What we reported The number of houses built in the Richmond area grew between 13 percent and 31 percent from 2011 to 2014, depending on the zip code. The build-out is occurring despite a 25 percent downturn for new home starts in the overall Greater Houston area.

The latest The Veranda and Telavera communities are expected to open in 2017, according to developers. Those two developments alone will add more than a thousand homes to the area when build out is complete. Fort Bend Economic Development Council CEO Jeff Wiley said master-planned communities are good for the economy because the people who live in them are typically dual earners with disposable income.

What’s next Wiley said the Richmond area is one of the few places in the Greater Houston area that has room for large-scale new development. “By the end of 2018, we’ll have east to west development of an interstate corridor that certainly is going to benefit Richmond and Rosenberg,” he said.

This story is one update from The January Issue. View the full list of 5 things to look for in 2017 here.