Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. Experts from around the nation joined us in Houston, October 21st to discuss the advantages and pitfalls of "Smart Growth" approaches to urban development. Of national significance is the role these market distorting policies have had on the housing collapse and, by comparison, alternative growth strategies used by some cities that have avoided such pitfalls. Below is video and presentation from each speaker. Ron Utt, The Heritage Foundation Price Inflation Through Public Policy "Housing Bubbles" evidence from UK study indicating price inflation as a direct result of the Town and Country Planning Act. Video Sam Staley, The Reason Foundation How Houston's free market land use system is superior, the advantages of it, and how it compares to the traditional planning process. Video | Presentation Special Guest: Texas Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples, PAC! Off: It's My Land Presentation of a new pro-Proposition 11 coalition comprised of associations and state leaders concerned about abusive takings of private property by government eminent domain. Video Wendell Cox, Demographia How Texas' regulatory environment helped us resist the economic downturn. Video | Presentation Luis Vera, LULAC "Protecting land owner/ home owner rights" in courts - will examine what smart growth policies do to affordability and the damaging effects that they have had on the middle and lower class. Video Mike Inselmann, Metro Studies Case study of national housing prices and trends - Which areas were most affected during recent housing bubble crisis and what types of regulations caused the problem? Video | Presentation Randal O'Toole, The Cato Institute Present an alternative vision that achieves same goals. What are mild incentives to encourage market driven growth? The fiscal impacts on local governments. Video | Presentation HRG is a non-profit organization with a 501(c)(4) tax classification. Contributions are not tax-deductible, funds will be used to affect public policy and to promote transparency and accountability in government. © Copyright 2009 | Houstonians for Responsible Growth | All rights reserved.