Houston Matters

Developing Supportive Housing for At-Risk Families

Posted on · New Hope Housing, a group that provides permanent, affordable and supportive single-room occupancy housing, recently broke ground on its first development designed to serve homeless and at-risk families. The development, named New Hope Housing at Reed ("NHH at Reed"), will include 187 one-, two- and three-bedroom apartment units and offer supportive housing to homeless and […]

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Hurricane Isaiah and Near Death Experiences: Monday’s Show (October 31, 2016)

Posted on · We’re talking about some pretty dark stuff on today’s show. (Happy Halloween). First up, with just under a month left in another relatively quiet Atlantic hurricane season for Greater Houston, it’s natural for complacency to set it. But that’s just what worries the folks at Rice University’s Severe Storm Prediction, Education, and Evacuation from Disasters, […]

Houston Matters

Your Houston Master Plan: How Would You Design H-Town If We Had a Do-Over?

Posted on · We talk a lot about master planned communities like The Woodlands — carefully codified, mapped out, zoned, restricted — all with the goal of creating the best possible quality of life for its residents. It's a century or more too late for the city of Houston to operate like that. We even, at times, celebrate […]

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Your Houston Master Plan: Tuesday’s Show (February 23, 2016)

Posted on · We talk a lot about master planned communities like The Woodlands — carefully codified, mapped out, zoned, restricted — all with the goal of creating the best possible quality of life for its residents. It's a century or more too late for the city of Houston to operate like that. We even, at times, celebrate […]

Houston Matters

How and Why Houston Neighborhoods Have Morphed Over the Years

Posted on · Some of Houston’s neighborhoods have, for lack of a better phrase, “morphed” over the decades. Montrose once had a much larger African-American community, then it became known as Houston’s gay neighborhood, then a more gentrified area. Sharpstown, Meyerland, The Heights — they’ve all undergone transformative change from one generation to the next. We explore what’s […]

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Constitutional Convention and Campus Carry: Wednesday’s Show (January 13, 2016)

Posted on · On Tuesday night (Jan. 12, 2016), President Obama delivered his final State of the Union address. On this edition of Houston Matters, University of St. Thomas Political Science Professor Jon Taylor joins us to examine what, if any, implications the President’s remarks may have on Greater Houston. Then, we follow up on comments made last […]

Houston Matters

Is Housing Segregation Happening in Houston?

Posted on · The U.S. Supreme Court is considering a lawsuit challenging decisions by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. The department awarded tax credits for low-income housing in Dallas to encourage new affordable housing in blighted areas using race-neutral criteria. A group called the Inclusive Communities Project sued, saying the agency approved more applications in […]

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Racial Quotas in Housing and “Deli Man” Ziggy Gruber: Thursday’s show (February 26, 2015)

Posted on · The U.S. Supreme Court is considering a lawsuit challenging decisions by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. The department awarded tax credits for low-income housing in Dallas to encourage new affordable housing in blighted areas using race-neutral criteria. A group called the Inclusive Communities Project sued, saying the agency approved more applications in […]

Houston Matters

A Development Divide in the East End

Posted on · All this week, Houston Public Media News 88.7’s Florian Martin has reported on development efforts in Houston’s East End. We discuss that development on this edition of Houston Matters. But first, we hear Florian’s report on how, as much of the industry has moved out, the East End is turning into a walkable, mixed-use community. […]

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East End Development, Co-Ops, and Atheism: Houston Matters for Thursday, Nov. 20, 2014

Posted on · All this week, Houston Public Media News 88.7’s Florian Martin has reported on development efforts in Houston’s East End. We discuss that development on this edition of Houston Matters. But first, we hear Florian’s report on how, as much of the industry has moved out, the East End is turning into a walkable, mixed-use community. […]

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Waller County Landfill, NIMBY, and Juries: Houston Matters for Thursday, Aug. 7, 2014

Posted on · An ongoing battle over a proposed landfill in Waller County underscores how “NIMBYism” plays into so many important issues and ideas. From landfills to power plants, prisons to shopping malls, airports to seaports, there are all manner of developments that some communities may find valuable, provided they’re located someplace else. Toxic waste dump? Sure! Just […]

Houston Matters

Houston’s Fascination With Strip Malls, For Better or Worse

Posted on · Houston – for better or worse – is known for its strip malls. We have a lot of them. Strip malls aren't the most attractive storefronts for businesses, but there are some bright spots to what many may consider eyesores. We talk with University of Houston architecture professor Susan Rogers about Houston's strip malls. And […]

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Building a Better Strip Mall and the Two Houstons: Houston Matters for Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Posted on · It's been said there are two Houstons. One is inside the loop: urban, with skyscrapers, universities, recycling, museums, buses. The other is outside the loop: suburban, with strip malls, sprawl, U-turn lanes, Kroger. Some Houstonians live in one, and work in the other. Some make a point of visiting one while devoting most of their […]