Conroe - Montgomery Edition | September 2024

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Conroe Montgomery Edition VOLUME 10, ISSUE 6 SEPT. 19OCT. 18, 2024

Building to rent

Build-to-rent housing communities such as LEO at West Fork are becoming increasingly popular in Conroe and Montgomery.

CARSON WEAVERCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Amid rising home prices, single-family rental options see growth in the Conroe, Montgomery area

Chamber of Commerce, said he thinks build-to-rent isn’t going away. “I think it just gives people another choice to con- sider before they buy their rst house,” Harper said.

units, and 500 units being built, according to data from HAR and developers. If homebuying continues to be out of reach for young adults, the market for build-to-rent homes may continue to increase, according to an April 2024 report from RentCafe. Scott Harper, president at the Conroe/Lake Conroe

BY HALEY VELASCO & CARSON WEAVER

Rising home prices has led some homebuyers to a cheaper style of housing: build-to-rent homes. In Montgomery County—where the median home price is $340,000, according to the Houston Associ- ation of Realtors—there are over 1,000 build-to-rent

CONTINUED ON 22

Also in this issue

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Government: Conroe City Council votes to terminate contract with animal shelter operator after dog injures himself (Page 9)

Education: Montgomery ISD sends tax rate increase to voters Nov. 5—learn about the impact and how the funding will be used (Page 21)

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About Community Impact

Owners John and Jennifer Garrett launched Community Impact in 2005, and the company is still locally owned today with editions across Texas. Our mission is to provide trusted news and local information that everyone gets. Our vision is to build communities of informed citizens and thriving businesses through the collaboration of a passionate team. Our purpose is to be a light for our readers, customers, partners and each other by living out our core values of Faith, Passion, Quality, Innovation and Integrity.

Market leaders & metro team

Reporters Jovanna Aguilar Asia Armour Angela Bonilla Melissa Enaje Wesley Gardner Cassandra Jenkins Rachel Leland Emily Lincke Nichaela Shaheen Jessica Shorten Haley Velasco Aubrey Vogel Carson Weaver Graphic Designers Richard Galvan Ellen Jackson Matt Mills

Chrissy Leggett General Manager cleggett@ communityimpact.com

Martha Risinger Jesus Verastegui Taylor White Ronald Winters Senior Managing Editor Matt Stephens Senior Art Production Manager Kaitlin Schmidt Quality Desk Editor Sierra Rozen

Lizzy Spangler Editor lspangler@ communityimpact.com

Jason Culpepper Publisher jculpepper@ communityimpact.com

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Impacts

in boudoir photography but also offers portrait, family, maternity and event photography. • Opened July 21 • 312 Metcalf St., Conroe • www.blackrosephotography.biz

BUFFALO SPRINGS DR.

C B STEWART DR.

CLEPPER DR.

Willis

CAROLINE ST.

1097

4 LiftOff Wheels and Tires The shop offers tire and auto services. • Opened July 6 • 735 W. Davis St., Conroe • www.liftoffwheelstires.com

149

LAKE CONROE

CUDE CEMETERY RD.

830

2432

1 6

5 rOcktopus Art & Jewelry The brick-and-mortar shop offers art and jewelry. • Opened July 1

Montgomery

1484

105

149

• 305 Caroline St., Montgomery • www.rocktopusartjewelry.com

2854

Conroe

KEENAN CUT OFF RD.

6 The Joint Chiropractic The Joint Chiropractic has over 950 locations nationwide and over 13 million patient visits annually. • Opened Aug. 30 • 18784 Hwy. 105, Ste. 300, Montgomery • www.thejoint.com 7 Madame Brioche Bistro The French restaurant offers a combination of French and American options. • Opened July 1

PINE MARKET AVE.

METCALF ST.

336

3083

WOODFOREST PKWY.

FISH CREEK THOROUGHFARE

1314

149

WEST FORK SAN JACINTO RIVER

• 2400 FM 1488, Ste. 100, Conroe • https://madamebriochebistro.com

1488

MAP NOT TO SCALE

242

Coming soon

8 The Emergency Center at Conroe The full-service emergency room open 24/7 offers diagnostic imaging services, an on-site lab, and observation beds. • Opening in mid-September • 4019 I-45 N., Conroe • www.theemergencycenter.com 9 Lupe Tortilla The restaurant is currently open by invitation only and

2 7 Brew Coffee The coffee shop chain serves espresso-based coffee, chillers, teas, infused energy and sodas. • Opened Aug. 19 • 3830 W. Davis St., Conroe • www.7brew.com 3 Black Rose Photography Owner and photographer Katie Ingle said she specializes

Now open

1 Dental Boutique Montgomery Services include cleaning, dental implants, teeth whitening, crown placements and Invisalign. • Opened July 17 • 18784 Hwy. 105, Ste. 400, Montgomery • www.dentalboutiquemgry.com

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will open to the public later this month. • Opening in late September • 20269 Eva St., Montgomery • www.tex-mex.com/montgomery

In the news

Now open

15 Habitat for Humanity Montgomery County The nonprofit, established to serve the community and provide affordable housing to those in need, celebrated its 35th anniversary with a banquet in April.

Relocations

10 Cartwright’s Western Wear The western wear and shoe repair shop relocated to League Line Road from Frazier Street. • Relocated July 1 • 1111 League Line Road, Ste. 191, Conroe • www.facebook.com/cartwrightswesternwear 11 High Brow, Low Key Studio The studio relocated to downtown Willis from 615 Longmire Road in Conroe. The shop specializes in permanent makeup, piercings and hair services. • Relocated July 22 • 109 N. Danville St., Willis • www.facebook.com/highbrow.lowkey 12 The Church at Montgomery The church is in the process of constructing a new location. • Relocating in December 2026 • Corner of Clepper Drive and CB Stewart Drive • www.thewoodlandsmethodist.org/montgomery

• 1501 S. 7th St., Conroe • www.habitatmctx.org

16 Russo’s New York Pizzeria The restaurant celebrated the 10th anniversary of its Conroe location, which first opened July 15, 2014. • 3915 W. Davis St., Ste. 180, Conroe • www.nypizzeria.com/locations/conroe 17 Conroe Golf Cars The business, which first opened July 13, 1974, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. • 1409 I-45 S., Conroe • www.conroegolfcars.com 18 Barbara’s Resale Shop The consignment shop, which celebrated its 15th anniversary, originally opened in 2009 at the Sun Park Child Advocates of Montgomery County CASA Montgomery County is being renamed to Child Advocates of Montgomery County, per an Aug. 12 news release. Child advocates are appointed by judges to watch over and advocate for abused and neglected children, according to the nonprofit’s website. • https://childadvocatestexas.org Fortress BeerWorks, 11 Below Brewing Co. and B-52 Brewing The three breweries will soon be operating under one umbrella parent company. According to the update, Conroe’s B-52 Brewing will be the main production facility, and the B-52 taproom will carry brews from all three companies. shopping center in Conroe. • 511 N. Frazier St., Conroe • www.barbarasresaleshopllc.com

19 Tenzen Japanese Restaurant The restaurant is now open in Pine Market in Montgomery. Tenzen Japanese Restaurant’s offerings include Japanese steak, rib-eye, fried rice and hot and cold appetizers. • Opened July 18 • 859 Pine Market Ave., Ste. 400, Montgomery • 936-202-3500

• www.11belowbrewing.com • www.b52brewing.com • www.fortressbeerworks.com

Expansions

13 TheMission Church The church is underway with building a new campus. • Expansion set to be completed around July 2025 • 12434 Cude Cemetery Road, Willis • https://themissiontx.church 14 University Title Company The company expanded with a Montgomery location. • Expanded July 15 • 15260 Hwy. 105 W., Ste. 240, Montgomery • www.utitle.com

Closings

Megabus The nationwide bus service discontinued its routes in Houston, according to a news release. Megabus parent company Coach USA filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in June citing significant challenges in ridership and industry demand following the COVID-19 pandemic. • Closed Aug. 16 • https://us.megabus.com

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Government

BY NICHAELA SHAHEEN

Conroe City Council terminates contract with animal shelter operator

Timeline of events

July 7, 10:59 a.m.: Casey was

NOTE: CASEY RECEIVED AN ANTI INFLAMMATORY MEDICATION TWICE A DAY, BUT THERE ARE NO TIME LOGS OF WHEN THE MEDICATION WAS GIVEN. Rehabilitation arrived and took possession of Casey. found Casey had chewed his injured leg o. No emergency care was provided, and a dog cone was placed on Casey. July 9, 4:51 p.m.: Special Needs Animal Rescue and brought to the shelter and placed in a kennel. The shelter texted the nonprot Operation Pets Alive saying he needed to be rescued. July 7, 12:11 p.m.: OPA ocials said they couldn’t help. July 8, morning: Hurricane Beryl made landfall, leaving minimal sta ng. July 8, 1:15 p.m.: Sta left the facility, and Casey stayed overnight. July 9, morning: Shelter sta

• Vaccination delays • Sterilization delays • Lack of full water bowls and food prior to lights out each night Tipton said these allow for termination. Prior to this case, the police department had no record of formal or informal disciplinary actions against Care Corporation during its 10 years of operation at the animal shelter, according to city ocials. What they’re saying “This is absolutely uncalled for. It’s unaccept- able, and I’m embarrassed. ... This cannot and will not happen again,” Mayor Pro Tem Harry Hardman said Aug. 7. “We won’t always get things right, but when we nd there is an issue, we’re going to x it. ... We own this, and we take responsibility for it,” Mayor Duke Coon said Aug. 7. “I, as the mayor, take responsibility for what’s happening with that shelter today. We’re going to x it; we’re going to be better.” What’s next The Conroe Police Department has stationed four employees at the shelter whenever Care Corporation is on-site, according to city ocials. If a new operator is not found, the police department will continue to operate the shelter until City Council decides whether to re-bid or consider bringing the shelter under city management. The city has until Sept. 19 to determine if any vendors have bid on the contract.

Conroe City Council approved the termination at its Aug. 22 meeting of the city’s contract with Care Corporation, which ran the Conroe Animal Shelter for 10 years. What you need to know The decision came after a dog injured itself, putting the practices of Care Corporation into question, according to an Aug. 9 news release. The company has been contracted to run the animal shelter since 2014, and the city has paid Care Corporation $497,416 year-to-date this scal year since October 2023, according to city ocials. According to a Conroe Police Department investigation, Casey, a male dog, chewed his leg o while he was at the shelter for two and a half days in early July. “The responsibility to oversee the animal shelter was the police department’s responsibility,” interim Police Chief Lee Tipton said Aug. 7. “We failed. ... As interim chief, I wanted to make it clear that I will do everything in my power to implement checks and balances, and strict, strict protocols to prove and show that this will never happen again.” The investigation found the city’s contract with Care Corporation does not dene or stipulate what “emergency medical attention” consists of and that the shelter does not have emergency medical equipment or medications. When an animal is in an emergency situation, Care Corporation’s options are to euthanize or rely on a rescue. The investigation also found deciencies within the contract, including:

July 23: Conroe Police Department began its investigation. Aug. 7: Tipton discussed the investigation at a City Council Aug. 22: Conroe City Council approved the termination of the city’s contract with Care Corporation with a transition workshop meeting.

period of 30 days or less.

Sept. 21: The 30-day transition period to terminate the contract ends.

SOURCE: CITY OF CONROECOMMUNITY IMPACT

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Government

BY JESSICA SHORTEN

Following three days of budget workshops, Montgomery County commissioners approved a tax rate of $0.379 per $100 valuation in a 3-1 vote on Sept. 5, raising the county tax rate for the rst time in ve years and narrowly avoiding a voter- approval tax rate election, or VATRE. “I don’t know how else to do this,” Montgomery County Judge Mark Keough said. “We’ve labored Montgomery County sees first tax rate increase in 5 years

over and over and over. I don’t know what else to do, but I am comfortable with the fact that we are taking care of the people of Montgomery County.” Precinct 3 Commissioner James Noack and Precinct 4 Commissioner Matt Gray both opposed the tax rate increase due to concerns over the tax burden on homeowners. However, Budget Director Amanda Carter told commissioners the majority of the funding issues were for necessary upgrades to law enforcement and information technology to keep up with needs from departments across the county. “Prioritize your items that are important for you and your constituents, and then, as we calculate all those, then that will basically get you to your tax rate,” Carter said. “Don’t focus on building your budget around ... your tax rate.”

County property tax rate (per $100 valuation)

Tax rate

Voter-approval rate

$0.50 $0.40 $0.30 $0.20 $0.10 $0

$0.3875

$0.4475

$0.379

SOURCE: MONTGOMERY COUNTY TAX OFFICECOMMUNITY IMPACT

The breakdown

In their words

Montgomery County Tax Assessor-Collector Tammy McRae said $23.03 million in new revenue will be generated by property tax revenue in 2025; however, Carter said the court already obligated $19 million to costs such as sta funding and equipment needs through the year. “The situation is we cannot continue doing exactly the same services at the same price,” Carter said. “You can see that in a lot of the departments’ budgets, ... there’s not a single department that got the exact budget that they requested.” Carter said the county’s Capital Improvement Plan has not been continually replenished, and that with funding new positions, only $1 million will be set aside for capital improve- ments in the next year amid over $9 million in new funding requests.

New funding needs in 2025:

“People are hurting; their paychecks don’t go as

far as they used to.” JAMES NOACK, PRECINCT 3 COMMISSIONER

3.3% cost-of-living increase: $6.18 million

11 new constable deputies: $2.28 million

Technology upgrade: $321,638

“Every time we try to push something down the road and push it o and do something else, our county keeps growing.” MARK KEOUGH, MONTGOMERY COUNTY JUDGE

SOURCE: MONTGOMERY COUNTY BUDGET OFFICE COMMUNITY IMPACT

Through the budget process, the county identied nearly $9.5 million in additional funding needs above the $457 million in the total base budget.

What’s next?

while a $500 million bond would provide a $0.02 increase on the debt service portion of the tax rate. This could provide more room for commissioners to place county infrastructure projects on a bond issue. Commissioners previously agreed in June to seek a bond election in May 2025.

issue as well as potential issue of certicates of obligation for major county roof repairs and maintenance. John Robuck, managing advisor for BOK Financial, provided an updated presentation based on the new tax rate on Aug. 15. Robuck told the court a $450 million bond would not have an eect on the tax rate if approved,

Since the FY 2024-25 tax rate is above the no-new-revenue rate of $0.3480 per $100 of valuation, a public hearing was required by Texas law to provide an opportunity for residents to comment on the increase Sept. 6. With the passage of the tax rate, multiple commissioners agreed the county will need to focus on infrastructure in a future bond

CONROE MONTGOMERY EDITION

Government

Temporary development moratorium in effect for parts of Conroe At its Aug. 29 special meeting, Conroe City Council approved implementing a 120-day tem- porary development moratorium for the northern portion of the city. What you need to know To combat potential water shortage, the council implemented a temporary development morato- rium, a moratorium on the acceptance, authoriza- tion and approvals necessary for development. New developments will be halted during this time, and residents will only be affected through irrigation restrictions, according to an Aug. 21 city presentation. Affected areas include the northern portion of Conroe but exclude Panorama Village, the April Sound subdivision and the Montgomery County

County resuming Beryl debris pickup On Sept. 3, Montgomery County commis- sioners approved the new cost of $24 million for Hurricane Beryl-related debris removal, which allowed debris removal to resume after first being halted Aug. 27 due to rising costs and concerns over debris sources. The gist Jason Millsaps, executive director of the Montgomery County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, said since the collections were halted, over 1,200 households have requested a final pass of debris pickup from the county. Millsaps said moving forward would also allow him to begin the application process for reimbursement through FEMA for the expenses.

“Overdevelopment and previous decision making has put Conroe in a tough situation. This temporary pause in building is required to ensure

we maintain basic core government services to our citizens and put Conroe back on track for responsible development.” HOWARD WOOD, PLACE 4 COUNCIL MEMBER

Municipal Utility Districts Nos. 3 and 4. How we got here

In April, city officials first warned City Council about a decline in water capacity, Community Impact previously reported, and at a May 22 workshop meeting, city officials said around $50 million is needed to fund the water infrastructure. During a June 13 meeting, City Council approved irrigation restrictions between May 1-Oct. 31, according to prior reporting.

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BY NICHAELA SHAHEEN & JESSICA SHORTEN

Montgomery County to create its first medical examiner’s office

Term extensions, CCPD on ballot

Creating a medical examiner’s office

Needed positions include: 2 death investigators 1 part-time forensic pathologist Changing the administrative manager to a forensic operations manager 13 out of the 254 counties in the state have a medical examiner’s office— Montgomery County would be the 14th county to make the switch

During Aug. 13 meetings, Montgomery City Council voted to include council term extensions and the creation of a crime control and prevention district on the Nov. 5 ballot. The details Council members and the mayor serve two-year terms; however, if approved by voters, those terms would become four years long, according to the agenda packet. The term extension proposal would go into effect for the council members elected into office after the May 2025 election, according to prior reporting. Meanwhile, the CCPD would help fund the police department through sales tax revenue, according to prior reporting.

Montgomery County commissioners agreed on Aug. 14 to move forward on creating a medical

examiner’s office. Explaining the role

The county established a forensic center in 2011 due to rising costs for contracting with Harris and Dallas counties for death investigations. Since then, the county built a $13 million forensic center in Conroe to keep up with death investigations and pathology requests. Texas has a population-based requirement for counties to have a medical examiner’s office that increased to 2.5 million residents during the last legislative session in 2023. However, a county is able to set up the office at any point before reaching the population requirement.

SOURCE: MONTGOMERY COUNTY/COMMUNITY IMPACT

What’s next? Upon approval of the county budget in late August, the county will have to approve a memorialization of the move to create a medical examiner’s office. Assistant County Attorney Amy Dunham said it will likely take several months for the transition to take full effect.

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CONROE - MONTGOMERY EDITION

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Transportation

Willis

BY LIZZY SPANGLER

Montgomery

1097

Willis

LONE STAR PKWY.

Montgomery

LAKE CONROE

• Cost: $52.35 million • Funding source: state funds 3 I-45 ramp reversal

1097

Upcoming projects

830

2432

1097

LONE STAR PKWY.

1 Eastbound flyover construction on Hwy. 242 Project: Montgomery County commissioners approved a $19.1 million funding agreement with the Texas Department of Transportation in June to fund a flyover from northbound I-45 to eastbound Hwy. 242, and as of Aug. 13, $232,753 had been spent on project engineering. Update: TxDOT was slated to begin the bid process in August with construction starting by the end of the year. • Timeline: late 2024-TBD • Cost: $19.1 million • Funding sources: Montgomery County, federal funds

LAKE CONROE

FISH CREEK THOROUGHFARE 149 Update: The contractor is working on zones consisting of about three intersections at a time, from the north to the south side, according to TxDOT. As of the most recent information available Aug. 7, the project was 31% complete. • Timeline: Oct. 23, 2023-first quarter 2026 • Cost: $29.11 million • Funding sources: federal, state funds Project: TxDOT is using an existing right of way on Hwy. 242 between FM 1488 and I-45 to widen lanes and restripe the intersections. Posillico Civil, Inc. is the contractor. 149 Project: Between FM 830 and FM 1097 in Willis, I-45 is undergoing a northbound ramp reversal. James Construction Group is the contractor. Update: This project is 5% completed, according to an Aug. 7 media update from TxDOT. • Timeline: February 2024-second quarter 2025 • Cost: $3.17 million 105 2854 KEENAN CUT OFF RD. 149 • Funding source: state funds 4 Hwy. 242 widening 149 2854 KEENAN CUT OFF RD.

1484

830

2432

1484

Conroe

105

N. 10TH ST.

336

3083

Ongoing projects

1314

2 Hwy. 105 widening Project: Hwy. 105 between 10th Street and South Loop 336 in Conroe is being reconstructed and widened from two to four lanes. James Construction Group is the contractor. Update: This project is 30% completed, according to an Aug. 7 media update from TxDOT. • Timeline: March 2023-third quarter 2027

FISH CREEK THOROUGHFARE

WEST FORK SAN JACINTO RIVER

1488

W J

242

MAP NOT TO SCALE N

242

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CONROE - MONTGOMERY EDITION

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Real estate

Home sales declined in six of the eight ZIP codes in Conroe and Montgomery, with total home sales decreasing 2.4% year over year in August. Residential market data

Number of homes sold

August 2023

August 2024

+127.8%

+18.18%

-15.56%

-19.59%

-42.86%

-5.21%

-18.57%

-15.79%

77301

77302

77303

77304

77306

77316

77318

77356

77318

77356

77303

77301

105

Median home sales price

149

77316

August

2023

2024

77306

$251,240 $350,693 $269,900 $325,000 $220,820 $377,995 $335,883 $432,264

$275,153

77301 77302 77303 77304 77306 77316 77318 77356

77302

77304

$340,000 $247,900 $329,900 $169,950 $375,250 $338,000 $398,500

Homes sold by price point

August 2024

$1 million+

$750,000-$999,999

Average days on the market

$500,000-$749,999

+57.5%

+8.75%

+ 45.78%

+108.2%

-3.41%

+ 36.76%

-17.05%

265

$250,000-$499,999

113

<$249,999

MARKET DATA PROVIDED BY MELISSA SPENCER RE/MAX INTEGRITY 23309 KUYKENDAHL ROAD, TOMBALL • 713-823-2368 MELISSA@THESPENCERTEAM.COM

77301

77302

77303

77304

77306

77316

77318

77356

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Melissa & Doyle Spencer

melissa@thespencerteam.com ∙ 713-823-2368 ∙ TheSpencerTeam.com

CONROE - MONTGOMERY EDITION

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Education

BY JOANNE BACH, ANGELA BONILLA & TRAVIS DUONG

Greater Houston-area school districts see surge in banned books since 2021

A closer look

Out of the total 267 books banned over the past two school years, several books have been banned across multiple school districts.

School districts across Texas—including in the Greater Houston area—have experienced a rise in book bans and challenges since 2021. Free speech organization PEN America has tracked over 1,500 book bans in the state from July 2021 to December 2023, according to the organization’s report “Banned in the USA: Narrating the Crisis.” State legislation has been increasing its pressure on school libraries, said Shirley Robinson, executive director of the Texas Library Association, which comprises more than 6,000 libraries. House Bill 900, passed by the state Legislature in 2023, prohibits schools from purchasing or displaying “sexually explicit material,” including books, per the bill text. In January, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals blocked a portion of the bill requiring library vendors to rate materials, but upheld the Texas State Board of Education’s role in creating new library standards. “Librarians and district staff are spending inordinate amounts of time and money answering [Freedom of Information Act] requests and responding to many requests for reconsideration, instead of working with teachers and students,” Robinson said. Supporters of book removals—such as Moms for Liberty, a parent-empowerment organization with chapters in Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris and Montgomery counties—have said they believe the new requirements protect students from inappropriate material. “There are numerous titles that have been found on school shelves in Harris County that are

Greater Houston-area school district book bans, 2022-24

Most frequently banned books

Banned in four districts

Conroe ISD

160

“What Girls Are Made Of” by Elana K. Arnold

Cy-Fair ISD 2

Banned in three districts

Banned in two districts

Humble ISD 2 Fort Bend ISD 10

“A Court of Silver Flames” by Sarah J. Maas “Gender Queer: A Memoir” by Maia Kobabe

“This Book is Gay” by Juno Dawson “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” by Stephen Chbosky “Milk and Honey” by Rupi Kaur “A Court of Mist and Fury” by Sarah J. Maas

Katy ISD

SOURCES: LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS/COMMUNITY IMPACT

Lamar CISD

Spring ISD 3

What they’re saying

Alvin, Clear Creek, Friendswood, Houston, Klein, Montgomery and Pearland ISDs reported no books banned in their districts from 2022-24.

“Important voices and viewpoints are being silenced, and student learning is negatively impacted.” SHIRLEY ROBINSON, TEXAS LIBRARY ASSOCIATION EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

NOTE: TOMBALL ISD DID NOT RESPOND TO REQUESTS FOR DATA. SOURCES: LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS/COMMUNITY IMPACT

inappropriate for minors due to sexually explicit content,” said Denise Bell, chapter chair of Moms for Liberty Harris County. Out of 15 school districts Community Impact covers across the Greater Houston area, seven have recorded book removals over the past two school years.

“Schools should focus on providing quality, age-appropriate literature and increasing literacy rates.” DENISE BELL, MOMS FOR LIBERTY HARRIS COUNTY CHAPTER CHAIR

Zooming in

process. At an Aug. 20 meeting, trustees discussed the need for future action because several books removed from shelves were needed for AP courses, but no action was taken. “When it came to looking at our current policy, we saw that our AP and college board courses ... we are limited our students’ access to some of those books [required for the courses],” trustee Theresa Wagaman said.

specialist then appoints a review committee made up of at least one librarian and at least one teacher who is familiar with the material’s content. When a decision is made, the book will either return to the library shelves or be removed, according to the district. As of Aug. 30, the district listed 17 books as having received formal reconsideration requests, while over 100 were listed as having been part of an informal reconsideration

The Conroe ISD board of trustees adopted its current policies for instructional materials and library books in August 2022, establishing a system for formal review of library materials. The policy, which has been discussed at board meetings over the last two years amid numerous book challenges, allows parents to challenge books for reconsideration. The formal review of library materials begins with a written request. The district library

CONROE - MONTGOMERY EDITION

Education

BY ANGELA BONILLA & EMILY LINCKE

WISD calls for $115.4M bond election on Nov. 5 At an Aug. 19 meeting, the Willis ISD board of trustees approved calling for a $115.4 million bond to appear on the ballot in the Nov. 5 election. What you need to know The board unanimously approved the adoption of the order after having discussions with the com- munity, Superintendent Kimberley James said. According to the board, the Nov. 5 bond package includes the three propositions that voters did not approve in May. Proposition A is for a student activity center; Proposition B is for an athletic complex and stadium with community room; and Proposition C is for an aquatic center. “This being a presidential election year, we see it [as having] a greater voter turnout,” Willis ISD board President Kyle Hoegemeyer said at the Aug. 19 meeting.

MISD rolls out new cellphone use policy Montgomery ISD students will be required to keep cellphones off during the school day while on campus due to a new policy. The big picture Students can bring their cellphone to campus, but they will need to be turned off and remain “away for the day in backpacks, lockers or vehicles,” per an Aug. 1 news release. Under previous policy, student cellphones were considered “an extension of the classroom” and could be used to complete classwork, an MISD spokesperson said. In emergency or urgent situations, parents and guardians should contact school offices where staff will relay messages to students and allow students to contact parents if needed, per the release.

Montgomery ISD’s tax rate heads to ballot A $0.0425 increase to Montgomery ISD’s annual tax rate will go before voters on Nov. 5 after trust- ees decided to place the initiative on the ballot. In a nutshell MISD faces a $4.3 million shortfall for the fiscal year 2024-25 general fund budget, as previously reported by Community Impact . “We’re not living frivolously. ... We have tight- ened our belt to the point that we need to consider all of these options,” board President Matt Fuller

Willis ISD's $115.4M bond WISD trustees called for a bond for an athletic stadium and activity and aquatic centers.

Explaining the VATRE

105

Proposed tax rate: $1.0912 per $100 valuation

Proposition A: $27,000,000

Proposition B: $68,800,000

Proposition C: $19,600,000

2854

Average homeowner impact: $9 per month on a $350,000 house

MISD’s Creekside Elementary opens Montgomery ISD students were welcomed to the district’s seventh elementary school— Creekside Elementary—for the first time on Aug. 15. Major takeaways A ribbon cutting for Creekside Elemen- tary—which cost an estimated $43.49 million to build and was funded by MISD’s $326.9 mil- lion 2022 bond—was held Aug. 14. Students began the 2024-25 school year the next day.

No increase in taxes for voters age 65 and older

Total: $115.4 million

If approved, the $5.5 million in additional funding generated would go toward:

SOURCE: WILLIS ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT

The background Prior to this, a bond election was held in May where Proposition A, for a ninth-grade expansion and transportation center for $102.7 million, was the only measure approved by WISD voters out of the original four. Next steps The last day to register to vote is Oct. 7 and early voting begins Oct. 21. Election Day is Nov. 5.

Recruit and retain staff: 80%

said Aug. 19. The context

Superintendent Mark Ruffin said the shortfall can be attributed to a lack of funding increases made for public schools during the 88th legislative session; unfunded mandates; inflation increasing district costs and rising special education costs.

Student programs: 10% Safety and security: 10%

SOURCE: MONTGOMERY ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT

CONROE 1304 W Davis (936) 539-8787 NORTH CONROE 18434 Hwy 105 W (936) 582-5410

MONTGOMERY PLAZA 1420 N Loop 336 W (936) 441-7161

WILLIS 9618 FM 1097 (936) 228-0385

Building to rent From the cover

The details

Two-minute impact

The rise of the average home price and the asso- ciated rise in interest rates “very much” relates to the rise in demand for build-to-rent housing, Ireland said. Although the price of owning a home has risen, the average household wages have not. This means people who want homes but can’t afford them can still enjoy the benefits of owning a home without having to be tied down to long and expensive mortgages, said Kyle Jefferson, a real estate agent for Living the Dream Realty Group. “Obviously, I’m a Realtor. I want to sell [houses],” Jefferson said. “But [build-to-rent] does meet a need.” According to the Houston Association of Realtors’ Q2 2024 Housing and Rental Affordability Report, mortgages are higher than leases.

rise in build-to-rent communities. When planning these communities, Ireland said developers take into account different factors, including the number of jobs nearby, how long commutes to those jobs will be and if there are nearby school systems. “I think we’re learning that each development has its own market, and what … [renters are] looking for is not necessarily the same from one community as it is in another,” Ireland said.

Houston-area developer The Signorelli Company is developing 129 build-to-rent units in its master-planned community Cielo in Conroe, with an anticipated completion date of late 2025. Ralph Ireland, senior vice president of real estate and development for Signorelli, said the home rental industry has evolved from companies buying homes from owners; to dealing with homebuilders; to now seeing a

Build-to-rent communities in the Conroe area

Existing

Planned

1 Village at Granger Pines • 120 units 2 Lakeside Conroe • 340 units 3 Cottages at Buckshot Landing • 129 units

4 LEO at West Fork • 197 units 5 The Village at Caney Mills • 178 units 6 Amber Pines at Fosters Ridge • 124 units

7 Bright Morningstar Place • 98 units 8 Edge at Montgomery Park • 113 units 9 Cielo • 129 units 10 The Everstead at Conroe • 190 units

Housing vs. lease payments

Monthly housing payment*

Median monthly lease price*

1484

105

LONGMIRE RD.

WILLIS WAUKEGAN RD.

105

149

2854

336

FISH CREEK THOROUGHFARE

3083

Harris County

Montgomery County

Conroe Magnolia area

1488

MAP NOT TO SCALE N

SOURCE: HOUSTON ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS/COMMUNITY IMPACT *AS OF THE SECOND QUARTER OF 2024

SOURCES: HOUSTON ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS, RESPECTIVE BUILD-TO-RENT COMMUNITIES, THE SIGNORELLI COMPANY, WAN BRIDGE/COMMUNITY IMPACT

What they’re saying

“What we’re seeing is that renters of the homes actually have even more of an ownership mentality.” RALPH IRELAND, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF

“We have increased the amount of builders we have so that we’re able to keep up with the demand.” ANNA BROUSSARD, HOUSTON SENIOR REGIONAL MANAGER, WAN BRIDGE

“I think that the driver behind [build-to-rent] is the institutional investor looking for dierent

ways to invest in the real estate market. … This is ... like a new frontier.” KYLE JEFFERSON, REAL ESTATE AGENT, LIVING THE DREAM REALTY GROUP

COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE AND DEVELOPMENT, THE SIGNORELLI COMPANY

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