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winter 2013 • quarterly newsletter

po box 66735 • houston, texas 77266www.mamahouston.org

bell park revitalizationPlans to restore the park are underway! See current page for details.

annual membership driveA great way to meet your neighbors and get involved in our community.Membership form inside and online trash and recyclingHandy magnet listing important dates inside!

communicationsNew website, e-newsletter, and Facebook page keeps our members current and connected.

Happy New Year! I hope you and your family had a safe and joyous holiday season. It’s hard to believe we are already two months into the new year, but 2013 is shaping up to be anything but dull. There are some exciting projects un-derway in our neighborhood, most notably the efforts to revitalize Bell Park. We have a few new neighborhood developments and unfortu-nately over the past months have been experi-encing a rash of burglaries in the Banks/Mt. Vernon area of our neighborhood. I’m very excited to take over the position of MAMA President from Cassie Stinson this year. Cassie has done a remarkable job of rais-ing the neighborhood profile of MAMA within the community and I look to continue to do the same. In addition, we have a newly elected slate of officers and board members which bring a renewed energy to the organization.Over the course of the next year, there are three areas for which our organization will be focused. Those include supporting the revital-ization of Bell Park, improving our communi-cation platforms with our members and focus-ing on neighborhood safety and mobility issues. Leslie Gerber is the committee chair of the Bell Park project and has written a wonderful article to include in this month’s newsletter. I encourage you to contact us to the extent you

would like to contribute and be part of this project. Contacting us is part of the second objective. We are in the process of deploying a new website which will contain pertinent in-formation for the organization along with new email based communications which will allow us to communicate to a wider audience and do so on a more frequent basis. Finally, we need to ensure that our neighborhood is safe and that we have a close relationship with HPD on an ongoing basis to ensure the lines of commu-nication are open. Additionally, like all inner loop neighborhoods, ours is becoming more densely populated. We need to seek out traf-fic and parking solutions where appropriate so that our neighborhood’s quality of life is not compromised.The Board and I look forward to hearing your input and having you involved in each of these initiatives.We hope that you will join or renew your mem-bership in MAMA and become a part of our neighborhood organization. Check out our website at www.mamahouston.org and sign-up to become a member today!

-AllenALLEN UECKERTPRESIDENT

president’s welcomehighlights

Find us on Facebook/mamahouston

museum area municipal associationfor houston’s best urban experience, come live with mama

bell park revitalization and fundraising campaign launch

by Leslie Gerber, Bell Park Restoration Committee ChairBell Park lies almost in the center of MAMA territory, surrounded by homes, high-rises and businesses that form the fabric of our neighborhood. Every day, people visit the park on their walking and jogging routes, to give their dogs an outing or to bring children who like to explore the pond and fountains.

The park is highly visible, and much-used. It also needs restoration after the storms and the drought and the lack of city budget for maintenance. Two years ago MAMA started a con-versation about reviving its potential to become a significant amenity for our area and for all those who drive past it.

Since then MAMA members have rallied to the cause. Volunteers have gotten the ball rolling on a project that will repair the irrigation system, replenish plant materials that have taken a beating and plan a volunteer day to help restore the park’s natural beauty. We have joined the Houston Parks Board Neighborhood Partnership Program and written grants. We are under-way!

continued on Page 2

VISITwww.houstonparksboard.org

CLICKDonate Now

SELECT“Bell Park”

Your donation is tax-deductible

members meetingTuesday, February 12th • 6:30 p.m.

Italian Cultural Center1101 Milford St

Special guest HPD Officer Victor Beserra

Wine and cheese reception followed by general meeting.

photo credit houston museum district

MAMA

membership in the museum area municipal association

checks made payable to mama - join online at www.mamahouston.org/membershipPlease complete the bottom portion of this form and return with your check to:

MAMA • P.O. Box 66735 • Houston, TX 77266

member name (please include business name, if applicable) email home work

street address home work city, st zip

mailing address if different city, st zip

phone home work

Questions? Contact our Membership Chair, Lance Jones at 713.249.1641 or email membership@mamahouston.org

patron membership • $100 bell park fund • $__________ individual/family membership • $35 senior/student membership • $15

SPECIAL INTEREST I would like to participate with MAMA on the following (check one or more):

Bell Park Restoration

Communications

Membership

Board/Committee Work

Security /National Night Out Annual Meeting /Holiday Party - Nov ‘13

page 2 • winter 2013

Plans for the park created by Carvel Glenn, MAMA member and architect, call for plantings around the pond area that will enhance this water feature, as well as lush new planting in all of the beds in the pond area.

MAMA would like to invite all members, neighbors, surrounding businesses and residents throughout the larger area to contribute to this vision as we launch a fundraising campaign to accomplish these goals.

We are already nearly half-way to our goal of $31,000, thanks in large part to a generous grant of $8,000 from the Montrose Man-agement District, funds from MAMA and pledges from early con-tributors. We need to raise $14,000 more.

It’s easy to make a contribution to the Bell Park project online by going to www.houstonparksboard.org and clicking on the large Donate Now button in the upper right corner. You can use ma-jor credit cards or virtual checks from individual or business ac-counts. In filling out your donor information please be sure to select bell park from the drop down menu that is beneath the gift amount. Your gift to Bell Park is tax-deductible and you will receive a letter from the Houston Parks Board for your donation. Remember, your donation will only go to Bell Park if you select this from the drop-down menu.

Please consider a gift that will allow the project to move forward early this spring by donating today! If you would like to learn more about the Bell Park project, how to contribute or to volunteer your help, please contact Leslie Gerber, Bell Park Restoration Commit-tee Chair, at lsgerber@comcast.net. ✤

bell park revitalization and fundraising campaign launchcontinued from Page 1

winter 2013 • page 3

winter 2013 • page 3

The new 3-1-1 app for SmartPhones, unveiled February 5, will now empower Houston residents to report a variety of city issues as they occur. From garbage pickup problems to traffic signal main-tance to potholes in the neighborhood, the app actually allows resi-dents to create work orders that are sent directly to the city’s public works department. After reporting the complaint using the app, residents are able to track its progress. City spokesman Chris Newport, as reported by the Houston Chronicle, explains how the 3-1-1 app works: “Say you see a pothole on your street. Before you even leave for work you can walk over, launch the app and type in ‘pothole,’ ” he said. “You have the option of taking a picture, punching in the

address and answering two other questions before you hit send.” The city also provides a 3-1-1 hotline available 24-hour-a-day, sev-en-days-a-week service. “This is just the beginning,” Newport said of the expanded op-tions. “We’re not just launching this app and we’re done,” he said. The city plans to update on a regular basis. An interactive map has been added to the city’s 311 website where users can click on an address for updates on their service requests.

For more about Houston 3-1-1 or to download the app, visit http://hfdapp.houstontx.gov/311/index.php

improvements in the neighborhoodCity of Houston creates SmartPhone app to address issues

Currently in our geographic area that borders with Main Street to the East, U.S. 59 to the North, Graustark to the West and Bis-sonet to the South there are a grand total of two homes for sale. One home has been on the market for 580 days and now lists for $2,990,000 and the other one is listed for $1,965,000. Homes sell quickly in our area if they are priced right. In the last 12 months 11

homes sold for on average 97% of list price in average days on the market 126.7 days, or around 4 months. Please see the chart below for detailed averages based on the 11 homes sold in the past year. There are currently 12 rental properties available, ranging in monthly rental rates from $795 per month to $9,170 per month. We truly live in an eclectic and vibrant neighborhood! ✤

mama real estate snapshotas of Monday, February 4 2013 provided by Barbara Aksamit, resident REALTOR with Metro/REMAX

SQFT BEDS FB HB LIST PRICE

LP/SQFT

SALE PRICE

SP/SQFT

ADJ. SALE PRICE

ADJ. SP/SQFT

SP/LP % DOM CDOM YEAR BUILT

MIN 2059 2 2 0 $269,900 131.08 $253,000 122.88 $251,000 121.9 92 % 1 1 1916AVG 2800 3 2.82 0.91 $679,100 242.54 $650,282 232.24 $650,100 232.18 97 % 122.64 126.73 1993MAX 4436 4 3 2 $1,695,000 382.1 $1,565,000 352.8 $1,565,000 352.8 100 % 383 383 2011MEDIAN 2573 3 3 1 $449,900 180.71 $449,000 174.65 $449,000 174.65 97 % 94 94 2007

(SOURCE HAR)

©

Print design

digital calligraphy

designer mailing services

event management

specializing in non-profit and social events

Cheryl Thornton Bell cheryl@littlerootcreative.com

713.234.6763

president Allen Ueckert

president@mamahouston.org

vice president Cassie Stinson

secretary Leslie Gerber

treasurer Barbara Aksamit

treasurer@mamahouston.org

membership Lance Jones

membership@mamahouston.org

communications Cheryl Thornton Bell

Ginny Camfield

nominating committee John Koval

liason, upa Kathryn McNeil

Barbara AksamitCheryl Thornton Bell

Ginny CamfieldJohn Gabriel

Leslie GerberCarvel GlennDoug Lawing

Kathryn McNeilAllen Ueckert

officers

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MAMA has four scheduled general membership meetings during the year, generously hosted by our neighbors at the Italian Cultural Center beginning at 7:00pm.

Join us on Tuesday, February 12th for our first meeting of 2013, with a special wine and cheese reception begin-ning at 6:30pm. General business and member’s meeting to begin at 7:00pm. Special guest speaker Houston Police Officer Victor Besser to address neighborhood safety and crime issues.

Our volunteers have been busy hand delivering 650 newsletters this past weekend around the neighborhood in connection with our annual membership drive. At the beginning of each year, we go door to do to introduce ourselves to new neighbors and reintroduce ourselves to old friends. This drive is very important as it allows us to update our database for change of contact information on our current members and of course introduce MAMA to new neigh-bors. Please take a few minutes to join or renew your membership via the membership form on page 2, or visit www.mamahouston.org/membership to join or renew through our new website. Thank your for your continued support of MAMA!

In alternating months, residents may dispose of their Tree Waste, and Junk Waste at their curbside. This new method of collecting your large waste comes with the benefits of di-verting materials that can be recycled from landfills, saving landfill space and your valuable tax dollars. The Tree/Junk Waste schedule changes each month from Tree Waste to Junk. Tree Waste months are January, March, May, July, September, and November. Junk Waste months are February, April, June, August, October and December. “Tree Waste” is defined as “clean” wood waste such as tree limbs, branches, and stumps (lumber, furniture, and treated wood will NOT be accepted).“Junk Waste” is defined as items such as furniture, appliances, and other bulky material. Junk Waste may not be placed for collection during a Tree Waste Month.

A maximum of four cubic yards of building material (not including brick, plaster or con-crete) generated by the resident in connection with the maintenance of the resident’s prop-erty will be collected on your Junk Waste collection date. Please Note: Tree Waste is accepted during Junk Waste Months. However, to ensure that your Tree Waste is recycled, you may hold your tree waste materials until the next Tree Waste designated month or bring it to a Neighborhood Depository.

Residents who wish to discard Tree Waste/Junk Waste before their scheduled once-per-month pickup may use one of six Neighborhood Depository/Recycling Center locations.These pickups are limited to residential units and vacant residential lots only (no apartment units), and should be placed adjacent to a front curb without low overhead wires and not near fences, water or gas meters, fire hydrants, etc. It should not block auto or pedestrian traffic. If it is not picked up on the designated day, call 3-1-1 to try to arrange a separate pickup.Further information, including collection sites for hazardous wastes, is available at the City’s website: www.houstontx.gov, click ok “Departments” and choose “Solid Waste Management”.

LOOK INSIDE for your Garbage, Recycle and Heavy Trash

calendar magnet from MAMA!

2013 schedule of meetings - mark your calendars!

2013 mama meetings

February 12, 2013

April 9, 2013

June 11, 2013

December 10, 2013

annual membership drive

heavy trash pickup in the mama area board of directors

mama goes digital!Once a year, we print and hand

deliver our newsletter. If you would like to continue receiving news

and information about the MAMA neighborhood, please visit our website and subscribe to our

electronic quarterly newsletter, or find us on Facebook to join the

conversation and stay connected.

www.mamahouston.org

winter 2013 • quarterly newsletter more news and updates onlinewww.mamahouston.org

winter 2013 • quarterly newsletter