I visited the Houston SSA office off the North Freeway (I-59) seeking a replacement Social Security…read morecard. I brought extensive identity documentation, including a certified birth certificate, school records, immunization records, and receipts from the Bureau of Vital Statistics. Despite this, I was refused assistance and denied the opportunity to speak with a supervisor or office manager, without clear explanation of what was missing. Security and law enforcement were involved unnecessarily. I want to note that the responding police officers, especially Officer Rodriguez, acted professionally and respectfully. The issue was the SSA staff's lack of communication and refusal to provide reasonable assistance. I hope this office improves customer service and access to supervisors for individuals seeking help.

I've been calling for months, the hold time was 6 hours, which is ridiculous. No one has called me…read moreat all, I have mobility issues, and can't stand in a long line outside, in this crazy hot weather. A drastic change needs to be made with there procedures. We need help, and nothing is being done

Most unusual thing, this branch of the government does a good job! Went in, quick and easy, made…read moreto pleasy. Oh that everything pertaining to government worked this well.

I had a very frustrating experience at the Social Security office near 290, where security was…read morehandled by Paragon Security. As soon as I walked in to update my status from green card to citizenship, one officer, who I couldn't identify initially, was extremely rude. He kept demanding what I needed in a condescending way, making me feel small. After I got my ticket and checked in, I was called to the window, and that same officer started yelling across the room, in front of everyone. I asked him why he was being so disrespectful, but he just escalated. After that, I tried to speak to another officer, hoping to get a supervisor, but he also refused to identify himself at first. Eventually, he gave me the last name Menendez, but again, he didn't want to offer any proper help or respect. Both officers acted with the same aggressive attitude for no reason. I was just trying to get the service I needed."

I expected a challenging experience and to wait all day. I was pleasantly surprised that wasn't the…read morecase at all! I originally made an appointment online but the hurricane hit the day I had scheduled. I rescheduled my appointment online but then got a call daily the rest for the week to reschedule. This made me nervous that my appointment wasn't actually on the books - and turns out it wasn't! That made it challenging to check in but luckily not impossible They have the most helpful security guard checking bags at the front door. He helped me checkin despite my scheduling snafu (and despite my phone not wanting to load anything). Once checked in, I only waited about an hour to be called. This was surprising since the place was full (as in all the seats taken and people standing). Once my number was called, I was processed in less than 10 min. I was her for a name change after marriage which turns out is a pretty easy process. This location has lots of parking, a water fountain, and bathrooms as well.

When you call up there you have to listen to the bots say the same stuff over and over and when you…read morepush pound they hang up worst place ever.

Ok, to start with, let's be honest this is a government office and as in most cases nothing happens…read morefast. My experience and my advice. Get there early!!! Don't come late!!! Book a predetermined appointment time Restrooms are quiet. Security keeps things in line relative to help, order, and quietness. You will be seen in order based on why you're there, not, who got there first. The lobby ( holding area ) is clean and organized. Parking is adequate. The people there are helpful and knowledgeable. ( yes, I know you want to talk on your phone or play loud games. Or talk loud, but it echoes in there - be respectful). All in all, it was a dull life sucking experience, but that was to be expected. Better than going to downtown Houston for sure. Find a new friend and chat to pass the time. Or, brush up on your Spanish.

If you are doing ANY type of replacement card (name change, address, etc) you MUST have an…read moreappointment. They will not accept walk ins even if the agent is available.

Belinda V at desk 19 made my daughter's first DPS experience a great one! She was efficient and…read morekind. My daughter and I had an appointment at 3:30. We had her new learner's permit by 4:00! My daughter had seen many reviews indicating the DPS workers were heartless and rude. We were so pleased with Belinda's service. We highly recommend this location. Don't forget to make an appointment!

Worst services in the nation! Long waiting time! After I am called at the Counter, the…read morerepresentative asked me to go to multiple counters in the middle unnecessarily wasting my valuable time. It took 1.10 hr (one hour 10 minutes) at the counter to renew my daughter's learner driver license despite having appointment on April 29th at 345pm. They don't care about your valuable time. We spent over two hours in total and they wanted us to spend the whole day. Shared our experience with Trenise, the Lead on duty but to no avail. Very much disappointed and perturbed on this. Avoid this location! They are still in 18th century!

If I have to go in here one more time they need to pay me…read more Now this time it was quick I was even surprised. But I only needed them to fax a document to my files. And the fact that it was not a Monday or Friday (busiest days)

I had an amazing experience here the staff was very friendly but the security officer really made…read moreit seem like I was being held at some military boot camp and he was a very angry military boss man that yelled at people and told them to get off their phone or he would kick them out

Yelp wants to know if I would recommend the social security office... I'm not really sure if anyone…read morewould really RECOMMEND it, but it's kind of a necessary chore sometimes. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ My visit was a one of those necessary chores. We were having an issue with putting our son on our taxes, and thankfully we finally got it sent in because I made an appointment on February 22nd, but the soonest appointment was APRIL 20TH! Two months later, and 5 days after the tax cutoff day. Even though we got our taxes done, I still needed to fix the problem. I was dreading the appointment because I didn't want to spend half the day waiting to speak to someone... but thankfully my mom is a gem who was willing to babysit so at least I didn't have to bring an unwilling toddler with me. Others weren't so fortunate. There were several children who were not happy to be there, but their mom's were champs and over all, it was pretty tame in there. My appointment was at 10 AM. There weren't very many people in the waiting area when I got there even though the parking lot was mostly full and there were a few people standing outside in a line. It turns out they were just signing in with the posted QR codes. I scanned the QR code, went inside, and checked in on my phone. Then I needed to scan my phone at a kiosk to get a receipt with a code. I sat down and was relieved that there were maybe 15 people total waiting. After 5ish minutes a lady asked if anyone had an appointment. Me and one other man raised our hands. She sent us both to a window and I was extremely happy that I was going to be in and out in a jif... so I thought. I told the lady what was going on with my son's social and what I needed to do and she literally told me that she wasn't good at that so I'd need someone else to help me. Umm... 'scuse me? Well okay then... So she tells me that I need to fill out a form for the next person. I explained that I already filled it out online and she said that they would need it on paper as well, so go ahead and fill it out again. Again... what? Okay, sure. I sat, filled out the form, and waited. And waited. And waited some more. After waiting an hour, nobody was at her window so I asked her if I was sent back to the back of the line. At this point the place was filling up, so waiting was becoming a bit less pleasant. She said that I was sent to the back of the line because I didn't have an appointment. I informed her that I DID have an appointment. At 10... She looked me up and looked my son up, saw that I had an appointment, and said that someone would be with me in a few minutes. I sat back down and was called in less than 5 minutes. The man that helped me was pleasant and kind. I was out of there in less than 10 minutes from the time I sat down with him. This tells me that I could've gotten out of there by 10:30 had there not been confusion with the first lady. Could've been a five star experience. I will forever make an appointment though... unless I can't wait 2 months for assistance.

I walked in with my daughter and although there was a line, the process ran smoothly and quickly…read more Everyone was friendly, helpful and knowledgeable.

This agency has very bad customer service and do not help people when they call they are very rude…read moreand are poorly trained. When you work with a program like this you should actually listen to people when they are telling you what is going on. It seems that they feel them make all the rules and are not really there to help no one and they are only there a a job. A job means to actually do it not just answer phones and lie to people and not help at all

I'm a landlord and for the first time I have a tenant that receives help from Houston Housing…read moreAuthority. My experience with the employees that handled my case was great. I called the number given to me by the tenant and left a message and she returned my call within the hour. She knowledgeable and friendly. I went to the office on Fountainview and from the moment I entered the security guard was friendly. I told the clerk in the booth that I was a first time participant with the program and she explained the process with patience and answered all my question smiling periodically. The inspection was preformed within a few days and another friendly employee contacted me with some things for me to do. Overall I received service. EW

As a city swelling with pride and full of grit, Houston has the distinction of being many things to…read moremany people, including names such as: H-Town, The Hou, Space City, Clutch City, and Bayou City. But for me, it's called "home." For years, Houston was a perpetual jaunt for my fix of Mexican, Vietnamese, BBQ, and occasional Tex-Mex excursions. Much like my previous long-term stays, I never imagined I'd be living here. In many ways, it's similar to my surroundings out east, with a slight change in demographics, a lot more road to cover, but never a dull day. And really, there's so much more: :: It is home to one of the most diverse populations on the planet. The full spectrum of human races exists here, and with that comes heritage festivals, ethnic enclaves, 145 languages galore, and a cornucopia of ethnic cuisines. :: This is also the home of one of the largest Vietnamese communities in the world. Vietnamese celebrities, endless regional Viet foods, and cultural festivals are a fabric of local society. :: Houston hosts the world's largest livestock and rodeo event, aka the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, which draws in millions of people annually. :: It is the largest city in Texas and the 4th largest in the country. In less than a decade, it'll likely be the 3rd largest. :: The Texas Medical Center is the largest medical complex in the world. 100,000 medical professionals ensure that the city has some of the country's best healthcare. :: The Port of Houston is one of the busiest ports, handling billions of dollars in international trade every year. :: The Museum of Fine Arts is one of the largest in the country, with over 65,000 pieces of artwork from all over the world. Additionally, the Museum District has a number of museums that make this one of the most culture-friendly cities in the country. :: Everything is bigger in Texas? That especially applies to Epic Waters Indoor Waterpark, which, at 80K sq. ft., is the largest indoor waterpark. :: Gas is so inexpensive that $3 is considered a lot. :: It is considered the "Energy Capital" of the world, as a huge hub for the global energy industry, with many oil and gas companies calling Houston home. :: Houston is often credited with the creation of Tex-Mex cuisine, one of America's first fusion cuisines. :: It is also home to NASA's Johnson Space Center, the control center for U.S. spaceflight missions, and the birthplace of the Apollo moon landings, which earned the city the official nickname of "Space City." :: Houston is so large that there are cities within Houston, as well as cities around it. "Houston is an hour from Houston." No city is perfect, and Houston is far from the exception. Aggressive driving means red-light running and non-stop speeding. Potholes are a dime a dozen, with oppressive summer weather and an absurd hub for bugs. Sidewalks mysteriously end in grass, public transit is an oxymoron, and walkability is non-existent. Hurricanes, flooding, and freezes are commonplace, as is fragile infrastructure where electricity and power aren't always guaranteed. IAH, property taxes, and energy bills are things on every Houstonian's naughty list. However, things are looking bright. The emergence of tech, (sort of) affordable living, a budding global trade hub, and a growing talent pool of people coming from other parts of the world is changing the landscape. Year-round warm weather, state-free income taxes, and a vibrant food culture are making Houston less of an afterthought and a worthy destination for all. And that's review #5000.

I got my third jury summons since moving here five years ago. At my first summons, I met someone in…read morethe exact same situation I'm in now. So apparently I'm not the only one this system seems to keep pulling on a rotation. Meanwhile, I've been filing written complaints to Houston METRO about not being able to reliably get on and off buses; and I've been sending near-monthly complaints to USPS since 2021 about ongoing mail delivery issues I've been having here in Houston (including a few notarized annual complaints to the USPS Postmaster in DC and the USPS OIG). The contrast is hard to ignore. The jury system can consistently track me and a few others down - out of millions of Houston residents - for jury service, but no one seems able to identify what's causing these persistent mail and public transit problems. If the causes had been identified, they'd at least be on their way to being solved, right? Houston needs to examine their definitions of public service and civic participation then re-align them to established U.S. norms. It was a tacky ask to expect me to attend jury service even once. Seriously, a day doesn't go by that I don't thank the heavens that distance wasn't a factor in my grandfather's 1940s migration from East Texas WITH a wife and kids. He made the right call leaving the state entirely instead of considering a move down here; and the other side of my family made the right call staying put in the DFW. There simply isn't enough to boast about regarding Houston to downplay this. Houston is just NOT it and needs to be ashamed of itself.

Stopped by the Gerald D. Hines Waterwall Park while visiting the Galleria area and it was…read moredefinitely worth it! The waterfall structure is huge and really impressive in person. The sound of the water makes the whole place feel calm and relaxing despite being in a busy part of Houston. The park is clean, well-kept, and perfect for photos. I saw several people doing photoshoots while we were there. There are also nice grassy areas where you can just sit and enjoy the view. It's not a big park, but it's a great quick stop if you're nearby. If you're in Houston and looking for a unique spot to relax or take pictures, this place is definitely worth visiting.

This is a lovely park, and I can see why so many locals are tourists alike stop by for photos. We…read morewere visiting Houston and looking for green space to relax, and this was a great place in the heart of a busy city area -- just a short walk away from the mall. The perimeter has some bench seating, many shaded, which was really nice.