Population growth does not tip Metro away from Houston control – Houston Chronicle
Growth in western Harris County outside Houston’s boundaries was not enough to tip Metro’s board to 11 members during the 2020 Census, transit officials said
“It didn’t occur, so we have the same board composition,” said Carrin Patman, chair of the Metropolitan Transit Authority board.
Metro’s board seats are set by state law. Houston appoints five members to the board no matter the size of the board. As the area outside Houston grows, members are added. Currently, Harris County appoints two members, and the 14 smaller cities that are part of Metro appoint two members.
The changes come as the population grows outside Houston’s city limits, within the Metro area. Most, but not all, of Harris County is part of Metro’s 1,200-square-mile coverage area. Eastern parts of the county and some smaller cities, including Pasadena and Baytown, are not a part of Metro.
When 75 percent of the county population not covered by Houston is in Metro’s coverage area, then the county is entitled to another seat on the transit agency board. Also at that time, the rules shift from Houston’s mayor appointing the chairperson, to the ten-member board — five by the city, three county appointees and the two smaller city designees — picking an 11th member to act as chair.
Harris County By The Numbers
Harris County population: 4,731,145
Houston population: 2,304,580
Difference: 2,426,565
Non-Houston within service area: 1,609,276
Source: Census 2020, Metropolitan Transit Authority
Using 2020 Census population data, transit agency staff and consultants concluded 2.4 million people live outside Houston in Harris County, with 1.6 million of those within the Metro service area. Harris County’s total population grew by 15. 6 percent while Houston’s population increased by 9.8 percent from 2010, meaning growth was fastest outside the city.
By Metro’s calculations, 66.3 percent of the non-Houston population of Harris County lives in the transit area, below the 75 percent needed to trigger the board changes.
