Economic Justice: Harris County Precinct 1 MWBE Program
July 25, 2022
Seventeen Advocates for Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises from wide-ranging backgrounds gathered to speak at a Houston Community College Board of Trustees meeting on June 22nd. At stake was a pending proposal authorizing a disparity study to be conducted by Houston Community College to affirm existing disparities of the utilization of Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises within Harris County. Advocates included minority business owners, education administrators, students, and future business owners, who all articulated the glaring shortcoming which continues to exist within one of the most diverse counties in the United States, yielding minorities (including African Americans, Latinas, Asian and Biracial Americans) as the 74% majority of the 4.8 million (and growing) population. Houston Community College Board of Trustees voted 7-0 to approve adoption of a disparity study. This is one of multiple studies which will help to identify and gradually eliminate existing barriers to Women and Minority-Owned Business Enterprises (MWBEs) in Harris County which should have no place in one of the largest counties in the United States.
In an effort to expand future economic opportunity for historically marginalized minorities and women within a vigorous and consistently expanding Houston economy, Commissioner Rodney Ellis encourages the use of disparity studies to provide objective data to develop sound public policy. The first Disparity Study proposed by Commissioner Ellis and funded by Precinct 1 was completed in 2020 and revealed that of the “28% availability of Minority and women-owned businesses in the Harris County market area, only 9% of contract dollars went to minority and women-owned businesses” [1;4]. Shortly before the completion of this first study, Commissioner Ellis recommended and implemented the Harris County Department of Economic Equity and Opportunity (DEEO), which is responsible for overseeing the MWBE policy and program. The 2020 disparity study paved the way for the framework of the next steps the county would take on its path to economic opportunity for MWBEs based on research-informed practices and a goal of 30% MWBE participation on the county-wide level.
As Table 1 shows, June 28th Harris County Commissioners Court determined a significant increase in MWBE utilization from 9.01% to 19.77% since June of 2021. This is a 119% increase since the initial disparity study was released two years ago [2;4]. Among its objectives, Precinct 1 is adamantly working to achieve its 30% participation goal by persistent goal-setting, sustaining MWBE engagement, contract renewals, and outreach campaigns. Deputy Director of Policy Sasha Legette stated that disparity studies such as the ones conducted on MWBEs offer vast benefits which seek to minimize barriers such as gaps in existing economic opportunities and establishes a basis with which to create revolving target programs and services. Ms. Legette further stated that Precinct 1’s MWBE program is, “essentially an effective way to close these gaps. It is something that can transform a generation”.
Programs such as MWBE and the encompassing pursuit of economic justice are far from new to Commissioner Rodney Ellis and his life-long pursuit to public service. Serving District D on the Houston City Council from 1983-1988, Ellis served as chair of the Economic Redevelopment Committee—advocating policies to uplift often marginalized populations. During his more than 25-year tenure in the Texas Senate, Ellis notably authored Senate Bill 266 in 1997, which led to the Capital Access Fund (CAP) [3], providing economic relief to small businesses. As the leading advocate for the county’s MWBE program, Commissioner Ellis plays a pivotal role in its continued success. He has stated, “it is a shame when people have power and don’t exercise it”. When minority and women-owned businesses thrive, more jobs are created in communities of color and more resources become available to combat disinvestment. The MWBE program exemplifies a smart, strategic, and meaningfully engaged utilization of local government opportunities.
The content and opinions expressed on this webpage are solely the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of nor are they endorsed by the University of Houston or the Hobby School of Public Affairs.
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