The state of the city 2007

Today at the Greater Houston Partnership lunch, Mayor White will outline his agenda for 2007. Should be happening right about now, in fact.

White will use the speech to call for the region to reduce energy consumption. He plans to urge business leaders to improve their energy efficiency, and to push state leaders to adopt stricter vehicle emission standards. He also plans new incentives for green construction regulations, and to discuss an expansion of a program to "weatherize" more homes in older Houston neighborhoods.

[...]

He has staked out a bold plan for the development of affordable housing in some of Houston's neglected neighborhoods. This year will be a crucial year for that signature initiative, Project Houston Hope. The city intends to select contractors soon to start construction on about 160 new houses on tax-delinquent land the city acquired in six poor neighborhoods just outside Loop 610.

The homes will sell for about $100,000 each, and the city is offering subsidies of up to $40,000 per house to entice police officers, firefighters, emergency medical workers and teachers to invest in these neighborhoods.

"Houston Hope is probably the most difficult, but will have the most long-term impact on our city," White said of his agenda.

Also on tap for 2007, the mayor said, will be continued focus on stabilizing violent crime rates citywide. After initial spikes in late 2005 and early 2006, rates have begun to decline, though the number of murders last year was the highest in a decade.

White has other ideas for 2007, including new incentives for historical preservation, the early stages of construction on a citywide wireless Internet initiative and deploying a new mobile response team to address traffic hotspots.

"There are major permanent changes that will occur in the direction of the city."

Hopefully, the whole speech will be available online soon - I'll be checking here, where his previous State of the City addresses live, to see when it's up. Here's some bloggage about his 2005 address. Stay tuned for more.

Posted by Charles Kuffner on January 22, 2007 to Local politics