Tag Archives: Houston

Planning to plan

Posted on May 2, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Not really sure what to make of this. “We’ve had a lot of planning in this city and most of us continue to do a great deal of it,” said Central Houston president Bob Eury. “What we haven’t had is … Continue reading →

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GHP endorses proposed NDO

Posted on May 1, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Good for them. The Greater Houston Partnership came out in support of Mayor Annise Parker’s proposed equal rights ordinance, giving the measure a boost as it heads to a City Council committee hearing on Wednesday. Parker plans to put the … Continue reading →

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Costello comes out for Uber and Lyft

Posted on May 1, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

An email sent out by CM Stephen Costello: Over the past few months, City Council has been discussing proposed changes to Chapter 46, the city ordinance dealing with vehicles for hire. I’ve listened during committee meetings and public sessions. I’ve … Continue reading →

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Medical Center mobility

Posted on April 30, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The problems they face today pale in comparison to the problems they will face in the future. Already the world’s largest medical complex, the Texas Medical Center is poised to get much bigger, prompting a raft of ideas ranging from … Continue reading →

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Everybody wants to help the judge rule on the Ashby lawsuit

Posted on April 30, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I really don’t envy Judge Randy Wilson the task he has. Lawyers aren’t the only ones peppering the judge in the Ashby high-rise case with last-minute paperwork. A former city councilman, a pro-developer interest group and residents who live near … Continue reading →

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Yik Yak

Posted on April 30, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

News flash: A new app that enables the posting of anonymous unfiltered thoughts can cause headaches for school administrators. Film at 11. A recent bomb threat alerted many Memorial High School parents and administrators to something that many Houston-area students … Continue reading →

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More on the Bush Foundation literacy effort

Posted on April 29, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

We had the preview story, now we have the rollout story about the efforts by the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation to tackle the problem of illiteracy. The nascent campaign to improve Houstonians’ reading skills got a $300,000 kick-start Thursday … Continue reading →

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The city and the downtown post office

Posted on April 29, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Not sure what all the fuss about this is about. Developers eager to purchase the high-profile U.S. Postal Service site downtown – envisioned in recent years as a park, outdoor amphitheater or a development with housing and entertainment venues – … Continue reading →

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Uber’s “safe rides fee”

Posted on April 29, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

From Wonkblog on Friday: Uber is rolling out a $1 surcharge today on all rides offered through its less expensive car-for-hire service UberX. This isn’t the company’s black town car operation, but the down-market version that enables anyone with a spare … Continue reading →

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More demolitions coming

Posted on April 27, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Good. Houston next week will launch an effort to scoop up dangerous properties left to rot in so many aging neighborhoods, raze them and resell the land. Officials say the program, approved unanimously Wednesday by the City Council, could more … Continue reading →

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On improving literacy

Posted on April 25, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this story. In Houston, a city known for its brilliant doctors and energy executives, adults are waiting in line for classes that teach basic literacy skills – reading, writing and speaking clearly. They … Continue reading →

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Dallas and Seattle redoing vehicle for hire ordinances

Posted on April 25, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve said before that the review of Houston’s vehicle for hire codes will be a process and not a one-time deal, and that we ought to be prepared to review what we do now in another six or twelve months … Continue reading →

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Lawsuit filed over Senate map

Posted on April 24, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

From Texas Redistricting: [Monday] morning, two Texas voters filed a suit in federal court challenging the state senate map drawn by the Texas Legislature on the grounds that it violated the equal protection guarantees of the Fourteenth Amendment by using … Continue reading →

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Your daily Uber/Lyft update

Posted on April 24, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

From the Tuesday Council committee hearing at which the draft ordinance was reviewed. Despite having a newly-released draft ordinance in hand, City Council members spent a Tuesday committee hearing asking many of the same questions about regulating ride-sharing services as … Continue reading →

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Draft ordinance on vehicles for hire is out

Posted on April 23, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Mayor Parker puts another item on City Council’s to do list. A proposed Houston ordinance could legalize hundreds of for-hire drivers providing rides through smartphone applications, but would require those drivers meet the same permitting and safety requirements as taxicab … Continue reading →

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First wage theft complaints filed in Houston

Posted on April 23, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I hope these workers get the justice they seek. For three years Erik Lopez and his three brothers say they each often worked 80-hour weeks, building highway ramps and trash landfills for city projects. Yet they say their employer refused … Continue reading →

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Will the Ashby Highrise ever be built?

Posted on April 23, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron reviews the bidding so far prior to Monday’s Ashby hearing. Key to the jury’s finding was that the project should be considered a nuisance. The residents’ attorneys will ask the judge to grant a permanent injunction for the … Continue reading →

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No restraining order against Uber and Lyft

Posted on April 22, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The ridesharing services in Houston and San Antonio can continue to operate, at least for now. A federal judge Monday declined to issue a temporary restraining order sought by Houston and San Antonio cab companies hoping to block ride-sharing services … Continue reading →

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Mayor Parker releases draft of non-discrimination ordinance

Posted on April 22, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Mayor Annise Parker today released a draft of her proposed Equal Rights Ordinance. The document is the result of more than two months of collaborative discussions with various stakeholders. “As I stated in my State of the … Continue reading →

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East Enders want the underpass

Posted on April 22, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

We’re talking about the long-debated Harrisburg rail line extension, for which three residents of the East End took to the Chron op-ed pages to make their case for their preferred solution. East End residents worked for years with Metro to … Continue reading →

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City asks court to let Ashby Highrise be built

Posted on April 21, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Interesting. The city on Friday asked a judge to let the Ashby high-rise project go forward after seven years of wrangling and a recent jury verdict in favor of nearby residents who oppose the 21-story tower planned for 1717 Bissonnet. … Continue reading →

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HCC has not begun any 2012 bond construction yet

Posted on April 20, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I hadn’t realized it was taking this long. A divided Houston Community College board has failed to approve construction contracts for its November 2012 voter-approved bond program, potentially costing the college system tens of millions of dollars in fines. The … Continue reading →

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Council approves hoarding ordinance

Posted on April 19, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I think they’re on the right track. The Houston City Council unanimously approved an anti-hoarding ordinance Wednesday without a clear idea of how it will be enforced. The ordinance, which does not apply to single-family homes, clarifies when police can … Continue reading →

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Uber goes rogue

Posted on April 17, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

That sound you hear is me shaking my head. At least one ride-sharing company has decided to openly defy city law that bans its unlicensed drivers from charging for rides. While a few free-ride promotions remain ongoing, Uber spokeswoman Nairi … Continue reading →

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HISD unveils new mascots

Posted on April 17, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Here they are. The cafeteria at Hamilton Middle School showcases a painting of a Native American in a feathered headdress. Students wear collared shirts with a similar symbol. They were, until Tuesday, the Hamilton Indians. Now, with a new school … Continue reading →

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City issues One Bin RFPs

Posted on April 16, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Mayor Annise Parker today announced the issuance of a Request for Proposals and creation of an advisory committee for the One Bin for All waste management and diversion project. The City of Houston invites submittals from short-listed … Continue reading →

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SA City Council to begin the plastic bag debate

Posted on April 16, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I look forward to seeing what direction they go. City staffers Wednesday plan to recommend to the City Council’s Governance Committee that San Antonio move forward with a ban on single-use plastic and paper bags. The recommendation comes after vetting … Continue reading →

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The downtown lifestyle

Posted on April 15, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Demand for residences in downtown Houston is up. For Krishnan Iyer, moving downtown meant a lot of things: Not having to use his car in auto-dependent Houston, being able to walk to work, to restaurants, to the movies. The 34-year-old … Continue reading →

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Wilson whines to Commissioners Court

Posted on April 14, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Dave Wilson would like to not be sued any more, so he went to Commissioners Court to air his grievances over the lawsuit that stemmed from his controversial election last year. After Wilson won the election, and County Attorney Vince … Continue reading →

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Uptown BRT update

Posted on April 14, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

From Swamplot: HERE ARE SOME of the purty watercolor renderings the Uptown District has been presenting of what Post Oak Blvd. will look like after the addition of 2 dedicated bus lanes down its middle. The proposed changes to the … Continue reading →

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Recycling cartons

Posted on April 14, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

More curbside recycling options. Houstonians accustomed to throwing out glossy cardboard cartons of milk, juice, soup and others foods and beverages now can send them to the curb in a green container for recycling. The Carton Council, a consortium of … Continue reading →

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Council considers hoarding ordinance

Posted on April 13, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I hadn’t realized Houston didn’t already have an ordinance to deal with hoarding. Apparently, we are not at all unique in this regard. A proposed ordinance would begin to expand the city’s options for resolving hoarding situations even when the … Continue reading →

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The Super Bowl is making us get stuff done

Posted on April 13, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Nothing like a deadline to focus the mind. The 2017 Super Bowl not only will drive thousands of football fans to Houston, it will put a hard deadline on projects from office and hotel construction to a light-rail extension, a … Continue reading →

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HPD’s good, bad, and ugly

Posted on April 12, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The good news is that the testing of backlogged rape kits has led to the identification of a serial rapist in Houston. Houston police on Tuesday for the first time identified a criminal suspect – a possible serial rapist – … Continue reading →

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