Urban Edge

Editor’s note: This is the first of two posts exploring the long-term effects the COVID-19 crisis will have on the American city. Once we get through this, cities as we know them will be changed forever. 

As a stay-at-home order takes effect for residents of Houston and Harris County, the importance of social solidarity and working together for the common good become even more crucial to protecting our most vulnerable neighbors.

The state, which ranks 31st in population density, has moved up to No. 38 in tested cases of COVID-19 per capita — it was previously last. It remains 48th in total public health emergency preparedness funding per capita.

An infectious disease expert from Rice University talks about the good, the bad and the future effects of our response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Why are there so few studies charting displacement and cultural decline in non-gentrifying neighborhoods? According to this commentary, the implicit assumption in most gentrification research is that if a neighborhood doesn’t change, it stays the same. And that displacement by decline is much more common and more harmful than displacement due to gentrification.

New York City Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver discussed how innovative projects have transformed many of the city’s parks as well the lives of residents.

American cities are caught in a cycle that goes something like this: Expand roads to mitigate gridlock, which encourages more people to drive, which produces more congestion, which is addressed by expanding roads, which encourages more people to drive and on it goes. According to a new report, the continual expansion of roads only treats a symptom — congestion — and not the disease — sprawl.

But what if we’re focusing on the wrong thing?

All day long, cars and trucks speed down Rushmore Boulevard, a high-traffic roadway that separates a pair of lifelong friends in the book “The Busiest Street in Town.” That is, until they decide to take matters into their own hands to slow the traffic and make the street safe for everyone. It may be a children’s book but the story doesn’t have to be a fairy tale.

The “Urban Edge explains …” series explores issues and concepts that are important to urban planning and policy experts. Today, we look at the power of tactical urbanism to demonstrate effective solutions to long-term goals using short-term, inexpensive examples.

Research consistently shows that higher education pays — for both individuals and society. There’s a direct correlation between the level of postsecondary education and the amount of money a person makes, how much they pay in taxes, their degree of civic engagement and even their health. On average, those with a bachelor’s degree earn 31% more than those with an associate degree and 62% more than those with a high school diploma alone.

Near Northside residents’ perception of safety and the quality of streets and sidewalks are assessed in a pair of new reports from the Kinder Institute. The findings show subpar infrastructure and fears of crime and cars are endangering many in the neighborhood.  

For the past six years, Andrea Roberts has been dispelling misconceptions about the history of African American placemaking in Texas through her Texas Freedom Colonies Project.

If the Trust for Public Land’s annual ParkScore rankings mean anything to you, Houston’s steady slide over the past seven years may surprise, concern, frustrate or alarm you. The nonprofit’s evaluation of “park access and quality” — based on an assessment of access, investment, acreage and amenities — puts Houston at No. 85 among the nation’s 100 largest cities. Overall, the city’s parks get a score of 35.3.

The Acres Homes Health Action Team is contending with food insecurity, health disparities and climate change and more. It’s also excited and passionate about the Acres Homes community and making it stronger.

When work to address challenges at the neighborhood level is aligned with broader citywide efforts, communities and residents are better able to respond to and recover from long-term stresses and sudden shocks.

Research from Rice University sociologists shows urban areas and predominantly white neighborhoods that are at risk of flooding in cities benefit the most from FEMA’s voluntary buyout program.

On average, Houston offers women tech workers more income equality than all American cities except Long Beach, California, where women earn more than men. But how does the city rank overall?