The Thomas Telegraph: Vol. 5, Issue 1 – July 14, 2023

Earlier this week, we released a weather advisory due to the heat. Please take the necessary precautions to protect yourself and your pets this weekend. Remember, city buildings such as libraries and multi-purpose centers can serve as cooling centers.

I appreciate your attention and participation regarding the District F Summer of Safety. Our efforts have included updates from HPD, a community activation with Houston Fire, and on Sunday, we are partnering with Houston Waves for a swim safety event for kids and adults. Good news, we are fully subscribed.We look forward to seeing registered families at the Alief Neighborhood Center on Sunday, July 16. We are working to provide water and extra sunscreen for protection.

Let’s talk about homelessness:
Over the last two weeks, my office has received more emails and phone calls than average regarding interactions with homeless individuals and growing tent encampments at the following locations:

Beechnut and Cook Rd.
Bissonnet and Kirkwood Rd.
Dairy Ashford and Westpark Rd.
Bellaire and Cook Rd.
W. Houston and Richmond (near Shadow Lake and HCA)

I want to reiterate our ongoing efforts to address the public safety of patrons and residents. Most of the complaints are related to exchanges on commercial property, and police reports have been filed, video recorded, and efforts deployed to address this. As a reminder, please do not engage where you do not have to.

If you notice more than five tents gathering, please alert my office to the location, provide a photo, and it will be added to the list. We are currently working to decommission ‘tent cities’ (phase 1) and then will move to address individuals residing within the trees at noted intersections (phase 2).

Let’s talk about parking:
For the last year, we have worked to address the issue of large trucks parked throughout our residential neighborhoods and on public streets that violated city ordinances. Good news, on Wednesday, July 12 city council unanimously voted to update language to restrict large trucks (18-wheelers, trailers) from parking in residential neighborhoods. Of course, if they are unloading or parked for business purposes such as delivery – they are exempt from citation.

Let’s talk about public safety:
As we move into August, I want to highlight a couple of new collaborations to underscore our work related to public safety. On August 9 at 10 AM, I am hosting a press conference with Children At Risk and Uber to announce HB2313, which allows ride-share companies to train and fight against human trafficking. If you want to attend, please join us in the Legacy Room at City Hall.   Also, my office, Outdoor Media, and the Houston Area Coalition of Omega Chapters are partnering to advance ending gun violence against women — we will launch our joint billboard on Highway 59 S.

Be Kind,

Councilmember Thomas

This location has an active RESIDENTIAL GARAGE CONVERSION W/ ADDITION & REPAIR PER SPEC LIST under Project #: 19063781.  The last performed and approved inspection at this location occurred on 07/10/2023 for a Mechanical – Local Vent Permit. The property owner is actively working on completing this project to proceed with an occupancy inspection to ultimately obtain the Certificate of Occupancy and Lodging Facility Permit.

The property owner has filed an application to obtain the Certificate of Occupancy for the residential facility under Project #: 22091622. The occupancy inspection will be able to be conducted upon the successful completion of Project #: 19063781.

The City of Houston Legal Department has advised HPW-HPC Building Code Enforcement that there are no deed restrictions preventing a Lodging Facility from operating at this location. 

Furthermore, additional occupancy investigations have been conducted at this location. As of most recently, on 06/29/2023, access was granted to the residence’s interior, where evidence of online business sales display/materials was observed. [Legal] is aware of this information and additional details related to the associated investigation.

Neighborhood complaints or concerns regarding:
Article 7. Nuisances: Permanent piles of trash and heavy trash have been standing on this property for months now. Likewise, a large number of vehicles, sometimes blocking the sidewalk, are permanently parked on the property, driveway, lawn, and nearby sidewalks. Between 13 to 15 cars are parked daily. This represents not only a nuisance to the neighborhood but a safety concern given the high traffic the Gessner Road / Richmond Avenue intersection has.

Please get in touch with the Department of Neighborhoods for investigative assistance regarding nuisance complaints (accumulation of trash, debris, rubbish, abandoned/junked motor vehicles). If vehicles block the public roadway, impede traffic, or pose a safety concern for traffic and pedestrians, please contact the Houston Police Department.

There are no deed restrictions preventing yard parking at this location.

Please click here for information on creating, renewing, and modifying restrictions.

Please click here for information on prohibited yard parking.

On 7/12/2023, the Senior Inspector and I met with a representative from the HOA to discuss his concerns. We presented alternatives to address his grass watering concerns in the added median areas. The representative preferred to cover the median areas with concrete; the photo above shows what was agreed upon with the HOA representative. This job will be assigned to the following contractor once the contract is approved by the City Council later this year.  Timeline forthcoming.

Regarding the grass placement in the areas, Public Works would be responsible only for the area used by the contractor (JF Construction). We have contacted the contractor regarding the issues on Stoney Brook Drive and Pagewood Lane and they will make corresponding repairs. Per picture #1 with the Stop sign, the sub-contractor used this area for materials and staging. This area will be covered with sod. Picture #2 details a driveway near 7714 Pagewood Lane that is needed to be repaired by the sub-contractor.

Turner declared September 16 as Mo Amer Day in 2021 and this year he’s coming home to celebrate. The comedian will be performing at the Bayou Music Center with a portion of his proceeds going to his alma mater, Alief Hastings High School’s theater and band departments.

Amer created and stars in the critically acclaimed Netflix series “Mo” which is a series of love letters to the city of Houston. He was also seen in the DC Comics superhero film “Black Adam” alongside Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson.

Tickets for Amer’s show at Bayou Music Center are now on sale through Live Nation.

Click here to watch the press conference.

All three of the qualifying World School Debate teams advanced to elimination rounds for the first time, with the Alief Early College team placing in the top 16 in the nation.

Two HUDL students were ranked as the 3rd and 5th overall best speakers in the country out of the 350 students competing.

Click here to watch the Proclamation presentation.

Houston has one of the largest Nigerian immigrant populations in the country and Igbo is one of its most popular tribes.

Hosted by Ndi Ichie Cultural Club, the event will be on Saturday, July 22nd, from 3:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. on the Jones Lawn at Discovery Green.

Click here to watch the Proclamation presentation.

The panel was held in conjunction with the release of findings from the City of Houston’s first equity indicator study.

Conducted by Rice University’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research with funding from Shell USA, Inc., the report uses equity scores to identify socioeconomic inequalities exacerbated by biases based on race, ethnicity, gender, and ZIP codes.

Houston’s overall equity score is 44.1 out of 100, delineating a need for improvements. The equity scores are not pass-or-fail measurements, but more of an indicator of the progress we have made towards our goal of being a more fair and equitable city.

Click here for more information.

The students demonstrated their English language proficiency by performing skits and reenacting real-life scenarios.

A long-time advocate for affordable housing, Councilmember used the opportunity to remind attendees that they have the power to not only change lives for the better today, but for generations to come. For many Black or Hispanic families, homeownership puts them on a path to generational wealth.

Click here for more information on affordable housing.

• Total Work Orders: 37
• Hotspot of the Week: 2870 Stoney Brook
• Total Man Hours Worked: 64
• Tree Waste: 780 lbs.
• Mattresses: 4
• Furniture Waste: 14 pieces
• Tires: 11
• Trash Debris: 270 lbs.
• Shopping Carts: 1
• Bandit Signs: 139
• Landscaping: none

Interested adopters can visit BARC’s Adoption Center at 3300 Carr Street any day from June 6 – 31 from noon to 5 p.m.

Click here for more information on pet adoption.

Houston libraries and multi-service centers will function as cooling centers during normal business hours.

The Houston Health Department recommends the precautions below to avoid heat-related illnesses such as heat exhaustion or heat stroke.

• Increase water consumption. Drink lots of liquids even before getting thirsty.
• Conduct outdoor work or exercise in the early morning or eveningwhen temperatures are not as high.
• Wear light-colored, loose-fitting clothing that permits the evaporation of perspiration.

To get started, you will only pay a one-time fee of $8 to receive your Happy Earth Compost bucket at the Farmers Market. Fill it up throughout the week and return it the following Thursday during market hours (3 p.m. – 6 p.m.). When you drop it off, you’ll receive a new bucket to take home for the next week.

Please email Evelyn Martinez at [email protected]om to get started.