Inside District I

December 2014 Newsletter

It's hard to believe how quickly 2014 has come to an end. Over the past year, we have worked hard on dozens of issues and assisted hundreds of residents with numerous city-related concerns and other matters.

We have also begun to address many challenges our community has dealt with for years, including deteriorating infrastructure, quality of life challenges, and we have sought new economic development opportunities for District I. Much of this progress could not have been possible without the help and support of so many residents, community leaders, and organizations - thank you!

I'm excited about the new opportunities to come in 2015 and look forward to sharing good news about these projects and initiatives in the new year.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve you and our community on Houston City Council. Merry Christmas and have a happy New Year!

Thank you,

Robert Gallegos

Houston Council Member

District I

District I Distributes Thanksgiving Food Baskets

The District I office had the opportunity to work with several groups and organizations this past Thanksgiving to ensure families in our area were able to enjoy a Thanksgiving meal.

The office partnered with the Mayor's Anti-Gang office to host a Fall Family Event and food basket distribution at Edison Middle School. Thanks to donations from area grocers, over 50 families in the community received food baskets with turkeys. The District I office also donated turkeys and helped Garden Villas Elementary staff prepare food baskets for over 40 families in need in the Hobby Area.

Thanks to generous donations from area grocers and businesses, nearly 100 families received Thanksgiving baskets with items that families were able to prepare for a full Thanksgiving meal.

Houston's Holiday Celebration - Dec. 5th

Join us Friday, December 5, 2014 at the City of Houston's holiday celebration and tree lighting.

The spectacular event is a holiday tradition of music, Santa, and family fun. A towering Holiday Tree, glowing with energy efficient LED (light-emitting diode) lights, shimmering ornaments and a stunning star topper will light up the streets of downtown Houston this holiday season. The event is free and open to the public.

The celebration will kick off at 6 p.m. and the official city holiday tree will be lit for the season at the end of the evening.

Open Streets Coming to the East End area - Dec. 7th

SundayStreetsHTX is coming to the East End/Fifth Ward area on Sunday, December 7! Designated streets in the area will be open solely to pedestrians and bicyclists from noon to 4 p.m. to encourage walking, running, or bicycling with friends and family.

Open Streets are multi-faceted programs that promote the use of public streets for recreation and physical activity by engaging participants in fun ways along designated routes. Since 2013, more than 90 cities across the nation have hosted Open Streets initiatives with activity hubs ranging from basketball shooting contests to yoga and Zumba lessons.

Participants in the pilot SundayStreetsHTX initiative earlier this year indicated that as a result of their positive experience, they would be more likely to consider walking or biking to destinations within their neighborhoods. In addition, the success of the program was measured by the increased economic activity in businesses on the route: nearly 70% of participants were introduced to businesses they did not know beforehand and 60% indicated spending 10 dollars or more at the event.

SundayStreetsHTX Schedule (Noon - 4 pm):

Sunday, December 7 -- East End/Fifth Ward

Navigation/Jenson to York/Clinton

Map: www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=3416

City of Houston Holiday Schedule

Please note that most city offices will be closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day (December 24 & 25) as well as on New Year's Day (January 1).

If you need immediate assistance with a city service on those holidays, please call 3-1-1. For non-urgent matters, please contact the District I office at 832-393-3011. We will respond to your calls and emails when we return to the office.

The following Solid Waste collection holiday schedule is provided for your information and convenience. Click on the image to view the schedule in full resolution:

Don't Forget to Recycle your Christmas Tree

The Solid Waste Department is encouraging residents to recycle their Christmas trees. Residents can recycle their trees by dropping them off at one of seventeen (17) free, drop-off, recycling sites located throughout Houston. In addition to the drop-off locations, residents with City of Houston collection may place their tree curbside on their scheduled tree waste day and it will be recycled.

The program runs from December 26, 2014 to January 7, 2015. All facilities are closed January 1, 2015. Trees that are collected for recycling will be ground into mulch that is available in bulk directly from Living Earth or available in bags at Houston retailers. The trees must have all decorations, ornaments, tinsel, lights and stands removed. Flocked trees cannot be recycled.

Residents may drop off their trees for free at one of 17 locations. For a complete list of drop-off sites, visit www.houstontx.gov/solidwaste.

City Opens Low Cost Spay/Neuter Clinic

BARC Animal Shelter and Adoptions has opened its in-house, low-cost dog and cat spay/neuter clinic.

As BARC developed the Healthy Pets Healthy Streets targeted spay/neuter program over the last year, it has become clear that Houstonians want to be responsible pet owners. By opening this low-cost spay/neuter clinic, BARC is granting access to this normally high-priced service to Houstonians that may otherwise not be able to afford it.

Pricing for the spay/neuter services will range from $29 to $65 depending on the gender, size and medical condition of the dog or cat. The entire surgery process will only take one day. Pet owners can drop off their pet at around 7:30 a.m. and pick them up between 4 p.m. and 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. The clinic is located at 3200 Carr St., 77026.

BARC's goal is to provide these services to thousands of owned pets annually. In addition to spay/neuter services, BARC also has a wellness clinic that offers annual vaccinations and monthly preventatives for pets.

The simplest, but most powerful thing you can do to help BARC, and pets throughout our community, is to talk to your friends, neighbors, and family about caring for pets responsibly. To donate to BARC online or for more information, visit www.houstonbarcfoundation.org.