Urban Edge

Sharp insights. Smart solutions. Better cities.

Hey, no fare! Kansas City moves to free transit as Metro studies the option

Last month, Metro announced it was studying the elimination of transit fares. Kansas City, whose city council recently approved a move to a universal free-fare system, could provide valuable insight into how such a system would work.

Is development fueled by transit driving residents out in some areas?

Extensions of light rail service in areas with easy access to Houston’s major job centers have brought residential and commercial development to those areas. Researchers at the Kinder Institute wanted to find out if and how transit investments impact patterns of gentrification in the city.

The diverse needs of small-batch manufacturers in Houston

The challenges faced by Houston’s maker, craft and small-batch manufacturing community are very similar to other cities, with a few notable differences. Despite this, Houston’s biggest gap is equal opportunity to enter this growing sector.

Financial insecurity plaguing families could cost Houston millions

Despite month after month of strong jobs reports and an economy seen as robust by most analysts, many families in Houston are struggling to make ends meet and afford basic household necessities.

Understanding Houston: First-generation Houstonian makes her voice heard through voting

This is a part of a series connected to our partnership with the Greater Houston Community Foundation's regional project Understanding Houston. This story, and others, also appears on the Understanding Houston website.

Public libraries are the crazy, radical ideas that might save society

In his Kinder Institute Forum talk, sociologist Eric Klinenberg discussed the amazing power of the public library system, as well as the biggest threats to this vital and sorely neglected part of America's social infrastructure.

As overall job growth surges, outlook for low-wage workers darkens

Meet America's low-wage workforce: 53 million hard-working people struggling to keep their heads above water no matter what they do.

How the Third Ward is fighting the 'effects of unchecked gentrification'

When Pamela Ramirez relocated to Houston in 2014 to pursue her career in public service with Harris County, she purchased her first car and began looking for a place to rent. While on HAR.com searching for rental property, she found a listing for a single-family home with a mortgage payment in her rental range. Ramirez took a deep breath and decided to explore.

Housing vouchers work but more funding is needed to help more families

Research shows housing vouchers lead to improvements for families — children, in particular. Unfortunately, for many in Houston, limits on the program are blocking their access to those opportunities.

Greens Bayou resiliency plans tie engagement and technical expertise together

Public engagement and sharing information with members of a community help as critical steps of any planning effort or public project. Too often, though, that engagement asks residents to communicate with professionals or experts about subjects they are not adept in. When discussing a technical topic such as flood control or transportation planning, residents can get lost in a sea of acronyms or complicated renderings. Finding ways to offer residents meaningful information that they can digest and use to shape their opinions is essential to making engagement meaningful.