Urban Edge

Insights, perspectives and stories about building better cities and better lives

Is buying a home easier or harder in Houston? Here’s how it compares to other Texas metros

By many accounts, the city of Houston has long been considered an affordable place to buy a home. But how well does it stack up against its peers in Texas? One way to look at this is to compare housing costs relative to income.

'I Am Barbara Jordan': Houston honors hometown political icon

Before she became a national figure, political leader and University of Texas professor, Barbara Jordan was born and raised in Houston’s Fifth Ward. There was a time, however, when Houston — a deeply segregated city — could have lost the chance to claim her.

Migrants from other states more likely to call Texas their new home

In 2022, millions of Americans were on the move from one state to another. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Texas was the top destination in the country.

Houston ISD centralizing wraparound support services for students and their families at new Sunrise Centers

The Houston Independent School District bolstered its wraparound services with the opening of seven Sunrise Centers, which assist with a variety of noninstructional needs, including after-school care, clothing, enrichment activities, food, health care, school supplies and other resources.

After 40 years of encouraging play, SPARK wants to eliminate Houston’s park deserts

In 1983, Houston’s Green Ribbon Commission reported that the city needed an additional 5,000 acres of greenspace to compete with the parks and recreation facilities in other U.S. cities. To meet this challenge, the report suggested creating community parks on public school grounds, which led to the SPARK School Park Program.

National climate report features Kinder Institute research on Harris County disasters

A new comprehensive federal report documenting the effects of climate change across the country includes Kinder Institute research to bring attention to Harris County’s vulnerabilities.

Houstonians support policies to reduce firearm violence and injury at the local level

A Texas gun control case is now in the hands of the U.S. Supreme Court, which could either clear the way for more regulations or close the door to further restrictions on Second Amendment rights. The decision could take months, but no matter the outcome, our surveys show that most Houstonians would embrace a wide range of policies aimed at bolstering responsible gun ownership and public safety.

Census director Santos emphasizes community engagement as key to an inclusive count

Seeking unique perspectives and insights can equip the U.S. Census Bureau to reach historically undercounted populations, Director Robert L. Santos said at the Kinder Institute Forum on Wednesday at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.

When students change schools, how often is the cost of housing to blame?

Tens of thousands of students in the Houston area change schools during the school year or over the summer, which poses a variety of problems for academic achievement, according to the Kinder Institute’s Houston Education Research Consortium. In some cases, students are not moving schools for academic reasons, but because of housing needs — their families are facing eviction or in search of more affordable rent.

Across Houston, career and technical education is working. But could it work better?

“Career and technical education,” or CTE, tends to conjure up the image of students receiving hands-on training in high-wage technical occupations such as welding or HVAC repair. These programs do indeed provide the skills and experience to succeed in such fields, but today’s CTE offerings go far beyond the vocational training of previous decades.