Urban Edge

Sharp insights. Smart solutions. Better cities.

A decade of stagnation: New data reveals Houston’s trouble getting some youth into school, workforce

Houston prides itself on being a city of opportunity, but many young adults have seen little change to their prospects over the past decade.

Houston’s committee for enforcing apartment standards sits dormant. Will City Council revive it?

On a typical day in Houston, the city’s 311 helpline receives roughly 10 complaints about busted pipes, broken heaters, stinky sewage and other predicaments plaguing apartments.

1 in 5 Texas students are still missing lots of school — and attendance isn’t getting much better

Roughly 20% of Texas public school students were chronically absent in 2023-24, new data shows, a marginal decline from the prior year and well above than pre-pandemic levels.

Shoddy AC, pesky cockroaches, thin insulation: Study gives early insight into common Houston housing issues

Houston’s housing problems aren’t limited to affordability and vulnerability to storms. 

Despite glut of existing homes for sale, Houston leads nation in new-home permitting

For-sale signs are dotting Houston neighborhoods, but real estate developers are still filing permits, pouring concrete and acquiring land for new projects.

Who are Harris County’s unauthorized immigrants? These charts detail their diverse backgrounds.

New estimates from the Migration Policy Institute shed light on Harris County’s 600,000-plus unauthorized immigrants.

A new state plan calls for big investments in public transit. What it could mean for Greater Houston.

A statewide public transportation plan proposes better bus connectivity and new high-speed rail for Houston.

Half a million Houstonians could soon change careers. Is the region ready to help them?

Hundreds of thousands of Houstonians foresee jumping to a new career soon — and local institutions have work to do in helping people taking the leap.

Abandoned properties are making Houston hotter. Could these changes turn down the heat?

Abandoned buildings and paved-over vacant lots are cranking up the heat in Houston. Local leaders have some avenues for turning down the temperature — without having to break out the bulldozer.

Texas’ fastest-growing path to ‘college readiness’ leaves many high schoolers unprepared

College prep courses are booming in high schools, but mounting evidence shows they’re not equipping students for success.