Houston

==Geography==
{{Main|Geography of Houston}}
[[File:Houston by Sentinel-2, 2020-09-30 (small version).jpg|thumb|Satellite image of Houston, 2020]]
Houston is {{convert|165|mi|km}} east of [[Austin, Texas|Austin]],<ref>Lomax, John Nova. [http://www.texasmonthly.com/story/texas "This Is Texas"]. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150501062243/http://www.texasmonthly.com/story/texas |date=May 1, 2015}} ''[[Texas Monthly]]''. February 2013. Retrieved on April 30, 2013. "No, the rightful standard-bearer of our state—the city with the greatest number of people, of cultural happenings, of medical facilities, of gangbuster enterprises—is located 165 miles to the east of Texas's pink-granite dome." – The first part is discussing Houston. The "pink granite dome" is the [[Texas State Capitol]] in Austin.</ref> {{convert|88|mi|km}} west of the [[Louisiana]] border,<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://check-distance.com/search?from=Houston,+TX,+USA&to=Walter+Umphrey+State+Park,+Martin+Luther+King+Junior+Drive,+Port+Arthur,+TX,+USA&flat=29.7604267&flon=-95.3698028&tlat=29.76301999999999&tlon=-93.89903800000002 |title=Distance from Houston, TX, USA to Walter Umphrey State Park, Martin Luther King Junior Drive, Port Arthur, TX, USA |language=en |access-date=December 2, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181203010820/https://check-distance.com/search?from=Houston,+TX,+USA&to=Walter+Umphrey+State+Park,+Martin+Luther+King+Junior+Drive,+Port+Arthur,+TX,+USA&flat=29.7604267&flon=-95.3698028&tlat=29.76301999999999&tlon=-93.89903800000002 |archive-date=December 3, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> and {{convert|250|mi|km}} south of [[Dallas]].<ref>Martin, Roland. [http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/06/opinion/opinion-texas-football-roland-martin/index.html "Football power in Texas has shifted to Houston"]. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160314085836/http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/06/opinion/opinion-texas-football-roland-martin/index.html |date=March 14, 2016 }} ''[[CNN]]''. January 6, 2012. Retrieved on January 7, 2012.</ref> The city has a total area of {{convert|637.4|sqmi|km2|abbr=}};<ref name=":16" /> this comprises over {{convert|599.59|sqmi|km2}} of land and {{convert|22.3|sqmi|km2}} covered by water.<ref>[http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/48/4835000.html Houston (city) QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100220105716/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/48/4835000.html |date=February 20, 2010 }}. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on February 28, 2009.</ref> Most of Houston is on the [[Western Gulf coastal grasslands|gulf coastal plain]], and its vegetation is classified as [[Western Gulf coastal grasslands]] while further north, it transitions into a subtropical jungle, the [[Big Thicket]].

Much of the city was built on forested land, marshes, or swamps, and all are still visible in surrounding areas.<ref>{{Cite news|date=May 31, 2016|title=The trouble with living in a swamp: Houston floods explained|url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/local/explainer/article/The-trouble-with-living-in-a-swamp-Houston-7954514.php|access-date=July 30, 2020|newspaper=Houston Chronicle|language=en-US |last1=Baddour |first1=Dylan }}</ref> Flat terrain and extensive greenfield development have combined to worsen flooding.<ref>[http://www.crwr.utexas.edu/gis/gishyd98/class/trmproj/ahrens/prepro.htm Flood Forecasting for the Buffalo Bayou Using CRWR-PrePro and HEC-HMS] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070204065252/http://www.crwr.utexas.edu/gis/gishyd98/class/trmproj/ahrens/prepro.htm |date=February 4, 2007 }}. ''Center for Research in Water Resources, The University of Texas at Austin'' Retrieved on January 10, 2007.</ref> Downtown stands about {{convert|50|ft|m}} above sea level,<ref>[http://www.topoquest.com/map.asp?lat=29.75737&lon=-95.36387&size=m&u=4&datum=nad27&layer=DRG&s=100 Downtown Houston, Texas] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200530191738/https://www.topoquest.com/map.php?lat=29.75737&lon=-95.36387&datum=nad27&zoom=16 |date=May 30, 2020 }}. ''TopoQuest.com'' Retrieved on July 5, 2008.</ref> and the highest point in far northwest Houston is about {{convert|150|ft|m|abbr=}} in elevation.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Topographic map of Houston, Texas |url=http://en-us.topographic-map.com/places/Houston-6818619/ |access-date=May 8, 2019 |website=topographic-map.com |language=en}}</ref> The city once relied on groundwater for its needs, but land [[subsidence]] forced the city to turn to ground-level water sources such as [[Lake Houston]], [[Lake Conroe]], and [[Lake Livingston]].<ref name="HouHTO" /><ref name="USGS_Subsidence_Fault_Creep">{{cite web |url=http://pubs.usgs.gov/circ/circ1182/pdf/07Houston.pdf |title=Houston-Galveston, Texas Managing Coastal Subsidence |access-date=January 12, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070113025911/http://pubs.usgs.gov/circ/circ1182/pdf/07Houston.pdf |archive-date=January 13, 2007 |url-status=live }}&nbsp;{{small|(5.89&nbsp;MB)}}. [[United States Geological Survey]]. Retrieved on January 11, 2007.</ref> The city owns surface water rights for {{convert|1.20|e9USgal}} of water a day in addition to {{convert|150|e6USgal}} a day of groundwater.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.publicworks.houstontx.gov/utilities/drinkingwater.html |title=Drinking Water Operations |publisher=Publicworks.houstontx.gov |access-date=October 12, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131014130133/http://www.publicworks.houstontx.gov/utilities/drinkingwater.html |archive-date=October 14, 2013}}</ref>

Houston has four major [[bayou]]s passing through the city that accept water from the extensive drainage system. Buffalo Bayou runs through Downtown and the [[Houston Ship Channel]], and has three tributaries: White Oak Bayou, which runs through the Houston Heights community northwest of Downtown and then towards Downtown; [[Brays Bayou]], which runs along the Texas Medical Center;<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.asla.org/2009awards/196.html |title=2009 Professional Awards |work=asla.org |access-date=September 15, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923175333/http://www.asla.org/2009awards/196.html |archive-date=September 23, 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref> and Sims Bayou, which runs through the south of Houston and Downtown Houston. The ship channel continues past Galveston and then into the Gulf of Mexico.<ref name="shipchannel" />

===Geology===
[[File:Houston Texas 14Mar2018 SkySat.jpg|thumb|Aerial view of central Houston, showing Downtown and surrounding neighborhoods, March 2018]]
Houston is a flat, [[marshy]] area where an extensive drainage system has been built. The adjoining prairie land drains into the city, which is prone to flooding.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.houstonchronicle.com/local/explainer/article/The-trouble-with-living-in-a-swamp-Houston-7954514.php |title=The trouble with living in a swamp: Houston floods explained |newspaper=[[Houston Chronicle]] |first=Dylan |last=Baddour |date=May 31, 2016 |access-date=August 31, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170829232536/http://www.houstonchronicle.com/local/explainer/article/The-trouble-with-living-in-a-swamp-Houston-7954514.php |archive-date=August 29, 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref> Underpinning Houston's land surface are [[Consolidation (geology)|unconsolidated]] clays, clay shales, and poorly cemented sands up to several miles deep. The region's geology developed from river deposits formed from the erosion of the [[Rocky Mountains]]. These [[sediment]]s consist of a series of sands and clays deposited on decaying organic marine matter, that over time, transformed into oil and natural gas. Beneath the layers of sediment is a water-deposited layer of [[halite]], a rock salt. The porous layers were compressed over time and forced upward. As it pushed upward, the salt dragged surrounding sediments into [[salt dome]] formations, often trapping oil and gas that seeped from the surrounding porous sands. The thick, rich, sometimes black, surface soil is suitable for rice farming in suburban outskirts where the city continues to grow.<ref>[https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hch07 Harris County] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171203083934/https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hch07 |date=December 3, 2017 }}. ''[[Handbook of Texas]] Online.'' Retrieved on January 10, 2007.</ref><ref>[https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/afr01 Rice Culture] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171203083049/https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/afr01 |date=December 3, 2017 }}. ''[[Handbook of Texas]] Online.'' Retrieved on January 10, 2007.</ref>

The Houston area has over 150 active [[Fault (geology)|faults]] (estimated to be 300 [[active fault]]s) with an aggregate length of up to {{convert|310|mi|km}},<ref>{{cite web |title=Mapping Active Faults in the Houston Area using LIDAR Data, #50034 (2006) |access-date=July 10, 2010 |first=R. |last=Engelkemeir |work=Online Journal for E&P Geoscientists |url=http://www.searchanddiscovery.net/documents/2006/06078engelkemeir/index.htm?q=%2Btext%3A%22active+faults+houston+area%22+-isMeetingAbstract%3Amtgabsyes}}</ref><ref>Earl R. Verbeek, Karl W. Ratzlaff, Uel S. Clanton. "[http://pubs.usgs.gov/mf-maps/mf1136/mf1136/ Faults in Parts of North-Central and Western Houston Metropolitan Area, Texas] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060909202115/http://pubs.usgs.gov/mf-maps/mf1136/mf1136/ |date=September 9, 2006 }}", [[United States Geological Survey]], September 16, 2005. Retrieved on December 14, 2006.</ref><ref>Sachin D. Shah and Jennifer Lanning-Rush. [http://pubs.usgs.gov/sim/2005/2874/ Principal Faults in the Houston, Texas, Metropolitan Area] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111025111836/http://pubs.usgs.gov/sim/2005/2874/ |date=October 25, 2011 }}, ''U.S. Geological Survey''. Retrieved on February 23, 2012.</ref> including the [[Long Point–Eureka Heights fault system]] which runs through the center of the city. Land in some areas southeast of Houston is sinking because water has been pumped out of the ground for many years. It may be associated with slip along the faults; however, the slippage is slow and not considered an earthquake, where stationary faults must slip suddenly enough to create seismic waves.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070715065340/http://www.ig.utexas.edu/research/projects/eq/faq/tx.htm Texas Earthquakes], ''University of Texas Institute for Geophysics'', July 2001. Retrieved on August 29, 2007.</ref> These faults also tend to move at a smooth rate in what is termed "[[Aseismic creep|fault creep]]",<ref name="USGS_Subsidence_Fault_Creep" /> which further reduces the risk of an earthquake.

===Cityscape===
{{further|Geographic areas of Houston|List of Houston neighborhoods}}
[[File:Houston superneighborhoods.png|thumb|Houston's superneighborhoods]]

The city of Houston was incorporated in 1837 and adopted a [[Ward (politics)|ward system]] of representation shortly afterward, in 1840.<ref name="Trapp">{{Cite journal |last=Chapman |first=Betty Trapp |date=Fall 2010 |title=A System of Government Where Business Ruled |url=https://houstonhistorymagazine.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/ward-system-of-government.pdf |journal=Houston History Magazine |volume=8 |pages=29–33 |access-date=March 19, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171026054320/https://houstonhistorymagazine.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/ward-system-of-government.pdf |archive-date=October 26, 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref> The six original wards of Houston are the progenitors of the 11 modern-day geographically oriented [[Houston City Council]] districts, though the city abandoned the ward system in 1905 in favor of a [[City commission government|commission government]], and, later, the existing [[mayor–council government]].

[[File:MidtownHoustonscene001.jpg|thumb|Intersection of Bagby and McGowen streets in western Midtown, 2016]]

Locations in Houston are generally classified as either being inside or outside the [[Interstate 610 (Texas)|Interstate 610 loop]]. The "Inner Loop" encompasses a {{Convert|97|mi2|km2|adj=on}} area which includes Downtown, pre–World War II residential neighborhoods and [[streetcar suburb]]s, and newer high-density apartment and townhouse developments.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.houstontx.gov/planning/Demographics/Loop%20610%20Website/population.html |title=Houston's Loop 610: Population |date=2013 |website=City of Houston |publisher=City of Houston Planning and Development Department |access-date=March 19, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160515111351/http://www.houstontx.gov/planning/Demographics/Loop%20610%20Website/population.html |archive-date=May 15, 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> Outside the loop, the city's typology is more [[Suburbanization|suburban]], though many major business districts—such as [[Uptown Houston|Uptown]], [[Westchase, Houston|Westchase]], and the [[Houston Energy Corridor|Energy Corridor]]—lie well outside the urban core. In addition to Interstate 610, two additional loop highways encircle the city: [[Texas State Highway Beltway 8|Beltway 8]], with a radius of approximately {{convert|10|mi|km}} from Downtown, and [[Texas State Highway 99|State Highway 99]] (the Grand Parkway), with a radius of {{Convert|25|mi|km}}. Approximately 470,000 people lived within the Interstate 610 loop, while 1.65 million lived between Interstate 610 and Beltway 8 and 2.25 million lived within Harris County outside Beltway 8 in 2015.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.harriscountytx.gov/CmpDocuments/74/Budget/FY16%20Population%20Study.pdf |title=Harris County Budget Management: Population Study |date=January 2015 |website=Harris County, Texas|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150411074852/http://www.harriscountytx.gov/CmpDocuments/74/Budget/FY16%20Population%20Study.pdf|archive-date=April 11, 2015|url-status=dead|access-date=March 19, 2018}}</ref>

Though Houston is the largest city in the United States without formal [[zoning]] regulations, it has developed similarly to other [[Sun Belt]] cities because the city's land use regulations and [[Covenant (law)#In a legal context|legal covenants]] have played a similar role.<ref name="nytzoning">{{cite news |title=FOCUS: Houston; A Fresh Approach To Zoning |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=March 27, 2009 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/08/17/realestate/focus-houston-a-fresh-approach-to-zoning.html |first=Robert |last=Reinhold |date=August 17, 1986 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090402043755/http://www.nytimes.com/1986/08/17/realestate/focus-houston-a-fresh-approach-to-zoning.html |archive-date=April 2, 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="nozoning">{{cite web |title=Zoning Without Zoning |work=planetizen.com |access-date=March 27, 2009 |url=http://www.planetizen.com/node/109 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081016050640/http://www.planetizen.com/node/109 |archive-date=October 16, 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref> Regulations include mandatory lot size for single-family houses and requirements that parking be available to tenants and customers. In 1998, Houston relaxed its mandatory lot sizes from 5,000 square feet to 3,500 square feet, which spurred housing construction in the city dramatically.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-01-31 |title=Here's how cities across Texas changed their zoning to increase housing |url=https://www.dallasnews.com/news/2024/01/31/heres-how-cities-across-texas-changed-their-zoning-to-increase-housing/ |website=Dallas News |language=en}}</ref>

Such restrictions have had mixed results. Though some have blamed the city's low density, [[urban sprawl]], and lack of pedestrian-friendliness on these policies, others have credited the city's land use patterns with providing significant affordable housing, sparing Houston the worst effects of the [[United States housing bubble|2008 real estate crisis]]. The city issued 42,697 building permits in 2008 and was ranked first in the list of healthiest housing markets for 2009.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Healthiest Housing Markets for 2009 – Local Markets, Construction, Home Prices |work=Builder |date=February 27, 2009 |access-date=March 4, 2009 |url=http://www.builderonline.com/local-markets/the-healthiest-housing-markets-for-2009.aspx?page=15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090222175955/http://www.builderonline.com/local-markets/the-healthiest-housing-markets-for-2009.aspx?page=15 |archive-date=February 22, 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2019, home sales reached a new record of $30 billion.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Lescalleet|first=Cynthia|title=2019 Was A Record Year for Houston's Housing Market|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/cynthialescalleet/2020/01/08/2019-was-another-very-good-year-in-houstons-housing-market/|access-date=October 15, 2020|website=Forbes|language=en}}</ref>

In referendums in 1948, 1962, and 1993, voters rejected efforts to establish separate residential and commercial land-use districts. Consequently, rather than a single central business district as the center of the city's employment, multiple districts and skylines have grown throughout the city in addition to [[Downtown Houston|Downtown]], which include Uptown, the [[Texas Medical Center]], [[Midtown, Houston, Texas|Midtown]], [[Greenway Plaza]], [[Memorial City]], the Energy Corridor, [[Westchase, Houston, Texas|Westchase]], and [[Greenspoint, Houston, Texas|Greenspoint]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Hlavaty|first=Craig|date=October 23, 2018|title=How many skylines do you think Houston has?|url=https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Houston-skyline-s-13330138.php|access-date=October 21, 2020|website=Houston Chronicle|language=en-US}}</ref>
{{clear}}

{{wide image|Houston Skyline (5374518048).jpg|1050px|align-cap=center|[[Downtown Houston]] skyline just after sunset}}
{{wide image|Uptown Houston North of Guilford Ct. and McCue Rd. Panoramic 2 - Dec 2013.jpg|1050px|align-cap=center|[[Uptown Houston]] skyline in 2013}}
{{wide image|Skyline of the Texas Medical Center - Houston, TX - December 2019.jpg|1050px|align-cap=center|[[Texas Medical Center]] skyline in 2019}}

===Architecture===
{{Main|Architecture of Houston}}
{{See also|List of tallest buildings in Houston}}
Houston had the fifth-tallest skyline in North America (after New York City, [[Chicago]], [[Toronto]] and [[Miami]]) and 36th-tallest in the world in 2015.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://tudl0867.home.xs4all.nl/skylines.html |title=The World's Best Skylines |website=tudl0867.home.xs4all.nl |access-date=October 21, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180307023152/http://tudl0867.home.xs4all.nl/skylines.html |archive-date=March 7, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> A seven-mile (11&nbsp;km) [[Houston Downtown Tunnel System|system of tunnels and skywalks]] links Downtown buildings containing shops and restaurants, enabling pedestrians to avoid summer heat and rain while walking between buildings. In the 1960s, [[Downtown Houston]] consisted of a collection of mid-rise office structures. Downtown was on the threshold of an energy industry{{ndash}}led boom in 1970. A succession of skyscrapers was built throughout the 1970s—many by real estate developer [[Gerald D. Hines]]—culminating with Houston's tallest skyscraper, the 75-floor, {{convert|1002|ft|m|0|adj=on}}-tall [[JPMorgan Chase Tower (Houston)|JPMorgan Chase Tower]] (formerly the Texas Commerce Tower), completed in 1982. It is the tallest structure in Texas, [[List of tallest buildings in the United States|19th tallest]] building in the United States, and was previously [[List of tallest buildings in the world|85th-tallest]] skyscraper in the world, based on highest architectural feature. In 1983, the 71-floor, {{convert|992|ft|m|0|adj=on}}-tall [[Wells Fargo Plaza (Houston)|Wells Fargo Plaza]] (formerly Allied Bank Plaza) was completed, becoming the second-tallest building in Houston and Texas. Based on highest architectural feature, it is the 21st-tallest in the United States. In 2007, Downtown had over 43 million square feet (4,000,000 m<sup>2</sup>) of office space.<ref>[http://www.houstondowntown.com/Home/GeneralInfo/About/FastFacts1/ Fast Facts, Downtown Houston] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091205170813/http://www.houstondowntown.com/Home/GeneralInfo/About/FastFacts1/ |date=December 5, 2009 }}. ''Houstondowntown.com'' 2006. Retrieved on January 10, 2007.</ref>

Centered on Post Oak Boulevard and Westheimer Road, the [[Uptown Houston|Uptown District]] boomed during the 1970s and early 1980s when a collection of midrise office buildings, hotels, and retail developments appeared along Interstate 610 West. Uptown became one of the most prominent instances of an [[edge city]]. The tallest building in Uptown is the 64-floor, {{convert|901|ft|m|0|adj=on}}-tall, [[Philip Johnson]] and [[John Burgee]] designed landmark [[Williams Tower]] (known as the Transco Tower until 1999). At the time of construction, it was believed to be the world's tallest skyscraper outside a central business district. The new 20-story Skanska building<ref>{{cite web |url=http://texas.construction.com/texas_construction_projects/2013/0904-houstons-galleria-area-gets-first-new-office-building-in-30-years.asp |title=Reports |date=February 8, 2017 |access-date=February 24, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140228094113/http://texas.construction.com/texas_construction_projects/2013/0904-houstons-galleria-area-gets-first-new-office-building-in-30-years.asp |archive-date=February 28, 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref> and BBVA Compass Plaza<ref>{{cite web |url=http://blog.chron.com/primeproperty/2013/06/bbva-compass-plaza-opens-new-building-on-post-oak/#13191101=0 |title=BBVA Compass Plaza opens new building on Post Oak |work=Prime Property |date=June 13, 2013 |access-date=September 15, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150912023711/http://blog.chron.com/primeproperty/2013/06/bbva-compass-plaza-opens-new-building-on-post-oak/#13191101=0 |archive-date=September 12, 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref> are the newest office buildings built in Uptown after 30 years. The Uptown District is also home to buildings designed by noted architects [[I. M. Pei]], [[César Pelli]], and Philip Johnson. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, a mini-boom of midrise and highrise [[Tower block|residential tower]] construction occurred, with several over 30 stories tall.<ref>[http://www.uptown-houston.com/economic/market/residential.html Residential Real Estate]. ''Uptown-houston.com'' Retrieved on January 11, 2007. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150201213217/http://www.uptown-houston.com/economic/market/residential.html |date=February 1, 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Sarnoff |first=Nancy |title=Genesis Laying Down Plans for Newest Uptown Condo Highrise |work=Houston Business Journal |date=December 14, 2001 |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/2001/12/17/newscolumn3.html |access-date=February 7, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080311044243/http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/2001/12/17/newscolumn3.html |archive-date=March 11, 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Apte |first=Angela |title=Rising Land Costs Boost Houston's Mid-Rise Market |work=Houston Business Journal |date=October 26, 2001 |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/2001/10/29/focus1.html |access-date=January 11, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070526002919/http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/2001/10/29/focus1.html |archive-date=May 26, 2007 |url-status=live }}</ref> Since 2000 over 30 skyscrapers have been developed in Houston; all told, 72 high-rises tower over the city, which adds up to about 8,300 units.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.houstoniamag.com/home-and-design/design/articles/living-the-high-life-september-2013 |website=HoustoniaMag.com |publisher=HoustoniaMag |access-date=September 10, 2014 |title=Living the High Life. Earthbound Houstonians consider something uplifting. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140910195216/http://www.houstoniamag.com/home-and-design/design/articles/living-the-high-life-september-2013 |archive-date=September 10, 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2002, Uptown had more than 23 million square feet (2,100,000 m<sup>2</sup>) of office space with 16&nbsp;million square feet (1,500,000 m<sup>2</sup>) of [[class A office space]].<ref>[http://www.uptown-houston.com/economic/market/office.html Commercial Real Estate]. ''Uptown-houston.com'' Retrieved on January 10, 2007. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150201200302/http://www.uptown-houston.com/economic/market/office.html |date=February 1, 2015 }}</ref><gallery class="center" widths="170" heights="170">
File:Neils-Esperson Building Houston Texas.jpg|The Niels Esperson Building stood as the tallest building in Houston from 1927 to 1929.
File:JP Morgan Chase Tower in Houston - Dec 2013.JPG|The [[JPMorgan Chase Tower (Houston)|JPMorgan Chase Tower]] is the tallest building in Texas and the tallest 5-sided building in the world.
File:Williamstower.jpg|The [[Williams Tower]] is the tallest building in the US outside a central business district.
File:Bank of America Center Houston 1.jpg|The [[Bank of America Center (Houston)|Bank of America Center]] by [[Philip Johnson]] is an example of [[postmodern architecture]].
</gallery>

===Climate===
{{Main|Climate of Houston}}
[[File:Hurricane Harvey (36561871944).jpg|thumb|[[Buffalo Bayou]] after [[Hurricane Harvey]], August 2017]]
Houston's climate is classified as [[humid subtropical climate|humid subtropical]] (''Cfa'' in the [[Köppen climate classification system]]), typical of the [[Southern United States]]. While not in [[Tornado Alley]], like much of [[North Texas|Northern Texas]], spring [[Supercell|supercell thunderstorms]] sometimes bring tornadoes to the area.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2019/05/10/hammered-by-heavy-rain-huge-hail-thursday-night-houston-braces-more-downpours/ |title=Hammered by heavy rain and huge hail Thursday night, Houston braces for more downpours, flooding |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |access-date=June 29, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190629020015/https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2019/05/10/hammered-by-heavy-rain-huge-hail-thursday-night-houston-braces-more-downpours/ |archive-date=June 29, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> Prevailing winds are from the south and southeast during most of the year, which bring heat and tropical moisture from the nearby Gulf of Mexico and Galveston Bay.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.visithoustontexas.com/media/statistics/Houston_Stats_Weather|title=Weather Stats|work=Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081230150744/http://www.visithoustontexas.com/media/statistics/Houston_Stats_Weather|archive-date=December 30, 2008|access-date=October 11, 2008}}</ref>

During the summer, temperatures reach or exceed {{convert|90|°F|0}} an average of 106.5&nbsp;days per year, including a majority of days from June to September. Additionally, an average of 4.6 days per year reach or exceed {{convert|100|°F|1}}.<ref name = NOAA/> Houston's characteristic subtropical humidity often results in a higher [[apparent temperature]], and summer mornings average over 90% [[relative humidity]].<ref>"[https://web.archive.org/web/20011101082154/http://lwf.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/online/ccd/avgrh.html Average Relative Humidity (%)]", ''National Climatic Data Center''. Retrieved on February 23, 2012.</ref> [[Air conditioning]] is ubiquitous in Houston; in 1981, annual spending on electricity for interior cooling exceeded $600 million (equivalent to ${{Inflation|index=US|value=0.600|start_year=1981|r=2|fmt=c}} billion in {{Inflation-year|index=US}}), and by the late 1990s, approximately 90% of Houston homes featured air conditioning systems.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/07/02/us/houston-journal-broiling-on-the-outside-but-really-it-s-no-sweat.html |title=Houston Journal; Broiling on the Outside, But, Really, It's No Sweat |last=Rimer |first=Sara |date=July 2, 1998 |work=The New York Times |access-date=March 18, 2018 |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180319152645/http://www.nytimes.com/1998/07/02/us/houston-journal-broiling-on-the-outside-but-really-it-s-no-sweat.html |archive-date=March 19, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1981/08/06/garden/houston-s-lifeline-tons-of-cool-air.html |title=Houston's Lifeline: Tons of Cool Air |last=Crewdson|first=John M. |newspaper=The New York Times |date=August 6, 1981 |access-date=March 18, 2018 |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180319091815/https://www.nytimes.com/1981/08/06/garden/houston-s-lifeline-tons-of-cool-air.html |archive-date=March 19, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> The record highest temperature recorded in Houston is {{convert|109|°F|0}} at Bush Intercontinental Airport, during September 4, 2000, and again on August 27, 2011.<ref name=NOAA/>
[[File:Shuttle Replica Independence covered in snow.jpg|thumb|[[Space Shuttle Independence|Space Shuttle ''Independence'']] replica covered in snow, 2017]]
Houston has mild winters, with occasional cold spells. In January, the normal mean temperature at George Bush Intercontinental Airport is {{convert|53|°F|0}}, with an average of 13 days per year with a low at or below {{Convert|32|°F|0}}, occurring on average between December 3 and February 20, allowing for a growing season of 286 days.<ref name=NOAA/> Twenty-first century snow events in Houston include a storm on [[2004 Christmas Eve Snowstorm|December 24, 2004]], which saw {{convert|1|in|cm|0}} of snow accumulate in parts of the metro area,<ref>National Weather Service Forecast Office, Houston/Galveston, Texas.{{cite web |url=http://www.srh.noaa.gov/hgx/projects/xmasevesnow04/pns_snowfalltotal.txt |title=Public Information Statement. |access-date=December 1, 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061212134359/http://www.srh.noaa.gov/hgx/projects/xmasevesnow04/pns_snowfalltotal.txt |archive-date=December 12, 2006}}  Retrieved on December 1, 2006.</ref> and an event on December 7, 2017, which precipitated {{convert|0.7|in|cm|0}} of snowfall.<ref>Shayanian, Sara (December 8, 2017). "[https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2017/12/08/Texas-hit-with-snow-as-winter-weather-system-aims-for-Northeast/4591512735568/ Texas hit with snow as winter weather system aims for Northeast] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171208170658/https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2017/12/08/Texas-hit-with-snow-as-winter-weather-system-aims-for-Northeast/4591512735568/ |date=December 8, 2017 }}". ''[[United Press International]]''.</ref><ref>Matthews, Blake (December 8, 2017). "[http://www.khou.com/news/local/record-snow-blankets-houston-and-texas/497922280 Record snow blankets Houston and Texas] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171213090827/http://www.khou.com/news/local/record-snow-blankets-houston-and-texas/497922280 |date=December 13, 2017 }}". ''[[KHOU-TV]]''.</ref> Snowfalls of at least {{convert|1|in|cm}} on both December 10, 2008, and December 4, 2009, marked the first time measurable snowfall had occurred in two consecutive years in the city's recorded history. Overall, Houston has seen measurable snowfall 38 times between 1895 and 2018. On February 14 and 15, 1895, Houston received {{convert|20|in|cm|0}} of snow, its largest snowfall from one storm on record.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://abc13.com/amp/weather/snow-in-houston----it-happens-more-than-you-think/2753082/ |title=Snow in Houston: It Happens More Than You Think |publisher=KTRK-TV |date=December 8, 2017 |access-date=March 22, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180127030850/http://abc13.com/amp/weather/snow-in-houston----it-happens-more-than-you-think/2753082/ |archive-date=January 27, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> The coldest temperature officially recorded in Houston was {{convert|5|°F|0}} on January 18, 1930.<ref name=NOAA/> The last time Houston saw single digit temperatures was on December 23, 1989. The temperature dropped to {{convert|7|°F|0}} at Bush Airport, marking the coldest temperature ever recorded there. 1.7 inches of snow fell at George Bush Intercontinental Airport the previous day.<ref>[https://www.click2houston.com/weather/2019/01/30/when-was-the-coldest-day-ever-in-houston/ KPRC]</ref>

Houston generally receives ample rainfall, averaging about {{convert|49.8|in|abbr=on}} annually based on records between 1981 and 2010. Many parts of the city have a high risk of localized flooding due to flat topography,<ref name=":7">{{Cite news |url=https://www.npr.org/2017/08/31/547575113/three-reasons-houston-was-a-sitting-duck-for-harvey-flooding |title=3 Reasons Houston Was A 'Sitting Duck' For Harvey Flooding |last=Schaper |first=David |date=August 31, 2017 |work=NPR |access-date=March 26, 2018 |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180327084359/https://www.npr.org/2017/08/31/547575113/three-reasons-houston-was-a-sitting-duck-for-harvey-flooding |archive-date=March 27, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> ubiquitous low-[[Permeability (earth sciences)|permeability]] clay-silt prairie soils,<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2017/investigations/harvey-urban-planning/ |title=How Houston's 'Wild West' growth may have contributed to devastating flooding |last1=Boburg |first1=Shawn |last2=Reinhard |first2=Beth |date=August 29, 2017 |newspaper=Washington Post |language=en |access-date=March 26, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180327084606/https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2017/investigations/harvey-urban-planning/ |archive-date=March 27, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> and inadequate infrastructure.<ref name=":7" /> During the mid-2010s, Greater Houston experienced consecutive major flood events in 2015 ([[2015 Texas–Oklahoma flood and tornado outbreak|"Memorial Day"]]),<ref name="Ramirez">{{Cite news |url=https://www.chron.com/news/houston-weather/article/Remembering-the-Memorial-Day-Flood-one-America-s-11176375.php |title=Remembering Houston's Memorial Day Flood, one of America's costliest floods |last=Ramirez |first=Fernando |date=May 26, 2017 |work=Houston Chronicle |access-date=March 26, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180327212054/https://www.chron.com/news/houston-weather/article/Remembering-the-Memorial-Day-Flood-one-America-s-11176375.php |archive-date=March 27, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> 2016 ([[April 2016 North American storm complex|"Tax Day"]]),<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/tax-day-flood/article/Revisiting-Houston-s-Tax-Day-Floods-one-year-later-11077890.php |title=Revisiting Houston's Tax Day Floods one year later |last=Perera |first=John Henry |date=April 17, 2017 |work=Houston Chronicle |access-date=March 26, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180327212021/https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/tax-day-flood/article/Revisiting-Houston-s-Tax-Day-Floods-one-year-later-11077890.php |archive-date=March 27, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> and 2017 ([[Hurricane Harvey]]).<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2017/aug/26/hurricane-harvey-makes-landfall-in-texas-latest-updates |title=Hurricane Harvey makes landfall in Texas |newspaper=The Guardian |access-date=August 26, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170826024231/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2017/aug/26/hurricane-harvey-makes-landfall-in-texas-latest-updates |archive-date=August 26, 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref> Overall, there have been more casualties and property loss from floods in Houston than in any other locality in the United States.<ref name="Dart">{{Cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jun/16/texas-flooding-houston-climate-change-disaster |title=Houston fears climate change will cause catastrophic flooding: 'It's not if, it's when' |last=Dart |first=Tom |date=June 16, 2017 |website=The Guardian |language=en |access-date=March 20, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180310105505/https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jun/16/texas-flooding-houston-climate-change-disaster |archive-date=March 10, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> The majority of rainfall occurs between April and October (the wet season of Southeast Texas), when the moisture from the Gulf of Mexico evaporates extensively over the city.<ref name="Ramirez"/><ref name="Dart"/>

Houston has excessive [[ozone]] levels and is routinely ranked among the most ozone-polluted cities in the United States.<ref>"[http://www.lung.org/assets/documents/publications/state-of-the-air/state-of-the-air-report-2005.pdf State of the Air 2005, National and Regional Analysis] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120428171714/http://www.lung.org/assets/documents/publications/state-of-the-air/state-of-the-air-report-2005.pdf |date=April 28, 2012 }}", American Lung Association, page 26, March 25, 2005. Retrieved on February 17, 2006.</ref> Ground-level ozone, or smog, is Houston's predominant air pollution problem, with the [[American Lung Association]] rating the metropolitan area's ozone level twelfth on the "Most Polluted Cities by Ozone" in 2017, after major cities such as [[Los Angeles]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix]], [[New York City]], and [[Denver]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lung.org/our-initiatives/healthy-air/sota/city-rankings/most-polluted-cities.html |title=How healthy is the air you breathe? |access-date=July 24, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170728191912/http://www.lung.org/our-initiatives/healthy-air/sota/city-rankings/most-polluted-cities.html |archive-date=July 28, 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref> The industries along the ship channel are a major cause of the city's air pollution.<ref name="cleanhouston">"[http://www.cleanhouston.org/air/index.htm Summary of the Issues] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060210193216/http://www.cleanhouston.org/air/index.htm |date=February 10, 2006 }}", Citizens League for Environmental Action Now, August 1, 2004. Retrieved on February 17, 2006.</ref> The rankings are in terms of peak-based standards, focusing strictly on the worst days of the year; the average ozone levels in Houston are lower than what is seen in most other areas of the country, as dominant winds ensure clean, marine air from the Gulf.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://theconversation.com/the-paradox-of-peak-based-ozone-air-pollution-standards-59300 |title=The paradox of peak-based ozone air pollution standards |last=Czader |first=Beata |date=May 20, 2016 |work=The Conversation |access-date=November 13, 2017 |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171031215252/http://theconversation.com/the-paradox-of-peak-based-ozone-air-pollution-standards-59300 |archive-date=October 31, 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref> Excessive man-made emissions in the Houston area led to a persistent increase of atmospheric carbon dioxide over the city. Such an increase, often regarded as "CO<sub>2</sub> urban dome", is driven by a combination of strong emissions and stagnant atmospheric conditions. Moreover, Houston is the only metropolitan area with less than ten million citizens where such a CO<sub>2</sub> dome can be detected by satellites.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Labzovskii|first1=Lev|last2=Jeong|first2=Su-Jong|last3=Parazoo|first3=Nicholas C.|date=2019|title=Working towards confident spaceborne monitoring of carbon emissions from cities using Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2|journal=Remote Sensing of Environment|volume=233|at=111359|doi=10.1016/j.rse.2019.111359|bibcode=2019RSEnv.23311359L|s2cid=202176909}}</ref>

{{Houston weatherbox}}
{{Weather box
| location = Houston ([[William P. Hobby Airport]]), 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1930–present
| collapsed = Y
| single line = Y

|Jan avg record high F = 78.2
|Feb avg record high F = 80.6
|Mar avg record high F = 84.3
|Apr avg record high F = 87.8
|May avg record high F = 92.5
|Jun avg record high F = 96.4
|Jul avg record high F = 98.1
|Aug avg record high F = 99.3
|Sep avg record high F = 96.1
|Oct avg record high F = 91.4
|Nov avg record high F = 84.7
|Dec avg record high F = 80.5
|year avg record high F = 100.2

| Jan high F = 63.8
| Feb high F = 67.6
| Mar high F = 73.4
| Apr high F = 79.3
| May high F = 85.9
| Jun high F = 91.0
| Jul high F = 92.9
| Aug high F = 93.5
| Sep high F = 89.3
| Oct high F = 82.1
| Nov high F = 72.6
| Dec high F = 65.7
| year high F = 79.8
| Jan mean F = 55.0
| Feb mean F = 58.9
| Mar mean F = 64.7
| Apr mean F = 70.6
| May mean F = 77.6
| Jun mean F = 83.0
| Jul mean F = 84.8
| Aug mean F = 85.1
| Sep mean F = 81.1
| Oct mean F = 73.0
| Nov mean F = 63.3
| Dec mean F = 56.9
| year mean F = 
| Jan low F = 46.1
| Feb low F = 50.1
| Mar low F = 55.9
| Apr low F = 61.8
| May low F = 69.3
| Jun low F = 74.9
| Jul low F = 76.6
| Aug low F = 76.7
| Sep low F = 72.9
| Oct low F = 63.9
| Nov low F = 54.0
| Dec low F = 48.0
| year low F = 62.5

|Jan avg record low F = 30.5
|Feb avg record low F = 34.5
|Mar avg record low F = 38.7
|Apr avg record low F = 46.5
|May avg record low F = 57.2
|Jun avg record low F = 68.7
|Jul avg record low F = 72.3
|Aug avg record low F = 72.0
|Sep avg record low F = 62.2
|Oct avg record low F = 47.2
|Nov avg record low F = 36.8
|Dec avg record low F = 32.8
|year avg record low F = 28.4

| Jan record high F = 92
| Feb record high F = 93
| Mar record high F = 96
| Apr record high F = 94
| May record high F = 100
| Jun record high F = 105
| Jul record high F = 104
| Aug record high F = 109
| Sep record high F = 108
| Oct record high F = 96
| Nov record high F = 95
| Dec record high F = 94
| Jan record low F = 10
| Feb record low F = 14
| Mar record low F = 22
| Apr record low F = 36
| May record low F = 44
| Jun record low F = 56
| Jul record low F = 64
| Aug record low F = 66
| Sep record low F = 50
| Oct record low F = 33
| Nov record low F = 25
| Dec record low F = 9
| precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation inch = 4.09
| Feb precipitation inch = 2.85
| Mar precipitation inch = 3.28
| Apr precipitation inch = 4.08
| May precipitation inch = 5.42
| Jun precipitation inch = 6.09
| Jul precipitation inch = 4.59
| Aug precipitation inch = 5.44
| Sep precipitation inch = 5.76
| Oct precipitation inch = 5.78
| Nov precipitation inch = 3.90
| Dec precipitation inch = 4.34
| year precipitation inch = 55.62

|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
|Jan precipitation days = 10.2
|Feb precipitation days = 8.9
|Mar precipitation days = 8.3
|Apr precipitation days = 8.0
|May precipitation days = 7.7
|Jun precipitation days = 10.4
|Jul precipitation days = 9.2
|Aug precipitation days = 9.6
|Sep precipitation days = 9.8
|Oct precipitation days = 7.2
|Nov precipitation days = 8.4
|Dec precipitation days = 9.5

|source 1 = NOAA<ref name = NOAA2>
{{cite web
|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USW00012918&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|title = U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: Houston Hobby AP, TX
|access-date = November 30, 2023
}}
</ref>
|source 2 = National Weather Service<ref name = NOWData>
{{cite web
|url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/climate?wfo=hgx
|publisher = National Weather Service
|title = NOAA Online Weather Data – NWS Houston
|access-date = November 30, 2023
}}
</ref>
}}

[[File:Hurricane-Tropical Storm Harvey in Houston - August 27 2017 AM (36032737983).jpg|thumb|Flooded parking lot during Hurricane Harvey, August 2017]]
Because of Houston's [[wet season]] and proximity to the [[Gulf Coast of the United States|Gulf Coast]], the city is prone to flooding from heavy rains; the most notable flooding events include [[Tropical Storm Allison]] in 2001 and [[Hurricane Harvey]] in 2017, along with most recent [[Tropical Storm Imelda]] in 2019 and [[Tropical Storm Beta (2020)|Tropical Storm Beta]] in 2020. In response to Hurricane Harvey, Mayor Sylvester Turner of Houston initiated plans to require developers to build homes that will be less susceptible to flooding by raising them two feet above the [[100-year flood|500-year floodplain]]. Hurricane Harvey damaged hundreds of thousands of homes and dumped trillions of gallons of water into the city.<ref name="regulations">{{Cite web|last1=Cardenas|first1=Cat|last2=Formby|first2=Brandon|work=The Texas Tribune|date=April 4, 2018 |url=https://www.texastribune.org/2018/04/04/houston-city-council-approves-changes-floodplain-regulations-narrow-vo/ |title=Houston council approves changes to floodplain regulations in effort to reduce flood damage |access-date=January 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190609023026/https://www.texastribune.org/2018/04/04/houston-city-council-approves-changes-floodplain-regulations-narrow-vo/ |archive-date=June 9, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> In places this led to feet of standing water that blocked streets and flooded homes. The Houston City Council passed this regulation in 2018 with a vote of 9–7. Had these floodplain development rules had been in place all along, it is estimated that 84% of homes in the 100-year and 500-year floodplains would have been spared damage.{{dubious|date=January 2020}}<ref name="regulations" />

In a recent case testing these regulations, near the Brickhouse Gulley, an old golf course that long served as a floodplain and reservoir for floodwaters, announced a change of heart toward intensifying development.<ref>{{Cite journal |url=https://slate.com/business/2018/08/houston-one-year-after-hurricane-harvey-is-at-a-crossroads.html |title=And the Waters Will Prevail |journal=Slate |date=August 30, 2018 |access-date=November 18, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191106183516/https://slate.com/business/2018/08/houston-one-year-after-hurricane-harvey-is-at-a-crossroads.html |archive-date=November 6, 2019 |url-status=live |last1=Grabar |first1=Henry }}</ref> A nationwide developer, [[Meritage Homes]], bought the land and planned to develop the 500-year floodplain into 900 new residential homes. Their plan would bring in $360 million in revenue and boost city population and tax revenue. In order to meet the new floodplain regulations, the developers needed to elevate the lowest floors two feet above the 500-year floodplain, equivalent to five or six feet above the 100-year base flood elevation, and build a channel to direct stormwater runoff toward detention basins. Before Hurricane Harvey, the city had bought $10.7 million in houses in this area specifically to take them out of danger. In addition to developing new streets and single-family housing within a floodplain, a flowing flood-water stream termed a floodway runs through the development area, a most dangerous place to encounter during any future flooding event.<ref name="billion">{{Cite news |url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/What-s-in-a-floodway-In-Houston-20-000-12409821.php |title=What's in Houston's worst flood zones? Development worth $13.5 billion |newspaper=Houston Chronicle |date=December 6, 2017 |access-date=November 18, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190203071619/https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/What-s-in-a-floodway-In-Houston-20-000-12409821.php |archive-date=February 3, 2019 |url-status=live |last1=Dempsey |first1=Mark Collette }}</ref> Under Texas law [[Harris County, Texas|Harris County]], like other more rural Texas counties, cannot direct developers where to build or not build via land use controls such as a zoning ordinance, and instead can only impose general floodplain regulations for enforcement during subdivision approvals and building permit approvals.<ref name="billion" />