The District J Journal – January 12, 2015

 Great Things Happening in Gulfton

As I have always said, “District J is the Ellis Island of Houston” and there isn’t a neighborhood that exemplifies that better than the Gulfton area. It is a tremendously diverse community of 53,000 residents, hailing from more than 80 different nations. Over the last decade, the Gulfton community has been undergoing a transformation that continues to this day. The old nickname “Gulfton Ghetto” no longer rings true.

Neighborhood Centers, Inc. began working in Gulfton nearly ten years ago, and its construction of the Baker-Ripley Neighborhood Center in 2010 has driven much of the improvements in the area.

According to a recent report, between 2010 and 2012, crime has decreased by 8%. Nearly $29 million dollars have been refunded to residents through tax preparation programs, and with residents now working more hours in higher paying jobs, median household income has increased by 24.9%. Lee High School has experienced a 41% increase in graduation rates from 2008 to 2012.

Today, over 8,000 people visit Baker-Ripley monthly. Its extensive community-based programs, such as childhood and adult education, family and financial development, and productive citizenship training have been directly responsible for much of this change in Gulfton.

In addition to these great achievements, I am proud to announce that your District J office will be hosting the Gulfton Skatepark Kick-Off Event on January 27th at 4:30pm at Burnett Bayland Park. Please join us for important announcements regarding plans, timelines, gifted monies, and how you can help contribute to this exciting project.

Blessings,

-Mike Laster, Council Member – District J

The Coalition for the Homeless will be embarking upon its 2015 Homeless Count starting with the Volunteer Orientation on January 15th. Volunteer efforts, such as this one, have helped document a 37% decrease in homelessness from 2011 to 2014. The annual count, which will take place January 22nd, and is a requirement of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to receive funding for housing and support services. (The City of Houston, Harris County, and Fort Bend County received $24 million in 2013 from HUD.)

If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact Gary Grier at [email protected] or 832-531-6006. 

Martin Luther King Jr. Day Trash Schedule

Interested in having a speaker from Harris County Attorney Vince Ryan’s Office visit your community group? It’s easy!

You can review the list of topics that speakers can address (deed restrictions, dangerous animals, and human trafficking, etc.) and contact Debby Tyler Dillard at [email protected] or 713-274-5109 to schedule.