🌱 Housing Affordability + Harris County Jail Reform

Wake up, Space City! It's your faithful herald, Chris, here with another edition of your Houston newsletter. This one is one of my personal favorites: a Friday edition. Today, we'll cover ...

• A housing affordability program
• Harris County efforts to reduce jail populations
• An event honoring West African cuisine

But first, today's weather: Cooler; breezy in the p.m. High: 59 Low: 38.

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Here are the top stories today in Houston:

1. The Houston Association of Realtors (HAR) is attempting to fight housing affordability issues by launching a downpayment resource database. This new tool will provide prospective homeowners with downpayment assistance programs on more than 165,000 listings throughout Houston. Notably, veterans, active military, law enforcement, firefighters, health care workers, and educators receive additional incentives on many of these programs. From the spring of 2020 to 2022, home prices rose nearly 40 percent. On top of that, rising mortgage rates have caused many current homeowners to think twice about selling their homes, resulting in an even smaller supply of available houses. (KHOU.com)
2. Harris County is attempting to reduce the jail population through the expansion of an existing program which will allow prisoners deemed mentally incompetent to stand trial. Over the past decade, 33 percent of Texas jail prisoners who died of unnatural causes while in custody were marked as possibly mentally ill. The program works by attempting to restore these individuals to mental competency through education, medication management, therapy, peer support, and case management services. Leading the charge on the new program is Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo. She said, "The bottom line is there are too many folks with mental health issues stuck in jail for too long, and the simple truth is that justice delayed is justice denied, not just for those folks, but for the victims who are waiting and needing answers."(Community Impact Newspaper)
3. A three-day event named "The Art of Fufu" will spotlight the influence of West African cuisine on Houston food. The event will be hosted by Nigerian chef Kavachi Ukegbu who was previously featured in the PBS food series "No Passport Required." In the past, the event has been a one-day pop-up. However, this year Ukegbu and her company Grubido decided to transform it into a multi-day educational event. A statement from the company details the event schedule, saying, "This month those wishing to learn more about their African roots can enjoy an Art of FuFu cookbook cooking class on Thursday Feb. 23, followed by a paint and sip FuFu party on Friday, Feb. 24, and a full 5-course dining experience on Saturday, Feb. 25, to close out the weekend." (Houston Chronicle)
4. Whiskey-minded comfort food restaurant Bosscat Kitchen & Libations opened its second Houston location in Market Street. The restaurant was originally approached by Market Street managers to take the space due to their aesthetic matching other restaurants in the area including Tommy Bahama's, Mastro's, and Sixty Vines. The new location will bring a highly desired offering of "brunch and bourbon" to the area. The restaurant's interior has been described as reminiscent of a 1930s cigar lounge. John Reed, CEO of the company that owns Bosscat, has big plans for Bosscat's second location. He shared, "Our fans will see the evolution of our brand. We've tried to keep the character. We call it 'perfectly imperfect.'" (CultureMap Houston)
5. Houston will move forward with a flood mitigation plan known as the North Canal project. The plan involves building canal channels in multiple areas across Houston's bayou systems. These include the confluence of Buffalo Bayou and White Oak Bayou and Buffalo Bayou's southern side at I-69. Furthermore, the project will add upstream improvements to White Oak Bayou around Heights Boulevard and Yale Street. The $131 million dollar project will begin in the winter of 2025 and is expected to be completed by the fall of 2029. (Community Impact Newspaper)

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Headlines you need to see:

• Houston traffic was the largest greenhouse gas emission source in 2022 (Houston Chronicle)
• Capital murder suspect in 2022 Houston shooting arrested in Colorado (FOX 26 Houston)
• Luxe Houston hotels where you and your special someone can slip away for a weekend staycation (KPRC Click2Houston)
• Police: Mother abandons 2 children in Houston-area for almost seven weeks, now wanted for abandonment (FOX 26 Houston)
• First Bite: New Houston Restaurant From Top Chef Finalist Reflects City's Diversity (houstonfoodfinder.com)

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Today in Houston:

• Sesame Street Live at NRG Park (10:30 a.m.)
• Drunk Shakespeare at the Emerald Theatre (7 p.m.)
• The Murder of Madame Valentine Dinner Theater at the Agatha Theater (7 p.m.)
• Jazz Concert: Cécile McLorin Salvant at the Wortham Center (8 p.m.)
• Theater: Eddie Goes To Poetry City at MATCH (8 p.m.)

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From my notebook:

• Chick-fil-A is testing a cauliflower sandwich as a new menu item in three markets starting later this month. The plant-based sandwich is being introduced amidst rising public demand for more vegetarian meal options in restaurants. (KHOU 11 News via Facebook)
• John Wall is returning to the Rockets as part of a three-team deal. However, sports insiders say instead of fielding the player, the Rockets will end up waiving him in order to try and set up a sweeter trade. (ABC13 Houston via Facebook)
• The Houston Astros is attempting to acquire all-star outfielder Kyle Tucker, but salary arbitration proceeds show we'll have to put our money where our mouth is. Tucker countered with a salary of $7.5 million after the Astros offered him $5 million to come play. (KPRC2 / Click2Houston via Facebook)

Featured Kitty:

Odin is a 3-year-old domestic short hair available for adoption from the SPCA.

The Norse god Odin held domain over wisdom, healing, death, royalty, knowledge, war, battle, victory, sorcery, poetry, and more.

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• Taxes in Retirement Seminar at Bellaire Civic Center (February 13)
• Free Zoom Meeting about fibroid treatment in Houston (February 15)
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Welp, that's another week down the drain. I wish we had better weather to look forward to this weekend, but you can at least a drink a warm drink beneath cozy blankets inside. Summer can't come any sooner if you ask me. Bring on the Houston heat already 2023. See you next week!