The Houston City Council is a city council for the city of Houston in the U.S. state of Texas.
The Council has sixteen members: eleven from council districts and five elected at-large. The members of the Council are elected every four years, with the most recent election being held in 2023 and the next being held in 2027. All positions are up for re-election at the same time. Council Members are limited to two terms of four years. Under the current city charter, if the population in the city limits went past 2.1 million residents, the previous nine-member city council districts would be expanded with the addition of two city council districts. Since the threshold was passed, the city created two new districts.Foster, Robin. "Candidates' forum offers reminder about new districts election: Fourm provides feedback Candidates' forum offers reminder about new districts." Houston Chronicle. Tuesday September 20, 2011. Retrieved on November 5, 2011.
The Council works with the mayor in a strong mayor-council model. The City Council monitors the performance of city agencies, confirm the mayor's appointments, and makes land use decisions as well as legislating on a variety of other issues.
The Mayor chairs meetings of City Council and has a vote in the proceedings in all cases. In the event of the Mayor's absence, the Mayor Pro-Tem, a member of the Council chosen for the position by the mayor, presides over Council meetings. Should both the Mayor and Mayor Pro-Tem be unavailable, the Vice Mayor Pro-Tem, chosen for the position by fellow Council Members, will preside.
City Council and the Administrative Office of City Council (AOCC), a division of the Finance Department which serves administrative duties for the council, are housed in the City Hall Annex in Downtown Houston."Administrative Office of City Council." City of Houston. Retrieved on January 8, 2011. "Administrative Office of City Council City Hall Annex 900 Bagby, 1st Floor Houston, TX 77002"
History
Between the Reconstruction and the enacting of court-ordered city council redistricting in the 1970s, none of the city council members were black.Davis, Rod. "Houston's really good idea Bus tour celebrates communities that forged a city." San Antonio Express-News. Sunday August 3, 2003. Travel 1M. Retrieved on February 11, 2012. Until 1972 all of the members of the city council were white.Gaventa, John, Barbara E. Smith, and Alex W. Willingham. Communities in Economic Crisis: Appalachia and the South. Temple University Press, 1990. 196. Retrieved from Google Books on October 6, 2011. , .
Members
Position Name First elected Party (officially nonpartisan) District A Amy Peck 2019 Republican District BTarsha Jackson2020Democratic District C Joseph Panzarella 2026 Democratic District D Carolyn Evans-Shabazz 2019 Democratic District E Fred Flickinger 2023 Republican District F Tiffany Thomas 2019 Democratic District G Mary Nan Huffman 2022 Republican District H Mario Castillo 2023 Democratic District I Joaquin Martinez 2023 Democratic District J Edward Pollard 2019 Democratic District K Martha Castex-Tatum 2018 Democratic At-Large Position 1 Julian Ramirez 2023 Republican At-Large Position 2 Willie Davis 2023 Republican At-Large Position 3 Twila Carter 2023 Republican At-Large Position 4 Alejandra Salinas 2025 Democratic At-Large Position 5 Sallie Alcorn 2019 Democratic
Districts As of 2011 the City of Houston has eleven city council districts, A through K."Revised Redistricting Staff Plan of May 9, 2011 ." City of Houston. Retrieved on November 5, 2011.
The current City Council Districts were announced in 2011. District J and K were newly added. As of 2011, the populations of four districts (in terms of overall population and voting age population) are majority Hispanic, the populations of three districts are majority White, two districts have a majority African-American population, and one is close to being majority African American. Of the districts, one has a significant Asian American population."New Houston city council districts announced." KTRK-TV. Tuesday May 10, 2011. Retrieved on November 5, 2011. Both new districts are in Southwest Houston.
District A District A serves areas in northwestern Houston.Moran, Chris. "Only 2 city incumbents lack opponents." Houston Chronicle. Thursday September 8, 2011. Retrieved on November 5, 2011. District A includes communities north of Interstate 10 (Katy Freeway),Graham, Rusty. "." The Memorial Examiner. Wednesday October 26, 2011. Retrieved on November 5, 2011. including Spring Branch."District A incumbent Stardig faces two challengers." KTRK-TV. Tuesday November 1, 2011. Retrieved on November 5, 2011. As of 2012 thousands of South Korean people live within District A.McCoy, Terrence. "Helena Brown's Asian Adventures: DMZ, Fighter Jets – But What About The Airlines? " Houston Press. Monday July 9, 2012. Retrieved on July 25, 2012.
As of 2012, according to Rice University political scientist Bob Stein, voters in District A tend to be older people, conservative, and White American, and many follow the Tea Party movement. The voting base is such despite the presence of large Hispanic neighborhoods within District A. In the 2011 election, voters favored Tea Party candidate Helena Brown over the incumbent, Brenda Stardig, because Stardig supported a "rain tax," passed in 2010, that taxed churches.McCoy, Terrence. "Who's Behind Helena Brown?" Houston Press. Wednesday July 4, 2012. 2. Retrieved on July 25, 2012.
District B District B serves areas in northern Houston and northeast Houston."Editorial: Kathy Ballard-Blueford Daniels for City Council." Houston Chronicle. Wednesday October 5, 2011. Retrieved on November 5, 2011. Chris Moran of the Houston Chronicle said that the district "is considered an African-American stronghold." Most residents belong to racial and ethnic minorities.
Areas within the district boundaries include Acres Homes, the Fifth Ward,"Revised Council District B ." City of Houston. Retrieved on November 5, 2011.Mack, Kristen. "Small differences separate runoff candidates." Houston Chronicle. Friday December 9, 2005. 2. Retrieved on November 5, 2011. and George Bush Intercontinental Airport.
The Houston Chronicle said that District B's constituency "has been shortchanged historically on municipal services and economic development." A lot of illegal dumping occurs within the district. The newspaper added that the district has "a resilient community spirit." Kristen Mack of the Houston Chronicle said in 2005 that the district, prior to the 2011 redistricting, "is plagued by unkempt lots, clogged ditches and substandard streets."
In 1987 District B included Clinton Park, the Fifth Ward, Fontane Place, Kashmere Gardens, Scenic Woods, Settegast, Songwood, and Trinity Gardens. It also included the Lake Houston and the Bush Airport areas. In 1987 the district was 69% African American.Rodriguez, Lori. "District B contest/Architect Reynaldo Pradia seeks to unseat Ernest McGowen." Houston Chronicle. Monday October 12, 1987. Section 1, Page 9. Retrieved on November 5, 2011.
the runoff for District B had not yet taken place even though the first round of the election occurred in 2019.
After a year-long delay the runoff election for District B took place Dec. 12, 2020, between Tarsha Jackson, an advocate for criminal justice reform, and Cynthia Bailey, head of a non-profit focused on helping local kids. Jackson defeated Bailey with 68.5% of the vote.
District C District C extends from an area north of the 610 Loop, through the Houston Heights area, down to the Braeswood area.Moran, Chris. "City Council District C candidates target high-rises." Houston Chronicle. Monday October 10, 2011. Retrieved on November 5, 2011. The current District C includes most of the Houston Heights,City of Houston, Council District Maps, District C ." City of Houston. Retrieved on November 5, 2011."Map ." Houston Heights. Retrieved on November 5, 2011. Montrose, the Houston Museum District,Connelly, Richard. "The Heights-Montrose-Museum District Council Seat: A Checklist for Potential Candidates ." Houston Press. Wednesday May 11, 2011. Retrieved on November 5, 2011. and some communities around Rice University. District C also includes the Braeswood area, Meyerland, Southampton,"Editorial: Ellen Cohen for City Council District C." Houston Chronicle. Thursday October 6, 2011. Retrieved on November 5, 2011. almost all of Oak Forest."Oak Forest Section Map ." Oak Forest Homeowner's Association. Retrieved on June 16, 2009.
Because of the inclusion of the Montrose, Heights, and Rice University areas, it has the nickname "Hipstrict" for what Chris Moran of the Houston Chronicle refers to as its "progressive, urban ethic." The Houston Chronicle editorial base described District C as a district that should be "politically dynamic.""Political challenge: Revised council redistricting plan offers Hispanics a third majority district." (editorial) Houston Chronicle. Wednesday May 18, 2011. Retrieved on November 5, 2011.
Historically District C has covered areas within the "Inner Loop" (areas inside the 610 Loop) and western Houston.Fountain, Ken. "Candidates square off for redrawn ‘hipstrict’ District C Houston council seat ." The Bellaire Examiner. Tuesday November 1, 2011. Retrieved on November 5, 2011. 20 years before 2011, Montrose was moved from District C to district D to avoid putting too many minorities in a single city council district."Jigsaw puzzle: Creating two new Houston City Council seats poses demographic challenges." (editorial) Houston Chronicle. Wednesday January 26, 2011. Retrieved on November 5, 2011. Kristen Mack of the Houston Chronicle said that District C, which "covers a diverse swath of southwest Houston", was "One of Houston's most economically diverse districts, it ranges from leafy Southampton near Rice University through more modest subdivisions and vast apartment warrens in the city's far southwest."Mack, Kristen. "Council District C hopefuls push advocacy Diverse area has 7 candidates to pick from Nov. 8." Houston Chronicle. Friday October 21, 2005. Retrieved on November 4, 2011. Jerry Wood, a former city planner and neighborhood expert, said that all of the regions of District C were active in terms of politics.
In the 1990s District C had a wedge shape. It extended from the Museum District to the Beltway 8 south side. It included Fondren Southwest, Meyerland, and Southampton.Mason, Julie. "Chimney Rock issue may decide outcome of District C." Houston Chronicle. Sunday September 19, 1999. A35 MetFront. Retrieved on October 17, 2012.
As 2011 city council redistricting approached, some members of Houston's gay community and some Houston area bloggers proposed returning Montrose to District C. Around 2011 an earlier plan would have combined the Heights and Montrose under a district called District J.Connelly, Richard. "City Council Redistricting Map: Montrose and the Heights, (Somewhat) Together ." Houston Press. April 6, 2011. Retrieved on November 5, 2011.
District D District D extends from the northernmost area within Midtown southward to Beltway 8. District D includes Sunnyside,"Revised Council District D ." City of Houston. Retrieved on November 5, 2011.Wallstin, Brian. "Situational Ethics." Houston Press. Thursday March 26, 1997. 1. Retrieved on November 5, 2011. and it also includes the Third Ward.Mack, Kristen. "City Council hopefuls starting to make plans." Houston Chronicle. Friday January 5, 2007. Retrieved on November 5, 2011. District D is home to Texas Southern University and the University of Houston.