Some Sugar Land property owners and office tenants will have the opportunity to receive funding assistance with the launch of the city’s new Office Readiness Program.

What's happening: The program is the first of its kind in the region and replaces the former Office Headquarters incentive policy. The aim is to modernize the city’s office inventory, increase occupancy and position the city for balanced growth, officials announced in a Feb. 9 news release.

How it works: The program will provide property owners and office tenants of office buildings within eligible corridors inside the Sugar Creek triangle up to 50% reimbursement through five- to 10-year performance-based agreements to help support building modernization, infrastructure upgrades and tenant improvements, per the release.

Stay tuned: Applications for the program are ongoing until the fiscal year funding runs out, with new applications opening for FY 2026-27 on Oct. 1, officials said.

Projects must be within the project area during the pilot, although she said boundaries could be expanded in the future.

Missouri City's Freedom Tree Plaza is now open to the public, city officials announced in a March 2 Facebook video.

The plaza, which is housed in the city's historic site where enslaved people in the community were informed they were no longer enslaved after the Civil War, features the Juneteenth flag and now complies with Americans with Disabilities Act standards, Public Works Director Mustafa Albassam said.

Remember this: In May 2024, Missouri City City Council authorized a $176,812 purchase of a 1.82-acre tract of land near Freedom Tree Park for trails, Community Impact reported. The purchase kicked off a $3.5 million project to develop 5 acres of parkland east of Misty Hollow Drive, directly across from the historic Freedom Tree.

Officials previously said the project will feature amenities, including:

• Playground
• Plaza
• Public art element
• Gathering spaces
• Parking

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Families have until 11:59 p.m. March 17 to apply for the first year of Texas’ education savings account program, according to the state comptroller’s office.

The big picture: Under the $1 billion program, participating students will receive state funds for private education or homeschooling during the 2026-27 school year. It is unlikely that all applicants will be accepted, as application data shows more students have applied than the program can fund.

The program offers $2,000 to homeschooled students; $10,474 for private school tuition and related expenses; and up to $30,000 for students with disabilities. With demand set to exceed available funding, applications will be prioritized based on need and household income.

How we got here: State lawmakers created the Texas Education Freedom Accounts program in 2025, with proponents saying it will expand options for families who don't want to send their children to public schools. Critics of the program have said it will unfairly benefit students already in private schools and divert funding from public schools.