The Mayor’s Office of Complete Communities (MOCC) request City Council approval of an ordinance authorizing the Director of the Mayor’s Office of Complete Communities to accept a grant award of $620,000 from the Houston Endowment, Inc. for the operation of the Complete Communities Office, including administrative costs, related expenses, staff salaries, and related benefits. The budget period is from 09/01/2021 through 08/31/2023. The project period is from 09/01/2021 through 08/31/2023.
MOCC also requests City Council authorize the Director or her designee to act as the City’s representative in the application process with the authority apply for, accept, and expend the grant funds as awarded, and to apply for, accept, and expend, all subsequent awards, if any , to extend the budget period, and to authorize the Mayor to execute all related contracts, agreements, and documents with the approval of the City Attorney in connection with the grant not to exceed five years.
Complete Communities is an initiative launched by Mayor Sylvester Turner in April 2017 with 5 pilot neighborhoods: Acres Homes, Gulfton, Near Northside, Second Ward, and Third Ward. The initiative was expanded in June 2019 to include 5 additional neighborhoods: Alief-Westwood, Fort Bend Houston, Kashmere Gardens, Magnolia Park-Manchester, and Sunnyside. This grant allowed the City to hire 2 key staff to execute the Mayor’s vision for this initiative and facilitate implementation of the pilot communities community action plans adopted by City Council in August 2018 and the phase 2 community action plans adopted by City Council in December 2020.
The grant consists of 2 annual payments: $310,000 for year one; $310,000 for year two. These amounts include salary and associated
funding for a Director and Assistant Director of the Office of Complete Communities which will report to the Mayor. It also provides for
administrative costs.
Fiscal Note
No Fiscal Note is required on grant items
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Shannon Buggs, Director, Mayor’s Office of Complete Communities