Humble City Council members approved a tax rate for fiscal year 2026-27 that’s a roughly 5% decrease from the city’s FY 2025-26 tax rate during the council’s Sept. 24 meeting.

The details: Council members approved a tax rate of $0.245682 per $100 valuation for FY 2026-27, down roughly 4.8% from last year’s rate of $0.258171 per $100 valuation.

Budget documents show the average taxable value of homes within the city rose from $127,084 in FY 2025-26 to $129,620 in FY 2026-27.

According to budget documents, average tax bills for individuals living within the city’s boundaries are estimated to decrease by roughly 3%, dropping from $328.09 to $318.45. However, individual tax bills may vary depending on home values.

Some context : The new tax rate is coming about two weeks after Humble city officials approved a budget for FY 2026-27 that included 4.5%-6% raises for most employees, with some employees receiving raises as high as 11%.

Across the six ZIP codes that make up Community Impact's Lake Houston-Humble-Kingwood coverage area, data for August 2026 compared with data for August 2025 shows: 

• Approximately 35 fewer homes sold.
• The median price of homes sold increased in all but one ZIP code: 77338. 
• On average, homes sold faster in three ZIP codes, but stayed on the market longer in 77044, 77339 and 77345. 
• Nearly 71% of homes sold in August were in the $200,000-$399,999 price range. 

The Texas Department of Transportation is proposing a $209 million Grand Parkway widening project through the Spring area in Harris and Montgomery counties. Funded by toll revenue, the project would widen a 6.73-mile section of the roadway to maintain stable traffic flow and vehicle speed. Public feedback on the proposal is being collected through Oct. 9.

The plan: The project is needed because State Highway 99 is unable to maintain a minimum traffic flow level of C. No additional right-of-way is needed for the project, which proposes:

• Three 12-foot-wide main lanes in each direction

• 10-foot-wide paved shoulders replacing the grassy median

• Concrete traffic barriers

• Direct connectors between I-45 and the Grand Parkway

What to expect: The project timeline includes:

• 2025: Data collected and needs evaluated

• 2026: Environmental studies begin

• mid-2026: Public meetings held

• Early 2027: Environmental decisions and detailed design

• Late 2027: Construction to begin

The project will take five years to complete.

Several key developments occurred across the northern portion of the Greater Houston area from Sept. 18-24:

• Greenspoint Mall site to redevelop to $150M CityNorth Industrial Park

• The Woodlands Township moves forward on new cell tower plans

• From Michael Kors Mens to Clarins: See Houston Premium Outlets updates

• Q&A: Meet the candidates for Harris County ESD 9

• Flour House Bakers now open in Tomball

• Encompass Health Inpatient Rehabilitation Hospital of Conroe opening soon

• Kingwood officials provide updates on Lake Houston Dam, Northpark Drive at District E town hall

• New Caney ISD leaders eye 50-acre property for potential school site

Last fall, Gov. Greg Abbott deemed Texas "the epicenter of AI development" during an event about Google's data center investments in the state.

Since making that remark, the Republican governor has issued several directives aimed at regulating AI-powered data centers. Meanwhile, state agencies are expanding their use of artificial intelligence in government services.

The overview: At the state level, one of the primary uses of artificial intelligence is to improve government efficiency, said Tony Sauerhoff, who leads the Texas Department of Information Resources.

Down the road, that will likely mean reducing the number of staff members at state agencies, Sauerhoff said, noting that agency leaders are being "intentional" about those changes.

Zooming in: When asked which state agencies will be most impacted by AI in the coming years, Sauerhoff pointed to the Texas Department of Transportation.

TxDOT uses artificial intelligence in a variety of forms, including to analyze transportation infrastructure, determine which construction projects should be prioritized, optimize road safety plans and manage the flow of traffic, according to its AI strategic plan.