Last week I had the incredible honor of being named the 2022 Distinguished Alumni for the University of Houston College of Architecture and Design. This is an honor I will cherish for the rest of my years.

I remember being a student and all those late-night work sessions when my friends and I would have long, passionate conversations about the importance of architecture – how good design can change lives. Now, nearly four decades later, I am more certain than ever that we were right. From my perspective, I see it every day. Good civic design makes cities more interesting and safer. It connects neighbors instead of dividing them. And good design can make us proud and humble, at the same time.

The lessons I learned there taught me to think broadly to seek solutions that transform, that make the sum greater than the parts.

This opportunity directly supports Houston's Vision Zero efforts and USDOT Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg’s National Roadway Safety Strategy and the Department’s goal of zero deaths and serious injuries on our nation’s roadways.

The City of Houston's grant application proposed to provide resources to improve safety for one of the most dangerous corridors across the city: Bissonnet Street. This corridor is not only on the High Injury Network: Bissonnet Street accounts for the highest number of fatal crashes and the second highest number of serious injury crashes across all City-owned streets.

The Livable Places Action Committee September virtual meeting discussed reduced building lines for shared driveways and how to define front doors. We also discussed the requirements about roadway widening as development happens.

After extensive discussions and community feedback, Livable Places is proposing changes to the City's Code of Ordinances to address the effects of abutting high-density developments on existing single family residential homes. Review the Draft Ordinance Amendments and complete the Survey by Oct. 30.

Every year, the Planning & Development Department participates in the citywide employee giving campaign known as the Combined Municipal Campaign (CMC). This year, the Department has selected Interfaith Ministries Refugee Services as a recipient of our collective departmental fundraisers, which include activities such as a staff recipe book, t-shirt sales, tamale sales, a fitness challenge and our annual Halloween costume and trivia contest. In the coming months, you will see more staff photos from these activities in this newsletter and on our social media platforms.

Interfaith Ministries refugee services program, in conjunction with the U.S. State Department and Episcopal Migration Ministries, resettles refugees fleeing their homeland in fear of political, social or religious persecution. Refugee Services works to ensure that every client feels welcomed upon arrival, becomes self-sufficient within six months.