Urban Edge

Sharp insights. Smart solutions. Better cities.

How new FEMA flood maps will — and won’t — impact insurance costs across Harris County

Hundreds of thousands of Harris County residents would move into higher-risk flood zones under a proposed update to federal maps — but only some residents would see insurance hikes as a result.

800 school districts, $1 billion paid: How Texas’ teacher pay-for-performance has rapidly grown

About two-thirds of Texas school districts have now joined the Teacher Incentive Allotment, including nearly all in Houston.

What do Houston’s Asian residents love and dislike about the region? Here’s what 2,500 of them said.

The region’s Asian community is mostly satisfied with life in the area, though a few nagging problems persist.

With 1 million trees planted, Houston nonprofit charts expansion to combat canopy loss

Trees For Houston celebrated its 1 millionth tree planted last week, a milestone for the four-decade old nonprofit. Now, it’s charting a path to the next million — and in much less time.

‘Set up for failure’: Houston residents take expensive payday loans at sky-high rates, survey finds

Houstonians rely on payday loans at significantly higher rates than most Americans — and paying an exceptionally high price for them.

Texas school vouchers promise choice. Geography may influence who has options in Houston.

While some Houston families live near private schools accepting vouchers, others reside miles from the nearest campus.

Left in the cold: These Houston residents report lack of safe, reliable heating in winter

Early results from a Kinder Institute survey show 12% of Harris County residents don’t have safe, reliable heat at home.

Building coalitions, bridging parties, hitting local issues: How 3 Asian elected officials rose to power in Houston

In the three decades since Martha Wong’s trailblazing ascent to a Houston City Council seat, Houston-area Asian leaders have steadily gained representation in the local political arena.

Are corporate buyers hogging single-family homes in Harris County? Here’s what the data shows.

A Kinder Institute analysis shows nine large companies own about 1% of single-family homes in Harris County.

Uncertified teacher hiring soared in Texas schools after the pandemic. Now, it’s slowing down.

A rapid rise in Texas public schools hiring uncertified teachers slowed in 2024-25, though it remains triple pre-pandemic rates, state data shows.