JayMan

Has everyone see this ? What do you think ? http://www.kiplinger.com/video/index.html?...ctid=1576242340 http://www.kiplinger.com/features/archives/2008/05/2008-best-city-houston.html

Here is a new Houston Chronicle article on Brays Oaks: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nb/bel...ws/5856036.html June 25, 2008, 3:26PM Crime drops in Brays Oaks district while population increases By BETTY L. MARTIN Houston Chronicle TOOLSEmail Get section feed Print <script type=text/javascript> if (MCP_PLUCK) { gSiteLife.Recommend("ExternalResource",PluckItemID); } Recommend Comments <script src="http://d.yimg.com/ds/badge.js" ____yb="1" badgetype="text" showbranding="1">houston_chron196:http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/buzz/5856036.html Yahoo! BuzzThe area within the Brays Oaks Management District from 1998-2007 experienced a 27 percent drop in violent and nonviolent crime even as the area's population grew by about 45,000 residents. The results show that the Brays Oaks area e_SEmD once known for derelict apartments, gangs and other crime e_SEmD is experiencing a sort of Renaissance, returning to its quiet roots as "a good neighborhood to live in,"' said Jim Myers, director of community services for the district. That's mostly because of the Houston Police Department's crime-fighting programs, particularly officers from the Fondren Division, an infusion of city money and civic-minded residents who are fed up with the status quo as it was 10 years ago, Myers said. The drop in crime reports is the result of the study, Criminal Offenses and Population Growth, 1998-2007. It is based on HPD's Citywide Uniform Crime Statistics and FBI Part One Criminal Offenses from the HPD Crime Analysis and Command Center Division, Myers said, which compared crime statistics with population growth. "When you have more people, you would think you would have more crime. We were surprised," Myers said. In 2005, using city Community Development Block Grant funds, HPD targeted crime in the area of Hillcroft Avenue on the east to U.S. 59 to the west; Brays Bayou to the north; and U.S. 90-A and Main Street to the south. New grant initiatives through the city and HPD included the Safe To School Program in which police officers identified one-time or habitually truant students and returned them to campuses. Another HPD program identified the district's 14 worst apartments in terms of crime, and sent in teams that identified and towed vehicles that were never moved, and worked with managers to identify and evict problem tenants. Crime in those 14 property complexes dropped by as much as 34 percent, Myers said. more at: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nb/bel...ws/5856036.html

I am in the process of moving into this area. I plan to renovate a nice townhome and assist in making this area a better place to live in. The image that a neighborhood exhibits can really make a difference in how the residents treat the area that they live in. I started today by calling the Fiesta Super Mart on Braeswood to pick up 10 shopping carts that were abandoned in the area. I am optimistic since the new Brays Oaks Management District has really become active and now has a revamped website nd seems to be on the move. http://braysoaksmd.org/default.aspx In the Spirit, Jay Man