Councilmember Carolyn Evans-Shabazz

A brighter and safer Columbia Tap Trail is becoming a reality.

This week marked the beginning of Phase 1 of the Columbia Tap Trail Lighting Project, bringing the first 50 solar-powered lights to one of Houston’s most historic and heavily traveled community corridors. More than 300 lights are planned along the trail as part of a larger effort to improve safety, accessibility, and connectivity for everyone who uses this important pathway.

The Columbia Tap Trail is more than a trail. It connects neighborhoods, schools, parks, small businesses, transit, and cultural destinations throughout our community. Every day, residents, students, workers, cyclists, runners, and families rely on this corridor to move through the heart of the District of Destination.

For years, our office has advocated for improvements that would make this trail safer and more welcoming. These new lights represent a major investment in public safety and quality of life, while helping prepare Houston to welcome visitors from around the world during FIFA World Cup 2026. More importantly, these improvements will continue serving our community long after the final match is played.

This is just the beginning. Future phases will include additional lighting, safety call boxes, improved signage, and other enhancements designed to strengthen this historic corridor for generations to come.

Thank you to Mayor John Whitmire, Council Member Joaquin Martinez, the Houston Police Department for their continued presence and commitment to public safety along the corridor, Friends of Columbia Tap for their advocacy and dedication to the trail, the Greater Southeast Management District, East Downtown Management District, Houston-Galveston Area Council, Federal Transit Administration, and all of our partners who helped move this important project forward.

Together, we are building a safer, more connected, and more vibrant Columbia Tap Trail for residents and visitors alike.

Join us for an important District D Community Budget & City Services Town Hall.

This is an opportunity for residents, civic leaders, and community stakeholders to come together for a meaningful conversation about city services, the proposed Solid Waste Admin Fee, illegal dumping, neighborhood concerns, and the continued progress happening across District D.

These conversations are about making sure our neighborhoods stay informed, our concerns are heard, and our community remains at the center of the decisions that impact our quality of life.

📍 Town Hall #1
Tuesday, June 2 | 6:30 p.m.
Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church
3015 N. MacGregor Way

📍 Town Hall #2
Wednesday, June 3 | 6:30 p.m.
Sunnyside Multi-Service Center
4410 Reed Road

Join us, bring your questions, and be part of the conversation as we continue working together to build cleaner, safer, and stronger neighborhoods throughout District D — the District of Destination.

Thank you to the Harris County District Attorney’s Office for hosting an important and necessary Third Ward Community Public Safety Meeting.

This gathering created space for residents, parents, youth advocates, faith leaders, law enforcement, and community organizations to speak honestly about the safety concerns impacting Third Ward and the solutions we must build together.

Thank you to District Attorney Sean Teare and his entire team, including the prosecutors and representatives who came into the community to listen, engage, and answer questions directly from residents. We also appreciate Chief J. Noe Diaz, Constable Smokie Phillips, the more than 20 officers in attendance, and our many public safety partners for being present and engaged.

Organizations like Harris County Gang Prevention, Pure Justice, OG One, and many others also provided meaningful insight on what is happening with our youth and what prevention, intervention, mentorship, and accountability must look like on the ground.

Our office is not starting from zero. Safety investments are already underway, including more than 50 solar lights being installed along the Columbia Tap Trail, ongoing work toward additional cameras around the Columbia Tap Trail, Riverside, and Mills Bennett Park, and $350,000 allocated through the TIRZ and Management District for HPD overtime to address peak activity times in our corridors.

These investments will not cease. We will continue working to bring resources, partnerships, and funding to the table to help create a safer, stronger, and more united Third Ward and District D.

Gangs, violence, and tragic incidents have heightened across our area, and we are going to do everything possible to address them head on. Public safety is about enforcement, but it is also about prevention, opportunity, visibility, partnership, and making sure our young people see a future beyond violence and the streets.

To every resident who showed up, especially on Election Day, thank you. Your voices were heard, and your commitment to Third Ward and District D was seen.

The conversations will continue. The partnerships will continue. The action will continue.

Third Ward, your voice matters.

Join us for an important Community Public Safety Discussion focused on hearing directly from our officials and residents on working together for community led solutions to address the issues of crime and community safety.

This is a welcoming space for neighbors, leaders, and public safety partners to come together, share concerns, ask questions, and strengthen the collaboration needed to keep our community safe.

Thank you to the Harris County District Attorney’s Office for hosting this important conversation, and to our partners with the Houston Police Department, Constable Smokie Phillips’ Office, the Department of Neighborhoods, and all who continue to stand for public safety.

Public safety is serious work, but it is work we must do together. We hope to see you there.

📍 Third Ward Multi-Service Center
3611 Ennis St.
📅 Tuesday, May 26, 2026
⏰ 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Major improvements are on the way for the Columbia Tap Trail.

I am excited to share that, ahead of the World Cup, 50 new lights will be installed along the trail, with more lighting enhancements to come. This investment represents a meaningful step forward for public safety, mobility, and quality of life along one of Houston’s most important community corridors.

The Columbia Tap Trail is not just a pathway. It serves as a vital connection between neighborhoods, schools, parks, small businesses, transit, and cultural destinations across our community. Adding better lighting will help make the trail safer, more accessible, and more inviting for the residents, families, students, workers, and visitors who use it every day.

This project is a strong example of what can happen when partners come together with a shared focus on community-centered progress. I want to thank the Greater Southeast Management District, East Downtown Management District, Council Member Joaquin Martinez, the City of Houston, Mayor John Whitmire, the Houston-Galveston Area Council, and the Federal Transit Administration for their work in helping advance this important effort.

We also thank Friends of Columbia Tap for sharing community feedback that helped inform safety and visibility improvements along the trail.

A safer, brighter, and more connected Columbia Tap Trail is coming soon.

What a profound and meaningful moment it was earlier today to stand alongside Mayor Whitmire, my fellow council members, and so many others in celebrating the unveiling of Terminal E at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in honor of my dear friend, line sister, and congresswoman, the late Sheila Jackson Lee.

This recognition is a fitting tribute to a woman whose life’s work extended far beyond Houston, far beyond Texas, and far beyond the walls of Congress. Congresswoman Jackson Lee was a global advocate, a fearless public servant, and a voice for those too often unheard. Her impact was felt in communities across the world, and now, every traveler who passes through Terminal E will be reminded of her extraordinary legacy.

To witness this outpouring of love, respect, and gratitude was truly an honor. Her name will continue to live on in one of Houston’s most important gateways to the world, ensuring that her service, advocacy, and unwavering commitment to people will never be forgotten.

The youth of Houston are in great hands, and last night was a beautiful reminder of that.

At the “Our City, Our Voice” Town Hall hosted by the Mayors Office of Education & Youth Engagement, the energy, engagement, and insight from our young people was truly inspiring.

I was grateful for the opportunity to share my experience serving as a City Council Member alongside my colleagues, Council Member Flickinger, Council Member Martinez, and Council Member Pollard. But even more importantly, we had the opportunity to listen.

From education and civil service to community organizing, environmental justice, mental health, and the power of mobilizing together, our youth led meaningful conversations about the issues that matter most to them and the future they want to help build.

The next generation of leaders is bright, bold, thoughtful, and ready. That was on full display last night in the Legacy Room.

Thank you to every young person who showed up, spoke up, and reminded us that the future of our city is in great hands.

Harris County Constable Precinct 7, led by Constable James “Smokie” Phillips, is launching the Constable Citizen Academy this June, an outstanding opportunity for the community to get engaged, informed, and connected.

This nine week program is more than just a course. It is a meaningful investment in the people of Precinct 7. By opening the doors to residents, the academy creates a space for learning, dialogue, and partnership, allowing community members to gain firsthand insight into how the Constable’s Office operates, protects, and serves.

Participants will explore key areas such as public safety, patrol operations, and community programs, while building stronger relationships with the men and women who work every day to keep our neighborhoods safe. Initiatives like this are critical in strengthening trust, increasing transparency, and empowering residents to take an active role in the safety and well being of their communities.

The Constable Citizen Academy is open to Harris County Precinct 7 residents and property owners on a first come, first served basis. Sessions will be held every Thursday from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m., beginning June 4, 2026, and concluding July 30, 2026.

Register at: https://constableprecinct7cca.as.me
Link is in bio.

For questions, please contact Captain James Hayes at [email protected]
or 713-274-3561.

For questions, please contact Captain James Hayes at [email protected]
or 713-274-3561.

Our city is stronger when our young people are heard, valued, and engaged.

I invite you to join me, Mayor John Whitmire, and my fellow Council Members for Our City, Our Voice: A Youth Town Hall. A wonderful opportunity for young Houstonians to hear directly from their elected officials, ask questions, and learn how they can make an impact in their communities.

Youth voices matter in local government, and this conversation is all about empowering the next generation of leaders to speak up, get involved, and help shape the future of Houston.

📅 May 12
⏰ 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
📍 City Hall, Legacy Room
901 Bagby, Houston, TX 77002

Scan the QR code to RSVP. We hope to see you there!