Marksmu

I received another pro-ordinance mailer today this time from Annise Parker....nice color glossy printout telling everyone not to sign the repeal petition. The mailer stated it was paid for by her campaign, and I truly hope that is true, and that not a cent of tax payer money, or labor went into its creation....the cynic in me says it was done by her staff, on the city time clock, and that the only thing paid for by the campaign was the printing/mailing.... While not illegal, or dishonest, It bothers me that she puts her office behind the ordinance....the Mayor supports it....not new news, but still some people who are not well informed may be swayed by such an "endorsement" Yet more proof that the results of elections actually matter and can affect you directly! Vote em out!

s3mh got pretty quiet after everything he has made up has been debunked and the true colors of the city and the historic natzi's are really beginning to shine. Dirty dirty dirty politics...We need to run everyone who voted in favor of this ordinance out of town. We dont need their kind here!

Did not mean to neg rep that...I meant to positive it, but missed....could not figure out how to un-neg-rep.

I believe the city is also in cohoots with the pro-ordinance crowd. Nobody who is anti-ordinance knew anything at all about the ballot, its contents, or when it was going to mailed. But on Saturday, one day after I received the ballot I received the pro-ordinance letter telling me not to sign the letter the city mailed (implies direct knowledge of its content) That letter was post marked on December 3, and delivered December 4th. I'm not saying its impossible to have achieved that without advance notice, but I am saying its almost impossible. The letter even stated "By the time you see this letter you will have received a survey from the city" This has been a very dirty process.

Being able to confirm your vote was counted or track others votes would entail some form of honesty, integrity, or openness from the city. You will not get that from this mayor/city council. This ordinance has been pushed in every single dirty way they could. I would not be one single bit surprised if they just decided not to count some of the votes and just declare that they were not received, or that the writing was ineligible, so they dont count it. Having not seen the ballot, if you have to fill it out yourself as opposed to them having filled the information out properly for you - it seems not much of a stretch to conclude that they want to be able to discard some ballots if it looks like its getting to close, or that a district may be dissolved. Just the fact that NOT returning a ballot is a vote cast in support of the ordinance is enough to offend even the most basic notions of fair play, or good will towards the vote. The city is stealing our rights, and the only way to keep them, is to jump through the hoops that they get to set up however they would like to do so. S3MH - I almost decided not to respond to you, but I cant do it....I have to. I need a calculator to count how many lies you have told on here....but you can go through all 350+ posts I have made on Haif, and I have one exaggeration....which was made to intentionally get people worked up. Seems it worked though. I got you worked up and you cant let it go.... if you read back on the other thread, there are about 3 times where I clarified my statement for you, but your tiny little brain has not allowed you to get past it. So without exaggeration, the ordinance is dishonest. It can control through delay or denial every single aspect that relates to the outside of your house. They say it cant control certain things, but they left the writing broad enough to back door whatever they want. We will have to just wait and see how unevenly it gets enforced in the areas that it remains. So to make this really simple for you so you can understand. They can not control the political party of a yard sign. Happy? you can even make it your signature if you want. But your lies are outright lies, not exaggerations. You are a big part of the problem with our area....Its really a shame that such a TINY MINORITY of people can cause such a big problem for everyone else. Its sickening really.

So dishonest, and disingenuous....You have how many days again to return your ballot?? I and a huge number of others travel in/out of town from around the 20th to the 2nd each year having to goto different functions across the US....They know that their best chances for not getting ballots returned will be the holidays since people will be very busy, be in and out of town, and the amount of junk mail around the holidays triples, which will increase their chances of people not returning ballots. I honestly do not think that this city council could be more dishonest if they tried. Following the letter of the law but blatantly attempting to skirt its spirit is the new way of the democrats....this whole group needs to be voted out. This process has been truly sickening.

Bungalows are an important part of keeping the Heights personality, so I fully support people doing tasteful remodels and there will always be a strong market for a beautiful old bungalow, but the McVics as you like to call them are what is driving the growth and value of the Heights. I do not think the McVics are ruining anything. Some are ugly, but most +/-90% are extremely attractive and well done.....I can tell you one thing for sure....the McVics as you like to call them are not ruining the neighborhood....they are the driving force behind its increase in quality from year to year. Nor will the WalMart ruin the neighborhood. The only thing ruining the neighborhood in my opinion is a bunch of snobs who think they are better than everyone else who want to tell everyone else what to do with their money and their property. If the snobs, whether they be bungalow elitists, preservationist, or just some kind of Walmart hater, would just shut up and keep their opinion to themselves, the entire neighborhood would be a much better place.

The Hypocrisy is killing me!!!! . If S3MH is looking out for out best interests we are in much bigger trouble than I thought possible! My best interests are definitely served by being able to use my own property as I see fit....even if that means tearing down a house that you like solely because it is old, or shopping at a store that someone else despises...your best interests are NOT the same as mine. We do not share common values, political beliefs, or anything other than a zip code...So I would appreciate it if you would stop advocating as if the community as a whole is agreeing with you, and the city is just forging ahead against the will of the people. There is a small group...very small, who oppose this Walmart, and support historic districts. They are loud, they are whiney, they are obnoxious. They think they get to tell us our business because they have nothing better in their life to do than be in everyone else's business. It is obnoxious...its like the small annoying clicks in High School who think they are better than everyone else.

Red is correct - I specifically said all the new districts in the heights....East, South, West all met the threshold.

Swamp lot is showing today that all of the new historic districts in the heights have met the 10% threshold for a new vote. I really hope that people go out there and get the word out to get the card mailed in!!!! Getting past the apathy and ensuring the cards are mailed to the correct address is going to be very difficult - especially with the multitude of absentee owners.

I never heard a word about this meeting, and I have even been scanning that freebie paper "The Leader" they litter my yard with watching to see if they try to sneak something past us by using that thing.

Did I have to kick out my tenants - no. I did not. But I do not rent the house to make a profit....the rent only covers the payment on the house, the insurance, and $75/month that is set aside to future maintenance. ALL of the profit on this particular house, every single penny of it, will come from the sale of the land to a perspective builder...not from the rent. The lot is large, the house is small, the house is not-historic, and the house is not structurally in the best shape. Its not falling down and it has a nice appearance, but its the type of home (50's, vinyl siding, pre-manufactured home...It replaced a bungalow that burned in the late 40's) that needs to be torn down and a nicer one replace it. The expectations on the sale of this home were in appreciation of the lot...the home is worth less than, insured for, and is appraised for less than $30,000. It is a PRIME candidate for a bulldozer and I, or the next owner WILL eventually bulldoze it and replace it with a new home....ordinance or not. The ordinance can not stop the bulldozing of this home, but it can severely limit a builders profitability when putting up a new one, which greatly reduces the value of the lot upon which this old prefab house sits. The destruction of this house, will increase the value of the lots/homes of everyone on the block.... I have researched and found several cases dealing with historic ordinances, and private property rights...so far I can distinguish the ordinance passed here from every single one of them. This ordinance is not well thought out, and is not reasonable in its scope. Its over-reaching, and can be differentiated from all the others that have passed muster with the courts. Someone, possibly me will challenge this ordinance, and I believe whoever does challenge it has a very good chance of over turning it....It wont cost me much at all to sue the city, and I have enough time to do it...so if it stands, I will. In the mean time, its even better for everyone else if we can just get it removed altogether, so that is the route we are focusing on for the moment.... There are more people like me - who feel the way I feel than there are like you....so once we change it back - feel free to leave....we wont miss you or your type.

Do you really think you can do ANYTHING quickly with the city??? Are you that naive? Have you ever tried to get permits??? Have you ever dealt with an inspector? I rehabbed an older non-historic house in a newly formed historic district 3 years ago....it was very difficult to navigate the ins/outs of the inspections without having the added layer of Bureaucracy that the HAHC will bring.... The ordinance needs to be thrown out. There is no silver lining here, there is no good part to this ordinance....if the baby is the ordinance, I would take precaution to bulldoze the house the baby is in just to be sure that we kill it before we burn it, and then haul the debris and carcass of this baby to the deepest landfill we can find so that we never see that ugly deformed baby again. All of your comments on this ordinance are just ridiculous...its all about realtors making more money by just bulldozing entire blocks....Im not a realtor and I hate the ordinance. I have two homes in the heights....one is an investment in a historic district, that was NOT a historic district when I bought it.....My rights and my reasonable expectations of being able to use my property as I please are being stolen from me by a bunch of idiots..actual stupid idiots....and that angers me greatly.

I believe what you should be saying is you and your goons will protest, squeal, and make a big deal over whatever you and your very vocal minority of friends perceive as stupid. The Historic Ordinance is as stupid, over reaching, as and polarizing as anything I can think of since Health Care Reform, and you and your goons have thrown all your efforts behind that awful piece of legislation. As dumb as that ordinance is you actually support it....I dont really know what to say. You seem to be on the wrong side of every issue.

I dont have any problem with the complex at all. I have a problem with people trying to use the residents of this complex as another straw to clutch at to prevent the owners of the real estate its sitting on from doing what they want with it. They are renters - they do not have an interest in the building, so they don't get a say to what is done with it. I also am not telling anyone where to live at all. I dont care where people live at all, I was merely pointing out that there are tons of choices in Houston, even for affordable housing....many of which are inside the loop, and on established metro bus lanes. These are the things low income renters care about, and there is not a shortage of these types of units in Houston at the moment. However the development will with almost 100% certainty increase the taxable value of the land...thats not really a stretch to conclude. I doubt the appraised construction value of the Walmart & its strip center will be below the current appraised value of the complex. Furthermore, its almost a certainty that a store of almost any kind will bring in more money than a small apartment complex....if it did not, it would go out of business quickly. Very few new construction projects replace what was previously there with something that is worth less than what is currently there. So, while I can not with 100% certainty say that the tax revenues will increase, I feel it is an extremely safe bet to make. One I would be willing to actually put money on.

The owner of those awful apartments made in investment in them years ago which you did not contribute too, he likely took a large risk of getting paid his rent, by operating these low income units. He is now getting his payday by selling these apartments. His use of his money to invest in something he hoped would one day offer a large return is likely paying off now. You do not, and you should not have any say in any way about whether or not he demolishes this eyesore Furthermore - the city wants tax revenue. Low income housing provides very little tax revenue. The people who live in low income housing pay little in taxes and contribute usually less to the taxbase than they take out of it. They tend to over utilize emergency rooms, and generally are a net loss financially for the city as a whole. Sure - some business gets to save a few dollars by paying a lower wage, but the city as a whole is a loser in this equation. In effect we taxpayers are subsidizing the lives of many of the low income residents. That sounds harsh, but its true. The city now has the opportunity to bulldoze this awful complex, and replace it with a tax generating net gain for the city and the residents of near by neighborhoods. They can do this by not renewing the leases at ONE tiny low income apartment complex....that sounds like one heck of a good deal to the city if you ask just about anyone who cares about finances....you relocate a net loss and you add a contributing member to its place. Is that elitist? To not feel bad when progress is made? Maybe, if so, call me an elitist...I dont really care. This is progress...might not be your liberal utopian version of progress but we are taking something and replacing it with something else that it is better and contributes, rather than takes. Its a baby step, but its in the right direction. Finally, there is no shortage of affordable housing inside the Houston 610 loop and on established bus lanes...just start looking off OST, Yellowstone, Cullen, etc....there is a plethora of low income housing that could not be more affordable. A lot costs less than $12,000 and the homes in the area sell in the range of $60-100K. Rent there is even more affordable. Its not as nice an area as where they are now, and it lacks alot of the amenities that come with living directly next door to a nice area....but it is housing and it is affordable, and inside the loop. The people in these apartments may not want to relocate to that area because its not as nice as the area they are in now, but that is the risk you take when you rent. You can be evicted and have to move. I do not feel sorry for the people being relocated because of progress...they will not disappear, they will not become homeless, they will just have to find a different home. It may not be as convenient as the one they are in now, but the city,the taxpayers, and certainly private property owners should not have to spend their money on making sure the low income residents have all the luxuries of those who contribute much more to the base. Your posts make it sound as if the Walmart is killing these people and then making sure they cannot live inside the loop. This is one tiny crappy complex, that nobody but the few residents who live in it will miss.

Wow - you really believe that too....that is what is funny, or sad...or both....It's just hard to believe people really think this stuff! The Chupacabra is probably part of the evil elite right wing conservatives plan to pilfer local money off into the pockets of giant bloodsucking corporations who plan to use that money for more evil bloodsucking....

Darn that elusive Chupacabra!

For 4 years I lived only 2 miles from a Walmart Super Center in Pearland on 518....the Walmart did not effect traffic at all on 518. At the time the Walmart was built it was a 4 lane road, just exactly like Yale is now. 2 coming, 2 going. The west side of Pearland exploded, and traffic increased drastically...but my observation is that the Walmart was never the culprit. Rather, 288 was the culprit....The Walmart always had cars at it, but I definitely do not believe that 20,000 people ever shopped there in any single day other than on Black Friday, and even that seems like alot of people. Granted, I have NO IDEA WHATSOEVER, how many people actually shop at a Walmart on any given day, but 20,000 per day seems unrealistically high. I have worked just 1 mile from a Second Walmart supercenter in Pearland on Hwy-35 since I was 16. It has also never contributed traffic to the area. It is also on a 4 lane road, and until just recently did not have a dedicated turn lane. After a while, Walmart actually paid to have a light put up right in front of the store with a protected left turn....that light has stopped traffic, but the store itself has not, and even at its worst, it is tolerable. I have been near Walmart for the last 7 years every single day and I can honestly say that I have never (except big shopping holidays) seen anywhere near 20,000 trips per day to any of them. The feeder is the enemy. The Walmart is not really going to do much. That is my opinion. It is based entirely on my own observations, and I do not expect this store to be any different than any of the other Walmarts just because its urban rather than suburban. In fact if all the heights people who oppose it, do not shop there, and cant stand to even drive by it, that will help reduce the trips per day down yale. I just dont see the Walmart as the problem. The Target was not a problem and the infrastructure is very similar, why would the Walmart be a bigger problem?

Here is the problem with your argument. You are yelling and screaming that traffic will be massively disrupted because of this Walmart....but the truth is the Walmart is going to have very little effect on the traffic. I can actually see truth in your argument that the feeder road will add people who cut through to memorial to get to downtown...that is feasible...Especially since I live in the Heights, and I use Yale-Memorial as my route to work every day not because its 5+ minutes faster than staying on I-10, but because it is predictable whereas I-10 is not. I prefer stability in my drive, not necessarily the fastest route from A to B. I use Memorial because it always takes about 7 minutes to get downtown, whereas I avoid I-10 because it can take as few as 5 minutes and as many as 30. Ill take the net +2 minutes every day to avoid the +23 once or twice a month. The major problem with your argument though is that the Walmart is going to add negligible amounts of traffic, but the Feeder is going to add lots. You cant stop the feeder road, so you are opposing the Walmart. The feeder is your enemy in reality, the Walmart is your enemy in personal beliefs. Thats what I think. You dont like Walmart, so you oppose it...fine, your right. But the traffic the walmart is going to draw is going to be completely negligible compared to the traffic the feeder will add when non-heights/downtown people realize that Yale goes under the train and has a direct shot to Memorial.

I said one and only one thing that was not accurate pertaining to the historical ordinance. The ordinance as originally written allowed the city to control the yard. I used the political yard sign as an example of things they could control in the ordinance...(I did say which political party, and admittedly it was to stir up emotions of others...)it was too far. However the ordinance could potentially prohibit all political yard signs....that is still within the writing of the ordinance. The ordinance remains a terrible over-bearing unwanted ordinance...the vocal minority appears to be getting their way until we can vote out this city council. But that has nothing to do with Walmart....except that most people who support the ordinance are also against he Walmart. I dont recall saying that I heard Walmart bought the complex. It was my understanding from the beginning that the complex was all part of the Ainbinder purchase...All the artist renditions I have seen have no ugly apartment complex in their background. However, I never said, or at least intentionally said (if I did say, I mis-spoke) WalMart bought anything...from the beginning I have known its Ainbinder running the show for Walmart.

I'm an elitist....wow I've never been called an elitist....been called a lot of things, mostly a redneck, which goes well with elitist... but I'll just add this to my list of names...maybe Ill add a signature to my name...Marksmu -"redneck elitist" WalMart bought the land the apartments on....they have every right to bulldoze them once they evict, buy out the tenants leases, or relocate them. Will I cry a tear for the loss of that lovely complex? No I will not. Progress is progress....I dont cry tears for run-down property being bulldozed. People get displaced by progress all the time...its called the real world...Its one of those things you know going in when you rent....you dont have any say at all about whether or not you will be there once your term is up. You don't own it, you don't get a say...your only vote is with your wallet. There is still plenty of affordable inner loop property to be rented or purchased... I wont cry a tear for this loss of this building. If that makes me an elitist in your book , then I guess to you I am an elitist.

Seeing as they fail to maintain their yard on a consistent basis, the house is probably really in for it if that paint will require maintenance.

To each their own. If your interested in watching the progress of it, (its long from being complete) its being painted on the 1100 block of Waverly. Its not to my taste, but I respect everyone's own opinions.

As a relatively young person, I cant help but think how much times have changed. I tell my wife all the time that the America of the past is not the America that we live in. From the old tv clips and old newspaper articles it seems to me that people used to be proud of being American, proud of the things we manufactured and invented, and just generally a proud people...Now, we are scared of our shadows and everything is dangerous and will kill you somehow....either through poisoning, cancer, or some slow fashion like global warming. None the less I enjoyed your reminiscence. I think I would have enjoyed everything about the old days with the exception of the lack of Air Conditioning, and the internet. I still do not know how you could live in Houston in the summer without AC.