CitizensNet Newsletter: NEIGHBORHOODS | 08-03-2023
TABLE OF CONTENTS
• Complete Communities University Spring 2023 – Call for Applications
• Mayor’s Youth Council 2023-2024 – Call for Applications
• Neighborhoods Matching Grants – Call for Applications
• A Month of Service – Workshops, Will Clinics, Legal Assistance, Community Conversations
• Citizenship Forums – Assistance with Citizenship Applications
• Help Fight Bandit Sign Blight – Volunteers Needed
• Neighborhood Updates -- Messages about City Services|
• Stay Safe from Summer Heat
• Be Prepared for a Hurricane
• Fun Educational Offerings at Houston Libraries
COMPLETE COMMUNITIES UNIVERSITY
FALL 2023 LEADERSHIP TRAINING
Call for Applications
Deadline – August 18, 2023
Emerging civic leaders are invited to apply for Complete Communities University leadership training. The fall 2023 course runs Sep. 20 to Nov. 8. Classes are on Wednesdays, 6-8:30 p.m., online and in person. The application deadline is Aug. 18, 2023. For more information and to apply, go to www.houstontx.gov/
MAYOR'S YOUTH COUNCIL 2023-2024
Call for Applications
Deadline – August 18, 2023
To apply, go to https://forms.gle/
NEIGHBORHOOD MATCHING GRANTS
CALL FOR APPLICATIONS
Intent to Apply Deadline
August 31, 2023
Application Deadline
November 1, 2023
The Neighborhood Matching Grant Program offers dollar-for-dollar matching grants ranging from $500 to $5,000 in support of neighborhood beautification and improvement projects. The program is administered as a partnership between the Department of Neighborhoods and City Council member’s offices. Eligible organizations and civic clubs are invited to apply.
Eligible Organizations
• Neighborhood-based organizations and/or civic clubs incorporated as a 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) non-profit organization through the State of Texas
• Neighborhood-based organizations that do not have 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) certification but partner with an organization with 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) status as co-applicants
Application Process
The application process requires two steps:
Informational Video & Intent to Apply Form – Deadline August 31, 2023
Watch an informational video online and submit the completed Intent to Apply form indicating this requirement has been met. The form requires the signature of the City Council member for the district in which the proposed project will take place.
Submit completed application packet -- Deadline: November 1, 2023
For all eligibility requirements and application guidelines, go to Matching Grant Program (houstontx.gov).
A MONTH OF SERVICE
Workshops, Will Clinics, Legal Assistance
& Community Conversations
A Month of Service (AMOS) is a year-round program that offers workshops on legal topics, preparation of wills, civil legal assistance, and Coffee & Conversation forums. The services are provided free or at low cost to eligible residents. AMOS is sponsored by the Department of Neighborhoods in partnership with NRCDC Houston, Houston Volunteer Lawyers, Harris County Appraisal District, Harris Tax Office, TSU Earl Campbell Institute for Legal & Social Policy, Lone Star Legal Aid, and Houston Bar Association.
Workshops on Legal Topics – Know your rights!
The workshops focus on topics such as evictions, inherited property, estate planning, HOA foreclosures, and first-time homebuyers, and voter laws. Most workshops are repeated each month. For a schedule of workshops and to register, go to Get Registered (nrcdc.org) or call 346-339-1088.
Workshop Series: Don’t Sell It! Build Wealth With It!
Don’t Sell It! Build Wealth With It! is our newest workshop, covering topics on how to build wealth with family inheritance property in lieu of selling. Workshop participants learn about legal protections to keep inheritance property in the family and options such as converting a home to an Air B&B or rental property, becoming a certified landlord with the Houston Housing Authority, and generating income through land use. The next workshop will take place Saturday, August 26, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m., at Community Collective for Houston, 12401 S. Post Oak Rd. 77045. To register for the workshop, go to: https://bit.ly/45at90o. For more information, call 832-394-0701 or email mayra.hypolite@houstontx.gov.
Legal Assistance
The services include legal assistance with Wills/Estate Plans, Sealing of Juvenile Records, and Expunction/Criminal Nondisclosure of Adult Records. To determine eligibility for free or low-cost services, complete a pe-assessment form at https://forms.office.com/g/
Coffee & Conversation
Join the Department of Neighborhoods, City department representatives, and community partners for Coffee & Conversation focusing on community interests and concerns. The talks are held on the 4th Tuesday of every month from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. The event location changes month to month. The Houston public is invited to participate in person or virtually via Zoom.
The next Coffee & Conversation is scheduled for August 22, 10 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Magnolia Multi-Service Center, 7037 Capitol St. 77011.
To register for in-person attendance, click link: https://bit.ly/43UOs4U.
To register for virtual attendance, go to Get Registered (nrcdc.org) or call 346-339-1088.
CITIZENSHIP FORUMS
Assistance with Citizenship Applications
The DON Office of New Americans & Immigrant Communities offers monthly Citizenship Forums at different locations throughout Houston, sponsored in partnership with NALEO Educational Fund and BakerRipley. The services are available to persons who meet U.S. citizenship eligibility requirements and are limited to the first 75 persons in line to register. The next forum will be held on August 5, at BakerRipley Harbach Campus, 5225 Northdale St. 77087. Registration is 8:00 to 9:00 a.m.
About Citizenship Forums:
Citizenship Forums (houstontx.gov)
Forum Dates & Locations:
citizenship-forums-english-
Required Documents:
Citizenship-Forum-Application-
HELP FIGHT BANDIT SIGN BLIGHT
DON Director TaKasha Francis testified before the
Texas Senate Committee on Transportation in March
in support of legislation addressing bandit signs.
Report Bandit Signs
Illegally placed signs, called “bandit signs,” litter our roadways, neighborhoods, and public landscapes and clog our drainage systems, costing Houston taxpayers $282,000 annually for inspections and sign removal. Report bandit signs to 311 to help keep our city clean and hold violators accountable.
Volunteers Needed
If you would like to help with bandit signs cleanup efforts, please register at: Department of Neighborhoods Bandit Sign Volunteer Program | Volunteer Houston.
Subscribe to Neighborhood Updates to receive messages about essential city services and seasonal advisories via phone voicemail or texts in English or Spanish. We especially invite seniors and others who may not have easy access to the internet, persons with disabilities who require communications by voice or text, and residents who prefer information in Spanish. To subscribe to Neighborhood Updates, call 3-1-1. You will have the option of receiving voice messages or texts in English or Spanish.
STAY SAFE FROM THE SUMMER HEAT
Heat Safety Precautions
For information on how to stay safe during periods of extremely high temperatures, go to:
City of Houston Office of Emergency Management (houstonoem.org).
City Cooling Centers
The City of Houston activates its Public Health Heat Emergency Plan to provide resources to people needing to take refuge from the heat.
While the emergency plan remains activated, people may seek air-conditioning at designated city multi-service centers, libraries, and recreation centers during the specified days and hours of operation.
Even when the emergency plan is not activated, people can go to City multi-service centers, libraries, and recreation centers during regular hours of operation for a break from the heat.
To inquire about a City cooling center location near you, hours of operation, and whether free Metro transportation is available, call 311.
Stay informed
Register for emergency alerts through email, text message, voice call, or mobile app push notification. You can download the Everbridge app free of charge from the Apple or Android app store. Tune in to official sources, including AlertHouston, local news stations, news radio stations 88.7 FM and 740 AM, and official social media channels (Twitter and Facebook).
BE PREPARED FOR A HURRICANE
Make an Emergency Plan. Put together an emergency supply kit. Stay Informed. For tips on how to prepare for an emergency, go to City of Houston Office of Emergency Management (houstonoem.org) and click “Prepare.”
Sign up for AlertHouston. Subscribers receive real-time weather alerts and post-storm recovery information via email, text message, voice mail, or mobile app push notification.
Register for Emergency Evacuation if needed. The State of Texas Emergency Assistance Registry (STEAR) allows residents to provide information about their specific situation to emergency management officials so they can help residents evacuate safely and provide appropriate life-sustaining assistance. Please note that registration with STEAR does not guarantee the delivery of services by responders and should not replace your own emergency plan. To register for STEAR, call 2-1-1 or visit www.stear.tdem.texas.gov.
FUN EDUCATIONAL OFFERINGS AT HOUSTON LIBRARIES
The Houston Public Library (HPL) invites the community to its wide array of free programs and activities for children, tweens, teenagers, and adults. View the library’s calendar of events at https://calendar.
One Houston, One Book
HPL’s One Houston, One Book program promotes literacy, diversity, and community conversations by encouraging Houstonians to read and discuss books with a common theme. The program continues through September 28, featuring author talks, block parties, and read ins. For a schedule of presentations and activities, go to: Events - Reservations - Visit us (houstonlibrary.org).
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