Houston passed the Fourth Ward Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone’s budget after amending it to require coordination with the city’s housing department on its affordable housing plans.

The gist: The Fourth Ward TIRZ, which represents the area west of Downtown and includes Freedmen’s Town, received approval for its $15.2 million budget on Aug. 28.

Previously council member Julian Ramirez delayed the vote on it because he had questions about how the TIRZ would spend $8.3 million on affordable housing in the next five years.

“It didn’t seem to me like they had a real coherent, detailed plan on how to go about that,” he said.

The concerns: Ramirez said when TIRZs have infrastructure projects, such as road reconstruction or drainage, they work with the city’s public works department.

“But when TIRZs do affordable housing, that same requirement is not present,” he said.

The takeaway: Council ultimately agreed to amend the ordinance—not the actual budget—to require that if the TIRZ acquires or develops property for affordable housing, it would have to work with the city's housing department.

PrimeWay Federal Credit Union relocated from its former space at 4720 Washington Ave., Ste. C, Houston, to a brand new retail center at 3034 Washington Ave., Houston, officials confirmed. The institution celebrated its grand opening event on June 20th.

The features: For both members and newcomers, the bank offers accessible online and mobile banking services, as well as in-person assistance at its physical retail locations, according to its website.

PrimeWay additionally operates from various ATMs placed throughout Houston.

• 3034 Washington Ave., Houston

The University of Houston has cut 133 classes from its list of core curriculum after conducting a review mandated by Senate Bill 37, which Texas lawmakers passed in June 2025 and went into effect in September 2025.

Many of the removed courses will still be offered for students, university leaders said Aug. 20. However, some professors and students expressed concern about the future of courses cut from the core list.

How we got here: On Aug. 20, UH’s board of regents unanimously approved a list of 147 courses for the university’s core curriculum for the 2026-27 school year. In the 2025-26 school year, UH offered 280 courses under its core curriculum.

The context: Under SB 37, governing boards of higher education institutions must review their core curriculum lists every five years, with the first review due by Jan. 1, 2027, according to the bill posted on the Texas Legislature’s website.

Three candidates will face off during the Nov. 3 election to see who claims the spot to represent US House District 7 for the next two years.

House District 7 covers portions of Houston's inner loop, including West University Place, Bellaire, Midtown and a section of the Heights before branching out toward Fort Bend County and covering cities such as Sugar Land and Mission Bend.

Preparing for the polls: In Harris County, early voting will kick off Oct. 19 at 7 a.m., with polls remaining open through Oct. 30. The deadline to apply for a mail-in ballot is Oct. 23.
On Election Day, vote centers across the county will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Residents can view more voting center information on the Harris County Clerk's Office.

Something to note: Candidates were asked to limit their responses to 50 words, answer the questions provided and avoid criticizing their opponent. Responses may have been edited for length, to adhere to those guidelines, or for style and clarity.

Democrat Gina Hinojosa, an Austin state representative, and Libertarian Pat Dixon, a professional engineer, are challenging Republican incumbent Greg Abbott in the Nov. 3 election. Abbott is seeking a fourth term in the governor's mansion.

The big picture: As Texas’ top elected official, the governor signs and vetoes legislation, serves as commander-in-chief of the state military and appoints members of state agencies or advisory boards. Community Impact asked the three gubernatorial candidates for their perspectives on data centers, education, the cost of living and other topics.

The background: Abbott beat 10 Republican challengers in the March primary election, while Hinojosa beat eight other Democratic candidates to advance to the November election. Dixon was selected as the Texas Libertarian Party's candidate during an April nominating convention.

Looking ahead: Early voting runs from Oct. 19-30, and Election Day is Nov. 3.