Friends, It is a hot season, and I hope the 4th of July was well spent with loved ones and in cooler temperatures. Below, our newsletter includes a series of activations to benefit you and your family, from zoo tickets and summer enrichment programming for kiddos to gun locks and commemorative bricks. Please read below and sign up today. We have limited quantities, and things move like hot cakes. Fatal Shooting of Mr. Lorenzo Araju Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare has confirmed his office is committed to investigating the fatal shooting of Lorenzo Salgado Araju earlier this week by a federal immigration agent, but also cautioned that local prosecutors face challenges accessing evidence. I received a few emails asking about the next steps and whether residents can take any action. I will share updates once I am briefed. In the meantime, please stay close to trusted news sources. Infrastructure I shared a public service videolast week that updated you on the 21 pending projects funded by council district service funds. Please watch if you missed it on social media, and stand by for construction notices. Later this month, I will issue a special-called newsletter focused solely on infrastructure updates—from council district service funds to SWAT (drainage) to Capital Improvement Projects—so you are fully aware of all activities in progress and scheduled for FY27. As a reminder, District Council Members are allotted $1M for programming and infrastructure, with roughly 80% directed toward infrastructure. Due to our proactive efforts, FY27 is already 75% subscribed, with projects that have approved cost estimates awaiting construction notices. Construction costs have increased significantly, impacting how we schedule and prioritize projects. I will explain more in the detailed infrastructure newsletter later this month, but please know I am in active conversation with Houston Public Works leadership to identify ways to reduce costs while still delivering quality results. Housing & Community Development As we move through hurricane season, many of you may still be dealing with damage to your single-family homes from the Derecho and Hurricane Beryl. If what I know about the hardworking people in District F is true, many of you do not take advantage of available programs. This is not a handout; this is your federal tax dollars returning to you to help make you whole. The CDBG-DR24 (Derecho & Hurricane Beryl) single-family home repair guidelines were approved by the Council on Wednesday. More details are included in the body of the newsletter, but for context, in 2024, 32,655 residents contacted FEMA for housing assistance following these storms, totaling roughly $20M in emergency assistance in District F alone. Please take advantage of this opportunity to repair your home where insurance may have fallen short. Homelessness Below are additional details on the upcoming mobile clinic that will provide resources to those experiencing homelessness. We plan to target three encampments. On Wednesday, during the City Council meeting, I provided an update on the former Wells Fargo site on Hillcroft near Richmond. The building has now been demolished following the tragic homicide of Jadarius (Jade) Roberts. The individuals who had been living there have since been displaced to nearby streets and intersections. No good deed goes unpunished. Midwest HPD included these known locations on their FIFA priority list; however, records show that no official calls for service were made by residents.Without those reports, law enforcement cannot respond accordingly. Emailing the district office is helpful, but it does not replace formal reporting needed for action. I want to reiterate the importance of using the appropriate local contact numbers. I also encourage every civic club and HOA to build relationships with these agencies and invite representatives to your meetings so you can better understand their protocols and how they can support you. HPD non-emergency: (713) 884-3131
METRO PD (713) 224-COPS (2677)
Harris County Constable Precinct 5 (832) 927-6700 Piney Point/Carver Crest Our efforts to clear and maintain Amanda Lane have also created unintended consequences of displacing individuals experiencing homelessness. There was a recent account of a group of individuals squatting in a vacant property with their pets. Midwest HPD addressed this with the owner, and my office reached out to the Department of Neighborhoods to secure the building. I want to encourage residents to continue engaging with Midwest HPD DRT and to allow my office to follow up. I am prepared to share additional information and other constituent service updates during the Piney Point Civic Club on Tuesday, July 14th. Generator Program Last week, Mayor Whitmire hosted U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Scott Turner in Acres Homes to highlight the generator program approved by Council in August 2025 as part of the $314M recovery package. District F has approximately 2 public locations on the proposed list, including the Westchase-Robinson Library and the Westside HPD Command Station, as well as several lift stations supporting the water system. During the visit, it was noted that theoriginal goal of 100 generators has been reduced to 49. My office is working with the appropriate departments to understand the impact on District F facilities. As we consider warming and cooling centers during extreme weather, these sites will be critical to expanding our ability to respond. The Alief Neighborhood Center is also set to receive a $1M generator approved during the FY24 CIP cycle. It is currently in permitting and will be one of the final pieces needed to fully activate the site during emergencies. —
Happy Birthday to Ms. Ella Jefferson, my 10th-grade English teacher, and former Alief ISD Board of Trustees President. She is one of the reasons I re-read and edit my work as aggressively as I do. She had a fierce red pen and never hesitated to use it. If you are reading this, I know you would appreciate a new sidewalk for your birthday. I am working on it. I promise. On a personal note, my birthday is July 17, and I will take a vacation through the latter part of the month, so I will be unavailable as I embrace my new year and soak up all the miracles that await me. I might be silent, but for a good reason. I will see you all when I return from my break. Refreshed! Celebrating other July birthdays!
Denise in Piney Point (July 15)
Craig in Tanglewilde (July 16) Save the Date: End of Summer Block Party at Alief Aquatic Center | Saturday, August 22 Save the Date:3rd Annual Faith & Affordable Housing Summit | Saturday, October 10
Council Member Tiffany D. Thomas | 
