In Defense of Houston's Urban Planning

In the wake of Hurricane Harvey, some critics argued that Houston's zoning and 'notorious' sprawl threaten its infrastructure. Others now defend the city, citing infrastructure spending, green space, and some of the most affordable housing in the U.S.

According to Houston mayor Sylvester Turner, “Zoning wouldn’t have changed anything. We would have been a city with zoning that flooded.” Houston’s development model is a leader in new housing starts, post-Harvey. Moody Analytics predicts an increase in employment and gross regional product by first quarter of 2018, surpassing pre-Harvey levels, per City Journal.

The media devoted much attention to Houston’s flooded streets but rarely noted that the city designed those streets as last-resort water-detention ponds. Though 30 percent of Harris County was underwater at some point during Harvey, less than 7 percent of homes were damaged.

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