Memorial Heights Redevelopment Authority

About

Memorial Heights Redevelopment Authority, a local government corporation, was created to aid, assist and act on behalf of Tax Reinvestment Zone 5, a zone designated by Ordinance of the City of Houston.

Mission

The purpose of the Memorial Heights Redevelopment Authority is to appropriately use approved tax dollars to construct public facilities and infrastructure, benefitting and revitalizing the City and the communities within and around the Zone boundaries, and to improve the quality of life for the residents of Houston. The Authority provides the necessary tools to alleviate blight, deteriorated street and site conditions, obsolete transit services and facilities, and improve storm water management, while encouraging sound growth of residential and commercial development. Through partnerships, leveraging and incentives the Authority works to create an environment conducive to livability, residential infill, pedestrian functionality, multimodal public transportation systems, public open spaces and parks.

Board Members

Donna McIntosh

Donna McIntosh is a public finance attorney with Greenberg Traurig, LLP. Her law practice is focused on representing local governments, school districts, special districts and state agencies on matters related to infrastructure, debt financings and related projects. She earned her Bachelor’s in Business Administration, Accounting degree from University of Houston-Downtown and her J.D. from University of Houston Law Center. She is a resident of the Memorial Heights area where she has lived for 2 years.

Nikki Knight

Nikki Knight is a native Houstonian who has spent the majority of her professional life as a management and operations consultant for a diverse portfolio of public, private and nonprofit entities. A graduate of the University of Houston-Downtown, Knight holds a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies and a minor in Organizational Communication. She currently serves as the District Program Manager with the Greater Southeast Management District and performs advisory and board service to several non-profit organizations nationwide. Her commitment to strategically navigating the intersections of policy, people and preference drives her work in the City of Houston and beyond.

Janice Hale-Harris

Janice Hale-Harris works for Waste Management, leading the Organizational Development department. She is also a resident of the Memorial Heights area where she has lived for nine years. In addition to the Memorial Heights board, Janice is an American Leadership Forum Senior Fellow and sits on the Delta Academic Artistic and Philanthropic board. She is passionate about helping make Houston a great place to live and work.

Dr. Robert Stein

Bob Stein, a member of the Board of Bike Houston, is an avid bicyclist, commutes by bike to work from his home in the Heights and has lived in Houston since 1979. He is the Lena Gohlman Fox Professor of Political Science at Rice University, Faculty Director of the Center for Civic Engagement, Fellow in Urban Politics at the Baker Institute and former Dean of the School of Social Sciences (1996-2006). Stein’s teaching and research focuses on public policy, urban politics and election administration.

Ann Lents

Ann Lents, a native Houstonian, retired in 2008 as President and CEO of the Center for Houston’s Future, a not-for-profit policy planning organization. She continues to work as a volunteer in the civic and policy arenas and serves as immediate past Chairman of the Board of Texas Children’s Hospital and currently serves on the board of the Houston Parks Board. She was one of the founders of the Quality of Life Coalition and served as its Co-Chair throughout its existence; the Coalition consisted of 100 community organization endorsers and successfully urged a quality of life agenda to increase parks, trails, and tree planting, and to limit billboards, signage, litter, and graffiti. She practiced law with Vinson & Elkins from 1974 to 1990, where she was a partner focusing principally on commercial litigation and antitrust.

Matt Zeve

Matt Zeve has been a Heights resident for 16 years. He graduated from Texas A&M with a bachelor’s and master’s degree in civil engineering. He has worked as a drainage engineer in Houston for 22 years in both the public and private sector. He is a strong proponent of public infrastructure investments and enjoys educating anyone who will listen about the importance of public infrastructure in our daily lives.

Christopher Manriquez

Christopher Manriquez was born and raised in Houston and spent the vast majority of his childhood within Memorial Heights. He attended U of H and then transferred to Oregon to study Horticulture. He returned to Houston to purchase the family business, making him a third-generation owner. In addition to the family business, he founded other companies where he served as CEO. He now works with young entrepreneurs helping and mentoring them to establish their own businesses. In addition to the Memorial Heights board, he serves on the Building Committee and Finance Committee for the Arch Diocese Galveston-Houston and the U of H Pike (Pi Kappa Alpha) Alumni Board. His goals moving forward consist of serving his community, continued education and mentoring the youth and young business professionals.

Staff Members

Sherry Weesner

Sherry Weesner is President of the Memorial Heights Redevelopment Authority. She has lived in the Houston area since her parents moved to Houston when she was in the second grade. She is a registered professional engineer and has a B.S. Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Texas A&M University, a M.S. Degree in Finance from the University of Houston and is a Certified Public Manager. In addition to working with the Memorial Heights Redevelopment Authority/TIRZ 5, Sherry is a Leadership Houston Alumnus, and an American Leadership Forum Senior Fellow.