3000 S Braeswood Condos Tips

Hurricane Season

2011-06-12T00:01:19Z

Hurricane Season is with us once again! Hopefully we shall escape this year untouched by a major storm. However the National Hurricane Center predicts 18 named storms, six to ten hurricanes, and three to six major hurricanes (Category 3 or above) for 2011. These are merely predictions as usual for the year.

We’re including some suggestions on making plans to keep your family prepared and safe, in the event of a hurricane.

Hurricane Preparedness

Preparing For Tornadoes

Honoring Houston Police Officers

2011-05-13T06:27:57Z

Reprinted in it’s entirety from City of Houston E-Newsletter:

Remembering HPD Officers Who Served And Protected

The Houston Police Department (HPD) will be hosting various events to honor and recognize the men and women in blue who gave the ultimate sacrifice to protect and serve our city. National Police Week is a way for citizens to increase their awareness of the role of police officers in their communities. We urge everyone to participate and remember those brave men and women who have lost their lives protecting and serving our community.

During the week of May 16 - May 20, 2011, HPD will observe two National Police Week activities open to the public. On Wednesday, May 18, at 10 a.m., the HPD Police and Clergy Team will host a Day of Prayer outside HPD Headquarters at 1200 Travis, Houston 77002. On Friday, May 20, the annual HPD Memorial Service will be held at 7 p.m. at the HPD Memorial at 2400 Memorial Drive, Houston 77007.

The Houston Police Training Academy will be hosting weeklong pre-scheduled tours to give thousands of Houston area students a firsthand look at officer training. The HPD Museum, located in the lobby of HPD Headquarters at 1200 Travis, Houston 77002, is also open to anyone wishing to partake in HPD’s rich and extensive history.

For questions, call 713-308-3200. For more information about HPD, see http://www.houstonpolice.org

Unused, Unwanted or Expired Prescription Meds? Take Part in Prescription Drug-Take Back Day!

2011-04-30T02:18:55Z

Prescription Drug-Take Back Day!

Saturday, April 30, 2011
10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Houston Crackdown, the Mayor’s Office of Public Safety and Homeland Security, the federal Drug Enforcement Agency and community partners will operate collection sites in Houston and around the nation where citizens can turn in their unused, unwanted and/or expired prescription medications. This service is free and anonymous. Tablets, capsules and all other solid dosage forms will be collected. Intravenous solutions and syringes will not be accepted.

Improper disposal of prescription drugs may lead to accidental poisoning, overdose and abuse. Unlawful use and abuse of prescription drugs are a major problem throughout our community. What to do with unused or expired prescription medication continues to be a public safety, as well as, an ecological problem.

To find a collection site near you, go to http://www.dea.gov and click on the National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day icon.

If you have any questions or concerns, contact ray.andrews@houstontx.gov or call 832.393.0913.

Just FYI: The nearest drop off point to us is:

BELLAIRE POLICE DEPARTMENT
CITY OF BELLAIRE CITY HALL LOBBY
7008 S.RICE
BELLAIRE TX, 77401
3 mi.

Water Conservation Tips

2011-03-29T15:01:09Z

mmm, water!

The City of Houston has raised water rates 30% over the next three years, so as we march steadily towards the summertime, please keep the following Water Conservation tips in mind!

CITY OF HOUSTON WATER EFFICIENCY CHECKLIST

BATHROOM

Report water leaks to management immediately.
Limit showers to 5 minutes.
Lower the water level for baths and save 20 gallons per bath.
Install water-saving shower heads and faucet aerators.
Turn off the water while brushing your teeth or shaving.
Change out your water-guzzling toilet for a low-ﬂow model.
Check toilets for leaks and replace the tank ﬂapper as needed.
Never use your toilet as an ashtray or wastebasket.
Put a plastic bottle ﬁlled with water in your toilet tank if you don’t have a low-ﬂow toilet.

KITCHEN

Run dishwashers ONLY when full.
When washing and rinsing the dishes, do not let the water run.
Wash and rinse dishes in the sink or dishpan, not with running water.
Don’t let the faucet run while cleaning vegetables or thawing frozen food.
Keep a pitcher of cold drinking water in the refrigerator.

LAUNDRY

Adjust water levels, or run clothes washers ONLY when full.
Washing with cold water also saves energy.

OUTDOORS

Use sprinklers and water outdoor plants only when necessary, in early morning hours to reduce evaporation.
Choose native or drought-resistant plants.
Maintain a layer of mulch around plants to retain water.
Use a broom instead of a hose to clean driveways or sidewalks.
Limit drive way car washing, or make sure to use a bucket for soap and a hose with efficient shutoff sprayer.

Water_Conservation_CKLst.pdf

Keep your eye out for more on Water Conservation in the future!

FYI: Gate Codes

2011-03-29T04:00:03Z

Please remember to be very cautious with whomever you entrust with your gate code. Don’t give out to others who do not live on the property. We have a gate code as a security measure only. It works, at best, only as a precaution - but If we give them out indiscriminately it could create bigger problems. We are very fortunate to live in a very quiet community but safety should always stay a priority.

Thank you.

Reminder: Houston Leash Laws

2011-03-10T20:42:50Z

it’s a *doggy dog* world!!

Dogs and cats may not “run at large” in Houston.

“Running at large” means going on public or private property without the owner or another person having direct physical control of the animal. An animal on a leash is considered to be under direct physical control of a person.

When animals are not on a leash they must be otherwise restrained, either behind a fence or in some other enclosure that will prevent their escape.

“Running at large” may result in impoundment of the animal or in the issuance of one or more citations.

Happy “We have a Website” Anniversary!

2010-09-28T22:22:46Z

fall is here, fall is here!!

We’re a year old! Or, at least, our website is! Happy Anniversary to us! Clearly, the weather has decided to celebrate with us by ushering in cooool fall temps! Yay!

This month’s tip: If you’ve not done so previously, please make sure to register!

Benefits of Registration:
*Receive communications related to 3000 S Braeswood Condos. (Please note: We will never flood your inbox with emails. Only Meeting reminders and similar alerts are sent.)
*Access “Residents Only” sections of the website including Meeting Minutes, By-Laws, Gate Codes, etc.
*In the future, we hope to add more “Resident specific” capabilities ...

Please see the following instructions for Registration, Log Ins, Forgotten Username/Password, and Updating Information:

HOW TO REGISTER

*Click on “Register” in the “Residents” box at the right and fill out the registration form.
*You’ll be asked for a login name, email address, street address and unit #, etc. (The info you provide will never be shared with any 3rd party.)
*Once you submit the form, an “activation email” will be sent to the email address you have provided to complete your registration.
*Once you’ve received it, you must click the enclosed link in order to activate your registration.
*Please note: Registrations NOT activated will eventually be deleted.

HOW TO LOG-IN

*Merely click on “Login” in the “Residents” box - or - click on the “Residents” button in the menu at the top.
*Enter the username and password that you provided during registration and click “Submit”.
*You will be redirected back to the website, where you will now have access to all areas.
*Once you have logged in, a short list of “Quick Links” will now appear in the “Residents” box.

FORGOTTEN YOUR USERNAME OR PASSWORD?

*For your password, click the “Login” link in the “Residents” box and click the “Forgot your password?” link. Enter the email address provided during registration.
*An email with instructions for resetting your password will be sent to you. Follow these instructions.

*For your username, click the “Login” link in the “Residents” box and click the “Forgot your password?” link. Enter the email address provided during registration.
*An email will be sent to you. The username will be provided in the email. You can ignore the instructions on resetting your password (unless you need to do that, too!).

NEED TO UPDATE YOUR INFORMATION?

*If you have previously registered and need to update your information (new email/phone/address), you may do so by logging in (click the “Login” link in the “Residents” box) and clicking on “Your Account”. Your profile Control Panel will come up and you can change your username, password, email address, street address, or your phone number, etc.

And - always remember - if you have any questions or comments about the website, please feel free to contact the Website Administrator.

Thank you!

Pest Control, Trash Pick Up, and YOU!

2010-05-04T16:14:30Z

“texas bluebonnets”

It’s spring! Or early summer, as i think of it, and to judge by the weather ahead, it’s going to be HOT… and very dry. I happen to *really* like humidity, so if you should see a woman wandering around the complex pouring bottles of water over her head… that’s… not me. It’s…. *someone else*. :O

With another drought possibly in store for us, it means ~critters~ will be invading the condos looking for water. Thankfully, as part of our maintenance fees, we have pest control provided to us regularly by ChemTech at no extra charge. They place notices on our gates approximately every 3 months on a Thursday, letting you know that they’ll be out to spray on the following Saturday. If you prefer that they spray inside cabinets, you’ll need to remove everything inside them; however, this isn’t required. Jody, our *excellent* ChemTech person, will spray just along the baseboards, etc, without your needing to dismantle your house! Extermination works best if *all* units are treated, so please make sure to schedule your appointment when you see the ChemTech notice!

Another thing to be mindful of during a hot hot summer - trash pick up! Trash is scheduled to be picked up on Tuesdays and Fridays and shouldn’t be placed out any earlier than the previous evening. To help avoid smelly, unappealing messes (animals just ~love~ trash!), please use proper containers when placing out your trash! After pick up remember to place your trashcans back inside your patio or by your own patio fence.

And as always, remember - we all live here together! Please respect your neighbours’ property and help us keep the 3000 South Braeswood Condos looking spiffy!

With that, I offer you some ~spiffy~ footage to enjoy…

Timescapes: “Death is the Road to Awe” from Tom Lowe @ Timescapes on Vimeo.

We Haz a Winter! (Updated)

2010-01-06T20:32:07Z

“the great blizzard of 2009”

December just missed being one of the top 10 coldest Decembers in Houston’s history and we may well be on our way to some record January temps as well! Here’s some tips on how to survive the coming “Hard Freeze”...

Hard Freeze Tips:

Keep warm, stay inside if possible.
If you need to go out, dress in layers with an appropriate coat.
Avoid overexertion, as cold weather puts added strain on your body.
Have your car serviced and see that it has anti-freeze.
Disconnect outdoor hoses and drain.
Wrap exposed faucets and pipes.
Bring potted plants inside or cover and store near interior wall.
Stay warm - good time to curl up and watch a good movie!

Updated 01/09/2010

Please do not forget that tho’ it is really nice to curl up by the fire on a cold winter’s night you may have a disaster with smoke coming into your unit if you forget to OPEN the fireplace flue. Always make sure that you OPEN the flue BEFORE lighting a fire.

Also make sure that if you purchase the little ready-made logs that you do not put more than one at a time in your fireplace - or if using real wood do not stack it too high - and keep your fire screens closed while your fire is burning. It might be good to have water on hand just in case. Do not start a fire too late at night either because when you go to bed you want the coals to be out - do not turn in for the evening and leave a fire burning.

When not using your fireplace be sure to keep the flue closed to avoid losing warm air out the chimney and inviting the cold air in.

On an afterthought if you use an electric space heater - use extreme caution. Do not put too close to clothing, bedclothes, etc. and remember to turn them off and upplug when leaving your home.

These tips were passed on from one of our residents - so thank you - and stay warm!

See you on the other side of the world’s largest box of hot cocoa mix!

Information on Foundation Repair

2009-09-27T07:51:05Z

As most of you are aware, many of our buildings have undergone (or will be undergoing) foundation repair. Many residents have asked what type of preventive maintenance can be done to alleviate further foundation problems. While no methods are guaranteed to be 100% successful, there ARE actions that can be taken.

The following information is from the “The Foundation Repair Association, Inc”, which is a “professional national organization that exists to promote high ethical standards in the practice of foundation repair and to promote cooperation between the foundation repair industry and government.”:

Expansive soils act like a sponge. As they absorb water, they swell and as they lose water they shrink. Soils tend to dry out (and shrink) during the summer and to absorb water (and swell) during the winter and spring.

As the soil under a house shrinks and swells with the seasons, the house and foundation will move up and down. As long as the foundation movement is not great enough to damage the house and/or foundation, most people do not consider the movement to be a foundation repair problem. If the up and down movement of a house foundation always returns the house foundation to its original level position, then damage to the house and foundation may appear and disappear on a regular basis as the seasons change.

If the soil around your foundation is dried and cracked, then water placed next to the foundation will run through the cracks and accumulate at the bottom of the grade beam (the thick portion of the foundation that is under the exterior walls). In some cases, an accumulation of water in the soil at the base of a foundation can cause the soil to lose some of its load-bearing capacity. If the soil loses enough load-bearing capacity, the house will sink into the ground.

A study of failed foundations (ADSC 2000) estimates the cost of foundation repair at over 12.5 billion dollars annually. The most common cause of foundation failure/problems is poor maintenance, which can normally be prevented. Considering that most remedial action will not completely keep a foundation from moving, it becomes even more important that the homeowner complies with the required maintenance . procedures to reduce movement and allow the house to function as originally intended. This is just as important after repairs have been complete because the house may move in an area that has not been repaired or is still dependent upon bearing soil stability for continued performance. Since many foundation repair companies require homeowner maintenance as a condition of their warranty agreement, compliance is also good business and one of the best insurance policies available.

The following categories of maintenance are the most common problem areas and should be addressed in a scheduled sequence to reduce movement before and after foundation repairs to minimize distress in the foundation and the structure it supports.

Read Foundation Maintenance further ... or download the Printable Version.

Images from recent Foundation Repair:

More pics here.