Houston is in a tough moment. Widely perceived by people in other places as an unhealthy and uninteresting place to live, the Houston region is also probably the last in the United States to marshal the energy and intellect to do the innovative things to create a place that can compete in the world of talent and knowledge.
But there are forces bubbling throughout the region that have a vision for a Livable Houston to challenge other leading cities in America and even the world. The purpose of 1000 Friends of Houston is to provide a means to express that vision and to contribute financially to the initiative to make Houston a better place to live.
One of the most powerful efforts to do that is the Blueprint Houston project to move the City of Houston to a general planning process based on citizen vision, values, and goals. That project was begun by 1000 Friends of Houston with a call for a such a process on September 1, 2001. (for more on that and to see the original ad and arguments, see Houston needs a plan” above)
For the past two years