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Driving through West University, it isn’t unusual to see a modern, sleek-styled home next to a traditional brick house. It’s a change that is reflecting what buyers are looking for, Karishma Asrani, a Houston Association of Realtors agent, said.

The features: Modern houses often emphasize clean lines, minimalist aesthetics and high functionality inside the home, according to homebuilders.

Some of the features buyers are looking for in modern-style homes include lighter-toned wood floors, quartz countertops, cleaner cabinetry, mixed metals and first-floor bedrooms. Asrani said. Homes with these features tend to sell quickly.

The cost: Like other housing markets, price points vary based on the home’s condition and design. Even so, Asrani noted that demand in the neighborhood remains strong across price points, with both renovated and non-updated homes still selling.

HAR officials said the average home sale price in West U is $2.1 million, with new construction averaging $2.9 million and resale at $1.9 million.

Bellaire officials, U.S. Rep. Lizzie Fletcher and community partners gathered May 12 to break ground on the Cypress Ditch Regional Flood Mitigation Project. Several community members and representatives, including Houston City Council members Abbie Kamin and Edward Pollard, also attended the ceremony. 

The context: After Hurricane Harvey in 2017, Bellaire officials estimated 30% of homes had structural flooding. A few months later, the city formed the Flood Hazard Mitigation Task Force to identify and assess flood hazards and recommend solutions.

Dollars at work: After collaborating with the Harris County Flood Control District, neighboring municipalities, federal and state legislative partners and local residents, the city secured funding for the $110 million project. 

Latest update: In a February 15 City Council meeting, the city moved forward with Phase 1 of the project, which includes decommissioning and demolishing the current wastewater treatment plant and constructing the north and south basins. 

West University Place officials tabled a decision on an ordinance amendment to regulate micromobility vehicles, such as electric scooters, electric bikes and powered skateboards.

What the ordinance says: The proposed ordinance would prohibit e-scooters from being used on city streets. It would also prohibit e-bikes from being used on city sidewalks and would prohibit the use of e-bikes within city limits between 8 p.m. and 7 a.m.

The ordinance would also ban golf carts, vehicles that can go up to 35 miles per hour and all-terrain vehicles from being used on the city’s streets and sidewalks.
The amendment also mandates helmet use for all vehicles.

What happened: During the May 12 meeting, Police Chief Gary Ratliff said that someone asked for his professional opinion on comments made by other council members. He said that he agreed with statements from council member John Barnes when he said that the council’s job is to manage the overall level of risk as much as possible through passing ordinances.

As Houston prepares to see the first of seven matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Chris Canetti, president of the Houston Host Committee, said the city is ready for the influx of visitors expected during the tournament beginning June 14.

Quote of note: “Our greatest asset in Houston is our people,” Michael Heckman, president and CEO of Houston First Corporation, said. “And when visitors come here ... you're not just a visitor, you're one of us. And what a great message from people from all over the world that come here, that see all the languages that are spoken here, our diversity that we welcome people, not just from the United States, but from all over the world.”

The overview: On May 11, the FIFA World Cup 2026 Houston Host Committee gave updates from entities such as the Houston Host Committee, the airports, the Metropolitan Authority of Harris County, Downtown Houston, NRG representatives and FIFA Fan Festival representatives.

Harris County commissioners are set to receive a number of financial updates ahead of budget season on May 14 alongside over 400 additional agenda items.

The big picture: According to agenda documents, commissioners are set to receive updates from the Harris County Office of Management and Budget regarding the county's financial standings so far in fiscal year 2025-26.

Commissioners will also receive an update on the five-year financial plan to avoid additional budget shortfalls by finding ways to generate revenue and create savings opportunities.

Also on the agenda: With the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaching, commissioners will also receive an update on security and general preparedness for the event.

Stay tuned: Harris County Commissioners Court meetings are held at 9 a.m. in Downtown Houston. The administration building is located at 1001 Preston St., Houston.

Roughly 76,000 fewer students were enrolled in Texas public schools this academic year than the year prior, according to May 11 report.

The overview: The 2025-26 school year marks the second recorded enrollment drop in recent history, according to Texas Education Agency data collected since the 1987-88 academic year. The first decline happened in the 2020-21 school year, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hispanic students accounted for 81% of the enrollment loss in the 2025-26 school year, the policy research group Texas 2036 found.

The local impact: School districts across Community Impact’s coverage areas are in the process of closing and consolidating campuses, citing enrollment declines and budget shortfalls. Statewide data shows that 130 campuses have been selected for closure in the past two years.

What they're saying: “This year, we are down students, and these [drops] are somewhat more accelerated than statewide demographic trends indicated,” TEA Commissioner Mike Morath told lawmakers May 11. “We cannot tell you the precise cause of this. We just know that it has occurred.”