Hurricane Information on the Web
The latest official hurricane information and warnings is available on the National Hurricane Center Web stie at: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/
There are also many other informative sites that can be useful to provide even broader information. One such site is the Bear Paws
Weather page located at: http://www.bearpawsweather.com/tropical/ Although NOT an official forecast page, this page collects a very
broad gathering of information and links to weather sites.
Huntwick Apartments
The Huntwick Apartments have been sold and the complex has a new name: Providence at Champions. Providence is owned by
Triumph Land and Capital out of the Dallas area and managed by Myan Management Group. Triumph’s group took over the Huntwick
complex on July 1, 2008, and generally holds on to their developments for 3-5 years. According to Myan Regional vice-president, Vicki
Burd, every effort is being made to make these apartments an asset to the FM 1960 Community. Of the 288 apartment units, 14% are
currently occupied with 15-20 more units’ move-in-ready. 85% of the exterior repairs and 30% of the interior repairs are complete. The
projected date of July 2009 is when 100% of exterior and interior work is to be completed. Ms. Burd stated that approximately $15,000
per unit is being spent to bring this complex up to Triumph’s standard. All new kitchen appliances are being provided for each unit. A
new full service fitness center and a resort style pool are show stoppers. The folks at Providence want so much to be a good neighbor.
Vickie Burd stated that,” This is the worst property I have ever seen. The job has been very difficult, but we are making progress and
would like to invite Huntwick residents to stop by and let our staff show you around.” Security is still being furnished by Harris County
Sheriff’s Department.
Hurricane Season
Hurricane season is officially from June 1st through November 30th. Harris County Flood Control advises everyone who lives in Harris
County to get flood insurance on their property. Flood insurance is a separate insurance policy. Your homeowner's policy does NOT
cover damage done by rising water. You can buy a separate policy to cover most types of flooding from the National Insurance Program.
Call NFIP at 800-427-4661 or visit the website at www.floodsmart.gov to gather information and/or purchase flood insurance on your
property. Remember: The majority of homes flooded during Allison were in no flood plan.
Klein Soccer Club
The Fall season for the Klein Soccer Club begins September 13th - registration will open soon. Registration forms can be picked up at
the office located at Meyer Park (on Cypresswood between Steubner Airline and Champion Forest) or registration is available online at
the club Web site: www.kleinsoccerclub.org. Any child born between August 1, 1989 and August 31, 2005 is eligible to play. New
players will need to bring a birth certificate to the Klein office. Office hours are 4:00-7:00 p.m. Monday through Friday beginning July
21st (prior to that, due to summer hours, the office will be staffed Wednesdays 5:30-7:00 p.m.). Fees include a full uniform for all ages,
and the new pre-K and kindergarten players receive a ball and shin guards.
Pre-K and kindergarten soccer is played under a modified set of rules. The teams play 3-a-side with no goalie. It is an opportunity for
the children to learn about soccer and have a lot of fun. The teams are coed. This is also a good time to ease parents who don't know
anything about soccer into this fast growing sport.
All-boy and all-girl teams are formed from 1st grade to 10th grade. Teams are formed by subdivision and school. Games are played on
Saturdays for boy and girl teams through the 8th grade. High school age boy and girl teams play on Sunday afternoons. Technique-
training sessions are available to players 1st grade and up. The sessions are led by professional trainers and focus on improving
individual skills.
High school students interested in a little exercise and meeting some new people can join a coed team. You may also register as a
group.
For information call 281-320-2211, e-mail to kleinsoccer@sbcglobal.net, or visit the Klein Soccer Web site.
Homeowner's Insurance
The Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) offers a useful tool on its website to help consumers compare rates for new homeowner's
policies at www.tdi.state.tx.us Search for Homeowner's Insurance Price Comparison. This tool breaks down several different types of
houses and codes them based on their age. Select Houston (city we reside), and it will give you the rates of many different insurance
companies; however, it does not list all insurance companies, but enough to verify whether one is paying a fair price for coverage. It also
grades each company and scores its complaint data with TDI. You might be surprised at how different the rates vary among companies!
Remember that insurance companies factor consumers' credit scores into their equations, so make sure you do not have any inaccurate
data on your credit report. You can order a free copy of your credit report at www.annualcreditreport.com This will help in challenging
any inaccuracies affecting the total cost of your insurance.
Urban Planning for FM1960
Renaissance FM 1960 is opening up an office in the Northwood Professional Building in front of the Houston NW Medical Center. The
Board has approved the hiring of Joe Webb Architects to provide Urban Planning. Forthcoming annoucements on the public meetings
which will be a big part of the Urban Planning process will be posted when made available.
A planning workshop was held on May 17th to offer input for a "Master Plan and Urban Design" document for the revitalization of
FM1960. Neighborhoods joined together with community leaders to identify what we want FM 1960 to be. Identification of strengths,
weaknesses, resources, threats, and opportunities in the 1960 area along the nine-mile corridor that extends from I-45 to Hwy. 249 were
addressed. The master plan will only incorporate a segment of the nine-mile, and our particular group suggested the boundaries extend
from Olde Oaks to Champions Drive. This suggestion will be considered when a decision for the exact location of the Master Plan is
made. The major concerns are crime, traffic, and businesses in decline along with slum landlords. When considering the resources of
our area the group came to the conclusion that the FM 1960 area is no longer an appendage of Houston, but a viable community that
can and does stand on its own. We have arts, businesses, medical, education, places of worship and recreation. Cypress Creek is an
untapped source for future development and can be incorporated into the general big picture. The presentation of the final report is to be
given at a public planning session in late summer 2008.
The larger funding for the Master Plan/Urban Design sponsored by the Renaissance 1960 could be implemented by a management
district for 1960, if approved by the governor. This document will be presented to the 2009 Texas Legislature. This will be the third
attempt at getting a management district for the 1960 area. The management district would provide a method to raise money, through
an assessment on commercial property, to carry out improvement projects in the 1960 area. This joint community effort was launched
by the NW Chamber of Commerce, various area organizations, and Renaissance 1960.
YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE starting TODAY!! Get involved. To find out more information, go to www.renaissance1960.org . Act
now and help make a difference.
Current priority projects are under review, including those with immediate visual impact such as:
(1) New street name signs with block numbers;
(2) working with FM 1960 business property owners to prominently display addresses; and
(3) sign blight along with Bandit sign education/Reporting process; and
(4) Graffiti Abatement.
FM1960 Median Work
DID YOU KNOW?: The road construction of medians planned by TX DOT extending along FM 1960 from I 45 to Mills Road is presently
scheduled to begin at the end of 2009 and be completed in 2011. You may remember in an earlier report that TXDOT did an Accident
Management Study in 2004 on the safety and mobility on FM 1960 and the results of the study showed that the accident rate along this
corridor was the highest in Harris County and that the area near I 45 and FM 1960 has the highest accident rate in the entire state---thus
a decision was made to install medians. Normally these would be gray medians—huge slabs of concrete, but they could be green with
landscaping that meets TX DOT standards. Barbara Schlattman is heading up a committee within NW Chamber of Commerce to
promote green medians along FM 1960. Barbara and her committee have hired an approved landscaper to submit plans to TX DOT for
their approval. Barbara welcomes constructive input toward working with TXDOT”S decision to place the medians along FM 1960 into
green medians, which will increase property values of businesses and home owners and help to revitalize the FM 1960 corridor. Barbara
Schlattman can be emailed at: bschlattman@mindspring.com
Your help is needed to help make our medians green. CLICK HERE to view the Green Medians flier and to learn ways that you can
help.
Habitat for Humanity Development in Our Area
19+ acres of land has been purchased at the intersection of Bammel-North Houston and Champions Forest and West Richey Road to
be used as a building site for 90-100 homes to be built by Habitat for Humanity - Northwest Harris County. This acreage is back of
Greenwood Forest (old Safeway Store). Harris County Community and Economic Development is contributing $1,060,600 to this
project. Habitat NW Harris County 's goal is to start construction on the infrastructure in March, 2008 and with hopes of completing the
work in four years. There is currently a public comment period through March 4, 2008. Comments can be emailed to Mayra Guevara
(mayra_guevara@hctx.net) or mailed directly to the director, David Durkel, at 8410 Lantern Point Drive, Houston, Texas 77054. Patricia
Harless, Debbie Riddle, and Dan Patrick are additional contacts. Public comments will definitely be taken into account. This 90-100
home development will be called Hamill Ranch.
Bandit Signs
DID YOU KNOW?: That signs (see new signs every week) such as advertising for a lost pet, maid service, garage sale in the public
right-of-way in Huntwick, which includes esplanades, street and stop signs, telephone poles, any area around the club house and Donut
Lake and at ALL entrances to our subdivision are called BANDIT SIGNS AND ARE ILLEGAL without a permit from the City of Houston
and permission of the landowner. You must have both. BANDIT SIGNS are subject to fines of $500-to- $1000. Remember signs placed
on your property as long as they comply with the Deed Restrictions for Huntwick are legal.
Lost Pet Scam
DID YOU KNOW?: That a scam has been detected and is on the rise in the FM 1960 area by the Crime Awareness Committee for
Renaissance 1960 concerning lost pets and rewards. It goes like this: A pet is missing and the owner offers a reward for the pet’s
return. The pet is returned and the reward is given. The catch is that the thief steals the pet in hopes of the owner giving a reward,
drives away and spots a new victim to repeat the thief/reward scenario. Here is what you are to do if your pet is stolen:
1. File a lost or stolen property report with the sheriff’s department so that you have something on file.
2. Pay the individual who returns your pet with a CHECK, never pay with cash.
3. Record the license plate number when a reward is given along with the name and address of the person returning the pet and turn
this information over to Ken Smith, our security coordinator.
Watch Out for Snakes!
DID YOU KNOW?: That snakes are out. When you plan to work in your flower beds, proceed with caution. Huntwick has harmless
snakes such as the common grass snake and ribbon snake, but also is home to the copper head rattler and other poisonous snakes.
Snakes seem to enjoy the lush vegetation of flower beds
The FM1960 Challenge
A slogan is gaining momentum in the FM 1960 Corridor called "TAKE THE 1960 CHALLENGE". This slogan is geared at our local
businesses and is asking that each place of business take 19 minutes out of the first 60 minutes of each day to clean up the exterior of
their business in an effort to revitalize FM 1960. You, the consumer have great influence and can voice your approval if the business is
making an effort or voice your concern if no attempt has been made to improve the business exterior.
Houston Area Apartment Ratings
DID YOU KNOW?: If you want to find out how former and present residents of the apartments in our area rate their complexes, go to
www.apartmentratings.com/rate/TX-Houston- xxx ( where the xxxx's are place the apartment name). Some of the apartments in our
immediate area are: Huntwick, Sendera Champion Forest, which was formerly Greenwood, Copper Oak Creek, Champion Oaks,
Brookfield, Trophy Club, Waterman Crossing, and Retreat at Champions, formerly Gables Champions.
Harris County Appraised Home Values
DID YOU KNOW?: If you did not agree with the value set by Harris County Appraisal District on your home and you filed a protest, you
can go online and find out the status of your protest--long before the mail comes. It is a simple procedure:
1. Go online to the Internet or Google and pull up www.hcad.org You will get HCAD's home page.
2. Put in your account # (found in the upper right hand corner of your appraisal notice) or your home address.
3. When your personal information data is revealed, go about 1/3 of the way down to VALUE STATUS INFORMATION -- in the space
below you will have the information you are looking for -- such as protest received, or the date scheduled for your protest hearing.
Good luck!
Flooding
DID YOU KNOW?: 95% of the flooding in Harris County is from water 'pooling' in the streets. Pooling occurs when the rain is so heavy
that the streets have no time to drain and the runoff has no place to go. Even though we have had much rain in the past two months, with
the current severe heat, the ocean waters are going to heat up faster and reach much higher temperatures, which in turn will encourage
the development of hurricanes. Flood insurance is an option in some respects, however in Harris County it is a necessity. The wait
period after sign-up is 30 days. I encourage each homeowner to give some very serious thought to applying and getting coverage of flood
insurance. We are all aware that our home owners insurance does not cover flooding streets that could spill over into our homes. ACT
NOW!
Water District Information
Ever wonder about the different types of water districts and their roles? CLICK HERE to check out this informative
guide to water districts.
Cypress Creek Cultural District
Please visit the web site of the Cypress Creek Cultural District. The District will provide facilitation and advocacy for the Cypress
Creek/FM 1960 area to support the arts and to promote the expansion of those venues and the addition of new venues. The cultural
assets in our community are growing so visit the site often to learn about that progress and the new opportunities: “We see art in nature
and will support the expansion of our creator’s art.”
The district intends to:
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