Who Benefits? - Just about everyone!
Houston International Network is one of those rare net-net-net solutions, the long needed fix for the persistent communications deficit in delivery of vital public information for our region's 100+ immigrant language communities.
When vital public info is effectively delivered to our language communities- fully 25% of our population, the impact of safer, healthier Houstonians reduces the cost of most front line public services.
Vital public information that helps immigrants understand how to protect themselves from robbery or assault, means fewer crime victims. Long term cost reductions in first responder services, police and EMT, supports down-line cost reductions in collateral budget expenditures. That benefits taxpayers.
Delivery of vital info helps immigrants understand our criminal justice system is not the same as those so distrusted in their homelands. It can reduce the number of crime victims not reporting to police. More perpetrators can be taken off the streets, making neighborhoods safer for everyone.
Safer neighborhoods attract new businesses, even immigrant start-ups, which then employ more Houstonians. That benefits our tax base.
Effective, targeted vital info delivery can engage trust-building relationships between communities and law enforcement. It can facilitate the kind of deep reach into neighborhoods that motivates reporting for Homeland Security through 'See Something / Say Something' relationships. That benefits everyone, everywhere.
2020 US Census
Our region loses billions in federal dollars when Houstonians do not respond to the US Census. When immigrants pay federal income taxes, but do not respond to the Census, our region loses it fair share of our tax dollar contributions. It does not return here to support the economic vitality, mobility and infrastructure of our cities.
Working with the City's Planning & Development Dept, our diverse communications delivery design drastically improved Houston' chronically low Census response rate. It pushed Houston to the 2nd highest response rate in the country. Even with this progress, Houston's 2010 Census undercount remains significant.
Houston International Network is designed to build meaningful reach into and motivate response in every immigrant language community in the region.
This is the front-end loading for effective communications to build reliable response patterns prior to the 2020 Census. The return of our federal dollars to the region benefits everyone.
Regional Cohesion Benefits
Shared knowledge is the cornerstone of American community vitality and the foundation of social cohesion.
