Heavy Trash Code Enforcement Moratorium in Effect Through March 12, 2021

HOUSTON ANNOUNCES MORATORIUM
ON HEAVY TRASH CODE ENFORCEMENT
IN AFTERMATH OF WINTER STORM

Heavy trash code enforcement suspended February 23 to March 12, 2021
No citations will be issued during this time

HOUSTON - Due to widespread damage to many homes during last week’s winter storm, the Department of Neighborhoods (DON) Inspections and Public Service (IPS) division will suspend heavy trash code enforcement, effective immediately through Friday, March 12, 2021 to allow residents adequate time to clear debris from their properties. The department will resume heavy trash code enforcement on March 15, 2021.
 
For information about heavy trash codes and guidelines, visit www.houstonsolidwaste.org
 
For questions about notices and citations issued by DON, call the IPS Call Center at 832-394-0600.

Contacts:
Evangelina Vigil
Departments of Neighborhoods
Office: 832.393.0832
Mobile: 281.904.3015

Tyra Wilkins
Solid Waste Management Department
Office: 832.393.0448
Mobile: 713.542.0160

Want Free WiFi in Houston Parks? Take the Brief Survey by Dec. 23

Content Repurposed from a City of Houston announcement …

Free WiFi in Houston City Parks? Take our brief survey. 

The City of Houston Mayor's Office, Houston Parks and Recreation Department (HPARD), Houston Information and Technology Services (HITS), other city departments and organizations are working together to improve #DigitalConnectivity inside city parks as part of #Houston's Resilience Plan and 50/50 Parks Partners Initiative.

Let us hear your thoughts on whether #FreeWiFi should be provided in some city parks. Take the survey at http://bit.ly/houstonwifi by December23rd.

Background and Purpose:

The City of Houston continues to strive to be a leader in technology and solutions to meet the needs of its citizens and strengthen its national reputation as a green space leader. In response to the Covid pandemic and continued natural disaster emergencies, there is more need than ever for a Digital Connectivity Master Plan for Houston's parks to provide reliable, consistent digital connectivity services, such as free WiFi.  This effort also supports the City of Houston's Resilience Plan, 50/50 Parks Partners Initiative, and complements Comcast’s initiative to equip nine City of Houston Community Centers with WiFi-connected “Lift Zones” before the end of 2020.

The City's Mayor's Office, Houston Parks and Recreation Department (HPARD), Houston Information and Technology Services (HITS), and other city departments and organizations are working together and they want to hear from the Citizens of Houston.  This survey provides a way to find out more about how the new service will be used as well as an opportunity to gather general feedback from Houston park visitors.  The information received will feed into the overall plan.  

The deadline to take the survey is December 23rd.  bit.ly/houstonwifi

Reconstruction Begins on White Oak Bayou Greenway Trail in T.C. Jester Park

Houston Parks Board is replacing 1.1 miles of existing trail on the White Oak Bayou Greenway in T.C. Jester Park with new asphalt to repair cracks.

Work is expected to take one to two weeks, weather cooperating, according to  Lisa Kasianowitz, outreach manager for Houston Parks Board.

Trail users will be guided to an alternate route on the existing crushed granite trail in T.C. Jester Park. Users can plan their route by visiting an interactive map here.

Eventually, Houston Parks Board plans to replace this portion of the greenway trail with a new 10-foot wide concrete path designed to accommodate a variety of users, though an estimated timeframe is unknown at this time.

For more about Houston Parks Board, visit here.

Take the Survey: How Should Houston Responsibly Develop to Help Your Home & Community

Shared from the City of Houston, CitizenNet email Nov. 5, 2020…

Make your community what you want it to be. Share the survey with your neighbors, family, and friends.

Why share the survey? 

We all deserve a comfortable place to live. 

This is your opportunity to tell Harris County and the City of Houston on how to responsibly develop improvements for economic, environmental, and social balance in the most valuable space of all, your home and community. 

Harris County received $10 billion to implement the results of the survey, and your responses show your local government how to spend those funds on real estate in your neighborhood like determining where homes need to be built or repaired, types of dwelling options that are needed, and maintaining affordable costs for hardworking Houstonians. 

This is your opportunity to tell Harris County and the City of Houston on how to responsibly develop improvements for economic, environmental, and social balance in the most valuable space of all, your home and community. 

Make your community what you want it to be. Share the survey with your neighbors, family, and friends. 

About the Study 

Home is more than a word. It’s where your life happens. The Harris County Housing Survey is commissioned by Harris County and the City of Houston. The survey, conducted by The Kinder Institute for Urban Research, will provide a picture of real estate needs in the Houston area. 

Why is the survey important? 

Severe weather and a growing population present new social needs for the five million residents who call Harris County home. 

The results of the Harris County Housing Survey will inform decisions that impact safe and affordable homes and apartments in your community.

We are asking all area residents ages 18+ to please take the survey at MyHomeIsHere.org.

Community organizations can also schedule a My Home Is Here field researcher to join your organization’s next virtual meeting to engage, inform and activate your community in just 20 minutes. Contact Tiffany Nelson at 713.966.6937, ext. 902 or email pm@thefordmomentum.com. 

Early Voting Begins Oct. 13 with Drive-Thru Polling

Early voting for registered Harris County voters begins Tuesday, October 13, 2020, with a new spin — drive-thru voting sites.

The unique drive-thru option is intended to reduce concerns around in-person voting during a pandemic. Polling officials will actually bring a voting machine to your vehicle at these locations, according to the Harris County Clerk’s office.

While there are only a handful of drive-thru polling sites citywide, Super Neighborhood 12 residents can find one nearby at Resurrection Metropolitan Community Church , 2025 West 11th Street.

All early voting locations can be found at the Harris Votes website here. Some of the closest early voting locations to Super Neighborhood 12 are:

• Acres Homes Multi Service Center – Auditorium, 6719 West Montgomery Road

• Sheraton Houston Brookhollow Hotel – Magnolia Room, 3000 North Loop West Freeway

• SPJST Lodge Num 88 – Ballroom, 1435 Beall Street

You must be a registered in Harris County to vote and present a photo ID (Texas Drivers License, Military card, U.S. Passport, Texas Personal Identification Card and other forms that can be found by scrolling down at this Harris County Clerk’s webpage).

Early voting runs from Tuesday, October 13 to Friday, October 30, 2020. The general election is Tuesday, November 3.

Public Meeting Sept. 24: East Segment of Garden Oaks / Shepherd Park Plaza Drainage Project

Houston Public Works will hold a virtual public meeting for the east segment of the Garden Oaks / Shepherd Park Plaza stormwater drainage project at 5 p.m. Thursday, September 24, 2020.

Though currently not funded, the east segment is now in the design phase. It is the third and last phase of the overall project. The first phase, primarily along Alba Road and Chamboard Lane, was completed in 2019.

During the virtual meeting, neighbors can meet the project team and hear updates on the status and design of the final stage of this capital improvement project — including pavement design.

A Q&A session will be provided; email questions in advance to the Public Engagement Team by Monday, September 21, at: buildforward@houstontx.gov.

The three segments for the overall drainage and streets project are designed to work in tandem to help reduce flooding.

1. The central segment was completed more than a year ago along Alba Road, Chamboard Lane and Brinkman Drive.

2. The $26 million west segment primarily runs along Golf Drive, but includes work along Briar Haven Drive, Chamboard Lane and Park Plaza Drive in Shepherd Park Plaza, and Wakefield Drive, Rosepoint Street south of Garden Oaks. Construction is scheduled to start in Fall 2021 with completion set for Winter 2023.

3. The $24 million east segment will cover portions of W. 43rd Street, Sue Barnett Drive and Wakefield Drive in Garden Oaks, plus several Shepherd Park streets. A construction schedule has not been set.

As with the central, primary segment, the east portion will involve significant storm drainage improvements, concrete and/or asphalt paving, curbs, sidewalks, driveways and underground utilities. Overall, the three-phase project was designed to reduce recurring in Shepherd Park Plaza, while improving stormwater drainage throughout the area.

The Public Works meeting will be held on the free-to-access Microsoft Teams platform.

For a meeting link, dial in number and more, visit https://www.publicworks.houstontx.gov/engage.

For more on the east segment of this project, visit https://www.publicworks.houstontx.gov/garden_oaks_and_shepherd_park_east

East segment map of the Garden Oaks / Shepherd Park Plaza stormwater drainage Houston Public Works project.

Overall project layout for the three segments of the Garden Oaks / Shepherd Park Plaza stormwater drainage project.

COmmunity Prosperity Virtual Summit, July 30

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Community Prosperity Virtual Summit July 30 is an event designed to foster hope and opportunity, asset building and wealth creation.

The Summit will convene a variety of community stakeholders to:

• Assist communities in the development of local prosperity councils, create wealth and build assets.

• Illustrate successful practices for developing key partnerships.

• Connect attendees to USDA and other relevant federal programs.

• Model success for communities and future generations of communities.

Free.

July 30, 2020
8:30 a.m. - 12:45 p.m. Central Time

Click here for the July 30 Prosperity event registration.   

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Make Your Vote Count: SN 12 Mayoral Candidate Forum is Sept. 3; Council District C Forum is Oct. 2

Don’t miss this opportunity to meet your 2019 Houston Mayoral and Council District C candidates. Hosted by Super Neighborhood 12 and the Garden Oaks Civic Club, this election year’s forums will take place on two days to accommodate the extensive candidate slate.

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• The 2019 Houston Mayoral Candidate Forum is set for 7pm Tuesday, September 3.

• The 2019 Council District C Candidate Forum will be 7pm Wednesday, October 2.

• Both will take place at Garden Oaks Montessori Magnet, 901 Sue Barnett Drive, Houston, TX 77018.

Meet the candidates. Hear their positions. Represent your neighborhoods and make your vote count.

Wainwright Elementary Earth Day Celebration is April 27!

Wainwright Elementary is hosting an Earth Day Celebration with fun, educational events and more from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, April 27, 2019.

Children can enjoy learning stations, a fish release in the pond and plant their own seed to take home and grow. Bring the family to see Wainwright’s newly revived natural habitat and butterfly garden, where you can have fun learning how to identify different plants.

Wainwright Earth Day event partners include My Brother's Keeper, the City of Houston Health Department, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston, HISD Nutrition Services and Harris Health System.

Wainwright Elementary is at 5330 Milwee Street (map link).

You can help out by volunteering for this event. Sign up here.

Add a reminder for this event by following it on Wainwright Elementary PTA’s Facebook page here.

Texas 2050 Transportation Plan open House is Feb. 19

From the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) …

TxDOT will host a series of open-house style public meetings to solicit input to guide the development of the TTP 2050 – the state’s multimodal, long-range transportation plan.

At the open house, the public can review displays, talk with staff and provide input.

Public comments will be accepted throughout the development of the Texas Transportation Plan until Sept. 6, 2019.

Why:

The TTP 2050 will serve as TxDOT’s "blueprint” to guide collaborative planning efforts with our stakeholders to address the state’s transportation needs, and to accomplish the goals in TxDOT’s Strategic Plan. The TTP 2050 will include strategies for the development, construction, and implementation of projects and services for all transportation modes including roadways, aviation, public transportation, bicycle and pedestrian, waterways and coastal waters, freight, and passenger rail.

Where:

Houston TxDOT District Office
Conference Room 105
7600 Washington Ave.
Houston, TX 77007 (Map)

When:

Tuesday, February 19, 2019
5:30-7 p.m.

Fun-Filled 2018 Festival of Abilities, Oct. 27, Benefitting Playground for All Abilities

Our hard-working volunteers at Friends of Oak Forest Park are hosting their annual fun-filled family festival, the 2018 Festival of Abilities from 3-7 p.m. this Saturday, October 27, 2018. 

Benefitting the creation of a Playground for All Abilities, the festival will feature engaging family activities, live performances, a food court and craft beer.

Proceeds benefit the first accessible playground planned for our central Northwest community. Please help spread the word among your civic clubs and neighbors. Then come out and join the fun this Saturday.

2018 Festival of Abilities, Saturday, October 27, 3-7 pm

Oak Forest Park, 2100 Judiway 

Benefiting the Playground for All Abilities

Celebrate Halloween at an activity-packed festival for all ages and abilities: 

• SIRE therapeutic horses, petting zoo, sports, games, trick or treating, pick-your-own pumpkin patch

• Dynamo Diesel appearance

• food court

• craft beer garden, wine tastings

• art tile painting, costume contest, bake sale, auction and much more! 

 Featuring: Fly Dance Company – The River Performance Troupe – The Amazing Blake’s Magic Act – Live Music by Breakfast at Tiffany’sBand

Order and pick up festival packages in advance to skip the check in line! http://houstonparksboard.org/events/festival/

Admission is free for kids under 2.

For event information, contact Elyssa Horvath, Chair, FriendsofOakForestPark@yahoo.com.

Follow https://www.facebook.com/FriendsofOakForestPark/ for event updates.

Volunteer to Remake Clifton Middle School's Library Sept 22

HISD’s Clifton Middle School’s library is turning a new page, and volunteers are needed to help create a well-functioning library, something the school’s been lacking for some time.

A Community Service Day, 9a.m. - noon Saturday, September 22, is calling on volunteers to help new Principal Georgina Castilleia create a proper library for the school’s students during the first phase of this project.

Volunteers can help paint, clean and move the library for this important effort, designed to improve the learning environment for Clifton’s students.

Clifton Middle School Community Service Day

9 a.m. - Noon, Saturday, Sept. 22, 2018

Clifton Middle School, 6001 Golden Forest Drive, Houston, TX 77092