Houston has made significant strides to improve its resilience as a coastal city over the past two decades. Federal, state and local leaders have prioritized efforts to strengthen flood mitigation, enhance power reliability and secure the region’s water supply.  Each weather event has brought important lessons, prompting investments and solutions to protect homes, businesses and critical infrastructure.  In the most recent legislative session, Texas lawmakers secured over $361 million for the Houston region to bolster water supply and advance ongoing flood mitigation projects. Targeted Funding The Legislature used nearly $1 billion in surplus dollars to secure dedicated funding for water projects around the state. The funding was included in the Supplemental Budget Bill (House Bill 500), making the dollars immediately available. The projects that receive that funding are highlighted in the General Appropriations Act and include significant funding for highlighted projects, including: $100 million for the Lynchburg Pump Station; the city had requested $177 million from the state $60 million for the Lake Livingston Dam Improvement $54 million for Cypress Ditch Regional Flood Mitigation Projects in Bellaire Click here to download the one-pager highlighting all the Houston-area resilience projects funded by lawmakers this session. Downstream Dollars Another significant change made by lawmakers this session was to make flood prevention projects eligible to receive state dollars from the Texas Water Fund. When it was initially created in 2023, the Texas Water Fund was targeted at developing new supply and addressing infrastructure. This session, under Senate Bill 7, the state will now be able to transfer available dollars from the Texas Water Fund to the Flood Infrastructure Fund for mitigation projects, like those highlighted above. This presents a significant opportunity to ensure the state maximizes its use of available funds to control how water is brought to Texans and how flooding is managed during major weather events. Dig Deeper Learn more about local victories highlighted by the City of Houston Learn why infrastructure is everyone’s business when it comes to building a resilient Houston The Budget Explorer Tool is now updated with the final version of the two-year spending bill. Click here to explore water funding Click here to explore education funding Click here to explore the 2026-27 state budget toplines   For more updates and alerts on the Texas Legislature, click here to sign up for our weekly newsletter. 

The Greater Houston Partnership welcomed 13 new member companies in the month of June. The Partnership works to connect companies with resources, information and networking opportunities to help increase business while also providing a platform to influence the direction of the region.  New members who joined in the month of June include: Arizon Corporation: Arizon Corporation is a global leader in the design and manufacture of high-performance custom RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) solutions. They provide comprehensive RFID application solutions and services worldwide for various fields, including apparel, retail, and logistics. Website. Arnold Ventures: Arnold Ventures is a philanthropy founded by Laura and John Arnold in 2008, dedicated to improving the lives of all Americans through evidence-based policy solutions. They focus on addressing broken systems and driving lasting change through research, advocacy, and building bipartisan coalitions. Website. Boardwalk Pipeline Partners LP: Boardwalk Pipelines, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Loews Corporation and headquartered in Houston, Texas, owns and operates approximately 14,335 miles of interconnected natural gas and liquids pipelines across the central and eastern United States. They provide solutions for businesses requiring diverse market connectivity and reliable sources of supply for power generation, LNG, and petrochemical feedstock. Website. Cornerstone Capital Bank, SSB: Cornerstone Capital Bank is a company formed through the partnership of Cornerstone Home Lending and Roscoe Bank, combining their expertise to provide a range of banking services. They focus on mortgage lending, personal, commercial, and institutional banking, emphasizing service, strength, and stability for people and communities. Website. First Horizon Bank: First Horizon Bank is a financial institution that offers capital market services, regional banking and wealth management through the First Horizon family of companies. First Horizon Bank and IBERIABANK reached an important milestone by legally merging. IBERIABANK will adopt the First Horizon name. Website. Food Truck Club: The Food Trucks Club manufactures, rents, and sells food trucks and organizes events. They provide services related to gear for food trucks and host themed events. Website. Houston Habitat for Humanity: Houston Habitat for Humanity is dedicated to eliminating substandard housing in the City of Houston by helping low-income families earn simple decent homes in which to live. Website. Maximum Q: Maximum Q, led by Lisa Shumate, is a company focused on leadership coaching and development. They offer services such as Executive Advising, Leadership Bootcamp, and Organizational Transformation, utilizing "The Five Q's" to help leaders achieve breakthroughs and results. Website. Russo's: Russo's New York Pizzeria & Italian Kitchen is a pizza restaurant specializing in authentic New York-style pizza and Italian dishes based on family recipes. The company also offers franchise opportunities. Website. Sallyport Partners Fund: Sallyport Investments is an operationally focused private equity firm, based in Houston, TX. They partner with management teams to grow and build high-performing businesses across various industries, aiming to create lasting value for investors, companies, and communities. Website. TerraPower: TerraPower is an American nuclear reactor design and development engineering company, founded by Bill Gates. Headquartered in Bellevue, Washington, the company focuses on developing advanced nuclear technologies, such as the Natrium reactor, to provide clean, safe, and affordable energy. Website. TGS Cedar Points Partners, LP: TGS Cedar Points Partners is the largest master-planned rail-and-barge-served Industrial Park in the U.S., offering rail-served, e-commerce, distribution, cold storage, and manufacturing users unmatched resources for the future of industrial logistics. Website. The Edge Group: The Edge Group is an executive search firm established in 1994, specializing in sourcing talent and elevating organizations through retained search services. It is comprised of ten professionals with over 100 years of combined experience in professional retained search. Website.