Council Member Gonzalez appointed to smart growth council

Recognized for his dedication

Matt Dietrichson, Oct 30, 12.

Houston City Council Member Ed Gonzalez will join nearly two dozen others to form the nonpartisan Advisory Board of Smart Growth America’s Local Leaders Council. The Local Leaders Council is committed to helping communities compete and grow in today’s economy, generate better return on taxpayer investment, provide transportation and housing choices for residents, and create vibrant places where people want to live, work, and play.

Council Member Gonzalez was first elected to serve on Houston City Council in 2009. A life-long resident of the City of Houston, Ed is committed to improving the quality of life in his hometown. He is committed to public safety, quality of life issues, and infrastructure improvements, and is well known for regularly visiting neighbourhoods and speaking to folks about their requests and concerns.

On Houston City Council, Ed has served as Mayor Pro-Tem since 2012 when he was appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by his peers. Currently he serves as Chair for the Public Safety (PS) Committee. Gonzalez also sits on the Housing, Sustainable Growth and Development (HSGD), Quality of Life (QoL), and Transportation, Technology and Infrastructure (TTI) committees.

Houston Tomorrow, along with its partners in the Complete Streets Coalition, has worked with Council Member Gonzalez on the initiative to establish Complete Streets policies in the City to produce streets that are safe for all users, pedestrians, bicyclists, disabled persons, drivers, and transit users. [To learn more about that go to http://houstoncompletestreets.org]

Houston Tomorrow’s president, David Crossley, who is also a member of the Smart Growth America board, said “It’s such a pleasure to work with Council Member Gonzalez, who clearly understand and supports smart growth in the City.”

With the help of the Advisory Board, the Local Leaders Council will establish a nationwide network of municipal leaders wishing to implement smart growth. Members will receive technical assistance in policy development and other resources. More information about the Local Leaders Council is available online at www.smartgrowthamerica.org/LocalLeaders.

Smart Growth America is the only national organization dedicated to researching, advocating for, and leading coalitions to bring smart growth practices to more communities nationwide. From providing more sidewalks to ensuring more homes are built near public transportation or that productive farms remain a part of our communities, smart growth helps make sure people across the nation can live in great neighborhoods. For additional information visit www.smartgrowthamerica.org.