks to come out, and I was like, well, how I got plugged into some of this work was, you know, there was a housing meeting and they're offering a gift card and I was in college and I needed money and you know there's an incentive. So you know, like the H-E-B gift card that was like I remember that gift card.
Speaker 2:I think I got something special for myself with it.
Speaker 3:Yeah, you know, and it's just, I lived in that community, was a member of the Historic West Side Residence Association, where we did a lot of tenant work and homeowner work as well right For folks being the pressures of cold compliance and connecting them to city resources and found like-minded individuals who were committed to our neighbors in the same way with the Historic West Side, which is also, you know, the Esperanza, are also members because they own property in the area and they are the directors from the neighborhood as well. So like that's how we just got connected and been kind of bound to the same vision and goals, like since.
Speaker 2:It was through that for everyone home meeting.
Speaker 3:I think that's what gave that connected me to other individuals doing similar work in different parts of the city, right, because sometimes when you're in the struggle you think, wow, like it's just our community.
Speaker 3:But no, right, you get connected to the Jessica Corredo's and you know, who was doing similar work in the East Side and has challenged displacement, and then seeing the lens and the work and the work that Fabiola was teasing out right through the community engagement process. And I recently brought up something that I learned from one of the first sessions I attended. We're talking about public housing demolition and the housing crisis that we're experiencing now, and I remember this one individual that Fabiola brought in who was waiting for the bus, I believe, to come into the meeting and he shared how he lived at the San Juan Courts that got demolished and he got relocated to the Victoria Courts or vice versa, and then the Victoria Courts got demolished and now he was at Haven, right? So just seeing the lack of affordable housing and how it's being demolished and it's limited, right, and where else are people going to go if we're not rebuilding that permanently affordable public housing? So I learned a lot from the stories from individuals who participated, as well as how it was facilitated with for everyone home.
Speaker 2:And that was just one story from somebody at the bus stop, right, and that's what frustrates me the most and you know that, like anytime I'm showing up to these city hall meetings and stuff, it's just about like, how are we getting stories and experiences from on the ground, because otherwise you guys are totally out of touch. And it comes down to literally the guy at the bus stop and just asking him his history here in San Antonio regarding housing, and that's like, and that's, there's the information that you need to know like, where do we fix stuff?
Speaker 4:Yeah, well, yeah, just, and I've brought it up before. It just reminds me of how like the displacement is so generational. My mom was displaced from Hemisphere and, yeah, when Victoria Courts was demolished, so many families. I remember asking my aunt like, what would Lovako sound like or look like back in the day in the 60s and 70s? And and the first thing she said was you would see kids. You would see kids playing and you know you would hear kids playing and but yeah, so did you also work for Top? Did you do work with them?
Speaker 3:I was a member, but I was in a worker, okay, okay.
Speaker 2:No, Tyra's like the most grassroots that you can get.
Speaker 4:Yeah, because I did some work during that whole campaign for paid sick leave. Yeah, and it was because they paid well. So, yeah, so we're talking about the gift card and opportunities and stuff like that. But like, of course, like it was easy work for me because you care about the cause and it's easy to communicate with others.
Speaker 3:And what I would add about your point right about, like how there is a disconnect that exists between, like, elected officials and community. I was out block walking on last Friday and one of the community members, like why are you out here if you have, like your staff? Well, because I need to see for myself what's going on on the ground, so I know how to best like debate for our needs. And he's like, hmm, like that's interesting because, like, I like to see for myself where the failed streets and sidewalks are, where there's illegal dumping right, and also to talk to my constituents about what their needs and their priorities are, because it's easy to read theory and stats, but if you don't hear the stories behind it, it's just you need both.
Speaker 2:I always call it grounded knowledge. That's what I've been saying lately. Yes, the stats, the data. It's so frustrating that they always say that you know, I'm still organizing with them Saha tenants or opportunity home tenants, and one of our last meetings there was some really big politician offices represented and it was really frustrating that one of them was like well, like they're hearing all these stories directly from tenants and they're like, well, if we just had some data to bring to this politician then that would make it easier. And like I was like that to me when I hear thought it just means that, like you're not going out on the street, like if you walk into any public housing building and ask two people questions, you'll get a very good idea about what's happening. And so how do we get that?
Speaker 3:And the constituent services stories are like the raw data right and that should be the driving factor in force. Behind policy is the people that you represent and their needs are.
Speaker 2:And so if you, as a politician right or elected representative or government official, what do you prefer being called?
Speaker 3:I don't know, I don't know. I always say elected or representative because I represent my people. I feel like a politician is more like they represent themselves in a way. I know it has that kind of connotation to it.
Speaker 2:That's why I kind of stopped myself. So as elected representative. We live in this representative democracy, right? So, as this representative or any representative, like, yeah, you really don't know how to advocate for your constituents unless you're hearing those stories and that just comes down to like your heart being in it, like when you hear those stories. When I see elected representatives hearing these stories, you can see the like sort of like brightness in their eyes or something I'm sure like like you said with via grande during that Brackenridge. Is that how it felt?
Speaker 4:like yeah, that was really nice to see her speak up about the Brackenridge stuff and and use words like I think she said infuriating or something like yeah, like that, you know. So, yeah, that's my district, district three, yeah, and so yeah, so I was I've never met you, but I was asking around or saying hey, we're gonna have Terry, and everybody's like, oh, I've met her, I met her. So I love how accessible you are. You know, like that's a big deal and people feel like, yeah, we can totally like email her or talk to her. That's really great.
Speaker 4:I wanted to ask from your position, how, because my son's school is being shut down as a ISD, highland Park and so is there still a chance if we I mean so many parents at my school are organizing, getting petitions, going to the meetings, so is there a chance that we can change this at all? Because I just, you know, at that health symposium the theme was like what was it that the city's adopting something about racism being driving factor behind sorts of these sort of things? And so, like, when I was in high school or when I was an elementary, my parents lived in the same house off of Hackberry and Ada. They lived in the same house. Yet I went to Bonham Elementary, I went to Charles C Ball, then I was moved to Jaffet Elementary, I went to Steel Elementary you were naming a lot on the closure list in the schools and so that's my point is like they keep messing with these kids lives.
Speaker 4:Because it really didn't kind of mess up my education having to move, even despite my parents living in the same house the whole entire time I was in GT. It wasn't like you know, I had. I had the brains, I guess, but like behavior wise, I was constantly having to perform or whatever to make new friends and being in a new space and that sort of a thing, yeah, so it just sucks to see it happening again. And then, historically, black elementary schools is that?
Speaker 3:right.
Speaker 4:Like over in the East Side, are being shut down. So how can we I mean just with organizing right- yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 3:Our office is a coalition member of the Schools, our students sister coalition, which is a coalition of students, teachers, parents, the San Antonio Alliance, which represents teachers and staff and personnel, as well as just wide range of community members who organize around 10 different pillars. And because of that work, our office has been present in conversations with the superintendents and, of course, with the coalition members leading up to this process and what we've all agree is that this is just moving far too fast and ultimately, while city council doesn't have a vote or say, I have a responsibility to ensure that the best interest of my constituency is being represented. And that's why I've gone to school board meetings and have been going to the meetings on the proposed consolidated and supposed to be closed and we've had a ton of walk-ins and calls regarding like hey, why is this happening?
Speaker 3:How do we stop it? It's a done deal and I encourage everyone to attend those school board meetings and those school closure meetings because if we don't speak up, it is a done deal, right. But if we come together, we organize and we raise our concerns. I believe there's possibility to reduce the amount of schools on that list, because it's a ton of schools 19. And, as you alluded to, we mapped it out, our team and the majority of them are in red-lined areas.
Speaker 3:So you're just perpetuating harm and divestment in these communities that historically have just been divested and it's just a vicious cycle and we have a responsibility to say no, right. And then, in my position, supporting my community members who are asking me to go speak at the school board meeting and say this is moving too fast, we need more time and not these schools. So I encourage folks to show up to the meetings. I believe October 16th there's a school board meeting where they're going to discuss the closures and potentially make changes with the recommendations, and I think it's important that community goes and continues to express their concern with schools on the list. And again. It's just a process. In my opinion, that's moved far too quick.
Speaker 4:I really like Highland Park. I really love the staff and the teachers there. My kids are really happy there and you know I've moved them around because education is so important. They did go to steal the Montessori, it just wasn't a good fit. Then they went to the gathering place, which is a great school, but it was just way too far. And then at Highland Park you know they I actually get to know the families from my neighborhood. You know I see them walking and for Halloween they see their classmates during their. When they went to their first Cub Scout meeting they saw people they knew, they saw other kids that they knew. And you can't do that if we're. And then I'm scared to put my kids on a bus, but I mean it's because they hadn't have to do that and up until I guess it'll be in two years when they'll close, supposedly, highland Park. So it's just it's really frustrating but like I'm really hopeful because of how parents have already mobilized so quickly. Right, because it's happened so quickly.
Speaker 3:So it's hopeful. Yeah, and there's a wide range of reasons why the school and schools across the country are arguing for closures. Right is low birth rate, lack of affordable housing, as well as losing kids to charter schools. But I think, when we talk about when it comes to the housing piece right, for example, we have a former mayor on the SCIC school board and a former secretary of HUD pointed to our dilapidated housing within our urban core, to the lack of student enrollment to housing. It's like, hey, you were the mayor for eight years and then you were the secretary of HUD, right. So what went wrong? And how do we get things right? And how do we pull you in on the housing affordability conversation to make sure that we are producing deeply affordable housing, housing that is intended for families, because at the same time, we were incentivizing housing for efficiencies. So where are the families supposed to live if we're only creating one bedroom housing stock?
Speaker 4:And I have to give props to the program, owner-occupied rehab, because my father's house was flipped with that program and so otherwise he would have been in the same situation as a lot of our neighbors where they're elderly now and the major problems with the house foundation, electrical plumbing which especially electrical is so important now that I mean before the house got flipped during the summer it was like winter. We would all just hang out in the one bedroom that had the good air conditioner, you know, and just like chill in there. You got to put foil on your windows, you know, like those sorts of things, just to like stay cool and not be fainting on your couch or whatever. So it would be awesome if programs like that got like a huge amount of money where it's not in a little lottery system Like our people deserve way more than a lottery system. So like I want to advocate for programs like that because there are answers, right, they just need money.
Speaker 3:Yeah, absolutely Right, and we have the infrastructure. We just need to scale it up, because right now it's just like when we look at the ship that I know you helped shape you're overproducing when it comes to market rate and unaffordable housing. It's the lower incomes where we're just not excelling, but we need to accelerate the amount of money that we're putting in those buckets.
Speaker 2:I've actually like. For me it's so hard to even focus on the supply because so much focus already goes on there, and it is important because otherwise they're going to just like keep subsidizing all of these efficiencies and one bedrooms and market rates. Okay, In my neighborhood they just built that 100 labor street subsidized by Saha. One of the units is going for $4,000. Wow, Unlike how, who approved this?
Speaker 2:and I mean nobody no one, and like most of the subsidies are for one bedrooms and yeah, and so, yeah, it's just like the way that I see housing. What it comes down to for me is supply and anti-displacement. And so, since there's already so much focus on supply, to me, I'm just like how do we prevent displacement? Because that part isn't really going to be solved through the supply. It's literally not possible to build enough that is needed, and so how do we just focus, for me, on to keep people where they're at, and that's a hired. What do you think?
Speaker 3:Yeah, I think there's a ton of moving pieces and, to your point, right, for example, we have so many buildings that are sitting vacant because of LLCs, absentee landlords and land speculators, and they're driving up values while also driving them down at the same time for the neighborhoods that they're in causing these issues by allowing the property to deteriorate, only to come in and swoop and put something unaffordable when the market's right for them. So there's just so many moving pieces and what we're finding in our area is that absentee landlords and land speculators are at the root of a ton of issues that we're experiencing. Right, and what's frustrating is we have so many unhoused individuals but so many vacant buildings. So, you know, yeah, okay, build, but also, like, housing exists, but it's being looked at as a commodity, so we're just going to let it sit there till we can capture as much money as we can while folks continue to live on the street, you know, and are on the waiting list.
Speaker 3:That's nearly it's over. What it's increased since the pandemic is my understanding. It's just so many moving pieces, but there's. There's solutions, right, but what it comes down to is just challenging corruption, right, because folks are afraid of specific industries because they donate to campaigns and they wield power, if you allow them to. So it's just also considering those factors and forces to that are at play at the same time.
Speaker 2:Yeah, man, I'm just so glad that I'm City Council, really, and I don't know I'm so proud of you.
Speaker 2:Yeah, because you chose to run during 2020, right, like a really challenging time overall and having no experience as like a politician right yeah, an elected representative, or even like in those offices right, like for you, it was just like going from the neighborhood, literally like with your organizing with your neighbors, into City Hall, right yeah, like that's how you made that. And so I'm curious, like I feel like I could ask a bunch of questions, but I want to ask, like for you, can you think of like, even just like one particular moment where you were like doing the work of your neighbors, like it was all coming together, like everything that you had done just sort of like was coming together and making progress, and like what you envisioned when you first decided to run, which must have been a really difficult decision, right?
Speaker 3:It was in that there were a number of things that led up to that point, but what kind of what was? One of the many driving factors was when we were organizing around the demolition and displacement of Alizan residents and with the Historic West Side Residence Association, folks coming to us and saying I'm about to get evicted or I've been evicted and helped me, right and let the Sanchez was also going door to door and was doing a lot of the case management right, despite her like that, not being her occupation. Again, it was just like because we wanted to take care of each other. And, you know, realizing that, you know these are policy decisions that were happening. It wasn't just because this is just how things are, there's lack of buffers to keep families in their homes.
Speaker 3:And then there was also the piece of it was a strategy to get people out so they could demolish it Because if it's, if there's X amount of vacancies within it, they could knock it down. So, also recognizing that when we were meeting with the David N Steeve Watch out the time and he changed his strategy on how to get people out so went from bogus fines and fees to you know, you're just not paying your rent on time. So when we found how they're trying to get people out and we got them to to make changes to that, they changed their strategy. But ultimately it all came up to communities coming together from all over the city of San Antonio to get him out.
Speaker 2:Yes, I think that's what I'm trying to ask and that makes total sense. Is that for me, whenever I see the communities coming together to make impact like that, it just like makes me glow, like my whole heart. Everything just gets so warm, and so for you will have spent some of those biggest moments besides that, like since then, since, since then, you, since you've been in City Hall.
Speaker 3:Oh yeah. So a number of things, primarily the housing bond. So when there was first conversation about a $250 million housing bond, I was very skeptical. I was like this is going to be a handout for market rate developers and they're just gonna swoop in and capitalize and we're just going to further subsidize that through public dollars, right? So I was so skeptical in that I believe I was only one of the there are two of us that I didn't say anything on the item when it came to the housing bond because I was like this is just like it's not gonna work out, right. And then somehow during conversation it got reduced from $250 to $150.
Speaker 3:And then it went through the committee process and our appointee, kayla she put in language for public housing and she was successful by one vote and keep in mind my predecessor was one of the co-chairs who voted no and was like I don't think it's legal for us to find public housing. And by one vote we secured the deep affordability parameters and we secured language for public housing. But again, it was just organizing and working with the other board members. But also, you know, now folks are like this is a greatest bond. Look at us, we're doing such a great job, but the fact that you know by one vote like it could have been a whole different bond was one of those pieces where I was like let's go like. This is why we're here.
Speaker 2:That's so true. I feel that tension all of the time of not of the frustration and the skepticism, and I'm like what's the point in trying to get into policy? They're just going to do whatever they can to make it benefit you know whoever they want ultimately anyway. But I guess I just need to, like you need to write me a whole book of all of those kinds of successes so that I can constantly remind myself like, yeah, it does matter, because, like the mayor's housing policy task force, it was only because Maria Berio Sabel had put so much language in there about participation, community participatory work. Literally, that word was the only word I could use against. Then Veroso, though, in the city to say you have to go to the people. I'm like, look, it says it in here participatory, you have to go to the people. And so it does make a difference. And sometimes it's hard for me to see that.
Speaker 3:Yeah, right, but like, that's the goal and the point. And I was talking to a friend about, like, what's power? Right, and it's like, is it having X amount of electeds in power that aren't alignment, or is it having organized community? I'm like, well, to me, if I it's one or the other, I would say community, but you need a hybrid right, like you need someone who's going to be on the dice, to be on the side with the, the community. That's also where community is driving what's being said. So I think it's a both but right, you can't do it without community. Like it just again right, if we didn't have community members on the bond, we would have a whole different bond.
Speaker 2:You have to have community to help, and you have to have people like you, even though I'm, like reluctant to say that, and I'm, so you know, grateful that you're there.
Speaker 3:But you do have to have people like you because hierarchy, hierarchy is just inevitable and so we don't have people like you up at the top, then they're just good to do whatever yeah, yeah, it's wild, right, because sometimes we think about how my predecessor is like pro-demolish public housing and how I'm the complete opposite of that and thank goodness. But like how, if, how she was pushing things that way and giving everyone the green light. It's just wild, wild.
Speaker 2:It really is. I am I. I hate those types of people so much when they, when they have that much power and they just continue to do terrible things like that. I'm thinking about some people, but I don't want to put you on the spots, but how do you handle, yeah, how do you handle having to work with people like that?
Speaker 3:so I'll use a more recent example. Right, the scoping development within district 5 that's vacant building, that via bar, I believe in like 20 and I don't remember the exact date, but you know they've been sitting there with this property allowing it to deteriorate. And now they have this vision of 50% market rate and just really expensive housing. A few units, right, that are somewhat affordable, but it's few given the census track that it's in. And all this without community input and engagement. And how is this going to impact the ridership and how does ridership feel about it? And it's just working with community on what's your vision.
Speaker 3:For example, we're part of a coalition as well in regards to housing and they had a lot of questions around SCOBE and VIA had cancelled meetings, wasn't doing any public input regarding this project in particular, so community took it upon themselves to host a community event. Right, scobe for the people. Right, what are the people envisioned here at this project? And you know gathering stories from there and hearing from community there and using that to develop what my goals and expectations are with this project based off of community coming together. Nice, so it's like I've. You know, I've met with my community. I know what they want, what they don't want, and they've even taken upon themselves to organize and to come up with their SCOBE for the people, and it's just ultimately like to your point, right is going back to community.
Speaker 4:Well, I'm just so pleased to hear because that was a big deal like it's not my district or whatever, but I just kept hearing about people organizing and feeling so strongly about it, so it's nice to know there's inside happenings.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and that you get to have those experiences all the time, because that's what like I can't even express. I love seeing community come together and maybe I'm not like involved enough because I've been so like skeptical, you know, I've like kind of I've stepped back from a lot of organizing activism stuff because of all the challenges, and so I'm so glad that you get to have those experiences frequently, yeah and I get it right like it could be.
Speaker 3:It is frustrating when it's just like things happen and it's just like. This is not an alignment with community, this is not an alignment with the goals and the studies that we've commissioned, and we're going in a different direction.
Speaker 2:Then what you said like you guys said, this is what you're going to do, and then they just totally ignore it all.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and I think I went to that symposium that Metro Health had as well and I facilitated a conversation on incarceration and you know it was a packed room and one of the attendees was like, why do we allow this to happen? We know, you know, putting people and locking them up for low-level crimes is only creating more issues in our communities and it doesn't heal anyone, it doesn't put folks down a different path. That just perpetuates the system. And you know she was very passionate in saying like, why and like we hold the power as community members. And someone mentioned, you know, like in different countries, like they've taken it to the streets, but the system still continues in that direction.
Speaker 3:And I had to, you know, raise my hand and be like you know we can't ignore the corruption that exists within governments, right, and that corruption can look like a number of things, but ultimately these folks contribute to campaigns. You know, if you don't do what they say, they're going to contribute to someone else, and I think that's what folks are afraid of. But also, like, as a community, we have to acknowledge like that wields so much power and it shouldn't. And how do we challenge that? Like we call it out in that you know you're saying all this good stuff, like the rhetoric's perfect, but you're voting a different way and it needs to be called out, because that's how you stop it. And I believe Maureen said public shaming gets the goods. Or you just say well, you know, I'm not.
Speaker 2:Probably that sounds like you, that sounds like you me. That's always my like, actually. I've thought that a couple times in my head.
Speaker 2:I'm like what's your solution? But in my head I'm like just call him out, like get rid of him, shame him until they go. Like I mean really like if you're going to do terrible things, that's how I felt about like Saha recently in the past year. I would just show up to every single board meeting and be like, like you guys closed out a daycare center. How did you allow that to happen and how are you allowing the people who did that to keep working for you? If you're really going to like try to work for a community, and I just kept doing that until those people left.
Speaker 2:Like, and now you know, now I feel like okay, like I do, feel like they're listening, and that's the thing I always try to tell people. And I wonder I have this question for you then like how to get community to be able to speak up at like public comment and whatnot, because to me, like it really is powerful. Like people are like, oh, it's only three minutes and they don't even listen. Like I love my three minutes, like that is my three minutes to look the meager in the eye and say whatever I want and he has to listen to me, and it does make a difference, like those. That's why I don't even really do like activism, organizing stuff anymore. I'm like I'll just show up to board meetings or to you know, so it doesn't have to be heard, and just speak my peace and I know that they'll hear it. So how do you think that's helpful, first off, and then how to get more people to see the value in that.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I think public comment is very impactful, right, because to what we're talking about earlier is those constituent services stories is what drives, or should drive, the policy and what we do is depending on, like, I meet with my constituent services team and we discuss trends, right?
Speaker 3:So how many calls are we receiving about illegal dumping, about encampments, about zoning, and then, if there's an item that comes up relating to those issues, we ping them and say, hey, this item's coming up. I know you had some thoughts like we want to invite you to come in, your parking will be validated, and just letting them know what's going through the process. But at the same time, you know the agenda is often posted two days before the meeting and folks have like responsibilities and they can't always make it, but we try our best to let them know, hey, this item's coming up. We can walk you through signing up for public comment and just being a resource and then also letting them know that it is impactful because for our communities we just haven't been listened to and then we haven't been respected. So I understand the erosion and distrust with the political process.
Speaker 2:Particularly on the West side. I remember saying a few years ago, maybe even like six years ago, when I was organizing with Soapworks and I started to see where it came from Portland and saw how gentrification happened there and I was like I can see it as it's about to happen here too. And even then I remember saying to Jessica I was like I feel like it's the West side, I feel like the West side is going to stop it. They just have that I don't know power, right, and there is historically that power there with, like I mean, I guess Emma Teneyuka came from the West side, right, and then there was all of the drainage issues in the 20s, 50s yeah, I don't know, I don't even know countless other stories like amazing people who come out of the West side and change things, and so, yeah, now that you're there and actually gentrification isn't really hitting the West side as hard as it could be right.
Speaker 3:I agree right In that we as a city council, we've shifted the direction where we put our money and what's our priority. I'm grateful that, while we don't always agree, my colleagues, when it comes to housing, we are now set on like those ship goals and how do we meet those needs. But again, elections happen, bodies change and it could easily go another direction quickly. So I think we're doing as best as we can and that's what's helping stay off like vast displacement. But no doubt right, folks with capital are scooping up property, they're land speculating and those interests are there. And now it's a conversation about are we going to use public dollars to incentivize and accelerate? Absolutely not right. Yeah, but again, there's individuals where that's like their jam and that's how they want to do things.
Speaker 2:Yes, that's what you had said, that, because I spoke at the equity forum, at the housing session, and Angela had said that that was what you had gotten out of. What me and Rebecca had spoken on was that gentrification is government funded right, and so if you have somebody in there who's not allowing the government to put all of those funds into the community, then it can't happen as quickly. But when we have the government giving money to private sectors to redevelop and develop or gentrify these areas, then it's government facilitated, it's our own government displacing people. Isn't that like what it comes down to?
Speaker 3:Yeah right, and folks always say or lectids always say, or politicians. I'll say we're like, oh, this phenomenon of gentrification. We don't know how to stop it or say it. I was like we do.
Speaker 3:You know, it just takes political will and you know, to change things a bit. An example of that is I remember when we were coming up with our our legislative agenda priorities and I wanted to ensure that public housing was a priority, and I remember being told well, this person sits on the housing committee and they're a Republican. And I was like, ok, right, so I reached out to that Republican and took him to the Cassianos and to the Alizans and then he earmarked $2 million for public housing, despite this person being a Republican. But he went and offered, like, show me the properties you want me to tour. We went and then he ensured that he put money towards public housing. So it's just very frustrating because there are individuals who are willing to support and invest but sometimes, when it comes to institutions and structures, that's just not their priority.
Speaker 3:But going back to what you asked about, what's something where I was very proud of is with this last budget. We worked with Cassiano tenants and cops Metro in Opportunity Home to create a opportunity home maintenance fund, minor maintenance fund, because we have folks like James Hamilton who's been coming to City Hall saying this elevator has been broken. We have tenants saying I'm living with mold, but also acknowledging the reality that public housing is severely underfunded and they just aren't being allocated the funds necessary to do minor maintenance and of course, it's all intentional by the federal government in my opinion. But that $1 million fund is the first public housing fund in the state of Texas for cities to give money. Yeah, that was just recent, wasn't it? Yeah, yeah, so it's $1 million. It's a drop in the bucket, but it's a start towards something greater.
Speaker 2:The rent relief policy started as $1 million. It was just $1 million to go towards it and then that created I do know how much money. It ultimately went through that policy.
Speaker 2:So much, that was because of the work we did Overseeing, we're like OK, we got $1 million, what are we going to do with it? We got to take it to the people, collect the right data, not just whatever, but how do we talk to the people and make sure that the data represents what they're going through? I mean, we did so much work on that policy and then, once COVID hit and the federal government was able to just push so much through San Antonio specifically, yeah, I wonder how much money it was ultimately.
Speaker 3:A ton, especially because I know CARES funding and ARPA money went through there as well. So, like so much, where?
Speaker 2:other cities and states and counties were failing, the federal government would just push it into San Antonio because we had that program. I mean, they all got it from here and it's just like, yeah, that's another example of just. I'm like what's the point in doing any policy work? They just mess up everything. But it's like that was literally millions of dollars that came into San Antonio because of that, despite a lot of landlords abusing that policy.
Speaker 4:I really appreciate your love for history. I think that's where your power seems to come from too, because you do see these things as not as a individual gentrification oh, it's just happening here, or whatever. It's actually a historical thing that's been happening. And then, plus, you have your own family history. That can be so grounding to have, and then you appreciate the individual story because you appreciate history.
Speaker 2:But yeah, I know I'm just so happy that we have you on City Council and it really gives me a lot more hope than I tend to have.
Speaker 3:And I will say right again sometimes, when you're the only one advocating for specific things, it's kind of like I'm yelling at a wall. But then I hear a community saying, no, this is what we need. And it's grounding to me, because sometimes it's just like I'm the only one that thinks we shouldn't be investing in a market rate period and just pieces like that. It's just like I'm literally the only one up here Like this stinks. But I know that there's community that has the same vision and values as well.
Speaker 2:Maria had said before. Maria Beriozabel had said that so many times she was the only no vote and what her office would do is put a huge banner on her door at City Hall that had like big no that's crazy Any time that that happens. Yeah, she in her book, oh yeah. I had got it from you. Her book right.
Speaker 2:Because what I loved about that, this one part, I think I say it's like any time I have a meeting with a politician or an elected representative either. I loved Maria's book when she spoke about she used her office as a space for community to organize within. That hit me so hard. When I read that and I just say it all, repeat it all the time I'm like what else are you doing Not to you? I know that you know, but when I bring it up to others I'm just like what else are you doing there Except trying to get your community involved and choices that impact them?
Speaker 3:Yeah, and Rachel on our team and Taylor who used to be with us. They had proposed to me what we now call office to the people, right, and essentially we'll be out in the field rather than the field office. So that way folks who don't know we exist, don't know where we're at, don't know what a city council member is or our role, but if we go to their doors and talk to them and introduce ourselves, they will. So that's another piece that we've done, to like we've convened. But then we also make it a priority to go to the doors. That's really, really important because we have our own community and we're not only going to have our own community, but we're also going to have our own community and we're going to have the people who will be there to help out. We'll have our own community and we're going to have the people who will be there to help us and our community priority to go to the doors.
Speaker 2:That's amazing, and has that brought some of your constituents to speak up?
Speaker 3:Yes, yes, and it's something that I'm really proud of, because this past budget meeting we saw increase in attendance and there were new faces but their faces that we met at the doors and encouraged to come out Nice. So it was great.
Speaker 2:Love that. Yeah, I mean, door to door is seriously the best way is to do that soapwork. Literally like any weekend, I didn't have my kids, I would just be knocking on my neighbor's doors there's 380 units there and sometimes people would just sort of be like, well, what are we going to do? We're getting displaced, they're going to kick us out, there's nothing that we can do, and I'll just sit there and talk to them and just continue to talk to them and explain it, and at the end they'd be like, yeah, I hear you. So if we all come together and we do that, then we speak up and then they'll listen. I'm like, yes, exactly, and it's just the best feeling ever to see people who didn't think that they even could, didn't know how it wasn't even it didn't even cross their mind, recognized. I'm like, oh, I do have a voice, especially when supported, especially when, by the way, supported by a councilwoman.
Speaker 4:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Amazing. Any other questions Concerns?
Speaker 4:comments. I want to know the cheese mitts. Let's go over there.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that was all the questions I had.
Speaker 4:SAISD hit that up. Yeah, Thank you In.
Speaker 3:October 16th I believe it's a school board meeting, so I want to encourage parents, community members, to come out, because these are public spaces and they belong to the people and the people should have a say in what happens to the schools.
Speaker 2:Yes, public money for public spaces. I feel like that's what I'm getting out of, a lot of what I'm getting out of this conversation, personally, Awesome.
Speaker 3:Well, thank you, I appreciate your time.
Speaker 2:Thank you. Yeah, thank you, tyra. I know that you got called out into executive session, so I appreciate you showing up anyway. Yeah, thanks, tyra. All righty, that's a wrap.