Politics of Houston
Encyclopedia
Founded in 1836 and incorporated in 1837, Houston
, Texas
, United States
is one of the fastest growing major cities in the United States and the largest without zoning
laws. The city is the county seat of Harris County
. A portion of southwest Houston extends into Fort Bend County
and a small portion in the northeast extends into Montgomery County
.
The city of Houston has a strong mayor–council government. The City's elected officials, serving concurrent two year terms, are: the mayor
, the city controller
and 14 members of the city council
. Under the strong mayor-council government, the mayor serves as the executive officer of the city. As the city's chief administrator and official representative, the mayor is responsible for the general management of the city and for seeing that all laws and ordinance
s are enforced.
As the result of a 1991 referendum
in Houston, a mayor
is elected for a two-year term, and can be elected to as many as three consecutive terms. City council
members, who also have a three-term limit, are elected from nine districts in the city, along with five at-large council members, who represent the entire city. As of 2010, the mayor of Houston is Annise Parker
, who is serving her first term.
The city council lineup was based on a U.S. Justice Department mandate which took effect in 1979. Under the current city charter, if the population in the Houston City Limits goes past 2.2 million residents, the current nine-member city council districts will be expanded with the addition of two city council districts. The municipal elections held on November 8, 2011 now includes the newly-formed Districts J (located in the Greater Sharpstown area) and K (a section of Southwest Houston, Reliant Park, and Fort Bend County located within the Houston City Limits) where 2 candidates won over 50% of the vote. Houston is a home rule
city and all municipal elections in the state of Texas are nonpartisan
.
Many local lawmakers
have been impacted by the city's term limits. Several former city officials—Anthony Hall, Rodney Ellis
, Sheila Jackson-Lee
, Sylvia Garcia, Martha Wong, Chris Bell
, Annise Parker
, and Shelley Sekula-Gibbs
—chose to run for other elected positions once their terms expired or shortly before they were due to expire.
Former mayor Lee P. Brown
denounced the term limit
s, saying they prevented incumbents from gaining enough experience in city government. A proposal to double the current two-year term of office has been debated—as of 2005, several candidates for the city council have brought up the issue of whether term limits should be amended or eliminated. Some elected officials from the Greater Houston area within the Texas Legislature
—primarily Garnet Coleman
and Sylvester Turner—have also spoken out against term limits. In 2010, a term limits review commission appointed by former Mayor Bill White called for amending the city charter on extending term limits where elected officials could serve two four-year terms; the proposal failed 8.18.10 after the Houston City Council voted 7-7.
Houston is considered to be a politically divided city whose balance of power often sways between Republicans and Democrats. The affluent western-central portions of Houston—such as River Oaks and the Memorial/Spring Branch area, as well as master planned communities of Kingwood and Clear Lake City—consistently vote Republican, while many of the inner city areas, Neartown, and Alief—are heavily Democratic. According to the 2005 Houston Area Survey, 68 percent of non-Hispanic whites in Harris County are declared or favor Republicans
while 89 percent of non-Hispanic blacks in the area are declared or favor Democrats
. About 62 percent Hispanics (of any race) in the area are declared or favor Democrats.
that allowed the annexation of unincorporated area
s. Since then the City of Houston annexed various properties.
, starting in the year 2000 the City of Houston began grouping areas into "super neighborhoods." Communities with similar identities, infrastructures, and physical features were grouped into super neighborhoods.
and Sam Houston Park
. As of 2010 the department maintains about 350 developed parks and 200 esplanades and greenspaces inside and outside of the City of Houston.
manages three airports in the Houston city limits: George Bush Intercontinental Airport
, William P. Hobby Airport
, and Ellington Airport.
operates the Houston District Office in Houston.
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice
(TDCJ) operates the Region III Parole Division headquarters in Houston. The Houston VI district parole office is located on the grounds of the headquarters. The Houston I, Houston II, Houston III, Houston IV, and Houston VII are located in other places in Houston. The Houston V district parole office is in Pasadena
. The agency also operates the Joe Kegans Unit
state jail facility in Downtown Houston
.
The Huntsville Unit in Huntsville
serves as the designated regional release center for prisoners arriving in the Houston area. Throughout the history of the Texas Prison System 90% of male prisoners, regardless of where they were being released, were sent to the unit for the final portions of their sentences before being released. Starting in September 2010 the TDCJ instead began to use regional release centers for male prisoners. Female prisoners throughout Texas who are not state jail prisoners or substance abuse felony punishment facility residents are released from the Christina Crain Unit
in Gatesville
.
The Texas Youth Commission
(TYC) operates the Houston District Office in Greater Sharpstown, Houston. The closest TYC correctional facility to Houston is the Al Price State Juvenile Correctional Facility in unincorporated
Jefferson County
, near Beaumont
. The TYC announced that the Al Price facility will close by August 31, 2011.
The United States Postal Service
's main post office facility is the 16 acres (6.5 ha) Houston Post Office at 401 Franklin Street in Downtown Houston
. In February 2009 the U.S. Postal Service announced that it was going to sell the Houston Post Office. The party buying the facility is required to build a replacement facility. The postal service operates station branches in other parts of Houston.
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Houston Field Office and the Houston office of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
(ICE) are in Greenspoint and in Houston. An ICE Special Agent in Charge (SAC) principal field office is also in Houston. The Houston Contract Detention Facility, operated by the Corrections Corporation of America
on behalf of ICE, is located in Houston.
The Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas Houston Branch
is located in the Fourth Ward of Houston.
by U.S. Senators John Cornyn
and Kay Bailey Hutchison
and U.S. Representatives Kevin Brady
, John Culberson
, Al Green
, Gene Green
, Sheila Jackson Lee
, Michael McCaul
, Pete Olson
, Ron Paul
, and Ted Poe
.
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
is one of the fastest growing major cities in the United States and the largest without zoning
Zoning
Zoning is a device of land use planning used by local governments in most developed countries. The word is derived from the practice of designating permitted uses of land based on mapped zones which separate one set of land uses from another...
laws. The city is the county seat of Harris County
Harris County, Texas
As of the 2010 Census, the population of the county was 4,092,459, White Americans made up 56.6% of Harris County's population; non-Hispanic whites represented 33.0% of the population. Black Americans made up 18.9% of the population. Native Americans made up 0.7% of Harris County's population...
. A portion of southwest Houston extends into Fort Bend County
Fort Bend County, Texas
Fort Bend County is a county located along the Gulf Coast region in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. In 2000 its population was 354,452, while the 2010 U.S...
and a small portion in the northeast extends into Montgomery County
Montgomery County, Texas
Montgomery County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. The county was created by an act of the Congress of the Republic of Texas on December 14, 1837. The county was named for the town of Montgomery, Texas. In 2000, its...
.
The city of Houston has a strong mayor–council government. The City's elected officials, serving concurrent two year terms, are: the mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
, the city controller
Comptroller
A comptroller is a management level position responsible for supervising the quality of accounting and financial reporting of an organization.In British government, the Comptroller General or Comptroller and Auditor General is in most countries the external auditor of the budget execution of the...
and 14 members of the city council
City council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
. Under the strong mayor-council government, the mayor serves as the executive officer of the city. As the city's chief administrator and official representative, the mayor is responsible for the general management of the city and for seeing that all laws and ordinance
Local ordinance
A local ordinance is a law usually found in a municipal code.-United States:In the United States, these laws are enforced locally in addition to state law and federal law.-Japan:...
s are enforced.
Referendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
in Houston, a mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
is elected for a two-year term, and can be elected to as many as three consecutive terms. City council
City council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
members, who also have a three-term limit, are elected from nine districts in the city, along with five at-large council members, who represent the entire city. As of 2010, the mayor of Houston is Annise Parker
Annise Parker
Annise Danette Parker is an American politician and the mayor of Houston since January 2, 2010. She served as an at-large member of the Houston City Council from 1998 to 2003 and city controller from 2004 to 2009...
, who is serving her first term.
The city council lineup was based on a U.S. Justice Department mandate which took effect in 1979. Under the current city charter, if the population in the Houston City Limits goes past 2.2 million residents, the current nine-member city council districts will be expanded with the addition of two city council districts. The municipal elections held on November 8, 2011 now includes the newly-formed Districts J (located in the Greater Sharpstown area) and K (a section of Southwest Houston, Reliant Park, and Fort Bend County located within the Houston City Limits) where 2 candidates won over 50% of the vote. Houston is a home rule
Devolution
Devolution is the statutory granting of powers from the central government of a sovereign state to government at a subnational level, such as a regional, local, or state level. Devolution can be mainly financial, e.g. giving areas a budget which was formerly administered by central government...
city and all municipal elections in the state of Texas are nonpartisan
Nonpartisan
In political science, nonpartisan denotes an election, event, organization or person in which there is no formally declared association with a political party affiliation....
.
Many local lawmakers
Legislator
A legislator is a person who writes and passes laws, especially someone who is a member of a legislature. Legislators are usually politicians and are often elected by the people...
have been impacted by the city's term limits. Several former city officials—Anthony Hall, Rodney Ellis
Rodney Ellis
Rodney Glenn Ellis is an African-American politician from the state of Texas. He has served on the Texas State Senate since 1990, representing Texas Senate District 13.Senator Rodney Ellis was elected to the Texas Senate in 1990...
, Sheila Jackson-Lee
Sheila Jackson Lee
Sheila Jackson Lee is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1995. The district includes most of inner-city Houston. She is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life and education:...
, Sylvia Garcia, Martha Wong, Chris Bell
Chris Bell (politician)
Robert Christopher "Chris" Bell is a Democratic Party politician. He last served as a one-term congressman in the United States House of Representatives from Texas's 25th congressional district in Houston from 2003 to 2005 before being defeated in the Democratic primary by Justice of the Peace Al...
, Annise Parker
Annise Parker
Annise Danette Parker is an American politician and the mayor of Houston since January 2, 2010. She served as an at-large member of the Houston City Council from 1998 to 2003 and city controller from 2004 to 2009...
, and Shelley Sekula-Gibbs
Shelley Sekula-Gibbs
Shelley Sekula-Gibbs is a physician and a former member of the United States House of Representatives representing from November 13, 2006, until January 3, 2007. She has also served as a City Councilwoman in Houston, Texas for three terms...
—chose to run for other elected positions once their terms expired or shortly before they were due to expire.
Former mayor Lee P. Brown
Lee P. Brown
Lee Patrick Brown had a long-time career in law enforcement, leading police departments in Atlanta, Houston and New York over the course of nearly four decades. During this time he helped to implement a number of techniques in community policing that appeared to result in substantial decreases in...
denounced the term limit
Term limit
A term limit is a legal restriction that limits the number of terms a person may serve in a particular elected office. When term limits are found in presidential and semi-presidential systems they act as a method to curb the potential for monopoly, where a leader effectively becomes "president for...
s, saying they prevented incumbents from gaining enough experience in city government. A proposal to double the current two-year term of office has been debated—as of 2005, several candidates for the city council have brought up the issue of whether term limits should be amended or eliminated. Some elected officials from the Greater Houston area within the Texas Legislature
Texas Legislature
The Legislature of the state of Texas is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Texas. The legislature is a bicameral body composed of a 31-member Senate and a 150-member House of Representatives. The Legislature meets at the Capitol in Austin...
—primarily Garnet Coleman
Garnet Coleman
Garnet F. Coleman is a U.S. politician and a member of the Texas House of Representatives for District 147 since 1991. He is the son of John B. Coleman, M.D...
and Sylvester Turner—have also spoken out against term limits. In 2010, a term limits review commission appointed by former Mayor Bill White called for amending the city charter on extending term limits where elected officials could serve two four-year terms; the proposal failed 8.18.10 after the Houston City Council voted 7-7.
Houston is considered to be a politically divided city whose balance of power often sways between Republicans and Democrats. The affluent western-central portions of Houston—such as River Oaks and the Memorial/Spring Branch area, as well as master planned communities of Kingwood and Clear Lake City—consistently vote Republican, while many of the inner city areas, Neartown, and Alief—are heavily Democratic. According to the 2005 Houston Area Survey, 68 percent of non-Hispanic whites in Harris County are declared or favor Republicans
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
while 89 percent of non-Hispanic blacks in the area are declared or favor Democrats
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
. About 62 percent Hispanics (of any race) in the area are declared or favor Democrats.
History
In 1912 the Government of Texas passed an amendment to the Texas ConstitutionTexas Constitution
The Constitution of the State of Texas is the document that describes the structure and function of the government of the U.S. State of Texas.Texas has had seven constitutions: the constitution of Coahuila y Tejas, the 1836 Constitution of the Republic of Texas, the state constitutions of 1845,...
that allowed the annexation of unincorporated area
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
s. Since then the City of Houston annexed various properties.
Elected officials
| Position | Name | First Elected | Areas Represented Council Districts Super Neighborhoods |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mayor | Annise Parker Annise Parker Annise Danette Parker is an American politician and the mayor of Houston since January 2, 2010. She served as an at-large member of the Houston City Council from 1998 to 2003 and city controller from 2004 to 2009... |
2009 | City-wide |
| City Controller | Ronald Green Ronald C. Green Ronald Green is the Current City Controller of Houston and a former member of the Houston City Council.In the 2011 election, Green won a second term as Houston's Controller.... |
2009 | City-wide |
| At-Large Position 1 | Stephen Costello Stephen Costello Stephen Costello is an American operatic tenor and a recipient of the 2009 Richard Tucker Award. Costello has performed in noted opera houses around the world including Covent Garden, Metropolitan Opera, and Lyric Opera of Chicago... |
2009 | City-wide |
| At-Large Position 2 | Sue Lovell Sue Lovell Sue Lovell is a local Houston politician currently serving on the Houston City Council, holding the at-large position 2, which she has held since 2005.-Background and Personal Life:... |
2005 | City-wide |
| At-Large Position 3 | Melissa Noriega Melissa Noriega Melissa Meisgeier Noriega is a member of the Houston City Council in Houston, Harris County, Texas, holding . Noriega is a former educator and civic leader in Houston and Harris County, Texas, as well as a former member of the Texas House of Representatives.-Early life and education:Melissa... |
2007 | City-wide |
| At-Large Position 4 | Clarence Bradford Clarence Bradford Clarence O'Neal Bradford, known as C.O. "Clarence" Bradford , is a Houston City Council member-Elect, a former Chief of Police of Houston, Texas and lost as the Democratic Party candidate for District Attorney of Harris County, Texas in 2008.In the 2011 election, Bradford won a second term as... |
2009 | City-wide |
| At-Large Position 5 | Jolanda "Jo" Jones | 2007 | City-wide |
| District A | Brenda Stardig | 2009 | Willowbrook, Carverdale, Fairbanks Fairbanks, Houston, Texas Fairbanks is a community along U.S. Highway 290 and the Southern Pacific Railroad in Western Houston, Texas, United States. At one point it was a distinct unincorporated area within Harris County.-History:... /Northwest Crossing, Greater Inwood (part), Acres Homes Acres Homes, Houston, Texas Acres Homes is a community in northwest Houston, Texas, United States north of the 610 loop. Nicknamed the 44, Acres Homes is located in the northwest portion of the city, the area is loosely bound by Pinemont Drive to the south, North Shepherd Drive to the East, Gulf Bank to the north, and... (part), Westbranch, Addicks Addicks, Houston, Texas Addicks is an area of Houston that was formerly its own community.Addicks, a railroad stop for the Bear Creek community, was named after its original postmaster, Henry Addicks, in 1884. The original town site was located just south of the intersection of Patterson Road and Highway 6. The Addicks... /Park Ten (including the Addicks Reservoir), Spring Branch West, Langwood, Oak Forest/Garden Oaks, Lazy Brook/Timbergrove (part), Memorial Memorial, Houston, Texas The Memorial area of Houston, Texas, United States is west of Downtown Houston and northwest of Uptown Houston. It is bounded on the south by Buffalo Bayou, on the east by Interstate 610, on the west by Texas State Highway 6, and extends just north of the Katy Freeway to Westview and includes... (part), Washington Avenue/Memorial (part), Spring Shadows, Spring Branch Central, Spring Branch East (part), Greater Heights (part) |
| District B | Jarvis Johnson Jarvis Johnson Jarvis D. Johnson is an elected official currently holding office as a District Council Member in the city of Houston, Texas District B.-Early years and professional career:... |
2005 | Greenspoint Greenspoint, Houston, Texas The Greater Greenspoint District is an edge city in northern Harris County, Texas, United States. Portions of the district are in the City of Houston while portions are in unincorporated areas... , Greater Inwood (part), Acres Homes (part), Hidden Valley, George Bush Intercontinental Airport George Bush Intercontinental Airport George Bush Intercontinental Airport, is a Class B international airport in Houston, Texas, serving the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area, the sixth-largest metropolitan area in the United States. Located north of Downtown Houston between Interstate 45 and U.S. Highway 59... , Northside/Northline (part), Eastex/Jensen (part), East Little York / Homestead, Little York / Greenwood , Trinity / Houston Gardens, East Houston, Settegast, Kashmere Gardens (part), Fifth Ward Fifth Ward, Houston, Texas The Fifth Ward is a historical political district and a community of Houston, Texas, United States, northeast of Downtown. It is bounded by the Buffalo Bayou, Jensen Drive, Liberty Road, and Lockwood Drive.... (part), Denver Harbor/Port Houston (part), Pleasantville Pleasantville, Houston, Texas Pleasantville is a neighborhood located in Houston, Texas, United States.Pleasantville is located inside of the 610 Loop in eastern Houston. Pleasantville is predominantly African-American.-Government and infrastructure:... Area (part), Clinton Park Clinton Park, Houston, Texas Clinton Park is a neighborhood located in Houston, Texas. Clinton Park is located outside of the 610 Loop in eastern Houston. Clinton Park is predominately African-American... /Tri-Community (part) |
| District C | Anne Clutterbuck Anne Clutterbuck Anne Clutterbuck is an elected official currently holding office as a District Council Member in the city of Houston, Texas District C. Clutterbuck also served as the Houston City Council Mayor Pro Tempore in 2010.... |
2005 | Woodlake/Briarmeadow Briarmeadow, Houston, Texas Briarmeadow is a subdivision in Houston, Texas, United States.-History:James E. Lyon developed Briarmeadow. A July 10, 1955 article described the beginning of Briarmeadow. At first straddled Westheimer Road, with for commercial and retail establishments.... (part), Uptown Uptown Houston The Uptown District of Houston is located 6.2 miles west of downtown and is centered along Post Oak Boulevard, Westheimer Road , and the Galleria... /Post Oak (part), Sharpstown (part), Gulfton (part), University Place, Braeburn Braeburn, Houston, Texas Braeburn is a community of subdivisions in southwest Houston, Texas along Brays Bayou west of Hillcroft Avenue and south of the Sharpstown community. The first of these middle class subdivisions was developed after World War II at a time when the Richmond Farm-to-Market Road provided the route... (part), Meyerland, Braeswood Place, Texas Medical Center Texas Medical Center The Texas Medical Center is the largest medical center in the world with one of the highest densities of clinical facilities for patient care, basic science, and translational research... (part), Fondren Southwest (part), Westbury Westbury, Houston, Texas Westbury is a neighborhood in the Brays Oaks district of Southwest Houston, Texas, United States. It is located east of Bob White Road, north of U.S... , Willow Meadows Willow Meadows, Houston, Texas Willow Meadows is a subdivision in Houston, Texas, United StatesWillow Meadows straddles the southwest corner of 610 Loop, but lies fully inside Beltway 8. The subdivision is next to Meyer Park, a shopping center. Willow Meadows is east of Meyerland, north of Willowbend, west of Westwood, and south... /Willowbend Willowbend, Houston, Texas Willowbend is a neighborhood in Houston, Texas.Willowbend is outside of the 610 Loop and inside Beltway 8. The neighborhood is south of Willow Meadows and southeast of Meyerland. The more affluent area of the neighborhood is located north of Willowbend Boulevard... , Fondren Gardens, Greenway Plaza Greenway Plaza Greenway Plaza is a master-planned mixed-use development off U.S. Highway 59 in Houston, Texas, United States, five miles west of Downtown Houston and three miles east of Uptown Houston. Greenway Plaza is Houston's first totally planned business-commercial-residential complex developed by the... /Upper Kirby Upper Kirby Upper Kirby is a commercial district in Houston, Texas, United States.Upper Kirby contains many businesses, including restaurants. Upper Kirby is east of the Greenway Plaza, southwest of Neartown, north of the city of West University Place, and south of River Oaks.Upper Kirby is considered to be in... |
| District D | Wanda Adams | 2007 | Neartown Neartown Houston Neartown is an area located in west-central Houston, Texas, United States and is one of the city's major cultural areas. Neartown is roughly bounded by U.S. Highway 59 to the south, Allen Parkway to the north, Bagby Street on the east, and Shepherd Drive to the west... , Texas Medical Center Texas Medical Center The Texas Medical Center is the largest medical center in the world with one of the highest densities of clinical facilities for patient care, basic science, and translational research... (part), Reliant Park Reliant Park Reliant Park is a complex in Houston, Texas, USA, named after the energy company Reliant Energy. It is located on Kirby Drive at the 610 Loop... , South Main, Central Southwest, Fort Bend county portion, Midtown Midtown, Houston, Texas Midtown is a district southwest of Downtown Houston, bordered by Neartown and U.S. Highway 59.-History:Around 1906 what is now Midtown was divided between the Third Ward and Fourth Ward. Before the 1950s what is now Midtown was a popular residential district. Increasingly, commercial development... , Binz, Third Ward Third Ward, Houston, Texas The Third Ward is one of the six historic wards of Houston, Texas, United States. It is located in the Southeast Houston management district.The Third Ward, located inside the 610 Loop is immediately southeast of Downtown Houston and to the east of the Texas Medical Center. The ward became the... (part), OST/South Union, Sunnyside Sunnyside, Houston, Texas Sunnyside is a community in southern Houston, Texas, United States, south of Downtown Houston.Sunnyside is outside of the 610 Loop and inside Beltway 8 off State Highway 288 south of Downtown Houston and is predominantly African American... , South Park South Park, Houston, Texas South Park, Houston, Texas, is a broad post-World War II development in the south-central area of the city, a few miles south of MacGregor Park and directly south of the 610 Loop. According to the 2000 Census, the community has a population of 22,282. 81% of the South Park population is African... (part), South Acres/Crestmont Park (part), Minnetex (part), MacGregor |
| District E | Mike Sullivan | 2007 | Kingwood Kingwood, Houston, Texas Kingwood is a 14,000 acre master-planned community located in northeast Houston, Texas, United States. The majority of the community is located in Harris County with a small portion in Montgomery County... (including Montgomery County portion), Lake Houston, North Shore (part), South Park (part), Meadowbrook/Allendale (part), South Acres/Crestmont Park (part), Minnetex (part), Hobby Airport (part), Edgebrook, South Belt/Ellington Field Ellington Field Ellington International Airport is a joint civil-military airport located in the U.S. state of Texas within the city of Houston— southeast of Downtown. Established by the Army Air Service on 21 May 1917, Ellington Field was one of the initial World War I Army Air Service installations when... , Clear Lake City Clear Lake City, Houston, Texas Clear Lake City is a master-planned community located in southeast Harris County, Texas, within the Bay Area of Greater Houston. It is the second-largest master-planned community in Houston — behind Kingwood... , Johnson Space Center |
| District F | Al Hoang | 2009 | Alief, Sharpstown (part), Gulfton (part), Westwood, Braeburn (part), Fondren Southwest (part) |
| District G | Oliver Pennington | 2009 | Memorial (part), Eldridge/West Oaks (including the Barker Reservoir), Briar Forest, Westchase Westchase, Houston, Texas Westchase is a business management district, with some residential and retail elements, located in western Houston, Texas, United States. The district is bounded roughly by Westheimer Road on the north, Gessner Road on the east, Wilcrest Drive on the west, and the Westpark Tollway on the south... , Woodlake/Briar Meadow (part), Uptown/Post Oak (part), Washington Ave./Memorial (part), Afton Oaks Afton Oaks, Houston, Texas Afton Oaks is a deed-restricted "Inner Loop" upscale residential community of approximately 525 homes in Houston, Texas, United States. Afton Oaks is located inside Interstate 610 near the Galleria and Highland Village. The neighborhood is bounded on the north by Westheimer Road, on the east by... /River Oaks River Oaks, Houston, Texas River Oaks is an affluent community located in the geographic center of Houston, Texas, United States. Located within the 610 Loop and between Downtown and Uptown, the community spans . Established in the 1920s by brothers William and Michael Hogg, the community became a well-publicized national... |
| District H | Ed Gonzalez | 2009 | Independence Heights, Lazy Brook/Timbergrove (part), Houston Heights, Washington Avenue/Memorial (part), Northside/Northline (part), Eastex/Jensen (part), Northside Village, Kashmere Gardens (part), Fifth Ward (part), Downtown (part), Second Ward (part), Eastwood (part), Spring Branch East (part), Cottage Grove, Greater Heights (part) |
| District I | James Rodriguez | 2007 | El Dorado/Oates Prairie, Hunterwood, Denver Harbor/Port Houston (part), Pleasantville Area (part), North Shore (part), Clinton Park/Tri-Community (part), Fourth Ward, Downtown (part), Second Ward (part), Eastwood (part), Harrisburg-Manchester Manchester, Houston, Texas Manchester is a community in southeastern Houston, Texas, United States.It is located in close proximity to the Houston Ship Channel and many chemical plants.-History:Manchester began in the 1860s as a railroad switch... /Magnolia Park Magnolia Park, Houston, Texas Magnolia Park is an area of the East End, Houston, Texas, located near the Houston Ship Channel. One of the oldest Hispanic neighborhoods in the City of Houston, Magnolia Park was formerly incorporated as the City of Magnolia Park in eastern Harris County.... , Third Ward (part), Gulfgate/Pine Valley, Pecan Park, Golfcrest, Park Place, Meadowbrook/Allendale (part), Hobby Airport (part), Magnolia Park, Lawndale/Wayside |
Super neighborhoods
During the administration of Lee P. BrownLee P. Brown
Lee Patrick Brown had a long-time career in law enforcement, leading police departments in Atlanta, Houston and New York over the course of nearly four decades. During this time he helped to implement a number of techniques in community policing that appeared to result in substantial decreases in...
, starting in the year 2000 the City of Houston began grouping areas into "super neighborhoods." Communities with similar identities, infrastructures, and physical features were grouped into super neighborhoods.
Parks and Recreation Department
The City of Houston Parks and Recreation Department was created by a city ordinance on March 15, 1916. When it was created it had two parks, Hermann ParkHermann Park
Hermann Park is one of Houston's most-visited public parks. Situated between Fannin Street and Cambridge Street, it is within walking distance from the Texas Medical Center, Rice University, and the Museum District, and within a few miles of the Third Ward, the historic Astrodome and Reliant Stadium...
and Sam Houston Park
Sam Houston Park
Sam Houston Park is a park located in downtown Houston, Texas, and is dedicated to the buildings and culture of Houston's historic past. The park, which was the first to be established in the city, was developed on land purchased by former Mayor Sam Brashier in 1900.-History:Mayor Brashear...
. As of 2010 the department maintains about 350 developed parks and 200 esplanades and greenspaces inside and outside of the City of Houston.
Houston Airport System
The Houston Airport SystemHouston Airport System
Houston Airport System is a department of the City of Houston, Texas, United States that manages city airports. Its administrative offices are on the property of George Bush Intercontinental Airport. It operates Bush, William P. Hobby Airport, and Ellington Airport in Houston.The city of Houston...
manages three airports in the Houston city limits: George Bush Intercontinental Airport
George Bush Intercontinental Airport
George Bush Intercontinental Airport, is a Class B international airport in Houston, Texas, serving the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area, the sixth-largest metropolitan area in the United States. Located north of Downtown Houston between Interstate 45 and U.S. Highway 59...
, William P. Hobby Airport
William P. Hobby Airport
William P. Hobby Airport is a public airport in Houston, Texas, located from Downtown Houston. The airport covers and has four runways. Hobby Airport is Houston's oldest commercial airport and was the city's primary air terminal until the opening of Houston Intercontinental Airport in 1969...
, and Ellington Airport.
State government
The Texas Department of TransportationTexas Department of Transportation
The Texas Department of Transportation is a governmental agency in the U.S. state of Texas. Its stated mission is to "work cooperatively to provide safe, effective and efficient movement of people and goods" throughout the state...
operates the Houston District Office in Houston.
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice
Texas Department of Criminal Justice
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice is a department of the government of the state of Texas. The TDCJ is responsible for statewide criminal justice for adult offenders, including managing offenders in state prisons, state jails and private correctional facilities, funding and certain...
(TDCJ) operates the Region III Parole Division headquarters in Houston. The Houston VI district parole office is located on the grounds of the headquarters. The Houston I, Houston II, Houston III, Houston IV, and Houston VII are located in other places in Houston. The Houston V district parole office is in Pasadena
Pasadena, Texas
Pasadena is a city in the U.S. state of Texas within the metropolitan area. It is the second-largest city in Harris County, 17th-largest in Texas, and 162nd largest in the United States. The area was founded in 1893 by John H. Burnett of Galveston....
. The agency also operates the Joe Kegans Unit
Joe Kegans Unit
Joe Kegans State Jail is a state jail of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice located along the northeast edge of Downtown Houston, Texas. The approximately facility for men is located south of Interstate 10....
state jail facility in Downtown Houston
Downtown Houston
Downtown Houston is the largest business district of Houston, Texas, United States. Downtown Houston, the city's central business district, contains the headquarters of many prominent companies. There is an extensive network of pedestrian tunnels and skywalks connecting the buildings of the district...
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The Huntsville Unit in Huntsville
Huntsville, Texas
Huntsville is a city in and the county seat of Walker County, Texas, United States. The population was 35,508 at the 2010 census. It is the center of the Huntsville micropolitan area....
serves as the designated regional release center for prisoners arriving in the Houston area. Throughout the history of the Texas Prison System 90% of male prisoners, regardless of where they were being released, were sent to the unit for the final portions of their sentences before being released. Starting in September 2010 the TDCJ instead began to use regional release centers for male prisoners. Female prisoners throughout Texas who are not state jail prisoners or substance abuse felony punishment facility residents are released from the Christina Crain Unit
Christina Crain Unit
The Christina Melton Crain Unit is a Texas Department of Criminal Justice prison for females in Gatesville, Texas. The prison is along Texas State Highway 36, north of central Gatesville. The unit, with about of space, is co-located with the Hilltop Unit, the Dr. Lane Murray Unit, and the Linda...
in Gatesville
Gatesville, Texas
Gatesville is a city in and the county seat of Coryell County in Central Texas, United States of America. The population was 15,591 at the 2000 census...
.
The Texas Youth Commission
Texas Youth Commission
The Texas Youth Commission is a Texas state agency which operates juvenile corrections facilities in the state. The commission is headquartered in the Brown-Heatly Building in Austin...
(TYC) operates the Houston District Office in Greater Sharpstown, Houston. The closest TYC correctional facility to Houston is the Al Price State Juvenile Correctional Facility in unincorporated
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
Jefferson County
Jefferson County, Texas
Jefferson County is a county located in the state of Texas, United States. As of 2000, the population was 252,051. Its county seat is Beaumont, and it is named for the former U.S...
, near Beaumont
Beaumont, Texas
Beaumont is a city in and county seat of Jefferson County, Texas, United States, within the Beaumont–Port Arthur Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city's population was 118,296 at the 2010 census. With Port Arthur and Orange, it forms the Golden Triangle, a major industrial area on the...
. The TYC announced that the Al Price facility will close by August 31, 2011.
Federal government
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
's main post office facility is the 16 acres (6.5 ha) Houston Post Office at 401 Franklin Street in Downtown Houston
Downtown Houston
Downtown Houston is the largest business district of Houston, Texas, United States. Downtown Houston, the city's central business district, contains the headquarters of many prominent companies. There is an extensive network of pedestrian tunnels and skywalks connecting the buildings of the district...
. In February 2009 the U.S. Postal Service announced that it was going to sell the Houston Post Office. The party buying the facility is required to build a replacement facility. The postal service operates station branches in other parts of Houston.
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Houston Field Office and the Houston office of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is a federal law enforcement agency under the United States Department of Homeland Security , responsible for identifying, investigating, and dismantling vulnerabilities regarding the nation's border, economic, transportation, and infrastructure security...
(ICE) are in Greenspoint and in Houston. An ICE Special Agent in Charge (SAC) principal field office is also in Houston. The Houston Contract Detention Facility, operated by the Corrections Corporation of America
Corrections Corporation of America
Corrections Corporation of America is a company that owns and manages private prisons and detention centers and operates others on a concession basis. The company is the largest private corrections company in the United States and manages more than 60 facilities with a designed capacity of 90,000...
on behalf of ICE, is located in Houston.
The Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas Houston Branch
Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas Houston Branch
The Reserve Bank of Dallas Houston Branch is one of three branches of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas.The branch is located in the Fourth Ward, Houston, Texas.-Appointed by the Federal Reserve Bank:-Appointed by the Board of Governors:-See also:...
is located in the Fourth Ward of Houston.
Elected officials
Houston is represented in the United States CongressUnited States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
by U.S. Senators John Cornyn
John Cornyn
John Cornyn, III is the junior United States Senator for Texas, serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party. He was elected Chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee for the 111th U.S. Congress....
and Kay Bailey Hutchison
Kay Bailey Hutchison
Kathryn Ann Bailey Hutchison, known as Kay Bailey Hutchison , is the senior United States Senator from Texas.She is a member of the Republican Party. In 2001, she was named one of the thirty most powerful women in America by Ladies Home Journal. The first woman to represent Texas in the U.S....
and U.S. Representatives Kevin Brady
Kevin Brady
Kevin Patrick Brady is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1997. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district includes a large swath of suburban and rural territory around Houston and Beaumont....
, John Culberson
John Culberson
John Abney Culberson is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2001. He is a member of the Republican Party and the Tea Party caucus...
, Al Green
Al Green (politician)
Alexander N. "Al" Green is the U.S. Representative from Texas' 9th congressional district . The district includes most of southwestern Houston, including most of that city's share of Fort Bend County. It also includes most of Missouri City.-Early life and career:Green was born in New Orleans,...
, Gene Green
Gene Green
Raymond Eugene "Gene" Green is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1993. He is a member of the Democratic Party...
, Sheila Jackson Lee
Sheila Jackson Lee
Sheila Jackson Lee is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1995. The district includes most of inner-city Houston. She is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life and education:...
, Michael McCaul
Michael McCaul
Michael Thomas McCaul, Sr. is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district stretches from Austin to Houston.-Early life, education and career:...
, Pete Olson
Pete Olson
Peter Graham "Pete" Olson is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2009. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district includes much of southeastern Houston, as well as most of the city's southern suburbs such as Pearland, Sugar Land, and Pasadena.-Early life, education, and military...
, Ron Paul
Ron Paul
Ronald Ernest "Ron" Paul is an American physician, author and United States Congressman who is seeking to be the Republican Party candidate in the 2012 presidential election. Paul represents Texas's 14th congressional district, which covers an area south and southwest of Houston that includes...
, and Ted Poe
Ted Poe
Lloyd "Ted" Poe is a Republican politician currently representing Texas's 2nd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives. The district includes most of northern Houston, as well as most of the Beaumont-Port Arthur metropolitan area. He is the first Republican to ever...
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