A parking study in Montrose found that the neighborhood has a surplus of parking across the area at most times of the day.

At the Montrose Redevelopment Authority/TIRZ 27’s monthly meeting, Monisha Khurana, chief operations officer at The Goodman Corporation, presented the findings of the months-long study.

The breakdown: The study looked at over 33,500 parking spaces, including 18,500 on-street spaces and 15,000 off-street spaces. Consultants also received more than 2,000 survey responses between October 2025 and January 2026.

The study found that Montrose generally has enough parking across the area, but it doesn’t mean that parking is easy and convenient all the time, Khurana said.

Five areas of concern include portions of Westheimer, the Fairview area, the Harlow District, school areas and southeastern Montrose.

Assessing the need: The study does not recommend a new parking garage, publicly funded parking lot, area-wide change to off-street parking requirements or specific locations for paid parking or residential permit parking. Instead, Khurana presented a “parking toolkit.”

The toolkit includes time limits, paid parking, parking removal, residential permit parking and parking benefit districts.

Picos Restaurant, known for its authentic Mexican cuisine, has opened its doors in a new location.

After closing its Kirby location in August, the restaurant announced on social media that it reopened in September.

“We’re back, Houston—and officially settling into our new home in River Oaks,” officials said in a social media post Sept. 15.

Some background: The Houston staple originally announced in August 2025 that the restaurant was preparing for an immediate closure after more than 40 years in service. Owner Arnaldo Richards did not share details on the reason for closure, but wrote a heartfelt post on social media expressing his gratitude to his customers and the sadness that came with the closure.

A month later, officials said that the restaurant would remain open until the end of 2025 after seeing a wave of support following the first closure announcement. It remained open until Aug. 30.

What’s on the menu: Known for its authentic Mexican food, Picos offers a variety of traditional Mexican dishes, including flan, churros, tamales, quesadillas, chilaquiles and Tex-Mex dishes.

• 3736 Westheimer Road, Houston

The nonprofit organization United Way of Greater Houston announced Sept. 21 that CEO Amanda McMillian will retire on May 1, 2027. The board unanimously selected Angel Harris, the current vice president and chief advancement officer, to succeed her.

Harris will assume the president and CEO role immediately, while McMillian remains in her role through a nine-month transition.

Read all about it: Harris joined the nonprofit in 2021 with 30 years of nonprofit experience. In her five years in Houston, Harris has accomplished the following:

• Led organizational efforts for the Building Possibilities Campaign, raising more than $30 million to upgrade infrastructure and technology

• Helped rebrand marketing and communications initiatives

• Developed an eight-year revenue growth plan to generate over $580 million by 2031

A search for United Way's next chief advancement officer to replace Harris is currently underway, nonprofit officials said.

Something to note: United Way of Greater Houston is a nonprofit organization that connects residents in need with basic resources, financial stability programs, healthcare and support services, according to the organization's website.

Two candidates are running for Harris County Treasurer in the upcoming election. The candidates on the ballot are Marc Cowart and incumbent Carla L. Wyatt.

Key details for voters include:

• Early voting begins Oct. 19 and runs through Oct. 30.
• Election day is Nov. 3, with polls open from 7 a.m.-7 p.m.
• Registered voters are permitted to cast their ballot at any polling location during both early voting and on election day.

A new agricultural complex is opening along Hwy. 288 with the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

The Farm will be located about three miles from Reliant Park.

The overview: The Farm, which stands for Furthering our Agriculture and Ranching Mission, will offer 1 million square feet to support Texas youth, agriculture, education and Western heritage, according to a Sept. 17 news release from Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

The complex will complement the Rodeo's longstanding home at Reliant Park, according to the news release.

Quote of note: "As we move toward our centennial, the groundbreaking of The Farm reflects our commitment to building not only a world-class facility, but a stronger future for Texas youth and agriculture," said Wesley Sinor, chairman of the board of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. "The impact of what begins today will be felt for generations."