Meyerland is a community in southwest Houston, Texas, outside of the 610 Loop and inside Beltway 8. The neighborhood is named after the Meyer family, who bought and owned 6,000 acres (24 km) of land in southwest Houston.
Meyerland is the center of Houston's Jewish community; the Meyerland area is the home of Houston's Jewish Community Center, Congregation Beth Israel, Congregation Beth Yeshurun, and several smaller synagogues. The area is also home to Meyerland Plaza, a large outdoor shopping center.
Meyerland is partially located within the 100-year floodplain, and houses were prone to flooding during heavy rain events. Meyerland was inundated during Hurricane Harvey in 2017, and stories and images of the flooded community were prominent in media coverage of the natural disaster in Houston.
Large scale flood mitigation projects are underway which will greatly benefit Meyerland. Chief amongst such projects is Project Brays, a $400m mega scale flood mitigation project which will remove several Meyerland homes from 100 year flood plain.
Additional projects completed or announced in the mid‑2020s include the Meyergrove Detention Basin—completed in 2024—and a 2025 land‑swap agreement between Houston and Bellaire that will create new stormwater detention facilities
Circa 2018 several new homes are being built in Meyerland and the neighborhood is seeing strong new home construction. Luxury homes over $1m in value are being built several feet above the minimum base flood elevation.
History The subdivision was formerly rice fields. Joseph F. Meyer Sr. originally acquired the land in sections beginning around 1885.
The land was unused for many years, although part of it was leased to farmers and cattlemen. Joseph Meyer was confident that one day his holdings would be within the Houston city limits.
After Joseph’s death in 1933, the land was divided among his three sons, George, Frank and Joseph Jr. It was not until 20 years after the father’s death that George Meyer decided to develop his share of the land.
On September 24, 1954, the Meyerland Community Improvement Association, a Texas non-profit corporation, was formed. George Meyer developed of the fields into the Meyerland subdivision in 1955. Vice President Richard Nixon was at the subdivision's ribbon-cutting ceremony."History of Meyerland ." Meyerland. Retrieved on December 15, 2009. Meyerland was one of the first deed-restricted communities in the City of Houston.Nicholson, Heather. "Meyerland's original appeal draws new residents." Houston Chronicle. March 11, 2010. Retrieved on July 16, 2010. Many white residents were moving away from the Third Ward area, so many houses in Meyerland were sold prior to construction.Kaplan, Barry J. (University of Houston). "Race, Income, and Ethnicity: Residential Change in a Houston Community, 1920-1970." The Houston Review. Winter 1981. pp. 178-202. CITED: p. 195.
On Memorial Day, May 30, 1961, the "Hero Tree" was dedicated as a living memorial to Capt. Gary L. Herod for his heroism. The tree and a stone marker are located near Meyerland Plaza shopping center on Beechnut Street.
On February 16, 1967, the Meyerland State Bank (now a BBVA Compass) was robbed. The bank initially believed it lost $62,211, which would have made it the most severe bank robbery in Houston at the time. The bank staff later realized that $13,000 of that was in the wrong location and was not in fact stolen, which meant it was Houston's second-most severe bank robbery.
According to Chris Lane of the Houston Press, while many Houston neighborhoods that were considered desirable in 2014 had experienced a period of decline before being gentrified, Meyerland itself had never declined even though Meyerland Plaza had experienced turmoil in the 1980s. In the mid to late 1980s families who began moving into Meyerland and Bellaire began to tear down older homes and build new ones.
A string of over twelve robberies affected Meyerland from April 23, 1989 until June 19, 1989. On June 20, 1989 a suspect, Timothy Dion Morant, had been arrested, and confessed to the crime spree. The group of robbers targeted Meyerland since the houses had valuables, and the community was in proximity to the 610 Loop and other major thoroughfares, providing easy avenues for escape. Morant said that he committed half of the robberies, while his accomplices, many of whom were young men originating from the Hiram Clarke area, committed the other half.Piller, Ruth. "Man arrested in Meyerland burglaries." Houston Chronicle. Wednesday June 21, 1989. A21. Retrieved on October 26, 2011. Area residents used their funds to hire private patrols, causing crime rates to decrease. After families moved in, children who were caught speeding or with illegal substances told police that they were from Meyerland in an effort to get police to treat them more leniently. Stephen Klineberg, a Rice University sociology professor, stated that as Meyerland became wealthier, the class structure increasingly was "rigidified." At the same time, it was reported in 2006 in Texas Monthly that drugs were "plentiful" in Meyerland.Swartz, Mimi. "The Gangstas of Godwin Park." Texas Monthly. June 1, 2006. Jun2006, Vol. 34 Issue 6, p132. Retrieved on November 2, 2011. See profile at EBSCOHost
On Memorial Day, 2015, water from the Brays Bayou flooded Meyerland. Meyerland resident Chris Bell called for an outside investigation on why anti-flooding infrastructure improvements were not completed on time; he argued that the Harris County Flood Control District had assisted with the ReBuild Houston infrastructure program, approved in 2010 in the wake of the 2001 Tropical Storm Allison flooding, and therefore should not be trusted to make a neutral report on the flooding.Nazerian, Tina. "Mayoral candidate calls for investigation of Meyerland flooding." Houston Chronicle. June 21, 2015. Retrieved on May 2, 2016.
In 2017 the Israeli government stated it would spend $1 million to help pay for repairs for damages from Hurricane Harvey sustained by institutions of the Jewish community in Houston. Out of every thirteen Jewish families in Meyerland, one had its house flooded during Harvey.
In 2025 Meyerlanders argued that activity at a few apartment complexes caused an increase in crime in the area, while crime decreased in other areas.
Cityscape In 2006 Mimi Swartz of the Texas Monthly said that the houses around Godwin Park are "cozy ranch houses from the fifties and sixties in Tudor, colonial, and contemporary variations, comfortable but never showy, with gardens lovingly tended."
Demographics In the City of Houston-defined Meyerland Super Neighborhood, there were 21,445 residents in 2015. 58% of them were non-Hispanic white, 16% were Hispanics, 13% were non-Hispanic Asians, 11% were non-Hispanic Blacks, and 2% were non-Hispanic others. In 2000 there were 19,841 residents of the super neighborhood. 77% were non-Hispanic White, 9% were Hispanic, 8% were non-Hispanic Asians, 4% were non-Hispanic Blacks, and 2% were non-Hispanic others.
Government
Meyerland is in Houston City Council District C.City of Houston, Council District Maps, District C ." City of Houston. Retrieved on November 5, 2011. In the first 1991 Mayor of Houston election most Meyerland voters voted for Bob Lanier.Rodriguez, Lori. "Saying goodbye, with no regrets." Houston Chronicle. Saturday November 9, 1991. A31.Bernstein, Alan and Jim Simmon. "Black vote went solidly for Turner/Whitmire failed to produce split." Houston Chronicle. Thursday November 7, 1991. A21. During the 1997 Mayor of Houston election, about 29% of Meyerland voters voted for Lee P. Brown.Bernstein, Alan. "For Brown, ethnic medley with black chorus." Houston Chronicle. Monday December 8, 1997. A1. Retrieved on February 20, 2010.
Meyerland is in Texas's 7th congressional district."Congressional District 7 ." National Atlas of the United States.
Harris Health System (formerly Harris County Hospital District) designated Valbona Health Center (formerly People's Health Center) in Greater Sharpstown for ZIP code 77096. The nearest public hospital is Ben Taub General Hospital in the Texas Medical Center. - See ZIP code 77096. See this map for relevant ZIP code.
Culture
The Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center,Stoeckert, Anthony. "Jewish book, art fair begins Sunday in Meyerland ." Ultimate Bellaire (Houston Chronicle). October 26, 2011. Retrieved on December 2, 2011. Congregation Beth Israel, Congregation Beth Yeshurun, and several small synagogues are in the area. Mimi Swartz of the Texas Monthly said "the neighborhood was a place where Jews could take care of their own and, they believed, could protect their children from negative influences while teaching them to follow religious tradition and embrace the values of family, education, achievement, and community." Every year the Jewish Book and Arts Fair is held in Meyerland.
Education Primary and secondary education In 2022 the Houston Chronicle described the area schools as "sought-after".
Public schools
The neighborhood is served by several Houston Independent School District (HISD) schools.Meyerland Section Map . Meyerland. Accessed September 20, 2008."Map of Meyerland Sections." Meyerland. Retrieved on December 15, 2009. Coldwell Banker United real estate agent Teresa Lewis stated in a 2010 Houston Chronicle article that "Meyerland has long been recognized for its exemplary and recognized magnet schools."
The portion of the neighborhood north of the Brays Bayou is zoned to Lovett Elementary School;"Lovett Elementary Attendance Zone ." Houston Independent School District. Lovett is located in Section 2."Meyerland Sec. 2" (JPG, PDF). Harris County Block Book Map. Volume 84, Page 61. Retrieved on July 26, 2017. Reservation A has Meyerland Park and Reservation B has Lovett Elementary School.Home. Lovett Elementary School. Retrieved on July 26, 2017. "8814 South Rice Ave. Houston, TX 77096-2622" The portion of the neighborhood south of the Brays Bayou is zoned to Kolter Elementary School."Kolter Elementary Attendance Zone ." Houston Independent School District. The portion of the neighborhood on the west (section 10, which has a western edge boundary of Hillcroft Avenue) is zoned to Herod Elementary School."Herod Elementary Attendance Zone ." Houston Independent School District. Herod is located on the edge of Section 10. Lovett was named a National Blue Ribbon School in 2016.
Almost all of the neighborhood is zoned to Meyerland Performing and Visual Arts Middle School (changed from Johnston Middle school in 2016Clemons, Tracy. "HISD approves name changes for seven schools" (Archive). KTRK-TV. Thursday May 12, 2016. Retrieved on May 21, 2016.), also located in Meyerland."Johnston Middle Attendance Zone ." Houston Independent School District. Retrieved on December 15, 2009.Lassin, Arlene Nisson. "Celebration to mark 50 years for Johnston School." Houston Chronicle. Friday April 2, 2010. Retrieved on November 8, 2011. A small portion is zoned to Pershing Middle School."Pershing Middle Attendance Zone ." Houston Independent School District. Retrieved on December 15, 2009. All students who are zoned to Pershing, Johnston, or Long have the option to apply for the regular program at Pin Oak Middle School in the city of Bellaire. Therefore, Pin Oak Middle School serves most of Meyerland."Pin Oak Middle School." The Southwest District. Houston Independent School District. One section of Meyerland is zoned to Fondren Middle School."Fondren Middle Attendance Zone ." Houston Independent School District.