Summer is officially over. I hope each of you was able to step away from the “zoom” meetings and enjoy a face-to-face vacation with your loved ones. I was able to get away during break week, and it was exactly what the doctor ordered.

Thank you for reaching out to our office to resolve constituent service issues and facilitate resolutions with third-party entities on your behalf. Along with my staff, I take great pride in responding to your needs and, more importantly, providing a suitable resolution in a timely matter. My office receives a tremendous amount of calls and emails for constituent services, and lately, some of the rings and notes have been aggressive.

We are better than that.

Each of us is under a peculiar amount of pressure and shared frustration. I have advised my staff not to respond to aggressive or derogatory communications to protect their work environment. I am in the process of hiring an additional full-time staff member to assist with our growing caseload and obligations, which should elevate your customer service experience in the District F office.Special thanks to the residents who share photos, videos, and 311 SR#s with their messages to help us document and expedite issues. Thank you for taking the extra step.

Governor Abbott suspended the disaster rules for the open meetings act; therefore, residents can now return in person to city council chambers for committee and public session meetings – but you must wear a mask in city buildings. The hybrid option will remain available for those who wish to continue to participate virtually.

Last week, I met with Houston Public Works Transportation Division to review several major infrastructure projects coming to District F.  We will benefit from over $5M in significant rehab investment from Alief to Briar Meadow. In the next few weeks, I will include a detailed summary of projects, costs, and tentative timelines so you and your neighbors can prepare for construction.

The Westside HPD Command Station has a new commander, Reece Hardy. He comes to us from Traffic Division and is eager to work in and with the community. I encourage you to get to know him and the men and women at Westside that work with us diligently on various public safety issues.

Next month is National Night Out (NNO) in Texas, and I want to encourage neighborhoods to participate by hosting a gathering to meet their neighbors. We are all in this together, and getting to know each other helps with public safety, shared resources, collaboration, and community engagement. There is a survey below to select if your subdivision is planning NNO. Let us help you promote.

I want to amplify the new solid waste app, HTXCollects, to allow you to track your trash. Details are below, and you can download from the Apple and Android store. Ideally, this will help inform residents exactly when SWD is arriving and if they will be late.

Lastly, as we head into the weekend, please be kind to one another, and if you see something in our community we need to address, feel free to send a photo, video, and your 311 (if you have it), and we will get right on it. Remember, it will take all of us working together to resolve ongoing issues.

Sincere gratitude,

The FY 2022 Neighborhood Matching Grant Program application period is open! The program supports neighborhood improvement and beautification projects by providing dollar-for-dollar matching grant reimbursements ranging from $500 to $5,000. The application deadline is November 5, 2021, 5 p.m. The program is administered by the Department of Neighborhoods (DON) in partnership with participating Houston City Council offices.

For the program guidelines and application form, go to www.houstontx.gov/neighborhoods and click on “Neighborhood Matching Grants.”

Do your sidewalks meet ADA guidelines? If not, buzz: [email protected] and lets us know.

Council Members Alcorn and  Robinson’s will host the Sidewalk Summit event.

The Sidewalk Summit will bring together decision makers and stakeholders for a candid discussion of current sidewalk regulations, municipal policies, and critical investments being made in Houston. In addition, there will be a discussion on new ideas for addressing the city’s sidewalk challenges and improving the overall pedestrian experience.

The virtual event takes place on Tuesday, September 21st at 5:00 PM. To register for the event, please click here.

The Office of Council Member Thomas is excited about the upcoming National Night Out! On October 5th thousands of Texans will be in celebration and community building with neighbors and HPD. Our office invites you all to participate if you have not before.

Can’t make it happen on October 5th? No problem. We encourage you all to have your event throughout the month of October. Complete the form below and express your interest. We’ll let you know if we can make your event!

Click HERE to sign up!