Former Houston Mayor Bob Lanier passed away Saturday at the age of 89. Affectionately known as "Mayor Bob," Lanier served as mayor from 1992 to 1998. Bill White served as Mayor of Houston from 2004 to 2010, and on this edition of Houston Matters he joins us to share his memories of Lanier.
Then: According to the Coalition for the Homeless, on any given night this year in Houston, there have been more than 5,300 homeless people in the city, a significant decline over numbers calculated in 2011. While homelessness would seem to be declining in the city of Houston, it’s increasing in Montgomery County.
We explore why with Montgomery County Homeless Coalition President Nancy Heintz. Then, we talk with Charly Weldon, Executive Director of The Beacon, the primary intake center for Houston’s Housing First initiative, which places chronically homeless in permanent supportive housing.
Also this hour: The normalization of U.S. relations with Cuba might have significant repercussions for Greater Houston’s Cuban-American population, as well as — in time — our community’s economy, particularly if the trade embargo is ultimately lifted. We discuss the ramifications of last week’s announcement with political scientist Mark Jones from Rice University. We also hear from Dr. Maria Straus, a Cuban native who directs instructional initiatives at Houston Community College.
And: We discuss the latest developments in Houston sports with M.K. Bower, sports columnist for CultureMap Houston.
