HOUSTON – Local and federal leaders gathered at Belen Community Center in Harris County Precinct 4 to address the pressing needs of over 1.3 million residents left without power during an oppressive heatwave after Hurricane Beryl. Harris County Commissioner Lesley Briones started the news conference by highlighting the collaborative efforts to secure additional funds and resources… Read more »

The Southwest Houston Redevelopment Authority / City of Houston TIRZ 20 is pleased to announce that it has worked in coordination with the City of Houston to secure $5.78 Million in federal grant appropriations for the Civic Core Campus project. The project is an effort to redevelop and expand the Southwest Multiservice center in Southwest Houston at Hillcroft Avenue and High… Read more »

The newly secured funds will be used to upgrade sections of sidewalks that are currently missing, in poor condition, or undersized, the MHRA said in a media statement dated June 25, 2024. The enhancements, it said, are crucial for providing safer connections and better access for community members, including students and children. The grant will specifically cover the construction costs,… Read more »

The city of Sugar Land received $1 million in funding Tuesday for an expanded first responder training facility. U.S. Representative Lizzie Fletcher secured the federal dollars through a process that allows members of Congress to request money for projects in their districts. The federal money will be combined with funding from a bond approved by voters in 2019. "I think it’s really… Read more »

Representatives Lizzie Fletcher (D-TX) and Nikema Williams (D-GA) introduced the “Heirs Empowerment and Inheritance Rights (HEIR) Act” and the “Heirs’ Estate Inheritance Resolution and Succession (HEIRS) Act” in a single legislative package in the U.S. House of Representatives on April 24. The two bills would make disaster aid accessible to heirs’ property owners. “Heirs’ property” is… Read more »

Federal lawmakers introduced a legislative package on Tuesday that would expand heirs’ property owners’ access to disaster relief and provide assistance in clearing titles. Heirs’ property refers to land that has been passed down informally within families; without clear titles, owners can be ineligible for government aid and their land vulnerable to forced sales. Rep. Lizzie… Read more »

Kayla is correct to note that a decline in overall public safety harms women more than men. She is also correct that a lot of “pink tax” talking points have more to do with consumer choices than with any kind of actual tax. But there is one real pink tax the government levies: Tariffs on women’s clothes are, on average, higher than tariffs on men’s clothes. Research from Ed Gresser and… Read more »

The American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA) backs the proposal of the Pink Tariffs Study Act, being introduced by Congresswomen Lizzie Fletcher and Brittany Pettersen from the New Democratic Coalition (NDC) Trade Task Force, voicing concerns over the alleged “century-long potential gender-bias and regressivity” within the US tariff system. The congresswomen said they introduced… Read more »

A $1.5 million study will look into how to reconnect the Alief community that is currently divided by the Westpark Tollway. The study will involve a community-driven planning process to focus on roadway safety, flood mitigation, bicycle-pedestrian access, transit options, parks and open spaces, and art. Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher said the study will consider community members… Read more »

A $43 million federal grant is slated to bring new sidewalks, bike lanes, and more trees to the Gulfton community by 2026. Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher made the announcement in a press release on Monday and walked the community on Wednesday, getting a first-hand look at areas in need of improvements. Houston Public Works and Tammy Rodriguez, the president of the Gulfton Citizens… Read more »