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1 week ago | 
communityimpact.com | Kevin Vu
Houston City Council member Letitia Plummer proposed during a May 27 Proposition A committee meeting an ordinance that would strengthen enforcement and inspection of apartments with unsafe environments.
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1 week ago | 
communityimpact.com | Kevin Vu
Council member Mario Castillo proposed an ordinance during a May 27 Proposition A meeting to allow evening and optional off-site public session hearings once a month. The detailsThe ordinance would allow a public session to occur once a month in the evening to boost community engagement with City Council, with the option to have the location in one of the council districts instead of City Hall chambers, such as a multiservice center, library or community center.
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1 week ago | 
communityimpact.com | Kevin Vu
What you need to knowFabric Forge is located in Southwest Houston's Gulfton and Sharpstown area, often called the city's "Ellis Island" for its long history of welcoming immigrants and refugees, according to the news release. However, the neighborhood has a poverty rate of 44%, with residents facing significant barriers to upward mobility.
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1 week ago | 
communityimpact.com | Kevin Vu
In an effort to reduce the city’s $330 million budget shortfall and save costs, 1,070 employees accepted Mayor John Whitmire’s voluntary retirement program. The one-time voluntary retirement option provides both financial support and continued access to health care benefits for employees who accepted the offer, according to previous Community Impact reporting.
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2 weeks ago | 
communityimpact.com | Kevin Vu
A new West University Chinese restaurant is embarking on a culinary fine dining experience through meticulously crafted dim sum, according to Silk Road's website. A closer lookSilk Road is located within the Courtyard Marriott in West University, with Thailand chef Thawatchai Insingha bringing his two decades of expertise to the restaurant.
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2 weeks ago | 
communityimpact.com | Kevin Vu
With one month left before the new fiscal year, Houston Controller Chris Hollins warned City Council of the impact Houston could be facing if the judge presiding over the ongoing drainage lawsuit doesn't approve the deal made between the city and the plaintiffs before the new fiscal year starts July 1, according to a May 20 budget workshop with the controller’s office. What happened?
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2 weeks ago | 
communityimpact.com | Kevin Vu
Houston is ranked No. 66 out of 100 United States cities on Trust for Public Land’s annual ParkScore index, according to a May 21 news release. The detailsThe ParkScore index ranks park systems in the 100 most populous U.S. cities, and evaluates park systems based on five different criteria:Park access: Measures the percentage of residents living within a 10-minute walk of a parkPark equity: Compares per capita park space and 10-minute-walk park access in communities of color vs.
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2 weeks ago | 
communityimpact.com | Kevin Vu
During a May 21 meeting, Houston City Council members unanimously approved the Houston Police Officers’ Union’s contract to raise police salaries by 36.5% by 2030. The specificsHPD officers’ currently have a salary of $62,574, which is lower than other neighboring cities such as Jersey Village and Austin, which pay salaries at $66,000 and $70,644, respectively. The new contract was approved by 97% of Houston Police Officers’ Union members, according to union president Douglas Griffith.
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2 weeks ago | 
communityimpact.com | Kevin Vu
Two weeks after closing Genesis Steakhouse and Wine Bar, owner Jason Goldstein said he has evolved the former kosher restaurant into Exodus Bar and Grill, which opened on May 15. The specificsExodus, which will be housed in the same building that Genesis was in, is branding itself as a non-kosher restaurant. Goldstein said this is a new era for his restaurant, and will provide his chefs and customers with a wider range of menu items without being held back by kosher restrictions.
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2 weeks ago | 
communityimpact.com | Kevin Vu
In an effort to improve flood mitigation, Bellaire and Houston will swap the Rufino and Beechnut Tracts, according to a May 19 Bellaire City Council meeting. Bellaire council members also agreed to have Houston treat the city's wastewater for the next 100 years, giving Bellaire a clearer path on what to do with its wastewater treatment plant, City Manager Sharon Citino said.
