Governance

Lessons from Harvey: Crisis Informatics for Urban Resilience

This report suggests that public agencies work closely with social media companies and the operators of crowdsourced sites to install plans to incorporate these systems into the disaster recovery process.

What Twitter Can Teach Us About Hurricane Harvey

Platforms like Twitter can capture immediate, on-the-ground needs in an unfolding disaster and can help fill gaps in response.

Texas High Schools Are Supposed to Help Students Register to Vote. Many Aren't.

A new study from the Texas Civil Rights Project tracked which schools had requested voter registration forms from the state and which hadn't.

Urban Review: Parking, A Football Oz and How To (Not) Write About Los Angeles

This week, new data on parking, a review of a fabricated sports city, the problem with work requirements and a lesson in writing about Los Angeles (and all cities).

National Partisan Nastiness Is Now Poisoning Local Politics

Zocalo Public Square | "Sometimes we couldn’t even agree on what to call our city."

Urban Review: New Black Cities, Prop. 13 40 Years On and Texas' Migrant Child Detention Facilities

This week, a look at newly formed majority-black cities and some of the challenges they face, the legacy of Prop. 13 according to California residents and a map documenting the migrant children being held across Texas.

In Fights Between States and Cities, It's Not Just Red vs. Blue

Governing | Preempting local laws is no longer a trend in just conservative states.

Deciphering the City Network

A new report looks at how mayors and cities have tried to address concerns and fill federal gaps through new networks.

Two Houston Zip Codes Among the "Most Gentrified" In the Country

The analysis looked at changes in median income, home value and population with a bachelor’s degree or higher between 2000 and 2016.

Local Government Corporations, like Houston First, Are Popular in Houston But What Are They?

Part non-profit, part quasi-governmental entity, local government corporations use taxpayer funds and private donations in the name of the public.

Charts: What Flood Mitigation Policies Do Houston-Area Residents Support?

“Everybody is for everything,” said Bob Stein, Rice University professor. Less so when you propose increased taxes.

Urban Review: Unequal Voting Lines, Transit-Oriented Development and Fare Evasion

This week, uneven wait times at polling places, mixed results for transit-oriented development in Los Angeles and more.

After Harvey, How Can Houston Improve the Buyout Process?

Buyouts are a popular hazard mitigation but examples from across the country offer innovative ways to improve the process.

Planning for Houston’s Future

At a recent discussion with Houston city and civic leaders, a look back at the 2015 general plan shows some movement, but much more to go.

Maps: FEMA Assistance After Harvey

As acceptances and rejections come in for those who applied for assistance in the wake of Harvey, a picture of unmet need emerges.