The Thomas Telegraph | Immigration Ordinance coverage, Deed Restriction Workshop and budget workshops | Vol. 8, Issue 9 – Apr. 17, 2026

Last week, I voted in support of limiting HPD’s involvement in holding people for I.C.E administrative (non-criminal) warrants after a citation has been issued.

HPD is still required to call I.C.E. but our vote does not require them to hold them for 30 minutes of until I.C.E. arrives.

To be clear, criminal warrants remain enforceable under SB4, and HPD is still required to coordinate with federal authorities in those cases.

District F is home to immigrants and refugees alike. They are our neighbors. Their children attend school with our children. They operate many of our favorite businesses. They are Houstonians.

Governor Abbott has since threatened to defund $110 million in funding previously approved by City Council for critical public safety efforts, including victim services, equipment, and federal grants supporting FIFA-related safety initiatives.

This action would remove resources we voted to accept in order to strengthen our local law enforcement efforts.

I have previously shared real examples how I.C.E. has disrupted District F families and although immigration policy must be addressed mass deportation of children and families without a criminal background is unscrupulous.

City Council will reconsider this item on Wednesday. Please pay attention.

3rd Annual Deed Restriction Workshop

Join us on Saturday, April 18 for our 3rd Annual Deed Restriction Workshop. This is your opportunity to stay informed on recent updates and hear directly from:

• City Legal
• Department of Neighborhoods
• Public Works
• Housing & Community Development
• Rice & Rice Law Firm

While registration has officially closed, we will accept a limited number of on-site registrations.

Additional updates are included below. I encourage you to take the time to review and share.

• City of Houston’s Housing and Community Development
• Houston Area Urban League
• Houston Alliance HTX
• The Houston Commuity Land Trust
• Houston Housing Collaborative
• Houston Housing Finance Corporation
• Houston Apartment Association
• Texas Housers
• Houston Association of Realtors
• Coalition for the Homeless
• Houston Land Bank

At the next session on Wednesday, April 22, council will vote on whether or not to repeal the controversial Immigration Ordinance that originally passed on April 8 after Governor Abbott threated to cut $110 million of state public safety funding.

Council Member Thomas has been clear in numerous interviews with local news outlets of her intent to keep her vote as this is about local authority and representing the people of the city, not the Governor.

Sign up for public session to make your voices heard on this crucial issue.

Budget workshops for the City of Houston will kick off with a special-called Budget and Fiscal Affairs (BFA) Committee meeting on Wednesday, May 6, where the Finance Department will present its five-year forecast and budget overview.

From May 12–19, 23 individual city department workshops will take place in the Anna Russell Council Chamber at City Hall. All sessions are open to the public. See schedule below. Each workshop includes a department budget presentation followed by Q&A with council members and the public. Questions may also be submitted through the city’s internal portal.

For those unable to attend in person, all workshops will stream live on HTV and will be available for later viewing on the HTV website.

To expand public participation, BFA Chair Sallie Alcorn and Vice Chair Mario Castillo will host two budget town halls:

• Saturday, May 16, 10 AM – Fonde Community Center, 110 Sabine Street, 77007
• Wednesday, May 20, 6 PM – Virtual town hall via Microsoft Teams

Click here to RSVP for either.

A public hearing on the FY 2027 budget is scheduled for May 20 at 9 AM in the Anna Russell Council Chamber.

Eldridge Pkwy & Westpark Dr Improvements

Work has officially begun on intersection improvements and mobility enhancements including traffic signals, concrete sidewalks, wheelchair ramps, curbs and pavement markings at the intersection of Eldridge Parkway and Westpark Drive. The work is anticipated to be completed by May 21. This project is part of our ongoing commitment to improving roadway infrastructure and pedestrian accessibility throughout District F. The contractor for the project is Traffic Systems Construction, Inc. Any questions can be directed to the Project Manager, Jorge Palacios at (832) 395-3920.

Honoring Dr. Robert Bostic Retirement 

On Monday, our office presented a certificate to a special celebration to honor Superintendent Dr. Robert Bostic recognizing his retirement from Stafford Municipal School District. It was a wonderful celebration dedicated to reflecting on his incredible legacy and the progress the district has made under his nearly 12 years of leadership.

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

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, the Plat 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.