In a city that has long typified auto-centric sprawl and unplanned growth, a funny thing is happening. An urban revival has taken root as the city competes with its suburbs and other big cities to attract residents and businesses.

"Historically, as Rice University’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research succinctly puts it, Houston has been viewed as 'the most sprawling, least dense, most automobile-dependent major city in America.' And for many years, Houstonians seemed to be perfectly content with that. But there’s evidence that’s no longer the case," writes Ryan Holeywell. "The institute’s annual survey of Houston-area residents last year found that half the residents of Harris County, of which Houston is part, would prefer to live 'in an area with a mix of development, including homes, shops and restaurants” as opposed to a 'single-family residential area.'”
"As a result, in recent years, city leaders have proudly rolled out a seemingly endless list of programs and policies they say will make Houston denser and more 'livable' in an effort to capitalize on the growing fascination with urban living."
Despite, or perhaps because of, such initiatives, a battle is taking place over the city's future. "On one side, more strident urbanists say the current plans are not nearly bold enough; defenders of the current arrangement say the city should avoid the temptation to change at all."
FULL STORY: Houston: The Surprising Contender in America’s Urban Revival

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

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

The French Solution to Congested Tunnels: Make Them Car-Free
Bay Area transportation officials keep expanding car capacity. Lyon’s Croix Rousse Tunnel offers a different way.

Missouri Governor Reverses Anti-Discrimination Housing Policies
A new state law bars cities from prohibiting source-of-income discrimination against tenants using Section 8 housing vouchers.

USDOT Launches Unfunded 'SAFE ROADS' Program
The program targets “distractions” and “political messages or artwork,” and paves the way for autonomous vehicles.
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