Long-term impact

Regarding “1960s River Oaks strip center to be replaced by 12-story boutique apartments,” (March 2): The article fails to mention how the developer will mitigate already strained roads, sewers and sidewalks, or how it will provide adequate parking for the building’s residents. There’s also the impact the development will have on local schools. While we can’t stop development of this type, we can do a better job of holding developers accountable for the indirect consequences of their actions, shining the spotlight on the good and maybe not so good. A start is with comprehensive reporting.

Mitchell Winkler, Houston

Regarding “Opinion: Is latest Gen Z trend ‘grave robbing’ or saving the past?” (March 2): You’ve cited the letter from Dan Fox posing the question, “We … need to consider the millions of new urban Texans from other counties, states and countries: Where will they live? How far will they have to commute? What is the balance between progress and preservation of the past?” I believe your preferred answer is the creation of more high-density “affordable” housing near Houston’s urban core, but the reality is to be found by looking at Los Angeles. Having lived in Orange County, Calif., I can still recall my jaw dropping as I learned about people who work in Los Angeles but live in Riverside or sometimes even farther out where they can find affordable housing. This involves commuting two hours each way in bumper-to-bumper traffic (if there are no crashes, which is rarely the case).

We’re already seeing this trend developing in the Houston area. The trend took a pause during the pandemic as anyone who could work from home did so, but it’s ramping up again as more and more employers are requiring workers to come back to the office. Traffic near downtown is often at a standstill. This may not come as good news, but it is what it is.

Greg Groh, Houston