Vol. 7, Issue 23- 12.12.2025

Dear Friends,

We have been busy on your behalf on the westside, and this newsletter is full of updates, progress, and important details.

First, I want to highlight a major win: the $6 million Ashton Village storm water project was unanimously approved by City Council. This is great news for a neighborhood that has long needed drainage improvements. The next step is the construction phase, where we will receive the contractor assignment, project timeline, and maps. My office will share in the newsletter and directly with the HOA.

Thank you to everyone who joined me on Friday, December 5th for our conversation on homelessness and outreach on the westside. We learned a lot, aligned on priorities, and set a foundation for coordinated action. Stay tuned—our public plan will roll out in 2026.

 We also have 500 Houston Zoo tickets available. We know families on the westside love visiting the Zoo, so please visit the link and secure yours soon.

They go very fast!

We lost a giant this week. Dr. Rod Paige passed away at the age of 92. He was an icon in leadership, education, and community. Not only did he serve as HISD Superintendent, he became the first Black U.S. Secretary of Education under President George W. Bush.

Dr. Paige was a kind and steady presence, and I always appreciated his wisdom and his hugs. May he rest well. My condolences to his wife Stephanie, his son Rod Jr., Danielle, and all who loved him.

P.S. December 13th is my Daddy’s birthday. Maybe I’ll get his trash picked up on time. Happy Birthday, Pops!

Happy Holidays and let’s keep the westside the best side!

With Regards,

Council Member Tiffany D. Thomas
Houston City Council, District F

HOT SPOT TEAM UPDATES

Total Work Orders: 31
Hotspot of the week: 7333 Synott
Total Man Hours Worked: 88/week
Tree Waste: 850 lbs.
Mattresses: 3
Furniture Waste: 14 pieces
Tires: 7
Trash Debris: 600 lbs.
Shopping Carts: 6
Bandit Signs: 107
Landscaping: 0
Trash Cans Delivered: 40

2025 DISTRICT F ZOO TICKETS

The Office of Council Member Tiffany D. Thomas is distributing up to five zoo tickets per household for the Houston Zoo. If you would like to receive tickets, please register using this form by 12/19/25. We will be giving out a maximum of 5 tickets to each family.

SOLID WASTE UPDATES

Heavy Trash pickup remains delayed. The department is actively working to increase the number of trucks and hire additional staff to meet the growing demand and address the backlog of services requests. 

Mayor John Whitmire said in city council last week that the city is using $1.2 million in leftover funds from earlier disaster cleanup contracts to pay for a contractor to work alongside Solid Waste crews to erase the heavy trash backlog. And that effort is starting on the southwest side as featured in KHOU 11.

If you are still without regular trash or recycling pickup, please:

If your entire subdivision needs servicing for regular trash or recycling pickup, please:

  • File a 311 case, and
  • Email Sarai stating that your subdivision needs servicing and include your subdivision name.
  • Include photos if possible.

You can also find your trash and recycling schedule or check for updates by visiting the Solid Waste Management website and entering your address under “Service Updates”: https://www.houstontx.gov/solidwaste/

If you encountered a missed collection after two days delayed please report it to 311 and let our office know at [email protected].

Garbage collections are on schedule. Recycling collections may be up to one day behind schedule.

Green waste will be collected with Bulk waste.

See SWD’s December and January holiday collection schedule below for your reference.

CITY COUNCIL

On December 10, City Council unanimously approved item 47, which supported drainage improvements to Ashton Village. In case you missed it, and more hear Council Member Tiffany Thomas’ recap from city council below.

DISTRICT F IN THE NEWS

From Bissonnet Safe Streets improvements to population changes in Alief, and heavy trash and debris pickup delays, District F has been a topic of conversation in news media recently. Catch up on the latest coverage below:

DISTRICT F UPDATES

Dashwood Trails Groundbreaking

On Thursday morning, December 11, Council Member Tiffany D. Thomas joined in celebrating the groundbreaking of Dashwood Trails, a new affordable housing development that she helped make a reality. It will bring 98 high-quality units to Alief.

Welcome Home Celebration

On Wednesday afternoon, December 10, Council Member Tiffany D. Thomas joined in celebrating a deserving new homeowner, Ladasha Perro, a medical assistant at Baylor College of Medicine. Through the City of Houston Housing and Community Development Department’s Harvey Homebuyer Assistance Program (HbAP 2.0), Ms. Perro, (pictured bottom right with CM Thomas) received more than $73,000 in down payment assistance, making her dream of homeownership in Robbins Landing a reality.

Investing in Housing, Investing in Houston

Last Friday, Council Member Tiffany D. Thomas celebrated the finished product of a new and improved home for a District F resident in Westpark Village who had been living for years without hot water, electricity, or a safe and comfortable living environment, in partnership with the City of Houston Housing and Community Development Department, the neighborhood HOA, and the District F Hot Spot Team.

Barbara Quattro Memorial Tree Planting

On December 5th, Houston Parks and Recreation Department in collaboration with Urban Forestry and Council Member Sallie Alcorn planted a 100-gallon Southern Magnolia Tree to honor Alief legend, Barbara Quattro, on her birthday at Harwin Park.

Homelessness Strike Force Breakfast

On December 5th, District F hosted a stakeholder roundtable to address and co-create our response to homelessness on the westside. We have identified 10 encampments in public spaces, and it is time for a coordinated plan with nonprofits, law enforcement, behavioral health specialists, and outreach professionals. A lot of insightful ideas came from this discussion and was a great initial conversation and brainstorm to help craft our next steps when an opportunity to move forward with funding presents itself. Please continue reporting encampments to 311 and forwarding the service request numbers to [email protected]. This documentation is essential to creating a comprehensive response. See a quick recap here.

Winter Storm Uri Home Repair

The City of Houston Housing and Community Development Department has simplified the application for the Single-Family Home Repair Program, making it faster and easier for homeowners impacted by Winter Storm Uri to apply for recovery assistance. Yes, funds are still available for eligible homeowners to receive up to $100,000 for home repairs (rehabilitation), up to $300,000 for full reconstruction, and up to $10,000 reimbursement for out-of-pocket storm repairs.

Don’t leave money on the table. Learn more by visiting: houstontx.gov/hcdrecovery/dr21

Get Involved in District F!

District F is calling on passionate residents to join our efforts! Sign up for volunteer opportunities and make a difference in your community.

Sign up here for general Volunteer Team opportunities.

Sign up here for our Volunteer Translation Team to assist with outreach and ensure all voices in our diverse district are heard.

Together, we can strengthen and support District F!
Alief Super Neighborhood Council Monthly Meetings

Hurricane Beryl Disaster Recovery Free Home Repairs
Ibn Sina Avicena Clinics Child and Parental Health Services

PERMITS

The Permit Activity Report provides activity information regarding any new construction, remodeling, or change-of-use permits by zip-code in an effort to inform citizens of activity in their neighborhoods.

Obtain additional information about permits by contacting Houston Public Works (HPW) via 311, or by visiting their Permitting Center website at www.houstonpermittingcenter.org. If you have further questions about any permits, please contact the Code Enforcement Group at 832-394-9494.

Additionally, thePlat Activity Report contains biweekly information from PlatTracker about plats, replats, public hearings, variances, and special exceptions to plats that will be considered at the upcoming Planning Commission meeting.

The report provides application information for each agenda item; compiled by the City of Houston Planning and Development Department. The excel format can be sorted based on particular data, such as location or council district.

The new PlatTracker is now available online. To access the portal, please visit https://plattracker.powerappsportals.us

For questions or additional information contact the Development Services Planner of the Day at (832) 393-6624.

CONTACT THE DISTRICT F TEAM