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Topic: Redistricting and community mapping in HoustonWho: Houston in Action, led by Director Juan Cardoza-OquendoThe Problem: Communities of color have been split apart by district lines on purpose to reduce their political powerThe Solution: Unity Maps draw district lines that keep communities together so their votes count moreSource: Houston in Action Public Policy Office
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Good first step: Share A neighbor or family member who votes
Hey, did you know district lines can affect whose voice gets heard in elections? There's a project called Unity Maps that helps keep our community together. Want to learn more at houstoninaction.org?
Houston in Action created Unity Maps — community-drawn district maps that let everyday Houston residents, especially communities of color, have a real say in how Harris County is divided into voting districts. This guide explains what redistricting is, why it matters, and how community mapping works as a tool for fair representation.
Unity Maps are community-drawn district proposals. Houston in Action, along with member groups Mi Familia Vota, Pure Justice, OCA Greater Houston, and EMGAGE Action, spent six months mapping 43 communities of interest across Harris County. Their 2021 Unity Map for the Harris County Commissioners Court keeps neighborhoods like Third Ward, Fifth Ward, Sunnyside, Aldine, Alief, Gulfton, and others whole — so those communities share a representative who is accountable to them. Community stories and personal testimony are part of the process too, not just the maps themselves.
Community mapping works by bringing neighbors together to identify who they are, what they share, and where their community boundaries really are. Instead of politicians drawing the lines, residents do it themselves. Houston in Action facilitated this through dozens of one-on-one and group meetings with community leaders across Harris County. The goal is to make sure communities of interest — defined by shared culture, history, and policy concerns — stay together in the same district.
Every 10 years after the Census
Houston (Texas redistricting)
This guide connects to broader civic issues in Houston, including environmental justice (toxic facilities in east Harris County), criminal justice, flood control, healthcare, and education — all of which are shaped by who your county commissioner is. Fair district maps are a first step toward electing leaders who truly represent your community.
Every ten years after the Census, elected officials redraw the district lines that decide who represents you — at the county, state, and national level. These lines affect everything from flood control to education to environmental health. Historically, Texas has used this process to split up or pack in communities of color, weakening their voting power. Houston in Action believes communities should draw their own maps, not have lines imposed on them by outsiders.
