On January 7, city council voted to use $30 million from the Storm Water Fund, which is dedicated for drainage infrastructure, to tear down abandoned buildings. When this item first came up for a vote in October 2025, Controller Chris Hollins flagged it for “unlawful use of funds.” Hollins also drew parallels to the yearslong, recently resolved Dedicated Drainage and Street Renewal Fund (DDSRF) lawsuit, saying, “It is nuts that we are even close to considering misappropriating the Storm Water Fund just a few months later.” 

Houston Mayor John Whitmire argued that using the fund is appropriate because abandoned buildings attract illegal dumping, which leads to debris in drains and ditches. He claimed in a December 17 meeting that Houstonians view tearing down abandoned buildings as a top priority and don’t care how it’s paid for. “The public is not going to question. They just want to get it done,” he said. “We've used this fund for this purpose before. The people I visit with are not going to ask you about which fund.”

Controller Hollins and some councilmembers disagree. Hollins took issue with the city’s premise that blighted buildings lead to illegal dumping and argued in a January 7 meeting that illegal dumping occurs regardless of blight or whether there are abandoned buildings in the area. “If the building isn't the cause, then demolishing it is not stormwater maintenance,” Hollins added. He also criticized the process the mayor used to get this item on the agenda. After the controller’s office refused to certify the original item, the mayor’s administration repackaged it as an extension of a preexisting contract, which does not require controller oversight. Hollins said this interpretation allows the administration to bypass fiscal oversight at any time. He called it a loophole so large “you can drive a $30 million truck right through it.”

Ultimately, the vote was close. Nine councilmembers, including the mayor, voted to use the Storm Water Fund for building demolition. Seven voted against the measure. Councilmember Tarsha Jackson, District B, was absent, although she did support the item at previous meetings, saying, “Sometimes you have to take the money for the light bill to pay the gas bill.”

For months, the mayor and councilmember Edward Pollard, District J, have been at odds over Pollard’s council district service funds (CDSF), the annual allotment each councilmember can spend on their own initiatives. One of Pollard’s CDSF projects is the District J Patrol, which funds overtime pay for police to respond to nonemergency neighborhood issues such as yard parking, panhandling, and trespassing. 

Last year, Pollard complained that the mayor and Houston Police Department were delaying his CDSF requests. On January 7, he said the police department stopped approving his overtime requests altogether. On January 14, he complained again, saying that stopping this program is hurting District J residents, who report that petty crime is on the rise. Pollard asked the mayor to speak to the chief of police on his behalf to get this funding approved. Mayor Whitmire, predictably, was not amenable. “We only have one police chief,” Whitmire said. “And he will decide where the resources go and not let you or other officials dictate and use it as a promotion for your office.” He accused Pollard of politicizing police services, then abruptly adjourned the meeting before Pollard could respond.

January 7 was councilmember Alejandra Salinas’s first meeting following her win of the at-large Position 4 seat in last year’s election. Salinas was mostly quiet, but she did vote against the mayor on the Storm Water Fund item. Many councilmembers welcomed her and noted that she is the first openly LGBTQ+ Latina on the council. Councilmember Joaquin Martinez, District I, shared that it has been 18 years since a Latina has been on city council. Councilmember Abbie Kamin, District C, joked that Salinas “helps us keep our majority of women.” Who runs the world? Girls.

Did we just have an election? Yes. Will we have another one soon? Also, yes. Two, actually. The special election for Congressional District 18, a runoff between Christian Menefee and Amanda Edwards, is January 31. Early voting started January 21.

April 4 is Election Day for the city council District C seat, which Abbie Kamin resigned from to run for Harris County Attorney. The last day to file to run for District C is February 2, but many candidates have already launched their campaigns, including Joe Panzarella, Nick Hellyar, Patrick Oathout, and Audrey Nath.