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Despite glut of existing homes for sale, Houston leads nation in new-home permitting

Houston tops the nation in new-home permits per capita, even as a near 15-year housing inventory high keeps homeownership out of reach for many.

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Menefee's First Bill: Ending Long Congressional Vacancies

Houston's Congressman Menefee introduces bill requiring special elections within 180 days to prevent long congressional vacancies like his own district faced.

Houston Public Media

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How new Houston Parks Board CEO Justin Schultz envisions transforming the region’s green spaces

New Houston Parks Board CEO Justin Schultz shares plans to improve green spaces and close funding gaps by the city's 2036 bicentennial.

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Houston’s historic Ismaili Center opening its doors to the public | Houston Public Media

Houston's first U.S. Ismaili Center hosts a free public opening with tours, performances, art, gardens, and food trucks on Saturday.

Houston Public Media

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New Immigration Rule Affects Green Card Applications in Houston

New federal rule requires most immigrants to return home to apply for green cards, creating legal challenges for Houston families and workers.

Houston Public Media

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Rate your landlord on new website

Houston renters can now review their landlords online to help neighbors find better apartments and avoid problem property managers.

Good Good Good

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Block by Block: How Civic Leadership and Flexible Capital Are Strengthening Houston Neighborhoods | LISC Houston

LISC Houston's T4T Graduation showcased how civic leadership and small grants are strengthening Houston neighborhoods block by block.

Local Initiatives Support Corporation

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Sunnyside survey shows neighborhood's social fabric is strong | Kinder Institute for Urban Research

Survey finds Sunnyside and South Park residents show strong social bonds, civic engagement, and neighborhood satisfaction despite economic challenges.

Kinder Institute for Urban Research, Rice University

Article

A decade of stagnation: New data reveals Houston’s trouble getting some youth into school, workforce

Houston ranks last among major U.S. metros in reducing its share of youth ages 16–24 who aren't in school or working.

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Food Not Bombs Houston files lawsuit against city over ‘anti-food sharing’ ordinance | Houston Public Media

Food Not Bombs Houston sues the city over an ordinance that makes it a crime to feed more than five people in need without permission.

Houston Public Media

Article

South Houston Tar Spill Response and Environmental Safety Monitoring

Harris County monitors air quality after a deadly tar spill in South Houston to protect residents from dangerous pollution.

Houston Public Media

Article

San Antonio cracked down on problem landlords. Here’s what Houston could learn.

Houston eyes a new apartment safety ordinance and looks to San Antonio's 2023 inspection program for lessons on holding negligent landlords accountable.

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Houston’s Asian population has blossomed for decades. These maps and charts document its rise.

Houston's Asian population grew from 2% in 1980 to nearly 10% today, now totaling 655,000 residents across the metro area.

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What's keeping Harris County housing unaffordable? These 4 charts and maps offer clues.

Harris County housing costs keep outpacing wages, with over a third of residents cost-burdened and renters hit hardest, per the Kinder Institute.

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Supreme Court Weakens Voting Rights Act in Texas Redistricting Case

Supreme Court ruling makes it harder to challenge unfair redistricting in Texas, potentially weakening minority voting power in diverse Houston.

Houston Public Media

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‘We’re changing family trees’: Education leaders see P-TECH model as pathway to better jobs

Avalos P-TECH in Aldine ISD pairs high school with college classes and real work experience, producing 100% college-ready graduates.

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Galveston Mayor Reflects on Six Years of Leadership

Outgoing Galveston Mayor Craig Brown reflects on six years of leadership, highlighting financial improvements and cruise industry growth that benefit the region

Houston Public Media

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Harris County multifamily housing construction tops single-family development by largest margin in recent history

Harris County added 30,700 multifamily units in 2024, outpacing single-family construction by the largest margin in recent history.

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YMCA CEO: We’re working to tackle loneliness — and want more Houston leaders to join us | Kinder Institute for Urban Research

YMCA of Greater Houston CEO Stephen Ives explains how the Y is using local research to fight loneliness and build belonging across the region.

Kinder Institute for Urban Research, Rice University

Article

Bird Names Change to Honor Birds, Not Racist History

American birds are getting new names that honor the birds themselves, not the racist people they were named after.

Good Good Good

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He Grew Up on the Gulf Coast. Now He's Protecting It.

Raz Halili grew up on Galveston Bay and now runs Prestige Oysters while fighting to protect Gulf Coast ecosystems.

Houstonia Magazine

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Texas Attorney General Race: Johnson vs. Middleton in November Election

Democrat Nathan Johnson and Republican Mayes Middleton will compete for Texas Attorney General in November, affecting legal policies that impact Houston.

Houston Public Media

Article

Texas Health Care Workforce Has Grown 123% in 30 Years — But Still Falls Short

Texas health care jobs grew 123% in 30 years, but shortages persist — some regions meet as little as 25% of employer needs.

Houston Public Media

Article

These 21 community initiatives are making Houston more resilient | Kinder Institute for Urban Research

A Kinder Institute report examines 21 Houston community initiatives working to build resilience across five pilot Complete Communities neighborhoods.

Kinder Institute for Urban Research, Rice University

Article

How Houstonians’ views on acceptance of LGBTQ+ people, gun access and other social issues are changing

The 2026 Kinder Houston Area Survey reveals shifting views on LGBTQ+ acceptance, guns, and marijuana among Houston-area residents.

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800 school districts, $1 billion paid: How Texas’ teacher pay-for-performance has rapidly grown

About 800 Texas school districts have joined the Teacher Incentive Allotment, a pay-for-performance program that has paid out over $1 billion since 2019.

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Anti-Asian discrimination persists in Houston, survey data shows

Nearly 40% of Houston-area Asian residents reported recent discrimination in a Kinder Institute survey of 2,100 adults.

Article

Attorney General Sues Chemical Company for Freeport Air Pollution

Texas Attorney General sues chemical company for major pollution at Freeport plant that forced nearby communities to shelter in place.

Houston Public Media

Article

First Ismaili Center in US Is a Site to Behold in Texas

Houston's first U.S. Ismaili Center is a 150,000-sq-ft, LEED Gold-targeted campus near Buffalo Bayou, set to finish in 2025.

Enr

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Texas Olive Oil Industry: Local Farms Building Agricultural Innovation

Texas olive farmers near Houston are rebuilding after Winter Storm Uri, creating local jobs and fresh oil you can buy to support agricultural innovation.

Houstonia Magazine

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Screwworm Threat Affects Texas Livestock Trade

Florida restricts Texas livestock imports due to screwworm threat detected in Mexico, protecting agricultural industries from dangerous parasites.

Houston Public Media

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Houston City Council Approves West Loop Shared Use Pathway & Bridge Project

Houston approved a $22.5M federally funded trail and bridge linking Uptown Houston to Memorial Park across Loop 610.

Article

Texas Killing Fields Investigation: Understanding Cold Case Justice Work

The Texas Killing Fields case shows how cold case investigations continue seeking justice for victims decades later in our region.

Houston Public Media

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Lifeguard saves rare Kemp's ridley sea turtle on Texas coast

A lifeguard's sea turtle rescue on the Texas coast shows how our Gulf community protects endangered wildlife that shares our coastal waters.

Good Good Good

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Abandoned Boat Removal Program Protects Harris County Waters

Harris County removes abandoned boats that leak fuel into our waterways, protecting marine life and boater safety through citizen-government partnership.

Houston Public Media

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‘Set up for failure’: Houston residents take expensive payday loans at sky-high rates, survey finds

Houston residents use payday loans at nearly 11 times the national rate, often to cover food and rent, a Kinder Institute survey finds.

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Harris County records biggest shift toward renting, away from homeownership in a decade

Harris County saw its biggest drop in homeownership in a decade in 2024, with 19,000 fewer owner households and 30,000 more renters.

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Galveston Beach Seaweed Cleanup Program

Galveston crews carefully remove smelly seaweed from beaches while protecting marine wildlife that lives in it.

Houston Public Media