Inside District I Newsletter
January 2015
Greetings!

Happy new year! I hope you had a wonderful holiday break.

While we were able to set the groundwork for several major projects in 2014, I'm even more excited about what we will accomplish in the year ahead. We will finalize agreements to renovate Gus Wortham Golf Course and redevelop Glenbrook as a site for a botanic garden. We are also set to open the first low-cost spay/neuter animal wellness clinic, Emancipet, in the East End this spring. 

We will host a progress meeting on the Broadway revitalization project and discuss the many possibilities of the recently expanded Gulfgate reinvestment zone. I'm also excited to continue conversations with local organizations and stakeholders to refurbish the historic Rufus Cage school building and turn it into a public facility that provides enrichment activities for area students. 

In addition, we will be looking into new initiatives and possible ordinances to help address loitering issues downtown and across the district. 

Also happening in 2015:
The District I office will continue to work hard and strive to provide the best service to our constituents. Thank you for the opportunity to serve you.


    Best wishes,
 
    Robert Gallegos
    Houston Council Member
    District I

SNAP Requests Due Jan. 12
A friendly reminder to all Super Neighborhood and civic leaders to submit your Super Neighborhood Action Plan (SNAP) requests by Monday, January 12, 2015.

As in past years, each Super Neighborhood is limited to 25 SNAP requests, and each request must have its own form. The requests are due to your Mayor's Citizen Assistance Office Liaison by Monday.

Parks has a number of amenities that can be requested: picnic tables, benches, barbecue grills, trash receptacles, signage, mulch, minor drainage, trail or parking lot repairs. Due to ReBuild Houston, the only SNAP item offered by Public Works is a "maintenance needs review" of streets.
Keep in Touch!
The District I office enjoys working with the many civic organizations and community groups in the district. In 2014, We attended over 100 evening meetings and visited with numerous residents about various issues and concerns at their community meetings.

To ensure we have the most up-to-date information on your civic group's meetings, please email your regular meeting day, time, and location to [email protected]. We would love the opportunity to stop by and assist with any city-related concerns.

You can also receive regular updates and keep in touch with the District I office on Facebook and through Inside District I, our monthly newsletter. 
Cold Weather Ahead - Protect the 4 "P"s!
The region will experience low temperatures over the next few days. When temperatures drop, it's important to take all the necessary steps to help keep yourself and your family safe. Follow these tips to help protect the 4 "P's:

People
  • Check on the elderly and those who may have functional or access needs to make sure that they have sufficient warmth to get them through the cold weather.
  • Make sure to properly use space heaters and fireplaces, ensuring that there is at least 3 feet of space around them while operating.
  • Avoid doing activities, such as exercising outdoors when there is extreme cold. 
Pets
  • During extremely cold weather, pets should be kept indoors.
  • Don't shave your pet's coat all the way down during winter, exposed skin can easily lead to hypothermia and frostbite.
  • Never leave your animal in a car during the winter. They can act as refrigerators and can result in hypothermia.
Pipes
  • Be sure that pipes are properly insulated
  • Remember to protect and/or drain your sprinkler systems and garden hoses by shutting them off.
  • If you think a pipe might be frozen (you open a tap and no water comes out), don't take any chances, call a plumber and leave your tap open until they arrive. 
Plants
  • Plants should be covered on cold nights with fabric to help keep them somewhat insulated during a freeze.
  • You can also create windbreaks around sensitive plants to keep the cold air from "burning" them.
  • Keep your plants hydrated, which helps fight off drying due to cold winds.
Stay Safe Around Light Rail
With the opening of new light rail lines expected in April, Metro reminds motorists and pedestrians to watch for more trains. 

Light-rail trains are now being tested along Rusk, Capitol, Hamilton and Texas on the downtown sections of the new East End (Green) and Southeast (Purple) lines. Drivers and trains share curb lanes on Rusk and Capitol, so pay close attention making turns, and entering and exiting parking garages.

And remember:
  • Don't walk on tracks, except when crossing at crosswalks.
  • Obey all traffic signs and signals around tracks.
  • Light-rail trains are quiet. Stay alert.
  • Never walk in front of, behind or between trains.
  • Trains can move fast, but they can't stop fast.
  • Watch for trains.
  • Respect red lights.
  • Listen for horns, whistles and signal bells.
  • Follow lane markings in lanes shared by cars.
For more tips on how to stay safe around the light rail, visit www.gometrorail.com.
HPD Team Featured in New Documentary

The Houston Police Department is featured in a new documentary focusing on how community policing is helping homeless people in our city. The 30-minute film, The Shepherds in Blue: How Community Policing is Guiding People Home, focuses on the innovative work being done by the HPD's Homeless Outreach Team (HOT). 

 

The goal of HOT, a joint project of the Houston Police Department's Mental Health Division and MHMRA of Harris County, is to improve the lives of homeless Houstonians and to help them overcome the barriers that keep them homeless. This includes working with social service and non-profit agencies to help homeless individuals obtain medication, social security cards, passports, birth certificates, medical equipment, access to transitional and permanent housing, access to mental health and substance abuse treatment. 

 

In 2013, HPD's HOT team had more than 2,200 contacts with homeless individuals, provided 800 referrals and helped 123 individuals find housing.    

 


Helpful City Numbers

3-1-1 or 713-837-0311
713-837-0311
Councilman Gallegos
832-393-3011
Citizens' Assistance
832-393-0955
832-393-1038
HPD (non-emergency)
713-844-3131
713-837-0311
Solid Waste Department
713-837-0311
Utility Customer Service
713-371-1400
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Tel: 832-393-3011 | [email protected]