Overview
- Commissioners voted unanimously to require additional community meetings, set a Jan. 29 presentation from Harris Health, and scheduled a planned March 2026 vote on whether to use eminent domain.
- Dr. Esmaeil Porsa said Ben Taub faces an urgent capacity crisis and defended building a new patient tower on 8.9 acres next to the hospital, funded by a $2.5 billion bond approved in 2023.
- The City of Houston filed for judicial review on Oct. 23, and a 1914 deed on the Warneke Tract includes a reversion clause that heirs say they will enforce.
- Commissioners ordered a series of public hearings through December and into spring 2026 with clearer notice, after criticism that Harris Health’s process lacked transparency.
- The Hermann Park Conservancy and residents objected, citing the park’s master plan, prior donor-funded planning estimated at $500,000, green-space loss, and parking concerns raised by county leaders.