Model Cities Grant Application

At a glance

What: An ordinance to apply for the U.S. Department of Justice FY26 Model City Initiative Grant Program. It was Item 15 on the September 16 agenda and Item 26 on the September 23 agenda.
Where it stands: The Administration pulled the item both times, so Council never considered or voted on it.
Why it matters: Speakers lined up on the item at the September 22 public session; the Mayor said the item had been misrepresented.
Next: No new date in the minutes read.

September 16: the City Secretary advised that Item 15 had been pulled by the Administration and would not be considered.
September 22: before the public session, Mayor Whitmire said he wanted to clarify the "misrepresentation" concerning Item 26, which had been pulled from the next day's agenda. He said the City applies for hundreds of grants that benefit many departments, and that when the City was encouraged to seek homeless funding, foundations were concerned it was not seeking other sources. To reassure them, the Administration put the Model Cities application on the agenda as "a message of our commitment to the homeless."
Roughly nine speakers were listed under Item 26 (about half were not present). The minutes record only the topics ("Model City Program", "Model City initiative", one "No to applying for grant initiative"); positions are not otherwise stated.
September 23: the City Secretary again advised Item 26 was pulled and would not be considered.

October 7: Lisa Hunt spoke during the non-agenda public comment on the "Model City grant". The minutes record the topic only. The application was not on the October agendas read.

City Council regular meeting minutes, September 22-23, 2026 (No. 2026-524-1): https://www.houstontx.gov/citysec/agenda/2026/20260922.pdf
City Council regular meeting minutes, September 15-16, 2026 (No. 2026-0512-1): https://www.houstontx.gov/citysec/agenda/2026/20260915.pdf
City Council consolidated meeting minutes, October 7, 2026 (No. 2026-0554-1): https://www.houstontx.gov/citysec/agenda/2026/20261007.pdf

Public speaker Lisa Hunt on the Model City grant; no Council action.

Item 26 pulled by the Administration; not considered.

Mayor Whitmire's statement on Item 26 before the public session; speakers heard on the item.

Item 15 (same grant) pulled by the Administration; not considered.