Greater West Houston Population and Employment Growth Drives 2050 Plan

Greater West Houston in 2050 will have a total population larger than Dallas and San Jose today--2.2 million people, a 120% increase from 2000.

Employment in the Region will reach 925,000 by 2050, equal to the number currently employed in Austin or San Antonio. The represents a 117% increase from 2000.

Our future mirrors out past.  Since 1970 when the area's population was below 200,000 and jobs numbered below 20,000, the region has experienced nothing but growth.  With the influx of jobs and families, city boundaries have expanded.  The 1980s brought the the most significant growth for West Houston as major employers migrated to suburban locations.

West Houston Plan 2050 forecasts a continuation of this patter of suburban growth and job migration along with the continued revitalization of Houston's inner city areas.

The Plan is being introduced at a critical time.  As the region's major proponent for quality growth, the West Houston Association believes there are no indications that the forces and economic trends that drive families and employers to seek improved quality of living and working environments will change.  In our view, nothing will significantly alter current trends toward geographically diverse growth.

To plan and manage this unprecedented growth, West Houston Plan 2050, which will be released in April, has several key goals:

• To ensure the Greater West Houston remains the premier place to live, work and play in the Houston metropolitan area

• To make West Houston even better by setting new standards for quality growth

• To anticipate and plan for critical infrastructure needs

"By developing West Houston Plan 2050, the West Houston Association continues to lead the region in strategically thinking about our future growth and how to best accommodate that growth, while at the same time ensuring the highest quality of life for those who work and live here," stated Ted Nelson, past-chairman of the West Houston Association.  "Behind the numbers of people and jobs are tens of millions of dollars for new and rehabilitated infrastructure.  Over the next 43 years we will in essence build a new city with homes for over one million new residents and office building for 450,000 new employees.  This represents a great opportunity to make sure we build the best," he concluded.

Growth in Greater West Houston will Require Expanded Residential, Commercial Areas

The Region's anticipated growth by 2050 will require an estimated 258 additional square miles of land for new single and multi-family housing units.  New areas for commercial office, retail and distribution facilities will be needed as well.

The West Houston Plan 2050 provides a likely land use forecast based upon expected growth, known current activity and probable location for new and expanded residential and commercial development.

In our estimation residential development will extend west and northwest along existing and new radial transportation spines.  Office, light industrial and retail development will be concentrated at nodes of major roadways and exiting activity centers will expand and be joined by strategic satellite commercial concentrations.

Mid-Century to Bring Major Growth to Greater West Houston

Forecasts of population and employment growth complied by the West Houston Association indicate significant growth for Greater West Houston through 2050.  The result will be unprecedented opportunities for living, working and recreation in the region.

"The West Houston Association is launching a major new effort to ensure that Greater West Houston experiences quality, sustainable growth to mid century, says Mark Kilkenny, chairman of the West Houston Association Board of Directors.  "The West Houston Plan 2050 is the product of months of analysis and discussion concerning the nature and location of growth and the infrastructure needs to support and sustain that growth," he concludes.

West Houston Plan 2050 focuses on the issues, challenges and opportunities in several critical components of quality growth.  The report also makes recommendations for discussions with government leaders and the community regarding these key components of quality growth including:

• Transportation
• Drainage & Flood Control
• Regional Wastewater Treatment
• Education
• Conservation and Open Space
• Quality Planned Communities TM in Residential and Commercial Development
• System Rehabilitation

West Houston Plan 2050 will be published in March and will be followed by a series of meetings with elected officials and community leaders to begin a discussion of these critical issues and the opportunities they provide the region.

 Greater West Houston-Setting the Stage for Sustainable, Quality Growth

For West Houston Plan 2050 the West Houston Association defines Greater West Houston as an area of approximately 1000 square miles of urban and suburban communities that includes portions of Harris County (50%), Fort Bend County (25%) and Waller County (25%).  Twenty percent of the region falls inside the City of Houston's extraterritorial jurisdiction.  The region is comprised of 11 additional municipalities; 15 independent school districts; 11 special purpose districts and over 200 utility districts.

By mid-century the region will have a population of 2.2 million and employment of nearly one million.  Three major activity employment centers, totaling over 30 million square feet of office space highlight a region that has enjoyed stellar employment growth since the 1970s.

"By any measure, Greater West Houston is a massive, economically vibrant community with significant growth in its future and the promise of almost unlimited opportunity," says David Hightower, vice chairman of the West Houston Association Board of Directors.  "By publishing West Houston 2050 we hope to influence policies, and actions, so that the excellent quality of life the region provides today will continue into the future."