July HPD PIP (Positive Interaction Program) Meeting

§ July 27th, 2010 § Filed under Community, Safety § No Comments

The July HPD PIP meeting for the central division, including Mandell Place, was held July 28th.  Captain Holloway provided crime stats comparing January through June 2009 to 2010.  Crime rates have remained basically unchanged with the exception of Burglary Motor Vehicle (BMV).  BMV involves illegal entry into a car with a resulting theft.  BMV rates are up about 30% this year.  Along with Capt. Holloway,  Sergeant Engles, HPD Burglary and Theft Division supervisor, provided information regarding investigations and prevention. 

Both men stressed the importance of an involved neighborhood.  Observant neighbors who contact the police (713-884-3131 non-emergency or 911 emergency) provide the best defense.  The majority of burglary and theft in residential neighborhoods occurs during the daytime hours when people are at work.  If you see or hear anything unusual, please contact HPD through the non-emergency dispatch number.  Tips from neighbors, for example, descriptions of suspicious individuals or license plate numbers, often provide the missing link to catch and convict criminals.

Sergeant Engles encouraged everyone to create a detailed list of expensive items including model and serial numbers.  Serial numbers are critical.  If you happen to be the unfortunate victim of crime, the more detail and description of stolen property provided greatly increases the likelihood of your property being returned and the conviction of the thief.  Walk your dogs, walk in the neighborhood and work in your yards.  Neighbors outside during daylight hours are a great deterrent for opportunistic criminals.  If thieves know neighbors are watching, they will take their troubles elsewhere. 

We have the power to keep our neighborhood safe.  Never leave ANY personal items visible in your car.  It only takes a few seconds to break a window and grab your belongings.  Keep an eye on your house and the neighborhood.  HPD wants you to call the non-emergency dispatch phone number 713-884-3131  if you hear or see anything suspicious.   Let’s make this a safe summer!

File a Police Report Online

§ May 16th, 2010 § Filed under Safety, Security § No Comments

Click on this link to send a police report: File a Report

http://www.houstontx.gov/police/online_report.htmThe purpose of this form is to allow Houston citizens to conveniently file police reports from home, work, or anywhere with Internet access. After completing the necessary information you will receive an actual incident number, and you will be able to print the report for your records.

This web site should never be used to report an emergency, a crime in progress, or any type of injury. For emergencies, call 9-1-1. For any other situation that requires the response of a police officer, call 713-884- 3131 .

Before continuing, you should be aware that it is a crime to make a false police report. You should also know that this form CAN ONLY be used to report a limited, specific set of crimes (as listed below *) and only under certain conditions. (We will be adding additional crime categories in the future).

* This form CAN ONLY be used to report:

  • Theft (under $5,000 in value, Non-vehicle Related) with no suspects or witnesses. If the total value of items is greater than $5,000, you cannot use this form. (Example: Your bicycle is stolen from your front yard.)
  • Criminal Mischief (under $5,000 in damage, Non-vehicle Related) – Non-vehicle Related (such as vandalism or property damage) with no suspects and no witnesses. (Example: Someone intentionally damaged your property.)

And, you can ONLY use this form if:

  • You have access to a valid, functioning e-mail address.
  • You are the actual victim of the theft, loss, or criminal mischief (not a witness, relative, friend, etc.)

This form CANNOT be used if:

  • The Crime / Loss / Incident occurred outside the city limits of Houston, Texas.
  • Any evidence exists (such as fingerprints, burglary tools left at the scene, any type of evidence, or anything that must be collected or processed by the police.)
  • Suspect information exists (such as a license plate number, surveillance photos, or a physical description of the suspect.)
  • An emergency exists. (In an emergency, dial 9-1-1.)
  • If any type of force or break-in occurred (Contact 713-884-3131 to report burglary or burglary of a motor vehicle).
  • If any injuries occurred.
  • This form CANNOT be used to report a stolen vehicle (Contact 713-884-3131 to report auto theft).

Your responses to the questions on the next several screens will help ensure that your incident is eligible for an online police report.

Out and About Mandell Place

§ April 14th, 2010 § Filed under Fun, Uncategorized § No Comments

The Third Annual “Around Hear” concert will be performed on the Menil campus this Saturday, April 17, 2010, at 1:00 PM.  These free concerts are produced, composed and performed by students from the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University.   The music is celebrates the sights and sounds of the outdoors.
 
 Bring chairs and/or blankets and enjoy a free concert of interesting music.

APRIL COFFEE SOCIAL & GENERAL MEETING 4/10/10

§ April 1st, 2010 § Filed under Fun, Meetings § No Comments

The Mandell Place Civic Association will host a coffee social Saturday morning April 10, 2010 from 9:30 to 11:00 at 1631 Marshall Street.  Our first general meeting will take place during the last half hour of the social.  Coffee, juice and pastries will be served.  Feel free to bring along a favorite morning snack you’d like to share. 

Bill Bartlett has generously agreed to co-host this event at his home.  Bill, the block captain for 1600 Marshall, is an avid collector of rare orchids and will have many of these beautiful plants on display.  The coffee social will provide us the opportunity to visit with our neighbors and welcome new residents to Mandell Place.  The general meeting will give everyone a chance to catch up on news around the neighborhood and discuss civic association plans moving forward.

SECURITY INFORMATION

§ January 23rd, 2010 § Filed under Security § No Comments

The eyes and ears of all Mandell Place residents are the most thorough means of keeping our neighborhood safe.  If you see or hear anything unusual, please call the Houston Police Dept. (HPD) non-emergency number 713-884-3131.  Store this number in your cell phone and have it near a phone in your house. 

The post below was forwarded by HPD Officer Wayne Pate.  It sheds some light on how criminal minds work and how we might make our homes and daily lives safer.  The information was provided by convicted burglars in North Carolina , Oregon , California , and Kentucky ; security consultant Chris McGoey, who runs crimedoctor.com; and Richard T. Wright, a criminology professor at the University of Missouri-St. Louis , who interviewed 105 burglars for his book Burglars on the Job

 

THINGS A BURGLAR WON’T TELL YOU:

1. Of course I look familiar. I was here just last week cleaning your carpets, painting your shutters, or delivering your new refrigerator.

2. Hey, thanks for letting me use the bathroom when I was working in your yard last week. While I was in there, I unlatched the back window to make my return a little easier.

3. Love those flowers. That tells me you have taste … And taste means there are nice things inside. Those yard toys your kids leave out always make me wonder what type of gaming system they have.

4. Yes, I really do look for newspapers piled up on the driveway. And I might leave a pizza flyer in your front door to see how long it takes you to remove it.

5. If it snows while you’re out of town, get a neighbor to create car and foot tracks into the house. Virgin drifts in the driveway are a dead giveaway.

6. If decorative glass is part of your front entrance, don’t let your alarm company install the control pad where I can see if it’s set. That makes it too easy.

7. A good security company alarms the window over the sink. And the windows on the second floor, which often access the master bedroom-and your jewelry. It’s not a bad idea to put motion detectors up there too.

8. It’s raining, you’re fumbling with your umbrella, and you forget to lock your door-understandable. But understand this: I don’t take a day off because of bad weather.

9. I always knock first. If you answer, I’ll ask for directions somewhere or offer to clean your gutters.  

10. Do you really think I won’t look in your sock drawer? I always check dresser drawers, the bedside table, and the medicine cabinet.

11. Here’s a helpful hint: I almost never go into kids’ rooms.

12. You’re right: I won’t have enough time to break into that safe where you keep your valuables. But if it’s not bolted down, I’ll take it with me.

13. A loud TV or radio can be a better deterrent than the best alarm system. If you’re reluctant to leave your TV on while you’re out of town, you can buy a $35 device that works on a timer and simulates the flickering glow of a real television. (Find it at faketv.com.)

8 MORE THINGS A BURGLAR WON’T TELL YOU:

1. Sometimes, I carry a clipboard. Sometimes, I dress like a lawn guy and carry a rake. I do my best to never, ever look like a crook.

2. The two things I hate most: loud dogs and nosy neighbors.

3. I’ll break a window to get in, even if it makes a little noise. If your neighbor hears one loud sound, he’ll stop what he’s doing and wait to hear it again.  If he doesn’t hear it again, he’ll just go back to what he was doing. It’s human nature.

4. I’m not complaining, but why would you pay all that money for a fancy alarm system and leave your house without setting it?

5. I love looking in your windows. I’m looking for signs that you’re home, and for flat screen TVs or gaming systems I’d like. I’ll drive or walk through your neighborhood at night, before you close the blinds, just to pick my targets.

6. Avoid announcing your vacation on your Facebook page. It’s easier than you think to look up your address.

7. To you, leaving that window open just a crack during the day is a way to let in a little fresh air. To me, it’s an invitation.

8. If you don’t answer when I knock, I try the door. Occasionally, I hit the jackpot and walk right in.

River Oaks Examiner – Deed Restrictions Article

§ January 13th, 2010 § Filed under Community Comments Off

This article appeared in the ’River Oaks Examiner’ on 1/11/10.  It is an interesting commentary regarding WAMM, the adjacent neighborhood east of Mandell Place, and deed restrictions.  The author, Clifford Pugh, a weekly columnist for the ‘Examiner’ since April 2009, is a resident of WAMM.  Link:  ‘Cliff notes:  Of deed restrictions and parking lots’.  Copyright © 2010 – Houston Community Newspapers Online
 
 

 

Kipling Street Academy

§ January 8th, 2010 § Filed under Community § Tagged § No Comments

mapThe owner of Kipling Street Academy has purchased the lot at the southeast corner of Kipling and Mulberry and plans to tear down the apartment complex there to expand her daycare facility that is located next door.   On the one hand, this is great news because the apartment complex was causing a lot of problems for Mandell Place residents.  On the other hand, the lot will be re-platted from residential to commercial property, eroding the residential feel of the neighborhood a little bit more.  The owner is currently in the process of re-platting the property in order to combine it with 1425 Kipling to form one large commercial property.  Since the previous property owner opted out of WAMM’s (West Alabama Montrose Mulberry Civic Association) recent deed restrictions, there is nothing preventing the approval of the re-plat.   WAMM, which is directly to the east of Mandell Place, voted last night to write a letter to the owner supporting this change.  The hearing with the Planning Commission will be held at the City Hall Annex on January 21, 2010.  Attendance is open to the public.

MANDELL PLACE ‘TOP 10′ PARTY – 01/10/10

§ January 2nd, 2010 § Filed under Fun, Meetings Comments Off

The Mandell Place Civic Association is having a party on January 10, 2010 celebrating Montrose’s selection as one of the TOP TEN great neighborhoods in America.  Join your neighbors at 1602 Harold (side street gate entrance) Sunday evening from 5-7 for drinks and light appetizers!  Feel free to bring your favorite snack to share.  The party will also kick off the 2010 membership drive.   You may pay your dues at the party Sunday.  Let’s start the year off with a bang!

Montrose Among Top 10 Great Places in America!

§ January 1st, 2010 § Filed under Uncategorized § No Comments

logo_apa

The American Planning Association has unveiled the top 30 places to live in America and wouldn’t you know it, Montrose is listed among the top 10 neighborhoods!  Our neighborhood was the only neighborhood in Texas that was selected.  To read about their selection criteria and their article on our neighborhood, click here.   Other articles that highlight this news: Houston Press, Fox Houston, Dallas Voice

menil park 

East End Management District Getting Sidewalks

§ October 7th, 2009 § Filed under Uncategorized § No Comments

The Greater East End Management District announced that it has been awarded $5 million in stimulus funds for bringing sidewalks to city standards along Navigation, York and Sampson in the East End. The improvements will also include lighting, striping, benches, plantings, transit shelters and ramps. 

For those who might not know, we have recently become a part of the newly created West Montrose Management District.   The hope is that we can get some of the same attention that this district has received.  Here is an except from the Houston Chronicle about our new management district:

The West Montrose Management District also has a proposed inaugural board of directors and its service and assessment plan is in place, reflecting those of its east Montrose counterpart, which has 11 board members.

The west district will have only five, but “there’s some overlap” that would facilitate unification of the districts, Hawes said.

All directors are volunteers and either property owners or agents of property owners.

The east district’s budget for 2009 is $453,000, based on 2008 property valuations, Hawes said.

If legislation passes, west Montrose businesses will be assessed 12.5 cents per $100 valuation.

A four-component service and assessment plan operational in the district’s eastern half would be extended into the district’s western half if the legislation passes, Hawes said.

The service plan includes public safety, business development, transportation and visual promotion.

“In public safety, (we would have) off-duty patrol officers patrolling the area, as they already do in East Montrose,” Hawes said. “We have a vehicle and they patrol and we are already seeing great effects from that.

“We work closely with (Houston Police Department) vice squads and gang task force.”

Business development is achieved through marketing the nonresidential business area, Hawes said, and transportation planning will pay close attention to opportunities and challenges afforded by Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County’s proposed light-rail line on Richmond Avenue.

Parking plan

“We’re working with St. Thomas University in coming up with a parking plan,” Hawes said. “We want people to be cognizant of the vitality of these commercial developments and businesses without negative affects.

“We just hired Walter P. Moore to do a mobility assessment for parking, streets, curbs, pedestrian walkways and we’re doing that right now.”

The fourth area of visual promotion focuses on public right of ways and thoroughfares, but from an aesthetic viewpoint aimed at improving the area’s landscaping, lighting, esplanades and pedestrian crosswalks and business access.

“We’re not here to replace city and county services,” Hawes said. “We’re trying to be the glue that brings the community together to speak as one voice.”

Though only commercial enterprises are assessed or targeted for improvements, the districts end up benefiting residents, visitors and customers, he said.

“Everyone benefits from higher values and a higher caliber of commercial development, areas where people want to walk and spend money,” Hawes said.

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