Vice Mayor Pro Tem Castex-Tatum joined, Mayor Sylvester Turner and U. S. Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, Kristen Clarke to announce a voluntary resolution agreement concluding the Department of Justice's (DOJ) investigation into the City of Houston's response to illegal dumping.
The resolution agreement is a testament to the city’s $18 million One Clean Houston initiative, which aims to combat illegal dumping, especially in Black and Brown communities, while upholding environmental stewardship within the city. Since the program was launched in March, the city’s average response time to dumping calls has decreased from 49 to 11 days, and SWMD has collected over 15,000 tons of garbage.
In addition to the resolution agreement, Mayor Turner unveiled a comprehensive Community Toolkit designed to provide community members with essential information and resources to participate actively in the fight against illegal dumping. The toolkit offers a range of practical tools, guidance, and educational materials that empower residents to take decisive action in maintaining a clean and sustainable environment. It is available in multiple languages under supporting documents on the One Clean Houston website.
During the news conference, Mayor Turner asked people, if they see something, to say something! Anyone can submit a tip anonymously to Crime Stoppers and be eligible for a cash award of up to $5,000 – (Call 222-713-TIPS or report online at Crime-stoppers.org). You may now provide tips directly to police through the online crime reporting form on HPD's homepage or the Rat-on-a-Rat Hotline (713) 525-2728.
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