trymahjong

I spoke with someone who remembered Oliver Pennington COH district G came to last Neartown and announced he was mayoral candidate

I'm hoping this plan will put an end to razing of perfectly livable bungalows in order to provide more parking lots.

Councilman Bradford spoke at an Avondale gathering last night and sounded very much like a candidate----although I don't remember anyone asking if he was running

notes from Neartown meeting on the new proposed Montrose Parking District. . Montrose Management District, Parking Management Proposal Update— The Montrose Management District (MMD) has submitted an application for the Montrose District Special Parking Area under a new city ordinance that permits areas to be designated as special parking districts. The application has gone through two rounds of reviews and revisions with the City Planning Department and is expected that the final application will be sent to the City by mid next week (last week of July). The goal of having the parking district designation is to help maintain the character of the Montrose while also promoting economic growth. The designation will allow the Management District to make the on-site parking requirements for businesses more flexible using standards established by MMD. There may also be an opportunity to capture a tax increment that would permit MMD to invest in centralized parking to serve the district (e.g., adding extra spaces to a garage planned by a private developer). The details of these provisions are still being worked out. The MMD parking district proposal will probably go to City Planning Commission in the next month and then to City Council for approval in October. Attached is map of the Montrose District Special Parking Area. Montrose Area Special Parking Area Map single.pdf

from Ellen Cohen's enewsletter On the Agenda Council amended Houston’s transportation ordinance to open the vehicle-for-hire market to new entrants, creating more transit choices for consumers. Transportation network companies such as Uber and Lyft connect drivers to riders in a “peer-to-peer” system via smartphone apps. The new regulations for these companies will go into effect in 90 days.

from Citizenet enewsletter HPD to Homeowners: Help Us, Help You Protect Your Home The Houston Police Department wants to help you make your home as safe as possible and a nuisance to would-be burglars. For example, many intruders enter through weak doors. Having strong doors and door frames, including garage doors, is essential to your security. Steel doors and frames provide enhanced security because they are harder to destroy. If you have hollow-core doors, it is recommended you replace them with a sturdier type. There are wooden doors being manufactured to withstand a tremendous amount of pressure from would-be burglars. Secure windows and sliding glass doors can be secured with a locking device placed along the track. A broomstick or a wooden rod may work just as well if placed on the track between the door frame and the door. Glass sliding doors are usually secluded from public view and special care must be taken to secure them. Bolt locks can be installed to help prevent the door from being opened or removed from its track. Burglars will sometimes log your departure and arrival times from and to your home. Help ruin their plot by: Don't advertise you'll be out of town to casual acquaintances or in social media. Instead, tell a reliable neighbor and have him/her watch your property. Leave a few lights on or use timers that will turn lights on and off periodically. Leave drapes in a normal position. Drapes or shades fully closed give a deserted look. Use an etching device to mark your valuables with an identifying mark known only to you. Make an inventory list of all your belongings, include serial numbers. Stop all newspaper deliveries and have someone pick up your mail. Store an inventory of your valuables in a safe deposit box or fire safe, or file it with your insurance company. Share this safety information with your neighbors verbally and through social media. The more citizens heed such advice, the more we can continue the trend on reducing home burglaries, which have decreased about 8 percent in the city for the first six months of 2014, after dropping more than 10 percent in 2013. To see a home security demonstration by HPD crime prevention experts on best practices of protecting your home, go to the HPD YouTube channel at For more information on scheduling an officer to perform a home security check at your residence, call HPD Public Affairs at 713-308-3200 or your local law enforcement agency.

Solar Panel Workshop Houston 2014 Wednesday, August 27, 2014 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. at the Green Building Resource Center 1002 Washington Avenue Houston 77002 In partnership with the Texas Gulf Coast Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council and the Houston Renewable Energy Group What does it take to put solar power at your house? This will be a workshop event for those who want to learn about residential solar installations AND for those who want to jumpstart a solar installation at their house. See the link below to access a worksheet and fact sheets so you can bring information about your house to this workshop to take the first step on your path to bring solar home. Guest Speakers Cal Morton, manager of Texas Solar Outfitters, will discuss actual solar projects that they designed and installed. Palmer Schooley, of Palmer Brook Schooley Architects, will talk about his net-zero house and how his solar panels are working for him. Nicholas Paloski, owner of Adaptive Solar Design, will discuss actual solar projects that they designed and installed. Dorian Castro checks plans of solar permit drawings for the City of Houston, and will help you understand what you need to include in your plans Register online or call 832-394-9050 prior to the event. Visit http://www.greenhoustontx.gov/gbrceducation.pdf for the worksheet, more details and a map.

I was searching the internet to see how other cities cope with horrible sidewalks. I came across an article on Los Angeles and their sidewalk problem. You can google " who should be responsible for Los Angeles sidewalk repair" This is the part that caught my eye: =>Forty years ago, the city (Los Angeles)made a promise to fix sidewalks damaged by tree roots, taking the responsibility for doing so away from homeowners, who had previously been expected to handle such repairs. That seemed reasonable at the time because the homeowners had, for the most part, not planted the trees that were causing the problems. Maybe that is how COH with all their whining about budget woes could justify finally BEGINNING to make sidewalk repairs to the sidewalks damaged by trees planted by the city. Surely there is a paper trail and map of those tree planting a--- at least it would be a start.

I've been in NYC a couple of months and an interesting article appeared--what should NYC do with their old phone booths----wifi hotspots were proposed- Google might help out. Of course the scale of NY is a kazillion times what I was thinking might be a cool use for the UK phonebooths I see out and about in the Upper Kirby management district. The UK phonebooths are only decoration as far as I know-- Maybe an IT company is out there waiting to join in on that type of endeavor. It seems like a cool idea. I only have my smartphone so couldn't get website to copy and paste but here's the article. Instead of bulldozing its pay phone booths, New York City wants to outfit them as free Wi-Fi hot spots. It's an idea that was first tossed around by the Bloomberg administration in 2012 as a way of turning the city's thousands of largely unused phone booths into something of general use. Two years later, Mayor Bill de Blasio has rekindled interest in the plan and outlined an ambitious vision for transforming the outdated technology into "one of the largest free Wi-Fi networks in the country." Rather than divide the hot spots up piecemeal, the city is looking for a single firm or partnership to run the entire system. Now Bloomberg reports that Google might be looking to get in on the action. According to documents from the New York City Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications, Google attended an informational meeting in May about the project. Cisco, IBM, and Samsung were also present. Google's interest in the city's phone-booth Wi-Fi, as Bloomberg points out, fits with the Internet giant's larger efforts to bring fast and efficient connectivity to various regions of the world. Google Loon, perhaps its best-known venture in this arena, is an ambitious effort to create "Internet for everyone" (and perhaps to collect the kind of data only heard of in science fiction) using huge balloons that float in the stratosphere. Google Fiber, another such project, is bringing ultra-high-speed Internet to a handful of cities and metro areas across the U.S. New York expects whomever wins the proposal to pay it a minimum annual compensation of $17.5 million or 50 percent of gross revenues, whichever is greater. The selected provider will not be allowed to charge for Wi-Fi but will be able to attach fees to traditional phone service (excepting 911 and 311 calls). Most of the money generated would come from advertisers, who love seeing their billboards plastered along streets and sidewalks at eye level for passersby. At any rate, the important point is that this proposal has sat around for so long that people feared it might never happen. But with tech firms like Google showing interest, it just might get off the ground after all.

From Ellen Cohens enewsletter At a meeting of the Technology, Transportation, and Infrastructure Committee, Council reviewed Houston’s proposed vehicle-for-hire regulations. If approved, transportation network companies (TNC’s), such as Uber and Lyft, would be allowed to operate in our city alongside taxi, bus, and limousine companies. Revisions include: a requirement that the TNC customer service liaison's contact information be available on both their app and the receipt provided a requirement that the TNCs must transport passengers to all destinations located within the corporate limits of the city. creation of the Houston Transportation Accessibility Task Force a requirement that 2% of the entire vehicle-for-hire fleet be comprised of wheelchair accessible vehicles. Council is expected to vote on the ordinance on August 6, 2014.

From Cohen enewsletter Two public meetings about upcoming District C infrastructure projects will take place this week. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) will host a meeting to discuss the reconstruction of the Yale St. Bridge and I will co-host a meeting with Council Member Oliver Pennington and the Public Works and Engineering Department to review a paving and drainage project that will upgrade Shepherd Dr. (from Westheimer to Buffalo Bayou). A portion of both meetings will be devoted to questions and comments from the community. I hope to see you there. Sincerely, Ellen TXDoT Meeting: Yale St. Bridge Reconstruction Tuesday, July 29, 2014 6:30pm 7600 Washington Ave PWE Meeting for Districts C and G: Shepherd Dr. Paving and Drainage CIP Wednesday, July 30th, 2014 6:00pm – 7:30pm St. Anne’s Catholic Church (St. Basil’s Hall) 2140 Westheimer Rd

From the chron.com Brian Rosenthal AUSTIN - A coalition of Texas disability advocates sued ride-share companies Uber and Lyft on Thursday as part of dozens of lawsuits filed around the state ahead of the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. "Uber and Lyft are up and coming in terms of transportation companies, and they don't really have any means to provide wheelchair accessibility," said plaintiff David Wittie, of the advocacy group ADAPT of Texas. "They are socially irresponsible and not accessible and equivalent for people with disabilities." Wittie said denials of services to disabled Texans led ADAPT and the Texas Civil Rights Project to target the two companies, which connect interested riders with willing drivers via smartphone apps. Uber, Lyft respond Spokespeople for Uber and Lyft said they had not seen the lawsuits, but rejected the allegations. "Uber's technology increases access to transportation options for all, including persons with disabilities, and we are constantly working to expand those options," spokesman Lane Kasselman said. "Lyft aims to accommodate anyone in the community who needs a ride," spokeswoman Katie Dally said. "Many disabled individuals, who were previously underserved by existing transportation options, now actively use and rely on Lyft as a reliable, safe and affordable way to get around." The suits were filed in Travis County, but theoretically could affect the rest of the state, Wittie said. Uber and Lyft operate - albeit illegally - in several Texas cities, including Houston. The Houston City Council is scheduled to vote next week on regulations proposed by Mayor Annise Parker that would allow them to operate legally if they acquire permits and carry commercial liability insurance, among other requirements. Taxi and limousine companies oppose the rules because they oppose the ride-sharing companies, and have filed federal lawsuits of their own to stop them. Last month, three wheelchair-using Texans in Houston and San Antonio sued Uber and Lyft in federal court for alleged discrimination under the ADA, according to the Courthouse News Service.

I'm going to ponder this a bit longer also but wanted to add this small bit of info from when my kids were still at Lamar a few years ago. Each year COH invites students from sister city Dailian, China to visit For a week and bunk in with Lamar High families and shadow those students in their classes. So I guess HISD has the beginnings of a relationship with that small section of China and the Chinese has a small " inkling" of what HISD/Lamar schooling entails. Hmmmmmmm don't know if that's helpful or not.

Nice story The Hall law office inside Avondale ,has HUGE oak tree that tore up sidewalk and was replaced many years with paver stones that mounded nicely over the roots- it works great.

From the Ellen Cohen newsletter What's Happening in the District Over the next few months, construction will begin on a capital improvement project (CIP) that will upgrade paving and drainage along Shepherd Dr. (from Westheimer Rd. to Buffalo Bayou). To provide information on this project (as well as other area construction) to affected residents, Council Member Cohen, Council Member Pennington, and the Public Works and Engineering Department will co-host a public meeting at the end of July: Public Meeting: Shepherd Dr. Paving and Drainage CIP Wednesday, July 30th, 2014 6:00pm – 7:30pm St. Anne’s Catholic Church, in St. Basil’s Hall 2140 Westheimer Rd, 77098

rainwater to Drinking water 2014 Wednesday, July 23, 2014 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. at the Green Building Resource Center 1002 Washington Avenue Houston 77002 In partnership with the Texas Gulf Coast Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council What does it take to collect rainwater in Houston and be able to drink it safely and legally? Mark Illian will lead a presentation on the design and construction considerations implemented in the first three residential rainwater to drinking water projects installed here in Houston under the new Appendix R Potable Rainwater Catchment System of the plumbing code. Al McDonald will discuss filtration safeguards required to ensure safety and potability. Amanda Tullos will talk about applications to the US Green Building Council's LEED Rating System. John Jordan will discuss regulatory issues and inspection concerns that regarding the City of Houston permitting processes. Register online or call 832-394-9050 prior to the event. Visit http://www.greenhoustontx.gov/gbrceducation.pdf for more details and a map. Green Building Resource Center www.codegreenhouston.org

Hmmmmmm Are you asking for specifics? When we park across the street from Katz then try to use the painted cross walk to get to Katz-- we always get a heart racing dash, since the cars go so fast or the traffic has backed up to Stanford and when we try to thread our way thru-- the light changes.

School is out but learning does not have to end! The Mayor's Office of Education Initiatives has organized numerous free, fun and educational summer learning programs in Houston! These include summer reading programs through the Houston Public Library system, nutrition and wellness programs through Houston Parks & Recreation and art & cultural events through the Houston Museum District, Miller Outdoor Theater, Houston Symphony and Young Audiences of Houston. The Summer of Learning campaign also has intern and/or volunteer opportunities open to students and responsible adults through Houston Service, as well as resources to help your child plan for college through the City of Houston's Department of Neighborhoods Office of Education Initiatives! For more information, check out our Summer of Learning webpage at www.houstontx.gov/education/summeroflearning.html or contact Aarik Mickens-Dessaso via email at Aarik.Mickens-Dessaso@houstontx.gov or by phone at 832.393.0993. You can also check out our calendar of events on our homepage at www.houstontx.gov/education.

At last a voice of reason----- please run for city council.

Hmmmmmmmmm COH is installing new water lines- from Allen Parkway southward more or less throughout Montrose. Avondale just had new water lines installed since last August.--- still not finished. Many feet of sidewalk and curbing involved-demo-removal--install new. I saw a unused concrete left in piles or hauled away etc. But it occurred to me that while the crews, machinery and materials were there- all curbs at each intersection involved where water lines were laid, could be made wheel chair accessible and the worse sections of sidewalk could have been replaced along the water line routes. This could have been a beginning to address the broken sidewalk problem. Two problems addressed at once- water lines and sidewalks.

From Costello enewsletter letter Council Member Stephen Costello will strongly oppose all Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) amendments allowing the use of ReBuild Houston Program funds for the proposed Council Member District Service Project Program. Amendments to the CIP will be considered at the Wednesday, July 8, 2014, meeting of the Houston City Council. In voicing his opposition to the amendments, Council Member Costello issued the following statement: "Voters supported the ReBuild Houston program because they recognized the overwhelming need to improve our city's aging infrastructure. At the time of debate and passage, the Mayor and City Council promised that supported projects would be prioritized based on unbiased data, not politics. Unfortunately, today's proposed amendments retreat from those promises. As a result, I will be voting "no" and will be asking that the mayor and my fellow city council members join me in opposition. In the course of today's debate, I will argue that ReBuild Houston funds are not designed for use by individual council members for projects of their own selection. That was never how voters perceived this program and I believe that the city has an obligation to keep the promises made." Background Voters passed Proposition One in November of 2010 in order to create a pay-as-you-go "lockbox" fund for street and drainage repairs and improvements. Since its inception, this program, now known as ReBuild Houston, is responsible for reducing the city's overall debt by over $130 million, yielding an additional $42 million for capital projects, with another $33 million expected this year. Further, the program contributes over $100 million annually to drainage improvements. In the past, the city identified need based on a largely reactive, subjective, and often very political process. Conversely, ReBuild Houston incorporates advances in technology to assess infrastructure condition and uses a data-driven process to determine project need. This does not preclude council members from having input into the process. In fact, since the program began, the CIP Process Manual for Infrastructure Programs has been revised to allow for greater council member input. More information on ReBuild Houston can be found at www.ReBuildHouston.org, including the CIP process manual here.

In Avondale we have massive trees--- and we love them! The first time COH came to inspect the horrible state of Avondale sidewalks their first suggestion was to clear cut the trees first to facilitate sidewalk repair. WE WERE HORRIFIED ! Fortunately there were a few alternative solutions that worked out fairly well- one was a "boardwalk" of sorts placed over the tree roots and the other was a "hill" approach made of paver stones. What a relief,.

This from KHOU petition started I'm EMCA HOUSTON -- Residents in the Montrose community say it’s dangerous to walk around their community and they’re demanding action from the city. A petition organized by Montrose Sidewalks Coalition already has 514 signatures, and it’s growing. The petition cites the death of an elderly man and other residents being injured on broken sidewalks in recent years. Organizers say the sidewalks in disrepair are endless in the neighborhood. Leigh Spencer couldn’t agree more. “It was like, bam! I hit my head, and I’m on the ground,” recalled Montrose resident Leigh Spencer. “My head instantly swelled up, and I’m thinking oh my god, I’m really injured.” Spencer tripped on an exposed pipe near her home on Indiana Street about three weeks ago. Her forehead and the upper left side of her face remain black and blue and swollen. “Things need to be maintained and fixed, and they’ve been ignored in this neighborhood,” said Spencer, who has signed the growing petition. Those signing the petition acknowledge that it is not necessarily the city’s responsibility to fix sidewalks on residential streets. However, residents believe the city is not cracking down on the homeowners who have not tended to busted sidewalks. Organizer Ashley Streetman says a Freedom of Information Act request proved that. Streetman claims the city has not sent out notices, asking for homeowners to repair sidewalks, in the last decade. “I’ve complained before. Do they have a record of it? No, because nobody bothered to write it down,” said Montrose resident James Wood. James Wood believes this petition is long overdue. The 72-year-old was knocked out cold during a recent fall on an uneven sidewalk. “I didn’t know I was out cold until people were slapping me in the face to wake me up,” explained Wood. “They need to fix the sidewalks!” A spokesman for the city of Houston says it’s typically the homeowner’s responsibility to fix and repair sidewalks . He said the exception is if the city has to do work to repair a road, sewer or water line. There is a proposal before city council that would give residents the chance to partner with the city to get their sidewalks fixed. According to the city spokesman, the city would fix the sidewalk and then bill the homeowner through a payment plan.

I guess it is the intention to tear down 214 Avondale - but I wonder at all the violation notices piling up on the front door.

Mayor Annise Parker Announces Liftoff Houston! 2014 Register today! Mayor Annise Parker recently announced the second year launch of the "Liftoff Houston!" 2014 Business Plan Competition. Sponsored by Capital One Bank and in partnership with the Houston Public Library and the Office of Business Opportunity, the competition engages and empowers Houstonians seeking to start a new business in Houston by providing them with access to essential information, resources and support necessary to develop a sound business plan as a first step toward realizing this goal. To be eligible, businesses must have been in operation for less than one year, have revenue of less than $10,000 and be located within Houston's city limits. Capital One Bank is the key sponsor for this event providing cash prizes totaling $30,000. The competition will take place in four stages - orientation, workshop, mentoring, and presentation, over a 5 month period. Applicants will participate in a myriad of workshops ranging from business plan basics to access to capital, as well as information sessions on essential City of Houston business resources available through the Houston Public Library (HPL) and the City's Office of Business Opportunity (OBO.) The goal is to enable individuals to successfully research and develop their business plan. Applicants will also receive additional support from professional mentors from SCORE Houston and Capital One Bank to further refine their business plan for submission. This year there will be three award categories: Product, Service, and Innovation. A winner from each award category will receive a $10,000 cash prize along with in-kind prizes. $10,000 - Awarded for top "Product" Based Business Plan (Retail, resale, merchandise, etc.) $10,000 - Awarded for top "Service" Based Business Plan (Food, labor, consulting, etc.) $10,000 - Awarded for top "Innovation" Based Business Plan (Software, Hardware, inventions, new market businesses, etc.) Mandatory orientations will be given to provide interested individuals with detailed information about the competition including rules, resources, and the process to compete. Multiple sessions of the orientation will be offered at designated Houston Public Library locations citywide. Timeline of Competition: RSVP for Orientation Session: June 11, 2014 - July 31, 2014 Orientation: July 12, 2014 - July 31, 2014 For more information or to register, visit www.liftoffhouston.com or call 832-393-0954.