This document outlines the need for Houston to develop a strategic long-term plan, or "general plan", to address challenges from rapid growth and changing demographics. It notes that unincorporated areas saw much higher growth than the city limits in the last decade. Without proper planning, there are risks of a looming fiscal crisis, sprawl, and deteriorating neighborhoods. The document presents survey results that most Houston residents prefer walkable, urban neighborhoods served by good transit options. It concludes by calling for citizens to come together to develop a shared vision and strategic plan to guide the sustainable development of the city.

1. Blueprint Houston:
Working together to make Houston a great city

2. Transition
The City of Houston
is changing before our eyes
Are we ready to seize the moment,
or simply watch it slip away?

3. Is growth over?
Only 11% of the region’s
growth went to the City
in the last decade.
Unincorporated
Harris County added
3.6 times as many
people as the City did.
A radical decline in

4. Projected Growth in Houston & Harris County

5. Houston City Limits
Whatever happened to annexation?

6. Property Tax Revenue
Property Tax Revenue
Source: Office of the City Controller

7. A Looming Fiscal Crisis

8. We need a long range strategy
for enhancing our investment climate
and for building the City’s tax base.
Good planning is good business.
We Need To Plan.

9. Urban Density vs. Transportation Energy Cost
Sprawl wastes energy and costs money

10. Housing and Transportation Costs

11. What does it cost to live in this house?

12. Houston’s Demographic Diversity

13. Houston’s Demographic Diversity
13

14. Houston’s Demographic Diversity
14

15. Houston’s Demographic Diversity
15

16. Houston’s Ethnic Diversity
Do “one size fits all”development regulations make sense now?

17. Preference for an Urban Lifestyle
"a smaller home in a more urbanized area, within walking
distance of shops and workplaces"or"a single-family home
Vast majority of City residents with a big yard, where you would need to drive almost
want walkable urbanism. everywhere you want to go."
the desire of the majority to live
in environments not widely available

18. 18

19. Walkable Neighborhoods – Houston Style

20. Walkable Neighborhoods
What we want. What we get.

21. What We Like: Community Image Survey
7.2 6.8
6.5 7.1

22. What We Don’t Like: Community Image Survey
-7.3 -7.4
-7.8 -8.0

23. Few use transit, many want It
SUPPORT FOR MASS TRANSIT IN HOUSTON AREA
(2012)

24. Transportation
"spend more taxpayer money to
improve rail and buses"or"expand
existing highways."
the challenge of creating a
balanced transportation system

25. Transportation
TxDOT is awash in money:
$6 billion for State Highway 99
Multiple billions for US 290
Multiple billions for US 288
But Metro is talking
about halting transit
expansion

26. Metro transit coverage

27. Quality of Life
Cities succeed by concentrating people,
talent, interaction, and ideas to create an
innovative live-work-learn-play environment.

28. We need to promote denser,
mixed-use, pedestrian friendly
development well served by
a range of transit options.
We Need To Plan.

29. Neighborhood blight
physical decline of large areas

30. Fear of growth
Neighborhoods feel threatened

31. Neighborhood Integrity
We have strong We have
neighborhoods underdeveloped
threatened by areas in need of
inappropriate investment.
development

32. We need to protect our healthy
neighborhoods and reinvest
in those that need help.
We Need To Plan.

33. Fundamental change
How will we respond? And when?

34. It’s a big, tough world
and this is a competition, right?

35. There’s a lot to do
If we want ambitious, creative, hard
workers...

36. Quality of life is the whole game
we need health, happiness, prosperity!

37. Creating the future we want
and to get that, we need a plan

38. Planning brought us to the present

39. Planning brought us to the present
The Plan, 176 years later

40. Planning brought us to the present
Memorial
Park
Hermann
Park
Mason Park
Although it happens pretty slowly...

41. Planning brought us to the present
sometimes it becomes something else

42. Planning brought us to the present
after all, Houston didn’t just happen

43. It’s our choice
Which way should we go?

44. Let’s come together
the City needs a new strategic vision
- a general plan -
to address the demands and opportunities
of the 21st century

45. Let’s come together
And the vision needs to be based
on citizen values and goals
We citizens of the City of Houston envision and desire:
A diverse city of opportunity where we live in harmony in a healthy environment.
Sustainable prosperity and development that balances economy, community, and environment.
Coordinated land use and transportation planning to create and maintain a high level of access for
all.
Choices for home, work, and play in healthy and beautiful neighborhoods with self-determination.
A wise government that is efficient, accountable, and creative.
An educated and skilled workforce, with lifelong educational opportunities.
Houston to be a vibrant, internationally recognized center of artistic and cultural excellence.

46. But do Houstonians want a general plan?
Overwhelmingly,
citizens want a
general plan.

47. The City of Houston is changing
before our eyes…
are we ready to seize the moment,
or simply watch it slip away?

48. Let’s come together
Are you ready to get to work?
Blueprint Houston invites everyone
to come together to make a great
city.
We Need To Plan.