Economic Development

How a former landfill could help fight floods and reimagine a swath of southwest Houston

A proposal to transform a former landfill in southwest Houston into a mixed-use development with a flood control component recently caught the attention of statewide planners who recognized it for its contributions to resilience.

Houston’s restaurants, not oil and gas, offer a strong signal of the city’s economic recovery

Following a tumultuous span of more than two years since the pandemic’s onset in Houston, employment has shown strong signs of recovery, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. In fact, it was on track to grow jobs back to pre-pandemic projections by the end of 2022.

The Plant/Second Ward developers hope to balance walkability and affordability in Houston’s East End

A Houston-based real estate acquisition, development and management company is in the beginning phases of reshaping parts of the East End and Second Ward into a more walkable and equitable place that adds to the neighborhood’s diversity.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner emphasizes funding for infrastructure, public education

Several hours after rescinding a nearly 40-hour boil water notice, Mayor Sylvester Turner had a timely example for why he thinks there is a clear need for infrastructure investment in Houston and throughout Texas.

Greener Gulfton effort plants seeds for alleviating neighborhood's nature inequity

In August of 2020, a heat mapping campaign identified Gulfton as the hottest neighborhood in Houston. The effort, co-led by The Nature Conservancy and the Houston Advanced Research Center, indicated that the southwest Houston neighborhood was 17 degrees warmer than the coolest neighborhood measured. A community-driven plan, “Greener Gulfton,” seeks to decrease the sweltering temperature, while adding an array of benefits to the immigrant-rich area that 45,000 residents call home.

Ten Across Summit: The Future is Here

The Ten Across Summit will convene a premier group of leaders and experts to discuss important issues such as water, energy, infrastructure, equity, democracy and risk.

With hybrid work here to stay, downtown Houston is looking for office conversion candidates

With the rise of a hybrid and remote workforce as a result of COVID-19, developers are looking for ways to be less reliant on office leases to keep people downtown.

Harris County is learning how to put billions in potential assets to better use

Harris County will soon have, for the first time, a full picture of its public wealth—the commercial value of all government-owned assets, from land to buildings to infrastructure—as well as a plan to start putting this wealth to work toward community development and economic growth.

It is time to recognize the Rio Grande Valley as a rising borderland metropolis

The Rio Grande Valley (RGV), or el Valle del Rio Bravo as it is known in Mexico, is often considered a far-flung collection of small-town border communities. As such, it remains largely unknown to the rest of the U.S., except when cited as one of the poorest areas in the country alongside Middle Appalachia or the Lower Mississippi Delta.

Kinder Houston Area Survey: 2022 Results

The 41st Kinder Houston Area Survey shares Houstonians’ views on the economy, crime, the pandemic and other issues related to the city’s demographic transformations.

Kinder Institute Forum: Richard Florida

Leading urbanist Richard Florida discusses the effect COVID-19 and its related economic, fiscal, social and political fallout have had on cities. He also outlines how post-pandemic, cities can rebuild to be more resilient and equitable.

Kinder Institute Lunch-Out 2020

Stephen Klineberg presents the findings from the 39th Kinder Houston Area Survey. The event also honors Rev. William A. Lawson with the 2020 Stephen L. Klineberg Award for more than 60 years of service to Houston and its people.

Urban Reads: Stephen L. Klineberg

Kinder Institute Founding Director Stephen Klineberg talks with Director Bill Fulton about his new book, which tracks the progress of Houston during almost four decades of remarkable economic, demographic and technological change.

The Metropolitan State of Texas: Securing the State's Prosperity and Competitiveness

The LBJ Urban Lab at The University of Texas at Austin, the Kinder Institute for Urban Research at Rice University and the George W. Bush Institute-SMU Economic Growth Initiative convened the state's top urban policy researchers for a summit addressing the most important issues in Texas cities: economic development, land use, housing, infrastructure and transportation.

Kinder Institute Lunch-Out 2021

The Kinder Institute held its 2021 annual luncheon on Tuesday, May 11 as a virtual Lunch-Out. Guests from Houston and around the world gathered online to hear Stephen Klineberg and other institute leaders share the findings from the 40th Kinder Houston Area Survey, and discuss key aspects of the institute’s transformative efforts in response to the challenges of the pandemic.