houston_urban_fan Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 Lately I've noticed a mass increase in what I call "random" traffic. These are people that I typically do not see on a daily basis walking their dogs or kids, running, jogging, etc. So in the past few weeks I've noticed on an ongoing basis: - Skinhead fellow with tattoos on right shoulder, baggy pants that hang below his boxers. - On the streets of Austin and Caroline. - Female wandering in the middle of the road (Austin at Tuam intersection) screaming out for someone or something named Zachery (My neighbors also watched this individual get slapped around by a man living in 2818 Austin st.) - Maroon van with Georgia plates almost permanently parked on Caroline. - Increase in foot traffic by individuals wearing "head scarves" on Austin street. (with optional white towel...) Has anyone else noticed a sharp increase in this type of foot traffic? Has anyone experienced any recent property thefts or attempted theft in the past few weeks? Something has changed in the past month or two (new flophouse, rehab, crack-house, drug-dealer) because I have not witnessed a significant increase in this type of traffic in this amount of time since I moved here 10 years ago. What is weird is if I head east down Dennis or Tuam past Crawford I do not see anything approaching the same level of traffic or characters. (lucky you) It just seams to be concentrated in the areas between LaBranch and San Jacinto and Dennis and Anita. I caught something on the news over the weekend about how one Atlanta neighborhood is using Twitter, Live camera feeds and other web resources to quickly notify residents and the police of suspicious activity and crime. I think HAIC is a good tool to let others know if you've experienced a property theft of witness suspicious activity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flipper Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 I call these people "daywalkers".flipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsb320 Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 I saw a black man dressed in what looked like a toga this morning on Travis. I'm not sure what cross street, but it was in midtown. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kylejack Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 I saw a black man dressed in what looked like a toga this morning on Travis. I'm not sure what cross street, but it was in midtown.I saw a black man in African dress and some sort of headwear on Lamar at Main, on the side of the convenience store. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsb320 Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 I saw a black man in African dress and some sort of headwear on Lamar at Main, on the side of the convenience store.What I saw was a plain white sheet with no head dressing (at 7:30 in the morning!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian0123 Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 (edited) Lately I've noticed a mass increase in what I call "random" traffic. These are people that I typically do not see on a daily basis walking their dogs or kids, running, jogging, etc.So in the past few weeks I've noticed on an ongoing basis: - Skinhead fellow with tattoos on right shoulder, baggy pants that hang below his boxers. - On the streets of Austin and Caroline.- Female wandering in the middle of the road (Austin at Tuam intersection) screaming out for someone or something named Zachery (My neighbors also watched this individual get slapped around by a man living in 2818 Austin st.)- Maroon van with Georgia plates almost permanently parked on Caroline.- Increase in foot traffic by individuals wearing "head scarves" on Austin street. (with optional white towel...)Has anyone else noticed a sharp increase in this type of foot traffic?Has anyone experienced any recent property thefts or attempted theft in the past few weeks?Something has changed in the past month or two (new flophouse, rehab, crack-house, drug-dealer) because I have not witnessed a significant increase in this type of traffic in this amount of time since I moved here 10 years ago.What is weird is if I head east down Dennis or Tuam past Crawford I do not see anything approaching the same level of traffic or characters. (lucky you) It just seams to be concentrated in the areas between LaBranch and San Jacinto and Dennis and Anita.I caught something on the news over the weekend about how one Atlanta neighborhood is using Twitter, Live camera feeds and other web resources to quickly notify residents and the police of suspicious activity and crime.I think HAIC is a good tool to let others know if you've experienced a property theft of witness suspicious activity.I live nearby and haven't seen those characters, although I did chase down and get a guy arrested the other day for attempting to steal my neighbor's plants! However, if you do see anything/anyone suspicious, CALL OUR CONSTABLES IMMEDIATELY @ 713-643-6602 (for emergencies, call 911). As Midtown residents, we pay them to check out the exact things you mentioned above. Remember, they can only check out the things you report to them... not to an online forum.Please, store that number above in your cell (and give it out to your neighbors). For the times I've called them, they normally arrive in about 4 minutes after calling. If you see anyone suspicious, call them and they will send an officer over to talk to the person. Even if the person hasn't broken a law, they at least know that there is a strong police presence in the neighborhood and they will move along.Oh, and I have a live camera feed from my house that I can check from work. Don't worry, no shady characters are walking by right now... just a cat looking at a fence... although that cat looks like he's up to no good! Edited May 18, 2009 by brian0123 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 Ah yes, the wanderers. One of the reasons we decided to move from Midtown to Timbergrove after our son was born. There were just too many weird folks around for us to be comfortable with him playing outside as he grew up, so we moved to a regular hood with houses and yards.The guys with head scarves and towels used to all be male prostitutes, I doubt that has changed.Complain to the police about the car with out of state plates if it doesn't move at least once every 24 hours. They may take an interest sooner or later.2818 Austin has always been a source of trouble. The previous owner occasionally tried to do the right thing, but usually failed. He still owns the new house next door. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 The guys with head scarves and towels used to all be male prostitutes, I doubt that has changed.BINGO we have a winner! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midtowntiger Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 Does anyone know who I need to petition or complain to in order to beef up patrols in th Baldwin Park area of Midtown? I have noticed a significant increase of "random traffic" mostly due to the day labor place on Caroline. There are numerous cars parked at the empty lot on Caroline and Dennis with people living out of them and now people are starting to camp in the lot behind the DayCare Center. I have called precint 7 on numerous occasions but nothing is being done about this problem. I think it's extremely dangerous to have this many transient people within such a close radius to daycares, parks and neighborhoods. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtticaFlinch Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 Does anyone know who I need to petition or complain to in order to beef up patrols in th Baldwin Park area of Midtown? I have noticed a significant increase of "random traffic" mostly due to the day labor place on Caroline. There are numerous cars parked at the empty lot on Caroline and Dennis with people living out of them and now people are starting to camp in the lot behind the DayCare Center. I have called precint 7 on numerous occasions but nothing is being done about this problem. I think it's extremely dangerous to have this many transient people within such a close radius to daycares, parks and neighborhoods.The Greyhound station is a magnet for transients. Until the Greyhound is moved, homeless will continue to congregate in Midtown. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian0123 Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 Does anyone know who I need to petition or complain to in order to beef up patrols in th Baldwin Park area of Midtown? I have noticed a significant increase of "random traffic" mostly due to the day labor place on Caroline. There are numerous cars parked at the empty lot on Caroline and Dennis with people living out of them and now people are starting to camp in the lot behind the DayCare Center. I have called precint 7 on numerous occasions but nothing is being done about this problem. I think it's extremely dangerous to have this many transient people within such a close radius to daycares, parks and neighborhoods.Do the constables show up and do anything about it... or just let them be? If they are just hanging out... no laws are being broken and there isn't much that can be done. If they are camping out... the constables should be able to move them along. BTW, I live around the block from here and have noticed this in the past; however, it seems like it hasn't been a problem lately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuerrillaLandscape Posted November 5, 2009 Share Posted November 5, 2009 Do the constables show up and do anything about it... or just let them be? If they are just hanging out... no laws are being broken and there isn't much that can be done. If they are camping out... the constables should be able to move them along. BTW, I live around the block from here and have noticed this in the past; however, it seems like it hasn't been a problem lately.Yes the constables will actually show up and at a minimum run the folks off so you won't call again or ask the vehicles to move. We live right behind the empty lot on Caroline/Dennis and any time we call the constables they show up. The best method I've found is to walk my dogs and let them run free everynight in the field. The campers know I'm coming just don't know what time and its easier for them to sleep somewhere else then to bother with me and my dogs during the night. FYI Larger than life flood lights will be in place soon on the back of our house! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LTAWACS Posted November 5, 2009 Share Posted November 5, 2009 FYI Larger than life flood lights will be in place soon on the back of our house!Awesome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian0123 Posted November 5, 2009 Share Posted November 5, 2009 Yes the constables will actually show up and at a minimum run the folks off so you won't call again or ask the vehicles to move. We live right behind the empty lot on Caroline/Dennis and any time we call the constables they show up. The best method I've found is to walk my dogs and let them run free everynight in the field. The campers know I'm coming just don't know what time and its easier for them to sleep somewhere else then to bother with me and my dogs during the night. FYI Larger than life flood lights will be in place soon on the back of our house!That's great. I find that the constables do a great job... they just need to know where the problems are at (even Batman needed a spotlight to know when trouble was happening:)). Vigilance is key, and it takes active neighbors like you to help keep the neighborhood great. BTW, I actually live right down the street from you (Anita @ Austin) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houston_urban_fan Posted November 16, 2009 Author Share Posted November 16, 2009 The Greyhound station is a magnet for transients. Until the Greyhound is moved, homeless will continue to congregate in Midtown.The other magnet for transients are the 3 bunkhouses in Midtown. Do a sex offender search on their addresses and you will be surprised.Midtown is now a magnet for the homeless. You would think the management district would care since the tax-paying residents fund them, but based on what I witnessed during the last evening meeting they do not. Yet another example of an unaccountable (quasi) government agency. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted November 16, 2009 Share Posted November 16, 2009 The other magnet for transients are the 3 bunkhouses in Midtown. Do a sex offender search on their addresses and you will be surprised. Midtown is now a magnet for the homeless. You would think the management district would care since the tax-paying residents fund them, but based on what I witnessed during the last evening meeting they do not. Yet another example of an unaccountable (quasi) government agency. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barracuda Posted November 16, 2009 Share Posted November 16, 2009 Midtown is now a magnet for the homeless. And this is different from when? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LTAWACS Posted November 16, 2009 Share Posted November 16, 2009 There has to be something we can do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian0123 Posted November 16, 2009 Share Posted November 16, 2009 There has to be something we can do. I'm not sure what there is "to do". The fact is that we live in the most walkable, easily accessible neighborhood in America's fourth largest city. We have the best access to mass transit and freeways. You cannot have a walkable neighborhood in the middle of everything and not have people walking around. Yes, I'd love to see something done about the flophouses... but Houston has no zoning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kylejack Posted November 16, 2009 Share Posted November 16, 2009 There has to be something we can do. Smoke some weed and chill out. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolie Posted November 27, 2009 Share Posted November 27, 2009 The fact is that we live in the most walkable, easily accessible neighborhood in America's fourth largest city. We have the best access to mass transit and freeways. You cannot have a walkable neighborhood in the middle of everything and not have people walking around.Montrose is much denser and more walkable, and altogether more pleasant.. But also much more $$$. Everyone on this side of midtown is here because it's a great neartown location, but moreso because it's comparatively cheap. So let's at least take a step back and realize that the reason it's cheap is because of the concentration of homeless/transients and their services in the area. I wonder why the realtors don't put this on their flyers?Anyway, sure, we'd like to get rid of the homeless once we live here, but if it was already completely gentrified, the majority of us wouldn't have been able to move here in the first place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phillip_white Posted February 24, 2020 Share Posted February 24, 2020 Just wanted to give a heads-up to anyone interested in attending. The Planning Dept. website doesn't show the next meeting date.  WHAT: Public hearing to consider the proposed Midtown Walkable Place Pilot Area Plan WHEN: Thursday, March 5, 2:30PM WHERE: City Hall Annex Chambers, Public Level (900 Bagby St.) MORE INFO: The plan addresses things like setbacks, sidewalk widths, and the location of parking spaces. http://www.houstontx.gov/planning/Commissions/walkable-places-midtown.html http://www.houstontx.gov/planning/wp-committee.html 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post BeerNut Posted May 6, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted May 6, 2021 (edited) https://www.facebook.com/groups/681066615607087/permalink/1418845178495890/ Quote Have you noticed the quick-build pedestrian safety improvements at Brazos & Webster and Elgin & Jackson? They're designed to improve visibility, shorten crossing distances, and encourage slow, safe turns. Let MMD know what you think and where you'd like to see more! https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WR99C7M Edited May 6, 2021 by BeerNut 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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