“Elevation” by artist Mr Cenz pays tribute to the importance of entrepreneurship and decent work for all.
The Office of Commissioner Rodney Ellis is committed to making our economy more inclusive and equitable by supporting programs and initiatives that promote the growth, development, and long-term success of small businesses, with a focus on historically disenfranchised businesses.
Certifications such as Minority, Women, and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (M/W/DBE) and Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) certifications recognize businesses owned and controlled by minorities, women, and socially or economically disadvantaged individuals. These certifications help level the playing field by promoting fair access to contracting opportunities in both the public and private sectors. They support efforts to increase supplier diversity, strengthen local economies, and address longstanding disparities in business participation.
Harris County does not certify businesses. Instead, Harris County recognizes several certifications from certifying agencies for M/WBE credit, as long as firms have a significant local presence as defined by Harris County. The Department of Economic Equity and Opportunity has a list of the agencies from which Harris County assesses certifications for M/WBE.
The Office of Commissioner Ellis has expanded our high comfort, on-street bicycle network to 9.4 miles, which tripled the size of the network in just one year. We have re-paved more than 20 miles of park trails for pedestrians and people on bikes to enjoy. We have instituted cycling programs at local community centers to educate constituents of all ages and abilities about the fundamentals of cycling and bike safety. And we have helped to expand the network of bike sharing in Houston by adding 13 new stations, primarily at college campuses and in underserved neighborhoods in our precinct so that more residents can enjoy cycling.
We’ve also made major pushes to improve pedestrian safety measures, including reconstructing streets around two of our universities – Texas Southern University and the University of Houston – to improve safety and mobility for students, staff, and visitors to those campuses and the surrounding neighborhood. We’ve constructed wider sidewalks, better lighting, and other features to improve use by pedestrians and people on bikes.
Unfortunately, many neighborhoods in the greater Houston area don’t have access to nearby park. These five additional SPARK Parks will greatly enhance the quality of life for Precinct One residents by:
Every Harris County community should have access to safe streets and sidewalks. Precinct One has started construction on 2.4 miles of 6-foot sidewalks and 10-foot shared-use trails along West Mount Houston Road from Bold Forest to West Montgomery; West Montgomery Road from Breen to West Gulf Bank; and TC Jester Boulevard from SH 249 to West Montgomery. A high-comfort on-street bikeway will also be constructed along the segment of West Mount Houston Road.
The project also includes improvements to bus stops and crosswalks.
Cullen Boulevard is a major thoroughfare for Third Ward residents and the University of Houston (UH) community. To improve safety and access to this corridor, Harris County Precinct One, in partnership with the City of Houston and UH, will reconstruct a 1.5-mile portion of Cullen in two phases to transform the existing street into a beautiful, pedestrian and bike-friendly street.
The two segments include:
Improvements to roadways like Cullen are long overdue and will contribute to vibrancy of the Third Ward community. The reconstruction of Cullen will significantly improve quality of life for those in the UH community and those in the surrounding neighborhoods of Third Ward. This project will:
These investments in Houston BCycle expand transportation options for everyone. Expanding the network of BCycle will:
Once completed, these improvements will:
FUTURE PHASES
The Office of Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis is also funding the design and construction of a new pedestrian/bicycle bridge across Sims Bayou from Hill at Sims, connecting to Sims Bayou Greenway and Margaret Jenkins Park.
We are grateful for your faithful service to the United States, and are committed to serving veterans throughout Harris County, which has the largest veteran population in Texas. To serve you better, a committee analyzed the quality of Harris County’s veteran services. The committee found opportunities to change our service model. In 2019, Commissioners Court adopted the committee's recommendations to improve our veterans' services. As with all our programs, Precinct One incorporates equity, fairness and justice as priorities for Harris County Veterans Services Department (HCVSD) goals.
Aligning with the committee's 2019 recommendations, we began making changes:
SCOTT STREET GREENWAY
HILLTOP, BASIN TRAILS, & NATURE CENTER PAVILION
Investment and community outreach for the Hill at Sims started with a programming study of the Hill at Sims site, funded and led by the Office of Commissioner Ellis, to transform the more than 100-acre regional detention basin into easily accessible parkland. The project team, led by project manager Houston Parks Board, gathered community input through public meetings and community events. See the below links to view the study and corresponding materials:
Extreme heat has quickly become one of the most widespread and dangerous impacts of climate change, and we all need to take precautions to stay safe in extreme heat. More than 300 Texans died from heat in 2023, the most since the state began tracking such deaths in 1989. In the U.S., extreme heat causes more deaths than any other weather hazard, including hurricanes, tornadoes, and flooding.
Learn more at Harris County Public Health’s Extreme Heat & Health Hub and Heat.gov.
Beat the Heat Tips:
Our region is experiencing harsher winter weather every year. The time to prepare is now. Remember to Prepare and Protect the 4Ps: People, Pets, Pipes and Plants.
People:
Pets:
Pipes:
Plants:
Funds can be used for projects like:
We aim to involve the community in these projects when possible, such as:
Share your goods, services, or innovative ideas with us! The Office of Commissioner Rodney Ellis is looking to connect with small and diverse businesses that can help us better serve Harris County.
Explore resources offered by Harris County and our government and private sector partners, and take advantage of funding opportunities available to help small businesses grow and succeed.
It’s not just talk. It’s civic life made clear, actionable, and rooted in the voices of our community.
The Equity Check breaks down the biggest national issues and connects them directly to what’s happening in Harris County. With episodes featuring community advocates, policy experts, and government insiders, this podcast is for anyone who wants to understand how decisions are made—and how to influence them.
The Office of Commissioner Rodney Ellis is teaming up with the City of Houston Office of Business Opportunity to bring you a Certification Workshop.
