Sue Lovell knows how to get things done.

When Vice Mayor Pro-Tem and Council Member Sue Lovell was elected in 2005, she brought her no-nonsense, give-me-the-facts, work-the-problem approach with her. Sue’s constituents know that when they need her help, they’ll get practical help. She chooses her battles carefully and times them well. She’s not afraid of a conflict but doesn’t create one unnecessarily. And Sue is best known for bringing people together to craft a meaningful consensus – even when it looks impossible.

In her second term, Mayor Bill White asked Sue to chair two committees: Transportation, Infrastructure & Aviation and Quality of Life. She also chairs the Historic Preservation Subcommittee, and serves on six additional committees: Budget and Fiscal Affairs, Ethics, Public Safety and Homeland Security, Regulation, Development & Neighborhood Protection, Sustainable Growth, and Human Services & Technology Access.

Sue’s many accomplishments include:

Transportation, Infrastructure, and Aviation Committee

As chair of the Transportation, Infrastructure, and Aviation Committee, Council Member Lovell oversaw the passage of ordinances and changes to ordinances that included the following:

• Changes to the Parking Ordinance that protect public parkers by preventing indiscriminate boots and tows. (Houston ordinance served as model for state booting law.)
• Metro Consent Agreement, which outlines how work on the Metro light-rail lines will proceed on city right-of-way, recognizing that an integrated mass transit system is vital to economic growth and quality of life.
• Airport Land Use Agreement
• According to Houston’s area survey, for seven of the last ten years, traffic has ranked as a top major issue facing the City’s population. Council Member Lovell has brought in the Traffic and Transportation Division of Public Works and Engineering Department to be briefed on the City’s Mobility Plan, current and through the year 2035, recognizing the need to prioritize capital improvement projects for street/traffic. The result is an update of the City’s Major Thoroughfare and Freeway Plan, addressing traffic congestion in study areas and corridors, and monitoring transportation system performance. Council Member Lovell’s goal is to create a set of best practices and integrate them into our City’s transportation planning, traffic engineering, and street design.

Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC)

Council Member Lovell is Houston’s representative on the Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC). On November 26, 2008 the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced the allocation of $2.1 billion dollars in disaster recovery assistance to 13 states and Puerto Rico. The emergency funding is intended to address unmet housing, economic and infrastructure needs following Hurricane Ike. HUD allocated the majority of the funding ($1.3 billion dollars) to the State of Texas. The City of Houston will receive $109 million.

The H-GAC is preparing to issue a call for resurfacing projects that would be eligible if additional funds become available in the Houston region. Council Member Lovell is working on part of the programming of $150 million to fund projects critical to the City of Houston such as

• Funding 610 on Ella to I-45 completion
• Funding Frontage road completion White to Sheppard
• Funding new connecting ramps 59 North to Beltway 8
• Funding bus replacements for METRO
• $14.7 million to provide for summer jobs for 4,500 youth.

Transportation Policy Council (TPC)

Council Member Lovell represents Houston on the H-GAC’s Transportation Policy Council. In an effort to reinvigorate the national economy and stem the loss of jobs due to the economic downturn, the President signed into law the American Recovery and reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009. The $787 billion bill covers many sectors of the American economy. Serving as a voting member on the TPC, Council Member Lovell recognizes that of the $376 million in funding for capital expenditures relating to public transportation that has come to Texas, $105 million is being allocated to the Houston Region. She is committed to being a good steward of taxpayer dollars in her review of all projects before approval.
Texas has received a $2.25 billion allocation for surface transportation program projects; of that amount, the Houston region has received $489 million for maintenance and rehabilitation as well as mobility projects. Council Member Lovell has led the City of Houston’s efforts to secure ARRA funds for resurfacing of City of Houston streets.

Quality of Life Committee

As chair of the Quality of Life Committee, Council Member Lovell oversaw the passage of ordinances and changes to ordinances that included the following:

• Establishment of a partnership agreement between City of Houston and Memorial Park Conservancy, the nonprofit organization that works to protect the park. As part of the agreement, the city is helping to fund a $10 million park improvement project that includes the pedestrian/bicycle “living bridge” that spans Memorial Park.
• A change to the sign ordinance that bans attention-getting devices (such as inflatable figures and some banners).
• Setting of standards for the size of signage on large campuses, including private universities
• Changes to the Tree and Shrub Ordinance, regulating the replacement of trees removed from the right or way and setting guidelines for the best landscape trees for Houston.
• The establishment of the first health clinic in Acres Homes – Council Member Lovell led the effort to bring this much-needed clinic to the neighborhood.

Historic Preservation Committee

A leader in historic preservation, Council Member Lovell has been on the forefront of the issue since Mayor White appointed her to chair the Subcommittee on Historic Preservation. Through her leadership, the measures that have enhanced historic preservation in Houston have included the following:

• The Neighborhood Self-Designation Ordinance, which helps citizens in efforts to establish their neighborhoods as historic by collecting signatures from their neighbors.
• The Tax-Incentive Ordinance, which provides some tax abatements for owners and developers of historic properties.
• The creation of the Old Sixth Ward Historic District, the first such district in Houston, in which structures are protected and guidelines are established for new construction and addition to fit in with the character of the neighborhood.
• The strengthening of the City of Houston Historic Preservation Ordinance, which includes a requirement that applications for demolition, then new construction, of property in a historic district shall be non-concurrent and increases the number of members of the Houston Archeological and Historical Commission.

Council Member Lovell has also been a leader in the expansion of the Houston Public Library’s historic Julia Ideson Library Building.

Graffiti

In her first year on Council, Council Member Lovell became a leader in the fight against graffiti in Houston. She asked for and received more money in the budget to fight graffiti. Council Member Lovell recently established a signature graffiti website with resources for people who want to fight graffiti in their neighborhoods and find anti-graffiti resources and information. She has worked on the issues of abating graffiti and solving the graffiti problem with Houston neighborhoods and organizations, particularly the Greater East End Management District, which she assisted in purchasing another abatement van for the East End to fight graffiti. Council Member Lovell wrote an op-ed on the graffiti problem that was published by the Houston Chronicle in January 2009.

Lee and Joe Jamail Skate Park

Council Member Lovell was a leader in the development of the Lee and Joe Jamail Skate Park, coordinating the people and organizations and the funding to make this popular park located near downtown Houston a reality.

HOPE

Council Member Lovell played a pivotal role and was instrumental in the formation of the Houston Organization of Public Employees (HOPE), working with City of Houston employees and members of SEIU and AFL-CIO. She brought together both unions and encouraged them to partner and form one union for the city employees.

Events and Programs

Council Member Lovell organized and hosted the Bridge City Little League Fundraiser with Mayor Bill White, the Houston Astros, Neighborhood Centers, Inc., and other sponsors. The proceeds benefited the Bridge City Little League, whose field and concession stands were devastated by Hurricane Ike.

At the invitation of World Wrestling Entertainment, Council Member Lovell served as a WWE Ambassador for the 25th anniversary of WWE WrestleMania in Houston.

Council Member Lovell organized the 3,000 Trees for Houston initiative, which secured trees from TXU as part of the Mayor’s One Million Trees + Houston program.

After Hurricane Ike, Council Member Lovell came up with the idea for Houston Public Library, Houston Parks and Recreation Department, and Neighborhood Centers Inc. to provide child-care programs for the children of City of Houston employees in the days after the hurricane, thus allowing City of Houston employees to come to work and not worry about their children. For this program, the library received the Wayne Williams Library Project of the Year award, which recognizes the project in Texas that best exemplifies the highest level of achievement, professional standards, and inspiration to other libraries.

Council Member Lovell served as the City of Houston spokesperson for a furniture drive organized by the nonprofit Furniture Bank of Houston, which collected home furnishings and raised donations for families affected by Hurricane Ike.

Council Member Lovell partnered with Council Member James Rodriguez and his wife, Wendy Montoya Rodriguez, on the SOS (Send One Suit) benefit for Dress for Success, an organization that provides interview-appropriate suits to low-income women seeking employment.

Council Member Lovell participated in the dedication of the Houston Astros/MLB Urban Youth Baseball Academy at Sylvester Turner Park in Acres Home.

Council Member Lovell participated in the dedication of a block of Hamilton Avenue across from Minute Maid Park in honor of Milo Hamilton, the longtime Astros announcer and Hall of Fame broadcaster.

Council Member Lovell served as the Grand Crawler for the annual Montrose Crawl, a Halloween event that raised funds for the Houston Area Women’s Center.

Council Member Lovell organized a pilot recycling project involving the City of Houston, Neighborhood Centers Inc., and Avangard Innovative.

Council Member Lovell worked with the board of directors of the Houston Botanic Gardens on plans for a botanical garden in the city.

Council Member Lovell along with other city officials joined on March 21, 2009 to honor Bessie Swindell at a ceremony recognizing the designation of the Bessie Swindell Community Center.

Representing the City of Houston

Council Member Lovell presides over all City Council meetings when Mayor White is unavailable.

Council Member Lovell represented the City of Houston in Washington, D.C., in a meeting with the Chairman of the House Transportation Committee regarding Metro and the stimulus package.

Council Member Lovell represented the City of Houston in Austin, thanking Austin city workers for their help after Hurricane Ike.

Council Member Lovell represented the City of Houston at occasions including:

The groundbreaking of the Memorial Park Living Bridge, a pedestrian/bicycle bridge spanning Memorial Drive.
The dedication of the Tiffany & Co. Foundation Bridge and the new Lake Plaza in Hermann Park.
The ribbon-ribbon cutting ceremony for Golden Bamboo Village, an apartment complex for low-income Vietnamese senior citizens.
The groundbreaking of the new Embassy Suites hotel in downtown Houston.

Council Member Lovell met with Galveston Mayor Lyda Ann Thomas and Mayor Bill White with the Texas A&M at Galveston oceanographer who proposed a plan for the Ike Dike, a project to secure the Gulf Coast.

Council Member Lovell serves on the Mayor’s International Affairs Committee as the liaison from the City of Houston and to the city of Calgary, Canada.

Memberships and Community Support

Council Member Lovell serves as an alternate to the Houston Galveston Area Council board (instrumental in capturing American Reinvestment and Recovery Act funds for Houston—approximately $150 million).

Council Member Lovell represents the City of Houston on the Houston Galveston Area Council Transportation Policy Council as a voting member.

Council Member Lovell is a member of the Advisory Board of the Harris County Heritage Society and the Advisory Board of the Bayou Preservation Association.

Awards and Recognitions

The Quality of Life Committee chaired by Council Member Lovell was honored by the Park People with the Public Policy Award.

Council Member Lovell is featured in the new documentary Montrose, Texas: The Transformation of a Neighborhood.

Council Member Lovell received an award from Scenic Houston for her fight against graffiti.