Mayor Visits Glenbrook Area

[webdude]

Looks like a third world place if not for those dishes and cars

[VicMan]

Wow...that's bad. They can afford satellite dishes, and pretty decent cars, but they can't afford to move elsewhere?

Yeah, I think a few people in there have their priorities screwed up.

What we should do, though, is do a survey at the complex to see how many people own cars and own satellite dishes.

[Guest danax]

in case anybody needs a visual on the condo complex in question, here it is.

Clearly, those people are spending WAY too much time watching TV and not enough time fixing their condos. The Mayor should take away their satellite dishes until the place gets up to American standards.

Or this could look like this in a few years.

[musicman]

Or this could look like this in a few years.

i think that's at the back of the complex LOL

[jm1fd]

The Houston Press apparently did an article on it a while back....

http://www.houstonpress.com/2005-12-15/new...two-cities/full

[musicman]

rps, on this morning's news, they showed an apartment complex in nw houston that the city actually denied their occupancy permit. as a result, the complex is closing. it is owned by a NY company who are suing the city for the denial.

this is the complex where 2 kids were electrocuted about 1 month ago. the city started to investigate and found exposed wiring, gas leaks, etc.

article

[The Great Hizzy!]

Very interesting... and disturbing.

[jm1fd]

rps, on this morning's news, they showed an apartment complex in nw houston that the city actually denied their occupancy permit. as a result, the complex is closing. it is owned by a NY company who are suing the city for the denial.

this is the complex where 2 kids were electrocuted about 1 month ago. the city started to investigate and found exposed wiring, gas leaks, etc.

article

I live nearby....everyone is quite pleased that they're getting shut down. Hopefully they'll smash it flat and sell the land to a developer. We can only hope for an HEB or similar.

[musicman]

Very interesting... and disturbing.

it definitely isn't the only apartment complex like this either.

the city just turns their head and ignores the problem.

[stolitx]

it definitely isn't the only apartment complex like this either.

the city just turns their head and ignores the problem.

It's a shame that 2 kids had to get hurt first. It's also a shame that people are willing to live like that or feel that it's their only option.

My understanding is that the Mayor is having meetings with several groups concerning our Vietnam Village issues. It's a little different than the issue on the news as those are apartments and the village are supposedly condos (I say supposedly since they weren't legally converted from apartments).

But hopefully he and others are gathering up govt and non profit groups together to help with relocation like they did with the folks in the apt complex.

[musicman]

My understanding is that the Mayor is having meetings with several groups concerning our Vietnam Village issues. It's a little different than the issue on the news as those are apartments and the village are supposedly condos (I say supposedly since they weren't legally converted from apartments).

yeah they are a little different, but i've seen the city take a homeowner to court to force them to get to a minimum standard. (fix holes in roof, etc). i'm sure they can do the same to individual owners here too. it is really laziness on their part. i definitely wish yall luck! if there's a meeting where yall need moral support, post it here and i'll definitely go!

[stolitx]

Apparently there is a huge difference between these situations.

According to the new Houston Press article the city believes that all the vietnam condos need is paint, flowers and new railings. Maybe city inspectors don't have the same photos I'm looking in this post.

[musicman]

article from press

interesting article. i like how they finished phase 1 in a weekend.

hopefully the meeting between the condo mgmt and glenbrook will come ot fruition. i think because the people are vietnamese, the city is scared to enforce the ordinances. they don't want to look like they are targeting a specific group.

[rps324]

article from press

interesting article. i like how they finished phase 1 in a weekend.

hopefully the meeting between the condo mgmt and glenbrook will come ot fruition. i think because the people are vietnamese, the city is scared to enforce the ordinances. they don't want to look like they are targeting a specific group.

The Mayor can hardly be accused of targeting Vietnamese. If anything it is the opposite. He has made no secret that he does not want to disperse the tight knit Vietnamese community that lives there. I wonder if he would extend the same courtesy if it were a tight knit community from Mexico or El Salvador?

Obviously we are going to have to continue to battle this, despite the Mayor telling us he knew the property was dangerous, out of compliance, that there was no realistic way to bring it into compliance, and should be torn down. Now it sounds like they think painting some railings is going to resolve the issue.

This complex is a horrible eye-sore at one of our main city entrance points. It certainly looks in worse shape than the one in Garden Oaks they are shutting down. This needs to be addressed. Anyone that is interested in this issue can e-mail their comments to the Mayors office at this address

[stolitx]

article from press

interesting article. i like how they finished phase 1 in a weekend.

hopefully the meeting between the condo mgmt and glenbrook will come ot fruition. i think because the people are vietnamese, the city is scared to enforce the ordinances. they don't want to look like they are targeting a specific group.

By the way since I see this building every day, I don't know what Phase 1 even included. There is no difference in the building. No paint, no non-sagging roof/balconies/floors/walls, nothing.

And if anyone has a lead on where I can find magic paint that will fix structural problems, let me know.

[musicman]

By the way since I see this building every day, I don't know what Phase 1 even included. There is no difference in the building. No paint, no non-sagging roof/balconies/floors/walls, nothing.

And if anyone has a lead on where I can find magic paint that will fix structural problems, let me know.

with the fire marshall targeting these condos hopefully glenbrook can use a similar tactic.

[rps324]

with the fire marshall targeting these condos hopefully glenbrook can use a similar tactic.

I saw that. Again, there is no way those things can be in as bad a shape as Thai Xuan Village, or some of the other complexes on Broadway for that matter.

At one of the meetings at City Hall I attended, the city Housing Director informed me that Thai Xuan was completely structurally sound, and had no plumbing or electrical issues. This after the Mayor told us himself that they all knew there were severe sewage problems at the site. We were supposed to get some kind of "heavy enforcement" on Broadway, but I think it was all a dog and pony show.

[sevfiv]

I saw that. Again, there is no way those things can be in as bad a shape as Thai Xuan Village, or some of the other complexes on Broadway for that matter.

thai xuan village - bleh!

The mayor has known about bad conditions at Thai Xuan Village for years. He just didn't know what to do about them.

"It's one of the most difficult problems that Houston faces," he said in an interview with the Houston Press. That's because Thai Xuan Village isn't your average condominium complex. The 1,400 residents are nearly all Vietnamese, and they've formed a tight-knit, law-abiding community. Over the years, residents have added religious structures and a specialty Vietnamese convenience store up front. But general upkeep, apparently, has never been a priority.

http://www.houstonpress.com/2007-03-29/new...i-xuan-village/

[stolitx]

thai xuan village - bleh!

The mayor has known about bad conditions at Thai Xuan Village for years. He just didn't know what to do about them.

"It's one of the most difficult problems that Houston faces," he said in an interview with the Houston Press. That's because Thai Xuan Village isn't your average condominium complex. The 1,400 residents are nearly all Vietnamese, and they've formed a tight-knit, law-abiding community. Over the years, residents have added religious structures and a specialty Vietnamese convenience store up front. But general upkeep, apparently, has never been a priority.

http://www.houstonpress.com/2007-03-29/new...i-xuan-village/

I guess the condos on the news last week being evicted should have formed a tight-knit, law-abiding community and they could have kept their homes.

[Vertigo58]

Truth is that these people are happy for what they have, that is compared to the country they came from. These apts are like heaven to them. The majority of that area surrounding these apts and the YMCA have been crime ridden for decades. There is an old, old apt complex across the frwy that has been the scene of some of the worse crime known. Take a slow drive around (at night)

If they closed and tore down this little village we speak of, it would be for the best. The fact that it is right near the bayou is even more of a dilemma.

PS, I never heard of this area being called Glenbrook? Did we stray from subject?

[brerrabbit]

Truth is that these people are happy for what they have, that is compared to the country they came from. These apts are like heaven to them. The majority of that area surrounding these apts and the YMCA have been crime ridden for decades. There is an old, old apt complex across the frwy that has been the scene of some of the worse crime known. Take a slow drive around (at night)

If they closed and tore down this little village we speak of, it would be for the best. The fact that it is right near the bayou is even more of a dilemma.

PS, I never heard of this area being called Glenbrook? Did we stray from subject?

I think your a little off target. The thread is talking about the apartment complex turned condos that are closer to the corner of Belfort and Broadway in the heart of Glenbrook Valley. The complex your talking about is closer to the corner of Broadway and Loop 610. Two different sets of apartments.

[Vertigo58]

You are correct. Both are equally unpleasing to the eye. Crater Houston for sure.

[Dream]

Any update? How does phase one of their repairs look? Are they trying to fix up the complex or just get carol alvarado and rps off their back?

after reading the houston press article and being familiar with local vietnamese first and second generation immigrants in houston, i'm not surprised your having this problem with their lifestyle. it just seems that a lot of vietnamese are ok with living in dilipatated conditions on the outside but usually the inside of their homes have tile floors that are spotless. no shoes in the house. they also don't mind to have a lot of people in a small space. it also sounds like this group was taken advantage of when they converted the apartments to condos but never gave them the deeds. do you think they are just unorganized as a home owners association? this could be the case since they almost got scammed on the condo converstion in 92?

regardless, i was wondering why all the uproar about this one complex when honestly that entire street is nasty? broadway has some very ugly apartment complexs one after the other. i know that glenbrook has some very cool mods and some really awesome homes but it's still surrounded by class c and d rental properties.

the city giving money to fix up this street as a gateway for arrivinig visitors makes about as much sense to me as all of the dead palm trees they planted along 45 south for visiting vips when the superbowl came to town in 2000. the trees were supposed to hide all of the ugly billboards from visitors.

it is what it is and houston should just be houston. houston be yourself: ugly old broadway and all your nasty apartment complexes.

at least you guys have kellys country cooking at 45 and park place. if every visitor stopped there for pancakes on thier way to the airport then i think they would all leave houston with a great impression and a smile on their faces. they would never remember those apartment complexs in the passing windows. they'd be talking about how big those pancakes were.

dream

[musicman]

Any update? How does phase one of their repairs look? Are they trying to fix up the complex or just get carol alvarado and rps off their back?

last time i went thru there, it looked about the same to me.

[rps324]

The big "phase I" clean up was a joke. They did a little power washing and put a couple, and I do mean just a couple, of potted plants out. I think they may have painted a few railings too.

They have actually done some repairs on some of the balconies lately. Now I see they are putting hardi-plank on some of the old mansard roofs. If you look at some of the buildings closer to the CVS you will see it.

[Vertigo58]

The big "phase I" clean up was a joke. They did a little power washing and put a couple, and I do mean just a couple, of potted plants out. I think they may have painted a few railings too.

They have actually done some repairs on some of the balconies lately. Now I see they are putting hardi-plank on some of the old mansard roofs. If you look at some of the buildings closer to the CVS you will see it.

That place can never be restored to its former glory. Mostly airline personnel from the nearby airport used to rule that area until about 1981. (just a memory I know) Area is now at or below poverty level so it will take a miracle to change. With achors like The Worksource just across the street the area will always lure crime, etc. Notice police guarding the parking lot. These are merely cosmetic touches to band aid the growing problem. Reminds one of the Gulfton situation. And once again, if they demolish this urban blight it will only move on to another part of town, more than likely over by Broadway/YMCA hood. Best to avoid this area day or night. Truth.

[rps324]

That place can never be restored to its former glory. Mostly airline personnel from the nearby airport used to rule that area until about 1981. (just a memory I know) Area is now at or below poverty level so it will take a miracle to change. With achors like The Worksource just across the street the area will always lure crime, etc. Notice police guarding the parking lot. These are merely cosmetic touches to band aid the growing problem. Reminds one of the Gulfton situation. And once again, if they demolish this urban blight it will only move on to another part of town, more than likely over by Broadway/YMCA hood. Best to avoid this area day or night. Truth.

Actually of all the things wrong with the Thai Xuan Village, crime is not one of them. Where are you talking about the police guarding? There is one at the entrance at Thai Xuan, (If you aren't Vietnamese, don't expect to be able to enter easily), but I have never seen one over at Worksource center, (not that they don't need one).

They just need to bulldoze Broadway and start over.

[Vertigo58]

Where are you talking about the police guarding? There is one at the entrance at Thai Xuan, (If you aren't Vietnamese, don't expect to be able to enter easily), but I have never seen one over at Worksource center, (not that they don't need one).

They just need to bulldoze Broadway and start over.

I meant cops guarding The Worksource inside & the parking lot and thats more often now than before. Apparently when people are job searching inside, local thugs are car shopping outside. I worked at one of these on other side of town and it attracts quite an array of human cargo. One cop I spoke to a week ago told me the area (Broadway/Bellfort) has hit rock bottom. Did he make it up? I doubt it.

I was going to make the bulldoze comment but you beat me to it. Trust me, some one will come along at say we all hate people. Cop out. Broadway/Bellfort needs to be nuked. End of story. Got my helmet on! here come the rocks. Peace, love, good will towards...

[Perimeter285]

Add Broadway to the long list of Houston streets that need to be bulldozed and started over. There's a complex two blocks from my house that looks almost uninhabitable. Unfortunately, it's in the interests of the powers that be (like Mayor White, whom I support most of the time) to keep these places open. Houston depends heavily on the super-poor for cheap labor, and these are the only places they can afford. Bulldoze them, and the poor will move ever-closer to the "better" neighborhoods. We wouldn't want that now, would we?

[musicman]

since the mayor has higher aspirations, he doesn't want to do anything that might cause negative publicity. IMO because the majority of the owner/residents are vietnamese, he doesn't want to touch this.