Harris County Commissioner Precinct 4 Lesley Briones, whose jurisdiction includes much of the greater Katy area, released a year-end statement on December 4th, summarizing the accomplishments of her first year in office.

Listed among her achievements were:

Made significant investments in the justice system — raising salaries for law enforcement officers, diverting people from the system and connecting them with mental health resources, funding six additional criminal district courts to more effectively move cases and keep up with the growing population, and providing services to help justice-involved women get back on their feet.

Kicked off community planning efforts to renovate two major parks in the Precinct, expand mobility capacity of the Westpark Tollway, and make improvements across sidewalks, trails, and greenspaces.

Committed federal funding to increase access to free, high-quality childcare.

Moved forward with Harris County’s climate action plan and broke ground on major flood resiliency projects.

Awarded "substantial progress" certificates on an infrastructure projects that will improve drainage at John Paul Landing Park and increase safety at the intersection of Clay Road and Katy Hockley Cut Off Road with a temporary traffic signal.

Co-hosted fifth annual gun buyback event on Nov. 18, in partnership with Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzales and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, during which Houston-area residents turned in 559 guns.  Participants lined up before the gates opened at 8 a.m. for the drive-thru event at METRO’s Westchase Park and Ride on Harwin Drive. Over 1,550 gift cards worth nearly $78,000 were distributed to residents who voluntarily turned in unwanted firearms for safe disposal.  The gift cards were funded by the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

Spearheaded the formation of the LGBTQIA+ Commission which held a kickoff meeting on Nov. 16 to discuss goals for the group. Creation of this commission was spearheaded by Commissioner Briones in an attempt to amplify the voices of the LGBTQIA+ community and promote equality in Harris County. The Commission will provide actionable recommendations that will improve economic, social, health and safety outcomes for the LGBTQIA+ community. Additional members of the Commission are expected to be appointed in December, with the first meeting set to take place in January.

Partnered with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), SCORE Houston, and the Small Business Development Center to host two free workshops where representatives were be on site to answer questions about SBA loans and provide information about other community resources. One of the two December workshops was held at the Steve Radack Center at 18650 Clay Road.

Supported Harris Hub for Small Businesses which provides eligible small businesses within Harris County with free assistance on a wide range of needs – from finances, grant applications, and legal services, to creating a logo, social media and marketing, and more. Eligible small businesses can apply for a $5,000 working capital grant. Harris Hub is a resource which has amplified federal efforts, like the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) and the American Rescue Plan Act, that provided billions of dollars to help small businesses recover from the pandemic. In 2024, Harris County small businesses can also apply for loans through the Revolving Loan Fund. The microloans will range from $5,000 to $50,000, and growth loans will range between $100,000 to $250,000.



Commissioner Briones demonstrated her commitment to advocating for policies and resources that enhance the quality of life for Harris County residents, her statement said. To inform those policies, she has been meeting with community members during an 11-stop Listening Tour. The tour will continue in 2024.

“Serving as your County Commissioner is the honor of my life,” said Briones in the email to her constituents. “I am grateful for the opportunity to serve and am energized by the progress we have made during this first year. My Precinct 4 team of more than 400 public servants and I have been honored to engage with so many of you, and we look forward to continuing to listen to, learn from, and serve you with heart, hustle, and higher standards. Everything we do at Precinct 4 is grounded in our commitment to serving you and your family. Our mission is to advance opportunity and justice for all. We have prioritized justice and safety, infrastructure, health, education and economic opportunity, and good government.”