Sylvester Turner served as Houston’s mayor from January 2016 to January 2024. All through his tenure, he labored on varied initiatives and legislative accomplishments.
Listed below are 10 of the most important legislative or coverage accomplishments underneath his management:
Houston’s $2.5 Billion Infrastructure Enchancment Plan (2016)Turner was key in launching an intensive infrastructure improve program designed to restore and modernize Houston’s streets, drainage methods and different public companies. This initiative was a part of his broader plan to reinforce the town’s infrastructure and enhance the residing situations for its residents.
Inexpensive Housing InitiativesAffordable housing was a cornerstone of Turner’s administration, notably by insurance policies addressing homelessness and supporting low-income housing developments. He labored tirelessly to safe monetary assist for reasonably priced housing tasks, making certain extra residents might entry moderately priced residing choices.
Flood Management and Resilience FundingIn the aftermath of catastrophic flooding occasions like Hurricane Harvey, Turner targeted on enhancing flood management methods. He was instrumental in securing funding for flood prevention measures and strengthening Houston’s capacity to face up to future storms, together with the passage of a $2.5 billion flood management bond in 2018.
Houston’s Legalization of Journey-Hailing Companies (2017)In 2017, Mayor Turner performed a important function in bringing ride-sharing firms like Uber and Lyft again to Houston after that they had suspended operations attributable to regulatory points. He labored with native and state officers to ascertain a regulatory framework permitting these companies to function inside the metropolis.
The “Full Communities” InitiativeTurner launched the “Full Communities” initiative, a program to revitalize traditionally underserved neighborhoods in Houston. This initiative targeted on enhancing financial growth, public security, training and infrastructure to assist communities that lacked funding.
Assist for the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance (HERO)Though the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance was overturned in 2015 earlier than Turner’s tenure as mayor, he strongly advocated for LGBTQ+ rights. Underneath his management, the administration has labored on varied measures to foster inclusivity and assist for the LGBTQ+ group. Notably, Turner earned an “A+” ranking from Equality Texas in 2015 for his advocacy on LGBT points.
The $1.1 Billion Housing Bond (2021)In 2021, Turner helped safe approval for a $1.1 billion housing bond to develop reasonably priced housing and assist homelessness initiatives. The bond targeted on rising reasonably priced housing inventory, rehabilitating current models and funding packages designed to fight homelessness.
Police Reform MeasuresTurner launched varied reforms to reinforce police-community relations and enhance public security. His administration carried out adjustments to extend transparency inside the Houston Police Division and established measures for higher accountability, particularly within the wake of the Black Lives Matter motion.
Environmental InitiativesTurner has championed quite a few environmental initiatives, notably within the areas of air high quality, waste administration, and inexperienced house growth. His administration labored to create extra parks, promote sustainability, and improve efforts towards recycling and waste discount.COVID-19 Response and Financial RecoveryThroughout the COVID-19 disaster, Turner was important in main Houston’s response, together with implementing public well being methods, coordinating testing and vaccination efforts and offering financial aid to companies and employees. Moreover, he advocated for federal assist to assist the town’s restoration.
