The following is a collection of three previous posts which I felt were useful for Houston homeowners, but maybe did not need to stand on their own. I am placing them together from their original formats, so homeowners would still have a link to these sites. I think that they are worth exploring.

Keeping Houston Beautiful

Since reporting on some other websites from the city of Houston, I thought that I should include one more. A website geared towards improving the quality of our life in the city by keeping it beautiful.

The site has information about recycling and green programs, with a means to find out about heavy trash or adopt an esplanade for improvement. There is also a link for teachers and kids to learn about cleaning up a city.

The reason for me to be posting about the site today has to do with the Mayor’s Proud Partners Award. They are still accepting recommendations for who the recipient should be. For communities who have been working towards this effort, it is good to be recognized, so if you know someone, let Houston know.

A Website Detailng Houston’s Growth Plans

Were they planning to have announcements in the same week? Is their IT department working over time of late? The going green site that I just posted about was good, and now Houston lays its plans bare.

Maybe because of Mayor White’s background is in business, he takes on a business like air to aspects concerning the running of the city. Every time I have been at one of his speeches, I am reminded of the meetings which I attended when I had a corporate life. Not necessarily a bad thing, but it is not always inspiring. I should relate that Mayor White has been my favorite leader of the city, since my life here began (I am not a native Houstonian, but how many people are?).

Growth plans are probably a familiar part of life to every manager, and you may not realize that government agencies run much like any business, so they have their own plans in place. In a move that I greatly appreciate, the city has decided to share this plan with its residents. By going to the website detailing the plan, you can see what the future holds for our libraries, parks, commutes, and more. Everything is open for you to see.

If you are a Houstonian, you should visit the site just simply to help the democratic process along. If you are aware of what is happening in our community, you can make informed decisions, and you may help change a course of action that may not be the best for your area. If you are not from our city, but you ended up on this blog, take a look at the link. Maybe your city has done this, or maybe you could encourage them to do so.

A Website for a Green Houston

Since last year, there has been talk of improving the city’s connection with alternative energy, and taking steps to make the city more environmentally friendly. Considering that Houston covers more surface area than most cities, it is hard to see how this could be quickly accomplished. Yet here we are. Houston has adopted the LEEDs standards for green building; commuter and light rail expansion is on the way; forty percent of the power to public buildings is said to come from wind power. Houston is also trying to attract alternative fuel industries to fit in with the energy firms that are already here.

Admittedly, I do not believe that Houston can claim a title like “greenest city in America”, although I have heard that phrase applied to this city recently. Speak to various environmental groups, and you will find that there is no consensus on what the term “green” means. This is probably why the FTC hopes to have rules in place next year. All of that aside, I am quite happy with my city’s efforts to encourage a green environment. With all things, you need to start walking before you get there, and Houston is trying to build up speed to arrive at its destination.

With these efforts, Houston has launched a new site to help the residents go green. The site is Green Houston, and I am impressed by it. There is a forthright effort to deal with many issues, and to show Houston’s response. I particularly liked the report section where you could read about the problems which the city faces along with the cities response (basically allowing both sides to have a voice). Otherwise, there are many helpful links to bring you to the information that you need to improve your green life.

I could simply say that these efforts are due to the current cost of fuel, or to the fact that organic and green are popular words among advertisers right now. However, the city has been making efforts for some time to improve this aspect of life. I can point to plans that appeared to be useless in improving situations that we faced, but then I have to give the officials credit for trying. If you have a chance follow the link above to check out the site for yourself. Let me know what you think.

Related posts:

1. Green Building Initiatives in Houston, May 2009 A look at some news coming from the Mayor's office...

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Sometimes you make a connection with somebody, and you may not quite be sure why. Other times you know very well why the connection was made. A helping hand for a person who is new to your community may be all that it takes.

Last year, I was contacted by a Realtor who had just moved to Houston. She was looking for an inspector, and she stumbled upon me. To be honest, I probably was given the job because my price was right, and nothing else. Like many inspectors, I have a little packet, which I give to my clients at the end of an inspection. It is a getting to know your neighborhood type of thing. I list various bits of useful information. Among this material is one simple little web address that made all of the difference in the world. It made my connection to this young woman.

Having come from California, she was not familiar with the greater Houston area. She had settled in the city of Humble (north of Houston), but she was showing a home in Deer Park (southeast of Houston). She was looking for her own connection with her client, and she found it through me: taking her client to a good local restaurant. She accomplished this by going to a website that I always recommend: B4-U-Eat.

This is a site where regular people write reviews of the different locales around our community. Houston is a dining town. We are just behind New York when it comes to the number of times per year we go out to a meal, and in the number of eating establishments. Knowing the experience of others is a great way to sift through these places to find the one where you want to eat.

Anyone can write a review (they even let me write one, so that shows you that anyone is welcomed). There are a few rules. Criticism needs to be constructive. They do not allow rants. They allow for differing opinions, so they do not want you to be disrespectful to other reviewers either.

By the next house that I was inspecting for her, she was a pro. She knew the neighborhood, and she could impress her client by taking them to the best place to eat. I do not know if other cities have such a site (and I never have checked if this site has expanded its coverage), but we in Houston, who are in love with food, have a place to seek out that favorite eatery of a neighborhood, or to discuss our own dining experiences.

My clients, who know of this site, have said that they know that I am a foodie, when they saw that I listed this site. As an inspector who travels all over the greater area here, I need a way to find the best meal out.

Visit
B4-U-Eat!

Your
Houston home inspector,

Frank
Schulte-Ladbeck

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