Downtown TIRZ

[ToolMan]

I recieved this email. This is your chance to give your opinions on what downtown needs.

http://www.zoomerang.com/survey.zgi?p=U26QRV7JZMRK

We need your help! The Houston Downtown Management District is collecting feedback to help us with marketing, programming and leasing efforts. Your input will help us identify components of a downtown lifestyle and determine what is authentic and great about downtown and also what is missing!

We hope you will take a few moments from your busy day and complete the following questions. All responses are completely CONFIDENTIAL, so please answer each question openly and honestly.

The survey may take up to 10-15 minutes to complete. In appreciation for your time, survey respondents are eligible to win Downtown Gift Cards that can be used at over 75 participating downtown businesses ranging from Treebeards to Macy

[tierwestah]

I recieved this email. This is your chance to give your opinions on what downtown needs.

http://www.zoomerang.com/survey.zgi?p=U26QRV7JZMRK

We need your help! The Houston Downtown Management District is collecting feedback to help us with marketing, programming and leasing efforts. Your input will help us identify components of a downtown lifestyle and determine what is authentic and great about downtown and also what is missing!

We hope you will take a few moments from your busy day and complete the following questions. All responses are completely CONFIDENTIAL, so please answer each question openly and honestly.

The survey may take up to 10-15 minutes to complete. In appreciation for your time, survey respondents are eligible to win Downtown Gift Cards that can be used at over 75 participating downtown businesses ranging from Treebeards to Macy

[ToolMan]

Well that sucks! I would delete this thread, but I guess up to the mods...

[Subdude]

Corrected link:

Survey

[ToolMan]

Thank you for placing benches along Main Street. It gives us a place to sleep throughout the day and night - I'm sure everyone enjoyed our company Sunday. There were more of us sleeping and talking amongst each other on these benches than regular downtown clientele. We look forward to the day when we have overtaken Main St.

Signed,

Your Local Homeless Guy

[musicman]

send it to carol alvarado's office!

[MidtownCoog]

But it makes for a fun afternoon with a Super Soaker. You bums jump higher than a scared cat.

[Vertigo58]

but their so harmless?

There not going away anytime soon. Here to stay. Just hug & embrace them.

[Daniepwils]

I wouldn't mind them so much if I didn't almost trip over them at night or have to hear them say:

"Hey you! Spare any change!", one more time.

Not to mention the fecal matter and smell at some of these corners on Main Street. This is one of the biggest reasons Main Street has not taken off -- I can't wait for these other new developments, maybe then they will enforce the loitering laws in downtown -- and maybe then my already overpriced loft will double in value (lol jk). I know our downtown has great potential (which is why I bought in downtown), but we really need to kick it up a notch, keeping the streets clean at all times would help.

(I will give props to HPD patrolling often down Main street)

Edited August 20, 2007 by Daniepwils

[Jax]

Funny because somebody was just complaining to me about how she didn't like to walk downtown because there weren't any benches to sit and take a rest on. Actually her other complaint was there were too many homeless people asking for money.

Why are there so many homeless downtown anyway? Is it just because of the workday crowds, or is there a homeless shelter around? It doesn't make much sense to me because when I am downtown after work hours, it doesn't seem like there are enough people to support panhandling. It seems like it would be more profitable for them to patrol major roads like Westheimer or Kirby.

[ArchitecturalPRGirl]

Between beds and showers, downtown provides wonderful amenities. The best is the Roman Baths across from Cabo on the southeast corner of Travis and Prairie. There is a stand-up shower and a tub there.

[Daniepwils]

L O L -- My biggest complaint is the homeless population in downtown. I cringe everytime my friends talk about what they saw when coming to visit me.

There is a law in place for the downtown area where you cannot be loitering in downtown after a certain time. No sitting or sleeping, but it isn't usually enforced unless complained upon.

There is mentally disturbed individual that walks around Main and Travis from time to time, swearing at windows and signs. He is a bit loud. I have called the authorities twice on occasion. And they respond within minutes. They never arrest him, but they do ask him to leave.

There are shelters in place near downtown, however they might be full, or some people don't want to obey the policies and rules, so they aren't allowed to stay.

I don't give money to the people on the streets, had an incident, and will not put myself in that situation again. I rather donate to the shelters and another charity that my company sponsors.

Edited August 22, 2007 by Daniepwils

[Southgate]

The downtown bums are so noticeable because there is so else little down there. It is a dump. Go down on a Sat afternoon and there is so little open. Downtown renovation has amounted to little more than a few bars on Main Street and they don't have a very long half-life. I was hopeful for downtown, but I am not very optimistic anymore. It has not taken off. Most of the nice downtowns I know have something we don

[Trae]

Downtown Atlanta doesn't have water (though they have a university the size of UH built in the middle of Downtown).

[Guest Marty]

Who would want to sit on them benches after the nasty Hobo's has been sweating all over them?

[musicman]

I don't give money to the people on the streets, had an incident, and will not put myself in that situation again. I rather donate to the shelters and another charity that my company sponsors.

i was at an intersection a few mins ago and a van with "SEARCH" on the side stopped and gave someone begging for money...... some money, 2 brown paper bags filled with unknown items, and a small bottle of lotion i think. no wonder they never leave.

[VicMan]

Musicman: Should I find out who is this "Search?" How should we approach this?

* Ask organizations that support beggars to stop feeding them?

* Have Downtown businesses sue businesses that support beggars?

* Reward snitch money for reporting violations of homeless ordinances?

* Set cameras to get faces of homeless

* Have men videotape homeless urinating or defecating, then call police and have the evidence on hand

Businesses need to get aggressive in order to fight homeless people.

[Guest Marty]

Musicman: Should I find out who is this "Search?" How should we approach this?

* Ask organizations that support beggars to stop feeding them?

* Have Downtown businesses sue businesses that support beggars?

* Reward snitch money for reporting violations of homeless ordinances?

* Set cameras to get faces of homeless

* Have men videotape homeless urinating or defecating, then call police and have the evidence on hand

Businesses need to get aggressive in order to fight homeless people.

Vote Bill White out of office.

[musicman]

Vote Bill White out of office.

Vic the problem starts at the top. He's not enforcing many ordinances because he doesn't want to offend anyone so he can move on to bigger things. there was an incident that happened this week where a letter was sent out saying negative things about him concerning the property the city sold on w dallas to the mental facility. evidently the sale wasn't as benevolent sounding as the mayor makes it out to be.

Edited August 23, 2007 by musicman

[VicMan]

Vic the problem starts at the top. He's not enforcing many ordinances because he doesn't want to offend anyone so he can move on to bigger things. there was an incident that happened this week where a letter was sent out saying negative things about him concerning the property the city sold on w dallas to the mental facility. evidently the sale wasn't as benevolent sounding as the mayor makes it out to be.

So, the solution is to write a letter to him.

What specific actions are available to the mayor that can help reduce the presence of homelessness?

[Guest Marty]

So, the solution is to write a letter to him.

What specific actions are available to the mayor that can help reduce the presence of homelessness?

Good luck on that.

[musicman]

So, the solution is to write a letter to him.

What specific actions are available to the mayor that can help reduce the presence of homelessness?

ask him to enforce the civility ordinance

[roadrunner]

The Main Street Square Red Line Station is pretty scary on a weeknight. Hopefully when the Pavilions open the city will do more to make this an attractive area.

[sevfiv]

that was SEARCH's mobile outreach program

the organization has some good programs, imo (http://www.searchproject.org/programs.shtml)

but i didn't know they handed out cash...

Edited August 23, 2007 by sevfiv

[musicman]

that was SEARCH's mobile outreach program

the organization has some good programs, imo (http://www.searchproject.org/programs.shtml)

but i didn't know they handed out cash...

i was about 2 car lengths away from the van and it sure looked like paper money. some people do offer money/food to street people they know. there's a guy on monroe/45s that has been there for yrs. many surrounding people have offered him things (food, money, etc). i occasionally offer him a bottled water, particularly in the summer. i think he has some mental problems. about a month ago i saw someone give him money and then another streetperson took it from him. very sad.

[sevfiv]

i was about 2 car lengths away from the van and it sure looked like paper money. some people do offer money/food to street people they know. there's a guy on monroe/45s that has been there for yrs. many surrounding people have offered him things (food, money, etc). i occasionally offer him a bottled water, particularly in the summer. i think he has some mental problems. about a month ago i saw someone give him money and then another streetperson took it from him. very sad.

i personally believe, unless more circumstances are known, that giving things - not money - to homeless people is a much better route.

i just didn't know that SEARCH gave it out in their little kits - unless it was some sort of voucher...or something

[musicman]

i personally believe, unless more circumstances are known, that giving things - not money - to homeless people is a much better route.

i just didn't know that SEARCH gave it out in their little kits - unless it was some sort of voucher...or something

maybe the driver knew/feels sorry for that specific street person. i'm like you, i don't give money when i do this. and i've only done it for the guy on monroe.

there was a street lady regularly on woodridge with her sign. and one day i saw her get out of a honda accord she parked at denny's there and walked to the intersection. now THAT is a scamstress!

[Trae]

There are usually a lot of homeless people on Highway 6 in I-10. I usually give them food (like a bag of chips I might have, or something).

[crunchtastic]

What about rolling video and start sending weekly missives to the Mayor's office and to council demanding enforcement of the civility ordinance. Are there any angles that could be worked for code violations for landowners or the organizations 'ministering' to the homeless? Do they have permits for food service. What about sanitation? It takes an act of congress to get permitted to run a soda stand during a festival, yet these guys are serving food every day. Or noise levels---when they set up their sound system for weekend church service under the Pierce El. Is there a magic number on crowd size that makes a planned gathering illegal w/o a permit? IMO it starts with making the area as inhospitable as possible, and shutting down or scaring off the organizations contibuting to the issue by providing handouts and nothing more. No one wants to look bad by taking on the 'faith-based' groups, and that's one of the problems. The street people aren't getting off the street, because they get home delivery.

I don't know if it's the long-hot-summer or what, but it seems to be getting worse. I drive through Midtown and down Pierce a few times a week, including some nights and weekends. Been approached a number of times by the 'window washer' guys who won't leave. Eventually a pedestrian or a motorist is going to engage an aggressive bum, the bum will be left dying or dead, and Mayor Bill is going to wish he hadn't ignored the problem. I'm surprised it hasn't happened yet.

[VicMan]

there was a street lady regularly on woodridge with her sign. and one day i saw her get out of a honda accord she parked at denny's there and walked to the intersection. now THAT is a scamstress!

I have an idea for a Youtube video.

* First get shots of the lady panhandling

* Several minutes later, show a clip of the same woman driving a car

Perhaps a message at the end could say "Some beggars have more money than you think!" or something to that effect!

By the way, Lisa Gray had a column in the Houston Chronicle stating that the city did not try enough measures to take the "35%" (mentally ill) homeless off of city streets.