[{"_1":2,"_110":-5,"_111":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6554911,"mediaKeyId","3868974-a004cab114bf83e983ae793086e73383","parentId",3868974,"title","East End residents urge pause on Polk Street closure; council member promises continued outreach","audioSeconds",191,"startMs",4763000,"endMs",4954000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3868974-a004cab114bf83e983ae793086e73383&start=4763&end=4954","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3868974-a004cab114bf83e983ae793086e73383/thumbnail_4763000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6554911/Houston/Harris-County/Texas/East-End-residents-urge-pause-on-Polk-Street-closure-council-member-promises-continued-outreach","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6554911-15db2d928eab1d0cadd7267a0125d6d0/orig.mp4?Expires=1771055264&Signature=Uv~K4EjuvrWaBnaxd6Z49Uno8XTy3NSVPGSgUh5QesGz-yAUa7MwB~ivhO5jmEaZrSttfOnKh-oTVpUdRxWT9z36KTJUbGUqUZDv7thYN9Bb~jWhUs1SaZG2DNFD5qzsUBtRGGgx0Y28v3pFXtI81S4e9X64ShSiLbJVC5N0kR6m6NVlcS9AHUwLuT3u2EQ~tt4g5hGMwVxtbrf9q-4dZ9nwSLVRAviD1R7srIK093W6LEZ0HOk5U5P7EP8-AJdU0IQ6QsUtIomaBL-QRmAyvIIOH3iTds3UIRWb2X04tcTU1eWv-uDc-DlNgNHE~D75sX7qIohlz1p7gq6fTdf32g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Houston","date","2025-06-17T00:00:00Z","article","Residents of Houston's East End told the City Council on Tuesday that a proposed closure of Polk Street will worsen traffic and safety problems unless the city conducts a comprehensive traffic study and commits to mitigation work.

Why it matters: Polk Street is a major arterial for southeastern approaches to downtown. Closing it without adequate alternatives, residents said, would reroute vehicles onto streets the speakers called inadequate for the added volume and could create safety and congestion problems across multiple neighborhoods.

Lindsey Williams, president of Super Neighborhoods 64 and 88, addressed council in person and warned that the city's suggested alternative route, Leland Street, has not been shown capable of carrying the extra traffic: \"Before considering closing Polk Street, we need a comprehensive traffic study examining the real world impact on our entire vehicle circulation system,\" she said. Williams said the closure decision \"has been rushed without adequate consideration of its far reaching traffic implications.\" She also noted special-event traffic from Astros, Dynamo and Rockets games and ongoing train blockages.

Council member Joaquin Martinez said he has been meeting with residents and stakeholders and that additional public meetings are planned; he said he supports long-term investments such as East-West connections and grade separation in the East End but acknowledged those projects will take years.

The transcript shows no formal vote on the Polk Street plan during this meeting; Martinez announced a town-hall-style meeting and encouraged residents to attend upcoming sessions on the issue.

Ending: Residents asked the city to slow the process, produce traffic analyses and improve public communication before any closure is finalized. Council members pledged continued outreach and to press TxDOT and other agencies for coordination on near- and longer-term fixes.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Houston - Consolidated Session Meeting - Jun 17, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Residents of Houston's East End told the City Council on Tuesday that a proposed closure of Polk Street will worsen traffic and safety problems unless the city conducts a comprehensive traffic study and commits to mitigation work.","taxTitle","Houston, Harris County, Texas","taxId",2797,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6554920,"Tejano Center and developer ask council to back $4 million HOME loan for Andover Village affordable housing and on-site preschool",429,2789000,3218000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3868974-a004cab114bf83e983ae793086e73383&start=2789&end=3218","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3868974-a004cab114bf83e983ae793086e73383/thumbnail_2789000.jpg","/articles/6554920/Houston/Harris-County/Texas/Tejano-Center-and-developer-ask-council-to-back-4-million-HOME-loan-for-Andover-Village-affordable-housing-and-on-site-preschool","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6554920-271bcd3ab263a5a917a41ae3000c9cef/orig.mp4?Expires=1771055264&Signature=PVBzrkXrzPb~fGyyM6NHOYVXTiZwwp0gldyJ4AAN-WWWhCBy8xL62cWvcyp0Wr77FAu~UTvyVnMDUGyu6ouBgSSqp9oUcfk6rTTe7AqqiGSTRQSEe7BnaB5jVYqY5qPI2LjHkeuMoaZDrE3Yy~xWMuHmpPwauQBeCwX0sPzd0thW7vChfHy2LJ4U0OgUoRE7fuBkWsika4W~8crP1p8KCKMgH9UzuTr7iL8ovEdTfSf5UJY5A~fufa2Svg~JM~oICTawZ-6yUYNGoloqFEjs5g~9y8C89xIiBhz-Ry1E2nbxvda4rH-y9slid5Dr33Zg8b3L-xJa08EuiDUPzW1rWw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Developers and community partners urged Houston City Council on Tuesday to approve a $4,000,000 HOME loan to move forward Andover Village, a mixed-use development in the Hobby-area that proponents said would include affordable housing and on-site early childhood education.

Why it matters: Supporters said the complex would pair permanent affordable units with a wraparound early-childhood program intended to place resident children at the head of the enrollment list. Proponents said that coupling housing with education would promote stability and school readiness in a neighborhood facing displacement pressures.

Dr. Adriana Tamez, CEO of the Tejano Center and superintendent of RYSS, presented the project and its education component. \"Andover Village will offer a 105 affordable housing units, helping families access safe, stable homes,\" she said, adding that Tejano Center would operate the on-site early childhood program and that the Texas Education Agency had preapproved the site for a new program.

Developer Donna Rickenbacker said the project would replicate earlier locally successful models, including Regency Lofts, and highlighted academic outcomes: \"Of the 22 [children] graduated, 19 are going into kindergarten reading,\" she said about a related program. Several council members, including Joaquin Martinez, Evan Shabazz and Erin Sparrows (as recorded in the transcript), expressed public support on the floor for the concept and the loan request.

Project details and clarifications: Speakers described the housing portion with slightly different unit counts in the transcript. Tamez said the development would include \"105 affordable housing units,\" while other council discussion later referenced 120 units, with a speaker noting \"80% at 60 AMI or below.\" The transcript does not record a final council vote on the HOME loan during the excerpt; multiple council members verbally supported the project during public comment.

Community benefits and caveats: Proponents noted that the project is in a Tier 2 area near the airport and that sound-mitigation measures add cost. Rickenbacker and several council members asked the administration for continued support to close remaining financing gaps. Tejano Center volunteered on the record to serve as a warming and cooling center using an on-site generator already installed at one partner property.

Ending: The item remained on the council agenda for consideration; the transcript records substantial public support and council interest but does not include a final recorded council vote in the excerpt provided. Supporters urged timely approval to preserve affordability in an area experiencing pressure from rising housing costs.

","Developers and community partners urged Houston City Council on Tuesday to approve a $4,000,000 HOME loan to move forward Andover Village, a mixed-use development in the Hobby-area that proponents said would include affordable housing and on-site early childhood education.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6554925,"Houston officials hear widespread calls to shift disaster-recovery plan money toward home repairs and generators",800,337000,1137000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3868974-a004cab114bf83e983ae793086e73383&start=337&end=1137","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3868974-a004cab114bf83e983ae793086e73383/thumbnail_337000.jpg","/articles/6554925/Houston/Harris-County/Texas/Houston-officials-hear-widespread-calls-to-shift-disaster-recovery-plan-money-toward-home-repairs-and-generators","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6554925-0877a7a4890cc6c399a14305d0bda9e3/orig.mp4?Expires=1771055264&Signature=LbwSN2WV~-FNh3X9B0p~jKTcxsYDIfMb-mMkZNMhmxfHxhXu9OM7vl6jZZhD-lvGf-X6L9ZJwtBrJNiPp-ReXaKetEf60NibL84I2XnrqDUiBqs5m0K2~6vx6bdBaagQPjWAIifQXtWj2Xy8ExMOt-ZHSdU8HGd1W7pHzPpq5InT4oyPq--IqXNLHth~9N1xFFsk-st44MgNKTqO63Zs7MbWPS~MZzBStpaHEbsXfrwEuUmkl7Q4xaDMo5yAOAWmYdCh-Qiw2GEWDeG189~fyzA2BPpelRSNLuKqLUkG46-M3wVaf7gXm7m8N5PgxostOiSOTZSAQydu~lFWaATVaw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Mayor John Whitmire and dozens of residents spent much of Tuesday's Houston City Council meeting focused on how the city should spend roughly $315,000,000 in federal disaster-recovery money from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Public commenters urged the council to delay a vote and redirect more of the funds to single-family home repairs, rental assistance and backup power for community centers.

Why it matters: Hundreds of thousands of Texans filed claims after recent storms, and many Houstonians remain in homes with tarps, mold and structural damage. Council's decision about the CDBG-DR plan will shape which needs the federal money can address and whether the city complies with HUD's requirement to prioritize the largest unmet needs.

Mayor John Whitmire opened the discussion by describing the federal funding negotiations that produced the $315 million award and by urging public participation in the plan's hearings. Whitmire told the council that HUD had expressed concern about past uses of federal funds but that the city had worked to restore trust: \"We received last October, after months of negotiations and requests for hundreds of millions of dollars, we got 315,000,000 from HUD,\" he said. He added that HUD asked the city to prioritize \"generators which we'd identified.\" Whitmire also said the administration has proposed asking HUD to approve adding $50,000,000 for housing repairs, a change he said staff would present to HUD and that could be part of a revised plan.

Residents and community organizers delivered repeated appeals to shift more dollars into home repairs and to give communities time to weigh in. \"The current timeline with just 3 days between the close of public comment and a vote does not allow for meaningful adjustments or transparency,\" said Perla Ortega of the Texas Organizing Project, who asked the council to delay the vote until the July 22 federal deadline. Frankie Diaz, another TOP speaker, described long-term displacement after an investment company bought land and pushed families out: \"Why can't the city use these millions of dollars ... to create programs that prioritize the return of our families?\" she said.

Speakers emphasized seniors and medically vulnerable residents who lack power during outages. \"The seniors' highest priority was keep us warm and safe when the power goes out,\" said a resident who testified at length; council and staff repeatedly noted the need for backup generators at multi-service centers.

Advocates also criticized parts of the draft plan that they said rely on waivers or federal permissions the city might not get. Ray Brackins of Texas Organizing Project told the council that the plan \"assumes receiving waivers from the federal government\" and urged the council to avoid relying on uncertain approvals for critical housing work.

Mayor Whitmire and several council members acknowledged the comments and said the administration had already been modifying proposals after hearings and public outreach. The mayor credited staff and community partners with working on an updated proposal and said HUD officials are monitoring the city's adjustments; \"we're in such active contact with secretary of HUD's office that I expect him to be in Houston very very soon,\" he said.

What council did: At the meeting the mayor and several council members described proposed shifts under discussion, and the administration announced an intent to request HUD approval for additional housing spending (the mayor mentioned $50,000,000). No final council vote to adopt the DR-24 plan was recorded in the transcript excerpt; multiple speakers asked council to use the full public-comment period and to delay formal adoption to allow changes requested by residents to be incorporated.

Context and next steps: Housing staff have held multiple public hearings; the administration added an additional evening hearing for public comment. Several speakers asked the council to use the full comment window (through dates referenced in testimony) and to slow the timeline so the housing department can amend the plan in response to community input. Mayor Whitmire and council members said they will continue public outreach and bring any substantive plan alterations back to HUD for approval.

Ending: The meeting made clear a sharp community focus on housing repairs and hardship caused by repeated outages. Residents asked the council to prioritize long-term recovery over administrative or non-recovery spending, and the administration signaled willingness to adjust the DR-24 submission. The plan remains under review, and the council indicated it would continue public hearings and track HUD's responses before a final federal submission.

","Mayor John Whitmire and dozens of residents spent much of Tuesday's Houston City Council meeting focused on how the city should spend roughly $315,000,000 in federal disaster-recovery money from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":103,"_47":104,"_49":105,"_51":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":108,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":109,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6554916,"Council approves ordinance to advance ALMA Latino arts museum; backers call it a national first",0,4156000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3868974-a004cab114bf83e983ae793086e73383&start=4156&end=4156","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3868974-a004cab114bf83e983ae793086e73383/thumbnail_4156000.jpg","/articles/6554916/Houston/Harris-County/Texas/Council-approves-ordinance-to-advance-ALMA-Latino-arts-museum-backers-call-it-a-national-first","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6554916-5b5c66b1964318a1fc223a207121c4ae/orig.mp4?Expires=1771055264&Signature=Fniduxr-WuYiTtga7fXjpwbYYboXBT9~NCskSi1WXbiJm272QIhC6~N5H1J1AukyP1NJA1j9~4apBsjTPO5~iRNn4-96uQv9PKsKY9nLtpbM5itpAy7G9VI3eBBlgom1A0q7CdQc8Wj0cF3j4FdFd1LYuqYAgCbpwGXlwH~~ASNoLwXrMTQZSCl04wQSjmDfcydw3v6i0kgEs6HIbRuzB~RjFSd3QggjTbHuI5tU46x2xle4oHj2HCNyQM2rGCtJ~PeLY0MhY2aWm93ttoGBqOsSKPVs5dQ0YbEkUhOYtQNg9NoYhFF7hMXvgmiUtS9emxB9V8Y-OXBMBOwS4vj43Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Houston City Council on Tuesday approved an ordinance to advance ALMA, a proposed American Latino arts and culture museum that supporters said will be located in the East End and position Houston as a national center for Latino arts and history.

The council moved item 25 out of order, and after a brief procedural explanation the body voted \"yes\" on the ordinance. Council member Joaquin Martinez moved to take the item out of order; the motion was seconded and the ordinance passed.

Geraldina Wise, ALMA co-founder and board chair, called the project a civic asset and told the council the museum aims \"to understand The US Latino through our culture and arts.\" Carlos Duarte, who described himself as ALMA's founder, said the museum would provide immersive exhibits and programming and asked council members to be founding partners.

Council members from across the chamber publicly endorsed the proposal during the meeting, with several speakers describing the museum as an important cultural anchor and thanking the ALMA board for their work. Council members emphasized the project's cross-city implications and applauded contributions by private and county partners.

What passed: The transcript records a successful voice vote after the item was taken out of order and presented as an ordinance for a vote. The secretary announced \"Motion passes\" after an all-yes vote.

Next steps: The ordinance advances the city's participation (described in testimony as service funds and site-planning support). ALMA representatives said the money would be used to define a site, expand programming and gather community input. City staff will follow standard procedural steps to implement the ordinance.

Ending: Backers said ALMA would be the first museum of its kind in the nation and urged the council to view the investment as a cultural and civic priority. The council vote sends the project to subsequent implementation steps and site-development work.

","Houston City Council voted to pass an ordinance (item 25) advancing the American Latino Museum of Arts (ALMA) project. Supporters described the funding as seed service dollars to define a site, expand programming and position the museum in the East End. Mayor John Whitmire and multiple council members publicly","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

East End residents urge pause on Polk Street closure; council member promises continued outreach

Tejano Center and developer ask council to back $4 million HOME loan for Andover Village affordable housing and on-site preschool

Houston officials hear widespread calls to shift disaster-recovery plan money toward home repairs and generators

Council approves ordinance to advance ALMA Latino arts museum; backers call it a national first