SET BENCHMARKS FOR GROWTH
The City should implement a business plan outlining a set of objectives for growth that will provide the increases in jobs, revenues, and prosperity we seek while preserving the City’s quality of life. And there need to be measurable benchmarks, which are critical to gauging the success of our policies. Much of Houston’s growth will be spontaneous, but it is critical we consider growth that we can specifically plan and promote.

TARGET CORE SECTORS
Successful implementation requires setting clear priorities among the core sectors of Houston’s economic base with strong opportunities for growth, developing comprehensive strategies to target those sectors by leveraging the combined capabilities of City departments and the strengths of our powerful private sector in each area. As Mayor, Peter Brown will target growth in Energy, Trade and Commerce, Health Sciences and Biotech, Information and Advanced Technology, and Aviation and Aerospace – sectors where Houston has unique potential for success based on existing infrastructure and local resources.

COORDINATE CITY EFFORTS
Peter Brown will carefully coordinate infrastructure investments and other City efforts to deal with traffic congestion, utilities, flooding, education, and other quality of life issues, with the City’s broader economic agenda.

FOCUS ON HOUSTON
Peter Brown will focus on local economic growth by working to attract investment development inside the city limits, bringing new jobs and expanding our economy so that we can take the pressure off of individual taxpayers. Losing work to neighboring counties and cities means a higher tax burden for Houstonians, and the first priority of any economic development initiative for the City must be to bring jobs here and capture a larger share of regional growth by retaining and enhancing our competitive edge.

SIMPLIFY AND STREAMLINE PERMIT REQUIREMENTS
City ordinances often require too many disparate and vaguely relevant permits for new and existing businesses. Peter Brown will conduct a careful audit of all City permits to find which are no longer necessary, which are redundant with existing permitting requirements at other levels of government, and which no longer serve the City of Houston’s best interest. Where possible, permitting requirements should be combined or eliminated to give small businesses and entrepreneurs fewer things to worry about as they seek to create new jobs and opportunities in Houston.

ONLINE PERMITTING, FAST TRACK PROCESSING
It should be simpler to deal with the regulations and standards the City imposes. Businesses should be able to group their entire set of applications into one package, limiting the need for redundant inspections and costly delays. As Mayor Peter Brown will work to allow all applications processes to be handled simply and electronically, with online permitting and fast-track processing.

PREDICTABLE REGULATIONS
As Mayor, Peter Brown will outline a predictable roadmap of City regulatory efforts including fees and taxes. And he will make every effort to keep to those projections, in order to enhance their credibility. Letting businesses plan their expected costs and compliance carefully will help them succeed.

OUTCOMES-DRIVEN DEVELOPMENT CODES
As mayor, Peter Brown will simplify, streamline and strengthen City regulations like the Chapter 42 development code to ensure they promote high-quality growth and encourage investment, while at the same time maintaining our quality of life. He’ll shape a user-friendly, cross-referenced and consolidated development code and provide the predictability that neighborhoods, homeowners, and developers all want.

Houston is the energy capital of the world and it should stay that way. Nearly every major energy company is headquartered in Houston or has significant operations based here. More than 3,600 energy-related firms call the Houston area home and we must preserve that core, while leveraging it to drive further economic growth for the City.

We need to strengthen our traditional energy base, recruiting additional energy companies to Houston based on our existing network. And we must preserve our future in the industry, working with local schools and colleges to ensure Houston’s work force continues to have the technical skills these companies need.

While preserving that foundation, we also need to build on it. First, we should convene a New Energy Development Taskforce, aimed at laying out a strategy to develop Houston’s new energy industry in coming years. We can encourage local development of new and alternative energy sources such as wind, solar, thermal, and biodiesel, by continuing and expanding City policies aimed at growing demand. Today, the City buys 32% of its electricity from renewable sources. Peter Brown would grow that share to 50% by the end of his term, providing a market to help local new energy providers grow. And the City should do more to facilitate energy start-ups, connecting them with other major companies in the region and around the world in order to promote success.

Houston is a truly international City, and this is one of our strongest assets. The Port of Houston handles more foreign cargo than any other port in the country, and is the second largest in overall tonnage. Our international airport is one of the busiest in the world. It’s all part of what makes Houston such a great place to do business. And Houston’s broad diversity gives our City connections all over the world. We should use these connections to expand trade and international commerce.

Peter Brown is proposing an Office of Economic Development and Job Creation that will take a leading role in bringing new commerce and new jobs to Houston, and linking Houston companies with opportunities around the world. In addition to marketing and outreach efforts, the City should proactively engage with other countries and economies – sending trade missions, following up on them, and developing additional sister City relationships. And we should continue our efforts to be a destination for convention events and tourism.

Finally, we should continue to make infrastructure investments that expand opportunities in this sector. The recent investment in state-of-the-art refrigeration facilities at IAH for perishable produce will allow Houston to serve as a viable port of entry for airborne cargo that requires refrigeration, particularly produce and other food. Miami currently receives 70% of this traffic, but with an ideal location for imports from South and Central America, and top-notch facilities, Houston can challenge them in that role.

Houston’s internationally-renowned Texas Medical Center is one of the largest in the world. We have first class teaching hospitals, renowned primary care facilities and extensive specialized research institutions. These are exceptional assets and we should do more to leverage them. With a well-trained workforce ready for the needs of health sciences-related companies, Houston should be a leader in these fields.

First and foremost, we must make a concerted effort to bring industry leaders to Houston, building on the network effects – related offices, lab suppliers, etc – that such a facility brings. The pharmaceutical industry requires a large support system, which allows businesses to grow around these companies. Houston’s existing facilities give it a strong advantage in this field, as testing and research are best done in environments with lots of diverse medical encounters. Houston’s large variety of major Hospitals provide such an environment.

Because this field is still emerging, and because of the strong network effects within it, it’s important that Houston be an early mover to take full advantage of the opportunities available. In addition to aggressive recruitment efforts, we can leverage the resources of City investments to support the growth of this sector. Moreover, extensive opportunities for research funding exist at the federal and state levels, and the City should be a partner and advocate in helping local researchers win these awards. For example, we should work with our City’s top-notch cancer research to win a significant portion of the up to $3 billion in cancer treatment research grants to be allocated through the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas.

Houston companies and institutions are at the forefront of cutting-edge research and development in many information technology fields. Houston was one of the top-ranked cities for up-and-coming tech companies in a recent study. Moreover, our local universities are making impressive advances in their fields: Rice University is leading research in innovative areas like nano-composites for bone density, Baylor College of Medicine has a top ranked molecular genetics faculty, and the University of Houston is leading research in bio-nanotechnology with the development of DNA bio-chips.

The growth of this sector isn’t simply important in its own right: these advances are used by companies in many other economic sectors, and their expansion will help fuel related economic growth.

The City should expand awareness and capacity of resources like the Houston Technology Center and Bio-Houston and better integrate them with other business support services the City provides. Other assets, such as the vibrant research environment at local universities, should also be leveraged. The City should also explore creating a seed fund to offset the lack of venture capital available in Houston, as other cities have done successfully. This could be done by working through the existing HTC complex and resources, and partnering with local industries and financial institutions, who could provide the funding. And the City should make aggressive efforts to bring more venture capital to Houston.

Finally, the development of information and advanced technology ventures is heavily driven by network effects. Success stories in Houston should be marketed aggressively, to let other beginning entrepreneurs know about the advantages of starting up their business here, rather than heading for well-established start-up locales like California or Boston.

With NASA and the Johnson Space Center, and one of the top international airports in the world, Houston’s assets in growing and developing aerospace ventures are formidable. A strong base of experience, a well-suited work force, and a good reputation should help Houston develop into a top aerospace industrial cluster. The City should build that reputation, marketing itself as a leader in the field and making sure executives around the world are well informed about Houston’s assets.

Our existing foundation should also be leveraged in more direct ways. We should develop programs with local research facilities and NASA to foster commercial innovation and entrepreneurship. These might include entrepreneur-in-residence or entrepreneur leave of absence programs, as suggested in Mayor White’s 2004 Economic Development Task Force report, and efforts to better integrate start-ups into these programs.

AN OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND JOB CREATION
Peter Brown’s new Office of Economic Development and Job Creation will manage City economic development efforts, making sure they work together effectively and cohesively. The Office of Economic Development and Job Creation will be professionally staffed with a talented team dedicated to bringing new business to Houston and growing existing enterprises. Specifically, the Office of Economic Development and Job Creation will take the lead in administrating City economic development and incentive programs, coordinating our relocation and expansion recruitment efforts, and connecting Houston businesses with opportunities around the world. And it will coordinate our efforts to grow and promote small business, with staff specifically dedicated to their needs and concerns.

COORDINATE OUR ECONOMIC EFFORTS
We need to make sure that incentives offered by the City of Houston, Harris County, and others in the area are complimentary rather than redundant, and help drive the economic development and job creation we want in Houston. And we need to work with local efforts, such as the Greater Houston Partnership’s Opportunity Houston initiative to recruit businesses and grow our economy.

FOCUS TRAINING ON THE SKILLS WE NEED
Having identified targeted economic sectors for growth, job training and workforce development should reflect those priorities and focus on training workers for the fields where growth and jobs will be created. And vocational training efforts need to be expanded to provide opportunities for all Houstonians in the new economy. For example, the City could use a portion of the grant it recently won for programs to weatherize homes to train workers with these skills, leveraging those resources to invest in a new energy knowledge base and a long-term technical skill-set for our local workforce.

BUILD INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE NEW ECONOMY
As Mayor, Peter Brown will pursue public-private partnerships and work with other local governmental entities to ensure that Houston’s technology infrastructure meets the needs of today’s and tomorrow’s businesses. Peter Brown will work to fully modernize our technology infrastructure in order to ensure that we can attract and support the companies and jobs of the future.

Houston is a great, dynamic place to do business, with a bustling international port, and a major international airport. We have great neighborhoods to raise families, a high quality of life, and a business friendly environment. And it’s time businesses around the world heard more about it. When companies are thinking about relocating or expanding, they need to be thinking about Houston. And we should be rolling out the red carpet to bring them here. As Mayor, Peter Brown will focus on bringing new jobs and new businesses to our city. More »

NEW JOBS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY AND AROUND THE WORLD
The primary focus of the new Office of Economic Development and Job Creation will be to bring employers to town, providing new, good paying jobs for Houston’s working families. To do that, the office will reach out and inform companies and others of our successes here in Houston. And it will build on developed relationships with other cities, countries, and international companies. We should work to consolidate strong relationships with emerging markets and rapidly expanding industrial nations, so that when companies in these high-growth regions look to expand, they turn to Houston for a location, and Houston companies for partners.

HELP LOCAL FIRMS EXPAND THEIR MARKETS
The Office of Economic Development and Job Creation will work with local businesses to identify opportunities for them around the world, and help them follow up on those opportunities. Giving local businesses the tools to tap global markets will create new jobs in Houston and make our City an international center of commerce.

INCENTIVES AND TOOLS FOR GROWTH
The City should employ a diverse array of economic recruitment tools and incentives to facilitate growth in Houston. These include tax abatements, enterprise projects and enterprise zones, taxincrement reinvestment zones (TIRZs), and public-private partnerships – all designed to promote growth while protecting the quality of life. We can also work with companies expanding here to leverage City support for grants and contracts from other public entities.

Houston’s economy is strong and vital. We have successful businesses here that are global leaders, companies we should be proud of and support. We must use our global outreach efforts to help them expand, while using their strengths to attract new enterprises. And we should ensure that the foundation for success and growth for those companies – top notch human talent – is preserved. More »

KEEP LOCAL BUSINESSES INVOLVED
Local businesses should play a critical role in our efforts to expand the economy, offering support services and joining in other business partnerships with newly arriving companies. They should enjoy opportunities and incentives for expansion similar to those that international firms are offered as part of recruitment efforts.

MORE EFFECTIVE SKILLS TRAINING
In order to make sure that workforce development programs are effective, we should coordinate carefully with other small business expansion and growth initiatives. Disparate efforts by City departments and community groups should be organized with monthly strategy meetings and a clearly defined set of targets for the City. We should also convene an advisory panel of local business leaders, tasked with providing advice on training priorities, to ensure that participants have in-demand skill sets and access to jobs upon completion of these programs.

TIER-ONE UNIVERSITY, TIER-ONE TALENT
As a University of Houston alum, Peter Brown strongly supports “tier-one” status for the school. Tier-one status is an investment in the future of our children and the future of our economy. With millions of dollars in research funding, a tier-one university will spark innovation and economic development, generating new enterprises and new jobs, and providing students with opportunities for their future. And an enhanced University of Houston will provide the talented, technically-skilled work force our economy needs to compete and grow.

SUPPORT PRE-PAID TUITION REIMBURSEMENT
Peter Brown will work with the City’s business groups to encourage Houston businesses to provide tuition reimbursement to their employees. As part of that, he’ll push for them to pre-pay the cost of tuition for employees because many low-income workers are unable to afford the up-front costs, even if they are ultimately reimbursed. Working with the private sector can help distribute the costs of these programs and ensure that they are sustainable.

SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESS SUCCESS
The City should leverage its technical capabilities and creative potential to help existing small businesses thrive. As Mayor, Peter Brown would create an online clearinghouse database for local small businesses to list their inventory and additional order capacity, allowing residents to shop online at local merchants, and helping local manufacturers and suppliers connect easily with one another to get work done.

Today’s start-ups and bright ideas are tomorrow’s Fortune 500 companies and the core of local job creation. To ensure a strong future for our local economy, we need to do more to encourage innovators and help them succeed. This goes beyond support for small businesses. It’s about support for the sort of potential that doesn’t just seek out new customers – it creates new markets. More »

INCUBATORS FOR GROWTH
Business incubators provide a space for growth for startups and new enterprises. Notably, the Houston Technology Center represents an innovative collaboration between local stakeholders and City government. It has great potential, but is currently underutilized. We should do a better job of promoting it, providing access to it, and integrating it into business development efforts. Other efforts like Bio-Houston, aimed at stimulating technology transfer and research commercialization in core sectors should also receive support from the City and be a part of City strategies. Finally, we should promote and connect other local business incubators and collaborative workspaces that provide low-overhead opportunities and support services for entrepreneurs.

ACCESS TO CAPITAL
Too often, bright ideas leave town seeking out venture capital elsewhere. We need to find ways to attract more venture capital and start-up investment to Houston. As Mayor, Peter Brown will work with local financial institutions to encourage lending to small businesses and entrepreneurs in Houston. He’ll create a local banking consortium that shares entrepreneurial risk between local banks He’ll also work with local businesses and investors to develop ‘Angel Investor’ networks, leveraging their resources as well as a portion of City investments to provide the start-up capital to allow businesses to take root and grow here in Houston.

EXPAND HOUSTON BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS
The Houston Business Development Corporation provides affordable small business loans and other support services to start up businesses. The program is very successful, both in encouraging small business growth and development, and also in netting a healthy return for the City. This program should be expanded and its reach should be broadened to include additional entrepreneurs. As Mayor, Peter Brown will do this by making more businesses aware of the opportunities it provides, and better integrating it into our other business support services.

COORDINATE OUR SMALL BUSINESS APPROACH
While the City currently has several different small business programs in place, they are not well coordinated. In addition to the One Stop Business Center for small businesses, there is a small business development corporation, and many different City departments have their own small business development programs, with their own goals and strategies. This leads to duplicated work and missed opportunities. By consolidating these efforts, we can do a better job of providing support for local small businesses and start-ups.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR EVERYONE
As mayor, Peter Brown will expand the Office of Affirmative Action to an Office of Small and MWBE Businesses, focused on promoting business development instead of just meeting quotas, serving all small businesses and helping minority and woman owned enterprises earn City contracts and become more effective competitors.

EXPAND THE ONESTOP BUSINESS CENTER
We need to expand the functionality and accessibility of the City’s One Stop Business Center. Branch units should be located in City facilities across Houston, expanding the program’s geographic reach. These units will be more accessible to residents needing assistance and expertise in opening their own small businesses. Localized units will also develop a level of specific expertise and be able to help nearby companies work with one another to succeed.