Complete Communities Newsletter

November 2022 Newsletter

City Council Approves Redistricting Plan To Establish New Council District Boundaries

Houston City Council voted October 12 to approve and adopt a redistricting plan that will establish new boundaries of single-member City Council districts effective January 2024.

The redistricting website has been updated to reflect approved revised district maps.

The redistricting plan was developed based on 2020 Census data, redistricting criteria approved by City Council, public

input as well as analysis by the Planning and Development Department, the City's Demographer, and the City’s legal counsel.

Census 2020 data showed that the distribution of population among current City Council districts is materially imbalanced, thus requiring redistricting tocomply with the "one-person, one-vote" equal population principle established by the U.S. Constitution.

City Council undertook the process of redistricting in 2022 to establish new boundaries more than a year before the November 2023 General Election. This

will allow prospective City Council candidates to verify residency eligibility to run in a single-member district before the November 2023 General Election filing period. The new district boundaries will be used for the purpose of electing District Council Members at the City General Election to be held on November 7, 2023, and will go into effect for terms of office beginning on January 2, 2024.

Read the full press-release.

Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson To Lead HEB

Thanksgiving Day Parade as Grand Marshal

Hip Hop music mogul and television and film producer, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, will serve as Grand Marshal for the 73rd Annual HEB Thanksgiving Parade. In 2005, he founded G-Unit Film & Television, Inc. which has produced a wide variety of content across numerous platforms. Among these is the critically acclaimed Number one show on Starz, “Power,” in which he not only co-starred in but also served as executive producer and director.

About G-Unity Foundation

In 2021, Jackson announced the G-Unity Business Lab with the Houston Independent School District. The after-school entrepreneurship program, which enrolls students from Kashmere, Wheatley, and Worthing high schools, offers students the chance to learn core business values and teaches practical skills to develop business ideas. The program includes input from area business leaders, corporations and visiting professors, including Jackson.

More information on Jackson’s G-Unity Foundation and his charitable endeavors can be found at https://gunityfoundation.org/

Houston Business Development, Inc. Receives $100K

to support the BEC's Community Kitchen

One of Houston's most historically under-resourced neighborhoods is soon getting access to quality service and amenities. The Houston Business Development, Inc. received a $100K grant from Bank of America to help fund the Bethune Empowerment Center's community

kitchen within the Acres Home community. The kitchen is an equitable and sustainable solution to workforce development, food insecurities and community involvement.

Read the full press release.

FEMA Gives Final Approval To City's

Inwood Forest Flood Mitigation Project

FEMA approved a significant flood mitigation project to help protect Houston from future storms. The project will provide trails, recreation, and landscaping components that complement the detention basins.

The City of Houston has been awarded the construction phase of this project in the amount of $52.6 million for improvements to the Inwood Forest stormwater detention basins. The project aims to reduce localized flood risk following the devastating damage caused by Hurricane Harvey in 2017. This funding comes through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP), which provides funding to state, local, tribal and territorial governments to develop hazard mitigation plans and rebuild in a way that reduces, or mitigates, future disaster losses in their communities. This is one of four major Flood Mitigation Projects the City is developing pending FEMA funding.

The Inwood project will protect over 4,400 structures in the White Oak Bayou and Vogel Creek watersheds. The City and county aim to build 12 floodwater detention basins to hold about 1,200 acre-feet of water (roughly 592 Olympic swimming pools, or enough water to fill the Astrodome).

City Celebrates Decade Of Bike Share

Making Houston More Bike Friendly

In recognition of the 10th anniversary of Houston Bike Share and Houston BCycle, Houston City Council recognized the nonprofit organization’s service to bike riders across the city with an official proclamation at the Oct. 18 City Council meeting.

The city’s bike share organization and program started in 2012 with just three stations downtown and 18 bikes. Today, Houston Bike Share operates Houston BCycle with more than 150 stations across Houston and more than 1,100 bikes, including a growing fleet of the popular electric-assist bicycles (e-bikes).

"The success of the Houston BCycle program is cause for celebration and a great source of pride for the City, and would not be possible without Houston Bike Share,” said Mayor Sylvester Turner. “The City of Houston is committed to making Houston more walkable and connected to biking and transit, and the availability of these bike stations across the city, including 24 in Complete Communities, furthers that commitment and supports our goal to provide equity and accessible multimodal transportation options.”

Read the full press-release.

Gain Leadership Skills with the Complete Communities Civic Leadership Development Project

The Complete Communities Civic Leadership Development (CCCLD) project is a civic leadership training program that teaches knowledge and skills and connects and engages with community resources, experts, and officials. After completing the training, participants can apply for a mini grant up to $1,500 to use toward a project that will address social determinants of health (SDOH). SDOH are external factors, not biological or genetic, that affect one’s health and wellness. Funded through the City of Houston Health Department, the project addresses health inequalities through building community capacity.

We will be recruiting individuals who live, work, and/or have roots in one of the 10 Complete Communities and surrounding neighborhoods. The project is free of charge and minimum age to participate is 18.

Trainings will require 12 hours over four consecutive sessions. Trainings will be held in person, but some online sessions may be incorporated.

For more information contact Kelli at CCCLD@outreachstrategists.com or 832-641-8325.

Ready and Resilient Together

Northeast Houston Resource Hub

The City has launched the Northeast Houston online resource hub, a one-stop shop for preparedness resources. The hub includes social media accounts, preparedness guides, and emergency preparedness information to keep you informed and ready before the next disaster strikes. These resources will help protect your family and neighbors in the face of climate emergencies like extreme heat, hurricanes, flooding, and more.

Visit https://nehoustongetready.com for more information.

Also, check out the The Ready and Resilient Together Northeast Houston preparedness video, which was animated by Resilient Cities Catalyst graphic designer Alex Qunto with voiceovers by NE Houston civic leader, Keith Downey (English version) and Climate Justice Coordinator at Coalition for Environment, Equity, & Resilience (CEER) Carmen Cavezza (Spanish version). The video features actions you can take every day to be more prepared.

View the video in English and Spanish.

Get Vaccinated or Boosted at Events Across Houston

The Equitable Vaccination Acceptance and Distribution to Houston Complete Communities Initiative, also known as VAX HOU, is a Complete Communities project supported by a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation. VAX HOU's mission is to increase COVID-19 vaccinations, address COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and advance health equity in the Houston Complete Communities.

VAX HOU team coordinates vaccine events that are conveniently located in the Complete Communities neighborhoods.

Houston Dia de los Muertos Celebration

Saturday, Nov. 5, 2–8 p.m.

1100 Bagby St.