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Urban Edge Stories by Andy Olin

Imagine there’s no traffic. Amid the pandemic, it isn’t as hard to do.

A recently released traffic index shows the dramatic effect remote work and stay-at-home orders had on congestion levels in more than 400 cities around the world, including 80 in the U.S. Houston saw 33% less traffic in 2020 than in 2019, and the congestion level dropped from 24% to 16%. But as the COVID-19 vaccine is more widely distributed and driving habits move toward pre-pandemic levels, the declines are expected to disappear.

News Story
: Jan 20, 2021
COVID-19 and Cities, Transportation

How Houston can become a 15-minute city

What does cancer treatment have to do with fighting climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic and neighborhood-level urban planning? Taking preventive steps today can literally save us all tomorrow.

people walking on street near white concrete building during daytime photo – Free Human Image on Unsplash
Feature Story
: Jan 14, 2021
COVID-19 and Cities, Economic Development, Health, Housing, Placemaking, Transportation, Urban Planning

There are only 19 prosperous majority-Black ZIP codes in the US. The Houston area is home to two

A shocking 70% of the nation’s 1,036 majority-Black ZIP codes are considered “distressed,” while only 19 — 1.8% — rank as “prosperous,” according to one analysis. Two of those prosperous ZIP codes are in Fort Bend County.

aerial photo of Fresno, Texas
News Story
: Jan 13, 2021
Demographics, Economic Development, Education, Housing, Urban Disparity

Is Houston still one of the most generous cities in the US?

With a rich history as a philanthropic city, Houston has a reputation as one of the nation’s most charitable metros. However, a recent ranking doesn’t find the city to be quite so generous.

News Story
: Jan 11, 2021
COVID-19 and Cities, Health

Unflashy but effective ways to slow traffic and save lives

Pedestrians and bicyclists accounted for 38% of all roadway deaths in Houston in 2019 — a 3% increase from 2018. Overall, 647 people were killed in fatal crashes in the Houston area in 2019, according to NHTSA data released in December. Prioritizing speed on local roads is the dangerous status quo in the U.S., but many cities are taking action to try and make safety the priority.

News Story
: Jan 7, 2021
Health, Transportation, Urban Planning

How will COVID-19 alter today’s house of tomorrow?

In 2020, many American companies and their employees embraced working from home, and polls show the majority of workers want to continue the arrangement after the pandemic is over. With so many spending much more time at home, what design trends will benefit workers, households and individuals the most?

A modern smart home in Melbourne, Australia
Feature Story
: Jan 4, 2021
COVID-19 and Cities, Health, Housing, Transportation

Top stories of 2020: The post-pandemic world, racial injustice and the urban research that can make cities more equitable

Here are the 10 most-viewed — and some of the most-engaging — Urban Edge stories of the year, as well as a look at how the Kinder Institute and its researchers are providing the insight needed to solve cities’ equity problems.

Urban Edge top stories 2020
Feature Story
: Dec 23, 2020
COVID-19 and Cities, Demographics, Economic Development, Education, Health, Housing, Hurricane Harvey, Transportation, Urban Disparity

Buoyed by a suburban shift, the pandemic housing market continues to soar

In the Houston area and affordable metros and small- and mid-size cities across the U.S., sales of single-family homes are on pace to hit record highs. How much of the boom can be attributed to the COVID-19 crisis?

Buoyed by a suburban shift, the pandemic housing market continues to soar
News Story
: Dec 17, 2020
COVID-19 and Cities, Housing, Sun Belt

With added e-bikes, Houston bike share charges forward with expansion

BCycle rolls out the first batch of its electric bikes, which could help riders go farther and choose to bike more often. The boost from the e-bikes, along with plans to install more docking stations, should extend the network’s reach and improve access to biking for many in the city.    

Houston bike share BCycle electric bike
Feature Story
: Dec 10, 2020
COVID-19 and Cities, Transportation

Large retailers’ pandemic earnings continue to soar long after hazard pay ends

The nation’s biggest retailers have seen profits and stock prices surge alongside COVID-19, but compensation for low-wage front-line workers hasn’t had the same relative rise. In Houston, Kroger and the union representing its workers remain at odds over a new contract and a return of hazard pay.

Urban Edge: Dec 7, 2020

Want transportation equity? Be an accomplice, not an ally

Tamika L. Butler loves biking, transit and transportation, and she advocates for all three because she cares about her family and wants to build a better world for them. That’s why, when talking about transportation, planning and the built environment — especially now, when transit agencies are considering drastic cuts because of the pandemic — she always talks about race.

COVID, Group, Platform, Red Line, Ridership, TMC
Feature Story
: Dec 3, 2020
COVID-19 and Cities, Health, Housing, Transportation, Urban Disparity, Urban Planning

Study: Pandemic relief for small businesses did its job, but more stimulus likely needed

New research indicates federal and local COVID-19 relief programs were effective in helping to buoy small businesses with injections of cash earlier in the pandemic. And as the pandemic drags on, additional action may be necessary.

small businesses helped by pandemic relief programs
News Story
: Nov 24, 2020
COVID-19 and Cities, Economic Development

America is more diverse than ever, but diversity doesn’t equal equality

In the time since the Immigration and Nationality Act was signed in 1965, the demographics of Houston have changed dramatically. In 1980, the city was 55% white, 28% Black and 17% Hispanic. Today, the population is 25% white, 22% Black, around 7% Asian and nearly 45% Hispanic. Despite Houston’s high level of diversity, the city’s neighborhoods are segregated to a large degree.

Racial dot map Houston
Feature Story
: Nov 23, 2020
Demographics, Housing, Immigration

Map of Houston area’s distressed and prosperous ZIP codes shows ongoing and growing inequality

Where you live determines to a great extent how much access you have to quality education, health care, housing, public services and more. More access correlates to better outcomes in life. One-third of the Black population and almost one-third of the Hispanic population of Texas live in an economically distressed community. The populations of the Houston area’s distressed ZIP codes predominantly are people of color.

Houston neighborhood
News Story
: Nov 5, 2020
Demographics, Economic Development, Education, Health, Housing, Urban Disparity

Students: Don’t leave college money on the table by failing to file a FAFSA

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.

Student in classroom Kinder Institute post
News Story
: Oct 23, 2020
COVID-19 and Cities, Education

Where are Texas' fastest-growing cities? Check the suburbs

Though Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and Austin all continue to grow, their suburban neighbors — led by Frisco — appear to be outpacing the biggest cities in Texas.

Coleman Boulevard in Frisco, Texas
News Story
: Oct 14, 2020
Demographics, Economic Development, Housing, Sun Belt

Mapping low-income displacement and poverty concentration in Houston

An examination of neighborhood change in America’s 50 largest metropolitan areas shows decline and poverty concentration are bigger problems than gentrification in most cities. Some, including Houston, struggle with both.

Low income displacement and concentration in Houston area by census tract
Urban Edge: Oct 12, 2020
Demographics, Housing, Urban Disparity

Electric bike subsidies would empower more people to use cars less

A rebate program for e-bikes would make them more affordable for residents who can’t afford an electric car and give others greater incentive to choose a mode of transportation that isn’t powered by fossil fuel.

electric cargo bike for blog post
Perspective
: Sep 28, 2020
COVID-19 and Cities, Health, Housing, Transportation

How 420 households can reveal COVID-19’s prevalence in Houston

Using a random sample designed by Rice University researchers, the results of the COVID-19 antibody testing survey will provide an accurate count of infections among the 2.3 million people living in Houston.

coronavirus and B cell
News Story
: Sep 17, 2020
COVID-19 and Cities, Health

Less space for parking is a crucial step toward walkability in Houston

By design, Houston is car-dependent. Yet, Kinder Surveys have shown that half of Houstonians want to live where they can walk more and drive less. Recently approved ordinances that promote walkability in neighborhoods should help. Importantly, in certain areas, the new regulations will eliminate and reduce minimum parking requirements, which are considered costly, unfair and inefficient by many experts.

Parking lots in East Downtown area of Houston
Kinder Institute Research
: Aug 27, 2020
Economic Development, Governance, Housing, Placemaking, Urban Planning
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