HOUSTON – Viewers are asking for changes at a convenience store in Acres Homes.
It turns out Houston Police are familiar with that part of the neighborhood on De Priest. We found dozens of calls for service. Those who are now calling on KPRC 2 say the crime has gone on long enough and are hoping for changes ASAP.
For the past 10 years at New Beginnings Holy Tabernacle Church, First Lady Troi Stewart and Pastor Timothy Stewart say the main mission has been to preach the word of God. They add there’s also a big effort to help the youth of the Acres Home community it serves, through a free after-school program.
“It’s true, it takes a village to raise the kids,” First Lady Stewart said.
“We feed the kids, and we tutor them,” Pastor Stewart added.
“There’s a closet back there that the parents can come and just get clothes for the kids. They have school supplies back there. I also have books,” said Lanita Hale, who is a community advocate who helps sponsor the program.
The Stewarts and Hale say helping the kids that come there has gotten complicated. For about five years now, they tell KPRC 2 they’ve been dealing with lewd activity in the area. The main hub according to them, the Sunoco Marketplace convenience store right across the street.
“When the kids get off the bus in the evening that’s the first thing they see. They see prostitution and they see sex acts, they see drug dealing. and our kids even though they’re young, they’re aware,” First Lady Stewart said.
They say the activity has even creeped onto the church grounds. A fence has now been put up to keep the bad actors out, but it seems multiple attempts to stop what’s going on right outside their property have gotten nowhere.
“I’ve talked to the store owners before. I’ve walked across the street trying to witness to the young ladies and the young men. Some of them come over and some of them don’t. And some of them come over and they go right back out there,” Pastor Stewart said.
We found dozens of calls to HPD for service in that area this year and last year. Incidents include murder, assault, drug and weapons violations to name a few. Workers at the Sunoco Marketplace didn’t want to go on camera but said they also want the activity to stop. They say they recently hired a security officer who lasted about two weeks before quitting for personal reasons. They say they plan to get another one within the next few weeks.
We reached out to the office of Councilwoman Tarsha Jackson who is over that district. In addition to calling police, Jackson’s office says people who see such activity should call 311 and get a report number which so far hasn’t happened.
They say a history of the activity on record with the city will make it easier for elected officials to mobilize safety efforts. It’s something Jackson’s office says they’re very interested in doing.