HISD redistricting plans under fire

Advocates worry district lines could dilute immigrant, Latino vote in southwest Houston

Community members and advocates are asking the Houston ISD board to redraw its redistricting plans to keep communities in southwest Houston together so that the votes of Latinos and immigrants are not diluted.

The Gulfton, Mid-West, Westwood, Braeburn and Sharpstown neighborhoods are split among three different districts in the proposals being made to rebalance the district’s nine trustee districts to account for 2020 census figures. About 29 percent of people in the city of Houston are foreign-born, according to U.S. Census data. However, foreignborn individuals make up roughly half of Braeburn, Midwest and Westwood, and more than half of Sharpstown and Gulfton.

While Hispanics and Latinos are 45 percent of Houston’s population, they are 72 percent of Gulfton’s population, 69 percent of Westwood, 65 percent of Braeburn, 59 percent of Sharpstown and 41 percent of Mid-West.

“We believe southwest Houston is compact enough to keep it in one district,” said Juan Cardoza-Oquendo, director of public policy for Houston in Action. “It’s not big enough where these immigrant communities would have power in multiple districts.”

HISD is required to adjust trustee boundaries when the census reflects a significant population shift. Both proposals aim to return each district to within 10 percent of a predetermined ideal size of about 164,000 residents.

Maria Benzon, a parent who works at Sugar Grove Academy, a middle school in Sharpstown, urged the board to not vote until these concerns are addressed.

“I’m here today to ask that you delay any votes on the district plan, and consider a more equitable version than (the proposed plans),” Benzon said. “I know these areas. Historically, these communities have had voting power diluted by three districts — 5, 6 and 7, and they have not been represented by people with similar backgrounds and experiences.”

This is the first time advocates have asked the board to delay. In December, they sent a letter to the board to hold off on voting claiming informational meetings were not well publicized and were at inconvenient times.

“As you can see by the majority of speakers, there is still some

concern about redistricting,” said trustee Patricia Allen, who represents District IV said. “We need to take time to listen to the community in case we need to adjust.”

She asked if it is necessary to vote this month. Redistricting needs to be complete by July, or 90 days before the first election. HISD leaders said they could wait until February to vote, which would still allow plenty of time to print ballots.

Judith Cruz, board president, has previously said trustees won’t vote until they feel they have adequate community feedback.