HTX-KTY: Impact 10/22/2025

Katy is bringing more parking near downtown with two newly approved projects.

What residents need to know: At an Oct. 13 meeting, Katy City Council unanimously approved two construction contracts with Castillo-Aranda LLC totaling $1.01 million for Municipal Court and Second Street parking lot improvements.

The details: The Second Street project will replace the current asphalt and gravel lot with concrete, bringing 68-78 spots to the northwest corner of Second Street and Avenue A near downtown, Community Impact reported.

Meanwhile, the Municipal Court parking project will expand the lot by 42 spaces and add security measures. 

Looking ahead: Workers are expected to mobilize in December and finish work around April, City Administrator Byron Hebert said.

PawDoc Surgery + Dental Center has opened its doors in Katy.

What they offer: The center, which focuses solely on surgical and dental care, aims to make pet operations affordable, according to an Oct. 13 news release.

Services include:

• Dental cleanings and extractions
• Spay and neuter surgeries
• Mass and lump removals
• Wound and abscess treatments
• Eye, ear, and limb surgeries
• Gastrointestinal and foreign object procedures

• 4611 FM 1463, Katy

The nonprofit Harris County Public Library Foundation has officially launched, a press release from the organization announced. 

What to know: The nonprofit is dedicated to supporting and enhancing library services for the more than 5 million residents of Harris County and was established to champion the library's mission and secure financial support to expand its services and collections of materials and resources according to the foundation's website.

What else: The HCPL Foundation will hold its first annual Booked for Lunch event on Nov. 10 at the Junior League of Houston. The 2025 Booked for Lunch event is specifically focused on raising funds to increase the quantity of both printed and digital books in the Harris County Public Library collection and reduce wait times for borrowers.

Houston renters saw more listings in September while lease prices remained steady compared to this time last year, according to the Houston Association of Realtors’ September 2025 Rental Market Update released Oct. 15.

Two-minute impact: There was a 5.3% increase in the number of single-family homes leased this September compared to the same time last year, according to the report. Surpassing last month’s record, 11,255 single-family homes were available for rent in September. 

The average lease price was $2,341 per month, which is statistically unchanged from September 2024, per the report. This marks the third month in a row where the average listing price remained flat, indicating a plateau in prices.

Quote of note: “We continue to see steady demand for single-family rentals as many people find homeownership challenging right now due to affordability issues—not just in Houston, but nationwide,” HAR Chair Shae Cottar said via the report. “With so many properties on the market, renters have more choices than ever, and that’s helping them find places that fit their needs and budget."