Primary Department: County Administration
Primary Department Head/Elected Official: Diana Ramirez, County Administrator
Secondary Department: Choose an item.
Secondary Department Head/Elected Official:
Regular or Supplemental RCA: Regular RCA
Type of Request: Policy
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Justification for 0% MWBE Participation Goal: Choose an item.
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Justification for 0% Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): Choose an item.
Request Summary (Agenda Caption):
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Request for approval of the Policy Guidelines of the Putting Assets to Work (PAW) initiative which outline the process of selecting and developing underutilized County assets.
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Background and Discussion:
PAW is the initiative to develop County assets for monetization and/or community benefits. To consult and advise on this project, a Real Estate Portfolio Technical Advisory Group (TAG) was formed in September 2024 with representatives from the following departments:
• Office of County Administration
• Department of Economic Equity & Opportunity
• Office of the County Engineer
• Housing & Community Development
• Flood Control
• Office of Management & Budget
The TAG meets monthly with representatives from each of the departments. In between meetings, the TAG is asked to review and comment on each deliverable provided by OCA and the consultants from Hayat Brown. The Policy Guidelines are the result of three months of meetings with the TAG and Hayat Brown where each department reviewed and provided input.
These Guidelines establish the structure of the PAW initiative which includes performing a detailed evaluation of assets for PAW’s Portfolio, engaging public and private partners for development of selected parcels, successfully executing the projects, and establishing a post-closing management program.
Below is a brief description of each phase:
• Parcel Selection: The TAG along with the Consultant, will assess the proposed sites using a multi-step process, with regular check-ins with Precinct offices to share results. After narrowing down to approximately five sites, each site’s Precinct Commissioner will be briefed and will be asked to provide sign-off before moving to next step.
• Detailed Evaluation: Each of the sites will undergo a thorough investigation using third-party reports such as a site analysis and geotechnical investigation to determine their suitability and feasibility for development. Barring any adverse findings from these reports, the PAW Project Sites will move forward to the Project Delivery Process.
• Project Delivery: The Core Team will lead this phase with TAG retaining an advisory role. The Core Team will be comprised of leaders from OCA, OMB, Engineering, Purchasing, and the CAO. The team is responsible for creating and executing the procurement strategy, reviewing developer solicitation and proposal documents, and negotiating partnership agreements. OCA will brief the TAG and Court offices at key decision points.
• Post-Closing Management: There will be a PAW Portfolio Manager within OCA to document, oversee, and report to Commissioners Court. The position’s purview includes project compliance, construction oversight, and project refinancing/restructuring efforts.
Expected Impact:
By approving the Policy Guidelines, the County can proceed to the Parcel Selection phase and bring back the results to Court for approval to develop for monetization and/or community benefits.
Alternative Options:
This is a new initiative and there are no alternative options identified. If the initiative is not implemented, it will be a missed opportunity for the County to create a non-property tax revenue stream using existing assets.
County Strategic Plan Goal: 2. Connect our community with safe, reliable, equitably distributed, and well-maintained infrastructure.
County Strategic Plan Objective: I: Increase access to safe, clean, and enjoyable green space.
Justice/Safety Initiative (Goal 1): Choose an item.
Infrastructure Initiative (Goal 2): I3: Prioritize the development of new parks when developing and implementing a plan for how to leverage underused County-owned land, with a focus on equitable access.
Economy Initiative (Goal 3): Choose an item.
Health Initiative (Goal 4): Choose an item.
Climate/Resilience Initiative (Goal 5): Choose an item.
Housing Initiative (Goal 6): Choose an item.
Additional notes related to the Strategic Plan:
Prior Court Action (if any):
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Date |
Agenda Item # |
Action Taken |
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08/23/2022 |
208 |
Approval of Agreement between Harris County and Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada to Participate in a Putting Assets to Work Incubator. |
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03/26/2024 |
672 |
Approval of Agreement with Hayat A Kelil-Brown DBA Hayat Brown LLC in the amount of $500,000 for reposition properties consulting services for the Office of County Administration for the period of March 26, 2024 - March 25, 2025, with four (4) one-year renewal options. |
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09/19/2024 |
24 |
Approval of County’s participation in the Putting Assets to Work (PAW) initiative and recommended next steps. |
Location:
Address (if applicable):
Precinct(s): Countywide
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Anticipated Court Date: 2/6/2025
Anticipated Implementation Date (if different from Court date): Click or tap to enter a date.
Emergency/Disaster Recovery Note: Not an emergency, disaster, or COVID-19 related item
Contact(s) name, title, department: Jesse Dickerman, Managing Director, Office of County Administration
Kera Backer, Project Manager, Office of County Administration
Attachments (if applicable): PAW Policy Guidelines