Tag Archive for: urban issues

Building the New America: Report on trends shaping the migration of people and jobs

Report: Building the New America

How do we build a new urban model for America — one that is better aligned with the aspirations of most Americans? This newly released report examines the housing trends that are driving today's migration of people and jobs.
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner's approach to dealing with homelessness in Houston is seeing success.

Austin vs. Houston; Houston’s Tough Love Homelessness Model

by Tory Gattis — This week, I'm sharing my favorite excerpts from Evan Mintz's newest Texas Monthly essay, and how Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner's approach to homelessness is succeeding.
Austin Downtown July 4th

Flexible Remote Work Beating Hybrid Models, Austin’s CA Housing Frenzy

by Tory Gattis — Californians are feeding Austin's housing frenzy, as flexible remote work is beating hybrid models for work.
Houston skyline at night

‘Be Someone’ City Opportunity Urbanism Event and more

by Tory Gattis — Join us Wednesday evening June 16th: Building a 'Be Someone' City: Houston and the Rise of Opportunity Urbanism. We will discuss how to develop a market-centered, ‘people-oriented’ approach to urban policy, planning, and development.
Four drivers of Texas' rapid growth

Four Drivers of Texas’ Rapid Growth

by Tory Gattis — Four drivers of Texas' rapid growth: a light touch on zoning, high standard of living, and family friendly housing prices in good school districts make for opportunity cities.
Photo credit: Aerial vies of Irvine, Texas by La Citta Vitta, via Flickr

Texas and Houston Growth Secret, Texas Miracle is More than Oil

by Tory Gattis — Going beyond all the usual reasons given for Texas' high growth, here's the technical overlooked one that I think is a big key: Texas does not allow unincorporated counties to regulate land use (i.e. create zoning), which creates pretty much a totally free market in development just outside cities.
Winter freeze and power outage in TexasTerry Hammonds, CC 2.0 License

Grid Resilience, Repurposing River Oaks Theater, TX Migration and More

by Tory Gattis — Texas can improve grid reliability without extraordinary costs: treat gas pumps like critical infrastructure during blackouts! This simple paperwork blunder left Texans cold during the deadly freeze.
Constructing an Urban BuildingMaxPixel

A Conservative Opening on Urban Policy Reform

by Charles Blain — As riots and Covid-related economic problems have afflicted America’s big cities, the Right has a rare opportunity to take up the mantle of urban reform.
Reform, Not Defunding Police Departments

Reform, Not Defunding

by Charles Blain — Protests, and calls for defunding police departments have spread across the U.S. in recent months, but Black communities around the United States want better interactions with law enforcement, not the abolition of police departments.

Solving the anti-vaxer problem, Houston’s dynamic culture, TX #1 food state but needs VC, city govt vision vs. competence, and CA ineptness

Gattis suggests Houston could auction off up to 5% exemptions from vaccinations to save those exemptions for those who cannot be vaccinated. On a more celebratory note...Texas just ranked number 1 food state; could it be the BBQ?
Texas Shaped Pool at the Houston Marriott

2019 Highlights

by Tory Gattis — Time for our annual roundup of the best posts of the year 2019. Looking at the list, I think it was a very good year relative to most of my others.  Hard to believe we're coming up on the 15th anniversary of this blog.