Open Letter To Mayor White

[VicMan]

I wonder if there are figures describing the number of people within the city limits during the daytime.

With reverse commuters and offices in Sugar Land, unincorporated Montgomery County, and unincorporated Harris County (particularly the northwest area and the Greenspoint area), we cannot assume that all people in the Houston MSA are commuting into the Houston city limits.

I was simply using the MSA data (as I had it at hand) to roughly extrapolate population growth for the CoH. Also, growth in the MSA translates into more people flowing through the city limits every day, even if their mailing address is outside the city limits. That means more people for the CoH police to watch over.

~20% inflation over that period is the CPI number. Given what my fully-loaded labor costs have done over the last 5 years (due mainly to benefits costs far outpacing inflation), I suspect HPD's labor costs have risen faster than the CPI as well. At best, I would wager that HPD spend per resident has remained the same in real terms. Realistically I would think it has dropped slightly over this decade.

[musicman]

I still believe that there are enough people close to downtown (midtown, montrose, heights, east end, neartown) that it could become a popular shopping district.

having to pay to park is detrimental.

[jfre81]

having to pay to park is detrimental.

It is, but it isn't a killer. They could build a garage where it costs <$5 to park.

The parking, though, is why I like the light rail whenever I go downtown...it's cheaper to ride the rail than park in most cases.

[musicman]

It is, but it isn't a killer. They could build a garage where it costs <$5 to park.

with toyota center's garage losing money monthly.....i'm not sure a city/county sponsored garage would be feasible if that's who the "they" is.

[jfre81]

with toyota center's garage losing money monthly.....i'm not sure a city/county sponsored garage would be feasible if that's who the "they" is.

Well then, hurray for LRT.

[Jax]

Maybe when shopping downtown becomes popular, the Toyota Center garage will start making money (unless it's just too expensive or something)...

They could do like the village does and offer subsidized parking for shoppers.

[RailOnWestheimer]

What did Manhattan do with its panhandlers and homeless? They're gone now. Just relocated?

[The New Juniper]

To the point about demonstrating that the HPD budget is up, down, sideways, adjusted for inflation, CPI, the weather, etc. I am not sure that it matters.

It is a mess downtown and i am told by two friends of mine that live downtown that the off duty cops they employ in their buildings confirmed for them that there will fewer cops on patrol on Main Street. So, quoting stats is great, but evidently some supervisors must be driving new interceptors or have shiny new guns. B/C it appears the money is not putting more cops on the street.

Eliminate crime. How? Greater police presence. Zero tolerance for any law broken. More light. Create an environment that feels safe and it will ultimately become so. Criminals will be around always. We just need to create an environment that deters the criminals from coming around.

Not only are we not providing a deterrent, we are actually attracting it.

Light rail, retail, parking garages all have one thing in common: They all die without the consumer.

Fix the problem, not just the symptoms.

Everything else is window dressing and shifts the hard decisions to someone else.

TNJ

[GovernorAggie]

with toyota center's garage losing money monthly.....i'm not sure a city/county sponsored garage would be feasible if that's who the "they" is.

Isn't that garage in the worst location of all of downtown's parking garages, though (outside of Rockets games)?

[midtownsteve]

What did Manhattan do with its panhandlers and homeless? They're gone now. Just relocated?

It locked them up or forced them too a shelter.

Ditto for Dallas

and San Antonio

and San Francisco

and ....

Houston is either clueless or naive, the jury is still out. We are the equivalent to a battered spouse in a relationship that refuses to leave or turn the b%%tard in. Bill Whites answer to any call for the city to enforce the law or regulation is "well we would have to raise taxes"

Listening to him speak makes me want to blowtorch my ear drums to stop the pain. I'm sure that Homeland Security uses him to interogate suspects on a regular basis. Just Bill White, a bag of jiffy pop and 10 hours of slow conversation has caused many to confess.

[musicman]

Listening to him speak makes me want to blowtorch my ear drums to stop the pain. I'm sure that Homeland Security uses him to interogate suspects on a regular basis. Just Bill White, a bag of jiffy pop and 10 hours of slow conversation has caused many to confess.

[Jax]

I was downtown again last night, and it was again surprisingly busy. La Carafe, Red Cat Jazz, and Sambuca were totally packed. A lot of the clubs had huge lineups and the streets were generally pretty crowded with pedestrians. Shay McElroys was only crowded at the bar inside, but outside was packed. We were there at 10 pm - 12 pm. Now if only it was like that during the day.

On the negative side, one very polite homeless guy asked me for money. I'm not even sure if he was homeless, he was dressed okay but he said he lived in a shelter (he claimed it was full but I don't believe that). And we saw one guy sleeping on Main street next to Dean's and Notsuoh.

I took my mom with me, and had never seen downtown Houston before. She commented on how vibrant and busy it was compared to other cities. I'm glad it made a good impression on her. If I took her downtown in the afternoon she probably wouldn't have said the same thing.

[RedScare]

I took my mom with me, and had never seen downtown Houston before. She commented on how vibrant and busy it was compared to other cities. I'm glad it made a good impression on her. If I took her downtown in the afternoon she probably wouldn't have said the same thing.

Did she mention the broken windows and the filth?

[dbigtex56]

Are we doing them favors by allowing them to urinate and defacate on the street??? How is enabling this behavior somehow the compassionate approach?

Here's my approach to public pissers: I quietly walk up behind the person, grab him by the shoulders, shake him violently and yell "EARTHQUAKE!" in his ear.

Usually it disrupts his aim, and allows him to enjoy the scent of his own urine for the remainder of the day.

[Jax]

No she didn't notice any broken windows or filth. Neither did I. Which broken windows are your referring to? I'm sure there are broken windows downtown but not on the part of Main that is more active at night near any of the bars/restaurants/clubs I mentioned. It was a happening area on Friday night.

Here's another photo I thought you guys might like.

[RedScare]

No she didn't notice any broken windows or filth. Neither did I. Which broken windows are your referring to?

The broken windows and filth that Juniper keeps referring to in his posts. By the way, I office in the 11 storey building shown (barely) in the far left of your photo. I see Main Street up close and personal daily. While Main is not perfect, it is not the pigsty that Juniper makes it out to be. There are people out there every day sweeping up trash and keeping things clean. Shop owners can be seen hosing down sidewalks on occasion. I do not see broken windows, and I find Main Street to be one of Downtown's success stories. I also do not find the homeless unbearable, nor do they frighten me.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I pointed out the mistakes in Juniper's post, but he is entitled to have his hyper-critical view of Main Street. I post only to point out, as some others have, that I disagree with his ghetto hyperbole. While we are on the subject of Main, I will also point out that those that claim the light rail causes congestion are over the top as well. There is virtually no congestion on Main Street. The backups at the Main Street traffic lights do not even extend a block, and all of the cars are able to get through before the signal changes.

The claims of congestion are never supported by facts. Neither are the claims of broken windows and filth. These are the opinions or stretched truths of those posters. And, now you have my opinion too. Those who believe that any neighborhood that was built more than 10 years ago is filthy will probably disagree. Those who appreciate old architecture probably agree with me. And, those that never venture downtown should go down there and see for themselves.

[Jax]

The one thing I did see that I didn't like was empty storefronts, but I like to think of that as potential. I'm an optimist. They may have been empty but at least they had windows intact and seemed nice enough.

At night when there are people around, they you don't notice how much empty storefront space there is like you do during the day when it's more empty.

[musicman]

At night when there are people around, they you don't notice how much empty storefront space there is like you do during the day when it's more empty.

so during the day there are less people in downtown than during the evening?

[Jax]

I'm talking about people walking in the streets, not the number of people sitting in offices or in the tunnels, but yes, there seem to be more people walking around after 10 when the clubs are open.

I'll be downtown tomorrow during the day though so I'll let you know if I am wrong about that.

[musicman]

I'm talking about people walking in the streets, not the number of people sitting in offices or in the tunnels, but yes, there seem to be more people walking around after 10 when the clubs are open.

I'll be downtown tomorrow during the day though so I'll let you know if I am wrong about that.

you must be isolating yourself to a limited area, but i would say "downtown" during the day is more active if people waiting for public transportation is any indication.

[Vertigo58]

Here's my approach to public pissers: I quietly walk up behind the person, grab him by the shoulders, shake him violently and yell "EARTHQUAKE!" in his ear.

Usually it disrupts his aim, and allows him to enjoy the scent of his own urine for the remainder of the day.

Excellent advice!

Over the weekend the news showed the cops on horses advizing these people seek shelter and food. Too many complaints from business's and the public. Said zero tolerance. Gotta see to believe though. HPD is doing their job but someone will gripe about this call to action. Like any second now....set your stop watch.

[editor]

What did Manhattan do with its panhandlers and homeless? They're gone now. Just relocated?

You can thank Rudy Giuliani for that. He instituted something called the "piss and beer patrol." Actually I think the official title was closer to "Quality of life task force." It did something revolutionary in 20th century America: It actually enforced the city's rules on public drinking and public urination.

Lots of people (including some on HAIF) say why harass people for minor crimes? Shouldn't the police be chasing down murderers? Well, it turns out that many of the people committing these minor quality-of-life crimes are also wanted for major crimes like murder, rape, and assault. Once you've killed someone, you're not too worried about taking a whiz on a lamp post.

The result of the piss and beer patrol was an increased quality of life for the rest of New York, a severe drop in crime, and the clearing of a lot of old crimes that were never solved.

I've been to New York about six times in the last three years, and it's never looked better. People are nicer. Streets are cleaner. The city doesn't have most of that horrible stench and funk it once did. It's just a better place to live. I was born in New York City and at the age of 17 promised I'd never go back. But now.... maybe.

[TJones]

Here's my approach to public pissers: I quietly walk up behind the person, grab him by the shoulders, shake him violently and yell "EARTHQUAKE!" in his ear.

Usually it disrupts his aim, and allows him to enjoy the scent of his own urine for the remainder of the day.

Dammit, that was YOU bigtex? I will find you, and pay you back for that one day !!!

[The New Juniper]

You can thank Rudy Giuliani for that. He instituted something called the "piss and beer patrol." Actually I think the official title was closer to "Quality of life task force." It did something revolutionary in 20th century America: It actually enforced the city's rules on public drinking and public urination.

Lots of people (including some on HAIF) say why harass people for minor crimes? Shouldn't the police be chasing down murderers? Well, it turns out that many of the people committing these minor quality-of-life crimes are also wanted for major crimes like murder, rape, and assault. Once you've killed someone, you're not too worried about taking a whiz on a lamp post.

The result of the piss and beer patrol was an increased quality of life for the rest of New York, a severe drop in crime, and the clearing of a lot of old crimes that were never solved.

I've been to New York about six times in the last three years, and it's never looked better. People are nicer. Streets are cleaner. The city doesn't have most of that horrible stench and funk it once did. It's just a better place to live. I was born in New York City and at the age of 17 promised I'd never go back. But now.... maybe.

Very, very well said.

And, just so we're on the same page for some posters, "Broken Window" is a theory that doesn't necessarily refer to a specific window....

And to Redscare, you are right. It is not all doom and gloom. There are even isolated blocks of Main that are quite pleasant. However, i was downtown this weekend to see a friend of mine who lives on Main in a high rise and we saw (not heard a story about) but saw, a homeless (i assume homeless) man peeing in a vestibule on Main. If i had a camera and we could suspend decorum for me to make a point, i would have photographed it and posted it on the site.

TNJ

[RailOnWestheimer]

...I will also point out that those that claim the light rail causes congestion are over the top as well. There is virtually no congestion on Main Street. The backups at the Main Street traffic lights do not even extend a block, and all of the cars are able to get through before the signal changes.

Just because there is no congestion on Main doesn't mean lightrail in the street doesn't cause congestion. Specifically, the reason there is no auto congestion on Main is because drivers avoid Main for the other very excellent parallel streets a few hundred feet away from Main that don't have rail on them. If lightrail is built in the street and there are no alternatives for vehicles to avoid the train, added congestion will result. This is one reason why Lower Westheimer should be used for rail, because Lower Richmond is good at moving a lot of vehicles and Lower Westheimer is very poor, so fewer vehicles need to be displaced by rail.

[Jax]

I spent a bunch of time downtown today (more time during the day than I have in a long time), and I would say that during the day there are more people downtown in general over a wider area, but at night the pedestrian traffic in the Market Square area, and Main from Preston to Main Street Square has more traffic than you see during the day anywhere.

I also explored the tunnels a bit, and all I saw were fast food courts and the occasional jewelry store. Maybe I didn't go to the right parts of the tunnels, but it seemed to me that there wasn't enough down there to take all of the business away from the Pavilions or other potential street retail. Besides, the tunnels close at 5 so that gives retail on the street an advantage.

[sevfiv]

i was downtown as well, and i walked -rough boundary- Preston, Travis, San Jacinto, and Lamar streets. i also rarely frequent downtown weekdays (mostly evening/weekends) and i saw much less people.

i did go to the Park Shops around 1, though, and it was packed - yay AC.

[Vertigo58]

i did go to the Park Shops around 1, though, and it was packed - yay AC.

Thats been true for years. The food court is also a hustle & bustle meat market at lunch time. Plenty to choose from.