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AND I AM REBECCA WILLIAMS. AND YOU ARE WATCHING CITY POSTS TV'S HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, CITY DEPARTMENTS, AND COUNCIL MEMBERS AT WORK IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.
COMING UP ON THE PROGRAM, REBECCA SHARES ANOTHER STORY FROM THE FIX-IT FILES.
AND WE LOOK BACK AT THIS YEAR'S NATIONAL NIGHT OUT.
OUR FIRST STORY TAKES US TO THE LIVING CENTER AT FOUR 19 EMANCIPATION AVENUE.
THE EASTERN FACILITY WILL SERVE AS A FRONT DOOR AT THE HOUSTON'S HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM.
THE BUILDING HAS MORE THAN 200 BEDS AND ALSO FEATURES A CAFETERIA AND RECREATIONAL SPACES.
IN THIS NEXT CLIP, MAYOR WHITMEYER PAINTS A PICTURE OF THE FUTURE FACILITY AND MAKES A CALL TO ACTION.
I JUST HERE WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT AND LOOK AT THIS OUTSTANDING FACILITY WALK-IN CONDITION.
AND THIS IS JUST A STEP, IT'S A BEGINNING.
WE'VE GOT OTHER STRATEGIC LOCATIONS, ALWAYS MINDFUL OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
PUBLIC SAFETY IS OUR HIGHEST PRIORITY FOR THE HOMELESS.
IT'S NOT THE ULTIMATE SOLUTION, BUT IT'S A HUGE STEP FORWARD TO DEAL WITH OUR HOMELESS POPULATION AND ALSO TO GO INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND PROVIDE FOR THAT INDIVIDUAL THAT'S PERHAPS CAMPED OUT ACROSS FROM A LIBRARY OR SCHOOL.
MANY ARE IN SUCH CONDITION, THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT THEY'RE IN THAT CONDITION.
SO NOW WE HAVE A LOCATION TO PROVIDE HEALTHCARE, FOOD, CLOTHING, CLEANLINESS, CERTAINLY MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.
WE DON'T CARE WHO GETS CREDIT, WE JUST WANT IT DONE.
MAYOR WHITMEYER IS COMMITTED TO HAVING THE CITY SERVICES NEEDED TO GET THE JOB DONE.
HERE HE IS WITH THE SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT, ADDING 25 NEW TRUCKS TO IMPROVE ON TRASH AND RECYCLING COLLECTION.
I AM EXCITED THIS MORNING BECAUSE YOU'RE WITNESSING A BOLD INITIATIVE NEVER CARRIED OUT BY THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
BY THE END OF THIS MONTH, WE WILL HAVE 50 NEW SOLID WASTE TRUCKS ON THE STREETS OF HOUSTON.
SO I AM HERE TO THANK THESE HARDWORKING, SOLID WASTE EMPLOYEES.
I'M GONNA WATCH THE SEND OFF THESE.
BEAUTIFUL, HEY, WE DIDN'T TAKE TIME TO PAINT THEM AND WE SAVED $3,000 BY PER TRUCK WITH NOT PAINT THEM.
WE'LL PUT A DECAL ON THERE, SAYS, GET OUTTA THE WAY.
AND NOW ON THE 50 FILES, MEET MISS SHERRY BUTLER, A SENIOR WHO'S PERSISTENCE BENEFITED NOT ONLY HERSELF BUT HER ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
MS. BUTLER AND HER OTHER NEIGHBORS CAME AND CALLED ON THE CITY AND THE WHITMEYER ADMINISTRATION AND TOGETHER THEY GOT RESULTS.
BECAUSE WHEN HOUSTONIANS SPEAK UP, TEAM WHITMEYER SHOWS UP.
HELLO AND WELCOME TO THE FIX IT FILES.
I'M REBECCA WILLIAMS AND I AM HONORED TO BE HERE TODAY WE ARE HERE AT, UH, CAMP ANEAL, AT JUSTICE PARK WITH THE ADVOCATE.
OKAY, THE ONE AND ONLY SO PROUD OF HER.
UM, AND SHE'S GONNA SHARE THE JOURNEY THAT SHE WENT ON TO REALLY BE THE VOICE FOR CAMP ANEAL AT JUSTICE PARK AND IT'S SENIORS.
SO MISS SHERRY, TELL US ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE.
I THINK MY FIRST ENCOUNTER WITH YOU IS YOU CAME TO, UM, CITY COUNCIL AND IT WAS YOUR FIRST TIME.
YOU AND YOUR, YOUR PARTNER AND ANNA, MISS ANNA, Y'ALL CAME TO CITY COUNCIL.
WHAT WAS YOUR ISSUE AND WHAT HAPPENED WHEN YOU WENT? THE PROBLEM WAS WE NEEDED HELP.
WE JUST NEEDED SOMEONE WHO WAS IN CHARGE OF GETTING RESOURCES
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TO PEOPLE WHO LIVED HERE WHO DIDN'T HAVE RESOURCES.THE ELECTRICITY WENT OUT, IT ONLY LASTS A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME.
SO THE FIFTH DAY, WITHOUT ELECTRICITY, WITHOUT WATER, WITHOUT FANS, SOMEBODY SOMEHOW GOT A HOLD OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.
BUT ANNA AND MARY AND GAIL AND I, FOUR OF US WENT DOWN TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE APARTMENT COMPLEX SAYING HOW MUCH WE NEEDED THE MAYOR ATTENTION.
DEAR SIR, ONE OF THE MAIN ISSUES I HAVE, THE MANAGEMENT OFFICE WANTS TO CONTROL OUR LIVES.
NO ONE ASKS RESIDENTS WHO ARE, WHICH ARE THE ONES WHO ARE OXYGEN DEPENDENT, NEED REFRIGERATION FOR THEIR INSULIN NEED ASSISTED BEING CARRIED DOWNSTAIRS UNTIL THE POWER IS RESTORED.
THERE'S CALL BOXES THAT WERE AT THE APARTMENT EMS AND PHYSICAL THERAPISTS AND THOSE KIND OF PEOPLE COULD ACCESS AND GET INTO THE BUILDING.
WE DON'T HAVE THAT BOX I'LL DECLARED.
DEADLINE IS HERE, BUT THE RACE TO RESTORE POWER CONTINUES FOR CENTER POINT TONIGHT AND RIGHT NOW THERE ARE MORE THAN 43,000 CUSTOMERS STILL WITHOUT POWER.
YOU CAN SEE FROM THE VIDEO FROM SKY EYE, THIS IS JUST A FEW HOURS AGO.
CREWS ARE OBVIOUSLY STILL HARD AT WORK TRYING TO GET EVERYONE CONNECTED.
VICE MAYOR PRO TE AFTER THAT MEETING, WE DID HAVE ANOTHER MEETING WITH THE PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE APARTMENT COMPLEX AND IT WAS A REALLY GOOD MEETING.
THEY LISTENED TO ALL OF THE CONCERNS AND MADE COMMITMENTS TO SOME CHANGES THERE AS WELL.
SO WE'LL BE FOLLOWING UP WITH, UM, BOTH THE OWNERS AND WITH THE RESIDENTS.
UM, AND YOU SAID SOMETHING ABOUT RESPECT.
YOU ALL WERE TREATED WITH RESPECT.
UM, THAT WAS A RESOUNDING THING THAT I HEARD FROM A LOT OF THE SENIORS HERE ABOUT HOW THEY WERE BEING TALKED TO.
HAS THAT GOTTEN BETTER FOR YOU ALL? I WOULD SAY YES.
OUR COMMUNITY, I THINK, DOES FEEL MORE RESPECTED JUST BECAUSE WE CAN WALK IN AND OUT OF OUR OWN GREAT ROOM.
NOW, IF THERE WAS ANY WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT THAT YOU WOULD SAY TO SOMEONE ELSE OUT THERE THAT MAY BE NERVOUS ABOUT GOING TO PUBLIC SESSION OR SPEAKING UP FOR THEIR COMMUNITY OR SHARING THEIR CONCERNS OR, OR REALLY TELLING WHAT'S REALLY GOING ON SO IT CAN BE FIXED, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO THEM THEN? TRUST THE PROCESS AND KEEP ASKING THE QUESTIONS OF HOW DO I GET THIS ATTENTION OR HOW DO I GET NOTICED? ALL RIGHT.
SO MS. SHERRY, IF YOU COULD SAY ANYTHING TO MAYOR WHITMEYER, WHAT WOULD THAT BE? THANK YOU FOR PAYING ATTENTION TO US AND THANK YOU FOR TRYING, REALLY TRYING TO MAKE THE CITY BETTER.
I FEEL LIKE WE'RE BETTER HERE AT THE APARTMENT.
I FEEL LIKE WE'RE BETTER HERE AT THE CITY FOR HIM.
HE'S BEEN A GOOD ADVOCATE FOR US.
ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY, ANOTHER NEIGHBORHOOD, ANOTHER COMMUNITY THAT HAS BEEN FIXED.
BY THE WAY, MY ADMINISTRATION IS REBECCA WILLIAMS. WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME.
I AM SO GLAD YOU WERE ABLE TO HELP MS. BUTLER WITH THAT ISSUE.
WHEN CITY POST RETURNS, REBECCA AND I VISIT MONTY BEACH PARK FOR NATIONAL NIGHT OUT.
NATIONAL NIGHT OUT IS AN ANNUAL EVENT THAT ENCOURAGES STRONGER CONNECTIVITY AND SAFER COMMUNITIES.
THIS YEAR, HOUSTON'S NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS WERE VERY ACTIVE.
HERE IS HOUSTON'S PARKS AND RECREATION WITH SIGHTS AND SOUNDS.
NATIONAL NIGHT OUT POLICING IS GETTING TOGETHER AND GETTING, BEING ABLE TO KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS.
NATIONAL NIGHT OUT WAS OBSERVED IN A NUMBER
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OF PARKS AROUND THE HOUSTON AREA, INCLUDING HERE IN THE GREATER HEIGHTS AREA AT MONTY BEACH PARK BUBBLES.I'VE MET SEVERAL NEIGHBORS THAT I HAVEN'T MET BEFORE AND THIS IS JUST A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO GET TOGETHER AND FOR THE KIDS TO PLAY.
THIS ANNUAL EVENT IS DESIGNED TO STRENGTHEN POLICE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, FANTASTIC COMMUNITY POLICING.
UH, THE COMMUNITY NEEDS THE POLICE.
THE POLICE NEED TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY.
AND THIS EVENT HERE WITH NATIONAL NIGHT OUT, IT JUST GIVES YOU THAT AWARENESS TO LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT THE POLICE OFFICERS ARE HERE TO HELP YOU AND TO KNOW WHAT SERVICES THAT THE POLICE PROVIDE DURING A NIGHT LIKE THIS IN YOUR AREA AND PROMOTE COMRADERY BETWEEN NEIGHBORS.
WHAT'S THE QUALITY OF THE HOT DOG? LIKE? IT'S NOT QUITE A MINUTE MADE HOT DOG, BUT IT IT'S A HOT DOG.
NO, IT'S A REALLY GOOD HOT DOG ACTUALLY.
ADDED CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE FIRST IN AN EFFORT TO MAKE THE NEIGHBORHOOD SAFER.
YOU KNOW WHAT? I ALWAYS ENJOYED THIS EVENT WHEN MY KIDS WERE YOUNG.
IT STARTED BACK THEN 'CAUSE I'M GRAY HAIRED AND OLD.
BUT, UH, IT'S SUCH A GREAT, UH, GREAT EVENT TO BRING FAMILIES OUT AND INTO THE COMMUNITIES.
MEET YOUR NEIGHBORS LAW ENFORCEMENT'S HERE, FIRE DEPARTMENTS HERE, AND, YOU KNOW, JUST VARIOUS COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
I'M GLAD THAT IT'S KEPT GOING ALL THIS TIME.
PULL THIS BACK WHEN YOU'RE READY.
NATIONAL NIGHT OUT AT MA BEACH PARK.
IT'S JUST ONE MORE REASON WHY WE LIKE TO SAY HOUSTON PARKS AND REC, WHERE YOU BELONG.
THE CITY OF HOUSTON HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT IS CELEBRATING THE OPENING OF THE OLD SPANISH TRAIL LOFTS RENTAL HOUSING THAT BOTH SUPPORTS FAMILIES AND HELPS IN REVITALIZATION OF ONE OF THE CITY'S MOST HISTORIC COMMUNITIES.
TODAY WE ARE PROUD AND EXCITED TO CELEBRATE THE GRAND OPENING OF OST LOFTS.
A PLACE THAT REPRESENTS MORE THAN JUST NEW HOUSING.
IT'S A MEANINGFUL INVESTMENT IN OUR MISSION TO BUILD STRONG, SUSTAINABLE NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS HOUSTON.
THE OST LOFT STANDS AS A BEACON OF OPPORTUNITY AND STABILITY.
THIS DEVELOPMENT INCLUDES 130, UH, THOUGHTFULLY DESIGN ONE BEDROOM, TWO AND THREE BEDROOM UNITS.
SO THIS IS GONNA BE A GREAT FOUNDATION FOR MANY FAMILIES THAT WILL GO ON TO BUILD BETTER AND BIGGER LIVES.
AND IT'S GONNA BE BECAUSE OF EVERY ONE OF YOU HERE WHO HAD A HAND.
THIS PROJECT REFLECTS OUR DEPARTMENT'S ONGOING COMMITMENT TO ENSURING THAT ALL HOUSTONIANS, REGARDLESS OF INCOME, HAVE ACCESS TO SAFE, AFFORDABLE HOMES AND COMMUNITIES WHERE THEY CAN THRIVE.
OST LOFTS ALSO DEMONSTRATES HOW DISASTER RECOVERY FUNDS ARE BEING PUT TO WORK.
TURNING RECOVERY DOLLARS INTO LASTING SOLUTIONS THAT HELP HOUSTON REBUILD STRONGER WITH AN INVESTMENT OF $19.3 MILLION BY THE CITY OF HOUSTON IN THIS DEVELOPMENT, I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO SHARE HOW GRATEFUL I AM.
ME AND MY DAUGHTER HAVE FOUND A PLACE WHERE WE CAN GO HOME, A PLACE WHERE WE FEEL SAFE, APPRECIATED, AND SUPPORTED TO A COMMUNITY THAT GENERALLY CARES ABOUT ITS RESIDENTS.
FINALLY, IT IS TIME TO LEVEL UP AS CITY LEADERS TAKE THE PLUNGE TO HELP RAISE MONEY FOR OUR ANNUAL EMPLOYEE GIVING CAMPAIGN.
SO TODAY IS THE ANNUAL DUNK YOUR DIRECTOR FUNDRAISER.
IT BENEFITS THE TOYS FOR TOTS FOUNDATION.
UH, WE HAVE NINE DIRECTORS THIS YEAR THAT SIGNED UP, SO THEY'VE BEEN GETTING DUNKED ALL MORNING
BE SURE YOU LOG INTO BRIGHT FUNDS TO MAKE DONATIONS AND SUPPORT ANY FUNDRAISERS THAT ARE TAKING PLACE IN YOUR DEPARTMENT.
THIS YEAR I VOLUNTEERED TO BE DUNKED, UH, IN THE BOOTH AND I'LL TELL YOU THE WATER'S ABOUT AS COLD AS IT GETS, BUT, UH, WHILE I WAS BEING DUNKED, THEY, UH, CAME AND TESTED THE WATER AND MADE SURE THERE WAS ENOUGH CHLORINE.
SO WE'RE KEEPING EVERYBODY SAFE.
I HIT A COUPLE OF DIRECTORS, HIT JOSH, HIT STEVEN, AND THEN MY PITCH ARM WENT SLOW, BUT GOT A COUPLE GOOD PITCHES AND KNOCKED THEM IN.
WELL, REBECCA, I GUESS THAT DOES IT FOR ANOTHER EPISODE OF CITY PULSE.
YES, FOR HTV HOUSTON TELEVISION, HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATION, AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND I'M REBECCA WILLIAMS. AND WE END THE SHOW LIKE WE ALWAYS DO.
REMEMBER, WE CAN ALWAYS DO BETTER AND KINDNESS IS FREE.