Transparent Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone
Transparent Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone and Local Government Corporation Meetings
January 2021
Overview
What is a Local Government Corporation (LGC)?
A public, non-profit corporation created to aid and act on behalf of one or more local governments to accomplish any governmental purpose of those local governments. Tex. Transp. Code Ann. § 431.101(a). Used for funding transportation, water and sewer infrastructure, economic development ventures, and other projects that will benefit the public. [1]
What is a Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ)?
Tax Increment Reinvestment Zones (TIRZs) are special zones created by City Council to attract new investment in an area. These zones help finance costs of redevelopment and promote growth in areas that would otherwise not attract sufficient market development in a timely manner. Taxes attributable to new improvements (tax increments) are set-aside in a fund to finance public improvements within the boundaries of the zone. [2]
City of Houston Local Government Corporations (LGCs):
The City of Houston has created 33 LGCs that include 27 Redevelopment and 6 Specific Purpose LGCs:
Current City of Houston Redevelopment Authorities: [2]
1. Saint George Place Redevelopment Authority
2. Midtown Redevelopment Authority
3. Market Square Redevelopment Authority
5. Memorial-Heights Redevelopment Authority
6. Eastside Redevelopment Authority
7. OST/Almeda Corridors Redevelopment Authority
8. Gulfgate Redevelopment Authority
9. South Post Oak Redevelopment Authority
10. Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority
11. Greater Greenspoint Redevelopment Authority
12. City Park Redevelopment Authority
13. Old Sixth Ward Redevelopment Authority
14. Fourth Ward Redevelopment Authority
15. East Downtown Redevelopment Authority
16. Uptown Redevelopment Authority
17. Memorial City Redevelopment Authority
18. Fifth Ward Redevelopment Authority
19. Upper Kirby Redevelopment Authority
20. Southwest Houston Redevelopment Authority
21. Hardy/Near Northside Redevelopment Authority
22. Leland Woods Redevelopment Authority
23. Harrisburg Redevelopment Authority
24. Greater Houston Redevelopment Authority
25. Hiram Clarke/Fort Bend County Redevelopment Authority
26. Sunnyside Redevelopment Authority
27. Montrose Redevelopment Authority
Current City of Houston LGCs:
Houston Zoo Development Corp
Houston Recovery Center
Houston First Corporation (f/k/a Convention Center Hotel Corp. 2/18/00-7/1/11)
Houston Amateur Sports Park
Houston Parks Board LGC, Inc.
Houston Forensic Science
Policy Proposal
Your Houston calls on the city of Houston to make Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ) and Local Government Cooperation (LGC) Meetings more transparent by doing the following:
Record and livestream every TIRZ and LGC meeting
Post meeting agenda, minuets, and video recording on dedicated websites that are updated monthly
Mandate TIRZ and LGC meetings are held at locations accessible to the community.
Mandate meetings should be held after 5PM on the weekdays or on the weekend.
We believe a transparent government is a more accessible and accountable government. At the end of the day, this is taxpayer money.
Relaxed Density
Housing Workgroup Policy Recommendation
A Relaxed Density Ordinance to Encourage a Variety of Housing Development
January 2021
Overview
The Housing market in Houston has proven to be resilient through turbulent world events, natural disasters, and economic volatility. Houston has achieved a reputation as an affordable city with a low cost of living. When you dig a little deeper, you’ll find that while Houston’s housing cost is lower compared to cities like San Francisco and Washington, D.C. the amount of affordable housing stock available in Houston is woefully inadequate compared to the demand.
The City of Houston, Harris County, and partner agencies have various tools working to address the affordable housing shortfall to include a down payment assistance program, a Houston Land Bank, and a Community Land Trust. These are not the only programs available but are some of the most promoted. These programs and others do great work in helping families achieve the dream of homeownership, but more help is needed to close the affordable housing demand shortfall.
Policy Recommendation
Your Houston is calling on the City of Houston to revise the density ordinance to allow for the construction of more than 27 single-family units of housing on an acre of land. Currently, the local ordinance limits the number of single-family dwellings to 27 units per acre of land. By revising this ordinance to allow for more units per acre to be constructed you will incentivize the construction of smaller, more affordable housing units that Houstonians and families desire.
We advocate for this policy for several reasons. Houston needs housing stock that is reflective of a variety of needs, wants, and price points. Single adults, college students, couples with no kids all would benefit from a smaller than average home at an affordable price point. Not everyone wants to live in an apartment and not everyone can afford to live in a five or ten thousand square foot home. This policy will encourage the development of smaller, more affordable units in addition to the housing stock currently on the market today. According to The 5 Immutable Laws of Affordable Housing, “the cost of purchasing land is a significant portion of the total cost of a house…if your zoning code requires large lots, the houses that are built will be more expensive than if they could be built on smaller lots. That’s a mathematical face that should be intuitive but has escaped scrutiny in most community with affordability issues.” We’ve seen in other parts of the country how adopting a similar policy has encouraged the development of a variety of housing types.
Current Situation:
From the city of Houston code of municipal ordinances, we know the number of single-family residential dwelling units that can be constructed within the proposed subdivision plat does not exceed an equivalent density of 27 units to the gross acre of all land within the boundaries of the subdivision plat.
One acre is equal to 43,560 square feet of land. Divided by the maximum 27 single-family lots each lot will total 1,613 square feet on one acre of land.
With a more relaxed density ordinance you could see housing stock on smaller lots.
We know that Houston will add almost one million new residents by 2045. Houston’s inner city will become denser putting a greater strain on our current supply of housing stock. Houston will need to be prepared with several smaller, more affordable housing units to offer current and future residents a variety options. We’ve seen across housing markets that restricting development in low-density residential zones also increases the cost of housing by the same logic: if you can only build one housing unit on a lot, the cost of that land must be absorbed by that single unit. Allowing more units spreads the land costs over many households, lowering the total cost of development.
Houston’s Electric Vehicle Market
Encouraging the Growth and Development of Houston’s Electric Vehicle Market
January 2021
Overview of E-Mobility
Everyone has the right to breathe clean air. Clean air enables people to lead happier, healthier lives with less disruption from asthma,1 heart attack, and stroke.2 Unfortunately, Houston’s air quality is in a state of severe non-attainment after years of failing to meet EPA minimum standards with respect to NOx concentration levels. Fully 2/3 of NOx emissions come from transportation, 3 and this pollution is predicted to worsen as the city adds 50% more residents to the Greater Houston Area by 2040, leading to an emissions increase of as much as 30%- 80% within the same timeframe.
Residents demand a solution. An overwhelming majority, 74%, of Houston residents worry about the impact of air quality on their family’s health,4 and 61%, of Houstonians believe that much more needs to be done to curb emissions and improve air quality.5 Electrified transportation is a solution that fits Houston’s need for better air quality in a highly car- dependent city.
Emissions-free electric vehicles can drastically reduce transportation-related pollution, especially when powered by renewables. A study by Public Citizen and Air Alliance Houston estimated the possibility of a 90% reduction in transportation-related emissions, were all on- road vehicles to be electrified. That would mean a 60% reduction in NOx emissions, and a corollary drop in NOx- and ozone-related illnesses. The estimated impact of such a scenario might include as much as 246 fewer deaths from emissions exposure and as much as $2 billion in benefits from prevented mortality and reduced exposure by 2040.6
Beyond air quality improvement, electric vehicles offer additional economic and sustainability advantages for Houston. With transportation accounting for 47% of greenhouse gas emissions, any path to carbon-neutrality by 2050, as targeted by Houston’s Climate Action Plan, must include a robust e-mobility strategy.7 With respect to Houston’s economy, the lower operating costs of e-mobility8 can reduce the total cost of transportation, and enable more advanced, connected modes of mobility, even while attracting new private investment in one of the most rapidly growing industries. 9
Areas of Opportunity
To promote the greater development of the electric vehicle market in Houston, strategic efforts will be most effective if they focus on five key areas:
Commercial fleet strategies: Collaborate with commercial fleet stakeholders to identify opportunities for fleet conversions
Consumer electric vehicle strategies: Promote electrification of personal vehicles by working to increase access to electric vehicles and home charging
Charging infrastructure deployment: Dramatically increase the availability and accessibility of charging infrastructure that is efficient and convenient
Public awareness and experience: Work with communities and stakeholders to raise awareness of and access to electric vehicles and their benefits
Stakeholder engagement and coalition building: Partner with key stakeholders to seek opportunities to align and collaborate on electric vehicle action
Policy Proposal
Your Houston calls on the city of Houston to encourage the growth and development of Houston’s
electric vehicle market by adopting the following:
A 5-year electric vehicle infrastructure plan to increase charging stations that create an electric vehicle charging station network that can be utilized for evacuation from the region.
Devote a portion of mobility resources to electric vehicle infrastructure
Install electric vehicle charging stations at every municipal multi-service center, library, park, courthouse, and health clinic.
Adopt a policy requiring the City of Houston to purchase electric vehicles (where appropriate) as they replace an aging fleet.
[1] AAFA.org. (2019). Air Pollution. [online] Available at: https://www.aafa.org/air-pollution-smog-asthma/ [Accessed 26 May 2019].
[2] CDC.gov. (2019). Unhealthy Air, Unhealthy Heart [online] Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/features/air-quality- hearthealth/index.html [Accessed 26 May 2019].
[3] Emissions, 2. (2019). 2014* Houston-Galveston-Brazoria NOx Emissions. [online] TCEQ. Available at: https://www.tceq.texas.gov/airquality/areasource/emissions-sources-charts/2011hgbNOXemissions/view [Accessed 2 Apr. 2019].
[4] AirAllianceHouston.org. (2019). Know the Facts. [online] Available at: https://airalliancehouston.org/ [Accessed 26 May 2019].
[5] HoustonChronicle.com. (2019). How much longer can Houston shrug off air pollution? [online] Available at: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/local/gray-matters/article/houston-air-pollution-health-outcomes- 12863921.php [Accessed 2 Apr. 2019].
[6] Choi, Yunsoo, Anirban Roi, Ebrahim Eslami, and Shuai Pan. Evaluation of the Air Quality Impacts of Clean Combustion Technologies, Emissions Controls and Fleet Electrification in the Houston Metropolitan Area for the Year 2040. Report. University of Houston. 3-5.
[7] GreenHoustonTX.gov. (2019). Climate Action Plan. [online] Available at http://greenhoustontx.gov/climateactionplan. [Accessed 26 May 2019].
[8] New York City - Department of Citywide Administrative Services (2019). NYC Fleet Newsletter - Reducing Maintenance Costs with Electric Vehicles.
[9] Electrek. (2019). Daimler to make all-electric Freightliner trucks at converted Portland factory. [online] Available at: https://electrek.co/2019/04/24/daimler-electric-trucks-portland. [Accessed 21 May 2019]
Reduction of Mandatory Minimum Parking Requirements
Health & Wellness Policy Recommendation
The Reduction of Mandatory Minimum Parking Requirements at Bars & Nightclubs
January 2021
Overview
Good health is fundamental to improving the quality of life for people in the Greater Houston area. A primary goal of Your Houston is to elect public officials who are committed to improving the area’s public health, and then educating and empowering them to make significant changes. We focus on issues around neighborhoods, mobility, and resilience, meaning protecting lives in the face of adversity. These are all components necessary to ensure an adequate quality of life.
Local policies around improving neighborhood environments must include reasonable access to public parks, quality healthcare options, and affordable nutritious food. These pro-health policies provide people of all ages the opportunity to flourish.
Local policymakers have significant influence over the built environment, a critical aspect of improving health conditions. The American Public Health Association defines the built environment as “the human-made features of our communities — sidewalks, public transportation, housing and more.” The scientific literature exploring how the built environment affects health is growing. A recent review explores how the relationship between urban planners and public health can be strengthened to build resilient communities. Another major review identifies ways that the built environment can help encourage communities to be more active, more connected, and make healthier food choices.
One area where the built environment and health intersect is minimum parking lot requirements. The availability and convenience of parking encourages driving, and the preponderance of automobile use discourages dense, walkable communities. A 2003 study published by the American Journal of Public Health found that residents within denser, more walkable cities enjoyed 70 more minutes per week of physical activity and lower rates of obesity than their counterparts in less-walkable cities.
Built Environment and Houston/Harris County
Houston has a few important projects in motion to improve the built environment. Harris County Public Health, the health department serving the County, has a list of tools that their Built Environment Unit uses. These serve as a guide and resource list for “organizations in the Texas Gulf Coast region looking to gain knowledge and understanding of Health Impact Assessments (HIAs) and Health Impact Reviews (HIRs).”
A recent study exploring the built environment and our area found that an average of 5 million gallons of gasoline is sold in Houston every year (Harris County). That fuel usage continues to increase. In fact, miles travelled “increased by 10% between 2002 and 2007, which shows an increment of 2% per year." This growth rate shot up to approximately 4.5% per year after 2007. Additional cars on the road and miles travelled has real health impacts. A recent, local study by researchers from Baylor College of Medicine and the Houston-Galveston Area Council found that the risk of pre-term birth is significantly increased in suburban communities where more people drive longer distances to work than urban communities within the Loop.
Simply installing sidewalks and bright lamps is not sufficient. Public perception matters. In addition to enacting policy changes that improve the built environment, Your Houston PAC will support elected officials that promote a cultural shift from Houston being a car-centric city to a neighborhood-centric city.
Policy Recommendation
Given the link between Health and the Built Environment, Your Houston wants to focus our efforts to improve the city by making it safer through smarter policy and a cultural shift to walkability. One pressing issue is the number of alcohol-impaired driving deaths happening within our community. The percentage of driving deaths in Harris County that involve alcohol is nearly 40% - substantially higher than the 25% average in both Texas and the nation. This is no aberration. Harris County has had a higher rate than either Texas overall or the United States since at least 2008. A recent Houston Chronicle report put it this way “Drivers and passengers died in more than 3,000 wrecks caused by drunk or drugged drivers, roughly 1,000 more than Los Angeles, which has about twice the population.” In fact, the same Chronicle report shows that Houston/Harris County is the deadliest of the 12 largest metropolitan areas in the nation. This is unacceptable. We must hold our elected officials accountable. While the State has a major role to play in this, we cannot simply wait for Austin to act. We must enact policy changes at the local level that help protect our communities.
One simple solution to help tackle this problem is to change the minimum parking spaces required for bars. Currently, the City of Houston requires 1 parking space for every 71 square feet within the bar. This is unnecessarily high and other cities have created smarter policies. Instead we should look to eliminate minimum size parking lots at bars. This would encourage people to use public transportation, carpool with a designated driver, or use ridesharing services to get to and from their local bar.
Flood Disclosure For All
Transparency & Accountability Policy Proposal
Flood Disclosure for All
January 2021
Overview
Hurricane Harvey produced the most devastating residential flooding event ever recorded in Harris County.
According to the Harris County Flood Control District’s Final Immediate Report on Hurricane Harvey released on June 4, 2018, 154,170 homes flooded in Harris County, and estimates on flood damage to multi-family structures are unclear. [1]
That is between 9% - 12% of the total number of buildings in the county.
From the report, the structures that flooded included:
48,850 were within the 100-year floodplain
34,970 were within the 500-year floodplain
70,370 were outside both the 100-year and 500-year floodplains [1]
Of these, only 36% had flood insurance policies in effect just prior to the onset of Hurricane Harvey. [1]
Before any home is sold in the state of Texas, the seller’s disclosure must be accurately completed, to include past foundation issues, termites, mold, flood events, and even previous meth lab use in the home. Someone leasing a home has the right to know at the very least if the property has previously flooded or lies in a, in order to make the best decision.
Real estate professionals also have an ethical duty to disclose risks and relevant information to clients before buying or selling a home, yet the law in Texas does not require flood history to be disclosed for rental properties. This seems both arbitrary and fundamentally unfair.
Renters should have the same right to information as homebuyers, so that they can determine whether or not they should buy flood insurance to cover their personal property. The number of flood insurance policies purchased might have been higher prior to Hurricane Harvey had tenants known their proper level of risk before signing a lease. Renters are a vital and substantial segment of our economy—these are our teachers, nurses, service and retail industry, and those just entering the workforce. In most Texas cities and towns, renters make up nearly 50% of residents.
Not arming renter households with adequate information about the hazards and history associated with their homes puts them at health risks and undermines their fundamental economic opportunities. These consequences reverberate throughout the broader Houston area economy. Out of the tens of thousands of people who sought shelter and relief following Harvey, the vast majority were renters who, by virtue of not owning a property, have less of a nest egg. We put them at continued and severe economic disadvantage by not allowing them to make informed choices about where they choose to live.
Currently one of the consequences of not having these disclosures in place is a predatory and unsustainable system by which post-flood speculators buy up damaged properties, make quick repairs, often unpermitted and uninspected, and rent them out. Because this activity is entirely unregulated, these marginal properties become profitable for a minimum investment. They are unsafe and very likely to flood again. Speculators have the right to buy properties intending to rent them. At the same time, renters have the right to know the history of the property. Given the probability of repeated flooding in this area, it is unconscionable and reprehensible to allow this unethical business practice to continue.
Policy Proposal
Your Houston calls on the city of Houston and Harris County to establish notification requirements for tenants that inform them the property they are about to rent lies in a mapped floodplain or has previously flooded in the past 5 years.
It is understood that there will be opposition from some industry groups. There is a cost and mindset shift associated with any regulatory change. This is simply the right thing to do. Houston and Harris County flood, we know that, we’ve seen it happen time and time again. A lease agreement is a contract; and the law already states that we enter contracts in good faith. That is at the heart of this policy proposal: protection and safety for all residents.
At the end of the day for much of coastal Texas, flooding is an ongoing reality and a known environmental hazard. We must ensure we have laws in place to protect all Texans, their property, their health, family, and their sense of wellbeing.
[1] https://www.hcfcd.org/media/2678/immediate-flood-report-final-hurricane-harvey-2017.pdf
[2] https://smartasset.com/mortgage/the-true-cost-of-living-in-houston