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During the first few months of Letitia’s term, the tragedy with George Floyd made national headlines, and police conduct across the nation was under a microscope. In Houston, sixty thousand people marched in downtown demanding change from elected officials and asking for reassurance that someone was listening. It was a hard call for Letitia to ignore. Aware of the police department’s controversial history around the Harding Street debacle and other incidents in Houston, Letitia introduced police reform as part of the FY2021 Budget Process. The result of this led to the signing of a Use of Force Executive Order by Mayor Turner, transparency in police use of force policy (no longer redacted), a dashboard for civilian complaints, a change in the Independent Police Oversight Board (IPOB), significant changes to the police-worn body camera policy, and the addition of Mental-Health Crisis Intervention teams for non-violent mental health distress calls.
During the Pandemic, another crisis came to light. In 2018, a scathing report from the University of Texas spotlighted Houston’s deteriorating rental stock, particularly C and D apartment buildings, developed between 1960 and 1979 when building safety regulations were incredibly lax. While knocking door to door during the Pandemic to inform renters of the CDC moratorium, Letitia saw firsthand tenant living conditions in the apartments and was dismayed. From this was born Apartment Inspection Reform, and during the FY2022 Budget meeting, Letitia asked for an Ordinance that would hold landlords accountable to state law for repairs. During the FY2023 Budget meeting, she asked for additional inspectors, which was granted and resulted in a Strike Team consisting of various city inspectors and Department Directors who could address problematic apartment complexes.
When it matters, Houston can always rely on Letitia. Whether a disaster, or serving the community, she knows how to mobilize resources and doesn’t mind getting her hands dirty. When it comes to issues important to Houstonians, such as environmental justice or equity for communities, Letitia isn’t shy about challenging the status quo.
Letitia's vision for Houston is clear. She wants a resilient, people-friendly, thriving city with the best quality of life and amenities for all its residents. She envisions a business-friendly city with the best talent to offer, with equity in its services and opportunities. Letitia will always put people over politics regardless of the issue and will continue to be the voice of the people.