ANNOUCEMENT TO THE
PUBLIC AND THE PRESS

CONTACT: Darrell J. Patterson 713-524-2857 [fax: 521-1315]

RE: Miss Willie B. Taylor, Fourth Ward Resident
2003 Bailey, Houston, Texas 77006

Dear Members of the Public and the Press:

It has come to the attention of the Fourth Ward community that certain facts are being withheld from public knowledge concerning the threat to evict and vacate Miss Willie B. Taylor from her home of over 50 years.

  • The eviction notice and the vacate notice were signed by two different people. (Joseph Butera signed the vacate notice, while the alleged signature of Rosalie Butera was on the eviction notice.)
  • The person who has apparent legal authority, Rosalie Butera, is deceased.
  • While she was alive, owner Rosalie Butera was very close and loyal to and fond of Miss Taylor; therefore, it is suspected that she would not willfully have signed any such notice of eviction.
  • Thus, any will that she left behind should be thoroughly examined before any action is taken; and any eviction notices should be re-issued with the correct name of the proven owner.

    If indeed some other party legally owns the property, we, the members of the community, would like to negotiate a purchase of the property on behalf of Miss Willie B. Taylor so that she may be recognized as the rightful owner.

    (a) Having rented that property for over half a century, Miss Taylor has already paid for the property several times over had she been offered the option of buying.
    (b) Specifically, Rosalie Butera had also told Miss Taylor that she could remain there as long as she lived.

    Furthermore, Miss Taylor has served the community for over 50 years, providing neighborhood youth with supervision and meals, while the City of Houston shut down one program after another. Now, as the City has failed to provide protection for her homestead, these same youth have come forward to help with that responsibility. While young volunteers worked with the Vietnamese-Asian community to raise the first funds for the Youth Master Plan, which they allocated as a down payment on Miss Taylor's home, other youth recently played sports tournaments and won trophies in her honor. The youth never forgot that when the City of Houston cut the free lunch program, Miss Taylor took a stand and served 75 lunches a day 3 times a week to the youth, who take a stand with her today.

    Given the above, we, the neighborhood community, feel indebted to Miss Willie B. Taylor and feel that Rosalie Butera felt the same way; so together, we would like to secure the house and land for Miss Taylor as a tribute to her and her contributions to the history of our African American neighborhood. Please join us in recognizing Miss Willie B. Taylor by saving her historical home through a trust fund established for this purpose.

    CALL FOR CONTRIBUTIONS

    Please help us to secure the homes of:

  • Miss Willie B. Taylor
  • Mr. Claude Jackson
  • Mr. Tony Flaniken and family
  • Ms. Paulette McDonald and neighbors

    under the Youth Master Plan for Fourth Ward. This plan, put together by neighborhood youth, calls for development without displacing residents, demolishing homes, or destroying the community in this national historic district.

    Your tax-deductible donation may be made to:

    The Fourth Ward Health and Educational Center for Youth Inc.
    ATTN: Willie B. Taylor

    1415 Taft Street
    Houston, TX 77019

    For more information, contact Darrell J. Patterson

    H: 713-524-2857
    [F: 713-521-1315]
    4dyouth@freewwweb.com

    "All things work together for good to them that love God,
    to them who are called according to His purpose." (Rom. 8:28)
    Invest in the Youth Master Plan for Fourth Ward:
    http://www.houtonprogressive.org/4dyouthresolution.html