FBI: More High Density Apartments In The Works For Missouri City?

After many contentious council debates and media exposure, a recent article to advance more high density apartments in Missouri City deserved a response. Read this entire piece from the "Fort Bend Independent" below:

Apartment developments need critical thinking

Apartment developments need critical thinking

This is in reference to the article “Revitalization of Texas Parkway/Cartwright Road,” published in the May 28 issue of Fort Bend Independent.

The article said “Using demographic trends of young professionals and empty nesters the study showed why we may need to change our thinking about apartments.”

These groups prefer apartments (not conventional apartments, but more multi-use spaces with second and third floor apartments and town homes) that are incorporated with shopping, food buying and “walking” for services and a “genuine town center.”

...The standard error, at least in Texas, for high density apartment development, is the method in which they are taxed.

Without an impact fee to equalize the costs, most entities, including the city, that rely on property taxes, would be negatively impacted, thus shifting the cost burden to homeowners once again and causing more school over-crowding because of the high density.

Only a few years ago developers fought this battle and during those debates it was learned that many families move to Fort Bend apartments with a very high percent attending FBISD schools.

The dollar figure that was placed on the per head student coming from these high density apartments was about half the dollar amount that attends the children coming from single family homes.

This appears to be yet another thinly disguised developer sponsored “futures group” pushing this. Is this really an aspect of this plan that will benefit our kids and the school system?

Looks to me like another attempt to urbanize and label it something else.

Certainly there are aspects of this plan that will work and add value to the community, but more high density apartments will not.

They are the only form on land-use that starts off depreciating.

Of course corporate America loves them for the tax shelters they offer, but they change the very character of the community over time.

The Fort Bend Economic Development Council in 2005 & 2006 published its concerns regarding the over-development of this type of housing in our county and the alarming rate it is occurring at.

Many areas of Houston, Sugar Land are already witnessing the problems associated with over development of this land-use regarding city services, crime increases.

Think critically about this plan before blindly endorsing it. Much of it will add value over the short-term, but think long-term if you own a home.