By John Brannen, Kinder Institute for Urban Research
In August of 2020, a heat mapping campaign identified Gulfton as the hottest neighborhood in Houston. The effort, co-led by The Nature Conservancy and the Houston Advanced Research Center, indicated that the southwest Houston neighborhood was 17 degrees warmer than the coolest neighborhood measured. A community-driven plan, “Greener Gulfton,” seeks to decrease the sweltering temperature, while adding an array of benefits to the immigrant-rich area that 45,000 residents call home.
Jaime González serves as the Houston Healthy Cities Director for The Nature Conservancy, which helped to
develop Greener Gulfton. He works with decision-makers and scientists to bring nature-based solutions to communities throughout the Houston area to be climate-ready, healthier and more biodiverse. He outlined several challenges that need addressing to make Greener Gulfton a reality.
