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PASSEDHouston City Council · 2026-02-18

The city council approved applying for a federal grant through the Department of Homeland Security's FY2026 Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems program, administered via FEMA and the Texas Governor's Office, for the Mayor's Office of Public Safety and Homeland Security. The ordinance also authorizes a city director to manage and spend any awarded funds.

What it means for you

If the grant is awarded, Houston would receive federal funding to help address threats from unauthorized or dangerous drones. Residents citywide could benefit from improved drone-detection or counter-drone capabilities managed by the city's public safety office.

Outcome

Adopted — all voting aye, nays none. Ordinance 2026-0135, official minutes of February 18, 2026.

Public safety — see all →Citywide

Official sources

Meeting minutes — full record with the vote (PDF) ↗

These are the official minutes — the narrative record of what happened at the meeting, including the vote on each item.

District A — Amy PeckADistrict B — Tarsha JacksonBDistrict C — Joe PanzarellaCDistrict D — Carolyn Evans-ShabazzDDistrict E — Fred FlickingerEDistrict F — Tiffany ThomasFDistrict G — Mary Nan HuffmanGDistrict H — Mario CastilloHDistrict I — Joaquin MartinezIDistrict J — Edward PollardJDistrict K — Martha Castex-TatumK

Official council district boundaries · City of Houston GIS. Tap a district to see who represents it.

How to weigh in

Where
City Hall, 901 Bagby, 2nd Floor, Houston, TX 77002
When
Council meets Tuesdays 1:30 p.m. & Wednesdays 9:00 a.m. Public Session — when you can speak — is Tuesdays at 2:00 p.m. (5:00 p.m. on the last Tuesday of the month).
Speak
Register by 3:00 p.m. the Monday before: call 832.393.1100, email speakers@houstontx.gov, or go in person to the City Secretary (City Hall Annex, 900 Bagby, Room P101). Each speaker gets 1–3 minutes.
Watch
Live on HTV ↗

From the City Council meetings information page. Confirm the exact date on the official agenda before you go.

Quick answersfrom the official record
Who's paid?Mayor's Office of Public Safety and Homeland Securityminutes ↗
Which fund?U.S. Department of Homeland Security, if the grant is awarded.minutes ↗
Who decides?Houston City Council — its 16 members (11 district + 5 at-large) vote; the Mayor presides and also votes. Taken up at the February 18, 2026 meeting — Adopted, all voting aye.minutes ↗
The official caption doesn't name a dollar amount — full details in the official minutes ↗

Cite this: https://plaindocket.com/item/real-cs20260218-21 — data from official records via PlainDocket.

The city council approved applying for a federal grant through the Department of Homeland… — PlainDocket