When it comes to health care, most people know they can either put in the work of maintaining a healthy diet and getting enough exercise now or pay a much higher price — physically and fiscally — later in life. The same is true when it comes to the health and well-being of a city and its residents. In the long run, it’s smarter and less expensive for local governments to invest now to ensure they are prepared to handle unexpected disasters and possibly prevent problems altogether in the future.
One day before the release of the city’s Resilient Houston plan on Wednesday, a new network of resilient cities was publicly announced at the UN-Habitat World Urban Forum in Abu Dhabi. Houston will be a member of the network.
As Houston strives to improve transit, shrink its carbon footprint and make streets safer for all modes of transportation, it may be struggling to rise above the status quo in some areas.
So, what’s the deal with zoning laws in Houston? While it’s true the city has none, it still regulates development using a complex system of codes. These codes, however, don’t govern land use.
Since the turn of the century, many neighborhoods in or near the heart of Houston and the state’s other large metropolitan areas — Dallas, San Antonio and Austin — have been transformed by the ongoing inflow of affluence. A change better known as gentrification.
It’s been a decade since the Kinder Institute for Urban Research was formed at Rice University. During that time, a lot has changed at the institute and in the Houston metropolitan area. In 2020, the Urban Edge will feature a number of stories related to the 10-year anniversary of the institute. To kick things off, let's compare the Houston area of 2010 with the city today.
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.
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.
Results from the recently released Sunnyside Strong survey reveal promising potential for revitalizing the predominantly African-American neighborhoods of Sunnyside and South Park in south-central Houston; though there’s still work to be done.
During a Texas Tribune conference Friday, Mayor Sylvester Turner said he was concerned with the state taking over the largest school district in Texas.
This story was first published by The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans — and engages with them — about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.
