Houston
The Social Dynamics of Houston's Urban Expansion
A new study published in the Land Use Policy journal explains how Houston's rapid expansion occurred, and why it matters.
Houston Officials Draft Ordinance to Protect Natural Areas
With more than 50,000 acres of parkland, Houston is one of many cities to notice an increase in use of natural areas. Natural Resources Manager Kelly Ondracek is drafting a plan to protect the natural lands from development.
Environmental Study Released for $7 Billion Houston Highway Project
The final environmental impact statement for the controversial North Houston Highway Improvement Project is available for public comment, courtesy of the Texas Department of Transportation.
Bike Ridership Booms in Some Unlikely Cities
A fitness tracking app reports dramatic increases in bike ridership since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.
Tolls Not Included: Toll Proposals Keep Ending Up in the Dustbin in Texas
Another example of the growing political and planning opposition to the idea of tolling new roads in Texas.
Texas Central High-Speed Rail Gets Green Light From Feds
The Federal Railroad Administration has granted two key permissions for Texas Central to operate a high-speed trail between Houston and Dallas.
The High Cost of Rampant Evictions: $315 Million a Year in Harris County, Texas
Evictions incur immense costs for the public and nonprofit sector, according to new analysis from the Kinder Institute for Urban Research.
Houston Lacks Zoning—Or Does It? The State Supreme Court Will Decide
A lawsuit argues that Houston's Historic Preservation Ordinance is a form of de facto land use control, equivalent to zoning, which isn't allowed by state and local laws.
On-Demand Transit in Houston: There's an App for That
The city of Houston this week launched an app for its Community Connector shuttle service as part of a ten-month pilot project.
The Racial Inequity of Disaster Recovery
Disaster recovery in the Houston area has been inconsistent, with low-income residents of color continuing to struggle to put their lives and communities back together.
Racism Has Shaped Public Transit, and It’s Riddled with Inequities
Former Houston METRO Board Member Christof Spieler highlights the racism embedded even in the way transit agencies were created.
Challenging the Permitting Record of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
Zoning in the U.S. was originally intended to keep noxious uses out of residential areas. Around Houston, which famously lacks a traditional zoning system, polluting uses are still granted broad permission to operate in residential areas.
Not Just New York: Reports of an Urban Exodus From Houston
A recent article about Houston residents fleeing the city for College Station reads a lot like articles about New Yorkers decamping for less urban climes.
Seeking '20-Minute Neighborhood' Status in Texas
The neighborhood of Montrose in Houston has undertaken a self-funded study to assess the facts on the ground about walkability in the neighborhood.
Walkability Plan, Including Parking Reform, Adopted in Houston
The city of Houston is embarking on an ambitious plan to reshape how new development in the city prioritizes walkability, and deprioritizes the automobile.
How Houston Achieved Lot Size Reform
Nolan Gray of George Mason University and Adam A. Millsap of the Charles Koch Institute write about a recent article they authored in the Journal of Planning Education and Research.
New Houston Housing Report Tells a Story of Under-Investment
A new report from the Kinder Institute for Urban Research highlights the state of housing the Houston and Harris County, and more specifically, the historically Black neighborhood of Settegast in northeast Houston.
California Rolls Back
The nation's most significant rollback to date of a state reopening plan occurred Monday when California Gov. Gavin Newsom closed seven categories of indoor businesses statewide and an additional six categories of indoor operations in 31 counties.
COVID-19: What About Those Protests?
While not conclusive, evidence suggests that relatively few transmissions of the coronavirus occurred during the widespread protests that followed the death of George Floyd due to the outdoor settings, being in motion and wearing of masks.
Advocates: Equity Lacking in the New Houston Climate Action Plan
Advocates and local residents are expressing concern about a lack of direct support in the Houston Climate Action Plan for underserved neighborhoods that have already experienced some of the worst effects of climate change.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority
