Street Lights and Street Striping Requests
Do you know of a dark street in District A that you believe might qualify for a new street light? Please fill out a form (click here), and email it directly to my office at [email protected]. Houston Public Works will evaluate the street to see if it qualifies for a new light. There is limited money available to fund new street lights in District A. Please get your requests in before the money runs out!
Please note that this is for new lights only. If there is a street light that is out, please contact CenterPoint Energy directly by filling out this form (click here). You will need the street light number located on the light pole.
Is there a street where the lanes are hard to differentiate because of a lack of markings? Please contact 3-1-1 to let them know that a street needs re-striping. You will be issued a Service Request Number. Please either email that number to my office at [email protected] or call us at 832-393-3010.
Advocating in Austin
I traveled to Austin yesterday to testify in favor of HB 1956, relating to certain contract and notice requirements applicable to certain facilities used to house inmates or releasees from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
As Chair of the Public Safety & Homeland Security Committee, I spearheaded changing the ordinances related to group homes after a 2017 fire in a boarding home and an unlicensed lodging facility resulted in three deaths and the emergency evacuation of 29 elderly and disabled residents. The updated ordinances requires permitting and safety inspections to protect those living in and around the group homes.
This bill would prohibit the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) from entering into certain types of housing contracts with facilities lacking proof of a permit and would further be required to maintain and submit records related to alternative housing to municipalities and state elected officials.
The next Public Safety & Homeland Security Committee will be on April 18th at 1:00 PM at City Hall (901 Bagby, 2nd Floor, Houston, Texas 77002). The presentation will be an update about these ordinances. You can watch live at https://www.houstontx.gov/htv/
Houston Health Department Addressing Root Causes of Youth Violence
The City of Houston is taking a public health approach to addressing youth violence. Houston Peace – Youth Violence Prevention Strategic Plan aims to address the root causes of violence and promote opportunities for prevention.
Houston Peace leverages the support of private, philanthropic, faith-based, school, and other stakeholders with existing city resources to identify and implement interventions that promote positive attitudes, beliefs and behaviors that prevent violence.
The plan contains three approaches to ensure youth in Houston are safe, healthy, and have hope for the future:
- Prevent Youth Violence – Youth violence is a significant problem for Houston. It’s also a problem that can have a long-lasting impact. This goal acknowledges that there is a need to successfully address violence beyond prevention and incorporates intervention and re-entry components. Perhaps most impactfully, this goal champions the need for collaboration to ensure successful and comprehensive violence prevention efforts.
- Promote Youth Health – Youth are in a critical period of rapid biological and socio-emotional development in which they gain independence, take risks, and form behaviors that carry into adulthood. This goal is intended to provide youth with opportunities to form healthy behaviors surrounding their physical, mental, and behavioral health choices. Like the previous goal, this goal also supports comprehensive and collaborative efforts. While health professionals can serve as a great resource for helping address the health needs of adolescents, numerous other stakeholders and partners can also support this work.
- Provide Youth Opportunities – Providing youth with opportunities can drastically alter the path of youth. It can help reduce their likelihood of engaging in violence, provide them with workforce training opportunities, and enhance their likelihood to complete secondary education. Strategies in this goal focus on providing youth in communities with a high prevalence of youth violence with equitable opportunities. These opportunities allow for youth to develop and increase protective factors at various levels.
Throughout the development of Houston Peace, the health department worked with community members, partner organizations and stakeholders to discuss what needs to be done to prevent youth violence. Focus groups were also conducted with community youth.
Houston Peace is intended to undergo changes based on community needs, feedback, data and capacity.
View the plan at 4youthvoice.org.
