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CITY OF HOUSTON - CITY COUNCIL
Meeting Date: 9/22/2015
Item Creation Date:
HPD-Officer Residency Program
Agenda Item#: 21.
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| | | | | | | | Summary:
ORDINANCE establishing a program to provide a financial incentive for Houston Police Officers to reside within the city limits; providing for severability |
| | | | | | | | Background:
The Chief of Police for the Houston Police Department (HPD) recommends City Council approve an Officer Residency Program (Incentive Program) which offers a financial incentive for HPD police officers to move into designated neighborhoods within the city limits of the City of Houston. It is neither the goal nor intent of this Incentive Program to require all HPD police officers to reside within the city limits of the City. Provided available funding, the purpose of the Incentive Program is to motivate two hundred (200) police officers to move into designated neighborhoods in the City over the next four fiscal years.
Pursuant to the Meet and Confer Agreement ratified by City Council on February 25, 2015 (Ordinance No. 2015-0162), the Labor Relations Committee (LRC) determined and published a list of designated and selected areas in which HPD police officers may qualify and seek a financial incentive for moving into a neighborhood. Eligible HPD police officers, if approved, are entitled to receive a financial incentive for the three year period beginning from the first day of purchase of a homestead in such neighborhood. The financial cost to the City will be:
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Payment Schedule – Years 1-3:
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$12,000
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$8,000
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$5,000
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FY16
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FY17
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FY18
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FY19
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FY20
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FY21
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Total
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50
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$600,000
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$400,000
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$250,000
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$1,250,000
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50
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$600,000
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$400,000
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$250,000
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$1,250,000
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50
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$600,000
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$400,000
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$250,000
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$1,250,000
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50
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$600,000
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$400,000
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$250,000
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$1,250,000
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200
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$600,000
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$1,000,000
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$1,250,000
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$1,250,000
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$650,000
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$250,000
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$5,000,000
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The LRC has established guidelines to ensure that HPD police officers who are awarded a financial incentive are not clustered in a single neighborhood but are geographically dispersed within all of the designated neighborhoods. HPD police officers currently residing within the city limits of the City of Houston, or who lease, sublease, rent, or rent-to-own are not eligible for the incentive. The financial incentive is solely for the purchase of a residential homestead.
On July 28, 2015, HPD Executive Assistant Chief Michael Dirden gave a presentation to the Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee delineating the Incentive Program. The PowerPoint presentation can be obtained at http://www.houstontx.gov/council/h/committee.html. |
| | | | | | | | Amount of Funding:
General Fund (1000) – FY16 Funding - $600,000 |
| | | | | | | | Contact Information:
Joseph A. Fenninger, CFO & Deputy Director 713-308-1770 |
| ATTACHMENTS: | | Description | Type | | RCA | Signed Cover sheet |
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