The growth of George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Continental Airlines' largest hub but also one of he principal destinations away from the coasts for international carriers, has vastly increased passenger traffic and allowed Houston's reinvention.
"Houston is a microcosm of the world," said Stephen Klineberg, a professor at Rice University and co-director of its Institute for Urban Research. "Houston ranks third in the nation in the number of consular corps," said Jeff Moseley, president and chief executive of the Greater Houston Partnership. "That means that 92 different countries from all over the world see the value of establishing relations with our city."
"Much of our economic growth is due to our international trade ties," he concluded.
In comparison with other central hub cities like Minneapolis/St. Paul or Dallas/Ft. Worth, Houston's demographics make it the more attractive option. "The growth of Harris County [including the city of Houston] during the past quarter-century was primarily due to immigration from abroad as well as the birth of new babies," explains Klineberg. It is one of the few American Metropolises with significant immigrant populations from all over the world, not just one region.
FULL STORY: How Houston Became A Global City

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking
Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

Cal Fire Chatbot Fails to Answer Basic Questions
An AI chatbot designed to provide information about wildfires can’t answer questions about evacuation orders, among other problems.

What Happens if Trump Kills Section 8?
The Trump admin aims to slash federal rental aid by nearly half and shift distribution to states. Experts warn this could spike homelessness and destabilize communities nationwide.

Sean Duffy Targets Rainbow Crosswalks in Road Safety Efforts
Despite evidence that colorful crosswalks actually improve intersection safety — and the lack of almost any crosswalks at all on the nation’s most dangerous arterial roads — U.S. Transportation Secretary Duffy is calling on states to remove them.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie