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Weigh in on City's FY27 Budget with "Your Two Cents" Survey & Town Halls

You can help guide budgeting decisions for the City of Houston’s 2027 fiscal year. Council Member Sallie Alcorn, At-Large 5, has launched her annual YOUR TWO CENTS budget survey asking city residents for their opinion on which city services matter most.

“As budget conversations begin at City Hall begin, I want to hear from you,” Alcorn posted. “These are your hard-earned tax dollars, and your perspective matters. What services do you believe the city delivers well? Where do you see gaps or unmet needs? Where should we invest more — or spend less? Your feedback helps shape the decisions ahead.”

Access the YOUR TWO CENTS survey here: https://riceuniversity.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eEU2CxihTwCxdQO 

Additionally, to spur public engagement, Alcorn and City Council Member Mario Castillo, District H, will host two town halls, with both in-person and virtual options.

Plus, the public is invited to weigh in on the city’s spending priorities during the annual budget workshops beginning Tuesday, May 12. See the full schedule below. The budget workshops are also shown live on HTV and may be found after the fact linked on the HTV website. 

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Help H-GAC Plan a Better Way for Houstonians to Get Around

The Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC) is developing the Regional Public Transportation Coordination Plan (RPTCP) 2027–2031, which helps guide public transportation services across the 13-county region.

The regional plan focuses on improving coordination between transportation providers and identifying strategies to better serve residents, including older adults, individuals with disabilities, and people with limited access to transportation, according to H-GAC.

H-GAC serves as the lead coordination agency for TxDOT Planning Region 14, covering the 13-county Gulf Coast region. The Plan supports the 13 counties within H-GAC's service area.

TAKE THE SURVEY
Community input is an important part of this process, explains H-GAC. Residents, organizations, and transit providers are invited to share their feedback through a short online survey.

Survey results can help H-GAC:

  • Identify gaps – where buses, trains, and other transit services are needed most.

  • Allocate funding wisely – ensure resources reach the areas that need them.

  • Connect communities – help people reach work, education, healthcare, and essential services.

To take the H-GAC survey, or for more information, click HERE.

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Harris Co. Transportation Master Plan Town Hall - March 10, 2026

From the Office of Harris County Pct. 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis:

As a next step in the broader countywide planning process, the Harris County Office of the County Engineer will be hosting a Town Hall for the Harris County Transportation Master Plan. This meeting will provide an opportunity for residents to learn more about the county’s long-term transportation planning efforts and share input to help guide mobility, safety, and connectivity improvements across Harris County.

We encourage residents to attend and continue contributing their perspectives as this important work moves forward.

Event Details: 

Office of County Engineering - Transportation Master Plan Town Hall

Date: March 10, 2026, 6 – 8 p.m.

Location: Fallbrook Church, 12512 Walters Road, Houston, TX 77014

If you cannot attend in person, we encourage you to still share your input by completing the community survey available through the Transportation Master Plan website.

We hope to see you there.

For accommodations, please call 713-274-3607 or email HCTMP@harriscountytx.gov.

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Local POTS FOR PLOTS Events Seek to Reduce Landfill and Waterway Waste

Do you have a pile of old plastic plant pots and carrying trays wasting away in your backyard? Give them a second life and cut landfill and waterway waste at the Bayou Preservation Association POTS TO PLOTS events with local plant nurseries Joshua’s Native Plants and Wabash Feed & Garden.

A staggering 500 million plastic plant pots ended up in landfills in 2022, according to Bayou Preservation. But these single-use plastic plant pots — identified as source of waste in landfills and bayous — can find new uses.

Only 1% of the plastic plant pots produced annual are recycled, according to Bayou Preservation. High Density Polyethylene plant pots are typically made from plastic resin and carbon inks, making them non-recyclable.

Plastic pot collection events are slated for Saturday, April 15, 2023 at Joshua’s and Sunday, May 21, 2023 at Wabash.

At the event, Info Talks will provide opportunities to learn about Bayou Preservation’s mission, and how the community, by returning old plastic plant pots, can help local bayous and conservation efforts.

POTS CONDITIONS:

  • Bring your whole plastic plant pots for collection. No cracked or broken pots.

  • Try to remove as much soil as possible. Please stack pots beforehand.

  • Carrying trays, seedlings, and sheet pots accepted.

For more information, visit here.

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Proposed City Redistricting Plan & Public Hearings

Houston City Council will hold three public hearings in the City Council Chamber, City Hall, 2nd Floor, 901 Bagby, to receive comments, suggestions, and alternate plans from the public regarding the Proposed City Council Redistricting Plan, in accordance with the City Charter, Article V, Sec. 3:

Hearings will be held:

Wednesday, July 13, 2022 at 9:00 a.m.

Wednesday, July 13, 2022 at 7:00 p.m.

Wednesday, July 20, 2022 at 9:00 a.m.

All persons desiring to be heard at any of the public hearings must reserve a specific amount of time (up to 3 minutes) by contacting the City Secretary’s Office at 832-393-1100. Details for signing up to speak in-person or virtually are posted at https://www.houstontx.gov/council/meetingsinfo.html. Reservations for each hearing will be received up to 3 p.m. the day before each hearing is scheduled to begin.

By the close of business July 7, 2022, the Proposed Redistricting Plan will be available to the public on the City’s website at www.letstalkhouston.org/redistricting.

Read translations of the Public Hearing notice in Spanish, Vietnamese and Chinese. 

Learn more by watching this Redistricting video. 

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5th Annual Career Opportunity Fair - July 13, 2022

From City of Houston Housing and Community Development …

The City of Houston Housing and Community Development department is hosting an in-person hiring fair designed to connect Houstonians with employers, second chance job opportunities, and free resources. 

Participants will have the opportunity to interview with hiring managers on-site, receive tips from career experts, and engage in job readiness workshops. 

Join us and get connected on Wednesday, July 13, 2022, from 9 am-3 pm.  

Masks are strongly recommended.  

Register here.

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Free Will Preparation for Low-Income Residents March 17, 2022

Need a will?

Volunteers from Lone Star Legal Aid, the third largest service provider of free legal aid in the United States, and TSU’s Earl Carl Institute will be preparing simple will free of charge for low-income residents from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Thursday, March 17, 2022.

Interested persons must complete an Assessment via Phone or Online. To apply,:

Appointments first come, first served.

Free Will Prep

9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Thursday, March 17, 2022

601 Sawyer Ste. 110 Houston, Tx 77007

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Free Tax Protest Seminar for Homeowners and Business Owners Feb. 16

Kathryn and Sybren van der Pol, owners of Liberty Hoepfl Garage on North Shepherd Drive, are holding a free community seminar “Protest Your Taxes” from 6:30pm - 7:30pm Wednesday, February 16, 2022, at the White Oak Conference Center Community Room.

"Michael Berlanga is going to lead a fact-based educational seminar for homeowners and business owners on how to protest your taxes,” explains Kathryn van der Pol, who also founded the North Shepherd Community Alliance. “He will cover the do's and don'ts of the informal hearing, the formal hearing, and even arbitration and beyond.

“He is going to show you how to do this yourself and why it's usually more successful when you do."

Berlanga is a CPA and commercial real estate broker from San Antonio.

The seminar is free, but registration is required. RSVP by clicking here.

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Community Listening Session for 50/50 Park Partners & Forest West Park - Jan. 26

Join Mayor Sylvester Turner’s 50/50 Park Partners Initiative for a listening session on potential future improvements for Forest Park West in Super Neighborhood 12 at 6 p.m. Wednesday, January 26, 2022.

The community is invited to learn more about the Mayor’s 50/50 Park Partners Initiative, while offering suggestions on the future of this Near Northwest Houston park.

The 50/50 Park Partners challenged 50 companies to join a citywide coalition driving improvements to neighborhood parks. Public and private investment in the development and improvement of Houston parks, greenways and public spaces has provided transformative changes to many Houston parks.

Community members can share their visions for revitalizing Forest Park West during this Zoom meeting.

Houston Parks Board members will be on hand to answer questions and facilitate discussion.

  • Forest West Park 50/50 Community Listening Session

  • 6 p.m. Wednesday, January 26, 2022

  • REGISTER TO ATTEND via Zoom by clicking HERE.

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FIsher Street Affordable Apartments Informational Meeting 3-4-21

Join your neighbors for an informational webinar on a proposed Affordable Apartment Development in Super Neighborhood 12 from 6-7:30pm Thursday, March 4, 2021, co-hosted by SN 12 and the Garden Oaks Civic Club.

Fisher Street Affordable Apartments Info Session Agenda

This Zoom session is designed to provide details on the proposed 60-unit residential development, as well as information on local affordable housing efforts. Your civic club may find this informational session useful as other affordable housing proposals arise in our area.

Panelists will also review the process affordable housing developers follow to garner a 9% housing tax credit from the State of Texas that makes these developments possible. In addition, the City of Houston Housing and Community Development will participate. City Council last week voiced approval for a package of affordable housing developments that included 909 Fisher Street. The State has final approval on all tax abatement proposals.

Featured Panelists:

  • SBP, the nonprofit developer for 909 Fisher Street

  • Texas State Rep. Penny Shaw Morales

  • Information about the 9% tax abatement program run by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA)

  • Julie Retta, Chief of Staff for Council Member Abbie Kamin, District C

  • Ray Miller, Assistant Director Multifamily & Public Facilities, City of Houston

  • Overview of affordable housing in the Houston region from the Kinder Institute

The 60-unit development slated for 909 Fisher Street off Alba Road is being proposed by the SBP, a non-for-profit organization that specializes in providing affordable housing and economic resiliency solutions in Houston and New Orleans, their homebase.

From SBP:

The Fisher Street Apartments will be a mixed-income building with 60 units, 45 one-bedrooms and 15 two-bedrooms, of which half the units set aside for veterans. There will be a mix of market-rate and affordable apartment units and the building will include a community center, leasing office, ample gated off-street parking and a stormwater management system. We plan to make the community center available to neighborhood residents to rent for events, and we plan to invite neighborhood residents to workshops and trainings we will hold, including on disaster preparedness and energy efficiency in the home.

Questions can be submitted via the Zoom Q+A function during this moderated session. If time runs out, we hope to compile unanswered questions for responses later by panelists.

We will also attempt to "simulcast" this webinar as a Facebook Live event. Zoom and Facebook links are below.

This should be an informative session, and we hope you and your neighbors can join us.

FACEBOOK LIVE (note questions/comments posted via Facebook will not be addressed) https://fb.me/e/cHLZJK1lz

ZOOM INVITATION
You are invited to a Zoom webinar.
When: Mar 4, 2021 06:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
Topic: 909 Fisher St. Apartments Information Session

Please click the link below to join the webinar:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82250086458?pwd=ZEExdUNVYzFnUDJDSnEzVDNPSi80Zz09

Passcode: 141021

Or iPhone one-tap :
US: +13462487799,,82250086458#,,,,*141021# or +12532158782,,82250086458#,,,,*141021#
Or Telephone:
Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
US: +1 346 248 7799 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 669 900 6833 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799 or +1 929 205 6099

Webinar ID: 822 5008 6458
Passcode: 141021

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