CITY OF HOUSTON MUNICIPAL COURTS DEPARTMENT EXTENDS COURT RESET PERIOD TO SPECIFIC SATURDAYS AT 1400 LUBBOCK AND ANNOUNCES JURY TRIALS AND JURY DUTY WILL RESUME OCTOBER 1, 2020

HOUSTON, Texas – The City of Houston Municipal Courts Department (MCD) is extending the court reset period for cases scheduled during the Stay Home, Work Safe Order. In an effort to comply with social distancing requirements, we will allow citizens additional time to get their cases reset. If your case was scheduled from March 16, 2020 through August 15, 2020, resets will be given in person only at the Herbert W. Gee Courthouse located at 1400 Lubbock on the following Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m:

• August 29, 2020
• September 5, 2020 (Closed-Labor Day Holiday)
• September 12, 2020
• September 19, 2020
• September 26, 2020

Following Mayor Sylvester Turner’s and CDC guidelines to protect the public and MCD staff from the spread of COVID-19, members of the public will be required to wear face masks/facial coverings and have their temperature taken. If the temperature is over 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit, the individual will not be allowed to enter the Municipal Courthouse. Members of the public should contact a health care provider and not come to court if they are experiencing symptoms similar to COVID-19. Once cleared by a physician, individuals may come to 1400 Lubbock to speak with an Annex Judge to reset a case. Please visit the Municipal Courts’ website at www.houstontx.gov/courts for continued updates on all court locations and hours of operation.

For additional announcements and updated information, please call the City of Houston Helpline at 3-1-1, or 713.837.0311 if outside of the City of Houston, or visit the Municipal Courts website at www.houstontx.gov/courts.

METRO has received confirmation a bus operator and a bus repairman have tested positive for COVID-19. This brings the total number of cases to 183 METRO employees and 51 contractors since March 2020. 

Eighty-four of the employees had no contact with the public. METRO tracks and reports all positive cases among its 4200 employees and the various contractors who provide services to METRO. We are also conducting temperature checks of employees and others before they begin their workday at METRO facilities or on our vehicles. 

The bus operator last worked Aug. 12 and in the two weeks prior, drove the following routes:

*The chart above reflects the days the operator was on duty two weeks prior to the last day on the job.

The bus repairman last worked Aug. 6 and had no contact with the public.

Anyone who comes in contact with an individual who tests positive should monitor themselves for possible symptoms, contact your health care provider as soon as you develop any symptoms, and self-isolate to avoid possibly exposing others, including refraining from using public transportation.

METRO is working with public health officials so they can identify and notify anyone who traveled the routes driven by the bus operator during those time frames as well as anyone else who may have been impacted by the latest positive cases.

Since mid-March, METRO has sought to minimize the likelihood of COVID-19 transmission by operators or passengers by encouraging social distancing. On March 23, the agency temporarily suspended collecting fares to avoid unnecessary contacts.  Shortly thereafter, orange mesh fencing was installed across the aisles of every local bus to assure appropriate distancing between operators and passengers.

More safety upgrades are also being added to ​buses, trains and METROLift vehicles. Operators and riders will now have access to hand sanitizer while on board and protective shields around drivers’ seats will provide another layer of separation between operators and the public. Operators and riders are required to wear a face covering while on the system.

We appreciate and greatly value our riders. We have taken many actions, including working with the community at large, to “flatten the curve” of COVID-19. To prevent or minimize its transmission on the transit system, METRO asks all riders to use the system only for essential trips at this time,  practice social distancing when you do ride transit (i.e., stand or sit at least 6 feet apart, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control, wash your hands for 20 seconds before boarding transit and after deboarding, cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze, or cough or sneeze into your elbow, avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands, and stay home if you are sick). Additionally, riders should stand or sit no closer than six feet behind the driver. 

METRO’s number one priority is protecting the health and safety of our customers, community and employees.

HOUSTON –  Mayor Sylvester Turner today reminded Houstonians – residents and landlords – about the City’s rental assistance program to help those experiencing financial challenges as a result of COVID-19.

Beginning today through Wednesday, August 26, landlords can register their properties online to participate in the program administered by BakerRipley.

 “People simply need help, and we want to do everything we can to provide them with some help until we can get through the COVID-19 crisis,” Mayor Sylvester Turner said. 

The $20 million City of Houston program is funded with $15 million from the CaresAct and $5 million private donations. Mayor Turner thanks the Houston Endowment ($2 million), United Way/Greater Houston Community Foundation COVID-19 Relief Fund ( $1 million), McNair Foundation ($1 million) and the Kinder Foundation-($1 million) for their generous support during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Tenants may enroll beginning Monday, August 24, to be eligible for up to  $2,112 rental assistance. For more information visit HoustonRentAssistance.org or or call 832-390-2018.

BakerRipley is responsible for application intake, review and approval of tenant applications, and payment processing.

METRO has received confirmation a METRO police officer has tested positive for COVID-19.  This brings the total number of cases to 181 METRO employees and 51 contractors since March 2020.

Eighty-three of the employees had no contact with the public. METRO tracks and reports all positive cases among its 4200 employees and the various contractors who provide services to METRO. We are also conducting temperature checks of employees and others before they begin their workday at METRO facilities or on our vehicles. 

The officer worked in the investigative division, and in the two weeks prior to testing positive, was on duty July 30, 31, and Aug. 1 – 6.

Anyone who comes in contact with an individual who tests positive should monitor themselves for possible symptoms, contact your health care provider as soon as you develop any symptoms, and self-isolate to avoid possibly exposing others, including refraining from using public transportation.

METRO is working with public health officials so they can identify and notify anyone who may have been impacted by the latest positive case.

Since mid-March, METRO has sought to minimize the likelihood of COVID-19 transmission by operators or passengers by encouraging social distancing.  On March 23, the agency temporarily suspended collecting fares to avoid unnecessary contacts.  Shortly thereafter, orange mesh fencing was installed across the aisles of every local bus to assure appropriate distancing between operators and passengers.

More safety upgrades are also being added to ​buses, trains and METROLift vehicles. Operators and riders will now have access to hand sanitizer while on board and protective shields around drivers’ seats will provide another layer of separation between operators and riders.  

We appreciate and greatly value our riders. We have taken many actions, including working with the community at large, to “flatten the curve” of COVID-19. To prevent or minimize its transmission on the transit system, METRO asks all riders to use the system only for essential trips at this time, wear a facial covering while riding the system, practice social distancing when you do ride transit (i.e., stand or sit at least 6 feet apart, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control, wash your hands for 20 seconds before boarding transit and after deboarding, cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze, or cough or sneeze into your elbow, avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands, and stay home if you are sick). Additionally, riders should board buses only from the back door, and stand or sit no closer than six feet behind the driver. 

METRO’s number one priority is protecting the health and safety of our customers, community and employees.

The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO) is the region’s largest public transit provider, offering safe, reliable and affordable transportation services about 370,000 times per day. Besides operating more than 1,200 buses on METRO’s network, METRORail‘s system includes the Red Line (Main Street and Northline), Green Line (East End) and Purple Line (Southeast). METRO’s services also include: STAR Vanpool, METROLift, HOV/HOT lanes, Bike & Ride program, Park & Ride, and road improvement projects. Learn more about METRO services at ridemetro.org where you will also find useful tools like the RideMETRO app where you can plan your trip and even pay your fare from your phone

HOUSTON – The City of Houston is addressing public health risks associated with homeless encampments during the COVID-19 pandemic, Mayor Sylvester Turner announced today during a tour of a cleanup at Bellfort and the Gulf Freeway. 

Councilman Robert Gallegos, Solid Waste Director Harry Hayes, and Marc Eichenbaum, director of the mayor’s homeless initiatives, joined the mayor to observe workers collect and remove trash from the underpass.

Since April, the Solid Waste Management Division has worked with city council members and community groups to identify locations and conduct weekly debris removal of more than 70 sites around freeway underpasses and other infrastructure. 

On June 17, the city council approved the purchase of special COVID cleaning equipment, including six pickup trucks/trailer combinations and two rear loaders for heavy material.
The COVID-19 cleaning consists of removing trash, shopping carts, abandoned furniture, and power washing areas, to protect the community’s health and safety. 

The mayor stressed that all COVID-19 cleanups follow the Centers for Disease Control guidelines, and SWMD employees respect the personal property of people living in the homeless encampments. 

“Our crews have been out here talking to the people living in the encampments. They know we are not just trying to move them just for the sake of moving them,” Mayor Sylvester Turner said. “We want to treat them with the dignity and respect they rightfully deserve. Just because you are homeless doesn’t mean you need to be living in unsanitary conditions.”

“Managing public health while mitigating community spread of COVID-19 is a critical pandemic response mission of the Solid Waste Management Department.  Our workers understand the importance of their role and duties to maintain a safe and healthy city for all residents, regardless of their life status,” said Solid Waster Director Harry Hayes.”Just as in other disaster response and recovery missions, Solid Waste Management employees are on the front line providing critical public services.”

“Improving the sanitation at these locations is just part of our multi-prong response to prevent the communal spread of COVID-19 within and outside of our at-risk, homeless population, including the distribution of masks and sanitation supplies, placement of handwashing stations, a specialized homeless testing program, and an overnight facility for those who need to quarantine or isolate and lack the means to do so,” said Marc Eichenbaum, Special Assistant to the Mayor for Homeless Initiatives.

The City plans to continue the COVID-19 cleanups through the end of the year. However, Mayor Turner stressed that his primary goal is to provide permanent housing for people living on Houston streets. 

“Over a month ago, we announced a $65 million partnership with the county to house about 5,000 people over the next two years. We plan to transition some of the homeless people on our streets now and put them into permanent supportive housing,” said Mayor Turner.