EDITORIAL: The Inner City's Incredible Shrinking Neighborhoods

You see them all over Houston now: signs with the urgent plea to "save our neighborhood." They have become a symbol of various neighborhood causes that range from traffic intrusions to lot sizes, to floodway issues, etc. Explosive development is changing Houston's inner loop neighborhoods, as well as those in close proximity to downtown. This change is not always welcomed by residents of older, more established neighborhoods. Homes in these neighborhoods usually have tree lined streets, spacious yards, and long driveways. They were built in the '50s and '60s when developers were anxious to cater to the needs of growing families from the baby boomer years. Many of the homes are one story brick with three bedrooms and two car garages. Other established neighborhoods are historic, with bungalow or Victorian style homes built in the early part of the 20th century. Some have majestic oak trees with narrow streets, and are typically a harmonious mixture of residential and commercial structures that have coexisted for decades.

So why are residents in older neighborhoods having to fight to "save" their neighborhoods? One reason is pure economics. Land in close proximity to the downtown area is very valuable. Too valuable and too costly, in fact, to have very much of it. Thus those who live in older neighborhoods will have to pay for the privilege of having spacious yards and tree lined streets. The price will be higher property taxes and high density development encroaching the neighborhood. Some older neighborhoods with deed restrictions are becoming islands in a sea of new high density development. The non-deed restricted bungalow neighborhoods see lot sizes reduced as new structures replace tear downs.

New development is enticing to city governments. It offers the city an increased tax base and spurs economic growth, often in areas of urban decay. Town homes and condos provide a lifestyle of choice for a younger and diverse population who prefer the amenities of a close in location without the burden of lawn care and extensive home upkeep. But poorly planned high density development puts undue stress on existing infrastructure. What results is increased traffic in the older neighborhoods as the city is forced to open and widen roads to accommodate the denser population. There also tends to be a loss of green space as wooded and vacant land is gobbled up for structures.

Some feel that Houston's neighborhoods are in this predicament because of the lack of zoning. But in other cities zoning has proven to be an over regulated system that is cumbersome and subject to political favoritism. Reasonable land use management, traffic analysis, and protection of older neighborhoods would seem to be a common sense approach to solving the negative impacts of development. The city often allows an overload of development in neighborhoods with narrow streets and no sidewalks. The result is dog walkers, joggers, bicyclist, and vehicles competing for street space. Lack of adequate green space means there is no recreational outlet for such areas with dense population.

The Mayor and City Council blame Planning Department regulations for their inability to control development. They indicate they are mere observers as the plats line up for approval on the Planning Commission conveyor belt. In fact it is the City Council who makes the rules for the planning process. It is the Mayor and City Council who pass ordinances. The failure to complete the high density ordinance is indicative of the conflict city politicians have when it comes to protecting neighborhoods, versus the lure of developers bucks. It should be a no-brainer because unless they are protected, these neighborhoods will become extinct and the quality of life in Houston will be dealt a huge blow.

Frances Allday