Inside District I Newsletter

Inside District I

April 2014 Newsletter

Greetings!

As I have stressed to people with whom I have met over the past four months, I will not make a decision on the future of Gus Wortham Park Golf Course without first giving as many residents as possible another opportunity to share their thoughts and vision.

On March 31st, I held a community meeting along with the mayor at the E.B. Cape Center to review proposals under consideration: renovating the existing 18-hole golf course or repurposing the property for a botanic garden. Both proposals would be funded with private dollars.

We had over 300 residents in attendance and we quickly reached the auditorium's maximum 175 seating capacity. Over 80 residents signed up to speak and the mayor and I stayed and listened to every speaker on the list.

Moving forward, the mayor and I will continue to review the proposals and reach a decision by the end of this month. I appreciate everyone's passion, I know we all deeply care about our community and the future of Gus Wortham.

Thank you,

Robert Gallegos

Houston Council Member

District I

Council Strengthens Animal Regulations

Last month, Houston City Council approved changes to Chapter 6 of the code of ordinances, which deals with animal regulation. The adopted changes establish clear, targeted definitions, eliminate outdated or unnecessary regulations, replace arbitrary requirements with rational standards, and move toward "nuisance-based" enforcement.

Some of the Chapter 6 changes:

Better defines Dangerous, Aggressive and Public Nuisance Dogs and penalties if such dogs threaten the public*
Language was added to make it illegal for an owner of a nuisance or dangerous dog to allow it to run at large
All dogs that are quarantined for biting will be required to be microchipped
On every first impoundment, an unaltered dog or cat will be altered at the owner's expense
BARC will not adopt or foster to any person convicted of animal cruelty
A hobby/non-commercial breeder permit has been added

*An aggressive dog will need to be kept in a six-foot fence, microchipped, spay-neutered, and tagged. The owner of a nuisance dog will have 30 days to fix the broken fence or face daily citations. Continued violations could result in the animal being ordered removed from the city.

For more information on changes to Chapter 6, visit BARC's website.

Parks Dept. Hiring Lifeguards

The Houston Parks and Recreation Department (H.P.A.R.D.) is seeking applicants to fill open lifeguard positions at 37 pools for the 2014 swim season. Applicants must be at least 16 years of age, be American Red Cross Certified, and pass a skills screening test prior to being considered for employment.

The department will assist applicants who pass the skills screening test prepare for the American Red Cross Certification test and will consider these candidates for employment once they have attained this certification. H.P.A.R.D. Lifeguard job position wage range is $10.30 to $14.00 per hour based on position. Applications must be submitted by April 15, 2014.

The H.P.A.R.D. Summer Swim Season runs from Memorial Day, May 24, through Labor Day, September 1. Applications must be made through the city's job site at www.houstontx.gov/jobs.

Free Income Tax Preparation

Neighborhood Centers Inc. is providing free income tax preparation for individuals earning up to $30,000 and families with incomes up to $50,000.

The service will be provided at 15 locations throughout the Houston area. For more information on the free Neighborhood Tax Center locations, hours of operation and languages available, call 2-1-1 or visit www.freetaxcenters.org.

Federal income tax returns for the 2013 calendar year are due by April 15, 2014.

Numbers Show Decline in Homeless Population

Last week, Mayor Annise Parker announced that the number of chronically homeless individuals living on the streets of downtown Houston has decreased by 30 percent in just one year and 50 percent over the past two years. More than 1,400 at-risk individuals have been placed into safe, stable, supportive housing only two years after the announcement of her goal to end chronic homelessness in Houston.

"We are on the right path! Our Housing First strategy of creating permanent accommodations with robust supportive services is working," said Mayor Parker. "Moreover, the coordinated team-effort of over 60 different organizations aligning their resources and efforts is working!"

Council Member Robert Gallegos, whose district includes downtown, commended the administration for their work, "the mayor has committed resources to address chronic homelessness in our community and we have begun to see results. This is a tremendous step in the right direction and we need to continue to help our homeless population get back on their feet."

The City of Houston ramped up technology and developed a coordinated placement system to help house even more individuals. The database was successfully tested earlier this year and went live April 1 at The Beacon, which provides hot meals, private showers, lavatory facilities, laundry services and case management to Houston's underserved and homeless population.

"What has changed is that when we encounter an individual now at The Beacon, we are able to get them housed as rapidly as seven days with this new system," said Special Assistant to the Mayor for Homeless Initiatives, Mandy Chapman Semple.

Mayor Parker's team is led by Houston Hope Managing Director Pam Gardner and consists of some of the City's top business, religious and philanthropic leaders. They have been overseeing the creation of the placement system and the expansion of permanent supportive housing required to end chronic homelessness. The team is looking for more volunteers and donations, please call (713) 220-9769 for more information.

Hobby Fest - April 26

Stop by the 2014 Hobby Fest at William P. Hobby Airport on Saturday, April 26, 2014 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Hobby Fest is an annual family-friendly day of celebration, aviation sightseeing, music, entertainment, prizes, and a BBQ cook-off contest.

Hobby Fest offers an up-close look at rare, specialty, and high-tech aircraft on the tarmac. Admission is FREE with non-perishable food items. The non-perishable food items will help benefit the Hobby Area Rotary Club and the local Hobby Airport community.

The event will take place on the East Ramp at Hobby Airport, 8402 Nelms St., 77061. Once you arrive at Hobby Airport, follow the "Special Events" signs to find parking.