Adrian Garcia
Harris County Precinct 2 Commissioner
When I became the County Commissioner of Precinct 2, I knew I would have an important choice to make in how I would handle this enormous responsibility – that would be to either be a part of thestatus quo or to be intentional, impactful and transformational. I chose the latter. This is why, every day I wake up excited about the transformation happening across Precinct 2. Together, we (the community, my team and I) have accomplished a great deal these past five years. As the son of a mechanic, my father taught me to x things and to do my best to x them right. As a lifelong public servant, I enjoy hearing from the community I serve. When a Precinct 2 resident shares how they’ve been asking for repairs for years or even decades, I get to work. Like when I was on Houston City Council and I spoke with Linda from Denver Harbor, who used a wheelchair and shared how she wished for a sidewalk in her neighborhood. She needed the sidewalk to access a Metro stop. My team and I got to work. We were able to apply for a grant to install a sidewalk. Linda told me how “free and normal” she felt because of the new sidewalk. She could now access the Metro stop with ease.
When I first became Commissioner, I visited the Castlewood subdivision in Aldine, and listened from residents how they needed an updated drainage system after storms flooded their homes. After two years of construction and a $15 million investment, in October 2022, we unveiled a transformed neighborhood with a robust underground drainage system, new sidewalks, and street lights. Another project that I envisioned, on my first day as Commissioner, was James Driver Inclusive Park. The park has become an award winning park, nationally renowned space where everyone, regardless of ability, can play. This $8 million investment was a labor of love. More people come to the park than ever before. It has drawn visitors from around the world to East Aldine. As a kid from Houston’s near Northside, I grew up with the idea that helping others was good and important to do. However, growing up in a tough neighborhood where many of my childhood friends became consumed by the negative influences made my journey difficult at times. I never imagined that I would have the opportunity and responsibility to create projects that made a positive impact in my community.
I am proud of the progress we are making in neighborhoods that have been forgotten. However, this is just the beginning. Real change that improves lives for generations to come takes careful planning and meticulous execution. We are building on our momentum. We are ready to get more work done in
