Municipal Utility Districts (MUDs) are purpose-built for water, wastewater, and drainage—and, with appropriate authorization, parks, trails, and certain roadway and flood-control elements. That core mission aligns naturally with “sustainability” and “resiliency” in the Texas context: reliable drinking water, efficient treatment, […]
WHA Developments
Rethinking Mobility Along the 290 Corridor
The U.S. 290 Corridor is entering a pivotal chapter in its story. Long regarded as a lifeline out of Houston and a gateway to the communities of northwest Harris and Waller Counties, it is now feeling the weight of rapid […]
Celebrating Excellence in Quality Growth: Honoring the 2025 WHA Award Recipients
On October 8, we hosted our annual Public Officials & Awards Reception, an evening dedicated to honoring the people and projects that are shaping a more resilient, connected, and sustainable future for the Greater West Houston region. Mobility Excellence: Missouri […]
Investing in Texas’ Future Water Supply: Why Proposition 4 Matters
This November, Texans will head to the polls to decide on a number of constitutional amendments, including Proposition 4, which would dedicate a portion of state sales and use tax revenue to the Texas Water Fund. For communities across Greater […]
How TIRZs Help Houston Revitalize, Grow, and Thrive
In our last article, we explored how Tax Increment Reinvestment Zones (TIRZs) function and why they have become a key component of Houston’s approach to funding public improvements. By allowing a portion of property tax growth within a defined area […]
The Art of Placemaking – How Creativity Shapes Quality Growth
The West Houston Association’s Art of Placemaking forum offered an inspiring look at how arts, culture, and thoughtful design can shape the future of our communities. Held on September 18, the event gathered developers, public officials, civic art professionals, and […]
Partnerships in Action: Moving Forward on Hillcroft Mobility Improvements
Earlier this year, members of the West Houston Association’s Regional Mobility Committee sat down to discuss a stretch of roadway that has long been on the minds of many Houstonians: Hillcroft Avenue between Westheimer Road and IH 69. Anyone who […]
Building Flood Resilience Through Collaboration
The West Houston Association’s Partners in Progress: Public Partnerships for Regional Flood Resilience forum was not a morning of slide decks or technical reports—it was a very candid conversation about how Houston can better protect itself from flooding. The three […]
The Art of Placemaking
Placemaking, as an intentional practice, came into being in the late 1960’s, as architects, scientists, artists, geographers, planners, and designers all struggled with the impersonality and alienation of Modernism (1). The rationality of the prevalent design practice at that time, […]
Understanding Tax Increment Reinvestment Zones (TIRZ)
Tax Increment Reinvestment Zones (TIRZs) are an impactful yet often misunderstood tool driving infrastructure improvements and economic development across Houston and throughout the State of Texas. In simple terms, a TIRZ is a special zone where increases in property tax […]