Jacinto City Police Department Facility

City of Jacinto City

1301 Mercury Drive

Jacinto City, TX 77029

$ 3,515,626

The new Jacinto City police department will create a place centrally located on the eastside of the Greater Houston area for all emergency organizations to meet and strategize during any type of emergency and homeland security related issue. It will be located in an area where all communities on the eastside of Houston can quickly get assistance for emergencies or solutions for shelter and temporary assistance. Its close proximity will serve the thousands of travelers and commuters who travel Interstate 10 and need any assistance twenty four hours a day. Finally, although there are many other reasons for this great project to be completed, the facility will be a safe haven place for any person who is in immediate need of Police emergency services in the east Houston area.

The Southwest Public Safety Technology Center - Control, Command and Interoperability Laboratory and Test Bed Facility

The University of Houston System

1005 Congress Ave., Suite 820

Austin, TX 78701

$ 3,000,000

This project will create solutions directly applicable to the needs of the Gulf Coast while creating the environment for industrial development that will promote economic development in the region.  Port security and recovery during natural disasters are of special concern to Houston during natural disasters, such as Tropical Storm Allison and Hurricane Ike, and this project will address the needs of law enforcement and first responders during those times by creating an integrated command center.

 Forensic DNA Backlog Reduction

City of Houston, TX

1200 Travis Street

Houston, TX 77002

$ 5,700,000

Houston Police Department will purchase laboratory equipment and hire personnel to analyze DNA samples.  The HPD crime laboratory forensic biology provides support to city and county police in analyzing evidence for the apprehension and prosecution of sexual assaults, burglaries and homicides.  Federal funding will help reduce the backlog as well as provide the resources for the laboratory to expand testing in response to Harris County’s policy of analyzing all potential probative evidence before suspects are brought to trail and the HPD’s need to utilize DNA analysis in the investigation of the large volume of property crimes committed in the city.

Ballistic Imaging, Equipment, and Training Program

City of Houston, TX

1200 Travis Street

Houston, TX 77002

$ 189,000

This funding will be used to hire staff and purchase equipment to allow for improved ballistic imaging, and has the potential to aid in the arrest and prosecution of gun crime in the City and throughout the region.  With the increased staff and funding for overtime, along with the equipment purchases, it is anticipated that an estimated 3,500- 4,000 specimens will be processed in the imaging program over the life of the grant.  

YMCA Apartment Outreach Program

YMCA of Greater Houston

10960 North Freeway

Houston, TX 77037

$500,000

The services offered through the Apartment Outreach Program include English as a second language, job readiness, health and wellness, children's activities, tutoring, neighborhood watches, day camps, GED preparation, computer training, teen programs, youth sports, immunizations, free tax preparation and life skill workshops. The YMCA of Greater Houston’s implementation of the YMCA Apartment Outreach Program in 5 apartment complex sites would include a strong presence in the 29th Congressional District underserved communities.

The Juvenile Justice Initiative

HoustonWorks USA

2118 Smith Street

Houston, TX 77002

$2,000,000

This program will support the national agenda to build a strong workforce by capitalizing on all human resources, including those who are currently in the juvenile justice system or have been in the past. Additionally, this program aims to provide educational and rehabilitative services by focusing on providing support that stabilizes at-risk youth.

Prevention and Treatment for Alcohol and Substance Abuse among Youth in Harris County

Phoenix House

501 Garden Oaks

Houston, TX 77018

$645,000

As part of its work in Harris County, Phoenix House sponsors a community coalition called the Coalition of Behavioral Health Services that includes parents, educators, health service providers, and law enforcement officers and other criminal justice professionals.  The coalition implements community-wide efforts to prevent and reduce alcohol and drug abuse, and advocates for increased chemical dependency and mental health treatment services for Houston-area residents.   Funds will be used to enable Phoenix House to serve an additional 100 youth and families in Harris County.

Bridge to the Stars

The Bridge Over Troubled Waters, Inc.

213 W. Southmore, Suite 302

Pasadena, TX 77502

$5,718,562

Harris County has 26 emergency shelters to serve over 10,000 homeless persons (Coaliton for the Homeless of Houston Harris County 2007 Enumeration Report). There is a shortage of 950 emergency and 584 transitional beds for families with children and 1,095 emergency and 757 transitional beds for individuals.  Less than half of Harris County shelters serve domestic violence victims; only 5 have programs designed specifically to address their needs. This funding will address that by allowing for expansion of facilities to meet this need.

The Center to End Trafficking and Exploitation of Children

Children at Risk

2900 Weslyan, Suite 400

Houston, TX 77027

$502,000

The Center to End the Trafficking and Exploitation of Children is a multi-disciplinary, action-based institute that will further the efforts of CHILDREN AT RISK and other coalitions. This Center generates solutions to this crisis through strategic research, policy recommendations, awareness building, and training and collaboration.  The Center’s research, leadership, and experience are depended upon when trying to change laws, serve victims, and prosecute traffickers.

VIVA Texas: An Adult Volunteer Latina/Hispanic Outreach Program

Girl Scouts of the USA

816 Connecticut Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20006

$500,000

Within the 29th Congressional District, the local Girl Scout council, the Girl Scouts of San Jacinto, serves over 9,950 girls and nearly 600 adults. Currently, the council serves over 20,000 Hispanic girls and approximately 1,000 Hispanic adult members. Funds for Viva Texas would help increase the council’s capacity to recruit and serve the nearly 230,000 Latina girls and over 600,000 Latina adults living in the council’s service area.

Soccer for Success Youth Soccer Gang Prevention Initiative

U.S. Soccer Foundation

1211 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 500

Washington, DC 20036

$1,000,000

The Soccer for Success initiative would fund five (5) pilot programs across the country – including 15 sites in Houston -- utilizing the expertise of the Soccer for Success (SfS) program established in Houston to demonstrate the effectiveness of using soccer as a tool for keeping at-risk youth in school and away from risky behaviors such as joining gangs.  This local pilot would be one of several coordinated across the country by the U.S. Soccer Foundation to provide grants to locally-based soccer programs in the urban communities that are most heavily affected by gang violence. Each local SfS program will serve at least 1,000 youth by 2011.