Howdy WHA Members!
This month we saw the passage of H.R. 1 – One Big Beautiful Bill Act. If you are curious what it all entails you can read the 887 pages yourself, but since almost no one else has, you might as well pick a summary, though they all seem to focus on different aspects of the legislation. Meanwhile, announced tariffs still seem to be in flux, now with questions as to their legality.
In Texas, this legislative session appears to be dragging on just like the last with a first special session on the way and the possibility of a second one on the horizon given the recent quorum break. Despite the tragic flooding in Central Texas, and the initial reason for the special session being THC legislation, the focus appears to be more on redistricting.
Locally, there are concerns regarding spending for the 2018 Harris County Flood Bond program, where after HCFCD announced a $1.3 billion shortfall, commissioners voted to fund all “quartile one” projects —those deemed most urgent and serving the county’s most vulnerable communities—as well as projects involving outside partnerships.
Speaking of flooding, we hope you’ll join us on August 14th for our Partners in Progress forum. This event will highlight effective intergovernmental collaboration on regional flood resilience, explore innovative funding and maintenance approaches, and identify new pathways for partnership. Our panel will feature Scott Elmer (Harris County Flood Control District), Russ Poppe (Fort Bend County Drainage District), and Stan Kitzman (Brookshire-Katy Drainage District), with Alan Black (Quiddity) serving as moderator. With growing challenges across watersheds and jurisdictions, this is a timely opportunity to learn how local leaders are working together to protect communities and invest in long-term solutions. Don’t miss the chance to be part of the conversation shaping our region’s future.
Looking ahead, mark your calendars for September 18th—we’ll be hosting our Art of Placemaking forum, diving into how arts and culture influence community identity and growth. This event will feature Anna Deans (Midway), Kelsey Thorn (Howard Hughes), Grace Zuniga (Houston Arts Alliance) and be moderated by Ernesto Alfaro (LJA Engineering). Then on October 8th we will be holding our Public Officials and Awards Reception, and then wrapping up the year with a forum in early December discussing mobility along the 290 corridor.
In the meantime, be sure to join us for a full month of committee meetings. Starting with our Flood Control and Drainage Committee on August 6th. Then our Government Affairs Committee will meet on August 11th to discuss what’s happening during the legislative special session. On August 12th our Sustainable Infrastructure Committee will discuss some projects for possible recognition as Sustainability Stars followed by a meeting of our Parks, Recreation & Open Spaces Committee immediately after. Then our Education & Workforce Committee meeting will be on August 14th. On August 18th our Regional Mobility Committee will be meeting to continue work on identifying and creating a plan to advocate for our mobility priorities in the region. On August 21st in the morning our Quality Planned Development Committee will be meeting to discuss updates to the QPD recognition program and identify projects for QPD recognition this year. That afternoon, our Water Resources Committee will be discussing existing and future municipal water reuse projects.
As we move into the second half of 2025, the momentum across our committees continues to build. The collaboration, creativity, and shared commitment to purposeful growth in West Houston are energizing. I look forward to the progress we’ll make together as we keep resilience, opportunity, and quality at the heart of everything we do.
Thank you for being part of this work and for advancing our vision for Greater West Houston!
Alan Steinberg
President & CEO
West Houston Association