Mike Morris

Houston official's personal request from city contractor may violate state law Council Member Tarsha Jackson sent city contractor Al Kashani a series of texts between 2021 and 2022 asking for favors for herself and her nonprofit.

New = Houston council member sought favors like personal home repairs from city contractor, records show www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/hou... w/ @abbschurch.bsky.social

Texas bill that reverses Houston pension reforms is 'mind boggling,' experts say The Texas Legislature and Mayor John Whitmire may undo reforms to Houston’s police and firefighter pensions, worrying experts.

New = Whitmire-backed Texas bill that would reverse Houston pension reforms is 'mind-boggling,' experts say www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/hou...

This simple form could save you thousands on your property taxes Many Texas homeowners don’t know they can reduce their property taxes by filing a simple form. Here’s everything you need to know about homestead exemptions.

This simple form could save you thousands on your property taxes💵

👇Free link (no paywall)👇
www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...

Folks, if there's any chance a friend or relative is entitled to a **homestead exemption** but doesn't claim one, please share:

Donate to Support Houston Landing journalists and staff facing layoffs, organized by Mike Morris This week, the Houston Landing’s CEO informed dozens of dedic… Mike Morris needs your support for Support Houston Landing journalists and staff facing layoffs

More than 40 journalists and staff at the Houston Landing, the nonprofit newsroom that launched two years ago, are facing layoffs within a month after the Landing's board voted to cease operations.

For those willing and able to help👇
www.gofundme.com/f/support-ho...

Key takeaways from investigation into squandered affordable housing plans Here are key takeaways from the Houston Chronicle investigation of the Midtown Redevelopment Authority selling land meant for affordable housing to investors.

To recap, here are:
= A summary of our @HoustonChron investigation into the Midtown development zone's land sales: www.houstonchronicle.com/news/investi...
=Interactive chart explaining the sales: www.houstonchronicle.com/projects/202...
=And the main story: www.houstonchronicle.com/projects/202...

How a Houston agency squandered acres of land for affordable housing How a Houston agency squandered acres of land for affordable housing

Midtown had planned to build 269+ affordable homes on the land it sold.
And that's not counting apartments the Houston Housing Authority was preparing to help build when Midtown sold tracts out from under the project to an investor -- without telling HHA:
www.houstonchronicle.com/projects/202...

Former Houston official and vendors accused of misusing $8.5M in public funds The former Midtown Redevelopment Authority official and two vendors are accused of misusing public funds earmarked for affordable housing in Third Ward.

Midtown also admits it paid “avoidable”‼️ fees on the sales, the result of a fired Midtown exec's “inappropriate” ties to the brokers he chose: his alleged girlfriend ($161k in fees) & his wife’s nephew ($18k).
The exec + girlfriend face unrelated charges:
www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/hou...

How a Houston agency squandered acres of land for affordable housing How a Houston agency squandered acres of land for affordable housing

Midtown lost money on its largest land sale to an investor because it:
1) Sold a big tract for $500k+ less than it had paid for it 5 years before
2) Appraised only half of another tract before selling it, inadvertently giving half of it away for free
www.houstonchronicle.com/projects/202...

A Houston agency was supposed to help Third Ward. It built a $22M tower instead. The Houston agency justified its use of $22 million in affordable housing funds for the tower, saying it would be a a "central clearinghouse" for housing needs.

Midtown has used its housing funds in other questionable ways – including by building a $22m office tower where no one lives:
www.houstonchronicle.com/news/investi...
(The tower, in fact, drove Midtown to sell land, so it could pay down the construction loan it took out for the project.)

See how a Houston agency’s land sales hindered their affordable housing efforts See how a Houston agency’s land sales hindered their affordable housing efforts

Midtown sought to make a profit on the sales but didn’t offer the land on the open market to the highest bidder. Some sales even brought in less money than Midtown paid for the land in the first place.
To understand why, see this @ameliawinger interactive:
www.houstonchronicle.com/projects/202...

How a Houston agency squandered acres of land for affordable housing How a Houston agency squandered acres of land for affordable housing

New = Houston's Midtown development zone spent years buying land for affordable housing, hoping to stop luxury townhomes from taking over Third Ward.
Then the agency quietly sold 16.6 acres of that land to developers – some of whom plan to build townhomes.
www.houstonchronicle.com/projects/202...

Study uncovers credit card misuse, inefficiencies in city government Mayor John Whitmire said the review is a “critical first step” in restoring public trust in city government.

New = Analysis uncovers inefficiencies at Houston City Hall, misuse of city credit cards