IN THIS EPISODE:
- The annual March of Dimes’ March for Babies event is happening on April 23rd at the University of Houston.
- Host Khambrel Marshall speaks to TaKasha Francis, the director of neighborhoods for the City of Houston, and she explains why the city is planning to demolish 300 buildings that are considered dangerous.
- A Houston-area roofing company provides free roofs for senior citizens in need.
City to take down 300 dangerous buildings this year
Takasha Francis is a woman on a mission. As the Director of Neighborhoods for the City of Houston, one of her goals is clear, to take down structures in Houston that are dangerous.
“Dangerous buildings represent impediments to public health and safety because a dangerous building is any building or structure that has a violation that could cause serious injury to a human being,” she said. “So this is just an extension, with the appropriate budget to go forward and do what we are actually commissioned to do.”
Director Francis says her department is charged with helping to make neighborhoods safe for Houstonians.
“We’re eliminating the structure on the property. It’s not a taking of the property,” she said she wanted to make clear. “So the structure is dangerous. We’re only leveling the structure to make sure we’re removing that danger. But we’re not taking someone’s property.”
Find out what properties are being targeted and what responsibility falls to the property owner.
Preparing for the annual March for Babies!
The annual Houston March for Babies is scheduled for April 23rd at the University of Houston Campus. It is always one of the biggest in the United States and is leader in the fight against premature births.
Alicia Lee is the Director of Collective Impact for the March of Dimes and says the Houston region is one of the worst when it comes to prematurity.
“Unfortunately, Houston March of Dimes has a report card,” she said. “Every year we give everyone a grade on how you’re doing and here in Houston, Harris County, unfortunately, we have an F. Our pre-term birth rate is about 12 percent which means one in eight babies is born pre-term”
Lee talks about the new programs the March of Dimes is partnering with local organizations in order to improve maternal mortality rates.
Roofing company to offer free roofs to senior citizens
Doug Lane says he was looking for a way for his company to give back.
He is President of Dalco Roofing and when he met former Houston City Council Member Dwight Boykins, he found the partnership to make it happen.
“Create a bio, a hundred words or less on why you think a family member, a neighbor a friend in need, would need a new roof,” he said Dwight Boykins and the Senior Assistance Fund he helped start will assist in selecting the winner and they’ll go out and replace the roof.
Boykins says the first homeowner was a military veteran who was caring for his cousin and seemed like the perfect fit. He says Dalco will provide one roof per month for the person selected. They need to apply through this web address.
For more information on this week’s Houston Newsmakers
· TaKasha Francis, Director City of Houston Department of Neighborhoods
· Website: https://www.houstontx.gov/neighborhoods/director.html
· Alicia Lee, March of Dimes Director, Collective Impact
· Website: https://bit.ly/41gsAkk
· Dwight Boykins, Founder Senior Assistance Fund
· Website: www.seniorassistancefundinc
· Doug Lane, President, Dalco Roofing
· Website: https://www.dalcoroof.com/