Garnet Coleman
Encyclopedia
Garnet F. Coleman is a U.S. politician and a member of the Texas House of Representatives
for District 147 since 1991. He is the son of John B. Coleman, M.D. (a prominent Third Ward physician and businessman).
Coleman graduated from Jack Yates High School in Houston, and the University of Saint Thomas in Houston.
His district includes Downtown Houston
, the Hobby Airport area, Midtown Houston, Sagemont, and the Third Ward.
Coleman has been named Texas Monthly
Ten Best Legislators List on two occasions. Most recently he received the 2005 Reintegration Award presented by Eli Lilly and Company
, a national award given in acknowledgment of efforts to increase services and decrease the stigma associated with mental illness. Representative Coleman has also been recognized by the Congressional Black Caucus
as he was named Outstanding Black Caucus Chair for 2004 for his advocacy of voting rights of African Americans.
Representative Coleman has served as the Chair of the Legislative Study Group, a non-partisan house caucus since 2003 when he was elected to the position by more than 40 of his colleagues. In addition, Rep. Coleman is a past chair of the Texas Legislative Black Caucus. As Chairman, Rep. Coleman coordinated efforts among members of the Caucus to help preserve the Top Ten Percent Rule
, which assists historically-underrepresented minority students in gaining admission to Texas' top institutions of higher learning.
Coleman is a member of the House Committee on Public Health and the Chair of the House Committee on County Affairs. He has joint authored legislation that simplified access to children's Medicaid
for more than 600,000 children in Texas who were eligible for the program but were not enrolled because of bureaucratic barriers. He also helped secure an increase of $161.5 million for at-risk child care services and joint authored legislation that created the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
, which makes low-cost health insurance available to more than 400,00 children in working families.
Coleman authored legislation that created the Greater Southeast Management District, the Downtown
Management District and the Fourth Ward and East Montrose
Improvement Districts. Additionally, he sponsored legislation creating Houston's convention center hotel and expanding the convention center
itself. Rep. Coleman also authored legislation allowing for the creation of a commercial and industrial development zone in Harris County
, which is designed to promote economic development along the transportation corridors that link Houston-area transportation nodes.
Coleman serves on the boards of the Mid-Town
Redevelopment Authority, the National Mental Health Association, and the Ensemble Theater. In 1991, Rep. Coleman founded S.M.A.R.T. Kids, an inner city youth development program. He also serves as president and CEO of Apartments for America, Inc., a non-profit affordable housing corporation.
Coleman has been an avid supporter to Houston's LGBT
community since taking office; he has supported and endorsed Annise Parker
and Sue Lovell
. He has also been supportive of the Texas Young Democrats to which its Harris County chapter has invited him as a guest speaker.
Raised in Houston, Representative Coleman attended Howard University
in Washington, D.C. and in 1990 graduated from the University of St. Thomas
cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts. He also completed the Harvard University Senior Executive Program for State and Local Government.
Coleman and his wife, Angelique, reside in Houston's University Oaks
neighborhood. They have two children, Austin and Evan.
and a desire to keep the original residents in the neighborhood. Coleman had some control over the Midtown Tax Increment Financing District, which bought land in the Third Ward and enacted deeds restricting what may be done with the land, so that the land could indefinitely be used to house low income residents. In 2009, Coleman said "We learned a lot from the debacle in the Fourth Ward. So it would be stupid not to respond to the negative byproducts of rapid development. We want to find people who will make this community better by becoming part of its fabric, not by changing its fabric." In regards to the Fourth Ward in 2009, Coleman said that it cannot recapture the sense of community that it used to have. Coleman added "the residents got pushed to the suburbs, and the businesses got wiped away."
Texas Legislature
The Legislature of the state of Texas is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Texas. The legislature is a bicameral body composed of a 31-member Senate and a 150-member House of Representatives. The Legislature meets at the Capitol in Austin...
for District 147 since 1991. He is the son of John B. Coleman, M.D. (a prominent Third Ward physician and businessman).
Coleman graduated from Jack Yates High School in Houston, and the University of Saint Thomas in Houston.
His district includes Downtown Houston
Downtown Houston
Downtown Houston is the largest business district of Houston, Texas, United States. Downtown Houston, the city's central business district, contains the headquarters of many prominent companies. There is an extensive network of pedestrian tunnels and skywalks connecting the buildings of the district...
, the Hobby Airport area, Midtown Houston, Sagemont, and the Third Ward.
Coleman has been named Texas Monthly
Texas Monthly
Texas Monthly is a monthly American magazine headquartered in Austin, Texas. Texas Monthly is published by Emmis Publishing, L.P. and was founded in 1973 by Michael R. Levy, Texas Monthly chronicles life in contemporary Texas, writing on politics, the environment, industry, and education...
Ten Best Legislators List on two occasions. Most recently he received the 2005 Reintegration Award presented by Eli Lilly and Company
Eli Lilly and Company
Eli Lilly and Company is a global pharmaceutical company. Eli Lilly's global headquarters is located in Indianapolis, Indiana, in the United States...
, a national award given in acknowledgment of efforts to increase services and decrease the stigma associated with mental illness. Representative Coleman has also been recognized by the Congressional Black Caucus
Congressional Black Caucus
The Congressional Black Caucus is an organization representing the black members of the United States Congress. Membership is exclusive to blacks, and its chair in the 112th Congress is Representative Emanuel Cleaver of Missouri.-Aims:...
as he was named Outstanding Black Caucus Chair for 2004 for his advocacy of voting rights of African Americans.
Representative Coleman has served as the Chair of the Legislative Study Group, a non-partisan house caucus since 2003 when he was elected to the position by more than 40 of his colleagues. In addition, Rep. Coleman is a past chair of the Texas Legislative Black Caucus. As Chairman, Rep. Coleman coordinated efforts among members of the Caucus to help preserve the Top Ten Percent Rule
Texas House Bill 588
Texas House Bill 588, commonly referred to as the "Top 10% Rule", is a Texas law passed in 1997.The law guarantees Texas students who graduated in the top ten percent of their high school class automatic admission to all state-funded universities. The bill was created as a means to avoid the...
, which assists historically-underrepresented minority students in gaining admission to Texas' top institutions of higher learning.
Coleman is a member of the House Committee on Public Health and the Chair of the House Committee on County Affairs. He has joint authored legislation that simplified access to children's Medicaid
Medicaid
Medicaid is the United States health program for certain people and families with low incomes and resources. It is a means-tested program that is jointly funded by the state and federal governments, and is managed by the states. People served by Medicaid are U.S. citizens or legal permanent...
for more than 600,000 children in Texas who were eligible for the program but were not enrolled because of bureaucratic barriers. He also helped secure an increase of $161.5 million for at-risk child care services and joint authored legislation that created the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
State Children's Health Insurance Program
The State Children's Health Insurance Program – later known more simply as the Children's Health Insurance Program – is a program administered by the United States Department of Health and Human Services that provides matching funds to states for health insurance to families with children...
, which makes low-cost health insurance available to more than 400,00 children in working families.
Coleman authored legislation that created the Greater Southeast Management District, the Downtown
Downtown Houston
Downtown Houston is the largest business district of Houston, Texas, United States. Downtown Houston, the city's central business district, contains the headquarters of many prominent companies. There is an extensive network of pedestrian tunnels and skywalks connecting the buildings of the district...
Management District and the Fourth Ward and East Montrose
Neartown Houston
Neartown is an area located in west-central Houston, Texas, United States and is one of the city's major cultural areas. Neartown is roughly bounded by U.S. Highway 59 to the south, Allen Parkway to the north, Bagby Street on the east, and Shepherd Drive to the west...
Improvement Districts. Additionally, he sponsored legislation creating Houston's convention center hotel and expanding the convention center
George R. Brown Convention Center
The George R. Brown Convention Center opened on September 26, 1987 on the east side of Downtown Houston, Texas, United States.The center was named for the prominent Houstonian George R. Brown, an entrepreneur, civic leader and philanthropist. Brown’s Texas Eastern Corporation donated six of the 11...
itself. Rep. Coleman also authored legislation allowing for the creation of a commercial and industrial development zone in Harris County
Harris County, Texas
As of the 2010 Census, the population of the county was 4,092,459, White Americans made up 56.6% of Harris County's population; non-Hispanic whites represented 33.0% of the population. Black Americans made up 18.9% of the population. Native Americans made up 0.7% of Harris County's population...
, which is designed to promote economic development along the transportation corridors that link Houston-area transportation nodes.
Coleman serves on the boards of the Mid-Town
Midtown, Houston, Texas
Midtown is a district southwest of Downtown Houston, bordered by Neartown and U.S. Highway 59.-History:Around 1906 what is now Midtown was divided between the Third Ward and Fourth Ward. Before the 1950s what is now Midtown was a popular residential district. Increasingly, commercial development...
Redevelopment Authority, the National Mental Health Association, and the Ensemble Theater. In 1991, Rep. Coleman founded S.M.A.R.T. Kids, an inner city youth development program. He also serves as president and CEO of Apartments for America, Inc., a non-profit affordable housing corporation.
Coleman has been an avid supporter to Houston's LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
community since taking office; he has supported and endorsed Annise Parker
Annise Parker
Annise Danette Parker is an American politician and the mayor of Houston since January 2, 2010. She served as an at-large member of the Houston City Council from 1998 to 2003 and city controller from 2004 to 2009...
and Sue Lovell
Sue Lovell
Sue Lovell is a local Houston politician currently serving on the Houston City Council, holding the at-large position 2, which she has held since 2005.-Background and Personal Life:...
. He has also been supportive of the Texas Young Democrats to which its Harris County chapter has invited him as a guest speaker.
Raised in Houston, Representative Coleman attended Howard University
Howard University
Howard University is a federally chartered, non-profit, private, coeducational, nonsectarian, historically black university located in Washington, D.C., United States...
in Washington, D.C. and in 1990 graduated from the University of St. Thomas
University of St. Thomas (Houston)
The University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas, United States is a comprehensive Catholic university, grounded in the liberal arts...
cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts. He also completed the Harvard University Senior Executive Program for State and Local Government.
Coleman and his wife, Angelique, reside in Houston's University Oaks
University Oaks, Houston, Texas
University Oaks is a subdivision in southeast Houston with approximately 240 homes located adjacent to the University of Houston. It is bounded by Wheeler Avenue to the north, South MacGregor Way to the south, Calhoun Road to the east, and Cullen Boulevard to the west.-History:University Oaks...
neighborhood. They have two children, Austin and Evan.
Positions
Coleman, in regards to the Third Ward, expressed his opposition to gentrificationGentrification
Gentrification and urban gentrification refer to the changes that result when wealthier people acquire or rent property in low income and working class communities. Urban gentrification is associated with movement. Consequent to gentrification, the average income increases and average family size...
and a desire to keep the original residents in the neighborhood. Coleman had some control over the Midtown Tax Increment Financing District, which bought land in the Third Ward and enacted deeds restricting what may be done with the land, so that the land could indefinitely be used to house low income residents. In 2009, Coleman said "We learned a lot from the debacle in the Fourth Ward. So it would be stupid not to respond to the negative byproducts of rapid development. We want to find people who will make this community better by becoming part of its fabric, not by changing its fabric." In regards to the Fourth Ward in 2009, Coleman said that it cannot recapture the sense of community that it used to have. Coleman added "the residents got pushed to the suburbs, and the businesses got wiped away."
External links
- Texas House of Representatives - Garnet Coleman official TX House website
- Garnet Coleman official campaign website
- Project Vote Smart - Representative Garnet F. Coleman (TX) profile
- Follow the Money - Garnet Coleman