OUR GROWTH
Houston is nothing if not dynamic, and change is a constant here. The new development that has been transforming entire districts of the City, both in the urban core and in outlying areas, is immediately apparent to residents and visitors. The City strives to balance this growth in a manner that preserves the positive characteristics of our neighborhoods while encouraging growth.
To maintain an economically sustainable city, Houston encourages growth and development. This growth results in increased density and traffic on our roadways. Rational ordinances based upon growth trends and neighborhoods preservation tools allow the city to strike a balance between continuity and change.
Development
The following maps serve as examples of how we measure single family development and trends:
Single family residential permits by year
These maps compare Census block groups by the number of permits issued by the City of Houston for new single family residential construction. Single family residential includes both detached homes and attached townhomes. Much of the development activity inside Loop 610 has been townhomes, while both townhomes and detached homes continue to be built in more suburban parts of the City.
Change in number of single family permits
These maps compare Census block groups by the increase or decrease in single family permits from year to year. Block groups with positive change indicate areas where the pace of new single family development is increasing. Negative change indicates where the pace of residential growth is slowing down.
Requested water permits by year
Virtually every occupied property in the City will have a water-wastewater account. Both residential and commercial properties obtain account permits when they are developed. Thus new water-wastewater accounts help to identify where new development of any variety is happening in the City.
Job Growth
The Texas Workforce Commission indicated the local economy ended 2007 by creating 100,100 new jobs during the year, an increase of 4 percent. Houston is one of the top job-creating cities in the United States. Of the 12 largest metropolitan areas in the country, Houston was first in job growth in the previously released data. To read more about employment data, go to http://www.twc.state.tx.us/.
Demographic Change
The Census Bureau is the primary agency responsible for monitoring current and historical growth. Two programs, the decennial Census and the American Community Survey, provide such data.
Please see a summary comparison showing Houston’s growth between the 2000 Census and the 2006 American Community Survey.
The next decennial Census will occur in 2010. The American Community Survey provides annual estimates in between Census years. Unlike the Census, the most detailed geographic level for which the American Community Survey provides data is “place,” such as the City of Houston overall. Thus updated data for Census blocks, block groups, Census tracts, and ZIP codes will not be available until the next initial decennial Census tabulations are completed and released, most likely in 2011. However, the American Community Survey is useful in the meantime for tracking general population and demographic trends affecting Houston and the region.
Growth Data and Forecasts
Houston continues to undergo dramatic growth and redevelopment. The Houston-Galveston Area Council issues the Regional Growth Forecast which looks at population and employment projections through 2035 for the purpose of transportation and community planning. Their projections are in line with those done by other entities. The Houston-Galveston Area Council’s data is widely accepted and utilized as the standard by many governmental agencies.
The 8-county region will see a population increase in the next 30 years of more than 3.5 million people with more than 2 million of that concentrated in Harris County. That’s the equivalent of adding a second Houston to Harris County in the next 30 years. These 2 million new people will form an additional 835,000 households and they will add more than 1 million new jobs to our economy – a real benefit to us all. Our total population will reach 8,835,000 in the region with 5,840,000 in Harris County alone.
Growth forecast data and maps are available at the Houston-Galveston Area Council at the following link: http://www.h-gac.com/rds/forecasts/default.aspx.
