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Showing content with the highest reputation on 07/25/2012 in all areas

  1. 2 points
  2. Well, since homeless are so often pedestrians, it actually makes perfect sense. As an almost daily user of the light rail for the past several years, I can tell you it absolutely isn't true. Vagrants not paying may exist, but they are not even close to the majority (much less the sole users of the system, as you allege). You might see one or two per ride, while the others are people going to work, the hospital, Rice University, or the park and ride. You're right about one thing, though: Homeless charities understand that their best place to locate to help the homeless is where all the transit systems that they might use meet: Rail, city buses (Downtown Transit Center), outbound buses to other cities, and international buses.
    1 point
  3. It's a free market. Outbid the charities and buy the land and put up more cheesy townhomes. What's really funny is about 20 years ago, the only people in Midtown were the homeless and the charities who took care of them. It was an unwanted wasteland that everybody quickly drove through to get to downtown. But then it became cool and hip and now the people that were living there (the homeless) are a problem.
    1 point
  4. Midtown does not do this. First, they are required by law to provide cheap housing as part of being setup as the Midtown TIRZ. They HAVE to spend a certain % of their money on this as a requirement by law. They buy land on the other side of 288 for this purpose because it's cheaper and not in the district. The land they own in Midtown is to promote development in the district and increase tax revenues (i.e. the Superblock park coming soon). Trust me... they are not happy with losing tax revenue on properties to non profits. Problem is that they are powerless to do anything because Houston has no zoning. Any non profit is free to buy whatever expensive piece of property they want. Midtown is also upset with this because they hire extra police to patrol the neighborhood. The Constables are one of the biggest chunks of the budget. Problem is that the increased non-profit presence requires more Constable and HPD patrols, yet the non-profits are not paying taxes to support those extra patrols. That's why I said earlier in another thread that non-profits like the San Jose Clinic are fine when they maintain their property and have the place secure. The problem is when they allow loitering and do nothing to be a good neighbor by tolerating loitering, trash, drug dealing, etc.
    1 point
  5. Not downtown, but close. The Spur took out many old homes as well. The 1902 Westmoreland Addition extended eastward, nearly to Main St. The Waldo Mansion was moved from downtown and reconstructed in Westmoreland. I guess the only original home left downtown is the Kirby Mansion.
    1 point
  6. Don't know why my picture link went bad... Here's the old picture again. http://i752.photobucket.com/albums/xx166/CWallingford/Jackson-1.jpg
    1 point
  7. I attended Jackson from 1969-72, then went on for a year to attend SFA High, finally moving on to Pasadena High, where I spent a year prior to moving on to an almost 25-year career with the U.S. Air Force. I finally retired from the AF back in 2000, opting then to relocate to Phoenix, AZ., where I remain to this day. When I Googled Jackson Junior High this morning I sort of stumbled across this site. My God! This is so nice! Looking at the various pics, especially the one of Susan standing in front and off to the side of the campus on the last day of school in 1972 almost brings me to tears of joy. Now I'm not a guy who's prone to a lot of sentiment, but I have to say--that REALLY tugged at the ol' heart strings. My name is Robert Sikes, and I played on the football team (Leopards!) for Coach Hermann all three years of my attendance. God, I feel like Al Bundy right about now--remembering all the fun times, hard times, competition, girlfriends, good guy friends, teachers, laughter and tears, the pain of trying to fit in with certain groups but frequently unable to do so...and on and on! A few years back I returned to Houston in order to make the arrangements necessary to bury my Mom. Despite all of the pain that was involved with making that horrible trip, I knew I had to include a trip to the old neighborhood. I was a bit shocked at just how the East End looks after so many years away, but there were a few aspects of the area around Jackson's campus that had remained intact just enough to make the ol' nostalgia juices flow like a river. I even saw an old friend who I barely recognized from back then. Sadly, he had turned into a street person, an alcoholic, and had little recognition of me. Thanks to everyone who has contributed to this post. I hope to hear at least one reply from someone who might remember me. If not, oh well...it's still great reminiscing with everyone here. Thanks again. Rob
    1 point
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