Efforts to revive Pearland’s historic Old Town district are making progress after city officials recently allocated funds to design and build the Grand Link Project, a project to make portions of Grand Boulevard more walkable and suitable for festivals.

What you need to know: Pearland City Council voted unanimously to award $289,500 of Pearland Economic Development Corp. funds to Houston-based TBG Partners for engineering and design services for the Grand Link Project. 

Since the Old Town Revitalization Plan was approved in September, the contract marks the first major implementation of the plan’s vision.

One more thing: As part of the design services, TBG Partners will provide an estimated cost for the construction of the Grand Link Project. Previously, the city received a high-level estimate of $20.7 million for the project, according to city documents.

Pearland ISD and Alvin ISD will hold a general election May 2, with several board of trustees positions on the ballot.

The last day to register to vote is April 2. Early voting will be from April 20-28, according to the Texas secretary of state’s website.

Pearland ISD: Both incumbents for Positions 1 and 2 have filed for a place on the May ballot.

Alvin ISD: Incumbent Gabriel Garza, who serves Position 7, has filed for the May election. Incumbent Earl Humbird, who serves Position 6 and has served on the board for over 20 years, did not file for reelection.

A number of candidates filed for the May 2 election in the cities of Friendswood, Manvel and Pearland. The deadline to file was Feb. 13.

The details: The last day to register to vote is April 2. Early voting will be from April 20-28, according to the Texas Secretary of State’s website.

What else: The city of Pearland also called a special election following council member Tony Carbone's announcement that he would run for mayor.
 

More Houston-area residents were able to attain a home at the end of 2025 as mortgage rates and home prices eased, according to a report from the Houston Association of Realtors.

The gist: According to HAR’s housing attainability report, 44% of households in the Greater Houston area could afford a median-priced home in the fourth quarter of 2025, compared to 40% in 2024.

The median home price declined to $337,200, with a monthly mortgage payment being $2,280, compared to $2,490 in 2024. To afford a median-priced home in Houston, households needed to earn at least $91,200 annually, states the report.

Effective March 9, former U.S. Rep. Erica Lee Carter will serve as the new Harris County administrator after commissioners unanimously approved her appointment Feb. 12.

In a nutshell: Lee Carter will lead the Office of County Administration, or OCA, which oversees the day-to-day operations of the county and coordinates across its departments. She will be the first African American woman to hold the position, which was created in 2021.

Did you know? Lee Carter served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2024-2025 in a special election to Texas’ 18th Congressional District after her mother, late Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, died in 2024. 

She has also overseen policy initiatives within Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis’ office for several years with a focus on economic opportunity, voting access and budget management, per a news release from the OCA.

Quote of note: “It is my commitment to work each day to make progress towards your 2050 vision and ensure the county is safe and fair, thriving, resilient, connected, healthy and secure,” Lee Carter said Feb. 12. 

Early in-person voting in Texas’ primary elections begins Feb. 17 and lasts until Feb. 27.

How it works: Texas has an open primary system, where voters decide at the polling place whether to cast ballots in the Democratic or Republican primary. Voters may not participate in both primaries.

What to expect: Voters will be given a ballot with a slate of statewide seats and other races determined by the voting precinct they live in. During early voting, registered voters can visit any polling location in their county.

Candidates who win their primaries will advance to the Nov. 3 midterm election.

Why it matters: Early voting gives registered voters the opportunity to cast their ballots before primary election day March 3.

Voter advocacy groups and experts told Community Impact that a vote in the March primaries is “the most impactful vote” Texans can cast, due to consistently low voter turnout and competition in certain races. Over 18 million Texans are registered to vote, although about one-fifth of registered voters participated in recent primary elections.