HTX-NCP: Impact 10/30/2025

Several businesses recently opened, are coming soon or have other updates to share in the New Caney and Porter area. This list is not comprehensive, and details are subject to change.

Now open
Havertys Furniture officials celebrated the grand opening of the company's new showroom in Valley Ranch Town Center in mid-October. Based in Atlanta, the company is known for its quality home furnishings and free in-home design services.

• Opened Oct. 17
• 22296 Market Place Drive, New Caney

• Opening in February
• 23396 FM 1485, New Caney

Two bills passed by the Texas Legislature—that went into effect Sept. 1—could impact New Caney-area businesses for the better, although it could still be too early to tell, local stakeholders said.

In a nutshell: Roadside vendor and solicitor regulations took effect in Montgomery County after commissioners voted Aug. 26 to adopt an ordinance regulating roadside vendors and solicitors in unincorporated areas of the county. The new rules followed the passage of House Bill 2012 in the Texas Legislature.

Another bill—House Bill 2844—requires all permits and food truck inspections to be performed by the state health department, instead of individual counties or cities.

Quote of note: “We believe both HB 2844 and HB 2012 advance [the chamber’s] vision—particularly HB 2012, given its potential to enhance the look, feel, and safety of our community,” said Mark Linabury, president and CEO of the Greater East Montgomery County Chamber.

Stay tuned: Guidelines are slated to be released for HB 2844 in May 2026, said Scott Nichols, director of Montgomery County's Environmental Health Services department.

Gov. Greg Abbott appointed First Assistant District Attorney Mike Holley as the new Montgomery County district attorney on Oct. 29, according to a news release from the governor's office.

The details: Holley will serve as Montgomery County’s DA until Brett Ligon’s current term expires on Dec. 31, 2026, according to the release. Ligon resigned as the county’s district attorney on Oct. 2 to run for state Senate District 4 in the upcoming 2026 race.

Going forward: Holley will run for election in the county district attorney race in 2026, he told Community Impact.

The background: Holley has been a part of the county’s DA office since 2012, where he was a felony prosecutor and chief of the misdemeanor division. He was promoted to the first assistant of the district attorney in 2016, according to the DA’s website.

Montgomery County commissioners on Oct. 28 approved a plan to reassign courtroom and office space in the main courthouse and the James H. Keeshan Building to prepare for the addition of a new criminal district court set to begin operations Sept. 1, 2026.

The impact: The proposal—presented by Judges Vince Santini and Kristin Bays—creates space for the incoming 523rd District Court while freeing up two additional courtrooms in the existing courthouse. The project will be funded through unspent money from the courts’ fiscal year 2025 operations budget, roughly $500,000, and, if needed, supplemented by the court facilities fund—both earmarked for judicial purposes, Bays said. County officials emphasized that the plan will have no impact on the county’s general budget.

More details: Commissioners in August approved the creation of the new 523rd District Court after judges warned earlier this year that existing facilities were running out of space to handle growing caseloads.

What's next: Commissioners directed staff to return within weeks with final bids and cost estimates.

TDECU—Houston’s largest credit union—and Smart Financial Credit Union—one of the city’s oldest—announced plans to merge, according to an Oct. 22 news release, combining their legacies under a shared mission to strengthen communities and expand member opportunities.

Marking a milestone: Pending regulatory approval and a member vote by Smart Financial, the merger is expected to be finalized in early 2026. The combined credit union will hold nearly $6 billion in assets and serve more than 460,000 members across Texas through a network of 48 branches, per the release.

TDECU President and CEO Isaac Johnson will lead the merged organization, while Smart Financial CEO LeAnn Kaczynski will serve as chief integration officer for one year to oversee the transition.

Also of note: TDECU’s ties with the University of Houston, Houston Texans and Buc-ee’s will join Smart Financial’s work with Smart Financial Centre and local charities through the Smart Financial Foundation.

Members of both institutions will see no immediate changes to accounts or services during the transition, according to the release.