Houston
Op-Ed Examines the High Cost of Free Parking…in Houston
The politics of parking aren't expected to change in the upcoming Houston mayoral election. But an op-ed in the Houston Chronicle is willing to mess with the third rail.
Houston's Main Street Crosses a Spectrum of Wealth and Poverty
A feature in the Houston Chronicle explores the economic segregation of Houston along the axis of Main Street—with low income neighborhoods like Independence Heights to the north and affluent neighborhoods like Old Braeswood to the south.
ReBuild Houston Lawsuit Threatens Road Repair Projects
If a controversial fee fails the scrutiny of the state's courts, roads around the city will suffer the consequences.
Hospitals Scaling Up Along With Houston's Population
Houston's status as one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the country has not gone unnoticed by the healthcare industry.
Houston Rethinks Mass Transit
For decades, Houston has experienced car-oriented development, giving little attention to other forms of transportation. In recent years, however, rapid population growth and increase in traffic congestion has the city revisiting alternate options
Too Big for Texas? Houston's 23-Lane Freeway
After a $2.3 billion widening project, traffic once again chokes the Katy Freeway's 23 lanes. For road spending critics who are also taxpayers, this I-told-you-so moment is bittersweet.
Opening Today: Two New Light Rail Lines in Houston
Today's a big day in Houston: two new light rail lines will now supplement the success of the city's Red Line. Meet the Green and Purple Lines, serving the East End and Southeast Houston.
TxDOT Planning Realignment of Interstate 45 in Downtown Houston
The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is currently planning a significant realignment of I-45, which runs downtown. The plan could remove an elevated portion of the highway known as Pierce Elevated.
Urban Farming Gains a Foothold in Houston
Operated by a pair of brothers, Finca Tres Robles is one of several Houston farms coaxing fresh produce from unused urban land. Increasingly, urban farmers compete with developers for space.
Houston May Decide to Fence Itself In
Houston isn't freezing over. But, after decades of unbridled, un-zoned development, a new mayor, new planning director, and a raft of civic activists are promoting a general plan for the famously laissez-faire city.
'Center for Opportunity Urbanism' Think Tank Launched in Houston
A new think tank to promote suburban growth has been established in Houston by arguably the media's highest-profile supporters of suburban growth.
Houston Approves Transit System Reimagining Plan
Jarrett Walker shares the news that the city of Houston gave final approval to overhaul its public transit system, including the implementation of a frequent network grid. The changes are expected to be complete by August 2015.
Renters Predominate in Low-Cost and High-Cost Cities
A report by New York University’s Furman Center found that renters made up the majority of households in nine of the 11 largest cities in the U.S. in 2013, up from five in 2006. The demand is straining the supply of rental housing.
Gov-Elect Abbott Says Local Regulations 'California-ize' Texas
Texas Gov.-elect Greg Abbott takes aim at local regulations, exemplified by tree-cutting bans in cities like Houston and San Antonio.
Op-Ed: Lower Houston Speed Limits
A planner makes the case for lower its speed limits in an unlikely city.
Plummeting Oil Prices Bring Economic Challenges to U.S. Petro-States
While U.S. motorists are enjoying the cheapest gas prices in five years, domestic oil producers are suffering, though not as badly as oil-exporting nations like Iran, Russia, and Venezuela. How are Texas, Louisiana, North Dakota, and Alaska faring?
A Lesson in Weathering a Contentious Public Review Process
A column by Aaron Seward provides advice for architects and designers in weathering the public review process. Lesson one: watch how successful politicians do it.
Remodel of the Village Arcade a Sign of the Urban Times in Houston
The Houston Chronicle presents a lesson in how (and why) to convert the aesthetic of a university-adjacent retail center from suburban to urban.
Grassroots Support for a Swimming Hole in Houston
In a city as hot in the summers as Houston, the idea of a swimming hole probably seems pretty appealing. Can an idea floated in a local newspaper column and backed by interested and passionate locals come to fruition?
Rural Texans Air Objections to High Speed Rail
Parts of rural Texas sound a bit like the outspoken high speed rail opponents in California's Central Valley in their reaction to the Texas Central Railway's bullet train which maintains strong support at the terminal cities of Houston and Dallas.
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.
EMC Planning Group, Inc.
Planetizen
Planetizen
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
