LISC Houston Pre-development and Preservation Grant Application

LISC announced the launch of LISC Houston’s Pre-development and Preservation Grant Application. This funding opportunity aims to tackle the pressing challenges of attainable affordable housing in the Greater Houston area by bolstering the development and preservation of both single family and multifamily affordable housing units including mixed use developments.

This grant offers funding for:

1. Pre-development activities, which are crucial but often underfunded stages of housing projects. This includes but is not limited to costs associated with site assessments, architectural planning, legal fees, and environmental studies.
2. Preservation of existing affordable housing, which is vital for maintaining the affordability of neighborhoods and preventing displacement. This aspect of the grant helps extend the lifespan of housing projects and ensures they continue to serve the community effectively.

For more details, please read through the grant application. As a courtesy, the document includes the application questions. Please note, application submissions are done online – more details in the grant application

Key Details:

Grant Amount: up to $25,000

Application Deadline Online Submission: 12pm, July 8, 2024 via click here

If you or someone you know has a project that fits within the scope of opportunity, we encourage you to apply. Additionally, we ask for your support in sharing this opportunity with others who might be interested.

Gulfton, Alief to Benefit from $43 Million Grant Aimed at Rebuilding Sidewalks, Increasing Tree Canopy to Mitigate Heat

A new study has ranked Alief and Gulfton as two of the most dangerous neighborhoods in Houston when it comes to traffic injuries and fatalities for children. But a $43 million federal grant funded by the Department of Transportation could soon help reduce the danger.

Rice University’s Baker Institute found that three of the four most dangerous areas for children walking and biking in Houston are in Alief and Gulfton. Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher, who represents both neighborhoods, helped arrange a grant through the Department of Transportation to deal with the threat.

In addition to addressing traffic safety, the grant will support the installation of new green stormwater infrastructure and the planting of tree canopy to mitigate the effects of heat. Last year,HoustonPublic Media investigated how extreme heat affects residents who rely on public transportation. It found that adding tree canopy could mitigate the problem.

Houston Toolbank

The Houston ToolBank is a nonprofit that provides fellow not-for-profit and community-focused organizations year-round access to an inventory of tools and equipment for use in projects, programs, and events. We provide tools to enhance the charitable sector’s capacity to serve, scale, and facilitate hands-on volunteerism. Access to ToolBank tools eliminates the need for agencies to incur the expense of purchasing, insuring, repairing, and storing tools, reducing the costs associated with service projects and allowing these agencies to focus more resources on their mission. We have a warehouse of 299 tool types and more than 15,000 tools, from basic items like shovels and hammers to bigger ticket items like generators, pressure washers, and high-quality power tools. To support the evolving needs of our community partners, we have added event equipment like a portable riser, folding tables and chairs, and lawn games. We have begun formalizing school partnerships and disaster programs.

Organizations can sign up to become ToolBank members at our website. www.houstontoolbank.org

Gulfton Complete Communities Is…

Gulfton is a culturally diverse, international community with over 50 languages spoken and is home to 40,000 residents. Although it includes two small areas of single-family homes, its large apartment complexes dominate the area’s landscape along with scattered commercial and light industrial uses. Most of Gulfton was originally developed as a rural subdivision called Westmoreland Farms.

Often described as the Ellis Island of current time, Gulfton is the most densely populated community in Houston, with about 90 apartment complexes and 71% Hispanic residents including immigrants from Mexico and Central America.

Gulfton is known for its compassion and services to help newcomers into the country, city, and area. Although traditionally a Salvadoran and Mexican neighborhood, many immigrants have begun coming from different Latin-American and Middle Eastern countries in search of these resources and services.

Let's Talk About What's Happening

CenterPoint Energy's Agencies in Action Program

Provides...

You qualify if:

• You are a residential customer of CenterPoint Energy Electric.
• Your home is at least 16 years old.
• Your annual household income qualifies you to meet income guidelines or you receive benefits from a public assistance program.
• (SNAP, Medical Assistance or Medicare, Supplemental Security Income, Public Housing, Children’s Health Insurance, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families)

GIVE US A CALL! (855-751-6432) or visit CenterPointEnergy.com/AgenciesinAction

Building Food Security: 101

Neighborhood Preservation Tools

If you want to learn about ways you can preserve the established character of your neighborhood, please watch the video below.

You have more questions? Call us at 832-393-6600, or visit us online at https://www.houstontx.gov/planning/Min-Lot_Size-Min_Bldg_Line.html

https://youtu.be/GeIWj2EJOJc

ALL LIGHTS ON, HOUSTON!

• If there is tree canopy near streetlighting you can report this request to: (http://www.houstontx.gov/parks/forestry/urbanforestry.html)
• To report a city tree that needs pruning or to request a tree removal permit contact the Urban Forestry section by calling 311 or visit the 311 Houston Service Center online www.houston311.org to submit your request.
• How to use 311 to report: http://www.houstontx.gov/311/images/311-portal-overview.mp4
• Outage Tracker (http://gis.centerpointenergy.com/outagetracker/) for current electric outage information.
  

For more information on how to report light poles that are out or need maintenance, to request a new light pole, and to report tree canopy, please utilize the video below with CenterPoint, Public Works, and Urban Forestry. Thank you! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkBFT-4zLbI

Bloomberg Philanthropies Asphalt Art Initiative Grant

Bloomberg Philanthropies awarded 26 U.S. cities grants to help transform streets and public spaces through its Asphalt Art Initiative. The City of Houston was selected and awarded $25,000.00.

The City of Houston, in partnership with Gulfton community stakeholders, My Connect Community, and Southwest Management District, is seeking statements of interest from eligible artists for the asphalt art project, Gulfton Safe Streets.

The Gulfton Safe Streets project is a design intervention proposed to integrate art into the crosswalks and pedestrian spaces at High Star Road and Westward Street at Hillcroft Street, Gulfton Community's main street corridor.

For more information and how to apply, click https://www.engagehouston.org/asphalt-art-initiative.

Latino Families in Education Fellowship

Familias Latinas Por La Educación (Latino Family in Education Fellowship) is a parent advocacy program that aims to build a greater understanding among Houston ISD’s Latino parents around school quality, challenges affecting their child’s education, solutions to address these challenges, and their opportunities to engage with those in power. The program kicked off in June, by holding space for the 20 participating parents and family members to address the dreams and aspirations they have for their children and aimed to instill a vision of themselves as leaders.

Throughout the program sessions, parents were provided with everything from a high-level overview of the Houston ISD school system, to a deep dive into the state of Latino education. This background knowledge is key to providing families with the foundation that they need in order to propose a parent-led agenda on improving the quality of education to decision-makers at the end of the program.

To read the full article about the Latino Family in Education Fellowship program click here

Please contact Sandra Rodriguez, Advocacy Director, Greater Houston Latinos for Education for more information Sandra@latinosforeducation.org.

Photo by: Houston Chronicle

HBI, Recruit Skilled Workers from HBI's Gulfton and Acres Home Trades Programs

DO YOUR PART TO PROTECT OUR PIPES!

70% of sanitary sewer overflows in Houston are caused by clogs from fats, oils and grease poured down the drain and wipes flushed down toilets.

Put grease in its place! Dispose of leftover cooking waste with these easy steps: pour it in a jar, can, or bag, cool it, and once full, toss it in the trash.

Also, only flush the three P’s - pee, poo, and (toilet) paper. Everything else should go in the trash.

Together, we can all prevent clogs and harmful overflows! Learn more: www.ProtectOurPipes.org.

Learn more from Sammy, Ruby, and Martin – our Protect Our Pipes characters – through the resources below!

RESOURCES

Videos

• PSA Video – embed in Newsletter, share on website
• 5-second video – post on social media
• Additional videos on Houston Public Work’s YouTube Page. Graphics & Social Media
• Flyer/Poster – print and hand out or hang up in your community.
• Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for social media posts to share and retweet!

Request a Presentation or Giveaway Event: Email ProtectOurPipes@houstontx.gov.

LEARN MORE! www.ProtectOurPipes.org

AIA Design for Impact

Thank you for participating in the Designing for Impact series. Over 400 people and 12 design professionals participated and facilitated these meetings in hopes to accomplish the objectives of the Houston Complete Communities Initiative.

To watch the presentations click the link below.

Designing for Impact: Part 1

Design for Impact: Part 2

The City of Houston would like to especially thank AIA Houston and the Houston Chapter of the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) for engaging our communities and providing exceptional design concepts from projects outlined in the Complete Communities Action Plan.

AIA Houston and the City of Houston’s Complete Communities reserves and retains the ownership, the use, and copies of designs created, submitted, and presented.

Complete Communities continues to work to attract new development and supports expand resources throughout the neighborhoods.

Gulfton Complete Communities Progress Report

Missed the last meeting? You can watch the recording and the progress report presentation under "Gulfton Complete Communities Re-engagement Meeting" section to the right.