Houston Public MediaMay 14, 2025

The City of Houston on Wednesday took another step toward settling a years-long legal battle over its spending on streets and drainage, with city council unanimously approving a settlement with the plaintiffs. 

https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/city-of-houston/2025/05/14/521286/houston-city-council-greenlights-gradual-increases-to-streets-and-drainage-fund-as-part-of-lawsuit-settlement/

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Houston City Council greenlights gradual increases to streets and drainage fund as part of lawsuit settlement

Instead of immediately complying with a voter-approved charter requiring a certain level of spending on street and drainage projects, the city will ramp up its spending over the next three years. If approved by the trial court, the settlement will help the city save more than $100 million over the next year.

Houston Public Media
Houston Public MediaApr 16, 2025

Houston Mayor John Whitmire announced a deal on Wednesday with the plaintiffs in a lawsuit over city spending on streets and drainage, slashing what would have been a more than $330 million budget deficit to about $220 million. 

https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/city-of-houston/2025/04/16/518969/city-of-houston-slashes-budget-deficit-as-mayor-reaches-deal-with-plaintiffs-in-streets-and-drainage-lawsuit/

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City of Houston slashes budget deficit as mayor reaches deal with plaintiffs in streets and drainage lawsuit

As a result of a 2019 lawsuit filed by two Houston-based engineers, the city was required to allocate an additional $100 million to a voter-approved special fund for street and drainage projects by the end of June. Under the deal with the plaintiffs, the city will instead gradually increase its contribution to the fund over time, starting with $16 million this fiscal year, $48 million next year and the full amount by 2028.

Houston Public Media
Houston Public MediaFeb 1, 2025

The City of Houston must allocate more money to street and drainage projects after the Texas Supreme Court on Friday declined to consider its appeal in a longstanding legal challenge brought by two local engineers.

https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/2025/01/31/512690/houston-money-drainage-fund-texas-supreme-court-rejects-appeal/

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Houston must allocate more money for drainage projects after Texas Supreme Court rejects appeal

The state's high court effectively upheld a 2024 appellate court ruling that found the city had been short-changing a special drainage fund that was created through a voter-backed charter amendment.

Houston Public Media
Houston Public MediaApr 24, 2024

The City of Houston, already facing a budget crunch, could be forced to spend millions more per year on drainage and street projects after a Texas appeals court determined it has been violating a voter-backed charter amendment.

https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/city-of-houston/2024/04/24/484560/houston-must-allocate-millions-more-for-drainage-fund-appeals-court-rules/

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Houston must allocate millions more for drainage fund, appeals court rules

Houston Mayor John Whitmire says the city, already facing a budget crunch, will appeal Tuesday's decision, which was the latest development in a years-long legal battle over the implementation of a voted-approved charter amendment.

Houston Public Media