The mini homes at the Preserve at Woodridge are going up mighty fast. These homes are so close together that you could literally pass the ketchup from the window of one to another.
Construction Update as of 3/10/22
While most new occupants fret over wall colors, these occupants will get their choice of roof colors: gray, reddish gray or bluish gray.
Life here will have some other advantages for renters, too. You’ll certainly get to know your neighbors faster than you would in a development with massive quarter-acre lots.
Plus, these quaint-as-dorm-room rental homes certainly make efficient use of land. Mowing the lawns will take even less time than vacuuming. And with on street parking, you’ll never have to worry about cleaning out the garage.
Have a habit of rolling out of bed late? You could be three steps from your car door. The sign at the bottom of the frame says, “Individual homes for lease. PreserveAtWoodridge.com. Opening Summer 2022.” However, the website says Spring.Looking east toward Kingwood Park High School.
Dogs Welcome, but Tree Space Limited
I’m told they plan to have at least six trees scattered throughout the 131 homes that will be built on roughly 12 acres. Pets are welcome according to the website, but the marketing director reportedly worries about “the male dog-to-tree” ratio. They don’t have extra trees in the budget. So they’re planning on putting in plenty of fire hydrants.
Looking west toward St. Martha Catholic Church.
All the Modern Amenities, Including Concrete
These lilliputian homes reportedly come with all the modern amenities, including indoor plumbing. The decorating allowance even covers a daisy near the front door.
While many people look for green solutions to flooding these days, the Preserve at Woodridge is unashamedly gray. “Who needs green space when you have all this beautiful low-maintenance concrete?” quipped one contractor who spoke on the condition of anonymity. “It’s very consistent with today’s busy lifestyles.” He does have a point!
But I worry there won’t be enough counter space for residents to put their jewelry boxes and laptops on in the event of a 100-year flood, which seems to happen every other year around here.
The City of Houston is launching its “Equity Indicators” project by asking for your comments to one important question: What makes a community equitable?
Reflecting Houston’s Diversity
Houston is the most diverse city in the nation, but despite the strength of our diversity and multiculturalism, Houstonians experience vast racial and ethnic disparities. The Equity Indicators Project will facilitate broader conversations on equity and inclusion, take active steps to measure disparities, and have leaders across multiple sectors be held accountable for taking action to increase equitable outcomes for all Houstonians.
The city is seeking feedback from community members to ensure that this project is reflective of Houston’s diversity and multiculturalism. Visit houstontx.gov/equity to share your thoughts on what makes a community equitable between March 6 until April 2.
“In a city where 146 languages are spoken, we must use every tool possible to ensure that every Houstonian’s voice is being heard,” said Mayor Sylvester Turner. “This survey is a direct, impactful way to participate in making the city, its services, and its opportunities more accessible to people regardless of their background.”
File Photo: Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner speaking at the Kingwood Community Center
Project Sponsored By…
The Equity Indicators project is led by the Planning and Development Department, Mayor’s Office of Resilience and Sustainability, and Complete Communities, and ties to the vision and framework for a resilient community outlined in the Resilient Houston strategy. The city has partnered with Rice Kinder Institute for Urban Research using the methodology developed by CUNY- Institute for State & Local Governance to focus on key indicators for equity in Houston. The Shell Foundation has funded this initiative that focuses on six themes:
Economic opportunity
Health
Public Safety
Environmental and Climate Risks
Built Environment
Access and Inclusion
How Data Will Be Used
The data analysis will result in an overall Equity Indicators Score for the City of Houston. The public, city departments, city programs, and community service organizations can track the score to document progress and change over time. The numerical value is based on a 100-point scale. A high score signifies Houston’s level of success toward building an equitable city, whereas a low score represents a high level of inequity and more opportunity for improvement.
For More Information or Printed Survey…
A printed survey card will also be available at city locations. Houstonians with questions or needing assistance filling out the survey may call 832-393-6637. For more information, visit Equity Indicators online atwww.houstontx.gov/equity.
Thought Starters: Aspects of Equity Measured by Various Indices
It seems everybody has a way to measure equity these days. Without trying to influence your opinion, I would simply reprint this list of indexes compiled by the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/9/2022 based on a press release by COH and info compiled by Brookings
1653 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/20191017-RJR_3755.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=18001200adminadmin2022-03-09 18:59:002022-03-09 19:01:40City Seeks Your Feedback on Equity Indicators Survey
About a half block west of Kingwood High School, G-103-36-03, a small drainage ditch without a name, cuts under Kingwood Drive. More than a hundred homes near this ditch flooded during Harvey. Before Imelda, Harris County Flood Control District did an emergency “de-snag” on the ditch. That means they cleaned out fallen trees that were forming “beaver dams” and backing water up.
But the right of way under Kingwood Drive has remained about half blocked by sediment. That’s what those red warning signs represent in the picture below. Clearing the right of way is the City of Houston’s responsibility.
When I clicked on the upper warning sign, I found a link to this image from 2019.
Sediment and vegetation half blocking twin culverts under Kingwood Drive in 2019.Photo by HCFCDlooking south from north of westbound lanes.
Pictures Taken Today Show Same Blockages
Here’s how the same scene looked on 3/8/22.The ditch stops before it even reaches the culvert.Closer shot of same culverts shows sediment and vegetation blocking culvert entrances.Still looking south, but across the median toward the eastbound lanes.Looking north from eastbound lanes at sediment and vegetation blocking the ditch as it goes through the median of Kingwood Drive.
I’ve brought this issue to the attention of Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin and his staff. I’m confident this was just an oversight and look forward to doing another positive story when they complete this job, too.
Posted by Bob Rehak on March 8, 2022
1652 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/20190523-attachment1.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=16751200adminadmin2022-03-08 16:39:012022-03-08 16:42:10Next Challenge For City: Ditch Clean Out in Right of Way Under Kingwood Drive West of High School
Pass the Ketchup Please!
The mini homes at the Preserve at Woodridge are going up mighty fast. These homes are so close together that you could literally pass the ketchup from the window of one to another.
Construction Update as of 3/10/22
Life here will have some other advantages for renters, too. You’ll certainly get to know your neighbors faster than you would in a development with massive quarter-acre lots.
Plus, these quaint-as-dorm-room rental homes certainly make efficient use of land. Mowing the lawns will take even less time than vacuuming. And with on street parking, you’ll never have to worry about cleaning out the garage.
Dogs Welcome, but Tree Space Limited
I’m told they plan to have at least six trees scattered throughout the 131 homes that will be built on roughly 12 acres. Pets are welcome according to the website, but the marketing director reportedly worries about “the male dog-to-tree” ratio. They don’t have extra trees in the budget. So they’re planning on putting in plenty of fire hydrants.
All the Modern Amenities, Including Concrete
These lilliputian homes reportedly come with all the modern amenities, including indoor plumbing. The decorating allowance even covers a daisy near the front door.
While many people look for green solutions to flooding these days, the Preserve at Woodridge is unashamedly gray. “Who needs green space when you have all this beautiful low-maintenance concrete?” quipped one contractor who spoke on the condition of anonymity. “It’s very consistent with today’s busy lifestyles.” He does have a point!
But I worry there won’t be enough counter space for residents to put their jewelry boxes and laptops on in the event of a 100-year flood, which seems to happen every other year around here.
Those new post-Harvey flood maps will come out soon. And many of the assumptions behind the engineering for the Preserve at Woodridge could be invalidated. Stay tuned for the next exciting update.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/10/2022
1654 Days since Hurricane Harvey
City Seeks Your Feedback on Equity Indicators Survey
The City of Houston is launching its “Equity Indicators” project by asking for your comments to one important question: What makes a community equitable?
Reflecting Houston’s Diversity
Houston is the most diverse city in the nation, but despite the strength of our diversity and multiculturalism, Houstonians experience vast racial and ethnic disparities. The Equity Indicators Project will facilitate broader conversations on equity and inclusion, take active steps to measure disparities, and have leaders across multiple sectors be held accountable for taking action to increase equitable outcomes for all Houstonians.
The city is seeking feedback from community members to ensure that this project is reflective of Houston’s diversity and multiculturalism. Visit houstontx.gov/equity to share your thoughts on what makes a community equitable between March 6 until April 2.
“In a city where 146 languages are spoken, we must use every tool possible to ensure that every Houstonian’s voice is being heard,” said Mayor Sylvester Turner. “This survey is a direct, impactful way to participate in making the city, its services, and its opportunities more accessible to people regardless of their background.”
Project Sponsored By…
The Equity Indicators project is led by the Planning and Development Department, Mayor’s Office of Resilience and Sustainability, and Complete Communities, and ties to the vision and framework for a resilient community outlined in the Resilient Houston strategy. The city has partnered with Rice Kinder Institute for Urban Research using the methodology developed by CUNY- Institute for State & Local Governance to focus on key indicators for equity in Houston. The Shell Foundation has funded this initiative that focuses on six themes:
How Data Will Be Used
The data analysis will result in an overall Equity Indicators Score for the City of Houston. The public, city departments, city programs, and community service organizations can track the score to document progress and change over time. The numerical value is based on a 100-point scale. A high score signifies Houston’s level of success toward building an equitable city, whereas a low score represents a high level of inequity and more opportunity for improvement.
For More Information or Printed Survey…
A printed survey card will also be available at city locations. Houstonians with questions or needing assistance filling out the survey may call 832-393-6637. For more information, visit Equity Indicators online atwww.houstontx.gov/equity.
Thought Starters: Aspects of Equity Measured by Various Indices
It seems everybody has a way to measure equity these days. Without trying to influence your opinion, I would simply reprint this list of indexes compiled by the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/9/2022 based on a press release by COH and info compiled by Brookings
1653 Days since Hurricane Harvey
Next Challenge For City: Ditch Clean Out in Right of Way Under Kingwood Drive West of High School
About a half block west of Kingwood High School, G-103-36-03, a small drainage ditch without a name, cuts under Kingwood Drive. More than a hundred homes near this ditch flooded during Harvey. Before Imelda, Harris County Flood Control District did an emergency “de-snag” on the ditch. That means they cleaned out fallen trees that were forming “beaver dams” and backing water up.
But the right of way under Kingwood Drive has remained about half blocked by sediment. That’s what those red warning signs represent in the picture below. Clearing the right of way is the City of Houston’s responsibility.
Now, would be a good time to clean out this ditch while the City has crews working a block east of here at Kingwood High School.
Location of Blockage
When I clicked on the upper warning sign, I found a link to this image from 2019.
Pictures Taken Today Show Same Blockages
I’ve brought this issue to the attention of Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin and his staff. I’m confident this was just an oversight and look forward to doing another positive story when they complete this job, too.
Posted by Bob Rehak on March 8, 2022
1652 Days since Hurricane Harvey