Pensions, disaster relief and the consolidation of city services are some of the topics tackled by our researchers.

Latest Urban Edge Stories

Houston, the city of no zoning, lives to plan another day

The Texas Supreme Court has settled it: Houston's historic preservation ordinance is not a form of zoning, which is expressly banned in the city charter. The decision seems to clear the way for more local experimentation with urban design and development rules.

Just don’t call it zoning.

Houston Historic Preservation
News Story
: Jun 14, 2021
Governance, Urban Planning

Surveying Houston’s progressive shift through 40 years of data

Houston, a quintessentially free-enterprise, anti-government city, is increasingly recognizing the critical role of government in strengthening the safety net, expanding opportunity and building resiliency, according to the Kinder Houston Area Surveys.

Downtown Houston in 1977 and today
Kinder Institute Research
: May 27, 2021
Demographics, Economic Development, Education, Governance, Health, Housing, Hurricane Harvey, Immigration, Urban Disparity, Urban Planning

The Astrodome’s future is uncertain, but its past is certainly worth revisiting

As a kid, I spent a good chunk of time in the Astrodome, but I didn’t know the story behind how it was built and the role it played in the desegregation of Houston.

Feature Story
: May 3, 2021
Economic Development, Governance

Latest Research

Kinder Houston Area Survey: 2021 Results

For the past four decades, Rice University’s Kinder Houston Area Survey (KHAS) has been tracking the changing attitudes and beliefs of Harris County residents. The 2021 survey summarizes the most consequential changes and their implications for public policy initiatives going forward. It also explores in what specific ways and to what measurable extent have residents been personally impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, economic shutdown and growing awareness of systemic racism.
Report: May 11, 2021
COVID-19 and Cities, Demographics, Economic Development, Education, Governance, Health, Housing, Hurricane Harvey, Immigration, Placemaking, Transportation

Texas Metropolitan Blueprint: A Policy Agenda to Secure the Competitiveness and Prosperity of Texas

The Texas Metropolitan Blueprint lays out recommendations for policies that address the most important economic development, land use, housing, infrastructure, and transportation challenges of the state’s metropolitan areas.
Report: Mar 24, 2021
Governance, Urban Planning

A Bottom-Up Infrastructure Strategy for American Renewal

This report identifies infrastructure priorities identified by local and regional leaders around the nation. Conclusions provide an important set of guideposts about priorities the new administration should take into account in crafting a national infrastructure strategy.
Report: Feb 10, 2021
COVID-19 and Cities, Economic Development, Education, Governance, Health, Housing, Transportation, Urban Planning

Experts

Bill Fulton

William Fulton

  • Director, Kinder Institute for Urban Research
  • Research Oversight Committee, Urban Data Platform
  • Publisher, Urban Edge Blog
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