Peter Hoyt Brown
Encyclopedia
Peter Hoyt Brown is a politician who held office as an at-large Council Member
in the city of Houston, Texas
. He was a candidate for the 2009 Houston Mayoral race, to succeed then Mayor Bill White who vacate the position due to term limits. Although an independent poll conducted by 11 News/ KUHF Houston Public Radio poll
in late October 2009, showed Brown holding the lead in the Mayor's race with a nine point lead over his nearest opponent, he was eliminated in the November 3, 2009 election.
, and went on to earn a Masters degree in Languages from University of California, Berkley.
Upon graduation, Brown enlisted in the U.S. Army. After a year of active service, Brown entered the active reserves while attending the University of Pennsylvania
. There, he earned master's degrees in architecture and urban planning. Today, he is the only City Council Member in Houston to have served in the U.S. military.
Brown began his career as an architect
and urban planner
in 1966, working on major projects in the northeast United States. In 1982 he moved back to Houston, and became partner in an architecture and planning firm. A year later, he would found his own firm, which he grew into a successful national business. In 2003, Brown was elevated to Fellow of the American Institute of Architects, the profession’s highest distinction. As an architect, he has designed many municipal facilities, including affordable housing and traditional neighborhoods, fire and police stations, parks and recreation centers, jails and courthouses, libraries and health clinics, transit stations, and theaters.
Brown also serves as an adjunct professor in the graduate program of Urban Planning at Texas Southern University
.
in 2003 against incumbent Council Woman Shelley Sekula-Gibbs
. Brown narrowly lost to Sekula-Gibbs, receiving 48.5 % of the vote, and raising more money than any previous City Council candidate. In 2005, Brown ran again and won his current seat, at-large position 1
. In 2007, he was re-elected to his second term.
Since taking office in 2006, Brown has been a neighborhood advocate, working for better street standards, making the city pedestrian-friendly, and instrumental in the creation of the Houston General Plan and the Houston Mobility Plan, and has been involved in the creation of the Old Sixth Ward
historic district.
Brown publicly supports a decentralized form of municipal government, and recently unveiled plans to decentralize the city government, and bring city services closer to neighborhoods. "We're a big, spread-out city and trying to run everything from a central, one central source, say downtown is not very cost-effective. To decentralize neighborhood services is something I think we need to take a close look at." Brown also supports a decentralized, restructured police department, saying that with centralized systems, “there is no accountability.” Brown has called this situation a “leadership opportunity for the next mayor to plow new ground.”
He has also promoted and worked for more "green
" initiatives including recycling, urban gardens and farming, and air quality standards. In January 2008, Mayor Bill White appointed Brown to Chair the newly created Council Committee on Sustainable Growth. The committee considers strategies to promote environmental health, energy efficiency, and conservation of natural resources in the city of Houston. In October 2008, the Sustainable Growth Committee successfully initiated a program to recycle heavy organic yard waste which is expected to salvage 90000 short ton annually, enough to fill the Chase Tower
, the city's tallest structure. This, plus a new program to recycle scrap tires, will save Houston taxpayers over $1 million annually.
In the aftermath of hurricane Ike
, Brown advocated for the importance of retrofitting the city’s electrical infrastructure. The hurricane cut electric power to millions of customers in the Houston area for weeks. Brown called for the largest energy provider in Houston, CenterPoint Energy
, to bury their overhead power lines and harden the city’s electrical grid to prevent similar mass power outages from occurring in the future.
In January 2008, Brown announced the creation of his Mayoral Exploratory Committee
. Since that announcement, Brown has received the public support and endorsement of several organizations and community leaders. On February 26, 2009, Brown officially announced his candidacy for Mayor of Houston, and succeed current term limited Mayor White, before supporters at Hermann Park
in Houston. Other candidates include former City Attorney Gene Locke, Roy Morales
, and City Controller Annise Parker
.
Brown has focused much of his campaign around his experience as a businessman, architect and urban planner, and his "Blueprint for An Even Better Houston," which his campaign says "offers real solutions and real ideas for combatting traffic, crime, flooding and other challenges." The blueprint details policy agendas pertaining to the economy, public safety, transportation, flooding, energy, government efficiency and reform, and the environment.
Although his opponents are generally acknowledged to be more polished public speakers than he is, and some of them been politicians for much longer - building high name identification - observers have acknowledged that Brown seems to have outworked his opponents. The Chronicle's Rick Casey praised Brown's "energy" and wrote "Brown has campaigned harder and longer than any other candidate."
Brown's mayoral campaign reported raising over $477,000 in the first half of 2009, bringing his cash on hand amount at the time to $1.7 million, more than three times what his opponents reported. An independent poll conducted by the Houston Chronicle in late September showed Brown ahead of all of his opponents. A secondary independent poll conducted by 11 News/ KUHF Houston Public Radio poll
in late October 2009, still showed Brown with a nine point lead over his nearest opponent.
Although many independent polls showed Brown holding the lead in the Mayor's race, he was eliminated in the November 3, 2009 election. The next week Brown publicly endorsed his former opponent, Annise Parker, in the Mayor's race, an endorsement that was heavily sought after by both remaining candidates. Parker went on to win the Mayor's race and was sworn in as Mayor on January 4, 2010.
City council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
in the city of Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
. He was a candidate for the 2009 Houston Mayoral race, to succeed then Mayor Bill White who vacate the position due to term limits. Although an independent poll conducted by 11 News/ KUHF Houston Public Radio poll
KUHF
KUHF is a public radio station serving the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. It broadcasts on a frequency of 88.7 megahertz on the FM dial. The station is owned by and licensed to the University of Houston System...
in late October 2009, showed Brown holding the lead in the Mayor's race with a nine point lead over his nearest opponent, he was eliminated in the November 3, 2009 election.
Education and professional career
Brown grew up in Riverside Terrace in Houston, just north of Brays Bayou, in the North McGregor part of town, and attended St. John's School. He graduated with a Bachelors from the University of HoustonUniversity of Houston
The University of Houston is a state research university, and is the flagship institution of the University of Houston System. Founded in 1927, it is Texas's third-largest university with nearly 40,000 students. Its campus spans 667 acres in southeast Houston, and was known as University of...
, and went on to earn a Masters degree in Languages from University of California, Berkley.
Upon graduation, Brown enlisted in the U.S. Army. After a year of active service, Brown entered the active reserves while attending the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
. There, he earned master's degrees in architecture and urban planning. Today, he is the only City Council Member in Houston to have served in the U.S. military.
Brown began his career as an architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
and urban planner
Urban planner
An urban planner or city planner is a professional who works in the field of urban planning/land use planning for the purpose of optimizing the effectiveness of a community's land use and infrastructure. They formulate plans for the development and management of urban and suburban areas, typically...
in 1966, working on major projects in the northeast United States. In 1982 he moved back to Houston, and became partner in an architecture and planning firm. A year later, he would found his own firm, which he grew into a successful national business. In 2003, Brown was elevated to Fellow of the American Institute of Architects, the profession’s highest distinction. As an architect, he has designed many municipal facilities, including affordable housing and traditional neighborhoods, fire and police stations, parks and recreation centers, jails and courthouses, libraries and health clinics, transit stations, and theaters.
Brown also serves as an adjunct professor in the graduate program of Urban Planning at Texas Southern University
Texas Southern University
Texas Southern University is a historically black university located in Houston, Texas, United States....
.
Political career
Brown first ran for an at-large seat on Houston City CouncilPolitics of Houston
Founded in 1836 and incorporated in 1837, Houston, Texas, United States is one of the fastest growing major cities in the United States and the largest without zoning laws. The city is the county seat of Harris County...
in 2003 against incumbent Council Woman Shelley Sekula-Gibbs
Shelley Sekula-Gibbs
Shelley Sekula-Gibbs is a physician and a former member of the United States House of Representatives representing from November 13, 2006, until January 3, 2007. She has also served as a City Councilwoman in Houston, Texas for three terms...
. Brown narrowly lost to Sekula-Gibbs, receiving 48.5 % of the vote, and raising more money than any previous City Council candidate. In 2005, Brown ran again and won his current seat, at-large position 1
Politics of Houston
Founded in 1836 and incorporated in 1837, Houston, Texas, United States is one of the fastest growing major cities in the United States and the largest without zoning laws. The city is the county seat of Harris County...
. In 2007, he was re-elected to his second term.
Since taking office in 2006, Brown has been a neighborhood advocate, working for better street standards, making the city pedestrian-friendly, and instrumental in the creation of the Houston General Plan and the Houston Mobility Plan, and has been involved in the creation of the Old Sixth Ward
Sixth Ward, Houston
The Sixth Ward is a community in Houston, Texas, United States.-History:The Sixth Ward was created out of the northern part of the Fourth Ward in 1876, and is the only ward that does not extend into downtown Houston's historical center, although a fraction of what used to be the ward is considered...
historic district.
Brown publicly supports a decentralized form of municipal government, and recently unveiled plans to decentralize the city government, and bring city services closer to neighborhoods. "We're a big, spread-out city and trying to run everything from a central, one central source, say downtown is not very cost-effective. To decentralize neighborhood services is something I think we need to take a close look at." Brown also supports a decentralized, restructured police department, saying that with centralized systems, “there is no accountability.” Brown has called this situation a “leadership opportunity for the next mayor to plow new ground.”
He has also promoted and worked for more "green
Environmentally friendly
Environmentally friendly are terms used to refer to goods and services, laws, guidelines and policies claimed to inflict minimal or no harm on the environment....
" initiatives including recycling, urban gardens and farming, and air quality standards. In January 2008, Mayor Bill White appointed Brown to Chair the newly created Council Committee on Sustainable Growth. The committee considers strategies to promote environmental health, energy efficiency, and conservation of natural resources in the city of Houston. In October 2008, the Sustainable Growth Committee successfully initiated a program to recycle heavy organic yard waste which is expected to salvage 90000 short ton annually, enough to fill the Chase Tower
JPMorgan Chase Tower (Houston)
JPMorgan Chase Tower, formerly Texas Commerce Tower, is a , 75-story skyscraper in Houston, Texas. It is currently the tallest building in the city, the tallest building in Texas, the tallest five-sided building in the world, 12th tallest building in the United States, and the 54th tallest building...
, the city's tallest structure. This, plus a new program to recycle scrap tires, will save Houston taxpayers over $1 million annually.
Hurricane Ike
Hurricane Ike was the second-costliest hurricane ever to make landfall in the United States, the costliest hurricane ever to impact Cuba and the second most active hurricane to reach the Canadian mainland in the Great Lakes Region after Hurricane Hazel in 1954...
, Brown advocated for the importance of retrofitting the city’s electrical infrastructure. The hurricane cut electric power to millions of customers in the Houston area for weeks. Brown called for the largest energy provider in Houston, CenterPoint Energy
CenterPoint Energy
CenterPoint Energy is a Fortune 500 electric and natural gas utility serving several markets in the U.S. states of Arkansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas. It was formerly known as Reliant Energy , NorAm Energy, Houston Industries, and HL&P...
, to bury their overhead power lines and harden the city’s electrical grid to prevent similar mass power outages from occurring in the future.
Houston mayoral race
In January 2008, Brown announced the creation of his Mayoral Exploratory Committee
Exploratory Committee
In the election politics of the United States, an exploratory committee is an organization established to help determine whether a potential candidate should run for an elected office. They are most often cited in reference to United States Presidential hopefuls, prior to the primaries.Exploratory...
. Since that announcement, Brown has received the public support and endorsement of several organizations and community leaders. On February 26, 2009, Brown officially announced his candidacy for Mayor of Houston, and succeed current term limited Mayor White, before supporters at Hermann Park
Hermann Park
Hermann Park is one of Houston's most-visited public parks. Situated between Fannin Street and Cambridge Street, it is within walking distance from the Texas Medical Center, Rice University, and the Museum District, and within a few miles of the Third Ward, the historic Astrodome and Reliant Stadium...
in Houston. Other candidates include former City Attorney Gene Locke, Roy Morales
Roy Morales
Roy Morales is a Harris County, Texas school board trustee and a retired air force lieutenant colonel. He was a Republican candidate in the 2009 Houston Mayoral Election, which he lost to Annise Parker.-Early life and career:...
, and City Controller Annise Parker
Annise Parker
Annise Danette Parker is an American politician and the mayor of Houston since January 2, 2010. She served as an at-large member of the Houston City Council from 1998 to 2003 and city controller from 2004 to 2009...
.
Brown has focused much of his campaign around his experience as a businessman, architect and urban planner, and his "Blueprint for An Even Better Houston," which his campaign says "offers real solutions and real ideas for combatting traffic, crime, flooding and other challenges." The blueprint details policy agendas pertaining to the economy, public safety, transportation, flooding, energy, government efficiency and reform, and the environment.
Although his opponents are generally acknowledged to be more polished public speakers than he is, and some of them been politicians for much longer - building high name identification - observers have acknowledged that Brown seems to have outworked his opponents. The Chronicle's Rick Casey praised Brown's "energy" and wrote "Brown has campaigned harder and longer than any other candidate."
Brown's mayoral campaign reported raising over $477,000 in the first half of 2009, bringing his cash on hand amount at the time to $1.7 million, more than three times what his opponents reported. An independent poll conducted by the Houston Chronicle in late September showed Brown ahead of all of his opponents. A secondary independent poll conducted by 11 News/ KUHF Houston Public Radio poll
KUHF
KUHF is a public radio station serving the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. It broadcasts on a frequency of 88.7 megahertz on the FM dial. The station is owned by and licensed to the University of Houston System...
in late October 2009, still showed Brown with a nine point lead over his nearest opponent.
Although many independent polls showed Brown holding the lead in the Mayor's race, he was eliminated in the November 3, 2009 election. The next week Brown publicly endorsed his former opponent, Annise Parker, in the Mayor's race, an endorsement that was heavily sought after by both remaining candidates. Parker went on to win the Mayor's race and was sworn in as Mayor on January 4, 2010.
Mayoral results
2003
2005
2007
External links
- Peter Brown's website at the City of Houston
- Peter Brown for Mayor Campaign Website
- Peter Brown for Mayor Facebook
- Peter Brown for Mayor Twitter
- YouTube: Peter Brown for Mayor
- Mayoral candidate Peter Brown to strengthen neighborhood council
- Defender News: Councilman Peter Brown prepares to run for mayor
- Race for Houston mayor starts early
- Intown Magazine: Meet Council Member Peter Brown
- PERSPECTIVE: Peter Brown | Houston City Councilman
- Change Magazine: Peter Brown's Recycling Competition Heats Up