The following are clips of Joshua Sanders sharing the perspective of Houstonians for Responsible Growth on the Houston PBS telecast of Houston Have Your Say on Regional Growth and Transportation. The Center for Houston's Future has teamed up with Houston PBS, Houston Community Newspapers, and Houston Public Radio to get the community talking about solutions for big issues facing the region. Throughout the discussion, HRG highlighted the benefits our local system of land use has afforded us even in a troubled national economy. While other major cities face a growing number of issues, Houston is able to discuss the future with great optimism and promise of our continued growth and success.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

I found this comment on a local Houston Blog from David Crossley (Houston Tomorrow) about HRG and his misrepresentation of our position on a variety of issues. This is a prime example of what types of tactics are being used by our opponents in this fight.

Link to Blog: http://neohouston.wordpress.com/2008/11/10/land-use-morals/#comment-109
“The Urban Corridors recommendation that the Houstonians for Responsible Growth (HRG) cabal is fighting is simply intended to legalize and promote urbanity around the existing and future rail stations.
So all we’re trying to do is rework our form-based code for that purpose. Since the cabal is largely supportive of the sprawl policies of the past, the last thing they want to see is urban choices for Houstonians who want to live in urban circumstances, because each person who does that isn’t forced to go buy a house out on the prairie somewhere. It’s stupefying, though, to see that they’ve raised it to a religious cause and that they’re saying people who support fairness and kindness to neighbors are immoral. But that’s what happens when you believe there is an invisible hand guiding developers that doesn’t also guide other citizens.”

When people’s only tactic left is to lie and misrepresent one’s point of view, that’s when you know your argument holds a great deal of merit and the truth.

HRG’s Response:

David,

Blogs are fine for sharing opinions, but no one should be allowed to misrepresent the positions of others. For example, you state that we are “fighting urban corridors.” In fact this is totally false. We are working positively to help formulate a solution that encourages development within the corridor. In fact, HRG favors removing all barriers to development within the corridors so that all types can be tested by the market. If what you say is correct and people want to live in a dense urban environment along the transit corridors, then they should be allowed to do so freely. If there is a market demand for TOD, then past history of Houston and our market shows that is will succeed on its own merits and shouldn't have to be mandated. We want people to have more options so that they can CHOOSE which lifestyle is appropriate for them to adopt. That’s the key, free choice.

In the future, if you are confused or unsure as to what HRG's stances on policy are, why don't you do the research first or simply ask us. Better yet, perhaps stick to representing your own positions and let others speak for themselves.

In mischaracterizing our "religious” fight to promote sprawl policies, once again you have totally misrepresented HRG. We are not for promoting one type of policy over another (sprawl or urban density) but for consumer choice through the market place. The reason sprawl even exists is because some people actually choose to live in affordable single family suburban homes instead of dense urban structures. It is not because that option has been forced on them by the development community.

Let me also add that HRG is for planning. There is a major distinction between prudent planning for public infrastructure and transportation improvements (HRG) and public planning to restrict a private property owner’s use of his own land (Houston Tomorrow). Public Policy decisions have fiscal impacts and consequences that need to be carefully examined before being rushed into practice. HRG brings that reality and facts to the table to try and find solutions that benefit all Houstonians, not just an elite class.

Finally, using terms like "cabal" for groups that do not agree with all your positions is the equivalent of grade school playground name calling. It is a tactic not worthy of serious policy discussion or of serious people. It demeans the name-caller, not the target. For the record, Houstonians for Responsible Growth represents a broad spectrum of the development community, neighborhood groups, and civic and business leaders from Houston. We are a 501c4 research institute that acts a public policy advocate for Houston’s proven model of regulating development through market forces and consumer choice.

HRG is happy to engage in serious policy discussion at any time. Next time though, please extend the courtesy to ask us to participate instead of misrepresenting our views and try and refrain from sophomoric histrionics. Thank you

From the Houston Business Journal. Written by Tricia Lynn Silva reporter with the San Antonio Business Journal, an affiliated publication.

Real estate councils from across the state’s major markets have formed a coalition to monitor and advocate for legislative issues that impact their industry.

Christened the Real Estate Councils of Texas, the founding members of the coalition are:

• The Houston Real Estate Council;

• Houstonians for Responsible Growth;

• The Real Estate Council of San Antonio;

• The Real Estate Council of Austin;

• The Real Estate Council of Dallas;

• Greater Fort Worth Real Estate Council.

The Real Estate Councils of Texas will serve as an industry resource — providing educational materials to the public and the Texas Legislature.

The organization marks the first Texas-wide effort to represent the commercial real estate development industry in the Lone Star State, according to Macey Davis, chair of the Real Estate Councils of Texas.

The commercial real estate industry annually generates more than $270.6 billion in total economic activity and $3.8 billion in state tax revenue, according to a recent analysis by Austin-based consulting firm TXP Inc.

“The numbers tell the story,” says TXP President John Hockenyos. “Companies in the development sectors have collectively added tens of thousands of positions since early 2000 — paying millions of dollars in wages in the process.”

The organization’s primary objective will be to advocate on behalf of the real estate industry and to educate policymakers about the impact of legislative and regulatory issues on the industry in Texas.

“While we don’t know the full impact of the national economic downturn on the Texas economy, we are beginning to see the negative effects in our communities,” Davis adds. “We look forward to working together with lawmakers in the 81st legislative session to keep Texas moving forward.”

http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/2008/11/24/focus5.html?b=1227...

For online access we have put together a compilation of news reports and research that reflects the work of HRG. Scholars and journalist the world over have declared Houston as the city that has "got it right."

These articles, reports and studies reflect the success and accolades of Houston's free market land use. While other cities are still struggling to undo the damages that zoning, "smart growth", and other "new urbanist" policies have created, our city's rejection of such centralized land use is by in large the key to our unrivaled success.

We are grateful for your time reviewing this online material.

Cheers Houston!

Al Arreola
Program Director

The American Dream Coalition held the "Preserving the American Dream Conference" May 16-18 at the Omni Houston Hotel. HRG President Kendall Miller and City Councilman Peter Brown participated in a forum where each presented different views on Houston’s land use policies and methods for growth.

HRG President Kendall Miller made it clear that Houston is not making the same mistakes that come with zoning. Government planning does not bring the prescriptive solutions that a free-market does. Houston is the global model for community development projects that “smart growth” does not make possible. People from cities all over the world were in attendance and their comparative thought is that Kendall Miller, HRG, and Houston have “got it right!”

Intro by Wendell Cox and Tory Gattis

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yqepijZn9w

Kendall Miller

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ee0anNmSMRA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNLyDGLQE8U

Peter Brown

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrWnDqhWIcI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyYa8eXU9pA

Q&A

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hS6RnD-Vka4

HRG,

Below is a link to a great article that was published in the recent Great Houston Partnership newsletter, highlighting HRG's recently held Public Land Use Forum. Please share this with those who were not able to attend. Let's keep educating Houston on the advantages of our market driven system of planning!

http://www.houston.org/atwork/200804/ashoustongrows.asp

Joshua Sanders
Executive Director, Houstonians for Responsible Growth

We want to invite you to a very exciting conference being held here in Houston, May 16-18 at the Omni Hotel on Woodway Drive.

Would you be surprised to hear that experts from across the nation—and around the globe—believe that Houston has a lot to teach the nation and the world?

That’s right. Our Houston is a model for the world.

In fact, a lot of the thinking about urban growth and prosperity is coming around to the idea that the kind of market-driven growth we practice is the key to a better future—and offers protection against the kind of urban decay and economic downturns that have hurt so many other major cities.

Many of these experts are coming to Houston May 16th for a three day conference called, “Preserving the American Dream.” Hosted by the American Dream Coalition, this annual conference has been held in major cities throughout the United States and has attracted a loyal following.

This year, for the first time, Houston has been chosen.

Former Mayor Bob Lanier will be the opening speaker on Friday evening and Congressman John Culberson will speak at the Saturday night dinner. National and international experts will be on hand for interesting and provocative discussions.

We have arranged for you to attend on a day-by-day basis or----you can register for the entire conference. We would hope that you could, at the very least, attend the conference on Saturday.

This conference is not to be missed. We hope that you will come and tell your friends and colleagues about it. Here is the chance to debate and discuss the real record of progress in Houston compared to other major cities around the globe.

And, our participation helps send the message to those right here in our hometown that we have a unique system of responsive planning that should not be changed without a full understanding of the consequences on our economic growth and our housing affordability. We have developments here in Houston that many other cities can only dream about.

Hope to see you. You’ll find everything you need to attend in the information below.

Mayor Bob Lanier
Leo Linbeck Jr.
Kendall Miller
Dick Weekley

http://americandreamcoalition.org/Agenda08.doc is the complete agenda

http://americandreamcoalition.org/register08.html register for all or part of the event by check

http://americandreamcoalition.org/registerpaypal08.html register for all or part of the event by credit card or PayPal

Parking is free at the Omni ONLY in the Riverway Three Garage, behind the hotel, have parking tickets stamped at the concierge desk.

Houstonians for Responsible Growth,

First and foremost, I want to express my gratitude to everyone who helped make our Land Use Public Forum held on February 26th a complete success! You, the members of HRG, were responsible for the attendance of over 500 of your colleagues and friends. A broad base of support behind our city’s continued affordability and economic success was represented including builders, developers, architects, bankers, community leaders, rental property professionals, construction excutives and many more. Special thanks to our speakers: Tory Gattis, Bob Eury, Arthur C. Nelson, Wendell Cox, David Crossley, and the Honorable Bob Lanier. Video presentations and slides from the forum are available online at:
www.houstongrowth.org/forum-videos

HRG and other organizations in Houston have managed to take the discussion of dealing with Houston’s continued growth and density into the public square. Recently, HRG has begun the formation of a Policy Committee to examine Houston’s current model of planning that has brought us such success and prosperity. The HRG Policy Committee will devote itself to finding free-market solutions to the problems that Houston will face in the future with increased density.

We at HRG believe that Houston is a model for success compared to other U.S. cities when it comes to letting the market function properly in response to demand. We hope to have your continued presence and support because without it the law of unintended consequences will take hold to the detriment of all in Houston.

Check out our website for continued updates on happenings within HRG.
www.houstongrowth.org

Joshua Sanders
Executive Director, Houstonians for Responsible Growth