WESTCHESTERRAP

MonthlyWOCMeetingTuesday,October24th

6:00PMwww.westchesterhouston.org

Help the WOC save costs on printing this newsletter. Request e-mail delivery by sending your name, home address and email address to WestchesterRAP@gmail.com.

OCTOBER 2017

This Issue Presents:

• Page 1Thank You; InformationalResources

• Page 2Alleviation of DeedRestrictions; FEMA DisasterRecovery Center

• Page 3Message from Women’sClub; Girl Scout Presentson Bicycle Safety

• Page 4Advertising

Save the Date! Harvey Recovery

Community Meeting Tuesday, October 3rd

6:30-8pm – St. John Vianney

WOC Meeting Tuesday, October 24th

Moms Club Halloween Party Sunday, October 29th

Westchester, NF8, Thornwood

Community Dinner (Details Coming Soon)

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU

NextDoor

Sign up on this community-based social media network which provides a communications platform for residents: westchesterhouston.nextdoor.com

This month’s RAP requires a special message of thanks to all those who provided assistance to residents in need after many in our community were devastated by Hurricane Harvey and the subsequent flooding caused by the water releases from Addicks and Barker dams.

A thank you alone is not sufficient for the efforts of Ruth Parks, Kristin Anderson, Meg Maguire, and Jen Fitzjarrold who initiated the Amazon Wish List that allowed donations of supplies to be collected and distributed from the Westchester Pool Pavilion, which they along with many other volunteers have staffed over the past few weeks. Their efforts provided a much-needed source of supplies as well as a volunteer coordination center to aid our flood-affected neighbors in their recovery efforts.

A special thank you to Sean McBeth, Gianni Matteucci and Troy Meredith who initiated the entry checkpoints into Westchester after the flood. These checkpoints aided greatly in securing our neighborhood from those with malicious intentions, and a further thanks to our constables and those volunteers who helped man the checkpoints day and night.

Thank you to all who have volunteered their time or donated funds and supplies to help our neighbors in need. Thank you to those who have brought their neighbors a meal or helped house those who no longer had a home to live in. Thank you to those who have donated furniture, clothing, food and more to residents who lost everything. Thank you for communicating experiences and knowledge to help others who did not know where to begin in asking for assistance. Thank you to those with the voice to get our community in the spotlight for much needed city assistance and aid, and thank you to those who continue to assist in time and donations, giving those in need some sense of hope that things will return to normal and that they are not alone.

District G Newsletter

Sign up to receive important newsletter updates from City Council Member Greg Travis: houstontx.gov/council/g/

Moms Club Facebook Group

The Westchester, NF8, and Thornwood Moms Club on Facebook has proven to be a valuable post-Harvey information resource: facebook.com/groups/381507588584200/

Page 2

Special Notice Regarding Alleviation of Deed Restrictions

Due to the catastrophic flooding and subsequent hardships faced by many homeowners in our neighborhood, the Westchester Board of Trustees has determined that it is in the best interest of the neighborhood and its residents to temporarily relax the restrictions on the storage of recreational vehicles, motor homes, and campers found in Article IV, Section 9 of the Amended and Restated Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions (the “Deed Restrictions”).

Specifically, the Deed Restrictions currently provide that recreational vehicles, motor homes, and campers “may be parked on the driveway of a Lot or in the street in front of a Lot for the purpose of cleaning and/or repair for a period not to exceed forty-eight hours in any consecutive seven (7) day period unless the Board of Trustees of the Association consents to a longer period in writing.”

Based on the hardships suffered by many of our residents, the Board has determined that any homeowner who experienced flooding in the residential portion of their home shall be permitted to park a recreational vehicle, motor home, or camper in their driveway for a period of up to sixty (60) days. Should any homeowner require an extension of this period, the Board asks that you provide a written request for an extension to the Architectural Control Committee. Please note that this exception is being provided to those intending to use the recreational vehicle, motor home, or camper during periods of remediation and construction on flooded homes, and this relaxation of the deed restrictions shall not apply to any homes that did not suffer from flood damage.

A copy of the Deed Restrictions along with contact information for the ACC and Board may be found at the following web address: www.westchesterhouston.org/. Should you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact the Board or to raise any issues or questions at our monthly meetings.

Thank you in advance for your cooperation and understanding.

The Westchester Owners Committee Board of Trustees

ADDENDUM: Trailers and dumpsters are allowed for home remodeling and similar projects like cleanup from Harvey. They should be placed on your driveway and not on the streets. Furthermore, for those whose homes were flooded, in cleaning up the debris left on the streets, please consider wearing a mask and place the contents in a garbage bag for regular trash pickup. The dust and debris could be toxic, so use of a NIOSH-approved (N95) mask is highly recommended.

St. John Vianney Accommodates FEMA Disaster Recovery Center

Disaster recovery centers offer in-person support to individuals and business in counties included in the Texas federal disaster declaration for Hurricane Harvey and the subsequent floods.

Recovery specialists from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), the State and other agencies will be at the centers to talk about assistance and to help anyone who needs guidance in filing an application.

The SBA’s disaster assistance employees are committed to helping business and residents rebuild as quickly as possible. SBA representatives are available to answer questions about SBA’s disaster loan program and help business owners and residents apply to SBA.

If possible, homeowners, renters and businesses should register with FEMA before visiting a recovery center. Eligible residents may register for assistance the following ways:

• Online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov• Phone 800-621-3362• Via the FEMA App, available for Apple and Android mobile devices. To download, visit: fema.gov/mobile-app

St. John Vianney is located at 625 Nottingham Oaks Trail, Houston, TX 77079. Hours are 7am-7pm, 7 days a week

Page 3

Page 3

Page 3 Westchester/Nottingham Forest VIII Women’s Club

Find our Mom’s Group on Facebook: "Westchester NFeight Momsgroup" facebook.com/westchesternfeight.momsgroup

Message from the Women’s Club

The Women’s Club did not do a membership drive through the summer. We were planning to start the membership drive on September 1st, but the hurricane and its aftermath put those plans on hold.

After talking to several Women’s Club and Moms Club members, we have decided that the community provided by these clubs is vital and important. Furthermore, there are many neighbors who would like to continue to be in contact while they are displaced.

Therefore, for 2017-2018, the Women’s Club would like to invite neighbors to join free of dues. We are revamping the membership form so that displaced neighbors can include their Westchester or NFVIII address as well as their temporary address if displaced.

We plan to put out an electronic directory for the 2017-2018 members. Those who join through October 31st will be included in the directory.

We still plan to have coffees and lunches through the year.

If you have access to a computer, you can fill out the membership form at the following link:

tinyurl.com/WWC-NFVIII-2017-2018

Moms Club Halloween Party & Westchester, NF8, Thornwood Community Dinner

More information on these events coming soon! Check www.westchesterhouston.org for more details as they become available.

Girl Scout Lauren Morrow Presents on Bicycle Safety

My name is Lauren Morrow, I am a Westchester resident, a Junior at Westchester High School and a Girl Scout Ambassador - this is my 10th year as a Girl Scout. I am working on my Gold Award Project - the highest award you can earn as a Girl Scout.

My Gold Award Project is bicycle safety for elementary children. Every day on my way to school I see the elementary school children riding their bikes through the neighborhood. They ride in the middle of the road, across parking lots without checking for traffic, stop too long at the stop signs and generally confuse traffic. I thought that maybe I could educate them on safe cycling practices. I researched what the laws in Texas are for riding bikes on roads. Then, with the help of my brother, I created and filmed my safety video which can be viewed at youtube.com/watch?v=qJShEEsa378.

In April I showed my video and held a bike safety clinic at Wilchester Elementary School. I was helped by Tom Tirudo, formerly of Bicycle World, who has a lot of experience with bike safety and obstacle courses for kids. He also checked the children's equipment for safety.

I am hoping to get my message out to a wider audience. If there are any Girl Scout or Cub Scout Troops in the neighborhood that would be interested in me showing my video/answering questions about bike safety, I would be happy to come along to one of their meetings. I can be contacted at themorrows1998@sbcglobal.net.