Kinder Institute Forum: Tamika L. Butler
A national expert and speaker on issues related to the built environment and equity, Tamika L. Butler discusses institutional oppression, the importance of inclusive urban design, and how to make transportation and public spaces more equitable.
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.
Sociologist Rachel T. Kimbro discusses her new book, “In Too Deep: Class and Mothering in a Flooded Community.”
A new book, “In Too Deep” tells the story of Bayou Oaks, and its repetitive flooding, from the perspective of 36 mothers who are raising young children there. It follows the families across the course of more than a year, starting right after Hurricane Harvey flooded their homes, and tracking them across the recovery year and beyond as they work to restore their community for the third time in three years.
I just took a trip to Switzerland and southern Germany, and was amazed by what I saw and experienced. As a country goes, Switzerland is relatively old, landlocked, and small. However, despite its reputation for being just about chocolate and skiing, it’s also quite diverse, both socially and economically. Its terrain is wildly varied, combining mountains, valleys, plains and lakes, with historically strong and distinct areas clearly defined in each area. And Switzerland consistently ranks near the highest in terms of overall quality of life.
Kinder Institute Forum: Antoine Bryant
Planner and community advocate Antoine Bryant discusses his work on affordable housing, equitable development and community-led design.
Houston’s LULAC House, a symbol of Hispanic political power, beckons for renewal
The LULAC House in Houston's Midtown neighborhood has hosted presidents and has helped launch social programs that would inspire federal efforts that continue to this day. This symbol of collective Hispanic political power could be a rallying point and a shared ground for advocates for Houston and the Latinx community alike—if it can be saved.
We need to talk about the Astrodome
Former Harris County Judge Ed Emmett discusses the past, present and once-future plan for the Astrodome, which has stood empty for almost 20 years. Recently, efforts to remake the Dome have been renewed.
The return to work will determine the fate of downtowns. Is Houston ready for what’s next?
Central Houston President Bob Eury has been tracking COVID-19 case counts since the early days of the pandemic and has the spreadsheet to prove it. It was a ritual that he says helped him stay on top of the virus and how far off “normal” might be. But there may be one number he is tracking even more closely: how many of downtown’s estimated 168,000 workers are returning to the office.
The struggle to preserve the Black experience in Houston
The National Register of Historic Places lists 290 entries for Houston. Of those, only 13 focus on the history of African-American residents.
‘Slow streets’ may have been rolled out too fast in Houston
Despite good intentions, the city’s three-month “slow streets” experiment in Eastwood may have been undone by efforts to react quickly to the circumstances of the pandemic. But the lessons learned could improve the initiative going forward.
Giving Buffalo Bayou ‘back to the people’ of the East End
As the Buffalo Bayou Partnership looks east, some of the first improvements planned include mixed-income housing options, a Japhet Creek pocket park in the lower Fifth Ward, wharf and dock reconstruction in the Second Ward and filling gaps in existing trails. But it all started with connecting to communities.
Repairing the urban fabric torn apart by highways in America
How rebuilding freeways has helped heal mid-20th-century transportation scars in cities like San Francisco, Dallas, Syracuse and Washington, D.C., along with a cautionary tale from Houston.
The new BikeHouston boss has a vision for safer streets for all
Whether you ride a bike full time or part time, just for fun or for transportation, BikeHouston’s new executive director wants to make it safer to ride a bike in Houston. It’s why he left New York to come here.
For close to 40 years, SPARK parks have been bringing hyper-proximity to Houston neighborhoods
Since 1983, the innovative SPARK parks program has taken a multi-use, community-based approach to increasing park acreage by turning school playgrounds into community parks. The effort has helped put many Houstonians within walking distance of active green space.
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