Urban Edge

Stories, perspectives and insights from the Kinder Institute

Amid the pandemic, lessons in what we’ve overlooked

Has the COVID-19 crisis made you more aware of things you didn’t properly appreciate before the outbreak? What have you learned new reverence for since life was disrupted?

Taking residents on a data walk to democratize community research findings

Through workshops, community feedback and an interactive data walk, a Houston Community Data Connections team empowered Third Ward community members and other stakeholders to use data from a multi-phase comprehensive needs assessment to pursue priorities in the neighborhood.

Dear cities: Don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to remake and retake streets

Over the years, more and more of our public space has been given over to cars and congestion while pedestrians, cyclists and others have been squeezed out. One possible silver lining to the COVID-19 pandemic is the chance to give some of that space back.

Update: COVID-19 Registry shows racial disparities in economic impact of pandemic

More than 40% of Houston-area households have lost income as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. And the pandemic appears to be taking a greater economic toll on African American and Hispanic households than white and Asian American households, according to the latest survey results from Rice University’s COVID-19 Registry.

Big cities, megaregions and the huge role they will play in response and recovery

Cities need to reject the notion that they are the pandemic problem; rather, they need to assert their collective brainpower, humanity and economies as the solution to emerging from this current crisis smarter, kinder and more prosperous than ever.

A minimal approach to regulations may lead to Houston becoming the nation’s next dense city

In the past several months, the density of urban areas has been demonized by more than a few because of the COVID-19 crisis. While understandable, it’s not completely accurate when it comes to the current pandemic, which has ravaged New York but hasn’t affected other very dense cities like Hong Kong and Singapore in the same way. In Houston, the city’s light touch when it comes to land-use regulations and its relative affordability are leading to greater density. That trend is likely to continue when the pandemic ends.

Post-coronavirus economic recovery in Houston and Texas requires bold planning

Kinder Institute senior fellow and former Harris County Judge Ed Emmett sees three major challenges that need to be addressed as Texas begins the task of tackling its economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

We shouldn’t let this disaster go to waste

As the COVID-19 crisis continues, planners and urbanists should be considering the lessons we’re already learning during the pandemic and think about solutions that will improve our future cities. Those include things like urban farming, neighborhoods that are less drivable and more walkable, and better, safer shared-use of city streets.

In post-pandemic Texas, the state’s cities will be more important than ever

Some 80% of Texas’ 29 million residents live in large cities or metropolitan areas, which are the economic drivers in the state. If the recovery is going to be successful after the COVID-19 pandemic ends, it’s important that preparations begin now.

Can Texas afford to lose its housing affordability advantage?

Long known as a place where everything except the cost of living is big, the state seems to be losing its edge in the area of home prices — especially in its large metros. Continuing in that direction could lead to trouble down the road.