Does Atascocita really have the worst quality of life in America?
URBAN EDGE : October 25, 2020
It depends on whom you ask, but according to one list, it does. Overall, suburban cities in the Houston area are affordable and economically healthy, but they don’t stack up well when it comes to education, health and quality of life.
Students: Don’t leave college money on the table by failing to file a FAFSA
URBAN EDGE : October 23, 2020
The vast majority of college undergrads depend on some amount of financial aid to afford their education. But to get it, they have to fill out a FAFSA. Research shows that students in higher-poverty school districts are less likely to complete the FAFSA than students in wealthier districts. So far this year, which has been greatly disrupted by the pandemic, completion rates are down at all levels, especially in high-minority and Title 1 high schools.
Let’s fund parks like the essential infrastructure they are
URBAN EDGE : October 16, 2020
Great public spaces are equitable places that bring people who are not the same together. Cities need to think bigger when it comes to funding parks, trails, libraries and other civic assets because the return on investment can be huge.
Pandemic pivot: My favorite street is closed to cars — but open to people
URBAN EDGE : October 7, 2020
Main Street in Ventura, California, which has been closed to cars and opened to restaurants and other businesses affected by the coronavirus, is my favorite street. This essay is both a discussion of what makes a great street and a personal reminiscence about what this particular street means to me.
We’ll overcome COVID-19, but can we overcome 400 years of wrongs?
URBAN EDGE : September 22, 2020
There has been a lot of discussion and speculation about the future of cities and how they will change following the pandemic. What will that future look like for Black Americans, who have been abused, exploited, ground down and lied to in the past? As we move into the future, what will change? And what will stay the same?
Update: Evictions cost Harris County over $240 million a year — that was before COVID-19
URBAN EDGE : September 16, 2020
Researchers at the Kinder Institute estimated the annual cost of evictions to Harris County, where more people are evicted each year than anywhere in the U.S., with the exception of New York. The increasing costs of evictions eat up funding that could go toward improving the county’s public health, transportation, public safety and education infrastructure.
Texas Flood Registry 2020 Report
RESEARCH : August 25, 2020
This report includes updates on Harvey’s long-term impact and recent findings
about the health and housing effects of the May 2019 storms and Tropical Storm Imelda.