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Houston political groups eye November for election on mayoral power limits
Representatives from local political groups ranging from the Houston Chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America to the Harris County Young Republicans have reached a milestone in their ongoing effort to limit powers held by the Houston mayor’s office. (Emma Whalen/Community Impact Newspaper)
Representatives from local political groups ranging from the Houston Chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America to the Harris County Young Republicans have reached a milestone in their ongoing effort to limit powers held by the Houston mayor’s office. (Emma Whalen/Community Impact Newspaper)
The city’s strategy has recently moved away from approving housing on large tracts of inexpensive land and toward encouraging distribution of housing throughout the city. The need for more affordable housing however, is strong in most areas of town, Council Member Tiffany Thomas said.
“What we were getting was concentrations of poverty,” said Thomas, who is the chair of city council’s Housing and Community Development Committee. “But the property value in all of our neighborhoods within the city is increasing.”
A possible lifeline could come from the Montrose Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone, which collects a portion of taxes levied in the area to use specifically in the area. It has projected it can spend close to $40 million toward affordable housing initiatives in its 30-year plan, but the TIRZ is still in the study phase to determine which actions it can take.