Features

Ending chronic homelessness remains a ‘moonshot’ opportunity for Houston

A number of public policy solutions could help Houston make further strides to reduce homelessness, but experts say what is truly needed is a recommitment from local leaders — and additional resources — to bring an end to chronic homelessness.

Third Ward EV shuttle offers a way to close the first-and-last-mile gap in transit

Third Ward residents have recently gained increased access to grocery stores, health care, public transit and other necessities, thanks to an electric vehicle shuttle service that transports residents at no cost. It is part of a 12-week pilot program that could help close a critical transportation gap in Houston communities facing transit disadvantages and low vehicle ownership.

With community action plan, Settegast takes next step toward lasting change

Following a three-phase, 18-month project, Harris County Public Health has released a community action plan for Settegast, a historically Black neighborhood in northeast Houston with the lowest life expectancy in Harris County, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s U.S. Small-Area Life Expectancy Estimates Project.

Community Bridges fellows continue to advance equitable solutions for Houston

In partnership with 16 nonprofit partner organizations, the 27 fellows in the 2022-2023 Community Bridges cohort grappled with urban inequality and poverty issues within Greater Houston communities.

'You betta do somethin’': How seven artists helped Third Ward reclaim itself 30 years ago

In honor of the 30th anniversary of Project Row Houses' debut, the Urban Edge asked author and artist Lindsay Gary to reflect on the impact of this project on Third Ward, on Houston and on her own journey.

With new youth facility, Harris Center takes community-based approach to avoid recidivism

One of the central aspirations of The Harris Center for Mental Health and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities is to reduce the footprint of criminal justice in the lives of people with mental health concerns. After providing services to over 90,000 individuals in 2022, it recently opened a facility specifically dedicated to juveniles between the ages of 13-17 with the launch of its Youth Diversion Center.

A generation ago, a documentary revealed an unseen housing crisis in Houston

In 1979, a documentary filmmaker and an architect trained both of their lenses on Houston’s housing crisis. The result was a film that could have easily been made today, as housing costs, inflation and demographic change continue to reshape the region. It is also a film that demands a second viewing.

Education leader Ruth Simmons ponders what's next for diversity, equity and inclusion

With publicly-funded state universities eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion as part of the hiring process, and proposed legislation targeted at other DEI policies in higher education, private institutions have an opportunity—and an obligation—to respond, Ruth J. Simmons said at the Kinder Institute Forum on Wednesday at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.

Researchers make the case for broader investments in high-quality pre-K in Texas

A high-quality prekindergarten education can significantly alter the trajectory of a child’s life, leaders from the Kinder Institute’s Houston Education Research Consortium told community members last week at a special presentation at the United Way of Greater Houston campus. 

As Fort Bend becomes increasingly urban, developers see opportunity to rethink neighborhood design

A parcel of 235 acres off State Highway 99 and north of Highway 90 in Fort Bend County will be the home of a community where developers are offering residents an open-spaced, “people-first” neighborhood with maximized pedestrian safety, car-free zones and other amenities, including a 42-acre farm and a 25-acre lake.

When it comes to education outcomes, we get what we pay for

A lack of investment in education is holding back students in Houston and Texas, particularly those experiencing socioeconomic challenges, Kinder Institute Director Ruth N. López Turley said on Tuesday.

New research is helping Houston get its arms around the needs of students and families

Recent findings by the Kinder Institute’s Houston Education Research Consortium indicate that mental health services, food and housing are among the greatest non-instructional needs for students in the Houston Independent School District. HERC, HISD and local partners are looking to find more ways to bridge resources within the community to meet these needs.

How a former landfill could help fight floods and reimagine a swath of southwest Houston

A proposal to transform a former landfill in southwest Houston into a mixed-use development with a flood control component recently caught the attention of statewide planners who recognized it for its contributions to resilience.

Historic Tamina community’s $21 million water deal comes at another cost

James Leveston has been fighting for more than 20 years to bring basic public services to the Montgomery County community of Tamina, where he’s lived for most of his life. Late last year, he went door to door asking his neighbors if they would support a deal with the nearby city of Shenandoah to provide water and sewer service. About 150 of the 190 affected households agreed, he said.

2022 in review: Backyards, rooftops, windfalls, buyouts, downtowns and big ideas

From the perspective of the Urban Edge, 2022 was a year when tried-and-true ideas—the utility of a garage apartment and the wisdom of living in close-knit communities—gained new life.