Newsletters

Hello & Happy New Year!
As we look towards the many opportunities for success that await us in the New Year, let’s not forget how far we’ve come in the last
12 months. 2012 was very productive for the Brays Oaks District in meeting many of the goals on the path to fulfilling our missions of business and economic development, environmental and  urban design, public safety and mobility and transportation.

To demonstrate our dedication to improving the quality of life in Brays Oaks, the District has lent its support to a variety of community initiatives, including scholarship programs, school supply drives, real estate and business forums, and sponsorship of “Music in the Park
and Movie Nights” at the Willow Waterhole Conservancy.

The District’s Business & Economic Development Committee drafted a Long Term Commercial Business Development Plan designed to retain and attract quality retail and office tenants. When fully implemented, the plan is expected to add value to commercial properties in the District. The first step – an inventory of all retail and office tenants – is underway.

We have also tested methodology for attracting quality retail store names by undertaking a comparative analysis of the three-mile trade area  around a potential site in the District and those surrounding two existing branded stores elsewhere in Southwest Houston. We have also performed a complete population, demographics and public transit analysis to support a Houston Community College Workforce Development Center in the District. The proposed new campus was one of three HCC Southwest College facilities included in the $425.0 million HCC bond referendum approved by voters  on November 6. When constructed, it is expected to have a major impact on economic development by making training in a variety of vocational fields available to high school graduates throughout the District. The District’s Environmental and Urban Design Committee made substantial improvements to the overall appearance and image of the community with beautiful new landscaping projects along major thoroughfares. This year, we also amended our Master Parks Plan to include those areas newly annexed into the District and successfully procured grant funding from the Fondren Foundation to develop trails along the Fondren Diversion Channel. In 2012 we began an evaluation process to explore possible ways to increase connectivity related to the city’s plan for development of green spaces and hike-and-bike trails along the city bayous. We also started planning to more fully develop recreational uses in our local parks. This plan will work in partnership with the City Park’s Department. Our partnership with the Harris County Attorney’s office made significant strides in  2012 to take action against businesses and apartment complexes that have allowed criminal activities on their premises to threaten the safety and well-being of the surrounding community. Our mobile surveillance cameras have also significantly reduced crime in hotspot areas. We are also proud of the fact that The Reserve at Creekbend  became the first multi-family housing complex in Brays Oaks to be awarded “Blue Star” status by the Houston Police Department.

In short, we’ve had a very good year in 2012 with much to celebrate and I’d like to invite you to join us as we build on the strengths of this wonderful community in 2013 and beyond.

Sincerely yours,

Etan Mirwis
Chairman,
Brays Oaks Management District Board of Directors
Hello & Happy New Year!

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Great things are happening in the Brays Oaks Management District this summer. The District created a public safety committee headed by our own board member, Starla Turnbo, whose background in real estate management should prove to be an asset as we work with apartment managers throughout the District. Statistics provided by the Houston Police Department show an overall downward trend in crime in our area. Specifically, there has been a dramatic drop in shoplifting incidents–by nearly a third over last year.

That means that our proactive efforts to improve public safety for both the residents and businesses are really paying off, but it doesn’t mean our work is done.

Simple improvements like additional lighting and trimming hedges can make a difference in the opportunity for criminal activity. The Management District is committed to finding creative ways to educate business owners on crime prevention.

In June, the Reserve at Creek Bend became the first Brays Oaks-area apartment complex to receive the Blue Star certification by the Houston Police Department, passing a rigid inspection by its Apartment Enforcement Unit. Attaining this designation is a first step toward a significant reduction in crime in the area, but it also can be a powerful attraction for prospective tenants.

Improving public safety is a key element in the District’s mission to provide a quality environment for both residents and business owners, and in fact, is critical to new business development.

There are also some new developments regarding new businesses opening up in the community.  It would be premature to discuss these before the ink is dry, so let’s keep the details under wraps until a future issue of this newsletter.

In the meantime, if you or your organization has good news to share, ideas worth developing, or if you just want to comment on what’s happening within the District, we’d love to hear from you.

Etan Mirwis
Chairman
Brays Oaks Management District Board of Directors

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Now in its seventh year of service to the Brays Oaks community, the District and its board of directors is proud of the many accomplishments it has made that contribute to a robust business environment and the quality of life. I would like point out two very specific ways we have made significant headway in the past seven years.

First, our Business and Economic Development Committee has been actively working to implement programs to stimulate investment and job creation in the district. We know that the growth of both new and existing businesses has the effect of generating positive interest in an area and attracting even more development.

Second, we are committed to promoting quality of life within Brays Oaks through the development of new green space and the preservation and maintenance of what we already have.

Recent studies have shown that the proximity of quality public green space has a positive impact on home values. Preserving the “green” aspect of the District is the focus of the Environmental and Urban Design Committee, composed of board members, business owners and community stakeholders.

Green is the color of both a healthy environment and economic prosperity––two of the many goals the Brays Oaks Management District pursues on behalf of the residents and businesses in the area. As always, your involvement in the process is welcomed and encouraged, and the board of directors is eager to hear your input.

Etan Mirwis
Chairman
Brays Oaks Management District Board of Directors

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2011 was another year of significant progress in the District in all of our service areas. Our seven year journey of District revitalization was most evident when we were notified that the Houston Association of Realtors (HAR) had agreed to our request to use our District boundaries as a distinct geographic area. Continue Reading »

In the first quarter we reported on a number of exciting on-going projects, one of which I am happy to share, is finally official. The District expansion bill was signed into law by the Governor in June. This expansion brings the remainder of the Braeburn Super Neighborhood and the entirety of the Westbury Subdivision into the District. Through this expansion we can enhance our redevelopment efforts in a much more systematic and comprehensive manner. Continue Reading »

February Newsletter