Issue link: https://tmcpulse.uberflip.com/i/473041
t m c » p u l s e | m a r c h 2 0 1 5 24 Once we reconnect people to the bayous, they are going to want to rip up the cement that lines these waterways. They will want to plant wildflowers. They will want more trees. They will want benches. The end result will be an amazing linear park system that connects our neighborhoods and provides all Houstonians with access to green space. The other thing that I am really proud of is what we are doing to address homelessness in Houston. Unfortunately, the perception hasn't quite matched the reality for a lot of folks in downtown Houston. The reality is that both transient homeless- ness and chronic homelessness have been cut in half over the last three years. Our efforts are getting a lot of national attention. In fact, several cities are looking to Houston as the model for how to get it done. Obviously, we can't force someone into housing who doesn't want it. That is why we have focused a lot on reparative social services for the chronic long-term homeless who have either a mental health issue or substance abuse problems. My goal is to eliminate chronic homelessness in Houston by the end of 2015. I don't know if we will get there by then, but I am optimistic that we will be close to having no one on the streets of Houston simply because there is not a bed or social service resource available. Q | Let's speak a bit now about the Texas Medical Center. What impact does the Texas Medical Center have on Houston? A | As a destination, as an employer, I think anyone who has been in Houston for any length of time sees it as 'the medical center.' Even if you are going to a particular institution, people say they are going to 'the' medical center. And it is a huge economic engine for Houston. As a commercial downtown, if you will, it is sig- nificant in its own right. It is the single most popular destination for foreign visitors to Houston. If you can imagine pulling that out of Houston and throwing it away. The traffic through our airport system would plummet—the economy of Houston would be funda- mentally different. A lot of the diversification we have seen in the Houston economy since the oil bust of the 1980s has been due to growth in the medical center. The oil and gas industry is less price-sensitive than it was, but the impact of the Texas Medical Center has grown exponentially. I always say the current Houston economy rests on five pillars: oil and gas, medicine, the port, aerospace and manufacturing. We are seeing a manufacturing explosion in other areas. It needs to happen in medicine. You have the research capabili- ties and the built-in patient population. It is a perfect storm for manufacturing anything from big pharma to biomedical. Since the founding of Houston, there has been a tradition among the city's business leaders of giving back to the city that has given them so much. This ranges from those who can donate $50-$100 million and have huge buildings named in their honor, to those who buy a $1,000 table at a gala. Houston is not a place that cares where you were born or who your people are. We care about what you have to offer. You can achieve anything here, but to be embraced by Houston society requires a willingness to give. Q | What other aspects of the city positively impact our brand? A | NASA. Our connection to the space program is very much part of our psyche. We all know that 'Houston' was the first word spoken from the moon during the Apollo 11 mission. What many of us forget is the rest of what was said. When I am giving a speech, I'll say, 'Houston' and everyone will answer with, 'We have a problem' Of course, what was really said was: 'Houston, Tranquility Base here, the Eagle has landed.' 'Houston, we've had a problem up here,' was actually said by the Apollo 13 crew. Of course, Houston had the solution. Solving problems is what we do. It's been that way since the Allen Brother's saw a future in this mosquito-infested swamp, to the discovery of oil at Spindletop, to the dredging of the Port of Houston. Q | How do you balance the intensity of your schedule with a family? I imagine you are constantly invited to every event in the city. A | I get invited to the opening of an envelope. When people talk about work life balance, it's not like you find this magic balance where both get the same amount of attention. It's more like a seesaw. Whatever is in crisis mode gets the attention. We have a 38-year-old son and three daughters. The girls were adopted when I was running for city controller. They were older, but still in need of all the attention required of parents. Being in the controller's office was very helpful. I was able to be home in the evenings. I went to the games, I went to the dance recitals, I coached little league, I coached T-Ball, and I coached machine-pitch for one year. By the time I was elected mayor, they were high school teens who wanted nothing to do with me. When I finally get to go home, I dock my phone and unplug. I am not shooting emails out. There are people on my staff who send emails at 2 a.m. I tell them not to bother with it because I'm not going to look at it at that time. There are ways to get a hold of me if there is an emergency. My favorite place in Houston is home. It's where I putter in the garden or read. So when I am with my family, and I am at home, I am with my family and I am at home. Also, when at work, if the kids or the wife call, I will stop any meeting and take care of that. Q | Can you share what's next for you? A | I have now had the best political job. Having talked to other former mayors who have gone on to other things, they all agree. This is the best job. I believe them. But I will be leaving at the end of this year, and I plan to run through the tape, because there is still a whole lot to get done. I do plan to look for an opportunity to continue to serve—either in a nonprofit organization or in politics. Unfortunately, the posi- tions that I might be interested in either at the county or state level won't be available until 2018, so there is a gap that I am going to have to fill. I'm not interested in going back to the business world. Houston Mayor Annise Parker is pictured with her family on election night in 2009 (left), and with her mother (right). (Credit: Office of the Mayor, Houston, Texas)