How much do you know about the history of the neighborhood you drive through every day? There is a new way to find out. The Homewood Historic Preservation Commission has created a self guided driving tour that takes you through the people, places and neighborhoods that helped shape Homewood. The tour includes 16 audio and text stops covering Homewood’s five historic wards. You can start wherever you want and explore just one area, or take about an hour and experience the entire tour. Along the way, you will hear stories from Rosedale, West Homewood, Edgewood, Lakeshore, Mayfair and Windsor, and Hollywood. The tour includes the Rosedale Historic District, Edgewood Lake, the old Zelosophian Academy site, the Pink House, the McDaniel House, Samford University and the historic homes of Hollywood. You will also see historic photographs collected from the Homewood Public Library, Birmingham Public Library Archives and the Alabama Department of Archives and History. And you may recognize the voice telling the stories. The tour is narrated by Shelia Snoddy, known to many from her years in radio as Jill Friday. Development was funded by the City of Homewood and in part through a Historic Preservation Fund Grant in Aid from the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service. The free tour is available through the TravelStorys app for iOS and Android and can also be explored online Learn More Here

Pre-Council Meeting - OCTOBER 12 2026

More federal funding is coming to Homewood to address stormwater issues. U.S. Representative Terri Sewell presented a check for $250,000 to the City of Homewood. This funding was obtained through the Fiscal Year 2026 federal appropriations process and is designated for stormwater improvements. It will be used to provide upgrades and expand culvert capacity in the residential neighborhoods surrounding Edgewood Elementary School to help reduce localized street flooding and better protect nearby homes and infrastructure. This follows an earlier $1 million federal allocation from Rep. Sewell in 2024 that will be used for a drainage culvert project along Griffin Creek in the Huntington Road area. That project continues to work its way through the required process, with construction currently hoped to begin in 2027.

The Planning Commission approved a resurvey at 215 West Valley Avenue, where a small restaurant is proposed. The Commission also considered changes for a proposed Dutch Bros too be placed at 832 Green Springs Highway, recommending approval of a reduced landscape buffer, but voting 4 to 2 against allowing full access for traffic to flow to and from Raleigh Avenue. That request now moves to the City Council for the final decision. Agenda: https://bit.ly/4zeIxYR

Have a lost pet, need to report a stray or have a wildlife issue? There are several important changes to Homewood Animal Control services beginning Monday, October 5. REPORT A STRAY To report a stray , call Homewood Police non-emergency dispatch at 205-332-6200 . The City of Homewood, Homewood Police Department and Homewood Animal Control are partnering with Greater Birmingham Humane Society (GBHS) for these services. FIND YOUR PET If you think your animal may have been picked up by Animal Control, call the Greater Birmingham Humane Society at 205-591-6522 . Stray animals picked up in Homewood are taken to 6227 5th Ave. North in Birmingham until GBHS opens its new facility opens on Sydney Drive, and then they will be taken there. Hours are Monday through Friday from 8am to 5pm and Saturday from 9am to 11:30am. GBHS is closed Sunday. Fees for picking up an animal may include $50 if the animal is unaltered, a $30 impound fee, a $20 rabies fee if proof of vaccination is not available and a $50 City fee. wildlife issues Call Complete Animal Removal at 205-208-7777 . Homewood Animal Control will not respond to wildlife calls involving animals such as raccoons, possums, snakes, coyotes or foxes. after hours Stray animals will not be picked up after hours. If you report a stray after hours, Animal Control will handle the call the next business day.

Concerned about speeding or other traffic issues on your street? There is a process to look at what is happening and determine whether traffic calming measures are needed and what those measures could be. One example is now moving toward a vote. The City received traffic concerns involving Hambaugh Avenue between Columbiana Road and Dixon Avenue, and Dixon Avenue between Broadway Street and Hambaugh Avenue. Traffic data was collected and studied, and both streets qualified for traffic calming measures. The current proposal calls for speed cushions at two locations on Hambaugh Avenue and two locations on Dixon Avenue. The design also takes emergency response into consideration, allowing fire trucks to travel through the middle of the cushions. The City Council is scheduled to vote on the proposal October 12, 6pm at City Hall, 2nd floor Council Chambers . View Drawings of Cushion Locations Visit Traffic Calming Page

Concerned about speeding or other traffic issues on your street? There is a process for looking at those concerns and determining whether something should be done and what measures may be appropriate. Traffic calming is not simply putting in a speed hump or adding a sign. It is a process that uses traffic data, engineering standards and input from several City departments to look at what is happening on a street before deciding what, if anything, should change. It starts with a resident submitting a traffic calming request identifying the location and concern. City Engineering reviews the request and collects traffic data so the street can be evaluated using the City’s standards. If the request continues through the process, it receives additional review from the Complete Streets Advisory Committee. Planning, Traffic, Police and Fire also have an opportunity to look at the request. That is important because a possible solution has to consider more than vehicle speed. Things such as the street itself, pedestrian safety, traffic patterns and emergency response can all be part of determining whether a particular measure makes sense. The mayor and the councilor representing the area also review the request before it can advance to the resident petition stage. If the location qualifies and the request continues, affected residents take part in the petition process required by the City’s traffic calming policy. Only after those steps and required approvals are completed can a location move toward an appropriate traffic calming improvement. The goal is not to assume every traffic concern has the same answer. One street may have different conditions and needs than another. The process gives the City a way to collect information, hear from the people who live in the area and determine whether a traffic calming measure is appropriate and safe. Submit a Traffic Calming Request Visit Traffic Calming Page

A city budget is more than a list of numbers. It’s a vital infrastructure that reflects the City’s priorities and determines how resources are used to provide services, support employees and invest in the community. On September 28, the Homewood City Council approved the City’s FY2027 budget. The General Fund is approximately $77 million and supports the day-to-day services residents rely on. Sales and property taxes provide much of the revenue, while personnel costs account for approximately $42 million. The approved budget adds three police officer positions and includes investments in street paving, stormwater projects, sidewalk repairs, replacement vehicles and equipment, and other infrastructure needs throughout the City. In addition to the revenue that supports City operations, one cent of Homewood’s sales tax is dedicated to the Homewood Board of Education. That penny is expected to generate approximately $11.5 million for Homewood City Schools this year. This was the first budget developed under Homewood’s new council-manager form of government. City Manager Cale Smith worked with department heads to identify operational needs and priorities and presented a proposed budget to the City Council. Council members then reviewed the budget through a series of public budget hearings, asked questions and made revisions before approving the final budget. The work does not end with this vote. The City plans to provide monthly reports on revenues and expenditures throughout the year, providing a clearer picture of the City’s financial position on a regular basis. City leadership will also continue evaluating ongoing expenses and revenues to work toward a sustainable budget that provides the services residents expect while responsibly managing the City’s resources. View the September 28 meeting below. View Approved Budget View All Details Inlcuding Budget Hearings

Pre-Council Meeting - SEPTEMBER 28, 2026