Residents complain that the troublemakers continue to party after spilling out of bars and into neighborhood streets.
HOUSTON — Community leaders and residents of the Third Ward held a news conference Friday to share frustrations about an ongoing issue.
They say loud, late-night partiers turn Emancipation Boulevard into a party zone, taking over the street, committing crimes and causing traffic jams.
The crowds spill out onto the street to continue the party after nearby clubs and bars close.
Families say it’s a nightmare.
“It’s chaos and traumatic,” Lizette Cobb told KHOU 11.
And while they acknowledge that some businesses are trying to be good neighbors, they say others aren’t doing their part. They gave city leaders a timeline to step up and take control, demanding a resolution they say they’ve been seeking for years.
“One week… say it together — one week!”
Hosted by several Third Ward civic associations, the meeting at the El Dorado Ballroom gave homeowners a chance to vent as business owners listened.
Many told us their neighborhood feels under siege — and it’s only getting worse.
“As a homeowner, I’m just asking you to respect my house and where I live. This is not a place where I come temporarily — I’m there all the time,” Cobb said.
At times, the meeting got heated, with some business owners saying they felt unfairly targeted.
One thing nearly everyone agreed on is that solving this will take working together and they say that won’t happen without help from the city.
Councilmember Carolyn Evans-Shabazz, who represents District D, said a task force is now in the works to directly address these neighborhood concerns. She said that Mayor John Whitmire is involved in that process. Evans-Shabazz said the goal is to roll out increased officer presence here in under two months.