What began as a press conference to address quality-of-life concerns for residents living along one of Third Ward's nightlife corridors became an opportunity for residents, local officials, business owners, and police to discuss solutions to ongoing noise, trash, and public indecency issues stemming from nearby bars.
Held downstairs in the Eldorado Ballroom, the press conference featured Sharon Evans Brooks, a member of the Riverside Civic Association, who highlighted a dramatic deterioration in the neighborhood's nightlife along Emancipation Avenue in recent months. She called upon local officials, civic leaders, and business owners to collaboratively address the issues.
"Everyone here represents lifelong residents and new, who embrace the diversity of our community and have skin in the game," Brooks said. "There's been conversation about 'oh that's just a bunch of gentrifiers calling a press conference.' That is a lie."
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Brooks and other civic leaders discussed the problems created by the nightlife, including trash and "public lewdness." They displayed a photo appearing to show a woman defecating outside someone's home with the words "Welcome to Third Ward" superimposed.
"This is our story, and we're going to tell our story the way we are experiencing it and living it," Brooks said.
The conversation about the issues along Emancipation Avenue isn't new. In May, District D Council Member Carolyn Evans-Shabazz hosted a town hall with the Houston Police Department to discuss initiatives aimed at managing nightlife-related disturbances, including a dedicated " Club Squad , which HPD said could be operational within two months from that date.
Despite these efforts, nightlife disruptions have continued. Viral videos have captured "street takeovers" along Emancipation Avenue , where people block streets with vehicles and hold large parties. Residents described being unable to sleep due to loud music shaking their homes and bar patrons parking in their driveways. They also reported facing hostility when confronting patrons about noise or litter.
"The bar situation is not new," Brooks said. "It has been going on for years. But the difference now is... the nightlife has consumed the neighborhood."
Brooks noted that the disturbances usually occur from Thursday night through Monday morning.
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Commercial food trucks have commercial speakers erected adjacent to them, feet away from homeowners' windows," Brooks said. "There is no reason why that should be allowed to continue.
Shawn Owens-Lemons, representing the Third Ward is Home Civic Club, emphasized that while residents support local businesses, their priority is ensuring Third Ward remains comfortable and safe for families.
"We want businesses to make money. We want our elders to be respected and our children to be safe. We want to work together with business owners, city officials, law enforcement, and residents," Owens-Lemons said.
Business owners who attended the press conference expressed their concerns to Brooks and HPD, emphasizing it was unfair to hold them responsible for patrons disposing of trash off their premises. They also said they shouldn't be solely responsible for footing the bill for extra security and police presence.
Brooks said her goal is for stakeholders to meet within a week to find a solution.
"We heard that there is a task force on the horizon. That's great," Brooks said. "In the interim, we need relief today. We want an action plan from city management today."
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