Houston City as the Most Populous City in Texas - Research Paper Example

A Study of Houston Houston is the most populous in Texas and also the fourth most populous in the United States. It is recognized as a global capital being the largest chemical producing state in the U.S., the home of NASA Johnson Space Center, having a world renowned port and two major air ports and being the home of Texas Medical Center (TMC), the world’s largest medical center. It is a multicultural city where over ninety languages are spoken. The following discussion is aimed at giving an overview of Houston city from its foundation to date. Introduction Houston is located on the land near the banks of Buffalo Bayou which is also known as Allens Landing. Its economy majorly depends on its heavy industrial energy base, manufacturing industries, aeronautics and transportation (Ramsey, 91). The port of Houston is ranked the first in the U.S. in international waterborne tonnage handled and the second in total cargo tonnage handled. Houston is a global city which is doing well in business, international trade, entertainment, culture, media, fashion, science, sports, technology, education, medicine and research. It is a multicultural city whose population comes from various ethnic, racial and religious backgrounds. It is considered to be the most diverse city in Texas and the United States (Ramsey, 90). Discussion History and development The city of Houston was founded in 1836 in the land near the banks of Buffalo Bayou which is currently known as Allens Landing. The land where Houston city sits today was purchased by two real estate entrepreneurs, Augusta’s Chapman Allen and John Kirby Allen in 1836 (Ramsey, 58). They named the city after a former general, Sam Houston, who was the president of the republic of Texas in 1836 and was the commander at the battle of San Jacinto. Houston was granted incorporation in June 1837 and James S. Holman became its first mayor and then became the temporary capital of Harrisburg County (now Harris County) and a temporary capital of the republic of Texas. During the American Civil War, Houston served as the headquarters for General John Bankhead Magruder, who used the city as an organizing point of his operations during the battle of Galveston (Ramsey, 61). Oil was discovered in 1901 at the Spindle top Oil Field near Beaumont and this led to the development of the Texas petroleum industry (Olien and Olien, 42). By 1910, the city’s population had doubled from a decade ago to about 78,800 people and African Americans were the majority of the population which was approximately one third of the residents. By 1930, Houston was Texas’ most populous city and Harris its most populous County. During the 1940 census, Houston population comprised of 77.5% whites while blacks comprised 22.4% (Hegstrom, 8). During World War II, The Brown Shipbuilding Company was founded in 1942 to build ships for the US Navy. After the war, Houston’s economy went back to being port driven. The establishment of NASA’s manned spacecraft center in 1961 led to Houston’s growth as did the production of local ship building industry during World War II. In the 1970’s, Houston experienced a population boom as people from other states were moving to Texas in large numbers due to numerous employment opportunities in the petroleum industry created by the Arab Oil Embargo. The 1990’s recession saw Houston diversify its economic efforts by focusing on aerospace and health care thus reducing its dependence on the petroleum industry (Carlos, 20). Population Houston is a multicultural city where over ninety languages are spoken. It’s one of the cities with the youngest populations in the U.S due to the influx of immigrants into Texas (Ramsey, 63). During the 2010 Census, the whites made up about 51% of Houston’s population, 26% were non Hispanic whites, 25% were African Americans, 0.7% were American Indians while Asians made up 6% of the total population. It is also one of the most racially diverse cities in the nation with all the major racial groups well represented. Houston leads among the metropolitan areas in the US as the fourth largest Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) in the nation (Ramsey, 67). In March 2011, the US census bureau announced that the Houston MSA consisting of 10 counties was ranked the first in the nation’s population growth. Between 2000 and 2010, Houston MSA increased from 4.7 million to 5.9 million residents. As it stands now, increase in population is inevitable in Houston over the next thirty years. This will be a result of domestic and international migration trends which favor Houston’s geographical, cultural and economic strengths. Employment sector The recession which caused massive unemployment among Houston residents was short lived as the Houston MSA recovered jobs sooner than most of the other areas which were affected by the same. Between the period of June 2012 and June 2013, Houston added more than 97, 700 jobs which increased the job growth by 3.6% (Hegstrom, 11). Houston’s mining and logging industry sector as well as the natural gas companies are a leading source of employment at 5.4 percent which is boosted by oil and gas extraction. Houston global energy capital Houston is recognized all over the world as an energy capital with every major energy company represented locally. With this, Houston actually stands as a global example of economic diversity (Olien and Olien, 25). It is the home to a thriving base of industries which include medical/ biomedical technology, global trade (including airborne and waterborne domestic/ international cargo), aeronautics, plastic manufacturing, electronics, computers, software design and integrated power. Virtually every segment of the energy industry is represented by over 5000 firms in the region. It’s also known as the global center for integrated power where all the major oil and gas companies have extensive operations (Olien and Olien, 28). These companies include Chevron, BP America, Shell Oil Company, Marathon oil among others. Engineers have a strong base in Houston and the city is described as having the world’s leading pool of engineering talent which is generated from its energy, aerospace and medical professionals. Petrochemical and plastics industry The state of Texas is the largest chemical producing state in the US generating about $145 billion in annual revenue. Houston is a global leader in manufacturing petrochemicals with the Houston ship Channel recognized as the largest petrochemical complex in the US. More than 125 refining and petrochemical manufacturing companies are found in Houston and they operate in the region’s largest petrochemical plants (Olien and Olien, 56). These plants include Bayport Industrial District, Battleground Industrial Complex, Bayport Shipping Terminal and the Houston Ship Channel. The chemical industry in Houston employs more than 101,500 people in Texas, nearly 16 percent of the industry’s total US workforce. The port of Houston The port of Houston’s is built in a strategic location and its market strength represents a combination of business growth and increased industrial development. It has a major economic impact as it accounts for 1.1 million jobs and $179 billion of total economic activity in Texas (Carlos, 34). Domestic and foreign trade container traffic at the port of Houston Authority rose by 3 percent in 2012. An immense network of interstate highways and railways connect the port with an inland market of approximately 100 million customers which is beneficial to Houstonians as well as the nation and the rest of the world. NASA Johnson Space Center NASA’s Johnson space center (JSC) is a $1.8 billion complex which was established in 1961 and it covers about 1700 acres of land (Carlos, 15). JSC is one of NASA’s largest research and development facilities and mission control for all US manned space flight communications, including the International Space Station and Exploration Programs. Since the inception of Gemini, Apollo and Skylab in 1969, JSC continues to make significant advances in science, aeronautics, technology, engineering and medicine. In 2012, JSC’s offered over 14000 jobs which included 3,000 civil servants and 11,000 contractor personnel. JSC’s top contractors include the Boeing Company, United Space Alliance, Jacobs Technology and Honeywell International among others (Carlos, 26). The mission control center at Johnson Space Center directs all space shuttle missions, including international space station assembly flights. Houston’s Mobility Infrastructure Houston is a major transportation hub with two major airports, a world renowned port and superior rail and road infrastructure. It thus facilitates the interconnection of regional and global business locations. It has 94 foreign consulate offices in Houston which enhances business alliances with major national as well as global markets. It is well positioned to compete in today’s global marketplace because it has numerous business advantages. Its location in the South Central U.S. strategically places it equidistant from the nation’s major population centers; New York (1631 miles) and Los Angeles (1550 miles) (Ramsey, 84). Connection of Houston to major national and international locations is further facilitated by its excellent transportation infrastructure which includes the George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Ellington Field and the Port of Houston. Houston Airport System was ranked sixth nationally in passenger volume in 2012 carrying a capacity of 50.3 million passengers and 924.1 million pounds of freight. Texas Medical Center (TMC) TMC is the world’s largest medical center and represents one of Houston’s major economic drivers and core industries. Its annual economic impact is estimated at $15 billion. It’s also one of the places which offer employment to Houston residents with 106, 000 employees including physicians, scientists, researchers and other advanced professionals (Ramsey, 76). It is the world’s largest medical complex with 54 member institutions including leading medical, academic and research institutions which are dedicated to highest standards of research, education and patient preventive care. Over 70,000 students including about 20,000 international students are affiliated with TMC. In 2012, TMC received more than 7.2 million patients and among them, approximately 16000 were international patients. Biosciences and Biotechnology Biotechnology and life science industry continues to expand in Houston with more than 100 institutions and companies thus attracting over $1.8 billion in research and development funding annually. Leading research efforts has been in the areas of nanotechnology, pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, genetics/ genometics, biodefence and infectious diseases, stem cell research and oncology. Culture Houston is a metropolitan area and is the home to an estimated 1.1 million people who were born outside U.S. Many annual events are held to celebrate the diverse cultures in Houston which include the annual Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, annual night time Houston Pride Parade, Houston Greek festival, Art car parade, Houston Auto Show and Bayou city Art Festival (Lomax, 43). Houston is also the home of famous museums, architecture works and landmarks. The Holocaust museum is the fourth largest museum in the U.S. Its outstanding efforts to promote Holocaust education in schools across the country are widely known. The museum houses over 5000 volumes of literature that provides insight into the history of the Holocaust and its World War II ramifications. Geography Houston city occupies a total area of 656.3 square miles which comprises 634 square miles of land and 22.3 square miles of water. It is located in the gulf coastal plain and the vegetation is classified as temperate grassland and forest. The land is generally flat and this combined with the urban sprawl has made flooding a recurring problem (Earl, Karl and Uel, 88). The city relies on ground water from Lake Houston, Lake Conroe and Lake Livingstone. It has four major bayous passing through the city which are; Buffalo bayou, White Oak bayou, Braes bayou and Sims bayou. Houston’s land surface is covered with unconsolidated clays, clay shale’s and poorly cemented sands. The area also has over 150 active faults including the Long Point Eureka Heights which runs through the center of the city. Climate Houston’s climate is classified as humid sub tropical which is typical of the lower south. Prevailing winds coming from the south and south east bring heat and moisture from the Gulf of Mexico. It’s common for temperatures to reach 32 degrees Celsius in summer and thus people use air conditioning in nearly every vehicle and building (Earl, Karl and Uel, 80). Houston has mild winters with the normal mean temperatures being 11.7 degrees Celsius. The coldest temperatures recorded in Houston were -15 degrees Celsius in January 1940. Rainfall averages to about 1260mm annually and localized flooding is a common phenomenon in Houston due to the extremely flat topography and typical clay slit prairie soils. Architecture Houston has the tallest sky line in North America and the twentieth in the whole world. An 11 km system of tunnels and sky walks link downtown buildings containing shops and restaurants thus enabling pedestrians avoid summer heat and rain while walking between buildings. Houston’s tallest sky scrapper is the 305M tall JP Morgan Chase Tower which was completed in 1982. It is the tallest structure in Texas, 15th tallest in the U.S. and the 85th tallest sky scrapper in the world (Lomax, 55). In 1983, the 71 floor 302m tall Wells Fargo Plaza was completed becoming the second tallest building in Houston and Texas. It’s the 17th tallest in the U.S. and the 95th tallest in the world. The tallest building in uptown Houston is the 64 floor (275m) tall Phillip Johnson and John Burgee landmark Williams Tower. Transport Transport by road is the predominant form of transportation in Houston with about 71.1 percent of residents driving alone to work. This is facilitated through Houston’s freeway system which comprises 1189.8km of freeways and expressways. However, in 2009 Houston was found to have the fourth worst congestion in the country with commuters spending an average of 58 hours in traffic. Houston’s highway system has a hub and spoke freeway structure which is serviced by multiple loops (Ramsey, 71). Environmental issues Due to the fact that Houston has been the home to the oil and gas industry, it has had a troubled past with pollution. The oil and petrochemical industries in Houston are leading contributors to the city’s economy. Industries located along the ship channel, coupled with a growing population have caused a considerable increase in air pollution and Houston has been ranked among the most o-zone polluted cities in the U.S ((Lomax, 22). Unemployment and education levels Houston ranks high among cities with the worst income inequality and segregation where black neighborhoods are characterized by generational poverty. Individuals with graduate degrees in Houston range from one percent or less (Hegstrom, 21). Half of the people living in Houston do not have a degree past high school. Income levels are relatively low in Houston and most employees would prefer to pay less for jobs in Houston than in other places considered to have high costs of living. In 2010, the unemployment rate in Houston was 10 percent, the 18th highest unemployment rate in the whole country. The unemployment rates according to race was; Caucasians 6.2percent, Hispanics 9.5percent, African- Americans 16.5 percent which demonstrates a disproportionate hiring and employment instability for African Americans living in Houston. Unemployment is a major contributor to poverty and in 2010, the percentage of people living below poverty level in Houston was 23 percent (Hegstrom, 19). While the unemployment rates for Hispanics is slightly higher than that of the Hispanics, poverty levels among the Hispanics and African Americans is almost four times that of the Caucasians Massive international trade Houston’s port is the largest in terms of international tonnage that is handled and the third in terms of trade value. It’s also business friendly and is the only major city in the U.S. without zoning laws. The port along with Houston’s strength in the energy sector and proximity to Latin America has encouraged the growth of more than 100 foreign owned companies (Ramsey, 87). Houston’s strategic position and core strengths including an ever expanding energy sector, strong import/ export trade activity, cutting edge medical advancements and massive technological breakthroughs across industries position it to play a vital role in meeting national and global market demands. How Houston is tackling problems in housing and homelessness. Housing Houston has no housing plan to guide the city’s housing policies and ensure that public and private sector housing investments are consistent with the city’s needs and vision for how it should grow (Hegstrom, 10). Without a plan, new houses will continue to be built without any regard to the availability of physical and social infrastructure and public transportation. The two year city election cycles and term limits make it difficult for most members of the city council to develop sufficient housing issues. Growing shortages of affordable housing in many Houston neighborhoods force low and moderate income families to relocate to the metropolitan periphery areas where land and housing are less expensive but are far from jobs and public transportation. Such families are forced to completely depend on private transport thus incurring large transportation costs and contributing to traffic congestion and air pollution. Houston city’s low home ownership suggests that new efforts are needed to increase home ownership opportunities for low and moderate income people (Hegstrom, 17). Homelessness Many factors put people and families at risk of homelessness which include unemployment, low wages, expensive housing, lack of health insurance and racial discrimination combine with personal issues such as domestic violence, alcohol and drug abuse and serious mental and physical illnesses (Hegstrom, 5). Accessing housing options for homeless people can be cumbersome and difficult in Houston area. Emergency shelters and day care centers are the most common source of referrals into transitional and permanent supportive housing. Homeless adults are assisted to access employment services and job training. For children who are currently homeless and are part of a family, child care is provided by homeless service providers and emergency shelters. Children and youth who have experienced the trauma of homelessness are also offered counseling services. Houston is considered a hub for domestic and international human trafficking and homeless and runaway youth are a major target (Hegstrom, 12). For minors who have been victims of international human trafficking, Catholic Charities step in and the children are taken to Houston Unaccompanied Refugee Minor Program which provides foster care services for children and youth deemed refugees by the U.S. office of Refugee Resettlement (children at risk). Conclusion As much as the city of Houston can be lauded for being the home of oil and gas industries, air pollution in the city is actually considered to be unacceptable. The pollutants range from tailpipe emissions from cars, trucks and buses; toxic pollutants emitted by the more than 400 chemical facilities; the petrochemical complex along the Houston ship channel and the port of Houston (Ramsey, 60). It is also supposed to put into place policies and measures which will govern and counter the issues of homelessness, housing and criminal activities including drug trafficking and violent as well as non violent crimes. Works cited Carlos, Erik. Ellington Field: A Short History, 1917- 1963. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. 20(1) (2009): 12- 37. Earl, Verbeek., Karl, Ratzlaf and Uel, Clanton. Faults in Parts of North- Central and Western Houston Metropolitan Area, Texas. United States Geological Survey. 10(1) (2005): 77- 102. Hegstrom, Edward. Shadows Cloaking Immigrants Prevent Accurate Count. Houston Chronicles. 1(5) (2006): 1- 22. Lomax, John. Nobody Gets Out of Here Alive- The Houston Rock Scene and the Cultural Cringe. (2007). Texas, TX: The Houston Press. Olien, Diana and Olien, Roger. Oil in Texas: The Gusher Age, 1895- 1945. (2002). Texas, TX: University of Texas Press. Ramsey, Cody. In a State of Big, Houston is at the Top. Houston Business Journal. 20(1) (2002): 58- 92. Read More