Dear HCP4,

Serving as your County Commissioner is the honor of my life. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve and am energized by the progress we have made during this first year. 

My Precinct 4 team of more than 400 public servants and I have been honored to engage with so many of you, and we look forward to continuing to listen to, learn from, and serve you with heart, hustle, and higher standards.

Everything we do at Precinct 4 is grounded in our commitment to serving you and your family. Our mission is to advance opportunity and justice for all. We have prioritized justice and safety, infrastructure, health, education and economic opportunity, and good government.

By improving public safety, strengthening flood resilience, maintaining our 1,400 miles of roads, 55 parks, and 10 community centers, and expanding access to healthcare and economic opportunity, we are improving the lives and livelihoods of the 1.2 million residents of Precinct 4. 

When we made significant investments in our justice system — raising salaries for law enforcement officers, diverting people from the system and connecting them with mental health resources, funding six additional criminal district courts to more effectively move cases and keep up with our growing population, and providing services to help justice-involved women get back on their feet — we thought about building communities where parents can safely and securely raise their children. 

When we kicked off our community planning efforts to renovate two major parks in the Precinct, expand mobility capacity of the Westpark Tollway, and make improvements across our sidewalks, trails, and greenspaces, we thought about building connections not only between places, but also between people.  

When we committed federal funding to increase access to free, high-quality childcare, we thought about investing in our children to help them reach their full potential and assisting parents to get back to work.

And when we moved forward with Harris County’s climate action plan and broke ground on major flood resiliency projects, we thought about protecting Harris County so that it will continue being a great place to raise a family for decades to come. 

With your partnership, I look forward to building upon our progress as we continue moving Precinct 4 forward. Together—we will make 2024 an amazing year!

All my best,

Lesley Briones

Houston-area residents turned in 559 guns during the fifth gun buyback event on Nov. 18, hosted by Harris County Commissioner Lesley Briones in partnership with Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzales and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner.  

Participants lined up before the gates opened at 8 a.m. for the drive-thru event at METRO’s Westchase Park and Ride on Harwin Drive. 1,557 gift cards worth nearly $78,000 were distributed to residents who voluntarily turned in unwanted firearms for safe disposal.  

The gift cards were funded by the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

The newly-formed LGBTQIA+ Commission held a kickoff meeting on Nov. 16 to discuss goals for the group.

Creation of this history-making commission was spearheaded by Commissioner Briones in an attempt to amplify the voices of the LGBTQIA+ community and promote equality in Harris County. The Commission will provide actionable recommendations that will improve economic, social, health and safety outcomes for the LGBTQIA+ community.

Additional members of the Commission are expected to be appointed in December, with the first meeting set to take place in January.

The Precinct 4 infrastructure team is working towards reimagining Bayland Park, a beloved greenspace on Bissonnet Street.

The new master plan will provide recommendations for creating an inclusive park with improved facilities, programming, and connectivity to better serve the active and passive recreational and open space needs of the community.  

On Dec. 2., community members gathered to give their feedback on what they want to see at this important park and community center. Community members that weren't able to attend the kickoff meeting can still let their voice be heard by participating in an online survey.

Commissioners Court - November 14, 2023

Key wins from Commissioners Court included:

An agreement with the city of Houston to take over all operations and

maintenance of Freed Park in Spring Branch East.

Awarding of "substantial progress" certificates on an infrastructure projects that will improve drainage at John Paul Landing Park and increase safety at the intersection of Clay Road and Katy Hockley Cut Off Road with a temporary traffic signal.

A resolution to honor the work and the retirement of longtime METRO President and CEO Tom Lambert. Tom has been a valuable partner, driving progress and we thank him for his dedication. 

COURT RECAP FROM COMMISSIONER BRIONES

COMMISSIONER BRIONES CONTINUES LISTENING TOUR

Commissioner Briones demonstrated her commitment to advocating for policies and resources that enhance the quality of life for Harris County residents. To inform those policies, she has been meeting with community members during an 11-stop Listening Tour. The tour will continue in 2024.

COMMISSIONER BRIONES SERVES UP THANKSGIVING MEALS FOR RESIDENTS

 Commissioner Briones and her newly launched nonprofit, Precinct 4 Forward partnered with local businesses to distribute Thanksgiving meals to underserved and food insecure families. Residents identified by Alief ISD and Thomas Street received a turkey with all the trimmings of a traditional Thanksgiving feast, and were given the choice of vegetarian and halal dinners. 

FREE CHROMEBOOKS DISTRIBUTED THANKS TO AT&T AND COMPUDOPT

Commissioner Briones hosted a laptop distribution on in conjunction with AT&T and Compudopt. The event was part of a Precinct 4 initiative to close the digital divide and enhance education opportunity.

WINTER HOLIDAY FESTIVAL DRAWS LARGE CROWD

Commissioner Briones hosted an amazing holiday festival at Bayland Park, with fun for all ages including children's crafts, petting zoo, photos with Santa, holiday games, Christmas music, and more! The event also served as a master plan meeting to reimagine Bayland Park.