Urban Edge

Sharp insights. Smart solutions. Better cities.

Hindsight in 2020: Some of the things that helped us cope

The year in review or the year in the rearview mirror? In 2020, we’ve seen a once-a-century pandemic amplify and exacerbate many of America’s long-existing disparities. We’ve also seen life-affirming kindness, dedication and sacrifice from so many fighting the effects of COVID-19 on a number of fronts. Here are some of the simple things that helped sustain us during the coronavirus crisis.

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?

Texas’ largest suburban counties are growing fast, but are they growing less reliably Republican?

In the past three decades, the populations of these counties near Houston, Austin and Dallas have tripled in size, become less white and shifted politically. Here’s a closer look.

A data-driven approach to combating food insecurity worsened by COVID-19

In August, Urban Harvest launched its mobile market to bring healthy and affordable food options to underserved areas with limited access to fresh fruits and vegetables. The nonprofit collaborated with the Kinder Institute’s Houston Community Data Connections to create a data-based decision support tool that helps ensure the mobile market is being dispatched to areas of Houston where residents need it the most.

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.

To improve transit equity in Houston, improve local bus service in these 3 high-demand areas

According to LINK Houston’s “Equity in Transit: 2020” report, roughly 867,000 Houston residents live in areas warranting more affordable transportation options for people who walk, bike and ride public transit. Transit plays a central role in connecting people to jobs, education, health care and many other opportunities.

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.

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.

In Houston, some want to see the mayor lose control — at least some of it

The city’s strong mayor has the power to set the City Council agenda, which means nothing can go before the council without the mayor’s OK. A coalition led by the fire union is trying to rein in that strength.

House Bill 5 may create separate and unequal college paths for Texas students

Differences in course requirements across endorsements appear to provide some students a more direct path to selective four-year colleges and universities than other endorsements. What can school districts in Texas do to help students and families deal with these discrepancies?