Most City of Houston residents want urbanism

Houston Area Survey

David Crossley, Jul 20, 11.

Recent analysis of the Kinder Houston Area Survey at Rice University shows that 50% of all City of Houston residents would prefer to live in “a smaller home in a more urbanized area, within walking distance of shops and workplaces” than “a single family home with a big yard, where you would need to drive almost everywhere you want to go.”

The survey, conducted by Stephen Klineberg, Ph.D. of the Kinder Center for Urban Research, revealed that 41% of all Harris County residents would prefer the more urban form. This is the first time the City of Houston only numbers have been analyzed.

“The surveys reveal a surprisingly large unmet demand among the residents of this sprawling, automobile-dependent city for more urban alternatives,” Dr. Klineberg says. “Growing numbers of Harris County residents, particularly among the region’s ‘empty nesters’ and its younger ‘knowledge workers,’ would much prefer to have easy access to the city’s urban amenities while avoiding its traffic congestion and long commutes. Today’s land developers and home builders might well want to pay attention to these findings.”

The City’s development ordinances essentially make urban style development illegal in all but the Central Business District, the only place in the City that operates according to free market principles.

Comments

Melanie said:

Houston offers a wealth of resources in its more urban districts. The Museum District in particular is a huge draw for families. It would be great to have easy access to it.

Something to work toward!

Posted on Jul 27, 11 at 7:15 am

.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) said:

Now we in Houston know what is feels like to be one of the remaining migratory birds, (or traumatized possum, raccoon, armadillo, etc.) that when they look down for their favorite field or tree, it no longer exists.

Posted on Jul 27, 11 at 8:19 am

.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) said:

Builders and developers have been asking the City of Houston to move the “urban boundary” to Beltway 8 for several years so that more urban development may occur. Contact your City Council Member.

Posted on Jul 27, 11 at 8:43 am

.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) said:

Sure, a lot of us do, but are more or less forced to the suburbs for other reasons like education and especially $$$ of these homes.

Posted on Jul 27, 11 at 10:13 am

Lauren said:

And so The Wave makes even more sense. In areas inside the loop, residents and visitors to the area want to get around more easily. The younger knowledge workers are riding The Wave more and more every month. Now how do we get the word out to as many people as possible? How can the Wave help bridge this gap? Large multi-family dwellings, high rises, apartments, townhome communities can pay a monthly contract and offer the Wave as an amenity to living there. But again, it is about time I have in day. Developers should also be supporting and promoting the relationships the businesses they lease to have with The Wave.
I am also a Rice alum and reaching out to my contacts there for possible research studies, interns, and available resources.

Posted on Jul 28, 11 at 12:49 am

.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) said:

That’s great to hear a valued third party opinion and it’s not new news. See most every other major city in the U.S.

Now, how do you convince the regulating agencies AND more importantly the lenders? Developers and builders would be thrilled to fill this market, but we can’t swim upstream versus the regulations and without banks opening lending.

Posted on Jul 28, 11 at 12:57 pm

Page 1 of 1 pages