Houston will assist residents who need it with the new $5 administration fee that will address solid waste issues.

The big picture: Beginning July 1, the city of Houston will start charging residents of single-family homes $5 on their water bills.

Houston City Council passed an ordinance June 17 that would expand the Water Aid to Elderly Residents Fund, or WATER, to seniors, low-income residents and people with disabilities, who will now be able to request assistance.

The WATER Fund, which is a donation-based assistance program, also assists residents with their water and wastewater bills. It is funded through donations and provides up to $100 every six months toward eligible residents’ bills, according to Houston Public Works.

The ordinance, which was introduced by council member Alejandra Salinas, passed unanimously.

Stay tuned: The fee begins taking place July 1. However, depending on the bill cycle, some residents will not see the fee added until their August bill.

The long-time Houston popup will officially welcome customers into its first location in the Greater Heights area starting June 27, officials confirmed.

The drink menu: With a menu offering over a dozen iterations of matcha, Ensō presents a diverse take on the popularized beverage, while simultaneously catering to purist matcha drinkers.

Pandan is just one handcrafted drink item from Ensō’s menu that carries a uniquely Southeast Asian flavor, officials said. Other popular items include its Strawberry, Honey Jasmine and Fruity Pebble matcha lattes.

• 718 W. 18th St., Ste. D, Houston

The private Catholic university in Houston broke ground on a major campus expansion June 12 that will double the current on-campus housing capacity.

What's happening: The University of St. Thomas started construction in early June on a new five-story residence hall that will be able to house approximately 400 additional students, according to a June 15 news release.

The residence hall, located just north of Guinan Residence Hall near West Alabama Street and Graustark Street, will double the capacity of available student housing on campus and will span about 100,000 square feet with modern living spaces, study and collaboration spaces, lounge areas, an outdoor courtyard and a chapel.

By the numbers: Officials with the university said the project meets demand for housing while strengthening student engagement and campus life. As of late 2024, UST has a total enrollment of roughly 4,350 students, including undergraduate and graduate students.

One more thing: The new building is expected to open in fall 2028.

Several Houston-area chefs took home awards at the 2026 James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards hosted June 15 in Chicago.

The results are in: Maximo chef Adrian Torres won the Emerging Chef prize, awarded annually to one chef nationwide, according to the awards website. 

JŪN chefs Evelyn Garcia and Henry Lu won the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Texas. 

The backstory: Established in 1990, the James Beard Foundation’s Restaurant and Chef Awards nationally recognize exceptional talent in the culinary industry, according to previous reporting by Community Impact.

Before you go: The full list of winners can be found on the foundation’s website.

Houston City College has received a $17 million investment from Bloomberg Philanthropies to launch Gulf Coast TradeUp Careers, a program aimed at providing free training in skilled trades and connecting students with paid apprenticeship opportunities.

At a glance: The program is a part of a new $90 million national effort from Bloomberg Philanthropies to change how high school students prepare for high-paying and skilled trades, officials said in a June 8 news release.

The program, which is spearheaded by the Gulf Coast Region Apprenticeship Hub, is intended to strengthen the area in:

• Skilled trades workforce development
• Registered apprenticeship expansion
• Industry-driven career pathways
• Earn-and-learn education models
• Workforce innovation