HTX-BMW: Impact 11/11/2025

Rice University is expanding its presence in Houston as officials with the private research institution continue to invest in technology, innovation and student growth.

The university’s expansion includes new academic buildings, residential facilities and research spaces both on and off campus that are designed to accommodate a steadily growing student population and workforce.

The big picture: Rice University has experienced significant enrollment growth in the last few years, increasing its average undergraduate student body population by 14.7% since the 2019-20 school year and its graduate program by 20.9%.

According to a report by Rice University in early 2025, five years ago, the campus’s undergraduate population was around 4,000.

Zooming in: To support the university’s growing student population, Rice has also expanded multiple on-campus facilities, including the Cannady Hall for Architecture,t he Ralph S. O’Connor Building for Engineering and Science and the Susan and Fayez Sarofim Hall. The university also broke ground this year on a new student center complex.

A new optometrist clinic is now open at the Upper Kirby retail center.

A closer look: Eye Atelier is located next to Swish Dental and Luxe Yoga near the Rice Village area, with licensed optometrist and business owner Janne Chuang now seeing patients. Clients can choose from collections of handcrafted eyewear to individualized medical treatments.

What they offer: According to the store’s website, services at Eye Atelier include comprehensive eye exams, contact lens exams, medical eye exams, dry eye evaluations, diabetic eye exams and various non-invasive eye therapy treatments. 

The event: While business officials have opened the store's doors, a formal grand opening is slated for Nov. 22, Community Impact confirmed.

• 5333 Kirby Drive, Ste. 150, Houston

More households in the Greater Houston area could afford to buy a home in the third quarter of 2025 compared to the same time last year as home prices dipped and mortgage rates held steady, according to a Nov. 6 affordability report from the Houston Association of Realtors.

By the numbers: According to HAR’s housing affordability index, 39% of households in the Greater Houston area could afford to buy a median-priced home in the third quarter compared to 37% at the same time last year. Households needed a minimum annual income of $100,400 to purchase a median-priced home in Greater Houston, according to the report. The median home price in the area declined 1.9% to $341,600 compared to this time last year. Mortgage rates held steady at approximately 6.5%, the report found.

What else? As for renters in the Greater Houston area, 45% could afford to lease a single-family rental home in the third quarter compared to 43% last year, according to the affordability index.

The filing period to run in the 2026 primary elections is now open, according to Harris County officials. Here are the positions that will be on the March 2026 ballot.

What we know: According to the Texas Secretary of State, the filing period for individuals seeking to run for public office in the March 2026 primary elections openedon Nov. 8. In Harris County, several local races will be on the ballot on top of races for state representative and state senator, including:

• District Clerk
• County Clerk
• County Treasurer
• County Commissioner, Precinct 2
• County Commissioner, Precinct 4

• Age
• Citizenship status
• Voter registration status

Gov. Greg Abbott announced his bid for a fourth gubernatorial term Nov. 9, laying out an ambitious six-pronged plan to make “out-of-control property taxes finished in Texas.”

The details: Abbott's goals include eliminating property taxes charged by public school districts, which make up the majority of an average homeowner’s property tax bill. Some conservative groups and lawmakers pushed for an end to school property taxes during recent state legislative sessions.

The governor’s plan to limit local tax increases includes:

• Limiting annual local government spending
• Requiring approval from two-thirds of local voters for all tax hikes
• Allowing local residents to petition for an election to roll back tax rates
• Requiring property appraisals to occur once every five years
• Capping appraisal increases at 3% per year, down from 10% today
• Asking voters to eliminate school property taxes