Let’s take a look at Breaking City News on the City of Houston’s website.
The city’s water and sewer rates are going up, effective April 1:
In accordance with City of Houston, Code of Ordinance 2004-299, Water and Sewer Rates are adjusted annually based on the increase in costs in the region. A 3.6% adjustment (based on the Consumer Price Index) will take effect April 1, 2006 and will allow the City to deal with rising costs without having to cut back on services. This adjustment is also key in funding investments to prevent flooding in our neighborhoods, to rehabilitate aging water and sewer lines and to safeguard the security of our water supply.
Do you have a comment to share about the Tour de Houston? The city is soliciting feedback.
Here’s information on the Mayor’s Youth Council and Teen Task Force. There was a meeting last night…I wonder if local media covered it?
The city is moving ahead with Project Houston Hope’s affordable housing:
The City of Houston is seeking comments on a draft request for proposals for turning vacant lots into affordable housing. The City is foreclosing on delinquent properties and will build housing allowing truly affordable home ownership. The first RFP will include about 175 lots suitable for 195 or more housing units. Down payment assistance shall be used to bring monthly payments down to a level where many working families now renting can instead build equity in their homes.
That’s swell that Houston will work to get monthly house payments down to an affordable level, but what about property taxes? That’s where many lower-income people end up losing their homes — they can’t afford the sky-high property taxes. Is Mayor White going to do something about that? Prop. 2 would help.
And the city is sponsoring the Government Procurement Connections conference at the George R. Brown Convention Center April 3 and 4.
Oh, and Council approved the mayor’s recommendations to the Parking Commission, and the renaming of West Little York Park to Sylvester Turner Park.
UPDATE: I just saw something funny: on the city’s main page the Tour de Houston headline says, “Give us your comments On Guarantee Bank Tour de Houston Bike Ride.” Of course, it’s Guaranty Bank.
