Houston-Galveston Area Council Transportation Priorities Plan Survey /  by Brian Edmondson

Target Transportation Priorites For Federal Funding

The Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC) is currently conducting the North Houston Communities Transportation Priorities Plan (NHCTPP) survey. This is an opportunity for our neighborhood to highlight issues we face and help guide future federal funding to fix major traffic and safety issues right here in Woodland Heights.

The data gathered from this survey will guide which local infrastructure projects get prioritized, funded, and built by the City and County. The more they hear from our neighborhood the more likely we will get prioritized.

Why This Matters for Woodland Heights

With ongoing regional highway construction, freeway spillover and high-speed cut-through traffic are growing challenges for our neighborhood context. We need to speak with a unified voice to ensure our streets remain safe and walkable.

When you fill out the survey, please consider highlighting these key neighborhood priorities to maximize our collective impact:

  • Target Critical Corridors: In the corridor-specific section (Question 10), make sure to select Studewood Street and 11th Street / Pecore Street, which serve as the central spines of our community.

  • Demand Traffic Calming: In the ranking sections, prioritize physical infrastructure that forces cars to slow down—such as pedestrian refuge islands, high-visibility crosswalks, and bulb-outs.

  • Put Pedestrian Safety First: Emphasize that our community's top priority is safe pathways for walking families, children, and cyclists over high-speed vehicular throughput.

The survey is completely anonymous and takes less than 5 minutes to complete https://engage.h-gac.com/nhctpp.

Thank you for taking a few moments to help us advocate for a safer, more connected Woodland Heights!

How to Keep the Water Flowing: Adopt-A-Drain /  by Estella Espinosa

Adopt-A-Drain

What do ‘Raccoon Highway,’ ‘The Secret Tunnel,’ ‘Jerry’s Big Gulp,’ ‘Here Comes The Sun,’ and ‘Stormy Daniels’ have in common?

No, they’re not the newest titles at your local bookstore or kindle titles on Amazon. They’re a bit more down-to-earth than either of those options. And I really mean down-to-earth. Or to be more specific down-under-the-earth.

They are all nick names for adopted drains here in our Woodland Heights neighborhood. By adopted I mean neighbors, just like you, who have decided to pitch in and volunteer to keep clean of debris. They adopted their drains through the COH Adopt-A-Drain program.  

Now before you say keeping the drains clear should be a COH job not mine you should know that there are roughly 250,000 individual curb inlets, grates, and manholes in the city's closed system located all across the city. Not to mention the Can you image how much time it would take to visit each drain to make sure they are clear of trash, leaves, and yard clippings? We might not get any other things done before the next rain came through. So there’s an adoption program that asks for ordinary citizens to help keep these drainage systems clear of clippings, leaves, limbs, and other garden debris so that nothing obstructs the flow of stormwater. Keeping the stormwater flowing is how we can help combat flooding that seems to occur in Houston when heavy rains or hurricanes pour down over our city.

Just imagine what a little helping hand addressing a storm sewer near you could do to keep the water flowing down our storm sewers keep our drains flowing clean and water out of our houses.

It doesn’t take that much more time to bag up your yard clippings and keep the drainage system clear. And the added bonus is you can come up with your own nickname for your storm sewer … just image what cool title you can bestow on your adopted storm sewer.

To find out more about how you can join the program visit the adopt-a-drain website to see where the available drains open for adoption in our neighborhood are.

A Blast From the Past: Beauchamp Springs /  by Estella Espinosa

The WHCA newsletter archive is now live and online! You can find all the newsletters we have copies (that we scanned) on and the current issues as well on the WHCA website under the About Us button on the front page of the our website. This story from the October 1997 issue tells the story of Beauchamp Springs.

There is much more to be found regarding Beauchamp Springs and the man who it was named after Thomas D. Beauchamp who immigrated fro Kentucky to Texas and settled in the bayou area buying a 54 acre tract of land from the Allen brothers on the south bank of White Oak Bayou which included the free flowing springs that would be named Beauchamp Springs along with a community he tried named Beauchampville. 

Looking back through the history of both Houston and our Woodland Heights neighborhood you can find mentions of Beauchamp Springs. For Houston the springs served as a "source of fresh drinking water" and its water was "sold downtown at market for 75 cents for a 30 gallon barrel" and was touted as " a welcome change to the often contaminated waters of Buffalo Bayou." In addition, Travis Elementary was originally named "Beauchamp Springs Public School."

We hope you'll enjoy this bit of history. If you want to learn more about one of Houston's first water sources you can visit any of these links.

Tales from the Tundra: The Scarecrow Cemetery /  by Guest User

New Newsletter Contributor - Welcome Aboard!

We're very happy to welcome a new feature to the WHCA Newsletter. It's called 'Tales from the Tundra.'  The new contributor is Gregory Roche.

Greg just finished helping us update our home count for the Sign Up Genius we use to recruit volunteers for things like passing out printed newsletters, home tour volunteers, and distribution of pamphlets and other printed material We've been trying to get this update done over the past couple of years. We've always been hampered by the amount of time needed to do this and Greg volunteered to take on the task. Many thanks to Greg for his hard work with Sign Up Genius' data base and for his new column!

We thank Greg for all that work and are very happy to see that he's now stepping up to offer contributions to the monthly newsletter. Welcome aboard Greg!

The Scarecrow Cemetery

Our youngest son attends St. Thomas High School so we have a familiar route to get him to school on time every morning. Barring excessive school crossing guards and the ubiquitous train crossing on Houston Avenue, we get him to school on time without too much fuss.

Before turning onto Memorial Drive for the final stretch and looking to the right under a shady pecan tree, you will find two grave stones.  Countless times I’ve passed them and wondered why and how they got there. I snapped a photo a couple of weeks ago and learned their story – you may already know of their origin. It turns out that the remains of Johnny Mack Chappell (1954-1996) and Dee Brown Hancock (1922-1973) are not located under that tree.

The headstones were placed there to deter vagrants from squatting and trashing the property. A third headstone, Sandra Ruth Howen (1939-1986), no longer lies next to Johnny and Dee. It’s not exactly clear why duplicate headstones were made for these deceased Houstonians. The lot is well maintained and the Chappell family have no problem with this landmark being another interesting Inner Loop tidbit that preserves his name. Stop by and check it out.

Pause Before You Squish /  by Estella Espinosa

Surfing social media you can find some interesting posts about all sorts of things including butterflies. This chart came from a post from Plants and gardening on facebook. The handy chart could be especially useful this summer when all your plants are blooming and growing and you begin to wonder "What is that bug" in my garden?"

First, it's not a bug - it's a caterpillar-the larval stage of a butterfly or moth. Aside from being beautiful as they glide through your garden they serve as important parts in the ecosystem. They serve as pollinators, a food source in the insect food chain, and as bio indicators regarding ecosystem health.

Your back or front yard gardens can help support butterfly populations. You hear a great deal about planting native plants in gardens because they will survive better in a climate that they are used to growing in. That's a good rule of thumb for plants and for butterflies and other beneficial things that fly or crawl in gardens. The Houston Arboretum has a great list of both nectar and host plants to help support butterflies in your garden. There are a number of garden centers who have native plants to help keep your garden a place where butterflies will visit and thrive. 

The North American Butterfly Association (NABA) provides a wealth of information on how to encourage butterflies to visit your garden, how to establish a butterfly garden, get it certified, and butterfly counts. The Houston Museum of Natural Science's Cockrell Butterfly Center and Brown Hall of Entomology are great places to see butterflies and bugs up close and personal as the flyand crawl through the indoor rain forest and bug habitats. Be sure to read the FAQ's about what is and is not allowed in the center. If you're looking for online information regarding everything about Monarchs visit Monarch Watch. It's a great place to find out how you can help monarchs from your own home.

I hope the handy chart above and the links in this article help you understand that all caterpillars and bugs are not bad - in fact they're all part of our ecosystem and you can help keep it healthy right from you're own home.

Yard of the Month - Jan Lyons, 627 Merrill /  by Ryan Taylor

Jan Lyons has lived at her home since April 2021. “I love the front flower beds - I change things seasonally but always try to have a mix of colors and textures,” she says. “I also love my backyard. It’s very small, but it's all garden - no grass –and it’s a peaceful place to read, sip a glass of wine, and watch the pollinators go to work!”

She regularly visits Buchanan’s Native Plants for her plant purchases. Planting natives in her garden in both the front and back yards. “I change things around at least quarterly, depending on what is in season, so it always varies."

When asked what  guides her choices for her garden, she says it has to do with her past experience while living across the pond. “I lived in London for a few years and was most inspired by the natural gardens there. When I moved back, I wanted to minimize grass, be surrounded by color, and create a great environment for the pollinators."

Her choices in plants are appreciated by pollinators that fly, crawl, and buzz about in her yard, saying there’s lots of flying activity in both front and back yards. “Tons of bees, some butterflies (would love it if there were more), and lizards all over the place.”

Jan says she was not born with a green thumb...gardening takes practice. “I am learning and rely on the expertise of others and get tons of inspiration from all of the beautiful yards in our neighborhood.”

And unlike many gardeners, Jan enjoys one thing that most would disagree with, “I love pulling weeds!  Depending on the weather, I’ll spend 4 or 5 hours each week in the garden--most of that time is pulling weeds because it relaxes me.”

While most of her gardens are populated with native plants, Jan has one plant that holds a special place in her heart. “I have a Christmas cactus inside that is nearly 30 years old and belonged to my mother. She trusted me to take care of it when she moved into assisted living.”

She also has a couple of other favorites. “My favorite flower is peony (I haven’t tried to grow those yet), and I love it when the jasmine blooms!”

In terms of being recognized as yard of the month, Jan says, “It feels humbling! There are so many fabulous gardens all over this neighborhood. We are
blessed!

Congratulations, Jan, on your beautiful gardens and being this month's Yard of the Month in the Woodland Heights!

Preservation Houston /  by Estella Espinosa

We've Joined!

The Woodland Heights Civic Association has recently decided to join Preservation Houston. As one of Houston's oldest and among it's first suburbs with historic structures in Woodland Heights built between 1907 and 1925 remain. Many of these original homes reflect the Queen Anne, craftsman and English cottage architectural styles popular just after the turn of the century among the more modest middle class. These home styles are predominately bungalows, cottages and four squares with most featuring the generous front porches so important to the social conventions of the era and personal comfort in Houston’s pre-air-conditioned climate.

With this in mind it seemed fitting we should join an organization that works to "promote the preservation and appreciation of Houston’s architectural and cultural historic resources through advocacy, education and committed action, thereby creating economic value and developing a stronger sense of community."

We look forward to our relationship with Preservation Houston to help keep our historic homes and history for future generations.

President's Report: A Couple of Small Wins /  by Michael Graves

Getting Things Done

Sometimes it feels like it’s quite difficult to get anything done. That being the case, it’s really important to acknowledge the wins that we do manage to enjoy. So, I’d like to point out a couple of things that were recently accomplished.

Have you seen the new lights?

If you attended our March Member’s Meeting at Woodland Park you heard neighbor Jim Chambers call out a pet issue. He had been seeking changes in the traffic lights at the intersection of Studewood and White Oak Drive. More specifically, he argued that traffic turning from White Oak onto Studewood struggles to turn given the heavier, faster traffic on Studewood. This long que of cars would be reduced by providing protected left turns lights.

Council Member Castillo’s team helped us arrange a site visit with managers from the Traffic Light team at Public Works. It was going to take some time to investigate whether the existing switch gear would be up to the task. Happily, this turned out to be true. Appearing at our May Member’s meeting CM Castillo reported that the changes to the lights were anticipated by the end of May.

The installation took a little longer than that. Jim Chambers himself observed the working being done on Friday, June 19th. Two days later, on June 21st, WHCA Treasurer, Doug Carroll sent a picture of the new turn signals in action!

These new protected left turns should improve the flow of traffic transitioning onto Studewood during peak travel periods.

Major Pothole Patched on Bayland

This is really a small thing, but it feels like a good thing. Some work on a water main resulted in a 5-foot wide pothole at 623 Bayland. On June 9th I hit it hard enough to loosen a filling. Naturally, I opened a 311 ticket on the matter.

The following week, repeated rains kept making it deeper and more dangerous. I later discovered that the neighbor at 623 Bayland had also created a 311 report. She noted that she could hear cars hitting it hard from inside her house.

Just a week later Public Works patched the wannabe Marianna Trench on June 15th.

Storm Drain to Nowhere

On the 14th of this very rainy June I noticed the neighbor at 101 Parkview had a submersible pump deployed to at the corner of Parkview and Houston Avenue. Even though there’s a storm drain right there, the water was not draining away. Josh Pokluda was pumping the standing water across the street so it could flow to a storm drain that was flowing.

Julio and I approached Josh to inquire as to why this was necessary. He told a tale of woe, describing the fact that the storm drain nearest his home literally is not connected to any main storm drain line. Apparently, this was an error made some years ago when there was major work on Houston Avenue.

Taking pictures and filing a new 311 request, I was able to learn something about the trouble. Apparently, resolution requires a significant capital project. It appears that there is funding allocated in the coming city budget, which starts July 1. While the problem remains for now, there is it hope that it will be addressed. We'll keep an eye on it and keep pushing for the repair.

You may not always see it, but WHCA is always working behind the scenes. Doing what we can to enhance our little “Hometown Near Downtown.”

President's Report: May 2026 /  by Michael Graves

“Time keeps on tick, ticking, ticking, into the future.” - Steve Miller

By Michal Graves

Meet the new Board, Same as the old Board

As I sit down to write this, two weeks have passed since our May Member’s Meeting. It seems so long ago. As was noted in a prior email, there were no eligible nominations for the board seats that were open. However, the four directors in those positions all agreed to stand for another term. So, the WHCA board remains unchanged for the coming year.

Given this fact, I thought that the May Member’s Meeting might be smaller and shorter. That was fine, since Zion’s ongoing renovations meant that the gathering had to be held in the smaller room they call the “Chapel.” The WHCA board had met in that space once in the recent past. As I’ve presided over a couple of larger than usual Member’s Meetings, the thought of a smaller, shorting meeting was attractive.

Alas, it proved elusive. On Tuesday, May 12th some two dozen neighbors filled the Chapel. With the sun blazing in through the west-facing windows the meeting went a full 90 minutes, starting a presentation by District H Council Member Mario Castillo.

District H Update

CM Castillo highlighted a number of issues of interest to the neighborhood. He encouraged neighbors to participate in the various City budget workshops and meetings that were just then getting underway. As this newsletter is going into production, those processes have concluded.  However, neighbors can still make their voices heard by appearing before council during the open sessions each Tuesday.

CM Castillo further noted that he’s sponsoring two “Shred Days” where neighbors can bring documents for secure disposal.

  • 5/30 9-12pm at Denver Harbor Community Center

  • 6/20 9-12pm at Local 51 Union 

Traffic remains a concern. There was some discussion of the reduced, yet ongoing, heavy truck traffic though the neighborhood. A neighbor noted that a Waymo was seen running a red light. Constable Wesley Hurt advised that Waymo can be pulled over, but there’s little consequence to that action.
 
CM Castillo noted that the city has approved changes to the street lights at the intersection at White Oak Drive and Studewood. Traffic from White Oak turning onto Studewood will soon have protected left turn signals in both directions. He suggested that these changes may well be implemented by the end May. This is something that arose out of discussion at our March Member’s Meeting. A big shout out to neighbor Jim Chambers who championed the issue.

Constable Patrol Update

Precinct One Constable Wesley Hurt made his first appearance at this meeting. Constable Hurt is our new afternoon shift constable. His previous experience includes assignments in River Oaks and Houston Heights. With respect to some of our traffic concerns, he noted that Constables can write traffic tickets.

He further warned about issues of identity theft and fraud. He described how some people where receiving phone calls from people posing as police. They claimed to be following up on a neighbor having missed a jury duty. They claimed the neighbor could pay the fine by issuing a payment using Google Play cards or Apple cards. This is plainly fraudulent! For such issues, law enforcement will only reach out to you via certified mail.

Home Tour 2026 Wrap

Louise Moss presented a summary of the results from the 2026 edition of the WHCA Home Tour. The statistics of the event are as follows:

  • 132 Volunteers (could have used 14 more!)

    • 17 florists

    • 16 committee members

    • 7 house captains

  • 560-806 go through the homes, 

  • 26 sponsors (raised $20k)

  • Ticket sales generated $30k

  • Net proceeds = $41k (!)

The next Home Tour will be in 2028.

Q&A

The meeting ended with an animated Q&A session. One issue stands out from that discussion. Karen Webster asked about the possibility of reducing the speed limit in the neighborhood from 30 MPH to 25 MPH. This had been considered some years ago, but at the time state law prohibited such action.

Karen noted a pair of 2025 state bills known as the “Safe Neighborhoods Streets Law.” Here’s an overview presented by the Chronicle. We promised to investigate further.

At the time of their introduction, some news outlets wrongly presented these bills as already being enacted into law. A quick check of the Bill Tracker revealed that both bills died in committee during the last session.

That means the effort will need to be revisited in the next session of the TX legislature.

Toward a More Social Neighborhood

WHCA by laws mandate that we have meetings. And we certainly try to make them useful and informative. But formal meetings alone can be tiresome. So, on Tuesday April 28th we held a “social” at EZ’s Liquor Lounge on White Oak Drive.

This more informal event presented an opportunity for neighbors to engage in conversation over a pint or cocktail. Around two dozen neighbors came out to the event, basically taking over EZ’s back patio for a couple of hours. It was certainly a good time. Also, a great way to ingratiate ourselves with one of the most recent new sponsors of Lights in the Heights.

The WHCA LITH Bash date has been set, so mark your calendars! /  by Woodland Heights Civic Association

The WHCA LITH Bash date has been set, so mark your calendars!

We are excited to host this year's event at the Historic Heights Fire Station again and look forward to filling the venue with friends of WHCA.

The LITH Bash fundraiser helps cover the costs associated with putting on Lights in the Heights each December. Your support helps WHCA continue one of the most beloved holiday traditions in our neighborhood and beyond.

Be on the lookout for more details on this annual event, ways you can contribute, and information on event tickets.

Nikki Hanley
LITH Bash Chair

Mrs. Garrison: Nurse Cat, Retired /  by Guest User

Hi, my name is Mrs. Garrison: "Mrs. G" or "Garrison" for short. (Yes, my people love "South Park".) I began my life in early 2005 in the Woodland Terrace community as a feral kitten with my siblings and mama in the old garage rafter storage space.

My people discovered us because of their sweet chihuahua who insisted she heard us hiding in the garage rafters. I know they meant well by bringing us down one by one into a soft, covered bed. But mama wasn't so sure and quickly moved us back. She did compromise and allowed them to feed us as long as it was in the place she selected.

All of us are jet black (classic Halloween) cats and we grew up safe and secure in our garage home. Sometime after all of us had grown enough to be independent, mama said goodbye and moved away, because she knew our people would feed and care for us. But before that we (mama too) were kidnapped while sleeping and taken somewhere where masked people performed unspeakable medical experiments on us! After a time, however, we all healed and continued our lives as young cats.

My brother and sisters liked to roam and explore a bit, initially never too far from home. I, however, was very content with staying very close to the patio and back yard. I've always felt safe here, and it is rare for mean cats to bother or hurt me so close to my people's back door.

One by one my siblings disappeared and never returned. And I can only assume they found places to stay that they liked better. I, however, decided I would stay indefinitely. Hey the meals are great and well-timed, my bed is soft and clean, in the summer they run the ceiling fan, and in the winter they set up my electric heater (and sometimes light the fireplace). It isn't unusual on real cold winter nights that some of my neighbor friends spend the night with me: a cat slumber party. When a nice large electric blanket is often set down as a pallet.

Throughout the year I even get occasional evening visits from my friends, the opossums and raccoons who like to eat my dinner leftovers.

My people refer to me as a peaceful mellow soul and say I am even tempered. Don't like to hunt (why would I?) and I'm very content to just observe the comings and goings in my world. I don't let things bother me, as I truly live and let live. I am afraid of floods though, as a storm they called "Harvey" forced me to scurry up a tall plant trellis in the rain when my patio was covered with water. Lucky for me the nice lady I live with climbed a ladder and freed me from the dense vines in the trellis, after the water receded. I wasn't very gentle with her, but she understood, and she healed quickly.

As I mentioned some of my neighbors like to come and visit me on occasion. And this led to my career and vocation in life. Over the years as my neighbors (fellow cats) aged, I found that they spent more time at my home. Their people didn't abandon them; they just seemed to gravitate toward me and my place. So, I took care of them. Looking after them, walking with them when they became frail, hard of hearing, and had lost their vision. I always made sure I was inbetween them and the edge of the pool. As no cat likes to get wet; we are very poor swimmers! I had my people put extra bedding down plus food and water, so my guests/patients felt safe and comfortable as they aged.

Word must have gotten out because over the years I have cared for 4 or 5 older cats in this way. I never got upset or cross with them; I was just happy I could help.

I'm the old timer now, although my people seem to be a step slower as well if truth be told. I don't have the services of a "nurse cat" myself but my people do a decent job of caring for me. I'm fully retired from work; hey I'm 21 years old (100+ in cat years)! My hearing is extremely weak, and my vision now is very limited. But I get around just fine, as I know my territory like the back of my paw. I sleep a lot but what's wrong with that?

 Live and let live has always been my motto. Let it be yours, too.

Yard of the Month: Pat Walzel at 1117 Omar Street /  by Ryan Taylor

Pat Walzel has lived in her home off of Omar for 20 years. And even though she has no favorite plant they are all meaningful to her.
 
“Everything in my garden has a story and is meaningful to me.” Is how Pat Walzel describes her garden. “I have lots of milkweed because I have a Monarch butterfly house. I have released over 60 butterflies so far this year!”

Her local nursery is Buchanan’s Native Plants and her garden is filled with natives and flowering plants that attract birds butterflies and bees. When asked to list some of the blooms that fill her garden she responds,

“Many varieties of wildflowers, Texas Crag Lily, and Texas Star Hibiscus, Zinnias, petunias, pansies, gerbera daisies, gazanias, coleus, day lilies, amaryllis, bird of paradise, and Brachyscome” to name a few. She continues, ”My amaryllis were given to me by neighbors. Those amaryllis came from their mothers or grandmothers’ gardeners. I have 3 different varieties from these different neighbors.”

Though Pat claims to not have a favorite she does have a fondness for one particular species of plant, “I love day lilies. Actually, I have several types of lilies, day lilies, spider lilies, Easter lilies, tiger lilies, Lily of the Nile and rose lilies.”

But if you’re a weed watch out, “I Despise weeding but Love to plant. “I am in my garden first thing in the morning & last thing in the evening. I see God’s love for us in the garden.”
 
Pat says she’s honored to have her garden featured as Yard of the Month though her plan has always been the same.

“My main goal was to create a flowering garden. Something has to be flowering every season of the year. Camellias in the winter, Gardenias, orchid trees and red buds in the Spring. Crape Myrtle in the summer. Bottle brush & roses in the fall.”

Paws Up - For Milo! /  by Guest User

My name is Milo. The day everything changed I was about three months old. A  kind human found me wandering around Stude Park.

The first person who found me had dogs who weren’t happy to see me, so I ended up at a house with kids instead. In my opinion, those are the best kind of humans. I decided right then I liked this place.

At first, I heard them say things like, “We’ll keep him until his owner comes.” They took me on walks to see if anything was familiar, made signs and called places called “vets.”  After a few weeks, it was settled. I was home.

I learned quickly that the front yard is the best room in the house. That’s where the world passes by. Cars, bikes, and most importantly kids. Every afternoon, like clockwork, the elementary school nearby releases a flood of tiny humans full of energy. I sit proudly at my post, watching them go by. Sometimes they even stop to say hi or play chase along the fence with me.

Then the chickens came. At first, I thought they were very strange dogs. They don’t bark. They don’t fetch. They do dig in the dirt.  We came to an understanding. I quickly learned they are friends and not food.  We shared the yard and I helped protect them from hawks.  Sometimes I got to eat their eggs - that’s what I miss most now that they moved to a farm.

My favorite walk destination is down Houston Ave.  The first stop is where humans say “coffee,” but the best stuff is something called a “pup cup.” Cold. Sweet. Perfect. The other is Woodland Park. The best trails and smells are over there.

If you’re near my corner, stop to say hi.  My favorite mornings are when human and four legged friends stop by!

If you or your favorite pet—whether furry, gilled, feathered, or scaly—want to be featured in our monthly Paws Up, please send us your story. If your pet has a story to share, we’d love to receive that too.

Please email your story to communications@woodland-heights.org and use 'Paws Up Submission' as the subject line.

Houston Avenue Parkette - Centered /  by Estella Espinosa

An update ... while we were so very happy to see the entrance sign off of White Oark Drive and Houston Avenue repaired. We tried really hard to not count the tiles on the Heights portion of the sign, it had taken so long to repair we didn't want to complain to loudly.

Then on a trip back home I happened to come into the neighborhood via Houston Avenue from downtown and what did I spot ...but repair crews taking the lettering off the sign to make repairs! The architect had noticed what we had that the words Heights were not centered. So a crew was sent out to remove the off-center tiles and rework them to make sure they were centered. 

It's sometimes the little things that make a difference ... and we are so grateful someone noticed and came back to make the sign right!

Extra! Extra! WHCA Newsletters: Half in the Bag /  by Michael Graves

Greg Roche’s survey of the neighborhood is not yet complete, but very close. To date he was able to provide us a new total count of homes in Woodland Heights. He reports counting 1967 homes, that’s down from 2167. That old number likely goes back to a decade or more. Over the years, the trend is that older and smaller homes get knocked down to make way for much larger homes. There are blocks were we thought we’d deliver 8 newsletters in the past, but in 2026 we actually only need 4 or 5! We use this count to determine how many newsletters each newsletter volunteer is signing up to deliver and how many streets we need to cover.

On a related note, some of you might have noticed that the last two times we’ve distributed printed WHCA newsletters they arrived in a thin plastic bag. I say some, since this was an initiative that Stella Espinosa came up with. Given the rain in late November 2025, she decided to bag those newsletters that the two of us had signed up to distribute.

It turns out that the thin plastic bags that realtors sometimes use are quite cheap and readily available. While it takes a little extra effort to stuff the newsletters into bags, they provide a considerable number of advantages. They certainly keep the item from getting wet. Being clear plastic, it’s still obvious that the neighborhood newsletter is what’s inside.

The little hole at the top makes it fast and easy to hang the newsletter on a doorknob or fence. This is important since it’s actually illegal for volunteers to put them into your mailbox. That privilege is reserved for official USPS letter carriers alone.

The bags reduce the chance that a newsletter will fall to the ground, becoming litter. We think that’s worth the extra effort.

And while we're on the topic of newsletters, homes, and volunteers - please consider signing up to be a newsletter or door hanger volunteer when the next call goes out. We always appreciate the extra hands and feet from all our volunteer newsies!

May Member's Meeting WHCA - Election Update /  by Michael Graves

In recent years, the WHCA May Member's Meeting has been the time when the WHCA membership elects about half the board. Directors serve two-year terms, with half of the board changing each year. This provides some continuity. There are always a few people who have some experience to help those who are new.

At the May 2025 meeting, a handful of positions turned over. While a couple of Directors were returning, there were nominees running for other positions. Thus, we actually held an election to choose the new board members.

This year, four directors (including me) are coming to the end of their terms. Mindful of this, we have been calling for nominations since the start of the year. The call for nominees has been in the newsletter (since January), on our social media, and on the website.

We have received no nominations from eligible neighbors! This would be a cause for concern. However, on this occasion, all four board members whose terms are ending have agreed to stand for another term. Lacking any competition, they will be acclaimed. There's no need for an election.

To paraphrase an old song: Meet the new board, Same as the old board.

Given this reality, the 2026 May Member's Meeting will be a little different. We'll take the opportunity to discuss the state of the Civic Association and the neighborhood, and to have some Q&A. With luck, we'll introduce Constable Hurt, who is our new afternoon Constable.

Finally, we will be meeting at Zion Lutheran church. They have been undergoing some renovation that is not yet complete. The consequence of this is that we will be meeting in the smaller space they call the Chapel. 

Historic Concrete Street Markers And Sorry My Bad! /  by Michael Graves

For at least 80 years parts of Houston have been dotted with cast concrete street markers. You can see these historic markers all around Woodland Heights. Some are in good shape. Others quite degraded. Those that have had altercations with vehicles are in the worst shape.

Earlier this year, Ryan Taylor, WHCA Director of Beautification, began to explore how these markers are made. Initially, he intends to replace the one at corner of Michaux and Highland, near his home.

The process is quite slow. It will take some time to get it right. Elsewhere in the city people have been having them made. Rumor has it that they cost of over $2200 each in 2024.

OOPS! Sorry About That!

While this has been a point of discussion for some months, a recent incident may present an opportunity to try crafting new markers.

CenterPoint has a project that involves one of their contractors erecting new utility poles in the neighborhood. On the morning of Monday, April 13th this contractor was working to move one of these massive new poles into place. While navigating around the intersection of Woodland and Florence streets they accidentally knocked over one of the historic concrete street markers.

This accident was noted by a neighbor who took pictures, reported it to WHCA and collected the contractor’s details from the crew on-site. WHCA was later contacted by the company’s management, who are seeking to ascertain the cost of repair or replacement of the marker.

The situation is not yet resolved, but it appears that this incident may provide the funding that will allow Ryan to acquire the tools and supplies necessary to try making the markers.

Natural Gas System Improvements Continuing for CenterPoint Energy Customers in Woodland Heights /  by Guest User

The following was submitted by CenterPoint Energy in response to neighbors posting questions online about their activities in the neighborhood.

Photo Courtesy CenterPoint Energy

You may have noticed CenterPoint Energy crews working to upgrade the natural gas system that serves Woodland Heights and surrounding communities. This construction work is focused on replacing aging natural gas mainlines and service lines, a vital step in helping keep our energy delivery infrastructure safe, reliable and ready to serve the neighborhood for years to come.

These upgrades strengthen the integrity of the natural gas system, reduce the likelihood of unplanned outages and support growth in the area. The new infrastructure we’re installing helps enhance the safety and resiliency of our system as we continue providing the natural gas service we know our customers depend on.

Photo Courtesy CenterPoint Energy

Construction will continue to take place Monday through Saturday during daylight hours, and residents may see crews, equipment, traffic control signs, or partial lane closures while work is being performed in the area. In some cases, a temporary gas service interruption may be needed to safely connect the service lines connecting customers’ homes into the new pipeline system. When that happens, CenterPoint’s technicians will coordinate directly with affected customers and restore service as quickly as possible.