HTX-KTY: Impact 8/25/2025

The Houston-Galveston Area Council hosted 14 public meetings throughout Houston to gather input on the Regional Transportation Plan 2050 throughout July and August, including two meetings in Fort Bend County on Aug. 6.

The proposed $140 billion plan includes hundreds of projects for roads, transit, freight, bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure throughout the Greater Houston area. The regional plan is updated every four years, with the last update in 2023.

By the numbers: The current plan consists of 116 road projects in Fort Bend County, totaling $5.46 billion, according to project documents.

Nineteen proposed projects in Fort Bend County cross the $100 million mark, including:

• $402.5 million for construction of Fort Bend Parkway Toll Road between Hwy. 99 and Hwy. 36
• $374.51 million to widen I-10 from Snake Creek to the Harris County line
• $325 million to widen three sections of FM 1489

During the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Jacinta Anyaoku decided it was time for a career change.

She had been working as a primary physician in Houston when she had her first son and needed to take some extra time off for maternity leave, although her request for additional time was denied, pushing her to begin her own practice.

In 2021, Anyaoku founded Hibiscus Aesthetics and Wellness as a primary care practice, and has now transitioned the business to offer only aesthetic treatments.

Zooming in: The med spa, which just celebrated its fourth anniversary, offers a variety of services, including Botox, injectables, microneedling, facials, laser hair removal and medical weight loss, Anyaoku said.

What else: The practice also prioritizes treating skin of color, as one of Anyaoku’s goals was to create a practice that safely serves all skin types. She said darker skin tones tend to react differently to certain types of treatments, such as chemical peels and lasers.

The Oaks at Fulshear Junction, a modern office condominium complex, is set to break ground by the end of 2025, promising to bring professional and medical office space to one of the fastest-growing areas in Fort Bend County, said Chief Executive Officer Tim Sojka with Tim Sell Property Group. 

Where is it happening?: Located between FM 1093 and First Street, The Oaks at Fulshear Junction will sit at the front of the planned Century Communities Fulshear Junction residential development, ensuring high visibility and traffic. 

In May, Community Impact reported that the Century group broke ground at Fulshear Junction, a newly approved 126.9-acre mixed-use development near downtown Fulshear, bringing homes, commercial spaces, parks and infrastructure improvements aimed at fostering community and economic growth. 

Next steps: The developers are currently accepting letters of intent, with sales contracts expected once ground breaks later this year, Sojka said.

In response to the growing demand for behavioral health professionals across Texas and the nation, the University of Houston is expanding its academic offerings in Applied Behavior Analysis, or ABA, an evidence-based therapy most commonly used to support individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities.

“Our goal is to train highly skilled individuals so they come out of our programs and can provide really effective treatment for our diverse community and our learners with autism and developmental disabilities,” Charlotte Carp, program director and a board-certified behavior analyst, said in an Aug. 14 news release. 

Programs are available online and in person at the UH Katy campus. 

Zooming out: The timing of this expansion aligns with a significant surge in demand for certified behavior analysts, per the release. In April, Community Impact reported on the rise of ABA centers in Katy, Sugar Land, Missouri City,Cypress, Tomball and Magnolia, where many clinical providers cited staffing demands as many public school districts see a rise in autism diagnoses. 

Home affordability in the Houston region decreased slightly according to the second-quarter housing affordability report from the Houston Association of Realtors. 

At a glance: Out of the five major counties in the Houston region, Montgomery County had the highest rate of home affordability, with 46% of residents able to afford a median-priced home. The least affordable area was Harris County, where only 34% of residents are able to afford a median-priced home. 

What else?: For those who rent homes, the average monthly payment across the region dropped from $2,190 to $2,100 a month. Galveston County saw the highest increase in monthly home rental prices, going from $2,100 to $2,175 per month.